GARRUS VAKARIAN .        turianrebel‌

he  remembers  horizon  like  an  open  wound  .  looking  back  on  it  ,  garrus  wishes  he’d  spoken  differently  ,  handled  everything  differently                he’d  said  so  in  his  last  message  to  her  ,  just  before  the  normandy  went  through  the  omega  4  relay  .  if  he  hadn’t  survived  the  collector  base  .  if  he  hadn’t  survived  that  fight  .  if  they  hadn’t  escaped  ,  that  message  would  have  been  ashley’s  last  sign  of  garrus  vakarian  ,  and  because  of  that  inevitable  terror  ,  he’d  filled  it  with  confessions  .  buried  his  heart  in  the  message  and  sent  it  away  .  now  they’re  seeing  each  other  after  so  long  ;  he’d  never  had  a  chance  to  properly  speak  to  her  once  they’d  come  back  ,  aside  from  a  few  brief  messages  .  and  that  meant  that  this  ,  this  meeting  in  huerta  ,  the  two  of  them  side  by  side                this  is  even  more  important  ,  weighted  down  with  thousands  of  questions  and  the  urge  to  hold  one  another  despite  the  injuries  .  garrus  has  so  much  to  say  ,  and  not  enough  time  in  the  world  left  to  say  it  .

she  touches  his  face  ,  and  instinct  shudders  a  flinch  from  him  ,  initially  .  the  initial  shock  and  fear  of  dislike  at  the  sight  of  his  scars  .  some  are  still  sore                       most  are  as  healed  as  they  can  possibly  get  .  but  still  ,  ashley  touches  him  .  she  touches  him  despite  his  cratered  skin  ,  his  changed  appearance  .  she  had  yet  to  kiss  him  in  this  state  .  their  last  kiss  ?  after  the  normandy’s  destruction  ,  after  shepard’s  death  ,  after  they  all  …  parted  .  it  sinks  upon  his  memory  like  a  weight  .  he’d  missed  her  so  much  .

when  ashley  beckons  him  closer  ,  garrus  leans  his  forehead  against  hers  ,  nuzzling  ,  purring  .  mandibles  flicker  in  a  state  of  happiness  ,  a  turian’s  way  of  smiling  .  ❝  more  than  okay  ,  ash  .  ❞  garrus  bumps  their  noses  briefly  .  ❝  you  have  to  get  better  .  i  can’t  shoot  all  these  reapers  alone  ,  you  know  .  ❞  the  turian  chuckles  .  finally  ,  though  ,  he  brushes  his  mouthplates  against  her  lips  ,  curious  about  her  response  .  ❝  i’ll  come  back  every  time  we  dock  to  visit  you  .  we  have  so  much  to  talk  about  .  ❞

THEY HAVEN’T BEEN THIS CLOSE IN    –     over two years now .   to love is to ache ,    and with distance the ache had become a bleeding she learned to live with ,     pressed like flowers in the culmination of all her griefs .     horizon had ripped open the wound of him ,     fresh and raw again in the cold sunlight .    there had been no salve for it ,   not then :    everything she’d buried ,     everything she’d sent to the grave ,     came forth again with a mouth full of betrayal .    she’d never regretted anything more than she regretted the words exchanged on that mutilated colony when she’d received his last message ,    his final confession .    people said hasty things when they thought they were going to die ,    she’d later tell herself ,    when she’d learned he was alive and well and the galaxy breathed again     –     but she’d left dozens of panicked voice messages ,    confessions of her own ,    as if her will alone could pull him back from the belly of the omega  -  4 relay .    god ,    she’d wished she’d been there .  

but the past is the past ,    and he’s here now .     winding one arm around the back of his neck ,    she leverages him closer still ,     a smile bursting at the plump of her lips .     it stings a little ,    reminding her of the black and blue valley of her form ,    but who cares when he’s back in her arms .    exhaling shakily ,    her eyes slide shut ,    and her voice takes on a breathy ,     softer pitch .            ❝            okay .    i promise .    leave some for me ,   big guy .    and don’t you dare die on me .          ❞           all of her demands are empty ,    she knows     —     there are no guarantees ,     no promises of tomorrow .    his mouth on hers ,    and it’s instinctive ,     the kiss she returns in full ,     all pretense of hesitance falling away .     the monitor she’s hooked up quickens with the pound of her heart ,    and she pulls away only an inch ,    laughing against the curve of his mouth .   two years to address ,   and a hell of a lot in between ,    but that doesn’t change his effect on her ,    it seems .              ❝           yeah ,     no kidding .     but we’ll get there       —      archangel .          ❞           the vigilante name hooks on at the end ,     a minor cord of teasing ,    but also very much something they’ll be discussing eventually .

with her free hand ,    she trails her thumb across the curve of his cheekbone ,    tracing both old and new lines .     another kiss ,    short and sweet ,    and she ducks her head into the curve of his neck .          ❝            do you have to get back ,    or can you stay awhile ?     ‘cause i’m pretty sure the hospital staff knows we’re    …     mmm .    catching up .    which is probably why they haven’t burst in yet to check my temperature for the fifteenth time today .         ❞