Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow across the rumpled sheets. Mina stirred awake. Garrus stirred beside her.
"Morning," he rumbled, his voice still thick with sleep, a low vibration against her temple.
She hummed. "Good Morning."
Mina kept her eyes closed, feeling the tiredness behind them. "What time is it?"
"Too early," Garrus muttered.
"I still can't believe we had your parents over," Mina commented.
Garrus knew exactly what she meant. "No heated debates. No accidents."
He paused. "I call that success."
Mina hummed in agreement. "It would have been worse."
She shifted, opened her eyes, and propped herself up on an elbow. "Garrus, your father… he's intimidating."
"He is," Garrus agreed. "He did call you efficient. That's basically a compliment."
Mina snorted. "I'll take it. And your mother. She kept him distracted with stories of your childhood shenanigans."
Mina was pulled in closer by Garrus. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"So," she murmured, nuzzling into his neck, "what's on the agenda for the first day of the new year?"
Garrus tightened his embrace. "Sleep. Coffee. And not leaving this bed until we absolutely have to."
Mina closed her eyes once more and felt herself drift back to sleep.
*
The next time she woke, Mina was feeling well rested. She checked the time; it was just past noon. Garrus laid awake beside her.
"Have you been awake long?" Mina asked, taking a deep breath.
"A few minutes," he replied.
Eventually, Mina's stomach grumbled with hunger. With a shared sigh, they untangled themselves from the sheets. Garrus stretched before reaching for his discarded shirt. Mina, meanwhile, padded to the bathroom, splashing cool water on her face.
They met in the kitchen, both looking delightfully disheveled. Garrus, still in his rumpled clothes, surveyed the wreckage of their living room. "So, this is what 'starting the new year fresh' looks like, huh?"
Mina laughed, pulling out a cleaning spray from the kitchen. "That was all Wrex. He got too friendly with that bottle he brought over."
"We should have him clean up his mess," Garrus muttered, looking around once more.
"He's probably passed out somewhere," Mina said, chuckling.
Garrus leaned against the counter. "I'll start taking down the decorations."
"Are we keeping any of the decorations for next year?" Garrus asked.
Mina looked around. "We can keep the ones that aren't too damaged."
"I'll put them aside for you, and you can decide."
As they began to clean, a comfortable silence settled between them. Garrus started cleaning up the living room, and Mina worked on cleaning up the kitchen. Leftovers were put away, trash was picked up, and dishes were put in the sink.
Mina rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. She worked on cleaning the counters, tying the full trash bags, and setting them by the door.
"Mina," Garrus called out. "I have the decorations ready for inspection."
"I'll be right over," Mina replied.
She quickly washed her hands and went to do the inspection. Mina began her inspection, a critical eye scanning thoroughly.
As Mina gathered the approved decorations into a small pile on the coffee table, a thought struck her. She looked around, looking for a box.
"Wait a minute," she said, her brow furrowing. "We don't have a box for these."
Garrus looked around as well. "We'll probably need to do some shopping."
"Yes," Mina agreed. "We'll leave them on the coffee table for now."
The hours quickly passed as Mina and Garrus cleaned up the rest of the apartment. They sat on the couch, tired but happy to see their apartment finally cleaned and organized.
'You've been quiet,' Mina said to SAM. 'Did you enjoy this new experience?'
'Yes,' SAM replied. 'I learned a lot. I was most intrigued by how your father-in-law was kept in check by your mother-in-law.'
'Yes, that usually happens,' Mina agreed.
"Mina," Garrus began. "Once this is over, we should move to a bigger place. This apartment is too small, and there isn't enough space for me to install some security."
"That'll be nice," Mina muttered. She hadn't really thought much of the future, but having a bigger apartment would be nice.
"One with several rooms," Garrus added.
"Why would you want so many rooms?" Mina asked, glancing at him.
"For....many things," Garrus replied. "We need the extra space."
"Alright," Mina agreed. "We'll get an apartment with a lot of space and extra rooms."
There was a comfortable silence around them.
"Are you ready for what comes next?" Mina questioned, staring up into the ceiling.
"I've done my part," Garrus replied. "I've surveyed and mapped the area. The cameras and alarms will need to be taken care of by you and your friend."
"What about the Ball?" Mina asked. "Are you sure we don't need to attend? I don't want you to become a suspect.
"I think it's best if you accompany Solana and Nihlus to the Ball. I'll wait for you nearby. Once you're able to slip away, we can head toward the Citadel Tower.
"Wrex can cause a scene at the Ball during the commotion; you can slip away at that time."
Garrus was silent for a few moments. "I need to go shopping for a suit."
"We should go buy one soon," Mina stated. "Otherwise, we might not be able to find one."
"Fine," Garrus reluctantly agreed. "Let's eat, and then we can head out."
Mina headed toward the kitchen and grabbed some of the leftovers to heat up. They ate quickly and headed out.
'There is a boutique not far from here that sells turian suits,' SAM supplied. 'It's called Elegance & Extraterrestrial Threads.'
'That's perfect, thank you, SAM.' Mina replied.
Mina followed the directions that SAM had sent to her Omni-Tool.
"Maybe this isn't necessary?" Garrus's mandibles twitched, a clear sign of his discomfort as they entered the store.
The vibrant, iridescent fabrics of various alien species gleamed under the shop lights. "Can't I just wear my regular clothes?"
Mina laughed, her arm linking through his. "No, you cannot. This is the Council Ball. You're Spectre Vakarian, and you're going to look devastatingly handsome."
She squeezed his arm, her eyes sparkling. "Besides, it's my first shopping trip with my husband."
Mina slightly blushed; she had never called him husband in public. Garrus chuckled softly.
Inside the boutique, there were racks of hushed tones and luxurious fabrics. Garrus looked out of place in his armor. But Mina, with her innate grace, moved through the racks, her fingers tracing the smooth lines of tailored jackets.
A tall, multi-limbed Volus assistant glided towards them. "Spectre Vakarian." His synthesized voice chirped. "Here for a fitting, perhaps?"
Garrus sighed, a long, low sound. "It appears so."
The next hour was a blur of fabrics, measurements, and Garrus's surprisingly articulate complaints. He held up a shimmering blue suit, scrutinizing it. "Too much like a 'dapper' c-sec uniform. And this crimson one? I'll look like I'm about to lead a charge, not dance a waltz."
"I'll keep looking," Mina said, heading over to the dedicated custom-fit pieces.
It was there that she found it. A deep, midnight blue material, subtly textured, with a high collar that would perfectly frame Garrus's neck. The cut was modern, elegant, with just enough room for his broad shoulders.
"Try this," she said, holding up the suit.
He emerged from the changing room, looking surprisingly imposing. The deep fabric hugged his broad frame, emphasizing his shoulders. His visor was off, revealing the intense, amber glow of his eyes. He still looked awkward, his taloned hands fidgeting with the lapels, but Mina's breath hitched.
"Well?" he grumbled, looking at his reflection with suspicion. "Does it make me look like I'm about to walk to an interrogation?"
Mina slowly walked towards him. She reached out, smoothing a crease on his shoulder. "It makes you look like the most handsome Turian in the galaxy, Garrus."
He looked down at her, his discomfort easing, a faint warmth in his gaze. "Really? Not too... constricting?"
"It's perfect," she whispered, leaning in to kiss his mandible.
Garrus's mandibles flared in a faint, pleased hum. "We'll take this one."
After paying, they left the boutique, the suit carefully packed. The air was colder now, a hint of evening setting in.
"We need boxes for those leftover New Year's decorations," Mina reminded him. "Just a quick stop."
They ducked into a smaller utility shop, grabbing a few sturdy storage containers. Hand in hand, they made their way back to their apartment.
When they returned, Solana and Nihlus were waiting outside.
"I was just about to send you a message," Solana greeted, smiling.
"We went out to do some shopping," Mina said, hugging her.
Garrus opened the door to the apartment, handing the suit to Mina, who quickly went to put it in their room.
"It looks so clean," Nihlus commented, heading to the living room.
"As it should be," Garrus replied, following him.
Mina returned as Garrus was putting away the decorations. Mina took the full boxes and left them in their bedroom. They would need to find a place for the decorations.
"Does that mean you're coming with us to the Ball?" Solana questioned taking a seat on the sofa.
"Yes," Garrus replied, taking a seat as well. "Mina and I spoke it over. I'll go with you; Wrex will cause a scene. During that time, I will sneak out and meet up with Mina. We'll head over to the Citadel Tower to retrieve the file."
"We'll meet up at my ship afterwards," Nihlus added. "I have an off-world mission that I can use as a cover to leave the Citadel."
"If we're caught," Mina began. "Or if I'm caught-"
"That won't happen," Garrus interjected.
"If it does," Mina continued. "You must investigate the source of the video. As long as my cover isn't blown, I'll be fine."
"We need to be careful," Solana said. "I'll send a message to Wrex to meet us tomorrow. We'll go over everything one last time before the heist."
The Council Ball was now only two days away.