Chapter Text
Inosuke found himself, once again, at the butterfly estate, in bed and injured. It was painful to move, but what was more painful was just lying there while Tanjirou, Zenitsu and Nezuko were almost fully healed and running around and having fun without him. Inosuke often found himself grumbling about nothing to himself or fidgeting with whatever was around him. Of course the three others, being the people (or demon in Nezuko’s case) they were, often came to see him and try to keep him entertained while he sat there, pouting under his boar head.
At the moment Zenitsu had been summoned nearby to quickly defeat a few demons but he cried at the thought of going alone and forced Tanjirou and Nezuko to come. Of course Tanjirou would, he’d be too nice to decline. It was sad really, Zenitsu couldn’t even beat a few demons on his own. Inosuke thought it was pathetic, but he felt worse not being able to be there.
It was almost torture for him. Sure, he healed way faster than the others but he was reckless and got himself hurt way more than probably necessary in the last fight. Inosuke watched the clock opposite his bed, he couldn’t understand it but it was the most entertaining thing there and all it did was tic and move slightly.
He was constantly scratching, the fabric of the bed was itchy and he had already complained to the girls there and they said they couldn’t do anything about it.
This sucked.
Inosuke has been there alone for 4 hours before he heard someone slide the door to his room open. He expected it to be one of the butterfly estate girls but was delightfully surprised when Tanjirou walked through with Zenitsu crying behind him.
The boy smiled at Inosuke as he walked in and Inosuke practically jumped out of bed despite the pain.
“Thank fuck you’re back! How long does it take to beat a few measly demons?!” Inosuke yelled but he was clearly relieved to have some company.
Tanjirou laughed “we weren’t gone that long”
“There were so many of them! I could’ve died!” Zenitsu cried crawling onto a bed and burying himself in the blankets.
Inosuke paid no attention to the blond “you were out forever, you shouldn’t of kept me waiting that long!” He fumed at Tanjirou sitting on the end of his bed.
“Well, there were lots of them and most of them were very quick.” He defended himself calmly
Inosuke didn’t care and stood in front of Tanjirou, growling through his mask. “That’s a lame excus- !” Suddenly, Inosuke’s legs buckled underneath him and he collapsed to the floor. He forgot how much he had hurt himself and it all came back to him at once, after only a second of standing. Everything hurt, his chest, his arms, his legs, his head, even his eyes. He lay there on the floor, pathetically wincing and shaking. “Cur..se-.... yo u... legs...!” He choked out
“Inosuke! You should’ve stayed sitting!!” Tanjirou yelled and knelt beside Inosuke. He reached out his hand to see what had happened with him but Inosuke slapped it away with his remaining strength
“Don’t-.. t.. touch... m...e” he growled.
“I-I’m sorry-“ Tanjirou was taken aback by this but he persisted “you need to get back into your bed, you shouldn’t lie here on the hard ground” he looked at him through, concerned, burgundy eyes.
Inosuke didn’t reply and started to lift himself up, shakily. He tried to sit but his arm slipped and he fell to the floor again “Tch-“
“Inosuke let me help you...” The boy said already helping lift him off the ground.
“Get off-!” Inosuke started but was cut off by Tanjirou, “Please- Inosuke” He said gently helping him balance, standing up and sitting back onto the bed.
“See? It wasn’t that bad” Tanjirou smiled.
Inosuke hated his damn smile- it made him feel weird and he didn’t like it. “Shut up I could’ve done it on my own.” He snapped
The boy only smiled and shrugged at his reply, moving to his own bed and setting Nezuko’s box next to him. “If you say so, you are very strong” he praised.
“Damn you.” His giddiness returned to him and his stomach fluttered. It was evident even with his mask on.
Tanjirou snickered “I’ll get one of the Kakushi to look at your wounds tomorrow but we all need rest at the moment”
“I’ve been resting all damn day!” Inosuke groaned and tilted his head back.
Tanjirou yawned “sorry Inosuke I’d keep you company but those demons took it out of me. And Zenitsu would agree”
Inosuke looked over at Zenitsu who was already fast asleep and snoring away. He tch’ed and looked back to Tanjirou “fine but once my injuries heal you have to one-on-one fight me!”
“Okay!” Tanjirou chimed, obviously not concerned “it’ll be good training”
Inosuke frowned “it’s not training! It’s to prove I’m stronger!” He yelled
“You don’t need to prove anything” Tanjirou smiled back.
”CURSE YOU MONPACHIRO!!” Inosuke instinctively yelled through his ever increasing giddiness
“Hey! I’ve told you! It’s Tanjirou!” The boy yelled back, it clearly annoyed him when Inosuke kept getting his name wrong, and he was aware which is why he kept doing it. Inosuke knew it was Tanjirou but his stubbornness never let him say it.
“Go to sleep! Both of you” Zenitsu yelled from his bed half asleep and pissed.
Inosuke grumbled and closed his eyes, rolling over. “Goodnight Inosuke, Zenitsu!” Tanjirou called before settling down into his own bed.
There was only a grumble from Zenitsu as he and Tanjirou fell asleep. Inosuke lay there a little longer in silence, he could still feel the remnants of Tanjirou’s touch on his back helping him stand. He hated it, it reminded him of something he can’t even remember of- but it made him sad. He can’t understand it.
He had a feeling that Tanjirou’s soft touch would be a problem... It was too gentle, it made him remember something- no someone.
Tanjirou’s touch was so soft and so kind and Inosuke hated him for it.