A/N: IT seemed weird to me that Inuyasha went from being unable to use Tetsusaiga to being able to effectively use it against the toad demon. This is meant to fill in the gap. I'd appreciate any feedback, as I had a bit of trouble drafting a story that seemed to fit Kagome and Inuyasha's character development in early season 1. Thanks, and enjoy!

Way of the Sword, Inuyasha's Insecurities

The night was quiet; Kagome and Kaede were fast asleep in the hut. Only the half-demon was stirring, his mind far too busy to even contemplate sleep. Growling to himself, Inuyasha stewed over the confrontation with his half-brother Sesshomaru. Holding the Tetsusaiga in one hand, he rhythmically edged the sword out of its sheath.

Why? Why can't I activate this god-damn sword?

Know your station, half-breed!

Inuyasha growled louder as he remembered Sesshomaru's taunts when he had thought Kagome had died.

Half-breed, huh?

Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga in a flash, jumping down from the tree that he was perched on and racing deeper into the forest.

I'll show you who's a half breed!

Kagome tossed and turned, lightly dozing until she heard a growling noise. Her eyes opened instantly, her drowsiness evaporating as she pushed herself up with one hand.

That growl…was that…Inuyasha?

She was about to get up and investigate for herself, until her mother's words rang in her mind.

If I go, I'll only be giving ammunition to Mama's romantic fantasies…

Another growl, this one with greater anger then echoed through the forest and reached her ears. At the same time, she felt an undeniable pain in her chest, as though her heart was cracking. Shaking her head, she stood up, straightened her nightgown, donned her slippers, and ran into Inuyasha's forest.

"I'll deal with Mama's teasing later. I can't chance Inuyasha not needing help…"

After what seemed like an hour of jogging, she finally found the half-demon. He had drawn the Tetsusaiga, still untransformed, and was relentlessly attacking a nearby tree. An expression of pure rage and anguish was drawn on his face as he continued slashing wildly.

"I'll show you, Sesshomaru. I WILL master this sword."

CLANG!

"I WILL take you down!"

CLANG!

"I WILL make you regret ever using the memory of my MOTHER to get to me!"

CLANG!

"And I WILL make you regret calling me a HALF-BREED!"

CLANG!

"WHY? WHY. WON'T. YOU. WORK!"

Myoga had told her that Inuyasha's mother was a touchy subject, and she had a feeling that Sesshomaru's taunts and the appearance of the Unmother would get him riled up, but she thought that having severed Sesshomaru's arm would have boosted his ego.

Apparently not, seeing as he's trying to be a one-man deforestation unit…

"WHY? WHY WON'T YOU TRANSFORM ALREADY?"

Is that what's got him so riled up? That his sword won't transform again?

Kagome couldn't take it anymore; her heart twisted in agony and she was on the verge of tears seeing Inuyasha so anguished. Whether it was from Sesshomaru's taunts or from his inability to use his sword again was irrelevant. She ran from her hiding place to the half-demon's side.

"INUYASHA, STOP!"

Inuyasha gasped in shock; Kagome had stilled his arm, grabbing onto it for dear life as she glared into his eyes. Choosing to mask his pain with anger as he had grown accustomed to, he snarled in her direction.

"Or what, Kagome? You gonna sit me again? Well go ahead!"

Kagome's eyes softened as the remark ran through her head. She felt hurt that he still assumed that she would still take pleasure in using the subjugation beads to smash his face into the ground.

Do you really think me so low? You really think that after I stood up to your brother for you that I would take joy in seeing you in pain?

She removed one arm from his sword arm and maneuvered it so that it was cupping his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

"I'm not going to use the beads. You've done nothing wrong, Inuyasha. I refuse to smash you into the ground solely for my amusement. You're clearly in pain right now, Inuyasha, and I refuse to add insult to injury."

Kagome's lip quivered as her eyes softened completely, morphing into a pleading expression.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha? Why are you so angry?"

Inuyasha shook his head, but he glanced away from her and let his sword arm slacken in her grasp.

Well he's not the most social person, so I guess the fact that he's not physically fighting me to get away is an improvement…

"Is it because Sesshomaru insulted you?"

Inuyasha shook his head in refusal.

Okay, at least he can handle his brother's taunts…

"Is it because he used your mother's likeness to get the sword?"

Inuyasha looked away, giving Kagome the sense that she was at least partially right. Kagome pitied him, seeking to try and make him feel better.

But how? I've never lived without my mother before, so what could I say to comfort him? And even if I could think of something, how would I broach the topic? The last time I even asked about her, he crushed Myoga under his heel in order to stop him.

She knew she had to try, so she started off gently.

"Inuyasha? I…I'm sorry that Sesshomaru did that. And I'm sorry that I asked about your mother without considering your feelings. That was…distasteful of me…"

Inuyasha looked up in amazement, wondering if he was in some dream world.

The wench is apologizing? She thinks my feelings are worth considering? Kagome…

"I know that…I know that you must miss her. And I know that I could never hope to find any kind of replacement for what you two had. But Inuyasha…"

Mom's gonna tease me for sure when she hears I said this…

"In my time, my mother…my family…they would be willing to consider you their own. Mama adores you, and Sota's extremely curious about you. So… if you ever wanted it, my family could give you something that's somewhat similar to what your real mother showed you…"

Is she for real? She's offering me a second family? One that won't call me a half-breed?

Inuyasha removed the hand cupping his cheek with his left hand, grasping it in his own.

"You…you don't gotta apologize. Just the fact that you're mentioning my feelings at all is enough. And…"

Inuyasha blushed, not used to expressing emotion other than anger to anybody since Kikyo. He forced himself though; Kagome's kindness made him feel obligated to at least try to return it.

"And I don't need to impose on your family like that. I…I appreciate it though, and it means a lot…"

Kagome smiled at the confession, not missing the blush on his face and taking note at how flustered he was.

I guess that's as much of a thank you as I should expect. Baby steps…

"There's more…I…"

Inuyasha looked down, flush with embarrassment at the confession he was about to make. Kagome smiled and grasped his hand, silently urging to continue. Noting his soft smile and blushing cheeks, she flashed back to Sesshomaru's words.

You protect her…indulge her…even seem to love her…

Inuyasha hesitated, unsure how to respond to his brother's claim.

The conversation and its similarities to their present situation caused a faint blush to come to her own face.

He was flustered back then too. Could he have been right? Could Inuyasha…

"I can't figure it out…"

Kagome cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Can't figure out what, Inuyasha?"

She hadn't meant to irritate him, but the young boy's emotional restraint and patience at anything was currently at its limit. At Kagome's innocent question, Inuyasha exploded, his frustration controlling his words before he could clam up, and Kagome the unfortunate target.

"How did you pull the sword out? Why was it that I couldn't pull it out, but you could? And why was it that you figured out how to use the sword, but I can't? Why won't it change form for me? Why was Sesshomaru right about me? WHY WON'T THE STUPID SWORD LISTEN TO ME?"

Inuyasha had wrenched his sword arm away from her and banged the hilt of his sword against a nearby tree at every word during his last sentence. Kagome's heart broke, watching Inuyasha pant after his angry outburst.

That's what's got him so riled up? The poor guy; if only I hadn't ignored him this afternoon, we could have avoided this.

She took both of his hands in her own and waited until he was looking at her in surprise, his anger forgotten.

"Myoga figured it out and told me and Kaede after we got back. I was able to pull the sword out because I was human. Tetsusaiga, it was forged by your father to protect your mortal mother. Your father designed the sword so that it would only work if its user was defending a mortal. That's why…"

That's why you asked me to protect you forever and ever…

"Keh!"

Kagome saw through him though. His brash attitude might have been able to fool her when they first met, but now that she had seen a glimpse of the pain he had suffered in his childhood, his masks would no longer work on her. She grasped his hand one more time as his gaze moved toward his sword. Their eyes met, until Inuyasha quickly shook his head to the side, his cheeks red with embarrassment. Kagome smiled as she placed her hand on his cheek, tilting his face so that he was looking at her once more.

"Don't worry too much about the sword, Inuyasha. The way I see it, you'll be able to use it when I need you to protect me. And seeing as there are a lot of demons in this era, it shouldn't be long before we run into danger and you'll have an opening to use the sword to protect me."

Inuyasha stared into her eyes, and even though he had yet to issue a syllable of gratitude, Kagome got the feeling that he wanted to express it.

He'll tell me when he's ready. Baby steps, Kagome.

Satisfied with her progress, she let go of his hands.

"Let's go. You may not need a lot of sleep, but I do!"

She walked forward, but she stopped after she didn't hear his footsteps trailing behind her.

"Inuyasha? Is there something wrong?"

The half-demon hesitated, conflicted as to what he was about to offer.

Should I? I guess it's only right; I should say thank you somehow…

He walked over to her, then crouched down so that he was almost kneeling.

"Keh. Get on my back, Kagome. I can move a lot faster than you can, so it'll be a shorter trip."

Kagome blushed; her first time riding on his back had been practically forced by him during their original pursuit of the jewel. This time however, he was offering it to her. Touched, Kagome smiled and awkwardly climbed on, hooking her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his torso.

"Wh…What are you smiling at? It don't mean anything; I just don't wanna hear you whining all the way back to the village, THAT'S ALL!"

Kagome only smiled more brightly, knowing that it was all just an act so that he wouldn't have to struggle to show gratitude. Before she could stop himself, she reached up and petted his ears.

What…what is she doing?

Memories ran through his head of his mother petting his ears when he was a pup. Just like back then, he momentarily lost himself to the pleasure, purring for a split second before shaking his head, and her grip.

"Wench! Stop treating me like a dog!"

Kagome only giggled, barely resisting the urge to call him a "good boy". Inuyasha growled in frustrated embarrassment.

"I mean it wench. Quit doing that or I'll make you walk the rest of the way!"

Kagome huffed.

"Alright, yeesh. I was just playing around. Let's go then, Mr. Grouch!"

Inuyasha huffed, running forward with Kagome firmly latched on his back.

This feels…right.

Inuyasha surprised himself with that thought, before shaking his head.

Keh…I'm letting that wench get to me.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the hut. Kagome reluctantly unlatched herself and slid off of his back. Without another word, Inuyasha jumped into the trees, taking his perch on one of the branches. Kagome sighed, then walked back into the hut and got back settled under the blanket.

He could have at least said good night, that pricky puppy…

Kagome sighed as she looked out the window towards where Inuyasha dozed.

Though I guess this was an improvement over our last meeting. Maybe later in this journey we can actually have a conversation without one of us getting mad…

With that, Kagome dozed off, unknowingly under the confused gaze of the half-demon, trying to figure out exactly where this incident had left them.

I don't hate her anymore, and I know now that she wouldn't betray me. So are we…friends?

Inuyasha smirked and shook his head.

Keh; she still drives me too crazy. Besides, I don't have friends. This is a partnership of convenience; a half breed can't have friends. She just did what she did so that we could function as an effective partnership, nothing more…

The half demon finally nodded off, trying to harden his wall and prevent the priestess from the future from getting any closer.