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Nezuko is precious to Tanjirou, obviously. That’s why he was a bit wary at first and blocked off Zenitsu when he tried to befriend her. He was too friendly, too affectionate just upon seeing his sister. Zenitsu, despite only having met Nezuko for a few minutes, already calls her name with full adoration. Zenitsu, who doesn’t know a single thing about Nezuko, has already fallen head over heels for her, going on and on about how adorable she looks.
It rubbed Tanjirou off the wrong way for some reason.
Zenitsu likes cute girls. Ones with smooth shiny hair, long eyelashes and small tender hands. It isn’t news or anything. The first time they met, Zenitsu was desperately begging for a girl to marry him, after all.
So why? Why did he feel strange seeing Zenitsu fawning over Nezuko. His heart was beating fast. So fast that it could fall off his chest. So loud that it’s the only sound drowning his ears.
Maybe-- Surely, it was because he had been running around in circles with Zenitsu and Nezuko. Of course, what else could it be. All the chasing had worn him out that his heart had to catch up for a bit. (Even if he had been lying on the futon for a few minutes now.) That was all there is to it, he tells himself multiple times.
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Everything was dark now. Zenitsu and Inosuke had already fallen asleep about an hour ago, but Tanjirou hasn’t. He was staring off into the ceiling, his mind had other plans. He tried shutting his eyes off in hopes he could fall into a deep sleep, he really needs it after having three broken ribs and all. But instead, his mind was just Zenitsu. Zenitsu. Zenitsu- He covered his thoughts with different subjects, but it always came back to Zenitsu that kept him from sleeping.
“Tan~ Ji~ Ro~.” He remembers how he said it. So full of warmth and affection. So full of love. He repeated the same line in his head over and over again, with the same tone that sounded so playfully sweet. A tone he only heard because Zenitsu wanted to get closer to his sister. The familiar tightness in chest had went back, alongside the loud rhythm of his heart beat.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
It doesn’t stop no matter how bad he wants it to.
He wonders if Zenitsu would say it like that again, in a way that's more genuine and actually directed at him.
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His mind brings him back to events that happened today. An image of zenitsu covering Nezuko’s box with himself. He was beat up pretty badly. Black eye, nosebleed, and two broken ribs. Even so, he still clung onto it like it was his whole life. All because Zenitsu heard the box meant more than anything to Tanjiro… Even when he knew it emitted off a sound that wasn’t human-
The sudden realization of Zenitsu’s good hearing made him hold his breath for a second. He felt a bit conscious, worrying if Zenitsu could hear his heartbeat in his sleep. Tanjiro just hopes he doesn’t, because at this point, it had already occupied the silence in the room.
He wasn’t dumb, of course. It was like picking up little pieces of a puzzle and putting it together. His body gave off signs and clues, ever so twisting with each thought of a certain blonde, he knew it was more than just a feeling of admiration. The answer was right in front of him loud and clear. And yet, he wanted to run away from it.
Tanjiro touches both of his hands, lightly feeling the roughness of it. The thick callouses that had formed below each of his fingers were anything but soft. Anything but a girl’s hand. His hair wasn’t any better either, it was tangled with knots, strands sticking out where it shouldn't be. He feels himself gloom over it. It would be a miracle if Zenitsu saw him as cute. It’s no wonder why he fell so quickly for Nezuko.
He thinks of Zenitsu holding his hands with care, fingers trailing every part of it, every bump he earned from his harsh training, and Zenitsu wouldn't mind it, he’d enveloped it with his hands even, squeezing it tightly, sharing each other’s warmth. He thinks of Zenitsu carding his hand through his hair, gently feeling each strand and ruffling it like he was a puppy, he’d say it was so nice and soft, and it could make Tanjiro’s heart explode right then and there. But all of it seemed like a dream so far away from being real.
The best he could get would probably be Zenitsu clinging onto him tightly, begging for Tanjirou to protect his dear life from demons. It doesn't get any deeper other than friends comforting friends.
He moved to his side, facing Zenitsu’s futon. Decided it was best to not dwell on it. Clearly, it was souring his mood. So he closed his eyes, trying one last time to drift off to sleep, hoping these feelings would disappear by tomorrow. The smell of peaches surround his nose. The sweetness of it was the last thing he thought of.