Zenitsu could feel a scalding anger growing in his chest as he debated over what to say to Inosuke. It wasn't going to be nice, and he knew for sure he wasn't going to hold back. Nearly four weeks of the silent treatment wasn't worth a crumb of sugar coating. Inosuke had crossed the line.
He supported Tanjiro's back, carefully lowering him to the ground so he could get to his feet. The adrenaline running through his veins allowed him to pick him up and throw him over his now-healed shoulder without much difficulty. Tanjiro remained unconscious as Zenitsu carried him to the infirmary to tuck him into bed. He was more than deserving of a midday nap.
When the door creaked open, Inosuke expected it to be Tanjiro popping in to collect his lunch tray, just as he had been every day. But instead came Zenitsu, with someone's bottom half draped over his shoulder. As he turned, Inosuke realized the legs belonged to Tanjiro, and his brow furrowed with concern.
Zenitsu walked to Tanjiro's neatly-made bed and pulled the comforter to the foot of it with his free hand. Shifting so Tanjiro could slide into his arms to be held in a bridal fashion, he laid him down with care. He slipped his sandals off one at a time and lined them up next to the bed, before tucking him in and adjusting his pillow to support his neck.
When he finished, he glared up at Inosuke, who was already staring at him blankly. Zenitsu bit his tongue. He was certain Inosuke was merely playing dumb. He wanted to chew him out right then and there, but decided he should finish his training for the day first to let off some steam. If he acted now, he would get carried away.
"He's fine," he growled. "Not like you should care."
The tension in the air was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Inosuke felt his heart palpitate as Zenitsu's gaze bored through him. He marched over to him and ripped the lunch tray from his lap, causing the dishes on it to clatter together, then left without another word. It took all of his willpower to keep from saying anything more.
Inosuke started to sweat. It was clear that something had gone terribly wrong, and he had a sinking feeling that he would be the one to pay for it. He looked to Tanjiro, whose eyelids were noticeably inflamed. Had he been beat up? But what could he have done about that? He struggled to connect the dots.
—————-
A couple hours passed before Zenitsu returned. Inosuke hadn't realized how boring his days would have been without Tanjiro's consistent check-ins. All was quiet as he waited around, soaking in uncertainty, thinking about everything that had transpired. He had no idea what was in store for him, and it was nerve-wracking to ponder over it.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and there stood Zenitsu, legs apart; feet planted firmly. He was sweaty and panting from having just finished his training, but the same raging anger from before pulsed through him. He stomped to his own bed and grabbed his pillow by its corner, then took a few steps in Inosuke's direction before launching it at his face at full force.
"You idiot!" he yelled as he threw it, then balling his hands into fists.
Inosuke didn't even put his hands up to protect himself. He just let it hit him square in the face. Whatever Zenitsu was mad at him for, his self esteem was so low that he felt he deserved what was coming to him. Getting hit with a pillow was the least of his worries.
"What is wrong with you?! You haven't said shit to him since the mission? Are you fucking insane??" There was practically steam spiraling from his ears.
Inosuke stared at him silently, frozen where he sat. He understood exactly what he was under fire for now.
Tanjiro had no trouble staying asleep. The other slayers in the infirmary looked at each other with confusion, but kept quiet. They knew Zenitsu meant business.
"Since you won't give him the satisfaction, you're gonna open your stupid mouth and answer me right now!" Zenitsu fumed. "What the fuck is your problem? Huh? You think you wasted your dumb ankle on his life? I'll break the other one right now, I don't care!" He paused to breathe, and grew even more infuriated when Inosuke didn't butt in. He just looked like a deer in headlights. "Say something, dammit!"
For the first time, Inosuke was terrified of Zenitsu. He'd never considered him to be a threat before. He gulped. "....I...I'm not worth his time..." he murmured. His body was cold with shame, but he could feel his blood pulsing through his fingertips.
"No shit you're not! You don't treat him right! You haven't said thank you once this whole time?? You haven't said anything? After everything he's done for you?" He gestured towards Tanjiro. "You see how he's not even flinching while I yell? That's how fucking overworked he is! And you can't even do anything but sit there! You know he was injured too, right? We all came from the same damn mission!"
Inosuke swallowed. "I thought...I thought he would think I was stupid. I got my ass beat and I couldn't even keep him from getting hurt. And now I look even dumber because I can't do anything on my own. My muscles are shrinking, I look like shit—I'm just a problem." He gripped his comforter, hands shaking. "I can't stand him seeing me like this..."
"That's it? You get your ego bruised a little and you shut down entirely?? You dense asshole... You know Tanjiro shielded you with his body while you were out? He was gonna die for you. He was willing to die for you! See, I know that and I wasn't even awake for it. Nezuko told me. But you wouldn't know because you never even asked! You know what, you're lucky it's the middle of the day right now because she'd be even more pissed than I am!"
Inosuke felt a little faint. He knew he had messed up big time, and it hurt to hear. But he had to listen. It was the only way he might be able to fix things. He couldn't be passive about it anymore. It was all in his hands.
"All this time, he's been thinking you were livid with him. And you know why? He thinks you're mad because you temporarily gave up your ankle to keep him from dying. Let that sink in. He thinks that you think your fucking ankle is worth more to you than his life! He thinks he's the dirt under your nails in your eyes! So he's been here, being your nurse, being your entertainment, being your goddamn servant, to make up for it. And you've just been sitting around, letting him. What do you want him to do, grovel at your feet?"
Inosuke felt a hitch in his chest. If Zenitsu yelled at him any longer, he was sure he was going to cry. He felt so ashamed of everything he'd done. Or rather, hadn't done. He wished he was wearing his mask so he could hide.
"Do you know what kind of damage you're doing to him?? You know how much he likes you? You know what—how much he loves you?? He was gonna die out there to save you, pig boy! And now you won't even speak to him?! Any other person would have given up on your arrogant ass, but lucky for you, he's a goddamn angel, so he's been there for you no matter what you do to him. And you've just been taking advantage of that kindness and kickin' your little feet back and relaxing while he does everything for you! You missed his entire fucking birthday and he just defended you for it! Ohh, Inosuke's just tired! He's been working so hard on his exercises! I'm so proud of him, just let him sleep! That sound familiar to you? Huh?"
Inosuke had started to cry by now. His tears were so hot it felt like they were searing through his skin. The rest of his body felt cold and empty, and it was almost as if he was sinking into his mattress.
"Thanks for opening up to me about wanting a boyfriend, but with this kind of attitude, you're gonna die alone! Not even that stupid pretty face can save your ass! So drop the shit, Inosuke! Hell, I—I even told you how kissing works and you're just gonna give up and decide to be an asshole? I laid it all out for you! I set you two up so you could slow dance together! I'm trying to be the best wingman I can and you just wasted all my efforts? Over one stupid mission?!"
The other slayers in the infirmary were all a little shocked after hearing about Inosuke's sexuality. Some of them looked uncomfortable with the whole situation, and others were interested in hearing all of the drama. It was a fun turn of events from the usually boring room. Inosuke could feel their eyes on him as they whispered amongst each other, and it made his skin crawl. It was one thing to get scolded so harshly, but in front of an audience? It was mortifying. And he couldn't even defend himself, because he knew he was in the wrong.
Zenitsu started to run out of energy. His throat hurt from all the strain he had put on his vocal cords. "Listen," he said, more hushed now. "I would die for Nezuko. Tanjiro would die for you. Would you die for him? Because you very well could, out there. But for what? To protect your reputation? To look cool? Protecting someone is to protect them, not how they see you. Nezuko knows I'm rough around the edges, but I hold my duty to protect, even if I need some backup. You want to be the best?" He pointed at Tanjiro, who was still undisturbed. "Go be the best, and do it for him. I know you know damn well he deserves better than whatever this mess is."
He stepped closer to Inosuke and snatched his pillow back. "You'd better answer him the next time he speaks to you, or you've got it coming. And I'm not just talking about dying alone. You're gonna have to watch your back. You can't hide this shit under my nose anymore." He slapped him gently across the face, just enough for it to sting.
When he looked up and saw the way the other slayers were gawking at them, he continued, "and if I catch any of you giving him flack for liking guys, count your days. That's not the part I'm mad about. He can sword-fight all he wants." He tossed his pillow back onto his bed as he strutted out of the room, feeling proud of himself for stepping in.
Sword fight...? Inosuke thought, confused. Duh, we're all demon slayers. As he wiped his eyes on his comforter, he couldn't shake the seething penitence that weighed on him. What could he say to Tanjiro when he woke up? He would have to do something if he wanted to avoid getting pummeled by Zenitsu. And apparently dying alone. Would talking to Tanjiro really give him another chance at earning his affections? Or was he too late? Zenitsu had been right about a lot of things, and that intimidated Inosuke.
When he peeked over his blanket, he saw that the other slayers in the room were all looking at him. "Leave me alone!" he wailed. "I already got a lecture." He laid down and closed his eyes—still dripping with a few tears—trying to ignore the unsettling feeling of being watched. He was going to have to prepare to answer Tanjiro today, and it was going to be difficult. He wondered if he might see Tanjiro's threatening side, too.
——————
Tanjiro awoke in the evening, not too long before dinner. When he realized how dark it had gotten, he sat up with a gasp. He last remembered venting to Zenitsu in the garden, but now he was in bed, in the dark. Could I have wandered here without remembering? But that means I missed everything I planned to do this afternoon! The color drained from his cheeks.
With how nervous he had been over his upcoming task, Inosuke was startled by Tanjiro's gasp. Shit, he's up. I'm gonna have to say something soon. His mind went blank with indecision.
Tanjiro stared at Inosuke for a moment before he spoke. "How long did I sleep? Is it night already?" As he was met with silence, he heaved an exhausted sigh. Not like he'll answer me, he thought, and his shoulders slumped with gloom.
"Dinner hasn't passed yet," Inosuke mumbled. It took all of his concentrated energy to will himself to say it. The words felt painfully sharp as they passed through his mouth.
Tanjiro's eyes lit up with hope. "What did you say?" he asked; a look of optimistic disbelief on his face. He had to be hearing things.
Inosuke's breath caught in his throat. The way Tanjiro was looking at him made his heart beat out of rhythm. He'd expected anger. Frustration. Disgust. Anything but this. Being met with full acceptance of his past actions seemed far too merciful. Was Zenitsu right about that, too? Did Tanjiro really love him after all? This much?
"It's not night, yet. No one brought us dinner." The words fell out more naturally this time around. Oh, how he'd missed their usual conversations. The way Tanjiro always gave him his undivided attention, and took interest in everything he had to say, even if it wasn't all that important. The way he was so enthused to answer any of his questions, no matter how odd. How effortlessly honest he was willing to be.
Inosuke wished that he would have spoken up since the day he'd awoken in the infirmary. He could see it now. The only thing that stood between them had truly been his own misguided actions.
Relieved, Tanjiro flashed a big goofy smile, and then his lips began to quiver. Before he knew it, he was crying again. But they were good tears. It was as if every worry that had burrowed into his mind was flushed out with them. Perhaps he hadn't lost everything.
"Tanjiro?" Inosuke had never cried from happiness before. He was starting to think that he had made him sad.
Tanjiro's heart glowed as he heard Inosuke say his name. He'd missed the sound so terribly. "I'm so glad you're ready to talk now! I missed you." He kept it short and simple.
Missed me? Inosuke felt warm and fuzzy all over, and it briefly overtook his shame. "You're not mad?" he asked, uncertainly.
"Not at all!" Tanjiro wiped his tears from his face. "I thought maybe I did something that made you not want to talk to me. Did I?" He braced himself for the reply.
"No," Inosuke mumbled. "You've been....really good to me." His face felt hot.
"Oh!" Tanjiro sat for a moment, feeling a bit stupid for having made the assumptions he had. He wanted to pry further, but thought it would be rude to bombard Inosuke with questions. Clearly, he had his reasons for not speaking, and he would reveal them if he wanted to.
"Well," he continued, "if choosing not to speak was part of your healing process, that's okay! I just want you to be okay." He smiled. "I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you!" And he really did feel that way. He was so eager to have Inosuke back that it was impossible for him to be angry.
Zenitsu was right. He really was an angel. Inosuke gulped. He had walked all over Tanjiro's kindness—beat it to a pulp, in fact—and here he was, so forgiving that he was smitten with a simple conversation. And Inosuke felt terrible for it. His heart sank into his stomach. "...I'm luckier."
—————-
The next few days consisted of the same routine Tanjiro and Inosuke had adopted over the past weeks, except almost every moment spent together was filled with conversation. There was a lot to catch up on after nearly a month, and sometimes Inosuke felt as if he couldn't keep his lips shut. He just had so much to say. He was feeling pretty good physically, and had gotten quite confident with his crutches now that his ankle was feeling a bit more stable. He could move around much faster now, and even got up and walked around a few times without Tanjiro there (which made Tanjiro extremely nervous, though he was excited for him).
The remainder of Tanjiro's stitches were removed. He was all healed up; completely back to normal. But as relieved as he was, he knew it was only a matter of time until he would be sent out on another mission. Without Inosuke, no doubt, since he had a month or so left of his own healing to do. It had been quite some time since they'd gone on a mission without each other.
Although Inosuke was pleased with the dynamic they had reestablished, he remained shameful over what he had done. Apologizing would be a grueling task for him, but he felt so disgusted with himself that he knew it would have to happen if he wanted to regain true normalcy between them.
Tanjiro had gushed to Zenitsu about Inosuke opening up again the night after it happened, as they helped out with cooking dinner. He was beyond ecstatic, and Zenitsu loved to hear it. Clearly, knocking some sense into Inosuke had been the right decision. After a couple days of listening to many a lovesick report of Inosuke's change of heart, Zenitsu congratulated Inosuke with a crisp high five. "You successfully avoided an extra two months in the infirmary," he told him. "Now you just have to work on not dying alone."
These words stuck with Inosuke. He already knew he was going to have to apologize, but now the task of confessing his love hung over his head, too. He didn't think it would be wise to do it all at once, but he wasn't sure if he could wait for Tanjiro to say something first. His heart ached now. And he wanted nothing more than to relieve it.
Mercifully, Zenitsu caught Nezuko up to speed on the situation after Inosuke had already started talking to Tanjiro again. That way, she would be informed about what happened, but wouldn't get the same chance to give Inosuke a piece of her mind. Zenitsu felt it was the least he could do since he knew Inosuke was already being hard on himself after catching an earful.
——————-
On the night of the fifth day, Inosuke laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. Things were blissfully back to the way they had been; so much so that he was starting to think he might not have to apologize after all. He loved to be lighthearted with Tanjiro in every moment they spent together. An apology would only bring down the mood, and Inosuke didn't want to waste another second dwelling on old news.
Then the door creaked open, and Tanjiro returned to the infirmary, shirt sleeves still rolled up to his elbows from washing dishes. Inosuke felt an unexplainable anxiety as he walked in a straight path towards his bed. Why had he come in just to see him, and so late?
"Inosuke, can I ask you something?" Tanjiro asked softly.
Inosuke sat up in bed, causing the mattress to squeak. Time seemed to slow down a little. The sound of the crickets outside and the tick of the clock on the wall were overwhelming. Is he gonna do it? Does he really like me?
"Yeah," he managed, trying to slow his breathing. He thought Tanjiro might otherwise think he was winded just from sitting up, and he couldn't bear to be perceived as that out of shape.
Tanjiro shifted his weight back and forth between his feet as he prepared himself to speak. "It's a clear night tonight. You've been getting pretty fast on your crutches, lately...so I was curious. Do you think you'd be comfortable with going outside with me? Like, to look at the stars and all; and talk for a while. I'll make sure you don't fall." He could feel sweat running down the back of his neck. "If you're still feeling nervous about walking on uneven ground, I understand. We can do something else instead."
It certainly wasn't an admission of love, but Inosuke was just as intrigued by the invite nonetheless. And he was proud that Tanjiro considered him strong enough to make a trip outside. "No, I'd like that," he answered. "Let's go outside."
Tanjiro blushed a little. Inosuke hadn't gone back to wearing his mask lately, and while he loved being able to see his face so often, it was much easier to get flustered by the things he did, and said. When he had asked about it, Inosuke told him he was tired of taking it off for mealtimes, but he didn't buy that for a second. It had to be something else. Secretly, Inosuke had taken Zenitsu's past comment about his mask being "unromantic" to heart. He wanted Tanjiro to take him seriously as a potential love interest, so he left it off.
"Before we do, I have something for you." He turned on his heels and set off for his bed, kneeling beside it.
"Huh?" Inosuke craned his neck, curious to see what he was up to.
Tanjiro fished around under his bed with one hand, then dragging out a box along the floor. He brought it to Inosuke and held it out for him to take. "You can open it now—it'll help. I hope." He chuckled shyly.
Inosuke accepted the box and set it in his lap. As he lifted the corner of the lid from it, he knew exactly what was inside.
"I doubt they're as nice as your old ones," Tanjiro blurted, before Inosuke could say anything. "But they should fit. I can always return them. Or—or we could alter them ourselves. They're kind of plain. I know how to sew, so I could—"
"Shut up." Inosuke eagerly slid one of the sandals onto his uninjured foot, letting the box fall to the floor as he leaned forward. And it fit just fine. It certainly had yet to be broken in, but he knew he'd have no trouble with that. He put the other on carefully, though it would be a while until he could actually use it. "They're great," he declared, wiggling his toes. "Thank you."
"Oh! I'm...glad you like them."
"I do. They fit good, they're just stiff. Let's go break them in."
"Right!" Tanjiro picked up Inosuke's crutches, which were leaned up against the wall, and Inosuke prepared himself to stand by scooting to the edge of the bed, so his toes grazed the floor. Tanjiro held his crutches steady as he used them to pull himself up to a standing position.
"All set?" said Tanjiro, before letting go.
"Yup."
Tanjiro walked with him to the door, and then held it for him so he could walk through. When they made it outside, he helped to direct Inosuke around the uneven terrain. "Try to stay on the path, okay? Your crutches might sink in the dirt if you go on the grass."
Inosuke stepped lively, but carefully. He couldn't imagine how embarrassed he'd be if he fell on his face in front of Tanjiro at this point. The moon and the light from the mansion windows helped to illuminate the stones he was supposed to place the ends of his crutches on.
When they reached the clearing they wanted to sit down in, Tanjiro helped support Inosuke's weight so he could safely lower himself to the ground. Inosuke laid down on his back, and propped the calf of his injured leg up on his other foot so his ankle wouldn't have pressure on it. Tanjiro sat beside him.
"So you like lookin' at these?" he asked, gazing up into the vast expanse of sky above them.
"Yeah!" Tanjiro beamed. "They're pretty."
Inosuke scratched his nose. "I guess."
Tanjiro leaned back in the grass, supporting his head with his hands. "They make shapes, too, if you draw lines between them in your head."
"They do?" Inosuke had always seen the stars at face value. A sea of individual speckles.
"Yeah, they're called constellations. It's fun to spot them on cloudless nights like this. I used to stargaze with my family a lot." He sighed faintly.
Inosuke turned his head to look at him. The moonlight made Tanjiro's eyes and lashes look more purple than red, and he couldn't help but stare. "Show me one," he murmured, interested to find out what he'd been overlooking in the sky all this time.
"Hm." Tanjiro's eyes darted back and forth as he searched. "Okay, this is an easy one." He pointed upwards. "See over there? Those ones that kind of make a box shape?"
Inosuke pointed to where his own gaze rested. "That?" He shivered as his hand brushed past Tanjiro's by mistake.
Tanjiro swallowed, trying to ignore how the brief contact had made him feel. "I think so! See how it has a tail? Like this?" He drew the full shape of the constellation in the air with his index finger.
"Yeah, I see it. What is it, then?"
"That's koguma. Little bear. The tail end is the bear's tail, and the box is his belly." He smiled and placed his hand on his chest. "Takeo used to like him best."
Inosuke scrunched his nose up as he rested his arm in the grass. "That doesn't look like a bear at all. Trust me, I've seen one. Where's its legs?"
Tanjiro laughed. "Yeah, you really have to use your imagination. It kinda looks like a ladle, too. You know, those big serving spoons for soup? That way is easier to see, I think."
Inosuke thought it over. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. I can't believe I never thought up some shapes up there. I've looked at the sky my whole life, but I never really thought about it that way."
A long silence followed as the boys gazed up at the stars and moon. The crisp night air was refreshing, and they could both appreciate the nostalgic scent of the freshly cut grass. Inosuke inched his hand closer to Tanjiro's until their pinky fingers were touching, only enough to feel each other's warmth. It was all he was brave enough to do.
"I wanted to talk with you. In private, you know?" Tanjiro said softly.
"Okay." Inosuke blinked.
"My injuries are gone now. So I'm gonna be out and about on missions again soon. I have to go, but I can't take you with me because you'll still be healing."
Inosuke stayed quiet, but felt his chest grow heavier as he realized the truth in Tanjiro's words.
"I know we've gone on missions without each other before, but this time...well, this time I'm more...upset about it than usual. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't want to be without you." He timidly linked their pinkies, and felt his mouth go dry.
Inosuke suddenly felt more pressured to apologize than ever before. He had to get everything off his chest. He couldn't let Tanjiro leave without him saying something, and it had to be now or never. He felt as if blood would burst through his ears as he began to form the words.
"I—I'm really...sorry."
Tanjiro looked over at him, surprised.
Inosuke wore an expression that made him seem as if he were in pain. He took a deep breath and held it as tears began to well up in his eyes. Just say what you feel!
"I thought...after doing so badly on the mission...that I looked stupid, and helpless. I wanted to hide from you, but I couldn't, so I just...shut up. Because I didn't want to bother you. I thought I didn't deserve you." He found that staring at the moon gave him a little more confidence than he would have had if he were making eye contact with Tanjiro.
Tanjiro's insides twisted as he heard Inosuke admit how he had really felt. He wanted to reassure him right away, but kept quiet so as not to interrupt. He knew how difficult it was for him to talk about his feelings.
"I don't deserve you," he continued, "but not because I fucked up on the mission. I don't deserve you because I made you hurt so badly. He let the tears run out of the outer corners of his eyes without wiping them away. "I made you feel like it was your fault, but it wasn't. And I just need you to know that...I'm sorry. I was wrong. And—thank you. For all the stuff you did. It helped a lot. No one's ever done all that for me."
Tanjiro sniffled. "Thank you for telling me. It's nice to know what you were going through at the time." He bit at the inside of his cheek and placed his hand atop Inosuke's, before curling his fingers between his.
Inosuke felt like he was melting into the grass.
"You do deserve me. And I want you in my life. You can tell me anything you want to. Even when you're embarrassed, or if things didn't go the way you planned. I'll always listen, okay? I'll always want you around. I never want to make you feel like you have to hide from me. I l—" His lips fell shut as he lost the confidence to finish the statement. The one he desperately wished Inosuke would admit, even if only to remedy his own guilt.
Inosuke's palm was sweating profusely. "I'll tell you sooner next time," he mumbled, keeping his eyes on the stars. Tanjiro's hand was so warm. Burning up, in fact. Like holding a fresh cup of tea. Inosuke's arms were starting to feel chilly, so he imagined what it might be like if Tanjiro hugged him. He wanted it so badly. To be closer than this.
"Tanjiro?" Tell him you love him. Just tell him. Then you can hug or something.
"Yeah?" He squeezed his hand a little.
Inosuke felt like he might pass out. "I um—can you show me another—one of those star shapes?" Fuck!
"Oh—um. Sure!" Tanjiro scanned the sky again, and Inosuke could see that the apples of his cheeks had changed shades. "This one's really big." With his free hand, he drew a line in the air connecting the stars he spoke about. "See the diamond sort of shape there? And then the long squiggly line?"
"Um...yeah, I think so." It was hard to concentrate with Tanjiro holding his hand.
"That's Ryuu. He's a really long dragon. The one end is his head, and the other is his tail. You have to imagine his legs again like the last one, though."
"How come none of them have legs?" Inosuke asked, genuinely confused.
"You can kinda relate right now, huh?" Tanjiro giggled, and patted the top of Inosuke's thigh a couple times before going back to holding his hand. Inosuke's pulse was pounding in his ears again.
"I don't know why they don't have legs, though," Tanjiro continued. "But I like them how they are." He looked Inosuke in the eyes. "They're just as pretty, with or without legs."
Oh. Inosuke couldn't quite reason why, but understood that Tanjiro wasn't just talking about the constellations when he'd said that. His face felt warm.
After much more talk about the stars and the shapes they made—Inosuke even made up some of his own—the boys turned their faces toward each other and smiled. It had been such a fun night.
Tanjiro loved the sheen the moonlight casted across Inosuke's bangs, and the way they fell sideways when he was laying down. He studied the little flecks of green and brown in his eyes. So pretty, he thought.
Inosuke loved Tanjiro's smile. It was pleasing to see him so happy, and to know that it was because they were spending time together made it even better. His lips looked so soft. He forgot Tanjiro would be able to see where he was looking as he gazed at them.
Tanjiro felt so tempted to kiss him, right then and there. His emotions got the better of him as he leaned in a little closer. Inosuke could feel his breath on his chin, and it made his heart flutter. Is he going to..?
It would have been a perfect first kiss. A romantic night under the stars. But Tanjiro stopped himself before their lips met. He didn't want to rush Inosuke, or scare him off. He'd never even been hugged before, after all. Tanjiro leaned backward again, but found himself stuck there, admiring Inosuke's features in silence.
Then, he noticed Inosuke's gaze had traveled down to his lips. He found it endearing, but at the same time it startled him. "Uh—"
Inosuke's eyes darted back up to meet his. Tanjiro could see how quickly he was breathing from the way his chest heaved. He looked scared, but not in a fully bad way.
"It's, uh, pretty late. Want to go to bed?" I probably spooked him just now, my gosh. I wasn't thinking straight.
"Oh. Yeah. Thanks for taking me out here." Inosuke sat upright and placed his hands in his lap, groaning from the soreness of having laid on the uneven ground for so long. "I liked Hercules. He has legs that I can see."
As he stretched his arms out towards the sky, he saw a crow that looked perhaps a bit too much like Tanjiro's fly overhead. He followed its path with his eyes, then twisting his body to the side as it glided out of his field of vision. It circled the rooftop of the mansion a couple times before perching atop one of the shingles. It was going to wait for Tanjiro to awaken, and then send him on his next mission. At least, this is what Inosuke feared it would do.
"What's on your mind?" Tanjiro asked, seeing the worry in Inosuke's face.
"Are you that tired? Could we stay here a little longer?"
Tanjiro could hear the anxiety in his voice. "Oh, sure! I just—well—I didn't want to keep you up too late. But if you want to stay longer, we can."
"I...there's something else I need to tell you."