[video] now with extra dragon hugs

[renegadedriving]

[Well, there's a face we haven't seen in a while. Shepard is holding the D-Terminal fairly close to her and looking rather grim, and not just her facial expression. Her hair badly needs a trim and a wash, there's dirt on her face and what's visible of her clothes, and she even appears to have lost weight.]

Commander Shepard reporting in.

[Her voice is the same strength as ever, though.]

Looks like randomly ditching me all the way across the damn island by myself is this place's idea of a joke, so I'm going to need an update. And preferably a check in from a few of you, just to make sure nobody's gotten themselves blown up while I was gone.

[This means you, heroic-type friends and boyfriend. There's a quick flash of purple at the bottom of the screen, and Shepard's expression shifts from solid irritation to a sort of rough affection.]

Stop nuzzling me, Cadet.

I've been looking everywhere for you, Commander!

[Shepard pauses before reaching down to pat her partner on the nose. She looks back at the screen.]

I should go.

Comments

action from here?

[renegadedriving]

[Someone get Shepard some turian kids, she has a feeling they'll be adorable.]

Got it. Be ready for the antithesis of polite dining.

[Of course, she's a soldier, so that's pretty standard.]

Sounds perfect.

[calibrates_big_guns]

If you say so, but I'm not exactly seeing the difference from our usual day-to-day.

[action!]

[renegadedriving]

[It takes another 15 minutes, but Shepard makes her way back to the apartment building. Her partner is missing, but she's there.]

[action!]

[calibrates_big_guns]

[And by the time she does, Garrus is back from the burger place with ... well, he's still learning human food so he went for broke and just got damn near everything.

[He's waiting by the door when he sees Shepard, and this wave of relief washes over him. She's here, she's safe, and none the worse for wear. Collectors couldn't keep her down, so why the hell could digimon?

[Still, he gets up, and pulls her in for a hug.]

It's, ah ... It's good to have you back, Shepard.

[He tried, he really did, but he still has just about zero in the way of romantic skills.]

[renegadedriving]

[Who needs romantic skills when you have sincerity? And fast food? Shepard relaxes into the hug, grinning.]

Damn, it's good to be back. I missed you.

[There's nothing like a month in the woods to make you miss your boyfriend. Especially when said boyfriend is also your right hand man and it's weird to be out in the field without him.]

[calibrates_big_guns]

[He rests his forehead against hers, closing his eyes for a moment to just enjoy the feeling of having her in his arms after a month of his natural tendency to expect the worst biting him in the ass.]

Glad to see my, ahem, charm left some impression. [He replies with a soft grin before leaning in to give her a kiss. It was the protocol on reunions after all.]

[renegadedriving]

[Shepard laughs, smiling brightly.]

So did the rest of you.

[There's an unspoken 'you dork' somewhere in that tone, but she leans up to meet him halfway on the kiss. It's an affectionate 'you dork'.]

[calibrates_big_guns]

[He'd prefer "Bringer of justice in an unjust galaxy, and all around turian bad-boy," but he can live with an affectionate "you dork".]

Well, I would hope so. I don't think my self esteem could take it otherwise. [He smirks.]

[Once the innuendos are out of the way, he lifts up the bag from the burger place. For someone who's been stuck out in the woods for a month, it probably smells like heaven.]

Now, I've got some disgustingly greasy food I figure we should probably eat before it gets cold. Let's get you inside, put our feet up, get a few drinks, make an evening out of it.

[renegadedriving]

[Who says they don't both apply?]

That's a shame, I usually have better things to stroke than your ego.

[The innuendos are never over. They continue forever.]

Have I mentioned that you're the best boyfriend in the galaxy lately?

[calibrates_big_guns]

[Oooh, good save. It gets a smirk out him]

I thought it went without saying, but I could stand to hear it a little more.

[Forgive him a loving look, but between the sheer relief of having her back and the fact a turian like him has a girl like her ... feeling more like the luckiest guy in the galaxy.]