I had no idea what I was going to do for this request since I didn't have a theme or anything, but then as I was wrapping presents, this came to me. Yes, I came up with a story idea while doing something as boring as wrapping presents... That's just how my brain works.
This is for FuckYeahCastleandBeckett on tumblr!
I do NOT own Castle. (Or The Legend of Zelda. It's briefly mentioned in here.)
Detective Kate Beckett had just started on her paperwork, enjoying the short time of peace and quiet she had while Castle had gone to get lunch, when the younger Castle walked up to her desk with a slightly nervous expression.
"If you're looking for your dad, he just left to get lunch but he'll be back soon, if you want to wait for him." She said as she looked up at the young girl.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you. If that's okay?"
"Uh, yeah sure. What's up?"
"I was kinda hoping you would be willing to do a favor for me, but I totally understand if you don't want to. I just thought I would ask just in case though."
"Okay?"
Alexis looked around the precinct, and after checking the elevators twice, she turned her attention back to Beckett.
"Every single year my dad manages to find out what his Christmas present from me is before Christmas, no matter how hard I try to keep it from him, he'll find it. One year I even sent it over to Paige's house and he still found out! So this year, I am determined for it to be a surprise so I was wondering if, maybe, you would keep it at your place until Christmas?"
Beckett didn't know exactly what she had expected Alexis to ask, but it wasn't this.
"Uh sure. But, why me?"
"Dad always says the best place to hide something from someone is right under their nose and since he would never expect you, it's perfect! Plus, it's not like there is a chance of him going to your apartment and looking for it, even if he did suspect it's with you. Unless there is something going on between you two that I need to know about?" The last part was said with a raised eyebrow and Beckett fought hard to keep herself from blushing.
"No. Your present is safe with me." She glanced at the clock, knowing that he would be back soon.
"Do you have it with you? Why don't we put it in my locker for now, then I'll make sure he doesn't see it when I leave."
They quickly hurried to the changing room and stowed the present away before Beckett headed back to her desk, and Alexis left the precinct.
When Castle got back a few minutes later with their Chinese food, he didn't suspect a thing.
It was Christmas day and as Alexis came down the stairs that morning to open presents, Castle took in the smug expression on her face and almost felt guilty about finding out his present. Almost, but not quite.
They all opened all the other presents first until the only one left was the one that Alexis had kept a secret.
It had taken him a long time to figure out where Alexis had hidden his present this year, and he might not of if Alexis hadn't unknowingly given the location away.
Once he found out that it was at Beckett's he really wasn't sure how he was going to get a chance to find it but thankfully, an opportunity presented itself when he and Beckett had innocently fallen asleep on her couch during a long case. It had been nearly two in the morning when the Captain ordered them to go home. Knowing that they would be up in only a few hours, she had suggested they just go back to her place, since it was closer, and he could crash on her couch. She just hadn't planned for the couch to feel so good to her tired body that she'd fallen asleep there with him.
In the morning, while she was on the phone getting updates from the officers who had taken over for them last night, he excused himself to the bathroom that was conveniently located in her bedroom.
He knew Beckett very well, so it didn't take much guessing to figure out that her present hiding place was most likely under her bed and a quick look revealed several packages, but there was one that stood out from the rest. He grabbed that then made his way to the bathroom where he carefully opened it and peeked inside, revealing the new Legend of Zelda game.
Having done this many times, he carefully sealed it back up and put it exactly like it was before joining Beckett in the kitchen, where they had a quick breakfast and went back to work.
Now, as he got ready to open the present for the second time, he kinda felt guilty as he watched his daughter, thinking of how hard she worked to keep him from finding it out.
But it had become sort of tradition for them to play this little game, so he ripped the paper off and got ready to lift the lid off the box.
"I wonder what my wonderful daughter got me for Christmas this year? Maybe it's the new Legend of Zelda game! Though I have no idea how you managed to get it this early." He pulled the lid off and prepared himself for the look of shock and probably disappointment that should have crossed across Alexis' face but instead, she only looked confused.
Castle looked down to see numerous ipad accessories that he had had his eye on for a while before looking back at Alexis who was smirking at the shocked look on his face.
"This year shall go down in history as the Christmas that you finally got to open a present that you didn't already know about!" Alexis shouted as she skipped happily around the room, glad that her plan worked.
"But, but... I found it under the bed and it wasn't... But Zelda..."
Both Castle and Alexis were too busy with their respective confusion and victory to notice a knock at the door, so Martha answered it and let the present carrying detective come in.
"Ha, looks like you did try to find her present, didn't you?"
Castle wasn't too surprised to see Beckett, after all he and Alexis had invited her over for a Christmas breakfast, but what did surprise him, was the present she was holding.
It was the same size and even wrapped in the same paper as the present he had just opened.
"You, you switched the presents on me!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her.
"No, I merely wrapped my present to you in the exact same paper as Alexis did and put it with the other presents. You are the one that assumed it was from Alexis. I hid hers under the bathroom sink."
After some more grumbling about losing their little 'game', Castle got started on breakfast while Alexis and Martha opened their presents from Beckett.
Castle was still sulking, and Alexis was still gloating, after breakfast, and Beckett had finally had enough.
"Oh stop sulking."
He paused in the door way of the kitchen and turned back to her. "Worst Christmas ever." They all knew he didn't mean it, but she walked over to him anyway.
Before he could even process the fact that she was extremely close to him, her lips were covering hers in a sweet kiss, ignoring the two giggling women in the kitchen behind them.
Sooner than either of them would have liked, they pulled apart and he gave her a questioning look. She just pointed at the mistletoe above his head and he smiled down at her.
"Best Christmas ever."
Okay, this was seriously only supposed to be like 500 words... It was supposed to be short, that's why I decided to do two requests tonight... But no, my fingers have to keep typing and stretch it out to 1,300 words...Sigh. I'm pretty happy with this one, probably because it has Alexis/Kate interactions which is something I (obviously) love to read/write.