For Morgie, for all those times she's filled my inbox with askfics.
He's been planning the party for a good two months, insisting that something of this proportion, this significance needed time to sort itself out. Now he's rambling about getting her to help set out food as he hangs last-minute decorations.
Frankly, she could care less right now.
"Come on, Beckett," he whines, leaning over the back of the couch to press a kiss to her neck. "Just for a night."
She shoves at his head. "No. It's your party. You take care of it." She hates that it takes so long for her to get up off the couch; it gives him a chance to scramble around to her side.
"Wait," he says, snagging her sleeve. "Is this because you don't like Halloween or…?"
"It's because I'm pregnant and don't want to be at a party. I don't want to get dressed up and I don't want…" She sighs, stepping as close into him as stomach will allow, resting her forehead against the curve of his shoulder. "I love you, Castle, and I'll spend some time at your party but I mostly just want to sleep."
"I'll cancel the party."
She huffs out a breath, stepping back, patting him on his arm. "No, you won't. You love Halloween too much."
"Love you more," he murmurs, touching his lips to hers. "You don't need to dress up."
"So you don't mind that I'm going to just wear my pajamas to your favorite party of the entire year?"
"Not at all," he says, backing her toward the bedroom, the garland tangling around his feet. "Because you'll still be the hottest woman in the room even in your pajamas. Especially eight months pregnant. But mostly because you're you."
Her belly bumps into him as she loops her arms around his neck, lifting herself up onto her toes to kiss him. "Thank you," she sighs against his cheek.