The body next to his was radiating warmth, luring him closer into its orbit until he was pressed fully against it, wrapping himself around the precious source of heat. The owner of said heat made a soft noise, somewhere between agreeing to the additional warmth and telling him to fucking stop moving because she wanted to sleep, damnit. The new proximity not only brought warmth but also the delicious smell of skin and standard Alliance shampoo, a combination that might've been dull on any other person than the one he'd slung his arm around to keep her from escaping. Not that she would. They'd left the window open before going to bed and now had to suffer the consequences of a cold fall night in Vancouver and being too lazy to get up to do anything about it.

Half-asleep Kaidan burried his nose in the tousled nest of hair tickling his face, breathing in the alluring mixture he would never get tired of. To show his appreciation, he placed a soft kiss on a naked shoulder before replacing his lips with his chin, tickling its owner in the progress with his stubble. He was rewarded with a tiny grunt and a soft sigh.

"Stop moving," Shepard mumbled, voice thick from sleep, too tired to actually be annoyed by his movements.

"Marry me."

Kaidan's eyes fluttered open, not sure if he'd really just said what he'd thought he'd said. Or what the hell had possessed him to say it in the first place. Make me. That's what his brain had wanted him to say. Make me. His mouth on the other hand seemed to have a different idea. Either that or he'd fallen asleep for half a second without noticing. Things like that happened, right? Dream proposals to unconscious girlfriends. The fact that the body his was curled around didn't move suggested as much. He'd wager that he'd get some kind of reaction for saying something like that.

Without a warning said body turned around, half-freeing herself from his grasp to stare at him in bewilderment. He couldn't blame her. He had no idea how this had happened either.

For a very long moment Kaidan and Shepard just stared at each other in utter confusion, both still dazzled from sleep. Kaidan opened his mouth to helpfully supply a logical explanation, or any kind of explanation, but nothing would come to him. He had no idea what had come over him, not in the slightest.

They had never discussed marriage, hell, he'd never really thought about or even see the need for marriage. And yet … and yet. And yet he couldn't bring himself to just mumble a half-hearted explaination and tell her to go back to sleep. Not before he got an answer anyway. For some reason his treacherous heart had decided to start doubling its speed while Shepard's eyes lay on his face, searching for a clarification of what had just happened. Hell, if he knew.

"Why?"

Well, if that wasn't the question. It was a damn good question. A reasonable one. One, he didn't know he had an answer to.

"I -" he stopped, thinking. It wasn't that he was against marriage and to his knowledge neither was Shepard. But they had never really talked about it, either, not really seeing the need of putting a name on what they had. Hell, until just recently hardly anyone had known about them and even now none but a few did. There was no need to put a name on it, not for others and especially not for their own sake. He wasn't old-fashioned. He didn't need marriage to believe that his love for and relationship with Shepard would last for the rest of their lives. And yet. And yet he …

"… kind of … want to?"

Shepard blinked, confusion as obvious on her face as in his head. It was not really the kind of answer she'd expected. To be honest, it wasn't much of an answer at all. Kaidan looked away, trying to evade the confused but steady glance aimed at him. He didn't quite feel like on the other side of her barrel but it was close. For some reason he felt like she was about to pull the trigger of a gun he didn't even knew she possessed and he'd thrown himself right in front of it without realizing it or fully understanding why.

A soft hand on his cheek forced Kaidan to look back at her. A tiny smile was tugging at the corner of Shepard's mouth, sending a wave of crushing tenderness through him that made him want to kiss it until it blossomed to full beauty. Shepard's fingers trailed over the scars on his lips as if she'd entertain pretty similar thoughts about this particular place on his body but her eyes were on his, searching for an answer he couldn't give.

"I didn't know this was important to you," she said at last, still caressing his scar. Usually her fingers on his mouth were a sure way of distracting him but between his confusion and still tired brain, it was just another sensation that added to an already very puzzling mix of emotions.

"It's not." He furrowed his brow, getting frustrated with himself. "It never was."

"Would it change anything between us?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"It just … feels right?"

Shepard raised her eyebrows, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "You make an interesting case, Alenko. Want me to make an honest man out of you?"

He snorted. "Too late for that. Especially if you ask Admiral Hackett."

"I'm pretty sure he's seen worse than a well-build, almost-naked marine before his first coffee. Besides, I saved the universe. I deserve as many naked debriefs as I want."

"Please stop calling it that and let's never talk about this incident again."

"Even if I wouldn't, Joker sure as hell will."

"Shepard …"

"Alright, Alenko. Let's talk shop. Marriage. Pros and cons."

"This is not a mission, Shepard."

"Of course it is. You've been my mission since the day I met you. Always were, always are, always will be."

"Kind of sounds like marriage to me," Kaidan joked weakly, having lost any idea where this bizarre conversation might lead. He still wasn't sure he wasn't asleep. It sounded like a more logical explanation than this clusterfuck of an accidental proposal that had fallen out of his mouth.

His last words left Shepard silent for a few long moments. She studied his face so intensly and with such a serious expression, he was sure she would ask him if he had lost his mind any moment. This was a question he could answer easily, as the answer was pretty obviously -

"Yes."

Kaidan blinked. "What?"

"Yes. I will marry you."

Kaidan blinked again. "Oh. Okay."

Shepard rolled her eyes before drawing him closer for a soft kiss on the lips he was too stunned to respond to. Then she settled against him, head resting on his arm, head tucked under his chin, arm slung around his waist as if it was her this time trying to make sure he didn't escape.

"But we can do this low-key, right? Without any big celebration or media circus?" she muttered against his skin, sleep creeping back into her voice.

"I don't need any of that, Shepard. Just you."

"Such a romantic. Got any plans tomorrow?"

"You want to …"

"Might as well. Less time for anyone to find out."

"Are you just agreeing to marry me so you can tell nobody about it and have me be your dirty little secret again after they just found out about us?"

Kaidan could feel her smile against his skin. "Maybe. And maybe if they find out this time you'll even wear pants."

"Shut up and go to sleep, Shepard."

"Marry … I mean, make me."

Author's Note:

So, the lovely femshepfit on Tumblr recently mentioned that she was feeling lonely in the at the moment rather quiet Shenko fandom so I thought I'd write something to cheer her up. So here. Have an accidentally proposal. Same as Kaidan I have no idea what I'm actually doing.