Chapter Text
Flames snap, sparks popping in a billow of smoke as Kaidan nudges a fresh piece of wood onto the campfire. Shepard waves the smoke away from his face, nose wrinkling. The ground is hard, even under the blanket they’re sitting side by side on, and Kaidan is already thinking about how much his joints are going to make him pay for this in the morning.
“So this is a thing,” Shepard says. “That people do for fun.” He shivers a little, even under the blanket he’s wrapped himself in. Seems like ever since London he’s never warm enough.
“Camping?” Kaidan asks with a smile. “Yeah. One might even call it romantic.”
“Growing up on a planet sounds fucking weird.” His hand pokes out from the blanket to flick at a bug.
They’re tucked in the spot out past the redcurrant groves Kaidan had always liked as a kid. He’s not sure what possessed him to drag them out here. Shepard’s clean bill of health comes with a lot of riders attached to it, and Kaidan is pretty sure if Miranda hears about this she’ll have his head on a pike. Besides, Shepard’s never exactly been one for nature. Not without a hardsuit.
So many other things they could have done instead. Of all the things he wants to do, wants to share, with Shepard, this wasn’t particularly high on the list.
Camping is more work than he remembers, too. He hasn’t set up a tent since Basic. Of all the places they’ve been stranded over the years, tents never seemed to have gotten involved. Sure would have been handy, once or twice.
Also, cooking in a kitchen is a lot easier than over a campfire, as their discarded attempt at dinner proves. He thought he’d never have to eat an MRE again, but here they are. At least Kaidan had brought a few as a backup.
Still. It’s nice. Shepard is smiling, despite the imperfections. Kaidan will eat a thousand MREs if it means seeing that smile.
For a little while they just watch the fire pop, listen to the crickets sing in the trees. Are they actually crickets? Hell, Kaidan doesn’t know. Doesn’t care.
He pokes the fire with a stick. “Too bad neither of us knows how to play an instrument.”
“Is that something you do around a campfire?” Shepard asks.
“Mmhmm.”
Shepard tilts his head. “Garrus once showed me a turian whatchama thing…fuck, it was something that sounded like a lute.”
Kaidan snorts. “Garrus plays an instrument?”
“No,” Shepard says with a grin. “He showed it to me. But that still makes me more of an expert at playing an instrument than you are.”
“Bite me. I saw a piano once.”
Shepard laughs, reaching an arm out to draw Kaidan to his side, then readjusts the blanket over his shoulders until its wrapped around them both. “You know, normally when fire is involved we’re running from it,” Shepard says. “Or into it. Depending on the day.”
“Were,” Kaidan says softly, gazing into the flickering flames.
No running into danger anymore. No shouldering the fate of the galaxy on their shoulders. The fighting is done.
All they’ve got left is living.
Maybe that’s why he brought Shepard out here. Not because it was important. Not because he had to make every moment count. They have time now. Time to waste, even. This just…seemed like a good place to waste it.
“Kiss me,” Kaidan says suddenly.
He half expects Shepard to raise an eyebrow, ask him why. Instead he takes Kaidan’s chin in gentle fingers and kisses him, deep, soft and slow.
When they part, Shepard leans his forehead against Kaidan’s and brushes a thumb along his jawline. “Better?” he asks.
“Do it again,” Kaidan whispers.
Shepard parts Kaidan’s lips with his tongue, fingers sliding down from his face until they fist in his shirt. Kaidan slips an arm around him and pulls him closer, drinking in every second, every moment, because this, this, is what he wants to waste all his time on.
This is what it was all for.
The blanket slips off their shoulders but it doesn’t matter. They’ve got everything they need to keep warm.