Chapter thirteen

[thebestseller]

Barney's gone now, too.

Guess he was just too much awesome for the castle to handle. Don't know about you all, but I'll feel his absence a lot.

I'll be at the Death Match for a while.

[Open to either journal replies or action. Castle will be tending bar, but will be quieter than usual and methodically cleaning the place.]

Comments

Dictated

[putuporshutup]

[This is the first one of these announcements that actually hits Meg pretty hard. Barney had been a good friend, and well... frankly, a fun hookup. The news honestly kind of ruins her day.]

No way. That... sucks. Hard.

[thebestseller]

Yeah. Yeah, it really does.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[This did not sit well with Chie. At all. She's still hurting from the constant loss of friends, and now that she just woke up, another one leaves...]

Barney-san's gone now too? I- Urgh...

[thebestseller]

It's just one after the other after the other...

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie sighed]

Yeah, no kidding... Sheesh.

[thebestseller]

Hope it stops soon.

[pint_sized_carnivore]

[Chie just responds with a somber "Hmm" before a long pause]

But you know, I think it could be a good thing...

[unvarnished]

I feel like the castle just got a whole less awesome.

[thebestseller]

It's like there's a tangible absence of awesome now.

[unvarnished]

But you know what he'd say, right? "When I feel sad, I stop feeling sad and be awesome instead".

[thebestseller]

... yeah. Yeah, he really would. I think I'm going to name the beer I'm making after him.

[unvarnished]

I can't wait to try it.

Voice.

[honeytoes]

[Ok first The Gentleman invasion and now this...seriously Paradisa are you trying to give him a drinking problem?]

...alright.

Thanks for the heads up.

[thebestseller]

Cheers. Wish it didn't have to happen this way.

[honeytoes]

You and me both.

[Sighing]

Couldn't the castle have sent home somebody less...fun?

[thebestseller]

I know- nobody can measure up to his level. Damn if I'm not going to try and fill the gap a little, though. Maybe name my beer after him...

[honeytoes]

Maybe there should be a day named after him...

[He laughs.]

On seconds thoughts maybe not...if he comes back and hears that we've named a beer and a day after him, he might get a complex.

[Is there a hint of hope in his voice that he'll return someday? Maybe.]

[not_nikkiheat]

[Kate sees Castle's announcement and heads straight for the bar. She takes a seat on a bar stool and taps a finger on the bar to get his attention.]

Buy you a drink?

[thebestseller]

[Castle smiles and reaches across to grip Kate's hand.]

Should be asking you the same question.

[not_nikkiheat]

You buy for me, I'll buy for you.

[She glances around the bar, then squeezes his hand.]

It seems like you're not too busy. Take a break and sit with me?

[thebestseller]

[Castle considers for a moment, then glances around- specifically, at the ceramic bulldog he'd only recently noticed but seemed to be watching him intently- shrugs, and reaches for the alcohol behind him.]

Deal. I guess one couldn't hurt, right? What'll it be?

[onlyanapple]

Bastard, knew it was too good to last.

[thebestseller]

So smooth, he just slid right out of here. Had more places to spread awesome.

[onlyanapple]

I suppose he was needed more elsewhere.

[thebestseller]

Hopping from place to place, leaving awesome wherever he goes.