Back in 1983 when I was fourteen and taking French in high school, I was paired up with someone in France. For years, we wrote back and forth to one another - these were the pre-PC/internet days, remember - and we were even able to meet up during two visits I made to France over the years. He was a very kind person, very giving and gentle. We had a lot of discussions over the years, on all sorts of topics. But most of all, we had friendship, one that I treasured very much and deeply.
The last time I heard from him was in 1999, a few months after my son was born when he sent a gift. After that, he stopped communicating. For years, I've wondered what happened to him, why he'd stopped writing, and I haunted the internet searching for any clue to what happened. Toward the end of last November, right after what would have been his 54th birthday, I found my answer. He died February 7, 2000. My greatest fear had been proven true.
Still, because I never knew for certain, I had hoped he was still out there, somewhere. I won't speculate as to what happened, and the notices and obituaries I found did not state the cause of death, but I have a suspicion. None of that matters, though. He was a dear friend, and I loved him for that, both when he lived and now.
In an effort to keep his memory fresh and alive, I created a Shepard to write about based on him, right down to how he looks. I commissioned @blasteddoodles for his picture (I only have two good photographs of him), and boy, did she deliver! Thank you, my friend, for capturing his likeness so well! <3
Tu me manques, mon ami. J'espère que ton esprit trouvera la paix. (I miss you, my friend. I hope your spirit finds peace.)
(forgive any grammatical errors - it's been over 20 years since I last spoke or wrote French)
~~~
The observation lounge is dark when Alexandre slips inside, the only light the thousands upon thousands of pinpricks scattered as far as the eye can see outside the window. But he isn’t alone. He pauses a few steps in and tilts his head, then offers a soft smile to his left, then walks over to the window. He leans his shoulder against the wall, angling himself to prop himself into place while still getting the best view. Well, almost the best view. The actual best view comes up behind him, slides his arms around him, and murmurs in his ear, “Tu es en retard.”
Wrapping his arms over the ones around his waist, Alexandre replies, “Non, je suis à l’heure, mon étoile. Tourjours à l’heure.”
Kaidan huffs softly as his arms tighten. Alexandre expects an argument – after all, there are the two years he was ‘dead’ and Cerberus rebuilt him to account for – but surprisingly, it is absent tonight. Turning his head, he asks, “Tout va bien?”
Kaidan inhales deeply, his chin coming to rest on Alexandre’s shoulder. “Tout va bien,” he agrees quietly.
Everything is fine. Well, there is a war on, and the Reapers are gaining ground, but for this moment, in this place, at this time, all is fine, and that is a fine thing, indeed.
My friend, thank you so much for asking about Alexandre and Kaidan! I won’t apologize for the length of this prompt - it’s the beginning of Alexandre’s story, and for that I am very grateful! (also pardon the extra information for that purpose! lol) I hope you enjoy it!
~~~
Title: Six Cents Dix-Neuf
Summary: 619 days ago, Alexandre Shepard received secondary exposure to eezo in an accident that killed his father. Today, he enters the hospital, room 619, and begins a journey that will change his life forever.
Author’s Note: Many, many years ago when I was in high school, I was paired up with a pen pal over in France. For decades, he and I wrote back and forth to one another. Twice, I was fortunate enough to meet him in person. He was one of the nicest, kindest people I've ever had the fortune of knowing. We lost touch about 21 years ago, shortly after my son was born, but I always looked for him online in the hopes we might connect again. Sadly, about a month ago, I came across irrefutable proof of what I've known deep in my heart; my friend died shortly after we lost contact with one another. Now, all I have left are the memories.Alexandre Shepard is a fictional creation of the man I called friend. I can only hope somewhere, somehow he knows I still think about him fondly.
~~~
Room 619.
Alexandre Shepard stares at the number and hears his father’s voice inside his head. Six cents dix-neuf, mon fils. A tremor shakes his hand as he reaches for the handle. Either God has it in for him, or He has a very wicked sense of humor. Six cents dix-neuf. The same number of days since the eezo ‘accident’ that killed the elder Shepard and exposed Alexandre, which in turn, led to him being here, at this hospital.
Room 619.
He enters the room, sets his things by the empty bed nearest the windows before walking over to stare outside. The hospital room is like any other in any Alliance hospital. This one happens to overlook the city of London. Not a bad view by any means, particularly in winter with brightly colored and festive holiday decorations hanging, but it is not where he wants to be. Anywhere but here would be preferable; finishing his studies, preparing for enlistment, anything other than waiting for surgery, for an implant to help him control his sudden and unexpected access to dark energy. He never asked for it; he saw the faces of the crew, of the other kids in his class. His mother. His brother. Disappointment. Horror. Fear. No, he did not ask for this; apparently, what he wants out of life no longer matters.
Room 619.
The door opens behind him some time later. He isn’t in a private suite, and all Alexandre knows is that his roommate is also biotic. Though greater in number than they once were, not many come through this hospital, and certainly not enough to create a wing specifically to deal with them. What few rooms the hospital does set aside for them have to double up on occupancy if and when necessary. Alexandre swallows tightly. The fist that rests against the wall tightens, and his gaze is captured as the strange haze of blue returns to spark weirdly around it. He doesn’t want a roommate, doesn’t want anyone else to know his ‘condition.’ Maman insists he keep it quiet, to protect himself, his one chance at a future. And David? Well, he was lucky to hear from his older brother at all, and even then, the message was brief. The ship’s doctor said biotics weren’t a deadly condition. Someone needs to explain that to his family and friends.
“Six cents dix-neuf,” he mutters, the energy fading as he releases his fist. Six hundred nineteen days. Why?
Shuffling steps approach, but stop short of his position. That is something, at least. Alexandre is not in the mood for conversation, good or bad. He wants to be elsewhere, anywhere but here. No choice. But, th minute he knocked Stacey Ratzenburger from her seat in class after a violent sneeze with an added dark energy kick, his life was forever changed. It’s no longer a question of what he wants, but where he can be put so as to not be a danger, to himself or others.
“Beautiful view.”
Alexandre huffs softly but does not turn. The voice is deep, warm, comforting in a way, but he really isn’t in the mood to chat. Still, they’ll be roommates for a time, and his parents raised him to be polite. “It is … different.”
His companion chuckles softly. “Your accent suggests you aren’t from around here.”
Alexandre nods. “I was born in the colonies.” Which is true enough. His mother was on leave when he was born, and his documentation lists Terra Nova as his place of birth, even if it was his home only for a few days. Glancing to his right side, he spies his roommate standing off to the side in the shadows. Odd behavior, particularly for one who seems to be otherwise outgoing and friendly, but Alexandre does not ask. The man’s reasons are his own; Alexandre can respect that and hope for the same consideration in return. “You are from …?”
“Earth. Canada, to be more specific.”
Canada. A wild country filled with mountains, trees and wild animals in the western provinces and descendants of his kinsmen in the east. At least, that is how his father explained it once when he was young. He knows better now, of course. Half turning, he eyes the shadow. “Vous parlez français?”
A soft snort – disgusted? Amused? He isn’t certain – fills the air. “Only when I have to.”
Folding his arms across his chest, Alexandre leans back against the wall, a smirk toying with the corner of his lips. That is a mood if ever he’s heard one before. “Tu me comprends?”
This time, it’s a disgruntled sigh of exasperation. “Yes, I understand you. I would have thought that obvious?”
“When you hide in the shadows, nothing is obvious.”
There is just a moment when Alexandre thinks perhaps he’s pushed a bit too much. After all, they have only just met, and not even formally. Yet, something about this man tugs at memories of his past, at a time more comfortable for him than now.
How long has it been? Four years? Five? I wonder where you are now, mon ami, and where your life has taken you?
With a soft shuffle of slippered feet, his roommate steps out of the darkness. He is tall, at least equal in height to Alexandre himself, with a mop of dark hair and warm amber eyes. But it’s the lines of pain at the corners of his eyes that Alexandre notices and he recalls the warning at the desk; he suffers from migraines. Immediately, Alexandre reaches over and pulls the curtains to block the direct light from outside.
“Merci.”
Alexandre’s lips curl upward a tick in appreciation, but he cannot help but tease, “Was that so difficult?”
The amber eyes narrow. “Anyone ever tell you that you are impossible?”
This is what he needs; the distraction, the banter, the return to familiar times. His lips form a full-fledged grin now. “My older brother. Often. Repeatedly,” Alexandre replies. The grin fades a little. “And an old friend.” He shrugs, a gentle movement but one that apparently catches his companion’s attention as his eyes focus on it. “I have not heard from him in a long time.”
“Ah.” Sympathy? Empathy? It isn’t unwelcome, but unexpected. His roommate moves a few steps closer, nods in the direction of the curtains. “Thank you for that.”
“No trouble.” Alexandre gestures toward the beds. “Is it easier for you if we sit?” He tilts his head in some concern. “I can fetch a nurse?”
His companion moves toward his bed even before Alexandre finishes asking his questions. “No nurse,” he insists. “It’s just … results of the tests they did.”
Alexandre follows, climbing up onto his bed and making himself as comfortable as anyone can in such places. He tugs his pillow onto his lap, bunching it in his arms. Old habits offer comfort. “Tests?”
The Canadian lies down, eyes closed tightly, but he still engages in conversation. “I have an L2 implant, given to me when my biotics manifest a few years ago,” he explains. “Horrendous migraines are one of the many possible side effects. They are testing to see if there is anything they can do to help.”
The complete and utter lack of hope in his tone leaves Alexandre on edge. All he knows is what the ship’s doctor told him before leaving. You are fortunate. You will receive one of the newer implants, not one of the defective L2s. To a teenager who has no idea what that means and doesn’t want one, it did little to reassure. “Do all who have implants suffer?”
One eye opens and focuses on Alexandre. “No. Is that why you are here? For an implant?”
Alexandre’s gaze drops and he hugs the pillow close to his chest. Lifting one hand, he turns the palm up while wiggling his fingers slowly, cautiously. He still has no real understanding of how the biotics thing actually works. It takes a few moments, but the glow returns. “Yes.”
The other man pushes up a little, folds his arm and rests it beneath his head as he watches closely. “You’re worried.” It’s a statement, not a question.
Alexandre shrugs again. It’s vaguely disconcerting his reaction is so easily seen. “I have no choice in the matter,” he replies. Pulling his gaze back to his companion, he counters, “Fate has decided I need more challenge in my life.” He tosses his pillow back to the bed and flops onto it, staring up at the ceiling. He does not want this conversation.
“That’s a rather fatalistic approach, don’t you think?”
Alexandre says nothing in response, only rolls so his back is to his roommate.
Several minutes of silence pass. In the back of his mind, Alexandre hears his father chiding him gently for being rude, but he ignores it. A soft knock at the door precedes it’s opening, but he ignores that, too. No one is here for him, and he doesn’t expect the nurses to take undue interest until later this evening in preparation for tomorrow’s procedure.
Soft steps echo through the room, followed by a soft, feminine voice. “There you are.”
His roommate’s voice has a slight edge to it when he speaks, but there is nothing but welcome in it. “Hi, Mom.”
Mom. Alexandre fights back a wave of jealousy that grasps hold. It’s stupid; it isn’t his roommate’s fault; it isn’t even Alexandre’s. With another long glare up at the ceiling, he silently challenges, Why do you do this to me? Why am I such a tempting target?
When Fate does not reply, he sighs heavily and rolls over to face his roommate and his visitor. But, when his gaze falls upon the other bed, he frowns. Something about the woman, about her face, her hair, maybe even her voice, speaks to him. Or, maybe it’s the small box she carries, so brightly colored and festive looking. A reminder of happier times.
“How were the tests?” She sets the box on the rolling tray table and positions it between the beds. The response is unintelligible, which is just as well.
Alexandre loses track of time as he focuses on a ray of light coming through the curtains and shining across the room. Just a sliver, but not enough to bother his companion, he doesn’t think. Still, it’s plenty to remind Alexandre of the world outside. Timing, as is often said, is everything; Fate’s decision to throw his life all akilter right before the one holiday he associates most with his father six hundred nineteen days after losing him is ill-timed at best.
Six cents dix-neuf, mon fils. Joyeux Noël.
Alexandre closes his eyes, teeth gnashing together. “Six cents dix-neuf,” he whispers to the shadows. “Joyeux Noël, Papa. Tu me manques.”
He doesn’t notice the room go silent, or hear the sharply drawn breaths at the other bed. He doesn’t see two pairs of concerned eyes turn toward him, focused on his huddled form. Alone in his own private world of despair, Alexandre knows nothing but the pain of loss and change thrust upon him. Until a moment later when he is torn from his misery by something completely unexpected.
“Kaidan, why didn’t you tell me –?”
Kaidan.
The name is common enough, he supposes, but it is one tied to a happier time in his life, one that has been tickling at the back of his memory since meeting his roommate. Bolting upright with a sharp gasp, Alexandre half turns until he can look, really look at the man lying in the other bed. “Kaidan?” It comes out as a strangled whisper, but the other man must hear it. Their eyes meet, and Alexandre stops breathing. Dark hair, dark eyes. An older face marked by time, a few scars, but beneath it all, something so familiar and unexpected … Swallowing tightly, Alexandre chokes out, “Mon copain de combat?”
The man’s eyes widen a fraction despite the pain he suffers from, but it’s the word that passes his lips that are the true gift for Alexandre this year. “Alex?”
He has only ever allowed one person to call him by that shortened version of his name.
Alexandre scrambles off his bed to stand beside him. He glances up to the woman, the ache in his chest lessening. “Nathalie?” She nods.
Kaidan adjusts his bed. “Mom, it’s Alex. Don’t you remember? From the Lisbon.”
Nathalie Alenko blinks in surprise, but a slow smile curves her lips at the same time. “Alexandre Shepard?”
One, last tour, the final cap to a long career in the Alliance; the forging of a friendship, now rekindled after seven years separated.
Alexandre turns back to Kaidan. “I … It’s you. C’est un miracle.”
With a smile, Kaidan extends a hand that Alexandre takes immediately. “Well, it is Christmas …”
“ why do you walk around as if you’re somehow less valuable than the rest of the world? ” for Alexandre
from this list
On AO3 here
Oh, thank you for asking about Alexandre!!!!! *cracks knuckles* Time to dig deep for all that French I learned in school! lol ;)
Huge thanks to @nightmarestudio606 for looking this over for me! <3
~~~~
2178, Alenko orchard, BC Interior
It astounds Alexandre that he and Kaidan were able to get shore leave at the same time yet again. After the last time, he thought it might be impossible. Sure, the Skyllian Blitz was far from their fault, but the Alliance is not known for their sense of humor, dry or not. Then again, just how ‘wild’ could the interior of Canada be in the middle of winter? Certainly not on the same level as the Blitz. Right?
It has been a long time since Alexandre last visited the Alenko orchard, and so much has happened since then. And though it was only a short stay last time – just under a year – he did fall in love with the place. The scenic views. Kaidan’s welcoming family. The instant acceptance of him and his biotics without question; such a different experience with family than his mother and brother, one that left him with a far greater appreciation for family.
Since his enlistment, however, finding opportunity to return has not been easy. Add to that, he is used to being on ships, traveling the galaxy, no ties to any one place. So, the idea of returning to BC to visit is difficult to process for him, more so because, unless Kaidan is with him it doesn’t feel right. Then again, the only time they have been able to get leave together before now they were both deployed. Elysium was closer, relatively inexpensive, and someplace new worth exploring and experiencing. Had he known how it would turn out, he might have made more of an effort to head back to Earth instead.
This time around, however, they head home. Kaidan arrives first, a day ahead of Alexandre, so when Shepard lands at the transport station in Kamloops the next day, he is met by all three Alenkos. As before, he is welcomed with open arms, quite literally, and all of this despite his current disreputable-looking condition. Logan and Nathalie cannot hide a startled expression at first, but he reassures them all is well, he is fine and very grateful to have leave among friends. Kaidan hides his reaction better, though Alexandre still notes a tightness at the corner of his eyes. He does not make a big deal of it, quietly asking as they climb into the back of the skycar, “Migraine?”
Kaidan shakes his head, raising a finger to trace the new N7 insignia on Alexandre’s collar tab. The same finger slips beneath the material, brushing against an inch-long medigel-covered wound. “I want to ask how things went, but I know you can’t talk about them.”
Alexandre chuckles softly, tiredly, but grasps his hand, pulling it away and squeezing gently. “All that matters is the outcome, is it not?”
Kaidan’s lips press into a thin line. “You look half-starved!”
“I am fine, mon étoile,** I promise!”
Alexandre does, however, lie his head on Kaidan’s shoulder as Logan Alenko guides them in the direction of the orchard. Though he expects Kaidan to continue the discussion, he does not, and Alexandre is able to fall into a light doze until they pull up in front of the house. Stretching and yawning as he exits the vehicle, he grabs his duffle and heads inside the house and up to his old room, one that, Nathalie assures him, is just as he left it.
For the rest of that afternoon and over the next couple of days, Alexandre settles back into civilian life. It takes a bit of time to get used to, especially after the trials of completing his N7 training, but there is no pressure, no tension, nothing like what he would have faced with his mother and brother. More importantly, he has time to simply be with Kaidan. Whether assisting around the orchard or the house or relaxing together, just being in proximity to his partner brings with it a comfort he has sorely missed.
But this comfort, he notices early on, may only be one sided. While they do spend time together, and outwardly appearances seem normal, Alexandre senses something troubling Kaidan. At first, he says nothing; after being apart for so long, it takes time to become familiar with one another again, he understands this. And yet, when their fourth day, nearly half of their leave, passes and he it feels as if a wall is growing between them, Alexandre decides it is time to talk.
That evening, he finds Kaidan sitting on the porch swing watching as a summer storm blows through the area. Rain and wind, occasional flickers of lightning, but nothing so severe to warrant an immediate retreat indoors, Alexandre joins him.
The swing drifts lazily, barely moving as Kaidan’s arm rests along the back edge, his head upon the arm. Alexandre settles in the space behind him. “I have brough tea, mon étoile,” he murmurs quietly, gently nudging the mug against his arm.
Kaidan half-turns to take it from him, but says nothing. Not even offering thanks. This is when Alexandre knows something serious is wrong. He sips at his own mug and listens to the rain fall and the occasional crack of thunder. Having grown up on ships most of his life, it fascinates him and finds he misses it when he is not around it. It soothes him in ways he cannot explain.
After a few minutes, after attempting to slide his hand around Kaidan’s shoulder as he leans closer only to have the other man pull stiffly away, Alexandre remains silent no longer. “What is it, Kaidan?”
Kaidan says nothing, staring out across the yard to the rows of trees beyond.
It tests the limits of Alexandre’s patience, yet if anyone can get away with it, it is Kaidan. “Mon étoile? Talk to me, s’il te plait.”**
A sigh, heavy with regret and reluctance, escapes the man’s lips. “What do you want me to say?”
“I wish for you to tell me what troubles you,” Alexandre replies quietly, honestly. Again, he attempts to slide his arm around Kaidan to join their hands. This time, Kaidan accepts it, lacing their fingers together. Alexandre slides closer behind him, resting his elbow on the back of the swing and holding his tea off to the side so as not to spill it on him. “Why is it you walk around as if you think you are somehow less valuable than the rest of the world?”
Kaidan stiffens, the hold on Alexandre’s hand tightening briefly, almost painfully, as if guilt or shame guides him now. Alexandre presses a light kiss at the edge of the neck of Kaidan’s t-shirt, just where the neck and shoulder join. Kaidan sips quietly at his tea, stares out across the yard, eventually inhaling deeply and releasing the tension within as he exhales. “You always could see right through me.”
Alexandre smiles against his skin. “As you can me,” he points out. “If our positions were reversed, would you not call me out?”
“I don’t deserve you.”
Alexandre does not even acknowledge that comment, instead repeating, “Qu’est-ce qui se passe?”**
A bright flash of lightning, nearly blinding in intensity, arcs across the sky. Within a second or two, a violent wave of thunder shakes the earth beneath and the air around them. In that one moment, Alexandre feels a tremor skitter across his partner’s shoulders. “Kaidan?”
“Akuze,” he whispers tightly. “It’s still Akuze.”
Carefully, Alexandre sets both mugs aside so they do not spill. When this is done, he wraps both arms around Kaidan, resting his chin on one shoulder, hugging him close. “What about it?”
Another shudder. This time when he speaks, Kaidan’s voice cracks. “I … can’t. Alex, it isn’t fair to you!” He turns, facing him at long last but averting his eyes.
One dark eyebrow arches in surprise. “Pourquoi?”** Reaching out, Alexandre gently nudges Kaidan beneath his chin, urging him to look up at him. “Have we not agreed to share everything with the other?”
Sniffling softly, Kaidan nods. “But we aren’t –.”
Dipping his head lower, he presses a light kiss to Kaidan’s cheek. “It has not stopped you before,” he insists, “nor has it stopped me in past.” Kaidan lifts his head, slowly lifting his eyes so they meet. Alexandre smiles and frames his face with his hands. “I am here for you, mon étoile, however, whenever you may need me.”
Kaidan traces his finger over the now mostly-healed wound on Alexandre’s neck. “But you are still recovering from your last mission!”
“All the more reason to know I can handle whatever you have to tell me,” Alexandre insists. “Trust me.”
“I do!”
Thunder rumbles around them again, the wind gaining strength as rain picks up tempo, heedless of what is in the way. Neither of them pay it any attention. Instead, Kaidan’s arms slide around Alexandre’s chest, pulling him as close as he can, holding on like one desperately holding onto life. It is not unfamiliar, having been the same reaction he displayed after being rescued off Akuze the year before. Patient as always, Alexandre moves willingly, allowing the other man to guide him as he needs. It is some time before Kaidan relents, quietly whispering. Once he starts, however, he keeps going until he releases it all, including the tension that acts as a wall between them. By that time, the storm is well past, the sun is set and above them, the skies shine brightly. Wrapped around the other, they stare up at the night sky in silence, savoring the closeness.
“That one,” Alexandre murmurs near Kaidan’s ear, lifting their joint hands and pointing towards one star. “One day, you and I will go to that system together. On a mission.”
Kaidan chuckles softly. “For what purpose.”
Alexandre smiles against his ear, replying, “Why, to save the galaxy, of course.”
Kaidan’s hand tightens. “I think I would prefer shore leave …”
~~~~
**mon étoile = literally, “my star,” a term of endearment
Tagging back anyone who wants to share a snippet of what they’re working on! If you want to participate, consider yourself tagged! Just please tag me back so I can see!!! :)
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A snippet from my newest Shepard - #100 - yup, you read that right! I hit 100 the other day when I created Alexandre Shepard in memory of a good friend who passed.
~~~
Room 619.
Alexandre Shepard stares at the number, hearing his father’s voice inside his head. Six cents dix-neuf, mon fils. A tremor shakes his hand as he reaches for the handle. Either God has it in for him, or He has a very wicked sense of humor. Six cents dix-neuf. The same number of days since the eezo ‘accident’ that killed the elder Shepard and exposed Alexandre.
Room 619.
He enters the room, sets his things by the empty bed nearest the windows before staring outside. The hospital room is like any other in any Alliance hospital. This one happens to overlook the city of London. Not a bad view by any means, particularly in winter, but not where he wants to be. He should be finishing his studies, preparing for enlistment, anything but waiting on neurosurgery for an implant that will help him control his sudden access to dark energy. He never asked for it; he’s seen the faces of the crew, of the other kids in his class. His mother. His brother. No, he did not ask for this, nor did he ask for his father’s untimely death.
Room 619.
He is alone at the window still, some time later, when the door opens. Not a private suite, all Alexandre knows is that his roommate also is a biotic. There aren’t many of them who come through this hospital, certainly not enough to create a wing specifically to deal with them, and the few rooms they do have double up on occupancy if and when necessary. Alexandre swallows tightly, makes a fist with his hand and watches the strange haze of blue that sparks weirdly around it. He doesn’t want a roommate, doesn’t want anyone else to know his ‘condition.’ Maman insists he keep it quiet, to protect himself, his one chance. David, well, he’s lucky David bothered to send a message, and even then, it was brief.
“Six cents dix-neuf.”
Shuffling steps approach, but not too close. That is something, at least. Alexandre is not in the mood for conversation, good or bad. He would rather be elsewhere, anywhere but here. But he has no choice. The minute he knocks Stacey Ratzenburger from her seat in class after a violent sneeze that has an added dark energy kick, his life is forever changed. No longer a question of what he wants, but where he can be put to not be a danger, to himself or otherwise.
Thank you so much for asking!!! I’ll stick with my mSheps here otherwise I’ll be writing a novel! lol (buckle up - I’ve got a bunch of ‘em!)
2. How do they feel about confronting their friends when issues arise?
Caleb - has no problem with this. His view is if they’re really friends, they’ll understand and be willing to talk/work things out (something he actually proves to himself with Coats at sniper school). If they don’t, they weren’t friends to begin with and better off gone.
Michael - confrontation is something he’s dealt with his entire life. He doesn’t have any qualms about facing off with anyone (friends or not, tbh) if necessary.
Lachlan - ahh, my musician boy outwardly doesn’t care for confrontation and will try to work other solutions if possible, but he’ll force the issue as a last resort.
Kristofer - hates it. He doesn’t mind confrontation as a whole (wouldn’t make a very good soldier if he did, right? lol) but when it comes to friends, he hates it if it gets that far.
Takao - Taka embodies the “speak softly but carry a BIG ASS STICK” philosophy. Again, he’ll confront friends if he has to, probably sooner than either Lachlan or Kristofer will, but he doesn’t care for it. As for the big stick? Being a Taido master helps with that. The biotics back that up as well. :)
Alexandre - For a long time, especially after he is pretty much ‘abandoned’ to his fate by mom and older brother, the only friend who matters to Alex is Kaidan. They rarely have issues that come to a head like that, mostly because they’re willing to discuss things along the way to make sure they DON’T get to that point. Later on, this sort of transfers over to his relationships with the rest of the crew from the Normandy.
Gabriel - before the attack on Mindoir, Gabriel would only very rarely find himself in this situation (usually one of his brothers). After the attack, after the Alliance turns him into a weapon for their use, he doesn’t have any close friends. Too much risk, if they’d even be willing enough to befriend him after some of the things he does. That starts to change with the Normandy, especially meeting Ashley and Kaidan. He’ll confront them, even if their friendship is ‘close’, but even he’ll agree he needs to work on the way he does it. There’ll be a few bruised egos along the way (his included), but in the long run he knows it’s for the best and, by then, he’ll know it’s for the best.
Rhys - (new boy!) - this is a tricky question. For a long time, he doesn’t have anyone he considers a close friend. Then he ends up at BAaT, and he suddenly has a bunch of them, sort of. Confrontation occasionally happens, especially given their circumstances at BAaT, but after the fiasco there and the one that follows, he eventually gets into a position of “Me, myself, and I only” and keeps distant. This works well enough for a while ... until the past comes back into his present. :D
14. Would they prefer to act or react?
Those who would ACT: Michael, Gabriel, possibly Rhys? (still trying to get him sorted out in my head)
Those who would REACT: Caleb, Lachlan, Kristofer, Taka, Alexandre
23. When engaged in an irritating conversation, how to they conduct themselves?
Caleb - he’s the ultimate infiltrator. He is really good at masking his emotions (ask Kaidan - it takes forever to figure out Caleb is interested in him! lol) Irritating or not, there are plenty of times people come out of a conversation with him where they think he believes one thing when actually it’s another. When he wants to mask it. Other times he’ll be straight up. It really depends on the situation. Irritating, he usually masks his true feelings, but there have been a few he’ll let his temper flare.
Michael - Oh, if Michael’s in an irritating conversation, anyone around him’ll know it. He gets fidgety. Taps his foot or fingers. Looks anywhere but the person involved. Maybe throw a punch (if really irritating) or even just turn and leave.
Lachlan - Lachlan is, by nature, fidgety, so in a sense when he’s in an irritating conversation, you can’t tell any difference from that of a non-irritating one!
Kristofer - Kris is polite to a fault at times, so you’d be less likely to notice if he finds any conversation irritating. (unless the Council or Udina are involved)
Takao - Taka will look serene, calm, poised on the outside. On the inside, he’s likely determining just what Taido moves he can used to silence the other person with, willingly or not.)
Alexandre - Alex has a good head on his shoulders and can anticipate situations where it’s most likely to end up an irritating conversation and he will go to great lengths to avoid them. When he can’t, he hides it as best he can but he has one tell and that’s a little tic at the corner of his left eye that twitches.
Gabriel - After Mindoir, Gabriel masters the ‘blank stare’ - you know, the kind that if you’re on the other end of it you feel nervous about the way he’s looking at you, even if you don’t have cause for it.
Rhys - Rhys is used to dealing with irritating conversations on a daily basis once he’s out of school. He doesn’t let it get to him. Depending on the situation (ie: in person/over vidcom, etc.), he may or may not distract hismelf by playing with his biotics. For example, using them to spin a pencil around in the air, flip a coin, attempt picking up individual cards from a deck and laying them out in a solitaire spread, etc.
36. Do they enjoy receiving compliments? How do they respond to it?
I’d say most of my mSheps aren’t opposed to comments, as such, but the majority of them aren’t comfortable receiving them. Of all of them, I think the only one who might know best how to deal with them is Lachlan dating back to his experiences in the United Colonial Symphony Orchestra when he was 16-17.
11. Who brings the blanket to wrap them both up in it?
Alexandre brings the blanket then fights with Kaidan over whether they are building a blanket fort or cuddling! Most definitely Alexandre, though Kaidan is not averse to grabbing a blanket if he sees Alexandre lying on the sofa or something, asleep, and lying down with him so they both can snuggle up together in it.
Oh my goodness ... let me see who’s talking right now! lol
5. What activities do they enjoy together?
Taka/Kaidan - they enjoy practicing their martial arts together. Taka grew up learning Taido from his grandmother in her dojo in Japan. Kaidan is practiced in jui-jitsu. After they become friends (prior to the games) they develop the habit of praciticing every morning to start the day and occasionally these practice sessions lead to sharing/teaching the other some of the skills they’ve learned.
Lachlan/Kaidan - Lachlan, being a musician, loves to dance. He’s also quite good at it (contrary to public/Normandy opinion). While he is aware it isn’t always a safe prospect for Kaidan, they do occasionally enjoy going to spend a night dancing at a club. Kaidan really enjoys watching/listening to Lachlan play his cello, too. He finds it fascinating because Lachlan is as animated a personality while playing as he is just talking to someone, and it influences his music. He and Lachlan often have discussions on how music is a different ‘language’, and Kaidan can believe it.
Alexandre/Kaidan - One of Alexandre’s favorite passtimes is to tease Kaidan in French, just to see if/how long it takes to get him to respond in French. Outside of that, they both have quite a bit in common and enjoy almost any way they can spend time together, even if they are each doing something different. Just being around the other is the important part.
Rhys /Kaidan - Their history with each other is long, though there are chunks of time where they haven’t been around one another for years at a time. Still, almost from the moment they meet on the way to BAaT, they hit it off and discover they have a number of shared interests. One of Rhys’ is in reading anything he can get his hands on about the protheans - books, scholarly papers, etc. He’s definitely a bookish type. While Kaidan’s interests don’t exactly extend to the protheans, he can appreciate the single-minded dedication to a particular subject. So, while Rhys is reading his prothean stuff, Kaidan will lose himself in his tech interests.
9. Have they made each other cry?
Not counting Alchera ....
Taka/Kaidan - Nothing stands out just yet for the two of them.
Lachlan/Kaidan - When Lachlan hears about the attack on Mindoir where he thinks he’s lost not only his parents but his brother and Kaidan. The tears happen when Anderson takes him to the orchard to reunite with his brother (Iain) and Kaidan.
Alexandre/Kaidan - When Alexandre is 17, alone in the hospital in London to get his biotic implant, and discovers that his roommate is his long lost friend from childhood.
Rhys/Kaidan - Nothing stands out just yet for the two of them.
17. What senses (sights, smells, feelings, etc). remind them of each other?
Taka/Kaidan - For Taka, it’s the smell of apples that remind him of Kaidan (and by association, his family) and the orchard. For Kaidan, it’s any time he sees one of Taka’s watercolor paintings or sketches.
Lachlan/Kaidan - for Kaidan, it begins with anytime he hears a cello playing. For Lachlan, it’s the smell of ozone that he associates with Kaidan’s use of biotics.
Alexandre/Kaidan - for both of them, hearing anything in French. Alexandre’s attempts to get Kaidan to speak the language more becomes a ‘thing’ for them, so anytime either of them hear it, they think of the other.
Rhys/Kaidan - actually, for the both of them it’s probably more the knowledge that they know they can absolutely trust that the other has their back in any given situation that comes from their shared experiences at BAaT together than anything.
25. What moves do they know work on the other?
The only one I have kind of figured out for this so far is Lachlan/Kaidan.
Lachlan/Kaidan - For Lachlan, it’s hearing Kaidan sing which he does quite well, though he doesn’t think so. On the other hand, Kaidan won’t deny that watching Lachlan literally go weak in the knees when Kaidan sings is definitely a plus!
