[Morinth/F!Shep+Samara] - Lessons in Humility (Long Overdue) - 2e/?
anonymous
February 12 2012, 05:08:44 UTC
"Are you saying I don't know how to do either?"
"You're trained not to," Morinth replied. "And considering what you told me about some of the merc groups around here, you've got plenty of airtight reasons to keep your guard up. But it does get exhausting, doesn't it? Using the battlefield as a way to unwind, knowing that when it's gone, you'll be restless again. Looking for ways to let go."
"Take it you've got some suggestions for how to do that," Shepard said dryly, though she forced herself to keep from letting indignity get the better of her.
Didn't need to let the asari know that she'd just hit upon a sore point-- even if she seemed to know anyway.
"I do," Morinth said, smile broadening into an unspoken suggestion. "Well... Assuming you play your cards right. But the way you're going, I doubt you'll have much trouble with that."
Shepard chuckled. "The way you say it, you'd think it's already a done deal."
"Would you like it to be?"
Was that her 'in?' The invitation? Or was she reading the situation wrong? Samara had said, be up front, don't be coy... but, in the end, bluntness was the only thing Shepard could think to approach that with.
"I haven't made up my mind yet," she said gently.
"Maybe you'd like me to make it up for you," Morinth suggested, letting her voice mirror what she'd communicated previously in a look; gentle, sultry... enough to make Shepard wonder if that was the warning sign.
...Or, alternatively, wonder if she didn't in some way find the idea genuinely appealing.
"Maybe I would," she said, offering the truth in spite of her misgivings.
"Just a 'maybe?'" she opted for, training her voice to offer a note of sympathy. "I'm used to soldiers having passion-- fire. I'd hate to think someone as vibrant as you is so beaten into the ground that you've lost that... that command has gotten you so tightly wound that you can't let go of a little control sometimes."
"Like you said," Shepard replied, shrugging. "Maybe I'm just tired." She eased back in her seat, but paused before taking a drink, looking over the rim of the glass curiously, some of Morinth's words finally reaching her. Setting the glass down, she said, "Wait a minute... how did you know I was part of command?"
"You have a way about you," Morinth said, simply enough. "You met eyes with that krogan at the bar like you were used to talking down subordinates; got those turians to leave with a few simple orders. Not many people can do that. Most of the ones that try end up leaving here as a fine red mist-- but you? You walked away unscathed." A beat. Then, "And just how often do you need to be on your guard, anyway? How often do you have to keep up appearances for the people serving under you? For the people you meet here, and everywhere else?"
Too often, she wanted to say. Much as she was loathe to admit it, the questions hit home in a way she wasn't prepared for-- and that much, she was certain was coming through in her expression.
"You don't have to be that way with me, Jane," Morinth said, putting the pseudonym to use with a low, lilting tone. "And you deserve a way out. The question is-- would you take it, if I offered?" Easing in closer as Shepard took a drink of her bourbon, the asari draped an arm behind her shoulders and said, "Would you give me the chance to see what you're like when you finally unwind?" in a silken tone that was more sultry than anything she'd ever heard.
"You're trained not to," Morinth replied. "And considering what you told me about some of the merc groups around here, you've got plenty of airtight reasons to keep your guard up. But it does get exhausting, doesn't it? Using the battlefield as a way to unwind, knowing that when it's gone, you'll be restless again. Looking for ways to let go."
"Take it you've got some suggestions for how to do that," Shepard said dryly, though she forced herself to keep from letting indignity get the better of her.
Didn't need to let the asari know that she'd just hit upon a sore point-- even if she seemed to know anyway.
"I do," Morinth said, smile broadening into an unspoken suggestion. "Well... Assuming you play your cards right. But the way you're going, I doubt you'll have much trouble with that."
Shepard chuckled. "The way you say it, you'd think it's already a done deal."
"Would you like it to be?"
Was that her 'in?' The invitation? Or was she reading the situation wrong? Samara had said, be up front, don't be coy... but, in the end, bluntness was the only thing Shepard could think to approach that with.
"I haven't made up my mind yet," she said gently.
"Maybe you'd like me to make it up for you," Morinth suggested, letting her voice mirror what she'd communicated previously in a look; gentle, sultry... enough to make Shepard wonder if that was the warning sign.
...Or, alternatively, wonder if she didn't in some way find the idea genuinely appealing.
"Maybe I would," she said, offering the truth in spite of her misgivings.
"Just a 'maybe?'" she opted for, training her voice to offer a note of sympathy. "I'm used to soldiers having passion-- fire. I'd hate to think someone as vibrant as you is so beaten into the ground that you've lost that... that command has gotten you so tightly wound that you can't let go of a little control sometimes."
"Like you said," Shepard replied, shrugging. "Maybe I'm just tired." She eased back in her seat, but paused before taking a drink, looking over the rim of the glass curiously, some of Morinth's words finally reaching her. Setting the glass down, she said, "Wait a minute... how did you know I was part of command?"
"You have a way about you," Morinth said, simply enough. "You met eyes with that krogan at the bar like you were used to talking down subordinates; got those turians to leave with a few simple orders. Not many people can do that. Most of the ones that try end up leaving here as a fine red mist-- but you? You walked away unscathed." A beat. Then, "And just how often do you need to be on your guard, anyway? How often do you have to keep up appearances for the people serving under you? For the people you meet here, and everywhere else?"
Too often, she wanted to say. Much as she was loathe to admit it, the questions hit home in a way she wasn't prepared for-- and that much, she was certain was coming through in her expression.
"You don't have to be that way with me, Jane," Morinth said, putting the pseudonym to use with a low, lilting tone. "And you deserve a way out. The question is-- would you take it, if I offered?" Easing in closer as Shepard took a drink of her bourbon, the asari draped an arm behind her shoulders and said, "Would you give me the chance to see what you're like when you finally unwind?" in a silken tone that was more sultry than anything she'd ever heard.
And had more of an effect than she'd anticipated.
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