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Shepard is standing in front of the mirror, staring at her face. She carefully touches the scars on her cheek and winces at the stinging sensation. She can already feel herself starting to detest the glowing cracks, the permanent reminders of her death. Not that everything else around her isn’t.
By the time they arrive on Omega the scars are thankfully starting to fade, but Garrus notices immediately. He let’s out an appreciative whistle. “Nice new scars, Shep.”
It’s the first time she can smile about them.
-
“Some women find facial scars attractive. Mind you most of those women are Krogan.”
Shepard grins and shakes her head. How Garrus can be up and joking so shortly after taking a rocket to the face is beyond her. She holds back a comment about not minding the scar to much either.
-
“Are you even attracted to humans?”, they have been slowly working towards this for weeks. From playful banter, to joke flirting, to actual flirting and now to seriously considering...something.
Garrus looks at her and Shepard wonders if his visor is picking up on what is going on in her body. If he can tell how much she wants him to say yes.
“Honestly? Not humans per se.”, he replies and she raises an eyebrow. “But you? Definitely.”
“Wow”, that’s even better than she hoped.
-
He is beautiful. Right here, right now in what she fully expects to be her last night alive. Garrus is there with her and he is so god damn beautiful.
-
Before she drops him off on Palaven, Garrus sneaks a quick kiss. “Be safe.”
Shepard let’s out a bitter laugh. “I am about to turn myself in for a war crime. I don’t think that counts as safe.”
“Point taken”, Garrus sighs. “Just don’t...do...I was about to say do anything stupid but you will inevitably. Just try to be careful.”
She grins. “That is a very low bar. I think I’m just gonna declare right now that I am too pretty to die again and leave it at that.”
“That you are.”
-
Menae leaves her speechless for a moment. She was so afraid she had lost him, seeing him again just overwhelms her with so much happiness and love she doesn’t know what to say. Garrus, of course, immediately picks up on it.
“What is it Shepard, too struck by my beauty?”
The joke jolts her out of her shock. “Oh yes, you have me speechless.”
Vega gives them a very confused look, then immediately puts two and two together. “So that’s the Turian Joker was talking about?”
Shepard turns towards him, mortified. “Joker was what?!”
Vega just laughs.
-
Shepard’s favourite spot on any of the Normadies has always been Joker’s co pilot seat. She will just sit next to her friend while he talks, working and sometimes taking a much needed nap. Joker doesn’t really mind that she often isn’t listening to what he is saying, until now. Because now he has something he needs her advice on.
“How do I communicate to her how much I like her Shepard. She takes everything so literally.”
Shepard shrugs, barely suppressing a yawn. “Tell her she’s pretty.”
“She’s an AI.”
“Everyone likes being told they’re pretty.” She sits up a little more straight. “Allow me to demonstrate.” Shepard activates her omnitool and punches in a command before declaring. “Hey Garrus, just wanted to tell you you’re pretty.”
“Thanks, you’re pretty too and I love you.”, Garrus immediately replies.
“I love you too”, Shepard says and hangs up. “See.”
Joker rolls his eyes. “You two are so sweet it gives me a toothache.”
-
They decide to get married on shore leave. Once again both of them suspect they wont live much longer and apparently Liara can officiate. Shepard doesn’t know why, but she puts finding out on the “if we survive this war” bucket list she has been keeping. Most of the items on the list involve Garrus.
So Shepard allows Tali and Miranda to buy her a white dress and let’s Joker lead her from the kitchen of the apartment to in front of the fireplace where Garrus and Liara are waiting.
He doesn’t say a word, just stares at her and she smiles at him. “Hey”
“Hey”, his voice is so full of love Shepard is convinced she can physically feel it. “You’re beautiful.”