CLAIMING KIN by Salome and Talon

The Visit, Part II

A/N: Same warnings; same puppycock. But no naughty in this one! Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for all the wonderful reviews always!!!!


It's been so long since he's been in the garden, with its high walls and grass and the few small cherry trees, and plenty of bare ground with dirt, sometimes mud. He had spent a long time with Mother, being held and petted and looked over, and reassuring her. She was more fluttery than he had remembered. But now Mother is with Nokimi, and they are watching him and Hana play...just like they used to. Well not exactly like they used to. The soles of their feet are pressed together, legs wide and they roll the ball back and forth. No one else has a ball, but for now, all the other puppies are staying away from him, so he and Hana have time. And fun. "How'd your tooths come out, Hana," he asks as he rolls the bright red ball back to her.

Hana smiles, pushing the ball back, her tail swishing happily in the dirt. "First one came out in a radish, second one came out when Harue kicked me in the face 'cause I called him a butt-licker. Which he is. He puts his nose everywhere. So now I have a hole"—she pokes her tongue into it—"for sipping soup through!" She cocks her head as Kin pushes the ball back. "Don't look like you get beat up any more at all," Hana says, awed. "Is it true? Is that thing you're wearing magic?" She points at the harness.

He makes a face at the mention of their older half-brother Harue. "He's got alotta dog in him I think," he says with his year and more of being tutored in such things. Still, Harue was a bully. "I don't get beat up no more, 'cause I belong to Oniisama now." He touches his harness. "Not real magic, not with spells and stuff. But it tells people they can't treat me like...like...they can't hurt me then say they didn't know I belonged to Oniisama." His ears flick as he thinks. "Kin got hurt bad, and Onii was real mad. So now I have this." He pats his harness.

Hana moves the ball over and crawls over to sit right up next to Kin. She talks quietly. "If you belong to Lord Sesshoumaru-Oniisama, then how come you got hurt?" She reaches tentative fingers out to touch the magic-but-not-magic harness. She isn't sure it doesn't have spells on it, but if Kin says then Kin says.

Kin takes Hana's fingers and puts them firmly on the broad chest strap where Onii's seal is. "Kin got lost. The castle is big. Very very very big. And Kin was playing but then I dropped my ball, and it rolled. It rolled down some stairs and bounced and rolled and when I caught it I didn't know where I was. Then the bull came," he makes himself say. "He took me. Said I was a slave. Said I lied, 'cause I am not a slave. Ken came out but we were..." He hesitates, then holds his wrists out. The silver scars from the restraints are still visible enough. "Ken fought. Hard. But Onii came and found me and Jaken killed the bull. That's why I got hurt."

Hana's eyes go wide as she touches the harness where Kin places her hand and listens to his story of the big scary castle and the big scary bull and Ken and fighting and she throws her arms around him and holds him close. "Can't you come home? Come back and be with us? You're protected now, so Harue can't pick on you and no one else will either and we'll hide like we used to when your eyes get red or when your hair gets black and your ears get human and stuff, ok?" She breathes hard and won't let go. Big scary castle. Big scary Lord Sesshoumaru. Bad things happened to Kin. She fights back tears because Hana doesn't cry. She doesn't cry and no one should see you cry.

Kin puts his arms around his sister and holds her tightly. Without looking around, just like as if he were still living here, he scoots them to the nearby far corner. Hana smells like tears she doesn't ever want to cry. And she never, ever wants anyone to see her cry. Except Kin could. "Hana," he says, once he feels...safe with the two stone walls cradling them so that anyone coming at them could only come one way. "Hana," he says again, "I can't. This isn't my home anymore. Our Lord Father gave me to Onii. You know that no one can disobey Papa. I miss you. And Mother too. And your Mama and the baby I didn't even get to see borned." He pushes his nose into her face and licks her while his strong, round arms hold onto her. "Hana...smell Kin."

Hana shakes her head a little as her tail droops and she licks Kin back, eagerly and fearfully and to help her not cry. She knows. Kin smells different now. He looks mostly the same except not so beat-up around the ears and shinier hair. And the harness, of course. And his fancy hakama. And he smells like the castle and a bit like Papa and mostly like what she guesses must be Lord Sesshoumaru scent except she's never met him and doubts she'd be allowed close enough to compare the smells. But it doesn't matter. Kin isn't Kin anymore even if he sorta is, and he's not coming back. Her eyes well up and she turns away and curls up and hugs her tail to her face. "When my teeth grow in you won't be here to see," she whimpers.

He crawls closer when she turns away, hugging her floofy tail. "Maybe. But maybe you can visit me. You can come see me. Hana...Kin is still..." He drops his head slightly, his ears down a bit. "Kin belongs to Oniisama," he says softly. "But Kin is still Hana's brother, even if Kin is not here." He tries to think, but Hana is right. And he knows this is just a visit. Home to him is Onii now. So he is different. That hurts Hana. Inside. He can smell it. "Hana...hey...Hana...you know what I can do? I can write my name...and yours. Wanna see?"

She pouts but turns back to Kin and nods. Lots of the family leaves. Half-brothers and half-sisters leave all the time. They grow up. They get positions in the castle sometimes or ply a trade in the village beyond the walls. Not everyone but some. Mama says it's how life is. But she didn't think Kin would leave. Not ever, really, but at least not 'til they were both grown. And maybe, just maybe she thoughts she and Kin would have pups together. Someday. Even if she never told him. Now he'll be with Lord Sesshoumaru and maybe forever. Or maybe not if Lord Sesshoumaru gets a mate and has his own pups and doesn't want Kin anymore. But then Kin won't belong and that would be even worse than his never coming back to visit. She wipes her eyes. "Really I can visit?" The castle sounds terrifying, but she is also curious…would like to see how it is and how Kin is there…and everything.

"I think so," he says. "Kin will ask Jaken-sama. Onii won't like arrangements, but Onii likes to make me happy and so does Jaken-sama. So. I think yes." He pets her hair and licks her nose. "Onii didn't want me to come here, because of how I was treated before. And because he likes what is his to be with him. And also..." he puts his finger to his lips. "Kin has to look after Onii. He needs me." The knowledge of that is so true in his heart he doesn't even hear how it must sound to someone else. "Oniisama is the most beautiful ever Hana. And you can come visit, and play and meet Kini and Yumi and lotsa stuff. Onii knows you are my favorite only favorite sister. He will like you someday, because I like you."

"You are my favorite only favorite brother," Hana giggles. "Favorite lotsa things. And I have to look after you too, so I have to come visit…sometime. But it's good that you help look after Lord Sesshoumaru. Everyone says he's grouchy and scary but you're not scared, so I know it's good for you there. It must be 'cause you smell like it." She reaches out and hugs him again and is careful not to touch his ears because they were always so sensitive and beat up. Even though they're not now. A thought occurs. "If I let you touch my tail, can I touch your ears?"

He smiles and licks Hana's face when she giggles. But he pauses at her question. "'s your tail hurt?"

Hana shrugs. "Nah...I just didn't have nothing else to trade."

He's suspicious. He knows Hana's tail gets pulled. She doesn't smell like she's hiding anything though. He scoots closer and puts his head down. "G'head. They're all clean an' everythin'."

"Really?" It's her favorite wish come true! She reaches grabby hands and tries really hard not to be rough. She bites her lip and holds one in each hand, between fingers and thumb, and rubs. "Ohhhhh," she purrs. "They're sooooo soft." She can count on one hand the number of times she's touched Kin's ears, and three of those times he was sleeping and didn't know it. His ears always hurt so much and now? Now they are happy ears and she is a happy hanyou too because Kin is letting her rub and rub them. Eventually, she relinquishes them--fair is fair--and turns around, tail out. As she's grown and her Mama has sneaked her extra food now and then, her tail has filled out big and fluffy. She's very proud of it, especially since her bust hasn't done anything and she really is still just a kid. She looks around and sees how dirty it is from play. But Kin won't mind. And she doesn't mind that it still gets pulled a lot. Mama had to stop Harue from holding her by it and mock mounting her. She shouldn't have, but Hana's glad she did.

He smiles. "Yeah..." He makes contented noises while she pets his ears. "Onii made 'em heal good," he says. He grins when she turns tail towards him, and whispers in her ear to lay on her belly. To trust him. He smelled Harue very clearly, and of course Hana has been playing and didn't have a bath today yet. So. Carefully he strokes the poofy tail with gentle fingers, feeling it out then combing through the soft fur with his claws...again...gentle gentle. When he's satisfied with the grooming by hand he leans down and starts at the base, where Harue's scent is strong and starts to lick it away.

Hana does what Kin asks with a blush and a nod, then gasps and her little claws dig in the dirt as he does what he has never, ever done before: takes control. He's not dominating her or even trying. It's not like that. It's like Mama or Izayoi, how they look after her. But it's Kin so it's different. And before she can figure out exactly what it's like or who she is to this different-but-same Kin, his mouth is upon her…down there. She whines softly and buries her face in her hands. It's too much good for her not to cry, just a little.

"I know," he murmurs. "But it's okay. Kin knows your tail...he remembers." He wants every scent of their brother off HIS sister and he sees to that then moves up into the poofy. He learns quickly the best way is to work from the inside out, licking the fur from the skin of her long, poofy tail out to clean it and put it in order and...he finds two bruises. He doesn't say anything, but his ears slick back and Ken, who already wants to come out to see Hana is bristly inside him, and close to the surface.

Hana's crying soon stops though the whine comes out again. It feels so good. "I love you, Kin," she whispers into her hands, eyes closed tight as Kin touches and licks and soothes. He's always had that way, that ability to heal. She wishes she had it for all the times he came to her when he was hurt but she couldn't really make it better except just holding him and taking him to his Mama, who would cry and usually make it worse before she got Hana's own Mama to get herbs and wet cloths to help. "No matter where you are, I love you, my Kin brother."

"I love you too, Hana," he says softy, licking the tip, then laying down, he puts his arm around her shoulders and licks her face. "My sister, my best sister, my favorite only favorite sister. "Do you feel better now?" He knows she does. He knows those tears, and he holds her as hard as he can. "I will take care of you," he promises. "Kin will. Hana...Ken wants to see you. Can he? Just for a few minutes...so Mama doesn't notice...please?"

Hana turns to Kin, wipes her face on her arm, and scrunches up her face. Kin does love her and even if she doesn't see him it doesn't mean he doesn't. Like she loves him. All of him. "Did you bring someone else with you?" she whispers, since she says Izayoi shouldn't see whoever this Ken is.

He blinks...then remembers. "Onii named him. My youkai. Ken. He misses you. Wants to see you. And you know Mother is afraid of my youkai." His voice gets sad at the end. Just a little.

Hana giggles. Kin has two names! But yes, Izayoi is scared and now Kin is sad. "Hana isn't afraid of your...of Ken! Hana wants to meet Ken, to see Ken now that Ken has a name. To see Ken's growly mouth and stripeys and red-red eyes." She sits up and bounces on her heels. "Come out, Ken, so Hana can squeeze you!"

Kin smiles and sits up too, casting a glance at where Mother and Nokimi watch, then moves so his back is to them and lowers his head. Ken is eager to come out and agrees to go back without protest, because of Mother's fear. Ken looks up and blinks his eyes at Hana and smiles and hug-tackles his sister, squeezing her. "HihihihihiHana!!"

Hana wraps her arms and legs around Ken and rolls 'til she's on top, pinning him. She can smell him come out and hear him in Kin-Ken's voice and then she looks down into his eyes and they're red and his face has stripes and his fangs are big and yes! It's Kin's youkai—her brother too! "You have a name!" she says, as if he wouldn't know unless she told him the surprise. "Your very own name!" She giggles. "And you get to live at the castle with Kin's Oniisama—your Oniisama too, huh?" She leans in and nips his nose. "Ken Ken Ken!"

He laughs and tickles Hana, just a little, in her ribs just a bit. "Yes," he says with his toothy smile. "Onii gave me a name the first time he saw me even though I had made lotsa people bleed and he just got home. My very own name, and I take care of Kin and Onii loves me. And Kini. They're not afraid Hana..." He licks her nose back. "It's...wonderful."

Hana smiles. She doesn't understand it all, but he's happy, Ken is happy. She doesn't think she's ever seen this part of Kin truly happy before. "You get to make people bleed and not be afraid?" Her smile gets huge. "That is the best for Ken there could be!" She hugs him close.

He hugs her tightly to him and then rolls over and sits up, so his back is to where Mother and Nokimi sit on the other side of the garden, with Hana in his lap. "It is the best for Ken ever," he says seriously. "There was a Bad Thing that happened. Ken was strong. Strong as he could ever be for Kin and Onii. And then we got Onii's harness. It is the best gift ever." He smiles into his sister's green eyes and touches her face. "We think about you. A lot. I am so glad that Onii let us come. Even if Mother will not like to see Ken. Hana likes Ken...right?"

A bad thing happened but Ken was strong because Ken is strong. Whatever it all means, she can see and smell how strong Ken is and happy now too. Hana blushes some. "Since Lord Sesshoumaru gave you his harness"—she points at it, touches the seal gently, reverently—"and he let you come visit and you miss me like I miss you, can you come visit more?" Hana knows better than to wish for what she can't have. You have what you have and you put up with what you get when it's not what you want, like Harue, who is eyeing them as he kicks in the dirt even now. "Just a little more?"

"I think so. Like Kin said...maybe you can visit us." He smiles, all toothy. "I hope so. We would like to see Hana more. Mother too. But...Onii must have what Onii wishes. So...we have to be patient." He licks Hana's face...tasting and remembering and breathing in her smell. "We tell Oniisama that Hana is our favorite sister. Bestest sister. Ever. We would like you to see...to meet..." He pauses and frowns and looks over to his left at Harue and his nose twitches. Kin reminds him that Hana said he's been pulling her tail. And that he had tasted where he bruised and mock mounted her. He makes a rumbling warning growl in Harue's direction. But a very quiet one.

Harue eyes his siblings. The hanyou is back, and has been making everything different today. And he has been with Hana the whole time, so he can't get at her...and even lunch wasn't right. He wrinkles his nose. So it's the youkai part. So what. He is ALL youkai.

Hana hears that sound and her tail puffs and her skin prickles. "Kin," she whisper-urges. "Ken," she adds. "You're my favorite brother. But you can't…don't…don't make blood here. Be happy with your Onii-sama, ok? Hana will be here." She's more scared the more words she says. She's not so very scared of Harue. He's just another one of those things that just are what they are. But what if Ken gets Kin in trouble? Then maybe he won't be able to visit again. "I'd rather let Harue—oh Kin, don't…" He words get swallowed away by the fact that she really kind of does want Ken to make Harue bleed. She sits very still and watches.

Ken licks her tufted ear and moves her off his lap, standing and flicking his own ears at Harue. Kin is close, and his feelings are as mixed as Hana's scent, but Ken's objective is clear. He won't start the fight, but Harue has already made the first move, by coming ever closer and making his intent clear. And it is clear. He wants Hana to be upset, and he wants Kin's submission. Because that is what they always want. Kin's submission. Kin always gave it. Ken always fought. This time...neither will submit, and both will fight. But he waits, and makes Harue come to him.

The longer he stands still, the more confident their half-brother becomes and it is not long at all until he lunges at Ken. Before Kin would have cried. Now, inside, Ken can feel Kin's amusement. Very stupid, Kin says. Ken agrees, silently. And that is good.

Harue moves closer, closer, and pauses when the hanyou stands up. He can hear Hana's whispering...but even the youkai never won a dominance fight. Nothing is different. Everything is the same, and he is still bigger than the filthy hanyou. So when the fight starts, he is surprised to find his face in the grass and the hanyou on top of him, holding him down. He struggles and kicks and yells but is unable to budge the weight off of him. THIS IS NOT HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE!

Before Hana can decide what to do, Ken has Harue pinned. Down! Unable to move! She blinks and watches as Harue flails and yowls and Ken has him…so easily…pinned. She leaps up and applauds and cheers. Oh, Kin is so strong and happy now! And now she is happy too! Who cares that Harue may be even meaner to her after Kin is gone. It's worth it to see him eating dirt!

Ken wuffs at Hana's clapping and cheers and Kin, inside, is delighted. They're stronger. They're better, is what Oniisama might say. But he knows that he is leaving soon, and Hana has to stay. Ken closes his eyes and after a few moments, Kin's eyes open and he is holding Harue down almost as easily as Ken had been. Kin's fingers dig into Harue's wrists as he twists his arms up behind him harder and growls in his ear. "Leave Hana alone. If you hurt her, I will find out about it, and I will come back and I will not be so nice next time." Their brother struggles under him, but he doesn't let go. Hana is still clapping, and he can smell everyone else watching but not interfering. Is this what it felt like? He didn't much like it. But he wasn't going to let Harue get away with what he's been doing.

Harue can smell the change, and doubles his efforts when the hanyou smell comes back, expecting to throw him off easily. But the hanyou is as unbudgable as the youkai was. What the hell was going on? It isn't as though he's never submitted before, but NEVER to a younger, smaller HANYOU sibling. He doesn't want to do it. He WON'T do it. He WON’T. But he does. He submits, even as he hates himself for it.

When Kin lets him up, he slinks off, expecting jeering from the others, but the yard is strangely silent. Kin takes Hana's hand and smiles. "Let's go see if the baby is awake, okay? Oniisama will come soon."

"Kin is the strongest! Kin is the best!" she chants happily but quietly now, holding Kin's hand and skipping. She's more happy for Kin's strength than even Harue getting his comeuppance. If she keeps being happy like this, she won't have to think about how soon Kin is going away, Ken too.

Kin smiles. "Kin and Ken are good," he adds. Because they are. They are good puppy. "And Hana is the best sister!!" He bounces, and wuffs when his jump pulls Hana up off her feet a little. "Oops. Sorry. Kin forgot." He keeps his feet on the ground until they get back to the chambers where Mother and Nokimi and the baby are.

Izayoi has been watching them walk across the puppy's yard, her hand tight in Nokimi's. She is still somewhat shocked at the ease in which Kin had asserted his dominance over the bigger, older puppy. "That's never happened before," she says to Nokimi. Again.

"Such a strong boy. You have so much to be proud of," Nokimi urges, pressing Izayoi's hand and nodding. Izayoi must accept his new life, and she hopes what they have just witnessed (with some glee for Nokimi herself, who would have liked nothing better than to have cheered with her daughter, quite inappropriately) will soothe her friend's tender heart.

Hana has followed Kin's lead, but now it is she who sprints and drags Kin along. "Look Mama! Isn't Kin wonderful?"

Kin wuffs his laughing bark as Hana pulls him along, but he pauses, his ears up, his nose twitching, letting go of Hana's hand. "Kin is a good boy," he assures his mother and Nokimi. He notices now how long the shadows are getting, and so he is not surprised to smell Onii, though he can't see him yet. He's not looking yet, because he must tell Mother.

Izayoi squeezes back and smiles at Hana's delight and Kin's proclamation of his good boy status. "Kin is a very good boy." She holds her arms out for her puppy, her eyes shining. Yes. Nokimi is right. She has much to be proud of. So very much.

Nokimi receives her daughter's embrace as Izayoi receives her son's. She cannot imagine how she would feel were her little girl taken from her. Even if it is the best and perhaps only place for Kin to grow up strong and confident, she sympathizes deeply with Izayoi's pain and sighs happily when she gives off the scent of a truly proud, loving parent.

Sesshoumaru watches as he approaches, keeping his steps slow and even, not seeming to avoid reclaiming the child and yet not rushing so he may watch Kin from a distance with these... others, gaze upon them unnoticed. He bristles and fights back the instinctive response. Kin is his. This is a moment in time that means comfort to Kin: reassuring him that he belongs with his Oniisama. Reassuring Sesshoumaru, too, in his return. He had Jaken leave him, could have had Jaken return him as well. But he has decided he wishes, needs to see. The smell of inferiority is everywhere. Except in Kin, who smells, as he should, like his brother.

Kin is all smiles as he leans down to be enfolded in Mother’s arms. Oh it feels so good, and Mother smells so proud of him…very proud of him and happy. She is going to be sad, he knows, so he kisses her cheek, and looks over at Hana who is now sharing her mother’s lap with the baby. “The sun is setting, Mother,” he says softly.

Sesshoumaru observes the embrace. Mother and son. He thinks of his mother, so strong, so wise, holding him. So many times. Brushing his hair, as he now brushes Kin's... This is his child's mother. This frail mortal. Her mortality smells heavy and ashen, even from this distance. Her hair glistens black, her eyes dance then close as Kin holds her tightly. He is not longer her baby. Sesshoumaru can see it. He is comforting her. His strong, beautiful, resilient boy. Can they not all sense how superior he is to any and all of them? The creature with the infant...she can...perhaps...she watches him. He continues walking, slow even steps forward. They will see him soon.

"Onii is coming for me," he says as he hugs her and allows himself to sit in her lap for a bigger hug and kiss. "Don't be sad Mother," he says cheerfully. "Onii will let me come back." He carefully wipes the small tears she struggles to keep away. "Kin told you, he can only stay for the day," he reminds her gently. "And the sun is beginning to go down, and Kin must have his supper and go back with Oniisama."

Izayoi curses the little tears that well unbidden, and she realizes that the child knows easier than she. She holds him tightly. "You did tell me, treasure." She tries a smile, it is wavery but she forces it as she strokes his face. "I can see that your brother takes very good care of you. Are you happy, truly happy my Kin?" He does not seem distressed at the thought of leaving her and she glances at Nokimi for assurance...for something she is uncertain of.

Nokimi holds the infant to her chest and he coos and drools a little. She nods at Izayoi: I am here. He will return. It is our life...you have more than most even not having him here. Is that the truth? Her nod says so. And she will comfort Izayoi and welcome her help with her young ones that make Izayoi feel needed during the long periods between either Kin's or Lord Tai's visits.

Sesshoumaru can see them clearly now: surely Kin can see him. His sensitive youkai ears hear the words the manipulative human asks. He knows the answer Kin will give without hearing it, and he is glad he has come to take him back himself.

Kin's voice is serious, and so is his expression when he touches Mother's face, kneeling up to face her. "Kin belongs to Oniisama, Mother. I love you, Mother, very much. But Kin is happiest where he belongs. And that is with Oniisama. And he is coming." He pauses. "Papa gave me to him, and our Lord Father's will cannot be circ..circ...goned around. Kin belongs to Oniisama," he repeats.

Izayoi's heart breaks a little at those words. As though her treasure were something to be given, as a gift, or worse a slave. Yet even as she thinks such things, she knows the look Nokimi gives her, knows the meanings, and cannot help but be proud at how grown and sure of himself Kin is. Her fingers trace the pattern in the soft leather in the center of the broad strap across his chest, and then strokes a soft ear. "I understand."