AN: Hey everybody! This is just a little one shot that I have had swirling around in my head for a while and since the next chapter of HS is having difficulty coming to life I decided to take a break from it and write this one! My deep and undying thanks to knittingknots for the name of Inuyasha's son. If you all haven't read any of her works I highly recommend them! Enjoy!

Disclaimer:I own a computer, a car and two horses but I don't and never will own Inuyasha. Yes I know, its very sad. :-(

Lessons

Inuyasha stretched and sighed, taking in a deep breath of the cool spring morning air. It was one of those mornings that he liked to enjoy sitting on the top branches of the Goshinboku and watch the sun rise.

"Daddy c'mon!" a small voice shouted, "Let's go!"

Inuyasha gave a rueful grin and shake of his head, causing his mane of silver hair to swirl around him. 'Only my son would be this excited about going with me on patrol," Inuyasha thought to himself, but he couldn't stop the wide grin that leapt to his face. 'My son.'

Having a family was something that he never believed he could have, but then after three long years of separation Kagome had come back to him and, wonder of all wonders, had wanted to stay with him. To be with him, the lowly hanyou, be a hanyou's bride. It still kept him up at night sometimes to think about all that Kagome had given up in her time, things that he could never give her. But she seemed happy, ecstatic even, to be back. She was now Kaede's official apprentice and healer, helping the villagers in times of sickness and keeping the smaller demons away from the village, when he was out with Mirkou.

Still, it had completely blown his mind when he had realized that she was pregnant. In that instant his world completely reoriented itself around the life form that was growing inside of her. Inuyasha tugged absentmindedly at the beads that were still around his neck. She had been doing well in two months that she had been back, but then it seemed anything and everything set off her temper. Inuyasha believed that he got sat more times in the first four months of her pregnancy than he had in 13 months they had spent hunting down the Shikon Jewel shards and Naraku. He forgave her for everything though, the sits, the mood swings and the odd food cravings, when four and a half months later; she gave birth to their son. Inuyasha had stayed with Kagome through the whole ordeal, despite the mutterings of the village women who were there to witness the birth.

Inuyasha scowled abruptly, remembering some of the comments they had made that were low enough that Kagome couldn't hear them but he sure as hell could. Thankfully Sango and Kaede had managed to shut them up before he did any physical damage. 'Fuck,' Inuyasha growled to himself, 'what did they think I was going to do? We had been through everything together. And when was the last time I abided by the rules?' The scowl morphed into a smile, 'But it was the most incredible thing to be there, to hear his first cries and to hold him for the first time. I don't think I had ever been more scared, thrilled, nervous or proud all at the same time. He was mine, my son.'

Inuyasha was broken out of his reminiscing, by a small hand tugging on the leg of his hakama. Inuyasha glanced down into the upturned face of his four year old son.

"Daddy, c'mon you promised!" his son pleaded, staring up at Inuyasha with golden eyes that were a mirror to his own, identical puppy ears perked forward from shinning silver hair. His son was a spitting image of himself, and even Sesshomaru had agreed that Inuyasha looked very similar at that age.

"Yeah yeah I'm comin Atae," Inuyasha laughed, following his son's insistent tugging down the path that led to his forest. Inuyasha allowed his mind to wander again as he let Atae lead them to the Goshinboku, which was only a brief walk from Kagome and his house, where is always started his patrol. Atae was very familiar with the Goshinboku and held more fondness for the tree than Inuyasha thought was possible. Kagome swore up and down that Atae remembers all the hours that she and he spent in the tree during her pregnancy. Inuyasha had quietly scoffed at that idea but knew better than to mention it out loud. He didn't feel like replacing the floor again.

'Atae,' Inuyasha rolled the name over in his mind. Though fathers are supposed to wait a week before officially naming a child, Inuyasha knew exactly what he wanted to name his son the first time he held him. Atae meant 'the gift' and that was how Inuyasha viewed his family. They were gifts, and he was thankful to whatever kami he had pleased that blessed him with his small family. When he told Kagome his choice, he had been alarmed when she had burst into tears, only to relax as she spoke through her sobs, that it was the most perfect name ever and did she tell him how much she loved him?

"We're here!" Atae shouted, tugging on Inuyasha's hakama even harder as the mighty trunk of the Goshinboku came into view. Inuyasha couldn't help but grin at his son's exuberance and followed him to the base of the ancient tree. Atae cranked his head up at the enormous tree, his hair reaching down to the small of his back. Inuyasha copied his son's pose and stuck his hands into the wide sleeves of his haori. He let his eyes trace the scar from where he had been pinned for 50 years, a scar that had remained over 500 years in the future, where the tree sat in the Higurashi shrine. Inuyasha felt a brief moment of sadness wash over him, thinking about the family Kagome had left behind. Inuyasha gave a mental shake of his head, forcing those thoughts from his mind.

Inuyasha stretched out his back, popping several vertebrae in the process before rolling his shoulders out as well. These motions snagged the attention of his son, who turned his admiring gaze from the tree to his father. Inuyasha smirked down at Atae, taking his time stretching and his son began bouncing impatiently on his toes. After deeming that Atae had suffered enough Inuyasha reached down and easily swung his son up onto his back the way he carries Kagome. Atae gave a delighted squeal that was high pitched enough that Inuyasha had to flatten his ears to his head to lessen the sound.

"Ready to fly?" Inuyasha asked, tilting his head enough to catch Atae's gaze.

"Always," Atae replied with an enthusiastic nod, tightening his grip on his father's shoulders and waist. With a crooked grin in place Inuyasha pushed hard off the ground and shot over the earth in a red blur. Atae's happy shout left echoing in the clearing.

For over 30 minutes Inuyasha ran the perimeter of his terrain, which was about a mile from all edges of Kaede's village, around 15 miles. Usually he could make the circuit in roughly 20 mintues if he pushed himself, but since he had Atae with him this morning, he slowed down a little, letting Atae take in the sights. Though Atae had gone with him before, he never seemed to tire of it. Finally Inuyasha slowed down, and came to a complete stop at the Bone Eaters Well, chuckling when he heard his son's groan of disappointment.

"Can't we go again Daddy?" Atae whined slashed pleaded, even as he let go of Inuyasha's shoulders to allow his father to swing him gently to the ground.

"Sorry little guy, your mom is going to be missing us soon. Aren't you supposed to help her today?" Inuyasha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Momma making pickles," Atae sighed, looking longingly into the trees.

"Aw, that's not so bad. Why don't you want to help?" Inuyasha asked, crouching don on his haunches so he was eye level with Atae.

"The juices make me sneeze," came Atae's mournful response. Inuyasha chuckled at his son's plight. He had learned long ago to be scarce when Kagome or Sango were making pickles for the exact same reason. Inuyasha studied his son's downturned face, complete with slightly flattened ears and sighed.

"How about this Atae," Inuyasha started, instantly having his son's attention, "I'll make a deal with you. I'll let you play around the well till the shadows reach this rock," Inuyasha pointed, "then we absolutely have to go back, and you won't complain when the juice makes you sneeze. Ok?" Atae pondered the proposition for a moment, before a smile stretched across his face and he nodded happily and bounded off to the edge of the clearing to play.

"Don't leave my sight!" Inuyasha called after him and received a distracted 'ok' in reply. Sighing Inuyasha rested his back against the side of the well and allowed his head to tilt back onto the ledge, stretching his legs out in front of him and enjoyed to early morning rustlings of the forest and of his son. His eyes slid closed and Inuyasha took scents of the world around him. From the fresh earth smell of damp ground, the woody scent of the trees, a catch of smoke from the village, the wet smell of water from the nearby stream, the clean scent of grass that was Atae's scent, and finally the scent of storm clouds. That last scent gave Inuyasha pause and he cocked his head in the direction the scent was coming from but made no other move. Inuyasha gave a small, satisfied sigh as he heard Atae still in his play and give a small 'oh' of surprise, when he too picked up the scent. Atae was quickly on his feet and running full out towards the opposite edge of the clearing right as a gleaming figure in white stepped out of the tree line.

"Uncle Sesshy!" Atae cried, wrapping himself around the taiyoukai's leg in a full body hug. Inuyasha snorted hearing his son's nickname for his half brother. He knew that Atae could now say Sesshomaru just fine, but was amused to see that his stuck up older brother still allowed the practice to continue.

"Nephew," Sesshomaru replied, his voice as smooth and as calculating as always, gazing down at Atae through similar golden eyes.

"Daddy took me on a run today!" Atae said, gazing up at his towering uncle, who stood a full head taller than his father, and in his eyes his father was huge!

"Did he?" Sesshomaru asked, glancing over at Inuyasha, who without opening his eyes, shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah and we went really fast! I bet he runs even faster than you Uncle Sesshy!" Atae stated with all the innocence of youth. Sesshomaru raised an elegant eyebrow at the boldly proclaimed statement, while Inuyasha started laughing.

"That's my boy!" Inuyasha managed to get out once his laughter died down. Sesshomaru only grunted and began walking towards Inuyasha with Atae still clinging to his leg like a leech. This caused the child to shriek with laughter before disengaging himself and returning to his spot underneath the trees when his father reminded him that they had to be getting back soon.

Sesshomaru settled himself on the rim of the well perpendicular to his little brother and watched as Atae picked up his playing again. Inuyasha cocked one eye open and stared at his brother. It was a mark on how much their relationship had changed since the defeat of Naraku that they were in each other's presence, wearing their father's fangs and swords had yet to be drawn or cruel taunts traded. They were not close exactly but they tolerated each other. Inuyasha was pretty sure that Sesshomaru respected Kagome for her spiritual powers and for putting up with him than he did his own flesh and blood. But compared to the Sesshomaru that he used to know, this new Sesshomaru could almost be considered friendly.

"You coming to see Rin?" Inuyasha asked casually, rolling his head and cracking his neck a couple of times.

"Yes, it has been a month since this Sesshomaru's last visit," Sesshomaru replied stoically, eyes never once leaving Atae's form, who was busy sharpening a stick with his tiny claws.

"Mmm, she'll be happy to see you. You're all she talks about between your visits," Inuyasha said, making a face at the thought that anyone could be as obsessed about his brother as Rin could.

"She is but a child, this Sesshomaru was the only person she knew for a time," Sesshomaru replied, shrugging off his ward's fascination with him. Atae, apparently pleased with the sharpness of his stick, began springing round the clearing thrusting at imaginary foes as if the stick was a sword.

This display brought a smile to Inuyasha's face and he watched his son's antics with fondness and pride. Oh yeah, enough pride that he could drown himself in it. 'Definitely my son,' he thought while replying to Sesshomaru.

"You know Rin isn't really a child anymore. She's what? 13? She's only a couple of years younger than the first time I met Kagome. The boys in the village are starting to notice her too." Inuyasha added that last bit offhandedly, watching his brother for a reaction.

Sesshomaru stiffened and took a deep breath, "What Rin wants is not this Sesshomaru's concern." Meanwhile, Atae had frozen next to a large bush. Ears pricked forward, body tense and nose going overtime, he was the very image of a youkai on the hunt.

Inuyasha snorted and opened his mouth to give his thoughts on the subject when Atae let out a shout and dove head long into the bush that he had been stalking so intensely. Immediately a scuffle could be heard and the bush began shaking madly. Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were on their feet and moving towards the bush when Inuyasha heard a sound that made his heart stop in his chest. A pain filled yelp that could only have come from his son. The next second, Inuyasha almost reeled back as the sickly sweet scent of Atae's blood filled his nose. Forgetting all reason, except for the fact that his son was in pain and bleeding Inuyasha tore into the bush, ready to take out whatever was attacking Atae, but immediately froze causing Sesshomaru to collide with his back. But Inuyasha hardly noticed, staring in disbelief at the scene before him.

Atae lay panting on the ground, pinning an enormous jack rabbit (AN: a male rabbit, for those of you who don't know) to the ground with his whole body. The rabbit was still alive and struggling against the boy frantically. Atae glanced over his shoulder at his gob smacked father and uncle, and managed a triumphant smile, despite his struggles with the creature.

"Look Daddy! Look what I caught! All by myself too!" he panted out, but then he whimpered as the rabbit's sharp claws scored another hit to his chest and legs. The whimper seemed to shake both men out of their trance and Inuyasha quickly approached Atae, desperately trying to keep a hold on his panic. He had seen rabbits smaller than this tear open a predator's stomach with their claws and he was afraid of what he was going to find when he separated the two combatants.

"Atae I need you to let go of the rabbit." Inuyasha stated, amazed at how steady his voice sounded.

"But Daddy, I caught him! Don't let him go!" Atae pleaded, thinking that his father was going to let all of his efforts go to waste.

"I'm not going to let it go, Atae. But you got to let go so that way I can kill him for you alright?" Inuyasha said, slowly reaching his hands out, for a moment he was proud they weren't visibly shaking, one poised over the back of his son's kosode and the other ready to grab the still struggling rabbit by the neck. Atae frowned but nodded.

"Ok, on the count of three let go. One, two…three!" In a blur of motion Atae let go of the rabbit and was tugged protectively against his father's chest, the rabbit made a desperate attempt for freedom but had not gone a step before Inuyasha's hand closed around its neck and snapped the spine in half instantly killing it.

The second the rabbit was dead Inuyasha dropped and grasped Atae firmly by the shoulders and pulled him away from his chest dreading what he might see. The front of Atae's kosode was in tatters, hanging onto the boy's shoulders by threads. There were also some large rips in the hakama. Blood covered his son's chest and with his heart in his throat Inuyasha began to inspect the damage. There were several large scratches that ran down the length of Atae's chest and a few smaller ones but nothing that was serious, already they had stopped bleeding and the very minor scratches were already healing. Inuyasha gave a long, ragged sigh of relief and dropped his forehead to rest against his son's.

"Daddy?" Atae asked, confused. He had never seen his father act like this, like he was scared. His father was the bravest person he knew! There was no way he was scared! Besides he had just done what his father did daily, bringing home food for momma, and he wanted to be just like his father!

Inuyasha recovered himself enough to pull back and look his son in the eyes with a small smile on his face, "Nothing Atae. C'mon let's get you cleaned up." Inuyasha stood with Atae in his arms, tucked snugly against his chest.

"Don't forget my rabbit!" Atae exclaimed twisting around, trying to spot it on the ground.

"I'm not going to forget your rabbit," Inuyasha muttered, nodding his thanks when Sesshomaru scooped it up from the ground and handed it him. Inuyasha turned and followed Sesshomaru back into the clearing that housed the Bone Eaters Well and turned towards the left following the sounds of the gently bubbling stream.

"Did you see me Uncle Sesshy?" Atae asked eagerly, gazing at the taiyouaki's back. "Did you see me catch the rabbit?"

"This Sesshomaru did, Nephew," Sesshomaru answered him calmly. For a brief moment, Inuyasha envied Sesshomaru's control on his emotions, when he was just barely holding himself together. But before Atae could ask another question, Sesshomaru stepped to the side and revealed the small stream that they had been tracking down. It gurgled and bubbled happily over the rocks and was pleasantly shaded by the trees. It was not very deep, only about a foot, but it would be sufficient enough for their purposes.

Setting the rabbit and his son on the bank, Inuyasha peeled Atae out of what was left of his kosode and dipped that into the stream to wet it down. Wringing out the excess water, he began to carefully clean the scratches that covered Atae's chest. Atae held up bravely, even though a couple of the scratches were deep. He seemed torn between watching what his father was doing and admiring his rabbit.

Eventually the silence was broken by Inuyasha, who paused in his ministrations to sit back and stare at his son. "Atae, if you're going to start bringing rabbits down on your own, I need to teach you how to hunt properly." Part of him hurt to say this, because in his eyes, Atae was much too young to be thinking about hunting, but after today he couldn't ignore it. Atae might try to take on something bigger than a jack rabbit next time. Inuyasha shuddered at the thought.

"Really Daddy?" Atae asked surprised but eager.

"Yes, but you have to promise me to listen to what I say. You could get seriously hurt, ok?" Inuyasha said, eyes scanning over his son's wide eyes but determined features.

"Ok Daddy, I promise," Atae said solemnly.

"Ok, so your first lesson starts today. What could you have done differently when you went after the rabbit?" Inuyasha asked, taking on the teaching tone when he worked with the young men of the village in Sango's demon slaying class, while once again picking up the cloth to finish wiping the blood and dirt off him.

"Uh…" Atae said, turning his gaze up at the branches overhead, "not gone from the front?" he said hesitantly.

"Good!" Inuyasha praised, proud that his son had caught onto his obvious mistake, "you gave the rabbit a chance to fight back, cause when you pinned him, you pinned him on his back, giving it a chance to scratch you. But if you had gone at it from the back you would have pinned it belly down, thus trapping its limbs and making it easier to kill. You got that?"

Atae nodded his head, "Attack from the back, you surprise them."

"Right, that's your first lesson and you're all cleaned up little guy. We had better head home; Momma is going to be worried about us," Inuyasha said, once again picking his son and rabbit, placing the animal in his son's arms for him to carry back. Almost instantly Atae dropped off to sleep, clutching his rabbit tightly.

For a while neither brother said anything for a while, both just walking side by side, the only sounds the swish of their garments. Sesshomaru slanted a glance out of the corner of his eye at his little brother. Inuyasha was staring straight ahead, a grim expression on his features.

"You seem pensive, little brother," Sesshomaru stated.

Inuyasha let out a quiet bark of a laugh that was humorless, "I was just given a heart attack, I think I have earned the right to be a little pensive."

"What troubles you? He was not grievously injured, he brought down an animal that was nearly as big as he was, and shows promise of being a fine hunter. Is your miko going to be upset that he was hurt?"

Inuyasha shook his head, careful not to disturb his passenger, "No, she'll be mad that he got hurt, but she also knows that she can't protect him from everything, a lesson I have yet to learn."

"It has always been in your nature to protect Inuyasha," Sesshomaru stated simply.

"Yeah," Inuyasha murmured, glancing down at his slumbering son, another thought hit him and he let out a low groan. "Oh man, Kagome is going to purify my ass."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow questioningly towards Inuyasha.

"This kosode of Atae's was brand new, she just finished it yesterday," Inuyasha moaned, "You think she would have learned her lesson not to send him out with me, in new clothes, they just get ruined."

"That still doesn't help the fact you're screwed," said Sesshomaru, the barest hint of a smile on his face.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Inuyasha groused. There was a brief pause and they broke through the tree line and could see the village spread out below them. Inuyasha's eyes settled on the hut that has closest too them.

"Do you think the 'sits' will hurt less if I go ahead and lay on the ground?"

AN2: Thanks for reading! I couldn't help but add that last little bit of humor in there. Not really sire if could class this as humor fanfic but I thought it was funny! Tell me what you think! Please review! Happy New Year!