Title: Damsel in Distress

Author: Priestess Skye

Word count: 954

Genre: Romance, fluff

Rating: R

Note: This is in special thanks to Youkai Yume who is allowing me to use her 'Everyday Love' series as picture prompts. Check them out at youkaiyume . deviantart . com (minus the spaces). This particular one is from Everyday Love 5 – Spider

Her scream pierced through the silence that came with early morning. Echoing through the halls of the house, she knew it was only a matter of seconds before her fearless hero would be down coming to her rescue. The horror of the sight before sent shivers through her spine. Her stomach was already rolling as she stared the creature down, willing it to stand still for a moment longer. A leg moved, causing her to squeak in fear that it would run and hide within the depths from whence it came before Sesshoumaru could be down to take care of it.

Tiny little black hairs stood on end as it moved another leg, edging close her coffee mug. Mentally making a note to buy a new mug, she closed her eyes, not wanting to look at it anymore. Of all the things to see first thing in the morning, this was not in the top ten.

Gold eyes scanned the room and narrowed in concern when he saw her standing on a chair in a corner, shaking in what he knew must be fear. She barely threw him a glance, ignoring the fact that he was only half-dressed and had yet to button up his dress shirt. "On the counter," she squeaked, rapidly pointing her finger in the general direction. Clambering down from the chair, she followed him to the counter, clutching the back of his shirt, ignoring the fact that she was now wrinkling it. "Get rid of it," she demanded, shyly peaking over his shoulder before closing her eyes and pressing her face into his back.

"It's a spider," he deadpanned, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"It's a monster," she counted. "They all need to be abolished."

"They eat other insects. They're actually very good for the environment." Nonetheless he reached for the morning newspaper, carefully taking the time to roll it.

"Then it belongs outside, not in my house. What's taking so long? Just one good whack and it'll be gone. Just hit it, the paper doesn't need to be rolled perfectly."

He rolled his eyes at her before turning to look at the insect before them. She stared intently at it, praying for Sesshoumaru's aim to be true as he raised his hand far over his head. Spinning around instead, he dropped the paper on the counter and turned to face her, his eyes searching her own. "Spiders are harmless," he stated, sending a silent glance toward the counter. "This fear of yours is ridiculous."

"So let it be ridiculous," Kagome pouted, still trembling. She really couldn't explain to him why she was so afraid when she didn't know herself. For as long as she could remember she had this crippling fear whenever she crossed a spider. Their eight legs were unnatural, the little black hairs were disgusting and they always showed up in the most unusual of places. "Black widows and tarantulas' poison are deadly. They're not harmless," she countered. "How do I know this one isn't deadly? Just kill it."

Mischief sparkled somewhere deep in the gold, causing her to be instantly wary. "Would you like a closer look?"

Her grip tightened on his shirt as she tensed right up, ready to bolt a moment's notice if need be. "You wouldn't dare...would you?" The last question came out more as a plea. Please, she inwardly chanted. Images of spiders lunging at her face and attacking her from behind filled her mind. "Don't joke."

Sighing, he picked up the paper once more and took aim. "This fear of yours is unreasonable."

"To you, maybe, but to me it's perfectly rational and logical. They have fangs. They bite. They kill."

"I have fangs, I've bitten you, and yet, you're not dead," he teased, causing her to flush. He did indeed bite, numerous times as she had the marks to prove it on the inside of her thighs and they certainly did far more than kill her. Momentarily distracted, she was startled out of her reverie when she heard a loud thwomp before the sound of paper unfurling echoed throughout the kitchen. With narrowed eyes she examined the counter making sure there were no twitching legs coming out from underneath the newsprint. "Unreasonable," he stated again, wiping his hands on a cloth before working the buttons on his shirt.

"Unreasonable yes," she agreed coming out from behind him. "But it's not without merit."

Snorting, he turned to return to the bedroom, but not before she grabbed the edges of his shirt pulling him back to her. "Every damsel in distress needs to offer her hero a token of her affection." Her lips ghosted over hers as she saw them quirk upward.

"Indeed?"

"Yes, very much so. You need to stay and receive yours." Softly brushing her lips over his, she reached out and grabbed his hand, directing it toward the newspaper on the counter. "First," she instructed, taking a step backward toward the doorway. "You need to remove the evidence. Then we'll discuss your reward." Flinging her own shirt over her head, she stopped at entranceway. "Did I mention I'm thankful to spider killers?"

"How thankful?" he asked, brow quirked upward as the paper crunched beneath his fingers, his golden eyes focused on her now exposed skin.

"Very thankful. Clean up and why don't you come and find out."

"Indeed."

AN

Youkai Yume was wonderful enough to draw another set of oh so adorable and fluffy pics soooooooo that means more story! Yay! At least another 5 following this one :)