Fic: "Nightmares" [FemShep/Garrus/Tali, Explicit]
Title: Nightmares
Pairing: Femshep/Tali/Garrus
Rating: Explicit
Summary: Shepard doesn't sleep well when Garrus and Tali aren't there, but they're more than willing to make things better when they get home. (This is about 80% porn.)
Note: Set post-reaper war, after an ending where nobody died but the reapers. The only reason this exists is I woke up from a dream this morning so vivid and perfect that I had to write it down. Everything before they actually get in the shower is lifted directly from my subconscious, and I’ve been walking on clouds all day because of it. (I mean yes, it did get frightening, but it was worth it.)
Reference for turian bathing habits comes from a couple of fics on the kink meme called Clean Only in Cipritine and Wax On, Wax Off (both of which I highly recommend). Assume any levo/dextro issues and questions of quarian well-being have been taken care of long before this fic takes place.
Also on AO3
--
Shepard’s jacket fell from her shoulders with a heavy rustling of fabric. It landed on the floor somewhere near the umbrella basket, but she couldn’t be bothered to hang it up on one of the coat hooks. Not right now, at least. She was so tired she could taste it, but she couldn’t sleep, yet. Even though it felt like ages had passed since the end of the war, there was still so much that needed to be done, and now Cerberus was rearing its hideous head, again.
She had honestly thought the Illusive Man’s death and Sanctuary’s destruction would be the end of them. For a huge portion of their operations, that was the case. Most of the mercenaries and almost all of the research facilities were disbanded with little trouble, and their former employees quickly found work cleaning up the mess the reapers had left behind. There were some groups, though, that seemed to have agreed with the Illusive Man’s idea that the reapers should have been controlled, rather than destroyed, and they…were less than pleased.
She leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom and kicked her shoes off, feeling worry clench in her chest as she sat down on the edge of her bed. It felt far too big without Garrus and Tali. She did her best to remind herself that the refugee compound they’d gone to defend wasn’t even the biggest thing they’d faced this month, but it did little to help.
She still felt guilty, as insane as it was, that she’d been tied up in meetings instead of fighting beside them. So many people needed her to be so many places, and they all needed so much. She’d barely had time to eat before someone needed her to help organize supply distribution or ensure that the newest refugees from the newly fixed relays got to safety or…she could barely remember what else she’d done. It all felt like a blur.
It wasn’t until she heard a pillow fall off the bed that she even realized she was lying down. She couldn’t sleep, yet. Not when Garrus and Tali were still out there, helping drive Cerberus out of yet another civilian settlement. Without them…sleep didn’t come easily, and it was never kind to her. Her vision blurred and darkened, and she shook her head to clear the fog from her head. They were supposed to be home tonight; Garrus had said so. She could rest when they came back.
Her eyes began to close again, and even though dread crawled up her throat, she didn’t have the strength to keep them open.
--
It was dark.
Her eyes flew open, but she still couldn’t see anything but inky darkness. Her gun felt cold and heavy in her hand. In the distance, there was a low, steady rumbling that shook the ground beneath her.
She ran.
As fast as she was, she knew she couldn’t outrun them for long. She’d cheated death once before, and she knew this time, she wouldn’t be so lucky. A thundering sound behind her, the sound of scattering earth, and she reached behind and felt tears well up in her eyes as her gun clicked uselessly.
With a bone-shaking thud, she tripped on a heavy stone and fell to the ground. She bit her tongue against the burning pain in her shoulder and wheeled around. If this was the end, she was going to go out looking death straight in the eye.
Icy terror gripped her by the neck. Instead of the thresher maws she remembered so well, a great black dog with three snarling heads was running headlong towards her. Its center mouth opened, revealing white, gleaming teeth -
--
Shepard threw her eyes open and rolled off of her side, pushing the blankets off of her with the arm that didn’t feel tingly and numb. The lights were off, though she didn’t remember hitting the switch. She scrambled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, throwing the cold tap open on the sink. She tried to splash water on her face even though her right arm still wasn’t awake, and in the end she got most of it on her shirt. Just as well; it was sticking to her in the grossest way.
She was wiping the water from her face when she heard the soft click of the lights turning on in the bedroom. She turned to see Tali walking into the bathroom, and she must have looked like a wreck, because the first thing Tali did was come up and wrap her arms around her shoulders. She didn’t say anything, just rocked the two of them back and forth gently until Shepard was ready to talk.
“Nightmare,” Shepard rested her forehead against the smooth surface of Tali’s helmet.
“I’m sorry,” Tali murmured. “I know you don’t sleep well when we’re gone for more than a day or so.”
“Not your fault,” she shook her head.
They stood like that for a long moment before Shepard spoke, again.
“You’re still in your suit.”
“We haven’t been home long,” Tali replied, smoothing her hands up and down over her arms. “You were asleep, so we turned the lights off for you.”
“Thanks,” she smiled softly.
The sound of footsteps made her lift her head up, again. This time it was Garrus, wearing thick-woven pants and an undershirt that still carried the creases of his armor.
“Is everything alright?” he asked, stopping in the doorway. He looked uncertain until Shepard reached out toward him, almost reflexively.
“It is now,” she slid a hand up to cup the side of his face, bringing him closer so she could kiss him. She let her hand travel further until she could trace her fingertips over the underside of his fringe, and the contented noise she got in return warmed even the coldest corners of her heart. “I missed you.”
“And we missed you,” Tali hummed softly, stepping forward to rest her head on Shepard’s shoulder. “I lost count how many times I heard Garrus say you should have been there with us.”
“You should’ve seen it,” Garrus’s mandibles flared with pride. “After the compound was secured, Tali and I got into their network and found their main base of operations. We should have them flushed out of this whole system in a matter of months.”
“That’s…” Shepard laughed in surprise, “that’s wonderful.”
“It really is,” Tali nodded, “and the best part is they can handle it just fine without us.”
“It’s been too long since we all saw each other for an entire week,” Garrus ran a hand through Shepard’s hair. “I think we’ve earned a bit of downtime.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all month,” Shepard sighed contentedly. After a bit, the collar of her shirt began to itch, and it finally set in how icky she felt. “…and I need a shower.”
“I think we all do,” Garrus chuckled. “Not a bad way to say ‘welcome home’.”
“Can’t think of anything better,” Shepard grinned at him, already stepping back to lift her shirt up.
“Oh, I’m sure you could think of at least a couple things.” Garrus grinned mischievously.
“Who said that wasn’t what I had in mind?” She got her shirt off and tossed it at him.
Beside them, Tali was already out of her helmet and gloves, and the belts she wore at her waist and hips were next them on the floor. Shepard’s hands slowed to a stop halfway through unhooking her bra; Tali’s fingers were awfully quick.
“You’re getting really good at that,” she remarked.
“You can thank him,” Tali nodded towards Garrus, “if he hadn’t worked so hard on sealing the air filters, installing the water purifiers, reinforcing the front entryway with bulletproof doors…”
“I’m still not sure that last one was necessary,” Shepard kicked her pants off and gave Garrus a questioning look.
“Well, you wouldn’t let me put the explosive light fixture in the front hall,” he replied.
“And neither would I,” Tali rolled her eyes at them. “My point is, if he hadn’t done all that, it would still be another six months before I could even do this.”
As if to emphasize her point, she undid the clasps holding the long, swirling fabric that reached from her hood to her hips and let it slide to the floor. It was a subtle change in her silhouette, but the fabric underneath clung much tighter to her skin, and with her hair starting to fall out of its knot, she looked…amazing.
“You’re staring, Vakarian,” she noted smugly.
“I thought I was allowed to, after all this time.” His tone was snide, but the gleam in his eyes betrayed him.
“I just meant that you might want to do something about those,” she flicked a finger at his clothing. “I think they might get in the way.”
Garrus just laughed and got to work unfastening his shirt. Shepard was fully undressed by now and had made her way to the shower, grinning like an idiot as she turned the taps on and waited for the water to heat up. She was the luckiest woman alive, to have the two of them here with her.
Frankly, they were all lucky. It was a rare thing after the reaper war to find a house with a bathroom big enough for a water-powered shower and a turian bathing chair, let alone in the same space. Shepard knew most human houses didn’t have bathrooms like this, with a whole alcove full of tile and water fixtures, where they could all fit.
She’d been hesitant to even put it in the plans for their home, but she figured if she hadn’t earned these few indulgences, the three of them combined most certainly had. The water felt almost slippery on her skin, since all of the minerals had been filtered out, but she didn’t mind. Slippery water meant Tali could use it without worry.
Speaking of whom, a hand touched her waist, and she turned around to find Tali behind her. She pulled her close and ran her hands over the smooth skin of her shoulders and back, occasionally textured by embedded ports and sensors the next generation of quarian children would never need.
Tali responded by pushing her out of the spray of water, landing solidly against the wall and kissing her with a hunger that made whatever Shepard was going to say vanish from her mind. Shepard pulled Tali even closer so their bodies touched from shoulder to hip, responding in kind until Tali pulled away far too soon.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for days.” she whispered against Shepard’s lips, giving in to temptation and kissing her again. Too soon again, she pulled back. “Could you…”
She said nothing else, and finally Shepard opened her eyes to see her looking at the tile where they stood.
“Could I what?” she prompted.
“Could you wash my hair?” Tali looked her straight in the eye, now, and despite herself, Shepard could feel herself blush.
The first time Tali had gotten all the way out of her suit, her body was too sensitive to touch. She’d had to sleep in it for weeks because her skin found the texture of bed sheets irritating. She had adapted well over time, but her scalp was still sensitive enough that, until recently, she could barely tolerate standing underneath the shower head.
“Are you sure?” Shepard asked.
“Very,” Tali nodded. “If it’s too much, I’ll say something.”
“Okay.”
She let go of Tali and grabbed her shampoo from the rack. It was a human product; quarian hygiene products were usually produced in containers that hooked up to the tubing of their suits, and they didn’t need water. That was starting to change, but they didn’t export much of it beyond Rannoch. Getting Tali to try half a store’s worth of human soap before finding a scent she liked had been fun, though. Shepard never would’ve figured she’d have such a picky nose.
She started with the ends of Tali’s hair, gently working her soapy fingers in between the strands. Her hair was thick, but soft. Shepard’s touch grew gentler the closer she got to the roots of Tali’s hair, and the whole time she kept one eye on her posture and breathing, making sure she was alright.
Garrus was seated in the white, low-backed chair on the other side of the alcove, but he had pulled it a little closer to watch them. When they had first moved in, Shepard had wondered whether the steam would affect the oil he rubbed into his plates, but evidently it didn’t. He was working on his arms for now, but his movements were decidedly unfocused.
“You alright, Tali?” he asked.
“Mostly,” she replied, sounding a little unsure. “It feels nice, but I think I might have to do the top.”
“Just let me know when,” Shepard glanced over at Garrus and smiled. The plates between his legs were still closed, but she had the feeling that wouldn’t be the case for long.
“Alright,” Tali said, shifting her head just a little and finishing Shepard’s job with her own hands. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Shepard put a reassuring hand on her hip before getting to work on her own hair. She sighed contentedly as she worked her fingers over her scalp; it felt fantastic. There were few things better in life than a nice, hot shower, the kind where she could feel her stress wash off along with the day’s dirt.
Since her hair was shorter than Tali’s, she was done in very little time and could move on to the rest of her body. She had finished washing her neck and was moving to her shoulders when she felt a three-fingered hand cover hers.
“May I?” Tali asked. Her eyes had a twinkle in them that Shepard recognized almost too quickly. She flicked her gaze over to Garrus, who was now facing away from them so he could oil up his cowl.
“Go right ahead.”
Tali took the sponge from Shepard’s hand and moved it around to her back, massaging it over her shoulder blades. She hit the particularly bothersome knot under her right shoulder, and when Shepard made a soft grunting noise, she paused.
“Does that hurt?” She asked, tracing around the tender spot with the edge of her thumb.
“No, it’s just tense,” Shepard replied, adjusting her posture in a fruitless attempt to loosen it.
“Ah, I see,” Tali put her other hand on the opposite shoulder, and before Shepard could ask why, she pressed down with the whole side of her hand, kneading her thumb slowly.
The sound Shepard made was obscene. It felt un-fucking-believably good to finally have that knot worked out, but she really hadn’t been expecting it. Tali was good at a lot of things, but Shepard never would’ve figured deep tissue massage would be one of them. She gasped and threw a hand against the shower wall for balance until Tali gradually let up.
It wasn’t until she heard Tali giggling softly behind her that she realized she had her eyes screwed shut. She opened them and turned to give Tali a look, but Tali evidently wasn’t laughing at her. (Or at least, not only at her.) Instead, she had her head tilted to one side and was smiling rather coyly.
“You’re still staring, Vakarian.”
“Why is it she never gets in trouble for staring?” Garrus pointed towards Shepard, who was having a hard time keeping a straight face.
“She’s not as much fun to tease about it,” Tali pressed a kiss to Shepard’s shoulder, “since I know how much you love to watch.”
Shepard flicked her eyes back at Garrus - it looked like he still needed to oil up his legs, but she could see a definite gap between his groin plates. That gave her some time; to seduce a turian while they bathed meant you made sure they were fully oiled before moving things any further.
“Fair point,” Shepard winged en eyebrow at Tali, “even though he’s got nothing on how much you love being watched.”
“You really think so?” Tali crossed her arms, giving Shepard a smile that clearly said try me.
“I don’t know,” Shepard grinned, sliding an arm around Tali’s waist and turning them around until Tali was leaning against the tiled wall. “Let’s find out.”
She slid her thigh between Tali’s legs and leaned in to kiss the spot just below her ear.
“Look at him,” she whispered, “he’s not even open yet.”
Tali turned to look at Garrus, though Shepard knew he couldn’t hear her. She grazed her fingertips gently up Tali’s side, rolling them upwards to cup the underside of her breast.
“By the time I’m done, he’s going to be aching for you.”
She punctuated her statement with a soft nip of her ear, and she smiled in satisfaction as Tali leaned more fully against the wall with a quavering sigh. Below, she felt Tali open against her thigh. She rolled on the ball of her foot, just enough for Tali to feel it, and she felt one of Tali’s arms wrap around her.
“Shepard…” she whispered, the end of the word breaking into a soft whine.
“More?”
Tali nodded, her words gone.
Shepard lowered her knee and ran her nails lightly down Tali’s stomach, keeping her other arm lowered so Garrus could see. She pressed her two middle fingers against the top of Tali’s inner lips and gently parted them, sliding them firmly along the sides. It was just indirect enough to drive her mad, and it was something you could only do with human-size fingers. Shepard had been very pleased with herself the day she’d figured that out.
“Nnnnnn-” Tali bent forward just a little, her hair falling over her face for just a moment before her neck snapped back up. Her hips began to twist, trying to change the angle or to grind against Shepard’s fingers, she couldn’t tell. “Shepard, please.”
“Hmm…” Shepard pretended to consider it for a moment, even though her fingers were already moving higher and stroking lightly over either side of her clit. She lifted Tali’s chin with her other hand and kissed her deeply.
“You’re so beautiful like this,” she whispered. “God, I want you so badly it hurts.”
Tali leaned back against the wall again and keened. Shepard finally gave in, if only because the throbbing between her own legs was starting to get unbearable, and let her fingers glide inside of Tali. This earned her a hand gripping tightly at the back of her neck, and Tali began to grind her hips downward, pressing her clit into the heel of Shepard’s hand. Shepard moved her mouth back to her ear.
“Look at Garrus.”
Because by now, Garrus was not only fully emerged, he was nearly dripping. There was a hunger in his eyes that was only emphasized by the way his hands clutched at either of his knees, straining with the effort it took not to touch himself.
Tali’s breathing turned rapid and uneven, and she clung to Shepard’s back hard enough to leave marks as she came. The whole of her back rolled against the tile behind her and she screamed, clenching around Shepard’s fingers rhythmically. Shepard pressed frantic kisses down the side of her neck until at last her breathing slowed and her eyes slipped shut. She wrapped her arms around Tali’s back and held her close, letting her rest her head on her shoulder while she recovered.
Still running a hand over Tali’s back, she turned to look over at Garrus, smiling like the cat who got the cream.
“Need any help with your back, Garrus?”
Garrus made a sound somewhere between a sardonic laugh and a very frustrated huff.
“Among other things.”
After a few seconds, Tali stood upright again and went to turn the taps off, and together they strode over to Garrus. Tali took the bottle of oil from where it rested on the floor and took a seat behind him, pouring some into her hand and slowly applying it to the back of his cowl. Shepard sat just to his side, gently stroking the edge of his mandible with her fingertips.
“Glad to see you enjoyed the show,” she murmured, and her mouth quirked up in a smile when she saw his cock twitch from her words alone.
“I always do,” he rasped, and just as he leaned closer to kiss her, Tali’s hands reached the sensitive, unplated skin at the dip of his waist. His head snapped back and he drew a sharp, hissing breath.
Shepard pressed her lips against the softer plates just under his jaw, and when he gave a pleased chirring noise in response, she opened her mouth and sucked lightly. Garrus shook hard enough that it nearly knocked her off the chair.
“How’s his back, Tali?” She asked, her voice rougher than she had expected.
“Almost done,” Tali slid her hands back up and around, just behind his arms, until every inch of Garrus was glistening with oil. “Alright.”
“Finally.”
Shepard heard Tali giggle again, because Garrus and Shepard had both said it at the same time. Shepard swung her leg over so she could straddle him and moved a hand up to the underside of his fringe. With her other hand, she finally gave his cock some attention, grasping it at the base and twisting her fingers languidly up the shaft. She was furiously turned on, so much so that she could feel the insides of her thighs turn slick not from the oil on Garrus’s legs, but from her own arousal. Letting go of his cock, she brought her hand up to her mouth and licked the drops of his natural lubrication from her fingertips.
That seemed to flip a switch somewhere in Garrus’s head, because Shepard barely had time to register him tapping Tali’s leg behind him before he took hold of her. All at once, she found herself on her back in the chair with Garrus all but slamming into her, his tongue licking a hot trail from between her breasts all the way up her neck. Her head snapped to one side and her eyes clenched shut, her voice breaking into nothing but wordless gasping. Then, she felt the tip of his thumb start to stroke alongside her clit, and her eyes flew open, again.
“Oh fuck,” she whispered breathlessly. It was all she could do to wrap her arms around him and hold on. He was practically pounding into her, and it felt so fucking good. She couldn’t remember the last time he was so rough with her, not even that time after they’d been sparring, and she liked it. She got a hand behind his head and leaned up to whisper in his ear. She didn’t think she could say more than two words at a time, and she wanted him to hear this.
“Harder.”
He heard her. He drove into her hard enough for Shepard to feel the back of the chair dig into her shoulder. (Not that she even cared.) His thumb pressed down with purpose and made tiny circles that made her throw her head back and sob at how good it felt. Her words returned to her, and suddenly she couldn’t stop talking, yes, yes, oh fuck yes, Garrus, please, yes, Garrus, FUCK yes-
Shepard’s hips snapped up against his and she burned with pleasure, all the way up to where his hand was now fisted in her hair. Her mouth snapped open in a silent scream that finally broke into shuddering, pleading moans. When she came down, Garrus had slowed his pace a little, but when she pulled him down and kissed him fiercely, inviting his tongue out to slide against hers, he gripped her hips tightly and almost snarled as he spent himself inside of her.
Shepard let herself relax against the back of the chair, eyes shut, smiling contentedly. She felt Garrus ease out of her and opened her eyes to watch his cock slide back between his plates. She doubted she would ever get bored of seeing that. When she looked up, his expression was surprisingly apologetic.
“Keelah.”
They both turned to look at Tali, who was sitting on the raised step between the shower alcove and the rest of the bathroom, staring wide-eyed at the two of them. She was fully open again, and judging from the way her folds were glistening, wanting.
“I…don’t really know where that came from,” Garrus said sheepishly.
“Don’t you dare apologize for that,” Shepard pointed an authoritative finger at him.
“Never, ever apologize for that,” Tali stood up and walked over to them. She placed an affectionate hand on the side of Garrus’s face. “Think you’re up for another round tonight?”
“Given a few minutes,” he chuckled.
“I can give you that,” Tali replied. “It looks like the oil has set, anyway.”
Shepard took a deep breath and hauled herself up off the chair. After swiping her washcloth from the counter to clean herself up, she grabbed the plastic scraper Garrus used on his back and set to work getting the excess oil off of his plates. Tali took a thick-woven cloth from the stack on the floor and started with the softer plates on his neck. Garrus gave a contented sigh.
“If you’d told me back in my C-Sec academy days that one day I’d be sitting here, between the two most beautiful heroes the galaxy has ever seen, I would’ve given you a drug test,” he mumbled softly.
“I love you too, Garrus,” Tali rolled her eyes at him, but her smile was soft and genuine.
A comfortable silence settled around them, and by the time Tali rubbed the last of the oil from his feet, Garrus had let his eyes slip shut. Shepard leaned over his shoulder and let her hands clasp together at the front of his cowl. After a minute, Garrus opened his eyes and let the blunt-filed tip of his talon drag over Tali’s shoulder.
“It’s getting a bit cold in here,” he remarked.
Tali grinned and all but yanked him up off the chair, leading him into the bedroom with Shepard trailing behind. She pushed Garrus onto his back with a soft thumping of pillows, and after he’d adjusted himself so he was leaning against the cushioned headboard, she reached back and pulled Shepard down, too.
“Ready for that second round?” She climbed up onto the bed and approached them with an almost predatory smile.
“More than you know,” Garrus murmured hotly. Given the fact that he was already open and halfway out, Shepard figured she could take a pretty good guess.
Tali’s eyes flicked over to Shepard, who let her eyes drift over the smooth curves of Tali’s back, wondering how they would feel under her tongue.
“Hell yes.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Tali dug the toes of one foot into the covers and slid herself up between them. She turned onto her side and faced Garrus, getting one hand on his waist and the other on Shepard’s hip, pulling them both closer.
“Touch me,” she ordered.
Shepard didn’t need to be told twice. Taking care not to tug on Tali’s hair, she slid both hands up her back before grazing her nails back down. She felt Garrus’s hands meet hers at the dip of her waist, and their eyes met over her shoulder. His hands continued up to her breasts while Shepard’s traveled down, curling her fingers again so her nails scratched lightly over the dip of her hips.
Tali shuddered at that, and when her legs parted instinctively, Shepard crossed her own ankle over Tali’s, moving forward so their skin touched all the way up to where Tali’s backside was pressed against Shepard’s hips. Not for the first time, Shepard swore to herself that she was going to buy one of those asari strap-ons the instant the extranet stores were back up and running. The idea of it sent a stab of lust through her body that made her hips buck forward. The skin of Tali’s back was hot under her tongue.
She looked over at Garrus again, who was now fully emerged and nipping gently at the sides of Tali’s breasts. Her hand slid down again, but didn’t stop until it reached the soft skin just above Tali’s folds, pressing down with her fingertips. Tali gasped, which got Garrus’s attention. He looked at Shepard, who merely opened their legs a bit more, enticing him.
Garrus slid into her with a low, harmonic hum, and Tali’s hand immediately went to his waist, keeping him close and changing the hum to a needy groan. Shepard moved her hands up to Tali’s breasts and kissed the nape of her neck gently, not sure how it would feel so close to her scalp. When Tali didn’t object, but instead turned her head into the touch, she wrapped her lips around the side of her neck and sucked gently. Tali gasped, again.
Shepard felt Garrus’s hand on her hip, holding on for leverage since she and Tali were so connected. She glanced down to make sure she had the room before moving one hand down to Tali’s clit. Tali threw her hand back and grasped frantically at Shepard, finally gripping her wrist to keep it in place. Shepard returned her mouth to Tali’s neck, enjoying the opportunity it gave her to listen to the sharp cries escaping her lips. Their hips bounced together every time Garrus thrust into her, and Shepard wondered if Tali could feel how wet she was.
With a rumbling groan, Garrus dug his talons into Shepard’s hips and pitched forward, pushing them sideways so hard, Shepard was nearly rolled onto her back. He kept his forehead pressed against Tali’s, who still had a hand on his waist. Though she couldn’t see it, Shepard could feel Tali’s arm against her side, shaking along with his hips. After he took a moment to breathe, Garrus moved down until Shepard could feel his tongue below her hand. The hand previously on Shepard’s wrist moved to Garrus’s fringe, and Tali’s head snapped back, again. Shepard kept her hand moving, fingers pointed like a drell’s, rubbing back and forth the way she knew Tali liked it.
Tali’s gasping turned into panting, and when her hips began to shake, Shepard scraped her teeth against the skin of her shoulder. Tali shuddered violently against her, crying out with a voice now strained and rough. Shepard kept her hand moving, letting her ride it out until she fell back against her. Tali hummed softly with contentment as she released Garrus’s fringe.
“How’s that for a second round?” Shepard asked.
“Who said we were done?” Tali countered, rolling over slowly and running a hand down Shepard’s stomach. “Don’t think I didn’t notice this.”
She slid one of her long, thick fingers over Shepard’s dripping folds. The way Shepard twitched in response was all the answer she needed.
She guided Shepard onto her back, and Garrus was there to meet her on her other side. One of Tali’s fingers slid inside of her while Garrus began to gently stroke her clit. They lay on either side of her, taking turns kissing her and each other, running their free hands through her hair and over her body. Tali curled her finger just so, and Shepard’s hands fisted in the sheets underneath her.
“Ooh, I’ll remember that one,” Tali chuckled softly. “Look at her face.”
“Beautiful,” Garrus replied. “Hey, I’ve got an idea.”
He leaned in close and whispered something into Tali’s ear, pressing down particularly hard with his finger as he did so, and Shepard’s concentration was lost. Before she could respond (and perhaps tell them off for talking about her like she wasn’t listening), Garrus laved his tongue over the inner curve of her breast, and Tali bit down hard against the side of her neck.
“Oh, fuck!” Her hips snapped up, and they moved with her. In an instant, she was burning again. The scorch of it, sweet and electric everywhere they touched her, made her eyes water. Her back curved up into a shaking arch until the storm passed and she collapsed back onto the bed.
Silence fell again, until Shepard began to feel sleep trickling into the edges of her vision. Garrus rolled off the bed and reached around the bathroom doorway to grab a couple of washcloths. He tossed them their way, and they cleaned up and threw them into the laundry hamper.
Shepard barely had the energy to pull the covers over herself, but she was still awake enough to feel Tali’s hand run gently through her hair.
“No nightmares, this time,” she whispered.
“No nightmares,” Shepard replied.
On her other side, she felt Garrus slide up beside her and wrap an arm around her waist. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy.
Pairing: Femshep/Tali/Garrus
Rating: Explicit
Summary: Shepard doesn't sleep well when Garrus and Tali aren't there, but they're more than willing to make things better when they get home. (This is about 80% porn.)
Note: Set post-reaper war, after an ending where nobody died but the reapers. The only reason this exists is I woke up from a dream this morning so vivid and perfect that I had to write it down. Everything before they actually get in the shower is lifted directly from my subconscious, and I’ve been walking on clouds all day because of it. (I mean yes, it did get frightening, but it was worth it.)
Reference for turian bathing habits comes from a couple of fics on the kink meme called Clean Only in Cipritine and Wax On, Wax Off (both of which I highly recommend). Assume any levo/dextro issues and questions of quarian well-being have been taken care of long before this fic takes place.
Also on AO3
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Shepard’s jacket fell from her shoulders with a heavy rustling of fabric. It landed on the floor somewhere near the umbrella basket, but she couldn’t be bothered to hang it up on one of the coat hooks. Not right now, at least. She was so tired she could taste it, but she couldn’t sleep, yet. Even though it felt like ages had passed since the end of the war, there was still so much that needed to be done, and now Cerberus was rearing its hideous head, again.
She had honestly thought the Illusive Man’s death and Sanctuary’s destruction would be the end of them. For a huge portion of their operations, that was the case. Most of the mercenaries and almost all of the research facilities were disbanded with little trouble, and their former employees quickly found work cleaning up the mess the reapers had left behind. There were some groups, though, that seemed to have agreed with the Illusive Man’s idea that the reapers should have been controlled, rather than destroyed, and they…were less than pleased.
She leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom and kicked her shoes off, feeling worry clench in her chest as she sat down on the edge of her bed. It felt far too big without Garrus and Tali. She did her best to remind herself that the refugee compound they’d gone to defend wasn’t even the biggest thing they’d faced this month, but it did little to help.
She still felt guilty, as insane as it was, that she’d been tied up in meetings instead of fighting beside them. So many people needed her to be so many places, and they all needed so much. She’d barely had time to eat before someone needed her to help organize supply distribution or ensure that the newest refugees from the newly fixed relays got to safety or…she could barely remember what else she’d done. It all felt like a blur.
It wasn’t until she heard a pillow fall off the bed that she even realized she was lying down. She couldn’t sleep, yet. Not when Garrus and Tali were still out there, helping drive Cerberus out of yet another civilian settlement. Without them…sleep didn’t come easily, and it was never kind to her. Her vision blurred and darkened, and she shook her head to clear the fog from her head. They were supposed to be home tonight; Garrus had said so. She could rest when they came back.
Her eyes began to close again, and even though dread crawled up her throat, she didn’t have the strength to keep them open.
--
It was dark.
Her eyes flew open, but she still couldn’t see anything but inky darkness. Her gun felt cold and heavy in her hand. In the distance, there was a low, steady rumbling that shook the ground beneath her.
She ran.
As fast as she was, she knew she couldn’t outrun them for long. She’d cheated death once before, and she knew this time, she wouldn’t be so lucky. A thundering sound behind her, the sound of scattering earth, and she reached behind and felt tears well up in her eyes as her gun clicked uselessly.
With a bone-shaking thud, she tripped on a heavy stone and fell to the ground. She bit her tongue against the burning pain in her shoulder and wheeled around. If this was the end, she was going to go out looking death straight in the eye.
Icy terror gripped her by the neck. Instead of the thresher maws she remembered so well, a great black dog with three snarling heads was running headlong towards her. Its center mouth opened, revealing white, gleaming teeth -
--
Shepard threw her eyes open and rolled off of her side, pushing the blankets off of her with the arm that didn’t feel tingly and numb. The lights were off, though she didn’t remember hitting the switch. She scrambled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, throwing the cold tap open on the sink. She tried to splash water on her face even though her right arm still wasn’t awake, and in the end she got most of it on her shirt. Just as well; it was sticking to her in the grossest way.
She was wiping the water from her face when she heard the soft click of the lights turning on in the bedroom. She turned to see Tali walking into the bathroom, and she must have looked like a wreck, because the first thing Tali did was come up and wrap her arms around her shoulders. She didn’t say anything, just rocked the two of them back and forth gently until Shepard was ready to talk.
“Nightmare,” Shepard rested her forehead against the smooth surface of Tali’s helmet.
“I’m sorry,” Tali murmured. “I know you don’t sleep well when we’re gone for more than a day or so.”
“Not your fault,” she shook her head.
They stood like that for a long moment before Shepard spoke, again.
“You’re still in your suit.”
“We haven’t been home long,” Tali replied, smoothing her hands up and down over her arms. “You were asleep, so we turned the lights off for you.”
“Thanks,” she smiled softly.
The sound of footsteps made her lift her head up, again. This time it was Garrus, wearing thick-woven pants and an undershirt that still carried the creases of his armor.
“Is everything alright?” he asked, stopping in the doorway. He looked uncertain until Shepard reached out toward him, almost reflexively.
“It is now,” she slid a hand up to cup the side of his face, bringing him closer so she could kiss him. She let her hand travel further until she could trace her fingertips over the underside of his fringe, and the contented noise she got in return warmed even the coldest corners of her heart. “I missed you.”
“And we missed you,” Tali hummed softly, stepping forward to rest her head on Shepard’s shoulder. “I lost count how many times I heard Garrus say you should have been there with us.”
“You should’ve seen it,” Garrus’s mandibles flared with pride. “After the compound was secured, Tali and I got into their network and found their main base of operations. We should have them flushed out of this whole system in a matter of months.”
“That’s…” Shepard laughed in surprise, “that’s wonderful.”
“It really is,” Tali nodded, “and the best part is they can handle it just fine without us.”
“It’s been too long since we all saw each other for an entire week,” Garrus ran a hand through Shepard’s hair. “I think we’ve earned a bit of downtime.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all month,” Shepard sighed contentedly. After a bit, the collar of her shirt began to itch, and it finally set in how icky she felt. “…and I need a shower.”
“I think we all do,” Garrus chuckled. “Not a bad way to say ‘welcome home’.”
“Can’t think of anything better,” Shepard grinned at him, already stepping back to lift her shirt up.
“Oh, I’m sure you could think of at least a couple things.” Garrus grinned mischievously.
“Who said that wasn’t what I had in mind?” She got her shirt off and tossed it at him.
Beside them, Tali was already out of her helmet and gloves, and the belts she wore at her waist and hips were next them on the floor. Shepard’s hands slowed to a stop halfway through unhooking her bra; Tali’s fingers were awfully quick.
“You’re getting really good at that,” she remarked.
“You can thank him,” Tali nodded towards Garrus, “if he hadn’t worked so hard on sealing the air filters, installing the water purifiers, reinforcing the front entryway with bulletproof doors…”
“I’m still not sure that last one was necessary,” Shepard kicked her pants off and gave Garrus a questioning look.
“Well, you wouldn’t let me put the explosive light fixture in the front hall,” he replied.
“And neither would I,” Tali rolled her eyes at them. “My point is, if he hadn’t done all that, it would still be another six months before I could even do this.”
As if to emphasize her point, she undid the clasps holding the long, swirling fabric that reached from her hood to her hips and let it slide to the floor. It was a subtle change in her silhouette, but the fabric underneath clung much tighter to her skin, and with her hair starting to fall out of its knot, she looked…amazing.
“You’re staring, Vakarian,” she noted smugly.
“I thought I was allowed to, after all this time.” His tone was snide, but the gleam in his eyes betrayed him.
“I just meant that you might want to do something about those,” she flicked a finger at his clothing. “I think they might get in the way.”
Garrus just laughed and got to work unfastening his shirt. Shepard was fully undressed by now and had made her way to the shower, grinning like an idiot as she turned the taps on and waited for the water to heat up. She was the luckiest woman alive, to have the two of them here with her.
Frankly, they were all lucky. It was a rare thing after the reaper war to find a house with a bathroom big enough for a water-powered shower and a turian bathing chair, let alone in the same space. Shepard knew most human houses didn’t have bathrooms like this, with a whole alcove full of tile and water fixtures, where they could all fit.
She’d been hesitant to even put it in the plans for their home, but she figured if she hadn’t earned these few indulgences, the three of them combined most certainly had. The water felt almost slippery on her skin, since all of the minerals had been filtered out, but she didn’t mind. Slippery water meant Tali could use it without worry.
Speaking of whom, a hand touched her waist, and she turned around to find Tali behind her. She pulled her close and ran her hands over the smooth skin of her shoulders and back, occasionally textured by embedded ports and sensors the next generation of quarian children would never need.
Tali responded by pushing her out of the spray of water, landing solidly against the wall and kissing her with a hunger that made whatever Shepard was going to say vanish from her mind. Shepard pulled Tali even closer so their bodies touched from shoulder to hip, responding in kind until Tali pulled away far too soon.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for days.” she whispered against Shepard’s lips, giving in to temptation and kissing her again. Too soon again, she pulled back. “Could you…”
She said nothing else, and finally Shepard opened her eyes to see her looking at the tile where they stood.
“Could I what?” she prompted.
“Could you wash my hair?” Tali looked her straight in the eye, now, and despite herself, Shepard could feel herself blush.
The first time Tali had gotten all the way out of her suit, her body was too sensitive to touch. She’d had to sleep in it for weeks because her skin found the texture of bed sheets irritating. She had adapted well over time, but her scalp was still sensitive enough that, until recently, she could barely tolerate standing underneath the shower head.
“Are you sure?” Shepard asked.
“Very,” Tali nodded. “If it’s too much, I’ll say something.”
“Okay.”
She let go of Tali and grabbed her shampoo from the rack. It was a human product; quarian hygiene products were usually produced in containers that hooked up to the tubing of their suits, and they didn’t need water. That was starting to change, but they didn’t export much of it beyond Rannoch. Getting Tali to try half a store’s worth of human soap before finding a scent she liked had been fun, though. Shepard never would’ve figured she’d have such a picky nose.
She started with the ends of Tali’s hair, gently working her soapy fingers in between the strands. Her hair was thick, but soft. Shepard’s touch grew gentler the closer she got to the roots of Tali’s hair, and the whole time she kept one eye on her posture and breathing, making sure she was alright.
Garrus was seated in the white, low-backed chair on the other side of the alcove, but he had pulled it a little closer to watch them. When they had first moved in, Shepard had wondered whether the steam would affect the oil he rubbed into his plates, but evidently it didn’t. He was working on his arms for now, but his movements were decidedly unfocused.
“You alright, Tali?” he asked.
“Mostly,” she replied, sounding a little unsure. “It feels nice, but I think I might have to do the top.”
“Just let me know when,” Shepard glanced over at Garrus and smiled. The plates between his legs were still closed, but she had the feeling that wouldn’t be the case for long.
“Alright,” Tali said, shifting her head just a little and finishing Shepard’s job with her own hands. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Shepard put a reassuring hand on her hip before getting to work on her own hair. She sighed contentedly as she worked her fingers over her scalp; it felt fantastic. There were few things better in life than a nice, hot shower, the kind where she could feel her stress wash off along with the day’s dirt.
Since her hair was shorter than Tali’s, she was done in very little time and could move on to the rest of her body. She had finished washing her neck and was moving to her shoulders when she felt a three-fingered hand cover hers.
“May I?” Tali asked. Her eyes had a twinkle in them that Shepard recognized almost too quickly. She flicked her gaze over to Garrus, who was now facing away from them so he could oil up his cowl.
“Go right ahead.”
Tali took the sponge from Shepard’s hand and moved it around to her back, massaging it over her shoulder blades. She hit the particularly bothersome knot under her right shoulder, and when Shepard made a soft grunting noise, she paused.
“Does that hurt?” She asked, tracing around the tender spot with the edge of her thumb.
“No, it’s just tense,” Shepard replied, adjusting her posture in a fruitless attempt to loosen it.
“Ah, I see,” Tali put her other hand on the opposite shoulder, and before Shepard could ask why, she pressed down with the whole side of her hand, kneading her thumb slowly.
The sound Shepard made was obscene. It felt un-fucking-believably good to finally have that knot worked out, but she really hadn’t been expecting it. Tali was good at a lot of things, but Shepard never would’ve figured deep tissue massage would be one of them. She gasped and threw a hand against the shower wall for balance until Tali gradually let up.
It wasn’t until she heard Tali giggling softly behind her that she realized she had her eyes screwed shut. She opened them and turned to give Tali a look, but Tali evidently wasn’t laughing at her. (Or at least, not only at her.) Instead, she had her head tilted to one side and was smiling rather coyly.
“You’re still staring, Vakarian.”
“Why is it she never gets in trouble for staring?” Garrus pointed towards Shepard, who was having a hard time keeping a straight face.
“She’s not as much fun to tease about it,” Tali pressed a kiss to Shepard’s shoulder, “since I know how much you love to watch.”
Shepard flicked her eyes back at Garrus - it looked like he still needed to oil up his legs, but she could see a definite gap between his groin plates. That gave her some time; to seduce a turian while they bathed meant you made sure they were fully oiled before moving things any further.
“Fair point,” Shepard winged en eyebrow at Tali, “even though he’s got nothing on how much you love being watched.”
“You really think so?” Tali crossed her arms, giving Shepard a smile that clearly said try me.
“I don’t know,” Shepard grinned, sliding an arm around Tali’s waist and turning them around until Tali was leaning against the tiled wall. “Let’s find out.”
She slid her thigh between Tali’s legs and leaned in to kiss the spot just below her ear.
“Look at him,” she whispered, “he’s not even open yet.”
Tali turned to look at Garrus, though Shepard knew he couldn’t hear her. She grazed her fingertips gently up Tali’s side, rolling them upwards to cup the underside of her breast.
“By the time I’m done, he’s going to be aching for you.”
She punctuated her statement with a soft nip of her ear, and she smiled in satisfaction as Tali leaned more fully against the wall with a quavering sigh. Below, she felt Tali open against her thigh. She rolled on the ball of her foot, just enough for Tali to feel it, and she felt one of Tali’s arms wrap around her.
“Shepard…” she whispered, the end of the word breaking into a soft whine.
“More?”
Tali nodded, her words gone.
Shepard lowered her knee and ran her nails lightly down Tali’s stomach, keeping her other arm lowered so Garrus could see. She pressed her two middle fingers against the top of Tali’s inner lips and gently parted them, sliding them firmly along the sides. It was just indirect enough to drive her mad, and it was something you could only do with human-size fingers. Shepard had been very pleased with herself the day she’d figured that out.
“Nnnnnn-” Tali bent forward just a little, her hair falling over her face for just a moment before her neck snapped back up. Her hips began to twist, trying to change the angle or to grind against Shepard’s fingers, she couldn’t tell. “Shepard, please.”
“Hmm…” Shepard pretended to consider it for a moment, even though her fingers were already moving higher and stroking lightly over either side of her clit. She lifted Tali’s chin with her other hand and kissed her deeply.
“You’re so beautiful like this,” she whispered. “God, I want you so badly it hurts.”
Tali leaned back against the wall again and keened. Shepard finally gave in, if only because the throbbing between her own legs was starting to get unbearable, and let her fingers glide inside of Tali. This earned her a hand gripping tightly at the back of her neck, and Tali began to grind her hips downward, pressing her clit into the heel of Shepard’s hand. Shepard moved her mouth back to her ear.
“Look at Garrus.”
Because by now, Garrus was not only fully emerged, he was nearly dripping. There was a hunger in his eyes that was only emphasized by the way his hands clutched at either of his knees, straining with the effort it took not to touch himself.
Tali’s breathing turned rapid and uneven, and she clung to Shepard’s back hard enough to leave marks as she came. The whole of her back rolled against the tile behind her and she screamed, clenching around Shepard’s fingers rhythmically. Shepard pressed frantic kisses down the side of her neck until at last her breathing slowed and her eyes slipped shut. She wrapped her arms around Tali’s back and held her close, letting her rest her head on her shoulder while she recovered.
Still running a hand over Tali’s back, she turned to look over at Garrus, smiling like the cat who got the cream.
“Need any help with your back, Garrus?”
Garrus made a sound somewhere between a sardonic laugh and a very frustrated huff.
“Among other things.”
After a few seconds, Tali stood upright again and went to turn the taps off, and together they strode over to Garrus. Tali took the bottle of oil from where it rested on the floor and took a seat behind him, pouring some into her hand and slowly applying it to the back of his cowl. Shepard sat just to his side, gently stroking the edge of his mandible with her fingertips.
“Glad to see you enjoyed the show,” she murmured, and her mouth quirked up in a smile when she saw his cock twitch from her words alone.
“I always do,” he rasped, and just as he leaned closer to kiss her, Tali’s hands reached the sensitive, unplated skin at the dip of his waist. His head snapped back and he drew a sharp, hissing breath.
Shepard pressed her lips against the softer plates just under his jaw, and when he gave a pleased chirring noise in response, she opened her mouth and sucked lightly. Garrus shook hard enough that it nearly knocked her off the chair.
“How’s his back, Tali?” She asked, her voice rougher than she had expected.
“Almost done,” Tali slid her hands back up and around, just behind his arms, until every inch of Garrus was glistening with oil. “Alright.”
“Finally.”
Shepard heard Tali giggle again, because Garrus and Shepard had both said it at the same time. Shepard swung her leg over so she could straddle him and moved a hand up to the underside of his fringe. With her other hand, she finally gave his cock some attention, grasping it at the base and twisting her fingers languidly up the shaft. She was furiously turned on, so much so that she could feel the insides of her thighs turn slick not from the oil on Garrus’s legs, but from her own arousal. Letting go of his cock, she brought her hand up to her mouth and licked the drops of his natural lubrication from her fingertips.
That seemed to flip a switch somewhere in Garrus’s head, because Shepard barely had time to register him tapping Tali’s leg behind him before he took hold of her. All at once, she found herself on her back in the chair with Garrus all but slamming into her, his tongue licking a hot trail from between her breasts all the way up her neck. Her head snapped to one side and her eyes clenched shut, her voice breaking into nothing but wordless gasping. Then, she felt the tip of his thumb start to stroke alongside her clit, and her eyes flew open, again.
“Oh fuck,” she whispered breathlessly. It was all she could do to wrap her arms around him and hold on. He was practically pounding into her, and it felt so fucking good. She couldn’t remember the last time he was so rough with her, not even that time after they’d been sparring, and she liked it. She got a hand behind his head and leaned up to whisper in his ear. She didn’t think she could say more than two words at a time, and she wanted him to hear this.
“Harder.”
He heard her. He drove into her hard enough for Shepard to feel the back of the chair dig into her shoulder. (Not that she even cared.) His thumb pressed down with purpose and made tiny circles that made her throw her head back and sob at how good it felt. Her words returned to her, and suddenly she couldn’t stop talking, yes, yes, oh fuck yes, Garrus, please, yes, Garrus, FUCK yes-
Shepard’s hips snapped up against his and she burned with pleasure, all the way up to where his hand was now fisted in her hair. Her mouth snapped open in a silent scream that finally broke into shuddering, pleading moans. When she came down, Garrus had slowed his pace a little, but when she pulled him down and kissed him fiercely, inviting his tongue out to slide against hers, he gripped her hips tightly and almost snarled as he spent himself inside of her.
Shepard let herself relax against the back of the chair, eyes shut, smiling contentedly. She felt Garrus ease out of her and opened her eyes to watch his cock slide back between his plates. She doubted she would ever get bored of seeing that. When she looked up, his expression was surprisingly apologetic.
“Keelah.”
They both turned to look at Tali, who was sitting on the raised step between the shower alcove and the rest of the bathroom, staring wide-eyed at the two of them. She was fully open again, and judging from the way her folds were glistening, wanting.
“I…don’t really know where that came from,” Garrus said sheepishly.
“Don’t you dare apologize for that,” Shepard pointed an authoritative finger at him.
“Never, ever apologize for that,” Tali stood up and walked over to them. She placed an affectionate hand on the side of Garrus’s face. “Think you’re up for another round tonight?”
“Given a few minutes,” he chuckled.
“I can give you that,” Tali replied. “It looks like the oil has set, anyway.”
Shepard took a deep breath and hauled herself up off the chair. After swiping her washcloth from the counter to clean herself up, she grabbed the plastic scraper Garrus used on his back and set to work getting the excess oil off of his plates. Tali took a thick-woven cloth from the stack on the floor and started with the softer plates on his neck. Garrus gave a contented sigh.
“If you’d told me back in my C-Sec academy days that one day I’d be sitting here, between the two most beautiful heroes the galaxy has ever seen, I would’ve given you a drug test,” he mumbled softly.
“I love you too, Garrus,” Tali rolled her eyes at him, but her smile was soft and genuine.
A comfortable silence settled around them, and by the time Tali rubbed the last of the oil from his feet, Garrus had let his eyes slip shut. Shepard leaned over his shoulder and let her hands clasp together at the front of his cowl. After a minute, Garrus opened his eyes and let the blunt-filed tip of his talon drag over Tali’s shoulder.
“It’s getting a bit cold in here,” he remarked.
Tali grinned and all but yanked him up off the chair, leading him into the bedroom with Shepard trailing behind. She pushed Garrus onto his back with a soft thumping of pillows, and after he’d adjusted himself so he was leaning against the cushioned headboard, she reached back and pulled Shepard down, too.
“Ready for that second round?” She climbed up onto the bed and approached them with an almost predatory smile.
“More than you know,” Garrus murmured hotly. Given the fact that he was already open and halfway out, Shepard figured she could take a pretty good guess.
Tali’s eyes flicked over to Shepard, who let her eyes drift over the smooth curves of Tali’s back, wondering how they would feel under her tongue.
“Hell yes.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Tali dug the toes of one foot into the covers and slid herself up between them. She turned onto her side and faced Garrus, getting one hand on his waist and the other on Shepard’s hip, pulling them both closer.
“Touch me,” she ordered.
Shepard didn’t need to be told twice. Taking care not to tug on Tali’s hair, she slid both hands up her back before grazing her nails back down. She felt Garrus’s hands meet hers at the dip of her waist, and their eyes met over her shoulder. His hands continued up to her breasts while Shepard’s traveled down, curling her fingers again so her nails scratched lightly over the dip of her hips.
Tali shuddered at that, and when her legs parted instinctively, Shepard crossed her own ankle over Tali’s, moving forward so their skin touched all the way up to where Tali’s backside was pressed against Shepard’s hips. Not for the first time, Shepard swore to herself that she was going to buy one of those asari strap-ons the instant the extranet stores were back up and running. The idea of it sent a stab of lust through her body that made her hips buck forward. The skin of Tali’s back was hot under her tongue.
She looked over at Garrus again, who was now fully emerged and nipping gently at the sides of Tali’s breasts. Her hand slid down again, but didn’t stop until it reached the soft skin just above Tali’s folds, pressing down with her fingertips. Tali gasped, which got Garrus’s attention. He looked at Shepard, who merely opened their legs a bit more, enticing him.
Garrus slid into her with a low, harmonic hum, and Tali’s hand immediately went to his waist, keeping him close and changing the hum to a needy groan. Shepard moved her hands up to Tali’s breasts and kissed the nape of her neck gently, not sure how it would feel so close to her scalp. When Tali didn’t object, but instead turned her head into the touch, she wrapped her lips around the side of her neck and sucked gently. Tali gasped, again.
Shepard felt Garrus’s hand on her hip, holding on for leverage since she and Tali were so connected. She glanced down to make sure she had the room before moving one hand down to Tali’s clit. Tali threw her hand back and grasped frantically at Shepard, finally gripping her wrist to keep it in place. Shepard returned her mouth to Tali’s neck, enjoying the opportunity it gave her to listen to the sharp cries escaping her lips. Their hips bounced together every time Garrus thrust into her, and Shepard wondered if Tali could feel how wet she was.
With a rumbling groan, Garrus dug his talons into Shepard’s hips and pitched forward, pushing them sideways so hard, Shepard was nearly rolled onto her back. He kept his forehead pressed against Tali’s, who still had a hand on his waist. Though she couldn’t see it, Shepard could feel Tali’s arm against her side, shaking along with his hips. After he took a moment to breathe, Garrus moved down until Shepard could feel his tongue below her hand. The hand previously on Shepard’s wrist moved to Garrus’s fringe, and Tali’s head snapped back, again. Shepard kept her hand moving, fingers pointed like a drell’s, rubbing back and forth the way she knew Tali liked it.
Tali’s gasping turned into panting, and when her hips began to shake, Shepard scraped her teeth against the skin of her shoulder. Tali shuddered violently against her, crying out with a voice now strained and rough. Shepard kept her hand moving, letting her ride it out until she fell back against her. Tali hummed softly with contentment as she released Garrus’s fringe.
“How’s that for a second round?” Shepard asked.
“Who said we were done?” Tali countered, rolling over slowly and running a hand down Shepard’s stomach. “Don’t think I didn’t notice this.”
She slid one of her long, thick fingers over Shepard’s dripping folds. The way Shepard twitched in response was all the answer she needed.
She guided Shepard onto her back, and Garrus was there to meet her on her other side. One of Tali’s fingers slid inside of her while Garrus began to gently stroke her clit. They lay on either side of her, taking turns kissing her and each other, running their free hands through her hair and over her body. Tali curled her finger just so, and Shepard’s hands fisted in the sheets underneath her.
“Ooh, I’ll remember that one,” Tali chuckled softly. “Look at her face.”
“Beautiful,” Garrus replied. “Hey, I’ve got an idea.”
He leaned in close and whispered something into Tali’s ear, pressing down particularly hard with his finger as he did so, and Shepard’s concentration was lost. Before she could respond (and perhaps tell them off for talking about her like she wasn’t listening), Garrus laved his tongue over the inner curve of her breast, and Tali bit down hard against the side of her neck.
“Oh, fuck!” Her hips snapped up, and they moved with her. In an instant, she was burning again. The scorch of it, sweet and electric everywhere they touched her, made her eyes water. Her back curved up into a shaking arch until the storm passed and she collapsed back onto the bed.
Silence fell again, until Shepard began to feel sleep trickling into the edges of her vision. Garrus rolled off the bed and reached around the bathroom doorway to grab a couple of washcloths. He tossed them their way, and they cleaned up and threw them into the laundry hamper.
Shepard barely had the energy to pull the covers over herself, but she was still awake enough to feel Tali’s hand run gently through her hair.
“No nightmares, this time,” she whispered.
“No nightmares,” Shepard replied.
On her other side, she felt Garrus slide up beside her and wrap an arm around her waist. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy.