blue_bells: (Castle :: Ryan/Esposito)
blue_bells ([personal profile] blue_bells) wrote2010-03-01 11:25 pm

Castle += One for the Team (Ryan/Esposito, Castle, Beckett, PG-13, 627w)

» Title: One for the Team
» Fandom: Castle
» Warnings: None
» Pairing(s)/Characters: Ryan/Esposito, Castle, Beckett
» Summary: The occupational hazards of boredom at three in the morning.
» A/N: Written here for [livejournal.com profile] moontyger in [livejournal.com profile] comment_fic.


Ordinarily the Twelfth Precinct Homicide Squad room is a desert of calm and quiet by three a.m.

“Go long, go long!” Castle calls and throws the mini-football across the office.

Ryan makes a spectacular leap and Castle cheers when he catches the throw, but on the way down something goes wrong. Ryan’s blue eyes go comically wide when he realises what’s about to happen, beside him Esposito’s realised it too, but he doesn’t reach out quickly enough when Ryan’s knee catches on a rolling desk chair and he tips head over heels with a crash to the concrete floor.

“Shit, Ryan!” Esposito shoves the chair aside and kneels beside his partner. He takes his arm and clutches his shoulder, tentative to turn him over. “You all right, bro?”

Castle skids to a stop beside them. “Speak to us, Ryan! I made the throw; I’m still too pretty to be taken in for murder!”

“Ngh….” Ryan groans tightly and there’s a collective breath of relief when they realise that he’s okay. "If Beckett asks, this is an old grid iron injury."

In the next moment, Esposito and Castle are doubled over in laughter.

“You should have seen your face when you went down!” Esposito snickers, holding onto Ryan’s arm as he shakes and Ryan’s tight expression of annoyance suggests he isn’t appreciating it.

“That man deserves a drink taking one for the team!” Castle congratulates him and straightens, looking about. “I’ll find your med kit.”

“Just get me off this floor,” Ryan mutters, “Beckett’ll be back any minute.”

Castle holds out a hand to pull him up as Esposito’s arms wind around him, easing his partner into a sitting position. They’ve barely lifted him from the floor when Ryan lets out an aborted shout of agony, knuckles white on Esposito’s sleeve.

“Whoa, easy,” Esposito quickly settles him back down, frowning in real concern.

Ryan’s breathing hard, face pale and sweating, and he can’t seem to let go of Esposito’s arm. His entire body has gone tense. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere, guys.”

“Your back?” Esposito asks and Ryan nods tightly.

“Esposito can kiss it and make it better,” Castle offers and Ryan just grunts while Esposito throws him a look telling him to shut up or be helpful. With a shrug, Castle kneels down again and shuffles close. “Or we can try this tip I learned from a chiropractor I once dated….”

When Beckett steps out of the elevator five minutes later, Ryan’s loud, pained curses make her drop the bag of coffee and donuts. She whips out her piece and runs in to meet whatever threat is causing Ryan to make that noise.

She’s not expecting to see Castle pointing instruction from Ryan’s feet while Esposito does something to his back that makes him jerk, back stiff and finally bowing with relief.

“Ah, Jesus!” Ryan’s head falls back against Esposito’s shoulder, eyes squeezed shut and he heaves deep breaths. “Ha….”

“Hey, it worked!” Castle crows, surprised and delighted.

Beckett raises her hand, but she’s not ready to lower her weapon. “Did I miss something?”

Castle whirls around looking caught out and Beckett purses her lips as he jumps to his feet.

“This better be good, Castle.”

“I was just, we were –“ The writer juts a finger over his shoulder.

“Old grid iron injury,” Esposito fills in, bracing Ryan who’s still boneless against him.

Beckett doesn’t believe him either. She raises an eyebrow at the injured man who’s made no motion to get up off of the floor.

“Ryan?”

Esposito’s hand is rubbing long strokes up and down Ryan’s back and Ryan’s only response has been the occasional wince. When Ryan slowly blinks his eyes open, they don’t quite focus on Beckett.

"Where's the donuts?" He asks.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_jessen_/ 2010-03-02 12:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Aahaha, that made me smile very much. :3 Oh boys will be boys, hey? And bored boys often times get hurt. And then have to patch each other up. Very nice~ X3

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-02 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Boys love to damage themselves in daring, manly ways; I'm glad you enjoyed this!
cedara: (Castle:Esposito/Ryan)

[personal profile] cedara 2010-03-02 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, sweet.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-02 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! <3

[identity profile] noctuabunda.livejournal.com 2010-03-02 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Aaawww. *cuddles them both*
...
*oh hell yes, and Castle too*

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-03 10:21 am (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you enjoyed the boy's mischief! ;]

[identity profile] michygeary.livejournal.com 2010-03-03 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
LMAO. Damn you for making me rofl at work! Jesus, this is amazing. Poor Beckett, gotta wonder wtf they're doing LOL. And poor Ryan, the guy deserves a donut!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-04 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
Woohoo! Making people LOL at inopportune venues; check! :D

(BTW, the faces of those two in your icon captures everything we love about those guys and it's gold!)

I'm glad you enjoyed this so much, hope you didn't get interrupted at work!

[identity profile] esprit-boheme.livejournal.com 2010-03-08 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
HEE! Oh, boys! I love the little detail about Esposito still rubbing Ryan's back after they fixed it, and Ryan not being able to focus his eyes on Beckett (but he still manages to catch the lack of donuts). Lovely!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-08 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
I'm happy you liked it! We all know Esposito pampers Ryan when he complains or damages himself (ooh, that box, is so heavy!) and it's so sweet. The only thing funnier would be looking after Ryan high on pain meds afterwards!

[identity profile] esprit-boheme.livejournal.com 2010-03-08 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
Hehe, did you read the Ryan Report for that episode? It was kind of adorable :)

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-03-08 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, I did! Though I've since lost the URL for the Ryan Report when I upgraded my computer, I need to go looking for it again; thanks for the reminder.

[identity profile] demon-faith.livejournal.com 2010-04-20 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I read this over three times, sighing with content with every re-read. It's such a great balance of h/c, humour, and that great Castle dynamic between the team.

Thank you so much, and I really hope you write more soon!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2010-04-22 09:31 am (UTC)(link)
Aw, thank you! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it that much (and it was still all right each time you re-read it)! I love this team and there will definitely be more. :D

[identity profile] adja999.livejournal.com 2011-03-01 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, awesome! I spent a minute wondering if I would trust Castle, but I don't think he would try anything if he weren't sure he wasn't gonna hurt Kevin.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_bluebells/ 2011-03-01 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Castle has good intentions at heart, though when it comes to the health and safety among guys, common sense isn't so common. We'll assume Castle did something helpful, for Ryan's sake.