#cortenko

[flightofthefaeriedragon]

Since I mentioned it before, here's Steve flirting with Kaidan at the energetic party, with bonus talk of biotic party tricks and Kaidan glowing blue while drunk. The latter sounds like sarcasm/Kaidan's dry humor, but it would all be fun to see anyway. :D

[keriweird]

I wanted to test out some inking brushes, but needed some motivation! I asked people to get me excited to draw a Mass Effect human couple piece. And everyone delivered. I decided to pick three pitches to draw (and even then it was SO HARD to decide). But the third and final couple was actually pitched by TWO people. I was already sweet on this pairing, but CrimsonShield75 and @illusivesoul both made it impossible to not want to draw them. Problem was, I actually wanted to PAINT them. So I used the new brush set I was trialing to sketch it out first. And wasn't satisfied with just a colour fill. So here we are! Thank you so much to everyone that submitted pitches, I really appreciate it, and wish I had enough time to draw them all!!

[illusivesoul]

For the rarepair bingo: I mean I have to go with my own 2 rarepairs of choice here: Kriortez (Thane x Steve Cortez) and KolFer (Kolyat x Feron) And then as a bonus: tell me your ultimate rarepair of choice and gush about them as much or as little as you would like

I saw both of these for the first time thanks to you 😄

I think Thane and Steve could help each other heal from their respective losses and they'd be so good for each other.

I dont think about the drell bois as much as I should, but I fully support them getting together :)

And as to my utimate ME rarepair, I'm going to cheat a little cause I cant choose between my 2 favourites, Kaidan x Steve and Jack x Kahlee.

I think Steve and Kaidan would be such a wholesome and nice couple and would compliment each other so nicely. They would nerd out so much over tech and they could both support and help each other a lot, Steve supporting Kaidan with his migraines and Kaidan helping Steve move on from losing Robert.

And Jack and Kahlee, at first I just thought of it as merely smutty ship, but then I began to see it more deeply and I love the idea of them getting close over their time working at Grissom academy, and Kahlee helping Jack slowly and at her own pace, letting her open up only as far as she wants to go and Jack finally feeling she has someone to trust and eventually love makes me 😍

[screwyouflightlieutenant]

Feeling Good

The other thing I wrote for Spec Recs

Characters/Pairing: Kaidan Alenko, Steve Cortez, Trel (OC), Cortenko Rating: T Summary: Kaidan heads to a recommended jazz club off the Silversun Strip to unwind.

Kaidan leaned on the railing and looked out over the ward and the Silversun Strip below – loud and bright and full of life – and while Kaidan could appreciate vivacious nature of the whole thing, tonight he was in the mood for something way more subtle.  To surround himself with a quieter crowd.  He wanted moody lighting and tinkling piano.  A glass of smoky whiskey and corner table.

More than anything though, Kaidan just wanted to unplug.  No bullets.  No clones.  No worrying about Shepard falling through a fucking fish tank and waltzing back like it was nothing at all.  He’d been coiled like a spring since the Normandy had arrived at the Citadel and he was ready to finally unwind.  To do something that just felt good.

He pushed off the railing, stuffing his hands back into his jacket pockets and made his way down the ramp to the next level.  ‘I think you’ll like The Blue Note, Kaidan.  It seems like your kind of place,’ Liara had told him with that soft, enigmatic smile she always wore after hearing he was looking for a way to spend his evening.  He hoped she was right as he turned the corner and saw the jazz club nestled out of the way of the Strip.  Music drifted through the doors and onto the sidewalk, beckoning him inside.

The hostess greeted Kaidan and showed him to a dimly lit corner table with a good view of the stage where an asari with a husky voice and a shimmering green gown crooned to the audience as a dark-haired human on piano improvised his way through the melody.  The blonde bass player dragged on her cigarette, plucking her strings, and winked at the red-headed woman in the front row.  Kaidan couldn’t quite make out the blush on the woman’s cheeks, but if the embarrassed dip of her nose into her wine glass was any indication, they were definitely flirting.

“Welcome to The Blue Note, honey.  What can I get you?” drawled the salarian server dressed in a sharp uniform, ‘Trel’ embroidered in gold thread over their breast pocket.

“Whiskey on the rocks, please.”  Trel nodded and made their way to the bar along the back wall and Kaidan turned his attention back to the stage.  The bass player leaned closer to the redhead – not missing as single beat of the song – and let her take the cigarette out from between her lips and drag on it herself.  The crowd around them chuckled and cheered, which brought a smile to Kaidan’s face.  Returning with his whiskey, and undaunted by the display on stage, Trel set the glass in front of him.  “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, honey.  I’ll check on you in a bit,” they sauntered away and Kaidan wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a salarian saunter before, but there was a first time for everything.

Maybe this could be my kind of place.

Continue on AO3

[queercraftingchonk]

Human Spectres’ Reunion & Biotic Appetites

Shepard sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, attempting to prevent a migraine from fully brewing. "I am so pathetically out of the loop. I appreciate all the info, Kaidan--I really do--but...does the Alliance think I'm done? Is my recovery just the preamble to forced retirement?" "Of course not," Kaidan said. "Everyone just wants to give you the time and space you need to--" "Keeping me in the dark about things like this isn't helpful," Shepard said. "Do you not trust the Alliance to do its job without you?" Kaidan asked. "They couldn't before. Can they now?" An awkward quiet settled around the table. (Jack was able to smother an agreeing chortle in response to Shepard's call-out.) "We've managed so far," Kaidan said evenly. "Look, Shepard--the galaxy is still reeling from the war. Hell, most of the mass relays remain offline. You might be the first human Spectre, but currently I'm the only active human Spectre, and I have both Earth and stranded galactic forces to worry about. It's messy out there, and I'm cleaning up the best I can." Steve discreetly placed his hand on Kaidan's knee beneath the table. "She knows, Kaidan. We all do." The shuttle pilot turned to look at the commander; her green eyes softened. "He hasn't taken a day off since the war ended, Shepard. I don't say that to guilt you. We all need you to heal--physically and mentally--no matter how long it takes. You always went around helping others, literally putting everyone except yourself first for years. We know how you are--that's why everyone's been trying to deal with problems and do our jobs quietly. Even if you think the Alliance relies too much on you--and to be clear, they did and still might--can you trust that your friends are caring and competent?" Shepard sighed. "Alright," she said, then turning to Kaidan and adding, "Sorry, Kaidan. I didn't mean to--" Kaidan exhaled a breathy laugh and held up his hand to stop Shepard from continuing. "It's alright, Shepard. Frankly, you're taking your extended leave better than I would. I remember how hard it was just being in Huerta Memorial for the short time I was there. I'd be upset, too." "I'd be fully insane if it weren't for these two," Shepard said, motioning to Tali and Garrus respectively. "I'd say you're plenty insane already," Jack quipped. "She's not wrong," Garrus muttered. Shepard narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "Whose side are you on?" "Yours, sweetie," he replied all-too-sincerely. Tali laughed while Jack groaned and nearly fell out of her chair as she leaned (too) far back.

With the official Spectre business mostly concluded, the evening's tensions dwindled as friends decided to simply spend time with one another. Shepard ordered Aralakh BBQ delivery for herself, Jack, Jason, and Kaidan, while the non-biotically inclined among them partook in drinks. James gave elaborate anecdotes about his N7 training--and when asked by Tali why he was in Kaidan's supposedly all-biotic special ops company, he revealed that he was researching best practices on how non-biotic soldiers could support their biotic teammates. "The manuals rarely said a thing about how biotic soldiers needed support," he said. "After being on the Normandy, I've had a few experiences fighting alongside powerful biotics. Brass approved the project once I completed my N7 training." "Any dazzling insight, Vega?" Garrus smirked. Without missing a beat, James replied, "Always have snacks. No squad benefits from having a hangry biotic." "That's...not half-bad advice," Tali admitted. Garrus and Steve nodded in agreement. James, Steve, Garrus, and Tali then sat at the poker table to start up a friendly game (with minimal credits on the line); meanwhile, the BBQ arrived and their biotic companions got down and dirty with the spiced, saucy Krogan fare. "Oh, Jack," Shepard said, wiping Tuchanka sauce on the back of her hand, "I meant to ask--where's Eezo? I thought maybe I'd get to fetch with something other than a frying pan next time I saw you two." Jack finished chewing a massive bite of jerked mawling before replying: "Boy Scout said one biotic bitch was enough for his lil' squad--" "I did not say that," Kaidan hastily interrupted, brown eyes wide in horror. (Shepard and Jason chuckled at the Canadian's expression.) Jack continued, "--so I left Eezo with your Dadmiral once I set off with Prangley." "Dadmiral?" Shepard laughed--before realization descended onto her expression and she asked, "Wait--do you mean Anderson?" Jack cackled, cleaned the last shred of mawling from her skewer, and spoke with a full mouth: "Course I do. Wha' else'm I gonna call 'im?" She swallowed the hot meat and continued, "He talks about you like a goddamned dad at some sport game. If he could display your damn medals like a biotiball trophy, you bet your ass he would." Jason wiped his mouth with a napkin before piling his fork with more Tuchankan slaw. "If Admiral Anderson is Commander Shepard's dad 'cause of how often he mentions her, that must make Lieutenant Sanders your mom, Teach," Jason said. Shepard and Kaidan chuckled. Just as Jason smiled triumphantly, Jack flicked a biotic pulse that launched the take-out carton of slaw into his face. "Hey!" Jason cried. The ensign scrambled immediately to clean the mess, loathe to sully the Commander Shepard's apartment with food stains. After dinner (technically Jack, Jason, and Kaidan's second dinner), the biotics filtered into the back room to heckle and cheer on the poker players. Tali had already folded but remained seated at the table, casually looking through her omni-tool's inbox. "We can deal you in next game, L2," James offered. Kaidan laughed. "I think you've fleeced me of enough credits for one day, Vega."

--Excerpt from Chapter 22: Spectrum Interruptus from How to Love a Biotic God(dess) on Ao3~

[ughestrada]

Been neglecting my tumblr lately, so have some Cortenko art! This was supposed to be a study on light and shadows, but the biggest takeaway is that I really need to work on rendering fabric. Besides the blanket being not as great as I wanted, I'm pretty proud of this piece!

[faejilly]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 11/11 Fandom: Mass Effect Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Steve Cortez Characters: Kaidan Alenko, Steve Cortez, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, James Vega Additional Tags: Romance, Slash, Hurt/Comfort Summary:

Sometimes you don't need adventure. Sometimes there are no bells and whistles. Sometimes you just happen to meet the right person, at the right time.

@hobovampire ;)

[flightofthefaeriedragon]

Sweetheart Kaidan complimenting Steve during the quiet party. <3