Ashley wasn't sure what to expect when she opened the door to Sha'ira's room, but it hadn't been this. The Consort was sitting on a large, plush sofa, and though she smiled when Ashley came in, the marine could see drying tears on her cheeks. The asari had seemed so serene, almost ethereal, in their earlier meetings that realizing she had been crying was shocking.

"Hey," she asked gently, her own nervousness momentarily forgotten, "Are you okay? You left me this note, but if it's a bad time, I can go."

Sha'ira shook her head. "No, companionship is welcome in such times. Nelyna, my greeter, was killed in the geth attack."

"God, that's terrible," she told the asari, fumbling for something more to say, "Had she been with you long?"

Sha'ira nodded. "For many years. I regarded her more as a friend than as an employee."

Ashley sat down on the couch and instinctively put an arm around the asari. "I'm sorry we didn't get to the Citadel sooner," she offered, thinking of the desperate hunt through Ilos for a way to open the door that led to the Conduit. "If we had, maybe we could've saved her."

"There is no need for apologies," Sha'ira reassured the sergeant. "I am told that if not for your efforts, none of us would have survived."

Ashley could tell her cheeks were reddening at the compliment "You should really be thanking Shepard then. She's the Spectre. I was just along for the ride."

"Do not underrate your own contribution." She brought a hand up to gently caress Ashley's cheek. The touch was light but intimate and the marine realized that her face wasn't the only place blood was heading. "Shepard tells me she might well have been killed if not for your bravery and capacity for self-sacrifice in the final battle with Saren."

"Wait a minute…" The wheels were turning in her head. "You talked to Shepard about me?"

"Yes. While you were in the hospital, I spoke with her outside of your room. I left the invitation with her."

"She knew what was in there all along?'", Ashley sputtered. "So, she was just… When I dropped the envelope… She set me up!"

"Whatever she did, please do not judge your commander too harshly. She spoke highly of you to me, and I believe she wants you to be happy."

Ashley put the issue of how many people had been in on this off to one side along with her plans for revenge. "Listen," she admitted to Sha'ira, "About being happy… I like you a lot but this is all pretty new to me and I'm not quite sure what it is that you want to happen. We've both clearly been through a lot and…"

Before she could get any further, Sha'ira leaned in, and even as Ashley's brain was trying to process what was happening, soft pink lips were brushing against her own. The asari's hand ran along the side of her head, coaxing her without words, and she parted her lips, allowing the kiss to open up. She couldn't deny that the Consort knew what she was doing, her tongue caressing Ashley's own, drawing a low groan from the marine.

"Is that an adequate answer?", Sha'ira asked warmly. "You are right that we have been through a difficult time, but that is all the more reason for us take comfort where we can find it."

Ashley had more questions, but as the Consort's hands started running over her shoulders, caressing her through the material of her uniform, the marine decided that the desire she was feeling was answer enough for now. "Sounds good," she replied with a nervous smile, "But I should warn you, I haven't done this before. With an asari, I mean. I have with humans. But only guys."

The smiled didn't leave Sha'ira's face as her slim fingers nimbly undid the buttons of Ashley's shirt.. "Then I will show you what to do. But we are not so different in many respects. Many of the same things can bring us both pleasure."

Ashley swallowed hard, a shiver of anticipation tingling along her skin. "I'll keep that in mind."

Sha'ira slid the uniform off of Ashley's shoulders before bending over for a slow, lingering kiss that gave her time to unhook Ashley's grey bra and leave it on the floor next to the shirt. With it gone, she brushed the tips of her fingers over the bottom of Ashley's breasts. Sha'ira hadn't even touched the nipples yet, but already, the human could feel them stiffening. The asari seemed to have noticed as well, because she pressed her fingertip over the left one, and Ashley moaned, her mouth falling away from the kiss, her body arching into the new touch.

The Consort's tongue ran along Ashley's neck, flicking across the skin before she made it to her ear, nibbling lightly on the lobe. "I love these," she purred as the marine gasped. "So sensitive." Her mouth ran along the outer ridge even as her hand switched breasts, rubbing the hard nipple against her soft palm. "And one of the differences between us. Along with this."

Her other hand undid the bun that kept Ashley's hair in place, leaving it free to slide down her naked back. Sha'ira kissed her again while she ran her hand through the dark strands, tangling them in her fingers. The gorgeous asari seemed so taken with her body that Ashley felt her earlier misgivings melting away, replaced with a confidence that she was wanted.

What she wanted right then, though, was to see more of Sha'ira. The asari was wearing a dark blue dress that showed off a certain amount of cleavage, but that wasn't enough for Ashley anymore. She'd never cared much about what other women looked like naked, but there was something intoxicating about this asari. She'd felt it from the moment she met her, and now, so close to what she'd fantasized about, she was getting impatient.

Thankfully, she managed to find the clasp to Sha'ira's dress, but after she undid it, the Consort stood up from the couch. Ashley made to follow her, but the asari stopped her with the touch of a finger to her forehead.

"Patience," she said huskily, and Ashley looked on in awe as Sha'ira let her gown drop to the floor. Beneath the dress, she wore only a pair of lacy red panties, leaving the rest of her slim, flawless figure on display to the marine. Her curves were familiar, much like those of a human, but her hairless skin, patterned in places with small scales, was a reminder that she wasn't one.

The Consort lowered herself back onto Ashley's lap, wrapping her arms around the human for another kiss. That teal skin felt incredible, smoother than any she had even touched before, and the sergeant ran her hands up Sha'ira's back, wanting to explore every inch of it. When Ashley made it to the bottom of her crest, the Consort let out a breathy sigh. "Go ahead," she purred approvingly in the sergeant's ear, "Explore."

Encouraged, the marine ran her fingers lightly over the ridges at the back of Sha'ira's head. They were firm but not hard, yielding slightly as she caressed them. Sha'ira titled her head back, murmuring with pleasure, and Ashley took the opportunity to duck in and plant a soft kiss on the asari's long, exposed neck.

"Don't worry," the Consort reassured her, "You can be firmer. I'm not going to break."

"Sorry," she laughed nervously, "I'm just used to other marines. I'm not sure what to do here."

"I understand." Sha'ira took Ashley's other hand in her own and brought it up to her breast. It was remarkably soft to the touch and Ashley started massaging it, finding the stiff blue nipple and rolling it between her fingers. She applied a little pressure and Sha'ira exhaled sharply. "Excellent. Don't stop."

As Ashley kept rubbing Sha'ira, she was hit with a sudden desire to taste that silky skin and she lowed her head, taking the other nipple in her mouth. It was small but diamond-hard between her lips and she sucked on it, remembering what the Consort had told her about them enjoying many of the same things. Sha'ira's purr shaded into a breathless moan, and Ashley felt a throbbing in her sex at the sound.

Growing bolder, she dropped off of the couch, kneeling on the carpeted floor between the asari's thighs. Her kisses moved down Sha'ira's belly but when she reached the juncture of her legs, the human looked up at the Consort, seeking her permission to continue.

Receiving an approving nod, she slid the damp lace off of Sha'ira and beneath it, the skin was slick with arousal. Ashley could clearly see the asari's anatomy: her opening, surrounded by scales a darker shade of blue than the rest of her body, and above them, the throbbing length of her clitoris. Tentatively, Ashley flicked her tongue over Sha'ira's sex, and she was pleasantly surprised by how sweet the asari tasted. She'd never much enjoyed swallowing, but she didn't hesitate to lap this flavor up, even delving inside the Consort's azure with her tongue to get more.

Above her, she felt the touch of Sha'ira's hand in her hair, stroking her head affectionately. "For a first-timer, you seem enthusiastic."

"Well, you taste good," the human replied mischievously. "Hope I'm doing it okay."

Before Sha'ira could reply, Ashley planted a kiss on the woman's prominent clit and was rewarded with a shudder of delight. Silently, she thanked god that asari seemed relatively easy to figure out. Probably helpful when you had as many different options as they did, she reflected.

"Quite well," Sha'ira gasped as Ashley kept licking at her clit, and after a minute, she reached down and tilted the human's head up. "Come," she told the marine, "Let me do something for you."

As much as she enjoyed the taste of the Consort, Ashley couldn't turn down that offer. When she stood up, Sha'ira unfastened her belt and slid her pants and black underwear down together. The marine had only a moment to regret that she hadn't remembered to chose something that matched her bra before the thought was banished from her head. A teal finger ran over the swollen folds of her sex and she felt her knees tremble at the touch. She hadn't fully appreciated just how aroused on she had become but when Sha'ira's finger slid inside her, wetness immediately coated the asari's digit.

"Wonderful," the Consort breathed, adding a second finger. It slid easily inside Ashley, and Sha'ira began thrusting, dragging her fingers over the human's inner walls. As her body squeezed desperately around Sha'ira's deft touch, Ashley momentarily worried about just how much of a rank amateur she must have seemed to the skillful asari. Sha'ira took her clit between her soft pink lips, and even as she sucked on it, her tongue was moving up and down its length.

Her thrusts didn't let up either, the Consort somehow able to keep everything she was doing in perfect synchronicity. No lover Ashley had ever had could match her ability to meld all of the pleasures she was giving into one incredible whole. It hard been far too long for the sergeant, the hunt for Saren having left her with no time to meet anyone else or even blow off steam on shore leave, and it wasn't long before she was careening close to the edge. Her knees tried to buckle beneath her, and only years of practice standing at attention kept her upright.

"God, Sha'ira," she mumbled, "I'm gonna…"

The asari looked up at her and there were flecks of blackness in her dark blue eyes. "Go ahead," she purred, her fingers finding that special spot deep inside Ashley and caressing it, "I trust that you will be able to continue afterwards."

"Hell, yes," she grunted, clutching at her new lover's crest. The asari took her back into her mouth, and it required only a few more strokes before Ashley unraveled, her body jerking with ecstasy even as the Consort's surprisingly strong hand braced her. Sha'ira knew how to prolong her pleasure as well, slowing her movements only gradually, drawing every last drop of wetness out of the human before withdrawing her soaked fingers and sucking them clean.

As her orgasm receded, Ashley collapsed back onto the couch, her legs more or less jelly by that point. Sha'ira fell on top of her, kissing along her collarbone, and the marine murmured, "That was amazing. You… God damn it, I can see why you're so popular." Sha'ira pulled back, hurt flickering across her lovely face, and Ashley suddenly realized what she'd suggested. "Fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that…"

The asari kept her composure. "I am not what you think I am, sergeant," she stated calmly. "I cannot deny that I have had personal relationships with some of my clients, but I am not paid for sex. I offer advice and companionship. Anything else happens because I want it to. And I wanted it to happen with you."

"I'm really glad you did," Ashley offered eagerly, glad that this amazing woman seemed ready to forgive her insensitivity. "Let me make it up to you. What can I do?"

A playful light danced behind Sha'ira's eyes. "This."

The asari pushed Ashley down so that she was lying flat on the couch before pulling her pants the rest of the way off along with her boots and socks, leaving the human fully naked at last. Sha'ira crawled on top of her then, sliding a thigh between the marine's legs and rubbing it against the human's sex even as she started grinding her azure against Ashley.

There was increased urgency in the asari's movements now, not just desire but real need. When Sha'ira kissed her once again, the passion in it banished the human's guilt from her thoughts and as it broke at last, Ashley could see that blackness again, this time filling the whole of Sha'ira's eyes.

"Join with me," the Consort implored her.

"How?", Ashley asked, anxious to please her lover but slightly apprehensive of what would happen next. She'd heard a lot about the meld, but she still wasn't sure what to expect.

"Just relax your thoughts and embrace eternity." The human took a deep breath, trying to open herself up. She felt a pressure against her mind but it wasn't as alien as she had feared. Instead, it was an affectionate presence that filled her head, Sha'ira's mind soothing and arousing all at once. Ashley could see admiration and desire for her there, and she tried to share her own awe at the beauty and skill of her lover.

Sha'ira pressed her azure against Ashley once again and the marine trembled at what she felt. The asari's sex was slick against her leg, but now she could also experience the pleasure that her lover enjoyed.

"You try it," Sha'ira whispered, her voice seeming to come from inside Ashley's own head, and the human complied, pressing her own sex against the Consort. Soon, they began moving together, the rhythm coming effortlessly, angles that might have been difficult to master without the joining seeming like the most natural thing in the world.

Ashley held the asari close, her fingers digging into the scaled skin of her back. She'd never known grinding could drive her this wild, but the doubling of pleasure combined with the ragged need in Sha'ira's mind was incredible. The asari was closer than she was, turned on but not satisfied by Ashley's earlier ministrations, but the marine could feel her lover dragging her along with her. Sha'ira's teeth grazed along her shoulder, the Consort's fingers clutching at her firm ass, and when the marine ran her leg along the length of the asari's swollen clit once more, she came hard.

Sha'ira's orgasm seemed to explode out of her mind, spilling over into Ashley's thoughts and indeed her body. She went rigid as well, unable to do anything but clutch the Consort tight against her, her own clit pulsing against the asari's leg as she climaxed along with her lover.

As the marine lay on the couch gasping and panting, Sha'ira slowly withdrew her thoughts, but even while she did, she left behind a warm blanket of affection that Ashley's mind sunk blissfully into, an affirmation of the Consort's feelings for her.

"God," she gasped, "That was… different. But in a good way. A really, really good way."

"I am glad." Sha'ira smiled, trailing light kisses along Ashley's neck. "I very much needed that as well."

"Glad I could help," she laughed. "I have to ask though: why me? I'm pretty sure you could have had anyone you wanted to comfort you."

"But I wanted you." The asari caught her lips for a lingering kiss. "You underestimate yourself, Ashley Williams. You may see yourself as a simple soldier, but you have a rich and complex soul. You have already done remarkable things and I suspect that you will yet do more. And," she added, running a finger lightly over the human's still-stiff nipple, "I sensed that you desired this comfort as much as I did."

Laying in the softness of the sofa, her hands running slowly over the Consort's smooth body, Ashley couldn't locate her words just then, no touching poetic reply springing to mind, but nor could she find any reason to disagree. A few months ago, she couldn't have imagined wanting this, but she did, and what that meant for the future was a question that could wait for another, less blissful moment.

And that's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed this little excursion into a rare pairing and thanks for reading.