Chap 11

A Thorn in the flesh—-literally

Sesshomaru rushed home with all the requested clinic equipment crammed in a "go" bag. He rushed up the stairs three at a time in an effort to get to his mate as quickly as possible. Only moments ago Suzy had called, her voice rushed. "Daddy shut himself in the bathroom. He's hollering cuss words and whining in pain."

Inuyasha had asked her to call and ask Father to bring home his "loupes", diamond dusted forceps and a headlamp.

Sesshomaru's mind was running through all sorts of reasons for those specific tools but all were for doing microscopic vascular surgery. What had his inuhanyou gotten himself into? Would he be too late?

"Hang in there Inuyasha! I'm on my way! I have the tools! Don't bleed out!"

Panting from being out of breath, Sesshomaru rushed in the master bedroom and pushed his way into the master bathroom. He scanned the room looking for the massive blood loss he was anticipating.

The bathroom was clean.

There wasn't any blood anywhere.

There was an inuhanyou bent over his hand whimpering quietly.

Sesshomaru calmed. He focused on slowing his breathing.

"Let me see," Sesshomaru cautiously approached his mate.

Inuyasha looked up. His round large eyes welled with unspent tears.

"I'm so glad you could come home and bring the tools. It hurts so bad! I can hardly bare it! Your hand through my gut didn't hurt that bad!"

"Let me see…wait a minute.. you remember that?"

But Inuyasha ignored the comment.

"The kids didn't hurt that bad. Even Ryuu and that horrible episiotomy didn't hurt this bad. Help me, Sesshomaru! It hurts!"

The inuhanyou crumpled forward as tears flowed unchecked.

Sesshomaru was flummoxed. What on earth had his brother gotten into!

Moving slowly not to startle his wounded mate, the great dog demon physician set out all his equipment and donned his "loupes", precision eye wear used for detailed microscopic work, and headlamp.

"I'm ready Koi. What happened?"

Inuyasha turned his head and glanced nervously.

"Please be careful. I tried and just drove it deeper in my finger. It's burning. It hurts so bad."

Sesshomaru looked over the loupes at his husband.

"Perhaps you would fill me in on the details of this situation."

The dog demon still had no clue what had transpired but he did know that there was minimal bloodshed. Everything else smelled normal except for a stronger than normal odor of the forest.

"I wanted to put some wood in the shed for winter and the fireplace," Inuyasha started.

Sesshomaru shuddered. 'Was it an ax-chopping incident? I wish I had brought some suture material. I have the diamond dusted forceps but not the needle drivers. Do I have the right equipment?'

Inuyasha continued.

"I started working on the farthest corner of the lot, you know, back in the woods. It was in the area where a couple of trees had fallen in the last storm. I set out cutting them into smaller segments that I could split for the fireplace. Part of the tree was covered with weeds and clusters of fuzzy white flowers and serrated leaves. I forgot my gloves so I just started yanking them with my bare hands when all of the sudden I felt some stinging. I looked at my hand and shook it to dislodge anything but it just kept stinging. I tried to get back to the logs but the stinging just was so distracting. Well, I came into the house and tried to wash my hands and then I felt something sticking up from my finger pad. I tried to scratch it out but it just pushed it in further. Then I got this small rash."

At this point Inuyasha released his hand and held it up to Sesshomaru's face.

"Please. I'm begging you. Get the thorn out from under my nail."

Inuyasha had thrust his finger exactly in Sesshomaru's focal point. From Sesshomaru's perspective with the magnifying lens on the "thorn" looked like a very large hypodermic needle.

"Hnnn," Sesshomaru said as he rotated the finger right and left to get the full view of the "thorn". He relaxed considerably and almost snorted in relieve but checked himself so he wouldn't have a mad mate.

"What an ingenious torture devise nature created here." Sesshomaru was actually admiring the "thorn".

"If I could get it out myself I would but it's in my dominate hand," Inuyasha sniffled. "Plus that rash itches."

Sesshomaru held his hand out for the forceps.

Inuyasha passed the diamond dusted forceps to him with a gentle slap.

Sesshomaru lowered the forceps slowly so that he could see them as they entered his magnified field of vision. The forceps looked like monster claws as he gently opened them and surrounded the offending thorn. The diamond dust sparkled in the headlamp. Slowly he closed the forceps and pulled the needle out from under the hanyou claws.

As the hypodermic needle cleared his skin, Inuyasha sighed in relief. Pressing on his finger pad he forced the wound to bleed several drops of blood. Inuyasha started to wash his hand with soap and water when Sesshomaru grabbed it and put it in his mouth, covering it with his tongue.

"Wooh," Sesshomaru recoiled. "I just got a taste of that thorn. We need to look that up and clear it out so Suzy and Rin don't get in it."

"You're telling me!" Inuyasha had regained his normal bravado. "That weed declared war on me and I intend to eliminate it with EXTREME prejudice!"

"Don't you mean "terminate with extreme prejudice"?" Sesshomaru had begun to gather his tools to take back to the clinic. Now that he knew it was a simple thing he was more relaxed and calm.

"Eliminate or terminate, doesn't matter. That's weed is going to die!"

"Yes dear," Sesshomaru had started to leave the bathroom.

Inuyasha trailed closely behind.

Sesshomaru turned rapidly as he remembered something causing Inuyasha to run straight into him. Inuyasha took the opportunity to hug his brother.

"Thank you. I feel so much better. Such a little thing, but man, it hurt."

Sesshomaru returned the hug and snuffled Inuyasha's hair, relaxing in his mate's smell. They broke apart and Sesshomaru explained why he turned around.

"You're welcome. I am reminded of the Nara park nettles near Osaka. Father always said to avoid that place even though there were many deer there. Stinging nettle, I believe he called it. Look up "stinging nettle". If you are declaring war, get some intel on the plant; what can kill it, what protective clothing to wear-"Sesshomaru stopped immediately as he caught a glance of Inuyasha's hand and arm.

"Inuyasha, that rash is getting worse. Perhaps you need to shower and use some aloe soap. I'll get you some antihistamine and an ice pack."

He pushed his mate back into the bathroom and went to the kitchen to get the ice pack.

"Suzy," he called. "I need nurse Suzy, my best girl." Sesshomaru smiled to himself.

Suzy came running.

"What do you need Father?" White curls bounced as Suzy nearly ran into her father.

Sesshomaru kneeled so he could look eye to eye with Suzy. He put a hand on her small shoulder.

"First I want to thank you for calling me. I'm very glad you called me to help Daddy. Now we need to keep an eye on him and a fresh ice pack for his arm and rash. Can I count on you to help?"

Sesshomaru smiled at his daughter.

Suzy nodded eagerly.

"I can be a good helper, Father."

"I know you can, my graceful Lily. Can you carry this ice pack to Daddy? I need to get some medicine from the medicine cabinet in my office."

By the time Sesshomaru had returned to the master bedroom the rash had reached Inuyasha's underarm.

"Koi, I think you are allergic to stinging nettle." Sesshomaru's anxiety for his mate's health began to regroup.

He walked to Inuyasha's side and gave him a dose of antihistamine.

Inuyasha grabbed the water at his bedside and took the pill. After swallowing the water and pill he looked at his hand and arm.

"I've never been allergic to anything before." Inuyasha reached across his chest to scratch his arm.

"Don't scratch!" Suzy and Sesshomaru spoke in unison.

Both men turned to Suzy and Sesshomaru nodded once in approval.

"Inuyasha, Suzy is going to watch over you while I research nettle treatment. Also I'm going to drop by the clinic to get an epipen and some steroids. I'd rather be prepared and not use them so don't fight this."

"Keh. I was just going to get the remote and watch some TV with my nurse. What'd you say? Want to watch some TV with your sick Dad?"

Suzy bounced in place several times and then ran to the king sized bed where she patted the bed and pointed to her dad.

"Oiy. Is that ice pack closed? No leaking on the bedspread."

With that the two arranged the ice pack, settled onto the bed and started watching TV.

Sesshomaru watched. He was concerned. The rash spread fast. Maybe he should stay and just call someone from the clinic to bring the supplies. If Inuyasha needed help immediately he needed to be there to give it. Anaphylaxis wasn't something to miss. It usually happened within three to thirty minutes.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeh?"

"No nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, or faint feeling? You breathing ok? No swelling of the throat?"

Sesshomaru reached out to take Inuyasha's pulse. A rapid weak pulse would be a bad sign.

Suzy imitated her father and held Inuyasha's other wrist. She studied her father's face and wrinkled her brow in concern.

"No. I feel good, just itchy. How about some "Hello Puppy" aloe lotion?" Inuyasha looked to his personal nurse.

"I have that! I'll get it Daddy!" Suzy ran to her room.

Once the two were alone, Inuyasha stood up and looked at his brother.

"I'm ok. Just itchy. Don't over think this. I'm not crashing. I promised you long ago I wasn't going to leave your side. I am going to get full battle gear on and get rid of that weed later but for now I'm okay. Use my tablet. Sit in that chair. Call the clinic. Do what you need. I'll tell you if something is wrong. Stop worrying Suzy. She's our sensitive one. She'll pick up on your anxiety."

"You're right," Sesshomaru shook his head. "It's just-just hard to be objective when it comes to you. You are my world."

Inuyasha caught his mate's eyes.

"You are my world too. And I told you I'm not going anywhere."

Suzy ran back into the room with her lotion.

"Can I help put it on you?" Suzy asked.

"That would be great, Suzy. Plus we need to get back to our show. Father is going to do some work."

"Okay. Father, I'll watch Daddy really carefully. You can do your work, don't worry.

Sesshomaru relaxed.

"I'm counting on you. I'll be in my office."

Sesshomaru walked out of the bedroom without turning around. As soon as he got to the first floor of the house he found Dolly.

"Girl, I need you to keep an eye on Inuyasha. If he starts getting sick, run and get me."

Dolly turned and raced up the stairs. Once at the master bedroom she laid down in the doorway. She was a good guard dog.

Sesshomaru contacted the clinic and got some supplies delivered to their home then he focused his attention on nettles and treatment. He was surprised to find that stinging nettle had been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Wouldn't Inuyasha be surprised?

Then he had a passing thought. Did Kagome and Rin use nettle to treat their patients in the feudal era?

Time passed quickly and Keiko and Steven returned with Rin. They had gone out for a walk and had offered to babysit so their Dad could have some time with Suzy. As Sesshomaru filled them in on the events of the day, both of their sets of large eyes enlarged.

"I need to help. I'll go make dinner for everyone. Hope we haven't had spaghetti in a while. It's fast and easy. Steven, darling, go check on Daddy. When Bobby and Barbie get back they can help me. They should be here any minute." Keiko said all that while opening and closing cabinets and pulling out supplies and a "kiss me-I'm the cook" apron.

Steven saluted sharply.

"Yes, my love. Rin and I will go check on Dad."

The long legged man headed for the stairs and then slowed.

"We have to make a diaper stop first. Come on, let's get you changed before you see Daddy. No one wants a stinky baby, do they?" He tickled Rin as they walked toward the nursery. Rin's giggles filled the air.

Sesshomaru surveyed the area and reflected. All was well. Their children were helping. Inuyasha would be okay. He had been prepared for the worst then it seemed it was nothing. Then it seemed like it was even worse. Never a dull moment when your mate is Inuyasha.

'Still anaphylaxis could be biphasic….' He'd have to keep an eye on his mate all night long.