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Leo Shepard. Sole survivor of Akuze. Graduate of the toughest special forces school in human history. The first human Spectre. Savior of the Citadel.
And a giant man-baby when it came to getting sick.
Imbed a piece of shrapnel in his thigh? No big deal. He’ll pull it out and keep on trucking. Cover him in blood and reaper guts and he’ll smile and crack a joke. But the moment the man catches a cold, all bets are off.
Ashley sighed, checking that the medical application had been added to her omni-tool. Half the Normandy’s crew was down with the bug, leaving Dr. Chakwas overworked and understaffed. Ashley had managed to avoid getting sick – so far – and offered to help as best she could.
Mostly, that meant checking in on Shepard and Kaidan from time to time, taking their temperature and making sure they took their meds.
Kaidan was a model patient, as usual. Didn’t complain, took his medication, thanked Ashley profusely for bringing him food and water.
Shepard on the other hand…
Ashley hit the chime on the door to his cabin, hitting the override to enter before he could answer.
“Knock knock,” she said, entering the cabin. A groan came from the direction of the bed.
Ashley sighed. The desk was covered in trash. Ration bar wrappers, coffee cups, tissues. The trash can lay under the desk, less than a foot away, empty.
“For the love of God, Shepard,” she groused, snagging the can and shoveling the trash inside.
“Be kind to me, Ash. I’m dying.”
She snorted, putting the can back under the desk and making her way towards the bed.
“You aren’t dying, you big baby,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Shepard was buried under the covers. Only a shock of brown hair peeked out. “Now sit up so I can take your temperature or I’m going to tell Kaidan what a wuss you’re being.”
He groaned but sat up anyway. His hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions. He had dark circles under his eyes and his normally golden skin was pale. He looked about as awful as Ashley imagined he felt.
“Mierda. I feel like death warmed over.”
Ashely hummed, pulling up the medical scanner on her omni-tool. “You look it, too.”
Shepard scowled at her and Ashley huffed out a laugh, activating the scanner and waiting for the results.
“How is K?” Leo asked as her omni-tool beeped away.
“The perfect patient, unlike some people.”
Shepard’s huff broke off into a cough. Ashley handed him a glass of water from the nightstand.
“I still don’t understand why we can’t convalesce together,” Leo complained.
“Because,” Ashley replied, pulling up the results. His temperature was down. Good. “You’d drive him crazy.”
“If I didn’t know better, leona,” Shepard teased her, handing back the glass over water. “I’d say you’re calling me a pain in the ass.”
Ashely shot him a sideways look at the nickname but grinned all the same. The relationship between her, Kaidan, and Leo was… well, complicated seemed too simple of a word. Navigating their unconventional partnership still left her with emotions she couldn’t quite put a name to, more often than not.
Kaidan and Leo were together. She and Kaidan were together. But her and Leo were…well, they were best friends. Like family. She trusted him with her life and would do anything for him. But they weren’t together.
It had been Leo’s idea, because they were all miserable apart from each other. Ashley had agreed to it because she loved Kaidan and wanted him to be happy. And Kaidan loved Leo. And Kaidan loved her.
The whole thing was still fresh and new, and the three of them spent a lot of time communicating and making sure they were all on the same page. They operated as a unit, the three of them, even if Ashley and Shepard weren’t involved romantically.
It was not the type of relationship Ashley had envisioned for herself, but it was working.
“You are a pain in the ass,” she countered, handing him his medication. “But you’re our pain in the ass.”
Shepard snorted, taking his meds.
“I do appreciate this, you know. You taking care of me in my time of need.”
Ashley laughed, rolling her eyes. “How did you manage growing up on the streets? I imagine you got sick all the time.”
Leo shrugged. “Gutted through, mostly.”
“Then why the drama routine?”
He took some crackers that she handed him, staring at her quizzically. “Because I can?” He replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I can be weak with you and K. The Commander Shepard mantle is exhausting, Ash. I can take it off with you two.”
“Oh,” Ashley replied, gaze dropping to her lap. “I’m um… going to take that as a compliment.”
He smiled, tapping her playfully on the knee. “It is a compliment.”
Ashley cleared her throat. “I uh… I should go check on Kaid. If he’s doing better, maybe I can send him your way for some therapeutic snuggling.”
Shepard nodded, sliding back under the covers. “Gracias, leona. I’m a lucky guy to have you in my corner.”
Ashley grinned, heading towards the door, glad Shepard’s head was covered, lest he see the heat rising in her cheeks.
“Get some rest, Leo.”