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The first thing Inosuke is able to register, before he even opens his eyes, is the burning sensation spreading over his torso.
It isn’t like the poison that the mantis demon had afflicted him with, searing and tearing away painfully at his insides. What he feels now is warmer, similar to the medicinal balms that Shinobu and the others would apply to his skin to heal him. The feeling was nice, as though it was cleansing any impurities straight out of his system.
The second thing he notices is that he’s being held in someone’s lap. That knowledge doesn’t immediately bring him any discomfort, and the touch feels familiar to him, so it can only be someone he knows.
The person in question is cradling Inosuke close to their chest, their hands far too gentle and kind against his skin. Must be Tanjiro then.
The final thing that Inosuke noticed was how his stomach growled at him.
That is what forces his eyelids to open, his search for food taking precedence over anything else. His suspicions are confirmed when Tanjiro’s features come into his sight, the other boy peering down at Inosuke anxiously.
“I’m hungry!” he says immediately. “Feed me!”
Tanjiro smiles the moment he hears his voice. He’s beaming just as wide and as bright as he usually does, but his eyes are overflowing with tears.
“Inosuke!” he exclaims, practically throwing himself against the shorter teen.
Inosuke jolts at the unexpected contact, but Tanjiro doesn’t make any other sudden movements. He simply keeps his arms wrapped securely around Inosuke and buries his face into the other’s neck.
From Tanjiro’s side, Nezuko leans forward to follow his example. She wraps one arm around her brother, but her other limb is currently encircling around Inosuke’s waist as she, too, lays her head against him.
Inosuke, for his part, doesn’t know what to think of any of this.
“What are you doing?” he questions, eyeing the pair suspiciously. “You trying to pick a fight or something?”
Even without Tanjiro’s answer, Inosuke knows that probably isn’t the case. Neither Tanjiro nor Zenitsu ever accepts his sparring invitations, and Tanjiro was too nice for something as shady as a sneak attack.
But then, Inosuke really wasn’t sure what else to call this.
“No, of course not,” Tanjiro hurriedly shakes his head. “I’m hugging you.”
“...Hugging?” Inosuke repeats.
Now that he stopped to think about it, he had seen Nezuko and her brother in a position similar to this before. It didn’t seem to matter whether it was after a mission, or even after Nezuko had spent a few hours resting in her box. He had sometimes caught the two with their arms around each other much like this, both appearing content and a smile lighting up Tanjiro’s visage.
He had never really given the action much consideration before, he only knew that Tanjiro appeared to be happy anytime it happened.
Which is why it was even more confusing that he seemed so upset now.
“Why?” Inosuke asks quizzically.
“Because,” Tanjiro sniffs, “I was so afraid that there was nothing I could do to help you. I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to save you, just like last time.”
Last time?
“Oh,” Inosuke realizes belatedly. “You mean the mountain with all the spiders.”
Tanjiro nods, tightening his hold on the other.
“That’s why when I saw you lying like that, I was scared that we were going to lose you,” he confesses, voice teeming with emotion. “I’m just so glad that you’re alive.”
Oh.
Well.
Inosuke couldn’t say that he didn’t find this awkward, receiving a hug while someone was sobbing on him. But as he listened to Tanjiro’s ragged breaths, and peered down to see Nezuko happily laying with her head on his shoulder, he couldn’t find much of a reason to force them to stop either.
He prided himself on keeping his minions happy, so that’s just what he was going to do.
So Inosuke generously left Tanjiro to curl his body around Inosuke and hold onto him. It was still kind of weird, and the feeling of water droplets dampening Inosuke’s shoulder brought him a slight bit of discomfort.
But it was also strangely warm, and maybe Inosuke could actually understand why Tanjiro liked hugs so much. They seemed pleasant overall.
Just when Inosuke was pondering whether he was supposed to put his arms around the siblings as well, Tanjiro pulled away. He was quick to wipe at his face, offering Inosuke an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry all over you like that. I was just happy that you’re alright.”
Inosuke shakes his head, deciding to overlook the fuzziness in his chest. He sits up after Nezuko moves back as well, facing the other two.
“It’s fine,” he dismisses. “What about everyone else?”
Tanjiro’s expression hardens.
“I don’t know. Zenitsu is down there,” he begins, pointing below them to the ground, “but I’m not sure about Uzui-san and the others. I only know that he was in a really bad condition when I last saw him.”
Inosuke frowns, recalling the glimpses he got of the older man as he fought, and how beat up he was getting towards the end.
“Well, we’re all ok, so why wouldn’t he be?” Inosuke challenges. “I bet he’s just fine!”
Tanjiro hums in response, though he doesn’t seem entirely convinced.
“I hope so. I’m not sure how I’m still able to move if I’m being honest, but I think Nezuko’s blood demon art is what got rid of the poison in your body,” he explains, idly patting the young girl’s head as she preens under the attention. “So she might be able to do the same thing for Uzui-san, too.”
Inosuke nods, understanding.
“Then you’re going to go find the God of Festivities,” he concludes. “Do you need me to search for him?”
“No, that’s ok. He shouldn’t be too far from here, and I have Nezuko to help me,” he adds, sending a smile to his sister. “But would you mind checking on Zenitsu? I wasn’t able to get a chance to really see how he was faring.”
“You can count on me! I’ll get that wimp back on his feet in no time!” he grins. Tanjiro’s smile develops an awkward tinge.
“Please don’t do that. He’s really injured, too.” His expression grows concerned as he regards Inosuke. “Will you be able to walk on your own?”
“Hah? Who do you think you’re dealing with?!” Inosuke demands, demonstrating by jumping straight to his feet, much to Tanjiro’s surprise. “I could run this entire district five times over and still not be tired! Something like this can’t stop me!”
A brighter smile spreads over Tanjiro’s lips, a touch of amusement upon witnessing Inosuke’s antics. There’s a much softer emotion hidden underneath, a fondness that shines through his eyes as he observes his friend.
“You really are amazing, Inosuke,” the other teen admits earnestly, “but make sure not to overdo it, ok? I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
This phrase, which would have enraged Inosuke mere months ago, only serves to send a burst of warmth through him, similar to how he felt when Nezuko was healing him.
Inosuke frowns. Maybe there were some lingering side effects he was still experiencing after all. Perhaps he could take Tanjiro’s advice and try to keep himself restrained, just this once. It wasn’t like the other teen had to know about it.
The masked boy snorts, waving his hand.
“Yeah, whatever. Quit worrying and go find the God of Festivities already. I gotta go to Monitsu anyway,” he states, swiveling on his heel to rush down to their third companion.
All the while, Inosuke could sense Tanjiro’s gaze lingering on his retreating back.
He slides down the mountain of debris until he reaches Zenitsu, who glances up at the disturbance. Once he realizes who it is, his eyes go wide.
“Inosuke!” he yelps, scrambling forward. “You’re actually ok! Are you hurt?! Where’s Tanjiro?! What happened?!”
Inosuke cringes at the onslaught of rapid fire questions. He crouches until he’s level with Zenitsu’s face before smacking a hand to the other’s mouth and effectively cutting off his stream of inquiries.
There’s a flicker of annoyance in Zenitsu’s expression as he makes an indignant noise in the back of his throat, but Inosuke pushes onward.
“Knock it off already! How am I supposed to answer anything if you won’t let me get a word in?”
Inosuke hears another displeased sound from Zenitsu, but the blonde does nod in agreement, so Inosuke pulls his hand away. Once he does, Zenitsu’s features soften.
“So what happened? How are you...are you actually alright?” he asks urgently.
“Of course I’m ok! Monjiro says that Nekomo burned away all the poison or something --”
“POISON?!” Zenitsu squeaks in horror.
Inosuke gives Zenitsu a strange look, even though he couldn’t see it. Why did he seem so shocked? He had been there the whole time they were battling.
“Yeah. Me and the Hashira were poisoned, so Kentaro and Nezumi went to go find him. But it’s not like I needed her help anyway!” he boasts. “I would have been just fine without her demon art thing, since I’m the strongest!”
Zenitsu doesn’t comment on this statement, instead continuing to stare at Inosuke with disbelieving eyes.
“Th-then you’re not poisoned anymore? Nezuko-chan healed you?”
“Yep.”
Zenitsu’s arms begin to tremble. Inosuke makes a mental note to drag Zenitsu to train with him more often, since his arms shouldn’t be that tired just from supporting his upper body.
“So you’re really ok…”
Inosuke huffs.
“That’s what I just said, isn’t it?! Now go on, praise your boss for being the best!”
Zenitsu doesn’t do that. Inosuke watches as tears race down Zenitsu’s cheeks, and he jerks back in surprise.
“Hey, why the hell are you crying?!”
Zenitsu winces, bringing a hand up to his cheeks as though he himself was surprised to discover that he’s crying. He turns away, halfway hiding behind his arm.
“I-I’m not!” he denies.
“You are though!” Inosuke argues back incredulously.
He tries running through a list of possible explanations as to why Zenitsu might be upset.
“Are you hurt somewhere?” he realizes, reaching out to pat at the other’s shoulders and arms. “I know the mantis demon couldn’t have, but did the worm lady get to you after I was stabbed?”
Zenitsu grimaces before hiding his face in his hands.
“That isn’t it…”
Inosuke frowns, stopping his inspection. Well if that wasn’t it, what else could it be?
“Oh! You’re worried about the Hashira, then!” he surmised. “Kentaro was pretty worried too, but you’ve got nothing to be afraid of! He’s gonna find that flashy guy and make him as good as new!”
Zenitsu didn’t seem at all reassured by Inosuke’s claims. Instead, he groans quietly and shakes his head.
“That’s not it either!”
Inosuke feels a vein tick in his forehead. Now he was starting to get pissed off. He disliked guessing games like this, and it definitely didn’t help that Zenitsu wouldn’t even look at him.
“What is it then?” he snaps, grabbing Zenitsu’s wrists in order to pull his hands away and unearth his face. “If you’re not hurt, and it’s not about the Hashira, then what is it?!”
“I was worried about you, you idiot!” Zenitsu yells, leveling Inosuke with a tear-filled glare.
This revelation leaves the brunette taken aback. He releases Zenitsu’s wrists, almost expecting for him to hide away again. He doesn’t, although he does frown down at his lap.
“I already told you I’m fine though!” he points out.
“I was still worried about you, idiot!” Zenitsu yells, now averting his face over to the side.
This leaves Inosuke even more confused.
“What’s the problem? I’m up and moving, so you should be happy!”
“Of course I am, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t scared!” the older teen argues, his face red and scrunched up. “All I could hear was your heartbeat getting weaker and weaker, and I didn’t know if there was anything I could do! I didn’t even know if there was anything that Tanjiro would be able to do! I thought you were...I thought you were going to --”
Zenitsu’s words break off, unspoken but meaning clear nonetheless. He muffles his sobs into his sleeves, futilely wiping at his eyes while Inosuke can only sit there in a daze.
Zenitsu was a crybaby. He would whine hysterically when they were all sent out onto a mission, and he would scream at the smallest sign of danger, always clinging to his two other teammates while blubbering pathetically. That was normal.
Inosuke had never seen Zenitsu cry like this. He was supposed to be loud and obnoxious, complaining about his misfortune to Inosuke -- who would ignore him -- and Tanjiro, who would indulge him by silently listening along.
The heart-wrenching gasps that Inosuke heard now was nothing like that. His cries were genuine and much more subdued, his tears leaving tracks on the blonde’s cheeks no matter how much he wiped them away. It was painfully heartfelt. It was real and honest.
Inosuke didn’t like it one bit.
Without any warning, Inosuke slaps the top of Zenitsu’s head.
The other teen squawks, throwing his hands over the sensitive spot on his head while glaring angrily at Inosuke.
“What was that for, you stupid jerk?! Do you not have any sympathy at all?!” he screeches.
Inosuke points furiously at Zenitsu while steam escapes from his mask.
“You’re the one that’s being stupid!”
“Now you’re insulting me?! There has to be a limit to how little shame one person can possess! Insensitive brute! Pig brain! Eyelash moron!”
“You’re the moron!” Inosuke reiterates furiously. “I’m strong! You know that!”
The other’s eyebrows twitch as he gives him a baffled look.
“I do, but what’s that got to do with --”
“I’m strong, so that means I’m not going to be hurt too badly!” Inosuke explains, leaping up onto his feet. He jabs his finger in Zenitsu’s direction. “And since I’m too strong to die, the same thing goes for my underlings! I chose you guys as my minions, so that means you’ve gained my favor!”
He waves his arm sporadically, fueled by the intensity of his feelings.
“So that means that you guys are all going to be ok, too, just like your boss! That way you never have to worry about it anymore! None of us can die as long as I’m around! You got that!”
Zenitsu stares up at his companion dumbfounded. His hair is still tied up in those horrible pigtails that don’t suit him, his skin is all red and splotchy from the makeup that he hadn’t yet been able to wash off, and Inosuke can safely say that he has never looked more awful.
He had stopped crying though, so Inosuke will still consider that as a win.
“Were...were you just trying to cheer me up?” Zenitsu asks carefully.
Inosuke glares at him. Wasn’t that supposed to be obvious?
“You were being an idiot, so I had to explain why. If it cheered you up, then that was just extra,” Inosuke huffs, crossing his arms and turning away.
The two are silent for a moment.
“If that’s the case, then you really suck at that.”
Inosuke’s head whips around to scowl at the other. “What’d you just say?!”
“I said you suck at it!” Zenitsu repeats, and it’s only then that Inosuke realizes he’s laughing.
It’s because of that fact alone that Inosuke doesn’t actually follow through on his desire to punch his friend for the insult. Instead, he graciously allows Zenitsu to wipe at his face with a final sniffle. Once he’s done, Zenitsu glances back up at him with a grateful smile.
“But...thanks, I guess. For at least trying.”
It’s a terrible thank you in Inosuke’s opinion. It should barely even count as a thank you. It was preceded by Zenitsu laughing at him and criticizing his efforts. Inosuke should be offended.
Why then did he feel so warm at the sight of Zenitsu’s smiling face?
“Whatever,” Inosuke grumbles petulantly. “How long are you gonna sit there for anyway? I told you before -- it’s creepy.”
Zenitsu jolts at the reminder, his complexion suddenly going pale.
“That’s right, my legs! They really hurt when I woke up! Do you think they’re broken?!” he asks desperately.
“How should I know?” Inosuke counters, frowning. “You were just fine a minute ago. Try moving them or something.”
Zenitsu shakes his head wildly.
“No, no, no, I can’t do that! What if they’re not broken, but that little bit of movement is what finally causes them to break? That’d be the worst!”
“That doesn’t make any sense!” Inosuke snaps. “Try looking at them then!”
“I couldn’t do that either! I’m way too scared to!”
“Don’t be a wimp!”
It takes about a minute of arguing before Inosuke is fed up. He eventually grabs Zenitsu beneath his arms and lifts him up, causing the blonde to shriek at him.
“What are you doing?! You’re not supposed to move someone so carelessly when they’re injured! Just because YOU can move so easily with broken bones doesn’t mean that others can do the same thing! Do you seriously not think at all?! Have you learned nothing from watching Shinobu-san?! You really --”
“OI!”
“What?!” Zenitsu bites back.
“You’re already standing!”
Zenitsu pauses at this, peeking down. While Inosuke might still have his hands underneath his arms to steady him, Zenitsu is still standing with his whole weight resting upon his feet. He looks back at Inosuke innocently.
“Oh. I guess they weren’t actually broken,” he notes rather unnecessarily.
Inosuke scowls at him, deadpan. “Dumbass.”
Zenitsu lets the insult go unmentioned, frowning as he gingerly turns his foot from side to side to examine it.
“My legs do really hurt though. What happened? I don’t remember any of it,” he mutters to himself. Inosuke perks up at the reminder, brightening instantly.
“We took down the worm-obi woman together! She was tricky, but she was no match for us!” Inosuke crosses his arms, grinning smugly. Zenitsu gives him a shocked look.
“We did? I fought, too? But I can’t recall anything like that!” he insists.
“Doesn’t matter, it happened!” Inosuke retorts. “You were actually pretty cool out there! You got all fast, and there was a lot of lightning surrounding you! It was awesome!”
Zenitsu stares at him with widened eyes, speechless. Then he blushes, covering his cheeks with his palms as he squirms in place.
“C-come on! You know I can’t handle it when people give me sudden compliments like that! Especially coming from you!” he gushes, seeming immensely pleased. “Though it would be a lot better if I knew what I actually did,” he adds as an afterthought.
Zenitsu is startled from his bubbly euphoria as Inosuke slaps both of his hands on the blonde’s shoulders, a strange edge to him even hidden behind his mask. The blonde regards his friend warily.
“W-what is it?”
“Zenitsu, you gotta fight me!”
Zenitsu gapes at him. “What? No way!”
“Come on! Now that I know you’re actually strong, you have to fight me for real!”
“I’m not doing that! We literally just got done battling an upper moon! We all need to rest!”
“Fine! We’ll fight after that then!”
“I don’t wanna do that either! Is fighting really all you ever think about?!”
They argue like that for a while, only able to exchange verbal blows since Inosuke is unable to chase Zenitsu around. It wouldn’t be much of a challenge with him in his current state anyway.
It’s only when Zenitsu blinks that they both quiet down, now able to hear the sound of wooden planks being rearranged.
The pair turns, seeing Tanjiro and Nezuko emerging from around a pile of rubble.
“Tanjiro!”
“Gonpachiro!”
Nezuko leaps high into the air after noticing them, landing in front of the other two. Tanjiro moves to slide off of Nezuko’s back, with Zenitsu’s assistance in standing him up.
“Zenitsu, you’re up! Are you ok? How are you feeling?” Tanjiro asks, concernedly.
Zenitsu manages a weak smile. “Better, honestly, knowing that you guys are alright.”
Inosuke glows as he places his hands on his hips. “I helped!”
Tanjiro smiles at him. “That’s good.”
Tanjiro may be smiling, but Inosuke recognizes his tone and expression. It’s the one he specifically uses when he doesn’t quite believe something, but is too nice to call it out. Inosuke scowls.
“I did! Tell him, Monitsu!” he orders, nudging the older teen’s side.
“Huh? But I never said I didn’t believe you…”
“I can tell! Now go on, tell him!” Inosuke persists, poking at Zenitsu’s side now.
“Really, I believe you! You don’t have to bother Zenitsu about it!”
“I’ll stop once he says it!”
Zenitsu curls his lip in annoyance at the incessant mistreatment to his side. After a moment though, he sighs and turns his head away.
“He actually did help a little…” he admits. It’s spoken rather reluctantly, but the obvious signs of embarrassment on his face show that he means it.
The other two glance at Zenitsu with differing levels of surprise. Tanjiro seems pleased upon hearing Zenitsu’s statement, while Inosuke himself is almost amazed that Zenitsu validated his claims. It actually fills him with a feeling of delight.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro has started to beam happily at the two of them. Although, something about his smile was a little too cheerful -- as if he knew some sort of secret that they didn’t.
“That’s great! I’m glad to know that you guys got along so well while I was gone,” he says brightly.
Zenitsu sputters.
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that,” he denies.
“Hah? Why not?!” Inosuke snaps, pinching Zenitsu’s cheek. “We were totally getting along! You just said so!”
“That is not what I -- ow! Hey, knock it off already! Tanjiro, help meee!”
Tanjiro complies with Zenitsu’s whined words, simply stepping forward to carefully grab Inosuke's hand.
“Inosuke, remember to be more gentle,” he reminds the other.
Inosuke huffs but decides to take a step back. Zenitsu rubs at his reddened cheek with a grumble.
“Anyway,” he begins, turning a serious gaze to Tanjiro. “Inosuke told me that you were going to find Uzui-san. Was he ok? What about his wives?”
Inosuke’s shoulders stiffen as he peeks over at their redhaired friend. Tanjiro didn’t appear to be upset, but Tanjiro was also skilled at suppressing his emotions for the sake of others. He had been gone for a long time, and Uzui had been greatly injured.
Could something have actually happened to him after all?
Thankfully, Tanjiro’s expression softens.
“He’ll be ok.”
Inosuke releases a small breath, losing the tension in his body.
“He received a lot of injuries, but he’s going to live. We managed to get Nezuko there just in time. Hinatsuru-san, Makio-san, and Suma-san were all tending to him when we got there. All three of them were unharmed,” Tanjiro informs them.
Zenitsu relaxes from his place at Tanjiro’s side, looking just as comforted by the news as Inosuke felt.
“So...we’re ok? All of us?” Zenitsu asks quietly. Tanjiro smiles.
“That’s right.”
Inosuke grins. “As if there was any doubt!” he remarks confidently.
He’s stopped from saying anything further by the sound of someone’s sniffles. He looks and, sure enough, large teardrops are cascading down Zenitsu’s face. Inosuke blanches at the sight before quickly recovering, pointing and gesturing fiercely at the blonde boy currently crying.
“What did I just say before?! Don’t you listen, Monitsu?!”
He apparently does not listen, because Zenitsu only succeeds in crying even harder, clutching at Tanjiro’s sleeve while sobs wrack through his body. Inosuke can’t even enlist Tanjiro for help, because now he’s crying, too.
The redheaded boy outstretched his arms in order to pull both Zenitsu and Inosuke close to him, bringing their heads to rest against his. Zenitsu reaches out blindly until he grasps at Inosuke’s bicep in an attempt to pull him in. Inosuke doesn’t resist, doesn’t even protest, because now he recognizes the display in front of him.
Zenitsu’s bawling, but unlike before he’s loud and unrestrained, not nearly as distressed as he had been just minutes prior. Tanjiro was crying just as sincerely, emotions always wrenched from the bottom of his heart, but he prioritizes the comfort of his friends as he nuzzles against them.
Unlike the moments where he was truly downcast or sorrowful, Tanjiro was smiling, and Inosuke was able to understand that neither of them were truly sad anymore.
They were relieved.
“We’re alive!” Comes Zenitsu’s tearful exclamation, punctuated with watery hiccups. “I’m so happy we’re all alive!”
“There, there…” Tanjiro speaks soothingly, caressing the other’s blonde hair in an effort to console him. “It’s alright. There, there…”
Inosuke refuses to acknowledge the sudden burning behind his eyelids, but he would permit himself to relax in his friends’ hold. They had been cutting it awfully close this time around, and relief was a much easier feeling to confront than sadness.
He could let his companions cry as much as they wanted to this time around. His interference wasn’t needed for this.
It seemed like an eternity before Zenitsu quieted down to just a few whimpers, his head having long since rested on Nezuko’s shoulder. He sagged forward, his legs giving out beneath him. The remaining three went down with him, crouching on their knees while supporting his weight.
“Wha -- hey, Chuuitsu! What’s wrong?” Inosuke asks uneasily, jostling the boy’s arm to get his attention.
Nezuko and Tanjiro both peer at Zenitsu’s face with concern, Nezuko’s sounds muffled as she pats at his cheeks. Tanjiro smiles after a moment of inspecting their teammate’s face.
“It’s ok. He’s unconscious, but he’s not in any danger. I think he’s just exhausted,” he tells them.
This announcement mollifies Nezuko, the young girl ceasing her prodding with a small hum of relief.
Inosuke peers over as well, checking for himself that Zenitsu’s breathing correctly and that there’s no visible signs of distress. Ensuring that everything’s alright, Inosuke heaves a large breath.
“Stupid Monitsu, he couldn’t even wait until we got back to the inn before sleeping,” he grumbles.
Tanjiro gives a weak chuckle in response.
“I can’t exactly say that I blame him. I’m exhausted, too,” he mentions, now sparing a glance at Inosuke. “What about you, Inosuke? I know the poison is gone now, but does anything else hurt?”
Inosuke puffs out his chest proudly. “Not a thing! I’m so fine that a cold wouldn’t even catch me! No one can get rid of Lord Inosuke that easily!”
In truth, Inosuke wasn’t in perfect condition. His body was sore and aching, and he was lightheaded from all the blood he had lost during their fight. He possessed enough awareness to realize that they all could have come very close to dying, and that included him.
However, he didn’t want Tanjiro to be any more concerned about him then he had already exhibited. He couldn’t endure the possibility of witnessing his friends crying or fretting over him any more than they already had. Especially not Tanjiro, who was such a worrisome mother hen to begin with.
Whether the younger boy actually believed him though, Inosuke wasn’t sure. A smile graced Tanjiro’s features nonetheless, so Inosuke would collect whatever small victories he could get.
“Good. I’m glad for that,” he responds softly. “It was pretty touch and go for a while there, and I was afraid that we weren’t going to make it...but we actually did it.”
Tanjiro’s lips rise at the corners, brightening as he gazes fondly at each of them in turn. His head droops against the top of Nezuko’s as his eyes finally meet with Inosuke’s, his smile tired but endlessly fond.
“I’m really proud of you guys…” he murmurs slowly, just as his eyelids slip shut.
Inosuke watches as the other’s breathing evens out, signalling that he was truly asleep. Tanjiro’s words bring the familiar fuzziness that Inosuke feels from his kind words or Zenitsu’s sudden, cheerful smiles, but Inosuke finds that he can’t completely enjoy basking in the other’s praise.
“Moron,” he gripes, poking at Tanjiro’s cheek. “It’s no good if you don’t include yourself, too. Next time, you had better be proud of us.”
Tanjiro, as expected, doesn’t answer.
Nezuko tries to crane her neck back to peek at the sudden weight resting against her head, her eyebrows pinched together in concern and confusion. Inosuke huffs, bringing his hand up to pat the young girl atop the crown of her head.
“Don’t worry, Underling Number Three, they’re just asleep,” he announces, drawing Nezuko’s attention to him. “They fought pretty hard, but they’re gonna rest up and get better now! Then we’re going to go fight some more demons, whether Monitsu complains about it or not!”
A pair of pale pink eyes blink at him, as though only somewhat comprehending what he was saying. That was fine though, because Inosuke was positive that that’s what was going to happen. They would go to hunt even more demons and defeat them all. They’d grow stronger in the process, so that they wouldn’t have a close call like this again. He was sure of it.
He observed Tanjiro and Zenitsu’s sleeping expressions, listening to the sound of their quiet breaths and allowing for his own rare moment of introspection. A couple of wrong moves, and it was possible that none of them would even be there at that moment.
He thinks of the fury he experienced when Tanjiro had protected him from the knife on that awful train, and how sick he was at the sight of his prone, injured body afterwards.
Then he thinks of the cold panic he felt when Uzui had reported Zenitsu as missing, the coil of distress that had seized him until the moment he discovered Zenitsu in that woman’s obi -- dumb-looking, but still alive.
There really had been too many close calls for his taste.
Inosuke finally moved both of his arms, one to wrap around Tanjiro’s back and return the hug he had been invited into, his other arm reaching out to grasp at Zenitsu’s sleeve. He exhales when he detects the dull thudding of their heartbeats, comforted by the feeling of warmth beneath his fingertips.
Silly minions, they weren’t supposed to worry their boss like this.
He flashes back to Tanjiro and Nezuko curling around him and gripping onto him intently, and remembers Zenitsu’s depressing sobs as he confesses the true extent of how scared he had been.
Maybe Inosuke could forgive their indiscretion just this once. After all, it appeared as though he had caused them just as much alarm. As their boss, he would have to take responsibility and ensure that none of them got hurt again.
It should be simple, even without his involvement. His underlings were strong, and they didn't give up. They would always have more missions, but they would just have to make sure to come back safe each and every time.
Inosuke knew that they could do that.
His mouth quirks at the edges, even as his head lands on Tanjiro’s shoulder, the snout of his mask resting by Nezuko’s neck. His arms begin to grow slack, but he never loses his grip on his friends. His eyelids drift shut as his consciousness slowly fades, feeling completely at peace surrounded by the three he trusted the most.
The next set of monsters that they would face really wouldn’t know what hit them.
After all, Inosuke had the best judgement. If he deemed these three to be worth keeping around, that just meant that they were the best, too.