Disclaimer: All things Inuyasha goes to the one and only Rumiko Takahashi.

CHAPTER 1

"It's hard to handle sometimes," Inuyasha said. "I mean, I can't help but feel alone."

He folded his arms as if to shield himself in this state of vulnerability. His best friend, Myoga the Flea Demon, nodded in understanding as he listened intently. He hardly ever opened his shell to anyone and so Myoga took in every word.

"People don't accept me because I don't look like them. They think that I'm just some weak half-demon that can't hold his own."

Inuyasha Takahashi had begun his first year at Black Pearl High School. This was a top coed school in the region having both a mixture of humans and demons. Inuyasha was excited to start a new chapter in his life but that delight was short-lived. It hadn't even been a whole three weeks before he was ostracized for being the only half-demon student. If the distinct human stench wasn't a dead giveaway, then the cute dog ears atop his head sealed the deal.

They crowned him as "half-breed" despite his inability to control who he was and what he looked like.

The only person who was kind enough to befriend him was Myoga. Regardless of being a full demon himself, he was also made fun of because of his short height and premature balding. Inuyasha was new to the game but Myoga was a year older and preivously experienced his fair share of humiliation. Myoga called it fate and that they were destined to meet and become best friends. Inuyasha thought it was a bunch of crap but didn't have the heart to shut his newfound friend down.

The two had been in Inuyasha's bedroom for a couple hours studying notes and completing homework. Inuyasha sat cross-legged on his bed with his text and notebooks closed hardly paying attention. Myoga sat on the floor with notes and material scattered around him as he typed on his laptop.

"I ain't one to sit around in my own pool of pity," Inuyasha shrugged as tapped on his phone. "I don't really give a damn either. I'm only telling you because you asked."

"Thank you for confiding in me, Master Inuyasha," Myoga smiled.

Inuyasha quickly balled a piece of paper and chucked it Myoga's head. "I told you to quit calling me that! There's no way for me to get in good with these people if you keep being weird."

"Sorry Master, I can't help it." Myoga deflected the harmless weapon as he laughed. "I like your nonchalant attitude when people pick with you. Even though deep inside it's tearing you apart."

He changed the subject when Inuyasha gave him a scowl, though, he knew there were no hard feelings.

"You know, I've been checking out some of the cute demon freshman girls that…"

Inuyasha tuned him out as he flipped through the apps on his phone looking for a new game to download. His text message notification went off and his heart dropped to his stomach. It was from his mother saying that it was time for his friend to go home and him to come and see her.

His fingers slightly trembled as he texted his response. He closed his eyes and sighed, not at all wanting Myoga to leave him so soon. Myoga seemed to be the only thing that kept him safe from the nightmare of school and resentment of being home. Inuyasha kept his apprehension hidden to not raise suspicion.

"That's not fair, I did all of the work!" Myoga wagged a finger at Inuyasha. "You have to do some of my math homework to make it even."

"Keh, don't hold your breath. I don't like doing my own math homework let alone someone else's."

He handed Myoga his backpack urging him to gather his belongings. There was no point to stalling the inevitable and he could only think the worse about the situation. He led Myoga to the genkan and front door as they said their goodbyes. The flea demon attempted to embrace Inuyasha which earned him a slap on the side of the head.

Inuyasha took a deep breath to still his nerves. When he realized that he was once again alone in the house with his mother, anxiety settled within him.

He went into the kitchen to find her bent over looking for something in the fridge. She pulled out a can of beer and smiled as he approached. Inuyasha noticed two other cans that looked empty, one on the counter and the other next to the trash can.

She was dressed in a pair of Inuyasha's boxers and a black camisole that did nothing to hide her curvaceous form. She normally wore her hair down, but it was messily pinned up save for her bangs and few fly-aways.

Izayoi Takahashi cracked open the can and took a swig before bringing him close to her. She put her arms around his tense shoulders and lifted the can to his mouth.

"Want some?" she asked as she licked her lips. Her breathed was horrible but Inuyasha smelled the alcohol before she even opened her mouth.

He shook his head taking the can from and set it on the counter. She pulled him in closer and gently kissed him on the cheek.

Inuyasha absolutely loathed when he had to come home to her, to this. His mother behaved in that manner when she was lonely, drunk and maybe even bored. It seemed that during the earlier hours she was a different person and Inuyasha didn't know which one he hated more.

During her rants, he was forced to hear her nag him about how great and caring his father was to her. Apparently, he was an amazing man that treated her like a queen and there was no other like him. Every time she looked at Inuyasha it reminded her of her beloved Touga. Unfortunately for him, she meant that in the literal sense. Izayoi would kiss her son on the mouth, touch him in areas that were forbidden due to their relationship and have him do the same to her.

He was only glad that it didn't go any further than that. Inuyasha tried hard to suppress his gag reflex whenever they engaged in the inappropriate activity. He knew that what they were doing was wrong despite his mother reassuring him that everything was fine.

"I love it when you wear red," Izayoi slurred. She slowly slid her hands down his chest. "Your father always looked his best in blue."

"Mother, please", he closed his eyes and furrowed his brows at her touch. He could feel his body warming up as he carried a sheen of nervous sweat.

She licked the side of his face sliding her hands down lower to his waist. "I really love it when you beg."

Inuyasha pushed her away with more force than necessary and she stumbled back into the lower cabinets. He commanded his body not to check if she was hurt because he didn't want to be near her more than he had to.

Izayoi cursed as she tried to stand; the alcohol made her movements sluggish. She touched behind her head and looked at her hand a couple times. It made Inuyasha's hair stand on end because the last thing he wanted was to give his mother a concussion.

"Mother, I'm sorry but I don't want to do this," he said, pleading. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for her confirmation.

Naturally, he had heightened senses and physical abilities that his demon form granted. He could easily overpower her like so, but at other times he felt small and powerless. When those kinds of emotions flooded through him he blamed it on his frail, human side. He didn't understand why he couldn't have been born with the blood of his father fully coursing through him.

"I'm alright but could you help me to the bathroom?"

Honestly, Inuyasha didn't understand anything about his demon side. His mother told him that his father died when he was born and that was always the end of it. He used to ask about his heritage and demon family, but she would shut him off. They didn't have any family portraits, so he didn't know what his own father looked like.

Although he couldn't care less about his absent father and mother's relationship, he was glad for those tiny details about him that she did provide. She once told him that even though he was gone, he still took care of them and left them with something valuable. Inuyasha never knew what she meant by that, not that she ever cared to explain.

He used to think that she referred to the necklace he wore. It was given to him at a younger age on his birthday. The only people at the party was he and his mother but that didn't make it any less of a celebration. He remembered this birthday because he wished to see his father before he blew out the candles. His mother couldn't exactly pull the man out of her sleeve, but she instead presented the memento. It started with an incisor from the fangs of a demon, continued with four purple beads and ended with another incisor. All were strung together with a leather cord that he religiously wore every, single day.

After half-carrying his mother to the bathroom, he made a beeline back to his bedroom. He relaxed against the door when he closed and locked it. All he had to do was sleep and then he would be relieved from one nightmare and onto the next in the morning.

It was his mother's fault for his half-human side and indirectly the reason for his problems at school. Yet, she insisted to make his life at home worse. Inuyasha even had doubts about that even being the case. She couldn't be human at all because a loving mother would never do that to her own son.

He contemplated if things would've turned out differently had his father been in the picture. Or, would his father have hated him for the opposite judgment of his peers? He just couldn't win for losing and he was done bearing the brunt of everyone's jokes.

Inuyasha felt the shameful sting of angry tears in his eyes. He bit his lip as they continued to roll down his cheeks no matter how many times he wiped them away.

He would never cry. Not now, not at school and not around his mother. He couldn't show anyone that he was any weaker than the useless, half-demon they portrayed him to be.

It took a couple seconds for him to calm down and gather his composure. Even though it was a little early, he decided to clock out early and get more rest. He completed his nightly routine in his personal bathroom, changed into pajamas and eased under the covers.

A/N: Remastered ch. Reviews are the bomb!