The Other Kaylee

Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters, I’m just borrowing them

Author’s Note: This is in response to the prompt “Which member of your OTP is so excited for Halloween and the other is horrified by the amount of time and energy (and money) wasted on their costume”. As always, it turned out longer than I planned. Because I’m a nerd and named Kaylee after one of my favorite sci-fi characters and had to poke fun at that at some point, Seth and Kaylee are dressed as characters (Kaylee, Captain Mal) from the show Firefly.

Summary: Kaylee surprises Seth for Halloween after he inadvertently helps rekindle her love for the holiday.

Kaylee steps into the heavy black work boots sitting at the foot of her bed. Out of the corner of her eye she catches her reflection in the full-length mirror, a grin forming on her lips. She pulls her pant cuffs over the now tightly laced boots and straightens up, scrutinizing her full ensemble intently.

Her hair, recently lightened to a warm chestnut with hints of auburn, sits in two top knot buns on either side of her head. Strategically placed splotches of dark brown eye shadow adorn her face, giving it a dirt-smudged appearance. The pink and purple floral long-sleeve shirt she’d spent over a month finding the perfect fabric for peaks out from underneath an olive green sleeveless military jumpsuit.  Around her neck lies a black cord bearing a single cylindrical charm, tediously rendered out of modeling clay, which settles at the very top of her sternum.

The grin stretches across the entirety of her face as excitement joins the pride welling in her gut.

She did it. It had taken her the better part of six months, but she actually pulled together the perfect costume surprise for Seth. She could feel it in her bones; he was going to freak.

Ever since their first Halloween together the year prior, when they’d attended Matt’s party as the Eleventh Doctor and Amelia Pond, she knew she had to do something extra special this year. Because not only had he proudly geeked out with her in public and contributed to making her first Hollywood costume party a memorable one, but he’d also helped her regain her love for the holiday itself.

Gathering and creating each item for their respective outfits had taken a seemingly ridiculous amount of time, not to mention a decent amount of money. And while she knew some people couldn’t wrap their heads around what would possess someone to devote so much time and money to something they’d likely only wear once, the experience had transported her back to her childhood.

She remembered weekends spent meticulously cutting, pinning, and sewing her own outfit, her grandma hunched over her the entire time feeding her helpful tips as well as an endless supply of peanut butter cookies. Her fingers had tingled with the memory of crowding around the kitchen table with her brother and sister crafting whatever props they needed to complete their ensembles. And for the first time since she was fourteen, the sensation of self accomplishment and unbridled joy which only came from planning and creating her own costume had engulfed her like a warm familiar hug.

She’d told him everything afterwards, how much Halloween had meant to her as a child and how that enthusiasm had faded as she grew older, the need to be accepted by her peers outweighing her desire to continue with the tradition. Her gratitude to him for helping rekindle the fire of creativity and passion which used to burn inside her during the month of October had been expressed as well. Though as usual, while he’d joked and boasted a faux-cocky attitude in response, she could tell he hadn’t completely absorbed the compliment. And so her idea to become one of his teenage crushes, the spunky fictional spaceship engineer with whom she happens to share her first name, was born.

She’s still glancing in the mirror, her soul singing with the knowledge of her success, when a knock sounds on the bedroom door.

“Hey Iowa, I know you’re doing the whole ‘secret costume’ thing right now, but when you’re done can you bring my jacket out? I’m fairly sure I left it in there. That or Rory ran away with it to attend doggy Comicon. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him for a while…” Seth rambles, his melodic tenor voice lightly muffled by the thick wooden door.

“They’re both in here, Babe. I’ll be right out!” She yells back, holding in a chuckle. Wrapping herself inside the long brown suede duster jacket draped over the end of the bed, Kaylee pats the soft head of the Doberman mix curled up next to it. He lets out a contented sigh, one eyelid opening wearily. “Don’t worry boy, I’d never assume you’d run off to have fun without us.”

As she opens the door, her boyfriend, decked in a deep mahogany button up shirt, tan trousers held up with dark brown suspenders, and shin high black leather boots, appears in view. His brows cock at the sight before him while Kaylee stares up with a wry smile.

“So you’re surprise is that you’re going as a dirty streaker and wearing the jacket you made me? I gotta say, I’m a little disappointed. Turned on, but still disappointed.” Mirth sparkles in his eyes as his own grin stretches from ear to ear.

“The surprise is under the jacket, silly.”

“You’re not helping erase the thought you’re naked under there.”

Giggling, Kaylee shrugs off the extra layer of fabric ever so slowly, allowing it to pile on the floor in a heap. She watches intently as Seth’s face contorts from teasing to awestruck. Eyes wide as dinner plates, his mouth opens and shuts several times before words flow forth.

“You… you’re her. Kaylee. I mean you’re Kaylee but you’re also the other Kaylee and… Just a minute I think my brain may have melted.” He makes a show of jostling his head from side to side, a mix of amusement and adoration settling on his features when he stills once more.

“So, do you like it?” She waggles her eyebrows, her smile so wide now she’s unsure how it’s still attached to her face.

“Like it? No, I don’t like it,” he starts, closing the distance between them in an instant and wrapping his arms around her waist. “I love it. Almost as much as I love you.”

Their mouths meet in a fiery kiss, Seth’s appreciation for her surprise evident in every movement of his lips.

“Please tell me you’re next surprise is that we’re staying in tonight,” Seth mumbles breathlessly once they part moments later. He stares down at her, pupils blown wide with desire, and a shockwave of heat flashes through her core.

“As much as I’d love to say that was my plan… we did tell Matt we’d come. His new girlfriend is going to be there and he really wants us to meet her.”

Firm hands pull her closer until she can feel his arousal against her. Warm breath tickles her ear as Seth speaks in a low, near growl. “I don’t care about his girlfriend. Just mine. I want to make her c…UGH!”

The strong arms around her loosen as their owner stands upright and stumbles back slightly, rubbing a hand over the spot on his hip where a very hard canine skull had recently connected. A snort erupts from Kaylee, eliciting a chuckle from Seth as they both turn towards their overzealous dog now standing between them, his tail thwacking loudly on the door frame.

“Cock blocked by the dog. Can’t say I saw that coming.” Seth’s hearty laugh fills the room.

“Clearly he knows we need to get moving.”

“Or he doesn’t want to be left out.”

“Nope, he’s telling us to leave. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” Picking up the discarded jacket from the floor, she hands it to Seth and inches around him into the hallway, flashing him a final grin along the way.

“Fine. But I thought this surprise was supposed to be a gift to me. Watching you all night, dressed like that… that’s just torture,” he responds with a hint of disappointment in his otherwise joking tone, effortlessly matching her quick strides towards the front door.

“Hey, I’m the one who has to watch you walking around in those stupidly tight pants. I’ll be in agony too, don’t you worry.”

“So why are we going again?” Seth questions, suddenly blocking her path through the doorway.

“Obligation to a friend.”

“Oh, right. That.”

“Two hours. We’ll stay two hours, tops. Then it’s back here to fulfill as many teenage fantasies as your heart desires.” She reaches out and squeezes his hand reassuringly, but her tone is laced with seduction.

“Well what are you waiting for, woman! Let’s go! The sooner we get there the sooner we can leave!”

Seth pulls her out into the cool autumn night, their laughter floating on the gentle breeze, both of them knowing full well this will be a Halloween to remember.

– The End