"Yeah, Castle, I'll go," she said with a smile appearing in her voice before it appeared on her face.
Leaning back in her desk chair with hands clasped on the back of her head, she watched as Rick Castle erupted in a double punch to the air. His elation seen not only through his actions, but also the twinkle in his clear blue eyes.
"You will not regret it," rushed excitedly from his mouth as he swiftly pulled his jacket from the back of the chair next to her desk—his chair—and folded it over his arm.
Still smiling, Detective Kate Beckett leaned forward, a slight creak escaping from her chair. Her forearms resting on her thighs, her curls fell to frame her face. Pure excitement radiated from her being. He could see this, even if she didn't want him to.
"No mistletoe," the detective directed with a surprising change of expression. Her eyes now reading a mixture of seriousness and fear.
"Ah, but, Detective, it's tradition," quipped Castle with the whine of a young child and the facial expression to match.
"Castle."
Her authoritative tone scolded him back to his senses.
"Fine. I won't hang any mistletoe. I promise."
Putting a slight emphasis on the "I" created a loophole for him. He may've promised, but his mother and daughter hadn't. If Beckett noticed this, she didn't let on.
A comfortable silence sat between them for a brief moment. Castle began slightly bouncing his weight between his feet, his excitement getting the best of him.
"Tonight, then," stated Beckett coolly as a slight smile graced her lips.
"Tonight," he stated with a matching smile.
Castle turned around and walked to the elevator, beaming with anticipation, as he left the detective—his detective—sitting with a silent smile at her desk.
Disclaimer: All of the characters are property of ABC's Castle. I only hope I've been able to stick as true to their creator's intents as possible. Also, please excuse me: this is the first non-academic anything I've written in years.