Prompt: Unprompted

Genre: Romance, Humor

"Okay, Shepard...tell us. What exactly is it about turians that gets you so hot and bothered?"

Shepard nearly choked on her brandy as she turned her eyes onto Jack, who was getting similar stares of disbelief from the rest of the women at the table, even Tali, who was still sipping her drink from the straw as if she didn't have to breathe.

"Got to admit, Skipper...I am sort of curious myself how you and Garrus went from really great friends to making eyes at each other the second you're both in the same room." Ashley mused after a second, blowing a few strands of hair from her face.

Shepard worked her jaw a bit and fought not to blush.

"That's not new." Tali piped in, no longer surgically attached to her straw, though that might have more to do with her glass being empty than her absolutely having to say something. "They were doing that when I joined in on the suicide mission. It started some time before that."

"Honestly, I thought they'd been screwing before they picked me up."

"Do we have to discuss this?" Shepard groaned, attempting to bury herself in the rest of her drink.

"Yes." the three girls agreed in unison, their gazes immediately locking onto Shepard. It felt like three Phantoms had their laser sights on her forehead.

She resisted the urge to sink down in her seat, but couldn't fight the blush any longer. She avoided their gazes, fiddling with her glass and trying to find the right words to satisfy them without embarrassing herself. Why did a small girls-night-out to catch up with Jack turn out to be a game of 'Interrogate Shepard on Her Choice of Romantic Partner'?

"It's not...turians, really." Shepard nearly mumbled. By the smirks (she couldn't see Tali's, but she could feel it), she could tell that the fact that she, Commander Fucking Shepard, was flustered amused them all to no end. She'd have to get them back sometime.

She tried to draw herself up to make it easier to speak.

"It's just Garrus. He's supportive, knows when to keep our private lives and our work separate, even if he's admitted once or twice that he worries about me."

She could feel a slight smile form on her lips. It felt nice to actually have someone really worry about HER, and yet still respect her decisions enough to not be insubordinate. Sure, there may have been a spat or two about how she didn't take care of herself, but that was always after the missions, and it only said how much he thought of her so often.

"He's easy to talk to. We can shoot the shit or talk about something serious, or just...talk about nothing at all, and I feel...happy."

She wouldn't tell that he was the only one she could really let go of the 'Commander' mask with. Even now, she was holding onto it, giving off the aura that she was always capable and ready for anything. Only with Garrus could she be weak, and yet not feel utterly vulnerable or like she was letting him down.

Tali's sigh broke her out of her thoughts of him and she saw the Quarian resting her head on her hand. "That sounds so nice..."

Jack snorted and tossed back a shot. "Yeah, so sweet it's giving my damned cavities. Wouldn't of thought Commander Goddamned Shepard would be the innocent love type."

Ashley just laughed and shrugged at that, returning to her drink as the conversation changed and Shepard grinned. Of course, she probably wouldn't tell them that the way he groaned her name when she touched that special spot beneath his fringe made her legs go weak, or that the indents at his hips were perfect for straddling him. Those were only for her.

"Okay, Scars, I gotta know...why a human? I mean, sure, it's Lola, and I think that sorta gal is probably attractive to pretty much everyone, but never seen a Turian with a thing for humans before."

Garrus's mandibles spread wide in shock at Vega's very forward question. Steve sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Do all our conversations have to revolve around sex?"

"Oh c'mon, Esteban! Of course they do! What, you think guys should sit around a table with alcohol and only talk about shuttle schematics?"

"No, but-"

"Exactly! So, sex it is! C'mon Scars, sock it to us."

Garrus scratched at his scarred mandible and tried looking for a way out. Unfortunately, there was none. So, he tried to think about what to say to get them off his back.

Should he say that he was head over heels for Shepard because of her tenacity, and that look she got in her eyes whenever she had a crazy plan that just might work? Or that she had this way of talking only to him that he could sit and listen to for hours on end, even if she was saying nothing at all? Perhaps he could tell him that he loved the way she smelled: gun metal, a hint of strawberry shampoo and something that he could only say was distinctly Shepard.

He could tell them that he loved the way she laughed, or that look of concentration she got whenever she was putting together a new model ship up in her cabin.

"...It's her hips, mostly."

James nodded sagely. "Yeah, she's got some really great hips that sway just right, y'know?"

The conversation immediately turned on Steve and some of his best conquests. It could never be said that James Vega gave a damn if conquests were male or female...so long as they were actual conquests.

Garrus chuckled. He was lucky that little tidbit would satisfy them...all those other things were just for Garrus to know and look out for.