A/N: It's been almost 2 months... I'm a bad author... (using the term 'author' loosely here of course).
I've gone for a slightly different literary style this time, as well as taking a *slight* risk with the story. You'll either hate it, love it or fall somewhere in the middle. And that's all I'm saying for now.
Shepard staggered out of the medical bay.
All this time she was being stupid: Justice was his whore.
Whatever made her think she could compete?
"To the people we care for..."
"May we never take them for granted."
The world span around her. Sweet nothings and I love you. It's irrelevant with a crew; they only ever wind up dying in the end anyway.
They only ever wind up leaving you.
Not understanding.
Dr Chakwas eyes glazed over with nostalgia.
"Ah, Jenkins... soldiers like him make the Alliance great."
One thing had been important on that night so long ago: She'd been lonely, Jenkins had been there.
In the end there was only one thing which really mattered.
She should have never let herself forget it.
She took the first few wobbly, drunken steps towards the main battery.
She'd freed him from his guilt, but at what cost? There would always be that one day they would fight over one criminal. That one day she would allow them to escape.
That one day she would lose him forever.
She almost stumbled forwards as she entered the room.
"Have you got a minute?" she was trying desperately to hide any slur in her voice.
"Sure just killing time anyway. I wanted to thank you again for your help with Sidonis, whatever happens with the Collectors or the Reapers, or whoever else comes after us, I know you'll get the job done."
A sickly, sweet smile spread across her face.
"I couldn't do this without you Garrus,"
"Sure you could. Not as stylishly of course."
The room began to spin again; she walked over to the crate to sit down.
"It's strange going into a suicide mission on a human ship. Your people don't prepare for high risk operations the way Turians do."
Oh this should be good.
"How do Turian crews get ready for high risk missions?"
"With violence usually: Turian ships have more operational discipline than your Alliance, but fewer personal restrictions. Our commanders run us tight, and they know we need to blow off steam. Turian ships have training rooms for exercise, combat sims, even full contact sparring. Whatever lets people work off stress."
"You mean Turian ships have crewmen fighting eachother before a mission?"
"It's supervised of course. Nobody's going to risk an injury which interferes with the mission. And it's a good way to settle grudges amicably."
Garrus began to pace the room.
"I remember right before one mission, we were about to hit a Batarian pirate squad. Very Risky."
He turned to face Shepard.
"This recon scout and I had been at eachother's throats. Nerves mostly. She suggested we settle it in the ring."
"I assume you took her down gently?"
Always the gentleman.
"Actually, she and I were the top ranked hand-to-hand specialists on the ship. I had reach, but she had flexibility."
He began to pace again.
"It was brutal, after nine rounds the judge called it a draw. There were a lot of unhappy betters in the training room."
Garrus awkwardly turned his face away from Shepard.
"We, ah, ended up holding a tiebreaker in her quarters. I had reach, but she had flexibility. More than one way to work off stress I guess."
Shepard shook her head at his little story; it seems he plays that game too.
"It sounds like your carrying some tension. Maybe I could help you get rid of it?"
After all, you're deluded for ever thinking that it could work.
"I, uh, didn't think you'd feel like sparring Commander."
She should just have her fun with him now and move on, just like with Jenkins.
Just like with Kaiden.
"What if we skipped right to the tiebreaker?"
"We could test your reach..."
Shepard strode over to Garrus computer and gave him her most seductive smile.
"...and my flexibility."
Excuse me, but would you care to repeat that Commander? I think I may have misheard you.
Are you feeling okay Commander?
Are you absolutely sure that you don't want to spar, Commander?
"Oh, I didn't..."
Didn't what? Didn't realise what she meant? Didn't think she was interested in Turians?
Didn't think she could possibly be interested in me?
"Huh. Never knew you had a weakness for men with scars."
Garrus eyed the Commander; she was still leaning against his computer, her hip jutted at a slightly cocky angle. Waiting for her answer.
He tried to find something attractive to him in her alien form; just one thing was all he needed to justify what his mind was already screaming at him...
He found nothing.
Shepard was strong, inspirational and a good leader... everything he aspired to and everything he wasn't.
Should it really matter?
"Well, why the hell not? There's nobody in this galaxy I respect more than you and if we can figure out a way to make it work, then..."
He noticed the smile which had crept across her lips and his heart skipped a beat.
"...yeah. Definitely."
He'd said it. His heart pounded in his chest; he waited for the big smirk to appear, for her to declare it was a joke...
She didn't. Calmly, she walked straight past him and out of the room, making sure to brush him gently with her hand in a very inappropriate place as she did so.
Something told Garrus he wasn't going to get much work done tonight.