Okay, so y'all REALLY seemed to like that Drag Queen prompt and somebody requested it to be a two-shot so…
Prompt: Continuation of Drag Queen!Castle/Martha and Alexis's reactions.
"Are you sure that's the right shade for me?" Castle asks as Kate pulls the blush from her makeup bag. She's already done his foundation—which hides all the blemishes he didn't even know he had—and his eyeliner, giving him 'wings to kill for' according to Kate. But when he sees the blood red shade of the rouge, he nearly backs out of the whole thing.
It's one thing for his partner/best friend/potential-future-mother-of-his-children to get him into a drag club and take him shopping for his 'research' dress and heels, but allowing her to do his makeup and dress him like her own life-sized Barbie doll…well, that's a little bit weird.
Isn't it?
Kate nods, opening the compact and dusting her brush in it, before bringing it to his face. "It'll do wonders for your complexion," she tells him, with a remarkably straight face. The novelty has probably run out by now, he thinks. It's been two weeks since she bailed him out for bogus soliciting charges—which, thanks to her, never stuck or got made public—and she seems to be good at keeping this secret from the boys. They have absolutely no idea that the 'friend from out of town' she took shopping last weekend—missing the celebratory after-case bar hop with the boys—was Castle. Or that their entire purchase consisted of a sinfully short, but loose in all the right places, red dress with a low back that looks lace-up and a skirt that 'accentuates your great ass' and a pair of black Louboutins with strong heels that he felt comfortable enough to put at least half of his weight on.
And paired together with a long, feathery black wig, well…even Kate had to admit that he looked hot; she could barely tell that he was a man. And even with that get up, she had to admit that she still found him incredibly attractive, even blushing when he winked at her, cheekily. She hid it well with an eye roll, though.
And now she's applying his makeup, her features schooled as she applies his blush, which covers his impeccable cheekbones.
"I've never noticed them before," she comments, "but they're similar to Martha's."
"Well, genetics being what they are…" Castle points out. She chuckles.
"Yeah, well red hair seems to run in the family, as well; though it skipped your generation." She runs a hand through his hair, absentmindedly, feeling the heat flush through her almost instantly. Clearing her throat, she removes her hand from his hair and reaches back into her bag for three tubes of lipstick, comparing them to his lips, attempting the find the right shade.
"Hmm," she says, picking the darkest of the three. "I think 'Satin Desire' will do for tonight. And paired with some smoky eye shadow? You'll be irresistible."
"Aren't I already?" he asks, cheekily. Kate snorts.
"I've seen better," she teases. "Heck, I've dated better."
Castle's eyes widen at that. "Past boyfriends with kinky fetishes?" he asks. Kate rolls her eyes.
"Okay," she says, "first of all, cross-dressing isn't a fetish; it's a personal choice, something some people actually like doing, the same way you like to write. Secondly, yes, one guy; name was Diamond-slash-Darren. Very pretty and handsome at the same time and worked heels better than I do, if I'm being honest. Thirdly, I was referring to past girlfriends, Castle—cis-women."
His eyes widen further. "You're bisexual?" he asks. Kate shrugs.
"I am…what I am," she says. "I've never really labeled myself before, but if I were to go with a label, I'd say pan, not bi. Sexuality is pretty fluid, in my opinion."
Castle nods in agreement. "That's…that's an interesting tidbit," he says. "Thanks for sharing." It sounds incredibly genuine and Kate gives him a soft smile in return. "How many girlfriends have you had?" She immediately frowns, glaring at him. "Sorry, that came out ruder than I thought; I just meant…anybody I know?"
Kate sighs, shaking her head. "Lanie," she says, "sorta. We kissed, she didn't like it, moved on."
"She didn't like it?" Castle asks.
Kate shrugs. "It's no secret that Lanie's attractive," she says. "But she's my best friend and that's better than any little tryst that could have ruined it."
"Tryst?"
Kate snorts. "Oh God, Jane calls it that."
"Who's Jane?" Castle asks.
"A…friend," Kate says. "A really good friend. Now make an 'O' with your lips so I can paint 'em." Castle does as he's told and soon he's in full drag, modeling his dress and shoes and wig and fully made up face in the mirror, twirling around like he'd been doing it his whole life.
"Not bad, Castle," Kate laughs. "Or should I say…Cherry?"
XXX
Two hours later, she's sitting at the bar of some hole in the wall club named, 'Madame Butterfly's', drinking an Appletini (on the house for first-time customers) and waiting for the show to begin. Castle would be performing a fashion show/strip tease with at least four other performers and watching them rehearse the other day had been the highlight of her year; he owned that stage and everybody knew it. They could all see it.
Especially her.
The love—yes love; she's admitted to herself that a while ago—she felt for him increased tenfold when she saw him up there, having so much fun without a care in the world. He'd even blown her a kiss, which she'd returned, playfully. They hadn't talked about it afterward; she'd just waited while he got back into his street clothes and they'd headed off to Remy's for a milkshake, where they still did not talk about it.
She didn't know why he was so ashamed of it, though; she's almost certain that Martha and Alexis would be 100% accepting, whether it's for research or not. She's certain that they'd even prefer it over him following her; less a chance of his getting shot on a daily basis.
"This seat taken?" a gruff voice asks, startling her. She turns to the heavyset, bearded man next to her and offers a polite smile and a shake of the head. The man occupies the bar stool next to her and she turns back to the stage; he should be on any minute now.
"So," the gruff voice, which sounds like gravel being rubbed against a cheese grater, says, "you come here often?"
Real original. "No," Kate replies, not elaborating in the hopes that he would—
"Have you been to other places like this then?" No, he's not getting the message.
"Yes," Kate replies. "My…my girlfriend performs at them a lot."
"Girlfriend?" the man asks, looking her up and down. "Nah, you're too pretty to be a d***; you mean one a the girly men, don't ya?"
Kate turns to frown at him, opening her mouth to retort, but before she can, the lights flicker off and the music begins playing. She turns just in time to see 'Cherry' come out on stage, leading a whole group of drag queens, all of whom just as gorgeously fabulous as the last. They each strike a pose to the eruption of applause from the audience, some men and women hooting and hollering and wolf whistling. One of them, a darker-skinned queen, giggles and blows one of the men a kiss. He pretends to catch it and press it against his heart. She winks at him.
Kate smiles as Castle does the same for her, completely in character. She sends the kiss back, giving him a little wave in return.
"That your boyfriend?" the gruff voice asks. "The one in red?"
"Tonight," Kate growls, turning to glare daggers at him, "she is my girlfriend. Tomorrow, she'll be my boyfriend, if she wants to be. Now leave me alone."
"Geez," the man growls, "what a frigid little d***."
"I'd rather be a d*** than a dick," Kate replies, before standing up and walking away from him. She doesn't get too far before a group of men, half of which are dressed in drag, wave her over.
"Hey, honey," one of them says, offering her a seat. "Is he givin' you trouble?"
"Nothing I can't handle," Kate replies, smiling. "I'm used to messes like him." She flashes her badge and one of the queens whistles.
"Nice bling," she comments. Kate thanks her and they continue watching the show, sharing idle chit chat as she watches 'her girl' do her thing.
After the show, Kate receives a hug from every one of them before meeting up with Castle, who's grinning like a fool.
"That," he says, "was exhilarating! I can't believe I've never done that before."
Kate smiles at that. "This gonna become a regular thing for you, Castle?" she asks. "You know, for research?"
"Nah," Castle says. "I think one night was enough; besides, my feet are killing me. How do you walk in these things?"
"Years of practice," Kate says, laughing, before linking her arm through his. "Now, come on; let's go get some food and get you back before your mother and daughter get home."
Castle follows her, attempting not to limp his way to the street, where they quickly hail a cab. Even once they're seated, Kate doesn't unhook her arm, their sides pressed together the entire trip back to his place. They opt for ordering in some Chinese and Castle makes the call as they step out of the cab, Kate tossing some cash at the driver to cover their fare since Castle still hasn't found a suitable purse.
He hangs up the phone by the time they're in the elevator and they ride up in silence.
When they reach his floor, Castle allows Kate to precede her to the door, following her lead, even in those incredibly high and painful heels. Outside his door, Kate stops him before he can unlock it, causing him to look down at her in confusion.
"Castle," she says, "I…I have to tell you something."
"What is it?" Castle asks, leaning towards her.
Kate takes a deep breath. "I…"
"Dad?"
Their eyes widen and both Kate and Castle turn to see Alexis staring at them—well, him—with wide eyes, shocked to her very core, without a doubt.
"Uh…I can explain?" Castle offers, meekly.
Alexis just stands there, mouth gaping as the two adults—her father in drag—stare back at her.
"This can't get any worse," Castle mumbles.
"Alexis," Martha's voice floats through, making Castle shut his eyes tightly. "Who's at the door?"
"Apparently it can," Castle grouses, edging his way into the apartment, past his shell-shocked daughter, no longer attempting to hide his humiliation—not like he can really keep this a secret anymore, right?—as he makes his way into the kitchen, moving towards his liquor cabinet.
"Richard?!" Martha exclaims and he doesn't even have to turn around to know that she's sitting at the counter.
"Hello, Mother," he says, trying to sound casual in the hopes that she'd let it go.
"What on Earth?" she gasps as he turns towards her, drinking straight from a bottle of whiskey.
"I can explain," he says, against the burn in his throat.
"Well, you better," Martha says, narrowing her eyes angrily, "because that is my good wig!"
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