'Castle, you alright, you seem a little edgy tonight.'

The question came from Gil Mazzara as he helped his friend get the cards table set up, began to set out stacks of poker chips. 'Everything alright with the baby?'

'Yeah, RJ's great, Kate took him over to Meredeth's for a baby's night out. Tessi's been itching to see RJ since New Years.'

He finished dumping Ryan's favourite spinach-cheese dip into a bowl when his cell went off and he laughed instinctively when he read the incoming text from Alexis - brace yourself, we're on our way with the Ry-Sposito Monster. 'Oh boy,' he chuckled. 'This is going to be interesting.'

'What?'

'No, no spoilers Gil.'

By the time the table was set and the snacks and drinks were ready as well, Castle's heart was beating wildly in his chest as he heard the footsteps outside his apartment. When the door opened, he pursed his lips together and tried to keep a straight face when he saw them all walk in - Alexis and Shane trying very hard not to crack up while Esposito and Ryan just look like Penelope Pussycat wait for Pepe Le Pew to strike. 'Alexis, hey, sweetheart, didn't think you were coming home so soon.'

'In between plans. I have to go change to meet Sloan.' The itch to give Shane a peck on the cheek was almost insatiable but there was so much fun to be had at Ryan and Esposito's expense, because judging from the spluttering reactions they'd given her at Shane's apartment, they'd had no clue about her and their second-favourite ME, nor were they aware that her father was well-informed about the relationship. 'Hope you brought your game face, Gil, Shane said he thinks he's going to get lucky tonight.'

That's my girl, Castle thought with a wicked little cackle as Ryan and Esposito gulped like guppies; this was turning into a fun little game of who-knows-you-know. 'I know this is a little mean of me to do, but you think you two could head to the twenty-four-seven down the street and grab our take-out order, it's already paid for, just say you're picking up for Castle.'

'Uh-huh, sure.' Esposito looked relieved to have a job that would take him far, far away so he could formulate just what to say to his friend that sweet, young Alexis was having a little tryst with one of their colleagues. 'Ry, let's go.'

The two detectives booked it out of the SoHo loft, and the minute the door shut behind them Castle let out the wheezing belly laugh he'd been holding in with the greasiest threads of control. 'Oh, shit that was priceless. What the hell happened?' he asked, looking from Shane to Alexis.

'I'll let my boyfriend do the talking on that one,' Alexis snickered, twisting the top off a bottle of Bud and sauntering over to put her hand on Shane's shoulder, while Gil looked on like he'd been kicked in the face.

'Boyfriend?' he asked to no one in particular as Shane took the beer from Alexis, patted her fingers.

'Alexis and I started seeing each other about a month or so ago, and last week, Alexis told her parents about us, but outside of them we haven't told anyone else,' he explained sitting down at the table, 'and then this morning, she called to make plans for us to have dinner together at my place before I came here for poker. Well, time kind of got away from us, and after Alexis had gotten a shower, she answers the knock at my door and opens it to find those two on the other side.'

'No!' Castle gasped dramatically, relishing it with a laugh. 'What did they say, Lex?'

'Nothing, that's how I knew they were really surprised. They just kinda wheezed and tried not to blow up, and have no idea what to say to you, or even if they should bring it up. Anyways, I do need to get ready if I'm going to meet Sloan by nine.'

Alexis darted up the stairs, leaving Shane with Castle and Gil, the latter of whom was doing the calculations on who was aware of the relationship. 'So, you and Lex are together, and Beckett and Castle know, but those other bozos didn't and they still don't know Beckett and Castle know.'

'Correct,' Shane agreed. 'And before you ask, I'm waiting until they get back to give up any details.'

'I'm not going to hear anything that might be reason for me to break your neck, am I Shane?' Castle asked, part joking and part serious; relief was massive when he shook his head.

'Nothing you don't already know about.'

Ryan and Esposito rejoined them a little while later and Castle almost felt sorry for them, the way they were trying to fight every instinct to open their mouths at little innuendos that came out of their mouths. A few hands in, despite the fact that they had some very manly and delicious snacks, Castle couldn't resist bringing over a plate of pepernoten cookies. 'Here, Alexis was baking a few days ago, these are quite tasty.'

They all took one, made yummy-noises but it was Shane who spoke up. 'Man, these are my faves, I seriously dig a sweet little cookie like this.'

'Really, I'd have thought you're more of a ginger-snap man myself, Shane,' Castle couldn't resist needling him.

Shane heard the writer's tone and grinned; he definitely wanted to get these guys back for their teasing in the morgue. 'Yeah, I do like a good gingersnap. Strawberry sweethearts are pretty good too.'

It was too much for Esposito and he reached for his beer to wash down the biscuit without choking; Ryan, unfortunately wasn't so smooth and began to cough as the crumbs hit his windpipe. Once he'd made a sufficient spectacle of himself and had regained his power of speech, he looked desperately at his partner.

'Javi-'

'Don't do it, bro,' he muttered emphatically, and because they were staring at each other, they missed the little grins that passed between Gil, Shane and Castle. 'Just don't.'

'Something going on, guys?' Castle asked innocently, but before the men could say anything, Alexis bounded downstairs in a warm-looking pea-coat, purse in hand as she flicked a glance at her dad and he flicked the tip of his finger down his nose. Going over to the table, she came up behind Shane, studied the pile of chips in the centre of the table.

'Don't let his name fool you, Ryan has no luck of the Irish when it comes to cards,' she told him, letting her hands rest on his shoulders as she peered at his hand. 'Think you can take him?'

'Of course. You coming over tonight?'

'Don't know how long I'll be out with Sloan. I'll text.'

'Alright.' Shane patted her fingers, then because he knew it would send the Ry-Sposito monster's blood pressure right into orbit, tugged on her wrist and gave her cheek a little kiss. 'Have fun with Sloan.'

'I always do. Bye, Dad.'

Castle waved his daughter off and the moment the door closed behind her, Ryan burst like a pinata.

'I'm sorry, I can't take this anymore.'

'Kevin,' Esposito warned him, trying to head him off at the pass, but his partner was on a roll.

'Castle, did you know that we found Alexis at Shane's apartment tonight when we met him to come here?'

'Dude!'

'What, you think we should keep this from our friend that she answered the door with wet hair and looked pretty damn cozy in his place? And why aren't you more shocked by this?'

'Wait a minute...' Esposito studied the look on Castle's face, it wasn't one of surprise but one of amused, almost smug, satisfaction. 'You already knew, didn't you?'

R&R&Enjoy