Fic Stocking Stuffer!
Title: training wheels
Summary: Kate and Beckett give Bill a winter lesson
Rating: PG
Characters: Kate Beckett/Kate Warner/Bill Pardy (Castle, 24, SLiTHER)
Spoilers: None really.
A/N: Written for austen from her fic prompt: - Beckett/Kate/Bill, baby, it's cold outside. :D
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine.
"Are you ready?"
"No."
"Bill."
"Just-- just gimme a sec."
"We've already been here almost an hour, sheriff."
"I think he's stalling."
"So do I."
"I am n-- "
'Not' ends in a 'woah' as Bill struggles with his balance and tightens his grasp on the two women standing alongside him. Kate and Beckett strengthen their grips and hold Bill steady.
"Bill, you're making this a lot harder than it is," Kate admonishes, holding onto Bill's left forearm as his gloved hand stays fisted in the front of her checkered gray wool coat.
"These things outta come with trainin' wheels or somethin'," Bill mutters, glaring down at his feet and the ice skates he has on.
A little girl breezes by, tittering at the sight of a grown man clinging for dear life to the women on either side of him.
Bill eyes the girl, then turns to Beckett when he hears the chuckle that escapes her lips. She tries to smother her grin, but doesn't quite manage, which earns a scowl from Bill.
"Just keep laughin', detective."
"If you keep being ridiculous I will."
Beckett's grin turns smug, and Bill's scowl turns into a pout. Kate laughs at the both of them, then glides around to stand in front of Bill.
"C'mon, sweetheart, let's do this."
She offers both her hands and Bill shakily removes his death grip on Beckett's tan coat to lock onto Kate's forearm. They teeter unsteadily a moment, and then Beckett slides up behind Bill to put her hands on his waist to help him balance.
Kate and Beckett exchange a smile, and Kate gives a reassuring nod to Bill.
"Okay, nice and easy now. Think of it as a dance and move with me."
"Bill can dance?" Beckett asks, teasing disbelief in her voice.
Nodding along to Kate's instructions, Bill glances back at Beckett with a wounded look.
"I'm a great dancer."
Beckett presses close against Bill's back, her breath warm across his red with cold ear.
"Prove it."
Beckett's eyes dart to Kate and Bill almost loses his balance over the look the two women share.
Biting her lip to contain a smile, Kate gently tugs on Bill's wrists.
"Show us, sheriff."
They start slow and Bill flounders, eyes on his feet, trying hard to give up the instinct to lift his feet, and let them glide instead.
"Eyes on me, Bill," Kate says, and behind Bill, Beckett moves one hand from his waist and reaches over his shoulder to push his chin up, lifting his head and eyes from the ice.
Beckett's hand lingers there a moment, then draws back; her wool covered fingertips tracing his jawline just above his scarf.
Bill starts to turn back towards Beckett, but Kate picks up the pace, tugging Bill along with her as she skates backwards.
Kate exaggerates her movements, swaying her body and hips deliberately to help Bill find a rhythm. Hands back on his waist, Beckett helps Bill, rocking side to side just behind him until all three of them are synchronized and moving at an easy pace.
Nerves ease, and Bill is smiling as they make one lap around the frozen pond.
"You're doing great, Bill," Beckett praises.
"'Course, I'm a natural athlete," Bill smugs, glancing back at Beckett.
With his grip on her arms loosened, it isn't hard for Kate to slip free from being held to holding on. Hands around his wrists from the outside, Kate gives Bill a grin, her blue eyes dancing.
"Alright, Mr. Athlete, time to ditch the training wheels."
Bill's eyes widen as the two ladies start to pick up speed and slacken their hold on him.
"Wait, m'not-- "
Kate takes them around a bend, then eases away. Beckett stays for a moment after, then lets go, leaving Bill moving forward under his own momentum and balance.
He almost loses it immediately, arms pinwheeling and back bowing. Beckett sidles in and puts a hand on his shoulder to steady him, and Kate reaches out to take his scarf and pull him forward.
Once he's back on pace again the two women let go and Bill takes off on his own. He's not graceful, but he keeps his balance this time, and the panic in his expression smooths out into a smile.
"Good job, sheriff," Kate says, skating alongside him with a wide smile on.
"Thanks."
"Impressive," Beckett says, skimming along the ice with her hands behind her back.
"I told you I could do it," Bill brags, looking over at the detective.
"I'm pretty sure that's not what you said," Beckett replies, shaking her head at him.
"The point is you're doing great," Kate puts in, laughing at the two of them.
Bill nods in agreement, then glances down at his feet.
"So, I only have one question."
"What?" Beckett asks, all smiles.
Looking ahead, Bill sees the same little girl from earlier straight in his path.
"How do I stop?"
Kate sees what he sees and reaches out quick to grab him.
Her gloved fingers graze his jacket uselessly and Bill goes sailing past. Beckett gives chase, but is a step too slow.
Bill does the only thing he can think of. He shouts out, and falls down.
"Look out!"
The shout startles the little girl, and she falls down on her rear. Out of Bill's path, she watches in surprise as Bill goes skidding past on his belly, Kate and Beckett in pursuit.
Sliding across the ice, Bill reaches the edge of the pond and his head disappears into a bank of snow piled there.
Kate and Beckett reach him, and quickly kneel down to dig him out. Turning him over, Kate brushes snow from his head and face.
"Bill, are you alright?"
Bill coughs up a few flakes and nods.
"Yeah, m'fine. How 'bout that-- "
He blinks snow from his eyes, and looks up as the little girl comes skating by. She thrusts her tongue out at the three of them, then turns and races off.
"She's fine," Beckett says with a chuckle.
Kate laughs and adjusts Bill's scarf.
"C'mon, I think that's enough winter wonderland for us today."
Bill nods, then looks over at her.
"Hey, remember what you promised me for comin' out here an' doin' this."
Kate's smile turns into something that's more smirk.
"Oh, we remember."
Bill looks over at Beckett, who nods to confirm it.
"I'll start the hot chocolate as soon as we're back."
Kate tugs on Bill's scarf to bring his attention back to her, then slides her hand up to where it's knotted around his neck, and grazes the underside of his chin with her knuckle.
"And you and I can get started on the other part."
There's promise in her expression and words, and Bill is only too happy to get up and brave the ice rink again so they can get across it and get back to somewhere warm and private.
Summary: Kate and Beckett give Bill a winter lesson
Rating: PG
Characters: Kate Beckett/Kate Warner/Bill Pardy (Castle, 24, SLiTHER)
Spoilers: None really.
A/N: Written for austen from her fic prompt: - Beckett/Kate/Bill, baby, it's cold outside. :D
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine.
"Are you ready?"
"No."
"Bill."
"Just-- just gimme a sec."
"We've already been here almost an hour, sheriff."
"I think he's stalling."
"So do I."
"I am n-- "
'Not' ends in a 'woah' as Bill struggles with his balance and tightens his grasp on the two women standing alongside him. Kate and Beckett strengthen their grips and hold Bill steady.
"Bill, you're making this a lot harder than it is," Kate admonishes, holding onto Bill's left forearm as his gloved hand stays fisted in the front of her checkered gray wool coat.
"These things outta come with trainin' wheels or somethin'," Bill mutters, glaring down at his feet and the ice skates he has on.
A little girl breezes by, tittering at the sight of a grown man clinging for dear life to the women on either side of him.
Bill eyes the girl, then turns to Beckett when he hears the chuckle that escapes her lips. She tries to smother her grin, but doesn't quite manage, which earns a scowl from Bill.
"Just keep laughin', detective."
"If you keep being ridiculous I will."
Beckett's grin turns smug, and Bill's scowl turns into a pout. Kate laughs at the both of them, then glides around to stand in front of Bill.
"C'mon, sweetheart, let's do this."
She offers both her hands and Bill shakily removes his death grip on Beckett's tan coat to lock onto Kate's forearm. They teeter unsteadily a moment, and then Beckett slides up behind Bill to put her hands on his waist to help him balance.
Kate and Beckett exchange a smile, and Kate gives a reassuring nod to Bill.
"Okay, nice and easy now. Think of it as a dance and move with me."
"Bill can dance?" Beckett asks, teasing disbelief in her voice.
Nodding along to Kate's instructions, Bill glances back at Beckett with a wounded look.
"I'm a great dancer."
Beckett presses close against Bill's back, her breath warm across his red with cold ear.
"Prove it."
Beckett's eyes dart to Kate and Bill almost loses his balance over the look the two women share.
Biting her lip to contain a smile, Kate gently tugs on Bill's wrists.
"Show us, sheriff."
They start slow and Bill flounders, eyes on his feet, trying hard to give up the instinct to lift his feet, and let them glide instead.
"Eyes on me, Bill," Kate says, and behind Bill, Beckett moves one hand from his waist and reaches over his shoulder to push his chin up, lifting his head and eyes from the ice.
Beckett's hand lingers there a moment, then draws back; her wool covered fingertips tracing his jawline just above his scarf.
Bill starts to turn back towards Beckett, but Kate picks up the pace, tugging Bill along with her as she skates backwards.
Kate exaggerates her movements, swaying her body and hips deliberately to help Bill find a rhythm. Hands back on his waist, Beckett helps Bill, rocking side to side just behind him until all three of them are synchronized and moving at an easy pace.
Nerves ease, and Bill is smiling as they make one lap around the frozen pond.
"You're doing great, Bill," Beckett praises.
"'Course, I'm a natural athlete," Bill smugs, glancing back at Beckett.
With his grip on her arms loosened, it isn't hard for Kate to slip free from being held to holding on. Hands around his wrists from the outside, Kate gives Bill a grin, her blue eyes dancing.
"Alright, Mr. Athlete, time to ditch the training wheels."
Bill's eyes widen as the two ladies start to pick up speed and slacken their hold on him.
"Wait, m'not-- "
Kate takes them around a bend, then eases away. Beckett stays for a moment after, then lets go, leaving Bill moving forward under his own momentum and balance.
He almost loses it immediately, arms pinwheeling and back bowing. Beckett sidles in and puts a hand on his shoulder to steady him, and Kate reaches out to take his scarf and pull him forward.
Once he's back on pace again the two women let go and Bill takes off on his own. He's not graceful, but he keeps his balance this time, and the panic in his expression smooths out into a smile.
"Good job, sheriff," Kate says, skating alongside him with a wide smile on.
"Thanks."
"Impressive," Beckett says, skimming along the ice with her hands behind her back.
"I told you I could do it," Bill brags, looking over at the detective.
"I'm pretty sure that's not what you said," Beckett replies, shaking her head at him.
"The point is you're doing great," Kate puts in, laughing at the two of them.
Bill nods in agreement, then glances down at his feet.
"So, I only have one question."
"What?" Beckett asks, all smiles.
Looking ahead, Bill sees the same little girl from earlier straight in his path.
"How do I stop?"
Kate sees what he sees and reaches out quick to grab him.
Her gloved fingers graze his jacket uselessly and Bill goes sailing past. Beckett gives chase, but is a step too slow.
Bill does the only thing he can think of. He shouts out, and falls down.
"Look out!"
The shout startles the little girl, and she falls down on her rear. Out of Bill's path, she watches in surprise as Bill goes skidding past on his belly, Kate and Beckett in pursuit.
Sliding across the ice, Bill reaches the edge of the pond and his head disappears into a bank of snow piled there.
Kate and Beckett reach him, and quickly kneel down to dig him out. Turning him over, Kate brushes snow from his head and face.
"Bill, are you alright?"
Bill coughs up a few flakes and nods.
"Yeah, m'fine. How 'bout that-- "
He blinks snow from his eyes, and looks up as the little girl comes skating by. She thrusts her tongue out at the three of them, then turns and races off.
"She's fine," Beckett says with a chuckle.
Kate laughs and adjusts Bill's scarf.
"C'mon, I think that's enough winter wonderland for us today."
Bill nods, then looks over at her.
"Hey, remember what you promised me for comin' out here an' doin' this."
Kate's smile turns into something that's more smirk.
"Oh, we remember."
Bill looks over at Beckett, who nods to confirm it.
"I'll start the hot chocolate as soon as we're back."
Kate tugs on Bill's scarf to bring his attention back to her, then slides her hand up to where it's knotted around his neck, and grazes the underside of his chin with her knuckle.
"And you and I can get started on the other part."
There's promise in her expression and words, and Bill is only too happy to get up and brave the ice rink again so they can get across it and get back to somewhere warm and private.