So this is definitely poetic license. Although I like the two of them together in game, it did always seem slightly weird. I thought it would be nice for them to have something to share.
Formatting note: all dialogue in italics is in French. I know how to say what my name is, ask for directions to the train station and say hello. I did not want to even begin to butcher the beautiful language.
Also I may be playing into the Canadian stereotype a little. If that's true, I sincerely apologise :)
Once again - I own nothing!... seriously, I'm super poor right now.
2. Ice-cream and Edith
The ship is quiet.
Heavy military boots clank onto the gangway and Kaidan sighs in relief at the wave of frigid air that washes over him. He closes his eyes and pauses, letting the humidity and uncomfortable warmth of the Normandy's crew decks leech out of his bones, replaced by the familiar coolness he's used to. Generations of Canadian genetics have engineered him to respond sluggishly to the tropical climate the life-support engines maintains and he's found himself spending more and more time below decks scanning datapads or volunteering for inventory duty.
He moves over to the lockers against the far wall and keys in his combination, setting down his maintenance kit on the weapon table. He's only cleaned out his gear the night before but he has found himself at a loose end and without a convenient excuse to escape to his favourite nook of the ship. He figures it won't hurt if the rest of his marines decide he is a bit anal retentive about cleanliness.
Humming tunelessly to himself, he begins to unscrew the barrel of his favourite pistol and is about to set it down on the table when there's an almighty crashing noise from the other side of the cargo bay. Blue flame licks up his arm in shock and the barrel goes flying out of his hand, skittering under a table as the sounds of what must have be hundreds of boxes falling to the metallic floor, echoes around the huge, open space.
Bending down to pick it up, another sound meets his keen ears and his eyes widen in alarm. A string of undeniably impressive curses wafts through the dying echoes, the creativity of which could only belong to one person.
"Shepard?"
The cursing stops and the Commander, from her self-inflicted prison underneath what has to be the ship's entire frozen food supply, can't help but smile a little. Over the 6 months or so that Kaidan has been serving on the Normandy, he's learned to loosen up a little. He still switches back to formality whenever there's even the remotest chance another crew member is in earshot, but she figures it's progress nonetheless.
"Kaidan?" Her voice is strained a little and tinged by what he can only imagine is embarrassment.
"You ok?" The commander shuts her eyes and groans silently as his voice echoes off the walls, dripping heavily with amusement.
"Ah… not especially."
"Need some help?"
A small pause. "Yes please."
Fairly certain she's not injured, his boots clunking heavily against the metal floor, he picks his way carefully towards the disembodied voice, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"Marco?" His grin widens as he hears her laugh.
"Polo."
He rounds the corner and the grin, if at all possible, widens further. The Commander is trapped under a pile of freezer boxes, sprawled awkwardly across the floor.
"I think I can move if you can get to that one." She points to the box that's pinning her across her chest, the corner perilously close to her face.
Kaidan picks his way carefully over to her and lifts the box, almost effortlessly, she notes to herself.
"And ah…. Maybe the one that's got my arm?"
Kaidan can't keep it in anymore and she mock glares at him as he breaks into peals of laughter, his naturally gravelly voice echoing around the cargo bay.
"Oh shut up." she mutters under her breath, switching to her native Mindoiraise almost unconsciously.
Kaidan gets himself under some semblance of control, offers her a hand and hauls her up so she's sitting, her legs stretched before her under yet more boxes.
"With all due respect, make me."
Kaidan's grin is almost goofily smug as he's assaulted by her shocked, green stare.
"What did you just say?" Her voice is hushed, dripping with some emotion he can't quite place.
"You heard me," Realising with a start that he's flirting openly he awkwardly adds, "Ma'am."
There's a heavy silence as the commander opens and closes her mouth like a fish, her brain furiously processing this new and completely unexpected piece of information. Kaidan sets the last box to one side and sits down with his back to the boxes, his legs bent in front of him, his arms resting on his knees.
"My Mum's one of the last Quebecoise who speaks French." He explains softly, "She made sure I learnt."
"Oh."
"I'm a little rusty though," he muses, "haven't had anyone to practice with since I left Earth."
"Oh."
There is silence once more. He studies her face, a little concerned at her lack of response, and can almost hear the cogs in her head whirring at the faster-than-light speed that was her norm. Her expression is odd, almost like she's fighting against something she's kept hidden for years. It strikes him that she probably hasn't come across anyone who speaks her native language in too long. Mindoir was the last Francophonic colony in the galaxy and after its destruction… well French is presumed dead and buried.
"Your accent is weird."
"My accent? I'm Quebecois!" He's mock incredulous as he brings up the ages old argument, "Your accent is weird."
She smiles and settles into the freezer boxes behind her, mimicking Kaidan's posture. She seems to remember something suddenly and switches back to Alliance English.
"Oh wait a second." She rifles through the open box next to her and produces two tubs of ice-cream with a satisfied "Ah hah!"
Kaidan laughs incredulously as she produces two spoons from her top pocket and inspects the lids with pursed lips.
"So… Chocolate chip or Caramel Swirl?"
"Chocolate. No question." Kaidan catches the small tub in his biotic field unconsciously and it hovers almost nonchalantly near his head.
Shepard hands him a spoon, her face thoughtful. "You do that without thinking you know."
"Hm?" Kaidan picks the tub out of the air and peels off the lid.
"Your biotics, it's like you don't even have to concentrate."
Kaidan shrugs, a little confused. "I don't." He dips the spoon into the ice-cream and takes a bite, making a small exclamation in English, "Oh my God that's amazing. Thanks Shepard."
"No problem. I found a case on the Citadel last time we were there. Figured I'd come across someone to share it with me." Her voice is quiet, like she's processing information. "I knew you were powerful Kaidan but I didn't realize the L2s were so efficient."
He shrugs again, "Eh, put me next to an Asari and I feel like a kid poking at a bear with a stick."
Shepard laughs, her green eyes crinkling and they settle into a comfortable silence, chipping away at their clandestine dessert.
"So was that you singing the other day?" Kaidan asks around a mouthful of spoon.
"What?" Shepard looks almost guilty.
"Edith Pilaf. I thought I heard it the other day."
"Oh. Yeah that was me."
Kaidan smiles to himself and scrapes idly at the bottom of the carton. "You'll have to sing for us one games night."
The Commander snorts into her still half-full tub she's been savouring. "Hah! You'll have to be extra nice to me."
He smiles at her with an unreadable but thoughtful expression. "Deal."
"Commander, do you have a minute?" The comm crackles through the cargo bay.
"Go ahead Captain."
"Report to the Bridge ASAP."
Shepard sighs and Kaidan has to fight to keep from openly displaying his disappointment. He wipes his hands on his trousers absently before standing and offering a hand to her, hauling her lightly off the floor.
"Thanks for the ice-cream."
"Anytime."
She watches him out of the corner of his eye as he lightly steps over the boxes, extends a hand to one side and the discarded barrel of his pistol flys into it like it's a magnet. He does it as though it's as natural as breathing and she wonders if she'll ever get to a point where she's as comfortable with her biotics as that. He lifts the hand in farewell and turns back to the weapon table. The elevator doors hiss shut in front of her.
The ship is quiet.
