Part Two
Following on from the wonderful @chalkituptofate who wrote a great part one which can be found here.
I give you the second part, written by @spacevixen2024
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Although he was pretty skeptical about going on an actual date, Kaidan Alenko had tried to look his best even though he didn't have a lot to work with. Thanks to the coup, a lot of places on the Citadel were still closed to the public and fashion wasn't a priority when there was an ongoing war.
However, he managed to find a nice shirt and pants. The look he was going for was smart but casual, and as he waited anxiously at the airlock, he hoped he had achieved the vision.
Joker turned slowly around in his luxurious leather seat, staring at the nervous biotic from his position in the cockpit.
“What's got you so hyper?” he asked.
Kaidan didn't realise how antsy he was until the pilot pointed it out. He stopped shuffling his overly polished boots and ran a hand through his hair. His mouth opened and closed like many of the fish in Shepard's tank. It had been a weird addition to the new Normandy, but she seemed enamoured with it and she looked gorgeous in the glow of it.
“It's been a while since I've been on an actual date,” Kaidan murmured. His friends had pressured him into meeting with some sort of doctor on the Citadel for drinks, but he kept putting it off as he still hadn't felt ready. In hindsight, it was a good thing as he had run into his former lover and everything shifted hard to Port.
Beneath the cap that seemed surgically attached to his head, Joker's eyebrows rose. “Who's the unfortunate soul?”
Kaidan gave him a withering look.
“What?” Joker continued, perplexed as Hell.
“You really have to ask?” he murmured, folding his arms and leaning against the bulkhead. Him and Shepard weren't exactly subtle, she had all but dragged him back to Normandy after their date at Apollo’s.
Lunch was one thing, but an evening out with her was another thing entirely. It seemed a lot more formal, and made their relationship all the more real as it existed beyond the hull of Normandy. Kaidan was nervous but looking forward to spending more quality time with her.
Joker looked him up and down, his expression just as clueless before offering him a shrug.
Before Kaidan could even utter a response, he heard the subtle click of heels against the deck to spot Shepard marching towards him with Garrus in tow.
She was an absolute vision and whiskey coloured eyes roamed up and down the length of her body. Kaidan gave her an appreciative smile. Shepard gave a particularly shy one in response, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
It was cute as Hell.
Green eyes went from Kaidan to Shepard and back again. The realisation seemed to dawn on him but then reality struck him in the face and he gave a loud snort.
“Oh come on!” Joker exclaimed.
Shepard had been far too busy ogling Kaidan to pay attention to Joker's reaction, but when he snorted like that she shifted her gaze over to him. “Something wrong, Joker?”
Joker wasn't entirely certain as to whether or not he wanted to answer the question. Kaidan and Shepard were dressed all fancy but that could have meant they were going anywhere.
He looked beyond her to where Garrus was standing just beside her.
“You going along for moral support?”
The Turian blinked slowly, glancing to Shepard and back again. “I'm not going anywhere.”
“Yeah, we don't need a third wheel,” Shepard answered firmly, eyes still on Kaidan as he looked so damned good.
“On your date,” Joker said slowly, his eyes narrowing.
Shepard looked to her left at Garrus, to Kaidan and then back at Joker. “Why is it so hard for you guys to believe that we are together?”
Joker didn't even hesitate. “It was only yesterday you guys were pointing guns at one another!”
Folding her arms, Shepard tilted her head to one side as if to ask “Really” and then he backtracked a little.
“You know what I mean, Shepard.”
“Don't forget Horizon,” Garrus added.
“And Vega said you and Kaidan were really laying into each other on Mars,” Joker said, following on from Garrus. “Hell, if you hadn't been knocked unconscious…”. A glance at Kaidan. “Shepard probably would have done it.”
What happened on Mars was a painful memory, both literally and emotionally, but he and Shepard had agreed that everything that happened prior to the coup would be reset. Kaidan was looking forward to falling in love with her all over again and no longer taking each day for granted.
“Let's go, Shepard,” he said, holding out his hand to her with a soft smile. They could probably stay here all evening debating the situation and neither would believe them.
Shepard grasped his hand, enjoying the warmth it provided and took a few steps closer towards him.
Shooting one last look over her shoulder, Shepard shook her head then led Kaidan over to the airlock.
“Those two are fooling no one,” Garrus stated, still firmly believing that this was sort of an undercover assignment.
“Secret assignment?” Joker asked.
“That's the only explanation,” Garrus uttered, his mandibles flaring a little.
Joker made a small guttural noise that was meant to be agreement as he slowly turned back to face the console.
The door closed behind them and Shepard sighed deeply.
“Is it really that hard to believe that we are together?” she asked quietly.
Kaidan reached up and brushed her cheek softly with the back of his hand, still in disbelief that she allowed him to get so close to her after everything that had happened.
“I guess I'd have a hard time believing it too,” he whispered, then looked down at her outfit then back up to her face with a smile as he dropped his hand. “Let's forget about them, and have a nice evening.”
“What did you have in mind, Major?” she asked, her voice a little lower, a little more sultry.
His smile grew a little wider as he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss upon her lips. “I promise you'll like it.”
She smiled against his lips then pulled back, eyes sparkling. “Better than Apollo's?”
“Much better than Apollo's,” he promised, then took a few steps back as the outer hatch opened to allow them access to the docking bay. Ever the gentleman, Kaidan gave a little bow and motioned for her to go ahead of him.
Feeling a little bolder, Shepard stepped out to find that it was a lot quieter this time of night and she let out a contented sigh as he placed a hand at the small of her back.
Yes, she was ready to escape the reality of the situation for a while and enjoy some quality time with her man.
