Reasons to Sleep in a Tree
By Seabreeze
A/N: The third part to my weird series where the characters think about another character. This one's with Inuyasha, though. Inuyasha, go figure.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
~*~*~*
Inuyasha sat in the strong branch of the tree, high above the others. For some reason, he liked it better up there- maybe because he was nearer to the moon, and maybe because no one else could get up there. Whenever a tree like this was available, he jumped at the chance and slept up on a branch. He could think freely, with hardly any interruptions. Unless Kagome woke up.
Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo, and Kagome slept soundly below him around a fire. Sango turned restlessly every minute or so. Shippo's feet twitched involuntarily, as if he was running, and Miroku slept holding the wrist of his cursed hand. Kagome, though, rarely moved. It was as if she froze the moment sleep had her so as not to scare it away, and keep it with her until it had to go. This had always intrigued him, and when Kagome slept he imagined her holding onto sleep like someone would a warm blanket on a cool night. Her face was still, except on nights like tonight when the moonlight was shrouded. From where he sat up on the branch, Inuyasha could hear -however slightly- Kagome's soft breathing. Inhale, pause, exhale. Like smooth mechanics.
It was moments like this that Inuyasha realized how truly fragile she was. It wouldn't take much to end that breathing, to stop her heart from beating. This was the same for the others, as well, but Kagome always seemed more defenseless. Sango and Miroku lived their lives defending themselves, and Shippo and Kirara were demons. But Kagome had only recently picked up the bow. Even then- something about her told him to protect her. Another good advantage of the tree. Any chance of an attacker he was bound to see, and he would definitely be able to react to one. He growled softly without realizing and dug his nails into the bark.
Inuyasha's sensitive ears suddenly picked up a soft rustling from below. Quickly he peered over, only to see Kagome stirring. Odd. Kagome never stirred. She twitched and rolled roughly, making captured groaning noises.
"Get off, you stupid jerk!" she murmured softly yet violently. Inuyasha watched for a moment more and settled back into his resting position. She was only dreaming, stupid girl. He closed his eyes and listened as Kagome settled into sleep again. It was a very soothing lullaby. But a few minutes later, he heard her wake and rise. She walked quietly over and sat with her back to the trunk of the tree.
"Inuyasha?" she whispered. "Are you still awake?" He snorted.
"Feh. If I wasn't before, I would be now. What do you want?" he said. Kagome shook her head.
"Nothing," she said. There was quiet for a moment. Finally Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.
"So what woke you up so suddenly, then?" he mocked softly, not really knowing why he was mocking her.
"Some sort of nightmare." she replied.
"Feh. About what?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome seemed rather quiet. It was making him nervous. After a moment or so she responded.
"I'm not really sure. something about you and Miroku and Sango and everyone disappearing. Gone." She said quietly, closing her eyes and resting her head against the trunk of the tree. Inuyasha snorted.
"Stupid girl. We would never leave you like that. And nothing could make me go anywhere I didn't want to."
"I know," Kagome replied. She shivered, and her teeth began to chatter slightly. Inuyasha would've gone down to warm her human body, but there was another reason he'd slept in a tree that night. There were certain times when he had to distance himself from her because of reasons ordinary men wouldn't understand. Being dog demon, he could smell things men weren't supposed to smell. Now was one of those times. He pulled off the outer cover of his clothing and tossed it over her, covering her back and shoulders.
"Stop chattering, already, you'll keep me up." He ordered, feeling the same coolness that had chilled her. It didn't bother him, and he wasn't uncovered. Kagome yawned and nestled into it.
"Thanks, Inuyasha." It wasn't long until her breathing had slowed, and she was asleep.
"Don't mention it," Inuyasha said softly, and after checking on her once more, he lie down.
'That's what I'm here for.'
By Seabreeze
A/N: The third part to my weird series where the characters think about another character. This one's with Inuyasha, though. Inuyasha, go figure.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
~*~*~*
Inuyasha sat in the strong branch of the tree, high above the others. For some reason, he liked it better up there- maybe because he was nearer to the moon, and maybe because no one else could get up there. Whenever a tree like this was available, he jumped at the chance and slept up on a branch. He could think freely, with hardly any interruptions. Unless Kagome woke up.
Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo, and Kagome slept soundly below him around a fire. Sango turned restlessly every minute or so. Shippo's feet twitched involuntarily, as if he was running, and Miroku slept holding the wrist of his cursed hand. Kagome, though, rarely moved. It was as if she froze the moment sleep had her so as not to scare it away, and keep it with her until it had to go. This had always intrigued him, and when Kagome slept he imagined her holding onto sleep like someone would a warm blanket on a cool night. Her face was still, except on nights like tonight when the moonlight was shrouded. From where he sat up on the branch, Inuyasha could hear -however slightly- Kagome's soft breathing. Inhale, pause, exhale. Like smooth mechanics.
It was moments like this that Inuyasha realized how truly fragile she was. It wouldn't take much to end that breathing, to stop her heart from beating. This was the same for the others, as well, but Kagome always seemed more defenseless. Sango and Miroku lived their lives defending themselves, and Shippo and Kirara were demons. But Kagome had only recently picked up the bow. Even then- something about her told him to protect her. Another good advantage of the tree. Any chance of an attacker he was bound to see, and he would definitely be able to react to one. He growled softly without realizing and dug his nails into the bark.
Inuyasha's sensitive ears suddenly picked up a soft rustling from below. Quickly he peered over, only to see Kagome stirring. Odd. Kagome never stirred. She twitched and rolled roughly, making captured groaning noises.
"Get off, you stupid jerk!" she murmured softly yet violently. Inuyasha watched for a moment more and settled back into his resting position. She was only dreaming, stupid girl. He closed his eyes and listened as Kagome settled into sleep again. It was a very soothing lullaby. But a few minutes later, he heard her wake and rise. She walked quietly over and sat with her back to the trunk of the tree.
"Inuyasha?" she whispered. "Are you still awake?" He snorted.
"Feh. If I wasn't before, I would be now. What do you want?" he said. Kagome shook her head.
"Nothing," she said. There was quiet for a moment. Finally Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.
"So what woke you up so suddenly, then?" he mocked softly, not really knowing why he was mocking her.
"Some sort of nightmare." she replied.
"Feh. About what?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome seemed rather quiet. It was making him nervous. After a moment or so she responded.
"I'm not really sure. something about you and Miroku and Sango and everyone disappearing. Gone." She said quietly, closing her eyes and resting her head against the trunk of the tree. Inuyasha snorted.
"Stupid girl. We would never leave you like that. And nothing could make me go anywhere I didn't want to."
"I know," Kagome replied. She shivered, and her teeth began to chatter slightly. Inuyasha would've gone down to warm her human body, but there was another reason he'd slept in a tree that night. There were certain times when he had to distance himself from her because of reasons ordinary men wouldn't understand. Being dog demon, he could smell things men weren't supposed to smell. Now was one of those times. He pulled off the outer cover of his clothing and tossed it over her, covering her back and shoulders.
"Stop chattering, already, you'll keep me up." He ordered, feeling the same coolness that had chilled her. It didn't bother him, and he wasn't uncovered. Kagome yawned and nestled into it.
"Thanks, Inuyasha." It wasn't long until her breathing had slowed, and she was asleep.
"Don't mention it," Inuyasha said softly, and after checking on her once more, he lie down.
'That's what I'm here for.'