A/N: This chapter really gave me a hard time, and honestly I haven't been able to sit down and write like this in years so I also feel like I'm still knocking off the rust lol. I hope it's still enjoyable, slice of life is something I've never really written before, so if you guys like have any pointers I would more than love to hear them. Next chapter will have ice skating lol

—-

Shepard let out a quiet grunt as she missed the holographic moving target down the range. She popped the thermal clip before setting her pistol down on the booth's ledge. She came to the practice range often, partly to stay on top of her training, and partly it weirdly helped clear her head. Today's session had been less than idea howeverl as she saw her below average stats for the session on the little wall monitor. "Are you feeling alright, Shepard?" a turian questioned in a teasing tone.

Shepard's shoulders slumped as she turned to see Garrus Vakarian standing just outside of her booth. She hadn't even realized he was there, though she had been expecting him. He had one brow perked as he scrutinized the human, looking her up and down as if he'd find some sort of flaw with her. Wearing old fatigues and an old Alliance t-shirt Shepard almost glowered at the turian, his mandibles flaring in some amusement. "Not a word, Vakarian." Shepard said firmly as she packed it in for the day.

She had been at the range for only a half hour and it was becoming obvious to her that this session wasn't going to get any better. Especially if Garrus was going to start teasing her. "What was it you wanted to come see me about?" Shepard then asked, hoping to distract him from asking further.

In fact, as the week had progressed, she herself became more and more distracted. Garrus was every bit as perceptive as Shepard. It was partly why they had bonded so quickly. Both were former military, and both took up similar jobs on the Citadel. As time had passed they had these regular get togethers at the range, sometimes at a local bar for a few beers, or the occasional poker night. Every now and then it was more business than pleasure.

Shepard felt a flutter in her gut as she had looked back on the week. After casing up her firearm, they both headed to the counter so she could pay. While Shepard had been outwardly confident around Liara, there had been a few moments she had wondered if she had been coming off too strong. There was also some panic involved when she realized just how quickly she really had been becoming attached to the young prothean expert. There had been moments she had to tell herself to slow down.

There was no rush, right? In truth, Shepard had never felt like this around anyone before. While she knew she was attracted to the asari, she had also been genuine about wanting to get to know her more. She just wasn't entirely sure what would be considered "appropriate behavior" when you get blindsided as she did. She really didn't know what came over her at the club that night with all the flirting. She was generally not that forward with other people. She had just seen Liara sitting there at the table looking alone, lost and out of place. It was hard not to spot her out of a sea of other people enjoying their nights. And after the fiasco that had happened, all Shepard really wanted to was make the prothean expert smile.

There had just been something about the archeologist that Shepard couldn't ignore, however. Liara was easy to be around. There was no pressure involved, despite Shepard's inner conflicts. It had been… Well Shepard would admit it had almost been like breathing fresh air. For the first time in ages, Jaydan Shepard just felt like she could be normal around someone. Do normal things.

Shepard being at that club really had been a one in a million chance. She had only gone there to help Garrus with a drop off to a c-sec contact. She had only planned to be there long enough to drop off a package, then she was going to go home. That is until she had seen Liara. And then when the maidan was hassled by that creep, she decided to intervene.

Then there was the cafe trip. Really, she was on her way back to her place after a work out at the gym when she ran into Liara yet again. It had been a bit uncanny and Shepard wasn't able to resist tempting fate. She was glad she did in the end. Liara had been kind enough to indulge the human, letting her take her to the cafe where three hours flew by. Liara had no idea what kind of relief Shepard had felt around her. That sense of normalcy had been lacking up until now.

And as fate would have it, it turned out they both worked at the same museum. Shepard wondered if the universe was having a laugh at her expense. When the human had seen the asari walking down the hall, nose buried in a data pad (which she had found adorable after the fact) Shepard had nearly choked on her coffee.

It had taken her all morning and part way into the afternoon to get the courage to even seek Liara out. And in part, it took her a while to find a reason to even do so without looking entirely weird. She knew how this looked on the outside, she had worried Liara would think the woman was being a total creeper. Shepard would not have blamed the asari either. But when Liara had said she had been thinking about the dark haired woman as well, it had been somewhat relieving.

But when Liara had sought her out the next day, a bag with two containers in hand even, Shepard knew she would be done for sooner than later. Liara's bashfulness as she stood in the doorway of the break room had struck Shepard that perhaps there was something to this after all. And the butterflies that had been set off in her guts over that shy smile Liara had given her when holding the bag up, as an offer.

They had even spent that evening sending each other text messages to each other's omni-tools, having idle chatter about work, or little things about their lives outside of the museum. Shepard felt like she was out of her league, but she couldn't help but want more of whatever this was.

Shepard swiped her chit in front of the automated terminal after she was ready to leave. As she did the door unlocked, allowing both the turian and herself out. "Are you even paying attention?" Garrus' voice cut through her thoughts. Shepard tried to hide a slight flush in her own cheek, having been caught lost in thought.

When the turian saw the slightly embarrassed look on her face he sighed. "I said, I just came to thank you for doing that drop the other night." He then paused and he gave her a concerned look. "Are you sure you're ok, Shepard, I've never seen you out of it like this." He then said, his tone worried.

Shepard hadn't really intended to keep it a secret. She had no real reason to. She just had a hard time admitting any of this out loud. It had made her nervous in more ways than one. She was afraid of wrecking things with Liara, or putting too much pressure on her. She had genuinely wanted to get to know Liara, she didn't want to chase her away. She at the very least hoped for a friendship with the asari.

But saying it out loud also made whatever this was real, and that frayed her nerves in other ways. She had no idea what she was doing. She figured it couldn't hurt to get some kind of outside view. And all she had was an equally clueless turian.

Shepard slowed to a stop before they faced each other. They were almost eye level. Shepard was just barely shorter than Garrus, but she was also fairly tall for a human. "The club I went to, for your contact. There was this asari there, who was getting harassed by some bozo…" Shepard trailed off as she could already see Garrus connecting the dots. Sometimes that made talking to the turian a bit easier.

"Anyway, we just so happen to work at the museum together too. And… we've been having lunch together all week, and I'm just kind of… I like her. A lot really, but we're trying to get to know each other still. I think she's mostly aiming for friendship, which I am totally behind… But there's also been small moments." Shepard trailed off knowing she was likely rambling. She wasn't entirely sure how to share this sort of stuff out loud. They were friends, hell she'd even consider him a close friend. He had helped her through a rough patch after moving to the Citadel.

But she wasn't used to being open with people either.

His mandibles flared as he gave Shepard a humored look. "Well that's a relief." He said with a hint of sarcasm. When she looked at him in some confusion he said, "Here I was thinking you were starting to fall for my dashing good looks and my sense of humor and that I'd have to turn you down gently." Shepard laughed at that before giving the c-sec officer a friendly shove.

"Har har, laugh it up Vakarian." Shepard rolled her eyes, but she knew he meant nothing by it. Shepard then started walking again as the turian walked alongside her. "I don't really know what's going on between us, but I've just been nervous about chasing her off on accident." the human said as they resumed their walk. "I mean I'll take it as a good sign she hasn't warped my ass into next week yet at least..." Shepard tried in lame humor. She then shrugged her shoulders as she began to walk down towards the closest sky car pedestal.

Garrus contemplated with himself for a moment. The pause was not entirely unusual given the topic. Neither of them had really discussed possible dating prospects with each other. Which Shepard knew was a bit presumptuous, but she couldn't deny that Liara did in fact keep coming back.

The asari was shy and reserved, but Shepard could see there was a fire behind those blue eyes too. The human had no doubt that if she wanted to make Shepard stop, she would have no trouble doing so.

It was all a bit nerve wrecking for Shepard, and neither she nor Liara seemed willing to broach the subject too heavily just yet either… They had barely skirted around it as it were, but Shepard had felt fairly confident there had been something between them. And she had hoped she wasn't making an idiot of herself thinking that Liara T'soni felt it too.

"Well, if she's stuck around you this long, I'd say you're probably safe." Garrus jabbed as they rounded a corner. He shrugged his own shoulders. "Honestly Shepard, I'm not any good at giving out advice, but it sounds like you're both on a similar page." he pointed out. He then shrugged his shoulders as he gave a look of thought. "You could always see how she's feeling about it." he then suggested.

The human had to admit he had a point. She could spot the pedestal just up ahead. It was hard to argue anyway. And he was right, she could always talk to Liara about it. "Thanks, Garrus." She was truly grateful for his input.

He patted her firmly on the shoulder as they came to a stop in front of the pedestal. "Any time, Shepard. I gotta get back to the precinct, thanks again for your help, we did catch the guy we were after." Shepard smiled as they waved, the turian walking away as she put in her apartment info.

—-

"When did you say you would be coming home?" The matriarch asked for the second time. Benezia's face shimmered slightly on the video call. Liara sighed some as she looked to her work pile on her desk. She had been home working on some of the notes she had been taking for the artifacts at work when her mother called.

To be fair to the older asari, Liara had not made contact since after she initially got settled in her new apartment. "I am unsure, it really depends on what all is found on the dig site." The prothean expert responded patiently. Liara felt a sudden realization at that.

She had no idea how long she'd be on the Citadel. It was assumed for a few months, but the excavation team continued to dig up new finds. And it made her stomach sink a little realizing that her time here with Shepard would likely be short lived regardless. And it made her want to frown, but she had kept a calm outward appearance. At least while she was still talking with the matriarch.

The young asari had told herself she would not bring Shepard up just yet either. Part of her wanted to confide with her mother over everything that had happened with the human, but she was not ready to have her mother's eventual interrogation just yet either. The maidan knew it may have seemed harsh to someone on the outside, but her mother could be a meddling force when she wanted to be.

The Matriarch could be a little… overly protective of her daughter. And while Liara was still trying to figure out what exactly was happening between herself and the security guard, she didn't need her mother influencing it in any way.

"I just worry about you out there on the Citadel alone. It can be dangerous." The Matriarch was fishing, and the maidan realized it quickly, though she almost made a mistake already regardless. She had almost told her that she had not been entirely alone. Shepard had been keeping her company after all and they had begun to exchange messages fairly often. They would spend lunch breaks together, and sometimes Shepard would walk Liara to the nearest pedestal after work.

Small steps, Liara had to remind herself. "I assure you, mother, I am fine. I have my work to pass the time with and I have been sharing meals with a colleague." A half truth. Liara did not want her mother to worry about the maidan. But she could not lie entirely about it, especially when she knew Benezia was looking for information. She had given her enough to placate the older asari for the time being, or so she hoped.

Really, as the prothean expert thought about it she knew it was silly. but some part of her still questioned what interest the human could have in her. And she still didn't fully understand her own attraction to Jaydan Shepard either. It still felt something of a whirlwind at times. But Liara never felt like she was in harm's way either.

"Well I just hope you are not too buried in the past, I still wish you would consider a change in careers." the Matriarch said with a slight frown. Liara couldn't help but feel a bit weighed down by this whole conversation. For the most part she had been enjoying her time on the Citadel. She had been enjoying her work, however clinical it had felt. She had met Shepard, and although their friendship had been unusual, she had been enjoying the time she had spent with the human.

So far Jaydan Shepard had given Liara some new experiences she hadn't been expecting. She hadn't felt judged, or analyzed by the human. In all honesty Shepard was exciting to the maidan in a sense. Liara couldn't entirely explain it either, though she could make an assumption. Shepard gave her something to look forward to, something that wasn't about her work, or her mother. "Mother, please. I really do not wish to argue tonight." Liara almost pleaded.

For her part, Benezia gave an apologetic look. "I am sorry, Little Wing. I do not mean to push you. I just want the best for you." Liara smiled, knowing that her mother always meant well, even though it had come with some negative impacts at times. It had been a fine line between them. There had been times Liara would distance herself entirely from the matriarch.

"I promise, I am safe and happy with where I am at, mother." Liara said, and it felt true. She had a few close calls, but for the most part she had not been hassled too much by the bustling people around her. And with Shepard, she felt like she had something new to look forward to any time the human was around. "I am sorry mother, but I do need to get back to my work, I have much to catch up on." Liara then said, though she did regret it.

She really just didn't want her mother asking her too many questions. Liara had always been more reserved when it came to things like this around her mother. She had felt guilty about cutting her mother short all the same. But her mother seemed to understand anyway as they said their goodbyes and ended the call.

Liara sat back in her seat, staring at her screen. The young asari began to fiddle with the long sleeve of her shirt as her mind wandered back to her earlier realization. She wasn't sure how long she would be on the Citadel. And she knew she was already growing attached to Shepard at an almost alarming rate, too. Was it really wise to hope for anything more than a friendship, when she had only planned to be on the station for a limited time?

Liara knew she had a habit of overthinking, if not overcomplicating situations. She had certainly never expected to run into someone like Shepard, let alone develop an attraction to the security guard. But she couldn't keep that new concern from festering slightly. She wasn't sure where things would eventually go with the human, but it was also likely Liara would return to Thessia until she found a new project. Shepard would still be on the Citadel.

And as if on cue, the maidan received a text message on her omni-tool. She couldn't help but give an ironic sort of chuckle as she saw Shepard's name pop up on the holoscreen. The archeologist then glanced at the clock on her wall, noting the time. It was becoming late evening, generally around the time she would start settling down for the night so that she could go to bed at a decent time. However, her mind was now buzzing over the what ifs.

She finally opened the little text box, blue eyes scanning the message from the human.

Wanna get ice cream with me?

Liara had seen a few ice cream stands throughout the Citadel by now. She had been curious, as it seemed like a popular concoction amongst several species who could eat it. But she was also always too shy to be standing in the long lines, especially on her own. And as she pondered on taking the invitation, despite how late it was, she couldn't help but smile at the idea of trying it with Shepard. She was never fond of crowds or lines, but Shepard had this weird way of distracting Liara from all of that, and it made being in crowded spaces a little more tolerable.

Before this week last, Liara would not have been caught dead eating lunch in the middle of the busy streets of the Citadel.

Liara chewed her bottom lip as she tried to think of how to respond. The asari did not want to seem over eager. In truth she could use the distraction after speaking with her mother, and from the realization it had caused her. And who distracted her better than Jaydan Shepard? Liara's stomach did a somersault over that concept.

So late?

She waited for a response, looking to her terminal. A small break couldn't hurt, right? But she knew she had to be at the museum fairly early as well. And she still wanted to go ice skating with Shepard, she had been oddly excited by the idea of it as time passed. She had been nearly caught up on her work.

That's the best time to have ice cream, trust me ;)

Liara couldn't help the smile that spread on her face along with a slight flush on her cheeks. Always something new around the dark haired woman. She had yet to be disappointed by anything new Shepard had introduced her to. And just like that, she knew she wouldn't get any more work done, whether she went with Shepard or not. So she decided on the better of the two options, her fingers dancing over the keyboard of her omni-tool.

I would like that.

The asari finally messaged back as she looked herself over. A simple white somewhat loose fitting long sleeved shirt with slacks. She had hoped it would do for ice cream as she grabbed a jacket before heading for her apartment door. She couldn't help but find herself excited, like she was doing something forbidden almost.

She had never really given herself a chance to go off the straight and narrow path she created for herself. She didn't adventure too far out of her comfort zone. And yet her cheeks flushed as she realized she had been practically hurling herself out of said comfort zone, all for just a bit more time with this enigmatic woman.

Her omni-tool vibrated on her wrist once more with a set of coordinates. With it came another message: I'll be waiting for you by the pedestal, I'll take you to my favorite place where they got the best stuff. Who better to share it with than my favorite archeologist? Liara could almost see the twinkle behind those brown eyes as she read the message.

Liara felt a fluttering in her stomach as she knew that she may have to make a hard decision a few months from now. But her smile remained anyway as she reached the pedestal. She could still hope for a good outcome, right?

Liara found herself chewing her lip as she felt a little anxious in encouraging it, but she also wanted to feel a little bold and daring herself for once. She finally typed out a response.

Flatterer.

It was simple, but Liara felt her nerves rise regardless. As she typed in the coordinates to the terminal she felt her omni-tool vibrate again.

What can I say? I can't resist that smile of yours, T'soni. See you soon =)

Goddess, Liara knew she was in trouble when she felt the burn in her cheeks near instantly.