Chapter Text
"Kashuu-san, why do you paint your nails?" Horikawa asks, watching Kashuu do just that. It's not really odd... on women. But you never really saw men doing it. Kashuu finishes and blows lightly on the tips, waving it in the air.
"I look pretty with it, don't I~? It totally fits me, doesn't it~?"
"It also helps for his nails not to chip," Yamato pipes up as he walks by, smiling gently at the two. Horikawa knows he's nice, but still remembering the last battle they'd fought together... It sends shivers down his spine, even though some got just the same way the disconnect kind of put him on edge.
Undaunted, Kashuu scowls at the other, pointing his finger at him. "Shut up, you bum. That's true, but that's definitely, definitely, definitely not why I paint them."
Yamato's laugh carries back to them and Horikawa stares at the nail polish, crimson as blood yet not as unlucky, and waits until the expression settles into discontent.
"... Will you paint my nails too, Kashuu-san?"
The saniwa's not sure what happened. She leaves for a few hours to check their next target and when she's returned the house looks like a unicorn spit rainbows on the walls. There's only one person she knows who's asked about the colors they have in the future, who loves nail polish, who has that much red, and she takes a deep breath--
"Kashuu Kiyomitsu-kun!"
"Here!" The sword calls from somewhere down the hall, and she peeks in every painted room until she finds him.
With the rest of his companions, all but one with varying shades of the nail polish she'd brought with her to show Kashuu across their hands. Yamato seems to have been spared until she spots his counterpart spreading out what's left of the nail polish and studying them. The saniwa feels a headache throbbing and she makes her way past the Toushirou brothers - half of them hiding from Tsurumaru behind Mikazuki and the other talking about the next expedition - to the pair. leaning down slightly.
"Kashuu-kun, what are you doing? What's all this?"
"Saniwa-san, we're going to need more polish. Nothing fits Yamato and the others thought that they'd make pictures on the wall with the little brushes. I told them not to - it's a noble's privilege to wear something so refined - but they didn't listen, of course. Peasants. Morons. Children."
"And the ceiling?"
Kashuu looks up, stares at the green, and then back down. "... Not everyone liked the idea of having their nails painted."
There's the headache. She sighs, kneeling down beside him and feels Ookurikara stiffen behind her. A quick look tells her that one: he didn't like the idea and two: burnt orange looks nice on his skin.
"Yamato-kun, are you alright with having your nails painted?" She asks instead, because she knows he's got a lot of patience and a sweetness that hides his bloodthirsty spirit, and he nods.
"Kashuu doesn't really like being around me--"
"That's your own perception, moron, I don't mind it," Kashuu cuts in, but Yamato goes on like he hadn't said anything.
"-- So it's nice to be able to spend time with him and something he likes."
Especially away from house chores, she reads in his eyes, and decides that they'll be working with the horses again. The saniwa studies Yamato, watches Kashuu's hand linger over (what's left of) a shade of blue, and nods to the look that's cast aside to her. Kashuu confidently picks it up and takes Yamato's hand, carefully painting the nails.
"Like I've told everyone else," though the saniwa can see that hasn't been taken very seriously by some, whose cheeks are marked with different colors and how Tsurumaru's white outfit's got a nice painting going on, "you can't touch anything until it dries. Got it? We won't be going anywhere until it's done either, Leader-san."
"Understood, Second-in-Command-san."
That makes Kashuu pause and he narrows his eyes a little, but the saniwa can see the hint of a smile on his lips as he paints. "Are you for real? Don't delegate me to something boring like that. Also, if I see one nail smeared, I'm going to cut all your fingers off."
"Right, right."
It's such a brotherly scene... She almost feels bad when she clears her throat, all of her companions looking to her. The saniwa stands and claps her hands loudly with a bright smile.
"Alright, everyone~." The smile drops and she frowns sternly. "Cleaning duty. Get to it."
Mikazuki raises his hand--
"If you're well enough to be on the battlefield despite your age, you're well enough to clean, Mikazuki-san."
And lowers it, Tsurumaru and Imanotsurugi laughing beside him. The saniwa smiles and rolls up her sleeves, leading them out and making teams for the rooms. Once it's done and everyone's scatter, she looks back at the two left.
"Kashuu-kun, Yamato-kun, when you're done, you'll be joining Akita-kun, Maeda-kun, and Hirano-kun. Make sure you put those back with the rest of my stuff too Understood?"
They nod, Yamato fidgeting slightly at being forced to sit still so long and Kashuu hissing at him quietly, grip tightening. The saniwa watches them a minute longer and heaves a sigh, wondering if the shrine would cover the cost of the nail polish she'd need for these guys. It's a matter of importance. To keep them from chipping. That'll be a good reason, hopefully.