Little Wrinkles
Detective Kevin Ryan leaned his elbows on the table and twisted the cool beer glass around in his hands.
“Oh come on Ryan, stop frowning. It’s giving you all these little wrinkles on your forehead,” Castle leaned forward to poke them and Ryan smacked his hand away. “I’ve got this great anti-aging cream you should try -“
“Two words Castle: capillary damage.”
“Do you really have to keep bringing that up? That wasn’t my fault.“ Castle was silenced on the matter by a glare from Ryan. “Well at least stop frowning at your drink like that; it didn’t give you bad skincare advice.”
Suddenly a burst of laughter sounded from across the bar and both pairs of eyes wandered to where Lanie, Beckett and Esposito were currently engaged in an apparently hilarious conversation.
Ryan sighed lightly and turned back to Castle.
“Still upset about your relationship with Jenny not working out?” Castle asked the detective, face sincere.
“I just wish that for once I could find someone who understands that my job is an important part of who I am, and that you guys are like a second family to me,” he confessed, staring at his drink in his hands before taking a large gulp.
“Jenny always worried about me taking risks, and she hated me doing so much overtime and working all hours.”
Castle nodded at him.
“I just want to find someone who can appreciate the hard work we do, and the fact that sometimes when I get home I just want to relax and watch TV instead of getting a head-start on tomorrow’s laundry. Someone who doesn’t mind ordering in pizza after a long day instead of cooking. Someone who won’t nag me for not using a coaster for my beer, or for drinking beer at all!”
Another nod from Castle and another gulp of beer for Ryan, purposely not replacing it back on a coaster.
“Why can’t I find someone who likes watching sport, or playing video games? Someone I can talk to about anything and who can laugh at my jokes, no matter how lame or politically incorrect they are.”
Ryan was using his hands to emphasise his speech - a clear sign to Castle that the beers were starting to affect him.
“Is it so much to ask that I find someone who understands me? Someone who has my back, who I can trust with my life? Someone who I can rely on for anything?”
Ryan stopped speaking, his bright blue eyes looking pointedly at Castle, who was still nodding along.
“Well, Castle? Why can’t I find someone like that, huh?”
Castle had assumed his questions had been rhetorical and was slightly alarmed to learn he expected an answer. However, he was quick to conjure up a smirk and an easy reply, looking Ryan directly in the eyes.
“You already have.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
“Esposito,” Castle stated matter-of-factly.
Ryan let out the brief chuckle that was expected of him, rolling his eyes. Castle stood up and clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder before moving over to the bar and the others to get another drink. Ryan’s gaze followed him, resting upon his partner, who was shooting back a shot with Lanie. They both slammed their empty glasses on the bar, Esposito laughing at the scrunched look on Lanie’s face. A smile ghosted across Ryan’s lips, watching them.
Then his eyebrows knit together in sudden confusion and concentration.
The little wrinkles were back. And they’d multiplied.
“Oh come on Ryan, stop frowning. It’s giving you all these little wrinkles on your forehead,” Castle leaned forward to poke them and Ryan smacked his hand away. “I’ve got this great anti-aging cream you should try -“
“Two words Castle: capillary damage.”
“Do you really have to keep bringing that up? That wasn’t my fault.“ Castle was silenced on the matter by a glare from Ryan. “Well at least stop frowning at your drink like that; it didn’t give you bad skincare advice.”
Suddenly a burst of laughter sounded from across the bar and both pairs of eyes wandered to where Lanie, Beckett and Esposito were currently engaged in an apparently hilarious conversation.
Ryan sighed lightly and turned back to Castle.
“Still upset about your relationship with Jenny not working out?” Castle asked the detective, face sincere.
“I just wish that for once I could find someone who understands that my job is an important part of who I am, and that you guys are like a second family to me,” he confessed, staring at his drink in his hands before taking a large gulp.
“Jenny always worried about me taking risks, and she hated me doing so much overtime and working all hours.”
Castle nodded at him.
“I just want to find someone who can appreciate the hard work we do, and the fact that sometimes when I get home I just want to relax and watch TV instead of getting a head-start on tomorrow’s laundry. Someone who doesn’t mind ordering in pizza after a long day instead of cooking. Someone who won’t nag me for not using a coaster for my beer, or for drinking beer at all!”
Another nod from Castle and another gulp of beer for Ryan, purposely not replacing it back on a coaster.
“Why can’t I find someone who likes watching sport, or playing video games? Someone I can talk to about anything and who can laugh at my jokes, no matter how lame or politically incorrect they are.”
Ryan was using his hands to emphasise his speech - a clear sign to Castle that the beers were starting to affect him.
“Is it so much to ask that I find someone who understands me? Someone who has my back, who I can trust with my life? Someone who I can rely on for anything?”
Ryan stopped speaking, his bright blue eyes looking pointedly at Castle, who was still nodding along.
“Well, Castle? Why can’t I find someone like that, huh?”
Castle had assumed his questions had been rhetorical and was slightly alarmed to learn he expected an answer. However, he was quick to conjure up a smirk and an easy reply, looking Ryan directly in the eyes.
“You already have.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
“Esposito,” Castle stated matter-of-factly.
Ryan let out the brief chuckle that was expected of him, rolling his eyes. Castle stood up and clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder before moving over to the bar and the others to get another drink. Ryan’s gaze followed him, resting upon his partner, who was shooting back a shot with Lanie. They both slammed their empty glasses on the bar, Esposito laughing at the scrunched look on Lanie’s face. A smile ghosted across Ryan’s lips, watching them.
Then his eyebrows knit together in sudden confusion and concentration.
The little wrinkles were back. And they’d multiplied.