A/N: Just something that came to my mind while watching Kaidan scenes... And you have to admit that his sudden interest in MaleShep was kinda unexpected... :)


Someone handsome

"You're not sleeping, Kaidan?"

The dark-haired man shifted in his chair uncomfortably, evading the other's eyes while admitting, "Maybe a little restless..." He let his eyes wander over the Citadel Commons, still feeling Shepard's patient eyes on him, the Commander quietly giving him the time he needed to collect his thoughts.

A sigh finally escaped him before he spoke again. "It's just – you plan a career, you focus, then suddenly the world's ending and it's too late to... find someone."

"Someone?" Shepard's calming voice inquired softly and that was all it took for Kaidan to find the courage to face the other over the table.

He raised his head to meet Shepard's eyes, fearing for a second to loose himself in those soulful eyes, in the relaxed expression while the Commander listened intently to every word he spoke. It was rare, finding a peaceful moment like this these days and he was thankful Shepard had taken the time to meet him. Alone, without a buzzing Normandy in the background or any of the other crewmembers that normally followed the Commander wherever he went...

There hadn't been time to just sit down and talk and it felt good to hear Shepard's calm voice – a stark contrast to the normal loud and commanding voice Shepard used while barking orders during missions. The tone he was using now was... different... Maybe he hadn't just imagined things...

Kaidan held Shepard's gaze and nodded. "Yeah, 'someone'. Someone strong and confident." Shepard nodded, encouraging Kaidan to go on. "Someone I admire and respect and enjoy being with. Someone handsome."

God, where were these words coming from? He hadn't meant to say them, had never dared to even admit them out loud, but they were out now and Shepard was still sitting next to him. He hadn't run, he hadn't started laughing... Maybe it was time...

Kaidan gave a short laugh. "Tall order, I know," he admitted. "But I don't really have to look far." And feeling those eyes still on him, he inhaled deeply before breathing, "Shepard."

Shepard studied the man sitting across the table. Kaidan nervously evaded his eyes now and the Commander felt the need to say something, to break the tension that seemed to have been building between them to ease the fidgeting man in front of him. And so, after another second of contemplation, he leaned forward on the table, clasping his hands as he stated in a serious tone, "You mean Liara."

Kaidan's head whipped around and his mouth opened but no sound came out while he tried to determine whether Shepard was joking or not. Shepard's eyes remained calm while he studied Kaidan's expression and the other finally gave a short laugh, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head.

"Erm, no..." He gave another laugh. "No, I wasn't talking about Liara..."

Shepard nodded in thought before he turned back to a startled Kaidan. "You know you can talk to me, Kaidan. Is it Samantha? Because if it is, I gotta tell you-"

"No!" Kaidan's voice interrupted the other man and Shepard raised his hands in a defensive gesture while Kaidan cleared his throat, trying to fight a rising irritation. "It's not Liara and it's not Samantha." He clenched his teeth before quietly adding, "It's... not... a woman..."

"Oh." Shepard slightly leaned back in his chair and Kaidan already feared he would run but the other simply nodded his understanding. "I see." Shepard tapped his fingers on the table a few times as if in thought before he added, "I understand."

"You... you do?" Kaidan's voice was weak but no matter how many times he cleared his throat, it just didn't help get rid of the lump there... His eyes searched Shepard's and the other nodded, holding his gaze calmly.

"Of course," Shepard answered with a serious expression. He propped his arm on the back of his chair and gestured through the air vaguely as he went on, "James is an attractive man..." Scratching the nape of his neck trying to find the right words as not to make the other even more uncomfortable, Shepard offered, "I mean, he's very well built and-"

"It's not James," Kaidan whispered and Shepard leaned forward on his chair.

"What did you say?"

Kaidan buried his head in his hands and gave a tired sigh. "It's not James either."

"Okay..."

Another short laugh escaped Kaidan and he straightened back up, bracing his arms on the table to get up. This was a mistake...

"I better get back to the ship," he announced, already turning to leave. "But thanks for your time..." And with that, he hurried away.


"Cortez?"

Kaidan's hands balled into fists at his sides while he tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the decontamination process to end, his back to the man standing behind him.

"No, it's not Cortez!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"A shame, that might have been-"

The door to the Normandy's airlock hissed open and Kaidan immediately shot out, a confused Shepard still on his heels.

"Is it Joker?"

"What about me?"

"What? No! Just... forget I said anything, okay? Now, could you please just leave me alone..."

They quickly crossed the CIC and stopped in front of the elevator. It started to rumble and Kaidan hit the button to summon it a few more times – just for good measure...

"I'm here to help you, Kaidan, but I can't do that if you don't talk to me... Is it someone more complicated? Is it Garrus?"

The elevator doors finally opened and Kaidan hurried in, groaning when Shepard followed. Keeping his back on the commander, he placed his forehead on the cool elevator wall and sighed, trying to ignore the other's voice...


"Come on, you can tell me..."

"I think I'll be fine, thank you." Kaidan ignored the looks he and his pursuer got from the few crew members sitting in the Mess Hall as he passed them by, evading Liara on the way to his quarters.

Shepard gave a heavy sigh but still followed the other man, still confused as to why he was running away from him and wouldn't talk... He had been the one bringing the topic up in the first place, Shepard simply wished to help...

"Come on, Kaidan, I'm running out of names here... Is it Kenneth?"

The door to Kaidan's quarters hissed shut right in front of Shepard's face and the lock quickly turned from green to red. With a groan, Shepard's forhead hit the closed door and he closed his eyes for a second, taking deep, controlled breaths.

"What was that all about?"

Hearing the soft voice behind him, Shepard pushed himself off the door and turned to Liara, running a hand through his hair. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea... One second he was telling me about someone he fancies and the next I'm chasing him through the entire Citadel and he refuses to tell me who it is..."

A smile tugged at Liara's lips and she nodded. "I see..."

Shepard's eyebrow rose. "You know who it is?" Seeing Liara's shrug, he threw his hands up in frustration. "How come you know it and I don't? Did he tell everyone but me?"

"Not exactly..." Liara bit her lower lip and she turned her head towards her office as if deciding whether she should make a run for it or not... "He..." Her brows furrowed in thought. "There may have been... certain extranet searches..."

"Like what?"

'Mr. N7'-calendar 2180...

The asari winced guiltily before glancing at the datapad in her right hand. "My, is that the hour?" she mused and turned back to Shepard, touching his shoulder lightly. "I really should finish these reports." And with that, and a warm, apologetic smile, she spun on her heels and hurried back to her office, her door lock – just like Kaidan's – turning from green to red to prevent Shepard from following...

Shepard shook his head in defeat and a heavy sigh escaped him. "I need a drink!"