for Kate

[duerespectguv]

Walking halfway across the island with a throbbing shoulder's not Declan's idea of a good time but he's all right with it considering Kate's appointed herself to come with. He's always been fond of Kate, always thought she was brilliant with weapons and hand to hand and their senses of humor (sometimes) gel but it's different here on the island, somehow.

On the island, she's the only one who knows most of what's going on back home since Magnus and Zimmerman are clueless about Kali even, not to mention Hollow Earth. She's not from as late as he is, true, but it's close enough.

He lets them in and turns to her, grin on his face.

"Make yourself at home, then. What's mine is yours."

Comments

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate's been in and out of his hut a few times, but never to stay. She noses around to see what he's got stashed away, then tosses herself on his bed and rolls over to look up at the ceiling. She'll change for bed in a few minutes.

"Cozy," she says, a light tease in her voice. "Might almost think you'd decided to stay."

[duerespectguv]

"Don't be daft. I just like being comfortable," Declan says, attempting to unbutton his shirt one-handed and doing...marginally well, considering the circumstances. It's going to be a pain in the arse if his shoulder's still smarting in the morning.

"Where are you usually sleeping, then?"

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate tips her head down to see what he's doing, then rocks up to her feet. "You've got me at your beck and call and you're trying to unbutton your shirt one-handed. Which one of us is daft?"

Maybe if she's been 'cheeky' he won't notice she didn't answer him about where she's sleeping. Touching him, like unbuttoning the bottom buttons of his shirt for him and then sliding his shirt off, that can't hurt the cause, either.

[duerespectguv]

"Thought I could manage. Usually known for my competence," Declan says, but it doesn't have any of the sting of being cheeky and he's just warm and grateful she's helping.

"Thanks. Think I can manage the rest on my own, then," he says but doesn't move away to finish undressing.

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Not sure whether to let him fumble or do it for him, Kate chews at her bottom lip and glances up at him. He's a lot taller, close up. She suddenly feels very small, smaller than when they were sparring.

"Don't be daft," she finally says and unbuttons and unzips his pants for him. She behaves and doesn't cop a feel, lies to herself and says it's because she doesn't want to, instead of it being because she doesn't think he wants her to. "If you sit, I'll get your boots for you. Just don't get used to it."

[duerespectguv]

"Hardly. Soon it'll be back to headbutting me to get a tactical advantage," he jokes. It falls a little flat because he's, well, uncomfortable, considering a beautiful woman just offered to undress him.

"Thanks, Kate. Truly."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate snorts a soft huff of a laugh and maneuvers him around until his ass hits the bed. "Sit," she tells him and shoves just firmly enough that he has to sit but not so hard he has to catch himself with the injured arm. At least...she hopes not so hard.

"Chill, Declan. I showed up here with a tray of dinner for Will. If I can feed him, I can help you get ready for bed."

[duerespectguv]

"Women don't normally undress me unless something decidedly more interesting than sleeping is going on," Declan points out. "But I'm grateful, so thanks. I'll have to make it up to you for being a good sport about it."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"If you knew how long it's been since I slept a full night, you wouldn't doubt the appeal." Before he can get weirder about it, she crouches to unlace his boots. She's halfway through the first one when she pauses to look up at him, and she knows exactly what she looks like, lips licked wet and eyes dark beneath her lashes. "But you're welcome anyway."

[duerespectguv]

"Are you going to sleep the whole night?" Declan asks, intrigued by that particular statement. He supposes, given her past, sleeping more than snatches here and there was probably detrimental to her life expectancy.

"You can, if you like. It's safe here. Nobody's coming in on us without me hearing it."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate sits back on her heels and sets the boot aside. Bid high or stay home, she'd told him and it's her turn. She nods. "I was kind of counting on that, you and me being safe to sleep and watch each other's backs."

She reaches for the other set of laces and tilts her head up again. "You sure you don't mind?" It's an honest question, nothing cocky in it. She's not going to risk ticking him off, not when he's the only person on the island she trusts completely.

[duerespectguv]

"Not at all, love."

It's sincere because he knows what it's like to have to be constantly alert. He's never been a smuggler, no, but he was special forces long enough to know what it's like to go over twenty four hours without sleep and still need to function. If she can get a long, full night's sleep because he's here, he's going to let her.

"Besides, you'll need to be rested up if you're going to follow me around tomorrow to play nurse."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Thought you didn't want me dressing up," she quips as she sets the boot with its mate then presses back up to her feet.

He's seen her undress and undressed before, so she doesn't bother with playing modest. Just tugs her shirts off over her head, unzips her jeans and bends to pull off her own boots. She puts those with his, walking around his hut in a bra and her fatigues like the roommate or the girlfriend, then grabs her sleep haul from the box and swaps out without paying him any attention at all.

When she's done, she twists her hair up in a ponytail with one of the Last Elastics in the Universe (she's convinced), and in a soccer jersey and boyshorts and a ponytail she probably looks like the roommate or girlfriend too. That's kind of okay with her. "Which side of the bed do you sleep on?" she asks.

What the hell else is she going to say?

[duerespectguv]

Declan watches her as she moves around his hut, completely nonplussed about stripping in front of him and putting on that damned football jersey to sleep in. It's a good look for her, he decides, and when she asks him a question, it takes him a few moments to actually respond.

"Oh, side? On the right, so I don't end up laying on the bad shoulder all night." It's feeling a little better, at least, so he hopes it won't be stiff in the morning.

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate makes a little face, then ducks her head. "You're probably going to want to keep the bad shoulder to the outside of the bed. I kind of sprawl in my sleep."

By sprawl, she means wraps herself around anything that's in bed with her like an octopus, but she's not going to say that. "Last chance to make me sleep on the floor."

[duerespectguv]

"Thanks for the warning," Declan teases, going ahead and getting into bed. No point in dawdling and if she wants the floor, she can have it, but he doesn't mind her next to him. Likes it a little too much, if he's perfectly honest.

"You can sleep anywhere you want, Kate. Free run of anything that's mine."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

He keeps saying that, and it feels weird, like he doesn't know she's a grifter and a thief. It's nice, though, that he trusts her. She teases, "Careful, babe, you might wake up to an empty hut, you go making invitations like that," but she can't, just can't, find the acid to make it biting.

And instead, she's crawling into bed, not just taking the other side of it, but rolling up on her side and tentatively resting her hand on his chest. "Can I ask you something?"

[duerespectguv]

"And if I do wake up to an empty hut, I'll watch while you put everything back," Declan says, then pauses when she's curled up close to him and her tone softens. Hmm. Not quite like Kate, but he doesn't think she's conning him. Not right now.

"You can ask anything you want, Kate. Can't guarantee that I'll have an answer."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"I just want to know how you do it. Why aren't you kicking and screaming and clawing your skin off?" she asks, a little shaky with being so honest. But the only time she doesn't feel like she's losing it is when she's drinking or screwing...or with him.

[duerespectguv]

"I've a mission to complete," he says simply because it's just that: simple. Until it's proven to him that. They can't get home, Declan's operating under the assumption they can and he hasn't figured it out yet.

"I make plans for what to do every day to keep the despair from coming in."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"I'm not... I'm not desperate, Declan. I'm angry. I'm so angry--" And scared, but she's not going to say that. "I was finally getting it right. Better, anyway. And..."

And now she's stuck here, useless to everyone because she's got no contacts, no network, and nothing to fight. She drops off to her back, arm over her eyes.

"I should've known it couldn't last."

[duerespectguv]

"You're still getting it right, love," Declan says, stroking along the arm she's covered her eyes with. "Put all that energy toward helping us get home and maybe it won't be so bad."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Magnus... Magnus and Will keep saying we're stuck and I should just 'adjust' and..." No, she's not going to do this. She's not going to get all emotional all over Mr. Stiff Upper Lip and Carry On Mates.

She exhales and rolls back up to her side. "It's like when she pulled that stunt with the ozone beetle. But Will didn't believe it that time." And they'd all been so fucking pissed at Declan. Made it weird to be in his bed now, but not weird enough she regrets it. "I'm flying on blind-instinct. I don't trust Tesla as far as I can spit. The only time I don't feel like a headcase is when I'm with you."

Crap. Sometimes honesty bit her in the ass. She really hadn't meant to say that.

[duerespectguv]

Declan hadn't expected to hear Kate say that and honestly hadn't expected her to admit a weakness. It's hard, being on the island, and he wants to go home but he supposes it's harder on her.

"You can always come to me, if you need to. No questions asked, Kate. Always."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"I don't want you thinking of me like that," she says with a firm shake of her head. "You start thinking you need to protect me and it's going to get us both hurt someday. I'm not looking for a House head to tell me what to do. I just like being with you."

She doesn't want him thinking of her like a kid. nit when the half of her that doesn't want to curl up with him wants to climb him like a tree.

[duerespectguv]

"I don't think I need to protect you, Kate, but everyone needs someone to talk to when things get tough. If I can be that person for you, then I will, and gladly."

Declan squeezes her shoulder lightly to punctuate that point and smiles at her; maybe that will help her see it's not out of...pity.

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"You kinda already are," she points out, smirking just a little before she ignores his Britishness completely and snuggles up. "Plus, you've got me in your bed. Nice job, babe. Smooth. I didn't even notice you trying."

Yeah, she's tweaking him, but she really, really wants to change the subject.

[duerespectguv]

"Yes, because that was completely my intention when you invited yourself in," Declan says dryly, sliding one hand down her back to let her know he's perfectly all right with the current arrangement.

"Always knew you wanted to come to bed with me."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Always knew you were smarter than the average bear." It's been a really long time since she let her guard down like this around anyone. Kinda scary, kinda awesome, and maybe a little erotic too. There's something seriously hot about...everything, especially the way he touches her.

Kate's beyond tempted to kiss his chest, but she restrains herself, petting with her hand instead. "Tell the truth, babe. Is this how you imagined it, you and me in bed together?"

[duerespectguv]

Declan laughs, incredulous. She's laying it on thick but he's all right with that if that means she's comfortable and not thinking about how much she hates the place when she's with him.

"Assuming I've imagined it, no. Not exactly."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Assuming, my ass. I saw you looking at me." Kate grins and rests both arms on his chest, folded, with her chin on them. "C'mon," she sing-songs. "You know you wanna tell me."

She really likes this. Like too much. But for tonight, she's going to enjoy it. Tomorrow she'll worry about whether she's mixing sex and cuddling in dangerous ways. Usually, she keeps them separate.

[duerespectguv]

"I don't know, have you been looking at me?" Declan says, tossing it back at her. He looked, yes, and he'll always look because she's gorgeous and sultry in a way he's never really seen in a woman but Kate's a friend and he doesn't want to ruin that.

Stupid, perhaps, when it seems like she wants something else and it would be fun but he's too loyal to the friendship to do otherwise.

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"I'm not blind, babe. I know a catch when I see one."

He's so British. Any other guy in existence, probably even Will if he wasn't with Magnus, would have her under him by now. But Declan's going to act like he doesn't know he could do her six ways to Sunday, and... Kate kind of loves him a little bit for that. She's pretty sure from that kiss, it's not that he doesn't want her. So he's got other reasons and she can respect that.

She's still going to tease the crap out of him, but if he doesn't want to tap this, she's not going to get her feelings in a knot like a chick who got dumped at prom.

Smiling, genuine and maybe even a little sweet but she'll kick anyone's ass who says so, Kate tips forward across her arms and kisses him again, a soft, lingering kiss. "If you change your mind, Declan, the offer's not going anywhere."

[duerespectguv]

That actually hadn't gone as badly as Declan might have expected and the kiss is a pleasant surprise, soft and sweet in a way he doesn't normally expect out of Kate. Perhaps his expectations should change.

"I'll keep that in mind," he says lowly, cupping her face in his hands and catching her for another kiss. Still slow, but with a little more heat than she'd put into hers and he slid his hands up to tug the elastic out of her hair so he could bury his fingers in it.

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Okay. Definitely has to have other reasons, because ohholyfuck there's nothing innocent about that kiss. She feels it all the way into her toes, and they're already curling when he gets his hands in her hair.

Not expecting this, definitely not expecting the fire kindling low in her body or the surge of heat to her cunt. Fuck, she really should've remembered how dominant he was from the kiss before. What was she saying about him not being his type?

She gives up a quiet whimper into the kiss and lets him take what he wants. He's exactly her type.

[duerespectguv]

Declan doesn't want to break the kiss but he figures it's likely prudent, given the way she's responding to him. No sense in pushing it to sex when he didn't want to hurt what they had and no sense in working her up with no follow-through.

"Think you can sleep now, Katie?"

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"God, if you were a girl, you'd be the worst cocktease," Kate huffs, but it's mostly to cover how freaking hot he just got her with one kiss.

But she's smiling at him Cheshire-hot the next second. "That's one hell of a lullaby, babe."

[duerespectguv]

"I do my best," Declan says, but he's pretty pleased with himself that he pleased her. It feels...right with Kate and he's not exactly sure what that means but it's not anything he needs to rush. He's still stroking her hair lightly when he speaks again.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, you know."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, yeah, but abstinence gives you blue balls." Kate smirks. She's pretty proud of coming up with that the way he just scrambled her brain.

What they're doing, she has no idea, but it's good and fun and he's got his hands in her hair and she loves that. She stops fighting that urge and presses her mouth to his shoulder and then his chest. Sue her, she's a cuddler.

[duerespectguv]

"Got a healthy case of that," Declan agrees, but he doesn't push her off him. Instead, he keeps holding her close, and decides it's worth the risk if it means she'll stay like this.

"Nothing I can't live through, though."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

She's already told him a couple of times today that she'd do him and he knows she's nobody's virgin. So she's not going to tell him again and make an ass of herself.

Your choice, is what she thinks, but all she says is, "British."

Pretty soon, she's going to start calling him that. Maybe tomorrow, after they sleep, though, because this feels good. Safe. She can almost smell the Sanctuary on his skin, she thinks, almost taste it.