He thought she was sensitive, naive. And maybe she is, but not in the way a human is.

What could be the problem, her face says, doesn't every organic specimen want to live? That's what Cerberus did, and now you can go back out there and preserve life. That's what you want, isn't it?

"I-I can’t believe Kaidan didn’t make it. How could we just leave him down there?"

"Alenko knew the risks going in. He gave his life to save the rest of us."

*

Shepard marched into Miranda’s office, the frame in hand. He held it up so that Ashley’s face would illuminate the black screen. “What is this?” he said, his voice stern and expecting, like a parent who found Fornax under their kid’s bedroom.

Miranda’s attention remained firmly on her monitor. His entrance did not cause so much as a raised eyebrow. “It’s a photo in a frame,” she answered flatly.

Shepard scoffed, lips flared. “Oh, she has jokes, does she?”

“She has work to do, as I imagine you do, Commander. I suggest we both get back to it.”

“Yeah? What kind of work, Miss Lawson? Does the Illusive Man not have enough information on my personal life to wave in front of my face? Does he need you to find a distant cousin or an old teacher to threaten if I don’t do exactly as he says?”  

Miranda clicked her teeth, and her monitor blinked off. “It was a welcoming gift, Commander, to make you feel at ease in this difficult time. That’s it.”

“With a photo of a random marine from the Normandy?”

Miranda shook her head. “Commander, don’t insult me. You and Lieutenant Williams were seen together.”

“She helped me on my mission to stop Saren, of course we were together at times.”

“No, after that.”

Brown Eyes Romantization

Acknowledges her amazing skill as a sniper

Acknowledges her support and how he definitely would have died a few times without her.

Tagged by @shadoedseptmbr. Thank you!

*

An old friend, someone from before he left for the villa, made good on his promise. A picture of a family; a man, woman, two toddlers and a baby, all smiling for the camera. Shepard smiled, his friend had gone civilian, and they met for drinks to catch up, in this blip of free time before he was deployed again. A lot had happened in a few years.

Shepard turned off the picture and looked around his apartment. He had been living on Arcturus Station for years, but the Alliance insisted the first human Spectre get an upgrade; a high-end, private living space on the Citadel.

The original idea was that he had a “flare up”; not really using it, but a reaction under extreme duress. His house was about to collapse, he tried to rescue his sister, but the whole thing came down. The biotics softened the blow on him and he survived under the rubble for a few hours.

But if humans can’t use biotics without an implant … maybe it’s more mundane. He tried to get everyone out an failed. When the Alliance rescued him and checked for injuries they discovered he had eezo exposure and he should strongly consider enlisting; he’ll get an implant and a free ride. Raph didn’t care about that but remains haunted by the fact that he had the ability to save his family, but could not actually use it.