"You're here almost as much as Ashley."
Garrus looked up from the reader, from which he was reading up on the new exchangeable heat sink the Alliance navy was apparently experimenting on, and smiled, pleasantly surprised to find Michael's eyes open and for once not murky with drowsiness.
"Well I have to keep an eye on my Commander, see if he recovers in time." Garrus' smile turned into a smirk even as his gaze darted down to Michael's chest.
Amazing what modern medicine can do.
With it only having been two and a half days the sheer wrapper was still around Michael's chest, and still filled with medi-gel. But there were no crater now, no white bone sticking out from a gory mess, only white scar tissue which even as Garrus watched was beginning to fade.
Of course it wasn't amazing exactly, the Normandy's med-bay – like everything else on the ship – was state of the art, not to mention adapted for treating human marines...and while doctor Chakwas herself was modest...she was clearly one of the best.
A crack of cartilage as Michael's mouth opened wide...and a yawn escaped him as a strapped down arm struggled to reach up towards the large mouth.
Finally he managed to speak: "How long was I out this time?"
Garrus shrugged, setting down the reader on the bed next to him before pivoting on the stool he sat on to face Michael. "Almost a day or so, have to say you're looking much better now."
"I feel better too..." Michael offered Garrus a pleading look. "...so could you...take off these straps?" He nodded down to his body where black straps had secured his arms and legs to his bed after the first day of his recovery.
Of everyone on the ship only Joker and the ground team knew of his drugs, the others just thinking him injured...Garrus was glad Chakwas had chosen to share that information, it had made it easier to understand the needs for the straps...
"I..." Garrus scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he grimaced. "...don't think the doctor would appreciate that."
A smirk...and Michael nodded: "Great, the entire ground team is apparently scared of an elderly woman...that doesn't inspire confidence you know." A minuscule shrug: "Oh well, could you at least scratch my nose for me then?"
Garrus chuckled and shook his head in amusement: "That I can do." Reaching out he placed a clawed finger against Michael's nose and moved it up and down the oddly smooth flesh.
Michael's eyes closed, his shoulders slumping. "Ahhh...that's the stuff...you know it never itches until you can't reach it..."
Garrus' chuckle turned into a small laugh: "Yeah, tell me about it." He let the finger scratch a bit longer against the nose of the human, just to be sure, before leaning back.
Michael's eyes opened, the man offering Garrus an honest smile. "I'm clean now you know, Chakwas is just being careful."
"Yeah, like you wouldn't do the same." Garrus smirked. "And sure, you probably are considering all the stuff she's pumped into you...I'm surprised you even have any blood left in those veins...but one can never be too sure." He shrugged. "Besides, I think she does it as much to give you some rest as anything else."
"Yeah..." Michael nodded, head dropping back onto his pillow as his eyes closed. "...probably..."
Silence.
Garrus watched Michael, the man's chest moving regular in slow breaths...body relaxing.
Most of the time since they had left the Citadel Michael had been asleep, the man at times waking up, at first just to mumble a few words, then slowly getting more coherent as his body recovered.
The others had taken turns to watch over him, which Chakwas had barely consented to Garrus remembered with a smirk. And Michael was right, mostly it had been Garrus and Ashley that had sat by him, both worried despite them knowing he'd recover. Liara had also been there a lot...though seemed less bothered, even finding some sort of...calm in seeing him. Wrex had been there once, declared that Michael would make a full recovery, then left. Tali on the other hand hadn't visited at all, the Quarian practically living down in engineering by now. And woe betide those who bother her... Garrus grimaced, a hand moving to his head, still feeling the slight dent in one of his head-plates.
As to Kaidan – Garrus grimaced at the thought – he too had visited, with the regularity of clockwork – of course – not too often though, the man wouldn't want to bump into Garrus after all... Being there for Michael of course got within his 'being a goodie two shoes' idea...but wasn't part of the book, and also distracted him from uselessly batting his eyelids at Ashley...
I hate that guy.
"You're scowling again." Michael's voice made Garrus look up, finding the man's eyes open once more, lips curled in a smirk: "How about a happy thought for once?"
"Sorry Shepard, just thinking about what happens when we reach Noveria." Garrus replied with a shrug, seeing Michael's arched eyebrow he felt compelled to add: "Well if you don't recover soon I have to take command, that would prove...interesting."
"How long until we reach Noveria?"
Garrus shrugged. "Ten hours or so."
A small nod from Michael as he eased back against his pillow, a pleased smile on his lips. "I'll be fine by then."
"I don't think Chakwas-"
"Chakwas is a doctor, you know what they're like..." Michael snorted. "...a few aching ribs isn't going to kill me." A small shake of his head, then a wry look as he looked back to Garrus: "And what makes you think you'll be in charge?"
A wry look Garrus returned in kind: "Shepard, please...who else? And don't say Kaidan or I'll bite that nose of yours off."
Michael laughed, a good, honest laugh, the weariness from last day gone: "You really don't like him do you?"
"He's honest, noble, by the books kind of guy, he'd obey any order, no matter how stupid he'd think it is." Garrus replied evenly. "He'd make a perfect C-sec man or even a Turian." Garrus grimaced, the memory of a displeased looking father all too fresh in his mind. "If he overpowered Saren he'd arrest him on the spot and try to get him to the Council for trial, if Saren then broke free and killed a thousand people he'd still do the same thing the next time, proud over his nobility and adherence to his ideals." He scoffed, easily seeing it before him.
Michael's words were soft, yet carried a hint of amusement: "And you?"
Garrus shrugged: "I'd shoot him on the spot."
"Heh..." Michael tilted his head to the side, nodding. "...I'd probably do the same."
"Which is why I am second in command." Garrus retorted with a chuckle. "Don't make me get it in writing, I'd hate to hurt an already injured man."
"Yeah, right." Michael chuckled back, smirking. "But don't worry, I'll be fine by then, wouldn't want you to command Kaidan around anyway, bad for morale..."
"Oh I'd solve that." Garrus grinned, watching Michael's arched eyebrows with amusement. "I'd just have to order him to take point every single turn until..."
Michael's smile instantly faded: "Not funny."
Garrus flinched. "Right...sorry Shepard...over the line."
"Right." A short nod, and Michael's smile was back: "So I guess you have an opinion on all...this?" He nodded at his strapped down body.
Garrus hesitated and looked away. So far Michael had been too out of it to have such a conversation, but since he'd brought it up... "The Turian army don't mind drug-use as long as it doesn't affect performance negatively..."
"Oh?" Michael's voice was carefully neutral, waiting.
Garrus looked back to Michael, almost irritated with the earnestness in his own voice: "But I've seen thousands of those dying in drug-overdoses or become nothing but husks in C-sec...it's not a good path Michael, efficiency be damned."
Michael met his gaze calmly...then slowly looked away. "I know..."
Dammit. "I won't stop you if you intend to take it up again Michael, but..."
"I won't."
"Oh?" Garrus blinked, surprised.
Michael still didn't look back at him, gaze instead at the ceiling as he spoke: "It's efficient yes, I hadn't slept in...a week I think before that injury..." A slow shake of his head. "...but while the injury didn't kill me the chemical imbalance nearly did...Chakwas apparently had to fix it before she could even treat me properly..." Another shake. "Injuries in combat are highly likely, can't risk drug-use to do more damage then necessary, the risk is too big."
"That's...one way to look at it I suppose." Garrus admitted with a smirk. "Thinking about your own health was also an option...but whatever works I guess."
"So what's happening out there?" Michael nodded towards the distant door. "Have only seen you and Ashley for a while now..."
"Oh not much, same old preparations and such..." Garrus shrugged, then gave Michael's arm a small bump. "...and yes Ashley does come by quite often doesn't she? Quite the mother-hen; how was her soup?"
Michael grimaced. "Annoyingly good and invigorating...you should have seen that smirk of hers when I took that first spoonful..."
"I can imagine." Garrus held back his own grimace, knowing all too well why Ashley had practically thrown herself into taking care of Michael.
She and Tali hadn't said a word to each other since they had exited the med-bay together...but the way the two threw glares at one another whenever they met – cold enough to make those around them shudder – left no doubt about their friendship being one of the past.
Should I have said something when I realised what was going on? Garrus frowned, then shrugged. Probably wouldn't have helped, and only dragged me into that mess...women.
At least the number of times the two saw each other had rapidly declined with Tali retreating to the engine core. The Quarian was suddenly very busy with this and that detail...tinkering with each and every part of the Normandy to the point that the human engineers were complaining about a lack of work. Not that they did it to the Quarian's face...her growing sullenness might be cute at first sight...but it rapidly turned into outbursts of things being thrown when she was bothered... and Garrus for one did not want to make the acquaintance of another wrench.
"And there you go scowling again." Michael scolded. "What is it now?"
"Well..." Garrus hesitated. "...you know why Ashley's taking care of you like that right?"
"No, no." Michael shook his head, eyes rolling upwards. "I'm blind, deaf and stupid you see..."
"Riiight." Garrus shook his head, then tilted it at Michael: "So what's the problem? I for one find human women a bit...too sturdy for my tastes...but judging by Joker's comments she's apparently, and I quote: 'a babe'." Aren't babies small and fat? Why would humans compare women to something it's illegal to have sex with anyway...?
"She is." Michael admitted with a wink, then a smirk: "But never call them 'sturdy' when they're in earshot..." Very noted...The mere thought of calling down Ashley's rage made him shudder. "And she's also..." Michael looked away. "...good, she has...everything I'd..." A shake of his head.
"So what's the hold-up?" Garrus grinned, a hand slapping down on Michael's shoulder. "Go get her...erm...tiger isn't it?"
"Heh, yes, it is." Michael smiled, then shook his head again, eyes fixed on the ceiling: "Can't though, not that regulations are important or anything...but the reason for them is." He looked back to Garrus, gaze steady: "There must be no distractions, nothing that at a vital moment...could make me do something stupid."
Silence.
Then Garrus nodded. "That...I can understand." He offered an uncertain smirk: "I'll watch your back from seductive marines then..."
"Good..." Michael chuckled. "Keep that rifle loaded just in case."
Garrus hesitated, then smirked: "If you're feeling pent up from staying away from her we can always go to Omega, buy you a few dances..."
"Garrus!" Michael laughed, head shaking even as it continued: "That's...haha...awful! You're as bad as Joker!"
"What? I'm just saying that we've already pissed off the Council by not following their directions...what's a little side-trip then?" Garrus smiled, enjoying the relaxation, and more importantly, Michael for once looking relaxed. He's earned it...
"I'll have you know Asari don't really do it for me..."
"Damn it."
"What?"
"Now I have to tell Ashley to stop giving Liara the old stink-eye."
Michael laughed. "I think it's against the bro-code to stop a brewing catfight..." Then a look of concern. "...but yes, I don't want fights on my ship, especially when they're unnecessary."
Garrus couldn't reply, only shake his head.
You have no idea...
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A thank you goes out to Abydos Jackson.