Wow, okay so it's been a loooong time; sorry about that. I kinda got into a few newer fics and then started a thing for the Castle Hiatus Ficathon (which is now over) but now I'm back!
Also, just a shout out to that guest who complained about the girls 'making' Castle and Javi do things that they didn't want to do…Javier Esposito and Richard 'Castle' Rodgers aren't "made" to do anything, okay? If they really feel uncomfortable about it or seriously don't want to do it, they'd let their girlfriends know. Likewise, Lanie and Kate wouldn't force them to do anything if they really, really didn't want to. You should know that by now.
Anyway, everybody else please enjoy.
Spring Break Part II
After a full day spent at the spa (which left them all refreshed and Castle still sporting his beloved leg hair), Lanie was expected home.
"Mama needs me to watch Tommy tonight cuz Daddy's takin' her out to dinner, so I gotta go. Call me later?" she asked Kate, who nodded.
"Definitely," she promised, hugging the smaller girl tightly. "Later, Lanie."
"Bye, Sweetie. Bye, Castle," she said, nonchalantly, turning away with a small wave. Castle pouted.
"No hug?" he whined, teasingly. "No cutesy nickname? What gives?"
Lanie rolled her eyes, turning back and falling into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Castle happily hugged her back. "Bye, honey," she said, before pulling back. "See you tomorrow." She peered around him, at Kate. "Try not to kill him," she mock-warned.
"Won't be easy," Kate sighed, jokingly. "He's kind of irritating."
"At least wait until morning to bury him," Lanie said. "I need my beauty rest."
"No promises."
"Oh, you guys are hilarious, you know that," Castle groused, causing both girls to giggle. Lanie leaned up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.
"Bye, Boo," she said. "Be good."
"No promises," Castle replied, cheekily, getting an eye roll in return.
"Bye," Lanie said, before making her way towards the subway to catch the 2 train downtown. Meanwhile, Kate laced her fingers with Castle's, leading him towards her apartment, where he'd be staying for the duration of the visit.
"So," she said, after a few moments of silence, "what do you want to do tomorrow?"
"Dunno," Castle replied. "What do you wanna do?"
"It's not my turn tomorrow," Kate said.
"Your 'turn'?"
"Yeah. Today was Lanie's and my turn and tomorrow is your turn. You didn't think we'd make you do only things we wanted to do all week, did you? That wouldn't be fair."
"I don't mind," Castle assured her. "I just like being near you, instead of at that lousy school." He frowned deeply and Kate mirrored him.
"You really don't like it there, do you?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Most of the guys there are total jerks; the only friend I have is Damian Westlake."
"Who's that?" Kate asked.
"Editor of the literary magazine. I submitted something to it last month and he's been trying nonstop to get me to do a regular spot in it."
"Castle, that's awesome!" Kate exclaimed. "You're a fantastic writer!"
"Yeah, but…but what if I'm not?" he asked, pausing in his step, causing Kate to stop as well. "I mean, in middle school everybody always made fun of me for writing and most of the guys who get published…well, let's just say they're not the most well-liked…"
"So what?" Kate said. "If you like to do it, what's the harm? You'll be back home in a few months anyway, right? You're going to school with me and the boys next year, so who cares what those rich snobs think of you?"
Castle smiled softly at her. "The boys and I," he said, almost in a whisper.
"Huh?" It took Kate a second, but before he could reply, she was punching his arm. "Shush you. No correcting my grammar." Castle laughed, wrapping her in his arms.
"I love you," he said, pressing his forehead against hers.
She beamed up at him. "Even when I punch you?" she asked, teasingly.
"As long as it's not my face," Castle teased in reply. Kate snorted and reached up, pressing her lips softly against his before pulling back.
"I love you, too," she told him. "Now, what are your plans for tomorrow; what do you want to do?"
"Are there limitations?" he asked.
Kate shook her head. "As long as we can afford it and it won't potentially get us killed, anything is fair game."
"Well that's no fun," Castle said, pouting. Kate rolled her eyes and tugged his ear, making him wince and chuckle.
"Okay! Okay!" he laughed. "How about…ooh! I've got the perfect idea!" His eyes seemed to light up against the setting sun and Kate wondered if it was too late to take it back.
XXX
"Seriously?" Kate asked. "This is what you want to do?"
"The boys and I do it all the time," Castle replied, grinning like a madman. "It's fun!"
"Of that I have no doubt," Kate said, "but how are we going to do this? There's three people; aren't there supposed to be teams?"
"Well, the boys and I usually went our separate ways and picked off each other, but since we only have two colors…wanna team up against Shorty?"
Lanie glared at him from underneath her white coveralls hood, the cloudy goggles making her eyes appear larger and therefore more menacing.
"Writerboy," she said, "I will destroy you." Castle grimaced.
"Maybe she should be on my team," he said to Kate, who rolled her eyes.
"Or it can be girls against boy," she suggested, grinning. "We could make it two outta three and be done in…what do you think, Lanie? An hour?"
Lanie scoffed. "Less," she said. "Writer boy won't last that long."
"Wanna bet?" Castle challenged, stepping up to her, his chin practically touching his chest to look down at her.
"What do you have in mind?" Lanie asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"Loser has to skip their next turn," Castle suggested. "And buy lunch."
The girls shared a look, then evil grins spread over their lips.
"Deal," Kate said. "Best two out of three; winner takes all."
Castle shook her hand, then Lanie's, before putting his goggles on. "Red or blue?" he asked.
"Red," the girls replied in creepy unison.
Castle handed them each a cartridge of red ammo, before grabbing a blue for himself.
"May the best man win," he said, smirking.
"I don't see any men here," Kate replied, looking at Lanie. "Do you?"
Lanie shook her head. "Nah," she said. "Just a sad little boy bout to get beat."
"Save the smack talk for the field, ladies," Castle said. "You have exactly one minute to get yourselves in position; good luck."
"Ditto." Again, their perfect synchrony gave him chills.
Castle made his way to find a hiding place, his gun firmly in his hand as he crouched behind a bale of hay and loaded his paintball gun, waiting for the automatic timer to go off and announce the start of their game.
He peeked over it, catching sight of Kate's green eyes peering back at him. He winked and he could swear that her oversized eyes rolled more than just the once. He chuckled, ducking back down, waiting until the timer went off to make his move.
"Let the paintball begin," he murmured to himself as he heard the first splat hit the bale.
Game on.
Next chapter will be updated on Monday. Please REVIEW!