AN: I know, I'm terrible, I'm sorry. Real life, what can you do? Don't expect another update for another 6 weeks because I'm FINALLY going on my dream holiday to the US of A and I won't have access to a computer to write. But, please enjoy this installment and I promise to continue writing this fic!

IBYL
xo

Disclaimer: Literally about to visit the States for the first time. Safe to say I don't own Castle.

"And what are we?" Castle prompted his son as they stood on opposing sides of the lounge room coffee table, each wielding a lightsaber.

"Manly men!" Liam crowed, unable to resist his father's subtle challenge.

"No girls allowed!"

"Yeah, girls have cooties!" Liam said, making his father laugh.

"Trust me kid, in about 5 years they won't."

"I don't know, Dad. I'm pretty sure cooties are a forever thing." The boy said sagely.

"You don't trust your wise old Dad, squirt?" Castle asked with a smirk. His son was already close to 5 feet tall, even at 9 years old. He wasn't a squirt at all. Not a chance, with his genes, Castle thought with a smile as Liam's mother swanned into the room in a pretty dress – white and lacy with a delicate pink sash around the middle, it was beautifully structured to her supermodel body and she looked the picture of femininity. The light pink lily woven into her curls set off the dress perfectly – not exactly what would traditionally be expected of the detective, but she lived to surprise. Plus, as Kate had explained to him earlier, there was a certain level of femininity expected at a baby shower.

"You look pretty, Mom." Liam complimented, and Kate blushed.

"Thanks, little man." She said with a grin.

"Stunning." Castle confirmed, when he'd finally scraped his jaw off the floor. "Absolutely stunning."

"Nice to know I've still got it." Kate said with a smirk, leaning in to press a peck to her husband's lips, ignoring their son's disgusted groans.

"Yeesh, Dad, what happened to being manly men. Uncle Javi's gonna take your man card." Liam groaned dramatically, and Kate couldn't stifle her giggle.

"When did Uncle Javi teach you about man cards?" Castle asked while Kate tried to control her giggles.

"At the last poker party while you two were being gross." He said, poking his tongue out.

"Such a drama queen, our son." Castle sighed, tugging Kate into his side.

"Gets it from his father." Kate said, patting Castle's chest lightly before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I've got to get going, Lanie is expecting me to be out the front ready." She smiled, before turning towards her son. "You too grossed out for a goodbye kiss."

"… I think I can take it and still keep my man card." Liam said, turning his cheek towards his mother with a grin. Kate laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek before curling him into a hug.

"Enjoy your man date. I'll be home late this afternoon."

"Bye, Mom!" Liam called.

xxx

"So, Uncle Javi and Uncle Kevin are on their way over now, since the girls are at their party. What do you want to do while we wait for them?" Castle asked, switching off his lightsaber.

"Dad, do you really have to ask?" Liam said, attitude abound. Castle bit back a chuckle at the tone of his voice.

"Go get your vest, I'll kill the lights. T minus 2 minutes til game on."

"You're going down, Voltar." Liam shouted as he bolted up the stairs. Castle quickly removed major obstacles before making the dash to his office for his vest. Can't let the kid beat him… again. Kate would have a field day. She had way too much fun the first time Liam managed to use one of his own carefully crafted manoeuvres against him.

Castle was suited up by the time he heard Liam's footsteps on the stairs. He switched on his suit with a grin.

Let the game begin.

xxx

The game finished in the elder Castle's favour, as the forces of Voltar narrowly escaped a Rebel dash for victory just as the doorbell rang.

Liam looked to his Dad excitedly, so Castle gestured to the door, allowing his son to answer it as he set their laser tag vests aside. He watched as Liam stood on his tiptoes to check out the peephole before flinging the door open.

"Uncle Javi! Uncle Kevin!" He grinned, holding out his hand to 'feed the birds', just as they and his Dad had taught him.

"Junior Castle, how are we doing?" Esposito asked as he ruffled the boy's hair.

"Dad beat me at laser tag. 10 more minutes and I would've got him." He sulked, and Ryan laughed.

"Next time, kid."

"Drink, boys?" Castle asked, ever the host, and all three boys nodded. Castle smiled and wandered to the kitchen, listening to Liam regale the Detectives with tales of their latest battle – complete with outrageous exaggerations, of course. Like father, like son.

When Castle returned, the boys were each in possession of a PlayStation controller as the opening credits of Madden NFL appeared.

"Are we playing in rounds?" Castle asked, and everyone nodded.

"I'm telling you Dad, today's my day." Liam announced, and Ryan laughed. Espo just smiled, and Castle cushioned himself back in his favourite armchair to watch the games unfold.

xxx

Multiple rounds later, it was Esposito who raised his arms in victory with a narrow win over Liam. Castle had been eliminated early on in their complex round robin system and was relegated to snack patrol while the boys continued their battles. Liam fought hard to the end but a lucky pass had Espo doing a none-too-subtle lap of honour in the loft's family room.

"Cool it, Javi – you're celebrating for beating a kid literally 30 years your junior." Ryan smirked, and Espo's face fell as Liam giggled. Castle couldn't help but smile while he tidied up in the kitchen – he was so grateful that his son had such good uncles to look up to. For all of their teasing and fun, both Kevin and Javier were fantastic with Liam – Javi treated him like another buddy, as did Kevin. By some stroke of luck, both he and Kate were only children and yet they'd been able to surround both Liam and Alexis with the most fantastic extended family.

His reverie was interrupted by the shuffling of the three men in the lounge room. He could hear Liam's slight whine, even from the other side of the room.

"Do you really have to go already?" He asked. Castle held back a grin at the tone in his boy's voice.

"Sorry, my man. We're on the early shift tomorrow so we've gotta get some sleep." Esposito replied.

"Same. Plus I have to have dinner with Jenny and Chloe." Kevin said. "Thanks for this afternoon, Castle."

"Anytime, you know that." Castle replied, as Kevin showed himself out with a final wave. Esposito called out a farewell before turning back to Liam.

"No need to look so sad, Junior Castle. It was fun, of course – but we do this all the time. It'll come around again soon enough."

"But our manly days are my favourite." Liam said. Castle slung his arm around Liam's shoulders. Esposito looked to Castle with a question in his eyes, and Castle smiled, gesturing subtly for Esposito to speak.

"Remember how you helped Lanie and I move into our apartment a couple of weeks ago?" Esposito said.

"Yeah…?" Liam prompted, faced contorted with confusion.

"Well, we have a spare bedroom now. And Lanie actually asked me to invite you over to spend a night with us. We can play Madden, watch movies, whatever. If you'd like to come hang with us."

"I can sleep at yours?"

"If your Mom approves the idea." Castle said, just as keys jingled in the lock. Kate smiled as she walked into her home, Lanie trailing behind her.

"If Mom approves what idea?" Kate asked.

"Uncle Javi invited me to sleep over with him and Auntie Lanie and can I please please please?" Liam burbled happily, and Kate laughed, looking towards both Javi and Lanie.

"You sure it's not a problem?" She asked, and Lanie grinned.

"Course not. You know we'd love to have him."

"How's next weekend?" Javi asked, and Liam positively beamed at his mother – batting eyelashes and all.

"You don't need to use the puppy dog eyes on me, Liam James Castle." Kate said with a laugh, before glancing at Castle and looking back to Javi with a nod. "Next weekend would be perfect, thanks guys."

"You're welcome. It'll be fun." Esposito said as Lanie nodded.

"Home time, I think. Beckett, Castle – see you tomorrow. Little Castle, have a good week at school and we'll see you next weekend." Lanie said, bidding each of the trio goodbye.

"Starting thinking up some decent Madden strategies, kiddo."

"On it, Uncle Javi!" Liam grinned before waving. Esposito and Lanie let themselves out while Liam leapt into his mother's arms. "Thanks, Mom. This is going to be great." He grinned, before throwing himself at his Dad too. "Thanks Dad."

"You're welcome, little man. Do you mind going to pack up the PlayStation gear?" Castle asked and Liam sped to the TV to put away controllers as he'd been taught. Rick paused to pull Kate into his arms and press a kiss to her lips.

"Katherine Castle, will you do me the honor of joining me on a dinner date this Saturday?" He asked, every inch debonair and charming. Kate laughed.

"Why Richard, it would be my absolute pleasure." She replied, and Castle laughed before pressing a longer kiss to her lips.

"Missed you today." He murmured, and she couldn't help the faint blush in response.

"Missed you too." She responded quietly. They were still in their embrace when they're son re-entered the room.

"Gross." Liam grimaced, covering his eyes as he walked away murmuring something about Uncle Javi and man cards.

His parents could only chuckle in response.

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