Inosuke X Aoi. Forming Bonds

Part 7: Keep Your Heart Burning!

Inosuke with his hands behind his head, grinning wide returns to the room the three slayers shared. Zenitsu locks eyes on him while having both hands to his mouth to hide his laughter after hearing the entire interaction. The beast breather knew the blonde could listen in on  everything that was said, but at this point he couldn't care less.

Tanjiro inhales the scent emitting off the boar. Ones of pure joy and happiness. He knew that the two's conversation with each other alone was just what the young teen needed. 

Zenitsu was practically hopping up and down trying to mock the boar to get a reaction out of him. He puckered his lips and in a singsong voice calling out to Inosuke while pushing his index fingers together. "I like your face tooooo Inosuke-kuuun."  Ridiculing the beast.

A single vein protruded on forehead of the boar after the continuous mocking. Wanting nothing more than to deliver a vicious right hook to the thunder breather to shut him up. But Inosuke did his best to still his rampant emotions. He balled up his fist in a fit of anger but did not swing on his blonde friend.

Zenitsu still wanting a reaction out of the boar continues to poke fun. "So when's the wedding??? Are your kids going to be just as pretty as you ahhahaha!"

Tanjiro had slide behind the thunder breather during his insults to bring his fist down on the back of his head. "WILL YOU STOP IT???"

Zenitsu brought his hands up to cover a large bump on his head from the sudden strike. "Okay okay! I was just kidding!" Inosuke relaxes his hand and makes eye contact with the burgundy eyes of Tanjiro, thankful for stopping the verbal onslaught.

The water breather meets his gaze and smirks causing the boar to grin back. Zenitsu sees the two sharing smiles and gets annoyed. "HEY! Don't leave me out!!"

Inosuke approaches the blonde and lets out a smoke cloud of breath from his nostrils. "Only if you tell me what you two did for training! The great Lord Inosuke refuses to be left behind!" Putting both hands on his hips and letting out a cheerful laugh.

Zenitsu lowers his hands and hides under his blanket remembering the immense pain and struggles he put his body through. "It was so tough!! I felt like my lungs are going to explode!"

Tanjiro takes a seat on the bed next to him gripping his chest. "It really was. But Lady Shinobu said we need to master this if we want to get stronger!"

Inosuke looks upon his two friends feeling hopeful about the training. He raises his fist in front of him to spark confidence in the two. "Well then that's just what we will do! Those bastard Hashiras think they're untouchable? HA! Wait until they see us when we master this damn thing! Anything THEY can do, SO can we!"

The sudden speech did ignite a fire in both the blonde and red haired teen. Each reflecting on there own struggles they each endured to make it to this point.

"He's right. Gramps would be spitting mad if I gave up! I'll show that bastard Kaigaku I'm not worthless! Tanjiro. Inosuke. I'm going to try! I will get stronger!!"

"Nezuko. If I can't master this then I have no hope turning you back. I can't let everything we've done go to waste.. Inosuke is right! Any wall built in our way we will crush it!"

The three collide fists together forming a pact. That no matter what, as long as they were together, no goal would be unobtainable. The reminder of the night was spent catching the boar up to speed for the intense training that all three will undergo in the coming weeks. 

Day in and day out was the same. For the time being Inosuke tries to put all his focus and efforts into mastering maintaining Total Concentration: Constant. He knew if his thoughts would fade into his recent encounter with Aoi, it would throw off his concentration.