His head throbbed pleasantly.
It wasn't that Kaidan liked the throbbing, but it was gentle enough to ignore, a pleasant distraction, keeping the usual thumping at the base of his neck at bay. He hadn't exactly gotten drunk yesterday either, so the it wasn't even a proper hangover, just...a nice little throb in a band across his skull.
Of course I'll regret that if the headache turns into a migraine. He shrugged as he walked, knowing there was nothing to do about it. If he felt the thumping from his implants he could always act before it turned into a migraine, usually stopping them...but now with that alcohol-induced throbbing there was no forewarning.
At least it's not a pounding, despite how much I ended up drinking. He shot Ashley an unsure glance. Walking next to him the woman looked a bit tightly wound, her shoulders high, her gait stiff and her jaw clenched. It was no doubt partly due to her drinking – she'd beaten him quite soundly in that department after the dance she had coaxed out of Michael had ended with him apologising for having to leave to do some work – as well as their current assignment.
Sighing Kaidan turned his gaze to the two ahead, finding Michael and Liara walking side to side, close, heads bowed as they spoke, words too low to pick up.
It wasn't surprising that the sight had Ashley seething, it was...tiresome...but not surprising. Perhaps he should not have picked us two as their backup? But then again, who else?
Wrex had left in the middle of their evening, apparently Michael didn't mind the Krogan working on the side, something Kaidan found a bit puzzling.
As to Tali and Garrus, the two were off in a different part in the Wards buying various electronic equipment for the ship and the ground-team. With Tali perhaps knowing more about the ship then the engineers who built it, the two being the ground-team's engineering experts – closely followed by Kaidan himself – and Garrus having adopted the Mako as his own baby it wasn't surprising that the two had been picked to do those purchases.
Garrus...Kaidan grimaced at the memory of the Turian exclaiming his glee at the opportunity to turn its main gun on any criminal scum on sight. It was brutal and spiteful, one should never enjoy killing, only know it's necessity, yet Garrus seemed to revel in it...the only conciliatory fact being that it was only aimed at those judged as enemies... I hate that man. Kaidan shrugged the thought aside, Garrus was useful, he had to admit that, good even, as such Kaidan could only grin and bear his company.
Of course this only left the two Alliance soldiers to guard the Spectre and their new squad-mate as well as the resource of Prothean knowledge as the group went to get her some personal equipment before they left birth. Kaidan didn't mind it at all, he could see the logic of Michael's choice to bring Liara along, even if he found the man a bit too trusting. Perhaps the melding has ensured a bond of trust? They certainly seem to feel that already. He noted the way both continued to bow their heads as they spoke, the odd word reaching Kaidan's ears, mostly Prothean or Reaper related as far as he could tell.
Ashley was obviously of another opinion, the woman openly glaring at the Asari's back, the hangover she no doubt suffered from making her even more easier to read then normal. Her distrust is without a doubt part jealousy, she's already told me of how much of a fan she was of Michael even before meeting him, and how he's turned out to be just as great a hero for humanity as she thought he was. Reasoning from that...she has a crush on him, she'd never admit it, but it's obvious. It was...an irritating thought.
Why?
He frowned as he walked, the throbbing of his head nearly forgotten. She is my friend, I have no right to be upset about her crushing on our superior, even if it technically is against the rules. The frown deepened. Though he's now a Spectre...being with him wouldn't be a clear case of fraternization any more. Kaidan's stomach tightened at the realisation, making him hesitate. I'm not suffering from some sort of crush for her am I? That would be ridiculous, we've only known each other for...little less then a month isn't it?
Let's see...she's attractive, sure, I'll admit that. She's perhaps not an intellectual, but she has a pleasant down to earth kind of thinking that really helps putting things in perspective. Fun to tease her, even to be teased by her... But nothing of that needs to mean romantic feelings...is it perhaps just jealousy of her worshipping the ground Michael walks on while she forgets about me?
The memory of Flux came uninvited, how Ashley had been amusing with her demands for a dance...coaxing and fun...and then completely forgetting about him a moment later...it had...hurt...more then he cared to admit. A bruised ego, how droll. He nearly snorted at himself, yet the jab of pain didn't want to go away...
Damn, now you're just being petty, she didn't exactly apologise, but she did get you that book, clearly she showed that she wanted to make amends for ignoring her friend like that. Kaidan nodded to the sound reasoning. Perhaps I should get her something in return... He founds his cheeks flush a little at the thought, but didn't dismiss it. Yes, that sounds good...
Looking up Kaidan's gaze went along the many stalls they were passing. The shopping area of the lower Wards was huge, and it was an assault of smells, sights and sounds that greeted his every sense, nearly reverberated through him. It's as if the place is alive, guess a city is, in a way, a life-form... He smiled softly at the thought, he'd been thinking along those paths for some time, trying to appreciate the magnitude of what they were trying to protect...and was pretty sure he was failing, it was just...too big.
Maybe poetry, she likes that. He frowned, not sure if poetry would give the best of messages... A new gun would probably be appreciated...but that would probably just encourage her to spend even more time in the armoury, which I doubt anyone wants... Maybe jewellery? He flushed a little at the thought. Right...something neutral in that case, maybe a bracelet...
"What are you blushing about?" Kaidan jumped at the question intruding on his thoughts, cheeks turning crimson as he saw Ashley looking at him from under a bang of her hair, right corner of her lips raised in a smirk. "Honestly Kaidan, with such a poker-face it's a wonder you're as foolish as to play cards with the rest of us."
Just wanted to socialise... Kaidan cleared his throat, voice sounding lame in his own ears: "And here I thought my bluffs were fooling all of you..." He shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "I did win one hand..."
"You had a full house right from the start and...oh not again!" Ashley's hand shot out, fist rapping against Kaidan's shoulder, making him grateful of his armour as he stumbled a step to the left. "You're blushing about something and I'm bored waiting for miss waiffy here to get some gear, so spit it out already."
"You're being kind of rude, she's done nothing to insult you." Kaidan pointed out, glancing over at the two they were escorting, one a monster of a man armed and armoured to the teeth, the other a soft little Asari who was resting her index-finger on her lower lip as she with a worried look on her face looked at the different pistols on display before them. Besides the melding with Michael which insults you since you obviously wish to jump him... There was some bitterness in the thought. There's not even a reason for it but that he's Shepard...and some sort of raw sexual tension... He grimaced at the thought. How could anyone compete with that for attention?
"Just you wait until she takes those biotics and hurls you off a cliff and...God-dammit, stop doing that!" Ashley turned, eyes narrowing, gaze pinning Kaidan fast as she held his. "You're being all thoughtful and whatever those thoughts are they're making you blush, so out with it already!"
Kaidan glanced left and right, feeling trapped...only to straighten as he managed a hesitant glare back. "I don't have to tell you anything."
For a moment Ashley just stood there...only for her to blink...and then to guffaw: "Ha! True! Didn't think you'd have the balls to say that to my face though!" She shot him another look, amused, teeth bared, making Kaidan's stomach tighten. She's got something...feral...about her. "You're tougher then you appear you know..."
He looked away towards the others, shrugged. "Well we can't have you walk right over me now can we?"
"Nah, not without a fight at least." He could hear her smile in her voice...yet didn't dare looking at her...as well as finding his gaze drawn to a man pushing his way through the crowd.
His hand went to his hip, to his gun, but he didn't draw, seeing no discernible weapon on the man approaching them like it was a matter of life or death. There was only a goofy grin on the man's face, a sheen of sweat from a long run covering it and making his blond hair tousled. "Commander...Shepard!" He called out, making a Turian nearly fall over as he without apologising to the cursing alien smashed his way past him.
Michael visibly tensed where he stood, eyes glazing over from looking at the weapons on the table, the hand pointing at one for Liara suddenly clenching, as if wishing to grip the pistol. Then he turned, stance stiff, hands behind his back as he regarded the man coming to a tumbling halt before him. "Conrad wasn't it? It's...nice to see you again." Even Kaidan could tell the man was failing to feign any sort of pleasure...
Huh, never thought I'd see him...fazed. The man however, amazingly, failed to notice Michael's tone as he with arms held wide, showing even further proof of how much he'd been sweating, gasped out: "I...heard...you...were...back! Can't...believe...I...caught...you!" The hands dropped to his knees as he nearly doubled over, breath wheezy. "Whew...record...time...I...think!"
"You know this..." Ashley muttered the words, hand making a confused gesture at the blonde man as she eyed him with a frown: "...man?"
"Conrad Verner." Michael nodded, glancing back at her, face struggling to look neutral...yet a grimace clearly about to come forth. "A...fan."
"Just don't let it get to your ego." Ashley chuckled, apparently not noticing Michael's discomfort.
Ignoring her teasing Michael turned his gaze back to Conrad, a sigh in his voice: "I have a lot to do Conrad, we're leaving soon..."
"Of course, of course, never a dull moment for the likes of you eh?" Conrad grinned, an elbow coming forth to bump into Michael's shoulder in camaraderie. "Of course there is none like you is there? The first human Spectre...saviour of Eden Prime, hero of the Blitz..." The man shook his head in disbelief, grin turning comically wide. "I'm just...in awe."
Michael shifted where he stood, and Kaidan had no doubt that Tali would have read tense frustration in him even before he opened his mouth: "Yes...you've said that." Conrad opened his mouth. "And no, you won't come with me." The mouth slammed shut, though the fan still looked happy to the point of crazy. "Conrad, I'm on a vital mission, I'd really like to get back to my work..." The tone was polite, yet held a clear tone of weariness...
I can only imagine how long he endured this fan the first time if he gets weary this quickly...
"Of course, a busy job that, saving the galaxy." The man's grin was wide. "Tell me, you never had time to finish last time, during the Blitz, did you actually-"
"Conrad..." Michael growled the word, making Kaidan jump in surprise. There was something...dangerous...in Michael as he took a couple of short and slow steps closer to the fan, stopping mere inches from the other man. "What. Do. You. Want?"
"Oh..." This time the man reacted, even his dulled senses realising he was pushing his luck as he gave Michael a sheepish look: "Ah yes...well my wife..."
"That man has a wife? Jeez...the poor woman." Ashley muttered to Kaidan, drawing a chuckle out of him.
"...couldn't believe the autograph you signed for me." He shook his head, fervently, as Michael's mouth opened to speak. "No, she wouldn't believe it! I have to show that I've actually met you! The great hero of humanity, the hero of-"
"I get it." Michael raised a hand, stopping the flood of words. "And you're going to prove this by...?"
"A camera!" The man exclaimed, as giddy as a child as he pulled the small black box out of his pocket, holding it up like a treasured prize. "Now if your lovely companion here could take a picture of us two together..." He held it out towards Liara, who after a moment of hesitation took it, her eyes never leaving Conrad. Perhaps she finds him frightening? With her line of work she can't be used to people...particular not this kind. "...and I can get some pictorial evidence!"
A small grunt escaped Michael before he let Conrad step up next to him. "Very well." Conrad gripped Michael's arm, putting it over his own shoulder as he pressed close, making Michael look to Liara, a hint of desperation in his eyes: "Make it fast."
"Say cheese." The Asari held up the camera, hand hovering on the button.
One grin, one voice: "Cheese!"
And the camera flashed.
A moment later Conrad was stepping forth, practically wrenching the camera from Liara's hands, making her step away as they all watched the man with a big grin look down at the camera as he checked the picture. He practically squealed at the sight: "Oh man oh man oh man! This one looks great! She won't believe her eyes! She won't! Maybe just one more so-"
"Conrad, we're done here." Michael sighed, hand raised to stop the fan in his tracks.
"Oh sure, sure, got lots to do eh? People to save, Geth to kill, I understand." Conrad's head bobbed in enthusiasm, the goofy grin never fading. "Say, that scar over your eye, how did-"
"Conrad..." Michael cocked his head, the neck loudly cracking as he turned it in irritation.
"Oh right, right..." The man's head continued to bob even as he turned to walk away, his head turning to look back at Michael even as he retreated, looking like an affectionate dog that had been yelled at yet still considered coming bounding back...
Five minutes later...and he was gone.
A sigh...and Michael's shoulders slumped in relief, his voice a mutter: "God, he's annoying..." Then he looked up, blinking at the others, as if not having realised they were there...a look of worry crossing his face before he smiled, shrugging. "Okay, let's go...got armour to buy."
"Actually..." Ashley spoke up, stopping the group in their tracks. "...how did you get that scar? If I'm allowed to ask...was it during the Skyllian Blitz?" Kaidan glanced at Ashley, irritated with the spark of delight in her eyes at the question.
Only to notice that Michael had become very still.
Looking over at their Commander Kaidan was just in time to see Michael glance back at Ashley, a weak and pained little smile on his lips: "No...knife-fight in a bar...always carry a knife with you..." He nodded down to his boot were the hilt of his weapon as always stuck out, ready to be drawn.
Silence, the man hesitating, the others...still.
Then he looked away, voice a distant whisper: "I didn't get a scratch during the Blitz..."
I...have trouble believing that. Kaidan exchanged a look with Ashley, seeing a hint of guilt in her eyes as she with a pained grimace glanced at Michael.
A Michael shrugging, voice steady again, confident, even happy: "Now let's go! Liara, any preference in armour?"
"Well I...no...Shepard."
Michael chuckled: "Oh! That means we get to play dress-up!"
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her invaluable time.