Here's the idea as presented by DeadPigeon: Take 3 completely unconnected words (the more incongruous the better) submitted by someone else and make a maximum 1,000 word story based on them.
Three Story Words: Peanuts, Hydrogen, Leap
Words Submitted by: bookylex
Chapter Rating: K+
Word Count: 1,021 (Over, but not nearly as over as the last chapter.)
Story Completion Time: 20 minutes here and there over the last two days. So yeah.
A/N: Up to this point we have been operating under the inference that Castle and Beckett are together and then living together. This is not that.
Eddie has been pressuring him with ideas. He's the manager, thinks he can improve business - "bring them into the 21st century" - but there is no way in hell Rick is letting him turn The Old Haunt - HIS old haunt - into a gastro pub. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But Rick has no desire to bring his bar into the 21st century. The whole point of him buying it was to keep in firmly rooted in history. A portal to the way things used to be. And that's where it will stay.
No aromatically infused anything. Nothing that ends in white truffle oil or topped with oddly flavored foam sprayed from a quasi-futuristic canister. No flash frozen perfectly tiny spheres of melon juice made to look like beads of caviar. If the words Hydrogen Ion Concentration, Rotary Evaporator, Spherification or Chemistry are used? No. Molecular gastronomy? No, thank you. There is a place for that and it's NOT the Old Haunt.
They're sticking with Alejandro (chef/assistant-manager/dishwasher/bouncer) and his delicious and classically prepared choices: Club sandwiches on really fresh bread with extra crispy bacon, beer cheese soup made from their best selections on draft, homemade pretzels, and peanuts in wooden bowls on the bar. That and a scant few other basics is ALL they need.
And that is exactly what Rick is going after. At 12:30 on a Wednesday night (err, Thursday morning…) the kitchen has long since closed. He finds Alejandro working tucked away in the tiny little office off the kitchen used for ordering and taking stock. He so generously agrees to make them dinner, always the generous sort. Two clubs sandwiches, one bowl of soup and soft pretzel, one burger – hold the onion – and a plate of fries to share. All for Beckett, Ryan, Esposito and Castle himself.
Orders placed and a folded bill of unknown but invariably high denomination slipped to the grateful chef, Rick makes his way from the kitchen back to the group – his team. Adrenaline still pumping from such a beautiful takedown he pops both his hands hard at the swinging door separating the kitchen from the waitron station leading to the booths. It hits something hard blocking his way.
"Ouch!"
"Beckett?"
He shimmies through the opening to find her standing back against the wall hand to her face. Great. They make it through the day chasing down deranged killers trying desperately to inflict bodily harm unscathed and *he* gives her a bloody nose with a kitchen door. Great.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Can you get me a tissue?"
He rounds back in the kitchen, grabs two large squares of paper towels, then out again.
"Here."
He can't see the smile under her hand but he can hear it.
"Gee, Castle, I'm not sure that's going to be enough."
He holds the sheets out to her. She folds them four times and dabs, three small, bright dots appear.
Seeing even just a fleck of her blood knowing that he caused it twists at his ribs.
"God, Kate. I'm sorry."
He takes a step. Without thinking his hand comes to her face. Fingers spanning her cheek, pushing in her hair, thumb by the bridge of her nose. He didn't mean to touch her. He really didn't. But he did. He didn't mean to be standing almost pressed against her and she against the wall. But he is.
"Castle."
It's a warning. He doesn't know what kind though. Is it a "You're too close and shouldn't be touching me" or a "Kiss me now before I change my mind?"
He's going with the latter.
Slowly, brings his other hand up to her face. Slowly, presses into her, starting at the knees and working his way up to their chests. He stoops, just an inch, so they are completely even. Her eyes light and flicker down to his lips. He loves it when she does that. Wonders if she is conscious of doing it or if it's uncontrolled? An unauthorized motion on her eyes part?
Her exhalation skirts his lips, shooting fireworks off in his blood just feeling her breath on his mouth. How long has he waited for this? How long has he wanted her? And now she's pressed against his wall, eyes shut and lips parted.
Cue ball crashing into a tightly packed rack that skitter balls across felt covered slate makes him leap, makes his skin jump in apprehension not anticipation. A murmured laugh and insult from familiar voices invade the space that had just been clutching only Kate. Ryan and Esposito. Both just on the other side of that wall not three feet away. Alejandro on the other side of the door. The three usual sad sacks that practically keep his bar open, propping it up like Atlas, almost within spitting distance.
This is wrong.
He has waited almost four years to kiss her. REALLY kiss her. And now HERE? No. It wasn't right. Not at all like he wanted. There was too much room for error. They could blame it on the excitement of closing such a big case. Blame it on the exhaustion. Blame it on the beer and a half they'd both had. So easily be interrupted. No. Not here.
He kisses her cheekbone above the web of his hand, her skin running cool and liquid like mercury. He lingers, desirous, then pulls away.
The flash of lust and honest disappointment in her eyes might even be better than any kiss. *might* Kate's brow quickly furrows and an angry look like she truly fears he is messing with her slides like a mask over her features.
He can't have that. Has to make her understand that any hesitation is a sign of just how much he wants her always, not just in this moment. He draws lips to her ear.
"Not here."
He watches as the words unspoken seep in her brain. Later. Soon. He sees her acknowledge them. Accept and wait for them. Soon.
The swinging door smacks Castle square in the back as Alejandro makes his way, food in hand, to their table.
A/N: Can't decide if I really like this chapter or if it's just unbelievably all over the place. My opinion is irrelevant. If *you* liked it please let me know. :) I'm outta words, peeps. Gimme, gimme, gimme.