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Ella Shepard sighed, tired of reading fine print, putting her 'pad beside her and leaning her head back until she thumped it gently against the display case she was using as a backrest. Sitting on top of the desk may not have been the cleverest decision I ever made. Not that comfortable. She glanced sideways, smiling at the man who had taken over her desk chair, searching for something or other on the extranet. Nice view, though. "Think we'll have to argue with someone, to keep the Normandy?"
"Eh?" Joker grunted, lifting his head from the console in the middle of the L-shaped desk to turn and look at her.
"After, you know. Reapers. Assuming we win, and we're not dead, and all that, do you think they'll let us take the Normandy when we retire?"
Joker snorted, amusement crinkling his face, laugh lines deepening around his eyes as he smiled. "Like to see 'em try to pry us out of the Normandy. Don't think they'll have much luck."
"Mmm," she sighed, smiling back at him. "Sounds nice, doesn't it? Just zipping around the galaxy, whenever, wherever, no desperate tragedy to be averted. We could go to Grissom's Parade, on Elysium. I haven't seen that in years."
Joker chuckled softly, pushing back a little and stretching his back. "They'll probably be inviting you to be in the Parade, you know. The infamous Butcher, Commander, Spectre, Savior, Captain, Hero Eleanora Grace Shepard." His voice dropped, one palm smoothing through the air as he impersonated an old-fashioned marquee. "Champion of the Galaxy, for All to See!"
"Don't think you won't be getting a few of those invites yourself, mister." Ella leaned forward, just a little. "Fancy flying looks very good on the news vids."
"Nah," he shrugged, eyes twinkling. "I'll just be the +1 on the bottom of your invites. Please bring that pilot fellow who helped you out, he makes you look taller on stage."
"I don't think so, not if they want me to answer them."
"Oh? What would they have to say, if Champion doesn't get your panties wet?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Moreau?" Ella suggested softly, her voice low and husky. "You always get my panties wet."
His whole body stilled, his eyes hot as he stared at her face, and oh, how she loved doing that. Joker was always busy, doing three things at once, watching screens and tapping on his console and adjusting his hat and those eyes, always moving, always watching. Except, every once in a while, when she managed to surprise him, and all that energy was focused exclusively on her.
He gave the desk a practiced shove, the chair rolling across the short stretch of floor until he stopped, right in front of her, chest just past her knees, head tilted as he looked up at her, and isn't that just my favorite spot for him, right between my legs. Palms landed on her thighs, fingers spread, and she purred, just a little, in the back of her throat, as his fingers dug gently into the muscles beneath them.
"Did you just ask me to marry you, Ella?"
"Nah," she blinked, slowly, smiling, smug and warm and content. "You asked me years ago, and I just realized I never answered."
His eyes narrowed in thought, but there was a hint of a smile curving the edges of his mouth so she simply waited.
And almost burst out laughing when she could see him figure out what she was talking about, eyes widening and lips smirking. "You owe me more food, then, babe. That was the deal. I get baked goods, you get me."
"I definitely got the better end of that bargain," she whispered as she leaned forward to kiss him, slow and gentle. One of his hands lifted off her leg to cup the back of her head, careful not to tug her hair, his lips soft and warm against her mouth as he drew out their kiss.
"Pretty sure I'm coming out on top on this one," Joker murmured as he slid his mouth sideways, dropping one final kiss on her cheek. "Since you getting me is just as good for me, plus I get dessert." He grinned at her as she snickered. "Though, if we're officially all engaged now, we should celebrate. You need to be much more naked."
"I think I can manage that."