影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi x reader |

31 - Confession

I don't recall much from the time I was blacked out. All I knew was that my grandmother had taken me home to tend to my injuries before two kakushi picked me up. By the time I was brought to safety, Tengen, Tanjiro, Blondie, and Pig Boy had defeated Yatamahime and her brother. I spent two days recovering at the Butterfly Mansion, but I'd slept through most of it. Today was the first day I actually remembered waking up.   

I heard a commotion in the distance, wood breaking, muffled shouting, and the unmistakable chaos of a fight. Carefully, I crawled out of bed, groggy and disoriented. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I braced myself against the wall. My legs trembled beneath me, barely able to hold my weight.

I staggered toward the source of the noise, each step agonizing. When I finally reached the room, I blinked a few times to clear my vision and took in the scene: Sanemi, held back by ten kakushi, looked absolutely livid.

"Shinazugawa, you're supposed to go home. Lady Kocho said you can come back tomorrow," one of the Butterfly girls argued from the doorway, her tone stern but wavering.

"As if that shitty woman can tell me when I can come or go," Sanemi snapped, throwing one of the kakushi over his shoulder with a grunt.

"You don't use 'woman' as a derogatory term," I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper but sharp enough to cut through the chaos.

The entire room stilled. Sanemi froze mid-motion, his white hair catching the light as he turned to look at me. The kakushi gawked at me with wide eyes, clearly not expecting me to be up yet.

"I'm fine," I declared, crossing my arms in defiance, though I struggled to hide a wince from the lingering pain.

Sanemi's gaze darkened. Without a word, he stomped over to me, his expression like thunder. Before I could react, he gripped me firmly, making me hiss from the discomfort.

"Oi—" I started, but he ignored me entirely.

One arm slid under my knees, the other under my shoulders, and in one swift motion, he lifted me as if I weighed nothing.

"Bring her things to the Wind Estate tomorrow," Sanemi barked at the kakushi, and with that, he stormed out, carrying me like some unruly package.

The walk home was quiet, save for the heavy sound of his shoes on the dirt path. Though he said nothing at first, his silence radiated anger.

"You're a fuckin' idiot," he finally growled, his tone harsh and biting. "I didn't train you to get injured this easily. We're starting again next week."

A small smile tugged at my lips despite the reprimand. "I missed you too. I'll be careful next time," I replied softly, earning a disgruntled grunt in return.

When we arrived at the estate, the dog was the first to greet us, tail wagging enthusiastically before stepping aside to let Sanemi pass.

"Wait- my room is over there," I protested weakly as he carried me in the opposite direction.

"Shut up. I need to keep an eye on your injuries for the next few days, thanks to you," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He brought me to his room, where a futon had already been laid out with fresh covers and pillows. Gently, he set me down before stepping back without another word.

"Sanemi-"

But he was already gone, disappearing through the door in his usual gruff manner. A staff member arrived shortly after, bringing me dinner on a tray. I thanked them quietly and ate, though my thoughts were elsewhere.

Once I'd finished my meal, I couldn't help but feel restless. My injuries still throbbed, but something gnawed at me. I decided to go find that grumpy man and see what he was up to.