Surprise, surprise :) Lots of cookies for Sabaine - my beta, as always x

Sometimes, when really intense emotions take control, there is no way to prevent them from subvocalization. He knew that and experienced it many times before, mostly in bed, when his undertones were full of desire and arousal or during fight, with rage and primal battle tones. Mostly he didn't mind, after all this was in his DNA, inseparably tied with his Turian heritage; basically he was able to surpass them and reduce them to vibrations in his chest but sometimes he couldn't stifle them and really hated it. And this was precisely one of these unwanted and disliked times.

He felt sweet taste of blood on his tongue when he bit hard, embarrassed by his surprised growl. Oh, yes, uneasiness induced by presence of armed human wasn't good. Words of his former teachers came almost instantly 'Controlling your emotions doesn't mean ignoring them. It mean you recognize them and act on them when you deem it appropriate, not randomly and uncontrollably.'

Theros took deep, slow breath and glanced over human silhouette which was looming above body dressed in black.

"Did you kill it?" he asked resignedly.

"Yup. Sure I did. And it's a HE. I killed a human male."

He walked slowly to the girl and looked at the body stretched out on the ground. "I assume that he wasn't a patient of yours?" Theros crouched by the corpse and saw one entrance wound at the back of its head.

"Not quite. I would rather not kill my patients. He came to my office and started babbling about a gas sample," she met his gaze and wrinkled her nose. He still didn't understand why the human face was so dynamic and muscles so malleable, "and after rather short talk he attacked me, first with his bare hands, then with his knife."

She looked calm and confident but the stiffness of her arms and some gloom hiding in her eyes told him enough – the doctor was rather shocked and far from her safe zone. Theros stood up and pulled the gun from her hand.

"Good shooting, you know…" he said softly.

"I can take care of myself when I need to."

"I do not doubt that, but you're not used to shooting people."

"No."

Theros looked around and scanned the corridor.

"No one will come Mr. Ris'ono. There's not many people at lunch hours in this part of hospital and in this wing to be precise."

"Good for us. And call me Theros please." Still holding her gun he carefully checked other rooms and hall situated down the corridor. After that he approached her office. She mimicked almost his every move and he really didn't mind that.

"I must search your room and after that we will call C-sec."

She nodded and licked her chapped lips, "Do what you must but this… man didn't get the thing he was after. The sample is in the lab I was putting it to some tests."

"That's even better," Theros sighed and looked into her eyes intensively. "I know it will sound not right and stupid but you must trust me for now on. And you must tell C-sec that he wanted to rob you. Nothing about samples, gases and such things. And I came here to thank you and happened to be the witness to all of this. Can you do that for me? Can you… lie for me?" he held his breath waiting for her answer.

"I am not stupid. It can't be a coincidence that right after I had ordered tests on the sample of some mysterious gas, that somebody tried to kill me. And you came, one of the main participants in this affair."

"Well, you're quite right here but…"

"Yes, of course, I don't know why am I agreeing to this, but I will tell nothing more than your far-fetched story. But I want something in return."

Well, he didn't assume that this will be simple. "I'm all ears."

"You'll tell me everything. And by everything I mean EVERYTHING" she repeated hard, "you know about this matter."

"I can agree to that."

"So we have a deal," she stated and gave him her hand. He took it and shook, smiling at her reassuringly.

He took her gently by her elbow and led her to, thankfully empty room next to her office. "Stay here and wait for me."

Night at the Citadel was almost as vivid as a day, artificial or not, that really wasn't a factor here. Theros could feel light breeze on his face plates and hear indistinct sounds somewhere beneath the balcony on which he was standing. He liked the view, almost as good and beautiful as the one he saw today in Councillor Sparatus' office. Mia, on the other hand was sitting absolutely still and uninterested, holding a mug full of brown liquid she called tea, a few steps behind him. He started toying the idea that he shouldn't tell her everything and she was too weak and scared for all of this, when he heard her move.

His gaze wandered to the girl and he sat back on his chair. He admitted to himself that she was quite an individual – hard, calm and confident during questioning in the C-sec station, and it was almost the truth. Theros once again saw then, that she also was barely holding up but refused any psychological help which was gently proposed by one of the C-sec agents leading her case. After his story, she was really calm and gave him a reassuring smile and drifted to her own thoughts and he gave her time for that.

When the C-sec officers released them, the last artificial rays of light were shining and warm evening had just started. Now it was almost midnight and he knew that restaurant in which they were sitting would close soon. Mia changed her position and looked at him.

"So what we should do now?"

He flared his mandibles, amused by her question. She used good pronoun –"we", that was promising.

"We will get the test results and see the outcome. There must be some leads."

She nodded and covered her eyes with her hand and rubbed hard.

"I'm tired, you know? And there better be some leads for us tomorrow. This… affair is big and has got quite high stakes."

"We agree there. But now I'm thinking about another issue," Theros' undertones betrayed him and worry slipped through them but she didn't looked like she noticed that.

Mia put her hand back on her mug and stared.

"I don't know why but somehow I know that this another issue is… me and it's not good."

He snorted, well, so she was rather skilled with turian subvocalization but didn't know that.

"You're right. You are in danger, due to the fact that our enemies know that you suspect something about this toxic gas. And they tried to kill you once already."

"Yeah… well.. duly noted."

"So you can't stay at your place tonight."

That really got her attention. "What?! Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm afraid I'm not. Do you have some place when you can stay?"

"Erm, yes, but not at this time. Tomorrow morning I can call one of my friends. He's got big apartment in guarded building near Desine Wards."

Theros' mandibles moved in turian equivalent of human smile. "So tonight you will stay at my place. I've got quite comfortable couch, I don't sleep there often, hardly ever to be honest, but one night doesn't kill me and you can take my bed… and no, please do not argue, I'm tired too" he added, raising from his chair and poking his omni-tool, hailing the cab.

She did not argue as hard as he expected and fell asleep almost immediately. Now he was standing in his bedroom door and watching her sleep. Dim light caressed her bruised cheeks and long, red hair, now loosened and Theros noticed that she had quite lovely lips for a human. He shook his head quite fast and made few steps back.

Hell, of course that no female stayed in his apartment for just… sleeping and he was proud that his skills definitely kept females awake but one exception from that unwritten rule would not harm him after all. And Spritis, she was human and he never bed a human. He smiled to that thought – there always must be the first time – and at almost the same time slapped his temple in disbelief.
Okey, after all that, he definitely will find some lady, asari maybe and will get laid.

Definitely.

Theros glanced one last time through the opened door at his guest, his eyes watching the covers rising with her every breath and one thought hit him really hard. There was a human who wasn't prejudiced and almost instantly trusted somebody she didn't know… an alien she didn't know.
He quietly closed the door and went to sleep, thinking about Mia and that he definitely should talk with her about such reckless behavior tomorrow.

Hope you all liked it :) And give me some feedback here please, I'd love to see your opinions!