#shenko summer 2023
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Here's the piece I made for @sweatyhanded for ShenkoSummer 2023 ! :D
Original post on AO3 !
After a few rounds in the Armax Arsenal Arena, Shepard and Kaidan finally get to be just the two of them together again, without millions of fans watching them trough their TV screens.
While walking out of the arena, Shepard compliments Kaidan about that one move he pulled a bit earlier, and takes the occasion to give him a quick kiss.
At least he tries to.
Kissing while wearing armor isn't an easy thing, but awkwardly trying surely lightens the mood.
#mass effect#commander shepard#mass effect fanart#mass effect 3#kaidan alenko#mshenko#sheploo#armax arsenal arena#shepard#shenko#shenko summer 2023#I live for these two#orange and blue hell yeah
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My Shenkosummer2023 entry! I've drawn the lovely Hawke Shepard and Kaidan Alenko. I wanted to represent a brief moment between them during the final battle on Earth.
#mass effect#mass effect n7#n7#normandy#bioware#alenko#shenko summer 2023#mass effect kaidan#femshep#femshep x kaidan#kaidan alenko#kaidan romance
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Shenko Summer Exchange 2023 Schedule and Intro
Do y'all like shenko? Do you ever think "man, I need more shenko in my life"? Well, what's a better way to spend summer 2023 (or winter for our southern hemisphere frens) than with your favorite smokin' hot biotic boo?
The following is the schedule for Shenko Summer 2023:
Signup begins: April 3, 2023
Signup ends: April 17, 2023
Assignments: No later than April 24, 2023
Assignments due: June 5, 2023
Assignment reveal: June 12, 2023
Creator reveal: June 19, 2023
Mark your calendars!!!
I'll be opening the official exchange discord up at a later date, but in the meantime, here's some Hot Facts:
The exchange will take place over at AO3, so you must have an AO3 account to participate. If you need an invite, please reach out. Between me and my admin team, I think we can snag you one.
Signups will work similar to rare-pair exchanges like Spec Reqs or The Black Emporium, but with 3 total options: fshenko, mshenko, or just shenko. (For these purposes, shenko is a catch all term for those that don't have a Shepard gender preference and/or would like a nb!Shep).
HOWEVER, in the spirit of spreading the shenko love, you'll also be able to request more niche content (for example, and OT3 with Shepard/Kaidan/[whoever]).
Additionally, you will be able to share information on your custom Shepard with your gifter if you're cool with them writing your OC.
In the case of OT3s or custom Sheps, the gifter CAN but doesn't HAVE to write/draw these requests. That's why you need to also include a signup for one of the flavors of shenko.
Yes, art is allowed and encouraged! You will be able to request art and/or fan fiction in your signup, and participants will be allowed to sign up to do one or the other. (or both!!)
If you have any questions about the exchange, please don't hesitate to DM me here or send an email to [email protected]. Looking forward to seeing you all there!!
| A Guide to Letters | FAQ | Rules | Sign-Up Guide | Exchange AO3 | Shenko Summer Discord Server |
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Throw-Back Thursday: Falling Together 1/1, mShenko for Shenko Summer 2023
Going through stuff and realising - I never posted my gift for the incedible @atoastbw here on tumblr XD My bad.
Title: Falling Together 1/1
Fandom: Mass Effect
Pairing: John Shepard / Kaidan Alenko
Rating: NC-17
Summary: All Shepard wanted to do was explain himself to Kaidan after the war and hang out with some beer, dinner and a movie. Kaidan, on the other hand, has a very different idea.
~o0o~
Shepard tried to ignore the little flip his stomach did when he heard the customary swoosh of the front door to his apartment on the Citadel opening. It had been almost two years since he and Kaidan had last seen each other, and they hadn’t parted on the friendliest of terms. Staring at each other down the barrel of a gun didn’t leave much room for affection, and sending Kaidan away after he’d stated quite clearly that he’d like to serve on the Normandy again also hadn’t done anything to improve their relationship. In fact, it probably did the exact opposite, and the longer Shepard didn’t hear anything from his former lieutenant, the more he started to believe that he’d managed to piss Kaidan off for good.
The message Kaidan had sent him before they took Cerberus HQ had managed to put his mind at ease a little, but not completely.
To every other person who would’ve read that message, it might’ve seemed innocent enough, but Shepard wasn’t every other person.
I just wanted to say that, no matter what went down between us, I still consider my time on the Normandy to be one of the most important experiences of my life.
No matter what went down between them. Most people would think that Kaidan was solely talking about Horizon and the accusations that he flung at Shepard without thinking about it; maybe about the slow rebuilding of trust between them after he’d been injured on Mars.
Deep down, though, Shepard knew that Kaidan hadn’t just written about Horizon or Mars.
Read the whole piece on AO3
#mass effect#mshenko#shenko summer 2023#falling together#one-shot#rotschopf writes#kaidan alenko x commander shepard#sheploo#mass effect fic
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The Sound of It
[AO3 Link]
[A treat for everyone in the 2023 Shenko Summer Exchange]
Rating: Teen and up
Tags: shenko summer treat, for the love of shenko, Fluff, Angst, Saying I Love You, Whole Trilogy, Dorks in Love, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Mass Effect 1, Alchera (Mass Effect), Horizon (Mass Effect), Mass Effect 3, POV Kaidan Alenko
[[TW/CW: Grief, expletive language]]
I wanted this to apply to all Shepards, so I use their name whenever I refer to them, and they/them pronouns when needed. The Shepard is a blank "insert your Shep here" Shepard. However, this is Shepard and Kaidan getting together in Mass Effect 1, which may deviate from other headcanons and/or playthroughs.
The sound of water coming through a faucet sounds different in space.
Chrrtsssshhhhhhhh is the sound of Earth’s gravity; Shurflunk—tunk-tunk-tunk-tunk is a pump punching through the vacuum and artificial gravity. It was the sound of the Asari and eezo echoing in Human routine.
Kaidan always knew First Contact revolutionized Human ships, but he didn’t know sinks were the way they are now because of the Asari.
“We all have to wash our faces,” Liara had explained the other day. Her cool tone would have been patronizing coming from anyone else.
Liara brought up a good point. Hell, Wrex washed his about three times a day! Which made sense for someone a few centuries old. Turns out no matter what species; if there’s a need, there’s a way to defy nature. Now they had adjustable water pressure in space.
“Ah!” Kaidan gasped. He forgot to turn on the hot water and splashed his face with what felt like liquid ice. His skin blushed in the mirror.
He sighed and wiped the water off the sides of the metal basin.
Kaidan gave his reflection a good, hard look: Get it together.
Shepard was there in his eyes when he closed them. He opened them again to a bewildered face in the mirror. It was obviously his reflection, but who was that stranger? Why did he look… happy?
He closed his eyes again.
Shepard was there. God, Shepard was there.
It was getting embarrassing, even when he already knew the taste of Shepard’s lips.
The heat and the softness. The fire. The stars.
Kaidan was trying so hard not to say it. It was too soon. They were still on duty.
What about shore lea—?
No, that’s still too soon!
He had to laugh at himself. Those words kept trying to burst past the brick wall of his mind into reality; into Shepard’s ears. The other day Kaidan literally had to bite his tongue.
“Why are you looking like that?” Shepard had asked him.
“Like what?”
“You’re making a face.”
“I’m not making a face.”
Now, in front of the mirror, Kaidan chewed on his tongue to see if Shepard was right.
Oh, crap! So he had been making a face.
Thirty-two and physically fighting “I love you” like it was Saren. It was ridiculous.
But it was too soon.
Way too soon!
He washed his face. The Asari sang their science through the water flow.
Why couldn’t he wipe that smile off his face?
* * * * * *
He should have said it.
Now the words died on his tongue. They’d followed Shepard into the grave. Only the words; their meaning was still alive, more present than Kaidan ever felt these days.
His mother was downstairs, yelling up through the closed door for him to get dressed. They were forcing him out of the house. Said it would be good for him.
Kaidan reached out his arm. It was an attempt to move, but it turned into a wish: Please, just let him feel Shepard’s hand close around his.
Please.
But Shepard never touched him.
Kaidan had to summon the memory. Shepard had a gentle, firm grip. Shepard’s fingers would dance and move between his like shifting liquid.
Had.
Nothing covered his fingers now, just air.
Wouldn’t.
“I love you, Shepard,” he muttered into the dark.
Their last touch wasn’t even skin, just a bump of their helmets.
He had every chance to say it. Kaidan cut the words off whenever they started to slip out.
I love you, Shepard. His chest screamed with it as it wrent in two, then scattered into tiny pieces; floating parts of self that dissolved and sat back over his lungs like poison.
Kaidan was so sick of crying that his tears came out aching.
He should have said it every day, every moment.
Every thought of Shepard should have tumbled out with “I love you”.
Now Shepard wouldn’t know. Not in this life. Kaidan could shout it to the heavens for Shepard’s ghost to hear, but Shepard’s body would never ring with the sound.
He’d sell his soul just to feel Shepard’s arms around him for a second.
Kaidan should have said it. Over and over until Shepard was annoyed with him.
“I love you, Shepard.”
He really should have fucking said it.
* * * * * *
He said it.
Shepard was standing there, and he said it.
It happened. Shepard was in front of him, and the words tumbled out like an accusation.
CERBERUS?!
Really?
But Shepard was… Shepard was alive!
And he said it! And Shepard… Shepard didn’t say it back.
That doesn’t—Shouldn’t matter!
Cerberus?!
Kaidan finally said it. And then he walked away.
Past tense, but he said it. Shepard knew now.
He wasn’t even thinking, it just burst out, and now Shepard knew.
It was all he’d wished for the past two years, to say it to Shepard’s face, and now he’d probably never see them again. He made a decision.
He made a decision.
He made a decision. But…
* * * * * *
Kaidan was back on the Normandy, back in Shepard’s arms.
“I love you, Shepard.”
“I know.”
It was a different ship with a different cabin, but it was them in their old sanctuary, and it greeted them like the moon greets the night.
He kissed Shepard on the side of their forehead. There was the familiar soft warmth, and the fire, and the stars.
“I love you,” he said between kisses.
Shepard laughed, “I love you too—That tickles!”
Kaidan held Shepard tighter, “Do you want me to stop?”
Shepard smiled that smile, “Never.”
“Then I never will.”
“Good.”
Kaidan kissed Shepard all over, repeating the words, meaning them every time. Meaning them in a new way with every second, every utterance.
The sound of his heart filled the room for Shepard to hear, body and soul. It was everything he wanted. Everything he wished for.
And Shepard said it back.
#shenko#shenko summer 2023#commander shepard#kaidan alenko#mass effect#mass effect trilogy#full fic#BrishFics#angst#fluff
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Mass Effect Master Post
A collection of all my Mass Effect fanfic, meta, and character posts.
Alex Shepard
Alex Shepard Character Info
Alex Shepard Asks Answered:
Greek Mythology from @heroofshield
Edgy/misc OC ask from @rotschopf-thedrow
OC ask from @briarch
OC asks from @crescentbunny
OC asks from @shadoedseptmbr
Shepard asks from @kalliesa
Shepard asks from @parker-of-loxley
Shepard asks from @theoriginalladya
Shepard asks from @rotschopf-thedrow
Shepard asks from @iheartgarrus
The Pigeon Parallel
How Gender is He?
Why Didn't He Join the Commandos?
Teenaged Boy Needs
Percy Jackson
Alex's biotics
The last several asks were from @butter-and-too-much-bread
Jackson Shepard
Shepard asks from @gardensystemtv
Shepard asks from @foofyschmoofer
Shepard asks from @ad-astra13
Shepard asks from @spacebunshep
Shepard asks from @pastelroyce
Shepard asks from @dandenbo
Other Mass Effect OCs
OC asks for Nyala Atruzea from @nickelkeep
OC asks for Taedra Atruzea from @swaps55
Sorry for all the tags, but y'all have all legitimately helped me build these characters by asking these questions, and you all deserve credit for that <3
Fanfic
Odyssey- Alex Shepard's canon series, mShep/Reyes, mShenko
New Stars
Growing Pains
The Upside of Down
By The Stars
Family Day
A New Hope
Argonauts
Virtue and Volatility- Jackson Shepard's canon series, mshep/Coats, Willenko
Verisimilitude
Vicissitude
Viaticum
Vexillum
Can't Live Without You- John Shepard, mShenko
Night Terrors
Don't Die, Kaidan
Meanwhile, In Starboard Observation
All's Fair in Love And Sparring
Canon Compliant
Baby, It's Cold Outside- Alex Shepard, mShenko
The Man I Thought You Were- Scott Ryder, mReyder
Couldn't Utter My Love- Jackson Shepard/Alex (Shepard) Atruzea, mercenary AU
Let Me- Alex Shepard, mShenko
Alternate Universe
Kiss Me, Not Him- Alex Shepard, mShenko, roommates AU
The Ties That Bind- Alex Shepard, mShenko, vampire/fey AU
I Shouldn't Hope To Know- Alex Shepard, mShenko, magical Regency AU
Exchange Fics
Some Things Never Change- Shenko Summer 2023, mShenko
Gun Mods and Handjobs- Fornax 2023, Venko (Kaidan/Vega)
From The Bedside- Spectre Requisitions 2023, fShalibrations (femshep/Tali/Garrus)
Unattached Fics
ME Drabbles- A collection of drabbles from prompts from the MEFFW discord server
Penny For Your Thoughts- mShenko
Primitive Pleasures- mShenko
Disappointment- Jackson Shepard, pre-Canon
Worldbuilding/Meta
Biotic Flora and Fauna of Thessia
The Alliance Intelligence Organization
Criminal Justice in Asari Space
#cr noble writes#master post#mass effect#Alex Shepard#Jackson Shepard#Scott Ryder#Kaidan Alenko#Reyes Vidal#James Vega#Garrus Vakarian#tali'zora vas normandy#OC Character Info#fanfiction#Meta#Worldbuilding
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SIGN UPS ARE OPEN!
No, you aren't living in the future. I realized that opening sign-ups at midnight my time is probably not the smartest idea I've had. Also, I'm feeling under the weather and will probably go to bed early.
Sign-ups will be open until (around) midnight, April 17. I know that's a long time for sign-ups, but given this is our first year, I want to be able to give myself time to work out any kinks.
If you have ANY questions about sign-ups, please reach out.
SIGN UP LINK || A GUIDE TO SIGN-UPS || OFFICIAL EXCHANGE DISCORD ||
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THANK YOU
Thanks so much to everyone that participated in Shenko Summer this year. It was my first time running an exchange so I appreciate your patience while I work out the bumps. A few items, and some of these will be repetitive, but this is also for my notes going into next year.
The server is now open year-round as a Kaidan lovin' place. There's a set of channels specially for the exchange.
Next year, we'll have a week long nomination period, much like Spec Recs and the Hatboy Exchange, opening up the exchange to all Kaidan relationships. This will continue to include any and all flavors of shenko, but also other romantic and platonic pairings.
According to the feedback I received from my google form, not a lot of people had a problem with the time period of the exchange. I was worried it was too close to Spec Recs and may have counted some people out. However, we will be pushing back a couple of weeks next year simply because of the nomination period. This is all subject to change, of course, as things could change over the next 12 months.
If you have any questions about the future of the exchange/server, or have a suggestion/feedback, please let me or another staff member know. Thank you again!
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CREATORS ARE REVEALED
Go ooooh and ahhhh. Remember to THANK YOUR CREATOR.
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Assignments due in a week!
Reminder that assignments are due on June 5. That's a week from today! I have it listed at 12AM CST but I'll probably close them at the end of business that day.
Remember, if you aren't going to be able to complete your assignment, either default on AO3 or let one of us know! This is vital so that we can make sure everyone gets a gift. Leaving us in a lurch will make us have to scramble to find pinch hitters.
If you do not finish your assignment and don't default on AO3 or let a staff member know, you will be banned from future participation in the exchange and banned from the server!
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GIFTS ARE REVEALED
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Exchange Rules
Below are the general rules for the exchange. I'll announce any changes or edits in a separate post and update this as needed. Let me know if you have any questions!!
Be respectful. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. If you have an issue with someone else in the community that cannot be resolved, contact the mod team.
Submissions can be any rating, but please respect the giftee's requests. Tag fics appropriately. If you feel adding a warning would spoil a major element of your story, use Choose Not to Warn.
Shenko Summer is an anonymous exchange. Do not post your story or chat about it anywhere else or reveal it until authors have been revealed. Please do not reveal your recipient. Post-reveals, you are welcome to repost your story wherever you like.
Works must be created specifically for this challenge. Works cannot have been previously posted somewhere. Wroks cannot be part of a previously posted series.
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Hi everyone! I'm opening the Discord server for the exchange. I know what you're thinking... simmer down nothing's happening until April. But this is the first year of the exchange so I know there will be some kinks to work out as well as a lot of questions. I want to give myself time to work through those before sign ups. Also I'm just excited. :D
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March Update
Hey everyone! Hope you're doing well. We're two weeks out from sign ups, and I spent some of this morning finalizing the sign-up form and making sure it worked properly. I'm excited to kick off an exchange for a character that means so much to me!
Remember that you can contact us with any questions you might have either here, at the official exchange email ([email protected]) or on the Discord server, which you can join HERE if you haven't already.
See you all soon!!
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Big Place Exchange FAQ
1 What is the Big Place Exchange?
- The Big Place Exchange is a fan art/fan fic gift exchange that focuses on Kaidan Alenko from Mass Effect and his relationships.
2) What can be given/received in the exchange?
-Art and/or fic is welcome. When you sign up, you'll be able to choose which (or both!) you'd like to give/receive.
3) Fan Fic requirements (for the gifter):
Minimum word count is 1,000. There is no maximum word count.
Fic cannot be part of a series and must be able to stand alone.
If you choose to write a treat, it's not constrained by the 1,000 word minimum. Treats are not an obligations… just that, a TREAT!
You must tag appropriately on AO3 for explicit content if it's included.
Giftee's DNWs MUST be respected.
4) Art requirements (for the gifter):
Art can be computer or hand drawn and must be complete and must be a unique work - ie, not a screenshot with a filter on it.
Giftee's DNWs MUST be respected.
5) How the exchange goes down:
4.1 Sign ups
You'll be able to fill out a form here on AO3 for what you would like to receive and give. They don't have to be the same! You have to request/offer at least ONE version of shenko (fshenko, mshenko, or shenko).
For your requests, please go into detail about what you'd like to receive. Give your gifter some ideas about what you'd like to see. Let them know what ratings you prefer and give them ideas to get them started if you'd like! It's imperative that you include a list of things that you DNW (Do Not Want). We cannot take action for DNWs in a fic unless they were specifically listed as such. If you don't want explicit sex scenes if your gift, you must make that clear.
Example: Shenko (gender of Shepard isn't important). I'd like to see how Shepard and Kaidan settle down after the war. DNWs: No dub-con or non-con. HEAs only! Default Shepard only, please; no custom Sheps.
4.2 Matching
Once sign-ups are over, the mods will match folks on their interests. You must write one story or make one art for your matched person. You can begin working once you receive your assignment.
4.3 Posting
All entries must be posted on their due date. It can still be edited afterwards, but it must be complete with posted. Entries won't be revealed until the reveal date, so you can still see your entry on your end, but your giftee and anyone else won't be able to.
4.4 Reveals
Entries are reveled and your giftee can see what you've given them! However, creator names are still secret, until the next deadline, when you can see WHO created what.5) OC Shepards, OT3s, and other types of shenko:
6) Assignment issues:
If you have an issue with an assignment, please contact a member of the mod team. We'll help handle it quietly.
7) Dropping out:
- If you need to drop out of the exchange, we just ask that you contact us and not ghost us or your giftee. Things happen and it's understandable. We want everyone to get a gift, and will make sure we get a pinch-hitter for your giftee if you can't complete the assignment.
8) Treats:
- Treats are extra works made for members or the collection as a whole. If you're writing a treat for a specific person, please abide by their DNWs. Otherwise, word count minimums don't apply to treats. Treats are the only works that can be given to multiple people. Your assigned work is for your giftee only.
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Treats and How to Give Them
Happy May, everyone! I hope your doing well and your assignments are, too. A lot of people expressed desire to do some treats for the exchange, so I want to go over what that is and how to post them.
What is a Treat?
A treat is any story/art that is not assigned to you. A treat does not have to meet the 1,000 word minimum for fics but it does have to respect DNWs should you choose to gift it to a person or persons (gifts CAN be for more than one person!). HOWEVER, you can gift a fic to the exchange as a whole. In that case, you don't have to worry about DNWs b/c it's not a treat for a particular person.
When Can I Post Treats?
Treats can be posted at any time! Before creator reveals, it'll be listed as anonymous in the collection, and you can always submit them after the exchange is over.
(I just ask that you let me know if you DO post a treat after the exchange is over b/c I won't be checking it as often.)
How Do I Post a Treat?
There are two way you can post a treat: 1) from the New Work tab, entering the collection name when prompted, or 2) directly from the collection page. I suggest the second method because someone AO3 doesn't populate collection pages...
Y Tho?
For method #2, go to the main collection page HERE. Click on Post to Collection.
This way, AO3 will auto populate the collection name for you. In the Gift This Work To section, enter the name or names of the folks you want to gift the work to. If you want to gift the work to the collection as a whole, leave this part blank.
After that, you can go through posting as usual.
If you have any questions about treats, please let me know! Happy creating!
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