#karina shepard

[thornaelle]

"I was a twin, but they died when we were fourteen." "He should have survived."  /   "It should have been me."

For this year's @masseffectholidaycheer I bring January Jubilation (in the form of this slightly bittersweet art piece...) to @miniature-space-hamster and her twin Shepards —Karina and Ruiz— who exist in separate timelines where the other twin died on Mindoir. I hope you like it and I did your twins justice! (and I’m so sorry to have left you waiting right till the end)

[miniature-space-hamster]

Merweek Day Five: We Are Family

Karina Shepard is finally released from the hospital after the battle of London, and Kaidan brings her to his family home in Vancouver, where she meets his parents for the first time.

“Kaidan…” Shepard’s eyes focusing on the blur of pine that seemed to stretch endlessly from her view in the skycar, her voice sounded distant. A growing tightness filled her chest. “Are your parents going to like me?” She paused, already sounding somewhat defeated, resisting the urge to start picking at newly painted nails. She brought a finger to her mouth, seconds from chewing before stopping herself. She needed something to distract her from their destination. There was only about fifteen minutes left until they were at Kaidan’s family home.

Without breaking eye contact from the road, Kaidan gave her a crooked smile and raised eyebrows. “Why wouldn’t they, Karina?” She always seemed to surprise him with questions like this. She could face a Reaper on foot without flinching, but the thought of meeting his mother was what she worried about.

Karina wasn’t sure where to start, she sighed sharply before speaking but the noise got lost in the hum of the engines. “I mean… we were sleeping together when I was still your CO, for starters. We stole the Normandy and committed treason. Not to mention I’m the reason you got tangled with Cerberus…” She took a breath, but it didn’t feel deep enough. “How much do they even know?”

“I told my mother we were together after our date at Apollo’s.” He kept his words plain, clearly code for they didn’t know anything prior. At least no more than the average civilian.

Karina nodded, remembering Apollo’s with a slight smile threatening at the corner of tightly pulled lips. It was the closest they’ve ever gotten to normalcy during the war. A taste, albeit brief, of what was to come after the Reaper’s defeat. Kaidan was so awkward and vulnerable as he fumbled through his words. It was cute.

She finally ripped her gaze from the scenery, turning to Kaidan. “Speaking of Apollo’s, depending on how this goes I might need another sanity check.” There was a slight laugh at the end of her words, but it was strained. She tapped the door with her nails, desperately in search of stimuli to ease her anxiety. “I haven’t done anything family related in over a decade.”

Kaidan drove with one hand, reaching out for her thigh with the other and squeezed. Karina took his hand into hers before she even realized it. She focused on the strong, calloused fingers interlocked with her own. She let her free hand trace the familiar shape of his knuckles.

Kaidan knew this was going to be hard for her. She no longer had a family to call her own after Mindoir. Though he knew nothing could replace that, he wanted to at least make her feel at home with his own family.

They pulled into a driveway, past the forest of dense pine that finally brought the distant orchard into view. This was the first time he’s been home since the war. Kaidan was barely holding back a smile as he finally turned to Karina. “We’ll be fine, don’t worry. It’ll just be for the weekend.”

He hopped out of the car and made his way to Karina’s side, helping her out and grabbing her cane from the back seat, hesitating for a moment before considering getting the wheelchair in the trunk. “Are you good to walk?”

Karina gave him a slight nod, “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Kaidan sighed quietly, knowing that didn’t answer his question. She always said she was fine, regardless of whether it was true or not. He looked her up and down, trying to assess the situation himself before nodding and grabbing the cane.

The doctors didn’t expect her to be able to walk so soon after her injuries, and all the surgeries that followed the battle at London. She still struggled though. At times it was like her legs had forgotten how to keep her up. But she was out of the hospital now, and that on its own felt like a victory

Kaidan offered Karina his arm, which she took with her free hand in equal parts comfort and support. She took a shaky breath when Kaidan rang the doorbell. The chime echoed through the house as she heard frantic steps shuffling towards the door.

They were greeted by a small, silver haired woman who barely made it to Karina’s chest. Her eyes lit up behind thick, black frames when she saw Kaidan. He had to lean over as she smiled and pulled him into a tight hug. It was clear Kaidan got his eyes and smile from his mother. She patted his back several times before she pulled away and turned towards Karina.

“It’s so good to finally meet you.” She pulled Karina in for a hug just as she did for Kaidan, without warning, as if she’d known her for years. Karina felt her muscles tensing up, not expecting such sudden contact. She could count on one Turian hand how many people hug her like this. Several moments passed until she returned the embrace with unsure arms. His mother soon after released, much to Karina’s relief. “Hope the trip wasn’t too bad.”

“We didn’t have any trouble.” Kaidan cut in, noticing that Karina looked more than a little overwhelmed. He took half a step in her direction, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Karina leaned against him, desperately hoping the attention could be shifted away from her.

It was then Karina saw movement from the hallway headed in their direction. A white haired man who looked almost exactly like Kaidan stepped out.

He walked with such purpose, though it was clear he walked on old injuries that never quite healed right. Despite this, he still carried the posture of someone who served. Karina felt her own posture stiffen reflexively, suddenly feeling like she was a new recruit awaiting inspection all over again. The man stayed silent as he approached, not breaking eye contact.

Kaidan pulled his father in for a hug, neither saying a word. Kaidan’s arms shook slightly. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever see his father again after the reaper war when he was declared missing.

Kaidan retracted before making introductions. “Dad, this is Karina.”

She received a firm handshake from the man. His posture was stiff and awkward as he extended his hand. He clearly didn’t know how to address her, but the feeling was mutual.

Introductions felt like a blur that Karina wasn’t fully present for. Her mind kept drifting off before being pulled back by key words in the conversation. She was never good with small talk, and something about her surroundings kept bringing her mind back to Mindoir, and her own parents.

Luckily, Kaidan and his mother carried the conversation with relative ease. She was updating him about their family. A cousin, as far as Karina could tell. She struggled to keep up with the names.

Karina continued to sip on the wine presented in silence, letting the flavor keep her anchored in the moment. It was a dry red wine, but she couldn’t figure out what kind and felt too awkward to interrupt and ask.

And then the one question she was dreading hit like a bullet to the chest.

“So how’s your family doing, Karina?”

It was a simple enough question, from a well meaning woman who didn’t want to exclude company from conversation, but it required a far more complex answer.

She swallowed hard as she looked over to Kaidan, who looked a shade paler than he did before as he met her gaze. He was seconds from trying to intercept the conversation, before Karina put a hand on his. She knew she’d have to talk about it eventually.

“Oh, I don’t have any family.” It was simple enough, and shut the conversation down before it got too deep. She wasn’t prepared to drop her baggage on a family she hadn’t even gotten the chance to fully know yet.

Karina thought she should feel her pulse rising in her throat by now, but the sensation didn’t come. The ache was a dull one, faded by a decade's time. She quietly pushed the feeling down, shifting the collar of her turtleneck sweater. She silently cleared her throat before changing the subject.

“This wine is lovely. Did it come from this orchard?”

~~

Karina found herself in Kaidan’s childhood bed as the night came to a close, both drained from the combination of wine and late night conversation, but neither could find sleep quite yet. Karina looked around the room decorated in hockey sticks and trophies. It looked like it hadn’t been touched since Kaidan joined the Alliance.

Kaidan caressed her cheek with delicate precision, kissing her temple before speaking. “How’re you feeling? Still need that sanity check?”

Karina leaned against the man at her side, letting her head fall against his shoulder. “Oddly enough, I’m feeling okay.” She paused for a moment, fighting the exhaustion to get the words out. “It’s weird though.”

Kaidan leaned his head against hers. The arm wrapped around her tightening with concern. “How so?”

She sighed. “Just thinking about my own family, I guess. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to.”

He squeezed her shoulder as he kissed the crown of her head, “Time has a way of doing that, huh?”

She wrapped her arms around his waist in response, holding back a yawn. “It’s like I’m almost missing the feeling of loss, because at least there was something there. Y’know?”

Kaidan nodded thoughtfully before planting another kiss, this time more tender as it barely grazed her scalp. “It wasn’t the family you were born with, but I think you managed to find your own family in the time since. You have the old Normandy crew.”

Karina nodded as she began to recline more on the bed, feeling the exhaustion finally begin to overcome her. Kaidan matched her pace, finding their usual position on an unfamiliar bed. Karina let her legs graze his own before they tangled themselves into one another.

“Maybe one day you’ll feel that way here?” Kaidan offered with a low voice, looking at the ceiling as he held Karina close to his side.

Karina pulled herself in closer, until their bodies were flush and her head rested on his chest, nuzzling before finding her usual spot. “I think I’d like that.”

[miniature-space-hamster]

spots to kiis, #27 for Kaidan and Karina?

Thanks for the ask! This was my immediate thought for elbow, and I decided to roll with it. Not my best work but it gave me some ideas so I might call her a WIP and expand on her later ^^

Karina awoke with her brain feeling like static in unfamiliar surroundings. The sterile lights of the hospital took several moments to adjust as she saw a very sleep deprived Kaidan, lost in thought, at her side. The steady beeping of machinery quickened as she met his gaze and reached for him, but her body ached in protest. She was lucky to be alive after everything that has happened. The activation of the Catalyst ended the war, but nearly killed her in the process.

Kaidan turned sharply as the beeping momentarily quickened, broken from his fugue, fear in his eyes. He jumped in surprise as he turned to her, not expecting to see Karina wake. She noted that he looked like he hadn’t shaved in at least a week, and his dark eyes revealed he definitely hadn’t slept much since then either. He leaned towards her, resting a hand on her cheek only for her to wince in pain.

She met his eyes, wanting to pull him in, but her body wouldn’t allow it. Frustration was rising in her chest. “Sorry, everything hurts right now... How bad is it?”

Kaidan looked away for a moment, wondering how honest he should be. “I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s pretty bad.” He forced a smile before continuing, “You’ll be okay though.” Kaidan wasn’t sure if he was saying that for her or himself. She wasn’t yet aware that her spine was fully severed, and that it would take months for the doctors to generate the new tissue necessary for regrowing. Not to mention the physical therapy that will surely follow. He knew Shepard was a fighter, but this will be grueling even for her.

He wanted to hold her and kiss her to make up for the lifetime he thought he would be denied. He was so afraid that he’d lose her during the week she spent in a coma. There were so many close calls that first night. He looked at all the machinery she was strapped to. The dryness of his throat kept him from swallowing.

Karina looked away, feeling the weight of reality firmly pressed on her shoulders. She took a deep breath, feeling her breath quiver.

Kaidan realized the silence had gone on for too long as he moved to her bedside. He could see her struggling. His voice was low and comforting. “Is there anything I can get for you?”

“I want you to kiss me.” She said as she met his gaze, his desire reflected in her eyes, but her gaze soon drifted to the hospital bed she was strapped to. “But just about everything hurts.”

Kaidan felt her irritation, but a crooked smile rose on her face. “Well, where don’t you get hurt?”

Karina paused for a moment, giving the question serious thought. She took a mental inventory of herself.

She hesitated for a moment. She had an answer as she sheepishly pointed at her elbow, with the closest thing to a laugh that she could manage. She felt ridiculous.

Kaidan’s smile reached his eyes, happy he got an answer. He leaned in, placing a steady hand on her forearm, placing a gentle kiss on her elbow without breaking eye contact with her.

It wasn’t her mouth, or any other area where she wanted his mouth, but in the moment it was just as good.

[miniature-space-hamster]

Fictober Day One: “I Need You”

I’m horribly late, let’s hope the rest are on time XD

Mass Effect Fanfiction

Tw: Trauma, Death

Kaidan pounded on the door of the escape pod, trying to get to Shepard. He felt his biotics flaring to the point of nearly causing structural damage to the pod, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Moving with increased desperation, he screamed her name until the sound had nearly lost its meaning. He watched her, fighting against the serenity of an all encompassing void. Her hands motioning towards a tear in her oxygen tank she couldn’t reach. Her motions were panicked until there was nothing but stillness as Kaidan watched her form shrink until her form was lost in the vastness of space.

~

Kaidan woke with a start, feeling his pulse in his throat and an overwhelming ache in his chest. The nightmares were few and far between, but they always left an impact. Always the same memory, stuck on loop even two years after.

It was a memory Karina could not remember, perhaps she blocked it out or her death was so quick her body wasn’t granted time to process it. Regardless, it was a memory he alone felt the burden of bearing.

The weight in his arms shifted with a groan. Karina twisted herself to get a better look at the man at her side as she wiped her eyes to acclimate to the dark room. “What’s wrong? Do you need your medicine?”

She started to get up, but noticed the tears that fell down to his cheeks and the wild look in his dark eyes.

With gentle motions, she kissed his forehead as she wiped his eyes. This wasn’t the first time he’s woken her like this. They both have their demons that keep them up at night. Invisible scars that the other cannot trace with their finger, try as they might.

He pressed his face against her neck, intent on getting drunk on her scent. His hands traced her spine to remind himself that they’re still alive. His voice, soft and low, echoed in his chest. The sound, nearly lost in his throat as he choked on his words. “I need you.”

He tightened his grip on her as he kissed her neck, tasting the salt on her skin mixed with his own tears. Karina mirrored him. If they held one another tight enough, perhaps the world wouldn’t rip them apart again.

[miniature-space-hamster]

Wrote this little baby Shenko fic while procrastinating on other tasks. Thought I’d share, hope you like it ^^

Karina woke moments before the sun rose with a start, still not used to getting more than a few hours of sleep at a time. She was getting nightmares of the final moments of the war again. Seeing Anderson, the man she always viewed as a father to her after Akuze, die once more in her dreams left her with an indescribable ache in her chest. She spent a few quiet moments to control her breathing while staring at the ceiling before sitting up on the bed and resting her back on the headboard. She eyed her surroundings as she rolled her shoulders to stretch her back. Taking another deep breath, albeit this time more stable, she felt the dream fade away as she focused on the present. 

They were spending a weekend in Kaidan’s family home; a cozy cabin not far from their family orchard. His parents were away on vacation, and his mother had asked them to watch the house in their absence. Karina assumed this was planned to get them both to take a break from all of the post war reconstruction efforts. After the past couple of years they’ve had, it was much needed. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt the bed shift next to her as Kaidan stretched. She momentarily worried she woke him, but a soft snore offered reassurance as he turned towards her and wrapped his arms around Karina’s waist. He pulled himself in close, resting his head on her lap as his lips moved wordlessly, still caught up in an animated dream. She was glad that he could at least rest. Some nights he couldn’t sleep at all, kept awake by his own mind, unable to quiet his thoughts. 

She looked down at him, still as in awe as the moment they first met, now nearly four years ago. She examined his hair, now speckled with greys at the temple that have begun to make their way down his beard. She knew Kaidan didn’t love the greys, but she did. She wasn’t sure if she’d live to see them come in like this. They were a reminder of days to come. They fought so hard, and both of them almost lost their lives in the process. Quiet moments like these were what kept her going when things got dark. 

Karina ran her fingers through his soft hair, feeling the gentle resistance his curls provided. Kaidan nuzzled his face into her thighs in response as he pulled a leg on top of her own with a soft sigh. She smiled at the sensation of his rough beard against her legs. 

Her thoughts drifted elsewhere as she once again examined her surroundings. She continued to run her fingers through Kaidan’s hair as she watched what little scenery peaked between the curtains. She could catch the slightest glimpse of a deep red sun just beginning to rise. 

It was at this point she had decided to get up. Kaidan had rolled back over, mumbling something incoherent with furrowed eyebrows as she kissed his forehead. She threw on a thick wool cardigan as she made her way to the kitchen to make coffee. It wasn’t as warm as the bed, or the man who lay on it, but it was sufficient in the moment. 

She pulled out two mugs from the cabinet and the ceramic pour over. She quietly listened to the kettle heat up, waiting for the moment she heard water boiling. Karina took a paper filter, resting it in place before gently soaking it under the tap. She drained the excess water before adding a few generous scoops of coffee grounds. It had become her morning ritual. Once she could finally hear the gentle bubbling of water boiling, Karina took the kettle off the heat, giving it a second to come just off the boil before slowly soaking the grounds. She made gentle circular motions, watching the grounds slowly bubble up, absorbing the water and releasing their flavor. 

The process took a while, the slow stream of coffee felt almost painfully slow, but she found the end result worth it. She had neither the patience nor time for good coffee on the Normandy, but now she had nothing but time. 

She finished both coffees just in time to hear sluggish footsteps make their way to the kitchen. Kaidan, with eyes barely open, made his way to the kitchen island. She held back a laugh when she saw his hair sticking up in several places, knowing she was fully responsible for it. 

Karina stepped around the kitchen island to intercept him, wrapping her arms around his bare waist as she pulled him in. He leaned in for a lethargic, but gentle, kiss before resting his head on her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her as he began to say good morning, but was cut off by a yawn before he got the words out. 

“Good morning to you too,” Karina said with a laugh as she felt his muscles stretch under her embrace as she traced his spine with her fingertips. “I made coffee.”

She heard Kaidan hum a smile against her ear as she felt his beard graze her face. He kissed her jaw, her check, and finally her lips with gentle, tender movements. Karina couldn’t help but hold back a smile as her body shivered under the electric sensation that each of the biotics kisses left. Despite all this time, she still wasn’t sure if she’d ever get used to Kaidan’s affection. 

“Let’s go watch the sunrise.” Karina slid him his coffee with two sugars and no cream, as if it was needed to convince him to go outside with her. 

He wrapped his fingers around the cup as if it was the one thing with the strength to get him through the day, sipping slowly before looking at her with a crooked smile that reached his sleepy eyes. Karina grabbed her own mug, with one sugar with just a splash of oat milk, before taking Kaidan’s hand and leading Him to the front porch. 

They both sat on the porch swing, taking in the scenery. The sun was now mostly visible over the tree line, washing the clouds in brilliant shades of violet and orange. Kaidan placed a hand, warmed from his mug, on Karina’s thigh. It was a pleasant sensation against the chill of the morning air.

Karina inched herself closer, so their bodies were flush, as Kaidan wrapped an arm around her. She took a deep breath of the morning air, before turning to her partner and kissing his cheek.  “You know, I could get used to this.”

Kaidan took a long sip of his coffee before leaning his head against hers with a smile. He kissed the crown of her head before finally speaking. “What’s stopping us?”

[miniature-space-hamster]

Made a baby FShenko fic when I was procrastinating on larger projects. Kept having the mental image of Kaidan cooking for a sick Shepard. Wrote this for Karina Shepard, more fics of them on my AO3. Might post this there at a later date. Anyway, hope you like it! ^^

~~~~

Shepard found herself on a couch by the fire. She was fully wrapped in a blanket, with only her head poking out. Shepard survived Mindoir, Akuze, three suicide missions, and a beloved sushi restaurant’s fish tank, but she swore the Canadian chill would be the death of her. She sneezed into a tissue, cursing to herself. 

She turned behind her, watching Kaidan work his magic in the kitchen. He let the chicken cook in a pot, as he hummed to himself. He was in the middle of  chopping vegetables. There was the slightest hint of a smile on his face. He got to work in the kitchen the moment he heard Shepard sniffling.  

She made her way to the kitchen island, dragging her blanket cocoon with her, sitting on a bar stool to get a better view. Kaidan was too focused to notice her interest. He always seemed to get lost in another world when cooking. She remembered tormenting him for the meal he prepared for them on the Citadel, but all in all he was a fantastic cook. In another life, he probably could’ve been a chief. 

The air was soon filled with the scent of onions and garlic sautéing. It was a comforting scent that reminded Karina of her own mother cooking in the kitchen. She was a short woman with a thick Spanish accent.  She smiled as she remembered her mother yelling at her for getting in the way when she cooked dinner. She never wanted help, only the space to work in peace. Shepard remembered her recipes fondly, though many of them have been lost to time. The rest of which she couldn’t even dream of recreating. 

Kaidan had tried to teach Shepard how to cook, but it was to disastrous ends. She mastered the art of simultaneously burning and undercooking everything she touched in the kitchen. He soon learned that Karina lacked the patience to make anything more complex than a pot of coffee. 

Karina watched Kaidan with interest. His back was turned as he stirred the contents of a ceramic pot. She saw him add flour and butter and almost immediately the air was filled with its warm, toasty scent. 

Despite the winter chill nearly being upon them, he was only wearing sweatpants. His biotics always kept him running warm. Shepard couldn’t bring herself to understand. She could shiver from a summer breeze. Karina was sure that his warmth was the only reason she hadn't frozen over these past few nights. She took the moment to ogle her partner, and observe his bare back. Despite no longer facing frontline combat, he maintained his musculature. Karina eyed his sweatpants. They sat low on his waist, leaving little to the imagination. She wanted to step behind him and pull him in from his waist, but that would require letting the blanket drop and that wasn’t going to happen. 

Shepard finally broke the silence. “What are you making?” Her voice was hoarse, she could feel the cold lingering in both her head and throat. 

Kaidan’s gaze didn’t break from the pot, but she could hear him hum before responding. “It’s a family recipe. Learned to make it when I got home after BAaT.” 

Shepard eyed him curiously. “You seem relaxed.” She always found cooking stressful. Too much multitasking was involved for her tastes. He had a rhythm in the kitchen she lacked. 

She could hear the sharp exhale that almost verged on a laugh. “I find it calming.” His husky voice was low as he began to slowly add broth to the pot. 

Shepard found herself living vicariously through Kaidan at this moment. Both of them had gone to hell and back in the war against the Reapers, and they both found it easy to be pulled back into the stressors of the past. They had to find moments like these to keep themselves grounded. 

He returned the chicken to the pot, and covered it. He finally turned around and chuckled slightly, seeing that she was more blanket than Shepard at this point. He checked the timer, “It’ll be ready in a bit. Why don’t we warm up by the fire for a minute?”

Karina nodded as they made their way to the couch. Kaidan unpeeled the blanket from Shepard just enough to squeeze in with her. They wrapped their arms around one another to get comfortable. Kaidan smiled as Shepard rested her head on his shoulder. She looked at the fire, feeling her tension ease in his shoulders. 

Shepard was nudged awake and greeted with a bowl filled with a steaming, golden stew. She didn’t even realize she fell asleep as she rubbed her face to orient herself. She took the bowl with a smile as Kaidan sat next to her, shoulder to shoulder, with his own bowl. 

It tasted like home in a way she couldn’t pinpoint. It was a warmth that filled her soul as she looked at her partner. Kaidan gave her a curious look, trying to gauge her reaction. Karina smiled and responded with a wordless kiss on the cheek. She knew no matter where they would decide to stay, she would be at peace knowing that he’d be with her. He, after all, was her home. 

[miniature-space-hamster]

Fictober Day 5: “I’m Not Saying I Told You So”

Mass Effect Fanfiction

Description: Post ME1 shore leave

“Don’t you dare say it.” Shepard threatened, but the challenge in her eyes didn’t hold its same intensity as her shivering intensified with each breeze of chilly autumn air. “Not a word.”

Kaidan responded with a chuckle. “I’m not saying anything.” He met her eyes with amusement. “You did say you were going to be fine without a coat though.” He let his shoulders bump into her playfully, taking a hand and interlocking fingers as they continued down the sidewalk.

“But it was so warm this morning,” Karina responded with chattering teeth and a retaliatory bump of the hip.

“I’m not saying I told you so, but that’s October for you.” He squeezed her hand, letting his thumb trace lazy shapes. “Plus you’re always cold.” His eyes drifted up towards the night sky. The stars couldn’t be seen in the city, but it was beautiful and serene in its own right. His gaze returned to Karina, her golden eyes seemed to glow under the city lights. “You’ve gotten too used to the Normandy, I think. When was the last time you experienced weather?”

Karina let her eyes drift to the side, as they stopped at a crosswalk, trying to remember. “Ilos, I think?”

Kaidan pulled her into his arms as they waited for the signal to cross. He chuckled when she melted into him, desperate for warmth. He rubbed her back, trying to warm her quickly. “That was months ago.”

She looked up at him, placing a tender kiss on his lips as she took in the scent of his cologne. “Need I remind you, you picked this place for shore leave.”

“And you get to pick the next one,” The corners of Kaidan’s mouth curled as he nuzzled his nose against hers.

The light flashed green, letting them know it was safe to cross. Kaidan started to walk, but Shepard didn’t budge. He exhaled sharply with a smile as he pulled the stay hairs away to kiss her forehead. “Keep this up, and I’m gonna start to think you only want me for warmth.”

“That’s not very nice,” she said with a mock glare, but it quickly melted into more laughter as they separated without letting go of one another’s hands. “I also want you for your body.” She gave him a wink as she let herself bump into him as they crossed the road.

Kaidan shook his head as he looked for road signs to orient himself. “There’s a cafe down this block. We could warm up there?”

That was all it took for Karina to pick up her pace, nearly dragging him to their destination.

[miniature-space-hamster]

Fictober Day 6: “Haven’t We Already Talked About This”

Mass Effect Fanfiction

“Did I ever tell you about my casino run-in with the Vorcha mafia, five-thousand credits and a bottle of whiskey? Actually...nevermind.” Kaidan Alenko

“C’mon Kaidan,” Shepard shot him an expectant look as she turned herself to better face him on the couch. Her speech was slurred from the wine in her hand. “This is the one story you haven’t told me.”

“Didn’t we already have this conversation?” He raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by her persistence. He kept up with her drinking, but seemed relatively unaffected. “And it’s not that interesting, I swear.”

“No, we didn’t.” Shepard’s eyes drifted around the apartment. Even when drunk and on shore leave she always seemed to be on the lookout for threats. “You asked me that last time too.” Putting her drink on the end table, she laid down on the couch and onto Kaidan’s lap, intent on getting the details out of him through sheer annoyance. “You said I’d have to get you drunk first for details.”

He met her eyes, and cracked a smile. “I’m gonna need more than a couple glasses of wine, Karina.” There was a chuckle at the end of his words, seeing how flushed she was. She was always gone by the end of glass one, and she was already halfway through glass two. “I thought the Cerberus enhancements would have increased your alcohol tolerance.”

Karina poked his chest playfully. “This is a lot of deflecting, and not a lot of Vorcha mafia, Major Alenko.”

He sighed loudly, knowing she wasn’t letting this one go easily. He looked off towards the fireplace, eyes grew distant as he recalled memories over a decade old. “After Brain Camp, I didn’t go straight home.” He sighed, he clearly wasn’t proud of what he was about to say. “I got mixed up with some pretty bad people in the Terminus System.”

Karina adjusted herself, sitting on Kaidan’s lap as she reached for her wine and wrapped her free hand around his waist.

“We tried to cheat on a roulette wheel with biotics and we got caught.” His head dropped back onto the sofa, as he sighed “I got away in the chaos, and haven’t heard from any of them since.” Kaidan hummed as Karina began to run her fingers through his hair, feeling the resistance the curls provided. His hand slipped beneath her hoodie as he traced her spine, leaving a shiver in its wake.

There was a quiet moment of comfortable silence as glasses were refilled. The only sound being that of the silver strip, it’s nightlife reached a crescendo. They let themselves be bathed in its neon glow, as they absorbed one another’s presence.

Kaidan’s thoughts were interrupted as he noticed Karina watching him. It was clear she just had a thought and based on her expression, an amusing one at that. He leaned in for a kiss as he felt the corners of her mouth curl, holding back a laugh. He raised an eyebrow, amused with her antics. “What?”

“Was the Vorcha mafia in like suits and fedoras? Maybe a thick New York accent?”

He shook his head, equally parts amused and dumbfounded, unsure as to whether or not he should’ve seen this one coming. “You’ve seen too many earth movies.“