Inosuke X Aoi. Forming Bonds

Part 1: Relfections

Shame. Disappointment. Despair. Inosuke lays in his bed with his boar's head on to hide his face. He feels like he has failed miserably as Demon Slayer. There has never been a challenge he could not pass, an enemy too strong.

Everything he has ever gained in this life has been through his own two hands. He struggled and clawed his way to be the absolute best. Better than any human or demon. There was only one pleasure in life for Inosuke. The thrill of the hunt. To stand on top of mountain and look down on all of his enemies. For everyone to know his name as the #1 Slayer.

Day in and day out Tanjiro and Zenitsu would call out to Inosuke in an attempt for him to speak to them. His entire time at the estate he did not say anything. He didn't know how or why the two wanted to speak to him. In his mind he was worthless, he did not have the strength to protect his friends.

Inosuke inhaled sharply to himself when he thought of the word friend. "Are these two my friends?.. I've never had a friend before. No one has ever shown me any kindness the way Tanzuko has.."  Inosuke rotates his head to see Tanjiro sleeping in the bed beside him. He looks at his battle worn hands and the scars on his body. "Looks like he has been through hell and back. What drives him? What did he say he wanted to do? What was it...?"

It's not that Inosuke lacked the compassion to properly learn Tanjiro's name, it's that he never understood the meaning of companionship. What it means to have friends that would surround and support you. No one was ever there for Inosuke to lean on for support. No one at all for him to build any sort of bond with.

He looks past Tanjiro to see Zenitsu happily curdled up in his blanket. A bright smile on his face as he whispers in his sleep. "Nezzzzzukoo Chan....." Inosuke continues to dwell on his feelings towards his friends. "Zenitsu. I gave him a beating when he was trying to protect the demon inside the box. Why? Why would he just sit there and take it?." Inosuke lays his pillow to reflect on his own actions. "He wanted me to apologize for beating him. Why didn't I? I care about these two. It's just... I don't know how to show it. Maybe if I get stronger I can show how them through my strength!"

Inosuke drifts off the sleep and dreams about his early days roaming free in the mountains with his boar pack. Feeling the warmth of the sun of his skin, the wind on his face. How he relished the fresh air and the beautiful starlit sky above. He was running through a field and could feel the soft grass beneath his feet, smiling wide and bright and feeling free.

His dream was interrupted by a voice calling out to him over and over again. "Boar boy!" Inosuke groggily opened his eyes. "Are you awake???" The voice called out again. Inosuke sensed a hand about to touch him. The hand was being raised to take off his boar's head. "Excuse me??? Are you alive???"

The hand was inches away from Inosuke's head. His internal instincts kick in and he flips the bedsheets to cover his intruder's vision. He rolls backwards out of bed to create space and gets on his knees with his one arm stretched out in front of him ready to charge in head first. He leans back and lets out a breath through his mask before lunging forward.

Inosuke was about to make contact with a head butt to the stomach of his attacker when he feels a painful surge in his body, starting from his feet and felt waves of immense pain traveling upwards. The pain causes him to stumble and he crashes into the floor letting out small winces of the extensive pain he was actually in.

"Inosuke!!" Tanjiro leaps out of his bed to slide next to his comrade. "Inosuke! Are you alright??"

Zenitsu leans forward while rubbing his eyes. "What is everyone yelling for?" His vision starts to clear and sees a young girl still trying to get out of the bedsheet Inosuke threw on her. His eyes peer down to see the wild boar on the ground passed out from the pain he was suffering from. Zenitsu's eyes widen and starts to tremble. "Tan-tan-Tanjiro!!!!! Are we under attack again?!?!?! I knew they would find us!! I'm going to die.." Zenitsu throws his hands over his eyes to cover his tears that were flooding out of his eyes.  "I'M GOING TO DIEEE!!!"

Tanjiro snaps his head to look at Zenitsu who is shaking his body uncontrollably then eventually passes out from his injuries. He lets out a big sigh as he is the only one left to clean up the mess again.

The girl throws the sheet off of her face and is visibly furious. A vein was protruding out of her forehead and her face was bright red. Tanjiro swore he could see the smoke steaming off of her head. "I've been taking care of you this entire time and this is how you repay me?????"
The girl starts to stomp her feet towards Inosuke and cocks back her fist to punch him.
She swings forward and aims at his head.

Tanjiro steps in front and puts his hands up. "Please! Miss! It's just how he-" The girl could not stop her strike in time. Tanjiro was hit in the center of his nose causing him to flip over the passed out Inosuke. The back of his head hit the solid wooden floor causing him to lose consciousness.

Zenitsu jolted awake from the sudden noises only to see a second body on the floor. "OHHHH NOOO!!!! TANNNNNJIROOOOO!!!!" His gaze slowly looked toward the girl that had a slightly bloodied hand from hitting Tanjiro. "Are.. are you a de-de-demon?!?!"

Before the girl could answer, Zenitsu passed out once more. His head hit the wall the bed was up against causing him to drift back to sleep. All of the screaming caused Shinobu to walk into the room to investigate. "Aoi" she spoke in a soft tone to her.

Aoi spun around and saw Shinobu right in front of her. She was leaning down and peering into her eyes. There was something about her large lavender stare with a small smirk that Shinobu always wore that creeped her out. "Ye-yes Ma'am??"

Shinobu closed her eyes and her smile widen. "Please. Take good care of these three. I brought them here and they are my responsibility. Do your best!" Shinobu turns to leave and she stops at the door frame to look at Aoi. "I trust they will be a challenge, but I believe in you." She offers her trademark smirk to Aoi before leaving.

Aoi was left to interpret what Shinobu meant. Was it a threat to Aoi since she just struck down Tanjiro while she was aiming for Inosuke and also caused Zenitsu to hit his head after screaming out in terror? Or was it meant for words of encouragement? Aoi was still fairly new to the butterfly mansion but her medical skills is what caught Shinobu's attention. Having faith in her new subordinate, she assigned Aoi in charge of the three up and coming Demon Slayers.

Aoi let out a long sigh as she looks at the two bodies on the floor. "Suppose I need to put you two back to bed.." she lifts up Tanjiro and puts him in the bed. She bends down to lift up Inosuke  The sheer weight of his larger body mass proved it difficult for her to move him. Aoi had to drag him to his bed by his arms. She threw one limb at a time on the bed until his whole body was there.

Aoi wiped the sweat off her forehead and look at the three fast asleep again. "Shinobu believes in me. I will do my best to make sure these three are back in fighting shape" She closes the door slowly to not disturb the three inside.