AN: Hi everybody, I'm back! I know it's been practically forever since I posted something and I apologise for that, but I've been uber-busy and not very inspired. This, however, came to me after listening to the new Pink album for the 50 millionth time (unlike Beckett in this particular story, I am unashamed in my worship of Pink and every single song she's ever written), so I wrote this piece of sickening fluff for you all! It's a one-shot only, partly because I'm so busy but mostly because I don't think there's anywhere else for this to go. Hope it's an enjoyable few minutes though!IBYL
xo
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or the song, they are all their owners and I am just borrowing them because they sparked my imagination and make me smile. No harm meant.
Kate Beckett and Richard Castle were hurtling up the freeway to the Hamptons, Kate bobbing her head in time with the Pink song blaring from the stereo as she drove (some things never change), while Rick watched her unabashedly, unable to stop the smirk gracing his face as he watched his beautiful detective lose herself in the music. He thought he was pretty inconspicuous, if he was honest, but the throat clearing next to him told him otherwise.
Uh oh.
"Richard Castle." Kate said, no nonsense.
"Yes, dear?" Rick replied with a slight upturn of his lips.
"Friendly warning – mocking my musical guilty pleasures, probably not a situation you want to find yourself in."
"Oh, but Kate… it's just so delectably unlike you. It's fun. You know I love peeling back layers." Rick said, lecherous grin firmly in place.
"Yes, you've said that. One more comment on the subject and I'll have to take more drastic action."
"Such as…?" He said, goading her. A pointed glare from Kate had him covering his ears instinctually, and she couldn't suppress a small chuckle.
"Surely you know by now that I don't need to attack your ears anymore, right? I have much better options at my disposal. Such as ensuring that all clothing remains on, indefinitely." She said wickedly, working hard to bite back a laugh at the look of pure horror on Castle's face.
"I'll be good!" He said, sitting up straight and paying attention to the road ahead, just as Kate's iPod switched to another song, one he hadn't heard before. "Wait, what's this?" He asked.
"It's from the new Pink album." She said, and he couldn't help the little cough of surprise that escaped him.
"Didn't know you were that big a fan to buy the albums as they come out…" He said cheekily, and she shot him a quick glare.
"Well, if you must know, the album's called The Truth About Love and I thought it sounded appropriate, given recent developments." She said, biting her lip when Rick's face transformed into the goofy, happy, overly sappy image she'd seen more than a few times in the past couple of months.
"And, what is the truth about love according to the esteemed pop star?" He asked, and she shrugged.
"Hurts like a bitch sometimes, but it's worth it." Kate said with a smile, and Rick laughed.
"You know what, that's probably a fair assessment. So, Kate, speaking of layers – favourite song? And don't try and tell me you don't have a favourite because I know you've listened to this before today. You're mouthing along the words to every song so far." He said smugly, and she pouted a little.
"Since when is it a crime to like an album, Castle?" She murmured, before pondering his original question. "Well, there's one song that makes me think of you." Kate said with a soft smile, and Castle's face once again lit up.
"Really? Ooh, which one? I wanna hear it!" He said, 9-year-old out in full force.
"Hang on." She said, picking up the iPod and hitting next, as the jaunty beat began. Adding to the fun for the man next to her, she started to sing along – only mildly embarrassed that she knew all the words already.
Sometimes I hate every single stupid word you say,
Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face.
There's no one quite like you, you push all my buttons down,
I know life would suck without you.
At the same time I wanna hug you, I wanna wrap my hands around your neck.
You're an asshole but I love you, and you make me so mad I ask myself
Why I'm still here, or where could I go? You're the only love I've ever known, but I hate you, I really hate you, so much I think it must be...
True love true love
It must be true love
Nothing else can break my heart like true love
True love, it must be true love
No one else can break my heart like you
Over the initial stunned reaction to Kate singing, Castle couldn't help but chuckle at the lyrics she was belting out happily. Quite frankly, she could've said absolutely anything she wanted in this moment and he couldn't care less, as long as she sounded as fantastically happy and carefree as she did right now.
Just once try to wrap your little brain around my feelings
Just once please try not to be so mean
Repeat after me now R-O-M-A-N-C-E
Come on I'll say it slowly (Romance)
You can do it babe
At the same time, I wanna hug you
I wanna wrap my hands around your neck
You're an asshole but I love you
And you make me so mad I ask myself
Why I'm still here, oh where could I go
You're the only love I've ever known
But I hate you
I really hate you, so much
I think it must be
True love true love
It must be true love
Nothing else can break my heart like true love
True love, it must be true love
No one else can break my heart like you
Why do you rub me up the wrong way
Why do you say the things that you say
Sometimes I wonder how we ever came to be
But without you I'm incomplete
I think it must true love true love
It must be true love
Nothing else can break my heart like true love
True love, it must be true love
No one else can break my heart like you, like you
No one else can break my heart like you
The final bars of the song filtered through the stereo and Castle couldn't help the happy grin on his face.
"Did you like it?" Kate teased, and his grin only widened.
"I'm not sure whether to be flattered or insulted. I'm going to go with flattered."
"You should." She said with a shrug, and he grinned.
"I love this side of you, Kate." He said, and when she raised an eyebrow he continued. "You know, vacation Kate. You're so lovely when you're smiling." He said, and she blushed.
"Well, you bring it out in me." She said simply, and he grinned more, stealing her hand from the wheel and curling his fingers into her palm.
"You're going to love the Hamptons, Kate, I promise."
Kate opened her mouth but instead elected to say nothing. Castle, of course, noticed this.
"Spill." He said commandingly, and she smirked.
"I was going to say something terribly sappy but I've elected against it because you're already teasing me beyond belief this weekend and I refuse to add to it."
"I love sappy Kate, I love vacation Kate, I love badass Kate. I love Kate." He said simply, and she beamed.
"And I love you. Although the song is right, sometimes I do really want to strangle you." She said with a soft grin.
"Yeah, that's always going to happen. But, I am determined to prove at least one part of the song to be wrong."
"Oh yes, and which part would that be?"
"I know what romance is, Kate." He murmured in a low voice, causing a flare to erupt in her veins. "And I have every intention of showing you."
"I look forward to it." She murmured back, delighting in the small shiver that racked his body.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
I would love to know what you thought - and thanks for reading!