The Writer's Challenge
Summary: Rick Castle was finally able to defeat Kate Beckett in their Scrabble match. Kate's effort to indulge his win made her face a challenge by the Writer that she was so not going to like.
Disclaimer: Castle is so not mine. All credits are to ABC and Andrew Marlowe.
Chapter One
"That's a lead by 9 score aannnddd Finally, I beat you" Castle declared putting the last of scrabble block on the board before raising his hands slowly up in the air to declare his victory. His brows wiggle in natural motion making Kate shake her head with a smile.
Smug
"There is a 'Finally' in there, Castle..." Kate said standing up and moving towards the kitchen to grab a water bottle.
"Don't let this win get too much on your mind... Do I need to remind you that this win came after how many beats?". She mocked and this time, she was the one raising brow and saw his face pulled down.
"Spoilt sport, Beckett." Whining, he started to put the game back in the box, grumbling like a five year old. Such a baby.
Kate wanted to laugh at his immature behavior, ruffle his hairs which were covering a shallow part of his forehead and sooth his ego but then that's the thing she loved about him, doesn't she. He can be a kid timely. Actually, Many Times. But when the situation requires, he would be the most sensible man who will find logic even in her fears. He was her rock, her solid ground.
As Castle pushed the board pack under the rack in coffee table, Kate moved close and took place on his thigh, letting her hands circle around his neck. Castle was taken back by her move but the softness of her eyes, the gentle brushes of her fingers on his nape hairs and that one tender smile that always comes to rescue him from a heartache was all that he needed to return that smile.
"You won, writer boy. Though it truly was scandalous to see a man of words loosing from someone who utter them rarely." That had Castle frown who was till now was in a very happy 'lets-see-how-Kate-cheer-me-up' mode.
"But it's even more embarrassing for someone who used to be a Scrabble Champion in her high school". Kate confessed biting her tongue, herself peeling off another layer of the Beckett Onion for him.
As expected, his jaw fell down just to see her not meeting his eyes.
"That's cheating. You mean, Beckett. I should have been warned". Incredulous, he was.
"Guilty" She confessed and then raised her eyes with a shine that she always get when she is up for a challenge. Her mouth moved closer to brush her lips with his jaw as her nails raked the plush black hairs at the side.
"Wanna. Punish. Me. Castle". Placing soft kisses with each words as she said had Castle get all charged up. Oh! She was being all seductive and sultry.
"Oh! you so deserve a punishment for playing me." Castle pulled her comfortably on his lap, making her straddling his thighs as his fingers moved back to her spine, tracing it in small circles.
"Whatever you say, Writer-boy" She teased.
"Writer-man, Kate. Writer Man. Atleast you shouldn't have doubts about that after we…" and he was cut by her fingers which were covering his lips now.
"All talks, No work, Castle." She challenged before lowering her voice a little more down while pulling his earlobe with her teeth. "I won't mind a reminder, though"
Castle hissed as Kate suckled the effected place, and left it wet after a second of taking care. His grip has already tightened around her waist.
"That so will come, Detective." He promised before pulling her away while grabbing her arms to put a little distance between their faces. Kate being this close always make him incoherent.
"But first, you have to do something for me".
"Whatever you say." She agreed. Always up for a challenge.
"Ok. As you see I won by 9 brilliant points. Need to tell you that 9 is my very favorite number." He took a pause and looked at her with fondness. "We first met on 9th...Remember?" He questioned only to see Kate giving him one of her brilliant smiles.
"Can never forget..." She assured.
"So in remembrance of that day and in celebration on my win, I am giving you 9 hours."
"Nine hours to what?" Kate questioned as her plan to seduce him started to sink in her mind.
Castle somehow got to see the flicker of worry in her eyes so he just rubbed his knuckles on her spine in order to sooth her.
"Nine hours. Nine hours Kate, to find Nine ways to say 'I love you'".
Ah-ha What?
Kate face was one of a hell shocked person. She just cant believe he was planning this stupid game all through and here she was thinking of...Ahhhh
She was so ready to end this game right here but Castle was so not done, yet.
"And the official time to complete this challenge will start at." He grabbed her hand to look at the time on her father's old watch. "Ah, Perfect. 9am. 9am to 6pm" He said giving one of his cheesiest grin that made the lines on Beckett's forehead deeper.
"It's a work day tomorrow Castle…..I refuse to play this stupid game of yours, not at all on my work place" Kate argued and tried to get up but Castle kept her in place, not allowing her get off the hook.
"Our work place, Kate. And that my love, makes it more perfect…." He was so not going to back off and seeing the resolution set in his words, she knew she just cant get out from it.
"Rick…" She whined nonetheless, using his name that make an apperance on her lips rather occasionally (mostly for the one reason), making a cute face, hoping he would let it go and will rather adjust the 'punishment' with their usual way. Ahem.
"Please….Pretty please…Indulge me this time" He pulled off that one adorable face which he knew, Kate can't resist to comply with.
She sighed, letting her shoulders fall down.
You don't stand a chance against this face, girl. So, bow down. Kate could hear Lanie cheeringup for Castle in her head and patting her head. Take it from me, girlfriend, you need some fun. Lanie's said words made her finally take the decision that she knew she is going to regret later on.
"OK…." She breathed the word out with closed eyes as if making a huge sacrifice. "I accept your challenge…..Happy now" She pulled a strained smile and got up in frustration, not knowing exactly what will she do. And Kate Beckett certainly don't like, NOT KNOWING. Hazards of being with Castle. But if doing this stupidity makes him happy, so be it.
'May be, I can just write that on papers in different styles and pass it on to him from time to time tomorrow. Yes, that's right.' Kate thought, feeling a bit relaxed on having a plan.
Pulling open the buttons of her shirt, she just reached the bedroom door calming herself down when Castle called her from behind adding another rule.
"Ah Kate, I forgot to add." He added hesitantly, making her turn to look back at him with a groan hoping to indimate him but he certainly has knew her well enough till now to know when he should really, like really stop and when he can take advantage. And this look of Kate was rather a frustrated one than a warning. So he rolled his tongue in cheek before saying the words with a cheekiness.
"You certainly can't use the same stationary, twice." And she growled.
So much for planning.
A/N: This is my very first attempt here. I know it seems a little silly but hope you guys will indulge. All errors and mistakes are purely mine
9 ways coming in next chapter. May be this story will go on to three chaps maximum..
Do criticize/Comments.
- ana