Oneshots - Kayce Dutton

I'll kill you if you don't come back to me

Just because this wasn't your first time didn't mean it got any easier. You were sitting on the bed, your right knee bouncing up and down in time with your heart beats. The clock on your side of the bed showed it was just a little past one in the morning now. Kacey was two hours late, which also meant Rip was two hours late, John was two hours late, and everyone else who drove off right after ten o'clock was late.

Sure, you could have gone downstairs and sat with Beth, but the last time you did that she slapped your bouncing knee so hard you a bruise for three weeks. No, it was better to just wait.

Kayce had told you to try and get some sleep, but you had laughed him off. Your boyfriend of four years walks into your shared bedroom, late at night, dressed in all black with a ball cap and gloves in one hand and you could hear the wranglers already waiting outside... just how were you supposed to get some sleep?

Four hours earlier

"It shouldn't take long. Two hours tops," Kayce said shifting his weight to his left leg. He had been trying to break some new purchase of John's earlier today and had been banged up against the fence a few times. He would deny it, but you knew he was sore.

You knew him better than he knew himself ninety percent of the time. That's one thing he loved about you. He didn't need to explain a whole lot because you would just know somehow.

"You still won't tell me where you're going?" You asked with a small sigh.

"Trust me," Kayce shrugged. "It's better you don't know."

"I do trust you," you sat down on the edge of the bed. "It's other people I don't."

Kayce slowly walked over and sat next to you on the bed. You angled your body, so you were somewhat facing him, your damp hair from your earlier shower fell slightly into your face. Kayce brushed it back behind your ear but kept his hand against your cheek. His skin was warm, and you wanted nothing more than to hold him and not let go. But you learned after the second time that wasn't a good tactic. Kayce was training in the military, plus he was bigger than you and could toss you up against the pillows in the blink of an eye.

"I love you," Kayce whispered. His brown eyes held more emotion now, they always did when he said those three words.

You took a deep breath before placing both your hands on your crossed leg and leaned towards him. His lips were warm against yours, soft and caring. His hand on your cheek brushed back into your hair where his grip tightened just slightly. You broke the kiss but kept your lips close to his.

"I'll kill you if you don't come back to me," You whispered.

For the first time that evening Kayce smiled. He leaned back and stood up before walking slowly towards the door. He paused briefly before looking back at you one more time. A few seconds passed before he walked out into the hallway and down the stairs. You listened until you could hear his footsteps anymore.

Present

"Your knee is going to take off."

You whipped your head up so fast you got slightly dizzy. There was Kayce, standing in the doorway to the bedroom. He looked the exact same he had a few hours earlier except he was covered in spattered blood along his hoodie, neck, and face. There was also a nice bruise forming under his left eye.

You fought every instinct inside you to not scream and run to him. This wasn't your first-time seeing blood on him, but that didn't mean it didn't scare the living shit out of each time. You visibly took a deep breath before standing up slowly.

"Is it yours?" You asked softly.

"No baby," Kacey shook his head before taking a step into the room. You nodded your head before walking slowly up to him.

His eyes were hollow looking, gone was the warmth you had seen the last time you were looking at them. You knew the others were okay. Kayce wouldn't have been here if they weren't. It was a rule you had established early on in your relationships with him. He always had to lead with if someone was hurt or worse. If he didn't then it was an unspoken acknowledgement everyone on your side was okay.

You turned your focus to something you could control, and grasped the zipper on his hoodie, slowly pulling down and helping him out of it. The white shirt underneath also had spots of blood, so it was next. You took a mental note how Kayce winced on his left side when he raised his arms up. His hat was knocked slight with the removal of his shirt, so you reached up and removed it, where there was also blood. You glanced at his jeans, not noticing any spots on the denim.

You moved to the right and placed the clothes next to the hamper. That was another one of your rules, nothing was kept if something like this occurred. You were a visual person and didn't want any memory tainted with blood on an article of clothing.

Kayce walked into the on-suite bathroom while you leaned back up. You heard the shower start up and his belt hit the tile floor. Sometimes you joined him, but it depended on his eyes. Tonight, he needed to be alone for a moment. You busied yourself making down the bed and turning off the lights except for the one on your nightstand. Crawling under the covers you heard the water shut off and you knew Kayce was almost done for the night. It was almost two in the morning now.

When Kayce walked back in, he was in plain black boxers only. You let him decide where he wanted to be as he climbed into the bed. For a moment you thought he might stay on his side. While rare, sometimes that's what happened. But right before you thought about turning off the light Kayce reached over and wrapped an arm around you, sliding you over to share his side of the bed.

You took this as a green light and wrapped both your arms around his frame, crushing yourself into his side. Ignoring his grunt from your quickness, your legs tangled with his as you pressed your nose against his neck, breathing him in.

Kayce sunk into you, sighing deeply as he did. You were partially under him now, both of your settled into the sheets on his shared pillows. One of his hands gripped your sleep shirt, fisting it until you could feel his knuckles against your side. His other hand held the back of your head, pulling your faces as close as he could.

You both stayed like this for a few moments, just breathing each other in. Slowly opening your eyes, you noticed Kayce's were closed. His forehead was pinched though, and you knew he was trying to forget everything that took place tonight. Leaning your head up slight you placed a soft kiss to the lines on his skin. They immediately relaxed and you were met again with his eyes. This time though there were some hints of warmth back in them.

"I love you," you breathed across his face.

Too many emotions passed through his features at your words. He leaned closer to you, foreheads touching as you both finally settled in.

You always waited to say it back to him when he returned. There was part of you that thought maybe it gave him something to work for while he was fighting whatever, or whomever, he was. You both would talk about it more later. Right now you were content with being right where you were.