GARRUS VAKARIAN . turianrebel
with her now , locked eyes , and it becomes all too apparent that his body , heavy with ache , ruined by war , cratered by rocketfire , finds a new sort of completeness whenever ashley williams is near . how can he possibly explain the thoughts and panic in his mind upon hearing earth was attacked ? swarmed with reapers
garrus , USELESS , was forced to listen and fear for the lives of those he cared about . ash . shepard . barely sleeping , wrought with worry , a turian , pacing for hours amid the battlefields of menae . all of it culminates to here and now , as garrus nears the bed and watches her try to sit up . he releases a distressed warble , arms out to try and steady her . thankfully she just groans and sits back . when she motions to the chair beside the bed , garrus nods and obediently takes the offered seat . anything to keep her from getting up , hurting herself , sending the nurses in here , running …her remarks easily draw muted laughter from him , mandibles flaring widely as his expression of a smile . garrus ducks his head momentarily and lets the laughter turn into a cough
he looks back up at her . ashley’s tone changes , evolves into the heavier things . SPIRITS . ❝ and here i was hoping to pretend everything was right with the world for just a while longer . ❞ this time , the turian’s laugh is insincere . ❝ i haven’t heard from my family since the reapers arrived on palaven . hoping they made it out , or at least hoping they stuck it out until now , and can get off-planet as soon as possible . I DON’T KNOW . ❞ a pause . he evades her final question and switches gears . ❝ what about your family ? have you heard from them ? ❞ garrus tentatively sets a hand on the edge of her bed . ❝ despite the hiccup with the cerberus superbot , i’m glad you’re here . off-earth . safe , for now . ❞ blindingly sincere . the turian coughs to try and break his own painful tension , worried perhaps she’s lost interest . perhaps she’s not ready to continue what they had .
THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM seems impossibly wide and held closed all at once : in the wake of violence , she is all knife , all blade , lashing out with a cutting edge in the low light — but he draws the warmth of her like a moth to a flame , without even trying , and she almost gives in to the impulse to pull his frame into her arms , press her forehead to his like they are something more than what she fears they aren’t . this shaky uncertainty of his own feelings toward holds her body in place , and yet … ignoring the pulse of her wounds , she leans forward . a forearm braces itself on the supports beside the bed , bringing her eye level with the shape of his jaw , the details of his eyes . the proximity distracts her for a moment , the sudden urge to relearn each crater and curve of his features splicing her thoughts in two , before she remembers that there is no guarantee that he is hers any longer . realigning her gaze to his , ashley gives him a smile , and her voice soft as it will go . ❝ it’s going to be okay , garrus . ❞ neither of them have ever been one for false optimism , and she a self - proclaimed realist with a jaded mouth and a sharp eye , but this is hardly the time for a lecture about their odds . certainly not about his family’s . she won’t press him further , not for this , laden all with pain and confusion and fears .
her exhale stutters out in a wheeze , rioting against this new angle she’s forced herself into , aching through the bruises around her sides . one . two . three . even , calm breaths to compensate . a few seconds pass before she speaks again , her face shading into something like relief . ❝ i haven’t gotten any updates in here , but as far as i know they all made it to the citadel safe . thank god . i’m still worried , y’know ? just this bad feeling … like waiting for the inevitable ? i hate it . but at least they’re not on earth anymore . ❞ on impulse , she reaches for the hand he’s rested on the bed , putting forefinger to middle , ring finger to pinky , taking his hand in her own and squeezing , gently . ❝ and don’t take this the wrong way , but — i’m really glad you’re not on palaven anymore . when the reapers hit , i – ❞
it’s a special kind of torture , isolated , without information , not knowing who’s alive and who’s dead and whether or not he was safe , and — there’s no point putting this off . no such thing as a guaranteed tomorrow , anymore . she looks down , away , as if this conversation will be easier without the weight of his eyes on hers . ❝ i was worried about you . look , i know there’s a lot to talk about . ❞ horizon . cerberus . the omega - 4 relay . ❝ and maybe this isn’t the best time , but — before i look like a total idiot , i wanted to know if you still felt the same , about us . me . ❞