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“So, I was thinking…” Garrus said over dinner one night.
Shepard raised an eyebrow. “Dangerous,” she teased.
His good mandible flared. “When did that ever stop me? Anyway.” He lifted a bite of nakras from his plate, but didn’t bring it to his mouth. “I was thinking we could… go on vacation. We may not be retiring, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy somewhere warm and tropical once in a while.”
That took the faint light out of her eyes. Her shoulders dropped and she looked down at her lasagna. “Garrus, you know I can’t,” she said quietly.
“Sure you can.” He was nonchalant, as if there’d never been anything holding her back. “I talked to Dr. V’Nayma-Martel after your last appointment.” At that, Shepard’s head shot up. “She said a week or two off the station would be great for you. Still need to do your exercises twice a week and no running marathons, but other than that, you’re cleared.”
She gaped at him for a few moments, trying and failing to form words. “You… really?” Aside from doctor’s appointments and physical therapy, she had barely left the Silversun Strip since they moved in, let alone the Citadel. She didn’t think she could. The thought terrified her as much as it excited her.
He tilted his head and set his fork down. “Are you upset? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“
“No!” She cut him off. “No, I’m not upset. I’m… surprised. Anxious.” She paused, biting her lip. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Garrus hummed. “I’m not sure of much anymore,” he admitted. “But I know you need a change of scenery at the very least. Something to look forward to. For that matter, so do I.” His mood dimmed a bit. Advising the Primarch in the post-Reaper era came with its own set of challenges, and his job had been more taxing than he’d expected. Shepard reached across the table and placed her hand over his, and his mandibles relaxed. “I also know that I want some time where it’s just the two of us, doing whatever the hell we want.”
The corners of her mouth lifted just a hair. It was a tiny smile, but it was the best he ever got out of her lately. Hopefully this proposed trip would change that. “That does sound pretty nice,” she said, sounding more receptive, but still wary. “I’m just afraid something will go wrong. That I’ll push too hard and get hurt, or…” Her other concern scared her more - they could easily make sure to go somewhere with a hospital nearby, but… “What if I can’t… enjoy it, you know?”
Garrus turned his hand over and squeezed hers. “For what it’s worth, I think you will, when we get there. But even if you can’t, the fresh air will still do you some good. And I’d be happy just to sit with you and do nothing. Watch a vid, read a book, anything you want. I’ll still be with you, and that’s enough.”
She was, as always, touched and a little taken aback by Garrus’ devotion - she never quite seemed to get used to it - but she still wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know, Garrus.” She looked away from him. “I’m not sure if I’m ready.”
“We can also come home anytime, if you really don’t want to be there. I’m not going to force you,” he assured her. “But I think you are ready. I think you’ve healed as much as you can just by staying here.”
He probably wasn’t wrong, Shepard let herself acknowledge. The feeling of stagnation had been pressing down on her for a long time, and continuing with the same patterns every day clearly wasn’t getting her anywhere. “You might have a point,” she replied.
Garrus grinned, seeing that he was getting somewhere. “Not to mention,” he drawled in that tone, ”I’ve been wanting to see you in a swimsuit for a while now. Even if it is just so I can get you out of it.”
Shepard felt her cheeks warm. They hadn’t really flirted lately. “Yeah?” she breathed, her voice not entirely steady. “I might have to do some shopping then. Maybe I’ll even get a few.”
He chuckled. “The waiting might just kill me.” After a moment, he asked, more cautiously, “So, does that mean you’re in?”
She still had nerves over the idea - a pep talk wasn’t quite enough to erase that. But, official rank or no, she was still Commander Shepard, and she’d never met a challenge she wouldn’t face head on. She swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. I’m in.”