I thought this was going to be really stupid and dumb. It actually didn't come out that way. I mean the initial concept is weird but once again I pulled it off. Save for Leela, my FemShep, everyone and everything is owned by BIOWARE! This fic is not supposed to be all that serious or special. I was just having some fun as I had a bit of writers block on another chapter for "To Be Whole" which this is connected to. It's the same Leela from that fic and "The Entry" Just having some fun and showing off her personality a bit and the relationship. Not everything has to be all that purposeful with me lol.
Garrus didn't know what to think. He was standing in Purgatory, a sifter in one hand and his eyes focused on the dance floor. The club was packed as usual, he knew enough of war that people flocked to places like this to escape their worries. He remembered walking in hearing a salarian soldier thanking his human friend for the new armor. The girl sacrificed her personal happiness for the sake of her friend. Selling her most prized possession to ensure that he was safe on the battlefield. It was something he hadn't seen a lot of in their dealings with the politicians leading their people. But he was glad to see that where they failed, the people could band together without the guidance of their leaders. But things would get worse still, and he knew that this happiness would be short lived.
Draining his bourbon he signaled for another drink and sipped gingerly at it. And contemplated his discomfort. He figured it was because for now, despite the war where everything was supposed to be black and white. He was sitting in a huge pile of gray. Their curing the genophage was one such instance. They'd unleashed the krogan to help win the war, but at the same time the ramifications of doing such a thing could have dire effects that would be felt for years to come.
Deciding it best not to give himself a migraine he returned to his drink and pulled up the schematics for the new part that would be delivered before they left port in the morning. He was certain he'd hear more jokes about "calibrating his gun," but he was used to it. And no one aboard the Normandy could deny those calibrations had saved their lives more times than they'd care to admit.
Behind him he heard the familiar laughs of a few friends and turned to see Jack and Shepard heading up to the second level. He shook his head. Jack and Leela had become close friends during the fight on the mission against the Collectors. Both being biotics and having a love for fighting it was very hard not to see them hating each other.
Keeping his mind on his work however he finished a third glass and was prepared to leave when he felt something wrap around his neck and a set of lips press against the skin of his neck.
"Well, well, well, it seems the prey has caught the predator."
"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied calmly as he felt his body jerk as his new load became comfortable. He could feel everyone staring at them but he didn't really care. Feeling the legs wrap around his chest he grumbled and sipped again at his bourbon. "Have you been drinking?"
"No, I have not."
"Then why do I smell whiskey on you?"
"Some asshole ran into me while I was dancing with Jack."
"Are you sure they ran into you?"
He felt the weight drop off his back and then his stomach hitting the bar. Shrugging it off finished his drink as he saw a familiar shape take their place in the seat next to him and order a levo-based version of his drink.
When it came she took a sip and sighed giving him a seductive smile. "If you'd like I can give you a personal lesson in the matter."
"I'd rather take my chances with Jack on that part." He raised his glass to hers before taking a drink. "Glad to see you came up for some air Shepard. Thought you were going to suffocate for awhile."
She laughed and drained the rest of her glass and ordered another. "Well you know me, Garrus."
"That I do, Shepard." They sat in silence with each other as the noise of the club filled their ears. When she was on her third drink he asked, "So other than looking like an idiot on the dance floor tonight, did you have any other plans?"
She looked around at the club and shrugged. "I don't know. The pickings here are pretty slim. I can't seem to find anything all that appealing to me. The guys are too rowdy, the women a little too friendly."
"I thought that's why you enjoyed places like this."
She chuckled. "Well I do, but the stuff close to home isn't doing it for me any more."
"Well then, I think I can help with that particular issue."
"I'm sure you can, Garrus. But," she let out a loud grunt and stretched before finishing her drink, "I have somewhere to be."
She turned his head and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you on the Normandy."
"Yeah, sure."
Watching her walk away, Garrus felt a bit overly exposed and paid his tab. On his way out the door he ran into Jack who cussed loudly at him before calming down.
"Shit, Garrus. Watch where you're going."
"Sorry Jack, I was just trying to get back to the Normandy."
She arched an eyebrow at the hesitation in his voice. "Bullshit."
"Excuse me?"
She gave him punch in the arm. "You're following, Shepard around aren't you?"
Punching her back he growled, "And what makes you think that?"
Rubbing her nose she tilted her head toward the door. "Anyone who was on the Normandy six months ago knows about you two. Hell I'm pretty certain EDI may have a few files somewhere under lock and key for good measure." She saw his eyes shake nervously and added. "Plus a couple of nights after the Collector mission, I heard you guys in the main gun. You're got learn to keep this little fucker," she flicked his throat, "under control. You get a little loud."
Scratching the back of his neck, Garrus coughed and looked at the door. "Yes, well the thought had crossed my mind, but.."
"But nothing, Garrus. We're following her ass."
He turned in shock. "What do you mean by we?"
Cracking her knuckles, Jack took him by the arm and led him out of the club. They passed by several drunk soldiers, some of whom would be ticketed for indecent exposure in the next few minutes if they didn't stop what they were doing and headed to a rapid transport station.
"Do you know where she's going?"
Jack shook her head but tapped his visor. "You're patched into the Normandy. And I'm pretty sure those Cerberus fucks put a bug in her. See if EDI can trace her."
The idea was plausible, Cerberus had spent billions to bring her back, and his curiosity was getting the better of him . "EDI, locate Commander Shepard for me."
Jack pumped her fist in victory as they waited for their friend to get back to them.
Twenty minutes later, Jack and Garrus exited the transport in a seedier part of the wards. They were lucky though, with Garrus' size and scars and Jacks appearance nobody dared bother them unless the duo wanted them to listen. They stopped several people and asked for the directions to their location. Many just ignored them but they finally hit pay dirt with a gutter rat who, for a few hundred credits and the girl lead them through the crowds to a door being guarded by a couple of krogan.
"You here for the show?"
"Show? We're here looking for a friend of ours."
The krogan with the red head plates shook his bulbous skull. "Then get the hell out of here. Unless you're on the list I ain't letting you in."
"Listen here shit stain," hissed Jack her biotics flaring in her hand, "let us in there right now or…"
"Or you'll what you puny little whelp." The guard pushed Jack back with his own biotics while the other pulled out a Claymore shotgun. "We're running a legitimate event that's invitation only so get someone to vouch for you or I'll grill your kidneys and feed them to my varren."
Jack was prepared to punch the bodyguard but she was stopped by a biotic barrier. A small crowd passed them and the krogan let them in after one of them delayed the group for a moment to point at Garrus and Jack.
"All right you can go in once these people get set up."
"Just like that?" Asked Jack who was biting her lip so hard Garrus thought she would pierce it.
"Yeah, just like that. Someone decided to pay for you. Said you're important, and they're the talent so we gotta keep them happy."
"The talent? What the fuck are we getting into?"
"This was your idea Jack. Don't tell me you're losing your nerve?"
"Fuck you, Garrus."
"Well, then Ms. Naught. After you."
Inside the building it was a pulsing sound of club music. The heat was stifling and Garrus was barely able to press his way through the crowd with Jack helping occasionally with her biotics. When they finally found a gap they took a moment to look around. There were people of every race in Council space present. Some were dancers entertaining important clients and the others were standard patrons. In the center of the place was a giant ring with a human female and a male turian throwing punches at one another.
"Holy shit! Why wasn't I ever told about this place! I could fucking clean up." Jack screamed in his ear as he watched the woman make contact with the turians jaw. His head snapped sideways but he recovered and got her with a left hook sending her backwards. She was barely able to recover and as she stood, the turian planted his foot in her stomach and she collapsed on the ground gasping for breath.
A bell sounded and the referees came in with a medical squad to help the woman and check on the male who shrugged them off. Instead he pointed them toward the woman who stood up and reached out with her hand. The turian took it and they shook before he helped her onto a gurney and walked her out of the ring.
"First timers?" Said an asari in black leather fighting gear.
"Yeah it is." responded Garrus his voice a rock compared to the storm that was Jack's voice as she shouted for the next match to start. "What exactly is this place?"
The asari gave him a coy smile and pointed at the ring. "It's a military based fighting ring. Everything is sanctioned by all planetary governments. Fighters go in until they give up or the refs think the damage is about to go too far. Keeps us loose and lets us get a handle on other fighting styles. Really good training outside of actually being in the field."
Garrus snorted. "Not doing much good against the Reapers. I'm surprised they're keeping it going."
She shrugged and then threw a fist out, which Garrus caught in his arm before tripping her with his foot sending her to the ground. She laughed and gave him a punch to the chest. "Not bad. Name's Kat."
"Garrus." he took the extended hand and gave it a single firm shape.
"Yeah I recognize you from the vids. My husband was on Palaven. He got redeployed a couple days ago. I'm about to head out myself in a few days to meet up with him. But thought I'd get in one last match."
"You sure that's wise?"
She laughed as she bound up the tape on her hands. "Trust me, there's at least three novelties for every reality. And I got some one nighter to go up against. Should be easy. I only signed up for the novelty just to have some fun and to have a video to send the husband." The lights above the arena flickered and she shook his hand once more. "Pleasure to meet you, Vakarian. Keep your powder dry!"
She left him a bit confused at the phrasing but gave it no mind as he turned to the arena. A salarian came out and raised his hands for quiet. "Thank you ladies and gentleman! Dextro and levo based life forms. Welcome to the first of tonight's three novelty fights! In the red corner we have a regular who is here for your entertainment. She has fought several times and has barely a loss to her name, THE BLUE DEMON, KATHERINE DRAGO!"
The crowd cheered loudly as she entered the cage her fists flying rapidly as she shadow boxed the air.
"And in the green corner for a one night only engagement. A special guest fighter who earned her way into this slot this evening just this morning. The underdog with the strength to crack a krogan's skull, THE VANGUARD!"
A petite woman appeared from her corner dressed in a blue athletic outfit and a red luchadore mask, calm and collected and waved silently to the crowd. She was human, that much was enough to tell and her face was covered by a green mask, Garrus had seen watching the scripted human sport, "professional wrestling."
She was definitely better built than the asari despite their heights being almost similar, but he knew the asari might have had more experience which would factor in greatly.
"And now for the special condition of this match! As you all know we randomly three possible matches last week and the order of the fights was chosen just a couple minutes ago and these two fighters have chosen to fight under these conditions. So without further ado, I give you the condition, the viscous liquid of terror, the slurping mould, the slippery green goo the nearly indestructible dessert. Jell-o!"
The crowd as well as the fighters burst into laughter as the floor opened up to reveal a long ankle deep pool filled with the concoction. Garrus had come across it in his research about humans and never saw much appeal to it. He'd seen some vids of human people, men and women alike act like fools in such situations but to see it in person, he felt a little more than foolish.
Looking over to his right he saw Jacks face light up as she sipped at her beer and laugh. Turning his head back to the ring where the fighters were climbing in. The asari was having a hard time getting used to the concept while the human bounced happily on the tips of her feet like a prize fighter. When they were ready the salarian continued.
"You will have ten minutes to claim a victory. No biotics and the referees and medics have the authority to stop the match at any given time if we deem it too dangerous. Do you accept these terms?" Both fighters nodded and pounded fists as boxers did and crouched into position.
The door to the ring was barely closed when the asari tried to make the first strike. However fighting barefoot in the sea of green was something she wasn't prepared for and her attempted kick ended up with her twisting in the air and landing face down in the dessert. The crowd laughed and she flipped them off while the vanguard bent down and picked her up and put her on shoulders. Garrus almost thought she'd tripped but noticed that the fall was intentional and the asari landed in a giant explosion of green while the human, now covered in the stick green liquid as much as her counterpart was stood up only to fall back down again as Kat kicked the feet out from under her.
Spinning midair the human landed on her hands and pushed herself up quickly only to receive a fist to the stomach. She buckled a bit but got in a punch of her own to the asari's face. The asari was getting her bearings as she was able to plant a solid kick into the humans side and Garrus noticed the speed at which the human moved her hands to absorb the blow and send her to the ground.
Jack was screaming at the top of her lungs when she noticed Garrus' eyes begin following the fight more intently. "Not a bad fight! These girls know what they're doing."
Garrus could only nod, he watched as the human head butted the asari and then take her down with a hip throw only to fall as the asari pulled her leg out from under her. The blue woman tried to get her into a leg lock but the human was able to twist out and tried to stand up but she slipped and fell into the green abyss once more. The asari tried to grab her but her feet lost traction and as she fell she was able to twist her body around and plant an elbow into the back of her opponent.
The crowd groaned as the vanguard let out a loud scream and Garrus had to stop himself from running forward. Jack noticed this and her eyes widened. "OH SHIT! IS THAT?" Garrus covered her mouth but the biotic continued to laugh shrilly into his hand as the human fought her way free and was able to get the asari into a choke hold. The crowd booed at the turn of events and as they struggled in the liquid the bell rang.
The match had barely gone on six minutes and the medics came in and checked the fighters. Save for the appearance of fresh bruises on their skin both looked fine, if a little winded and hugged thanking one another for a good match.
Growling loudly, Garrus stormed out of the hall and into the wards. He didn't even bother to wait for Jack.
On the Normandy that night he was sitting in the main gun. He couldn't even work as he remembered the night playing before him. She'd pointlessly risked her health to do something so stupid after what happened on their last mission. He was prepared to go to sleep when EDI came on.
"Garrus, Shepard has been in her quarters for the past twenty minutes. She asks that you head up at your earliest convenience."
"Thanks, EDI. Tell her I'll be up in ten.'
"Not a problem, Garrus."
Getting out of his armor, he dressed in his casuals and headed to the lift. He was a bit nervous about seeing her. He hadn't planned on seeing what he had that evening and the shock was still wearing on him. It was something he couldn't comprehend, the idea of getting into that stuff and duking it out. He understood the need to let out aggression but in such a manner, his mind couldn't grasp the concept.
When the lift stopped, he found Shepard playing with Boo on the bed. She was in a tank top and her underwear laughing at the hamster as he dodged the small biotic barriers she made. The room was immaculate save for the unfinished repairs. When she saw him, she used her biotics to transport the hamster to him.
"Can you put him away for me?"
She didn't even know he knew so he put his hand out and cupped the small mammal in his claws. The furry head poked out from between his thumbs and the whiskers tickled his scaled flesh. Setting him back into his home.
Sitting up she stretched loudly, the fresh bruises on her skin were beginning to show. Her skin stretching on the scar on her abdomen. It was one of the many she had, but this one was the freshest and the damage internally was still bothering her. Watching the hole stretch and then wrinkle as she leaned forward he growled.
"What's the matter with you?" She ran her hand through her hair. Garrus could smell the lime on her.
Scanning the room he looked around the bedroom and found a small pile of clothes. Holding up a finger he shuffled through them and found what he was looking for. He twisted the green fabric in his hands and held it out to her. "What the hell is this?"
Her face flushed a bit and she gave him an awkward smirk and a shrug. "A wrestling mask?"
"Yeah, I know. Vanguard."
She broke into laughter and clapped her hands as he twisted the fabric in his hands. "It isn't funny, Leela."
Holding up her hand, she said, "Wasn't it you who said I should come up for air every once and awhile?" Her laughter breaking up her words.
He tossed the mask on the ground and growled. "Not like this! You still haven't recovered from that wound in your stomach and don't tell me you're fine I saw you cover it."
Her face began to straighten but it kept breaking into a smile. "Well if I could have used my biotics I would have. But the rules stated otherwise." Her voice cut with a small laugh at the end.
"Can you tell me why this is so funny to you? You could have broken something. WILL YOU STOP LAUGHING!"
She straightened up and stared at him with increasing incredulity. When she'd recovered enough from her shock she shuffled across the bed on her knees and pulled him close to her. Placing her forehead to his she felt his breath calm and whispered. "Of all the shit we've been through, of all the gun fights, of all the death defying things we've been through, this scared you?"
He growled before nodding.
"Why?"
He pulled her to him and ran his claw along the scar she had covered. "Because I wasn't with you."
She smiled and kissed him. Her soft lips felt incredible against his own metallic ones. When she parted her hands were rubbing the scars on his neck and face. "Garrus, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. I did for a long time before I met you."
Though malice wasn't in her words they still stung and he ran a hand along the two broad scars along her neck. A keepsake she'd kept from their first night together. "I know that. But, I worry about a lot of things, but you….I've buried you once Shepard."
Brushing her head against his chin he felt his throat vibrate and a high pitched noise escape his throat making her laugh and him sigh in embarrassment.
"Quit it, you know I enjoy hearing it."
"Well I don't like the fact that Jack knows about it."
She brushed her head again against his chin and he chirped. "You ran into Jack?"
He nodded and pushed away from her, his mandible twitching. "And she was at the match with me."
She let out an exasperated sigh and fell to the bed with a dull thud. "CRAP! That means…" her omni-tool beeped and she pulled up a text message and groaned. "She got footage."
"How much does she want this time?" he climbed on the bed next to her and she mouthed the number. "Well at least she's being reasonable." A pillow hit him in the face and he grunted as she laughed. Grabbing the pillow he hit her in the face and she grabbed her nose in shock and he pulled her too him and used his knuckles to dig into her muscles.
"STOP!" She laughed as he tickled her. She tried to pull away but his grip was too tight and he continued his assault until she let out a small scream of pain. Stopping he looked felt something warm against the palm of his hand an cursed.
"Shit."
He looked at his hand and saw her red blood smeared on the palm of his hand. She put her hand down to the wound and touched it gently. She made no noise as her fingers touched the wound. Pulling off her tank top, the rip being located about halfway up her back. She turned around exposing her back to him.
"How bad is it?"
He kicked himself mentally as he watched the road map of scars on her back. Some were bullet wounds, others from shrapnel. But the ones he made he could always tell. They were always straight, narrow, and much longer than the others. Grabbing the first aid kit from the bedside table he applied an alcohol swab to the wound. She made no noise as the liquid from the swab bubbled crimson against the wound and when he cleaned it up he sighed in relief.
"Not deep and fairly short."
"Good." She turned around and gave him a smile. "No medi-gel."
He rolled his eyes and she gave him a flick on the forehead.
"Garrus, you really need to take that stick out of your ass."
He chuckled and ran his hand along the scars on her neck. They were the first and definitely not the last she receive from him. "Why did you agree to those conditions? You could have just fought her one on one without a stipulation."
Climbing into his lap she pressed her chest to his. Her soft flesh shivering at the feeling of his cool plates beneath the fabric of his shirt as she grinned. "Well, I can't really say. Ever since I was a kid I just kind of had this weird fascination with the stuff. It's not even that interesting. It's like the food equivalent of a Slinky?"
"A Slinky?" he thought his translator was broken but she nodded.
"Yes a slinky." She tapped his nose and held out her hands. "It's this flexible metallic coil The main thing you did was set it at the top of some steps and then push it off and using gravity it was supposed to use the momentum to go down the steps. Sometimes it would go all the way other times it wouldn't. You could also use it like a retractable whip thing and hit people with it. But other than those two things this is about the only other thing you could do with it. " She raised alternated using her hands like scale to show the function, though Garrus' eyes were not on her hands as she made this gesture.
She grabbed his head and pulled his eyes up to hers. Her face contorted from hiding a laugh and she kissed him again. "Other than that you'd have to ask my mom. She said I've been this way since I was a kid."
"I'll be sure to ask her when I meet her." He gave her skin a lick and tasted something unfamiliar. "Did use some new body wash?"
She shook her head and he licked again, this time getting a groan from her. "What is that?"
Grinding her hips into his she felt him squirm in a familiar manner as his thigh pressed against her. "It's…they altered it. The jell-o."
It clicked in his brain what she meant and chuckled. "What flavor is it?"
She let out a loud moan as he traced her collar bone with her tongue.
"Lime…" she sighed as his hand began massaging her inner thigh.
"And the shower?"
"I had EDI shut off the water to it." Her voice was barely more than a moan.
"Good." he replied as he slipped his claws into the waist of her underpants. "Because I have a sudden craving for lime."