Digressions on Garrus

Garrus' sentence for the Digressions series is 'Garrus had been expecting this.' For those new to this game each ficlet begins with the same sentence. Self imposed challenge to see how many ficlets I can write for each character.

Privacy

Garrus had been expecting this. Ever since Kaidan had returned to the Normandy, Shepard had been giving him sideways glances, suggestive looks that hinted at hidden desires. And then they'd started disappearing into Shepard's cabin together at the end of each day, and Garrus had felt a vain hope that their nocturnal activities would remain behind closed doors.

But he'd lived on the Normandy SR-1 for long enough to know that that was not likely to be the case. He'd once come across the pair making out in the hallway outside the elevators, then again in the mess at 2 am. And once he'd even walked in on them in the communal showers, pretending to be doing nothing more than washing, but the way they both studiously kept their backs to him had been telling.

It wasn't like Shepard hadn't had his own private quarters back on the first Normandy. So either they had been suffering from a serious lack of impulse control, or they had been doing it deliberately, either a public statement that they were both taken, or the thrill of exhibitionism. And knowing Shepard, it wasn't hard to guess which way he leaned.

So now that Kaidan was back, it was only a matter of time before he walked in on them going at it.

The difference this time, Garrus realised, as he stepped out of the main battery late one night, was that on the first Normandy, they had limited themselves to making out, kisses, touches, but nothing too explicit. But as he stepped forward and the mess came into view, he realised that they had changed the rules of their own game. And he would never, ever look at the counter top the same way again. Not now that it had had Kaidan's bare buttocks spread all over it like that…

Both participants seemed oblivious to his presence, and he quickly retreated, not sure whether they knew he was there, and not wanting to find out. But there was something fascinating about watching two humans mate. They were a lot softer than turians, curves and round corners where turians had sharp edges, and he was aware that he wasn't leaving as quickly as he potentially could have done. Soft cries and entreaties for more reached his ears, and the pleasure and passion on Shepard's face pulled him up short. During daylight hours, the Commander was so often serious and severe in his mannerisms, even around his boyfriend. But now Shepard's face was open and honest, love and joy and pleasure freely expressed as he thrust into Kaidan's body.

Garrus retreated back the way he had come. It wouldn't be the first time he had slept in the main battery. He kept a blanket and a pillow in there for the nights when he just couldn't face going back to the crew quarters, worry or sorrow making him poor company. Though he hadn't expected to be spending the night in here for quite this sort of reason.

But as he spread his makeshift bed out on the floor, he felt a twinge of jealous longing. And found his thoughts turning towards another member of the crew. Tali had been spending a lot of time in the battery lately, their conversations complex and intimate, the kind of intimacy that two friends developed over long years of trials together. And she was a great friend, gentle, insightful, loyal and fierce.

Shepard and Kaidan had both found someone to see them through the long nights of worry and doubt. And so had Gabby and Kenneth. Joker and EDI. Garrus sighed as he settled down in the dark. Maybe it was time he considered finding a companion of his own.