Shore Leave Part 1

Not so fun fact about me, I've been dealing with some pretty annoying wrist pains the last few months. And they've been gradually slowing down my writing progress more and more as time goes on. Which, as I'm sure y'all can guess, is why this is a 'Part 1' instead of simply being the whole thing. I had too much fun writing this and ended up not finishing it all in time. At least according to my personal schedule.

So unfortunately I have to break it up into two parts once again and I really can't do much more than apologize for the inconvenience. Hopefully y'all enjoy the build up I had fun writing!

Like a bear finally emerging from it's cave after a long hibernation Commander Shepard emerged from her hotel room in a state of barely conscious delirium. Her hair was a mess of knots and tangles as it stuck out or up in every direction while lines crisscrossed her cheeks and not quite dried saliva clung to the corners of her mouth. The clothes she'd managed to pull on before shuffling out of the dark little hovel that was her sanctuary were little more than piles of wrinkles loosely masquerading as a tank top and baggy sweats. And she hadn't even bothered with proper shoes in spite of how elegant the hotel around her was.

Indeed her only concern was stumbling down to the bar for something, anything, to eat before returning to her bedroom for more sleep. Anything she could shove into her mouth to keep herself alive before spending another day or two collapsed naked in her bed without so much as a care in the world. It was the first time she'd had any R&R since the mess with Sovereign and the rebuilding of the Citadel and there was no better way to spend her limited free time.

Especially when she knew full well the Alliance intended to send her out on more wild goose chases hunting down rogue Geth and whatever else they wanted to distract her with. She couldn't refused their orders and gone her own way but without any proper leads on the Reapers choices were slim. Though it was hard to really worry about any of that as she shuffled onto the elevator near her room and dazedly leaned against the wall, barely able to support herself as her eyes naturally fluttered shut. Shepard could already feel herself waking up little by little as she spent more time outside of her cocoon of blankets and pillows. But consciousness was just about the last thing she wanted. So of course what should have been an easy trip down to scrounge up some food and save some credits on room service was immediately delayed not two seconds after she stepped onto the elevator.

It shuddered to a halt moments after she'd closed her eyes but Shepard didn't even have the wherewithal to groan at the delay. She just let out a tepid little sigh and shifted into a marginally more comfortable position without so much as opening her eyes. Not even when the doors opened and she was all but flooded with the soft smell of perfume. To say nothing of the three soft, feminine voices carrying on an animated conversation as they stepped onto the elevator too. A conversation Shepard couldn't possibly bring herself to care about. Hell she didn't even listen to what they were saying despite them being less than a foot away from her the entire time. She just breathed through her mouth as much as possible and did everything in her power to stay as sleepy and unfocused as she could. All the while thinking about the food she'd order as her stomach rather loudly grumbled. Sadly not even that small bit of mercy could last very long. The conversation she'd been ignoring started to fade and in the silence that filled the elevator after Shepard could sense the three strangers looking at her more closely.

Just as she could almost feel them looking at one another as they gathered up the strength to say something. Though she couldn't have guessed what, “Excuse me, a-are you... Commander Shepard?”

“Th-The Commander Shepard?” Another clarified.

“The woman who saved the Council and led the fight against Sovereign?”

Shepard could hear their excitement growing with every word and feel it slowly rising in the cramped little space she'd trapped herself in. But as much as she wanted to simply be left alone she couldn't bring herself to do anything overtly rude, “Yes...” She finally groaned, standing up a bit straighter and finally opening her eyes, “I'm Commander Shepard!”

“Oh Goddess!”

“I knew it!”

“I can't believe it's really you!”

Practically shaking with excitement all three of the Asari women clung to one another as they beamed at Shepard with awestruck looks. None of them seemed much older than Liara but it was difficult to tell in the state Shepard was in. Especially as the trio fawned over her from the other side of the elevator dressed in the latest Citadel fashion as they did.

Forcing a smile Shepard nodded and watched them for a few seconds before asking, “Did you want an autograph or a picture or something?”

Had she known what that question would've led to she would've kept her mouth shut. Because the moment she made that offer all three Asari let out squeal, practically tripping over themselves to move in closer. Whatever restraint or respect had kept them from swarming around her straight away disappeared as soon as Shepard opened her stupid mouth. In the blink of an eye she was practically surrounded by three women no doubt several times her age and yet acting like Human teenagers meeting their favorite celebrity.

It was an experience Shepard still hadn't gotten used to and one she did her best to adjust to in the heat of the moment as the three all talked in unison, “Could you sign this?!”

“Could you take a picture with all three of us?!”

“Could you take a picture with me first?!”

Taking the pen offered to her Shepard scribbled a signature on anything they offered, signing multiple things for each of them, before saying, “We can do individual pictures and then a group picture after everyone—” The soft ding of the elevator doors opening as it shuddered to a stop cut her short and immediately gave her a way out as Shepard said, “This is my floor.”

But while the three Asari women didn't try to box her in or anything they didn't seem to think twice about falling in line behind her, “oh it's our floor too!”

“We came down here to get something to eat!”

“Room service is so expensive!”

“What are you down here for Commander Shepard?!”

“Are you eating too?!”

“Would you like to eat with us?! We'll pay of course!”

“Of course! It would be our pleasure Commander Shepard!”

“Absolutely! Anything you want Commander Shepard! Anything!”

Simultaneously exhausted by the three women and completely incapable of turning them away Shepard didn't immediately respond. Instead she just waved them along with a half hearted little gesture and shuffled into the bar on the ground floor of the hotel. More than awake enough to see the dirty look the maître d' gave her but entirely unconcerned with her appearance she shuffled into the dining area and sat down at the first table she could. With her three companions immediately sitting down all around her with identical, giddy smiles. Much as she wanted to send them away Shepard didn't have the heart to burst their bubble and be anything but the hero they clearly saw her as. Particularly when all three of the Asari looked so overjoyed by her mere presence.

They weren't trying to criticize her for 'wasting Human lives' or second guessing her choices or anything of the sort. They were just grateful for everything she'd done and happy to be in her presence, a reaction she really hadn't seen many times. And while she was a little uncomfortable by their quite obvious hero worship it was so much better than what she normally got Shepard didn't really care enough to say anything.

Instead she accepted the menu offered to her by the server and did her best to look it over while three Asari watched her, “You don't have to pay for my food.” She remarked, “Nothing on here is cheap and I don't want—”

“It's no trouble!”

“None at all!”

“We want to pay for your food!”

“It's the least we can do after you saved our lives!”

“We would've died on the Citadel if you hadn't stopped Sovereign!”

“Buying your meal is the least we could do after something like that!”

Nodding in agreement and continuing to gush over how she'd helped them they didn't let Shepard get a word in for a good while. And when she finally spoke she simply replied, “I appreciate that... but I'm not the only hero of that fight. A lot of people helped me. And a lot of people died to keep everyone on the Citadel safe.”

In an almost comical shift all three Asari gave each other melancholy looks, nodding solemnly as Shepard spoke and remaining silent for several seconds after she'd finished. Only to instantly perk right back up again as one said, “But you led the efforts right?”

“We heard you were the one who ordered the ships to save the Council?”

“And that you personally fought Saren in the Council chambers!”

Despite her exhaustion Shepard couldn't help but smile at their eagerness. Though she shook her head a moment later and looked back down at her menu, “You're not wrong...”

Her companions let out noises caught between squeals and giggles as the huddled up even closer and continued to watch Shepard with unrestrained awe. And rather than trying to convince them not to worship her, or even to simply tone it down a bit, Shepard gave up entirely. Eventually the server returned to take their orders and she gave in to their offer of a free meal. No matter how uncomfortable she was with that sort of gift. Even if it'd been the cheapest, greasiest food on Earth she still would've had her misgivings. But at an upscale, 20th century hotel like the one she was staying at Shepard felt outright bad for letting them spend so many credits. Thankfully she didn't have much time to argue with any of them as conversation rather quickly turned to her exploits. At least if being bombarded with eager questions and awestruck gasps every time she answered could be considered a conversation. It was more like a benevolent interrogation.

Yet in spite of that Shepard didn't have a bad time with the three Asari. They might've been fawning and worshiping infinitely more than she was comfortable with, which was to say anything at all, but at the very least they were pleasant company. They hung on her every word and asked a myriad of interesting questions few had ever asked about. Not even the reporters interviewing her in the direct aftermath of Sovereign's attack.

Like her gear and what her companions had been doing and what her back up plans were and all sorts of things Shepard had rarely ever talked about. They were still far too awestruck by even the most basic answers but all things considered Shepard enjoyed herself far more than she expected. Especially when their food finally arrived and she could actually fill her painfully empty stomach for the first time in nearly twenty hours. And of course eating gave her the perfect excuse to not talk much. Although unsurprisingly her companions were more than happy to fill in any silence as they talked about everything that happened to them during the attack.

All things considered it wasn't the worst way to spend her afternoon and while she wasn't thrilled about being almost entirely awake before lunch was finished she wasn't annoyed she'd met the trio, Shepard even stuck around for desert after the three begged and pleaded for her to stay a little bit longer. But she couldn't quite figure out a way to slip past them and pay for her meal separately like she'd initially planned. They were wise to her little ploy of using the bathroom and they immediately paid the bill as soon as she admitted to her scheme. Which was hardly the worst outcome she'd experienced with so called fans ever since the attack on the Citadel. And by the time the three of them were leaving the hotel restaurant Shepard was actually smiling more often than not. Nowhere near as much as her admirers but far more than she expected when she dragged herself out of bed an hour earlier.

“Thank you again for the food.” She said as she stepped onto the elevator.

“You're welcome!” The three Asari exclaimed in unison, “Thank you for saving our lives!” One added as all three waved.

“And for saving the entire Citadel!”

“And for saving the Council!”

Letting out a self deprecating chuckle Shepard waved back as the doors closed, unable to resist shaking her head one last time as she somewhat awkwardly replied, “You're welcome...”

As soon as Shepard was out of sight all their bubbly enthusiasm melted into a puddle of barely constrained nerves as Samay, Nuiss, and Fayr finally breathed for the first time since realizing they were in an elevator with Commander Shepard. THE Commander Shepard. Nuiss immediately covered her face with both hands while Samay leaned against the wall and Fayr covered her belly as she bent over. None of them said a word about what'd happened for what felt like minutes. They could only bask in the insanity of what'd just happened.

And the frustration that was their own inability to say what they truly wanted. “I can't believe we didn't take our chance!” Samay finally groaned.

“I almost said something when Shepard was talking about her armor!” Fayr added, “That was the perfect chance but I was too afraid to pursue it! I'm such a coward!”

“At least you thought of a chance!” Nuiss remarked, half laughing and half groaning. “I was too afraid to even think about it! I just spent the whole time hoping one of you might say something so I'd have a chance too!”

“I was doing the same most of the time!” Samay admitted.

“Well at least we're both cowards.” Nuiss laughed.

“And we were almost saved by Fayr...”

“If I'd only found the courage to speak up...”

Another bout of anxious silence filled the air as the three of them looked at one another. They were forced to disperse as more guests arrived to use the elevator but they didn't travel all that far. It was too hard to walk when their legs were trembling and their stomachs twisting into knots as they constantly dwelled on their weaknesses. And what they'd lost because of it.

“Do you think... do you think we would've had a chance... if we had spoken up I mean...” Though phrased like a question Nuiss didn't quite ask so much as speak aloud, uncertainty coloring every word out of her mouth.

“I don't know...” Samay replied. “I... I hope so... I like to think she would've... but I suppose there's always a chance she could've said no.”

“Even if she had said no it would've been better than completely losing our courage!” Fayr said, “I'd much prefer an answer to more uncertainty! And now that we've wasted our only chance uncertainty is all we'll ever have! It's not as though we'll stumble across Commander Shepard again!”

“And we certainly can't linger around hoping to make an encounter happen!” Nuiss agreed. “She'd never agree to anything if she knew we were stalking her!”

“Maybe we should just give up altogether? We've already met her once! She shared a meal with us! I bet that's more than most people will ever get!” Samay said, visibly trying to reassure herself with every word, “If we stop now it can be an incredible memory...”

Fayr was silent as Nuiss meekly nodded in agreement. But just as the latter was about to speak the former interrupted her with, “Or maybe we can be a little more... bold?”

“What do you mean?” Both of her companions asked in unison.

Though her cheeks darkened a little shiver ran through her body Fayr didn't immediately crumple at the prospect of explaining herself. Instead she took a ragged little breath and nervously clasped her hands in front of her stomach, “We can't just hope we'll run into her again... and we definitely can't try to force an accidental meeting without seeming like obsessed lunatics...”

“Right.” Her friends said in unison, their voices hopeful even as their expressions grew more crestfallen by the second.

“What if we just... approached her? T-Told her what we want and hope that she wants the same thing too?” She looked at her companions for a moment before immediately and hastily adding, “I know we'd be taking a huge risk... but it's better than giving up entirely... isn't it?”

A tense little silence fell over them as all three Asari considered those words. None of them could quite disagree but none of them could entirely commit either. They were still a little awestruck by how well everything had already gone. Imagining it going eve better was almost impossible to fathom. And yet at the same time they couldn't stop themselves from fantasizing. Especially when the silence stretched out even longer and they were left stewing in their thoughts.

At some point all three of them had looked away from one another towards the elevator Shepard had stepped onto. When they looked back at one another their expressions, and convictions, were nearly identical. “Let's try it.” Nuiss shyly whispered.

“At the very worse she'll tell us no and we'll still have that meal together.” Samay added.

“Exactly.” Fayr said with a smile. “But first we should find something a little more exciting to wear for Commander Shepard... something she couldn't possibly misunderstand.”

Samay and Nuiss looked down at their stylish yet subtly revealing clothes before looking back at Fayr with a mixture of surprise, apprehension, and unmistakable excitement. “Like what” Samay asked, “i didn't bring anything... like that with me.”

“I don't think any of us did.” Fayr replied. After a second she looked out at the street beyond the hotel and added, “But we can probably find something special nearby...”

Falling asleep after spending more than an hour in the company of three eager Asari fans was nothing short of impossible. Shepard knew that as soon as she crawled back into bed. Hell she knew it before she'd even slipped out of her clothes. But somehow that hadn't stopped her from trying. At least for a little while. Maybe another hour or two. It was hard to really say when she deliberately avoided any and every clock around her. And with her entire room as dark as a starless night time had truly lost all meaning. Or at least that was her intention.

In practice she was very much aware of how long she tossed and turned trying to will herself back to sleep. As if thinking particularly hard could overcome how painfully awake she was. But after what had to be at least an hour, and more than likely two or three, she finally gave up. The growing sense of frustration and irritation she was trying so hard to ignore was heating up her body and turning that once comfortable cocoon into a sweaty, tangled mess little by little. With every quiet turn and wordless grumble. She'd all but wrapped herself up in her blankets like a mummy by the time she gave up and just disentangling herself from the mess was an annoying effort all on it's own. To say nothing of figuring out what to actually do with herself once she was free.

“I suppose I could walk around the city...” She thought, “I've still got... a couple days left? Maybe three or four? How long have I actually been on shore leave?”

But the effort involved with actually figuring that out was entirely too much for Shepard to bother with and after all of a few seconds she slid off her bed entirely. Though she didn't really have any plans in mind she knew she probably wouldn't spend her waking hours cooped up in her hotel room. It might've been a great place to hibernate for a while but it was hardly a good place to spend any of her waking hours. Which meant going outside for more than just food. And that meant washing off some of the sweat and drool and grime she'd completely neglected to take care of before. Much as she tried to deny it Shepard could smell herself as she walked around her hotel room. People walking past her door could probably smell her! It was a wonder Fayr, Nuiss, and Samay had been able to stomach her presence for as long as they had, even considering their all their fawning. Though she wasn't even sure the three of them had noticed in the first place.

“Shower it is.” She muttered aloud, turning towards her bathroom with a weary sigh, “After that... I guess I'll see the sights or something...” But not two steps into the bathroom, before she'd even closed the door, someone knocked on the door to her hotel room, “Ohhh I really hope that's not housekeeping,” Shepard muttered.

Immediately turning around she walked back into her hotel room proper and grabbed the first clothes she could find. This time around an almost knee length shirt and a pair of panties. As soon as she wasn't naked she shuffled over to the door and opened it fully expecting to see some poor employee who hadn't gotten the memo. Or maybe one of the managers coming to complain about her violating their dress code at lunch. Instead she was met with Nuiss, Samay, and Fayr standing nervously in the hallway wearing long, heavy looking coats entirely unsuited to the warm summer. And all three of them immediately tensed at the sight of her.

As much as they'd tried to brace themselves for what they were about to do, and as much as they'd talked about the whole thing while finding their clothes, none of them were actually prepared for seeing Shepard again. Much less seeing her dressed in what looked like a shirt and nothing else, much of her strong, muscular body on full display or teasingly hinted. From her beautifully toned arms and thick, powerful legs they saw so much more than they expected to see. And it didn't even matter that the tank top she'd been wearing during their first meeting showed off just as much. The mere thought of her being naked beneath that shirt was utterly disarming. The thought of her wearing panties underneath it was somehow even better. To say nothing of the cloying, musky scent immediately overwhelming them all as soon as the door opened.

So thick they could almost taste it the smell of her body just about knocked the three over. Nuiss and Samay actually buckled just the tiniest bit as they breathed in her sweetness while Fayr nervously grasped at her coat. All three of them blushed a deep shade of blue and looked away from Shepard even as their nostrils flared and their breathing grew more ragged. How they didn't completely lose their nerve was a question they didn't even have time to ask.

Amused by their nervousness yet completely unaware of why they were so feverishly embarrassed Shepard didn't give the tri a chance to speak, “Back to buy me more food?” She teased.

For a split second the three looked at her like she'd just pulled a gun only for relief, then giddiness to replace their concern. At least for a second or two, “N-No!” Samay stammered, “We were j-just—I m-mean if you want to-to eat again—”

“Th-That's not why w-w-were here!” Nuiss interrupted. “We w-wanted to—uhm—we-we-we were hoping t-to—uhm—”

“Wewantedtospendmoretimewithyou!” Fayr blurted out, her words a jumbled, nervous mess.

Growing more amused by the second Shepard paused to make sense of what she'd just heard, looking at the three as she did. And the moment she did everything started making sense. From their heavy, out of season coats to the flush in their cheeks and the rampant nervousness coloring everything they did and everything they said. It hardly took a genius to figure out how they wanted to spend time with her and she was almost kicking herself for not realizing sooner. Hell for not realizing it as soon as the three started fawning over her in the elevator. They were hardly subtle.

And in a rare moment of wickedness, good natured wickedness of course, Shepard let them stew a little bit longer before simply stating, “You want to have sex with me.”

There was no hint of a question in her words and the sheer bluntness of her comment just about ruined the three Asari. Their faces turned a pale shade of blue as their mouths fell open and their eyes widened in shock. None of them seemed to know what to say. Or even how to react beyond gawking at her like she was some sort of freakish monster.

Thankfully none of them stayed quiet for long, “I-I-I'm sorry!” Fayr gasped, “We sh-shouldn't have—it's n-n-not our p-place to—I'm s-sure you're b-busy! W-We'll leave right away! Thank y-y-you for letting u-us buy your l-lunch!”

She tried to turn away from Shepard in the middle of her rambling onto to run headlong into Nuiss and Samay as neither quite kept up with her plans. All three of them were sent into a bumbling, stumbling tizzy as they tried and failed to leave with any sort of dignity or grace. Instead they just fell over themselves like three drunks trying to navigate a flight of stairs. All the while Shepard watched and did her best to hide her laughter. Even covering her mouth with one hand in a barely successful attempt to not make things any worse on her poor, nerve wracked fans. Not that any of them would've actually noticed how she was reacting.

Suddenly wishing they hadn't lived through Sovereign's attack Nuiss, Fayr, and Samay wanted nothing more than to stop existing. Their awkward, humiliating tumble over one another couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds before they righted themselves but it felt like an eternity. Especially with Shepard watching the entire time. Had she actually laughed at the three of them they very well might've died from shame right then and there!

Instead they somehow managed to get themselves together enough to straighten and offer barely audible apologies as they looked anywhere but Shepard directly. Eventually culminating in Fayr oh so meekly adding, “We're s-sorry we wasted y-y-your time!”

Yet before they could actually turn around and flee into the deepest, darkest hole in the galaxy Shepard stopped them dead in their tracks with a simple, “Don't you want to hear my answer?”

The fact that she was even asking froze them all in place as a flicker of hope ignited within them. One just waiting to be snuffed out again as Fayr managed to lift her gaze up to Shepard's face and softly whisper, “W-What?”

“Don't you want to hear my answer”” Shepard asked again, stepping out of her hotel room and approaching the three. Moving close enough for them to smell her musky scent with every ragged breath she said, “You didn't give me a chance to answer your question. Though I guess you didn't really ask the question in the first place.”

“W-What's your answer?” Samay timidly asked, half hiding behind Fayr as she spoke.

Shepard grinned at the three of them for a second, even meeting Nuiss' timid little glance as she entirely cowered behind her friends. But instead of responding with words she just turned away from them and walked back into her hotel room. Though not before giving them a coquettish little wink and none too subtly biting her lip. And as she disappeared into the shadowy confines of her hotel room Shepard made sure to there was no room for misinterpretation, the tantalizing little over the shoulder look she gave them all but confirming everything they could've hoped.

“Oh Goddess...” Fayr whispered.

“W-We must be-be dreaming!” Samay exclaimed.

“I d-d-don't ever want to w-wake up!” Nuiss gasped.

Hesitating for all of a second the three of them followed Shepard into her room before they could think too hard about what they were doing. Before they could reconsider the absolute insanity unfolding right before their eyes. They just walked into that musky, intoxicating darkness with near identical smiles slowly dawning across their faces.