Chapter Text
When you're done with your errands, meet me at Tiberius Towers. Bring Kolyat!
“Is that Commander Shepard?” Kolyat glanced up from the grocer's inventory he was browsing, searching in vain for a certain fruit imported from Kahje.
“Yes,” Thane said, frowning in confusion at his flashing omni-tool. He knew the location: a group of luxury apartments on the Sunset Strip. Why would she want to meet them there? His Siha had not mentioned anything about securing lodgings on the Citadel for their shore leave. “She wishes for us to meet her once we are finished.”
“I have one other shop I wish to check. Perhaps another hour?” Thane nodded and sent off a reply as they left the shop. Having no luck at the next location, he and Kolyat made their way to the bustling Sunset Strip.
If one did not know better, they would think the galaxy outside the Citadel was operating normally, but Thane had heard the whispers. The only economy that was still operating was any sort of entertainment as people tried to forget the war raging around them. As they made their way through the crowds of people and into the lobby of Tiberius Towers, Thane could almost understand. He was with his son and his Siha was waiting for him, an excited grin lighting up her face.
“You looked pleased,” he said with a smile. “What have you been planning?”
“Nothing! This was Anderson's idea.”
The Admiral's call had come though just as they were docking. Thane had wanted to wait for her, but his Siha had sent him on ahead, saying she would catch up with him later. Had Anderson offered her a place to stay for their shore leave? His suspicions were confirmed a few moments later as his Siha took his hand and gestured for Kolyat to follow them. She lead them down the hall to a door that opened to reveal a large, furnished apartment with panoramic windows that made up one of the walls. Thane frowned. He could see into the next building. That would not do at all.
“What do you think?” she asked, bouncing slightly in her excitement. “This is Anderson's apartment but he wants the crew to have a a place to rest and recharge while we're waiting on the repairs.”
The space was also far too open for a Drell's comfort. They preferred smaller, more intimate dwellings and he would have been happier with their cabin on the Normandy. But he would never admit such things; not when a gift had been made and his Siha looked so happy. “It is an excellent gift. I am honored the Admiral would make such a gesture.”
“Come on. I'll give you the tour.”
“One moment.”
Thane walked over to the windows and hit the controls to close the shutters. With a wince, his Siha mouthed an apology before leading them around first floor. As they climbed the stairs, she gestured to the open door ahead of them. “This is the main bedroom and there's another room next door, identical to the one downstairs. Kolyat, I know you have your own apartment, but if you want one of the spare rooms, it's yours.”
Kolyat glanced at him before turning back to her. “I...Thank you, Commander.”
If she noticed Kolyat's surprise, his Siha did not acknowledge it. Instead, she gave them another excited grin. “Now that I've given you the tour, lets go pick out some new furniture.”
The three of them spent the next few hours in the furniture store attached to the lobby. His Siha insisted on both he and Kolyat trying out what seemed like every piece of furniture in the shop before making her decision.
It was good to see her so happy. After Thessia had fallen, she had been so angry and despondent that he had truly feared for her. Any comfort he tried to offer only made her angrier. That had both hurt and angered him. Why did she insist on blaming herself? No one else did.
Her tearful apology had morphed his hurt and anger into worry and a stronger resolve to ease her burdens where he could. They had at least a week of shore leave, and Thane was determined to give her nothing but happy memories. He already had a few ideas.
A warm hand slipped into his, breaking him out of his thoughts. He returned his Siha's smile. “Finished?”
“The movers are loading the pallets now. They'll meet us back at the apartment.”
Amid the organized chaos of delivery, Thane took stock of the food already available to them and placed a grocery order. It arrived just as the movers were leaving. He threw together a light lunch as his Siha made minor adjustments to the furniture.
“Commander Shepard, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” She gave Kolyat an encouraging smile as they sat down to eat.
“Earlier today I overheard a group of Humans talking. One of the women called one of the men a Jar Head. What does that mean?”
It was Kolyat's turn to looked confused as his Siha laughed. “It wasn't Vega, was it?” Kolyat shook his head, looking even more confused, which seemed to amuse her more. “It's an old, derogatory nickname for a Marine. It implies that they're unintelligent.”
Thane did not think it possible, but Kolyat became even more confused. “That is strange. The woman did seem annoyed with him, but why would she use such a term when he was simply laughing about the number sixty-nine.”
A choking sound made Thane jump and turn to see his Siha frantically groping for something. As he watched, her hand found a napkin and she spat out the mouthful of food she had just taken, as she began to cough. Thane forced himself to stay still as his Siha's body shook under the force of the spasms. If a Human is coughing, they are breathing, he knew from the Human portion of the mandatory first aid courses Dr. Chakwas held periodically. No action is necessary. Interfering may make it worse.
“Commander, are you all right?” Kolyat sounded frantic.
With several deep breaths, she brought herself under control. “Yeah. I'm okay.”
Her voice was a harsh croak, but she had thankfully stopped coughing. Not knowing what else to do, Thane poured a glass of water and set it in front of her. She smiled at him and took several small sips, before clearing her throat. “I didn't mean to scare either of you. The question just caught me off guard.”
Thane watched, mystified and amused, as a blush spread across her cheeks. He knew that blush.
Humans were notoriously closed mouth about sex. Even the literature that Mordin had given him had been clinical to the point of being off-putting. It was only in his Siha's arms that he had been able to truly learn. She had answered every question he had asked to the best of her ability, but not without that blush that he found endlessly endearing.
What a random number had to do with sex, Thane could not guess; but he did not wish her to speak on a subject that made her uncomfortable. “Perhaps this is a subject for a different time?”
That got him another smile, but she shook her head and turned to Kolyat. “It's okay. I don't mind answering. I really don't want you to go searching the extranet for an answer.”
As they watched, she took another sip of water and cleared her throat. “Sixty-nine is a euphemism for a non penetrative sex position. The reason the woman was so annoyed is that it's considered a childish thing to laugh at.”
Thane's brow rose at that. His Siha had shown him such things, but he could not fathom how the two ideas connected. Amused, he glanced over at her, but she was deliberately not looking at him.
“I see. Then I apologize. I did not realize it would be anything inappropriate.”
“No, honestly, it's fine. Like I said, the question just caught me off guard. You should always feel free to ask me any questions.”
“Yes, Father has told me that you have such an arrangement.” Kolyat gave her a quizzical look. “Is it customary for Humans to include children that are not theirs in family matters?”
“Oh.” She glanced from Kolyat to him, looking confused. “I'm not sure I understand the question.”
“I know a few Humans in C-Sec who are helping to raise children that are not theirs, but those are young children. I am considered an adult under both Drell and Human law.”
“Do you think I've been treating you like a child?”
“No, of course not! Forgive me...I...” Kolyat trailed off, clearly thinking her had offended her.
“If I may?” Thane understood his son's confusion. At Kolyat's nod, he turned to his Siha. “Drell are not social creatures like Humans. On the rare occasion that we take another partner, our children are not adopted by them.”
Her eyebrows shot up at that; though at which point he had made, Thane did not know.
“Please do not misunderstand. It is not that they would interfere in the relationship; nor would our new partner in any way mistreat them, but they do not take a parental role in the child's life.”
Her eyes widened further. “Not even when they're young children?”
“No Drell would take another partner when their children are young. It would be seen as selfish. Once a child has been brought into the world, they come before anything else.”
Therein lay another of his sins. He had chosen his vengeance over Kolyat, even knowing that his son would hate him. Irikah's sister had said as much, the day Thane had abandoned him.
Understanding flooded his Siha's eyes. “I guess that ties in with how your memories work?” Thane nodded, pleased that she understood. With a worried smile she turned back to Kolyat. “Please, I don't want you to ever think that I would or could take your mother's place. If I've done anything to upset you, I apologize.”
“No, it was nothing like that.” Kolyat frowned. “I should have realized. I have been warned that Humans will form communities and families wherever they go.”
“The Normandy is proof enough of that.” Thane said with a fond smile. He had taken a job from which he did not expect to survive, but had instead had found a home and family among an odd assortment of souls.
That made his Siha laugh. “Guilty as charged. We can't help it.”
“And I am grateful for it.” He knows what would have befallen him if his Siha had not appeared in his life, but what of his son? It did not bear thinking about.
“We are an unlikely bunch, aren't we?” The pride and affection in her voice made Thane smile. “But I wouldn't have it any other way.”
“I am grateful as well.” Kolyat's admission startled him. “Thank you for inviting me today, Commander. You have given me much to think about.”
“You're always welcome here.”
His son's genuine smile made Thane's chest ache. Please, he prayed as he watched the two of them. Please, let this war end quickly. Let us grow together as a family. Let my son find his own Siha and experience as much happiness as I have. Please.
Laughter carried his prayer away. Thane smiled, pleased, as he turned back to his family.
“It's just a song to teach children their left from their right,” his Siha was explaining to Kolyat. “There's no deeper meaning.”
“I see.”
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as Human and Drell childhoods were compared. Soon enough, Kolyat took his leave to begin his next shift. As Thane saw his son to the lobby, Kolyat paused, looking thoughtful. “Commander Shepard makes you very happy.”
“She does,” Thane said carefully, mindful of his son's opinion on the matter.
“I am glad of that too.” With another rare smile, Kolyat gave a small bow and left.
Startled, Thane could only watch as his son disappeared through the lobby door. With a smile of his own he returned to the apartment. He could see his Siha standing by the bar, omni-tool open. A moment later, Thane heard a voice answer her laughter. From the timbre, it sounded like Garrus.
Gathering their abandoned dishes, Thane set them in the sink, intending to put them in the sonic cleaner, but paused as footsteps sounded from behind him. A moment later he smiled as arms slipped around his waist. He turned in his Siha's arm and cupped her face, thumb brushing her cheek. “Thank you for today.”
That got him a puzzled smile. “For making you spend hours picking out furniture?”
“Yes,” he laughed. “For that and everything else. I have not seen Kolyat smile like that since before his mother died.”
Her warm smile made his heart beat faster. “I'm glad. You both deserve happiness after everything.”
“As do you, Siha.” Thane took her hands in his, pressing them to his chest. “I have few ideas for us while we are here on shore leave.”
“I do want to hear what you've planned, but before I do, there's something important we have to do.”
“Oh yes?” Thane raised his brow as her smile shifted, telling him exactly what she had in mind. He suppressed a smile. “What is this task, Siha?”
“It's a very old Human tradition called christening the new furniture.”
Thane frowned playfully as he pulled back. “I do not believe this is true, Siha. You have just now made up such a thing.”
“No, I would never!” Her face was the picture of innocence.
Thane suppressed a laugh as he backed her up against the kitchen island. He smiled smugly as her eyes darkened in arousal. “Very well, Siha. I do not wish you to think I do not respect Human traditions. Will this involve six-”
Her hand shot up to cover his mouth. “Please, do not finish that sentence,” she said, laughing. “You'll kill the mood. And before you ask; yes we have tried that position before. It was the one you said was too distracting to really enjoy.”
“Ah, yes.” Memories rose but only fueled his curiosity. “I still do not understand.”
With a playful huff, his Siha pulled back and opened her omni-tool and punched in a command. “This is what the number sixty-nine looks like in the language I speak.” As she tilted her arm towards him, Thane could see two curved lines on the screen. One looped at the bottom and the other at the top. “If you flip this image on its side and pretend the loops are our heads...”
“I...see.” Thane shook his head, exasperated. “What a bizarre thing to find amusing.”
His Siha made a faint noise of agreement, hands tugging at the buckles of his clothing before their mouths met in a deep kiss. Thane could not help but smile as she maneuvered him towards one of the couches in the living room.
Apparently, they would be starting there.
A few hours later, Thane was woken by the beeping of an omni-tool. He cracked open one eye to the sight of the master bedroom. Ah yes, they had eventually made it upstairs, he recalled. Next to him, his Siha let out a string of unintelligible words as she groped on the nightstand. Finding her omni-tool, she slipped it on before flipping it open.
“Joker wants to meet for dinner.” She dropped her arm and glanced over at him. “Do you think you can stay out of trouble for an hour or two?”
Thane gave her an incredulous look. “Can I stay out of trouble?”
“Yes.” Her laughter made him smile as she leaned over to give him a quick kiss. “When I get back, I want to hear all about these plans you have.”
“Very well, Siha. I will try for your sake.” He allowed his gaze to linger as she climbed out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. As the sound of the shower reached his ears, Thane reluctantly climbed out of bed.
Later, cleaned and dressed, Thane had just settled down with a cup of tea and the latest Human book that had been recommended to him, when Joker's panicked voice broke the silence, and he was racing through the bowels of the Citadel to reach his Siha's side.