Mairèad & Shepard: June 3

Mairèad grumbles and turns back to her libram, hunching over again as if she's trying to appear smaller than she is.

Shepard sighs, shoulders slumping. "...sorry, Mairead. I tried."

Mairèad just grunts, still hunched over her book. Her fingers are somewhat tense on the pages as if she's holding back a barrage, but she doesn't say much more.

Shepard rubs the back of his mane, looking around awkwardly. "Could... we perhaps talk somewhere? Privately."

Mairèad sighs, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Yahar, sure," she answers in a defeated voice. She closes her libram and stands, letting it hang at her waist. "Lead th'way."

Shepard says: Uhh. Let's see.
Shepard says: Yeah. This is good.

Mairèad stops walking and folds her arms across her chest, looking guarded and very srs.

Shepard steps back, coming to lean against the planter. He smiles. "How have you been?"

Mairèad doesn't smile, simply exhaling a quiet sigh. "Doin' alright. Jest been prayin', trainin', that sorta thin'."
Mairèad says: And yerself?

Shepard says: Good.

Mairèad says: That's good.

Shepard scratches the side of his face. "How's that wound? I suppose it was healed that same night- the night with the sniper, I mean."

Mairèad blinks a few times. "Were you there fer that?" she asks, reaching up to scratch where the wound was. "It's fine, though. Dug th'bullet out meself and Lio and I healed th'wound."

Shepard says: I was there, yeah. Silent, hidden, but there.

Mairèad says: Good that y'didn't get shot.

Shepard says: I wouldn't have minded.
Shepard shrugs, chuckling softly. "I kept a guard outside that one office. Looked towards the roofing, made sure you were all secure..."

Mairèad raises an eyebrow. "Wouldn't have minded gettin' shot?"

Shepard says: Ah, well. I wouldn't have minded considering the circumstances.

Mairèad tilts her head to the side, frowning as she considers this statement. "I'm not sure I understand what y'mean by that."

Shepard chuckles again. "One bullet in me equals one less in you, or any of your comrades. A pretty good deal, I think."
Shepard says: Besides. I have experience.

Mairèad shrugs. "Th'sniper was pretty good fer bullets, I think. Got me -and- Emi -and- Sarah with no problem. I don't think jest one bullet in you would've made a huge world 'a savin' us."

Shepard says: Then we add more. Trust me, this shoulder? A homing beacon for bullets.
Shepard taps the shoulder in question.

Mairèad raises both eyebrows appraisingly. "Y'might wanna get that checked out. Sounds like it could be shitty to have on a battlefield."

Shepard says: Nah. I consider it a shield. A horrible shield, but.
Shepard shrugs. Who knows?

Mairèad says: So yer tryin'a be a protector when wearin' some leathers.

Shepard says: I never said it was a good plan.

Mairèad snorts, still folding her arms over her chest and not looking as relaxed as she would've been with Shepard a month before. "Probably ent a good plan, no. By-the-by, y'should know we did work in Gilneas a few weeks ago. Took out a couple 'a Fersakin higher-ups. It's a gloomy place, but that might'a been 'cause we were fightin' in a graveyard."

Shepard flicks an ear, smirking. "That does lend a darker touch to the picture, yes. But Gilneas is always gloomy." He looks down, stares at the ground for a few moments, then returns his gaze to Mairead. "Thanks. For fighting, I mean."

Mairèad shrugs, squaring her shoulders somewhat and looking all soldierish. "We're Seventh Legion. It's what we do. I'm jest glad we weren't in fuckin' Silithus or some hellhole like that."

Shepard says: Ah, but I hear so many stories about Silithus... granted, they're usually fairly creepy and deal with tentacles. And women.

Mairèad says: Women I kin handle. Tentacles not so much.

Shepard looks off to the side. "This is really awkward, isn't it?"

Mairèad sighs quietly and drops her gaze. "It is, yahar," she agrees; if he was able to see her expression, he'd see the deadpan gone and replaced with an expression that is decidedly pained.

Shepard slowly pans his focus back to Mairead, snorting. "I'm sorry, it's just... I actually feel like an idiot right now."
Shepard says: Here I am, trying to lighten the mood... and the only thing I probably should be saying is, well.
Shepard says: Sorry.

Mairèad looks up at Shepard, expression still pained. "I am, too. But... look. I'm over you. I'm not interested in anythin' romantic anymore. If it means I hafta change who I am completely jest t'get yer attention, then it ent worth it."
Mairèad says: I'd like t'be yer friend still, but it hurts.

Shepard blinks. Then he laughs.
Shepard says: Oh- oh Light. That's-
Shepard continues to laugh. Though, it doesn't seem like 'happy' laughing.

Mairèad just watches, her expression returning to the guarded deadpan from before.

Shepard finally calms down, his head falling to rest against his chest. "Oh, Mairead... remember how we always talked about me being King of Gilneas? Well, I think I have a new crown to wear."
Shepard says: The King of Fools. Sounds fancier, in a way.

Mairèad blinks a few times but doesn't change her expression much. "Why are you th'king 'a fools?" she asks. She sounds very much like a professional soldier at the moment because this doesn't feel good and she doesn't want to share with the class.

Shepard says: Because I was naive, blind, and stumbling in delusion.
Shepard leans back, smiling warmly. "Mairead, you're fine the way you are. Never change."

Mairèad 's deadpan flickers for a moment but doesn't really change much. "Go on," she says after a moment. "How were you naive, blind, and stumblin' in delusion?"

Shepard says: I was thinking with the mindset of a child- that's all I had known, too. I was alone only in my own head.
Shepard says: I didn't want you to chase me, I wanted to simply... be alone.

Mairèad shifts her position, arms still folded over her chest. "Well, y'got yer wish."

Shepard says: I did. Wasn't quite what I thought it was, though. Funny.

Mairèad says: What'd y'think it was?

Shepard says: I thought it'd be peaceful. Serene. In truth, I was actually pretty miserable.

Mairèad says: Why were you miserable?

Shepard tugs on his beard. "I missed the little things."

Mairèad says: ...little thin's?

Shepard says: Mmmhm.

Mairèad says: Whaddya mean?

Shepard says: Your laugh, your very presence... the way you'd get up to defend me from women.

Mairèad grits her teeth. This usually wouldn't be visible, but she grits her teeth so hard that her jaw actually visibly clenches. She doesn't say anything to this because that's how busy she is gritting her teeth.

Shepard says: I miss those things. But, like a good king, I'll wear my crown. I'll admit my mistakes, and live with them.

Mairèad exhales slowly and shakily, despite her attempts to seem emotionless and rational. "Shep. Y'say thin's like that, and t'you, they mean one thin'. To th'rest 'a the world... to me..."
Mairèad shakes her head and closes her eyes. "I can't do it again. I can't get close t'you, hear you say those thin's, and start wishin' again that you mean them th'way I'd want you to."

Shepard runs a hand through his mane. "Well. While you were off playing soldier, I was off destroying myself."
Shepard says: What I mean is... I mean exactly what you'd think I mean. There's no difference now.

Mairèad 's expression falls from that deadpan into something of shock. "What."

Shepard says: To grow, you must destroy. And rebuild.
Shepard says: By rebuild, I mean study people and learn what certain things mean.

Mairèad nods, still listening more than speaking. Which is a good step for her.

Shepard says: I've always advocated the power of words, but never weighed my own. Weird, huh?

Mairèad shrugs and nods a little. "It helps to think about what yer words mean to other people," she agrees quietly. The shock is fading from her face back into that deadpan.

Shepard says: Always good to be on the same page, the same wave. Yeah?

Mairèad says: Yahar.

Shepard says: And it isn't right to lead someone on. So. You should always carefully watch what you say.

Mairèad closes her eyes and nods. "That y'should. I tried so hard t'look at thin's from yer perspective, but some words jest resonate in a way y'can't fight off, even if y'wanna."

Shepard says: Anyway, yes. I realized that. Which is why whatever I say now, you can interpret normally.
Shepard says: There is no alternate meaning, or some loop. It's just what it is.

Mairèad opens her eyes again and looks at Shepard. "So when y'said all 'a those thin's jest now, I should feel flattered like a woman and not like yer gramma?" she asks for clarification.

Shepard nods once.

Mairèad raises her eyebrows considering this. "Huh. That's... huh." She scratches the side of her head. This is new and interesting!

Shepard says: If you want, I could compare your eyes to something. Or talk about bugs of a most fiery disposition.

Mairèad snorts out a laugh without meaning to and shakes her head. "Ahhh Light. That's... I rilly have no idea what t'say right now." Though she's still laughing, so that's a good sign.

Shepard says: I have that affect on people. It's truly a burden.

Mairèad laughs again, though she seems truly torn, taking half a step forward and then just hesitating there. And then she just decides to go for broke: "Do you love me?" she asks finally.

Shepard looks down, drawing out the moment for dramatic reasons. "Absolutely."

Mairèad says: Like a sister?

Shepard says: No.

Mairèad says: No. Like...
Mairèad makes him spell it out so there are no bad surprises.

Shepard playfully rolls his eyes, sighing. "It is what it is - I love you."
Shepard says: Not like a sister, not as a friend.

Mairèad's breath kind of catches for a moment; she puts her hand to her forehead and staggers as if she's dizzy because she is. And she swallows hard. "You...love me," she repeats because this is made of what.

Shepard pushes himself off the planter, moving towards Mairead. "Must I say it again?"

Mairèad doesn't look up at him as he steps closer. This is blowing her fucking mind. "Y'might hafta, yahar."

Shepard leans forward, grinning. "Mairead Isolde Lisa Fallon, I do declare under these skies, that I love you." A pause. "Yep."

Mairèad lets out a shaky breath and drops her hand, looking up at Shepard. She looks somewhere between mindblowingly happy and just having her mind blown. "...can y'do me a favor then?" she asks, rather squeakishly.

Shepard says: And what would that be?

Mairèad says: Will, um. Will you change and kiss me?

Shepard blinks. "You mean, change into a...?"

Mairèad says: Yahar.

Shepard looks down, closes his eyes... and the Worgen melts away into a Human. HE'S PALE, DAMMIT, NOT... tan. And he has longer hair.

Mairèad presses her lips together and sighs shakily again. She just sort of looks at Shepard; he's likely never seen her looking this small and vulnerable.

Shepard steps forward, cups Mairead's face in his hands, and initiates the kiss of the century. BECAUSE THIS TOOK A LONG TIME TO BUILD UP TO.

Mairèad pretty much just melts in his arms because this did take a long time to build up to. There is the slightest bit of hesitance as she kisses him back but that fades and it takes less than a moment for her arms to go around his neck.

Shepard lingers for a moment longer before he breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. "What do you know? No freezing."

Mairèad laughs breathlessly. Now her cheeks are all flushed, and she looks entirely girlish and giggly. She makes several attempts to say something in response to that, but all that comes out is, "I love you."

Shepard says: So. Uh. Can I turn back now. I'm feeling itchy.

Mairèad laughs and nods, stepping back. "Go ahead. Though, fer the record, yer very handsome."

Shepard shifts back into a giant wolf, with all the loud cracks and groans of bone shaping into something new. "Yes, well..." he says, tired, "It's- itchy."

Mairèad says: I'd imagine so. I'm startin' to feel naked unless I'm wearin' me armor... was gunna have a casual day today, but then I felt too vulnerable.

Shepard says: Well, I hope you won't -always- be wearing that armor. It might get in the way of things.
Shepard does his best to sound suave.

Mairèad blinks and then laughs, covering her face with both hands. She's wearing gauntlets now; this is new. "This is so weird! Good weird, but weird! Yer, like. Talkin' about wantin' to... and I mean. And." And then she's just laughing, a very happy laugh.

Shepard chuckles softly. "People change, no?"

Mairèad nods and steps forward finally, resting her head against Shepard and finally--FINALLY--relaxing against him. This is familiar and safe. "They do. I'm jest... I love who you are. This is th'onleh change I wanted."

Shepard is also relaxed, and there isn't a single ounce of tension in his body. "It's still... new, to me. This. But. I like it."

Mairèad laughs; now her arms go easily around his waist in much the way they had before. "It's new to me, too. Mostly," she admits.

Shepard says: Well. It'll be a grand adventure for us both, then. Full of wonder and... other generally nice things.

Mairèad snickers quietly. "Yer pretty good at this romantic talk when yer actually tryin' fer it. This will be fun." She looks up at Shepard again, almost mischievously. "Wanna go fer a walk somewhere a bit, erm. Privater?"

Shepard grins, but shakes his head. "Sadly, that walk will have to wait. Not long, but... just a few things I have to take care of. Then I should be all yours for the rest of the night."

Mairèad raises an eyebrow. "The rest 'a the night?" she asks. "Well, I'll hafta come up with somethin' fer us to do fer th'rest 'a the night, then. Shouldn't be too hard. How are you at card games?"

Shepard says: Terrible.

Mairèad whispers, just loud enough for Shepard to hear, "Guess we'll hafta play strip poker, then."

Shepard says: Oh-ho. Let's not, and say we did. We can even simulate all the results.

Mairèad raises an eyebrow again, smirking. "Oh? Yer afraid 'a losin' a cardgame but not 'a losin' yer pants?"

Shepard says: I know my preferences, yes.

Mairèad says: Do you now? You'll hafta show me those preferences yerself. I'm curious t'see how much research you've done.

Shepard says: None at all, my dear. I'm open to your vast knowledge.

Mairèad gets the derpiest little grin on her face when he calls her "my dear" and reaches up to kiss his neck. "I think you'll be me favorite student."

Shepard says: Mmm. I'm always ready to learn.
Shepard promptly vanishes.