For pen-gwyn
'3' pyuu

English is not my first or my second language, so forgive me if I make mistakes…

The sequence was foreign and sounded wrong to her ears, but it must have made sense to him, because his eyes are closed and his fingers tap to a beat that she can't grasp.

A song from his homeworld perhaps.

Shepard waits a bit, taking in the view of the assassin who seems so at peace that she considers leaving him to it. But the drell has already taken notice of her and stood up from his chair, back straight, hands behind, striking a perfect military pose.

"Siha, good evening. You are well?"

"I didn't mean to interrupt" she says.

It's almost endearing how he is always polite towards her, although by now she had hoped that things would be more casual between them.

"My time is short, Siha, but whatever I have left is yours to take."

He then designates the chair with a nod, but she waves it off.

"I wanted to see how things were with you, and-"

The background music hits higher notes, and she does her best not to cringe, instead gesturing her hand around the room with slight confusion.

"A piece from home" was his reply, and he was considerate enough to go and lower the volume.

"It's… different to any I've ever heard. Truthfully, I have a hard time following it."

"A ballad of our people. It was Irikah's favorite."

He doesn't fall into his memory phase, but she knows that images of his dead wife was replaying through his mind, as vivid as though she was standing with them in the room. Shepard simply nods and leans back on the wall, knowing better than to tread further and interrupt as he collects his thoughts. Though it was hard to ignore the uneasiness that was crawling into her gut, and she felt compelled to say something, anything that would make time move forward...

The music reached to its end, and another followed suite. This one was less cringe-worthy and she found herself strangely intrigued by the irregular sequence of low, drawn-out notes.

They stood silent for a while, before Thane suddenly approached and held out his hand, head bowed slightly.

It takes a few seconds for her to realize what he is doing, and a bit longer for her hand to settle firmly into his. It is hard to fight back a laugh, at the sight of the assassin inviting her to a dance. But any distraction he offered to take her mind off the grim mission that awaited them was welcomed.

She doesn't resist getting in a teasing comment "Though I'm not sure I'll be able to follow if you were to ask me to crazy dance with you, Thane."

"I doubt it, Siha. Hearing your say with Garrus, I was led to believe that you were quite… flexible. You will follow easily."

"I was joking. I'm not that flexible, but I can deliver a nasty right hook."

He leads her away from the table, a small smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth, then gone as quickly as it came.

"Perhaps, but it was not what I had in mind."

They started off slowly, and Shepard fell into the steps easily, realizing it to be the ordinary human waltz. It clashed oddly against the drell melody, but somehow she didn't feel as though they were too far off. She was curious, however, on how Thane knew how to take the lead and move around flawlessly.

He seemed to have read her mind, for he was quick to explain.

"Wander around long enough, and you pick up certain skills on the way."

"You never cease to amaze me. What other stuff did you learn?"

He looks bemused for a moment, and his reply was quiet, full of promises.

"I will tell you more about it one day, if you wish."

And it is hard for Shepard to not argue with him right now, to not let him know of her doubts that they might not survive this mission long enough for him to tell her all that she wanted to know, and if they do, that his sickness might claim his life before they even start theirs together...

And Thane, the ever observant and frustratingly calm drell sensed her inner turmoil and gave an actual reassuring smile, "I'm with you, Shepard. To the end and beyond. I give you my word."

How often she had heard similar words though none of those times soothed her this much, and a feeling that Shepard had long thought gone in the deafening explosion of the Normandy reared its head... hope.

How strange it is, for them who know nothing but death and loss to find solace in each other, struggling to carve a place together in a universe that is unforgiving and just seems to take and take and give nothing in return. But by now she has learned that her companion could be the one to fill the hole that two years of darkness and oblivion has made in her life, and perhaps the future isn't as grim as she thought it would be, the confidence and secrets in his smile making her believe more so...

The last note hangs in the air and they come to the last twirl in the dance, his eyes boring into hers as if he has finally found his life's meaning in them. It was quite impossible to not feel the pedestal that he was raising her existence up to, though not sure she quite deserves it.

Another thing to take note about him.

Another memory to remember, one of the many to come, she hopes.

Haven't played ME2 yet..... but watched a few vids... I hope my take on him didn't turn out too bad...
I do like Thane, but I wouldn't romance him... my faithful heart makes me stay with kaiden.... if only he would stop being an ass already... sigh, I'm hoping for a miracle in ME3

About Garrus and flexibility.... lol, couldn't resist mentionning it somewhere...