A/N: For Mobazan27 for continuing to think of me with kindness, and prompts.
She's not entirely sure how he talked her into this. Dinner together while they co-parent a dog. A good dinner and a cute dog, but still. It's a little weird. Fun. But weird.
But he's good at that, talking her into things. Talking his way around things until they make sense, seem perfectly normal. Talking until she's wrapped up in his tale, in the telling of everyday moments as great adventures. Like sharing a steak with the dog. I've done it before and Royal loves it and honestly, Beckett, he's just so cute, how can you resist those eyes?
She can't, not really. The dog's or the man's, those eyes stare, linger like she's words on a page, written and easily readable. Pleading, soft and so full of lo-
She laughs, distracted, grateful as the unspoken word lights fire in her veins. "Babe, that's so gross."
Her eyes are on the dog, leg raised, tongue lolling. Nothing but enjoyment in that open mouthed grin. All thoughts of steak leave her head.
"Babe?"
Her eyes dart up quick and wide, cheeks immediately pink. Castle's tongue still protrudes at the finger he was licking when she spoke.
"I-"
She looks disarmed. Caught out. Soft and sort of cracked open with warmth. Her eyes flash and she grins. Small. A little confused. A little unsure.
"The-"
He catches on, tries not to tease. "The dog. Right."
He sets his cutlery down, eyes shimmying over her face not knowing where to land, what to gaze at. Delighted in the cast of light that leaves her delicate, happy. New.
He can't resist.
"Not me then?"
Her mouth opens. Closes. Eyes do the same in that torn between murder and mischief look she's got nailed.
"I never said not you."
She throws it out. Stuns them both.
Silence drags the colour further over her face. Beckett blushes and it's beautiful. He's a sap, his knees turn to jelly. Fingers burning to reach out and touch the flush of her cheekbone.
"Don't call me babe unless you mean it, Beckett."
He throws it back. And she doesn't flinch. They don't do this. Not yet.
Beckett grins and her eyes drag down. Linger.
Castle feels the heat erupt in his cheeks, his own blush burning, crawling over his skin at her perusal. Damn. She's looking at him now with hunger. Fire.
"Castle?"
His mouth goes dry as he responds. "Yeah."
Her tongue pokes between her teeth, delighting in the delay that makes him cute. Makes her shiver with want. Truth.
"I'd mean it."