Sanemi felt as though he were floating in a never-ending abyss. There was nothing surrounding him apart from darkness, he could hardly make out the shape of his own hands in front of him. The man called out in the dark, only to hear his voice echo as the only response to his shouting. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was walking away from his younger brother...then he ended up here. Could this be the work of a demon? The Hashira instictively felt for his sword but found it wasn't at his hip where it ought to be. Just as the man began to utter a string of curse words, surveying his surroundings for any means of escape, he heard the faint mumbling of voices sounding in the distance. The voices were low, almost like whispers, so Sanemi couldn't decipher who was speaking or what was being said. The swordsman called out again, but the voices continued to prattle on as though he wasn't there. Who was that? Where was it coming from? There was no sign of escape from what the demon slayer could deduce either and he was unable to detect another soul amidst the confined space he found himself concealed in, nor the unquestionable scent of a demon. 'What is this?' Sanemi questioned internally, racking his brain for a solution to the problem. Surely there had to be some sort of clue that would shed light on the situation? At the very moment Sanemi wanted to scream into the nothingnes, the whispers became louder and more clear, casting their voices out towards him.
Resting his hand on Sanemi's, Genya watched his brother's abdomen rise and fall with every breath he took. Tanjiro had kindly left the room to give the two some space, opting to engage in some training whilst he was at the estate. Since the boy wearing the Hanafuda earrings closed the door on his way out, Genya hadn't dared to leave Sanemi's side, anticipating the moment his elder brother awoke. While he waited, the boy decided that with Sanemi unconscious, it would be as good as time as any to practice his apology to his brother, it'd certainly pass the time either way and give Genya a chance to truly express how he was feeling. Swallowing the lump in his throat nervously, Genya grasped Sanemi's hand in his and cleared his throat to begin speaking. Genya hadn't written anything down, however he'd thought about what he'd say to his brother if he ever had the chance to speak with him for a prolonged period of time.
"Sanemi, I-I'm so sorry for what I said to you when we were younger...I shouldn't have said such things to you when you risked your own life to protect me." Genya felt his stomach knot, his heartbeat quickening as he looked down at his soundly sleeping sibling's features, recalling the times they spent together as young, carefree children. After a brief pause, Genya willed himself to continue, while noting to himself how rough his big brother's hands felt due years of training. Only, Genya was so focused on this that he hadn't realised Sanemi began to come to, the white-haired man's eyes flickering open gradually whilst Genya continued to speak, "I know words will never be enough, that's why I've tried to prove myself by becoming a demon slayer and I hope that one day soon you'll acknowledge me." Genya jumped in place upon feeling his brother's hand twitch and when he looked to his brother, he saw his pale purple eyes gazing into his deeper purple ones. Instantaneously, Genya became flustered, attempting to read Sanemi's facial expression for any clue as to whether the man had heard what Genya had said and if so, how much of it he had heard before Genya realised he had come to. "You're awake! You're at the Buttefly estate, Miss Shinobu said you have the flu and you need rest for a few days. Oh, should I get someone?" Genya rose from where he sat only for Sanemi to hold a hand out to him, motioning for him to stop.
Sanemi attempted to sit upright, finding he was barely able to do that. Examining his surroundings groggily, the Hashira recognised that he was in the Butterfly estate and was neatly tucked into bed, much to his dismay. After a moment or two, he cast an eye to Genya, who sat red faced and struggled to make eye contact with his elder brother. Sanemi was the first to break the silence. "I see what you're doing." This remark caught Genya's attention, forcing his eyes upwards to meet his brother's. What did he mean? Could this be the moment of reconciliation he had hoped no, prayed for? "I stand by what I said, you're a damn fool for choosing to stay in the demon slayer corps when you can't so much as use a single style of breathing. If I had the energy right now, I'd have you leave the corps, by force." Sanemi continued, squashing down the bile that was forcing its way up his throat. Genya abruptly stood, fists clenched, staring at the floor intently. His big brother's words had cut deep. Sanemi had noticed Genya but refused to acknowledge his very existence, even threatening to forcibly removing him from the demon slayer corps all together. Why? Because he couldn't use breaths like other slayers?
"Why...?" Genya spluttered, shutting his eyes tightly as though he were in pain, as his elder brother placed a hand against his stomach, feeling a consistent churning taking place within his gut. "Why can't you just accept me? OK, I can't use breaths, but I'm still of use to the corps! I'm training really hard to be of some worth, why can't you see that?" Frustrated, the black-haired boy smacked his fist against the top of the bedside table, gritting his teeth. "Why? I'm your brother..." The young swordsman didn't finish his sentence for tears began to cloud his vision, the heartbreak he felt at his brother's treatment almost indescribable and too much to bear. On the other hand, Sanemi was experiencing a different sort of sensation, one that rendered him speechless at a time where he wished to speak. The Hashira tried to hold back the nausea that made his mouth water and his stomach groan and rumble in agony, but found a hand rushing to clamp over his mouth despite his best efforts.
Alarmed, Genya took action and promptly grabbed a nearby basin and handed it to his brother, who proceeded to vomit violently into the bowl below, retching and gagging profusely until only a bitter taste in his mouth remained. All the while, Genya held Sanemi's bangs back with one hand and used the other to gently rub his sibling's back in small, repetitive circles, averting his gaze from the unpleasant sight. Finally, the Hashira's stomach showed mercy and the man began to take steady, slow breaths, using the back of his hand to wipe the refuge that leaked from the corner of his mouth and his nostrils. "Sanemi...?" The man is question glanced to Genya, unmoving as another wave of nausea hit him, but his gaze still harsh as he shook his brother's hand off his back. "I've told you before, I have no brother. Cut that crap out. Get out." Genya stumbled backwards, the words hitting him like numerous bullets shot from a gun with the shattered remnants of his heart laying at the bottom of his chest. Wordlessly, Genya shuffled out of the room and quietly closed the door behind him. On the other side of the door, where the hallways were empty, the youngest Shinazugawa brother slid to the floor and silently cried into his arms.