Chaleur de cœur (eng).

Bonjour/Bonsoir! Comme je l'ai déjà dit sur twitter, j'étais partie une semaine en vacances en camping et je n'avais pas mon ordinateur avec moi, mais j'ai écris quelques one-shots dans mon carnet (6), mais tous en anglais. Je sais que la plupart d'entre vous ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais, alors je vais traduire les one-shots comme je le fais à chaque fois. Ceci est le premier, et il s'agit de la version anglaise comme vous pouvez le voir dans le titre. Je ne sais pas quand je pourrais traduire les one-shots et tous les recopier pour ensuite les publier sachant que je vais encore bouger et j'en suis désolée. J'essaierai de faire tout ça au plus vite. J'espère que vous allez bien. -M

Kate always took the time to take care of her hair. But it was harder to do so on some days. She had her hair down most of the time because that is how she loves it the most. After the tough case they had just closed and their two near-death experiences, Kate had no intention of staying alone in her apartment. Josh was not here anymore after coming to see her at the precinct, he had ran off to the hospital again. She was alone, once again. She hadn’t told him that her Castle almost died. Twice. She really didn’t tell him anything, not even about her mother’s case. But Castle knew. He knew everything. And that’s where Josh being her boyfriend didn’t make any sense. The brunette had gone back to her cold and empty place. Even if the weather was hot, she would still feel cold after staying for too long in the cold room. Why wasn’t she already at her partner’s place? Before Josh had arrived at the precinct, Castle wanted to tell her something, but he ended up saying that “he should go home” because “it was late”. Kate knew that’s not what he meant. She just knew. Before going crazy in her apartment, she put her trench coat back on and took her car keys to drive to Castle’s place. She would feel safe there. She always does.

Castle was in his office, trying to write but no words were coming out. Only thing, or rather person, he was thinking about was Kate. What was she about to tell him before she passed out in the cold room? What would have happened if Josh hadn’t come to the precinct? So many questions without answers, and he may never get any. Lost in his thoughts, he got out of them when he heard a knock on the door. He took a look at his watch to see how late it was. Only one person would come at his place at this time of the day, or rather, night.

“Kate. Hey.”

“Can I… can I come in?”

“Of course.”

Castle moved out of the way to let her come into the loft. He noticed that she kept her trench coat on.

“You’re still cold?” he asked.

“I can’t get rid of it. I can’t get warm. It’s awful.”

“Want me to make you a warm bath? It helped me a bit. And after that, I’ll make you a Castle hot chocolate.”

“Castle hot chocolate, uh?”

“The best hot chocolate you’ll find in the city” the writer answered, proudly.”

“I’ll take your word on that.”

Castle winked at her before he went to the bathroom next to his room to make her a warm bath, with bubbles and everything. Kate waited a little in the living room before she joined him in the bathroom. Castle was finishing up.

“I’ll let you enjoy this and hope it’ll help you.”

“Thank you so much, Castle.”

“You’re welcome, KB.”

The writer went to the living room and noticed bags on the kitchen counter. Kate made a detour to go to Remi’s before she went to the loft. Castle put the bags away, somewhere where the food would stay heated. She brought food for them. He smiled.

Kate was relaxing in the tub and went under the water after she had washed her hair. She stayed in the bathroom half an hour before getting out of the tub and wrapping a towel around her. She was too tired to take proper care of her hair so she just put the T-shirt Castle had given her on and joined him in the kitchen. If she was still cold with the t-shirt on, she’d ask him for a sweater. For now, she was good with just his large t-shirt.

“Did it help with the cold?” the writer asked as he was her entering the room.

“It did. Thank you again.”

“If you still feel cold, or if it comes back because it may, just tell me and I’ll give you a sweater.”

“Thank you. I was about to tell you this too” she answered, smiling shyly.

“I noticed you brought Remi’s? I’ll make you my famous hot chocolate after.”

Kate followed him to the living room. They’d eat on the table there. They sat down next to each other and started eating. The brunette noticed something. Castle hadn’t mentioned Josh. At all. And she was thankful for that. He never asked and she appreciated that. They didn’t mention anything about the case, nor about what had happened between them. They just took this opportunity to take their minds off everything so they could spend a nice moment together.

Kate loved her long hair but on nights like this one, when she didn’t want to take proper care of it because it takes time, it was too much. She was highly annoyed and sighed.

“What is it?” asked Castle.

“I’m honestly too tired to do something about my hair.

-Want me to brush it and do a braid?”

“You know how to do that?” the brunette asked, surprised.

“Need I remind you that I have a 17-year-old daughter that I raised all alone?” he answered, proudly.

“Oh that’s right. Well show me what you’ve got, Castle.”

Kate sat down on the floor while Castle sat down behind her on the couch. He started brushing her hair gently. Now that it was dry, he could feel how soft her hair is. Softer than he had imagined. Kate closed her eyes. His hand in her hair was very soothing, like little caresses. It was the first time in weeks that she felt so at peace. And, again, it was thanks to Castle. The brunette gave an overview on everything that was going on in her life, but mostly her relationship with Josh. She knew it wasn’t going anywhere, tonight was just another proof that it wouldn’t. Giving their relationship a second chance had been a mistake, a huge one. She would never let Josh do this kind of things with her: let him brush and braid her hair, let him have all this sweet attentions toward her, telling him things she had never told anyone before. In a way, she was more intimate with Castle than she was with Josh. There lied the problem.

“Tell me if I pull it too much and it hurts” said Castle.

“I don’t feel anything but soft touches, Castle.”

“Well, your hair is very soft.”

Castle let his hand run through Kate’s hair. She doesn’t think she’s ever felt something so satisfying.

“Don’t stop, Castle.”

And here, she just let it out without being able to stop the words coming out of her mouth.

“Wh… what?” asked the writer, very much confused.

“I mean… you… that thing you do with… with your hands in my hair? It’s very soothing.”

“Really? I can… I can do it a little longer before braiding your hair if you want?”

Kate nodded her head. Castle couldn’t see it, but she was smiling, but so was he. So he put the brush down and just ran his heads through her hair to calm her down. Kate could almost fall asleep to him doing this. And now she was imagining things, it kept getting worse in her head. Lucky for her, Castle started braiding her hair. And he was right, he was good at this.

“And there you go. You can have a good night of sleep in your bed now.”

“And my Castle hot chocolate.”

“Oh, yes. That’s right.”

They both got up and went to the kitchen so Castle could make two hot chocolates for them.

“Castle?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I… can I stay the night?” Kate asked shyly.

“Of course, Kate. You don’t even have to ask.”

She smiled at him, and he smiled back. She could worry about everything else tomorrow. For now, she just wanted to enjoy every second.