Chapter 1: Proposal
It wasn't a deliberated decision, not consciously anyway, they had been thinking about it, thinking about after the war thinking of where they wanted to go, no matter what plans had been woven, it always had that one word: together.
Be it retirement, or more excitement playing Spectres, the dullness of politics or just adopting five hundred puppies. The plans always involved them together. It was Shepard that had brought forth the idea when they were both tired after a day of travelling around the galaxy, on their way to the Citadel.
As much excitement as their lives had, at least fifty percent of it was spent travelling through space, which was, all in all, boring after a while. There was only so many stars one could count before they went stir crazy.
"Do you think we'll ever get old?" She asked while sitting on the weapon's bench while Garrus started to power down the console for the night shift.
"I hope so, I'm not fighting this war just to be killed at the end." He shrugged, and up and sort-of-forward of his shoulders that always made Shepard smile, it was such a human behaviour; one she didn't recall him showing on the first Normandy.
"What happened to 'society first, platoon first'?"
"It's all good on paper, and on a strictly Turian enclave, but…" he sighed, turning off the console and moving towards her, fitting between her spread legs. He caressed her cheek with a knuckle, lifting her face towards him, "…your Humanity must be rubbing off on me."
Suave bastard, gods she loved him.
"Marry me?" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could do more than think them. Her word-to-mouth filtre went out of the proverbial window when they were together. "I'm not sure what's the equivalent for you guys. Bond with me? I-"
"We usually bond with each other, do you have any idea what you're asking honey?" He sighed, leaning down and somewhat over her, "You're asking me to be with you for the rest of my life."
"Yes I am." She smiled up to him, grabbing one of his hands and entwining their fingers, he was so much bigger than her up close. "Regardless of how long or how… how long we have, I want it to be with you."
"Good." He chuckled, gently bumping his forehead to hers, "saves me the trouble of asking you." He murmured before capturing her lips.
There had been some celebration afterwards, just between the two of them of course. They couldn't exchange rings, not while in space, not during travel, so they had done the next best thing: exchanged dog tags, not the part where their names, rank and blood type were, no, but the second part where it was engraved the planet and military they served under, just a little something to remember they would, soon she hoped, belong to each other.
"What are you doing?" Garrus asked as he peaked through the bedroom's door, blinking at the still form sitting on the bed; they were at Anderson's old apartment - Shepard's now - and he had spent the whole time snooping around the place while she had just stopped and then spent the last five minutes staring at the dog tags in her hands: Her name, his planet and the memory of their promise.
"Just… just looking." She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory she had slipped into.
"Admiring the dog tags?" He smiled, a flicker of amusement and happiness on his face.
"Yeah, can you blame me?"
"Yes I can… you're leading me astray." Garrus laughed as he approached her, taking her in, he loved seeing her like this. Happy. It radiated from her in such a way it was catching, it was a wave of love - for him of all people, how did he get so lucky? - that humbled him.
"You're such an ass," she laughed, shaking her head and looking down at the tags, caressing the scribe that read 'Palaven' in Galactic Standard.
"Maybe, but I'm yours, so that's a moot point." She just snorted in response, laying down and patting the spot next to hers.
"Makes you even more of an ass that does." She said turning towards him, watching as he laid on the bed, huffing in discomfort before putting a few pillows under his neck then carding his fingers through her hair when he saw her looking.
"When do you want to do this?" he asked, voice suddenly hoarse.
"Would you think less of me if I said as soon as we can?" She whispered, her stomach turning itself upside down, ideas flashing through her mind but she refused to focus on any of them. They would only lead to unnecessary pain. "I want to be able to say you're mine."
"You don't need papers for that Shepard," he smiled, rubbing the base of her neck with his thumb, "I already am, and you're mine."
"I know, but I want it to be as official as we can get," she sighed, closing her eyes, he had gotten really good at distracting her, "I'm rushing into this but-"
"Maybe we are, but I don't want to regret not having done this," he rumbled, sighed and leaned into her space, whispering in her ear, "the earliest we can get it done is tomorrow, but I'm not sure if that's enough time to call everyone if y-"
He stopped speaking and just hugged her as she launched herself at him, hugging him tight, she wasn't the only one anxious to get it done, to have a feeling of home to return to, if only for their peace of mind. "I love you," he stuttered, still not used to saying it out loud.
"I love our friends but I seriously could care less if they attend, this is for us, just for us." she smiled, placing a kiss on his scarred mandible, "besides my best friend's already attending."
"Best friend and husband," he laughed, pulling her on top of him, "think you can handle it?"
"I think I'll manage," she ground her pelvis against his, getting a hum of appreciation, "think you can handle me, big guy?"
"Absolutely," he whispered before claiming her lips again.