Another new idea! I really should stick to one at a time, but I couldn't resist. =3 So, here's Shakarian fun with a little bit of Sparatus. Yummy...
Greenyoda987 is awesome for helping me as usual. Like for reals, you are da best.
"Well Commander Shepard, it seems that I now owe you for saving my life twice." She could see the trace of a smile around the turian councilor's mandibles and gave a small one in return.
"I'm just doing my job, sir," she replied evenly. Really, she would have been well within reason to have left the Council on their own. She could see the asari councilor glancing furtively back at Udina's body, obviously shaken—really, she'd just had a gun pointed at her so it wasn't hard to believe—and Shepard turned her attention back to Sparatus. His eyes caught hers and she could see a shred of wonder there; he seemed to have had the same thought she had. "I swore to protect the Council, the Citadel, and the galaxy. I'm not about to go back on that because we didn't see eye to eye." She settled into her hip and folded her arms loosely over her stomach. She could feel splatters of blood—not hers, thank god; she only had to deal with the throbbing pain that pulsed from her hip—drying on her skin and settling into the joints of her armor; it was beginning to disgust her.
"Regardless, I owe you a debt I can only hope to have the chance to repay." For the first time, there was no condescension, no thinly-veiled frustration in his voice and it momentarily stunned Shepard as he laid a hand on her arm. The touch lingered longer than was probably necessary, but before she could say anything, the councilor had already moved back to the elevator to stand beside Commander Bailey. Tevos touched her shoulder as she passed and Shepard nodded absently, turning back toward her squad. Kaidan looked thoroughly ashamed, not looking at any of them as he headed for the elevator himself; Shepard brushed past him without a word. She would deal with him later—really, there was a lot of dealing she was going to have to do—and it would be a miracle if it didn't end in violence. But right now, she wanted nothing more than to crawl into her shower and stay there for a year. She glanced up at Liara, who smiled tiredly at her; she could see her stance relax slightly and Shepard gripped the asari around her shoulders, finally relaxing herself. It had been hard, but they'd won.
"We did it."
Liara laughed and returned Shepard's embrace around her waist. "You. You did it, Shepard." When she was released, the asari straightened and cradled her human commander's cheek. It was so easy to forget that Liara was over a hundred years old, Shepard realized. She seemed so young, in relation to other asari, but she was so much older than any "wise" human. Hard to see her as a little sister when she could be my grandmother.
"No, we did. All of us," she replied, grabbing Garrus by the back of his cowl and pulling him into an embrace between herself and Liara. The turian let out a surprised warble as he was bodily swung and sandwiched between the two women as they laughed. His attention was focused internally—on his thoughts—and he hadn't heard the two women until they had molded themselves to fit against his sides. He chuckled uncertainly as both sagged against him and slid down to the floor.
"Shepard?"
She looked up at her turian lover and he could see the tears brimming in her eyes until they spilled over, leaving clean trails down her cheeks as she set her face in her hands. Her laughter fell into sobs and he knelt beside her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. Liara sat bonelessly beside them, eyes blankly focused on the ground as she rubbed shaky circles down the commander's back; though Shepard couldn't feel it, it helped her feel a bit less useless. Sorrow had etched lines on Liara's face and Garrus mandibles were pulled tight to his face, anguish showing in the clench of his jaw; Liara couldn't tell if it was from the events of today or because Shepard was crying. She leaned toward the latter.
"Fucking assholes killed him," Shepard finally gasped, dashing tears away with the back of her gauntleted hand. "Fucking Cerberus. I knew the Illusive Man was low, I knew they were all fucking bastards but…" Her voice broke and Garrus could hear her grind her teeth together. "That bastard killed Thane. I swear to Christ, the next time I see him, I'll break every bone in his body…" The threat was a barely audible growl, but it sent a chill down his spine.
"Come on, Shepard," he said quietly, lifting both Shepard and Liara to their feet. "It's been a long day." She visibly sagged against him as they limped back toward the Normandy's airlock. Shepard grimaced with each step, favoring her right hip and supporting her weight on Garrus's arm. "Now, remind me again why I'm not supposed to worry about you biotic charging a Phantom?" he grumbled in her ear, savoring the light inhale of breath as the vibrations from his chest hummed through her body.
"I could handle it," she replied, half-heartedly trying to hide the flush in her cheeks. Oh, she loved his voice; the wonderful things it did to her insides… He knew exactly what he was doing to her, taking advantage of the brief moment of peace to lapse into the tone he usually reserved for their bedroom. And it was a welcome distraction from the despair threatening to drive her back to her knees. "Besides, it all worked out, didn't it? I took care of it."
"You tried to jump over it and detonated your Nova before you landed. Do you know how terrifying it is to see you get nearly gutted by one of those things, and then see nothing but dust and rubble?"
She winced. "Ok, so not according to plan, but it all ended up alright." He growled beside her and pressed her back against the wall of the airlock. Liara raised an eyebrow, but excused herself when the doors slid open, leaving the two of them alone once the doors closed and the decontamination protocols start up again. It was brief, but it was time that they would be alone.
"Never again," he growled, eyes flashing a warning. His arms tightened around her and he nuzzled his face against her neck. A low growl rumbled in his chest and made her hum approvingly, a growl laced with worry and sadness and fear. "We lost Thane, we can't lose you too. Not when you're the only thing that gives us a chance against the Reapers." Her scent assaulted him as her hair brushed his face and he let out a long breath, lightly tasting the flesh of her throat. Even covered in grit and gore, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen; her skin was flushed with the thrill of battle, adrenaline adding a fire to her eyes as she looked up at him.
"You won't lose me."
"Not if I can help it," he replied, tangling his talons in her hair and nipping down her neck. "Even if the damn councilor is hitting on you," he growled, mostly to himself. But he felt Shepard start, surprise making her push back from him.
"Excuse me?" She wasn't upset, he could see, but the emotion on her face was new to him. Was Shepard… speechless?
He raised a browplate at her. "Sparatus. He was pretty obvious about it, too."
"When?" Her voice rose in pitch and she mentally played back every conversations he'd ever had with the turian councilor. The common denominators seemed to be sarcasm, barely controlled anger, and disagreement; when had he flirted with her?
"Just now?" Garrus held her at arms' length and tilted his head slightly. "He all but implied that you should find him later so you can spend time 'alone'." She only stared up at him blankly and he ran a hand down his face in irritation. "Right, you don't understand our subharmonics. Damn, ok this is awkward."
Shepard reached passed Garrus while he fumbled for words, and pressed the panel on the wall, opening the door to the airlock once again. She tugged him out with what little energy she had left, heading toward the elevator and eventually the med bay. Sure, a Citadel hospital would have been easier, but she wasn't about to go to an unfamiliar hospital. Not after the last one ended up being a Cerberus station and she'd been dead.
"Explain," she huffed as the elevator descended, shifting her injured leg carefully. Damn that stupid Phantom… Garrus shifted awkwardly, and then paced across the small space.
"It's… complicated. Ok, well not really but… Damn. Listen, Shepard—"
"Garrus." She towed him onto the Crew Deck and grimaced. "Less babbling, more telling me why you seem convinced that the turian councilor who, by the way, makes a habit of making my life difficult wants to spend some 'alone time' with me," she grumbled, finally falling onto one of the beds in the med bay.
"Shepard, what in the blazes—"
"I'm fine, Doc, I promise," Shepard cut in, grinning impishly at Dr. Chakwas's motherly scolding, "I just had to remind the Illusive Man that I'm too bad ass for his bull shit." Garrus scoffed and she fixed him with an amused look. "Don't think I've forgotten. I'm waiting, Garrus."
"Right now?" he pressed, glancing at the doctor. "No offense, Doctor, but really Shepard? I'll tell you later."
"Promise?" she sing-songed, swinging her legs and he rolled his eyes. Her eyes narrowed with held in laughter; he had picked up a few human mannerisms from her and it always made her smile.
"Yes, yes, I promise," he sighed, shaking his head as Dr. Chakwas dropped the plates of her armor on the floor and set about removing the younger woman's under-suit.
"What did you do this time, Shepard?" the doctor sighed, feigning exasperation as she gently prodded the purpling tissue of the commander's hip. Shepard sucked in a breath through her teeth and flinched away before settling back on her elbows.
"Tried to bear-hug a Phantom," she admitted casually, eyes closing as Dr. Chakwas carefully felt along the edges of the spreading bruise. Her jaw was tense but she didn't move away again.
"Why?" the older woman asked incredulously as she straightened and began rummaging through some drawers.
"I thought it would be fun," she replied and Garrus snorted, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his carapace. She glared at him from under her lashes and he felt his blood rush south of its own accord.
"Shepard, we should put you in a padded room," he intoned dryly, trying to cover the warm purr of his subharmonics as she reclined back. The doctor let out a short laugh, laying gauze and medi-gel on the counters. The commander's brow furrowed slightly and she sat up suddenly.
"I smell a mutiny," she half-cried and fell back again. "God, when did life get so complicated?" she mumbled, laying her arms over her face. Dr. Chakwas moved back to the bed and spread the cool gel along the darkened skin.
"When you showed the Reapers what it felt like to be afraid," Dr. Chakwas replied quietly, carefully wrapping the joint and affected tissue snugly. Garrus looked away out of habit as Shepard propped her leg up, exposing her nearly-bare body as the gauze circled her thigh and midsection. "Alright, it looks like you've bruised your pelvis and the tissue around your hip. I'm ordering bed rest and no combat for at least 36 hours." She cut her eyes over to Garrus and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "And I mean bed rest, not just bed, you two."
"Aw, Doc. That's no fun," Shepard pouted as she stumbled to her feet. Her face momentarily contorted before she schooled her expression. "Fuck, why does it hurt more in this damn bandage?"
"Pressure," the doctor replied, handing her a small bottle and two pills that Shepard promptly swallowed. "Painkillers, use them if you need them. Your cybernetics should patch this up, but you are not to risk any more damage, am I clear?"
The pain faded from the lines in Shepard's face and she gave her shoulders a light roll. The wonders of modern medicine. She snapped a salute and bowed with a flourish. "Yes, ma'am. I swear on my honor," she replied theatrically, slinging an arm over Garrus's shoulder. "Onward, my champion!"
He gazed at her sideways and grinned back. "Some painkillers, I see."
"Hey, I don't… did… didn't… She gave them to me."
He chucked to himself as Shepard started to sway a bit. Hefting her up and settling one arm under her knees and bundling her against his chest, he glanced back toward the doctor, intending to say goodnight. But Dr. Chakwas's self-satisfied smile gave him pause, his curiosity piquing. "Alright, those weren't just pain pills," he accused as Shepard stirred against him.
"She hasn't been sleeping, so I added a sleep aid. Oh don't look at me like that, Garrus. It won't hurt her."
"If you say so…"
"I do, and since I'm the doctor, that will be good enough for you. Now put her to bed."
Garrus nodded and headed back to the elevator. He could definitely see what Shepard meant when she teasingly called the good doctor "Mom". The human physician would have made a formidable, but equally loving parent; and a crew of soldiers bent on saving the galaxy by any means necessary gave her plenty of opportunity to be just that. Shepard grumbled something against his chest and he looked down at her with a light smile. She finally looked relaxed—after the geth, and then the Collectors, and now the Reapers and Cerberus, tension had settled over her shoulders like a mantle of office—and Garrus couldn't remember the last time she looked so peaceful. He moved carefully through her cabin, dodging around disassembled bits of gun and carelessly-tossed aside datapads on the way to her bed. He set her down on the sheets and carefully set about stripping her of the remains of her under-suit, trying not to wake her. Just as he'd tossed the garment aside, she curled onto her uninjured side, hand searching for him absently. He chuckled and quickly undressed, sliding in beside her and letting her arms curl around his waist.
"At least he has a nice voice…"
The tired mumble would have evaded a human's hearing but Garrus's eyes went wide as he looked down at the woman groggily draped across his middle. "Come again, Shepard?" he asked carefully, trying to figure out what she was going on about now. Really, Shepard was practically incoherent immediately before and after sleep, so he wasn't sure if she was even aware. His mandibles twitched absently into a grin.
"Th' Counc'lor," she purred, snuggling her face against his carapace and sighing contentedly. Her eyes had remained closed until now and she looked up at him through her tired haze. His heart flipped and he lovingly stroked her hair. "He's got a nice voice too."
"Should I be worried?" he chuckled, scratching lightly at her scalp. The sound she made should have been illegal for the things it did to his insides, and he tried to breathe evenly. There was a growing heat in his core and it was taking an enormous effort not to act on the lascivious thoughts now swirling around his brain.
"No… Your voice is the sexiest." She leaned into his touch and he nuzzled her forehead lightly. She still smelled of blood and sweat and gunfire, but she was too tired—and drugged—to manage a shower and he didn't have the heart to drag her back out of bed. He'd make it up to her in the morning; he'd also have to remember to change the sheets.
"Damn right. Now get some sleep, Shepard."
"Story in the morning," she reminded him as sleep slowly weighed her down.
"Yes, Ma'am."
She smiled through her slumber and her breathing deepened as she drifted, leaving him to think. Unfortunately, thinking usually meant revisiting the failures of the past—Omega, Palaven, Earth, and now the Citadel—but now he had a new topic to mull over: the turian fucking councilor had propositioned Shepard. Well, not outright… With his subharmonics. Still, it had been especially obvious coming from a politician. The biggest politician, actually… Spirits, what the hell was going on? Shepard would never have known if he hadn't been there… He rubbed his eyes tiredly with the hand not wrapped possessively around Shepard. This was… complicated. With lots of implications. Garrus tucked his head against the mountain of pillows Shepard always managed to acquire and tried to empty his brain, but with little success.
What point would there be in using subharmonic cues if Shepard can't understand it?
It wasn't as if their relationship had been a well-kept secret, anyway. They weren't broadcasting it, but they hadn't been keeping it a secret either. He was torn between being offended at the disregard for their relationship and flattered that someone so highly ranked would show an interest in his mate. Really, he should have thrown the councilor down and reminded him just who Shepard was bonded to, but it had been so surprising… And the councilor would have known that! So why was he flirting with Shepard in a way that she wouldn't understand, but Garrus could? It didn't make any sense; nothing would come of it, unless…
Oh, Spirits.
The councilor had been addressing them both.