I wrote this as being in season 4 but it can be any time you want it to be. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or the characters.
The smell of coffee dragged Beckett from sleep, becoming aware of someone sitting next to her as she did. The events of last night came rushing back to her immediately and along with them came a surge of feelings and desire for the man in bed next to her, the one who'd she'd denied being anything more than friends with for far too long.
"Good morning," said Castle, who was sitting up in bed beside her, the bed sheet draped over his waist as his back rested against the head board, a cup of coffee in his hand. He wasn't sure how she was going to react to him being here so he had to be careful, didn't want to panic her after they'd just taken a step in their relationship that he wasn't sure if she was ready for. He was going to just act normal and hope she'd follow his lead. Well, normal for two friends who spent the majority of last night having sex when they weren't even dating.
"Morning," Beckett replied, voice hoarse from sleep as she sat up herself, dragging the sheet with her to cover her naked body. He may have seen everything last night but being in the light and having him sitting right next to her made her feel vulnerable.
"I made you coffee," Castle said, nodding his head to the table on her side of the bed before he took a sip of his own. He was watching her cautiously, trying to figure out what was going through her mind, wondering if she regretted last night or not.
"Thanks," she smiled, leaning over to take the cup, bringing it up to her lips and inhaling before she took a large sip, relishing in the feel of it as she swallowed.
"How're you doing?" Castle asked tentatively, smiling softly at her as he did. It didn't matter how scared he was that she was going to tell him that what happened between them was a mistake and that they should forget about it, he couldn't help but smile when she looked at him like that, she was beautiful.
"I'm good," she replied and Castle was surprised to fine she almost looked shy as she spoke, "you?"
"I'm good too," Castle answered quickly, almost stumbling over his words, "I'm great actually, really great."
They were both grinning at each other now and Castle was relieved that he could see no regret in her eyes, that she seemed as genuinely happy about recent developments as he did.
"That's good," she replied, shifting her body further up the bed and closer to him until her arm was pressed against his.
"Is this okay?" he asked then, not just referring to their current position but also to the events of last night as well.
"Is what okay?" she asked, trying not to smile as she did. She was naked in bed next to him and now she was teasing him and surprisingly she wasn't freaking out about it because it felt so comfortable between them, so natural, as if this was something they did every day.
The look Castle gave her made her burst out laughing before she spoke again, "oh, you mean the fact that we had sex last night?"
He choked on nothing, his eyes widening as he looked down at her while she sat now giggling beside him.
Once he'd figured out how to speak again, he spoke, "is that how we're going to play this then, pretend like last night was no big deal?" He really hoped this wasn't some sort of defense mechanism brought on by the fact that she internally panicking about what they'd done together, about the lines in their relationship that had now been crossed.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, it is a big deal," Beckett replied quickly, the smile instantly dropping from her face, wanting to show him how serious she was.
Castle really was having trouble keeping up with her this morning, not sure what was really going through her head now.
"It is…" Castle said slowly, trailing off, hoping she'd pick up from where he left off so he'd have a better idea of what exactly she was thinking.
"Do you not think it is?" she asked, confusion clouding her voice as she spoke, the small part in the back of her mind that she'd crushed once she'd gotten to know him better that had thought all he was after was sex reappearing again. She hoped to God or anyone else who was listening that that wasn't the case, wasn't sure she could take it if that's all he wants from her when she wants everything from him.
"No! No, I do," he replied quickly, noticing the hurt that she hadn't quite been able to hide on her face, how could she think that being with her wasn't a big deal? "Of course it's a big deal. I just, I don't know what you're thinking right now so you have to help me out. Are you okay with this? With what happened last night?"
Beckett hadn't seen how truly insecure he was, how vulnerable he was until right that moment and she hoped her next words made him made him realise exactly what he means to her.
"I wouldn't have done what I did last night with you if I didn't want to, if I wasn't one-hundred percent sure that that was what I wanted, that it was what we both did."
At her words, Castle's face spit open in a grin, all his previous doubts washed away with her words.
"Me too," he said, reaching over to lace his fingers with hers and bring her hand to his lips, placing a kiss there, which had been how this whole thing had started in the first place.
Last night, when he'd invited her out to dinner, he hadn't been planning this, couldn't have known that they'd end up sleeping together. After dinner, she'd invite him over from a drink at her place and nothing was out of the ordinary once they'd arrived. She got them both a beer from the fridge before they sat on her couch, chatting easily as they had all night.
They hadn't even finished half their drinks before Castle had suggested they watch a movie. They'd both leant forward for the TV remote at the same time, fingers brushing as they did, both pulling back like they'd been shocked, staring wide eyed at each other. Castle had slowly reached forward again, eyes still locked with hers but instead of going for the remote, he'd taken her hand in his, running his fingers along hers before he'd bought her hand to his lips.
Castle's lips had been cool as he'd pressed them against her hand in a kiss. She'd then pulled her hand from his, the rejection that Castle had been expecting all along, but he'd been surprised when she'd moved her hand onto his cheek instead, thumb caressing under his eye.
He stared at her with wide eyes as she did this and then she was leaning in, pressing her lips where her hand had been just moments ago as she kissed him.
Things had escalated from there, their half drunken beers lying forgotten about on the coffee table as they made their way to her bedroom, never breaking contact as they did.
And so that was how they'd ended up where they are now. Neither of them had planned it but neither had regretted their actions either. There had been no declarations of love, no big event that had forced them into each other's arms, nothing but the two of them finally being ready to take the next step in the relationship that had always felt inevitable to them both.
There'd be time to say their "I love you's" later, to talk about the future that would now hold the two of them because right now, they had nothing more to do than drink coffee together, side by side in bed. And then they'd probably have sex again, because now they could.
Thoughts? I really enjoyed writing this one.