Ryan gently stirs his coffee. Staring off into the distance. Lost in his own little world. Thoughts of Javier consume his mind and claw at the large aching hole he feels inside his chest. The pair very rarely fight so when they do it's a big deal. For the detective, who takes a lot of things to heart, this cuts him deep.
"Ryan!" Castle whispers directly into the Irishman's ear.
Kevin jumps back to reality. The coffee mug jumps too. Some of the boiling hot contents spills out of the side and scorches his fingers.
"Castle! Don't sneak up on people like that!" the blue eyes glare at the writer as searing hot pain races through his fingers "I could have spilt my coffee all over you!"
"Looks like there's a higher chance of you spilling it all over yourself than me" Castle retorts, wincing with sympathy pains, as he leads the detective over to the sink.
Ryan grimaces. The stinging pain in his fingers increases when the cold water makes contact with his skin. Castle leans against the counter. Without uttering a word he just watches his friend with great interest. Now, Castle has been working with them all long enough to know them vey well. The detective before him can most definitely handle a bit of pain. Normally he'd be insisting that his fingers are fine, that Castle hadn't burnt him, but now he seems to be nursing his very minor wound. This only happens when Ryan is feeling pain on the inside. Ryan has a big heart, but he's learnt to guard it well. Perhaps a little too well. Not a lot of things get to him or at least he doesn't let it show that they do. However, the one person Kevin has never been able to defend his heart against is Esposito. Whether the man realises this or not is another story. Rick just knows that Detective Ryan will take anything his partner says to heart.
"So, are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to scold you with some more hot coffee first?" the crime novelist questions after a few minutes of silence.
"Talk about what Castle?" Ryan asks, as if he thinks the writer is some sort of fool.
"What did Esposito say to you just then?" Castle probes, handing his friend a paper towel for his hands "I like to think that I've known you long enough to know when something is bothering you"
"Esposito and I are fine" the clearly not fine detective states as he dries his hands.
"Why are you in here alone then? What did he say to upset you?" Rick queries, feeling very determined to get to the bottom of all this.
"What makes you think he upset me? I could have upset him you know" the detective retorts then walks over to the couch in the break room.
A couch with a lot of memories. Many a night have he and Espo been working late. The Hispanic detective always seeks the refuge of this couch. It's amusing to watch. Javier likes to fidget in his sleep. Constantly wriggling. The way he lies on his stomach with one hand always at the back of his head. Kevin finds it very endearing.
"You seem to have forgotten how long I worked here with you guys. I know what Esposito's guilty face looks like. I know when there's something going on between the two of you" Castle urges as he sits down beside his friend on the couch.
Ryan gives in with a deep exhale "I don't know whether Beckett has told you, but we got a new detective today"
"That's why I'm here. I wanted to take a look at the new guy. Detective Sherman, right?" the detective nods at his writer friend "Where is he from again?"
"I don't know. He didn't say and I didn't ask" the detective inspects his injured fingers "So, Beckett introduced Sherman to us and he seems nice enough, but Javi, well he just behaved like a total jerk to this guy. After Beckett took Sherman to meet Malone, I questioned him about his bad mood and he said that Sherman was rude to him in the elevator. I mean the way he described it... it wasn't that big of a deal and he treated it like it was huge. Javi got mad at me for taking Sherman's side and not defending him"
The blue eyed man's confidant stares right at him. Without even looking up Ryan can feel the eyes of sympathy being laid upon him. Sympathy. God, how he hates sympathy!
"That's it?" the author turns to face him "There has to be more to it than that"
"Well, Javi seems to think that Sherman was flirting with me" Kevin explains, in complete denial that could be the case.
"You're joking right? He actually said that?" Rick asks with an amused smile and a spring in his voice.
The detective looks across at his friend out of curiosity "Yeah he said it, but I don't understand what you're getting at here, Castle"
"Kevin Ryan, for someone so smart, you are so oblivious! Esposito is mad, because Sherman flirted with you!" Castle exclaims, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"What?" Ryan questions, sounding lost and confused.
"You really are oblivious to all this, aren't you?" the crime novelist asks with a lot less amusement in his voice now "How long have you been partners with Esposito? About 10 years right?"
"Thirteen" Kevin corrects.
Castle holds his hands up "Alright, thirteen years and in that time have you ever felt like your relationship with him is a little more romance than bromance?"
"Are you trying to say Javi likes me?!" Kev exclaims, quickly catching on to his friend's wavelength.
"Kevin, I have watched that man be in love with you for years. I've kept quiet until now, because Kate and I agreed not to get involved. So, the only reason I'm only telling you now is to save you from falling out with your partner any more than you already have" Rick admits with a sigh "You wanted to understand why Esposito got so angry. Well, now you know. It's jealousy not anger"
The Hispanic detective's love for his partner is quite obvious. Writer and muse have spent countless hours discussing it, but the one thing they've never been able to work out is if Ryan reciprocates those feelings for Esposito.
At first glance, you'd think Kevin of all people would be quite open. Someone who is in touch with his feelings. To an extent he is, but he's clever in the way he goes about it. Ryan will appear to reveal everything, whilst also revealing very little. It's part of the reason why Castle is so close to him. Obviously they're both huge nerds. However, the crime novelist is drawn to the mystery that surrounds his friend. There are many unanswered questions.
"H-he does? How do you know? Has he told you?" Ryan splutters out a hoarde of questions, as he tries to gather all his thoughts in order to form a coherent sentence.
"No, he hasn't told me, but it's pretty obvious" the blue eyed writer tells him with a soft sympathetic smile.
Kevin is struggling. It's a lot of information to process. Emotions weigh down heavily on his already aching heart. Inside, his head is in complete and utter turmoil.
"Oh" the detective whispers under his breath.
One thought sticks out. Above all the rest is the thought of his partner. The dreaded thought of Javier pining after him each day, but Kevin just being oblivious to it all. The amount of hurt he must have caused to his partner. Ryan can't bear the thought of it.
"Are you okay?" Castle queries, uncertain of whether Ryan would be willing to accept physical contact as a form of comfort right now.
"I um I-" Kevin starts to say.
"-Hey Ryan can you..." Kate walks into the breakroom "Oh hey Rick. Sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"No, of course not. What do you need Captain?" the detective replies, standing up before Castle can say anything.
Castle bites his knuckle. So close yet so far away! The writer believes he almost had him that time.
"You know that Ruby Santoro case?" Beckett waits for him to nod before continuing "Well, we just got an anonymous tip about the suspect's whereabouts. I'd like you and Espo to go pick him up"
"Espo isn't exactly in the right mind set right now" Ryan responds, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah I noticed he was a little off with Sherman. You know why?" Beckett questions. If anybody knows what's up with Esposito then it will be his partner.
"Just a little misunderstanding in the elevator. Can't you get a patrol to go pick this suspect up?" Kevin questions, but it's almost like he's begging her.
The last thing he needs is to be stuck in a car with Esposito. Not whilst he's like this. Thee are too many thoughts swirling in his head. Before speaking to his partner he needs to get his brain in order so he doesn't say anything to cause further upset.
"I'll go with you" says a voice.
They all turn to see Sherman hovering in the doorway. None of them know how long he's been standing there. How much has he heard?
"I don't-" Kevin starts to say.
"-Great. Ryan, you and Sherman go pick up our suspect" Kate butts in.
Although, she wasn't keen on Sherman's flirting before, she needs at least two detectives who are willing to work together. This is her only option. Since Espo is in no condition to work with Sherman or apparently Ryan now too. This is something she hopes to address when she gets the chance. No way are her two best detectives staying at odds with one another - not in her precinct!