Hello! It's been a while since I've last posted a FanFic and this is my first Blue Exorcist story, I am a huge Shura/Yukio fan and I wanted to contribute to a wonderful pairing that doesn't seem to get a lot of attention. Cover photo posted by kagayaita on Tumblr. I hope you like it :)

Shura has a lot of personalities. Having been assigned as her partner frequently thought the years, Yukio has seen them all. Sober Shura, Drunk Shura, Angry Shura, Happy Shura, Sad Shura, the list goes on and on. There is no one he knows better. With all that time spent together he has learned one thing for sure, Sleeping Shura was his favorite.

Many of the assignments they have gone on required overnight stays. They've shared everything from a bed to a sleeping bag to a dirt floor. It wasn't awkward, they just made it work. He liked the familiarity of sleeping by her. It was actually easier than sleeping by himself. It was like a child having a security blanket. A twenty-six year old, alcoholic, fiery haired security blanket.

"If ya think yer gonna be sleepin' with me, chicken, yer delusional." she said with a knowing smirk as she plopped her luggage on the ground.

"Like I'd want to" he joked back

She would change into her pajamas, a skimpy kimono that most kids kids his age would bust a nut just looking at. After she was done, he would change into his, a t-shirt and fleece pants. They would spend the next few hours laying on their respective sides of the mattress, her playing one of her video games, him reading a book or cleaning his guns. The night would fade on like that accompanied with small talk.

As time wore on her video game would lay forgotten at her side as her breathing became calm and rhythmic. He would put away what he was doing, carefully detach the game from her hand, and turn off the lights.

"Goodnight, Shura." he whispered as he relaxed into the bed.

"'Night, four eyes" came a soft mumble accompanied by a soft snore.

Never in his life had Yukio had to deal with a person as infuriating as Shura Kiragakure, and never in his life did he place so much faith wholeheartedly in one person. She's saved his life more times than he wishes to admit. She is the person he always will want and trust to have his back and all he wants is to provide the same thing for her. He wasn't sure if he was doing that until he overheard some Exorcist's at headquarters talking about their job assignments with the infamous Shura Kiragakure,

"There was this one time that I guess I set my sleeping bag too close to hers and she threatened me with her familiar."

Yukio had shared a sleeping bag with her.

"That's nothing, we had a hotel room and I accidentally assumed we'd share a bed and she drew her sword on me."

Yukio always shared a bed with her.

"Congratulations to whoever gets close to that, talk about cut off."

He felt an arm splay across his stomach and turned to see a mass of red hair splayed on his shoulder. He hadn't realized that this routine was a way of her showing her trust. She never let anyone see this side of her. He looked down and saw her face, typically ridden with power and arrogance, had now melted into a serene, calm expression. Her eyelashes were brushing her cheeks and her mouth was lightly open, soft breathing warming his arm. He treasured this. He liked learning all her little ticks. She always slept on the left side of the bed, "Left is lucky, duh."

As much as she absolutely vehemently denied it, she was a cuddler. When she fell asleep she would be strewn every which way but would always end up attached to him, sometimes even managing to lay completely on top of him. The first time she did it he was caught off guard, the way she clung on to him was surprisingly intimate for her usual roughness, not that he minded. It was nice to feel her warmth hugging him, he would often hug back and just detangle himself before she woke up and saw. It was pointless though because every morning he would wake up to "Wow, four eyes, I never took you for such a pervert, clutching onto a defenseless woman as she slept, shame on you." she would lightly scold.

She barely slept in anything, not that it's really a surprise. Her usual sleepwear consisted of a short, low cut kimono that always managed to open up quite a bit as she slept. Other times she sleeps in her bra and underwear, much to his embarrassment.

"Awwh, has baby Yukio never seen a woman's body before?"

"Have you never heard of modesty before?"

"Modesty's for wimps."

"Please just put something on."

Teasing him was her favorite game. Whether it be walking around in next to nothing to get a rise out of him, literally, or pressing a little too close to him as they relaxed in bed. She liked to try to make the mature, put together Yukio blush. Most of the time she won. One time he retaliated by "falling asleep" and reversing their situations. He rolled over in the bed and wrapped his arms firmly around her ribs, pulling her against him. He felt her breath hitch in her throat as her breath came out narrowly, as if she was trying not to have her breathing disturb him. It was endearing. He lightly cracked open an eye to look at the cheek visible from his angle, it was as red as her hair. He felt her hand rest gently on top of his and she fell asleep like that. No wonder she teased him so much. It was exhilarating.

However, there were nights that made him realize the impenetrable force he worked with had a vulnerable side. It happened rarely, but Shura sometimes had nightmares. Yukio could tell they were worse than any nightmare he had ever had. The first time it happened he had been terrified. He looked over at her when he noticed her breathing had become erratic. She was laying there, clutching the sheets with a white knuckled grip, covered in a sheen of cold sweat.

"Shura?" he whispered, gently shaking her shoulder

He became really worried when he saw the tears running down her face and a strangled sob escape her throat. Shura never cried.

"Shura? Please wake up." he said more frantically.

She bolted up right in bed and scanned the room, Trembling, until she found him.

"Yukio. I-Are you okay?" she stuttered out, trying to regain composure.

"Yeah I'm fine. More importantly, are you? It looked like you were having a nightmare."

"It was nothin'. Go to bed." she said turning away from him.

She didn't tell him what it was about, they weren't there yet. All he could do was brush her hair with her fingers as she tried to steady her breathing. The nightmares happened a few more times since then, he eventually figured out her nightmares correlated with days he got really hurt on missions. She felt guilty. She was obviously embarrassed whenever he saw her have a nightmare, but he figured out just being there was the help she needed. He didn't like thinking of what it was like when she had these nightmares when he wasn't with her to help.

One of her funnier habits was sleep swearing. He'd say she talked in her sleep if she said something besides curse.

"Asshole"

"Ah damnit"

"Shit"

It was highly amusing when said with her groggy sleep laced voice...a bit uncomfortable when laced with lust. She moaned sometimes too, typically in his ear, her hot breath tickling his neck. That accompanied by her body rubbing against his usually resulted in him placing a pillow over his crotch, trying not to think about what she was dreaming of while praying she didn't wake up.

He liked sleeping Shura the best because her mask was off and she was able to see everything. This was a part of her only he knew and he liked that. He felt a shift and looked down to see Shura's sleeping, smiling face drooling on his shirt.

Yeah, he'll always love this.

I hope you liked it! And I hope it wasn't too out of character. Please feel free to review, they make my day, I'd love it if you guys commented a prompt of any Shura/Yukio fanfic you'd like but haven't seen yet. I want to do more and I'd love to be inspired. :) Please review! :D And if you're a fan of the MustangXHawkeye Pairing from FMA I have stories of theirs on my page too, check them out! Love - Nicole