"Oniisama, Im"--

"Don't call me that." Sesshoumaru told Inuyasha hardheartedly, "You will address me as Lord Sesshoumaru, or master Sesshoumaru."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked.

"Because though we may be brothers, you and I are not on the same level. I am a pure demon and you are not. It is something you must learn to accept."

"Ha ha." Jaken snickered under his breath.

"Don't be cocky, Jaken. You are his servant as well."

Jaken gaped at this statement. "M-me!" he shrieked, "The servant of a half demon! Well I never!"

Sesshoumaru glared at him. Jaken gulped and smiled nervously.

"Onii… Lord Sesshoumaru, Im not feeling so good." Inuyasha said faintly, "I don't wanna walk anymore."

Sesshoumaru took a look at the little half demon. He looked tired and pale. "Keep walking, were almost there." He said, continuing ahead.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and trudged forward. But after only a few steps he collapsed, gasping and sweating.

"Oh, well." Jaken said cheerfully, "Remember, Lord Sesshoumaru? If you can't keep up, your gonna get left behind!"

"Bring him to me."

"What?"

"Bring him to me." Sesshoumaru said firmly.

Jaken sighed and dragged the child over to Sesshoumaru by his left arm.

"Hey, that hurts…" Inuyasha moaned, closing his eyes tightly.

Jaken wiped his hands on the grass, disgusted. "What are you going to do with him, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru ignored Jaken. "Are you sure you can't walk for merely one more mile?" he asked Inuyasha.

Inuyasha just curled up into a tight little ball, shivering. Jaken shook his head at the sight.

Sesshoumaru picked up his brother and allowed him to rest on his shoulder, supporting him with his left hand. "Come on, Jaken. We're leaving."

Jakens mouth hung open. It was as unfair as it was wrong. Not only did he never get treated even half as well as this little whelp, but Lord Sesshoumaru was holding a loathsome half demon. He writhed with anger as he saw the boy clinging to the fluffy robe/scarf thing wrapped around his masters' shoulder. Ever since he had set eyes on Lord Sesshoumaru, he had longed to snuggle his face into that absurdly comfortable looking cloak. It was a dream he knew would never come true, yet this dog-eared infant was living it in his place. He had never been so angry in his life.

"Wipe that look off your face, Jaken." Sesshoumaru said.

Jaken gasped and tried to catch his breath. "Im-Im sorry, my lord, but I couldn't help wondering why you would go so far as to"--

"--It is only a mile." Sesshoumaru said. "He can't possibly walk on his own. Don't expect me to have to do this again."

Jaken nodded fearfully.

"And keep your filthy eyes off of my fur."

A few minutes later they reached a place in the forest Sesshoumaru deemed suitable to rest in for a while. He tried to set his little brother down, but he had a firm grip on his fluffy shoulder thing. At first he considered beating him over the head, but he changed his mind and gently unclenched his tiny hands from his fur. He propped Inuyasha against a patch of grass. "Watch over him." He ordered Jaken, "If anything happens to him, you will be to blame."

Jaken scuttled around attempting at an argument, but Sesshoumaru walked off, leaving the two alone.

"This is all your fault." Jaken muttered to the sleeping Inuyasha, "If you hadn't been around here I would still be number one and you wouldn't have defiled Lord Sesshoumarus fluff. If you make him go soft, I will kill you, no matter what Lord Sesshoumaru does to me. At least his pride won't be harmed."

Inuyasha groped around for something in his sleep. He moaned, and curled back up.

"Stop trying to be so cute." Jaken spat, "Half demons aren't… they aren't… cute at all."

Jaken started to sweat nervously as Inuyasha grabbed his foot in his sleep.

"G-get off of me!" Jaken stammered, "Don't you touch me! I may be a lowly servant, but at least im not a pathetic half demon!"

"…Mommy…" Inuyasha muttered in his sleep, "I thought you were dead…"

Jaken froze. He was very close to giving in to his unconscious innocence. He shook him off and turned around, plugging his ears.

"Im not listening!" he sang, "la-la-la! You can't lure"--

But Inuyasha started shivering. He was trying hard not to cry out in his sleep, and was, in fact, so cute and so sad it was enough to make anyone reach for a box of tissues.

This was too much for Jaken. He took off running in Sesshoumarus direction.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!" He cried, "I can't do it! I can't"--

--He ran into his masters' leg. He looked up to see Sesshoumaru smirking at him. This was not a good sign.

"Can't even keep watch over a half demon child, Jaken? I feel I am losing my faith in you."

"Y-you don't understand, my lord! He was testing my dignity!"

"You have no dignity to test once you have abandoned your duties I left you with." Sesshoumaru said, going off to see to his brother.

Exaggeratedly angry tears welled up in Jakens eyes as he ran after his master. No matter what, he was going to be the most loyal servant his master ever had.

They made their way to the small patch in the forest where Inuyasha was sleeping. Sesshoumaru glared at Jaken again. But this time, Jaken suspected a hint of menace. He shuddered at the thought of Sesshoumaru 'disposing' of him.

"Why is Lord Sesshoumaru so worked up over a worthless half demon pup?" He thought to himself. He had never been so confused in his life, not to mention jealous. Lord Sesshoumaru never carried him anywhere. Jaken was feeling like the magic in their relationship was slowly--ok, quickly--dissolving.

"Wake up, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru ordered. Inuyasha didn't even acknowledge him.

"Think him to be dead, my lord?" Jaken asked.

"No." Said Sesshoumaru, "He wouldn't die from such a simple cause, even for a half demon."

"Simple cause…?" Jaken paused. "What do you mean by that?"

"I suspect that it has been days since he has done anything besides weep for his pathetic human mother." Sesshoumaru said, "He most likely hasn't eaten or slept for some time. It's disgusting… making himself sick over some human." He stared at Inuyasha like he was a worm that had been crawling around the grass.

"So, in other words he'll be fine. But half demon or not, he is pretty adorable, Lord Sesshoumaru, you have to admit." Jaken grinned.

Sesshoumaru remained blank as he glanced at his brother. He was still all curled up, looking very pale indeed. He was drenched with sweat and shaking all over, sleeping restlessly.

"Well, what I mean is, adorably pathetic." Jaken stammered uneasily.

But he gawked as his lord Sesshoumaru bent down to the little boy. He put his hand on his forehead.

"Pathetic." Sesshoumaru said under his breath.

Inuyasha whimpered and rolled over to his brother. He grasped his arm and shivered uncontrollably as Sesshoumaru stroked behind his ears in a way that could almost be considered sympathetic.

You probably guessed that by now Jaken had blown a fuse or two. You would have been right. He was trembling with anger and confusion. His master was not only associating with a half demon, he was consoling one! What the hell was he doing!

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken whined, "Are you sure you should filth your lovely hands with that half breed trash!"

"Be quiet, fool." Sesshoumaru hissed under his breath, continuing to scratch his little brother behind the ears. Jaken had not only dreamed of cuddling his masters' fluff, but also had secret desires of scratching behind Inuyashas ears. Yes, no matter how he tried to deny these feelings, he was, in fact, lusting over both his masters' fluff and his useless brothers' doggie ears. Revolting! To lust over a half demons atrocious (yet oh-so-luxurious) ears!

While Jaken was beating some sense into himself with his own two fists, Sesshoumaru sat silently with Inuyasha. The little half demon clung limply to his big brothers furry cape, breathing softly and shallowly.

Sesshoumaru frowned. He hoped Jaken wasn't taking his actions for kindness. That would be appalling… Kindness towards a half breed pup. No. Sesshoumaru was determined to turn his weak, worthless little brother into as much of a demon as he possibly could. He owed it to his father to mold his last son into something worthwhile. If Inuyasha couldn't become a demon in body, perhaps he could make him think and act like one.

Sesshoumaru shoved Inuyasha away. Half demon or not, it was his duty to train him… No matter how unattainable this task may prove to be.