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Tapping his foot impatiently, Garrus Vakarian perused the array of dextro drinks currently on offer at Apollo’s. The Reaper War had ended, and although he had almost lost the woman he loved, she had come back to him, and he wasn't planning on letting her go ever again.
Commander Jane Shepard had a hold on his heart. Spirits, she had it in a vice-like grip, and he was more than okay with it.
Their relationship was unconventional, and it wasn’t just due to him being a Turian and her being a Human. As what had once started as a mere fling, a potential one-time thing had turned into something more wonderful. Feelings had grown, and he had once been told there was a human expression: absence makes the heart grow fonder.
And it had. Very much so.
Six months of Shepard being under house arrest hadn't dulled his feelings, and when she showed up on Palaven amidst complete chaos, his first instinct was to drop down on his knees and thank the spirits that she was alive.
Through various channels, he'd heard about Earth, and he feared the worst, knowing she was effectively trapped in Vancouver. However, he should have known that his girl couldn't be knocked down even when shackled in the proverbial irons.
It was difficult to believe that all that had happened a few years ago now, and although it had been hard, he had almost lost Shepard for a second time when the Crucible fired. They had made it through the other side, and they were happier than ever.
Garrus was leaning against the bar and looked up just in time to see Joker ambling towards him with a mischievous grin. He straightened up and narrowed his eyes as that expression always hinted at something untoward.
“You're late,” Garrus stated, straightening up.
Joker shot him a sideways look as he gingerly sat down on the awaiting stool. “Good thing I'm not your date then,” he remarked, his smile wry as he motioned for the bartender and ordered himself a G and T.
Beside him, the Turian shifted uneasily, and he was practically oozing anxiety. As the bartender set down the glass, Joker watched as intelligent blue eyes darted around their surroundings; every single nerve on edge like it had been during his days on Omega as Archangel.
Turning back, Joker couldn't help but smirk as he took a sip. He knew precisely who he was looking out for.
“Relax, she's on the Normandy overseeing repairs like the little tyrant she is,” he quipped.
Knowing that Shepard wasn't going to suddenly appear during their conversation, Garrus did his best to relax and finally, almost begrudgingly, retook his seat.
“So…Apollo's, huh?” Joker asked, adjusting the brim of his hat and glancing around.
“Kaidan suggested it for lunch. Said something about how great their steak sandwiches are,” Garrus replied, then smirked a little, his mandibles flaring out as he sideeyed his friend. “I think he forgets I'm a Turian.”
“Makes sense,” Joker continued. “Not the whole not being able to eat our crap thing, that Kaidan would suggest this place. He and Doctor Michel come here all the time.”
Garrus found his comment humorous. It turned out that Kaidan's friends unintentionally set him up with Doctor Chloe Michel while they were chasing after the Collectors. He'd been polite and stayed for a drink, then had both gone their separate ways. A few months later, and after the incident on Mars, Kaidan found himself being treated by her, and a spark had ignited between the two that went beyond his biotics.
After the war, and as soon as Kaidan was able, he'd gone back for Chloe, realising that life was too short and that he wanted to see if the connection they had was real.
It was.
“You know they've been dating for two years,” Garrus reminded him as he wrapped his talons around the glass. “You can call her Chloe.”
“I'm sure there's some kind of rule about a doctor dating a patient…” Joker remarked.
“Former patient,” Garrus remarked flippantly. “Anyway, I didn't invite you here to discuss Alenko’s love life.”
To his amusement, the pilot made a motion to stand while pulling a face. “Well, guess I should go then…”
“Jeff…”
Green eyes widened as he sat back down and turned slowly in his seat to regard the sniper. Just his tone alone indicated that he wanted to discuss something serious. “I don't think you've ever called me that,” he said, his tone indicating he was beyond bewildered.
Garrus found this the perfect time to peer into his glass, and he was just grateful that his people couldn't blush as he was certain his cheeks would be as red as the colour of Shepard's hair. He swirled the contents around, almost absently, before looking back up at Joker.
“I need your help,” he confessed.
His intrigue was definitely piqued, and he lifted the brim of his hat. “Now what could you possibly need my help with?”
It didn't help that Garrus seemed uneasy as he looked around once more before leaning in, bowing his head so he could make his request quietly, mindful that this place could have plenty of potential eyes and ears.
****
“Joker…where in the fuck are we going?” Shepard asked, shifting anxiously in her seat and glancing out of the window of the Kodiak. “I've got a job to do.”
Ignoring her request, Joker focused on heading towards his intended location and just gave her the tiniest of smiles. Shepard couldn't believe that he was deliberately ignoring her and folded her arms across her chest.
Despite it being a fair few years since the war ended, there were still colonies out in the ass end of nowhere that needed their help, and she couldn't do that if the Normandy weren't operating at one hundred and ten percent. The old girl had been through a lot, but like Shepard, she was still standing; still flying.
“Don’t make me open the hatch,” she threatened.
A soft snort escaped the wayward pilot. “You do know there are failsafes to prevent that sort of thing, Shepard,” he remarked, banking left.
Shepard watched the younger man for a moment, green eyes narrowed and didn’t bother repressing a huff. “Don’t use logic with me, Moreau,” she retorted.
The snort turned in a chuckle, and all Joker could do was shake his head. The thing about Commander Jane Shepard was, despite her hard-as-nails reputation, she was really a giant pussy cat, and he was ever so grateful to call her a friend. Hell, she had literally died to save his worthless ass, and it was a debt he could spend forever repaying, and it still wouldn’t be enough.
Instead of vocalising any of these thoughts or gratitude, he simply spared a glance over at the furious redhead with his trademark smirk. It was a smirk that said, “I know you want to throttle me, but you love me anyway”. Joker knew that not a lot of people could get away with talking to Shepard the way he interacted with her. He settled for a simple: “Whatever you say, Commander.”
Beside him, she huffed loudly and proceeded to sulk, arms folded and all.
****
Everything was prepared, and nerves didn’t begin to describe how Garrus was feeling as he anxiously awaited the arrival of Shepard. He had a table set aside in the more sheltered corner, at least, as well as he could considering how high up he was. Thanks to Tali, he had rigged a forcefield of sorts around the confined area so that the wind couldn’t knock over any of the food and drink. It wouldn’t bode well to have a table and chairs falling from this height and potentially causing damage.
Two bottles sat in the middle, alongside candles which Joker had assured him were romantic and a scattering of flower petals. Joker had informed him that rose petals were usually the thing men used, but they were in short supply, so Garrus had improvised and scoured the Citadel Tower for Cherry Blossoms instead.
The silver tablecloth Steve Cortez had acquired for him was a stark contrast, but it would have to do as supplies were still in high demand despite how long it had been since the Reapers perished.
However, Garrus wanted to do something nice for Shepard, and considering she always poured herself into everyone else, she deserved something that was just for her.
He moved to the edge of the platform and peered down into the vast lake, recalling how he and Shepard had come up here to the very top of the Presidium for some target practice. Garrus had won, but he had his doubts about whether or not his victory had been genuine. Although he hadn't called Shepard out on it, he knew she knew her way around a gun, how good a marksman she was.
However, he just regarded her with affection and informed her not to worry, as there were other things she was good at before pulling her close. Despite knowing she must have deliberately let him win, it didn't make it any less endearing. In fact, it had been one of the happiest moments of his life.
Right after, and despite his not-so-subtle gloating, Garrus had turned to Shepard and decided that with her wind whipping her short hair around her face, he had never seen her look more beautiful. He decided that, despite what the Reapers threw at them, they were both going to survive, so he had more time to enjoy moments like this; he wanted more time to love her.
His thoughts slowly began to spiral, slipping back to how he'd almost lost her, and fortunately, the roar of the Kodiak's engines slammed him out of the morbidity. The hatch opened, and Shepard clambered out, clearly annoyed and tugging down on the well-worn sleeves of her N7 hoodie. Even with how stern she looked, Garrus decided that she looked beautiful.
Despite her demeanour, her scowl dissipated when she realised where Joker had brought her. Shepard turned back to see Joker grinning like an idiot, and he closed the hatch before whizzing off without a single word.
Like a good soldier, and despite her company, Shepard assessed the situation quickly. She spotted the nicely decorated table and chairs on the far side of the platform; the faint flicker of blue indicated some type of forcefield had been erected around it, probably to prevent a gust of wind from sending everything flying off.
She looked back to Garrus, who seemed to be practically vibrating with either nerves or excitement; she couldn't quite determine which.
However, something was missing, and she was quick to call him out on it.
“After your victory, Vakarian,” she quipped, swaggering towards him with a shit-eating grin. “I didn't think you'd be up for a rematch.”
His mouth twitched, and then he held open his arms. “Do you see a gun anywhere in sight?” Garrus declared.
Shepard did a double-take and then even looked over at the table and chairs to see if he had one stashed over there. However, even the fancy tablecloth wouldn’t be able to hide his trusty gun. Garrus was the type of man who would sleep with his rifle under his pillow if she allowed it; but there was only one loaded weapon she was interested in when it came to the bedroom.
“Then why are we up here?” she asked.
Finally getting to the heart of the matter, Garrus made a sweeping gesture towards the table and chairs. “We’ve been so caught up in work lately that I just thought it would be nice to have a breather, so to speak,” he murmured, guiding her over to it.
Shepard opened her mouth to state how she just needed to get her duties out of the way, and then they could find time to relax, but the expression on his face said that he wasn’t just doing it for himself; he was doing it for her, for them. It had been a long time since she had just stopped to take a breath, and with all the repairs Normandy was undergoing due to all the beatings she had taken, she had not only neglected their relationship but herself.
“Okay, big guy,” she finally answered, her tone a lot more relaxed, and she activated her omni-tool, deliberately setting it to do not disturb mode so that she could finally enjoy some quiet time with him. “I’m all yours.”
Garrus moved closer to her, purring with affection and stopped short of physically kissing her. “There’s never been any doubt about that,” he replied, his voice low, and then he moved around her to pull out the chair.
With a tiny smile, Shepard let him push it back in, and he walked around to sit opposite her. There were already glasses of champagne on the table, both next to intricately labelled bottles, and she noticed he had got her favourite brand. Despite his not being able to drink it, he had thought ahead.
A large silver tray sat in the middle, seated beside a second one. He lifted the lid off the first and encased in ice was a massive selection of Susihi and her eyes grew wider with delight. “Garrus!” she exclaimed, looking like a child on Christmas who had just received the most spectacular gift ever. “Is this…”
Just seeing her face light up was enough of a reward for him, and he gave a nod as he set the lid to one side. “Your favourite,” he finished. Recently collected from Ryuuseu Sushi, the same restaurant Shepard had been at when mercs fired on her and Joker during their shore leave.
Once they had fixed the damage sustained during the attack, Shepard had been invited back for the grand re-opening and had fallen in love with the food, especially as they insisted on her eating for free. Shepard was modest and didn’t like being given anything just because of who she was, so she always made sure to leave a massive tip that covered more than the bill she had paid.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her tone a lot more gentle as her eyes roamed the colourful display of rolls. Despite the gesture being so simple; it was everything.
Although it had been a bit of a pain to plan, especially without Shepard finding out as her senses were keen and her suspicions always strong, Garrus felt like it was all worth it to see how animated she got. Garrus lifted the lid on his own meal and selected a few items.
Shepard grinned, reaching for the glass of champagne, and Garrus watched her like a hawk as she did this. She took a tiny sip, then snatched up the chopsticks so she could dig into the tasty morsels. The flavour exploded on her tongue, and she gave out a sensual moan, and yet again, Garrus was glad he couldn’t expose himself by blushing as the way she sounded was positively erotic. He cleared his throat, having to look away to compose himself and then he looked back at her.
“Good?” he asked, a little amused.
Halfway through chewing, she nodded enthusiastically. “So good,” she uttered around the mouthful and then reached for another piece.
His eyes moved to the champagne glass and then back up to her eyes. Even with the table manners of a wild Varren, she was still the most amazing person he had ever laid eyes on, and he regarded himself as fortunate to have her in her life; to have her love.
“Sushi, Champagne,” Shepard stated, plucking up the glass and raising it to him in a tiny toast. “A girl could get used to being spoiled.”
Garrus smiled at her. “Only the best for my girl,” he answered, his tone extremely fond.
The smile he got in response was positively goofy, and he felt blessed that he was able to see her slightly more dorkier side; to be the one to see her as completely human and infallible, to know that she was just like everyone else. It was an endearing quality to have and something he treasured immensely. Each little glimpse he got into her soul was heartwrenchingly beautiful, and the Turian found himself falling for her more and more with each passing day.
“Well, whatever seduction tactic this is,” Shepard replied, the smile seemed to be permanently etched on her face. “It’s certainly working.”
A faint chuckle escaped him. “Good to know my skills aren’t that rusty,” he stated, then the smile faded. “I know life has been hectic lately.”
Shepard could see where his thoughts were threatening to spiral, and she didn’t need him laying all the blame on himself. Both of them had thrown themselves into work, trying to help rebuild after the Reapers had obliterated so much. They were so desperate to fix all the things that had gone wrong when the Reapers unleashed Hell on the galaxy, that they forgot to set aside time for one another, and they had drifted apart. It was only a little, but it was a noticeable chasm.
“Garrus, if life went smoothly, it would be boring, and I don’t think I could cope with boring,” Shepard replied. Her honesty, sometimes brutal, was just one of the qualities he loved her for. She snagged up some more sushi as she arched an eyebrow. “Could you?”
It the span of just a few years, Garrus had gone from a position with C-Sec to travelling the Traverse with a predominantly Human crew, to living on Omega trying to make a difference, and then joining Shepard on a suicide mission to stop the Collectors. Add to all of that the invasion of his own home world, then it was safe to say, he was ready for boring; in fact, he was looking forward to it, more than he could put in words.
“You know, I wouldn’t mind something a little more…” Garrus replied, setting his glass down and clasping his talons together, his expression profoundly thoughtful. “Slower paced.”
For some reason, his comment surprised her, and Shepard cocked her head to one side, sushi paused just a few inches from her mouth. She lowered it and frowned delicately. “Really?”
All he could offer was a shrug, and then he reached across the table, taking her hand. “I have been thinking about the future a lot lately, Shepard,” he confessed, his tone calm as he regarded her. “About what it entails and what it looks like. We won’t always be jetting off to the next destination, and I guess, I’d like to have somewhere we could both call home.”
Being military, Shepard had no real home for a long time as she was always going from ship to ship, posting to posting, always sent to where the mission needed her. Normandy was the only stability she’d had in her life, the longest relationship she had been involved in. She set the piece of uneaten sushi down and reached for her champagne glass, glancing out at the view of the Presidium before sighing deeply.
Garrus watched her intently, seemingly seeing the wheels of her mind turning as she considered his statement. Despite being a couple, there hadn’t been any in-depth conversation about the future, but she had indicated that being with him was it for her; that she needed no one else. It warmed him like nothing else in this complicated universe.
“I mean, I have Anderson’s apartment,” Shepard said, her voice quiet as she continued looking anywhere but him. As soon as she even mentioned David Anderson, she always got sad, haunted by his death; devastated by his loss. “We could maybe…live there at some point?” She looked back at him, her expression almost timid, and for the first time, Garrus got a glimpse of just how vulnerable she could be.
His mandibles moved a little, but he offered no comment.
Shepard misjudged his silence to be a bad thing and quickly blurted out, “Or we could live on Palaven.” A beat. “If you want.”
Perplexed, Garrus squeezed her hand as she raised the champagne glass to her lips.
“Shepard, wherever you are, is my home,” he reassured her, his voice soft.
“Smooth, Garrus,” she retorted with a quiet snort, then went about draining the contents.
Unfortunately, the contents included an item of jewellery which Garrus was surprised she hadn’t noticed and he instantly reached for the stem of the glass to prevent her from swallowing it. Acting like she had been drinking poison.
Before the ring could hit her lips, Garrus was able to tilt it away, allowing it and Shepard pulled a face in agitation as she lowered it. “What the Hell, Garrus?!”
Gone was the shy woman talking about a future; in her place was the embodiment of anger.
“You know, Shepard, for someone who has beaten Reapers and has a list of accomplishments as long as her arm, you can be incredibly dense,” he answered, his tone indicating that his comments weren’t made out of malice, just painstaking observation; a hint of that dry wit she had come to adore.
Still frowning, Shepard set the glass back down on the table, eyes locked on his as she waited impatiently for him to elaborate.
“Jane Shepard, we have been through a lot together,” Garrus began. “We have survived the unthinkable, and we have emerged from it stronger.” Usually, Shepard was the one who gave brilliant speeches, maybe not heartfelt, but they were still great. He straightened up in his seat, trying to quell his nerves. “I would like to make our union formal.” A beat and he gave a slight grin. “But I can’t do that if you swallow the token of my love.”
She followed his eyes with her own to the glass and finally saw the ring. He could see in real-time the realisation sinking in, and her brain making all sorts of shut-down noises as she continued to look at it in shock.
“Why, Garrus Vakarian, I didn't have you down as a romantic,” she eventually murmured, eyes still fixed on it.
“I wanted to say something elaborate and make it special but I guess I'm not as smooth as I'd like to pretend,” he said, a little embarrassed that it hadn’t gone as he had planned. Joker had talked him through the whole thing and said it was a classic act that would go down a treat, but he never mentioned that his intented could potentially swallow the ring. He was just glad he didn’t decide to put on top of a sushi or they’d be making a trip to Heutra Memorial right now.
Gingerly, Shepard fished out the delicate piece of jewellery and then looked back at him, her expression soft. “You never have to act with me, Garrus.”
Emboldened by her response, Garrus calmly snatched the ring from her and walked around the table, dropping down to one knee as he believed was customary for Humans who wished to propose.
“There’s no Shepard without Vakarian,” he reminded her, his smile warm; love radiating from every pore as he gazed up at her. “I have experienced what it is to be without you, twice, and I do not care to experience it again. I love you with everything I have, Jane Shepard.” He held the ring up even more, trying not to let the hope within him seem too overwhelming. “Will you do me the greatest honour in becoming my wife?”
Shepard was silent as she looked down at his offering. It was a simple yet delicate ring; silver polished alloy with a strip of blue running along the centre of it like a piece of string but it had a slight sparkle. She was literally speechless, a rarity for the woman, and she slowly looked up into those eyes that had captured her heart so many years ago.
“Garrus…” she whispered, her tone marred with disbelief.
“I don't quite know how it'll work, but I want it to, Shepard. Desperately. Turian marriage customs are a lot different from Human ones, but I wanted something that could blend the two.”
He pointed a talon at the blue line.
“I had a little of my blood infused into the ring, as a sign of my commitment. My blood, my heart, my name…”
Garrus hesitated, piercing blue eyes memorising every single line etched into her skin, the way her eyes looked like emeralds shining so brightly despite all the trauma she had endured just to remain standing here, by his side.
“They're yours, Shepard. If you want it.”
Biting her lip, a habit she had developed when she didn’t know how to work something out, Shepard looked down to the ring then up at him again. She swallowed hard, unable to convey all the emotions swirling within her at his heartfelt gesture. It wasn’t just the ring; it was the thought and effort that had gone into it that surprised her. It was finding a piece of her heart that she hadn’t even realised she was missing, and Garrus completed her in ways no one else ever could.
When Shepard claimed that she couldn’t be without him, she wasn’t lying, and she didn’t want to live in this world without him. Her lips quivered as she tentatively held out her left hand, and Garrus could see she was shaking like a leaf when she usually had the steadiest hands in the galaxy.
Aside from him, of course.
“Yes.”
Her voice was ever so quiet that he had to lean in to ask her to repeat her answer for fear he had somehow misheard her. “What was that, Shepard?”
Straightening up in her seat, both her look and tone were a lot more confident as she smiled and it was like the sun appearing from behind the clouds on a rainy day. “Yes, Garrus Vakarian, I will marry you.”
All his fears and nerves were blasted away by her acceptance, and he securely placed the ring on her finger before standing up. Shepard stood with him and leaned in to kiss him. It was soft at first, then increased with passion as she wrapped her arms around him, desperate to pour everything into the embrace.
This was the woman he would spend his lifetime loving, and there was no better feeling in the universe than this moment right now. In a place that was special to them, and full of meaning.
“I love you,” she murmured against his lips.
His response was immediate, a low rumble within his chest as he sighed deeply. “I love you too.”
Shepard’s smile was wide as she looked around. “I still can’t believe you organised all of this.”
“Joker helped,” Garrus admitted.
The smile was still etched on her face and she threw back her head a little as she laughed. “Maybe I won’t kill him after all.”
His own laugh was a low rumble as he moved his hands down to her waist. A comfortable silence grew between the couple, with only the sound of the skycars passing nearby and Garrus gave a contented sigh.
The wind whipped her hair around her face, those eyes shining up at him. Shepard had found her person and she wasn’t going to let him go; ever.
Overwhelmed by what she was feeling, she leaned in and kissed him again.
Garrus accepted, keeping it simple as there would be time for more kisses; a lifetime’s worth.
Pulling back a little, Garrus brushed back her hair from her face and gave her the gentlest of smiles. Shepard smiled up at him, love flowing from her, and she was practically glowing with happiness. He glanced at the hand on his shoulder, admiring the ring now on her finger before whispering, “I'm Garrus Vakarian, and this is still my favourite spot on the Citadel.”