Work Text:
The Normandy’s med bay was rarely this full. Most missions ended with a quick once over from Dr. Chakwas before the crew scattered back to their stations. Tonight, though, the soft glow of medical monitors fell across three occupied beds and one very patient doctor.
Wrex sat on the bed closest to the door while Dr. Chakwas worked antiseptic gel into the acid burn on his shoulder. The krogan’s heavy armor plates rested on the floor beside the bed, and he looked deeply unimpressed by the entire situation. "This is unnecessary" Wrex grumbled. "I’m a krogan. A little acid burn isn’t worth all this fuss."
Across the room, Shepard sat on the far bed with her injured leg stretched carefully in front of her. The Thorian creeper’s acid had eaten through the plating where her shields had dropped, leaving an angry burn that Chakwas had already cleaned and wrapped. She leaned back on her hands, watching the doctor finish with Wrex. "You made me come down here." she pointed out.
Wrex huffed "That’s because humans are squishy."
Shepard arched an eyebrow. "And since you insisted I get treated," she said evenly "you’re getting treated too."
Wrex rumbled something under his breath but didn’t argue further.
On the middle bed, Tali lay propped on a pillow while the patched seam of her environmental suit slowly sterilized under a soft field emitter. The antibiotics Chakwas had administered were already starting to work their way through her system. Her helmet turned slightly toward the argument. "...You are both very loud." she murmured hazily.
Shepard glanced over, "You’re supposed to be resting." Tali made a small noise that might have been agreement, or sleepiness.
Dr. Chakwas trying to finish sterilizing Wrex’s shoulder. "Try not to antagonize the doctor while she’s treating you." she said calmly. Wrex grumbled but held still.
The med bay door slid open with a soft hiss. Joker stepped in carefully, balancing himself on his crutches as he crossed the threshold. "Doc, you called?"
Chakwas glanced up briefly stripping off her gloves. "Ah, yes Joker. I want to check your brace alignment." He paused just inside the room when he saw the beds were already occupied. "Looks like you’ve got your hands full." he said. "I can come back later." Without even looking up, Chakwas shook her head. "Sit down. I’ll be a moment." Joker glanced around the cramped med bay.
Three beds.
Three occupants.
"...Where?"
Wrex didn’t even hesitate. "Not here." he rumbled from the nearest bed.
Shepard lifted one hand lazily and gestured to the space beside her. "There’s room."
Joker hesitated as he eyed the narrow edge of the mattress. Then he carefully made his way across the room, crutches clicking softly against the floor. He leaned them against the side of the bed before easing himself down beside her. The mattress dipped under his weight. Because Shepard’s injured leg was stretched out along the bed, there wasn’t much space left to work with. They ended up sitting closer than either of them probably expected.
Thigh to thigh.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Joker suddenly became very interested in the opposite wall. Shepard noticed the way he’d gone rigid beside her. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Relax." Their eyes met. "I don’t bite." Joker looked away first as he let out a quiet laugh and tried very hard to look like this was completely normal.
Across the room, Tali’s helmet slowly turned in their direction again. "...You are sitting very close." she observed dreamily. Shepard sighed. "Tali." Tali giggled softly into her pillow.
Joker shifted slightly, trying to find a position that didn’t make it obvious how aware he was of the Commander sitting right beside him. Not that there was much room to adjust. Their thighs touched. Their shoulders brushed every time either of them breathed. He tried very hard not to think about it. Instead he nodded toward the bandage on her leg. "Heard one of those things got a lucky shot."
Shepard glanced down at it briefly before shrugging. "Shield dropped at the wrong moment, bad timing."
From the middle bed, Tali slowly rolled her helmet toward them. Her movements were sluggish, her voice hazy with the lingering fog of antibiotics. "That is not what happened."
Shepard closed her eyes briefly. "Tali..."
The quarian lifted a weak hand and gestured vaguely in Shepard’s direction. "She pulled me into her arms," Tali said dreamily and she hugged herself "And dragged me out of the way."
Joker blinked.
Across the room, Wrex gave an approving rumble. "Good instincts."
Shepard shook her head. "It wasn’t that dramatic."
Tali giggled softly. "It absolutely was."
She shifted slightly on the pillow, helmet tilting as though replaying the moment in her mind. "It was like a scene from a romance vid." She paused for a moment before continuing "There was definitely spinning."
Wrex chuckled low in his throat, Joker bit back a grin, and Shepard let out a long sigh and tipped her head back toward the machinery behind the bed. "I liked it better when she was unconscious."
Tali made another sleepy giggling noise and settled deeper into the pillow.
Joker glanced sideways at Shepard again, still smiling faintly. "Romantic vid, huh?"
Shepard didn’t open her eyes. "Don’t start." But there was the faintest hint of amusement in her voice.
Joker leaned back slightly on his hands, careful not to jostle the bed too much. "Just saying" he murmured. "Getting swept into the Commander’s arms while she spins you away from danger? I’ve seen worse action movie moments."
Shepard opened one eye and gave him a flat look. "Don’t encourage her."
From the middle bed, Tali made a soft, contented sound. "I thought it was very heroic."
"She’s drugged" Shepard said dryly.
"Still counts." Joker replied.
Across the room Wrex shifted slightly as Chakwas finished sealing a small omni gel patch on his shoulder. The krogan rolled his shoulder once, testing the movement. "She moved fast." He said. "There were a lot of them."
Shepard shrugged faintly and their shoulders brushed agaisnt each other. "Anyone would’ve done the same."
Wrex huffed out a laugh "No" That was apparently all the elaboration he felt was necessary.
Joker glanced sideways at Shepard again. "Face it, Commander. You’re a romantic action hero now."
Shepard exhaled through her nose. "Next time I’ll let the creeper hit you instead."
"Wow," Joker said. "Harsh." But he was smiling when he said it. He shifted slightly beside her. "You do that a lot though."
"Do what?"
"Throwing yourself between your crew and danger."
She shrugged. "That’s the job."
Joker started counting on his fingers.
"Beacon incident with Kaidan. That collapsing cave on Therum with Liara, and now pulling Tali into your arms like some dramatic rescue scene."
From the middle bed, Tali lifted a sleepy finger. "There was spinning."
Joker pointed at her. "See? Witness testimony."
Shepard smirked faintly. "If you’re not careful, you’ll be next."
Joker snorted. "With my luck you’d break my legs 'saving' me."
Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I can be gentle."
Joker blinked...Once...Twice.
Tali giggled dreamily. "I believe the Commander is very gentle."
Joker glanced sideways at Shepard again. For a moment he didn’t say anything, then he cleared his throat.
"Well...Good to know."
Shepard’s smirk deepened slightly.
The conversation slowly faded after that. The med bay settled back into its steady rhythm, the soft beeps of monitors, the faint whir of medical equipment, the distant hum of the Normandy’s engines. Shepard leaned deeper back, careful not to jostle her injured leg as she stretched. The tension she’d been carrying since the mission began slowly drained from her posture. Joker noticed almost immediately.
Her shoulders loosened. The hard edge of command that always seemed to sit in her spine softened. For the first time since he’d walked in, she looked exhausted. He glanced sideways just as her shoulder tipped slightly closer to his. Their arms brushed again. Neither of them moved away.
Across the room, Tali’s breathing had slowed as the antibiotics continued their work. Wrex had gone quiet as well, letting Dr. Chakwas finish her checks without complaint. The calm in the room settled over Shepard like gravity. Shepards head tipped back, then it began to drift. Joker noticed the shift a second before it became a problem. Her head tilted sideways, and her balance followed. She was about to slide right off the bed. Reflex took over before he even thought. His hand shot out, catching her around the waist just as she began to tip.
"Easy-" The word faltered.
She shifted, unconsciously leaning closer, the side of her body pressing lightly against his. Her head found his shoulder, and her hair ticked against his chin. A tiny sigh escaped her lips in sleep, and she nudged slightly closer, just enough to melt into the warmth of him. For a second Joker stayed frozen waiting for the inevitable reaction, the sleepy startle, the automatic apology, the Commander snapping upright. It didn’t come. Her breathing was slow and steady, warm against the side of his neck.
Asleep.
Joker blinked. Very carefully, he looked down. Shepard’s face had relaxed completely, the sharp lines of focus and command gone from it. A loose strand of red hair had slipped free, brushing her cheek as she slept. She didn’t move, didn’t stir. She was completely out.
"...Umm." Joker spoke softly under his breath. His arm was still around her waist where he’d caught her. He didn’t move it. Partly because shifting might wake her. Partly because he was enjoying the feeling leaning against him.
Across the room, Wrex had been watching the entire thing unfold. The krogan’s heavy brow lifted slightly. After a moment he gave a low rumble. "Congratulations, pilot. Now don't move."
Joker snorted quietly. "Wasn’t planning to." He shifted just enough to make sure Shepard was stable where she leaned against him, careful not to disturb her. When he glanced down again, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before he could stop it. Judging by the heat climbing up his neck,
Yup..
He was probably blushing.
Well. This is happening.
He kept his eyes forward after that, doing his best to look like this was a completely normal situation. Even if his arm was still around the Commander’s waist. Even if her head was resting on his shoulder. Even if he had absolutely no intention of moving. Joker focused very intently on a completely fascinating section of wall across the room. Not the Commander leaning against him. Definitely not the Commander leaning against him.
Then Tali stirred. The quarian shifted slightly on the middle bed, the soft fabric of her suit rustling against the sheets as she turned her head. Slowly, almost sleepily, her visor angled toward the far bed.
Toward Shepard.
Toward Joker.
She stared at them for a long moment. Her gaze drifted from Shepard’s head resting comfortably on Joker’s shoulder...to Joker’s arm wrapped around the Commander’s waist...then back again. Joker felt the weight of someone staring at him, before hearing a small giggle slipped out of Tali. He felt his ears heat instantly as he kept staring at the opposite wall. "Oh no" he muttered under his breath.
Tali lifted a hand weakly, pointing in their general direction. "Joker and Shepard..." she began dreamily. Joker squeezed his eyes shut for a second as she kept going. "...sitting in a tree..." He sighed. Tali’s finger wobbled slightly as she continued. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" Another giggle bubbled up from her as she let her hand flop back onto the bed. Joker cleared his throat quietly. "Tali-"
Across the room Wrex shifted his weight and glanced toward the quarian. His deep voice carried easily through the room. "Enough" The krogan’s tone wasn’t harsh, just firm. "Let the commander sleep." Tali made a soft humming sound of agreement, clearly pleased with herself. "Mm." She sank deeper into the pillow. "There was definitely..." She yawned softly. "...spinning." Her voice faded as the antibiotics pulled her back toward sleep. Within moments her breathing slowed again.
Joker exhaled slowly through his nose.
For a moment the medbay was still, the quiet almost complete. It was only when a low rumble and the shuffle of heavy boots broke the spell. Wrex was testing his shoulder one last time, muttering under his breath, clearly ready to be done with all this fuss. "Keep the burn clean." Chakwas called after him, as he was already moving toward the door. "Change the dressing tomorrow, and don’t overuse the arm." Wrex waved a massive hand without really listening. "Yeah, yeah." he muttered. "Got it." His boots echoed softly as he left, moving with that effortless krogan grace, unconcerned with anyone else in the room.
Chakwas straightened a stack of trays, glancing briefly at her instruments, then toward the far bed. "Lieutenant," she began "there’s an open bed now if you’d like..." Her words died as her eyes fell on the scene before her. Shepard slept on Joker’s shoulder, head tipped gently against him. His arm was wrapped carefully around her waist, steadying her. A faint blush colored his cheeks, and Chakwas couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Oh" she murmured softly. "Looks like you’re comfortable enough already."
Joker stiffened, clearing his throat. "...Yes, ma’am." he muttered, forcing his tone casual.
Chakwas didn’t comment further. She returned to her desk to mindlessly organizing medical instruments, giving the room a deliberate, quiet pause. The silence was deep and gentle. Tali slept softly in the middle bed, her earlier giggles now quiet murmurs in dreams. Wrex’s boots were gone, leaving only the hum of the Normandy’s systems and the faint rhythm of breathing. Joker stole another glance at the Commander. He noticed again a strand of her red hair had fallen softly across her cheek.
Shepard shifted slightly in her sleep, pressing a little closer, as if seeking warmth, but made no sound. Her lashes rested against bright green eyes, her face serene and unguarded. Joker hesitated, then lifted a hand, brushing the loose strand of hair back from her face with care. The warmth of her side through his arm reminded him how small, how human she was, and how beautiful.
"You really are something" He whispered quietly enough that no one else could hear. He adjusted slightly, just enough to keep her comfortable, his arm still supporting her waist, careful, steady. She pressed a tiny fraction closer, unconsciously, and he held her there, savoring the stillness.
The moment stretched, unspoken, private. Only her slow breathing and the steady hum of the ship filled the room. Chakwas, glancing briefly, let her eyes linger for a beat before returning to her work, a subtle smirk tugging at her lips. She knew, and she didn’t need to say anything.
For Joker, the quiet was absolute. Nothing else existed in that room but the Commander leaning against him, her soft hair againg his skkn, her warm weight, and the faint rise and fall of her chest. He smiled faintly, heart quietly racing, and stayed that way, careful, protective, utterly still. The med bay had never felt so peaceful.