This was a disaster.

Garrus looked around at the mess he had created. Flour coated every surface of the galley. Cocoa powder added brown highlights. Eggshells lay scattered like used heatclips after a firefight. Bowls, mixer parts and spoons, coated with what was supposed to cake batter, were strewn over the counter like a trashpile on Omega.

Garrus sighed, dislodging some of the flour and cocoa coating his face, a small cloud falling slowly to the deck. Maybe he shouldn't have tried calibrating the mixer.

He should have done what he was going to do and order a cake on the Citadel. Damn Joker and his interference. "Trust me, Shepard will appreciate the effort," Joker had said after Garrus had asked him to tell him the next time Shepard set course for the Citadel. "Ladies like it when you cook for them," Joker continued, completely straight-faced.

That will be the last time he takes romantic advice from the lifelong bachelor, even if he happened to be of the same species as Shepard. It still sounds clinical when he thinks of Shepard being another species.

The only smart thing he had done tonight was to do this at 0330 ship time. No one was around to see this disaster and he'll have time to clean it up before Gardner starts preparing breakfast. He'll have to replace the mixer, though. Nothing that runs on electricity should smell like that or be in so many pieces.

Damn. Back to plan A. No, it had to be today. And they were a long way from the Citadel. Damn.

"What the hell? Garrus?" Garrus jumped, knocking a mixing bowl off the counter with a loud clang.

Shit. Shepard stood barefoot, in a long t-shirt and trackpants next to one of the mess tables. Her arms were folded across her chest and one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Uhh… Happy birthday?"

Shepard stared at him. Crap. He'll never hear the end of this now. Shepard looked up at the ceiling above Garrus' head. Garrus looked up just in time for the batter to land on his face.

Shepard laughed, a big, hearty guffaw that Garrus hadn't heard in a long time. It was infectious and Garrus joined in.

Worth it, he thought, hearing her laugh. Completely worth it.