Zero to Hero
Written for Forthright’s Halloween 'drabble' challenge. (I use the term loosely because I quite cheated.) Prompt: Monster

When Kagome begged off time to go home for a test he was immediately suspicious since she insisted he accompany her. Still, he was a sucker for her pout. So he wasn’t too surprised when she dashed her studying plans and declared they were going out but that didn’t prevent him from throwing a fit.

“Party? What the hell for?”

She gave him a censoring look. “It’s Halloween – tonight’s all about costume and disguise so it’ll be perfect for you to walk around without a hat or bandana. You’re supposed to dress up so nobody will think anything of it!”

He had to admit that did have its perks. He did hate having his ears squashed down and his hearing dampened.

“Besides, I’ve been gathering my costume for ages so there’s no way I’m not going to use it.”

Ah, that at least finally explained why she kept sneaking off in the different villages they traveled to. Before he could ask what her costume was – being as he’d had no interest in her shopping earlier – she pushed him out of her room.

Inuyasha nearly swallowed his tongue when she shuffled down the stairs in her many layers of clothing. She’d obviously been going for a feudal era hime but she’d gotten the stylization a bit off on some points and looked almost vaguely courtesan, not that he’d say a word about it. She looked better than he’d ever seen her and his heart clenched painfully at the image of her living in his time, dressing the part every day. Dismissing the idea quickly he scoffed as she approached him.

She beamed at him, spinning. “Isn’t it great? I’m so going to win best costume at the party tonight.” She tripped but righted herself easily enough, his chuckle making her hopeful he might enjoy the evening as well.

“Now,” she said, turning to look at him. “Hm, so what are we going to say you’re going as…” she mused, more to herself than him. “People will ask what your costume is and I think saying you’re a hanyou will just confuse most of them.”

“How about a monster…” he mumbled. He’d been called that often enough in his life to know it was an apt enough description.

“Inuyasha,” she said, her expression dimming, “I don’t think that’s-”

He cut her off before she could go any further. “That’s what I say or I don’t go.” She wanted to object but he knew he wouldn’t listen to anything she said. A lifetime of programming would take more than a few words to undo. Besides, she recognized that stubborn gaze and gathered if she pushed the subject he’d blow up and make good on his threat to boycott the evening and head back through the well, and she still thought the fun would do him some good.

“Fine,” she sighed. “Let’s go.”

They made their way to the party easily and arrived to enough squealing that the audio assault made him wish he did have something to cover his ears. They arrived to the party late, just as Kagome planned, since she knew he wouldn’t like being in a confined area with so many humans for too long, but she had to be there for the contest. Within only a couple minutes Yuka swooped down on them, cooing with wonder over Kagome’s outfit. When she heard what Inuyasha called his costume though she sniffed at him with a derisive ‘hn’ just before sweeping off.

Only another moment passed before Yuka was up front making the announcements. Kagome held her breath as they went through what she considered the superfluous awards until they came to it: “Best Overall Costume.” She was stunned when they called over Houjo, in his knock-off Godzilla costume. It didn’t even look authentic! How could they pass up her genuine feudal era clothing for that!

In a huff she spun away. “Come on, we’re leaving.”

As they made it to the door they heard one last comment. “And now for this year’s Worst Costume award. The winner is…Inuyasha!”

The two turned back, both stunned, as Yuka rushed her way toward them. She thrust a small bag of candy at him as Kagome gaped. “What do you mean, worst dressed?”

“Oh, come on, Kagome. We all know monsters are supposed to be mean and scary.” Inuyasha stiffened next to her.

“Not to mention ugly!” Ayumi supplied helpfully from over her shoulder. Yuka nodded in agreement.

“Wait, wait, wait, let me get this right. You don’t think Inuyasha is scary, mean, or…ugly…so he couldn’t possibly be a monster?”

“Exactly!” Yuka intoned. “Besides, just look at those ears. Couldn’t you try for something at least a bit more realistic looking?” She pointed to her own cat-ears in demonstration and Kagome had to choke down on a chortle.

Inuyasha was looking disgruntled – well, even more so than normal – so she began to pull him from the room. “We gotta be going – thanks for the award though!”

She grabbed his hand and ran down the street, Inuyasha right along with her, and by the time they stopped she was panting and giggling. “See, I told you you’re not a monster!” She pointed her finger in his face with savage satisfaction. “Now you have proof – you’re too handsome.” A mischievous smile lit her face as he blushed.

“If I ain’t a monster then what am I?”

It sobered her to realize he was still taking it so seriously. “A hero?”

“I ain’t no hero,” he said quickly, almost savagely.

“Then who is it that keeps saving all of our lives from Naraku?”

He shrugged, unaffected, still scowling. “That’s not hero, that’s responsibility.”

“Well tonight’s Halloween and you can be anything you want. So I declare that for tonight you are my hero and there’s nothing you can do about it.” She smiled at her logic and at the relaxing of his pose.

“Just for tonight?” he verified, almost shyly.

She shook her head gently, linking her fingers with his as she pulled him back down the street to join in the festivities. “For as long as you want, Inuyasha,” she whispered, “for as long as you want.”

Word count: 1031