forgivetheinsubordination | IC Contact

FROM: vakarian.garrus@cdc.org

I don't have an answer to the first one. On the second... did you ever try the locating thing with individuals?

FROM: farrow.ryan@cdc.org

If you mean you want me to try, that depends on the individual. It has to be someone whose presence I could recognize.

You, Noh, a lot of Orange, others I'm familiar enough with to know which is theirs. Have anyone in mind?

FROM: vakarian.garrus@cdc.org

Are you familiar with Liara T'Soni?

Also, sorry I didn't say it sooner - glad to know you're good.

CALLING: FARROW, RYAN

[Because he figures this is more suited to the conversation, much as he generally prefers text.]

Thanks. I'm sorry to hear you're not.

[There's a brief pause, and a sigh.]

And I'm sorry I don't know her, too. You know I'd be trying if I didn't need that signature first, but- I don't have any more options than anyone else this time.

[There's a delay before he answers, because text makes this so much easier. While the main tones of his voice sound casual enough, the subharmonics are draggy and heavy.]

CALLING: Vakarian, Garrus

You guys have a saying. When it rains it pours. Ours is similar. Or has a similar meaning. It's never just one.

[He pauses too, knowing that he's on the verge of rambling.]

I know you'd try. Thing is, it's not like her. This. She's not the most sociable person, but she wouldn't be out of touch in a crisis. But I've been through a lot of hallways on this ship and haven't found anything, either. Maybe she's... Hell. I don't know. Maybe Gliese has her working on something. Maybe she pulled a Shepard and Ghost didn't announce that she was restricted to somewhere. Point is I have no leads and no time to try to get any.

[Add to that the fact that he's already sorely missing Shepard and how much time he'd had with Noh on Selena...]

Sure you've got your hands full too, though.

[The tone isn't missed, and he's silent as he listens-- as well as for a couple moments after. Text really is much easier, but some conversations you just don't really have through it. Ryan's considering his answer, what the right thing to say is, or whether there's a right thing at all.

He decides there's only one good answer.]

Where are you?

CALLING: Vakarian, Garrus

Room two.

[He'd started getting groggy in the hall and realized he needed to fall back for a short time, but he's not up for all of the people who are no doubt in the observatory area. Especially if Javik's there and wondering why they still haven't gotten in touch with Liara when Garrus has a lead role.]

Grabbed something to eat and I'm sitting for a bit.

[Not sleeping. He doesn't think he can sleep right now. But he can take a short break.]

[He'd been a little afraid Garrus would just say he was busy, brush him off-- it's a relief that he's taking care of himself, at least, and he signs off the call with a last response of Good, stay there.

Ryan heads off as soon as the call's over, footsteps slowing to a stop outside the door before he raps lightly against it.]

Mind letting me in?

[Garrus is used to being alone. It's a sniper thing. You get in position and wait, no chatter, no company. But that's never been the aspect of it he enjoys, and while he'd like to put up a front that says he's completely fine, he knows that there are a few now who would see through it, who would know better. Especially when he'd just asked for help in a futile last hope.

He gets up and opens the door, nodding back to his bunk area. There's a small crate that's been dragged there, and a plate of food from the rec room on top of it.]

Don't really have anything levo to offer, sorry. But come in.

[Death is what Ryan is familiar with. He might have had different words for him if Liara were definitely killed, but-- missing friends, that's different. Where death's meant to be relatively final, not knowing can eat someone up, and he wasn't about to leave Garrus without company.]

It's okay. I already ate.

[He offers a flicker of a smile at that-- he still appreciates the thought-- but he doesn't immediately move to the bunk. Instead he sets a hand on Garrus' arm, a silent indication to hold still, before he folds the turian into a tight hug. A bit of an awkward one at first, just because of the anatomical differences here, but Ryan finds places to slot his arms and head more comfortably against him, tries to make it fit.]

[Ryan gets a curious glance at the touch as Garrus wonders if the human has something urgent to tell him. Did he find something on his way over? Did Orange in general? And then instead it's a hug and before Garrus really knows it he's returning the gesture.

Each hug he gets makes it mean more, and it's only just starting to sink in that being here is making Garrus appreciate the touches humans involve in everything. After a few moments, Garrus rests a hand on Ryan's upper back.]

Hey. I'm all right. Not breaking or something. Not that easy to break.

[That gets a brief, muffled laugh from him, more a reflex than anything, and for a moment his grip tightens in a relatively gentle squeeze.]

I know that. C'mon, I'm the twig here, if anybody's going to get broken it's me.

[Deliberately missing the point, for now. Ryan lets go then, moves over to take a seat and gestures for Garrus to join him. Under other circumstances, maybe he wouldn't drop it so quickly, but there are more important things-- like the plate Ryan is going to nudge at him if he doesn't pick it back up fast enough.]

Food, then feelings. Otherwise you're just going to end up stressed and running on fumes.

Says the one who volunteered to be bait because he couldn't die.

[His voice is oh-so-very dry. It's the worst reason to play bait, in his books, but Ryan's an adult and can do what he wants. An adult who isn't Green and so doesn't fall under Garrus' command, either.

Garrus sits next to Ryan, side-eyeing the guy when the plate gets nudged over.]

I'm here to eat, you know. I'm not neglecting that.

[There isn't any annoyance or anything darker in his tones, though. He's come to really care about more people than he'd expected here. And while he's used to a few people caring back, the amount that do here is somewhat staggering.]

How's orange going?

[It's an idle question as he picks up his fork and gets started, because few things are more awkward than sitting in silence while just one person eats.]

Hey, they weren't going to do it! I was only putting myself out there so nobody who would die did something stupid, we don't need to lose more.

[He doesn't get in the way, but he's leaning lightly against Garrus-- just some continued contact even while his hands are busy. Ryan's the type for physical displays of affection over other sorts, and at times like this he sometimes gets a bit clingy.]

Orange is- well, it's going. Trying to find things out, trying to work with what we already know. Mostly I'm just finding that I don't really like how any of it looks.

Mmhmm.

[It's a tired teasing, but it's a teasing nonetheless.]

There's always going to be people doing stupid things on this crew. There's a team for that. Green.

[While it isn't the most obvious thing, Garrus is leaning lightly back against Ryan. He doesn't have much weight behind it, but he's encouraging the contact. He needs it.]

And anything that looks like death is rarely a good look. I mean, some selective death is fine. I'm all for slavers dying, that sort of thing. But this isn't picky.

Some Greens aren't allowed to do anything too stupid. Between you, Aeryn, and Jasper? I wouldn't have enough worry left for everyone else if your team were being dumb.

[Ryan fixes him with a pointed look there, letting himself lean more heavily just for a few moments in a move that's both putting emphasis on those words and getting himself more contact. He's really missed this, honestly, he'll have a hard time detaching later.]

It's not the death that bugs me about it, either, but-- look, neither of us is here to keep discussing that, right?

[Garrus searches Ryan's face for a few moments before nodding. There are people dying and he has to take a break because his body simply needs it. Slowly, and more obviously, Garrus leans against Ryan.]

Got a whole squad of them I don't want to do anything stupid. They're mine. Got even more that aren't on my squad too, because you spend enough time around a group...

[His responsibilities are pulling him a few different ways, and he's trying to balance them but feeling caught in the middle.]

I'm trying not to do stupid things. That's... about all I can say. And I'm not volunteering for things to attack me either, so I've got a limb up on some.

Oh my god, you are not going to let that go.

[It's a short laugh, but a laugh nonetheless- and this is exactly why he likes Garrus. The guy's got a sense of humor along with his capability, and when they can get past the mutual awkwardness they sometimes have it's easy enough to go along with. Ryan leans in a little closer, enough to just lightly nudge at Garrus' head with his own in a gesture that's both teasing and affectionate.]

Just- be careful. Keep doing what you need to. And if you don't, I'm going to go enlist Noh-Varr to help me lecture you.

[Is he joking? Maybe.]

I let nothing go.

[It's mostly true... but it's also meant far more as joking than threat. Garrus brushes his mandible against Ryan's temple in response to the nudge, just letting himself relax some. Shortly they'll both be out there again, working, searching, but a break is needed if Garrus is going to be much use.]

Especially when people team up against me. I do my job. And I'm here of my own volition, had the food and everything, I'd like to point out.

[Yes, he's also pushing himself, but he's not pushing as hard as he had on Ajna. He doesn't have to. The issues that had kept him from sleeping are still semi-present, but they're no longer causing him as much difficulty. Distance heals some things.]

Besides. Noh's probably working as hard as I am. We can just team up against you again.

You wouldn't.

[Ryan wrinkles his nose, halfheartedly elbowing him in the side-- just enough to make the gesture clear, not enough to actually push him away. That's the last thing he wants to be doing at the moment.]

And okay, no, I don't have reason to worry about that yet-- but I still feel like I should point out you guys ganged up on me to make me get some rest. It'd be awfully hypocritical to make me let you two keep working the second time.

[He's relaxed enough, by now, to go ahead and make himself a little more comfortable; Ryan shifts to turn sideways, leaning on him a bit more heavily and swinging his legs over Garrus' lap. It's difficult for him to properly curl up against most people, given the usual height differences-- he's one of the few who's got enough height on Ryan for it to be possible, and there's no way he won't take advantage when he can manage it.]

[It's a novelty to have someone basically sitting on his lap, and Ryan gets a quizzical look at the position switch. There's no protest, though. As much as Garrus would deny needing any sort of touch, any contact, it's a lie. There's nothing quite like missing people and a grounded Commander to make Garrus feel isolated and a bit lost, and Ryan is clearly wanting to do this.]

So you're saying you think you could take on both of us? Really? Or is the plan to play us against each other?

[Then again, Garrus is more than willing to get some rest with Noh, and Ryan's probably very aware of that. The Kree makes an excellent pillow to curl up around.]

You can try it.

[And if it brought Noh over even more, the last thing Garrus would do is complain. Or complain and mean it, at least.]

In the meantime, looks like you're the one that's resting right now. So you're already failing when trying to take me on single-handed.

[Play us against each other-- that gets a quizzical look and a slow blink that's all too clear without him having to say a word. Why would he want to do that?

The rest, though, that gets another brief chuckle from him, and a little grin that's... well, okay, Ryan can't pull off smug. Pleased, in a slightly self-satisfied way.]

Not failing, employing alternative strategies. If you want to leave, you're going to have to make me get up, and I'm comfortable.

[...and then he pauses for a moment, thinks-- then goes ahead and picks back up with the train of thought that comment about taking on both of them had started.]

And I could take on both of you, I'm tall enough to take up two laps if I lie down. I'm not above a little bit of guilt-tripping if it'd keep you both there.

[Stretched out on both of their laps. Now there's a mental image that is distinctly not just a friendly sort, and Garrus glances away for a second to get that particular train of thought derailed.]

You know you're easy for either of us to pick up, right? I mean, Noh caught a piece of the crashtechs. A large piece. And you're human and therefore light.

[But his arm is now around Ryan as opposed to underneath. He's not actually complaining or trying to remove the guy.]

Surprised you're comfortable, too. I'm not the softest. Pointy in places.

Oh really.

[He can't help it, Garrus walked right into that one- it's partly under his breath though, juuust loud enough to be heard.]

I know I'm light, that's not my point here. My point--

[Ryan is often a poor actor, but that's when he's trying to hide things. This is more an embellishment-- looking up at Garrus from where his head rests against the turian, chin tilted down slightly for better effect, eyes more heavily lidded in an almost sleepy-looking way. Yes, Garrus is basically getting the puppy eyes here, and he's not half bad at this when he isn't entirely faking it.]

--is that it'd be rude.

...Are you pouting at me?

[He's more incredulous than anything else.]

I wasn't really about to budge you off my lap and you know it. You can stop doing... that.

[Garrus is fairly sure he's good at being stubborn, not weak to pleading or sad expressions, but sometimes humans do manage just the right look to sway him.]

If we're gonna talk about rude, trying that falls under it, I'm pretty sure. Or cheating. And cheating's rude too.

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Of course it is.

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