Inosuke was bored all day without Tanjiro there. It was agonizing. He couldn't work out, train or kill any demons. And due to Inosuke's irritated demeanor the blond and him weren't getting along more than usual. You couldn't say anything to Inosuke without getting an attitude in return.
Nobody could give Inosuke a straight answer for how long exactly Tanjiro would be gone. Aoi had said a few days to a week. So who knew when Tanjiro could return.
Inosuke couldn't stand being in that cramped building all day long. So he decided to take a walk outside on the veranda. Back and forth he went with his weapon replacements.
Inosuke missed his swords too. He was forbidden from any training so that meant no sword action either. The whole thing was such a bummer.
A presence washed over Inosuke. "What the hell do you want?" He said without looking behind him.
"Pardon me, Inosuke. I didn't mean to startle you." Shinobu spoke as she came around the corner.
Inosuke turned quickly at the voice. "Sorry, I didn't know it was you. And you didn't scare me. I was just deep in my thoughts i guess."
"That's quite alright. I don't take it personally. Would you like to come inside?"
"I'm tired of being inside. I just want to go already."
"You know we can't release you just yet Inosuke. I shouldn't have to explain why either." She glanced at the injured ankle and so did inosuke. He didn't say a word. But he knew.
Inosuke just felt so bored and lonely. "Can I..if you don't mind that is, do you think I can hang out in your office while you work?"
"Hmm.. I don't see why not."
"Really?! Sweet!"
The two headed back to Shinobu's office. Papers were scattered on her desk and Fugu, Shinobu's pet goldfish was in the back corner. There was a second chair in the room that Inosuke occupied, right by the fishbowl. Inosuke liked to watch him swim around.
Shinobu took herself a seat and began to do paperwork. "So how are you doing, Inosuke?"
"How am I doing?" Inosukes emeralds trailed to Shinobu who never looked up from her papers. "Well, I can't do anything due to my stupid injuries. So there's that."
"I heard you've been a bit of a bully to Zenitsu. Is that your reasoning for acting that way towards him?"
Inosuke felt like he was getting in trouble at this point. It was best to just be honest right? "But he- no.. he didn't do anything. It's just... I just feel more lonely than usual. I'm not entirely sure why but I feel like a part of me is gone now. Ever since Gengoro left for his mission..."
"Oh, do you mean Tanjiro?"
Inosuke nodded.
"I see.." Shinobu collected all her papers into a pile and set her pen aside. She turned to him with a smile. "Inosuke."
"Y-Yes!" Inosuke sprang up in his seat.
"How would you like to learn how to read and write? It would fill up your free time and give you something to do until you're all healed up."
Inosuke never thought about learning to read or write. All he worried about was physical training not mental training. She was right though. He didn't have anything else to do in the meantime so he might as well learn something that will make him a better demon slayer in the future.
After all, Tanjiro could read and write. He wouldn't let the redhead outshine him, the great Inosuke.
--
"And just who the hell are you?" She peeked from behind the man.
"Demon slayer, rank Hinoe. Tanjiro Kamado."
"Tanjiro. What a cute name," The demon woman was incredibly fast. She tossed the man the the side and was almost immediately in front of Tanjiro, gently holding his face. "and you've got a cute face to match."
Tanjiro wore a shocked expression. He couldn't believe how fast she was. Without hesitation he jumped a few feet back, holding his stance.
"Wait a minute.." The demon woman looked Tanjiro over once again in better lighting. "Ugh! You're just a damn kid. Disgusting! I don't eat snot nosed brats. But I will get rid of whoever gets in my way of having fun." She snarled and pounced for an attack.
The redhead blocked the attack with his sword, although he'd gotten knocked back another few feet and gotten up almost instantly.
"Give it up kid. Just let me eat this pathetic fool already!"
"Not a chance!" The redhead took a deep breath. "Total concentration. Water breathing, third form. Flowing dance!" Tanjiro rushed in and cut off both of the women's arms.
"My kimono! Ugh! You little brat!!" She regenerated the arms. "You'll pay for that!"
The demon woman whipped around to face the redhead, scratching her now exposed arms with her claws. Blood poured on the ground.
"How dare you disrespect your elders like that. You'll pay with your life." The blood on her hands turned into two long needle like daggers. She didn't hesitate to attack next. Going right for the torso.
Tanjiro swerved fast. Tucking and rolling away. This happened several times. Although each time was a close call for Tanjiro.
"Stand still dammit!" She stopped and darted a needle at Tanjiro. It sunk into his shoulder, making him cry out in pain. "I wasn't too sure at first. But red is definitely your colour."
She got in his face once more to grab the needle and yank it from his shoulder. "Ack!!"
She pushed off of him sending Tanjiro flying into a nearby building. He used the defensive falling technique to save himself. He immediately used recovery breathing to get back up and shield himself from another attack.
They went back and forth for what felt like while. Until the demon woman jumped up and surprise kicked Tanjiro in the face sending him straight into the dirt. "Ugh!"
"Give it up already, brat."
"Not on your life!" Tanjiro wiped his bloody nose on his sleeve.
"Fine I'll just have to finish the job now then." She smiled wickedly and charged at him with her daggers pointed right at him.
There. Tanjiro could smell the opening thread. She left herself wide open. But Tanjiro had to be quick.
"Total concentration. Water breathing, first form. Water surface slash!"
His sword made a single slash at the demons neck, making her head fall into the dirt. Her body fell to its knees and slumped over.
"You little shit! How could a brat like you behead me!" She yelled up at Tanjiro. "All I wanted was a man! And you took that from me! I just want to feel loved and not be so lonely! I'll never forgive yo-"
The last bit of her head fizzled away, which ceased her cursing toward the redhead. There was a scent of loneliness. Tanjiro frowned. It reminded him of Inosuke and how lonely he probably was.
First, he had to take care of that man that she threw at the beginning of the fight. She didn't throw him hard, but he was very intoxicated.
Tanjiro pulled the man over his shoulders and brought him back to the bar where the bartender took over from there. He thanked the bartender and headed in the direction of the butterfly mansion.
The redhead was injured sure, but he could still walk. It would take a couple days in his condition however. As long as he got there alive. That's what mattered.
--
"So do you miss Tanjiro?" Shinobu asked very bluntly as she looked through Inosuke's writing.
Inosuke wasn't ready for a question like that. What made her even ask such a question? "Why do you think that?! I don't miss nobody! I'm just bored cause I can't do my job."
"I mean I thought it was pretty obvious. I guess I was wrong." Shinobu shrugged.
She could always tell when inosuke was lying. He wasn't much of a good liar anyways but he knew that. And he knew that Shinobu wouldn't fall for it.
Inosuke sighed shakily. "Fine! You got me! I-I miss him.." Emeralds filled with tears and he immediately wiped them away. "Dammit!" He could only be like this with Shinobu and Tanjiro. Shinobu was like a mother to him. And then Tanjiro...
"It's not bad to cry. In fact, I think it makes a person stronger." Shinobu said. "It takes a lot of courage to express true feelings even when you don't want to."
"Nobody's cryin'." Inosuke clearly lied.
"Right, how silly of me. I must have been seeing things." She knocked on her head. "You must be tired. Shall we continue your lessons tomorrow?"
Inosuke nodded, grabbed his crutches and headed for the door. "Thanks, Shinobu. G'night."
"You're welcome Inosuke. Sleep tight."
The boy left the room and headed back to the infirmary. Zenitsu was nowhere to be found. He must have been with Nezuko doing their nightly activities. But Inosuke did notice someone sleeping in the bed that Tanjiro was previously in. Was it him?
"Kentaro?" Inosuke peeked at the sleeping person in the dark. He was only inches away from the person's face. He saw a scar. But it wasn't the scar he was used to seeing. "What the hell?!"
Genya's eyes shot open and immediately made contact with Inosuke's. "AHHHH!!"
"AHHHH!!" Inosuke fell backwards.
Genya was blushing until he realized due to inosukes voice. "Wait a minute you're a guy?"
"Of course I am! Got a problem or somethin'?!"
"N-no it's just your face!"
"What about my face?! You're a dead man!" Inosuke got up, wanting a fight.
Zenitsu rushed in and grabbed onto Inosuke, holding him back from beating the taller male. He must have heard the screaming from the next room.
It took a few minutes to calm him down. But eventually the blond managed to get Inosuke into bed.
The blue tipped boy pouted. He just never understood why other people had a problem with his face or why it even mattered in the first place.
"I just don't understand why he is in Tanjiros bed."
"This is the infirmary. No one has assigned beds." Zenitsu spoke up. "Tanjiro is gone now, so it belongs to Genya now."
Tanjiro is gone. That's all inosuke heard. He pouted some more without a word and shoved his face into his pillow.
This was going to suck for Inosuke.