Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't
OOOOOOOOO
"You shouldn't have done it, Lanie," she said quietly.
"It was something you needed to see. He couldn't keep hiding it from you forever. Knowing Castle though, he would have tried."
"I can't thank you."
"I didn't do it for thanks."
OOOOOOOOO
She was relieved when she got back from talking to Lanie and found him in the break room in front of the espresso machine.
Huh. Even yesterday she would have gone out of her way to avoid him after a talk with Lanie. Especially when he knew he had been talked about.
"Mind reader?"
"Told you. I come from a long line of them."
They were content with the silence as he released the steam and they listened to the milk churn. She had unconsciously drifted closer to his side and she felt herself relax.
She was only alerted how close she had gotten when she felt the warmth coming off him. It just felt right- their new normal.
"So you didn't kill her." It wasn't a question.
She hummed. "I thought about it."
He took the milk and poured it smoothly into the cups. No matter how many times she watched him do this simple task she could never recreate it. She supposed it said something that she, a competent cop and woman, could not use the machine. Not that she couldn't for lack of skill. She could figure it out after a little practice. But more that, despite the machine being there for four years, she hadn't used it the few times it would take her to master it.
She let Castle use it. That was his domain.
She doubted she'd let anyone else.
Those summers, she hadn't even let the boys try.
"It wasn't so bad," she offered as he passed her the mug.
"I figured as much."
"More mind reading?"
"Would you hit me if I said it was more like reading body language?"
Her eyebrows rose.
"Not you." He said, then corrected himself. "Well, yes actually. But I knew before you stepped off the elevator. Esposito got a text and lit up like Christmas tree. I figured it was a safe bet Lanie was still alive. Probably texting him something about the bet once she got the specifics out of you."
"So you figured I'd need coffee?"
The clinked their cups together in a little salute.
"I can't give you hard stuff at the precinct." He quipped.
"That's okay, Lanie roped me into drinks this weekend.
"Nice."
She shook her head.
"Oh, well good luck."
"I think I'm going to need it."
"At least you only have one to deal with. I almost escaped to the little girl's room when I got back up here."
She barked out a laugh. "Reaping what you sow. Those two were not like that before you started here."
"Jeez," he muttered. "Thanks for the support."
"Anytime," she was still grinning. "Anytime."
They split ways at the doors to the changing rooms. Having her in another room still seemed strange after their enforced time together. He wasn't surprised to see he had two shadows following him into the men's locker room.
He dumped his bag on a bench and tried to ignore them
"You're still alive," Esposito stated.
"Three cheers for me."
"That's okay," he shrugged. "We figured she wouldn't kill you."
Castle just grunted and began taking off his jacket.
"So you got any bruises?" Ryan asked.
"Are you asking for a peep show, Detective Ryan?"
"What?" he looked affronted. "No."
"But she hit you, right?" Esposito pressed.
"I didn't think you worked for social services," Castle smirked. "I wonder what Beckett would say if she found out you thought she was so violent."
Ryan's nose wrinkled and Esposito scowled. "Not cool, bro."
Castle kept working, taking off his shoes and socks. Ryan nudged at the bag.
"Gear?"
"Yeah."
"You got it?"
"I think I can manage it by myself." He said as he pulled the gear out of the large duffel bag, trying to find the spare pair of socks he packed. The tile floor was cold on his bare feet.
It would have been easier to wait until he was free and then get dressed at home. Wearing it to the precinct would have been easier but he wanted to see the reactions of the before and after. That and his bike was being serviced and wasn't going to be delivered here for another two hours or so. Taking a taxi decked out in riding leathers struck him as too weird. Even for him.
He couldn't remember the last time he had taken the bike out. Probably for a ride up to the Hamptons.
"Where did you get the gear, Castle?" Ryan asked, watching as he pulled out gloves. Of course he would put the socks and underwear at the bottom. He wished he had packed toiletries so he could have a shower.
He looked up and saw they were still waiting for a reply. That's right, they didn't know he could ride yet.
"Doesn't look new," Esposito said looking at the jacket. "You borrow it?"
"Nah, just hope it still fits right. I hope it's not too tight."
"It's yours!"
He figured that Esposito would be a little impressed. Maybe give him some points for manliness or offer to talk bikes or something like that with him
But he looked floored.
Ryan snorted and bumped his partner. "Dude."
Esposito was still struggling a bit.
"If Beckett rides, it's not hard to assume he does." Ryan pulled the helmet out of the bag and flipped the visor up. "Research?"
"A habit I picked up after I bought a bike with my first book's profits, actually. I did it to impress Kyra."
"Was she impressed?"
"She said the only men who were allowed to wear pants that tight were the Bee Gees."
He smiled ruefully at the memory as they boys laughed.
"Wait till I tell Beckett."
"Don't worry. I bought bigger pants." Not to mention the fact Beckett was at his side when he visited his underwear draw earlier.
"Thank God," Ryan muttered as they left the room to let him get changed.
He slipped into a faded plain black T-Shirt. He was leaning towards white before he figured his clothes were too clean. And then his mind provided him with an image of Grease. Hot shot teenagers in T-Bird leather jackets and pristine white t-shirts.
Not going white.
He left his jacket off, remembering the weight and the heat. The pants he had pulled on were hot enough. He looked into the locker room mirror without really thinking and seeing his reflection automatically went to smooth his hair down after pulling the shirt on. When his fingers didn't encounter any product though, he stopped and ran his hand through it quickly, trying for careless, not disheveled.
Despite the weight, he shrugged on the jacket for the full affect.
Not bad, he thought. The fluff on his face helped but he couldn't get his hair to misbehave. Even un-brushed and product-free it lay rather sedately. Maybe he just had a good cut. He'd just have to remember to ruffle it before tonight.
He felt a smirk pull at his lips. Maybe he could convince Kate to help him with that.
Maybe a hickey, too.
Wait. On him?
Translation: I'm a little submissive = whipped= Kate stronger, sexy= challenge=face punched in.
Didn't mean he couldn't give her one.
He felt a little warmer just thinking about it.
He was an author though, right? Had to get all the details right.