Faults of the father

(Inuyasha One shots)

Setting: modern au

"sometimes I think my life would be better if id left you in that damn trashcan!" screamed a 24-year-old Inuyasha Takahashi clearly at the end of his proverbial rope. The so called 'twerp' he's addressing is 8-year-Old Shippo Takahashi aka me. Hi, im Shippo Takahashi and I'm the son of Inuyasha Takahashi and Kagome Takahashi who own the shrine on the hill. I live here with my parents and my extended family including my uncle Souta, and my grandmother. Before we can continue there is one thing we all must understand. I am adopted, I know this because for all his faults, and there are quite a few, my fathers single saving grace is that he is brutally Honest.

Our current argument started this morning when I woke up. Or rather was rudely awakened by my dad by his usual way of greeting me via punch. Not to say he was abusive or anything, he just uses that to tell me things because he's better with actions then words. "Ow, watch it old man!" I shouted at him as I managed to roll out of bed. After gaining back my vision I stood from the floor and pulled open my curtains to let the light shine in. "listen kiddo, your mom is out with your Aunt Sango shopping. So today it's just you and me, so at least try to listen to me ok brat?" he stated before pausing and taking a deep breath "anyway, breakfast is downstairs waiting for you. You've got five minuets before I eat it myself" Now that is a promise I knew he would keep because he's done it before.

"Sure, ill be down in a minuet" I told him with a dismissive wave as I went to my night stand to pick out some clothes. Eventually I heard Him leave the room with a dismissive "Keh" and down the steps to the main floor. When I eventually heard his footsteps disappear I quickly got dressed in whatever I could, which included a brown hoodie and blue jeans, and rushed off downstairs. Another thing I like about my father, not that I would ever admit to it, is that he could cook and cook WELL. His food is absolutely delicious which doesn't surprise me considering he was a cooking student at one point. This was very much in opposition to my mother who had quite the bad habit of burning every dish she touched. Even ice cream wasn't safe with her, we haven't been allowed to that festival since then, so when dad cooks it's quite the treat. Rushing downstairs, I ran to the table and sat myself down on the cushion of the chair.

Laid out before me is a large paper plate filled to the brim with eggs and pre-cut sausages. Next to me, the warm summer wind blows across my face from the open window. Sighing, I began to dig into my food greedily. Unbeknownst to me my dad, whose head was turned toward the window, spoke to me. While I didn't hear him the first time he made sure I heard him the second time by shoving my face straight into my eggs. "Oi brat, listen to me will ya?! Since your mom is out for the day it'll just be you and me today. Since I clearly can't leave you alone after you lit the house on fire last time you're coming into town with me today to get your mother a birthday present." He spoke, a tone of finality as he reminded me of my previous blunder. In response to this I could only groan "Really!? Come on old man It was one time!" to which he responded "shut up and eat your breakfast and stop calling me old man!". I just hope he knows I got that from watching him.

Later that day we were making our way into town, now discovering just how bad of a choice it was to wear this hood in mid-summer. So naturally being a child I did what children did and complained "it's so hot, I wanna go back!" I shouted as I tightly gripped his hand and attempted to pull him back in the direction of home. "I told you to change before we left so your going to have to deal with it" he snapped at me nearly instantly while showing his famous short temper. This attracted the attention of many passers by on the street who raised a brow while focusing their attention on us. So being the little devil I am, I managed to cook up some crocodile tears and show my ever so famous doe eyes. "Please daddy?" I state. In response he stiffens and his gaze hardens for a moment "why you little-"he starts but just as soon stops. Soon enough a large smirk falls upon his face.

Leaning close to me he shows of the largest fake smile id ever seen. Ruffling my head, a bit aggressively he spoke in an eerily chipper tone "sure little buddy lets go home". He then motions to the shrine where upon I can't help but notice the dozens of large stone steps uphill that keep me from my goal. If I was a little devil, this man was satan himself.

A few stores later and some more complaining about the heat, we found ourselves on our way home and making our way through the farmers market where all sorts of sites and sounds assaulted my senses. From the collection of spices I've never smelt, to brightly coloured fish that shined brightly in the afternoon. One thing that caught my eight-year-old eye though was a sword. A brand new looking Katana with a red handle, id always liked swords since I started reading those old books that belonged to my uncle Sesshomaru. So, I pulled on dad's arm as hard as I could to get his attention. When he turned to me with a raised brow I motioned to the blade with my hand and asked as kindly as I could "Can I have that please?" I stated, being as cutsie as possible. " No" he told me as bluntly as ever, that being said I am a very defiant child.

So just as we made our way out of the market, I slipped my hand from his and ran as fast as I could back in the direction of the stand. It wasn't long before I'd gotten myself lost, the crowd was so large and the people were so tall. I was all alone and frightened, there were people behind some of the stands that glared at me or smirked as I passed, some trying to lure me to them with cheep candies or offers of protection. The roar of the crowd rose ever higher and higher and the crowd more and more suffocating. So much so that I began to cry and huddled myself into a ball on the ground. I thought I'd been abandoned, left to starve and die like before.

"Shippo!" a voice cried within the confines of the crowd, though it was quickly drowned out as I continued to weep. "SHIPPO!" it called again, this time with much louder and with more worry in its tone. Yet I continued to weep like the child I was, then a pair of familiar arms came to wrap themselves around me and I stiffened. I was ready, so very ready for him to scream at me for letting go of his hand and running off on my own.

Yet, he said nothing as he lifted me on to his shoulders and silently carried me home. When dad was mad, he usually shouted at me and gave me a quick knock to the back of the head for being stupid. There were rare occasions like this though where he said nothing, and that in itself is terrifying beyond reason. When we finally got up the steps and inside the shrine, he set me down on the ground and made his way into the kitchen. Fallowing him into the other room I wanted so desperately to break the silence that reigned between us. "dad, I-I just wanted to- "I began, only to get interrupted by him as he dumped the noodles into the pot for tonight's home-made Ramen. "You just wanted to what, get yourself killed!?" he snapped at me before continuing "do you know what people could've done to you had I not found you first!? Do you ever think about anyone but yourself!?" he shouted as he turned around and faced me with his eyes redder then id ever seen "but dad- "I spoke trying to defend myself. "But nothing!" he interrupted "sometimes I think my life would be better if id left you in that damn trashcan!"

It was these words that hurt me most, and this is where we are now. The tears begin to well up in my eyes, and my heart began to beat rapidly in my chest. He was going to leave me, abandon me on the streets like my papa did. Slowly the red from his eyes disappeared and his look of rage was supplanted by one of regret. His features softened and his eyes widened upon seeing my face. "Shippo I- "he began only to be interrupted by the opening of the front door.

"I'm home- "came the voice of my mother whom froze upon seeing my teary red face and my father laden with guilt "What- " she began. I didn't hear the rest though as I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door shut. Clutching my favorite blanket to myself as I wept. otherwise silence reigned through the house for a time, they didn't want me anymore. That much feel more evident then ever. So, moving over to my nightstand I began to build a small bindle and fill it with toys and clothing. Then as quietly as I could, I snuck down the stairs to the first floor. As I made my way past the kitchen though, I heard a soft conversation barely understandable to even my sharp ears. "You don't understand Kagome…you don't see the looks they give him. Like he's a monster for them to fear or a beast to hunt. I'm just trying to make sure he understands that for people like him, hell even people like me, it's going to be a very tuff light. I was lucky enough to have human blood in me and have society accept me because of that. I was lucky enough to have you and your family to take me in, but he… well he's full blooded Kagome. People are always going to assume the worst about him, and he's not going to have anyone." He spoke, all the while my mother remained quiet and nodded at each statement he made. Then, taking a sip of her tea she said "No one but us you mean. Despite what you may think, there will come a time when someone comes along and accepts him as he is…like I did with you remember?"

"I know, I just want to protect him Kagome. Despite what I said, I still love the little guy like he was my own." He finished, allowing my mother to speak once more "and I'm sure he loves you to, right Shippo?" She asks. Knowing that my cover was blown I step into the room. Then for just a moment everything was silent as me and my father stared each other down for a good solid minuet. When I could no longer help myself, I ran over and hugged him. Soon I began apologizing rapidly between ragged sobs and heavy breaths. Eventually, He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight to his chest. A low rumbling came from his chest that whispered soothing messages to my inner yoki in the ancient language. "I know pup I know…I'm sorry to." He finally spoke just as I began to drift off to sleep from fatigue.

My father has many faults, but in the end, there is one thing I know. I want to be just like him when I grow up.