Kate just has to laugh sometimes at how much her boyfriend and her dog are alike. Not that she would ever tell Castle that she is comparing him to their Golden Retriever, but they do have some strikingly similar characteristics.
For starters, they both love to follow her around. They are somewhat obsessed with it really. Obviously Castle's need to "shadow" her is what got her into this life she lives now in the first place—her wonderful, crazy, cohabitating, dog owning life.
And Ricardo.
He follows her everywhere, every room she goes to, he is right beside her practically on top of her feet. He was so small the first few months she was terrified she was going to step on him and hurt him. Now she gets constant practice in not tripping over him and taking them both down.
Kate honestly can't remember the last time she sat down on the couch to watch a movie that didn't involve either Rick or the dog practically in her lap. Only Castle could have picked out a dog that rivaled him in the ability to cuddle. Both getting as close as they can to her. She is still at a loss as to why she makes a better pillow at night than their perfectly good actual pillows. Nonetheless she wakes in the middle of the night, more often than not, to both of them using some part of her body as a headrest.
As crazy as it may sound she'll also swear that they get the same look on their face when they want something from her. They look up at with soft sad eyes, granted one set a deep brown and the other a dark blue, but the effect is the same. Add in a subtle head tilt and a sly little grin (yes the dog grins) and she is a goner.
Every time.
She gets sucked right in. Man or dog, it doesn't matter.
They are both fiercely protective of her, annoyingly so. She tripped over one of the dog's toys once. Then proceeded to watch both boyfriend and puppy leap up and try to catch her from thirty feet away, having no chance whatsoever to reach her. The next ten minutes was spent convincing both of them she was perfectly fine.
She's also noticed that they make the same small growling noise at the back of their throats when either a man or dog attempts to become too friendly with her. It would be amusing, if not so animal like. She had quickly realized that at the park no dog got near her unless first approved by Ricardo. Of course, Castle finds this funny.
But despite their jealously and their over protectiveness, despite their hovering and incessant need to cuddle, she has never felt more needed, loved or cared for. When the world beats her down and she feels completely shattered, she can come home to a place where she will be literally dog piled on while all the pieces get put back into place. A place, because of her uniquely alike boyfriend and dog, she feels the safest.
For Berkie: Whose birthday and dog lover heart inspired the creation of Ricardo.
As always, thanks for reading!