favoriteblogonthecitadel

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

POV RO SHEPARD INCINERATES YOU 🔥

happy birthday @gammaraydeath!!! ♡︎ mwah!

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

Heartless. (~540 words)

People have called Shepard many things over the years. Back when she had just enlisted, there were the slurs spat out by grunts with puffed out chests during basic — stupid names meant for FNGs from Earth, easy to nip in the bud by breaking someone’s nose.

The names didn’t get personal until years later, when she finally had a career to speak of; because that only happens by making tough choices, and of course those choices are for civilians and pencil pushers to criticize. Out loud. In public. And right in front of her drink.

Butcher this, barbarian that… and when someone was feeling dramatic, the one that amused her most: heartless. As though the heart had anything to do with doing her job.

But right now, Xiomara lies in bed looking at the man beside her, and thinks that maybe they were up to something.

Kaidan’s profile is barely visible in the dim light of the room. When he breathes, the rise of his chest under her hand allows her to feel his heartbeat… and Shepard feels a silence settle inside her that she hasn’t found in two or twenty years. Something like a sigh of relief, leaving her from the depth of her aching bones. Something like the thought that she could stay here for a long time.

A message on her omni-tool paints a corner of the room in an orange glow — the tenth in the past few minutes. Even with the thing on silent, she’s aware of every notification that has come through since they got into bed. She knows they will keep coming, that something is probably already going to shit in her absence. She also knows that, the moment she figures out what the next crisis is, Kaidan will follow her into it without missing a beat. These days he seems to be there at every turn. To make himself useful, he says in public; to make up for lost time, he says in private.

A message pings again. Shepard keeps her body still as she ponders that making up for lost time also means watching him sleep like this, unbothered, like he did the night before Ilos. She remembers the surprise on his face when he woke up then, blinking and with static in his hair, like actual rest had snuck up on him. It is strange to have a memory from before Alchera come back to her so clearly — but who else would be the reason if not him?

She wants so badly to keep him where he is. It’s selfish and she doesn’t care. She has to at least try.

What ruins most subterfuge work is overthinking one’s movement, making oneself artificially slow. Shepard rises in one quick, fluid move and stands by the bed on her tiptoes, like a teenager sneaking out of the house.

And she waits.

Kaidan shifts in bed. His arm reaches as if looking for something, and Shepard is sure that she’s busted… but then she sees him find her pillow and pull it close, burying his face in it. There is a long, deep breath as she watches him soothe himself back to sleep by hugging something that belongs to her.

There it is again: that feeling in her chest when she remembers that he wants her. A flutter that eases into warmth and makes it harder to leave each time.

She smiles as she steps away.

They can call her what they will when the war is over. She will give up whatever she has to — but not this, not tonight. For that, she doesn’t have the heart.

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

so much love for characters who are desperately unsure whether they’re a good person, a redeemable person, a person worth saving, but are absolutely certain that they’re a grade a hottie

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

I really needed to draw my girls. As many complaints as I may have with Mass Effect, the games are fun, yes even Andromeda.

So here's my Commander Shepard and Pathfinder Ryder

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

A day in the life of Dr Chakwas

Kaidan

Having a migraine

Model patient

10/10

Joker

Says he sneezed too hard

Actually cracked a rib laughing at one of EDI’s jokes

Points for loyalty

7/10

Shepard

Was testing hypothesis that ocular implants are inadequately hardened against tech attacks

Was correct

Claims temporary blindness was within expected outcomes

Considers this a successful test

3/10

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

Heartless. (~540 words)

People have called Shepard many things over the years. Back when she had just enlisted, there were the slurs spat out by grunts with puffed out chests during basic — stupid names meant for FNGs from Earth, easy to nip in the bud by breaking someone’s nose.

The names didn’t get personal until years later, when she finally had a career to speak of; because that only happens by making tough choices, and of course those choices are for civilians and pencil pushers to criticize. Out loud. In public. And right in front of her drink.

Butcher this, barbarian that… and when someone was feeling dramatic, the one that amused her most: heartless. As though the heart had anything to do with doing her job.

But right now, Xiomara lies in bed looking at the man beside her, and thinks that maybe they were up to something.

Kaidan’s profile is barely visible in the dim light of the room. When he breathes, the rise of his chest under her hand allows her to feel his heartbeat… and Shepard feels a silence settle inside her that she hasn’t found in two or twenty years. Something like a sigh of relief, leaving her from the depth of her aching bones. Something like the thought that she could stay here for a long time.

A message on her omni-tool paints a corner of the room in an orange glow — the tenth in the past few minutes. Even with the thing on silent, she’s aware of every notification that has come through since they got into bed. She knows they will keep coming, that something is probably already going to shit in her absence. She also knows that, the moment she figures out what the next crisis is, Kaidan will follow her into it without missing a beat. These days he seems to be there at every turn. To make himself useful, he says in public; to make up for lost time, he says in private.

A message pings again. Shepard keeps her body still as she ponders that making up for lost time also means watching him sleep like this, unbothered, like he did the night before Ilos. She remembers the surprise on his face when he woke up then, blinking and with static in his hair, like actual rest had snuck up on him. It is strange to have a memory from before Alchera come back to her so clearly — but who else would be the reason if not him?

She wants so badly to keep him where he is. It’s selfish and she doesn’t care. She has to at least try.

What ruins most subterfuge work is overthinking one’s movement, making oneself artificially slow. Shepard rises in one quick, fluid move and stands by the bed on her tiptoes, like a teenager sneaking out of the house.

And she waits.

Kaidan shifts in bed. His arm reaches as if looking for something, and Shepard is sure that she’s busted… but then she sees him find her pillow and pull it close, burying his face in it. There is a long, deep breath as she watches him soothe himself back to sleep by hugging something that belongs to her.

There it is again: that feeling in her chest when she remembers that he wants her. A flutter that eases into warmth and makes it harder to leave each time.

She smiles as she steps away.

They can call her what they will when the war is over. She will give up whatever she has to — but not this, not tonight. For that, she doesn’t have the heart.

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

Sassy thane for @zet-sway 💚

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

[CHRISTMAS-ING INTENSIFIES]

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

It’s been years since the end of the war. But in the museums and memorials, the Normandy exhibits remain as popular as ever. Many say the commander didn’t make it - but in the chaotic aftermath no body was ever recovered. When asked if an official change of status would eventually be made, the Alliance only responded: ‘we already made that mistake once’.

Happy belated N7 day ^^

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

(Coming back from the dead just for N7 Day)

Thanks Renegade button for helping me make bad decisions fast ❤️

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

Mass Effect 3 be like:

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

survivor's guilt and saviour's complex creates a very messy first human spectre. she's also plagued by ancient horrors, but it's fine she's living on borrowed time since akuze <3

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

a cerberus officer, a ghost, and an alliance sentinel...

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

In other news, Xo got the short hair treatment for ME1 and I don't think I'm ever going back<3

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

Things are very quiet around here, but maybe some of you might be interested in participating in Mass Effect Appreciation weeks in 2025!

Mass Effect Trilogy Appreciation Week (from January 13 to January 19) - #trilogyweek2025

Mass Effect Andromeda Appreciation Week (from January 27 to February 2) - #meaweek2025 

Right now, that leaves time to prepare for both and a bit of time between each week :)

What can be posted? A bit of everything: fics, gifs, fanart, meta, discussions, memes,… 

What can't be posted? I would avoid character & ship bashing and since they're appreciation weeks, I would avoid overly critical posts about the trilogy and MEA. We're here to celebrate those works.

I'll give prompts but they don’t have to be followed at all, they’re meant to be inspiration. And they're valid for both weeks :

Day 1: Family, Day 2: Friendships, Day 3: Love, Day 4: Home, Day 5: Struggle, Day 6: Species, Day 7: Future

I hope that those appreciation weeks sound interesting to you and that we’ll have a lot of fun!

I know I’ll check the tag every day to like and reblog :)

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

YOU can write whatever you want whenever however forevrr. i have to write something perfect and earth shattering and i have to do it perfectly the first time or else

[favoriteblogonthecitadel]

only took me 2ish years but here are the last kiss sketches :) thank you all for letting me borrow your shepards <33

xiomara @favoriteblogonthecitadel, ever @transgaledekarios, karina @miniature-space-hamster, beatrix @renegonbeatrix, dan hyun @luckyspacerabbit