New Beginnings

Of games and love

After we had a shower, separately of course, we were ready to start our video game day.  Garrus was really good at the game, and I was terrible- he was a bad winner and I was a sore loser, so the game was heated. Things were said, controls flew across the room once in a while and the snacks we ordered were furiously eaten.

When we finally decided to finish playing it was already night time. Garrus kept mocking my terrible gaming skills, and I was really annoyed. He tried to lighten the mood after a while, tickling me mercilessly- I couldn't help but laugh, I'm really ticklish, and soon we were best friends again.

Garrus made dinner for the both of us, turns out he's a great cook. I sipped wine and talked to him while he did his magic, I asked him about our first date. He was chopping onions, and his eyes were watery- they got even waterier when he started to remember.

"Well, it was before shore leave- maybe you remember something?" he asked.

"I do remember we went to the citadel... we shot stuff? I can't remember all of it"

"I took you to the top of the presidium... I always wanted to go there.  We did a shooting contest, which I obviously won" he said, smirking- I nudged him. "You looked stunning, you wore that little black dress that drove me crazy... I wonder if we could find one like it when we go shopping tomorrow. Well, back to the story" he said "That's when I asked you..." I had a flashback and interrupted him midsentence.

"You asked me if I was ready to be a one turian kind of woman, I remember now" I hugged him "I remember- I was nervous, I thought we were going to fall to our deaths, it was really high up there... and then you kissed me and all my fears went away"

"All your fears?" he asked teasingly, putting a carrot down "even the reapers didn't scare you then?"

"Even the reapers. Hell, I felt like the bravest woman in the world" I took the carrot and bit it. "I had you, all to myself and it was official. I couldn't wait to tell everyone on the ship"

"Likewise" he said, chuckling "mind you, everyone on the ship knew I was going to ask you to go steady- at first they thought I was going to propose and they freaked out"

"Why would they freak out?"

"Well, we were in the middle of a war, not exactly the moment to pop the question, as you humans say" he took the carrot from me and started chopping it. "Also, the fact that we hadn't been together that long... they thought you'd break my heart"

"Well, I can't really say what my answer would have been" I said. "Maybe one day you'll find out" I said, and found myself blushing again. I hoped he thought it was because of the wine. Garrus chuckled to himself.

"And how did everyone react to our news?"

"Not surprised at all" he said, now putting everything in a pan. "I guess I was being too obvious from the beginning, since we first met"

"Well, that's a story I'd like to hear" I poured some more wine and sat down again, in front of Garrus.

"Well, here it goes" he said. "I knew who you were, everyone knew who you were- the woman who'd be the first human spectre, you were the only thing everyone talked about. I was curious, I wanted to meet you... and I finally got a chance" he sipped some of my wine. "hmm, this is good. So, like I was saying, I finally got to meet you... and I was smitten. I couldn't believe I had a crush on a human, I never had a fetish for other species... but you? It was the way you spoke, the way you looked, the things you said and did- damn, a few days aboard the Normandy and I was in love with you already" he chuckled.

His talk about those memories triggered mine too. I remembered the time I met Garrus, and how I felt about him.

"You just triggered a memory, big boy" I said. "I remember I felt things for you from the beginning as well, but maybe you've heard about it before" I said, laughing a little.

"Many times" he said, smirking "You always found an excuse to go check on me, see what I was doing and talk- I counted the hours until you came down to chat with me, so... we were in the same spot there. Back then I didn't know you had a crush on me, I thought you were just being friendly"

"Same here, if I'd known... the whole crew would have noticed, my cabin was right next to everyone else's" I said, laughing

"Yes, that might have been a little awkward. Besides, I thought you had your plate full with Liara and Kaidan fighting for you and all- I didn't want to add more to your problems."

"That was really annoying, neither of them took a hint" I sipped a little more of that wine. "I wish we'd known how we felt about each other back then anyways" I sighed.

"Me too... but, the wait made the whole thing a lot better" he sipped my wine again "well, not all the waiting was good, the part where you died was awful" he half joked.

"I wonder what would have happened with us if I hadn't died... you trained to be a spectre for a while, maybe you would've continued..."

"I wasn't going to leave you that easy" he said. "I thought for a while to work as a consultant for the alliance Navy, just to work with you again... well... that was before you died"

"I would've liked that" I said. "I bet we would have stopped the collectors without Cerberus' help"

"You bet, we are a kickass team" he took my food from the pan, it was ready "it's good that you're better shooting at things in real life than in videogames"

"not again" I said, falsely annoyed this time. "You're way too cocky, Vakarian"

"Sorry" he said, chuckling. "But you have to admit, I'm an awesome player"

"I take it that game is now your favourite game on earth?"

"Yes it is" he said, and kissed me.