|~Tali x Male Shepard~| -short stories

Short story #1: "Crushes"

*Authors Note: So I recently played Mass Effect Legendary edition, I didn't think it would be something I overall would enjoy. But the more I played the more I came to enjoy the game, the characters were charming and some stuck out more than others. One in particular I am currently dedicating this book to, and that is the sweet pea of a Quarian named Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. Whom I romances without hesitation. So if you enjoy Mass effect tell me who your favorite characters is!*

Tali would have assumed she was more keen and in tune with her emotions, considering she spent much of her life trapped in the solitude of the loud engines of one of the many Quarian ships in the Migrant fleet. With such time to herself one would imagine she quickly would be able to understand herself and how she perceived the world around her. However, even she was surprising herself in ways that were sometimes good and sometimes inexplicably terrible. This time however, she struggled to figure out if her current affliction was a positive or a negative in her monotonous but dutiful existence. Luckily her 'affliction' wasn't contagious nor harmful. Atleast a part of her hoped it wasn't contagious, but this affliction can strike anyone, anywhere at any time. It was both the most wonderful and painful experience she had ever had. A blessing and a curse.

This strange foreign, terrifying and exhilarating virus had easily snuck it's way past her bio suit. Molding it's way through the seals. Touching her body and melting into her very bones. The symptoms were only noticable further into the contamination, and only effected her in social settings. The symptoms causing her to act a fool, incomprehensible. Like a lunatic or one of those human street performers. She was a jester and she didn't even know it until the virus had run it's course and permanently took residence in her heart. The worst part? The original host was none the wiser of her ailment. 

He was ignorant of her sudden change, she couldn't really blame him. It was damn near impossible to notice from another's perspective. Not unless you look hard enough, but the sickness had a way of staying hidden. It was like it shunned it's original host, afraid to come back into contact, content only to delve itself deeper into Tali's body and mind and dare she say, even her soul. Sometimes it was infuriating, how could he be so ignorant and blissful of his contamination? Why of all people did it have to be her to catch this virus? The virus itself warred in her subconscious, telling Tali it was both a boon and a misfortune. Never truly stating if it was against her or aiding her.

Tali wasn't sure what exactly to do about it, she knew something was different. She could feel it at random intervals during the day cycle. Sometimes even during the lunar cycle, keeping her awake and clouded in her warring thoughts. She debated upon visiting the Normandy's doctor who had taken residency in the ship's labs. But everytime the thought crossed her mind she felt embarrassment at the thought of expressing her ailment. As though it was shameful to even speak of it. Embarrassing, that is what it was. It was just embarrassing to speak of. 

Tali tried to disregard her ailment, to focus on her work. Ensure her role in their efficiency as a team was steadfast. A perfect gear in a seamlessly moving contraption. But it was difficult sometimes damn near impossible, especially when he came by to get a status report or simply just for idle chat because of his growing boredom. When he looked at her the ailment returned full force, Tali's face would heat up. Her usually perfect soft spoken voice would stutter and shake. Her subconscious would tell her to find the floor or anything around him far more interesting than the actual man himself. He never seemed to notice which was a great relief in itself.

This ailment certainly affected their relationship rather rapidly. More so her than him, it miffed her just as much as it saddened her strangely enough. Tali had spent many lunar cycles staring into the darkness assessing the situation over and over in her head. Her mind contaminated by thoughts of him that made her heart skip and her legs tremble ever so slightly. He had become a routine thought in her mind, the ailment consistently trying to consider it's original host. Forcing her mind to wonder what he was doing? If he was busy? Would he mind her company? Did he need her assistance with anything? Did he want her to join him on a mission?

It only got worse the more time she spent around him. The ailment felt a consistent need to find him and ensure she was nearby in case he needed her or wanted to speak with her. Strangely enough, that knowledge sent a shiver of excitement down her spine. The ailment was affecting how she was thinking as well. She found herself thinking thoughts that before her exposure she would have found to be too inappropriate to even consider of a colleague. Thoughts she never thought she would ever find interesting nor had the luxury to, she never dared to indulge into luxuries such as those. Being the Admiral's daughter she was left with little time for such pleasures.

One of the more startling afflictions she was forced to deal with frightened her sometimes. Solely because of the sudden change it had caused to her personality. A sudden protective nature she couldn't help but feel, was the ailment trying to protect it's original host? Could it even do that? It baffled her, Tali would be fine in one minute. The next she was suddenly passive-aggressively drawing his attention towards her and away from any other female that was near him. He didn't ever notice which relieved her greatly. Usually, the woman in question would back off anyways thankfully unaware of why Tali was suddenly acting as she did.

Tali spent a long time trying to fully understand this ailment. Then one day while she was writing a report to him with her Omni-Tool and his response was a video of a dancing feline as thanks. In the midst of her giggles and a thought of how her Commander had such an adorable personality, she realized what her ailment truly was. It had stunned her like punch from an ill-tempered Krogan.

She, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, had a crush on Commander Anon Shepard.

Tali stood there, in Engineering staring blankly at the video of the dancing cat for a solid hour as the revelation dawned on her. The first thing the crossed her mind was 'What would father think?' then 'Does Shepard know? Can he tell? Can the others tell?' and finally 'Does he feels the same?' Tali looked at the video of the cat one more time before leaving her Omni-Tool. She couldn't help but ponder what it would be like, to be with Shepard. To love each other, to share their lives with each other. Her first thought was that it was impossible, a Quarian and a Human relationship was damn near unheard of, solely for their incompatibility. Human were physically affectionate and unfortunately Quarians were not. She could die just from kissing him or even becoming one body with him.

As enticing as both of those things sounded, she knew the risks. Her frail immune system couldn't protect her for long if she did pursue a relationship with him. This was one of many times she cursed the Geth for robbing her of a home world and forcing her species to live in an isolated environment. Forced to wear bio suits to actually navigate the Galaxy without dying to sicknesses that could not affect any other species. However, another part of her told her if you loved someone enough wouldn't you give your life just to be able to be happy with them?

That was the catch, Tali didn't even know if Shepard felt the same way. He could only see her as a friend and her whole situation could be ignored. As painful as it sounded. But would she be willing to try? To get him to see that she loved him? That Tali was willing to be with him no matter the risks?

Tali let the smile cross her face behind her mask as she made her choice.

She would stick by him, through thick and thin. And hope, hope that one day he will notice her not only as a friend but something more. Of course she would give hints, she knows Shepard isn't the keenest soldier in that regard.

So Tali was willing to take a gamble on love, to die for love would be a worthy death after all...

*Authors Note: I think this one went pretty well. I haven't made a oneshots, headcanons, and short story book in a while. So I think this may be exciting, I am happy to say my writing style has significantly improved since the last time I wrote. Feel free to give me ideas for plots for future short stories or oneshots. But if not I'm sure my brain will come up with something. Without further adieu, tell me what you guys thought of this chapter and what you think should happen next!

-Jet(The_Inquisitor)*