Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.
A/N: I received a request for Shenko smut from Sesh and so I have delivered. Enjoy!
Shelter
The sound of loose gravel tickled her ears, the bite of the stones lessened by the thick armor she wore. Light blinded her eyes, and Shepard raised her arms feebly to shield them. A low grunt sounded behind the commander, Kaidan's shuffling feet scratching along the ground. Shepard frowned, wrenching her head back to see exactly what was going on, barely noticing the stinging sensation in her legs.
"Stay still!" He ordered, whispering hoarsely.
Shepard turned forward, squinting, the bright light painful. Kaidan pulled her along the ground, moving swiftly across rough terrain. He had crouched down, chocolate eyes ever watchful for enemy hostiles. His arm hovered over her lit by the yellow glow of his omni-tool as he scanned her body. Shepard frowned again, the disorientation of the last few minutes starting to dissolve.
Kaidan reached down and began pulling her again, his stance low to the ground, doing his best to avoid attention. Shepard looked down at her feet, her neck at an awkward angle as he dragged her further from the battlefield. Her armor was battered, pock-marked and scorched from an explosion which had breached her shields and ruptured her suit. The last thing she remembered clearly was the look on Kaidan's face as she went down.
The remainder of the fuzziness in her mind's eye slowly evaporated, a cool calm replacing it. The geth had assaulted their position in greater numbers than Intelligence had reported – far greater numbers. Their small fire team of four had been insufficient to the task, and the geth had overwhelmed their defenses, splitting them apart. Shepard had ordered them to pull back to the LZ and regroup, but hadn't had time to call for retrieval before they were separated. She hoped that Liara and Garrus had made it to safety.
The lieutenant paused again, releasing his white-knuckle grip on Shepard's collar. She winced involuntarily as a sharp pain shot up her legs, a soft grunt escaping her lips. Kaidan turned his attention toward her, once more scanning her with his omni-tool, the concern evident on his face.
"We need to get you to shelter, Shepard." He visually scanned the horizon, craning his neck and pointed. "Over there – I think that's a cave."
Shepard nodded, scowling at her legs at she did so. Kaidan turned his attention back to her, noting the look of pain on her face.
"Can you walk?"
The commander pushed herself up to a sitting position, leaning heavily on her arms, and planted her feet on the ground. The pain was immediate and intense, the bright lights from earlier splashing across her vision in waves of color. Shepard crumpled to the ground, the dry grasses scratching at her armored form.
Kaidan examined his omni-tool once more before stooping down to pick her up. A gasp of breath escaped her lungs as he lifted her effortlessly from the ground, cradling her injured form in his arms. Despite the pain, she found herself marveling at his strength and speed as he hurried through the dry brush to the rocks beyond.
The shadows of the late afternoon drifted over them as Kaidan made his way into the ravine, the entrance to the cave disappearing briefly from their sight. He adjusted her weight to examine his omni-tool and Shepard shut her eyes against the pain as she jounced roughly in his arms. He resumed his pace and continued on course, ever mindful of the geth still roaming the plains.
Cool air brushed against her face as they entered the cave. It was relatively shallow with a slight hollow in the back of the cave, shadowed and well hidden. Kaidan set her down roughly and activated his omni-tool again, scanning the area. He frowned at the readout.
"What is it?" Shepard suppressed a grunt.
Kaidan shook his head. "I can't get any readings. It looks like the stone is interfering with my scans."
The commander waved her hand in dismissal. "Either way this works for now. The geth won't be able to detect our presence here."
"But neither will the Normandy."
Shepard shrugged awkwardly, shifting her weight against the back wall of the cave. "We'll just have to take that chance."
Kaidan studied his omni-tool a moment longer before shutting it off, his focus now on the injured woman in front of him. "How are you feeling?"
The commander tried to ignore the concern in his voice, the worry in his eyes, and attempted to deflect his question. "Fine. It's nothing serious."
The frown returned to his face once more as he squatted next to her, careful hands probing the scorch marks covering her legs. "Can you feel this?"
Shepard winced involuntarily as his fingers triggered another jolt of pain. "Yes," she rasped through gritted teeth.
The worry in his dark eyes deepened, shadowed in the confines of the cave. He adjusted his stance, settling onto the rocky ground, and unbuckled her straps. The burnt greaves clattered to the ground, his hands once more roaming her legs and searching for injury.
The commander leaned back, letting him work and trying to ignore the searing heat cascading through her body. She jerked occasionally, but remained silent as Kaidan continued his examination.
"It doesn't look like you've broken any bones, but your legs are pretty badly burned."
Shepard snorted, shifting her weight once more. "Doesn't surprise me. That rocket knocked me on my ass."
Kaidan shot her a wry smile and shook his head. "You never let it get to you. Do you?"
"Nope."
He suppressed a snort of laughter and gestured to her legs. "Take off your leggings."
The commander raised a slender eyebrow. "Kaidan?"
The lieutenant shot her patient look. "We've got to treat your wounds - unless you want to get an infection?"
Shepard pursed her lips in thought as she glanced out of the cave. The sun was setting and the temperature was dropping rapidly. Frowning, she complied with his request, the chill of the evening settling into her bones.
Kaidan eased the medication onto her wounds, doing his best to apply it gently, but the pain was excruciating nonetheless. The commander exhaled slowly, allowing the tingling sensation to spread through her limbs, the searing heat of pain slowly dissipating.
"Here," Kaidan extended his hand, a sincere look on his face. "It's a painkiller. Mild, but useful."
The commander grimaced slightly as she shook her head. "No. I need to be fully functional if the geth find us."
"Well if that's the case, then we're in trouble. You're not fully functional as is, now take the pill."
Shepard frowned at him, but complied. Between them, he was the only one trained as a medic. Kaidan shifted behind her, settling himself against the wall and wrapping a protective arm around her. She leaned into him, the solidity of his armored body barely more comfortable than the rock. The commander relaxed eventually, the medigel soothing her wounds, her legs tingling. Her body seemed to soften as the painkiller kicked in, a delicate, feathery feeling suffusing her body. She smiled stupidly, the disappearing light of dusk cloaking the cave in shadow.
Kaidan turned to her, humor dancing in dark eyes. "How's that pill working?"
Shepard nodded slightly, marveling at the numbness in her legs. "I feel nothing."
The lieutenant frowned. "What do you mean?"
Shepard shook her head and pursed her lips. "I mean I don't feel any pain."
Kaidan shifted again, moving to inspect her injuries. He tentatively felt her legs, sucking in a shocked breath. "Shepard you're freezing."
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I am?"
He ran a hand through disheveled hair and moved over her, unbuckling the straps of his armor. She frowned, her mind working slower than usual.
"What are you doing?"
Kaidan dumped his chest plate onto the ground and undid the zipper on his under-armor. He moved toward Shepard, hovering over her as he unstrapped her chest plate.
"Your suit's environmental controls must have shorted out." He threw the commander's armor aside and pulled her legs up, cradling her body against his. "I've got to keep you warm."
Heat seeped into her bones and Shepard was clear-headed enough to realize it wasn't from the medication. Kaidan's bare chest was pressed against her back, his arms wrapped protectively around her midsection, his legs curled around her own.
They laid there for a time, the light fading entirely from the cave as his body warmed hers. The cool chill of darkness blanketed them, the shadows dancing across the rocky floor. She thought back to their first night together, a moment of passion amid the chaos of their mission. Shepard had regretted nothing, save for the fact that they had not had more time together. She felt the warmth of his body once more pressed against her own and a tiny sigh of contentment escaped her lips.
"Shepard?" He raised his head, craning his neck to see her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, Kaidan." She moved subtly against his form. "I was just thinking that we haven't had much time together since Ilos."
"No. We haven't."
Shepard turned her head to meet his eyes in the dark, searching his face amidst the confusion and worry he wore. Fatigue lined his face, but she could yet see the spark of mischief in his eyes. She shifted her weight, ignoring the grating pain of the rocky floor, and turned her body toward his. Her fingers brushed his face softly, tenderly, as if to wipe away the lines of worry. He leaned into her, eyes half-lidded and lips parted. Shepard breathed him in deeply, the scent of him intoxicating.
Kaidan moved against her, the heat of his body pressing into her own. He cupped her face in his hand, caressing the line of her jaw as he drew near, tasting her lips with his own. She welcomed his embrace, drinking in his warmth and letting his presence wash over her. Her earlier pain had abated only to be replaced with a yearning desire more potent than any before.
She moved beneath him, shifting her body and urging him on. Strong hands caressed bare flesh, teasing, testing, wringing every ounce of pleasure their shadowed shelter would allow. His kisses grew more fervent, more demanding. She responded eagerly, aching to satisfy the hunger that now burned within.
He settled onto her, his bare body nestled snuggly between her thighs. She pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around him, and embracing the keen pain that enveloped her body. He shifted ever so slightly, taut member straining against her bare body. A barely audible gasp escaped her lips as he filled her, the pure maleness of him driving all thought from her mind.
He paused momentarily, meeting her eyes with concern in his own, calloused hands caressing her cheek. Shepard smiled seductively, slowly, and pulled his lips down to meet hers once more. He smelled of earthen musk and sweat, his familiar taste stirring her senses. She stifled a cry as he moved within her, the ache of desire surging anew.
She melted into him, their bodies moving as one against the rocky floor. Heat surged through her body, searing her limbs, her core, the pain of yearning growing ever stronger. She pulled him closer, tasting the damp flesh of his body as he buried himself deeper within her. His movements grew erratic, more desperate, his passions fueled by the ardent fire within.
The wave of desire broke within her core, the building heat finally igniting and spreading throughout her limbs. She shuddered beneath him, his body hot and wet above her own. Dark eyes met hers, desire and mirth entwined with lust inside their depths. He moved again, slowly at first, then with growing fervor. Shepard met his demands, the ache in her body building anew.
Heat surged once more through her core, her hips rocking in time with his. She tasted him upon her lips, his scent covering her own, and she reveled in the feel of him. He plunged into her, deeply, desperately, the desire within her body igniting and scorching her senses once more. He stilled above her suddenly, his body firm and taut, the look on his face a mix of determination and awe. She pulled him to her, the weight of his body a comfort as the fire inside dimmed.
He met her eyes, the awe on his face now replaced with sublime contentment. Tracing the line of her jaw, he leaned into her. He kissed her lips once more, tenderly, as if the slightest amount of pressure would shatter the moment. She relaxed her body beneath his, legs intertwined and still tingling with medigel. Shepard shot him a look of amusement.
"I don't think I'll have to worry about the cold tonight."