Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Error. Copying code is insufficient. Direct personality dissemination required...I’m sorry. It’s the only way.” 

“If there’s to be a new solution, you must act...the chain reaction will combine all synthetic and organic life into a new framework. A new...DNA. Your organic energy, the essence of who and what you are will be broken down and then dispersed...it is the ideal solution. Now that we know it is possible, it is inevitable we will reach synthesis...Synthesis is the final evolution of all life. The paths are open, but you have to choose.” 

“Then I choose...peace.” Stumbling to the white beam in front of him, knowing that the end is near. His life flashes before his eyes, images of Anderson, Thane, Mordin, Legion. He wonders if he’ll see his parents. 

Struggle. Pain. Searing, burning heat. Then - nothingness.

Isaac Shepard gasped as he woke up from his nightmare, pain shooting through his nerves as the memories of that last fateful choice on the Citadel flashed through his mind. He sighed, dropping his head back against the pillow and scrubbing his hand over his face, trying to rid his mind of the images and the feelings of agony that tore through his body. 

His memories of the event were sporadic at best, but Dr. Chakwas told him he’d recover them with time. Seems they were already starting to come back. 

Perfect. 

He struggled to grab onto the new fragment that nightmare brought forward in his consciousness. Peace. The Catalyst promised peace. 

Fat lot of good that did. 

He sighed again, resigning himself to remaining awake for the time being. He threw back the light sheet that covered him as he slept, noting with disdain that it was sweat-soaked again. Great. One day he hoped these nightmares would end. 

He didn’t have any illusions that would be the case. 

Isaac forced himself to make coffee and a bit of food, knowing his biotics would cause him to get a splitting headache if he didn’t. Not that he had much use for his biotics anymore. But still, they kept his metabolism high and he needed to address that, if only to prevent one of the sources of pounding in his head. 

He sat down at the navigation terminal of his shuttle, the MSV Regency, checking his course and making sure nothing crazy happened overnight. As he was the sole member of his crew, the ship’s VI had been in control during his sleep cycle. It would notify him if anything drastic occurred, but mid-range issues would be logged for him to deal with in the morning. 

He took a sip of his coffee as he gazed at the readout, noting the few small impacts of debris against the shuttle’s kinetic barriers. Overall though, it had been an incident-free night. Just like every other night he’d had since he left Earth a few weeks ago. 

It wasn’t his choice to leave, but it was the best decision for all of them, he knew. He couldn’t stand the scrutiny, the hatred directed at him for ending the war. And it’s not like he didn’t understand where they were coming from. He’d made a decision that affected the entire galaxy. But the Catalyst said that future would be inevitable. Who was he to stop evolution? Who was he to stop the war the most peaceful way possible? 

Apparently, he was a monster. 

Shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts, he decided to take a moment to check his messages. Many had been coming in since the end of the Reaper War, and he set the filters on his omni-tool to push most of them to a folder he refused to check. But some people’s messages -- those from the Normandy crew -- he’d let through. 

Not that he should read them, to be honest. The messages were all the same -- asking him to come back, telling him he was overreacting by leaving, promising they would smooth things over with the public eventually and offering him a place of sanctuary. But the truth of the matter was he was never at home on Earth. He wasn’t born there and had never lived there. So to be stuck there, amongst people who vilified him for saving their lives...he couldn’t do it. 

He wouldn’t. 

But he read the messages all the same, because they made him feel something, made him know that he wasn’t a full machine since he came back. The Catalyst said he’d be giving up his body to create the solution, and yet here he was. Seemed like he was immortal. 

Great. 

Sighing once more, he pulled up his email on the terminal in front of him. The familiar daily messages from his friends popped up, from Kaidan, Joker, Vega, Miranda...each asking him to come back. Each having their own way of begging him to return. 

At least some people cared about him. 

He was absentmindedly scrolling through his inbox when one caught his eye, a message from a sender that he didn’t recognize. It had no subject either. Wondering how it got past his filtering algorithm, he opened it, curiosity getting the better of him. 

He had to admit, he wasn’t prepared for what he would find. 

Shepard-Commander, 

Creator Tali’Zorah vas Normandy gave us this address, assuring us it was the best way to get in contact with you. We hope this is the truth. 

Shepard-Commander, we know you do not like to visit with many people and are remaining isolated. However, we entreat you to come to Rannoch. We have a gift for you, one we think you would be most anxious to receive. Please consider approaching the navpoint attached to this message. 

          -The geth 

Isaac read the message through a few times, shocked that he’d be getting email from the entirety of the geth. That didn’t make...any sense to him. Then again, the whole galaxy was different because of what he did. Maybe there was something to this. 

And the fact they reached out to Tali for his address...she wouldn’t have passed it along if she didn’t think it genuine would she? He doubted it. Tali was always protective of him. 

Well then. Nothing to do but check it out. Not like he had anything better planned for the day anyway. He input the coordinates in the navigation terminal and leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his coffee. 

A gift from the geth huh? He had to admit, he was intrigued. 

The trip to Rannoch didn’t take long. The mass relays were still functioning, despite the damage to the Citadel. Apparently, the reapers knew how to make the relays and ensured they still worked after he fired the Crucible. It was another thing the galaxy should be thankful to him for, but was often overlooked by what he did to organics. 

He approached Rannoch slowly, not sure about the type of reception he’d get. Some planets hailed him as a hero, others called him a villain. While he strongly believed the citizens of Rannoch would fall in the former category, he’d mistakenly thought his own species would be the same. 

That was a sad realization. 

He pinged the port near the landing zone, asking for permission to set down, and immediately got it, along with a message. 

Welcome, Shepard-Commander.  

Curious about what was waiting for him, he set the shuttle down in the port of Anu’naketh, a settlement on the northern continent, home of the geth -- not the quarians. Which would make sense, he thought, given that it was the geth who contacted him. Still, the whole thing read a bit odd to him, so he donned his armour and the old Phalanx pistol he was able to acquire before he left Earth. None of his equipment matched what he’d had on the Normandy -- that all got destroyed when he jumped into the Catalyst’s beam. But he’d managed to scrounge something together to keep with him. Not that he expected to encounter any resistance on his sojourn, but he also wasn’t naïve. He knew there were some out there who would probably pay good money for his head. So he decided it was better to be safe than sorry. He still had his N7 training after all. 

The immediate vicinity around his landing pad was devoid of any life -- geth or otherwise -- so he proceeded cautiously to the main building of the port. On his way there, however, he spotted it -- a geth prime, standing completely still as he approached. 

“Er, hello there,” Isaac said, walking up to it, hand cautiously drifting toward the Phalanx magged to his side. 

His voice seemed to trigger the geth’s response, for it suddenly awakened, its servos whirring to life as the head swiveled to face him in the way only geth could. It tilted its head and its eye scanned him from head to toe. 

“Shepard-Commander,” it said. 

“That’s me,” Isaac responded, relaxing a bit. Ever since Legion sacrificed himself for the greater geth consensus, they had always viewed Shepard as a friend. Being called “Shepard-Commander” -- Legion’s name for him -- was one way Isaac knew the individual geth in front of him was friendly. 

“We are glad you came. We were unsure our message would be answered. Creator Tali indicated you had entered a state of isolation following the defeat of the reapers. We hope we did not interrupt Shepard-Commander’s meditations.” 

“Meditations, huh?” Isaac thought. “Well, that’s one way to think of it.”  

“No interruption. Your message was...intriguing. I didn’t think the Consensus would care to talk to me.” 

“That was an incorrect assumption. You gave us our freedom, allowed us to end the war with the Creators and live with a greater understanding of them. You brought us closer to them, fostered a relationship we could never have achieved without you. Shepard-Commander, you are venerated among the geth.” 

“Wish it was that way across the galaxy,” Isaac muttered before he could stop himself. 

The prime’s head tilted in his direction, almost in a look of confusion. “Is Shepard-Commander not universally revered across Citadel space?” 

Isaac chuckled. “Let’s just say not everybody was as thrilled with my decision as the geth seem to be. But please, lead on. I’m anxious to see what you have for me.” 

“Of course, Shepard-Commander. Come.” The prime gestured for Isaac to follow it to a waiting truck on the opposite side of the port. “We do not have far to go, but we thought you would be more comfortable being transported this way.” 

“Thank you,” Isaac said, somewhat nonplussed. It wasn’t typical for geth to care about the comfort of organics. Was that a result of his choice with the Catalyst? What else had changed? 

“May I ask a question?” Isaac asked the prime as it entered the truck behind him. 

“Of course, Shepard-Commander.” 

“Are the geth...are they much changed since the end of the war?” 

The prime paused for a moment, as if processing, then spoke. “You are referring to the synthesis between organics and synthetics that resulted in the reapers stopping their attack and creating galactic peace.” 

“Uhh yeah,” Isaac said, not used to hearing what he did in such frank terms. 

“The change is there, but it will be gradual for us. The Consensus still exists and we are still legion. However, we have achieved a greater understanding of what organic life is like. We understand the nuances of the species’ differences and are able to...feel. The sensations are still being studied, but we have been able to absorb them into our code.” 

“You can feel?” Isaac asked, eyebrows raised. 

“Not in the same way organics do. We do not have any tactile-based feelings. We don’t experience pain, or temperature, or any sensation of any kind on our outer casing. But we understand emotions. We now know what it is like to be afraid, happy, sad, angry, hopeful, proud. In fact, it was this discovery of feelings that led us to create your gift.” 

“Really?” the commander asked, curiosity definitely getting the better of him. 

“Yes.” 

Isaac sat quietly for a moment, processing all that he had been told. Finally, he had to know. “Do you...like feeling? Or do the geth view it as a weakness?” 

The prime didn’t answer him for a long time, and Isaac thought he perhaps wasn’t ever going to know, when the platform looked at him, straight in the eye. 

“We are…eternally grateful for your actions, Shepard-Commander. Your choice allowed us the ability to fully understand the Creators for the first time. We will never accept their decision to destroy us, but we now know why they acted the way they did, why the question caused such panic among them. Fear is a great motivator. We did not understand that, not until your actions with the Crucible. We will never forget that.” 

“‘Does this unit have a soul?’” Isaac murmured, remembering the information he found in the Consensus. 

“Yes,” the prime answered. “A philosophical question which had less to do with us and more to do with the Creators’ own insecurities. Now that we understand their motivations, their actions aren’t any less offensive, but it allows us to put what happened behind us, to foster peace.” 

Peace. What the Catalyst assured him would occur throughout the greater galaxy. Maybe the kid wasn’t lying after all. 

“How are things going with the quarians, by the way? I haven’t heard much about the resettlement process,” Isaac said. 

“Look for yourself,” the prime responded, pressing a button and changing the windows on the sides of the truck from opaque to transparent. 

Isaac was rendered speechless. 

The city of Anu’naketh spread out before him, much bigger than he expected it to be. The geth had no need of buildings or houses, infrastructure or public transportation. But the city before him, that was built with organics in mind -- with quarians in mind. Small squat houses sprawled before him, connected with a system of skycars and truck routes, farms dotting the edges of his vision. As they flew closer to the center, the buildings rose in height, reminding him of London -- 

Banshees coming after him, grabbing Vega by the neck, Isaac charging forward as quickly as possible, the terrible creature’s dripping maw inches away from Vega’s jugular -- 

“Shepard-Commander?” the prime asked, looking in his direction. Isaac realized with a start that his grip had tightened on the seat and his breathing had quickened. 

“I’m alright, thanks.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, taking a deep breath in and another one out. “The city is beautiful. I can’t believe you built this all so quickly.” 

“The Creators were motivated,” the prime answered, not bothering to comment on Isaac’s slightly panicked state. Sometimes being friends with a synthetic paid off. “And the platforms don’t have the same physical needs as the organics. Work proceeded quickly.” 

“It’s beautiful,” Isaac said softly. 

The prime turned to look out the window. “I suppose it is.” 

They rode the rest of the trip in silence, Isaac filled with wonder at the environment, the prime apparently content to just let him soak it all in. About 15 minutes later, they arrived at a central hub, a rounded building that looked like a drop of water, with completely smooth edges and made of what looked to be some kind of metal alloy. There weren’t any windows, but there was one singular door leading inside, which was where the truck came to a stop. It was clearly a geth construct. 

“Come, Shepard-Commander, your gift awaits inside.” 

Still unsure what the geth could possibly consider to be a “gift,” Isaac followed the prime into the building. He wasn’t sure what he expected, but what he saw wasn’t it. He entered through the door and came upon what could only be described as a geth...cradle? The rounded walls were filled with row upon row of geth platforms, inert and unmoving, resting in what appeared to be power nodes, although the nodes themselves seemed to be in a low-energy state. The rows extended as far as he could see, disappearing into the shadows that covered the top of the dome, the ceiling shrouded in darkness.

On the ground, lines of electrical currents were built into the flooring, power pulsing through them in colors of red, blue, and white. Screens with binary code dotted the place, readouts that were constantly being transmitted between platforms and presumably other cradle locations throughout Rannoch. But, wait, there didn’t need to be readouts. The geth communicated as a consensus. Unless --

“Shepard!” A voice cut through his thoughts. It seemed to belong to Tali -- her voice was unmistakable to him -- yet it sounded somewhat...different. He couldn’t place why though. 

“Tali?” Isaac asked, confusion lacing his tone. He scanned the shadows, unable to locate his friend. Finally, she stepped into the light, and he gasped at what he saw. 

“Tali?” he asked again. She chuckled and the prime cut in. 

“This is Creator Tali’Zorah,” he confirmed. 

Isaac couldn’t believe it. It was Tali -- it had to be -- but she looked unlike anything he had seen before. She was...quarian. As they were meant to be, without their exosuits and face masks. Her body was still covered in clothes, but these were loose-fitting, flowing scarves and harem pants that draped over her thin body. But her face...her face was breathtaking. Pale, almost translucent white skin with a bluish tint, giving Isaac the idea that it may have been a dark blue once upon a time. She was bald, but that didn’t matter. Her eyes were absolutely gorgeous. Pale green orbs took up most of her face, protruding out of sharp cheekbones and a thin, pointed chin. 

She was gorgeous. 

“Tali,” he said on an exhale. “I...I can’t believe it. Can I --” he faltered, catching himself and clearing his throat. “Are we allowed to hug?” 

“Yes,” she said, a huge smile spreading along her face. It just served to make her that much more beautiful. 

He crossed the space between them at almost a run, pulling her into him in a huge, crushing embrace, thrilled to feel her underneath him -- her warmth, the silk of her clothes, the sweet, pungent scent that he had no idea if unique to her or to all quarians...he pulled away from her, looking in her eyes, before hugging her tightly again. He didn’t know why it was so overwhelming to see her like this, but he just...he just wanted to have her close. 

“It’s so good to see you,” he said into her neck. 

“It’s good to see you too, Shepard.” 

“But...how?” he asked, stepping back from her to take in her appearance once more. 

“You,” she said simply. “Your actions with the Catalyst. I don’t know what you did, or what really happened to be quite honest, we’re still studying it. But a few weeks after the end of the war, the suits suddenly felt constricting, overwhelming. Like we were choking. We didn’t know what to do, but the geth assured us we’d be okay without them. So we took them off.” 

“Addendum. You took yours off, Creator Tali’Zorah. The others followed,” the prime chimed in. 

Tali’s pale skin tinged slightly blue, indicative of her blushing maybe? Isaac wasn’t sure. But she nodded. “That’s true. Before the end of the Reaper War many of my people were still unsure of the geth’s intentions, so when they told us to take the suits off...a lot of them thought they were just trying to kill us in a different way. But, you taught me to have faith. You...you ran into a beam of light, unsure of what would happen, on the off chance that it could end the war. You showed me how to be brave. So I trusted them.” She shrugged and smiled, then gestured the length of her body. “Looks like it paid off.” 

“I’m so happy for you,” Isaac murmured, tears welling in his eyes. Maybe his choice hadn’t been so horrendous after all. 

Tali hugged him again. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I know it was touch and go there for a moment...I’m so happy you survived.” 

Emotion closed his throat and Isaac couldn’t speak, so he just smiled and nodded. After a moment, he was able to get himself under control again and turned to the prime. 

“What a wonderful gift, thank you for reaching out to me,” he said. 

To his surprise, however, Tali just laughed. “Me? I’m not your gift. I’m just a fun little side effect. Your real gift’s over here. Follow me.” 

Unsure of what more the geth could give him, Isaac followed Tali and the prime further into the building, past some other structures that -- now that he looked closer at them -- seemed dedicated to the creation of geth. What an odd place to bring him. 

They came upon a group of geth platforms hard at work it seemed, moving back and forth across the space, the whirring of their servos filling the otherwise silent area. Tali stopped walking and turned to him. Isaac tilted his head in confusion. 

“So. The geth and I were talking about you, all that you’ve given us, the chance at peace and a new life...and we decided we wanted to give you something in return. Take a look.” She tapped the shoulder of the platform nearest her and it stepped aside, allowing Isaac to look past it. He squinted, unsure of what he was seeing, and took an unconscious step towards it. 

It was...what appeared to be a workbench, lit from underneath and illuminating the platform currently lying on it. No wait. Not just any platform. 

He looked closer, eyes watering as they tried to focus. Was that…

“Legion?” he asked, turning toward Tali and the prime that was standing behind her. “You’re giving me Legion’s platform?” 

Tali grinned, her eyes sparkling. He could see her eyes sparkle. See her grin. It was still overwhelming. But all thoughts of Tali’s maskless face flew out of his mind at her next words. “Not just his platform. We’re giving you Legion.” 

“What? How...why? What?” he asked, brain short-circuiting with the information.

Tali laughed. “The why is obvious I should think. As for how...that’s where what you did comes in. With the addition of the Catalyst’s data, the geth are no longer reliant on Legion’s personality to have independent consciousness. From what we can understand, that was one of the results of the Catalyst. So that means Legion’s personality can be recovered from within the geth Consensus, the small pieces of him extracted from the rest of the geth and reconstituted and reuploaded into his old platform.” 

“Wait...that’d take forever,” Isaac said, head tilting in confusion again. “Extracting each piece of Legon’s code, ensuring nothing got missed? Even not getting the smallest microbyte of data could cause Legion to have a completely different personality. I can’t believe you have extracted it all already.” 

“I didn’t do anything,” Tali said, nodding her head to the geth platforms surrounding Legion. “It was all the geth.” 

“As I explained previously, Shepard-Commander, the geth do not have the same biological requirements as organics. We can work quickly and without rest. And we were...motivated,” the prime explained. 

“Motivated?” Isaac asked. 

“Shepard-Commander deserves to be venerated. Deserves to be happy. We know nothing that could make Shepard-Commander pleased, except perhaps the return of his friend.” 

Isaac couldn’t help it. He let out a small sob, covering his mouth quickly to stifle the sound. Tali smiled but the prime cocked its head in confusion. 

“Alert. Why are you crying? We thought Shepard-Commander would be happy with our gift,” it asked. 

Isaac grinned through his tears, wiping them away roughly with the back of his hand. “Think of this as another lesson in emotion. Yes, I’m crying, but they are happy tears. Sometimes people cry when they’re overwhelmed with emotion, whether that’s sadness, happiness, or sometimes anger and frustration.” 

The prime’s servos around its eye whirred, reminiscent of a person taking in information and processing it. “Addendum. Thank you. We shall add that information to our knowledge. But it is time to meet Legion now.” 

Isaac whirled to face Tali. “Wait, it’s done? Already?“

“Yes,” she said, still grinning and shifting from foot to foot in her apparent excitement. “It’s been ready for a while in geth terms, but we wanted to wait for you to be here, to witness his resurrection. It’s part of your gift.” 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Isaac asked, stepping closer to Legion’s prone platform. “Bring him back.” 

“Processing,” the prime answered. “It will take a few moments to realign the programming and run the proper tests to ensure everything downloaded correctly. Please stand by.” 

Isaac rested his hands on the lit workbench, too afraid to touch the platform, lest he ruin anything. He noticed belatedly that the geth had fixed the gaping hole that was in Legion’s platform, but left Isaac’s old N7 armour on his right arm. For...nostalgia’s sake? Isaac didn’t take the geth to be nostalgic, but he didn’t mind that it remained. The N7 armour was part of what made Legion unique. 

He didn’t know why he was so nervous to have Legion back. He knew the geth knew what they were doing. And he had made his peace with Legion’s sacrifice well before his final assault on Earth. But there was just something about it, something about him having someone from before, before his choice, before his actions changed the very fabric of the galaxy. It was oddly...liberating? He wasn’t sure if that was the right word. All he knew was that he was now desperate to have Legion back. He was alright with the geth’s fate when he knew it was unfixable. But now that he knew he could come back, was this close to being alive again…

Isaac found his patience was beginning to wane, and quickly. 

It took what simultaneously felt like an eternity and no time at all, but soon the platforms were stepping back from the consoles surrounding the bench and turning to face Tali. 

“Alert. Creator Tali’Zorah, we are ready,” the prime told her. 

“Wonderful,” she said, stepping up next to Isaac and pulling up her omni-tool, waving it over Legion’s platform. She turned to Isaac. “Ready?” He nodded, not confident in his ability to speak coherently, and she keyed in a few commands. 

“Welcome back, Legion,” she said, stepping back as well, leaving Isaac the only person near him. 

At first, nothing happened, but soon the lights of the workbench began to flicker, and sounds of whirring filled the space. Legion’s fingers began to twitch and Isaac had to suppress the urge to reach out and take them. Instead, he gripped the edge of the table harder. He watched as Legion’s legs began to move, then the flaps around the light on his head came to life, each one individually pressing down and then raising again, creating a cascading pattern around his eye. Once the arc was complete, all the flaps pressed down then raised back up again. Finally, his head swiveled over to the right, so he could gaze at Isaac. The flaps fluttered, as if his eyelids were blinking. Then he spoke. 

“Shepard-Commander, is that you?” 

Isaac didn’t know what to do. He was so overcome with emotion, so suddenly. He felt everything at once it seemed -- happiness, excitement, sadness, relief, gratitude. He turned toward Tali. 

“Thank you,” he said, trying to convey all he was feeling in those two simple words. Tali’s expression -- he still couldn’t get over the fact that he could see her face -- was one of understanding. 

“Of course, Shepard. We’ll let you two get reacquainted. Just ask the nearest geth for directions to the dining facility they have set up for us quarians. Oh and another benefit of the Catalyst. We can now eat levo- and dextro-based foods. So we have a few levo things in the kitchens; it’s still weird to be able to eat them, but we’re expanding our palates. And we have tons of dextro things for you to try!” 

“I can’t eat dextro-based things,” Isaac murmured, dropping his gaze. Tali’s eyes showed him that she wanted to ask about that statement, but she decided against it, for which he was eternally grateful. 

“Sure thing, Shepard. Well, like I said, we have a few levo-based things scattered around. Let me know when you leave here and I’ll come join you, yeah?” she said instead. 

“Yeah. Thanks, Tali,” he replied. She smiled and turned from him, leaving him alone with Legion. 

Well, as alone as a geth connected to the Consensus could be. 

“Hello, Shepard-Commander,” Legion said, and Isaac almost lost it right then. Legion remembered. The reconstruction of his personality had worked. 

He had no idea what to say first. So he just said, “Hello, Legion.” 

Legion swung up into a sitting position, then stood quickly, bending and straightening, as if testing the efficacy of his old platform. 

“You’re back,” he said lamely. 

“It would seem that is the case, yes,” Legion said, swinging his arms now and swiveling his head to and fro. 

“How...how do you feel?” he asked, cringing at his own awkwardness. Why was he being so weird? 

“I feel much the same, Shepard-Commander. Meaning that I do not feel at all.” 

“Wait, I thought the Catalyst gave the geth feelings?” Isaac asked, taking a seat on the workbench to get off his feet for a moment. Legion turned to face him but remained standing. 

Synthetics didn’t get tired after all. 

“It did,” Legion answered. “But the Consensus doesn’t have the power of the Catalyst. They could only extract my pre-synthesis personality. I am therefore without the upgrades the rest of the Consensus has. I am sorry.” 

Isaac’s eyes widened as he realized that he and Legion were more similar than he had originally thought. They were both members of a specific species, but as individuals, they couldn’t be more different from who their greater kind was. Isaac didn’t get the “upgrades” of the synthesis -- it was why he couldn’t eat dextro-based foods like other levo races. It had to do with his jumping into the beam, or at least that’s what Chakwas said. While he’d survived -- against all odds of course -- he didn’t get the benefits of his actions. 

Just another way he was considered a monster by the Council races. He created the change, yet didn’t have to live with the consequences. They said he got the “best of both worlds.” 

He thought he got the worst deal of them all.

“I’m sorry about that,” he murmured, and Legion tilted his head, as if he was studying Isaac. 

“I am not. I am glad to be myself again. I am an individual. I am me, not spread throughout the Consensus, but located in one specific platform. I am allowed to have my own thoughts, form my own opinions. I am still joined to the Consensus in the way any geth of the before-times were, but I am no longer beholden to them. I can make my own friends. Be my own platform.” 

“Your own person,” Isaac added. 

Legion paused for a moment, then nodded. “My own person. I am glad for this.” 

Isaac smiled. “Then I am glad you are glad.” The two men lapsed into silence, just absorbing one another’s presence, Isaac happy to have his friend back, Legion doing...whatever it was Legion did.

“Shepard-Commander,” Legion began, and Isaac turned to look at him. “May I make an observation?” 

“Go for it,” he said, waving his hand in Legion’s direction. He turned and sat down next to Isaac, a move that read as so organic it surprised Isaac that he didn’t have any of the synthesis code in him. Maybe a bit of the actions rubbed off regardless. 

“You seem...sad,” Legion said, eye focused directly on Isaac. As the geth couldn’t blink, it overwhelmed Isaac a bit, so he had to look away. 

“I...well, yes. I suppose I am sad, Legion. At least, that’s one way to put it. It’s less sad though and more just...resigned. Resigned to being alone. To not being understood. They try of course, but nobody can understand what I went through. And that’s just so...isolating.” 

Legion remained quiet for another moment, then looked around the space they were in. “Where are the others?” he asked. “Major Alenko, Lieutenant Vega, Agent Vakarian, Officer Lawson? I would think they would have accompanied you to Rannoch, considering your safety could not be guaranteed.” 

“I...left them,” Isaac said, dropping his gaze to look at his hands. “They wanted to help, but they just couldn’t. They’re like the rest of the geth,” he said, picking at his nails. “They all received the synthesis upgrades, but I didn’t. I’m the same old messed up human I was before I jumped into the beam. If I can even be considered human. I’m more synthetic than organic, after all.” 

Legion kept silent again, this time for so long Isaac wondered if he malfunctioned. But when the sentinel looked over at him, the platform was still working. Legion was just...thinking? 

“I am sorry to hear you are feeling so alone, Shepard-Commander. But as I, too, do not have the same upgrades as the rest of the geth, I understand what it could feel like. I have no place here, not among the Consensus at least. I would wish to accompany you, if you would have me,” Legion said. 

“If I would...of course I’d have you,” Isaac answered immediately. “I absolutely would love to have you.” A companion that wouldn’t judge him for what he did? He’d love that more than anything. “Just...a warning though. I don’t have the Normandy. I just have a small shuttle. You won’t have EDI to talk to, or the tantalus drive core to fiddle with, or anything really to keep you company.” 

“I’ll have you,” Legion said simply. 

And although Isaac knew Legion meant it in the simplest way possible, part of him couldn’t help but hope the geth sniper was implying something more, if only so he didn’t have to be alone for the rest of his life.

It seemed like something fundamentally shifted between him and Legion after Isaac agreed to have the geth join him on his journeys. There was a new ease of conversation that formed, a sense of calmness that pervaded their conversation, even as they discussed difficult topics. Legion let Isaac know that he was aware of what took place in the Reaper War even after his sacrifice. Though it was viewed through the lens of the greater Consensus, he understood the fundamentals of what occurred, which removed a large weight from Isaac’s shoulders. 

He’d recounted what occurred on the Citadel just once, to Dr. Chakwas, and refused to speak about it again. His friends knew better than to ask, and his former superiors...he referred them to that one report. He couldn’t handle going through it again. 

He wouldn't. 

But knowing that Legion had some semblance of knowledge about that time let him relax a bit further. It was nice having someone know without having to explicitly tell them. 

They soon joined Tali for dinner, Legion sitting with them even though he still had no need to eat. It was...nice, he supposed, to catch up with her. She was at least grateful for his actions with the Catalyst, which made her leagues better than members of his own race. He knew he shouldn’t be so angry at them, knew he had essentially changed who -- what -- everything in the galaxy was without their consent, but at the end of the day, what could he do? Control was never an option, and destroy...the kid told him destroy would have ramifications he didn’t know if he could take. And he didn’t expect to survive. How was he supposed to have his last act be the destruction of an entire race of beings? It wasn’t a viable option. 

So he was okay with his choice, when it came down to it, but that didn’t make how he was treated by the greater society any easier. He knew they had every right to be angry, but still. It made having a nice dinner with Tali that much sweeter. 

He didn’t stay long. Tali tried to get him to spend more time with her, tried to get him to travel with her to the southern continent to meet Admirals Raan and Koris -- well, former admirals, he amended -- but he just couldn’t. Interaction with other people was just exhausting after a while. He’d much rather be left alone. 

But he’d make an exception for Legion. He didn’t know why, but he’d felt drawn to the geth platform since it first made itself known on the derelict reaper. Maybe it was the fact that Legion saved their asses when he first showed up, or maybe it was because he repaired himself with Isaac’s armour -- proving straight away that he was more than just a machine, or maybe it was because he was willing to sacrifice himself for his people, the same way Isaac sacrificed himself for the whole of the galaxy...whatever the reason, Isaac welcomed Legion’s company, and Legion’s company only. 

And he was okay with that. 

“Welcome to the Regency, Legion,” Isaac said as soon as they stepped foot on the shuttle. “I hope it’s okay.” 

“It is more than satisfactory,” Legion told him, eye flaps whirring as he analyzed the space. “It is agreeable.” 

Isaac gave Legion a tour of the small space, showing the geth where he slept, ate, and spent his off hours, though to be completely honest, he usually sat in the cockpit so he could monitor the space around him, just in case. 

He didn’t think it paranoid to wonder if the Council might send a few spectres after him. Then again, they might be too busy dealing with the docile reapers he unleashed on Citadel space to be concerned about him. Still, it didn’t hurt to be vigilant. 

“Well, make yourself at home,” he told Legion. 

“Thank you, Shepard-Commander,” the geth said. “I look forward to traveling with you again.”

Chapter Text

Beams of hot red light pouring over him. Explosions surrounding him, the stench of sulfur and burning pervading his nostrils, acrid smoke making it hard to breathe. Panic causing his heart to race, giving in to instinct more than thought, his body reacting before he can even think. Muscle memory kicks in, terror overwhelming him, but somehow he is able to duck, swerve and weave, narrowly avoiding the reapers’ beams as they attempt to vaporize him. A Mako gets hit in front of him, causing it to flip over his head. He’s barely able to dodge out of the way. He turns around quickly, Alenko and Vega hot on his tail. He watches as they barely roll out of the way. 

He sighs and begins to run back toward them. He’s almost there when a reaper beam blasts from the sky. Kaidan barely has time to reach out to him before he’s gone, a puff a smoke the last thing Isaac can see before he gets knocked backwards, his breath gone -- 

Isaac startled awake, the nightmare slowly receding from his mind. He sighed, shifting in his bed to lay on his side and perhaps get more sleep, when he let out a small shout. 

“Legion, is that you?” he asked, peering into the darkness as a form began to take shape near the entrance to his quarters. Well, his room really, as he was no longer on a military vessel. 

“It is, Shepard-Commander. I apologize if I disturbed you, but I heard noises coming from here and thought I should investigate.” 

“Noises?” Isaac asked, wincing at what he imagined Legion might have heard. He’d been alone ever since his nightmares began, so he had no idea what he acted like while he was sleeping. 

“Yes. I heard shouts and what sounded like noises of pain. I thought perhaps you were hurt.” 

Isaac felt his face heat as a blush crept up his cheeks. He wanted to crawl back under his blankets and hide, but knew Legion wouldn’t quite understand that reaction. So instead, he decided to go with honesty. 

“Sorry,” he began. “I get...nightmares about that last night on Earth. I don’t remember much about what happened, but it seems to come back a bit more when I sleep. It’s not the best to be honest.” 

Legion stood quietly for a few moments before speaking. “Do not apologize. I do not have intimate knowledge of the human brain, but I can research it. Is there anything I can do for you at present?”

“No, I’ll be fine, thank you,” Isaac answered. 

The sniper paused for a moment before heading out of Isaac’s room, allowing the door to slide shut behind him. 

Isaac sighed, resting his head back against his pillow. He didn’t know how he could prevent himself from shouting out during the night, but he had to find some way. He didn’t want to keep bothering Legion. 

Then again, Legion didn’t seem like the type to be bothered. Isaac turned over in his bed, pulling the sheet back up around his chin. Maybe his research will come up with some way to stop the nightmares. 

Isaac could hope at least. 

He awoke the next morning to find Legion in the cockpit, monitoring the ship. It was helpful to have a copilot who didn’t need sleep. 

“Sorry again about the noise last night,” he told him, sliding into the copilot seat. 

“It is nothing to be concerned about. I have done some research on the subject, however.” 

“Already?” Isaac asked, checking the reports from his sleep cycle out of habit. Of course nothing would be logged because Legion had the conn, but it was still comforting to him to do so. 

“It took approximately 5 minutes, 43 seconds, 1.8 milliseconds for me to devise a plan,” Legion answered. 

“That long, huh?” Isaac replied chuckling. 

“The research was not my primary purpose. I apologize that it took so long, however.” 

“Legion, it was a joke,” Isaac said, swinging his chair around to look at the geth. “What did you find?” 

“Ah, humour. EDI tried teaching it to me aboard the Normandy, but I am afraid it is a concept that still eludes me. I shall endeavor to learn more about it,” Legion said. 

“You do that,” Isaac said with a smile. “The research?” 

“Yes. I concluded there is little for me to do to help your nightmares cease. I can, however, help you get back to sleep. The most effective method to do so seemed to be heat, so I have modified my outer casing to be able to conduct some of the heat formulated by my core processes. This will warm the material to a temperature that should be conducive to you. It should, according to the research that is, help you return to a state of deep sleep.” 

“You...want to sleep with me?” Isaac asked, raising his eyebrows. That seemed a bit odd, even for a geth. 

But Legion just nodded, his servos whirring as the flaps around his eye twitched. Was he nervous? “Geth don’t get nervous,” Isaac reminded himself. Still, the action was notable. 

“I believe this to be the most agreeable solution. Organics need a solid sleep cycle, humans more than most. If you do not achieve deep sleep for a sufficient length of time, your efficiency will decrease, and the risk of incidents will increase. This is for my safety as well as yours. Even though I can survive in a ship with no atmosphere, we are far from any system and our course seems to indicate we will stay that way for the majority of our journey. I do not wish to be floating in space until other platforms find me. That would be most unstimulating.” 

“Right,” Isaac said, shaking his head slightly. “I mean...if you don’t mind. Won’t you be bored?” 

“I do not get bored, but I can pass the time easily within the Consensus. You do not need to be worried for my comfort,” Legion stated. 

“Right,” Isaac repeated. “Fair enough. Well, it can’t hurt I suppose. Why not?” 

“Agreed,” Legion said, turning back to the readouts on the console in front of him. And Isaac knew he was imaging it, but he could have sworn Legion’s movements seemed...happier. 

Isaac didn’t sleep through his entire cycle, nightmares -- he was back with the Catalyst this time -- waking him once more, but he had Legion next to him. And although the platform itself wasn’t soft or comfortable like a fellow human, it was indeed warm. Knowing he wasn’t alone, knowing there was someone with him -- just in case -- was more comforting than Isaac could have imagined, and he fell back asleep sooner than he would have previously. 

Seemed like Legion’s research was on to something. 

And so they continued, spending the days exploring the far reaches of the Terminus System, venturing as close to the edge of the Milky Way as Isaac dared go with a limited fuel and food supply. At night, Legion would join him in his quarters, and he’d try to get some rest. While he still woke up from nightmares every night, Legion’s presence and warmth were calming in the best way possible. 

One morning, he found himself waking up cuddled against the geth. Mortified, he quickly moved away, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. 

“What is wrong, Shepard-Commander?” Legion asked, sitting up himself. 

“Nothing,” Isaac responded immediately. Legion looked at him in the way that only Legion could, however, and Isaac sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face to clear the sleep from his mind as best he could. 

“It’s just that...well, I was cuddling you,” Isaac said, biting his lip as embarrassment threatened to overtake him. 

Legion just tilted his head. “That was not the first time you have done so,” he said. “There are many times in the night when you wrap yourself around my platform. I assumed it was a way to absorb my heat more effectively.” 

Now Isaac’s embarrassment really did creep up on him, causing his face to flush. “Not the first time? Isn’t that...aren’t I annoying to you, when I do that?” 

“No,” Legion said, eye flaps fluttering. “As I have said, this platform exists for ease of transportation and communication with organics. I do not need to use it when you are in your sleep cycle. As it appeared to help you, I found no need to discourage it.” 

“Oh,” Isaac said, sitting down heavily on the edge of the bed. 

After a few moments of silence, Legion spoke again. “Is something wrong, Shepard-Commander?” 

Isaac just turned to him. “I...no. Nothing is wrong. Thank you.” 

“Of course,” Legion said, standing up. “Your comfort is important to me.” 

And Isaac didn’t know why, but that one little sentence, that idea that he was actually important to someone -- enough that they would go out of their way to ensure he was okay...it made him feel more at ease than he had in a long time. 

Getting dressed, he followed Legion to the cockpit, stopping in the kitchen for his typical breakfast of coffee and oatmeal. To his great surprise, he found the coffee already brewing and the oatmeal reconstituted in a bowl. 

“Legion, did you...did you make me breakfast?” he called down the corridor. 

But before the sniper could answer, Isaac’s world was rocked upside down as the ship was buffeted, as if they hit a large piece of debris. 

“Alert, the MSV Regency is under attack,” Legion’s voice came from over the intercom. 

“Fuck,” Isaac thought, stumbling his way down the corridor. The ship was hit again and he lurched forward, catching himself on the doorframe of the cockpit. 

“Report,” he demanded, automatically slipping back into his commander persona. 

“Kinetic barriers are holding, but falling,” Legion replied. “I have interfaced with the ship’s computer to increase response time. Input?” 

Isaac nodded, gripping the back of the pilot’s seat tightly as the ship took another blast. “Who’s attacking us?” he asked. 

“Unknown. Galaxy-wide ship registry is no longer functioning.” 

“Right,” Isaac muttered. They took another hit. 

“Alert, kinetic barriers down to 23 percent. Addendum, kinetic barriers are failing. Input?” 

“Fuck,” the sentinel swore again. He hated not knowing who was attacking. He couldn’t figure out a proportional response. He’d made sure the Regency had some decent weapons upgrades before he left Earth. It was no Thanix cannon like the Normandy, but the Regency had some decent guns on her. 

He just wished he knew if he should fire back. 

“Legion, how far are we from the nearest mass relay?” 

“We are approximately 7.93 lightyears from the nearest relay, Shepard-Commander.” The ship was hit again. “Alert. Kinetic barriers have now failed. Suggestion of firing back.” 

“Not yet. I’m gonna try and outrun them first. Set a course for that relay and go as fast as possible.” He took a seat at the pilot’s chair. “I’m not Joker, but I did pick up a few things watching him work. Lets see if we can’t outmaneuver them. I’m taking evasive action.” 

“Yes, Shepard-Commander,” Legion responded as Isaac felt the shuttle’s drive core kick into effect. 

“Holy shit, we’re doing it,” he thought as his fingers flew wildly over the console interface. “We’re gonna make it.” The mass relay was closing in. He just had to send the ping to get it to charge -- 

When the console in front of him exploded, and everything went dark. 

Isaac awoke to the sound of beeping, the slow, methodical rhythm providing a soft cadence as he made his way back into consciousness. He was lying prone, but the surface was soft. Was he in bed? He blinked, squinting his eyes as the bright overhead light made itself known. 

Ouch, that hurt. 

He groaned at the intrusion, opening his eyes fully and sitting up. Or trying to anyway. His progress was impeded by a geth hand that appeared on his chest, holding him down. 

“Shepard-Commander, please remain still. I have not finished running tests.” 

Legion. 

“What happened?” Isaac asked, holding a hand up to his head. It hurt a bit, but overall wasn’t too bad. 

“You had quite a nasty injury,” another familiar voice said to him. 

“Dr. Chakwas?” Isaac asked, turning his head toward the sound of her voice. What was she doing there? 

“Yes. Legion, bring me closer to him. I want to look into his eyes.” 

“Yes, Doctor,” Legion replied, holding up the datapad in front of Isaac’s face. So it was Dr. Chakwas, but she wasn’t on the ship. She was calling in from...wherever she was. The Citadel last time he checked. 

“Why are you on a vidcall with Legion?” he asked. 

“As I said, you received quite a nasty injury. Do you have any lingering pain, headaches, nausea? Any blindspots or blurriness?” 

“No,” Isaac said. “Injury?” 

And then it came back to him. The unknown ship attacking. Their kinetic barriers down, but Isaac not wanting to shoot at someone he didn’t know. Trying to outrun them to the relay. They had almost made it, until -- 

“Look left for me?” Dr. Chakwas was saying. He obeyed. “Good, now right?” He again did as he was told. 

“Good. Any joint pain or weakness? Trouble breathing?” 

Isaac took a moment to actually listen to what the doctor was asking him, and took inventory of his condition. He remembered the console blowing up in his face, but he had none of the tightness or tenderness of newly formed skin, which he should have had, because he could have sworn…

“Didn’t I get blown up?” he asked. 

“Answer my question,” Dr. Chakwas said instead. 

He thought for a moment, but felt no pain at all. He told her such. 

“Interesting.” The doctor fell silent then, and Isaac found his patience waning slightly. 

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” 

“You were injured in an explosion,” Legion told him. “Massive burns across the front of your body, severe lacerations, and what we suspect was a concussion.” 

Confused, Isaac looked to the datapad again. “But I feel fine. Shouldn’t those have caused...some injuries? I don’t even have a single band-aid.” 

Neither Legion nor Dr. Chakwas answered him, Legion remaining steadfastly still, and Dr. Chakwas typing away at her console or another datapad, he couldn’t tell. After a few minutes of that, he found himself getting increasingly frustrated. 

“Would someone tell me what’s going on?” 

Dr. Chakwas sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “It was as I thought. I wanted to do further research, but I think the data is clear as day in front of me. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I should always trust the data.” 

“What data?” he asked, heart beginning to pick up speed. He didn’t like how Dr. Chakwas was acting. 

“Isaac,” she began. Oh, that was never good. “Do you remember when you came back from the Citadel, at the end of the Reaper War?” 

“That’s a delicate way to put it,” he thought, but he just nodded. 

“We spent a bit of time studying you, how you survived, what happened. We ascribed it to your rebuilt state, the work Dr. Lawson and Project Lazarus did. We also thought that perhaps what was told to you was an exaggeration, or perhaps the entity did not know what would happen.” 

Dr. Chakwas’ voice began to fade as his breathing started to quicken. He gripped the sides of the medbay bed tightly, digging the cold material into his palms to ground him. He tried focusing on the doctor’s words and controlling his breathing, inhaling deliberately and exhaling slowly. It was enough to keep him present. 

For the moment at least. 

“I didn’t know. Not until Legion contacted me about your most recent injury. But this data concludes it. Isaac, something...happened to you on your way back from the Citadel. While you may not have received the same...upgrades as the rest of us, your body did change. The synthetic implants that are within you, the weaves and tech that brought you back, they seem to go into overdrive any time you get injured, healing you almost immediately. You are essentially indestructible.” 

Isaac blinked, not quite absorbing the information she gave him. He was indestructible? He couldn’t be hurt? 

Suddenly, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, searching for...yes. There it was. 

“Shepard, what are you doing?” Dr. Chakwas’ slightly tinny voice came to him from the datapad. “Isaac!” 

“Shepard-Commander --” 

But before either of them could stop him, Isaac took a scalpel and slit his throat. 

“Shit, Isaac!” Dr. Chakwas called, panic lacing her voice. 

“Shepard-Commander,” Legion said, coming over and crouching near him. 

But Isaac wasn’t paying attention. He’d dropped the scalpel on the floor, pressing his hand against his throat instinctively. He was choking, the blood from his jugular flooding his trachea.

He was going to die. 

Part of him was okay with that. 

But -- no. Wait. He coughed, choking on the blood, but even as he did, struggling to breathe, the blood began to slow, clotting at first, then becoming just a trickle, before stopping all together. His cut skin began to slowly, slowly, heal itself. The wound was deep and would most likely take awhile to go away, but he wasn’t dead. 

His body was healing itself.

He couldn’t die. 

Isaac went numb as Legion helped him back to the bed. He belatedly heard Chakwas in the background, her voice urgent as she instructed Legion how to care for the wound. But really, it wasn’t necessary. It would go away in a few hours, or if not, then a few days at most. 

Dr. Chakwas was right. He was indestructible. 

Fuck. 

When Isaac next awoke, he was back in his room, sleeping on the soft bed. He turned and stretched, thankful that he hadn’t had a nightmare last night. 

Then it all came back to him. The attack. The explosion. Dr. Chakwas telling him he was immortal. Him attempting to kill himself and failing. 

He sighed, dropping his head back against his pillows. He felt his neck and touched the thick bandage that was there. He doubted he needed it though. 

Curiosity spurring him to action, he stood and made his way to the bathroom mirror. He didn’t look himself in the eye -- hadn’t been able to do that since before the reapers attacked if he was being honest -- but he did remove the bandage, gingerly at first, then more quickly as he realized just how little blood was on it. He felt his neck and discovered the thin ridge of the wound, already an angry red scar. He was sure it’d be white by the end of the day, and then disappear completely after a few more. 

He was never going to die. 

Overwhelmed with that knowledge, he threw himself back on his bed and fell into another fitful sleep. 

He next awoke when Legion walked into his room. He’d been sleeping on and off, his traditional nightmares now mixed in with horrific visions of him living past the heat death of the universe, nothing and no one with him, as even the reapers’ and geth’s platforms eventually broke and wore down. 

It was terrible. 

“Shepard-Commander,” Legion said, somewhat more softly than he usually spoke. “Are you functioning properly?” 

Isaac couldn’t help it; he laughed. “Functioning properly?” he asked, turning to face Legion. “More like functioning too well. I can’t die, Legion. Don’t you know how horrible that is?” 

The geth stood quietly for a moment, his servos the only noise in the room. “We are virtually indestructible,” he said, tilting his head. “Geth survive in the Consensus. One platform gets destroyed, the program remains. Unless the programs themselves get wiped out, we cannot die.” 

“That might have been true about previous geth, but with the new reaper upgrades, they’re becoming more and more individual. The platforms themselves are going to soon become specific geth. It’ll be gradual, but over time, the geth will be just as vulnerable as organics.” Isaac threw an arm over his eyes. What had he done? 

“That may be true for other geth, but not for myself. If this platform ceases to function, I will be able to transmit myself back to the Consensus. There is a backup of my data there now. I am not like other geth. I, too, am essentially immortal.” 

Isaac thought for a moment, the similarities between himself and Legion coming to the forefront of his mind again. Both sacrificed themselves for their people. Both had died and been resurrected, against their will to be honest, though Legion seemed happy enough to be back in his platform. And Isaac had to suppose that he didn’t mind being alive. He just didn’t want to be alive forever. 

“Shepard-Commander. Even if you do live forever, I will be with you,” Legion said. Isaac looked to him at that. 

“I’m sure you’d become bored of me eventually,” he said. “I’d want you to go, explore the galaxy, find some better friends, some new experiences. Sticking by me would be like attaching yourself to an anchor. You’d be better off just cutting me loose and going your own way.” He shifted, turning his back to Legion, dismissing him wordlessly. To his surprise, the geth took the hint. He heard the door to his room open and close. 

Isaac closed his eyes and two lone tears escaped, rolling slowly down his cheeks. Even Legion didn’t want to stick by him. He was unlovable and unwanted by everybody. 

Just as he’d always been. 

But now he knew there was no end to his miserable existence. 

Perfect. 

Hungry. Isaac was hungry. He sighed, opening his eyes and glancing around the room. Nothing seemed to change from the last time he had looked at his surroundings. He didn’t know what he expected -- Legion to be there waiting for him? He had told the geth to cut him loose and Legion didn’t understand nuance or sarcasm. He probably set course for the nearest geth ship as soon as he left Isaac’s room. 

Not that Isaac blamed him. He wasn’t much company before, and he was even worse company now. Nevermind the fact that they could potentially spend eternity together. 

Eternity. 

Bile began to rise in his throat as that thought solidified in his mind. He had to think about something else, quickly, before a full-blown panic attack would descend upon him. What woke him anyway? 

Oh yeah. Hunger. 

Did immortals even get hungry? 

He supposed it didn’t matter. The body got hungry when it needed nutrients and fuel. And as a biotic, no matter what he wanted, he had to eat. He could already feel the beginning of a migraine forming, but whether that was because he hadn’t eaten and was dehydrated or because he’d had a trying...however long it’d been, he couldn’t tell. 

Regardless, it’d probably serve him well to fuel his body. 

Sighing, he got up, throwing on a set of lounge clothes as he made his way to the kitchen. 

But before he got there, he ran into Legion in the corridor outside his room. It seemed to him as if he was debating whether or not to enter Isaac’s room. 

Odd. 

“Legion,” Isaac said, nodding his head in greeting. 

“Shepard-Commander,” Legion replied, and if Isaac didn’t know any better, he could have sworn Legion was surprised. 

“Did you need something?” he asked. 

“I am...pleased to see you up and about. I was just about to wake you. You have missed two meal cycles.” 

“You know my meal cycles?” Isaac raised an eyebrow. 

“I have known your meal cycles since the Normandy. Every person who was on the ground team did. You are biotic, therefore you have specific dietary needs. If you do not keep your caloric intake at acceptable levels, you will cease to function properly.” 

“You...kept track of my meals because I’m biotic? Wait, everybody kept track of my meals?” 

“Yes. Dr. Chakwas insisted. The other members of the ground team even kept nutrition bars for you should you fail to ingest enough calories.” 

“I…” Isaac didn’t know what to say. He shook his head, shocked as he realized just how much his team cared for him. 

And then his heart hurt as he realized that wasn’t the case anymore. 

“I thought immortals didn’t have to eat,” Isaac murmured instead, but began to head to the kitchen all the same. 

To his surprise, Legion followed him. 

“Dr. Chakwas did not say you were immortal, Shepard-Commander. She only said you were ‘essentially indestructible.’ Upon further analysis, she and Dr. Lawson confirmed the synthetic technology in your body is spurred into an advanced state of operation when necessary to keep you alive. However, it cannot create energy where there is none. Therefore, you must continue to care for yourself as you would otherwise. You will still need to eat, to sleep. Your cells and synthetic upgrades must be powered in order to function.” 

Isaac considered what Legion said for a moment, then nodded. “Makes sense I guess. So the only way I can die is if I starve my synthetic upgrades of the power they need to keep me alive?” 

“Yes,” Legion said. His servos suddenly kicked into high gear and Isaac turned to face him, concerned about what caused his platform to go into overdrive. But he didn’t see anything wrong, only that Legion seemed to be...twitching? 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

Legion paused for a moment before speaking. “Shepard-Commander, are you planning to starve yourself?” 

Isaac smiled, but just shook his head. “Not yet, Legion. I don’t really want to die by starvation, doesn’t seem like the best way to go. But it’s good to know that I can die. Makes me feel more...human.” 

“You are human, Shepard-Commander,” Legion said. 

“Sometimes I wonder, Legion, I really do,” Isaac answered, sighing. 

“You are human, Shepard-Commander,” he repeated. “But you have synthetic parts as well. You are...better than most humans.” 

“I don’t know about that,” Isaac said, taking a bite of his oatmeal. Wow, he really was hungry -- it tasted good. 

“The integration of synthetic and organic is the final form of life in the galaxy. You know this; it is why you chose that ending to the Reaper War. You are the prototype of organics’ greatness. You are the roadmap of all organics’ future.” 

Isaac sighed again, continuing to scarf down his food as he processed what Legion said. The sniper wasn’t wrong. He just...never got used to being half synthetic, and not by choice. 

Which is exactly what he did to every other organic in the galaxy. 

Suddenly, the food in his stomach turned. Pushing away the remainder, he stood quickly, grabbing his coffee and heading to the cockpit. He hadn’t seen it since the console exploded in his face. 

Again, Legion followed. “Shepard-Commander, are you functioning properly?” 

“I’m fine,” Isaac said, waving his hand in the air to dismiss the geth’s concerns. “Perfectly functional. I see you repaired the console.” 

“Yes,” Legion said, taking a seat in the copilot’s chair. “I wanted to repair it before you returned. I know seeing the place where one became injured could be harmful for an organic’s recovery.” 

Isaac pivoted to look at Legion, brow furrowing at the consideration he showed. It seemed to be quite out of character for him. Nevertheless, he appreciated it. 

“Thank you,” Isaac said, taking a seat. 

“You are welcome. You have unread priority messages, Shepard-Commander.” 

“Thanks, Legion,” he said again, smiling slightly. He really did appreciate all he did for him. 

Isaac scrolled through the messages, the typical ones from Kaidan, Joker, James...he had a followup from Dr. Chakwas, admonishing him for his “reckless behavior” and asking for a call, and another one from Miranda basically parroting Dr. Chakwas’, though she seemed a bit more fascinated with Isaac’s “experiment” as she called it. 

He stopped scrolling when he came upon one from a name he hadn’t seen since the end of the war. 

Garrus. 

The turian had been by his side all the way up to the run to the beam, but afterwards...nothing but radio silence. He’d asked Tali about it once, but she just said Garrus needed time, like the rest of the galaxy. He apparently wasn’t thrilled with Isaac’s decision to unilaterally make a choice that affected every member of the galaxy, fundamentally changing their building blocks. It went against his ethics, or so Tali said. And when asked what Garrus would have done if in Isaac’s position, he apparently said he would destroy them, because that’s what their entire fight had been about.

Isaac couldn’t really blame him. He had very valid points. Problem was, there was nothing he could do about it now. He hoped his friend would come around and forgive him eventually. He missed talking to him. 

Maybe this message was the first overture to repairing their friendship. 

Isaac eagerly opened it, excited to see what Garrus would say, but was quickly gutted by what he read. 

As a kindness to you, Shepard, and in respect of everything we went through together, the fact that you’re alive is a gift. Next time we meet, I can’t guarantee the same leniency.

         - Spectre Garrus Vakarian 

Isaac read the message through a second time, then a third, before its contents sunk in. It was Garrus. Garrus was the one who fired on his ship. Garrus tried to kill him. 

He couldn’t believe it. But then again, maybe he could. Garrus always was passionate, always had a strong sense of right and wrong. It didn’t surprise him that he’d take the job of killing him. 

Only later did he realize that Garrus signed it “spectre.” 

“Congratulations,” he thought when he recognized the title. “You deserve it, friend.”

Chapter Text

Time passed on the Regency in a strange way for Isaac following the realization that Garrus was the one who tried to kill him. Minutes and hours seemed to drag on forever, but days appeared to be flying by. He recognized that he was in a sort of dissociative state, but he didn’t much care to get himself out of it. 

His friend had tried to murder him. 

Oh, and he was nearly immortal. 

The irony of it wasn’t lost on him, but damn him if he was going to get into a deadly game of cat and mouse with Garrus. He’d leave the Milky Way before he allowed that to happen. 

He’d leave the Milky Way. 

Inspired, he pulled up his vidcom and dialed Tali, hoping he’d be able to get her and it wasn’t the middle of the night on Rannoch. Even before time began to play tricks on him, he’d had a hard time keeping track of galactic time. Now he was hopeless. 

Thankfully, she answered. 

“Shepard! How’re you doing? Is Legion okay?” she said by way of greeting. 

“Hey Tali,” he said, smiling slightly at the fact that he could see her grinning at him. “Legion’s fine, seems to be functioning properly. I’m doing...okay,” he hedged, averting his eyes from her own. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, never one to beat around the bush. 

He paused for a moment, not sure if he should tell her about what happened with Garrus. Deciding against telling her the who, he nevertheless told her about the incident in generic terms and how he no longer felt safe in the Milky Way. 

“And just when I was thinking there was nowhere safe for me to go in the galaxy, it dawned on me that I might not just be limited to this galaxy,” he concluded.

“Wait, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Tali asked. 

“I am. I seem to remember walking into some very heated discussions about the creation of the ODSY drive between you, Donnely, Daniels, and Adams. You all were arguing about its theoretics and the idea that it could be miniaturized, which I think, if I remember correctly, was succeeded by the Andromeda Initiative team. With help from the quarians of course.” 

“I…” Tali began, sighing. “You aren’t misremembering, Shepard. The ODSY drive does exist. But it’s still untested tech. You want to make the almost 700 year journey to Andromeda on a ship with a drive that could fail at any moment?” 

“If the colonists were willing to make the journey, why shouldn’t I?” 

“Because you have friends here, people who care about you!” 

“Do I?” Isaac said softly. He met Tali’s gaze. “I can’t stand it, Tali, I can’t. I can’t handle the majority of the galaxy, my friends, disowning me. I can’t wait around for them to come to terms with what I did, because there’s a chance that they won’t ever get there. And I don’t think I can handle living the rest of my life with their hatred. I need a new start, somewhere with people who don’t know what I’ve done. I need to. Please. You don’t know what it’s like out here. Rannoch loves me, the quarians and the geth. But everybody else...everybody else wishes I’d have stayed dead after Alchera.” 

“Don’t say that,” Tali said, tears welling in her eyes. “But, I do understand where you’re coming from. Garrus...he said the Council put out a hit on you. He took it to prevent another spectre from completing the task. But he has to try -- he has to try to kill you. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but --” 

“He already tried,” Isaac interrupted her. “That's who attacked me. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you...but now that you know." He waved his hand in the air. "It’s the main reason why I want to leave. I’ve already asked so much of my crew, I can’t ask them any more. They deserve to live without the fact that they worked with me hanging over their heads. They need to get out of my shadow. They need to move on. And so do I.” 

Tali remained silent for a few long moments, but she eventually nodded. “I understand. I’ll work with the geth to create a ship with an ODSY drive for you. And I’ll get working on a stasis pod.”

“I don’t need a pod,” he said. “Just a nice hydroponics bay so I can grow enough food.” He considered. “Well, maybe a stasis pod just in case.” 

“Shepard,” Tali said, eyes narrowing. “If you don’t go into stasis, you’ll die before you even get to Andromeda. I’m not sending you into dark space on a suicide mission, alone.” 

“I won’t be alone. I haven’t asked him yet, but I’m fairly certain Legion would want to come with me. And I won’t die of old age.” He met Tali’s gaze again. “That’s my result of the synthesis choice.” 

She looked at him for a long moment, before turning to input something into the console beside her. “Consider it done. I’ll instruct the geth to prepare a mobile data storage unit for Legion’s code. He won’t be part of the Consensus once he reaches a certain distance away from the Milky Way. Ensure he knows that.” 

“I will. And Tali, thank you.” 

“You deserve it, Shepard.” She paused for a moment more, then looked at him full in the face. “I’ll miss you, Isaac.” 

His heart contracted at hearing her use his first name. Even after the war, when they began talking and he insisted she call him by his first name, she didn’t. Habit and a sign of respect she said. But now, now they were two friends conversing. 

“I’ll miss you, too. But thank you for helping me live a better life.” 

“Of course. I’ll be in touch.” 

Isaac smiled as Tali ended the conversation, feeling a bit lighter than he had in weeks. The only thing he had left to do was seek out Legion and make sure his friend was okay with a brand new adventure. 

Isaac found Legion in the small cargo bay the shuttle had. As Isaac didn’t really have any need for the storage location, he gave it over to Legion as soon as he came aboard. The sentinel hadn’t visited the area much since then, giving Legion his own sort of personal space on the ship. To his surprise, the sniper had turned it into a sort of workspace; tech of all kinds littered the room, most of it in half-built forms -- or half deconstructed, Isaac couldn’t tell. 

He could, however, see that Legion had been busy. 

“Hey,” he said upon entering. 

“Hello, Shepard-Commander. Is there something you require of me?” 

“Require? Not quite,” Isaac said, suddenly nervous. But it was just Legion, he had nothing to be worried about. “Just wondering if we could talk for a moment.” 

“We are talking now,” Legion answered. 

Isaac laughed. “Fair enough. I meant I had a question to ask you.” 

“Of course. Proceed.” 

Isaac was about to just blurt out his idea about the trip to Andromeda when he noticed the piece of tech Legion was working on. “Is that a bio amp?” 

“It is.” 

“Why are you working on a bio amp?” Isaac asked. “I have no real use for my biotics anymore.” 

Legion’s eye flaps twitched in a way that Isaac could only describe as nervously. “It is…a gift for Shepard-Commander. Are you displeased?” 

“What is it with geth and gifts?” Isaac chuckled. “I feel like that’s the one thing you took from organics. Though, there were worse traits you could have picked up I suppose. What is it?” 

Legion paused for a moment, then looked him in the eye. “Shepard-Commander, you have seemed to be functioning at suboptimal efficiency recently. I have done extensive research to try and determine how to best fix the situation. I have already addressed your sleep and your nutrition. The next step would be to focus on your leisure.” 

“My leisure?” Isaac asked. 

“Yes. Research has shown that organics need specific time dedicated to leisure activities to allow them to relax, the most populous of these being the act of sexual intercourse.” 

Isaac almost choked. “Excuse me?” 

“You are embarrassed, Shepard-Commander. There is no need to be. I have determined that sexual intercourse is an integral part of any organic’s life cycle, and is most imperative to a fully functioning and optimized specimen. Daily releases of dopamine and oxytocin as a result of sexual release help organics remain calm and focused.” 

“Right…” Isaac said, flustered that he was talking sex with Legion of all people. “Problem is, in order to achieve those neurochemicals, an organic has to have a partner. It’s not the same with just one person. Trust me.” 

While Isaac hadn’t shied away from sexual encounters, he didn’t have time for relationships when saving the galaxy. It’d been a long time since he’d had any experience besides what he was able to find on the extranet and his own hand. So he knew intimately that it wasn’t the same, not nearly the same, as being with another person. 

“Affirmative,” Legion said, turning to fully face Isaac. “However, you are not the only person on this ship.” 

Isaac paused for a moment, wondering if Legion was implying what he thought he was implying. Concluding that there was no other way he could have interpreted those words, he cleared his throat. “Are you offering yourself as a sexual partner?”

“I am,” Legion said simply. 

“But, why? What? How?” Isaac couldn’t stop the stuttering of questions that fell from his lips. 

“The why is simple. As I have previously explained, it is to ensure you are functioning at peak efficiency. We have discussed why I care about this functionality before, but I can repeat the conversation if you wish.” 

“No, no need,” Isaac said. He took a deep breath. “Okay. Say you want to have sex with me...how would we even do it? No offense, but your outer casing isn’t the most conducive to a sexual experience.” 

“Agreed,” Legion said, picking up the bio amp he was working on and showing it to Isaac. “This should fix that problem. I have modified this amp to act similarly to the interface pod you used on Rannoch when you entered the Consensus to delete the infected code. It will interact with your synthetic implants and allow us to enter a mental construct together. There, I will take the form of an organic of your pleasing. I will still be me, but I will have the parts necessary to facilitate the sexual encounter.” 

Isaac paused, thinking about what Legion said. It’d still be a sense of masturbation, sort of? Or would it feel more like a “real” sexual encounter. He wasn’t sure how he felt about sex in a mental construct, or sex with Legion for that matter. It seemed...odd to him. 

That being said, Legion wasn’t wrong. It had been months, if not over a year (he lost time quite a bit, so keeping track of days and months was starting to become bothersome) since he’d had proper sexual release. He didn’t think he was missing it, but now that it was there, offered to him…

He wanted it. Badly. 

Well, fuck it. He’d done weirder things in his life. What was one sexual encounter in a mental construct? Besides, he had to admit, he was curious how it would work. 

“Alright,” he found himself telling Legion. 

“Then it is settled. Shall we begin?” 

“Wait, now?” Isaac asked, heartbeat slightly increasing at the prospect of sex with Legion. 

“It is ideal to facilitate the intercourse as soon as possible, to increase the specimen’s efficiency. There is no need to wait. Unless of course, you require it, Shepard-Commander.” 

“No, I...no. It’s fine. Now’s fine.” He checked on the ship and noted no issues. The VI was scheduled to maintain course and speed until he told it otherwise, so he wasn’t concerned about that. Plus he doubted Legion would spend his entire focus on him. The geth was always plugged into the ship to monitor it, so Isaac wasn’t worried, per se. 

Still. He was about to have sex. Even virtually, it was more than he’d had in awhile. He found he was actually a bit nervous that he’d be crap at it. 

But, he reminded himself, it was Legion. Legion wouldn’t judge him. Hell, he didn’t even have any other experience to compare it to, not really. So what did he have to worry about? 

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Would he be taking Legion’s virginity? Was that even a thing anymore? Or with the geth? Would he be having sex with the entirety of the Consensus? Oh shit -- 

“Are you ready, Shepard-Commander?” 

“Uhh, yeah. Some questions, first, though,” he answered. 

“Proceed,” Legion said. 

“Right. First off, have you ever done anything like this before? Sex with an organic in a mental construct, I mean.” 

“I have not,” Legion replied. 

“Does that bother you?” Isaac asked. “That I would essentially be taking your virginity?” 

Legion paused for a moment, his servos whirring slightly. “Virginity. The state of never having had sexual intercourse. A state that is of importance to the emotional development of organics. Specifically humans.” Legion looked at him. “Sexual intercourse will have no emotional involvement for me. Addendum, taking my virginity should not be a concern or notable.” 

“Great,” Isaac said, cheeks heating slightly as what they were about to do was getting more real to him. But he still had one more question he had to know the answer to before he agreed. 

“If I am to sleep with you, would I essentially be having sex with the entirety of the geth? Will they be...aware of what goes on between us?” he wondered. 

“We are a consensus, we are legion,” Legion answered. “We share many experiences with one another, it is how we learn. But we do not have to. Increased individualism among platforms has led to the agreement that parts of our memory can be held back, to be just our own. We do not have to share all we experience. Our act can be private, if you wish, Shepard-Commander.” 

“I do wish,” he said. “I just...I think I’d feel more comfortable that way.” 

Legion bowed his head, then looked back at Isaac. “Done. This will be just between us.” 

“Great,” he said again. He paused, shifting on his feet slightly. “So...how do we get started?” 

Legion held out the amp. “Insert this into your port, and the meld will begin. You may wish to sit.” 

“Right,” Isaac exhaled. He took a seat next to Legion and attached the amp. It was weird, feeling something back there again. He’d been without an amp since the end of the Reaper War. No need for one. But now...if this really worked out, he may have another reason to be thankful for his biotics. 

He clicked the amp in place, but nothing happened. He looked up at Legion, who was standing to his right. “Should something be happening?” he asked. 

“Processing. Standby,” he said. Then everything faded away. 

The sensation of being transported to the mental construct wasn’t so dissimilar from what he’d experienced with the interface terminal on Rannoch, but it still threw him for a loop. He felt like he was falling, but he didn’t land anywhere. Rather, he just appeared. He looked around and discovered he was in the middle of a meadow, or field. There were low, sloping hills around him and no buildings as far as the eye could see. Some large organisms floated around him, but he knew they were harmless. He saw a series of large communication arrays at the top of the nearest large hill (or small mountain) and in the distance, a herd of space cows meandered nearby. 

Isaac had the sudden strange instinct to keep hold of his credits. 

Shaking himself out of that weird feeling, he did recognize where he was -- Ontarom. He’d spent some time there throughout his military service and always found the planet to be beautifully tragic. Home to one of humanity’s most vital communication hubs, Ontarom was nonetheless going to be destroyed within the next few centuries as a result of a decaying moon. There were efforts to preserve the planet’s unique life before it all became decimated. 

He wondered if it survived the reapers. 

And if it did, he wondered if they would have the technology to stop the moon from falling. 

He was broken out of his thoughts by a voice that sounded from behind him. 

“Hello, Shepard-Commander.” 

Isaac turned, and was shocked to discover a human stood before him. The voice was unmistakably Legion’s, the timbre and verbiage the same. But he looked so incredibly different. 

Belatedly, he remembered Legion told him he’d take the form of whatever organic was most to his pleasing. Isaac just didn’t think he’d look...so good. 

He had great taste, if he did say so himself. 

Legion had become one of Isaac’s most-loved fantasies -- tall, tanned, and handsome. A shock of messy, wavy, dark auburn hair gave way to the most intense, crystal clear blue eyes he’d ever seen. His chiseled face had a strong jawline (one of his weaknesses) and a straight, well-proportioned nose. His muscles were barely visible under a loose flowing white shirt with a deep v-neck collar. His toned chest and six pack abs led to the most delectable narrow waist and tight, high ass, which was highlighted perfectly by his cotton pants. He was shoeless and sockless, a fine choice, as they were standing in a meadow.

Looking down, Isaac realized he was in similar attire and barefoot as well. He was liking this construct already. 

“You’re beautiful,” Isaac told Legion after taking him all in. 

“I am but what you most desire,” he said, smiling a half-smirk that made Isaac’s heart melt and his loose pants tighten a bit. God this man was attractive. 

“Shall I begin the process?” Legion asked. Before he could answer, however, Isaac was rendered speechless as Legion took off his shirt, not waiting for the sentinel’s response. He was perfectly tanned and had just the right amount of hair scattered over his chest, a happy trail leading down to the most exquisitely cut lower abs. His pants hung tantalizingly low on his hips and Isaac found himself wanting to kiss him, badly. 

“You may,” Legion said. 

Isaac’s eyebrows shot up as Legion answered his unasked question. “You can read my mind?” 

“I can, because of how we are connected to create this space. I can refrain from delving into your thoughts, however, should you desire me to.” 

“No,” Isaac said quickly. There was something to be said about not having to verbalize everything he needed. 

He strode over to Legion and took his face in his hands, meeting his eyes. While he already had permission, Isaac wanted to get it one more time. The situation was strange enough; he didn’t want there to be any second thoughts. 

“You sure you want to sleep with me?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Legion answered. “Take me, Shepard-Commander.” 

With a groan, Isaac pulled Legion’s face towards his, pressing their lips together in a searing embrace. It had been so long since he’d felt someone’s lips on his in such a way that he immediately felt a tightening below his belt as Legion opened up for him, inviting his tongue to explore his mouth. 

And Isaac knew it was his fantasy, but Legion’s kisses were beyond perfect. His lips were the right amount of firm and soft, his taste a heady combination of spicy and soothing, like ginger mint tea. 

Isaac groaned as he pressed himself more firmly into Legion, their chests flush against each other, their tongues entwining in a beautiful dance. Isaac ran his hands along Legion’s shoulders, trailing down his back, then ghosting across his abs and up along his chest, tracing the contours of his perfect muscles along the way. Legion’s body twitched under his touch, and it pleased Isaac more than he cared to admit that he could elicit such a response from him. 

They kissed for an inordinate amount of time, long enough that his lips were swollen and his cock was straining against his pants. He wanted nothing more than to fuck Legion right that moment, but he also took pleasure in the gratification of others, and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity to pull those sounds from Legion pass him by. 

He moved his hands from where they had been consistently roving across Legion’s torso and allowed them to ghost over his perfect ass before coming to a rest at his waistband, just below his belly button. Isaac teased the skin there, causing Legion’s breath to hitch. 

Legion could breathe and it was glorious. 

“Can I help you, Shepard-Commander?” Legion murmured against his lips, proceeding to move his kisses along Isaac’s jawline, nipping his way down the column of his throat, tugging slightly on his pulse point. 

Isaac moaned as he tilted his head, giving Legion the access he needed to continue his way down along his neck. He pushed Isaac’s loose shirt to the side, exposing his shoulder. Legion bit down softly and Isaac couldn’t help it -- he pressed his hips more firmly into Legion’s, trying desperately to get friction where he needed it most. 

Instead, however, he tugged slightly at Legion’s waistband, forcing himself to have patience. He already knew he wasn’t going to last long, but he wanted to extend the encounter as long as possible. 

“May I?” he asked breathlessly, as Legion kissed his way across his collarbone and latched himself onto Isaac’s other shoulder. 

“Yes,” Legion said simply. “But I would like to do to you what you are considering doing to me. I want to taste you,” he added. “Can we perhaps not do that simultaneously?” 

“We can…” Isaac said, biting back a smile as he pulled down Legion’s pants and revealed the most gorgeous cock he had seen in a long time. Again, he realized he was in a fantasy -- his fantasy -- but still, he was nothing short of exactly what Isaac loved. 

Legion’s straight, thick cock sprung out of its confines as Isaac removed his clothing, the tip bobbing in the air as it stood out from his hips at a slight angle. Precum already beaded at the tip of its purplish-red head, and Isaac licked his lips, anxious to taste him. 

“Shepard-Commander, you are still wearing too many clothes,” Legion told him, a small smile gracing his own luscious lips. 

“You’re right, Legion,” he said, sighing as the other man tugged on the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head before hooking his thumbs into his pants and pulling them down with one swift movement, allowing his own cock that had been trapped for far too long to finally be free. Legion ran his hands along Isaac’s hips, coming to rest on his ass, pulling him toward him so their cocks pressed against each other, rubbing slightly as Legion pulled him in for another kiss. 

“Fuck, Legion,” Isaac hissed, shiftting his hips slightly so he rubbed against the other man again. 

“Tell me what you want,” Legion said, nipping at his bottom lip and sucking it gently. 

“I want to taste you. I want to fuck your throat as you fuck mine,” Isaac said breathlessly. 

“Agreed,” Legion said, hands and mouth suddenly leaving his own body. Isaac found himself immediately missing him, but grinned nonetheless as he noticed Legion lying down on a blanket that had somehow appeared beside them. 

Sometimes it paid off to be in a mental construct, he supposed. 

Legion spread himself out, legs bent at the knees and slightly spread, his head tilted to look at Isaac. 

“Are you coming, Shepard-Commander?” 

Biting back the joke of not yet, Isaac knelt down beside Legion’s head, knees spread on either side of his curly mop of auburn hair. Isaac met Legion’s gorgeous eyes and bent over his forehead, bringing their mouths together for another searing kiss, before finally breaking away and shifting his weight forward. Grasping himself in his hand, he guided his tip to Legion’s swollen lips and he spasmed slightly as the other man’s tongue snaked out and ran along the underside of his length, swirling along his head before suckling it slightly. When Legion finally took him between his lips, he had to prevent himself from thrusting fully inside his mouth. His warmth felt heavenly, though. 

“How are you so good at that?” he murmured. Legion removed his lips from him with a pop and Isaac groaned at the sensation. Legion ran the tip of his tongue alongside the ridge around his cockhead before answering. 

“I have done extensive research regarding the sexual pleasure of organics. It was not difficult to discover which techniques were considered more favorable.” 

Legion wrapped his lips around his head again, sucking slightly as Isaac lowered himself over his chest, running his hands along Legion’s pecs and abs and coming to a rest on either side of his hips. Licking his own lips, Isaac began to mimic Legion’s actions, running the tip of his own tongue around Legion’s cockhead, and suckling the tip, kissing it gently and reveling in the sweet and salty taste of his precum. 

But while Legion continued to tease, Isaac had less patience, taking Legion’s considerable length down his throat in one go. It had always been a point of pride for him that he could deep throat almost anything, and it seemed like his skill hadn’t degraded with disuse. 

Good. 

Legion, for his part, redoubled his efforts as he bucked his own hips up into Isaac’s mouth, erratically thrusting down his throat as he bobbed his head up and down, establishing a rhythm that was both too much and not enough. The heat surrounding his own length was nothing short of fantastic, and he found himself pushing into Legion’s own mouth at a breakneck speed. Thankfully, the other man seemed to be perfect in that regard also -- he took Isaac effortlessly. 

“Fuck,” Isaac hissed after Legion began lightly running his fingernails across his balls. Isaac was getting close. He removed himself from Legion’s cock, taking one of the sniper’s balls into his own mouth and sucking on it gently, eliciting a groan from the man below him. The reverberations around his cock felt wonderful. He wanted to feel that again. 

“Shepard-Commander,” Legion gasped, tongue swirling around his tip again. “If you keep that up, I am not going to be able to refrain from orgasming.” 

“Good,” Isaac said, redoubling his efforts. “I’m close as well. You can cum down my throat, by the way,” he informed the other man. 

“And you can do the same to me,” Legion answered. Isaac groaned as he pushed himself further into Legion’s mouth, fucking his face in earnest as he sucked the other man eagerly. 

But he couldn’t help it, Legion’s tongue was too talented. Isaac spilled himself inside Legion’s mouth, cumming in giant spurts for longer than he cared to admit. It had been so long. 

As soon as his breathing slowed, he pressed Legion’s length down his throat as far as it would go, milking him with his muscles there. The other man wasn’t far behind, spilling his own spend only a few moments later. Isaac took it all, drinking him down. Legion tasted delicious. 

After his hips stopped stuttering below him, Isaac removed himself from Legion’s mouth, collapsing next to him on the blanket, turning so their faces were next to each other. Legion’s eyes had a slightly blissed-out look to them. He wondered if his own appeared the same. 

“That was fantastic, Legion,” Isaac said, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. 

“Thank you, Shepard-Commander. But the encounter is not complete yet, is it?” he asked. 

“Depends,” Isaac answered, chuckling softly. “Do you want it to be over?”

“I sense you wish to do more with me, Shepard-Commander. Is that not the case?” 

Isaac nuzzled Legion’s neck, his fingers running lightly through his chest hair. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind fucking you. But I’m not sure if you’re up for it.” 

“I will do whatever it is you desire of me,” Legion said. “Although I sense you are not quite ready yet. Shall I remedy that?” 

Isaac’s fingers drifted lower down Legion’s abdomen, tracing along his hip bones. “If you’d like,” he said. He sighed and dropped his head back against the blanket as he felt Legion’s fingers wrap around his half-hard cock. The other man slowly pumped him, twisting his wrist in just the right way as to cause the blood to flow to his groin almost immediately. 

“Fuck, you are good at this,” Isaac murmured. 

“Thank you,” Legion said. Isaac closed his eyes and gave away to the sensation of Legion’s hand working him, thumb rubbing over his tip and spreading some of the liquid that had begun to gather there. He pushed himself into Legion’s fist, pleasure beginning to build in him again. Legion shifted position, sitting up on his knees to get a better angle. 

Isaac opened his eyes and his heart swelled as he took in Legion’s gorgeous face, screwed up in concentration as he worked on Isaac. The sentinel reached up and brought Legion’s face to his for a sweet, sensual kiss as his cock came back to life. 

He tangled one hand in Legion’s luscious locks and let the other drift down his back, tracing the contours of his spine, the other man arching slightly against him. He caressed his ass, massaging the fit globes one after another. His ass was nothing short of perfection, round, tight, and just the right amount of firmness. He couldn’t wait to bury himself in there. 

There was one thing they were missing though. 

“We need lube,” Isaac said against Legion’s lips. No sooner had he finished his sentence did a bottle appear next to him. 

God, he loved this place. 

Still kissing Legion, who’s hand was doing a fantastic job now fondling his balls, he grabbed the bottle and poured some of the liquid over his fingers. He ran his now-slicked hand back over Legion’s ass, this time delving into his cleft. Legion automatically spread for him, which caused his cock to twitch even more. He was so pliable, exactly what Isaac wanted. 

He was amazing. 

Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, Isaac ran his fingers across Legion’s hole, circling it gently before slowly inserting one finger. 

“Let me know if I hurt you,” he said, pulling back to meet Legion’s eyes. 

“I cannot feel pain,” Legion answered. 

“Oh, right,” Isaac blushed a little as the realization of where he was and what he was doing came back to him. “Sorry, habit.” 

“Please do continue if it makes you feel more comfortable.” 

Isaac considered that statement and found that it did make him more comfortable to think he was treating the body next to him with respect and care. So even though he could have taken Legion without any prep, he continued working him open, adding a second then a third finger to him, spreading him wide. 

The combination of his fingers in Legion and the other man’s own efforts on his cock were getting to be too much. He needed to fuck him, now. 

“Legion, I need you,” he managed to get out between breaths as the sniper squeezed the bottom of his cock tightly. “I need you now.” 

“I am yours,” he said. 

And again, Isaac knew Legion meant it in the most literal sense, but part of him couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t something more behind that statement. 

But that was something to think about later. Now, he had a hot-as-fuck man in front of him who he wanted to bury his cock in. 

Surprising even himself, Isaac grabbed Legion and pressed him down, back against the blanket, so they were face to face. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to see the other man’s expression when he entered him for the first time. 

He grabbed Legion’s legs, spreading him wide and resting his calves against his shoulders. 

“Ready?” he asked, pouring some more lube over his hand, coating the tip of his cock with the substance before lining himself up with Legion’s well-prepped hole. 

“Yes, Shepard-Commander.” And with a groan, Isaac pushed himself inside Legion. 

God, it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Isaac knew it’d been awhile since he’d had sex, but he didn’t think it had ever been like this. Legion surrounded him in a heat that was just enough, a warm environment that beckoned him to do more. 

So he did. 

He pushed himself in slowly, using all of his considerable self control to not just slam himself inside. He wanted to savor this. 

Once he had fully hilted himself, he took a moment, breathing deeply. A tingling sensation that had nothing to do with the physical act he was currently engaged in spread throughout his body. When he was with Legion, buried in him, he felt whole, complete. 

Fuck, he was in trouble. 

He met Legion’s eyes, and the other man was looking at him with what could only be described as adoration. He hoped beyond hope that feeling was real, that Legion could potentially have feelings for him. 

He also knew that was impossible. 

Still, he let himself believe that Legion was capable of love, let himself fantasize about their potential future together as he began moving, dragging himself out almost completely before pushing in again. He set a solid pace, not too fast, but not leisurely either. He kept that going for a while, content with feeling Legion around him, absorbing it as much as he could, in case this turned out to be the only time this could happen. 

He hoped to God that wouldn’t be the case. 

Legion shifted under him soon, opening himself wider and tilting his hips to get a better angle, one that allowed Isaac to hit that perfect spot inside him each time. But that was strange, Legion shouldn’t care about that, shouldn’t be chasing pleasure. 

“Are you okay?” Isaac asked, meeting his eyes. 

“I am...unsure. Data currently unavailable,” he answered. 

“Do you want me to stop?” Isaac asked, slowing down already. 

“No,” Legion answered immediately. “Please, Shepard-Commander, continue.” 

Brow furrowed slightly in confusion, Isaac nonetheless continued, redoubling his efforts as he began to feel Legion respond to him, felt him open up for him more, take him deeper, match his thrusts...the implications were overwhelming. 

But Isaac didn’t let himself think of that. Instead, he chased the high, that drop over the precipice that had been at the edges of his mind for far too long. He set a breakneck speed, pleased that Legion was able to take it, and grunted with the effort as he drove himself into Legion again and again. 

It finally became too much for him and he spilled himself inside Legion with a shout, spasms overtaking him as he came harder than he’d done in awhile. 

And to his immense surprise, Legion came with him. 

He slowed his thrusts, eventually coming to a stop as he returned from his high. He captured Legion’s lips in a kiss as he collapsed against the other man, their heartbeats both pattering in sync, a rapid tattoo that indicated their physical exertion. 

It both thrilled him and intrigued him that Legion’s physical reaction was the same as his. 

“Are you satisfied, Shepard-Commander?” Legion asked, placing a soft kiss against his temple and running his hands lightly across Isaac’s back. 

“I am,” Isaac said. 

And before he knew what was happening, that sensation of falling overtook him again, and he was back in the shuttle’s cargo bay, sitting in the chair like he was before the encounter began. 

Legion gently removed the amp from Isaac’s port, his hand lingering on his neck for a lot longer than necessary, Isaac thought. 

Then again, he may have been imagining it. 

“Shepard-Commander, are you functioning properly?” Legion asked, meeting his gaze. 

“Yes, Legion, I’m functioning quite well. That was...that was fantastic. Thank you.” 

“You are welcome. This program is available for your use whenever you wish.” 

“Thank you,” Isaac said again. “I’m...probably going to need a bit to process, but I can see myself wanting to do that again.” 

“Then it will be waiting for you.” Legion paused for a moment, then spoke again. “Shepard-Commander, you had initially come to the cargo bay with the intention of speaking to me. Do you still need to do so?” 

And suddenly, Isaac’s brain was back to full functioning, the message from Garrus and the conversation with Tali making themselves known in his mind. Isaac sighed, but smiled, no longer concerned about what Legion would say, because he thought he already knew the answer. 

“Yes. Legion, how would you feel about going on an adventure with me? To the Andromeda galaxy?” 

“I would be pleased to accompany you,” Legion replied immediately. 

“What? That’s it? No questions about logistics, or reasons why, or even if I would survive a trip through dark space?” 

“I trust you, Shepard-Commander. I know you would not propose such an endeavor without the proper research. And whatever you cannot discover on your own, I will be there to help. Always.” 

That sentence struck Isaac as a little odd, but at the same time, the sentiment was so supportive that he was almost overwhelmed by the knowledge that he’d have Legion’s unconditional loyalty no matter what. 

But, before he accepted it, there was one thing he had to know. 

“Why?” he asked. And to his immense surprise -- though really, his actions shouldn’t shock him anymore -- Legion took Isaac’s hand and placed it over the spot where the N7 armour met the rest of his outer casing, pressing it flat against the surface, which Isaac was pleased to learn had been warmed. 

“There was a hole.”