[Garrus]
I got my stuff from your place on Intai'sei
Thanks.
Can we talk? Please?
Later.
It's been over a month… I miss you
I'm not ready.
Soon. I promise.
I love you.
Shepard leaned back on the chair and allowed her head to fall forward into her hands. She tried to rub the exhaustion from her eyes with her fingers to no avail. With a long sigh she got up from the terminal she used to help Liara manage the Shadow Broker network. She needed a coffee break desperately. Her eyes landed on the Shadow Broker herself as she typed furiously and scanned the monitors of incoming information.
After being "rescued" by her friend during the fallout of her break-up with Garrus, Liara had brought her back to her family estate on Thessia. The huge house was under renovation and being rebuilt in certain areas due to damage sustained during the war. When Shepard first laid eyes on the T'Soni estate, she couldn't help but gawk in awe. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew Liara had to have come from a life of privilege but it was hard to reconcile with the down-to-earth asari she'd known that had fought side by side with her.
Many times Liara rolled her eyes and laughed at her silly antics after she began to call her "lady" or "your majesty". In the first days when Shepard had come, they walked around the property and Shepard would listen as Liara told her the history of her family and stories of her childhood with Benezia. Liara's lineage was astounding and the potent love within her family was so beautiful, she wished she had been able to meet the Matriarch before indoctrination.
Liara also told her that shortly after returning to Thessia to help with the rebuilding effort; a few of her mother's previous acolytes had asked if they could help her with the estate. She tried to assuage their guilt of feeling like they had abandoned Benezia when she went on the mission to deter Saren, but they persisted that if they could help they'd be blessed by their previous teacher in the afterlife.
Out of nine, only one of the acolytes, Elysia, knew the truth behind what Liara (and now Shepard) was doing down in the basement of the house. Elysia, was chosen to act as steward by Matriarch Benezia until her return after helping the misguided Spectre. Fortunately, the lower level of the house had proven to be the most secure during the war and had kept her relatively safe from the Reapers and now Liara used it as her new "lair".
"Hey, Liara." Shepard tugged on an elbow. "Let's take a break."
Tired blue eyes turned to look at her. A small warm smile and a slow blink of lush lashes made the asari look ridiculously adorable and instantly lifted Shepard's mood. Immediately she smiled and silently tugged on the elbow again. In that moment, Shepard realized that she hadn't cried a single tear since sharing a month and a half with her dearest friend. The pain was there, but Liara was like a soothing balm.
As they sleepily gazed at each other, a sudden pang of sadness struck Shepard's heart and her smile faltered. Of course, Liara noticed, her own smile falling into a frown.
"What's wrong?" she asked tenderly, concern filling clear blue eyes.
With her home now available on Intai'sei, it meant that she could get out of Liara's hair so to speak. Shepard didn't exactly relish the idea of losing this companionship and her shoulders slumped at the thought. Her eyes dropped momentarily, "I don't want to leave." She said as she looked back up.
Slowly, cobalt lips lifted and features relaxed. "I don't recall telling you to get out, silly." Liara pushed back the section of hair that had fallen into her eyes when she had looked away.
An audible exhale left Shepard as she took Liara by the hand and lead her to a pair of chairs. She didn't retract her hand when they sat in an attempt to give comfort before breaking the news to her friend. Instead she leaned her elbows on her knees and coaxed Liara to do the same. Liara innocently laced their fingers together causing Shepard's stomach to do a flip. She shook her head to get her thoughts together.
"Garrus moved out of my place. I can go home."
Once again, Liara's smile fell into a frown. Her free hand came to rest on their clasped hands. "Shepard… you do not have to leave. Please don't feel that you have to. I-I love… having you here."
Shepard couldn't help the mischievous grin that spread at Liara's words. "You love having me here for my free labor." She tried to erase that pinch between Liara's brows and succeeded; earning a swat to her shoulder in the process.
"It's not free when I provide a home and feed that insatiable gut of yours."
Shepard quirked a manicured brow; smile still in place, "Are you calling me fat, Dr. T'Soni?"
Blues eyes began a trek down her sitting form then back to her brown eyes. Heat infused her cheeks and she felt embarrassed at the blatant stare. "Definitely not fat… well not yet at least. Give it a week." Liara said as she reached a hand to Shepard's abdomen and pinched the skin through her shirt.
A high pitch squeak left the former commander as she jumped back out of the chair and out of the asari's reach. Liara was almost doubled over in laughter and tears perched in the corners of amused wide eyes.
An observer wouldn't believe the two were adults as Shepard's face scrunched in a soft growl and she lunged for the information broker. She forgot how fast Liara was and found herself chasing after the quick blue form who'd taken off in a run toward the storage room, melodious giggles trailing behind her. It didn't take Shepard long to catch up and tackle Liara to the ground. As soon as she got her hands on the squirming form, she began her assault of tickling exposed sensitive areas.
Shepard laughed at Liara's squeals and asked, "Do you give up, T'Soni?"
The shrieked "Yes" contradicted her body movements as she bucked her hips and tried to flip over on top of Shepard. Instead Shepard clamped her thighs over Liara's legs from behind, then took hold of both arms and secured them with one hand behind her back. Her remaining hand was free to continue their assault.
Her advantage didn't last long when she felt the tingle of biotics surrounding her. "Hey! That's unfair!" Shepard abruptly found herself suspended in midair and a prowling asari observing her like prey. "You win! You win!"
Liara's head fell back in glorious laughter before sobering with a gleam in her eyes, "In what method shall I exact my revenge, Commander Shepard?" Liara asked tapping a thoughtful index finger to her lips.
"By letting me down?" Shepard asked hopefully. She was completely powerless to the whims of the most dangerous information broker in the galaxy.
Liara shook her head "no" trying to hide her smile and appear intimidating by biting down on her lower lip. The effect wasn't what she desired as Shepard thought it appeared appealing more than off putting. She tried to squirm but her arms and legs were held securely in place.
Shepard pouted when she realized there was absolutely nothing else she could do. "But you started it!" the human protested like a child which made them both crack up in laughter. Their laughter drowned out the approaching footsteps.
"Looks as if sounds can be extremely deceiving. I expected to barge in here and fuck up whoever was taking advantage of my daughter, but to my great disappointment… her virtue is very much intact."
Before Shepard could react to Aethyta's sudden presence, she was crashing to her knees on the ground. Liara winced apologetically and looked thoroughly embarrassed with her cheeks darkening a pretty shade of violet. "Goddess… Dad!" she hissed as she walked into the Matriarch's open arms and was enveloped in a rough hug.
"The idea is to have Shepard naked with her ass in the air, Liara. I thought I told you how restraints work. Humans love that kinky shit," the older asari continued while patting the maiden on her back enthusiastically; this time drawing a blush from Shepard as well.
"It's good to see you again, Aethyta." Shepard gave a small bow.
Aethyta sniffed indignantly and waved away the formal greeting. "You saw me less than a week ago, Shepard. Save all that polite formal bullshit for the matriarch's that care. I mean, are you really trying to screw my daughter or something?"
"Dad!" Liara's exasperation was evident as she held her forehead. Aethyta's gravelly laugh sounded in the small room and she began to make her way toward the door that lead to the main room with all the terminals. She had effectively embarrassed them both and made things unbelievably awkward in less than a minute.
"Okay, okay, Little Wing. No need to get your panties in a bunch," She lowered her voice to a raspy whisper that Shepard could still hear. "Perhaps Shepard can help you out with that if it happens." She hurriedly exited with a wink not listening to either of their protests of 'it's not like that' and 'we're only friends'.
Liara stood with her back facing Shepard even after the sound of the elevator told them the matriarch was on her way back upstairs. Their playful mood ended and Shepard noticed the forward slump in Liara's shoulders as she approached her friend.
"Don't be so blue, Blue," she said lightheartedly.
Shepard slung her arm over those slumped shoulders and pulled her into a half hug. Liara straightened then leaned deeper into the embrace, laying her head on Shepard's shoulder and wrapping her arms around Shepard's waist. They similarly stood now as they did in the rubble of London when Liara offered special memories and thoughts before the final push to the beam.
"Don't go." Shepard could barely hear the asari's whispered request. She placed a quick kiss to Liara's forehead then leaned her cheek on it.
"You're making it hard for me to." Shepard knew she should get back to her own life and work. She'd taken off for personal time from the orphanage she ran in the colony on Intai'sei. With Kelly Chambers taking care of the business in her absence she knew she didn't have any worries, but that didn't stop the encroaching guilt. The woman was usually in charge with her travels in between there and Palaven, but she didn't want to take advantage.
It was strange how she hadn't seen Liara for six months prior to coming to stay and now after being with her for a month and a half Shepard didn't like the thought of not seeing her every day. Despite her personal issues and sadness, Liara made her happy; genuine happiness, which made the pain of losing Garrus tolerable. She found the courage to move forward because the asari had been there to steady her when she stumbled on the path.
After a few minutes of quietly standing together, Liara stepped away with a sad smile. Shepard fought down the urge to cradle her cheek with her palm.
"I don't mean to keep you hostage, Shepard. I will miss you."
"You're willing hostage will miss you too." Shepard said, her heart feeling a new form of ache. She knew that her loneliness of losing Garrus would be eclipsed by missing Liara more. "But we're not saying good-byes just yet. C'mon, I still need a coffee. You kinda wore me out with that impromptu battle."
This time Liara's smile was brighter, sad thoughts banished from having Shepard with her in the present. The brighter smile eased some of the heart ache in her chest and they started their way to the elevator side by side.
"You know you're lucky your dad interrupted or else I woulda…."