Sleeping Issues

"Leon, stop hogging my side of the bed..." Stephanie Summers grumbled drowsily as the body next to her rolled over, almost squashing her in the process.

"I am not..." Leon Garcia de Asturias's sleepy voice muttered from somewhere behind her head. "I'm sleeping..."

Stephanie sat up, for what seemed the hundreth time that night, and looked down at Leon, who had taken up more than his side of the bed. "I never knew you were such a bad sleeping partner." She pushed him back over, where he gave a dissatisfied grunt and took her pillow instead.

Stephanie threw up her hands in exasperation before getting up quietly and left her room, making sure to grab a robe to keep warm.

Earlier on, Leon had showed up at her front doorstep, looking like he had just fallen down three mountains. He had grinned and said that his new make-over was courtesy of a few vamps he ran into on his latest mission, and now he was so... so... tired, so could he spend the night here instead and return to the Vatican tomorrow.

Stephanie had taken one look at his cuts and bruises and ordered him into the kitchen.

That was before she'd figured out that he was a bed-hogger.
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"Ow!! Now that hurts, sweetheart!"

"Well, I'm not the best doctor you've ever met.. And neither am I a doctor either, so this is the best I can do. Hold still and I'll try not to make it hurt."

Leon grinned. "Love, you make the best doctor in the world. I couldn't ask for more."

Stephanie paused in the act of dabbing his cuts and smiled faintly. "Thank you, Leon... Let's continue, shall we?"

"Ow!! Careful there, love!"

"Oops...... sorry.. hehehehe....."

"Heh. So, how's life at the cafe? Ow!!"

"Ahhhh!! Sorry!!!"

With that, the the evening passed with painful exclamations, sarcastic remarks, and words of love.
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Stephanie ran a hand through her messy hair as she sat at her dining table, sipping a hot mug of milk. Was she really dreaming of leaving Leon alone in bed like that? Maybe she had been a little selfish... Stephanie had never really shared a bed before, and this was probably her second or third time, so she should learn how to give.

Sighing, she drained her mug of milk and left it in the sink. This whole house, big as it may be, was hers and hers alone. Memories happened here, good and bad, and she didn't- no- couldn't forget them. And upstairs, in that little barred room.... her darkest memory was recorded there...

All alone, with no one for her now....

Poor child.... first her mother, then her father....

Alone.... in that house....

She's always alone...

No one... alone...

Alone...

Alone......

"No... shut up.... go away...." Stephanie leaned on the sink, balling her hands into fists as she shut out the voices of her demons. She wouldn't give in to them, not now.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around and walked up the stairs to her room, opening the door quietly to see that Leon had indeed taken her space again. Eyebrow twitching, she pushed him aside and got into bed, earning a groan from him.

"I wish you would stop doing that, love..." Leon mumbled drowsily.

"And I wish you would stop taking my side of the bed," Stephanie grumbled yet again, turning on her side. She had just managed to fall asleep when true enough, she felt him press up against her back again.

Sighing, she gave up and turned, fitting herself into his curves, melting her body to his so she was comfortable. In an answer, Leon 's arm went around her waist and he too, shifted so they were both comfortable.

"Mmmmmm...." he murmured from somewhere above her head, his chest vibrating. "That's better...."

Stephanie laughed quietly. "You sneaky little cheat.. you've been waiting to do that all night, haven't you?"

Leon chuckled sleepily. "Maybe... Good night, love.... I love you..."

"Night, my dear Leon.... I love you too..."

Within minutes, they were both sound asleep.

Slumber of the Shinigami

She lay unmoving in a glade full of Sakura tees, with floating pink petals falling down to surround her. Her eyes were closed, her black hair strewn about her shoulders, and her expression one of peace. Her skin was pale porcelain, cold to the touch, without any signs of life. Clad in white, the young maiden slept on in an eternal sleep, her chest barely moving, no sound of breathing to indicate that she was alive. But she was. Not in this world maybe, but she was.

With her hands folded neatly across her breast she lay, a cold sword next to her. This was a place where dawn's light could never penetrate, yet the dark Sakura glade was lit with an unearthly, mystical light, that cast a glow on the maiden's face, taking her to an etheral realm. A soft wind blew through the trees, rustling their branches and causing more petals to drop on her, but still, she never moved, never stirred, not as much as a finger.

She was safe here. Very and extremely safe. Her soul being pure, here she slept peacefully, waiting to be reborn, waiting to join the ranks of those she knew and loved, to live forever more immortal as one of them. One of them.... one of those whose duty was to protect the Living. But the maiden would not stir, would not move... till the one she loved returned for her.

"Sayonara, my sweet...
He now comes, She now comes...
To bring you to join the Thirteen
May your Blade ever stay true, O Immortal ones..."

The wind and nature sang a quiet psalm to calm her soul, a lullaby to prepare her for what she would go through. And she was calm. Even in everlasting sleep, she was calm, but she refused to be reborn, till "he" was by her side again.

A sudden stirring of the branches rang out a gentle warning. "Intruder.... disturb not the sleep of the Angel.... Leave.... leave now...." they murmured.

At the edge of the clearing, a woman stood in faithful vigillance, watching over her beloved as she slept, not daring to come close lest the peace be broken. She would wait... she would wait.... till the maiden was ready to wake up and return to those she loved.

"Sayonara, my sweet....
Sleep till the heavens meet...
The Soul Reaper will bring you over....
To live as one of them for now till forever...."

And the maiden slept peacefully............