FIC: A Muse Stalks Into A Bar 2/3
Nov. 5th, 2009 07:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
paulacasTitle: A Muse Stalks Into A Bar 2/3
Author: YanzaDracan
Fandom: Leverage/Castle
Pairing: Nate/Eliot, Rick/Eliot (past), Kate
Rating: FRT
Summary: Castle just has to know more about someone with THAT much presence.
“Take care yerself, Kate. Warn your boy not to make me come back here.” His posture softened as he hugged her back.
“He’s not ‘my’ boy.” Kate growled.
“Keep tellin’ yerself that, girl.” Eliot laughed low and dirty.
“He’s not!” Kate yelled as Eliot’s laughter trailed behind the men as they headed for the door.
Chapter 2
The sound of expensive leather sliding on marble drew Kate’s attention away from Eliot and his friend.
“Tell me you know that magnificent man and that you’ll introduce us.” Castle gushed.
A devilish grin started across Kate’s face.
“I didn’t know you swung that way, Castle.”
“What!...No…I…He…Then again…” Watching the laughter dancing in whiskey colored eyes, Rick took a steadying breath and tried again. “He’d be perfect for the book. He could be just the man to tame Nikki Heat.” He teased gently…unsure of his reception.
Kate sobered thinking of Eliot. That man certainly did have a way with skittish creatures…If anyone could gentle the rough and tumble Nikki Heat it would be a man like Eliot Spencer. She shook herself from her reverie to glare at Castle.
“He’s an old friend.” Her voice was clipped.
“Can I meet him?”
Kate was reminded of a six-year-old on Christmas morning.
“I think he’s going to be busy for a while, but I can give him a call…later.” She emphasized. “I’ve got to warn you, Castle. You pester him with a lot of nosy questions you get a face full of bad attitude.”
“That’d really be perfect.” Rick shivered with anticipation as he followed Kate out the door.
Kate rolled her eyes at Castle’s unbridled enthusiasm. “Are you ever going to grow up?”
“Been there, done that. Now that mother’s finally an adult and Alexis is in high school, I’m having the childhood of which I was sadly deprived.”
Castle’s tone was lighthearted, but Kate caught a flash of something in those blue eyes before he slipped on his sunglasses that told her perhaps there was truth in the joke.
Knowing she was going to regret it later, Kate sighed inwardly, and followed after Castle.
“Castle!” She yelled before he disappeared into the cab.
“Yeah?” He sounded dejected.
“I’ll call him, but I need a really good incentive.”
The writer’s entire demeanor brightened. “Anything. Like what?”
“He likes to cook. He could probably be a chef in any restaurant you care to name.” Kate’s tone was thoughtful.
“Did you say a chef?” This was just getting better all the time. He put that rugged face on the chef in Nathan’s story. “All of you come to the apartment around 7. I’ll order in something fantastic.” He was almost bouncing.
“Recipes, Castle.”
“I beg your pardon?” The comment stopped Castle in his tracks.
“If you’re going to ply him with gourmet food, wine and questions you better have recipes to go along with your gourmet catering.” Kate snickered.
“Recipes?! Do you know how hard it is to get recipes from a chef?” Castle stammered.
Kate batted her eyelashes at him innocently. “Too tough for you? I can probably get him there with the promise of a great dinner, great wine…but to get him to talk…I don’t know.”
Castle’s ego immediately rallied at her insinuation. “You get him there—I’ll have recipes.” He huffed.
“We’ll see you at 7.” Kate headed for her car.
Knowing there was a line in the sand next to the wall Beckett had raised between them over her mother’s murder Rick stepped across the line and pushed on the wall.
“We ever going to talk about it?” He asked softly.
“You always have to take that one step that’s too far, don’t you?” Kate asked through gritted teeth.
Rick held his hands up in surrender. “See you at 7.” He ducked into the cab.
He spent a frenetic afternoon talking to chefs across the city. They didn’t mind feeding his dinner party, but none wanted to give up their culinary secrets. His last hope was Chef Ignacio Mattos at Il Buco. He and Mattos had formed a fast friendship when Rick had needed insight into the workings of a mind whose artistic venue was food.
“Please help me out. I’ll sing your praises forever if you do this one favor for me.” Castle pleaded.
“I’ve heard you sing, Rick.” Mattos mocked.
“I need this guy to talk to me. Kate says Eliot’s some quasi chef type person, and the only way to bribe him is great food along with recipes. He’s going to be perfect in my book, but I need to get a feel for the character. Pleassssse let me have some recipe that no one will ever miss, that won’t ruin your prima donna reputation.”
“Ah Ricky, you beg so pretty you break my heart.” The chef chuckled. “But you know my rule—no one knows my recipes.”
“I guess if a fantastic dinner for six is all I can bribe him with—at least make it something that I might be able to talk him around afterward.” Castle sounded defeated.
Ignacio paused as if Castle’s words had finally sunk into his brain.
“Did you say Eliot?” He asked.
“Yeah. Kate didn’t tell me his last name. But he has this presence. You know…all attitude and danger. You throw in the long hair and blue eyes, and women everywhere will be buying my book just to read about him.” Rick waxed poetic.
The silence on the line lasted so long Castle thought Mattos had cut off the call.
“This is going to cost you my friend.” The chef prefaced.
“Thankyouthankyouthankyou. I am forever in your debt. I’ll send all my friends to Il Buco’s.” He was so relieved he sank down into his desk chair.
“All your friends already come the restaurant, Rick.” Ignacio teased.
“Yes…well…could the food be here between 7 and 7:30?”
“Not a problem. I promise it’ll be perfect.”
When the doorbell rang at 7, Rick was so wound up he nearly tipped his chair over backwards in his haste to get to the door.
“Kate?” Sharp eyes slanted to the empty space behind her.
“They’re coming, Castle. Eliot’s taking care of the cab.” Beckett pushed by him as the elevator dinged.
Eliot and Nate came through the door just as Alexis raced down the stairs.
“Ah this gamine young lady is my daughter, Alexis. Alexis, these are Detective Beckett’s friends, Nathan…”
“Ford.” Nate supplied.
“And Eliot…”
Eliot gave him a shark’s smile that told Castle he knew exactly what the writer was playing at.
“Spencer.” He raised the teenager’s offered hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “Real
pleasure to meet such a beautiful young woman.” He crooned in his soft southern drawl.
Alexis blushed to the roots of her red hair as she took in the handsome face, long hair with beads that had to be real diamonds twinkling from the braid that fell from behind his PIERCED! ear. She nearly swooned at his attention.
Nate smirked at Castle as he watched Eliot woo the teenage girl. Castle’s head snapped around at the sound of Kate’s chuckle, but before he could utter a word, his mother made her entrance.
“Richard, darling, you didn’t tell me we were having guests for dinner. Kate, how nice to see you. Do you have a case?” She asked, her eyes never leaving Nate and Eliot.
Rick rolled his eyes. “Martha Rodgers—Nathan Ford and Eliot Spencer. Mother’s an actress.” He said in way of explanation.
Even though actresses were Nate’s forte, Eliot stepped forward before the mastermind could speak. Using that same ‘aw shucks’ manner, the retrievalist continued to woo the women of the Castle household.
“Ma’am it is a real honor to finally meet you. I saw you in a play ‘bout ten years back and that performance has stuck with me to this day.” Eliot held her hand between his as he looked earnestly into her eyes.
Martha preened under the young man’s praise. Nate stood with mouth gaped as he watched his ‘say three words a day’ hitter working the Castle women.
“What was it you saw me in, dear boy?” She leaned in closer.
“It was right here in the city. Shakespeare in the Park I think they called it. You played Juliet’s nurse. Your performance just grabbed me and made me watch ‘til the end.” He drawled watching Rick over her shoulder.
Castle’s eyes widened as a younger, prettier face superimposed over the rugged countenance. He remembered Martha finding enough work to keep her in the city for an entire year. She had stayed with them enough to help take care of six year-old Alexis--giving moderately successful author, Richard Castle, a chance sow a few wild oats. Some of those oats were staring at him over his mother’s shoulder. He was brought back to the present by his mother’s voice.
“See, Richard, there are young people who enjoy my work.” Martha gushed.
Castle rolled his eyes as the doorbell rang. “Why don’t you see to getting our guests drinks while I answer the door?”
“Certainly, darling.” Martha herded them toward the wet bar.
Kate pulled Eliot to the side.
“What was that!?” She hissed.
“What! You told me to make nice.” He smirked.
“I said nice. Not seduce his 16 year-old daughter.”
“What can I say? I’m irresistible to women of all ages.” He whispered into her ear.
Kate punched him in the arm, bruising her knuckles
Castle entered the room followed by Chef Mattos in time to see what appeared to be an intimate moment between Beckett and Spencer. Grinding his teeth to stay civil he announced.
“Dinner has arrived!”
Eliot and Kate turned to face the new arrivals. The chef took one look at Eliot and came toward him with open arms—rapid fire Spanish directed at the shorter man. Engulfed in a bone crushing hug the two men exchanged news while the rest of the room just stared. Nate had seen this side of Eliot with Donny, so was the first to move. The only reason his hand was still attached was because the hitter knew it was Nate who touched him from behind. As it was the grip Eliot had on his wrist caused the bruises from their earlier activities to ache in a way that rekindled the fire low in his belly.
Eliot’s knowing smirk irritated the older man, but he never paused in his conversation with Mattos.
The chef finally turned to Castle.
“I have no recipes that Eliot doesn’t already know. I even have several that I got from him, but you have reunited me with an old friend…and for that I thank you.” Ignacio bowed his head in an old-fashion acknowledgment of Rick’s service to him.
The two old friends disappeared into the kitchen, the others still staring in amazement. Nate finally broke the silence.
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I could do with a refill.”
The others agreed, not noticing Alexis slipping toward the kitchen.
Never looking up from what he was doing, Alexis jumped with a startled squeak when Eliot’s growl snapped her out of her staring.
“You can quit peekin’ ‘round the corner, girl. Git yerself in here, and help dish this up ‘fore it’s ruined.”
Blushing at being caught, then blushing even harder when she noticed Chef Mattos grinning at her, Alexis rushed to comply.
Once dinner was on the table and everyone seated, Mattos took his leave once again thanking Castle for allowing him to catch up with Eliot.
Blue eyes bright with curiosity, the writer turned on Eliot.
“How do you know Ignacio?”
“We met on the job in Italy.” Eliot paused to savor the combination of flavors in his mouth.
“You worked as a chef in Italy?” Martha volunteered.
“No. He was the job.” Eliot stated flatly.
Nate coughed as a bite went down sideways. “You retrieved a chef?”
Eliot slid his eyes sideways to Nate as he watched the rest of the table.
“Job paid too much to pass up.” He shrugged and turned his attention back to his dinner.
“How do you retrieve a chef?” Alexis asked.
“Get him drunk toss him in the car and leave.” Eliot never paused from his dinner.
*Matty had really outdone himself.*
“You get paid to retrieve people?” Castle was more confused and intrigued by the minute. Eliot’s blasé attitude seemed…odd.
Nate and Kate exchanged a look of alarm. Eliot was playing with Castle. Eliot was playing with Castle like a cat plays with a mouse right before the mouse goes from being a toy to being food.
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-06 04:02 am (UTC)ohh, you had me doubled over laughing when Eliot woos Alexis & Martha, then Castle realizes why he's familiar.
"How do you retrieve a chef?" "Get him drunk, toss him in a car and leave."
oh, I don't think I want to know the story behind this. but I'm totally not surprised to learn that Eliot & the chef go way back. that man has connections all over the freakin' place.
onto part 3! ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-11-06 12:50 pm (UTC)Ricky just did not want to be left out of the Elot's had me party. I thought I was finished, and he made me go back and add that part to the story. Muses, what can you do? LOL