Arashu's Gift

Chapter 34

"Who were you before you died?" Thane asked.

Shepard nestled closer to him in his arms. They were lying on the bed of his apartment in Nos Astra. They had spent four days docked at the capital city of Illium, the rest of the crew and team also lodging throughout the different districts. A few times they had met up with them to celebrate, however they had made clear to Thane and Shepard through jokes that they were aware of their relationship and their wish to be alone. Kasumi had called it a "honeymoon", although Thane wasn't completely sure what she could possibly have meant by that.

Shepard tangled her legs with his, lazily running her fingers along his chest. Thane hugged her tight against him, totally drunk on her natural warmth and perfume.

"I was a soldier," she whispered against his skin. "In the most literal sense of the word. The biotic power I have now is Cerberus' doing."

"An implant?"

Shepard nodded. He enjoyed the brush of her half-open mouth against the scales of his pecs.

"L5, the most advanced one," she added, leaving a kiss on that area of his chest.

Shepard hugged him by the waist tightly. Thane tangled his fingers in the beautiful chaos of her furious-red, untamed hair scattered on his shoulder.

"I meant who you were as a woman," he whispered against her head.

"If you're asking about past relationships, there isn't much to tell, I never had many of those to speak of. Liaisons yes, but nothing serious. I never had many friends either." Shepard raised herself on her elbows, turning on her belly to face him. "It's what happens when you live on space stations and ships. There isn't much time left to form the type of lasting bond that creates life-long relationships."

"But on the original Normandy you did find friends," Thane said, caressing her cheek.

She returned the gesture, softly running her fingertips up the frills of his cheeks and throat. His chest was constantly singing subharmonics of all the warm colors and flavors known to drell range. If this was a dream, he didn't wish to awaken ever again.

"That's right. It's what happens when you share extreme experiences with others. Inevitably, bonds are created, a unique complicity and mutual trust."

"It also happens when you help others selflessly and earn their eternal loyalty, Siha," Thane said, caressing her lips with his thumb. "Isn't that what you did with all of us aboard the SR-2 as well?"

"Maybe. We needed to deal with some things before facing certain death. Me too."

"You are speaking of your friend, the asari doctor, aren't you?"

Shepard nodded, rolling to lay on her back. She rubbed her elbows and stretched. Thane took the opportunity to cling to her waist and nestle himself in the valley of her breasts. He listened to the beating of her heart, feeling its rhythm as if it was his own. He tangled his legs with hers as she hugged him by his back and caressed his arm across her waist.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Thane heard her voice resound in her chest.

"I'm listening, Siha."

"When I met you, you said that an assassin is only a weapon and, as such, it isn't you who kills but the one who hires you. You also said you didn't feel guilty for the contracts on your targets because they weren't your decision, but your employers'. Then, why were you so upset when Kolyat wanted to follow in your footsteps?"

Thane hugged her tighter, clinging to her waist. Her natural warmth was a caress for his soul and his ever sun-starved scales.

"I never had a choice. Kolyat does," he heard himself saying. The words flowed from deep within him without ever stopping to consider their meaning. They spoke the truth.