Set between Veritas and Season 6 finale. Mild SPOILERS for S6 x E22 Veritas.
No warnings: Just a celebratory one-shot of Ryan and Esposito bromance and friendship (cause what better way to celebrate the holiday than visiting with these two, right?) Apologies for issues in this hastily penned un-beta-ed fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but it's quite clear they own me.
Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito were standing outside, in front of the door to Javi's mom's house. They had just rung the doorbell, and were waiting on the stoop for her to answer it. She had invited them over for one of her delicious homemade meals on a Saturday night. They both smoothed their hair, and checked that their shirts and jackets were straightened appropriately as they stood at attention, facing the number plate on the door.
Javi turned just his head toward Kev, "Bro, what are you doing?"
Kevin innocently explained, "What? These? I got your mom flowers."
Esposito hadn't thought to bring anything. He had spent the better part of the day at the auto supply shop, fixing little annoyances that had been bugging him for weeks. The spring season had brought an especially distracting array of murder investigations (not to mention disco parties, Castle-wooing, and mega Beckett intrigue), all of which had been keeping him away from errands like minor car repair. The little pings accentuating his engine's cool down, though probably harmless, were driving him insane. Each little contraction rang like a mocking insult in his ears, berating him because he hadn't replaced the burnt out overhead lightbulb, or rubbed out that scratch on the driver's side door, or replaced the latch to the glove box so it would close properly the first time. And he couldn't even remember the last time he buffed the interior console to a pretty sheen. It was beginning to look uncomfortably like The Ryan's domestic baby-mobile with all the dust collecting on the dash. Espo shuddered a little every time he thought about the comparison.
So this morning, when a pig-squealing belt noise ripped through the street as his car's ignition turned over, Espo decided that everything else would need to wait. Taking care of his baby, modest as she was, would bring him way more peace of mind than any of the pleasant diversions he had been considering for the day's docket.
"How could you do that?" As usual, Espo's accusing tone was a little hotter than even he intended.
Ryan defended, "What do you mean? She cooks us dinner. She even mended one of my shirts when you ripped it, mid-tackle, that one time. I got her flowers. It's Mother's Day tomorrow." This was a total non-issue for Kevin.
Javier hadn't even considered what day it was. When he woke up this morning, he was still licking his wounds from the indignity of marching through his own bullpen in handcuffs. Even though Captain Gates had halted the process before he had to pose for a mug shot, the seething fire of Javi's petulance wasn't done burning itself off, just yet. It helped a little that all three of his crime-fighting pack mates were similarly bound, as they were scuttled into the 12th precinct. But when those elevator doors opened, and he saw his desk full of unfinished paperwork, juxtaposed with his co-workers' raised eyebrows, it was all he could do not to tackle the pricks from internal affairs that were sent to set them up. Apparently, even after a soothing day of primping his man machine, he still wasn't done burning through those fumes.
Espo's lips screwed up in the same smart ass smirk he wore in that elevator, before he blurted, "I didn't get her flowers. You're gonna make me look bad."
The scowling threat in his best friend's eyes turned Ryan's shoulder up near his face, to protect himself from the unnerving glare.
"Javi, it doesnt matter. You're her son. I'm sure you do plenty of nice stuff for her. I'm a stranger. I'm just being polite. It's different. It doesn't mean anything."
Espo abruptly grabbed a fistful of Ryan's flowers, demolishing the nice arrangement of the bouquet. "You're right it doesn't mean anything, so I'm just gonna take these."
Just then, the door opened.
"Hi Mom, I got these for you. Happy Mother's Day." Javi lavished a big hug on his mama's soft frame, rocking her a little side to side, while Kevin looked dejectedly at the mangled remains of the flowers in his hand. When Espo passed through the door, she turned to welcome her son's friend inside.
A disappointed Kevin offered a meek, "Hi, Mrs. E," handing her what was left of his once-pretty present. His forehead creased with embarrassment, "Happy Mother's Day. Sorry these got a little, uh, 'wilted' on the way over."
She looked confusedly at the mess of what she could only guess were frazzled yard clippings, "Uhhh, 'thanks' Kevin. How very 'thoughtful' of you." Her face long, she tried to make sense of the offering. She raised the Esposito family's characteristically effective single eyebrow. Finally, she was able to pull her manners together with an inviting, "Come in, come in. Dinner's ready."
Inside, Javier greeted Kevin with a wide grin. The older detective rocked back and forth on his heels, obviously very pleased with the superior speed of his hand reflexes. It was so easy to get the drop on his partner, sometimes Espo wondered how Ryan ever made it past the practicum portion of the NYPD's entrance skills test.
When his mother left earshot to attend to a pot on the stove, Espo responded to Ryan's sad puppy dog look with an annoyed, "What? You totally deserved that for trying to make me look bad in front of my moms."
Quite used to having to accept Javi's childish behavior, Kevin just quietly added, "Really? Well, when I do all the dishes tonight by myself, I'm not gonna let you take credit for half of them, like last time." He crossed his arms over his chest, imitating the coy little brother Javi never had.
"Dude, don't get nasty. I'll tell her they were from both of us."
Kevin uncrossed his arms, and gave a little nod to the justice in that reparation.
But just before Espo walked away from his partner to go help his mom carry a heavy dish to the table, he added, "Eventually..."
Happy Mother's Day to the Castle fandom's righteous mom-posse, especially everyone playing for Team Rysposito (even as alternates).