"Ugh! These things are rigged Kaidan!" Lily cried in frustration as she failed yet again at the same carnival game. The growling of her stomach and smell of various carnival foods making her angrier.
"Lily, it's a stuffed animal we can just go buy-" he was interrupted by Lily pulling on the front of his shirt.
"No, it's a matter of pride god damn it." She was Lily fucking Shepard, she defeated the reapers she can beat a stupid little carnival game but the smirking asshole behind the stand believed something completely different.
"Pride huh?" He asked, trying to suppress a laugh.
"Yes, my daughter wants that giant stuffed unicorn and she's going to get it." She turned to Ashley "isn't that right baby?"
"Yeah!" Ashley cheered, raising her small arms into the air.
"Yeah!" Lily cheered with her as she sent more credits the vendor's way, Kaidan lost track of how long they had been at this specific game but he was pretty positive they’d just paid this guy’s bills for the month.
"Take as many attempts as you want, lady!" He said with a chuckle as his omni-tool automatically accepted the transaction and he set another round up for her.
"I don't know if this is what the VA intended you to do with that retirement paycheck." Kaidan snarked as he stood behind her with Ashley.
Lily patted his cheek as she picked up a ball "Shhh, just do what you do best sweetie." She told him.
"Which is…?"
"Stand there and look pretty." She said plainly as she aimed for one of the clowns.
"Ah." He was going to offer his assistance, but now he wasn't so sure.
Lily knocked the bottom row of clowns down just fine, it wasn’t until she got to the top row where she ran into trouble “Psst, daddy.” Ashley whispered, tugging on Kaidan’s arm.
“What’s up baby girl?” He asked, leaning down to listen.
Ashley cupped his ear with her tiny hands and whispered “I think mommy might be too short…” Kaidan snorted, she was right, the trouble Lily was having had to do solely with her height but he valued his life too much to say it, Ashley on the other hand knew that the only consequence of her saying it would be hurting her mother’s feelings.
“Sure you don’t want help babe?” He offered and she slowly turned her head to glare at him.
“Kaidan unless you want to end up like these clowns I suggest you zip it.” She growled, scaring Ashley but the amused smirk on her father’s face let her know it wasn’t a serious threat, they rarely were.
He shrugged, standing back up “Okay but I must say i’m surprised you’re letting your pride get in the way of our daughter’s happiness.” he taunted, it was a low blow but he had no intention of standing here all night.
“Fine.” she said between gritted teeth, she had expected Kaidan to take the ball from her but instead he bent down briefly to wrap his arms around her legs and hoisted her up.
“Better?” He asked and she was half tempted to squirm free but the smell of funnel cake was filling her senses and her patience with the game was wearing thin.
“Fine.” She grumbled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to steady herself and she threw the ball, knocking the last clown over, signaling their freedom. Ashley ran to the counter as the vendor reached up to unhook the unnecessarily large stuffed animal and Kaidan set Lily back down, mentally celebrating the fact that they could finally move on, he was surprised Ashley had been as patient as she was about the whole ordeal, maybe she thought the cheap stuffed animal was worth the wait...or she was just as entertained as the stall worker was he couldn’t be sure.
The unicorn was about as big as Lily was height wise and if it wasn’t for the fact she’s hoisted his six foot two self over her shoulders a couple times he’d be concerned about her toppling over, she was clumsy however so it was still at least a partial concern. “Daddy look!” Ashley exclaimed as he joined them.
“First reapers and now carnival games, is there anything you can’t do?” He joked and a smile she tried to fight back crept on her face.
“Shut up and carry this would you.” She said, pushing the stuffed toy against his chest.
“Of course love.” he said as he slung it over his shoulder like it was a wounded comrade.
“Now I need some funnel cake, anyone else?” It was a rhetorical question of course but Ashley answered nonetheless.
“I do!” she raised her hand excitedly, she already had cotton candy earlier and while they probably should’ve cut off her sugar intake there, they’d just make sure she brushed her teeth extra good tonight and hopefully not be bouncing off the walls when they got home. She was as naturally energetic as her mother and all that energy mixed with a sugar rush in Ashley’s tiny body was a recipe for a sleepless night.
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Kaidan watched in slight disgust as Lily poured chocolate on top of the powdered sugar that already came with the dessert, it’s not that Kaidan hated chocolate, he just wasn't big on sweets and was getting a cavity just watching her.
"Questions, comments and concerns, Kaidan?" She asked, as she set the bottle down, paying no mind to the drop of chocolate on the tip of her nose.
"Just one ma'am, if you'll allow it."
Lily nodded "Make it quick Alenko."
"I was just thinking how incredibly cute you look with chocolate on your face." He told her and she cocked her head to the side, looking like a confused kitten.
"Huh?"
"Here let me get it for you." He said as he moved in close.
Oh, thank-" she was cut off by Kaidan kissing her nose "you…" she turned the same shade as her usual red lipstick at the action and Kaidan, deciding he wasn't done, took her face in his hands, peppering her face with small, gentle kisses. "That tickles." She said as she started to squirm, trying not to giggle.
"Hmm what tickles?" He asked.
Lily grabbed blindly for Ashley "Sweetie help, daddy is smothering me!" She pleaded as dramatically as ever.
Ashley watched for a moment trying to figure what she meant by smothering and her face broke out in a smile at the realization. "I wanna smother mommy too!" She said, scooting over to join Kaidan, placing kisses onto Lily's cheek.
"Ah! Betrayal!" She gasped as she succumbed to her fate, survived a war only to end up tortured by her family in the middle of a carnival. There were worse ways to go, she just wished she got to eat her funnel cake before she died.
little out of the blue, but fun facts for ashley? or maybe lily + kaidan post-war?
Out of the blue questions are always welcome 👀💙
Ashley Alenko
Nickname "Ladybug" by her uncle Aiden
Because of a drunken game of truth or dare(which I wrote about a while back) Lily owed Ash big time and promised to name her and Kaidan's first child after her(they weren't even dating but ya know Lily being Lily 🙄)
Ashley didn't take it too seriously until years later Lily still remembered and fully intended to go thru with it lmao
Ashley is a biotic like her parents and uncle and because of that when she's a bit older(like 6-7) he teaches her how to charge much to Kaidan's chagrin(Lily found it funny) she hardly does any damage ofc but it's still concerning to have your child bioticaly yeet herself across the room at random.
As much as Lily misses Aiden her and Kaidan both agreed since they did want a family earth would probably be best(that and Kaidan wanted to be near his parents)
Ashley is very artistically inclined much like Lily! Unlike her mother however its more visual as opposed to preforming.
Lily never voiced it but she was concerned Ashley would get a side of seizures with her biotics like she did. Luckily that wasn't the case.
Most of her toys are things she can build with(legos, kinetic sand etc.) She has a doll house she really loves too but mainly because she likes to dress up the dolls lol
Kaidan stays with the Alliance while Lily lives that military wife life 😎✌(the other moms worry about *her* when Kaidan is away and their husbands are around)
Has granted Ashley with the "My mom and uncle are the Shepard twins" card if she ever runs into trouble at school for being a biotic.
Technically Kaidan and Lily got married by an elcor on the citadel during shore leave but they had an actual wedding post war for fun(Lily wanted to wear a pretty dress :3c)
1 of many but by far my favorite of their wedding pictures
Despite her personality(like in general) she's very family oriented and loves kids! It wasn't her life dream or anything but she did always want a family of her own at some point.
Because of her love of pyjaks Lily gave Ashley a pyjak themed nursery(plus a shifty cow piggy bank because she thought it was funny)
Discord has seen more of my silent hill au than yall have so here ya go
"Uncle Aiden." Ashley's soft voice said as she poked his cheek, waking him up.
"Good morning ladybug." Aiden sat up, rubbing his eyes, he hadn't returned to his room after Lily left and must've fallen asleep on the couch eventually, given how sore he was.
"Is mommy gone?"
"Yeah, she left after you went to bed."
"Oh…" she tightened her grip on her stuffed rabbit "When will she be back with daddy?"
Aiden picked her up and sat her on his lap "They'll be back before you know it."
"Promise." Ashley stuck out her pinky and looked at him with eyes that were exactly like his sister's, she made him do the same thing when they made a promise and it was just one of the many ways Ashley was practically Lily's clone.
Aiden didn't want to lie to her but he didn't want to worry her either so against his better judgment he linked both their pinkies together.
"I promise, it'll be like they never left." Aiden wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, himself or Ashley but it didn't matter, after Lily came back they were getting the hell out of Toluca county if he had anything to say about it.
Silent Hill took his mother and he was worried it was going to take Ashley's parents too.
