Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Here I go again with another one shot. I decided that I wouldn't make you guys have too much fluffiness-deprivation, so violà.
While You Sleep-
A miko clad in futuristic schoolgirl clothing huffed as she pedaled up a small hill.
Inuyasha, who was striding ahead in his normal attire didn't wait as he disappeared from view over its crest. Kagome mentally sighed and began pumping her legs harder. "Is he always in a hurry?" The two were traveling back from a small shard hunt just north of Kaede's village and had left the monk and taijiya with the "runt" back with the elder priestess.
Kagome had been excited to spend some quality time with the hanyou, but throughout the trip he had been bossy and possessive. That disappointed her and she had become weary trying to make it any better. Whenever the young woman attempted to do something by herself, such as gather herbs for Inuyasha's minor injuries, the half demon had to follow her. Everywhere! Can't let the "shard-detector" get hurt, now can't we? It was like she was some kind of possession. Well, who would like that?!
He was also determined to have her make ramen at every single meal. Kagome got a head ache just thinking about it.
Soon enough, the miko reached the top and gasped at the sight of the sun setting with streaks of rare reds, purples, and warm oranges. Grass swayed in the slight breeze and rolled like glossy, green waves on each side of the girl, extending to the white-capped mountains in the far distance. Down the sunset-golden pathway, Inuyasha's vibrant, red haori blended with everything, which was bathed in the dying sun's light, and his silver locks reflected the colours in the sky making it look like a shimmering rainbow.
Realizing that Kagome's scent was slowly fading, the hanyou whipped around to find her gazing at him from atop the hill. He immediately felt his face flame up. Shaking it off he called, "Come on, wench!"
The soft creaking of Kagome's bike could be heard all through the sleeping night. Peering over her shoulder for the millionth time, the woman smiled as she watched Inuyasha sleep on the metal wheel cover right behind the bike's seat. She just couldn't get used to how adorable the dog demon appeared when he slept. Plus, it was amazing that the hanyou senses could keep him safely balanced on the beat-up vehicle that was plodding through the rocky path Kagome was leading it on.
One of Inuyasha's fuzzy triangles twitched as they passed by a twisting river and the miko had to suppress a giggle. She was sure glad she had taken that nap on the hanyou's back earlier, or she wouldn't have been able to witness this rare display of Inuyasha with his guard down.
Kagome gazed around and sighed, bringing the bike to a stop. "I guess we'd better get camp set up now." Looking over at the hanyou perched delicately on her back wheel, the young miko groaned internally. She didn't want to wake him.
"Inuyasha…" Holding the contraption up with her left hand, she placed her other hand on his shoulder gently. Inuyasha just shifted and sighed. "Inuyasha? Wake up. We need to set up camp…" Kagome gingerly brushed to silver bangs out of his eyes.
"Yep. He's definitely unconscious. Man, he must be exhausted. Now…how am I going to do this?"
Somehow, Kagome managed to steer the bike off the path to a well-protected clearing and awkwardly slide the hanyou off of the vehicle onto the ground softly. Inuyasha snored cutely as he was laid down on his back and settled in the lush grass. Brushing her hands off, the miko pulled a blanket from her yellow pack, kneeled, and set it over the sleeping demon. Kagome then stretched, yawning. "Nuh-uh, uh," the priestess scolded herself. "Who knows if a demon won't sneak up on you two while you're sleeping? Get your bow, Kags."
Deciding that it was almost nine o'clock from a look at her watch, Kagome trudged over to her bike, which was leaning up against a tree, yanked her bow over her shoulder, and grabbed another packet of "precious" ramen from a zippered pocket. "Might as well start a fire and eat something." The miko looked at her stomach as it growled. "I'll need it."
As the young woman started a fire, she was oblivious as Inuyasha began tossing and turning in his sleep. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he growled, startling Kagome so she spun around with an arrow at the ready.
Her eyes immediately softened at the sight of the whimpering demon as the miko lowered her bow and arrow, setting it gently to the ground. "Inuyasha…?" She whispered tenderly. Resting on her knees, the girl sat next to the half demon and brushed some stray silver locks from his forehead. "Inuyasha?" The woman repeated as she leaned over him.
Said hanyou groaned and clenched his teeth. She had to practically lip-read him to understand what he had whispered so silently. "Kagome…" The girl's hand snapped away from his face and glued itself to her chest in attempt to slow her breathing.
Did she hear what she thought she heard? Wait, he was speaking again…
Suddenly, he cried out in pain, "No! Don't—Kagome!!" Inuyasha's expression was one of total anguish as his eyes fluttered desperately under his lids.
Gasping, the young miko frantically thought of what she should do. "I should wake him. He's obviously having a nightmare, right? Oh, Gods, he's thinking of me! Does this mean…Gah! Get back on track, girl!" Kagome bit her lip and reached an unstable hand out to touch the stirring demon. "Inuyasha." Her fingers gripped the shoulder of his haori in attempt to still him. It wasn't working. The hanyou continued to twist beneath her hand as a low growl erupted from his throat. "Inuyasha…" Panic was beginning to thread its way into her voice. What if he could transform in his sleep? Both hands were now at his shoulders, worriedly shaking him a bit. This only served to increase his thrashing as he snarled with his lids, in spite of everything, closed. The growling continued, which caused Kagome's worry to heighten.
Unexpectedly, the blanket flew off of the hanyou as his clawed hand created a wide sweeping arc down the miko's left forearm. "Inuyasha!" She yelped and leapt up from her position on the forest floor. Stumbling back a couple paces she tried to control her breathing. The woman clutched her injured arm and watched as the half demon suddenly awoke. While he blinked, red faded from his irises.
Inuyasha sat up, "Kagome?" His glorious golden orbs met her scared chocolate ones and he furrowed his brows at her worried stance. "Wha-" The stench of Kagome's blood abruptly smacked him in the face, and he was immediately off of the ground and making his way toward her. "Kagome?"
At his movement, the miko instinctively flinched back a step, still cradling her arm, fear settling into her eyes.
In response, the half demon stopped in mid-step and a look of pure hurt appeared on his features. "Kagome…what did I do?" His poster slipped from one with endless confidence to defeat and caution.
At the sound of her name from his lips, the girl snapped out of her spell of fear and shame washed over her. "I have no reason to be afraid of Inuyasha. What am I doing?"
The second she took a step toward her protector, she was consumed by his shielding embrace as he gently grasped her left elbow. "Damn it, wench…what happened?" His golden eyes examined the claw marks down her arm and suddenly, his gaze latched on to the familiar red liquid on his own claws, which were lightly gripping her elbow. "Shit!" Inuyasha heaved himself away from the miko in disgust and stared at his bloodstained hand. Slowly, he met the miko's tearful gaze. "What did I do to you?!" He whispered with his brows delicately knitted together.
Kagome sighed and tried to reassure the half demon, "It's alright, Inuyasha. You were sleeping and…well, you looked like you were having a nightmare so I wanted to wake you…It's not you're fault!" The miko tacked on the last bit as she saw him scowl and glare down at his hand.
Growling that he needed to wash off his hand, his eyes held remorse as he took off to the nearby stream.
It was barely a minute before Inuyasha was back, and with his hand dripping wet, he yanked the first aid kit from Kagome's hands. The woman looked up questioningly at the hanyou as he sat in front of her, their knees bumping together. His ever-present scowl seemed deeper as he silently treated her forearm.
After a while, she couldn't take it anymore. "Inuyash-"
"Look, I'm sorry, alright?" The hanyou slid his thumb up and down her wound, spreading the disinfecting cream in a soothing way. "I've been having…not the greatest dreams lately, and…" In his head, Inuyasha added, "…they're about you." Stopping his ministrations on her arm, the demon's hands fell into his lap and the silver bangs covered his eyes as he lowered his head. "Damn it. I just knew that I would transform at that rate…I'm sorry." He breathed with an attitude of wholesome humiliation.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered as she reached out and lifted his chin. "I didn't ask for an apology," she scolded.
The hanyou's fist suddenly thumped on the ground in a fit of rage. "That's just it! You never ask for anything! You think you can take care of yourself! What if I'm not there, Kagome? And then maybe one day, that one day when I'm not around, you…" He trailed off appearing to remember his dream. The hanyou winced at the memory then directed his gaze back to the miko. "If you die…" He left the sentence hanging as his eyes dropped back to the ground as if he was afraid to admit something.
The two sat in a companionable silence for a while until Kagome broke the moment. "So you're dream…?"
Without looking up, the half demon whispered, "you died." He distractedly raked his claws in the dirt beside him and gritted his teeth. "Every. Single. Time." He annunciated. "And I couldn't save you."
The miko sighed brokenly and blinked back her tears while her thoughts were running a mile a minute. "Inuyasha," she spoke softly and the hanyou's head lifted to meet her warm gaze. "To be honest, I like it when you protect me…it's just that, sometimes I feel like I'm more of a possession than a human being-"
Inuyasha interrupted, determined to deny it, "but you're not a possession! I just don't want you hurt."
The woman smiled and spoke, "I know. I know that now." Now she knew why he was acting so possessive lately. Could it be that he loved her?
In that moment, the warmth of Kagome's words, her calming scent wrapping around him like a blanket, and the unconditional understanding in her eyes and smile were a little too much for him. It set Inuyasha just far enough into the feeling comfort he rarely experienced that he felt sufficiently relaxed to lean in and whisper his thanks before his lips met hers.
Or maybe, it was because he did love her…
Yeah, let's go with that one.
Review if you like. If you don't, do it anyway and say you didn't. ;)