Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

Returning	By : braxy29x Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 3007 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, quoted poetry or lyrics. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
"Now one knows whether the sick body and its needs unconsciously urge, push, and lure the spirit – toward the sun, stillness, mildness, patience, medicine, balm in some sense." - from The Gay Science, Friedrich Nietzsche
...
Thane stared at Garrus, meeting his angry gaze evenly. From the corner of his eye he could see Shepard stand up from the alcove as she jerked her dress back down.
"Everything is fine, Garrus. I'll handle this," Shepard told him, keeping her voice calm.
Thane sensed Shepard was standing directly behind him now. He did not turn to her but watched Garrus instead, who did not move or let go of his weapon, his malice toward Thane apparent. He realized with a start that Garrus was not only Shepard's friend and right-hand man, but another suitor, a rival for her affection.
Thane tilted his head down, hearing the rumble of a low growl rising from his chest before Shepard cut him off.
"Goddammit, Thane! I will not tolerate the two of you behaving like a couple of overgrown varren. Garrus, I plan to have a word with you about this later. Now get lost!"
"I'll be waiting outside if you need me, Shepard," Garrus responded uneasily, backing slowly toward the Omega entrance. Thane got the feeling that Garrus would have liked nothing more than raise his gun and fire a shot into him.
"What the hell are you thinking?" Shepard nearly spat at him as he faced her. "I've already had it up to here with Jack and Miranda, and now I've got two of my best facing off like hormonal adolescents…"
"You clearly have his eye, Shepard," Thane stated, surprised at his own possessiveness.
"What business is it of yours?" Shepard snapped before starting again. "Look, it was my understanding that you were still a part of my crew, and as such, you aren't authorized to go around assassinating people without checking with me first!"
"I thought it best that I put my skills to some use. I have been of no use to anyone since we left the Collector Base."
"That was days ago! You couldn't sit tight just a little bit longer?"
"I am a weapon; I was trained for one purpose. My time is very limited and I do not wish to spend any more of it 'sitting tight' in your ship." Thane could see no reason to add that his recurrent difficult memories and his body's response to her did not encourage him to be still.
Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes and shaking her head in frustration.
"I fail to understand why this would be a problem, Shepard."
"It's a problem when you risk your health and get yourself hurt over whatever small-time criminal you were trying to take out, plus you lied to me about it as well. It is also a problem when you engage in activities that could potentially jeopardize what little good-will might still be left from the Alliance or anyone else who could help me."
Thane bristled. "Don't insult me, Shepard. I am one of the best in my line of work, not an errand boy. My employers understand this and my work is not something they take so lightly. It is not something you should take lightly either. My targets are valuable, or my employers would hire someone else, and I doubt my marks will be able to identify me afterward."
"I don't care who your target was, Thane," Shepard responded, eyes narrowing. "It doesn't matter so long as the Reapers are coming. If you are going to be a part of my crew, I need you healthy and in one piece and I need to be able to trust you as much as my crew members want to know they can trust me. The fact is that you lied to me. You told me you weren't working when you'd just finished doing god knows what. Why didn't you at least go see Chakwas for your injuries?"
"I did not lie, Siha. The job was finished. We have misunderstood each other." Thane watched her closely, a sense of foreboding settling into his gut as he gathered from her cold expression that his answer had not been sufficient to placate her.
"Thane, you need to get whatever equipment you have in Life Support, let Chakwas make sure you're okay, and then you need to get off my ship. Because you know what? I'm done with this. I can't have people working for me who don't respect my authority. Whatever has been going on between us, I'm done with that too. One day you can't get away from me fast enough and the next I get…"
Shepard made a strangled sound and then stomped her foot in frustration, her eyes flashing at him in anger before she spun and headed down the hallway toward the Normandy door.
Thane was stunned. The rush of the hunt and the self-indulgence of finally allowing his body to take pleasure in her without restriction drained from him as he stood a moment, staring down the empty hall after her. He didn't see any point in going back; he had his preferred weapons and he could seek medical treatment elsewhere, if he decided it was necessary. He wasn't sure he should bother to repair a body that had so little life left anyway. He was torn between dread at the notion that he might not see her again, and a sudden sense of shame for having betrayed her trust.
Before his emotions could catch hold of him or send him after her, Thane moved toward the door that led to Omega, picking up speed and bolting through as it opened. He saw Garrus pacing nearby and pushed past before Garrus detected him, overcoming the urge to knock him flat as he went. Such behavior was uncalled for, however much he might desire it, and he was pleased to recognize that he had regained firm control of himself despite everything. Shepard had made her decision and he supposed he couldn't blame her for it. In truth, Garrus likely had more to offer her than he ever would.
Siha deserved more than a dying assassin who could not even be trusted to keep his mind present with her when he held her in his arms, who might not even be alive when the time came to fight the Reapers. He could not properly love or defend her; his mind would always be weighted by the past and his body was already succumbing to the crushing pressure of his illness.
Thane continued to move, driving himself away from her, heedless of direction and his body's protest as his lungs began to tighten. When his vision blackened and he crashed to the ground, he felt only gratitude. He was ready to return to the sea.
...
Thane awakened easily, bright light suddenly cutting into his darkened world through closed eyelids. He had not experienced the long, slow swim from twilight to consciousness that he had on other occasions after an injury. Instead he was alert again with the simple, clear realization that his body lay stretched across a hard surface and a bit of rough cloth was draped over him. He felt stiff and cold, but otherwise strong.
He opened his eyes and recognized the Normandy med-bay immediately, uncertain how he had come here when his last memory was of darting out into the filthy, surreal world of the Omega station and he saw no one in this sterile room who could enlighten him. Perhaps most disturbing was the dawning realization that his body was undressed under the light sheet, save for the reassuring feel of his metal collar pressing against the back of his neck and resting heavily over his clavicles. Regardless of whatever pride he took in his refined form, he had spent a lifetime prepared to react quickly to changing circumstances; nudity was a luxury he rarely indulged himself in for any period of time.
To find himself undressed was to feel more vulnerable and exposed to harm. Thane's suit was the second skin that walled him away from the unpredictability of a dangerous life, a last minor defense should his skills fail him. He was more rational than he had been in days but too many emotions still crowded within him that he could not easily process. With his fine green flesh exposed to the chilly air of the room and hints of unhappy memories fleeting through his mind, he imagined the confines of his leathers were also the means to contain the disagreeable or unnecessary feelings that were now threatening to escape him.
Thane sat up and pulled the sheet from him with one graceful move, bracing himself against the cold as he swung his legs over the side of the table. A quick examination of his arm and side revealed that he was healing rapidly and well; he supposed he might have been in this room as long as two days. He took a deep breath and was surprised to discover the draw came more easily than it had for some time, his lungs accommodating the expansion with minimal protest or pain. He slid his fingers across the smooth surface of his collar for a moment, taking comfort in it as he looked around, but the whereabouts of his clothing were not readily apparent.
Thane lowered his bare feet to the floor, not suppressing the shiver that worked its way up his legs to warm him and began to methodically stretch his cramped muscles. When they were sufficiently loosened, he endeavored to find his suit and coat, looking around the med-bay for storage compartments that might house it. He started nearest the table where he had awakened and worked his way around the room, his irritation growing as he failed to find them. He had begun to check the cabinets under Chakwas' desk when the door to the med-bay opened and the doctor herself entered.
"Mr. Krios," she greeted him kindly, "I thought we might see you again today in the land of the living." She smiled at him and clasped her hands before her as the door slid closed. Thane had not heard this particular Human idiom and merely nodded as he straightened himself.
"My garments, Dr. Chakwas. Commander Shepard has asked that I leave the Normandy, and I prefer to honor her request as soon as possible."
"EDI, please let Commander Shepard know that Mr. Krios is awake."
"Affirmative, Dr. Chakwas."
"Mr. Krios, Shepard has taken possession of your personal items, including your clothing. She assumed you would want to leave immediately, but I think she wanted to ensure she had the opportunity to speak with you first."
"I see," said Thane calmly, careful to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Perhaps you would like to sit while we wait? I want to speak with you as well. You are very lucky one of Mr. Massani's colleagues found you in the lower levels and recognized you as his associate and even luckier that he bothered to share that information rather than kill you or turn you over to someone else. I expect he did not inform Mr. Massani out of the goodness of his heart either, although I am not familiar with the details of the arrangement." Chakwas indicated one of the tables.
"I prefer to stand."
"Very well, Mr. Krios. You have done a poor job in looking after your health while you have been with the Normandy and I wish you had come in to see me more often, as I asked you to when you joined us. It is indeed fortunate that you were brought to me in time; not only had your condition worsened, but you acquired an opportunistic lung infection as well. My guess is that the stress of our mission through the Omega-4 relay combined with your failure to take preventative measures to protect yourself on the Collector Base has weakened your immune system considerably and made you quite susceptible to additional illness." Chakwas approached her work area and picked up a datapad lying near him on the counter, prompting Thane to move away from her and stand next to the table where he had recuperated, keeping his arms relaxed at his side despite the awkwardness of his present state.
"You know, I am a big believer in the importance of mitigating the effects of stress on the body where possible. Of course, given your line of work and our recent mission, I realize that is easier said than done." Chakwas looked over the datapad quietly before returning it to the counter. She rested on the edge of the surface and crossed her arms as she continued. "Cerberus outfitted the ship with an advanced medical facility, and while I do not have access to the kind of technology that healed our Commander so beautifully, I was able to take care of the secondary infection. However, I was unable repair the resulting additional damage to your lung tissue. While I imagine you feel much better, you are in fact worse off than you would have been otherwise. Of course, I dealt with your injuries as well, and you will be fine in that regard. The scarring to your arm and side should be minimal."
The door opened again and Shepard walked in, holding Thane's neatly folded leathers against her chest with one arm. She stopped, her eyes widening at the sight of him.
She waited across the room, some several feet away from him, but Thane's body responded to her immediately, hardening even as he clenched his fists and looked away. He gazed instead at the assortment of equipment on Chakwas' workstation, his face turned away from Shepard's curious expression.
Chakwas smiled at Shepard before continuing to address him. "I cannot stress enough the importance of taking care of yourself, and I would like you to reconsider the possibility of a lung transplant. I think you could potentially live quite a bit longer than you have previously been led to believe, certainly on the order of several more months or perhaps even a few years, and maintain a comfortable quality of life, provided you look after yourself and allow us to do what we can to improve your health. You cannot ignore your well-being as you have been and expect to survive much longer." Chakwas glanced at Shepard again.
"Please excuse me. I will be back to check on you and answer any questions, and I would like to plan a continued course of treatment, whether you pursue that with me or with another physician." Chakwas considered the datapad at her station but walked toward the door empty-handed and nodded at Shepard as she left, the hiss of the door marking her absence.
Thane did not move, his sense of vulnerability greater now that he was alone with Shepard. He turned himself away from her to brace his hands on the edge of the table, suddenly ashamed to find himself in this weakened position, his arousal clearly exposed to her.
"Thane?" Shepard addressed him quietly.
"Shepard, I will leave immediately. I need only my garments. I can replace everything else myself."
"I want to talk to you."
Thane allowed himself to look at her, quickly averting his eyes to the table in front of him when he realized the sight of her would only result in his further humiliation and make leaving her more difficult.
"I want to apologize, Shepard. I am not accustomed to working with a group or answering to a commanding officer. Since I completed my training I have only ever been given necessary information on my targets and then I handled my contracts alone. It never occurred to me that I should not continue to take other jobs when I joined your mission."
"If you can just put your other work aside and stay in one piece, I want you to continue as part of my team. I know that will be hard for you to do, but I need you. You're too good, your skills are too valuable for you to throw your life away." Shepard slowly approached him. "I want you to help me take down a much bigger threat than any one person or group you've gone after before now."
Thane closed his eyes as she neared him, smelling her, feeling the heat coming off her as he gripped the table more tightly, his muscles drawing up with his tension. He could hear her breathing and the rustle of his clothing in her arms.
I hold her arms, my fingers wrapped around her wrists as I press my body against hers and push my tongue into her mouth. My body trembles, my voice reverberating in my chest.
"Look," Shepard took a step closer, "I'm glad that you're okay. Do you know what you looked like when Zaeed and Grunt carried you in here?" She was quiet for a moment before adding softly, "I thought you were dead at first, you were barely breathing. I don't want to lose you. I care about you, remember?"
He could sense her reaching in front of him and then heard the soft thud of his leathers hitting the table, the rush of disturbed air puffing against his stomach, cool against his rapidly warming skin. He wanted to touch her.
"I would ask that you to pardon my indiscretions, in particular my recent behavior toward you." He barely managed to force the words out, his deep voice wavering. "Although I recognize that I do not deserve your forgiveness. My conduct was ill-considered and disrespectful."
I slide my fingers roughly across her thigh, reaching toward her sex. She touches me and I groan, pulling her hand against me as I roll my hips toward her seeking relief, my erection throbbing in her grip.
Thane startled when he felt Shepard's fingertips brush across the inside of his elbow but he refused to look at her. "My lack of restraint was contemptible. I am sorry I was so coarse with you and I will not allow it to happen again. I think it best that I leave, and perhaps you can forgive my failure in this way as well. I am a poor companion to you and a poor agent in your fight."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for, as far as that goes. I liked it. I like what you do to me."
Her legs are spread apart, my hand and my knee holding them wide as I push my fingers into her. Her flesh is warm and wet, and I want so much to…
Shepard's warm hand opened and spread across his arm, gently descending down the sensitive side of his wrist before she laid her hand over the top of his, slipping her fingers between his palm and the table. "Please look at me, Thane."
He opened his eyes and turned his face to her. She was close, her worried eyes looked clear and beautiful and the sight of her soft lips drew him closer.
"I understand that you have a lot going on in that head of yours, and I hope you'll talk to me about it when you're ready. I'll wait, and you can take some time to work things out and heal up. Just please don't go until you've talked to me about it first. I'm here whenever you need me. But if you are staying, I'll need your assurance that you won't be working outside of my command again."
"Of course, Siha."
She let go of his hand and turned to leave as Thane admired the solid, confident stride he had come to know so well. When she was gone, he let go of the breath he had not realized he was holding and relaxed his arms. Slumping over the table, he rested his elbows and forearms on his folded coat, his clasped hands supporting his head as he reflected on their conversation. It was difficult to focus and his erection had not yet subsided; he considered stroking himself as the image of her face and the memory of her touch returned to him, but he had never taken much pleasure in his own hands except for killing. It would simply frustrate him more and stoke his desire for her.
Thane straightened himself instead shook out his coat and suit, delighted to see that Shepard had had them repaired, the damage almost imperceptible to his keen eyes.

A/N greetings. this story has been posted on ffn for a few months, and with the threat of having it purged, i decided to move it here. in all honesty, i think aff is a better fit for "Returning" anyway, and i am a long-time fan of this site.
as to the status of this story, i suppose it is still a work in progress. i originally intended to write perhaps another 4 or 5 chapters, and i had a rough idea of where this story was going, but i decided to wait until i had played through me3 in case i wanted it to overlap. me3 was a huge let-down in terms of thane's story, and i was so disappointed that i stopped working on this story altogether.
that said, i'm proud of my work (particularly chapters 8 - 11) and i still hope to finish it at some point. the sadness i felt about how poorly thane's character arc was "resolved" in me3 has passed, for the most part, but i have lost the obsession that drove me to write. if i continue, i will update here rather than on ffn, because this story was intended to get smuttier and more explicit in coming chapters.
please enjoy what is here, and feel free to offer any (kind!) feedback or constructive criticism you may have.
- 10
- 11
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Returning