Give Her Joy

Author's Note: This is my first try at a Castle fanfic after many, many years of writing 24 fanfics. Hopefully I've done the characters justice. This story was inspired by a tweet from the official Richard Castle twitter account on April 9, 2014.

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over Richard Castle, Kate Beckett, or any character recognizable from the TV show Castle. This story is solely for fun.

It's her day off. A real day off this time. Secretly he calls it the day off she should have had all those weeks ago, before everything went to hell with one ill-timed phone call from the captain. They've been assured there will be no such call today. Or any calls for that matter. Short of the zombie apocalypse (not that anyone has to worry; he is completely prepared for that, as a matter of fact), their phones won't be ringing for anything but personal reasons all day.

As much as they both love the idea of spending their day lazing around the loft and making love until late into the afternoon, only emerging just before Alexis is due home from classes, the reminder of their last day of "doing nothing" drives them both to suggest an outing. He doesn't want to remember waiting around at home, unsure of why she isn't answering his texts or returning his calls and he's pretty sure she doesn't want to relieve anything about that day either. So an outing it is a romantic day in their city, just for them. He realizes she's been planning something for at least a little bit when she presents him with the tickets for their evening, her eyes bright with the glee he sees every time she surprises him.

Which is every day, if he's honest with himself. He's sure she will continue to surprise him every day for the rest of their lives. It's a thought that still drives a jolt of pleasure up his spine.

"It's not a wedding in a tin can, I know," she singsongs easily, poking her tongue out between her teeth as she teases him. Oh how he loves when she teases him. "But do you think a pre-wedding, post-birthday evening in the cosmos will suffice?"

Her eyebrows wiggle with her words, endearing her to him even more. He's known for his gestures, but hers always blow his out of the water without even the slightest effort.

He captures those smiling lips of hers instead of speaking. The lingering sweetness from her coffee is only made sweeter by her delighted laugh. It was once his mission to coax a smile out of her daily, but now that laugh is his goal. He wants to hear that same delight spring from her lips as often as he can.

"On one condition," he hums as his hand cups her face. His thumb brushes the delicate curve of her cheekbone to soften his bargaining words. "We go now and spend the entire day at the museum. Deal?"

"Deal," she agrees easily, shifting to deposit their tickets on the coffee table. "Just one question, though," she adds innocently, already rising onto her knees to shift into his lap.

She's innocent, his ass. He's not about to push her away, though. Not as she ducks, her face moving close to his for another slow, easy kiss. Not as her nimble fingers curl in the collar of his sleep shirt and her knuckles scrape lightly against his skin. No, innocent or not, he'll stay right where she needs him to stay, taking the breath her lips offer to him even as she steals his own.

"What was your question?" he pants finally, somehow finding the sense to ask as he slides his lips along the curve of her jaw.

He's glad she hasn't taken his 'now' to mean 'right this second.' Taking a museum day doesn't mean they can't do this first, after all.

"My ques-?" She sounds adorably muddled. "My questi-oh!" Her fingers tighten on his shoulders as the memory returns, in spite of his questing lips.

She pushes him back just a little, just far enough for him to see the sparkle in her eyes. They're even brighter against the flush of her cheeks than they were before.

"Can we see the elephants?" The words come out quickly as her excitement for their museum day returns. He's barely had time to nod in agreement when she pecks his lips and hops up. "Thanks, Castle. Let's go."

His protest dies on his lips. If his lady wants to go, who is he to argue? They'll have plenty of time to see stars later.

As it turns out, her eagerness in the loft is nothing compared to the excitement that rolls off her as they take their first steps into the museum. With their fingers laced together firmly and the ridge of her engagement ring pressing into the space between their hands, he's more than open to the idea of trailing through the halls lazily. Or as lazily as the crowds will allow; there are school groups everywhere, complete with harried teachers reminding their pupils of the buddy system to walk through the halls. When he suggests wandering at first the plaintive little girl look she trains on him is enough to change his mind.

She really wants to see the elephants.

"Okay, Kate," he concedes, heaving a sigh for dramatic effect that wouldn't fool her even on a bad day. "Elephants first."

Kate steps into him and fits that entirely too distracting body of hers into his side. She presses a firm kiss to his mouth in thanks. Making her happy is easy, even when he doesn't give in to her immediately. Giving in to her is fun, too, so he lets this one slide. It's worth it to see her entire face light up and fill the room with her joy. Joy she usually keeps restrained, except with him.

"Elephants first," she echoes, using their joined hands to tug him along. "And maybe while we're in there, I'll tell you the story."

He doesn't need any incentive to follow her but for the story of her love of elephants, he's more than willing to play along. To see that bounce in her step, he's willing to do just about anything.

It's going to be a good day.