Welcome Home by NicoRavenPen
Toxic
“Haha-ue!” cried the voice of a child. “Haha-ue!”
Startled, Kagome looked up from her scroll, blue eyes darting to the shoji screen.
Little Makoto came running in, golden eyes wide in panic.
“Haha-ue!” she cried once she spotted her, running to her to grab the sleeve of her kimono in her tiny claws.
“What is it Makoto? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Katsumi! His poison has come, and it’s getting everywhere!” she exclaimed, waving her hands frantically.
Eyes widening, Kagome picked up her little girl, slinging her onto her hip, before leaving the room and practically sprinting to the den.
Setting Makoto down at the door, hearing crying and shouting, she went into the room.
Poor little Katsumi was standing on tip-toe with his hands held before him, far away from himself, his expression one of horror as toxic poisons slipped lazily from his claws onto the lacquered floors. They were beginning to erode away, and his standing space was beginning to get smaller and smaller. A few of the other smaller pups were in the room as well, though they knew to keep far away from the uncontrollable poisons.
“I’m sorry Haha-ue,” he whimpered.
She shushed him, brows furrowing in pity for her pup.
“It’s alright Katsumi, it’s not your fault…”
Thinking quickly, and having to deal with similar episodes with her other pups, Kagome removed her outer haori, and getting as close as she could without stepping in the green ooze, she wrapped the thick haori around her boy’s hands. Hissing when she managed to brush her hand against some of it, she ignored it and scooped the pup up into her arms, hissing again when her right foot slid right into the puddle on the ground.
Refusing to let it affect her, she bolted from the room and out into the garden.
“It’s going to be alright, puppy, it’s alright,” she murmured to her crying boy, heading right for the railing of the pagoda in the center of the garden.
Entering the open building, she set his feet down on the bench lining the side and stuck his arms over the railing.
Soon enough the toxins ate the fabric away completely and continued to drip down onto the ground. But now at least it wasn’t ruining the shiro floors and Katsumi was safe from them.
Now that the danger was mostly over, Kagome wrapped her arms around her poor boy’s shoulders, cooing to him and doing her best to calm him. Humming lightly, she rubbed his back and nuzzled his head.
“It’s alright now, sweetie, don’t worry. Chichi-ue’s coming and he’ll help you figure this all out, hm?”
He nodded slowly, sniffling.
Waiting for her mate to come, she hummed a sweet song, one that she knew always calmed her pups when they were distressed.
Sure enough, within moments Sesshomaru was there, striding quickly to the pagoda, his eyes taking in all of the details. Including his mate’s injuries.
Before he could say anything, Kagome stood and, kissing her pup’s head, turned to leave him to his father’s expertise.
Knowing that he would address it later, he turned to the matter at hand: teaching his son control of his poisons.
-_-_-_-_-
Kagome had been a tad foolish in neglecting herself, having only removed her tabi and put on another pair before quickly returning to the den to oversee the repairs and clean-up. She should have at the very least washed her injuries with a wet rag or something of the sort.
She was paying for it now, when the residual acidity seemed to have melted the tabi to her foot. She was attempting to peel it away, but her skin was raw and red and it hurt like hell.
Biting her lip, tears rushing to the forefront, she quickly ripped off the remaining fabric.
She couldn’t help but cry out.
And then he was there.
Sesshomaru.
She looked up at him, but the tears swimming in her eyes prevented her from seeing clearly.
She heard him sigh deeply, a scolding sound.
“Kagome…,” he murmured lowly.
She shook her head, her hands shaking.
“How is Katsumi?”
“He is well. It did not take long for him to understand the control needed.” He sat beside her on the end of the raised futon. “Knowing that his mother was injured may have spurned the lesson on, though.”
Kagome frowned, not liking the thought of her pup blaming himself for her injury.
“It’s not his fault-”
“I know, Kagome, I know…” His tone was soft, sweet almost. “I assured him of such, but it did aid in his learning.”
She nodded, happy that it at least served a purpose.
“I was surprised, though,” she began. “It’s early for him. For the others it wasn’t until they were at least thirty years old. Katsumi’s only twenty one!”
He snorted softly in reply, moving to kneel before her and inspect her foot.
“Hn. It is earlier than what is usual. But is it truly so surprising that a pup of our joining would advance so quickly?” There was pride in his voice, and she couldn’t help but smile as well.
Her eyes had cleared up fairly well and she gazed down at him, watched as he gingerly held her foot in his hands.
She hissed softly at the contact, but did her best to hold it in.
She knew what he was going to do, had been subjected to it before, but she couldn’t help but be grateful.
It was the only thing that really helped acid burns.
He licked the top of her foot- carefully, slowly, laving the wounds and cleansing them. Lifting her foot, he paid special attention to the sole, it having been burned the worst. If the acidic remains tasted badly he did not comment, content to aid his mate in the healing process.
And while his actions were initially somewhat painful, the after effect made up for it.
She sighed in relief.
“Thank you, Maru,” she murmured, running her fingers through the hair atop his head. He grabbed her wrist, halting her movement, and then he was licking her hand as well.
She’d nearly forgotten about her hand; her foot had been so bad.
Content now that he’d done what he could, he began brushing soft kisses along the inside of her wrist and up her arm towards her elbow.
She giggled.
“Maru!”
“Hnnnnn.” He pulled away for a moment, golden eyes gleaming. “What shall you do to repay me, hm Koi?”
Hearing the pet name that he rarely used for her, she grinned.
“What won’t I do,” she replied.