A Muse Stalks Into a Bar - Epilogue 2/2

[paulacas]

Title: A Muse Stalks Into A Bar

Author: YanzaDracan

Fandom: Leverage/Castle

Pairing: Nate/Eliot, Rick/Eliot

Rating: FRT

Summary: Castle just has to know more about someone with THAT much presence.

 

Disclaimer: All copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. References to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. Any mistakes are mine.

Eliot Spencer was the only man Rick Castle had taken to his bed. The experience had been such that like a heroine in a bodice ripper, he feared tarnishing the memory, so never let that side of himself out to see the light of day again. Having Eliot this close…flirting, giving off those ‘I could make you scream so good’ vibes…feeding him tidbits of his past…

“What’s your deal, Spencer?” Rick sat back and took a deep breath to calm his mind and body.

Eliot just arched an eyebrow at Castle. “No deal.” He studied the liquor in the bottom of his glass for a minute. “Kate suggested I try being sociable—I think she called it.” He shrugged like it didn’t matter one way or the other to him.

“Does she know?” Rick asked.

“What? That we bumped boots for a week ten years ago?” Eliot waggled his eyebrows at the writer as he finished the last swallow in his glass. “Naw. Know ya got a hankerin’ for her.”

“How…I mean…we don’t…she won’t.” Rick closed his mouth with a snap.

Spencer always did this to him. Reduced him a stuttering teenager.

Eliot chuckled as he moved back to the bar to refresh his drink. “Seriously? You’re like a hound on a fox.”

The chuckle he gave sent shivers down Castle’s spine…again. *Damn the man.*

“’Cept this fox keeps the hound all tied in knots. Better than TV.” Eliot held up the decanter in Castle’s direction.

Accepting the refill, the novelist took a deep drink before stepping out into no man’s land.

“What about you and Ford?” Castle noticed the fading bruises on the younger man’s face.

“Nothin’ to tell.” Eliot’s face was carefully blank.

“But…the way he talked and acted that day in the bar…I thought…”

“Like he said, he was drunk most of that year.”

Rick could feel the temperature in the room dropping as the retrievalist turned cold.

“So…he’s drunk and homo-flexible or sober and straight?”

Eliot shrugged. “He’s the Wizard of Oz—controls all he sees. When the curtain drops, I’m not sure who’ll be left standing.” His tone was wistful.

“You think that’s how it’ll play out?” Rick asked quietly. “You could walk away.” His hand reached out as though to brush his fingers down the mottled cheek.

Eliot shook himself out of his thoughts as he noticed the hand moving his way. He took a step back.

“Yeah I could—and normally I would, but this helping people thing is like an itch, and I can’t leave Parker and Hardison to Nate’s tender mercies.”

He set the tumbler carefully on the bar before he gave in to the urge to hurl the crystal across the room.

Castle just couldn’t leave the obvious sore spot alone. Like Parker, he had to poke the bruise just one more time.

“You’re a regular Tootsie Roll Pop. Hard candy shell wrapped around a soft chewy center.” Rick smirked.

The statement was just past his lips when he found himself pinned against the wall with a forearm across his throat, and a snarling Eliot Spencer in his face.

“Never make the mistake of thinking I’m some tame lapdog, Castle.” The growl was low and deep. “Just ‘cause I don’t like innocents gettin’ hurt don’t mean I got a heart. It’s a waste, and I hate waste.” Eliot removed his arm and headed for the door.

Rick blinked a couple times to regain his equilibrium. Eliot hadn’t hurt him, just scared the hell out of him. “Spencer.”

He jumped up and headed after Eliot, excitement racing along his nerves from being manhandled, but his usual aplomb back in place.

Eliot paused, his hand on the knob. “I won’t bother ya’ll again.”

“You want Alexis to never talk to me again?” He sounded aghast.

Eliot’s expression became confused. Rick cautiously reached out and laid a hand on the hitter’s arm.

“I was just going to say—next time we can work some more on that sociable thing. You really could use the practice.” Rick gave a small chuckle.

Eyes leeched grey with the turbulence of his emotions, Eliot studied the writer for any tells that said he was being conned. Everything told him that Castle was being honest, and not running a game on him for research.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Plus all the women in my life will make it a living hell if you suddenly stopped turning up to spoil them, and I’m badly outnumbered here.” Rick chuckled again.

The men could hear Alexis still telling her grandmother about her dinner with Eliot and Kate.

Letting the sounds of a normal family soothe his jangled nerves, the retrievalist nodded briefly. “Some more of that Gentlemen Jack would go a long way to makin’ it more enjoyable.” Eliot’s voice was still rough from the rollercoaster of his emotions.

“Besides, what 16 year-old wouldn’t want an Eliot Spencer of her own?” Rick waved his arms as he refilled their glasses. You pop in from your mysterious wanderings. The wounded hero…” Rick pointed to the fading bruises on Eliot’s face. “Who admonishes her to don her best frippery and escorts her to all the places she’s only read about in her grandmother’s magazines.” Castle pauses with a hand over his heart and grins widely at a scowling Eliot.

Eliot mumbled into his glass about Castle being crazier than Parker as he let the fine sippin’ whiskey further soothe his temper.

“It’s perfect.” Rick face lit up like Times Square on New Year’s Eve. “You’re the perfect gift for the teenager who has everything.”

“What the hell ya talkin’ about, Castle?” Eliot was back to scowling.

“I’m giving you to Alexis as an honorary uncle.” Rick smirked.

“I never thought I’d hear myself quote Parker, but are you injured in the head?” Eliot growled.

“I’ll bet none of her friends can say they have the world’s best retrieval specialist as an uncle.”

“And you don’t want her to have one either. There are people out there that would use you, her, your mother, Kate, anyone they thought would give ‘em leverage to get to me. My idea is the best. For me to walk out the door and never look back.”

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a teenage girl, Spencer.” Rick poked at the hitter’s pride.

“Did you listen to anything I said? You remember the Russian mob? They were going to take her.” Eliot tried to reason.

“You got her back before we even knew she was missing. See the perfect gift, Uncle Eliot.”

Eliot ducked his head, his hair hiding his expression.

“Rick.” Emotions make the drawl heavy in his voice. “I’m not who or what you think. I’m not some noble ‘wounded hero’. I’m a guy who steals things and hurts people for obscene amounts of money.”

“Who’s friends with nearly every chef in the city, has a beautiful cop that treats him like a big brother, retrieved my daughter, humors my mother without letting her railroad him, expanded my horizons in ways I’d never thought possible…” He blushed deeply as his voice trailed off.

Eliot looked at the writer who was looking at Eliot like his life depended on the retrievalist saying ‘yes’. Huffing out a deep sigh, knowing he was going to regret this, Eliot Spencer gave a brief nod.

Eliot heard Parker give a growl matching his own as they watched Tara sashay toward the door. He couldn’t believe Nate was going to trust this wench on Sophie’s recommendation.

“We really doin’ this?” He glared at Nate.

“We need a grifter, and she’s a friend of Sophie’s.” Nate talked into his coffee mug, never looking at any of them.

“Don’t that just make it all good, then.” His eyes rested briefly on Parker and Hardison. “I’m outta here.” He growled as he grabbed his duffel from behind the couch.

Parker’s eyes got wide as she grabbed his arm. “You coming back?”

Eliot looked over at Nate, who refused to meet his eyes. His lips curled in a reassuring smile as he looked back at the thief.

“Yeah. Gonna visit family for a couple days. Be back before ya miss me.”

She gave a sharp nod before moving back to Alec. A brief glare at the hacker warned him he’d better not track where he was going got him a brief nod.

The door had barely closed behind the hitter before Nate was looking at Hardison.

“No way, man. He made it clear he’d hurt me if I tracked him.” Alec raised his hands in surrender.

“He didn’t say anything.” Nate frowned. When had the three youngest become close enough that they understood each other without talking?

“You threw him away.” Parker announced.

“What?” Nate’s head snapped around.

“When you quit drinking and became creepier Nate—you threw him away.”

Hardison grabbed her arm and was rushing them toward the door as Nate stared after them, the hacker whispering harshly. Parker jerked her arm away.

“Don’t shush me. It’s the truth.” She jerked the door open and with head high and back stiff marched from the apartment.

Giving Nate an apologetic look, Hardison dashed after her.

Nathan Ford stared at the door of his empty apartment wondering what just happened, and how did he end up the bad guy.

Summer in the city was sweltering. Rolling blackouts kept the building’s air conditioner from accomplishing anything close to cool. Pale skin glistened as a sheen of sweat reflected the street lights.

Nikki gazed at the true face of the man sleeping next to her. She imagined a clear-eyed young man who had wanted to make a difference in the world.

If Cade were awake he would scoff at her fanciful notions. Flint hard eyes would glitter with cynical humor as his calloused hands would begin playing a rhapsody on her body.

She smiled softly. They were the perfect couple. Too dedicated to the job for a normal relationship, Cade was her perfect mate. He blew into the city with the wind. He never stayed long, but the effect was both cleansing and devastating. He was more unpredictable as a summer storm. He struck quick as lightning—scorching her heart and soul. When he blew out again, the pieces of her that remained were jumbled and unrecognizable much to consternation of her captain.

He always showed up when the real Nikki Heat was getting lost under the piles of case files and dead bodies. Just as she was being pulled into the sinkhole of indifference, Cade would roll into town and break her out of her stupor.

“Would you like calloused hands to break you out of your stupor, Katie girl?” The low growl blew across her ear.

So engrossed in the scene between Nikki Heat and Cade, it took Kate a minute to realize a real person had spoken. In a move that would have done any cat proud, she sprung straight up and backwards at the same time.

Blue/grey eyes danced with amusement at her antics.

“ELIOT SPENCER! I OUGHT TO SHOOT YOUR INSUFFERABLE ASS!” The detective shrieked.

“Good evening to you, too, sweetheart.” The orneriness in his chuckles forced her to smile with him.

“I know I locked that door with a deadbolt!”

“Told ya ta git some better locks.”

“I did. Why are you in town?” She hugged him while she questioned him.

“Lexi.”

Kate grinned at Eliot’s moue.

“Tux, suit or come as you are?”

“She called it business casual. Just thought I’d check up on ya.”

“That included scaring ten years off my life?” She glared at the unrepentant retrievalist.

“That was a bonus, but you’re easy.”

“ELIOT!”

He waved over his shoulder as he headed out the door. “Get better locks, girl.”

The cab dropped him at the address Alexis had sent him. Copies of Castle’s latest book were everywhere. Rick stood by the door.

“What the hell, Castle?” He growled.

“My publisher’s having a book party. They like when the whole family shows up.” Rick started through the door.

“Ain’t family.” Eliot pointed out.

Rick gave him a Cheshire cat smile. “Alexis wanted to surprise you.”

“You explain to her why it’s not a good idea to surprise me, or does she listen like her daddy?” Eliot cocked an eyebrow at the writer.

“Some days the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Rick smirked. “Think of it as your debut.”

Eliot rolled his eyes as they walked through the door together. The hitter immediately spotted the bright red head in the mass of party goers. The way her voice carried would be the envy of any Broadway actress. Rick’s hand on his shoulder kept him moving into the room.

“Uncle Eliot!” She danced through the crowd to throw her arms around his neck.

Martha grinned at the three of them. “Eliot, darling, how sweet of you to join us.” She kissed the stubbled cheek.

“Seriously?” Eliot glared at Rick.

“Welcome to Castle Chaos.” Rick slapped him on the back.

Comments

[luminous-mortal.livejournal.com]

This is slick, girl..I've never seen Castle, but I can see Nathan Fillion's face clear as day. You made the others real as well, even though I don't know who they are.

Wonderfully descriptive..this is my absolute favorite:
Eyes leeched grey with the turbulence of his emotions

I've never seen his eyes written like that before..me likes...

[yanzadracan.livejournal.com]

Thank you...thank you. I've watched Nathan Fillion since he was doing soap operas, boy was I pissed when they canceled Firefly. The character Rick Castle is a free spirit with no filter between his mouth and brain except when it comes to his little girl. He's just now realizing how tough it is to be the 'cool' dad, especially when he wants to be stick in the mud dad. LOL

[lucdarling.livejournal.com]

*smishes* I love waking up to find more of this gem on my flist! :D

Eliot scaring Kate just as she's getting into the "moment", ahem, in Castle's books never stops being funny.

“Never make the mistake of thinking I’m some tame lapdog, Castle.” The growl was low and deep. “Just ‘cause I don’t like innocents gettin’ hurt don’t mean I got a heart. It’s a waste, and I hate waste."
*shivers* ooh, I love those lines! Of course Castle goes practically fanboy once he gets a hint of Eliot's past, but he just brings him a reminder of who he really is so. damn. nicely. you really nailed Eliot there.

& then he becomes an uncle! too cute! I wish I had an Uncle Eliot. That would be so awesome.

[yanzadracan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

Kate is so unflappable it's great fun for Eliot to get her goat.

Yes, Rick is a fanboy, but how much...how far? For some reason my Eliot latched on the Alexis. Look out boyfriends. LOL

Good gods I've got to quit bunnying myself.

[lucdarling.livejournal.com]

*gives you carrots for the bunny, chocolate for yourself*
go forth & write. pleease!

& your icon... unf. Kane is so hot.

[yanzadracan.livejournal.com]

Kane would be hot in a burlap bag or nothing at all. *snicker*

OH NO! You are another evil enabler bribing my bunnies. *G*

[lucdarling.livejournal.com]

What else do your bunnies like? I'll be sure to run out to the store... *grins* but hey! I gave you chocolate; surely that wins me some points with YOU!

oh god. the latter, please. though it's probably bad for my health. (& all the other Kane girls over the world.)