#26 or 60 for Loch/Kaidan~
60. “If I didn’t know any better, I’dsay you were trying to seduce me.” ► Lachlan x Kaidan
The crowds are lapping up every gilded word falling off the stage, setup in a gaudily decked out Silver Coast Casino. It’s a charity event, needlessly framed for publicity, and filled to the rafters with corrupt politicians. All in all, not the kind of place Lachlan Shepard particularly wants to spend his shore leave. Drink firmly in hand, Lachlan slips through a group of marines crowding the staircase, and given the way they’re struggling to stand upright, they passed the point of caring a while ago.
In all honesty, he’s just here for the free drinks while Cade deals with being the main Shepard for the night. And maybe the view, Lachlan thinks as he lands eyes on a familiar figure by the bar. Kaidan’s shoulders are sharply lined by the crisp, dark blue suit, pulled together with the slightest hint of chrome plated insignias, the Spectre and Alliance embellishments betraying his rank. He looks tall and solemn the way he is, quiet confidence brimming under his whiskey-fired gaze. Lachlan smirks to himself as he takes in the sight, but he presses on and through the rest of the crowd to slip into the spot next to Kaidan with ease, setting his drink down on the bar.
“There you are.” Kaidan hums contentedly as he feels Loch’s familiar warmth at his side, Loch’s arm slipping around his waist as Kaidan turns to face him. Loch smiles up at him, small and quiet, golden gaze intense in the way it always is.
“Here I am.” Lachlan says lazily, letting the room fade out of mind. Kaidan’s all he cares about tonight, and it’s about damn time he had a chance to do that without feeling guilty for it. He reaches for his drink with his free hand and finishes it, not quite remembering what he’d ordered, but not caring enough to dwell on it. Setting the now-empty glass aside, Lachlan feels Kaidan’s breath on his neck as words tumble out. Loch knows Kaidan’s talking, but he’s so quiet, and the music is so loud, he struggles to place Kaidan’s voice in it.
Glancing around, Loch can see Ashley lingering by Brooks on a nearby staircase, and figures the situation is completely in hand. It’s not like anybody’s stupid enough to pull something here, anyway. Loch satisfies himself with his own logic, allowing himself that peace of mind he needs for tonight, and turns back to Kaidan, who’s leaning into his grip now.
“Kai,” Loch finds Kaidan’s hand with his own free one, squeezing it gently, “Let’s get out of here.”
Kaidan looks surprised for a moment, but his expression smooths out into a crooked smile moments later as his amber eyes catch the lights just so. Loch can feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he makes sense of his own words, but he knows he doesn’t exactly mean anything else. Smirking again, Loch stands upright, just taller than Kaidan at full height.
“Alright, soldier.” Kaidan grins, squeezing Lachlan’s hand in his own before he links their fingers together. “What did you have in mind?”
Lachlan doesn’t reply straight away, instead choosing to press lazy kisses to the corner of Kaidan’s mouth, denying him the real thing. Kaidan turns to change that, but Loch moves away, forcing Kaidan to follow with a low whine that turns into a laugh when they find their way down the stairs and out into the main Silversun Strip. The neon catches Lachlan in blinding blue for a moment, and Kaidan stops to stare.
“What are you doing?” Lachlan feels the tug on his hand when Kaidan stops and he turns to look, still smiling.
“I should ask you that,” Kaidan smirks then, cocking his head slightly as his gaze roves over Loch, deliberate and slow. “First, you show up looking like this--”
Kaidan steps closer, hands gentle as they land on his shoulders to move down, the soft fabric of Loch’s suit doing nothing to help matters. Loch just watches, still smirking, but he can’t take his eyes off Kaidan. Not when he’s like this, and this close.
“Then you have the gall to buy me a drink.” Kaidan chuckles, hands slipping down to Loch’s waist where they settle as Kaidan meets Loch’s gaze again.
“More than one.” Loch grins brightly, bumping their noses together as his own quiet laughter joins Kaidan’s.
“More than one. And then you insist on getting out of there, but you’re still teasing.” Kaidan quirks an eyebrow, and Loch fiddles with Kaidan’s lapels, nimble fingers tracing the line of chrome embellishment.
“You are.” Kaidan sneaks in a kiss to Loch’s cheek while his gaze is turned, bringing his attention back with ease, “So, all I’m saying is... if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to seduce me.”
Lachlan laughs, head dropping to rest on Kaidan’s chest for a moment before he pulls back, eyes molten gold now, and he finds Kaidan’s hands again.
“Do you know any better?” Loch challenges, tugging on Kaidan’s hands to get him to walk a few paces with him, but Kaidan slows as he considers Loch’s question.
“Tonight? Nope.” he answers with another lopsided grin.
“Then, you know,” Loch glances over his shoulder and back at Kaidan, “My brother’s not the only one with a place on the strip.”
Kaidan licks his lips, nodding, smile growing as Lachlan shoots him an easy wink, before pulling him into an eager walk down the strip and into the neon haze.
