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Zenitsu hated heats with all his damn being.
They only lasted three to five days for only three or four times a year, but when they did arrive it felt like it would be eternity before it ended. It was easy to lose track of time when your body felt like it was literally melting.
Zenitsu could only be relieved that the body did have a warning for when heat would arrive. (at least after the first heat which caught the poor omega completely off guard). Preheat was not even close to how terrible heats were, but still annoying. It was pretty much the body getting a small warmth and perhaps the only instinct Zenitsu didn’t mind.
Nesting.
In fact, it was the only thing Zenitsu loved about being an omega (well that along with the break from hunting those scary demons). Being able to just relax in a safe space just for him felt perfect and so comforting. His anxieties were always elevated whenever he got inside one.
Which led to now, Zenitsu feeling the soft warmth of his body of preheat and getting started on nest building. He already got his week off from demon slaying so now this was his only worry! (that he can do something about at least. Sadly heats werent easy to just completely stop.). Sure if he had a choice, he would wish for no heat at all, but he will take what he could get.
When it came to nesting supplies, Zenitsu remembered how embarrassed he was to ask Tanjiro for anything. They were dating..but it didn’t change how embarrassing it was!. Expecially since it was easy to equate what him being in heat meant. And he wasn’t exactly..ready to share his heat with an alpha traditionally which Tanjiro was willing to accept as he wasn’t ready yet either.
But when he did ask, Tanjiro seemed more than happy to give Zenitsu some things of his! In fact, he could almost smell a sense of pride coming from the kind alpha as he handed him clothes including his signature haori.
It really did tie his nest all together. He also asked for his other mate, Inosuke, to give him something. However it was a lot more difficult seeing as the boar masked boy never wore any shirts or haoris. The most Zenitsu ever got was some stray fur on his hakama which smelled more of an animal than his other mate..However it was the best he could get so for those moments he would just have to shut up and take it.
And after Zenitsu would even donate his clothing to Inosuke for his own heats, rude. Though suppose it can’t be helpped.
The only other things he kept in his nest was some generic bedding and blankets. None was as special as the haori Tanjiro so gracefully offered.
Zenitsu was scrambling. One annoying thing about nesting was to make things perfect. So one wrong thing, and Zenitsu would rush to fix or add to it. If he didn’t, he would feel anxious, a feeling Zenitsu was not a stranger to. It was annoying, but it wasn’t like he was gonna build a lousy safe space. He had standards unlike some people..
The blond moved one last pillow before smiling with satisfaction. That should be perfect..should be.
However, he coudnt shake the feeling..something was missing.
And that's when he noticed.
He turned to see where he put Tanjiro’s haori..
It was gone.
And now Zenitsu was freaking out.
If it wasnt for the instincts, he would probably be more afraid about Tanjiro’s reaction seeing he lost the others favorite haori. However, right now he was far more focused on his own comfort and how he would need that thing for comfort during the worst damn week of his life. (other than training weeks of course.)
Zenitsu immediately slammed the door open to see if perhaps it somehow flew out of the room or if he dropped it when bringing it here. And that's when he saw it.
Tanjiro’s green checkered haori that was orionally in his nest.
And that's not all.
There was also his yellow, white spotted traingle hoari gone.
He didnt even realize that went missing..before he had the chance to think about that too long, he saw the culprit.
Holding Tanjiro’s haori (and his, but he wasnt too interested in that right now), was Inosuke who while behind his stupid boar mask, Zenitsu could have sworn by looking at him he was grinning.
The reasons why Inosuke took that didn’t matter to Zeenitsu right now. What did matter was that Inosuke took it from right under his nose! He needed that haori!
“Inosuke!! Give that back!”
Zenitsu immediately shouts without thinking which catches the boar headed boy's attention. It was at a standstill for a moment as they both stared each other down.
And suddenly, without a single word, Inosuke bolted.
“Hey!” Zenitsu shouted as he immediately followed suit. He should have expected this, Inosuke was never the type to sit still or listen.
He should at least be thankful that things were quiet in the butterfly mansion as neither of them were gonna slow down as they ran across the halls.
Inosuke was fast, but Zenitsu was faster thanks to practicing thunder breathing so he was already beginning to catch up to the boar boy.
Inosuke however, didnt seem to notce as he was copletey focused on running away from the blond.
Zenitsu was starting to get close enough to reach out his hand, his eye on the prize. He reached out for the haori..
Before Inosuke makes a sudden turn jumping and suddenly grabing the ceiling above them to jump behind Zenitsu and start running the exact opposite direction.
Zenitsu wanted to scream, especially when he heard Inosuke’s maniacial laughter as he ran.
“You aren’t getting away from me that easily, damn boar!” Zenitsu shouted right back as he turned around running once again right after him.
Zenitsu’s words didnt seem to deter Inosuke at all as he kept running gleefully laughing at succeeding at throwing off Zenitsu which only served to make the blond omega angerier as he pushed his legs further going as fast as they could take him without using a technique.
Inosuke finally seemed to register how fast Zenitsu was going as suddenly he began to look around before suddenly making a right turn in which Zenitsu promptly followed.
What Zenitsu didnt see though was that they were running to another.
“Out of my way! Coming through!” Inosuke shouted as he pushed away whoever was in front of him, in which happened to be Aoi who gasped as she falls to the ground in surprise.
This is what snapped Zenitsu out of his laser focus as he immediately started slowing down to help the nurse. “You damn moron! You pushed someone, what is wrong with you!?”
Inosuke didnt stop grinning again, but Zenitsu was stopping chasing him for now to help Aoi up who immediately huffed in annoyance. Though it didn’t look like she was surprised either as this was very in character for Inosuke.
“I-im so sorry, Aoi!! Are you alright?!” Zenitsu immediately stammers as Aoi huffs, wiping herself off. “Yeah im fine-”
“Awesome!” Zenitsu interrupted hearing she was alright as he began running once again to find Inosuke, his brain immediately getting back to his goal even as he heard Aoi grumbling about how stupid the two of them were.
Zenitsu ran to where he saw Inosuke go, only to see the empty and quiet hallway. There seemed to be no clues on where the wild boar went.
He huffed in anger before taking a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He needed to focus… he went quiet. Doing his best to ignore other sounds of the butterfly mansion to pick up on Inosuke’s usual rough sound.
….There it is!
Without thinking any longer, Zenitsu slammed one of the doors right open and there Inosuke was. With both Tanjiro’s and Zenitsu’s haori with a bunch of other stuff he had collected.
“You!” Zenitsu yells and without even thinking, he pounced immediately rushing to grab the haori from Inosuke who naturally wasn’t just going to take it.
“Go away, Monitsu! This haori is mine!” Inosuke shouts immediately pulling it away from the blond who immediately rushed to grab it again.
“No it isn’t! It's Tanjiro’s and he gave it to me so therefore its mine! I need it!” Zenitsu yells grabbing the checkered haori as inosuke immediately starts trying to pull it back. “No I need it, damn it! So I’m taking it! Why would Monjiro give it to you anyway when I need it!” Inosuke immedianly argued,
Why Inosuke supposedly needed it didnt matter to Zenitsu right now, he was just focused on trying to get the haori back. “I need it more! That's why!”
That didn’t work for Inosuke who immediately tugged harder with a low growl. “No way! I need it more, stupid Monitsu!”
“Get my name right!! And I need it way more than you do!”
“Shut up! Shut up! Give it over!’
Zenitsu was about to yell back but the sound of a door opening and a voice stopped him.
“Inosuke? Zenitsu? Aoi said you guys were both going…Huh? What’s going on with you two?”
The appearance of Tanjiro immediately threw the other two boys off. Both of them stopping their little spat to stare at Tanjiro, both sides of his haori stopped being pulled on.
Zenitsu broke the silence first. “Inosuke stole your haori from me after you so graciously let me borrow it for my heat!”
Inosuke huffs. “So!? I needed it for my heat so I took it! It's not my fault Monitsu doesn’t pay enough attention to notice!”
“What?! That doesn’t give you an excuse to take it without asking, damn boar!” Zenitsu yelled right back, making Inosuke growl. “Shut up! Then you should watch your things better! Survival of the fittest!”
“Would you two stop!?” Tanjiro spoke before Zenitsu could argue back to Inosuke. The two omegas immediately pause, stopping to look at Tanjiro who had an exhausted look on his face.
Tanjiro took a deep breath before speaking. “Inosuke.’” he starts as Inosuke stares back at him. “You really should have let Zenitsu know before taking stuff from his space. Especially when in preheat! You know how much that can affect omegas! So don't just take mine or Zenitsus haori without permission.”
"Wait, Inosuke had my haori?’ Zenitsu thought to himself before becoming focused again as he realized exactly what was going on now. Tanjiro was using his big brother voice..seeing how childish he and Inosuke were being, he couldnt fault him.
Inosuke grumbles from being scolded, but doesnt argue as Tanjiro turns to Zenitsu next as Zenitsu prepares himself. “Zenitsu, and you shouldnt just go chasing someone like that! You two caused enough commotion to get other mansion workers worried!”
Zenitsu pauses before sighing. That was a good point. He should have just talked it out before yelling at first notice.
The room was quiet after a moment. However, the soft burning within reminded Zenitsu why he needed that haori anyway.
Zenitsu was about to ask for the haori again, but then he remembered what Inosuke said during their little arguement. He was going into heat to..?
Zenitsu looks over at Inosuke who was..oddly quiet. Like he was almost embarrassed to say anything else or ask anything.
Zenitsu couldn’t help pitying and understanding his other, fellow omega mate. He knew how bad heats could get naturally and how much having garments tied to people close to you could help. This may be stupid..but-
“Tanjiro..are we still able to borrow your haori?”
Tanjiro blinks in surprise with a small nod. “Ah. Yes of course you both can!”
Zenitsu nods and turns to Inosuke who was still quiet. Zenitsu smiles a little. “Hey Inosuke. How about we share Tanjiro’s haori and make a shared nest? You can include mine to.”
Inosuke immediately seemed to perk up. His boar mask now being on the floor allowed his almost excited expression to show.
“..Good idea, underling! You don’t have those often!”
Zenitsu was almost about to be insulted, but quickly follows up. “Shut it. Anyway, that way both our problems will be solved!”
Inosuke grins oddly excited: supposed it made sense. Zenitsu didn’t know much about boars, but apparently wild boars cuddle to show bonds which Inosuke showed often with both him and Tanjiro. It was a cute side of Inosuke they both loved.
Zenitsu seemed pleased, as did Tanjiro who was smiling softly. Zenitsu was about to wonder why they never thought about this before. However, Zenitsu immediately realizes.
“Gah!! Than we will be spending time close together in heat!! Argh! No wonder we have never done this!! Nevermind this isn’t a good idea!! Let’s decide who will take the haori because we can’t just-“
“Who cares!?” Inosuke suddenly interrupts making Zenitsu gasp. “What do you mean who cares!?”
Inosuke rolls his eyes. “We are both omegas. No risk! Quit your whining! We will just be close and take care of each other! Easy!”
Zenitsu pauses..suppose that made sense. Other omega scent doesn’t activate that mating instinct the same way an alphas scent would..dammit why was Inosuke the one making sense here!?
Zenitsu pauses and grumbles in embarrassment. “..okay..fine..just cuddling..”
Inosuke grins again. “Good! Now get the hell over here and help with this nest!”
Zenitsu blinks. “Eh!? I won’t fixing this disaster of a nest! Come on! We are using mine!”
Inosuke grumbles but for once doesn’t argue. Rather he looks at the quiet Tanjiro and points at him. “And you!! Come on! If we are cuddling before bed! I want you here to, Gonpachiro!”
That catches both Tanjiro and Zenitsu by surprise, Zenitsu promptly yelling. “What!? We can’t have a alpha with us before heat you idiot!! What if-“
Inosuke interrupts. “We just kick him out before then! Just have him here until we fall asleep! Easy! You worry so damn much!”
Zenitsu was about to yell again before pausing. He couldn’t deny the desire to be cuddled by their alpha was there..and Tanjiro was extremely careful and respectful. So there was no worries of him being dishonest..
Tanjiro seems just as nervous as Zenitsu. But also he seemed to have similar desires. “I..if you want me there..than..I would like that. I will leave right after you both fall asleep! I promise I won’t overstay my welcome!”
Zenitsu knew Tanjiro was being truthful on that, and..he couldn’t deny wanting that as well. So eventually he nods. “..alright. Than you can cuddle with us.”
———-
Night was falling outside. But the three hardly noticed. All that was there was the three of them.
Tanjiro was laying in the middle of Inosuke and Zenitsu. Both looking extremely drowsy and tired. Most likely their bodies preparing for the strain of heat. Zenitsu was cuddled close against Tanjiro with a hum while Inosuke was far more spread out, but with a arm around Tanjiro’s neck and fingers in Zenitsu’s hair.
Tanjiro lets out a small hum of delight. His heart practically swelling with love for the two of them.
“So warm..love you..both..” Zenitsu mumbled already falling asleep.
Inosuke was already close to being asleep as well, but naturally had to get a word in first. “..I love you both more..stupid Gonpachiro and Monistu..”
Tanjiro had to hold back a small laugh. He knew if it wasnt for how zenitsu was already asleep, he knew there would be a silly arguement about that. Though, for now though there was just quiet peace amongst the three.
After a moment of making sure the two were completely asleep, Tanjiro carefully makes sure to remove himself from Zenitsu’s grip and relax Inosukes arm. Not before giving both a gentle kiss.
Tanjiro was about to get going allowing the two to handle their heat, before grabbing his haori and putting it over the two with a satisfied smile. He couldn’t help the instinctive joy that came with seeing the two with his haori.
Tanjiro turns to the door and looks at the two once more. A part of Tanjiro didn’t want to leave..he wanted to stay here and cuddle more. However, he didn’t want to overstep. Expecially with instincts involved. So Tanjiro was content with this.
He smiles at the two before exiting the room making sure the door was shut tight so no one would disturb the two.
He truly loved his pack and mates so much.