Archive of Our Own ^beta

It had been a long time since he saw snow. 

Tanjirou held out a hand in time to catch one of the first winter falls of the morning. The snowflake melted against his palm, leaving a familiar chilled sensation that made him think of home. They were further up north than usual, at high altitude, and the year was coming to a close. Winter was upon them, and for the first time in several months, he was able to witness the gentle flurry that came with the start of a new winter day. It left a nostalgic feeling that brought memories of children’s laughter, maternal eyes, and black dust on his hands. 

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry or not, but it sure felt nice to think about heading uphill and packing up his left-over charcoal right about now. But that wasn’t a basket of charcoal hanging over his shoulders. No, the weight he bared pressed up against his back was the last of his family: someone who hasn’t seen snow in quite a long time either. 

He wondered if she would get excited, if she would remember the things they used to do when the ground was covered with it’s winter coat. 

The sky would be mostly cloudy for the duration of the day, so he considered letting her out to wander. They were stopping to rest after a battle with a demon after all, so it was probably a good time. 

“Waahh!! Don’t splash so much!”

Zenitsu’s shouting rang in his ears, disrupting the tranquil silence of early sunrise. They were near a riverbank, having decided to settle at the base of a large maple tree to recover. Inosuke had insisted they catch something to eat, had gloated loud and proud that he’d catch them all the biggest fish for their late dinner, early breakfast. Tanjirou kept busy starting the fire to cook the fish and Zenitsu for some reason thought it would be a good idea to stand at the edge of the water and take whatever the Wild boy caught.

He was regretting it now, no doubt about it.

Tanjirou chuckled fondly at the two as he shrugged off the carrier box from his shoulders. He placed it at the root of the tree and kneeled before the door. “Nezuko, you awake?” He then asked curiously, knocking his knuckles against the dark wood. She hadn’t woken up during the fight with the previous demon—there was no need for her help after all. He wondered though, if she’d opened her eyes at all since the excitement had died down. “It’s starting to snow...do you want to see it?”

He got his answer immediately. The door pushed open with haste, Nezuko impatiently poking her head out and scanning the land before her with her pale pink eyes. They went up, catching sight of the white sprinkle slowly coming down from the clouds and she raised a hand to catch it. Tanjirou sat back to watch her, smiling softly at the sight. Her reaction when the snow melted between the creases of her fingers was akin to a child experiencing it for the first time. It helped the image that she came out while retaining her smaller form and then began to run about their impromptu campsite while slapping her hands together in attempts to catch the flurry. 

As he watched her, his field of vision fell upon the river where his other two companions were. The bright yellow of Zenitsu’s hair and haori were distracting, pulling his attention away from his sister. He was struggling with a fish that he held by the tail, losing his balance and nearly stumbling into the cold river as the animal thrashed. Inosuke had two more, and their desperate wiggling to find themselves back in the river had little effect on him at all. He was grinning from ear to ear, his bright green eyes alight with pride. Tanjirou felt himself softening at the sight...but the moment was ruined as soon as Inosuke stepped out of the chilled water and onto solid ground.

“Inosuke!” Tanjirou sprung to his feet and met the two boys halfway. “I told you to at least roll your pants up! Now you’re soaked!” 

“Who cares!” Inosuke dismissed him and stomped over to the fire to start preparing the fish to cook. The mud from the bottom of the river was stuck to his sandals, creating a path of steps across the ground. Zenitsu stumbled around the foot prints with a scowl, complaining about the cold under his breath. 

Tanjirou pursed his lips together in a pout as he followed the two. "The snow is going to get worse the further north we go and you never wear anything as it is. I'm just worried you'll get sick."

Inosuke laughed. "I don't get sick!"

"Sure, you say that now ," commented Zenitsu, who already had a scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. He was not risking his good health. He'd made that especially clear as soon as they got their order to travel north. "Don't come crying to us when you get sick later."

"I won't come cryin' later because I wont get sick!" Inosuke barked, glaring at the blond. "Also I don't cry!! Cryin's for weak little piglets!"

Sensing the inevitable spiral of this argument, Tanjirou stepped between them with his hands up. "Okay, okay. Let's just eat and then get on the road again." The two boys turned away from each other after that. Zenitsu found a rock protruding from the earth to sit down but Inosuke merely sat straight on the ground where there was a thin layer of fresh snow. Tanjirou tried to ignore it; the sting of concern that manifested within him. His instincts as an elder brother were screaming at him. Bundle the boy up. Take care of him. Make sure he's warm. 

He considered taking his haori off, putting it around the other's broad shoulders. Though, he was a little worried that the gesture would be denied. He didn't want to start another argument just after settling one.

"I could smell smoke on our way up here. I think there's a village nearby." He decided to say, moving to sit over by the box currently unoccupied by a certain demon. She'd stopped running around in favor or kneeling and rolling up whatever snow she could get her hands on. There was a little snowman in the works, slowly but surely. 

"It's really small." Zenitsu shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. His breath was visible with every exhale, every word he spoke. "There aren't very many people. Outsiders might not be welcome."

" Or they could be very friendly," Tanjirou suggested instead. "My hometown was small but everyone was kind to travelers."

Zenitsu raised a brow at him skeptically."Thought you said you grew up in the mountains?"

"I did. There was a village at the base of the mountain."

"SHUT UP! FOOD IS DONE!" 

Inosuke's shouting was accompanied with skewered fish being thrown at each of them. It didn't go unnoticed that Zentisu had a harder time catching his than Tanjirou did, but only because he had gone a little softer for him. He wasn't sure why—Inosuke wasn't usually one to hold back.

It could be nothing. He had thrown a roasted fish at him, afterall, so why look into all the details?

Stopping to eat had been the blonde's idea. He was hungry and at the time, he nor his stomach owned not a single ounce of patience. Inosuke was more than willing to go hunting for them, setting his mask on the ground by the maple tree and marching to the river bank. That was around the time Tanjirou had advised him to roll his pants up, but it was obvious now that he'd been ignored. 

By the time they were finished and three sticks had been thrown into the fire–one without bones, as Inosuke seemed to enjoy eating those too–the snow had begun to pile up and Nezuko's snowman was finished. It was still very small, but it was cute. She was proud of it, having stuck pebbles in for its eyes and dead leaves on its head for a hat. Or maybe hair. 

She gave her creation a pat on the head before getting back into the box. The sky was still thick with clouds, but travel would be easier this way. It would be safer too. She wasn't the only demon out there in the world, and if she could walk around during the day because of the coverage, then so could they. They weren't going to let their guard down just because they recently defeated an enemy. 

As Tanjirou shut her door, he noticed Inosuke beside him, reaching for his mask which sat nearby collecting snow. The boy brushed it off quietly, a small pout on his lips as he noticed the wet feeling on the grey fur. He put it on quickly after that and shook himself like a dog, noises and all. Tanjirou frowned though, having caught on to the pink flush that had manifested on the other's nose, ears and fingers. There was no hiding it now—Inosuke was definitely cold.

He couldn't help but sigh. 

"Inosuke, wait." He stood up straight and reached for his blue scarf, unwinding the soft fabric from around his neck. He then stepped forward and wrapped it around Inosuke, just under the mask. The Wild one grunted and attempted to jump away from him, but he used the scarf to tug him back, keeping him in place. "I don't want to hear it. Wear this, please ." He paused and then shrugged the checkered haori off his shoulders too.

The reaction was expected.

"The hell are you doing!" Inosuke stopped tugging at the scarf in favor of pushing Tanjirou's hand away as it held the coat out to him. "I don't need it! Take it back!"

Tanjirou frowned deeply but didn't bring the haori any closer to himself. He could hear Zenitsu snickering into his sleeve somewhere behind him, but chose to ignore it. Instead, he took a bold step closer to the masked slayer and threw the checkered haori around his shoulders. Inosuke didn't shout at him again, although he could clearly hear the frustrated growling from the other side of the boar snout.

"Put your arms through." He instructed, staring into the dead eyes of the mask. He tugged on the patterned cloth when there was no response and frowned harder. "It's soft. Don't you feel it?"

It was soft. Tanjirou took care of it to the best of his ability whenever he could. It helped that the girls at the Butterfly Estate were always so willing to repair it for him too. There were new stitchings between the seams, near the shoulders and around the sleeves, but it was clean and the fabric was always smooth to the touch. He figured Inosuke would like it, what with his sensitive skin and all.

"...fine." Inosuke finally answered him after what felt like hours, making a smile twitch back to life on his lips. He grumbled under his breath and shifted, sticking his arms through the sleeves of the green haori and standing awkwardly in place. Now he was bundled up, hopefully warmer and protected from the icy chill, while he himself now stood only in his demon slayer uniform. 

"...stupid Monjirou, what about you?"

... cute .

"I'll be okay!" Tanjirou grinned at him in reassurance. "It snowed pretty heavily where I grew up. I'm kind of used to it." He then turned to pick up the box of cloud mist pine, mounting it and his sister up onto his back. It was a weight that barely affected him anymore, in fact it helped him feel grounded, braver. Warmer too. "I'll look around town and see if there are any coats for sale anywhere."

He said that but...their trek uphill took a lot longer than he had expected it to. The higher they went, the colder it got and the more it snowed too. He was used to the winter chill, but he wasn't immune to it. It didn't help that their shoes weren't quite suited for the mountain path they were on either. If it continued to snow this hard, by the next day their feet would be buried with each step they took. 

It was too late to turn back now though. 

They were standing under an archway probably sometime after noon, looking into the small village before them with bulbous eyes. 

There weren't many buildings on what they assumed was the main road, but there were plenty of people out and about setting up stalls, carrying large boxes of supplies and hanging up crafted lanterns. There was laughter among them, familiarity in the groups, in their smiles. This was a friendly community indeed–close knit and familial. 

What was really surprising though was the smell of food drifting passed their noses. He had first caught the scent when the smoke had started to dissipate, and now he could clearly see why. For whatever reason, this tiny town of people were preparing a festival of sorts. In the middle of a snowy winter day, they were out and about setting up a line of games and food stalls as if it were in the middle of summer. 

Inosuke stomped his foot the very moment he realized the situation. "AHHH! Stupid Zenkashu!" He then shouted, causing the blond beside him to yelp in surprise. "Why'd you make me go fishing if all this yummy food smell was gonna be up here!!"

"Zenitsu!" He corrected. "And how was I supposed to know!" He jumped out, grabbing the boar headed Slayer by the collar of his– Tanjirou's –haori and shook him silly. "Besides! It's less money to eat the fish from the river! It's free! Free! "

"Guys," Tanjirou put his hand down between them, separating Zenitsu's hand with the checkered fabric of his haori. "Let's look around. See if there's a place to stay. We can head back downhill tomorrow." Unless the crows come beckoning them to travel further north. He hoped they wouldn't, hoped that the cold was enough to ward off demons too. 

He pulled them along as he pushed that worrisome thought away, slotting it into a folder labeled for later deep in the back of his mind. It looked like a good opportunity to find a place to settle down for the night where it was warm and dry, so they'd have to start looking now before anything came up.

They were greeted kindly when they stepped into the scattered crowd. It was if they were welcomed with open arms; townsfolk approached them easily and asked them how their hike up the mountain was, that if they were okay or warm enough. Some pointed out Inosuke's odd appearance: a grey Boar's mask, blue scarf and a black and green checkered haori with nothing beneath. Not to mention the deer and bear fur he sported for the rest of his demon slayer uniform. Surprisingly enough, they weren't put off by his intense and angry response to their curiosity. They simply laughed, making him fume even more.

There were many things to distract their senses, but it wasn't anything like Asakusa when he and Nezuko first happened upon it. He looked around at the buildings, scanned doors and signs sitting in the thin layer of snow, wondering if they had an inn or ryokan of any sort. It was a very small village but they must have had something...

Oh. A tailor. 

Tanjirou stopped in his tracks once he spotted it: the sign indicating the presence of a seamstress, and he strayed away from the group almost immediately.

"Excuse me," 

He slid open the door and ducked inside, greeted back with the gentle scent of a light lavender incense and the cleanliness clinging to the clothes hung on the racks against the wall. It was a very small room, narrow with a single desk at the end. A woman dressed in a thick pink kimono and black haori had her head ducked down but sprung up at his entry. Her smile reached her eyes, genuine and nowhere near the fake courtesy of most shop owners he has met in his travels. It was refreshing. 

"You're an unfamiliar face. Welcome!" She beamed at him from across the room, which was barely a ten step difference between them. "Did you just come up the mountain? You must be cold."

"Ah, yeah. A little." Tanjirou came closer, admiring a rather long winter cloak hung to the left of her. It was a nice deep blue color, but much too long. It would drag across the ground or get caught in twigs and tear. Knowing Inosuke and his brash lifestyle, he'd somehow ruin the careful handiwork of the shop owner without thinking about it. It would probably be too heavy on the boy's shoulders too. He'd most likely be uncomfortable in it.

"I was looking for something a little lighter than this." Tanjirou gestured to the coat and she followed the motion with her eyes. When she stood to come around the desk, her thin fingers reached for the fabric on what seemed like instinct. She hummed in thought as she looked at it, and Tanjirou noticed bandages wrapped around the small appendages, proof of her labor. "Is this all your work?"

"Mine and my grandmother's, yes." She smiled gratefully, sensing his compliment in the tone of his voice. "It's a family owned business. We've been providing for our neighbors for as long as I can remember."

He felt a nostalgic memory come about from her words. A family business was an experience he could relate to. He wanted to say their hard work was wasted all the way up in this remote town, but that would be a lie. These people obviously thrived from her passion, that must have been enough for her. It was enough for the Kamado family too, even through all the struggle. 

"Are you sure you want something light? The mornings and nights get very cold up here."

Tanjirou nodded firmly. "Yes. I'll be okay. I'm actually looking for something for someone else."

"A girlfriend?" 

Ah. Tanjirou covered his face without thinking, feeling heat spread like wildfire. The young woman laughed softly at his reaction, which was fair. He probably looked silly, trying to hide something so obvious. "Sorry. I only ask because of the festival. It's a perfect opportunity to take your loved ones out to have some fun."

"I...I didnt think about that." Tanjirou mumbled between his fingers. "But...um...it's actually for this guy —"

"—Oh? Boyfriend?"

" Eehh... " He covered his face even more, embarrassed that a single word could affect him so much. He hoped Nezuko wasn't awake and listening, she would see through him instantly even from within an enclosed space on his back. "It's not...its not like that."

"But you want it to be?" She began to browse her small selection, somewhere on the other side of the room where she pulled out a few drawers. "We have a family here that handcrafts fireworks. You should take him to see them. They're very pretty."

He decided not to argue further, because in truth...she was sort of right. Inosuke had grown a lot closer to his heart than he ever expected him to. So close, it was almost scary. As someone with a mission to slay demons and find a cure for his sister, he never expected to catch feelings for another, especially someone as wild and arrogant as Inosuke. Though, that was just what lay bare on the outside. Deep down, Inosuke was an incredible, strong willed and kind person. He admired him so much... and somewhere along the way... with the teamwork, the encouragement, banter, and brushes of hands, that admiration turned into something else, something heavy on his chest. Something that rushed all of the blood to his face when he thought about pulling that scarf to bring their faces close. When he thought about how cute Inosuke's pouting face probably looked when he put his haori around his shoulders. 

"Oo! How about this," The seamstress pulled him from his thoughts along with a piece of fabric from a drawer. It was a haori of the same blue as the coat from before, white stitching in the sleeves. "It's light, simple. A nice color. If the size is off in any way, I can alter it. You can come pick it up tomorrow."

Actually it was perfect. She held it up by the shoulders and he imagined Inosuke's muscular form inside it, which was easy now that he'd seen him in his own haori. The sleeves would probably be a bit short, but that might actually be ideal for his fighting style. And because it was a thin material, he'd easily be able to store it somewhere if he got too hot. There wouldn't be too much protection from the cold but it was something at least.

Now for one last thing...

He came closer and pinched the fabric between his fingers to examine it. He rubbed it between the digits, then swiped a hand down the sleeve, feeling the texture, the love and care she put into the stitching. It was soft, inside and out.

Tanjirou smiled at her, having made his decision right then and there. "Altering won't be necessary. This is exactly what I need."

Her eyes lit up and the transaction proceeded. 

Inosuke and Zenitsu were in the same place he left them when he came back outside. The blond looked his way as soon as he stepped out the door, a frown plastered on his face. He raised an eyebrow at him as well, tapping his finger against his crossed arms, and it suddenly struck Tanjirou with a realization

He heard the whole thing. 

"Thank you! Please enjoy your stay!"

Tanjirou spun at the heel and bowed to the woman inside. Partly due to his natural instinct to be polite and also in order to hide the flush on his cheeks he knew had manifested. He needed a moment to collect himself.

When he jogged back over to them, Inosuke spun around almost so fast the mask went askew. He had to fix it quickly so he could see him properly, and then he jabbed a finger in his direction. 

"Gonpachiro! What do you think you're doing running off without saying anything!"

"Sorry I worried you." Despite himself Tanjirou smiled a little, squeezing the folded haori to his chest. "Here, Zenitsu." He shrugged a strap of Nezuko's box off his shoulder, bringing in a very shocking cold to the space on his back. Suppressing a hiss, he turned a little so the blond could take it. He did so quickly, but carefully, and held it close to himself like he was cradling something precious. 

"Can I have my haori back, Inosuke?" Tanjirou then asked, now open to the cold and ignoring the bone chilling breeze that brushed against his back. He wasn't sure, but it almost looked like Inosuke hesitated before removing it. It was hard to tell without seeing his face, but somehow it made him happy anyway. "We can trade."

He held out the new haori, the dark one now meant to belong to Inosuke, and the boar head tilted down a little so he could see. 

"...what's that?"

"It's yours. I bought it for you."

"...huh."

Tanjirou chuckled and did as before when they were down by the river; opening the haori up and swinging it around the other's shoulders. "It's a haori, like mine, but only yours. You don't have to wear it after this, but at least keep it on while we're in the snow." He tugged the collar around, tucked it under the blue scarf he loaned him before. Then he nudged the boy's arms so he could fit them through the sleeves and after that, he stood back so he could put his own back on. 

It felt nice to have that extra layer of fabric back, but he didn't have much time to savor the moment before his focus was on other things. The sight of Inosuke in the light coat was exactly as he imagined, and it was a bit exciting to see that the wild boy wasn't immediately trying to take it off. He was looking at his arms, where the sleeves ended just below his elbows, and an interesting satisfied noise was spilling out of him.

"Is it alright?" Tanjirou already had a feeling it was a good choice for him, but he asked anyway. He wanted to hear it. He wanted to be sure that Inosuke was happy.

"Hmph." Inosuke huffed, throwing his head up and resting his hands on his hips. "It'll do for now!"

It was safe to assume that could be translated to something like gratitude. He wasn't going to take it off and that was enough for Tanjirou. 

"We talked to someone about somewhere to stay," Zenitsu offered this along with Nezuko's box. Tanjirou took it carefully and pulled the straps back over his shoulders. Her warmth, through the planks of wood, pressed up against his back again and enveloped him. A comfortable reminder that she was still there. "They said there's a ryokan up the road. They don't get many visitors so it's most likely empty."

"Perfect."

They set off in the direction Zenitsu pointed out but found themselves staring at the festival stalls on the way and stopping many times. There weren't a lot open yet though, townsfolk informing them to come back later when the sun set, So Tanjirou was forced to pull himself and the other two away so they could find where they were staying first. 

It was a bit further up the road then he thought, out of the way and distant from the lights and laughter. He could smell sulfur in the air, the tell tale sign of a natural spring, so he started to move quicker, excited for the relaxing atmosphere the inn had to offer.

"Hello? Pardon our intrusion..."

"Oh! Hello, come on in!" 

There was an older woman inside, folding sheets and keeping busy near a front check in table. The room was small and dimly lit, but the space was comfortable and welcoming. It reminded him of the feeling he got when they visited the Wisteria house. The only unfortunate thing would be that they needed to pay for their stay and hide their swords. 

Well, he shouldn’t call it unfortunate. Tanjirou was more than happy to support the small businesses tucked away deep in this mountain.

"Do you have any vacancy?"

In response to his inquiry, the elder bobbed her head in confirmation and set her work down. "Of course," she then said as she rose to her feet. She was just barely taller than him; in good shape too. She must do all of the housework herself. "We get most of our guests during the summer time. There's a beautiful view of the valley from up here, you know."

"Not even for the festival?"

"Oh that's not really a festival most folks know about," She dismissed him and turned to find a booklet laid flat on the table surface. "It's a small tradition for our village is all. People can celebrate with us, but we aren't known for it."

Tanjirou made the first move, considering the other two were still struggling to remove their shoes outside. He crossed the room to meet her at the desk and wondered what it could be that these people regarded so highly as to start an annual festival. "What are you celebrating, if I may ask?"

"The first snow of winter, of course." She nodded to herself again and he could smell the pride and joy she had for the tradition their village held. It was an infectious sort of contentment, bringing a smile to his face as she slid the book toward him. It was just as simple as that huh... "How many rooms will you need?" 

"Just one will be fine." 

Once Zenitsu and Inosuke finally joined him, things were pretty much settled and the owner was ready to show them to their room. Like the rest of the village, her reaction to the boar mask was that of boisterous laughter. In fact, She complimented his handiwork, which only made his ego swell. He was laughing along with her after that, and even turned to Tanjirou as if asking for his praise as well. Which...well, he wasn't not gonna do it.

"She's right, you know?"

Honestly, He couldn't fight the stupid grin on his face as he said it. Especially after seeing the wild boy's satisfied reaction. It was an endearing show of cheerful noises and happy hops along the hallway, until he turned to the blond with the same sort of expectation radiating off of him.

Zentisu, however, did not deliver.

"You want me to compliment you too?" He put on a mischievous smile, crossing his arms over his chest and pointing his nose into the air. "How could I? That thing gives me the creeps."

He wouldn't say that Inosuke's mood fell , but it was more like the cheery and light giddiness the boy was feeling got snuffed out by the blond's playful hounding. "Stupid Zenbastu,” He grumbled, irritated. “You don't have any right to say anyway, since you can't hunt!"

Zenitsu bristled, highly offended. "I-I know how to hunt!! I'm just not that good at it!" He punched the side of the other's arm at that, seething through his teeth. He gave him a few more punches too, for extra measure. Inosuke barely even flinched. "Gramps took me hunting for stags once a year! It was like tradition!"

Inosuke had to laugh. “Stags! No wonder you're so bad at it! I hunt bears .”

“Agh who cares !!” Zenitsu would have full-on attacked him if not for the presence of the ryokan owner. He held back and kept the rest of his boiling irritance to himself, possibly choosing to ignore the frustration for Tanjirou’s sake as well. He had enough patience to nurture 5 siblings, an oversuspicious panophobic and an animal raised all-nonsense brute.... but even he had a limit. 

He followed the Boar headed slayer into the room once they arrived and Tanjirou hung back to bow to the elder woman in thanks. She returned the gesture and before she left, let him know that there wouldn't be dinner due to the festivities down the road. He was more than welcome to give folks her name though; she was confident they'd be able to eat for free if they did.

"Tanaka Ryo, is my name."

"Thank you, Miss Tanaka."

"Please, enjoy your stay."

When he closed the door and turned into the room, Zenitsu was already on the floor as if he were ready to sleep as he was, his sword taken from his belt and placed flat on the tatami beside him. Inosuke was unmasked in a sitting position, picking at the particles stuck in the damp fur of the boar head, and Tanjirou felt a happy swell in his chest when he noticed that despite his twin swords being haphazardly tossed about, he had yet to remove the scarf and haori.

Tanjirou moved to pick the swords up, mostly to distract himself so he didn't stand and stare long enough to get caught. He placed them up against the wall in the far corner so he could then remove the box from his back too. 

Nezuko rolled out as soon as she was placed on the floor.

Ah. So she was awake...

He decided to avoid making eye contact with her, scared of what kind of expression she'd make if they did. He instead made his way to the closet so he could start unloading their beddings and yukatas for later.

“If you went hunting every year, why don’t you hunt more, Monitsu?”

Inosuke had brought up the subject again while Tanjirou worked silently. The blond groaned against the tatami, a muffled noise but still loud enough to convey his annoyance. They reminded him of siblings, bickering about the smallest things whenever they could, and never letting one argument go too quickly. At least it was a harmless fight, the darker haired of the two seemed to be rather calm for once; more curious than anything. 

“ You’re the hunter of the group. I’m fine with just fishing.”

“Then why didn’t you let me go hunting this morning!”

“Because that would take way too long!” Zenitsu used his arms to push himself up and snapped his head in the other’s direction. “Fishing is faster! Why are we arguing about this again ?”

“Yeah, why don’t we talk about something else?” Tanjirou suggested gently, though he not-so-gently threw bedding and clothes at the each of them as he said it. That was enough to get them to shut up. “We actually have a night to ourselves for once. Let’s just relax.”

Inosuke grumbled as he pulled the thick comforter away from himself and placed it on the floor beside him. He then shuffled around to flatten the futon out and set it up for sleep. It wasn’t quite right, though. It looked like a mess, like a toddler thoughtlessly making his bed for the first time with no direction. It was sort of cute watching the way he stuck out his tongue in concentration while making absolutely zero progress. 

But...Tanjirou made note to fix it for him later. 

“Monjirou.” 

Inosuke called out to him then, when he decided to finally direct his attention elsewhere. Not like he had any room to complain though; he’d gladly give the green eyed boy as much attention as he so desired. Inosuke was always thinking about the big picture, about being a King that ruled over his underlings. That surely meant he’d crave a monumentous amount of attention and praise. He knew that much and still, he’d be more than willing to give it all to him.

“You said you grew up in the mountains too?”

The question caught him off guard a little. He wasn’t actually expecting a change of subject from Inosuke himself . 

“You hunted?” 

Or not.

Tanjirou couldn’t hold back the sigh that escaped him. “No...” He paused when he realized he’d answered without thinking. “Actually...yeah. Sometimes. We were poor but there were times when we had the money to buy food from town. But for our birthdays, before my Dad got sick, he would go hunting so he could provide a big meal. After that..,” He shrugged his shoulders a bit offhandedly, eyeing Zenitsu’s still form in the corner of his eyes. “It wasn’t a prized tradition or anything...”

“Ah.” Zenitsu felt a pang of guilt for some reason, thoughts from before immediately backpedaling. “I didn’t mean...” He stopped for a moment, then raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head. A nervous twitch. “We weren’t hunting just to hunt. It was part of my training. For my meals too. We just...went after bigger animals once a year...and...yeah.”

Tanjirou smiled at him.

He hoped that he wasn’t beating himself up too much over it. Honestly, he wasn’t bothered at all. “Did you actually have a tradition?” He was eager to know now, since the subject had come back up. Inosuke listened patiently too, he could smell the wonder and curiosity coming from him clearly.

“Oh uh. No not really.” Zenitsu looked to the corner of the room, lost in his head. He was filtering through his past experiences, no doubt, looking for what he could call ‘tradition’. “I didn’t really have anything ‘till gramps came along and took me in. But I guess...there was this tavern I liked to go to during the new year.” He smiled at the memory, as it came to mind. “There were always pretty women, and free food and music! Sometimes I’d play with them. It was pretty fun..but...that’s where I met...y’know...”

Right. The woman who swindled him into debt. The very reason he became a demon slayer to begin with. What a heartless woman...The thought of her always leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Zenitsu was just a kid . He was very lucky that his Master came along when he did. 

“What’s this tradition stuff you keep talking about?” asked Inosuke, a bit impatient to know. He had placed the mask back into his lap so he could hold it close and his hand was absentmindedly scratching at the grey colored fur, as if comforting an actual animal. Tanjirou wondered for a moment, if that was something he did with the Boars he was raised with, if there was a softer, more familial side of him he’d yet to see. “Is it tasty?”

Tanjirou chuckled and shook his head and was gifted with the innocent gaze of one raised in isolation. “It’s something people do and pass on to their loved ones...like an inheritance. Um...sometimes even annual celebrations.” He pointed to the doors on the opposite side of the room from where they entered; doors that lead outside. “Like the festival down the road. This village celebrates the first snow of winter every year. Probably because it’s something their ancestors celebrated.”

Long lashes fluttered rapidly as Inosuke blinked at him, as if he was trying to process the information with intense focus. He didn’t blame him, honestly, the concept of inheritance was foreign to him, after all. 

“What's yours?” The raven haired one asked after a moment.

“Mine?” Tanjirou’s head tilted in question and Inosuke simply grunted at him. He then pulled his red eyes away to look at the sliding doors again. Where the snow fell gently outside, ready to paint the earth white. “Oh well....My Father would dance the night of the new year. From sundown to sunrise. It was supposedly to bring our Family good luck-to ward off illnesses. But...” He paused for a moment, lashes falling, gaze dipping. “I realized it was a breath style... the Hinokami Kagura.”

It’s not like the tradition of the Kamado family was now a tainted memory for him. No, not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. Though there were times when he remembered what the dance was and it’s true nature was something completely different than his child-self had pictured it. He was so very thankful for it, though. For his Father. Without him, without the tradition their family passed along the generations, Nezuko may have been killed a long time ago. He would have been killed a long time ago.

“I was taught all the forms so I could continue on for our Family.” He even remembered learning from a young age, dancing with the bell charms while Nezuko provided ill practiced but playful music. He wanted to take on the legacy his Father wished to leave him, for as long as he could remember. He wanted to perform the dance, to bring fortune to their family. But... ”I never got a chance to do the dance though. The first time I ever truly did it was on Mt. Natagumo after I realized what it really was.”

Tanjirou needed a moment after that, a moment to close his eyes, breathe and distract his mind from thinking too hard on the subject of family. Whenever brought up, his thoughts could spiral into something dark without his permission. It was unfortunate that the other two Slayers were so quiet now. He sort of wished one would say something, anything ...

“I wanna’ see it.”

Oh?

Fortunately, it was as if Inosuke had heard his pleas. Though he’s sure it was just his uncanny timing, having spoken up just when Tanjirou was beginning to worry about himself. “You...want to see it?” Tanjirou couldn’t help but ask, catching the way the Wild boy’s eyes flickered across his face. He was watching him with such intent–the kind of focus that was rarely seen in his wide green eyes–it almost felt like he was at the other end of a predator's gaze. He swallowed, suddenly feeling dry in the throat. “You’ve seen it before. When I fight.”

“I have.” Inosuke replied, eyes steady. “But I want to see the tradition .”

Oh .

He was serious.

Tanjirou felt his face begin to boil, searing heat bursting across his cheeks. 

Why did Inosuke have to look at him like that while asking to see him dance ?

“S-Sure! Maybe someday!” 

He honestly couldn’t picture himself setting aside an entire night for the dance now that he’d become a Demon Slayer. He knew his mind would be on other things for the entirety of the ritual. Like where was the closest demon? Who was going to defeat it while he was busy performing the twelve forms of the Fire God dance over and over until the sun rose again? Why perform a dance that was supposed to bring their family good health and fortune...when there was no more family?

No. Distractions! Get your mind off of it, Tanjirou!

“Say, why don’t we go down to the festival and look around?” He sprung up to his feet again as he suggested it and looked around to find Nezuko sat on the floor near Inosuke’s bedding. She was messing with the tuft of fur around his waist, but now glancing up at her brother with curious pink eyes. He thought about asking her directly to go with him, but her eyes squinted and he stopped before he even began. She shook her head at him after that, and then pointed a sharp-nailed finger at the boy beside her. That much made it clear to him. Nezuko had heard the conversation with the tailor earlier...

Ahh..who was he kidding, even without hearing that conversation she must have known already. She was his sister, after all. Sometimes he swore she knew him better than he did himself.

He took a small breath in preparation, and then finally spoke up. “D-Did you want to go down there with me, Ino—"

“Ohh! That sounds fun actually,” Zenitsu interrupted him with a joyful cheer, jumping to his feet with a newfound energy. “Nezuko! Let’s go! I want to go to a festival with you!”

He wasn’t sure if her displeased expression was because her plan to get him and Inosuke alone had failed or if it was just the fact that Zenitsu was already planning on how many prizes he was going to win for her. Though, the determined glint in her pink eyes when she finally stood to Zenitsu’s level was enough to tell him that she was going to earn prizes for him too. It would be a competition of affection it seemed. 

They were growing closer every day...and Tanjirou wasn’t sure if he wanted to be happy for his sister or upset that Zenitsu was getting his way little by little...

But...to be honest, he felt a little relieved. It would be easier to convince Inosuke to go and forget the subject of the Traditional Fire God dance if the other two were going. It was sort of perfect timing, really. The once isolated boy wasn't too keen on being alone anymore. Granted, he still needed his days to be away from the group, to reconnect with nature, but he could never spend too much time by himself anymore. Tanjirou could see it, in the way the boy perked up when he came back into the room. In the way he'd even go so far as to cling to the ceiling just to see him...or crash through a window when he hears where he is after a long time of separation.

Ah...that sort of reaction was always for him wasn't it?

"Festival has food! I'm still hungry! Let's go!"

Inosuke's voice started him out of his thoughts and he looked to see that he was up and raring to go now that he'd realized what the festival entailed. Zenitsu was about ready to leave too, stepping out of the room and glancing down the hall. He figured that was his cue and he moved across the room to peer outside through the opposite doors and check the sky. The sun was setting, the cloud coverage was still thick—Nezuko would be safe to accompany them. 

So she did.

Along with the setting sun, the sky was beginning to grow dark, the townsfolk lighting lanterns and torches alongside the road. It was the tale tell sign that usually left demon slayers uneasy; the usual signal for demons to begin their prowl. Though the scent in the air was nothing to be troubled about, there was good, positive emotion and not a single evil presence nearby. His crow hadn't made himself known in quite awhile either. They would probably be fine letting their guard down for the evening...even if for a little while. That didn't mean he'd drop it completely though.

Inosuke walked beside him, his mask left behind in the room, but his chin and small pink lips dipped down into the warmth of blue fabric around his neck. He had left it behind since they'd be stopping to eat while exploring the small festival; an interesting sight for Tanjirou to say the least. At this point he had only seen the boy wearing his scarf and that nice new blue haori while also sporting his favorite boar mask. But now...

Well, he tried not to think about it too much. He was afraid his heart would beat so fast and so loudly that Zenitsu would most likely find it annoying. 

He was, of course, too busy trying to lead his sister around, his hand every once in a while reaching for the demon girl's own but drifting away due to nerves. It made Tanjirou frown once he noticed. They were only a few paces ahead of them, the blond talking and pointing to the colorful things around them while Nezuko's eyes darted here and there in wonder. It was distracting enough to help him forget the fluttering feeling in his chest, but it wasn't ideal. He was happy for his sister, really, but he still wasn't sure how he felt about Zenitsu of all people trying to whisk her away from him. 

Zenitsu was a good person. He was a wonderful, kind, and selfless person. But he was also a fool. And his sister was a demon , so his older brother instincts to be protective were valid! She was barely herself anymore, and so she wasn't in proper position to make these decisions at the moment. If she were to become human again and Zenitsu were to get his act together, then maybe he'd consider being a little less overbearing. But for now, all he could do was glare and grumble and intimidate the blond into leaving her be whenever he got too affectionate. 

It was harder to do that though, when Nezuko's face lit up and she allowed him to take her by the hand.

Agggh. It was difficult being the older brother of Nezuko Kamado when Zenitsu Agatsuma was around. There were many harsh conflicting feelings that made his stomach twist. 

There was the instinct to let her be happy but also the instinct to protect her from love-struck fools.

“Oh! Look here!” 

Zenitsu finally grabbed her hand, finally snatched and pulled her away and disappeared through a small crowd of people. Tanjirou sucked in a breath, went to lunge forward and follow suit but a strong hand wrapped itself around his wrist and tugged him in the opposite direction instead. He had half a mind to rip his arm out of the sudden grip but the very moment he realized it was Inosuke, clinging to him, leading him to a booth that smelled of hot, delicious food, his mind went blank.

Not even a minute later, Inosuke was shining in glee, fried food in hand, and Tanjirou was gladly paying out of pocket. 

The once Feral boy tore into his food violently with no shame, no manners, but Tanjirou never lost an ounce of his affections. He honestly caught himself staring, smiling softly to himself as they walked away in another direction—The concern he had for his sister and Zenitsu now pushed to the back of his mind. He was more than happy to buy the other boy more food, more sweets, anything he wanted really, and it wasn’t until he noticed his wallet was feeling a bit light and he’d taken the other’s hand to lead him through the crowd that a realization brought his feet to a stand-still. 

Ah. He was a love-struck fool himself wasn’t he?

He completely forgot to mention Miss. Tanaka’s name for their free food...all because he was willing to do what he could to please Inosuke. All because he let himself think for just a second, that this was a normal snowy evening, a normal winter festival, a normal date...

Ah.

A date! This was a date wasn’t it? He and Inosuke were alone. He was buying him food, currently on his way to pay for a game too! He was even holding his hand and Inosuke was allowing him to. 

Tanjirou’s hand retreated as if it had been burned, though the other slayer paid no mind. In fact, he’s sure he hadn’t even noticed, his senses were distracted after all. His green eyes were exploring their surroundings with wonder, mouth slack with half-chewed grilled fish, body flinching and retreating from loud noises or larger crowds of bodies. There weren't a lot of people in this small mountain village, but it was still enough to be slightly overwhelming for someone like him. It was the same way before they boarded the train way back when... he had clung to him then too. So of course he wouldn’t be thinking about the same stuff he was...

Maybe he shouldn’t consider it a date. He didn’t necessarily ask Inosuke out anyway.

“Hey! How do I play this!”

Inosuke was leaning against the small wooden booth when Tanjirou snapped back to reality. The woman behind it was surprised into a fit of laughter, pulling her winter robes around her kimono to keep the warmth in. She then came closer, grabbed a basket from out of view and placed it atop, revealing five small wooden rings the size of the circle he could make by touching a finger to his thumb. 

He was quick to examine them, taking them from the basket and holding them up to eye level. “You just gotta’ toss the rings and make them around the toys.” She gestured behind her, to the row of small wooden toys, all colorful and unique. Up in the right corner, Tanjirou noticed one in particular, one that looked familiar. He found himself looking at it for longer than he expected. “My husband and I make these so they’re different every year. You can choose whichever one you want. Doesn’t have to be the one you get the ring on.”

“I’ll make all five rings!” Inosuke shouted, pulling the basket closer to him. Tanjirou stepped forward to stand beside him and offered up some of what little money he had left. “Watch Gonpachirou! I’ll win all the toys!”

He wasn't sure if it worked like that. Though still, he was interested to see if he could really do it. But he was also a little worried about what it could do to him if he ended up losing all five chances. It wouldn’t strike down his confidence, would it? It was just a silly game, so chances were low, right? No matter—Tanjirou was prepared to be there for him if that were to happen.

"Give it your best shot, Inosuke!”

He missed all five shots.

Inosuke was about ready to climb over the booth and take every last toy he could, he was so enraged. It only took Tanjirou’s intervention and a toy being offered up anyway to get him to calm down. 

“Here. You did your best.”

“Hah?” Inosuke’s body was still tense but he’d dropped back to where he originally stood. He glared at the toy, a wooden sculpture of a boar, painted by hand in every little detail. “I don’t want a pity prize. I want one fair and square!” 

“That’s not how it works at my booth.” The woman replied, shoving the small wooden figure closer to the boy’s chest. “Besides, I thought your boyfriend wanted it. Couldn’t keep his eyes off it.”

Inosuke raised a brow. “Huh? Boyfriend?”

It wasn’t until she looked his way, that Tanjirou realized that she was talking about him .

“AH!” Tanjirou’s hands shot up in defense of...what exactly? He wasn’t quite sure, really. Inosuke didn’t seem to react to the word much at all. In fact, he was picking at his ear as if he was more annoyed at that rather than what the girl was saying to him. “We aren’t... he’s uhm...”

“Oh hey,” Her tone of voice shifted, a change of subject at the tip of her tongue. Tanjirou thanked the Gods for that, honestly. He didn’t want to have this talk again. “I think I recognize you actually. You’re the boy who was wearing the boar mask earlier, huh?” Inosuke looked at her again, very easily distracted from what was said a moment ago. “Wow, yknow, I didn’t expect such a pretty face to be underneath,” She looked at Tanjirou then, and winked one of her brown eyes at him. “Lucky boy,”

His face burst into hot flame just as Inosuke blew up for a much different reason.

“HEY! WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY FACE HUH—"

“ OKAY! ” Tanjirou looped his arm with Inosuke’s and took the little wooden toy from the woman. “Thank you very much! Have a good night!” 

With that, he pulled Inosuke away and a little further down the road. He didn’t stop until the boy’s growling did, and he unhooked their elbows with a disgruntled sigh. “You can’t keep attacking people over that. They don’t mean to insult you. They’re actually complimenting you, y’know?”

“I don’t need their compliments!”

“Really? You love getting praise though...”

“That’s different!”

Was it though? Tanjirou found himself questioningly tilting his head at that. Inosuke was always pretty responsive to praise when he was given it. Though, he couldn’t really remember the last time someone complimented his appearance and got away with it. Well, then again, most people usually commented on how strange it was, having such a pretty face atop an extremely toned and muscular body. Perhaps that was the crux of the problem. Maybe Inosuke just..naturally reacted like that to protect his feelings. 

He frowned a little at the thought. 

“Well...what if I say it?”

Inosuke had a pretty good track record of responding positively to Tanjirou’s praise and compliments. He still yelled at him, but usually it was just so he could tell him how giddy he was feeling. To tell him to stop before he...what exactly, he wasn’t sure. Got giddier than he already was? What exactly did that mean? What did it entail?

“Say what?”

Green eyes were focused on him, suspicious yet curious. 

“That...your face is pretty.”

And just like that, the curiosity in Inosuke’s eyes was replaced with something else, something sharper. It startled him a little, made him stand straighter. He was being scrutinized now, lashes dipping as he looked him over up and down. Then their bodies came closer as the wild one took a step forward, eyes narrowing, burning into Tanjirou’s, making his knees feel surprisingly weak. Despite the cold winter air, the flurry of snow falling slowly from the sky, heat radiated from his half covered chest and reached out to him. His scent was masked by the thick smell of food and joy in the air—He was too focused on the feeling that veridian gaze gave him to pinpoint it. 

“Say it.”

He’s sure he felt his heart skip. Perhaps twice over.

“Y-...Your face...” His throat felt dry. “It’s very pretty.”

The silence that followed must have lasted all but a few seconds but it felt like he stood there in the middle of the road, trapped in Inosuke’s hypnotizing gaze for hours. He spared a glance down his face, down to his lips–not to kiss oh no , he wouldn’t let himself crack just like that–but to see if there was any sort of semblance of a reaction. Anything . Though now he’s getting frustrated with himself for even thinking he could kiss Inosuke like that. How dare he! He needed to control himself better than that! 

What was the big deal anyway? He had admitted to Inosuke that he was attractive before! When they first met, in fact. He’d only done it in attempts to calm the boy when he was asked about his face but he wasn’t a liar! It was true, every word, every letter. His face was fair, pale and soft. His eyes were wide, stunning and vibrant. His nose was petit, flushed and pointed and his lips were small, pink, and alluring. Not only that, but his body–those muscles, that chest–draws his attention away from more important things more times than he’d like to admit. Even now, he must stop himself from thinking about it. He must prevent his thoughts from thinking those lips kissable, he must stop himself from thinking about reaching out and touching those abs formed from hardwork and years of being an alpha upon his mountain.

Because Inosuke didn't reciprocate these feelings, he’s sure. 

He knows this and yet...Inosuke still continues to look at him like that. Like he’s a doe caught in a winter storm on the mountain. Like he’s ready to devour him, skin and bone.

That scent—it finally reached him. More . He wanted more . 

More...compliments?

He risked eye contact again and his voice left him. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He was forming goosebumps on his arms but it wasn’t from the winter breeze. No..

There may have been something there after all. Something he wished he could place—

"Oh! Tanjirou!! Inosuke!!"

He may have felt like he was in a crisis, but honestly, he wasn’t asking for a distraction now of all times. Tanjirou forced himself to tear his eyes away from the other’s, looking down to the white earth beneath his feet. He raised a hand to his forehead, pushed it over the brush of his fringe as if it would wipe away the searing heat left behind by the overwhelming encounter. 

“C..Come on.” He reached out, despite himself, and took Inosuke’s hand. He then turned and lead him to where the voice had called out, refusing to look over his shoulder, refusing to sniff out what kind of scent came from him now. 

“There you guys are!” Zenitsu met them halfway, Nezuko by his side looking cheerful but a bit drained from being awake for so long. 

Tanjirou couldn’t help but raise a brow at him. "You're the one who abducted my sister."

"Oh Uh–..."

He felt a tug on his haori sleeve and looked down to see his precious sister now closer to his side. She held her free hand up to him, showing him an object resting against her palm. It was a glass sculpture, a flower of bright colors and deep meaning no larger than the tiny sparrow that followed Zenitsu around. Her eyes were smiling, and when he looked up to spot out the blond, he was looking away bashfully with a soft flush reddening his already frostbitten cheeks. He must have won it for her...

A soft sigh escaped him and he pet her hair with his free hand. She hummed in delight, pleased with his approval and stood back again to touch her sharp nails to the delicate glass petals. She was handling it with so much care...but it was bound to be destroyed within the next few days. They were Demon Slayers after all...nothing that fragile would last their ventures. But...he couldn’t just take it from her.

"It’s very pretty, Nezuko.” She looked up at him as he said this, and for some reason he could feel a certain veridian gaze on him again too. “I'll find something to wrap it in so it doesn't break." 

Her expression lit up like the stars above. As a demon, he knew she was aware it would be pointless. But she was happy anyway and he was happy if she was. That was enough for him, really. 

"Someone mentioned that fireworks would be starting soon," Zenitsu finally spoke up again, bringing attention back to their circle. Tanjirou gave him a questioning stare for a moment, but then remembered hearing something about that too earlier in the day. A family handcrafted them apparently. He wondered if Nezuko would like them... they grew up near a small village but there wasn’t a family that created anything larger than sparklers. That was the most they’d ever seen as children.

“Fireworks huh...Haven’t really seen those before.”

He glanced back at her for a moment and noticed that her attention had fallen somewhere low, somewhere between he and Inosuke. He looked too, and realized with a drop of his heart, that he was still holding the boy’s hand. He let go immediately, on instinct as if for some reason she’d start teasing him in front of the other two. It was too late, of course, but at least it would be impossible for her to say anything.

Zenitsu on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice at all. “I'm sure they aren't huge but, I don't want to be anywhere near here when those are going off." He had a hand up, rubbing at the crest of his ear, but paused when he realized something was off. He glanced at him, meeting his gaze curiously and raised a brow, as if questioning his racing heart. He pursed his lips, unwilling to answer that out loud. 

"Fireworks?” Inosuke finally spoke up, pulling Zenitsu’s attention away from him. Good. A distraction. He can definitely keep up with this subject as long as his behavior wouldn’t get brought up. “What are those? Can I eat those too?" 

Inosuke’s wild innocence and bottomless stomach strikes again.

"How big can they get?” Tanjirou decided to ask. It was an honest question. The fact that Zenitsu didn’t want to be anywhere near them must have really meant something loud and big. He’d heard stories of colorful lights and loud booming noises but he’d never seen it for himself. “I've only seen sparklers."

Zenitsu sighed heavily. He was probably thinking about how he was stuck with two country bumpkins again. "Go see for yourself." He then said, but he paused and raised a judgmental look to the one with black hair. "You might wanna hold him back though."

Tanjirou tilted his head. Were they really that intense?

“Good luck,” Zenitsu gave his final parting words and started walking away, back down the road toward the ryokan. Nezuko came forward after that, looking up at him, then at Inosuke, and before he could say anything to her, she smiled with her eyes again and gave his arm a gentle nudge while she passed by. Her silent message was received as she followed Zenitsu back to their room. 

He could practically hear her pretty voice— Good luck, Brother!

“Monjirou.” Inosuke’s voice calling to him pulled him back. Just like always. He was so far gone for the other slayer that he couldn’t help but respond to the wrong names now. “I wanna’ eat the fireworks.”

He held back a snort but failed. It looks like Inosuke’s acting a little more like himself now. At least, the him that Tanjirou was more used to. 

“You can’t eat them. It’ll hurt.” 

He hesitated, but decided to take Inosuke’s hand again. It was nice to know that he was able to do it as many times as he wanted without getting rejected. Perhaps it was simply because Inosuke craved what little comfort this gave when surrounded by crowds of people, but for Tanjirou, this granted him a sense of intimacy he wished he could have without getting dangerously close to crossing a line. He would savor it. Squeeze it and hold it close. And he’d be lying if he said his heart didn’t flutter when Inosuke’s hand returned the gentle squeeze ever so slightly. 

There were people gathering a little further down the road, so he assumed that was where they needed to go. It was further away from the booths, on the other side of the archway that they’d stood in earlier that morning. The closer to the conjugation of people they got, the harder Inosuke’s hand squeezed his own. When he glanced over his shoulder he could spot out the worry lines in his forehead, just above the bridge of his nose. He was pouting, attempting to hide part of his face in the blue scarf around his neck. He would never admit how anxious he could get in crowded places, but it was easy to see now, without the mask. 

Tanjirou squeezed his hand again, bringing his attention away from the festival-goers, and he offered a kind and reassuring smile. Inosuke stared for a moment, but soon looked away with a stubborn huff. 

When they met with the crowd, Tanjirou found a spot for them to stand, somewhere that wasn’t too tight. He let Inosuke stand to his left, where there was more space, and looked on at the scene before them. A family was setting up a line of small containers on the ground where the snow had been swept away and the dirt was free of debris. A young girl to the right had a bucket of water,  presumably from the river, and the other beside her had another bucket of sticks she was passing out to other children. He didn’t realize it at first, but the sticks she was handing out were the very thing he remembered from his own childhood. Sparklers. 

He was about to ask if Inosuke wanted to play with those instead, but it was at that moment that a man in a grey yukata and heavy winter robes began to strike flint and steel at a long fuse beside the cylinder object. Inosuke grunted in response, flinching as the fuse lit and burned. But that was nothing compared to the reaction they got when the flame finally met the box. 

It was quiet for a moment, but then suddenly all at once, there was an explosion of light, color and sound and people were all gasping in awe while he and Inosuke practically screamed in fright. 

This was nothing like a sparkler! It was huge ! Well...maybe not that huge. It looked like a fountain, no taller than Tanjirou himself, but the sparks flew in dazzling colors and screamed to the heavens above. It was sort of...beautiful. After the initial shock, he began to understand why the people loved it. He couldn’t believe that they were all so calm though! Even with his sense of smell, being able to catch the very moment fire met gunpowder, the explosion of rainbows and sparkles still had him jumping backwards.

Inosuke, on the other hand, didn’t seem to get used to it. He had jumped behind Tanjirou completely, looking at it from over his shoulder, clinging to his checkered haori with his free hand and growling lowly under his breath. He went to look over his shoulder at him, to reassure him, but realized that it had been a mistake. The proximity of their faces was never really a problem for him but it was different when the mask was off. Their noses brushed and he could feel the heat of his breath punch through the cold and tickle his lips. It was like an electric shock, bolting from his face to the tips of his toes.

Tanjirou had to snap his attention forward again before he did something he would regret.

"Its okay.” He said instead, squeezing the hand still connected to his. “Don't you think it looks pretty?"

"Its noisy.” Inosuke replied, rough voice sounding small against his ear. “What is it? A demon?"

"Nope.” Tanjirou smiled, even knowing the other couldn’t see it. “Just fire and lights."

"Hm."

Inosuke eventually settled in to the consistent chaos that was born from fireworks, but he never quite managed to peel away from Tanjirou’s side. He had stepped back to where he was before, at his side, but kept his hand against his, squeezing by instinct with each flinch and jump away from the flares and screeches. From the point of view of someone who knew Inosuke, without really knowing Inosuke, it must have looked silly that such a thing could make him, of all people, cower away or hide behind another person. But after everything they’d gone through, after how much Tanjirou had learned about him, this sort of thing made sense. 

If Inosuke didn’t understand something, it was an immediate concern.  He usually had two ways of reacting to things he didn’t quite understand. He either wanted to fight it, or he wanted to keep a cautious distance from it.

Inosuke didn’t understand demons at first, so he became a Demon Slayer.

Inosuke didn’t understand a train, so he tried to stand his ground and Pig-Assault it.

Inosuke didn’t understand large crowds and distracting lights and growing technologies...so he clung to Tanjirou and allowed himself to accept help from others for once.

The same could be said about the fireworks. He wanted to fight them now, though his ranting was a bit more subdued than usual. It was more of him mumbling into his ear from the corner of the mouth things like ‘Do you think if you distracted it, I could take it from behind?’ or ‘If another one of those things comes to life, I think I’m gonna punch it.’. Otherwise, Inosuke basically kept his spot at his side and continued to threaten the mysterious fireworks from a distance. So it was a mixture of both reactions. Distance, but a plan of attack.

That meant he was thinking ahead now. His combat style was evolving. Tanjirou was kind of proud.  No that wasn’t right...he was really proud. He always held a bit of pride within him for his friends and family and Inosuke was no different.

Tanjirou allowed himself the selfish feeling of contentment as Inosuke pulled at his haori. He was silently asking to leave, to make their way back to the food no doubt. But catching sight of the girl with the box of sparklers stopped him from going through with the wish. Maybe something smaller, something quieter would be more appealing to him. 

He sort of wanted to play with one again anyway.

“Excuse me,” Tanjirou, with Inosuke in tow, went over to the girl and knelt before the bucket. She looked up at him with large brown eyes, a radiant smile easily forming below her snow-kissed and rosy nose. It was a familiar expression, one that made his heart mourn for only a brief moment. “...How much for one?”

“Oh they’re free!” She beamed up at him and held up a handful. “Take as many as you want.”

He took four.

Inosuke followed him further down the road after that, along a stone path that was lit up by torches. The snow upon the ground was alight like gold from the firelight as the dark clouded sky flurried, a peaceful and comforting atmosphere that had Tanjirou smiling to himself. It was cold, but it was bearable for now, his hand was warm and his heart too.

“What are those? Weapons?” 

“No...no.” Tanjirou laughed under his breath a bit and stopped at a fork in the path. He finally took his hand back, away from the warmth of the other’s palm, and he separated the sparklers into twos. “These are sparklers. I played with them when I was a kid, so I can promise you that they aren’t dangerous.”

Inosuke stared at them with narrow green eyes, a skeptical frown plastered on his pale face. The firelight danced across his skin, over the bridge of his nose and round curves of his cheeks, lighting him up in the same molten gold of the snow at their feet and for a moment, Tanjirou lost his voice. 

Instead of standing there any longer like a fool, Tanjirou decided to act rather than explain further. He held two of the sparklers up to the torch, dipping the ends into the hot flame, and then brought them back down to the space between them. The thin hand-crafted sticks lit up almost immediately, and sparked in a similar but smaller way than the fireworks before. It was enough to surprise the Boar boy but not nearly enough to truly spook him. His eyes, now reflecting in enchanting light of the sparkler, widened as he watched them move, as one came closer to him. 

“Here.” Tanjirou offered. “It won’t hurt you.”

“Tch.” That seemed to tug a certain string of arrogance as Inosuke growled and snatched the extra sparkler from his hand. “I don’t get hurt that easily! Don’t underestimate me!”

Although, this tough and haughty front he put on was no match for the wonder of holding a sparkler for the first time in his life. His gaze was glued to the flower of light, jaw slack and whole body in complete awe. Tanjirou barely paid much attention to his own, the sight of Inosuke discovering the joy of painting images in the air was all too endearing to look away. Affection overflowed within him, warming his body from head to toe. He wished he could see this side of his friend more often...

“It draws on the air!” Inosuke excitedly hopped from stone to stone as Tanjirou started down the separate path. They went uphill just a little, to a quiet spot away from the road where the snow had been swept away and a stone bench sat collecting a fresh thin layer of frost. He’d noticed someone sitting here earlier in the day as they passed through, but it was empty now, leaving them to their own devices. To share only the company of each other. 

Tanjirou sat down on one end of the bench and Inosuke eventually followed. He was all too excited about his new favorite thing, lights in the air, drawing shapes and random lines here and there. He found himself swinging his from side to side thoughtlessly, drawing an arch with each stroke. It disappeared just as it manifested, and just as fast, the empty space beside him was suddenly occupied. 

"Monjirou look!" He shouted this with a booming voice, swinging his sparkler around in front of him in erratic strokes, his teeth baring in his larger than life grin. Tanjirou smiled softly at the sight, then raised his own higher than before.

"Mhm. I can write our names with it. Look," 

He then began to draw the characters for Inosuke's name in the air, one at a time. He almost lost his place, as the light’s effects never lasted long, but no matter, it wasn’t as if the other could follow directly. Though still.. Inosuke watched in awe, his own sparkler now still. 

"I wanna do that too!!” He gripped his sparkler so tight, that he was surprised the little stem didn’t snap in two. He was beginning to grow frustrated, Tanjirou could smell it clearly mixing with the gunpowder and smoke in the air. “But—" 

Quick. Damage control! 

“Hey, it's fun to draw too!" Tanjirou said this in efforts to cheer the other one up, to ease his frustrations even if a little. He scoot himself closer to the boy, over the cold stone of the bench and took Inosuke’s wrist between his calloused fingers. He fought the urge to hold onto it forever, to brush his fingers across the chilled skin on the boy’s rough knuckles, as he brought the shining light up to their eye-level. He chanced a glance with his dark red irises, watched the expression on the other Slayer’s face as he then moved their joined arms in a shape that circled around and crossed over itself.

“Look, see? A fish.”

Inosuke immediately shook his head. "That was a bad fish. I can do it better."

And just like that. He was okay.

Tanjirou sat back and watched Inosuke for a while after that. He drew with excitement radiating from his every feature, anything he could think of, anything that was simple enough to be worthy of existing mid-air for all but half a second. His own sparkler was nearly out of juice, so he blew the last spark away and dug it into the snow at his feet. He then took the other two he’d gotten from the girl and gestured them out to Inosuke’s.

He lit them both from the last remaining sparks, and instead of taking one for himself, he decided he’d give them both to Inosuke. The black haired one grinned from ear to ear, jumping to his feet and running away from the bench in glee. He moved around the tiny courtyard, dancing and laughing as he painted the sky with his duel lights of fire. Tanjirou wrapped himself in his haori and watched, content, heart swelling. Inosuke was having so much fun. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he too felt this much at peace.

That feeling within him, warming his body and soul, it sort of reminded him of the feeling he got when he watched his Father move in the snow. Torches alight, staff in hand, spinning and spinning and dancing for the Sun God. 

For a moment, Inosuke’s playful dancing reminded him of the Hinokami Kagura.

The sudden memory startled him, but the tense emotion it triggered melted away like the flurry that fell against his warm cheeks. It soothed into him, relaxed his shoulders, made his gaze fond as Inosuke savored his final moments with the short lasting sparklers. They fizzled out quicker than the last two, probably due to his wild treatment, and the scent of disappointment was expected and found. It was strong, almost heartbreaking. Tanjirou couldn’t help but frown too when he noticed the pout on Inosuke’s lips. 

How could he bring that joyful Inosuke back?

Actually...why was he even asking himself that? 

He knew the answer already—he had just been thinking about it after all. 

Struck with the idea, Tanjirou turned around while on the bench, reached into the snowy brush behind him and felt around for stray branches. It took a moment but he found something of the sort, pulling it out without much effort, and then snapped off one end with his knee to make it easier to hold in his hand. 

"Inosuke...you want to see my dance right?"

The boy in question looked his way so fast, he was surprised that his neck hadn’t snapped.

"The tramition!"

"Tradition." He corrected softly.

"Yeah that!"

His knees felt like they’d turned into jelly when he stood. He wasn’t sure why, it was nothing different than the breath style he performed on the battlefield. In fact, it was completely the same. Only there weren't swords involved...or demons. Just him, standing openly in the presence of someone he wanted nothing more than to entertain and impress. Just him and Inosuke, a little ways away from the crowds, away from the excitement with nothing but nature, snow and the light winter breeze. 

Okay...maybe he had reason to feel like falling over.

“G-...Go ahead and sit.” He swallowed the lump in his throat and fought back against the fit of nerves that dared churn his insides. He willed himself to push through it. He was the eldest Brother of his family after all. A Demon Slayer , getting older and wiser every day. After everything he’d survived until now, all the dangers and hardships, he should be able to perform a dance for his friend. His crush. No problem. It didn’t matter that it was a sacred dance for his Family as long as it was something he wanted to do! So why...why was his stomach doing somersaults?

“I'll perform it for you. Just a little bit of it.”

Inosuke was hesitant at first, looking unsure of what to expect. He didn’t like getting told what to do either, but he could see that he’d held himself back from expressing that fact since he was getting his chance to see the traditional dance he’d heard about back in their room.

The one once raised in the wild sat unceremoniously upon the bench with his ankles crossed and hands on his knees. His eyes were wide, countenance open and curious. Everything about his demeanor was a true and genuine attentiveness that had Tanjirou squeezing the stick in his hand in lieu of the fabric over his heart. 

Deep breath. 

Inosuke really wanted this . He was giving him his complete and undivided attention.

It would be cruel to deny him any longer.

Tanjirou began the dance, starting with the first form, the waltz, as he raised a knee and brought his make-shift staff into the air above his head. He took another deep breath, total concentration, expanded his lungs and crossed his feet over each other to spin in a full rotation. The motions were a bit different when they were confined to one place. He’d practiced this form of the dance only a few times, a long time ago. In truth, he could only remember practicing it once after his Father had passed. After that, the only time he’d ever used the breath technique had been in order to defeat demons. 

Now it was different. He was no longer performing for a Sun God. He was performing for Inosuke...and even after realizing what the dance truly was, he still wished that it would be noticed by something , that the dance would bring fortune to his Family, to what he had left of it. 

It wasn’t New Years, and he wouldn’t be dancing all night, but it was something at least.

Give them peace. Please . Let him feel like he’s allowed to find comfort in these shared quiet nights with Inosuke. Let him worry just a little less than yesterday.

He prayed for this as he moved, as he shifted to the next form, bringing the brush of leaves passed his face in order to point them toward the forest. Inosuke was silent, almost so silent that Tanjirou would have forgotten he was there if not for the burning feeling of a pair of eyes following his every move. His heart raced within his chest, reverberating against his ribcage more than he thought it should. He dared to look, for half a second, as his body danced; burgundy eyes searching desperately for that touch of green against the blue and white backdrop.

He got distracted by the delighted skip of his own heart. 

Inosuke was really watching. He hadn’t moved a single inch, his attention unwavering. 

Tanjirou’s lashes fluttered closed at the discovery, as he was barely able to contain the intense euphoria bursting within him. Memories of his Father flooded his mind, memories of his Mother and siblings, all watching him practice, all paying close attention, never looking away, always helping him when he stumbled. 

He stumbled so much back then. But they were always there. They always caught him. 

But now...

“Ah—!” As if he had cursed himself with his spiraling thoughts, Tanjirou’s foot hooked around the other, stopping everything in one clumsy instant. He braced himself for the landing, making no effort to catch himself like he’d been trained to do. It was what he deserved, after all; for letting himself get so distracted in the haze of his emotions that he screwed up the one very important thing he was meant to inherit from his Father. 

But, his face never met the ground.

Tanjirou blinked rapidly, only now realizing that his blurred vision had been the result of tears. He was helped back into a standing position. Inosuke was beside him, saying something but he didn’t hear it. He was too focused on what he had done, what had happened as an outcome.

“—jirou.”

Inosuke caught him...

“ Tanjirou .”

Oh.

He had his attention now .

Tanjirou’s gaze finally reached Inosuke and his leftover tears spilled down his warm cheeks. The chill was slowly beginning to set in again, he could feel it at the tip of his nose, threatening to freeze the fluids that had begun to run free. “Sorry.” He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to apologize but he did. He raised a checkered sleeve to his face, wiped it gently and huffed out an embarrassed chuckle. “I didn’t mean to–well...actually, I needed to stop eventually.”

There was something in his expression, in the way his brows dipped and lips pursed together tightly. It was something like concern. Possibly pity. It was strange to see on the Wild boy's face. He looked at him so gently, scanning every little part of his face—he couldn't help but look away. 

Before Inosuke could say anything, before he could come to his senses and tease him for tripping, Tanjirou continued: “A-Anyway that’s it. Normally it takes all night, but I wasn't planning on doing that.” Instinctively, he reached up to play with one of his earrings, fingers tapping the card and twirling it around in circles. “And, there’s supposed to be torches set up and then there’s the traditional ritual garment and t-thered usually be bells on the staff but--”

“Tanjirou.”

Ah. He said his name again.

“Y-yes?”

Inosuke’s hands were placed firmly atop his shoulders and he leaned in close–so close–with a beaming smile. The Dance of the Fire God had ended, taking the adrenaline and heat away with it, yet still, Tanjirou's face felt like it had been set ablaze.

“Teach me!!”

...huh?

“What?” Tanjirou was blind-sided to say the least. “...Teach you?”

“Yes!” Inosuke squeezed his shoulders, the contact burning the skin beneath his haori. “You’re obviously very bad at it! You need someone to do it for you, right? I’ll do it. I’ll become the best!”

That was either his own strange way of trying to lighten up the mood or he really thought Tanjirou's skills in something he did almost every day were questionable. Well...No matter. As silly as it was, he just couldn't find it within himself to be upset. Not when Inosuke was looking at him like that .  

Still...

“But...” Tanjirou tilted his head a little, wondering now if maybe the other boy didn't fully understand what he just saw. He was sure he had made himself clear when he explained. “It’s a difficult breath style and a family tradition.” 

“Fine then make me family!”

“Wha–?!” He nearly choked on his own voice, taking a step back so that the hands on his shoulders fell back to Inosuke’s sides. “But you...I don't think you understand.” What exactly was going on in that boy’s head now ? Why was he this willing to learn the dance, to say something as crazy as that? It had to be something else, right? “You can't just suddenly be family—”

“But you said before.” Inosuke countered stubbornly. “We are like family to you.”

Ahh that was true! He could definitely recall saying this to him and Zenitsu a few times in the past. He truly did consider them his Family now so there was no denying it. For the longest time, he only had Nezuko, but now he had them . He had Zenitsu...who was foolish and cowardly at times, but extremely loyal and a comforting shoulder to lean on. He had Inosuke, who was someone who never failed to pick him back up again, someone who made him want to better himself, become stronger. Someone who made him happy . Those two were undeniably his family. Alongside others like Urokodaki and Giyuu, of course...but...

“That's a figure of speech.” Tanjirou tried to explain but the immediate frown on Inosuke’s small lips was enough to convey that it was a concept lost to him. "Look. The only way for you to really become family is if you ma—” Oh. He stopped himself short before he allowed such a word to leap from the back of his throat. 

Inosuke wouldn’t let him off so easily though.

“Ma– what ?”

Tanjirou squeezed his eyes shut, taking in a sharp breath through his nose. There was no getting away from it now, he’d already gone and started it. He might as well finish.

“M...Married me.” 

The words feel foreign coming from his lips; he isn’t even sure if he’d ever said such a phrase in his life . As a young boy, that was pretty much the last thing on his mind since he’d taken up being the man of the house with five siblings and a lone Mother. As a Demon Slayer, he had to convince himself that he had no time for it. He didn't hate the idea of getting married one day...but his object of affection as of late was one of his best friends, a brother in arms on the battlefield. It would be best if Inosuke married someone who wasn’t at risk of dying every day, right? The only other option to be apart of their family was Nezuko but that was totally out of the question, not to mention Zenitsu would have an absolute fit if she were to be promised to someone else. There was always Aoi from the butterfly estate...who seemed somewhat capable of handling Inosuke's strangely charming mannerisms... but then again, marriage also probably wasn't even his style . He was probably content with the idea of going off on his own into the mountains again, back with the wild where no one would find him and... no, no, no , he couldn’t even think about that without wanting to curl up and cry. He'd miss him too god damn much...

What a mess he was...

“Married?” Inosuke’s voice rang in his ears questionably, his pure wild innocence showing again in his body language; in the way that his head tilted and his brows pinched together curiously. It was cute. So cute. Tanjirou wanted to burst.

“What's that?” He asked again. “Is it a duel? If that’s it, I’ll win.”

“Wh–....no.” Tanjirou couldn't hold back a chuckle even if he tried. Inosuke's one track mind was something he could always count on. The kind of simplicity he needed in a time of reeling and scattered thoughts. “It's what people do when they love each other,” The word ‘love’ incited an interesting reaction from the duel wielder. Something unclear to even his powerful nose. It had him wondering...just how much did he actually know? “They get married so they're bound . So they can bring their families together. Become one.” 

Inosuke took it all in for a moment, processing the information with a steady nod while Tanjirou watched quietly. He must have understood that concept a bit, if anything. There were animals that came together to mate for life after all. Wasn't that the same thing as loving one another? He wasn't sure if that could apply to Boars but...surely Inosuke wasnt that clueless.

“Okay!” 

Startling Tanjirou out of his thoughts, Inosuke was now grinning from ear to ear, eyes alight and hands resting on his hips just above the deer pelt that kept his waist warm. He looked proud of himself, as if he'd come up with an ingenious plan to solve the current argument.

"Let's be married!!”

And Tanjirou suddenly felt like screaming. 

“ AHHHH! Inosuke, you can't just—... please .” He was going to give him a heart attack! His poor heart felt like it was torn between bursting through his chest and jumping up and out of his throat. “Just because you like the dance, you can't just jump straight into a commitment like that!” The last thing he wanted was for the boy to trap himself in something he hated. To put himself in a birdcage and never get out just because there was one small alluring piece of bait inside. “Besides its...its something I should pass down to my children rather than my...h-husband...or wife.”

Inosuke looked at bit dejected. “You don't have children.”

“ Yet ...” Tanjirou mumbed in rebuttal. “Someday I was sort of hoping I'd have some...”

It didn’t matter where they came from as long as they were his. As long as he had the chance to build his family up again, to bring the Kamado name its strength back. Not only did he want the chance to pass down the hanafuda earrings and the family’s Hinokami Kagura, but he’d always wanted to be a Father too. He was bound to be good at it, having grown up with five other siblings in a poor house. Taking care of children, bringing them joy, seeing them grow up... it made him happy . If he could just have his own child one day, even if there was just one, that would be enough for him. Even if it was just Nezuko who had children, he’d be satisfied. 

“Then if I get you children will you dance for me again?”

Ah... what ?

Tanjirou swore his heart had come to an abrupt stop, stealing his breath, stealing the strength in his legs. Get him...children? What? So he could see him dance again? Was that what this was all about? He wanted to go so far as to jump into an unknown commitment with him, to pluck him children from the world and drop them to his feet just so he could see his dance again? 

He never wanted to learn it himself did he? This was all just Inosuke’s prideful way of hiding the fact that he wanted nothing more than to see it again and again. He was willing to go that far for him, to follow him into the unknown, to catch him along the way, to bring him anything he wanted.

Oh and that reaction to the word love —how could he forget that? It was an unreadable scent, something foreign to him but he knew with all of his being that it was nothing bad. He must have known what that meant and yet he still suggested they got married after being told about it.

This wasn’t the first time he’d gotten these signals, these signs that suggested Inosuke’s feelings as something more. They’ve been steadily getting easier to find, to the point where Tanjirou was losing control of his own breathing and heart rate just being in close proximity. It was sort of suffocating, confusing even. There were times like these where he was afraid of experiencing whiplash. Inosuke’s actions lately have been so charming, so alluring , but that didn’t mean anything if he was just going to turn away and pretend nothing ever happened. The moment he originally asked to see the dance for example, when he stared at him with such decided resolve. Then the moment he told him to compliment his face, when his large green eyes sharpened and pierced through him, just before Zenitsu and Nezuko interrupted. And now here, in a secluded area, the distant sounds of the fireworks, snow getting stuck to the tip of his nose—Inosuke is talking to him about marriage and children, about seeing his dance and he's thinking now, desperately wondering, hoping, Does he love me or not?  

Gods , He wanted to cry again.

“Inosuke...you're being so unfair.”

“Huh?”

"Do you actually want our families to become one? Or are you just saying all of this so you can see the dance again?"

At his silent reply, Tanjirou visibly wilted and raised the sleeve of his haori again, pressed it against his lashes and wiped away the wetness threatening to spill. “...you can't say stuff like that.” It was barely a whisper, but the stillness in the air and the lull between the far off celebrations made it easy to hear. It felt like his own voice was blaring in his ears; pathetic and brittle. “It makes me want to hope that you actually like me.”

There was a scoff from the other Slayer, loud and terribly offended. “Of course I like you!” Inosuke fumed, stomping his foot on the soft earth like a child throwing a tantrum. The scent of frustration whifted passed his nostrils, and he had to question what it was that had him so exasperated in the first place. Was it his doubt? “You’re not one of my underlings for no reason you know!” The boy continued, coming closer, almost forcing Tanjirou to take a step back. But he didn’t. “You've defeated me in battle, which is an admirable feat!! You taught me how to get stronger that way! I've learned many things from you! You're a loyal and reliable member of my pack!"

At first he thought maybe this was it, maybe Inosuke finally got it. But alas, he did not. The wet feeling in his eyes lightened up though, albeit at a very slow pace. He even found himself smiling a little. How could this boy be so uplifting but so utterly clueless at the same time?

" No ...I mean..." Tanjirou paused, swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. "I meant like like me."

He watched his expression carefully, now out in the open with his intentions clear. At least, he hoped that they were. Inosuke could be a bit innocent when it really came down to it. Some references of things said by most people could tend to fly right over his head, but Tanjirou knew that he wasn't that simple minded. Events formed by the rules of society like marriage, he could see someone never becoming familiar with. But the feeling of looking at another person and wanting them at your side forever, appreciating their mind and body more intently, more intimately than anyone else; That was universal. To like someone more than a friend was a concept anyone knew.

But he needed to hear it. He needed the confirmation. 

Because if Inosuke knew...then he also knew exactly what he was doing when he asked to get married.

And if that was the case...Then maybe Tanjirou could allow himself to be a little selfish for once. 

"....Like a sow?" Inosuke finally asked, staring dumbly from where stood.

Tanjirou's lips twitched into a small grin. That was a good sign. It gave him courage. "Well... I wouldn't go as far as describing me as a sow , but if that's what helps you understand..."

Inosuke's eyebrows pinched together and his arms crossed over his chest, bringing his haori closer, wrapped further around him. Tanjirou spotted the tell tale signs of goosebumps across his skin but he doubted that had been the reason for this action. "...you're not a sow. You don't act like one." He looked down then to ponder a moment, eyes squinting at the dirt beneath his feet. "But...neither am I..."

"That's okay." In a sudden rush of confidence, Tanjirou decided that he would be upfront about it. Things were beginning to fall together little by little in the most exciting way. He felt like nothing could hurt him at this point. "My feelings aren't any different."

"...oh."

After that Inosuke was quiet. Possibly speechless, possibly stuck on figuring out what exactly this all entailed. He guessed it was the latter, considering the length of time it took for him to look back up and meet his gaze. Then slowly, but what seemed like all at once, his expression morphed into a terrible shock and his face turned scarlet red. It was too much blushing to blame it on the cold, so it was safe to assume that their entire conversation finally made sense to him. 

Tanjirou was relieved, honestly. Maybe things were looking up after all. 

He reached a hand out towards the other, with intentions to pinch the fabric of Inosuke’s haori and bring his attention back to him. Just as he did so, however, an icy chill found its way into the warmth beneath his garment, sending shivers up his spine. His hand retreated quickly and he wrapped his arms around himself with a violent tremor. His body was adjusting back to the winter chill around them now that he’d stopped using the Sun breath technique, and it was going to feel a whole lot worse than before.

Tanjirou wanted to stay out there longer, he really did. He wanted to have this talk, to clear things up and to properly confess his feelings, but the cold was beginning to get unbearable. He couldn’t believe Inosuke hadn’t complained once, putting all pride aside. He may have had his own haori now and continued to wear his borrowed scarf, but he was still bare underneath. His skin was bound to freeze over if he didn’t take shelter. Right?

Just as Tanjirou thought he’d ask to head back, Inosuke abruptly pulled open his haori and scooped him up into his arms. He gasped sharply and stumbled forward into the boy’s chest, hands shooting up on instinct to catch himself. A gentle warmth surrounded him as the Wild boy wrapped him up, held him close. He barely had a chance to think about what had happened—he was so distracted by his new position, with his chin on the other’s shoulder and his hands and body pressed up to Inosuke’s toned front. 

“You're weak to the cold!!” Inosuke barked, squeezing him closer and closer and Tanjirou willed himself to breathe , to tame that rapid drumming in his chest. “I'm helping you because I'm an amazing leader!! And well—you'd get mad if I took it off!! Be grateful!! I take care of what's mine!!”

Ah, Tanjirou couldn't help the delighted giggle that bubbled up within him. 

“Thank you...”

He leaned into his embrace and slid his cold, calloused palms across Inosuke’s skin slowly, with purpose, until his arms were wrapped around his middle too. This gave rise to a very interesting sound that rumbled within the chest he was pressed up against. He smiled some more at that, and turned his face to bury his nose into the scarf, against the crook of his neck. 

This was the closest they’d ever been in all their time together as friends. Honestly, he thought he would never get the chance to be held like this, not with how sensitive to touch Inosuke could be. As it turned out, the Boar boy was actually a very good hugger and he wondered if that meant he’d be a good cuddler too. He wanted to find out, considered asking once they got back to their room. 

If Tanjirou asked nicely, then his wish was bound to be granted. Inosuke took care of what was his, after all. He said it himself. 

“‘ What's yours ' huh...?” Tanjirou breathed against the hot skin of the other’s neck, a very tingly sort of giddiness manifesting within him and he listened closely as Inosuke responded with another strangled feral like noise. It was strange how he got here, thinking back to just a few minutes ago and how he’d been experiencing a whole whirlwind of emotion. Now he felt settled, grounded, and hopeful. He felt warm, wrapped snug in all of Inosuke’s rare affection. He felt brave again

He lifted his head away from the comforting warmth and leaned back just enough to examine the other’s face. The curve of his lips signified a definite stubborn pout as he looked away, far away from anywhere that was the red headed slayer. Snowflakes had begun to cling to the ends of his long lashes, some falling onto his pink cheeks whenever he blinked or shifted underneath Tanjirou’s gaze. He watched in awe for a moment, as he took in the sight before him.

Inosuke really was beautiful.

“Hey...” He brushed his thumb in circles against the other boy’s back, hoping to rouse his attention. “I'm okay with you calling me yours as long as I can call you mine.”

Green eyes met burgundy, their noses were only a few inches apart. 

Tanjirou smiled gently at him, as gently as he could muster while his heart threatened to burst. “I mean it.” He then said. “I like you Inosuke.”

His voice cracked when he replied. “Like a sow?” 

“You’re not a sow.” Tanjirou corrected kindly. “But yes.”

Then Inosuke stared. Maybe for a minute, maybe for an hour. He wasn’t quite sure, but he honestly didn’t care. He couldn’t feel the cold anymore. He was willing to stay right where he was until the sunrise if it meant he could savor this contact longer.

“...well. Of course.” Inosuke finally managed, the small beginnings of a grin slowly spreading across his lips. There was a fresh new understanding behind his green irises, and it ignited something within him that had him grinning right back. “I’m amazing.”

Tanjirou nodded. “You are.”

“Heh...” Inosuke let out a haughty huff of air, used his strong arms to press him closer, if it were even possible. “Praise me some more.”

“You’re undoubtedly amazing.” Tanjirou continued, feeling lighter than air. “And strong . It's one of the many things I like about you.”

There was a familiar scent coming from him now, his expression even more fresh on his memory. They were in the same position as they were in before, in the middle of the festival road right before Zenitsu and Nezuko found them. Where Inosuke stared at him like a prowling beast, and Tanjirou’s knees had felt like jelly–had threatened to bring him to the ground. Now, it excited him. Now it fed into his lighter than air high. Now , he was sure he would be able to reach out and touch his hands to sensitive skin and get away with it.  

“... more .”

Oh where to start...He had so much to say, so much praise and love buried deep within him.

“...You say I’ve taught you things...but you’ve also taught me.” With that, Tanjirou looked down for a moment, traced the line between scarf and collar bone with his eyes. “You always encourage me to take the next step forward. You make me feel better when things start to look down. You make me want to better myself too. You’re always by my side, even when I’m healing.” Even when he was asleep . It didn’t matter if he left by the time he awoke or not, there was always that faint scent of a mossy forest and dirt, the scent of Inosuke left behind where he would sit and watch over him. “You never fail to bring me happiness you know...After everything , it’s refreshing to have you with me. I never imagined being this comfortable with someone who wasn’t my sister... I never even thought I’d get a chance to perform that dance properly let alone for someone.”

He looked back up when Inosuke didn’t say anything. He was still looking back at him, nose pink and cheeks flushed, but his eyes stared in a daze. He was much too arrogant to space out when someone was praising him, so he knew he heard it all. So maybe it was something else...? 

“Hey...” 

He brushed his thumb across the skin of his back again and at the stroke of his touch, the raven haired slayer shivered for the first time that night.

“...huh.”

“Are you okay?”

It was as if the question was enough to tear Inosuke back into reality. He woke up from his stupor with a rushed shout. 

“I’M FINE!”

“Do you...feel the same?”

“I THINK!”

Tanjirou’s chest felt fluttery and light, like he could float away all the way up to cloud nine. He tightened his hold on the other’s body, bringing himself closer, their noses even closer . 

“...Yeah?”

“I...feel a lot of those same things.” Inosuke mumbled after some thought. His breath was unsteady, warm, close enough for Tanjirou to feel it brush across his lips. “All the time. Only with you.”

Tanjirou smiled widely. “Me too. Only with you.”

In response, Inosuke sucked in a sharp breath of air, his scent suddenly very intense with strong, overwhelming emotion. It was radiant, contagious even. Tanjirou could feel the incredible bout of elation buzzing beneath his own skin as the other shouted in close proximity.

“S....SO BE MINE!” 

And he just melted , and an unwavering fondness swelled up within his love-battered heart.

Tanjirou pulled a hand back around, and raised it to brush against the side of Inosuke’s face. He traced the pink flush of his cheek back with a feather light touch, tickling the crown of his ear as he tucked a strand of dark blue hair away. 

“I am yours.”

Then, without warning, the life was being squeezed right out of him as Inosuke’s arms crushed his body and lifted him up from the ground. And despite the wind nearly getting knocked from his lungs, Tanjirou still managed a laugh, a joyful feeling washing over him in a welcoming way. He looked down, saw the glee on Inosuke’s face as he pressed his nose into his chest, eyes squeezed shut, arms holding him tight. It only made his smile grow, alongside his devotion, alongside his love.

When he was released, even just a fraction, Tanjirou raised his hands and caressed them against Inosuke’s soft, flushed cheeks. His thumbs ran across the skin beneath his lashes, tickling against the frosted tips while veridian irises stared back up at him in wonder. He leaned down then, slowly, and quietly closed the distance between their lips in a very short and very chaste kiss.

Inosuke dropped him. 

He only fell about an inch though—it barely affected the kiss at all. 

His lips were cold and a bit chapped from the icy weather, but they were soft and warm all at the same time. For a kiss that only lasted a second, he felt as if he’d been stuck there forever, savoring the feeling of finally allowing himself to be selfish. When he pulled away, he kept his hands still at the sides of Inosuke’s face, rough padded fingers idley massaging the spot right behind the boy’s ears.  

“I promise I'll perform the dance for you properly next time.” He whispered this so genty, so intimately, he wanted to be sure Inosuke knew that it was only meant for him to hear. Not anyone, not even the world. “On New Years. Maybe not this coming new year but...some day. I swear. However many years you’re willing to stick by me and see...”

“S-Stupid.” Inosuke stuttered in a quick reply. Stuttered! How cute. “Do you think I have a limit? I’ll be at your side forever! Don’t underestimate me!”

He had been smiling so wide and for so long that his cheeks were beginning to feel sore. He couldn’t help but feel so overcome with affection and contentment that he wanted to float away right then and there with Inosuke by his side. It was almost scary, the way he even forgot for just a fraction of a second, that he was a demon slayer and not just an average love-struck kid on a date to the winter festival. This breathless, tender feeling within him would only last for so long, so he would treasure it. He would hold this memory close to his heart, right next to his love for his family, for Nezuko, for his siblings and parents. Inosuke had a place there, forever. 

“Besides!” Inosuke exclaimed again, as a matter of fact like. “We still need to be married! And I still need to give you children!”

And then everything came to a crashing halt.

“Inosuke!” Tanjirou jumped away from the other boy almost immediately. Though he regretted it just as quickly once he was reminded of how cold the air around him was when he wasn’t being held. “W-Wait a few years before we do that!”

“But—"

“No!” He supposed that it was time they had that talk too, but he wasn’t going to wait any longer out in the cold. The fireworks in the distance had finally grown silent, the scent of gunpowder and smoke dissipating into the wind. The people were still out and about, but he could tell that they were beginning to scatter. It was probably almost time for things to start shutting down. So Tanjirou took Inosuke by the hand and tugged him to follow, toward the stone path that led back down to the road. “We’re still only teenagers. Ask me again when we’re older.”

“Then—!!” Inosuke’s hand gave resistance as the redhead attempted to walk away and when he turned to regard him questioningly, he was pointing at himself with his free hand, face pleasantly pink. His dark hair had come loose from being tucked into the scarf. The black strands spilled over the old ratty fabric, the blue ends blending into the color seamlessly. The shades of blue blended into each other, from the ends of his hair to the lapis of his haori. He wanted to touch it, he wanted to run his fingers through the strands, across the broad shoulders he’d managed to cover with his gift. But he had to push that thought away for now. 

“Do that thing again instead!!”

“What thing?”

Inosuke’s face reddened harshly, worse than it already was from the cold. It was a brilliant contrast against the light green of his eyes and the blue at the ends of his hair. He raised his hand further, pointer finger gesturing to the lips he’d just touched moments ago and Tanjirou felt his heart skip about beneath his ribcage like an excited rabbit.

“Oh...kiss?”

“Yeah that!”

He took a deep and slow breath through his nose to calm his flustered body, relax his buzzing nerves, and he gave the hand in his a tight squeeze. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a bit timid now, despite having already kissed the boy before. Of course it was mostly a spur of the moment, pure instinct sort of action, but that didn't change the fact that he had actually done it. Now that he thought about it, he felt sort of bad for doing it without asking. Although...as it turned out, it seemed it hadn't bothered him at all. In fact, Inosuke's pleading voice proved that he even liked it...and he was going to get what he wanted, no matter what it was. There was no denying him.

So Tanjirou crossed over the stepping stone that came between them so that he could press close to his bare chest and fumble with the dark blue fabric of the haori at his collar. He rubbed his thumb against the cloth, hummed to himself in thought, wondered how long he could drag this on before Inosuke grew truly impatient. Getting out of the cold could wait a little bit more as long as was able to do this...

His stomach felt like it was performing a full set of acrobatics, the fluttery feeling of butterflies going wild inside him. He was surprised and a bit proud of himself for being so calm despite how badly he had wanted this up until now. He'd struggled internally against himself for so long in order to hold back and leave Inosuke be, but now that he was able to kiss him, to touch him whenever he wanted, it felt all too surreal to stand it. He was thrilled . He could barely believe he was here, desired and wanted. 

Inosuke's arms enveloped him again in an unyielding yet comfortable embrace and after what seemed like hours of Tanjirou's idle ministrations, he began to notice just how teasing he was really being. He squeezed him tight and let a low growl rumble from deep within his chest in protest to his stalling. 

And honestly...how could Tanjirou refuse him after that? 

It felt as if his hands belonged there, stroking Inosuke's warm cheeks, holding his beautiful face still where he could look at him– really look at him. Where he could gaze into those eyes that reminded him of emeralds in the sunlight. Watch his tongue dart out and swipe over his chapped lips in anticipation. 

Before his mind had a chance to convince him to hesitate, Tanjirou kissed him and this time, Inosuke was ready. He was waiting, eager and desperate for the contact, to show him he could be good at it if he tried. He always had to be the best at everything he did, so it wasn't a surprise to him in the slightest. In truth, it awakened something inside him. Something that was at first a gentle spark but now a growing flame of yearning, hunger for more, to move his lips and slot them together in a much different and provoking way. 

Inosuke shifted in kind, following his lead in a clumsy but purposeful way and his hands opened against the small of his back in order to press him closer. The action pushed a gratified sigh right out of Tanjirou's lungs, and he slid his hands forward to lace his fingers through his thick black and blue hair. He cocked his head then, just a fraction to the side and Oh –so that was what a real kiss felt like. 

Maybe it wasn’t perfect by most standards, but it was perfect for him . They were still young, they still had time to learn--more time to experiment with what worked for them. Inosuke just being Inosuke was more than enough for him, it didn’t matter how well he could kiss him.

But oh did he love the way he was kissing him right now. 

His knees threatened to give way as Inosuke’s teeth dragged across his bottom lip and his hands very unintentionally tugged on the black strands of his hair as if it would keep him standing. This lead to a brief separation of their lips, as the once feral boy grunted from the abrupt pain. Unwilling to end things so soon, Tanjirou took the opportunity to lick into his mouth and dive deeper in an experimental kiss that had Inosuke practically whimpering. His hands on his back gripped tightly at the fabric of his haori as the redhead gained control, dragging more sweet and sultry noises out of the boy with each hot breath and flick of the tongue.

But then he heard something. 

Behind him and coming closer to their secluded space were the voices of some of the Village’s inhabitants as they left the Festival. It was a very harsh and very sudden reminder that had him reluctantly pulling away from Inosuke and adding a few inches of space between them. 

They were still in public...outside in the middle of winter too. 

“S...sorry.” He gasped, out of breath and unable to look anywhere but at the wetness on the other’s lips. “Let’s...” His thoughts were scattered, clouded with the powerful craving to kiss him more–to hear those breathtaking sounds once again. But he had to hold himself back. They’d be spotted if they kept this up. “...we should go back.”

He tried to move, to step away so they could leave, but Inosuke’s grip on him was akin to that of an iron barred cage. He was almost glowering at him, frowning deeply and silently begging for him to come back–to kiss him again. That scent from before that he couldn’t quite place had manifested anew, but now he could easily identify it as a raw, untamed desire that had him fighting back the instinct to fall back into it and smother him with affection.

“It’s cold.” Tanjirou tried to argue, willing himself not to stare at the boy’s lips again. “And it’s only going to get colder.”

The scent changed. Disappointed. Frustrated.

And well, they couldn’t have that .

Tanjirou came forward, gave the boy a soft peck on the lips and leaned away before he could betray himself and initiate another heated kiss. “I’ll kiss you more later. As much as you want.” He then promised, watching as the frustration wiped away from Inosuke’s face like a gentle sunrise. “But let’s not get crazy in front of Zenitsu or my sister, okay?”

It was as if Inosuke forgot that this wasn’t a one time occasion. Like a switch flipping in his mind, he experienced the revelation that he could indeed take Tanjirou’s face and smooch him silly whenever he felt like it and that had him bursting at the seams with joy.

“Okay!”

For the first time that night, Inosuke took his hand, and he led him down the stone path and back onto the dirt road. He moved quickly, almost running straight into the group of people that could have seen their intimate exchange, but he dodged them easily and continued on without missing a step. Tanjirou waved to the group, apologized on his behalf, and continued onward until they reached the archway at the top of the hike. There, he gave resistance to Inosuke’s hand and he tugged him back, slowed him down until they stopped. 

They were in no rush. It was cold, yes, but he realized as soon as they returned to the ryokan, they wouldn’t be alone anymore. So Tanjirou pleaded him to relax, coaxed him into a slow pace as he hooked their arms together and leaned into his side. Now it really felt like a date, now he was able to call it that with confidence. 

It seemed fitting...to have his first real, wonderful date on a night like this. Where the snow fell in a gentle flurry and the world around them was at peace. No demons, no training, no stress...just the two of them out in the cold holding each other and thinking about something different for a change, something warm and fuzzy. Times like these reminded him of what the world was like outside of their lives as Demon Slayers. He wanted to experience it more. He wished he could. 

These thoughts merely strengthened his resolve to complete his mission, to slay Muzan and bring humanity back to his sister’s pale eyes. Maybe then he could worry about the little things, about where to take Inosuke out next. Or which Kimono to pick out for Nezuko. Where to live and settle down. Where and when he’d like to get married when the day finally came. Maybe then he could dance again, too. He could begin again with the performance of his Family’s Dance of the Fire God on every New Year. Inosuke could watch. 

Yeah..he could see it clearly. The future he envisioned for himself with high hopes would from now on include Inosuke’s rambunctious and radiant presence. Some day, if he doesn’t perish along the way, he will settle back into the rhythm of mundane life. But the promise of Inosuke being there at his side made the word mundane sound exciting. With him, nothing would ever be boring. He looked forward to it. He’d fight harder to achieve it.

And he will keep the memory of this day at hand forever. To inspire him and to remind him that he must live on for not only Nezuko, but now Zenitsu and Inosuke, too. 

He had a promise with the Boar boy to keep after all. A few, actually. They were to be wed one day, surely, and he still needed to dance for him again.

He needed to be alive to do that.

He needed to win.

It didn't matter how scary or difficult the road ahead of them was. For his family, Tanjirou would aspire to do anything . For Nezuko, he'd fight, for Zenitsu, he'd protect and for Inosuke, he'd survive. And as for him, he'd allow himself to indulge in his selfish wishes more often. 

To get a head start, he was already planning on pulling Inosuke's futon closer to his own. He was ready to test his theory and see just how good of a cuddler the wild boy was. And maybe it was just him being biased, but Tanjirou had a feeling that he was about to have the most comfortable night of slumber since long before he last saw a heavy snowfall. 

Ah...he couldn't wait to get back now.

Maybe it would be fine to pick up the pace a little, after all.