Chapter Text
“He almost got you killed!” Seth’s voice booms throughout the house. “All that we’ve been through and some dumb kid is why I lose you? Fuck that!”
“He’s not some dumb kid! And he didn’t do it on purpose!”
“No? He just stood there, Kate! He spent days trying to convince us, convince me, that he could handle himself! But the second one those scaly bastards came for him he froze!” He paces as he yells, pointing his finger to emphasize his argument.
But Kate fires back. “It was his first hunt!”
“Yeah and it was almost your last! He freezes and he gets torn apart, that’s on him.” He’s angry, voice coming out as a growl but his eyes seem to betray him and she thinks he looks afraid. He turns away from her when she looks at him too long.
She tries to ignore the pained look on his face, still feeling furious. “You’re such an asshole! As if he wasn’t scared enough then you went after him!”
“He’s lucky all he got was a scare, okay?” Kate sighs, exasperated. She leans against the counter crossing her arms and narrows her eyes. “Only because I pulled you off of him.” He mirrors her stance, leaning against the table as he glares down at the floor.
“Seth...” He looks back up towards her when he hears how defeated she sounds. “What is your problem with him?”
“He almost got you killed.”
“No. That’s not- I mean, you’ve hated him since you met him. You’ve barely said anything to him that wasn’t an insult.” She tries her best not to make it sound like an accusation, because even though she suspects she knows the answer she needs to hear it from Seth.
“That’s not true! I made dinner once.”
Kate rolls her eyes so hard it hurts. “You made us dinner and then stormed off when I said he was joining us so I gave him yours.”
He mumbles something under his breath but she ignores it. It’s quiet between them as they stand across from each other. The angry tension is fading and suddenly he seems so far away. She can feel the tears stinging her eyes when she looks over at him.
“Seth…”
“...yeah?”
She takes in a deep breath, fights back against the tears trying to fall. “Is it me?”
He looks up at her confused. “Is what you?”
“Why you’ve been so angry lately… is it me? I come home and join you on the couch and you get up and leave. Or last week, you went to the bar around the block and you didn’t even ask me. You always ask and I ju-” She can’t finish as the tears start to fall.
She brings her hands up to her face as she starts to sob, wants to hide away but then she feels Seth’s familiar arms wrap around her and pull her close. He cups the back of her head while he lets his other hand rest on her lower back. He’s quiet as she lets out everything she’s been holding in the last few weeks while he slowly rubs soothing circles on her back.
Once her crying starts to subside, she peeks up at Seth to see him looking down at her. He’s frowning, his brows knit tight as if he’s in pain but he still reaches up to brush the hair from her face, his touch so gentle it makes her knees feel weak.
“You come home from being out with him- shit... I can’t fucking stand it. I think about him with you and I wanna rip his head off. But-” He stops himself, shakes his head and starts to back away.
Kate keeps her grip on his waist, doesn’t let him pull away from her like he does every time things between them get too complicated. She feels so close to something right now, is getting the truth from Seth in a way she never expected. She speaks softly, wanting to hear more but knows she can’t push too hard. “But?”
He lets out a frustrated sigh but relents when he sees the pleading look in her eyes. “I see you smile with him. Sometimes I went weeks without seeing one from you.” He swallows hard, looking anywhere but her face. “Just- the other week, you guys were on the couch and - fuck, Katie... you we’re laughing so hard you had tears rolling down your cheeks.” He brings his hand up to her cheek now and wipes a very different kind of tear away with his thumb. “It’s not you, princess. I took away enough in your life and you deserve to be happy… even if it means I’m not.”
Oh.
It knocks the air out of her lungs when the realization hits her. This whole time she thought his behaviour was from something else entirely. She knew Seth was attracted to her. Even before the night he had her backed against the wall, she would see how his gaze lingered on her bare legs as she lounged by a motel pool or how his eyes would sometimes go dark when they woke up wrapped around each other after a restless night.
It hadn’t occurred to her that there may be more to it than just an attraction because that meant that she had to examine her own feelings for him. Kate knew she cared about him, thought she loved him on the days he didn’t infuriate her.
Because the truth is that she doesn’t know how she’d live without him anymore but even more important, she knows she doesn’t want to.
She moves her hands from his middle to his chest as she stands on her toes. It happens quickly but she feels like she’s moving in slow motion as she touches her lips to his. Seth stills and sucks in a deep breath as she softly kisses his bottom lip. His eyes close and the tension in him starts to fade as she moves to kiss his top lip.
She smiles against his mouth when she feels him shake against her, she knows he’s trying to hold back so Kate slides her fingers into his hair at the base of his neck making him moan. He brings his hands rest on her waist and he finally kisses her back.
Then he’s lifting her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he licks into her mouth. He kisses her desperately but Kate can’t help herself when she pulls back, giggling. He chases after her mouth with his but she moves her head and kisses his cheek before she rests her forehead against his.
She bites her lip as they both breathe heavily, trying to catch their breath. “You’re so stupid.” He looks at her, confused as ever but she just shakes her head, can’t keep the grin off her face.
She covers his face with quick, little kisses that leave him looking dazed. “I was telling him the story you told me about that time you and Richie got lost in Nevada. I was laughing because of you.”
“...yeah?”
“Yeah.”
It starts off surprisingly shy but he smiles at her and the happiness in his expression makes her heart speed up. Her grin matches his as she cups his face in her hands, stroking his cheek with her thumb. He leans into the gesture and she can nearly feel his chest rumble when he moans her name. “Kate…”
But she’s the picture of calmness as she continues caressing his face. “What do you want, Seth?”
“I want you. Just you.”
She places a light peck on his cheek. “Okay.”
And then they’re kissing as Seth stumbles along to his room with Kate in his arms. It’s all so cliche that she wonders if it’s a dream as she falls back onto his bed with him over top of her. He looks sheepish as she giggles at their graceless landing but it just makes the moment even more perfect for her.
She isn’t nervous as he slowly undresses her. He starts by pulling off her tank top then dips back down to kiss over her stomach before licking and sucking at her breasts through her bra.
Her eyes are shut tight and she licks her lips as he traces along the edge of her bra with his tongue. She tugs on his hair and he grunts. "Off. Take it off."
He follows her command like he's under a spell, tossing her bra to the floor before he dives back in. He takes a nipple between his lips before lapping his tongue over it again and again.
They work in tandem to take off his shirt and her jeans. He pauses when she's down to only her flowery underwear but as he opens his mouth to ask if she's sure, Kate reaches down and pushes them down her hips and throws them into the pile with the rest of their clothes.
He places his hands on her knees, eyes locked with hers as slowly spreads her legs apart. She flushes, feels shy with how truly exposed she is. But as Seth looks over her he trembles, like the sight of her before him is overwhelming.
"God, you're so fucking beautiful. Can I taste you?" Kate nods frantically, can barely stand waiting for him to get on his knees in front of her and kiss down the inside of her thighs. She shakes in anticipation, wondering how long he's going to torture her with waiting when his head dips down and he licks a small circle around her clit.
"Oh my- fuck." Her fingers dig into his hair as he repeats the motion a few times. He nudges each of her legs over his shoulders before he licks along her center.
It doesn't take him long before she's crying out his name as her orgasm overtakes her. He only stops when she pushes his head away as she quivers below him.
He doesn't stop trailing wet kisses along her body as she comes back to herself. "Seth... Seth, I need you." She feels like she's out of her mind with lust and starts fumbling with his belt when he grins against her neck.
"I think I remember saying I'd make you come twice first." That makes Kate pause, her eyes darting to his. "You- I thought you'd forgotten that night?"
He just leans over her and touches her cheek, sighing when she reaches out to do the same for him. "I remember. Wanted to kiss you so bad."
He brushes his thumb over her bottom lip. Her eyes flutter closed and she softly kisses it then she pulls his mouth to hers.
Their gentle kisses turn heated and soon they both work frantically to rid Seth of his remaining clothes. Kate reaches out to grab his hard length pressed up against her stomach but Seth grabs her wrist to stop her.
He smiles when he hears her whine and kisses her palm before he slides down the bed and shoulders apart her legs.
Seth smirks as he speaks. "We got time for that later, Princess. But first, I fully intend to keep my word."
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Kate wakes up to sunlight sneaking up through under the curtains and Seth’s hand rubbing circles along her exposed back. The sheets are bunched around her waist and he isn’t shy about enjoying the view.
But then again she isn’t shy about letting him and that feeling is very new to her. Even with Javier, she felt shy about being undressed with him. They were always intimate in the dark, under the covers or Kate simply stayed in her bra or shirt.
She hadn’t exactly been eager to have a view of her own with him either. But as usual with Seth it’s so different. She loves his body and not just because of his toned muscles. She traces the lines of his tattoo, enjoying the contrast of her pale skin against his tanned skin. She smiles when she thinks about how perfectly she seems to fit with him, how he’s the perfect height for her to rest against his shoulder as he kisses the top of her top head or how his hands seem to fit every dip and curve of her body.
And she still can’t help but blush when she thinks about how he feels inside of her, how perfectly he fills her up.
It’s been two days since their fight. Two days since they confessed that what they really want is each other. Two days since they’ve left Seth’s bed to do anything other than eat or bathe and even those activities lead to Seth on his knees in the shower or Kate propped up on the counter with his name falling from her lips.
It’s also been two days since she’s spoken to her boyfriend. Two days of avoiding his calls, his texts and she knows she’s playing with fire now because she's certain he’ll come to the house to see if she’s okay. So even though Seth’s touches drift lower and lower as his eyes darken and she feels heat spread through her because, of course, she wants him just as bad, she finally answers her phone when he calls.
She lays on her stomach, propped up on her elbows as the lies about her absence roll of her tongue so easily.
“I’m so sorry. I just haven’t felt well since I woke up after the hunt. I slept all day yesterday.”
But as she speaks, Seth pulls away the blankets with a grin before he kisses over her shoulder, and continues down between her shoulder blades. He starts to crawl over top of her and her breathing picks up. She should tell him to stop, let her take a few minutes to focus on covering up her indiscretions but instead she asks Javier about the plans for his sister’s quinceanera so she doesn’t have to hide how breathless she is.
Because right now Seth is behind her with his hands on her hips and she can feel him hard against her backside as she turns her moan of excitement into a sound of curiosity as Javier talks about what he wants to buy his sister as a gift.
Seth tugs at her hips, angles them up as he straddles the back of her thighs. He leans over her, whispers against the back of her neck, lips brushing the sensitive skin there as he asks if she’s ready. Oh god, yes… yes! Seth, fuck me! But she can only nod as she bites back a desperate moan.
She reaches for his hand as he slowly slides into her. The angle makes him hit a spot that makes her shake each time he starts to gently thrust into her. She grips his hand as he places kisses along her spine and, oh my god, she never wants him to stop.
“Kate? Kate, you there? You okay?”
She nearly drops the phone as she falls back to the reality of what’s happening. “I-I n-need to go. Not feeling… um, well.” Seth has the audacity to chuckle as she fumbles to string together words and she wants to smack him. He jerks his hips harder into her but she can’t swallow down her moan so she bites into his forearm. He grunts from the pain but Kate simply grins before she turns her attention back to the phone.
He’s still speaking when she listens again but her stilted breathing and muffled gasps give the impression that something isn’t right. “Do you need me to come by and help? You sound in pain.”
“No! No. I need sleep... I’ll c-call soon. Adios.” She shuts the phone off but hears him rush to get out ‘te amo’.
Those little words have never sounded right when he says them to her. It’s not that she doubts his sincerity, it’s that she’s never said them back. She’s tried to but even in her mind the words never sound right when she thinks of him.
Truthfully, some days when she thinks of what’s been going on between her and Seth, she wants to cry.
She wants to, but she can’t because it's been impossible to find a part of her that feels guilty. Even before she finally gave in, she knew her and Seth were playing a game, pushing each other to see who would crack first. She had won but when she looked around to take in her victory it wasn’t a game anymore. She knows Javier is the kind of boy she should like, the kind of boy she would have liked but no matter what she tells herself, he isn’t who she wants now. Not after the trauma of the Twister and over a year on the road of running and fighting just to stay alive.
When she looks at Seth, her heart swells because he is infuriating, greedy, stubborn and petty but he’s also he very own fucked up white knight and has been since they’ve met. Even more than that he makes her feel like she might even be his protector. She’s been lucky enough to see what’s under the hard exterior he wears and find out who he really is… scared, vulnerable and needy.
He’s also the only person she’s ever met who loves as intensely as she does.
But where her love for people was given back to her by her family and friends, Seth’s was rejected and abused by his. Sometimes she’s amazed that his ability to love is there at all but it is and she intends to protect it, nourish it until the pain from his past is subdued. And that’s why she can’t think of what her and Seth are doing is wrong. Because she was with the wrong person all along. Because she loves Seth.
Those thoughts slip away when Seth groans her name. “Katie, fuck. Feels so amazing like this. You feel good, baby?” All she can do is nod, her mouth slack as she grips helplessly at the sheets.
He kisses across her shoulder blades, lips brushing along her skin as he changes his course and heads to the base of her neck whispering how nothing has ever felt as good as her. He slides a hand between her stomach and the bed, slowly slipping it lower until he can softly rub at her clit as he thrusts harder into her.
It's not long after that they she comes with Seth quickly following her over the edge. He collapses on top of her, breathing heavy against her back until he slips out of her and lays down next to her. They reach for each other at the same time and he pulls her to lay against his chest.
She traces mindlessly around his stomach as he brushes his fingers through her hair. When she looks up at him, his eyes are closed and a lazy smile spreads across his face. She thinks she likes these moments even more than sleeping with him because she knows this is a kind of intimacy that is rare for Seth. He isn’t buzzing with panic and fear, eyes darting around as tension courses through his whole body as he waits for the next thing to go wrong. In this moment, he looks content and the thought that she could be the reason makes her happy.
So she isn’t surprised when words come out as if on their own.
“Te amo.”
He looks down at her, his eyebrow raised in question. She wants to giggle but supposes she shouldn’t be surprised that he still hasn’t picked up basic Spanish in his time here. Geckos are stubborn and he may be the most stubborn of them all.
She simply shakes her head and leans up to kiss him softly before she starts to crawl out of bed. He reaches for her to pull her back. “Where do you think your going?”
But she moves away from his reach and giggles when he sticks his bottom lip out like she took away a child’s favourite toy. “Don’t pout. I’m going to shower and make us something to eat.” He let’s her slip away and sits up against the headboard.
She’s almost out the door when he calls for her. “Hey, Kate.” She turns to look back at him, and something about the intensity in his eyes makes her heart beat quicker.
“I love you too, princess.”
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Seth is about to die.
He is gonna die right here, surrounded by dozens of people laughing, dancing and drinking if Kate doesn’t stop biting her lip when she looks at him over her shoulder like she wants to jump him.
She’s in this deep blue dress that makes him thinks of those 50’s style pin-up girls that somehow makes her look cute and sexy at the same time. It’s got a halter neck which leaves so much of her back bare and he wants to kiss up each notch of her spine so bad he’s surprised the bottle of beer in his hand doesn’t shatter.
He already made them late when he saw her walk out of her room with her hair in messy curls and berry coloured lips. He had her pulled onto his lap seconds later and by the time he was ready to let her go, she had to re-do her hair and makeup while Seth changed into something he hadn’t sweat through and wipes the lipstick marks off of him.
He thinks about keeping one so it matches the colour on Kate’s lips and let’s everyone know what they’ve been up to these past few weeks. He knows it’s childish but he’s too far gone to care anymore. Hey Javi. Looks like Kate and I were busy. Sorry we’re late.
But he takes the damp washcloth and wipes it away with the rest because while he would do that to the kid, he wouldn’t do that to Kate, not after he held her as she cried into his shoulder over what she couldn’t do.
It took her nearly a week before she could even face her boyfriend after they’d gotten together. “I need to end it with him. I love you… I want to be with you and it isn’t fair to string him along.” She was so determined as she lay with her chin on his chest while he stroked her hair one morning. “I’m gonna go see him and end it.”
It’s not even an hour before she’s back and when she walks in the door with tears streaming down her face. He immediately reaches for her and she practically launches herself into his arms. “Babygirl, what did he say? I’ll beat the shit out of him.” But she pulls away from his chest and shakes her head.
“I-I couldn’t do it.” She wipes at her tears, sniffling. “I kept trying to say I couldn’t see him anymore but he had flowers and his mom was there hugging me, saying she prayed I felt better. Then he invited both of us to his sister’s quinceanera.”
Seth just stares at her, waiting for the blow of her rejection but she said nothing. “Is this- Are….we…?” Kate’s eye go wide and she grabs his shirt to pull him to her. “We’re still us. That’s not changing.” He nods, exhaling his fears as relief washes over him and she reaches up to softly touch his cheek. He turns to place a kiss the inside of her wrist.
“I told him that I needed to step back, that the hunt scared me and I can’t…. um, be with him right now.” He bites back the grin when he sees her blush because even after everything they’ve done she still gets shy when she talks about sex when they aren't in bed.
She decides she'll him it’s over after the party for his sister as she tells Seth how excited the girl was about Kate coming to her party. “She showed me her dress. She was so excited.” Kate smiles sadly at him and all he wants to do is make her happy again like she had been the last few days.
And he succeeds in doing just that over the next few weeks.
Kate explains away her most of her absence by saying they’re going on extra hunts but the truth is they haven’t been on any since they brought along the kid. “He won’t ask many questions if I mention hunting. Figures it’s a sore subject.”
He chuckles quietly against her neck as he grabs her wrists and pins them above her head. “Look at you. You know just what to say to make us dumb boys do what you want.” But even though he literally has her pinned underneath him, she smirks with her eyebrow arched high like she’s planning his demise.
Suddenly she whimpers, bites at her bottom lip and he's hard in a instant. “Touch me, Seth. Please.” He wouldn’t dream of turning her turn down so he let’s go of her wrists to slide them under her shirt but before he can she shoves at his chest till he’s flat on his back and she straddles his lap, pinning his hands down like he had done to her.
“You gonna have your wicked way with me, princess?” He feels like his heart is gonna pound of his chest as she kisses and licks across his collarbone. “I am. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He does find ways to get his revenge and it comes in the form of text messages.
She still goes out a few times a week with her boyfriend. While she's gone Seth lounges around waiting for her to get home and tries to keep any images of that kid touching or kissing Kate out of his mind.
It doesn't always work. And that's why he sends her the first text. He thinks about sending something explicit right away but he figures building up to it is his best shot at getting under her skin.
'Miss you, Princess'
He smiles when she only takes 42 seconds to reply.
'Miss u 2 <333'
'Want you here with me. Wanna kiss you.'
'Mwah ;)'
'Cute. Wanna kiss you all over though. Hear you say my name'
It takes her more time to reply but just as he's about to set his phone down a message pops up.
'Want that 2'
'Know what else I want?'
'Tell me'
'Want you to ride me wearing that pretty little dress you wore tonight. Looks so sexy showing off your legs like that'
'Seth...'
'Mmm yeah babygirl? Want that too? Or do you want me lick you till you come? God, so hard thinking about you right now'
There's no reply for several minutes and Seth wonders for a moment if he went too far.
Then his phone buzzes beside him.
'On my way home.'
‘Already in bed… naked’
That was 10 days ago now and he wishes he could be home in bed with her right now instead of sitting in the backyard of the kid’s family.
Seth figures he was only invited as a kind of truce after the disaster of a hunt. He had no intention of going until Kate gave him that smile that she knows makes him do whatever she asks. It's stunning and feels like a kick in the gut but the mischievous look in her eye makes him think 'this could be fun'. So he agrees.
And that’s how Seth ends up at the 15th birthday for a girl he doesn’t know. The only reason he can pick her out from anyone at the party is because she has on the poofiest dress.
Not that he's really looking anywhere but Kate as he thanks the fucking stars that her boyfriend is busy helping out and Seth has had her to himself all evening.
The infuriating catch is that he can't kiss her or touch her how he wants even though she keeps looking at him like she can't get the memory of earlier out of her head either. He makes up excuses the touch the exposed skin of her back or leans in to whisper in her ear as if he’s asking about the weather and not whispering his dirty thoughts instead.
Seth loves how she blushes but keeps her face passive when he speaks quietly into her ear. "Wanna take you home and fuck you so bad right now, Katie. Can’t get the sounds you make when you come outta my head."
He's been doing this all night. At first he worried he was going to make her angry or push things too far but she never flinched. She'd just keep a sweet smile on her face as she replied casually. "That would be nice." Before turning her attention back to the party.
This time Kate is eerily calm as she stands up and steps forward, placing a hand on his shoulder and leans down to whisper. "Meet me inside in 5 minutes." She heads towards the house, the ends of her dress swinging back and forth from the swing of her hips as she walks then looks back at him, eyes dark.
He bounces his leg anxiously as he checks his watch. Is this thing going fucking backwards? He taps at the watch face as if that will make the minutes pass quicker.
He gives up waiting at four minutes and three seconds but just as he gets up to leave he comes up to Seth. He looks nervous as he looks around quickly before forcing a pleasant expression. "Hey, do you, uh, know where Kate is?"
You're a grown man and he's half your size. Plus Kate will kill you.
He swears he's in physical pain as he keeps a neutral expression and tone. "Think she went to talk with someone she knew." See? That wasn't so hard, was it?
The kid nods and thanks him while Seth imagines breaking his beer bottle over his head. Once he's gone Seth goes inside and manages to hurry past the family gathered in the kitchen by asking for 'el bathroom'.
They tell him it’s around the corner and down the hall so of course when he comes around the corner she’s there, waiting for him.
He thinks she's beautiful, thinks she's stunning, even covered in culebra blood or first thing in the morning with sleep in her eye but right now, God, it's too much.
She's fucking glowing from the summer heat and the Christmas lights strung all around the house for the party. Her hair is a perfect mess falling over her shoulders as she bites at her lip. Her eyes are dark but there's a spark in them that gives him goosebumps.
She reaches out for him and he walks towards her, taking her tiny hand in his large one. She leads him to the last room down the hall.
It's dark and quieter than the rest of the house, because it's nestled so far in the back. The noise from the party is muffled so he can hear their breathing as she closes the door behind them and steps further into the room.
She keeps the lights off but he sees movie posters on the wall and striped bed sheets. "Is this his room?" She nods, looking him in the eye like she's waiting for him to say 'no, we can't. Not here'.
Instead, he steps forward, backing her slowly against the wall. She still lets out a surprised gasp when her back hits it but he boxes her in just like he had all those months ago in their kitchen.
Only Kate smiles this time and just like that he's hard for her. He wants her to know so he presses his hips against her and her grin gets even bigger. "Mmm, you really have been thinking about this."
He leans in, lips brushing against her neck. "You're all I fucking think about."
She shivers, places her hands on his hips and pulls them tight against hers. She parts her thighs and hitches her leg over his as he bends his knees to get more leverage against her as they grind against each other. She's breathless when she speaks. "Seth, I need you."
He starts to get down on his knees and hike up the skirt of her dress but she stops him, tugs him back up as she shakes her head. "No, baby, please. Need you to... f-fuck me."
He closes his eyes and breathes in hard though his nose until he groans. "Christ. Whatever you need, Katie." He reaches under her skirt, his fingers ghosting against her thigh until he reaches her center.
“Fuck. You’re killin’ me, baby girl.” He groans when he realizes she isn’t wearing any underwear. That little minx. Her head lolls back as he slides his fingers over her clit and rubs small circles with his thumb so she’s ready for him when he slowly slips a finger into her. "So fucking wet for me already."
She nods. "Been thinking of this since we got here."
He adds another finger and she keens against him, already moaning for him as he slowly works them into her. She fumbles for his belt, and tugs it open quickly along with his trousers before she reaches into his boxers to stroke him.
He rests his forehead against hers, both of them breathing harshly as they touch each other. He kisses her, licking into her mouth then biting at her pouting bottom lip. "Seth..."
She pulls him out of his boxers, shoves them roughly down over his hips. Kate whines deep in her throat when he pulls his hand away but he places lazy kisses along her neck and slides his hands over her ass.
She follows his lead, stopping her stroking to wrap her arms around his neck, trying to lift herself up. She makes desperate little noises as she tries to hoist herself up and christ, he can’t stand not being inside her for another second. He reaches down to grip the back of her thighs and lifts her so effortlessly she lets out a surprised squeak. "Oh!"
"Mmm, I go-, uhh yes, got you, Katie." She rubs herself against his cock, eyes shut tight and her arms wrapped tight against his neck. "Please. Please, baby. Need you." She begs against his neck as he lines himself up against her as he presses her against the wall.
They groan in unison and she slowly slides down onto him. He can feel her shake in his arms but everytime he tries to slow her movements or pull back, she pulls him back even closer, pushes her hips harder against his until he's buried inside her.
God, she feels so fucking perfect for him.
He has to stay still, breathe deep or it'll all be over too soon. But Kate doesn't wanna wait and when she rocks her hips against his, his jaw goes slack.
Her ankles lock around him and he holds her against the wall as he starts to thrust harder into her. "Oh yes...."
He loves the look on her face when finds the spot that she likes, her mouth somewhere between a smile and a gasp as little tremors of pleasure overwhelm her.
Fuck, he loves the sounds she makes. Cute and desperate, followed by her breathless commands. Harder. No, not ther- oh! Yes! Baby, right- uhh, yes! There!
And he knows when she's close when she buries her face in his neck, mumbling not to stop against it as she grips his back.
He's just as close right now as she grabs onto him, gasping his name against his shoulder as shakes, coming hard and making his own orgasm build. She's still trembling in his arms, whispering how she wants him to come for her when it happens.
"Kate?"
She freezes in his arms, slowly lifting her head to look past his shoulder. Fuck. Fuck! He doesn't need to turn around to know who's there.
The pleasure he feels is gone as a chill runs down his spine. No, don't let this happen to her. She fucking tried to make it right.
"What...." The lights turn on as Seth slowly lowers Kate to the ground and slipping out of her as gently as he can. She still whimpers at the sensation, looking to the floor as she smooths the front of her dress and fixes the strap.
She steps around Seth, her head still down, hands clasped in front of her.
He quickly dresses himself and turns to stand behind her, but only Seth looks up to stare her boyfriend right in the eye. The kid quickly looks away from him and back to Kate as she steps closer to him, her hands up as if in surrender.
"Javier... I-I...." She moves even closer but he steps away from her. Seth can hear how fragile sounds and knows she's in tears even if he can't see her face. Her shoulders slump and she sucks in a small sob.
"Get out." He spits it out as he points to the door but Kate tries again to step closer to him.
For a moment Seth wonders if she regrets everything that’s gone on between them. Maybe Kate will turn towards him and back away to stand beside him. He’ll put his arm over her shoulder as Kate explains to Seth that she made a mistake and that she never did love him, just got wrapped up in the game Seth had started.
Kate tries again to move closer but he shakes his head, mouth in a tense line. She finally holds her head up and squares her shoulders back. When she speaks her voice is quiet but firm even as she struggles for the words. "I-I'm… sorry you-.... found out like this."
Breathe, Seth.
He steps behind her and places his hand on her back and leans in to whisper they should go. She nods slowly. Kate is nearly out the door with Seth on her heel when the kid says it.
"Puta."
Seth has him by his throat and shoved up against the wall so quick the kid never saw it coming. "Don't you fucking dare talk to her that way." He tries to argue but the grip Seth has on him makes it come out as a gasp.
He struggles, clawing at the hand Seth has wrapped around his neck when a familiar, smaller hand touches his arm and knocks him out of his rage induced state.
"Seth...." The sound of her voice, the gentle pleading look on her face is all it takes for him to comply. It takes him a few deep breaths but he loosens his grip and pulls away, only to turn and reach for Kate. He cups the back of her neck, bringing her close to rest his forehead against hers.
“It’s not worth it.” He nods against her forehead, repeating her words back to her over and over as she strokes his cheek with the back of her fingers. “Take me home?” Anything you want. He clasps their hands together to lead her out the door.
Neither of them look back to Javier as they walk out of his room. Neither of them look to the family members they pass as they walk through the house and out the front door, hand in hand.
They both look forward, her hand in his and heads held high as the walk away from the bright lights, happy music and laughing townspeople, down the dark unlit street and head home.
-------------------
The flames rising up into the sky match the colours of the sunrise as she and Seth sit side by side on the hood of the car. The not-so-abandoned-as-previously-thought warehouse is turning to ash before their eyes but they wait until they’re sure.
Seth turns to her when the roof collapses taking two of the walls with it. "Ready to go?"
She lets out a long sigh but nods and he reaches up to tuck some stray hair behind her ear. She smiles at him and takes his hand as she hops down. He gives a quick peck to her cheek before they get in and start on the drive home.
This was it. The last nest of culebras for hundreds of miles.
None of them were large or sophisticated set-ups like the Twister but the groups that did terrorize the people nearby knew they had a good thing going by being so isolated.
At least they did until Seth and Kate had arrived.
It’s a little after 6:30 in the morning when they pull into town and see the townspeople start to come out and start their day. Kate wonders briefly if this is how it will always be, her and Seth just getting ready to go to bed while everyone else wakes up to live their lives in the sun.
Then she feels Seth squeeze her hand. It’s like he knows. And when he rubs his thumb along the back of her hand she feels like she could spend all her days in the dark and still be happy if they’re together.
Seth parks the car and they cross the narrow street to their house. Not for much longer. A women Kate recognizes comes around the corner, a school teacher who frequented the panderia she worked at. Kate smiles at her but the woman narrows her eyes then checks for traffic before she rushes over to the other side of the street.
Seth’s arm wraps around her shoulder and kisses her temple as they walk up the steps into their home. She sighs when she looks over the empty rooms, just a few boxes stacked by the door with two open duffle bags for their clothes. Packing their belongings was done in under an hour and Kate still can't believe how little they really have.
“Sleep then shower or shower then sleep?”
“Sleep first.” She can hear him chuckle as she stumbles towards their room, pulling off her shirt and undoing her jeans as she goes. She flings herself onto the bed and he follows, both of them smiling as they bounce.
"Get some sleep, baby girl."
When she wakes up the sun is setting. Typical. But when she moves to snuggle into Seth's side, he isn't there. She sits up, brushes her hair from her face and drags herself out of bed.
She finds Seth in the kitchen, opening each drawer and checking to see what's left. He's mumbling to himself, shaking his head as he digs through and it makes her smile.
She walks up behind, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his broad back.
"Someone was tired." She nods as a yawn escapes just to prove his point. "We gotta go soon. Landlord paid a friendly visit."
He sounds irritated but Kate just sighs, kisses between his shoulder blades and excuses herself to go shower.
She tries to focus on the how the water feels against her skin and not the past week.
They'd gone out every night as soon as the sun had set and hit nest after nest. Some were small, just a few culebras working together to pick off unlucky passersby to a group of two dozen who taken over an abandoned warehouse. They turned it into a torture house, keeping their victims barely alive to drink from over and over.
They worked themselves ragged to finally make the town and those nearby safe.
But Kate feels she owed them that much, couldn't just up and leave like she had wanted to after that night.
News travels fast in a town this small and close knit.
Kate realizes that it isn’t just this town, he knows now she and Seth would always be outsiders no matter where they go. They have a reputation here now, nicknames even. ‘The Angry Gringo and his Princesa’ was how most people in the town referred to them now as they glared.
Looking back, she wonders how people weren't questioning their relationship more. A man and girl show up in their town, both of them the most important thing in each other's life and no one questioned how strange it was for them to arrive together, live in close quarters.
But when culebra attacks suddenly stopped and it wasn't an odd sight to see them as the sun rises covered in blood she suspects the town decided they didn’t need an answer. They never questioned it until one of their own got hurt. Kate understands but it still hurts when people scowl at her, people she considered friends.
The culebras are gone now and Kate can leave with a clear conscience. Well, clear enough.
Seth has the car loaded when she gets out of the shower, only leaving her bag so she can dress.
"Checked everything twice but I think we got everything important." He leans against the door frame to their room, arms crossed watching her face with concern. "I'm leaving the flat screen."
"That's nice of you. I'm sure they'll appreciate it."
He frowns, looking sheepish. "Yeah, well... It wouldn't fit in the car."
She grins at him, Seth shaking his head as he steps towards her. He reaches down, his hand brushes her cheek before he leans down and places a kiss to the top of her head. He picks up her bag and heads out the door. She takes a deep breath as she looks around the room one last time, then forces herself to follow Seth outside and say goodbye the life they made here.
She gasps in surprise once she steps out the front door, sees Seth by the open trunk, scowling until he notices her and the anger changes to concern. He stretches his arm out towards her, motioning for her to come stand behind him.
A crowd is formed around the front of the car.
She feels sick with fear as she slowly walks toward Seth, can see him reaching around his back to his waistband where he keeps his gun. He tries to step in front of her but she holds onto his arm and stays at his side as they scan the crowd.
They seem to be at an impasse, no one speaks but she can see Seth starting to get twitchy from the corner of her eye and she can’t take the silence anymore. “We’re leaving. You won’t see us again.”
A familiar voice from somewhere back in the crowd calls out. “We know!”
The owner of the voice pushes their way through the crowd and Kate steps away from Seth, squeezing his hand when he starts to protest. She goes towards the crowd to meet them, nervously avoiding the blank stares of those watching her.
When they finally push through the crowd and see Kate waiting for them a smile spreads across their face. “You were really gonna leave without saying goodbye?”
Tears stain Kate’s cheek as she fights to keep her voice steady. “I thought you hated me. I hurt you and your family so much.”
“How could I hate you? You kept us safe. Both of you.” They look warily over towards Seth and Kate let’s out a choked laugh as he waves back awkwardly. She wipes away the tears with the back of her hand and let’s out a relieved sigh.
She let’s out a yelp as she’s pulled into a hug and Kate cries into their shoulder, holding them tightly. Kate may not have fit in but she loved the family, how they reminded her of her own family before it all went to hell. Please, Lord. I hope I did enough to keep them safe. They pull apart and she wipes at their tears.
“I’m sorry I ruined your birthday.”
She shakes her head. “You didn’t.”
The girls stare at each other, tears falling down their cheeks and understanding in their eyes until Seth clears his throat. The girl steps back, still wearing a sad smile and motions that Kate should go.
Kate gets in the car, Seth already in the driver seat ready to get out of there. He starts moving forward slowly and the crowd starts to part for them, their faces stern but it’s suddenly clear they’re there to wish them well afterall.
But as they drive past her Kate asks him to stop and leans out the window. She comes rushing over to Kate and she takes the girls hands in hers.
“Please, if anything happens… remember what I told you.”
She grips Kate’s hands tight until Seth starts forward again. They drive past the crowd and look to each other in shock when they see it was the entire town, all the shops and houses empty as the reach the town’s edge.
They both sit in silence as the familiar desert roads stretch in front of them. She stares out the open window, feels the wind blow in her hair remembering how good the open road can feel.
It’s over an hour before Seth finally speaks. “What’d you tell the kid’s sister?”
She was nearly dozing off, nearly yawning as she responds. “Hmm?”
“You told her to remember what you told her.”
“Oh.” Kate had told her a lot that day when she gave her a set of stakes for her Quincinera.
Kate had asked her for five minutes at her party, just the two of them in her room and showed her a few basics. This is how you hold a stake. This is how you apply the most force to pierce the heart. This is how you hide the most possible weapons on you without anyone noticing.
It wasn’t that she wanted to scare her, it was the opposite. She wanted her to be prepared, to be confident in her ability. Kate was going to do her damndest to make sure she never had to live a life in fear of creatures that should be nothing but fiction. But if she failed, she wanted her and her family to have a fighting chance.
Kate sighs, hoping she did the right thing. “I told her to trust herself.” Seth raises his brows at first but his head slowly starts to nod in agreement. “That’s good advice.”
A grin spreads across her face and Kate reaches out to twine their fingers together as they stare out at the road.
She has no idea where they’ll end up next but for the first time in months she feels certain because even if they stay in a new bed every night she’s found her place in the world, hand in hand with Seth.