#vaasnormandy

               “ you’re bein’ a little shit and you know it, sunshine. ”

              he doesn't make it to engineering in time to stop her, but he does make it in time to smudge his grubby hands across her visor, leaving substantial human handprints. " that's what you get, you lil' twerp. "

               it’s not exactly something he’s used to. sure, he’s the physical type, always flopping on his crew, using them as portable rest stations, pillows, whatever. but that’s him shoving himself into others’ spaces. something about him —— being the commanding officer, or just plain his bristly personality —— prevents others from doing the same. so when tali invites herself into his space, curling up in his lap like a damn kitten, it gives his heart a sharp yank. shit, she’s cute.

               “ this would be the part where i’d play with your hair... uh. if you have it. ” super smooth, nathaniel. his hand hovers over her, uncertain where to touch, where his clumsy hands wouldn’t accidentally rupture a pipe or snag a wire or something... eventually settles on her bicep, thumb pushing past the folds of her decorative sash to rub at the underlayer of her suit. 

               “ tired, honey? ”

               “ you stealin’ my gear, lil’ lady? ” nate is struggling not to laugh, and actually doing a manageable job at it. but it’s not easy. tali is both hilarious and adorable.

the commander gripped for the seals around the base of his helmet, feeling for the lock to pry it off. when his fingers felt the damaged casing, he braced himself for the pain that followed as the helmet was removed. of course his stubbornness came at a cost, one lucky shot from behind as they had retreated back to cover. "things are always messy, if i left someone behind every time something went south, i would have no crew," shepard insisted as he applied medi-gel ( more like slapped ) to where the bullet burned through the layers to the skin on his jawline.

burns healed, helmets were replaceable. tali was not.

"we know they have incendiary rounds now. find us a way around them, would you?"

THE SKY? shepard almost laughs, but traps it behind clenched teeth when he notes the wonder in her voice. maybe he decides that with just the two of them, it could be safe not respond with a flippant remark.

so, the commander follows where tali points and is greeted by a swath of stars and the two moons that loom big overhead. it's an ocean and for a second he feels like it could swallow them up. the observation deck lacks this view.

"good call," he concedes once he feels like he can breathe again. "let's take five before going back."

“  pain  isn't  the  right  word,  ”  she  grits  out.   “  just  a  minor  malfunction  of  my  implants,  it'll  pass.  didn't  expect  you  to  be  concerned,  tali'zorah  -  after  all,  what  was  i  again  …  ”  a  half-cocked  smile  manages  to  pull  against  pained  features,  “  —  a  cerberus  cheerleader  bosh'tet  ?  ” 

oh,  her  accent  is  incredibly  off. 

the  approach  is  cautious  at  best,  stride  languid  while  both  hands  hold  drinks  respectively  (  one  covered,  the  light  of  the  shepard's  apartment  catching  in  fragments  causing  a  faint  blue  glow  -  dextro  and  sterilized  )  .  she  takes  a  seat  on  the  plush  couch  without  invitation,  regarding  the  empty  and  power-offed  screen  before  putting  down  a  drink  clearly  made  as  an  offer  of  solidarity.