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Xora Patrone - Chapter 11

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Title: Xora Patrone - Chapter 11: Winner Takes All
Author: xRebel666x
Game: Mass Effect
Characters/Pairing: All Original Characters - Xora Patrone(female human), Lyrik Castius(male turian), Josie Madeen(female human), Hal'Jurgar(male quarian), Tren and Kero(male krogans).

Chapter 11: Winner Takes All
November 18th, 2185

  The pungent stench of various alcohols perfumed the cargo hold. The poker table had stacks of gaming chips and playing cards scattered across. Grey streams of smoke danced from the cigarettes perched on the ashtrays sitting in front of the circle of players. Their ghostly mist lifted towards the paneled ceiling and created a comforting haze in the atmosphere. The loud laughter resonated throughout the ship, validating another successful poker night. Everyone on my crew was joking around and having a grand time… the way poker ought to be played.

  "And then she said, 'That explains why I couldn't sleep right for the next week,'" Josie chuckled as she slapped the poker table, her face turning bright red from the liquor in her system. She found her tale to be hilarious but the rest of us… not so much, especially the barely conscious mechanic using the table as a replacement pillow.

  I grabbed the deck from her and began shuffling the cards, "Alright, who's in?"

  The krogan twins simultaneously stood up, grabbing their remaining chips and their nearly empty bottles. Tren groggily shot, "You cleaned us out enough tonight, so we're turning in."

  "Fine," I directed my attention to the dozing quarian, "Hey Hal! What about you?"

  "Is it Thursday?" he asked, bolting straight up in his chair and shaking his head in an attempt to return to his senses, "Oh, I'll… I'm… leaving a message, goodnight." His barely legible words staggered from his translator, his body uncontrollably wobbling around. As he stumbled away from the table, he bumped into Kero's back. He clung onto his arm and used him as a guide while exiting the doorway.

  You're making it really hard to not laugh, Hal. That has to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen you do.

  "Okay, Josie, please tell me you're in for another round?"

  "Me, no," she held up her hands in protest, "I'm going to steal Fawkes and use him as my cuddle buddy."

  I glared down at the new varren crewmember curled up around my feet, "Cuddle buddy? Really? Are you her cuddle buddy now?"

  He looked up at me, resting his long chin on the top of my knee.

  "Oh come on, Fawkes," Josie patted her legs, "I have some treats in my room."

  Immediately the varren bolted from under the table and followed the pilot out of the room.

  "Traitor!" I belted, a little offended at how quickly he choose treats over his new master. Gazing across the table, I notice only one other player in the cargo hold… Lyrik. "Wow, I didn't know I could clear a room so quickly," I scoffed, trying to lighten the air but the room went completely silent.

  Lyrik and I sat quietly at the poker table. The awkward tension between us summoned a deafening silence to haunt the room. There was no noisy banter from the crew to drown out our bashful advances. No varren companion to bail me out. Just him… and me… I could feel his eyes staring at me but I couldn't bring myself to return the favor. Things have still been… weird… since that fateful night. I had so much to say but I felt restrained and could never get past the first initial step. I yearned to have another open conversation but I froze the moment any words attempted to leave my lips.

  We occasionally would nudge each other accidentally but nothing too extraordinary. Yet every time he brushed up against me, I envisioned the way his fingertips felt against my bare skin, the warmth of his breath against my neck, the rough caressing of his lips against mine. I was cursed to relive that night in my thoughts even as he sat only a few feet away.

  What's wrong with me!  I am usually so confident… but something about him… about us… makes me question everything.

  Boldly taking the reins, Lyrik's voice broke the barrier, "Well, it's just the two of us."

  "Indeed," still refusing to greet his eyes with mine.

  He took a deep sigh, regrettably asking, "You're not trying to avoid me, are you?"

  "It's kinda hard to avoid you when we are stuck on a ship. And no, I'm not."

  "Okay," relieved, "But things have felt really different between us since…"

  "Yeah, I've noticed," I interrupted him, summoning the silence to return.

  Bringing my gaze up, I noticed a familiar sight. Lyrik's green eyes begging me for something… anything… the same look he gave me after we first met and he showed up at the door of my hotel room. It was perfect déjà vu. His hungry stare bellowed loudly, reflecting his disappointment on our current relationship status and his desperate thirst for my affection.

  No matter how much the alcohol affected my vision, I could see his reaction clearly. I knew things weren't going as he expected but it wasn't his fault… it was partially mine, if not entirely mine. I was still pushing everyone away and making things difficult between us… and the rest of my crew. Displaying my harsh authoritative nature with the whole varren ordeal, I knew it wouldn't be long before my negative consequences started burning bridges. But the nagging voices in the back of my head were constantly at war and becoming harder to drown out. One reminded me of the costly toll to be paid if I continued my pursuit to avenge my parents and kill Jack. The other voice suggesting I move forward with the turian quietly sitting in front of me.

  Noticing I had a few shots left in my bottle, I took a swig and permitted the liquor to fuel the smile curling on my face. Shuffling the deck of cards in my hand, I asked, "Do you want to play a few rounds before turning in?"

  His eyes lit up, "Sure. What did you have in mind?"

  "Well, how about we play 5-card draw until I finish this," shaking the near empty bottle.

  He nodded, immediately moving to the seat next to me.

  After I dealt out the cards, I grabbed my pack of cigarettes and took one out. The moment it dangled off my lips, Lyrik's lighter flickered before it.

  "That was fast," taking in a deep puff of smoke.

  "It's the least I could do."

    I shot him a smirk before picking up my hand. Knowing I was going to win this round, I proposed, "How about we make it interesting?"

  "Aren't we already by drinking?"

  "You know what I mean, Lyrik."

  "Okay, what were you thinking?"

  "How about winner gets to do whatever they want? From asking a question to just having a simple request. And whoever wins at the end gets something special."

  "Like what?" his mandibles twitched.

  "Hmmm… I'm thinking something like an informal agreement."

  "So it's similar to an IOU?"

  "Precisely. The winner can use now or later and it's good for whatever they desire."

  The excitement in his tone said it all, "You have yourself a deal."

  Our eyes dashed between our gazes and the cards in our hands. When we picked up the replacement cards, we carefully studied our opponent's reaction. I barely won the first round with a pair of queens.

  "First, we drink," I held my bottle up. We took a hearty swig and I continued, "As my bidding, I ask for your permission to put my legs up."

  "You don't need my permission to do that," he remarked, confused from my miniscule request.

  "But," I raised one of my eyebrows, "I want to rest them on your lap."

  Without any hesitation, he immediately sat back in his chair and patted the open area on his lap. Propping my legs up and crossing them on his thigh, I wiggled in my chair as I got comfortable. His breathing quickened and he produced a loud gulp, revealing his approval of my request. I folded my arms and took another drag of my cigarette, boasting, "Your turn to deal."

  Lyrik dealt out the next hand, slowly placing each card on the table. His eyes distracted by the flesh perched on his legs. Taking my replacement cards, I sneered at my failed hand… absolutely nothing at all. He showed his three of a kind and before he even says anything, I already took the shot.

  "I have a question for you."

  "Oh?" I asked, feeling the effects of the alcohol begin to take its toll.

  "Are you ready to start seeing our relationship… go forward?"

  Without any hesitation, I admitted, "Yes. I only asked you to give me time to adjust not to completely halt."

  "Good to know, I was growing impatient," his raspy tone hinted a sense of relief.

  After he slid the deck towards me, he rubbed his talons on my legs. Slightly gazing the claws against my skin, he sent tingles up my nerves. Every touch became ecstasy and I was begging for more. All the senses that plagued my thoughts were no longer imaginary… they were being awakened by his touch.

  This is what I've been waiting for… This is what I want…

  After a few moments of bashful glances, I felt his other hand creep over towards mine. Carefully prying my palm open and entwining our fingers together. His thumb casually mingled with mine, embracing every touch I returned. Gently squeezing our clasped hands, I welcomed Lyrik's warmth against my palm.

  "It's your turn," he reminded me, smirking.

  "I know," with my free hand I dealt our cards, "I was merely distracted."

  "You could let go."

  "I could… but I don't want to," I admitted and Lyrik squeezed our locked fingers. I felt his excitement of our sudden change in relationship vibrate from his touch.

  Taking a look at my cards, I noticed I had a good hand and a chance of winning. I devilishly bit my lip as I pulled the replacement cards. My confidence skyrocketed when I discovered they were exactly the ones I needed. I had the game in the bag. But then we revealed our hands…

  "I lost?" I was stunned. "How could my straight lose to your full house? ARGH!"

  "I didn't make the rules."

  "I know, I know… well, you won. What would you like?"

  "Actually, I'm going to save my IOU."

  "What?"

  "You heard me," he smirked, "We're both tired so I'll just use it when I feel the time is right."

  "Suit yourself," I shrugged as I slammed down the last bit of alcohol in my bottle. The intoxication pumped through my veins and warmed my skin, my head felt light and woozy… it was time to pass out. I removed my legs from his lap and praised him, "Good game, Lyrik. Now I must call it a night."

  As I got up, I felt the dizziness hit me harder than a baseball bat. My quartermaster immediately got up and tried to aid me, "Do you need any help getting to your room?"

  "No… I'll be fine," I slurred, stumbling forward and bracing myself against the wall. After a few deep breaths, I took a couple more steps but the dizziness returned.

  Nope. I can't do this.

  My knees began buckling beneath me and I felt myself losing control of my legs. I clenched my eyes fearing the worse.

  Before I even realized what was going on, the weight on my knees disappeared. Instead of feeling my legs quitting on me, I felt a smooth swaying motion rocking me. Opening my eyes, I discovered I was lounging in the safety of Lyrik's arms.

  "I got you," he smiled, peering down at me.

  Letting my exhaustion take hold, I closed my eyes while he carried me to my room. His warm body felt welcoming against mine, reassuring me that I was in good hands. I don't know if it was the alcohol or the connection that was growing between us but I felt at peace with him. I wanted nothing more than to feel his loving embrace. Begging for his warm touch, I began nuzzling my cheek against his chest. I could hear the beating of his heart answer back. Each thump echoed in my ears like a lullaby and comforted every muscle in my body, making me completely limp in his arms.

  The familiar scents of my room bombarded me as he carried me through the door. Laying me down gently on the bed, I noticed how close his face was to mine. Our eyes instantly locked, frozen as we stared at each other. I wanted him. No longer confused by my emotions, he was the element missing in my life. It wasn't vengeance; it was love… his love… that would fill the void.

  "I don't know if you'll remember this but… I love you, Xora," he whispered, his green eyes glowing from the ambient light coming from my computer.

  Bringing my hand to visit his face, I rubbed against the traces of his mandible. Gradually I brought his mouth closer to mine and guided my fingers to the back of his head to the spot below his fringe. His lips were only an inch away… his warm breath dusting my skin with its presence. Right before our mouths joined, I lipped, "I love you too, Lyrik."

  Our mouths welcomed each other, our tongues exploring the flexibility of their contender. No longer strangers to foreign territory, we knew exactly what our counterpart wanted. His tongue massaging the tip of mine, his hands embracing our locked jaws, his heavy breathing rushing against my skin as our passion consumed us.

  When our mouths parted ways, a wicked smile curled on my face. The immense pleasure lingering on my lips was yearning for more. Slightly short of breath, I pleaded, "You did win the game… you could use your reward here."

  "But I already did," he whispered, grazing his nose against mine.

  "What?"

  "You have already given me what I desired… a moment of redemption. The chance to reclaim my love for you…"

  Before another word was spoken, he brought his mouth to greet mine again. The docile nature of his kiss sensually made every nerve littered against my body tingle in delight. The passionate caressing of his lips made every second burst with ecstasy. I felt all the love he restrained deeply penetrating into my very soul, making up for the time lost.

  The moment he broke our bond, I felt incomplete. My body violently yearned for more, clenching tightly onto him and waiting for his loving reply. But he didn't respond… he pulled away, muttering, "I guess I should let you sleep. Goodnight, Xora."

  He began walking towards the door when I sat up and cried, "Stay!"

  "What?" he asked confused.

  "Lyrik, I've been thinking about you non-stop since that night. I've been… aching to feel your touch… your arms around me. Please, spend the night with me and don't ever leave. I have grown… dependant of your touch," I whimpered, watching his frozen eyes stare at me in disbelief.

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes," I nodded, "Even if you need to get something from your room, you can… I'll wait for you. I'm not going to change my mind."

  He shook his head in disagreement, "I don't want to leave."

  "Why?"

  "Because I'm afraid I'll wake up… finding out that this was all a dream," Lyrik confessed, coming towards my bed.

  He stood quietly near the edge, still waiting for the moment I change my mind and turn him away. Instead I scooted my body into the center and made room for him to join me. Hesitation still shined in his eyes, he was cautious to not overstep his boundaries. I comforted his tension by placing my hand atop his and guiding him to lay behind me.

  When he lied down, he slowly wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to his chest. It felt awkward having someone on my bed. So many nights spent alone with nothing more than the comfort of my pillows. I nudged myself to fit the shape of his body and felt his hot body temperature warming my back. The heat soothed every ache and pain my tired body accumulated over the years. Feeling the calming sensation overcome me, I lose consciousness the moment I closed my eyes.
In this chapter: After another successful night of poker, Xora is left to play a few rounds against Lyrik... where the winner gets something special.

Xora Patrone's theme song: [link]

Prologue: [link]
Coffee & Cigarettes: [link]
Chapter 1: [link]
Chapter 2: [link]
Chapter 3: [link]
Chapter 4: [link]
Chapter 5: [link]
Chapter 6: [link]
Chapter 7: [link]
Chapter 8: [link]
Chapter 9: [link]
Chapter 10: [link]
Chapter 11: VIEWING
Chapter 12: [link]
Chapter 13: [link]
Chapter 14: WIP

A big thank you goes to :iconjaderaven93: for drawing Xora playing cards and to :iconaleigh01: for drawing the touching moment between Xora and Lyrik at the end:


Xora's Gallery: [link]
© 2011 - 2024 RebelATS
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so cute, incredible soft way for a turian. You are a surprising writer