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“Why wasn’t I invited to your wedding?"
Shepard stopped pulling on the strings of fabric on the seat of his wheelchair, somewhere next to his right leg. Kaidan was becoming more and more aware of his ex-CO’s nervous ticks in the last few weeks since the firing of the Crucible; he guessed Shepard was just so used to being on the move that his body was physically protesting doctor's orders to just try and relax , dammit . Not that he had much of a choice, really.
Shepard sighed and continued pulling that one stubborn string, but his hands were shaking too badly for the fine movement that was needed to pull it out. He gave up and smoothed his hands down the seat of the wheelchair, and chuckled lightly.
“I haven’t considered you wouldn't be coming to my wedding at all, to be honest." He tried to look back at Kaidan and winced slightly from the movement. Kaidan pushed the wheelchair towards an empty bench and sat down next to it, making the face-to-face conversation easier for Shepard. They have been walking for some time, anyway.
Looking up at the artificial Citadel sky, Kaidan sighed and glanced at Shepard, who in turn looked back at him with incredible patience and something akin to amusement. After a while, realizing Kaidan wasn’t about to say anything, he smiled and shook his head.
“I wasn’t aware you needed an official invitation." he said, amusement coloring his scarred face. “First of all, your presence at my wedding is non-negotiable. And honestly, all you’ve talked about is not finding the right suit and that amazing hair salon you always go to being blown to pieces and not finding the right replacement and-"
"Okay okay, got it. I just thought-", Kaidan cut himself off in the middle of the sentence and huffed an annoyed laugh. "You know what, forget it, it’s stupid."
"It is, y’know." Shepard still had that amused look on his face and Kaidan was slowly beginning to hate himself for ever starting this conversation. "But, I guess I can figure something out, get you an official invitation." He shrugged and didn’t even wince visibly, which was an improvement. "With excitement", he begun, “this one would be pleased if you could attend his wedding."
Kaidan looked away, trying to hide his smile at Shepard’s horrible Blasto impression.
“Garrus had one and I wanted one too, y’know, eh? We’re both your best friends, anyway."
“So that’s what this all was about." Shepard finally looked away from Kaidan and stared intently at his own fingers in his lap, huffing a small 'huh’ which made Kaidan feel even worse for asking for the invitation. Shepard smiled.
“You’re something else, Kaidan, you know that?”
***
He heard Liara playing that same song she always did whenever she came to visit. It was endearing, seeing her drawn to his piano as soon as they entered the apartment. He smiled privately and placed the groceries on his counter, content to leave them there while he walked towards her.
He heard the music stop as soon as he left the kitchen and saw Liara holding something in her hand. A letter.
“A wedding invitation?” she looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. Kaidan was grateful for the markings on her face resembling human eyebrows, because he would never be able to figure out what she was feeling otherwise.
Also grateful he never played poker with her.
“Uhhhh shhhhh-yeah.” he stared at the champagne-colored paper in her hand, slowly walking towards her. He nodded once, shortly, and she began reading it. She didn’t make it past second line before her face lit up. Liara wasn’t the type to openly laugh at people, but Kaidan noticed she was barely holding off.
“You both are too much, even for me.” she chuckled as she handed him the paper. Kaidan sighed and read the text he already had memorized from the countless hours of personally signing every letter.
The honor of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
John Shepard
&
Kaidan Alenko
“I- honestly thought he realized I was messing with him.” Kaidan shook his head. His soon-to-be-husband is so dead when he comes back from PT.
Liara smiled as she went back to the piano. “Oh, believe me,” she spoke softly as she started the song again, glancing at him over her shoulder, “he probably did.”