Prompt for 16.12.11:

Fandom(s): Castle & -blank-; Castle introduces someone to people spotting around Christmas time in New York.

Answer:

Fandoms: Castle (Richard Castle), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Buffy Summers)

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Playing With Strangers

With a relieved sigh Buffy sank on bench of one of the café's free tables, dropping her shopping bags next to her. She was finally done; she got Christmas presents for everyone.

She took a sip of her caramel cappuccino and started going through a mental checklist of things she still needed to buy or arrange before the actual Christmas.

She'd gotten to number fourteen, 'check with Dawn to confirm when she'd arrive', when a man a few tables over started to yell in his cell phone about Christmas tree's decorations. Her eyebrows rose involuntarily, she knew the holidays could be stressful, but she hadn't realized some took them that seriously.

Buffy's attention was divided from the man's yelling when the guy in the table next to her looked at her and indicated at the man who the waitress was telling to keep it down, "in his early fifties, wife about to leave him for his golf buddy's son and plans to take the dog with her. He'll die inside three years from heart attack. "

"Is that so?" Buffy arched an eyebrow.

"Uh huh," the man nodded decidedly with a twinkle in his eyes. "And her?" he tilted his head towards the waitress who looked like she was about to start yelling back at the man. "Getting married next spring. Her mother-in-law- that woman sitting in the corner table, is making her miserable by dictation the wedding plans."

"And you think so why?" Buffy got curious.

"She got an engagement ring and she looked at that woman the same way I used to look at my mother-in-law."

Buffy had to grin along with him, he had a very infectious smile.

"Your turn?"

"It is? But mommy told me not to play with strangers," she summoned a child-like pout.

"I'm Richard Castle," he leaned to shake her hand over the space between the tables.

"Buffy Summers," she offered in exchange.

"Now that we know each other, it's your turn. How about that guy sitting with the woman in red shirt over there?"

"Him?" Buffy hummed as she watched the man in question. He was in his mid-twenties, dark hair, nice features, expensive clothing...

"He was set up with that girl by his best friend, who doesn't know he's been dating the best friends little sister for two months," she nodded to herself, "he's checking on his phone every few minutes, meaning his girlfriend knows about this, got mad, but still doesn't want to tell her brother."

The man who she was "playing" looked at the pair considering her story, "could be, yes. Not half bad for a starter."

"Why thank you," Buffy grinned playfully, bowing her head.

They were interrupted by his cell phone. "I'm sorry I got to take this," he apologized to her. "Beckett, what is it? ...I'll be right there," he promised and hung up.

"I have to run. It was most pleasant meeting you," he told her in a gallant way.

"Likewise," Buffy nodded with a smile.

"Here's my number, give me a call if you want to play again or catch a dinner with me," he gave her his card.

A/N: I welcome all corrections, ideas and opinions, so please, leave a review? Oh, and my friend Khiela Cadona ended up writing something quite similar, only with Castle and Blue Bloods (the one with police officers, not vampires), so if you're interested check out her Twelve Days Till Christmas.