Alliance [ S E N T I N E L ]

K.aidan’s migraines

I tend to explore that part of K.aidan’s life constantly since he’s and L2 biotic, and and one of the side effects is chronic migraines. In game, it’s not consistently shown or mentioned that Kaidan is suffering from a migraine. There are signs, however, which give us a hint about that condition:

* While we have K.aidan as a teammate and leave him idle, even on the SR-1 Normandy, he may touch his forehead, showing a brief painful expression. That means he does have migraines almost every time, as already part of his life.

* Sometimes, during M.E3, when Kaidan is back to the Normandy, he will lean back against a wall nearby the window. He’ll close his eyes and stay like that until S.hepard attempts to talk to him. This is another sign that he’s having a migraine – when a migraine is so strong that you can’t sit down or lie down, because you feel horribly nauseated and will throw up. So K.aidan has the habit of having short naps against a wall when he’s suffering from a migraine. Plus, the metal of the wall is cool, helping him a little (outer space is pretty cold).

* K.aidan prefers dark rooms or places, as seen in both M.E1 and M.E3. Migraines and lights are the worst enemies.

* Lights can also trigger aura – those are slightly dangerous, because there’s a small chance of K.aidan having a stroke. It’s not really something to worry about. However, there is a moment I hc that when S.hepard dies and the Normandy crew finds out for real, K.aidan’s left part of his body gets numb, then completely paralyzed during a severe migraine with aura. If it wasn’t for the technology of the century, he would have died.

Garrus cleared his throat when Kaidan clarified that he did mean Shepard after all. Honestly, the turian thought he had managed to contain himself well around her, despite the sudden and almost irresistible urges to touch her at all times. He didn't want to do anything to make her uncomfortable or go against any regs that might exist that disapprove of fraternization between commanding officers and their subordinates. Did he truly care about the Alliance and their rules and regulations? No, not really. After leaving C-Sec and going off to Omega to do his vigilante justice thing, Garrus found it hard to listen to authority figures and found rules and laws to be nothing more than an obstacle, preventing him from getting things done the way he knew they needed to be done. Still, he didn't want to get her in trouble.

The former Archangel quickly averted his eyes off of Shepard when it looked like she might have caught him staring at her. Maybe his interest in her wasn't as well-hidden or as subtle as he thought. Garrus didn't really think about anything or anyone else when he was around Shepard, so naturally he wouldn't be completely aware of whether or not anyone noticed the way he looked at her or how he was always eager to go on missions with her, even to places like Noveria. If anyone could convince him to be on a frozen planet, it was her.

"I-she--" Garrus placed both of his hands on the table, palms flat against the surface as he took in a deep breath to collect himself. "You think she likes me?" Both shoulders lifted slightly in a shrug. "You weren't there, but when I got half of my face blown off, I told her that only Krogan women liked men with scars." He used his peripherals to steal another glance at his commanding officer, this time to see if she was planning to come over to where him and Kaidan were sitting. The last thing he wanted was for her to walk up to them in the middle of this conversation. She wasn't a Krogan, but she was as tough as one. "She called me ugly, but I think she was joking." At least, he hoped she was.

Once he was sure she wasn't about to waltz over there while he was saying something incriminating, his attention shifted back to the biotic. "How do I... Do that?" Another light shrug. "I've never asked anyone out. What do I say? 'Hey, Shepard, want to go--?' No. 'Shepard, maybe you and I should--?' No. Damn." Garrus slid his hands off of the table and down into his lap before leaning back in his seat a little. "Help me out here, Kaidan. What do I say to her?"

She had been always like that -- open to learn, to recreate her opinions, to understand others. It was something Kaidan admired in her, and he even envied her. He was still stuck on attraction to his own species, but not actually what he thought so -- because he wouldn't love any other human, but Shepard. However, that wasn't about him. Shepard clearly liked Garrus, and Kaidan respected her choice. His comments were meant to his friend, and he was being sincere.

As for Garrus' reaction, Kaidan could relate to it. "I won't tell you to relax when talking to her, because that doesn't work. I know it, I've been there before. Just be yourself, even if you're feeling shy or too nervous, it's still you. You invite her for a drink or two, tell her about your feelings, and things will go naturally from that point. It sounds simple, and it is. Nothing difficult, you put the barriers yourself if you want, but it can be a path with no obstacles. Be yourself."

A PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE.

@scntinels said: "If you like her, ask her out!"

"Who?" Garrus shrugged as his gaze darted between faces at the bar, not sure which woman the biotic was referring to at that particular moment. There was a woman who came around earlier who did seem to be hitting on him, or at least, seemed like she was. But that woman was already long gone, having left the bar shortly after their brief interaction. The turian was rightly confused, and he decided to ask Kaidan for clarification.

"That Asari that was talking to me earlier?" he asked, one brow plate raised inquisitively. "Pretty sure she was just being nice. Not my type anyways." Garrus wasn't always the best at reading body language, particularly in species that weren't turians, so it was entirely possible that that woman wasn't flirting with him at all, or she may have even meant her comments for Kaidan. Either way, it didn't answer his question. Looking through his visor, Garrus located Shepard idly standing up at the bar waiting for a drink, and suddenly it was clear who the other man was referring to.

"Wait--Shepard?" He did his best to appear flabbergasted at the idea, though he wasn't sure he had Kaidan convinced. "She--I--why would I ask her out?" Keep calm and cool. "Pretty sure she's not interested in me, Alenko." Why would she be? Despite the idea of her being interested in him in a romantic way seemed completely implausible to him, he still couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she took her drink from the bartender.

Then, Garrus finally realized Kaidan meant Shepard. A light smile spread his lips as he sipped some of his drink. "Sure, Shepard. Who else?" Another chuckle, a playful one. "C'mon, Garrus. You can hide things well, but not from me. The way you both look at each other, the fact you're always willing to follow her, no matter which mission or situation... that sort of thing is subtle, but not impossible to see."

Kaidan lowered his eyes for a moment, slightly saddening his expression -- yes, Garrus had been always following Shepard; unlike him, who had questioned her, accused her of treason when she was with Cerberus.