#gunnerychief

𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙇  ⇢ @gunnerychief​

      “𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑻𝒀 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑭𝑼𝑳 there, williams,” lean arms fold over slender chest, gaze curious, “something on your mind?” 

These  words  needn’t  be  said  aloud  and  yet  they  push  out  of  her  mouth  ever  the  same.  Terse  yet  a  touch  lofty  for  the  awkward  air  that  sits  between  them.  No  love  lost,  not  yet  at  least  and  Miranda  is  far  from  interested  in  playing  the  part  of  delight  with  Shepard’s  current  crew.  She’s  almost  certain  they  feel  the  same  –  Alliance  bred  with  little  desire  to  mingle  with  a  former  operative  of  the  organization  they  currently  oppose.  Not  that  they  were  ever  exactly  on  friendly  terms. 

But  it’s  a  quaint  head  nod  of  respect  before  her  arms  cross,  a  chuckle  disguise  as  a  laugh  passing  over  her  tongue,   “    –  though  I’m  certain  from  what  Shepard  has  regaled  me  of,  you’re  more  than  deserving  of  it.    ”

SHEPARD COME GET UR MANLET

MEME TAG // ACCEPTING

she’s lost track of how long they’ve been waiting, legs starting to stiffen after hours of being molded to one of the chairs stretched in a neat row. the waiting room is as a bland as one might expect it to be, shiny and clean and gleamingly white and utterly devoid of any sort of a personality so as not to offend any race that might happen to be waiting within it. not unlike, shepard thinks, the general personality of the ambassador. 

“ok,” ashley shifts her weight aside her and shuts down her omni-tool, the magazine flashing up on its screen disappearing, “this is ridiculous. it’s been what, two hours now?”

“at least,” shepard sighs and glances briefly down at her omni-tool, “wait, two hours and 11 minutes, actually. you were close though, ash.” 

“udina’s just doing this to piss us off, you know,” ashley glares at the closed door looming before them with an intensity that has the tendency to encourage retreat, “he’s still mad you went off script last time we had to talk to the council.” she huffs angrily, flicking dark hair away from her face irritably, “you showed him up. he’s mad.” 

“without a doubt,” she yawns, wrist pressed against her mouth to conceal it, “show an ounce of any sort of genuine charisma and they’ll hold it against you.” one leg moves to cross over the other as the first prickles of numbness begin to set in. 

“can’t fucking stand politicians. haven’t so much as picked up a gun, much less fired it, and they’re convinced they know more than soldiers.” ashley’s fingers drum restlessly against her thigh. “do we have to check in with him? i mean, this is a waste of our time, shepard. we have things we actually need to be doing, not...not just sitting here, staring at the wall.”

shepard rubs at her brow, the gleaming lights slowly beginning to give her a headache. “if we don’t, he’ll use it as an excuse for something, find a way to hold it against us. last thing i need is the council on my ass too because udina stirred up trouble.” 

she shifts in her chair, another yawn following, and rests her head against ashley’s shoulder. “you wore your comfy armor today. thanks for that.” 

“duly noted,” there’s a faint sheen of humor in her voice now, “i’ll keep it in mind next time we have to play at diplomacy, make sure i’m prepared appropriately.” 

“we’ll give it,” shepard glances at her omni-tool again, “20 more minutes before we call it quits.”

ashley is silent for a long moment and shepard looks over to see if the magazine is shining on her omni-tool, but instead ashley’s lips are pursed tightly together, thoughtfully. “you’re too good for this, shepard,” ashley finally states quietly, “you deserve better than this, than having to wait in the lobby like some schmuck who lost their visa. i don’t know how you’re not...not angry about it.”

“oh,” she sits up now, “i’m mad. i’m fucking furious, i just don’t show it.” shepard shrugs loosely, nods her head towards the door and the secretary quietly clicking away at a screen. “i’d rather let him think he’s won some little battle with me. he can think i’m stupid for all i care.” a faint smirk appears, wry and playful. “but one day, he’s gonna’ need me for something and guess what? i just won’t be able to fit it into my schedule. i’m content to play the long game and let me tell you, karma? she’s a bitch. ” 

ashley looks at her. “promise me you’ll let me be there when it happens.” 

( @gunnerychief​​  ⟶  “ this time though , i stitched myself up ” )

❛    Ash .  .  .   ❜   Her  name  hangs  in  the  air ,  dust  settling  on  the  debris  like  an  attic  filled  with  locked  away  memories :  the  things  always  close  by  but  easier  to  hide  away  rather  than  to  acknowledge .   It’s  clear  the  tension  between  the  two  has  not  fully  subsided  and  the  cold  air  stings  her  nose  as  she  takes  a  long  inhale .  Thin ,  freckled  lips  press  firmly  into  a  hard  line  as  she  calculates  her  next  move .  As  if  their  friendship  was  some  sort  of  battlefield  she  needed  to  strategize  to  navigate  through ;   there  were  so  many  things  she’d  do  differently  now .   ❛    Ash ,  you  know  if  there’s  anything  I  can  do  for  you ,  I’m  just  a  call  away .   ❜   Her  eyes  seek  out  some  kind  of  understanding ,  something  to  acknowledge  that  Ashley  was  just  as  sick  of  this  back  and  forth  as  she  was               she  would’ve  took  just  about  anything  at  this  point .

❛     .  .  .  we  don’t  have  to  keep  going  on  like  this .   ❜