Title: Them
Fandom: Castle
Characters/Pairings: Kate Beckett/Richard Castle
Word Count: 1616
Rating: M/NC-17/FRAO
Warnings: Absolute smuttiness.
Spoiler alert: Theoretically for the as of yet un-posted third installment of the World Series (Trouble in the Hamptons)
Summary: They've had a fight. A nasty one. And this is how they fix it.
Disclaimer: Recognize it? Then I don't own it.

They'd had a fight. A nasty one. About Alexis and them and everything….

They're both raw as they make their way up to the bedroom of his Hamptons home. They've been officially dating for a year, after he dragged her across the country on a book tour that was more a vacation for her. Their trip to the Hamptons comes on the heels of a deranged fan shooting her in the shoulder and, for the sake of her recovery, he'd pestered her until she'd agreed. And now this. Alexis has been acting odd and it's scaring them both, but for now…

For now it's about them.

They hate fighting with each other. Sure, the entirety of their relationship is based largely on a modicum of irritation in their day-to-day interactions, but full out fighting, with yelling and cruel words… it's not their usual style. When they do fight, it always breaks them, just a little, and they both need this to put themselves back together again.

Rick is tender when they reach the bedroom, his fingers light on the skin of her back. It's all-purpose cotton under his fingers because though lingerie is nice, his Kate in a cotton tank and his boxers is sexy as hell. For a moment, he just holds her, tracing feather-light patterns over cotton and exposed skin. She sighs against him, her cheek pressed against his as he feels some of the tension leak out of her. They're at a crossroads with Alexis leaving for college soon and they both know it. Still, he hates that it's stressing her out, that it's making her tense. Contrary to popular belief, Kate feels deeply and he knows that she worries, probably more than she should.

And it's that moment that he decides she's not going to worry tonight. Tonight, he's going to make her forget.

He knows as soon as he makes that decision that the tone of his touches changes. Her breath deepens as he shifts so her breasts brush against his chest and she actually starts to sway in his arms. He's not sure why, but he knows he can feel her nipples tightening and deliberately releases a warm breath down the side of her neck. She shivers against him and he can't stop grinning into her hair. He'll never get over how quickly she responds to him, how easy it is to make her putty in his hands. It helps that there's an emotional undercurrent, that they both need the reassurance of the other because of their fight.

She exhales slowly when his hands finally slip under her tank top to stroke bare skin and her nails start scratching lightly at his hips. He has sensitive, exposed nerves on his pelvic bone and it's one of his highly erogenous zones. It amuses Kate to no end, and she's exploited it more than once to get her way. This time, though, Rick wants to go slow and having her fingers at his hips isn't going to help. He takes her hands and wraps them around his neck, resting his forehead against hers as his hands fall back to her, slipping back under the tank top. He knows he surprises her when he starts humming softly, swaying back and forth as his hands trace random patterns on her back.

His seduction is in the slow sway of their bodies, in the gentle rhythm of his hips nudging hers to keep the beat he's humming and in the fingers he's now sliding around to her front. The tank top comes off as he tugs upwards, pulling it over her head without much resistance from her. His hands settle on her hips again as he continues their little dance, at least until she nuzzles her nose against his. Then he finally moves them as she kisses him gently, trailing them up her sides until he's cupping her breasts in both hands. There's a certain comfort in the contours of her body and yet, Rick knows he'll never get sick of exploring her. Regardless of how many times they've done this, there always feels like there's something new between them. A new touch, a new kiss, a new taste, a new place… there's always something for Kate to show him.

He doesn't mind how slowly the Beckett Onion is peeling.

Nor does he mind her fingers pushing his boxers away. He steps out of them and shuffles them towards the bed, one of his hands moving to span her lower back while the other teases the hardening peak of her breast. Her breath catches, and he can feel it in the hitch of her chest as much as against his mouth. Then she sighs in pleasure, her tongue mating with his and his entire world shrinks down to the woman in his arms. He loves her, there isn't a question in his mind as he sets about showing her just how much.

She groans in displeasure when he removes his hand from her breast and he spans it just under her collarbone. His arm is strong against her back as he pushes gently and one of her legs comes up to wrap around his thighs for balance. He's glad, especially when he uses the position to fasten his mouth to the nipple his hand had been teasing only moments before. The hand on her chest meanders down to trace those feather light patterns against the sensitive skin of her other breast and her body arches into his. Her hands are tangled in his hair now, absorbing the feeling of him against her.

He brings them both back to fully standing when he's paid sufficient attention to her one breast and releases her only long enough to let her get situated on the bed. Then he's climbing after her as she removes her panties, settling between legs she spreads for him. He can feel her wetness as he settles against her and leers down at her. She just smiles back, the one he hasn't seen her give anyone else and he feels his heart swell.

Her neglected breast is the next patch of skin to get the attention of his mouth and his hand trails down her body from ribs, to hip, to knee and back again. When he reaches the junction of her hip and thigh and starts to move his hand inwards, she stops him, grasping his wrist even as she arches into his mouth. He releases her breast to look up at her in curiosity.

"Not tonight," she whispers, afraid anything louder will break the spell around them. "Inside."

He knows he's not in any position to refuse her and since she's asked in that breathless voice he reaches for the condoms in the bedside table. This time, though, he catches her off guard when he slips his fingers into her heat. He doesn't want to hurt her, not any more than he already has and he smiles when he finds her ready. Her leg wraps around his hip, opening herself wider as he settles against her and slides in her with that first, sweet glide he's never gotten used to.

They both stop. He's pretty sure she's not breathing, but he's not sure he is either while they absorb the feeling of just being together. He's the one that starts to move, supporting himself over her with both of his arms. He needs to watch her, needs to be able to see her eyes. They're filled with passion, with love, with forgiveness and her own apology, and he stays fixated on them as he moves within her depths. They're both breathing harshly, though he's not moving any faster until she cups his cheek in her palm.

"I won't break," she says, voice breathy. "I'm right here. With you. Every step of the way."

He picks up his pace then, thrusting with more force. It's the first time her eyes leave his as they flutter closed and her head tilts back. He takes advantage and fastens his mouth to her neck. He can feel her whimpers as much as he can hear them and he grins just before he twists his hips with his next thrust. She honest to goodness chokes on air and it's the best indication of how close she is. He's glad for it, because he can feel the coil of his own pleasure tightening at the bottom of his spine.

"Kate," he whispers into her ear, thrilling at her shiver. "Kate, I want you to come."

"I'm going to," she promises. "Harder, Rick. Faster."

He complies and slides his hand until he can get his thumb against her clit. He's watching her when she falls apart and takes that as his cue to do the same. He buries his face in her neck as he holds himself inside the wet heat of her body, listening to her pant harshly in his ear. It never ceases to amaze him that its him making her lose control, that it's his cock she falls apart on.

She cups his face between her hands, bringing it up to hers and kisses him, slowly, thoroughly and only after she's had her fill does she finally release him. He presses a feathery kiss to her still-pink scar before rising to take care of the condom. He's back in what feels like a split second though, sliding them both naked between the sheets. She presses against his side, one arm slung across his chest, a leg hitched around his hip and her head resting on his shoulder.

"I love you," she whispers. "A lot."

He grins into the dark, kissing her hair. "I love you, too."

Rainne, who beta'ed the latest Hamptons chapter that will be up later tonight, decided she also wanted make up sex. Considering Porn Battle is still going on until Sunday-ish, I figured I'd indulge her. The funny part is that this turned out a lot more tender than I anticipated.