A/N: Written for XTimeGirlX's songfic competition, based on the song I'll Make A Man Out of You. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, nor do I own Mulan or Disney or their awesome songs.
"Castle, I have an idea for you," Beckett said as she walked up to her desk one morning.
He looked up from the book in his hands and took his feet off the table as she sat down, easily taking the coffee she knew he would have set there. She took a sip, ignoring his questioning look for a moment. Finally, before she could explain, he asked, "What?"
"Well, I try to keep you from going into get the suspects, and you just refuse to listen. I can't give you a gun, because it's illegal and the Captain would probably murder me, but he figured I should probably teach you some self-defense. So today, since we don't have a case, you and I are working in the dojo."
He smirked. "Sounds good." He stood up quickly, as she checked her email before they started. "Ready?"
She rolled her eyes. "You sure are eager, Castle. I expected you to whine about it."
"Well, I figure if you show me self-defense, you'll let me come with you way more often." He grinned. "Plus I've always wanted to see you sparring with someone."
She didn't respond as she led him up the stairs.
"Besides, I know some martial arts. I am not completely inept, Detective. I can shoot, I can fence-"
"Wow, fencing," she drawled. "Helpful...if you carry a saber on your hip around. Have you ever done any real martial arts?"
"Of course," Castle sniffed. "I did taekwondo for quite a few years when I was a kid. I made it to brown belt before I lost interest."
"Hmm," she said appreciatively. "That's good. That means you'll be easier to teach than I thought. Just a bit rusty, right?"
"Sure," Castle grinned smugly.
"Go get changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. There should be a bunch of extra stuff in some open lockers near the door-at least that's how it is in our locker room. I'll meet you on the mat in ten, got it?"
"Got it." He disappeared into the locker room gleefully, and Beckett shook her head before going to get changed herself.
-
Ten minutes later they were on the mat, and Castle was acting like a kid on a sugar high. He grinned across at Beckett, bouncing on the balls of his bare feet. "Excited, Detective?"
"Why on earth would I be excited?" she asked sardonically.
"Well, it's me, obviously," he smirked. "Why wouldn't you be excited about sparring with me?"
"Okay, let's just get this over with," she said, rolling her eyes once again. "Now, I'm going to try to hit you in the jaw, I want you to block-" She went to hit him with her left hand and he countered by throwing his arm up, catching her wrist, and twisting it. Her eyes widened and she instinctively flipped him. He landed hard on his back, blinking. She stood looking down at him in shock, having forgotten for one moment what she was dealing with. He just smiled up at her.
"Very good," he said happily, as though he were the teacher rather than her. "I wasn't sure if you would get that."
She shook her head. "I swear, one of these days I'm going to kill you unintentionally. But then again," she added as she extended a hand to pull him up, "I may kill you on purpose too."
He allowed her to haul him to his feet. "You know what we need? We need background music."
"Background music?"
"Yeah. I always do everything with background music." He gasped. "I have the perfect song for this."
He leapt for his phone on the bench and scrolled through his music. When he set it down, the song playing was vaguely familiar to Beckett.
"Let's get down to business
To defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters
When I asked for sons?
You're the saddest bunch
I ever met
But you can bet
Before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man
out of you."
She frowned, her head cocked. "What are we listening to, exactly?"
"I'll Make A Man Out of You," he said, as if it should be obvious. When her expression didn't change, he deflated. "Mulan? Don't you watch Disney movies?"
"Yeah, when I was seven," Beckett said. "Why exactly do you have it on your phone?"
"Mulan is one of the best Disney movies ever," he said, bristling slightly in mock indignation. "Alexis and I watched it last week. This is literally the greatest song Disney has ever written."
"We really don't have time for this," Beckett snorted derisively. "Come on, let's get back to work. Here, your stance is all wrong." She put her hands on his shoulders and then his hips to change how he was standing. "See, that's better," she said, after he'd been smirking for a moment. She caught the look and snapped, "Watch it. Just try to block. And no surprise grabbing." She swung at him multiple times in a row, ending with a kick, all of which he blocked with no problem.
"I don't get it," she said. "You're a lot better in here than in dangerous situations."
"Pressure," he shrugged. "I don't work well under it."
"You want pressure?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because if you want to be good you have to learn to work well under it."
"Bring it on, Detective," he smirked at her. "How are you planning on doing that?"
She stepped closer smoothly, almost like she was dancing. "I'm sure you'll find out," she smiled tauntingly.
His expression went blank for a moment and she took advantage of his distraction to kick him in the side. He was brought abruptly back to reality by the sharp sudden pain. "Hey!"
"Pressure, Castle," she said pointedly. "Try again."
She went to kick him again, but this time he was ready for it; he caught her ankle and let go quickly, before she could snap at him again. "Better," she nodded. "But you still have to work on not getting distracted. Let's go again."
Twice more he blocked her attacks and the music continued to play.
"Tranquil as a forest
But on fire within
Once you find your center
you are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale
pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue
Somehow I'll make a man
out of you."
"Honestly, this is boring," Castle complained. "I want to actually fight."
"Fine," she said. She stood across from him. "Ready?"
He nodded.
"I'm never gonna catch
my breath
Say good-bye to those
who knew me
Boy, was I a fool in school
for cutting gym
This guy's got 'em
scared to death
Hope he doesn't see
right through me
Now I really wish that I
knew how to swim."
"Okay, go." She leapt at him, kicking at his head sharply. He blocked her foot but she tried a left hook to the temple. He grabbed onto her wrist and flipped her, but she managed to somehow land on her feet. "Much better," she nodded, backing off for a moment to regain her composure. "And...go!" This time he came at her, punching straight at her face. She raised an eyebrow as she ducked and jabbed him in the stomach, then elbowed him in the nose, hard enough to hurt but soft enough that it didn't break. His head jerked back and he stumbled backwards.
"Ah, whiplash!" he yelped. She shook her head, smirking.
"Come on, Castle. Man up." She went without warning and kicked at his shoulder. He was too slow to block it and the blow spun him, catching him off balance. He landed on his back and she dropped down on him, her knee digging into his diaphragm.
"Whoa," he panted, grinning. "I knew you wanted to spar me."
She narrowed her eyes and got up. "Hurry up, Castle. I thought you wanted to fight."
He rolled to his feet as she backed off to the opposite side again.
"(Be a man)
We must be swift as
the coursing river
(Be a man)
With all the force
of a great typhoon
(Be a man)
With all the strength
of a raging fire
Mysterious as the
dark side of the moon."
"Okay, go," she said once again, and he returned in full force. She just managed to catch his attacks before he added another one. Finally he got inside her guard, and she went down. This time, he landed on top of her. He grinned, and she shook her head. "Honestly, Castle. You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Oh, absolutely," he breathed onto her face, and she faintly registered that his breath smelled like coffee. But unlike the normal bitter smell of coffee-breath, his actually smelled okay.
"Yeah, well, as much as you enjoy this, would you please let me up?"
"Where's the fun in that?" he asked. That seemed to be one of his favorite lines, she remembered. What was it with him?
She cocked her head slightly, then kicked him in the knee. He yelped and tumbled to the side. She stood quickly, back in fighting stance. He got to his feet as well, not as easily. He sort of stumbled to the side, before regaining his balance and mirroring her. She attacked with renewed vigor, pressing harder. All he could do was drop back to avoid the punches she threw. Finally she caught his arm and floored him, holding him down with a foot on his chest.
"Time is racing toward us
till the Huns arrive
Heed my every order
and you might survive
You're unsuited for
the rage of war
So pack up, go home
you're through
How could I make a man
out of you?"
"You know, there's going to be a case soon," she reminded him, "and you're not going to be ready to deal."
He smirked. "Oh, really?" He grabbed her foot and pulled her down beside him.
She rolled her eyes. "Quit messing around, Castle," she snapped. He smirked at her, turning on his side and supporting his head with his hand.
"What makes you think I'm messing around?"
She mimicked his position. "That smirk on your face makes me think you're messing around. Now come on." She moved to get up, but he caught her wrist. "What?"
His face had turned serious. "I'm not messing around. Not anymore."
"So what are you doing, exactly?"
He brought his face even closer to hers. "This." Their lips met, and she blinked for a moment, before she gave in and kissed him back. She could taste the coffee now, just as sweet as it'd smelled, and for a moment she couldn't breathe as they kissed.
Finally he pulled away gently, smiling. "Thank you so very much for teaching me, Detective." He got back to his feet, extending a hand for her this time. She just stared at him in shock for a moment, before taking his hand and allowing him to pull him up.
She was still trying to figure out how to proceed after what had just happened when her phone rang on the bench. She grabbed for it, glad for an excuse to avoid the situation. "Beckett," she said as soon as she hit Send. She listened to Esposito on the other end for a moment, before replying, "Thanks. We'll be there in a few minutes." She hung up quickly and picked up a towel.
Castle had momentarily lost interest in their previous activity. "Body drop?" he asked excitedly.
She smirked. "Don't be so thrilled," she answered, gathering up her things. "Go get changed, we have to be in Midtown as soon as possible."
She stalked out the door back into the locker room. Castle watched her go for a moment, then hurriedly grabbed his own phone, not bothering to turn off the music as he went to change. At the last moment, he looked back, the look of bewildered amazement turning into a small smirk on his face.
"(Be a man)
We must be swift as
the Coursing river
(Be a man)
With all the force
of a great typhoon
(Be a man)
With all the strength
of a raging fire
Mysterious as the
dark side of the moon."
A/N: Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review!