#zaeed x shepard

[finchmarie]

I'm so behind on smoochies for February, kicking off with Lark Shepard and Zaeed. Nothing gets the blood pumping like escaping a collector ship.

[asirensrambles]

Cultural Exchange

@flufftober

Flufftober Day 4: Zaeed Massani/female Shepard Cinderella Moment

"Some women find facial scars attractive. Mind you, most of those krogan are women." In which I take Garrus' line from ME2 after taking a rocket to the face and use it as the basis for krogan attraction as a culture, then explore how that would influence their perception of Zaeed Massani.

Not in a million years did Zaeed ever think he'd end up on Tuchanka. Then again, ever since accepting the contract from Cerberus, he'd been places and done things he never could've even dreamed of. So honestly, going to the krogan homeworld to visit the current clan leader should just be par for the course at this point. Considering they were meeting with Urdnot Wrex, one of Shepard's old squadmates from chasing Saren, he'd been surprised when she told him to suit up instead of Garrus or Tali. Nevertheless, when the Commander asked him to go somewhere, Zaeed followed.

Considering how rarely humans went to Tuchanka -if they'd even ever been there before- Zaeed was expecting to get more than a few looks. What he was not expecting was to get double takes and blatant once or twice overs. Grunt and Shepard were getting their fair share of looks too, but Zaeed was the only one getting stares. It was guddamn unsettling is what it was. None of the stares seemed to hold any malice, but Zaeed made his living by flying under the radar. So much direct attention burrowed under his skin and set fire to his nerves. Phantom pain prickled out from the edges of his synthetic skin grafts. Trying to remain as nonchalant as possible about it, Zaeed shifted his hands closer to the weapons strapped to his person. Shepard, by contrast, seemed more at ease than he'd ever seen her, even moreso than on Illium.

One of a kind, that woman.

Grunt, for his part, had an air of superiority about him that seemed to be setting other krogans on edge. If they made if off Tuchanka without a fight, it'd be a miracle. Hell, if they made it to see Shepard's old squadmate without someone getting decked, Zaeed would be surprised. It wasn't that they were looking for a fight, but with whatever was going on with Grunt and Shepard never one to back down, the odds of violence were significantly higher than zero. Fortunately, they made it to Urdnot Wrex's throne with minimal incident.

The reunion between the krogan leader and the Commander was far warmer than Zaeed would have ever guessed. The two had clearly bonded while hunting for Saren, easy affection on display. Wrex looked at Shepard with almost fatherly pride, and she seemed like a kid whose parents just got back from a long trip. As Shepard introduced the clan leader to her companions, Zaeed nearly sneered when Wrex's eyes lingered on him, giving him a once over. The once over didn't feel malicious, but the mercenary's nerves were on edege from all the looks and being in the center of so much attention. Strangely enough, the once over felt similar to ones he'd received from women and a few men in bars before Vido blew half his face off.

Wrex turned back to Shepard and chuckled. "Damn Shepard, of course you of all people would manage to find the one human that's actually good looking."

The gears in Zaeed's brain ground to a halt. Good looking? Him?

By necessity, he was not a vain man. Although he'd been considered handsome when he was younger, Vido had made sure that was never the case for the rest of Zaeed's life. While in the grand scheme of things, his appearance wasn't nearly as important as his life. Mercenaries didn't need to look pretty to get the job done. Still, it hurt the way people couldn't quite meet his eyes or would try and ogle him from the corner of their eyes while trying to be subtle about it. Mirrors were something Zaeed actively avoided for years after the incident with Vido, to the point where it was still a habit even now. So for anyone, even a krogan, to find him good looking? Well, he didn't have any idea about what to do with that.

Shepard grinned broadly at Wrex, but there was something softer to it Zaeed didn't want to think about as her gaze slid over to meet his eyes. "Didn't I just? It's nice having someone around who's good with a gun and a pretty face. That combination is so much harder to come by than you'd think."

Wrex roared with laughter. Meanwhile, Zaeed was fairly certain the rubble under him just experienced a landslide. A pretty face? Him? Shepard, one of the most beautiful, incredible, competent women he'd ever met thought his scarred, damaged face was pretty? There was no teasing to her tone, and while the commander could poke fun, she would never be cruel enough to joke about something like this. She meant it. Zaeed couldn't even begin to consider the implications of Shepard thinking he had a pretty face and giving him a soft smile, one he was now realizing had only ever been directed at him. While Zaeed tried to keep himself from fullblown spiraling, Wrex clapped Shepard on the shoulder.

"You really are part krogan, Shepard, you know that?  You get that there's nothing sexier than some good scars."

So that's why Zaeed had been getting so many stares earlier. He'd forgotten about that particularity of krogan culture. Unexpectedly, a ball of warmth settled in his stomach before spreading out to the rest of him. Maybe most of the galaxy would always find his scars ugly and repulsive, rather than a sign of everything he had survived and endured. If that's how it was going to thing, so be it.

But at least here, amongst the krogan, Shepard's people in spirit if not blood -and weren't the implications of that just something to deal with another day- Zaeed was beautiful.

[werdlewrites]

masterlist - ao3 - twitter @ djomamma

summary: The Spectre simply ignores the panic as she begins to drown in old memories against her will. The hands of her past were at her throat to force her deeper down and swallow the truth. She had died that day, and so did they. warnings: ptsd, fire, blood, grief/loss, self-doubt, depression, femshep, shakarian wc: 2,687

It could be the color.

The brilliance of red, orange, and white. It is an elegant dance of destruction as it spreads like a virus. It consumes the world. Bit by bit. Devouring and leaving only a dying light in its wake and the blackness of the end. But she can't see the structure she stands within as it crumbles or the beautiful greenery beyond the platform. There are only the sparks of torn wiring and a damaged hull. A deep crimson staining the once pristine and shining metal palettes—dripping—spreading.

It could be the heat.

Zora was disgustingly humid. If it weren't for the regulators within the suit, she'd be standing in her sweat. Weighed down by the lack of energy as the air pulled every shred of water from her pores, draining her dry. But this was something different—this heat. It radiates from the shifting hues—pulsating and digging deep into the flesh without mercy, stealing your breath, and filling the empty spaces with its silent death. She can feel the quickening of her heart rate, thinking of the last time fire kissed her skin and what followed.

It could be the smell.

It's not long after the gunshot that it assaults her senses. It stings her eyes and claws at her nose. The smell of something horrid and putrid. She could only compare it to leather—to flesh as it reaches the sun's surface, scorched. The workers aren't there with them, their pain unseen and unheard. But, at her feet, all she finds are the bodies of good men and women who died in her name. It was just another day of searching through the galaxy in desperation. A cure for this oncoming plague known as Reapers—and it all ends in fire.

Her fist meets the side of his face without warning. Armored knuckles against his smug and prideful expression. He was ready for the hunt, and she was prepared to put him down. “Are you insane?” There's anger in the woman's tone—maybe a touch of disbelief. She had worked alongside every creature, from Rosetta to Aethon. Some good, others bad. But never one so willing to sacrifice the lives of others. The only crime they had been guilty of was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

“You're endangering lives—and the mission—for your own selfish revenge!”

“You really want to do this, Shepard?” Zaeed bites back. Finger eager on the trigger and ready to gain closure for his trauma, no matter the costs. No matter the civilians or his commander's life.

It could mean nothing at all, but Garrus doubts it. Her lips twist in a snarl as she turns her back on him, pretending not to care about the flames as they climb higher and spread further. It's all business with her. The Spectre simply ignores the panic as she begins to drown in old memories against her will. The hands of her past were at her throat to force her deeper down and swallow the truth.

She had died that day, and so did they.

A stern finger points, nearly jabbing at his plated chest, and the Turian can see it then—the mask. It’s the face of a woman burdened to save the galaxy. Placing herself high above little things like trauma and the night terrors she won’t speak of. However, if you listen closely, you can hear whimpered pleas for the pain to stop. Begging the heavens above for a moment of peace. But there was work to be done. No amount of tears could repair the damage in her mind.

“You were out of line! Now, thanks to you, I've got a burning refinery to save.”

Between the gunfire, he can see her squirming beneath the armor. Shaking out the tremors as the fear creeps in the hotter their surroundings become. It's starting to feel claustrophobic. Her body reacted without thought, sending out warning signs of an approaching doom. Her soul is suffocating by the grip of flickering light, and she can’t escape it.

But Shepard moves forward until the job is done and Zaeed is crushed under debris. He thinks for a moment that his commander—his new special something—was willing to leave the merc behind to rot like the people he condemned. He would have stood by her side as she abandoned him in the rubble. But it's no surprise that she lingers. She was putting her own troubles aside to reprimand a madman as he demanded her help despite spitting in her face. 

“How am I supposed to trust you?” She questions with a steady pace. The soldier focuses on the sound of her steps and the groan of agony on his tongue—the aggression. She was locked in on anything to douse the crack of fire whipping through the sky.

“I’ll do what I was goddamn paid to do!”

Sooner than Garrus would like, Zaeed is pulled from the fallen pillar, and the pair seem to come to an understanding. It's all too easy for his liking. Wishing he could shoot out the man's knees as punishment for being so careless and disrespectful to the woman between them. But her mind is elsewhere, and the Turian follows where she goes.

But he can only go so far.

He can't go there.

She's more quiet in the shuttle. Fingers interlocked as they hung between parted knees. After a mission, the space is typically filled with laughter or sarcastic remarks on poor aim or some other slipup. Sometimes a word or two was spared in kindness when things ended on a more sour, bloodied note. She's different this time. Lively eyes are now dark and empty, face expressionless as she falls further into the depths. That place he can't reach.

No matter how hard he tries.

Shepard is a silent storm the moment they settle back on the Normandy. The door slides open with a hiss, and she’s stepped from the platform before anyone even stands from their seats. Her body moves with ease, weaving through the maze of people she can't bear to look at. New faces smiling in place of where Charles Pressly once was. Hector Emerson, Addison Chase, Amina, Carlton—gone. The list of her fallen crew plays on a loop, plucking at old memories to piece together voices she was beginning to forget.

Garrus follows her.

He provides polite and hushed excuses as he aggressively brushes past the crew. Large hands cast them aside in desperation to simply touch the chill of her armor. But she was always steps ahead. Somehow predicting his shadow and the need to rescue her from a cell she had placed herself within. A prison of punishment and guilt. He watches with saddened eyes as Shepard slips away and stands alone in the elevator, focus cast downward as the doors close, separating the two. 

It could have been on purpose.

She could lock the cabin to spare her crew the destruction of what's meant to be the savior of the galaxy. The Reaper Killer—the hero. The woman who came back from the dead after her body was pulled and stitched back together by the manipulative hands of Cerberus. A soldier with a second chance, where others had been less fortunate. At least they would never know of what’s coming. This impending doom.

She's pacing again once she's isolated. Passing by the shimmering blue of a full aquarium and mindlessly kicking her discarded helmet across the floor. There's a silent war in her mind. Fighting against the tormented part of herself so she can continue on this journey without fear. Wars are not won with a broken resolve or a broken spirit.

It's a losing battle.

Her armor feels heavier and all too tight. It’s constricting and forcing the air from her lungs, threatening to crush her entirely. Her fingers act without thought, fumbling and trembling as they sloppily rip at the clasps to loosen the plating. Bit by bit, it begins to fall away with a crash at her feet, and yet it's not enough. Aching arms struggle to pull away the chest plate, unable to flip the latches. Shepard begins to panic.

Her feet are skating along the flooring, scuffing in her haste. She can feel the flicker of fire linger and flay her skin, digging deep through tissue and bone. It's hot enough to burn up the oxygen in her lungs, leaving her face red as she pushes her new modifications to the limit. But the desperation forces her to fumble and spin on her heels. For someone made of wires and machinery, Shepard feels painfully human. Her vision fills only with the black and speckled view of the galaxy as she drifts into nothingness—like she had done two years ago. Death was approaching, and she couldn’t stop it.

Blue eyes find her swept up in a fury of her own making. Eyes clenched shut, expression full of agony with gritted teeth. Shepard can't see the Turian, but knows he's there by instinct, calling out his name blindly. 

“I can't get—I can't-”

Garrus is quick to jump into action. Dismissing the shock of seeing someone he cared for so deeply unsettled, and unlike anything she offers up for the public eye. Shepard was only a woman placed high on the pedestal when some days she preferred to be forgotten. In the quiet of the ship when all others have gone for rest, he can faintly hear the murmurs of self-doubt and questioning. “Why didn’t Liara leave me behind?” 

He pries her hands away from her suit with force, and she fights back out of fear. The pair was equally desperate to pull her corpse from the fire, breathing life into her soul again. It's frustrating and clumsy. Fingers jamming into one another while he continues to swat her hands away, but she doesn't seem to understand in the madness. First come the gauntlets, falling to their feet in a pile.

“I can't breathe. Garrus, I can't-”

Her cheeks are dampened by fresh tears, and though the site breaks his heart into two, he can't pause to give comfort. Instead, her trembling words encourage him to move faster. Long talons worked diligently to undo the clasps, leaving the chest plate to fall with a loud thud. Her hands are finally still, and her torso expands with relief, yet her mind is elsewhere. The endless expanse of space filled with pieces of the SSV Normandy, drifting aimlessly.

Neither of them realizes she’s moving. Working on autopilot to escape the fire she felt kiss along her scarred flesh, with him effortlessly chasing after her to pull at the armor. The backs of her knees meet the edge of the bed with force, and she stumbles back into it, lying flat with attention on the window above, providing a once beautiful view of a universe well-traveled. Now, those twinkling stars remind her of something more grim. Bodies—the bodies of her friends. Lifeless and cast out into the abyss. They stare back at Shepard, gaining distance as gravity pulls her into orbit, all shifting to darkness shortly after.

“I failed,” Shepard states in a whisper, and the force against her legs stills momentarily, drinking in her grief like a poison and sharing in her agony. He begins to undress her again with hurried fingers, waiting for a sign of relief that never comes. Her eyes simply close to block out the light, but all she can see are the smiles of friends now gone and the families they’ve left behind. Teeth clamp onto a trembling lip, holding back the sobs that ache and beg to wreak havoc over her exhausted body.

Shepard is so lost in it that she doesn’t register the dip of the mattress as a familiar figure joins her. It only sinks in when his chilled skin reaches out to touch her fire, dousing the flames enough for her body to still. Goosebumps travel along her skin, mindlessly leaning into the palm that caresses her cheek, brushing away her sorrow.

She sees an ocean before her. His eyes are full of glistening light, endless and serene. She can’t help but raise a weakened arm, fingers tracing along the scars of Archangel. There had been such joy—such momentary bliss—in their reunion before he dropped to her feet, lifeless. Knowing she could have lost him then was torment enough. Shepard wasn’t entirely sure she could survive it a second time.

“I don’t want t’fail you.”

Her partner seems to deflate at the sound of her inner torment. Envisioning the horrors that play out in her mind on a near-constant loop—a painful similarity to his own. The loss of the ones you trusted—your friends, allies—maybe even family. And they entrusted you with their safety—their life, and it all ends in blood and loneliness in the vacuum of space.

But they weren’t alone anymore.

Elongated fingers reach to entangle with hers, hoping to soothe and comfort. A reminder that through all of the battles, aching hearts, and broken bones—he was still with her. He was still here. “When you found me on the Citadel,” he begins with a low tone. “I had pictured hundreds of different scenarios—what we would be up against. Fighting Geth, finding Vigil and Sovereign—who would be crazy enough to take it all on? One hit after the next?”

Shepard doesn’t speak, hiding the quiver of her lip between clamped teeth, struggling to will away the sadness. Garrus becomes a hazy vision in tired eyes, letting them close to instead focus on his touch—his voice as it speaks nothing but kindness. Something she never spared a moment of for herself as she worked this mechanical body to death.

“I’ve seen failure, and you don’t fit the description. You died just to do what was right. You saved them-”

“I didn’t save everyone,” she states in a weakened whisper.

“You can’t save everyone, Rae. But that doesn’t make you a failure. It doesn’t make you less.” He eases away her touch with care, cradling her hand as though she were made of glass to instead rest their entwined fingers against the center of her chest. No matter the amount of modifications, the real woman he loved was still there. Full of warmth and a beating heart—though aching. Proof of her humanity and every flaw and perfection that came with it. “It’s what you strive for that matters—what you live for. Hell, this moment proves what kind of person you are. You’re grieving over their loss and for your own.”

Her body stills, drinking in his words slowly—hesitantly. Part of her doesn’t want to believe she deserves the grace he provides. Families were now hollow and incomplete—left unfinished. Or there had been a stray soul that wandered into the Alliance, looking for their purpose with nothing to hold them back. Their existence is unknown to all others outside of the Normandy, making Shepard one of the few to carry on their name—to honor them.

With a heavy sigh, her head lolls to the side, immediately held in a trance by the crystal clear aquarium and the many colors that flickered across the glass. Garrus had once considered the idea of pet fish—calling them useless. As time passed, he had studied humanity. Maybe it was simple curiosity; maybe it was a newfound admiration of his commander, but he insisted their purpose could be calming and how right he had been.

“D’you think they’ll forgive me?” She mumbles. The woman is unaware of just how tightly she clings to him. Her knuckles paled from the grip, though he barely seemed to notice or care.

With the other arm embedded into the bed for support, his free hand maneuvers to come through sweat-matted hair. Brushing away the tangles with care and finding his heart soften at the sight of relaxation soon drifting over her features. A soldier's hold begins to loosen until she’s pliable, with eyes once more fallen shut. Though now, there’s a noticeable lack of wrinkles from a furrowed brow. There’s no sadness or frustration in the darkness—only peace in his embrace. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

[fontofnothing]

Mass Effect 3 test run update: Time to hang out!

[x3no9]

Beautiful piece of work done by @fernaitor ! Featuring Zaeed Massani and my OC Isaac Shepard. This is glorious! Pairs well with all my fics, but I decided to add it to Renegade Angels because ALOT of what is going on here happens in that chapter. Check out the full version via the link!

[seigephoenix]

Kinktober 2024: Lingerie

Day 2 of Kinktober. Featuring Marlowe Shepard x Zaeed Massani! Not too many warnings for this one.

Content Warning: the unmitigated sass from both of them, fingering, cunnilingus, p in v, clothes on (does lingerie even count? Well, it stays on) Length: 2.8k

This was stupid, utterly stupid.  Marlowe was convinced she was a complete moron for being so weak.  She set the bag down on her desk in the ship and turned towards her reports, pushing that stupid damn purchase to the furthest reaches of her mind.  She had other shit to worry about and refused to even look at the blasted bag anymore, but didn’t have the heart to throw it out.  She picked up the data pad and strolled over to the couch underneath the empty fish tank.  The tank that would remain forever empty because she would not have the death of fish on her conscience along with everything else in the fucking galaxy.  Except, she bit her lip and went into the bathroom after grabbing the bag.  She pulled on the purchase and called herself a fool one hundred times over as she went back to the couch after she finished dressing.  She had no one to show the damn lacy shit to, except herself.  Though, Marlowe had to admit her ass looked good with that deep blue lace hugging the curves.  She could see her nipples through the sheer fabric and they had pebbled in the cool air of the bathroom.  The straps were barely held on by tiny bows and she felt ridiculous looking at herself in it.  She shook her head and pulled her hoodie on over the lingerie set.  She’d take it off when she went to bed that night.

“Shepard, Zaeed wishes to speak with you.” Marlowe looked up at EDI’s voice and set the data pad to the side.

“Go ahead and let him come in.”  EDI confirmed and the door slid open with a quiet hiss.  Marlowe looked over at him and ignored the thrum of warmth low in her belly.  She didn’t need to be thinking about sex in the middle of a war for the galaxy.  Not that her pussy listened to her anyway.

“Zaeed, what can I do for you?” She offered him the glass next to her that she’d filled with a shot of rum.  The bottle had been smuggled out of the bar before Miranda or any of the others noticed.  His fingers brushed hers as he accepted the glass and Shepard fought to suppress the shudder going down her spine.  He sat next to her, spreading out and letting his knee brush hers.  Marlowe cursed how sensitive she was as she felt the heat pooling between her legs.  She darted a quick glance over at him and bit the inside of her cheek as the sweats he wore did nothing to hide his dick.  I need to get laid, fucking hell.

“Wanted to thank you for how you handled the refinery mission.  I know I bitched at you.” Marlowe’s lips twitched in amusement at the annoyance in his voice.

“How badly did those words hurt you just now?” She leaned forward with her elbow on her knees as she grinned at him.  Her braid slipped over her shoulder as she turned her face towards him.

“Like swallowing fucking glass.”  Marlowe laughed at his honest answer and she leaned back as she wound down.

“At least you’re honest.  For as long as you’ve known me Massani, which granted isn’t long, did you really expect me to just leave those poor people to die?”  She turned her body to face him, tucking her legs under her on the couch.

“I expected a Spectre to do what needed doing,” he snapped which earned a scoff from her.

“I may have been given the rank of Spectre, but I am human.  First and foremost.  I can’t just let innocents suffer, not when I have the ability to help them,” she explained as he simply glared at her.  “In the end, we got your revenge on the Blue Suns.  Isn’t that all that matters?”  She met his glare with a steady gaze that had seen too much shit.  He stood up and threw his hands in the air.

“Thought you were tougher than that Shepard.”  Marlowe’s lips parted in surprise before she scrambled up.  She slid around him and glared at him with her arms crossed under her breasts.

“You think showing kindness makes me weak?” Marlowe hissed at him.  She would let a lot of insults slide but this was one she never would.  Showing kindness wasn’t weak.  Not when cruelty was easier.

“You aren’t focused on the mission.  You sure you want to go after these Collector bastards?” Zaeed asked as he poked her collarbone with his finger.  Marlowe’s jaw dropped and snapped shut before she pushed him.

“You don’t question me like that Massani,” she said her voice dripping with ice.  “If I was so focused on going after the Collectors, then I wouldn’t have made that little pitstop for you.”  She glared as he recovered and got in her personal space.  Marlowe didn’t back down; in fact she tilted her chin as if daring him to try something.

“You don’t want to get into a pissing contest with me Shepard.” Zaeed’s voice held a note of something that sent a heated throb between her legs.  Marlowe already knew she was in deep but no way was she backing down now.

“You don’t scare me Massani,” she hissed back and stood her ground.  Her body ached in need for him, she felt her nipples pebbling beneath the hoodie.  Marlowe was thankful Zaeed couldn’t see her reaction to him, she’d probably throw herself out the airlock.

“Oh but I should.”  Marlowe opened her mouth to retort when he pushed her and she stumbled back.  Her back hit the wall and his body slammed against hers, pinning her in place.  “What are you going to do now Shepard?”  His lips were next to her ear and she couldn’t suppress the shudder this time.  Marlowe cursed her body when she felt his go rigid.

“Was that what I think it was Shepard?”  He turned and spoke directly into her ear.  That god damn voice of his.  Fuck.  Marlowe bit her cheek to keep from moaning out loud, but the tremble that went through her.  She couldn’t suppress that.  “Oh it was.”

“Piss off Massani,” she hissed as she pushed against his chest.  Zaeed smirked and grabbed her hands in his, pulling them above her head and pinning them against the wall.  She glared at him as she struggled to get free, but it was next to impossible.  She froze when she felt his hand at her waist, his thumb skimming her hips over the fabric of her jogging pants.

“What’s that Shepard?  Fuck me?  Is that what you want?” Marlowe sent him a withering glare that melted into a soft moan as his hand slid from her waist to between her legs.  “Oh?  What’s this?”  She clenched her jaw to keep from arching against his hand.

“You’re soaking sweetheart.”  Marlowe couldn’t stop her body from reacting to his words and he merely smirked at her as he felt her body melting at his touch.  “Just be honest with yourself Shepard.”  Marlowe pressed her lips together and glared at him.  “Playing stubborn hmm?”

Marlowe’s head hit the wall when his palm ground against her clit.  She hissed out a breath as her back bowed from the sparks of pleasure bursting along her body.  Her voice bounced off the walls when he leaned in and bit down on her neck.  She whimpered when he sucked hard at the skin, leaning back to admire the mark he left.

“Ass.” The breathy whisper only had him grinning at her and she answered with narrowed eyes.  Zaeed merely leaned back as he slid his hand up, bringing her hoodie with him.  Marlowe remembered what she was wearing beneath it and began to squirm in earnest.

“What’s gotten into you now Shepard?” Zaeed asked before he whipped the hoodie off her head, releasing her hands to do it.  Marlowe closed her eyes and turned her head as she braced for the inevitable laughter.  She knew shit like that never looked good on her.  She had a soldier’s body, not a soft pliable one.  Not one meant to wear what she’d bought.  Silence was her only answer and she peeked at him, but he wasn’t looking at her face.  Her heart hammered in her chest and she shifted to try and shield her body.

“Go ahead and laugh now Massani.  Come on.”  She crossed one of her arms over her stomach, trying to hide the scars from her resurrection as best as she could.  The silence was stifling and she almost wished he’d go ahead and leave or get it over with.  Marlowe knew she had no appealing body, which had been made clear enough for her over the years.

She almost jumped when his hands brushed over her waist, pulling her arm away gently.  Marlowe dared look at him and her body throbbed at the heat she saw there in his eyes.  The hunger there sparked an answering want in her own body.  Marlowe sucked in a breath when the backs of his fingers dragged across her lace covered nipple, with his lips curling up in a smirk when it pebbled beneath his touch.  His hand spread over her breast, cupping the weight in his hand.  Her head fell back against the wall when his fingers tightened on her warm skin.

“Laugh?  You expected me to laugh at you?” Zaeed whispered as he leaned in to speak in her ear.  Marlowe bit her bottom lip but his other hand reached up tugging it free with his thumb.  He stroked her bottom lip in an infinitely gentle touch.  She gave in and succumbed to the urge.  Her lips closed over his thumb, sucking and groaning around it.  “You’re playing with fire here Shepard.”

His voice was hoarse like he was trying to hold back.  She reached between them and cupped his dick through his pants.  Her fingers wrapped around the solid length of him, earning a short hiss from his lips before he pulled his hands away from her.  Marlowe thought she’d gone too far before he grabbed her arm and tugged.  She tripped and gasped when he practically tossed her on her bed.  “Take off those pants.”  Marlowe froze and looked up at him in surprise.  “Don’t make me repeat myself Shepard.”

Her hands tugged until the sweats pooled on the floor by the bed.  Nerves forced themselves into her mind and she squirmed as she shifted to try and cover as much as she could.  The blue lace really didn’t leave much to the imagination.  A soft protest left her as his hands grasped her knees and spread her legs for him to kneel between.  Her hand pushed against his stomach and she looked up at him in a dazed shock.  He was hard.  He was hard.

“Were you wearing this on the mission today?” Marlowe shook her head.  She couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact he was hard for her.  He ran his hands along her thighs pausing only when he got to that dripping center of hers.  “Thank fuck.  If you had, I would lose my head thinking you were wearing it on the next one.”

“It’s.  It’s not practical,” she stammered as he leaned over her, letting his dick graze against her aching pussy.  Her sinful moan echoed off the walls of her small room.  He tensed over her and Marlowe yelped when he pushed her back against the bed.

“O’course it’s not bloody practical.  This shit is designed to drive men crazy.”  His thumb slid under one of the straps and tugged, making her breast bounce to his amusement.  She glared at him.  “Who were you wearing it for?”  His lips grazed over her shoulder before resting against her collarbone.

“No one.  I just bought it,” Marlowe said gasping when his lips sealed over one hardened nipple.  Her hands reached for his hair, her fingers tangling in the strands.  “I bought it on a whim.”

He lifted his mouth, leaving her nipple aching for more and the lace damp from his tongue.  “Good.  Don’t wear this for anyone but me.”  Marlowe wanted to retort but his hand stole her thoughts as he teased her clit.

“Cocky, aren’t you?” Marlowe asked on a gasp as stars exploded behind her eyelids.  Her fingers drifted down to his shoulders letting her nails dig into the hard muscle there.  She felt his groan against the inside of her thigh as he ran his lips along the sensitive skin.  “Fuck.”

“Planning on it sweetheart,” he murmured against her thigh as she glared at him.  She clapped a hand over her lips when his lips brushed against her clit through the dark blue lace.  She jumped when his fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her hand away and pinning it against the mattress.  His teeth left a mark against the inside of her thigh before he glared at her.

“Don’t you dare cover your mouth.  Let me hear you.”  A heated wave of pleasure rolled through her at his words and she swallowed nervously.  She nodded and he turned back to her quivering pussy.  “Good.  Now let me hear you Shepard.”  He wrapped his arms around her legs, throwing them over his shoulders.  He hooked his thumb into the damp fabric and pulled until she was exposed to him.  He smirked before his lips sealed over her clit.

Marlowe’s back bowed at the burst of heat between her legs.  She cried out as Zaeed sucked hard around her clit.  The heat consumed all her thoughts and her lips parted on a wanton moan when he slid two fingers inside of her.  The edge was so damn close it was almost embarrassing.  Marlowe moaned his name and she felt the shudder going through him.  The pleasure coiled tight between her legs and just as it was going to burst he pulled away.  She groaned and tried pulling him back down, but he would not move.  She whined at him when he kissed along the insides of her thighs before skipping over that dripping, aching part of her.  He didn’t go back to her clit until she begged.  With a cry from her lips, he dove back in like a man starved.  She felt that tension building again and reached for it.  Marlowe cursed him and his lineage when he did it the second time.

“Much as I’d love to taste you as you come apart on my tongue Shepard.  I want to see you on my cock more.”  Marlowe shuddered at his words when he reached between them and freed his cock from his pants.  Marlowe rolled her hips when the head of his cock slapped against her clit.  He braced himself on his forearms as he eased his dick inside of her.  She tightened her hold on him at the burning stretch, but the heat threatened to consume her mind.

“Fuck.” Zaeed groaned as he rested his forehead on the mattress next to her after pushing all the way in her warm body.  Marlowe wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to move.  “You keep doing that and I won’t last long Shepard.”  Marlowe reached up and tugged him down.  She felt him stiffen when her lips covered his.  One of his hands dove into her hair as he parted her lips with his tongue.  She groaned as his hips snapped against hers in a frantic pace, chasing that orgasm for both of them.  Marlowe’s head fell back at the pleasure pulsing low and fast between her legs with each thrust from him.  The hand in her hair brought her back up and his lips covered hers in another feverish kiss.  Marlowe swore she could drown in him. 

He swallowed the moans as she trembled under him with the force of her orgasm.  Her body clenched hard around his cock and he was lost.  Marlowe’s legs tightened around his waist as he helped ease her through the orgasm.  He waited until her body went limp beneath him before rolling to the side.

Marlowe struggled to catch her breath from the intensity of that orgasm.  It had never been that way for her before.  She looked over as he looked at something on the nightstand.  She knew this was the part when they went their separate ways.  He’d go back to his room and she’d have to find a way to function on the battlefield without remembering how his hands felt on her body or how drugging his kisses were.  She turned over on the bed, she didn’t have the guts to watch him leave.  It would hurt just a little too much.  To her shock, he turned back to face her.  Marlowe let out a soft gasp when he wrapped his body around hers, with one arm pulling her tight against his chest.

“You staying the night then?” Marlowe asked.

“Only if you want me to.”  Marlowe swallowed and looked down at his arm slung around her waist.

“I do.”

“Then I’m yours Marlowe.”

[imperial-topaz2003]

Mass Effect Questionnaire

I saw @littleneonlily do this, so I figured I'd give it a shot, too, while I still have Mass Effect on the brain. 1. Tie between Wrex and Liara

2. Mordin, Samara, Zaeed, and Tali

3. Liara and Tali again, Kaidan, and Javik

4. The M-76 Revenant. Who doesn't love a non-stop barrage of death?

5. Still like the Revenant, but if you want me to pick something else, I'll do the N7 Valkyrie

6. Soldier. Go ahead, call me bland, but I think it best fits both the gameplay and the story. Though I do also like the Vanguard and Sentinel classes.

7. Noveria in Mass Effect 1. I dunno why, but I just love the atmosphere this planet has, both setting and story wise.

8. Tying in with the above, the entirety of Noveria's arc, for the same reasons, with Bringing Down the Sky right behind it.

9. The Suicide Mission itself, which is my favorite level in all of gaming. Runner-ups would have to include Garrus's Recruitment, Tali and Grunt's Loyalty Missions, and the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC.

10. It's gonna be a tie between Priority Rannoch and Tuchanka. And the entirety of the Citadel DLC, too.

11. Depends. With Male Shepard, I like to pair him with Kaidan (shameless Mshenko fan here). With Female Shepard, I like to romance Liara. Tali's a big runner up

12. I kinda wish James Vega was a romance option, preferably Bi, because I love my himbos. Other than that, I'd love to see some bisexual romance options from currently romanceable companions, such as Garrus, Tali, Thane, and Miranda.

13. Mako. Both control like ass, but at least the Mako isn't made of wet tissue paper.

14. Oh boy, you guys are gonna hate me for this one, but to me...it's Garrus. Look, I don't hate him but HOLY SHIT, some of his fans are overzealous.

15. I dunno how the rest of the fandom sees them, but I do really like Samantha Traynor and Steve Cortez. For side characters, they're really well written, both character and romance wise.

16. Haven't played Multiplayer in ages.

17. Refer to above, though I do recall liking the Earth maps.

18. I'd say SR-2. If you wanna be more specific, I like the version of it in ME3.

19. Destroy all the way...and maybe control. I know, E.D.I. and the Geth won't survive, but it's not like folks are just gonna forget how to rebuild synthetics (unless you're a moron who gets everyone killed). Control is a decent runner up if you wanna spare the robots. Synthesis is bullshit space magic (seriously, what the fuck even happens in Synthesis?). And Refusal is just...dumb.

20. I tend to lean more towards Paragon. Granted, I do make some Renegade Choices here and there, either for the sake of pragmatism or sheer amusement, but generally, the Shepards I play will lean a bit more on the Paragon side.

Not tagging anyone this time, since IDK how many of my mutuals are Mass Effect Fans, but feel free to give it a shot.

[katlakitty]

N7Month Challenge - Day 28: Contact

Shepard was pacing around her cabin on the Normandy SR2. Time was running out, she could only pray that they would be in time to save the crew. This was her fault. If something happened to them it was her fault. She'd tried to distract herself with work, but it didn't work and she had almost made up her mind to simply go down into the starboard cargo bay and just let the old merch tell her a story from the past.

She had spent a lot of time talking to him, something about him was calming to her. Maybe because he didn't give a shit anymore, maybe because he had a dark past and played rough. Or maybe it was because she could see herself in him.

But before Shepard could leave the door to her cabin opened and said old merch marched in.

"Zaeed?" Shepard asked and stood up from the couch. "Did something happen?"

"No." The man almost barked and his white and blue eyes focused on her.

"So?"

Zaeed just stared at her for a moment without moving or looking away.

"I'm a woman of many talents, Zaeed," Shepard gave him an annoyed look. "But I still haven't mastered the delicate art of mindreading."

Zaeed snorted and scratched his neck, finally looking away from her. "When you let Vigo go I was furious."

Shepard blinked at him. "I know."

"But you promised to help me hunt him down," Zaeed looked at her again. "I'm counting on you to keep that promise."

"I will help you hunt him down if we survive," Shepard assured him again. "Is this why you came here?"

"No."

Shepard drew her eyebrows together. Usually Zaeed just said what he was thinking outright or he said nothing at all. Coming here and saying nothing was strange. "Then why did you come here?"

Zaeed rolled his shoulders and looked at her again. "I came here while I still have the chance to say it."

He fell silent again. "Say what?"

"I like you, Shepard."

"You like me?" Shepard repeated and stared at him. Of all the things that he could have said, this hadn't been on her list. After she'd spend months talking to him every chance she got, he chose this moment to tell her he liked her?

"I’ve always thought you are beautiful." Zaeed admitted in a low voice and tilted his head.

Shepard couldn't help it and started laughing.

A frown spread on Zaeed's face and he folded his arms over his chest. "What is it?"

"You’re really bad at this," Shepard said with a smile and took a step towards him.

"Thanks." Zaeed growled and looked away.

But Shepard wouldn't let him get away that easily. She had been attracted to him for a while now, the only reason why she had gone down to the cargo hold on a regular basis had been to talk to him. Being with him had made her feel safe, like she could do anything if he and Garrus had her back.

Shepard smiled and closed the distance between them. Zaeed's eyes widened surprised as Shepard cupped his face and kissed him. It took him a moment before Zaeed answered the kiss, but his arms wrapped around her quickly.

The thoughts in Shepard's head stopped screaming. Being close to Zaeed, feeling his hands on her back and his lips on hers drowned her doubts and fears. It was just them. Soon the need for more physical contact grew more intense and Shepard pulled Zaeed towards the couch behind her.

You can find a collection of all my N7 Month drabbles on AO3.

[jrmaxwell]

Claw Machine Date? Claw Machine Date.

[x3no9]

Fixed Zaeed’s eye and throat a bit.

[clericofshadows]

CLERIC'S MODEL SWAPS REGIS SHEPARD/ZAEED MASSANI WHAT IF: Zaeed had a romance scene...? PART 1 (X) | PART 2 (X) | PART 3

[imrryr]

Fandom: Mass Effect

Pairing: Femshep x Jack

Characters: Jack, EDI, Kasumi Goto, Female Shepard, Kelly Chambers, Aria T'Loak, Zaeed Massani, The Grissom Students, etc.

Rating: Mature

Summary: Cerberus Headquarters has been destroyed, the Reapers have swarmed every system in the galaxy, and Jack is about to be trapped on the Citadel with twenty-million people who are all waiting to die.

Guess the only thing to do now is join the rest of the free galaxy in developing an intense last-minute crush on Commander Shepard.

Chapter Summary: The chapter that left me unsure whether or not to also tag this story as a Jack & Kasumi friendship fic. Jack might disagree!

Chapter Word Count: 5,995 (projecting maybe 10 chapters in total)

[seigephoenix]

Kinktober 2024: Spanking

Not your typical spanking prompt. I did enjoy writing it. Marlowe is just too sassy. A blend of Paragon and Renegade.

Ship: Marlowe Shepard x Zaeed Massani Content Warning: p in v sex, sassy, bratty, slight blasphemy for any practicing Christians reading, against the wall, spanking Length: 2.5k

Marlowe sat with her legs crossed under her on the couch in her cabin, digging through some more purchases she’d gotten at the Citadel.  She’d never had much impulse control when it came to shopping, mostly due to not having access to shops.  On ships she mostly had to deal with the quartermaster and they rarely sold anything besides the basics.  Marlowe held up the silky nightgown in front of her.  She’d tried to get comfortable wearing them, ever since that night Zaeed had visited her.  He hadn’t paid her another visit, not that she was bitter or anything about that, but she had felt good wearing the lingerie after that.  Marlowe expanded her collection a bit and only wore it when they were not out on a mission.  Though…  She did remember him saying something about losing his mind if she ever wore them on a mission.

On Omega

“We’re shooting around the slums again?  Why’re we after the batarians this time?” Zaeed asked as he and Miranda accompanied Marlowe to the mission.  Miranda blew out an aggravated breath.

“There are concerns the batarians or vorcha are tampering with the air quality.  Aria suggested we investigate it,” she reminded Zaeed as they moved through the cramped corridors.  They’d come across the plant and took out the batarians but not without Marlowe getting shot.  This one got through her shields but she didn’t let Miranda or Zaeed get too close to see how bad it was.  They had to keep moving forward.  Marlowe tripped and stumbled as they pushed through the last wave of batarians.

“Shepard!” Miranda yelled.  “Cover me Massani!”  She whirled and slid behind Marlowe’s cover as she ran a hand over her to see where the damage was.  “Shepard…”  Her fingers came away wet with blood.

“Sorry, I did hit it with some medigel but I guess it reopened.”  Marlowe clenched her jaw against the sharp throb of pain.  “I’ll get Chakwas to look at it when we get back to the ship.  We have to get through this,” Marlowe said and Miranda sighed.  Marlowe hissed and cursed when the other woman slapped medigel over the wound.

“You deserved that one.  Don’t ruin all that hard work just yet Shepard.”  Miranda dashed back towards another barricade and helped Zaeed return fire.  Marlowe tossed out her little turret and that took care of the last stragglers choking up the air filtration plant.  Marlowe leaned back against the barricade with a weary sigh as Miranda finished the clean up.  She closed her eyes and grunted when she felt a boot nudge her.

“I’m not dead, yet.”  She opened one eye and saw Zaeed standing there looking pissed off.  “What did I do now?  I know why Miranda’s pissed at me.”  Marlowe grumbled as she braced her arm on the barricade and shoved to her feet.  She wouldn’t dare show any weakness and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from wobbling.  “Let’s get back to the Normandy,” she said as she brushed past Zaeed without looking at him.

Normandy

Marlowe tossed her helmet into her locker by the airlock before peeling off the rest of her armor.  Miranda pointed towards the elevator and Marlowe held up her hands as she agreed to see the doctor.  Zaeed was watching the interaction carefully with his own helmet held in his hands.  He headed in the direction of Shepard’s quarters.

Twenty minutes later, Marlowe walked into her cabin still rubbing her ear.  Chakwas had chewed her left and right for the reckless injury.  Marlowe had changed into her casual clothes after that under armor suit had been declared unfit and tossed into the incinerator.  Marlowe huffed at the memory and looked over as she spotted movement by her couch.

“Massani.”

“Shepard.”

Marlowe let out a sigh as she walked towards her desk, just because she’d been shot didn’t mean the reports could be put off.  “What are you doing in my cabin?  Do you have something else you need?” Marlowe asked without looking up from the data pad.  She was sore, tired, and wanted to get into her bed and sleep into the next century.  She looked up when he didn’t answer, she’d expected a lecture or something.  “Zaeed?”

“Come here Shepard.”  Marlowe gave him a sideways glare for his tone but set the data pad down and ambled over to him.  She crossed her arms, drawing his attention to the stark white bandage covering her shoulder.  He reached out and grasped her wrist.

“Hey!” Marlowe barely had time to protest before he tugged and she wound up sprawled across his lap.  She placed one hand on the floor to give herself some leverage before she pushed up, but he pushed down on her lower back.  “What the hell is wrong with you Massani!?  You’d better let me up!” Marlowe snarled as she braced her feet.  She yelped when he kicked her feet out from under her and she landed hard across his thighs.  “If you reopen this wound, I’m pointing Chakwas and Lawson your way.” Marlowe glared at him from where she was.

“Seems like you’re not in a position to really do anything are you Shepard?” Zaeed asked.  He splayed his fingers out over her lower back, keeping her in place.  She clenched her jaw but he wasn’t budging.  All that N7 training and Spectre training…  Ugh!  Marlowe’s eyes darted up to him.  “If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man, but you’re not going anywhere Shepard.  Not yet anyway.”

“What the hell is your problem Massani?  What?  Gonna spank me like a kid?  Fuck off,” Marlowe snapped before yelping when his hand cracked against her ass through the cargo pants.  Silence stretched between them and Zaeed questioned if he’d gone too far, he’d only wanted to teach her a lesson.  “Smack me like that one more time, and I’ll bench you the rest of this mission.”  Marlowe promised him as she looked back over her shoulder at him.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time Shepard,” Zaeed retorted bringing his hand down for another slap over her pants.  She began to struggle in earnest but he kept his hand right against her lower back.

“If you don’t let me up right now Massani, you’d better not ever let me up.”  The sinister tone had his cock reacting.  She looked over at his lap before back up at his face with shock replacing her anger.  “Really!?” Marlowe shouted as she felt him straining against her side.  “Getting off on me threatening you?”

“No.”  She hissed when a third slap stung her ass cheeks.  She could ignore bullet wounds, she’d handled insults being thrown right at her face, but what she could not handle was being treated like a child.

“Massani…  One last chance.  Let me go and I’ll still play.”  Marlowe was cut off from her sentence when he simply yanked her pants down.  “You asshole!”

“Fucking hell Shepard, were you wearing these on the mission today?” Zaeed demanded as the black silk was revealed.  She was wearing the skimpiest pair of black silk panties, with the silk barely clinging to the dusky pink globes of her ass.  She flipped him off from her position and his eyes narrowed.

“Had the matching bra too, but that got shot to hell by the batarians,” Marlowe snapped as she struggled once again to get free.  This time his hand slapped bare skin and she flinched at the pain.  “Massani.”  Marlowe glared over her shoulder at him as her hair had come out of its serviceable bun.  The length draped over her shoulder with the ends brushing the floor.

“How long is your hair Shepard?” He reached for it letting the dark purple strands flow over his fingers.  Marlowe’s lip curled back in aggravation when he hooked one finger underneath the silk and tugged.  She slapped a hand over her mouth at the moan that wanted to escape.  The silk rubbed against her clit just right and her thighs squeezed together.  “I heard that.”

“You didn’t hear shit, old man.” Marlowe snapped and tried to gain her footing again, only for him to knock them out from under her again.  “You are getting on my nerves.”

“Good.”  She yelped when his hand cracked across her already stinging ass cheeks once again.  Except this time he slid his hand between her legs and massaged her clit through the black silk.  Marlowe moaned at the burst of pleasure low in her belly.  She clenched her jaw against the feeling and glared at Zaeed through the curtain of hair in her face.  The stinging only heightened that pleasure, brought it to a razor sharp edge inside her.  She groaned as the throbbing there matched the throbbing in her clit.  “You were reckless today.”  Marlowe hissed when his hand came down again.

“I’m always reckless in case that missed your brilliant observation skills there Massani.”  She huffed and tried to shift again, but his hand didn’t budge.  “Can’t get to N7 or Spectre by playing safe and nice.”

“There’s assessing risks and then the shit you pulled today.”  Marlowe opened her mouth to retort when his fingers slipped past the silk to find her wet and aching for him.  “What’s this?  As much as you mouth off, you’re getting off to this.”

“Fuck off Massani if you think I’m getting off to you spanking me like a little kid,” she snarled but he merely found her clit and pinched.  Her fingers curled against the floor at the sharp heat spearing through her.

“Hmm.  You sure about that Shepard?” Zaeed leaned over her back while his fingers teased her clit until the heat threatened to consume her mind.  Right as her body was poised to fall over the edge his hand pulled away and slapped hard against her ass.

“That is it.” Marlowe clenched her jaw.  She hated to do it, but she was through being toyed with.  She put her other hand on the ground, wincing at the flash of pain from her wound, and then pushed.  She knew she’d reopened her bullet wound but she was also free from Zaeed’s hold.  She kicked away her pants and glared down at him as the crimson slowly seeped into the bandage on her shoulder.  His eyes zeroed in on it and she saw the concern there.  Too bad he should have thought about that before he tortured her.

Before he could react, she straddled his waist and sat down right on his bulging cock.  She knocked his hands away from her waist and met his sneer with one of her own.  She wouldn’t let him call the shots anymore.  Her fingers slid between them and pulled down his pants until his cock was freed.  Zaeed realized what she was doing and grabbed her wrist to stop her.  She merely lifted herself and sat down on his cock before he could even utter a protest.

“Fucking hell.” Zaeed hissed when he was buried deep inside her body.  Her hips rocked against his in a slow, torturous rhythm.  His head fell back against the couch when she angled her hips so his cock went deep.  “You’re not doing yourself any favors with this either Shepard.”

“No, I’m not.  But this is going to drive you crazy too Massani,” Marlowe explained and grinned when he cursed her under his breath.  “I’m already fucking you.”  He reached around and pinched her ass.

“Brat.”  Marlowe chuckled and agreed she was a brat.  Marlowe smirked when he glared at her for how slow she moved.  She sensed the growing frustration in him but she savored it.  She was done playing with him though, and just wanted to come.

Zaeed hissed and grabbed her hips when she began to move faster.  “Jesus.”  Marlowe grinned as she looped her arms around his neck.

“Jesus isn’t fucking your cock right now Zaeed.”  Her teeth nipped at his chin as her body squeezed his cock.  Marlowe chuckled as she heard him mutter something about her smart mouth being put to use.  She reached up and grasped the front of his throat, tilting his chin until he was looking at her.  “You’d love if I sucked your cock, but right now I’m going to fuck you until all you know is my name.”

“You’re a bitch.”  Marlowe leaned in and brushed her lips across his in a whisper soft caress.

“Sweet talker.”  She laughed when his hands grabbed her ass and he stood up.  She hooked her ankles behind his back and grunted when her back hit the wall beside her tiny office space.

“Now who’s in charge?” Zaeed whispered in her ear but she merely gave him an indulgent smile that pissed him off.  “You’re so smug.”

“Well deserved actually.”  Marlowe grinned as his hips snapped up against hers in a brutal pace.  She groaned his name when his body dragged against her clit with each thrust.  It wasn’t enough for her and she eased one hand between them to tease her own clit.

“Fucking hell that’s hot Shepard,” he hissed when her body tightened around him.  Marlowe’s head fell back against the wall at the heat building layer by layer between her legs.  She grunted when his teeth bit down on her shoulder and he sucked hard.  She lifted her head to curse at him.

“Don’t you dare leave a mark,” Marlowe hissed but he lifted his mouth and the bruise was there standing out.  He gave her a smug grin.  Marlowe wanted to retort but the orgasm caught her off guard and her head fell against the wall with a loud thud and a moan spilled from her lips instead of the curse.  His forehead dropped to her shoulder as her body milked his cock and he fell off the edge soon after with her.

Marlowe’s hand fumbled with the button next to them, but the bathroom door slid open with a soft hiss.  Zaeed merely looked at her and Marlowe grinned at him.  “I’m going to shower and then I’m going to bed.”

“Kicking me out again Shepard?” Marlowe snorted as he gently set her down, grimacing when he slid out of her welcoming body.

“You’re welcome to join me.  But I am going to tell Chakwas it was your fault my wound reopened.”  Marlowe informed him as he followed her inside.

“Oh that’ll go over great with the doctor.  Sorry doc, my wound reopened because I was being a brat.”  Zaeed grabbed her chin and turned her face up towards his.

“I bet you one hundred credits that she’ll lecture you.  If you think something like this would scandalize Chakwas then you’re off your gourd.”  Zaeed smirked and agreed to the bet.  “Now, let me get clean before I head down there to get this bandaged again.”  She turned towards the shower and Zaeed stepped in behind her.

Marlowe happily accepted her credits later that night after Chakwas read him the riot act for being so reckless.  She grinned as he settled in behind her on the bed and he huffed in annoyance at how smug she was being.

[nananarc]

Zaeed x Shepard x TIM

for @x3n09, check out their smut fics here!

Uncensored, uncut version on my Patreon:

[katlakitty]

Writing patterns

Thank you @sweeteatercat for tagging me ;)

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

1. Cyberlife was the leading company when it came to the development of Artificial Intelligence and Androids. From Software Instability, Reed900, DBH

2. GV200 ‘Gavin’ considered himself to be the unluckiest Android there was. My contribution Triple Chocolate Trip to the Synthetic Touch Zine 2024 (a 900Gavin Reverse AU zine), DBH

3. 'That's it, we failed...' From One moment is all it takes, RK1K prompt week, DBH

4. Connor’s footsteps echoed ominously in the empty hall of the former Cyberlife tower. From A new day, RK1K prompt week, DBH

5. The candle was flickering, causing the light to dance on the small piece of paper in front of Markus. From Facing your love, RK1K prompt week, DBH

6. All his life he’d known who their enemy was; those who couldn’t walk in the light of day, those who had to keep to the shadows, sneaky, ominous and hungry for blood. From Behind the lies, RK1K prompt week, DBH

7. "I'm not comfortable with this," Markus repeated himself as he followed Connor around the house. From Partners in (cute) crimes, RK1K prompt week, DBH

8. Thundering footsteps, running towards demise [...] From A failed attempt, RK1K prompt week, DBH

9. To be someone. From King of Kadara, N7 Month Challenge 2023, Ryder X Reyes, Mass Effect Andromeda

10. Shepard was pacing around her cabin on the Normandy SR2. From Beautiful, N7 Month Challenge 2023, FemShepard X Zaeed, Mass Effect 2

Hmm, interesting. There kinda is a pattern. Movements and statements. 😂