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It had been a long and tiring day, and Shepard couldn't wait to get some sleep. Setting aside the book she was reading, she glared at her partner, Kaidan, who was already out for the count. With a small sigh and moving gently so as not to disturb her sleeping beauty, she inched under the covers and lay her head against the pillow.
All she could hear was gentle gurgling from the fish tank and the hum of Normandy’s engines; it was blissful.
Shepard closed her eyes.
BANG BANG BANG!
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked down her body at the door.
BANG BANG BANG!
Kaidan shot up, eyes unfocused and blinking. “I don’t wanna go school!” he yelled out.
Turning to him, she arched an eyebrow, and he scrubbed at his face, clearly disoriented.
“Shepard!!!”
As soon as she heard the tone in Tali’s voice, she was out of bed and practically running towards the door. Opening it, she found her friend leaning forward, hands on her knees, and she could swear her breathing was heavier than usual.
“What’s wrong, Tali?” she asked, knowing she wouldn’t wake her up at this late hour unless necessary. Kaidan remained in bed, and he wasn’t appropriately dressed for visitors.
Straightening up, the Quarian held up a data chip as if it were the most precious thing in the world. “Steve got his hands on the latest Fleet and Flotilla movie!”
All fear ebbed away, replaced by curiosity. “But that hasn’t been released yet!”
“I know,” Tali said, her voice rising a few octaves, and she moved inside without invitation. “Steve knows a guy who produced the film!”
With a grin, Shepard shook her head. “God bless that man,” she quipped, leading her over to bed.
Kaidan was now sitting up. “Everything all right?” he asked, then pulled the covers over his bare chest as Tali plonked herself down at the foot of their bed.
“Oh yeah,” Shepard retorted, watching Tali load her omni-tool and syncing it to the terminal.
The familiar theme music of the franchise started up, and Kaidan groaned, pulling a pillow over his face as he fell back on the bed.
Shepard ignored him and sat cross-legged next to Tali, eagerly awaiting it to start correctly. “If you love me, Alenko, you’ll get me snacks,” she commented, eyes focused on the colourful splash of titles.
He moved the pillow to one side, just staring at her.
“I could also go for some snacks, I can tell you where Vakarian keeps his secret stash,” Tali added.
His eyes shifted to Tali, and he threw back the covers in resignation and went to grab a T-shirt.