Garrus watched as the door closed behind Shepard. He just stood there staring at it wondering how the conversation turned into something much more complicated than the usual banter they had shared. He thought that she was making her normal rounds, coming to check in on him after the way things had ended with Sidonis. The conversation had started innocently enough.
"How do turian crews get ready for high risk missions?" she had asked. There was no hidden innuendo, nothing that he thought would lead to his CO hitting on him.
"With violence usually. Turian ships have more operational discipline than your alliance but fewer personal restrictions. Our commanders run us tight and know that we need to blow off steam. Turian ships having training rooms for exercise, combat sims, even full contact sparring. Whatever lets people work off stress." Shepard just sat there next to his work bench.
"You mean Turian ships have crewmen fighting each other before a mission?"
"It's supervised of course, nobody is going to risk an injury that interferes with a mission. And it's a good way to settle grudges amicably. I remember right before one mission we were about to hit a batarian pirate squad, very risky. This recon scout and I had been at each others throats, nerves mostly. She suggested we settle it in the ring." He could see that she was smirking as she was listening.
"I assume you took her down gently?"
"Actaully she and I were the top ranked hand to hand specialists on the ship. I had reach but she had flexibility. It was brutal. After nine rounds the judge called in a draw. There were a lot of unhappy betters in the training room. We uh, ended up holding a tie breaker in her quarters, I had reach but she had flexibility. More than one way to work of stress I guess." He shrugged his shoulders, thinking nothing of where the conversation had headed.
"It sounds like you are carrying some tension, maybe I can help you get rid of it?" Shepard had gone from shaking her head to standing right in front of him.
"I uh didn't think you'd feel like sparring commander?"
"What if we skipped right to the tie breaker, we can test your reach and my flexibility?"
"Oh I didn't… Hmm… Never knew you had a weakness for a men with scars? Well.. why the hell not. There is nobody in the galaxy I respect more than you and.. If we can figure out a way to make it work… then yea, definitely. And with that she sauntered out of the room and the door closed.
Did she really just hit on me? I mean Shep is usually a little more subtle than that, isn't she? Back when we had met she was so into Liara she never gave me a second glance.
Garrus went back to his console, trying to shake what humans would call butterflies in his stomach. He would never… with his commander? A human commander? How would that be possible?
I guess if she is flexible enough I could maneuver.. Wait? What am I thinking. I'm sure that she could find something else that wouldn't require so much work? Was work the right word for this?
The console beeped at him asking for input, letting him know that the algorithm he had used was not yet calibrated correctly.
Damn it. How am I supposed to go back to this now? All I can think about is her flexibility. I mean I've seen her move on the battlefield, and she is able to… Why do I keep going back to this? I need to calibrate this, come on Garrus focus.
He tried to go back to work, entering and re-entering his calculations. The console kept asking him for input, telling him that it wasn't meeting the specifications for the needed solution.
I need out of here. I keep thinking of her fringe.. ah hair. I can smell that odor that it exudes, what is that odor? Does she wash it with something that makes it smell like that? It's lingering in here and making me think of her. Maybe if I just get out of here I can stop thinking about this.
Garrus headed for the door. He couldn't think straight with her smell in the air. Maybe he could find something else in the ship to take his mind off things. He was not much of a socializer but maybe there was someone he could run this stuff by.
Joker? Nah, he would blab to Shepard and that would only make things worse. What about Jacob? He's Cerberus and I don't know if he's trust worthy. There is that assassin in life support… He's the quiet type. The person I'm closest to has to be the one that I can't talk to about this.
"Garrus, I am heading out to take care of a little issue with a rogue V.I. Would you mind accompanying me?" Shepard's voice came from the ships com just as he was turning the corner to the mess hall.
"Sure Shep, I'm on my way." This may or not be what he needed. A mission off the ship was a good way to take his mind of the recent conversation with the Commander but then again…
They boarded the ship. Immediately Garrus downed a V.I. controlled geth with a concussive shot. Life support systems were up but they all had their masks on in case they decided to do something to compromise the systems. He watched as she overloaded the shields of another enemy with ease. She was like nothing he had ever seen in a human before, there were no signs of fear or tension in her, it was almost turian of her.
Spirits, I'm glad she has her helmet on. Her smell would keep me from concentrating. I wish her uniform was a little less flattering. I can see her entire form as she takes these guys down one by one. Focus Garrus!
"All clear. Joker we are ready for extraction." Shepard holstered her weapon and looked at her team. She crossed her arms as she shook her head before walking off.
What was that about? Not like she could see my face? Maybe I missed something vital in human body language that I was supposed to pick up on?
Once they were back on the Normandy, Garrus headed to the Life Support area. Surely the assassin, (what was his name?), would have an idea of how to approach this situation.