Prompt: Josh sees Kate and Castle out to dinner on a date
It never occurred to him that they’d make it here. Not in those early years when a smile from her was something precious and lovely, something to cling to with both hands and refuse to let unravel. That early version of him and her, of them, never really stood a chance. And then they grew together, twining around one another, and suddenly it was clear to him that they were going to be extraordinary together.
Even so, it does feel like a strange and lovely dream being here with her. He keeps waiting for the misstep, for the sensation of falling through space in search of a final stair that just isn’t there. It’s the anniversary of their wedding, and every single day for the past year he’s been amazed and grateful and humbled that he got to marry her at all.
“How’s the pasta?” He takes a sip of the sinfully expensive wine, watches his wife swallow her mouthful and smile at him. The ambient light of this place, the candles and the strains of smooth jazz, have remade her into a loose and lovely creature. One whose feet nudge his underneath the table, whose fingers dust the inside of his wrist over and over like collecting cobwebs.
He beams, snagging her hand where it rests on the table near his and lifting it to his mouth. A kiss to the warm skin, the flutter of tendons as her fingers shift, and he lets her go again. “Sublime.”
Her mouth parts to respond, but another voice rushes in to fill the silence instead. One he recognises, and gooseflesh floods his spine like a torrent of ice water. Rick turns around in his seat to see Dr Motorcycle Boy, Kate’s name still on his lips.
“Oh.” Beckett starts, casting a fast glance in his direction. He knows she’s making sure he’s okay, knows that she remembers his anguish watching her with someone else, but he’s so happy this evening that his face doesn’t display a hint of annoyance. He’s sure of it. “Josh. Wow. How are you?”
And then Kate stands up from her chair. Josh’s gaze falls, tripping and tumbling down the length of her body to rest at the swollen curve of her stomach. Stupid, neanderthal pride surges through Rick and he forces himself not to look smug, not to look like anything. His wife decides how this goes; he can be silent, for once.
“Congratulations, Kate.” Josh smiles, all charm and dimples as if nothing has changed at all. But - Rick darts a glance back to his wife’s pregnant belly - everything has. “And you, Castle.”
He suddenly realises that just sitting here makes him look like a total asshole, so Rick clambers up out of his seat and reaches for the other man’s hand to shake. Amusement rolls off of Kate, but his wife takes a subtle step closer to his side nonetheless.
“Are you celebrating?” Josh asks, gaze firmly back to Kate now. Rick can’t blame him; Kate is entrancing all the time, but the pregnancy has her glowing and buoyant, has strangers stumbling for an extra second to watch her.
Beckett’s eyes dart to meet his and then she turns back to her ex, but her fingers slide easily into the spaces between his and the clasp of their hands brushes her thigh. “It’s our wedding anniversary.”
“Wow, then even more congratulations.” Josh is still smiling, and Castle can’t help but wonder if it isn’t hurting his face by now, to be so jovial.
There’s only pity inside. How awful it must be to love Kate Beckett, and then lose her. He’s astonished that Josh can conduct a conversation at all.
“It’s good to see you happy, Kate.”
Her head dips a little, her smile a soft and well-worn thing. “Thank you. I hope you are, too.”
“I am.” The doctor says, not caring to elaborate. The smug, baser part of Castle’s brain assumes it’s because Josh’s life couldn’t possibly compete with how incredible theirs is together. He and Kate and their baby. “And your heart?”
Rick squeezes his wife’s fingers in his, all too aware of how much it worries her. That the doctors are keeping an extra close eye on her because of the stress the pregnancy will put on her body, and that she’s terrified something awful will happen to their baby. The skin of his neck itches with phantom tears, salt slick, and he remembers the roar of anguish on one too many a night.
He wonders for a moment if she’ll tell Josh the truth, or offer a white lie so as not to darken the mood. But his wife - his amazing, beautiful wife - does neither. She holds his gaze for a moment and then she turns back to her ex and smiles, joy spilling over.
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