Animal Fun Facts
When Shepard was fifteen, she had asked her mother how someone knew that they were in love. The older woman had thought for a moment, pausing as she knead the dough for challah, before answering, "It's when you wake up next to the idiot and still find him cute as he farts, and drools on your shoulder."
She had then added, "You're not in love, Goose. If you're waking up next to some shaygets, then Mama is going to have a problem and you're going to have a bigger problem."
Now fifteen years later Shepard thought fondly back on the memory as she listened to Kaidan throw up in bathroom. It had just been their luck, they finally found a weekend to get together and he had come down with the flu. At least they were spending some time together.
Even if one of them was higher than kite between a fever and cold medicine, and somewhat obsessed with watching wildlife documentaries.
As Kaidan came out, Shepard handed him a glass of water. He took a drink before handing the glass back with a groan. At this point most people would grumble about going back to bed or jokingly state that they were dying, instead Kaidan looked her in the eye and said earnestly, "Did you know that porcupines float in water."
"No, I didn't." Shepard answered only half listening. Reaching up, she felt his forehead, it was still pretty hot. She was starting to get worried that she would take him to the hospital. Mostly worried because it meant exposing the world to Kaidan's worn-out Vancouver Canucks t-shirt and random animal fun facts.
"And a baby is called a porcupettes"
"That's nice. C'mon," Shepard hooked an arm around his waist and slowly herded him back to the living room, "let's go back to the sofa. I think they're showing something on naked mole rats."
It didn't take long for Kaidan to doze off, stretched out on the sofa with his head in Shepard's lap. As he snored softly, she ran her fingers through his hair. Military-wise he needed a haircut, but personally she liked how now started to curl.
After a little while he woke up with a start, and looked up at her with an adorable, if slightly spacy, smile, "Did you know..."he trailed off, obviously trying to gather his thoughts.
Shepard braced herself for another pointless animal fact, "Yeah?"
Instead he finished with, "Did you know that I really liked it when you wore that black and red armor."
Shepard chuckled, "The Colossus? I would have never have worn it if when I was just Alliance, it was just too dramatic."
"It also made your butt look a big red heart." To illustrate his point Kaidan drew a heart in the air while making a soft "Whooo."
"I...what?" she made a mental note to never wear that armor again.
"It always gave me something nice to look. Not that it mattered, I would have looked no matter what you were wearing."
"You have absolutely no idea what you are saying."
Kaidan shrugged, "Did you know that when a female baboon is in heat, her rump turns bright red and swells?"
It was easy to follow the segue in his line of thoughts.
After a few baffled seconds, Shepard let out a soft, "Damn it." His hair was messy, there was a thick growth of stubble on his cheeks and chin, he smell of sweat, and had this kicked puppy in the pound vibe going. "I still find you cute."