~ Veneficus est in Nomen ~
xxx
Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him.
xxx
"Castle." Kate giggled playfully as the man beside her ran a finger along her side, tracing the curve of her naked hip and hitting all of her ticklish spots.
Castle chuckled and pulled her close, their naked bodies spooning under the watery, early-morning sunlight streaming through the skylight above the bed.
"Are you ever going to call me anything other than Castle?" he asked, kissing behind her ear.
She shivered. "Like what? Honeybun? Sweetcheeks? Or do you want something more manly like Tiger?" She rolled over in his arms and smiled, matching his grin at her teasing.
He ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back off her face and tucking it behind her ear. "I'm serious, Kate. We've been together for a month now and I've learned to call you by your first name when we're alone together. Why do you still always call me Castle?"
She shrugged.
"Are you afraid that using first names is too intimate?"
"No, it's not that, it's … " She hesitated.
"What?"
His eyes were so earnest she couldn't resist. "I don't want to call you Rick."
"Why not?"
She half-shrugged again, a flush beginning to warm her cheeks. "All the other women call you Rick. I want to be special."
He smiled and kissed her. "Believe me, you are." He caressed her cheek. "You can call me Richard if you prefer."
"No I can't. She calls you that."
"Who?"
"Gina."
"Oh."
"That's what your mom calls you too. There are just some names that only a parent should be allowed to use."
"What's yours?" he asked, grinning.
"I'm not telling." She clenched her lips together.
"Princess? Pumpkin? Baby girl?" he teased.
"I'm not telling until you tell me why you chose Castle."
"What do you mean?"
"Castle isn't your real name."
His eyebrows raised in surprise. "How did you know?"
Kate shook her head at him. "I'm a detective, remember? It's what I do. Besides, I don't blame you for not wanting to follow in the footsteps of one of the best musical songwriting duos of this century. Makes sense that you'd want to make your own name and not have your work mistaken for his."
"You … you … how did you know … " He stuttered.
"I know your mother's last name is Rodgers. Martha Rodgers. I also know you don't have a father on record - thank Alexis for that one - so obviously you must have been named Richard Rodgers at birth. I haven't looked it up but I'm guessing that's what your birth certificate says."
He sighed. "You got me. You won't tell anyone, will you?"
"Maybe."
"So what's your 'special' name that no one is allowed to use except your dad?"
Kate growled under her breath.
"Come on, I told you … "
"No you didn't, I told you. You just confirmed it," she chastised.
"Same difference."
"Shame on you, and you a writer too."
"It's early and I was up half the night. Don't expect brilliance yet, detective." His eyes twinkled. "I need coffee first. Now about that name." He lifted himself up onto an elbow and stared at her penetratingly.
Kate rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. Katie Belle."
"Katie Bell? Isn't that a character from Harry Potter?"
"Yes, but it was my name first."
"I get the Katie part, but why Bell?"
"Belle, as in the princess from Beauty and the Beast." Her cheeks reddened. "She was my favourite character for years - a beautiful princess but a smart, well-read one who didn't just sit around waiting for Prince Charming to rescue her."
"Yeah, I can see you wouldn't be much of a Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty fan," Castle agreed with a smile.
"Promise me you won't tell anyone."
"That goes both ways. You don't tell, I won't tell. But if you let it slip then the whole world is going to know about Katie Belle." He began to sing, rather off-key. "Katie, ma belle."
"Oh lord, those poor Beatles are probably rolling over in their grave. Give it a rest Castle!" She laughed. "Stick to writing books and let your mom do the performing. Everyone will be happier that way."
"Fair enough." He grinned.
"So why Castle? You still haven't told me why you chose that name." Now it was Kate's turn to stare him down, waiting for an answer.
He shrugged. "I don't know. It sounded author-like?"
"Author-like? Sometimes it's hard to believe you get paid for writing."
"It's a good job if you can get it. Why, don't you like Castle? I could change it."
"Castle is fine. Manly, even."
"You're not being nice, detective."
"What? There are lots of guys out there with unusual names. Stone Phillips, Rock Hudson, Powers Boothe …"
"I'd rather just stick with Castle. I like the way it rolls off your tongue."
She leaned in and gave him a long, deep kiss, in which her tongue featured heavily. "That's not the only thing you like about my tongue."
He grinned and pulled her on top of him. "Enough chatter. Let's find something else for your tongue to do before we have to get to work and you use up all your energy talking."
~ fin ~