Disclaimer: I only own Inuyasha and Co. in my dreams.

Warning: The following chapter and possibly the one afterwards may be dark and a little heavy. Meaning not many jokes if any. May contain severe Kikyo bashing and a lot of depression. You have been informed.


The "Best" Vacation Ever

Inuyasha rubbed his sore cheek in confusion. "Eriko?"

"Why- why don't you ever just talk to someone? Why do you have to bottle it up and give up on life? Don't you care about what it does to us, your friends? Or your mother?" Eriko replied, crying again. "Is it really that hard to just talk to people? Can't you just tell us how you feel? You don't have to deal with everything yourself!"

Inuyasha's eyes went downcast. Now, he knows why she slapped him.

Kagome joined in. "It made my heart stop when I heard what was wrong with you. Do you really have to do this every time you're depressed? Inuyasha," she pleaded, "Not everything is solely your burden to bear."

"We're your friends, that's what we're here for. To help you, but we can't if you don't let us," Sango added.

Even Miroku had something to say. "You know Inuyasha we won't laugh at you. Like Sango said, we're your friends. We're not allowed to judge you."

Inuyasha kept focusing on the bed sheets. It's not that easy to just tell you how I feel. That's…that's just not something I'm used to.

"Sharing doesn't make you any less of a man," Miroku added.

"I know, I know. I know all of this already, okay," Inuyasha just wanted them to stop.

"Then why? Inuyasha, why?" Eriko could barely contain her tears, "I almost already know what you're going through, I just need to hear it from you to help. I can understand you. I do understand you. I've experienced some of the worst you had, too. Can't you just tell me? Or your mom? She's your mom!" When Inuyasha didn't respond, it just made things worse. "Sometimes…Sometimes I feel like there's just this huge ditch between us and only you can cross it, but you won't. You just won't, no matter how much I want you too, no matter how loudly I call for you." (A/N: when I imagine this, there both little like six or something. Eriko's holding a bear and has this sad look on her face. She's looking at Inuyasha but he looks at her with this blank almost cold look…yeah…)

Kagome was near to tears, now too. "I feel the same way, like you're too distant…I can't reach you. I keeping trying and I can't."

Before Sango could speak up, Inuyasha cut in, "Shut up. SHUT UP! This isn't Dr. Phil, okay? Please…just stop. I can't take it."

Eriko felt herself heating up with rage. "And you think I can take my friend almost dying every once in awhile? You think I can take you not trusting me with your feelings, even though I'm YOUR BEST FRIEND?"

Inuyasha just looked down again. "I'm sorry…it's just too…too hard."

"Too hard? SO'S LIFE! And you should know that better than anyone else!" Eriko wasn't done but Kagome put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

Inuyasha took that in. I just can't…not after what I've been through. Inuyasha flashed back to being a little kid (about six), playing with Eriko, Sesshomaru and Hiromi (Eriko's older sister). He told them everything, they were his whole world besides his mother. Then one day Sesshomaru was taken away…

"No! Don't! Don't take my brother away! Don't!" Inuyasha whined.

"You weak little hanyou, you don't deserve any of your brother's time," his grandpa replied, sneering. Inuyasha sat and cried, cried and cried. "Ha, how do you expect me to leave a strong demon like Sesshomaru in the hands of such a weakling. Can't even survive on your own!"

"Own?" Inuyasha looked up at him.

"Yes, the only way to be strong is to be alone, fool," and with that his grandfather (on his dad's side) drove off with his then twelve-year-old brother Sesshomaru.

Hiromi (eight) put her hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Sorry, Yash, but Fluffy's gone."

"Fluffy will be back, he said so," Inuyasha pouted, remembering a promise his brother had made before being shoved into the car.

"Maybe his body will be back but when he comes, he'll be Sesshomaru. The cold-hearted demon just like you grandfather," she tightened her grip on his shoulder.

Then that memory faded into the next one, when Sesshomaru did show up the next year again like he promised…sort of…

"Fluffy!" Inuyasha cried, rushing towards his brother with his favourite red ball.

"Ha, still pathetic and weak," Sesshomaru replied.

NO! No! Inuyasha's mind cried, hoping and praying Hiromi was wrong. "But Fluffy…"

"I am Fluffy no longer. This one is Sesshomaru, the mighty demon and don't you forget that."

"Stop it, you're making me sad. This isn't funny."

"Nor is it a joke. I'm making you sad…? Do you think I care! You're just as useless as grandfather said you would be. Sadness and happiness are emotions for fools. All emotions are for fools!"

"Fools…?" Inuyasha wondered.

"Yes, and you my dearest brother, are as slow as they can get. And a hanyou on top of that. Pathetic."

"I'm not pathetic!" Inuyasha whined.

"Of course you are and you can never hope to anything but as long as you hold onto things like friends and emotions."

"But I like friends…and emotions!" Inuyasha replied, "I don't like you anymore."

"And I care…why? You're always leaning on others, pathetic. You will never, and I mean never, even come any close to being anywhere near my level, pathetic hanyou."

"Stop it! Stop calling me that! Stop saying stuff like that! I hate you! I hate you shut up!" Inuyasha shut his eyes hoping he would go away, "You big dumb, stupid head!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and marched off. "This Sesshomaru isn't affected by pathetic insults."

"I'll show you, 'this Inuyasha' won't take this from his big brother, no matter how much demon blood you possess," Inuyasha's eyes narrowed with determination. "A hanyou can be just as good."

That was the day, Inuyasha decided to never let his big brother look down on him, again. And unfortunately, to him, that meant bottling up emotions and only showing apathy. Which was the exact opposite of what his friends were asking him to do. Uh oh, another flashback…

"Foolish hanyou," his grandfather sneered, "You will never be anything more than an abomination if you continue to snivel like a little girl."

Inuyasha didn't even bother to ask what abomination was. He didn't care. He just wanted his grandfather to shut up. It was his seventh birthday, he wanted to enjoy it. "Go away."

"So you toke my son away and now you think you can boss me around?" his grandfather snapped.

"It's MY birthday, not yours, you old fart," Inuyasha glared, successfully despite the tears.

"And it's also the anniversary of my son's death in case you forgot. You, greedy, little pig, you think you can disrespect your elders after what you did to my son. If not for you, he'd be here."

"Mommy said it wasn't my fault, so there!" Inuyasha stuck his tongue despite the deep sorrow he felt. I didn't take daddy away from mommy did I? He wondered.

"Your mother is nothing but a wh-"

"Go away!" Hiromi rushed in, "Leave Inuyasha alone. It's not his fault your own son abandoned you. The blame for that rests solely on you!"

"No one invited you, you stinky old man!" Eriko cried, in a cute yet tough voice. She didn't want anyone ruining her birthday, too by ruining Inuyasha's. "This party is invitation, only!"

His grandfather glared but Sesshomaru merely managed a chuckle. "Foolish children."

Inuyasha looked up at Hiromi and Eriko filled with gratefulness, "Thanks."

"He's still relying on others, and they're hanyous, too! Pathetic," Sesshomaru sighed.

"Is that, like, your favourite word or something?" Hiromi was not impressed.

His grandfather shook his head, "He'll-"

"never learn," Surprisingly, Eriko finished his grandfather's sentence as she got up to leave.

Inuyasha continued to cast his gaze downward, "Wait…"

The usual...

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Thank you, sorry for the update but stuff's been happening! Just A Kiss is the next for updates!