Chapter Text
First Ever Mass Effect story. I hope you enjoy
"Speech
'' Thoughts
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My Shepard is named Ethan, he has blonde hair and is green-eyed biotic.
ShepardxKaidan
Chapter 11
Garrus closed the car trunk and said, "Alright, we’re all set to hit the road!" He turned around to see Ethan standing with the twins and Alec. "Ethan, are you ready?" he called out.
"Yeah, I am," Ethan replied. "It was really nice to see you again, Alec, and you two as well." He smiled as Sera and Scott hugged him. "I’m going to miss you guys," he chuckled, playfully ruffling their hair.
"We're going to miss you, Uncle Ethan, and you too, Uncle Garrus," the twins chimed in as Garrus approached them with a grin, giving their hair a gentle tousle as well.
"It was great to see you kids, though I wish it had been under better circumstances," Garrus remarked.
"Us too," they replied together, grinning widely.
Alec chuckled, "Now that you've both said your goodbyes, it's time to get ready for bed. Off you go!" He watched as the two of them dashed back into the house. Turning to the other two men, he added, "Looks like we’ll have to come visit you next."
"That sounds wonderful," Ethan beamed.
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The door swung open, and Nel peeked her head out. "Hey, you’re back!" she beamed at Ethan as Garrus entered behind him, carrying his bag. "Why didn’t you give me a heads-up?" she inquired, stepping fully out of the kitchen and closing the door behind them.
"I meant to, but I changed my mind. It’s all good," Ethan replied with a smile as they headed to the living room, where he plopped down on the couch. "Oh, I’m so exhausted," he said, propping his crutches against the sofa. Garrus let out a groan and took a seat across from him.
"I just finished making dinner. Are you staying, Garrus?" Nel asked, glancing at him. He looked up and nodded. "Awesome, it’s spaghetti bolognese," she said before heading back to the kitchen.
Ethan leaned back, feeling drained. "I’m really out of it right now," he sighed, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair. "I think I need a haircut," he added.
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Kaidan got to his feet. "Was that Ethan I saw?" he asked, placing the magazine he was holding on the table. Nel was busy putting the sauce into the pan. "Nel, are you kidding me? I’ll just check for myself," he said as he headed toward the door.
"Yeah, they're back," she finally replied. "Feel free to say hi; I didn’t mention you were here," she added, prompting him to stop and turn around to face her.
"Why not?" Kaidan inquired. Nel shrugged her shoulders, and he let out a groan before opening the door. "You’re a troublemaker; I really wonder why I’m friends with you," he remarked.
"You’re friends with me because you want to date my brother," Nel teased, causing Kaidan to narrow his eyes at her. "Just say hi if you’re going to," she told him as she moved to a cupboard. Kaidan then left the kitchen and made his way to where Ethan and Garrus were.
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Ethan glanced up when Haida entered. "Kaida, I didn't realize you were here," he greeted him as Kaidan made his way over to take a seat.
"I was just visiting Nel, and she invited me to stay for dinner," Kaidan replied with a smile.
"That's wonderful!" Ethan beamed in return. Garrus, observing the exchange between them, sighed and stood up from his chair.
"I'm going to check on dinner," Garrus announced before exiting the room.
Kaidan asked, crossing his arms, "So, considering everything, was the funeral alright?"
Ethan replied, "It felt strange not being here, you know? She was such a wonderful person. She and Alec were there for me when my own parents weren't." Kaidan nodded in understanding. "It was nice to see the twins again; they've grown so much since the last time I saw them," Ethan chuckled, pulling out his phone to show Kaidan.
"Adorable! I love kids," Kaidan said, and Ethan tucked his phone back into his pocket. "You look like you might just collapse," he remarked.
"Yeah," Ethan admitted, "everything just makes me so tired now, and it really sucks." He glanced down at his lap.
"Hey," Kaidan reassured him, "you'll get through this, alright? It just takes time." Ethan nodded in agreement.
"Absolutely, I get it. Thanks," he responded. "I'm really happy you're around, you know," he added. "And having Nel here is a plus, even if I won't say it to her directly," he continued.
"Right? Her ego is already pretty inflated," he chuckled, and they both shared a laugh. Garrus moved toward the door. "Is it all set?" Kaidan inquired.
"Yep."
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The next morning, Nel said as she tucked her phone into her pocket, "The people for the bath should be arriving soon. Are you going to be okay?"
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Yes, I’ll be fine," he replied. "Remember the last time someone came over? You need to go to work, and besides, Liara is coming this afternoon," he added.
Nel nodded. "Alright, alright, I’ll leave you be. I have to head to the restaurant; someone is coming to give us an estimate on the work that needs to be done, which I’m not looking forward to, but we’ll see how it goes." She opened the door and said, "See you later," before stepping out. Ethan closed the door, and Legion came bounding out from the living area, stopping at his feet.
"I take it you want dinner?" he asked Legion, who tilted his head curiously.
"Woof," Legion barked in agreement, wagging his tail.
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Ethan heard a knock at the door. He stood up from the sofa, grabbed his crutches, and made his way to the entrance. When he opened the door, he saw a man standing there. "Mr. Shepard?" the man inquired, and Ethan nodded in response. "We're here to install the bars in your bathroom," he explained as he stepped inside.
"Just head up the stairs and go straight ahead when you reach the top," Ethan directed him. The man walked in, followed by another guy who smiled at Ethan. "Can I get you both something to drink?" he asked.
"I can help with that if you'd like," the second man said as he headed back down the stairs. Ethan shook his head with a smile. "No, that's okay. I need the practice," he replied. "Coffee or tea?" he asked, making his way to the kitchen, with the man following him.
"Two coffees, one with milk and no sugar," he instructed. "I just need to grab the items from the van." He then left the house, and Ethan let out a sigh as he opened the cupboard door.
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Liara stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. She grabbed her bag from the back seat, locked the car, and walked up to the house. After a moment, she knocked on the door, which eventually opened to reveal Ethan. "Hey," he greeted her, stepping aside to let her in.
"Hey, how are you, Ethan?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.
"I'm managing, I suppose. The crew for the rails is here installing them," he replied as they headed toward the kitchen. "Can I get you a drink?" he offered.
"Oh, please, sit down! You look like you might collapse," she said, noticing his fatigue. He let out a sigh and made his way to a chair, sinking into it.
"So, how was the funeral?"
T.B.C......