A series of one-shots inspired by Shepard's remark: "That explains why I bump into you every time I turn around." I hope you enjoy them!
Shepard had never really worked with aliens before being posted on the Normandy under Anderson's command. They were so… alien.
Slowly, Shepard felt as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end - he had the unnerving sensation he was being watched. The Alliance had always told its recruits not paying attention to your intuitions was a sure-fire way of getting yourself killed. But who was spying on him? Here? In the public domain bathrooms, on the Normandy?
He resumed his business, zipping up his trousers and staring into the mirror. There was nobody there. He washed his hands and turned around – to find Nihlus towering over him, the gigantic alien form imposing and his face indecipherable. His arms were folded, and Shepard observed a slight twitch in one of his mandibles. Shepard jumped in surprise. "Oh, it's just you Nihlus. Excuse me." Before the turian could respond, he quickly took the opportunity to push his way out of the small amenities, leaving the turian standing there alone.
Shepard fastened the belt of his utility pants and went to open the door to the clothes wardrobe he shared with his alternate shift room-mate. He swung it open, his arm extended as he meant to grab his shirt from its usual hanger. Upon opening the door Shepard froze completely. A strange marked tattooed face was staring directly at him. Shepard realised with an unsettled feeling that it was Nihlus, his face unreadable and his posture unbearably rigid. The air seemed to shift eerily in the cabin as the human and the turian faced each other. The hairs on his neck began to rise, and Shepard slowly pushed the door closed. He turned around, shaking his head in disbelief before going to the dirty laundry and rummaged around for a relatively clean used shirt.
He was back at the mirror in the dingy bathroom again, paranoia beginning to undeniably creep into his senses. A certain turian had been haunting his thoughts all day, and now Shepard swore he kept seeing him under his eyelids every time he blinked. He was half inclined to wash out his eyes with stinging soap. Instead, he grasped the bowl of the sink firmly with both hands, bowing his head and closing his eyes as tight as he could. He stood there for several moments before raising his head and opening them again and staring into the surface of the mirror.
Nihlus was staring back at him.
That night as he retired, Shepard did his routine to wake up his room-mate for his shift. He pounded his hand against the top of the bunk with a heavy thud as he fell back on his pillow and stared up at the bottom of the mattress above him. The figure in it moved, and Shepard heard as the sheets were tossed to the side. Abscent-mindedly he tilted his head toward the edge of the bunk. Momentarily huge taloned feet descended from the side of the bunk, and Nihlus dropped out from the bed and rubbed his eyes before walking in his unnatural plodding gait forward to the centre of the room.
"Thanks Shepard," the turian mumbled tiredly before stomping out of the room.
Shepards eyes were wide as he turned his head back up to stare at the bottom of the bunk above him.
