23

Groaning Shepard reburied her face into Kaidan's chest. He could just see the tips of her ears turning pink peeking out between her matted hair.

Have to tell Joker he actually managed to make the Commander blush. He chuckled to himself.

Contented to hold, her he runs one finger in her hair, tucking it behind her still reddened ear. He ran three fingers through the tangled mess of her hair and she leaned into his touch like a cat. Her face was still buried in his shirt but he could imagine her face with that small contented smile she allowed herself from his affections. An evil thought came over him and he had to push. Moving his hand from the small of her back to the belt loops of her civvies, he gives a slight tug mischievously.

"Well Commander are you?

He heard a grunt that sounded distinctly like an 'ugh!" from his shirt fabric and she pushed him away with an eyeroll that didn't quite reach her small smile. The same smile she kept just for him.

"Kaidan…"

"Don't Kaidan me. This is business." His attempt at humor from the fiasco at Mars. But apparently that wound was still too fresh for the Commander. She scowled up at him finally stepping away.

"I appreciate what you are trying to do Kaidan, really I do. Please just don't." She looked up at him the sad sweet smile that pulled at his heart. Her shoulders slumped and he reluctantly let her step away from him. Her eyes had bruised look to them and the line that would knit itself between her eyebrows when she was thinking something was evident.

God she looks exhausted. While you were unwinding in the Observation Deck hoping she would stop by she was paying peacekeeper to a 50k year old killing machine and his biggest fan.

"Shepard. I'm sorry I guess I can't joke with you the way Joker can."

"Kaidan..I.. "Her shoulders slump, she looks up at him about to say something but it interrupted by the rumble in her stomach. "Hey wanna grab a bite? I know this place upstairs. It doesn't have steak but sometimes it manages potatoes with something vaguely meat like." Abruptly changing the subject.

Pushing you away again. Every time she gets close to letting you past the walls damnit.

"When you put it like that how can I say no? The beautiful Commander Shepard just asked me on a date to the mess." He gave his best goofball grin.

"Yea I guess I did." She contented herself with wrapping her arms around his left arm and leaning her head back against his shoulder. He reluctantly reactivated the lift.

"Man there better be some damn coffee."