Title: Kiss
Author: DizzyDrea
Summary: Beckett and Castle making out in the break room. Need I say more?
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Vague reference to Knockout and Rise (I mean, it's a read-between-the-lines kind of reference)
Author's Notes: Okay, firstly, my apologies for using the old mistletoe trope. Done to death, I know, but this idea wouldn't leave me alone. And, I've never done a Castle Christmas story before, so I decided it was high time. This takes place in the future, and could be considered a sequel to my story Closure, if you'd like. Inspired by the Christmas Carol "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". When you read it, you'll know why.
Disclaimer: Castle is the property of ABC, ABC Studios, Beacon Productions and a lot of other people who aren't me. I am doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.
From me to you: Happy Christmakwanzikah! (I hope that covers everybody!)
~o~
Richard Castle—wearing a very festive Santa hat—stood at the latte machine in the 12th Precinct's break room, foaming milk as he hummed along with a Christmas Carol playing on the small radio in the corner. He'd stopped by to deliver some goodies for everyone stuck working the weekend shift, surprised to find none of his team around. But with SantaCon in full swing, maybe he shouldn't have been.
As if the thought of it conjured them out of thin air, he caught movement at the elevators. Setting the milk aside, he leaned over the counter to look out the window. Beckett, Esposito and Ryan, along with several uniformed cops, were frog-marching a cadre of very drunk, very rowdy Santas through the precinct and into the holding cells.
He shook his head, chuckling at the incongruous sight of Santas in cuffs. It happened every year: hundreds of people in Santa costumes on a bar crawl through the Village. Most years ended peacefully, the mere presence of the cops enough to deter the miscreants. This year was turning out very different. He'd caught a news clip on tv before he left his loft, showing several Santas in various states of dress, being frisked before they were cuffed and brought downtown.
It was an image he knew he'd have a hard time forgetting, just for the sheer absurdity of it all. He shook his head again and returned his attention to the coffee machine, starting a latte for Beckett. He knew she hated this weekend with a passion, so he set about trying to bring a little cheer into this corner of the city at least.
And speaking of cheer, Kate Beckett stormed around the corner, slamming a file down on the counter as she charged into the room.
"Just once," she muttered as she approached the coffee machine, "just once I'd like to know what it's like not to have to arrest Santa Claus before Christmas."
"That bad?" Castle asked, cringing.
She speared him with a glare. "I had a six year old girl asking me why I was arresting Santa."
"Ouch," he said, shaking his head. He lifted the cup he'd been working on. "Here, you look like you could use a cup of cheer." Her eyebrow lifted, and he smirked, answering her unasked question. "It's not spiked. Just hot and foamy."
She took the cup from him, sniffing at it suspiciously. When she was satisfied that it didn't contain anything harder than a double-shot of espresso, she sipped at the warm liquid, a look of pure delight steeling over her face.
"You are a lifesaver," she said, smiling at him over her cup.
"There's cookies and brownies on the table," he said, pointing over his shoulder at the coffee table near the sofa. At her groan, he smiled. "I figured it was going to be a long night."
"Thanks," she said, squeezing his arm as she slipped over and grabbed a sugar cookie decorated like Frosty the Snowman. She brought her cookie back to the counter and leaned her hip against it as she watched Castle make another coffee.
"Gotta take care of my best girl," he said on a wink as he put the finishing touches on his own cup.
He watched the bliss cross her face as she nibbled on the cookie. "This is so good."
"I'm glad you approve," he said, chuckling.
He sipped at his coffee, watching as she slowly worked her way through the cookie. Several indecent and definitely not-safe-for-work thoughts crossed his mind, but he held his tongue. His one true delight in this world was making his women happy, even if only for a few minutes.
When she'd finished the cookie, she licked her fingers, drawing a groan from him. "Oh, come on, Castle," she said, smirking.
"Can I help it if I always want you?" he asked, low and sultry. He stepped closer to her, reaching out to kiss the corner of her lips.
She arched an eyebrow at him when he pulled away. "At the office?"
"You had a bit of foam right there," he said, pointing to her mouth.
"Right," she said, shaking her head. "You're incorrigible."
"I am," he said proudly. Then he flicked his gaze over her head. "Besides, isn't that part of the tradition?"
She tipped her head back, noticing for the first time the mistletoe hanging over the coffee machines. Her gaze slid back to his, a matching smile forming on her lips.
"Wouldn't want to buck tradition, now would we?"
She leaned in close, holding her sticky fingers and the coffee cup away from her body so as not to spill or contaminate. Their lips met, and Castle's arms wound around her waist, pulling her close. He took his time kissing her, sweeping his tongue over her lips and then into her mouth, tangling with hers in a dance now oh-so familiar to them both.
When he finally pulled back, he smiled down into her beloved face. "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."
She smiled, that sparkling smile that never failed to make his knees go weak. "Merry Christmas, Castle."
His grin nearly stretched off his face.
~o~
Kevin Ryan turned the corner, planning on grabbing a cup of coffee before he headed back to his desk to start on the mountain of paperwork that arresting Santa always caused. Hand on the door knob, he looked up just in time to see Castle and Beckett making out in the break room.
A blush stole across his face, and he hurriedly turned around, focusing his attention on the folder in his hands. He glanced up, scanning the room briefly, but everyone else seemed to be heads-down in their work and hadn't noticed the little show Beckett and her beau were putting on.
"Hey, I thought you were getting some coffee," Javier Esposito asked as he approached his partner.
"I was, but…"
"But what?"
Kevin shrugged nervously. "Mom and Dad are kissing in there. Didn't want to interrupt."
Javi grinned, leaning around Kevin to see for himself. Kevin turned, finding the two of them still locked in an embrace, though now they weren't kissing anymore, just talking softly.
"It'd be disgusting if it wasn't such a long time coming," Javi said from over his shoulder.
"Yeah," Kevin agreed.
They watched as Beckett liberated a cookie from the coffee table. Then, the two of them left the room via the other door. Javi stepped around his partner and entered, leaving the door open for Kevin to follow.
"Looks like Castle came through again," he commented, pointing to the trays of goodies on the table.
Kevin crossed the room to grab a couple of cookies for himself and a brownie for Javi as his partner set about making them both some coffee. He stepped up to the counter, thanking Javi for the steaming cup held out for him. He looked through the window, watching Beckett sitting behind her desk as she chatted with Castle in his customary chair.
"Didn't think they had it in them, did you?" Javi asked.
Kevin shook his head. "I always thought they made a good match. Just didn't think they'd actually get there."
"Yeah, me either," Javi admitted.
Kevin glanced at his partner as he sipped at his coffee. They'd all had a rough few years. It was nice to see that the Christmas spirit was alive and well.
"I'm just surprised she let him kiss her in the precinct," Kevin commented.
"Mistletoe," Javi said, not looking up from the coffee machine.
"Mistletoe?"
"Misteltoe," Javi said, nodding. "I saw Castle hanging it the other day."
Kevin scanned the room, then his gaze flicked up over his head. There, hanging above him was a sprig of mistletoe. He looked back at his partner with a question in his eyes.
"Don't even think about it, bro," Javi said as he swept past him, coffee in one hand and brownie in the other.
Kevin just stood there for a moment. He couldn't say he hadn't thought about it, because after all, it was mistletoe. Then, his eyes went wide again, as he suddenly realized what Javi must have thought his look meant.
"But that's—I wasn't—" he sputtered.
Shaking his head, he hurried off to his desk to try to do some damage control, his last thought that Jennie would not have been amused.
~Finis