A/N sorry bout the wait, i was getting seriously depressed about not getting any reviews for "A Fairytale Slashed" but it's all good now. Thank you to any faithful readers faithful enough to read.. i know lots of people don't really know who Juuroumaru is... sigh that's the problem with writing about characters nobody knows... anyway, hope you like it, it's not really that interesting- mostly fluff and a very adorable insecure Juuroumaru. yay!

When Sesshoumaru woke, he found a small heated body pressed against him and, his mind still hazed with sleep, he wondered if perhaps Rin had crawled into his bed sometime in the night. His eyes shot open as he realized the ridiculousness of his thought. Rin was gone. Dead. Naraku had killed her long ago. But then, who was in his bed with him?

He turned to find a very pretty, dangerous youkai. But how had he gotten into his bed? He combed through the previous day, trying to remember how Juuroumaru had managed to get into his room, his bed. Then it all came back in a rush. The nightmare, the scratch, bringing the youkai back. Gingerly, he reached up and touched the sticky, congealed mess.

Before he could begin to get up, the demon made a soft whimper and pressed closer, an arm encircling his waist, while the other clenched his tail, seeking warmth and comfort.

He frowned at this and turned to the small demon, whose face was briefly marred by conflict and fear. The demon was quivering again, burying himself in Sesshoumaru's pelt and gripping tighter. He gently smoothed out these lines, tracing along the eyebrows and eyelids. In sleep, this comforted the demon and he pressed closer. Sesshoumaru settled back into the bed, splaying an arm across the demons chest and falling asleep.

Juuroumaru's eyelids were heavy and it was almost impossible to open them. When he did however, he yelped and jerked away so hard that tuffs of hair that he had been clutching were suddenly covering his hands. His eyes widened and, trembling, he slowly backed away from the demon lord. The demon's eyes were half open, anger clear in the hazy amber orbs. Trembling, Juuroumaru backed further away as the demon sat up, one eyes firmly on him, the other hidden by his silver tresses.

Juuroumaru was utterly terrified, even more so when the demon's mouth opened, and he laughed. The loud, surprisingly gentle baritone laugh filled the air, free of malice or sadistic glee like Naraku's.

Confused, Juuroumaru reached out and tugged on the youkai's haori, desperate for answers. A thought popped into his head that perhaps the demon was trying to trick him, and he recoiled almost instantaneously.

Sesshoumaru's eyes switched over to the youkai, seeing the obvious fear. Although he was inclined to ignore it, he ended up wrapping his pelt around him and drawing him against his side. Juuroumaru fought at first but eventually succumbed to whatever it was that the inu youkai intended upon him.

Instinctively, Sesshoumaru leaned forward and dipped his tongue into the small hollow in the corner of the youkai's eye where a tear had begun to gather. "You needn't fear little one," he said softly. Juuroumaru shuddered. Suddenly he wanted to speak. He wanted desperately to tell the inu youkai that he wasn't afraid, that he wanted him to STOP making him feel the way he did. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it. He chewed on his lip in frustration. He knew Sesshoumaru would only laugh at him if he tried, he might even cast him out. No. He didn't want to speak. He didn't want to suffer the humiliation when Sesshoumaru would crease his brow in confusion and then laugh.

Sesshoumaru leaned over and pressed his fingers to Juuroumaru's lips. "You can learn…" Juuroumaru shook his head violently. "Why not?" Juuroumaru only stare down at the sheets, fingering the white pelt that still surrounded him. "Well you hardly have a choice. It's shouldn't be difficult at all since you understand the language." Juuroumaru only shook his head feebly, knowing he had no chance of deterring the Inu youkai anyway.

"We shall eat breakfast and then your lessons will begin. Understood?" Juuroumaru nodded silently. "Good," He freed Juuroumaru of his pelt and called a fox youkai named Kyo to retrieve breakfast. The pointed face youkai glanced in Juuroumaru's direction with a knowing smirk before bowing to the inu youkai. "Of course Sesshoumaru-sama," he said, his fury crimson tail flicking back and forth behind him as he walked.

Juuroumaru's head shot up. Sesshoumaru… So that was the inu youkai's name. "Shall I retrieve the shackles from his previous room and bring them here Sesshoumaru-sama?" he asked coyly. Sesshoumaru's answer was a curt 'No' and he swiftly dismissed the fox.

He turned and glanced briefly at Juuroumaru who was staring off at nothing. "Stay here," he said softly. Without another word, he walked towards the far corner of the room and slid open a door that led into a hot spring and small basin. Gingerly, he washed away the congealed blood from the already healing scratches. Looking up into the mirror, he saw a shorter, timid figure glancing around the door in the background "What is it Juuroumaru?" he asked smoothly. Juuroumaru bit his lip and lowered his head. A slight flush to pale cheeks, Juuroumaru stepped further into the room, one step, then another, than another until he stood a foot away from the inu youkai.

He reached out and touched his cheek, trying to convey his apology and thanks for all that he had done thus far. Sesshoumaru gently removed Juuroumaru's hand and turned back towards the basin to wash the last of the blood away.

Juuroumaru stared at the ground. Sesshoumaru didn't understand. "I'm sorry," before he realized it, the raspy, grating sound of his own voice escaped his mouth. It was more horrible than he'd last remembered, making him want to cover his ears to forget the sound. Shutting his eyes, he covered his mouth as if a foul word had escaped him. He was glad Sesshoumaru's back was turned so he wouldn't have to see the look horror and disgust.

Not wanting to see the hatred on the inu youkai's beautiful face, he turned, and ran.

When breakfast arrived, served by a certain smirking fox youkai, Sesshoumaru sat at the low, black lacquered table alone. He had decided he would search for Juuroumaru later. The worst possible thing that could've happened was that the youkai had run off and he would never see him again… and for some reason, that thought made him feel hollow and depressed. Ignoring it, he downed his meal quicker than he cared to admit and set off in search for the purple-eyed beauty.

Finding the youkai proved harder than he'd first thought. It was a good hour before he picked up the youkai's scent. After that, it was easy enough and he ended up finding the youkai on one of the lower floors, in one of the small, unused servant rooms. He had managed to curl up beneath a high backed chair.

Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears picked up the youkai's whimpers and he was tempted to walk over and embrace him and chase away all the bad thoughts. Sesshoumaru scowled. Where were all these thoughts coming from? The youkai was not a mere child, he wasn't supposed to be coddled; coddling was only meant for children. At least, that had been his excuse for coddling Rin.

"If you keep taking off like this, I will have Kyo retrieve the shackles. I will not tolerate you running off and causing trouble in my home," Juuroumaru's head shot up and he bumped it hard on the chair. He yelped and quickly darted out from beneath it. Sesshoumaru walked over and picked up the trembling body off the ground. Juuroumaru cried and pulled away but Sesshoumaru's hold was strong.

He reached out and touched Juuroumaru's hip through the white shirt he had given him. Juuroumaru gasped and winced, glancing down and realizing that crimson had bled through his shirt. "I told you that you were not to cause yourself any harm," Juuroumaru shuddered and closed his eyes, unaware of the tears that streamed down his face. "I shall let it go this once," Juuroumaru didn't seem to hear, for he was sobbing too violently.

Going against his earlier resolve not to coddle the youkai, Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around him. He kissed the side of the soft-skinned neck, "It's okay," he whispered gently. Juuroumaru whimpered. "Please-" but he stopped himself, hating his croaking voice.

"What is it? Say it," said Sesshoumaru in his commanding voice. He pulled away, searching for Juuroumaru's dark, tormented eyes. Juuroumaru only shook his head hopelessly, looking away, avoiding his Sesshoumaru's honeyed eyes. What would he see in them if he looked up? Anger? Pity? Hatred?

"What do you fear little one?" (A/N eek, 'little one'... kinda generic) Juuroumaru shuddered and pressed his cheek against Sesshoumaru's chest. "Please don't put chains on me! Please I'll be good i promise!" Juuroumaru blurted the sentence before he considered the foolishness of admitting it to the youkai. He shuddered and melted against Sesshoumaru, trembling violently.

Sesshoumaru's only response was something akin to a sigh before he adjusted Juuroumaru in his arms and swept from the dusty room with little more than a rustle of silk.

A/N- Bye then, hope you liked it