Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.. Gee, who woulda thunk? Don't Laugh At Me is by Mark Wills, and since my name is not "Mark" and I am most definitely not male, the song doesn't belong to me, either. However, Alone is my work.
Don't Laugh At Me
Inuyasha heard the laughter, heard the people talking about him, and did his best to ignore it. He'd lived with it all his life, so you'd think it wouldn't bother him. Right? But it did. He had no friends, except his older brother. All of his other friends were the sort that couldn't talk, and treated you just as good as you treated them. The slight tap-tap-tap of his cane was lost in the crowds as the blind teen and his seeing eye dog made their way towards homeroom. His hair was long and black, as smooth as silk and just as soft. His unseeing purple eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, and he looked surprisingly fit.
--I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call the geek.--
"Hey, dogface!"
Inuyasha stopped. Everyone called him that, and he always hid how much it hurt that no one but the teachers could be bothered to call him by his name. He stroked his hand through the soft black fur of his dog as they both stood waiting. The dog looked up at him, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as her warm brown eyes smiled at him. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it. At least someone likes me, he thought as he rubbed her ear.
"Hey, why are you still hanging around, dogface? We don't want blind freaks in our school!" He recognized the voice. Who wouldn't? Kouga loved to insult him, and it was a rare day when the other boy didn't find the time to insult Inuyasha.
--A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I've got braces on my teeth.--
"I'm sorry," Inuyasha replied, quietly.
"Dogface, your parents should've killed you at birth! You're such a freak," Kouga taunted, laughing, as he offered his hand to the dog. He drew it back with a pained yelp when she bit him. "Shit! Your mutt just bit me!"
"Don't call Kagome a mutt, Kouga," Inuyasha responded. "She's my friend and protector, as well as my guide dog."
"She's a fucking mutt! I'll get you both!" he threatened as he left. Inuyasha turned his head, as if watching Kouga leave, then patted Kagome's head.
"Good girl, Kagome," he whispered as they started walking again. "Maybe he'll leave us alone for the rest of today." I can hope, at least, he added silently as Kagome gave a happy bark in response.
--And I know how it feels
To cry myself to sleep.--
The day went by the same way it always had. He sat alone at lunch, sharing pieces of his food with Kagome and talking to her. No one wanted to sit with the "blind freak," so it was always just him and Kagome. When the bell rang, telling the students that school was out for the day, Inuyasha was jostled and bumped many times as the uncaring people rushed past him, yelling and talking. And always, always, saying, "Hey, outta the way, dogface!"
His older brother picked him up, and the ride back to their home was blessed silence for both Inuyasha and Kagome. Sesshomaru glanced at his younger brother, as Inuyasha stared out the window without seeing anything, the fourteen year old boy's hand running methodically through Kagome's fur.
"How was school, 'Nuya?" Sesshomaru asked when they were halfway home.
"Same as always," Inuyasha answered quietly. Sesshomaru returned his attention to the road, hands clenching a little tighter around the steering wheel. He hated how his little brother was treated, but since he was now in college and Inuyasha was still in high school, there was very little he could do, except be Inuyasha's only human friend.
--I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last.--
Inuyasha's cane went tap-tap-tap as he made his way towards the living room. Kagome led him over to the couch, and he sat down. Immediately, a small bundle of red-gold fur leapt onto his lap, and Inuyasha smiled. His pets were his friends, and he liked it that way. They were so much nicer to him than the kids at his school were.
"Hey, Shippo," he said softly, petting the small fox kit he'd brought home just the month before. The workers at the pound were the closest people to friends he had, and he enjoyed his trips there; mostly because it gave him time with the animals he loved so much. The kit climbed up his arm and perched on his shoulder, then proceeded to give his cheek a bath. As he laughed, Inuyasha wondered if any human would ever be so nice to him.
--A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past.--
Sango and Miroku, his cats, wandered into the room, then proceeded to fill his lap, which Shippo had so recently vacated. Inuyasha relaxed back into the couch, smiling as he removed his sunglasses and tossed them onto the coffee table. Sesshomaru walked in a moment later, carrying to cups of hot cocoa, and sat down on the chair opposite the couch. By silent agreement made years ago, the couch belonged to Inuyasha and his pets, and the chair was Sesshomaru's. It had been that way ever since their parents had died when Inuyasha had been eight, and Sesshomaru thirteen.
"Here, 'Nuya," he said as he set the cup on Inuyasha's knee.
"Thanks," he replied, and picked the cup up. Inuyasha took a drink, then offered the cup to his pets. They all politely took a small drink, and Inuyasha smiled again. A little while later, he asked, "Shou?"
"Hmm?" Sesshomaru responded as he sorted through the notes necessary for the days homework.
"Why does everyone hate me?"
Sesshomaru looked up. "I don't hate you."
"I know," Inuyasha agreed. "I meant the kids at school. They always laugh at me."
"They laugh because they don't understand, little brother," Sesshomaru said after a moment. "They don't know what it's like to be blind. Or to grow up without parents."
"Oh."
--You don't have to be my friend
Is it too much to ask?--
Inuyasha stroked Miroku and Sango's fur as he listened to Sesshomaru sort through his notes, muttering the whole time. The wheels in his head were turning, and he had another question. "Shou, if they don't like me, that doesn't mean they have to insult Kagome, does it?"
Sesshomaru dropped his stapler on his foot, and muffled a curse before he answered. "Someone insulted her?"
"Yeah. Kouga called her a mutt." Inuyasha leaned forward and stroked her ears when he heard her growl. "Don't get mad, Kagome."
"What happened?" Sesshomaru asked, as he tried to figure out why his stapler had been in his notes anyway.
"She bit him," Inuyasha replied.
"Good girl," Sesshomaru praised, and Kagome thumped her tail against the floor happily, making both brothers laugh. "You should tell him not to."
"If he doesn't listen when I ask him, and everyone else, not to call me dogface, why would he listen if I told him not to call Kagome a mutt?"
"It wouldn't hurt to try, little brother," Sesshomaru replied with a shrug as he went back to sorting his notes.
--Don't laugh at me, don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes, we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me.--
Dinner was a quiet affair, the only noise being their quiet voices as Sesshomaru helped Inuyasha with his homework. As they ate dessert, they started on Inuyasha's English homework. Sesshomaru looked it over, and arched his brow.
"Looks like you have to write a poem for English this week," he commented.
"A poem?" Inuyasha asked. "About what?"
" 'What your life is like.' That's a direct quote off the instructions, by the way," he added with a sarcastic twist of his lips.
Inuyasha looked away. "That shouldn't be too hard, I guess."
"Key word being 'shouldn't,' " Sesshomaru pointed out. Inuyasha shot a rubber band at him, snickering when Sesshomaru yelped and cursed. "Gotcha."
Sesshomaru laughed. "So you did. You working on that poem?"
"Shaddup, would you? I'm thinking," Inuyasha answered.
"You? Thinking? Bah," Sesshomaru scoffed. "Nothing doing."
"Watch it, Fluffy."
"Don't call me that!"
--I'm the cripple on the corner
You pass me on the street.--
Later that night, after a tickle war (which somehow incorporated teasing threats, flying rubber bands, and awful imitations of pop songs), Inuyasha sat on his bed and let Kagome lick his hands as he thought over the next day. The poem for English wasn't due until the next Monday, so he had time to think on it. But he didn't think it would be too hard to come up with something for, since his life wasn't the greatest. But it's better than some people have, he told himself. He got under the blankets, and closed his eyes.
I wonder what it's like to see, was his last, rather muzzy, thought as he fell asleep with Kagome's warm, comforting body right next to him.
--I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat.--
The next was more of the same, except Kouga only taunted him from a distance, apparently afraid that Kagome would bite him again if he got too close. Inuyasha was slightly distracted all day, his mind focused on coming up with the right words for his poem. It wasn't hard to get inspiration for; it was his life, after all. When the bell rang at the end of the day, Inuyasha waited for the rush of students to leave before he got out of his seat, as he didn't want to get jostled that day.
The teacher watched as he left the room, eyes hidden by his shades and his cane going tap-tap-tap as Kagome led him with gentle tugs on her leash. It's a shame no one wants to get to know him, she thought sadly. There's a sad boy right there. He needs some friends, but no one really likes him because he's blind. What's the world coming to?
--And don't think that I don't notice
That our eyes never meet.--
Inuyasha stumbled as someone pushed him, and fell to his knees. He heard his cane go skittering across the floor, and the sound of raucous laughter.
"Aw, look at that," a female voice said, sarcasm and false sweetness dripping from it in dollops. "The little freak lost his cane. Too bad, too, since he can't get anywhere without it."
"What about the dog? I bet he'd really be a cripple without the mutt," a male replied, maliciously. Kagome growled and placed herself between Inuyasha and his tormentors while Inuyasha got to his feet. His sunglasses had fallen off, and had probably been broken, and there were scrapes on his hands where they'd met the floor harshly.
"Leave Kagome alone," he said, glaring with unfocused eyes at the last speaker.
"Ooh, looks like he wants to stand up to you, Naraku," the girl trilled, and laughed.
"He won't last a moment, the little weakling," Naraku replied, an nasty smile stretching his thin lips.
--I lost my wife and little boy
Someone crossed that yellow line.--
"Why don't we show the freak why no one messes with you?" the girl suggested, dark brown eyes alight with unholy glee. She and Naraku, and their little group, were the epitome of school-yard nasties. They were cold, cruel, and enjoyed tormenting the poorer students. In short, they thought they ruled all because they had money and prestigious daddies that could give them whatever they wanted.
"What a marvelous idea, Kikyo, dear," Naraku replied with a drawl. "Then we'll take care of that little mutt. A pretty thing, but it doesn't know it's place."
"Darling, it's just an animal," Kikyo said with a nasty laugh. "I doubt it has any brains."
"You're right, of course."
Inuyasha clenched his fists. I hate this! I hate how they talk about me like I'm not standing right here, like I can't hear every word they're saying! They better not touch Kagome, or I'll hurt them. I dunno how, but I will, he thought as he heard footsteps approaching. Before he could do anything, Kagome jumped in the way. He heard her yelp in pain as Naraku kicked her, heard her body thump into the wall.
--The day we laid 'em in the ground
Is the day I lost my mind.--
"I told you to leave her alone," Inuyasha snarled, and took a step towards Naraku.
"Are you threatening me?" Naraku asked in disbelief, then laughed. "Little shits like you don't know their place!" He lashed out, his fist slamming into Inuyasha's stomach. Inuyasha doubled over, coughing and wheezing in pain. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears trickled down his cheeks and Naraku laughed. Slowly, he straightened up again, arms clutching at his stomach and a small trickle of blood running down his chin from the corner of his mouth.
Naraku lashed out again, his foot connecting sharply with Inuyasha's jaw, sending the boy crashing into the wall. Naraku stalked over and fisted his hands in Inuyasha's shirt, lifting him up. "Stay out of our way, freak," he warned with a sneer. "Or next time we won't be so merciful."
With that, Naraku dropped him. Inuyasha listened dazedly, barely semi-conscious, as Naraku and his gang walked away laughing. A moment later he felt cool hands on his forehead, and opened his eyes. Of course, he saw nothing, and his eyes slid closed again as he tumbled into the blessed realm of unconsciousness.
--Right now I'm down to holdin'
This little cardboard sign,--
Rin, although short, was stronger than she looked, and managed to get Inuyasha to the nurses office. As she was heading back to get Kagome, she ran into Sesshomaru - literally. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, and she nodded her thanks, as well as apologizing for running into him.
"It's alright," he answered. "Have you seen my brother, Inuyasha?"
"I just took him to the nurses office," Rin answered. "Naraku and his gang decided it'd be fun to beat him up. I would've tried to stop them, but I'm small, and they probably would've hurt me, too." She turned her eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Sesshomaru repeated calmly, although he was seething inside. Naraku, you'll get yours. "So where are you going now? Home?"
"I was going to get his dog," she answered. "Naraku kicked it, and I bet it has some broken ribs."
"Kagome. Her name is Kagome."
"Ah." Rin directed Sesshomaru to the nurses office, and watched him go that direction. She went to retrieve Kagome, then staggered into the nurses office a few minutes later with Kagome held into her arms. Sesshomaru chuckled at the sight, then took the black dog from Rin with ease she envied. Must be handy to be so tall, she thought as he sat back down, stroking the dog's fur.
Inuyasha woke up to the sound of Rin talking Sesshomaru's ears off. He groaned, then said, quietly, "Shou?"
"Right here, 'Nuya," Sesshomaru answered.
"Where's Kagome?"
"Right here on my lap," he replied, patting Kagome's head. She barked, and playfully nipped at his fingers. "As you can tell, she's fine."
"Good," Inuyasha replied, then fell silent. I wish I wasn't always picked on. I didn't even do anything to those people, did I? he wondered.
--Don't laugh at me, don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes, we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me.--
Monday came, and Inuyasha was still unusually quiet. Rin greeted him in the halls, and he arched his brows at her.
"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked, blinking as he turned away, staring straight ahead with his unseeing eyes.
He was silent for a moment, then stopped walking for a moment. "You're the first person in years, besides Sesshomaru or the teachers, that's called me by my name," he answered.
"Hidoi," she answered, wide eyed. "Why doesn't anyone call you by your name?"
"I guess they prefer calling me dogface, or blind freak." Inuyasha shrugged.
"If they took the time to get to know you," Rin replied after a pause, "then I bet they wouldn't call you names."
"That's the thing, though," he said quietly. "They don't want to get to know me."
"Their loss, then," she tossed back with a shrug.
--I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey aren't we all?--
In English, Inuyasha waited quietly. He'd written his poem, and after Sesshomaru had heard it, he'd given Inuyasha a hug. He smiled, remembering that - Sesshomaru rarely hugged him anymore. He scratched Kagome's ears as he waited for the teacher to call his name.
"Inuyasha Kanora," the teacher called, and he stood up. Kagome guided him to the teachers desk while the students snickered. He handed the paper to the teacher, who nodded then cleared his throat. "Please recite your poem in front of the class, Mr. Kanora."
"Yes, sir," Inuyasha answered, then squared his shoulders. "I titled this Alone, but I guess it's not so much a poem as it is a song. Is that still alright, sir?"
"Poetry is what songs evolved from, Mr. Kanora," the teacher answered. "So go ahead."
"Thank you sir." Inuyasha took his sunglasses off, something he rarely did, and tucked them in his pocket.
"There's a little boy sitting all alone
Hasn't got a single friend
But he doesn't complain or moan
And he can't see the toy he's trying to mend
Cause his eyes can't see anything.
-That little boy was me
And I still can't see
I bet you wouldn't be laughing half so hard
If you'd been dealt my hand of cards.-
There's a kid sitting all alone on that swing
He's waiting for the bell to ring
'Cause nobody wants to play with him
His unseeing eyes fill to the brim
But he tells himself he won't cry.
-That kid was me
And I still can't see
I bet you wouldn't be laughing half so hard
If you'd been dealt my hand of cards.-
There's a teen sitting alone on the steps
Playing with a locket
It's the only thing of his parents that he's got left
He puts it back in his pocket
And watches the world go by with his blank eyes.
-That teen is me
And I can't see
I bet you wouldn't be laughing half so hard
If you'd been dealt my hand of cards.-
I'm always the one left out
Always the one who's alone
The one no one cares about
Always considered an unknown.
-Yeah, this is me
I wish I could see
I bet you wouldn't be laughing half so hard
If you had to live with my hand of cards.-"
He stopped, then cleared his throat. "That's all." The class was silent, until Rin stood up, a tremulous smile on her face, and began to clap. One by one, the other students stood and clapped as well, and Inuyasha smiled shyly. The teacher smiled.
"Good job, Mr. Kanora," he said, then called order to the class as Inuyasha went back to his seat. Then the teacher stood up and addressed the class. "Mr. Kanora obviously put some thought into his work, as well as his heart. And that, class, is what makes a good poet. Or writer. Or anything. If you put your heart in it, you can do anything."
Inuyasha left school feeling happier than he had in a while. Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally gotten through to a few people. It won't hurt to hope, anyway.
--Don't laugh at me, don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes, we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings..--
"How was school?" Sesshomaru asked on the drive home.
"It was okay," Inuyasha answered, shocking Sesshomaru. "I think maybe I finally got through to some of them."
"We can hope, 'Nuya," Sesshomaru answered with a smile.
"Maybe they'll stop laughing at me. Maybe not. I guess I'll have to see."
--Don't laugh at me.--
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Wow... I think this is the first non-romance I've ever written. Pardon me while I faint dead away. ::faints:: But, anyway! I hope you like it! Anyone like the way I made Kagome, Shippo, Sango and Miroku into Inuyasha's pet/friends? Hehe :D I bet I'm gonna get a bunch of "O.o wtf?"s for that, if nothing else, LOL! (BTW - "hidoi" translates as "horrible," "awful," sometimes with "how" before it. Depends on the context it's used in.)
Alone is my creation, written just before I wrote that segment of the story, in fact, so if you want to use it... E-mail me for permission first!! And give me full credit, or I will hunt you down and kill you in a most gruesome manner.
Remember to review! (I accept anonymous reviews, too!) Flames will be used to heat up ramen for Inuyasha, Ranma and Naruto, so flame away!
--Myuu