The (not so) fake boyfriend
Summary: Tanjirou only wanted to help, but ends up getting involved more than he expected. He isn't complaining. (Modern Day AU)
Notes: Prompt 'fake relationship'. It snowballed from there. Quick note; they're around the ages of 18-23. Not very sure about the ending, though.
He was out on his everyday evening walk, taking a different route than usual, when he came across them.
A young woman, with black-purple hair trying to fend off the advances of a blonde guy, who clearly didn't understand the meaning of the word 'no'.
He nodded once to himself and with a bright smile he walked up to them.
In one fluid motion he had picked the young woman up in a hug.
"I am so sorry I am so late, dear. I had to help at the shop. How have you been?" he said, acting like he was this woman's date and the other guy didn't even exist.
For her part, the woman took it in stride, chuckling softly.
"For a moment I feared you had forgotten me. You didn't call."
"Ah, I am so sorry. How can you put up with me?" he smiled, setting her back down and giving her his arm, "Let me make it up to you. I know this really nice place, I wanted to take you at for your birthday, really, but…"
They walked away, leaving the other guy staring.
Once Tanjirou was sure they were safe, he turned to the young woman beside him and smiled sheepishly, letting her hand go.
"I am terribly sorry for picking you up like that without permission. My name is Kamado Tanjirou." he bowed.
"No, no it's fine. Thank you for your aid, Kamado-san. I am Kochou Shinobu." she smiled at him.
"Please, call me Tanjirou, Kochou-san. Kamado-san is my father."
"Very well, Tanjirou-san. Please call me Shinobu, as well."
Tanjirou nodded.
They walked together for a little while longer.
"Um…Shinobu-san?"
"Yes?"
"You don't have to answer, of course, but, did you know that man?"
"Unfortunately, he is an acquaintance." she said, with distaste, "Met him through my sister. For some reason he thinks he loves me."
"Ah. And he doesn't understand spoken or written words?" Tanjirou asked, "Because he obviously does not understand body language."
"Pretty much." Shinobu smiled at him.
Tanjirou hummed.
"We may have a problem now, though."
"A problem?"
"He might think we are dating now." Shinobu smiled.
"Ah. Are you okay with it? I didn't think it through when I intervened." he smiled sheepishly.
"If you are not uncomfortable."
"Me?" Tanjirou blinked, "I am the last person you should be focusing on, Shinobu-san. If you are not comfortable about it, we can fake break up."
"I am ok with it." she smiled at him.
"Do we need to make up a story? Will he ask you where and when we met?" Tanjirou wondered.
"Maybe." Shinobu said, thoughtfully, "But he is too…self-absorbed to really care."
"Here." Tanjirou pulled out a card from his wallet, "My family runs a bakery. Maybe we met when you came to shop from us?"
"You're not too far from where I live." she commented, seeing the address.
"Really?" Tanjirou looked surprised, "I am a little surprised I haven't seen you around until now."
"The truth is I was away. I only returned a couple of months ago."
"And we only opened a couple of years ago…" Tanjirou said, nodding.
"A bit of a fast relationship ours turned out to be." Shinobu chuckled.
"Well…if the first thing I saw was your smile and the first thing I heard was your laughter, I am surprised I even managed to talk to you." Tanjirou said, blushing.
"Oh?" Shinobu-san leaned closer, a teasing tone in her voice.
Tanjirou looked away, embarrassed.
"Sorry." he mumbled, "That was inappropriate."
"From a total stranger, yes, it is." Shinobu-san says, that teasing tone still in her voice, "But from my boyfriend, is a very sweet thing to hear. Even from my fake boyfriend, who is mostly a stranger."
"Oh my gosh." he hides his face in his hands.
He feels a finger start poking his arm.
"Tanjirou-san, Tanjirou-san." Shinobu's scent had a mischievousness in it and Tanjirou could tell that she was amused, "Are you still taking me out for dinner?"
"What sort of fake boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"
They have dinner and get to know each other. They plan more dates and Shinobu visits him at the bakery, where he introduces her to his family.
Hanako has this look on her face and Tanjirou knows it means her and Shigeru will be teasing him a lot later, when she sees him hand a lily-of-the-valley to Shinobu after the third time she drops by their bakery.
It's a month after their first meeting, when he actually meets the guy again.
"Tanjirou-kun, could you please bring me my order over?" Shinobu called that day, "I'm a little busy today."
"Sure, Shinobu-san. I'll be over in ten minutes." he hang up, "Takeo! Can you stay at the registry? I need to make a delivery!" he called.
"Your girlfriend?" his little brother grinned, as he came out front.
"Yeah." Tanjirou blushed.
"Go on, then. Don't make her wait." Takeo nudges him.
Placing the bread in a shopping bag, Tanjirou took off towards Shinobu's home.
He'd been over a few times, to meet her sisters, for movie nights, or to hang out if they didn't feel like going out.
As Tanjirou reached their door, he saw the same blonde man from then waiting outside.
It didn't seem like the man had noticed Tanjirou, so he ignored him and reached to knock.
"It's no use. Shinobu-chan isn't inside." the man said.
Tanjirou's eye twitched.
"Then why are you hanging out like a creep?" he asked him.
"I am waiting for her to return home of course." the man said with a serene smile, that creeped Tanjirou even further, "And you are?"
"A concerned citizen. I think I should call the police. You look like you plan on harming Shinobu-san." Tanjirou replied, pulling his phone out.
"Harm Shinobu-chan? Me? Oh, no. I am her future husband. She just needs to accept her love for me." the man said, "I am generous enough to wait for her."
"Yes, hello? I want to report a delusional creepy looking guy standing outside of a house." Tanjirou said in the phone, "Could you please send someone to get him? Here's the address. Thank you."
The man blinked.
"The police will be here shortly." Tanjirou said.
Upon hearing that, he turned to go.
"Oh, well, no need to cause such a scene." he said.
Tanjirou blinked after him.
"The guy's seriously messed up in the head." he said at the phone he had raised back to his ear, "You can open the door now, Shinobu-san."
The door opened and Tanjirou quickly got inside.
Shinobu sighed and closed the door behind him.
"Hello." she smiled, tiredly.
"Hello." Tanjirou smiled back, leaning down to kiss her cheek, "How have you been?" he asked, following her inside.
"Better now that you're here."
"A-ah, thank you." he blushed.
"You kiss me 'hello' but blush at something I tell you." Shinobu grinned, "You're really cute, Tanjirou-kun."
"And you are trying to make me blush to the point of fainting, Shinobu-san."
"Maybe I'm looking for a reason to do CPR on you." she said close to his ear.
Tanjirou blushed hard.
"Shi-Shinobu-san!"
"I am sorry. You are too cute, though. Makes it hard on me not to tease you."
Tanjirou sighed in defeat. Then he smiled at her.
"So long as it makes you happy…"
"Hello, Tanjirou-san. How are you?" Aoi walked in at that moment, "Is the blonde idiot gone at last?" she asked, looking out of the window.
"Yes. Tanjirou-kun called me and pretended to talk to the police."
"No. I pressed the wrong button on the speed dial." Tanjirou said, "The only lie I told was that the police would be here shortly and that was only because I heard Shinobu-san's laughter after I finished my report to the 'police'."
"You have the police on speed dial?" Aoi blinked at him.
"I may have headbutted a few thugs one too many times and the officer told me to do it, so I could report something immediately instead of taking action on my own." Tanjirou said with a sheepish smile.
Shinobu chuckled suddenly in the silence that followed.
"Shinobu-san?"
"I just imagined you headbutting my stalker." she smiled.
"I imagined headbutting him when he opened his mouth."
"So what are you two doing today?" Aoi asked, preparing a cup of coffee for her.
"I have to return to the bakery, actually." Tanjirou said, "If Shinobu-san is free, we could go to the park this evening?" he looked at Shinobu as he suggested that.
"Sounds good to me." Shinobu smiled.
She walked him to the door. Tanjirou leaned down to kiss her cheek goodbye, only for Shinobu to catch him by surprise and press a quick kiss to his lips.
Tanjirou blushed.
"I'll see you later, then." Shinobu smiled.
"A-ah, yes." he stuttered, "I'll come pick you at six?"
"Perfect."
When he returned to the bakery, Takeo laughed.
The rest of the customers, neighbors who knew he was dating Shinobu, smiled kindly at the young man, whose dazed look and blush indicated he was thinking about his girlfriend.
When they closed for the day, Tanjirou went to get ready.
He had lunch with his family, helped Rokuta with his homework, took a bath, wore his best clothes, messaged Shinobu he was ready and on his way, and with a lily-of-the-valley in hand, he went to pick her up.
He found her waiting for him at her door.
"Hello." he smiled softly, placing the flower in her hair, and kissing her cheek.
"Hello." she smiled back, taking his hand.
Their walk to the park, while it had started beautifully, hiccupped towards the end, when the blonde creep appeared before them.
"Ah, Shinobu-chan! What luck to see you!" he said making to take Shinobu's hand.
Tanjirou stepped before her, shielding her from the man.
"Ah, we meet again." the man smiled at Tanjirou, "What a coincidence! What are you doing here?"
"Oh, me?" Tanjirou smiled, "I am just out on a date with my girlfriend."
"You should probably go back to her then."
"I am with her. And you have been making her feel uncomfortable. Could you kindly refrain from being so effusive with Shinobu-san from now on?"
The man blinked.
"Shinobu-chan?"
"Yes, he is my boyfriend. Now, please, leave, you're ruining our date." Shinobu said with a smile.
"Eh? Him? When you have me?"
Tanjirou blinked.
"Please leave. I tried to overlook a lot of things you have done the past three months, but I realise I should have acted that day." he said, "You are creepy and delusional."
"And annoying." Shinobu added.
People were starting to notice them and Tanjirou took a better protective position, giving his hand to Shinobu, while making sure she was behind him.
Shinobu played along.
Then an older man walked over.
"Are you kids alright?" he asked.
"No, sir. This man," Tanjirou was saying, "won't stop harassing my girlfriend. I tried to tell him to leave her alone, without involving the police, or starting a fight, but I fear we might end up having to call the police on him. I'd rather not injure him."
"Now, listen here, young man." the older man turned to the blonde.
Tanjirou could hear someone actually calling the police.
The evening ended with the blonde – whose name Tanjirou found out was Douma – getting into trouble with the police and with orders to not get near Shinobu again, unless he wanted to acquaint himself with a cell. The only reason he didn't get to jail that evening was his 'connection', whoever that was.
Tanjirou and Shinobu ended up sitting alone on a park bench, staring ahead in a bit of a shock. Well, that was actually Tanjirou, but Shinobu was equally quiet.
Then, suddenly, they both chuckled, as the slight craziness of the day dawned on them.
"I am a bit surprised he didn't confront us sooner." Tanjirou said.
"Would you prefer he had?"
"For your peace of mind, Shinobu-san? Yes." he turned to look at her. Then a thought made him look away, "Does that mean we fake break up now?"
"Only if you're going to ask me out for real afterwards." Shinobu smiled.
Tanjirou turned back to her, eyes wide, only to find her face very, very close to his.
Before he could react, she had stolen another kiss from him. Not that he complained. Still blushing, he raised his hand to cup her cheek.
"Then, would you like to go out with me, Shinobu-san?" he said softly.
"I would love to, Tanjirou-kun."
Tanjirou smiled and leaned in for a kiss. He then drew back and rested his forehead against hers.
"It's getting late." he said softly, not making a move to stand or take his eyes off hers.
"Yes, it is. Will you take me home?" Shinobu asked.
"I would be a pretty bad boyfriend if I didn't escort you to your door, wouldn't I?" Tanjirou smiled softly, getting up and giving Shinobu his arm.
Shinobu took it and let him pull her up.
They made their way back to her door.
"Good night, Shinobu-san." Tanjirou smiled softly at her, leaning close to kiss her cheek.
His nose catches that playful scent again, seconds before Shinobu turns her head to capture his lips, but he isn't fast enough – not that he wants to – to avoid the kiss. Instead, he kisses back, his hands coming up to cup her face.
They pull away slowly.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked her, running his fingers through her hair.
"Yes." Shinobu sighed.
"Okay." Tanjirou smiled, "Good night, Shinobu-san. Sweet dreams." he said softly, pressing a quick kiss against her lips.
He stepped away and watched her enter her house before he made his way home.
"Welcome home, big brother!" Hanako called, happily, once he entered the house.
"I'm home." he smiled.
"How was your date?" their mother asked, with a kind smile.
Tanjirou blushed.
"Really nice." he said, "We may had to call the police on Shinobu-san's stalker at the end, but it was a nice date, overall."
"The police?"
"Stalker?"
Six pairs of eyes blinked at him.
"Ah, you remember when I told you how I met Shinobu-san? That guy had been, sort of stalking us when we were out, and had been annoying Shinobu-san for a little longer than that and well, today I got him under the police's attention."
"Are you two alright? Is Shinobu-san alright?" Nezuko asked, worried.
"Yep. We plan to meet again tomorrow." he said, blushing a little at the end.
"So long as you make sure Shinobu-san and you are really well…"
"Of course." Tanjirou nodded, "I would never let anything hurt Shinobu-san."
Life continued as before, Shinobu visited Tanjirou at the bakery every other day, and she left with a lily-of-the-valley in her hair, and the two kept going on dates just as often.
They had been dating for close a year when Tanjirou proposes, to Kanae's and Hanako's more obvious delight, both agreeing to make their marriage an unforgettable event. Tanjirou and Shinobu chuckled softly with their siblings' enthusiasm.
All in all, their life together was promising to be a happy one.