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Shepard walked the docks quickly. She was headed back to the Normandy, her beloved ship, like a woman on a mission. Several people wanted to stop her to ask her something but her speed and demeanor told all that right now was not a good time. She crossed the gangplank and into decon then she was aboard. She moved right into her cabin without detour and smiled as the door closed.
There it was, sitting on her meticulously made bed, a box wrapped in red paper. She walked right up to it and carefully sliced it open. In the beginning she used to scan it for explosives, but now she didn’t bother.
The top of the box was open and, just like all the others, sitting on environmentally friendly packing peanuts was a datapad. She could hardly contain her excitement as she turned on the datapad and read the familiar greeting.
“To my dearest Commander.” It started like it always does. “Congratulations on another successful mission to Zhu’s Hope. It must have been really stressful having to fight colonists controlled by an ancient plant. I got you something to relax. I hope you like it.” Then the note ended the same as always. “Ever faithfully yours, your secret admirer.”
Shepard dived into the box and pulled out scented candles, chocolates, bath bombs, and a relaxing soundtrack. All things she would need for a relaxing night. How her secret admirer knew she was stressed she didn’t know but she was grateful all the same.
It had started just after she made SPECTRE. She walked on board to find flowers in her cabin and a note congratulating her on making SPECTRE. She was sad that she accomplished something no human had ever done before and had no one to celebrate with. She was more sad when she realized that she didn’t want someone to celebrate, she wanted someone to care about her and her accomplishments. She was alone and she felt it in moments like this when there was no one to be proud of her. But then there were flowers and a note saying how proud they were of her. It was just what she needed.
The presents kept coming and it was always exactly what she needed. Sometimes it was mods for her gun, sometimes it was junk food when she was tired of rations. One time, when she was extremely sexually frustrated, it was the turian special edition of Fornax and a turian shaped dildo. How her secret admirer knew she was pent up or about her secret turian fettish she didn’t know. Still, she was grateful.
Every time they docked at the Citadel there was a new present waiting for her when they left. Many of the notes referenced highly classified missions that only SPECTRES had access to, some were references to secrets she never told anyone. At first she was scared at how much the person sending these packages knew about her. Now she was glad they did. This person, whoever they are, knew more about her than anyone in the galaxy. And they might care about her more than anyone in the galaxy.
Resolving to find out who it was sending the gifts she went to Garrus. “Garrus, I need your help.”
Garrus turned from his work on the Mako and stood straight to address her. “Of course, Commander. Whatever you need.” He told her.
“Follow me.” She led him to her room and handed him the datapad. “Ever since I became a SPECTRE I have been receiving gifts from a secret admirer. I want you to use your detective skills to find who has been sending them.”
“Do you want to file for harassment?” Garrus asked.
“No.” Shepard admitted.
“Do you want the presents to stop?” Garrus asked.
“No.” She said again.
“Then why not just sit back and enjoy them.” Garrus told her.
“Becuase I want to thank the person who is sending them.” She explains.
“That isn’t how this works.” Garrus told her.
“What do you mean?”
“Your secret admirer is a turian.”
“How can you tell?”
“Becuase giving gifts is the first step in our courting process.” Garrus explained.
“Humans give gifts too.” Shepard points out.
“But from what I understand it’s not mandatory. For turians we give gifts to show the other person we are interested in them and to show that we know what they like. If the presents don’t bother you then you accept them. If you don’t like them you throw them away.” Garrus said.
“How can it be part of your courting process if I don’t know who is sending them?” Shepard asked.
“Ah, so in the case the presents are sent without a name attached then it’s a free gift. They want you to have it without the need to reciprocate any feelings for the person sending it. Either the turian sending it really cares about you and doesn’t care to let you know who they are so they are not interested in creating a relationship with you, or they are too shy to sign their name.”
“Turians are shy?” Shepard asked.
“We have shy turians too.” Garrus informs her.
“What if I want to have a relationship with the person sending me the presents?” She asks. “I can’t tell them that if they don’t sign their name.”
“In that case you will have to wait until the turian gathers their courage to tell you who they are. If they didn’t sign their name then they are not ready yet.” Garrus says.
Shepard sighs. “Fine. I can wait.”
The next time they docked at the Citadel Shepard made some purchases at the SPECTRE requisition office. Ever since Garrus told her that her secret admirer was a turian Shepard had been doing research on turians and their courting behavior.
Garrus was telling the truth. Turians exchange gifts to show interest. It was extremely likely that her secret admirer was a turian. That was fine with her. She likes turians. In fact, she finds herself liking one turian in particular.
If turians give gifts to show interest then…
~~~~
Garrus walked over to the Mako. He stepped out to enjoy some shore leave before they headed to Noveria. Garrus was not looking forward to Noveria, turians didn’t like the cold. But if that is where they needed to go, then that is where they needed to go.
There was something different about the Mako and Garrus noticed it right away. In the passenger seat, the same seat he sits in when on missions, is a box with gold paper. He opens the box to find a datapad inside.
It couldn’t be. There was no way.
He turned on the datapad. “Dear Garrus Vakarian.” It started. “I heard you were going to Noveria. You know it’s cold there and turians don’t like the cold. I got you something to help. From your secret admirer.”
Garrus always dreamed of being courted in this fashion. He never had a real girlfriend before, all his hookups were just one night stands or casual flings. He never had a serious relationship before. He hoped the item in the box was something he liked. It would be a shame if the first time he was courted he had to deny it because the secret admirer didn’t know him that well.
Garrus was a detective for years. And, despite what his father thought, he was a good one. Garrus arrived at the conclusion that Shepard was his secret admirer right away. The timing was too perfect. Right after he explains about turians giving gifts to her, he receives one. And the note and presentation were exactly the same as the ones Shepard was getting.
He knew that because he was the one sending them.
The gold wrapping paper was a good touch. It was his favorite color. Most people didn’t know that, how Shepard found out he’ll never know. Red was her favorite color so he made sure to wrap all the gifts he sent her in that color.
He put it off long enough. He reached into the box and laughed when he pulled out a thermal mod for his armor. Installing this will make even Noveria feel like Palaven. He was touched that she knew he didn’t like the cold. She must have done some research into Palaven temperatures and found that Palaven born turians, like himself, have an aversion to the cold.
In fact, now that he notices, the cargo bay feels warmer than normal. He opens his omni-tool and, sure enough, the temperature in the cargo bay is 4 degrees higher than normal. Shepard must have set the temperature of his work and sleeping area higher just for him. That was sweet. He hopes she likes her gift as well.
The question now was why was Shepard getting him gifts? Did she figure out who was sending her gifts and wanted to reciprocate? Or was she actually interested in courting him?
~~~
Shepard couldn’t wait to see what her turian secret admirer got her this time. She found the box in the same place it always was. She read the datapad first. “To my dearest Commander. Noveria gets cold, especially at night. Please take care to keep warm. I hope this helps with that. From your Secret Admirer.”
Shepard looks through the box and laughs as she pulls out a thermal mod for her armor. It was the exact same one she bought Garrus just earlier today. But there was a second gift. A warm thermal jacket. She didn’t have to go armored all the time on Noveria if she didn’t want to.
It was so thoughtful.
~~~~~
The Noveria mission was hard. Shepard was glad it was her and not Liara who had to put her mother down, but it still hurt. Shepard didn’t have a mom, she was all alone, but seeing the hurt and anguish in Liara was painful. Shepard spent a long time comforting her about her mother.
They docked at the Citadel for about an hour, just long enough to get their next assignment to Vermire. Shepard sighed as she walked into her cabin. There, sitting on her bed, was a red box. That was odd, Shepard thought, she wouldn’t have time to get a present. She definitely didn’t have time to get one for Garrus.
She opened the box to find just a datapad inside.
“To my Dearest Commander. I’m truly sorry you had to do what you did to Benezia. It couldn’t have been easy. And comforting Liara afterwards couldn’t have been easy either. Sometimes what can help is to have a friend to talk to. Below is my omni-contact information. If you want someone to talk to, give me a text. From your Secret Admirer.”
Shepard hesitated. There was no doubt that she needed someone to talk to. Like usual her secret admirer knew exactly what she needed. Direct communication was a big step in this relationship. Plus she wanted to start a relationship with Garrus. Would talking to this turian mess up her chances with her turian?
She decided to take the secret admirer’s advice. She needed to talk to someone. But instead of talking to them she called Garrus up to her cabin. From there the two spent 4 hours just sitting on the floor and talking.
~~~~
Virmire was awful! There was no other way to describe that shit show of a mission. She lost a valuable member of the team. She walks into her cabin and flops on the bed. She cradles the pillow tight to her chest and cries.
There is a knock on her door. She sits up, wipes her eyes, and answers it.
Garrus is on the other side holding a datapad up to his chest with a red bow on it. The datapad is on and Shepard can clearly read it.
“To my Dearest Commander. Jane, I’m sorry for everything you’ve had to deal with since you took on the role of SPECTRE. Today was the hardest day so far. Sometimes what you really need is a hug. From your Secret Admirer, Garrus Vakarian.”
Shepard smiles and looks at Garrus through watery eyes. He powers down the datapad, puts it on the floor, and opens his arms in the universal sign for a hug.
Jane went willingly into his arms.