I own nothing. NOTHING!

Just having some fun with my favorite demons!

Enjoy!

The night was clear. Cold was just about to settle in and a few huts had fires going, usually they had older folk or younger children. After Keade's death, Miroku and Sango had taken over her small hut at the bottom of the shrine steps. The village's people were fine with them doing so - the old lady seemed to like them well enough (that and they could kill a few dozen demons without breaking a sweat). Usually, Inuyasha and Kagome stayed in the hut with them.

Tonight was different.

Earlier in the day, Inuyasha and Kagome got into a pretty nasty fight. It was over Shippo, of all things. Inuyasha had suggested that the boy should learn to hunt as to start providing for himself. The fox-boy became upset and ran to Kagome crying that Inuyasha was going to kick him out. Before the white-haired demon could explain himself, Kagome had yelled at him for a bit (saying stuff like he was inconsiderate and chauvinistic), waved a few fingers in his direction, and 'sat' him a few times for good measure. She gathered up Shippo and marched off toward the hut.

It took Inuyasha quite some time before he had his anger under control well enough to talk to the hot-headed girl. By the time he got back to the hut, the Monk informed him that Kagome had jumped through the well, and the Demon Slayer informed him that he would not be allowed to sleep indoors tonight. Inuyasha thought that it was unfair. Shippo was nowhere to be found, and Inuyasha thought him to have followed Kagome to the well to wish her off.

Now, too proud to follow her to her time, at least for tonight (give her some time to stew in it . . .) he sulked on low branch within eyesight of the well. He couldn't sleep. He never could whenever she wasn't near, when he couldn't keep her scent in his nose. Restlessly, he watched the stars move and the gentle smoke rise from the nearby village.

Then he heard it: a soft sniffle. Either someone was crying or getting a cold. The dog-demon sniffed the air - the only recognizable scents were of Kagome and Shippo - both of which had been in the area recently.

He jumped down from his branch, "hello?"

The sniffle was heard again, along with a slight whimper. He sniffed again - he didn't smell any blood - but they didn't have to be bleeding to he hurt . . . "hello?" he asked the night again.

When he heard nothing for awhile he growled, crouching to jump back into the tree, "I think I'm starting to hear things . . ." he said softly under his breath. He paused when he thought he heard another whimper and the soft "father" from somewhere near his right. Someone was calling out for their father.

"Mama!" this was slightly louder than the 'father', and Inuyasha turned to follow the sound. Then, the rustle of leaves and a twig breaking. Inuyasha took a few steps, the sound was just coming from beyond this tree . . .

Inuyasha jumped around the tree, hand on his sword, ready to attack - but stopped short. Below him, at the base of the tree, was Shippo - curled up against a bush branch and leaves. He kicked, and this time he yelled, "FATHER!"

It hit Inuyasha hard that Shippo was having a nightmare about his parents, and it was probably because he brought it up today. Shippo was fighting night tremors because of him and his mouth. He leaned down to wake the boy when the kitsune grumbled out, " . . . don't leave me!" He seemed to be really fighting it, "I wanna stay . . ." a gentle hand was placed on the boy's back as he fought against it. The least he could do was wake the kid up. "No!" he leaned against Inuyasha's hand and moaned again. "No!"

"Shippo!" Inuyasha urged, "Wake up!"

"But don't . . . leave!"

"I'm not going anywhere Shippo, wake up!" shaking the boy a little rougher than he should have the boy's eyes shot wide open. Then, they focused on Inuyasha.

"Dad!" he shouted as soon as he saw Inuyasha and lunged for the older demon's chest, hugging him. Shocked at the kid's words, Inuyasha didn't move.

The wind was still. There was a soft chill in the air. The trees were almost bare. Inuyasha fell to his knees. Shippo dug his head into his kimono, sobbing. When Inuyasha let out his breath, he was dimly aware that he had been holding it. He looked down to the demon against him.

'He thinks I'm his dad?' he thought to himself . . .

"Please don't leave me! Please! I don't want to be alone!" Shippo's muffled shouts sounded against the still trees, making his words almost echo in Inuyasha's head.

Slowly, Inuyasha put an arm around the boy, pulling him closer. 'We did pick him up about the time he lost his parents . . .' he thought back to the fateful day. Then he remembered that stupid statue . . . 'little runt . . .' Golden eyes looked down to the sobbing boy, concern for him flowed through him, and the only thing Inuyasha wanted was for him to stop crying.

"Kid!" he rubbed his back, "It's okay." Shippo hick-uped through another cry. "I'm right here . . . I'm not going anywhere." Unsure, and awkward, Inuyasha skumpled the kid's hair, and rubbed his back again.

This seemed to calm Shippo down, as he pulled back and wiped his face, "thanks da-" he noticed that he wasn't sitting in his father's furry, soft, brown lap, but he was sitting on the lap of a very temperamental half-demon who was defiantly not his father. "Inuyasha!"

Seeing the realization cross over the blue eyes, he leaned down a little, "are you okay?"

Shippo was shocked. Why would Inuyasha care? Was he still dreaming? "I'm sorry." he said, very small, bringing his hands up to his chin.

Inuyasha then saw him as the kid he was - no older than five and alone in the world - fighting for survival and scared out of his wits. He cupped the kid's shoulder, he knew what that was like. "No, Shippo. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it was time for you to be on your own. You are still just a kid. But, what are you doing out here? Why aren't you back in the hut?"

Shippo sniffed. "I want Kagome."

A smirk grew on the older demon's lips, knowing he was out here because of the well. He looked up to the branch he was just sitting in, "You and me both, kid." He sighed, "But, in the meantime - you got me . . ." he said stupidly. 'Now that was smooth.' Shippo dived back into his red robes again, "thank you, Inuyasha."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Shippo sniffed again, "yeah." Then after a moment, "No." Inuyasha tried not to laugh. "I miss my parents, and sometimes I have bad dreams about the night they died. Usually Kagome will let me cuddle up with her. But she's not here."

"Here," Inuyasha said, picking up the boy so he could turn around, his back against the tree. He was now facing the clearing with the well. He slowly, and awkwardly put Shippo down in his lap. "Just for tonight."

Shippo moved to get comfortable and smiled, "thank you Inuyasha!"

It was awhile before Inuyasha spoke again. At first, Shippo in his lap was weird, but then it almost felt natural. Then he heard Shippo sniffle again. "Shippo?"

"Hmm?"

"Back there, I woke you up . . . you called me dad . . . Why?"

He felt Shippo's grip on the leg of his robe tighten and then he heard him gulp. "Well, I was dreaming about my dad. And you and Kagome are the closest things I have to parents right now. I was scared."

Before Inuyasha could think about it, he was patting Shippo's head, in a soothing motion he had seen Kagome do for the kid. He took in a deep breath. "Okay. Look," he licked his lips. "I don't know about being a dad . . ." he started, unsure of himself. He thought back on his time with Shippo. The little kid meant a lot to him, he knew that much. "But how about . . . a brother?"

Shippo turned, his eyes wide and glowing, "ya' know - an older brother." Inuyasha stared the kid down and then gulped. "Not that I have the greatest role model in an older brother," he said to himself more than to Shippo. The little kitsune cuddled into the crook of his knee.

"I'll take what I can get." He whispered happily. "Thank you Inuyasha."

His eyes on the well, "no problem, little brother."

Shippo's smiled widened.

The next morning, Kagome grunted as she pulled herself up and over the edge of the well. Stretching, she looked around, "I'm so glad the weather isn't the same in both times . . . I love the sun!" she shook off some snow flakes from her hair.

Taking a few steps toward town, she stopped, noticing red out of the corner of her eye. She turned, ready to tell the guy off - still mad from yesterday, but she softened at the scene. There was Inuyasha, one arm around Shippo - the other to his lips telling her to be quiet. The child was sleeping peacefully in his lap.

Kagome smiled, and she forgot why she was mad at Inuyasha in the first place.

Probly the shortest thing I've ever posted, but I wrote it a long time ago and I just recently read it. I probly meant for it to be a part of something longer, I just like it like this. It gave me warm-fuzzies...
I hope you enjoyed it too... if you did - let me know!