Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one, save for a sick lovely who requested this to keep her entertained in bed...that sounded...dirtier than I meant it to! Feel better!
SECRET'S SAFE WITH ME.
Lanie lets out a very satisfying sigh and collapses into the couch next to Kate. She draws her knees up under her and lets the uncomfortable silence wash over her friend, watching her squirm in it just a little while longer.
The usually composed and well put together Katherine Beckett is wringing her hands around the cup she holds tentatively in front of her, glaring at it all the while. She's rehashing and pondering, working things over in her mind, segmenting, compartmentalising.
Lanie watches Kate as she mentally berates herself for something. Getting caught? Being an improper host maybe, which makes Lanie smirk and look down at her own drink.
Mugs for wine.
Seriously?
Lanie glances around the apartment, taking in the mess and chaos that indicates her friend hasn't really been here all that much recently, and knowing the reason for that absence makes her smile again, and inside she does a little happy dance of glee and haha yes finally.
"So..." Lanie finally speaks, smiling at the way Kate jumps in her seat, eyes flying in her direction. "Not been home much lately, I'm guessing?" She raises the mug to her lips, eyes dancing over the rim.
"Lanie." Kate whines, voice pleading and she can't help it, the M.E laughs. She hasn't even said anything yet...not entirely sure herself how to broach the subject of catching her best friend and...Partner slash new and apparently enthusiastic lover in a compromising position.
She snickers, it was pretty damn compromising.
What with the improper use of Kate's hip holster...not really the place to stash a banana and Lanie buckles in on herself shaking with laughter when she remembers Castle yelling about having a concealed weapon, coming around the corner nude and brandishing the fruit.
"It's not funny Lanie." Kate huffs, lifting her mug to her mouth, annoyed with herself for having no wine glasses.
Everything's still in the dishwasher, has been since last Wednesday, when she came home after her first day back. They had planned to have a night apart to let her deal with everything, and she was supposed to clean, tidy and re-organise her life, only he called to check in and she...she ended up going over to the loft and staying the night.
Hasn't been home since.
Tonight's the first night she and Castle have spent apart in three weeks, coward that he is, the minute he knew Lanie had wanted a 'chat' his eyes had widened in terror. Amazingly he was unavailable...unwilling more like it.
Kate looks up at Lanie, and this was so...not how she wanted her friend to find out about this.
It's not how she wanted anyone to find out about them, but Lanie...?
Kate had planned on it being a thing, imagined more of a revelation, a girl's night with wine and chat and 'Hey guess what, I finally got my act together and made a move on Castle.'
But that was all blown to smithereens.
Mainly thanks to the man himself. And that stupid, sexy, hot , two buttons unbuttoned so she could see the firm thud of his pulse, midnight blueshirt that he had insisted on wearing to the precinct.
"Oh, but it was." Lanie contradicts, crossing her legs and waiting her friend out, knowing her well enough to sit back and just let the mounting tension weigh down on her until she finally gives in and...
"So you know." Kate blinks, sets the cup down and turns, covering her face and scrunching in on herself...waiting.
"Oh honey if I didn't suspect before..." Lanie chuckles. "Catching writer boy hopping about with just his Spiderman boxers around his ankles..." Lanie pauses and her eyes roaming the ceiling as she remembers conversations past. "I thought he said he wore silk." She murmurs quietly.
And from the confines of her sanctuary, her cupped hands over her face Kate blurts out, "He does, Spiderman was a joke gift from..." Her head falls further, groaning at the confession that spills from her lips unbidden.
"You bought that man underwear?" Lanie claps her hands together in happiness, "Oh Beckett it must be love." She laughs shaking her head.
Kate tips back into the sofa cushions, lifting her bare feet from the floor and Lanie catches the flash of purple across her toes...Then she lifts her head and takes in her friend, properly, for the first time since she found out about Kate and Castle.
Her hair falls in softer waves around her face, cheeks pink and bright, the shadows under her eyes still there, sadly a part of the job, but lighter, less heavy. And though she's curled in on herself at the moment, suffused with embarrassment and mild annoyance, generally Kate seems far more open.
Happier, lighter...freer even.
"So?" Lanie smiles, gives in and asks the questions that have been raging through her mind since she heard Castle growl 'Reach for the sky Beckett...and then gimme a little wiggle'.
Kate rolls her eyes, wrapping her arms around her knees.
Lanie nudges her hard, prompting her, "How was it?" she asks leaning forwards her eyes dancing. Lanie lets her elbows fall to her knees and her eyebrows dart high on her head, just the once as she waits.
But Kate remains silent, eyes tight, cheeks glowing, brilliant and cherry red. Glaring with all her heart.
"Was it...good?" Lanie grins, every cell of her body dancing on the inside. So very truly happy for the pair of idiots, and yet...delighting in the squirming Kate Beckett before her. It's too perfect.
Kate rolls her eyes, but she can't...she can't contradict anything Lanie says. And every confession she bites back with her teeth pressing harshly into her tongue still manage to give her away with the rush of blood to every newly awakened part of her body...That's what love does right? Turns you into an incoherent fool?
And she's...in love with Richard Castle.
Doomed...she's doomed.
"Cos he looks like he'd be good," Lanie states wickedly, leaning closer and reclaiming Kate's attention, "Like he knows what he's doing, where to touch, when to slide in firm and ha..."
"God Lanie," Kate Barks out a laugh, catching the grin and throwing her own right back, cheeks bright pink and burning against the back of her hand as she presses her face trying to take away a little of the heat..
Kate reaches for her wine, bringing it to her mouth in desperation. Needing something, anything , to do with her hands.
"Better than good, then." Lanie assumes and the flames licking their way across her friends face incite some demonic part of her, bringing to life the need to tease and poke. "Excellent?"
Kate remains silent, but the smirk that fills her face, spills over into her waiting cup, gives her away...again.
How the hell have they kept this a secret? Lanie wonders, because from what she seen of their subterfuge so far...Castle, with his 'oops my belt broke and Beckett just lent me her gun holster." And Kate's obvious sex face...they suck at it.
"Hmm better than excellent...lucky girl." Lanie laughs taking in the smug look of satisfaction on Kate's face before she winks. "Orgasms are good for the skin Kate, you must have had a quite few cos you're positively glowing with happiness." Lanie grins widely watching as Kate splutters around the mouthful of alcohol she's just swigged, coughing loudly.
"S'what I thought." Lanie nods her head fast, with confidence and pride. "I knew he had skills."
"How would you know?" Kate asks suspiciously when she can finally breathe again.
"Girl I have seen his tattoo."
"You've seen...wait what? How?" Kate doesn't even try to reign in the shock in her voice, the tattoo had been a delightful discovery she had made on their second night in bed...
Not the first, that had been far too...intense.
Kate shivers as the memories engulf her and Lanie smiles again.
"That boy has good thigh muscles." Lanie states her eyes going a little too misty for Kate's liking. "I bet he gets brilliant leverage when he bears down and..."
"Hey!" Kate yells, waving her hand in front of Lanie's face and clicking her fingers.
"Mmmm..." Lanie holds up her hands in defence.
"Stop picturing...whatever it is your picturing in your head Lanie Parish...he's...spoken for."
"Awwww...that's just about the cutest..."
"Shut up." Kate says smacking her arm but giving in to another grin. Why do all the people in her life seem intent on driving her crazy? "You can't...tell anyone Lanie. Especially at work, his kid and...Gates..."
"Honey," Lanie admonishes, "Honestly, who am I gonna tell?"
"Err...Espo?" Kate questions weakly.
Lanie laughs loudly, "That man cannot keep a secret to save his life. The things he lets slip when you get him in a...vulnerable position." Lanie laughs loudly again, having far too much fun with the level of power she's acquired, but she can see how concerned Kate looks. The genuine worry hidden behind her eyes and slowly reaching out; Lanie grasps her hand, "how long did I keep quiet about you being in love with that man? Hmm?" She asks quietly.
And between the two of them maybe she didn't stay silent, but to the rest of the world...
Kate swallows, nodding her agreement; she knows she can trust Lanie more than anyone else with this secret. Her fingers curl up and around Lanie's soothing hand and as she looks up at her friend Kate smiles, a little reluctantly but still...
"I'm an excellent secret keeper Beckett." Lanie grins. "Besides, you wouldn't believe the dirt I have on Javi...and Ryan...even Miss. Prim and proper Iron Gates," She grins when Kate's mouth opens and snaps shut, "not to mention your boys' kid."
"Ugh no I don't think I wana...he's...wait what?" Kate's eyes flash open, but Lanie just smirks and taps her nose.
"Like I said Beckett, secret's safe with me."