#cbunwrites

[crescentbunny]

Specreqs 2023 reveals are out, and as you can tell, my piece was Shaeed centric. If you enjoy two damaged people wishing they weren't perfect for one another - then this is a story for you!

“Dammit, Zaeed—” she tried unsuccessfully to pry his fingers from her. “Fine. You just get it, ok? You get what it’s like to make sick decisions and live with them, and you don't feed me a bunch of bullshit to make it better. It’s not better, it’s never better. You don’t look at me like you pity me, and you don’t look at me like you are begging me to save you.” She finished her little tirade with a higher pitch than she would have liked.

He was gazing up at her with an inscrutable emotion on his face now, and she desperately wished she could rewind the last few seconds.

Finally he nodded, just a quick incline of his chin before he pulled his hands away to tuck them behind his head again.

Agitation creeped through her blood, trying to suffocate the lust smoldering there. “Wait, that’s it? All that wheedling and you give me a bro nod. What the fuck, Zaeed?”

He shrugged. “I thought you might cry about daddy issues or something. I didn’t think it would be that deep. Now I don’t know what to say.”

“Well holy shit, I’ve made Zaeed ‘stories’ Massani at a loss for words. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re the only old fart I’ve ever fucked.”

[crescentbunny]

No Good Day

In honor of my favorite Commander's birthday coinciding with not just mine, but my bestie @mallaidhsomo's birthday, I decided a mash-up was overdue.

So, happy birthday Molly, and happy birthday Commander of my heart! Here's a little snippet of our chaotic Shepard's if they had been earth born twins in another universe. <3

__________________

Emery fisted her hand in the hem of her dirty tank top and stretched it to his nose. “Here.”

He smacked her hand away and wiped his arm across his face, smearing blood all the way to his elbow, and shot her a glare she rarely ever saw directed at her. 

“This woudna happened if you’d left well enough alone,” he said angrily.

Guilt clenched through her belly, but a dark dribble sped past his lips, so she tried again to hold her shirt hem to his bleeding nose.

Eric sighed, but he didn’t yank away from her this time. “Why’d you go and do that anyway? You know what messing with Lark means.”

Her tears welled, hot and angry immediately. “Because he’s an asshole,” she spat.

He fixed her with a look, despite his swollen eye that was already purpling. “I should’ve just let him hit you.”

His mumbled words hung visibly in the cold air, and somehow she felt like she’d gotten that punch anyway.

The rain was the only sound between them, loudly pinging off the metallic awning of the stoop they were huddled in.

He was soaked to the bone, his baggy clothes sticking to him and black street grime went all the way up his thin legs. He looked so small and miserable, and she probably looked exactly the same.

This was not how she’d been thinking this would go at all. The entire day had been a fat mess.

Just like her.

She opened her mouth, but a Lonestar shuttle blasted by somewhere close, its siren and thrusters seeming to rob her of the right words as they drowned out even the pounding storm.

Rain was pouring down her face in thick streams, and plastering her ponytail uncomfortably to her neck - and that suited her just fine, she could let the tears go and he wouldn’t even know.

“He took my money,” she grumbled, then turned away from him to blindly watch the tourists shuffling by the dim alleyway.

“What?!” Eric exclaimed. “God, Em, I got socked because he took a measly coupla cen—”

“No! He took 10 whole credits from me!” she cried. “And they were mine! I spent all day helping Mrs. Lee clean that shitty little shack to get that!”

He blinked up at her, but before he could continue she put her foot on her sopping windbreaker and yanked it to them, then bent awkwardly to scoop it up off the toe of her boot while keeping her shirt firmly under her brother’s nose.

Emery shoved the jacket into his lap. “Here. It’s for you.”

He sucked in a shuddering breath around her wet shirt and gently unwrapped her present.

“Oh…Em…” he trailed off.

“It wasn’t a waste,” she vomited the words at him, knowing his likely protests and trying to head them off. “It's not replicated - I went all the way up to Greenwich for it.”

He held up the clear plastic container to the flickering stoop light to get a better look at the dark piece of chocolate cake inside of it.

“Why?”

Emery shuffled her feet. “Well, it's our birthday right? You said it was probably sometime in February.”

Shadows of emotions passed across his face, but with his fat eye she couldn’t tell if they were good or bad.

The container crinkled and popped in his grip.

So, she hurriedly continued. “And you’re a teenager now. That seemed….” she trailed off.

Eric tugged on her arm until she sat next to him, then he popped open the lid of the cake and eagerly shoved a goey piece into his mouth.

“Mmm,” he hummed, then held the container out under her chin and impatiently shook it. “You’re 13 now too, you know.”

Emery’s stomach growled loudly as she stuck her fingers into the frosting. It was every bit as soft and perfect as it looked in the glass case, but nothing prepared her for the absolutely overwhelming creamy sweetness of real.

So she savored that bite, curled shivering into her brother’s side while blood dried on his face.

“Worf it?” she asked with her mouth full.

Eric nodded and swallowed another bite. “Yeah. I’m sorry I said that — I’m glad I didn’t let him hit you, Em.”

She snorted. “Because I'm the most thoughtful sister ever?”

He stuffed another piece in his mouth and talked around it. “No, becuf I still look goof even wif a black eye — you’f look like a vorcha.”

Emery punched him in the arm, and they both dissolved into laughter muffled by chocolate cake.

[crescentbunny]

Discovered your Shakarian fic. Fell in love with your Shep. She's too hot, hot damn. :)

Awww thank you so much for loving my bastard child Jane :)

[crescentbunny]

Slivers of Time

Ao3 Link

So I participated in treat giving in this years @spectre-requisitions-exchange

This was my gift to some fellow Shepard x Wrex fans. If you are looking for an ace coded un-traditional love story - this is it. 

“A look backwards at Shepard's recovery, life, and happiness after the Reapers were defeated - as seen by an old krogan.”

Snippet:

Weeks turned into years in the span of a sigh for him - a typical phenomenon for someone his age. But certain things were still vivid - like the day they’d unloaded Shepard’s stretcher from the Normandy’s shuttle. The amount of people at the landing strip stretched on farther than his eyes could see, turning into a dark blur against the vivid orange sky of earth's setting sun as he looked out over them. Salarians, krogan, asari, turians, batarians, elcore, vorcha - all intermixed with the humans in a blend of colors and shapes and heights that knew no end, straight to the horizon line.

They had all stood so quietly he hadn’t expected anyone was outside the shuttle’s door until he saw it for himself. As Shepard was hovered over the tarmac, strapped to the machines keeping her alive while they moved her, the crowd shifted in a wave across bodies. Every individual that he could see had raised a hand to their foreheads in a human salute.

He didn’t know what signaled them, but clapping nearest the perimeter began, growing and swelling into a deafening din of noise - applause, stomping, whooping. Thousands of voices came together for her.

If krogans cried like humans did, he probably could have right then. It was a shame she’d been unconscious for it.

[crescentbunny]

Priority Citadel - Aftermath

WELP, you asked @a-cosmic-elf - Enjoy! Happy N7 Day Ya’ll!

There was nothing but static on his com line… her chest and stomach constricted as her eyes darted around the civilians. There was no hint of his familiar silver and blue plates. 

“GARRUS!” she called.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit - there was absolutely no way a bunch of Cerberus dogs could have gotten the drop on him when they were separated… right?

He wouldn’t let that happen, of course not.

Shepard dashed down the dock a ways and put her hand up to her mouth. “Garrus!”

He wouldn’t… unless he was outnumbered. Nah, he’d been in that situation before.

Panic slithered through her belly as her gaze dropped to the floor, searching the scattered victims laying in rainbow pools of intermixed blood. Every spot of azure made her hold her breath. She’d long since left Javik behind.

Dammit. 

“Garrrruuus!” Her voice cracked as she yelled. 

People were turning to look at her as she weaved through them, desperately snapping her head back and forth, searching. Still no familiar slashes of cobalt. There was a turian in familiar armor collapsed near one of the columns… in a pool of blood. She could feel a black line of fluid begin it’s trail down her lip and she wiped furiously at it before bending to roll the soldier over. 

Shepard heaved a relieved exhale. Not him. She propelled herself back to standing, then running.

Were the docks always this long? She clutched at a stitch in her side as she sprinted through the throngs of refugees. “Garrus!” 

Nothing, nothing, every time she turned her head. There! A turian with blue marks. She beelined for him, but as she moved closer there was no way - all wrong. Different mandibles, skin too light, fringe too short, back not wide enough.

“Fuck,” she muttered, and took off again, gaze roaming bodies and people, the crowds murmurs unable to reach her ears. Every step made the Leviathan twist and rumble as it reveled in her mounting fear and panic. The hum of it was deafening - she wiped angrily at her nose again. 

“Garrus!” The bellow was hoarse. Every eye on the dock was pointed at her. The media, these people - they could think whatever the fuck they wanted - about her, about him.

She was in over her head. You can’t do this without him. The thought rattled loudly in the hollowness inside her and The Leviathan writhed at the admission. It could take her and use her as it willed if Garrus was laying anywhere— no. No, she couldn’t go down that path yet. Not yet. She took a knee next to another dead turian with silver plates, and turned him over. A delicate set of hoops pierced through his mandibles tinkled as she moved him. Shit, this one was young - the crest wasn’t fused yet. Fucking Cerberus. Fucking Udina.

Shepard dragged herself to her feet once more and took off. She rounded another column and noticed there was a large crowd of turian soldiers standing on her right far down the dock from her. She could just make out their heads bobbing. Hope fluttered weakly in her abdomen.

“Garrus!” she screamed. 

A shrill noise answered from the pack of bodies, and sure enough, he stepped out where she could see him.

She’d know that outline anywhere in the galaxy. 

“Shepard!” he called back. 

The relief that flooded her buckled her knees and sent her crashing into the ground face first. In the back of her mind she knew that’d be on the news later but her elation was too high to care. She leapt back up and burned a trail as fast as her aching muscles could take her. The crowds of beings parted to let her pass.

Garrus skidded to a stop as she approached - he had the best slack-mandibled look on his face as she threw herself at him. Shepard locked her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hide, breathing in the burnt ozone and spent heatsink smell of him, the mineral scent of his sweat. Thank god and whatever spirits he was always talking about - he was alive. 

Garrus nosed into her shoulder, humming soothingly as he clutched her to his chest.  

“Fuck...fuck, shit,” she murmured into his neck. “Your coms busted...I couldn’t find you...I thought…”

He chuckled, the noise vibrating through his keel. “If you say you thought I was dead, I’m going to be offended.”

This stupid, stupid bastard. She was fucked. Absolutely fuckered. It was him. It was always him, had always been him. 

Would always be him.

Even after all the years she’d told herself she couldn’t. Wouldn’t. 

“Just shut up, Vakarian.” Curse her shaky voice.

His flippant tone shifted immediately. “I’m sorry, Shepard. I was coming to find you before they crowded me… the downside to being recognizable I suppose,” he sighed quietly into her hair and her insides clenched painfully. 

Dammit.

The muscles in his neck flexed and she instinctively burrowed further into his collar. ”Don’t move. I don’t need anyone to see my face right now.”

__________________________________________________

Joker already had his chair swiveled towards the hatch the second the decon door slid back. “Oh my god, here she is - Shepard did you see the news you ar—” 

“Stuff it Joker, I don’t want to hear it.” She snapped and whirled past him to stomp down the neck of the CIC with Javik right behind her.

Garrus sighed. “Joker, do you have to—”

“Oh, absolutely.” The pilot propped his fingers on his chest, mockingly indigent. “This is my time honored right! Do you know how much shit she gave me when I fell for the cafeteria girl back in basic?” 

Garrus slid a palm over his fringe. 

“A metric fuckton! So I’ll milk every second of that gooey display for all it’s worth! Did you know the news already has you both on replay right now?”

The sniper sighed. “I don’t know anyone else in the galaxy stupid enough to mess with her you know - even Jack shut up when she told her to knock it off.”

“You didn’t hear Wrex’s call with her - he literally just called to laugh until she hung up on him.”

“Do you always listen to her personal calls?”

“Only when I think they’ll be funny, I promise.”

Garrus rolled his eyes. “She might not beat your brittle ass - but you do realize when you rile her up it’s me and Vega who get the brunt of her frustration right?”

“I know, isn’t it great?” Joker leaned back with his arms propped under his head. When Garrus narrowed his eyes at him he sat back up and held out a placating hand. “Look that’s got to be doing you some favors at least.”

The suggestive lilt of his smirk was not lost on Garrus. Bait. Don’t answer. “If you want to see what a real turian can do Joker - all you’ve got to do is ask.”

The pilot scrunched his nose. “I think I’m good on my blue dick quotas, but Shep’s might be a little light - ask her.”

Garrus turned on a chuckle to move down the neck of the ship. 

“Hey Garrus?” Joker called.

He turned back to face the pilot.

“Good for you man.” The hesitant little smile he flashed was nearly endearing.

“Thanks, Joker.”

[crescentbunny]

“And that’s not all!” One Shavik work for my fellow shippers sure, but I can’t leave out my lovely Shakarian crew! Whether you celebrate it or not, I think most of us are connected with celebrating an independence from England day so have a present <3</p>

[crescentbunny]

Rapscallion please!

800 years later I answer - I am sorry @onionjuggler tumblrs shitty message system did NOT tell me there was an ask in here!

Rapscallion - I don't have much written for this but it's basically a space pirate AU of Femshep, Jack, and Aria out to conquer the terminus one system at a time. There will be hijinks, run ins with spectres, the Council, CSEC and the like - daring escapes and blowing shit up and just generally making the councils most wanted list five times over. In short - I'm gonna let the girls go absolutely feral with zero remorse.

[crescentbunny]

Thank you for tagging me! @shut-up-alexa

Tagging  @that-wildwolf @rpgwrites @mordinette

If you want Mass Effect Fic, come check me out. 

I’m p sure I’ve been tagged for this before and decided not to partake since I only had the one fic so if you tagged me before for this - I’m sorry, I didn’t ignore you I did see it!

How many works do you have on AO3?

Just the 2 - for now

What’s your total AO3 word count?

175,504

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Of course are you kidding? Creators live for feedback and I’m not going to let a single ounce of the kindness people have chosen to give me go to waste or even seemingly go unappreciated. My britches will NEVER be to big to reply, even if I got thousands a day I would answer back.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

For the moment it’s Of Reapers and Burnt Beginnings. The end of ME2 didn’t end on a high note, and the games certainly didn't explore it - so I did.  Shep getting court martialed and put on trial would be a public media FRENZY. We are talking death threats, assassination attempts, threats of war over the Butcher of Torfan’s seemingly callous murdering spree in the Bahack system, at the bare minimum! The next portion of this fic, Of Shallow Graves and Glorious Cinders, is still being written to completion before I post. Its first few chapters explore the fall out of the trial and its effects on Shepard’s mental health and that of her friends as well.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

I guess Devil’s Den? It ends with Shakarian in a post-coital haze with a moment of fluff obliterated by Joker. 

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the strangest one you’ve written?

Not yet

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Also not yet - I’ve been super lucky and non-stop supported by the most lovely and kind people. I am so spoiled - I know it and I take no moment for granted. 

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

In my WIP folder there is EVERY kind. Well, maybe that’s not true - I don't get heavy into sub/dom kink or even understand the alpha/omega stuff. I apparently took too much of a break from fanfic and missed that trend.

One of these days I’m gonna write smut of Samara just utterly destroying Femshep. You can’t tell me a 1,000 year old biotic matriarch couldn’t teach you a few out-there things that wouldn’t blow your tits clean off your body, okay. 

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of? How would that work? I don’t think I’d care if someone plagiarized me hard - not like I get paid for this and I’d read it, hell yeah. I’ll read the same story line by different people 900 different ways, sign me up. But if someone just outright posted it somewhere else with no credit... that’d be shitty. Don’t do that people. 

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope, I wish! I wish I knew 4 other languages, I’d just do it myself! That's got to be a massive labor of love though holy shit.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I haven’t but I’m certainly open to it - if it’s an idea that gets me excited I’ll throw down with someone.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

In Mass Effect it’s Femshep x Garrus. I can ship literally anyone with femshep with extraordinary ease though. Special mention to Shack, Shrios, and Shaeed too.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I FULLY intend to complete every half realized story in my WIP folder - so hopefully none.

What are your writing strengths?

I’m not entirely sure? I just know I like to read what I write. Which is the whole point. My most poignant comments have been about good characterization and “really hot sex" lol. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

Getting into the grove. It takes me hours to settle down and crank out words. My job is very stressful and it doesnt leave me a lot of time to write, and when I do have time I feel wiped out. Ah, adulthood.

Editing my own shit. I get sucked into the story EVERYTIME and I stop looking for errors. Man it’s annoying. (I mean, it’s a good thing too. I write for myself after all, but WHAT a hinderance.)

Not sure what to call it, but I’ve discovered I have a very out there opinion on how sentences should be arranged and boy howdy does @shepgarrus call me on it. She also reigns in my over-the-line prose too, lol.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I wish I was better at it because I love it. I’ve been trying to write a Solavellan fic and even though I’ve read the elvhen cypher breakdown on Ao3 clean through like five times I just cannot wrap my head around it. And that's just a cypher. Imagine me trying to learn an actual language and you will instantly see why I struggled through languages in school.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Sailor Moon!! I’ve got so much fic from my 14 yr old self stored away on my computer still. I can't decide if any of it is cute or just fucking atrocious. Lordy. Trust me it’s all been deleted from ffn.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Of Reapers and Burnt Beginnings. I’m just so proud I wrote it at all after not writing a single thing since high school, and I finished it. It’s hella long - longer than The Two Towers, or Return of the King!