Set in "Destiny" and records Sappho's and Ori's first date.

First Date

Sappho tugged at the fourth top she'd tried on before huffing so hard that her breath fogged up the faintly scratched store mirror in front of her.

She stared at the strange version of herself that gazed back with a vaguely sad look on her face.

God, she felt so old. Looked it too she mused numbly to herself.

Sappho finally struggled out of the garment and tossed it on the pile of similarly discarded ones on the floor. After quickly easing into her more familar and comfortable civies, she carried what she'd decided against purchasing outside of the small changing room and returned them to the dismayed asari attendant.

"Nothing? I would have sworn this light blue at the very least would have been perfect!"

Sappho gave a tight smile that barely covered her disappointment. "Yes, well, that's just how it is I suppose. Thank you for your help."

Sappho Titus stepped out of the small Presidum boutique and sighed.

This was a disaster she mused. She should have said no, had thought about that fact a thousand times before now and still she hadn't cancelled.

The hotel room was booked along with a meal in a very nice restaurant not far from it. And yet here she was still without something to wear.

She wasn't ready for this, far too old too. She'd just cancel. She'd have to.

Sappho had barely gotten a few steps with her mind set when her omnitool rumbled silently on her wrist, alerting her to a message.

Can't wait for tonight! I'll meet you at the room at 1730 sharp. See you then, soldier!

Sappho slumped her shoulders down even more.

She sat anxiously on the bed, still in the shapeless and relatively drab civies that made up her normal gear when off duty. Sappho was determined this time. As soon as her date turned up, she was going to be very polite but firm. This couldn't happen.

That resolve disappeared the moment the knock came on the door and Ori arrived in all her cheerful glory.

"Why hello there," Oriana chuckled as she strolled in wearing a bright red dress that billowed out in light folds from her hips.

"Hi," Sappho said dumbly.

"I like the outfit! Looks comfy!"

"Yeah... Oriana, about dinner and-"

"Oh I know! I've been on my feet all day and all I want to do is chill out!" Ori laughed as she flicked her feet, chucking the sandals she had been wearing into the far corner. "If you don't mind us just relaxing here instead? I bet they do room service!"

Sappho gave a wry smile. "I think I could handle that."

"See! It looks perfect!"

Sappho tugged a little where it fitted a little too snugly at her waist. "I... I sorta like this," she said quietly while staring at this version of herself clad in Oriana's dress in the mirror. Soft hands slipped around her gently, resting on her hips while Titus couldn't stop herself leaning back against Oriana's warm body. Her dark hair ticked the turian's neck as she rested her head on the edge of Sappho's cowl.

"I really like it. It suits you far better than it does me."

Ori brushed Sappho's neck with feather-light kisses, causing the turian to shiver.

"Anyway, I like this too!" she said laughing as she pulled back and started spinning around in only Sappho's workout top. "Now, Come here, you!" Ori added seductively as she grabbed Sappho's hand and dragged her down onto the bed. "I like you best in just your plates," she purred.

"You're beautiful, ya know," Oriana said softly as the cycle began to change on the Citadel, casting it's false daylight in through the window of the hotel room.

"I'm old," was Sappho's chuckled reply from where she lay on her back with Ori rolled towards her - her head resting on Titus's outstretched arm.

The human sighed as she sat upright, straddling the turian's naked body with her own equally as nude. "All in your head, missie! Didn't hear you complaining of being old earlier!"

"I was pleasantly distracted at the time."

Oriana grinned before she stretched out on top of Sappho, resting her head on her hands perched on top of the turian's cowl, and gazed into her partner's eyes.

"You're staring," Titus said lightly.

"You started it," Ori retorted before she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Titus's harsher plated mouth.

"When can we next meet?" the dark haired human mumbled in between light kisses.

"You want to?"

"Of course, crazy!" Ori laughed before she scrambled over Sappho and reached for the turian's omnitool. "Where's your calendar?" she added as she stared perplexed at the many turian symbols on the screen.

"Give it here," Titus rumbled. "I'm not free again until... ah. There. Until we port at Joarkas."

"Where's that?"

"Salarian Union hub. Just a brief stop for fuel before we head back to Palaven for the tour wind down."

"Any nice hotels?"

Sappho smiled. "Not sure. Never really ventured off ship when I was there previously."

"Well, you leave it to me! How long is your stop over?"

"Two days. Enough to refuel and take on additional supplies."

"Perfect!"

Titus walked Oriana to the dock, both back in their appropriate public clothes although Sappho now had a very lovely and human red dress tucked away in her bags.

Ori had wanted to reach out and hold hands but realized very quickly just how many of Titus's crew mingled around the docks as they prepared for leaving themselves.

Sappho could barely go a few steps without one soldier or another saluting which she would return in kind.

When they finally reached the dock for Oriana's ship home, it had felt to the human that the night before hadn't happened at all considering how little she could display any physical affection to the turian.

"So... this is it then."

"Yep," Oriana replied while she anxiously played with the strap of her bag.

"I imagine your parents will be very happy to see you home."

"Yeah. I'll be glad to see them again."

They stood in an awkward silence, both struggling to find the words to say when it was rudely interrupted by the last call for Ori's ship to board.

"I guess this is goodbye. For now anyway?" Oriana asked quietly, searching Sappho's face for any sign that she still wanted to meet.

The turian quickly looked around, seeing if any of her crew were near. Finding none, she pulled Ori in close and kissed her.

After letting go, Sappho gave her a tight smile. "For now."

Oriana, with flushed cheeks, beamed at her before she stepped on-board her ship.

"Bye, Sappho."

"Goodbye, Oriana."

She stood at the window and watched the ship back away carefully from its moorings before disappearing among the heavy Citadel traffic.

Her omnitool beeped and Sappho couldn't stop the broad smile that spread across her face at the message.

Oooohh! Look at this hotel on Joarkas! They've got these huge jacuzzi's in their rooms!

"General Titus, ma'am?"

Sappho glanced at her second-in-command who had seemed to materialize out of thin air at her side.

"Yes, Berius?"

"Primarch Victus called for you, ma'am. He wishes you to contact him as soon as possible."

"Well, best not leave him waiting too long, eh?"

They strolled back along the docks together in an easy camaraderie.

Just as they stepped inside the small transport that would return them to where their dreadnought was docked, Berius spoke up.

"Ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say that it's good to see you happy."

Sappho glanced over at the flushing Berius. "Was I not before?"

"No, I... sorry, ma'am. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Please, no formality."

Berius swallowed nervously. "You just seem lighter. In a good way."

"Well, thank you. I feel it."

Her omnitool beeped and Sappho quickly read over the message.

Berius and the others onboard all watched as Titus started to grin at the contents.

I'm totally booking us in there! They've got themed suites! I'm leaning towards the asari goddess one with lots of those famous asari silks but the krogan dungeon looks interesting too. Check out the handcuffs!