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It all started after their mission to Mars. Shepard was newly back in command of her ship and James tagged along for the ride. Over her year under house arrest, he gained admirable respect for the woman. He wasn’t going to abandon her now. He felt he had to stick this through. James had never been the sort of guy to back down from a challenge, he’d follow Shepard to any hell she dragged him to and he’d thank her for the opportunity. Reapers be damned, Shepard was his Commander and James considered himself to be one hell of a soldier. He was proud to serve on the Normandy and he was more than proud to serve Commander Shepard.
She was easily the most impressive person he had ever met, and it was hard not to crush on her a little. Or a lot. When he first met her, James felt as if he were meeting some kinda movie star; he didn’t stay starstruck for long and soon he was tumbling headfirst into a heavy crush.
Of course, he didn’t intend to act on anything. Not really. He respected her too much to actually come on to her for real. But..that didn’t stop him from flirting in the slightest, it was more than fun to tease, to pretend. Shepard didn’t seem to mind. She told him once that she liked the way he called her Lola. James was perfectly content to be the best-damned LT she could ask for and he’d dwell on his filthy ridiculous crush in the comfort of his own hand whenever he could get a moment of privacy.
But of course, Shepard had to throw a nail in his carefully designed plan.
After their mission to Mars, something in Shepard’s reserve snapped. She appeared in the shuttle bay before himself, he found her viciously attacking his punching bag as if it had said something rude about her mother. James decided to watch for a moment, her form was atrocious; her punches were frenzied and rough. Angry. Her body language was tense, she punched the bag as if she was fighting for her life. It was bizarre to see this behavior from Shepard who he always thought to be so carefully composed on the Normandy. He’d seen her get heated in the field but she always slipped back into her Commander Shepard role as if it were a second skin.
He watched her cry out, wincing, and then she threw another terrible punch, her thumbs were tucked for christ’s sake. James decided to step in.
“Want me to hold its arms back Lola?”
“Shut up James.”
“Hey! I’m just saying, you’re hitting that thing like it owes you money.”
He approached, holding his hands up defensively; playing as if she were some sort of crazy woman who would soon attack him as well. Shepard turned to him, the fury in her eyes was evident. It was mildly terrifying.
“You were reckless today.” Her words were spat out like venom.
“Hey! I saved your buddy Alenko.”
“My buddy .” Another hard punch sounded throughout the crew deck.
Ah. So this is what this was about. James previously wondered if they had some sort of history. He realized then that he hadn’t been imagining things from the way Kaidan stiffened when he asked about her back in Vancouver. Active duty relationships never ended up well. Too complicated. They either ended in somebody dead and somebody else wishing they were too, or things got bitter real quick.
James cleared his throat, sorry he even brought Major Alenko up. He had never seen Shepard like this, so.. emotional. Her rage was honestly a bit terrifying. Those reapers didn’t stand a chance if this was who they were up against.
“Wanna dance?” James threw his fists up. He decided against telling her that Kaidan would be alright, that they had the best people in the Citadel working on him. He wasn’t just some grunt soldier, he’d have actual doctors looking at him. But James had a sneaking suspicion her anger wasn’t about him getting hurt. Or maybe it was. Shepard was a tough woman to read.
Shepard held the punching bag’s chain to stop its swinging, she cracked her neck side to side. She held her fists up, assuming an actual fighting stance. “Think you can hold up?” Her tone was challenging.
“I’m more worried about you Lola.” He winked at her, a confident smirk on his face.
James wasn’t sure what exactly happened next, they started innocently enough. One moment he was throwing a punch, Shepard caught it in her fist; they traded punches back and forth- one thing led to the next and- then her lips were on his with the force of a crashing wave and he was so startled that he actually fell on his ass. Not in a bad way. No. He just couldn’t believe what was happening. Was he dreaming? Was she messing with him somehow?
He tasted blood in his mouth, remembering the solid punch she landed to his jaw earlier. His head hadn’t been entirely in the game, it was hard to pay attention while she was so damned distracting. He kissed back. He would have been a fool not to kiss her back. It was everything he wanted and somehow he knew that this was exactly what Shepard needed from him.
What could he say, he was a pleaser. Shepard was his CO sure, but James knew she was somehow more than that. At least to him. He’d give her whatever she needed. He wanted to. Especially if it helped her over whatever was going on. James was happy to provide even if she just needed a warm body to forget about someone else.
Plus, he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about this a few times. Or a lot of times. Most times. All the time.
Things escalated quickly, Shepard was straddled over his lap; her fingers were grabbing a fistful of his shirt; his hands were all over her. If James had enough functional brainpower at the moment he might have been embarrassed to see himself groping at her ass and moaning into her mouth like a teenager, but with the way she gasped and pulled away from the kiss to nip at his bottom lip... He figured he had to be something right.
Of course, things wouldn't stay perfect. They never did.
The elevator door opened with a woosh and James felt Shepard jump off of himself to her feet with an effortless grace that left him dumbly staring up at her. James grasped at the empty air where Shepard had been moments prior, his brain still trying to comprehend what just happened.
Cortez entered the room, heading to his usual spot by the Kodiak. He hadn’t seen anything, but he did give Shepard a polite salute as she left. James sat up in time to watch her enter the elevator without so much as a glance behind her, as if she hadn’t just been making out with him on the cold metal floor. For how often he thought about her in any number of situations like this, he hadn’t ever thought she’d jump him in the middle of the shuttle bay. She just had to throw him for a loop.
Dios Mio , James felt as if he had been attacked by some sort of wild animal. What kind of woman challenged him to a fight, threw some punches, and then knocked him onto his ass with a kiss? And why did that turn him on so badly?
Well.. he supposed he was in for it now.
Days passed, more missions, the usual. Shepard hadn’t spoken to James about the incident since then. Though she wasn’t at all unfriendly, they chatted like usual but much of Shepard’s attention was on the mission and her briefings. He got it, he wasn’t some puppy-eyed love-sick teen who needed all of her attention. He was a professional. Here to help.
James couldn’t help but hope though. She had been in his every waking thought since that kiss. He felt as if he were going insane. She was just... in his head, he saw how tired she looked; the way she’d trudge to her cabin with her arms full of data-pads. He wanted to make her feel better, to give her whatever he could provide. He thought of her at night especially, remembering the way she felt against his body, solid muscle in places but so fucking soft in others.
When she asked him to go top-side he literally thanked her for the opportunity. Saying something about how he couldn’t wait to get out there and blast some ass. James regretted it as soon as he said it and the way Shepard’s eyebrow quirked at him made him want to bury himself in a hole.
Palaven was hard, he felt for Scars; James knew that Shepard must feel the same. Seeing that orange fire consuming the planet reminded him all too much of home and the way things were faring there.
He never doubted Shepard, not one bit. But seeing her not even flinch as one of those reaper fucked up Turians came charging at her had James feeling like he was in the exact right place to be. At Shepard’s side.
They returned to the Normandy, successful as always. It had only been only a few hours since boarding the ship, but a pinging noise rang from his data pad. Shepard had set an event on his calendar, blocking out the last two hours of his shift. She set the meeting room to TBA and for some reason, the implication was enough to have his mind racing.
Was this how Major Alenko felt? James couldn’t help but wonder what their relationship had been like. He had picked up on enough.. tension to figure that something had to have happened between them. Shepard made him feel as if he were caught in a hurricane, she left him breathless and winded and whipped around every which way and he couldn’t get enough. He was the sort of idiot who ran directly into a storm, knowing full well it could hurt him and knowing full well it was probably within his best interest to take cover.
James did his best to finish his report accurately enough to send it to Shepard for review, he inventoried and cleaned all of the guns that had been out in the field... Though he didn’t have time to thoroughly safety check anything with the last two hours of his shift now blocked out.
Another ping sounded from his data-pad and James practically ran from his seat on a cargo box to his weapons bench to check the message. His fingers fumbled at the screen, nearly dropping it.
Still wanna dance Vega?
James was in the elevator without wasting another second. He momentarily wondered if he should have showered, but too late now he supposed. Shepard had always been down to toss him around, he remembered the way she smirked during their sparring session, the way she laughed when she landed a solid punch to his gut. She wasn’t the type of chick to stick her nose up at some sweat and dirt. Yet for some reason, James still wanted to impress her.
The elevator opened and Shepard’s door wooshed open. She was sitting at her desk, her hair was wet as if she just come out of the shower.
Damn it. He wondered if she would notice if he were to inconspicuously sniff himself.
The door shut behind him, Shepard gave him a sort of quizzical glance as if sizing him up. He decided against a casual pit check.
“Hey, Lola, did you call me up here to throw some hands or maybe-” He gave her his sexiest smoldering look, the usual look that had giggly girls at bars falling all over him. The octave of his voice lowered. “Was there something else you had in mind?”
“Depends. Think you can handle yourself?”
Her tone sent all the blood in his head straight to his dick. James swallowed hard, nodding; all of his earlier bravado had drained out of him with just a few words from Shepard.
Shepard closed the distance between them, stepping over and then pushing him against the fish tank. Her lips found his and James was grunting at the impact, he had spent days thinking about this. His hands came to her hips, needing something to hold onto as he found himself charging headfirst into that hurricane again. Shepard pulled away from him, kissing his jaw; a sharp bite to his throat had him moaning in surprise. She only chuckled, her hand sliding down his chest slowly.
James hissed as her hand unabashedly came to his crotch. She was watching his face intently, her fingers now working at the button of his fatigues, James would have expected nothing less from Shepard, not even in his fantasies was she shy and girlish. She slid a hand up his shirt, pulling it out from its neat tuck, her palm was warm against him. Her other hand cupped his fully interested cock. Before he could react, Shepard was kissing him again, a deep sort of kiss that left him panting when she pulled away.
As he fought to regain his breath, James’s eyes found the clock on her desk. He noticed how he had been in her quarters for only about six minutes, and in that time she was already getting his clothes off and having her way with him. If only he could tell any of his Alliance buddies back on earth, man they would never believe him.
“Look at me.” Her tone was hard, James obeyed with the mumble of an apology.
Shepard only smirked in response, her hand released his crotch in favor of reaching into his now unzipped pants. She stroked him through his underwear slowly, keeping her eyes on his. Her gaze was pointed, she was daring him to look away. Her unspoken command was enough to have him twitching against her touch, James fought back a whimper.
“Do you want to fuck me James?” She asked as if she were asking about whether or not water was wet. She already knew his answer but she wanted to hear him say it.
Okay, now that had him whimpering. Rather than recoil at the noise, he instead gave an enthusiastic nod; not entirely trusting his voice at the moment.
Shepard rolled her eyes, there was some obvious annoyance in the way he chose to nod instead of speaking. The look was short-lived as she dropped to her knees, he barely had any time to react before confident hands were tugging off his pants and underwear in one smooth movement.
James’s knees felt weak and she hadn’t even touched him yet. He slumped against the fish tank, hoping to whatever god existed that the glass could support his weight because without the support he’d be falling on his ass again. James wanted that to be more of a one-time thing.
A garbled moan escaped his throat as Shepard wrapped her hand around the base of his cock; giving it a few heavy strokes. James was thankful that the blood in his ears pounded harder than his voice because he was sure whatever noise came out of him was absolutely embarrassing. He watched her stick her tongue out to drag it along a thick vein, his fists were clenched at his sides, eyes wide; unable to tear his gaze away from the way Shepard explored his length.
She was soon wrapping her lips around him, sucking him in earnest. Everything she did was bold, methodical, and well-practiced. He had never seen Shepard slip up and he would have told anyone that Commander Shepard was an inhuman beast of a marine until that day he found her attacking the punching bag.
He had never seen a woman so.. composed while sucking him off before. He watched as she took him down to his base, swallowing around him and then bobbing back up as if it were the easiest thing in the world. The way she opened her eyes to wink at him as she came back up was the hottest fucking thing James had ever seen and his knees were feeling increasingly weaker.
She released him from her mouth in favor of stroking his length, her tongue came to the head of his cock. She pushed the tip of her tongue against the sensitive slit of the head, then moved it lower to the underside.
“You’re so fucking big it’s ridiculous.” Shepard swallowed him again, sucking him down a few more times before she was releasing him in order to breathe. She laughed, using her free hand to grip his balls, rolling them playfully. She trailed her lips along the side of him, then lifted his cock to plant a sucking kiss at loose skin found at the base of him, she sucked one of his balls into her mouth and released it with a pop.
James tried to say ‘Thanks Lola’ , but what came out was a garbled moan and an incoherent mumble. Usually, when a girl complimented him on his size he couldn’t help the way his pride swelled, but with Shepard he felt as if he were some sort of plaything. Like she was toying with him for her own enjoyment, sucking his cock for her own fun... Not at all for his pleasure. Usually, people were all too eager to pet his ego, talk about his muscles, tell him all the things he wanted to hear.
Not Shepard. She was playing with him. He’d be thinking about this moment until the day he died.
His hips bucked forward on their own accord, he wanted her mouth on him again. She only rolled her eyes, a strong hand gripped his hips to push him back against the wall. “I thought you said you could handle yourself.” Her tone was teasing, not upset. But there was no mistaking the authority of her tone. Her grip was hard on his body, telling him without words she expected him to stay still.
He moaned at that, loving her confidence and the way she handled him as if he didn’t stand a head taller than her and he wasn’t twice as broad. He nodded, understanding that she meant business. She was soon giving him what he wanted, wrapping her lips around him. James moaned again, his eyes closed.
A sharp pinch to his hip had his eyes shooting open, he yelped at the feeling; it didn't hurt but he hadn't been expecting it. Shepard glared at him, she slowed her movements to a stop. She held his gaze, simply holding him in her mouth, not moving. Her hand released his hip slowly, deliberately. A gesture that meant she expected him to make good on his word. The simple gesture spoke as loud as words could. Don’t move.
Her head bobbed up and down once more, she at one point just paid the first few inches of his length careful attention, sucking in quick rapid movements while her hand stroked him up and down. James had long since thrown caution out the door, everything she was doing was driving him wild and he did nothing to hold back his moans. From the way Shepard hummed appreciatively, he would bet actual money on the idea that she liked hearing him.
As she continued, James’s breath came harder and harder. She pulled up, and sloooowly ran her tongue up and down his length, loving the way he trembled at her touch. Her thumb rubbed gently beneath the head of his cock, she had that look on her face again. Something between a smirk and the look she got before she put a bullet in something. Her tongue came to clear away a drop of precome, fingers now wrapped around him to stroke him. He watched the way she pulled off for a moment to lick her lips, eyes closing for a moment as if savoring the taste of him.
James’s heart felt as if it was going to explode, or maybe.. it was his balls? Both? He was really having a hard time thinking about much of anything other than Shepard’s hot mouth on him. The effortless way she took him all the way down, sucking and massaging him with her tongue was nothing short of incredible, and James would swear on anything he held dear that this was the best blowjob he had ever received in his life. Where in the fucking galaxy had she learned to suck cock like this? He released a heavy groan, torn between not wanting her to stop and the tempting question she asked earlier. Would... She really let him fuck her?
The idea had him shuddering out a gasp, his cock throbbed in agreement. Though as she bobbed upward, pulling off to kiss the head of his cock. Doing that thing she did with her tongue; James convulsed, his hands coming to her hair for the first time, gripping hard. He hadn’t meant to, he just needed to hold onto something. “Fuck-” his balls were raised and tight; cock twitching against her tongue in warning. James wanted to warn her but words weren’t really coming to him. Shepard only nodded, she hummed against him, taking him in her mouth and bobbing her head quickly down his length. He took that as all the encouragement needed. James thrust forward, burying himself balls deep in her throat, his cock spasmed and he came with a heavy grunt. Shepard actually moaned as his come shot down her throat, she swallowed him eagerly, massaging his balls as he continued to convulse.
Soon, she was pulling up; James was completely breathless; his head was spinning. Though he did not miss the way her eyes were watering. Some strange sense of pride swelled at the idea that he had finally got some sort of reaction from her.
“Not bad Vega.. you might not be such a terrible fuck after all.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her lips were swollen. Eyes watery. Yet she still spoke with that teasing, demanding tone of hers. James huffed, realizing that her performance had been a test of his stamina.
“You’re gonna have to give me a moment chiquita .” He may have bragged about his sexual prowess before but James was pretty sure any other man would have probably come as soon as she took his pants off.
Shepard only laughed, shaking her head. It wasn’t her usual sarcastic dry chuckle, it was an honest-to-goodness giggle. James couldn’t believe what he just heard. He was grinning, feeling as if he had just seen a fucking unicorn or something. He would have never thought Shepard was capable of such a noise. She kissed his hip where she pinched earlier, and then was pulling his pants up, neatly tucking his shirt and fastening his button and fly as if it was the most usual mundane task. She stood up, a knee came to press between his legs. Her lips pressed against his with surprising softness, pulling away after just a moment. It was barely more than a peck but it was everything James needed.
Almost as if she read his mind, noticing the way he was oh so giddy to see such softness from her. Shepard grabbed his hair, forcing his head sideways so she could nip at his jaw. Shepard spoke lowly into his ear.
“Not tonight. I want you to go back to your bunk and sleep on it. I’m not going to seal the deal with you until you’re sure. I only sucked you off so you could have a clear head.”
Is that.. what she called this? Helping him clear his head? James’s eyes widened, did she have any idea as to how his every waking thought had been about her ever since she just kissed him? Much less gave him the best blowjob of his life? How the fuck was he supposed to think about anything other than the way she moaned while he came down her throat?
“Shepard. I am so fucking sure, I’ve never been more sure of anything.” The words tumbled from his lips, the knee in between his legs was already enough for him to want more. He was about three seconds from all-out begging for her.
“No. I said to think on it.” Her knee ground hard against him, just enough pressure to help him realize she meant business.
James whined, his hips raised to push against her knee. Already hard again. But.. she gave him an order, he backed down dejectedly; hanging his head dramatically. He’d gotten in between many girls’ legs over the years with the puppy dog act.
“Yes, Ma’am.” This was the first time he had ever been annoyed at her rank.
Shepard stepped back, she released the hand in his hair only after giving him a few soothing pets with her thumb. “Think on it. Alright?”
“Lola you’re gonna have a new name on that memorial wall if you keep this up.” He cringed as the words left his lips, but Shepard didn’t seem to mind. She laughed, rolling her eyes.
“Get out of here before I speed up the process.”
“Kiss me?” He tested his luck, hoping she’d take mercy on him. James had never been known to take the easy way out.
She walked him to the door, it swooshed open- he turned to tell her goodnight but before he could say anything Shepard was pulling him in by the waist to tilt him back and kiss him like a princess. James kissed back with enthusiasm, absolutely loving it. He knew exactly why she chose such a ridiculous kiss, it displayed her strength perfectly as well as the humor she found in the situation. She was keeping things light. James appreciated that nothing she did was meaningless, and he hoped to get to know more of her little tells.
She released him with a wink, “Night Vega, try not to tug your dick off thinking about me.”