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Kaidan hissed in annoyance as he took another step, trying to close the distance between himself and his teammates, only to slide in some sort of unidentifiable goo. He wasn’t sure what, exactly this Thorian thing was, but it was at least twelve different types of disgusting.
Wrex and Shepard pounded forward, crushing the husk-like enemies underfoot, if necessary. The Commander had been appalled by what had happened to the human colony and was eager to set it right, to free the unsuspecting people from their entrapment. Wrex… well… Wrex just liked to fight, and the sentiment was punctuated by a loud, victorious, rumbling laugh from the krogan right then and there.
The Lieutenant could feel his reserves draining as he threw another pair of Thorian creepers aside and cautiously moved ahead. They’d been fighting these mindless enemies for quite some time, moving up and up and up in the Thorian’s lair. The heat radiating from his amp alerted Kaidan that he needed to either tone it down or end this conflict soon.
Another group of creepers stood and lumbered toward Shepard and Wrex, but the pair of them were steadily making progress regardless. The Lieutenant’s eyes went wide when that damned asari commando made yet another appearance, however, and his squadmates seemed entirely unaware of the danger.
“Shepard!” It was all he could say before he reared back with one hand and energy instinctively surged around him. He threw it all forward, knowing it was a mistake the moment it happened. He hadn’t used his control, his knowledge, or experience. He’d simply reacted to keep her safe, and the amp felt like it had arced with electricity directly into his brain.
Everything moved in slow motion. He saw the blue energy blast ahead and heard the concussive force that followed. Kaidan wasn’t sure what he’d just managed to pull off, but he might have been impressed with himself if it hadn’t hurt so badly and he’d been in his right mind. Desperately trying to stay upright and alert, he clumsily stumbled to the side and slammed his shoulder into a slime-covered wall. It took all of his effort to remain on his feet and endure the searing pain radiating from the back of his skull. He’d gone too far. He knew it. He felt instantly foolish.
He saw familiar boots in his line of vision, and with a bit of relief, he realized that Shepard was okay. Several long moments later it registered that she was talking to him, asking him what was wrong. His mouth opened, but he couldn’t seem to formulate the words he needed. The concentration needed to speak, stay standing, and remain conscious were all too much for him to maintain at that moment. He shook his head, trying to indicate that he needed a moment to compose himself, but even that small movement sent him crashing forward, only to be caught by a steadying arm streaked with red and white.
_____
All was quiet.
His breathing was steady and calm. Kaidan wasn’t surrounded by Thorian creepers or slipping in strange slime any longer. The pain in his head was still there, but he was, at least, capable of coherent thought once more. He remained still, sorting through what few memories he could still recall. It wasn’t much, but he knew his own mistake had landed him here… wherever ‘here’ was, anyway.
It wasn’t until he felt a cool towel placed on his forehead that he realized someone was there, and his entire body instinctively tensed. The gentle fingers that had placed it there immediately halted while making adjustments to its placement.
“Kaidan?” It was barely a whisper and the unexpected tenderness of it sent a chill down his spine.
He braced himself for the pain and sensory overload that would surely result from opening his eyes. The room was thankfully dark, though he still wasn’t entirely sure where he was. His heavily lidded gaze drifted to the side to catch sight of the person watching over him.
Shepard was no longer in her armor. She was on her knees beside him, and was just pulling her hands away from him. There was concern written in her features, and he felt guilty for causing her unnecessary worry.
“I’m okay,” he reassured her, his voice still hoarse from sleep.
She nodded and a subtle smile crept across her lips. There was a fluttering feeling in his chest when he looked at her in this dim lighting with that little relieved expression, knowing that she’d been watching over him… and it was dangerous.
His head lifted from the pillow, knowing he needed to get out of the situation before he was tempted to break regs and get himself and her into trouble, but the dull ache amplified noticeably with the abrupt movement, and he was forced back down. A few things in that brief moment hadn’t escaped his notice however. As Shepard reached to readjust the compress, he couldn’t help but ask.
“Umm… why am I in your cabin?”
A huff of awkward laughter escaped her as she bit her bottom lip, not looking him in the eye. It was adorable and he honestly wished he was in good enough condition to kick himself for thinking that way. “Well… you asked to come here.”
“I did?” The shock was evident in his tone and he could feel the flush creeping across his face.
“Yes, but it made sense, really. It’s one of the quietest places on the ship. Dr. Chakwas was fine with it, too. She said you needed some rest. This is as good a place as any.”
“And I’m in just my boxers and an undershirt because…?”
Shepard abruptly stiffened and backed away. Kaidan felt horrible for even asking. It wasn’t so much that he was uncomfortable with being less-than-fully-clothed, but more curiosity about the why and how he’d gotten that way.
“You were so hot.” Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand to her forehead. Even in the dark, he could see her face turn red and it was all he could do to stifle his laughter. “Temperature. Overheating, I mean. Chakwas helped me get you out of your armor, I swear.”
“Thanks,” he quickly offered, hoping to quell some of her anxiety over what had gone on while he was out of it. “I don’t know why I asked to come here, but I appreciate you going along with it.”
She exhaled, and Kaidan sensed some contentment in the gesture. It brought a smile to his face. “I assumed that maybe you knew it was less likely that I’d assign Wrex to take care of you if you were in here. You’re welcome.”
He chuckled, the pain echoing the sound as he did so. She and the rest of the crew might not have thought much of it, but he was beginning to believe that his subconscious mind was trying to break fraternization regs on his behalf.
Now that he looked at Shepard in the dim light, gently smiling with relief, cheeks flushed, checking his compress one more time, he was beginning to realize that he wasn’t so against the idea.