This is a make believe story about make believe characters. Mass Effect 3: Being Difficult (MF, herm, anal) by Big Red Dope (bigreddope@hotmail.com) John Shepard paced back and forth in his quarters as the Normandy flew towards the Mu relay. Thanks in large part to Liara, despite the fact that Saren had a headstart there was now a small chance that Shepard and his crew could catch up to him and stop him before he made it back to the Citadel and helped usher in the return of the Reapers. Despite the specter of the end of all advanced life in the galaxy there was something else weighing heavily on Shepard's mind. For all intents and purposes John had mutinied and stolen the Normandy. Captain Anderson had helped him and would be the one left holding the bag if everything went to hell. As he continued to pace the door to his room slid open and Gunnery Chief Williams entered. "Hey Ash," Shepard smiled. If there was one good thing that came out of this entire mess that began on Eden Prime it was her. Ashley was strong, confident, smart, and knew how to handle a gun. Despite her occasional borderline xenophobic remarks Ashley was the ideal woman to him. "Hey John," she replied with an uneasy smile the Spectre as oblivious to. "We need to talk." "I know. When this is all over I'll take responsibility for everything so you and the rest of the crew don't have anything to worry about. I don't know what yet, but I'll think of something to help Captain Anderson out." "We need to talk about us." "I promise I'll introduce you to my mother when this over," the commander said. "I swear I've sent her an extranet message so she does know you exist." "Please stop," Ashley said raising her hands to keep Shepard at bay as he tried to move in close to her. Shepard might have missed the uneasiness in her smile, but the pained look on her face was unmistakable. "What's wrong Ash? "We need to stop this." "We've been over this. I'm a Spectre. The Alliance's fraternization rules don't apply to me. Even if they did I don't think anyone would care about us being in a relationship after we stop Saren." "It's not about the rules John. I care for you, I really do and I want this to work more than anything, but for both our sakes I can't allow our relationship to go any further." "You know I'll do anything for you Ashley, I'll do anything to make this work. What are you so afraid of?" "You don't have to tell me that! I know you'd do anything!" Ashley snapped with tears starting to trickle down from her eyes. "Stop, just stop." Shepard stood there stunned as Ashley wiped the tears from her face and left his quarters. He and his team eventually caught up to Saren on the Citadel and managed to stop him while Joker and the Arcturus fleet killed Sovereign. He left Ashley alone for several days to give her time to clear her head and to let her decide when to initiate any new conversation. She never did. Several days eventually turned into several weeks and when Shepard finally decided he'd be the one to break the ice the Normandy was attacked by the Collectors and he was killed. When he was resurrected by Miranda and Cerberus Shepard's thoughts weren't of escaping the facility under attack by hijacked mechs. His thoughts were of Ashley and why the girl he loved who wasn't afraid of being direct and confronting someone was the exact opposite with him. Shepard's heart moved a little closer to breaking when his path crossed with Ashley's on Horizon. The woman that he adored, that he loved, tore him a new one even after driving away the Collectors. The confrontation that he didn't get on the Normandy he got on Horizon. "That's Commander Shepard. A living god," Ashley said interrupting Delan and the commander. "Of all the good people taken and they left you behind," Delan sneered as the alliance officer appeared from behind a building. "I'm done with you alliance types." Delan growled as he stormed off. "It's good seeing you again Ash. You look good." "Don't," Ashley began with anger in her voice. "Don't what?" "You died John. You died two years ago. Despite the fact that things didn't work out between us I was devastated. We all were, but we moved on. Then I began hearing rumors that you were alive and I tried my damndest not to care, not to let it affect me, but it did. I still cared for you John and when I began seeing videos and images of you on the extranet... I wanted to fall in love with you again. I really did, but you made no attempt to contact me and you did not reply to a single message I sent you." "Ms. Williams messages were deemed to be too emotionally charged and personal to relay to you. As ordered by the Illusive Man I found them to potentially be too much of a risk to cause distractions and deleted them." "Your handler deleted them. That's good to know. My anger can be evenly distributed then. Maybe if I dressed more like a whore you would give me the time of day." "Hey-" "Miranda no. I want you and Jacob back at the shuttle. I'll meet you there shortly." "Yes commander." "Don't you dare start with me Ash," John growled once Miranda and Jacob were out of sight. "I loved you Ashley. I still do, but you're the one that broke up with me remember? You couldn't even give me the decency of telling me why. I thought it was best that I give you space, that'd you talk to me when you were ready, but you couldn't be bothered either it seems. God forbid the Collectors blow up the Normandy or else we still wouldn't be talking!" "I know I ended our relationship John! It killed me then and it still kills me now! I would love to be able to tell you why I did it, but I can't. You just have to accept that." Just like their last meeting on the Normandy tears began streaming down Ashley's face. When Shepard reached in to wipe them away she knocked his hand away. "Don't," She whispered before turning and leaving John by himself. *** As the Normandy docked at the Citadel and it's crew spent it's time replenishing supplies and catching up on some rest and relaxation John stayed in his room laying on his bed relieving his last encounters with Ashley prior to the Reaper attack. The two of them stayed professional with each other when Ashley rejoined after shooting Councilor Udina and saving the other members. That meant though outside of discussions of mission specifics they did not say a word to each other or to the rest of the crew lest they happen to cross paths. What that ultimately meant was that what little downtime there was John spent watching his fish and his absence from interacting with the crew did not go un-noticed by Dr. Chakwas. As John sat in bed drinking a glass of whiskey his cabin door slid open and Dr. Chakwas entered. "Permission to speak freely Commander." "You know you don't have to do that with me." "I know, but I have something I need to say and it's probably going to be something you don't like." "Oh?" John replied with a smirk before downing the rest of his drink and setting the empty glass on the nightstand. "Please continue." "John, I'm concerned about you. We all are." "Who's we?" "Me, Liara, Garrus, Tali, the entire crew." "And why is everyone concerned about me?" "Ever since Ashley rejoined us you've changed. Your demeanor has changed, your socializing has drastically lessened, you're not the same Commander Shepard who took it upon himself to save Earth from the Reapers all those months ago. And Ashley hasn't been the same since she came back. She isn't the same marine you rescued on Eden Prime and she's not the type of person to change as much as she has without a good reason." "I appreciate your concern Dr. Chakwas, but Eden Prime was what almost three years ago? People change." "Not this quickly and I know her problems are the same as yours." "What problems are those?" John sighed loudly. "Each other. Everybody onboard the original Normandy knew you two were crazy for each other. You two didn't hide it very well. Then right before we got to Ilos something happened because you didn't take her with you and prior to that you had taken her with you on practically every mission. You two didn't say a word to each between when Sovereign was destroyed and the Collectors attacked us." "Dr..." "No, let me finish. There is something unresolved between you and Ms. Williams. We need the both of you at your best if we're to have a chance at stopping the Reapers." Dr. Chakwas sighed before turning and heading for the door. "Please just talk to her." John stewed for a few minutes going over the doctor's words in his head , before resigning himself to the fact that she was right. He got out of bed and made his way to the observation deck that Ashley now called home. There he found her sitting quietly and staring out the window. The great void of space was her fishtank. "Let me guess," She began without acknowledging John's presence. "Dr. Chakwas just talked to you too?" "You mind if I sit?" "Not at all," Ashley responded finally acknowledging his existence by looking at him as he sat down. "It's your ship. You can do whatever you want." "Ash..." "Yes?" "Never mind," Shepard said getting up and heading for the door. "Wait," Ashley called out getting up to chase after him. "I'm sorry. Don't leave." John stopped for a moment. "Why? I get it. I really do. I don't know what or how, but I've done something to really piss off you and turn you off to me completely. I accept that." "It's not you John. It never was." "Then what is it?" Shepard asked as he turned around to face Ashley. This time she didn't stop as he wiped the tears from her face. John then took her hands into his. "Please talk to me. I love you Ashley. I know it's corny and cliché, but I love you more than life itself. You mean the absolute world to me and whatever time I have left alive I want to spend it with you. If there's someone else, if you're a lesbian, god even if you're into varren please let me know why you don't want us together. I will deal with it." "It's not that I don't want us to be together John. It's..." "What is it? Please talk to me," Shepard pleaded. Ashley took her hands from Shepard and rubbed her forehead nervously letting out a chuckle. "Um... How do I explain this?" "Explain what?" "I... Ah... Have you ever seen an adult vid called Asaris With Guns?" "No... But w hen did you start watching adult vids?" "I don't. EDI found it in Joker's porn stash. It's a long story. Look before this gets any more awkward, though I'm not sure how it could at this point, let me just say and please trust me when I say this, I'm a freak." "Ash you're not getting rid of me that easily," John replied with one of those self-assured smiles that used to melt Ashley's heart. "What about this?" Ashley began unzipping the jacket of her uniform. When the zipper reached the bottom she then unfastened her pants and pulled them down to her knees. John could only stare as Ash lowered her panties and an eight-inch penis appeared. The silence lasted for several minutes before Ashley began redressing. "Please say something John." "I... don't know what to say." "What are you thinking then?" "I don't know that either..." "I knew this was going to happen... You think I'm a freak..." Ashley pouted before running from the observation deck and disappearing on the elevator. *** "John, is everything all right?" Hannah Shepard asked her son via video chat on his cabin's console. "I hope it is, but I don't know." "Oh no! What have they done? What colony was attacked?" "Relax, I'm not calling you about anything to do with the Reapers. This is personal and I need some advice." "Is this about Ashley?" "Yeah." "I've always said that if you two put as much effort into getting along as you do fighting, then you'd make a beautiful couple and I might finally have grandchildren to help raise." "Mother, please don't star with that again," Shepard smirked rolling his eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry. Tell me what's bothering you." "Can I ask you something personal first?" "Of course. Anything you're comfortable with." "Would you think any differently of me if I was gay? Would dad?" "What kind of question is that?" Hannah asked with insult in her tone. "I need to know." "Of course not. I'd love and treat you the same as would your father if he was still with us. If you got hold of me to tell me you're gay then there are more pressing matters to attend to." "I need to get the situation between me and Ashley straightened out. We're both in awkward positions right now with our attention not focused where it should be." "Then what do you need from me John?" "Before I go any further I need you to swear to me that you will not repeat any of this anybody." "Are you serious?" "Yes. Please mother." Hannah saw the uneasiness in her son's eyes and agreed to keep the secret. "Okay I promise. I won't tell a soul." "There's no easy way thing say this so I'm just going to come right out with it then. The reason why Ashley and I have had issues is because she claimed that not getting into a relationship with me was for the best for both of us. A few days ago I found why she told me that... She was born with a penis." There was silence on Hannah's end of the video chat. "I had the same reaction and she called herself a freak before running off." "People like her are rare, but I knew someone like her before." "I wanted to say something to her, to comfort her. I really wanted to tell her that I still loved her regardless of what she thought was wrong with body, but I said nothing. I don't know if my feelings for her have changed or not. I think I still love her, but she's got the same genitalia that I do and I'm not gay." "Since you told me a secret I think it's only fair that I tell you one. Not even your father knew about this. Long before I met your father but shortly after I joined the Alliance I visited the Citadel once with some classmates during a break in our training. One day while I was shopping a turian C-Sec officer knocked me over while chasing a suspect. After he caught and arrested the salarian he came to check on me to make sure I was okay. Not a single word was said by either of us, but it was love at first sight for both of us. You have to remember that at the time turians and humans were still really bitter and resentful towards each other because of the First Contact War. We had to keep our relationship a secret which often meant that I had to sneak to his place without being seen or followed. His name was Viktor and he was such a sweetheart. He went out of his way to learn how to cook food I could eat and obtain vids to watch together that wouldn't bore me. No matter what Viktor made sure I was happy even at this own expense and comfort." "What happened to him?" "The day before I was to leave the Citadel and return to training I got careless. Another student saw him and me together and told our teacher. Eventually it made its way back to my parents and they were not happy. They gave me an ultimatum; either I end the relationship right then and there or they were going to disown me and I would never be allowed to see them or anyone else in our family again. Please don't think I regret meeting your father or that I settled for him because of my parents. I loved him very much and with him we were given you, but not a day goes by that I don't wonder what happened to Viktor what might have happened to us if I had chosen to go with my heart and ignore my parents. Whatever you decide to do about Ashley I don't want you regretting the decision later." "Why didn't you ever tell me or dad about this before?" "It was old news. I was afraid of opening old wounds or creating new ones. Are you going to be okay?" "Yeah, I think so." "Just do two things for me. Don't make this decision lightly and be honest with Ashley okay?" "Okay." "I'm being transferred to help at the Crucible so if you still need to talk it'll be best if you send me extranet messages. I love you John." "I love you too." John briefly mulled over the conversation with his mother when the video chat ended. He continued to think things over as he got up and readied for bed. Shepard fell asleep still thinking of Ashley and what he ultimately wanted. *** "Sam said you wanted to see me commander," Ashley said announcing her presence in Shepard's quarters. "Didn't we agree that we were beyond titles?" "Yes sir, but that was before... I've been slack in my performance and presentation sir. I think it'd be for the best if we started following regulations again sir." "I don't agree with that at all Ash and please stop with the sirs," John said flashing her his smile from the edge of the bed. "Come here. I have something I want to talk to you about." "Permission to speak freely." "Of course." "I don't think it would be wise to join you on the bed sir." "Ash you're being difficult again," John sighed as he got up and walked towards Ashley who was still near the door. "Shepard I just think it's best if-" Ashley lost her train of thought as John pulled her in close and kissed her. As their lips swapped moisture Ashley jumped when she felt Shepard's hand grab hold of her butt and squeeze. "You okay?" He grinned. "I'm fine. I miss you John, but we can't do this. We---" "Let me talk first," Shepard interrupted. "I know I was a jerk with the way I reacted when you told me about your secret. And yes it took me a few days to come to this realization, but I love you Ashley. You. Not your genitalia, or arm, or foot, or any other body part. I love you the way you are and there's nobody else I want in my life." "But I'm not normal John." "Neither am I." "Why do you have to make this so hard?" Shepard kissed Ashley while giving her ass a squeeze once again before his hands made their way to the front of her uniform and began tugging on the zipper. When the front of Ashley's jacket was opened then thrown to the floor she reached for his shirt and began pulling up on it. The two Spectres stripped the clothing from each other's bodies as they eagerly made their way to Shepard's bed. Once at the foot of it the only piece of clothing either had on was their underwear. "You are so gorgeous Ash," John smiled lovingly. "I love you." "I love you too John," Ashley smiled back kissing him on the lips. The commander then picked her up and laid her down on the bed. "Now, let's get you out of these," the commander said as he pulled down Ashley's panties. Shepard's cabin was quiet save for the humming of the aquarium and Ashley's heavy breathing. Ashley let out a moan as John's hand began sliding up and down the top of her flaccid shaft. As his fingers delighted her cock it began throbbing and within a few short seconds its eight inches were fully erect. John's fingers and thumb encircled the hard fleshy organ and began gently stroking it. Ashley began getting antsy as the soft stroking of John's hand started to excite her body and not just her member. Her hands began getting restless and she desperately wanted to reach down and masturbate until she came. "Damn it John! Suck my dick all ready!" Ashley suddenly blurted. The Spectre was about to apologize for her demand when she felt something wet press up against her scrotum. Ashley nearly came as Shepard's tongue began working itself back and forth across her testicles. "Fuck!" Ashley grunted as John took the right side of her sack into his mouth and began gently sucking on it his tongue pressing down on her trapped testicle Ashley could feel the precum oozing down her cock and when he looked up John could see it. The Spectre then brought his tongue to the base of Ashley's and shaft slowly began dragging it up towards the tip. The fluid tasted salty and warm to John, but beyond that he didn't give it a second thought. When his tongue reached to the top of Ashley's penis he flicked it across the opening eliciting an excited groan from Ashley. John's mouth squeezed a few more drops of precum from Ashley's cock as his lips surrounded and pressed down on her shaft. Ashley let out a higher pitched squeal as the commander's head bobbed up and down and his tongue snaked around her member. Suddenly and without warning Ashley grabbed the back of his and began forcing it down on her as she thrust upward. The head of her penis brushed against the back of his throat each time it plunged into his mouth. Ashley worried for a moment that her sudden aggressive behavior would put off John, but it didn't. He seemingly relished the thrusting of herself into his mouth with his tongue continuing to slither around the shaft of the intrusive object. Ashley found her cock to be throbbing wildly and the need to orgasm coming shortly, but she also found a sudden ability to restrain herself and not come too soon. She pulled John's head off her member and smiled at him. She wasn't sure why, but Ashley was pleasantly surprised when the look on John's face was contentment and happiness. "I need you on the bed," Ashley commanded as she tore the underwear from his body and thew him down onto the bed on his stomach. She grinned looking down at him to see his legs spread with his dick pressed flat against the sheets. Ashley giggled excited that the ass she would get to play with was firm and toned. She grabbed Shepard's buttocks in both hands and began playing around with them. She squeezed and massaged the tight cheeks. She knew that John had always kept in shape, but didn't realize how in shape he ways. It was now John who groaned when Ashley's tongue began pressing into his asshole. He had never done any kind of assplay before with anyone and truth be told was quite nervous when he told Sam to send Ashley up. Perhaps it was because he was with the woman he loved, perhaps it was because he enjoyed it more than he thought he would, but in any case the feeling of Ashley's wet tongue sliding up and down his backside was bliss to him. "That feels good," John moaned with a smile only he knew existed. Ashley kept prying his buttocks apart pushing her tongue as deep into his anus as she could. When the wet appendage slipped from his opening John groaned with delight. "What about this?" Ashley teased pressing the tip of her finger into his butthole swirling it around. "Very nice Ash," John grinned finding his member suddenly throbbing. "Good boy." Ashley began working the finger in and out of Shepard's backside. Each time it went in his ass seemed to clench down on it and whenever she pulled it out he opened up. Ashley temporarily pulled her finger completely out so she could lean in and tongue John's asshole some more. With each thrust of Ashley's tongue into his backside John's cock dribbled out precum. "Fuck me all ready Ash. I need you," John begged. John grunted as Ashley pressed the tip of her penis against his opening and teased him rubbing it up and down his backside. Both nearly came when Ashley finally lined up her shaft with his ass and slowly began to push inside. Feeling the massive member invade his insides turned John on. His own cock was throbbing and he desperately wanted to jerk himself off as Ashley penetrated him from behind, but as he got up on his hands and knees he found he needed both hands to keep himself upright from Ashley's excited thrusting. With her hands firmly gripping John's hips Ashley watched in amazement each time her eight inches bottomed out inside him. The feeling of his tight little asshole clinging to her shaft as she pushed it and out ramped up her excitement. The squeezing of his backside onto her throbbing member was beginning to become too much for her. John felt his own dick start to flicker back and forth as his body started begging for release. He felt Ashley's balls slap against his skin each time she fully penetrated him. "I'm fixing to come Ash," John groaned as his ass eagerly ate up her cock . Ashley continued splitting John's backside apart burying herself deep inside him. "John!" She grunted when his asshole took hold of her shaft and began squeezing. Shepard squeezed the hell out of the bed sheets as his dick starting bucking wildly as he ejaculated. His semen spurted onto the bed covering it in small puddles from one side to the other. As John came so too did Ashley. With a hard final thrust Ashley buried her cock deep inside John as she began to come. Her cum belted the inside of John's bowels covering his insides with warm stickiness. "Fuck that was great," Ashley moaned when she pulled her limp cock out of Shepard and the two of them laid next to each other on his bed oblivious to the semen they were now laying in. "I'm sorry John I didn't mean to boss you around like that." "Don't worry about it Ash. You would have known if I was uncomfortable or didn't like it. I am sorry though that it took me so long to figure things out." "You don't need to keep apologizing for that. I don't know how I would have reacted if I found out you had a vagina. I can't be too angry at you for that." "Shepard?" EDI's voiced suddenly boomed. "Yes EDI?" "We'll be arriving at Thessia within the hour. You and Ms. Williams should prepare accordingly." "We will. Thank you for the update." The reunited lovebirds gave each other a quick kiss, before Shepard got up clenching his butt tight. "I've got a bit more cleanup to do than you. Pull the sheets off the bed while I shower please." "Sure thing," Ashley smiled before breaking out laughing as Shepard waddled his way to the shower.