AN: I have a longer story I'm working on, but as my first post here I thought I'd do some fluffy Valentine's Shenko drabbles to warm up to you guys :) I hope you enjoy! Please be lenient with me; it's my first time publishing my work, ever! ^^;
Rhea Shepard: Soldier, Spacer, Paragon(with a good amount of Renegade as well)
Story is during ME3, after Thessia.
Talking to Liara hurt more than she thought it would. It was as if she could not accept the fall of Thessia. The asari were doomed. Liara's home was gone and it killed her to think she would never see it again. It's not like Shepard wasn't having the same issue, considering she let it fall. After the intel Specialist Traynor gained, there was nothing she wanted now except to go to Sanctuary and destroy Kai Leng. Then, give the Reapers hell.
Making her way back to the elevator, she hung her head low, avoiding speaking to anyone; she avoided eye contact all together. While the elevator summoned, she glanced to Starboard Observation, only to remember Kaidan was actually down in engineering speaking to Adams. Now that she thought of it, even Kaidan couldn't make her feel better. She let the planet of Thessia and the entire asari race down. Their fate was on her shoulders. When the elevator finally came, she quickly went inside and to her cabin.
It wasn't often that Shepard felt this way. She knew people died during war, as much as she hated it, but letting an entire planet fall was a different story. The council may have gotten on her nerves more than once, but the tone in the councilor's voice when they last spoke truly hurt. She swore she could hear the loss of hope in her words. As she thought back on this, Shepard sat on the edge of her bed with her elbows rested on her legs and her face in her hands. "It's all my fault." she whispered to herself. After a moment, she laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The only thing she could think about was Thessia.
Shepard had not realized the damage the war was taking on her body. She had just spoken to Joker who told her everyone, including Anderson, the man fighting to see the next hour on Earth, was worried about her. The last thing she wanted to do was make anyone worry. Worrying about her would just distract them from what is really at stake. She had to admit, but only to herself, however, everything hurt at this point. She was sore every day. The war took a took a toll on her emotions too. Shepard was tough as nails, but she was still human, and a woman at that. Not wanting to think about this, she turned on her side, deciding they still had some time, an Earth day or two actually, until their mission on Sanctuary. Maybe her thoughts could stop long enough for her to get some sleep.
Before she was completely asleep, she heard the door to her cabin slide open. She propped herself up on her elbow to see who it was. The sight relieved her. "Hey, Shepard. Mind if we talk for a minute," Kaidan asked, walking up to her bedside, "or, ah, is this a bad time?" She shook her head in response, "No, it's fine. What is it?" He walked over and sat down on the edge of her bed next to her body that was still laid out, facing him. His eyes took a quick look up her body, tracing the curve of her thighs, hips and waist until he met her eyes. She didn't seem to notice how his eyes wandered. He sighed, placing a hand on one of her thighs gently, hoping his motion wasn't too forward, "About Thessia..." Shepard groaned and put her head back down on the pillow, facing the wall, "Listen, Kaidan, I'd rather not talk about it now." "I know you're upset, Shepard," he said, trying to connect his gaze with her eyes, "but you cannot let this get to you like this. You did everything you could and-" "And it wasn't enough." she said, cutting him off. "I have a feeling the galaxy would beg to differ with that.", he responded. "How so?" He sighed, "You put your ass on the line every time we dock some where for the sake of every living being. At a time like this, you're everything they hope for." She turned slightly, looking at him with eyes filled with hurt, sadness, and anger, "Earth is lost, I couldn't help Palaven, and now Thessia is lost because of me. It's only a matter of time until the Reapers take Sur'kesh, Tuchanka, Rannoch, and every other planet in this galaxy. They're depending on me and all I'm doing is losing." He was getting frustrated, but he was patient with her, "You're always telling people not to lose hope, but here you are-" "Hopeless." she finished for him. He, unconsciously, began to move his hand up and down gently on her leg. Neither of them spoke.
After a few moments of silence, Kaidan spoke up. "Did you know today's a holiday? On Earth, anyway." "No, I've been a little busy, Kaidan." she said with a sigh, "What day is it?" He tugged one of the corners of his lips up into half a smile, "Valentine's day." She glanced down at him, her head still on the pillow, "Uh huh." Kaidan revealed a small package she hadn't noticed he walked in with, "I got you something last time we were on the Citadel." He set the gift down in front of her and she looked at it for a moment before letting out a small, quiet chuckle. "My favorite chocolates. How'd you know?" "I remember you mentioning the kind when we spoke once on the last Normandy." he said, looking away shyly. Shepard was taken back at this. "You remembered... after all this time?" His only response was a nod and another shy smile. She sat up, slowly, attempting not to reveal how tired and sore her body still felt. Her hands found his and she held it tight. "Thanks Kaidan." He leaned in a little closer to her, "Anytime." As best as she could, Shepard attempted to hide the hurt she still felt from loosing Thessia and gave her best, playful smile as she moved closer to him, "So, I guess this means I get to be Major Alenko's Valentine? I'm honored." Kaidan laughed softly and placed his free hand over hers that were still gripped to his other hand, "The pleasure is all mine, Commander Shepard. I'm the one who should be honored." Kaidan leaned closer to her, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, Rhea." She only smiled in response before placing one hand on his cheek, rough with his slight shadow of facial hair, her other arm around his neck, pulling him in closer for a more passionate kiss. He quickly responded, his own arms snaking around her wast, pulling their bodies closer.
When they had to part for air, she leaned into him and he instinctively held her close, never wanting to let go. Shepard took the small package of candy he gave her and opened it up. She took a bite of one of the pieces and smiled a bit. He looked at her, his own smile showing, "Sweet?" She turned to him, her blue eyes glistening into his brown ones, "Yeah, but not as sweet as you."