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Deviation Actions
Literature Text
Rockets:
It all happened so fast, Dakota had no time to react. There were waves of Cerberus troops flooding in on their position, they were trapped. One of the assault troopers nailed her right through her chest plate and shoulder pad rendering her firing arm useless. The shrapnel of their grenades was ripping apart her face, her helmet long since abandoned due to the waves of smoke seeping into the tiny room. Her biotics felt overly taxed while her lungs wheezed, feverishly searching for fresh air. She could hear the scratchy noises of Centurions comms shouting orders to their squads trying to flank their position. Dakota pressed her back to the wall, diving behind one of the panels in the tiny hallway of Noveria base they were attempting to infiltrate. She squinted trying to peer over into the landing pad feeling a blast of freezing winter air as snow whipped into her sliced skin. She winced and flashed her fangs, feeling her shoulders bristling in displeasure she tried to stagger to her feet. A firm hand shoved her back down into the crouched position she'd taken a moment before, cold lavender eyes staring her down with a grim mask of disapproval tugging firmly on their face. Dakota tried to open her mouth to protest when the noise of a sniper rifle bullet nicking the wall inches above her head ricocheted into the next room. That firmly clamped her mouth shut and thus she grunted in annoyance. Damn Cerberus bastards, how'd they even get in this mess in the first place? The sharp crackle of biotics surged through her spine and Dakota gasped in horror trying to snag his armor before he charged forward. Albeit too late, his body surged through cover, armor connecting with the harsh squeal of a dying nemesis. She heard his howling cry of having to shatter his shields and render himself vulnerable, it sent out a wave of biotic powers knocking the Centurion and handful of assault troopers over. Dakota vaulted from cover, planting her feet and focusing her energy on a shockwave that shattered the tiles beneath it and sent the troops flying into walls and through the doorframes alike. Then there was silence…and a sigh of relief. Dakota let her guard down when EDI began to hack the panel, James Vega taking her nine and Nathan at her six she felt accomplished. Stupid, stupid mistake. When Cortez finally contacted them from the shuttle through the static of the jamming signal they all headed out celebrating their victory perhaps a bit early.
That was when they sent fighter jets filled with troopers at the exposed landing pad. They'd managed to bunker down where Cortez had originally dropped them off, keeping the high ground and beating the reinforcements back. Right as he was about to fly in and land he warned them that they were sending in something big. The Atlas came crashing into the landing pad sending an earthquake of power that shook the entire squad and rattled them free of their advantage. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run and regroup. The mech sent wave after wave of rockets, spraying bullets at anyone brave enough to try to grab the pilot's attention. Dakota gave the order to shoot at the pilot inside but the heavy plating had been upgraded since their encounters with them on Sur'Kesh. She clutched her firing arm, applying as much pressure trying to ignore the bullet that was dug in deep into her soft tissue and fire a few bullets herself to no avail. EDI's decoys had proven to be a godsend, distracting the pilot long enough to allow the group to maneuver behind him and fire at the fans trying to wedge enough bullets into the engine and cause it to break. It had to be on its last leg of armor. Dakota could see the pilot growing frantic inside; the electrical current was sporadically flowing through the mechs' arms and right before the giant hunk of metal was about to explode it turned to face Dakota as she straggled after the group. With its guns aimed right at her it fired the last of its rockets, three to be exact. They came whizzing at her at a speed she couldn't dodge. She stood her ground and braced for impact and almost immediate death.
The fiery pain never came...No instead she felt the unwelcoming cold crystals of snow as she fell ungracefully to the ground. She jerked her head up; eyes focused enough to see a most grisly sight. Nathan had gotten in between her and the rockets, his charge sent her hurdling to the ground and now he hung there, suspended in the air while the exploding shrapnel tore through his armor and ripped through his flesh. He hit the ground with an unpleasant crack, the snow turned red and Dakota's veins felt cold. She yelled, but couldn't hear her voice. Tripping over herself to get to him she fell on her knees before him, violently jerking him trying to get him to move. Shit the wounds looked awful, smoke and charred skin cells all intermixed with his blood and Dakota could only feel the ice in her veins sliding into her heart. She cursed and hissed and slammed her fist angrily into Nathan's shoulder pad. "You stupid jerk!" Her voice returned to her in the sound of a hushed whisper. If she hurried she'd be able to save him, barking orders to EDI and Vega when the shuttle landed had been easy. The shuttle ride onto the Normandy had flown by in the blink of an eye, the silence had engulfed Dakota and when they finally came clattered into the med bay the shock had set in. Waiting in the med bay like an abandoned dog did not bode well. Doctor Chakwas had insisted she take a shower, clean up, even patched up her own wounds. Still she paced the floor feeling the warm liquid of Nathan's blood running down her fingers long after it had been thoroughly scrubbed off.
Dakota ran her hands down the length of her face, plopping herself in a chair at Nathan's bedside she struggled between hoping he was going to be alright and hating herself for not being strong enough. What the hell was he even thinking? She didn't need him to protect her! If she had been stronger and not been so injured she would have been fine. If only she hadn't let her guard down, if only that damn assault trooper hadn't shot her in the arm. She snarled and scrunched her nose in irritation, shoulders bristling with hate and contempt; mostly for herself she let out a rattled sigh. Her arm hurt, but she didn't think she deserved the comfort of pain medications, not when Nathan was laid out entirely unconscious like a slab in the morgue. The image cut through her mind, a razor sharp knife rendering her void of any other thoughts. She heard his bed creak softly and she sprang to her feet. Her good hand pounding into the mattress her muscles shook with fear. His lavender eyes were upon her, dark and riddled with sleep and exhaustion he managed to smile placidly at her. It only further sparked her fury and before she could contain herself she was yelling. "What's the matter with you!? You could have gotten yourself killed! I had the situation under control I didn't need you rescuing me!" Her voice betrayed her; laced with fear and worry she sank her incisors into her bottom lip and chewed roughly, flaring her nostrils hastily trying to calm herself down.
Nathan responded with a gentle chuckle that quickly turned into a grimace. He tenderly ran his shaky tired fingers down her cheek. The rough calluses tugged at her skin and he paused when his thumb was level with her lips. He tugged at the skin forcing her to release her tense hold on her bottom lip. "You're safe…." He closed his eyes and offered her a triumphant cocky smirk that turned her insides to jelly. "That's all I care about Dakota. So long as you're safe…" The realization hit Dakota like a punch to the gut. She slackened her shoulders, her spine shriveled up and she sank into the chair. His wrist rested on the edge of the bed limply and he opened his eyes cautiously. They were clouded with pain meds and drained of any energy. He looked so peaceful and serene, his face was lax and he truly looked pleased, for once. Dakota chalked it up to the pain medication making him delusional. Still, she couldn't deny the gentle expression on his face. It made her feel all the more nauseous. If she had just been faster and stronger he wouldn't be in this damn mess.
Dakota bit back a sob, clutching Nathan's hand and squeezing it softly her chocolate brown eyes rested on his heavily bandaged chest she growled. "Don't ever do that again stupid!" She huffed and he only smiled as a reply, gaze drifting into hers.
- - -
Gooey:
She wore a grin of a devious and guilty child on her face when she entered the cabin. Her cabin, her captain's quarters. The single room of the entire Normandy that she could claim was her own stomping grounds. Despite the fact that EDI remained a presence throughout the ship, and the ship itself was EDI - Dakota had claimed this cabin as her own, and as such, anything within also belonged to her. Her grin widened until it curled and reached her ears. She crept through the room on her tip toes, hand still firmly stuffed into a plastic bag. Her fingers were sticky and coated in a fine powder. The sweet sting of marshmallow goo had wrapped itself around her molars as her tongue lapped at the back of her mouth trying to free her teeth from the sticky trap. Her eyes fell upon a form that was slumped onto her couch, arms behind his head, bare chest exposed in the recycled air. Dakota thought for a moment whether or not it was fair to wake him, then thought better of it and proceeded to pluck her sticky hand from the bag, lick her fingers and hurl tiny bite sized marshmallows at the man. She wiped her hands on her pants and continued the ritualistic hurling of her tiny confections at him trying to wake him. After having his cheeks pelted repeatedly he merely turned his face and let his arm slip out from beneath him. It limply plopped onto the floor and he yawned, nuzzling into the back of the couch without so much as a word.
Dakota rolled her eyes; sitting on her knees beside him on the floor she poked his ribs with her finger. He didn't stir nor awaken. Impatiently tapping her finger against her chin she instead decided against waking him and took the opportunity to use his bare chest for a canvas of sheer amusement. She had drawn things with marker over his chest before, and always gotten a laugh or two out of him. It was decided then, she missed the way his eyes would crinkle and the way the unease would wash from his face. She, after wiping her hands on her pants again began to get to work. Each marshmallow was cautiously placed along the rises of his abdomen and the dips where the muscles would intersect beneath the skin. Her trail of marshmallows began to form a pattern, carefully and slowly placing them one after the other forming an oval, then a large fin atop of it, eyes, and a mouth. A Mudkip she finally realized without consciously acknowledging what she was doing. She had to cover her mouth with her hand, clutching her jaw shut as she struggled down her laughter. He still hadn't woken up by the time she was finished with the large Mudkip's face and it irked her. Fine, she'd just try a more sensitive spot. She scooted against the floor, toward his face. His neck had always been a pressure point Dakota found. So meticulously crafting an arrow trail with marshmallows right on his carotid would surely awake him right? Alas the light airy treats did nothing to stir him from his slumber. Dakota paused after she finished her finely detailed arrow. She slid back on her ankles, surveying her work and watching his chest sluggishly rise and fall. She pressed her sticky fingers against his shoulder, lightly grazing them over his muscles. Even at his most vulnerable state Dakota could still feel the tension beneath his muscles. But when he was asleep was when she found he was most at peace. The usual bored scowl he wore was no longer visible, the tightness in his mouth, the dangerous burn in his eyes, everything was gone whenever he slept. Dakota's heart swelled with tender emotions as she smiled. She loved him no matter what, but the look of serenity on his face is what she would cherish most. She would watch him at times, whenever he slept. She'd awaken in the middle of the night to the calm ease of his slumbering face as he held her to his chest. It gave her a sense of safety, a light at the end of the tunnel that after this war - maybe he could look like that for the rest of his life. She just wanted him to be happy, to be at ease and happy with her. Dakota smirked and began to place marshmallows on him again. On his face this time, there was one that rested on the lobe of his ear, a few on his cheeks and one on the temple of his forehead.
Finally Dakota grew tired of waiting for him to wake up. She grabbed one more marshmallow from her bag and stuffed it directly up his nose. Nathan snorted immediately, violently shaking his head trying to avoid the abrupt invasion of his personal space. The marshmallows tumbled everywhere from off his neck and face and Dakota couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled from her stomach into her throat. Nathan groaned. He rubbed his hand over his face he stopped to look down at his chest; the upside down Mudkip was somewhat contorted and misshapen now with all of the erratic movement that had taken place. His lavender eyes shot toward Dakota and she covered her face ignoring his annoyed glare while the laughter grew inside her. The irritation of being awoken slowly melted from his face and he smirked. His nostrils flared and he let out a tender chuckle. His hand dusted the remaining stubborn marshmallows from his neck and face and he finally plucked one from his chest and hurled it at Dakota. Dakota ducked and bobbed, crawling on the floor back toward the half empty bag of marshmallows as he proceeded to fling them at her. She scooped up an entire handful and flung them at him. He laughed harder, hastily grabbing at them in the chaos of white turning them directly back at her. This went on for a while, when they ran out of marshmallows to chuck at each other the place was a right mess. They'd all fallen onto the floor like a freshly fallen snow. Dakota had taken refuge behind the small table and when she finally peeked over a pillow came slamming into her face knocking her onto her back. Nathan hopped over the table immediately, towering over her with a general look of concern on his face. Dakota took the opportunity of momentary truce to gain the upper hand. The pillow and Dakota both came springing up off the floor knocking the soft feather filled luxury directly into Nathan's ribs. He laughed, sincerely and fully laughed. He retreated back to the couch and grabbed his own pillow, and soon they were dueling. That was until one of them broke, spilling feathers wildly all across the already filthy gooey floor. With all of their energy drained and the feathery marshmallow mess coating them they both spilled to the floor, giggling fits still present in the air. He pulled her close to him, capturing her in his grip and she nuzzled contentedly into his chest. He trailed his fingers through her hair, an actual and tender smile on his face. His eyes looked soft, intimate. He pressed his lips to hers and groaned in exhaustion. She managed to slip in an 'I love you' when she felt his diaphragm spasm and a yawn expelled from his mouth. He still must have heard her because he leaned toward her, resting his forehead against hers to look into her eyes. "I love you too." He said with the softest voice he could muster. The sweetness of the moment stung the back of her throat more than the entire bag of marshmallows combined.
- - -
Paw Prints:
Nathan was neck deep in Alliance work when it happened. He'd been clutching onto the data pad skimming over the information at a rapid pace. He would occasionally glance over his mountain of work to cautiously scan the surroundings, making sure nothing had changed within the past few minutes since his previous surveying. His daughter was still sprawled out on the floor, papers scattered every which way and the ratty stuffed krogan she took with her everywhere placed next to her with great care. He smirked to himself, returning to his work without interruption. He paused midsentence, finding his daughter Heather tugging at his pants leg. "Daddy…" Heather interrupted his train of thought and he glanced at her, acknowledging her for a split second. "Daddy, daddy!" She became more persistent until Nathan's intense lavender eyes were directed onto her entirely. She smiled, holding her hand practically to his face. "Daddy look what I did." She beamed proudly. A squiggled circle and three dots were resting on the side of her palm right below her thumb. "I gots a foots now. Like Mama. Mama gots a foots and now I gots one too." She spoke with a faint whistle in her speech, Nathan's brow quirked curiously. He set the data pad down finally and inclined toward his daughter pulling her hand into his to examine it.
"So I see." He replied with a tender monotone. He always made a conscious decision to speak in a softer tone to his daughter than to anyone else. He looked toward her, curious with why she had drawn magic marker over her palm in such a way. He didn't make the direct connection she was hoping for; she instead shoved her stuffed krogan into his face next.
"Look look Bronx has a foots too. Look see?" She grinned tossing the stuffed krogan onto the couch next to where Nathan had been sprawled out on. He nodded slowly, not particularly sure what she was trying to imply. "Now you need one too daddy." She tugged at his hand, trying to have him expose his open palm. Nathan couldn't help but smile, instead of offering her his hand he picked her up, positioning her onto his lap. She squirmed at first, settling against his thigh with her magic marker still firmly clutched in her hand. "It's your turn daddy, your turn." She repeated, pulling at his wrist with her hand using all her might. Nathan obeyed his daughter's request, displaying his open palm for his daughter to draw on.
He wrapped his free arm around her waist, reclining against the couch. He rested his chin softly against his daughters head as she toiled away humming gingerly to herself. Nathan kissed the top of her head, no longer concerned with his Alliance paperwork. He witnessed the crude squiggle of what was meant to be a replica of the wolf paw print Dakota had on the outside of her palms resting right on the bone of the thumb. His fingers twitched faintly and he forced himself to keep his wrist still feeling the soft tiny fingers of his daughter holding onto him as she leaned forward to get all the fine details in there. Nathan's thoughts wandered as he sat there in the silence with his daughter on his lap. He could feel each stroke of her marker that dug against his callused skin, feel her arm shaking profusely as she colored into it trying to keep the magic marker from fading. His mind was elsewhere only to be dragged back to reality when he heard Heather calling for him. "Daddy…Daddy! Look!" She tugged at his shirt, his throat made a noise, glancing down over the top of her head.
The paw print was awkward and gigantic. It was awkwardly colored and the four digits that would be the wolf's toes were no more than tiny dots against his skin. He flared his nostrils grinning into Heather's muted brown locks. "It's beautiful sweetie." He whispered against her head, kissing her again. Heather placed her hand against his, and then it hit him. This was what it was like after all. To have someone that loves you unconditionally, to love someone just the same. This was what it felt like to have responsibility, to be a parent. All of that warm loving crap that he never prescribed to before finally kicking him back. This was what it felt like to be that role model, that one individual to look up to. This is what it felt like to have purpose in life. He curled his fingers over his daughter's small hand, gently rubbing his thumb against it. "It's so beautiful honey." He repeated, giving Heather a gentle squeeze. "So gorgeous, just like you…" His vocal chords were shaking with emotion; he cleared his throat and swallowed the wad of saliva that was building up in the back of his mouth. "Let's go show Mama huh?" He mumbled into her ear. Heather giggled and nodded hastily. She quickly snatched Bronx from the couch as Nathan hoisted her up on both of his shoulders. She squished Bronx against his ear and clung to the top of his head as he headed toward the bedroom where he knew Dakota was. She'd been taking a nap, exhausted from a day of cleaning, cooking, outside work. She'd retired from the military but her life of routine was far from over. He bounded through the door, careful to squat down lower as to not bang his daughter's head against the frame of the door he crossed the threshold into the bedroom. "Hey Dakota darling." He called to her, and she stirred, jerking up almost immediately. It was still instilled in her; she eyed him with a cautious apprehension through a fog of confusion. "Look baby, look what Heather did." He opened his hand, revealing the paw print Heather had marked him with. He heard Heather squeal with sheepish joy, timidly showing her hand as well.
Dakota's haze of confusion washed away instantaneously. A smile flowed through her face lighting her features entirely. Her teeth were on full display and she scrambled out of bed almost instantly, placing her hand into Nathan's. "We're just one big happy family now." She said with a tender serene look in her eyes. She squeezed Nathan's hand and he smiled, revoking his hand to pull Heather off his shoulders and nod.
"That's right, one big happy family." He set Heather down only to wrap his hands around her ribs and tickle her. "And this is our rascally little cub." Heather squealed with intense laughter, trying to squirm from Nathan's grip he laughed as she slipped away to hide behind Dakota. Dakota's smile had grown tenfold and she lunged forward, grabbing Nathan by the shirt collar and yanking him onto the bed pulling Heather after her.
"That's right, and this is daddy alpha. And I'm mama alpha and this is my house." She howled in laughter, Heather bounced on their mattress slithering between the two of them as Nathan tickled Dakota, occasionally grabbing Heather long enough to include her in their horsing around.
- - -
Clumsy:
Left, left, right - no wait it was side step, turn right. For the umpteenth time this morning Nathan let out a snarl of frustration. The tight fitting black loafers scuffed the polished hardwood floor and his knee jerked. He took a stumbled step forward bumping his shoulder forcefully against Dakota. His face burned red in the process. His face was going to be permanently turned scarlet at this pace, Nathan could already tell. He was simply not cut out for this. He couldn't dance. He was alright with the fact that he couldn't dance. He had accepted that he had no rhythm and was cursed with no grace. Nathan never needed it in his life before. Why would he need grace and finesse when brute force and a powerful left hook got him whatever it was he needed? Unfortunately, Nathan had never in his wildest dreams anticipated falling in love with a woman and subsequently proposing the idea of holy matrimony to her. The very idea had chilled his veins in the past. Yet here he was, engagement ring sparkling on her finger and a list of wedding essentials lodged in her mind. It was as though he had awoken in an active nightmare. He didn't know the first thing about weddings. He had no idea, not a damn clue about marriage or all the intricacies that came with it. But…if it meant the love of his life was happy, then he would do whatever was asked of him without hesitation. Even if that meant he had to learn how to dance with poise and refinement. It was an act he vigorously avoided whenever he could. He relied on his strengths instead. He didn't think he could brute force his way through the dance steps though; and while shooting a hard left hook at the dance instructor would make him feel better, it wouldn't help him learn the steps any quicker.
It wouldn't have even been included in their wedding either, if it hadn't been for their assortment of alien guests and their limited view on earth and human customs. That damn AI EDI had insisted on a traditional wedding, which included a bride and groom dance. So not only was Nathan freaking out about the wedding itself, he now had to deal with learning to dance with everyone's eyes watching him. He dreaded dancing in general. But the idea of just he and Dakota, alone beneath the white spotlight and the slow drum of the music had him sweating bullets. If there was a single thing in the entire galaxy that would turn Nathan's resolve to dust, this was it. He could feel the humiliation creeping up his neck, he would be entirely beside himself at the reception…If he even got that far. He was utterly convinced the Asari and the damn AI were plotting against him. He even attempted to plead, to beg, on his freaking knees to Dakota herself on calling this entire nonsense off. It was her day; she was the bride, the star of her wedding. To his dismay, she told him it was out of her hands. It was her own wedding, her special day that he wanted to personally deliver to her and only her and she wasn't even the one controlling it. He would have laughed at the predicament if he wasn't so flustered and embarrassed.
The instructor started them again with a faster tempo to try to mask the clumsy steps Nathan was falling through. Nathan accidentally missed a turn and ended up stepping directly on Dakota's toes. Right into her pointed but open top heels. He practically whined an apology as Dakota bit her lower lip and squeezed his hand tighter. "I'm sorry baby…" His words were repeated, a consistent whisper in the morning air far too ashamed to look her in the eye. His gaze was glued to the floor now, his breath lodged in his throat.
Dakota responded with a slow snake of her arms around his waist. In that moment Nathan's heart stopped. Her fingers made quick precise jabs directly into his hip bone. To her silent command, he froze in place. "I swear Nathan, how can you have such gorgeous hips but still have no rhythm?" She teased with a soft click of her tongue, rolling it over her teeth. "You are a biotic after all." She pointedly added.
"I just can't dance." Nathan replied through gritted teeth and a defensive snort. He tried to keep his focus on the repeated steps to the best of his ability. But damn if Dakota wasn't making that impossible. His thoughts were elsewhere now, his attention completely scrambled. Dakota repositioned her hand along his stiff shoulder and into his clammy palm. "Give me any other scenario and I can do it. I can do combat, high tension situations, hell even dodging rockets." He tried to change the subject to a much less prickly topic. The statement was true enough as well. Nathan could glide through combat and ease through tension with no poise necessary. It was the slow tedious awkward movements of dancing that crippled his ego. He could swear that he would never recover from this disgrace.
Dakota snorted gently. She rolled her fingers against his shoulder, lowering the volume of her voice. "There's no high tension situation here Nathan. Relax…" She paused and kneaded her thumb firmly into the base of his neck. He groaned in response. "I doubt there's any danger in the studio this morning." She murmured tenderly to him, trying to get him to calm his knotted nerves.
He was being ridiculous. He knew he was being absurd. Unfortunately the anxious feeling had molded with his frustration into a large rock of unease that settled into the pit of his stomach. "You don't know that." He hissed between off balance twists. He hobbled back into the starting position, grumbling in annoyance. "The woman could damn well be a terrorist. It's too early for sane people to be up." Nathan muttered his complaint with an agitated sigh. It wasn't even 0600 and the sun had yet to even so much as peek over the horizon. They were struggling in the comfortable darkness of the studio, or at least Nathan was. Dakota's movements mimicked a river's current. Fluid, agile, natural and paced - he didn't feel worthy of being in the same room with her whenever she danced. Now she was anchored by his klutzy movements and the fact that she had to be partnered with him in such an intimate setting only furthered his shame. He missed yet another step and he growled in fury, the harsh crimson darted up his cheeks into his ears.
Dakota stepped in finally, noticing how muddled and antsy he was getting. She tilted his chin up to meet her eyes. There was amusement beneath her chocolate orbs, but an apologetic smile played bright on her lips. Nathan met her gaze with an incredulous look of his own. Her wrists rested against the back of his neck and she worked her fingers into his hair cautiously. Her bony fingers rubbed against the base of his skull and along the knot of annoyance that had twisted itself above his spinal column. She kissed his lips with a tender fervor her words were sweet honey to his ears. "I love you Nathan, no matter what. I love you." She gave him a wise smile. He rocked his shoulders forward and averted her gaze. He could still feel the tingling sensation building up beneath his skin, slithering through his veins and searing into his organs.
He huffed, his breath a furious exasperated puff of air that blew along his bangs. He was ashamed. Ashamed of the state he had wound up in, mortified at just how easily she unraveled him with his altered state. He was abashed at how stupid he felt, and looked. When he finally repositioned himself for another practice from the top it took a single miscalculated step backward to tear his resolve entirely in half. His negative thoughts came crashing to a screeching halt on top of him as he himself fell gracelessly to the floor. His arm was still entangled with Dakota's and he yanked her directly down with him. Dakota toppled onto him and he let out a groan of pain as she landed with a harsh thud right into his chest. The hostility of the air had shot through the roof and to cut the solid atmosphere Dakota gave a faint laugh, small at first soon growing in a boisterous shake on top of him. The anger that had been boiling in his stomach dissolved in hearing her laugh, the single noise that would make angels jealous. Nathan could no longer feel the hot blooded rage in his veins, and he laughed too. Despite himself he laughed, at himself, for himself - the reasoning no longer mattered. He tucked a strand of hair behind Dakota's ear, capturing her attention and cupping her soft cheek in his hand. His thumb stroking the skin he drew her to him, kissing her as passionately as he would allow himself publically. He pulled away to whisper to her, leaving her breathless. "I love you too." His sincere words sank in. When she drew her gaze to his, he smirked mischievously.
- - -
Fade:
He had her in his thoughts. She hadn't been on his mind for months. While she would frequent his dreams, he could usually keep his active conscious from thinking of her. Now, lying on the ground with glass shards in his hair, with his ribs easily broken in multiple places - she remained the single thought amidst him. This woman, she was gone, no longer relevant in his life. No amount of crying like a bitch would fix it. But there she remained, haunting his sleep and looming over his waking hours. He had so few established sleeping hours to begin with now. He did anything to avoid her face, to escape the pain.
Pain…What did he know of pain? He felt nothing but numb sickly sensations. He could feel the slick sticky drip of life draining along his skin. He could feel the throbbing pressure of disjointed ribs rubbing against his internal organs. He could feel the stiff ache of his muscles that screamed for rest when he would not comply. He felt nothing of pain. It was a simple concept of weakness expelling from the body. If the mind could overcome such trivialities then why would he need to worry of hurt? But this pain, this ache…this damn anguish - it festered somewhere deep where he could not confront it. It had twisted itself spreading its wicked fingers into the dark reaches, the places he would not tread. It gnarled and contorted itself in such a way that it made ultimate removal utterly impossible. It would remain in his form for years to come. He was a victim to it. He hated being the victim…
A wheeze rattled his lungs; his broken body was forcibly hoisted into the air. He was strung up by the collar of his armor. A dog being yanked to the end of their chain. He snarled and spat accordingly, struggling in vain beneath the overpowering force of a Krogan. A bitter laugh that stank of dead flesh and foreign blood spilled into his pores. He was useless, being flung through the shattered window outside into the brutal cold. A rag doll that was powerless beneath gravity itself he landed with a wet thud. He could see through his blurred vision and bruised eye that his blood had smeared the otherwise perfect pattern of crystallized powder. The snow wasn't soft, it was bitter and ragged and it stabbed through the vulnerabilities in his armor right into his skin. It was sharp and filled with attitude, displeased with having him disturb it. The bumbling reptile was barreling in full velocity at him. He contemplated lying placidly, waiting patiently for the end.
Perhaps fate would grant him the mercy he sought after so long, to end it now, rather than be disemboweled in the next few moments. He could feel the subzero temperatures beneath his fragile skin, whipping winds that snapped at his face. His lungs forced a breath, and whether it was from a potentially punctured lung or the continuous blows to his torso through a multitude of forceful kicks he coughed up black ooze. It splattered against the serene white, staring back at him the liquid rolled down a mound of snow, streaking red in the process. He didn't have the strength to hoist himself from the vulnerable position he found himself in. The monstrous reptile exploiting every choked out cough, every wince and recoil his body struggled through. He felt separate…an essence that floated above the scene, entirely disconnected from the excruciating agony he was being tossed through.
He could feel the tremors of a thunderous laugh that sounded diluted beneath the blanket of cold. His chest shuddered as the reptile's clawed foot stomped into his plate armor one final time. Red eyes maliciously gleamed down at him in victory. He was staring down the barrel of a shotgun, its finely polished metal shined beneath the lightly falling snow. He laid his head back, closing his eyes, no longer able to dig within himself for fear he might stumble into her again…He comforted himself in his final moments with the thought of his mother. He recalled her gentle touch, the soft caress of her dainty fingers. He wondered now, what she thought of him. What she thought of all of this…What she thought of the man he'd become, the man he once was. A solid lump began to form in his stomach, shooting through his veins into his heart. It was hot and it warmed his slowly expiring organs. Shame…for once in his feeble excuse for a life, the hot embers of shame bled within him. He would hope he would be forgiven then. For all of the pain he had caused her…
Some sort of autonomic response kicked in. His biotics, fully taxed as they were sparked, a faint jerk of lightning to his senses he clenched his fists at his side. The air was stale in his throat, bitter and cold as he snorted. He shot up, a bullet of blue. He was engulfed in a tunnel of force, an unsteady ball of power that was teetering on the edge of collapse. His body cracked into the Krogan's. Armor on armor it made a vicious shatter of a sound. In that moment time had slowed to a near stop for him. His shotgun, the single remaining heat sink within its chamber found its way to his hands from its holster on his back. The barrel was aimed at the Krogan's head, and the shot pierced right into its brain.
His opponent hit the ground and he tumbled helplessly forward into a bank of snow that had accumulated on the side of the building. He croaked out strangled breaths, the white smog of air seeping from his bloodied lips and broken nose. He staggered to his feet, falling to the snow multiple times. He pressed his weary head against the Krogan's chest plate, perusing its pockets for medigel and stim packs as well as spare heat sinks. Slamming the chilled syringe into the exposed gash in his leg he howled. Teeth on full display he made a gargled roar as the medigel seeped into the damaged compartment of his armor. Satisfied with having enough strength and battery power to stand he wobbled to his feet. Pressing his head against the doorframe of the building he shot a sidelong glance at the Krogan behind him now. Their brain matter had made quite the marble pattern across the frozen wasteland of a planet. His labored breaths poured from his lips as he limped into the threshold of the building, rubbing his wrist against the slash on his cheek. "Dakota…" His words hung in the atmosphere. He just somehow had known it was her who had given him the strength to finish the Krogan off. And in that moment, he hated her.
- - -
Sail:
She'd always been curious with what mentally made him tick. She knew all of his sweet spots, physically. All of the nuances and buttons that made his body freeze and his face flush with color. The effect never seemed to last long though. He always had a rebuttal, a response of some sort that returned his arrogant cocky smirk and his façade. But Dakota had found that single moment where she could see all the vulnerabilities that lied beneath to be the most tempting. The adorable way his eyes widened, the lump in his throat and how it shivered, the lost hopeless look that lingered on his expression. She had savored those moments most. To find a most dominant and threatening man such as he, and to have him express an emotion of embarrassment, it was irresistible to her. Yet whenever she had actively sought to make him blush, she had ultimately failed. Certainly she would get the correct emotion, only to have it vanish beneath his nearly impenetrable defenses. She wondered if she could ever get him to crack in such a sensitive way as she watched him from across the table. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, leaning against her hand her head sagged forward with a bored expression on her face. She yawned passively, watching him intently with each twitch of his muscles, every glance of his eyes. He was rather focused on his Alliance work, a past time she could never comprehend. Yet words had never been her strong point to begin with. The senseless scribbles made her eyes roll into the back of her head. Yet he was extremely dedicated to them, the way his eyes lingered on the screen of the data pad held traces of almost obsessive behavior. Dakota blew a stray bang from her mop of mocha hair and groaned, snagging his attention in the process. "As much as I find your dedication to the Alliance admirable Nathan, you did promise to go fishing with me today." She puckered her lip out in a pouting fashion. She wasn't truly pouting, never had been much of a whiner either. But she loved the colorful array of responses he would always come up with. It was amusing to say in the least, even if she was disappointed when he didn't submit to her wills.
He smirked, his trademark Nathan smirk, without revoking his eyes from the data pad. He pulled his coffee mug to his lips and snorted indignantly. "You hated the Alliance sweetie, good try though." He pointedly added, quirking his brow in amused knowledge at her. Dakota huffed. She crossed her arms and rested her face in her arms as she rolled her eyes. She didn't care about the Alliance true, nor did she care about whether she would be going fishing or not, it was the intimate time she wanted with Nathan. She tried a different tactic. She wiggled her toes beneath the table, rubbing her foot and curling her toes around his long baggy shorts, gently tugging at the fabric.
"Please Nathan? I'll even rub the sunscreen on you myself." She took a calculated risk; it seemed to work well enough. Nathan practically spat his coffee out, his face had blanched pink and he snorted dismissively at her statement. He rolled his eyes and shot her a hostile glare.
"We're not discussing that Dakota." He used the normal finality in his voice, yet she could see he was starting to get rather uncomfortable at the mention of his incident with Mother Nature's cruelest mistress, the sun. She smirked slyly at him, well that was certainly the reaction she was looking for. Now to press him a bit further, she already noticed the automatic cringe of his muscles, the way his knee jerked and nearly slammed into the table. Her toes trailed down his leg and he grunted heatedly.
"Come on Nathan…Don't you want to row my boat?" She slithered her fingers forward, craftily wrapping them around his wrist. She could feel the goose flesh along his arms, down his legs now and he had to physically strain himself from shuddering involuntarily. The thoughts were entirely his fault, although Dakota would take particle blame because of her knowledge of how his mind worked. She grinned impishly beneath her hidden face, stifling her expression in her wrist.
He rubbed his neck and laughed defensively. In denial himself at the thoughts he was having, at the feelings he was hiding. "I do believe I rowed a different boat of yours last night." That damn smirk was back, Dakota wasn't going to give up that easily. She snorted; revoking her hand from his as he returned to the data pad.
Hmm, she supposed she would have to try a different approach then. She snatched her coffee mug from the table, purposely swaying her hips as she headed into the kitchen. The length of Nathan's shirt, one that she had claimed as her own sleeping attire the night before, was short enough to where it left just enough to the imagination. She could see the way his eyes glanced toward her as she headed behind him into the kitchen. She returned shortly after, only not to her seat. She didn't want to go this route, there were easier ways of getting him to react how she wanted. But she wanted to assert her dominance; it had turned into a competition of wits rather than an intrigue of curiosity. Dakota's hands wrapped firmly around Nathan's neck, fingers trailed along his ear. She could feel the way his shoulders stiffened, the twitch of his jaw as he slammed the data pad against the table. Dakota smirked softly, her lips brushing along the lobe of his ear she could feel the way his face was heating up accordingly. She nuzzled roughly against his cheek; a pleasant grumble tore through her throat. "What's the matter sailor? Can't hide your half mast in open waters?" She could feel the lump in his throat as he swallowed his words. Whatever comfort he had previously was slowly being washed away.
"I…Th-that…" He shook his head and tried to position his face away from her. He tried to slither out of her arms so he wouldn't have to be subject to any more of her torments, but Dakota was far from over. "That's ridiculous; we're done with this conversation Dakota." Oh she had him now, whenever he tried to evade and avoid confrontations, she knew he was heading for the ropes.
She sank herself in his lap instead. Before he had a chance to slip from her grasp, she plopped herself right into his lap, her hair curtained over his shoulder and she lightly pressed tender pecks against his neck. She whispered softly, a tiny speck of sarcasm floated into her suggestions. "Come on Nathan, don't you want to…Captain my ship? Hoist my main sail?" She could visibly see the red darting up his ears. She wasn't sure if it was over the obnoxious comments or the fact that she was sitting pleasantly in his lap. She was a queen on her throne, and he her loyal squire. She had no idea how amusing this morning was going to be, she was going to enjoy their little fishing trip far more than she originally thought she would now.
"It's not a ship, it's a boat." Nathan was quick to pipe in, glaring at her as best he could he crossed his arms against his chest and leaned back against the chair. He was subtly pouting, not particularly enjoying the little display Dakota was strutting. No matter, she was enjoying it quite well. She continued, hot breath poured along his trembling neck.
"Explore uncharted waters with me then maybe?" She paused, her tongue trailed against his searing flesh. She watched his eyes squinted ahead, and felt his leg jerk unwillingly. "Maybe even…Flood my engines?" Her tone was sweet and sultry. It hit the right point. Nathan fell silent, withdrawing within himself as he always did whenever he became far too uncomfortable with the situation around him.
Dakota brushed her fingers against his chest, she could feel how taut and tense they'd become. His eyes averted to the floor, his face was burning with color. Dakota snickered gently to herself, finding him far too irresistible to ignore. Her lips pressed to his cheek and she squeezed herself tight against him. "You're so cute when you're mad." She mumbled, he glared, flashed his fangs in annoyance but said nothing else. "Oh, and we're leaving in an hour." The horrified expression on his face was something that Dakota would never forget. She had to stifle her laughter as she peppered coy kisses against his lips until he finally responded back.
- - -
A Different Language:
Dakota had always gotten into a habit of visiting each and every one of her crew after every mission. They were always the most talkative after being fired up from combat and other high tension situations. Well, all but one…But he was slowly starting to talk to her more and more. Through her constant prodding and her childish humor she had gotten him to smile at least a handful of times and even made him laugh once. That to her was an accomplishment, it was showing her he trusted her more and more with each interaction. But Dakota had already noticed the ticks and twitches of his body. She was a master of body language having to learn it and watch for it from her days with the Reds. He was nervous around her, his shoulders would tense and his body was stiff whenever she approached. He hadn't done that when they first boarded the Normandy together for Anderson's supposed drop mission on Eden Prime. That all felt like eons ago, now they were hot on Saren's trail and surveying the galaxy for ways to stop him. That was when they came upon the Asari Liara, and ever since Liara had boarded the Normandy Dakota was thinking of kicking her habit.
She was very blatant and boisterous in her fascination with Dakota. And now as she headed toward the medbay Dakota remembered exactly why she dreaded talking to her. "Hello Shepard." Liara's cool monotone was spiked with surprise and piqued curiosity. Dakota scowled and forced a smile.
"Hey Liara." She watched the Asari carefully. Liara rose from her chair and began to nervously twist her fingers in front of her. Oh boy, what had she walked into now?
"Shepard I hope I wasn't being too direct before when I was explaining the Asari bonding process and using you as an example." Liara tried to apologize. The very thought of being mind raped…excuse her, mentally bonded made her stomach twist. "It is just that...I feel a connection with you Shepard. You are a very special person and forgive me if I am being too direct. But despite your potential feelings toward another and his feelings for you I feel we also share something special, or am I wrong?" Liara looked her in the eyes. Dakota felt herself cringing, she rapidly shook her head.
"What? No. No no no Liara, we're…we're just friends. I don't…fraternize with any of my crew." Dakota hastily tried to shake the Asari's advances off and deflect them with excuses.
"Oh…I am sorry I didn't mean to presume. It is just that…You share a bond with your Lieutenant Nathan and I…" Dakota had stopped listening. She shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck trying to quell the nerves that bunched there.
"Wait…repeat that last line?" Dakota asked Liara, staring at her in bewilderment and a smudge of shame across her face.
"The Lieutenant, Nathan…His sense of loyalty and duty go beyond that of a professional nature, or so I've discovered in my studies of your species. He hides it well, but I can feel his affection, I notice the way his eyes linger upon you when he believes you are not aware. I see the cold expression in his eyes vanish whenever you are engaged in conversation with him. I believe you are special to him. I am sorry I just assumed…" Liara trailed off, looking away in embarrassment.
Dakota blushed harder at the direct mention of what her Lieutenant did behind her back. She of course had her theories, and she knew of her affection for the man. But to know that he felt the same way, perhaps more so than her it was…A certain eye opener. She grinned to herself and tried to swallow the giddy giggles burning in her throat. "He…is special to me Liara. But he is still my Lieutenant. And you are also my crew member. Sorry I…uh…I should go." Before Liara could make any other mention of the subject Dakota high tailed it out of there as fast as she could.
Her head was swimming with ideas. She knew he had some affection for her, whether it was lustful or intrigue but she had no idea how much he actually cared. How different he was when she was around him. She could feel a grin slip along her jaw. She found him in his usual dwelling, down in the equipment lockers fiddling with the mods of his shotgun. The way he fondled that weapon, she wasn't sure if she should feel threatened or not. "Hey Nathan." Her words purred seductively from her lips as she narrowed her eyes and smiled dangerously.
"Commander." He paused his fiddling to glance at her. There was a lapse of time with his tinkering that bordered on uncomfortable. His muscles went rigid and his eyes averted back down to his work, his movements became more urgent and rushed. "...Do you need me for something?" He was always so brash and to the point. Dakota suspected he was getting uncomfortable with her intently watching him work.
"Maybe." She leaned in closer, biting her lip and curling it so she was grinning. "I just came down here to applaud you for that last mission; you were on top of those Geth rocket launchers faster than I knew what was happening." She slyly beat around the bush, content to watch him squirm beneath her power.
"Anytime." He grunted, no longer looking at her but growing all the more tense per second.
"Well, you didn't have to do it you know." Dakota chimed in, smirking mischievously.
"You're my commanding officer; it's my duty to make sure you're safe." Nathan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, trying to desperately hide the anxiety that his body was content to sport.
"I certainly appreciate it." Dakota chuckled to herself, she watched him freeze again. It was an almost jerk, a forceful halt of his muscles as he stared baffled at her. "Really." She gently touched his arm. Her bony fingers squeezed against his wrist and his face burned scarlet. He didn't jerk his hand away or anything of the sort. Dakota watched the conflicting feelings dance behind his lavender gaze.
"Commander I…" His words were struggled, his voice sounded hesitant.
"We're all friends here Nathan, you can call me Dakota you know." Dakota interrupted, her eyes narrowed and her grin widened. It stretched all the way to her ears, oh god he was adorable. His body was trembling at her faintest touch. His face was burnt and there was so much conflict behind his eyes she wanted to scoop him up in her arms and snuggle him. She settled instead for platonically pinching his cheek. He let out a hoarse and forced laugh.
"Right Dakota…Well…You're welcome." Nathan mumbled with an abrasive rub of his hand across his cheek.
"You seem tense Nathan…something on your mind?" Dakota tried her damnedest to get him to admit what she already knew unconsciously he was feeling. She slapped his back, feeling the tension ripple through his muscles into her own. He grunted, shooting her a sidelong glance over his shoulder. He'd completely abandoned his work as well.
"Permission to speak freely…" His mouth practically mumbled the words, teeth clicked against each other.
"As if you have to ask." Dakota laughed, lightly tapping his shoulder blade. She curled her hand around his neck and squeezed for a brief moment, just to feel the taut rigid unease that was resonating through him.
"I…You…You should be more careful when using your singularities next fight. I felt your nodes overwhelming themselves." Nathan looked cross. Dakota had to stop and snort, feeling utterly insulted.
"Is that so?" She pressed her hands to her hips, watching him maliciously. He turned to look at her and in a flash his hands were around her back, pulling her close to him.
"Yes. There are people on this ship that care about you. Wouldn't want to have you out of commission." His words were a low lull, a gentle tease and as soon as the moment was starting to grow steamy, it died.
"Commander! We have a situation on the bridge!" Moreau's voice burst through the comm and it snapped Dakota's world in two.
"Fucking Moreau. WHAT!?" She shouted at the top of her lungs, and the warmth of Nathan's body had retreated from her. All of him had in fact retreated from her. He was…just gone. He had abandoned his work and headed for the elevator before Dakota had any say in the matter.
It all happened so fast, Dakota had no time to react. There were waves of Cerberus troops flooding in on their position, they were trapped. One of the assault troopers nailed her right through her chest plate and shoulder pad rendering her firing arm useless. The shrapnel of their grenades was ripping apart her face, her helmet long since abandoned due to the waves of smoke seeping into the tiny room. Her biotics felt overly taxed while her lungs wheezed, feverishly searching for fresh air. She could hear the scratchy noises of Centurions comms shouting orders to their squads trying to flank their position. Dakota pressed her back to the wall, diving behind one of the panels in the tiny hallway of Noveria base they were attempting to infiltrate. She squinted trying to peer over into the landing pad feeling a blast of freezing winter air as snow whipped into her sliced skin. She winced and flashed her fangs, feeling her shoulders bristling in displeasure she tried to stagger to her feet. A firm hand shoved her back down into the crouched position she'd taken a moment before, cold lavender eyes staring her down with a grim mask of disapproval tugging firmly on their face. Dakota tried to open her mouth to protest when the noise of a sniper rifle bullet nicking the wall inches above her head ricocheted into the next room. That firmly clamped her mouth shut and thus she grunted in annoyance. Damn Cerberus bastards, how'd they even get in this mess in the first place? The sharp crackle of biotics surged through her spine and Dakota gasped in horror trying to snag his armor before he charged forward. Albeit too late, his body surged through cover, armor connecting with the harsh squeal of a dying nemesis. She heard his howling cry of having to shatter his shields and render himself vulnerable, it sent out a wave of biotic powers knocking the Centurion and handful of assault troopers over. Dakota vaulted from cover, planting her feet and focusing her energy on a shockwave that shattered the tiles beneath it and sent the troops flying into walls and through the doorframes alike. Then there was silence…and a sigh of relief. Dakota let her guard down when EDI began to hack the panel, James Vega taking her nine and Nathan at her six she felt accomplished. Stupid, stupid mistake. When Cortez finally contacted them from the shuttle through the static of the jamming signal they all headed out celebrating their victory perhaps a bit early.
That was when they sent fighter jets filled with troopers at the exposed landing pad. They'd managed to bunker down where Cortez had originally dropped them off, keeping the high ground and beating the reinforcements back. Right as he was about to fly in and land he warned them that they were sending in something big. The Atlas came crashing into the landing pad sending an earthquake of power that shook the entire squad and rattled them free of their advantage. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run and regroup. The mech sent wave after wave of rockets, spraying bullets at anyone brave enough to try to grab the pilot's attention. Dakota gave the order to shoot at the pilot inside but the heavy plating had been upgraded since their encounters with them on Sur'Kesh. She clutched her firing arm, applying as much pressure trying to ignore the bullet that was dug in deep into her soft tissue and fire a few bullets herself to no avail. EDI's decoys had proven to be a godsend, distracting the pilot long enough to allow the group to maneuver behind him and fire at the fans trying to wedge enough bullets into the engine and cause it to break. It had to be on its last leg of armor. Dakota could see the pilot growing frantic inside; the electrical current was sporadically flowing through the mechs' arms and right before the giant hunk of metal was about to explode it turned to face Dakota as she straggled after the group. With its guns aimed right at her it fired the last of its rockets, three to be exact. They came whizzing at her at a speed she couldn't dodge. She stood her ground and braced for impact and almost immediate death.
The fiery pain never came...No instead she felt the unwelcoming cold crystals of snow as she fell ungracefully to the ground. She jerked her head up; eyes focused enough to see a most grisly sight. Nathan had gotten in between her and the rockets, his charge sent her hurdling to the ground and now he hung there, suspended in the air while the exploding shrapnel tore through his armor and ripped through his flesh. He hit the ground with an unpleasant crack, the snow turned red and Dakota's veins felt cold. She yelled, but couldn't hear her voice. Tripping over herself to get to him she fell on her knees before him, violently jerking him trying to get him to move. Shit the wounds looked awful, smoke and charred skin cells all intermixed with his blood and Dakota could only feel the ice in her veins sliding into her heart. She cursed and hissed and slammed her fist angrily into Nathan's shoulder pad. "You stupid jerk!" Her voice returned to her in the sound of a hushed whisper. If she hurried she'd be able to save him, barking orders to EDI and Vega when the shuttle landed had been easy. The shuttle ride onto the Normandy had flown by in the blink of an eye, the silence had engulfed Dakota and when they finally came clattered into the med bay the shock had set in. Waiting in the med bay like an abandoned dog did not bode well. Doctor Chakwas had insisted she take a shower, clean up, even patched up her own wounds. Still she paced the floor feeling the warm liquid of Nathan's blood running down her fingers long after it had been thoroughly scrubbed off.
Dakota ran her hands down the length of her face, plopping herself in a chair at Nathan's bedside she struggled between hoping he was going to be alright and hating herself for not being strong enough. What the hell was he even thinking? She didn't need him to protect her! If she had been stronger and not been so injured she would have been fine. If only she hadn't let her guard down, if only that damn assault trooper hadn't shot her in the arm. She snarled and scrunched her nose in irritation, shoulders bristling with hate and contempt; mostly for herself she let out a rattled sigh. Her arm hurt, but she didn't think she deserved the comfort of pain medications, not when Nathan was laid out entirely unconscious like a slab in the morgue. The image cut through her mind, a razor sharp knife rendering her void of any other thoughts. She heard his bed creak softly and she sprang to her feet. Her good hand pounding into the mattress her muscles shook with fear. His lavender eyes were upon her, dark and riddled with sleep and exhaustion he managed to smile placidly at her. It only further sparked her fury and before she could contain herself she was yelling. "What's the matter with you!? You could have gotten yourself killed! I had the situation under control I didn't need you rescuing me!" Her voice betrayed her; laced with fear and worry she sank her incisors into her bottom lip and chewed roughly, flaring her nostrils hastily trying to calm herself down.
Nathan responded with a gentle chuckle that quickly turned into a grimace. He tenderly ran his shaky tired fingers down her cheek. The rough calluses tugged at her skin and he paused when his thumb was level with her lips. He tugged at the skin forcing her to release her tense hold on her bottom lip. "You're safe…." He closed his eyes and offered her a triumphant cocky smirk that turned her insides to jelly. "That's all I care about Dakota. So long as you're safe…" The realization hit Dakota like a punch to the gut. She slackened her shoulders, her spine shriveled up and she sank into the chair. His wrist rested on the edge of the bed limply and he opened his eyes cautiously. They were clouded with pain meds and drained of any energy. He looked so peaceful and serene, his face was lax and he truly looked pleased, for once. Dakota chalked it up to the pain medication making him delusional. Still, she couldn't deny the gentle expression on his face. It made her feel all the more nauseous. If she had just been faster and stronger he wouldn't be in this damn mess.
Dakota bit back a sob, clutching Nathan's hand and squeezing it softly her chocolate brown eyes rested on his heavily bandaged chest she growled. "Don't ever do that again stupid!" She huffed and he only smiled as a reply, gaze drifting into hers.
- - -
Gooey:
She wore a grin of a devious and guilty child on her face when she entered the cabin. Her cabin, her captain's quarters. The single room of the entire Normandy that she could claim was her own stomping grounds. Despite the fact that EDI remained a presence throughout the ship, and the ship itself was EDI - Dakota had claimed this cabin as her own, and as such, anything within also belonged to her. Her grin widened until it curled and reached her ears. She crept through the room on her tip toes, hand still firmly stuffed into a plastic bag. Her fingers were sticky and coated in a fine powder. The sweet sting of marshmallow goo had wrapped itself around her molars as her tongue lapped at the back of her mouth trying to free her teeth from the sticky trap. Her eyes fell upon a form that was slumped onto her couch, arms behind his head, bare chest exposed in the recycled air. Dakota thought for a moment whether or not it was fair to wake him, then thought better of it and proceeded to pluck her sticky hand from the bag, lick her fingers and hurl tiny bite sized marshmallows at the man. She wiped her hands on her pants and continued the ritualistic hurling of her tiny confections at him trying to wake him. After having his cheeks pelted repeatedly he merely turned his face and let his arm slip out from beneath him. It limply plopped onto the floor and he yawned, nuzzling into the back of the couch without so much as a word.
Dakota rolled her eyes; sitting on her knees beside him on the floor she poked his ribs with her finger. He didn't stir nor awaken. Impatiently tapping her finger against her chin she instead decided against waking him and took the opportunity to use his bare chest for a canvas of sheer amusement. She had drawn things with marker over his chest before, and always gotten a laugh or two out of him. It was decided then, she missed the way his eyes would crinkle and the way the unease would wash from his face. She, after wiping her hands on her pants again began to get to work. Each marshmallow was cautiously placed along the rises of his abdomen and the dips where the muscles would intersect beneath the skin. Her trail of marshmallows began to form a pattern, carefully and slowly placing them one after the other forming an oval, then a large fin atop of it, eyes, and a mouth. A Mudkip she finally realized without consciously acknowledging what she was doing. She had to cover her mouth with her hand, clutching her jaw shut as she struggled down her laughter. He still hadn't woken up by the time she was finished with the large Mudkip's face and it irked her. Fine, she'd just try a more sensitive spot. She scooted against the floor, toward his face. His neck had always been a pressure point Dakota found. So meticulously crafting an arrow trail with marshmallows right on his carotid would surely awake him right? Alas the light airy treats did nothing to stir him from his slumber. Dakota paused after she finished her finely detailed arrow. She slid back on her ankles, surveying her work and watching his chest sluggishly rise and fall. She pressed her sticky fingers against his shoulder, lightly grazing them over his muscles. Even at his most vulnerable state Dakota could still feel the tension beneath his muscles. But when he was asleep was when she found he was most at peace. The usual bored scowl he wore was no longer visible, the tightness in his mouth, the dangerous burn in his eyes, everything was gone whenever he slept. Dakota's heart swelled with tender emotions as she smiled. She loved him no matter what, but the look of serenity on his face is what she would cherish most. She would watch him at times, whenever he slept. She'd awaken in the middle of the night to the calm ease of his slumbering face as he held her to his chest. It gave her a sense of safety, a light at the end of the tunnel that after this war - maybe he could look like that for the rest of his life. She just wanted him to be happy, to be at ease and happy with her. Dakota smirked and began to place marshmallows on him again. On his face this time, there was one that rested on the lobe of his ear, a few on his cheeks and one on the temple of his forehead.
Finally Dakota grew tired of waiting for him to wake up. She grabbed one more marshmallow from her bag and stuffed it directly up his nose. Nathan snorted immediately, violently shaking his head trying to avoid the abrupt invasion of his personal space. The marshmallows tumbled everywhere from off his neck and face and Dakota couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled from her stomach into her throat. Nathan groaned. He rubbed his hand over his face he stopped to look down at his chest; the upside down Mudkip was somewhat contorted and misshapen now with all of the erratic movement that had taken place. His lavender eyes shot toward Dakota and she covered her face ignoring his annoyed glare while the laughter grew inside her. The irritation of being awoken slowly melted from his face and he smirked. His nostrils flared and he let out a tender chuckle. His hand dusted the remaining stubborn marshmallows from his neck and face and he finally plucked one from his chest and hurled it at Dakota. Dakota ducked and bobbed, crawling on the floor back toward the half empty bag of marshmallows as he proceeded to fling them at her. She scooped up an entire handful and flung them at him. He laughed harder, hastily grabbing at them in the chaos of white turning them directly back at her. This went on for a while, when they ran out of marshmallows to chuck at each other the place was a right mess. They'd all fallen onto the floor like a freshly fallen snow. Dakota had taken refuge behind the small table and when she finally peeked over a pillow came slamming into her face knocking her onto her back. Nathan hopped over the table immediately, towering over her with a general look of concern on his face. Dakota took the opportunity of momentary truce to gain the upper hand. The pillow and Dakota both came springing up off the floor knocking the soft feather filled luxury directly into Nathan's ribs. He laughed, sincerely and fully laughed. He retreated back to the couch and grabbed his own pillow, and soon they were dueling. That was until one of them broke, spilling feathers wildly all across the already filthy gooey floor. With all of their energy drained and the feathery marshmallow mess coating them they both spilled to the floor, giggling fits still present in the air. He pulled her close to him, capturing her in his grip and she nuzzled contentedly into his chest. He trailed his fingers through her hair, an actual and tender smile on his face. His eyes looked soft, intimate. He pressed his lips to hers and groaned in exhaustion. She managed to slip in an 'I love you' when she felt his diaphragm spasm and a yawn expelled from his mouth. He still must have heard her because he leaned toward her, resting his forehead against hers to look into her eyes. "I love you too." He said with the softest voice he could muster. The sweetness of the moment stung the back of her throat more than the entire bag of marshmallows combined.
- - -
Paw Prints:
Nathan was neck deep in Alliance work when it happened. He'd been clutching onto the data pad skimming over the information at a rapid pace. He would occasionally glance over his mountain of work to cautiously scan the surroundings, making sure nothing had changed within the past few minutes since his previous surveying. His daughter was still sprawled out on the floor, papers scattered every which way and the ratty stuffed krogan she took with her everywhere placed next to her with great care. He smirked to himself, returning to his work without interruption. He paused midsentence, finding his daughter Heather tugging at his pants leg. "Daddy…" Heather interrupted his train of thought and he glanced at her, acknowledging her for a split second. "Daddy, daddy!" She became more persistent until Nathan's intense lavender eyes were directed onto her entirely. She smiled, holding her hand practically to his face. "Daddy look what I did." She beamed proudly. A squiggled circle and three dots were resting on the side of her palm right below her thumb. "I gots a foots now. Like Mama. Mama gots a foots and now I gots one too." She spoke with a faint whistle in her speech, Nathan's brow quirked curiously. He set the data pad down finally and inclined toward his daughter pulling her hand into his to examine it.
"So I see." He replied with a tender monotone. He always made a conscious decision to speak in a softer tone to his daughter than to anyone else. He looked toward her, curious with why she had drawn magic marker over her palm in such a way. He didn't make the direct connection she was hoping for; she instead shoved her stuffed krogan into his face next.
"Look look Bronx has a foots too. Look see?" She grinned tossing the stuffed krogan onto the couch next to where Nathan had been sprawled out on. He nodded slowly, not particularly sure what she was trying to imply. "Now you need one too daddy." She tugged at his hand, trying to have him expose his open palm. Nathan couldn't help but smile, instead of offering her his hand he picked her up, positioning her onto his lap. She squirmed at first, settling against his thigh with her magic marker still firmly clutched in her hand. "It's your turn daddy, your turn." She repeated, pulling at his wrist with her hand using all her might. Nathan obeyed his daughter's request, displaying his open palm for his daughter to draw on.
He wrapped his free arm around her waist, reclining against the couch. He rested his chin softly against his daughters head as she toiled away humming gingerly to herself. Nathan kissed the top of her head, no longer concerned with his Alliance paperwork. He witnessed the crude squiggle of what was meant to be a replica of the wolf paw print Dakota had on the outside of her palms resting right on the bone of the thumb. His fingers twitched faintly and he forced himself to keep his wrist still feeling the soft tiny fingers of his daughter holding onto him as she leaned forward to get all the fine details in there. Nathan's thoughts wandered as he sat there in the silence with his daughter on his lap. He could feel each stroke of her marker that dug against his callused skin, feel her arm shaking profusely as she colored into it trying to keep the magic marker from fading. His mind was elsewhere only to be dragged back to reality when he heard Heather calling for him. "Daddy…Daddy! Look!" She tugged at his shirt, his throat made a noise, glancing down over the top of her head.
The paw print was awkward and gigantic. It was awkwardly colored and the four digits that would be the wolf's toes were no more than tiny dots against his skin. He flared his nostrils grinning into Heather's muted brown locks. "It's beautiful sweetie." He whispered against her head, kissing her again. Heather placed her hand against his, and then it hit him. This was what it was like after all. To have someone that loves you unconditionally, to love someone just the same. This was what it felt like to have responsibility, to be a parent. All of that warm loving crap that he never prescribed to before finally kicking him back. This was what it felt like to be that role model, that one individual to look up to. This is what it felt like to have purpose in life. He curled his fingers over his daughter's small hand, gently rubbing his thumb against it. "It's so beautiful honey." He repeated, giving Heather a gentle squeeze. "So gorgeous, just like you…" His vocal chords were shaking with emotion; he cleared his throat and swallowed the wad of saliva that was building up in the back of his mouth. "Let's go show Mama huh?" He mumbled into her ear. Heather giggled and nodded hastily. She quickly snatched Bronx from the couch as Nathan hoisted her up on both of his shoulders. She squished Bronx against his ear and clung to the top of his head as he headed toward the bedroom where he knew Dakota was. She'd been taking a nap, exhausted from a day of cleaning, cooking, outside work. She'd retired from the military but her life of routine was far from over. He bounded through the door, careful to squat down lower as to not bang his daughter's head against the frame of the door he crossed the threshold into the bedroom. "Hey Dakota darling." He called to her, and she stirred, jerking up almost immediately. It was still instilled in her; she eyed him with a cautious apprehension through a fog of confusion. "Look baby, look what Heather did." He opened his hand, revealing the paw print Heather had marked him with. He heard Heather squeal with sheepish joy, timidly showing her hand as well.
Dakota's haze of confusion washed away instantaneously. A smile flowed through her face lighting her features entirely. Her teeth were on full display and she scrambled out of bed almost instantly, placing her hand into Nathan's. "We're just one big happy family now." She said with a tender serene look in her eyes. She squeezed Nathan's hand and he smiled, revoking his hand to pull Heather off his shoulders and nod.
"That's right, one big happy family." He set Heather down only to wrap his hands around her ribs and tickle her. "And this is our rascally little cub." Heather squealed with intense laughter, trying to squirm from Nathan's grip he laughed as she slipped away to hide behind Dakota. Dakota's smile had grown tenfold and she lunged forward, grabbing Nathan by the shirt collar and yanking him onto the bed pulling Heather after her.
"That's right, and this is daddy alpha. And I'm mama alpha and this is my house." She howled in laughter, Heather bounced on their mattress slithering between the two of them as Nathan tickled Dakota, occasionally grabbing Heather long enough to include her in their horsing around.
- - -
Clumsy:
Left, left, right - no wait it was side step, turn right. For the umpteenth time this morning Nathan let out a snarl of frustration. The tight fitting black loafers scuffed the polished hardwood floor and his knee jerked. He took a stumbled step forward bumping his shoulder forcefully against Dakota. His face burned red in the process. His face was going to be permanently turned scarlet at this pace, Nathan could already tell. He was simply not cut out for this. He couldn't dance. He was alright with the fact that he couldn't dance. He had accepted that he had no rhythm and was cursed with no grace. Nathan never needed it in his life before. Why would he need grace and finesse when brute force and a powerful left hook got him whatever it was he needed? Unfortunately, Nathan had never in his wildest dreams anticipated falling in love with a woman and subsequently proposing the idea of holy matrimony to her. The very idea had chilled his veins in the past. Yet here he was, engagement ring sparkling on her finger and a list of wedding essentials lodged in her mind. It was as though he had awoken in an active nightmare. He didn't know the first thing about weddings. He had no idea, not a damn clue about marriage or all the intricacies that came with it. But…if it meant the love of his life was happy, then he would do whatever was asked of him without hesitation. Even if that meant he had to learn how to dance with poise and refinement. It was an act he vigorously avoided whenever he could. He relied on his strengths instead. He didn't think he could brute force his way through the dance steps though; and while shooting a hard left hook at the dance instructor would make him feel better, it wouldn't help him learn the steps any quicker.
It wouldn't have even been included in their wedding either, if it hadn't been for their assortment of alien guests and their limited view on earth and human customs. That damn AI EDI had insisted on a traditional wedding, which included a bride and groom dance. So not only was Nathan freaking out about the wedding itself, he now had to deal with learning to dance with everyone's eyes watching him. He dreaded dancing in general. But the idea of just he and Dakota, alone beneath the white spotlight and the slow drum of the music had him sweating bullets. If there was a single thing in the entire galaxy that would turn Nathan's resolve to dust, this was it. He could feel the humiliation creeping up his neck, he would be entirely beside himself at the reception…If he even got that far. He was utterly convinced the Asari and the damn AI were plotting against him. He even attempted to plead, to beg, on his freaking knees to Dakota herself on calling this entire nonsense off. It was her day; she was the bride, the star of her wedding. To his dismay, she told him it was out of her hands. It was her own wedding, her special day that he wanted to personally deliver to her and only her and she wasn't even the one controlling it. He would have laughed at the predicament if he wasn't so flustered and embarrassed.
The instructor started them again with a faster tempo to try to mask the clumsy steps Nathan was falling through. Nathan accidentally missed a turn and ended up stepping directly on Dakota's toes. Right into her pointed but open top heels. He practically whined an apology as Dakota bit her lower lip and squeezed his hand tighter. "I'm sorry baby…" His words were repeated, a consistent whisper in the morning air far too ashamed to look her in the eye. His gaze was glued to the floor now, his breath lodged in his throat.
Dakota responded with a slow snake of her arms around his waist. In that moment Nathan's heart stopped. Her fingers made quick precise jabs directly into his hip bone. To her silent command, he froze in place. "I swear Nathan, how can you have such gorgeous hips but still have no rhythm?" She teased with a soft click of her tongue, rolling it over her teeth. "You are a biotic after all." She pointedly added.
"I just can't dance." Nathan replied through gritted teeth and a defensive snort. He tried to keep his focus on the repeated steps to the best of his ability. But damn if Dakota wasn't making that impossible. His thoughts were elsewhere now, his attention completely scrambled. Dakota repositioned her hand along his stiff shoulder and into his clammy palm. "Give me any other scenario and I can do it. I can do combat, high tension situations, hell even dodging rockets." He tried to change the subject to a much less prickly topic. The statement was true enough as well. Nathan could glide through combat and ease through tension with no poise necessary. It was the slow tedious awkward movements of dancing that crippled his ego. He could swear that he would never recover from this disgrace.
Dakota snorted gently. She rolled her fingers against his shoulder, lowering the volume of her voice. "There's no high tension situation here Nathan. Relax…" She paused and kneaded her thumb firmly into the base of his neck. He groaned in response. "I doubt there's any danger in the studio this morning." She murmured tenderly to him, trying to get him to calm his knotted nerves.
He was being ridiculous. He knew he was being absurd. Unfortunately the anxious feeling had molded with his frustration into a large rock of unease that settled into the pit of his stomach. "You don't know that." He hissed between off balance twists. He hobbled back into the starting position, grumbling in annoyance. "The woman could damn well be a terrorist. It's too early for sane people to be up." Nathan muttered his complaint with an agitated sigh. It wasn't even 0600 and the sun had yet to even so much as peek over the horizon. They were struggling in the comfortable darkness of the studio, or at least Nathan was. Dakota's movements mimicked a river's current. Fluid, agile, natural and paced - he didn't feel worthy of being in the same room with her whenever she danced. Now she was anchored by his klutzy movements and the fact that she had to be partnered with him in such an intimate setting only furthered his shame. He missed yet another step and he growled in fury, the harsh crimson darted up his cheeks into his ears.
Dakota stepped in finally, noticing how muddled and antsy he was getting. She tilted his chin up to meet her eyes. There was amusement beneath her chocolate orbs, but an apologetic smile played bright on her lips. Nathan met her gaze with an incredulous look of his own. Her wrists rested against the back of his neck and she worked her fingers into his hair cautiously. Her bony fingers rubbed against the base of his skull and along the knot of annoyance that had twisted itself above his spinal column. She kissed his lips with a tender fervor her words were sweet honey to his ears. "I love you Nathan, no matter what. I love you." She gave him a wise smile. He rocked his shoulders forward and averted her gaze. He could still feel the tingling sensation building up beneath his skin, slithering through his veins and searing into his organs.
He huffed, his breath a furious exasperated puff of air that blew along his bangs. He was ashamed. Ashamed of the state he had wound up in, mortified at just how easily she unraveled him with his altered state. He was abashed at how stupid he felt, and looked. When he finally repositioned himself for another practice from the top it took a single miscalculated step backward to tear his resolve entirely in half. His negative thoughts came crashing to a screeching halt on top of him as he himself fell gracelessly to the floor. His arm was still entangled with Dakota's and he yanked her directly down with him. Dakota toppled onto him and he let out a groan of pain as she landed with a harsh thud right into his chest. The hostility of the air had shot through the roof and to cut the solid atmosphere Dakota gave a faint laugh, small at first soon growing in a boisterous shake on top of him. The anger that had been boiling in his stomach dissolved in hearing her laugh, the single noise that would make angels jealous. Nathan could no longer feel the hot blooded rage in his veins, and he laughed too. Despite himself he laughed, at himself, for himself - the reasoning no longer mattered. He tucked a strand of hair behind Dakota's ear, capturing her attention and cupping her soft cheek in his hand. His thumb stroking the skin he drew her to him, kissing her as passionately as he would allow himself publically. He pulled away to whisper to her, leaving her breathless. "I love you too." His sincere words sank in. When she drew her gaze to his, he smirked mischievously.
- - -
Fade:
He had her in his thoughts. She hadn't been on his mind for months. While she would frequent his dreams, he could usually keep his active conscious from thinking of her. Now, lying on the ground with glass shards in his hair, with his ribs easily broken in multiple places - she remained the single thought amidst him. This woman, she was gone, no longer relevant in his life. No amount of crying like a bitch would fix it. But there she remained, haunting his sleep and looming over his waking hours. He had so few established sleeping hours to begin with now. He did anything to avoid her face, to escape the pain.
Pain…What did he know of pain? He felt nothing but numb sickly sensations. He could feel the slick sticky drip of life draining along his skin. He could feel the throbbing pressure of disjointed ribs rubbing against his internal organs. He could feel the stiff ache of his muscles that screamed for rest when he would not comply. He felt nothing of pain. It was a simple concept of weakness expelling from the body. If the mind could overcome such trivialities then why would he need to worry of hurt? But this pain, this ache…this damn anguish - it festered somewhere deep where he could not confront it. It had twisted itself spreading its wicked fingers into the dark reaches, the places he would not tread. It gnarled and contorted itself in such a way that it made ultimate removal utterly impossible. It would remain in his form for years to come. He was a victim to it. He hated being the victim…
A wheeze rattled his lungs; his broken body was forcibly hoisted into the air. He was strung up by the collar of his armor. A dog being yanked to the end of their chain. He snarled and spat accordingly, struggling in vain beneath the overpowering force of a Krogan. A bitter laugh that stank of dead flesh and foreign blood spilled into his pores. He was useless, being flung through the shattered window outside into the brutal cold. A rag doll that was powerless beneath gravity itself he landed with a wet thud. He could see through his blurred vision and bruised eye that his blood had smeared the otherwise perfect pattern of crystallized powder. The snow wasn't soft, it was bitter and ragged and it stabbed through the vulnerabilities in his armor right into his skin. It was sharp and filled with attitude, displeased with having him disturb it. The bumbling reptile was barreling in full velocity at him. He contemplated lying placidly, waiting patiently for the end.
Perhaps fate would grant him the mercy he sought after so long, to end it now, rather than be disemboweled in the next few moments. He could feel the subzero temperatures beneath his fragile skin, whipping winds that snapped at his face. His lungs forced a breath, and whether it was from a potentially punctured lung or the continuous blows to his torso through a multitude of forceful kicks he coughed up black ooze. It splattered against the serene white, staring back at him the liquid rolled down a mound of snow, streaking red in the process. He didn't have the strength to hoist himself from the vulnerable position he found himself in. The monstrous reptile exploiting every choked out cough, every wince and recoil his body struggled through. He felt separate…an essence that floated above the scene, entirely disconnected from the excruciating agony he was being tossed through.
He could feel the tremors of a thunderous laugh that sounded diluted beneath the blanket of cold. His chest shuddered as the reptile's clawed foot stomped into his plate armor one final time. Red eyes maliciously gleamed down at him in victory. He was staring down the barrel of a shotgun, its finely polished metal shined beneath the lightly falling snow. He laid his head back, closing his eyes, no longer able to dig within himself for fear he might stumble into her again…He comforted himself in his final moments with the thought of his mother. He recalled her gentle touch, the soft caress of her dainty fingers. He wondered now, what she thought of him. What she thought of all of this…What she thought of the man he'd become, the man he once was. A solid lump began to form in his stomach, shooting through his veins into his heart. It was hot and it warmed his slowly expiring organs. Shame…for once in his feeble excuse for a life, the hot embers of shame bled within him. He would hope he would be forgiven then. For all of the pain he had caused her…
Some sort of autonomic response kicked in. His biotics, fully taxed as they were sparked, a faint jerk of lightning to his senses he clenched his fists at his side. The air was stale in his throat, bitter and cold as he snorted. He shot up, a bullet of blue. He was engulfed in a tunnel of force, an unsteady ball of power that was teetering on the edge of collapse. His body cracked into the Krogan's. Armor on armor it made a vicious shatter of a sound. In that moment time had slowed to a near stop for him. His shotgun, the single remaining heat sink within its chamber found its way to his hands from its holster on his back. The barrel was aimed at the Krogan's head, and the shot pierced right into its brain.
His opponent hit the ground and he tumbled helplessly forward into a bank of snow that had accumulated on the side of the building. He croaked out strangled breaths, the white smog of air seeping from his bloodied lips and broken nose. He staggered to his feet, falling to the snow multiple times. He pressed his weary head against the Krogan's chest plate, perusing its pockets for medigel and stim packs as well as spare heat sinks. Slamming the chilled syringe into the exposed gash in his leg he howled. Teeth on full display he made a gargled roar as the medigel seeped into the damaged compartment of his armor. Satisfied with having enough strength and battery power to stand he wobbled to his feet. Pressing his head against the doorframe of the building he shot a sidelong glance at the Krogan behind him now. Their brain matter had made quite the marble pattern across the frozen wasteland of a planet. His labored breaths poured from his lips as he limped into the threshold of the building, rubbing his wrist against the slash on his cheek. "Dakota…" His words hung in the atmosphere. He just somehow had known it was her who had given him the strength to finish the Krogan off. And in that moment, he hated her.
- - -
Sail:
She'd always been curious with what mentally made him tick. She knew all of his sweet spots, physically. All of the nuances and buttons that made his body freeze and his face flush with color. The effect never seemed to last long though. He always had a rebuttal, a response of some sort that returned his arrogant cocky smirk and his façade. But Dakota had found that single moment where she could see all the vulnerabilities that lied beneath to be the most tempting. The adorable way his eyes widened, the lump in his throat and how it shivered, the lost hopeless look that lingered on his expression. She had savored those moments most. To find a most dominant and threatening man such as he, and to have him express an emotion of embarrassment, it was irresistible to her. Yet whenever she had actively sought to make him blush, she had ultimately failed. Certainly she would get the correct emotion, only to have it vanish beneath his nearly impenetrable defenses. She wondered if she could ever get him to crack in such a sensitive way as she watched him from across the table. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, leaning against her hand her head sagged forward with a bored expression on her face. She yawned passively, watching him intently with each twitch of his muscles, every glance of his eyes. He was rather focused on his Alliance work, a past time she could never comprehend. Yet words had never been her strong point to begin with. The senseless scribbles made her eyes roll into the back of her head. Yet he was extremely dedicated to them, the way his eyes lingered on the screen of the data pad held traces of almost obsessive behavior. Dakota blew a stray bang from her mop of mocha hair and groaned, snagging his attention in the process. "As much as I find your dedication to the Alliance admirable Nathan, you did promise to go fishing with me today." She puckered her lip out in a pouting fashion. She wasn't truly pouting, never had been much of a whiner either. But she loved the colorful array of responses he would always come up with. It was amusing to say in the least, even if she was disappointed when he didn't submit to her wills.
He smirked, his trademark Nathan smirk, without revoking his eyes from the data pad. He pulled his coffee mug to his lips and snorted indignantly. "You hated the Alliance sweetie, good try though." He pointedly added, quirking his brow in amused knowledge at her. Dakota huffed. She crossed her arms and rested her face in her arms as she rolled her eyes. She didn't care about the Alliance true, nor did she care about whether she would be going fishing or not, it was the intimate time she wanted with Nathan. She tried a different tactic. She wiggled her toes beneath the table, rubbing her foot and curling her toes around his long baggy shorts, gently tugging at the fabric.
"Please Nathan? I'll even rub the sunscreen on you myself." She took a calculated risk; it seemed to work well enough. Nathan practically spat his coffee out, his face had blanched pink and he snorted dismissively at her statement. He rolled his eyes and shot her a hostile glare.
"We're not discussing that Dakota." He used the normal finality in his voice, yet she could see he was starting to get rather uncomfortable at the mention of his incident with Mother Nature's cruelest mistress, the sun. She smirked slyly at him, well that was certainly the reaction she was looking for. Now to press him a bit further, she already noticed the automatic cringe of his muscles, the way his knee jerked and nearly slammed into the table. Her toes trailed down his leg and he grunted heatedly.
"Come on Nathan…Don't you want to row my boat?" She slithered her fingers forward, craftily wrapping them around his wrist. She could feel the goose flesh along his arms, down his legs now and he had to physically strain himself from shuddering involuntarily. The thoughts were entirely his fault, although Dakota would take particle blame because of her knowledge of how his mind worked. She grinned impishly beneath her hidden face, stifling her expression in her wrist.
He rubbed his neck and laughed defensively. In denial himself at the thoughts he was having, at the feelings he was hiding. "I do believe I rowed a different boat of yours last night." That damn smirk was back, Dakota wasn't going to give up that easily. She snorted; revoking her hand from his as he returned to the data pad.
Hmm, she supposed she would have to try a different approach then. She snatched her coffee mug from the table, purposely swaying her hips as she headed into the kitchen. The length of Nathan's shirt, one that she had claimed as her own sleeping attire the night before, was short enough to where it left just enough to the imagination. She could see the way his eyes glanced toward her as she headed behind him into the kitchen. She returned shortly after, only not to her seat. She didn't want to go this route, there were easier ways of getting him to react how she wanted. But she wanted to assert her dominance; it had turned into a competition of wits rather than an intrigue of curiosity. Dakota's hands wrapped firmly around Nathan's neck, fingers trailed along his ear. She could feel the way his shoulders stiffened, the twitch of his jaw as he slammed the data pad against the table. Dakota smirked softly, her lips brushing along the lobe of his ear she could feel the way his face was heating up accordingly. She nuzzled roughly against his cheek; a pleasant grumble tore through her throat. "What's the matter sailor? Can't hide your half mast in open waters?" She could feel the lump in his throat as he swallowed his words. Whatever comfort he had previously was slowly being washed away.
"I…Th-that…" He shook his head and tried to position his face away from her. He tried to slither out of her arms so he wouldn't have to be subject to any more of her torments, but Dakota was far from over. "That's ridiculous; we're done with this conversation Dakota." Oh she had him now, whenever he tried to evade and avoid confrontations, she knew he was heading for the ropes.
She sank herself in his lap instead. Before he had a chance to slip from her grasp, she plopped herself right into his lap, her hair curtained over his shoulder and she lightly pressed tender pecks against his neck. She whispered softly, a tiny speck of sarcasm floated into her suggestions. "Come on Nathan, don't you want to…Captain my ship? Hoist my main sail?" She could visibly see the red darting up his ears. She wasn't sure if it was over the obnoxious comments or the fact that she was sitting pleasantly in his lap. She was a queen on her throne, and he her loyal squire. She had no idea how amusing this morning was going to be, she was going to enjoy their little fishing trip far more than she originally thought she would now.
"It's not a ship, it's a boat." Nathan was quick to pipe in, glaring at her as best he could he crossed his arms against his chest and leaned back against the chair. He was subtly pouting, not particularly enjoying the little display Dakota was strutting. No matter, she was enjoying it quite well. She continued, hot breath poured along his trembling neck.
"Explore uncharted waters with me then maybe?" She paused, her tongue trailed against his searing flesh. She watched his eyes squinted ahead, and felt his leg jerk unwillingly. "Maybe even…Flood my engines?" Her tone was sweet and sultry. It hit the right point. Nathan fell silent, withdrawing within himself as he always did whenever he became far too uncomfortable with the situation around him.
Dakota brushed her fingers against his chest, she could feel how taut and tense they'd become. His eyes averted to the floor, his face was burning with color. Dakota snickered gently to herself, finding him far too irresistible to ignore. Her lips pressed to his cheek and she squeezed herself tight against him. "You're so cute when you're mad." She mumbled, he glared, flashed his fangs in annoyance but said nothing else. "Oh, and we're leaving in an hour." The horrified expression on his face was something that Dakota would never forget. She had to stifle her laughter as she peppered coy kisses against his lips until he finally responded back.
- - -
A Different Language:
Dakota had always gotten into a habit of visiting each and every one of her crew after every mission. They were always the most talkative after being fired up from combat and other high tension situations. Well, all but one…But he was slowly starting to talk to her more and more. Through her constant prodding and her childish humor she had gotten him to smile at least a handful of times and even made him laugh once. That to her was an accomplishment, it was showing her he trusted her more and more with each interaction. But Dakota had already noticed the ticks and twitches of his body. She was a master of body language having to learn it and watch for it from her days with the Reds. He was nervous around her, his shoulders would tense and his body was stiff whenever she approached. He hadn't done that when they first boarded the Normandy together for Anderson's supposed drop mission on Eden Prime. That all felt like eons ago, now they were hot on Saren's trail and surveying the galaxy for ways to stop him. That was when they came upon the Asari Liara, and ever since Liara had boarded the Normandy Dakota was thinking of kicking her habit.
She was very blatant and boisterous in her fascination with Dakota. And now as she headed toward the medbay Dakota remembered exactly why she dreaded talking to her. "Hello Shepard." Liara's cool monotone was spiked with surprise and piqued curiosity. Dakota scowled and forced a smile.
"Hey Liara." She watched the Asari carefully. Liara rose from her chair and began to nervously twist her fingers in front of her. Oh boy, what had she walked into now?
"Shepard I hope I wasn't being too direct before when I was explaining the Asari bonding process and using you as an example." Liara tried to apologize. The very thought of being mind raped…excuse her, mentally bonded made her stomach twist. "It is just that...I feel a connection with you Shepard. You are a very special person and forgive me if I am being too direct. But despite your potential feelings toward another and his feelings for you I feel we also share something special, or am I wrong?" Liara looked her in the eyes. Dakota felt herself cringing, she rapidly shook her head.
"What? No. No no no Liara, we're…we're just friends. I don't…fraternize with any of my crew." Dakota hastily tried to shake the Asari's advances off and deflect them with excuses.
"Oh…I am sorry I didn't mean to presume. It is just that…You share a bond with your Lieutenant Nathan and I…" Dakota had stopped listening. She shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck trying to quell the nerves that bunched there.
"Wait…repeat that last line?" Dakota asked Liara, staring at her in bewilderment and a smudge of shame across her face.
"The Lieutenant, Nathan…His sense of loyalty and duty go beyond that of a professional nature, or so I've discovered in my studies of your species. He hides it well, but I can feel his affection, I notice the way his eyes linger upon you when he believes you are not aware. I see the cold expression in his eyes vanish whenever you are engaged in conversation with him. I believe you are special to him. I am sorry I just assumed…" Liara trailed off, looking away in embarrassment.
Dakota blushed harder at the direct mention of what her Lieutenant did behind her back. She of course had her theories, and she knew of her affection for the man. But to know that he felt the same way, perhaps more so than her it was…A certain eye opener. She grinned to herself and tried to swallow the giddy giggles burning in her throat. "He…is special to me Liara. But he is still my Lieutenant. And you are also my crew member. Sorry I…uh…I should go." Before Liara could make any other mention of the subject Dakota high tailed it out of there as fast as she could.
Her head was swimming with ideas. She knew he had some affection for her, whether it was lustful or intrigue but she had no idea how much he actually cared. How different he was when she was around him. She could feel a grin slip along her jaw. She found him in his usual dwelling, down in the equipment lockers fiddling with the mods of his shotgun. The way he fondled that weapon, she wasn't sure if she should feel threatened or not. "Hey Nathan." Her words purred seductively from her lips as she narrowed her eyes and smiled dangerously.
"Commander." He paused his fiddling to glance at her. There was a lapse of time with his tinkering that bordered on uncomfortable. His muscles went rigid and his eyes averted back down to his work, his movements became more urgent and rushed. "...Do you need me for something?" He was always so brash and to the point. Dakota suspected he was getting uncomfortable with her intently watching him work.
"Maybe." She leaned in closer, biting her lip and curling it so she was grinning. "I just came down here to applaud you for that last mission; you were on top of those Geth rocket launchers faster than I knew what was happening." She slyly beat around the bush, content to watch him squirm beneath her power.
"Anytime." He grunted, no longer looking at her but growing all the more tense per second.
"Well, you didn't have to do it you know." Dakota chimed in, smirking mischievously.
"You're my commanding officer; it's my duty to make sure you're safe." Nathan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, trying to desperately hide the anxiety that his body was content to sport.
"I certainly appreciate it." Dakota chuckled to herself, she watched him freeze again. It was an almost jerk, a forceful halt of his muscles as he stared baffled at her. "Really." She gently touched his arm. Her bony fingers squeezed against his wrist and his face burned scarlet. He didn't jerk his hand away or anything of the sort. Dakota watched the conflicting feelings dance behind his lavender gaze.
"Commander I…" His words were struggled, his voice sounded hesitant.
"We're all friends here Nathan, you can call me Dakota you know." Dakota interrupted, her eyes narrowed and her grin widened. It stretched all the way to her ears, oh god he was adorable. His body was trembling at her faintest touch. His face was burnt and there was so much conflict behind his eyes she wanted to scoop him up in her arms and snuggle him. She settled instead for platonically pinching his cheek. He let out a hoarse and forced laugh.
"Right Dakota…Well…You're welcome." Nathan mumbled with an abrasive rub of his hand across his cheek.
"You seem tense Nathan…something on your mind?" Dakota tried her damnedest to get him to admit what she already knew unconsciously he was feeling. She slapped his back, feeling the tension ripple through his muscles into her own. He grunted, shooting her a sidelong glance over his shoulder. He'd completely abandoned his work as well.
"Permission to speak freely…" His mouth practically mumbled the words, teeth clicked against each other.
"As if you have to ask." Dakota laughed, lightly tapping his shoulder blade. She curled her hand around his neck and squeezed for a brief moment, just to feel the taut rigid unease that was resonating through him.
"I…You…You should be more careful when using your singularities next fight. I felt your nodes overwhelming themselves." Nathan looked cross. Dakota had to stop and snort, feeling utterly insulted.
"Is that so?" She pressed her hands to her hips, watching him maliciously. He turned to look at her and in a flash his hands were around her back, pulling her close to him.
"Yes. There are people on this ship that care about you. Wouldn't want to have you out of commission." His words were a low lull, a gentle tease and as soon as the moment was starting to grow steamy, it died.
"Commander! We have a situation on the bridge!" Moreau's voice burst through the comm and it snapped Dakota's world in two.
"Fucking Moreau. WHAT!?" She shouted at the top of her lungs, and the warmth of Nathan's body had retreated from her. All of him had in fact retreated from her. He was…just gone. He had abandoned his work and headed for the elevator before Dakota had any say in the matter.
Literature
Hope and a Fighting Chance, Chap. 2
Chapter 2
Kaidan had arrived at the little café about 45 minutes before the time of their meeting... And now, he was starting to regret it. For the last half hour, he had been rehearsing in his head what he was going to say, how Shepard was likely to react, different scenarios with different outcomes... Some rather good, others nothing short of catastrophic... The anticipation was simply driving him mad!
It didn't help that this was the very first time that he'd been thinking about getting involved in a serious relationship with another man either... Not that gender mattered much, as far as he was concerned. Though many men or wo
Literature
Dinner
Commander Shepard looked out the window of the apartment at the Armax Arsenal Combat Arena just across the strip, although not really seeing it. While his eyes scoped the holographic lettering of the building, his mind was combing the bulge of the right pocket of his favorite jacket: an N7-themed black cotton hooded jacket that harkened back to 20th and 21st century fashion. Reaching his callused hand into the pocket, he pulled out what it so contained: a black velvet case that contained one of the most special purchases he hoped he would ever make.
As his fingers unconsciously stroked the soft velvet, Shepard thought about the man the conta
Literature
Wrath of the Gods 2: Kaidan Alenko
Wrath of the Gods 2: Kaidan Alenko
Bio:
Kaidan Alenko's chances in the Holy Tournament were slim and none, as he was defeated in the very first match by a quick knockout. The loss shook his confidence to the core, forcing him to retire from military life, and relocated to Alaska to live as a woodsman. It was through this isolation, that he found revelation in renewing his strength. After hearing news of the 2nd Holy Tournament, Kaidan saw the opportunity for a second chance.
Misc. Info:
• Fighting Style: Commando Systemma
• Origin: Russia (now resides in Alaska)
• Voice Actor (s): Raphael Sbarge
•
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BioWare/EA owns Commander Shepard and Mass Effect and all things associated with it.
Dakota Shepard belongs to
.
Nathan Shepard belongs to me.
Part 1: [link] | Part 3: [link]
I swears I'm being pressured to post these ;^;. There's a lot of works I just don't feel are worthy for public viewing. But people want to see them so...FEIN >.>.
This is actually missing a few of my works. I guess I'll do part 3 next but...Yea. Sometimes I'll try a certain feeling or a certain emotion just for practice. On occasion its successful but for the most part I'm unhappy with it. Also these are just ideas as well. None of these are really cannon or related to the Nota story so they get thrown in my HUGE 25+ page word document of just drabbles and ideas with them. And people wonder why I don't want to post them :'D.
I don't THINK there's anything that will offend sensibilities. I'll have to look back. Dis card pack doth include Rockets, Gooey, Paw Prints, Clumsy, Fade, Sail and A Different Language. My favorite is Clumsy xD. So yea.
Dakota Shepard belongs to
.Nathan Shepard belongs to me.
Part 1: [link] | Part 3: [link]
I swears I'm being pressured to post these ;^;. There's a lot of works I just don't feel are worthy for public viewing. But people want to see them so...FEIN >.>.
This is actually missing a few of my works. I guess I'll do part 3 next but...Yea. Sometimes I'll try a certain feeling or a certain emotion just for practice. On occasion its successful but for the most part I'm unhappy with it. Also these are just ideas as well. None of these are really cannon or related to the Nota story so they get thrown in my HUGE 25+ page word document of just drabbles and ideas with them. And people wonder why I don't want to post them :'D.
I don't THINK there's anything that will offend sensibilities. I'll have to look back. Dis card pack doth include Rockets, Gooey, Paw Prints, Clumsy, Fade, Sail and A Different Language. My favorite is Clumsy xD. So yea.
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hhahaha So awesome!!! Sail...that was some funny shit hahaha!!!! it's to bad I dont really know anything about sailing ..I would most def use some of those lines hahaha