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. . .

Better Said Without Words

. . .

"So, you don't think it's weird?"

"No." Aria rolled her eyes, slumping further into the couch. Both of her arms were draped across the back, and she took up more than her fair share of space, but Shepard didn't seem to notice. The Commander had reached a happy, talkative stage of drunkenness about fifteen minutes into Blasto Cures the Genophage, and Aria doubted anything short of another Reaper invasion could dampen her good mood.

"Noooo?"

Shepard leaned closer, still clutching her half-empty bottle by the neck. It tilted at a dangerous angle, and Aria abandoned her comfortable position, straightening it without looking. She resumed paying attention just in time to watch Blasto swan dive from the top of a burning building, firing upward with all four guns. Ugh. Even Noverian Rum isn't enough to make this shit bearable.

"What do you want, an inspirational speech?"

Shepard either didn't pick up on her sarcasm, or deliberately ignored it. "I've heard your 'inspirational speeches', and they kind of suck, to be honest."

"Thanks, Shepard. You're a real friend." Aria's gaze remained locked on the vid as an orange and red explosion bloomed across the screen. "Remind me how you tricked me into watching this again?"

"I didn't trick you," Shepard protested, a little indignantly. "You were begging to come over when Tevos told you she was taking Lycoris to see her grandmother."

"Yeah, but that didn't mean we had to watch Blasto. Honestly, Shepard, aside from T'Soni, I really have to question your taste. Oh, wait..."

Before she could lay on the end of her insult, Shepard pulled her feet up onto the couch, scooting closer into her personal space. "But you really don't think it's weird? You know, since Tevos and Liara have melded, and you and Liara have melded, and Tevos and I have melded..."

Aria sighed. She had hoped alcohol would shorten Shepard's attention span and make her forget her previous question, but apparently, she wasn't that lucky. "If you want to meld with me so badly, breathing right in my ear isn't the way to convince me," she said, lips twitching into a frown.

"But... you don't have ears..." Shepard tipped backwards and laughed, resting her head against the arm of the couch and folding both arms over her stomach.

While she giggled, Aria scowled at the feet resting on her thighs. Having Shepard's socks on her prized leather pants wasn't doing much to improve her mood. "Get those off," she muttered, shoving Shepard's legs away with a pulse of her biotics. "My kid and yours mess up my clothes enough already, and that's not counting what Tevos and T'Soni do to them."

"Fine." Instead of moving away, Shepard flipped in the other direction. After a few awkward rolling motions, Aria looked down to see bright red hair sprawled across her lap. Shepard peered up at her with brilliant green eyes, just a little off because of her implants. "You don't have to do your grumpy routine in front of me. It's okay to be genuinely upset about something without putting on a show. I know you have 'issues' with your mother-in-law..."

"Great. You can't just be an annoying drunk. You have to be an insightful one, too."

Shepard's grin didn't waver. "You can pretend to hate me all you want, but I know the truth. You like me."

"'Like' is a pretty strong word," Aria said, although she didn't deny it. The truth was, she did like Shepard, birdsnest hair, drunken ramblings, inappropriately placed feet and all. But accepting it and admitting it were two different things. She had an image to maintain. "The fact that you have a hot tub upstairs is a point in your favor, even if it isn't as nice as mine back on Omega."

"Is that your roundabout way of asking me to go upstairs and make out with you?"

"Why go upstairs?" Aria's eyes flicked toward the television, and she immediately regretted it. "Making out with someone has to be better than watching Blasto get lucky with an elcor."

Shepard sat up, swinging a knee over her thigh and straddling her lap with a surprising amount of coordination. Maybe she isn't as drunk as she likes to pretend, Aria thought, but she was distracted when Shepard fisted the front of her jacket. "There. Is this a better view?"

Aria smirked. "Much. But if you're going to manhandle my jacket, you'd better make it worth my while."

"What's wrong?" Shepard teased, giving the edges a soft tug. "I thought you liked it rough."

"Sometimes." Aria settled one of her hands on Shepard's hip, searching beneath her shirt for skin. She couldn't feel much difference with her gloves on, but she liked the low gasp Shepard made when she found it. "All right, big bad SpecTRe agent. Impress me."

When they kissed, it wasn't gentle. Aria could taste the sweet spice of rum in Shepard's mouth along with an edge of desperation. Shepard had been almost flirtatious before, but now, she was hungry, and Aria appreciated the intensity. When Shepard's tongue asked for entrance, she fought back, nipping a full lower lip and trapping it between her teeth. That earned a groan, and the muscular body on top of hers shivered.

"You're mean," Shepard panted as they broke apart.

Aria licked her lips. "I don't know why you're surprised." She tugged at the hem of Shepard's shirt. "Or why you're still wearing this."

She stared with unconcealed appreciation as Shepard squirmed out of her hoodie and peeled her compression shirt over her head. Removing them left her hair more of a mess than usual, but it did put her stomach on enticing display. Tevos was thin and delicate, and Liara was toned beneath her lovely curves, but Shepard's strength was packed visibly into every inch of her body. It wasn't what Aria usually preferred, but it was so impressive that she couldn't hide her admiration.

"Remind me to thank Lawson one of these days. She did a damn good job rebuilding you."

"Don't give her all the credit. Vega and his pull-up contests deserve some of it," Shepard joked. "So, are you going to keep kissing me, or what?"

Aria fisted Shepard's hair, tangling her fingers through it and crashing their mouths together. Maybe your demanding streak isn't so annoying after all. Even though she appreciated it, she made Shepard fight her for control of the kiss. One of her hands was occupied, but the other was free, and she used it to her full advantage. She slid her gloved palm flat down Shepard's back, finding a firm grip on the swell of her ass.

"Mean," Shepard insisted, breaking away for breath.

"You could use a little meanness in your life." Before Shepard could capture her lips again, Aria kissed down her throat, making sure to use plenty of teeth and tongue. "T'Soni might be..." Kiss. "The Shadow Broker..." Suck. "But I've had hundreds of years to perfect the art." She latched on to Shepard's pulse point, and the hips above hers jerked in surprise and pleasure.

"Shit, Aria. You're going to make me ruin my pants too."

"Then why are you wearing them?" She let go of Shepard's head and brought both hands down, hooking them through the waistband. A few tugs tore them with some help from her biotics, and soon, Shepard was kneeling above her in nothing but a pair of tight black boxers.

Shepard stared down at the ruined fabric in disbelief. "Seriously? Did you just rip my pants off? After bitching me out for putting my feet on yours?"

Aria didn't bother hiding her smugness. "Go complain to Tevos. I'm sure she'll sympathize." She stripped the ruined fabric away and tossed it to the floor, making sure to brush against Shepard's thighs in the process. They felt better bare, and she peeled off her gloves, draping them carefully over the arm of the couch. Shepard didn't melt the way Tevos did at the touch of leather, and Aria wanted to feel things properly.

"You're such a hypocrite," Shepard snorted.

"I never claimed otherwise." She leaned back for the best possible view, letting her eyes roam greedily up and down Shepard's body. Aside from her boxers, the Commander was completely naked. A galaxy of faint freckles dotted her skin, and her pale pink nipples had already hardened to stiff points. "Cold?" Aria asked, cupping a firm breast and flicking her thumb over the tip. "Or are you getting impatient?"

Shepard arched, and Aria caught the shudder that coursed through her. "Nope. Just deciding what I'm going to do to you for ruining my pants."

Aria smiled. Knowing Shepard, it was bound to be something good. But first, she had a point to prove. She took the nipple she had been teasing between her lips, swirling her tongue around it and skating over it with the very edges of her teeth. Shepard hissed, grabbing for her crest, and Aria counted it as a victory. She allowed the hold, but didn't let it direct her. She continued sucking, running her hands up and down Shepard's sides, drinking in as much skin as possible. It was a refreshing change to feel so much power beneath them.

While her mouth was occupied, her hands wandered lower. She busied herself removing Shepard's boxers, which wasn't an easy task while both of them were so distracted. When squeezing a hand beneath the waistband and grazing the short hairs there wasn't satisfying enough, she released the tip of Shepard's breast with a soft pop and tugged them down and off. Shepard shifted to help, legs shaking. "You move fast, don't you? At least you didn't rip them this time..."

"No," Aria said, studying the dark stain on the front of the fabric. She tossed them aside with the rest of Shepard's clothes, then rested her hands on Shepard's hips. "But I did ruin them."

Shepard leaned in, hot breath carrying only a small trace of rum. "I'll forgive you if you make it worth my while."

"From threats of revenge to bargaining?" Aria drawled. "You must be getting desperate, Shepard." But she drew one of her hands toward the juncture of Shepard's legs, raking with her nails and raising goosebumps along the way.

Aria wasn't surprised when her fingertips found wetness. It ran over them like warm silk, and the corners of her mouth twitched into a proud smirk. She had earned it all without a single direct touch. Shepard stiffened above her, and she hummed in approval, placing a kiss on one muscular bicep. "Really? I'm just getting started, and the great Commander Shepard is already quaking above me. Are you sure this isn't why you invited me over?"

"Y—you invited yourself over," Shepard said, teeth gritted with restraint. She was trying not to roll her hips, and Aria made it her mission to coax them into moving. They remained still when she pressed harder and rubbed in circles, but Shepard's hands did shoot past her head to grip the back of the couch.

"Good idea," Aria laughed. "Better brace yourself, because I'm not stopping."

"Sadist."

"Of course." She pulled back, but not enough to leave the swollen, slippery bud of Shepard's clit, ghosting over it instead of grinding into it. "Your bondmate needs someone to slap her around the way she likes."

Shepard glared down at her, and for a moment, Aria thought she might have gone too far. But then Shepard's eyes narrowed with a gleeful sort of determination, and Aria knew she would be getting the explosive reaction she wanted—once she finished making Shepard fall apart, of course. "Yeah? Well, your bondmate can come to me if she ever needs a little muscle. Biotics are fun and all, but to really overpower someone, you want a marine with a few cybernetic enhancements to do the job."

"You mean like this?" Without warning, Aria slid down, leaving Shepard's clit and seeking out her entrance. She pushed in as soon as she found it, driving deep as Shepard's walls rippled around her. "I spent centuries as a commando, Shepard." She started thrusting, using quick strokes that made Shepard's breath hitch. "We know how to play rough without biotics..." She hooked her fingers forward and concentrated, summoning the smallest amount of biotic energy she could. "Although they do have their advantages."

The low buzz had Shepard bucking. Ribbons of wetness poured into Aria's hand, and she tilted the heel up, offering a surface for Shepard to catch her clit against. "You... you're worse than a sadist," Shepard panted, chest heaving. "You're a selfish, arrogant asshole."

"I know. I have no idea why we're friends." She curled against the puffy, ridged place along Shepard's front wall, exerting as much pressure as she could while the tendons in her wrist burned. "You're not wrong about the selfish and arrogant part, but I'd only be an asshole if I didn't let you come."

Shepard tried to respond, but her words were lost. Her entire body shook, and Aria waited, savoring the buildup of anticipation. It wouldn't take much to make Shepard explode. Shepard's wetness had almost become a river, and she was clenching impossibly tight. She was rather pleased with herself for pushing Shepard so close to the brink, and she knew she would be gloating about it afterward, especially in Liara's presence.

"I'm getting some payback after this," Shepard growled, giving up and rocking into the thrusts. Aria let her join the rhythm, but didn't let her control it. She kept up the same pace, forcing Shepard to yield to it. "I promise. I'm gonna fuck that smug look right off your face."

Aria's smirk remained firmly in place. She changed the angle of her hand, bringing her thumb back to Shepard's clit. "I'm looking forward to watching you try."

It was Shepard's undoing. She locked up, and Aria felt a wave of satisfaction as the slick muscles squeezing her fingers started to shiver. Shepard pulsed, sending streams of heat along her hand, her wrist... and down onto her pristine leather pants. Fuck, I guess it's worth it, she thought as Shepard shouted to the ceiling. She looks good when she comes, even while making that face. The strain in Shepard's body made it more beautiful, and Aria couldn't resist taking the plump tip of a nipple back into her mouth.

The greedy circles of her tongue seemed to extend Shepard's release. Her aftershocks were heavy, and Aria continued curling through them, hitting the spot that made Shepard scream the loudest. By the time Shepard stopped responding to her thrusts, both of them were sticky with sweat and come. Aria almost wished she had taken the opportunity to meld. The orgasm she had given Shepard had obviously been a good one. She let the hum around her fingers die, but she didn't withdraw them. Shepard might collapse if she moved too soon.

"You could have shared that," Shepard said, picking up on her thoughts without any help at all. "I would have let you."

For once, Aria's smile was soft and genuine. "And miss out on your 'revenge'? I don't think so. Show me what you've got, soldier girl."

Shepard dismounted, and even though she had some warning, Aria wasn't quite prepared for what happened next. In a flash, she was flat on her back, wrists pinned to the arm of the couch with Shepard's weight on top of her. There wasn't time for a smart comeback before Shepard's lips crashed into hers.

She might have been able to escape if she cheated and used her biotics, but as she arched beneath Shepard's body, she realized that she was well and truly trapped without them. She wasn't a match for Shepard's strength, but instead of angering her, the brief moment of helplessness was actually arousing. It was a complete reversal of her usual role during sex, and it was something almost no one else could give her.

It would take the savior of the galaxy to top me, she thought, excited rather than upset. Still, she was reluctant to give in too easily. She didn't try to escape, but she broke their kiss and nipped the lobe of Shepard's ear to encourage her. The more she wound Shepard up, the more intensity Shepard would have to unleash on her.

She wasn't exactly sure how Shepard tore her out of her clothes, especially while they were kissing, but she didn't much care. Her pants were already a mess anyway. She didn't protest as Shepard peeled them off, and even lifted her hips to help, but the motion left her in a vulnerable position. A cry cracked in her throat as she found purchase against Shepard's hard stomach, and her clit twitched.

Shepard hardly seemed to notice the sound, or her rocking hips. The Commander was focused on the series of buckles that held her corset together. Aria shrugged out of her jacket before it suffered any damage, and before it hit the floor, the leather straps of her top loosened. Shepard's mouth dragged down the slope of her chest, and she hissed as blunt teeth sank into the top of her breast.

"Tevos won't be happy you if you leave too many marks," she said, a little breathless.

Shepard growled and bit down harder, holding for several seconds. "If Tevos has a problem with it, she can suck my dick."

"She'd probably thank you for the opportunity..." Aria flinched as Shepard's teeth latched on to a new spot. "Shit, that hurt."

At last, Shepard released her. "I thought you liked it rough?"

The fresh bite-mark throbbed, hot from the memory of Shepard's mouth and cold with spit, and a shudder rolled through Aria's body. She gripped Shepard's hair, fisting the choppy red locks. "Oh, I do. But you haven't given it to me yet."

She got what she wanted. Shepard blazed a trail down her body, scorching every sensitive place. Aria tried using her grasp to keep control, but it didn't help. She had no sway over where Shepard's tongue and teeth went. She clutched the back of Shepard's head in desperation instead of directing it, forced to endure a pace she hadn't chosen.

By the time Shepard reached her navel, her chest and stomach were littered with bruises. Her skin burned, and so did her lungs as she drew in desperate gulps of air. She couldn't stifle the needy sounds she was making either, and she was amazed at how swiftly Shepard had managed to barrel past her defenses. It usually took much more than a few minutes of foreplay to overwhelm her, and only Tevos knew precisely the way to do it.

The constant flow of desire coursing through her was interrupted, and she came to a startling realization. Sometime during the past few years, Shepard had learned her secrets. It was an unsettling thought, and she wasn't certain how it made her feel. Fortunately, Shepard didn't give her long to dwell on it. Strong arms hauled her knees up, and she glanced down just in time to see Shepard's broad shoulders slip beneath them.

"You don't look so smug anymore," Shepard said, suddenly serious. "You just look like you want me."

"I want you," Aria muttered. She wasn't ashamed of admitting it. She felt safe with Shepard, a state of being she rarely entered.

It was enough. A wave of warm breath washed over her, and then Shepard's tongue covered her in a wide, slow swipe. The contact was unfocused, but it sent a jolt straight to Aria's clit. Pleasure pulsed from her azure to the rest of her body, and she moaned in surprise as her inner walls fluttered. Once again, Shepard had managed to undo her with a single touch.

She pulled harder at Shepard's hair, but it did nothing to ground her. Within a few strokes, she was grinding against the lower half of Shepard's face, coating it with wetness in her effort to find relief. Teasing had been fun before, but the ache growing inside her was becoming too powerful to ignore. It doubled when two of Shepard's fingers brushed her entrance, testing her readiness. "Inside," she gasped, spreading her thighs further apart on top of Shepard's shoulders. "I want you to fuck me."

But even though Shepard's fingers weren't gentle as they slammed inside her to the hilt, it wasn't quite fucking. Or, at least, not just fucking. It was raw and primal, a give and take of power, but there was substance behind it, something that reminded Aria more of Tevos than the countless aliens and asari she had slept with over the many centuries of her life. Maybe it was because she felt like she truly knew the person between her legs. Not just knew her, but liked her. Cared about her.

Damn it, you really are a disease, Aria thought as she stared past her heaving stomach. Shepard's green eyes peered up at her, trying to make a connection, and the piercing gaze made her falter. I'm sick and tired of doing this. But Nyreen had weakened her walls. Liara had slipped in while she wasn't paying attention. And Tevos... Goddess, Tevos had razed them to the ground completely, leaving her raw and open. Now, here was Shepard, earnest and kind and affectionate and disgustingly nice, and for reasons she couldn't begin to understand, she was falling into the same trap again.

Her thoughts were such a chaotic mess that she scarcely noticed the warning signs. Her azure clutched at Shepard's pumping fingers, and her clit throbbed in the seal of Shepard's lips. Her head began to buzz, but she pushed back against the ticklish pull, unwilling to let it guide her. She wasn't ready to surrender, and in her current state, that was what the union would be. "Fuck," she groaned, "don't... don't stop..."

The hot pressure of Shepard's mouth spread further, sucking her in. The physical sensations were exquisite, but they nearly tore her in two. She wanted to meld, but if she joined their minds, Aria knew it would be about more than getting off. She would be sharing something she couldn't take back.

Fuck, Tevos, she thought, blinking the sting from her eyes. This is your fault. You've ruined me. But Shepard's fingers sped up, pumping deep inside her, and it quickly became too much. She needed to meld, and not just because she needed to come. The effort of keeping their minds apart made her heart ache. Her words were failing her, but she offered a warning as best she could. "Shepard..."

Shepard didn't stop. Instead, she increased her efforts. Aria took it as non-verbal permission. Her hips jerked up from the couch, freezing in midair, and the tingle at the back of her head stretched outward, enveloping them both.

The rush of thoughts spilling in her was too fast to make sense of at first, but it only took her a few moments to adjust. She had melded with aliens before, and though she preferred her own people, she had joined with enough humans to understand how their minds worked. They wore their feelings openly, proudly, and Shepard was no exception. The wave of emotion that greeted her wasn't surprising, but its force was overwhelming—just like Shepard herself.

There was also a hint of hesitation, and even though she felt anything but calm and controlled, Aria did her best to soothe it. Relax. You're fine. You won't get lost. A soul as strong and bright as Shepard's could never be lost, but Aria kept that thought to herself instead of offering it up. It was almost too brilliant to touch.

Oh God. You're like an ocean, too, but... stormy.

Aria began to relax. She wasn't sure why she had expected melding with Shepard to be so vastly different than the experiences they had already shared. It was more intense, but it didn't change the bond that existed between them. They had fought together, slept together, been close friends for years already. This extension of their relationship felt much more natural than she had anticipated in the moments leading up to it.

An ocean in a storm? Her laughter stretched through both their minds. I didn't know you were so poetic, Shepard.

Tevos. Tevos was like water all around, and you...

Shepard dove deeper within her, and Aria took over the role of guide, steering the Commander away from any dark pools. She was surprisingly comfortable having Shepard in her mind, but that didn't mean she wanted to share everything. Some parts of her were reserved for Tevos. As she grew accustomed to Shepard's presence, her need swelled. She had been on the edge of coming before the meld, and her body's needs hadn't gone away, especially with Shepard's lust there to amplify them.

You didn't have to stop fucking me, she thought, giving an encouraging push of her hips. Keep going.

Shepard did, but not in a bid for dominance. That game was over. Her fingers curled expertly, and the seal of her lips tightened. Aria felt another rush of heat, but this time, it was accompanied by a wave of affection—her affection for Shepard. It wasn't the same fierce, gutting love she felt for Tevos, but it was still there, clear and unmistakeable. Shepard meant something to her, frustrating morals and all, and it was far too late to be afraid.

Aria pushed past her brief spike of panic, not bothering to suppress it. She wasn't the type to say such things aloud, and that was unlikely to change, but Shepard deserved to know. Shepard probably already knew, or she wouldn't have wanted to meld in the first place. Instead of spiraling into a whirlpool of feelings, Aria went where she was most comfortable. She focused on the physical sensations, the strokes of Shepard's tongue over her ridge, the sharp pressure Shepard's curling fingertips found with unerring accuracy. They were purposeful, insistent, just like Shepard's voice in her head.

Do it, Aria. I want to feel you come. Please?

The please made Aria feel a little better about her surrender, but she would have come anyway. She clung tight to the threads that bound them, drawing what she needed from the bright beacon of Shepard's soul. Her biotics surged, and humming energy coursed through her as she flew over the edge. Powerful ripples rolled through her body, releasing in waves of warmth and spilling onto Shepard's chin. She tried to give as well as take, offering her pleasure up for Shepard to share.

Through the meld, she felt her orgasm rip through Shepard's body as well. The shoulders beneath her knees stiffened, and the fingers inside her hooked forward and stayed there, hitting the perfect spot. Both of them trembled, and Aria's tangled grip on Shepard's hair turned into a caress. She wasn't sure where the moment of gentleness had come from, but she wasn't ashamed of it. Perhaps going a little soft wasn't such a bad thing, as long as no one else found out.

Their shared release took a while to wind down. It had been exhausting, as melding with a new partner often was, and Aria used the last of her strength to sever her connection with Shepard as neatly as she could. She felt strangely alone in her head once they separated, and a slight wrinkle formed in her forehead. The raw intensity that lived within Shepard was a lot to handle, but part of her wished she had stayed longer.

"That was... different," Shepard said, resting a damp cheek against her stomach.

Aria stared down at her, forehead raising in question. "Hmm?"

"It was... we were connected, but I was still me. I wasn't worried I might lose myself."

"You'd never lose yourself in me like you would with T'Soni, Shepard," Aria said. "We contrast, we don't blend together."

Shepard's lips curled into a smile. "Contrast isn't such a bad thing, though, is it? Humans even have a phrase for it. Ever heard one say 'opposites attract'?"

"Opposites attract," Aria repeated, testing out the phrase. "That's a nice little idiom. I guess it explains why I want to fuck T'Soni stupid most of the time."

Shepard's grin didn't hold a trace of jealousy. "Or why you fell in love with Tevos," she pointed out.

The mention of love made Aria fall silent. She wasn't sure how much Shepard had been able to glean from their meld, but it was probably enough. She sighed, tugging at Shepard's arm and pulling her up into a better cuddling position. I've already gone this far. We might as well enjoy the afterglow together.

It was a little more difficult getting comfortable with Shepard than Tevos, but not impossible. After some trial and error, they found a position that worked. "Don't worry," Shepard whispered against the back of her neck, draping an arm around her waist. "I won't tell our bondmates you were the little spoon."

Aria knew Shepard was promising more than that. "I don't give a fuck anymore, Shepard. I mean, you're not Tevos, but you give pretty good head. You've earned the right to spoon the Queen of Omega."

Shepard snorted into her shoulder. "Thanks... I think."

Just when Aria was debating whether to close her eyes or flip Shepard over for another round, the band around her wrist buzzed. After a moment's debate, she activated her omnitool, brightening when she saw the name on the screen. As she had hoped, it was the only person she actually wanted to talk to. She answered the call, making sure the camera picked up a good angle. "Couldn't stay away for long, could you?"

Tevos rolled her eyes in pretend-annoyance, but the slight tinge of purple at the points of her cheeks told Aria that the view was having an effect. "And I see you couldn't even wait a day before ending up in bed with someone else."

Shepard snickered behind her, but Aria only smirked. "You're just jealous. You would have called Shepard too if I'd left you home alone."

Tevos didn't deny it, but the corners of her tattooed lips twitched. "I'm glad at least one of us is having fun. Lycoris and I just landed on Thessia. We're about to head for the estate."

Aria made a face. "Good luck with that. Better you than me. But please—"

"I remember our agreement. My mother knows if she says one negative thing about us or purebloods around Lycoris, the two of us are leaving."

"Good." She paused, unsure what else to say, or how much she wanted to reveal in front of Shepard.

"There's still time to catch a transport if you want to join us tomorrow," Tevos said, breaking the silence. "The jump to Thessia doesn't take that long, and we could use a family vacation."

"Some vacation," Aria muttered, but she gave Tevos a smile. "Have a good time. Try not to commit homicide. Lycoris needs at least one parent to set a good example."

Tevos shook her head in amusement. "Thank you for the very hypocritical reminder. If you're staying the night at Shepard's, send pictures. Shepard, make sure to keep her out of trouble while I'm gone."

Shepard gave a salute from over top of Aria's head. "Can do, Tevos."

"Oh, shut up, Shepard. I love you too, babe," Aria said, blowing a kiss before ending the call.

"Wow," Shepard said once the connection dropped. "You two are disgustingly sappy. Remind me why you make fun of me and Liara again?"

Aria rolled out of Shepard's arms and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her back. As nice as it was, the couch really wasn't big enough for the two of them. "It's about to get sappier. I already have a private transport prepped for tomorrow morning. She doesn't know."

"Of course you do," Shepard laughed. "Sending your wife and daughter to face Tevos Senior alone would be pretty cowardly."

"Right?" Aria leaned over to grab her pants, examining them to see the extent of the damage. "I think I can save these," she said, mostly to herself. "It's a good thing leather cleans well."

Shepard sat up beside her, chin resting on the ball of her shoulder. "So, why didn't you just go with Tevos in the first place? It wasn't just so you'd have an excuse to spend the night with me, was it?"

"It's possible. Maybe I knew both of our bondmates would be busy if I waited a day. Or maybe I just didn't want to deal with a crying baby while traveling..."

"You're not as much of an asshole as you claim to be," Shepard said, placing a kiss against her neckfolds.

Aria tried not to shiver. "You're not as much of an asshole as I tell people you are. So... my transport doesn't leave until morning. Think we have time to use the hot tub?"

"I like that idea." Shepard let go of her and stood, stepping over her ruined clothes. "You..." She waited a beat, waggling her eyebrows. "...read my mind."

"I'm already regretting this," Aria groaned, but she ducked her head to hide her amusement. If Shepard knew her bad jokes were actually funny once in awhile, it would only encourage her.