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Liara was aware of the existence of cats. She'd seen them in popular vids on the extranet, heard stories in passing from humans enamoured with their furry companions from Earth.
Still, that couldn't prepare her for the experience of owning a cat as a pet.
It was Shepard's idea. The defeat of the Reapers meant there was no more threat to all life in the galaxy to worry about. It also meant that animal shelters were filled to the brink with animals that had lost their homes throughout the war.
With an apartment big enough to house a cat and enough free time now that they were both retired, it seemed only natural to bring one of Earth's many displaced creatures into their home.
The cat nestled up in Liara's lap purred contently as she gently ran her hand along his silky black fur. She'd been worried at first about potential allergies to the non-Thessian animal but a set of tests at the doctor assured her she'd be fine.
The bigger concern was whether Shepard was qualified to look after a pet after the debacle with her fish on the Normandy. The former Commander was adamant it wouldn't be a problem. Unlike the fish, she'd owned cats throughout her childhood and knew how to take care of them on her family's farm. She and Liara also had far less responsibilities now that they didn't have to go out on missions.
In the following months, Shepard had proved herself a skilled caretaker. Liara never had a pet of her own before and took a little longer to adapt but was proud of the bond she'd developed with the cat.
Liara scratched the cat behind his ear, who rumbled peacefully in response. “It's a wonder you're this affectionate.” She mused. “It must seem as though your old owners abandoned you.”
The cat continued to purr, oblivious to Liara's words. It wasn't clear what had happened to the owners of most animals found on the streets after the war but it was a safe assumption that many of them perished at the hands of the Reapers. The cat couldn't understand what the Reapers were, but Liara was certain he'd hid when they came down from the sky.
Shepard swung open the door and strode in. “Hello, little guy! Hey, Liara.”
Liara gave a wry grin. “So I come after the cat now, do I?”
“I'm already in your good graces.” Shepard smirked. “I need to make it up to him for forgetting to feed him his nightly treats yesterday. That's why I bought...”
Instead of finishing her sentence, Shepard sat on the floor and emptied a shopping bag full of cat treats onto the carpet. The cat perked up immediately, keenly watching the delicious loot drop to the ground.
“Come 'ere, boy!” Shepard encouraged. The hungry feline wasted no time in jumping from Liara's lap and joining Shepard where she sat.
He eagerly examined each packet of treats with his nose, impatient about waiting for them to be opened for him.
Shepard chuckled. “He acts like he hasn't eaten in days. He had a full dinner before I left to go shopping.”
“It's as though he expects you to feed him all those treats at once. How did he come to be so spoiled?” Liara asked in amusement.
They'd had this conversation before many times. The staff at the adoption centre had told them to expect a large appetite because he lacked food while living on the street. Still, it continued to surprise Liara and Shepard just how enthusiastic he was about being fed.
Shepard tore open a packet and shook a few small cat biscuits onto the floor, repeating the process again as the cat devoured his way through what he was given.
“It's because we're so good to him. We keep his belly full and give him extra because we love him. Now that he knows what to expect, he won't settle for anything less.” Shepard smiled.
It made Shepard happy to know that she could still make a positive difference on a much smaller scale. It was a quiet sort of joy; of all her achievements, of all the lives she saved when she defeated the Reapers, this one act of caring for a little creature rescued from the streets of Earth wouldn't be one mentioned in the history books. Nobody in the grand future she'd managed to secure for the galaxy would recall his name or know of the love forged over his entire lifetime.
Yet Shepard wouldn't have it any other way. She'd dreamed of the day she could enjoy the privacy of a boring civilian life, just herself, Liara, and now their cat, Pepper. What she did now wasn't the galaxy's business, and it was far more enjoyable to have the life of one cat depend on her rather than the lives of billions.
Liara rose from the couch and took a seat next to Shepard. “He doesn't want the good fortune he has with us now to be taken from him. He's greedy with whatever he's given because his instincts still tell him he won't know when his next meal will be.”
“Sounds like he needs to adjust to his new reality just as much as we do.” Shepard grinned warmly.
Pepper rubbed his head against Liara's knees— his way of welcoming her to this treat-giving experience. Liara scratched his back and he returned to his treats.
Liara matched Shepard's expression. “It's good that we have an untold number of years ahead for doing just that, then.”
This life of domesticity was everything they'd wanted. Now that they had it, they were going to make the most of it and never let go of the joy they'd found.
“I think that's enough for now.” Shepard decided once Pepper had finished eating and started nosing about for more. She chuckled, “If you eat it all now there won't be anything left for later.”
She tidied the remaining cat snacks for a later date and left Liara in the living room with their still optimistic-looking cat.
After a few moments, he settled close to Liara. She could feel the rumble of his quiet purrs against her leg. She felt a warmth in her chest at the thought that he was as happy to be there with her as she was to look after him.
When Shepard returned from the kitchen several minutes later, she found Liara resting on the couch with a blanket over her body and a contented cat relaxed on her lap once more.
She settled next to Liara and laid her head on Liara's shoulder.
This was exactly the kind of peace she had fought so hard to save.