Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect

A/N - I wrote this for Kaidan Appreciation Week on Tumblr, but thought I would share it here it's going to be an ongoing fic about my tattooed psychotic Kaidan and his attraction for Pandora Shepard. Coverart of Subject Zero Alenko is by Georgia Le-Flay and used with permission.

"Do I make you nervous?"

The voice floated out of the shadows, deceptively soft, and Shepard bit back a gasp as Kaidan materialised beside her, a smirk gracing his lips as his eyes slipped down her form. He circled around her slowly, his biotics tickling over her skin like ghostly fingertips, and with a husky chuckle he came to a stop in front of her and raised an eyebrow.

"You're trembling," he commented, tracing a finger along her jawline. "Your heart is racing and your breathing is shallow."

Shepard swallowed hard and fought not to step away. "You startled me."

"Did I?"

She was used to Kaidan's games by now; used to him prowling around the cargo bay beneath engineering and lurking in dark corners. Used to his surly attitude, his sarcastic comebacks, and the perpetual odour of biotics and cigarettes that clung to his tattooed skin. Hell, she was even used to the way he'd began casually touching her – the brush of his hip against hers as he walked past, the press of his leg against hers when they sat together, and the firm grip of his hand in hers when he helped her into the shuttle.

It was so casual and unobtrusive that she hadn't even noticed he was doing it at first. Most men she'd worked with in the past had either treated her like just another soldier or they'd made the terminal mistake of coming onto her like a ton of bricks. Kaidan was different. He'd stayed away as much as he could and had resisted her attempts to get to know him better.

She'd pulled his story from him reluctantly; the torture he'd suffered at BAaT, the resulting death of a teacher, and his eventual Cat 6 discharge from the Alliance. He'd been casual about killing, casual about crime, casual about so many of the terrible things he'd done. In fact, he wore most of them as a badge of honour permanently tattooed on his skin.

Kaidan Alenko was dangerous, that much was certain, but Shepard had the unshakeable feeling that there was more to him than met the eye.

"You know you did." Shepard tried to calm the fluttering in her stomach as he moved closer, his eyes flicking down her lips and up again. "You like watching me jump."

He grinned and inclined his head. "I can't deny it," he admitted. "You're not scared of me otherwise."

Shepard snorted softly and crossed her arms over her chest, aware it was a defensive move but unable to help herself.

"And you want me to be scared?" she asked.

Surprised flashed across Kaidan's face and he hesitated, pausing a few feet away and considering her for a long moment. His golden eyes focused on her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine and finally he shook his head.

"No," he said in a husky growl. "I don't want you to be scared of me."

Her heart began to pound at his admission, leaping in her chest as though trying to break free.

"Then what do you want?" Shepard drew in a deep breath and took a step closer to him, pushing through the warm cloud of his biotics. "Tell me."

Kaidan watched her approach like a man in a dream and when she stopped only inches from him he raised one hand to her waist, his touch to gentle she barely felt the pressure. His other hand traced her jaw again, light as a feather, and his eyes flashed with blue as he closed the gap between them, so his body was only millimetres from hers.

"I want you," he muttered as though the words were being tortured out of him. "I want to kiss you, to hold you, to make you mine."

Shepard gasped as he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her tightly to him, his other hand winding tightly in her hair. His lowered his mouth to hers slowly, his eyes watching the entire time as though waiting for her to pull away or cry for help. When she didn't he smirked, and finally, after months of wondering what it would be like to feel those lips against hers, he kissed her.

The kiss was gentle, coaxing, his lips soft even as he held her fast. Shepard let him set the pace, opening her mouth to his and groaning at the velvet slide of his tongue against hers. He tasted like peppermint gum, and with another small sound she melted against him, her arms winding around his neck. Desire pounded through her in waves, until Kaidan was the only thing she could focus on.

He drew back with no warning, tearing his mouth away and sucking in a breath as he stared at her accusingly. "What have you done to me?"

"I could ask you the same question," she retorted, only too aware of the pressure of his arms around her and how warm and solid his body felt under her hands. "You started this."

Kaidan glowered, but if anything his arms tightened.

"It's madness," he growled. "This entire thing is madness."

"Complete insanity," Shepard agreed.

But neither of them pulled away …