#they actually had omni on there it made me happy lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ramblinganthropologist · 3 years

Text

MER Week Day 2 - Long time no see

Summary: It’s been a while since Alistair Shepard and Garrus Vakarian have seen each other. They’ve been busy on their separate planets, helping in whatever ways they can to get things back to as normal as they’re going to get. However, with some free time, they’re finally getting to meet back up. Problem is... somebody forgot to mention the testosterone. Whoops. Well, at least Shepard’s got a free offer of carapace ripping from his sister if things go south.

(Set after ME3, enjoy your t4t shakarian lol)

---

Babe: See you at 3 then.

The message still glowed on his screen, burned into his retinas from the night before. It was the last message in a long conversation that had lasted well into hours he should have been sleeping, but it had been worth it. After all, it was important to hash out details when your fiancé was coming to visit.

It was even more important to do so in his circumstances.

“Fuck…”

The words leaked out from between Alistair’s teeth as he glanced around – the time said it was sometime after 2:40. Like always, campus was busy, full of his fellow students going from one class to another. Most of them look tired – and he understood that fully. Between med school and fighting the reapers… some days it could be a toss-up, depending on what he was doing.

Most days, med school won. Maybe that was a good thing? Or maybe he was just a sadist.

Regardless, campus was busy. It was easy to blend into the crowd like this as he sought a seat on a bench under a tree. All he could do was look at the screen of his omni-tool, frowning as he read through the messages.

He shouldn’t have been nervous… but he was.

Maybe that was why he clicked onto a new message window, just as busy as the one with the one he had been glancing at. Even better, the other person was online. Something like hope sprung into his chest as he started typing, fingers flying with the speed of an ex-Alliance officer.

Some things were fading with time – this probably never would.

Al: Where are my anxiety meds when I need them?

Bo: Relax, he’s going to love it. And if he doesn’t, there won’t be anything left to bury afterwards.

Bo: Or whatever turians do when they die.

“Nothing like threatening my fiancé to get me to calm down.” He chuckled despite himself, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. However, a beeping drew his attention. Bo was attempting to video call him, which he was more than happy to accept.

Rannoch was as busy as ever on the other side of the line. He could see quarians and geth in the background, going about their business as his adopted sister focused her camera. Even after tweaking it, she was still a little skewed and not completely in the frame. However, she was allowed to be – her analogue sense of direction had saved his ass. She could be as out of focus as she wanted.

“I mean it, Al.”

He chuckled again. “I know, Bo. I guess I’m just nervous. I mean… we haven’t seen each other before…”

With his free hand, he gestured towards his body. Some days, especially in the early morning when he was half asleep, he was still unable to believe what was actually happened. It seemed more like a dream… at least until his voice cracked. It was doing that far less as his range settled, but still. At his age, it was kind of embarrassing.

Oh well, puberty was rough, especially when it was triggered for a second time in his 30’s.

“Told you that you should’ve sent him more dick pics.” Bo’s tone was flat as a pancake as she adjusted her camera – still out of focus. Now he was getting a view of Rannoch’s currently cloudless sky. Last time he had seen it, it had been full of Reapers. Honestly, he preferred it without them. Much friendlier. “Just relax. You know he thinks you’re hot as hell. All you have to do is use your commander Shepard voice and he’ll be eating out of your hand.”

Alistair felt his face color a little as he looked to the side. “I’m not going to use that in public…”

“You know what I mean. An Adam’s apple isn’t going to turn him off, so no sense worrying about it.” She paused, and he swore her eyes glowed. Maybe that was the camera angle? “And if it does…”

He could already see the threat – beating him with his own carapace was one of her favorites. He had never actually seen someone do it, but it was a classic at that point.

“Yeah, I know - death and calamity upon his head like you’ve only reigned down on the last guy who tried to take your crown.”

“He’s still recovering.” There was pride in her voice at that, and she should have it. After all, it wasn’t every day a human went undefeated in Omega’s underground Krogan wrestling tournaments. Surviving the reapers only brought better challengers, and it seemed to keep her well supplied with cannon fodder. “But anyway, just go for it.”

There was a pause, and her camera focused momentarily. “Also, since when did you start growing a beard?”

Oh, hail the mighty power of testosterone…

“Like two months ago, shaving sucks.” A beeping drew his attention – his heart raced at the sight of a new message. “Gotta go… I think that’s him.”

“Remember, just call me if you need his carapace ripped off.”

After the offer of violent assault, the call disconnected and left Alistair alone with his thoughts as he switched back over to his messages. Just like he thought, the message was from a certain someone he was waiting for. His heart jumped into his throat as he glanced around – nope, not there yet.

Babe: Almost there, got a little lost. I’ll never understand human city planning.

He always said that. Still, it made the ex-marine chuckle as he stood, waiting. Soon enough, they would be together again. It had been far too long, and the distance achingly wide. But now that the relays were working again, it was possible.

Note to self: maybe don’t take out the relays next time he saved the universe. It made travel a nightmare to say the least.

At least it wasn’t a long wait. Out of the corner of his eye, Alistair spotted movement that didn’t quite track for tired med student. It was too focused for that, and the pace was all wrong anyway. Plus, the whole carapace and being like seven feet tall thing helped, but it didn’t sound nearly as cool as the former.

“Alright, just… relax. Like Bo said…”

Of course, that didn’t help the butterflies in his stomach as he stood, adjusting his shirt. All the logic in the world couldn’t have saved him then as he watched the turian approach, clearly scanning the crowd for familiar markers. His heart stopped when their eyes met in the crowd, blue into blue.

Garrus was looking good for someone who had nearly died killing Reapers.

“Al?”

There was no mistaking the surprise in the turian’s voice as he made his way over to the tree. When he finally got there, his mandibles flapped like flags in the wind. The gears were turning in his brain, no doubt running countless calibrations. In a weird way, it was kind of cute.

At the same time, it was fucking nerve wracking. Talk about a conflict of interest.

Still, it was Garrus, and he was finally there. That was enough to put a smile on Alistair’s face as he reached out to take the turian’s taloned hand. It was just as rough and warm as he remembered, and his fingers still stretched as they laced together. It might have been a little sore, but muscle memory wasn’t letting him down.

“Hey, babe. Good to see you got here in one piece.”

Thank the universe his voice didn’t crack with that one. Maybe this was the thanks he got for saving it.

At least Garrus had the good grace to not look as though his jaws had stopped working. Alistair did get to watch his eyes travel downward in the classic once-over, though. All the while, his stomach bubbled. It felt as though a heavy weight was poised to drop on his head, and all he could do was stand there and wait.

Eventually, the turian squeezed back carefully, the blunt side of his talons sliding down his fingers. “So, I guess this is why you’ve been so shy about video calling me lately?”

“My voice was cracking really badly up until about a month ago, you were saved a lot of translator feedback.” He smiled, sheepish. “But… yeah. I didn’t really know how things were going to turn out and…”

His voice trailed off as he felt heat leak into his cheeks. “Here’s hoping you still think I’m hot?”

Yep, his voice definitely cracked at the end there. Maybe the universe had it in for him after all. At least Garrus didn’t wince too hard at the sudden shift – good old turian military training there. Still, he hadn’t said anything yet. That… wasn’t promising.

Maybe he should have sent those dick pics?

“You… what’s that called again?” Garrus cocked his head to the side in a gesture that always made him look cute and kind of bird-like. “On your face. Joker was always talking about his.”

Right, turian…

“Beard. And mine’s not quite as good as his yet I’m afraid but give me a few months and I’ll see what I can do.” He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, fingers ghosting over his amp. It hadn’t seen action in almost a year now, and it was still odd to feel it cool to the touch.

Much to his relief, Garrus nodded. “It looks good now. I mean, you look good in general and all… I thought turian reactions to hormones were impressive, but humans are something else.”

“Gotta love those secondary sexual characteristics, babe.” Relief flooded through Alistair’s system as he sighed in relief. “And I think you just saved yourself getting your carapace ripped off by my sister.”

Hooray – that would have been a nightmare to fix.

Now it was the turian chuckling as he reached down to press his faceplates to his forehead in an alien version of a kiss. It was a gesture that always got his heart racing, even if it was just a quick peck. He had missed that in their time apart – texting just couldn’t beat actual contact.

“That’s probably for the best. I’ve not had a lot of practice lately, might be getting a little rusty.”

Alistair chuckled as they started to walk through the crowd. “You, rusty? I find that hard to believe.”

“Oh, no, it’s true. Barely had any time to run calibrations even, I’m starting to worry I’ll forget.”

That time, they shared a laugh between them. Maybe this was what Alistair had missed the most in the time spent on different planets – there was just something about the interplay between human and turian laughter that made his insides feel warm. Or maybe that was just his reaction to Garrus in general. Right then, anything was possible.

Still, he felt his face color a little as he looked to the side. “I’m sorry I didn’t send any in-progress shots. Bo could confirm any embarrassing details if you asked her.”

“Trust me, I get it. Remind me when we get back to your place to tell you about how I didn’t tell my sister I was going on hormones until after she came back from basic.” Another squeeze. “Of course, if you wanted to test that new vocal range out in some more strenuous conditions first…”

Oh, there was nothing friendly about that gaze. And it was something Alistair could appreciate as he squeezed back. Home was well prepped for what they both had in mind – they just had to get there first. Lucky for him, he lived within walking distance of campus.

The chuckle that escaped his lips was definitely not of the innocent afternoon type as he leaned in so only the turian could hear him. “I think that can be arranged, Vakarian. Better pick up the pace, though.”

“Sir, yes, sir.”

With that, it was off they went at a faster rate, not quite a run but definitely quick. With the sun shining and thoughts about what was waiting for him when he got home, Alistair was once again glad the whole universe saving thing had worked out for the better.

Now… what exactly was he going to do with the turian when he got home? The options were endless…

#merweek2021 #Alistair Shepard #garrus vakarian #ft. Bo Peep Shepard

4 notes · View notes

searchingforbucky · 4 years

Text

Fic Rec (Part 19) :)

Hi everyone! And welcome to day 1273198172 of quarantine lol. On a serious note, I hope you all are staying safe, happy, and healthy. I know these stories in this list provided me much needed entertainment for the past week or so, and I’m hoping they will help you all the same. I love this AU, its always so fun to see the different routes people take, so without further ado welcome to the Vampire!Bucky Rec List :) *** Means Smut Sorry its a bit short, theres not many out there. The links weren't working so there is none in this.

Biting Cold by @hootyhoobuckaroo

OK so this one I think is a perfect start to the vampire list. This one is absolutely fantastic. So it’s about Bucky and the reader being in a pre-establish relationship, when suddenly some freaky stuff starts happening very close to home. So Buckys a Vampire, and the reader doesn’t know it. But the reader is terrified of vampires. Obviously that causes a little problem. I just really liked how unique of a storyline this was, I love just how genuine the fear was and the emotions they had were. It constantly kept me on the edge of my seat because I was wondering what was gonna happen. I am absolutely in love with protective bucky so you know that this has it lol. And honestly I just really loved how one it was well written, but to reply with something that I had never read before. And I don’t wanna spoil it or anything, but it was just a real nailbiter. Definitely recommend.

All My Friends Are Heathens by @sebseyesandbuckysthighs ***

OK, so I think this one was the first vampire Bucky story that I ever read, and it’s absolutely fantastic. So this one is about Bucky being a vampire, and he’s amongst the avengers who are all their own sort of “monster“. And the reader comes to visit them, and Bucky is just absolutely drawn to her, and unfortunately she is human. I think my favorite thing about this story is just how well drawn out each character is, I was absolutely invested in not only their relationship growing, but the whole storyline in general. I was obsessed in learning about what the different monsters were, what their little thing was that they did. And I really loved how absolutely cocky and mysterious Bucky was. This one is smutty, but nothings wrong with that LOL. This is just a really good, really head turning story. A lot of twists in this

Bad Things by @xbuchananbarnes *** (kinda)

All right, now this one is really something. So this one was incredibly interesting. It’s about Bucky in the reader being in a pre-established relationship, and he promised to turn her when she turns 28, but in the meantime he makes her move to 10 different places so that way she can get used a whole bunch of different things that she would have to win when she does actually become a vampire. I really liked how mysteries this one is, just how sweet they are together. The fact that her 10th Pl. is what it is, for the reason it is, is something that is incredibly sweet to me. anyways, I loved seeing all of the little snippets in to how they met, and everything like that. but I really honestly just love how sort of vague it is? If that makes sense? Like there are so many possibilities that your mind is running for miles after you read it. It’s one of those stories that you just keep thinking about, you keep thinking about what the other eight places were, what’s going to happen in the future it’s really awesome. The sequel is even wilder lol.

Thirsty by @jobean12-blog ***

So this one is a short yet sexy little Drabble. It’s technically a vampire Bucky, though it’s not necessarily like a main focus of the story. But I really liked it so I’m going to include it anyway. This one is just you know really cute. It shows the fun little feisty side to them, it’s pretty sexy, some dirty talk that’s like....damn lol. But I really just like stories that show couples are kind of so obsessed with each other, and so in love with each other, that they’re able to have fun in that way no matter where they are. I really liked it

Craving You by @propertyofpoeandbucky ***

So this one is really cool, this one is about vampire Bucky and succubus reader. It is a compilation of little drabbles, and it’s really interesting. So I love seeing the dynamic between the two of them, just how interesting it is to see how they deal with their lifestyles, and having to do it together. And stuff happens that they have to navigate how they’re going to deal with it. I don’t wanna spoil it but it something that is very interesting to see. It’s also kinda smutty so that’s nice hahaha. Just a really cute, really interesting story

Blood Bound by @the-omni-princess ***

Ohhhhhh man! Now this one! This one is like a TV series I swear, like vampire diaries but a lot better. So this one is about vampire Bucky and a witch reader. And it is so freaking good, and so interesting. So currently is on hiatus, but I thought it was awesome enough to put it in there anyways. Because it doesn’t matter how much of it there is, what there is is amazing. It is like so nailbiting, there’s so many twists and turns and angst, but it’s also incredibly cute. i’ve never read a story like this, and I’m not sure if anybody else could do it like this. And I love how the soulmate idea is interwoven in there, I’m a sucker for soulmates. Honestly it’s like every trope that I love is somehow in this story, but it’s not overwhelming, it’s just really well done. In the world that’s created is so immersive and awesome

In the Dark by @persephone-is-here-omg

All right, I really like this one too. I think my favorite part about this one is the fact that it relates Canon Bucky to vampire but you. It talks about how Hydra made him a vampire and the torture that he went through because he was a vampire. I really like how it didn’t completely get rid of his story, it wasn’t fully an AU, and that’s so interesting and cool to me man. And I also thought it was interesting seeing all the small little snippet into their relationship. It’s interesting to see EV juxtaposition of how she willingly gives up everything for him, but he got that stuff stolen from hydra. It’s just a really interesting story

Sunshine by @iwillbeinmynest ***

Alright so this one was amazing. This one is about vampire Bucky, and it’s honestly pretty sad, at the beginning he had basically resigned himself to live a life in the cold. However he needs the reader who somehow can make him feel warm. And that was honestly the cutest part of the story, just how much he loved feeling warm, and she made him feel warm in so many different ways both physically and emotionally and it was so soft. But don’t let that trick you into thinking that this is just a soft story, there are absolutely some crazy things happening in the story. And I absolutely love Tony in this, I think it’s a great representation of him. Such a really awesome story

Men of the Moon by @hellomissmabel

So this one is really cool. It is a vampire diaries a you. It’s also kind of a Stucky x reader but not a Stucky fic if that makes sense? Like Bucky x reader and Steve x reader but no throuple. Obviously, that would be weird because they’re brothers lol. Anyways, now that I just rambled through that. I really love this. I think that all of the characters fit into the vampire diaries characters very well. I’ve honestly never liked vampire diaries, but this made me really like it LOL. I think it was done so much better than the actual show was, why couldn’t the show be like this. anyways, it was just so interesting to read the dynamic between the three characters, and everyone else really. I also loved just how invade the ending was, it’s like I can imagine so many different things happening after it and that’s always something that’s really nice with the story when I can kind of finish it myself.

Hungry Eyes by @lenavonschweetz ***

OHHHHHH this one is SPICY lol. Bucky is one cocky son of a gun. So this one is about vampire Bucky, and for the betterment of the town, him and the reader make a pact that he would feed off of her to avoid suspicion. Except for he would only feed on her wrist because anything else is too intimate. Well that went out the drain real fast. This one was honestly kind of just straight smut lol, but there’s some plot in there that’s really awesome. There’s some awesome tropes, friends to lovers, cocky Bucky, vampire Bucky, SMUT. It all comes together to form a really interesting really well done story. I really liked it

In the Dark by @waiting4inspiration ***

Oh man, so this one is really interesting too. So this one is about vampire Bucky and werewolf reader, and the reader is an arranged marriage with werewolf Steve. There is a sort of creature war between vampires and werewolves, and that leads to a bunch of problems. But surprise surprise, the reader falls in love with her sworn enemy. And that’s awesome, I love those tropes. I think it’s Really incredible just how well she balances the two worlds, it’s way better than twilight I’ll tell you that right now LOL. But I just really love the dynamic between everybody, there’s angst, there’s fluff, there’s never a time when you’re bored. It’s just left and write something that either leaves you on your toes you’re feeling everything at once. It’s really great. It’s not finished yet but what it’s there is amazing.

Special: For Heavens Sake by @221bshrlocked ***

wow OK, talk about unique. So this one is a vampire reader story, but it was so cool I have to include it. So obviously it’s vampire story obviously, but it also an ABO story, like whaaaaat. So ABO is admittedly the main aspect of a story, but I just thought it was absolutely incredible how well they combined the two tropes. I loved how oh much fuck he was actively trying to be with her, I really love the dynamic between them. I really loved how raw and genuine emotions are, I can’t imagine how scared them both must have been during certain parts of the story, I’m not gonna spoil it but there were definitely some parts where I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was gonna happen because it was so interesting. There was so much happening in the story and it was just awesome.

Thank you all for reading, again, sorry its so short. and sorry it took so long lol. I appreciate you all. :)

#vampire!bucky #vampire!bucky x reader #bucky x you #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes #bucky #bucky x reader #bucky fic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes smut #bucky barns imagine #ficrecs #fic recs #searchingforbucky

283 notes · View notes

omnivorousshipper · 4 years

Note

Hey Omni! I’m so sorry I couldn’t wait until Thursday. I’m just so bored and need something to distract myself 🙃 May I have a short fic where Hattie reconciles with Owen please? (It doesn’t have to be today) 😊

Hey friend! I'm glad you didn't wait until Thursday! I hope this is a good distraction for you! And if not, I'm free to talk for the rest of the night (but I do have to do the dishes lol)

Opening the door to Deckard's flat, Hattie let out a sigh. Her own flat was still being repaired from Deckard's little rampage. Apologeticly, he had offered her up one of his guest bedrooms.

Which, Hattie had discovered, Deckard had tried to make as nice as possible for her. He had made up the bed with sheets and blankets in light blues and whites, while a little plushie of godzilla sat on the bedside table, almost like a protector in the night.

When she had arrived, Hattie had been shocked by the room and touched by Deckard's efforts. Even though they hadn't talked in years, he still knew her and knew what she would find homely

And of course, Hattie had needed to be nosy and had looked through the whole flat

Of course, every inch of the flat was clean and polished. Hattie wouldn't have expected anything else

Deckard's room had been plain, with pictures of their family hung all over the walls being one of the only decorations in his bedroom. Everything else was in cool greys and whites.

His library/office was where she found all of his knickknacks and books. She couldn't help but smile when she found the grenade her pin goes to, simply sitting on the desk, acting as a paper weight

Turning to the last door, Hattie had frowned. She didn't know what was in there. Slowly opening the door, she popped her head in and blinked

The room was full furnished. It wasn't a simple guest room, but a full room. The walls and bed were in different shades of green, while the shelves were near bursting with cds and old vinyls. A desk with several computers sat in the corner, with several tools scattered around it

Hattie didn't know what to say. The room obviously belonged to Owen. Meaning he actually lived there

She wasn't surprised. Owen was never one to keep a home, always relying on Deckard or friends to let him stay with them

But it also meant that Owen would be coming around to Deckard's place.

She had waited with baited breath every time she came home, expecting Owen to be there. But, he never showed. Sometimes, Deckard would be waiting for her, dinner ready. Other times, she would arrive home to find nobody

But today, as she walked in, kicked her shoes off, put her keys in the little bowl near the door, and headed further into the flat

Just to come face to face with Owen.

He was laying on the couch, watching TV. When she walked in, his head snapped up, eyes wide at her in shock

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Hattie flinched when their voices matched up and they said the same thing at the same time

"I live here."

Hattie nearly facepalmed. They did it again

She could see the obvious frustration and anger on Owen's face as they kept doing it.

"Look, Oh-" Hattie started

"Save it." He snapped, and swung his legs off the couch and stood up. "I dont want to hear it."

"Owen!"

But he ignored her, simply walking away and towards the bedrooms.

Through down her bag, she went after him

"You're not just going to ignore me, your rat bastard!" She yelled at his back, but he still didn't stop. His longer leg kept him out of her reach and she wasn't able to grab him before the door to his room was being shut on her face

"Are you serious? You're hiding like we're kids again?!"

But she still didn't get a response. She grimaced. The louder Owen was, the happier he was. The quieter, the more angry and deadly Owen was.

Sighing, Hattie leaned against the door.

"Please, Owen. Can we just talk?"

Nothing

Glaring, Hattie decided to wait him out. She knew for a fact that the fire escape wasn't near any of his windows and he didn't have any gear in his room to jump out the window and scale the building. Dramatic, but Hattie knew Owen. He had once jumped out of a two story building just to escape doing the dishes when they were kids.

He would absolutely jump out another window to escape Hattie. Good thing Deckard lived on the tenth floor

Letting herself slump to the floor, she sat against the door and kept talking

"I know I hurt you, Oh. The things I said the night Deck went rogue..." She had to swallow around the thick lump in her throat. "I meant to hurt you that night and I did. I'm sorry, Oh. I was hurt and scared. I didn't know what to do. I thought Deckard had betrayed us, and then you kept defending him. I thought- I thought I had lost both of my brothers that night."

A brief pause, but Owen didn't respond

"I am so sorry for leaving our family. For leaving you. You have no idea how much I've missed you, Oh."

Hattie could feel a tear go down her face as she continued

"It felt like I was missing a limb. You should have been by my side, cracking jokes and encouraging me to do the most stupid things." Hattie felt her tears grow stronger, almost chocking her, but she kept going. "There's been so many times over the last few years that I wanted to call you. To hear your voice, even if it was just to tell me that you hate me. Hell, I don't even know if you're even still in there or if you jumped out a window. I just want my brother back."

Her last words were broken off by a sob, and she desperately scrubbed at her face to get rid of her tears

"Deck told me I can't jump out of his windows anymore. Scares the neighbors apparently."

Hattie let out a wet laugh at that

"Of course he said that." She smiled. It was nice to hear Owen’s voice

They fell silent, with Hattie trying to get her tears under control. Suddenly, Hattie felt the door leave her back and she had to catch herself. Quickly turning around, she saw Owen pulling the door open, sitting on the floor as well

Hattie felt her face split in two when he opened his arms for her

Flying into him, she heard him let out a quiet "oof!" but he held on and wrapped her in a hug. She buried her face in his neck, squeezing him back fiercely

"We still have a lot to talk about," Owen told her quietly, but his grip didn't falter for a moment. "But, I missed you, too, Hatts."

Hattie didn’t care if it took hours for them to sort out their problems, she was just happy to have Owen back

I, uh. I think you asked for a 'short' fic?? Does this qualify? 😂 Either way, I hope you enjoy this friend!

#hobbs and shaw #owen shaw #hattie shaw #shaw sibs #shaw siblings #family feels #angst/comfort #asks #omni writes #omni answers

13 notes · View notes

kaidans-alenko · 3 years

Note

26 on physical affection prompts: bonus: touching feet and immediately screaming and recoiling for kaidan + lily? (because it reads like them lol)

Ha! You’re absolutely right lol it seems all I know how to write is me1 or post-war fluff pieces but any who, I hope you like it and as usual thank you for sending one <3

AO3 Link

The smell of pancakes traveled from the kitchen to the small bedroom Lily was still asleep in. Mmmm pancakes….when was the last time she even had pancakes? With her brother maybe? Aiden couldn't really cook but he did know how to make pancakes.

Lily let out a high pitched noise as she stretched out like a cat, rolling onto her back, the warm sunlight coming through the window at odds with the cool breeze from the quiet ceiling fan above her. It had been a long time since she had woken up to actual sun and not just the fabricated day cycle on the Citadel but actual sun.

She blinked awake, taking in her surroundings from where she lay still on the bed, that's right, she was in Kaidan's apartment. So far the only room she had seen was the bedroom, he had intended to give her a tour but that of course didn't happen.

Lily giggled to herself at the memory of it, smiling as she sat up, Kaidan sure had taste and for a previously single guy who was hardly ever home it was surprisingly clean, well besides the clothes strewn about, courtesy of Lily’s impatience, it was clean. His bed was pretty big too, he didn’t seem like the kind of guy that slept around so maybe he just liked having room to sprawl out in, she knows she did. She hopped out of bed, nearly falling on her face, the bed was pretty high up to begin with but her general clumsiness didn’t help things. “Let’s see...underwear, underwear, ah!” Lily picked up the pink lacy piece of fabric off the floor quickly slipping it back on, carefully snatching the blue flannel that was hanging off the lamp, throwing it on just as Kaidan walked into the room with breakfast.

“Well good morning.” He said, barely containing a smirk.

“Sorry...I got cold.”

Kaidan shrugged “There are certainly worse things to see first thing in the morning.”

Lily rolled her eyes “Those better be the pancakes I smelled earlier.” she threatened as she crawled back into bed.

“Sorry, cereal.”

Lily sighed dramatically, falling back against the pillows “Does it at least have marshmallows?”

“No but your hot chocolate does.” He told her, Lily’s ears perking up immediately and she sat with her legs crisscrossed on the bed.

“Hot chocolate?” The one way to her heart and Kaidan knew it.

“Peppermint even.” he said as he got in bed next to her, setting the tray across from her.

“You remembered!” Lily picked up the mug, letting out a content hum as she sipped at it.

“Hard to forget when you drink five cups a day.” He teased, kissing her head.

“Listen, I can’t have coffee, I need to improvise.”

“And tea also has too much caffeine?” He asked.

“Exactly!” she set the mug down, picking up her fork “it’s gross anyway.” she cut into a pancake “this better be good or I’m breaking up with you.” Kaidan liked to think she was joking, it had taken months for them to stop arguing and finally admit their attraction to each other, he’d hate for it to end over something as silly as pancakes but it was Lily he was dealing with, he certainly wouldn’t put it past her. Lily paused, fork still in her mouth “Kaidan…”

“Yeah?”

“With this pancake making ability of yours, how was it you were ever single?”

Kaidan laughed “Because you’re the only person I've ever cooked pancakes for.”

Lily leaned against him “Aww Kaidan, you do love me!”

“Was there ever any doubt?”

Lily shrugged, popping a strawberry in her mouth “Not particularly, this just solidified it.”

“Is that right?”

Lily nodded, mouth full of pancakes and Kaidan couldn’t help but think she looked like a hamster. “I’m a simple woman, Kaidan, I only require a few things to be happy.” she said after swallowing “Breakfast food and hot chocolate.”

“Ahhh so that’s why you were so grumpy on the Normandy.” He teased, it was hard to keep your morale up when all you had to choose from was two different kinds of MRE or a protein bar and since Lily despised eggs it was always a protein bar.

“Ha ha, but seriously, I appreciate it, things have been…” she hung her head “well you know.”

Kaidan pulled her to him “I know.” he was an only child and while yeah he has lost friends, came with the job he’d never lost a family member before so as much he wanted to say he understood her pain he couldn’t and he knew her well enough to know a weak sentiment like that would only push her away and make her mad. “You’ll be okay Lil, not saying you’re gonna get over it soon or that you have to at all but you have Ashley, Anderson and-”

“You?” She asked, her chocolate brown eyes looking into his whiskey ones.

“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere.” He brushed back her hair, kissing her, he remembered the day Aiden died, Lily was devastated and with good reason. It’s why he took them to Earth, he hoped spending shore leave away from the Citadel and constant reminders of her brother would take her mind off it, at least for a while.

----------------------

Lily sang along to theme song of the Blasto cartoon they had put on vid screen as she browsed the extranet on her omni-tool, feet propped up on Kaidan’s lap as they lounged together on the couch, “So Kaidan, what do Canadians do for fun around here?”

“Well Vancouver is pretty big, I’m sure we can find something to keep you entertained.” At least he hoped so or she would find ways to be entertained and for someone as technically minded and curious as she was it usually resulted in taking something apart. He remembered one instance on the Citadel where she wandered off to bother the Keepers, getting stuck in one of the tunnels as a result. Thanks to Aiden covering for her she just got a warning from a very tired C-Sec officer who mumbled something along the lines of: ‘I don’t get paid enough to deal with humans.’ and any other time it would’ve bothered them but in that instance it was warranted.

“Hmm I sure hope-” Lily felt Kaidan’s hand brush against her foot as he lazily rubbed her legs, it was brief and he barely touched him, in fact it was more than likely an accident but it was enough to freak her out. Lily screamed recoiling back against the arm of the couch, holding her legs against her chest.

“Are you okay?” He asked both confused and concerned.

Lily nodded “Yeah just…” she blushed avoiding his gaze “if I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t laugh.”

“Of course, what is it Lily?”

“No, you have to pinky swear.” she said sticking out her small pinky to him and he bit back a laugh, it seemed like she had something serious to say but it was diminished by the childish request.

“Okay, Lily I pinky swear.” He said, linking their pinkies together.

“Good,” she took a deep breath, Lily always did have a flair for the dramatic so he wasn’t sure how concerned he should be but it obviously was serious to her “I may be just a bit ticklish on my feet, which is why I panicked.”

“Ticklish?” He was both surprised and unsurprised at the same time by this sudden revelation, it was cute if he were to be honest. Someone like her, with her reputation being what it was, to be ticklish just made her even more interesting, she was full of surprises and he loved her for it.

Lily nodded “If you tell a soul I will kill you then bring you back and kill you again.” she glared and he could see the flames burning in her eyes, apparently being in a relationship with her didn’t he mean he was exempt from her death threats.

“If anyone does find out your dark secret it won’t be from me.”

“Hmph, I’ll believe you for now.” Lily stretched back out and Kaidan took the opportunity to tickle the soles of her feet and she jolted, rolling on her side and squirming as she laughed. “You’re horrible!” she said, catching her breath.

“Me? I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about Lily.” he said, tickling her again.

“I hate you!” she said between fits of giggles, her stomach starting to hurt from laughing.

She would more than likely kick his ass for it later but it was the first time he’s heard her laugh in a long time and she had the most beautiful laugh, loud and cheerful, contagious even and if he got hit with her biotics because of it it was well worth it as far as he was concerned.

#kaidan alenko #f!shenko #mass effect #mass effect fanfiction #lilyshep

2 notes · View notes

darkgreiga · 6 years

Text

Wishes, Dreams, and Memories Chapter 4

Fandom: Rune Factory 4 Rating: T (to be safe) Genre(s): Adventure, Hurt/Comfort Characters: Lest, Dolce, Amber, Dylas, Leon Summary: She had a wish to see him again. He had a dream of her last moments. They had their memories of having only each other. The amnesiac Earthmate never knew that by bringing his best friend back wouldn’t make his daily life go back to normal. Nor did he know she was the key to his and his ancestors’ past. Chapters: list Navigation: <<prev | next>> Author’s notes: The first chapter to contain the actual pairing stuff and definitely the hardest for me to write lol. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 4 – Lunch Date

-First Person POV-

I’m standing in the dragon room again and I feel hurt and sad in my chest. I’m looking up at my dragon friend, whose body is slowly losing its color every passing second. Tears are falling from my eyes, knowing that I might never see Venti anymore. What about my memories? She already did give me a lot of memories here by letting me stay in Selphia. Whether they’re sad or happy memories, they’re all within me. Maybe these memories are much better than my original memories being brought back.

My callings aren’t changing anything. I ask her to stay, but yet she insists that it’s her time to go. Don’t you have a choice to stay, Venti? To stay here, in Selphia, with the other townspeople. Stay with the Guardians. No, stay here with me. For someone I’ve known for only a year, I feel like I’m losing a childhood friend I’ve been spending time with for years.

I feel powerful for defeating Ethelberd and saving Venti, but seeing how she’s slowly losing her existence in front of me makes me feel so powerless. She’s given me a home, a job, and even a title as the prince, but I can’t do a single thing to help her in her case. No, I never even know she has been feeling all this time. Getting weaker and weaker as I release more Guardians… It’s something I’ve never imagined feeling. I only know how to fight them and bring them back for the sake of goodness, only to bring suffering to her.

My hands can only grab the empty air in front of me, missing the dragon god who lives in there. The dragon god who is my friend, my first friend that I remember. Now, that friend is gone. Gone and there’s nothing I can do for her. Nothing to be done to help her. I fall to my knees as I hear footsteps coming into the room from behind me.

-Third Person POV-

“Venti!” The hazel-haired Earthmate suddenly got up from his bed, surprising the purple-haired butler who was going to wake him up.

“Whoa!” The sudden movement had snapped the drowsy butler wide awake, making her almost jump back in surprise and dropping the food tray she was carrying.

“Oh…” Lest noticed the surprised look on his butler’s face, “Sorry about that, Clorica. I’ve just got some bad dreams, that’s all…”

“It’s okay,” Clorica walked towards the nightstand next to Lest’s bed and set the tray on it, “Here’s some apple pie for your breakfast. I hope this is enough to make you feel better.”

“Okay, thanks,” Clorica bowed politely before she left the room with her usual yawn.

Lest saw the purple-haired butler leaving and let out a sigh. The vision of his dream came back, which made him let out another depressed sigh. It wasn’t the first time he dreamt about his missing dragon friend as it was what he had been dreaming since the night Ventuswill left Selphia. He was the only one to witness her passing as the Guardians came after she had left. The Guardians, like Lest, had a bond with the native dragon, strong enough to be able to sense when Ventuswill was leaving.

He turned to the food tray on his nightstand and took it in his hands, staring at the apple pie placed on it. He knew dwelling on the past wouldn’t do him any good, but his heart was still hurting over the loss of his first friend. He slowly finished his meal and got himself ready before heading towards the main room. As he was walking towards the door to head for the town, his steps came into a stop in front of the pathway leading to the dragon room in the center of the castle.

Lest stared at the pathway for a moment before letting out a sad smile, “Maybe I’ll hang out in Venti’s place for a bit,” He turned to walk towards the dragon room instead and found that the room wasn’t empty that morning. A man with light blue hair was standing in front of the spot where Venti used to be, talking as if the original room’s occupant was there.

“… and it seems like Xiao Pai had just broken her own record of the most plates broken in a single day,” The man continued talking to himself before letting out a grin, “And it’s a great morning, you.”

“So you know that I’m here, Leon,” Lest walked up to the Guardian before letting out an annoyed sigh, “I already told you my name, so why are you still calling me ‘you’?”

Leon let out a small laugh, “You’re always fun to tease, aren’t you?” Leon’s smile turned into a frown as he closed the feather fan he was holding, “Hey, do you think it’s possible? For Venti to return here?”

“I… don’t know…” Lest let out a disappointed sigh, “I still don’t understand much about all of this… Earthmate stuff…”

“I see,” Leon turned to Venti’s spot once more, “I think I need some time here,” Leon turned his head to Lest and grinned slyly, “I’ll play with you some other time then.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Lest let out a laugh before heading to the town to gather some information.

Lest’s effort of trying to find some information led him going back to the castle empty handed. He had checked on the other townspeople he hadn’t asked the day before, but none of them seemed to have any idea. He had also tried checking on Kiel and Arthur, who were doing some reading together at the manor. As much as he wanted to ask the two, the serious looks on Kiel’s and Arthur’s face told him that it was best not to bother them.

With barely any new information, the hazel-haired Earthmate decided to head towards his fields and began working. Being used to tending his farm every single day for almost two years in Selphia, Lest managed to tend his crops while thinking about what he had learned the day before. A certain spell name came into his mind as he put his watering can down, stopping him from taking the hoe sitting next to the can.

‘The Omni Gate spell…’ Lest’s thought went back to the time when he was told to release the last Guardian, ‘If my incompetence was the cause at that time, then it should work this time…’

Lest had been training by defeating the monsters around town for a while, thinking that his skill would become more and more useful as he trained more. Comparing his current skill with his skills back then, he felt confident that he had improved his abilities as an Earthmate and as a fighter. Even so, he couldn’t say for certain how far improved he was. Letting out a sigh, Lest knew that doing the spell carelessly wouldn’t do him good.

Lest had finished his work and looked around his field before stretching his arms, “Okay, I think I need a relaxing walk around town now,” The hazel-haired Earthmate left his field and headed back towards the castle’s front door, walking towards the west side of the town.

Meanwhile in one of the buildings on the west side of the town, a certain pink-haired woman had just finished mixing some medicine which a customer had requested. The customer took and paid the medicine before leaving the building. As the customer left, the woman let out a tired sigh and sat down on a nearby chair before her ghost friend popped up in front of her.

“Dolly, are you okay?” The ghost asked while looking worriedly at her tired friend.

“I’m fine. Jones and Nancy should be back soon, don’t worry,” The woman replied before turning to the door as soon as it opened, “Welcome, how can I-”

“Hi again, Dolce,” The hazel-haired Earthmate came into the clinic with a smile, “I’m done with my work today, so I decided to come and visit you again for today.”

“Ah, perfect timing! I think Dolly wants to see you again today!” Pico turned to see her friend with a smile, who glared at her before putting a talisman on her face, “OUCH!”

Lest let out a laugh after seeing the scene, getting Dolce’s attention, “D-Do you need anything?”

“Not really, I’m just visiting after working,” Lest stretched his arms up tiredly, only to have Dolce grab his right arm, “Huh?”

“Where did you get this scar?” Dolce pushed Lest’s arm lower, pointing at the sleeve which had been thorn to reveal a small scar, “Here, this one.”

“Oh, that? I think I accidentally scratched myself against the ironleaves when I was harvesting them today,” Lest rubbed the back of his back of his head in embarrassment, “I forgot to put some more distance when planting the ironleaves.”

“You can’t leave a wound open, big or small,” Dolce gently released Lest’s injured arm, “Wait here.”

The pink-haired Guardian walked towards the other side of the room and opened one of the drawers of the table with medical tools. Pico had recovered from the talisman attack she got earlier and approached the Earthmate who was watching Dolce digging through the drawer.

“I know that she’s happy to see you again today,” Pico told the Earthmate, getting his attention, “And she’s always been worried when she knows that you’re going out of town.”

Lest laughed, “Yeah, I noticed.”

“What are you two talking about?” Dolce had returned while carrying some bandages, cotton, and her own sewing kit in her hands.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” Lest noticed the items that Dolce was holding, “Are you going to treat that scar? I don’t think it’s necessary, though…”

“Just to be safe, I’ll clean and bandage it for you,” Dolce turned to Lest with a smile, “You don’t need to pay me anything.”

“Because a loving hug is… OUCH!” Before Pico could finish her sentence, Dolce had thrown another talisman to land on her head.

“Be quiet!” Dolce told the ghost, but her eyes hadn’t left Lest’s arm as she was bandaging him. With the bandage secured on its place, Dolce took her sewing kit and patched the thorn sleeve.

“Thanks!” Lest moved around his arms comfortably as the bandage didn’t restrict his movements.

“You’re welcome,” Dolce smiled and went to put the rest of the bandages and her sewing kit away.

“I guess… I can’t take you out today, huh?” Lest’s question had the Guardian’s attention, “I mean, you shouldn’t be leaving the clinic when you’re in charge, right?”

“We’re home, Dolly!” The door suddenly opened, revealing the older couple, “Oh, hello again Lest. Are you here to see Dolly?”

“Yeah, I was planning to take her out for lunch, but I can’t if she’s in charge right now,” Lest saw Nancy as she pulled Dolce to his side despite her protests.

“She’s free to go now, isn’t that right Jones?” Nancy turned to her husband with a smile.

Jones looked at Nancy in confusion for a moment until he noticed what his wife meant, “A-Ah, yes. In fact, she’s taking over my shift temporarily while we’re out for lunch.”

“And I think it’s been quite a while since the last time the two of you went on a date, correct?” Nancy looked at the younger couple, getting a nod from Lest but Dolce was looking flustered.

“Come on, Dolly,” Dolce noticed that Pico was at her side, smiling at her, “I know that you wanted to spend some time with him.”

“T-That’s…” A slight blush was visible across her face as she looked at Pico, Nancy, and then Lest, “I… I’ll wait outside,” Dolce ran through the people in the room and headed out of the building.

“Make sure you get her home safely too, okay?” Pico turned to Lest with a smile.

“Wait, you’re not coming?” Pico shook her head in response, “Okay, don’t worry about it.”

“Have fun in your date, you two!” Nancy told the Earthmate with a smile as he was leaving.

As Lest went outside, he noticed that the female Guardian was waiting beside the door, “Dolce, shall we get going?”

“O-Oh…” Dolce was surprised at Lest’s sudden calling before she recovered and smiled, “Yes,” Dolce took Lest’s hanging hand, surprising the Earthmate as he turned to her with a blush on his face. He smiled at her and held her hand while both of the headed for Porcoline’s restaurant.

It was already time for lunch, making the restaurant crowded with hungry people. The couple managed to get a table at the rightmost corner of the restaurant and had their order taken. While waiting for their ordered dish, Lest noticed that the smile she had when they were walking towards the restaurant had turned into a frown and she had started knitting instead of talking to him.

Just as he was about to say something, Dylas had come to their table with their ordered dishes, “Here’s your order.”

Dolce looked up at Dylas, who was looking at her with a serious face. Both of them nodded before the male Guardian left to get more dishes quickly before the chef of the restaurant himself devoured the customers’ orders. Lest saw the female Guardian in front of him had started eating in silence.

“Is everything okay?” Lest asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” Dolce looked up from her plate and at Lest’s, “You should eat before the food gets cold.”

Lest knew that something wasn’t right when they entered the restaurant. He looked at his plate and an idea to get the Guardian to talk struck him. He took a spoonful of his dish and turned to Dolce, “Dolce,” The female Guardian responded to his call, “Say ahhh…”

“W-What…?” A slight blush returned to her face as Dolce noticed that Lest had a spoonful of food to give her. After a slight pause, Dolce leaned forward a little as Lest put the spoonful of food into her mouth.

“Well, is it good?” Dolce responded with a silent nod, still feeling a bit embarrassed, “I just want to lure you into saying what’s on your mind. But if you don’t want to say it now, I don’t mind waiting.”

“Lest…” Dolce gave him a smile, but it soon turned into a frown, “I’m just… still thinking about Ventuswill… and how to bring her back…”

“So am I,” Lest responded with a smile, “But I don’t think I’ll get anywhere if I let that thought affect my daily life.”

“That’s true,” Dolce nodded in agreement, “The other Guardians are looking into this as well.”

“Yeah, so let’s just take it easy and we’ll find our way to save her,” Lest replied with a smile.

“Thanks…” Dolce took a spoonful of her food, “Here, say ahhh…”

“Ahhh…” Lest leaned forward as Dolce put the spoonful of food into his mouth, “It’s delicious!”

“Isn’t it?” Dolce smiled before getting a spoonful for herself, “Let’s start eating before the food gets cold.”

“Yeah,” Lest nodded before he continued eating as well.

Once they had finished their lunch and paid for the food, the couple walked back towards the clinic with their hands locked. After they had reached the clinic’s door, the female Guardian turned to Lest with a smile, “Thanks for walking me home.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be going now then,” Lest was about to let go of Dolce’s hand, but she was still holding his, “Huh?”

Dolce turned away for a bit in embarrassment before walking closer to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, “Thanks for today.”

Lest, with a blush on his face, was still frozen in his place as he watched Dolce going into the building. Once he had snapped himself out, he let out a smile, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

#rf4 #rune factory 4 #fanfiction #adventure #rf4 lest #rf4 dolce #rf4 amber #rf4 dylas #rf4 leon #rf4 lest x dolce

1 note · View note

bygoneboy · 7 years

Text

passengers (2820)

one week before hyperion reaches habitat 7, the pathfinder team is brought out of cryogenic stasis. their first obstacle: shouldering the weight of what they’ve left behind.

scott ryder/liam kosta. 5886 words, sfw, falling in love over improper use of the tempest group chat. written for fun 15 days before andromeda’s launch so everything is Probably Very Wrong

DISCLAIMER: this fic is not based explicitly on the andromeda gameplay that’s been revealed so far, but there are still a few canon bits hidden here and there. if you don’t want to read spoilers then please don’t read.

The first thing Liam Kosta thinks after six-hundred years of cryogenic stasis is: Am I awake?

And then, when it’s apparent that he is: We made it, right? Did we make it?

And after that he isn’t thinking much of anything but thank God, thank God– are the others–? Oh my God, thank God, because no amount of experience in the field could really prepare anybody for something like this, and they’d known that going in.

SAM had brought Doctor T’Perro out of cryo first, and she spends a few more minutes helping a blurry-eyed Lieutenant Harper find her balance before she turns to Liam. His joints are stiff and creaky as hell but he’d expected that much; he doesn’t feel too terribly groggy, his speech isn’t coming slow. It had been like a cold bucket of water to the face, waking up. And a bit like the spine-tremor feeling of falling and being caught, right before impact. He remembers going under like it was yesterday. He feels sort of sick despite himself, recalling how long ago yesterday really was.

Nothing could’ve prepared him for this, either, the impossibly absolute realization– a few relay jumps, six centuries of AI-navigated-drifting. Quick as the pop of a flash grenade, and the world they’d left behind is dead and gone.

It’d come up a lot during training, of course, they’d said no regrets, no attachments, say good-bye to everyone you know. Take count of what you leave behind, they’d said, and Liam had straightened up and done his best. He’d made peace with family, friends, everyone who mattered and a few that didn’t. He’d called up every ex he’d ever had, just to say– you know, whatever heart-felt sort of things had come to mind, it was nice. Or even if it hadn’t been nice, you were real to me, and I knew you, and you knew me. And by the next conscious month of my life you’ll be dead, your grandchildren will be dead, your great-great-grandchildren might be alive, depending on the progression of human medical advancements, and I’ll be eons away still feeling like I’m twenty-five.

Don’t let it get to you, they’d said; “Keep still for me,” says T’Perro, and tugs at his chin with her thumb and forefinger.

She sweeps the omni-tool past his eyes in a slow horizontal line. The bright spots stay etched into his eyes even after she lowers the beam. T’Perro’s face was the last thing he’d seen before cryo-sleep had kicked in, and the first thing he’d seen waking up. Six-hundred years. Yesterday. Still feels like yesterday.

He needs to focus on breathing. The rise and fall of his chest, lungs expanding and contracting. He ticks through every piece of advice he’d ever given to shock victims back during his work in the field, how he’d broken them from their glassy-eyes and sagging mouth. “Naturally,” T’Perro says, when he admits to feeling light-headed. She doesn’t seem too sympathetic, and considering the length of asari lives, he’s not sure she could empathize even if he did try to explain. “It’ll pass,” she says instead, matter-of-fact, patting his arm, putting away her equipment. “You’ll have more pressing things to worry about soon. I would tell you it’s imperative to be emotionally vulnerable, but I’ve read your file.”

There’s a lot in his file. “What’re you saying, doc?”

“That you know about vulnerability. Speaking as your psychologist, I’m not sure you’ll need me.”

“And speaking as my physician?”

T’Perro looks amused. “You’ve been asleep for six-hundred years, Kosta,” she says. “You can count on feeling a little sore.”

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SARARYDER: good morning sleepyheads!! is everyone up?!?

CORAHARPER: up and feeling good

LIAMKOSTA: ready for whatever’s out there

SARARYDER: scott where are u!! answer!!

SCOTTRYDER: This isn’t a personal communication channel, Sara. We’re only supposed to use this to share important information with the Pathfinder’s ground crew.

SARARYDER: :P

SARARYDER: blocked unfollowed

SARARYDER: anyway

SARARYDER: does the hyperion’s coffee taste like the bottom of a batarian shoe to anyone else

SARARYDER: or is it just me

…

Their long-range scans have given them a rough map of the area. They’d notified SAM to wake the Pathfinder and his crew about a week before reaching the first potentially habitable planet, to give the ground team time to prepare and everyone else a minute to breathe. Now that he’s awake, though, Liam sort of wishes that he wasn’t, that they hadn’t.

They’ve arrived in Andromeda thirty-four years late.

“Oh, what the hell,” says Harper, both of their jumpsuits unzipped around their waists, sweating through their tank tops in the drive core as they examine one of the ship’s fried engines. “What’s a few more decades under our belt, right?”

He knows she’s just trying to make light of it, keep her head up. It’s not like they can do anything about it now. But Liam has to bite down to keep his worry behind his teeth: the Hyperion will run out of energy eventually. And what if every one of their golden planets has already been settled? What if there somehow isn’t room for them? What if–

“Hey, are you just gonna sit there and watch?” Harper snaps him out of it with a well-aimed jab to his abdomen. “This strip-tease isn’t for you,” she says, flexing one bare, well-muscled arm, “could you try to make yourself useful?”

He pretends to hit her over the head with the wrench.

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SARARYDER: oh my god guess what you guys

SARARYDER: i was talking to sam this morning and i found out

SARARYDER: i am officially THE OLDER TWIN

SARARYDER: i came out of cryo 2 MINUTES BEFORE SCOTT

CORAHARPER: i don’t think it works that way

LIAMKOSTA: congrats?

SCOTTRYDER: Sara, why do you have to break up your messages like that? You know you can type everything out all at once, right?

SARARYDER: sorry baby bro

SARARYDER: am

SARARYDER: i

SARARYDER: bugging

SARARYDER: you

SCOTTRYDER: There has to be a way to mute this channel.

SARARYDER: if i know i aint tellin

…

Their Pathfinder calls them all together at 0600 and 2100 hours every day for short briefings, but there isn’t really much to say, not yet anyway. Mostly he gives ship status updates, answers questions if they have any, and reminds them to check in with T’Perro as often as they need. Alec Ryder has a practiced steadiness to him, the kind that reflects age and experience. He’s a bit of a hard-ass, the sort who’s fought fair and square for the right to be one. Beyond his military record and N7 credentials, Liam doesn’t actually know much about him– or about his son and daughter.

The fact that they were Alec’s blood hadn’t mattered during training. Most things hadn’t mattered during training, apart from what they were there to do, whether or not they could reave as well as they could shoot, how well they could work together. At face value the twins are joined at the hip: Sara is bright-eyed and approachable, she smiles easy, she’s passionate. Harper makes the mistake of asking about her work in Prothean research and Sara talks her ear off for two hours; later the same day Liam finds her trying to teach SAM what a joke is. He isn’t sure she gets any further than an asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar.

She probably should’ve thought about trying it out on her brother first.

Scott calls his father sir, he smiles but it’s tight at the edges. Maybe base camp had kicked all the happiness out of it, maybe Alec had. But someone must’ve said drop and give me twenty one time too many, because apparently Scott’s face has stuck that way.

He catches him staring off into space during more than one briefing, fixed on something distant outside the conference room viewport window; sometimes there’s a look in his eyes that he can’t seem to place, far-away, dazed, like he’s been sleeping for another six centuries longer than the rest of them. Like he’s constantly cycling back to re-remembering where he is, two million light years from the galaxy where they’d began.

Sometimes he notices Liam noticing.

Which is how Liam learns that the Pathfinder’s son flushes as easily as Sara smiles.

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SCOTTRYDER: Can I get a status update from everyone?

CORAHARPER: habitat 7 shuttle is ready to go and everything should be running smooth down in engineering. liam finished repairs on the drive core last night

SCOTTRYDER: Great. Thanks, you two.

LIAMKOSTA: nbd, glad to help

SCOTTRYDER: Sara?

SARARYDER: yeah uh watch out dad’s in a mood

SARARYDER: he actually yelled at me this morning for agreeing with him

SARARYDER: he’s just pissed off bc i used up all the ship’s hot water when i showered yesterday

SARARYDER: and then he had to take an ice bath lol

SCOTTRYDER: Sara, seriously.

SARARYDER: ok fine one of the relays almost exploded but i fixed it, no sweat, ur welcome

…

On his down-time– and there’s a lot of it– Liam takes his protein bars, does his two hours of fitness, and showers. He’s started rearranging his locker, to keep himself busy, but they hadn’t really brought a lot with them. There’s really not much to move around, so when he’s tired himself out doing that he starts polishing his guns. And when he’s scrubbed his cartridges clean to the point of wear and tear he gets Harper to let him have a go at hers.

Eventually he runs out of distractions.

He starts thinking again.

Six-hundred years is a long time, even without being thirty-four years behind schedule. By the time they go planet-side, whoever’s already settled in will have passed them up with advancements far beyond their own. They’re at a disadvantage. There’s nothing they can do about it.

Six hundred years is a long time.

He shouldn’t be thinking about it. Which means he can’t stop thinking about it. T’Perro is right; he knows vulnerability. He’s been witness to all kinds of anxieties and fears, he’s equipped to wall off panic and reinstall calm, order, breathe. Go back to the start, why he’d joined the Initiative in the first place:

New beginnings, and the good of the galaxy.

For exploration, for progress and purpose, for the vast expanse of space that he’d dreamed of when he was young. Gazing out from the Citadel’s docking bay, staring up from London bridges, wondering where the stretch of stars ended. Where new worlds began.

For heroes, and everything they’d fought for.

He’d first heard of the Initiative while he was still working crisis response; his HUS-T1 squad had crossed paths with an Alliance support team and the plan for Andromeda had come up in the lapses between cycles. So much had sounded like a pipe dream back then– Reapers, Pathfinders– the sort of things that people talked themselves in circles about, things that never actually happened. But later he’d gotten a call from Ryder himself. And Commander Shepard had started stirring up trouble in military circles around the same time, pushing Reaper lore and calling for strengthened defense around Luna base. And suddenly pipe dreams had been as real as anything.

By the time news of Shepard’s death broke over military channels, Liam had started his training.

He remembers– he’d watched the funeral broadcast in the bunkroom with the rest of the trainees, packed in a tight circle around someone’s datapad screen. The Alliance buried an empty box; they hadn’t recovered his body. Shepard would want us united, Hackett had said in his speech, now more than ever, Liam remembers that so clearly. Remembers how everyone had felt like the Admiral had been talking to them: stand together. The galaxy needs heroes.

Shepard hadn’t been married, he didn’t have family. So when they folded the Alliance flag into twelve they’d handed it over to Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, and then the cameras had cut away– but not before everyone saw him bring the flag to his lips, and then his heart.

The galaxy needs heroes, said Hackett. And something to live for.

He’s pretty sure everyone in the Alliance had been a little in love with the commander. His military record was an inspiration, the guy himself could charm the armor off of a varren. Most of the squads Liam worked with followed every move he made, every interview he gave; Shepard showed one ounce of interest in a new brand of omni-tool and suddenly they were sweeping the shelves. Shepard bought a Model 12 Locust and Kassa Fabrications sold out of them the day after. The man couldn’t sneeze without someone scanning the area for leftover heat signals.

So there were always rumors floating around, fiction-based stories spread around in heavily commercialized pulp magazines and weeklies. Commander Shepard: Double Life As An Omega Stripper! Commander Shepard: His Secret Earth Gang Affiliation! Commander Shepard: Savior Of The Citadel Revealed To Be Half-Krogan!

Liam had tried to ignore them, for the sake of decent morality. But then the Collectors hit, and morality went murky for everyone, and Commander Shepard: Back From The Dead carried some real merit, real hope.

And Commander Shepard: In League With Cerberus? ended up running clear too.

All-in-all, Commander Shepard: Heartbreak On Horizon! wasn’t the hardest thing to believe.

Yeah, he read that one for sure, the guy who bunked across from him had sent a copy to him over the extranet. And he’d be lying if he said he didn’t find it at least a little bit thrilling, the idea of a love affair between Shepard and Alenko– the hero and the guy at his back, the soldier going to hell and back and the guy following him there. It probably wasn’t the most worthwhile thing he could’ve been doing with his time before lights-out, fantasizing over someone else’s very real, very dangerous, and very immediate life– but oh, man, that last issue had sure been something to keep a romantic up at night.

Not that it kept Liam up at night.

Much.

Not that it’s keeping him up now.

He’s always had a hard time sleeping in new spaces– in this case, in new space itself. And he’s learned that it’s better to get his brain focused on something else than to stay staring up at the ceiling, so he grabs his datapad, hauls himself out of his bunk, and wanders over to the mess hall. He figures he’ll dig around in the rations cupboard, find some freeze-dried ramen or something, read a little more Blasto.

Apparently, someone else has already had the same idea.

Scott is there when he walks in, his back to the door with one arm bracing the fridge open, staring into the shelves like the answer to geth-quarian peace is stuck somewhere behind the evaporated milk cartons. “Hey,” says Liam casually, and startles him so bad that his grip on the fridge door slips.

He steadies again, quick enough to keep it from slamming on his hand. But when he looks back up his shoulders have squared, body language tense and nervous. He rocks back on his heels. “Hey,” he says.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Guess not. You?”

“Guess not,” says Liam.

They look at each other.

“Ryder,” SAM’s strange soft voice bursts static through the comm speakers, and they both flinch this time. “I’ve detected a significant change in your heat signature. Your heart-rate has also rapidly accelerated.”

“Wow. Uh–” Scott goes beet-red, eyes sliding away to a spot a foot above Liam’s head. “I’m good, SAM. I’m just– I’m great, thanks for, uh, sharing that, though.”

“Your well-being is my primary concern.”

“So you keep telling me.”

“Analysis of your tone of voice implies sarcasm.”

Scott huffs softly and turns back to the fridge. “Good catch,” he mutters, yanking out one of the packets of freeze-dried ice cream and letting the door slam shut with a gust of icy air. “Feel free to go offline anytime.”

“Remember, Ryder,” says SAM solemnly. “Those packets are individually rationed–”

“Anytime, SAM.”

There’s a quiet chirp as he deactivates. And then it’s just the hum of the fridge, and silence.

The ice cream packet crinkles in Scott’s hands. “Sorry. He can be–”

“Yeah,” says Liam, shrugging like whatever even though he’s feeling a little hot in the face himself, “don’t worry about it.” Scott is still flushed around the edges– soft edges, squared jaw. Stubble-patched and tired lines. Liam’s still not sure what color his eyes are. Light. Gray? But sometimes blue, reflecting whatever comes his way.

“Well,” says Scott, and clears his throat, “it’s late. I should– go.”

Liam almost laughs, wondering for half a second whether that’s supposed to be a line. But then he remembers who’s speaking; Scott Ryder is the last person who’d try to pick someone up in a mess hall at midnight. “Okay,” he answers, sliding into one of the chairs with his issue of Blasto pulled up on his datapad screen. “Have a good night, then.”

“Yeah, I’ll– see you around? I mean, of course I will, I’ll see you tomorrow. At the briefing,” He’s going a steady scarlet, white-knuckling his neapolitan like it’s to blame for everything. “You– take care, Kosta.”

It’s not the fastest retreat Liam has ever been witness to. You can’t spend time with Alliance soldiers and not see someone’s heels beating up dust in your wake.

It does, however, cut it very close.

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

CORAHARPER: god i hope habitat 7 has better food than this

SARARYDER: what!? listen up that freeze dried imitation crab is to die for

CORAHARPER: yeah bc i’m more likely to die than enjoy it

SCOTTRYDER: Actually, the ice cream is pretty good too.

SARARYDER: oh my god stop the world my brother actually likes something

SCOTTRYDER: Shut up, Sara. I like plenty of things.

SARARYDER: okay fair

SARARYDER: for example

SARARYDER: you like sucking the joy out of life

LIAMKOSTA: and ending texts with periods

CORAHARPER: and staring at liam during briefings

SARARYDER: woooooow

SARARYDER: called tf out

LIAMKOSTA: that’s out of line, cora

CORAHARPER: is it though?

CORAHARPER: technically i outrank him

SCOTTRYDER: I don’t stare at anyone. I just get distracted sometimes.

SARARYDER: i’m lauhgin g

SARARYDER: ‘distracted’

CORAHARPER: sounds fake but okay

SARARYDER: cora pls

SARARYDER: cora i’m dying

LIAMKOSTA: are you sure that’s not the imitation crab talking, sara?

SARARYDER: ASDFGHJKL;

…

Living out of a shoebox means his whole world is in a locker, and maybe that’s why he keeps coming back to it. Dragging his things out onto the floor, scrubbing up to his elbow with an oil-stained cloth– for some reason, no matter how hard he works, it never seems any brighter when he stops to take a closer look.

He can think of a few real-life scenarios to apply that to.

“Hey,” Scott says, interrupting his train-wreck of thought and flipping his stomach over instead. “Do you have a minute?” He’s standing a good five feet back with his hands in his issued-Initiative-blues pockets, watching Liam sort through his stuff for what must be the fifth time at least– he would know if he was counting, he’s sort of trying not to, though.

“I’ve got more than a minute.” He wipes his palms on his thighs, then wipes them again when the sweat seems to stick. “What’s up?“

“Just trying to get a sense of where the crew’s at,” Scott says, eyeing up Liam’s ongoing project. “What– are you spring cleaning?”

“Whatever kills time,” Liam says wryly, lifting one shoulder, letting it drop. “How long until we hit Habitat 7?”

“T-minus three days. You ready?”

“Honestly, I’d feel underprepared no matter what. You can’t really be ready for something like this, right?”

“Right,” Scott echoes. “That’s…what I keep telling myself, anyway.” He shifts on his feet, restless, stiff-backed. At ease, Liam thinks, but whether or not it would help, he isn’t sure. “So, uh,” he gestures to the pile at Liam’s feet. “This is all you, huh. Give me the tour.”

He chuckles, but it sticks like the sweat. “Nothing impressive. Just a few things I grabbed from home, backed-up transmissions. I had my family and friends record some before we went under. Snagged some Corellian whiskey, too, and– oh, yeah–” He crouches down, fumbling for the Normandy model. “There’s this, heads-up–”

Scott catches it easy, one-handed. A spark of interest lights up behind his eyes as he turns it over between his palms, “Shepard’s ship?”

“Yeah!” says Liam, stupidly enthusiastic. “I mean, er– yeah. I don’t know why I grabbed it, it’s not great, like, practicality-wise…” He wipes at the back of his neck, feeling his face heat up. “It’s signed, it’s– got his signature. Not that I ever met him, the Alliance was auctioning it off at a fundraiser and I spent a quarter of my credit savings on it. Figured I wouldn’t need those here, anyway, so– you know? I thought, why the hell not.”

“You admire him.”

“I did.”

“Past tense,” says Scott.

He’s like that, Liam is learning. He really listens, pays attention, maybe more closely than’s good for anybody. His chest is tight, like it’s fit with armor two times too small. Shepard’s gone, he should say. They all are, everyone we knew. He’d known they’d be; he thought he’d been ready. But it just hadn’t hit him. Not until he woke up, and felt the weight of every century settle down somewhere in his gut.

Scott runs the tip of one finger over the starboard wing. “He was a good man,” he says, filling the space of Liam’s silence. “He had a good crew. What did you think about all that Reaper stuff, did you believe that?”

“Yeah,” Liam says quietly, “I believed it. I still believe it. Although I guess it isn’t really relevant anymore. Being– two million light-years away. And all that.”

“Not unless they’ve got Reapers here, too. You won’t be disappointed if we don’t find any, will you?”

Liam doesn’t laugh the same way Scott doesn’t smile; they both give it a try anyway. There’s common ground somewhere in the middle, there must be: a compromise, thick throats but steady hands. “Believe me,” he says. “I’m not holding my breath.”

“Me neither,” says Scott. “Not for that.”

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SCOTTRYDER: Hey, Liam. I really enjoyed our chat yesterday. We should talk again soon.

SARARYDER: what??

SARARYDER: oh. OHO

CORAHARPER: is there a reason you’re posting this on the team forum

SARARYDER: ohhhh boy

SARARYDER: ohhhh man

SCOTTRYDER: I apologize, everyone. I meant to send that privately.

CORAHARPER: how come you never have these “chats” with me?

SARARYDER: CALL HIM OUT

LIAMKOSTA: down, harper. jesus, you two

LIAMKOSTA: i enjoyed talking to you too, scott

CORAHARPER: consider my feelings officially hurt

SARARYDER: i love u all so much pls never change

…

Alec Ryder begins the next day’s morning conference with a not-so-gentle reminder that there are, actually, individual rations on the freeze-dried ice cream.

And Habitat 7, he announces, with his arms folded firmly across his chest, will most likely not be stocked with the stuff.

So whoever’s been sneaking extra portions should know that once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

The subject is dropped after that and they move onto a briefing of local fauna from there. Across the table Scott is dead quiet, and very interested in the grain-pattern of the table; Liam has to bite his tongue to keep from laughing, straight-out.

That night he goes back to the mess. But it’s empty and stays empty, through two (individually rationed) ramen packets and a quarter chapter of his now embarrassingly over-read copy of Blasto: Eternity is Forever.

“Liam,” says SAM. “If you are still experiencing difficulty falling asleep, there are multiple sleeping aids available in the medical bay.”

“Oh– no thanks, SAM. I’m good.”

“Perhaps I could attempt to improve your mood. Sara has often implied that humor is appropriate in attempting to lift one’s spirits.”

“That…depends on what your definition of humor is, I think.”

“I will proceed momentarily,” says SAM, sounding as pleased as an AI can manage to sound. “Scanning– transferring data files. Transfer complete: an asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar.”

“Does the punchline involve Omega strippers and batarian shard wine?”

“Possibly.”

—

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SCOTTRYDER: hi everyone my name is scott

SCOTTRYDER: i like long walks on the beach at sunset and crisis response specialists ;)))

SCOTTRYDER: i also have an insatiable sweet tooth and fhdfdkjglkfjghksgohjlk’l;45

LIAMKOSTA: ???

CORAHARPER: oh my god

SCOTTRYDER: Fuck you, Sara!

SARARYDER: keep 👏 ur 👏 hands 👏 off 👏 my 👏 ice 👏 cream

…

The Hyperion isn’t called an Ark for nothing. It’s huge, on a new-age scale, and it’s frighteningly easy to keep to yourself, if you’re not careful.

That being said, Liam isn’t sure how he and Scott seem to keep managing to run into each other.

He wonders if this is just something else he’ll have to get used to: the mess hall door hissing open, his brain short-circuiting. Scott giving him that wonky not-smile and Liam thinking hey, thinking come here often? Fumbling for something smoother: what’s a guy like you doing on a ship like this?

Maybe he’d have better luck with something from Blasto. With false confidence: is that a thermal clip in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

“You should be getting some shut-eye,” says Scott, just honest, tired lines and three-day stubble.

“I was about to say the same thing,” says Liam, which is such a shit lie. “Are you back to check out the ice cream reserves? I’ve heard they’ve been dwindling.”

Scott flushes; Liam knew he would. “No,” he says. “Actually, I’m– SAM says you’re having trouble sleeping.”

Snitch. Liam glares half-heartedly at the comm, but the AI stays annoyingly silent, and Scott is waiting on an answer. “It’s nothing. I’m still just getting used to everything, that’s all.”

“He also says–” Scott looks troubled. “That you haven’t really…spent time with anyone else.”

Snitch! “SAM,” Liam says, exasperated. “Really?”

“I am required to report stress-induced complications of this kind.”

“Complications–! Scott, I’m fine.”

“Okay,” says Scott. But he doesn’t look convinced. “Well, I wanted to check in, just in case– I know you know this, but the worst thing you could do right now is–”

“Isolate myself. Yeah.” He does know; ergo, should know better. He’s seen it before, out in the field: division members who’d felt too deeply and seen too much, who stopped being seen at all. Separating from their squad. Becoming the ghosts of the victims they were too late to save.

“We could talk about it, if you want,” offers Scott. “Or– we could try something else? Stop me if you’ve heard this one before; an asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar.”

Of course he’s heard it before. But he’s not about to stop him, it’s a classic. That’s sort of the problem with it, actually, you can never be sure which punchline was the original, which answer is meant to be the right one. There are so many damn ways it could go. An asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar; the volus walks under it. An asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar; only the krogan walks back out.

An asari, a turian, and a krogan walk into a bar.

The human shows up thirty-four years late and says, what’d I miss?

“You can’t give up,” Scott says, pulling a hand through his hair, “I don’t actually know the punchline.”

His ears have gone red, again, around the edges, eyes shifting: Liam’s started to commit that face to memory, every time he sees it. Locking it up somewhere safe, somewhere in the center of his chest, behind his bones. I won’t give up if you don’t, he could say. Or they could skip the bullshit and try again: A human walks into the mess hall at midnight, and Scott Ryder says ‘I should go’.

You know how many humans it takes to save the galaxy, Ryder? Twenty thousand and one: twenty thousand to leave before the fight’s even started, and Commander Shepard to stay behind and deal with whatever bullshit they’ve left behind.

“You’re worse than SAM,” says Liam. Instead of what he could, or should, or any of that. Instead of a heart-to-heart, a real one, for the sake of sanity and the rest.

“I know,” says Scott. “I really am.” He puts his hands in his pockets, tips his head toward the door. “C’mon. Let’s take a walk.”

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SARARYDER: hey liam

LIAMKOSTA: what’s up?

SARARYDER: hey scott

SCOTTRYDER: Yes?

SARARYDER: lol

LIAMKOSTA: do you need us for something or??

SARARYDER: nah just trying to settle a bet with cora

LIAMKOSTA: sara it’s two in the morning

SARARYDER: and yet…ur both up…

SARARYDER: suspicious…

…

The habitation deck is dark and deserted, with the Pathfinder crew all bunked away like good soldiers, the rest of humanity along for their cryo-ride. The only thing keeping Liam from tripping over his own feet is five years of field experience and the blue emergency lights, glowing softly along the hall edges.

“Everyone’s here for their own reasons,” Scott tells him. “My father calls it his responsibility. Sara says it’s her calling– turn here, it’s just around that corner.”

There’s the hiss of a door’s hydraulics; Scott steers him through, fingers steady at his elbow. Whatever room they’re in is even darker than the hallway. Scott is just a low voice, warm breath at his ear.

“Every time I went out past the Sol relay I could always map my way home. I could look up and know where I was. Even if we were right out at the edge of the traverse, I could look out and say, there, that’s Fortuna. And from there, the Annos Basin, and the relay to Arcturus, and I could work my way to the Citadel, just stargazing…SAM?”

“Yes, Ryder.”

“Open the observation deck shutters, please.”

Light filters in as the night-cycle shutters draw back from the viewport windows. He’s been on the observation deck before, but never like this, with the lights cast low and Andromeda’s stars painted from floor-to-ceiling. Definitely never with Scott Ryder’s hand splaying flat across his back.

“Maybe it was only in my head. But it was like a tether. Knowing I could map myself back home again, whenever I wanted.”

Focus on breathing. The rise and fall of your chest. Their arms brush when he shifts his weight, and Liam pretends he can feel the heat of him, the thermal clipped waves. I bet you bring all the girls here. “Earth’s a long way from here,” he says. “A long way, Ryder.”

“It’s still out there, though.”

Six-hundred years. Liam didn’t know it would be so heavy, all that leftover indecision mixing with doubt. Afraid to be left behind, of what he’s left behind. Afraid to be here, too, in the first real uncharted world of their lives.

“Scott,” he says, “can you tell me– why’d you join up?”

“With the Initiative?”

“Yeah, you know, new beginnings…?”

“Uh,” Scott looks embarrassed. “I don’t know, I just…Dad wanted Sara to go. And Sara, she did really want to go, it was all she used to talk about. And I’d spent so many years watching everyone else go off to fight, the adrenaline of it all, the glory…back then I thought I wanted that, too. So when Dad signed on, and Sara, too– I couldn’t stand the thought of–”

Pipe dreams, Liam thinks. Empty boxes and folded flags and being left behind, in a galaxy without a hero.

“I didn’t want to be alone,” Scott says, very softly.

He’s close enough that Liam can see the shadow of his lashes against his cheek, and hear him swallow. He’s close enough to kiss; he wonders whether Scott would let him. He thinks there might be a sliver of something in his face that says he should, but maybe it’s just the light of stars they don’t have names for, reflecting off of the surface of Habitat 7. Maybe it’s just Hyperion’s low-power glow reflecting in his eyes, relay-blue and soft the way Liam feels, on the edge of everything unknown, on the verge of something incredible.

Those eyes would reflect anything.

“Ryder,” says SAM, “Habitat 7 is within range of short-distance scans. The Pathfinder is requesting your presence.”

Whatever spell had been caught between them, it’s broken now. Scott blinks and sighs, and rolls one shoulder. “Fathers,” he says, shaking his head as though it’s an old joke of theirs, but Liam knows better; Scott only has one joke in his arsenal and he still doesn’t know its punchline. “I should go,” he says, like a damn hero. “I’ll see you on board the shuttle.”

Despite the unknowns: Scott is going to carry him to hell and back; somehow, he’s sure of it.

Damn the unknowns:

Liam is going to let him.

“You know,” Scott says as the door hisses open, swiveling back around with his hands in his pockets, shy almost-smile and shoulders squared, “I think he’d really be proud of us– Shepard would, I mean, don’t you think?”

Liam’s heart thuds once, twice, out-of-rhythm. Skips a beat and then goes on beating, high in his chest, filling the hollow of his throat.

“Yeah,” says Liam. “I reckon he would be.”

…

[TEAM MESSAGE BOARD]

SCOTTRYDER: All right, team, we’ve got the green light. Who’s ready to set up some outposts?

SARARYDER: i’m ready!!

CORAHARPER: beyond ready

LIAMKOSTA: born ready

SCOTTRYDER: Let’s move out!

SCOTTRYDER: Liam, I don’t know what we’ll find down there, but I just wanted to tell you…there’s a lot I didn’t get to say, last night. But it’s been a real honor, getting to know you. And I promise you: I’ve got your back.

CORAHARPER: oh scott

LIAMKOSTA: why are you like this

CORAHARPER: poor scott

LIAMKOSTA: someone seriously needs to show him how to work this thing

CORAHARPER: scott come back

CORAHARPER: you can’t pour your heart out on the team forum and then leave

SARARYDER: THAT’S TWENTY CREDITS YOU OWE ME HARPER

SARARYDER: PAY UP

…

In the end, Liam thinks, as the shuttle engines flare to life, as the shuttle bay doors yawn open, as the Hyperion shrinks behind them–

Maybe they don’t need a punchline at all.

20,000 humans cross into Andromeda galaxy.