#Shakarian wedding

[squigglysquidd]

I commissioned the ever so sweet and awesome @palavenmoons for another commission of Juxtaposed Shakarian and this time, a wing it comm!

I'm so excited to see what Pally did with it!

[that-wildwolf]

underrated shakarian fic dynamic: post-canon Garrus being scared to talk to Shepard about their relationship because as much as they obviously love and care about each other, he still has this lingering fear that maybe it was just a desperate wartime fling that wouldn't work in times of peace and he's scared her priorities have changed so much that he doesn't fit into the life she wants anymore. meanwhile Shepard's mentally picking out wedding venues

[saucywendeee]

Shakarian Wedding 💕

[whatwedointhecraft]

Mass Effect Shakarian wedding but it's the space version of the POTC At World's End wedding

[margoteve]

Normandy Album 1

Ch. 1. Proof of life

Summary: Javik gets into photography.

Ship: Tsovik, Shakarian

Available to read on AO3, Inspired by this post by @luosaugury

Next chapter: Joker wishes to troll Shepard and Garrus. With tactical use of Grunt.

Enjoy.

The first camera was a gift.

After Admiral Hanna Shepard's funeral the Commander wanted to go through all the storage lockers and the attick containing all the Shepard family legacy. The old Normandy crew volunteered so it wasn't just Vakarian and Shepard. Even the Prothean, taking a break during the 2nd book writing with Liara decided to help. 

The camera was old. Javik scoffed at it grumbling his usual 'Primitives' line as Shepard explained what it was and how it worked. It belonged to a long gone relative who took it up as a profession. There was also a photo album containing their work in the same box. Javik flipped through it at first in a mildly contemptuous curiosity but as he studied the photos - seconds of life captured on a square piece of plastic - he found himself drawn to it. The grainy quality of the pictures, memories of life long gone, people that once lived and left a small mark captured in this photo album. The world after Reapers was still loud, too bright for him but these old photos sparked something in him. In a way, in a very primitive way, these were like Echo shards of his people.

Shepard noticed the contemplating look on his face.

"You can take it," she said, nudging the box containing the photography equipment and albums. "Better it goes to you than gathering dust here."

He bristled at first trying to cover up his emotions and opened his mouth to sneer at the 'primitive technology' but he noticed Liara behind Shepard's back giving him a hopeful smile. He instead nodded, closed the box and carried it outside the storage warehouse.

It was a bit of a hassle to figure out how to actually work the camera. Even more to learn how to make the photos look how he wanted. Liara encouraged him. She happy that he found an interest other than guns when he wasn't by her side uncovering new Prothean relics and trying to claim the tools they found as 'worship objects' while they were simply a nose pick or toilet seat. Good thing he was good at dodging the projectiles she'd throw at him for trying to troll her.

Those were his first photos. Angry Liara, exasperated Liara, Liara annoyed. Happy Liara, deep in thoughts Liara, Liara with her mouth stuffed with some sort of dessert and panic in her eyes as she realized he captured her image. There were also his private Liaras, the ones he wouldn't share with anyone. Some of the photos were shit of course - blurry or with a sun flare, random finger in the lens. But he got better, learned from his mistakes. Eventually he expanded his subjects to citizens of colonies they visited as well as Citadel. Hanars were more than happy to pose even when he didn't want them to.

Though, Tali Zorah would still give him grief over the photographies of himself.

"You take selfies like a grandpa," she teased him.

"I do not see the point in them," he gruffed, brushing her off.

"It would be a nice change of pace though if you included yourself a bit more in these," Liara added quietly, browsing through his latest work. "More proof you have been here..."

His eyes lingered on her and she blushed turning her head away from him.

He invested in better tripods and studied carefully how to take proper 'selfies'. He didn't like the dronesand VIs so all his cameras were purely mechanical. His Liara collection now increased in photos with him in them.

The ultimate test came from Shepard again.

"I want you to do some photography at my wedding," she told him.

"Won't the combined Allience and Hierachy broadcast the whole thing?" Javik looked at her skeptical.

"That will be the 'official' one. We want to do a small, candid ceremony before the circus one. I want something genuine," she said.

"We thought since you really can handle the whole thing, you'd be perfect fit for it," Vakarian added.

"It just has to be genuine, Javik." Shepard smiled softly.

He agreed.

He did it. Captured the laughs of his past comrades, the slackjawed awe of Vakarian when he saw Shepard walking down the short aisle. The dancing, drinks, the party. As he was developing photos after the reception, looking through photos of Jack making out with Miranda, Grunt catching the bouqet, Wrex completely covered in krogan toddlers and kids, mournfully watching others being drunk he noticed a few photos he didn't take. Photos of him, toasting with James, swapping stories with Joker, attacked by krogan children, holding Liara's hand. He stared at them for a long while. He was there, he lived. He will be remembered.

[peachxmoons]

Who do you think would officiate the Shakarian wedding and where do you think Zaeed would fit in, given what he does to Sheps Apartment with Garrus

i like to think tali would officiate because of how close she is with both garrus and shep. wrex would also be a good candidate hehe. Zaeed would 100% be a bouncer (shepard and garrus did not ask him to be, he’s just running around as security making sure each guest has an invitation) and then he would promptly get sloshed at the reception

[misseffect]

2023 Year-End Fic Roundup

Tagged by @otemporanerys - thank you!

Words written (published or not, WIPs totally count too!)

oh god. I don’t really look at word counts for WIPs because I worry it’ll psyche me out somehow 😅 but Year One (the next Flashpoints instalment; working title) is currently sat at 36,498, The Woman in White was 16,990, and my scraps document for Flashpoints is another 6,318.

So 59,806!

Considering I spent most of last year planning a wedding and the rest getting a promotion, I’ll take it

Smut scenes written (if applicable)

1.5 - one for The Woman In White and some half-finished Shaeed antics for Year One 👀👀 watch this space

New things I tried

Spec recs!! I loved writing to a prompt and it was nice to challenge myself with the deadlines. I never want to do it for realsies but I’ll write another treat this year if there’s something I like

Fic I spent the most time on

Year One! Dreading the day I have to give it real title lmao

Fic I spent the least time on

I guess The Woman in White, just because it’s the only other thing I wrote lmao

Favourite thing I wrote

There are about 4-5 paragraphs in the middle of Year One which are genuinely some of the best descriptive writing I’ve ever done and I'm very attached to them

Favourite thing I read

I’ve been shamefully bad at reading this year but! I've loved these (all E-rated because that's who I am apparently)

Life Behind Enemy Lines by @otemporanerys is phenomenal (and now completed!). Species swap Shakarian; one of my all time fave takes on Shep

only echoes in the melody now by calypsid - beautiful Kasumi/Keiko from last year's spec recs

small opportunities by bokutoma - cheating a bit because I first came across this a few years ago but I re-read it recently. Excellent and hot one-night-stand Shakarian

Writing goals for next year

Finish Year One! My only other goal is to keep developing a good relationship with writing. I found a nice balance towards the end of last year where I was making steady, sustainable progress without feeling like I had to spend every spare second writing. Hard to measure but I'm hoping I'll just know!

Can't remember who's already done / between tagged in this @dispatchwithlove @diaphanouso @dwarrowdams @kalliesa

[skiitter]

Getting to Know You

Tagged by: @simplifiedemotions and @heyjude19-writing

Three ships: Astarion/Tav (current brainrot), Shakarian, Dhr

First ship: Captain Jack Sparrow/OFC lmao the very first fic I ever wrote was for this ship <3

Last Song: Tongues & Teeth by The Crane Wives

Last Movie: Intentionally? Hellraiser (2023).

Currently Reading: I just finished The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman and I'm in mourning.

Currently Watching: Husband and I started Star Trek DS9 and it is literally so good I'm mad we didn't watch it sooner.

Last thing I wrote: Chapter Six of Carving Through The Dark

Currently writing: I am slowly but surely working away at the final chapter for Carving Through The Dark. It's taking waaaaaay longer than anticipated thanks to starting a new job + a weekend destination wedding we had to attend.

Tagging: @sumbul @cuteasamuntin @vos-videmus @sexyapostate @flymmcargo @memendoemori @bardandbear

[ashalle-art]

The first of the two Shakarian wedding artworks for @fiannans is finished 💕

Second one is coming soon but until then, take these two cuties ♡

[mxanigel]

Shore leave? In this economy?

11 chapters, ~20700 words

female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian

past female Shepard/Ashley Williams, eventual Ashley Williams/Samantha Traynor

occasional mention of blood and injuries

rated M mainly for the sex scene in the final chapter (not necessary to read if that's not your thing)

I can hardly believe it, but Lynn Shepard's Citadel DLC fic is complete! Starting from Admiral Hackett's orders to take shore leave and concluding with a special Shakarian date after the apartment party with the whole crew, it's a rollercoaster ride of angst, banter, shenanigans, and important conversations while considering how much it would hurt to fall through a fish tank. Features all of the companions who can be invited to the party in-game plus Karin Chakwas.

Click here for the fic on AO3!

[EDIT: due to evidence of AI crawling AO3, most of my fics are now locked to registered users only]

Writing this story became my coping mechanism after an awful event in my personal life, and I'm proud of myself for seeing it through to the end. If you happen to enjoy reading this fic, let me know! <3

Here are no-context dialogue snippets from each chapter as a teaser. More under the cut~

“You do recall how to take shore leave, I hope.”

“You hurt Shepard, I’ll rip out your spine.”

“Hey, it worked, didn’t it? And you got away unscathed. Unlike turians, I knew you could duck.”

“Oh, good, a human. I need your help.”

“She’s here? She’s supposed to be dead!”

“Was that intentional?” “Perhaps. As I recall, you like it when I stretch.”

“I took a position I never wanted for the sake of the greater good. For me not staying dead to mean something.”

“Figured it was best to, how do humans say it, rip off the bandage all at once.”

“Don’t you think that’s an invasion of privacy?” “I’m a thief. I invade everyone’s privacy.”

“Garrus, I brought you here to make you a promise.”

“It’s almost too bad the ride didn’t last as long as other Citadel elevators.” “That definitely would’ve been bad.” “Oh? Why?” “I would’ve ripped off half your clothes by the time we arrived.”

[commandervalashepardvakarian]

"My first impressions weren't great, so I hope you'll allow me another try. Commander Vala Shepard, I love you, and only you. And if the universe tries to take you from me again, the Reapers are going to be the least worrisome."

Vala & Garrus ♥️☄️

[mickstart]

Found family media that ends with the family "naturally separating" primarily BC some of them pair up and form their own nuclear families with babies are bullshit. Not mass effect though. I think it's actually criminal that they tried to keep that from me in mass effect. I could do it right. I could keep the vibes and not Epilogue: Babies it.

[baejax-the-great]

WIP meme: Shakarian Wedding

Thank you. This is a follow up to the first fanfic I ever wrote, Priority Mission: The Wedding. That fic was a crew briefing before the mission, and here I started to write how the mission actually goes.

~

Kaidan cried.

Shepard had expected that, looking at the crew who stood with her and Garrus on the dais. They had mixed about eighteen wedding traditions together, because once Garrus had agreed to the fucking thing in the first place, it only made sense to just keep agreeing to everything else. The only thing he had apparently put his foot down on was “wearing that stupid hat,” a turian tradition, so she was told, earnestly, by his father who held it hopefully in one hand while Shepard shook her head. So Garrus’s dad, wearing his own stupid hat, got up and gave his approval in the bonding, and Wrex stood up in lieu of Shepard’s parents and gave his—though he paused just long enough to make Garrus sweat.

Good. The idea that someone in the galaxy other than Shepard had the authority to decide who she married absolutely rankled. Garrus did assure her that parents objecting generally led to a longer, more complicated ceremony with more paperwork—the turian equivalent of a prenup, she eventually figured out— and not a dissolution of the relationship entirely. Still, Wrex held out the silence until Garrus pulled at his collar, and then he chuckled his agreement.

They had an asari priest ordain the thing, because why not? There were too many human traditions for Shepard to choose from, and she’d been clear the one she wanted was elopement anyway, so they might as well just hire someone local to get it done. Of course, once the asari Councilor learned this, she fired that priest and picked a more prestigious one, but Shepard wasn’t complaining. She and Garrus splashed water at each other’s faces in symbolism of the Goddess’s bounty or cleansing or—honestly Shepard wasn’t listening that closely. They gave each other rings, Shepard struggled to use a comically large pen made for a turian hand to sign some paperwork, and then there were the vows.

[whatwedointhecraft]

Bonus fic: Zaeed is the offiiator of the Shakarian wedding and he threatens to shoot people if they object

I took Zaeed to rescue Garrus on Mass Effect 2 and when I got back to the Normandy, I talked to Zaeed and he was like "I like him. We both had the same goals: Get rid of the annoying merc bastards"

And all I can picture in my head is a Garrus defense squad led by Shep and Zaeed, and then it cuts to the ME3 Citadel dlc where Zaeed and Garrus start boobytrapping Shep's new apartment and there's just a neon sign above their heads pointing at them both like "BEST FRIENDS" in flashing lights

[jpscyther24]

Wedding Plans Gone (happily) Awry

When your quick 500 word mini-story morphs into a near 5000 word story because you decided to plan the entire ceremony...

[shepardluvsgarrus]

Shepard's Vows I love you, Garrus Vakarian. I love you. I knew...the moment you walked into my life, there wasn't ever going to be anyone else I trusted more, no one else who I looked to for strength. When the entire galaxy is coming apart, being with you is the only thing that makes me feel safe. I love you...and I never want to be without you.