Who: Isabela & Commander Shepard What: A pep talk of sorts When: 10/11 Where: Out and around Santa Ana Rating: PG for innuendo Status: Complete
Isabela was all but ready for the wedding. The restaurant was booked for afterward; her dress was finished being altered; the appointment with the JP was booked. And yet, she was nervous.
She’d never tell Atton. She loved him, and she did want to be with him. But being married again was a huge undertaking. It scared her, to think that legally, she’d be under the thumb of another man, even if this man was kind, respectful and loving. Fear was a hard habit to break.
She was out walking around, trying to collect her thoughts as well as exercise. She had two days to calm down.
Shepard might be in a relationship, but even when she was married she liked to look, and that was a really pretty woman who was walking by. She gave her a slightly flirty grin, before she placed her. "Huh. She-devil with a dagger."
Isabela blinked, looking around before coming to rest on the blonde. “Purple hair,” she eventually said, chuckling. “Right? I like the change.” She headed over with a smile.
“Thanks. Thought I’d be an adult for a few months.” She winked at Isabela. “Everything okay? You look nervous.”
“Oh, I’m fine.” Isabela waved it off. “Getting married in a few days.” There was no need to bring it up with this woman that she barely remembered. There hadn’t exactly been time to exchange names in the middle of a wasteland that had been Las Vegas.
“Congrats! That must be it. A little bit terrified? I was when I got hitched.” It had been a good day, even if she’d managed to fuck everything up in the end. No, that wasn’t fair, the fault had been shared.
“A bit, yeah.” Well, if she brought it up. “He’s brilliant, fought with us in Vegas. Smart and handsome and everything you might want, but I’m still not ... totally ready, I guess. Was trying to get some of the nerves out with a run.” She smiled.
“You’re never going to be ready. It’ll be a few months down the road and you’re still not ready.” Shepard cracked a grin. “So you just have to ignore that, close your eyes and leap. It’ll be a soft landing, and it’s going to be wonderful. Just...make sure you talk, and make time for each other.”
“You definitely speak from experience.” Isabela smiled a little. “I was married too. But my first marriage was to a bastard.”
“I’m sorry. I just got out of a divorce a few months ago, but I met someone who...really helped with that.”
“Oh?” Isabela was curious, in spite of herself.
“Her name is Dani. It was just supposed to be a friend with benefits but … sometimes it ends up more than that.” Shepard flushed a little and rubbed the back of her neck.
“Of course it does.” Isabela grinned. “That’s how it happened in my dreams, for what it’s worth. And apparently in a few other people’s dreams.”
“Can’t say it was that way in mine. I met Liara and I instantly fell in love with her.” Shepard was a little wistful, but she couldn’t say she wasn’t happy with how things were turning out here. She still had nightmares about Las Vegas, but at least they were easier to bear.
“Lucky.” Isabela sounded wistful. “In the dreams, it snuck up on me. Here, my first marriage was to get out of England. This one, I don’t know. I do love him, and I want to do this, I just ... can’t shake the feeling, I suppose. That something won’t go right.”
“If something goes wrong, you learn from it and move on.” She rubbed her ring finger. “You can’t let it paralyze you, you can’t let it prevent you from enjoying your life. You can’t let the past ruin something good that’s going on in this moment.”
“In other words, grow a pair of bollocks and go through with it.” Isabela chuckled. “I mean, I’m not going to leave Atton at the altar. I just can’t get my stomach to stop flipping.”
“Want to get a drink and throw money at some women gyrating at a pole?” Shepard asked. “Might help your nerves.” She was joking, mostly.
Isabela took it seriously. “Might do, actually.” She laughed. “A mate of mine thinks I’m weirded out because I’ll never be able to shag a girl again, if I marry him.” She didn’t think this woman was going to be weird about bisexuality, but still.
“Yeah, maybe you will be, but maybe you won’t. It’s not like you can’t look. Or let them touch.” She grinned.
“Yeah.” Isabela chuckled. “And I mean, I don’t want some girl. I want Atton.” But it felt odd all the same. She looked over. “I’m Isabela, if I never said. And I’ll take you up on that drink, whether it’s at a strip club or not.”
“Just call me Shepard.” She held out her hand. “Lets go look at some tits, maybe you can figure out if you still want them.”
“Oh, I still want ‘em. I just don’t think I want them more than Atton.” Isabela shook her hand, chuckling. “But lead on.”
“That’s where it counts. I waited … years for Liara, really. When she needed space. I looked, I had strippers but I never...touched, I never cheated on her.” No matter how hard it got. “When you love someone enough, you just don’t want to hurt them. With Dani… I don’t...I’d wait for her too.”
“I think that really does make my decision,” Isabela said, nodding a little. “I feel sick, thinking about hurting him.” To do what Luis had done to her? Never. “And yet, well. Breasts really are lovely.” She laughed.
“I love breasts. Can’t get enough of them. Fortunately, I have no desire to see men naked, so my choice is easier. But…” She poked Isabela in the shoulder. “Don’t let some jackass accuse you of being somehow indecisive just because you’re attracted to both.”
“Oh, the only one giving me shit is myself.” Isabela chuckled. “I can’t help the feeling I’m somehow being disloyal.” It was stupid, she knew, but it was still there.
“It’s not disloyal until you fuck someone.” Shepard said. “Well..probably wanna avoid making out and heavy petting too.”
“Yeah, I know. I do, really. It just doesn’t always come to mind. I wish I could be more logical about the bloody thing.” Isabela saw a club up ahead. “Is that where we’re headed?”
“That’s the place. I hope the redhead is there. She’s stunning.” She elbowed Isabela. “I’ll buy you a lapdance. Come on, impromptu bachelorette party.”
“Aw, that’s sweet.” Isabela laughed. “In my dreams, I had a shag with a lovely brunette going, until I had to flee the city, but gingers are such a treat.”
“Mmm, aren’t they?” She winked at Bela and held the door open for her. The sound of raucous music filled the air. This was going to be a blast.