Ryncol Rancor

Christmas or Yule, however arbitrary it might have been in an intergalactic world, was still widely celebrated among humans. While the crew of the Normandy lacked immediate access to their relatives whenever the holiday rolled around, there were still ample enthusiasm to go around - if anything owing to the inherent hilarity of the ensuing cultural exchange with the aliens on board.

"Think you can drink me under the table, Justicar?"

"Oh Wrex, in my eyes, you are always beneath it."

"Hah! I'm sure I should feel insulted, I choose to interpret it like you accept my challenge."

While family was absent, there was no shortage of people filling their stereotypical places. The role of strict mother that none the less insisted everyone eat their share (and more) was easily filled by the likes of Chakwas and Samara, with Liara and EDI being the mild mannered yet enthusiastic conversation partners at the table - Shepard ending up in the middle of the pack as the youth-who-wasn't-so-young-anymore, who inevitably settled for mostly observing the whole thing play out. Now, whereas Jack often ended up playing the driver of mischief role, Wrex was not beyond his grandfatherly role of smuggling in alcohol of various potency that no one, through the entire remainder of the year, could figure out where he was hiding it all.

This year, as it were, there had been a lot.

A lot of Ryncol, on that.

So while the party certainly took a turn this year, for better or worse being highly up for interpretation, there was no denying that most of them had a very good time indeed.

Shepard did, however, insist on scouring Wrex room to make sure he didn't have any of it left and, to Javik's great joy, suggested they throw whatever they might find right out the airlock.

But that was for after the headaches and... whatever other fallout from the whole ordeal had been tended to.

It's a good thing they were overstocked on pregnancy tests.

-----

'tis the season, so here's a Christmas-ish Mass Effect themed wallpaper for the occasion! Wrex having a santa hat on sadly ended up outside the frame, but rest assured that he did his role, and he did it damn well. It was nice to take a break from project work, but I'm getting back into it this very moment to get some Widowmaker to bounce, once more :)

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and for all of your kind words! The holiday is about to hit us full force, so while I hunker down to push this Christmas short out the door, I hope you're doing well out there and have found some small refuge from the stress and rushing about. I think we all need a grampa like Wrex in our lives, at times.

Take care of yourselves, and each other!
/DH