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"I heard something about a shore leave?" Garrus popped his head through the Captain's Cabin door, hoping to catch Shepard before she inevitably jetted off to a planet, a vidcom, or any of the other million responsibilities she had.
His eyes fell on Shepard, hunched over her desk, actually writing . He had barely learned the task himself, only learning it for military rescue operations, and he could only really do it in Turians and Galactic Standard. He was reminded that humans were so new .
Shepard glanced toward him, a smile appearing on her face. Other than a smile, she looked worn. Garrus suspected that this shore leave was more than just a suggestion and mainly pointed at the Commander herself.
"Hackett ordered the Normandy to dock at the Citadel for repairs and upgrades before we begin our final offensive." She put down her writing implement and swung her chair around to face him. "So we're free to do as we wish for a few days."
Garrus watched as she rubbed her palms down her face, frustration lining her features. It was so easy for her to chase away any good feelings lately. "The Reapers are not going to win because we need rest."
"Mhmm." The sound she made was noncommittal, disbelieving.
Garrus stepped into the room, moving to squat in front of Serenity. He picked up her hand and held it in his. "Tell me, do humans have to be by a shore to vacation?"
Shepard bit out a laugh and squeezed his hand lightly. "It's a bit of a relic from when our Navies were only ocean-based. A soldier would get leave away from the water and on the shore."
"Ah, so you wouldn't want that?"
"Want what?"
"A day by the ocean, on the shore?"
His Commander rose an eyebrow at him, curiosity replacing the stress and strain in her features. "Where are you going to find an ocean on the Citadel, Garrus?"
*****
Shepard met him on the Silversun Strip, just outside of the Casino. It was mid-morning and there were not many people traversing the streets.
Garrus shifted awkwardly, shouldering a bag containing everything the extranet said was essential to a human day at the beach. He himself was zipped up in a hoodie and wore shorts that he had to buy last night.
His legs were chilly in the ambient temperature the Citadel was kept in at all times. Garrus didn't understand how any species were happy to walk around with their skin so profoundly chilly, just for --
"Well, aren't we risque today?"
Garrus spotted Shepard walking toward him and she looked, well, different. But, definitely in the most beautiful way. He had seen her naked, in various states of undress, but rarely in anything other than her armour, her dress blues, and the N7 hoodie she wore into the ground.
Here, she was wearing a white translucent dress that was tight around her chest and waist and barely covering her, uh, her...parts. Underneath was a swimsuit coloured dark blue, leaving her midriff exposed.
He swallowed, his mandibles twitching as he tried to bring his gaze to her face.
"Uh, well, uh..." Garrus stumbled over his words, finally meeting his gaze with Shepard's. There was a twinkle in her eye, as if she knew exactly what was going on in his mind.
"It's a good thing you don't need to do any speeches today." Shepard rummaged in the small bag she brought with her and pulled out two pairs of glasses. She put one pair on, looking very, um, badass. The mirrored lenses sat over her eyes, resting on her cheeks. "Rule one of a beach day is sunglasses."
"Sunglasses?"
"Yeah, protect your eyes and look cool as hell."
She reached up and pulled off his visor, gingerly wrapping it in soft cloth, before putting it in her bag. In a swift motion, she rested the glasses over his eyes, the arms resting over his bottommost fringe.
The world darkened slightly and when he looked down at Shepard, she looked absolutely delighted.
"Dating a human is full of surprises. So many rules." Garrus reached out a hand and Shepard wrapped hers in his. "Follow me."
*****
"Rule five, you have to throw me into the ocean at least once."
Garrus rose a brow plate and clicked his mandibles in amusement. "Are you sure these are human rules and not just Commander Shepard rules?"
"Are you going to question your commanding officer?"
"We're on shore leave, Shepard. You might have to make me."
Shepard licked her lips, her brows high on her forehead. Damn, she was so attractive. A younger version of himself wouldn't have thought he would fall for an alien of any species. But, Shepard hooked him and called to him in every way imaginable.
"Don't say things like that, Vakarian. Especially when we're so far away from privacy."
Garrus pushed open a double door, holding it for Shepard before he stepped in after her. "You might be surprised."
They were in a large lobby. A large sign dominated the space behind the front desk. Veridan Getaways.
Garrus checked in, leaving Shepard to explore the space, swiping through a few screens mounted by the front desk.
"C'mon." He gestured for Shepard to follow and she fell into step beside him.
"What is this place? We're not going off the Citadel are we?"
Garrus shook his head, but said nothing more. He led her down a few different hallways until he reached a door denoted as 'Vakarian'.
"Normally beaches don't have doors, Garrus," Shepard teased, but as he scanned his omni-tool and the door slid open, she felt her demeanour shift to awe.
Stepping through the door, they were immediately on the beach. Sand stretched both left and right and a few meters away the ocean waves crashed into the shore. The sky was a deep, clear blue with white clouds dotting the horizon.
The door slid closed behind them and it was like they weren't in a room at all. Shepard turned to him, pushing her sunglasses off her face and resting them in her hair. "The sunlight feels so real."
He felt the warmth flood through his body, not just from the accurate, yet artificial sunlight. The joy that was unbidden on Shepard's face was worth every credit he spent to rent this room for the day.
He dropped his bag and then swept Shepard into his arms. "Found you an ocean." Garrus pressed his forehead against hers and he felt her hand migrate to the scarred part of his face. Her fingers caressed his skin gently.
"Don't know what I did to deserve you," she murmured, her voice soft and vulnerable.
"Saved the galaxy, twice." He pulled her close against his chest and started to walk through the sand to the water. "But even if you didn't, you still deserve all of the good we can fit into your life."
Shepard stretched upward and placed a kiss on his cheek. "You look good in sunglasses."
Garrus chuckled, the distance to the ocean only a few steps away. "I think you'll look good wet."
"This place is private, right? Wait, what–"
With a grunt, he swung Shepard backward and launched her into the ocean. The splash came back on him, water soaking into his new swim shorts.
She surfaced, her hair slicked back, sunglasses now clutched in her hand. The water glinted in the sunlight and he was right, she looked damn good wet.
Shepard pointed at him and he saw determination in her gaze. "I'm going to get you back, Vakarian."
"What are you going to do?" He backed up a few steps as she moved toward him.
She emerged from the ocean, water dripping off her, the dress clinging to her body. He swallowed, knowing he would let her do whatever she wanted to him.
"Can't tell you. That would take the fun out of it."
She ran toward him and he grinned, running down the beach away from Shepard, but very much wanting her to catch him.