Chapter Seven: Troublesome Men
Arin could very well have bid the turian good-bye and ordered a cab for herself. Something stopped her, however. And that something kept her mind from focusing on whatever it was Garrus had just said. "Shepard?" What had he asked? Oh, right, Family. Alliance.
"No, uh, I guess I never got the inkling to join," she replied. She thanked her lucky stars there was some sacred part of her that had indeed paid attention to Garrus as he aspoke. "Spent my whole life on Alliance ships, surrounded by marines. I know the lifestyle… I guess I just wanted more."
The turian expertly skewed them through traffic in the general direction of her ward. "Hmm."
She knew where the noise he made stemmed from. She'd been questioned by her parents, friends, and just about anyone that found out she had deep Alliance ties. Pretty much everyone except her brother. "It's stupid, I know. I mean, who knows? I might have even had my own command by now, and instead I'm just a nurse in one of the less regarded parts of the Citadel." She looked sideways, out to the blackened windows to avoid seeing his agreement. Maybe turians were tough to read, but she knew condescending when she saw it; she wasn't about to mar the newly repaired image of the turian next to her by confirming it.
"Why did you become a nurse?" His tone was not one of contempt, unlike the one she'd previously expected. It seemed so open, so clear, like it held no judgment for her. It was just that. A simple question.
But though the question was light and easy enough, her answer was not. She wondered for a moment whether lying to save face would be wise. Arin had never been one to do so, not unless it was completely necessary- the guilt trips sent her feeling cruddy for days or even weeks, no matter how small the fib had been.
That being said, the truth would just cast an image of a silly girl in the eyes of the turian. Of this, she was certain. And if Garrus and the doctor had a long standing friendship, she'd hate to come out as some ditzy, idealistic bimbo, if she was to continue working at the clinic.
She looked back at her companion to answer, but her mouth came up empty when she caught him staring at her. She would have jokingly called him out on his lack of attention to the traffic had she not been the object of his gaze. As luck would have it, she was. She knew he was probably awaiting her answer, but that didn't stop a blush from painting her face. It wasn't her fault; she couldn't be the only one shaken by the way turians glared… Only he wasn't glaring, he was… he was… Well, it was different. And the effect had been positive if her body had anything to say about it.
That was that. Even if she'd only had a few drinks, it'd clearly been too much. Wait, didn't turians have a better sense of smell than humans? Shit. Shit. SHIT!
The turian's head began to turn back to the path ahead, but his eyes lagged behind him as they swam downward on her face then to her cheeks for a moment before returning to the front. The instant had been so short that she would have missed it had she blinked.
She prayed to God and every other spiritual and ethereal being in the known universe that he hadn't notice the flush coloring her face and whatever else was going on with her down there. Clearly there was something wrong with her. She'd have to do a scan with her omni-tool when she got home.
In an attempt to pull him away from whatever the hell he was thinking about her, she forced herself to quickly answer. "I, uh, well, I guess the first reason is that I care about people. I want to help." That was true.
"Noble. And the other reason?" he asked, stealing a quick glance at her when he began his question.
"Oh, umm," A nervous laugh escaped her. "You'd have to get me absolutely hammered before I told you that."
She paid mind to the slowed flow of traffic, coming to the conclusion that they were coming to a halt. They must be near the sector within her ward with a lot of clubs.
"Hammered?" the confusion in his voice was unmistakable. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Right," There it was. The ever-present species barrier that had not bothered to fully remind her of their vast differences. "It means drunk. Really, really drunk."
"That shouldn't be a problem," he said dryly.
"Ha-ha. Very funny."
He stretched his neck forward as they came to a turn. "Speaking of drinking. I seem to recall what vaguely came off as a challenge from you. Something about being able to outdrink a turian…"
"… Any day of the week," She finished and laughed again. "I remember." Arin did her best to suppress a giant smile. "What, you wanna take me on, big guy? There's plenty of bars around here, Garrus. And I'm willing to bet my good credits if you want to make it more interesting."
"That… won't be necessary; I'm sure it will be interesting enough." He cleared his throat and glared out into traffic like he was trying to focus. "I mean, I'd feel bad for taking all your credits. Then what would you bet?"
She gaped at the insult for a second then scoffed. "Oh, I'm sure that won't be an issue."
"Keep telling yourself that, but we both know even a baby krogan could probably outdrink you and every other human."
"Hell, a baby krogan could probably outdrink every nonkrogan out there."
Arin looked back to see his mandibles had spread far and wide as he chuckled freely, sending vibrations to her chest, like there were a million tiny drums beating to his flanged voice. It was a curious feeling.
"Good point," he gave in when he finally stopped laughing.
She looked away, back to the dark window to hide her amusement.
"As much as I'd like to feed your gambling issue," he started, and Arin could see in the reflection he'd looked at her sideways, maybe to see if he'd gotten a rise out of her, "I have a big case I need to wake up early for." Her breath caught at her throat in embarrassment, and she automatically thought of many different ways that would make his… rejection? No, it wasn't a date. Well whatever it was, she wanted to make it easier for the both of them, even though he'd been the one to bring up the topic. Except she didn't get a chance to exercise said ways. "I'm going to enjoy taking you down a mark. It'll be nice seeing a humble human for a change."
"I'll have you know I am very much a humble person—"
"Hm. Yes, it shows," Garrus agreed sarcastically, and when he spotted her pout, he laughed some more. "At least you don't argue that you have a gambling addiction."
"I do not!"
"Really? Because you keep trying to bet on even the most trivial things."
Arin scowled at the turian, very much hating how the tables had turned. She was used to teasing and making witty remarks about others. This, well, she didn't like this. "You know what?"
"What?" he asked, she could hear that he'd muffled another chuckle.
"Just say the word, Vakarian, and I'll take you on."
"I'll even give you a heads-up so you can tell Doctor Michel you'll need a few days off to recover from your hangover."
She shook her head to keep from laughing. Damn, smartass turian. "I bet you think you're so funny."
"See," he began, clicking his tongue in disapproval, "there's that addiction again."
"Ugh. Just keep driving."
The weirdest thing about having gotten to know Garrus better was that now Arin wanted to learn a little more each time he dropped by to check in to the clinic, which had been almost every day during the weeks after their… outing. She attributed this new want to her insatiable curiosity. He was, after all, one of very few turians that wasn't cold toward her. Unfortunately, he only dropped by for a few minutes, not long enough to ask him anything other than after his well-being.
Maybe he was busy. He did say he was working on a big case.
"Look at you," Deela said, suddenly appearing in Arin's field of vision, "Daydreaming like a fifty year old asari maiden." The asari walked around to Arin's desk and hugged her.
"What? I'm not- wait, aren't you supposed to be working?"
"Yeah, I'm just dropping by before my shift. Fist has really been working us late."
"I noticed. I've missed you."
"And I've missed you," the asari said with a pout. "For whatever reason there's a flood of mercs, coming through to the club. I don't think we're promoting more, but whatever Fist is doing, I'm fine with. You should see the tips some of these guys give just for shaking my t—"
"No need for visuals, lots of dirty mercs. Got it."
Deela gave a breathy laugh before suggesting, "You know, you'd make a killing on tips."
"And as flattered as I am," Arin said with a bright smile, "the answer remains the same."
"Can't blame me for trying again. I wonder how much that turian of yours would have given you that night."
"Deela!" Arin mockingly pushed the asari.
"Hey, I wasn't the one blatantly staring. You never told me what happened with him, anyway."
"I did tell you. Nothing happened. We went our separate ways." That was true… They had gone their separate ways at the end of the night when he dropped her off. Deela didn't have to know they had dinner and shared a skycab. "And he's a turian,"she said plainly, to deflect any more intrusive questions the asari might have.
"One of these days, Arin, a turian will catch your eye and then you'll have to think of some other excuse."
"Right, right. And what excuse are you gonna give Fist for being late?"
"Oh, Goddess," Deela made a little jump at the reminder and was walking out of the clinic before Arin could begin to cackle at her friend. "I'll see you—oof—" Just as she was exiting, she bumped into a man who appeared to be in just as much of a hurry as she, "hey, watch it! Bye, Arin!"
"Good luck!" The nurse reached for the nearby glove dispenser as the man approached her. "Hello, Doctor Michel should be back from lunch soon, but in the meantime—"
"You gotta help me," the man said, balancing himself on the balls of his feet and running hand through his short, cropped hair.
"That's what I'm here for."
"Yeah, okay, listen, I have this crazy meeting coming and I need to get some stims."
Arin looked at the man, really looked at him. She was sure this was the very same person Doctor Michel had warned her not to give any stims to just earlier in the week. "What's your name?"
"Elias Keeler." She brought up her scanner on her omni-tool. His readings were off the chart, and no wonder: not half into this new month and he had already hit his monthly limit for mental stimulants.
"You've already purchased the allowed amount for the month. And I gotta tell ya, your readings are off the chart; you have to get help." She reached for a holo-card chip in her desk and held it out for him to scan. "This is a great, free clinic that helps with problems like yours."
"No!" The man smacked the chip away from her hand. "You don't understand! I'm a negotiator for the Alliance—"
"Listen, Mr. Keeler," she began, but he slammed his hands on her desk and looked like he might push the computer and datapads off it in a fit.
"—I have a meeting with the salarians and I need you to sell me some stims." He sighed, an attempt to calm himself, Arin judged.
"Mr. Keeler, I'm sorry but I cannot sell you any more stims. I'm going to ask you to leave or I'll have to call C-Sec. But please, seek help." He gurgled out a frustrated scream. While it would have been easier for Arin to take the man down with a little self-defense, it was the doctor's policy to call C-Sec whenever a patient became the least bit hostile and she had to respect it.
"Look I'm sorry, alright?" He pushed on the desk and straightened his back. "I'm just a little on edge because of this meeting. How about you just sell me the stims? I pay and be on my way. Okay? Great."
"Mr. Keeler, get help. You have a problem and there's nothing we can do for you here. Please leave."
He screamed something incomprehensible, and closed their distance with a finger pointed at her face. The man had no time to continue with whatever his plan was, because another man appeared and yanked him back. She hadn't seen him, or the krogan standing near him enter, much less approach the scene.
"The lady asked you to leave," the new man said, tightening his grip on the addict's shoulder. "Are you going to listen, or does my krogan have to make you listen?" The man, in a sharp fitted suit, turned Keeler around by his shirt so he could get a better look at the armed krogan. "Scram."
Not a second after he spotted the other man's guard, did the addict go, "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I'll go, damn it." He left, with an urging push from the man in the suit, like a scared dog with its tail between its legs- something Arin was grateful for, even if she could have handled him on her own.
"Thanks," she said sheepishly. Only then did she fully take in the remainder of the situation. There was a man, in a nice suit, with an armed krogan. He couldn't have been a salesman because the krogan would just scare any potential customers, so what was the deal? "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Chloe here?" he asked her, looking off to the side, like he didn't much care about his question to begin with.
"Pardon?" Her mind blanked for a moment, realizing too late who he'd meant.
"The doctor, she in?"
"Oh, she should be here shortly. But if you let me know what you need, I may be able to help you while she gets here."
He walked to her and smiled sweetly. He was taller and stockier than her initial calculation said. She could see the fabric of his suit stretch where his muscles were. It wasn't just that he was wearing a fitted suit; this man clearly worked out. "Yeah, maybe you can." He took a step closer, too close, really. His closeness almost obscured her view, but she was still able to tell the krogan had turned from the pair and toward the door.
"You another doctor?"
"No, I'm a nurse."
"Very nice. You should wear one of those old time nurse uniforms from Earth. You know the ones?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Maybe I'll get you one. "
"The doctor will be here soon," she reminded him, "If there's nothing I can do for you."
"Oh I'm sure there's plenty you can do for me."
Arin felt her guts twist. Didn't Garrus usually show up around this time?
"You have any idea who you work for, Miss?"
"Doctor Michel is an exemplar in the local community," she said coolly, doing her very best not to give him a tight-lipped answer. She had a bad feeling about this guy, but she wasn't about to show him how scared she was quickly becoming. Where was that damned turian?
"That what you think?" She nodded at his question. "Hm. Well, she's not all she's cracked up to be, believe me." The man scoffed, and Arin wondered if he thought what he'd said was funny. "Tell me, how did a pretty thing like you end up having to work in this part of the wards?"
She looked away for an instant; the proximity between them was beginning to intimidate her, and she'd hate for him to notice. She tried to relax, but it was just so much easier to handle someone angry or that wanted to do harm… This, she didn't know what to do with whatever this was. "I enjoy working here."
"Do you now? I could find something better for you to do, if you're interested." Her eyes flung up to his and he winked. He actually had the gall to wink.
"Is there something you needed?"
He inched closer and leaned in to whisper, but Arin leaned back. No way in hell she'd step back because she had to stand her ground, she just hoped what she'd done instead would deter him. But it didn't. "Tell Chloe her friend Banes stopped by and that I won't wait much longer." His warm breath was like an unwanted touch.
But with all her senses still intact, she picked up some commotion going on at the front of the clinic. "You can't come in, this is a private session!" the krogan yelled.
The man straightened himself and waited until Arin did the same to reach forward and tuck a curl behind her ear. The nurse snapped her hand towards his to stop him, but he was quicker and with his other hand grabbed hers and used it to pull her body to his. A quick glance told Arin his krogan had more bark than bite, something the man must not have expected.
"Don't forget to give her the message." His free hand snaked down behind her and gave her ass a little squeeze, causing Arin to freeze.
"Hands up or I'll shoot."
The man's head spun toward the cause of interruption so quickly that there was no way he didn't hurt himself in the process, and his body soon followed. He scoffed but he did as he was told, barely, putting his hands up defensively for a second before bring them down to his sides.
"Step away," Garrus ordered. His voice brought her back from her trance and she took a step back without thinking.
"There a problem, Officer?" Banes asked, too innocently to be believed.
"There will be if you don't step away."
The turian walked toward the two, never taking his eyes off the man named Banes, who stepped away from Arin reluctantly. He must have taken the threat as good.
"Relax, turian. Just saying goodbye to a friend."
"Really? Because it looked to me like you were harassing the good nurse while your krogan kept watch," Garrus said, wedging himself between Arin and the man, blocking most of her view.
Banes chuckled, and casually walked to the side so he could get a better look at the nurse. "Ask her if you don't believe," he suggested, looking at her pointedly.
She knew better than to say anything that would disagree with Bane's previous statement, but she refused to be bullied into submission. "I've never met this man in my life," she replied, with her heart at her throat.
The man's face drooped for a second, like he had trouble processing that someone had denied him something for once.
"Get the hell out before I take you in."
"For what? I didn't do anything, right, sweetheart?" he asked her like he was giving her a second chance, one she refused to acknowledge.
"You wanna see how many counts I can frame you and your krogan for? You'll be poor by the time your lawyer gets you out."
Banes laughed, it was a dry and short type of laugh that sent a shiver down Arin's back. "We're goin', turian. Wouldn't want you to do all that paperwork for nothing. " He started to talk away to the exit, but turned his head to say, "Don't forget about my offer," to Arin just before he completely disappeared from view.
The various zings and other sounds of a compressing gun filled her ears. Garrus set his rifle back in its place on his armor, but he remained with his back still to her for moments longer. She could see his breathing was even, obviously he was a lot more calm and collected than she was. Or at least she thought so before her ears picked up what seemed to be a low thrumming growl coming from the turian.
She was going to thank him, despite anger settling in where fear had just been, but he walked out without a word. Not a 'how are you?' or an 'I'll be right back' or even a chance to be thanked. Not a damned word. She was left alone, to wallow in self-disgust.
