A Little Unfair

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

"Garrus!" Shepard screamed. She ducked behind cover as the gunship swiveled around and let loose another rocket.

She saw the blood trickling into a pool around the still Turian. Her heart pounded through every inch of her body. Zaeed was dealing some damage to the gunship as she crept towards Garrus carefully. She administered medigel to keep him from death.

She heard the ship explode as Miranda and Zaeed rushed to their side. The old merc muttered, "He's not going to make it."

Garrus was motionless, Shepard was beginning to become very panicky as she saw the lack of rise in his lungs and body. She shook him desperately, "Garrus!"

His eyes snapped open wide as he sucked in a horrifyingly shaky breath. His talons clutched the barrel of his rifle in pain. The pool was beginning to expand around his limp body. Shepard ordered Miranda to radio Joker.

Garrus' eyes flickered to Shepard's. They were desperate and pleading. She hushed him softly, "It's okay Garrus, we're getting you help. It's going to be alright."

His eyes held an understanding of her words, a certain faith in what she said. It only broke her heart to know she could be wrong.

"We've done all we could do for him, Commander. He took a bad hit-" Jacob was interrupted by the sliding of the doors.

Shepard grinned as a certain Turian came into view.

"Shepard." Garrus greeted.

Jacob muttered, "Tough son of a bitch. Didn't think he'd be up yet."

"Nobody would give me a mirror. How bad is it?"

Shepard chuckled, "Hell, Garrus, you were always ugly, slap some face paint on there and no one will ever know the difference."

Garrus began to laugh before he grimaced. "Ah. Ow. Don't make me laugh- Damn it. My face is barely holding together as it is."

He took a pause as Shepard eyed him hungrily. She had been afraid she'd never see the Turian again. There was something about his presence that gave her a certain reassurance, as if the world wasn't falling apart. All the time she had spent in the cargo bay watching him tinker with the Mako, wasn't just to waste time.

He intrigued her at first. Then it came to be he was one of her closest and most trusted friends. She wasn't sure during their hunt for Saren when she actually became interested in the Turian. A Turian! She couldn't help it though. The way he made her feel, the chills he sent up her spine. The reaction she had every time his voice reverberated off her body, bones, and skin.

Garrus spoke again, bringing her back from her thoughts, "Some women find facial scars attractive." He gave her a sly grin, before chuckling softly. "Mind you, most of those women are Krogan."

She wasn't sure what exactly happened in her brain next that caused her to utter what she did. Pure insanity? Maybe his voice. Whatever the hell it was, she wished she could take it back as soon as she said it.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not Krogan." A wink slipped past her barriers, and she sent it his way.

Shit.

She stood motionless, her breath held to see how he replied. The Turian laughed. "You're funny Shepard."

If she was physically capable, her jaw would have dropped to the ground. How in all hell did that not work? Did she even want it to work? Was it ever a plan? She was so fucking beyond confused.

Shepard grinned picking up the pieces silently. "You know me." She replied weakly. Disappointment seeping into her bones.

"Frankly, I'm more worried about you." Garrus dropped his gaze to the floor. "I've heard bad things about Cerberus the past few years."

Shepard nodded her head. "That's why I'm glad you're here, Garrus. If I'm walking into hell, I want someone I trust at my side."

Garrus' mandibles fluttered, his body shifted as he gestured, "You realize this has me walking into hell too." His vocals gave a gentle hum as he turned to the side. "Just like old times."

God. That voice. Shepard felt like a ridiculous teenager obsessing over a crush. She couldn't help the way he affected her though.

"I'm fit for duty whenever you need me. I'm going to settle in and see what I can do with the forward batteries."

Just as quickly as he came, Garrus was gone. Shepard's head dropped into her arms. She really had a problem.

Shepard made her way down the ramp toward Garrus. Sometimes she wondered if anyone else noticed how often she went to see him.

Garrus had to have noticed for sure. After every goddamn mission, she came up with some reason to go and visit him. She was really starting to get tired of his "calibrating". As she stepped inside, Garrus spoke without looking.

"Shepard. Need me for something?"

So. She was becoming that predictable. She knew she should feel ashamed. But she didn't. She teetered on her toes, "Have you got a minute?"

Shepard held her breath. Waiting for the usual response "Can it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle of some calibrations." Fuck calibrations.

Garrus shrugged, "Sure. Just killing time anyway."

Shepard could have squealed like a little school girl. Could have. Of course she didn't. She hoped to God he couldn't hear her heartbeat go nuts though. She was so goddamn excited, it was nearly shameful. Again, nearly.

Garrus interrupted her thoughts, "I wanted to thank you again for your help with Sidonis. Whatever happens with the Collectors or the Reapers or whoever else comes after us, I know you'll get the job done."

Ohhhh, stop it you. Her mind said. She actually said, "I couldn't do this without you, Garrus."

Garrus grinned. "Of course you could. Not as stylishly of course."

Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of that infernal grin. She loved it when he smiled. It drove her body wild. Again. She hoped he couldn't hear her heartbeat.

His voice reverberated against her eardrums, "It's strange going into a suicide mission on a human ship. Your people don't prepare for high-risk operations the way Turians do."

Her mind piqued in curiosity. "How do Turian crews get ready for high-risk missions?"

Garrus folded his arms behind his back. "With violence, usually. Turian ships have more operational discipline than your Alliance, but fewer personal restrictions."

"Our Commanders run us tight, they know we need to let off steam. Turian ships have training rooms for exercise, combat sims, even full contact sparring. Whatever lets people work off stress."

Shepard's face contorted in disbelief, "You mean Turian ships have crewmen fighting each other before a mission?" She asked incredulously.

"It's supervised of course. Nobody is going to risk an injury that interferes with the mission. And it's a good way to settle grudges amicably."

Garrus walked towards the door, looking down the ramp. "I remember right before one mission, we were about to a hit a Batarian pirate squad. Very risky." He turned back to Shepard, "This recon scout and I had been at each other's throats. Nerves, mostly. She suggested we settle it in the ring."

Shepard grinned, "I assume you took her down gently?"

He shook his head, "Actually, she and I were the top ranked hand to hand specialists on the ship. I had reach, but she had flexibility."

Garrus turned back to the ramp, "It was brutal. After nine rounds, the judge called it a draw. There were a lot of unhappy bettors in the training room."

Shepard went to speak, but Garrus continued. "We, ah, ended up holding a tiebreaker in her quarters. I had reach, but she had flexibility. More than one way to work off stress, I guess."

Shepard's eyes would have bulged from her skull if possible. Garrus turned back to her. Her heart was racing. She was pretty goddamn flexible. Why couldn't Garrus test her flexibility? God, that would be fantastic.

Before she could stop herself, her stupid brain allowed her to speak again, "It sounds like you're carrying some tension. Maybe I could help you get rid of it."

She stood. Her brain exploding from the implications of what she had just spoken. What the HELL was wrong with her? Her heart surely would jump from her body and plop right on the floor. Right now. She was waiting.

Garrus' face held a look of shock. "I, uh, didn't think you'd feel like sparring, Commander."

What. Now, surely her brain would jump from her head and fall right on the floor. How much clearer could she get?! And again, was her mind conspiring against her in some way? She was pretty sure she didn't agree to half the things she said. It was starting to get quite ridiculous.

Shepard sheepishly picked up the pieces once more, "I- well I do. Let's spar sometime."

Garrus shrugged, "Sure, what the hell, should be interesting. I'll be sure to let you down easily."

As she began to feel a little more confident again, Shepard straightened and laughed, "Keep telling yourself that Vakarian. Before you know it, you'll be flat on your ass."

As she left the forward batteries, she couldn't help but wonder where the FUCK her spine went.

Shepard swiveled around in her chair. Suddenly, her omni tool pinged,

"Feeling up to sparring?" -Garrus

Her mind raced, dragging her heart along with it. Close movement with Garrus? Touching Garrus? Getting to roll around with him? Oh hell yeah.

The maniacal and fanatical grin that crossed her face, should never ever be seen by anyone. Ever.

"Sure, cargo bay, 15min?" -Athena

She didn't want to appear too eager so she added on the fifteen minutes. It had to look like she was actually doing something with her time instead of swiveling in her goddamn chair.

Fifteen minutes later Shepard walked into the cargo bay. Garrus was already there. She admired as he moved around, stretching out his limbs. She wasn't exactly sure when she became fully attracted to the Turian, but there was just something about him that really, really made her want to jump his bones.

Her heart began to race excitedly. Garrus looked at her with a small smile, "Your heart rate is already racing, Shepard. Scared?"

She stared at him stupidly. "How do you know that?"

He tapped his talon against his visor, "It monitors life signs. I can see your heart rate, body temperature, basically everything to know whether you're alive or dying."

Shepard felt as if a bucket of cold water had washed over her and rushed through her veins. Her heart must have stopped because she stood very motionless staring at him. This means that every time her heart raced out of control, he knew. And her heart raced every fucking time she was alone with him. Perhaps he never noticed?

She plead ignorance, "Don't flatter yourself Vakarian, just the adrenaline of a fight."

Garrus gave her the slyest and slippery of all smiles, as he hummed gently. "I've noticed that every time you and I get alone, your heart rate tends to spike."

Shepard's eye twitched at the implications. "I don't know what you're talking about. Are you ready to spar or just talk?"

Garrus shrugged with that sly grin again. As they began hand to hand, Shepard became very acutely aware of his smell. His delicious musky scent. God, she was a fucking creeper.

She reveled in joy every time his hands grabbed her close and pulled her to the floor. Hell, she was making it goddamn easy for him she enjoyed it that much. He goaded her, "This is too easy Shepard."

She bucked him to the side and rolled to a protective stance, he slammed her against the wall. Her arms splayed from the impact. His body pressed very closely to hers. Shepard breathed in deeply, her brain fuzzy from the reaction to his scent. Her gaze lifted upwards to see Garrus, unmoving, and staring deeply into her eyes.

Those blue, blue eyes. She felt like he was reaching into her soul. Embracing eternity for fuck's sake. Her breath hitched as her brain authorized a very unauthorized move. Her hand brushed the side of his face gently.

Garrus' face contorted into a confused expression as he stepped back and released her.

Shepard stood, stunned beyond all belief of what she had just done. She wrung her hands together as the Turian's voice rumbled,

"What the hell was that?"

"I, uh, well- I..." She sighed deeply and turned her back to him with her head in her hands.

"I have a confession to make. I've, uh, well, developed feelings for you Garrus-"

"I know."

"And I'm sorry-"

She turned to look at him stunned as what he said just impacted her. "Wait, what?"

Garrus gave her that same infernal goddamn grin. "I already knew."

She stared at him incredulously. Her eyes wide with horror, "How long?"

Garrus crossed his arms, and tilted his gaze upward in thought, "Ummmm, somewhere between you throwing yourself at me when I first came on board, and throwing yourself at me in between every mission."

Suddenly Garrus let out an oomph as Shepard's weight hit his center of mass quite hard. He fell to floor and she pinned him under her weight. Rage seething from every pore in her body.

Garrus grinned at her, "As much as I would enjoy it, rape is rape Shepard."

She snarled at him, "You knew for that long and you let me keep going on like that."

Her infuriation growing to astronomical levels. "It was quite amusing. When you offered to ease some stress together- Spirits! Your reaction to that was just hilarious."

Shepard growled, "Fuck you."

She stood up and stormed towards the elevator. The Turian rolled over, laughing his ass off. "Come on, don't be like that. It was funny!"

Just as she was about to hit the upper levels, Garrus grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the cargo bay. She refused to look at him. She could see the grin on his face in her peripherals. She crossed her arms to put distance between her and that ass.

Garrus' face brushed her neck gently sending an electrocuting blaze of emotions that tingled her body to her very last pore. Her resolve was fading quickly as Garrus' voice rumbled to her very depths, "Once we test my reach and your flexibility, I'm sure you will find this to be just as funny as I do."

Shepard hmphed. Crossing her arms tighter across her body and straining to keep her gaze away from Garrus, his talons pulled her head towards him gently. "Don't be so stubborn, Shepard. We both want this."

Her eyes stared into his with defiance. "Do we now?" Oh. NOW her spine comes back.

Garrus grinned. He absolutely adored her determination. He absolutely adored everything about Shepard, especially how she was when she was angry. His face brushed hers again softly, he left soft kisses down her jaw and neck.

He felt Shepard's body tremble beneath him. A low rumble echoed in his body as he pushed against her. His eyes found hers. Garrus inched his face slowly towards hers.

A faint grin could be found as he teased her. Shepard collapsed into his arms, her lips pressing against his mandibles hungrily. Garrus lifted her up and onto the console, her legs wrapped around his waist pulling him closely to her body.

Her hands roamed desperately as the heat in her body raged, her mind raged, and her heart raged. Garrus pulled back with a soft nip on her tender lips, Shepard moaned in frustration. She gripped him tightly, as his voice rumbled, "I didn't need all of those things to know anyway Shepard. Your pheromones were off the charts."

Her eyes narrowed, "Turians can do that?"

Garrus nodded. Shepard grunted, "A little unfair, don't you think? I was at a disadvantage this entire time."

Garrus chuckled deeply into the nape of her neck, his mandibles finding her smooth lips again. Finally, after having his fun, he would be able to test his Commander's flexibility as he so desperately wanted to.

Well. That was incredibly fun to write. I hope yall like it, because it was fun :) Leave a review please! I'd like to know what yall think :)