#297

Son hitting puberty

— ANONYMOUS

"Carter, wow, what are you doing awake?"

Her son scuffs his toe against the floor in something so stereotypically sheepish that Kate has to struggle against laughter. Instead, she finishes pouring her coffee and adds a little vanilla syrup, waiting on Carter to speak.

No one else is awake this early, and she's honestly surprised Carter is - up and dressed this early too. Her kids usually sleep in during their summers off, and Carter seems to be the biggest culprit.

He's as tall as her shoulder at twelve years old, and he just keeps growing every time she turns around - which is Rick's excuse for letting the boy sleep in so late. "Car?"

"Um, where's dad?"

Kate lifts her head, the mug halfway to her mouth. "Carter."

He rubs the back of his neck in a gesture so like Rick that it makes her smile.

And seeing her smile, Carter blushes hard, won't meet her eyes.

"Hey," she says gently. "You want to talk to dad, you can do that. Guy stuff?"

His ears are red now, not just his cheeks.

Oh. It's five in the morning and her twelve year old has come downstairs. "Hey, kiddo, grab your sheets, pajamas too?, and dump them in the washing machine. Okay? And then you can wake up your dad and have him show you what to do, or I can after I get a shower."

Cheeks, ears, the nape of his neck, all beet red. He mumbles an answer but she pretends she's heard it and strides towards him. She loops an arm around his shoulders and hugs him against her side. He sort of buries his face against her shoulder but then shrugs her off. "Um. Thanks. Mom."

She goes; she doesn't mind that at all. She takes her coffee mug into the bedroom and creeps towards the bed, tugs on Rick's foot to wake him.

It takes a moment, it takes a little more viciousness in her tugging, but he grunts and glares up at her. "What the…"

"Your son," she says, trying not to laugh at the mussed hair, the drooping eyes, the crease on his cheek from the pillow. "Your son needs you, Rick. So be awake. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a conversation about what's normal and what isn't, and then you're gonna have to show him how to use the washing machine."

Castle gives her a blank look.

Kate shakes her and leans in to brush the flop of hair off his forehead. He still looks confused so she offers her mug of coffee.

He takes it gratefully and downs nearly half of her cup. Winces. Moves his tongue around in his mouth like he's burned it.

And then it seems to click for him. "Oh. Oh." His face brightens. "Hey. This is my first man-to-man talk!"

She laughs and takes her mug back. "Alright, well, I need to take a shower. Some of us have to work. You console your son."

"My son," he grins, looking so pleased. Like he's already accomplished something great.

Well, he has. Puberty has its pitfalls, but Rick is a good dad, and he'll know exactly what to say to make everything just fine in Carter's world.

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