(Untitled)

[bestsellingego]

Rick Castle looks ridiculous with a suntan.

Odd, because they guy spends nine months of the year (and around four figures) trying to affect the appearance of a natural tan through a lot of pampering, buffing, scalding and chemical peeling. But get him out into the sun for a couple of weeks, au naturale, and all of that dermatological work goes to

Comments

[morethanprops]

Moist approves of the drink and is trying not to laugh at the shirt, its horrible. He's in a good quality but worn suit,

"That's one I've never seen before."

[bestsellingego]

"You've obviously never been married."

[morethanprops]

"No, I never have and probably won't for a long time,"

Moist enjoys his freedom.

[bestsellingego]

"Ah, a consummate bachelor. I was like you once. And, y'know, still am -- between marriages."

Not that Castle is overenthusiastic about closing the gap between Two and Three. He pays enough in alimony, thank you very much.

"Here, lemmie' buy you one. 'Be like going through the whole thing, 'cept the hangover only lasts into tomorrow morning."

[hallelujahpilot]

Trudy has never been sunburnt. Ever. Most of the time, her skin is fairly pale, but get her in the sun, and her skin rapidly goes brown. So, Castle gets a smirk from the off-duty (and she's dressed off-duty, with a purple singlet and a pair of loose black slacks). The smirk is for the burn, and not the shirt - she's from a different time, after all, and bad taste isn't exactly a constant.

"But without the wedding, then you wouldn't get the satisfaction of the whole 'ex-wife' thing," she points out, more entertained than she should be by that burn.

[bestsellingego]

He's a real looker: 'got the raccoon eyes from the mislaid sunglasses and everything. "Some people would argue that you never get the satisfaction while you're in the marriage, either," Castle rejoins. "In which case, I'm a real sucker for punishment."

[hallelujahpilot]

"You could...anticipate the satisfaction?"

Trudy's never been married. Or even engaged. She's basing this on a) her parents' divorce and b) the ability to just run with a conversation.

Probably more the latter, to be honest.

[bestsellingego]

"Optimist," Castle identifies. 'Sits down on one of the barstools (gingerly, of course) and takes the strawberry out of the glass, placing it on a napkin. "Nah, I mean, marriage isn't that bad. Getting out of it takes some maneuvering, but it's not bad when it's good."

Yes, he is aware of the slight Lewis Carroll-ing of that remark.

[fanofthegenre]

The Beckett who enters the bar is considerably less tan and - well, hardly looking as though she's even taken much of a vacation at all.

Because, truthfully, she hasn't. She's not packing any heat - the precinct has already adopted its traditional lack of summer air-conditioning - but the police badge still shines familiar on her hip. The evidence of her overheated state is obvious by this point; her arms are covered in a light sheen of sweat, her dark hair piled up into a messy bun while a few occasional strands drop down to stick to the back of her neck.

The Bar might be an unexpected surprise, but it's not an unwelcome one. Not yet.

She sighs with mild relief, ordering a tall glass of ice water, and then proceeds to press the chilled glass against her temple, closing her eyes.

Ironically, the writer in the ridiculously patterned shirt has yet to grab her attention.

[bestsellingego]

He's halfway through his first Ex-Wife when he spots her. "Beckett!"

Dragging his pink elbows off the edge of the bar, Ex-Wife sloshing over the back of his wrist, he hops eagerly off his barstool and over to where she's standing.

"Hey! Beckett! Wow, hey --" taking note of her bedraggled appearance "-- you look...so hey, how's your summer going?"

[fanofthegenre]

At first, she's half-convinced she's nodded off - that, or the heat is taking a larger toll on her than even she originally realized.

And then she's almost close to believing it's Jameson Rook - don't be stupid, Beckett.

"Castle - um, hi. Yeah, you look - " She bites down on the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from saying exactly what she wants to - which is something along the lines of absolutely ridiculous.

"So this is you on summer vacation, huh?"

[bestsellingego]

"Actually, this is me avoiding summer vacation --" a pause, during which he realizes that she's probably referring to the shirt and the sunburn "-- oh this? --" he gingerly touches the end of his nose. "We went tubing with Jerry Seinfeld in Amagansett last week. Forgot sunscreen."

He has no excuse for the shirt.

"So how're you doing? How's the city?"

[mickandbono]

Jamie is sipping on scotch reading a book, trying to figure out why these people are addicted to Twilight when he's found it's good for a recycling bin.

He's going to need more scotch, he looks up seeing a man that looks like him. Almost maybe a not quite as handsome but wow.

[ooc: I'm perfectly okay if you don't reply.

[bestsellingego]

[ ooc: Are you kidding me? I almost did a backflip when I saw you'd tagged Rook in. XD ]

Castle never wanted to be the guy who retreated to the bar to get away from his problems but, hell, if the Bar at the End of the Universe is gonna' throw itself in front of you, aren't you obliged to stop in for at least a drink or two? He's already feeling better. 'Rationalizing his slow progress on the Naked Heat manuscript (even though he should have turned in a final edited draft, like, six weeks ago) by falling back on the old artist's standby: great art cannot be rushed.

He's just trying to figure out a way to express this to Gina when he sees the guy at the other end of the bar. Another look-alike. Except this one is...well, it's just weird. Not like Bill, or Captain Hammer, or the space cowboy. Really familiar.

Castle raises his eyebrows at the other man. The classic I-acknowledge-you look perfected by all guys who aren't quite sure about an initial approach.

[mickandbono]

[ooc:okay Awesome]

Rook blinks then nods and realizing what's got in his hands. Scotch that is manly enough but what the freak Twilight when you’re meeting another apparently masculine man this is not what you want caught with.

“This isn’t mine, okay it is mine. But, I wanted to know what the craze is about. I am not sure that you can’t understand this drabble if you’re over 15 or have a Y chromosome.”

He tosses it down and then runs a hand though his hair. This guy really is more than the normal, everyone has a twin thing.

[bestsellingego]

Jesus, even the gesture was familiar. Castle's sure he's seen it before. Maybe he's done it before (easy to spot, since the guy's wearing a variation of his face), or maybe it's more like catching yourself halfway in the mirror and it's just an impression of you and an action.

He then processes what the guy's actually saying.

"What, Twilight? I have a hard time believing that that stuff actually sells, you know? 'Specially when it pushes other, more interesting titles off the Times list."

Here is Castle's ire -- let him show you it.

[justdidntseeit]

Sometime after Castle's drink appears, a note materializes on the counter.Rick -

Until I can thank you in person, the flowers were gorgeous.

- Kate Warner
A pocket-sized Moleskine - its ruled pages, of course, meant for writing - accompanies the note. A small yellow Post-It is stuck to the smooth black cover, the words Assuming you don't use a laptop for everything written in blue ink.

[bestsellingego]

Castle'll be able to write twisted and impossible scenarios for his books 'til the royalty checks stop flowing, but he will never get used to the way Bar just materializes things like a psychic post office. He picks up the note by a corner, reads it, and smiles.

'Tucks the Moleskine in the pocket of his shirt.

He's gonna' have to buy that lady a drink the next time he sees her.