forgivetheinsubordination | IC Contact

[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.

Then it's just revenge for you two cheating! ...but okay, okay, I'm done.

[Not like he could have kept it up anyway, with the grin threatening to ruin that expression-- it's amused at first, but quickly softens as he lets his eyes slide shut. Fun as the teasing is, he wasn't lying about the comfort. Even if Garrus is right about the fact that he's not terribly soft, it's less about physical enjoyment and more about the closeness and contact; it's just nice, in a way that curling up against blankets and pillows doesn't really match.]

I don't make a habit of using that against anyone, promise.

[Garrus snickers before reaching back and grabbing one of his blankets. If Ryan's going to get cozy and close his eyes, might as well make sure the both of them are warm.]

That's good, considering we had your well-being on our minds when we did that. Oh, and then he turned around and blackmailed me into resting too. Because he thought it was funny, or something.

[Because Noh had known Garrus needed it, even if Garrus hadn't wound up able to really use that time constructively.]

Noh-Varr is, well. Noh-Varr.

[There's a warmth in his voice that's pretty unconscious. Part of it's due to having warm company, relaxed company, a friend to unwind some with. And part of it is the particular subject at hand.]

He's good at that kind of thing, yeah.

[There's fondness in his own voice, and the warmth in Garrus' tone definitely isn't missed. He's known, sort of-- Noh-Varr had told him the two of them had some sort of thing going before-- but that's really the extent of it, and he can't pretend he isn't curious about what he doesn't know.

And maybe some of that curiosity is for selfish reasons, but that part he isn't quite admitting.]

...so, uh, how are-- things? With you two, I mean.

They're... hah.

[Garrus chuckles, shaking his head.]

Don't really know how to answer that. I mean, it's good. It's... It's going. But it's the first time I've tried something that isn't just instant gratification and hell if I know how things are supposed to look or go.

[He takes a breath and shrugs.]

Seems to be... a thing. Wouldn't mind, uh. Actually, you probably don't wanna hear that. So it's... It's going.

[He wouldn't mind more time with Noh, but really, not only does the Kree have a bunch of demands on his time that Garrus gets, Garrus also has a team to lead during this crisis. Now isn't the time to wish for the freedom they'd had on Selena.]

Far as I've seen, most people don't know how it's supposed to work. I know I never have.

[It's just something you figure out through trial and error, if you're lucky, and mostly error if you're not-- but this isn't his thing to try to work out. Not in that sense. All he's really trying to do is get a better idea of how their connection is, maybe glean some idea of where his own connections stand in light of that, because that answer definitely makes it sound like Garrus' ties to Noh could be less casual if it's his first time going for something more.]

Y'know you don't have to censor yourself for my sake, it's not like I won't care. Don't want to hear about what?

[Nosy, maybe, but now he wants to know.]

Can't figure out if that's a comfort or not.

[His tone is lightly teasing, the comment meant to buy a couple of seconds as he tries to figure out what even to say. Garrus talks, a lot. All he needs is a little encouragement and he'll keep going.]

It's... It's still being figured out, really. There's an us, I would like more us, but...

[Garrus waves at the ship before putting his arm back around Ryan.]

But nothing goes according to any sort of hopes or plans with the CDC, apparently. Really don't know how they stay in business, at this rate. And I really don't appreciate the screamer alarms.

[Is it so wrong to enjoy falling asleep with someone?]

They're kind of a pain in the ass, yeah- but at least you didn't have to be the one to figure it out the hard way?

[The smile at that is brief, almost a fleeting thing. If that's a thing, well-- that's potentially awkward, but that isn't really his primary worry. Ryan's real concern is that, in his experience, when people become an 'us', that by default makes everyone else a them. They have a way of getting committed, being more exclusive, and while he plays third wheel well that's a very temporary position.

So after a moment's silence he asks, a bit abruptly:]

D'you want me to... I don't know, back off a little, I guess? Let you guys figure that out without--

[Distraction? Interference? He's unsure what the right word is.]

[His mandibles flicker at the mention of Crichton's predicament, but the amusement stops at the sudden question.]

Uh. What?

[It's not the most coherent answer to a question ever.]

Were you... Were you into Noh?

[It's probably a stupid question. At this rate, who on the ship isn't? There's a sinking feeling in Garrus' stomach as he tries to keep his thoughts from spiraling too far downward. Even though he had spoken the words about not having to be exclusive, he's still not quite ready for Noh-Varr to tell him that he's found another lover.]

Not... Not really sure I'm following.

[Maybe it's something else. He might as well get things clarified before he starts stressing.]

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