**Note from the author. Well ladies and gentlemen. Thank you everyone. Truly. I started this story quite some time ago and honestly lost interest/thought my writing was kinda bad and cringe.
But I found my spark again and feel much more confident! Thank you to all of the votes and comments and adding to reading list! I promise to stick around to finish this one.
Feeling nothing but frustration in himself for not keeping him emotions in check, Inosuke storms off the training grounds to wonder the dense forest that surrounds the compound of the butter fly mansion by himself. He was sent here to train, not learn about confusing emotions about how he should feel when he someone actually likes him. Or even how they feel if those feelings of attraction reciprocated.
With each pounding step on the ground reflects the earthquakes in the young boar's head. Turning his head to the side to scoff in disgust.
"Tch! Stupid blonde. What the hell does he know???" The moments of surging anger when Aoi was grabbed made the beast breather think of the worst. "What if the little butterfly was in danger? What if she couldn't protect herself???"
These thoughts swirled around Inosuke head like a violent storm. He brings both his balled up fists to start hitting the sides of his ears to get his mind to silent. But of course, that did not work. He couldn't help but remember his training session with her. The more he thought about it, the more he slowly realized that moment when he first revealed his face to her was the first time anyone has looked at him and was not instantly creeped out and avoid eye contact.
His entire life no one has ever given him a second look. At the first glance, they only saw a wild beast, a problem child, someone not worth anyone's attention. Toxic thoughts infecting his young growing mind, discouraging the adolescent when he tried to make some sort of human connections. But all the general public saw was a young kid stumbling around in a horrific putrid boars mask. Thinking his face covering was the issue, Inosuke as a young child lifted it up to show his face only to be met by laughter and ridicule.
"Ahaha!! Look at his face!"
"What a freak!"
"Aren't you worried what people will think??"
"Whose daughter- ohh. You're a boy???"
"What mother could love that face??"
"No way someone that looks like that could ever be strong!"
The last one stuck inside young Inosuke's head. "I'LL SHOW YOU! I'LL SHOW ALL OF YOU BASTARDS!! I WILL BE KING OF THE MOUNTAINS AND EVERYONE WILL KNOW THE STRENGTH OF THE MIGHTY INOSUKE HASHABRIA!"
His sudden outburst as a child his first time into a crowd caused quite the scene. Grown adults pointed their finger at the poor boy laughing at his claims. The confidence in young Inosuke wavered. Terrified tears started to well up in his eyes. "Wh-.. why are they laughing at me?.. is this what it's like to be human? To point and laugh at someone different then you?!?"
He shoves his head back into his boars mask to hide. More pointing. More laughing followed. Some adults grew tired of the young boy claiming to be strong shaking their fists yelling at the boy to leave them alone. "Get out of here! Go back into the wild you worthless beast!"
The onlookers that verbally assaulted the boy continued as some even picked up some pebbles on the ground to throw at the boy to get him to leave.
The repressed memory was the start of him building up an overflowing dam, holding back anything that could make a true connection with another human. The water that resembles the beast's humanity being held back by walls built steep to hold everything back. Up until he met Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Nezuko, and Aoi, he never thought of himself as a person. If the people called him a beast, a monster, nothing but a wild animal, then that is just what he would be! With each passing year, the walled off humanity grew taller as Inosuke's heart grew colder. He promised himself he'd never feel embarrassed for who he is ever again. That anyone that would raise their finger to point and laugh at him would be met with the brutal force a wild animal. That humans were the real monsters, not him.
But the dam could only hold back the raging waters for so long. The kindness displayed by Tanjiro, something that no person has ever showed him as long as he could remember started forming cracks in the foundation. Of course there is the kindness his birth mother showed him, but that appeared only as a fever dream on the brink of death making him believe the vision he saw and the person holding him were made up. When coming face to face with death, he couldn't even recognize her and how she saved his life from a terrible fate.
It wasn't until he laid eyes on Aoi when the dam holding back what it means for Inosuke to be human started to leak. As hard as he could try to remain a demon killing machine, a slayer with only one goal, to be the absolute best, these mysterious feelings for the blue butterfly broke through to him.
He remembers how comforting the open air was when he resided on the mountain side. "Maybe some clear skies will clear my mind"
He starts climbing a tall tree to the very top to view the puffy white clouds floating freely up above would always settle the Beast Breather's mind.
This was not the case this time. The silence allowed his memories and feelings to go back and forth which brought his frustration to come to a boiling point. "Damnit.. damnit! DAMNIT!!!!"
The frustrated boar slams his fist repeatedly in a fit of rage against the wooden bark of the tree he was trying to relax at.
His fist meeting the tough armor of the tree blunted and splintered his knuckles and caused them to bleed. He took off his mask to look down at his new injury letting out a sharp disappointed breath.
It had been a few hours since the blue haired slayer stormed off the training grounds. Tanjiro finished up early wanting to chase after his friend to make sure he was okay. It wasn't hard to follow the scents of anger and frustration emitting off Inosuke. When he could smell fresh blood he took off at a full sprint until he was under the tree the boar was on top of
Panting from the short sprint Tanjiro looks up to call out. "Ino-.. Inosuke!!! Are you alright???"
Total Concentration: constant proved to be an immense challenge for the water breather leaving him completely fatigued. Still panting to catch his breath he looks up and meets the eyes of Inosuke who was returning his gaze with furious eyes.
"Oh its you... What the hell do you want ehh???" He darts his eyes away while folding his arms across his chest growing more annoyed knowing Tanjiro will want to talk to him with no intent on shutting up or leaving him alone.
Tanjiro is taken back from Inosuke's anger. He knows it isn't directed towards him but understands what may being going through his friends mind.
He slowly makes the jumps to join the boar at the top of the tree's canopy. It takes him an extra second and almost slips on a branch before composing himself to join the fellow slayer.
He looks down at the bloodied knuckles and sees the indents of the tree. Worried about his friend, he speaks on a soft tone to try to calm Inosuke down. "Inosuke, are you okay? you're bleeding.."
The boar grunts angrily but doesn't give a verbal answer. He brings his knees up to his chest, folds his arms and buried his face into his knees. Accepting that the water breather would remain there, Inosuke breaks down and starts the conversation. "Why Tanjiro. Why do I feel this way?" He grips his heart before continuing. "It feels like a whirlwind inside my chest. Sometimes it gets hard to breath, and my whole body gets all hot.." he snaps to look at his red eyed friend. "Why???? Is this normal??"
Tanjiro mouth is gapping wide open amazed that this may be one of the first time Inosuke has opened up to him. Maybe the wild animal was finally learning to trust someone other then himself. The thought brought a gentle smile on the young slayer's face.
While Tanjiro himself had no experience romantically with anyone, he remembers the way his father would talk to his mother and how he would shower her in affection. How with just a simple look from one of them would cause the other to smile.
Tanjiro lets out a sharp breath when the memories of his fallen parents come rushing to him. "Yeah, what you're feeling is normal. You're not crazy I promise."
Feeling able to lower his guard, Inosuke relaxes his posture more and turns to face his friend. "I feel crazy though! I'm trying my hardest to not want to fight the blonde one all the time! But as soon as he made a move that made the little butterfly uneasy" his brows furrowed down annoyed at Zenitsu actions. "I couldn't help myself! My body moved on its own!"
Tanjiro tried to ease the mind of the beast breather by putting a hand on his shoulder. "Well we're you trying to protect her?" Inosuke doesn't reject the hand on his shoulder. Instead he nods his head slowly. Tanjiro continues to help Inosuke see why he moved the way he did.
"Well do you care about her? Aoi-san?" Once more Inosuke nods his head as an instant reaction, not even noticing how much his guard dropped Around Tanjiro. He inhaled sharply and turns his head away feeling embarrassed
Tanjiro catches his scent and knows his friend has a difficult time talking about these kind of things. "Inosuke I'm your friend. It's okay. If you ever want to just talk just come
grab me okay?"
Inosuke let's put a breath from his nostrils while closing his eyes. A few seconds pass before opening his eyes to look at his friend sitting next to him while grinning wide. The boar puts his fist up to Tanjiro agree that if he needs to, he will talk out what going through his mind with him. "Alright then!"
The two collide their fist while smiling wide and laughing. The two talked for what felt like hours about how they both thought Tomioka was insanely powerful. Inosuke talked about his encounter with the father spider and how the water Hashira swooped in and dealt with the enlarged demon as if it was nothing.
Tanjiro would go on about how Tomioka destroyed the threads that seemed impossible to cut and made the lower six demon look like a menial task.
"He created another form! Urokodaki-san taught me all he knew and the 10 forms of water breathing But Tomioka-San showed me an 11th form! It was the COOLEST!" Tanjiro did he best to impersonate the sheer perfect defensive power known as Giyu's Dead Calm. Slashing away anything at a blinding speed while moving perfectly still. To no one's surprise, the red haired child of the sun was no were near as close to Giyu's form but Inosuke looked on in bewildered
The boar reeling back while pointing both his index finger back and forth to Tanjiro to show his excitement. "He created a form??? That's impressive. I mean.." Inosuke felt embarrassed giving like Giyu praise. "Not as impressive as creating a whole new breathing style!!" The young boar puts his hands on his hips feeling confident.
Tanjiro closed his eyes to smile big. "We didn't do to bad against the puppet demon? I say we make a pretty good team!"
Inosuke chuckles and nods as he remember how difficult that fight was and how his red haired friend gave advice and aided him mid battle to bring down a tough enemy. "It sure was.."
Tanjiro got up and dust off his pants stated he was going to return. "They are probably wondering where we are. Wanna head back?"
Inosuke nodded his head in response. "I wanna take in some fresh air a little more. I'll
Be right behind you in a minute."
Tanjiro nods his head, understanding that his friend may want some privacy to think things over. As he starts to climb down the tree, Inosuke calls out to him one last time. "Thanks.. Tanjiro. This was nice. I think it helped."
Tanjiro smiles big. It was rare that the beast breather got his name right, but when he did, he couldn't help but feel proud knowing that the wild animal is trying to build friendships. They look eyes and Tanjiro flashes a smile with a thumbs up. "Anytime my friend."
Inosuke returns to a peaceful mind. He puts his hands behind his head and leans back on the tree. Still a smile on his face thinking about his talk with Tanjiro and how he can move forward knowing what he knows now.
A few minutes drift by with Inosuke looking up at the lofting clouds above. He mind started to clear and his confidence was coming back. He shifts his head in his hands resting against the bark of the tree a little too quickly and feels his busted knuckles scrap against the wood, opening up the wound again. He brings the fresh wound to his face to examine it for a second before shaking off some of the blood. "Damnit! Ugh.. Well. I suppose I should head back. Bet the little butterfly is going to yell at me for my hand." He couldn't help but display a wide grin on his face with that thought.
The boar puts on his mask and swings from the tree branch he was sitting on with an impressive acrobatic landing. He shakes his wounded hand a little causing fresh blood to trickle down. He lets out a frustrated sigh that he allowed himself to feel unsure or not confident. He slowly passes through lush bushes that hid his location. Slowly he makes his way to the butterfly mansion lost in a daydream about his first few interactions with Aoi. As he approached the back gate into the butterfly mansion, he could see the back of Aoi putting away clean sheets that were hung up on a clothing line to dry. He gulps down the lump in his throat and shifts his feet one in front of the other to slowly approach.
Aoi spun around to hear what footsteps were approaching. She already knew who it was, all of the slayers under her care had been accounted for back in the resting wing of the ward. She had a frown on her face upset that the boar had been on his own for a long time while he is still recovering and the fact he ditched out on training.
Her frown quickly changed to a look of concern when he saw he wasn't he usual self.
Inosuke had removed his mask while placing one hand, his uninjured hand behind his head while avoiding eye contact looking slightly embarrassed. He could feel the vibes that surrounded her were ones of worry. feelings of troubled thoughts that he had caused her to have.
Aoi spotted his injured hand and quickly dropped what she was doing to tend to it.
"You're bleeding!! What happened??"
Inosuke grunted and turned his head. He wasn't entirely sure how to put what he was feeling into words. Aoi's frown returns, grabbing him by the hand to lead him inside. "Well whatever you did, don't do it again! Here, come with me. We need to cover this hand before it gets infected!"
Inosuke couldn't help but blush a little when Aoi grabbed at his hand. Making everything he was feeling even more confusing. His first instinct was to break the hold and storm off on his own again. Reflected back to his conversation with Tanjiro, he did not respond to Aoi in a brutish bit of anger or yell and scream. He let it happen. He let his guard down for Aoi to grab at his hand and make him follow her.
The two walked a short distance passed the recovery ward. No doubt alerting Zenitsu and Tanjiro that Aoi had a firm grasp on the fearless King of the Mountain. Inosuke's first instincts was to frown and groan slightly, knowing he would not hear the end of it once he returns to the room the three shared. After passing more wards, the two arrived in a separate room filled with medical supplies.
The butterfly medic pointed at a small wooden stool. "There. Sit down and I'll get something to help your hand"
Inosuke very curious puts his boars mask on the table and follows the instructions. Aoi turned her back to grab some medical cleaning supplies and bandages. When she turned back around she didn't expect to see the uncovered face of her patient.
"Doesn't he always have that horrid mask on? Is he getting more comfortable around me?.." The thought stunned her for a second as she was left to look upon her favorite features once more. His wonderful emerald eyes. Shinning onto her as bright as the full moon. She stopped her walking stride. "Why does this happen every time?? I feel like I'm frozen!"
Inosuke could tell she was looking at him while he was still looking at his hand to avoid eye contact, causing him to dart his eyes away. Looking back every few moments to his care provider to see is she is moving towards him.
Aoi picked up she was making him uncomfortable, apologizing before approaching. "Sor- sorry. Just so used to seeing you with your face covering." She keeps her eyes on the medical cleaning and dressings supplies to avoid being stars-truck by his gaze. She took a sit next to the wounded beast breather, tucking her legs underneath her as she grabbed his hand to look closer at the wound. "How did this happen?"
Inosuke with a pastel blush continues to look away avoiding eye contact. Not wanting to tell her the whole truth he lied. "I fell"
Aoi scoffs slightly knowing that was not the truth. Not wanting to push the envelop she drops it and looks up at Inosuke preparing to dab some medical ointment on his hands. "This may sting a little.."
The boar looks over to Aoi and nods his head, trusting the young medic as he prepares for his treatment. The dressing dowsed in medical herbs and ingredients met the blistered skin of the beast breather. He winced and flinches in pain wanting instinctively to jerk his hand back and start yelling at everyone to leave him alone. That he didn't need anyone's help or pity.
But he was told this would make him feel better. Physically and emotionally as he is slowly letting other people in, trusting them. To her surprise, the wild animal
Was not feral when treatment was applied, causing her cheeks to flush pink with a smile. Not wanting to ruin the peaceful moment she sat in silence while cleaning and wrapping the boar's injured hand.
A few finches and winces of pain cause the beast breather to jump startling the butterfly medic thinking the moment of peace was over. But to her surprise Inosuke sat quietly the entire time letting Aoi do her job. She finished wrapping his hand but still found her self holding onto his fingertips.
Inosuke looks down at his hand in hers making him maintain his cheeks to still be flushed in a pastel pink color slightly.
Both started to talk at the same time as they both tilted their heads up to look at each other. Not knowing how close the two were, their faces were only a few inches apart.
"Are you feeling-"
"What training did-"
Aoi looks away and takes her hands away from the boy. "Sorry.."
After a few seconds of silence Inosuke let's out a big sigh and apologizes as well. "I'm sorry. For before. I don't know why I acted that way. Just that screeching blondie knows how to piss me off so much.."
Aoi turns back to fixate her eyes on Inosuke while bringing a hand to her face to hide a giggle. "I know what you mean.." After her thought she gasps to herself slightly. "Are.. are we actually having a normal conversation? He's capable of doing that??"
The wild boar let's out another sigh trying his best to convey his thoughts into words someone else could understand. "It's just. I'm not used being around other uhh humans."
Aoi smirked to herself while thinking about the statement. "That's painfully obvious" To her surprise, Inosuke continued to speak from his heart and Aoi leaned in to listen.
"Most humans take one look at me, at my face and either look away disgusted or mock me.." Inosuke looks away towards his boar's head remembering all of the times he was ridiculed for his face. "Thought it's just easier to hide away"
Aoi couldn't believe was she was hearing. Her blush was gone, the amusement she found in having the beast open up turned to sorrow. She couldn't help but feel terrible about how the young boy was exiled from any sort of community just because of who he was. And he could feel all of the emotions she was feeling towards him. Allowing him to fully drop his guard around her.
"Who would be so cruel?" She takes a leap of faith and brings a hand to his cheek. "Well, I like it" Both young teens face shoot bright crimson red well Aoi retreats her hand and wave it around her face. "I mean it's not terrible!! It doesn't mean I like you or anything!"
Inosuke focuses his beast breath, sharpening his intuition. He could tell Aoi was lying about not liking him. He plays it cool by closing his eyes and letting out a smirk. He gets up and grabs his boar's head but stops at the door and half turns his head to leave the young butterfly with a cheerful response. "I like your face too.."
Aoi look as the boar walked out of the room. A glisten of hope shines in her dark blue eyes. Those words echo in her head over and over again. She balls up her tiny hand and covers her bottom lip. She couldn't help but feel tears well up in her eyes but maybe for the first time in her life, it wasn't out of sadness or anger. Was it out of pure joy? She could feel her heartbeat pulse all over her body as she couldn't help but smile wide and big. Feeling elated.