Graduation has always been an affair of mingled emotions: relief that everything was over, sorrow because it was a conclusion, excitement because it signaled a beginning. The cold expanse of adulthood stretched before them with its countless paths, and Tanjirou said sadly, "The Demon Slapper manga's finished, and this will be our last summer together. Everything's ending." This was too gloomy a topic, so they instead focused on their futures and the upcoming Demon Slapper movie. Two days before the premiere, Inosuke was brimming with anticipation, but Genya said, "Something came up. I can't go."
"What?! We've been planning this for over a month!"
"I'm so sorry. Here, I'll give you my ticket. I don't think Zenitsu was going, so you could ask him."
Zenitsu liked Demon Slapper but not as much as Genya and Inosuke. Still, he appreciated and agreed to the invitation, and on the premiere they met with the twins. The event surpassed their expectations, and afterwards as they stood outside basking in the afterglow, Yuuichirou said, "Let's do it again." Inosuke had no qualms emptying his wallet now that he knew what to expect, and even Zenitsu was affected enough to join. The former tried to invite Genya, but this was unfortunately denied. The pain of feeling neglected was again threatening to rise, but Inosuke shook it away because he didn't want to spoil his mood. There was no decline in energy when they went in for round two, and as they perused the art exhibit, Inosuke spotted a shocking sight: Genya with Tanjirou beside him. He stormed over and said to Genya's back, "I thought you said you couldn't go."
Startled, Genya and Tanjirou turned, and then the accused said sheepishly, "I found some time. You're here with Zenitsu and the twins?" Inosuke was now doubly offended for being abandoned and for being lied to. He'd been unable to pin down his negativity before, but he now had someone to blame: Genya. Fine! If Genya wanted to discard three years of friendship all because he was getting laid, then so be it! And if he was cutting himself, then maybe he'd hit an artery, and good riddance! And if his family was selling him, then God willing, some creep would steal him away forever! But Inosuke didn't say any of this aloud because he understood he was in the superior position in this predicament; it was Genya who was squirming, not Inosuke. "Yeah. Because you ditched me."
Tanjirou knitted his brows in confusion, and he looked to Genya, who said quickly, "Inosuke, that's not it. I really did wanna go with you. I swear that I'll make up for it later."
"Sure. Later." Inosuke returned to his group, but the air had changed. Zenitsu and the twins questioned what was wrong, but Inosuke just said, "I'm heading home first. You guys have fun."
True to his word, Genya sought desperately to regain Inosuke's favor, but the thing about hating someone is that everything they do, no matter how innocuous, gets interpreted as thoughtless. What once would've charmed Inosuke now rankled him, and Genya, who could only stand so many rejections, became disheartened and stopped trying. Inosuke perceived this to mean Genya didn't care. Well then Inosuke didn't care either! He instead focused on preparing for university, which he and Tanjirou would be attending together. They'd be commuting because it was nearby, but the remaining graduates would be scattered: Zenitsu aspired for music, Kanao would pursue pre-med, and the police academy had accepted Genya. Muichirou questioned the last choice, and Genya explained, "I got in on a special deal because Sanemi's friend is the chief." How fitting that the Shinazugawa scum would befriend a cop; Inosuke mentally added another line to his list of reasons to despise Genya. He wanted university to start already so that he wouldn't see him, but this was a foolish wish because anyone who's attended university can attest that the jump from high school is brutal.
Fortunately for Tanjirou, there was Genya as a reprieve. It vexed Inosuke immensely that not even here could he escape him, and it sickened him that their romance was so nauseatingly saccharine. Genya endured the one-hour journey to visit Tanjirou as frequently as possible, and it further embittered Inosuke because it reminded him that this matchless loyalty had once been directed at him before it was redirected to Tanjirou. Genya and Tanjirou's smooching and crooning was so insufferable that Inosuke threw himself into his studies as a distraction so that he barely felt the days bleeding into years.
With the third year of university, there came a cruel life lesson: most relationships are products of proximity. Going to school or work creates bonds because a person encounters the same people daily, but these bonds are easily strained and then shattered when distance is sown into them. Such was the case for Tanjirou, who was fretting over how Genya's visits were decreasing. School and field training were picking up for Genya, so to compensate he doubled his shows of affection, swore passionately that he'd switch wards at the first opportunity, and did his utmost in terms of communication, but what Tanjirou wanted was presence and steadiness, not alternating between feast and famine.
A rift was inevitable. "We're taking a break," but then Tanjirou bubbled into tears like he'd been widowed. Inosuke thought this was needlessly dramatic, and he pushed for Tanjirou to pull himself together because they were in their fourth and final year. It'd indeed be a pricy mistake to fail when they'd come this far, so Tanjirou steeled himself and persevered until the day came where they found themselves in graduation regalia. Their families were ecstatic, but something more important had caught Tanjirou's attention: a man in navy carrying a bouquet. Tanjirou ran to him and embraced him tightly, crying into his shirtfront and exclaiming, "I didn't think you'd be here!" Inosuke was thunderstruck. He'd been free of Genya for nearly a year, and he'd never seen him in uniform; he looked polished and statuesque. The Kamado family cooed at this affecting scene, but Inosuke scowled and led his family away.
Genya's actions ended the break and reignited the honeymoon phase, and consequently Inosuke was subjected to Tanjirou's spiels about Genya-this and Genya-that. It wearied him, but it also allowed him to be the first to hear when Genya and Tanjirou were quarreling again. Genya was assigned to a distant ward, and the division that he worked for required frequent traveling, overnight stays, and unconventional hours. Tanjirou's kingdom was home and hearth; he wanted to maintain his family's bakery, to have his loved ones near, to be promised stability. He'd withstood this for two years now, but seeing his friends that were in traditional relationships made him crave it for himself. Genya pleaded that he was trying his hardest, that there were things beyond his control, and he even asked if Tanjirou wanted to open the relationship so that he might sate his hunger for affection. The latter replied, "No. I only want you here," and tired of repeating this in vain, he ended things.
Everyone knows how breakups go: sitting for hours in the dark, self-inflicting pain via morose music, crying until the eyes are swollen shut. Tanjirou was all this tenfold. Inosuke observed the Kamado siblings endeavoring to comfort their brother, and he thought he should try too: he texted Tanjirou a meme. Nezuko exploded, "Inosuke! Don't send him stupid things when he's in there bawling!" This was hilarious to Inosuke, but his laughter only stoked her ire. Unexpectedly the commotion drew Tanjirou from his room to say, "It's okay, Nezuko. Inosuke's just trying to cheer me, and he's right: I can't hide forever."
Of course Inosuke was right, and of course he'd rescued Tanjirou from his depression! It also helped that Tanjirou was resilient, but still, it was a long while before he wholly recovered from his heartbreak. Inosuke was satisfied that things were as they'd once been, but Nezuko unintentionally soured his mood by saying, "Do you follow Genya on Insta? His work's gorgeous." What could possibly be gorgeous about police work? No, Inosuke didn't follow Genya on anything, and now his animosity was revived to where it became malice. He wanted Genya to suffer as he and Tanjirou had, and as he pondered how to accomplish this, he realized it was so obvious: what better way to torment someone than to flaunt the prize that they'd lost? So he bumped Tanjirou and said, "Sorry."
"It's alright. You're fine."
"You think I'm fine?"
Tanjirou giggled, "Are you flirting with me?"
If Genya was a tender vow whispered under obsidian skies, then Inosuke was a joyful whoop into the azure heavens. Tanjirou welcomed the rambunctious energy for how it made life colorful and dynamic, and Inosuke was so quickly and intensely smitten that he forgot how this had initially been a vengeful maneuver. But everyone knows the frivolous, little things that are easily forgiven early in a romance gradually accumulate into points of contention. For example Genya was impressive because he was immune to outsiders' thoughts when it concerned trivial details. If someone didn't like his appearance, mannerisms, or speech, then they could go kick rocks. But if it was significant matters or loved ones, then he gladly put himself last. Inosuke had once admired this indifference because he also cared little for niceties and opinions, but unlike Genya, Inosuke's indifference applied to everyone, including Tanjirou, who was dismayed when they dined out together. Inosuke ate pizza by removing the toppings and cheese to gather into a heap, scarfing this heap first, and then consuming the naked crust last, and appalled, Tanjirou hissed, "Inosuke, stop! People are staring!"
"Let them stare."
"You're eating like a raccoon caught in the trashcan!" This tickled Inosuke, but Tanjirou was displeased that his embarrassment had been laughed at. This disregard for others' feelings also manifested whenever Tanjirou slipped into his emotional spells. He loved talking and exposing his soul, but Inosuke associated vulnerability with fragility. Animals hide their weaknesses, so for someone who'd grown up in the wilderness, mawkish displays were intolerable to where he'd bowl Tanjirou over to quiet him by peppering him with kisses. Mostly Tanjirou would cheerfully accept this, but sometimes he'd sigh, "I wish that you'd try to be softer."
"Like a wuss?"
Tanjirou gave him a look. "So am I a wuss?"
"Sometimes but I balance it out!"
But Tanjirou would shake his head at this and gaze into the distance longingly, and it nettled Inosuke that his beloved had a habit of taking everything too seriously. There soon came a legitimate reason for gravity though: Tanjurou had reached the final stage of heart failure. There were endless tears from the Kamados as they awaited a transplant, and while it hurt Inosuke to see Tanjirou upset, he didn't know how else to console him other than to hold him and to give him an audience. Two months into this wait, Tanjirou's composure improved somewhat, and Inosuke asked, "Did they find someone for your dad?"
"Not yet but they're currently doing tests to see if there's a match." There came a beautiful announcement that a match had been found, and after a successful operation there were plans for a celebration. Inosuke knew nothing about organizing parties, but he hated feeling useless. Thus when Nezuko suggested he accompany her to the venue to assist with decorating, he agreed because he knew it'd please Tanjirou, and he was led to a property surrounded by expansive gardens. At the center stood a stately house, and as he marveled at the spectacle, Kie approached with a box and said, "Nezuko, take this to Tanjirou."
Inosuke declared, "I'll do it!" and Kie smiled wanly, thanked him, and set the box down rather than handing it to him. He couldn't determine what exactly it was with the Kamado parents, but he had the inkling that they were afraid of him. This was alright because it meant he was tough enough to protect Tanjirou! Nezuko directed Inosuke to a corner of the garden where there was a tunnel of climbing roses, and he peeked into the tunnel's entrance and was floored.
Tanjirou was settled on a bench and chatting with Genya, who was reaching up to tend the greenery, and a scene from nearly a decade ago replayed: Tanjirou paused speaking to ogle the long line of Genya's body. Genya's image had relaxed since Inosuke had last seen him as an officer, and adulthood had granted him the self-awareness and resources to refine his dark aesthetic; despite the dirt associated with an outdoor job, he looked good. But now there was another expression from Tanjirou when Genya faced him, and Inosuke knew this look: it was a look of love, like there was nothing else in the world worth seeing except for the person before him. Tanjirou had ceased giving Inosuke this look some months into their relationship because the latter never returned it for how it made him feel silly, but now Tanjirou glowed as he gazed upon the gardener. He clung to Genya's words like they were gospel, relished every gesture and glimpse that Genya gave him, and they were so enthralled by each other that they didn't notice the spy, who felt a surge of rage before realizing this was an ideal opportunity to cause injury. He approached them, and they were briefly surprised before Genya said timidly with a placating smile, "Hey, Inosuke. It's been ages. How have you been?"
"Good." Inosuke made to pass the box to Tanjirou, but then he pulled it away, grinned, and said, "Trade you for a kiss."
It was more fervid than what was normally acceptable for a public kiss, and Tanjirou laughed, "Stop!" before taking the box, calling his goodbyes, and leaving. Inosuke gloated when he saw that Genya was flushed and fidgeting, but it wasn't enough to erase the memory of how Tanjirou had looked at Genya. This continued to irritate Inosuke even as they lay in bed that night. "What the hell's he doing there? I thought he was a cop."
"Genya? He quit. Now he's the groundskeeper for that place."
"When did you start talking to him again?"
"Mm, a few weeks ago? It was when we were still waiting on a heart for my dad." It now made sense why Tanjirou's mood had unexpectedly improved, and Inosuke bristled and demanded, "Why'd you talk to him and not me?"
Tanjirou became defensive. "Am I banned from talking to him? And anyways I did talk to you, but you're not the best at comforting people."
"So the solution's to run back to your ex?"
"I don't like what you're implying, and if there's an issue, then say so."
Inosuke huffed and rolled away because Tanjirou was terrifying in verbal matches, and the latter said soothingly, "Inosuke. If you don't trust me, then you can ask Genya yourself. If anything, I think he'd like that. He asks about you."
"He needs to mind his own damn business."
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"I don't think so. I think you miss your friendship. You two used to do everything together. What happened?"
"I discovered he's a snake. I'm tired. Let me sleep." Inosuke was insecure about appearing insecure, so in the following days he acted unbothered, even if his stomach churned whenever Tanjirou stepped out. What if he was going to see Genya? Inosuke was so engrossed in his ruminations as they walked to the party that he jumped when Tanjirou stopped him and said delicately, "Please don't drink tonight."
"Why?! It's a party!"
"Because you're a mean drunk."
"I'm not!"
"You are. You pick fights."
"And I've won them all, so what's the problem?"
Tanjirou became uncomfortable. "I don't know if you've noticed this, but my parents don't approve of you." It must've been visible that this was news to the addressee because Tanjirou cupped Inosuke's face and said, "But it doesn't change my feelings for you! I just want you on your best behavior because they need a little convincing to see what I see. So please? No drinking."
Inosuke muttered, "Sure," but the words rattled around in his mind so that he sat off to the side, unable to enjoy the celebration. He took to examining the crowd, and he spotted a chilling sight: Sanemi. Two other equally intimidating men and a rough looking teenage boy accompanied him, and then when Shizu joined them with two women following, Inosuke recognized that the Shinazugawa siblings had grown up. None of them looked approachable, but this didn't discourage Kie from whispering to Shizu, who led her children to a quiet spot where the Kamados were waiting. Inosuke secretly observed them, and then he was stunned when the Kamados kowtowed before the Shinazugawas. Tanjurou said, "We can't thank you enough. Our family thrives because of your generosity, and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your son. We owe our lives to you."
Shizu said, "Please stand! This isn't necessary! All we ask for is your continued business. Really it's Genya who should be hearing this, but he's keeping the garden tidy. He was probably looking for an excuse to avoid this conversation. You know how flustered he gets when he hears nice things." Inosuke was reminded of years ago when he and his friends had suspected that there was something underhanded transpiring, and now he wondered if their hunches were correct. Kie and Tanjirou were leaving though, and Inosuke tailed them to the kitchen, where mother and son resumed preparing a cake. Tanjirou then opened the back door to retrieve some supplies, spotted Genya among the plants, and went to hug him, but this wasn't the hug that he usually gave friends; this was the embrace of lovers reuniting after a long separation. They stood fully pressed together, outlined in silver moonlight with nocturnal flowers gently bobbing around them, and after they exchanged some murmurs, Genya withdrew and left. Giddy and dazed, Tanjirou returned to the kitchen, and Kie smiled and commented, "You said it ended because you didn't want something long distance. Well he's here now, honey, and you know it'd be good for both our families if this happened."
Tanjirou said indignantly, "You want me to do this just to secure our alliance?"
"That's not what I said. I'm saying what split you two is gone, so why not give things another chance? Plus you know how much your father likes Genya."
"Of course he likes Genya. Genya's heart is literally beating inside him."
"It's more than that. Genya's responsible, worldly, sweet, and he takes care of you. With Inosuke it's the opposite. You're his handler more than his partner."
"Inosuke has his own way of showing love. It's comparing apples to oranges."
Kie sighed and said, "Honey, you don't know the losers I dated before I met your father. There're some bum-ass men out there who expect you to be their mother, therapist, cheerleader, crutch, plaything; they want you to be everything, and what do they do? Jack shit. So believe me when I say I know what a good man is." Tanjirou laughed, and Kie continued, "When I first held you after you were born, I thought to myself, 'Nobody will call my son a bum because I'll raise him to where people would go to war for his love,' but maybe I overshot because now I see you setting yourself on fire to keep others warm. You're always caring for others, and you deserve someone who matches that effort. Consider it, okay?" She kissed his forehead, but this touching scene instead roused Inosuke's anger. Why was everyone against him tonight?!
He stormed to the bar and discovered the bartender was Zenitsu. "Inosuke, hey! God, it's been years! Want something to drink?"
"Is that vodka behind you?"
"Yeah but I'm not supposed to serve hard liquor tonight."
"That's fine. I'll serve myself." Inosuke walked behind the counter to pour himself a shot, and Zenitsu stood helplessly, unsure of what to do. The former asked, "Want some?"
Four (or five or who knows how many) shots in, Zenitsu and Inosuke sat chatting in a vacant area, and the former said wistfully, "It's crazy how when you're young, things feel so permanent and easy. 'We'll be friends forever. My goals won't shift. I just have to do XYZ to get what I want,' but then you grow up and realize nothing ever goes as planned. People change, and shit happens." He sniffled and whined, "I miss you. I miss us. One minute we were reading Demon Slapper and discussing our imagined futures, and the next, we're just cogs in the machine."
Inosuke wasn't maudlin like Zenitsu, but he still felt a pang and said, "We'll hangout after this."
"We won't. I start as a flight attendant next week. Soon I'll be everywhere except for here." Zenitsu then laughed bitterly, "Remember when we thought adulthood would be the best? 'I can do whatever I want. I'll be able to drink legally and do naughty stuff,' but then you learn it's mostly asking questions like, 'Why's this happening? Where am I going? When did the world become so evil?'"
"That's life."
"Exactly! Fuck those people who say, 'It gets better!' No it doesn't! It gets worse! Life gets more complicated and unforgiving, and losses and mistakes start to outnumber new experiences!"
"Hey, you know how we thought Geta's family was being suspicious? You think it's still happening?"
"Absolutely. You remember how Genya would tie cherry stems into knots with his tongue? He's got to be capitalizing on those skills. Ugh, I should go back." Zenitsu sat swaying at the bar, and Inosuke went searching for Tanjirou, whom he discovered in a group with his parents. Tanjirou asked, "Are you drunk?"
"I'm only tipsy."
The Kamado parents raised their eyebrows, and Tanjirou led Inosuke some paces away and said in a strained voice, "You said you wouldn't drink."
"I only had a little!"
"You smell like a distillery."
"That's just your sensitive nose."
Tanjirou stared across the room exasperatedly, and Inosuke asked, "Looking for Menma?"
"You're wobbling. You need to go home."
"Why?! So you can fuck Enma the second I leave?!"
"Go home!" Tanjirou's tone turned some heads, and Inosuke nodded and said, "I've seen how you look at him. I know what's up. Have a hot night."
Inosuke was seething as he shoved open the door to a stairwell, where he discovered Genya, who was hiding with a glass because he couldn't drink on the job. Inosuke jeered, "Are you drinking alone? You're pathetic. I hope you get whiskey dick later, and Toushirou laughs at you."
"What're you talking about? Are you drunk? Oh, whatever. Move."
"No! I know what you're doing, and I won't let a whore like you go in there!"
Genya narrowed his eyes. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"Probably fucked anything with some money. God knows you can't do much else." After years of hostility Inosuke had assumed Genya would tolerate it indefinitely, so he didn't expect for this attack to deplete Genya's patience and to earn a counterattack: "So you're saying I'm good in bed. Need some help? Want me to show you how I made Tanjirou lose his mind?" Inosuke punched the mouth that he'd always envied for its skillful words and abilities, and Genya stumbled backwards, met a wall, and slid to the floor. He sat gawking up at Inosuke, whose expression matched his because neither of them ever imagined things would escalate to this point, and then Genya charged at him to retaliate. Every error, offense, and annoyance that each had ever committed against the other fueled their strikes, but the instigator inwardly knew he'd picked an unwise fight because Genya was trained and had a size advantage. Inosuke had a blessing too though: his unusually flexible body was like hitting an infernal beanbag. Genya resorted to his police experience and restrained him in a chokehold, and he squeezed until his captive went limp. In a final gesture of spite, Genya flung him down the stairs, and Inosuke's head struck a wall at the bottom.
Inosuke awoke in a dense fog, and next to him a nurse gasped, explained that he'd been comatose for a year, and went to retrieve the doctor. An upbeat man strolled in and said, "Good morning, sleepyhead! I'm your doctor, Douma!" There followed clarification on what all had occurred, and then Douma handed Inosuke some forms to sign. The letters swam before the patient's eyes, and he couldn't write his name because he couldn't picture the characters. Douma said, "Uh oh! We suspected as much during your brain scans. Can you read the title at the top?"
It said, "Acknowledgement of Patient Rights," but Inosuke gaped at it like it was another language. Douma crumpled the paper and said, "That's okay! We don't need that one anyways! Have you heard of alexia? Think of it as acquired dyslexia. You bumped your head hard enough to knock the literacy out of you!" Douma laughed, but Inosuke didn't find this amusing; in fact he found this man unbearable. The doctor continued, "The good news is that for your case, you can overcome it. Just think of it as learning to read and write all over again."
"Where's my family?"
"Ah, the bad news: your grandfather passed while you were out, but don't cry! We've notified your grandmother and brother of your miraculous recovery, so you should rejoice instead!" So much was happening so quickly that Inosuke could only stare blankly, and Douma stared back thoughtfully and asked, "Do you know who your mom is?"
"No."
"Back in undergrad, I used to hook up with a girl who looked just like you. Absolute sweetheart but total moron. 'Too dumb to live' kind of woman." Douma then whispered, "Oh no. What if I'm your father? Wouldn't that be so funny? We should do a paternity test."
"Can I get another doctor?"
"Just for that, I'm putting a note in your file that says, 'Beware: uncooperative patient.'"
This was all too much for Inosuke. His temper erupted, and he thrashed around and repeatedly roared, "Get out!" Douma said, "Now, son, you can't be noisy in a hospital," and he took a syringe from his pocket and injected it into Inosuke's IV line.
Inosuke awoke again in a dense fog, and he felt a hand clutching his. Hisa had fallen asleep holding his hand, and he exclaimed, "Granny!" She awoke, gave a little scream, and fainted. Douma entered, went to feel Hisa's pulse when he saw her unconscious, and declared, "She's dead!"
The shock of seeing her darling grandson finally awake had overloaded her poor heart, and soon Inosuke found himself sitting and mourning alone in his childhood home. His job had of course dismissed him, and it was impossible to return to while illiterate. Takaharu had barely been home during this time, and feeling caged, Inosuke stepped outside to clear his head. There was Tanjirou... with a baby, and he said ruefully, "Sorry, Inosuke. I didn't know if you'd ever wake. I couldn't keep waiting." Inosuke stared incredulously at the baby as it started fussing, and Tanjirou shushed it and said, "She's sleepy, so I'm heading home. We'll catch up later."
Inosuke stood stupefied until there was the sound of luggage wheels rolling on cement, and he turned to see Takaharu striding away briskly with a backpack and a suitcase. He called, "Inosuke, walk with me." At the train station Inosuke asked, "Did you get surgery on your ears?"
"Never mind that. Remember this? I found it while cleaning the attic. You thought you broke it, but I fixed it." Takaharu handed him a pig doll, and a nostalgic beat passed before he continued, "You'll hate this, but I'm disappearing awhile. There's a check on the table. It should be enough to cover you for a year."
"What?! Where are you going?!"
"I can't tell you. Go home, and I'll contact you when everything's safe."
"So you're saying you're unsafe right now?! Who's threatening you?!" Inosuke looked around aggressively, and Takaharu snapped, "Stop that! You can't beat this guy!"
"Why's he after you?!"
"You think it was cheap keeping you hospitalized?!" Takaharu recomposed himself and said, "I had to do some unsavory things for funds. Let's just say someone disagrees with my choices."
"What kind of unsavory things? Like... in the movies?"
"Yes, Inosuke, like in the movies. My train's here. Don't follow me." Takaharu had only taken three steps when he heard Inosuke behind him. "What'd I just say?!"
"We only have each other left, and you're abandoning me?!" Inosuke's voice was tinged with despair, and Takaharu sighed, hugged him tightly, and said, "You know I love you so much, but I'm telling you as your brother: don't follow me. It's for your own good. Oh, God..." Takaharu was fearfully staring at something, and Inosuke whirled around, thinking it was the pursuer.
Takaharu pushed Inosuke to the ground, sprinted away, and boarded the train just as the doors closed, and when the latter realized he'd been deceived, he called, "Aniki, don't go!" Unable to bear the sight of his distressed brother, Takaharu mournfully turned away from the window.
