“Our first Christmas together,” Kaidan said happily, moving to sit cross-legged under the Christmas tree in his parents’ orchard house. The family had wisely agreed to let him and Shepard exchange some of their gifts privately Christmas Eve since Shepard had never had the luxury of a real holiday before. “Merry Christmas, Shepard,” he said, handing over a beautifully wrapped present.

Shepard took it and grinned. “Yeah. Merry Christmas, Kaidan.” He opened the package carefully as if he was afraid to tear the bright paper. He flipped the lid of plain box within open and paused. “It’s… wow. It’s…” an ugly Christmas sweater, his mind finished. Hand knitted by the looks of it. Noisy red with the N7 logo across the collar in white and what appeared to be two reindeer humping, though he figured they were supposed to be running majestically. “I’ve never… seen anything like it. It’s… wow.”

He glanced up at Kaidan, who was biting his bottom lip, his eyebrows pulled together. Say it’s nice, Shepard, he warned himself. “Thank you.”

Kaidan beamed. “I knew you’d like it. Go ahead, try it on.”

Shepard dutifully pulled the sweater over his head and caught sight of himself in the full mirror behind the dining room table. He tried to stop the words, but exclaimed in a rush, “it’s the most godawfulthingI’veeverworn.”

He grimaced immediately, but instead of indignation, Kaidan roared with laughter. He wiped at his eyes that were streaming tears of mirth. “I just wanted to see how long you could be polite,” he crowed. “My mom made it. It’s supposed to be awful. There’s one for me under there somewhere, too,” he gestured towards the tree. “It’s a yearly tradition. Don’t worry about it. She won’t care if you toss it out the airlock once we get back to the Normandy. Here’s your real gift.”

The box he handed over was a lot smaller and wrapped with demure blue paper. Shepard sighed with relief and a self-deprecating laugh as he opened it. Again, he froze at the contents, but this time it was with awe. Nestled in tissue paper was an old school gold Zippo lighter, exactly like the one he’d told Kaidan had been left with him at the orphanage. He’d lost it years ago and it had been his good luck charm. He gingerly removed the lighter from the box and turned it over in his hand. Ran his fingers over the engraving. No matter what happens. -K.

He cleared his throat. Blinked several times. “Kaidan. I really don’t know what to say.”

Kaidan shrugged. “Say you love it.”

Shepard met his eyes. “I love you.” No matter what happens. Ugly Christmas sweaters and all.