10. trick or treating - future

She's throwing her breastfeeding pillow aside, situating Ethan so he's sitting on her thigh and leaning forward against her hand when Castle comes bounding down the stairs, a wide smile on his face.

"Is he still awake?" he asks.

She looks down at her son, his chest pressed against her palm, his eyes wide, drifting around the room in search of his dad. And she pats his back, starting the steady rhythm that usually makes him burp.

"Yeah," she answers, even though Castle is circling the end of the couch, finding the answer for himself.

He smiles, that happy, loving smile that always spreads across his face at the sight of their little boy. "Good," he says. "That means we can put on his costume now."

"His costume?"

Castle looks up at her, smile still wide, and nods, pulling a small suit from behind his back and holding it out for her to see.

It's furry with a zipper down the front and hood, which is pinched between Castle's fingers. It has two small, round ears, two black dots for eyes and a puffed out part for the nose.

"A bear?" she asks.

He nods, excitement obvious with the movement. "There was a dog one, too, but I thought this one would be cuter on our little guy," he explains. "So, what do you say? I'll put it on him as soon as he burps."

As if on cue, Ethan burps, catching himself off guard and throwing himself back. She catches him, splaying her palm across his tiny back.

"Fine."

Castle's smile grows, stretching impossibly wide across his cheeks. "And then we can go trick or treating."

That has her doing a double take, eyes darting between her husband and their son, now sitting comfortably between her hands, fighting to find his voice with gurgles and coos.

Those sounds could usually make her agree to anything, make her heart flutter and common sense fly out the window.

They will not make her agree to let him bring their son trick or treating.

"Castle."

He knows that tone. It's her warning tone, the one that could make him do just about anything for her, back when she was pregnant. Since Ethan was born, however, it's become slightly less useful.

"What?" he asks. "All kids should go trick or treating."

She rolls her eyes. "He's three months old, babe," she reminds him. "He can't even eat candy."

"I know," says Castle. "That's why I would eat it for him."

She lets out a laugh. "So that's what this is?" she asks. "An attempt to get free candy?"

"It's free candy, Beckett."

It's a lame explanation, horrible reasoning. He has to know that won't win her over.

"Plus, imagine how cute he'll be dressed as a little bear," he adds.

And, okay, that might. Motherhood has made her soft. Castle knows that better than anyone.

He's not supposed to be using it against her, though.

She looks down at Ethan again, shifts him until he's facing her, her thumbs pressed gently against the base of his skull, his blue eyes wide and locked on her face.

Those eyes are just like his father's. Those are the eyes that can make her do anything.

But not this.

"You can put him in the costume, Castle," she says. "But he is not going trick or treating."

"But–"

"We can go down to the store and buy candy for ourselves tomorrow," she continues. "Because free candy or not, Ethan is too young to go trick or treating and you have to accept that."

He pushes his lip out in a pout, like a little boy, and makes her roll her eyes again. Makes her look away because her cute, sweet, manchild of a husband can get her to do crazy things when she's not careful.

But he doesn't ask again. Instead, he swoops in and gently plucks Ethan from between her hands. He lays their baby down on the couch cushion next to her, and starts pulling apart the snaps of his outfit with practiced fingers.

She watches, leaning over Castle to smile at her baby boy, to coo at him and keep him happy while Castle strips him of his socks, dark blue pants and baby blue onesie.

And then he slides on the bear costume, careful to avoid hurting Ethan with the zippers. She watches as he slips each of their son's tiny feet into the outfit, as he pulls the fabric over Ethan's small arms.

Castle zips up the front and pulls the hood onto their baby boy's head, adjusting it so it doesn't cover his eyes before handing him back to her.

She sits him down on her legs so he's facing her again, his eyes wide, his hands flailing around in confusion. There are paw prints on the hands and feet, she realizes now.

And her baby is adorable. Perfect,

She smiles at him. "You look precious," she coos.

"See?" says Castle. "Isn't he adorable?"

She turns to face him, still smiling. "He's always adorable, babe."

"I know," he says. "But he's especially adorable dressed in a bear costume, right?"

She looks back at her baby. He's relaxed now, his arms falling to rest over her hands and his lips parting around gurgles that go too perfectly with the outfit.

"Yes, Castle," she agrees. "He really is adorable in his outfit."

Castle's smile widens into that one he gets when he wants something, and she knows what he's going to ask before he can get a word out. She lets him ask anyway.

"We could show him off to the neighbors," he says. "Maybe get a little candy while we're at it."

She rolls her eyes. "I told you. You are not bringing him trick or treating."

He sighs, shoulders sinking dramatically. "Fine," he relents. "Can we at least show him off to the kids who come here, though?"

Her gaze darts back to Ethan. "As long as nobody touches him. Cold and flu season is starting and I don't want him getting sick."

Castle stands, his smile still wide. His hand curling around her shoulder. He leans down and presses a kiss to the top of her head.

"Of course, Mama Bear."

It's stupid, really, but with her eyes still locked on her baby bear, she can't help the smile that stretches across her face.

A huge thank you goes to Marielyfan for reading over this.