Nightmares

A/N: New story again! Miroku/Kagome, 'nuff said.

STORY:

Kagome was restless in sleep; she tossed and turned all through the night. A small whimper escaped her lips, she was having another nightmare. From his position under the Goshinboku, Miroku awoke. Looking up, he found InuYasha gone as usual. 'Probably off on one of his trysts with Kikyou. I best go to Kagome-sama before the worst happens.' The monk got up and made his way to the troubled girl under the cover of darkness. Kagome thrashed a bit and looked terribly scared. 'I wonder what this one is about.' She had been having the dreams for the past month she'd been in Sengoku Jidai, and each time he made sure she woke up to comfort. Perhaps the stress of it all was finally getting to her Or maybe InuYasha's harsh words were finally having an impact. He remembered it clearly.

One day, in a particularly hard battle, Kagome was called upon to use her Sacred Arrow. Her aim not being perfect, it only grazed the beast, and InuYasha was hurt by the youkai. She fired once more and it was purified. Running up to InuYasha, Kagome had looked so worried. 'InuYasha!' She had asked 'Daijoubu ka?!' He, however, looked mad enough to kill. 'I ask you for one thing, and even that you can't do! You stupid wench! Because of you, I got hurt! Kikyou would have never have missed that shot!' He turned and stalked off as Kagome stared at him, she had looked so broken. When she fell to her knees in shock, Sango went to comfort her. Himself though, he had been boiling mad. How dare that- that- HANYOU do that to someone so sweet, so beautiful?! What angel above blessed him so much that he had a wonderful girl like Kagome staying with him no matter what? It wasn't fair, Kagome didn't deserve that! and InuYasha didn't deserve her. Well, neither did he. He was a delinquent monk who was heir-crazy. With no time for falling in love, with no time to spend with the one he did love. He was after all, a condemned man living on borrowed time. When the kazaana decided to suck him in, that was it, he was gone. So, yes, he thought her sweet, and lovely, and beautiful, nothing would ever come of it. She was head over heels for that DOG! So there was no room in her heart for him. Well, in Kagome's heart, there was room for everyone, but not in that one special spot. That spot InuYasha unknowingly claimed. So Miroku would be her friend and comfort her when he could. Like now, in the middle of the night when she woke up crying and screaming. Like now, when he was the only one who cared.

He sat down baside her sleeping bad and pulled her still-sleeping, trembling form into his arms. He rocked her back and forth as she clung to him, crying; she was beginning to awake. "Shhh.... it's okay, Kagome-sama, it's alright now... It was just another nightmare..."

Kagome hugged him, now almost fully awake, and dried her tears on his robe. "Thank you, Miroku," she said, though it was a bit muffled. "You're a good friend." Miroku's heart lurched, but he smiled reasurringly for her benefit. "Well, that's what friends," he internally cringed, "are for. It would appear that the nightmares are getting worse." He gently mmover her off of him, all the while missing her warmth. "Care to tell me what's bothering you?" He asked while rubbing her back soothingly.

The young priestess leaned her head on his shoulder, he face settling into a worried frown. "I don't wanna talk about it. It's not nice." Miroku couldn't really see her in the dark, but it certainly SOUNDED as if she was pouting. He leaned his head on hers. "Oh come one, Kagome-sama! You'll feel better if you do..." He poked her in the side and she giggled.

"No! You aren't going to weedle it out of me! I won't answer you, pokey-man! Not even for strawberry pocky!" Miroku looked puzzled. 'Pocky?' "Eh... Kagome-sama? What's pocky?"

Kagome straightened in shock. He hadn't ever had POCKY?! Poor, poor, deprived Miroku! "Don't worry! I'll bring some back next time I visit home! It's so yummy. Like oooooooodeeeeeeeeen...!" She got a dreamy look on her face. "OdenodenodenodenODEN..."

Miroku laughed truely, for the first time in ages. Kagome snapped out of her daze. Had she ever really heard him laugh before? It was nice! And what a shame, she was the only one awake to hear it! Then she realized something. She was used to the calm, perverted Miroku, not the happy one. If this was how he was when he was happy, then was he sad the rest of the time? Maybe he just didn't show it. It was depressing to think about it. She didn't WANT him to be sad anymore, she wanted him to laugh again. She crouched in fron of him as he stared at her curiously. "Do it again!" She said childishly.

Miroku was confused, "Do what again, Kagome-sama?" She giggled. "I wanna hear you laugh again!"

He blushed a bit. She wanted to hear him... laugh? It sounded like a bad pick-up line! But Kagome wasn't hitting on him, she was just being honest. And that... that was just cute. And you really can't refuse such a cute request. And so he laughed, because he suddenly remebered exactly why he loved her. Because she was innocent and smart and cute and beautiful and angelic and had just the best curv- WHAT WAS HE THINKING?! This was KAGOME. Sweet, PURE, Kagome. He really needed to get some sleep. Miroku smiled disarming at the girl in front of him. The next thing Kagome knew, she was swept up into his arms bridal style. She blinked bewildered up at him as he stared calmly stright ahead. Slowly he walked over to her sleeping bag and lay her down in it. Zipping up the sides, he finally looked at her directly. "Go to sleep, Kagome." He said, ruffling her hair a bit and placing a chaste kiss on her temple. "Tomorrow will be a better day. And no more nightmares tonight, okay?" And with that, he went back to bed.

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A/N: AWWWWWWW!!!! I love it! Pure genius in Health class, thank you very much! REVIEW!