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,

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[girlsolo]

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]

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]

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]

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]

"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]

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]

"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]

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."