Smoke

By Shigure-san

Konnichiwa! I'm back and with another Inuyasha Fan Fiction *everybody sighs*, I know, I know, I must be beaten, blehdy bleh, I'm not bloody listening to party poopers; I'm hyped up on Coffee after a very depressing week and a half, so *cracks knuckles* I'm ready to release it all. Here goes. This is a very played out idea but I've given it my own style (miserableness) and I've based it around the song by Natalie Imbruglia. (If you like the song, please watch my Fruits Basket AMV to it, 'tis good ^_^). The storyline is a little predictable at first but it gets better so, please be patient and bear with me, cause you wuv me ^.^

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, you think I'd get depressed if I did? It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and those at VIZ who deny me Kikyo's death and IYxKag smut! Dammit all! Okay, back again. The storyline, and any extra characters are mine. Smoke belongs to Natalie Imbruglia and the people who work with her records, I don't own it either, I just get depressed to it (but it's quite cheerful compared to other things in my collection). However I do own the plot of this fic, and Shuri, so no steal no sue please.

I worked hard on this, so please be nice. Enjoy!

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Appearance

~Chapter One~

There was a bitterness on the air that night. A thick, smoldering mist had begun to settle around the Forest of Inuyasha. An eerie calm fallen over the forest, though this was to be expected, little dared pass the forest's boundaries for fear of what lurked within it. A thin trail of smoke escaped into the misty air, the evidence of a fire being built somewhere in the forest's depths.

Inuyasha groaned slightly as he threw the hazardly-diced pieces of meat into the pot that was boiling over the fire. He hated his own cooking, especially since when food was scarce of late, the unusually bitter weather had warned off any prey from coming out of their seclusion. The silver-haired half-demon looked around at the cavern that had been his home for some years now. He had long abandoned moving from place to place, there seemed little point anymore. Living, wasn't what he tended to call what he did. Living was the intense enjoyment at blissful experiences, or sadness at tragedies; it was hard to do anything of the sort when you had no one with you to witness or help you through your trials and errors at life. This was what Inuyasha called surviving, and he'd come to learn, that 'Living' and 'surviving' were two very different things.

Resting his elbows on his knees and face on his hands, Inuyasha watched the flames of the fire thoughtfully. How long ago it was since he'd shared this same firelight with people that he'd cared about – even dared to love in his own way. This was a time when he had to force back despair. If he hadn't once been so used to being alone, he probably would have despaired long before now. Whenever dusk fell, Inuyasha would retreat into the cave and ponder his existence as well as his old companions. He wondered what they would be doing or how much they would have changed. He himself hadn't changed, and he wouldn't have to. One of the upsides of being part demon was, you didn't have to worry about getting old, among many other things.

Inuyasha's dog-ears perked slightly. He definitely heard something, and he got to his feet swiftly. No one ever came into this forest anymore, not since he'd taken up permanent residence there. Therefore, he rarely had the excitement of a battle, except against the foul taste of his cooking. The mist had dulled his senses for the moment, so he couldn't tell what kind of demon it was, or if it actually were a demon. However, he knew something was there, he could sense their gaze on him, as well as hear their light, nimble footsteps.

"Who's there?" he growled, his golden eyes and fangs glimmering menacingly in the firelight. The only response was a distinct shuffling about at the mouth of the cave. "You're starting to piss me off, so whatever's there, show yourself!" A dead silence followed Inuyasha's order. Inuyasha sighed, setting his sword back down beside him, as the silhouette that appeared at the cave entrance, pattered slowly towards the fire. Inuyasha sat down, lifting the boiling stew off the fire, placing it to the side to cool, before looking over at the figure that stood just within the reach of the firelight.

Inuyasha's eyebrows arced. "Who're you?" The small figure didn't reply. "What were you doing, lurking outside like that?"

"I…" Inuyasha waited, watching silently, the timid, meek tone hesitating to speak. "It was dark, and I…saw the firelight, so…"

"So you thought you'd come share it? What are you scared of the dark?" The silence he got in reply, suggested that was a 'yes'. He noted the shiver of what he knew from the voice and figure to be a child, and though he had no sense of smell right now, he didn't think the child was a threat.

"Why don't you come nearer the fire?" he asked, not caring if it was a trap or not, and not caring if the child did or not; but one thing those people that resided in his past, that he dared call his friends had taught him, was common courtesy, if not at least chivalry towards children. Whichever, it didn't really matter anymore. If the child weren't what he seemed, and somehow managed to kill him, it would just be a blessing in disguise.

He watched the child stay still, and sighed, stoking the fire, before gazing back into its depths once more. A small smirk played his lips as he heard the small footsteps come closer, and felt the child sit near the fire. "So, you decided to-" he cut off as he looked over to the stranger. His eyes widened as the firelight clarified the boy's appearance. Silver hair and puppy ears like his own… It was like looking at a reflection of himself in his youth, the only flaw to the perfect echo being the tone of lustrous amethyst of his eyes in the place of gold.

"Y-You…w-who are you?" The boy looked at him with a timidity that made his heart ache. If this boy was who he thought he was, what had he done to deserve the fear that lurked behind those eyes, those eyes that harboured the youthful gleam that was unmistakably…his mother's, he thought.

Suddenly the fearful gaze broke, as the boy looked away from him, and Inuyasha's brow furrowed. "You know me, don't you?" The boy looked back to him, without replying. "That is…you know who I am?" He nodded. Inuyasha sighed, scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully. How did this happen? Kagome was…but why is he here? Now? Inuyasha's train of thought broke as the boy shivered slightly, his puppy ears twitching madly as a reflex.

"Cold?" The boy shook his head in response. Inuyasha sighed, picking up a bowl from the side and pouring some of the stew into it, and handing it to the boy, who took it nervously, as if it would scald him. "It'll warm you up," he said plainly. The boy nodded, but then looked at him expectantly. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow pausing in the messy assault that he called 'eating' on his own bowl. "What?" the boy recoiled slightly, as if Inuyasha had hit him. But Inuyasha couldn't help the harshness to his voice; it was a natural trait from growing up alone. The few people that got close to him were accustomed to that, this boy, however was not. And he couldn't help but feel bad that he didn't now how to talk to him.

Inuyasha looked at him still. He didn't know why he wasn't eating it. "What's wrong?" the boy said nothing. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice that the meekness in the boy's eyes cast a glassed over look, making it look as if he were going to cry at any moment. For a part demon, he sure is feeble. Kagome sure spoon-fed him all right…

"If you don't open your mouth how am I supposed to fix whatever's wrong?" Again the boy recoiled, but this time his mouth quivered as it opened.

"I-I…how do I eat it?" he mumbled, and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Is this kid for real?

"What you talking about?" He still couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"Do I have chopsticks, or…"

"Oh, well-" he looked around, shifting aside the cooking implements that he'd gathered over the years and finding what he was looking for. "-here," he said, handing the boy the chopsticks. Relieved when he finally started eating. This kid's sure tough work.

Inuyasha gulped his down as usual, setting it aside, and watching the boy out of the corner of his eye. The child's table manners were a mystery to him, but then he supposed that this boy never had to wolf down his food as a force of habit, from being afraid that the food would be stolen from you, or your meal would be interrupted by an attack. Growing up the way he did, Inuyasha suffered this exact force of habit, but the Kagome in the boy had obviously been nourished to the extent that he was nothing like Inuyasha, resemble him though he did.

Staring thoughtfully at the boy a moment, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel frustrated that he didn't know how to behave around his own son. The boy looked up, having finished his food. His small, clawed hands enclosed tightly around the now empty bowl. Inuyasha's dog-ears twitched. The boy seemed to have made a habit of staring at him with a kind of curiosity, mixed with something else, something he couldn't quite put his finger on…fear, perhaps?

Inuyasha huffed, pushing any soft, weak thoughts out of his mind, making the child jump as he leant forwards, taking the empty bowl from his grasp. "So," said Inuyasha, distracting himself by cleaning the bowls, (a thing he always usually put off for as long as possible), in an effort to avoid looking at him. "If I asked you what your name was, would you answer?" The boy said nothing. "Hello? Cat got your tongue?" he asked sharply. Amethyst pools glistened with the beginnings of tears. Inuyasha's eyes widened at the distinctive salty tint to his scent. "Okay, well, what does…what does your…mother, call you?" A small hand pawed its owner's eyes, whimpering softly, and Inuyasha sighed. He couldn't help but be annoyed with the child's softness. To be truthful, it irritated him.

"What's with the tears?" snapped Inuyasha, not understanding how to be patient with such a vulnerable, emotional child - heck by demon standards he hadn't even been an adult long himself. The boy sniffed, frustrated at the tears he couldn't force back. "Delicate little whippet ain't ya?" The half-demon realized within seconds that his 'brush-off' attitude in this statement wasn't at all helping the situation. Curling up and hugging his knees, the boy rested his forehead against them, hiding his face from his estranged father.

Suddenly Inuyasha's heart felt heavy, guilt-laden as he watched little silver puppy ears droop, and he sensed that same salty tint again. The man crept forwards, his hand outstretched, wavering in concerned uncertainty, before touching the boy's bangs softly. Desperate to right his wrong, unsure fingers skittered through platinum hair, touching the flattened ears comfortingly, and the boy raised his head.

The image was startling, a near mirroring of himself with the exception of youthful violet eyes, red and puffy with tears. A small reassuring smile crept across the man's face. "Geez, don't take me seriously kid, I ain't all bite." The boy blinked, obviously not understanding why a stranger was trying so hard to be warm to him. Inuyasha sighed, taking note of the modern day clothes the boy was dressed in; and remembering that Kagome's little brother Sota wore something almost identical when he went to that renowned 'school-place' he and Kagome were always so fussed about.

She's made a right little lap-dog out of him, thought Inuyasha, casting a quick glance to the cave mouth, seeing the beginnings of a storm brewing. He got to his feet, the boy's head turning to watch him as he pulled the durable curtain (his makeshift door) across the cave's mouth, shutting out the rest of the world.

"But I can hardly keep calling you boy, calling people by their gender never sat too well with your mother, so…do you have a name?" he asked, trying to don his long-forgotten manners and 'nice voice,' as he mentally named it. He turned. The boy still didn't answer. Shy one if nothing else…

Inuyasha crouched down to the boy's level. "Do you know what my name is?" The boy nodded hesitantly. Inuyasha smirked.

"I-it's…Inuyasha…"

"Yeah, and…do you know who I am?"

"Mummy says…you're…my Dad…" Inuyasha's heart jolted at the mild voice he'd spoke those words. Not much of one, heck I didn't even know I was one!

"And your name is?" asked Inuyasha. The boy looked at him a moment, that lingering anxiety behind his eyes.

"S-Shuri – My name is Shuri Higurashi." Inuyasha took in the name for a moment. Could she have picked a wimpier name?

It was hardly a name for a part-demon descendant of the Demon Lord Inu-no-Taishou - For the son of the renowned half-demon Inuyasha and a priestess, Inuyasha thought as he pulled the veil around where his mostly unused bedding was at the back of the cave. What the hell is he doing here anyway? Where's Kagome? Why didn't she come back and tell me we had a kid? He pondered his raging thoughts as he straightened up the fur bedding, before turning back to the boy. Shuri let out a squeak of a yawn, rubbing his tired eyes before noticing Inuyasha was looking at him.

"Err, I guess you're tired," he said, scratching the back of his neck distractedly, 'it's not much, you probably have a nice bed, but," he paused, "you can sleep here." Slowly the boy got to his feet, approaching him and looking curiously at the bed. Inuyasha watched as the child crawled gingerly into the nook of furs, lying back into their plush warmth. The half-demon couldn't help but smile at the soft sound of content uttering from his alleged son's tired form.

Inuyasha looked down at him, considering what a 'father' would be expected to do next. Shuri looked up at him again through those vibrant coloured eyes. The half-demon's brows knitted when Shuri's arms outstretched to him. "What?" asked Inuyasha, confused.

"M…Mummy always…gives me a hug and kiss…before I go to sleep…" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell for?"

"So I have nice dreams…" Inuyasha snorted.

"Feh, what mushy crap has that woman been filling your head with? What a load of nonsense." He soon regretted his sharpness as those eyes filled up with tears. "H-Hey! Stop cryin' would ya? It ain't healthy to turn on the waterworks every fifty seconds!" The boy looked at him, sniffing slightly.

Inuyasha sighed. This child seemed to harbour such a fear of him, and yet at the same time, crave for his affection. It made Inuyasha feel wretched to know that he had no such feelings towards this helpless boy. He felt disgusting. His own son and he didn't even feel like he liked him all that much. Dammit, Kagome. Why did you have to make everything so difficult?

Inuyasha sat down on the edge of the bedding, looking to the small boy. "Why isn't your mother with you?" he asked quietly. Shuri blinked.

"Things got really bad…and, Mummy got sick, right after 'they' came after us, and she told me to come here." Inuyasha stared into the pained amethyst eyes, heavy with a sadness no child should have to bear.

"Who is 'they'?"

"The people Mummy always said to hide from," he explained, his dulcet voice nothing at all like his father's.

Kagome took the Sacred Jewel with her. So somehow…a demon must have found its way to her era. It wouldn't exactly be the first time… The half-demon looked to Shuri, before noticing that he looked upset by the recollection.

"Just sleep," he grumbled, getting to his feet.

"Aren't…Aren't you going to…tell me a story?" he asked meekly.

"Sorry kid, I don't know any," replied Inuyasha, letting the veil fall back into place behind him as he sat back down next to the fire.

A ping of guilt struck his heart as he sat down, staring at the fire without really seeing it at all. Kagome, he thought, she's dead, and never even knew. She's gone to her grave and her last memory of me was – and then she sends this kid to me, expecting me to take care of it! I don't know the first thing about kids!" He turned to gaze at the now sleeping boy out of the corner of his eye. He cries easily, he's so puny lookin', and the name doesn't exactly strike fear into my heart. Then he realised something. The only time Kagome and I ever…was when – I can't even think about it!

Suddenly, his regular 'impassive Inuyasha' regained control, and he huffed loudly. With a final, almost accusing glance at Shuri, he leant back against the wall of the cave, closing his eyes. However determined to remain awake he was mattered little, as he was soon overtaken by a very troubled sleep…

TBC

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A/N 01: Likey? I know what you're thinking. One half of you are hating Inuyasha for being mean to the little kiddie who just lost his mother, and the other half are annoyed with the little squit that won't stop crying, right? Well to explain for ya, our little Inuyasha is angry at himself because Kagome is dead, and because suddenly he has a child and he's angry at himself for not knowing how to look after him, hence him taking his anger out on Shuri. And Shuri is a crybaby obviously cause Inuyasha scares him but he still wants to be liked by him, after all it is his father, and he has just lost his mother. Remembering he's Kagome's kid, so he's been babied and fussed over, so he's a delicate little...And there's more to his past that you will find out later. Yeah anyway, please leave a nice review to let me know who's actually interested, and I will update the next chappie for ya so ya can see if it gets better or worse (you just know it's the latter don't ya? lol).

Note: Shuri belongs to me, so if ya wanna borrow him, please ask first, KK? R&R

Luv Shigure

x chuu x