Work Text:
[inosuke pov]
Monistu had been whining the whole way back to the camp. He wasn’t even that bruised. But he cried to Gampachiro about his arms, while clinging to him. Kinda dumb, cause if his arms hurt that much how was he holding on to
Mr. Forehead so dang tightly. Even if I’m sore too, I won’t go grabbing at people. Though I’d probably grab people anyways.
That stupid demon put up too good of a fight for such a weakling. Even though I could easily sense its vines, I had to watch out for my minions. Did they forget how to see? I swear they weren’t even trying. Not like it’s any problem for the great Inosuke, King of the Mountains! I could watch over em any day!
We made it to camp before sunset, which was a nice grassy clearing surrounded by thick trees. I can hear and feel a stream nearby, and the woods are thick with prey.
For some reason I forgot to yell at Ponetsu for crying so damn much, but I’m sure I can make up for it later. I eyed the sun lowering in the sky, even though it stung a bit, I managed to glare at it for a good couple seconds.
And then I was interrupted by Monitsu’s shriek of dismay. “WHAT IS IT? WHERE’S THE DEMON-“ I yelled, but that stupid minion interrupted me again. “We’re out of onigiri!” He sobbed as he uselessly shook the empty food bag “and the next town is miles away! We’re gonna starve!” He screamed at the sky. “Zenitsu…” Monjiro took up that gentle tone he used whenever the other minion was acting up like this. “It’s only one night! And I’m sure we can forage something out in the woods! It’s a great area!”
I yanked at Monitsu's orangy-yellow haori. “You dummy! Do you actually think I’d let my minions starve!” I yelled at his face. What kind of leader did he take me for? Unacceptable really. And that stupid Ponitsu smacked me away. “Shut up you idiot boar! This isn’t the time! We are gonna starve and die!” “Both of you cut it out.” My other minion chided. “Zenitsu no one is dying, and Inosuke, let go of him.” Yeah I decided to listen to him and drop Zenshu, so what? But he just started to cry again over the lack of weight in the bag he held.
I stood up and took off my boar skin, shaking out the annoying rocks that had been in it since the fight. It was also getting rather uncomfortable, rubbing against my neck in all the wrong ways.
“Monjiro, start up one of those fires.” I commanded. “I’m gonna go hunting.” Garapacho smiled brightly, and I hurriedly put the mask on again. For no reason in particular. “Thank you Inosuke! That’s nice of you!” He always looks weird to me when he says something like that. It’s a strange way for somebody to look at me, Inosuke. No one ever really did before…them. “It’s nothing! The king of the mountains can do anything!” The red hair minion only smiled brighter, if that was even possible. “Oh I’m sure Inosuke!”
~<•>~
I was wrong, I can’t do it Tanjiro.
I can’t do it-
I can’t-
~<•>~
“Noooo~ stop encouraging him Tanjiro! You’re only feeding his ego…” Wailed Monitsu. I decided to ignore the blond’s insult and get a rabbit already. I’m hungry, and Monjiro roasts meat nicely, so I might as well hurry.
~<•>~
When I got back it was already dark, and Gonpachiro had a good sized fire going. Magic I tell you. And it turns out that it was a good area, because I was able to come down with two big rabbits in hand. They weren’t the easiest to catch, but it’s not like I’ll ever let my minions know. And the expression of amazement on the green adorned minion’s face will always be worth it. I…like when he looks at me like that. I mean, it’s only right that he appreciates me as his leader!
But he’s unfortunately the only one, because Monitsu is looking at me like I’m a rotted carcass that hadn’t been picked apart by vultures yet. Gross and useless. “You are absolutely covered in mud and, i-is that blood!?!” Ponitsu shrieked. Is he stupid? And for the record, it’s not my blood. “Well duh. How the heck am I supposed to hunt if every living thing can smell me from over a mountain!” I snorted. “It’s obvious. You’re just kinda dumb.”
“Tanjiro he’s being meeeeaan!~” Tanjitoe sighed. I handed (threw) him the rabbits and tackled Monsitu before he could sprout any other lies and nonsense about me. Mean? Me? Never. I was just stating facts. Suddenly my ears were assaulted with a horrible noise. Damn Chuitsu was really annoying when he screams like this. It’s not like I’m biting him. Not that I ever do that…
Unfortunately Santaro didn’t start cooking up the rabbits, and decided to yell at me to get off the still screaming Zenishoe. And because I can totally be a nice leader sometimes, I listened and got off him. “-insane, insane I tell you!” Monitsu shrieked. I opted to ignore him. “Cook the stuff.” I ordered Monjiro. He sighed and looked at me with a stern expression that made me want to…fix whatever I did wrong. But he was my minion, not the other way around. So I stood my ground, huffing and turning away with my arms crossed. I know Monitsu would call it dramatic if he wasn’t too busy drilling holes in my head with that glare, but I don’t care. He can go shove his head in a hole. “Inosuke, thank you for catching these, but please apologize to Zenitsu. It’s not nice to jump on people like that!” “Monitsu was telling lies about me!” I ignored the blond’s cries of “not my name!”. “He can’t go talking like that about his leader! That’s a horrible way for a minion to act!”
Monitsu gasped like I had said something horrible. “IN YOUR DREAMS YOU PIG. I’M NOT SOME SERVANT OF YOURS YOU UNCULTURED SWINE” I don’t know what those last two words mean, so I settled for flicking him on the forehead. He tried to fight back, but I shoved him away and settled by the fire to watch Gampachiro clean and gut the rabbits.
He must have fetched some water from the river while I was gone, because there was a bowl of the stuff off to the side. He was pretty good at it. But it was also kind of weird. So different from the way I’m used to gutting it. And he threw away lots more of the innards than I usually would. But I wasn’t about to interrupt, because it always turns out delicious when Kentaro does it. He was a great minion in that regard. Very useful. Even if he was rather wasteful when it comes to the organs of rabbits and the likes. Though I suppose I can let it slide. “Inosuke, you should go wash up.” However I would not let that slide.
~<•>~
This has to be a joke.
Please-
~<•>~
[Third person pov]
Inosuke Hashibira, King of the Mountains, did not have friends. He didn’t even fully understand the meaning of the word. Of course, he’d been told what it meant. That kind grandfather had been gentle when explaining of how a friend is someone who would be there for you in your darkest moments, someone you could rely on at all times. And in that house, as a young Inosuke sat there being taught of the word, his mind had gone to mother. The boar who raised him and protected him, and fed him, who he could always count on to be warm on the coldest of nights. And the kind grandfather had explained to Inosuke how she was not a friend, but she was more. So he asked if the kind grandfather was his friend. And the man chuckled, as if he’d just heard a good joke. And he said that he could be. But he was also more. A caretaker of sorts. So no. He never really got a chance to know what a friend was. And for the longest time, Inosuke Hashibira, King of the Mountains, did not have friends, or a good understanding of the word. Until he met two very strange boys outside a demon filled mansion. But even then, when he thought of the boys whos names he could never get right,
friends was not the word that came to mind. Pack more like. Because despite the screams and scoldings and chiding, there was a warmth there that he had not felt since his mother boar fell asleep and never woke up. Because with these boys that yelled and sighed and chided, he could fall asleep next to, and feel
safe. And after weeks of thinking, it’s only temporary, he began to feel assured that they would not leave him. So no. Inosuke Hashibira, King of the Mountains, did not have friends. But he had a family. Even if he didn’t know what the word meant.
~<•>~
“Onii-chan.”
“I’m sorry”
“Tanjiro, that's not the kind of guy you are!”
“You’re such a sweet guy!”
“Go back to being the normal Tanji-“
~<•>~
[inosuke pov]
That stupid demon… It was one stupidly tough one. I turned to see why Ponitsu had stopped mumbling about his sore legs, only to see him passed out in Gonpachiro’s arms as he was carried. Huh. Wait, was he actually that tired? We only fought the demon for like, two hours, not nearly enough to tucker me out! Though I suppose my minion is only expected to be weaker than me. But still, not that much weaker. It’s not like I’m tired at all!
Tentaro somehow noticed me staring through the boar mask. “He’s okay.” He explained gently. “I’m sure he’ll be fine after a good rest and some food at the wisteria house!” Kanjiro smiled in a weird way that almost looked sad. Doesn’t he know smiles are a happy thing? Another thing I’ll have to teach him then. Also right. Wisteria house! Oh now I’m excited. They always have the best food over there! Not that Monjiro’s isn’t great, but there still not much he can do with some rabbits, even though I hunt the best rabbits! Okay now I’m hungry.
And then Monjiro interrupted my food themed train of thought. “Zenitsu is always so brave when it comes to fighting demons…”
…what. “What are you talking about?!?” I sputtered out confused. Was he okay sprouting such nonsense? “He’s always a squealing scared mess the entire time!” Well, most of the time. “So? Being brave doesn’t mean you're not scared!” Gampachiro exclaimed rather adamantly. “It says a lot how he still decides to fight beside us through the fear! At least, after a bit of coaxing…”
“…” What a weird way to think. Of course you’d have to be brave. Isn’t pushing through your fear just survival? Damn Sonjiro is really strange. What a weirdo. He sighed and continued. “Though he’s always so convinced he’ll die at every turn, and that sometimes leads him to situations where he could get hurt…” Monjiro had another one of those stupid sad smiles. Seriously what was up with those. “I’m worried for him.” Worried huh? I mean- “and I know you're worried too.” “Ehh? Of course I’m worried!” I replied. “If my minions aren’t in the best shape then what’s the point of keeping you around!” I sniffed. Doesn’t Monjiro get that it’s important for them to be able to fight? They’d literally die if they can’t!
But he just sighed. “Right, but you know, as a friend? It’s only normal to worry for those you care about.” “Ugh, friend? What does that word even mean?”
I didn’t mean that too seriously, but Tanpachiro got another one of those weird expressions on his face. Doesn’t he know I can’t understand those? “A friend is somebody you care about, who cares for you in turn, and will always be there for-“ this is starting to sound a lot like Grandpa’s rant about it, so I tuned him out.
I think the topic shifted to another worried rant about Monitsu which I totally didn’t listen to, but we made it to the wisteria house, and Chuitsu started screaming again the moment he was woken up by Monjiro. Soon he was whisked off, and Monjiro left to go bath with Nezuko, leaving me alone to think. Huh. Friends…
~<•>~
I was wrong Tanjiro.
I can’t do it.
My sword probably fell to the ground. If it did I didn’t hear it. I was too focused on those claws. A hand that belonged to somebody who had always used them to protect. To nurture. To comfort. But those claws were about to lodge themselves rather comfortably into my skull.
But they didn’t.
I opened my eyes, even though I don’t remember closing them, because now, those claws were digging into the back of Tanjiro’s sister. Those caring hands. I can smell her blood. It doesn’t have that demon stench anymore. But I knew it wouldn’t. It didn’t change the fact that Nezuko’s blood was staining the dirt.
All because, I, Inosuke Hashibira, King of the Mountains, couldn’t.
I couldn’t push through the fear.
I couldn’t be brave.
And I knew exactly why. Because while I mostly understood what happened. And I know Tanjiro would have wanted nothing more than for me to end it then and there.
But there was deeper part of me that was so confused.
Because he was supposed to be safe. Safe. Safe. Sa-
I’m sorry Tanjiro.
I couldn’t do it.
Because you’re my friend. My comrade. More than that I think.
I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t-
~<•>~
“Ack, Inosuke! Don’t eat so fast! You could choke!” Monjiro shrieked as I kept shoving the rice balls in my mouth. I think I was cackling too. It was funny anyways, to see him turning blue with worry. Speaking of blue, that blue butterfly girl’s cooking is great! I’ll have to steal some more rice balls from the kitchen later. But for now I’ll just steal from Monitsu. After all, that’s what minions- no…friends are for!
I think…?