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Juxtaposed Chapter 7 Snippet

His apartment consists of one large room with kitchen facilities – a sink, countertop, stove, and fridge along one wall – a living area – a single couch in front of a wall mounted television – and a door that led to the bedroom with attached bathroom. Waiting for a moment as she takes in her surroundings, he starts to make his way to the bedroom until she stops him.

“Whoa ….” She rushes over and grabs the bag, tugging on it. “No, sir. I am not taking your bed. I got the couch.”

He gives her a stern look as he lets her pull the bag from his hand. “Jane, you’ve been getting – at most – a few hours of sleep a day for the past six months. I know humans need more sleep than that.” At her continued refusal he crosses his arms and stands to his full height, looking down to her with his mandibles flat against his jaw. “You’re taking the bed.”

She squints, gauging him, then after a long and tense silence, she smiles and huffs a laugh at some internal joke. “You’re cute, but no,” she flippantly responds while turning around, walking to the couch and flopping down.

Wait … What? That’s not how staring someone down works ….

Cute?

Baffled, he opens his mouth to respond to her dismissal of the turian twice her size and glaring at her in a challenge. He has to admit that not many people would lock gazes with a turian and win out of sheer refusal to play to his show of dominance. Most people fell into the trap of being intimidated by a species that towered over even the taller humans, but she didn’t bow. He’s also pretty sure she’d be the only one to get away with turning her back, as treating him like he was no bigger, no more dangerous than her.

He’s happy to admit that he’s actually perfectly fine with it. If anything, she’s probably treating him like she would any other human and that’s not something many – of all species – can’t seem to understand.

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Juxtaposed Chapter 7 Revisions

Considering her own advancement through her military and his boring work patrolling the Wards had begun to make Garrus consider applying for admittance into the Investigations Division of C-Sec. He feels like he could help the most people working behind the scenes, uncovering the crimes and putting away the people that would make the Citadel nothing but a lawless space station. The best place to feel like he’s making a difference has to be Investigations where he could learn all the way to catch those that would otherwise run free, abusing the innocent people on the Citadel and taunting the law. In Investigations, he could do some good, make the Citadel safer and cleaner for people looking for a nice place to forget their responsibilities and enjoy what the galaxy has to offer.

People like Jane.

The only thing holding him back from submitting his application is the knowledge that there’s every chance that his father will become his superior at one time or another. Titus Vakarian worked hard to get where he is, carries the praise of being one of the best detectives on the station, and Garrus doesn’t see much reason for their paths not to cross for at least one duty rotation. For most, the idea of a family member being a superior can seem like an unfair advantage and foolish mistake in the chain of command, but the word ‘nepotism’ didn’t seem to be in Garrus’ father’s dictionary. When it came to something as serious as his profession, his father will be his toughest critic. Garrus was held to a higher standard throughout his life despite his achievements and he knows being related and under his father’s command will only raise that bar higher. It might not even take them working together for his father to develop strong opinions of Garrus’ methods, but Garrus can avoid it easier when he doesn’t have to face his father everyday as his superior, following orders that’ll be made to test him more than his fellow officers based on principle.

For as long as Garrus could remember, his father represented anything – and everything – that could go wrong for any plan Garrus laid out. When he excelled in his schooling as a child, his father would often insist that it was lacking the challenge Garrus needed, tending to supplement that missing difficulty with his own curriculum. Garrus could have been a Spectre if not for his father’s insistence against their methods, that he was better than defying the structure of set laws. He could’ve still joined if not for what he’s sure was his father’s meddling behind his back and he knew no matter what he did in Investigations, his father would love nothing more than to pick apart his cases at any and every chance he got.

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Snippet from Juxtaposed Revisions

She can’t understand her own fucked up mind and its reluctance now. It felt so natural and genuine opening herself up on the Citadel with Garrus, but when she tries the same here where she could at least bond over training together, she found everything to be too forced beyond those jokes and forcibly friendly banter. Thinking that perhaps the ease she had found on the Citadel was just a fluke and a one time glimpse into what she’s missing out on, she sends Garrus a message during one of the four hour breaks in her training. It isn’t anything too big, just a simple “hey, what’s up?” Almost immediately, he responds and she’s shocked to find that he isn’t sending her a request not to contact him again when she looks.

“Nothing. I’m at my lunch,” his message starts. “Missing the Citadel already? It’s only been a week.” In the middle of reading his response, she received another message. “Or could it be that you’ve just missed me? I know it’s hard to be away from such a charming person such as myself.”

She laughs quietly, making sure not to attract the attentions of the trainees in the bunks beside hers. Smiling, she realizes that maybe it isn’t so bad that she has at least someone out there to talk freely to. Sure, there are some things she’s keeping from him, but she has hopes that perhaps some of it will surface naturally. She’s positive there’s still hope of that happening. It has to, or there’s no reason to imagine she can move on from all the hell she’s been through.

Falling back into the familiarity so natural from their conversations, she responds, “I don’t know, I think I remember it was you who kept finding me after your supposed work hours.”

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Juxtaposed Revisions Snippet

She hums when he gives her a nod in the affirmative before asking, “So, ‘s the saying true for turians?”

Confused, he turns to her and sees facing the shelves of bottles behind the bar. He does manage to catch her giving a sidelong glance instead, the corner of her mouth rising when their eyes meet.

“Saying?” He falters, apprehensive at what she’s leading him into. Even under the influence of some strong asari drinks, she’s still able to make him stumble. She’s just still too comfortable with teasing him despite her state, and while not necessarily a bad thing, he knows he needs to stay alert and prepared for one of her flirtatious jokes. He can’t just let her catch him off guard and has to keep things interesting between the two of them.

“You know,” she says, gesturing with her hand at nothing in particular. “Wha’ they all say ‘bout a guy with a long fringe.” Her impersonation of a turian voice, though lacking the flanging subharmonics or actual use of his language, impresses him. Instead of overtly racist out of either ignorance or purpose, she sounds like she’s legitimately trying. Even if he has no clue what she’s talking about, or even if she knows what she’s talking about.

“Ugh, damn it Garrush!” She throws her arms up, which causes her balance to shift again. Again, he catches her before she manages to fall onto the dirty club floor and steadies her. “You’re hopelesses! You sers’iously need to learn human terms or you aren’t getting anywhere at C-Sexes.”

He shakes his head, chuckling softly.

Just as well I probably don’t know ‘what they say about a guy with a long fringe.’

“I don’t think that I’d lose my chances for promotion because I can’t understand the human need not to speak clearly and merely say what you mean.”

She smiles that sly smirk again “Tha’s where you are sorely mistaken, my friend,” she says, but doesn’t get a chance to elaborate as the sound of her omni-tool alarm sounds.

You guys getting tired of them yet? XD

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Okay, not to shove away my readers, but if you start reading a fic rated M (on FFN) or explicit (on Ao3) don’t be upset when you find smut. Especially if it’s a romance fic clearly stated as so. And don’t tell the author it’s good except for all the sex in it. Just don’t. Skim if you have to, but don’t try to make the author feel like they’ve done something wrong because they’ve given a couple a healthy and active sex life.

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Juxtaposed, Ch5 Rewrite/Revision Snippet

As the two pay for their meals individually, Garrus notices Jane typing something into her omni-tool once the waitress heads off to scan their chits. Not until the both of them are leaving and stepping out into the usual flow of Citadel traffic does he get at least some kind of clue. That clue coming in the form of Jane pushing him in a direction, an excited bounce in her step and cheerful expression on her face.

Himself being over two meters tall and her barely reaching his chest, he can only imagine the sight they make. He’s sure he would have laughed if he ever caught sight of a turian his size letting himself be carted off to Spirits know where by such a tiny human, wondering just what could be so important. He can easily stop the two of them by simply anchoring his feet, but he’s just enjoying himself, relaxed in her company just as she seems to be in his.

Noticing familiar waypoints as they pass them, Garrus realizes that Jane must have made up her mind about going to the club, Adventa’s. It’s true that he wouldn’t have chosen the place himself, but her contagious excitement as he watches her drag him into the flashing lights and thumping music convinces him. If anything, he’s sure he’ll enjoy the company.  Maybe even relax with a few drinks and see if he can get her to do the same.

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Snippet from Juxtaposed:Ch 4 Revisions/Rewrites

“May I get you something to drink?” she asks, opening her tool and giving Jane and Garrus an expectant glance.

“A Coke,” Jane says, menu pulled up so closely to her face and it nearly blocks her out of Garrus’ sights.

When Thelia looks to him, Garrus hums and answers before picking up his menu. “Do you have any S’rica?” The waitress nods and he returns the gesture. “Then I’ll take one.” She leaves them to look over the menu, and he stops midlift of his own as he catches Jane’s dark green eyes over the top of hers. “What?”

“What’s Shrica?”

He chuckles and shakes his head softly, slowing his pronunciation of the word. “S – rica. There’s a sharp pronunciation in the beginning.  A hiss, not a ‘shush.’” She makes her eyes roll, huffing loudly, and he recognizes that as a humorous, exasperated gesture. “You wanted to know, didn’t you?”

“I wanted to know what it was, not how to say it,” she responds, snorting and lifting a corner of her lips. “So tell me what it is now that you’ve made fun of the human’s pronunciation.”

Rumbling softly, he shrugs. “It’s a dextro beer. Quarian, if I’m remembering correctly.” He hears her snort and lifts a brow plate. “And that’s funny?”

She chuckles and smiles, setting down her menu. “Most people don’t really drink this early. It’s mid-day.”

“It’s after my shift,” he retorts, looking down to his menu to finally read it before the waitress begins to hover around, subtly trying to rush their decision. “And after a promotion, I believe I deserve one.”

He hears her huff a short laugh before she hums, the sound of disapproval that he’s heard from coworkers. From context, he doubts she truly feels what she’s saying through her vocal cues because the air around them doesn’t seem to have weighed down, and she’s still wearing that quirk to her lips that a frown usually replaces when humans are upset.

“Alright, alright. You got me there.” She shrugs and her attention drifts out to the crowds of Citadel citizens passing by the restaurant. “By all means, get hammered.” Snorting, she looks back to him with one of her red colored brows lifted. “But I’m not dragging you out of here if you’re too drunk to walk a straight line.”

Garrus chuckles, trying to imagine someone so small trying to carry the burden of a drunken turian of any size. He may be slightly taller than average, but even a smaller than average one of his species would easily topple Jane over despite whatever training the Alliance may have given her. Even if she managed to get a turian over her shoulders, the drastic height difference would limit maneuverability and hinder balance. It’s just not logistically possible, at least not without some serious difficulties.

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Alright, I’m going to share some of my Juxtaposed / Chapter 1 Edits

Growing up, Garrus wanted nothing more than to help people and, more importantly, right the wrongs in the galaxy so many seem content to close their eyes to. However, since serving his mandatory years in the military and joining C-Sec as preferred – demanded – by his father, he has found himself doing nothing but standing around the Presidium or walking the same routes repeatedly for hours until his shift finally ends. Every day, he itches beneath his plates for action or change, but none comes. He also has a strong suspicion his extended posting here may be his father’s doing, since normal Presidium postings only extend for a month or two and not the near six-month stint he finds himself with, but he has neither the proof or the means to obtain any. Even the assurances from his commanding officer that it will be any day now when he is finally promoted into a position of importance fall on deaf ears so long as Titus Vakarian’s adamant refusal to allow his son into Spectre training still rings in Garrus’ ears.

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shakarianthemusical:

marvelnez:

shakarianthemusical:

How would Shepard and Garrus meet if Reapers weren’t a thing??

And how would a relationship between the two start??

Omg you have NO IDEA. Awhile ago I read this; Juxtaposed by squiggly_squid.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/2530214/chapters/5623892

It’s a nice mellow AU story of Garrus as A c-sec officer and Shepard lived an interesting life. Well- it’s not so mellow I cried a lot.

Then if you want something ILLIMINATI WISE and dark you’ll probably enjoy Conpiracy by Tuffet37

http://archiveofourown.org/works/745828/chapters/1390454

This is an AU where Turians are pets and are seen as having “monkey level intelligence” Shepard knows better though.

Something more action packed and not so dark would be Bounty by Nemi_Almasy

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11155917/chapters/24894132

Shepard is a bounty hunter and Garrus (a c-sec officer) becomes a partner in crime/justice

Those are long stories, maybe you’d also like a short thing like Chance Encounters by droideka

http://archiveofourown.org/works/7234459/chapters/16423240

Garrus is once again a C-sec officer and once again has to deal with Shepard

@marvelnez thank you for this! I will be sure to check them out!

Oh my god! I was recommended?? I’m so flattered and a thank you goes out to @marvelnez for the consideration. Thank you so much ❤