Work Text:
It’s not been a particularly hard case, but it has been a long one. Delays with warrants and waiting on evidence caused them to work late into the night for the past week, and he knew it hard on all of them. He offered to shout the team dinner at Remy’s, a sort of pick-me-up, but only Kate took him up on the offer. Ryan wanted nothing more than to go home to his wife and kid, and Espo had begged off, wanting to spend the rest of the evening with Lanie. He had shrugged. Sometimes it was better, just the two of them. Kate was more relaxed, as if she had to keep up her tough-girl appearances for the boys.
They’d been coming here regularly for a while now. He knew what she liked to eat, especially after a case. He’d known it from the first day they’d ordered; Burger, fries and a strawberry milkshake. He couldn’t order strawberry anymore without thinking of her. Cherries, strawberries, the summer fruits; to him they were simply Kate.
She takes a long sip of her shake, savouring the sweet taste of strawberries. Her eyes close in bliss and she hums. She takes a longer sip, fingers finding the little wood-and-paper umbrella, giving it a twirl. She opens her eyes to find Castle staring at her. She can read the heat in his eyes, the look he gives her sends her heart into flutters.
He’s staring but he can’t bring himself to look away. Just the innocence of the movement, the simple twirling of the cocktail umbrella sends a rush through his body. He wants her, wants nothing more than to sweep her up and love her like she deserves to be loved.
He smiles at her, and she smiles back. It gives him hope. Maybe one day it might happen. One day she might let him in, but for now he’ll continue loving her, loving every part of her, from the fruit flavours to the umbrella twirling.