Against the Tide - Devour fic - Paul/Kathy, PG
Title: Against the Tide
Fandom: Devour
Disclaimer: Nate’s mine. Just for fun.
Warnings: spoilers for movie
Pairings: Paul/Kathy
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 500
Point of view: third
The greatest mistake of his life was following up on Nate’s lead, was going to that cabin at midnight, taking Kathy with him, armed with nothing but righteousness and determination.
He should have left the boy in the devil’s grasp, or killed him that night. But taking him, raising the child as human, teaching him wrong from right-
He thought he was doing the best thing, and Kathy stood beside him the entire way. Kathy assured him that they did what they had to, did what needed to be done. The boy couldn’t stay with his mother or father-that was too dangerous. But neither could they kill him, because-
And all of her reasons pale in comparison to the horror that is the truth, but at the time… they had wanted a child for such a long while.
It wasn’t that bad, at first. Kathy could still walk, still smile, still soothe him with a glance. And the boy was beautiful, far more beautiful than any child Paul had ever seen before. He laughed at them, made small noises, gripped their fingers with his tiny little hand.
“Gorgeous,” Kathy breathed, unable to look away. Watching both of them, his wife and the boy, Paul could only agree.
Kathy named him Jacob. “For my father,” she said, her hands trembling around the boy.
Paul nodded, gave her a small smile. “He was a good man, Kat.” He leaned down to press a kiss against her hair. “He’d be honored.”
Sometimes, he wondered if they’d done the right thing, stealing Jake from his mother. But Kathy held him, hugged him, kissed his brow-and Paul could not doubt for long.
But now-now, he’s had the dream for three weeks in a row and he knows they shouldn’t have taken Jacob. They should have left him to his fate as the devil’s son.
But Kathy, in good conscience, could not let such an opportunity pass.
“This could turn the tide in the war, Paul,” she said, eyes shining with hope. “It could make all the difference!”
And after they stole him, they should never have kept him. He was such a danger-is such a danger.
The cost of taking Jake was Kathy’s legs. And she would say it to be an even trade, but Paul cannot agree. He looks at Jake, the most beautiful man in the world-flawless and perfect-and sees only evil looking back.
That night, in the woods, he should have snapped Jacob’s tiny neck. But instead he ran, carrying his wife and Lucifer’s only spawn, and Kathy’s entreaties alone saved the boy’s life. They took the child to Nate; he agreed with Paul that the best thing would be to kill the newborn, but Kathy swayed all to her side.
Paul should have stood firm. Should have killed the child in the night. But Kathy loved him. Kathy adored the devil’s son.
Now, Paul wonders what that says about his darling.
Now, it’s too late.