Necessary (Mass Effect 3)(Fem!Shep/Thane/Javik)

Javik’s arrival on their team had certainly been interesting.  The last member of the race long thought extinct was needless to say, nothing like anything any of them had imagined.  So many had thought the protheans a peaceful, elevated species.  They were supposed to be beyond the petty squabbles and disagreements that plagued those of their cycle.  To discover that they were essentially space Romans that conquered and dominated other races was a wild deviation. 

In particular she felt for Liara.  Their resident prothean expert seemed so disillusioned upon meeting Javik, it had to be hard on her having so many of her theories proven wrong.  Not to mention that any of her attempts to engage him seemed to meet with failure. 

Admittedly, Shepard was trying to figure him out as well.  As abrupt and pessimistic as he was, she found herself oddly liking Javik.  And she had to confess, she kind of liked it that the protheans weren't some super-species who had everything figured out. 

But recently, Javik had definitely been acting odd.  The ancient warrior was always a little abrupt, spoke little and could even be rude, but he could also be very eloquent as well.  Lately he had just been snappish, looking disparagingly at their crew and she’d honestly lost count of how many times she had heard the word ‘primitive.’ 

She felt ridiculous correcting a man who had been alive thousands of years before her people had achieved space flight, but there she was.  In response Javik usually stomped off back to the cargo hold, and ended up being even more short with the crew when he encountered him.

Obviously something was wrong.  She decided to consult the only person she knew who would be able to express a level, educated opinion on something like this.

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Thane was seated quietly in life support again, and she had to admit that it still was a relief to see him there again.  It wasn’t long that he’d been down, ill in Huerta while they were helping him, but even during that short time she’d not been able to stand the quiet.  The one time she’d stumbled into the empty room, forgetting that Thane wasn’t there was the hardest.  It had been desolate.   And there was his cup sitting there on the table like he had just stepped out…

Shepard shook herself a little, focusing her gaze on Thane again.  The drell had turned to her in the silence after her arrival, his beautiful features both aristocratic and alien watching her with infinite patience.  Fuck, it was just good to have him back.  “Do you have a moment?”

“Many more than I did before, Siha.  What troubles you?”

“That obvious?” she chuckled, but seated herself across the table again.  She was just settling in when startling speed dragged Shepard in close, and suddenly a perfectly shaped mouth was eating her again.  The kiss was forceful, commanding, and Shepard couldn’t help the way she melted to it.  If it was relief, pleasure, or just enjoyment of the comfort she didn’t care.  It was good, and Shepard was breathless as Thane set her down. 

“Yes.  Now, continue.”

The commander was almost put out at how well composed the drell was even after a stunt like that.  But then, she was still getting used to this more vital, aggressive side of Thane that liked to come out and play a bit more nowadays.  

“I think you’ve probably noticed that Javik has not been acting like himself lately.”

The drell nodded briefly, his handsome alien features looking just faintly amused.  “It is difficult to miss the… altercations that have been had lately.  It is only fortunate I was wandering nearby before he could space Ms. Allers after she forwarded some inquiries from Fornax to our prothean’s omnitool.”