Help from Hidden Writers

The Dark Side of Nature, Part 1

Requester: kwhel22, Prompt: Jorogumo's backstory

"I'm home Kaachan!" 

That prompted an indigo-haired woman to turn over to look at the little girl who just entered, smiling weakly at her, "Welcome home, Eichi-chan." 

"How are you feeling today?" Eichi smiled cheerfully at the woman as she skipped over to a grinder placed beside her bed, holding a bunch of herbs in her petite peach hands. 

"I'm fine, Eichi-chan," her mother answered, a soft smile on her face. "How was school today?" 

Eichi shrugged while letting the herbs fall into the grinder, "It was fun I suppose. The lessons were just the same, but I got through." 

"That's my little ball of energy," Izanami Reiko patted her daughter's head seeing this. "You're so hardworking you scare me at times."

Eichi giggled hearing this, "I just like helping, Kaachan! I'm not much of a ball of energy, to be honest." 

"To others, maybe not. But to me..." Reiko's hand moved to stroke Eichi's purple hair, similar to hers, "You are." 

"K-Kaachan!" Eichi went red in the face. "I-I'm blushing..." 

"That's why you're so cute," she teased the tomato girl while pinching her cheeks, causing the girl's face to explode, "O-Okaachan!" 

Once Eichi was done grinding the herbs, she heated up some water and put the herbs in, stirring the ceramic pot while humming Kokoro no Tomo happily. Light red eyes kept a close eye on her work, making sure that it didn't overheat. Her right hand moved to get the ladle after deeming it good to go, pouring it into a small teacup before gently passing it to her mother, "Here you go, Kaasan!" 

Reiko gave her a small smile seeing this, "Arigatou, Eichi." 

"Nandemonai ne, Kaachan," Eichi answered with a grin of her own. "Anyway, I'll go prepare dinner for us, if you want." 

"Don't worry, Eichi," she shook her head. "Your father is already dealing with that." 

"E-Eh?" the girl blinked in confusion just as the door to the small household opened up, revealing a black-haired male with red hair, who grinned upon seeing the girl, "Eichi, you're home!" 

"Touchan!" Eichi laughed as she lunged for him, hugging him tight. "How was work?" 

"It was just normal, Eichi," the male, who went by the name of Izanami Tekure, laughed at his daughter's question. "How was school?" 

"It was normal too!" Eichi grinned back. "But I have to head out soon to buy some puzzles to play later on. My old ones have gotten boring." 

"My little marshmallow is getting smarter and smarter," Tekure patted her head. "Anyway, you can go once you shower. I'll get dinner ready." 

"Okay then!" Eichi smiled before she rushed off to bathe, leaving her 2 smiling parents in the room.