The Desolation of Honesty 6/?
anonymous
June 20 2012, 05:17:31 UTC
As they made their way to the crew deck one image kept circling Garrus’ thoughts, and it wasn’t about the woman whose hip his hand currently resided on. It was the hollow, sunken features of a woman who was burning. His mind kept focusing him back on Shepard; back to only friend I have in this screwed up galaxy.
“Tali?” Garrus paused as they stepped off the elevator. He walked towards the memorial wall that stood just outside the elevator doors. He put his hands behind his back as he looked over the names, stood there in remembrance of the fallen. Their faces briefly flickering through his mind’s eye as Tali stood beside him snaking her arm into the crook of his elbow, and leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Hmmm?” She asked.
He was glad she wasn’t turian as his sub-vocals wavered for a moment. “Can I ask you an odd question?”
She looked up at him quizzically, he could see her eyes furrow slightly behind the face plate. “What is it?”
He looked down at her, his eyes searching hers. He already knew the answer to the question he was about to ask. It was how she would respond that worried him, whether she knew it or not.
He could feel his throat tighten. “What is Shepard’s favorite colour?”
Her reaction would have been comical, the way her whole body twisted and how he saw her eyebrow rise beneath her mask. He knew he would have laughed if he didn’t feel like everything was riding on this simple, inane question.
“Tali?” He gripped her shoulders, putting his face flush with hers. There was another waver in his sub-tonals and he could feel apprehension move in.
She looked at him like she thought he was playing some joke. Part of him wanted to laugh it off, say never mind. But some sick desperation clung at him, he needed to know. She was one of the people on the ship who should know, the way she was stammering was making his throat and chest constrict. “An easier one then: What is her favorite type of music?” His voice was tight.
“I…I…”Tali looked at him incredulously. “Garrus, why …”
“What is her go to gun mod? Where did she grow up?” He all but growled, squeezing her shoulders tighter.
“Min…Mindoir…” She stammered out.
He let her go. Mindoir. That was public knowledge, something anyone looking up Shepard on the extranet would know. Tali had been with them since the beginning, he thought, he hoped, she would know. And in her failure, he had his answer: only friend I have in this screwed up galaxy.
He pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned cautiously. “I’m sorry Tali.” He whispered into the hooded material covering her hair. “There’s something I need to look after right now.” He let her go. Regret seeping into his chest as he turned and walked away from her, moving toward the main battery. He didn’t turn when he heard her get back on the elevator. He didn’t want to see the disappointment in her form. He didn’t want her to see the pain on his face.
He had something to finish with Shepard. He knew he couldn’t be with Tali until he had. He could feel a darkness move into his chest, a shadow crossing his features, and an image of a woman burning in her own self-immolation searing itself behind his eyes.
“Tali?” Garrus paused as they stepped off the elevator. He walked towards the memorial wall that stood just outside the elevator doors. He put his hands behind his back as he looked over the names, stood there in remembrance of the fallen. Their faces briefly flickering through his mind’s eye as Tali stood beside him snaking her arm into the crook of his elbow, and leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Hmmm?” She asked.
He was glad she wasn’t turian as his sub-vocals wavered for a moment. “Can I ask you an odd question?”
She looked up at him quizzically, he could see her eyes furrow slightly behind the face plate. “What is it?”
He looked down at her, his eyes searching hers. He already knew the answer to the question he was about to ask. It was how she would respond that worried him, whether she knew it or not.
He could feel his throat tighten. “What is Shepard’s favorite colour?”
Her reaction would have been comical, the way her whole body twisted and how he saw her eyebrow rise beneath her mask. He knew he would have laughed if he didn’t feel like everything was riding on this simple, inane question.
“Tali?” He gripped her shoulders, putting his face flush with hers. There was another waver in his sub-tonals and he could feel apprehension move in.
She looked at him like she thought he was playing some joke. Part of him wanted to laugh it off, say never mind. But some sick desperation clung at him, he needed to know. She was one of the people on the ship who should know, the way she was stammering was making his throat and chest constrict. “An easier one then: What is her favorite type of music?” His voice was tight.
“I…I…”Tali looked at him incredulously. “Garrus, why …”
“What is her go to gun mod? Where did she grow up?” He all but growled, squeezing her shoulders tighter.
“Min…Mindoir…” She stammered out.
He let her go. Mindoir. That was public knowledge, something anyone looking up Shepard on the extranet would know. Tali had been with them since the beginning, he thought, he hoped, she would know. And in her failure, he had his answer: only friend I have in this screwed up galaxy.
He pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned cautiously. “I’m sorry Tali.” He whispered into the hooded material covering her hair. “There’s something I need to look after right now.” He let her go. Regret seeping into his chest as he turned and walked away from her, moving toward the main battery. He didn’t turn when he heard her get back on the elevator. He didn’t want to see the disappointment in her form. He didn’t want her to see the pain on his face.
He had something to finish with Shepard. He knew he couldn’t be with Tali until he had. He could feel a darkness move into his chest, a shadow crossing his features, and an image of a woman burning in her own self-immolation searing itself behind his eyes.
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