Pairing: non

World: Canon

Warnings: maybe a tad bit on the naughty side

Dirty Laundry

It was a sunny and slow going day in feudal Japan, not unlike many others after the jewel vanished about four years ago. Many women and girls sat in the shadows the huts or trees provided and either enjoyed the quiet afternoon by simply watching over their children's games or went about their duties together, sharing the latest gossip. Kaede's garden was no exception as just such a group knelt in the grass behind the house, plucking beans from the bushes and harvesting the young, lush leaves and blossoms of herbs. The weeding could wait a few days longer, maybe until a less hot day.

"Ah, to be honest I had half a mind to turn you down Rin, but this isn't half bad after all!"

"Wha-?! Don't be mean Satsumi! You came here and pretty much demanded to go take a dip in the stream- 'I need to cool off right now Rin!'", the young girl whined the last part in an off-key tone. "But I can hardly just set off like that and let the others do all my work." She winked at the rest of the group.

Satsumi, who sat right next to Rin, gave her a sour look at the poor imitation. "That's so not how my voice sounds!", she complained, though playfully nudged Rin's shoulder anyway and smiled triumphantly. "But we're almost finished so you're forgiven. Hurry up and we're off in no time!" They worked quietly next to each other for a while when something came to Rin's mind.

"Say Satsumi? Wasn't there something about the stream you wanted to tell me a few days ago? Or was it about something else? Hmm, but I'm not quite sure, or was it someone else? "

"Oh dear, I haven't told you yet?! I was so sure I did!" Satsumi took a deep breath and lowered her voice as not to have passerbys listen in on her story. "I tell you Rin, if I had not seen it with my own two eyes." The girl shut said eyes for a moment and slightly shook her head, her cheeks took on a rose hue. "Well, whatever. So the other day mother told me to go look for Sayuko and tell her that she had to cook dinner that evening 'cause mother had to stay at my grandfather's, you see."

Rin nodded her head in understanding and raiser her eyebrows a bit to silently tell Satsumi she had her attention as well as give her the sign to go on.

"I knew she was doing the laundry at her usual spot but when I reached the place by the big rock there was no trace of her! I was really concerned, I mean our basket was right there and was full of wet clothing but no trace of big sister whatsoever! My heart started to beat really fast and I wasn't sure of what to do. I thought she fell into the river or something, you know how she isn't a good swimmer. Ha! To think I worried so much! Aarrrgg! Stupid Sayuko!"

At this small outburst Rin bent her neck slightly to the right and pursed her lips. Her friend was usually very fond of her older sister. She was about to speak up but Satsumi raised her left arm, the palm facing Rin. Satsumi opened her mouth to continue but then suddenly shivered quite visibly and just by looking at the young girl's face one would assume she just bit into an unripe Yuzu.

" Anyway, I was about to go look for her but then I heard this weird noises coming from the bushes and got so scared! I picked up a sharp edged stone to be on the safe side and was as sneaky as a kitsune." Satsumi picked up an imaginary stone and raised it next to her chin. "I slowly crept closer and closer to the sound and suddenly-" Satsumi balled her raised hand into a fist and with a 'thud' let it slam into the palm of her other hand.

"- I saw her. Sayuko! At first I couldn't make sense of it all. This boy, you know him, the traveling merchant's son, was on top of her and I tell you Rin, I thought he was hurting her, biting her! I heard her whimper but she wasn't fighting him at all! And then he was licking her neck, can you imagine? How disgusting! Why would anybody want to do such a thing? So I tried to be as quiet as possible and get close enough to stop him. I was about to burst forward and whack his head but then I heard him say 'I think I should stop Sayuko' and I was so relieved! But next thing I know she says 'I don't want you to' and then she took one of his hands and put two fingers inside her mouth!"

Satsumi made retching sounds and turned her whole body towards Rin, so she was facing her friend completely. She took both of her wrists in a hold and stared her square in the eye. "I was out of there at lightning speed! So disgusting, I can't even look at big sister right now!"

Rin was obviously shaken as well, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide with scrunched up brows on top. Why on earth would anyone suck on someone's finger? It made no sense at all.

Satsumi turned to the rest of the group. "Please tell me, you don't think it could be some wicked spirit's doing, could it now?

Two hot faced, young women looked at one another and then back at the girls.

"Ahahaha...ehm...I'm sure no evil spirit whatsoever was involved Satsumi, don't worry about that. I-I think maybe it's best if a mother like Sango here would -"

"Oh, but Kagome dear, my girls are still so young, barely more than toddlers! I'm sure a newly wed just like you can relate much more."

Three expectant pairs of eyes faced the blindsided priestess. How did she get involved in this? Kagome knew not where, or when or how but she would get back at Sango...big time!