The Renegade Adored

Garrus: True friends make the best lovers. (Something heard once, a long time ago.)

"Hey, Garrus, do you have a minute?"
Garrus looked around nervously. "Sure, Shepard." He closed the Main Battery doors behind Hayden, waited until she sat down. "Was there something you wanted?"
"I want you to be straight with me. This isn't the first time you've thought about ... doing this, is it?"
"Ah, heh, erm... well. Well, I - no. It isn't. I just never thought it was possible before." He paused, sensed that she was waiting for more. "Shepard, I've been fascinated by you since the first time we met. We worked together, we were friends. Kaidan and I were friends, he talked about you all the time and I loved listening to every second of it." Garrus shifted slightly, looked down. "Like I was loving you through him." He looked up at her, suddenly somber. "And then everything changed. I thought you were dead, we all did. He moved on, or at least tried to, but I just couldn't. I couldn't take losing you. I heard this crazy rumor, that you might still be alive, somewhere, and I walked out of C-Sec and went to Omega to find out. But nothing came out it, or at least, that's what I thought. I took up being a vigilante because I had nothing else to do, and I didn't want to leave Omega. Not until I was sure."
"Garrus." Her voice seemed to caress the name, and her smile was wonderful.
"One of the guys I worked with, not on my team, but someone I knew, he - he had a Human woman. They lived together. I always wanted to ask him about it, but I never did. She always looked so happy. They left Omega a little while before my showdown started. I don't know where they are now. So I knew it was possible, that it could work. I didn't - I mean, you had Kaidan. You loved him. I didn't think I had a chance, shouldn't even bother trying."
"And then we went to Horizon."
"Yeah, that was... quite an eye-opener. I never expected him to ... well, I guess I can sort of understand, but.... I still wasn't sure, even after dealing with Sidonis, but I figured why the hell not. At least take a chance."
Hayden smiled sweetly. "And now we get to read Mordin's perverse pamphlet collection."
"Yeah." Garrus coughed nervously. "Apparently it happens more often than you would think."
"Well, I grew up on Earth and mostly served on Alliance ships. I can honestly say that the thought never crossed my mind until you started talking about relieving stress."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Huh." Garrus considered, while Hayden watched him. A moment of awkward silence.
Hayden stood up, and put her arms around Garrus. "So, Garrus...what did you think of me when you first saw me?"
Garrus chuckled. "The first thing I thought when I first saw you was, why isn't anyone watching that little girl?" Nervous and pleased at the same time.
"What?" She smiled in confusion.
"The first time I saw you," he explained, "you were on the Presidium, teasing Avina and a Keeper." He pulled her a little closer, and Hayden smiled at him. "I was crossing on the other side, and I heard Avina give the warning three times in a row. All I could see was a little gold-colored head, giggling, and then you poked the Keeper again."
"Oh! I miss that Avina terminal." She tried not to giggle at the memory, and failed.
"Yeah... so anyway. I got closer, and was going to ask where your parents were, and tell you to leave the Keepers alone. Then I saw the shotgun, and the armor..."
Hayden laughed.
"I decided to just leave well enough alone, and headed for the Tower. Okay, my turn. What did you think of me when you first saw me?"
"I thought, that guy doesn't look like a Turian."
"When was that?"
"You were arguing with Executor Pallin. First of all, I'd never seen a Turian with blue facial markings before. I don't think I've ever seen one, actually."
Garrus coughed again. "Yeah, it is kind of rare. But go on."
"You were arguing. You never see Turians argue with a superior officer. Not right to their face! And you were totally in his face about it. Completely aggressive body language. I wanted to cheer."
"You should have," he grinned. "Pallin would have keeled over from shock."
"Garrus?"
"Yes?"
"Stop calling me Shepard."
"What? Oh, that's, uh, that's going to take some practice."
"Start now."
"Right. I might get it wrong, just so you know."
"Say it."
Oddly, the thought of calling her by her personal name made him more nervous than anything he had ever done. "Hayden."
She smiled, her whole face seemed to light up with joy. She pulled away. "I'll let you get back to work now."
"Right. Work." He watched her walk away. "Right."
Hayden waved goodbye, walked back to the elevator. She reached out to send the elevator to her cabin, then suddenly changed her mind and decided to pay Mordin a quick visit.
"Okay, Mordin, I have a few questions ... about all this stuff...."
"Certainly, Shepard. Here to help."
"First off, why do you even have these? Is this... is there really this big a market for information on interspecies contact between Turians and Humans?" Hayden tried not to blush as she spoke.
"Of course. Humans on Omega, more females than males. Seek partners, seek protection. Turians everywhere, more males than females. Powerful. Members of mercenary groups. Established customs. Also," Mordin paused, coughed. "Humans much more curious, sexually. Not as inhibited as most species."
"You mean we'll have sex with anything."
"Indeed. Not a bad thing," he clarified hurriedly. "Not necessarily promiscuous, just very curious. A lot of people get pamphlets, just to read. Not actually planning to do ... anything. Just want to know. Helpful."
"Yeah, I can see that." Hayden looked down, bit her lip. "So like, you interviewed people, I take it? That's where you go all this... information?"
"Of course. Interviewed, tested, gathered data. Each iteration of testing made it easier for next group. Improved medications based on experiences and trials. Now accepted standard in certain sections of Omega."
Hayden shook her head. "You know, I kind of wondered about that ... never mind."
"Was there anything else, Shepard?"
"No... well... yes, one more thing." She blushed furiously. "No, never mind, I'll just find out for myself. Thanks, Mordin." Hayden turned and fled the Tech Lab, hoping no one noticed that she was bright red and flushed.
Dr. Solus chuckled to himself. "Thought for sure she would ask about the ridges. Oh, well, she'll be back."