"Why did you never mention there was a pool on the roof of your building before?"
Javier Esposito couldn't help but agree with Beckett's question. This was the sort of thing that they definitly needed to be aware of. He, Lanie and Beckett were standing by the side of the pool, Castle planted at his grill, which was the side of a small sedan, while Martha passed by heading toward a lounge chair.
"Richard isn't overly fond of the water," Martha informed them, settling her drink on the small table before gliding into her seat. "One experience with a leech and he gets skittish."
"Leeches, Mother, plural. A veritable army of the nasty blood suckers, some of them in uncomfortable places."
The thought alone made Esposito cringe, but it wasn't quite an explanation. "But there aren't any leeches in a pool."
"True and while I don't have a true phobia, I simply don't like swimming," Castle said, pointing at them with a pronged cooking fork.
Beckett dipped her toes into the pool and asked, "Can you swim, Castle?"
"Of course," he replied easily. "Alexis loves the water. When she was little, she wanted to be Ariel and I wasn't about to let her go in alone."
Esposito chuckled. Castle was a good guy and loved his daughter fiercely. The detective didn't doubt that the man would wade through a leech field if his daughter asked him to.
Speaking of Alexis, the teenager, with Ryan in tow, had just arrived on the roof both wearing long, brightly colored jersey tank tops, sunglasses and flip flops. In fact, the outfits could be described as a very casual, very light weight dress, if not for the fact that Ryan had, thus far, shown a marked distaste for the idea of wearing a dress.
But at the moment he didn't seem to mind and something in Javi's stomach clenched. There were times when Kevin, as a guy or now a girl, looked younger than his years. Not that thirty was old to begin with (he was the baby on the squad), but occasionally, a trick of the light or a flash of a smile and Esposito could almost see the fresh faced kid he'd been not to long ago. Minus the acne.
Ryan's large, proud family was quick to whip out photo albums, a fact Javi shamelessly took advantage of. It wasn't like Ryan didn't do the same when Javi's Mama broke out the nostalgia. He remembered the last time he'd brought Kevin to Mama's, who thought the Irish detective was lindo como botón and could be counted on to practically force feed anyone who entered her home, to help him move a big old dresser. He'd gone to wash up and returned to find Ryan and Mama on the sofa, several books of photos spread out on their laps.
The smiles they had aimed at him made it impossible for him to be mad at either of them, even when Kevin held up a certain picture and questioned, "A tuba?"
Now Ryan had that same smile plastered on his changed face, tossing Castle a wave as he made his way over to Javi, Beckett and Lanie. Alexis joined her dad by the grill and seemed to be offering critique on his grilling technique.
"Hi, Mrs. R," Ryan greeted Martha, who was peering at him over the top of her sunglasses.
"Well, look at you," Martha said, reminding Javi that she had not seen Ryan since the Incident, capital I, as they were now referring it. "Lovely bone structure and your skin is flawless. Bet this wasn't something they covered at the police academy, was it, kiddo?"
Ryan grinned and replied, "No, ma'am."
Javi, Beckett and Lanie tried not to chuckle at Martha's blasé, seen it all attitude. She really was a force of nature and knowing her explained a lot about why Castle was the way he was.
Speaking of Castle, the author called from the grill, pointing to where Alexis was breaking out an industrial sized bottle of sun block. "Ryan, you're gonna fry. SPF 35 or higher."
That was true. Ryan's fair skin already showed signs of color from the brief periods he'd been outside that day and, while it looked pretty, a burn would probably hurt like hell.
"Yes, Dad," Kevin said in a wry tone, which got a few chuckles from everyone, including Castle, as he crossed back towards Alexis.
"Heard you went shopping without me," Lanie teased him lightly, knowing their previous excursion had completely stressed the man out. "Find what you needed or am I gonna have to take you out again?"
Ryan held up his hands in surrender. "It's all good, Lanie," he laughed, "Alexis was a big help."
Castle finished grilling some of the veggies and waved them over to take a sample. Never one to pass up food that smelled good, Javi took a few steps in that direction as Ryan tugged his cover up over his head to apply the advised sun block.
Pale, milky white legs. Little, bright blue boy shorts with sky blue detailing. A tiny strip of more white skin before the matching tankini top began, more piping that seemed to emphasize already abundant curves and a color that set off Ryan's eyes. As he smoothed the lotion over his shoulders and arms, his long ponytail swung prettily.
When Ryan laughed, certain body parts moved in a very interesting manner.
That was the last thing Javi noticed before he walked right into the pool.
Sipping from her drink, Martha Rogers shook her head as Javier emerged, sputtering, from the deep end of the pool, spitting as he splashed his way to the side. Kate and Lanie were already crouching at the edge while Rick, Alexis and Kevin were on their way over, questioning voices ringing out in concern.
"Dude, what happened?" Ryan's voice was tinged with both amusement and concern as his little feet came to rest beside Javier's hands. "You been drinking already?"
"No," Esposito mumbled, swiping water out of his eyes and reaching up blindly. "Help me, man."
Laughing, Ryan grasped his partners arm and pulled. Martha could see it coming a mile away. Not used to being smaller, with different muscle mass, when Kevin tugged on Javier's arm, the older man was not heaved from the pool. No, Ryan simply let out a startled, "OH!" and tumbled into the water as well.
Like many born and raised in New York city, Kevin Ryan had not spent a lot of time swimming. Sure, he had learned how but most parents, not wanting their children exposed to disease and possible mutations, had not wanted their babies swimming in the rivers.
He hit the water, mouth open, and obviously took a few gulps before he resurfaces, choking and hacking up lungful of chlorinated water. Esposito grabbed his partner, hauling him towards the side as Ryan turned into an octopus. Slender, pale arms snaked Esposito's neck, pulling him close in fear and desperation while Esposito held him up, one arm braced on the poolside as Kevin coughed up a fountain of water.
"How much did you swallow?" Lanie asked, concerned but not terribly so as Ryan peered up at her from behind sodden brown locks.
"Don't know," he sputtered, squirming towards the edge and Martha had a good view of Esposito, who seemed both uncomfortable and reluctant to release his partner, while the man was still in distress, of course.
Richard solved that particular issue by reaching down into the pool, catching Ryan under his arms and lifting him out of the water, depositing him in front of Lanie for inspection. Then he hauled Esposito up onto the deck. "You okay?" he asked, causing the detective to nod.
"I'm fine," Esposito said, craning his neck to look at where Lanie had Ryan bent over, hands on his knees while she thumped his back to bring up some more water. While Martha found the retching to be quite unpleasant, Esposito was clearly focusing on the curve of Ryan's rear, which did look quite lovely in those little swim shorts.
From inside the huddle, Alexis said, "Dad, shouldn't you be watching the meat?"
"Oh, right," he said, retreating and pulling Esposito with him. "Come on. You can help me plate the steaks."
Martha smiled at her son who grinned in return. It wasn't often that her boy tried to be subtle, but he was capable of it. Fortunately, for his reputation, no one seemed to notice.
The tumble into the pool had been unexpected but refreshing. He could have done without swallowing half the volume of chlorinated water, but no long term harm was done. At least nothing he could tell.
He'd been shocked as hell when he hadn't even budged Javi when trying to help him from the pool. The action, done without thought, had sent him head first into the deep end and Javi ended up having to fish him out as he choked and sputtered. The actual moment was a bit confused, but he had distinct memories of being pressed tight to warm, strong flesh and clinging to broad shoulders before Castle pulled him out like a water soaked doll.
After their unintentional swim, everyone sat around the tables, shoving a variety of grilled meats and veggies into their mouths. Alexis washed hers down with iced tea, while Martha had some mixed drink and the rest of them nursed beers. Kevin was careful with his, as he wasn't quite sure what his alcohol tolerance would be in this body.
The air, high above the overheated blacktop was still hazy, but less horrible than street level and there was a slight breeze. Damp and only wearing a bathing suit, Ryan was pretty comfortable as they ate. As a general rule, since the first day or so, no one was commenting on the whole 'he's a woman now' thing. It was, he knew, done purposefully to make him feel more comfortable, but really, it wasn't like it was anything he could forget.
He got unnerved by his long, seemingly possessed hair, Castle braided it or clipped it without fuss. Esposito discretely avoided him around shower times. Beckett had randomly handed him a chocolate bar one day (and, oh God, had it been good). Montgomery was just pretending nothing had happened.
He hoped, if Creepy Elmer couldn't reverse this, and soon, his Mom took it that well. She'd probably cry for a while then tell him he should marry his partner. Yeah, Mom was a tough cookie, with an intense desire for grandkids. She always joked that they spent more time together than any married couple and got along far better than most.
Yeah, Mom, an liberal Irish Catholic Democrat who worshiped the Kennedy's, had raised her blue eyed baby boy to be an open minded guy.
"Dude, you okay?"
Esposito noticed his contemplative mood and Ryan smiled, not wanting to say exactly what he was thinking. Glancing around the table, he was assured Alexis was distracted by something Beckett and Lanie were saying, so he nodded to the kielbasa in Esposito's hand. "Just missing some things, I guess," he joked, laughing as his partner glanced at his food.
"That's not right!" Esposito yelped, then tossed the kielbasa at Ryan who couldn't help but giggle.
The action drew the attention of the others and Castle asked, "Are we having a food fight?"
"NO!" chorused Beckett, Lanie and Alexis while Martha made a quick and strategic retreat back to her lounge chair.
Apparently, Martha was well aware of the once Castle decided a food fight was on, it was on.
Later that night, Ryan was still picking cherry tomatoes and grilled pepper out of his cleavage.
TBC…