Hellooo! It's been so long! I love you guys! Thanks for the support and thanks to wait for me and my fics!

This one is kind of long, hahaha. Though I wanted to express a little sadness, because, at some point, I think this is possible to happen in Inosuke and Aoi's hearts.

Hope you like it! Enjoy! Reviews are love! Take care! And I'll be back!

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CHAPTER 9: THE UNREQUITED (NOT THAT UNREQUITED) LONG TIME LOVE

On a cold night, Hashibira Inosuke grunted as he held his hand full of blood against the dripping wound on his side. His black suit was torn. The blood and cuts had totally wrecked his elegant clothes, especially the shirt. Not that he cared about it, but it was the hundredth suit he was ruining, goddamn it. Sighing, he leaned against the cold wall of a cold alley.

To him, the situation was fucking embarrassing and humiliating.

He was a fucking king, a god, a boss, a dangerous mercenary, a protector, an assassin, an antihero, a rough fighter, the alfa, the silverback male of males. He was famous for his stamina and strength, feared for his savageness and lack of compassion. He was one of the best bodyguards of the most important man of the whole damn country, and his job was to protect people in the shadows, yet he was sitting on the filthy floor of a dark alley, injured. Yeah, like in the movies, between wooden boxes and some trash cans.

He could cry by the ridicule of the situation.

He had only one mission that day, so simple he had made a tantrum earlier. He had to take the Ubayashiki younger twins to their piano lessons and then to their home. After that, he was free to do whatever he wanted. So, he had passed two long hours fighting with his sleepiness as he listened to the calming piano music. Later, he took the girls to their home and then left to look for something for dinner. He never thought (he was sure it was the doing of that organization that wanted Ubayashiki dead) the enemy would dress as a fried shrimp seller. There was the humiliation. The man had dared to stab him with a big knife, at the moment he was giving Inosuke's order, hiding the weapon with the paper bag.

He wouldn't have made a mess if only he'd been stabbed with a big knife. The thing was, the knife had been showered with a deadly poison. He had noticed it the moment he saw the knife's blade.

Who could be that cruel?

Fried shrimp was his favorite, and they had totally ruined it.

He would never doubt of a plate of fried shrimps.

Inosuke was sure the man who had stabbed him was already dead because of the angry brutal beat-up he had given to him. People shouldn't use fried shrimps to attack him, period. However, the enemy reinforcements came as he felt the numbness, the pain, and the slowness, indicating him the poison was coming to work inside his body. Feeling his body wasn't responding, after some punches and doing quite a damage, the blue-haired man ran to the deserted alley and was now hiding.

Yes, hiding, he the great and invincible Inosuke sama was hiding from his enemies.

Goddamnit.

Apparently, the poison within his system was the strongest one with which he had been stabbed. Of course, poison wasn't new to him, but it had never knocked him down like the one attacking him at the time. He was starting to see blurry. He was feeling his whole senses turning off. He couldn't feel who or what was coming to him.

Shit.

He was so angry and humiliated he refused to call for help.

One, because he was sure Gompachioru and Monitsu would nag at him for being a glutton, drooling over a paper bag before checking it was a trap. He, himself, would laugh at him for this stupidity. Two, because his phone fell and broke the moment he took out the knife of his gut and punched the guy in the face with all his force.

Shit.

He was the fucking mountain king; he just needed a moment to recover. Furthermore, thanks to his particular ability to change the locations of his internal organs, he had prevented a vital blow. The poison was the crucial problem. Usually, poison was nothing to him, and he was immune to this kind of thing. However, the one inside his body was different. If only his legs would answer him, he'd stand up and -

"You ok there?"

It was kind of a whisper to him, but he turned to the voice. Narrowing his eyes, he saw a blurry form, a woman, crouching beside him. She was wearing bright pink clothes that helped him locate her even if he couldn't see well. Who the hell was her? By the way, what time was it? How much time had passed? His mind stopped, and he closed his eyes when her cold hand came to his forehead. She whispered, "you have a fever."

He blinked.

"Go away" He didn't have the strength to push her away.

"You are bleeding."

"Just leave" His voice was weak, and his mouth felt dry. He could hear the shouts of the men that were looking for him. Using all his force, he stood up, steadying himself with his right forearm against the wall. She looked at him as his bangs were hiding his face, but she noted the blood coming from his mouth and his body trembling.

"What happened to you?"

"Let's go! He ran around here!"

"Shit!" Great, he at least could hear them, even if it was like a whisper.

"He can't be far away! The thing we put in him is strong!"

Inosuke took one step and fell back, but the girl helped him as he sat on a wooden box. He exhaled his breath as he felt his condition was worsening. Leaning his head on the wall behind him, he took a deep breath. How could this happen? His anger grew. He was going to kill them. He was going to rip their throats with his bare hands if it was necessary. He only needed to change his breath type the second they step into the alley, even if after that he would lose all consciousness or maybe die. Where the hell were his swords? Oh right, he was asked to leave it, with his boar mask, at the quarters because the twins were scared about it.

"Come on, he isn't immortal! He must be around here!"

Great, they were coming.

Well, he had two problems. One, the men who wanted him dead were getting near. Two, the innocent woman in front of him would also be a target. More reason to act. Sorry pink pipsqueak, but you are going to be the witness of a massacre, and maybe the one who would bury him after it. As the footsteps grew closer, and before he could begin his killer plan, he felt her move. Looking at her blurry form, he saw how she came closer to him. He watched her sitting on his lap, straddling his waist. Quickly, she put her hand over his mouth, and her lips came to kiss the back of her hand while her long loose hair hid their faces. Her body hid his injuries and stained her clothes with blood, but it looked like she didn't care.

He widened his green eyes at her bright blue eyes. She was frowning. It took him a moment to understand what was happening. The woman was faking a kiss. In the dark alley. In the middle of a cold night. In the middle of a noisy city. A famous situation for couples. A perfect way to get away from their pursuers, who took the bait because they passed them like they were nothing. They even didn't notice the blood on the floor.

Amateurs...

As the moment passed, the woman separated from him, and looking at her clothes and then at her clock, she sighed. Pulling him from his hand, she told him something he couldn't understand because, from that point, everything went dark.

Damn it.

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The delicious smell of food came to his nostrils, stirring him from his deep slumber. He opened his eyes slowly, not recognizing the ceiling he was looking at. Blinking, he shouted, immediately sitting as he felt a pang on his side. Looking down at his wound, he noticed it was clean and neatly stitched. He passed his callused hand over his cut and gulped. He still felt numb, heavy, dizzy, and couldn't feel anything of his surroundings, but he wasn't in pain, could breathe, and he felt the effects of the poison were minimal. His sight and hearing were back too. His tact, well, it was like an invisible sheet was covering all his skin. He was sure a punch would feel like a light feather in his current condition. Fuck, his hypersensitive tact was the source of his sensible abilities; without his senses, he felt strangely insecure. Well, at least, he wasn't in the alley. He gulped again; there were only two persons who could do that kind of instant effective treatment, and one of them was retired so -

"You never change."

Oh yes, it is her.

Finally.

Inosuke turned to see his savior. She had already changed the pink clothes and was in cotton joggers and a tight black long-sleeved top. Her hair was in low pigtails, and she was wearing her usual blue butterfly pins. Terrific, she hadn't changed at all. Well, at least not in character. Her characteristic frown adorned her face as her blue eyes shone due to her anger. Though, physically, she had developed. She was curvier and a little taller. Kind of a sexy body, in his humble opinion. He concluded he must be in her apartment, lying on her couch. What a couch! He should get one like the one he was on. So soft. How did she bring me to this place? The green-eyed couldn't remember much. He noticed he was only in his pants, plus there weren't traces of blood on him. Definitely, her medical work.

As she, without a doubt, was angry with him, he opted for the safe route.

"Hey, Aoikishi, where the hell have you been? You never change either!" He grinned slyly. "Had not recognized you in the alley!"

"No kidding." Aoi rolled her eyes, "you were too busy dying."

"Hah?" The vein of irritation on Inosuke forehead was visible, and Aoi could swear it made a funny sound. That woman's guts had not changed at all. "I was not dying, Aoku." His irritated smile was something amusing.

The habit of smiling when angry had been surely rubbing off onto him.

"Tell that to the poison that's on your blood," Aoi said as she gave him her back. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Going to the kitchen, she served him something he could tell was the food she had been cooking. "That thing's bad, enough to kill an elephant if you ask me."

"I'M STRONGER THAN AN ELEPHANT!"

"Yes, yes, mister boar, of course, you are." Rolling her eyes, Aoi came to him and put the bowl of hot soup on the coffee table in front of the couch. "That's a special soup. It will help you recover your stamina and strength. It has some herbal medicines, but the taste won't change, so eat it all." Aoi said, sitting on the other side of the table. "And there's a T-shirt beside you. Please, put it on before you start eating."

Inosuke noticed how she had implemented a mini-lab on the coffee table. She was surrounded by things he never in his life had seen before but looked like torture instruments. He gulped, too familiar with the torture thing. He watched how she was examining a red liquid that looked like his blood.

"What are you doing?" He respected her desire for him to wear a shirt, but he grimaced while putting it on. He preferred to be without clothes for the time being so he could feel a little something.

"Trying to discover the basis of the poison. If I can do it, I will make a stronger antidote." Her eyes were shining, even though she was angry. She looked so focused he didn't say anything more and started to eat. He knew she loved the medical line of work. In fact, he knew her a lot. That was why he felt so at ease under her care and was obeying without complaints.

In a way, he was happy to be with her.

"How did you bring me in?"

"You were walking but kind of unconscious. I just leaned your body on me."

Inosuke nodded, eating his soup. It was delicious, like always, and he was already feeling better. To him, the blue-haired woman was the best cook in the world and a fucking hardworking medical genius. Plus, he knew she had learned from the best.

"Where the fucking hell have you been?"

"Here and there."

Inosuke rolled his eyes. How much time had passed since the last time he had seen her? Four years maybe. The last time he saw her was in the Corps. She gave him a bitter medicine that put him to sleep. When he woke up, she was gone. He couldn't understand why she had left. But, seeing her in after all that time made him want to ask and demand an explanation. He had felt so confused and sad when she was gone. And angry, very angry.

"Here and there, what a nice place." He saw Aoi rolling her eyes.

He suddenly remembered when he was an eighteen years old teen. Specifically, the time when he was crying over a table in a karaoke room, heartbroken, shouting why the howa howa thing sucked. His two best friends had been trying for him to let all his sorrow go with liters of strong alcohol.

Ironically, Aoi Kanzaki had been the one who had made him feel better.

And it was an irony because, that time, he had been crying for her sister.

"How's Shinobu?"

At his question, Aoi stopped what she was doing and looked at him. He had finished his soup and was sitting with his legs crossed, leaning against her couch-back cushions. It was so soft it looked like it sucked him by its comfort. He looked like a baby animal engulfed in a cloud. A thin smile appeared on Aoi's face.

"Had not talked to her for a week already. She had been very busy with the wedding preparations."

"Marrying is not easy, huh?" Inosuke expression changed as he melancholically looked at his side, suddenly finding interesting a spot on the glass door that led to the balcony.

"I don't know, I haven't been married before," said Aoi irritated after a few seconds of silence, starting her work again.

"You are awfully sassy tonight, huh?" Inosuke once again looked at her, his anger vein appearing on his forehead again.

She huffed. "It's your fault." Her anger came visible in her eyes.

"And, why is that?" He clicked his tongue.

"It just is." Her own anger vein appeared on her forehead.

"Haah, just like that!?" His eye twitched.

"Just like that."

"Hmmmm."

"It's because you are stupid!"

"I'M NOT STUPID!"

Aoi slammed her hands on her desk. "YES, YOU ARE! YOU'RE STILL ACTING LIKE YOUR LIFE DOESN'T MATTER!"

"FOR YOUR FUCKING INFORMATION, ITS MY FUCKING JOB!"

"YOU COULD BE MORE CAREFUL!"

"I'M A FUCKING BODYGUARD!"

"LANGUAGE, CAVEMAN!"

"SHUT UP, MIDGET!"

"YOU WERE GOING TO DIE!"

"I WASN'T, WOMAN!"

"YES, YOU WERE! IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME, YOU SURELY WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW IN THAT DIRTY ALLEY!"

"I-"

Ding, Ding.

Inosuke couldn't continue because the doorbell stopped their quarrel. It took a moment for both of them to stop their glare war and regain their breaths. With his sensitive abilities not responding, he couldn't feel anything of his surroundings, so he couldn't know who was outside the apartment. Before he could tell Aoi not to move, she went to open the door, muttering who could it be so late at night. Frustrated, it took him a lot of effort to stand up as he tried to get close to the door. He frowned when he heard a male voice.

"Kanzaki san! Good evening, I brought you flowers!" Inosuke heard the cheerful male voice and stopped his tracks, his frown deepening. "I'm sorry! I know it's late, but I was around the neighborhood, and I wanted to invite you on a date tomorrow."

What the hell? Inosuke widened his eyes.

Surprised, Aoi smiled, clearly uncomfortable. "Thank you, but-"

"Kanzaki san!" The guy grabbed her hands, abording her. "I want to know more about you, and I want you to know more about me!" He said quickly, ignoring her efforts to decline.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaah?" The angry vein beat again.

"Please, allow me to enter to your life and - "

"Aoi."

The deep husky voice behind her gave her goosebumps. Aoi widened her eyes and clenched her legs together as a big warm hand came softly behind her. She gulped, feeling his hand sneaking around her waist, pulling her to his broad torso. As his hard chest hit her back, she felt her body burning, and she gulped, fighting a blush that crept on her face. His chin came to rest on the crown of her head. He glared at the unknown man, who looked like he was going to die at any moment.

"Have some fucking business here?"

"I-well-I- You- who-"

"No?" Inosuke smirked evilly and turned with Aoi inside the house. "So long then, we are busy here, shit." He closed the door.

Aoi was still looking at his hand when he let her go and weakly returned to his couch. She immediately missed his warmth, but she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. He was taller, broader, and more handsome than the last time she saw him. He also was calmer and less explosive than before. But, was the same Hashibira Inosuke. Childish, fight-seeker, impatient, bad-mouthed, ill-mannered, stubborn, and reliable. Yes, reliable. In silence, she took out a little flask. Then, she served him some water. Approaching him slowly, she put the glass of water on the coffee table as he turned his head to look at her eyes.

"I'm not a kid anymore."

"I know."

"I'm stronger than before."

"I know."

"Don't open the door like that."

"Ok."

"Ask before. Dangerous people are looking for me!"

"Ok."

Aoi felt a desperate need to hug him, kiss him, but she stopped her dark desires. He had fresh stitches, and he still had poison remains inside his body. But what stopped her completely was the fact it wasn't her kiss nor her hug he wanted. She knew he wanted it from her sister's. Sad and quietly, she passed her hand over his handsome face before she lifted his bangs and rested it on his forehead as he closed his eyes.

"I knew it. Your fever is going up again."

"Mmm."

Without stopping her soft caresses, she put few droplets of medicine from the flask into the water glass. "Drink this and rest. This medicine is weaker than the poison, so it will take you some time to recover completely."

"Ok." Aoi let him go, and he immediately missed her touch, though he couldn't feel anything.

"We need to rest." She said, smiling at him, a thing that made his heart skip a beat. He widened his eyes. His fucker heart had skipped a beat, and if he didn't feel so weak, he would have hit himself. "That medicine will help you till I create the antidote for the poison, but I cannot work this tired, I'm not thinking straight." Aoi then left and came from her room with a quilt. "Relax, the medicine I've given you it's going to work tonight, and you'll wake up better tomorrow." As Inosuke groggily moved to lie on the comfortable couch after drinking the medicine, she put the quilt over him.

"The medicine is not the antidote, but it prevents the mortal danger." She whispered, accommodating his pillows. "Here, you are safe." Her hand caressed his face again.

"I know." He smirked with his eyes closed, "I'm with an amazing doctor."

Aoi blushed. "You really are a lucky idiot."

"Thanks."

"Good night, Inosuke san."

"'Night, Aoi."

Making sure he had fallen asleep, and with her heart on her throat, Aoi leaned and kissed him on his forehead before going to sleep in her bed.

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"BLEEEEEEEEEEEEERGHH"

A younger Aoi rolled her eyes at the teen puking beside her. Crouching on the street outside a karaoke, she swore she would never return to the horrible place. She was holding his silky blue hair with one of her hands, and with the other one was petting him on the back. Tanjiro and Zenitsu were as drunk as him, but their girlfriends were taking care of them. The boy beside her had been rejected. He was alone, and like always, she was taking care of him. Once again, the bright green-eyed teen puked as she sighed.

"There, there, puke all you want."

"I'm never drinking again, fuck!"

"Haha, now you are lying." Aoi chuckled as he flashed a glare to her.

"You, women, are the liars, period!"

"You are drunk." Aoi frowned.

"Your sister is a liar!"

"My sister has never lied to you. You just confused everything."

"No! She has! She treats me like I'm special to her and then tells me she doesn't love me. She is a liar!"

"You didn't have a chance since the beginning, and she's treating you like family. You are like a little brother to her. Or a son, I don't know."

"Women are liars!"

"Well, for your information," Aoi passed her soft hand on his forehead, wiping his sweat and lifting his bangs as he closed his eyes, "I had never lied to you and never will."

After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his silence settled the conversation to an end.

Aoi woke up by her alarm clock at five o clock in the morning. Stirring from her deep slumber, she groaned, her dream still vividly in her head. That stupidly handsome blue-haired idiot, he wouldn't let her forget him. The young woman left her bed, looked in her drawer for her underwear, and she groggily made her way to the bathroom. Glancing at the glass door of the balcony, she watched the sky getting clear. She smiled sleepy, the sky had a beautiful bluish-pink color (her favorite sky) and the day had the distinctive smell of dawn. Coffee was a must after her shower. Half asleep, she entered her bathroom, took off her pajamas, and got into the shower. Usually, she was quickly showering, but in the mornings, she liked to take her time.

The hot water relaxed her as she sighed. She wasn't thinking about anything when she got into her blue underwear and left the bathroom. Realizing it was already clear and the morning was in all her splendor, she stretched on her way to her room, trying to get rid of the sleepiness. But her calm and quiet and apparently not so alone time broke when she heard a low soft whistle that woke her up completely.

"Damn, I want to wake up on this couch every day."

Aoi's brain woke up. She remembered she had the stupidly handsome idiot on her couch, a man she knew very well. He was his close friend when kids, and she had dreamed about him a thousand times. She widened her eyes. The stupidly handsome idiot that she's loved deeply for years was looking at her wearing only underwear. Aoi couldn't help but get totally conscious of her body and felt embarrassed. Slowly, she turned her head in his direction, finding his green eyes ogling her from head to toe.

Thank god the blue underwear was one of her favorites; it fitted her just right. However, it left nothing to the imagination.

It was lacy.

Aoi shouted, running to her room, screeching about her lack of clothes, and he was a pervert and, "OH MY GOD! I'M PRACTICALLY NAKED IN FRONT OF YOU!" Inosuke was sitting cross-legged on the couch with his mouth open and wide shiny eyes, watching her move in that very little clothing. A blush crept on his cheeks. His innocent expression when they were kids returned for few seconds. He then slapped his cheeks to get rid of his blush and grinned.

He liked what he saw, really liked it.

Definitely, she wasn't a kid anymore. Even if her trademark frown was still on her and she couldn't let go of the pigtails style, she was already a different person from before. He wasn't an expert, but few missions and spending time with Gonpachiro and Monitsu had taught him some things about girls. He wasn't a too experienced guy, but he had had to accomplish missions that involved sex. However, he hadn't thought about it much, either give it importance.

He chuckled. In essence, Aoi had not changed at all. She was still embarrassed to show him more skin she was used to. When they were kids, she always used plain, not revealing clothes. Complete opposite from him, he could be naked if it were for him. When a fully dressed Aoi appeared came back, Inosuke offered the coffee he had made, hoping the holy liquid would spare him a scold or a nag.

"Since when you were awake?"

"When you went into the bathroom, I was awake. I made the coffee when you were showering."

Aoi sighed as she moved to the kitchen counter, surprised that Inosuke was using his brain and talking like an ordinarily thoughtful person. He was an adult now. At least, he was behaving like one. For both of them, the differences with their past selves didn't go unnoticed. She served the coffee in two mugs as she felt him coming behind her, leaning over her shoulder. Aoi smiled quietly. Well, some things never change. Turning to face him, she ran her hand on his face once again, and he closed his eyes once again as she lifted his bangs, touching his forehead.

"Your fever is gone."

"Yep, but-" He clicked his tongue, and with a pout, he told her quietly. "My skin is - shit, I can't feel anything, Akai." Aoi nodded, knowing the guy was making an effort to admit it. "I'm already capable of moving better. But, I still can't sense anything around me." He said, knowing her thumb was caressing his skin, but he was getting desperate because he couldn't feel her touch. As Aoi let his forehead go, he drank from his coffee mug, unsatisfied.

But the black coffee flavor on his tongue distracted him.

Aoi nodded as she leaned her back on the counter. "It's normal," She blew her hot coffee a little, "you are responding to the treatment. However, it's not the antidote. The poison is still in your blood, so it's attacking your tact and your abilities as it is your strongest point."

Drinking her coffee, she continued with a blush on her face. "Sorry about this morning, I wake up early every day, but my brain starts operating after an hour or so."

Inosuke blushed a little and shook his head, remembering her little display. Come on! You are twenty-three! You are a grown-up! What's with this fucking blush!? What's with this damn stupid nervousness!? You are not a newbie in this! With a playful tone, trying to mask his embarrassment, Inosuke grinned slyly. "Hey, don't you know? I liked that wake-up call." He smirked, and the one to blush was her. The blue-haired guy danced victoriously in his head as he felt he had won the battle of who's blushing first. They crossed eyes, and he got lost in hers. He had always liked her blue eyes. They were like the sky. "You don't have to apologize."

Coffe forgotten, Aoi nodded, finding his bright green ones fascinating.

"So," Inosuke gulped, leaning at her face a little. "What's the next step, doctor? Should I take a shower?"

"Yeah," Aoi said without breaking eye contact. "But, I don't have clothes that fit you aside from that T-shirt."

"Too bad," Inosuke grinned playfully, his face coming closer to hers. "I can be in my underwear. I don't mind it."

If Aoi leaned a little, she could kiss him, but she didn't do it. One, because he wasn't going to feel it. Two, because the doorbell rang, startling them as both of them jumped at the sound. Frowning, Inosuke noticed he hadn't sensed anyone coming to the apartment. The blue-haired woman sighed at his frustrated expression. However, they heard a faint sweet voice calling Aoi's name.

The tone of the voice was overly familiar with both of them.

"Shinobu?"

Aoi frowned, watching him change his behavior like a puppy happy that his master had come back from a long day from work. He always turned in a pile of goo when he knew Shinobu was near. Why was her sister in her apartment that early on a Saturday? There must be a mistake. It wasn't like Shinobu knew what was happening either. However, she was sure if Inosuke saw Shinobu, he would run to her.

Forgetting about Aoi, like always.

Frustrated and a little angry, Aoi watched Inosuke's eagerly going to open the door. Like a movie, she felt inside one of those romantic tragedies she hated so much. In slow motion, she watched how his broad-back stopped on the door, how his hand turned the knob as he opened it. Feeling her heart bursting, she gasped when suddenly he facepalmed himself. "Sorry, Aoi, my bad." He said, ignoring what she was thinking about or what she felt as he just ruffled his own hair, sighing. Turning to her and stepping aside, Aoi saw another person.

"Kanako's here."

At the blank stare of Kanao, he sighed. "Shinobu's voice and your voice are very alike." Aoi blinked at him, Kanao frowned at him, and before she could say something, Inosuke smiled guiltily to Aoi.

"I think they are looking for me!"

"Don't tell me." Kanao finally said.

00000000000

"You really are a damn idiot!"

Aoi sighed, writing in her notebook and watching the whole exchange between the three best friends that happened to be bodyguards for the same influential and important man. It had been an hour or two since Kanao had knocked on the door, and the two guys had come running behind her, shouting without a breath, crying, relieved his blue-haired friend was alive. The poor souls had been freaking about his disappearance for the whole night. Apparently, without his swords and boar mask, the poor guy was like a lost kid. Kanao had been the clever one and had suggested visiting Aoi, who casually (conveniently) lived in the neighborhood. Aoi was sure Jesus had enlightened these boys with Kanao's presence. Even if they had their super hearing and smell, they had stopped thinking when they saw the pool of blood in the alley. Too bad the black-haired young woman joined the search at four or five o clock at dawn.

"HAAH!?" Inosuke vein popped on his forehead again as Aoi swore it would explode at any moment. "SORRY FOR BREAK MY FUCKING PHONE WHEN I'M TRYING TO SAVE MY LIFE!" The outburst made him feel kind of dizzy, and he fell sitting over the comfy couch.

He would definitely take it to his room with Aoi's permission or not.

"You can't even stand!" Tanjirou pinched the bridge of his nose. "The man who stabbed you is dead, but we thought he had killed you too!"

"INOSUKE SAMA IS NOT DEAD!"

"Thanks to Aoi chan!" Zenitsu continued. "You are lucky she lived close!"

That's what I told him. Not that Aoi was going to say it out loud.

Aoi sighed as the discussion continued. Those two had been really worried. They were still wearing their suits and had their swords equipped. Also, she noted they hadn't slept. She felt bad. In her defense, she didn't have their phone numbers, plus she was too tired the day before to think about notify somebody. A quiet Kanao came to sit beside her and leaned her head on her shoulder. Aoi looked at her, smiling. "You're ok?" Kanao asked softly, quietly watching the three best friends arguing. It was supposed to be a severe quarrel, but it looked like a funny one. Aoi nodded, "I'm alright."

Suddenly, the always kind and warm as the sun Tanjirou Kamado turned to them. "Sorry, Aoi san! We came to intrude in your home with this but, can you give me details, please?"

Totally unconscious of her, Aoi changed her behavior, turning into a complete professional doctor.

"Aside from the stab on his side, Inosuke was attacked with a new type of poison." She gave her notebook to the redhead man while Inosuke was sitting on his new couch, being engulfed by the softness. "Even if he is resistant to poison, this thing had new components that would kill an elephant or something bigger." Aoi frowned more. "This poison attacks directly the sensitivity of the victim, turning off all the senses, incapacitating the person." She then sighed. "The thing's that the enemy has this whole new weapon against the Corps, so you have to be careful. Better notify the rest of the members and Ubuyashiki sama." Tanjirou nodded.

"In the case of Inosuke, well, to be frank, you are lucky it was him the first victim." The whole room looked at her, surprised. She shrugged. "If any of you happened to be the victims, you would have died in five minutes or so. His resistance to poison had made the death process slow but would have killed him eventually. Also, his abnormal ability to move the places of his organs had avoided the vital blow."

"HAH! YOU FUCKING SEE IT!' I'M THE BEST!" As quickly as he stood up, his dizziness made him sat on the couch again.

"So, is he alright?"

"Of course not." Inosuke groaned angrily as the other three nodded, surprised by Aoi's diagnosis. "The poison is attacking the core of his abilities and is still in his nervous system due I don't have a specif antidote for this. He should still relax, at least till I have the antidote. The constant medicine I'm giving to him will help him rest, but the antidote is necessary."

"So, he can't feel anything?" Kanao asked, curious.

Aoi nodded, "he sees, hears, tastes, and smells, but his tact is dormant. Also, his body is heavy and numb, and he's feverish all day."

"So, he can't know what or who is coming?"

Aoi was going to answer when suddenly Zenitsu hit Inosuke in the back of his head, making the boar man groan and shout at the blonde for being a stupid asshole. "Heh, you are right! He didn't dodge it!"

"Come on, Zenitsu!" Tanjirou sighed.

Aoi blinked, her hand pointing at the two friends now fighting to see how many hits Inosuke can dodge. Zenitsu was winning. "As you can see, he can't sense anything. He is an easy target right now. He doesn't even know who's outside the door."

Tanjirou nodded. "So, are you making the antidote?"

"I'm tryi- " Aoi stopped and then frowned, her eyes shined determined. "Yes, I'll make it."

Inosuke threw his pillow to a distracted Zenitsu and smirked, kind of proud she had made that decision.

"Ahh, that's good news." Tanjirou sighed, relieved. He focused a little while on Aoi's notes. He felt a tug on his suit as Kanao looked at him, trying to tell him something with her eyes. Tanjirou smiled apologetically, patting her head. "So, Aoi san, can Inosuke stay with you until you have given the antidote to him?

Kanao frowned, kind of annoyed.

Zenitsu was sure he heard a dry gulp and a mad heartbeat and sighed, rolling his eyes.

"You see," Tanjirou continued due to Aoi's lack of response, "you are the only one who knows about the situation, and you had been treating him since yesterday. I'm certain you comprehend this, but for the moment, The Corps doesn't have a capable doctor in this expertise with Shinobu's san retirement. So, if I take him there, he won't follow the treatment, and honestly, we trust in you more."

Plus, Tanjirou wasn't an idiot. But that was something that only Zenitsu thought.

Aoi blinked at Tanjirou's words. Inosuke's silence was surprising too. A kind smile appeared on the redhead's face. "Besides, you are making the antidote! The way I see this, it's the best for him to stay here."

Tanjioru turned to the silent blue-haired man. "And Inosuke, this is your new mission, rest. Unayashiki sama ordered it if we happened to find you alive." Inosuke got out of his mind and rolled his eyes. "We really are so glad you are alive Inosuke! Zenitsu and I are going to take care of the situation and your pursuers so you won't have to fear or worry about endanger Aoi san." Inosuke widened his eyes. It always shocked him how Gompachirou always knew what he was thinking. "It's good to be vigilant, but trust me when I say that this matter ends today."

Inosuke's glare at his two best friends made the room heavy. There was something in those three, an ability only they had that consisted of communicating with only their eyes. Aoi sighed, trying to mask her nervousness and anxiety.

"Well then," everyone turned to her, "If Inosuke is staying here, for the time being, I need things, like his clothes."

"Noted."

"Some ingredients for my work, here's the list."

"Roger!"

"Please bring him a toothbrush too."

"Ok!"

"Pajamas."

"I can sleep naked!"

"SHUT UP! YOU WON'T!

"BUT YOU TOLD ME I CAN BE IN MY UNDERWEAR AFTER TAKING A SHOWER!"

"I NEVER TELL YOU THAT, MORON!"

Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Kanao watched them surprised. Kanao noticed the wild blush on her sister's face and quietly giggled, making the two other boys sigh and smile in the direction of the fighting pair. "Well then, we will come back in an hour more and less." Tanjirou waved goodbye, grabbing Kanao's hand, and followed by Zenitsu, they left. Once they were outside, the trio sighed. Tanjirou turned to Kanao.

"I'm sorry." He said, smiling guiltily. "I know you didn't want Aoi san to get depressed again."

"That stupid pig is so blind and dense!" Zenitsu said, cracking his neck. "I'm in Aoi's chan team!" He then said. "We have pushed them, kind of, but let's hope this opens their eyes."

Kanao nodded and turned to look at the apartment from afar.

"Though at first, I was against the idea, I think that maybe this is the best for them both." She said softly. "Shinobu is worried, too. Though she told me she doesn't know anything about, I'm sure she knows."

Tanjirou smiled, patting her head. "A big siblings thing, I think. We have this little switch in our heads." He winked at her, and she laughed.

"I'm a victim of that thing, every time." Zenitsu sighed, and Tanjiro's scarily sweet smile appeared.

"Nezuko is too young to wed."

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT! Well, not yet!"

Kanao giggled again. Tanjirou grinned. "Let's hurry!"

His face turned into a scary demon, "We have a hunt to do."

0000000000000000

After a few hours, Gonpachiro returned with Aoi errands, Inosuke's stuff, and a new cellphone. Before leaving, once again, he promised his best friend he would take care of the pursuers.

Inosuke took a bath, changed his clothes, brushed his teeth, and went to lie again on his favorite couch. Like every person who was fighting a deadly drug/poison, the green-eyed guy fell asleep. His fixation for the comfy piece of furniture was so cute Aoi always giggled every time he purred contentedly when his head made contact with the cushion. She was sure he unintentionally attached the softness of the couch with the softness of the boar that had lived with him in the mountains. Mama boar was still special to him. Aoi once again checked him, her delicate hand on his face and forehead. His fever was back, but Aoi had already given him the medicine. Soon, the fever would go down.

Kneeling beside him on the carpeted floor, she watched him sleep. Her fingers wandered over his face. Aoi knew that if he hadn't been poisoned, Inosuke would have woken up the instant she had touched him. She sighed. Her feather-like touch passed over his closed eyes and long eyelashes. She smiled, profiling his nose, and blushed when she caressed his lips. He really was a feast to the eyes. The traces of the cute boy with round eyes had disappeared. Though, as sick as he was, he looked like a puppy, or in his case, a baby boar. She sighed. Who would think this twenty-three years old sleeping cutie was a fierce and foul-mouthed fighter that protected people in the dark?

She was dying to kiss him.

And to have him all to herself.

Heart and body.

Sighing, Aoi gave him her back, arranging her mini-lab on her coffee table. She returned to her notes, working fast in the antidote. She listed and put in order the components it should have, measuring how effective it could be. She had to test it on him soon and watch the changes in his symptoms. Also, the side effects. Even if all she was using was based on medical herbs and wasn't new to her, there was still a risk.

And he was her priority. That was why she hadn't made a fuss when the redhead asked if he could stay.

They are going to live together for few days.

They had known each other for a long time. Well, the blue-haired knew all the important people in the Corps. But Inosuke, Tanjirou, Zenitsu, Genya, and Kanao were the ones Aoi was more acquainted with them. Plus, they had the same age and had been in the same high school. Because of their own circumstances, since kids, her friends, and Kanao, had been trained to be part of Ubuyashiki's unique bodyguard group. The man was the natural enemy of the injustice of the world. He had called his organization the "Demon Slayer Corps" because the people they dealt with were indeed demons. Terrorists, killers, rapists, hardcore thieves, organ sellers, people trafficators, kid kidnappers, and the list could go on.

She was an apprentice at that time. Shinobu Kochou, her foster big sister, was the head doctor of the Corps. However, Aoi was a fast learner and had a remarkable passion for medicine, so Shinobu had chosen her to be her successor. So, Aoi dealt with injured people every time. Also, her friends always came to her when their training or a light mission injured them. As the excellent observant she was, the blue-haired girl always paid attention to her surroundings, an ability that helped her to take care of people. But, her skills also made her notice things that were overlooked, like, for example, a redhead boy's subtle affection for a black-haired girl.

Or a certain blue-haired boy's behavior when a purple-haired woman was around.

She wasn't going to lie. The boar boy had been a high impact on her life the moment he appeared in front of her, shouting he was the king of the mountains and that she should treat him with respect. Plus, his strange boar mask. With time, Aoi started to develop a sweet spot for him. Clueless, naive, ridiculously strong, ill-mannered, foul-mouthed, stubborn, and impatient were words that described Inosuke very well. But, nobody knew he always followed her when she told him she was going to cook or how he helped her every time he saw her carrying something big. He always complimented her work, even if he made a tantrum when he drunk his medicine. In school, he always looked for her company when Zenitsu and Tanjirou were busy. Also, he always was protecting her because she often got into fights thanks to her scolding rampages. Though, the most daring times were their study dates to help him pass his classes. She still remembered how the gang had cried when he smugly came with his third-year exams, all with positive scores.

Inevitable, Aoi fell in love with him, and their so-called friendship hurt her more than anything for two reasons. One, every time Shinobu appeared or treated Inosuke, the guy melted and turned into a puppy as his heart started to beat like a drum in a metal concert (Zenitsu words). Two, because Inosuke always went to look for Aoi as he considered her one of his closest friends, even if all they did was fight. But, if he heard Shinobu or saw Shinobu or anything of the sort, Inosuke always left her.

Without fail, he would leave her.

Sadly, Aoi started to hate her sister and hate herself for thinking like that. She also hated Inosuke, fighting him like a maniac for everything, but she couldn't leave him alone. On the last day of their high school life, with eighteen years old, Inosuke stood in front of the gorgeous doctor and shouted the howa-howa thing was maddening him and that he was in love with her and he wanted her to consider him. Of course, he had said it in the recovery room. Luckily for him, the only one with Shinobu at that time was the blue-eyed girl (Tanjirou and Zenitsu were hiding outside the room). Truth be told, the confession had broken Aoi's heart without him knowing it.

Surprised yet in the sweetest way possible, Shinobu hugged him, telling him she loved him as a part of her family. He was a little brother to her. At first, he had not understood what the woman meant. However, soon his brain started to work, and he, wide-eyed and pale, left the room, running away, with Tanjirou and Zenitsu behind him. After few hours, Aoi went to look for him after receiving Kanao's message that the boys had an alcohol party for Inosuke to throw up his feelings, literally.

After the drunk day she had calmed him down, she was determined to fight Shinobu for rejecting the guy. But her brain kicked in time, and she stopped those stupid thoughts. After few months of watching how Inosuke still followed Shinobu everywhere like a puppy, the blue-haired nurse decided she couldn't hate her sister. Also, she couldn't hate Inosuke. However, she was fed up with Inosuke eyes every time he saw the purple woman. They shined, they beamed, and like a puppy, he ran towards her. So, she turned her back to the Corps. She wasn't going to stay there and watch the green-eyed guy still in love with Shinobu.

The unrequited love was so painful.

She couldn't take the situation anymore. She just ran away.

She left the Corps, and the blue-haired guy didn't come to look for her. After some time, she took a job as a receptionist at a big make-up company and continued her medical studies in secret. Ironically, the one who kept teaching her was Shinobu, but in their home, the Kocho residence. Aoi always thanked her sister silently for ignoring the situation. She was sure the older woman knew what was happening but never had asked or had pushed Aoi.

And like that, the gap of four years passed. Aoi made her life outside the Corps. She met ordinary people, met guys, had few partners. She also got a job and learned about management. After a year, she rented an apartment. But, she always felt something was missing. There was something that lacked in her life, and she knew what it was. A few months ago, a happy Shinobu visited her. With a cake and tea, the older woman told her younger sister she would marry Tomioka Giyuu, an elite of the Corps. Aoi was genuinely happy for her sister. Shinobu had been in love with Giyuu since young. But, she couldn't help think about a green-eyed man and his feelings. She was sure Inosuke hadn't stopped loving her sister, even if four years had passed.

And who would? Her sister was an incredible person.

She knew Shinobu was retiring, and she also had understood she was the one who would take her place. But, honestly, she was afraid she wasn't enough. Even if she deep inside her heart, she knew she was the right choice. However, she was scared she would become some kind of her sister's shadow.

Kochou Shinobu was a marvelous woman. She was a goddess in all aspects. She was the best when dealing with medical herbs and making her own recipes. She was a sweet but strong woman, feared by a lot of people and enemies. But she had decided her love life was more important. Getting married, retire because she wanted kids, and leaving the Corps had been a big hit to all, but Ubayashiki respected her decision.

The pigtailed woman sighed, noticing she had stopped doing the antidote at some point.

Honestly, she had lost her confidence.

She was afraid that she wouldn't be enough for the job. She was scared the shoes would be too big for her, figuratively speaking. She was more afraid Inosuke would come to that healing room, thinking about Shinobu. She was so terrified he would compare her with Shinobu because the boar guy loved that marvelous woman since he was fifteen.

Aoi gripped her pen tighter, some tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Why? It had been four years, she wasn't a stupid teen anymore, why was she still distressed by something like this and -

"Wow! You already have this figured out."

His soft breath tickled her ear, and she widened her eyes, feeling his face beside her, over her shoulder. His hair tickled the joint of her neck and shoulder. "I don't understand anything of what's written in that!"

Aoi jumped at his hoarse voice and ran from him as he burned. He arched an eyebrow but ignored her, thinking her reaction was because he had scared her and not because he had lit something in her core. She was blushing madly, and her heart was beating very quickly.

"You ok, right?"

"Si-Since when you are awake!?"

"Huh? Not long, I saw you sitting beside me and leaned to watch what you are doing!" he grinned.

Bullshit, he had been looking at her back and nape for some time, but that was a secret.

Aoi breathed, trying to calm herself.

"Hey, why don't you come to the Corps?"

"Huh?"

"I know you had been called!"

"How-Wait- no, never mind- I'm not interested."

"Hah, bullshit!" Inosuke loudly said as he sat more comfortably on the couch. "You love this! You are a fucking genius in this!" He crossed his arms and frowned at her. "I know you had been called since Shinobu announced her retirement and her wedding, and you had been avoiding or rejecting the job. Why the fuck is that!?"

"You owe me a damn explanation, woman!" The green-eyed finally demanded. "And start since when you put me to fucking sleep and left the Corps!"

Aoi blinked at him, surprised he was making sense. Plus, his green eyes were piercing her, making her nervous. There was no trace of sadness in his voice at the mention of the older woman, but Aoi didn't notice it. All she could think about was there was no way she was going to say her fear aloud. She knew he was going to be angry at her for her lack of self-confidence. She wasn't prepared to talk. As she was panicking because she hadn't had an excuse, the doorbell rang, and they both jumped, once again. Aoi stood up quickly and went to open the door. Running away, huh? He trusted Tanjirou and his promise to end everything, but he couldn't help worry about who was outside. He was still senseless. She really should stop opening the door without asking. Seriously, that bell rang one more time, and he was going to break it. Once again, they had been interrupted.

Inosuke blinked.

Interrupted in what?

But his brain stopped when he heard the same voice from the night before. He frowned.

"Sorry I came unannounced yesterday, plus it was very late, Kanzaki-san!"

Aoi politely smiled as she nodded. "It's alright. I was surprised, though."

"Yesterday, that man, well he, he isn't your boyfriend, right?"

Aoi silence gave her away as the man grabbed her hands and started. "Aoi san, please let me take you to lunch today! I know a good place! It's almost lunchtime, so we can go and - "

The man stopped talking and let go of Aoi's hands when Inosuke appeared behind her. Due to he felt better than the night before, plus it was daytime, he looked more intimidating, more menacing. The man watched quietly at him. Hugging her around her neck, Inosuke softly pulled her to him. The green-eyed frowned, glaring at the man like a furious beast. "You are a fucking hindrance." He tightened his hold, and Aoi blushed. The beast-breath user noticed with great delight she didn't snap. When they were young, she always shouted at him when he was rude to people. "Sorry to fucking disappoint you, but she won't go to lunch with you." He turned with her still in his arms, shouting. "So scram, fucker! Get away from here!" Slamming the door hard behind him, he sighed, leaning his back against it with her still in his arms.

Aoi looked at him over her shoulder as she felt him loosen up his hug but didn't let her go. He softly had locked her up against his chest. Aoi blushed. He really had grown. Her height was around his collarbone, and she felt his warmth on her back. Touching the hard skin of his arms with the tip of her soft fingers, she couldn't help but lean her head back on his chest, closing her eyes.

"You ok?" She asked as she caressed his skin.

He wouldn't say that little effort had made him tired. "Who's that boring plain?" Instead, he changed the topic, looking down at her relaxed face with her closed eyes. She was so pretty; being tall had its benefits. He noticed her delicate hands were stroking his skin and cursed inside his head. He hoped Tanjirou would kill the bastards that had made him unable to feel her touch.

"Mmm, he works with me," she said as her fingers were now on the back of his hand, and he cursed more in his brain. His eyes followed her peach lips. An urge to bit them ran on his body. "He always invites me to a date, but I always say no."

Inosuke snorted. He thighed the hold on her. "Hah! For not admitting defeat, Inosuke-sama won't call him a weakling!" Aoi rolled her eyes but giggled, very comfortable leaning on his chest, with his arms around her as she traced circles on his skin. Inosuke liked her giggle since kids, and he suddenly felt desperate to feel her. Aoi felt his callused hand brushing her bangs. She opened her eyes slowly, looking up his eyes. Silently, Inosuke leaned slowly against her face, making her widen her eyes and blush. But suddenly, he flicked her forehead. Aoi groaned, holding her forehead, and then shouted at his stupidity. He laughed like a maniac, telling her she was an easy victim of the incredible mountain king. Letting her go, he groggily went to lie again on his couch.

Touching her red forehead, Aoi pouted as he said, "I'm fucking hungry! How about we order food?"

But his brain and heart were shouting.

You almost kissed her. What the hell have you been thinking, stupid fucker!?

00000000000000

It was quite a calm Saturday with Inosuke lying on her couch. After lunch, he passed almost the whole day sleeping and feverish. However, it was a good sign his appetite had not changed at all. He was a glutton; Aoi wondered if his stomach was a black hole. When he was awake, he only looked at her working on the antidote. She made the first trial at night and gave it to him before going to sleep, hoping there won't be side effects. But, the whole Sunday morning, he had passed it inside the bathroom, his fever still present. Aoi made the second trial quickly, adjusting some components, while Inosuke shouted to her from the bathroom.

"MAKE THIS FUCKING SHIT STOP! OR I'M GONNA DIE, AOKU!" He then groaned, "AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOR A FUCKING POISON!"

Aoi resisted the urge to laugh hard. Well, she resisted laughing in his face.

Her notebook was full of notes. She had circled diarrhea in red on the first trial.

After lunch came the second trial, ending his stomach ache but sending him to sleep like a dead guy almost immediately. The fever wasn't gone, so the blue-haired doctor considered the second trial also a big fail.

Aoi fell asleep beside Inosuke on that Sunday night. The third trial was already ready, but she was too tired to wait for him to wake up. At midnight, the beastly guy woke up like he had been sleeping for a month. Turning to his side, he saw her asleep beside him, kneeling on the carpeted floor. Her face looked so beautiful and peaceful he couldn't wake her up. His fingers caressed her face as she sighed softly. The howa howa came back, and he blushed a little. Slowly standing up from the couch, he noticed he felt much better. Carefully, he lifted her like a princess and carried her to her room.

After leaving her on her bed, he took his hoodie and went to the balcony. The night looked so peaceful. His silky blue short hair danced with the wind. Looking at the moon, Inosuke sighed. It felt natural to have Aoi as his personal doctor. He smiled quietly. Something about the situation felt nostalgic yet, different. Like his new urge to kiss and bite her. Or his desperation to feel her touch. Inosuke leaned on the rail of the balcony. What the hell had gotten into him? The blue-haired girl also was acting more daring than he was used to, and he felt comfortable with it. He narrowed his eyes at anything in particular.

Aoi wasn't feeling anything for him, did she? They were only friends, weren't they? The ringtone of his phone scared him, making him cuss.

"Shit! What - ? Oh right, this is new! Shit- Yo!"

"Hi, Inosuke! How are you doing?" A familiar voice said on the other line.

Inosuke blinked. His body was feeling better than the Saturday morning. "Think I'm better, but the fever still comes, and my body still feels heavy."

"Did your sensibility return?"

"No." He kind of made a tantrum. "I never know who's at the door shit!"

Tanjirou sighed, "Guess is a slow process." Inosuke heard noises in the background. "At least you are feeling better and all. How's the antidote?"

At that, Inosuke flinched and narrowed his eyes. "Today after lunch was the second trial. It sent me to sleep like a dead guy the whole afternoon. Just woke up!"

"And the first?"

"You don't wanna know."

Tanjirou chuckled, "Ok, ok, I'm not gonna ask." Another sound indicating a fight (ahem, massacre) was being held.

"Gompachirou...?"

"Oh yeah! The matter's been taken care of!" Inosuke punched the air hyped. "They were amateurs killers, but before they run away to Muzan's territory, we found them and finished them off."

The blue-haired man heard a rustle and some whines. "I fucking knew it!" He then leaned on the balcony. "Any injuries?"

"Mmm, nothing to be scared off," Tanjirou said. "Thanks to Aoi san information, we were careful, but again, they were amateurs. At least, the ones that attacked you, so you don't have to worry anymore. Besides, I had put a guard in Aoi's san apartment."

"Hah?"

"Genya says that if you keep leaning on the balcony, you will be an easy target."

The blue-haired man shuddered and looked around. He then sighed. Even with his magnificent senses at the top of his capacity, it was tough to look out for that sniper. He still couldn't understand how someone that shy could be a deadly guns expert. "A guy's pestering Aoi since Friday. I thought he was an enemy."

"Yeah, Genya followed him yesterday, but the guy only looked broken-hearted, no harm. Plus, we are sure he'll go back to visit her." Inosuke could almost hear Tanjirou smirk.

Correction, he knew he was smirking.

"Can you tell that demon sniper to shoot him?"

"Nop." Inosuke heard a chuckle and rolled his eyes. "We don't injure the weak and innocent, Inosuke."

"Then, if I kill him as an accident, it counts?"

Tanjioru laughed. "Of course not! What has gotten into you?"

After a long silence, he muttered quietly. "I don't know..."

Tanjirou frowned. As a simple guy, usually, Inosuke didn't complicate things. His unrequited and impossible love for years was a prove of his simplicity. The redhead was sure his friend had understood the woman was in love with someone else since the rejection. Yet, even if he knew it wasn't going to take him anywhere, he still looked for Shinobu, being honest as always. However, Inosuke wouldn't bother to turn around and focus on what was happening in his surroundings. His simplicity was in hand with his denseness. But, as Tanjirou heard him, he noted he sounded worried, desperate. It didn't surprise him, though. Inosuke was starting to notice the things that were obvious a long time ago.

"Jealous?"

"SH- SHUT UP!" Inosuke stuttered, shouting. What the hell? Inosuke sama never stutter. "The amazing me isn't je-jealous! It's that guy who comes and grabs her hands and said she should go out with him, and I don't know! Her hands only should touch me and - "

"So, you are jealous."

"I- " Shit.

The blue-haired man heard a faint whine of pain as a joyful and mocking voice sang, "Did I hear someone is jealous!?"

He groaned.

"Inosuke says he is jealous!"

"I DIDN'T SAID THAT!"

"Ohhh, sweet jealousy!" Then again, Inosuke heard a whine and a bone-cracking sound in the background. He huffed.

"Zenitsu, that one is still alive!"

"But I want to know about Inosuke's love story, Tanjirou!" Inosuke vein forehead appeared and started to beat as he heard the man shouting in pain. "He's so lucky living with a gorgeous girl like Aoi chan, even though he is an idiot."

Ohhhhh, that blondie was going to have it. Granted, the thunder breath user had heard the whole conversation.

"You should admit your love, piggy!"

"HAAAAAAAAH!?" Inosuke knew he was blushing and slapped himself. "WH- WHO'S TALKING ABOUT LOVE, GODDAMNIT!?"

"Well, you said you were jealous."

"I WAS NOT FUCKING JEALOUS!"

Inosuke hung up the phone and threw it onto his couch, groaning frustrated. Those fuckers... they had managed to get in his nerves. He wasn't jealous! No! He just wanted that unknown weakling to stop bothering her. He should stop trying to grab her hands because if that asshole did it one more time, ooh hell, there's going to be a massacre. He groaned. Shit, he was indeed jealous. Well, it was Aoi's fault. She should stop smiling at him or touching him. That way, he wouldn't be thinking about kissing her or mark her or lock her inside the apartment so nobody could see her. Slowly, he closed the balcony door and walked to Aoi's room. He found her on her bed, still sleeping.

Love? Well, he was familiar with that. Even if he was a superior being, he knew the awful part about loving someone. It had to do with rejection, sadness, and frustration. It had to do with wanting to beat yourself up because you don't understand why you aren't chosen. Or torment yourself to the point of insanity, trying to figure out what you did wrong or why your loved one doesn't need you. Inosuke sighed. He hoped Aoi hadn't felt any of that.

He passed his knuckles over her cheek.

Maybe they hadn't seen each other in years, but he still liked her. Honestly, he had missed her. She was his friend, the one who fought with him. She didn't fear him. He could be in a bad mood and into killer mode, and she, with a slap and a shout, would calm him down. He hadn't searched for her because he respected her desire to be alone, even if he thought it was bullshit. After all, she hadn't explained herself. Maybe she wasn't aware of it, but he was totally aware of her habit of caressing his face before her hand came to his forehead to check if he was alright. Usually, he closed his eyes to indulge in that feeling. Also, they always were touching each other, another thing that had not changed at all. Even if he couldn't feel her, both of them still did it. Since their high school days, they were like that. Not even Shinobu did that.

He sighed.

Shinobu.

It took him some time to accept Shinobu didn't love him as a lover. Still, it was so hard to stop himself when he wanted to hug her every time he came to the Corps after a mission. He couldn't help the rush of protectiveness and sadness when she told him she was dating the long-haired bastard (who had the guts to tie him to a tree when he was a kid). When she told him she was going to get married, he felt a worry that overcame him. He couldn't stop his heart. Thank god his best friends stopped him before going to threaten the guy to death. He loved the older woman a lot, in a way he only could understand.

Differently than lovers, Inosuke had quietly concluded two years ago.

The day he had the fortune to stand in front of his mother's killer, he got his memories back. After that fight, he understood his feelings. Shinobu was like his deceased mother. She behaved like her; he had confused everything. Shinobu sang songs that his mother sang to him when he was a baby. She taught him things like a mother. She scolded him like a mother. She encouraged him like a mother. She advised him like a mother. She spoke to him as if she were his mother. She treated him like she was his mother. She loved him as a mother loves her child.

So, in reality, he loved her like a kid loves his mother.

He understood why he had never felt the desire or the sexual appetite Santarou and Chiutsu had commented about their relationships. Kanako and Nemuko ignited in them a fire Inosuke had never had for the older woman. He liked to follow her around. It was enough for him to know she was alright and safe. He loved spending time with her. His eyes always sparkled when she stroked his head, congratulating him on something he had done. She was one of the persons he held dear and would protect from everything. The hugs he wanted to give her were innocent, the hugs of a child.

Sitting beside Aoi, he sighed.

Towards the blue-haired young woman, his feelings were different. He trusted her. He liked her company, loved to play pranks to her and tease her. He enjoyed her cooking skills too much and, though she was as stubborn as him, he liked her guts. He had discovered he would flirt with her all day if he could. He knew that unconsciously, she was one of the few that he let be near him. And it was more surprising that since he had awoken on the woman's couch, the howa howa was back.

His heart was beating hard every fucking time he saw her.

He didn't want just to hug her; he was desperate to kiss her. Kiss her senseless, ravage her so she can forget the asshole (and any other asshole) who was looking for her. Kiss her so he could stop her nagging about his dangerous life and shut her shouts about him being a glutton. He wanted to feel her touch, her skin against his skin. Also, he wanted an explanation damn it! He felt betrayed. He was feeling she had lied to him after promising him she'd never lie to him. He was angry with her, and at the same time, he was happy to see her. He wanted all her attention. He loved that she had not changed since their high school days, their relationship staying the same, but with the spicy touch that only adulthood could give. He found himself not wanting to leave her apartment, not wanting her to walk away from him. He didn't want her to stop his caresses and don't make him start to talk about leaving that couch.

He could pin her over it and have his way with her.

Inosuke was serious when he told her he didn't mind being naked in front of her, though he wasn't sure where that idea came from. He had felt a rush of fire in his gut when he saw her naked that Saturday morning. He had almost ripped his heart out of his chest when he noted the way her breast bounced when she jumped startled, only in her underwear. And her smile, hell, her smile made his heart stop beating.

Aside from everything and the circumstances, stab and poison included, he was beyond happy to meet her again. Satisfied they were together again. Kind of angry, too.

He groaned. No wonder his head hurt. He was using his brain too much. All that explosion of feelings in just two days. If it continued, probably he wouldn't take the situation anymore.

She was going to kill him.

Inosuke leaned to her sleeping form, brushing her hair from her face. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and frowned when he felt tactless.

"Night Aoi."

He would kiss her when he gets back his tact, definitely.

He returned to the living with the knowledge he was screwed. Restrain himself was going to be very difficult, though it helped him his senses weren't functioning. As he started to accommodate himself over the couch, he spotted the new third trial. Not doubting, he drank it.

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Inosuke could feel everything.

Everything. From a light breeze to the presence of the inhabitants of the entire building.

He clenched his teeth. It was like his senses had returned like a wave and were drowning him. He needed to focus, but it was impossible. His hypersensitive skin was burning. Even the softness of the couch hurt him.

Shit.

Aoi jumped from her bed as she heard her alarm clock. At the same time, the big man entered her room gasping for breath and with a look that resembled a caged wild animal.

"Hmm, Good morning?"

"Good morning my ass!"

Aoi arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I couldn't sleep, Aoku!"

Aoi blinked, "Not even a little nap?"

"I wasn't able to close my eyes!" Frustrated, Inosuke pulled his hair. "I'm a nocturnal guy, but after drinking the medicine you left on the coffee table, I wasn't able to sleep or relax!"

"Why?" Great, he had drunk the third trial.

"I FEEL EVERYTHING! MY SKIN IS BURNING! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GIVE ME?"

"Fever?"

Inosuke groaned as he muttered, "Nothing, I think." Aoi turned on the little small lamp on her bedside table. She patted the side of her bed, signaling him to come and sit over it. The mercenary accepted reluctantly. As he sat beside her, Aoi switched to doctor mode, and her hands came to his face. He flinched, feeling goosebumps, trying with all his might not to purr. Shit, her hands felt good against his hot skin.

"No fever." He closed his eyes, gulping, focusing on her touch. His skin flushed more. "What do you feel, Inosuke?" He noticed, with mixed feelings, his tact was too sensitive, and his senses were starting to wake up. Aside from his skin burning, his heart was beating fast. He had to stop his total concentration breath due he was feeling everything at the same time. He inhaled deeply. Her touch felt like pangs of electricity going through his body. It was like a wave of senses were surrounding him.

Aoi looked at him when he clenched his teeth. Maybe the medicine was taking its effect, and he was healing. If that was true, his senses should be starting to wake up slowly, not everything at the same time. I should maintain that recipe but reduce the use of the herbs I used for the nervous system and the sensory receptors-

"I feel everything," Inosuke whispered. "Including the old hag on the top floor and the family of four in the next door."

He didn't tell her touch felt so good.

She blinked, then smiled quietly. "Then the medicine is working." She then frowned, letting him go. "But, I'll make you a herbal drink so your sensorial nervous system won't rush anything." She tried to stand when he pulled her to his chest and hugged her from her waist. "You ok?" She put her hands on his chest, and Inosuke growled quietly.

"Just let me focus a little." Aoi arched an eyebrow but didn't move, feeling so comfortable in his arms. His chest was warm, and her heart was starting to match his heart pace. Aoi looked up at his handsome face. He had closed his eyes. She couldn't resist, and she hugged him. The poison had been a big blow to him, physically and emotionally. She had never understood how his habilities worked, but she knew his skin was the principal source of his invincible senses. That was why he always was with an open shirt and couldn't resist clothes so much. She was used to his naked chest and body display, but their hug her was doing things to her body that should be a sin punished in hell.

She ignored it, but her hug was making the whole situation worse too.

His heart was beating faster; his breath was more ragged. To avoid all the information his abilities were trying to imprint in his brain, Inosuke focused on her. But with his newly discovered feelings and urges, plus Aoi skin against his, he couldn't stop himself. He felt intoxicated. She was like a drug to him.

Aoi felt his hand caressing her back slowly under her shirt, and she arched her back, making her breasts push against his naked chest. "Ino- Inosuke, if - if you don't let me go, I can't help you," Aoi whispered, not feeling like wanting to separate from him but at the same time worried. He grunted on her ear, and she bit her bottom lip. Is he- Is he getting excited? Is he trying to feel good? Intensify the feeling? No! I must push him off! Aoi's hands came to his shoulders to push him, but Inosuke leaned on her shoulder and bit her neck, sucked, and licked her skin.

Aoi moaned, loud

Another pang of electricity overcame him, and he lost his rationality. Pushing the blue-eyed down over the bed, he looked like a caged beast, and Aoi got startled by his dark eyes. He wanted to feel all of her. His hypersensitive skin was itching; all his body was begging for her. He could sense her arousal, her warmth, her inner wants, her feelings. His hand came to feel her skin under her clothes, starting to squeeze her breast, and she mewled. Still, she knew better. He was not himself. Even if she wanted him to do this kind of thing to her, she wanted to be for his own will, no clouded by an induced hypersensitive sense thanks to medicine. Before he leaned to kiss her, her hand came to his face, and after caressing his cheek, she slapped him with all her force. Inosuke groaned loudly, rolling to her side over the bed, grunting in pain as she ran towards the kitchen to mix her herbs and help him calm down.

"WHAT THE FUCK, AKAI! THAT HURT LIKE HELL! SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME!?"

"I'M CRYING, WHY THE FUCK I'M CRYING!"

"AOI! COME BACK HERE AND FIX ME!"

Aoi couldn't help but laugh because Inosuke's shouts about the mountain king's pride shattering in pieces and her slap making him cry of pain were hilarious. She returned to her room, and before the man could continue with his tantrum, she gave him to drink the herbal mix. Aoi let him be her room, sprawled over her bed, calming his breath, till his symptoms came down and he slowly fell asleep. She sighed as she finally blushed and trembled. She was sure that if he had kissed her, the last chain of restrain in her would have broke. She was already having a hard time stopping herself from touching him. She hoped the fourth trial of the antidote would be the final, but at the same time, she didn't want to end the thing they were having.

Whatever it was, she had hopes up.

"You are confusing yourself more, Aoi." Hugging herself, she indulged in the tingle of her skin. "I am not the one he thinks about, am I?" She was sure he had left a mark on her neck, and her breast felt so sensitive, her nipples were perking. She needed a cold shower. She had to make breakfast and adjust the antidote. Plus, it was Monday, she had to go to work.

Work?

Aoi sighed. Indeed, she had to work. But, facing everything, she had loved discovering a new poison, even if it was on Inosuke behalf. She had loved more to create the antidote. Being a doctor had fueled her heart; she knew she wanted to do it for the rest of her life. Inosuke had been the one who had pushed her, and he had no idea about it. It took her those three days to wake up. It was time for her to grow up. Even if her fear of being the shadow of her sister was latent, she had to confront it. After one last glance at the man sprawled over her bed, she grabbed her cellphone. It was the first time she wasn't going to act as professional, but she really didn't care anymore.

In the afternoon, Inosuke opened his eyes. This new poison and its damn antidote are making me sleep too much! He groaned as he sat on the bed. He passed his hand over the wound on his side, blinking at the feeling of her fingers touching the stitches. He grinned, noticing his tact was back. Also, his body was feeling great. He closed his eyes, concentrating. He felt the family next door was going out, and he knew the grandma above them was petting her cat, and the man on the floor beneath them had company. His eyes beamed, satisfied. "Oh shit, I've missed you." He stretched his arms, noticing he was on Aoi's bed. It smelled like her, it had her presence, and he blushed like a kid. Rolling to the side, he hugged a pillow. He had done something so horrible to her. If Aoi hadn't had slapped him, he was going to do her only because he felt good when she touched him. However, what surprised him the most was that she had liked it. He was sure about it; she did like it. Her body had said so; her voice had said so. He stared at his palm, frowning. Her skin was hot and soft, and he remembered the feel of his mouth over her neck.

He was so screwed, fuck.

He hated the display of weakness he had been showing to her all those days under her care. He was already tired of being a victim. Well, it was his fault for falling into a trap, but, fuck, he was the great Inosuke sama, the mountain king, and he had cried for a slap! That was something nobody should know.

Well, in his defense, it really had hurt.

Thank you, nervous system.

He needed a cold shower.

The smell of fresh and recently cooked fried shrimps made him leave the shower quickly. He watched Aoi cooking and heard her humming. That was not the behavior of someone who just some hours ago had been molested or harrassed or touched without wanting it. But still, what he had done was terrible.

Walking to her, feeling like a puppy, but with firm steps, he stood behind her. Aoi turned to look at him and, immediately after, she returned to her cooking job. As he was taller, he noticed the kiss mark he had put on her neck. A rush of possessiveness came over him. She smiled when she felt his forehead over her shoulder, the same side he had bit and suck, his wet hair tickling her skin. He was embarrassed, was blushing but couldn't help to be himself. He wanted her; he wanted to tell the world she was his.

He had already marked her. That thought gave him a little inner peace.

"Am I your fucking guinea pig or something?" He was pouting too.

Aoi smiled, leaning her head to the side, resting it over his. "I told you there we had to run tests."

"Yeah, but what the fuck it's with these damn side effects?" He said as he felt the corner of his mouth going upwards, a quiet smile appearing on his face. Thank god he was hiding it on her shoulder.

"Well, fortunately, the fourth trial would be the final." She said calmly. "The third trial has been the one with the side effects I hoped for since the beginning." At that, Inosuke straightened up, looking at her with his arched brow. But Aoi quickly continued, noticing what she had said. "I - I'm not talking about that effects, I mean that the fever is gone, y- your abilities are returning and the- there haven't been any other symptoms!" Her blush was wild, but her eyes were still on the food. "I mean, don't you feel your body in a better condition? You - ugh, come on! Sit and eat your lunch!"

Inosuke frowned again but didn't move as she was still finishing cooking. Blinking at her rambling, he smirked.

"I have made a lot of your favorites to cheer you up!"

She felt his eyes on her and rubbed her thighs together slightly as her skin got goosebumps. He gladly noticed it.

Could it be?

"A-And don't misunderstand, I was talking about the general effects like your body in excellent shape, I- I mean not slow, and you are moving better, and you have your strength back and your muscles - " Oh my god Aoi stop talking!

Inosuke widened his eyes. What a chance!

Suddenly, she heard a chuckle and Inosuke face returned to her shoulder, but this time, he nuzzled it on the crook of her neck, and she felt him smile. His arms snuggled around her waist as he softly pulled her to him. She gasped. "Hooo, are you spoiling me?" His husky, raspy voice whispered in her ear, and she flinched, trembling. She knew he had felt her desire after all his senses were back. Moreover, honestly, she hadn't been subtle. His mouth opened, and he bit her ear, and she bit her bottom lip.

Definitely, it was a different Inosuke.

He was seducing her.

Has she made a mistake with her herbs? That couldn't be. There wasn't a herb to turn someone into a seducing machine.

"I always spoil you!" Turning off the kitchen, her hands stopped cooking and went to touch the arms around her.

He smiled, feeling her soft fingers over his muscled flesh. So satisfying, he couldn't stop himself. "It's different." He licked her earlobe. "You are not shouting or pushing me."

Oh god, his voice.

"I-"

"I'm sorry." He softly said, still in her ear. She even felt his lips moving. "For everything."

Oh, to hell everything! Aoi turned to him, grabbed both sides of his face, and leaned to kiss him as Inosuke tightened the hold on her waist, opening his mouth. But, once again, the doorbell rang, and both of them jumped and separated before they could kiss. Grumbling, he cursed, muttering something about breaking her fucking doorbell. He marched towards the door, feeling much better and ready to kill the person outside for the interruption. But, he stopped in his tracks. Returning to the kitchen with a furious stare, he grabbed Aoi's hand, and before she could ask what was happening, he went with her and opened the door.

"Kanzaki san! Good afterno -"

A furious (naked chest) Inosuke appeared with Aoi beside him. The blue-haired girl widened his eyes, realizing what was happening. But, before she could say anything, Inosuke's hand brushed her pigtail to the side, revealing the kiss mark on her neck to the man on the door.

"First, better you have a fucking good reason to interrupt us!"

The man gulped.

"Two, see this? I fucking made this, so what the hell do you want hindrance?"

The recovered Inosuke Hashibira was a fierce intimidating possessive man.

However, Aoi, this time, did get angry because of the kiss mark brag.

"YOU IDIOT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SHOW IT TO HIM!?"

"BECAUSE HE DOESN'T UNDERSTANDS FUCKING HINTS!"

"YEAH, BUT SHOWING HIM THIS?"

"THAT WOULD MAKE HIM STOP PESTERING US!"

Us? Even if she felt happy about that, Aoi was a serious woman. She was going to continue the scolding when the man said sadly. "I just came to ask if it's true you are resigning to the company."

The two fighting adults turned to the man looking down to his feet. "I came to ask if it's true and if it was my fault."

Only then, Inosuke remembered Aoi didn't work in the Corps. He had felt she belonged to his side, so he had forgotten she had a life outside the Corps. He wasn't sure about her job, but it was already Monday afternoon, and she was still in her home, wearing casual clothes. He remembered the horrible pink uniform that didn't suit her at all. Aoi's voice startled him.

"It was not your fault, Touma san." Aoi nodded, "I resigned for myself." She smiled, blinding the man who was looking at her like she was a goddess. "There is something I had to do. I know it's horrible for me to do it through a phone call, but as you know and see," she glared at Inosuke with the corners of her eyes as he grunted, rolling his eyes, "I can't go to the office at the moment to excuse myself and leave everything in order."

"I'm sorry and thank you for your feelings, but I can't reciprocate them."

Aoi bowed quickly as an apology, and the man nodded sadly. "I hope you are sure about this Kanzaki san." Before going, he glared at Inosuke, who looked very satisfied with Aoi's choice of staying with him. "I don't think he is the best choice for you, though. He is an unmannered kind of stupid savage." Feeling his rage increasing with each second that passed, and with Aoi in his way to kill the guy, the blue-haired man shouted to the sky at nobody in particular.

"DAMN IT! JUST SHOOT HIM ALREADY!"

As Aoi arched an eyebrow and the man ran for his life, Inosuke's cellphone got a message with only a NO on it.

And an emoticon of an I-know-it-all's face.

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"Fucking stupid Gompachirou, why the fuck he isn't answering the fucking phone."

In a bad mood, the blue-haired man was still sulking about Genya not wanting to shoot. He was going to throw a tantrum at his best friend, no wait, better he was going to hunt that Touma bastard down. Yes, that was what he was going to do, as soon as his lockup ends. He didn't need Gompachirou's permission to kill. He sighed as he leaned his back on the couch. He still wanted to talk to the redhead. He had a lot of things in his brain. Frowning, he focused on the dark sky through the glass door of the balcony. It was nighttime already, and he just wanted to have news about his friends. However, Genya's message (and the fucking emoticon) was evidence that everything was alright. If it's not, the guy would have already told him. Inosuke concluded his friends were busy, and after sending a message to Tanjirou, he tossed his cellphone aside.

Looking at Aoi, who was reading in front of him, he sighed. With the fourth trial already in his system, he felt like a brand new guy. He wasn't sleepy, had no fever, his abilities were at a high peak, had his stamina again, had his strength again, his body was responding, and everything was good. But, as always, the blue-haired woman was still insisting on him to rest. She had told him he should still be in her house for few days for a check-up. Though, in reality, he didn't want to leave, he groaned. He was bored, plus, as a bodyguard, now that he felt good, he considered he was neglecting his work. And she was not talking to him since he had gone a showed to the world his kiss mark. Touma bastard had gone thinking she had resigned to have an adventure with a brute man. She was very angry with him. Also, Genya's presence being a secret to her was something that irritated her.

He had forgotten to tell her that.

Well, he had been too busy being touchy with her.

And their almost kiss. Fuck! We should be doing that instead of fighting.

"So you resigned- huh?" He couldn't resist the ice law she had imposed on him anymore.

As Aoi looked at him over his book, she arched an eyebrow. "Yeah"

"Why?" Oh good, she was talking, meaning she was not angry anymore.

Aoi looked at him and sighed. It was the moment to talk, and she had been ready to do it since the call she made that morning resigning from her job. Too bad the idiot had gone and brag about something so intimate. Putting the book down, she said, "I understood that the place where I should be is in the Corps. The medicine field is my passion." Inosuke smirked as she smiled, "I had missed it, honestly. The thrill of the discovery, the enthusiasm of the tests, and the delight of the cure." She grinned at him like a happy child with candy. "I feel I have a purpose in life, and it's in the Corps. Helping the world indirectly it's better than be in a horrible pink office."

"And I know I'm capable of saving lives! It's like I shouldn't stop doing it, you know."

"You helped me realize it. Thank you!"

The fucking howa howa was back. The blue-haired man slightly blushed and grinned at her shining face. "You are damn right! Though it was for pure chance."

"I like to call it destiny." Aoi's eyes shined, and she giggled. "I don't think coincidences exist."

Inosuke then frowned. "Why you left then?"

The question he was dying to ask, and she was so afraid to answer, came. Aoi's face turned serious, and she looked down, finding the cover of her book very interesting. "You know I," Come on Aoi, be brave "I- I" You are already an adult woman! Aoi gulped and looked at him, blushing like a tomato, surprising him. Oh, great, I must look like a teen!

"I have something I want to tell you."

Inosuke nodded, straightening himself as she looked at him in the eyes. For some reason, he was feeling very nervous, and he gulped. Her eyes were shining, and he was getting lost in her determination. The only thought in his brain was how beautiful she was. He had never realized the beauty that always (except for the gap of four years) had been with him. The rush of possessiveness came back. The fire on his gut lit like a match, and he anxiously waited as she was trying to say something that he sensed was going to change a lot of things.

He even focused on her peachy juicy lips.

"I-"

Her cellphone rang, making them jump again, and Inosuke forehead vein of anger almost exploded. "FOR FUCKS SAKE, REALLY!?" Aoi giggled at his outburst, even if she had been scared to talk seconds ago. Standing up, angry and determined to break the hateful thing, he stopped in front of her cellphone, reading Shinobu nee-san on the screen. Aoi, who was following him to prevent the destruction of her phone, stopped not too far from him, frowning. He looked like a happy cute kid and smiled, beaming at the screen. She knew that face very well.

"It's Shinobu!" He said as he answered the phone.

A panicked Aoi widened her eyes. Watching him talk to the phone, all her memories of him following her sister came back. All the bitterness she felt years ago shook her. He looked happy, like a kid with candy. The feeling of him leaving her behind came to her. Aoi felt her anger rise hearing Inosuke talking to her older sister. She was angry with herself and with him. It wasn't Shinobu's fault; Aoi understood it in the beginning. Her fear started to engulf her. The disappointment and sadness dominated her, clouding her brain and her rationality. He even wasn't looking at her. Yet hours ago, he had been seducing her, acting as a jealousy beast in front of the other guy.

After a while, he said he was going to pass the phone to the blue-haired girl. He found Aoi in the kitchen, apparently trying to make coffee. But, when he approached, he halted his feet when he saw her face.

Widening his eyes, he looked at her angrily sad face. Her eyes were teary, and her expression flushed. He knew something must have happened; not for nothing, they knew each other for that long. He didn't need his powerful senses to know she had something. Quietly, Inosuke told the big sister that Aoi was in the bathroom and that she was going to call her back. Hanging the phone, he frowned. "What's wrong?"

Aoi shook her head and mumbling nothing before stopping whatever she was doing and walking away from him. "I don't want to talk to her. Not right now."

Sure that there was something that was bothering her, Inosuke arched an eyebrow. He knew the thing must be real bad because she was almost crying. Focusing on her sad form, he talked in a tone that was almost like an order.

"Tell me why."

"Just don't wanna."

"Why, woman!?"

Aoi's lip quivered, and she couldn't keep the tears that threatened to fall. She felt stupid. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, IDIOT!" She wanted to run away to the bathroom, to her room, outside the apartment, anywhere, but he knew better. Whatever was happening, it was bullshit, Inosuke thought, sensing the girl was lying about the fact she wanted him to leave her alone. What was happening? Hours ago, she had been so sweet to him. They should be kissing. They should be touching each other. Noticing she was crying more, he lost his patience and grabbed her hand.

"I WANT A FUCKING EXPLANATION NOW, WOMAN!"

"ITS BECAUSE YOU LOVE HER, STUPID!"

Aoi couldn't help herself. Everything about her was just tired. She felt as her heart was breaking and everything was pouring out. Aoi stop. "EVERY TIME SHINOBU-NEESAN IS AROUND, YOU FORGET ABOUT ME!" She cried as Inosuke widened his eyes. Please, stop talking. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE DONE TO MAKE YOU NOTICE ME!?" She hid her face with her hands. "YOU ONLY WANT TO BE WITH HER! I ALWAYS FELT YOU WERE LEAVING ME BEHIND!" She was trying with all her might to stop talking, but her brain wasn't responding. She inhaled deeply to calm herself. "I'm so stupid! Since high school, you are like this!" She clenched her eyes shut, "I thought that these days together and all that we had done to each other had made you turn my way, but I see it was a delusion!"

Inosuke froze in shock. What the hell was she saying? Since when she felt like that? He, leaving her? She was the one who left him, damn it!

Her phone rang once again.

But this time, he ignored it too.

"What the hell are you saying? YOU ARE THE ONE WHO LEFT! DAMN IT!" Aoi looked at him, her hands leaving her face and turning into a fist on her sides. His eyes, though, indicated he was beyond angry. "YOU LEFT ME WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING! AND FOR FUCKING FOUR YEARS!"

"DO YOU KNOW HOW CONFUSED I WAS!"

Aoi frowned angrily and hissed quietly. "You fucking moron."

Inosuke, widening his eyes, focused on only one thing. "Did- Did you just cuss?"

"HOW THE HELL I WAS GOING TO STAY THERE AND LOOK AT THE MAN I LOVE RUNNING AROUND ANOTHER WOMAN!?"

"The man you lo-?"

"MY HEART ALWAYS BROKE EACH TIME I WATCHED YOUR BROKEN-HEARTED FACE EVERY TIME SHINOBU WENT TO TOMIOKA-SAMA ARMS, DAMN IT!"

"Oi Aoi!"

"I DIDN'T WANT TO HATE MY SISTER!" Aoi shouted, "IT ISN'T HER FAULT!"

"Shit, A-"

"YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE, AND I STILL LOVE YOU SO MUCH!"

"AOI!"

"YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO ME, AND YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!"

Inosuke frowned, his feet starting to move.

"AND I KNOW THIS IS STUPID AND CHILDISH, BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL AND-"

Pulling her to his body, Aoi shouts were stopped by his lips as he silenced her. One of his hands grabbed hard the back of her head, preventing her run away from him. His lips moved over hers roughly, his tongue entering her mouth mercilessly. Her tears were falling, but she returned the kiss with so much intensity Inosuke groaned against her mouth. He grabbed the back of her thighs and pulled her up as she crossed her legs on his waist. Breaking the kiss for air, he moved them. Aoi hugged him around his neck, hearing her phone ringing again. She loved her sister so much but couldn't help but not wanting to talk to her at that moment and feel guilty about it.

"You are an idiot." Inosuke hoarse voice said, carrying her to the living as she was sobbing but nuzzling her face against his neck. "And I'm a bigger idiot." He sat on the couch with her straddling him. "You could have told me." Aoi punched him in the chest in protest as his hand came to put some strands of her hair behind his ear. She frowned at him, and he smiled guiltily, thinking she looked so cute. "At least, I would have listened to you." Hugging her, he sighed against her neck.

"Why do you always bottle your feelings like this?"

Aoi punched him again in the chest, and he chuckled.

"And here I was hoping you weren't suffering for love."

"You what?"

"I'm sorry." His lips kissed her eyes as his tongue darted out to taste her tears. Her hands came to his shoulders. "I was blind and confused for a long time." Aoi, who was indulging in his caresses, opened her eyes. "I-" the blue-haired guy's hands went to both sides of her face and smiled at her confused eyes. "I'm not going to lie to you. I love your sister, but it's different, I can't explain it well, but Shinobu reminds me of my mother."

"Your mother?" Inosuke nodded, and he pecked her lips. She blushed cutely, and he couldn't help but want to make her cry more.

"Yeah, it happened when you were away." He leaned his face on her neck, licking her skin. "It's your fault. You left for a fucking long time." He muttered as she flinched when his teeth bit her earlobe. "As your punishment, I will tell you that story later." His big calloused hands started to move under her shirt, caressing her sides upwards, stopping when his thumbs reached the swell of breasts. "But, believe me, Aoi, up from this moment, I won't leave you."

He looked at her blue eyes, grinning. "And I'll never let you go!"

Aoi hugged him, blushing. "I love you, Inosuke." Her hands passed from his neck to his face. "I know I acted like a kid. I should have talked to you before leaving, but all this time, I thought my love was unrequited." Inosuke thumb caressed her face, feeling his heart breaking a little. It was his fault too.

"I was afraid you would reject me." She whispered, "hearing your rejection would have destroyed me."

Inosuke hugged her again, ashamed by his own absentmindedness and because he had been the one who had made her think that for that long. He noticed he would have never rejected the girl who had taken care of him since a kid. She was the one who never lied to him, yet, she had left without saying anything. He understood very well what she had gone through and why she had run away from everything. He felt the urgent need to tell her his feelings.

"By the way, now that I think about our time together since kids, it wasn't that unrequited."

Aoi blinked and looked at his shining green eyes.

"I have always liked your touch Aoi." He grinned at her, grabbing her hand and taking it to his mouth, kissing her palm as she cupped his face with it. "I liked the time we were together." His eyes stared at hers, "I liked your voice and your guts." He licked his lips, "and, to Shinobu," he licked her fingers, and she blushed, "I, never in my life, have wanted to do this kind of thing with her." His hand came to her nape, caressing her skin. His other hand started to undo one of her pigtails. "Not even a tiny little kiss." He pushed her against his lips, crashing their mouths.

Aoi moaned, gripping his shoulders hard. She felt his hardness over his black joggers poking against her hot sex. Gasping, she broke the kiss. Inosuke was already lost in everything, but he wanted to make sure Aoi believed him. Taking her hand, he kissed it before putting it over his hard crotch over his pants and whispered huskily in her ear, "And loving Shinobu has never made me turn into this."

Aoi's brain exploded as Inosuke swore he could see the steam going out her ears. He laughed hard as she pouted at him. The seducing game he was playing was new for her. She had never known him this sexually bold before. Honestly, she had thought he was sexually dumb. Touchy as they were with each other since he had lost control of his senses, he was more straightforward and confident. Gulping, Aoi's hands caressed his skin, marveling in his built muscles, from his V hip bones to his chest. Without breaking eye contact, she purposely passed her fingers through his nipples and finished in his neck. Looking at her with darkening green eyes, he smirked. Caressing his tick neck with her thumbs, she smiled at him.

"Then, do me? Very fiercely, please, mountain king."

With words. She was seducing him with fucking words.

Before she could register what was happening, his lips were over her mouth. His arms were around her back and neck as hers, around his neck. He moved them for her to lay on the couch with him on top. She moaned loudly. His tongue inside her mouth, playing with hers and stealing her breathing, was delightful. He was so hard she could feel him on her thigh, and she moaned when he bit her bottom lip and sucked.

"I've been fucking dying to feel you, Aoi." He whispered, removing her clothes. "Since the day I woke up on this couch."

Her shirt and bra came flying to the floor; her joggers almost got ripped by him. She flinched at his intensity but accepted everything of him. She opened her legs so he could be between them. Their clothed cores joined, and they groaned. One of his big hands pulled her wrists over her head as the other hand caressed her smooth skin. From her neck to her legs, he slowly passed his big calloused hand over her silky skin. He loved how she trembled. "Shit, you feel so good, Aoi." Dipping his fingers into her underwear, he pulled it away from her hips and let it snap back, playing with her. His tongue was against the pulse of her neck, and she was moving her hips slowly against his hot hard clothed erection. Aoi moaned as his other hand played with her nipples. As his mouth came to taste one of her mounds, she shouted, and he smirked.

It felt so right to hold her. It was like they were made for each other; something meant to be. Suddenly, Inosuke felt so stupid for not noticing her feelings all those years ago. Letting her breast go, he desperately went for her mouth again, trying to convey all his feelings in a deeper meaningful kiss. Aoi received his kiss with the same feelings, understanding his thoughts. Breaking the kiss for air, he slowly passed his lips over her skin till he came to her navel. He sneaked his hand over her underwear, his finger passing over her clothed clit. Pulling the piece of cloth aside, he found the wetness he was craving. The mountain king hummed delighted by it, his eyes shining, completely bound to her. Aoi moaned when his fingers, rather fiercely, pressed her clit and went in circles. She threw her head backward and arched her back to him as he licked her skin.

"Ah, I- Inosuke-"

"You asked for it, Aoi," Inosuke whispered as his tongue tasted her ear. "Remember? Do me fiercely?"

"Mountain king?"

Aoi moaned loud as he put his fingers inside her, and the other hand ripped her panties. He took one of her nipples to his mouth again. He bit it, pulling it up, and she rolled her hips, her voice turning him into an animal. Her hands reached to him, trying to touch his skin anywhere she could. Inosuke fingers went mercilessly faster as his mouth only bit and suck her flesh. He added a third finger, and his thumb pressed her clit rather roughly.

"More," She almost cried, begging, pulling his hair. "Please, give me - ah!"

The world. Hashibira Inosuke could dominate the world only to give it to Kanzaki Aoi.

Inosuke bit hard the flesh around her nipple, and she came.

Panting, he licked his lips and then passed his tongue over the drops of blood on the bite he had done to her breast. It looked strangely arousing to him those bite marks circling her nipple, even if her whole body was cover in kiss marks and bite marks. Straightening, showing to her his wonderful full of muscles chest and abs, he saw her trembling, breathing hard, and flinching as she went down her orgasm. There was drool going down from one corner of her mouth as her whole body looked flushed thanks to the intensity of their sex. Her half-lidded eyes were watching him, making him gulp. Aoi's hand came slowly to caress his chest as he slowly bent down over her again, never breaking eye contact.

"You sure, right?" he said, kissing her face, licking her lips. "there's no going back now. I won't stop."

Her hands, pulling down his joggers, answered his question as he kissed her again, rolling his tongue around hers as she desperately tried to take his joggers off him. She desired his strength so she could rip that thing off him. In protest, she bit his lip, and he chuckled. "Ok, ok, wait." He stood up, and Aoi looked at him again as he took off the last restrain and was glory naked in front of her.

Inosuke was handsome, yes, but, in reality, he was gorgeous. His body was unique with all those muscles but adorned with all the scars that Aoi loved. They were the prove he was alive but also the prove he would do everything to save people. She loved his green eyes, his pale skin, his silky hair, and his foul mouth. Looking at his V hipbone, she gave herself the luxury to look down, to his erection. He was, well, big. He was erect, showing that distinct red, pink-purple color that looked beautiful to her.

She watched him intently, and slowly her hands came to her face, and she grunted embarrassed, red as a tomato, and he laughed childishly. A blush on his face, too.

"You were staring at the amazing mountain king!"

"Yes!" she chuckled as he jumped over her again, between her legs.

He kissed her, relaxing her. "You ready?" He was grinning.

Aoi nodded, already feeling his erection over her entrance. She smiled at him while he pushed. She exhaled, trying to relax her body until he was inside of her. He was big, but she was so wet and aroused it didn't bother her. She hugged him, moaning in his ear.

Inosuke moved the moment she bit his ear after her moan. He was as fierce as she wanted. As merciless as his reputation said he was. He went in and out fast, making her shout, making her cross her legs around his waist and scratch his back. He couldn't hold himself. He sucked, licked, bit every piece of flesh that he could. He had the stamina of hundred men, and Aoi couldn't be more delighted. She watched his face. He looked so handsome yet sinfully sexy, concentrated on giving her pleasure, but his dark expression telling her he was going to ravage her till she couldn't walk the next day. Aoi once again shouted when he sucked and played with his tongue with her nipple, pinching the other one. She was crying from pleasure; she was drooling from the satisfaction; she could hear his grunts, his moans, and the sexy noises of their join.

Her voice sounded hoarse but needy. "Ah, ah Oh god! Inosuke! Harder!"

She bit his neck, and he complied. Inosuke felt he was drugged. She was an aphrodisiac. Her voice, her skin, her touch, her taste, her everything was his drug. She was pushing him to the end quickly. He was repeating the word "mine" on his head. His hands went to her knees, and in a sudden move, he spread her legs wider. She moaned more. He moved faster, watching her, mesmerized by her sweaty body, by her bouncy breasts, by her mouth drooling, by her tears, by her dark blue eyes. He leaned to kiss her, his sensitive body grazing her hot, sweaty one, and he purred on her mouth. His hand moved under her knee, pushing one of her legs up, making it rest on his shoulder, deepening his thrusts. Aoi dug her nails on his hard skin. Another kiss came as their drools were mixing and leaving a thread of saliva between their tongues.

Her moans got louder, and he got wilder, feeling her orgasm close. His hands caressed down her body till they got on their sex joint. Inosuke pressed her navel with his hand, his thumb slightly hard over her clit, pressing it and making circles, sending Aoi to the edge. She widened her eyes and saw starts, grabbing his arms, clawing at him as she shouted his name, cumming hard with his member inside her. Her walls constricted him in a way that made him halt with all his erection inside her, cumming and shouting her name.

Panting hard, and with his eyes closed, Insouke heard her voice softly calling him, her hand on his face.

Bending down, he kissed her lazily but deeply while both of them came down their highs. Inosuke realized he wasn't going to be able to live without her from now on. Hugging her, he turned them so she could be on top of him.

"I love you," Aoi whispered over his lips as he was still kissing her. She felt him still inside her but smiled. Nuzzling her face on his neck, she bit him.

"I love you too, Aoi." He said, indulging in her caresses and the feeling of her body over his. Her soft breasts pressed over his hard chest were something he liked a lot. Her body full of bite and kiss marks made him proud. "Not wanna scare you but, I won't return to my fucking room." She chuckled. "Not without this couch and its owner!"

Aoi laughed as she leaned over his lips, her hands caressing his face, lifting his bangs, "I'm sure we can come to a solution, mountain king."

Smirking, he never stopped kissing her.

0000000000000000

"It's good to know you are already able to work on the Corps Aoi!" The soft voice on the other side of the phone made her smile.

"Thanks, Shinobu-neesan!" Aoi smiled as she entered her office. "Ubashiki sama was very nice to let me come after all!"

"Well, he's a very understanding boss. Plus, we knew you were the right choice!" Aoi felt her heart warming up as her sister giggled. "He had told me he is so relieved you are there! By the way, I'm sending you the wedding invitations so you can give them to everyone in the Corps!"

"Alright!"

"Well then, take care, Aoi! Send my regards to Inosuke-kun!"

"You too nee-san!" Aoi smiled. "Also to Tomioka-sama!"

As Aoi hung up the phone, she smiled. It felt so good to talk to Shinobu freely, without guilt or sadness. She was happy. She had apologized to her big sister, but the purple-haired woman said she didn't understand why she was doing it. Aoi was sure Shinobu knew everything. She smiled at her and told her she knew why she was doing it, and Shinobu smiled sweetly.

Stretching a little, she looked at the clock when her office door opened with a loud bang, and a loud young adult entered, took her from her waist, sat her on her desk, and kissed her mercilessly.

"I'm back safe and sound, Aoku!" He said, grinning.

"Welcome back, Inosuke!" She giggled at him, her arms circling his neck. "But I'm still going to check you, got it?"

"Yeah," he whispered, pecking her lips. "Gompachirou and Monitsu also are back, but they did need some medical work." He bit her ear as she caressed his chest.

"Well then," She pushed him softly of her, "Let me go to the recovery room."

While they were walking to the recovery room, Aoi said softly, "By the way, today come home early. I'm making some meat for dinner."

Inosuke's cry of happiness was heard throughout the Corps.