#steven hackett | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

clericofshadows · 4 months

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opportunities

Description: Kaidan Alenko gets stuck in a Citadel elevator with Admiral Steven Hackett, and they come to a few realizations that lead to a better future regarding them and Nyx Shepard.

Pairing: Past Male Shepard/Steven Hackett, Current Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard. Future Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard/Steven Hackett

Notes: This is a No Reapers AU (or rather, mostly no Reapers with some remnants). Not terribly important to this fic, but it's how I'm writing Nyx's canon.

Kaidan still wasn't quite used to being called Spectre Alenko about as much as being called Commander Alenko. Two new titles gained post the Battle of the Citadel, and many new responsibilities now his to handle with Captain Nyx Shepard by his side.

The Normandy became a true joint Spectre and Alliance vessel with a new mission after her maiden voyage: root out the remaining remnants of the Reapers and geth under their thrall.

Nearly an impossible quest in such a large galaxy, but Nyx's visions made a few things clear.

It's still hard to imagine how close the protheans were to victory, wiping themselves out in the process of defeating most of the Reapers.

And now it's this cycle’s turn to finally put a stop to it.

Nyx was currently meeting some old friends of his, and Kaidan decided to take part of his leave by visiting the Alliance designated areas to burn off some steam. Sure, he could easily access the Spectre ranges, but he wasn't in the mood for that environment, preferring something closer to home and rich with familiarity.

He sent a quick message to Nyx to let him know where he decided on going, but didn't receive a response. Probably has his notifications on silent, like damn near always when he’s not on duty. The bastard.

Kaidan sent him a few little kisses and hugs as well for him to see whenever he bothered to look at his omnitool and rounded the corner to access the wards’ elevator entrance to get to the nearest rapid transport point.

He entered the elevator and was about to close the doors when someone called out to hold it. He quickly pressed the button to open the doors back up, and to his surprise, it was Admiral Hackett rushing to the elevator, clothed in civilian wear. A green turtleneck, grey dress pants, and oxfords shined to perfection. Damn.

Not the first time he's seen him out of dress blues, but well, Kaidan can't quite deny that the man wears civilian clothing well. Especially an outfit he'd choose for himself.

Kaidan nodded at him once the doors closed, wondering why he was on the Citadel. Here for business? His outfit suggested otherwise.

“Heading over to the Alliance outposts?” Hackett asked. "Or something else entirely?"

Being with Nyx meant that Kaidan had become closer to Hackett. They're friends, and he was easier to approach and talk to than he expected. A quiet understanding between them, both knowing they were the few who knew of Nyx’s secret biotics.

Even with Nyx's complicated feelings, still lingering to this day.

There were times when Kaidan wondered why Nyx chose him, especially after the Battle and when he took it upon himself to introduce the two over drinks. Kaidan didn't fully feel like an outsider, but he could see the history and chemistry between them and felt like Nyx wasn't the only one between them that still carried a torch.

But he and Nyx have never been better. Nyx had opened up more and was freer with his affection, his parents seemed to like him, and well, the sex was great too.

Kaidan nodded. “The Spectre ranges are great, but I prefer something closer to home.”

“Nyx not joining you?” he observed.

“Still out with some friends of his. Think he's using that as a way to get some more information rather than catching up. He invited me, but…” Kaidan trailed off, rubbing his neck. “Not my scene.”

“Though you two were in your honeymoon period,” he chuckled. Kaidan felt his cheeks heat up but didn't exactly argue. “After the Battle, I think he took that as a sign to not be so goddamn hesitant with what he has.”

“Things… have been good,” Kaidan said, hesitating a little. “Still the same stoic bastard, but I get a lot more hugs now,” he laughed, testing the waters. Hackett gave him a knowing look, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

This is the first time he's actually become acquainted with a partner’s ex and wanted to get to know them more beyond passing.

“Ah, always such a clingy bastard. Wouldn’t know it until he lets his walls down,” he said fondly. “I’m happy he finally has someone he can trust. More than just someone who can watch his back.”

“I got the impression he wasn’t used to having a squad with him. And when he told me more about his history, I was surprised he even accepted the Normandy.”

“As was I,” Hackett replied. “I warned Anderson that Nyx would likely refuse, but I ended up owing him credits.”

Kaidan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that. “You know, Nyx has never really told me about how he ended up in the position. Well, at the time, we were still in the awkwardness of finding out he was going to be my superior officer.”

In this moment, there was something about Hackett that was easy to open up and be more relaxed with. Maybe it was the inherent awkwardness of the Citadel elevators, but Kaidan wouldn’t mind if this trip lasted a little longer.

“Nyx has always cared about the rules until it starts to impact him,” Hackett said with a smile. “He chose it mostly out of duty, but I think a part of him missed action despite some of his past. Always wanting to be on the move or–” Hackett cut himself when the elevator’s lights started to flicker and the movement slowed until it stopped between floors with a bit of a creak.

Well, he got his wish.

“Shit,” Kaidan cursed, glancing over at the panel to hunt for an emergency call option. Sure, he could get easy access to the panels and climb his way out, but where they were could make that futile. Best to leave C-Sec to try and get them out.

And it wasn’t like he was Nyx and going to be shooting out the glass as a last resort to dealing with the Reaper threat either.

Before he pressed the emergency call button, Hackett activated his omnitool. “I'll message Nyx, but since he's technically on leave…”

“Everything is silenced,” Kaidan sighed. “I've tried to break him of that, but he won't even–”

“Put an exception in for me,” he and Hackett finished together. They shared a long look before breaking out into a bit of laughter.

“So, the bastard hasn't changed,” Hackett said, shaking his head.

“Too damn set in his ways,” Kaidan replied, hitting the call button. He expected C-Sec to be delayed for a while, still dealing with all the repercussions of the attack.

He went ahead and sent a quick message to Nyx anyway, just in case, but he doubted it would be seen anytime soon.

“Elevator W-AD1, this is Officer T’Seva. We've been getting multiple reports of elevator faults across the wards. May I get your names and status?”

Kaidan cleared his throat. “Spectre Kaidan Alenko and Alliance Admiral Steven Hackett. We’re fine and in no current distress, so please, don’t feel like you have to prioritize us over others. Do you need my credentials?”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, thank you, Spectre. I can connect you to some of my superiors, but there’s not much we can do until we can individually evaluate every elevator.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kaidan said, glancing over at Hackett, who nodded in agreement. “Take your time. Prioritize what you need. We can sit tight.”

“I’ll send that message over. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Ever since the battle,” they trailed off. “You both are likely well aware of everything that’s been going on.”

“We understand,” Hackett spoke up. “We’ll let you know if we run into any issues.”

“Thank you. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience, and we hope we can get to you soon. It appears by your diagnostics there’s something we can fix on site once we arrive. Be careful, and call us if anything changes.”

A part of him wanted to know what exactly was wrong with the elevator, but if he really wanted to find out, he could just hack into the panel and provide external power via his omnitool himself.

Maybe it's better to remain ignorant.

“It’s alright. Thank you,” Kaidan said, and the officer ended the call. With a glanced look over at Hackett, they both signed and sat down on the floor of the elevator, facing each other.

“Did you get a message through to Nyx?” he asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

“It looks like it was sent,” Kaidan replied. “Didn’t bounce back.”

“Good enough. What exactly is he doing, by the way?”

“Catching up with some old friends of his. They were going to bar crawl, and I wasn’t interested.”

“Not your scene?”

“Something like that.” Kaidan tapped the back of his neck. “L2. I don’t do well with bright lights and loud noises.”

Hackett winced in sympathy. “Right. You’ve done well despite–or should I say in spite of–that implant.”

“It’s merely a tool I've learned how to shape and use to my advantage. Got a few dents and scratches, but who doesn’t?”

“You’ve got that right.” Hackett glanced around. “Are there–?” He made a motion with his hand, gesturing around.

Kaidan did a quick scan with his omnitool and nodded. “Won’t take me but a second to throw up a privacy field.”

“They know there’s a Spectre and an Alliance in here, I doubt it’ll raise too much suspicion.”

“I don’t know,” Kaidan couldn’t help but grin. “The wrong officer sees it and starts spinning all kinds of tales.”

“One superior officer is not enough for you?” He teased back, and Kaidan laughed as he activated the privacy field, scrambling the camera feed and muting the audio.

He was a bit surprised Hackett played along.

“Maybe not. The perks are just so good,” Kaidan said, focusing his gaze on Hackett, a smirk tugging at his lips. “The benefits alone make it worth it.”

And he couldn't deny that Hackett was quite the handsome man. The same things that drew him to Nyx drew him to Hackett. Scars, voices, the way they held themselves… and he knew damn well his tastes often went to older men in his fantasies.

Hackett crossed his arms against his chest, raising an eyebrow. “Didn’t expect this from you.”

“I don’t see you complaining,” Kaidan said, keeping his tone neutral. “Allow me to be serious for a moment?”

“Thought you already were,” he challenged.

Kaidan nodded, leaning back against the elevator wall. “Part of me was. Nyx never stopped having feelings for you, you know.”

“Trust me, I’m well aware,” he said quietly. “And what does that have to do with–”

“It has everything to do with this. Because you obviously still care for him a lot,” Kaidan said, softening his expression. “At first, I felt like I was competing for something that I would never live up to, but later, I felt like Nyx simply had too much love in his heart for one person. I know he loves me, I feel it and we’ve been great, but–” Kaidan stood up and sat down next to Hackett, watching as he followed his every move with his gaze. “I wonder if he’ll be happier if he has us both.”

“So, you’re testing the waters with me, seeing if what, this could be more than us sharing him?”

“Even if it doesn’t work between us, that doesn’t mean this won’t work,” Kaidan replied. “All I see is an opportunity to get what we all want. Nyx, and something more.”

Hackett snorted but something lingered in his expression. “You're a good man, Kaidan. Sorry you got dragged into our decades long mess.”

“I’m not,” Kaidan moved closer. “I think we should all have a long talk once we get out of this mess and after we chew Nyx out for keeping us on mute, yes?”

“I think we should too.” He smiled, and Kaidan believed it to be genuine, tugging on his scar and pulling it across his face quite handsomely. “I’ve… denied my own feelings for him for years, wanting him to move on. But I think we were doomed from the goddamn start.” He shook his head. “As saving each other's lives changes your mindset quite a bit.”

“I'm familiar.” Kaidan closed his eyes, and he flashed back to Virmire, activating the bomb and Nyx refusing to choose between him and Ash, nearly jeopardizing the mission and losing some of the Normandy’s marine detail in the process. He flashed back to the beacon, to Nyx’s anguished cry to move out of the way when the debris of the ship and of the tower threatened to crush him and Ash.

Kaidan felt like he hadn't had the chance to really return the favor.

“And you’ve been impacted by that as well, I see.” Hackett said, giving him a knowing look.

Kaidan blinked before nodding. “A few times.”

“He's a devoted man to the people he loves.”

“That he is,” Kaidan breathed out. He turned to look over at Hackett, his eyes glancing down at the man’s lips. “I would kiss you right now, but I don’t want to do this without Nyx.”

He let out a surprised laugh. “We are of the same damn mind, Alenko.”

“Call me Kaidan.”

“Then you call me Steven.” His eyes flicked down to Kaidan’s lips. “To think we all have similar scars.”

Damn, he was right. They all had something on their lips. Kaidan's was the least severe out of the three, though.

“Where did you get yours?” He asked.

Kaidan felt no need to hide it, figuring Steven already knew. “BAaT. When Vyrnmus attacked me after I lashed out.”

He nodded. “First Contact War for me.” Kaidan could've guessed, and he didn't elaborate.

“And Nyx as well,” Kaidan said. “He's been more open about that than I expected. About a lot of things.”

“Such as his exposure,” he said pointedly, and Kaidan shrugged. “I knew you were something special when he told me how he reacted during his little game that damn near backfired on him.”

“Nyx is a goddamn idiot,” Kaidan chuckled. “But I still liked him despite that. When we got together, that first night, he said he saw a man he could trust.” Kaidan glanced over at Steven, who nodded and motioned for him to keep going.

“And he wanted something specific out of me, so I was extra observant to make sure he was still enjoying himself, you know? I've been with a few biotics, not many, and there's a common theme: we let loose in pleasure. It's hard to avoid, even for someone like me. I saw blue rimmed eyes that night, and I told myself it was a trick of the light. I never told him that I noticed, and he never said anything to me about it. Maybe he didn't even notice he did it,” Kaidan finished his little tale with a sigh. “Didn't have any of the telltale signs of a current gen, so I just tucked it away in the back of my mind. Even after he told me the truth, I didn't dwell on it.”

“I've tried my best to keep him protected from his anomaly, and I appreciate your discretion. I've always worried with his… proclivities that something would come out. Never did,” Hackett admitted. “Granted, he has an experimental implant and amp to help with that, but I'm a protective bastard, he would say.”

“Nothing wrong with that. I like that in a person,” Kaidan said. “I should tell him, but at this point, I don't want him to worry.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” he replied with a wry smile.

“Thanks.” Kaidan adjusted his position, pulling a leg up.

“I'm tempted to call them back so we can get out of here sooner,” Hackett muttered.

“You and me both, but no need to waste resources on us just because of who we are.”

“Exactly. Doesn't mean that I'm starting to be a little selfish.”

Kaidan laughed. “Ah well. We can deal with that later.”

“Speaking of, have you ever done something like this before?” Hackett asked, changing the subject.

Omega shore leave. Vorcha mafia, 5000 credits, a bottle of whiskey, and two very handsome men.

Kaidan grinned. “Sort of. Had a run in with the vorcha mafia at an ill-advised trip to one of Omega’s casinos. Later I ended up doing well and securing myself a nice sum of credits and an expensive whiskey, but I angered the wrong people in the process.”

He laughed as Steven raised an eyebrow. “You contain many secrets, Kaidan.”

“I contain multitudes,” he laughed. “I guess I’m good at hiding it. Anyway, turns out one of the vorcha I pissed off was a target for a merc, and I got involved with him and his partner in ah… more ways than one. Temporary, but I've never forgotten them.” Memories played out, surely reflected on his face, a smile that was tinged with a hint of sadness. He had their info, but lost it with a bug in his software and hadn't backed it up in time and never tried seeking them out since.

“Looks like they got away from you,” he said softly. “I'm sorry.”

“A part of me was too, but I ended up with something beautiful in the end, so I can't complain,” he shrugged. “I owe it to them for helping me appreciate my biotics a little more. Hadn't been with another L2 before, especially not one that wasn’t at Jump Zero, and well, the merc understood how to be with a biotic.”

“An L2 that wasn't with BAaT?”

“Turns out that after he got the surgery, his asari uncle trained him and later fitted him with an asari amp. Fought like a commando too. Never seen anything like it. Regis was one of a kind for sure.”

“Regis… Shepard?” Steven asked.

How the hell does he know about him?

Kaidan tilted his head to the side, furrowing his eyebrows. “Yeah. Why?”

“Son of Hannah Shepard, another Admiral in the brass. She never was happy that he didn't join the Alliance, but he's a good contact for us about Terminus affairs,” he explained. “Which means the other merc was Zaeed Massani, and that makes this one small goddamn galaxy.”

Kaidan's face broke out into an incredulous expression. “You're shitting me.”

“No, I'm not.” Steven smirked. “Zaeed was Alliance, but for only a bit. Had a short fling with him before he left and before I knew Nyx.”

Kaidan couldn't help but laugh. “So, not only do we share history with one partner, but also have another. Holy shit.”

Steven snorted. “Maybe we're more compatible than we think. To good taste in men.”

“I'll drink to that.” Kaidan looked down at his lap. “Small galaxy indeed,” he echoed.

A silence fell over them, comfortable and warm.

A ping from Kaidan’s omnitool interrupted it. He glanced down, knowing he only had a handful of contacts that he gave notification access to.

NS: You’re stuck in a fucking elevator? With Steven? I’m on my way

“I stand corrected, he did get our message,” Kaidan said, showing the display to him.

“Call him.”

Kaidan put a vid call through, and Nyx answered nearly immediately, on the move. They shared a look.

“No shit, you really are trapped. Apparently it’s been happening all over this sector.”

“Hello to you too, love,” Kaidan rolled his eyes. “But we haven’t been in here that long and–”

“Too late. I’m on my way. Already notified C-Sec to start to get you guys out. You’re too much of a damn gentleman, Kaidan.”

“He’s not the only one who told them to hold off,” Steven interjected. “In case there were actual emergencies more important than our comfort.”

“Oh great, not you too! Selfless bastards. Let me guess, are you two besties now?”

Something like that. They shared a look again, and it didn’t escape Nyx’s notice. He stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. “What happened between you two?”

“Nothing bad, but… we all need to sit down and talk about it,” Kaidan replied.

“Or you can tell me now, since you both seem comfy enough in there.” He cocked his head to the side, not sounding annoyed or angry, just curious.

“Kaidan and I have a proposition for you,” Steven began. “About your relationship. About what could be something between the three of us. Which is why this is far better with us in one room instead of a vid call.”

“Oh!” He widened his eyes. “Fuck, uh… okay. Wow. You really think this could work even after all these years?”

“Only one way to find out. Kaidan proposed it because… quite frankly, Nyx, you aren’t the only one that misses what we had,” Steven said softly. Kaidan reached over to squeeze his hand, and to his delight, he took it and held on tightly.

Nyx closed his eyes, breathed out, and opened them a moment later. “Alright. We can talk. Kaidan, you asked for this? Even though…” he trailed off, looking unsure.

“Nyx, I love you, and I want you to be happy. And I can't deny that I can see something working between all of us. But even if Steven and I find that we don’t work, that doesn't mean we can’t still have this between you two and between you and me..” Kaidan punctuated his statement by gesturing between them. “And well, you know what I like.” He grinned.

“Shit, Kay, I love you too, you know that. And, yes, I know what you like. Hell, a part of me has selfishly thought about this too, though in ah… more compromising positions than this.” Nyx smiled.

“Never change, Nyx,” Steven said, starting to lean against Kaidan.

“Don’t plan on it. I’m on my way. Oh and feel free to, well, spend your time however you like until we get there.” He winked and shut off the call.

A message popped up a moment later, addressed to the both of them.

NS: C-Sec told me they’ll be there in fifteen. That gives you at least ten ;)

Cheeky bastard.

Steven let out a breathy laugh. “Obviously, we need to talk about this far more than that, but… what do you think?”

Kaidna smiled, leaning in closer. “I think it went well. He gave us a ringing endorsement, so why not spend those–” he glanced down at his omnitool– “next few minutes getting to know each other a little bit more.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

Steven made the first move, closing the distance between them, first with a soft, chaste kiss, testing the waters. Kaidan chased after him when he broke away, deepening the kiss and climbing into his lap. He made a surprised sound when Kaidan settled on top of him, pulling him in closer and tangling a hand into his hair. Fuck, he was good at this, Kaidan biting back a moan as Steven started to explore his mouth.

“Don’t tell me you like to be quiet,” Steven said, breathing against his lips.

Kaidan chuckled, moving to kiss down his neck, pushing away his turtleneck. “Didn’t want you to think I was easy. No, I like it loud…” he nipped a kiss just underneath where the collar of the turtleneck sat. “I like it rough…” he licked a stripe up to his ear to purr into and nip at the lobe. “I love it public, even.”

To his surprise, Steven only laughed, keeping a hand tangled in his hair. “Good. I think you and I will be just fine together.”

For a brief moment Kaidan wondered exactly how similar they were and if that factored into Nyx choosing him and staying with him.

“Yeah? I look forward to finding out more,” Kaidan said, leaning in to kiss him once more, but the elevator shifted and the panel started to ring. Right.

Kaidan lifted himself off of him and watched Hackett adjust his pants before he got up out of the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat and accepted the call. “Hello?”

“Hey Spectre. It’s Bailey. We’re getting you two out thanks to your fellow Spectre. Mechanical failure and software failure, nasty business. You’ll be moving again before you know it.”

“Thanks,” Kaidan replied. “Let us know if you need us for anything.” He hoped he didn't sound out of breath.

“We have it covered. Just sit tight for a little longer.”

The call hung up and they both let out a sigh of relief. Kaidan leaned against the back wall of the elevator. “Almost got too carried away.”

“You clearly aren't sorry about that.”

“You're right. I'm not.”

The elevator’s lights flickered and suddenly it started to move. A few moments later, it stopped on its original destination, and on the other side, Nyx was waiting for them, along with some C-Sec personnel.

“Good, you two didn't kill each other,” Nyx laughed, leaning in to kiss Kaidan's cheek as he walked out. “Are you still planning on going over to the ranges or…?” He looked expectant.

“I think I just want to relax for a while. Let's go back to the apartment,” Kaidan said, taking his boyfriend's hand. “Might make some good food, if you want to join us, Admiral.”

“Lead the way,” he replied, and they headed over to the nearest transport hub.

– –

The moment they were inside their apartment, they all immediately headed over to the large couch Nyx insisted on buying for them. Now, Kaidan was thankful to have it, all three of them able to sit comfortably after taking off their shoes.

Nyx sat in the middle, his hands in his lap. “First, I have to ask: Were you two making out when they called y’all back?”

Kaidan sighed in exasperation as Steven snorted. “What do you think is the answer to that, Nyx?” Steven asked, nudging him on the shoulder.

“A damn shame you two threw up that privacy field, is what I’m going to say to that. I guess… you both found out you two are a helluva lot more similar than you both realized,” he admitted, not meeting either one of their eyes.

“Hey, look at me,” Kaidan said, gently turning Nyx’s face towards him. “I’m not mad that you clearly have a type. I mean, I do too.” He laughed, trying to break up the tension. It seemed to work by the way Nyx’s shoulders relaxed. “It just means that we may end up being more compatible than we realized.”

“Or maybe not,” Steven replied, though not out of any malice. He kept his tone light as he continued, “but we won’t know unless we try. And we can still both love you, Nyx, even if we don’t end up feeling that way for each other.”

Nyx closed his eyes, leaning back into the couch, letting out a deep breath. “Yeah, you’re both right, as loathe am I to admit it. I want both of you. Ever since I met you, Kaidan, and you took care of me that night the way I needed, God… you became special to me in a way I haven’t felt in many years.” Kaidan squeezed his hand. “And Steven, you were the one I let get away and I’m sorry.”

“Maybe you were,” Steven began, and Kaidan saw him reach out for Nyx’s other hand. “But that distance may have been good for us. Don’t apologize for something that ended up being good for us in the end.”

“Time will tell on that,” Nyx said, looking at both of them. “I know Kaidan has had his own experiences with poly relationships, but have you…?”

Steven shook his head. “You know I’ve never been one for dalliances the way you were. No, this is new territory for me too. Kaidan told me a bit about his time.”

“Oh, he did?” Nyx smiled, taking a second to pull his hair out of his long ponytail, letting the silvery strands fall down and lay on his shoulders. “Sounds like you two got real acquainted.”

“We did,” Kaidan said with a purr. “We need to go out sometime as the two of us, to get there even more.”

“Kaidan, if you keep up that voice, we’re going to go a lot farther on this damn couch than just a conversation,” Nyx warned, shaking his head. Kaidan pecked his cheek, glancing at Steven who watched in interest.

“We do need to go out as couples a few times. I’ll be on the Citadel for a while longer, so I want to take you both out separately. See where this goes… get to know the man that claimed your heart,” Steven said, his own voice falling into a husky purr.

Nyx held his head in his hands. “Fucking hell there’s two of you now.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Kaidan leaned in to whisper into his ear, watching him shudder. “I want to hear all about those fantasies. What positions we were in, what you were doing.”

“What we were doing,” Steven continued from the other side.

Nyx took another deep breath. “Yeah. One day. I’ll do whatever you two want. But now? I’m hungry and that bar food wasn’t enough for me and my metabolism.”

“Lucky for you, you have a biotic boyfriend who understands. I’ll make my Mom’s chicken noodle soup. Good, hearty, and my way of sharing the love,” Kaidan said, getting up from the couch.

“Nyx raves about your cooking, but I think he misses being behind a real grill,” Steven said, stretching himself out on the couch. Nyx nodded at the mention, Kaidan familiar with how much his man loves to grill, even impressing his father when they were prepping for dinner. “I’m a bit of a chef myself.”

“Oh, really?” Kaidan asked, making his way over to the small kitchen, starting by washing his hands. “We’ll need to compare notes. Most of my recipes are modified for our increased caloric intake, but I make Mom’s soup as authentic as I can.”

“I still keep my modified notes from when we found out about his exposure. I’ll take you up on that offer,” he said. Kaidan felt something in him soften at that.

Kaidan started to gather the ingredients, laying them all out on the table before he started putting the basic stock together. He grabbed his favorite stock pot and put it on heat, tossing a few tablespoons of butter in. To his surprise, Steven got up to join him. “Need some help dicing and slicing?”

“Could always use an extra hand,” Kaidan said with a nod. “Dice those carrots, celery, and onions for me.” He grabbed a few cloves of garlic and started to mince them, motioning over to a nearby cabinet that had a spare cutting board.

Steven nodded and got to work. “Am I going to get the recipe after this?”

“You’ll have to meet my parents first,” Kaidan replied with a wink, smiling while Nyx laughed as he got up to join them, leaning against the edge of the island.

“Already making plans to introduce him to the Alenkos…” Nyx said with a teasing lilt to his voice. “How long did it take for you to take me over to them?”

“Remember, we were on the Normandy for how long?” Kaidan chuckled. “And they ended up loving you, so you had nothing to worry about.”

Steven looked only a little hesitant, slowing down his dicing before recovering.

“Don’t worry. My parents… have a lot of love to give. They’ll approve,” Kaidan said, but a part of him knew that his father was worried enough about the rank difference between him and Nyx. Not that it really mattered with both of their Spectre statuses, but introducing Steven into the mix is going to make things… interesting.

Better see how this goes before he mentions it to his parents.

“Sounds like Nyx’s family,” Steven said, scraping the vegetables into the pot at Kaidan’s nod. “You’re Earthborn too, right?”

Kaidan nodded. “Around Vancouver. My family has a beautiful orchard we call home.”

He waited for him to elaborate on his own origins but he didn’t. Nyx didn’t offer anything either, so Kaidan wasn’t going to pry just yet. He started to stir the vegetables, adding the garlic after a couple of minutes passed. “Chicken’s in the fridge, if one of you could grab that for me. I’ll let it cook in the stock and with my Mom’s seasoning mix, and in less than an hour, we’ll have our soup.”

Nyx nodded and grabbed the requested ingredient. Kaidan tossed in some of the seasoning mix, careful to not let Steven see too much of the process, just to be a little shit. He eyeballed the amount of chicken stock he needed and grabbed the wrapped chicken thighs, placing them in the stock after bringing it to a boil. He reduced the heat to a simmer and covered the stock and chicken and set a timer on omnitool to check it later to make sure everything had cooked through. “Alright, out of my kitchen,” Kaidan said, washing his hands again. “Won’t be done for a while, so let’s find something to watch while we wait, hmm?”

Nyx, of course, found a pre-eezo discovery sci-fi film to watch, enjoying his tradition of grading old-Earth sci-fi to see how accurate they were. Kaidan found it endearing and adorable, the way he kept a meticulous spreadsheet of his personal ratings and opinions.

Nyx grabbed the knit blanket they kept folded over the back of the couch and unfolded it over them.

Kaidan settled against Steven, never quite resisting a good cuddle, and relaxed as the movie began. He could get used to this so easily, he realized. The intimacy of making food together, working in a kitchen and knowing where the other was at any time.

Steven wrapped an arm around Kaidan and pulled him in closer as he leaned in to peck Nyx on the lips, soft and sweet, a contrast to what Kaidan and Steven got up to in the damn elevator. Nyx let out a surprised sound and with a chuckle, he pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss. Kaidan watched them with a soft smile on his face, seeing how the former ex-lovers relaxed into each other, a familiarity and ease that quickly overcame any awkwardness they initially had.

“I missed this,” Nyx admitted quietly, just loud enough for the both of them to hear, breaking apart from the kiss with a sigh.

“Me too,” Steven replied, vulnerable and open and soft.

Kaidan saw their years apart melt away.

“And now I want to see what I missed,” Nyx teased, motioning towards him and Steven. “If you two want, of course.”

“I think we can manage,” Steven said, his piercing eyes landing on Kaidan. First, Kaidan had to deal with Nyx’s gene modded purples, and now he’s dealing with Steven’s icy blue.

Kaidan answered by leaning in for a kiss, pressing his lips softly against Steven’s, letting out a pleased sigh as he parted his lips, letting him take the lead. He heard Nyx make a happy noise from beside them, clearly enjoying the show. They kept it relatively chaste, merely enjoying making out like teenagers on the couch, but it was new territory for them.

They’ll have plenty of time to explore later.

When they broke apart, Steven asked, face a little flushed, “So, Kaidan, what do you like to go out and eat.”

And all Kaidan could do was laugh and give him a smile.

This could work, according to the stirring in his heart and the pleasant heat throughout his body. Someone who understands Nyx and his past and his secrets. Someone who’s been through it all.

Someone who also knows Kaidan’s secrets.

He had to admit to himself that it was nice not having BAaT hanging over him, already knowing that Hackett knew part of the story because of his file. One day, he’ll give him the full story, and maybe he’ll hear some more stories of their past. Of the war they both fought in and survived. For now, though, Kaidan was content waiting for his meal to be done and relaxing with what could be the best opportunity he’s had since the Normandy posting.

#mass effect #kaidan alenko #mshenko #male shepard #steven hackett #nyx shepard #cleric's writing #now I need a ship name for this triad

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