*spoilers for 3/29 episode*

I wrote this on tumblr and after the amazing feedback, I decided to share it with you all here!

I hope you all enjoy. I do not own Castle.

The theater was dark, the only source of light coming from the big screen that was currently playing Forbidden Planet. The only sound also came from the screen with the occasional random cough, munching of popcorn or a quick whisper here or there.

For the couple in the front row, this was something new. Never before had they been together like this outside of work. Sure, they had had drinks together and the occasional meal at Remy's.. But this? This was different.

And Richard Castle knew it.

Though he had supposedly not seen the movie, in Beckett's world, he had and he knew it by heart. What enthralled him was the reactions the movie pulled from his partner. He was content on watching her watch the movie but she had taken to occasionally looking at him, making sure he was watching the movie and enjoying it.

It was one of the rare moments when they were both watching the movie that it happened. Seemingly, they both wanted a bit of popcorn at the exact same moment. Their hands brushed together and immediately their eyes locked, neither one of them daring to move or breathe. They couldn't risk it.

His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips, the bright light from the screen dancing perfectly along her features. He felt the overwhelming urge to kiss her right then and there but he knew what was at stake, he knew what he could lose. He forced his eyes back to hers, his lungs ready to explode from lack of oxygen.

"Castle.." She spoke quietly, afraid of ruining whatever it was that was happening and not wanting to disrupt the other movie watchers. He watched her as she swallowed hard, obviously deciding her own lungs needed the oxygen. He only managed to nod as she looked down to his lips, igniting something inside of him. "We can't do this.."

His senses seemed to jolt alive as he heard her words, heard the pleading in them. They couldn't do this. They couldn't. Not now. She was with Josh.. There was so much to be talked about. So much that had to happen first.

He swallowed hard himself and gave her a small smile, tilting his head a bit before removing his hand from the popcorn bucket. He let his eyes tell her all she needed to know before pulling his attention away from the woman he so desperately wanted to scream his feelings for and return to the movie playing.

She was right.

They couldn't do this.

Not tonight.