Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed 'Solid Ground', it really made me smile seeing that people enjoyed something I wrote.
This fic is more fluffy and was just a short drabble that popped into my head after watching 'After Hours' again. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Any feedback or constructive criticism is always welcomed and reviews make me smile.
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be, just a small hobby.
"You Know Beckett after five years working with you I still don't know how you do it" Castle said, stopping the tranquil massage he was providing on her feet.
Beckett put her head up from its place on the back of the couch, cracking one eye open with her face portraying a slight annoyance that he had stopped.
"Do what?" She asked, her voice relaxed and low.
"Case down bad guys in six inch heels" Castle quipped back with a smirk that was typical to him.
Beckett huffed a laugh and pointed her toes back in Castle's direction, wiggling them, silently asking him to continue the massage he was giving them. She relaxed back into the couch, letting her eyes slip shut as she enjoyed the sensation on the sole of her foot. This had become somewhat of a regular occurrence on days like today. After spending the day running around the city and then the night spent hiding from mobsters her feet were killing her, not enough to make her reconsider wearing heels, but enough to force her to think about wearing her comfiest pair of boots when she returned to work.
It had been late; well 4am, when they had finally made it home but after a shower together and a short moment just taking in each other, neither of them felt up to sleeping yet. Both of their adrenalin still too high considering the events of the day. Both of them had thought they had lost each other and neither were comfortable about delving into what that meant for each other. Their relationship was still in its early stages, however even at this point each knew they were in it for the long run, and the prospect of that ending all too soon after it had begun didn't bare thinking about.
After realising that neither of them were going to sleep any time soon Castle led Beckett to the couch. She sat down at one end, expecting him to cuddle into her, but instead he placed himself at the opposite end. Before Kate could voice her protests he leaned down and picked up both her feet so they were sitting in his lap. They smiled at each other before Kate relaxed her head on the back of the couch, smiling at him as he began to work his magic on her feet.
Kate had never been one for massages. She'd never let any other boyfriend give her one, it was just something that she couldn't wrap her head around. But one night whilst she was on suspension, after a wonderful night in Castle's bed she was drifting off to sleep when she felt his hands begin to trace patterns on her bare back. Soft gentle strokes that relaxed her and sent her off to sleep. After that, massages became a regular thing after they made love. A way to continue the connection they had.
However, although Kate loved a good back massage ever so often, her feet were a whole new territory, as they were extremely ticklish. So far Castle had stuck to strong movements, working the muscles in her foot, relaxing the tension she held there, and that was fine, she could cope with that. However, she knew she couldn't let him know she was ticklish, if he found out she would never hear the end of it, that and he would most likely torment her with it at every possible opportunity he got.
Now the though was in her head she was finding it harder to relax, every movement on her foot seemed to send a jolt through her, but she tried to ignore it, hoping that he hadn't noticed. It was then he gently ran his nails along the sole of her foot, not intentionally tickling her, just a technique she recognised that he used on her back, and on her back it felt wonderful, but on her feet she had to do everything she could to stop herself from leaping off the couch.
"Something wrong Beckett?" he asked, his voice a mixture of concern and intrigue.
Kate quickly shook her head, not trusting her voice at this point.
"Are you sure, you're all tense again?" he asked, his voice changing, she could tell he was on to her.
"No, its fine I just…" she began, trying to cover up the effect it was having on her, but was cut off as Castle ran his fingers quickly along the sole of her feet.
A scream shot from her throat as she shot her feet to her chest, covering them with her hands. They both stared at each other. Beckett's eyes widening as she saw the look on Castle's face. It was that look he had when he knew a body had dropped, or that the case might include the CIA, or a zombie apocalypse or even better, Ninjas. It was this look that told her she was in trouble.
"Why detective Beckett, not ticklish are we?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her. He knew, of course he knew, and now she was screwed.
"Castle, I know what you're thinking." Kate began, she watched as Castle moved his body, like a lion ready to pounce on its prey. She slowly began to shift her body, ready to bolt for safely somewhere else, somewhere where she wasn't corned.
"And I swear if you so much as…"
But it was too late, he was moving, faster than she had expected, but she managed to get off the couch quick, she bolted for the bedroom, she knew Castle was hot on her heels, but she wouldn't give up. She was aiming for the bathroom, a door with a lock on where she knew she would be safe from his terrorising fingers.
She made it as far as her side of the bed before he caught her. His large arms wrapping around her middle and pulling her down onto the bed. They each fought for power, each of them trying to pin the other down. But after a few short seconds it was clear Castle had the upper hand. With Kate lying flat on her back, her feet dangling off the end of the bed, leaving her no leverage to push herself up and both her arms pinned above her head, held by one of Castle's strong hands as his body straddled her hips, she knew she was stuck.
"Castle" she warned
"well, well, well detective, turns out you do learn something every day" he mused as she tried to buck her hips in a weak attempt to get him off her
"I am curious though. I mean if you had that reaction to your feet being tickled, I wonder where else on your body I can get the same reaction" his free hands began to wander on the bare skin of her abdomen, her nightshirt had rode up in the struggle exposing the soft skin just below her belly button. She jerked away as his fingers brushed over her skin, a gasp leaving her lips, she knew she was done for.
"Castle. Please. Don't" she begged in between measured breaths.
But it was no use. And then he was on her, his fingers tormenting her stomach, forcing her to twist and turn in every direction to avoid them, her laughs ringing through the loft as tears began to form in her eyes. Her protests were only met with more of the tickle torment and she couldn't keep up her struggle for long before her body became weak and her screams had turned into gasps for air as his relentless fingers continued their mission.
She didn't know how long it was before his fingers were replaced with his soft lips that sent an entirely different sensation through her. She loved this man. They could spend the whole day and night running around New York City chasing down criminals and risking their lives, then come home and laugh but still know how to make each other feel loved. At the end of the day, he was her best friend, the person she never wanted to be without, and even if he sometimes acted like a nine year old on a sugar rush, she wouldn't want it any other way.
He released his hold on her arms and she moved them to wrap around his neck as he moved up towards her head, placing kisses along her jaw before moving to kiss her soft lips. He pulled away after a moment, gazing into her eyes.
"Any other ticklish spots you'd care to tell me about detective?"
"Now where's the fun in that?" she volleyed back, her bottom lip caught in-between her teeth and she gazed into his eye, before their lips crashed together once more.
Even after the events of the past 24 hours, neither of them were ready to sleep just yet.