The Renegade Adored

Liara: If a woman can be won with words, I am that woman - and you have won me. (Something heard once, a long time ago.)

Liara sat down shakily as Shepard stormed out of the science lab. Shepard's fury, while expected, was still shocking to her. Liara was used to being treated rather differently. Most people who met her wanted to protect her, shelter her. But Shepard's rage was like being hit by a thunderstorm.
And instead of running for shelter, Liara wanted to strip off her clothes and dance naked in the rain.
Shepard was amazing. Liara had never seen anyone like her. She was more than just a human, she was a primal force. Liara stared at the door, wondering what she should do now. Should she apologize? Somehow convince herself to stop being interested in Shepard?
Was such a thing even possible?
A soft beep from her console alerted her to a new message. At least that would give her something else to think about for a few moments. She turned back to her console, pulled up her messaging interface. Her heart skipped a beat.
The message was from Shepard.
"Liara," the message began, "I want to apologize for losing my temper like that. I wasn't being fair to you. I'm sorry about that, but I have bad history with Asari, and I realize now that I've been taking it out on you even though you don't deserve it. I'm sorry again. Hayden."
Such a simple thing, this message. Such a very little thing.
Liara stared, read the message again hungrily. It wasn't her fault then. Shepard - Hayden - had apologized to her. Hayden cared, at least a little, about Liara's feelings. She fired off a reply, waited.
"Liara, I'm just not good with people face to face. Not even with Humans. I'm even worse with Asari. It's not just you. Hayden."
She sent more questions, wondering. Was this really the same Shepard who had raged at her in this room only minutes ago? More messages flew back and forth between them, fleshing out the woman behind the hurtful sarcasm and the pages of blood. An intimacy born of words and secrets. Not friendship. Something else.
"Liara. You want the truth? I think you're beautiful. There? Are you happy now? I just don't know how to show it. I can't do it. When I'm standing near you, I get a little crazy. I think for both our sakes I should just stay away from you. Hayden."
Liara knew perfectly well that Hayden was crazy about Kaidan. She knew that she didn't stand a chance of winning Hayden's maddening affections away from him. She decided not to let that stop her.
"Liara! What the hell were you thinking, jumping me like that? I was trying to comfort you about the loss of your mother, like everyone said I was supposed to do. God! What is wrong with you? Is your arm okay? I'll buy you a new shirt, or whatever. Don't ever do that again, or I won't be responsible for what happens, seriously. Hayden."
Liara savored every bruise, indelible signs of her ability to summon a kindred passion in Hayden.
"Liara - of course I enjoyed kissing you. Don't be stupid. And stop it before someone gets hurt. Hayden."
Not Liara, of course. Hayden's concern was for Kaidan. Dull, stupid Kaidan who couldn't see what was happening right before his eyes. And possibly, Hayden was concerned for herself. She was beginning to realize that Liara's sweetness hid a core as dark and determined as her own.
"Liara. I could kiss you a hundred times and it still wouldn't be enough. What do I want? I want to tie you down and hear you scream my name while I fuck you with my fingers and my tongue and anything else I can think of. But I can't have both you and Kaidan. Not at the same time anyway. So for the last time, stop it. Hayden."
Liara smiled to herself. Read the message again. "You win this round, Alenko, but the war is far from over." She reached out a slender, blue hand and closed the console without replying.