Mass Effect

Shakarian

Garrus Vakarian/Shepard

Commander Shepard and Garrus Vakarian, whose partnership evolves from professional respect to deep romantic love across the galaxy-spanning trilogy.

45,000 works

What is Shakarian?

Shakarian is the fan-given name for the romantic pairing of Garrus Vakarian and Shepard from Mass Effect. With over 45,000 works on Archive of Our Own, it's one of the most popular ships in the fandom.

Why fans love Shakarian

The perfect blend of friendship, respect, humor, and devotion, with Garrus's unwavering loyalty making him the ultimate space boyfriend.

Most Popular Shakarian Fanfics

The highest-rated Shakarian stories on AO3, ranked by kudos.

1

Mattress Dancin'

Complete

by Garfbin

Shepard and Vakarian try an unusual tactic to escape their pursuers. It works, but causes a new set of problems.

7 kudos 2,405 words ~10 min read Explicit
your honor they're cowboys and they're horny Mutual Masturbation Vaginal Fingering
2

A Brief Detour

by bjrit92

Shepard and her Suicide Squad are gearing up for their trip though the Omega-4 Relay when they're attacked by a collector ship and take an unexpected trip that changes, well, everything. And some things? Some things have changed more than others.

53 kudos 29,800 words ~120 min read Mature
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Mass Effect 2 Human Garrus Vakarian
3

Mass Effect 1: Sole Survivor

by KyraVail

The colony of Mindoir burned when Khaleesi Shepard was sixteen years old. Slavers took everything from her. Her home, her family, and the future she had imagined. Years later, a disastrous mission on Akuze left her the sole survivor of an entire unit. Since then, Shepard has lived by one simple trut

57 kudos 79,478 words ~318 min read Explicit
4

proof of life.

Complete

by thychesters

You are: Commander Shepard (in name).You are: human (mostly).You are: real (enough). Commander Shepard storms back into the galaxy; Cerberus just keeps a closer eye on her than she thought. She finds herself a little more hyperaware of the moving pieces, the ones of her left to string back together.

12 kudos 23,000 words ~92 min read Mature
Body Horror Brief depictions of how Cerberus put her back together Brief depictions of dying
5

First Light

by acupoftea

The Normandy SR-2 has landed on Earth. The universe is in shambles. So is her crew. Shepard isn't doing much better. But everyone is looking to her - to the Great Commander Shepard, twice dead, twice resurrected, Destroyer of the Reapers and almost the entire universe - to save them, one last time.T

24 kudos 15,500 words ~62 min read Mature
Post-Mass Effect 3 Post-Destroy Ending (Mass Effect) Post-Canon
6

An Inconvenient Meeting

by EratoHayden

A chance encounter on the Citadel following the events of the Skyllian Blitz in 2180, leads Kara Shepard and Garrus Vakarian to meet earlier than the canon Mass Effect timeline. Kara is freshly promoted, completed her N7 training, and ready to take the next step in her five year plan. C-Sec Officer

83 kudos 29,884 words ~120 min read Explicit
Spacer (Mass Effect) War Hero (Mass Effect) Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
7

Call Me

Complete

by piesafterdark

At the same time, she mouths something from her spot down the bar. Fuck. Because for all of the efforts made so that different species could understand each other, it was all completely useless when no sounds were made. All Garrus understands is the moving of lips, which might just be her telling hi

14 kudos 1,937 words ~8 min read Teen And Up Audiences
Alternate Universe - No Reapers (Mass Effect) Garrus was not recruited in Mass Effect 1 Post-Mass Effect 1
8

The B-Sides

by ShortyBefore

Here are some random moments I have written for this fan-fiction that didn't make the main fic cut. They are random moments that I wrote down and wanted to share. Note: these are out of order and not posted chronologically. I will note at the top of each one with where in the story they take place.

25 kudos 1,664 words ~7 min read Explicit
9

an indentation in the shape of you

by interventionsandlullabies

“Oh no,” Garrus said. “I know that face. That’s your problem-solving face. That’s your I think I can fit through this air vent and drop down behind their reinforcements face.” “What if we do it first?” He stared at her. “Shepard. I fear the consequences of the next four words immensely. What do you

519 kudos 84,119 words ~337 min read Mature
Destroy Ending (Mass Effect) Crack Treated Seriously Fluff and Humor
10

Back To You

by toothfayerie

Two people brought together by duty and circumstance.Two people separated by uncontrollable instance.Two people brought together by rumors of conspiracy.Two people drifted apart by principle and anarchy.Two people brought together by war.Do they still know who they are?Now, the galaxy may be at its

16 kudos 28,330 words ~114 min read Mature
Science Fiction Slow Romance Angst
11

Digging Up Stones

Complete

by mostmagical

A long-term ground mission on Hackett’s orders in the wake of the war. Traveling across forgotten wastelands and destroyed communities with just a ground car and Garrus, Shepard can’t help but let exhaustion and frustration get to her. Even on the open road, she’s never felt more trapped. And with t

19 kudos 12,824 words ~52 min read Mature
Mission Fic Angst Hurt/Comfort
12

The Lives of Commander Shepard

by RexManning

Good news everyone!I have concocted a story which you all can take part in helping shape. In essence, this is a choose your own adventure style Shakarian fic, with a twist. Here's how it'll go: I will set up the first act so that everyone has a grounding of the base story at play. At the end of each

23 kudos 22,535 words ~91 min read Not Rated
Fluff Pining Mutual Pining
13

Mass Effect: Izakaya

by DragonDolly

Well, on your couch sick and trying to play Mass Effect (and failing horribly) you decide to take some NyQuil and knock out on the couch… only to wake up in the body of you Commander Shepard (Commander Wendy Shepard) and find a message on your Omni tool “ play to the plot as close as you can and you

12 kudos 4,420 words ~18 min read Mature
izakaya The player is now Commander Shepard Other Additional Tags to Be Added
14

Mass Effect: Become Legend

by TheScarletGrave

"The Light offers us a fresh start. But if we don't know where we came from, how will we know where to go?" Five years after the Reaper War, a heartbroken Garrus Vakarian struggles to find meaning in his life after the death of Shepard. One day, Garrus begins to suffer strange and vivid dreams of a

27 kudos 79,994 words ~320 min read Mature
Drama & Romance Action/Adventure Science Fiction & Fantasy
15

Through Hell on Living Feet (For You)

Complete

by Volchonika

Grieving Commander Shepard turned Garrus into someone else, and now he's haunted by a ghost wearing her face. This Shepard, he's convinced, is a spirit, or a figment of his dying brain--because he's sure he's dying, lying in a pool of his own blood on Omega, and she's here to help him live through a

45 kudos 16,469 words ~66 min read Explicit
Friends to Lovers Canon Compliant Mass Effect 2
16

The Diary of Katherine Shepard

by Hawkster94

4 years and a half had passed since the galaxy emerged victorious against the Reapers. Recovery process is still ongoing, with the trauma of the war still lingering on, physical, mental, and emotional. Inspired by the unfinished diaries that her former mentor, Admiral David Anderson, left in his for

52 kudos 37,669 words ~151 min read Mature
Self-Reflection Memories Self-Loathing
17

Test Subject 47-R / Codename: Rose

by Hunttijuntti

She was only nine years old when she was taken. Over 160 years later, she wakes up on an operating table—terrified, mutated, and more powerful than anyone imagined. Her instincts unleash a storm of biotics and Force lightning that levels an entire research facility. Commander Shepard and the crew of

52 kudos 20,153 words ~81 min read Mature
Found Family Force-Sensitive Original Characters (Star Wars) Mutant Powers
18

In Your Arms

Complete

by ShadowOfTheStorm197

The war is over. For the first time in generations, the galaxy is quiet. In the years that follow the Concordance War, scarred worlds begin to heal and shattered lives slowly find their footing again. Legends fade into history. Soldiers return home. Families once torn apart finally have the chance t

19 kudos 84,971 words ~340 min read Not Rated
Romance
19

The Signal Through the Noise

by Commander_Ficnator

When Garrus Vakarian meets a charming turian named Nyreen on Omega, he slowly opens his heart to the possibility of love again. But what begins as a promising romance hides a deadly deception, leaving Garrus betrayed, broken, and questioning his own judgment. As Commander Shepard helps him recover f

21 kudos 4,280 words ~18 min read Mature
Shakarian - Freeform Romance Sex
20

ode to a conversation stuck in your throat.

Complete

by thychesters

She could tell him yes. She could tell him no. He wishes she’d just say it. He could say something outright, as the stars blaze beyond her and she looks at him with such a sense of relief that it makes him dizzy. “You know me,” he intones, glancing at his glass. “I get on someone’s nerves long enoug

70 kudos 9,006 words ~37 min read Explicit
ME3 Shakarian Reunion Post-Menae Mutual Pining

Shakarian Fanfics by Length

Pick a reading commitment — from one-sitting one-shots to 100k+ epics:

Characters

Garrus Vakarian
Shepard

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Shakarian mean?

Shakarian is the ship name (portmanteau or nickname) for the pairing of Garrus Vakarian and Shepard. It's used by fans to tag and search for fanfiction featuring this relationship.

How many Shakarian fics are on AO3?

There are over 45,000 Shakarian fanfiction works on Archive of Our Own.

How can I read Shakarian fanfiction on my phone?

Download Fanfict Reader for iOS to browse and read Shakarian fanfiction with a beautiful mobile interface, offline reading, and custom themes.

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