Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kasey wasn't sure exactly when things shifted. He couldn't pinpoint a specific moment when his feelings began to change, it seemed either too fast or too gradual for him to catch on. 

When he'd had a crew two years prior, he'd been close with everyone. He made it a priority to check in as often as possible, wanted his crew to see him as a leader and also as someone who cared for them. Now that he'd found himself again building up a crew, his motive was similar. Kasey wanted his new group to trust him, to check in with them often and ensure they knew they could talk to him.

He and Garrus talked frequently, catching up and reminiscing about the adventures they shared. He'd taken great interest in speaking with Thane, Samara, and Zaeed, and was forming a close friendship with Jacob. The person Kasey visited the most, however, was Mordin. 

Every chance he got, he'd head to the tech lab on the Normandy SR-2, eager to learn more about the salarian professor he'd recruited. Initially his fascination with Mordin Solus was the same as his intrigue with his other new recruits. He wanted Mordin to know he was an easy-going Captain, that he valued the opinions of his crew and checked in frequently in case of issues or discussions that needed to be had.

Now though, Kasey went to see Mordin on a much more frequent basis than the rest of his crew. He'd run out of mission or career related questions to ask, and would happily listen to Mordin talk about anything and everything that came to mind. Hobbies, past stories, salarian culture. Kasey had shared a great deal of information about himself with Mordin, too. About his brother that had been born on Earth with him, about his adoptive parents. He spoke of his love for animals, past missions of his, and expressed interest in someday settling down on the Citadel. 

Kasey found that when he didn't speak to Mordin, his day didn't feel complete. It was as though he'd missed something important. He'd pondered it a bit too long while feeding his fish one morning, and come to the realization that he'd developed a rather large crush on the professor.

 Mordin was extremely intelligent, in and out of his field, and always eager to chat if he had free time. Mordin was passionate, about his work and his hobbies. Even with the fast speed he regularly talked at, Kasey had noticed that he spoke even faster when he was excited about something. Mordin was beautiful. Kasey loved his large eyes, his patterns along his face, his uneven horns, the way his unique attire hugged his body. Once he realized it, Kasey found more and more things he'd grown to appreciate about Mordin, and it was a struggle to make his cheeks stop burning. 

It wasn't something he confessed immediately, but he did want to tell Mordin the truth. He ran it over in his head over a dozen times, and after putting it off for a bit, Kasey finally gathered his courage and made his way to the tech lab.

Mordin gave him a light wave as he entered, speaking quickly, "Shepard. How can I help?"

After a deep breath, Kasey reassured himself that no matter the result of his admission, he and Mordin were good friends and would work through it. "Do you have a minute to talk, Mordin?"

The salarian nodded, before stopping the typing he'd been doing, instead crossing the room to stand face to face with Kasey. "Actually…wanted to talk. Medical matters. Unsure when to bring up. Aware that upcoming mission is dangerous. Different species react differently to stress. Aware you come by a great deal. Have put the pieces together. Have had other species become attracted to me before…Awkward. Not interested." 

Mordin's response hit Kasey pretty hard. He knew Mordin was spot-on about several of the things he'd mentioned, and though he was grateful for the professor's honesty, he was crushed by how quickly he'd been shut down.

He held back the negativity he was feeling, instead asking, "You've had members of other species make passes at you before?" Kasey wanted clarification, as he'd never intended to upset Mordin with his feelings.

"Constantly," Mordin said, exasperated, "Very awkward. Skin tone apparently attractive by turian standards. Subset of krogan sexual deviants enjoy salarian flexibility. More cartilage than skeletal structure. Asari offers intriguing, actually…wonder why…Transpecies pheromones unlikely to work. Must be neurochemical."

Kasey nearly laughed at the asari comment, managing a smile instead. He'd found many asari to be beautiful himself, and had once dated an asari named Liara. 

He forced himself to keep eye contact with Mordin, "I apologize if I made you uncomfortable at all in our past talks. And, I appreciate you letting me down easy."

Kasey must not have kept all the sadness out of his expression, because Mordin's gaze softened. "No offense intended, Shepard. Salarian reproduction different. Very little sex drive." He paused briefly, looking at Kasey a little differently than before, "If intended to try human, would try you."

That made Kasey blush, harder than he had when he'd first realized his feelings towards Mordin. Once he remembered how to breathe, he took a hesitant step forward, "Mordin, I don't mean to push, so please stop me if I'm misreading things, but…is the sex aspect the only reason you're turning me down?" 

Mordin nodded, not showing any indication of being upset by Kasey's question. "Affirmative. Sexual relationships taxing, no desire for them. If merely stress response, pointless in long run." He glanced at Kasey again, "Is that confusing to you? Could prepare pictures or writings if it helps."

Kasey shook his head, "No, thank you, Mordin, but that's okay. I just thought I should explain that I have a very low sex drive, too. I'm demisexual. I rarely experience any sort of sexual attraction, and when I do, it's only with people I've been with for a very long time, or have formed a very strong connection with."

Mordin seemed to look at Kasey in a whole new light, staying silent for a moment, before simply stating, "Incredible. Never considered that possibility before. Shepard, demisexual…What did you hope to happen between us then?" 

Kasey fumbled a little, not expecting to be put on the spot. "Well…" He ran a hand through his hair, unable to stop his face from heating up as he admitted, "Well, I'd love to hold your hand. Or take you on dates whenever we have a chance to go on shore leave, to kiss someday. Just…small things like that. Something exclusive."

Mordin pondered that a moment, inching closer to Kasey, "Monogamy, yes. Something gentle, slow-paced, no sexual expectations. Would you enjoy hugs? Cuddling perhaps? And, am I truly the only person you are interested in exploring this with?"

Kasey nodded, any doubt or negative feelings he'd had seeping out of him. "Gentle and slow, yeah. I love hugs, and yeah, I think I'd enjoy cuddling a lot." He managed another step forward, having to look up a bit to meet Mordin's eyes, "And yes, you're the only person I'm interested in more than friendship with. Does that mean you…?"

Mordin nodded, offering his hand to Kasey, "Yes. Interested as well. New territory, new experience entirely, but admire and respect you, Shepard. Excited to date you." 

Kasey took the professor's hand in his, his palm warming at the strange new sensation of holding hands with someone who had a different number of fingers than him. It felt good to hold Mordin's hand, though, and he smiled, "I'm very very happy right now, Mordin. I respect and admire you, too. If you'd like to, when we're alone like this, you could call me Kasey." 

Mordin smiled, "Kasey. Sounds right, will remember that. Do you wish to keep this quiet, Kasey? Would understand if unwilling to share personal matter with crew."

Kasey gave the salarian's hand a gentle squeeze, "I don't mind if other people find out. But maybe we can keep it a little quieter until we're comfortable with this new dynamic?"

The professor gave Kasey a gentle squeeze in return, "Understood. Time to ourselves to settle. Looking forward to it. Talk later, Kasey." 

Kasey nodded, reluctantly releasing Mordin's hand and making his way back to his quarters, absolutely beaming.

Chapter Text

Kasey hadn’t thought it was possible to spend more time in the tech lab than he already had. He still took the time to check in with his friends, Garrus and Jacob more often than the other members of his crew, but almost all of his free time he spent with Mordin.

He and his salarian partner hadn’t gone out of their way to hide the new label they’d given themselves, but they hadn’t done much to suggest any change either. Kasey enjoyed holding hands when Mordin wasn’t busy typing or working. He’d made Mordin laugh the other day, trying out different ways to position his fingers until finding one that felt the most comfortable for them both. 

Mordin gave very good hugs, holding Kasey close when the Commander would retire to his quarters for the night, or when Kasey would go on missions that Mordin would not be attending with him. Kasey loved the feeling of the professor’s arms around him, his heart always pounding in his ears when they’d embrace. 

Despite not being overly affectionate around other members of the crew, or during shared time off the Normandy, several of Kasey’s friends had picked up on the subtle differences that had come to be between the Captain and the professor. 

Following a trip to the Citadel, Kasey had done his rounds checking in on everyone aboard his ship. He stopped by Garrus, the turian smiling and waving as Kasey approached. “Kasey, always glad to see you.” 

“Happy to see you too, Garrus. How’ve you been feeling after our last few stops?” The Commander asked.

“Well, actually. It’s relieving to finally be done with Omega for a bit. Getting to go with you on that ship, Purgatory, was certainly an experience too. I’m holding up okay.” He gave Kasey a knowing look, “You seem very happy these days, too. Almost…brighter.” 

A mixture of embarrassment and excitement hit Kasey at once, and he managed a sheepish smile, “I’ve uh…Got a certain salarian to thank for that.” 

Garrus grinned and tugged Kasey into a hug, “I knew it was Mordin. The way you were looking at him when we met him in that quarantine zone…What’s that human phrase…deer in the floodlights? But in a ‘holy hells, he’s hot’ kind of way.”

“Headlights,” Kasey mumbled, returning Garrus’s hug and laughing, “Was it that bad? Did I stare? Oh, god.” 

“You definitely stared,” Garrus chuckled, relaxing his grip around Kasey and instead patting his friend’s shoulder affectionately, “I’m glad he’s making you happy. I’m glad to see you happy. You deserve it after how rough things have been lately.” 

“Thank you, Garrus. I’ll check in with you again soon.” 

“Sounds good, Kasey. I’ve got calibrations to get started on, anyway.”

Kasey truly hadn’t been that surprised that Garrus had caught on to his feelings for Mordin. The other person who brought it up had been much more of a shock for Kasey.

He’d been checking on Thane, learning a bit more about the drell assassin he’d recruited. Time had gone by quicker than he’d realized, and when Kasey began to excuse himself, Thane interrupted by saying, “Ah, I understand. To see your partner, don’t let me keep you.” 

Kasey flushed and had paused in his tracks, meeting Thane’s eyes, “How’d you know…?” 

Thane managed a smile, “I meant no harm by it. I’m not certain Mordin even knows I caught on. I was speaking with him about his time in the salarian STGs originally, somehow we got onto what he’d been doing on Omega and how he met you. He always talks quite quickly, but my, the man can speak a mile a minute about you, Shepard.” 

The thought of Mordin rapidly gushing about him, even if it hadn’t been anything about their relationship, was enough to make Kasey’s palms sweat and his face get warmer, “That’s actually adorable,” He said, grinning at Thane, “I’ll check in with you again tomorrow, Thane. This has been eye-opening in more ways than one.” 

The drell nodded and gave Kasey a small wave, “Until tomorrow, Shepard.”

Kasey went on a few more missions, making sure to keep up his crew’s morale, and putting a lot of focus on his relationship with Mordin. After a particularly rough trip on Tuchanka, he’d gotten pretty banged up and headed to his room earlier than usual to rest.

Mordin had joined him about an hour later, sitting beside Kasey on the Commander’s bed and gently rubbing his back and shoulders. “Kasey. Injuries feeling any better? Physical and mental? Aware of how undertaking the Rite alongside Grunt may have brought many bad memories to the surface.”

Kasey involuntarily shuddered at that, Mordin’s insight and concern appreciated, but the memories of his past mission on Akuze indeed resurfacing in his head. He’d fought a thresher maw, for the first time in years, and had once again lived to tell the tale. 

Upon seeing Kasey’s body tremble, Mordin’s face fell and he lay down beside his partner, holding Kasey close as the Commander began to sob. The salarian rubbed Kasey’s back soothingly, long fingers gently combing through Kasey’s hair until he was able to speak again.

“You’re right, Mordin. Everything’s hurting, inside and out. I thought maybe when Cerberus brought me back, the memories would be duller…less vivid. But fighting that thing today, I just…” 

“Explanation not needed, Kasey. Understand, not exact situation, but understand blame. Regret. Pain. Crying is natural response, and you are safe now. Lived, survived the Rite, kept entire crew alive as well.” 

Kasey managed a weak smile at that, again thinking of the marines that died on Akuze, before remembering that Mordin was right. He hadn’t let any of his own die to the thresher maw this time. He was stronger, his team had believed in and trusted him, and he hadn’t let them down. 

He pushed his face into Mordin’s chest, snuggling closer to him, and the tears began to stop as the professor tugged the blankets around them both. “Thank you, Mordin. That actually helped me feel a lot better.” 

The salarian beamed, cupping and gently stroking Kasey’s cheek, “Happy to help. Happy to hold, as well. Feeling very comfortable and grateful for this encounter. Wish to stay here tonight, want to be available if needed. Want to hold, and want to rock to sleep.” 

Kasey laughed and his cheeks became tinged a light shade of red, “I’d love for you to stay in my room tonight. And I’d love to be rocked to sleep.” A smirk formed on Kasey’s face as he dried the last of his tears, “Maybe you could sing me some Gilbert and Sullivan?”

That made Mordin laugh too, hugging Kasey tightly before muttering, “Perhaps. No promises, Kasey.” 

Things were good, things felt right, and Kasey couldn’t wait to see how things progressed. Being in Mordin’s arms was beginning to feel just as much like home as Earth, just as warm as his adoptive parent’s place on the Citadel. His feelings for the salarian were only deepening, and he was beyond thankful for the opportunity to explore a relationship of this nature with him.

Chapter Text

A few days passed, and Kasey made his rounds on the Normandy before swinging by the tech lab. Mordin hugged him, but it wasn’t as comforting as usual. The salarian professor actually seemed to be stressed.

“Are you okay, Mordin?” Kasey asked.

The older man sighed, before responding, “Important news. Know you’re busy. Have to deal with the collectors. Planning attack. Too important to wait. Just received data, still processing, analyzing likely scenarios. Not sure how to begin. Too much intel. You remember one of our first talks? My work on genophage modification?” 

Kasey did indeed recall the conversation his partner was speaking of. He couldn’t say that it hadn’t been a difficult talk to have, or that he’d agreed with every decision that was made, but he’d come out of it understanding and respecting Mordin much more. He’d enjoyed learning more about the professor’s former work, as well as his motivations and thought process. 

He nodded, gently rubbing Mordin’s shoulder in an attempt to soothe him, “You stopped the krogan adaptation to the genophage.”

Mordin nodded as well, seemingly beginning to relax with Kasey’s hand on him, “Part of a team. Scientists of all different types. Blood Pack mercenaries captured former team member, Maelon. Last seen on Tuchanka. Might torture him. Make an example.” The professor glanced down at his feet, “Know you just had very difficult Tuchanka mission with Grunt. Would never wish to cause you greater stress, but…Recovering Maelon would be a personal favor to me.” 

Kasey lifted the salarian’s head back up by cupping his cheek. He gently caressed Mordin’s horns and smiled at him, “Of course I’ll do what I can to help you, Mordin. We can head back to Tuchanka right away.”

A smile slowly formed along Mordin’s patterned face, and he leaned into the soft touches Kasey was providing him, “Appreciate it. Maelon…my assistant. My student. Want to see him safe.”

“I understand.” Kasey tugged his partner into a warm hug, massaging the taller man’s lithe back, “I’ll ask my old friend Wrex about him when we get there. It’ll be okay.”

Kasey had to admit, he was a little anxious being back on Tuchanka so shortly after his last mission. He kept himself calm by occasionally taking Mordin’s hand, and by making time to check in with Wrex. Though he and the krogan had definitely had their fair share of arguments, Kasey considered Wrex to be one of his best friends, and seeing him was wonderful regardless of the circumstances. 

After a bit of catching up, and congratulating Wrex on becoming the leader of his Clan, Kasey asked him about the salarian Mordin was looking for, Maelon. Wrex had directed them towards a scout, who then informed them that they’d actually sent someone after Maelon themselves, but the krogan they sent had never returned. The scout believed that Clan Weryloc would know more about Mordin’s former apprentice’s exact whereabouts. Kasey and his teammates, Mordin and Garrus, were given access to one of the trucks, and directions to reach Clan Weryloc. 

Kasey had a very bad feeling almost the exactly moment they got off the truck. Mordin found a human body and went to inspect it, finding sores and tumors, evidence of the deceased’s wrists being restrained, and marks from repeated injections. His conclusion was that the human had been experimented on, more specifically, experimented on in order to make progress towards ending the krogan genophage.

Kasey had expressed unease and sadness at humans being used in such a way, and Mordin reassured him that he’d never used human subjects himself. Mordin found such a thing to be unethical and used only by brute force researchers, that such a thing had no place in proper science. Though Kasey hadn’t believed Mordin would test on humans before the mission, it was a relief to hear him say it. 

It was difficult to reach the Clan Weryloc leader, and Kasey’s team unfortunately had to fight their way in. Once they did meet the speaker of Clan Weryloc, though, he seemed less than willing to negotiate. The only good news, was that he confirmed they had Maelon with them, and that the krogan were aware of Maelon’s research. The Weryloc speaker was very convinced that Maelon would be able to cure the genophage once and for all. 

He then went on a rant about how Clan Weryloc would take over the very galaxy, fighting the turians, terrorizing the asari, and eating salarian eggs as a delicacy, the last of which made Mordin rightfully shocked and upset. Kasey determined enough was enough, and he, Mordin, and Garrus quickly disposed of the Weryloc speaker. 

Inside, Mordin had the group stop by an active console, seeming to be cautiously excited about it potentially having data that could be of use. “Genetic sequences,” The professor stated once he had access to the console, “Hormone mutagens still steady. Protein chains, live tissue, cloned tissue. Very thorough. Standard treatment vectors, Avoiding scorched earth immunosuppressants to alter hormone levels. Good. Hate to see that.” 

Kasey wasn’t entirely sure what any of what his partner said meant, but he attempted to understand a little better by asking, “You’re…excited about what you’ve found?”

Mordin explained his work on the krogan genophage a little more. How he modified it in a way that he compared to gardening; working within the tight confines of the existing genophage, ensuring that nothing he did would eradicate the krogan entirely, explaining how he chose not to do things the easy way, instead holding himself to the high standard of keeping things stable. He explained that although he was part of a task force prior to his current profession, and he had killed many, he had never taken a life with medicine. 

At the end of his explanation, he said, “All life precious. Universe demands diversity.” And Kasey believed it was something that would stick with him long after this mission. It was a beautiful phrase to him, and he greatly enjoyed hearing more about the professor’s views and beliefs. He felt that no matter what happened with Maelon, this trip had been a meaningful one for him and Mordin.

Further inside the building, Mordin discovered a krogan female, and with the information he gathered, determined that she hadn’t been in the same boat as the human they’d found earlier. The krogan had been a volunteer for the experimentations that had taken place. Mordin was very emotional about the krogan being dead, and Kasey wasn’t sure how to comfort him. He hugged the salarian tightly from behind, relaxing a bit as he felt Mordin’s hands cover his. They stayed that way a moment, before continuing forward.

As they walked, Mordin talked a bit more about how yearly he’d come to Tuchanka to take samples, and ensure that his original distribution of the genophage hadn’t had any errors. Although superiors of his offered to take over, Mordin insisted on being the one to do the check-ins. It was important for him to see it with his own two eyes, a reminder of why he did all his work in his clinic on Omega. Kasey held his hand tightly, grateful that Mordin trusted him with all of this, and grateful to learn more about him. To have the time to hear more about his work and his motivations. 

Finally, much further inside, Kasey and his team discovered a large open room, a big screen at the center, and another salarian working on it. Mordin confirmed who it was by saying, “Maelon. Alive. Unharmed.” He led the way forward, towards Maelon, clearly surprised, “No signs of restraint. No evidence of torture. Don’t understand.”

Maelon seemed to scoff, “For such a smart man, professor, you always had trouble seeing evidence that disagreed with your preconceptions. How long will it take you to admit I'm here because I want to be here?”

Kasey glanced at Mordin, a somber look on his face. He couldn’t imagine what this exchange was making his partner think. “Maelon didn’t need rescuing. He wasn’t kidnapped, he came here willingly to cure the genophage.” 

“Impossible,” Mordin stated, “Whole team agreed project was necessary.”

Maelon rolled his large salarian eyes, “How was I supposed to disagree with the great Dr. Solus? I was your student! I looked up to you!”

Mordin grew much angrier after that revelation, gesturing with his hands while he spoke, “Experiments performed here! Live subjects! Prisoners! Torture and executions! Your doing!?”

“We’ve already got the blood of millions on our hands, Doctor,” Maelon said with a smile, “If it takes a bit more to make things right, I can deal with that.”

Kasey turned to face Mordin, subtly offering his hand if the professor wished to take it, “He clearly doesn’t need our help. I’ll follow your lead.”

Mordin briefly squeezed Kasey’s hand, sighing, “Need to end this.”

Maelon pulled a gun, aiming at Kasey and his companions as he spoke, “You can’t face the truth, can you? Can’t admit that your brilliant mind led you to commit an atrocity!” 

Before Kasey had much of a chance to react, Mordin surged forward and knocked the weapon from Maelon’s hands. He spoke firmly, his anger and hurt seeping through in his words, “Unacceptable experiments. Unacceptable goals. Won’t change. No choice. Have to kill you.” He pointed Maelon’s own weapon at him, finger poised on the trigger.

“Wait,” Kasey said, gently gripping his partner’s arm, “He doesn’t need to die. You’re not a murderer, Mordin.” 

Slowly, Mordin relaxed and let his arm fall, “No. Not a murderer. Thank you, Kasey.” He glanced at Maelon once more, “Finished, Maelon. Get out. No Weryloc left. Project over.”

Maelon actually seemed a little lost and shaken, and he asked, “Where should I go, professor?”

“Don’t care,” Mordin answered stiffly, “Try Omega. Can always use another clinic.”

Maelon spoke only once more before he left, “The krogan didn’t deserve what we did to them, professor. The genophage needs to end.” 

As Maelon disappeared from view, Mordin began working on the screen in the center of the room, “Not like this…” He sighed deeply, before speaking to Kasey, “Apologies, Kasey. Misunderstood mission parameters. No kidnapping. My mistake. Thank you.” 

Kasey slipped his arms around Mordin in another warm embrace, “Don’t worry about me, how are you feeling? Are you okay?” 

Mordin stayed pretty tense, meeting Kasey’s eyes, “Should’ve killed him. Wanted to. Easier than listening. Easier for him, too. Experiments indicate how far he has fallen. Expected it from krogan. Not from one of mine.” He poked around a little more, before stating, “Maelon’s research. Only loose end. Could destroy it. Closure, security. Still valuable though.”

A shudder passed through Kasey, “You know I trust you, Mordin, but how could something as serious as these experiments still be useful?” 

“Right now, victims died for nothing. Keep it, use it, deaths worth something,” Mordin explained, “Maelon’s work could cure genophage. Don’t know. Effects on krogan. Effects on galaxy. Too many variables. Too many variables!”

Kasey kept a hand on the salarian’s back, trying to provide further comfort, and some sort of anchor. “If you think there’s any piece of it that could help in the future, I say you keep it.” 

Mordin nodded, “Understood, Kasey. Capturing data, wiping local copy. Still years away from cure, but closer than starting from scratch.” He smiled when he’d finished with the screen, turning to Kasey, “Done. Ready to go. Ready to be off Tuchanka. Anywhere else. Maybe someplace sunny.”

Kasey tied up a few other loose ends, then got back onto the Normandy. He got Garrus’s opinion on the last few missions, checked in with Joker and Jacob, promised Tali he’d make her most recent travel request a priority, and then he headed to the tech lab to check on Mordin.

The professor waved as Kasey entered, still seeming shaken from the encounter on Tuchanka, “Still hard to believe Maelon betrayed me. Betrayed my work. Disgusted by his actions. Proud of his nerve, though. Always thought he lacked backbone.” His frown became a cautious smile, and Kasey’s heart warmed as he kept speaking, “Hope he finds something new. Better goal, better purpose. Fewer torture tests.”

Kasey took Mordin’s hands in his own, gently rubbing the older man’s fingers, “I’m happy to hear that you’re doing better. And that you’re hopeful about Maelon.”

Mordin’s expression brightened, “Thank you greatly for assistance on Tuchanka today, Kasey. Enjoyed the time out with you. Enjoyed the conversations we shared.” He reluctantly let go of Kasey’s hands, “Should get back to work. Wasted enough time already. Lots to do. Talk later? Cuddle and play with your hair?” 

Kasey felt his cheeks get warm, and he nodded happily, “Yes please, Mordin. Call if you need anything.” 

“Will, Kasey. Promise.” 

Chapter Text

Kasey was tired and frankly overwhelmed with his recent workload. The combination of seeking out all of the people The Illusive Man wanted him to, weighing how much -if at all- he could trust The Illusive Man, ensuring that everyone he added to his team felt welcomed and taken care of, and juggling missions that Admiral Hackett handed him, was exhausting him immensely. 

He had a bit of a shorter fuse than he typically did, and Mordin seemed to catch on pretty quickly that he was stressing and needed more alone time than usual. Kasey still did his rounds on the ship, but he kept conversations short, and spent a lot of time going over things in his quarters. 

He finally decided to come out for a while after maybe three hours of time by himself, and nearly immediately wished he’d stayed in bed. Joker alerted him that Jack and Miranda were having a very loud disagreement, and urged that Kasey figure it out before they ended up causing any permanent damage. 

With a sigh, Kasey promised to go sort it out right away. He found both women in a pretty heated argument, both of them using their biotic abilities. 

Jack’s voice rang out as Kasey entered. “Touch me, and I will smear the walls with you, bitch!” 

“Stand down, both of you!” Kasey yelled. He hated raising his voice, but he needed both of them to listen, and to actually hear him over their fighting.

Jack scoffed, still aiming a brutal glare at Miranda, “The cheerleader won’t admit what Cerberus did to me was wrong!”

Miranda looked at Jack as though she was nothing more than dirt beneath her heel. “It wasn’t Cerberus. Not really. But clearly you were a mistake.”

“Screw you!” Jack pointed angrily at the other woman, “You’ve got no idea what they put me through! Maybe it’s time I showed you!” 

Kasey couldn’t think of a single thing to say that would mediate the situation without pissing one of them off further, so he quickly came to a decision in his head. He stood beside Jack and leveled an intense look of his own at Miranda, “The people I recruit are my business, Miranda. Jack has been through a lot, and she’s my friend. Leave her alone.” 

Miranda rolled her eyes, “She can’t be trusted, Shepard. She’s unstable. She’s jeopardizing the mission!” 

“Jack’s doing just fine,” Kasey argued, his anger getting the best of him as he added, “Maybe you should take a look at your own attitude.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Jack said, her arms crossed over her chest.

Miranda left, clearly even more upset than when Kasey had shown up, and Kasey didn’t have the strength at the moment to follow her. He walked Jack back to the space she’d made her own on the ship, then retired to his quarters once again.

He tensed and nearly cursed when he heard his door opening, but sighed and relaxed when he saw that it was his partner. “Hi, Mordin. Sorry, I’m…I’m having a rough day.” 

“Understand, Kasey. Type of rough day where you’d rather I leave? Type of rough day where you’d like comfort? Need to vent? Need to break something? Need distraction? Could provide any assistance, or can go. Understand need for space when upset.”

Kasey got out of bed and slid his arms around Mordin, all the tension and anger and overwhelming feelings he’d been keeping bottled up, seeming to seep right out of his body as Mordin embraced him. “Honestly, Mordin? I’m not sure what I need right now. Everything’s just…too much.” 

Mordin stayed silent for the longest Kasey had ever known him to, laying down in Kasey’s bed with him and letting Kasey rant. Kasey told him about the fight between Jack and Miranda, and how he wasn’t certain he’d done the right thing by choosing a side, but was also very happy he’d defended his friend. He told Mordin that ever since the mission they’d had on the Collector ship, he’d been struggling with his debt he believed he owed to The Illusive Man since he’d resurrected him, as well as how little he trusted The Illusive Man now that he’d lied to Kasey so much. 

“Not certain how to assist with Illusive Man. Will think on it, ponder and come up with options,” Mordin said, laying with his head against Kasey’s chest, his uneven horns brushing Kasey’s neck and chin, “But have advice for Miranda, Jack also. Give Miranda space to cool down, perhaps take on mission or two. Then speak again. Apologize, explain intentions. Keep Jack close, perhaps ask her more about fight with Miranda, could find out information from both to diffuse future arguments faster.” 

“Thank you, Mordin. That sounds like a very good plan of action. I wasn’t really myself when I broke up their fight, I didn’t think things through all the way. I’ll talk to them both in the morning.” 

Mordin smiled, combing the long fingers of his right hand through Kasey’s dark maroon colored hair. “Glad my advice is helpful to you, Kasey. Speaking with you, being this close to you, knowledge that you are so comfortable telling me about what troubles you or what is on your mind…makes me feel warm. Makes…chest and brain feel fuzzy. Soft. Flooded with heat or…hmm, quite difficult to describe actually.” 

Kasey grinned and let his hands slide up and down Mordin’s back, “I think I understand, Mordin. I feel the same way. When you’re in here with me, or when I’m with you in the tech lab, it’s like everything else sort of fades away. You make me feel stronger, and give me more confidence. More motivation to keep going. You reassure me, and just…You make everything better, Mordin. I’m so grateful to have met you.” 

Mordin looked up at Kasey, his large eyes staring into Kasey’s, “I…Something wish to do with you, Kasey. Haven’t done in very long time, feels…scary. Scary, exciting, exhilarating, all in one. Want to kiss you. Perhaps more than once.” 

Kasey couldn’t believe what he was hearing, his face warming, and his heart thumping so loudly in his chest that he was certain Mordin could hear it. He ran his thumbs over the patterns on Mordin’s face, shut his eyes, and closed the distance.

It felt weird, strange and new, different than anyone Kasey had ever kissed before. He’d been with an asari, but they were built much more similarly to humans than salarians were. Mordin’s lips were thin and longer than Kasey’s, and their first kiss was a little messy and awkward, both of them struggling to comfortably tilt their heads and make their mouths match up.

Kasey laughed a bit and let his forehead rest against Mordin's, holding the professor's cheeks. "Could we…try that again?"

The older man smiled and nodded, clutching the back of Kasey's neck and tugging him in for another kiss. This one was much better, Mordin's lips parted a bit, and Kasey let out a soft groan at how good it felt to finally kiss him. He and Mordin exchanged several small, light pecks, before pulling away and grinning at each other.

"It felt good, Mordin. I liked it a lot," Kasey spoke softly, a little out of breath.

"Enjoyed as well, Kasey. Everything hoped for and more. Stomach feels…warm, tingly, heart racing. Would enjoy participating in such act more often, would enjoy kissing you again. Enjoy kissing you in general. Would like to kiss other places, cheeks, head, nose, fingers, chest perhaps." 

Kasey laughed and held Mordin close, feeling even better than before, "Kiss me anytime you'd like, Mordin. Anywhere you'd like, too."

"Will keep in mind," The salarian said with a smirk, "May purposely distract on missions. Will likely surprise you, randomly show up when believe you require encouragement, kiss and leave."

"I'm looking forward to it, Mordin." Kasey stayed in bed with his partner for another hour or two, talking with him about anything that came to mind. At some point he'd passed out, taking a small nap in the professor's arms, and it was the best feeling in the world to wake up to Mordin kissing his forehead.

Kasey hadn't been this happy in a long time, and he was going to cherish every second he had with Mordin. Commit every little moment like this one to memory, his feelings for the salarian motivating him to continue pushing forward through the rough days and decisions ahead of him.

Chapter Text

Kasey had been both looking forward to, and dreading this call. He’d been making it a priority to stay in touch with his family since he’d been resurrected, and he’d loved being able to catch up with what they’d been doing in the past two years. 

But now he had to come clean about what his current mission was. He’d assembled the team The Illusive Man had asked of him, and was nearly prepared to take the final step and go through the Omega 4 Relay. He was honestly very scared about potentially dying again, or just not being able to come back home. He didn’t want to spend another two years away from the people he loved. 

On a lighter, but still stress-inducing note, Kasey also wanted to use this call to tell his family about Mordin. Though the stakes were very high, and Kasey had to take into consideration the fact that his family might never meet the professor, his feelings deepened every day. On the slight chance that Kasey and his crew could get out of things alive, he wanted his family to know who his partner was, to know who got him through such difficult times, to know who was supporting him when they couldn’t. 

With a shaky breath, Kasey used his omni-tool to call his adoptive mother. Hannah Shepard answered almost instantly, a warm smile on her face. Kasey’s brother, Soric, was sitting on Hannah’s left, and Kasey’s adoptive sister, KJ, sat on Hannah’s right.

He waved to them, the stress and worries fading slowly. “Hi guys. How’s everyone doing? Are Haywood, Beau, or Jeri home?” 

Hannah was the first to respond, “We’re doing alright. I’ve got a few missions later on in the month, but I’m taking a little bit of leave right now. Haywood’s still in that training program he joined, but he writes pretty often. Jeri’s spending time elsewhere on Earth, a few hours from home, and Beauford had something come up with his unit. Just us three today.” 

“That’s alright,” Kasey said, smiling, “I’ve missed you. I’m sorry that I’ve been so busy since being back. I should’ve made an effort to come see you more.” 

“Oh, hush, Kasey,” KJ said with a playful smirk, “You came home three times, that’s more than we expected. Give me a break from my big brother, yeah?”

Soric laughed at that, before meeting Kasey’s gaze, “Ignore KJ, we love you, Kasey. Come home as often as you want, as often as you can.” 

Kasey chatted with his older brother, younger sister, and mother a while longer. Once the conversation began to die down a little, he paged Mordin and spoke, “Before I go, there’s someone I’d like to introduce you three to.” 

The salarian came into Kasey's quarters, crossing the room to sit close to Kasey on his couch, and Kasey felt butterflies in his stomach as Mordin’s side and thigh brushed against his. “Hello, Shepard family. I am Dr. Mordin Solus. Can call me Mordin.” 

“It’s a pleasure, doctor,” Hannah said, a slightly confused, but still very friendly look on her face, “May I ask, Kasey, why you wanted us to meet?” 

Kasey took a breath, his hand shaky. Mordin laced their fingers together, and Kasey gave him a gentle squeeze as a thank you. He found his voice, “This next mission I’m doing, it’s high stakes and it’s going to take a bit of time. In case I don’t get the chance to have you all meet Mordin in person, I thought a call would suffice.” 

Soric raised an eyebrow, “Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool to meet Kasey’s friend. But I get the feeling there’s more to this.” 

“Yes,” Mordin smiled at Kasey’s omni-tool, raising his and Kasey’s intertwined hands so that they were visible, his thumb running over Kasey's knuckles, “Am more than friend of Kasey’s. Have been engaged in romantic relationship for nearly three months now. Boyfriend, Kasey refers to me. Care for Kasey. Care deeply. Honored for chance to speak with Kasey’s family. Anxious to meet you…Know my kind rarely form romantic attachments. Know I am…Likely not what Kasey’s family expects in a partner for him. But feelings are genuine and very strong. Family very important to Kasey, thus, important for me to make impression.”

KJ was the first to find words, “It’s a surprise, for sure. I kinda thought Kasey was gonna end up with that asari he was with a few years ago. But you seem serious about this, Mordin. As long as you’re making Kasey happy, you’re good in my book.”

Soric nodded, “I agree. Kasey’s my little brother. I trust his decisions, and he knows what he's worth. If you’re the guy he’s chosen, you’ve gotta be pretty damn good.” 

Hannah was silent the longest, but she had a big smile when she opened her mouth, “I must say, I never thought I’d get a salarian for a son-in-law, but I can see just from how the two of you are right now that you’re a very good match. You have a lot of mutual respect for each other. You’re welcome by our home anytime, Mordin. Meeting you via-call has been lovely, and should the chance arise, we’d love to have you over in person.”

"Looking forward to it," Mordin said, relaxing and slipping his arm around Kasey's waist, "Very grateful for this. Very happy to be accepted by Kasey's family. Will take good care of him. Promise."

Kasey asked for another few moments alone with his family, and Mordin was happy to oblige. He kissed Kasey's cheek and retreated back to the tech lab for a bit.

It was difficult to admit to his siblings and mother, but Kasey ripped off the band-aid and told them his plan to soon go through the Omega 4 Relay. Soric was frustrated and excused himself from the call. KJ promised to talk with him later and give Kasey some sort of update. Hannah was clearly distraught at the likelihood of losing her son a second time, but she maintained a very strong composure for the duration of the call, and thanked Kasey for his honesty. KJ stayed on the phone the longest, consoling Kasey a little before having to leave as well.

Kasey paged for Mordin again, tears welling up in his eyes. The moment the salarian was back in his quarters, his arms were around Kasey, long fingers gently stroking Kasey's back and rubbing his shoulders. 

Kasey slowly relaxed, managing to keep the tears to a minimum this time. A few stray drops slid down his cheek, and as soon as Mordin saw them he wiped them away. The salarian tugged Kasey into a very warm, tender kiss, and Kasey swore he felt weightless in the older man's arms. He kissed back, hands settling on Mordin's hips, keeping his partner's body pressed close to his.

He lost count of exactly how many kisses they shared, getting lost in the feeling of Mordin’s lips against his own, how good the professor’s fingers felt against his face, the way everything negative that he felt was wrung out of him like a sponge spilling water. 

Mordin broke away first, still clutching Kasey's hair, "Going to be alright. Am here. Have wonderful family, very supportive too. Have friends among crew."

"I know. Thank you, Mordin. I'm sorry that I-"

The professor shook his head, "Do not apologize for expressing feelings. Natural. Good to express. Have noticed your tendency to bottle everything up in here," He gingerly rubbed Kasey's chest, "Bad habit."

Kasey knew that the words Mordin was saying were true, and important. He couldn't focus on them, though, his brain and body both aflame from the small touch against his chest. Prior to this moment, he hadn't had a single sexual thought towards Mordin. He was more than content with kisses and gentle touches, long talks that led into cuddling and naps.

He knew his feelings for his partner had continued to grow in intensity, but he hadn't expected this particular change so soon. The warmth of Mordin's hand against his chest had his mind racing, and caused an ache between his legs. He found himself wondering how good Mordin's hands or mouth would feel against other parts of him, parts Mordin hadn't yet seen. 

He shook the thoughts from his head, throwing that new development on the backburner. He'd never dream of making Mordin uncomfortable, and figured now was not the time to talk about the physical part of their relationship anyway. He was emotional and overwhelmed, if things ever escalated with Mordin, he wanted it to be natural and agreed upon beforehand. Not something he randomly brought up.

"Distance in your eyes, Kasey. Feeling okay? Need to lay down?" 

Kasey managed a nod, hoping he wasn't as warm as he felt, "Laying down sounds like a good idea. I'm just…thinking. There's a lot on my mind, it's all getting muddled." 

"Understand. Long day. Difficult conversations. Final mission coming up sooner than expected. Taxing on the mind." Mordin guided Kasey over to his bed, sitting beside him, "Picked up a very interesting book on hanars during last shore leave. May I read it to you?"

Kasey rested his head in Mordin's lap, nodding, "I'd love to listen. I can't promise I won't fall asleep, though."

Mordin ran his fingers over the tattoo on Kasey's shoulder, the symbol of the Tenth Street Reds from back before Kasey had joined the alliance military. "Don't mind, Kasey. Enjoy hearing you, soft sounds when you sleep. Enjoy watching your chest, pattern, rise and fall."

Kasey smiled up at his partner, "Thanks, Mordin. You can start your book, I'm listening."

Mordin did just that, reading to Kasey until he fell asleep. He read another chapter or two, before passing out alongside his partner.

Chapter Text

Kasey had just a few small things he wanted to do before following through with final step of the plan. Joker had told him that the Reaper IFF was ready, but EDI had expressed concerns that it should be tested beforehand. Kasey decided he'd play it safe, taking Mordin and a few of his other crew members on the shuttle with him to give Joker and EDI some time to be certain.

The very last thing he'd expected was to receive a message from Joker a few hours later, stating that the Normandy had been the victim of a Collector attack, and that the entire crew had been taken. Kasey gathered everyone he'd taken on the shuttle with him together, and immediately returned to his ship to assess the situation.

He couldn't stop pacing once he was face to face with Joker and the handful of people he'd recruited for The Illusive Man. 

"Everyone?" Miranda asked Joker, her tone accusatory, "You lost everyone…and damn near lost the ship, too?"

"I know, alright?" The pilot spoke, genuine remorse and shame in his voice, "I was here." 

"It's not his fault, Miranda. None of us caught it," Jacob said, and Kasey was grateful that someone shared his opinion. 

EDI spoke to the group that was assembled, "Mr. Taylor is correct. The harmful data in the Collector drive was even more sophisticated than the 'black box' Reaper viruses I was given."

Kasey's hands were shaking, so he crossed his arms. "Is the ship clean? We can't risk this happening again." 

Joker nodded, "EDI and I purged the systems. The Reaper IFF is online. We can go through the Omega 4 Relay whenever you want."

Jacob put a hand on Kasey's shoulder, and Kasey was grateful for the touch, "Sounds like we have everything we need to rescue the crew."

"Specialists won't do us any good if they're not focused on this mission," Miranda began, "Some of the team are distracted. That could cost us." 

Jacob scoffed at her, "So what? We're just supposed to let the Collectors keep the crew?!"

"That's exactly what we're supposed to do. The mission takes priority. The crew knew that when they signed on."

"No," Kasey said flatly, "We have to try. It'll hurt, and people could die, but it's my call to make. I'm not sacrificing my crew."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Hell or high water, Shepard? That's our game plan?" 

"I prefer 'rock and a hard place', but yes. Get ready." 

With the crew dismissed, and Joker's navigation point set, Kasey headed to his quarters. He fully intended to spend the last few hours before hitting the relay in there, and as much as he'd grown to care for his team, he didn't want them to see him so broken.

No matter what Kasey tried, he couldn’t get the tears to stop. He truly didn’t blame his pilot for what had happened, he knew Joker well and was confident that he’d done everything in his power during the attack. But it was killing Kasey that his crew was in so much danger, that their lives were at stake, and even though he’d gone after them immediately, he had no way of knowing if they’d be safe when he found them.

Mordin did come into the his quarters as well, and though Kasey was grateful to have him there, it just made the Commander break down even more. He sobbed into the salarian’s chest, overcome with nearly a dozen emotions. Concern for his crew, overthinking all the other scenarios that could’ve come of the attack, blaming himself for not stopping things sooner, overly anxious about how Mordin or Garrus or Jacob could’ve been taken as well. 

The professor made no attempt to try to force Kasey to calm down or to speak, he just stayed quiet and held Kasey in his arms. He rubbed Kasey’s hair and wiped away his tears as they came, gently rocking him until he finally began to stop crying enough to talk coherently.

"I don't know what to do, Mordin. I wasn't here, they needed me, and I wasn't…"

"Not your fault, Kasey. Had no way of knowing. Should not blame anyone but Collectors." 

Kasey took several shaky deep breaths, nodding and trying to get a handle on his tears, "You're right, you always are. How are you staying so composed, Mordin?" 

The professor adjusted his position a bit, his back against Kasey's headboard, and his arm around Kasey's waist, "Have faith in you, Kasey. Have faith in this team. Have beat incredible odds already, prior to meeting, during missions. Know people onboard are strong. Know they trust you. Know you are good, in here," The salarian traced the spot above Kasey's heart, "Strong, Kasey. Loyal, brave, determined, passionate. Not the kind of man who gives up. Believe in you. No need for worrying." 

Kasey wiped his eyes, clinging to his partner like a lifeline. "I'm so lucky to have you. Mordin, I…I'm honored and touched that you have so much faith in me, and this crew, but…It's a very real possibility that things go wrong during this."

Mordin nodded, hand sliding up and down Kasey's back, "Know this, Kasey. But optimism can go a long way. Morale being high very important."

"Normally I'd agree with you," Kasey said, moving one of his hands up to cup Mordin's face, "But I want to be honest right now. I could lose you today. And knowing that kills me. You know I'll do everything in my power to keep this group safe, but if something happens…You have to know that I love you."

"Love me?" 

"Yes," Kasey felt tears begin to well up again, and he slid his hand up higher, gently caressing Mordin's uneven horns, "In the time that I've known you, and the time we've been together, you've made my life so much better. You're so intelligent, so incredibly selfless, you're beautiful, and even more so when you're talking a mile a minute about what makes you happy. You're patient and kind, you're understanding and respectful. You comfort me, you give me advice, you aren't afraid to speak your mind. I could talk about you for hours, Mordin. You've come to mean so much to me, and I just really needed you to know before this trip. I love you, with everything in me."

Mordin's large eyes began to water as well, and he tugged Kasey a little closer, "Unsure if I've ever experienced such depth of feelings for another person before…But, so warm inside…Have enjoyed time with you immensely, Kasey. Have shown me things I've never considered, have taken me places I've never seen. Make me feel more than I've ever felt. Have never once judged me, never been prejudiced towards me. Have let me explain and express my thoughts. See world differently at your side. Entire romantic experience has been eye-opening and new, but wouldn't trade it for anything. Have cherished our time. Salarians have very short lifespan compared to humans. Want to spend what remains of mine right here. With you. Love you, too, Kasey. Feels…strange. Scary to say aloud. But true."

Kasey closed the distance, melting into Mordin's arms. His heart hammered in his chest as the professor returned his kiss, his body warming and relaxing. His arms rested around Mordin's waist, their kisses getting messier but no less passionate.

"Mmn, Kasey…" Mordin smiled against the younger man's lips, "Kissing you, holding you this close…feels like coming home…Have come to understand why other species enjoy this so much."

Kasey felt his face heat up, and he managed a sheepish laugh, "That's beautiful, I'm glad." He held the back of Mordin's neck, making soft sighs and grunts of pleasure as he made out with the professor. 

It could've been seconds, it could've been days, time was isolated for Kasey. All he could think about was Mordin, and Mordin's mouth, and Mordin's hands. 

Kasey felt Mordin's fingers slip up the back of his shirt, and he gasped, breaking the kiss and catching his breath. 

The salarian froze, "Something wrong? Did I hurt you somehow?"

Kasey shook his head, taking his partner's hands in his own. "No, not at all. This is perfect, Mordin. Just…We should slow down."

Mordin's expression changed, and Kasey couldn't quite read it, "I'm not understanding. Nothing is wrong? Then why slow down? Am enjoying kissing you, enjoying touching you."

"I'm enjoying it, too, Mordin. Believe me." Kasey flushed a brighter shade, "I'm enjoying it a little too much." 

Mordin was confused only a moment, before speaking, "Ah. My touch against your back, bare skin. Aroused you."

"Yeah," Kasey admitted, "I was being honest with you when we first started dating. I'm demisexual, and even though I occasionally experience sexual attraction, I'd never never push you into anything you're not comfortable with. That's why I want to slow things down." 

Mordin gave Kasey's hands a soft squeeze, "Means very much to me to hear that. Very grateful to have a partner who respects my boundaries. Having said that…" Mordin smiled, "Would be lying if I said I'd never given the subject thought. Have researched sex and sexuality of nearly all galactic species, know a fair amount about yours. Do not want any personal stimulation, have no desire to receive sexual pleasure. However, would not be opposed to providing." 

Kasey's eyes widened at what he was hearing. "You're…you're not just saying that are you? I truly am happy, beyond happy, to just kiss and keep you close."

"Being truthful, Kasey. No desire to receive, but have pondered giving. Feel safe and comfortable with you, would be happy to bring you pleasure. Could be final night here. Want to make you happy. Want to make you feel good in every way possible."

Kasey felt the ache between his thighs get more intense, his pants tight. "That's…Wow, alright. If you're sure you're comfortable, then yes. Yes, please. I…what did you have in mind?"

The salarian kissed Kasey a few more times, soft and slow, before kissing his forehead, "Would like to see you. All of you, places I haven't yet."

Kasey was definitely a bit nervous, and part of him was afraid his legs were going to give out if he were to try to stand. He trusted Mordin though, and got to his feet. He made sure the door to his room was locked, and began to undress. 

His vest came off first, then his shirt. His belt and socks were next, followed by his pants and boxers. He stood a little awkwardly, but with a smile on his face, watching Mordin's eyes look him over.

The salarian beamed, "Stunning, Kasey. Like your scars, and these small marks on thighs and stomach." 

Kasey grinned at that. He knew the depth of Mordin's feelings for him, but knowing that Mordin found the unique parts of him, his scarring and stretch marks, to be beautiful as well was a huge plus.

Mordin's gaze moved, the professor looking at Kasey's erection for a moment, before meeting the Commander's eyes, "Very hard already. Good sign," He said with a smirk.

Kasey laughed and got back into bed, capturing Mordin's lips again. They kissed slowly, Kasey's hands on Mordin's face, while Mordin's caressed the bare skin of Kasey's back and chest and legs.

"Mordin…" Kasey mumbled breathlessly, pressing his body closer to his partner's, "Love you…so much…"

"Love you too," Mordin whispered back, before gently pulling away. He rested both hands against Kasey's naked thighs, pointing to Kasey's aroused cock, "Very sensitive, yes? Permission to gently touch and rub?" 

"Yeah, yes. Mhmm. Go ahead, I trust you."

Mordin curled a hand around Kasey, starting with a very slow stroking motion. Up and down, his grip relaxed. Kasey moaned softly in response, his hips bucking towards his partner's palm. 

Mordin grinned and ran his free hand up Kasey's soft stomach and large chest. "Sound very pretty, Kasey. All humans as vocal as you?"

Kasey flushed, his eyes fluttering as he tried to focus on his lover's face, "Not all."

Mordin continued his gentle touches to the younger man's body, "Enjoy it. Enjoy facial expressions you make."

Kasey managed to laugh before losing himself in the stimulation he was receiving, clutching Mordin's arm and arching his back. Mordin expertly adjusted his pace, moving faster or squeezing a little less as if he were reading Kasey's mind, bringing him towards the brink rather quickly.

"Mmn, close, Mordin…" Kasey spoke softly, sweaty and warm, and eager for release. 

The professor nodded, "Can tell," He combed his free hand through Kasey's hair, rubbing his scalp, "Aware some of your kind, though not all, enjoy anal stimulation as well. Interest you, Kasey?" 

Kasey felt his eyes start to roll back just from the question. He nodded, "Yeah, yes. I like it a lot."

The salarian’s hand let go of Kasey's length, instead massaging Kasey's entrance. He eased two long fingers in, nice and slow. Kasey tensed and moaned at the intrusion, his limbs shaky and his cheeks warm. 

Kasey rocked his hips with the motions of Mordin's fingers, mumbling beneath his breath. Mordin leaned down to kiss him, and the combination of the sensations he was feeling pushed Kasey over the edge. He climaxed pretty hard, making a mess of himself and the sheets of his bed.

With a grin, Mordin pulled back, cupping Kasey's cheek, "Satisfactory, Kasey?" 

He nodded quickly, getting a towel to clean up with, "Perfect, Mordin. It was perfect. Thank you." 

The salarian tugged Kasey close once the Commander was dressed again, keeping him distracted and calm as the ship continued towards its destination. If these were to be his last moments, Kasey was grateful he got to spend them in Mordin's arms.