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Rain pattered against the thatched roof. In the distance was a low rumble, the dull thunder inevitably keeping one particular boy awake. Inosuke could never sleep when it stormed. When he was younger he would cower to the older boars, nervous of the crackling noises that would suddenly strike like vicious whips striking traitorous enemies. As he grew, there fear never really resolved. He wasn’t as terrified as before, mainly because as he grew, the younger boars would cower to him… but that didn’t mean he liked the cracks that rippled through the air.
He sat at the door of their little hut. A lot had happened since the three of them had become Pillars. It was an interesting journey to say the least. If you had told Inosuke five years ago what his life would’ve been like now he would’ve barked with laughter before challenging you head on… but now that he was here, it almost seemed like a dream. Not that he’d ever admit that, of course. He was strong! And tough! He wouldn’t be caught being so… romantic. That was Tanjiro’s job. They all had a role. All three of them played a different harmony to the same melody. They were three notes of the perfect chord — a C major triad, the sun, the moon, and all the stars.
It was a strange idea at first — one Inosuke didn’t know even existed. Loving two people at the same time seemed weird. Boars usually had one mate, not two… but even so, five years down the track since his successful diffusion into human society and he was still perplexed by men… but he couldn’t turn Tanjiro down when he suggested the idea. How could he? Tanjiro had an entire night sky sparkling in his eyes. He seemed so excited at the idea — so sure that the three of them could work this out… If it was anybody else, Inosuke would’ve punched them square in the face, but Tanjiro… Tanjiro had always been somebody that he naturally gravitated towards. Tanjiro was this odd warmth that Inosuke found himself dependent upon. Tanjiro was like the sun — he was Inosuke’s sun.
A strong hand on his shoulder caused Inosuke to draw back from his daze of staring out at the rain. A much taller man sat beside him, long, messy black hair having swept over his right shoulder.
“Can’t sleep?” Inosuke shook his head at the question. “Yeah. Storm’s about eight miles away. You should come back to bed where it’s warm. Y’know you’re immune system is shit.”
The grin that graced Genya’s lips had Inosuke feeling so many different ways — it always did. His response was a mere click of the tongue, emerald irises averting from his lover’s gaze. A heavy sigh heaved from him, shoulders slacking as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand.
“I won’t be able t’sleep anyways, idiot.”
“So? It’s better than bein’ out here freezin’ your ass off, dumbass.”
Another small huff left Inosuke as Genya’s arm slipped around his waist.
Their relationship ship was… well, at first it was weird. Real weird. They were both so fixated on Tanjiro — especially Inosuke. His jealousy bubbled within his belly whenever he saw Genya with him, talking to him, laughing with him, touching him… it all made his blood boil. At first, it was so difficult, but Inosuke would never give up. Anything Genya could do, he could do it better. Tenfold. He was so much better than Genya. And you know what? He’d be a better boyfriend, too!
The rivalry was something as apparent as Japan’s summer sun. Tanjiro noticed the way there pair bickered amongst themselves from the very start. At first he found it oddly cute, the way they’d fight over him and try to win his attention… but that’s when he realised they weren’t understanding the concept of their relationship. It was quite a complicated idea to comprehend, so really he should’ve expected this to be the outcome.
One summer morning, two years prior to the present rain-filled evening, Tanjiro led Inosuke and Genya out the back of Urokodaki’s place. There, they both noticed, were piles and piles of wood and materials for a thatched roof.
A joyous laugh was what the two boys’ perplexed expressions elicited. Tanjiro grinned as he took each of his lovers’ hands and shot glances between the two.
“Since we’re all in a relationship,” he explained quietly. “I thought we should have our own hut to share, for… well…” A soft pink graced Tanjiro’s cheeks as he looked away, still smiling to himself. “For ourselves.”
Inosuke blinked. The idea seemed weird. Had Urokodaki really agreed to this? But who was Inosuke to disagree when Tanjiro looked so cute like that? His smile was something so precious—so pure… Ah. He really liked this brat. Though, there was something else that soon caught his eye. Genya. He stood on the right of Tanjiro, watching down at him with the softest expression Inosuke didn’t even believe possible. There was a blush that painted his cheeks and seemed to spread down the base of his neck as he watched Tanjiro… he watched him like he was absolutely everything — like he was one of the most precious jewels he had ever seen… and something inside of him erupted. It was some odd burning — some odd sort of… tingling. It spread throughout his chest as if just seeing Genya had ignited a wildfire in his chest.
“Inosuke?”
The hand waving in front of his face snapped him back. Genya was now focussed on him, brow cocked, hands on his hips. Thank the gods for boar mask.
“O-Onto the building!” he hurried before dropping Tanjiro’s hand and making a beeline for the materials.
“Is… he alright?”
Tanjiro merely giggled at the question.
“He’s fine.”
Tanjiro knew exactly what was wrong with him.
The hut took weeks to finish. The three of them learned together, with some additional insight from Urokodaki. On the hottest days, Nezuko would bring them some freshly squeezed lemonade and make sure that they came inside for a short break every few hours. Inosuke didn’t want a break. He wanted this hut done. With each day that passed he had a new found inspiration to have it done and dusted. Avoiding Genya was hard. It was really hard. Inosuke would just brush past him or pretend he didn’t hear him, but when he came out and offered Inosuke help with how to properly bind the roofing... His body was so close, his hands over Inosuke’s, his bare chest against his back, breath fanning across his nape… It was too hot… it was all too hot.
“Are you even listen—?! Inosuke? Oi, Inosuke!”
It was as if he had just blinked and suddenly he was in Urokodaki’s living room resting upon on a little mat. A sharp pain split through his cranium, earning a small groan from the boy. He blinked the blur from his eyes and slowly began to sit up.
“Oi,” came a gruff response. Two strong hands held Inosuke in place, coaxing him back onto the mat. “You just passed out, dumbass. Don’t go trying to get up.”
Genya sat beside him, dabbing Inosuke’s forehead with a cool cloth. Feeling someone squeeze his opposing hand, Inosuke looked. Tanjiro sat beside him, smiling softly. Sadly.
“You shouldn’t have worked so hard… We can have a break for now, yeah? You just rest and we can pick up again tomo—”
“Nah! No way! I’m not restin’ now! I had my rest!” Inosuke shook his head quickly as he sat himself up again. “I rested enough with bein’ weak. I don’t—”
“Inosuke.” Genya cut in firmly. The voice caught Inosuke by surprise, thinking he’d be chastised from his… boyfriend… by Tanjiro . It was then that Inosuke noticed the slender fingers that had gingerly laced with his own, a warm, rough palm pressing against his own. Suddenly a butterfly erupted within the confinement of his chest cavity and he could feel his ears growing hot. Genya’s expression wasn’t much better; his gaze was fixed on their hands, complexion now reminiscent of a blooming rose. “J-Just… Just rest, idiot. You’ve done enough. Just rest.”
That night the three of them finally slept comfortably amongst one another, Genya laying in the middle, an arm wrapped around each of his lovers’.
Nowadays, though, even if Inosuke is still rusty in the affection department, he and Genya have grown equally as close as he and Tanjiro. It took some time — a lot of time — but they made it eventually. There they sat at the mouth of their little hut they the three of them had made, watching the sky light up with streaks of white and purple. Inosuke would flinch every now and again at an unexpected clap of thunder, but Genya just held him close.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” came a rather pouty mumble.
The two boys looked over Genya’s shoulder at the third partner. Tanjiro’s hair had grown out of the years and presently fell just above the middle of his back. He rubbed his eyes with a loose fist, trudging over to the pair. Taking a seat beside Inosuke, Tanjiro’s arms found their way around both boys, curling into Inosuke’s bare back. A low hum left Tanjiro as he pressed a gentle kiss to the outline of Inosuke’s shoulder blade, trailing the gentle pecks up to the boy’s jaw.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
“Seems like the little baby couldn’t take the thunder.” Genya is smirking as Inosuke growls.
“I’ll kill you.”
The threat was so weak both Genya and Tanjiro harmonised together in soft laughter.
They sat together for a few moments, Tanjiro nuzzling into Inosuke’s back while Inosuke rested happily into the crook of Genya’s neck.
They were all where they were meant to be—together alongside one another.
A large palm rubbed against the small of Tanjiro’s back, holding him closer as Genya pressed a lingering kiss to Inosuke’s forehead.
“Let’s go back to bed, guys,” his lower voice rasped.
Tanjiro merely hummed in response, already half asleep against his two boyfriends. Genya chuckled lowly as he slowly unwrapped himself from the pair. Inosuke stood up first and helped Genya to his feet, surprised when his cheeks were suddenly cupped and a warm kiss was pressed to his mouth. He paused momentarily, eyes slightly wider before he gradually melted into the movements of his lover’s lips. Inosuke hummed quietly, hand resting against the other’s that held his cheek.
The kiss was slow and gentle and fleeting. When they pulled back from the tender lip lock, they were greeted with soft snores from the floor.
An audible pfft! left Inosuke as he carefully approached Tanjiro and scooped him up in his arms.
“I can't believe he’s just gonna sleep,” Inosuke mused.
“Y’know that you can’t expect too much from him when it’s late.”
“He’s always been like this, huh?”
Inosuke laughed softly as he carefully laid Tanjiro down on his mat. Just like most nights, Genya took his usual place in the middle and — unsurprising to both boys — Tanjiro immediately coiled into his chest. Inosuke just sat beside the pair for a moment, residing on his knees as he watched them.
Never did he ever expect to have such luck in life. He never thought he’d ever leave the forest. If it wasn’t for that one morning… if it wasn’t for that one lower moon… would he still be caring for the boars? Would he have ever met Genya or Tanjiro? He has a family now — a real family… and that was something he never knew he needed until entering this complicated little relationship with two men.
“You good, ‘Suke?”
Inosuke nodded slowly. He leaned down over Genya and gently swept Tanjiro’s hair from his forehead, pressing a lingering kiss to his scar. When he looked up at Genya, he flushed seeing the adoring smile that played at his lips.
“D-Don’t fuckin’ look at me like that!” Came Inosuke’s usual growl, face plunging into Genya’s neck as he cowered away.
“Like what? I was fucking smiling!” Genya whisper-shouted back. Inosuke could hear that he was still grinning. Bastard.
“L-Like that ! Y’know what I mean! Don’t be a dick!”
“I’m not being a dick! You’re just sensitive!”
Inosuke looked up with red cheeks and glared at the taller.
“If you wake him up, ya ass is grass.”
Silence encompassed them momentarily and Genya looked away, biting back a growing grin.
“What the fuck are you thinking about now?”
“Nothin’. Sometimes you just choose your words so poorly. Like…” Genya glanced back down at Inosuke and shook his head. “Nothin’. Just get some sleep before you shit yourself again from the storm.”
Inosuke obliged with a heavy huff, curling back into the broader man’s chest. He was quiet for a few moments before tracing aimlessly over the array of scars that littered Genya’s sun-kissed complexion.
“Didn’t shit myself.”
“Did too.”
“I did no—oh… that was one time, bastar—”
There was a quiet mumble that immediately silenced the pair, both boys suddenly holding their breath from their whispered argument. Thick lashes slowly fluttered open and both boys were met with a drowsy, burgundy-eyed boy. Tanjiro blinked a few times before frowning.
“I forgot…” he mumbled quietly. Both boys remained quiet until Tanjiro leaned up and gave each a gentle kiss to their lips. Inosuke became so pliant as soon as Tanjiro’s lips met his, holding his shoulder gently as they kissed. When it was Genya’s turn, Inosuke bit down upon his own lip, cheeks burning as he watched their mouth gently move along to a silent melody. Once the brief, tender kiss was finished, all three boys watched one another. “I forgot to kiss you both goodnight.” And with a tired smile, Tanjiro curled back into Genya’s chest, Inosuke’s hand in his own.
Genya and Inosuke, however, were far from sleep and suffering metaphorical nosebleeds.