Punch!
By: MangoCandy64

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Standard Disclaimer
Warning: Explicit language

Chapter 4: Fighting Love Champ

"Oww, not so hard!" the boy cried as he gently massaged his tender nose. The boy continued to wriggle on the plastic stool as his father tried to tend to his injured nose. His father could only watch him with a sigh as he put down the cotton ball for the third time.

"Well, this is what you get for playing too rough!" his father reprimanded his young amber eyed son as he dipped a new cotton ball in rubbing alcohol.

"It's called training dad, not playing." The boy huffed in response as he crossed his arms together with a bitter scowl.

"It could be called flying for all I care! Point is, you always got to look out for number one and how does nearly slicing your head open account as that, huh son?"

"Jeez dad, it's just a scratch…OWWW!!" the boy squealed once more.

He didn't get it. It was always like this when he got hurt. What was such the big deal anyways? It was times like these he wished his mother hadn't left. She'd just treat his wounds with a smile and reward him with a bowl of rocky road ice cream afterwards. He never quite got along with his father but what child does? He was scary when he was mad and annoying when he wasn't. And why out of all people was he lecturing him on how not to play rough? He was a mob leader for crying out loud! He was never home and he was never there. Why should he bother to care now?

The towering man then reached over for the band-aid box which sat next to the spilt bag of cotton ball's and open bottle of rubbing alcohol on the kitchen counter.

"Here you go, sport." the man said playfully as he placed the band-aid across the fidgeting boy's nose.

Once the band-aid was securely placed on his small nose, Inuyasha could only cross his arms with a fuming face as he turned his head to stare at the kitchen counter.

Sensing what was troubling his son, he let out another sigh before he ruffled his boy's sliver mane.

"Look. I was only concerned about your well being; it's nothing you should be pouting about. You're only nine, kid; way too young to be getting into major scraps."

"You're wrong." The boy sulked. "I'm ten and I've been ten for a month and a half now!" Inuyasha threw back as he now faced the direction of his father.

His father could only chuckle to his son's remark.

"It's not funny! Training, that's all I was doing. Then the next thing you know, some retard comes up to me saying how I have some nasty thug of a father and that you can't fight for jack. It's not my fault, it's not…he gave me the perfect opportunity to test out my strength. I thought you'd be proud but all you do is lecture and punish me like you're some perfect father. But you're not! Maybe that kid was right. You're all talk. But in reality, you're just weak…"

SLAP

The pain swiftly ran across his cheek as his amber eyes widened in utter shock.

The young Inuyasha slowly rotated his head to once again face his father. His eyes watered as he intensely glared at his father's face. His expression was not full of hate but overwhelming disappointment. He watched as his father lifted his leaning body off the marble counter and rise to his full height. He took a step closer to his son who was still glued on the plastic stool. Inuyasha slightly trembled as fiery amber eyes stared back at his own.

"If there is one thing that I've taught you in this world it is that strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. But if you are not willing to fully understand that, then I will never be proud of you as a fighter!"

--

The amber eyed boy was pulled away from his thoughts when a small beeping noise sounded from his wrist. He pulled up the white sleeve of his dress shirt to reveal a silver wrist watch.

'Ten to one.' he recited in his head as he positioned his body more comfortably against the weeping willow.

He sighed in frustration when he noticed that the cigarette between his fingers was nearly ash. The bustling noise of teens within the courtyard began to diminish swiftly as the warning bell went off for students to return back from lunch. With a heavy growl, Inuyasha threw the remainder of his smoke on the grassy field as he slipped his right hand into his back pant pocket. He struggled to find something that felt like a lighter when something jagged scratched him. To his surprise, he pulled out the necklace he found the night he was at the hospital's park. The pendent sparkled in the sun as he gently rocked it like a pendulum in front of his face.

"What the…how did you get in…" the boy slowly spoke to himself.

As the movement of the necklace put him in a slight trance, his eyes slowly widened when he suddenly realized that the necklace was from the night he had met…

"You!" Inuyasha snapped in surprise seeing Kagome only a few feet away as she walked towards him. He immediately shoved the piece of jewelry in his pocket before she finally stopped in front of him.

"Yeah, me…" Kagome said shyly. "I guess we both really suck at introductions, huh. What do you say we start over?"

"Goodie. Can I kick you in the crotch this time?" he replied in sarcastic joy.

"Yeah about that, look I'm real sorry. I had a lot on my mind that night and let's just say midnight just isn't my happy hour." She said in an apologetic tone.

That's right. They had met on hospital grounds. A strong breeze suddenly whisked in the pair's direction making both of them squint their eyes as their hair danced with the wind. Inuyasha began to wonder what this girl was doing at a hospital in the first place as he watched her look off to the side in thought. Inuyasha then placed his arms behind his head to cushion it from the trees rough bark.

'This freak becomes more interesting every time we meet.' He concluded in his mind as he waited for her to speak again.

"Anyways, my friends and I were wondering if you wanted to spend the last few minutes of lunch with us seeing as you're…umm…seeing as you might want a little company. She carefully said trying not to insult the boy more than she already had since they met.

"Friends?" Inuyasha slowly said. He then tilted his head an inch to the left, pass the view of the girl's slender legs, to see a bubbly red head, some pissed off chick, and a horny dude that sat rather close to both girls, wave in his direction from a hill a few yards from where he sat.

He suddenly cringed at the thought of being in the middle of that mix and turned his head back to the girl who stood above him.

"I'd rather you kick me in the balls again, thanks." he answered.

They were really getting good at the whole awkward silence thing as they both stared off at the half empty courtyard.

Was it her fault? She had to agree that she wasn't exactly Miss Friendly when they had first met. Could she blame him for being so distance? No, she had a feeling it was more then that. Kagome's thoughts drifted to that morning as she continued to stare aimlessly at some messy haired kid dunking a can in a garbage bin. "Why should I show mercy to the weak? Without strength you might as well parish from this world." Those words were unbelievably frigid to her. What on earth had this boy gone through for him to speak so loathsome about a little situation like killing a spider? He seemed so distant from this world. And those eyes, those brilliant amber eyes that were an open window to no soul.

'What am I saying?' her mind questioned. Why did she feel the need to analyze him like she was? Kagome took in a deep breath of the grassy air, already knowing the answer. It was because this boy held the same eyes as that little blue eyed girl that used to live in the hospital.

"Kagome!" she heard her friends call her from the hill.

She really had to stop day dreaming.

'Right, I'm on a mission to befriend Inuyasha for my friends' sake.' she said determined in her mind as she hit her fist against the palm of her hand.

"Look, Inuyasha I…" she began.

But to Kagome's surprise the boy was fast asleep against the weeping willow. She slightly blushed at his calm and peaceful form, with his hair swaying lightly in the breeze in time with the leaves of the tree he sat underneath. Who would have thought that under his feisty attitude and cigarettes was a really good looking guy. Kagome blushed even more when she realized just how much she was blushing. She couldn't take her eyes off of him and couldn't help but feel guilty about staring at him the way she did as he slept. Her heart seemed to race with every relaxed breath he took. 'Was he only this content when he was asleep?' she thought shyly.

Suddenly her attention was pulled away from his face to his arms. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal scratched, bruised and battered arms. Never had she seen arms so damaged before. She couldn't help but be curious as she bent down to his level for a better look. His toned arms held scars and scraps, each telling its own story. Embedded in his muscles were bruises that looked so raw and tender. She then noticed a huge scar that seemed older than all the others. 'No wonder he's always at the hospital.' She thought as she lifted her hand to touch the familiar looking scar. To her surprise, his arm felt so strong like it was made out of steal itself. It was rough and hard despite all the wounds it held. Were these wounds just for show?

"Eek!" Kagome yelped in panic when she felt a hand grab her arm. Scared, she lost her balance and fell lightly on Inuyasha's chest.

Before she even realized what had just happened she opened her eyes to see her face only inches away from his. His eyes were so intense, as they stared fiercely into her blue ones.

"Ever heard of keeping your hands to yourself?" Inuyasha said groggily still half asleep as he held her arm firmly in his hand.

"Sorry." Kagome blankly stated as she looked off to the side to try and escape the coldness of his eyes.

'Is she blushing?' he questioned in his mind as he blinked to insure himself of what he saw.

He nimbly let go of her arm and pushed himself up to his own two feet. Kagome try to suppress her growing blush as she felt his body rub against her own due to their closeness.

Still on the ground, Kagome looked up to Inuyasha as he quickly rolled down his sleeves and began to put on his blazer.

"Umm, about your arms…"

"Drop it." He quickly snapped still focusing on buttoning his blazer.

But Kagome was too intrigued to stop from asking.

"Is that why you're always at the hospital?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he said trying to sound confused.

Kagome was determined to get an answer now.

"There was this small little boy who walked into the hospital one night. He was soaking wet from the night's rain and had mud all over his shoes. His eyes looked like they hadn't had a wink of sleep in days. He looked up to one of the nurses and said that his father was dead. The nurse quickly sent the ambulance immediately to where the boy had described the location of his father's dead body. The nurse then kneeled to the little boy's height and asked if he'd be okay. All the boy did was grin and said he'd be better than okay. The nurse then noticed a huge gash on the boy's right arm. After a few days in the hospital, the gash had healed but left a huge scar…a scar just like…" Kagome solemnly said as Inuyasha stared into her eyes with horror.

"How the hell do you…"

"If you wanna talk I can…"

"Shutup, would ya!?" Inuyasha interrupted. He then bent down to look at her square in the face.

"Little girls like you shouldn't get wrapped up with guys like me, got it!" he growled as he got up and made his way towards the school's entrance.

Ring Ring Ring

Kagome could only sit on the grass with hurt filled eyes as the school bell rang for students to return back from lunch. Slowly, the courtyard emptied as she just sat there pulling out blades of grass with her hand. She was so focused on stripping the ground of its grass that she hadn't noticed that Ayame, Sango, and Miroku were standing beside her.

"What happened kiddo?" Sango said with a bit of a frown as she felt her friend's depressed aura surround her.

"Yeah, I thought you guys were…you know…bam chicka wao wao." Miroku playfully added. He then felt Ayame's elbow jab his shoulder.

"IF HE TOTTALY DID SOMETHING TO HURT YOU, YOU CAN BET YA OBASAN THAT AYAME IS ON THE CASE! I'LL HAVE THAT…THAT MUTT BEGGING TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU. WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE LIVE IN WHERE THUGS LIKE HIM HURT INNOCENT LITTLE GIRLS? HE MIGHT BE ULTRA SEXY BUT THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE HIM FROM HIS ACTIONS. IT IS I, AYAME, WHICH WILL SEEK JUSTICE FOR YOUNG GIRLS EVERYWHERE AND…blah, blah, blah…" Ayame rambled on with stars in her eyes.

Again, all three just stared with nervous smiles.

"It's nothing, really!" Kagome tried to convince her friends as she picked herself off the ground. "He said that he'll think about eating lunch with us some other time, that's all. Sorry for making you guys worry." She said with a kind smile.

"Well, as long as you're alright." Sango replied.

"Need a hug?" Miroku asked as he repeatedly opened and closed his hands towards Kagome's breasts. "Ow! I sometimes wonder if you're really just a man, Sango." Miroku cried as he rubbed the fresh new lump that swelled on top of his head.

--

The sound of the last school bell echoed in the peaceful afternoon sky. Chatter and laughter filled the air as the school kids exited the campus for the day. Kagome slowly walked out of the maroon doors as she held a tiny cell phone close to her ear.

"No, I think I'll walk home today. Don't worry I'll be fine. Uh huh. Uh huh. Nope I didn't forget. I have the bottle in my bag. Yes, four o'clock sharp, I know. I love you too Obasan. Bye." Kagome finished saying as she flipped her cell phone shut to end the call.

It had been such an awesome day. It almost made her cry to know that she had missed so much of high school, but was glad that she still had the opportunity to catch up on teenage life. She continued to walk down the school steps onto the sidewalk as she reminisced on her day. She softly laughed when she dusted flour off her kilt. Her favourite moment of the day had to be home economics at fourth period. On top of that, she felt great, literally. It was already 3pm and she wasn't drowsy or nauseous like usual. The hospital had warned her numerous times that she was still unstable and unfit to leave so sudden but she didn't care. She was tired of others watching her waste away. Besides, they too needed to take a break from worrying about her so much. She was thankful to every single one of her doctors and nurses but if she didn't go through with this, if she didn't take this risk, she was certainly going to die with regret. Besides, she'd be okay as long as she took her meds on time. It was all worth it. The jokes, the laughter, the gossip, the friends, it all seemed like a blessing.

"Hey Kagome!" a young boy called in her direction.

Kagome looked around at her surroundings trying to match the voice with a body. She finally found a familiar looking boy that stood near the school's underground parking lot entrance.

"Kohaku!" Kagome said as she waved and made her way to his direction. "How was your day?" she continued when she finally made it.

"Not as bad as I might have thought, you?" he said with a timid smile.

"Can't complain." She replied with a bigger smile. She then curiously wondered what he was doing near the parking lot. "You drive?" she asked confused.

"I wish. I'm waiting for Sango." He replied.

"Mind if I wait with you?"

"Nope, I mean if you got nothing else to do I don't see why not…" Kohaku said trying to hide his blush.

The two continued in endless conversation as they patiently waited for Sango. Kagome couldn't help but continuously smile and giggle as she chatted with her friend. Friend. She finally had a friend. Quite a few actually. Who would have thought that one day, Kagome Higurashi, would have friends beyond her doctors and nurses.

"That guy this morning didn't give you any trouble after I left did he?" Kohaku asked breaking Kagome from her thoughts.

That's right. How could she forget? Even with all the things today that she had done and learned, experienced, witness and felt, the one thing that seemed to stick out was that boy. The boy who she had secretly known since she was a child. The boy she had finally talked too after all those years of watching him go in and out of the hospital. The boy she never understood but was the only one who possibly ever could.

"Oh, you mean Inuyasha? Naw, he's like that with everyone I think." she replied.

After a few more minutes Sango arrived where the two had been talking.

"What took you so long and…and why is your face all red?" Kohaku asked puzzled.

"What!? Nothing I uh ran here so…" Sango said while panting.

"Oh really? Is that why the side of your neck is red too?" Kohaku said pointing at the whopper of a hickey.

"Well, I guess we'll be going now!! Later Kagome!" Sango said lightning fast as she pushed Kohaku into the parking lot.

"Bye." Kagome said with a giggle as she saw Kohaku yelping in pain as his sister shoved him down the parking lot.

"It was Miroku again wasn't it! Ow! And if you didn't want me to find out you could have done a better job at buttoning up your shirt a little. Ow!! Hey!" Kohaku rambled off to his sister. Kagome smiled as she shook her head at hearing Kohaku's comments echo from the parking lot.

Kagome then looked at the time on her cell phone and made her way back onto the sidewalk. 'Better head home I guess' she said with a sigh knowing she had to return to the hospital. It was the agreement she made with her grandmother. She'd get to go to high school for the year if she returned to the hospital immediately after school ended. But like she said, it was worth it.

Kagome walked along the sidewalk that was in front of the school. She then stopped when she saw the courtyard to stare at the lonely willow tree. The way its leaves calmly blew in the afternoon breeze made her shiver at how soothing it was to watch. She could almost see the sleeping boy that sat underneath it at lunch with his peaceful face.

"Had enough Inuyasha?" she heard someone say, breaking her out of her thoughts once again.

It was coming from somewhere in the courtyard but her eyes failed to pick anything up. She was defiantly curious now. She ran off from the sidewalk and onto the grassy field of the courtyard. She could hear them. There were defiantly people around but she still couldn't find them.

"Hold him down! Idiots." She heard the voice say again.

She then ran towards the back of the courtyard. There she saw them. It was Inuyasha. His blazer lay on the ground beside him as he panted with a sinister grin. She found it awkward at how he could be smiling when he was surrounded by so many guys that all looked like they wanted to smash his head in. Kagome kneeled behind a small bush to get closer to the scene that was unfolding before her.

"How dare you even step foot in my high school you bastard." One boy cried.

Kagome concluded that he must have been the one in charge. He had long dark hair in a pony tail with ravishing blue eyes. He had such a demanding power over the other boys as he stood in front of all the rest facing Inuyasha. Kagome's eyes widened a bit when she suddenly realized that every single boy went to her school. Every single one of them had a Joshibi Academy crest on their blazers. 'Well I'll be.' Kagome thought to herself. She shifted a few leaves in the bush to acutely analyze the boys more closely. They all seemed to be around the same age and also looked really tough stereotypically speaking. How was it that Inuyasha got himself in this kind of fix?

"Well cry me a river, asshole." She heard Inuyasha reply to the boy's comment.

"I'm gunna let you in on something, Inuyasha. I'm a man of negotiation. So cough up the shit you stole from us and I'll think about going easy on you."

"Hey Kouga, is your father still in a coma? The only thing I regret when my dad was still around was that I wasn't there to see him bash your faggit of a father's sorry ass into the ground." Inuyasha evilly laughed.

"You fuckin'…Inuyasha, your way out of your head this time! Do you honestly believe you can take on all of my boys?! My old man was right about you. You're just as fucked up as your rotting corpse of a father!!" The blue eyed boy yelled in pure hatred.

That did it.

In that moment Kouga's entourage went berserk on Inuyasha. Kagome slightly flinched as the fight began.

"Inuyasha, you idiot." She silently cursed to herself in the bush.

But when she opened her eyes to fully take in the fight she nearly gasped at what she saw. Inuyasha was single handily taking on every single guy Kouga threw at him. She watched as Inuyasha punch one kid in the nose who instantly fell to the ground with blood gushing from the middle of his face. He then blocked a punch from another boy behind him and swiftly kicked him in the crotch. One by one, every boy was sent flying to the ground. Kagome couldn't even blink afraid she'd miss the action. She was amazed by his power. His movements were so accurate and so precise. His strength made her shiver. Her senses began to flutter. Before she knew it, Kagome was blushing as he watched him fight. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. His eyes were more alive than she had ever seen them and his hair danced around him as he kicked another of Kouga's men. Kagome's heart began to race. She didn't know why but he just seemed so attractive in his fighting stance. Her lusting state was broken as she watched Inuyasha punch another kid so hard that his own knuckles were drenched in his own blood. Kagome was now a little horrified as sudden realization hit her. All those bruises and scratches, they weren't from injuries inflicted on him by others but injuries he inflicted on himself. And on top of that it seemed that he enjoyed it all. She watched from the tiny shrub as he grinned with every punch. He seemed to be having a blast with every guy he brought down to their knees. As much as it pained her to see some show so much joy in inflicting harm onto others, what else could he do? It was 10+ against one and she knew he couldn't just stand there. Was it his fault when fighting was all he knew?

Just when it seemed that Inuyasha had the upper hand, the boys continued fighting. No mater how good a fighter he was, Kagome knew this wouldn't end well. As the fight waged on, Inuyasha's movements started to slow down.

'Shit, why won't they stay down?' Inuyasha thought as he punched another kid in the head.

"Ahhhhhh!!" Inuyasha blurted out as he was finally hit in the gut.

Kagome gasped from her bush thinking it was impossible that he just got hit.

Soon after his first blow, Inuyasha was repeatedly getting hit in every single direction. He had lost his momentum and as amazing as it was for him to be able to keep off all of Kouga's men for ten whole minutes, the reality of the situation was kicking in. Inuyasha was finally held steady by two guys as Kouga walked up to his battered up face. As Kouga looked down at him, Inuyasha spat a bit of blood on his cheek as he coughed from the pain of being pined. Kouga then grabbed Inuyasha's blood stained collar and smiled as he stared into his sinister amber orbs.

Kagome couldn't take this. She could see now why Inuyasha could only look at life with those heavy sad eyes. Was he always forced into these kinds of messes? How could that, that Koguo or whatever his name was, stand there and think that he had won? It was 10+ against one and he did none of the fighting!! She could feel it swell inside her. She could feel the demonic hatred Inuyasha had burning inside him when he could only stare helplessly at his enemy. It wasn't fair! How could anyone do this to one person? Kagome grabbed the dirt on the ground as she tried to fathom how on earth any of this made sense.

"Be grateful that you were beaten by the best, faggit!" Kouga spat back as he clenched his fist tightly, ready to deliver the final blow.

As Kouga was ready to deliver the final punch, Kagome ran in front of Inuyasha with her arms spread apart. Everyone stared in astonishment as they tried to contemplate where this girl had come from.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in utter disbelief as he stared at the back of Kagome's silky ebony hair.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha yelled at the back of Kagome's head.

Kouga was also staring at the beauty that stood before him. He could only blush as he scanned the gorgeous girl who had as enough guts to get involved in a fight. But Kouga had unfinished business he had to attend to before he could attend to the babe.

"Princess, if you could be so kind as to step aside as I attend to the garbage behind you." Kouga kindly said to the blue eyed girl.

"Princess?!" Inuyasha and Kagome replied in unison.

Not exactly the response she expected from some thug but she went along with it.

"Your not one to talk." Kagome replied to the boy's comment.

"Excuse me…"

"Let him go. You can't honestly think that you've won?" Kagome bravely stated back.

"You got a feisty bitch here, Inuyasha." Kouga said with a smile as he shifted his gaze passed the girl's face and towards Inuyasha.

"Get the fuck outta here. I don't need help from some insane chick." Inuyasha angrily demanded to Kagome.

"Shutup, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this because I care. And because guys like him make me sick." Kagome shot back still staring at Kouga.

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he had just heard. This girl just met him and with all the things that he had said to her, she still wanted to help him? Why was she doing this? She couldn't possibly care for some one like him? He was nothing to her and she was nothing to him so why on earth was she standing here insulting the son of one of the greatest mobsters with absolutely no fear. Inuyasha could only stared in disbelief in response to her comment.

'This girl is something else.' Inuyasha said in his mind as he slowly began to grin. Who was he to stop her? She made her decision and would face whatever consequences were to come. What he couldn't understand though was why she'd risk facing consequences for the likes of him. Yup, she was something else alright.

"Listen cutie; don't waste your time on shit like him. After I teach him a lesson, what do you say about getting to know each other a little better?" Kouga playfully replied as he stepped in closer towards Kagome and cupped his hands around her soft ass.

Inuyasha could only growl in anger. Who the fuck did he think he was? Like Inuyasha had concluded earlier, Kagome was nothing to him as he was nothing to her. So why did Kouga's dirty little stunt send him into a whirlwind of utter hatred and disgust.

All the other boys just laughed as they saw their boss get a bit kinky with the girl. The two boys that held Inuyasha began to struggle as Inuyasha tried to break free from their hold. It was no use, he was just too weak. Again with the weak. Why was he never strong enough? He trained when ever he could but still he was never strong enough. He'd try to make sense of why he couldn't stand Kouga fiddle around with Kagome latter, but right now all he wanted to do was find enough strength so he could beat that son of a bitch's face hard into the grassy field.

Punch!

Kouga slowly backed away from Kagome as his hand slowly made its way for his cheek. Pain throbbed though his entire face as he gently touched his tender wound. Kagome still stood there in a bit of a pant with her hand still clenched in a fist. Inuyasha could only stare at the girl in front of him with a growing smile. Inuyasha then slowly began to laugh as he watched Kouga's expression.

Every single one of Kouga's men could only stare in horror as Inuyasha continued to laugh to his heart's content.

Kagome also stood in shock almost unaware of what she had just done. It was all such a blur. All she could remember was the fire that swelled deep inside her. It was like a burning fury that was to hot to contain. She didn't understand it but she just had to let it out. It was something the laughing Inuyasha knew all too well about.

What better way to let it out then with a punch!

--

A/N: Happy Happy 2008 guys!! I wish you all the best for the New Year! And with another year over and a new one just begun, school exams start at the end of January. So this means that I won't be updating as frequently. I'll try my best to update at least every week but high school is full of excuses to keep me off track so please be patience for future chapters! As for this chapter I said I'd add more lovey doveyness but it looks like that will have to come in chapter five :( Sry folks but it just happened that way. Anywho, tell me what you guys think because your thoughts are really encouraging to me!!

Thanks again to all your reviews.

Later Dayz.