A/N: I saved this prompt a while ago, so if it's been filled I apologise because I've missed it. Happy #CastleFanFicMonday
prompt at the end.
She shudders below him, lightning striking the prone lines of her body when it skitters through the window. The rain has died off now, yet the storm remains, sending white streaks of illumination over the taut contours of her muscles. Thunder crashing every time their lips touch. It makes him pause, stare, lose himself in the moment.
Her taste is dominant, sweat and sweetness lining his lips so that when he rises up above her, the same frantic light spilling over her catches his face. It makes his mouth glisten, makes her groan and reach for him, tugging until he complies, the bed at her back and him falling into her arms without hesitation.
The strain of notes in the background can only go ignored for so long. But ignore they do, hearts punishing their ribs and the warmth of flesh too easy to lose themselves within. This night, this first night, the call of the outside world should remain unanswered.
She kisses him hard, disappointment a burning thing. She's yet to feel him sinking into her, aching for the weight of him, the push and pull. She's barely grazed the surface of all the ways she yearns to touch him or have him or writhe as they move together.
The phone chimes again.
It's not fair.
And again.
She's light with the pleasure of release, and the urge for more, for again, is making her unfurl and flex against him, inviting him deeper. Her groan becomes loud enough that he stops, staring down at her with dark, hungry eyes.
"What?" Worry coats his tone, he's already moving away when she reaches for him, stops him going far. The ringtone she knows so well starts up again and his mouth falls open, deaf ears finally hearing. "I thought I turned it off," he grimaces, "I'd -"
"It's Alexis," Kate reminds him.
"Right. I should -"
"Go," she pulls the sheet over her chest as she sits up, skin flushed, "I'll be here."
He nods, pauses to take in the sight of her in his bed before turning on his heel and striding naked into the living room.
Sitting up Kate listens to his voice, rises and follows it out beyond his office with the sheet from his bed draped around her like a lewd cape. Her arms cross at her chest and she shivers, knows he must be feeling it too, out here on the phone, caught up in conversation with his daughter. Her concern is fleeting when she catches sight of him, action required.
He's hopping from foot to foot, the storm chilling the air, and the dampness of her rain soaked body having been pressed against his is raising goosebumps up and down his arms. "That's great pumpkin, but I was there remember, I know you graduated."
Kate smiles, continues padding quietly away from him, listening as she goes to the loud, drunken giggle of Castle's teenage daughter.
He squints one eye at the sound, still not aware of the semi naked detective at his back. "Well if it's on fire blow it out before you drink it or you'll have no eyebrows - yeah just like me when I - yes Alexis, okay."
She grabs a blanket from the back of his couch, bringing it to her nose to inhale the deep scent of him that lingers, trapped, in the woven material. It's not much, barely heavier than the sheet she's wrapped up in, but it should help.
"I don't think sipping it will make you any less drunk." He snorts, "Especially if you have three of them."
A long breath leaves Kate before she can bear to pull the fabric away from her face, her shoulders drop and her toes uncurl, somehow the scent alone drives the chill a little further from her bones. The thought of him a fever, warm cheeks and hands seeking him out. She steps up behind him and drapes it around his shoulders, strokes a hand down his arm until Castle turns, eyes wide, reaching to cover himself. His smile is soft and quick, distracted but grateful when she lays her lips to his shoulder blade and goes to move away, leaving him with privacy.
"I know," he agrees as the girl chatters away, catching Kate and drawing her back to his side, "I know, you made an awesome speech Alexis, I'm very proud."
Kate smiles and comes in against his chest, one hand slipping below the blanket and tucking it tight within her grasp, guarding them both against the night.
"Yes of course you can ask me anything."
He sighs and they both know the question, and the response, before he even speaks, "Yeah, I can come get you if you want me to." He closes his eyes, smiles and nods, "No, I don't mind."
Kate hears the address, closer than she anticipated and not a place she would have expected for Alexis, though maybe that's the point. Castle ends the call and she smiles against the skin of his arm at the noise he makes.
"Foiled again," Castle husks, setting down the phone and pulling the lax and loose body of his detective tight to his chest. "Mmm, you're so warm."
"Really? I feel cold," Kate shrugs, elbows coiling around him as she tries to keep the sheet and the blanket wrapped tight. It's true now, something needful nipping at her heels, urging her back to the warmth of his bed and his embrace.
"I have to go," he mumbles quietly at her ear, his grip never lessening, chin resting on the top of her head. They fit and neither pulls away, puzzle pieces with their messy edges worn neat by the passing storm.
"Do you want me to -"
"No." Castle's grip makes her hum, his embrace sudden and strong, driving heat into the icy depths of her bones.
"Okay,"
"You'll stay?"
"Nowhere I'd rather be."
She's dressed when he throws the door open, one arm around his sagging, giggling and thoroughly drunk teenager clearly struggling to keep her upright. His shirt and a sardonic smile, half dry jeans and the woman herself, bare feet curled on his couch, greet him as though it's all perfectly normal. As though he hadn't left her naked and both of them wanting not half an hour ago.
Years of teasing his angelic assessment of Alexis stay trapped behind the fingertips that flit to her mouth, pressing away the laugh that threatens to spill out. His eyes narrow and she tilts her head, far too innocent for the expression on her face.
"I'm warning you now, she's loud!" He hisses.
"'tective Beckett," Alexis yells, making Castle wince, shushing her as he tries to close the door, "you're here that's good. No that's bad. Daddy, am I still mad at her?"
Castle grimaces, mouths a sorry to Beckett that has her smiling, "I don't know, Alexis."
"Are you still mad at her?"
He turns to Kate, holds her eyes for a moment before flicking his gaze back to the place he held her pressed against the wall, kissing her. "Not so much."
"Because you love her," she mumbles quietly, trying to sit on a stool and slipping off the other side. "Does she love you? Who is moving the chair?"
"She does." Beckett calls out, amusement still lighting her features.
"That's good," the girl slurs, " just don't make him cry again, okay?" She points a finger in Beckett's direction, though her aim is off and she almost takes out Castle's eye as he squawks in shock.
"Alexis!"
"Well, she did."
"I'm sorry, Kate." He sits the girl upright with a bump.
"It's fine."
"No it's n-"
"It's not like I haven't cried over you too, Castle." She admits shyly, moving closer, jaw tensing to keep her head up, allowing no curtain of hair to fall and hide her truth.
Kate watches the flex and curl of his fingers with every step she takes, feels the answering burn in her own. Holding his hand is only something she has ever done in crisis until she led him to his own bedroom, now there's an ache to reach for him, to reassure. His chest falls, shoulders squaring as she trips around behind him, voice a whisper for his ears only, "We're here now."
His lips part, eyes searching her face, but for now he doesn't need the words.
"Ugh, my head hurts."
"Yeah, you're drunk." Beckett taps her knee, sympathy in the stroke.
"I am not too. Wait that's wrong." She scrunches her face then smiles, seeming oblivious to them huddled close when her eyes light up, "I think I kissed a boy at the party," she laughs and touches her lips, "I kissed a girl too," she shrugs, "I don't know, but it was fun. And then there was beer," she burps, "and Tequila. Gross."
"Well at least I know you didn't drink on an empty stomach," Castle waves a hand in front of his face trying to dispel the odour, shielding Beckett as she ducks to avoid it. "I'm gonna guess mozzarella sticks and steak."
"And buttered pecan ice cream."
"Delightful combination." Kate remarks, hopping up next to the teen, "especially when you enjoy it in reverse."
Alexis laughs, blinks, falls silent when it hits her, "Daddy I don't want to throw up. Lanie said once Beckett threw up in the morgue because -"
"Hey!"
"Oh, right, don't tell Beckett," Alexis demands.
"I am Beckett."
"I need to hear that story." Castle grins.
"No you don't, you really don't, I'm gonna kill Lanie."
"No you won't, Esposito said you're scared of her." They both turn to glare at the girl, swiveling in her seat, eyes on the ground.
"What are you, secret keeper of all my friends?" Kate grouches, "And I am not scared of Lanie."
"Ryan said Espo is too, so s'ok." She laughs at nothing then lifts a strand of her hair and glares at it, "How drunk am I that I think I look ginger?"
"Alexis you are ginger," Castle states, lifting her chin so he can see her eyes, "What I want to know is are you sure you're only drunk?"
"Yesssss." She hisses the word, shaking her head, "I don't do drugs, after what happened to that guy Ryan knows in Narcotics - diarrhea in the street and the flying hippo?" She shudders.
"Seriously, what have they been telling you?" Kate growls.
Alexis grins, "I know 'bout that time there was a curse and you checked out my dad's butt." She laughs then grimaces, "Gross."
"Hey." Castle yells, not sure which way to be offended.
"I'm gonna kill all of them." Kate growls, tipping into his touch when he strokes her elbow.
"Daddy, I don't feel good, someone keeps twirling my chair."
"That would be you," he stops the motion, catches her as she slips again.
"I'll twirl more than their chairs," Kate throws out viciously, missing the shock dart across Alexis' face before she turns green.
"I feel sick."
"Coffee."
"Water," Kate contradicts, "Castle, don't be cruel."
"A hangover isn't cruel, it's the universe's way of saying don't do it again," he gripes, but Kate smiles up at him when he returns with a large, cold glass.
"I want to lay down," Alexis swallows, a hand coming up to her head.
"I'm gonna - " Castle gestures up the stairs, " - find a basin, and make sure she's okay."
"I'll be here." Kate promises again, quietly this time, and for a moment he stands in silence, hands at his side, useless in the wake of her calm admission.
"She okay?" Kate asks when he reappears a few minutes later.
"Yeah, face buried in a pillow, lamenting the world and every choice she's ever made," he huffs dropping down the last step with a shake of his head, "and I have discovered something I never wished to know, my daughter is a flirty, gossipy drunk."
Kate laughs, foot bobbing where it's thrown casually across her knee. "Takes after her -"
"Hey!"
"- Grandmother?" Kate giggles, not caring she's completely transparent in her meaning, catching the edge of his shirt and pulling him to her. "You're proud of her right now, aren't you?"
"For getting drunk or for calling me when she did?"
"Both." She shrugs at the obviousness of it all.
"Yeah," he agrees, "I'm glad you heard that call though, I hate to think what would have -"
She trails a finger over his lips so he stops talking, "You're a good dad, Castle, you know what she would have done if she couldn't get you."
"She would have called mother."
"Exactly."
They rest against each other for a moment, soft touches enough given it's more than they've ever had before.
"I'm sorry we got interrupted," he whispers, lips soft at the curve of her neck, warm breath pulling the lids of her eyes low.
"I'm sorry too," Kate murmurs, "So sorry for -"
"Don't," his fingers slide into her hair, lift her face until she's looking into his eyes, unable to hide herself away with the sorrow of her words. "You've already apologized enough, Beckett," his forehead meets her own and their eyes close. "You said it yourself, we're here. We're past it, no matter what my drunk teenager blurts out at two in the morning."
She laughs, but her fingers dig in and her breath is heavy.
"I mean it, Kate," his lips touch hers lightly, "we're good, okay?"
"Okay," she sighs, smile gone before he truly catches it, mouth warm and alive and opening for his kiss.
It's heat and tumbled emotions and over too quickly for two people who've waited this long to get started. But they part, reluctant, both aware the kitchen is no place to continue this conversation.
They stand, tangled hands and bodies falling from each other, propriety and need at battle in every movement. They cross the room and hover just beyond his bedroom, eyes dark and only for each other.
"So, what do you want to do now?" He asks, attention falling to the top button as it comes undone between her fingertips.
"I don't know, it's late," she grins, "We could sleep?"
Two buttons, now three and the pale shadow of her scar is visible, as are the pink marks left by his lips and teeth, the slight purpling bruise he never dreamed he would get away with.
He swallows thickly, shakes his head, "No."
"Too much caffeine?" She taunts, trailing a finger across her lips.
"Not enough you." Castle contradicts, pulling her closer, one large palm splayed at her spine.
She sighs happily, "Sweet talker," her laugh dies away when his fingers find skin and she shivers. "I guess we could go for a round two."
"Technically it would be round one," he growls, tugging her into him sharply so she can feel the full weight of his meaning. Remind her they have a lot of each other left to discover.
Breath escapes her lips and her fingernails scrape sharply over his shoulders. Taking her with him, he moves back, slow steps toward the bedroom.
"There are no technicalities when it comes to orgasms, Mr. Castle," her lips close around the lobe of his ear, tongue darting out wickedly, "pun intended."
Turning so she falls into the wall, legs around his waist now, almost back where they started, he slows, strokes the hair away from her face, touching at the pleased-with-herself smile that lingers.
"I love you, Kate."
Her words are breathless, meeting his lips.
"I love you too."
Based on the prompt : In After the Storm, Alexis says she tried to call Castle before calling Martha. How would events have changed if Castle had heard his phone? from the castlefanfic blog on tumblr.