Author's Note: This story was supposed to be like a 200-word ficlet. Oh well, I got a little carried away. I should be working on my main story.
"I kicked their asses, you shoulda seen it!" Shepard laughed and slightly slurred as she laid down on the couch. Her dark brown hair spread out on the cushions as she tilted her head back with a wide smile.
Garrus placed a glass of water down on the coffee table. He glanced at the large spanning windows of the apartment. The blinds were more or less useless as the lights of the strip pierced the room.
The fact that such a poorly defensive flaw was allowed for a Councilmember's apartment was surprising. Now that Shepard had been lent ownership of it, the fact irritated him. Any competent enough sniper could easily track their movements and take a shot.
It had happened to Liara at her apartment back on Illium. Shepard wasn't nearly as cautiously paranoid to keep her barriers up either. And with the possibility of more clones being out there? Trained to be like her? They could easily get a shot in.
His attention drew back to her giggling, or snorts now as she descended deeper into laughter. Her lips turned up and scrunched the scars that ran down her cheeks. Those scars were probably the first things that people notice about her. They have begun to grow as the war had gone on.
Although she'd probably say her dark and thick eyebrows would be the first things that people noticed. She'd probably wiggle and scrunch them wildly for good measure to get attention to them.
But for Garrus it was her smile that was her most prominent feature about her. It is what should be the first thing that people notice about her. But as her scars ran deeper, the opportunity to see such a sight had grown smaller.
"Really, how is that new?" Garrus asked as he sat down near her.
"I got 400 off Alenko and 100 off Vega," Shepard said triumphantly as she struggled to lift and place her head in his lap.
Garrus began to massage circles into her scalp with his palm. The hair was definitely something that took some time to get use to. Although he'd come to enjoyed it and loved running his hands through the thick waves. Even when it did get caught in his mandibles from time to time.
"Why so much from Kaidan?"
Shepard hummed and simultaneously slurred in response. "Mmmm, I maaay have downplayed my skills in the beginnings."
"So you hustled him then?" Garrus asked dryly.
"I'd phrased it a differently. I unbur-unburdened him of his credits through my skills at pool," she said with a sly smile as she looked up at him.
"You'd think he'd learn after that game of Skyllian-five."
"Ah, well if he learned then I'd be out some of my spending money and how would I get those upgrades for my Widow then?" Shepard yawned and tucked her head into his lap. Her eyes and lips began to droop.
There weren't enough moments like this. Of just resting. Shore leave had barely begun, and they had already chased her clone all across the Citadel. She was still in her Alliance blues, even on break. Although her shoes were kicked off by the door, and her jacket was off somewhere folded carefully.
"So, you've had enough of a stiff drink to talk about the clone?"
Shepard let out a small laugh. "Ugh, I still don't want to talk about that."
"So what will get you to then?" Garrus continued with his questioning, keeping her awake.
"Get me some Ryn-ryncol and we'll see," Shepard waved her arm absentmindedly up at him and let it thud back on her stomach.
"I'll pass on that, drink some water instead."
"I'm only buzzed, I don't need it."
"James said you passed out in an elevator," Garrus said in jest.
Shepard scrunched her nose in mock anger as she stared him down. Or up in this matter. "Only for like a minute this time! Besides I'll burn through the alcohol with my plants. Implant I mean."
"Just drink it, if you don't you're going to be complaining about a hangover in the morning like usual."
Her eyes narrowed at him as she tried to focus. "Am I that predictable?"
"Only for a few things," Garrus said facetiously.
Predictability was the last thing he'd label her with. Watching her run out and take a Reaper head on only a week ago attested to that. It was at that moment he'd realized how crazy the human he fallen in love with was and how close he was to losing her.
But that smile after it all. After taking down a Reaper on foot and yelling her lungs out at the Quarian admirals to stand down. A cocky and satisfied smile. It was worth the scare she gave him every once in a while.
"Like what?" Shepard shot up from his lap to face him. Her energy back in full force.
"Let's see, I already got complaining over hangovers that could be easily prevented. Then there's compulsively buying ship models and pets, and oh yeah crashing every vehicle you come into contact with." Garrus left out passing out in elevators; she didn't need the reminder.
"Yeah, yeah I get it," Shepard waved him off to stop the taunting. She grabbed onto the couch to the steady herself. He handed her the water that she finished in seconds flat.
"Happy?" She questioned as her smile spread across her face, reaching and lighting up her bright green eyes.
"Very. You're beautiful you know that?"
Other than saying that her hair looked good and how supportive her waist was, he hadn't made many comments on her appearance. As she continually mocked him for that comment. It was easier just to keep it short and simple.
"Ha, you're, uh you're not so bad yourself big guy." Her cheeks began to grow redder than they were from the alcohol. Those bright green eyes became heavy-lidded. Her tongue flicked out and moistened her lips. The smile turned coy. "Come, come here," she stammered as she climbed on top of him.
The smell of alcohol surrounded her as she vigorously kissed him. Her lips slowly trailed down the scarred side of his face, down towards his neck. Garrus hummed happily in response. The wonders of what her lips could do. Shepard began to nuzzle her face into his neck and soon slumped the rest of her full weight into him.
"Alright let's get you to bed," Garrus laughed as he patted her back. Shepard growled weakly into his neck.
"Fine, but, but this isn't over Vakarian," she annoyingly giggled as she pecked small kisses up his scars then his mouth plates.
"I'll hold you to that," Garrus rumbled as his mandibles flared out into a smile.
"You better," she mumbled back as she pressed her smile to his. Damn it was good to know that he'd been the one to get that smile.