Chapter Text
One evening on a mission like every other they came across a particularly strong demon. Almost as strong as a Lower Moon but not quite. Inosuke didn’t care to learn it’s name-- he'd probably forget it within the next few minutes anyway- but it got a few decent hits on him. Zenku had it a bit worse than Inosuke but not horrible because of his speed. Monjiro had it the worst. Nezuro was exhausted from her last battle against that lower five demon guy and was sleeping. Tontaro said something about his name being… Mui? Something like that. Anyway, Gonpachiro probably had a few broken ribs and many cuts littered along his torso and arms. His haori was tattered and dirty.
“What? Are you guys still alive? Man! You slayers are so pesky!!” The It cackled and drew its arms back, thrusting them forward to blast another attack at the group.
Inosuke dodged pretty well and managed to get another attack in. Nenmisu got grazed, leaving a small gash under his eye. Kentaro, not being able to balance with his probably broken leg, got impaled in his lower abdomen to the right. Tanro coughed up blood with widening eyes as he stumbled backwards.
“That’s one down!! Two more- no!! There's another!” The It looked over at the box with a shit eating grin. He prepared his arms for another attack and Tenitsu realized what it was planning and got it quickly pinned to the ground.
“Inosuke!! Come on! Behead this thing!!” He shouted.
“When the hell did you get cool?” Inosuke said to himself, baffled. Regardless, he surged forward and tore through the Demons flesh, slicing the head clean off.
The demon coughed blood as he cackled. “You might’ve defeated me, but good luck with that friend of yours! I hear amnesia is pretty hard to heal!” Blood gurgled out of his mouth as he disintegrated and became ash.
“What the hell is anastasia?” Inosuke asked Zenutsu, tucking his katanas away.
“Amnesia, Inosuke. And it means to have trouble remembering or memory loss. If Tanjiro has that, we’re so screwed.” He stood up and dashed over to where Itadaki lay.
He was knocked unconscious. The Butterfly Mansion was pretty far away and these wounds were too fatal not to be taken care of right away. The closest estate was the Water Pillars so they would head there.
“Here, Inosuke, you carry Tanjiro and I’ll carry Nezuko in her box.” Minutsu instructed.
“What? Why do you get to choose who carries who?” Inosuke challenged.
“Fine. Inosuke, who do you want to carry?” Bonitsu asked.
“I’ll carry… Tangoro!” Inosuke looked so proud.
“That’s literally what I- okay,” Renitsu exhaled through his nose and picked up Nenko’s box. “Let’s go.”
“Hey! I’m supposed to say that!” Inosuke seethed. “Let’s go!” He picked up Tango carefully and marched onward, Renisu following close behind.
.oOo.
They arrived at the Water Estate, Half and Half Haori greeted them at the door. “Come in, we have a room prepared for Tanjiro here.” and led them down a particularly long corridor into a room. Inosuke startled when he passed the angry white-haired guy who was eating at a dining table.
Tantoro was patched up by one of the healers there and changed before getting settled into bed. Inosuke sat at the foot of the bed, waiting for his favorite underling to awaken. “Hey, Umigo!” Inosuke chirped. “It’s me, Inosuke Hashibira here. You got hurt pretty badly so I was left here to watch over you. Menaitsu was gonna but he had to take care of your sister in the box.”
It felt dull to Inosuke without Tanjiro there to keep the conversation going, but Inosuke would persevere. He scooted closer. “I like bringing people acorns. The boars I was raised with on the mountain would collect some wild berries and like- nuts and stuff and they would give it to the other boars as a sign of friendship. I found some cool berries and stuff on the way over here. Cool, right? I managed to carry you and find some pretty amazing things at the same time.” Inosuke had to imagine the other side of the conversation.
Wow! You’re so cool, Inosuke-sama! Please! Teach me your ways!
Okay, Maybe he wouldn’t say that, but Inosuke liked to imagine he would.
“So uh, anyway,” He fished some acorns and half smushed berries out of his pocket and placed them on the bedside table. “Here. Sorry, they’re kinda mushy. I'll bring you some more the next time I go out. Oh, and if I can I’ll bring you some of those demon-away charms so no more demons hunt you. I don’t really like seeing you get hurt. It always makes me feel weird when you’re quiet. Ha, kinda like that time when you got super mad when I was trying to beat up the whiny crybaby for protecting your sister… which um, was bad so. Yeah, sorry about that. But, don’t tell anyone I said sorry! I’ve got a reputation to uphold!”
I won’t spill your secret, Inosuke! It’s completely safe with me! And he’d flash some sort of smile that would make Inosuke’s insides go to mush and Inosuke would be infuriated by it but love it at the same time. It was weird and- and… and Inosuke missed it.
“Hey… wake up soon, Tanjiro. Please? It’s pretty boring without you.” Inosuke rested his head by Tanjiros feet and fell asleep. If Tomioka walked in on Inosuke being sweet or heard any part of the conversation… Well, he wouldn’t tell anyone.
---
"I think that boar kid saw me."
"Probably"
"Do you think he knows?"
"Probably not."
"You're so bland."
"Isn't that why you love me?"
"No, I love you cause you're good in bed."
"You're so crude."
"I'm kidding. It's cause you're cute."
"Wh-"