Disclaimer: No, I do not own or claim to own any rights to anything even remotely related to Mass Effect. If I did…my head would probably explode from the sheer magnitude of awesome.
A/N: Happy belated birthday to my wonderful pal, Raven Sinead. She is both an amazing writer and the best fanfic friend a girl could ask for. From her very first review on my very first story, to her following Zevran's Journal and giving me the edge to continue writing. Now, a little over a year after meeting her and venturing into writing on this site, my library has grown as has our friendship. Her version of Cousland, Salem, kept and held my heart from the get-go and now her Shepard is doing the very same thing, and doing it well. She has cracked over 500 views, a feat she has deserved from the beginning. I know you will go far in the writing business. Too talented not to. I hope you had the most wonderful birthday imaginable, and here is to another year of knowing such a phenomenal person!
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!HAPPYBIRTHDAY!
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!HAPPYBIRTHDAY!
Commander Axis Shepard exited the elevator, sauntering over to the mess hall. Her svelte form was encased in Alliance issued leathers, the form-fitting outfit smoothing over her tan form like a glove. Although her boots, like all soldiers, were thick-soled and usually very noisy, Axis moved with the grace of one of the extinct felines that had roamed the earth over a hundred years ago. Her eyes, an unusual mix of blue, green, and grey, fixated on the broad-shouldered lieutenant that had his burly back turned from her.
The commander glided up, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards as she watched the man work. Lietenant Kaiden Alenko was hard at work, face scrunched up as if in concentration. Axis imagined his eyes, warm pools of molten chocolate, were intense and focused on the schematics that so obviously held his attention. Axis folded her muscular arms across her chest, a red brow cocked in amusement. Her red hair had been newly cut, framing her face like a wall of fire. "Doing alright there, Alenko?" Her voice was raspy and low, the epitome of seduction. Kaidan turned with a start, brown eyes quickly skimming over his commanding officer's body before looking up at her with a slightly guilty look.
"Commander! I-I did not expect you to be back so early…" That very same eyebrow rose skyward again. "Early? The consort did not keep me long. She just had something to give me. Quick and painless." Kaidan's face tightened and his eyes filled with pain. He looked down. "Oh. I take it she was well worth it, then?" Axis appeared in thought for a moment, pursing her lips. "Well, I would have to disagree with Sha'ira's assistant; she was quite mystical. There is no other word to describe the plains she took me to." The lieutenant seemed to choke for a minute, a flush appearing on his swarthy cheeks. "Y-yes, well…she does have a certain…reputation. I would not expect such praise if a visit to her was anything less than satisfactory."
Shepard leaned her hip against the locker, arms still crossed. "Yeah, she definitely has a way with words. Sha'ira has me thinking of the future though. I may need to go back and have her help me make sense of all this." Poor Kaiden looked like he was about to pass out from all the blood rushing towards his face. It felt like his heart (and ears) were breaking. Kaidan had fallen hopelessly in love with his commanding officer, almost as soon as he saw her face. She had been so beautiful to him, and her personality matched. Axis Shepard brooked no arguments, and accepted nothing less than kindness and good morals aboard the Normandy. Even when she had merely been the XO, the woman had been larger than life. The confident way she moved, that glint in her eyes as a slow smile spread across her face. He had just known she would become something….a hero. It was written all across her body, in the way it moved and the way she spoke. The galaxy had Axis Shepard intertwined with it, written out in the stars.
That broken, shell of a woman she had become for a short while after the events of Akuze had dissipated by the time she took refuge on the Normandy. Captain Andersen had taken in her with arms wide open; he had been a personal friend to both John and Jane Shepard, before Batarian pirates destroyed the MSV Titanic they had been stationed upon. Axis was and always would be a spacer. It had been predestined for her that she would join the Alliance, and she did when she turned seventeen. Even though her parents had been cruelly snatched away from her at once, she never bore any ill will to the batarians as a whole or even swore vengeance. Regardless, those responsible were later destroyed by a few well-timed missiles from none other than Captain Andersen himself. At the time he himself had only been an XO, but he was among the crew that had finally gotten revenge of behalf of John and Jane Shepard. The commander at the time, Ivy Steel, had fervently agreed with Andersen that the batarians needed to be stopped. Normally they would have brought in the accused and set them upon a trial, but the deaths of two popular, high-ranking military personnel made them choose a harsher, more…final ending. Perhaps that is why Axis and Andersen were so close; he had become almost a sort of father figure to her.
Kaiden had worked with her for a couple of years before she took the reigns over during the quest for Saren. His feelings for her had cultivated into something both beautiful and terrifying. He had always wanted to confess his love, but Kaidan was afraid the dynamic between the two would be ruined permanently. Axis had never taken an interest in any person since he had known her. There were rumors that she and a superior officer had a tryst back in her younger military years, but the officer rumored to be her lover, Captain Athena Gray, had been killed in action on the Akuze mission. The two would have been together for a number of years, having to hide their relationship from prying eyes. Axis had been the only survivor of the thresher maw attack, and even she escaped with horrific wounds. Thankfully, medical miracles were more common in society at the time. The only sign Akuze left on her was the scar that bisected her left eyebrow and the small raised skin on her chin.
It baffled Kaidan that Axis was the way she was. Her parents had died when she was in her early teens, and her squad and lover were all killed in front of her on Akuze. All that should have been enough to traumatize someone, to make them go insane. But Axis was remarkably in control of her emotions and mind. You would be hard put to find a better soldier of a better woman in the galaxy; Shepard was truly one of a kind.
That is why hearing about Sha'ira and Axis being intimate hurt him so badly that his chest physically ached. Kaidan was a marine born and bred himself. Being a biotic forced him to grow up quickly, especially at that godforsaken school. He was unafraid of death, fearless against fear. That is, until Axis strode into his life wearing an Alliance dress uniform. As soon as those steely eyes looked into his own, he no longer cared about his own needs or life. All that mattered was making sure this woman survived through everything the galaxy threw at her. Kaidan could combat batarians and krogans, could stop Cerberus troops in their boots with a well-placed bullet. But turning back time, keeping Axis from the asari consort's bed? Even he and his love could not perform that. His shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes as defeat washed over him as cold as the Arctic.
"Kaiden? You okay? You look…" Axis trailed off, placing a strong hand gently on the bulging bicep of her lietenant. Kaidan stepped back as though the touch burned, turning his head away in shame. Not only did he have these blasted unrequited feelings, but now he had gone and hurt the woman he claimed to love, when all she did was try and comfort him. I bet she would not feel sorry for me if she knew how I felt…
"I guess they were right after all…" the words were whispered and small, and those brown eyes were filled with a sadness that took Axis aback. "They? What were 'they' right about?" Kaidan turned his face away, leaning his body forward against his work station. "Ashley, Joker and the rest of the crew. Joker started a bet that you and Sha'ira…the consort…that you would experience her firsthand and see why she is so in demand. Most everyone onboard did not believe you would be able to pass her up."
Axis stared back, in shock. "They what? Everyone actually thought that Sha'ira and I were being intimate while I was in her office?" The lietenant still kept his face away from the woman's piercing orbs. "Didn't you? I mean, she does have a reputation and she is very beautiful. I would not blame you if you had fallen to her charms." The commander shook her head, still a little dazed by her crew's assumptions. Geez, her crew really thought a lot of her control, huh? Sha'ira was a very attractive asari, but Axis would never just jump in bed for a quick schmooze and then never see the person again. One night stands may be common in the Alliance, but Axis was never the typical soldier. Besides, her eyes were facing elsewhere…
"Kaiden, Sha'ira and I never initiated a meld." The biotic did not lift his head up. "I mean, asari are regarded as one of the most attractive spec-what did you just say?" Axis looked dead on into those confused brown eyes, amusement twinging on her lips. "I said, Sha'ira and I did not join. It was never even an option, at least I don't believe it was." The lieutenant looked like he had been struck in the face. "Then why were you with her so long?" "Sha'ira had a…vision if you will. A sort of prophecy. She asked me if I would allow her to impart what she knew to put things into perspective. That is the only thing we did; talk." The soldier's cheeks turned a bright pink as he blushed under the amused scrutiny of the object of his affections.
"…oh. I-I mean…t-that's good….I guess?" The normally composed soldier stuttered on uncharacteristically. He babbled on, feeling like an idiot. Axis continued watching Kaidan talk nervously, unblinking and her eyebrow jutting upwards in what felt like a permanent sign of amusement. A soft smile spread across her beautiful face as she gently placed a hand on the middle of his back. "Kaidan…look at me. Please…" He slowly lifted his head, brown meshing with the conglomerate mix of his commander. Axis searched his face, finding the answer to her question. It was plain as day on his handsome visage. Heart beating at a faster rate than normal, Axis forced herself not to swallow and show her own nerves. "Why did the thought of me joining with Sha'ira bother you?" Kaidan's eyes went wide and panic and fear swirled in the molten depths.
"W-what? That is not-Iwas not…bothered. Just surprised that you…I-"A slender finger pressed firmly against his lips, stilling the stuttering. "The truth, Kaidan." Her words were soft, the barest hint of a plea hiding in the silken caress. Broad shoulders stiffened at the tone, then slumped in blissful defeat. A tender sheen masked his gaze as he looked upon her. The words he had been choking back for months now came unbidden to his mouth, hitting the air for the first time. "Because I love you." A second after the words registered, Axis lunged forward, replacing her finger with her own lips. Strong arms twined around her slim waist, bringing her closer. Axis brushed up against the thick chest, feeling the warmth simmer between the two bodies. A soft moan left the higher ranked marine's mouth as a tongue hesitantly flicked her bottom lip.
It felt like a millennium before the two parted, heavy breathing accentuating the rapid pulses flittering beneath their skin, hearts beating unknowingly in time. That smile was back on Shepard's face, making the dimple on her right cheek make its appearance, something that rarely happened anymore. Her hand rested upon the man's cheek, thumb just barely skimming the scruff accumulated there. A look of wonder was etched on her face; Kaidan had never seen her look more beautiful. "I love you too, Lieutenant Alenko." The words slid into a teasing lilt on his name; he swatted her playfully. Axis tried to retract her hand to "admonish" him, but Kaidan quickly grabbed her hand and cradled it between his own. The fingers intertwined, a perfect match. A grin broke out over the soldier's face as he looked at his commander turned friend transformed into girlfriend. Kaidan had sacrificed a lot in his life, overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles and trying to keep his positivity. Always, the soldier in him had crawled through and pushed him forward. Now, it seemed that all the hard work had finally paid off.
"Now that we have established who the real person I love is….I believe there are certain crew members who need to be addressed." Kaidan laughed at the mischievous expression painting the tan face downright evil. He certainly would not want to be the person on the receiving end of that. A gentle peck graced his cheek. A coquettish wink followed as the woman left him standing, openmouthed and little imaginary hearts floating above his head. Now, getting that was well worth it. The man shook his head, smiling as he took off after Axis to make sure she did not permanently maim or scar the rest of the staff.
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!HAPPYBIRTHDAY!
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!HAPPYBIRTHDAY!
P.S If you enjoy Dragon Age, Mass Effect or just really good writing, check out Raven Sinead's page. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.