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Chapter Text

“What are you two doing?”

It’s late evening, dark enough for Nezuko to come out of her box, and the first thing she did was crawl into her brother’s lap. Inosuke didn’t understand why. She’d been asleep all day! She was asleep right now! So why even leave the box?

For a moment, Tanjiro only offered a smile. Inosuke scoffed at it, turning his attention toward the fourth member of their party. Zenitsu had gone right the fuck to sleep as soon as they’d finished making camp. The blond was flat on his back as always, unnervingly still, only snoring a little. His hair was shiny and orange in the light of the fire. 

While his friend was still a bit distracted, Tanjiro said, “It’s just cuddling, Inosuke.”

The strange eyes of the boar mask tilted back in the Kamado siblings’ direction. “What’s cuddling?”

There were a lot of words Inosuke didn’t know, he’d discovered. He was very good at learning, even if he couldn’t read or write, and took pride in the fact that he could speak fluent Japanese despite his upbringing. It tended to surprise people, which made him feel smug. But when it came to vocabulary, well, there were just so many words. Lots of them dumb and useless. So many of them just to say the same thing! So many fancy terms to describe boring stuff in a way that was too complicated. Because Inosuke was so great, he knew plenty of things already, but humans wasted so much time making up new words for every little thing… Who could keep track of them all?

Tanjiro’s smile, steady and warm like the fire, grew a little. Inosuke saw the way he shifted his hands, arms, knees, all to bring Nezuko a bit closer. The demon girl did not wake up, but murmured around her muzzle and nuzzled closer against her brother’s chest. Inosuke knew that beneath his haori and uniform, there was a nasty slash, freshly bandaged. The night before had been a rough one, and though everyone came out alright, it had been pretty exhausting. Not for Inosuke, though! He’d killed the most demons and had the fewest injuries, a fact which he was proud to remind his subordinates of frequently. But poor Menitsu, poor Kanjiro, poor Tezuko - they’d all been very tired, and even now they remained fatigued as the group made their way back to the nearest Wisteria House. 

Of course, Tanjiro didn’t seem to mind the pressure against his still-healing wound. He merely brought one arm to hold Nezuko around her waist, then rested his hand in her hair, gently stroking it. “Cuddling is just being close to someone,” he told Inosuke from his side of the fire. He was seated against a small cliff, back to cold, dark rock, but he didn’t seem uncomfortable at all, even if he was sitting in dirt with a heavy girl in his lap. “It’s like hugging, but sort of all over.”

Inosuke scrunched up his nose beneath his mask. “I don’t get it. Sounds weird. Why do you wanna touch so much?” 

“Well-”

“That close, you could get pinched or tickled or bitten,” Inosuke went on to say, his voice gruff with self-assuredness. “I hate all of those things! What if they grab you and hold you down? Huh? Why do you wanna get all tangled up? How can you move? What if you have to get up fast?”

Tanjiro opened his mouth, but then quickly closed it, choosing to stare at Inosuke and wait for him to decide he was finished. The boar grumbled a bit more, shaking his head vigirously, before declaring, “Sounds stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” the other boy protested. His voice was gentle, understanding; Inosuke wanted to be mad, but honestly he’d grown used to it and preferred it to the voices of others who didn’t understand his clearly superior wisdom. Inosuke hated when people talked down to him. He hated when they were… what was the word…? Oh, yeah - condescending. 

“If it’s not stupid, then why do you do it, Gonpachiro?” Inosuke shot back, clearly hoping for a bite. Tanjiro ignored his taunt with practiced ease and chuckled. 

“Well, Inosuke, I’d say cuddling is something you only really do with family… or very close friends. You do it with someone you’re already comfortable with! You’d want to trust them a lot to get so close, right? Like how you trust Zenitsu and Nezuko and me?”

“I don’t cuddle you three!” 

“No, but you let us get close,” the other boy explained. “You let us be close to you when you’re asleep, and you let us carry you or help you move if you’re hurt.”

Inosuke huffed. That was an exaggeration, he thought - he didn’t really let them do anything, as if bending to their will. He was the leader, after all! If he decided it was okay for them to get up in his space even if he didn’t want them to, that was just his choice. A boar couldn’t keep being a good leader if he bled out, after all. Inosuke wasn’t stupid, and even if he didn’t like admitting he needed help sometimes, he still knew when to accept it. Usually. If he wasn’t too pissed off…

Eventually, the boar boy merely shrugged. “I guess. I still don’t really get it. Why do it?”

“Like I said, you do it with someone you trust. Usually people just do it because it feels nice.”

“How? Like… tempura?” 

Tanjiro’s face fractured for half a second as he tried to hold back his laugh, unwilling to disturb Nezuko as she slept; he ended up snorting instead, his grin so wide Inosuke was sure his cheeks must hurt. “No, no! Or - uh, maybe, haha! A little. You know how good food makes you feel really warm and sleepy sometimes?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, cuddling feels the same, kind of. You just feel warm and comfortable and safe.” He resumed petting Nezuko’s hair, letting his fingers sink into the long, inky strands. Her hair was often very wild, especially after a lot of traveling. Sometimes Tanjiro would insist on pulling out a comb and going through the mane, much to Nezuko’s muffled anguish; if no comb was available, he’d just use his fingers. She’d gotten a thorough brush just a few days ago, so the tangles weren’t so bad. Tanjiro worked through them carefully as he spoke. “It’s different from holding a baby animal or a pillow or blanket or something else. Those can all feel comfortable, but there’s something different when it’s another living person that you’re holding. It’s a little hard to describe, honestly.”

“Bah,” Inosuke proclaimed, waving a hand. He was tired of trying to understand stuff that didn’t matter and would never make sense. Tanjiro sure was weird! 

Of course, his friend took it all in stride, merely shrugging at Inosuke’s dismissive gesture. As the boar got ready for bed, he could feel Tanjiro watching him, though the other demon slayer didn’t move an inch from his spot. Inosuke was under the covers and half asleep before he finally demanded, “What is it? Why are you staring, weirdo?”

“Nothing! Sorry.” Tanjiro carefully shuffled onto his feet, holding Nezuko with both arms. He walked her over to her box and carefully placed her inside. “Go on and sleep, Inosuke! I’ll take first watch.”

“I’ll know if anything is coming before you do,” Inosuke said. “Even if I’m asleep!”

“I’m sure you will!” was the cheery response. Inosuke grumbled and pulled his thin blanket over his head, mask and all.

Chapter Text

Most of the time, when all four of them are on a mission hunting some demon, things go alright. A few broken bones can be shrugged off, and a Wisteria House is never too far off when wounds need to be stitched up. All together, Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenjitsu make a surprisingly proficient team for a group of teens often left to their own devices. Especially when there can be so much bickering amongst them.

However, there are times when the going gets tough. It’s inevitable when dealing with demons. And if there was ever a more harrowing, more indomitable foe than a demon, it would certainly be wild weather. 

Tanjiro and his sister were both familiar with winters in the mountains; Inosuke too, though they never got so harsh where he grew up. But none of them had ever faced something like this: a true blizzard. It had been stalking them for days, nipping at their heels even as they rushed to the assigned village to take care of a demon infestation. The demons' main hiding place was somewhere within the lower levels of the northern mountain range, and it was here all paths converged. The demons were waiting; the slayers came; heavy clouds full of snow descended. 

It was a nasty night for combat. The air was wicked, stinging their lungs, inhibiting their breathing techniques. There was frost and wind and everything was grey or white. Everything but the blood. The world was small and all the noise inside was booming. 

The demons were killed. In the end, they had no idea exactly how many had been skulking about. Their bodies turned to ash, and their ashes were swept away into the blizzard, and it was as if the hungry, angry spirits of the demons became one with the snow, fueling its howling wind.

Zenitsu was hurt - he couldn’t seem to breathe right. Inosuke saw him fall to his knees before the last demons were taken down. The boar had defended him from attack, severing the heads off two demons before Nezuko finished it all with a decisive kick, blasting the last of them to bits. Almost immediately, she fell on all fours, panting harshly; Tanjiro touched her shoulder as he ran past and joined the other boys.

They slung Zenitsu on Inosuke’s back at the boar’s insistence. He was the strongest, and yet again he remained the least hurt of them all! The few light gouges on his hip were nothing! A broken toe? What of it!? Inosuke would rather die than admit any injury could keep him from saving his underling. 

As he tucked Zenitsu’s legs under his arms, he could feel how the smaller boy was shivering. It was so violent he would sometimes jerk or twitch involuntarily, digging a nail or knee into Inosuke’s flesh. Inosuke would have complained if he couldn’t also feel the way his friend struggled to take any deep, even breaths. The spot where his stomach pressed into Inosuke’s back also felt oddly warm - he was bleeding, then. 

Inosuke turned to head back the way they came, but Tanjiro said there wasn’t enough time. “There’s something wrong with his lungs,” he gasped, putting one warm hand on Inosuke’s bicep. His body was hot from his fire breathes, but it would take its toll soon enough. “If he stays out in this cold, he won’t be able to breathe for long. We’ve got to- to find shelter.”

There could have been an argument; Inosuke wanted to argue. But he was shivering too. Nezuko was already wandering off, climbing up a small hill in search of higher ground where they could all see better. It was warm under the mask, Inosuke’s own hot breathes keeping his head clear and his lungs going strong. But he almost couldn’t feel his toes anymore. “Well, where the hell are we s’posed to go, huh!?” 

For half an hour, they trudged through the snow. There was nothing, only more trees, more wind, more ice. Nezuko led the way, her senses sharper than theirs. Blood dripping from her wounds burned away small patches of snow, making it easier for the boys to follow. 

Then, suddenly, Tanjiro’s head snapped up. He stared at something far away, past the glare of misty white snow. “There!” He pointed somewhere east. “I see something, like, uh, a structure?”

“A house?”

“I don’t know! Nezuko, go that way please!”

The demon went, and they followed, eventually coming upon what had surely been a cabin once. Now it was little more than a useless wreck, already buried in snow. 

Inosuke snorted and stomped his good foot. "Stupid Kanjiro! Rotten wood won't help us; I knew we should've just went back down to the village!"

"It would've taken-"

"This is taking too long!"

On his back, Inosuke heard Zenitsu whimper. His voice was pitifully small. Nezuko came over to pat the thunder user on his head with a concerned hum. 

"Don't stop breathing, overbite!" Inosuke commanded. "Come on, Tan-"

He turned, but a Tanjiro wasn't beside him anymore. He was standing near the wreckage, kicking frantically at piles of snow and stomping his feet. It looked like he was having a fit of anger, which was more surprising to Inosuke than anything. "Eh? What are you doing!?"

Tanjiro didn't answer. He continued with his tantrum, eerily silent as he made his way all around the perimeter of the cabin. 

Then he let out a breathless, joyful cry as he stomped on the ground and evidently noticed something. "Here it is! Inosuke, bring everyone here! Nezuko, help me dig!"

They raced over. Tanjiro was already kicking away clumps of snow and using cold fingers to push back what remained on the ground. Inosuke saw the wood of a door. "What the hell?"

"It's a storage room!" Tanjiro cried. "It might have stuff inside, and it's probably small, but look at this door - there are only a few little holes in it. The inside should be safe and we can get out of this blizzard."

"Oh, like a den?" 

Tanjiro flashed him a quick grin. "That's right!" 

Together, he and Nezuko uncovered the door. There was only one made of dark, heavy wood with a rusty metal handle. Tanjiro put his ear to the door, then sniffed near one of the holes before deeming it empty of any potential threats. He pulled the door over his head, peering inside. 

It was larger than Inosuke expected, with more space than any of the animal dens he'd dug up or slept in back at the mountain. There were a few jars sitting in one corner. The ground was slightly damp from snow falling in through the holes.

"This is good!" Tanjiro said, and Inosuke nodded in agreement. Whatever got them out of this damn storm certainly got the leader's approval! 

Before they could step inside however, Tanjiro began removing his haori. Inosuke growled, "The hell? The hell, you idiot!?"

"We can't sit on a wet floor," Tanjiro said as he took a careful step down into the den. He laid the checkered cloth down on the biggest puddle, against the farthest wall. The ground appeared to slope somewhat; snow must have melted and trickled down to that spot. "We shouldn't let our uniforms get wet if we have to keep them on. Nezuko, your coat?" 

Nezuko hopped in and handed over her long, dark coat. It was even thicker than the haori and did a good job of padding the ground, giving them a dry place to sit.

Inosuke stepped inside. Tanjiro helped ease Zenitsu off his back. Nezuko sat with her legs tucked beneath her on the clothes, letting Tanjiro place the blonde's head on her lap. She cupped his cheeks with both hands; Zenitsu immediately let out a sigh of relief, then coughed.

When Tanjiro finally swung closed the heavy door, the den was very quiet and dark. Inosuke crouched in one corner as he watched Tanjiro attempt to patch up their friend. It was very dark at first and he fumbled a bit, but Nezuko had a sure guiding hand, and eventually Tanjiro's eyes adjusted enough for him to do a passable job. He rubbed salve on the wound on Zenitsu's stomach - it had already stopped bleeding. After bandaging it, he re-buckled Zenitsu's uniform closed and then leaned forward to press an ear on the boy's chest.

"Shinobu told me about things that can happen to our lungs and hinder our breathing techniques," Tanjiro said. His voice was so soft, even now, beneath the roar of the blizzard outside. He pressed a thumb carefully along Zenitsu's chest, then down his ribcage, stopping only when the blonde let out a pained whimper. "I can't tell for sure, but it might be that a rib punctured one lung, and that's making it hard to breathe. I bet the cold air wasn't helping at all, huh Zenitsu?"

"Shoulda just moved it," Inosuke grumbled, crawling just a bit closer now that the doctor stuff was done. Shinobu had explicitly forbidden him from tending to anyone's wounds unless it was a matter of life and death and he was the only one around. He was too forceful or something; had bad bedside manners or whatever. And used up too many bandages! What does that even mean? More is better, right?

"What did you say?" Tanjiro asked.

"Said he shoulda moved his dumb lung!"

"Ah… I think you're the only one who can move his organs around, Inosuke…"

"I'll teach him!" pledged the boar boy. He crossed his arms and nodded, leaning over to speak in Zenitsu's face. "Hear that, overbite? Your awesome leader is gonna teach you a new technique! So don't die before we go home or I'll be pissed!"

Zenitsu didn't answer, and Tanjiro put a hand on Inosuke's shoulder. "Let him sleep, Inosuke. We should get him settled in as comfortably as possible so the pain lets him rest easy. Will you help me take off his haori?"

"Fine," Inosuke said, and together they carefully pulled the yellow haori off Zenitsu without moving him too much. Then Tanjiro wrapped him up with it, tucking it so tightly that Zenitsu looked like a swaddled infant. Inosuke cackled and said as much.

"The most important thing right now is to stay warm," Tanjiro explained. "Nezuko, can you hold him? You have the most body heat."

Nezuko hummed her assent and pulled the boy close to her, one entire side pressed against her front. She wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him steady, then tucked her free hand into the collar of his uniform; Zenitsu unconsciously shivered at the warmth against his neck. 

"Now-" Tanjiro was cut off by his own yawn. Inosuke recognized this. Though Tanjiro had gotten very strong and knew a lot more about fire breaths and dances, they could take a lot out of him sometimes. His body still radiated heat, but his breathing was getting sloppier. He'd be knocked out soon. "Now me," he sighed, crawling over. "On his other side."

Tanjiro carefully tucked himself in with the others, mimicking Nezuko as he put an arm around Zenitsu's waist. Seeing all this made Inosuke feel… strange. He'd felt it before, too, watching the siblings put their clothes onto the floor. 

"... Inosuke?"

"Huh?" Inosuke tuned back in to realize Tanjiro had just spoken to him directly. "Whaddya want, Bakuro?" 

"I said you should take your furs off. There's a lot of frost on them; when it melts, your pants will get all wet."

"I won't be bothered!" Inosuke boasted. He took his swords and tossed them into the pile Tanjiro had made earlier, then crawled over to get in the other boy's face. "I'm barely cold at all! You think a little snow can hurt me? Don't be stupid."

Tanjiro smiled. It was the first proper smile he'd had since they began their hike up the mountain. "Well, then you should take it off so you don't get us wet when you cuddle with us?"

"Huh!? Who said I'm gonna cuddle with you?"

"You want to keep your friends safe and warm, don't you?"

Though Tanjiro didn't say the words, Inosuke was familiar with his tone by now. Because you're the best.

"Shut up!" Inosuke growled right into Tanjiro's dumb smiling face, then he ripped off his mask and firmly planted it on the nearest jar. It took a second for him to shimmy out of his deerskin and bearskins, leaving him in just his pants. 

"I can cuddle way better than either of you!" Crawling on all fours, Inosuke shoved his way behind Tanjiro so that he could sit against the wall. Then he threw one thick arm around both Kamado siblings' necks, pulling them into his lap between his legs. The weight of all three rested heavily against Inosuke's front, but it didn't bother him at all! He could breathe easily and now he felt their warmth, too, seeping into his skin.

After a bit of wiggling, Tanjiro managed to turn his head and look up at Inosuke. It was still dark, but somehow his eyes shone bright, the red smoldering like hot coals. "Great job, Inosuke," he said softly. The boar could feel his warm breath against his collarbone. "I feel very safe."

"Idiot. Of course you're safe. I'm king of the mountain, so nothing bad can ever happen to my pack. Stop worrying and sleep already! Do it or I'll knock you out myself!" 

"Okay," Tanjiro said, and let his head fall on Zenitsu's, resting all of his weight against Inosuke. Nezuko did the same, offering a soft, thankful hum before drifting off.

Inosuke stayed still, which felt unnatural for him, especially since he wasn't ready to sleep yet. Sometimes after a long, eventful day, all of his insides felt mixed up and he couldn't figure anything out. Like bug soup, he thought, recalling something Shinobu had told him a long time ago about how caterpillars turn into butterflies inside their little cocoons. Then tomorrow, I'll be different again…

Inosuke was stricken with a sudden memory. It was super-hot and hazy, like a fever dream; he remembered pressure on all sides, something sweet in his mouth. Soft skin and fur beneath his fingertips. The little squeals of piglets. The wet snouts and hard tusks of sows. 

The boy curled up, bringing everyone a little closer. He took in the scent of Tanjiro's hair and listened to every one of Zenitsu's faint breathes, keeping track until they evened out. Nezuko's body was small but so, so warm. 

He fell asleep to the sound of the blizzard, and dreamed of another den, another safe place where he lay close to family.

Chapter Text

"Stop it."

"What? You got a problem, Monitsu? Huh?" 

Zenitsu closed the door so just his eye was visible, glaring sullenly at his friend. "My problem is that you're being creepy… staring at him like you wanna do something…" 

"What I want is for him to wake the fuck up!" Inosuke cried, kicking his feet in the air. He'd been curled up at the foot of the hospital bed, but now he lay on his back, glowering upside-down back at Zenitsu. The hand that wasn't holding his mask on now pointed accusingly at an unconscious Tanjiro. "He's been asleep too long!" 

"He's been asleep longer." 

"Two weeks!" 

"It was two months a year ago! Calm down! You're too loud!" 

Zenitsu could imagine Inosuke's boar mask frothing at the mouth, what with the way he snarled and hissed, shaking a fist threateningly in the blonde's direction. Telling, how he refused to leave his self-appointed post. Feeling more brave, Zenitsu eased the door open enough to take a step inside. He put a hand on his hip. "If you don't stop being weird, I'm going to tell Nezuko you have foul intentions with her brother!"

"The hell does that mean!?"

"I don't know; with you, it could mean anything! And be quiet!"

"I was being quiet before you showed up!!" Inosuke, still upside-down, put his hands on the edge of the bed and kicked his legs, flipping and launching himself at the blonde. Zenitsu, the coward, was already set to scream and dive back out of the room. Inosuke kicked the door instead, slamming it shut before landing on all fours. 

Once he was sure his annoying underling had scurried out of the hallway, Inosuke climbed back onto the bed. 

Stupid Zenitsu! It wasn't his fault Tanjiro had the gall to get so injured on a mission. First he takes three whole months to kill a few demons, then the idiot has to be carried back by kakushi, half-dead, and now he sleeps for two weeks! 

Inosuke snorted contemptuously, settling his snout on his hands as he curled up once more. What did it matter if he was eager for his friend to wake up? So what if he wanted to stay by the bed? He could do what he wanted! Besides, if it was Zenitsu instead of Tanjiro, he would… he'd… Well, okay, he wouldn't do the exact same thing. Maybe peek his head in every now and again to make sure a nightmare hadn't scared Zenitsu to death while he slept. 

The boy closed his eyes, taking comfort in the familiar sound of his own breathing within his mask. It was just that… Uhg, he didn't know what exactly. He just felt better being here. In the time Tanjiro had been away, when it became clear his trip was taking longer than expected, Inosuke had developed a problem. Somewhere deep in his chest was a weird sensation. It felt like an empty den in spring, or those quiet evenings in winter when a bit of snow would fall on the mountain. It was a faint but persistent ache lodged somewhere between his ribs. 

He'd asked Aoi about it, but a check-up showed he was as healthy as usual. He even asked Zenitsu what it was, but the dumbass only panicked over heart attacks or tiny demons bursting out of his chest at night to eat everyone. 

So, when Inosuke found the feeling alleviated after Tanjiro finally came home, he didn't question it. When he realized it almost went away completely if he was close to the other slayer, he hunkered down. But some part of him, still wondering after the problem, poking at it, made a discovery: the feeling still wouldn't leave for good.

That same part of Inosuke felt very sure it would stay until Tanjiro woke up. 

A few hours later, Inosuke was roused from sleep. He'd been sprawled out on the foot of the bed, arms and legs dangling over the edges. Now he felt something kicking at his stomach. Sitting up, he looked at Tanjiro. The jerk was still asleep, but he was attacking Inosuke! What the hell?

Then he caught Tanjiro's expression. 

"Hey!" Inosuke's voice was a harsh whisper. "What's with the face, huh? What's wrong? Whaddya dreaming about?"

Of course, his friend didn't answer. He merely fidgeted in his sleep, tugging on the blankets and kicking a little. Inosuke spotted tears forming at the corners of his eyes and became alarmed.

"Gonpachiro, wake up!" he ordered. The boy crawled up the bed and shook one of Tanjiro's shoulders, but the other would not wake up. He was still too exhausted and caught up in his nightmare. "Shit! What should I do?" he asked the empty room. Should he get one of the girls? He'd never seen such a weird expression on his friend's face; a plain mixture of fear and grief. 

"It's okay, you don't gotta be scared!" Inosuke insisted, now starting to shove Tanjiro over so he could sit beside him. The bed was definitely not supposed to hold two people, but Inosuke didn't care, letting one leg hang off the edge. "Your boss is here and that means you're safe! Stop crying like a piglet, dummy. I'm right here!" He gently knocked a fist on Tanjiro's forehead. "Don't ignore me!"

A whimper made him fall quiet. Much to Inosuke's dismay, even more tears started falling! What, did he hit too hard? Impossible! Tanjiro's dumb forehead was the toughest thing he'd ever seen. 

Before he could panic too much, Inosuke saw Tanjiro sniffle and then move. He curled onto one side, facing Inosuke, and then buried his face against the other boy's thigh. As usual, Inosuke was wearing the soft white garments issued to all slayers recovering at the estate. Tanjiro nuzzled into the material, breathing deeply. Bit by bit, the tension seemed to drain from his body. 

A-ha! This was cuddling, wasn't it? And didn't Tanjiro say cuddling made you feel nice and safe? Inosuke grinned beneath his mask, feeling smug. So he did find a way to help his underling! "That's okay, Tantaro, I'll cuddle with you! Then you can sleep even better and wake up sooner!" Inosuke nodded his head decisively, praising himself for his good plan. Then he put a hand on Tanjiro's head, patting it. His hair was clean; Inosuke's was longer and softer (hah!) but Tanjiro hadn't gotten a trim in a while. Long, silky curls formed at the nape of his neck and by his ears. Inosuke couldn't resist swirling them around with his finger. He'd never seen Tanjiro with longer hair before. Oh, what if it got as long as his? Inosuke bet he'd look almost as good as him, with hair that length! 

Now that he'd thought about his hair, he remembered his mask, and a half-second of consideration was all he needed before he took it off. Inosuke skillfully tossed it onto the neighboring bed. It was nice to have it off. It was a warm night, and the air in the estate was always fresh, and it got nice and quiet when it was late. Inosuke could very faintly hear the sound of running water from the gardens outside. He could hear Tanjiro's breathes, too, and feel the heat of them against his thigh.

"Seriously? Seriously? What even is this?"

Inosuke's eyes instantly snapped open, making Zenitsu squeak. The thunder user watched those long lashes flutter for just a second before the boar was fully conscious. 

"Zenzu! Why the hell are you staring at me?"

"Shut up!" the blonde hissed. "Don't ask me questions! I should be asking you questions! Like why are you sitting on Tanjiro's bed with his head in your lap?"

Inosuke blinked. He'd completely forgotten what had happened, had barely even noticed the weight in his lap. He looked down to see Tanjiro had moved in the night. Both arms were wrapped loosely around Inosuke's waist, like he was about to toss the boy up into a tree. His face was tucked into Inosuke's hip, head resting on his thigh.

"I was cuddling him," Inosuke answered simply. "He was crying like a little piglet so I helped!"

"C-crying!? Was he hurt? You should've called one of the girls!"

"Shut up! I did it all on my own, see? He was having a bad dream and I fixed it. You should be grateful, Zenzitsu; what if I have to save you from bad dreams?"

"Please never touch me in my sleep," Zenitsu begged, sounding close to tears. 

Then Tanjiro's breathing changed, and both boys watched as he slowly woke up. 

"Hmm…? Where-"

Inosuke shouted, "Idiot! Dumbass! You've been asleep forever!"

"You totally almost died!" Zenitsu scolded, finally walking into the room to stand by the bed. 

Tanjiro blinked up at them with a clear lack of comprehension. Instead, he mumbled, "Where's Nezuko…?"

"Awake, with the girls," Zenitsu supplied. Then, realizing he had the perfect excuse, his expression brightened as he swiftly skipped out the door. "I'll go find her and let her know you're awake! Oh Nezuko~"

Once the blonde was gone, Tanjiro rolled onto his back. One arm was still holding Inosuke by the waist, and his head remained on the other boy's lap. "How come I'm sleeping on you, Inosuke?"

"I saved you from nightmares," Inosuke boasted. He flashed his teeth at the bedridden boy. "I was keeping an eye on you because you got yourself hurt, like an idiot! What the hell happened anyway, huh? Those medic guys had to go get you and drag you back! It's been two whole weeks!" 

Tanjiro's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah!"

"...Does this mean you've been watching out for me for two weeks?"

Inosuke was ready to proudly exclaim that yes, he'd been keeping a diligent watch, but noticed something odd in his friend's voice. It was faint, but new, and weird, and it made Inosuke feel wary somehow. He crossed his arms and glared back at those red eyes. "What of it? So what if I did?" 

"Oh." That was all Tanjiro said. After another moment, he smiled and settled once again on his friend's lap. "Is this okay? I'm still kinda tired…"

"Don't fall asleep again!"

"I won't! Promise! I'll just rest my eyes until Nezuko and the others come back.”

Inosuke gave him a serious look, then grunted. He glanced over at his mask, still on the other bed - too far to grab without getting up. 

Tanjiro let out a content sigh against Inosuke's barren stomach, making something inside it flutter.

Chapter Text

Inosuke hated missions when he had to use his face as his weapon. 

Before joining the Demon Slayer Corps., Inosuke never even once considered that his appearance would not only be appreciated so much by humans, but that it could be utilized in all sorts of ways.

He didn't like it, not least of all because he couldn't understand it. So what if he was pretty, or handsome, or whatever? So what if men liked his thick eyelashes and soft skin? So what if women envied his hair and eyes? Why in the world did that mean they would be more willing to talk to him, give him gifts, do favors? Why did it always work? 

Sometimes, the Corps. had to get a job done quietly. Sometimes, that meant Inosuke had to be bait, or go undercover in a space dominated by or exclusive to women. Inosuke didn't mind the latter so much - he found he largely preferred dealing with female humans, actually. They smelled nice, admired his strength - as they should! - and always did things like make him food or gifts, or ask how he was doing, which made him feel giddy for reasons he never bothered to dig into. 

Being a lure was what Inosuke hated. Doubly so when he was forced to be active about it. Bat your eyelashes more, Inosuke. No, not like that - you look stupid. Use the fan like this, Inosuke. Pretend you like this dumb job, Inosuke. Be nicer, Inosuke. Act weaker, Inosuke. 

It sucked! It was boring! And usually, he didn't even get to be the one who killed the damn demon afterwards; usually someone else on the assignment would ambush it after Inosuke got what they needed.

Worse than all of that, though, were the memories.  

Whenever he was on a mission like this, Inosuke had to look at his reflection a lot. The person in charge usually gave him a pocket mirror to subtly check the street behind him; he was forced to get his makeup done daily. And before, Inosuke never really thought about his appearance. But back in the Natagumo mountains, when he had been nearly killed by that huge spider demon, Inosuke remembered seeing… 

Well. The woman who shared his face. 

Deep down, a part of him instinctively knew who she was. But the larger part of him - the part which remembered the warmth of a sow's belly, had eaten chestnuts and roots and sweet fruits off the ground, had taught himself how to speak and walk and hunt and fight - could not accept it. What did it even matter? He had always been on his own. Not remembering what came before… It was just as well, choosing to act like it hadn't ever happened.

But his face would remind him, almost every single time, and that made it hard to sleep. After one such mission which had taken a good four weeks to complete, Inosuke stayed at an inn with Tanjiro and Kanao. The girl had been assigned specifically to work with Inosuke, acting as backup and helping him keep up appearances. It had gone well enough, sure, but something about that chick set Inosuke on edge. It was no surprise she was Shinobu's successor. 

Right now she was in another room with Nezuko while the boys shared this one. Tanjiro was asleep in his bed near the door, flat on his back, still breathing long and deep, steady. Inosuke sat and listened to the reassuring sound, feeling strained and exhausted. He'd replaced his mask as soon as the job was officially over. And yet, somehow, he remained restless. 

Once he was sure Tanjiro was deep in sleep, Inosuke crawled out of their window and went onto the roof. There was a wordless song playing somewhere inside him, and he hummed as he scrutinized the stars. 

About an hour later, when he climbed back into the room, he sensed Tanjiro was awake. Red eyes caught moonlight and stared back at green. "Hm?"

"Why were you outside?" Tanjiro asked, slowly sitting up. There was a second, unspoken question. 

"Nothing," Inosuke growled. He felt all out of sorts. He didn't want to talk, or think, but he didn't want to sleep either. What did he want? It used to be so easy to tell, to decide what to do. Now he was full of strange feelings he didn't know the names of. 

"Do you want to talk?" asked the other boy. His voice was so soft. Inosuke felt like they might be the only two people in the whole world, everything was so still and quiet.

Inosuke shook his head. He closed the window, but didn't move back to his bed. In the vague reflection of the glass, he saw the face of his mask. Inosuke realized he didn't want to keep it on - it felt too, too something. Stuffy. Small. But he didn't want to look at himself either, and didn't want to be seen. 

"Do you want to… go out? On a walk? If you're feeling restless…"

Again, Inosuke shook his head. But when he looked back at Tanjiro, he suddenly realized what he wanted. It was a new compulsion, but was it really so surprising? He'd been changing all the time since he'd met Tanjiro. 

Besides, Inosuke thought, Tanjiro should return the favor. It was only fair.

Hard to ask for, though. So Inosuke only walked to Tanjiro's bed and stood near him, staring.

Somehow, Tanjiro knew enough to smile. "Do you want to sit with me?"

The boy didn't reply, just asserted himself into Tanjiro's space. Tanjiro chuckled and shuffled over so they both sat comfortably. Inosuke had forgone a shirt, absolutely tired of clothing after being trapped in an itchy kimono for so long. Tanjiro had a soft undershirt with long sleeves, but his arm was warm and solid where it pressed against Inosuke's. 

For a few minutes, they stayed like that; Inosuke was uncertain, and Tanjiro was patient. Eventually, the latter let himself lean a bit more against his friend. He brought up a hand, making it clear to Inosuke that he wanted to try something. "You want to cuddle, right? Is this okay?"

The only confirmation Tanjiro got was a slight grunt, but that was more than enough to reassure him. He slid the arm currently pressed against Inosuke's side until it was between him and the bed frame, letting Tanjiro sit closer. Then he used his free hand to guide Inosuke's knees so they crossed over Tanjiro's left leg. Inosuke caught on, turning his body a little, arms tucking under Tanjiro's. His body vibrated with nerves; so much touching felt strange, it made him anxious. But Tanjiro's breathing never broke rhythm and there was obviously no ill intent that Inosuke could sense. So he tried to relax, tried not to think so much. He just wanted to soak in the new experience and let it distract him. 

When the tension finally began to ease from Inosuke, Tanjiro reached up to pat the other boy's head. He'd taken it upon himself to give the mask a bit of a clean while Inosuke had been working, so the fur was no longer matted with blood or dirt. He scratched the space behind its ears, as if petting a real animal, and asked, "Do you want to keep your mask on?"

"...No," Inosuke said, and immediately tugged it off. As soon as it was gone, he pressed his face into Tanjiro's neck. "Don't look."

"Oh! Okay, yeah. Here, let's move this." Tanjiro took the mask and settled it on the floor, then replaced his hand in Inosuke's hair. He settled his chin atop the other boy's head and let out a pleased sigh. "See? It's nice, right?"

"Whatever," was the mumbled response. Tanjiro could feel the barely-there tickle of Inosuke's lashes against his neck. Each hot breath fell across his collarbone. Tanjiro closed his eyes and settled into the strange familiarity of the act, playing with Inosuke's hair while he could. He was hardly ever allowed to see his friend's face outside of meals, and this was the first time he'd gotten to touch Inosuke's hair like this. He was pleased to find it was as soft as it looked. 

Tanjiro was half asleep when he felt Inosuke's lips moving against his skin. "Hmm? What did you say?"

"Open your stupid ears," Inosuke grumbled. He shifted, but it was just to pull Tanjiro closer. "I said thanks. I don't get why, but I like cuddling I guess. With you, anyway. You're such a softie, I can tell you aren't gonna do anything." After a few seconds, he growled, "You better not, Gonpachiro." 

Tanjiro laughed. "I promise I won't!" One of Tanjiro's fingers tucked a lock of hair behind Inosuke's ear. "It makes me really happy to hear you say that," he mumbled. 

"It should! I'm the best, so it's expected; you should feel really honored!" 

"I do!"

Inosuke closed his eyes against the lightheadedness. "I'm going to sleep," he said decisively. And before Tanjiro could even voice his surprise, the entirety of Inosuke's weight settled into his arms, and the boy's breathing finally grew soft and deep.