"Don't just stand there, get away!"

"-But Tanjiro is-"

"Anyone who is still able to fight...Grab a weapon and group up!"

"There is some sort of commotion over there, what's happened…?"

"Tanjiro has become a demon!" It was Tomioka Giyu shouting in the distance, panicked shouting. "We have to keep him under the sun and burn him to death. Kill Tanjiro before he kills anyone!"

Inosuke's heart skipped a beat. Tanjiro, a demon? That couldn't be, not after everything they've done. Everything Tanjiro's done to end this. Muzan was dead. This should've been over. Unfortunately it wasn't and as Inosuke quickly made his way over, he arrived in time to see Tanjiro slash the Water Pillar.

Before Tanjiro could do anymore harm, he got in between them and with a quick slash of his blade, forced Tanjiro back.

"What are you doing?" Inosuke was in full panic mode now. Yes, he wasn't the brightest of the bunch, but he wasn't stupid. In his right mind Tanjiro wouldn't attack comrades, no, wouldn't attack his friends!

"This is the half and half haori guy! He's our ally!"

Zenitsu called out Tanjiro's name but Inosuke could barely hear a thing. No, instead he couldn't help but keep his eyes locked, his full attention on Tanjiro. The way those sharp red, animalistic eyes glared back at him was enough to make a shiver run down his spine. If there was a shred of Tanjiro left, he couldn't tell underneath the guise of the demon.

"Tanjiro stop, it's me Inosuke!" He was aware of the pleading tone but dignity no longer mattered. Not as Tanjiro lept in his direction, the urge to kill in control. "We're comrades dammit, stop!"

"We're comrades.. And brothers." Tanjiro said cheerfully. The image of them all sitting together, sharing a nice meal flash in his mind. A memory..."So if someone starts to stray from the path, we all stop him. No matter how painful it is, we walk the right path."

"Stop Tanjiro!"

"I'll strike him down and stop him, I'll-"

"You can eat this, too." Tanjiro's warm smile invaded his very being, filling him that very same warmth. "Inosuke."

The memory disappeared, replaced by the harsh reality. Warm features were once again crazed, predatorial as Tanjiro swung to claw at him, inches away as his sword was seconds aways from slicing his friends head clean off…

And yet he couldn't do it, even as it meant he could very well die.

I can't follow through.

It's no use, Tanjiro.

I can't do it."

Tears ran down the fur of his mask as he closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate. Suddenly a small voice breached his thoughts, simply to say don't give up. We could still save him. Like that, eyes opened wide and clanking swords fell to the ground. Gathering as much strength as he could, Inosuke maneuvered his body and pinned Tanjiro to the ground.

The hold wouldn't last long, not with Tanjiro fighting back with more strength than he'd had before.

"Tanjiro please, we're brothers remember?" Inosuke tried to reason, his usually pronounced tone soft and pleading. "You said that. You said we were brothers. Dammit Gonpachiro, I know you're still in there."

I don't want to hurt you…

There was a spark of recognition in demon's eyes, eyes that matched that bastard Muzan's. The feral grin Tanjiro had been sporting slipping away slowly in awe, until it looked like it was about to creep back. Inosuke allowed the boar mask to slide off and hit the ground beside them. Then wordlessly, he pushed his luck and pressed his lips to Tanjiro's.

Surprisingly nails did not plunge into his flesh. The body below him stiffened, the fight seeming to come to a screeching halt. Inosuke slowly, awkwardly, carefully pulled away…

"In...osuke."

The eyes were still there, but the look of hunger was gone. A soft, confused, expression in its place. For the first time, a genuine smile graced Inosuke's features.

"Took ya long enough." Inosuke muttered, relief washing over him. "-and I'm sorry about this." He reached out for one of his swords and without warning, hit Tanjiro with the hilt of his blade, knocking him out.

Hopefully he wouldn't have to explain what happened when Tanjiro woke up…

||Written via spur of the moment but definitely emotionally inspired. Anyone else hit with hard feels yet?||