Work Text:
Cleaning and polishing weapons was the only thing that helped her get over the fact that she couldn’t fight any longer (at least, not like she used to).
There was something relaxing in being able to take apart a gun, modify it, clean it, and put it back together so it was better than the last time.
There was also something relaxing about taking care of a small ship just enough for two, keeping it on the ready for whenever Samara came home.
She stopped with that thought, smiling to herself. She liked how that sounded in her head. She liked that they had a home to come back to or to travel together. There was a lot of business the Justicar had to take care of and couldn’t discuss, but there were plenty of moments to fill the time they spent together.
Meditation.
Eating dinner.
Watching vids.
Simple things.
What Abby loved the most was when Samara talked about her life when the retired commander would put the ship on auto-pilot. It had been awkward at first, Samara uneasy and still getting used to her presence, but she began to open up a little more each time. She loved her voice, the way she would weave her words together to hypnotize her until she fell asleep.
The adventures the older woman had, she could never top them, even if she had saved the galaxy. All that she had done, all that she had sacrificed, she felt happy that she could pilot the ship that Samara could call home.
The monitor beeped and the ship’s atmosphere changed slightly as the door opened. She looked up from her cleaning, coming eye to eye with a large eyed… kitten.
A kitten?
“What are you doing here,” she asked it quietly, setting down the gun. “I’ve never heard of Earth creatures investing ships.” Samara entered the room, a bag in hand. “You wouldn’t happen to know where this little guy came from, would you?”
The tiny thing hopped down from the low table at the sound of the bag, purring around Samara’s legs. “Falere gave me some advice for a birthday present.” Abby leaned back in her chair, surprised that it was her birthday. She had forgotten about her own birthday? “She has a lot of time on her hands with the monastery being completed, and said that humans enjoy felines as companions as well as they are quite self sufficient.”
The Justicar set the bag on the table before sitting next to her. “These were sent to you as well.”
Liara had managed to set up a post box for any packages under a fake name at a distant planet with a no name city. From the bulk of the bag, she knew that others hadn’t forgotten her birthday. She leaned forward and unpacked it, chuckling with each thing.
A bottle of brandy from Chakwas.
Cards from Anderson’s and Sanders’ students at the repaired Grissom Academy.
A manual on how to properly calibrate a gun from Garrus.
Chocolate from Tali.
A large chunk of credits from a certain Shadow Broker.
A picture of Wrex’s and Eve’s gaggle of children.
From Jack, a-
Oh.
Oh.
And various other gifts appropriate to each of her former squad mates. “From the look on your face, it seems that you were not expecting this.”
Abby shook her head, twisting the bottle of brandy between her palms.
“I apologize if all this traveling has led to-“
“No, it’s not that, I’ve never really cared for my birthday. It’s just another day in the end.” She slouched on the couch, tapping a finger on the bottle. She looked to Samara and smiled, kissing her cheek. “Thank you, for bringing all this, but let’s not make a big deal out of this, yeah?”
Samara nodded shortly, and she could see that she was still puzzled before an idea came to mind. A small smile touched her lips and the Justicar stood, disappearing into the back room.
Abby opened the brandy, swirling it to get a scent, almost reeling back with the potency. The kitten hopped next to her, interested as well. “You don’t want any of this stuff, little guy. Not until you’re older.”
She would have to look up how to take care of cats, but she knew that it would be a good companion. She smoothed her dark hair back, glad that it was growing out again. Samara’s long trips when they docked sometimes made her stir crazy, and she rarely risked stepping out of the ship in a disguise except for big errand trips.
The news vids said she pulled a Grissom.
The lights in the cabin dimmed as Samara returned, hand shielding a small candle that had been stuck into a small cake. Abby had forgotten she had bought it on her last trip out, so maybe she hadn’t forgotten completely.
“I believe a lot of our customs are quite similar,” Samara said softly, sitting next to her. “And I believe that this isn’t a big deal, a candle in a cake.”
“I see that sense of humor slipping out.” Samara only smiled, patiently waiting for Abby to make her decision. “Fine, I guess I can do this, for the sake of tradition.” She closed gray eyes, blowing out the small flame.
Before she opened her eyes again, she felt a kiss pressed to her forehead and then her lips. “Happy birthday, Abigail.”