so, i guess my main question is what does she see in him? i mean, i get the story is like enemies to friends and more, but what exactly did dash see in shade to go finally make that leap from friends to something more? likewise for shade, too
[Okay so. This is a tough one, but we talked and figured it out. To be honest, it comes down to the respect she had to earn and just random muse chemistry (that is to say, they just /work/ together). When they met, Shade was a downright asshole, he dismissed her and raised concerns left and right. But he never actively tried to make her look or feel bad. He never tried to prove she couldn’t, just challenged her to prove that she could. (After being assured that she was staying and if he disapproved so much he could leave, but still.)
I feel like with the others they either gave in immediately, which she appreciates, but this is Dash we’re talking about, she relishes the challenge of proving, or they tried to shut down the idea, tripped her up at whatever turn until she proved she could more than keep up. With Shade, all he really asked was that she prove she could keep up, no more no less. He didn’t hold her to a higher standard than himself. He might’ve been an asshole, but he showed her a respect she was desperate for from the very beginning. He even gave her tips when she showed her lacking in course clearing. Shade made the respect that much more gratifying to earn, because she never had to earn it, but she still had to prove she could.
And that’s probably a bigger answer than you were looking for lol, but here’s Shade’s response to what Shade sees in Dash:
“I think for Shade, it’s because she’s a hard working and dedicated individual who isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants. Someone who can match and exceed his own pace. As well as understand and accept what he does as a profession, because she does the same thing. I can’t see him settling down with a civi, that’s for sure.”
And my addition to that: It feels like with Shade, Dash is a constant challenge. He’s someone who will respect women the way they deserve to be respected, but seeing one in Spec Ops, he was curious, cautious, and maybe a bit confused. I don’t think he ever expected a woman to be able to challenge his skill, and it made for a… let’s say interesting first meeting.]
