#kaidanweek2019

[shepard-alenko]

Kaidan Alenko Appreciation Week 2019 - October 8 - Squad Day ~ Random squad tidbits with Kaidan

@spectrekaidanalenko

[sweet-ree]

"Coffee, coffee who wants coffee! Am I being too loud"

Happy Kaidan Week!!

I made a Kaidan mug for a friend. I thought these 3 symbols summed him up pretty well.

Lots of glazing issues. I'll have to run a few food safe tests and may have to remake it if it's to be used for anything other than a pencil holder lol.

(Ignore the blue blob on the bottom, it's redacted)

@spectrekaidanalenko

[pigeontheoneandonly]

Once More, With Feeling

I thought about waiting for Kaidan Week’s LI theme day ( @spectrekaidanalenko ), but I liked this one too much not to share.  Inspired by @estalfaed’s post about Kaidan leaving for the Andromeda galaxy (with their permission).

Kaidan Alenko hunched over the bar in Kadara Port, picking at the label on his bottle. Nine years.  2194, in his bones, 2828 by the calendar, as much as calendars meant anything anymore.  Certainly it meant nothing here in this bar, halfway through three days of mandated shore leave.  His new C.O., some angara woman, took a certain delight in fussing over him.  

“No family,” she’d cluck.  “You need to live.”

Family was everything to angara, and he’d left his two and a half million light years away, to face a highly uncertain future.   Kaidan got out of cryo early, in the first wave of military reinforcements ordered up by Pathfinder Ryder, and was stationed at Eos until they figured out he actually knew how to fight, at which point he was shipped here.  

Kadara was a mess.  He welcomed it, work, distractions.  At least after the recent arrival of Ark Endymion, he could stop worrying about what happened back in the Milky Way.  There’d been a massive war— even with the careful way he filtered news that much was unavoidable.  And once he heard that, he couldn’t help but investigate the outcome.  Reapers defeated.  A little of his guilt lifted.

Not all of it.  His mother wept when he told them he’d joined the Initiative. Begged him not to go.  He didn’t know whether either of his parents survived, but for certain they’d died alone, at the hands of the reapers or age or something else entirely, while their only child traveled ever further away, lost in a dreamless dark.

Fear didn’t drive him from the fight.  It was John. Of course it was.  Because after almost two years of trying to get back to okay, nothing sounded better than a nice long sleep, and waking up someplace far away from every possible reminder of what he’d lost.  

Sure. He picked up the bottle and drank. At least the beer was getting better, as less essential crops started coming in.  Nothing like back home.  But palatable.

Six centuries and for what?  Maybe nothing here brought back old memories of his might-have-been life.  But every moment, every fantastical sight, every novel experience, tasted just a little sour from his absence.  John would’ve loved this. Exploring new worlds.  Finding new fights, new friends.  Forging a path on a real frontier.  

The beer was more than a little sour itself, especially as it warmed.  Kadara was hot as hell.  And nothing obfuscated the persistent stench of sulfur.

Kaidan was so deep in his own morose brooding that he jumped ten centimeters when the six pack thumped down on the counter beside him.  “You would not believe how much baggage allowance this cost me.”

The cardboard carrier read Molson Canadian Lager.  

“And in stasis, too,” its owner went on.  “That’s extra.”

Kaidan’s heart had physically stopped in his chest.  A stabbing ache that left him breathless.  He barely managed to raise his head.

John Shepard leaned against the bar, looking down at him with a smirk.  “Miss me?”

So it had finally come to this.  Enough pain and booze and loneliness, and he’d finally slipped over that last edge of insanity, and here was the hallucinatory proof.  John was eleven years dead.  Kaidan watched it happen, as the ship went to pieces over Alchera.

“What’s the matter?” the apparition asked, grin widening, as if pleased by his shock. “Cat got your tongue?”

Kaidan’s mouth moved.  Nothing came out.  Hand spastically gripping his warm beer bottle.

The bartender came over, and gave the six pack a very pointed look.  “Anything for you, sir?”

John glanced away, distracted.  “Uh, sure. Whiskey, neat.”

“You can see him?” Kaidan blurted out, garnering several odd looks.  

The bartender huffed.  “They’re really running you hard out there, huh.  You haven’t had nearly that many.”

Then she took herself off to fix the drink.  John slid into the next stool.  Reached over and tentatively took his hand, solid and real as the simulwood beneath his grasp.  “Kaidan, it’s me.  I wanted to surprise you, not… I didn’t think it through.”

His hand closed on his fingers without thinking.  Clinging so tightly the tips went white.  He suddenly couldn’t look at him.  Burying his eyes in his palm.

The barstool scraped along the floor.  And then John’s arm was around his waist, warm and strong and exactly how he remembered. His chin on his shoulder.  “Kaidan, it’s going to be okay.”

That broke him.  Because nothing had been okay, not once. “How?”

Then, as John opened his mouth to answer, Kaidan turned into him and put his face in his shoulder, his own arms sliding around the man he knew he’d never touch again. “Never mind.  I don’t care.”

“It’s a long story, anyway.  Not a particularly happy one.”  John’s voice muffled in his hair.  “I destroyed the reapers.  Then I got the Ark put together.”

“You—”

“How do you think it got done so quickly after the war?”  Kaidan could feel John’s grin against his head.  

It was infectious, cutting across his stunned disbelief. That cockiness was John all over. “And they didn’t make you their pathfinder?”

A chuckle. His chest tightened again at the sound. “I told them I had a different mission.”

Kaidan pulled back, searching John’s face, seeing it clearly for the first time. The flesh was cut here and there by orange cybernetic scars, their glow muddying his blue eyes.  His hair still buzzed close to his scalp.  He hardly looked a day older than Kaidan’s memories, but there was a heaviness in his expression, a weariness, an age, that spoke of things that could not be unseen.  He stroked John’s cheek.  “And how’s that going?”

“I think I’ll be able to report success.”  He leaned forward and kissed him.

That was the last clear memory Kaidan had of the next several hours.  John’s lips meeting his.  Shepard was a hard man, but his touch was so gentle, and that above all else convinced Kaidan this was really happening.  His whiskey went ignored.  As did Kaidan’s next beer, and the small parade of drinks they continued ordering to justify their seats.  They talked. Kaidan barely cognizant of what about even as they spoke, too caught up in a single circular line of thought: John is here, John’s alive, John survived Alchera and somehow he crossed dark space to find me again.  

Somewhere in there he apologized.  For leaving, for running so very far.  John hadn’t said anything to that.  Just kissed his cheek and held him a long moment. 

But even on Kadara, bars closed eventually.  They needed a few hours to mop up and restock.  The pair of them staggered out into the street, drunk on each other, the only six pack of Canadian lager in twenty-four quintillion kilometers banging against his leg.  Then John paused, leaning into him.

“There’s something else.”  He cleared his throat.  “I brought someone with me.”

All Kaidan could do was stare.  John rambled on.  “I didn’t want to wake her until I found you.  I needed to know… well, there was a chance you’d died somewhere along the way, or something just as horrible, what with the rough entry your wave had to Heleus, and I had to know what to tell her before she came out of cryo.”

He couldn’t believe it.  This was outrageous.  “You brought a back-up plan?”

“What?” And John’s confusion was so genuine it took him several blinking moments to figure it out.  “No.  Goddamn it. What do you take me for?”

“Then what—”

“I brought your mother, Kaidan.”

Kaidan was still as a stone.  Too stunned to move, his throat slowly closing up. John said, “Your father died in the war.  I’m sorry.  I found her afterward, told her what I was doing.  She insisted.  I thought she might.  You told me she’d never been to space, and well, this was one hell of an introduction.”

He took John’s head in his free hand and pulled him down into a long kiss.  “I can’t believe you.  I honestly can’t believe you.”

“I couldn’t believe you just left.  I know how important your family is to you.”

Kaidan rested his forehead against John’s.  “I know, I know.  I just… I missed you so much, I couldn’t stand it.”

John kissed him again.  Light, lingering.  “You won’t ever have to miss me again. Just maybe, this time, let’s skip the cryo?”

He laughed. He couldn’t believe he was laughing.  “Deal.”

[scentedstrangercreation]

Kaidan Alenko Appreciation - Trope/Fluff day

Kaidan and Shepard’s first kiss wasn’t on the Normandy (fake-out, make out).

@spectrekaidanalenko

Kaidan wandered aimlessly through the Upper Wards. The Normandy was on shore leave for a few days, and he didn’t know what to do with himself. He’d never admit it out loud, but Joker was right. He didn’t know how to relax. He preferred working. It kept him focused; kept him from thinking too much about her. 

At first, he passed it off as idolization, something that would fade with time and experience. He was star struck. Commander Shepard was a hero, bordering legend. Working beneath her and Captain Anderson was nothing short of an honor. But the feelings never seemed to dull, no matter how much time they spent together. If anything, the more he learned, the more he wanted to know.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

He forced himself to think about something, anything, else. 

Saren. 

Now that was a mess that needed unraveling. He still didn’t fully understand what had happened on Eden Prime, besides the fact that he had endangered both his and Shepard’s lives. Now the council was dragging their feet, and every moment that passed Saren was slipping further away. For the hundredth time, he wondered if they had missed something in their report. 

He was lost in this thought when he bumped into someone.

“Sorry, ma’am,” Kaidan reached out to steady the woman.

“Not a problem,” the woman waved him off continuing to study her omni-tool.

“Commander?” he hadn’t recognized her in civilian clothes. More than civilian clothes, she was actually wearing a long, formal dress.

She finally looked up, “Alenko?” Her brow immediately relaxed. 

“You look…nice.” The words fell from his mouth before he could stop them.

“Thanks” She laughed a little, dropping her arm, “What are you doing here?”

“Just, uh…” he didn’t really know what to say, so he shrugged his arms.

“Waiting for shore leave to end, huh?” 

“Something like that.” He scratched the back of his head, “What about you? Got a date?” he gestured at her dress.

“Something like that.” She smiled and turned away, “See ya, Alenko.” 

The omni-tool flickered back on. He started walking away when an image on her screen caught his eyes, “Is that Saren?”

“Heard this was his bar of choice.” She said, not bothering to look up, “Figured I’d stop in, see if I could learn anything.”

“I thought C-Sec was looking into that?”

She scoffed, “C-Sec deals with more red tape than a factory that makes red tape. We don’t have time to sit on our hands.”

“You—you can’t just investigate on your own.” he was torn between concern and insubordination.

“Investigating?” She crossed her arms and tilted her head, “I’m just going out for drinks.”

He rolled his eyes, “Commander, It’s dangerous. There are rules—,” 

“Alenko, if you want to come, all you have to do is ask.” She lifted her chin, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.

He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. He did want to come.

“Come on.” She nodded towards the bar, a sly smirk spreading across her face, “It’ll be fun.”

————————————————–

“Our ideas of fun are very different.” Kaidan shouted above the gunfire.

She laughed, and he felt his heart jump into his throat at the sound.

“If we survive, I’ll take you out for actual drinks, I promise.”

“If?” he asked.  

“I’m a realist.” she leaned out from behind the wall, firing two more shots before her clip emptied, “Shit, I’m out.” 

“Me too.” he holstered his gun.

“Come on,” she nodded to the left, and they quickly make their way down the alley and out the other side.

They quietly sprinted from shadow to shadow through the district. Kaidan was primed to cross an open area when Shepard yanked him back, holding a finger to her lips.

“Where’d they go?” A voice crackled over a radio just around the corner, “I lost ‘em.”

“What’d they look like?” A man’s voice asked. He couldn’t have been more than steps away. 

“It was dark, didn’t get a good look.”

“You idiot.”

“Fuck you,” the man on the radio responded, “tell ya what, if two people start shooting at you, shoot them back.”

“Real sage advice, asshole.”

They were seconds from discovery, and they had nowhere to go. The street was a dead-end, and they were out of ammo. Shepard tugged at Kaidan’s jacket. He pulled it off and she slipped it over her shoulders and quickly freed her hair from its bun.

“Apologies in advance, Alenko.” She whispered in his ear.

“Wha—,” the question died on his lips as Shepard’s mouth met his.

He closed his eyes, eagerly compiling as she leaned back on a low crate and pulled him closer. Anything to keep her lips against his. Her knees dug into his sides as her legs spread around him, and her arms tangled in his hair. He forgot about everything else, falling deeper into the kiss. 

One hand slid up the warm skin of her exposed thigh and the other behind her neck. She opened her mouth as he tipped her head back, and he glided his tongue slowly along hers. It was like he had spent his entire life drowning, and her lips were oxygen. He couldn’t think, couldn’t get enough.

Distantly, he heard the man come to a stop just around the corner of the street, “Ugh—,” he made an irritated sound as he walked away.

“See something?” the radio crackled.

“Nothing. Clear over here.” he retreated.

Shepard pulled back slightly, watching just over his shoulder as the man disappeared down the dark street. Kaidan couldn’t take his eyes off her lips or the smeared lipstick around her mouth. He closed his eyes tightly, desperately hoping she couldn’t feel how heavily his heart pounded in his chest.

“Looks like he’s gone.” She finally spoke, her voice quiet. Later, he would wonder if he had imagined the breathless tone. “I, um—,” she cleared her throat, “Alenko?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re still—,” she didn’t have to finish her sentence before he dropped his hands from her body, stepping back and allowing her to stand.

She straightened out her disheveled dress, “I’m sorry about that. I—uh, hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.” She gestured between them, “The whole, um—.”

He wasn’t sure he had ever seen the Commander so uncertain. 

“No, I wasn’t—I’m not…” He said quickly before clearing his throat, “it was—it was kind of…nice.” She raised an amused brow as he continued to stammer, “Not kind of, very. It was…very nice.”

She held up a hand to stop him, releasing a small, surprised laugh. 

“It’s okay Lieutenant, this won’t be on the exam.” she joked. 

He couldn’t quite tell in the dark, but he thought he could see her cheeks reddening. 

“Well, I’d say we got what we needed.” She gestured to her omni-tool, “Sorry I hijacked your shore leave.”

“Any time.”

They stood in silence, closer and longer than was necessary.

“Well, I should—go.” She backed away, “Anderson will want to see this.”

“Right,” he straightened up, “Uh, good luck. See you…see you on the ship.”

He watched her leave. So much for keeping his mind off Shepard.

——————————————–

Kaidan wandered around the Wards a while longer, and was actually in a good mood until he got back to the ship. 

“Lt!” Ashley called out to him, waving him over to where she sat with Joker. “We were just play—” she stopped mid sentence, “Where have you been?” a mischievous look spread across her face as she sat back, crossing her arms.

“So scandalous, Lieutenant.” Joker teased, shuffling a deck of cards.

Kaidan must have looked confused because Ashley mercifully gestured around her mouth. The lipstick. He squeezed his eyes shut as though the it might help him disappear, but when he closed his eyes all he could see was Shepard. He could practically still feel her against his skin, and in that moment, he didn’t care how he looked at all. 

“Laugh all you want.” he waved them off, “I’m going to sleep.” 

“Oh come on, Lt!” Ashley turned around in her seat, “We’re just playing, come tell us about your lady love.” she said the last part in a sing song voice.

“Yeah, how much did she cost?” Joker added holding up a hand for a high five Ashley ignored. 

Kaidan waved them off, ignoring their laughter as he made his way down the hall.

The conference door hissed open as he passed. Anderson emerged, face buried in a data pad. 

Kaidan stopped immediately in salute, “Captain.” he waited for Anderson to pass.

The captain looked up briefly before returning his attention to whatever he was reading, “At ease.” he continued walking into the elevator across the hall.

Kaidan dropped his arm, and was about to walk away when Anderson spoke again, “You know Lieutenant, I had no idea you and the Commander wore the same lipstick.” 

“I..wh..uh—,” Kaidan stammered lamely as the elevator door slid shut. 

He could have sworn he saw a small smile twitch across the Captain’s face before he disappeared, but he’d never ask.

Kaidan beelined for the bathroom, washing all traces of lipstick from his face before returning to his bunk. As he approached his bed, he saw his jacket, neatly folded on his pillow with a note on top.

Thanks for the help tonight. I owe you a drink. -J 

That night he slept more soundly than he had in months.

[secondarysidecharacter]

Lookin forward to Kaidanweek2019. Hopefully I’ll have time to post through the week (I sure hope so). 

[jeannedarcprice]

Kaidan Week 2019 Commission vendor post

Hi there, lovely Kaidan fans! I was asked to put up a commission page for anyone who might be interested in art of your favourite biotic Canadian! So without further ado...!

Pencil portrait, one ko-fi (£3) via my ko-fi page or via PayPal!💖

Colour portrait, 7 ko-fi (£21) via my ko-fi page or via PayPal!💖 (This belongs to @maxrev)

Valentine's card, 7 ko-fi (£21) via my ko-fi page or via PayPal!💖 (This belongs to @fal3r3)

Cell shaded scene £40 + background depending on complexity (via Paypal)

- Drawn for the Mass Effect Big Bang 2018 and @kadaransmuggler fic Six Feet Under the Stars

Painted scene £70 via PayPal

- Present for @ellebeedarling

--

Time frame depends on complexity! I would expect to finish the sketches within a week, the portraits and Valentine’s within two, and any scenes between 1-2 months.

If you’re interested, great! Please email me at jdwyprice.commissions(at)gmail.com

No obligations is you don’t want to continue after contacting me. Feel free to PM me as well to discuss things!

But if anything, just enjoy the Kaidan offerings!

[blasteddoodles]

Celebrating Kaidan Week @spectrekaidanalenko with some arts and craftsyness.  Kaidan and Maric Shepard handmade amigurumi bendy dolls for @blueteaparty. 

Want yours too?  Click here for more details!

[bagog]

Kaidan Appreciation Week, 2019 - Love Interest

@spectrekaidanalenko! Etc!

++

He would just walk onto the detention level, go to Shepard’s apartment, and go inside.

“Kaidan! What are you doing here?” Shepard would ask.

“Can’t I visit an old friend?” He would say, but Shepard wouldn’t buy it. Not after Horizon. Try again.

“Hey, Shepard. I just wanted to come by and maybe clear the air a little.”

Shepard might accept that a little better. Maybe. Maybe he’d want to cut straight to the chase.

“Why are you here, Kaidan.”

“I wanted to say I’m sorry about Horizon.”

No, something stronger.

“I was wrong about Horizon, Shepard.” Still, even as he imagined saying the words, Kaidan’s temper flared inside him. Had he been wrong on Horizon? The details of Shepard’s mission debrief from his time with Cerberus were still deeply classified, but it was at least certain that Shepard was no longer working for—or with, if Shepard’s protestations on Horizon were to be believed—Cerberus anymore, and that he had surrendered to the Alliance willingly. Maybe he realized, finally, what Kaidan had always known: that Cerberus was evil. He thought he and Shepard had discovered that together, stumbling onto Cerberus raids and sick experiments. Back when he and Shepard were still crewmates. Still fast friends. Back when it was easy to tell Shepard anything.

Still, no matter how his temper flared, he let the words stand in his imagination. Best to at least give Shepard an olive branch. Some things were worth swallowing your pride for.

“I was wrong about Horizon, Shepard.”

“No shit.”

No, that wasn’t like Shepard, no matter how much Kaidan was bristling for a fight, he couldn’t really imagine Shepard saying that.

“It’s alright, Kaidan.”

Or maybe:

“Apology accepted. I don’t think either one of us were in the right frame of mind to have that meeting. After everything we’d just seen, the Collectors.” Shepard would trail off there and Kaidan would feel a familiar pang in his heart, the strange sinking feeling of something returning to normal that Kaidan hadn’t even realized had been out of balance.

“Yeah, still it doesn’t excuse what I… accused you of. You’re a good man, Shepard. Whatever that military tribunal decides, I know you’re a good man.” Because it was true. Shepard had proven himself to be one of the most trustworthy, good men Kaidan had ever known early in their acquaintance aboard the SR-1.

“I don’t know about that. But I know where my loyalties lie,” Shepard might say, grim-faced, still, despite the healing words.

“Losing you really was like losing a limb.”

No, he couldn’t say that. Couldn’t just blurt that out. Kaidan closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging. But it was his imagined conversation, and he needed to say that, again. Not in the heat of the moment, not to prove a point, but to make sure Shepard really knew it. He let the words hang in his imagination.

“What do you mean?” Shepard might reply. The question Kaidan dreaded more than any other. For the first few months after Shepard’s death (but he hadn’t been dead, had he? Kaidan temper replied) he had struggled to find words for what he was feeling. ‘Losing a limb’ was the way he operationalized the feeling. He had never tried to articulate further what he meant.

“I didn’t realize how much I relied on you. How much I needed you in my life to make things seem… whole.” He couldn’t look Shepard in the eye, in his imagination. It was simply too difficult, those blue eyes boring into him.

“Then why didn’t you trust me when I came back?”

Why was Shepard’s voice in his head always saying the things Kaidan was most afraid to hear? Was this penance?

But in his mind, Shepard didn’t sound accusing, he sounded plaintive. Searching. That surprised Kaidan.

“Because I don’t trust Cerberus!” He roared in his mind. “You shouldn’t have either! There was nothing we couldn’t do if we just stuck together, dammit! Why didn’t you contact me when you came back? Why didn’t you trust me enough to come away from those evil monsters and let me help you?”

Before he could take back the words, the Shepard in his imagination began to fade like a smoke wisp carried away on the wind.

“Wait, Shepard, come back! I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean it. Just come back, we can work this out!”

But he was gone, and Kaidan opened his eyes. He was alone.

“I’m being promoted to Major,” he said out loud, at last. “I just thought you should know.”

But he couldn’t imagine Shepard’s response, anymore. Shepard, who had known him better than anyone, was only a man Kaidan used to know.

[shepard-alenko]

"Nothing can ever change that."         ~~~What is a soulmate? Kaidan Alenko Appreciation Week 2019 - October 9 - Love Interest Day *mshenko 5eva* @spectrekaidanalenko

[slaytanic]

My little contribution for Kaidan's week @spectrekaidanalenko :)

[maxrev]

Sleep Tight, John

Kaidan Week 2019, Day 6 Trope/Fluff day for @spectrekaidanalenko

Damn, what a mission. A bone deep weariness crept through his body and Kaidan began to wonder if the shuttle ride was really this long or if it just felt like Steve were taking them on a tour of the galaxy instead of just returning to the Normandy. Granted, the pilot had just picked them up and they’d been planetside while Jeff had to maneuver the Normandy to avoid a Reaper. 

Not a simple hop and skip this time around. 

Around him, the ground crew were in various stages of a brief downtime. James stood up in the corner, shoulders touching opposite walls to anchor him in place. His head rested back against the corner, mouth open and emitting soft snores. Liara sat to the left of him on the bench, leaning against the wall, eyes closed, the rest of her body lax. Garrus sat in the opposite corner, legs stretched out, sniper rifle cradled in his lap, also asleep. 

In front of him, one arm resting above his head against the doorway to the cockpit stood Shepard, body swaying softly with the movement of the shuttle. It appeared he was the only one remotely awake. However, Kaidan had seen his face, helping him up inside the shuttle as they took off, full of determination and exhaustion. Shepard was always the last one in.  

Kaidan himself gave a jaw cracking yawn, hoping the Normandy would be in sight soon. He wasn’t even sure he’d make it to the showers, let alone a bunk. At this rate, he was as likely to fall asleep in the docking bay the minute his boots hit the floor, curling up on the ground, armor and all. 

If he was smart, he’d catch a nap now but his attention was diverted as Shepard turned his way. Those brilliant blue eyes, a bit dull in the aftermath, took in the various states of his ground crew. In that moment, Kaidan saw him let go a little, saw the true state of fatigue show through his usual facade. 

“Hey.” 

John looked over at him, a tired half smile causing the familiar lop-sided quirk of his lips. “Hey, yourself.” 

Scooting a bit closer to Liara, Kaidan nodded down at the open spot to the right of him. “There’s room here. Sit down, take a break. You’ve been running since dawn.” 

Looking at the seat, Shepard hesitated. “If I do, I’ll be out. Besides, you’ve been going as long.” Taking in the rest of the crew, “Nearly all of us have. And I need to report to Hackett when I get back.”

“John, sit. Everything else can wait.” 

A bit more hesitation and then he relented, walking over and easing his tired body down. “God but I feel like I’m a hundred years old already.” 

Huffing a quiet laugh, Kaidan responded, “Look like it too, today. You look like shit, John.”

Bumping their shoulders softly, armor clacking quietly in the air around them, he retaliated, “Well, if I look like a hundred, you gotta look like you’re a hundred and fifty. I mean, you are older than me.” 

“Maybe, but at least my hair’s still in place.” 

John snorted, “It’s all that shit you put in it. A rocket launcher couldn’t mess up your hair.” 

“Wow. Did you really just go there?” 

John nodded, giving him a true smile this time, eyes crinkling in the corners. Kaidan loved that look on him. They sat like that for several minutes, tired beyond measure but happy to have made it out of another screwed up mission alive. 

“So, when we get back and catch up on at least half the sleep we need, dinner at your place? My treat.” They’d been planning on having dinner in Shepard’s cabin, away from prying eyes and hopefully able to manage a bit of downtime all to themselves. 

Receiving no answer, Kaidan turned an expectant gaze to the right only to find that the great Commander Shepard had fallen asleep, head resting against a blue shoulder plate. A soft snore escaped his mouth, even quieter than Vega’s and Kaidan smiled. It was nice to know John Shepard was comfortable enough to fall asleep using his shoulder as a pillow. 

[pigeontheoneandonly]

Bunkmates

For Kaidan Alenko Week Trope/Fluff Day, sponsored by the amazing @spectrekaidanalenko!

Ben Shepard had been awake for a full twenty-six hours by the time he got the last of his crew squared away and went looking for a bunk himself.  Dead on his feet, and completely out of patience with Exo Geni’s corrosive secrets.  It took a small eternity to scrub off dust and putrid splatter from the thorian’s long drop.  The Normandy was at the other end of the colony, evacuating corporate HQ.  And the colonists manning Zhu’s Hope hadn’t beds to spare before their arrival.

So it took some logistical juggling to get everyone a berth.  Tired as he was, he didn’t realize he’d miscalculated until he walked into a small bolt-hole aft of the downed freighter and found Kaidan just about to lie down.

“Shit.” Ben sighed, and rubbed his head.

Kaidan glanced around.  “Did I get my assignment wrong?”

Ben shook his head.  “No. Greta said there were two cots in here, that’s all.”

He stood up immediately.  “Well, you should have this one.”

“Nah.” Ben waved him back, face reddening. “I’ll just find a corner to hunch up in.”

“We’ve done nothing but sleep in corners for the past week.”  Then, seeing his doubt, added, “Seriously, I’ll be fine.  You look like hell.”

His expression turned sardonic.  “Thanks, L.T.”

Kaidan’s turn to blush.  “I… I just…”

Sometimes, just for a second here and there, Ben forgot that he wasn’t supposed to find his pink cheeks or flustered look cute.  Cute, in fact, was not supposed to appear anywhere in the vicinity of his thoughts about a junior officer under his command.  He took a breath and got a grip. “Goodnight.”

But Kaidan wasn’t that easily dissuaded.  “This is ridiculous.  If you won’t take it, I’ll just budge up and we can share it.”

Ben paused mid-step.  Genuinely taken aback.  Kaidan crossed his arms.  “What, Commander Shepard never had to share a tent on ground deployment?”

Navy-issued tents were infamous for sleeping two and not having room for either man to lie flat.  Cost savings in material, or so rumor had it.  Bean counters won all the truly important battles.

But they’d all used them, and if Ben said no now, it would actually look more suspicious. Like he had a reason for not wanting to sleep near Kaidan.  He rolled his eyes and put on the best exasperated face he could muster.  “You better not snore.”

“Not a peep, I promise.”  Half a grin. Ben glanced away.

By dint of a lot of shuffling, they managed to get both of them mostly on the cot, lying back-to-back.  Ben tucked his arm under his head.  His back warm where it rested against Kaidan’s, heat passing through his service uniform with ease.  Tried not to respond as Kaidan shifted around, getting comfy, and certainly not thinking about what would happen if either of them rolled over.  Nope, absolutely not.

And his thoughts definitely did not drift to that morning ten days ago, when Ben rose at his usual early hour, and found Kaidan brushing his teeth because the migraines made his sleep schedule completely unpredictable.  They chatted as Ben jumped in the shower.  Kaidan concentrating on his morning routine, aftershave and twelve kinds of pomade for his hair, and Ben watching the muscles move beneath the skin of his back, towel riding intriguingly low on his hips. Standing in the water even as it grew cold, never more grateful for the steel modesty partition separating it from the rest of the bathroom.

He didn’t even know if Kaidan was interested in men.  There was no casual way to bring it up.  He never mentioned any kind of significant other when the rest of the crew chatted about their loved ones back home, or bulled about previous relationships. Irritatingly tight-lipped on all matters personal.

Ben scrunched up on the cot.  Feeling Kaidan shuffle in return, adjusting automatically to the shape of his body, his breathing deep and even.  Already asleep.  Maybe that was his answer.  Not that there was any question to ask.

He shut his eyes.  Genuinely exhausted himself, and if he was really honest, genuinely comfortable despite the narrow cot.  Something about just being near Kaidan relaxed him.  Even as it ratcheted up other kinds of nerves.    

Making a pillow of his arm, he did his best to put aside the pointless speculation. They had a job to do.  That was it.

After a time, he slept.

Overslept, actually.  Sunbeams filtered through the cracks in the battered hab when Ben heard movement, and jerked awake.  

Ash glanced up from the doorway.  “There you are.”

Then her expression changed.  Something simultaneously amused and concerned.  Ben tried to blink the grit from his eyes.  “What?”

Her eyebrows were in her hair.  She nodded towards his cot.  “Something you want to mention, Skipper?”

Ben glanced down, and saw their hands tangled together on Kaidan’s hip, where they came to rest during the night.  Fingers laced together like that was exactly how they belonged.

[scentedstrangercreation]

Kaidan Alenko Appreciation Week - Squad Day

@spectrekaidanalenko

“Well, I did it.” Kaidan leaned his arms against the railing, a bottle of beer hanging from his hand, “Staff Commander.” The title sounded strange on his tongue, “I outrank her now, you know?” He smiled, taking a sip from the bottle, “But I guess you never really outrank the Savior of the Citadel.”  

He finished off the bottle and crouched down to grab a new one before returning to his spot. “I, uh—, I know it took me a while to get here. Sorry ‘bout that.” He kept his eyes fixed on his hands, “But to be fair, this is pretty far out of the way.” He looked up at the tall, stone memorial wall in front of him.

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams

Her old colony had erected it some time after Virmire and the Citadel, he wasn’t sure exactly when. This was the first time he’d seen it in-person. It’d been almost a year since he’d seen anyone from the old crew in-person. He and Liara wrote each other sporadically, and he’d grab a drink with Joker on the rare occasion they were in the same system, but most had disappeared after Shepard’s funeral. Everyone was busy living their own lives. Busy trying to forget or move on, or both.

“I really miss you, Ash.” He looked back down at his hands, peeling at the label around his bottle, “I really miss her.” He took another sip of his drink in silence.

Miss wasn’t the right word. It failed to capture the magnitude of the void inside him. He wasn’t sure there was a single word that could. Even after two years, his chest echoed with an empty ache he couldn’t shake. It was always there: a pulsing void that couldn’t be filled, threatening to implode at any moment.

“I know what you would say, ‘use it, LT, be better. Take that stick out of your ass and beat some heads in with it.’” He laughed, but it was the laugh he’d been practicing. It sounded hollow and artificial to his ears, but it kept people from asking too many questions, poking too deep.

“You might be happy to hear that I’m sort of seeing someone—,” he paused, “Who am I kidding, you’d tell me to save it for my gossip blog.” He laughed again, this time it felt more natural. It was quick and quiet, but at least it was real.

“It’s, uh—, it’s nothing serious. Just a couple dates, but it’s nice, you know? Something simple. Something…normal.” He tapped his fingers against the bottle, “She’s—she’s nice...smart.” He shook his head with a small grin, “ I can practically feel you rolling your eyes.”

“Anyway,” he pushed off the railing, straightening up, “I should go. Just wanted to stop by and say hey. Let you know I’m thinking about you.” He tipped his bottle towards the plaque before turning away, finishing off the drink.

He tossed the empty bottles into a near by bin before facing the memorial one last time, “See ya, Ash.”

With that, he headed down the long corridor back towards the hangar. He didn’t want to miss his flight to Horizon.

[secondarysidecharacter]

Kaidan Alenko Stickers

Pair Kaidan Alenko with your favorite Shepard with Mix n Mass Effect stickers  available on my Redbubble at 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/sidecharacter

Reblogging for Kaidanweek2019 @spectrekaidanalenko

[bardofheartdive]

Heads I’m Yours, Tails You’re Mine

As promised, the final chapter is up! @bioticfox and I would like to thank everyone who stuck with us and especially @blueteaparty and @vorchagirl for hosting the Leather and Lace Weeks and @spectrekaidanalenko for hosting Kaidan Week 2019. We hope you enjoy!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 |

Heads I’m Yours, Tails You’re Mine (Also on AO3)

Kaidan was typically the early-riser, but James was an N7 and this was important. The most important mission to date, he reminded himself, as he dragged himself out of bed at 0500. Even without an alarm Kaidan would still be up by 0630, so he’d have to be quick

By 0622 the food was plated and the coffee poured. James grinned; he was actually going to make it. He put the finishing touches on the tray and carried it upstairs. Kaidan was still under the covers, sprawled out on his back. James leaned down and kissed him.

“Happy anniversary, Kaidan,” he said, when his boyfriend woke up. 

“Happy anniversary. Breakfast in bed?” Kaidan took the offered tray and his eyes lit up. “French toast and bacon, just like our first breakfast.”

“Yeah,” James said, clambering back into bed himself. “I wanted to do something special.”

“Huh. Me too.” Kaidan reached into the nightstand, producing a small, black velvet box. “James, this last year has been the best year of my life. Because of you. It all started with us pretending to be married and, well, I want to make it real. And I, uh, seem to remember you wanted an emerald.” He opened the box to reveal a simple gold band with one elegant emerald. “James Federico Vega, will you marry me?”

“Oh, hell yes!” James said, promptly forgetting about breakfast.

---

“Nervous?” Shepard asked, when she saw James fiddling with his bow tie.

“A little,” he admitted. “What if I trip? Drop the ring? Get up there, forget my vows, and jump straight to ‘you may kiss the groom?’. His whole family would hate me. Forever.”

“I don’t think that’s possible. They love you. But, if you do fuck it up, I’ve got a spare room on the Citadel.”

“Thanks as always, Lola.”

“That’s what the best man’s for.” She grinned, giving his tie one final tweak. “Now. Ready to get married to the love of your life?”

“Absolutely.”

It was much later, after the toasts, the cake, and many drunken hugs, that Kaidan and James retired to their hotel suite. The door shut behind them with a click, overshadowed by the muffled thump of Kaidan pressing James up against it. James’ hands scrabbled to get Kaidan out of his coat and moved on to his tie. He loved how Kaidan looked with it on, but knew it would look just as good gone.

“I love you, Mr. Alenko,” Kaidan teased, his own hands working on James’ shirt.

James paused, eyes softening, lips curving up to a gentle smile. “I love you too, Mr. Vega.”

They were both keeping their own names but James had to admit he liked claiming Kaidan as his. As if he could read his thoughts, Kaidan lifted James’ hand to his lips and planted a kiss just above the ring. James stared into Kaidan’s brown eyes, the warmth in them reflected in his own. The tie dropped to the floor. 

Outside in the hallway, the do not disturb sign flickered to life and stayed lit until noon.

---

Fifty years later, Kaidan’s hair had gone completely white and James’ knees ached when the weather changed.

“Good day, love?” Kaidan called from the patio. 

“As good as working on our anniversary can be.” Try as he might, and he’d really tried, there was one meeting with the new Council that James just couldn’t get out of. “Also, Shepard was there, so you can imagine how that went.”

Kaidan snorted. “As long as she didn’t shoot anyone, it’s still a good day.”

“Then, yes, it was a good day,” he said with a half grin and a kiss to Kaidan’s temple. He pulled out a chair and sprawled out in the sun, opposite his husband. Once James settled, Kaidan passed over a small box, brightly coloured and exquisitely wrapped. “I thought we said no gifts,” James protested, having nothing to offer himself. 

“It’s from Liara,” Kaidan answered. “She insisted, wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

James chuckled and tore into the wrapping paper. The small silver object inside stopped him in his tracks.

“Holy . . . ” James lifted the coin for Kaidan to see, turning it from side to side, letting the light glint off it. “You don’t think . . . she couldn’t have.” 

James handed it over to Kaidan, who examined it, muttering under his breath, “If anyone could find it, it would be Liara.”

It was true. Between her archaeological training, her experience as an information broker, and the Shadow Broker’s resources, she could find anything. Despite the impossibility, James was certain this was the coin that had them sharing the bed during their mission together.

“We should flip it,” James said. “For . . . posterity, or something.”

“What are we flipping for?” Kaidan asked, his voice curious and eager and teasing. “I’d rather keep both of us in the bed, personally.”

James considered, then suggested, “Heads, I’m yours. Tails, you’re mine.”

“Sounds good,” Kaidan said. He gave James another kiss and tossed the coin.

[bagog]

Kaidan Appreciation Week, 2019 - Squad

Thanks to @spectrekaidanalenko per the past two days. This has been fun, huh?

++

“Kaidan!”

“Liara, hey!”

“It’s been some time.” Liara sat back in her chair letting the vid screen fill her display, covering up the eight or nine things she’d been working on.

“Yeah, that’s my fault. Sorry I’ve been out of contact lately, I just… you get so caught up in the day-to-day, y’know?”

“I’ve been busy, too.”

“Anyway, the reason I called is that I’m on Illium. In Nos Astra, actually. Was wondering if you might like to get together?”

“I’d like that. I’ll send you address of my apartment and we can meet this evening?”

“Sounds great.”

That evening Kaidan buzzed the comms at Liara’s fancy apartment complex and was let into the spacious interior. He walked over to a terrarium containing a few small prothean artifacts while Liara bustled over to the windows to open the shutters, revealing the sprawling urban skyline of Nos Astra with the sun setting behind the giant towers.

“What brings you to Illium?”

Kaidan moved to one of the sofas when he was bade to. Liara sat across from him, looking somewhat uncomfortable in her own apartment. Maybe it was just that she was still wearing her work clothes—a dark green dress that seemed to match the deep green of the painting of Ilos Kaidan had seen in the kitchen.

“Had a little leave stored up, figured it was about time I used some of it. To be honest, I wanted to see you.”

“I’m flattered,” Liara smiled warmly. “I don’t think we’ve really gotten a chance to talk since…”

“The anniversary of the Normandy going down, yeah.” Kaidan shook his head. “Reason I wanted to talk to you is, I’ve just gotten a promotion. Staff Commander.”

“I had heard, congratulations!”

“You heard?”

“I’m a very good information broker.”

“Are you keeping tabs on me, Liara?” Kaidan chuckled.

“I like knowing what’s happening with my friends. Sometimes it’s faster to just have a bot run an info-crawl than it is to try to sync up schedules.”

“Fair enough, I guess. So what do you think?”

“About what?”

“The promotion. Feels… feels weird. When I first joined the service, everyone made sure to tell me how much of a freak I’d be, how I’d never get promotions, how I’d never be accepted.” He sighed, “Now, since Ilos—since Shepard—it’s like they can’t stop singing my praises.”

“Biotics are nothing to be ashamed of, maybe attitudes are finally changing.”

“I doubt that,” Kaidan scoffed. “More likely I’m just the token, high-ranking freak they need to keep on a tight leash. Still, it almost feels wrong to accept the promotion. You know, I wouldn’t even be in this position if it wasn’t for Shepard. And he’s gone.”

“He would’ve wanted this for you, Kaidan. I know he would have.”

“…it was his birthday, the other day. I’ve been thinking about him… kind of a lot, lately. Now that I outrank him it just… I’m just feeling the loss a lot more, I guess.”

Liara looked down, as if there was something she wanted to say and couldn’t bring herself to. “I’m sorry. That sounds like a heavy burden.”

“You’re the only person I could think of to talk to about it. You… I guess for some reason I always assumed you were the only one who knew how I really felt about Shepard.”

Liara held her breath for a second, “Oh, Kaidan. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m just so mad at myself that I never told him. What was I waiting for? The right moment? The regulations to not get in the way? I didn’t say anything, and now he’s gone.” He looked up at Liara, but the more he spoke, the guiltier she looked. “I don’t know why this promotion should make me think about him as much as it does.”

“He might not be gone forever,” Liara nearly whispered.

“Hm?” Kaidan had lost his thoughts out the window for a moment.

“He… as long as he lives on in you…” Liara stammered.

“Yeah, I guess.” The two sat in silence for a long moment. “Anyway, let’s talk about something else.”

Liara looked relieved.