#shenkosummer2023

[alyssalenko]

Shore Leave Surprise

Written for the @shenkosummer exchange.

Shepard and Kaidan find a surprise waiting for them as they're returning from a date at the start of their shore leave that threatens to turn their world upside down, while starting the emotional ball rolling towards something much bigger…Also on AO3 if you prefer.

Kaidan took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers together as they walked slowly back to the Normandy from their date, taking in the view because with five days of shore leave left, they had all the time in the world to enjoy themselves and forget the rest of the world existed. Kaidan felt like the luckiest man in the world, and gave her hand a little squeeze as they stepped in the elevator to the docking bay together–his lips finding her neck as soon as the doors closed in front of them. Kaidan leaned in and pressed a teasing kiss to her ear before nibbling a slow trail along the side of her neck, Shepard unable to pull herself away. She smiled and leaned back against his chest, arms resting over his and head rolling to the side to give him more access, a contented sigh escaping her lips. The elevator opened to reveal the Normandy docked before them, sudden awareness of their surroundings taking hold of her--it wasn't that no one knew about them, but she hadn't wanted to flaunt their relationship with everything going on. No one was around, but that didn't mean that couldn't change in an instant.

"Kaidan--someone might see us." Shepard laughed, pushing him away so he stopped kissing her neck.

"Oh please. Since when have you ever cared about your reputation? You just spent lunch draped all over me, but now you care?"

She'd have to give him that one, especially when several red kiss marks peeked out of his collar. It was just nice to be together again, all the obstacles had led them here, back to one another and it'd be a shame not to take advantage of it, and give in. Kaidan's hands held her hips, spinning her around in his arms and backing her against the wall of the Normandy's docking tube, the two of them leaning in closer. A keening wail pierced the air and stopped them when they were about a centimeter apart, the two of them breaking away from one another and looking around, startled. An infant wailed away in a bassinet at their feet in front of the airlock door, wrapped in a light pink blanket, her face mottled and red as she bawled. Shepard looked around for some clue of who this little one belonged to, only finding a note addressed to her, asking her to take care of the baby while they sorted some things out as Kaidan bent to pick her up out of the basket, the crying stopping instantly in his arms.

“There now. That’s better, isn’t it Tawni?” He cooed, bouncing her in his arms and rubbing her back.

"Kaidan, you can't name her! You'll get attached."

"I think she just looks like a ‘Tawni’--and how can you say no to this face?" Kaidan asked, holding 'Tawni' up and squishing her cheek against his--one blue eye and one brown watching her quizzically.

He was far too adorable for his own good.

"I'm not saying no, but this is a warship–it’s no place for a child, at least not while we’re actively heading into combat. She could be in a lot of danger if she comes with us."

“I know but we’re on leave and she has no one. Besides, whoever left her here for you to find must have thought they were doing the right thing--and who was more trustworthy to look after precious cargo than Commander Shepard. And just look at her chubby little cheeks.”

It wasn’t like she hadn’t pictured the two of them settling down together, but that was when the war was over and she could retire her title and just be, not tackling a surprise baby they’d found, but her bleeding heart wouldn’t let her just leave ‘Tawni’ there, not when she could help. So she resigned herself to trailing after Kaidan as he wandered past her back out into the docking bay and hailed a cab. It took him all of two minutes to bundle them all into the taxi to buy all manner of things for their new charge; far too into it, but he was so cute and she couldn't help picturing him going all out with a baby of their own.

When they got back to the Normandy, Tawni nestled against Kaidan's chest in the carrier they'd bought, he headed straight for the mess to heat up some formula. Tawni reached out for her as she leaned in, a large toothless smile on her face as she placed a chubby hand on her mouth and drawing a low chuckle from Kaidan as he smoothed down her curls and placed a kiss to the top of her head. He was ready for this adventure, and so happy he got to share it with the woman he loved. Shepard ran a gentle finger down Tawni’s cheek, kissing her little palm and then her forehead as Kaidan tested the temperature of the milk against the inside of his wrist. Satisfied, he passed her the bottle, the two of them stopped dead when Tawni sneezed, a blue glow lighting the area in front of them. That explained a lot. She needed constant attention and nourishment and her parent–or parents–had most likely been in over their heads--probably doing this alone and didn't know how to deal with a biotic baby, but luckily, both Shepard and Kaidan were biotics themselves. 

Kaidan's hand covered hers around the bottle as Tawni ate. "You ever think we'd get to do this?"

"Honestly? No. Not that I never thought about it, just that I never thought I'd get to actually do it. But I'm glad it's with you."

"Me too." Kaidan caught her lips in a chaste kiss.

As Tawni finished her bottle, Shepard lifted her out of the baby carrier, patting her back gently and humming a soft lullaby as her eyes drifted slowly shut. Kaidan motioned her towards the elevator, collecting their bags in his arms and following behind her to set up everything in the loft. She tried to help a couple times, but every time she handed Tawni to Kaidan she'd start fussing in her sleep only to settle when nestled against Shepard’s chest, so she'd had to just watch and instruct Kaidan from the sofa. 

Neither one of them got much sleep that night, Tawni waking them every couple hours whether it was from a nightmare, or being hungry or just wanting to be held–they’d found out when trying to put her down for bed that she did not like to be put down and would fuss, unless and until she was snuggled against Shepard's chest and would drift off from there, Shepard napping on the couch until Tawni was completely out and then putting her in the crib Kaidan had built and dragging herself to bed.

Each morning, she woke them bright and early, Kaidan reacting faster and getting her out of the crib as Shepard groaned and rolled out of bed to drag herself down to the mess to heat up a bottle. So much for a relaxing vacation.

She leaned against the door frame watching Kaidan playing peek-a-boo with Tawni as he bounced her on his knee, a faint smile playing about her lips. It had only been four days and somehow she'd wormed her way into their hearts--even if taking care of an infant had been the last thing on her mind for this shore leave, having had all kinds of thoughts about the naughty shenanigans she and Kaidan would get up to, which hadn't come to fruition. But it was fun–exhausting but fun. He leaned down and blew a raspberry on her stomach, making Tawni giggle and grab a handful of Kaidan’s hair as he tried to sit up.

“There’s something so attractive about a man with a baby.” She teased from the doorway.

"You could help, you know. She likes you more than me." Kaidan replied, trying to ease Tawni's grip on his hair.

"Completely impossible." Shepard laughed, moving into the room working her tiny hands out of Kaidan's curls and gently taking Tawni into her arms as she gave her the bottle she'd been in the mess heating up--the little biotic was constantly hungry and could only be distracted for so long. "You've been spoiling her rotten."

"And yet she only sleeps when you hold her."

"It's the boobs."

Kaidan chuckled and kissed her cheek as he moved to clean up the toys scattered around the loft, Shepard cooing at the baby in her arms as she bounced slightly where she stood, the up and down motion had a calming effect as she helped Tawni hold the bottle. She caught sight of herself in the fish tank and almost laughed at how frazzled she looked four sleepless nights later, and yet Kaidan still looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy and like he couldn't wait to do this again--with her. Living to a ripe old age as a soldier hadn't really been a possibility; never really thinking about settling down, had been both a blessing and a curse. At least they were having this experience together, life throwing them a curve ball, in the form of a four-month-old biotic baby girl. Hopefully they could apply these skills to their own little rugrats, both feeling ready to tackle that side by side, if they made it that far…

"Hey Commander, you've got a woman here to see you." Joker's voice rang out over the comm system in the loft. "Says you’ve got her baby?”

They both looked at each other and frowned, Kaidan handing her the baby carrier and helping her settle Tawni into it, the two of them making their way down to the CIC together. Joker had returned from leave early–they thought they’d have the Normandy to themselves for one more day. A woman with dark hair turned towards them, Joker behind her gawking at them from the cockpit–Shepard would get an earful about this later, of that she could be sure. If they’d had any doubts of the woman’s identity, they were quashed the moment they saw the woman's eyes--she had the same heterochromia Tawni did, one blue eye and one brown. Tawni curled her hand around Shepard's fingers, completely oblivious to the tension in the air, as she stared off into space and sucked on her pacifier. They ushered her to the mess, Kaidan pulling out a chair for her before sitting down next to Shepard, his hand on her knee and his touch more comforting than he knew.

“You probably have some questions for me.” There was a tremble in her voice, like she was on the edge of tears.

Kaidan ran his hand over Tawni’s head–though a niggling voice in the back of his head told him that wasn’t her name. “Just one. Why’d you leave her?”

“I just didn’t know what to do. She sneezed and glowed blue and I was already in over my head doing this alone, and I just needed a few days to get my head on straight. I knew the Normandy was docked here on leave, and I didn’t know where else to turn. I don’t have anyone."

“And now?”

“I just got a job–the credits are good and the hours are flexible. It’s an office job, so I can bring her with me. I just needed time to get my life together.”

Shepard heaved a sigh and stood from the table, her arm glowing orange as she pulled up her omnitool. “Let me help. Just to get you on your feet before payday? And if you’d send us a picture every now and then, we’d sure appreciate it.”

She nodded, passing along her contact info. After everything they’d done for her, she didn’t want to cut them out of her life entirely, especially when Kaidan insisted she take all the things they’d bought as a gift, their generosity overwhelming and bringing tears to her eyes. She cuddled Tawni close, and with a bag in hand left the Normandy with them. They’d send the rest along later, sending her with what she could carry for the moment. Shepard sighed as Kaidan wrapped himself around her and brought her snug against his chest, the two of them watching the woman walk toward the elevator to the docking bay, with their hearts in her arms.

“And there she goes. Kaidan, I miss her so much already, not the crying–thank god the loft is soundproof–but I miss her.”

“I miss her too. I know it's silly to be that attached after only four days, but I am. A piece of me left with her. But we’ll always have those moments with her. Those can’t be taken away. She’ll always be our Tawni.” And maybe they’d do this all over again with one of their own–but he didn’t say that. Couldn’t bring himself to hope in case he lost her again. “And Joker’s going to have a field day with this one, isn’t he?”

That made her smile a little as she looped her arm through his, the two of them heading back to the Normandy together. “He does, and he’ll be on bathroom duty for a week.”

[olath124]

My Shenkosummer2023 entry! I've drawn the lovely Hawke Shepard and Kaidan Alenko. I wanted to represent a brief moment between them during the final battle on Earth.

[timptoe]

Small Comforts

And my second fic for ShenkoSummer2023 for @palimpsetus on AO3 is pure fluff: her Shepard OC Anna and Kaidan spend a lovely day on a tropical island where the upstanding Canadian gets his ass kicked in beach volleyball and then breaks into a lighthouse. So much fun to write. Read the whole thing on AO3.

----

Late night, come home Work sucks, I know She left me roses by the stairs Surprises let me know she cares - Blink-182, “All the Small Things”

--

It’s the small comforts, Kaidan thinks, that matter most.

The sound of ocean surf. The gentle heat of the sun. A warm breeze on his bare back as he lands prone in the sand. The thunk of a volleyball as it lands a good few feet away from his outstretched fists.

Maybe not that last one.

“That’s game, human!” comes the nasally salarian voice from the other side of the net.

Kaidan groans, resting where he landed after that last futile dive, the sandpapery grit on his cheek a fitting punishment. Dying of embarrassment has gotta be more humiliating than dying to a husk, right?

This was supposed to be a vacation. A well-earned vacation. A well-earned, relaxing, boring, “thanks for taking out the biggest threat to the galaxy in literal eons and somehow living through it!” vacation. All he wanted was to sit on a beach, hold Anna’s hand, and maybe sip some sort of tropical drink. Fruity. With a little paper umbrella in it. He was even willing to wear sunscreen to keep his pasty Canadian skin from turning the color of a krogan warlord. That’s gotta count for something, right?

“Woo! Good job, babe!” a slightly tipsy, dark-haired woman shouts from the sideline.

He rolls his eyes and tries to sink deeper into the sand.

“Eh, come on, habibi,” a warm baritone says, an outstretched hand appearing in his peripheral vision. “Best two out of three?”

Kaidan huffs, grabbing the man’s hand and allowing himself to be hauled to his feet. Sand is caked on the side of his face and most of his torso, and his hair feels like it’s been styled with an entire sand dune. He’s pretty sure he looks as pathetic as he feels.

The expression on his face must match his attitude, because his erstwhile partner chuckles and claps his back sympathetically. “Cheer up, Kaidan,” Mehtab says, surreptitiously wiping off his now-sandy hand, “you did pretty well for your first time!”

Kaidan, nonplussed, manages a half-smile. “Thanks. I think I’m, uh, gonna sit the next one out.”

“Aw, but we were just getting started, wasiim!” Mehtab says, looking Kaidan up and down and grinning.

Kaidan full-on blushes, drawing a delighted laugh out of the other man. What I wouldn’t give to hear a Reaper horn right now.“Next time, maybe.”

“Next time, then,” Mehtab says with a wink, before picking up the volleyball and cajoling the gathered crowd to produce his “next handsome partner to challenge these two unbeaten salarians!”

Kaidan, for his part, trudges his way back to the beach chairs and the tipsy dark-haired woman in the flowy sundress, stylish sunglasses, and comically oversized wicker hat. “Babe, you were amazing!” the woman calls out, clapping as he approaches.

“We lost by ten points,” he grumbles as he flops petulantly into his chair, scattering sand everywhere.

“Yeah, that’s because you were staring at that guy’s ass more than the ball, babe,” she teases.

He looks across the beach at where Mehtab has pulled some unlucky twink onto the court to be the salarians’ next victim, admiring his bronzed muscles and blindingly white smile. “What can I say? It’s a nice ass,” he says evenly.

“Second nicest one out there,” she muses.

He turns to the woman and arches an eyebrow. “Also, ‘babe���? Really?”

She peers over her sunglasses at him, eyes twinkling with unrestrained mirth. “What? We’re on vacation, it’s a whole tourist…thing, isn’t it?”

Kaidan just harrumphs.

“I could just call you Major,” she sasses.

“You know I still technically outrank you, right?” he retorts, placing a hand lightly on her armrest as he relaxes back into his chair.

She scoffs. “Maybe by Alliance protocol. I’m pretty sure ‘Savior of the Galaxy’ trumps most other positions, Major.”

He entwines his fingers with hers and gives a gentle squeeze. “Mm. I can think of a few positions to test that theory on, Shepard.”

Anna laughs and swats him with her hat, never letting go of his hand.

Read the rest on AO3.

[alyssalenko]

Shore Leave Surprise

Shepard and Kaidan find a surprise waiting for them as they're returning from a date at the start of their shore leave that threatens to turn their world upside down, while starting the emotional ball rolling towards something much bigger...Also on A03 if you prefer.

Written for the ShenkoSummer2023 gift exchange for @fireflarec and Beta'd by the amazing @foofyschmoofer

Kaidan took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers together as they walked slowly back to the Normandy from their date, taking in the view because with five days of shore leave left, they had all the time in the world to enjoy themselves and forget the rest of the world existed. Kaidan felt like the luckiest man in the world, and gave her hand a little squeeze as they stepped in the elevator to the docking bay together–his lips finding her neck as soon as the doors closed in front of them. Kaidan leaned in and pressed a teasing kiss to her ear before nibbling a slow trail along the side of her neck, Shepard unable to pull herself away. She smiled and leaned back against his chest, arms resting over his and head rolling to the side to give him more access, a contented sigh escaping her lips. The elevator opened to reveal the Normandy docked before them, sudden awareness of their surroundings taking hold of her--it wasn't that no one knew about them, but she hadn't wanted to flaunt their relationship with everything going on. No one was around, but that didn't mean that couldn't change in an instant.

"Kaidan--someone might see us." Shepard laughed, pushing him away so he stopped kissing her neck.

"Oh please. Since when have you ever cared about your reputation? You just spent lunch draped all over me, but now you care?"

She'd have to give him that one, especially when several red kiss marks peeked out of his collar. It was just nice to be together again, all the obstacles had led them here, back to one another and it'd be a shame not to take advantage of it, and give in. Kaidan's hands held her hips, spinning her around in his arms and backing her against the wall of the Normandy's docking tube, the two of them leaning in closer. A keening wail pierced the air and stopped them when they were about a centimeter apart, the two of them breaking away from one another and looking around, startled. An infant wailed away in a bassinet at their feet in front of the airlock door, wrapped in a light pink blanket, her face mottled and red as she bawled. Shepard looked around for some clue of who this little one belonged to, only finding a note addressed to her, asking her to take care of the baby while they sorted some things out as Kaidan bent to pick her up out of the basket, the crying stopping instantly in his arms.

“There now. That’s better, isn’t it Tawni?” He cooed, bouncing her in his arms and rubbing her back.

"Kaidan, you can't name her! You'll get attached."

"I think she just looks like a ‘Tawni’--and how can you say no to this face?" Kaidan asked, holding 'Tawni' up and squishing her cheek against his--one blue eye and one brown watching her quizzically.

He was far too adorable for his own good.

"I'm not saying no, but this is a warship–it’s no place for a child, at least not while we’re actively heading into combat. She could be in a lot of danger if she comes with us."

“I know but we’re on leave and she has no one. Besides, whoever left her here for you to find must have thought they were doing the right thing--and who was more trustworthy to look after precious cargo than Commander Shepard . And just look at her chubby little cheeks.”

It wasn’t like she hadn’t pictured the two of them settling down together, but that was when the war was over and she could retire her title and just be, not tackling a surprise baby they’d found, but her bleeding heart wouldn’t let her just leave ‘Tawni’ there, not when she could help. So she resigned herself to trailing after Kaidan as he wandered past her back out into the docking bay and hailed a cab. It took him all of two minutes to bundle them all into the taxi to buy all manner of things for their new charge; far too into it, but he was so cute and she couldn't help picturing him going all out with a baby of their own.

When they got back to the Normandy, Tawni nestled against Kaidan's chest in the carrier they'd bought, he headed straight for the mess to heat up some formula. Tawni reached out for her as she leaned in, a large toothless smile on her face as she placed a chubby hand on her mouth and drawing a low chuckle from Kaidan as he smoothed down her curls and placed a kiss to the top of her head. He was ready for this adventure, and so happy he got to share it with the woman he loved. Shepard ran a gentle finger down Tawni’s cheek, kissing her little palm and then her forehead as Kaidan tested the temperature of the milk against the inside of his wrist. Satisfied, he passed her the bottle, the two of them stopped dead when Tawni sneezed, a blue glow lighting the area in front of them. That explained a lot. She needed constant attention and nourishment and her parent–or parents–had most likely been in over their heads--probably doing this alone and didn't know how to deal with a biotic baby, but luckily, both Shepard and Kaidan were biotics themselves. 

Kaidan's hand covered hers around the bottle as Tawni ate. "You ever think we'd get to do this?"

"Honestly? No. Not that I never thought about it, just that I never thought I'd get to actually do it. But I'm glad it's with you."

"Me too." Kaidan caught her lips in a chaste kiss.

As Tawni finished her bottle, Shepard lifted her out of the baby carrier, patting her back gently and humming a soft lullaby as her eyes drifted slowly shut. Kaidan motioned her towards the elevator, collecting their bags in his arms and following behind her to set up everything in the loft. She tried to help a couple times, but every time she handed Tawni to Kaidan she'd start fussing in her sleep only to settle when nestled against Shepard’s chest, so she'd had to just watch and instruct Kaidan from the sofa. 

Neither one of them got much sleep that night, Tawni waking them every couple hours whether it was from a nightmare, or being hungry or just wanting to be held–they’d found out when trying to put her down for bed that she did not like to be put down and would fuss, unless and until she was snuggled against Shepard's chest and would drift off from there, Shepard napping on the couch until Tawni was completely out and then putting her in the crib Kaidan had built and dragging herself to bed.

Each morning, she woke them bright and early, Kaidan reacting faster and getting her out of the crib as Shepard groaned and rolled out of bed to drag herself down to the mess to heat up a bottle. So much for a relaxing vacation.

She leaned against the doorframe watching Kaidan playing peek-a-boo with Tawni as he bounced her on his knee, a faint smile playing about her lips. It had only been four days and somehow she'd wormed her way into their hearts--even if taking care of an infant had been the last thing on her mind for this shore leave, having had all kinds of thoughts about the naughty shenanigans she and Kaidan would get up to, which hadn't come to fruition. But it was fun–exhausting but fun. He leaned down and blew a raspberry on her stomach, making Tawni giggle and grab a handful of Kaidan’s hair as he tried to sit up.

“There’s something so attractive about a man with a baby.” She teased from the doorway.

"You could help, you know. She likes you more than me." Kaidan replied, trying to ease Tawni's grip on his hair.

"Completely impossible." Shepard laughed, moving into the room working her tiny hands out of Kaidan's curls and gently taking Tawni into her arms as she gave her the bottle she'd been in the mess heating up--the little biotic was constantly hungry and could only be distracted for so long. "You've been spoiling her rotten."

"And yet she only sleeps when you hold her."

"It's the boobs."

Kaidan chuckled and kissed her cheek as he moved to clean up the toys scattered around the loft, Shepard cooing at the baby in her arms as she bounced slightly where she stood, the up and down motion had a calming effect as she helped Tawni hold the bottle. She caught sight of herself in the fish tank and almost laughed at how frazzled she looked four sleepless nights later, and yet Kaidan still looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy and like he couldn't wait to do this again--with her. Living to a ripe old age as a soldier hadn't really been a possibility; never really thinking about settling down, had been both a blessing and a curse. At least they were having this experience together, life throwing them a curve ball, in the form of a four-month-old biotic baby girl. Hopefully they could apply these skills to their own little rugrats, both feeling ready to tackle that side by side, if they made it that far…

"Hey Commander, you've got a woman here to see you." Joker's voice rang out over the comm system in the loft. "Says you’ve got her baby?”

They both looked at each other and frowned, Kaidan handing her the baby carrier and helping her settle Tawni into it, the two of them making their way down to the CIC together. Joker had returned from leave early–they thought they’d have the Normandy to themselves for one more day. A woman with dark hair turned towards them, Joker behind her gawking at them from the cockpit–Shepard would get an earful about this later, of that she could be sure. If they’d had any doubts of the woman’s identity, they were quashed the moment they saw the woman's eyes--she had the same heterochromia Tawni did, one blue eye and one brown. Tawni curled her hand around Shepard's fingers, completely oblivious to the tension in the air, as she stared off into space and sucked on her pacifier. They ushered her to the mess, Kaidan pulling out a chair for her before sitting down next to Shepard, his hand on her knee and his touch more comforting than he knew.

“You probably have some questions for me.” There was a tremble in her voice, like she was on the edge of tears.

Kaidan ran his hand over Tawni’s head–though a niggling voice in the back of his head told him that wasn’t her name. “Just one. Why’d you leave her?”

“I just didn’t know what to do. She sneezed and glowed blue and I was already in over my head doing this alone, and I just needed a few days to get my head on straight. I knew the Normandy was docked here on leave, and I didn’t know where else to turn. I don’t have anyone."

“And now?”

“I just got a job–the credits are good and the hours are flexible. It’s an office job, so I can bring her with me. I just needed time to get my life together.”

Shepard heaved a sigh and stood from the table, her arm glowing orange as she pulled up her omnitool. “Let me help. Just to get you on your feet before payday? And if you’d send us a picture every now and then, we’d sure appreciate it.”

She nodded, passing along her contact info. After everything they’d done for her, she didn’t want to cut them out of her life entirely, especially when Kaidan insisted she take all the things they’d bought as a gift, their generosity overwhelming and bringing tears to her eyes. She cuddled Tawni close, and with a bag in hand left the Normandy with them. They’d send the rest along later, sending her with what she could carry for the moment. Shepard sighed as Kaidan wrapped himself around her and brought her snug against his chest, the two of them watching the woman walk toward the elevator to the docking bay, with their hearts in her arms.

“And there she goes. Kaidan, I miss her so much already, not the crying–thank god the loft is soundproof–but I miss her.”

“I miss her too. I know it's silly to be that attached after only four days, but I am. A piece of me left with her. But we’ll always have those moments with her. Those can’t be taken away. She’ll always be our Tawni.” And maybe they’d do this all over again with one of their own–but he didn’t say that. Couldn’t bring himself to hope in case he lost her again. “And Joker’s going to have a field day with this one, isn’t he?”

That made her smile a little as she looped her arm through his, the two of them heading back to the Normandy together. “He does, and he’ll be on bathroom duty for a week.”