Multiamory March- Day 6: Beach (Shunsui x The Garden)
A sequel to my day 1 post (found here). Another one for the garden- @villainsrtasty @r473n @my-my-my @miyukiinara @tomitsu @saltychonk It's only vaguely related to the prompt of Beach but I got inspired and ended up writing this! Think this ended up the longest piece I've written to this blog lol. Enjoy! Also- first time using dividers for time skips, credit goes to @diviniyae for them, they're so stinking cute!
CW: Shunsui being reflective and contemplative, mentions of alcohol, teeth rotting fluff, apologies for inaccuracies and random time skips!
“Please, Nanao, be reasonable! He’s had to take on this tough new position, surely he can have ONE day off?” Stargazer pleaded with their hands clasped.
“He’s been overworking himself to the bone. Every soul reaper has and other captains and lieutenants have been taking days off.” Lotus added.
Nanao gazed at the members of the garden that stood before her. They were trying to persuade her to let their husband (or in Nanao’s eyes “her uncle who’s got a harem”) have a holiday at the beach in the world of the living. Shunsui, now the head captain of the Soul Society, had been navigating his new position as best he could. But lately she’d noticed how he began to fall asleep in meetings, his handwriting getting sloppier and sloppier. He’d work until the early hours of the morning, 4 hours maximum of sleep, then repeat the process again.
Nanao sighed in defeat.
“I’m… Sure me and Okikiba can handle the Captain’s duties for a day or two.”
The flowers sighed in relief.
“But I do have a favour to ask of you ladies.” Nanao added.
“Of course, anything!” Dahlia replied.
“Please ensure he ACTUALLY rests. No late nights, no excessive drinking and DEFINITELY… D-Definitely no sex.” Nano adjusted her glasses to distract them from her now reddened cheeks. The flowers pouted but deep down knew she was correct.
That night, the flowers were all giggling with excitement at the surprise for Shunsui. He’d been suspicious most of the day but brushed it off. Some of the garden were just easily excitable. But they hadn’t been like this since the announcement of Shunsui’s 10th child. The very same baby he held against his chest as he slowly settled down to sleep.
“Shuuuuuun, we’ve got a little surprise for you~” Daffodil whispered in a sing-song voice. He glanced up from the report he was reading.
“What’s that, my love? He replied back, still whispering. Daffodil glanced to Bleeding-heart, both grinning.
“Your darling partners have gotten Nanao to agree to let you go on a mini vacation.” Bleeding-heart replied. Shun tilted his head, eyes slightly widened in surprise.
“A mini vacation?”
“Yep! We know you’ve been stressed out lately, love. It’s pretty obvious. So we spoke to Nanao and she agreed to cover your duties with Okikiba until you return!”
“Are we all going? We’d probably need to book an entire hotel’s floor to fit everyone.” Shunsui joked.
Daffodil and Bleeding-heart gave each other a look.
“It… Wasn’t in the budget for us to all come with you. You know, with repairing the house and all.”
“So it’ll just be you going to the beach in the human world. But on the bright side, it’s a kid free spa resort so you can properly relax.” Daffodil handed him a brochure of the resort and a confirmation of his booking. He glanced over it before half smiling. Shunsui leant over, kissing both of his partners on the cheek.
“I really appreciate the effort you have gone through. I think a vacation is just what I need.”
It would be another week before Shunsui’s stay at the beach resort. Shunsui hopped into his gigai, checked in and just… Laid on the bed. By that point in the day, the sun was already setting. Oranges and pinks painted the sky as the ocean gently lapped at the sandy shore. He sighed, staring up at the ceiling. The deafening quiet was something he was no longer used to. Usually he’d hear his children running around, laughing or arguing. His flowers discussing something in the kitchen over tea. Nanao’s nagging at him to get work done.
Here though, there was none of that. Just the soothing waves on the beach, some music from a nearby restaurant too far to make out the words. Shunsui turned to his right and reached into his packed bag. He pulled out the manju sweets and small bottle of sake his flowers had packed. Stuck to the box of sweets was a new addition- a small, crumpled note written on lined paper.
“Have a great vacation, dad! Love, your family.” The sloppiness of the handwriting indicated it was from Vincent, his eldest son. As he smoothed out the note, doodles and stick figures were drawn in crayon underneath the message. Each labelled as either being one of his flowers or one of his children.There were even crude portraits of Nanao and Okikiba in one corner that made Shunsui chuckle. A smile spread across his lips. A pang of warmth blooming in his chest. He carefully folded the note back up before placing it on his side table. He uncorked the sake and took a long swig. The alcohol burned his throat but it felt good. Thinking back, since the war had ended, he’d hardly had time to have a drop of his favourite drink. The bottle clattered as he put it down beside the note. Shunsui bit the manju, practically moaning as the delicate taste flooded his senses.
It tasted like happier times when he and Jushiro bought manju after long training days at the academy. Of introducing his partners to the couple that sweet shop and the old lady pinching his cheek. Of bringing his children there and the old lady’s son sneaking them free mochi on spring days...
Shunsui wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep. He just remembered waking up to a knock at the door. He groaned as his back cracked when he stood up. Another knock resounded.
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Shun mumbled as he opened the door. A young, rather pretty woman, stood with a bright smile.
“Good morning, sir. I’ve brought up your room service breakfast!” She greeted cheerfully as she stuck out a large tray with various items on it.
“I didn’t… I didn’t order room service.”
“Oh. Well, your wife said on the phone that-”
“My wife?” Shunsui asked, raising a brow in confusion.
“Yes. She called the front desk and asked us to deliver a full breakfast for you. Something about you deserve it after all your hard work lately. She’s very thoughtful.” The woman chuckled as she stepped into the room to set the tray down on the table. She then walked back to the cart to grab a glass of what looked to be orange juice and a mug of coffee.
“Have a wonderful rest of your day, sir. Oh, just a reminder, our spa services open in about an hour. The earlier you go, the less people there are.” She winked playfully as she shut the door behind her.
Shunsui blinked slowly before hearing the familiar ping of his soul phone. Followed by another. And another. He grabbed the phone and flipped it open.The time, 8:26 am, glowed in the corner of his lock screen. A collage of his flower’s smiling faces stared back at him. The sound came from a notification on his garden group chat.
🪷: Mornin’, darling! We called the hotel and sent you breakfast! All your faves so you start the day right!
🌻: The spa is no-booking needed apparently so you’ve got the day free. Have fun! ;)
Shunsui huffed out a laugh before closing the phone and turning his attention to the breakfast. A steaming bowl of miso soup, a bowl of rice, freshly prepared salmon, tamagoyaki, nato and bowl of muesli with yoghurt and fresh fruit stared back at him. His expression softened. They really knew how to treat a man well. He took a sip of the coffee cup before thanking whoever was watching over him.
After breakfast and a shower, Shunsui felt restless again. The lack of chaos was a breath of fresh air, sure, but he was already starting to miss the noise of home. He glanced at his watch. 9:32. He shrugged his shoulders, deciding to take up the spa services. Might as well not waste the opportunity.
Shunsui was greeted by a different, equally attractive young woman at the front desk of the spa.
“Welcome, sir. Have you booked with us?” She asked, her pink lipstick forming a smile.
“Ugh, no. I’m sorry, I had been told by my wife that booking wasn’t necessary.” Shunsui responded.
“She’s right, booking isn’t necessary here. We check in case you do have one. What was it you were looking to have done today?”
“Oh, phew.” Shunsui chuckled “Do you have an onsen or just normal back massages?”
The woman nodded, pointing towards a small chalkboard sign “We offer both as well as a number of other services such as acupuncture, facial and scalp treatments and full body massages if any interest you, sir.”
Shunsui squinted as he mulled over the list.
“Just a back massage and onsen soak should help this old man.”
The woman giggled.
“You’re not an old man, sir!”
Shunsui laughed in response to her comment..
“I may not look it, sweetheart, but I’m old enough to probably be your grandfather.”
The woman gasped before laughing more.
“No way is that possible!” She laughed more before quickly stopping as she noticed a young man (seemingly a manager Shunsui judged by his clothes) scowling at her. A more “professional” smile crossed her face as she turned to her left and gestured down the hallway.
“The massages take place in the room down the hall to your left and the onsen area is right at the back. We have a separate one for men and women. I’d recommend the massage first before the onsen.”
“Many thanks, uh…”
“Hana.” The woman replied. Shunsui’s face softened as he smiled.
“Hana’s a pretty name. One of my daughters has the same name.”
“Thank you. Your wife has a good naming taste then.” Hana grinned as Shunsui walked past her down the hallway.
The back massage seemed to help the pain in his back. Newly acquired after the war, Isane in squad 4 said it’ll play up for sometime. But the pain eased further as he lowered himself into the hot water of the onsen. Shunsui groaned as he submerged himself up to the armpits. He outstretched his arms round the back of the onsen as he felt his muscles relaxing. New scars littered his body, even in gigai form. Scars that he wore with pride for defending the Soul Society and helping save the world from total collapse. His partners liked them too apparently. “Added to his rugged charm” they’d coo. Shunsui lulled his head back against the rocks. The sky above was blue, practically cloudless. He exhaled. The bubbling of the onsen was a soothing background noise to his slowly emptying mind. But his mind wandered back home. To the Seireitei onsens in Squad 8 that had magnesium salts that eased Shunsui’s muscles better than anything. He was enjoying himself, don’t get him wrong. But he was starting to miss home. Missing the garden was always the worst part of being away from home. Especially when he was having fun like this.
Maybe he should text them? Shunsui grabbed his phone, bringing up the group chat yet again. While he was getting a massage, more texts came in. More of the flowers hoping he was having a good time. One text Daffodil had sent was of the two children he’d had with them. Vincent and Hana were fast asleep on the sofa, surrounded by a number of their younger siblings. The caption read “They definitely take after you, Shun!”
He chuckled to himself. His grin widened as he stared at the image further. Vincent had fallen asleep while studying, his textbook against his chest. Hana had fallen asleep curled up in the corner opposite him, also with a textbook in her lap. The three younger siblings, Shunzan, Ryu and Misao, had found whatever free space they could and fallen asleep there. Misao curled up next to Vincent, Ryu on the arm of the sofa half sprawled off it and Shunzan sat on the floor with his head against the sofa.
“At least they’re having fun without me.” He mumbled before sending the group chat a blurry picture of the onsen he was currently sitting in. Three dots appeared under Orchid’s profile.
“Where the hell are you? We sent you to a beach, not the mountains!”
Shunsui texted back “I am at the hotel by the beach. The spa at the hotel had an onsen. Can’t an old man soak his bones to relax?”
Orchid replied- “An old man can also soak his bones in the ocean!”
🪷- “True but onsens prefer you naked. Nakedness isn’t good when in the ocean! His balls would shrivel up too much.”
Shunsui laughed again, a throw back your head laugh only his partners could get out of him so easily. He smiled back at the screen before putting his phone back on the rocks and sinking lower into the water. Maybe he’d take a walk along the sea front after…
Once Shun was done and dressed, he wandered across the sandy beach. He held his sandals in hand as he walked, taking in the feeling of the sea lapping at his feet and the slightly salted sting of sea air. It was peaceful out here in the human world. Like nothing had happened to almost destroy it. Women and men alike laid out on blankets without a care. Their skin slowly baking in the midsummer heat. He watched a pair of young children splashing around with their parents looking on fondly.
It reminded him of the beach trips he used to take with his own brother, and of course later on his own family. Watching fondly as his children would splash each other with water pistols as his partners relaxed under the shade of umbrellas. Shun found an unattended parasol to sit underneath. By now, at least one of his garden (probably Daffodil, the worry wort she is), would have slathered him in sun cream to protect him from sunburns. Or Daffodil and Lotus would have giggled as they asked Shunsui to lather their backs with sun cream. But their eyes always had hints of mischievous intentions.
Shunsui lent back, resting on his palms on the hot sand as he sighed. These thoughts of longing for his family were getting more and more persistent as time went on. He needed this time to himself. On the one hand, between the new responsibilities with running the Soul Society, rebuilding his home and multiple partners and children, he needed it. On the other hand, he hadn’t had this much alone time in a while. He never realised how… This kind of feeling was different.
That was the feeling. Loneliness. Going through a war and losing so many loved ones took its toll on a man. And being left to his own devices and thoughts merely added to it. But loneliness was always kept at bay when you had so many people around you that depended on you.
He started off into the distance a while. His pink shirt and ponytail flowed in the breeze.
He wanted to be back home.
Shunsui grabbed his bags a bit tighter as he walked through the front door.
“I’m home.” He called. A symphony of padding feet bounded towards him.
“Papa!” Ryu and Shunzen cried excitedly as they rushed towards him.. Shunsui knelt down and dropped his bags to hold his twin sons close.
“Shunsui? You’re not supposed to be back until tomorrow!” Bellflower said as she followed the twins. Shunsui hoisted the two up with one in each arm as he pecked Bellflower on the lips in a chaste kiss.
“I know, and the beach was wonderful. Really worked out some knots in my back. But I’m thinking a staycation with my favourite people is what I need more.”
