Author’s Note 2: A little background – Commander Shepherd, last hope to save the Galaxy, has been involved in some complicated plot shenanigans, the latest episode of which took place at a high-society charity reception. Shepherd, along with her date for the night, long-time team mate and love interest Liara T’Soni, infiltrated the reception and cracked the security. Please note, this most recent part of the mission involved them both wearing significantly more revealing outfits than usual.

Now the whole team have returned to Shepherd’s new bachelor pad. After a quick debrief, everyone disperses around the large space. Liara is sitting in the somewhat-secluded lounge/bar area when Shepherd comes to join her.

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”Hello,” begins Shepherd, dropping into a seat beside Liara. The tired smile on her face does not quite match the playful glint in her eyes.
”Hello,” responds Liara in kind.

Almost immediately their eye contact is broken, as two pairs of eyes unashamedly begin to wander. The commander is drawn to her girlfriend’s tempting curves, revealed more than concealed by the silver-blue sheath she has poured herself into. Not to be behind-hand, Liara’s gaze has dropped to the sudden expanse of Shepherd’s legs, revealed still more as she shifts in her seat.Shepherd returns, with obvious reluctance, to the supposed topic in hand.

”Some date, huh?”
”Actually, I was expecting more gunfire.” The asari’s dry humour comes to the fore.
”You know, so was I! Is it wrong that I’m disappointed?”
Liara gives the ex-marine a tolerant smile. ”Perhaps a little.”
With a quick glance around the room, Shepherd starts to reveal where her errant thoughts have led.
”To be honest, with you going around looking like that, I probably shouldn’t be handling guns.”
Blushing ever so slightly, Liara admits, ”I could say the same for you.”
A breathless silence. Lost in recall, Shepherd can’t help voicing her thoughts aloud.
”And when you used your bedroom voice to distract that guard…it was 50/50 whether I’d hit him, or kiss you.”
”I wouldn’t have minded option 2.”
”That would have been a distraction, alright”. Tired as they are, both smile at the thought. Random imaginings flit through the commander’s mind…

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This is Khalisah al-Jilani live from The Citadel. Our top story tonight is a surprising one – Commander Shepherd made an appearance at a fundraiser this evening, accompanied by none other than her long-rumoured asari partner, Liara T’Soni. Right now I’m heading across the casino floor, hoping for a few words from this elusive pair. With luck, we might clear up the whole mystery. — Oh my God, are you seeing this at home? Shepherd and Liara are…er…locked in an embrace. I’d say that’s pretty damn clear, alright.
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…to be cut short at the feel of a familiar hand, nonchalantly resting on her bare leg.
”Liara!” Shepherd hisses, in half-hearted protest. Not only does the asari fail to remove her hand, that hand becomes wreathed in biotic charge.
”So…” Liara drawls, a teasing challenge in her eyes, ”I have a bedroom voice?”
”Oh, come on, you know you do.”
”Am I using it right now?”

The combined effect of Liara’s buttery, mock-innocent tones, and the slim thread of mental connection that she allows to spark between them is almost too much for Shepherd’s self control. She draws in a ragged breath, forcing herself to look away, and being vividly reminded, as she does, that the entire team under her command is dotted about the apartment around them. The oh-so-cool, open-plan apartment. Which, apparently, has not one single door.

’Get a grip, marine,’ Shepherd chides internally. Feeling the eyes of her squad on their backs, she turns to Liara with a fragile resolve.

”Not that I mind, but – what’s got into you?”
”There’s one thing you don’t realise…Commander.”
At that word, Shepherd’s resistance crumbles. Liara knows quite well the effect it has. Under the right conditions, of course.
”Which is..?
”Compared to what you normally wear…you’re practically naked in that dress.”
”I suppose -” Shepherd begins to respond at random, with no rational input from her brain. Even that last effort abruptly cuts off when Liara’s eyes flash to a solid black, and all at once the slender bridge of their neural link slams wide open as the asari’s control slips.

Whatever Shepherd has been accused of in the past, indecision has never been one of her faults. Grabbing hold of Liara’s offending hand, she propels them both upwards and across the room.

The commander can, however, sometimes be stuck for words.
”Come with me, Doctor…” she mutters unconvincingly. The asari’s presence fades in and out of her mind as Liara attempts to contain herself.
”…We have…important stuff to…pretend to do.”

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[[To be Continued..?]]