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“It’s not like I’ve never seen snow before, Shepard.”
“Yeah, sure, like on Noveria?” Jane makes a dismissive sound as she pulls Liara off the porch and into the yard. “That wasn’t snow. That was solidified ice and sadness.” She releases Liara’s hand to lean down and scoop up some of the powdered stuff at her feet-- fluffy but somewhat moist, perfect for what she was planning-- and she offers it to Liara.
Liara’s eyebrows raise at the description. “And this isn’t?” But she still holds her hand out, and it doesn’t freeze her skin like she’s expecting. It’s not as harshly cold, it’s true, but she still fails to see the point of this. “All right, I see your point, but why are we out here? I’d much rather be inside where it’s warm.”
“Freezing is part of the experience.”
“Ah, right. The Earth holiday... ‘Christmas’, I believe you called it? I’m afraid I don’t know very much about it.” Shepard had mentioned it briefly, but there hadn’t been time to look it up before she was swept away from her monitors on the Normandy.
Jane grins, a bit of a flirty edge to it as she pulls Liara close. “Hmm, something the Shadow Broker doesn’t know about? What do I get in trade?”
Asari don’t blush, but when Shepard’s arm wraps around her waist, her heartbeat suddenly seems very loud in her ears, and she finds herself flustered. “Well, considering the market value of something that can be easily researched using the extranet, I don’t--” The look on the Commander’s face stops her dead in her tracks, and she clears her throat as she finally catches on. “Ah. Well, I suppose, considering our long-standing business relationship, I may be willing to offer you a good deal.”
“Good. I was going to offer a bargain price. Considering our long-standing business relationship.” Jane leans in close, a mischievous look in her eyes. “You can have the information with a few conditions. First, no questions. Second, no questions. Third--”
“--my educated guess is, ‘no questions’.”
“Nope.” Jane becomes a bit more serious, but she’s still smiling. “Today, I want to spend time with Liara T’soni. Not the Shadow Broker. I’ll just be Jane, you just be Liara. Deal?”
That condition certainly isn’t what Liara was expecting. She hesitates a moment, thinking of all the current operations in play, especially considering the rise in criminal activity after the defeat of the Reapers, and one of her agents has just managed to infiltrate the Salarian government-- but then again, how long has it been since either of them were able to relax for a day without the weight of the universe on their shoulders? After a moment, Liara sighs, stepping back just far enough to pull up her omni-tool. “All right, Shepard.” She sends a message to Glyph, instructing him to handle things until she returns. “There. If anything--” The second she turns her face back towards Shepard, she feels a heavy impact, and suddenly she’s on her back looking up at her, buried in cold, wet snow.
“Jane. Not Shepard.”
A blast of biotic energy throws Jane backward right into a snow drift, and Liara gets to her feet quickly, shuddering as snow manages somehow to get down the collar of her jacket. She approaches the Commander as she struggles out of the pile, smiling serenely. “Duly noted... Jane.”
One extremely competitive snowball fight later, Jane drags Liara back into the house. With a touch of a button, a fire roars to life in the living room. Coats and boots are abandoned by the door, and Jane gestures toward the bedroom. “Get into some dry clothes, okay? I’ll get us something to drink.” She avoids Liara’s attempt at a kiss with a coy smile, leaving her behind to heat up water for the hot cocoa. It isn’t long before Liara returns, but as she passes through the doorway to the kitchen, Jane holds up a finger and makes a sharp sound. “Nuh-uh. Don’t move.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Yes. You’ve walked right into my trap.”
“Your... trap...?”
Jane grins, leaning against the counter. “You see that thing above you? You’re not allowed to move. I don’t make the rules.”
Liara looks up, confused to see nothing more than a bundle of some kind of plant tied with red ribbon. “Is this an Earth custom? I’m afraid I don’t understand. How long am I supposed to stay here?”
Jane straightens, sauntering around the end of the counter to approach Liara, the humor alight in her eyes. “Oh, you’re entirely trapped now, until someone lets you out, and the price...” Jane moves closer, the intent in her eyes unmistakable as she leans in close to Liara. “A kiss.”
“A kiss?”
“Yep. Think you can handle that, or should I call Vega?”
“What--” No, she isn’t serious, and suddenly Liara feels a bit foolish, and she sighs. “Do you ever take anything seriously, Sh-- Jane?”
She laughs, and Liara can’t help but smile. She has always found the sound enjoyable, infectious, even, and many others seem to feel the same. “Apparently not. Then again, maybe I just like to see you flustered. Not changing my mind about this, though. Think about it. One little kiss, or you get to stand there while I drink hot cocoa and keep your present all to myself.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“But that’s why you love me.”
Rather than reply, Liara just kisses her, grabbing her by the front of her sweater to pull her close. It’s enough to make her dizzy, and she hopes that it will have the same effect on Shepard. “Is that little enough?” Clearly teasing, her tone playful.
Jane grins, but is clearly a bit dazed, absolutely besotted by the asari. “I guess we’ll never know. One kiss per mistletoe.”
“Oh?” The slightest hint of a grin pulls at Liara’s lips, and she spins, putting Shepard under the mistletoe instead. “I also happen to be a scientist. I don’t like not having answers.” Without waiting for a reply, she leans forward, taking her turn with marked enthusiasm, leaving Shepard reeling once she’s pulled away. “Now... you were saying something about a gift?”
“Uh-- table couch-- I mean, the uh, coffee table in front of the couch.” Jane clears her throat, blushing. “Um. Cocoa first.” She takes the mugs from the kitchen counter, offering one to Liara, then leads the way to the living room. Her mother had the house decorated before she left a week ago, and Jane is pleased to see that the tree is set up like it used to be when she was a child-- a chaotic mix of ornaments passed down, not the gold and red that Hannah Shepard prefers. She takes a seat, then gestures at the mug in Liara’s hand. “Try it. It’s traditional.”
Liara examines it, but all she can see is some kind of white foam. “What is it, exactly?”
“Just try it.”
She hesitantly takes a sip, the warm liquid filling her mouth with a strange earthy, sweet flavor that she can’t quite describe. It’s not unpleasant, and she takes another cautious sip.
“What do you think? It’s made mostly with milk and chocolate. Some people like marshmallows, but I’ve always prefered whipped cream on the top.” She takes a big gulp of her own hot cocoa, then sets it aside to grab the small box on the coffee table, painstakingly wrapped with green and blue striped paper and a delicate matching bow. She offers it to Liara with a smile. “Merry Christmas.”
Liara takes the gift, admiring the colors, but Shepard is looking at her expectantly. She unwraps it quickly, opening the box to find a strange piece of jewelry. “This is beautiful, Jane. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It’s called a cameo locket. My great-grandmother had one that was passed down, but it was destroyed in a fire.” Jane gently takes the box from Liara and pulls the necklace out, showing her the design, a woman carved in exquisite detail with a black background. “I had this carved to resemble the statue of Athame that was hiding the Prothean beacon. And, look, when it’s opened--” She demonstrates how to do so, then hands the locket over to her. “No one really uses photographs anymore, but it’s how it used to be done. Now maybe it won’t be so bad when you have to go find a new hidey-hole to do all your secret Shadow-Brokery stuff.” She pauses, somewhat anxious. She had been careful to keep this out of Liara’s information web, doing everything in person. She said it was beautiful, right? “Do you like it?”
After a long moment of examining the photograph, Liara looks up at Shepard with a smile. “I adore it. Thank you. However, I’m afraid I don’t have anything to give you in return.”
Jane shakes her head. “You saved my life, Liara. If not for you, Cerberus wouldn’t have brought me back, and the Reapers would have destroyed everything. You don’t owe me or the universe a damn thing. Just take it and say thanks, okay?”
“Well, if you insist.” Amusement in her words as Liara puts the locket on, touched by the gesture. Shepard is correct-- soon she’ll have to create a new base, and that means that once again she’ll be spending long periods of time away from Shepard. Perhaps one day they can talk about how to manage a family, but for now, their work must come first. She curls up next to her lover, taking a moment to relax, listen to the crackling of the fire. “I’m so grateful to be here, Jane.”
After a pause, she replies, her voice soft. “Yeah. Me too.” They have been through so many things together, faced death countless times, and through it all, Liara has remained loyal. She couldn’t ask for a better friend, lover, or-- someday-- wife. “Merry Christmas, Liara.”
“Merry Christmas, Jane.”