Hero.

(Fanfic for my friend Mik. Pairing is Young! Mshenko.)

John smiled as he walked home from school, looking forward to a very exciting weekend. Kaidan's parents had a business meeting all the way out on Virmire, which would leave the Alenko household under the biotic's care. For two weeks. Alone with Shepard and his boyfriend.

The two have been datng for almost seven months, call it love at first sight. The buzz cut teen still remembers that day vividly. During P.E. he saw Kaidan for the first time in sweat shorts and a tee, John had the hardest time not admiring the Canadian's ass. In the locker room, the boy apparently had forgotten to bring a spare shirt with him and John gave him his with the most charming smile he could make.

The two had a biology assignment together, and Shepard may have slipped when he accidentally said that the other boy was beautiful. It was a few seconds of silence after the words were said. John was afraid the boy would either get up and walk away and never speak to him again, or just laugh it off and pretend it never happened.

He didn't quite expect a third option to be taken.

"Nowhere near as you are." The raven haired teen said. Then, history was made. They kissed. John initiated the kiss. Kaidan was nervous but instantly gave into it.

John was so far gone in reminiscing about the two's first kiss, he had no idea that he had a group of boys follow him. It was only when John looked up, he was brought back to reality as a baseball bat swung against the boy's head, knocking him down. "What the FUCK!!?" The group of five teens just bawled in laughter, as another swing was delivered to his shoulder, John gave a painful scream. He noticed that his attackers were those from his school, the same ones who had been practically tormenting him and Kaidan since they came out together. It seemed the group were the only ones who saw their relationship as anything but acceptable.

"Hit that faggot again, dude!" One of them said, practically cheering. Which he did aiming right for Shepard's stomach. John tried getting up on his knees as he coughed up blood with a most horrid sound. "FUCK!" John yelled being kicked back on to the ground, a blow from the bat delivered straight to the head.

The mob screeched in laughter watching as the bloodied and crippled John began to lose consciousness. His final moments conscious were ones of screaming, but not his. Two of the boys had been hit by a biotic grenade, sending them soaring screaming. Shepard saw the biotic was burning blue from head to toe as he charged towards the remaining three boys.

"JOHN!! DONT CLOSE YOUR EYES!!" Kaidan cried, bringing John into his arms sobbing as he opened his omni tool, calling 911. Shepard woke up suddenly to the surroundings of a hospital room. He looked at himself, he was really fucked up. He couldn't help but overhear voices outside the door.

"Four broken ribs, a broken shoulder, a broken collarbone, and he has major swelling on the left side of his head."

"Sons of bitches, I'll have them locked up for this!"

"Will he be okay?"

"Yes, he will. But he will need to stay here for a few weeks at most, in order to make a full recovery. If any of you want to se-"

"Yes!! Please!"

"Go on in dear, your father and I will be here."

John heard the sound of the door open and close, Kaidan made his way around the large curtain and saw his boyfriend, bandaged and all, looking at him smiling a sad smile. "John! Oh, god!" Kaidan immediately hurried to John, bring him in his arms with a reply of "owowowow"

Kaidan suddenly stopped, remembering the other boy's condition. "Shit! I'm sorry!" Kaidan softly took Shepards hands as he began sobbing. "No no no, come here babe. Come here." John winced in slight pain as he wrapped his arms around Kaidan, tenderly kissing him. "I'm sorry!! I-I should've ran faster!!" Kaidan cried into John chest, who only rocked him back and forth shushing him.

"Kaidan. I'd take a beating any day, as long as its not you."

"Don't. Say that! Don't say that!" John smiled laying his head on top of the biotic's. Kaidan stayed every night and day in that room, by his boyfriends side. Shepard couldn't be more proud of his hero of a boyfriend.