Chapter Text
Sanemi woke up with eyes feeling heavy and drowsy. Confusion struck him as his pupils met a familiar ceiling where butterflies and flowers are carved and painted in pink and lavender hues. He blinked a few times before it dawned on him that he was in the Butterfly Mansion.
He tried to move, only to hissed when he felt a sharp pain at his side. And it didn’t just stay there, the pain crawled on his chest down to his abdomen where he thought the injury on that spot might be deep.
A sigh escaped from his lips as he scanned the room he’s in, only to find out he’s alone. Kochou seems to have provided him an exclusive ward to recover. The Alpha spent a minute or two looking at the ceiling as he tried to think of possible reasons why he’s here.
Surely, it’s because of a mission. But the thing is he couldn’t remember what it was.
He squinted his eyes shut as he tried to reminisce about it, and sought to search into the depths of his mind, but to no avail, he failed. As it seems like he has totally no recollection of what exactly happened.
Becoming totally pissed, Sanemi heaved another sigh. It never occurred to him that this could possibly happen. It also didn’t help that his head was pounding in pain and his body was screaming for help.
“Fuck…”
Not long after, he heard a rustling through the door, a familiar voice outside could be heard and as it opened, it revealed Kochou, the Insect Pillar who was immediately taken aback upon seeing that the Alpha was already awake.
“Yo,” Sanemi greeted flatly.
Shinobu stops on her tracks, pupils blown wide as she gazes at the Wind Pillar as if she had seen a ghost. A minute or two passes and the Alpha gritted his teeth in annoyance for the lack of reply.
A scent of burnt citrus mint emits in the whole room.
“Kochou.”
Shinobu collected herself and cheerfully clasped her hands. “S-shinazugawa-san!” she chirped, as she made her way towards Sanemi’s bed.
“Ara, ara! Apologies, Shinazugawa-san! I just didn’t expect you to be awake already. This is a blissful day, isn’t it? Everybody is worried and waiting for you to wake up. Oyakata-sama will surely be delighted to know about this news.”
“How long have I been out?”
Sanemi ignored her remarks as he tried to get up in bed, to which he immediately regretted when his movements brushed his injuries in every wrong way.
The Beta then watched him struggle with her smile remaining on her lips.
“You were in a coma for two months, Shinazugawa-san.”
A scoff.
“You gotta be joking!” Sanemi said in disbelief as he tried to fix his posture to prevent his wounds from aching.
The younger shook her head deliberately, and used her index finger to point at the Alpha.
“Your injuries were worse and put you in a crucial state. I supposed fighting a Lower Moon Five had taken a toll on your body that made the recovery slack. It didn’t help as well that you and Tomioka-san were trapped in a kekkijutsu before both of you succumbed to the poison. You have to thank Uzui-san and his wives for finding the two of you right away after getting deployed to the location.”
Sanemi didn’t reply for quite some time, not until Shinobu started to thumb over him.
“I will now need to check your vitals just to make sure your status is already stable. How are you feeling?”
“You said, it’s a mission paired with Tomioka?”
“Hmm?”
“A mission with Tomioka?”
“Pardon, Shinazugawa-san?”
“The last mission that I have been on is with Tomioka?” the scarred man drawls.
Kochou had to actually stop what she was doing as he turned to the former. Her eyes blinked several times, as if she was processing what the Alpha had said.
“Shinazugawa-san, are you trying to say that you don’t remember you were paired with Tomioka for the mission?”
Sanemi gave the other a sneering look.
“I wouldn’t be fucking asking if I remember it, dammit!” Sanemi had to stop for a moment and take a breath when he felt a recurring pain from his side. “And for fucking sake, yes! I couldn’t even remember that I was tracking a Lower Moon Five with that dumb fuck! Did we even manage to exterminate it?!”
“S-so um, you don’t remember anything that happened pre-mission and post-mission, is that what you are saying?”
“Did I fucking stutter?”
There was a pause between them for a second before Shinobu was able to gather herself. Her smile went back again and continued to check on the Alpha.
“Don’t worry, Shinazugawa-san. Though, Tomioka is not liked that much by everyone. You can’t deny he’s an outstanding pillar. You worked well together and managed to exterminate the demon after the fight.”
Sanemi let out a contented sigh after hearing the other’s remark.
Not aware that Shinobu is looking at him worryingly as if Sanemi not being able to remember anything will cause heavy consequences.
“At least, he’s not useless.” he murmurs, clearly a side comment for the Water Pillar making the Beta bite the inside of her cheeks and forcing herself to smile.
“Ara, ara! So how are you feeling now, Shinazugawa-san?”
“I can’t breathe properly. But in all, I feel pretty much lively.”
Kochou continued on checking him until she was done, and got whatever information she needed. When she was about to leave the room, the Alpha called her, seemingly trying to ask something.
“Is that dumb fuck okay?”
She stopped on her tracks and gave Sanemi a look. “Tomioka-san. . . is fine. He was released last month and is currently recuperating on his estate.”
The Alpha smirked. Tomioka Giyuu might be so full of himself right now as he woke up and was released in the Butterfly Mansion before Sanemi could.
“If that is all, I will take my leave now, Shinazugawa-san.”
“Hmm.”
The sounds of closing doors leave Sanemi in his thoughts.
▂▂▂▂▂▂
Two weeks after he woke up, the Wind Pillar was released in the Butterfly Estate, and though his injuries were healing, rainy season in June is a fucking bitch. The drop of the temperature always made his injuries sensitive, which forced Sanemi to tuck himself in a thick blanket most of the time to aid somehow the irritation on his nerves that was causing him pain.
It also didn’t help that Shinobu advised him to rest for another two weeks before getting back to work when he already wants to be preoccupied so he will not feel any of this discomfort.
Sorai, his kasugai garasu, watched him thrash around the bed one midnight when the rain poured heavily in.
“Fucking fuck! Fuck, fuck fuck!”
The rest of the kakushi serving the Estate scurried to his room to check on him.
The next day, Oyakata-sama sent him his regards and was looking forward to meeting the Wind Pillar again. He sent him a couple of thick blankets and thick duvets that could help him while healing his injuries. Sanemi really appreciated the Master for that. He then sent Sorai to the Ubuyashiki Manor that morning to thank the Master for the gifts.
Iguro and Kanroji visited him together that day as well. As usual, Mitsuri is very lively and high-spirited. She brought a lot of sakura mochi that Sanemi is not sure if he could eat it all.
On the other hand, Iguro just asked him a few questions about his last mission, which he answered in a very foul mood as he still couldn’t remember a thing.
In the next few days, Rengoku and Tokito visited him, followed by Himejima-san. At the end of the week, Tengen finally visited him, who brought a saké and yakiniku with himself.
“Kochou will kill me if she learns about this. I should be resting now.” Sanemi murmurs in the middle of their drinking bout.
Tengen, seated on his side, laughed loudly, and tapped the other Alpha’s shoulder. “Come on! You will be back on the mission next week and will flamboyantly kill demons. Drinking should be okay already!”
“Well, she is still sending tonics. I believe I have to take them even though I will get back on doing missions.”
Sanemi made a weird face, almost tasting the bitter soup medicine he forced down his throat earlier this morning.
Tengen gave him a soft jab on his side. “That doesn’t mean you can’t drink, though!”
The younger Alpha let out a guttural hum after taking a shot. “Whatever, it’s not like I can say no to you.”
Uzui swirled the glass in his hand, the clink of ice filling the silence as if to measure his patience. He clicked his tongue and finally turned his sharp gaze on Sanemi. He decided to test the waters.
“Have you heard anything about Tomioka?”
Sanemi has to raise his brow. “I suggest you keep your damn two cents to yourself.”
“No, seriously! Have you tried visiting Tomioka? Like trying to check on him?”
The Wind Pillar let out a disgruntled noise, and gave the other an irritated look. “What the fuck are you on, Uzui? Why would I visit that dumb fuck and especially, check on him?”
“You know, cause both of you went on the same mission and successfully exterminated Lower Moon Five. Isn’t a good thing to celebrate together?”
Sanemi gritted his teeth and pointed his finger at the older man.
“Listen here! That fucker and I is not that even close to being friends. Not even fucking acquaintances. Why would you be thinking I have the qualms to visit him when that dumb fuck cannot visit me?"
Sanemi has to drink down another shot and he almost breaks the glass after setting it down back on the table.
“That dumb fuck was released a month ago, was release before me. Guess what? Has that dumb fuck had visited me once? No, he didn’t! Of course that fucker surely think so highly of himself that everyone else around him is just a fucking twat! Why would you even fucking ask me about him?! Do I look like I even care, dammit?!”
The Sound Pillar had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, but it was useless. Within seconds, he ripped his hand away as the humor overwhelmed him, laughter spilling out like a madman’s. He doubled over, clutching his abdomen, his voice ringing through the estate.
As if that weren’t enough, he brought his free hand down on the table again and again, each slam punctuating his wheezing, contagious laughter.
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Sanemi so riled up over Tomioka, but it was always endlessly entertaining. The Wind Pillar’s face burned crimson, sturdy lilac eyes bulging as though they might burst right out of his skull.
Two nearby Kakushi scurried off after Sanemi’s withering glare sent them packing. Red-faced with humiliation, the Wind Pillar downed two drinks in quick succession, cursing himself for talking too much. Meanwhile, Tengen leaned back, wiping at the corners of his eyes, laughter leaving him trembling in near tears of satisfaction.
“You done now, you fucking pimp, huh?” Sanemi asked, irritation evident in his tone.
“Don’t get me wrong, Shinazugawa.” The older Alpha had to pause to catch his breath, “I just didn’t expect you to worry a lot about Tomioka-san!”
“Shut the fuck up, Uzui! I am not fucking worried about him!”
“But to be honest with you, I think I know a thing or two why he was never able to visit you.”
“I said, shut the fuck up!”
“Tomioka is still recovering.”
“I said I don’t— WHAT?!”
The Sound Pillar grinned like a cat, sharp and satisfied. Sanemi’s demand for him to repeat himself was all the confirmation he needed. Tengen only rolled a shoulder in reply, focusing instead on the sizzling yakiniku before him. He popped another piece of it to his mouth, chewing leisurely.
“That’s what the Master said in the last meeting. Tomioka is still recovering and has to be relieved from doing missions. There’s no time frame given but I’m sensing it might be half of a year or maybe more than that. I am not really sure. We haven’t seen him for three months now.”
Confusion hit Sanemi like a truck.
“Are you saying that, um, that, uh…” the younger Alpha squeezed his eyes shut, as if he couldn’t say the word he was about to emit.
Tengen has to give him his bring-it-on-motherfucker face.
“I mean, Tomioka has never come back doing missions after being released from the Butterfly Estate?” Sanemi draws finally, confirming.
“I said what I said. When we also tried to ask Kochou, she just gave us the same answer. Tomioka has been in confinement ever since he was released and went back to his estate.”
Sanemi leaned on the table, brows weaved together.
“Why would he still be recovering? He was released earlier than me, he should be on a mission now…”
“Good question. What really happened when you went on the mission?”
That was it — the ninth time this week. The same damned question had resurfaced, and Sanemi could no longer choke down his frustration.
He drew in a deep breath, then forced a brittle smile at Tengen.
“DO I HAVE TO FUCKING REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN AND AGAIN, UZUI?! I TOLD YOU CLEARLY — I DON’T REMEMBER A FUCKING THING ABOUT THAT MISSION!!!”
What did they expect of him? He could barely piece it together himself, struggling to recall even the fragments of what had happened with Tomioka.
Across the table, Tengen sighed, a guilty look flashing across his face. He slid a finger into his left ear, scratching idly at the ringing Sanemi’s outburst had left behind.
“Sorry, man! I am getting confused as well. Oyakata-sama has talked to me twice about it because neither one of you has reported your last mission properly.”
The Wind Pillar let out a sinister laugh, clearly still pissed off by what he heard.
Because seriously, what was that fucker Tomioka even doing? How grave his injuries can be that he can’t even get out of his confinement for once just to have this one cleared out?
“Also....” Tengen coughed to clear his throat.
“I am not sure if you would like to hear about this but you’re pretty much all over him when I found the two of you in the temple where I believe you track down the Lower Moon Five. Your Alpha went flamboyantly feral when I tried to check on him. If it weren’t for my wives’ assistance, you would be fighting me toe to toe.”
“The fuck do you mean my Alpha went feral?!”
“I don’t know, man! You’re fucking overprotective and bared your teeth on me when I tried to check his pulse and his injuries. If I didn’t know that Tomioka is a Beta. I would be thinking he’s your claimed Omega based on how you acted around that time. That is not really flashy of you!”
Like a trigger being pulled, a scene flared in Sanemi’s mind, his pupils blowing wide. Without warning, he lashed out, feet connecting with the short-legged table. The crash sent saké spilling and yakiniku scattering across the floor.
Tengen froze mid-bite, staring at him with wide eyes, the half-chewed meat stuck in his mouth.
“What the fuck was that? Did you remember anything just now?” he asked the younger Alpha before looking at the meat on the floor, and looked at Sanemi again before picking a few slices and eating it.
Sanemi blinked twice and shook his head,
“No, uh, nothing. I am just pissed, t-that’s all, sorry…”
The older one gave him a look, tilting his head as if assessing the Wind Pillar.
“Sure?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Tengen squinted at him, looking like he wanted to pry, but in the end only shrugged. “Yosh! If you say so. We’ve still got another bottle of saké — let’s drink flashy!”
“Um, yeah…”
Sanemi rose from the floor and made his way to the kitchen, where two Kakushi immediately hurried to clean up the mess at his word.
Left alone, he let out a low growl, the scene from earlier clawing its way back into his mind. He splashed his face with cold water from the basin, but the image clung to him, unshakable.
Kochou had already examined him countless times; there was no trace of lingering kekkijutsu. He was at the peak of recovery. So why… why did that vision feel so real? Stress? Emotion? His own mind tormenting him for the blank space in his memory?
Sanemi’s breath came heavy as he stared into the basin, watching his wet reflection ripple and blur.
“That’s right,” he muttered. “There’s no way it was real…”
But the image still burned behind his eyes — a pair of stormy blue eyes glistening with tears, a fevered body trembling against him, clinging to him as if he were the only thing in the world.
There was no way he had seen that owner of those blue eyes crying in his arms, feverish body trembling against him bathed with sweat, unruly hair clinging against his sweaty forehead as his shaking legs were wide open, and taking Sanemi’s cock so beautifully.