Chapter Text
When they later make a stop on Aya to check in with the Moshae and Evfra - and Jaal requests that she meet him outside the Resistance Headquarters - Aria finds herself strangely giddy.
Even more so when he leads her away from the main city and covers her eyes, making her laugh.
"Wherever we are smells heavenly," she breathes, straining her ears to listen, trying to place where they are, "Do I hear water?"
"So impatient," Jaal chuckles fondly, lifting his hands away, "Take a look."
Aria gasps in delight at the sight before her - a small, clear-water lake with a waterfall, surrounded by lush jungle plants and a blue sky - and turns back to grab his hand, tugging him closer.
"This is beautiful, Jaal. How is it empty though?"
"Mmm, I have my ways." he hums, smirking, and Aria goes on her tiptoes to kiss him quickly before pulling him closer to the water.
"This is my favorite place in the universe," Jaal sweeps his arm out, indicating the bright flora and clear water, "I come here to think, sometimes. I've never brought anyone else here, until now."
"I love it." Aria shuffles until they're pressed side-to-side, hands still clasped, loving the quiet buzz of energy that seems to connect them, the simple comfort of his presence.
"Hey... can we swim, here?" she asks suddenly, giddy at the mere thought of it. She hasn't been swimming in years, not since she was a child.
Jaal laughs, nods, "That sounds quite fun, actually. Shall we?"
They part and begin to strip, and Aria reflects briefly on how much things have changed. When they'd visited Sahuna that first time, she'd been flustered to just be in a tank top and leggings in front of him.
Now, she doesn't think twice about tossing off her hoodie or shimmying off her pants and panties, bra unhooked and flung in the vague direction of the rest of her clothes.
She steps up to the water and dips her toe in, happy to find it warm, gaze lifting to Jaal's when he steps up behind her and takes her hand.
Grinning at each other, they begin to wade in, the water swiftly rising to Aria's hips and then staying there as they hit a plateau, the shift of gravel beneath her feet telling her it deepens further in.
Aria grins mischievously and grips his hand tighter, dropping under the water and pulling him with her.
He only flounders for a moment before he's caught her by the waist and lifted them both back up, making her shriek with laughter when they break the surface and he starts spinning her around.
Jaal growls playfully as they come to a stop, pressing her body close to his as he catches her mouth, making her sigh and wrap her arms around his neck.
He winds a hand through her hair and pulls back in surprise, still holding her against him, "Aria, your hair! It seems... stickier?"
She can't help laughing, "It does that when it's wet, Jaal."
Jaal makes another curious noise before tightening his grip and kissing her again, deeper this time, and Aria wraps her legs around him for stability, hearing him growl when her hips press flush against his.
"Jaal," she whispers, sure now, "I love you."
Jaal goes stock still for a single moment before gripping her fiercely, pressing their foreheads together, a steady current now flowing between them, "I love you to, my Darling. My Temptress. Though I fear we must stop, lest I lose control of my desire."
"Who says I don't want you to?" Aria breathes back, stroking his cowl.
"Are you sure, Aria?" his eyes are darker suddenly, making her shiver, "Once we start, I will not be able to stop."
"Let's go back to the Tempest. Then, yes, I'm sure."
That earns her a quiet rumble, Jaal carrying her back to the shore and only letting her down so he can pull his own bodysuit back on.
Aria only pulls on her pants and hoodie, tucking her undergarments in her pocket and letting Jaal lead her out of the clearing.
They make it to her quarters before losing patience, immediately stripping and grabbing each other, touching and kissing and laughing at the newness of it all.
Aria sits on the bed at Jaal's behest and squeaks when he grips her legs and yanks her closer, the sound tapering off into a startled moan when he buries his face between her thighs and hazards a delicate lick along her folds.
She's never been touched there and doesn't know how to direct him, but Jaal seems fine on his own; dipping his tongue inside only to pull it back, flicking it over her clit, the steady buzz of his bio-electricity strumming through her with every touch.
It's when he sucks on her clit and presses a finger inside that she sees stars, back arching and breath coming out in a gasp, hips rocking into his motions.
Whether it's because of that static current or just the fact that they're Soul Mates, Aria doesn't know, but all to soon she's throwing her head back and gripping the sheets and shouting his name as her body releases, boneless and panting in the aftermath as he licks her clean.
Jaal stands and crawls over her, bending to kiss her, and Aria shivers at the hard press of his length against her belly, lifting her legs to wrap around his hips and give him silent permission.
He shifts and her breath whooshes out of her as he begins to press in, a pleasant burn as he stretches her, sighing breathily when he's buried to the hilt.
Then Jaal moves and her mind goes blank, the rest of the night lost in a haze of pleasure and love that lasted well into the next day.
The trip to Aya serves as a tipping point, and Aria can only thank her squad mates for the fact that they survive.
Everything seems to happen at once - Khi Tasira, nearly dying again, Scott being kidnapped along with the Hyperion, desperately chasing after the Archon to Meridian-
And winning. Taking down the Archon's pets and then the bastard himself, freeing Scott, securing Meridian for the Nexus and their allies... and coming out of it without a single loss.
Look, Dad. Look what we did. I wish you could see this.
Jaal sweeping her off her feet and spinning her around scatters the sadness, making her laugh and hold on, kissing him joyfully when he sets her back down.
Who cares that they have an audience? They're alive and they're together, neither of them broken as they'd feared.
The past is behind them; they have the present, they have a future.
Speaking of...
"Jaal." Aria mumbles against his mouth, not willing to pull away quite yet, "Need to tell you something. Later."
Jaal pulls away, giving her a concerned look, "Is everything alright, Aria?"
"More than." she says, and takes his hand to put it on her belly.
Going by the way his eyes go wide and he's immediately laughing and swinging her around again, the gesture translates between species.
Aria can only laugh and return the affection, near purring when he kisses her again, lighting her up.
Like starbursts.