A/N: So, I'm a bit on hiatus, but I wrote this one a long time ago and tonight decided since it's been a while for this meta series, I should probably take another gander at this dinosaur and post it.

Thanks: This one was prompted by LiaCyk in a review of my Liara/Femshep One Shots series-thank you thank you! for your support and idea-hope I do it a bit of justice and thanks for your patience in seeing it come to light!

Hope June is treating everyone well and thanks always for reading.

"Oh no," Liara shook her head as if in dismay at the entryway of Shepard's cabin. "She's writing again."

Shepard rolled her eyes with a grin. "I can't help it. You're too addicting. When you aren't around I just daydream about you."

Smiling, Liara made her way to Shepard lying in bed. One of the Commander's knees pointed up in the air, an ankle resting on it and her foot tapping to an inaudible rhythm. She wore her N7 hoodie and cargoes, a reminder to herself that she was off duty and 'should act like it,' she had once told Liara.

"What's it about this time?"

"Us even younger. I'm a little girl; you're an undergrad."

Liara wrinkled her nose in response. "That's a little creepy, isn't it?"

Shepard gaped at her. "Not uhhh!"

"Ah, I see you're in character," Liara teased her for the childish retort.

Shepard jutted out a lip in a pout, only proving Liara's point further.

"Is it ready for me to read?" Liara ignored the feigned pout, knowing a smirk lay just underneath it.

"Sure," Shepard did indeed smirk and sat up against the headboard. She patted the bed beside her, giving Liara an encouraging gaze.

Liara kicked off her boots and crawled up the bed to join her, plopping down next to Shepard and resting her head as she read from Shepard's shoulder.

"Whatcha readin'?"

Liara's brow knit, a datapad in her lap, another in her hand and a third held between her teeth. It was only a week until her undergraduate thesis defense and she had a panel of matriarchs that she knew just loved showing young maidens such as herself how much they still had to learn.

She blinked rapidly, clearing her thoughts and peered up as she leaned against the wall she was sitting against when she heard the question. A strange little creature with the most dazzling pair of eyes she'd ever seen gazed back at her. The child appeared to have some sort of fur, tied back out of her face. Seeing the little dots on the little thing's cheeks made her smile. They had that in common.

"I'm…" she started to answer at last, "I'm reading the writings of Matriarch Dilinaga."

"Dili-huh?" the little girl asked her.

Liara was too sleep-deprived to take insult. She laughed instead. "She's a very important person to my people. Now," she set down the datapads, deciding the Goddess must want her to take a break. "What is your name?"

Those eyes that still held Liara's attention narrowed. "I'm not suppos'd ta tell people that. Only people me or mom know."

Liara tucked in her lips briefly to stop another laugh from escaping. "Well, my name is Liara T'Soni. Does that count as knowing me?"

Peering at her suspiciously for a moment longer, the child's eyes returned to their norm and a grin spread across her features. "Okay! I'm Shepard!"

A small grin pulled at the asari's lips as well. Whoever this 'Shepard' might be, she was adorable. "And what are you doing on the Citadel, Shepard?"

"Pfff," the little one waved the question away. "I 'unno. My mom's here for work. Said I should stay in the Prezidum with my friends," at the last word, the girl gestured behind her and Liara saw a whole gaggle of similar looking beings laughing and playing together. "But," Shepard continued. "'Ts kinda borin." She looked absolutely downtrodden with grief at the statement and Liara had to fight another burst of laughter from surfacing at the endearing sight.

"Then I saw you!" Shepard suddenly beamed at her, the melancholy from seconds ago completely gone.

"Oh!" Liara blinked at her in surprise.

"Yeah!" Shepard smiled at her. "You're pretty."

Liara's eyes widened. She blushed and chuckled. "My, what a charmer."

Shepard giggled. "Yeaaaaah, that's what my mom says, but it's true too." She sat down beside Liara, holding her knees. "So why you readin that Dali person's stuff?"

"I have a test soon," Liara answered her, passing one of the datapads.

Shepard whistled when she scrolled to the top and saw a picture of the matriarch. "She was old!"

Wide eyes turned to Liara and this time Liara lost her internal battle with a fit of laughter. "Yes," she said as much as laughed. "She was actually younger than most of my people live when she passed."

"Oh…" Shepard's melancholy returned.

"But," Liara chucked the little creature's knee in comfort, "she had a fun life. Lots of adventure."

Shepard smiled at her. "Good," she said with a genuine expression. "Can I ask you somethin' weird?"

Liara tilted her head to the side at the question. "Why not?" she smiled.

The child smiled broadly. "How come you're blue?"

Laughing, Liara let her head fall back against the wall they were sitting against. She doubted the little girl wanted a biology lesson at the moment and decided to keep things simple. "I just am. Some of my people are purple in tone, some blue."

"Well, I think it's pretty," Shepard gave her a half smile. "I like blue. It's my favorite."

Liara couldn't believe the little flirt. She stifled a grin. "Why, thank you. I like your fur," she was tempted to tussle it suddenly.

Shepard's eyes bugged out and the little thing started rolling on the floor in laughter. Liara chuckled softly with her and gave apologizing glances to passersby that had to step around the girl. She ushered her back to her side. "Did I say something funny?"

"It's hair!" Shepard declared with a grin and guffaws still splitting her sides.

"Heh," Liara breathed out a chuckle. "Then I suppose I like your 'hair'," she corrected herself.

She poked the little girls ribs lightly in a tease. "What are you anyway? I've never seen someone like you."

Shepard wiped tears of mirth away and blew a raspberry in mock exasperation. "I'm human!"

"Oh, I see." Liara had guessed as much, but she had decided to ask to be sure. "Are all humans as silly as you?"

Shepard pouted. "Hey, I'm not silly. What are you anyway?"she grumbled.

"I'm an asari," Liara answered. She pulled the girl's lips up at the corners of her little mouth with each of her thumbs. "And you're soooo happy! See?!" She wiggled her thumbs a bit to emphasize the forced smile.

Shepard giggled and brushed Liara's hands away. She looked like she was about to say something but a beautiful, mature version of the girl called and beckoned "Honey!"

"Ooops!" Shepard stood up immediately. "My mom's back. Gotta go. Um Bye!"

Liara smiled and waved. "Bye Shepard."

She watched the little girl get scooped up by the woman, who she decided must be her mother and human military. Shepard squealed in delight as she flew in the air, her mother tossing her up, saying "How's my little soldier? Ready to fly?"

When the group of children with their adult counterparts departed, Liara sighed and picked up her datapads to return to her studies. For the rest of the day though, she wore a smile.

"Aw, that was cute." Liara said with approval. "Not too creepy after all."

"Gee thanks," Shepard replied dryly.

Liara sat up and kissed her cheek. "I kind of wish I had met you back then now."

Shepard was the one to crinkle her nose this time. "You sure? Could you really have ever had sex with me?"

"Perhaps not," Liara grimaced. "On second thought, I'm glad we met when we did."

"Couldn't agree more," Shepard chuckled and wrapped an arm around her bondmate.