I can hear Kaidan saying basically everything on that list to Shepard at least once. But if you want a specific prompt, how about “You don’t have to tell me anything. You just have to relax.” with shenko?

This showed up time stamped weeks ago in my inbox and I just saw it today, omg I’m so sorry! I hope you like it after the huge wait!

Kaidan keyed the lock and pushed the front door open. For a moment it didn’t budge. He pushed harder and whatever was blocking the door from the inside finally gave. “Oh, my god,” he murmured. It looked like the worst war zone he’d ever seen inside. Which was weird, because when he’d left five days ago the house had been spotless. Professionally cleaned so that Shepard wouldn’t have had to deal with the stress. But now? Goodness.

“Shepard?” he called tentatively. He wheeled his suitcase into the hall and carefully put his messenger bag on top of it. He shuffled through the house and avoided the Legos, dolls, toy cars, building sets, puzzle pieces, markers, crayons, even the tricycle. Hannah’s door was open. Gingerly, Kaidan peeked inside and saw his daughter, out to the world, snoring softly, and red paint crusting her hair. “Oh, man,” he whispered, covering his snort-laugh with his hand.

He continued down the hall and found Shepard spread eagle on the bed and it looked like he hadn’t even changed his clothes in two days. “Ianto?”

Shepard bolted up in bed, tired eyes wide with guilt? “Holy shit. What time is it? You’re home already?” He rubbed vigorously at his unshaved face. “Shit, I’m sorry! I was going to have this all cleaned up by the time you got back. Things got crazy, and I should probably tell you that-”

Kaidan cut him off with a sound, swift kiss. He rested their foreheads together. “You don’t have to tell me anything. You just have to relax. I got the rest of this. I’m sorry I left you both alone for so long.”

“You had to go,” Shepard murmured. “How’s your mom?”

“She’ll be fine,” Kaidan assured him. “She’s back home and recovering now.”

“Thank god,” Shepard breathed.

“She sends her love,” Kaidan said, kissing Ianto’s temple and turning him slightly to rub his shoulders. Shepard moaned and went limp under his touch. “Looks like you had a harder time than me.”

Shepard laughed helplessly. “I had no idea how much energy Hannah could have. It’s like she went feral the second you left and didn’t let up the whole week.”

Chuckling, Kaidan dug his fingers into the knots. “That’s because you don’t lay down the law like I do. She walked all over you.”

“She did, and you can say you told me so.”

“I won’t,” Kaidan answered. “Is this… peanut butter in your hair?”

“Or BBQ sauce.”

Kaidan laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I’m so glad you’re home. Relieved.”

Kaidan kissed the base of his husband’s neck. “I’m glad to be home, truly. Now take a nap or something and I’ll start getting this place back in order.” He stood up and Ianto collapsed back onto the pillows.

“It might be too late. Hannah might be a full on wild animal now.”

“If I can handle you, I can handle her,” Kaidan answered with a wink and grin. “You did good, Shepard.”

N7 Day Speedwrite

A few people tagged me to do a five minute speed write, so here it is. In honor of N7 Day. 😀 (it took 8 minutes with no editing.)

“Will they ever stop with the banner waving?” Shepard stepped out of the skycar slower than he used to. He had to brace a little bit more. Adjust his cane more carefully. Kaidan kept telling him to have the knee replacement surgery, but Shepard thought he’d had enough of that after the war. More than most people, and more than he ever wanted again.

Kaidan smiled at him, the same unchanging indulgent look that had never changed save for more lines around the mouth and more gray in the stubble. Still strength in the arms that looped under his elbow and guided him towards the dry dock. “Not until we’re long dead and gone. Maybe not even then. But this is important, saying good bye to a flagship.”

Shepard watched his steps more out of cowardice than necessity. Today was the day, and it felt like truly the end of his era. He’d retired years back, but the Normandy had still been out there back then. James had been at the helm and not yet teaching at the academy.

“Do you remember when she used to be the most advanced ship in the fleet?” Kaidan asked.

“That was decades ago,” Shepard answered, finally casting his eyes up to the old girl. Finally, he smiled too. “She still looks new.”

Kaidan’s hand tightened on his arm. “Do you wanna… do a final tour before they start decommissioning her?”

“I don’t know,” Shepard said honestly. “I’m not sure I’d want to see how she’s changed inside.” But that was a lie. And his feet kept pulling him towards the ship. Young marines in dress uniforms saluted him and Kaidan and welcomed him aboard.

“She’ll always be how we remembered,” Kaidan said softly, reverently as they walked the CIC, the cockpit, medbay, shuttle bay, Captain’s Cabin. Kaidan walked down the stairs to the middle of the cabin, though Shepard stayed by the door. “Lots of ghosts here.”

“Ours,” Shepard said. “Strange feeling.”

Kaidan rubbed his arms. “You’re right.”

“I’m ready to go now,” Shepard said after another moment. But back in the CIC, Shepard took the time to go to the star map one more time. Lay his hands on the controls, even though the power had been shut off. Ran his fingers over the cold metal and haptic interface. He’d always remember the feeling.

“Signing off,” he said under his breath. Then he turned. Silently took Kaidan’s hand and departed the Normandy for the last time. Leaving those words there for as long as they wanted to stay.

mShenko ficlet: N7 armor

You mentioned this, right, Cullensbooty? About Kaidan lecturing Shepard about the N7 armor when he tries to get Kaidan to try it on?

Anyway, here it is. Totally safe for work, for once. 😀

The
laughter that Kaidan heard coming from near the armor locker as he entered the
Captain’s Cabin, gave him a moment of pause. Especially after the mission
they’d just been on. Not as bad as it could have been, but more than they’d
bargained for on a restock mission that should
have been on a deserted planet. It certainly hadn’t had humanoid lifeforms, but everything else
had put up a hell of a fight. Only minor injuries were the saving grace, though
they’d burned up more thermal clips than they’d wanted to for only a small
return on eezo.

But
maybe Shepard was playing down another injury? Again? Perhaps… “hey,
Shepard? Did you, uh… hit your head when we were planet-side? You took a
beating from that… buffalo-looking… thing. Whatever it was.” A buffalo
shooting venom spikes. Would the mysteries of the universe ever cease to amaze
them all?

Shepard
turned around to face the major, holding his chest plate. “Nah, I’m
good.” He scrunched his face up at Kaidan’s dubious look. “I promise
I’m not lying this time. It’s just this.” He slapped his hand over the
plate where the N7 logo should have been. “BAM! Right through the
designation. Sort of symbolic, don’t you think? The further out we go, the less
the red tape matters, don’t you think?”

Kaidan
shrugged a single shoulder, his half-agreement, half-appeasement. “It all
has a place.”

“Somewhere.”

“Are
you drunk?”

“What?
Oh. No, I’m not. Too tired. I think Chakwas might have given me a mild sedative
when she checked me out before? I’m feeling a little high.“

"You
should probably be in bed.”

Without
arguing, Shepard back stepped to his bed and flopped down, sprawling out on the
back and staring up at the skylight, ruined chest plate resting on top of him. They
were silent for a long time, Shepard listening to the engine hum; Kaidan
sitting next to the commander and diligently filling out his mission report
after toeing off his boots. “We’re not anywhere near an Alliance outpost,”
Kaidan said finally. “What are you gonna do about that armor?”

Shepard
patted the chest plate lovingly. “Toss this one in for recycling. Wear the
standard stuff until we’re back in friendly space.”

“That’s
a shame,” Kaidan murmured. “I like that armor.”

Grinning,
Shepard raised up on his elbow and turned the chest plate around to hold up in
front of the major. “I know you prefer your Spectre gear, but the N7
colors would look damn good on you. Here,
put it on. Let me see.”

Kaidan
uttered a disgusted sound and shoved the chest plate away. “Show some
respect,” he said in his most stuffy, authoritative tone.

“What
are you talking about?” Shepard chuckled.

His
humor only served to make Kaidan’s displeased expression sour further. “Do
you even remember what your N7 rank means?”

Shepard
snorted. “Of course I do. It took a lot of years, sweat, and blood to get
that shit stamped on my armor.”

“Then
I don’t know why you take it so lightly,” Kaidan admonished. “It’s
rare enough for anyone to even be invited
to the Villa, much less achieve the N7 rank. You’re in an incredibly elite
group of Alliance soldiers. Most of us can only dream about the honor. And only
N7 ranks can actually wear the insignia. I mean, how would those N5’s or N6’s
feel to see you throwing around the honor like that because you think it would
be hot to see me wearing your armor? If it was me, I’d be more honored to be an
N7 than even a Spectre, you know?”

“So…
are you saying you’re jealous of me, or you want a letter of recommendation
from me to get you in to the program?”

Kaidan
rolled his eyes. “I’m saying you’re
childish and irreverent and well on your way to sleeping alone tonight.”

Laughing
again, Shepard slid back down flat and closed his eyes. “Yet still deserving
of my rank and specialization.”

“Good
night, Shepard,” Kaidan answered
sourly.

That whole meme makes me want to scream MSHENKO… so can I have some Ianto and Kaidan and “Don’t let go of my hand. I’ll keep you safe.” please? :)

“Kaidan, it’s fine. It’ll be fine. Don’t let go of my hand. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Seriously?” With his free hand, Kaidan swiped sweat and dirt out of his eyes. It was getting harder to breathe.

“Seriously.” Ianto stretched as far as he could, his fingers closing around Kaidan’s wrist, his husband curling his own fingers around’s Shepard’s wrist.

“That’s… mph, great and all, but I just want to kill you right now.” Kaidan grunted and tried to scoot further up. The tight squeeze on his back plus a nose full of dry dirt was making him dizzy with lack of oxygen. “We need a better plan here.”

“WD-40?”

“I swear to god, Shepard.”

“We’re out of butter.”

“I’m not above murder. I can – hng – raise Hannah by myself.” Another few centimeters of forward movement.

“Should I call the fire department? Adams is on with Wrex. They’d laugh at you much less than my crew or yours.” Shepard tugged harder, and Kaidan’s shoulder ached in protest, but it got him another couple inches.

“Fuck you.” Squeezing his eyes shut and taking as deep a breath as he could, then emptied his lungs completely before shoving himself as far forward as he could. The skin on his arm was getting raw with a gritty rash.

“Hey, you can’t blame me here! Besides the fact that this is kind of funny, I offered to go in there myself. I’m thinner than you and even you said you think you’ve gained a bit of weight lately.” He pulled harder to make up the difference of Kaidan’s last effort. It was getting easier now.

“First of all, you shithead, you don’t know anything about plumbing, and now is not the time to talk about me going soft around the middle. Dammit. After this I’m seriously considering letting my plumbing certification expire.”

Shepard shimmied forward as far as he could, now able to reach all the way down Kaidan’s forearm to his elbow. “I am actually sorry. And be a bit of sport, would you? This is probably literally the last time in my life I’ll be able to make fun of you.”

“Because I’m going to kill you?”

“Because you never do anything dumb like I do. Come on. Last heave-ho and you’ll be out.”

Kaidan readjusted his grip and then braced himself, digging the toes of his boots into the dirt for leverage. “Count of three, then.” He counted and shoved as hard as he could. Shepard pulled as hard as he could, and Kaidan was finally free. He wormed his bottom half out from under the crawl space and rolled onto his back gratefully taking deep, dust-free breaths. Shepard toppled onto his back next to him.

“You okay?”

Kaidan examined his torn jeans and scraped arms. “I’ll live. Now will you please consider having the crawl space fixed? I can’t do this every time a pipe in the house bursts.”

“I definitely owe you that much.”

“You owe me more than that, making fun of me the whole time.”

“It was either me or the whole station.”

Kaidan wiped his dirty face again. “It pains me to admit that’s sound logic. Now help me up. I need a long soak in the tub.”

(Bet you thought I was going to go all angsty with that prompt, huh? :D)

Send me one of these prompts if you like!

Kaidan “power bottom, filthy mouth” Alenko/MShep :)

The first time that Shepard had said, “I want you to say something dirty to me,” while half-delirious from pleasure and unthinking, he’d regretted the words as soon as his brain had processed the command.

But Kaidan’s voice. He couldn’t get enough of it. Not ever. And Kaidan had shocked him to the core responding. He’d scooted up onto his elbows to position himself against the headboard, pushing Shepard down further between his legs and said, “I can do that. If you’ll do something for me?”

Hard and desperate and more turned on than he could ever remember being, Shepard breathed, “name it.”

“Put your hot mouth on my cock and suck me off like your life depends on it.”

Shepard shuddered almost violently, though his muscles reacted immediately to lower his body down to do just what had been asked of him. Between the nails scraping against his scalp and, “just like that. Feels so good filling your mouth,” and a sharp exhale with, “get inside me now,” Shepard thought that he was probably losing his mind.

Even so, it became more and more with Kaidan riding him, hands braced on Shepard’s shoulders for leverage to control the pace. And he never stopped talking. Never stopped following Shepard’s command while issuing his own. “Faster. Fuck me harder. I need it, Shepard.”

Louder, faster, until some of the words tripped over themselves in his throat, stumbling out a little garbled, but often clear with intent. “Your cock is perfect. Fits perfect inside me. Don’t stop now. I’m going to come. Hng. Please, Shepard. Don’t stop, don’t-” And that’s the end of a it for a few seconds as the words give way to a tidal wave of a moan when Kaidan comes, trembling, spilling between them.

Shepard is almost relieved because the sweet and dirty is too delicious. Then, Kaidan puts the final nail in the coffin. He surges forward and says, “come inside me,” against Shepard’s ear before stopping all the words with a messy, searing kiss. It’s enough. Plenty. Too much. Shepard does what he’s told, helplessly thankful that Kaidan remembered the condom.

Several minutes later, Kaidan smiles. “How was that?”

Shepard can barely open his eyes. “I’m not completely sure. I’m almost sorry I asked in the first place. I feel like I won’t recover.”

Warm breath and a warmer chuckle brush his damp temple. “Thank you for the compliment.”

I need all y’all to get with me here on Kaidan’s beautifully animated micro expressions in this scene for a second. The small smile he gives in the first 2 gifs, the tiny eye tracking in the 3rd, the gaze flicking up in the 4th, and the small pucker of his lips that relaxes into a tender little smile in the 5th. It’s amazing. I watch this scene over and over and bask in how much love it conveys, not just from the animators, but between the characters

To Be With You (Feels Like Home Universe) [Ao3]

Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Mass Effect
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard
Characters: Kaidan Alenko, Kaidan Alenko’s Mother, John Matthew Shepard, Jack | Subject Zero
Additional Tags: wedding fic, Fluff, Smut, mute!Shepard, surgeon!Kaidan
Summary:

This is a follow up to the Mass Effect AU I wrote for ltleflrt based on her Feels Like Home universe. This one features mute!JM Shepard and surgeon!Kaidan from War, After and the follow up, Or the Lack Thereof… This one is Kaidan and Shepard’s wedding day (and night)! Enjoy the fluff.

To Be With You (Feels Like Home Universe) [Ao3]

Rugby season is over. Shepard does the Canadian thing and joins the hockey team. This small AU that came from just a single drabble prompt is just sticking around in my head. I can’t get enough of it.

Here’s the prompt answer
Here’s the followup

Kaidan
didn’t know if he’d ever really like
rugby, so he’d at first been relieved when Shepard had given up the intramural
league in late fall after being offered a position on the university’s hockey
team. A golden moment of honor for just about every Canadian student that
Shepard hadn’t thought for more than a second about before accepting. Kaidan
had only sighed. At least hockey players had more uniform protection. And it
was a sport he much preferred. But it
only took two games for Kaidan to reel back his relief. In fact, he was pretty
proud of himself for not flinching every time someone took a particularly
audible hit by midway through the season. Of course, the way that his attention
was focused on Shepard at all times, didn’t exactly add to his fervor of the
sport. All he’d actually learned at this point about his University’s team was
that Shepard was willing and able to take an absolute beating. Which he did. Regularly. It had necessitated several games
for Kaidan’s heart to not pound right out of his chest when Shepard went down
on the ice, only to be hauled up by a teammate, grinning and sometimes wiping a
bit of blood from his face.

Though
as the season wore on, the games got noticeably more brutal. And that ratcheted
up Kaidan’s anxiety more and more. The last thing he wanted to do was to borrow
trouble, but his worst fears came to bear two games shy of the playoffs. Their
school had put together a hell of a team. They’d definitely make the playoffs. And
with that looming, even Kaidan was getting into the spirit of the game despite
his worry. But then Shepard took a heavy hit from the other team’s beefy
enforcer. It sent him careening into the wall and down, his head cracking
against the ice. And before Kaidan had the time to jump from his seat or
register anything, it was a free-for-all. Chaos on the ice and in the stands
from the dirty hit. He tried to shove his way down closer to the ice, but the
crowds were too thick as they banged on the partitions hurling insults at the
refs and the other team. By the time everything was back in order after several
minutes, Shepard was gone, the game paused for penalties. That afforded Kaidan
the chance to get close enough to the players to flag James down. “What
happened?” he demanded. “Where’s Shepard?”

James
pushed his helmet back slightly. “Dunno. Trainers got him off the ice. No
word yet.”

Garrus
overheard and turned in his seat. “If they take him anywhere it’ll be the
University hospital.”

Knot
in his throat Kaidan said, “thanks,” and pulled out his cell phone
while making his way out of the arena, giving up on the rest of the game.
Shepard didn’t answer his texts or his calls. He sat down on the wooden benches
near the back exit to the arena where the players often emerged to avoid the
crowds, and waited, hunched over and tapping his phone rhythmically against his
forehead as if that would actually soothe him.

Less
than an hour later, the team trickled out in ones and twos, but none were calm
and ribbing each other like they normally did. They were running. As soon as he
saw Garrus, Kaidan jumped up and jogged to him. “Did something happen?”
he asked, even though he knew with a sinking suspicion what the answer would
be.

“They
took Shepard to the hospital. We’re going now.”

He
didn’t wait to hear anything else. Kaidan sprinted to his car and made his way
to the hospital, all sorts of worst case scenarios running through his mind
until he was parked at the emergency entrance and practically breathless with
the need to cry. Damn Shepard and his love of violent sports. At least it wasn’t
difficult to spot his room. The entire team and coaches were crowded into a
doorway halfway down the hall. Kaidan moved closer, but was stopped before he
could push into the room.

“Please
let me in,” he pleaded with the goalie.

“Who
are you?” the big guy demanded. “Fans aren’t allowed. Just team and
family.”

“I’m
not a fan,” Kaidan insisted, “I’m Kaidan. I’m Shepard’s-” he
stopped suddenly, almost biting his tongue in his effort to prevent the rest of
the sentence from slipping out. To his knowledge, Shepard hadn’t told anyone about them dating yet, even after
more than a month. They hadn’t been on any dates around their friends, and only
had the one class together, so were rarely on campus with each other. And
besides their first drunken kiss inside a dark closet during a party, no one
even knew that they were friends, much less anything more. The going opinion
about their first kiss was nothing more than a big joke. In fact, Kaidan wasn’t
even sure that his boyfriend was out to anyone. He pressed his lips inward and
took a guilty step back.

But
then a thin voice came from the room. “Did I hear Kaidan? Let me see
him.”

Hands
were on his shoulders and back, forcing Kaidan forward into the room ahead of
even the coaches. “Who’s this guy?” the head coach asked, giving
Kaidan a once-over.

“My
boyfriend,” Shepard answered without hesitation. “Give me some time
alone with him.”

And
to Kaidan’s astonishment, the room cleared, the door shut, and they were left
by themselves with only the monitors beeping to cover the silence.
“Hey,” Shepard said softly.

“What
the hell, Shepard?” Kaidan answered, tears as thick in his voice as they
were on his cheeks.

“Concussion,”
he said. “And a few stitches on my forehead. That enforcer hit me like a
freight train. Never saw him coming.”

Kaidan
lowered himself into the metal chair next to the bed. Shepard immediately reached
his hand out. It was cold when Kaidan covered it with his own. “I was
really scared for you. No one knew what had happened. By the time all the fighting
was over, you were gone.”

Shepard
huffed, amused. “Yeah, it’s a good thing they got me out of there. I
couldn’t hold my own, being knocked out and all.” That declaration
increased the pained expression on Kaidan’s face. Shepard untangled their
fingers and poked Kaidan right on the forehead where his eyebrows had worried
themselves closer. Then he slid his finger down the bridge of his nose,
knocking his glasses of. His unique way of asking for a kiss. And Kaidan was
helpless to deny him. Helpless do deny anything
to his death-defying boyfriend. Even when it made him feel like he was flailing
in deep water.

“I
hate it when you push my glasses off like that,” he murmured against
Shepard’s dry lips. “You’re gonna scratch them.”

“You
also hate hockey,” Shepard pointed out gently, “but you never stop me
from doing either thing.”

“I
only hate it when you’re playing,”
Kaidan admitted. “And I wouldn’t ask you to give up the things you love
just for my sake. That’s not fair.”

“I’d
give up a few things I love for something I loved more.”

Kaidan
smiled. “Did that head injury scramble your brain? What’s with the cheesy
talk?”

Shepard
swiped his thumb over the tear tracks on Kaidan’s face with a small frown.
“I just… I don’t love hockey enough to make you cry. I lo…” he
swallowed convulsively, cleared his throat, started again. “Maybe it’s
that I love you too much to hurt you with my hobbies.”

Kaidan
buried his face against the blanket right next to Shepard’s elbow, crying
harder while also being more happy and angry and worried and crazy for Shepard
than he’d been even a second ago. He picked his face up after a moment, knowing
it was blotchy and red. “And I love you
too much to tell you to give them up. So how about this? Get better at
hitting them before they hit you.”

Shepard
grinned. “Are you serious?”

Kaidan’s
serious, almost fierce expression filled his vision as he stood up and leaned
over the bed. “Yes. Shepard. I fucking love
hockey. I might be scared about you getting hurt, but I’m also furious. You
need to get better. Get back out there on the ice. And mess that asshole up the
next time you’re blow for blow with him.”

“God,
I love you,” Shepard said, eyes wide.

“I
love you, too,” Kaidan answered, almost sounding frustrated. “So
just… just get back out there and stop playing like you’re protecting
yourself for my sake. Play like nothing can stop you.”

“Roger that,” Shepard
agreed. “But until then…”

“…
until then, get out of here soon so we can celebrate your team’s victory just
the two of us,” Kaidan finished.

Fictional kiss prompts

I saw that fictional kiss prompt going around, and couldn’t resist. More of the MShenko college AU with rugby!Shepard and engineer!Kaidan. It’s a broad followup to the college AU seven minutes in heaven prompt I got a few days ago.

“How
are you so good at this,” Shepard muttered, carefully removing his hand
from the model rocket booster he’d painstakingly helped Kaidan put together one
finger at a time. “Fuck, I glued my thumb down again. This sucks. Why do
you like doing this?”

“Turn
about is fair play,” Kaidan answered, not even bothering to look up as he
detailed the lander of his most prized possession, a real working scale model
of the Saturn V rocket. “And stop complaining. This model is a testament to the
finest machine ever built.”

“It’s
not my fault you misread my handwriting
on that note. I didn’t know the one thing you were bad at was reading.”

“Excuse
you. I spent a week texting James
Vega. I think I broke his heart a little when I had to tell him I’d got it
wrong and just misread your three for an eight. You owe me.”

Shepard’s
smoky chuckle caused Kaidan to finally glance up. The rugby player was grinning
at him, all straight white teeth and bright green eyes. A single dimple that
always drew Kaidan’s attention. “It was kind of funny. Admit it.”

“Only
for you,” Kaidan answered, dropping his eyes back down to the model. It
had been two weeks since they’d first started dating, and Shepard had been nothing
but a perfect gentleman. A little bit too
much of a perfect gentleman, in Kaidan’s mind. Shepard had done everything
by the book. Starting with a nervous coffee date. A couple of movies at the
theatre. Lunch. Dinner. Extra study dates when Kaidan mildly complained about
his homework time getting thinner. The furthest they’d gotten was that one time
on their second movie date. During a lull in the action on screen, Shepard had
overtaken the armrest between them, turning his hand up and offering it to
Kaidan. Kaidan had studied the strong forearm for a long minute; every freckle,
dip of muscle, and vein outline. Shepard had wiggled his fingers. With a small
smile, Kaidan had slowly dropped his own hand down, palms pressing together and
fingers intertwining. They’d stayed that way for exactly one hour and fifteen
minutes until the credits rolled. Shepard had even ignored Kaidan’s palm
sweating. But since then… grass in winter grew faster than their new
relationship.

“A
little help here.” The plaintive plea snapped Kaidan back to attention.

“What?”

Shepard
held up his hand still glued to the rocket. “I can’t get it off of
me.”

Kaidan’s
laughed shortly. “Sorry. Lost in thought, I guess. I’ll fix you up.”
He put down his own work and rolled his chair around the craft table to
Shepard’s side. “Give me your hand.”

Shepard
held out the stuck booster while Kaidan dipped a small paintbrush in thinner.
“My hands are way too clumsy for this. Are you sure there isn’t something else
we can do to pay you back for the misunderstanding with James?”

Kaidan
tugged Shepard’s hand closer so that they were knee to knee in their chairs. He
brought the rugby player’s callused hand close to his face so that he could
remove the adhesive without hurting either the model or Shepard’s hand. But
mostly the model. He could hear his own heart beating in the silent minutes
that followed. But soon enough he smiled with triumph. “All done.” He
put his tools down and offered Shepard a rag to wipe his finger.

After
carefully cleaning up, Shepard dropped the rag back to the table and Kaidan
realized with a start he’d sat too close for too long. But when he tried to
pull away, Shepard grabbed his knee and kept him still. Breath caught hard in
his throat, Kaidan froze as he watched those strong hands come up to either
side of his head, fingers gingerly sifting through the hair behind his ears
until his forefingers hooked behind the temple tips of his glasses and slipped them
down the bridge of his nose. They clattered into Kaidan’s lap at the same time
a shivering sigh slipped from between his lips before he could stop it.

He
almost couldn’t bring himself to look up, but when he did, his heart skipped a
beat. Shepard stared at him intently, gaze moving quickly between his eyes and
lips. His eyes were dilated. “Kiss me,” Shepard said, voice hoarse.

“What?”
Kaidan gasped.

“Please,” was the breathy reply.

“Why?”

Shepard
gulped audibly. “Because I want you to and this isn’t a pitch black closet
anymore.” He licked his lips. “Please, Kaidan, I’m…”

Shy. Kaidan pushed himself
forward, pressing his lips against Shepard’s without a second thought. It felt
like everything he remembered, everything he expected. Everything he wanted.
Warm and passionate without tipping overboard. And just like their first kiss,
the second made time disappear as well. Shepard moved back first, the bridges
of their noses sliding together before their foreheads touched.

“Thank
you,” Shepard whispered.

“You
just had to ask,” Kaidan answered.

In honor of this historic day in America, have a little celebratory MShenko single dad AU. 😀

Even
David and Hannah are quiet waiting for the news report to begin. They don’t
know why their fathers are so tense,
but they know that they are and
that’s plenty to keep them coloring silently at the coffee table while Kaidan
and Ianto sit on the sofa holding hands tightly. Kaidan sips his cold cup of
coffee just for something to do. Ianto is full of nervous energy, bouncing his
knee until Kaidan sets his mug down and gently puts a hand on his knee to stop
the agitated fidgeting.

“It’s
driving me crazy,” Ianto says. “I hate waiting.”

“Me,
too,” Kaidan says calmly.

“What’s
this gonna mean over at your fancy prep school?” Shepard asks, trying to
keep his voice light, but the nervous tremor is still there.

Kaidan
shrugs. “Not much. I pushed through an option for same-sex faculty to have
the same spousal benefits last year, but the board fights it every year. They
won’t be able to if – oh, here we go.”

The
both grab for the remote, Ianto just a hair faster to turn the volume up.

Kaidan
clenches Ianto’s hand tighter, but the crowd outside in D.C. looks… happy.
His heart squeezes as the reporter leans closer to her mic to be heard over the
background noise. “In a landmark decision today, June 26, 2015, the
Supreme Court of the United States has ruled 5-4 in favor of same-sex marriage.
In an historic ruling, the liberal Court has decided that it is no longer legal
for any state to deny same-sex couples the right to marry, though they have
three weeks in which to file their complaints…”

Kaidan
is stunned enough that his whole body is numb and it takes him a moment to
register the feeling of warm wetness on his shoulder. He turns his head
slightly to find Shepard’s face buried against his collar, crying silently. He
slides his hand up behind his neck and giving him a comforting squeeze.
“It really happened,” he says.

“I
love you,” Shepard answers.

“I
love you, too,” Kaidan says, kissing his head. “Guess we can actually
start talking about the ‘next step,’ can’t we?”

Ianto
lifts his tear-stained face to kiss his partner properly on the lips. “I
can’t wait.”