Chapter 2 – Armour

Welcome back to domestic bliss! I hope you enjoyed chapter one. We leave Christmas time this chapter to visit the Shepard-Vakarian home. Happy Valentine's Day!

Nothing can quite prepare you for the end of a life. From either end of the gun it is brutal, a slow darkening of your vision maybe a gasp of pain. Or you are looking into the face of someone who could have been your ally if the circumstances had of been even slightly different. Maybe they looked like a friend from your childhood, or wore your favourite colour. Nothing can prepare you for that. But armour helps.

Soldiers use armour in a multitude of ways, mental and physical. It is a barrier between yourself and the enemy. A bullet can be slowed or stopped, fire blocked, a blade shattered. A careful mask can be pulled into place to help protect you from the light leaving another's eyes, it can cover a lie… "I'm fine."

Armour was a thing of their past lives… for the most part.

When Garrus finally stepped into the apartment he was exhausted. He'd been gone for three days and if things continued as they were now he wouldn't be home more than a night. It was funny; he couldn't remember when this became home. The last place he thought of that being was his Citadel apartment when he worked for C-Sec, and before that home was Palaven.

He leaned against the doorframe and took a few deep breaths. Apparently taking the stairs was a poor choice, he mused. So far he had managed to avoid becoming the next Primarch but only because Victus was still alive and well, or at least well enough. The war had been devastating to everyone but, physically, Victus had come out mostly unscathed. During the war there was mention that if Victus was the Primarch then Garrus couldn't be more than a few steps away. It turned out to be closer to the truth than he liked to admit.

The turian closed the front door and called out, "Shepard! I'm home." His sub-vocals were laced with his exhaustion but he was truly happy to be home. He dropped his bag on the floor and when he looked up, Shepard stepped out of the kitchen. His jaw nearly dropped when he caught a glimpse of her.

Shepard had stepped out in nothing but a pair of high heels, her short silky robe, and a smile. "I was wondering when you'd be in. I've missed you." She held out her hands to him and Garrus crossed the room in a matter of five steps, not even stopping to remove his boots.

Ever since the war Garrus hadn't worn armour regularly, the heavy metal and ceramic plating wore on him far too much to make a habit of it like he used to. Now he wore the turian military's work dress; combat boots, black fatigue pants and skin tight long sleeved undershirt with his grey tunic accented in Palaven Blue. He still carried a shield generator and a pistol but the familiar sniper rifle no longer adorned his shoulders. His gloves hit the floor before he reached her. His visor was next to go as Shepard unclipped it and placed it on the nearby counter.

With his hands on the backs of her bare thighs and very little effort Garrus picked his lover up and deposited her on the counter beside the visor. The extra height of the counter allowed her to kiss him fully, her lips slid over his and her arms wrapped around his shoulders pulling him into her.

She shuttered at the contact, it had been much too long since they'd had time to just relax. With one arm he kept her steadily pressed against his chest, the other made loose circles around the small of her back making the woman shudder. Tiny bumps grew on her skin as she let out a light moan. With a lick to his bottom lip she asked for entry into his mouth, Garrus obliged and their tongues danced in the familiar rhythm. Shepard's hands slipped from his shoulders to the front of his tunic, swiftly beginning to unclasp the shirt.

She was only half finished when Garrus needed a breath. He pulled back slightly, relishing the almost silent noise of disappointment Shepard made before he swept back in and kissed and nipped his way down her jawline to her neck. One hand reached around the back of his head to urge him on and rub the sensitive skin under his fringe.

Now, with a few seconds to just enjoy his ministrations, Shepard let herself notice the exhausted line of his shoulder. Drawn slightly out of their game she took stock; his skin was cool to the touch and his plates were slightly duller than usual, neither were very good signs in a turian. His breath had a slight wheeze to it, telling of recent excursion and telling still of his wartime injuries. And he was still far too thin for a male his size, although half the dextro population had that issue, dextro food had been scarce just a few short months ago. What with the relays being damaged and only quarian Liveships to provide food on a levo-amino world.

Shepard's survey didn't take long but her lack of response and stilled hand was telling enough for Garrus. He pulled back from her again, this time to half an arm's length. "Don't even start, I'm fine." He was about to move back in when Shepard frowned,

"Bullshit. When did you eat?" She hadn't meant her reprimand to be so harsh and at his momentary flinch, when his eyes left hers, she immediately regretted her decision.

His eyes found hers again and the tenderness was gone, "We are not having this argument again." He took a step back and cut a line through the air with his arm, "I'm done with talking, Spirits… can't I just enjoy five minutes without your worrying?"

"Garrus…" she started.

"No. No more of your placating words or sympathies." He took another step backwards and turned in the direction of the office, "I'm sick of it."

He was half way to the other room before he heard the sound of her shoes dropping to the floor and the light padding of her feet on the tile, "Garrus, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. Please stop."

He didn't. "I've asked you so many times to stop. Why won't you listen?" He growled in frustration.

"I'm just worried about you. I want to make sure you're ok…"

Finally he spun around, "No! I am not ok. And no, I don't want to talk about it. I just want to have sex with my mate, have some dinner, and then go to fucking sleep!" He dropped his face into his hands. "Why is that so hard?" Garrus ran one over his fringe and let out a shaky breath.

Shepard didn't need her visor to read his elevated heart rate, "No more talking then, just let me help." She closed the gap between them, with her feet bare and him in boots their height difference was almost comical. She pulled him into an embrace and they stood silently for a full minute until she felt him calm down and enclose her in his embrace.

Once again her deft hands went about undoing the clasps of his tunic. She pushed the garment off of his shoulders and smoothed her hands across his chest and cowl. Garrus let out a long sigh as he let the heavy shirt fall to the floor behind him. He stood and held Shepard in his embrace while he let her touch him. She rubbed his sore muscles and aching plates.

When she hit a particularly sore spot he'd unintentionally flinch or tense up. Then she'd spend a few extra seconds on the area until he melted back into her. Cybernetic enhancements had made her mostly strong again after the war, daily aches were the worst of her worries but Garrus didn't have that luxury. She would never reach solider status again, not that they needed her for that anymore with the reapers gone, but Garrus wouldn't even surpass the average turian. He would forever be stuck in perpetual pain and sometimes it was hard to forget that. It was hard to forget his pain started years ago with a suicidal sniper's post and a gunship.

He'd taken to the casual uniform as well as could be expected from someone who'd worn armour day in and day out for the greater part of the last ten years. Work dress at C-Sec had been his light armour and throughout the search for Saren he'd worn the same set. Heavy armour had been a step up for him during the Archangel days and that set had only been removed for cleaning, the armour or himself. Beyond his stays in the medical bay and brief forays in civilian attire he'd never taken the armour off after that stint. It was like a second skin and he missed it.

Shepard ran her hands down the front of his chest and snuck her fingers under the hem of the tucked in shirt. Once it was untucked she plucked at the front of it and making the 'take it off' motion with a quick nod. Garrus rolled his eyes and couldn't help but smirk at her. He groaned as she melded herself against his chest, the softness of her skin never ceased to amaze him.

On her tip toes she was able to kiss him again, this time when their tongues met each fought for dominance. A light suck on his tongue drove the turian wild and he moaned into her mouth. Shepard's lips curled in a smile when his, till now, mostly passive hands began moving possessively over her body. The robe found the floor.

With a quick twist Shepard's back was against Garrus' chest. One hand trailed up her torso to hold her in place with a light pressure of her neck. The other found a hip and fingers her bud. Now her shoulder was at his mercy and he took advantage. Nipping and licking the sensitive skin there until it was red and over sensitized. Shepard's knees grew weak beneath her and her hands scrambled for purchase on his hips.

When a taloned finger carefully slipped between her nether-lips she cried out in ecstasy. Her reaction helped Garrus to slip from his slit and press against Shepard's lower back. When he ground his hips into her back she reached around and unfastened his belt and pants with surprising co-ordination and speed. Reluctantly Garrus released Shepard and turned her around engaging in another deep kiss before backing her against the kitchen counter again.

This time when he brought his hands around the backs of her thighs he pulled her into his arms and urged her to wrap her legs around his waist. In this position it was easier to tease. With only a slight hip motion he could rub his member along the length of her slit easily. Shepard shook in his arms as he pressed against her moist heat, when she tightened her legs around his waist he quivered in pleasure.

A muffled gasp was all that could be heard as Garrus pressed into her core. Shepard gently bit down on Garrus' neck in an attempt to curb her passion. The slight twinge of pain only fueled his fire and without further warning he sunk in to the hilt. Their combined sounds of pleasure echoed through the apartment.

After a few still moments Garrus started to move. A couple of slow shallow thrusts and Shepard was moving with him. As they grew accustomed the speed began to pick up and Garrus had to put Shepard down on the counter. She sat on the edge and leaned back slightly, resting her hands behind her to steady them. This freed up Garrus' hands to roam over her body, one arm still linked around her shoulders but the other found her clit and moved in time with his thrusts. A throaty moan from his lover drove his tired bones onwards and he didn't relent on her clit until he felt her clamp down and hit her peak. It only took a few more thrusts into her tight tunnel before he came himself. Her release finishing only seconds before his.

Spent, Garrus collapsed forwards against Shepard. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him until he caught his breath and built up enough strength to move. When he was ready he pulled out and rotated so that he leaned against the counter beside her. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be."

He turned his head to look at her, his breath still coming in too short gasps, "No… I mean it. I'm sorry…. I shouldn't have taken it out on you…" Shepard could see him trying to take a deeper breath and she waited. "Dammed politics are getting to me."

She smiled, "I know that feeling. If I hear Hackett tell me I'm getting promoted one more time I might just scream."

That got a chuckle out of him, "At least there is more than one Admiral in the Alliance. Victus won't stop telling me that he is halfway through his five year stint as Primarch. Spirits Shepard… I'd the head of the turian military? At this point that is basically the head of the turian government."

Shepard turned to face him, "Most turians would be honoured?"

"Yeah well, I've never been a very good turian." He responded before closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. His breathing was nearly back under control but the lines of exhaustion still stood out prominently, although he was a little less tense now she could see. She was just about to ask him about dinner when she heard the telltale grumble. "So… about the second thing on my list? Dinner?"

It was her turn to laugh, "Should be here any minute. The best part about being the Hero of the Reaper War is your delivery only takes thirty minutes." As she slid off the counter and was able to get her robe on before the door buzzer went off, "Speaking of the devil!" She called out towards the door, "Just a minute!"

Garrus had just finished doing up his pants when Shepard threw his shirt at him. He mumbled a thanks as she bounded towards the door, her only tell of their recent excursion was the slight flush on her cheeks. Although her limp wasn't strictly from the new leg, Garrus could tell. When she reached the door she checked the video feed on her Omni-tool before opening the door to the asari delivery staff.

The young looking asari was flabbergasted to say the least, her eyes travelled over Shepard's state of undress thoroughly before she caught sight of the turian a few meters further into the apartment. She made a little half gasp, half squeak before managing to school her features. "Your meal, ma'am," she stammered and held out the bags.

Shepard took them and bumped her credit chit against the asari's tool. "Thanks," she said closing the door in her face. Turning around she caught the downcast look and her shoulders dropped in sympathy. "Hun, she didn't mean anything by it…"

Garrus turned away and pulled his shirt back into place covering the massive scaring across his right shoulder and chest. Instead of responding he moved into the kitchen and pulled out the utensils, Shepard joined him and unpacked their dinner in silence.

"I should be used to it by now," he stated, his voice flat. "I get that look often enough." He dug into one of the take-out boxes. "My own sister still gives me the same one."

Shepard reached out a hand and rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand. "I love you, you know that right?"

He looked up from his meal, "I love you too." Garrus reached a hand around the back of Shepard's neck and he pulled her in to press his forehead to hers. They were still for a few moments until Shepard's stomach betrayed her and growled. They both laughed and pulled back. "I'm glad you still have a thing for men with scars."

She smiled around a forkful of noodles, "Always."

Domestic bliss wasn't always easy to maintain but together they would make it though.