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Sanemi arrived at the bamboo forest, in front of the Water Estate. His eyes crossed, clearly annoyed. He knocked on the door, but no one answered. He can feel his blood temperature rising higher. He always hated Giyuu for his arrogance and attitude, and he would avoid him as much as possible. Though he’s here today because of a special reason.
“I need you to go see Giyuu,” Ubuyashiki Kagaya spoke in his usual calm and soothing voice, “he hasn’t been active lately and I’m quite worried. Could you help me check on him?”
Not wanting to let Oyakata-sama worry more about that poor excuse of a Water Pillar, Sanemi reluctantly took the job. He then headed straight to the bamboo forest where Giyuu currently resides to get this job over with.
Since no one answered the door, Sanemi invited himself in. There wasn’t anyone around. After all, just like the Wind Pillar himself, Giyuu lived alone. Sanemi took a look around the garden and the dojo. Both were empty. He went back to the front and slid the front door to the house open, greeted by silence once again. He took off his shoes and took a step inside, the wooden floor creaked as he put his weight on it.
The hallway was dark, the lights were off and the doors were closed, as if no one is here. But with his demon slayer senses Sanemi can feel that there’s definitely a person here, though he can’t pinpoint exactly where he is. He decided to just slide open every door until he finds Giyuu.
He slides open the first door, it was only a room with a table in it, most probably the common room, but Giyuu wasn’t in it. He then slides open the next door, there were cooking utensils which have never been used, but there were also bento boxes that were neatly stacked and wrapped by a cloth, Sanemi picked up a foul scent so he immediately closed the door.
He then moved on to the third door, it was a small room, Giyuu’s uniform and his half-and-half patterned haori were roughly folded and placed on the tatami in the middle of the room. There were also two fox masks hung on the wall, one had big blue eyes and small but thick eyebrows while the other was decorated by a large scar from the right corner of the mouth and thick red ropes. Sanemi closed the door again as Giyuu wasn’t inside.
He slides open the next door, his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Giyuu was lying face down on his futon, the sheets and pillow was a mess. Food and tea were spilled on his futon while the food tray was thrown to the side of the futon. Shinazugawa Sanemi felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach.
Sanemi rushed towards him, “Oi, Tomioka! Tomioka!!” He called while shaking Giyuu’s body, it was limp but still warm. He flipped him around, Giyuu’s eyes were closed but puffy, there were stains on where his face used to be.
“Tomioka, you bastard, wake the fuck up!!!” Sanemi yelled while vigorously shaking him, until he noticed that the temperature of Giyuu’s body was burning through the yukata to Sanemi’s hands. He then put one of his hands on Giyuu’s forehead but instantly pulled back as soon as he touched it. Giyuu had a fever, a dangerously high one too. Sanemi swore that he could see a drop of cold sweat dripping down Giyuu’s neck.
Sanemi figured that Giyuu should get treatment fast so he decided to carry him to the Butterfly Estate since it’s the nearest medical station around these parts. He kneeled down and positioned Giyuu on his back. Giyuu seemed to have regained a bit of consciousness as he let out a grunt. Sanemi heard it and turned his head.
“Tomioka, if you can hear me, grab on,” Sanemi said as he put his hands on Giyuu’s thighs, ready to carry him. Giyuu loosely clutched onto Sanemi’s uniform, murmured something like a name to Sanemi’s ear, though it’s not either of their names. Sanemi has no time to wonder about that though. Once he thinks that Giyuu was stable enough, he got up and ran as fast as he could to the Butterfly Estate while making sure that Giyuu doesn’t fall.
They arrived by the evening. One of the caretakers, Kanzaki Aoi leaded them to the treatment room and let Sanemi place Giyuu on a bed. She then went outside to call for the owner, Kochou Shinobu, who doubles as the Insect Pillar of the Corps and a doctor. Shinobu arrived, looking worried as he heard about Giyuu from Aoi.
“Shinazugawa-san, I need you to step outside for a bit. I’ll call for you when we’re done,” Shinobu said hurriedly.
Sanemi gave Shinobu a glare but still got out anyway. The door closed behind him. He stood outside the treatment room, his back against a wall.
What happened to him? Did he got hit by a Blood Demon Art or something? Or does it have to do with that name? Is that why he has that attitude? Wait, why am I thinking so much into this? Tomioka’s business is none of mine.
“…Fuck…” Sanemi swore out of frustration and ran a hand through his white hair that he had since birth.
After what seems to be an eternity to Sanemi, the door opened and both Shinobu and Aoi came out of the room. Shinobu told Aoi to tend to other patients before focusing on Sanemi.
“How is he?” He asked Shinobu, to which she responded with a sigh.
“Tomioka-san is suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. He probably didn’t have any proper meals for weeks, not to mention his fluid intake. He really wasn’t taking care of himself these past few weeks,” Shinobu took a look at the papers she was carrying, “his condition is stable now, his fever has dropped a bit. I’ll write a letter to Oyakata-sama about this, so you can go inside and see him.” She then walked away from the door, about to leave.
“Kochou, wait!” Sanemi called out. Shinobu turned around to face Sanemi.
“Yes, Shinazugawa-san?”
“I want to ask you something.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know a certain Sabito?”
Shinobu’s brows contracted, looking confused, “no, sorry.”
Sanemi then fell silent as Shinobu turned around and walked away, leaving Sanemi alone. He then went into the room and sat down on a chair beside the bed. Giyuu was unconscious, his left hand was attached to a drip. His yukata folded nicely and put on the table next to the bed. They had changed Giyuu into a patient uniform. Sanemi took a good look at Giyuu’s face, it was pale. His eyes were closed, though swollen. His cheeks were hollow, he really hasn’t been eating properly. Giyuu had a natural doll face, if it wasn’t for all those factors, it would look like he was sleeping peacefully.
Sanemi was still thinking about this “Sabito” when he heard something.
“Sabito…” Giyuu was sleep talking, though his voice was hoarse. Shinobu wasn’t kidding about the fluid intake thing. His eyebrows knitted into a frown, tears ran down from Giyuu’s face, a scene that made Sanemi’s eyes widened for a second time.
Tomioka Giyuu is a man of a few emotions, no one except Shinobu have seen him smile, and certainly no one has seen him cry before, until now.
He really is an important person to you, huh?
As much as Sanemi hated Giyuu, he couldn’t stand looking at this scene. It reminded him of his little brother, Shuya. He remembered the times when his brother would cry in his naps, he would wipe his tears away, stroke his head until he feels better.
He decided to do the same to Giyuu.
He raised his arm and wiped away the tears with his shirt. He felt warmth radiating off Giyuu’s face. The temperature still high but compared to before it went down a lot. He then stroke Giyuu’s head gently. Giyuu’s eyebrows slowly relaxed and the tears stopped flowing.
Normally, Sanemi would stop there, but as he remembers the scene in the Water Estate, he worries that Giyuu’s mental state would make Oyakata-sama to worry even more. He reached under the blanket and grabbed Giyuu’s hand. Giyuu responded by holding it tightly. From the corner of his eye, Sanemi saw his lips curved into the tiniest smile.
***
Giyuu woke up the next morning to find himself in a different room with different clothes on. He noticed a chair beside him, though it was empty. He couldn’t remember completely what happened the day before, he only remembered someone came to his house and piggybacked him. He also remembered the warmth of that person’s back, and that’s all that he could recall.
He saw a water jug on the table in front of him and poured a cup of water, since his throat was feeling as dry as a desert. After a few cups of water, he felt a little better.
The door opened, one of Shinobu’s helpers carried food into the room. Giyuu remembered who she is, Nakahara Sumi was her name. He recognised him by the blue butterfly ornaments.
“Good morning, Water Pillar-sama,” she said as she puts the food tray on the table, “I’ll go call over Shinobu-sama and tell her that you woke up.”
She then went out of the room while Shinobu came in shortly after.
“Tomioka-san, I see you’re doing well,” Shinobu started, “though you’re in a terrible state yesterday. Do you even remember who brought you here?” She asked in a slightly mocking tone, though she doesn’t mean any harm.
Giyuu looked down and shook his head, “I don’t…”
Shinobu looked at him with a pity smile, “he might come again later. Also, I’ve told Oyakata-sama about your condition yesterday, he permitted you to take a break for two weeks.” She then sternly told Giyuu to eat his breakfast and the consequences if he doesn’t and headed out to check on other patients in other rooms.
After Giyuu ate his breakfast, another helper came in and cleaned up everything. He lowered his head, trying to dig up the memories for yesterday. But he couldn’t remember anything besides a guy came to his house and the piggyback ride.
Who was it? Was it a Kakushi? Kochou said that maybe he’ll come later.
I’ll thank him then.
Coincidentally at this moment, the door opened and someone came in. Surprise was written all over Giyuu’s face. He wasn’t expecting the Wind Pillar to show up, especially since the guy hated his guts.
Sanemi sat down on the chair next to Giyuu’s bed, his legs out front and knees spread, his hands on his knees. His eyes averting Giyuu’s face, but Giyuu continued to stare at Sanemi with a confuzzled look, wanting to say something. Getting uncomfortable, he turned his head and yelled at Giyuu, “The fuck do you want Tomioka?! Spit it!”
“Shinazugawa…” Giyuu turned to look at the blanket covering the lower part of his body, “were you the one that brought me here?”
“…Yeah, so what?!” Sanemi reluctantly responded, “don’t think too much of it, it was Oyakata-sama’s request to check on you.”
Sanemi watched Giyuu as he slid down under the covers again.
“Thank you, Shinazugawa.” Giyuu said before closing his eyes to sleep again. Sanemi gave a sigh knowing that he’s gonna spend his next two weeks with Giyuu, as requested by Oyakata-sama last night.
Though he didn’t feel as much frustration towards the task as he did before, maybe he has started to slowly put down the hatred he once had towards the Water Pillar.