@abbybabbles Heeeeeey I’m slightly alive now haha. None of these are going to be very long but I hope you enjoy them, regardless! And or? Pft. Have all three! ♥

You can pretty much argue that all three of these pairings happen in the same universe, now, so we’re going with the universe from my fic ‘The Other Shepard’, here. ♥ (Heads up the Shrios prompt is kinda angsty ;; )

1. Shakarian + 12  - “You don’t have to go to all this trouble, you know”

Arisa stands in the doorway of the main room with her arms crossed and her shoulder resting on the door frame lips pulled in a wide grin at the sight before her. “You don’t have to go to all this trouble, you know.”

Garrus doesn’t stop what he’s doing - still hanging garland from the banister, his height making the task infinitely easier - only hums back at her, “Maybe I want to go to the trouble, Arisa. You haven’t gotten to celebrate this… Christmas, since before the crap with Saren, right?”

“Technically, I’ve never gotten to celebrate it. Not like this, anyways.” the redhead shoves away from the door, crossing the room to catch Garrus before he can move on to another task, wrapping her arms around his waist and tilting her head back to blink at him, “I’d have been more then fine just having dinner with everyone.”

“Even more reason for me to spoil you,” he chuckles, longer arms enveloping her easily, a purr rolling through his chest as he bends to press their foreheads together, “I bet Willow’ll like it, to. A little celebration, after defeating the Reapers.”

“Alright, Hubby, I’ll let you cover the house in tinsel. This time.” Arisa grins when his purr intensifies at the word, tugging him down closer for a kiss, “But you’re cleaning it up.”

“Whatever you say, Mrs. Vakarian.” Garrus growls, kissing her back.

2. Rydaal + 21 - “What are you doing to that poor wrapping paper?”

By the time Aria’s gotten all the kids to bed, she’s managed to lose track of Jaal - a fact that makes her frown, confused. Jaal loves being there to tuck the kids in - says its an important part of the parent-child bonding process, which she believes - so the fact that he’s snuck away is… concerning.

At least, until she steps into their bedroom and pauses at the distinctly Angaran mumbling that meets her, making her blink.

“What are you doing to that poor wrapping paper?” she can’t help laughing after a moment, failing to hold back a grin.

Jaal jerks in surprise, stuffing whatever the thing is he’d been wrapping behind his back and giving her a distinctly guilty look - that, combined with the mess of paper and ribbons surrounding him, is making it very hard to stay serious.

“I was, ah…” he fumbles for a moment, then sighs, “I was trying to wrap the presents for Christ-mas. It did not look this difficult…”

“It’s a learned skill, Jaal.” Aria giggles, crossing over to kneel down beside him - and Gods she’s happy to be nearly back at her old weight, no more baby-belly off-setting her balance - “Here, let me show you.”

It’s been a few years, now, since Aria’s had to wrap Christmas gifts, but the whole Tempest family had wanted to celebrate this year, and Jaal was all for it. Present wrapping is apparently a skill you don’t lose, going by how easily she manages to get the boxes wrapped up, showing Jaal which corners to fold, where to tape, how to tie ribbons.

They’re down to whatever the box is that he’s hidden behind himself when a babies cries catch her ears, Aria sighing and turning to give her husband a quick kiss.

“That’ll be Senri needing changed. Think you can handle the rest yourself?”

“Leave it to me, Darling One.” Jaal catches her wrist to stall her a moment, kiss turned deep and slow, releasing her only once they’re both slightly breathless, “I suppose I should let you attend to the pup, before she becomes even more upset.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Aria whispers, smiling, and she leaves him alone to his tasks, knowing he’ll manage, this time.

3. Shrios + 25 - “Tell me what you want for Christmas”

“Tell me what you want for Christmas, Thane.”

It slips out - a stray thought she’s not quick enough to catch, so simple and yet so complicated.

They’re sitting at the cafe on the Presidium - rebuilt now, almost a year after the end of the Reaper War, not as good as Zakera Cafe but closer to the shops. Someone must have asked the Council to dress the Ward in human holiday garb, as there’s Christmas decorations everywhere. 

Willow’d always wanted to have a big Christmas party, but growing up on Mindoir - and then serving in the Alliance - had put a damper on those plans. Now, she’s pretty sure Garrus and Arisa are planning to throw one, and she’s managed to buy everyone gifts.

Everyone except Thane, who’s always insisted he needs nothing, who’s always enjoyed giving her gifts, instead.

The drell pauses, settling his coffee down on the table and turning to regard her with dark eyes. Willow stares back, long-since used to the depth of those eyes, waiting patiently.

“What I want for Christmas?” he echoes, voice seeming far away, “I want time, Siha. More then I’ve been allotted. Time for both of us. Time to explore, to settle… to live.”

Willow’s heart thumps painfully, gaze falling to the table. Time is the one thing neither of them have, the one thing neither of them can control - his breath rasps in his chest, and her hair is slowly fading to white beneath the dye.

His hand closes over hers, squeezing, voice softened when he speaks, “I realize that is impossible, Willow, though I will continue to wish for it, however many years we may have. My answer, then, is you. You are all I need for Christmas.”

Willow swallows thickly, still touched by the utter sincerity, gripping his hand back and lifting her eyes back to his, “Thane…”

“And you, my beautiful Siha? What would you like for Christmas?”

“Only you.” she breathes, because she wants the same damn things as he does.

“You have me, always.” Thane stands, never once releasing her hand, pulling her up and drawing her against his side, “We have dwelled enough for one day. Let us continue browsing; you can explain more of these decorations to me.”

Willow’s smile is watery, but she nods, snuggling close against him as they walk, pointing out various decorations and their meanings.

A quiet moment in the Ryder-Ama Darav household, a day off with the kids and the dog. 

Hey guys, have a tiny little update to the Misadventures. This thing’s been sitting unfinished in my drive for... god I don’t even know how long. Oops. It’s not long, it’s not detailed, not a lot happens in it... but it’s a necessary interlude before we get into... babies.

I digress. Please enjoy ♥

The first time it happens, Aria thinks she’s hearing things.

They’re sitting on their bed maybe two weeks after Scott and Cora had eloped, spending the afternoon doing absolutely nothing.

The house has been renovated, their food supplies - levo and dextro - are topped up, they have clothes and necessities and plans and just about everything taken care of, honestly.

So they take the chance to just relax and not worry about things for a while, to just spend some time being lazy with the kids.

Their little family fits perfectly on the bed, and Aria wonders at how quickly they’d adapted, all of them. Not that I’m complaining.

Aria herself is sitting with one leg crossed under the other, left foot dangling over the edge of the bed and back braced against Jaal’s bent legs. Sayren is in her lap, forever intrigued by her belly, supported by Jaal’s hand on his back.

Adrien lays on his front beside her, arms crossed and legs kicked up - Piper sprawled over his waist, snoozing lazily and giving the occasional quiet yip in her dreams.

They’ve been entertaining the kids with stories - stories of the Milky Way, stories of Jaal’s childhood, stories of the slightly less violent times since they’d met, the quiet times and discoveries they’d made.

Sayren is much more interested in the movement of the baby - keeping his little hands pressed close to her belly and making small, wondering noises every time there’s the slightest kick - while Adrien is an endless stream of questions, enraptured by the tales of both Aria’s past and Jaals.

The turian had been born in the Milky Way, of course, but he was still young - he had memories but nothing concrete, nothing much beyond the Citadel and then the Nexus.

So Aria shares stories - stories of Earth, stories of the Citadel and her old Crew Mates, minor discoveries made on digs and the exploring she’d done before Alec’s disgrace.

She cuts off when the baby gives a particularly hard kick, giving a quiet oof while Sayren babbles excitedly, pressing closer.

“Are you alright, Darling One?” Jaal questions, knowing smile on his face.

“The baby just kicked really hard that time, I’m okay.”

“Mom, can I feel the baby?”

Aria freezes only briefly, caught by surprise but recovering quickly “Of course, hun, come here.”

Adrian scrambles up, ignoring the indignant yip! from Piper when she’s dislodged from his back and hurrying to press his hands to her belly, face lighting up when the baby kicks again.

“Hello.” he whispers quietly, just as entranced as Sayren by the movements.

Aria shares a brief look with Jaal, trying to keep back tears, not wanting to bring attention to the boys words and undo any progress they’ve made.

Jaal smiles back, rubbing one hand in slow circles over her back, his warm and energy a soothing balm.