Chapter 29: Trick or Treat
It was Monday and Inuyasha was waiting in his car, impatiently waiting for Kagome, Shippo, and Shiori to leave the school so that they could go and get the kids costumes for Halloween. As he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, wondering if he was going to lose his mind, he was suddenly given a flashback on what Shippo said yesterday…
*Flashback*
Shippo sighed, "Why do you think he never told her that he wanted to be with her?"
Inuyasha had gone very numb from listening to the story, and he hardly noticed the shaking from his hands. "I don't know… maybe… he just couldn't say the words because he was afraid that he would lose her completely?"
Shippo sighed truly confused this time, "I don't get it. If you want to be with someone… then why don't you tell them?"
*End of Flashback*
Why did he think of that all of a sudden? Duh, he was thinking of Kagome again. What should he do? He leaned forward to rest his chin on the wheel and he continued to think about what he wanted… what did he want? He wanted to be with Kagome, yes of course, but in what way?
He hadn't felt this confused since Kikyo… did that mean that he wanted to be with Kagome like he had been with Kikyo? He didn't know… and even if he did… he wasn't sure if Kagome felt the same… but he had to think of an answer soon.
As he sat up straight again, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye… but when he looked… no one was there. Strange… he could've sworn that he felt someone was there…
"DADDY!" screamed a little voice that he would know anywhere. He turned to the other side of the car to see Kagome, a kid in each hand, smiling as they were all walking towards the car.
Inuyasha also broke into a smile as he unlocked the door and allowed them all to climb in.
"How did things go today?" he asked as Kagome slid into the front seat.
"It was great!" cried Shiori happily as she reached into her bag and pulled out a paper pumpkin that she made all by herself. "We made jack-o-lanterns today!"
"Really?" said Inuyasha as he looked out the side of the window again, he had the feeling that they were being watched…
"Inuyasha?" asked Kagome curiously as she followed his gaze. "Is something wrong?"
Inuyasha stared out there for a few more minutes before he shook his head and said, "Nothing… guess I imagined it."
He then turned the key and started up the car. "So today we're going costume shopping," he said and earned yells of glee from the backseat and a small chuckle from Kagome.
As they drove off, they didn't see the pair of cold eyes that were staring after them.
*At the store*
"What about this one?"
"NO, I like this one."
"But this one's so cute!"
"No way, I'm not going like that!"
"Ok, then what about this?"
The talking between Shiori and Shippo had been going on for awhile now. They had arrived at a costume store and the kids were running around, trying to look at every since outfit and talking seriously about what they wanted to be; for kids hat to take picking out a Halloween costume seriously…. especially when Halloween was only another week away.
"Oh, wait!" yelled Shiori stopping dead and looking at a white costume. "I want this one!"
The costume that she had picked out turned out to be an 'Asian Princess' Costume that came in a white Kimono with flower print, an obi belt and headpiece of a white fan with black and red flowers. "Momma, daddy can I get this one please?" she begged the two adults with all her heart and showing off the saddest puppy dog eyes.
Kagome laughed as she looked over at Inuyasha how shrugged in an 'I don't care' matter.
When Kagome nodded, Shiori let out an excited shriek and gave them both a hug. She took the costume down from off the wall and began looking for Shippo who had just found his own costume.
Can you guess what it was?
"I'm a NINJA!" he yelled while swinging around a toy sword. He ran over to his mother and began to beg with an identical puppy dog pout as Shiori. Kagome looked again at Inuyasha, who said that he would pay for the costumes, and when he didn't make any objections, Kagome nodded to Shippo.
Shippo and Shiori were both saying 'thank you' over and other again as they took the costumes up to the counter and waited to be checked out.
Shippo suddenly asked, "Momma? Where is your costume?"
Kagome looked down at him and said with a small laugh, "Oh Shippo… I think that I'm a little too old to dress up for Halloween."
Shippo then said confused, "But momma, you're not old!"
Kagome laughed with a small blush coming into her face and said, "Thank you! It's nice to think that someone thinks so."
She then felt Inuyasha's hand on her shoulder, and when she turned to look at him he said, "I don't think that you're old at all."
Kagome stared into his eyes, completely forgetting where she was until the cash register rang making her jump. The cashier then handed the pages to her and said, "Hope you all have a happy Halloween."
Kagome gave him a quick 'thank you' and was about to leave with he suddenly said, "Oh, by the way… I heard that there's supposed to be a costume party for adults in the mall Halloween night! I was just wondering if you and your husband would be interested?"
Kagome went bright red as she stared at Inuyasha, who was staring right back before she turned to the cashier and said, "He's not my husband."
Embarrassed, she and Inuyasha didn't notice the happy smiles on Shippo and Shiori… looking happier than when they got their costumes.
Inuyasha then grabbed Kagome's hand and lead her out of the store; smiling kids following close behind.
*Halloween night*
Kagome was busy putting on a little make-up when Shippo came jumping into the room, all dressed and ready to go. He was all in black from head to toe and the only part of him that you could see was his red hair and his eyes. He was swinging around a sword and said, "I'm am stealthy as the night… don't I look like silent death?"
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Yes Shippo."
Shippo then stood up straight and said rather grumpily, "You aren't even looking!"
Kagome shook her head das she looked down at him and said, "Shippo… you've been wearing that costume all week. I know that you would've worn it to school if I didn't make you change."
Shippo thought that over for a minute before saying, "Yeah… but tonight's Halloween! I have to really look like a ninja! I do right?"
Kagome laughed as she stood up and took Shippo's hand. "Yes, you do," she said as she led him down the stairs. "But if we don't hurry, then we're going to miss all the best candy. Inuyasha should be here soon."
No sooner had she said that when she heard the doorbell rang. Excited, Shippo,ran to the door and opened it to see Inuyasha and Shiori who was dressed in her white princess costume.
"Mommy!" she cried as she ran into Kagome's arms.
Kagome, all too happy to return the hug, looked down at her to see how she looked. Shiori rally did look like Asian Princess, in her white kimono and accessories and when she was standing with Shippo… the cuteness was off the charts. Inuyasha cleared his throat as he stepped into the room.
Kagome looked at him and felt that all-too-familiar smile return to her lips as she said quietly, "Inuyasha…"
"Yeah, ah…" said Inuyasha a little uncomfortably. "Should we all get going?" His question was answered by a pair of screaming and two little kids running out the door with empty sacks.
"Hurry up!" Shippo cried at them as they ran.
"That was a dumb question," said Inuyasha staring at their retreating backs as they headed towards the next door neighbors.
Kagome took his hand as they both headed out the door, "Yeah it was."
*Later*
3 hours later, the four of them had been wandering on the streets for hours, watching all the other families running from house to house, telling their kids to remember to say 'thank you' or not to go so fast.
"You know?" said Kagome, "It's starting to get late… and if the kids get any more candy, I think that their teeth are going to rot out of their heads."
Inuyasha shrugged, "They both have baby teeth… they're going to lose them anyway."
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah… but it's getting late and isn't there a curfew for kids? Besides, I think that they have had enough for one night don't you?"
"I don't know," said Inuyasha with a light laugh, "I think that they could go all night with the sugar rush that they're on."
"Inuyasha…" Kagome said warningly.
*Shippo and Shiori*
Shippo and Shiori were a little ways ahead and were talking happily to each other while they were counting their candy.
"So Shippo," said Shiori quietly as she looked back at their parents. "When are we going to start Step 4?"
"Shhh…" said Shippo also looking back at them before saying, "Step 4 is going to take awhile. We have to wait until the perfect time."
As Shiori nodded in agreement, Kagome's voice called out to them, "Shippo? Shiori? I think that that's enough for one night don't you think?"
They both looked at her and gave identical sounds of "Awwwww…"
"Your mother's right kids!" shouted Inuyasha. "Besides, it's almost your bedtime." As Shippo and Shiori both trudged their way back to them, Inuyasha said to Kagome, "Think we made the right choice?"
Kagome smiled as she nodded and they all began the long walk back to Kagome's house.
Shippo and Shiori were both counting candy and trading with each other as Inuyasha and Kagome spent most of the walk home in silence. It wasn't until they arrived at Kagome's house and when Shippo said goodbye to Inuyasha and Shiori and dash into the house while Shiori headed towards the car did Inuyasha say, "Well… tonight was… fun."
"Yeah…" said Kagome as Inuyasha walked her up to the house.
"I'll see you tomorrow right?" asked Inuyasha as Kagome stood in the doorway.
"Of course," said Kagome laughing. "Inuyasha… we see each other every day. You know? Maybe we could use a break from seeing each other?" It was one of the last things that Kagome wanted to do. She couldn't imagine not seeing him or Shiori for even a little amount of time. Just the nights apart were hard on her.
Inuyasha laughed as he took her hands, "No way… if we took a break from seeing each other… I'd spend the entire time waiting for you to come back." He then gave her a kiss before he turned and walked back towards the car.
As he left, Inuyasha thought, 'Maybe… maybe I'll ask her… but not tonight… tonight isn't time.'
Shiori looked out her window as Inuyasha began to start up the car. She waved goodbye to her adopted mother and looked up to see Shippo's face in one of the upstairs windows. He waved before holding up 4 fingers…
Shiori nodded. She knew that Shippo was telling her to wait until the right time to begin Step 4. Only Step 4… and Step 5 to go… and if everything went according to plan…
Shiori smiled as she began to daydream of wedding bells and Kagome in a long white dress standing with her father. 'Only 2 steps left to go…' she thought as Inuyasha drove off. 'And then… Kagome really WILL be my mommy.'
