EDIT 03/01/13 - Oh, deary me. This was a pain to edit. Seriously. Why couldn't I learn about the semi-colon or the slash earlier? ;_;

Hello, this is my first... well, anything for the Natsume Yuujinchou fandom. :) Please, tell me what you think on them. Yes, them. There are more where that came from (at least other three, and my heads about to explode from all the clutter in it). I'll be posting the next one tomorrow.

So, it's going to be a series of drabbles, mostly centering on the different kinds of loneliness that the Natsume characters feel or felt. There will be other "emotions" as well, but mostly just loneliness, I think.

Enjoy!

Warning: No warning, actually. Though I would appreciate it if you didn't talk to me just yet about the manga (I've reserved the first volume from my library, but it's going to take at least three months before I get to read it :/). Just the anime, please. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Natsume Yuujinchou, nor will I ever do so. It's too cool to be of my making. This disclaimer applies to all drabbles I have or will post after this one.

...of Longevity

How he hated humans.

Well, not humans, per se. More like their inability to understand.

Reiko had understood - a bit at least, the shrewd woman that she was. When they had talked, she had sometimes given him a look best described as a mix of gentleness and sadness and... pity. It had driven him up the walls, that look had. How dare she, a mere human, how dare she?

At that point Reiko had always started to laugh, that rare air of sympathy shifting into her usual demeanor of arrogance and confidence. The memories, even of these moments, were so like Reiko that now, years later, they were almost too painful to recall. As was every single thing, not only of Reiko, but of all those other as well. The others he had watched over for one reason or another during his long, long existence.

He knew that when that fool of a Natsume would die, all these little things - the way he would smile or glare, his punches as well as his caresses... all these little things, as seemingly random and inconsequential as anything, would be the finest of treasures to him. The memories of that, this, time. And yet, they would hurt him even worse this time around because there wasn't just foolish, kind Natsume, but also all these little insignificant friends of his - like that calm, collected and silent Tanuma, and that Taki who always gave him such a strong hug it would pain him for hoursafter. Even the damn actor held a place - albeit small, tiny, minute - in his affection.

How he hated humans and their short lives and his own long, long existence.

Review, please! It will make my day, since these are my first ever drabbles.

Ta!