''What are you?'' the little girl asked, her bright blue eyes staring up at him inquisitively.
''A turian.'' He huffs out, uncomfortable by this girl's wide-eyed stare.
He may only be ten years old but he knew enough to know that this… creature... was a human. He also knew that his species and their species had fought some kind of war many years ago and that a lot of Turians, his grandpa especially, still hated them.
''Oh! I've never seen one like you before. I like your markings they're very pretty.'' The girl giggled, her bouncy red hair moving up and down in time with her shoulders as she laughed.
The boy flushed blue and warily took a step back as he saw her impossibly tiny hands come up to touch his face. He growled low in his throat in warning but immediately clamped down on his subvocals as he saw a brief glimmer of fear pass over her face.
Great, now he felt ashamed.
He sighed and took another step forward. His father words ringing in his ears.
'Garrus, I need you to be on your best behaviour tonight. You know how hard we fought against the humans, sacrifices and consequences were made and endured on both sides. We have peace at last, Humans and Turians, together as one. Tonight, my son, this will all be recorded in history.'
He didn't understand the politics behind tonight's gala. A large hall had been booked out and people from all species, had arrived in their finest attire. The silvery gowns on the Asari shimmered as they twirled, the human men looked dapper in their black suits and the Salarians actually managed to look regal as their outfits made them seem taller than the rest. Music was accompanied by the chinking of glasses, the occasional burst of laughter from nowhere and the hum of delicious food being consumed, permeating the room around him. And yet, here he stood.
A glorified baby-sitter to a human scrap of a girl, who was far too nosy, far too touchy-feely for his tastes. Sacrifices and consequences he hummed in his mind and he leaned forward, bending over at the waist to make it easier for her. He felt her small stubby fingers trace his markings. He shivered at the warmth, a tingling sensation reaching all the way down to the tips of his talons in his two toes. He stood back up, a little out of breath and dizzy from the sudden movement and when he looked down at the girl, his eyes widened as he saw the pure unadulterated joy on this girls face. The fact that he had let her satisfy her curiosity had made her extremely happy it seems.
''How old you are?'' he asked and he watched her put a finger in her strange mouth, as she sucked on it he trilled in disbelief at all the shapes she was contorting it into. With a pop she held out both hands and with a vibrant smile and held up both hands so that six fingers were showing. He once again shook his head in awe that she had so many fingers to begin with. How strange... how abnormal. He nodded to the girl that he understood and she let out another peal of laughter for no reason, when he opened his mouth again to ask her what she found so funny, he was suddenly pulled down by the hem of his sleeve.
Spirits, he was so much taller than her, bigger and stronger and yet she had pulled him down like plucking a feather floating in the wind. He rumbled in awkwardness as he found himself almost bent at one knee on the floor and her little arms came up again and suddenly he stilled. Her hands traced over all the plates on his face and she hummed a song he was unfamiliar with as she carelessly poked and prodded at his fringe. Another wave of laughter escaped her, drawing the eyes of the guests mingling about the room.
Spirits, he wanted to die of embarrassment. What was this little girl laughing about?
''You're spiky! Like my hedgehog back home! Can you also curl in a ball and roll away?'' she said loudly and a few of the human guests tittered amongst themselves good-naturedly.
''I, uh, don't know what a hedgehog is.'' He said rising to his feet again.
He caught his father's gaze from across the room and he felt his heart sink a bit at the disappointment he spotted there. He was pulled out of his mood abruptly as a small five-fingered hand placed itself into his own three fingered one and he gasped as he felt a squeeze.
''Don't be sad. I don't like sad people.'' She said with a tremble upon her lower lip and he trilled to her, loud enough for her to hear that he wasn't really sad but only realising at her persistent chin wobble that she hadn't understood a word of his secondary voice box.
''I'm not sad little human. Thank you.'' He said as an afterthought and a bright smile reappeared on her face.
''What is your name?'' the red haired little girl asked and he opened his mouth, ready to recite his full turian lineage to her as was custom.
Garrus Vakarian, son of Astus Vakarian and Hera Vakarian, Grandson of…..
''My name is Garrus.'' He said and the little girl led him about the room, holding tightly onto his hand.
''Ga-wuss.'' She said and he couldn't help a snort from escaping.
''No, no, its Garrus… Ga- rrrrrrr-us.'' He said, enunciating each word and the r's rolling over his tongue making the little girl think of a motorbike she had once heard.
''Garrrrrus.'' She said again and he sighed. She could call him whatever she wanted tonight.
He may only be ten years old, but he knew that this little girl was somehow special. His evidence being that there was no way that his father would abide by him holding a humans hand so publicly if it didn't somehow benefit him. Yes, this little girl was special. Maybe the daughter of someone special. He suddenly felt a flash of resentment wash over him. Why did he have to pander to a six year old? He may only be ten but his father had seen to it that he was brought up quickly and correctly through extensive training, endless amounts of tears and lectures long enough to span several hundred hours of his life if anyone ever thought to combine them.
He was sick of being a disappointment.
He just wanted to be a child. To play. To laugh. To be…
Just to be….
The little girl invaded his space again, her body pressed up against his and she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. Her mop of soft red hair buried under his arm as he lifted it to get a look at the what the hell she thought she was doing.
''My mama gives me hugs when I'm sad. Do you feel better?'' she squeaked and just like that the resentment ebbed away, like a tide of emotions being pulled back into the calm ocean as he stared into her blue eyes.
It wasn't fair of him to hate this little girl. She had no idea, no inkling that she was merely a pawn in a game.
''I do. Thank you very much.'' He purred and hesitantly placed his hand on top of her head, petting the softness in gratitude.
She giggled again and tugged on his hand, which she was still holding and led him to the gardens. Palavens two moons were a sharp contrast in the black of the night, so close and so clear that he could see the craters on the surface. The fountains in the courtyard flowing manically with water, a crescendo of musical notes being produced each time the water landed back down on the different textures on the bottom of the bowl.
''Are you my friend Ga-rrrrus?'' she asked and he watched as she let go of his hand and skipped to the fountain, her arm now trailing in the water and he stood mesmerised as she lifted the water in her cupped hand only to throw it into the air - soaking the pair of them in the small spray.
He brushed the water droplets off his jacket and tugged on his collar with one finger, continuing to watch this enchanting creature just… be. She was so happy, so carefree that even in his own young mind he wished he could protect her from the world and all its horrors that he knew must be out there. He didn't want to see this little thing sad, her smile was radiant as she continued to throw water up in the air with a laugh each time it landed. She had managed to soak the upper half of her dress, her shoulder now damp, the ends of her hair hanging lax over her tiny frame and she suddenly gave a yelp of excitement.
He stiffened as the new sound assaulted his ears, not used to the pitch of her high voice and he stepped forward to ask her what was wrong when she suddenly kicked off her white ballerina shoes and threw them in the garden. She jumped into the basin of the fountain, her dress now absolutely soaked as the water came up to her knees and he couldn't help chuckling as he watched her wade around throwing water continuously.
''Ga-rrrus. Come play with me!'' she shrieked and ran around the centre of the fountain whooping in happiness.
He couldn't hide the smile on his face now even if he wanted too. His mandibles parted over his face and he leaned his head back and laughed at the absurdity of humans. How spontaneous, how reckless, how… alive they were! She came to the edge of the fountain and held out her tiny hand and he took a step forward, reaching, grasping for a small sense, just a touch of that joy and happiness, to somehow come through her hand and infect his life. She gripped his hand tightly and he jumped into the fountain with her, leaving his fears, his troubles, his own shame at his father's dislike for him, melt away amongst the water as he chased the girl round the fountain.
He marvelled at the sight of this now drenched human, her hair had gone black and her skin had raised in bumps everywhere, her rounded cheeks rosy red and her eyes lifted to the sky to stare at the stars above. He had never before seen anything so beautiful.
''I am your friend little human.'' He purred and he heard a throat being cleared behind him.
He stiffened on reflex and all his previous feelings of despair rushed back to him at the sound.
''My, my Jane. Look at the mess you've made.'' The woman laughed and he turned around enough to notice that her hair was the same shade as the little humans. This must be her mother.
''I-I'm s-sorry I let her get w-wet Ma'am.'' He stuttered and he could have kicked himself for letting his nerves get the best of him.
''Don't be silly my dear boy.'' The older woman winked and before he could come up with a response she calmly and gracefully stepped into the fountain herself. Dress and all.
Garrus could only stare at this woman as she splashed her daughter who continued to babble.
''Mama, did you know, did you know? Ga-rrrrus is my friend. He played with me and he makes me laugh. Can we come play here again?!'' she asked happily and her mother arched an eyebrow at her.
''Hmm, do you really like him that much?'' she asked in a joking tone of voice and Garrus wished the water would take him under and never let him resurface.
He was surely the colour of the darkest, bluest ocean by the feel of his blood pumping wildly all over his body in mortification.
''Yes mama! I like Ga-rrrus a lot. Like lots and lots and lots!'' she said and she put her hands out as she stretched them as far as they could go.
''That much huh?'' her mother asked softly before turning to him.
''Garrus, you're Vakarian's son aren't you?'' she asked and he nodded in the affirmative.
''Thank you Garrus. For looking after my little Jane. For making her laugh. You really are a wonderful boy to try so hard and to be so accepting of those that are different from you.'' She said and he wiggled his toes in his sodden shoes as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, trying to formulate a response.
''Your daughter is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. She is so happy that she makes me want to be happy.'' He whispered quietly and he heard the woman laugh out loud, her flaming red hair falling like a waterfall down her back as she tipped her head back.
''Oh my dear boy, I have no words to express to you just how much that means to me, the hope that gives me for the future of our two species.'' She said wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes.
''Come. Let's get out of the water before we catch a cold.'' She sniffed dramatically and shivered in exaggeration as the little girl once again held out her hand to Garrus and he clasped his palm firmly against hers.
As the two children dried off in the heat of the ballroom, Garrus sat in the corner and watched his little human friend do a variety of bizarre things in front of him. Dancing, pretending to fight imaginary monsters and she even sang a song for him. She wasn't very good if he was being honest but it was endearing to him all the same. The night wore on, the lights had dimmed and the music had faded into background ambience as most guests left for the night, whilst the others stayed behind to talk about more important matters. The two children eventually landed up on a couch, Garrus tucked away in the corner, legs out in front of him and he fought the strong pull of exhaustion, his eyes threatening to close.
He may be smart but a growing boy, a growing turian boy needed all the sleep he could get. His eyes blinked open when he felt a soft presence nestle its way on his lap and he looked down in surprise as the little human curled herself against him, her head on his leg and a thumb near her mouth as she snored softly on top of him. Spirits, but she was so tiny. So soft. He gently lowered his hand to her hair and he smoothed it back. He felt her sigh as her nose wriggled into his thigh. He chuckled quietly to himself, not wanting to wake her and yet he found himself leaning his head back, eyes closing and drifting to sleep, his hand still entangled in her hair.
His parents woke him a while later, the little girl's mom hovering behind them and she stepped round them to pick the sleeping girl up and positioned her comfortably onto her chest. His father remained quiet and Garrus wearily stood up, his legs trembling from their lack of movement.
''Mrs Shepard. It was a pleasure meeting you.'' His father rumbled and he saw him shake her hand.
''Mr Vakarian, Mrs Vakarian. Thank you for a wonderful night. And thanks are needed to be said as well to your son. You should be very proud of the fine upstanding young man you are raising.'' She said and he heard his father's gasp.
''T-thank you Mrs Shepard.'' was the only response.
They all nodded to one another as they made to part ways for the night but before Garrus had taken three steps towards the exit, a shrill scream came from across the room and he stopped in his tracks at the panic he heard.
''Ga-rrrrus!'' he heard again and he turned around to see a blur of red dart towards him and he bent down on instinct and he caught the tiny human who had flung herself into his arms.
''We'll always be f-friends okay?'' she said and her lip wobbled, her pretty blue eyes filling with tears and he brushed one away as he set her back down with the back of his thumb.
''Always.''