#canon til the beginning of ch 14

[secretficblog]

Freedombringer - Chapter 1: The Revelation

Hi lovelies, I thought I’d make a sideblog for my fics. 

you can find the work here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28094760

Summary:  The Mandalorian is still trying to find the place where the Child belongs, but after the events of season 2 (minus you know what with the Razor Crest) he decides to make a pit stop in Mos Espa to take a good old-fashioned, normal job. The bounty should be an easy catch, the payment is well enough, and some mindless hunting will surely help him clear his thoughts. But when Din Djarin finally tracks the bounty to its hideout, he realizes a terrible truth.

Tags:  

Slavery

Slow Burn

Trust Issues

Slightly angsty Mando

Does the helmet stay on during sex?

the Razor Crest is okay because everything else will be ignored

Season 2 is over

no one died

Grogu is there

Tatooine

Mos Espa

compliant ish until chapter 14

It had been a long, hard day for the beskar-clad bounty hunter and he wanted nothing more than to stretch out in his sleeping nook, the Child safely in his cot next to him, but he had a feeling this would not happen anytime soon. The bounty was smarter than he thought, nearly untraceable. He had found more important and intelligent people faster than this lots of times. Instead of putting someone into sweet, payment-promising carbonite slumber early on in the day he had crept around the sands of Tatooine for hours until he finally found the bounty. By then he had lost him several times but it was not easy to get rid of a bounty hunter, especially since the Mandalorian prided himself in being one of the best in his trade.  When his target arrived at his destination something felt off to the bounty hunter, there were way too many heat signatures around his target.

Din wondered if the smuggler had hired bodyguards, if he knew someone sent a bounty hunter after him. He usually didn’t mind long stake-outs but the desert and heat in the area around Mos Espa were starting to wear him down and he could feel that the sand, that had crept up underneath the plates of his armor, was now uncomfortably rubbing against the cloth layer below his armor. The plan was to keep searching for answers and help for the little one but his ship was in dire need of repairs, so he had decided to land in the port city two days ago. He had found a job almost immediately but he had to admit that something about the city just seemed off, the streets were full of life, yet a little too quiet to be lively.

Now he was on the way back to his trusty Razor Crest, partially to check up on the kid and partially to take a minute to breathe freely and without having to be too weary of his surroundings. He arrived quickly, too lost in his thoughts to pay attention to the walk there. The Crest might not be a beauty, it might have never been one in the first place, but it was his safe space, the one place he could call home after loosing his first one and then the protection of the Mandalorians.

“Ah the things you do for credits…”, he groaned when he sat down in a proper chair for the first time that day. The Child cooed next to him, almost sounding understanding. “I do it so we don’t have to live off of frogs or whatever we can hunt in the wild, although I suppose you wouldn’t mind, would you, kid?” The little one’s ears perked up at the mention of his favorite food and he smacked his lips twice. The Mandalorian let out a small sound of disgust. “Alright kid, let’s get you fed and ready for a nap and then I’ll head back out.”

Bone broth sounded like bacta for his aching muscles and tired mind right now and he was sure the child wouldn’t complain. After he placed the little one on his table, he filled two cups with a dissolved ration pack full of powder and hot water. Greedy green hands were reaching for the smaller cup before it even was completely full. “Clam down, kid. You’ll burn yourself.” The child rewarded him with more exaggerated lip smacking.

Sometimes he wondered why he talked to him like he would answer but the little one had touched a part of his heart he had closed off ever since his parents died. The memories he had left were way too precious to him to be replaced by anything else, but they were fading, and the more he tried to hold on to them, the faster they seemed to slip away. It had been a gradual process for years but once the child had stepped into his life, it had slowly but surely wiggled his way into the Mandalorian’s heart. ‘Not that slowly’, he thought to himself when he remembered the moment he found the pod that had contained the little one. Looking back that was the moment he decided he was unable to give him away, but he had a duty to fulfill. That was the first time he had broken one of his rules in a long time. He made a habit out of not caring for the bounties, bringing them in however the clients wanted them, warm or cold, it usually didn’t matter all that much. The routine of taking a job, tracking the target and delivering them had been so burned into his mind that he didn’t even consider leaving his normal path, he was just going through the motions, but then he took the job that led him to Arvala-7 and the child. For the first time since he started bringing in bounties he had questioned it, he had cared about what happened to his target. It was an unknown feeling, the idea of him haunted it and-

A cup that was slowly shoved into his field of view ripped him out of his train of thought. “Gro...gu”, he said, the name still feeling unfamiliar when it rolled off of his tongue, “do you want more broth?” “Ah”, the little one answered, while shoving the cup even closer to Din’s face, waddling a step towards him on the tabletop. A slight chuckle escaped the man, the foreign sound ringing in his ears for a second.  He lifted his cup and poured part of his own broth into Grogu’s cup. The urge to watch over him was strong, but the need to wash off quickly before he went back out into the desert was stronger, so he entered the captain’s quarters and stripped out of his armor, slowly and carefully, fully aware of how much it was worth, not just to him but to his people.

Something deep inside of him urged him not to dwell for too long, getting back to the bounty’s hideout suddenly seemed incredibly important to him. So Din cleaned himself with a quick precision, slipped into new undergarments and put his armor back on. He did however take the time to spare a glance at his uncovered face in the beaten up mirror he owned. It wasn’t a necessity for a Mandalorian to own one, but he was a foundling after all, and his features reminded him of his parents. He was far from willing to ignore the Creed, the Mandalorians had rescued him and he owed them his life, but there were moments, especially now that his memories were fleeting and his parent’s features were becoming blurrier with every day, where he needed to see his face, wanted to show it proudly and carry on his parent’s bloodline, to keep their memory alive.

He snapped back to the present and the urge to continue his mission returned with force. Grogu looked sleepy and when Din lifted him up to put him in his little makeshift hammock and hide him from the world, the child snuggled up to him in a tired haze. “I need to go, ad’ika, but I will be back before you wake.” (little one)

He shouldered his rifle and checked his blaster before looking back at the child one last time.

The target was hiding in a lone building further away from the city, it was sand colored and easy to miss but the Mandalorian knew exactly how to spot hideouts. On his way there he tried to clear his mind and focus completely on the mission at hand. There would be time later to think about everything else and if he died, he wouldn’t have to worry about anything anyway. Perks of the job, he supposed. He growled at his constantly straying mind and tried to force his focus back towards the target, this wasn’t helpful at all. Settling in for the night, he decided to unpack his equipment on a small hill that faced the building’s entrance. Just as he zoomed in on the unmoving scene in front of him something started to happen.

A woman ran out of the door, followed by Genosians with blasters. He used his visor to take a closer look and saw shackles and handcuffs dangling from the woman’s limbs. She was trying to flee. Din had heard stories about Mos Espa but it was at that moment that he realized that most of the people in the hideout were not bodyguards, they were slaves.

#the mandalorian #star wars #mando x oc #fanfic #mandalorian #din djarin #din djarin x female oc #canon til the beginning of ch 14 #mando #does it make sense? #eh #we love space dad mando #freedombringer #freedombringer: the revelation

[stardustedknuckles]

14! 14!

Okay okay I also had a request for this with beauyashter but I have been in a huge werewolf mood, so! 1.3k, rated T, slightly horny on main. Werewolf AU. I didn’t set out to make it fit inside my canon, but there’s no real reason it couldn’t.

14. Play wrestling

Beau sat back on her heels and smiled at the little patch of earth she'd been toiling away in for the better part of an hour, pulling her gloves off and wiping the sweat from her brow as she looked over the little basket of peppers at her feet.

It was still early, but she could feel the sun beginning to warm her shoulders with an intent that suggested it might be time to move into shade. She plucked the basket, her gloves, and the trowel and set them on the porch, pausing a moment to stretch and face the light sweeping across the yard and the woods around them. Footsteps shuffled inside the house behind her, and Beau turned to grin at a sleepy Yasha standing now on the other side of the screen and rubbing her eyes.

"Morning, sunshine."

Yasha huffed and smiled as she pushed the screen open and came to stand on the porch. "Morning." She leaned an arm on the railing and put her chin in her hand, gazing contentedly over Beau, the yard, and the little garden. Her eyes fell on the basket, and her smile deepened. "You've been busy."

Beau picked up the garden hose and headed towards the spigot on the other side of the corner. "Just passing time til you woke up, babe."

Yasha was pouting at her a little when she came back around. "I would have helped."

"And missed this?" Beau gestured to her silver-black hair mussed and shining in the morning sun, the way her bare feet poked out from under her favorite soft pants. The tattoo running down her left arm shimmered like summer, and the slow flush crawling up her face at Beau's open affection made the whole thing perfect.

But Beau was still new to open affection herself and gave into the urge to deflect just a little. "Also you might have eaten me for waking you, so…"

She kept her eyes on the plants as she watered them, but she still saw Yasha nodding seriously in her periphery. "I am rather beastly in the mornings."

"Har har," said Beau, but she was smiling as she pulled the hose gently along towards the end of the bed. It had rained recently; they didn't need much from her. "Let me just finish up with the watering and I'll be inside, yeah? There's still time to be as beastly as you want."

There was no response. Beau looked up. No Yasha either. Just a pair of soft plaid pants draped over the rail and the sudden sensation of a cold, wet nosed pressed to the sun-warmed small of Beau's back.

Beau yelped and whirled on the huge wolf sitting eye level with her and panting in unmistakable laughter. She brandished the hose threateningly. "No fair being cute to get my guard down."

Yasha gave a whurf that Beau didn't need any influence to translate. "Yeah, yeah, you're always cute." She dragged the hose over the last of the plants and flicked the stream up suddenly to graze Yasha's muzzle as she looked on. An explosive growl ripped from Yasha's chest as she snapped at the water with teeth that flashed in the morning sun, and then she froze, staring at Beau in surprise as plain as her own.

"Whoah." Beau slowly lifted the hose and sprayed her again without breaking eye contact.

Yasha dropped instantly into something that looked like her usual play bow and snapped at the water again with that menacing sound, which faded to warning hum when Beau moved the stream off of her but didn't fade completely. Her lips were pulled back and quivering, the roaring growl a quiet and wary sound now in her chest.

Beau blinked at her and cracked up. "Oh my gods, look at you." She leaped backwards and sprayed at Yasha again as an improbable amount of wet fur and muscle lunged at her, laughing all the while.

With a familiar flicker, the wolf vanished to leave a very human and very naked Yasha standing before her and blocking the water with her arm as she charged

"Oh shit," said Beau, and then "oof" as she was tackled into the soft grass.

"Give me that." Yasha grabbed at the hose and just missed as Beau snatched it away and sprayed her again, this time in the stomach. Yasha was ready for her, and she caught it when she struck again and turned the spray fully on Beau with a triumphant shout.

"Fuck! That shit is cold!" Yasha giggled like a maniac as Beau sputtered and wiggled up through the water to grab blindly at her arm and pull herself up for leverage. The grass was slippery, but she found purchase and launched herself up to vault over Yasha's shoulder and take off running.

She could just hear Yasha call "oh that's adorable" over her own laughter, and a second later her world was grass and fur and hot weight pinning her down to snuffle in her ear and lick all over her face and neck. "I give! You w- ugh! Dog tongue - nooo!"

Finally, Yasha had mercy on her and shifted back to sit on her stomach, keeping her firmly pinned between her knees. Beau wiped the water and slobber off her face with a grassy arm and squinted up at Yasha as their giggles slowly eased.

"It is so not fair that you can just swap bodies. You're not even wet anymore."

She tried to sit up, but Yasha put her hands on her shoulders and pushed them back into the grass with a look that spelled trouble as she leaned over Beau's face. "You might be surprised."

Beau's brain shorted. "Uh."

Yasha grinned and kissed her hard, and Beau couldn't help the pathetic little noise that slipped out of her when she levered her weight just that little bit to grind her hips on Beau's before sitting up again. "You look very good like this."

Dazed and still amped by the adrenaline of the force that was Yasha in all forms, Beau could only gibber something that probably would've been really smooth if it had contained any words.

Yasha's face turned to mock sympathy as she patted Beau's cheek. "I'd love to stay, but someone left the hose on. Wouldn't want anything to happen to the peppers."

Beau found her voice as Yasha started to get up. "Fuck the peppers, get back here."

Grinning, Yasha danced out of her reach and bent to grasp and kink the hose in her fist. "I will 'take the pass' on that, if it's all the same to you." She extended her hand. "And we both know you would rather come here."

Beau scowled just to make a point before hauling herself to her feet. "You don't have to be smug just because you're right." She threw her arms around Yasha's neck and jumped, all but purring when Yasha leaned down to wrap her arm under her ass and lift her like she weighed nothing.

"But it's so much fun." She shifted Beau's weight on her hip and headed for the spigot, still smiling.

Her neck was right there, practically begging for Beau's mouth on it. Who was she to argue? She nipped at it and grinned when Yasha's breath audibly caught. "You're right, smug is fun."

Yasha's eyes were blown. "Bold move, Beau."

Cold water spurted once against her midriff, and Beau yelped as Yasha cackled and just tightened her grip to hold her fast. The spigot squeaked, and then both of Yasha's hands were on her and pulling her around front so she was looking down at those mismatched eyes and that slow, broad smile.

"I can be a lot bolder," Beau breathed.

Yasha kissed her again as her fingers dug in where they supported Beau's ass. "So I've heard. Let's get your spoils out of the sun and some water actually inside of you and you can show me, hmm?"

It was very, very tempting to put her hands exactly where she knew Yasha liked instead, but Beau knew Yasha was right. She gestured grandly behind her towards the porch with its basket of peppers and Yasha's favorite pants hung safely out of wolfy explosion reach. "Lead the way."

#prompt fill #'200 words' I said #'just make them wrestle and don't bother with context' I said #whateverrrrr #beauyasha #Anonymous

[vinspiration-book]

Son of Palaven, Daughter of Earth Playlist

Based on the story by miceenscene

Story Here

Spotify Playlist Here

Playlist Status: Synced up to ch. 47

This wonderful piece of fanfiction inspired me to create a soundtrack for it.  Here is a track listing and some thoughts about each piece.  I try to pick thematic tracks for each story beat, while still retaining a rhythm between each song.

1. The Arranged Marriage - Gavin Luke

An instrumental piece by film composer Gavin Luke is the overture.  Anxious and urgent, it depicts a quiet, unhappy uncertainty that is nevertheless peppered by bright chords.  Combined with the name, it sets the tone for Shepard and Garrus’ unwilling journey into matrimony.

2. I Still Taste Fire - Stephanie Mabey

“I woke up with ashes in my mouth”

Shepard’s beginning theme.  A dark and driving song of regret and grit.  Shepard feels that she, Flaming Death, has personally lost the war and didn’t even get to see the ending.  The line “Thought I'd always remember what it felt like / To want you / But it's all kind of hazy now / Almost like I burned it down” normally refers to a lover, but in Shepard’s case, the “you” is an end to the war that she thought she wanted.  Now that the price of peace is her freedom, it's a bitter thing to swallow.

3. This Means War - Marianas Trench

“I hate to admit it but I miss the war”

Garrus’ beginning theme.  Whereas Shepard’s song was all seriousness and loss, Garrus can never quite be 100% sass-free.  So we get this jocular tune about having to play nice with someone even though you’d rather be fighting them.

4. Can’t Be Tamed - Miley Cyrus

“If you try to hold me back I might explode”

The wedding: Shepard’s view.  Deep in enemy territory, forced to participate in a ritual meant to demean her and her species, Shepard is nevertheless putting on a fierce display, just like the brash attitude of this number.  The irony of the song is that the singer keeps repeating over and over how she can’t be tamed; almost as if no one believes her?  Also includes the line “I'm like a puzzle / But all of my pieces are jagged” which has a double meaning that ties in to the story: as Garrus says much, much later both literally and metaphorically, “[A puzzle] is the best thing you could have gotten me”.

5. Love Runs Out - OneRepublic

“I'll be doin' this, if you ever doubt, / 'Til the love runs out”

The wedding: Garrus’ view.  Is this a romantic song, or a resigned one?  Or is it duplicitous?  Garrus may be a bad turian, but he’s still obedient to the Hierarchy, even if it’s only going through the motions and hoping for an escape.  The driving punch of the bass notes echoes this sentiment in a song that could be read as either loving commitment or bitter commitment.  It contains a lot of fire imagery too, especially the singer being someone to help someone else start a fire… perfect for being tied to Flaming Death. The song also mentions an (arch?)angel and the strong influence of the singer’s mother, both of which are important to the story.

6. Poker Face - Lady Gaga

“Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun”

Spying: Shepard’s view.  So Shepard and Garrus only ever play a board game in this story rather than poker, but come on.  It’s Poker Face.  It’s the best song ever about selfishly conning your partner to further your own high-stakes goals.

7. Fraud - Jonathan Coulton

“Sharp teeth test your skin / Too late, you let an angel in”

Spying: Garrus’ view.  This song takes a more meditative approach to being disingenuous, but just about every verse is packed with imagery that pairs perfectly with the story, from unwanted houseguests, to painting, fighting, and losing.  The refrain is even about an angel with fangs!

8. Didn’t Know You - Karmin

“Like a bird of prey / Out of nowhere you came / Do you always get your way?"

The reports: Shepard’s view.  An angry song about being the victim of deception and invasive tactics.  The singer talks especially about upending their entire life (setting “dreams ablaze”--fire imagery again) for the sake of someone who turned out to be a liar that controls their every move.  Turians are sometimes referred to as “birds” as a pejorative in Mass Effect, making the repeated line fit even more.

9. Can’t Go to Hell - Sin Shake Sin

“This romance with ignorance has left us behind”

The reports: Garrus’ view. Unlike Shepard’s reaction to finding the reports--which is very much about personal betrayal--Garrus’ reaction is a more public outcry about the situation going FUBAR.  One of the central tenets in ME canon about Shepard and Garrus’ relationship (to the point that even the characters themselves talk about it in these terms) is that he willingly follows her into hell every single time.  This makes the bitter anger of the chorus (“We can’t go to hell if we’re already there”) especially poignant.  The second verse evokes Shepard and Garrus’ situation closely too, mentioning being “blind by design” and stating “...history keeps getting paid to change its mind”, which is the purpose of the arranged marriage in the first place.

10. Home - Machine Gun Kelly & X Ambassadors

“Now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?”

Shepard and Garrus: no extraction.  A rare male/female duet of frustration and longing for respite that neatly applies to the protagonists’ mindsets.  Both Anderson and the Hierarchy have turned away their soldiers, leaving them in this untenable situation.  Though they arrived at it differently--and aren’t commiserating at this point--Shepard and Garrus are feeling the same thing now:  They must continue to live together, but there’s no way this life can bring them any happiness or rest.

11. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap

“Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you”

Shepard is broken, and so is Garrus, a little.  This haunting acapella song (delivered in dual-toned overdub kind of like how a turian speaks, interestingly) was famously used by a TV drama for an overly dramatic murder scene, and then used again by Saturday Night Live to spoof that scene.  But Hide and Seek is technically about a divorce… and how a former home now becomes unrecognizably empty as the former couple moves out and apart.  Although they can’t separate, this is essentially what has happened to Shepard and Garrus.  Shepard tries to “live” as little as possible in the house while still being confined to it.  Garrus tries to escape to work.  

12. Rumble - Hi Fashion

“He said, she said / You better mind your space”

The alley brawl.  A complete turnaround from the previous song, this abrupt battle anthem (sung by dual tones again, and with a notable mention of a man and a woman both throwing the punches) is both high-energy, but also a slower tempo than you’d expect.  The effect is that of measured, precise violence rather than a chaotic frenzy; perfect for trained soldiers giving a beatdown.  Canon Shepard gets ribbed for being an awful dancer--outside of the battlefield, at least, giving an ironic twist to the dance imagery in the lyrics.  But this is technically the first time in the story that Shepard and Garrus are in sync: their first metaphorical dance together.

13. Hammer to Fall - Queen

“Tow the line and play their game / Yeah, let the anesthetic cover it all”

Medigel.  This story's version of Shepard loves Queen, and this song provides the title for the story’s later chapters, so it had to be on the soundtrack of course.  A disillusioned anthem to soldiers who are asked to fight wars for reasons someone else decided, it describes Shepard and Garrus’ situation perfectly--their lives have been ruined because of Fedorian’s unjust war.  Even though this is a small snippet of background to the story, it’s nevertheless a critical turning point, when Garrus realizes just how badly Shepard has been wronged… and that he himself contributed to it.

14. Karma - Marina

“So vicious, this cycle / When you live in sweet denial”

The apology: Shepard’s view.  Garrus apologies to Shepard, but she doesn’t know how to take it.  She’s skeptical, and with good reason.  Although this song is talking about a great deal of betrayal, the tone is less angry--or even melancholy--than weary and aloof.  The singer has made what peace she can with the situation, and is just waiting to see how everything plays out, rather than actively wishing harm on someone.  Karma is usually about an equal return of bad experiences, but Shepard is too defeated at this point to really care about that.  Garrus’ distress at his actions is actually better karma than if he himself were to be betrayed.

15. I Won’t Let You Down - OK Go

“Maybe all you need is someone to trust”

The apology: Garrus’ view.  Garrus is a man of action, and this upbeat track wastes no time in sorrow, instead attempting to reach out to the wounded party with a direct promise of support.  The lyrics talk about people who have every right to be distrustful, even using battle imagery (“no flag to fly”, “strap that armor tighter on”)... but rather than trying to get past their defenses, the singer encourages the downtrodden to fight harder--together.  A very Garrus point of view.

16. Rumors - Lindsay Logan

"You're probably gonna write what you didn't see”

The interview.  Ah, Khalisah.  A pretty straightforward song about paparazzi doing what paparazzi do, sung by the aggrieved celebrity.

17. One Shot - Rob Thomas

"We get one chance to make this kickstart”

Bottle shooting at the valley.  While Shepard and Garrus fire a lot of rounds during this little date, it's the final shot that's the most important.  Garrus' previous actions since their fight have been peace offerings, but this is his first actual gift to Shepard.  He gives Shepard his crown just to see her smile.  Essentially, his first romantic gesture is literally “one shot”.  The sentiment pairs perfectly with this energetic tune about starting something rare and good.

18. Souvenir - Johnnyswim

“It's those little things that I hold dear”

Terra Goods.  At this point, Shepard and Garrus are starting to do things to really support each other in little ways and in big ways, culminating in Garrus creating a whole souvenir trading company just to make Shepard happy.  This song, a duet that alternates between jaunty and staid, talks about a couple that had a brief good time, then separated due to some unnamed conflict.  Now they both think fondly of their time together, making souvenirs of the memories.  Both singers individually wish for another chance, while not realizing the other person does too.

19. DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love - Usher, Pitbull

“I think I remember those eyes”

Clubbing with Solana.  This throbbing dance tune is simple enough that even Shepard could probably keep to the beat.  Seeing Shepard (attempting to) dance is one of the first moments where Garrus is physically attracted to her.

20. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

“Easy come, easy go / Little high, little low”

The walk back.  Shepard sings this most famous Queen song as she stumbles home under Garrus’ watchful eye.  It describes a murderer with a guilty conscience, which Shepard is somewhat.  She’s killed a lot of turians, but now they are people to her instead of monsters.  Shepard probably isn’t thinking about that, though… it’s just a fun song to sing when you’re drunk.  Or anytime.

21. Livin’ in the Sunlight, Lovin’ in the Moonlight - The Good Johnsons

“I’m right here to stay”

Splashing in the fountain.  This whimsical cover of an old song is just silly enough for Shepard’s drunken water foray.  Although it’s been building for a bit, it takes hard liquor for Shepard to admit she might be happy on Palaven.  But there’s a slight undercurrent of the singer not believing their own message.  The line “I’m as free as any daughter” is especially ironic in this context.

22. Mom - Meghan Trainor

“Ain’t nobody got a mom like mine”

Visiting with Galena.  Shepard’s relationship with Garrus’ mother is one of my favorite parts of the story, and it’s one of the things that cements Shepard’s feeling that she may just belong here.  It’s also significant that even though Shepard is starting to love Garrus, she can only express love towards his mother at first.  In a way, loving Galena teaches Shepard how to love Garrus.  Hence why this story beat gets its own song.

23. With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles

“Are you sad because you're on your own?”

The care package.  Finally, Shepard finds out that Earth hasn’t completely abandoned her.  This song especially talks about isolation when your lover is not there, and how friends can help you through it.  When Garrus isn’t there, Shepard is almost totally alone on the planet, so learning her squad still supports her is a huge relief.

24. Tongues - Joywave, KOPPS

“Tell me all the things I've missed”

Ashley.  This furtive song is about returning to where you are from, only to find out you are now a stranger to them.  While Shepard’s argument with Ashley is a little more circumspect than that, the gist is that Shepard learns that even though she now has this lifeline back to Earth, she’s not welcomed like she was before… which is just what she has been fearing since her interview with Khalisah.

25. Unbreakable - Jamie Scott

“I won't let you fall down now”

Garrus comforts Shepard and comes to a realization.  This song of gentle encouragement talks about a woman who has lost everything, and the man who wants to love her regardless.  It’s emotive and warm and seems to capture just what Garrus is thinking as Shepard cries in his arms.

26. War Paint - Fletcher

“I write the colors on my face”

The dress shop.  Keslia describes the Gala being a battle, and Shepard’s dress being her armor.  This song of self-empowerment uses loads of battle imagery and works in tandem with the previous one… Shepard’s been wounded emotionally but she’s still fighting.  Turians’ face markings have important meaning for family and home.  But for humans, the same sort of marks are called war paint and are used by warriors to represent ferocity and power.  Shepard turns an outfit that could just make her into the ornament that the turians want and turns it into a symbol of her survival.

27. Ballroom Blitz - Tia Carrere

“She could kill you with a wink of her eye”

The Gala, part 1.  A fun cover of an energetic song talking about a crazy party fight.  Between the turian generals and Cyntha, Shepard and Garrus really do have a battle on their hands.  While nothing violent actually happens, they have each other’s backs throughout the event, even standing up solo versus their partner’s enemies.

28. Blue Dress - Benjamin Franklin Leftwich

“I should love you better than that”

The Gala, part 2.  Shepard asks Garrus if her presence is harming his career, but he doesn’t reply.  This song is meant to be the answer he doesn’t say.  It’s an apology from a man whose work/travel has prevented him from participating in a relationship like he should.  Interestingly, in ME canon, it’s the opposite: the Shadow Broker notes that Garrus’ attachment to Shepard prevents him from being a better commander.  The line “But still my only weakness / Is you baby in that blue dress” fits nicely with the story, but funnily enough also with canon… as blue is the color of the Alliance uniforms that canon Shepard typically wears.

29. Vie En Rose - Pomplamoose

“It’s only him for me / and me for him, for life”

Dancing in the driveway.  This version of Shepard speaks French, so this slow, lilting, classic French love song is what I imagine coming out of the car stereo when Garrus teaches Shepard to dance.  Ok, so it’s probably more likely a turian song playing in this scene, but still.  I especially like the stanza that says “He speaks words of love to me / They are everyday words / And they do something to me” because unlike canon, where Shepard and Garrus’ bond is forged in battle, in this AU it’s built from all the little everyday things they say and do for each other.

30. Bad Liar - Selena Gomez

“If you're the art, I'll be the brush”

Painting.  Shepard and Garrus made that “100%” promise, but when it comes to feelings, they don’t exactly follow through.  This breathy song is about admitting--at least to yourself--that you were denying your emotions, and that your love interest seems to be as well.  Not that Shepard is clued in enough to realize Garrus feels the same way, but putting together the easel with Garrus also helped Shepard put together why she’s reacting to him the way she is.  Once again, they are in sync without realizing it, the dorks.  This song also contains numerous lines that fit the story nicely, such as talking about living arrangements, the battle of Troy (and isn’t that just the funniest view of Shepard’s infiltration of Palaven), and “feelings on fire”.

31. Anne of Green Gables - The Charlottetown Festival

“Anne of Green Gables, sweet and strange, / stay as you are today.”

Reading to Galena.  Oh, boy, here we go.  Get those tissues ready, it’s coming soon.  This simple song from the Anne of Green Gables musical doesn’t say much, but it has a sorrowful timbre that speaks of heartache to come.

32. I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family

“Do you think I have a case? Let me ask you to your face”

Happy Anniversary!  In canon and most fanon, Garrus is slick as oil until comes to telling Shepard how he feels, and then he gets adorably pitiful and nervous.  While at this point in the story, Garrus himself is probably not ready to call it “love”, this anxiety-ridden song still captures that fragile state of mind.  Sadly, Garrus gets interrupted before he makes it as far as the singer does in his confession.

33. Galena - Kerri Sherwood

Galena’s passing.  Did you know there are a lot of songs called “Galena”?  But though I searched and searched--and quite a few of them were sad songs--none of them had the right words.  Because there aren’t any right words for this, are there?  And so, a solemn, sad instrumental piece describes Galena’s last day.

34. In My Arms - Plumb

“All I can do is hold you tight”

Garrus’ breakdown.  This song is from a mother who wants to protect her child from the harshness of the world.  But Garrus’ mother is gone, so Shepard has to sing it instead.  Growing up is hard, and the very last and hardest part of growing up for most people is losing your parents.  As a side note, the song starts by mentioning blue eyes--one of Garrus’ most notable features.

35. Calling All Angels - Jane Siberry, k.d. lang

"Don’t leave me alone"

The Vigil, part 1.  A song imploring various spirits and saints to help guide you through a trying time.  On Palaven, where they ask the Spirits’ help for everything, this would probably be especially appropriate.  Granted, this song gets used in A LOT of soundtracks, but that’s because it’s so perfect for when you’ve lost someone.  More than just loss, this song also says that you know life will go on... but those first steps afterwards are the hardest.  It’s like the MVP of movie funeral songs, and Galena deserves the best, dammit.

36. Hope Will Lead Us On - Barlow Girl

"Become the flame / That shows us the way"

The Vigil, part 2.  Shepard steps up wonderfully for the Vakarian family and helps them heal.  This song, sung almost from a sort of battle commander’s perspective, mixes strong, driving beats with inspiring statements… while still having an underlying piano refrain that is haunting and forlorn.  It doesn’t try to move past the pain, but rather keeps it as a foundation for a new beginning.

37. That’s How You Know - Amy Adams, from “Enchanted”

"It's not enough to take the one you love for granted"

Operation Two Turtle Doves.  Shepard’s getting ready to meddle with Solana’s love life.  So we have a cute song from a cute movie on that very topic.  I wish the pronouns were correct for a wlw relationship like in the story, but what can ya do.  The line “Don’t treat her like a mind reader” made me laugh, because… Keslia literally is one, being an asari and all.

38. Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Prestley

"Shall I stay?"

Kissing in the study.  One of my favorite parts of the story… a tired kiss that’s all about love and comfort rather than passion.  When Shepard and Garrus are both drained emotionally and physically from the Vigil, all that’s left is a quiet gravity that draws them together.  There are many versions of this song, but Elvis’ gentle crooning rendition is all about slow movements and tender questions.

39. Love Of My Life - Queen

“You don’t know what it means to me”

Singing to babies.  Shepard’s still singing Queen, so here is her next solo.  This is such a heartwarming scene, plus we get a bit of sibling slapstick for a laugh.  The funny part is that even though Shepard is the one singing this song to the babies, the lyrics are really describing what Garrus is feeling in this scene.  It works as a cute lullaby, in the way that lullabies often are kind of dark for some reason.

40. Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle

"When I feel alone, I reach for you / And you bring me home"

Going to Earth.  There Garrus goes again with the grand gestures.  Not just anybody can say they gave their partner the world.  As much as this Shepard likes Queen, I bet she also likes other 80’s classics like Belinda Carlisle.  This song represents Shepard’s response to Garrus’ gift.

41. Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys

“Everybody stands, as she goes by / Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes”

Arriving at Earth.  This song is meant to be from Garrus’ perspective, seeing Shepard in her natural habitat, and is particularly inspired by the story’s description of Shepard being “swallowed by sunlight” as she leaves the ship...which would make her look like she was on fire.  It’s a song of admiration and wonder over the power of this one woman who stands out from everyone else.  P.S. Did anyone else imagine the spaceship was the Normandy, even though it wasn’t?  I did.

42. Wannabe - Spice Girls

“If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends”

The Squad.  Ok, so this song is not serious at all, but Shepard’s squad are a bunch of goofballs anyway.  Although at this point Shepard probably wouldn’t tell Garrus goodbye if he bugged her like the song mentions, she does state that it means a lot to her that Garrus makes friends with her group.

43. Where Everybody Knows Your Name - Gary Portnoy

I initially added this song for Hudson’s, as it’s the theme song from the sitcom Cheers, which is all about this type of bar.  HOWEVER, there are verses in the full song that you never hear in the tv show, including one that’s a bit of toxic masculinity bordering on transphobia.  So, this song can just go in the trash where it belongs.

43. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

“Home is wherever I’m with you”

The broken nose.  Shepard’s gotten another reminder that she doesn’t quite belong on Earth anymore… but that ends up being okay, because Garrus is her home now.  This fun duet talks about how even if you travel and have a variety of experiences, you can find that the person you shared it with is what’s really important.  This is in direct contrast to the song of the same name earlier in the playlist, which talked about needing Home to be an actual place.  In the middle of the song is a spoken-word section about the man realizing he’s in love with the woman only when she gets injured… which is so Shepard and Garrus it’s funny.  I thought for a long time that the woman’s name in the song was “Jane,” which would have made an even better fit, but it turns out it’s “Jade”.  Ah well.

44. Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty - Chris & Pui

“Purr, purr, purr”

Mr. Biscuits.  A children’s lullaby about cats napping and purring.  The main verse mentions London, which is just a coincidence as a significant location for canon Shepard & Garrus. But really I just wanted a song that Shepard could tease Garrus with.

45. I Want To Break Free - Queen

“I've fallen in love for the first time / And this time I know it's for real”

Operation I Want To Break Free.  Another of Shepard’s Queen-inspired choices that of course had to be on the soundtrack.  This rock anthem has several elements that apply to the story, including falling in love in a strange circumstance, and trying to escape from an oppressive situation.  The song is not necessarily addressed to the singer’s lover though, so the “you” referenced is more likely the outside oppressor.  As Shepard is planning this operation without Garrus’ help, it would make sense that this not song is speaking to him directly.

46. Aurora Borealis - Bohnes

“I saw with my own eyes something beautiful”

Seton Lake:  Garrus’ view.  This location actually exists in real life and is worth googling an image of!  This breathy ballad is an ode to love that is as sublime and ineffable as the northern lights.  With lyrics that talk about stellar phenomena and our place in the universe, it’s especially poignant for lovers from different planets.  The line about “a beautiful coincidence that causes love” also fits pretty well, since the arranged marriage turning to love was all unplanned.  There’s also a line, “the world inside your eyes is more than black and white to me,” and one of Garrus’ most famous lines in canon is about how he’s unsure how to operate outside of black and white morality… but as it turns out, when it’s Shepard, he’s okay with it.

47. I Choose You - Sara Bareilles

“I believe in something again”

The Mark.  While this chapter is explicit, it’s also really charming, humorous, and emotional.  So this light and breezy song about choice and beginnings fits well as Shepard’s perspective.  This story is largely about Shepard having her autonomy taken from her, with the course of her entire life decided by others.  But when she is finally in a position to do something about it--and when Garrus even offers her an out--she chooses him.  The song mentions outside influences trying to convince the singer that her love is impossible or wrong, which is again something that Shepard has had to deal with.  But Shepard now willingly accepts the mark from Garrus that she once rejected… As the song says, the mark is a visible symbol that will “Tell the world that we finally got it all right”.  The line “I will become yours and you will become mine” sounds like a wedding vow, which seems especially appropriate.

[TO BE CONTINUED]