Oneshots - Kayce Dutton Book 2

Branded heritage

Request - Can you do one where Tate somehow see's Kayce's brand and starts asking a bunch of questions about it but Kayce wont' answer him so he goes to talk to John about it but John gets really defensive and just shuts Tate down so he goes to Y/N crying and asking about it and she realizes that she doesn't even know why Kayce has it, so she makes up a story for Tate but later that night she makes Kayce tell her the real story

You looked up to see Tate walking in. He had big tears in the corners of his eyes. You sat your book down you had been reading as Tate walked up to you in the living room.

"Hey..." You said softly as Tate stopped at your knees. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"M-My Dad...no one will...his brand...I was just asking," Tate sniffed.

"What?" You leaned forward and wiped at his face. "Breathe, Tate."

Tate sniffed loudly. You frowned as you scooted over so he could sit with you under the blanket. You waited until he quieted down some, wrapping an arm around him. When Tate looked up at you, you offered him a smile.

"Now, what happened?" You asked.

"I um...asked my dad something this morning that made him mad," Tate sniffed again.

"What did you ask him?" You wondered.

"About his brand," Tate pointed to his own chest.

You blinked back at him. You knew Kayce had a branding, but you had honestly thought it was him being a stupid teenager a long time ago. It happened before you even knew Kayce. It happened before Tate even. You just simply had never asked Kayce for the full story on it.

"Why did that make him mad?" You asked Tate.

"He told me it was none of my business and said to drop it," Tate said.

Thank didn't sound like Kayce to you. Smoothing back Tate's hair you sighed.

"Maybe he was having a bad morning?" You thought.

"I saw him still kiss you goodbye," Tate mumbled.

Your frown was back. Kayce had been quick to leave this morning, but you chalked it up to him being needed or something. It wasn't unusual for him to have to leave quickly. But now that you knew what took place right before, you wished you had said something to him.

"I then went to Grandpa when he got home," Tate said.

"Grandpa?" You asked. "You asked him about your dad's brand?"

Tate nodded his head.

"But he got angry too," Tate sighed.

You felt your heart drop. The thought of John being angry at Tate was something you never thought you'd feel.

"I'm sure he wasn't angry at you, Tate," You reassured the kid. "You know your grandpa, he's a grump old man on his best days."

You did get a small smile out of Tate with that.

"Do you know why he has a brand?" Tate asked you.

"Um..." The look on Tate's face was enough to do you in. "He just was being silly when he was younger...got that on a dare probably."

"A dare?" Tate asked.

"Yeah," You nodded. "But he probably doesn't want you doing something similar so that's why he got upset."

"I'm not gonna do that!" Tate shook his head.

"I know that," You joked with him. "Trust me, buddy...they're just being grumpy and will be better by tomorrow."

"Alright," Tate nodded.

**

You watched Kayce walk over and get into the bed with you. He sighed heavily as he laid down on his pillow. You looked down at him from where you sat up. Kaye didn't have a shirt on, something you loved about having a fireplace in the bedroom. But your eyes fell on his left chest.

"Kayce?" You asked.

He looked up at you.

"Can you tell me why you have that brand?" You asked softly.

Kayce blinked a few times before he sat up and looked at you.

"You talked to Tate I see?" Kayce asked.

"He told me you and your father got upset with him for asking a simple question that any kid would be curious over...yes," You felt defensive of the kid right now.

Kayce sighed. You reached over and pushed his hair back some.

"Why'd you get it?" You asked him again.

"I didn't get it," Kayce said, his eyes looking at yours cautiously. "It was given to me."

"Well, clearly...it's a brand and I don't think you'd do that to yourself," You tried to keep the mood light. "Why were you given it and who gave it to you?"

Kayce sighed and leaned back against the headboard. You waited patiently for him.

"My father gave it to me," Kayce looked down at his lap.

Your eyes narrowed. Did you hear him right? His father gave him that brand?

You opened your mouth only to shut it. Kayce looked over at you and this time, he was the one who waited.

"He...your father branded you?" You asked slowly.

Kayce nodded his head.

"Why?" You asked sharply.

Kayce seemed to be weighing his thoughts in his mind.

"Kayce..." You leaned in closer to him. "You know I don't care. I care about you, but what's happened to you in your past."

Kayce stared into your eyes and you could see that he was scared for some reason.

"My father..." Kayce cleared his throat. "My father did this because I wouldn't do something he asked me to do."

"...alright," You took a deep breath, waiting for more even though you were horrified by what you were hearing.

"I wouldn't..." Kayce licked his lips. "When Monica found out she was pregnant...I told my dad, and he told me to take her to the clinic."

You looked down and picked up Kayce's hand in yours. While you didn't agree with John, you also weren't surprised he'd think something like that would be best for the family and ranch.

"When I didn't..." Kayce's eyes fell to his brand.

"Wait," You said. "He branded you because you didn't..."

"So imagine when my son asks me about it," Kayce sighed. "And I didn't handle it right, I know that. But I didn't know what to say."

"Oh, Kayce," You leaned in and wrapped your arm around him, your other hand resting against his chest, over his brand. "I'm so sorry."

"Just add it to the list of things my family screwed up," Kayce frowned.

"You're not a screw up," You shook your head. "Your father just...well, that's inexcusable in my eyes, but I also know in his weird, twisted way that was him protecting you. Not that it was right by any means, but it was his way.

Kayce just shrugged. You weren't sure what to say next so you dipped your head and pressed a loving kiss to the top of the brand, against Kayce's skin. You then leaned against his chest, Kayce's chin resting on top of your head.

"What did you tell Tate?" Kayce asked after a while.

"I said you got it because you were a dumb teenager," You sighed. "I feel silly now."

"Don't," Kayce mumbled. "That was a good answer...technically not wrong."

"You're not a dumb teenager," You looked up at Kayce. "But I though it's at least get Tate to stop asking questions...I would talk to your father though about it."

"Me?" Kayce asked.

"I certainly won't," You shook your head. "I think right now the only ting stopping me from finding him and branding him myself is being in your arms."

Kayce tightened his hold on you.

"There's no need for that," Kayce chuckled.

"Why? Think he'll do something to me?" You asked with a smirk.

"No, I think you'd actually do that to him," Kayce said.

"I would...for you and Tate," You said.

"I know," Kayce reached up and pulled your lips to his for a kiss. "Thank you."