Chapter Text
Demon Slayers have it rough, that’s what Nezuko has come to know in her time with them. It’s no wonder that out of all nine of the Hashira, only one is married. Love and life is risky in their line of work, not impossible but rare. She’s heard that more often than not, those who try to maintain romantic relationships are met with tragic ends. Apparently, even the first breath-wielder experienced such a devastating tragedy. The Love Hashira herself isn’t even married, though she expressed her desire to be.
Nezuko herself doesn’t think about dating, but that doesn’t have anything to do with her affiliation with the Demon Slayer Corps. She’s a demon, and on top of that, her consciousness is hard to maintain both in body and mind. She knows she catches eyes (Zenitsu is impossible to ignore, and Kanao is not as subtle as she thinks), but she’s one of the many who don’t have the privilege of seeking out a relationship.
Tanjirou, on the other hand, is not one of those people. Yes, he is a Demon Slayer, and yes, the same risks that apply to others apply to him, but what sets him apart is that his interest lies within the Corps. Unlike most people, he’s fallen for someone who’s just as capable of protecting themselves as he is. Inosuke is a wild card, a big mess of screaming and fighting, mixed with fierce loyalty and tenderness. And, as far as Nezuko has seen, he cannot die. She’s seriously half convinced of this; she’s seen the boy get stabbed in the middle of his chest and not only survive, but continue to fight after what was, at best, a ten minute break. She’s convinced he could get his head cut off and still survive the fight. As far as any slayer is concerned, Inosuke is the perfect possible companion, and Tanjirou is the lucky guy to have caught his eye.
Of course, it took them a year to actually get to the point they’re at now, which is cuddled up near a campfire waiting for the fish they’ve caught to finish cooking. They’ve been together for a month now, finally getting over themselves thanks to a life threatening mission that really almost killed Inosuke (it was truly horrible to even take him down). Nezuko remembers the way Tanjirou sobbed the night he didn’t wake up, how scared he looked in a way that he never does with any of his other friends, and Nezuko knew then and there that Inosuke might be Tanjirou’s forever. She remembers when he woke up in the middle of the night a week later, when Tanjirou threw himself on fragile body and cried even harder, and Inosuke didn’t even push him off. She remembers the following night when Tanjirou bashfully told her about the official start of their relationship.
Above all, she remembers the scream of relief that Zenitsu let out when he too learned about it.
Which was a short-lived high for him, apparently, because he’s sticking his tongue out at them now pretending to gag at the domestic scene they’ve created.
“You’re just jealous!” Inosuke sneers, tightening his hold around Tanjirou’s waist as if to emphasize his point. Tanjirou laughs awkwardly, mostly because the implication makes him kind of cringe.
“I am not ,” Zenitsu huffs, shifting a little closer to Nezuko on the other side of the fire. She doesn’t pay him much mind, but she’s vaguely aware of the way his eyes longingly flicker over to her. Then he’s back to bothering the boys, “I wouldn’t want your boar breath in my face all day!”
“Well you can’t have Monjirou, he’s mine.”
“I DON’T WANT TANJIROU EITHER, MORON!”
Tanjirou’s face goes bright red at his boyfriend’s casual possessiveness, and briefly looks over to Nezuko, who smiles through the muzzle in her mouth. His eyes widen when he realizes she’s watching the entire scene play out, and he shyly looks away, embarrassed that she’s seeing him like this at all. Nezuko doesn’t mind at all, she likes seeing this side of him.
Tanjirou is, to put it simply, selfless. The uniform on his back is evidence enough of what he will put himself through for the ones that he loves. And she loves that about him! She couldn’t ask for a better big brother, and she’ll forever be grateful for what he’s done for her, but she also hates it a little. He says he’s happy, but she knows he’s tired. He’ll fight through broken bones and concussions, but never admits to feeling the fatigue of what he puts himself through; he puts everyone’s safety above his own. He’s put everything on hold- his happiness, his well-being, his own life- just to protect others. He’s selfless, brave, trustworthy and far, far too neglectful of himself.
So, to see him smile and let himself be loved makes Nezuko happier than she can say. She knows he’s always been filled with the longing to love someone and be loved back, but, once again, he pushed that to the back of his mind for so long. It’s relieving, exciting even, to see him get to pour all his affection into someone who feels the same for him.
Which is another thing Nezuko thinks about; how much she likes Inosuke. Because Inosuke loves Tanjirou, maybe he didn’t always, there were definitely times in the past when it seemed like Inosuke wanted to smack the grin off of Tanjirou’s face, but now he just kisses it instead. Though, if Nezuko had to guess, she’d say he had a lot of repressed feelings for Tanjirou from the start. His insistence to fight him always came off as a longing to be around him, even if he didn’t know it himself. His fixation with being better than Tanjirou, or being his “boss”, looked more like a desire to have Tanjirou acknowledge him as someone who can provide and protect. In hindsight, it’s very obvious, and Nezuko could kick Tanjirou for how long it took him to even entertain the idea that Inosuke returns his feelings, but it all worked out in the end.
People talk about gaining the family’s approval and how crucial that is when you begin seriously dating someone. When nezuko was younger, she remembers other kids trying to make themselves more respectable in front of her parents because they wanted to be with her. Of course, they were all very young so it wasn’t serious, but she remembers the significance of it. Inosuke must be unfamiliar with the idea, because he’s never done anything to stand out to Nezuko- which is actually nice, it means their friendship is something genuine. But, she thinks that Inosuke doesn’t need to try, he’s always had her approval even if he wasn’t going for it.
A rock goes flying past her head and hits Zenitsu straight on his forehead, making him scream at Inosuke like a madman, and the feral boy laughs maniacally in response. That, of course, gets a lighthearted scolding from Tanjirou who admittedly looks pretty amused by the whole thing. Inosuke seems to melt under his words, and though he clearly doesn’t agree at all, he stops with his aggressive antics and turns in to cuddle closer to Tanjirou like a puppy (or a boar…?). Tanjirou smiles softly at him, so lovingly, leaning down to kiss the top of his head.
Nezuko’s eyes shine happily, but the fuzzy feeling of exhaustion in her head is beginning to make itself known. She can feel her limbs shrinking, and with it goes her presence of mind as her physical age slowly regresses. Before she closes her eyes, she briefly wonders what her family thinks of Inosuke from beyond their graves, and if they like him as much as she does. With that thought, she falls asleep, content knowing that Tanjirou is happy.
…
“Inosuke, please stop.”
“No, shut up.”
It never gets easier for Kie to see her son in danger. When he was born, she swore she would always give him a simple life, one with little hardships that would allow for him to live without worry. Of course, they lost claim to that fantasy when Tanjurou died, leaving Tanjirou no choice but to grow up faster than he should’ve. But never once did that mean he was putting himself in real danger. The axe she entrusted to him is leagues behind the sword he carries on his hip, and the title of “Demon Slayer” holds more weight to it than “charcoal merchant” ever did.
His life is never secure anymore- but, seeing how she and her children were murdered in cold blood, she supposes it never was- and he doesn’t do anything to prolong it either. Always putting himself in harm's way to save another, always sacrificing himself. Of course, he has Nezuko, her sweet, wonderful Nezuko who fights tooth and nail to protect her older brother. But, at the end of the day, this has always been Tanjirou’s mission to take care of her .
If Kie is being honest, she can bear to be away from her children like this. Their survival matters more to her than anything else, but that’s also why she hasn’t passed on yet. When she took the hands of her deceased children and they stood on the edge of the light of heaven, they didn’t move forward. She left nobody on earth to protect Tanjirou, nobody to shield him from the dangers to come, and she refused to move on without knowing he’ll be safe.
That’s all she wants for him, and given his selfless nature, she once feared he’d never find someone like that. That was until someone pulled Tanjirou’s sword from his neck, and held him close as he bled by the remains of a derailed train.
“Your hands are still- still injured, Inosuke. I can bandage myself-”
“Shut up, Sentaro! Let me do this!”
Kie watches the pair of slayers with tight lips, wondering when her reaction to Tanjirou’s wounds stopped being to cry and instead watch silently. It was another mission like the others, a demon in the woods luring lost people into their jaws. Maybe they were more creative than anyone gave them credit for, or maybe Tanjirou wasn’t performing at his best, because they managed to get a good gash on his arm. He fought through the pain, probably worsening the wound in the process, and had to forcefully be sat down by Inosuke after the fight. Inosuke was mildly hurt; the demon was hellbent on cutting his hands off but only managed to slice his palms, just making them ache and sting annoyingly. It’s an easy fix compared to the still-bleeding cut on Tanjirou’s arm, and now Inosuke is gritting his teeth through the pain while he bandages his boyfriend up.
Tanjirou’s hand shoots out to cover Inosuke’s, holding him still for just a moment. He searches for the feral boy’s eyes, but Inosuke keeps his gaze on the bandages where red blooms through the stark white. “Your hands hurt,” Tanjirou whispers through his panting, still trying to catch his breath, “I can take over, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
His words do nothing to deter Inosuke, if anything, he looks more determined to power through. He shakes off Tanjirou’s hand and continues his task, biting his tongue to ignore his own pain. “I’m going to do it,” he firmly growls, “you’re in more pain than me anyway! Just-” he huffs, sounding more frustrated by the second, “let me take care of you!”
Kie feels a large hand come down on her tense shoulders, making her jump in surprise- all her attention was on her son after all. She doesn’t turn around though, because she doesn’t need to to know who has joined her.
“He has a unique way of expressing his care,” Tanjurou says, bringing his hand down to rest on his wife’s waist.
“He’s unique in every sense of the word,” Kie agrees, bringing a hand down to cover Tanjurou’s, “I fear he’ll tire Tanjirou out before he’ll get a chance to rest.”
Tanjurou chuckles, “he won’t, they’re both strong boys.”
When Inosuke came into her children’s life, Kie was concerned. The idea of them traveling with a feral boy who thrived off of brute strength with a flimsy moral compass honestly scared her. Not to mention the way he attacked both Nezuko and Tanjirou when they first met… As impossible as it is, Kie always hoped their journey with the Demon Slayer Corps would be a simple, easy one. She prayed they’d never struggle and that nothing would get in their way. Inosuke was the embodiment of everything she had feared, someone who made everything a challenge just for fun and would put a halt in any journey just to prove something. He put her off at first, and she thinks Tanjurou felt the same way with how his patient eyes would narrow with interest every time Inosuke would get too close to Tanjirou or Nezuko.
What made them change their minds was, well, everything else that’s happened. As strange as he is, the couple can’t pretend he doesn’t care deeply for Tanjirou. It was… quite a shock when they began dating six months ago, at least for Kie. Mostly because she was so caught up in trying to read Inosuke that she didn’t notice the way Tanjirou had already fallen for him.
“Do you think he loves him?” Kie asks, her voice soft and free of judgment.
Tanjurou smiles, “yes, I think he does.”
Truth be told, Tanjirou hasn’t looked as happy as this since before Tanjurou died, and Kie never thought she’d see him smile that bright ever again.
Yes, it’s true that Inosuke scared her at first, that she feared what he would unleash upon her precious children as they brave through their mission. Now though, she can’t help but think that Inosuke joining them might’ve been a gift from the gods. What horrible demons would’ve killed Tanjirou if Inosuke hadn’t been there to stop them? How many nights would he have spent alone if not for his boyfriend curled at his side, threatening the nightmares with harsh words and nasty glares? Would Tanjirou ever have found a love like this if Inosuke wasn’t in his life? For all those reasons and more, Kie considers her family blessed that Inosuke Hashibira stumbled into their lives.
The sound of bandages snapping off their roll echos through the forest as Inosuke finally finishes. His shaky hands almost drop the roll as he wraps it back up, so Tanjirou takes it from him and places it on the ground beside them. He takes Inosuke’s hands into his own, holding them steady since Inosuke can’t. “Why didn’t you let me do it?” he whispers, curiosity and gratitude edging at his voice.
“Because you’re my under-” Inosuke blurts, but stops, his gaze growing shy because Tanjirou is so much more than that now. “Because you’re my Tanjirou… and I’m going to take care of you forever, okay!?”
The sweet words combined with the rarity of Inosuke saying his name correctly leaves Tanjirou speechless, but the way his eyes shine says what words cannot. A smile graces his lips, and Inosuke turns away in embarrassment, his cheeks burning red.
Tanjurou’s arm moves away from Kie and she turns to see her husband beginning his descent back to the other side where their children are waiting for them. “Are you coming?” He asks, holding his hand out in invitation.
She shakes her head, “no, I’m going to stay a little longer. You go on ahead.”
He gives her a questioning look, but doesn’t press for answers. He disappears like a figure in mist. Kie turns back to her son and his boyfriend as they pick themselves up off the ground and limp towards the road they came in from. She follows because she may be dead, but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t get to be at least a little overprotective.
…
Death is weird, Takeo has learned in the last four years, but he thanks whatever force is out there that he can still stay by his older sibling’s sides even if they can’t see him there. It’s easy to forget he’s a ghost when Tanjirou and Nezuko are sitting together in silence, or when Tanjirou combs her hair and talks about their day. Sometimes Takeo pretends he’s really next to them and laughs along, never talking because their lack of response would break the illusion. It’s not all bad, he’d rather be with them like this than not at all.
They’re in the Butterfly Estate today, a place Takeo thinks he likes more than any other homes they’ve taken shelter in. The morning sun just rose, barely peeking through the heavy rain clouds that brought a storm in yesterday and lasted through the night. Months ago this would’ve been a perfect morning for Nezuko to come out without having to worry about being burned by the sunlight, but ever since she’s conquered the sun, she prefers to dance along the light of day.
Despite the gloomy morning, she’s still smiling as she and the youngest butterfly girls, Sumi, Kiyo and Naho, crowd around Tanjirou as he sews together two scraps of paper with a unique stitch pattern. Takeo sits next to Tanjirou, half watching the demonstration and half watching his sibling’s focused faces with a feeling of familiarity tugging at his gut. They used to do this all the time before the incident, it seems like Tanjirou is a magnet for kids in terms of entertaining them.
Everything is peacefully silent until the sliding door behind them slams open with a near-deafening boom. Tanjirou yelps, the needle slipping from his grip and pricking his finger. Takeo holds back a groan, he should’ve seen this one coming.
“MONJIROU!” Inosuke bellows, practically racing to his boyfriend who's just barely turning to greet him.
“Hey, Ino- Inosuke !”
The two of them fall forward as Inosuke jumps onto Tanjirou’s back, sending them crashing to the ground with a fumbled thud. The girls squeal in laughter as they pull back, and Nezuko is smiling as well. Takeo is the only one who isn’t the slightest bit amused.
“WHAT’RE YOU DOING!?” He yells as he rolls off of Tanjirou, only to plop himself right into his lap like a cat or needy dog.
Tanjirou, much to Takeo’s dismay, is laughing so hard it looks like his cheeks are aching. He runs his hands through Inosuke’s soft hair and manages to say through his giggles, “I’m teaching the girls how to sew!”
Kiyo is the first to come back over, and with her, everyone else follows. “He can do stitches even Aoi doesn’t know how to do!”
Inosuke cackles with pride, “that’s because Sentaro is awesome!”
Tanjirou’s laugh turns into something more shy when Inosuke says that, and he turns back to his sewing project, which he thankfully threw to the side before Inosuke could get either of them impaled by the small needle. “Did you need me, Ino?”
Remembrance flashes in Inosuke’s eyes and he smiles wide, “yeah! I wanna show you this flower I found! It looks like your hair!”
Takeo rolls his eyes at that. It’s probably just some generic red flower like the other ones he’s given his brother before. Tanjirou, once again, shares no such annoyance and seems to get more excited by the idea. “Sure, just let me finish what I’m going and we can go.”
“Do you have to?”
Tanjirou snorts, “yes, Ino, I promised I would. I won’t take too long, you can lay here while you wait, okay?”
Inosuke purses his lips and grumbles something akin to a “fine,” and further settles into Tanjirou’s lap, looking up at his practiced hands as they masterfully stitch the cloth together.
Takeo scoffs under his breath and sits back down on the side of Tanjirou where Inosuke’s body isn’t. It’s hard to ignore him when he’s in his lap, but Takeo has spent the better half of these four years ignoring him anyway, so it’s fine.
“Oni-chan looks really happy, doesn’t he?” A sweet, young voice rings out from behind Takeo. He turns his head and frowns, once again not sharing the sentiment.
“He looks… like the boar-boy is bothering him,” he grumbles as Hanako comes up to him, looking down at the couple sitting together contently.
“I don’t think so,” she circles behind Tanjirou, walking across the room and past the people oblivious to her presence until she’s next to Nezuko, then sits down as well. “I think he makes him smile even brighter than he normally does!”
Well, sure, that could be true. Takeo doesn’t see it that way though, because as far as he’s concerned, Inosuke is a brute that Tanjirou should know better than to get involved with! Seriously, he just makes things harder on himself, doesn’t he? There’s no way he can enjoy being around someone so… wild. But it’s hard to deny when Tanjirou was the first one to confess his stupid, mushy feelings. The thought makes Takeo want to gag.
“I don’t like him,” he states simply, crossing his arms.
“I think he’s funny!” Another small voice shouts, and Takeo once again turns around to see Shigeru coming up to them with Rokuta holding his hand. Takeo sighs, of course nobody would be on his side here.
“He’s not funny, he’s a weirdo,” he corrects them, but it clearly doesn’t get through since they giggle at the idea.
“Not weirder than the sound guy they fought with!”
“Or that snake guy.”
“Or the wind guy.”
“Or the-”
“Alright, I get it!” He huffs, looking at Inosuke with a piercing glare. To his surprise, Inosuke’s eyes snap open and he cranes his neck to look over his shoulder directly in Takeo’s direction, though he doesn’t see the ghost sitting there. His eyes narrow like an animal’s and it makes Takeo feel like he’s being hunted.
“Inosuke?” Tanjirou turns his head to his brother’s direction as well, furrowing his brows when he doesn’t see anything, “what’s wrong?”
“Felt like I was being watched,” he murmurs, turning back slowly but keeping his eyes on the empty space.
Tanjirou frowns, “maybe it was an animal?”
Inosuke doesn’t move for a second, then shrugs and decides to let it go in favor of getting comfortable in Tanjirou’s lap once again. “Wasn’t a demon, so whatever.”
Takeo stares in disbelief- not at Inosuke though, he doesn’t want to set him off again- and screams out, “DID YOU SEE THAT!? THAT WAS SO CREEPY!”
The kids just squeal in laughter again, driving Takeo up the wall because come on ! That was definitely the weirdest thing that’s ever happened. Not even demons can see them, but some crazed slayer can sense their presence like a fly on the wall!?
“That was cool!” Shigeru exclaims with Rokuta nodding frantically beside him, “maybe he can hear us too!”
Before Takeo can say another word, Tanjirou’s voice catches everyone’s attention as he lays out the finished product of his stitching and gives the remaining thread over to the girls to practice with. “Remember to watch the needle so you don’t poke yourself,” he reminds them, wiggling the finger he pricked earlier as an example.
“Are you done!?” Inosuke excitedly asks, drowning out the girls’ “thank you”’s.
“Yeah, we can get going now,” Tanjirou confirms, patting Inosuke on the bicep to ask him to get off. He does so and quickly, eagerness radiating off him like sunshine itself. It occurs to Takeo then that it’s still raining outside, and that Tanjirou is really about to go out into the wet weather just to please Inosuke. He rolls his eyes again, wishing he’d have some sense when it comes to his boyfriend for once.
As Tanjirou pulls himself up, already saying goodbye to the girls, Inosuke somehow manages to become impatient again and decides to take matters into his own hands by picking Tanjirou up and throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
“Inosuke!” He gasps, but he’s quick to dissolve into a fit of giggles like before, lightheartedly hitting his back while Inosuke cackles like he always does.
Everyone in the room starts laughing too, even the young spirits present, and Takeo once again refuses to. A scowl is fixed on his lips as he watches Inosuke run off into the hallway with his brother still squirming in his hold.
“Did you see that!?” Takeo shouts, turning to Hanako with an accusatory finger pointed in the couple’s direction, “he kidnapped him!”
Hanako blinks at him, then smiles innocently, “no he didn’t! Oni-chan was smiling the whole time!”
“Well-!” He gears up to shout some sort of rebuttal, but can’t think of one to save his life. He grunts in annoyance and walks over to one of the windows facing the spacious yard in the back of the estate to watch Tanjirou as he comes outside. He’s no longer swung over Inosuke’s shoulder, instead sitting across them with his back hunched at an undoubtedly uncomfortable angle so he can hug and kiss Inosuke’s head.
“Gross,” Takeo groans.
Hanako, Shigeru and Rokuta stand up as well, watching them with sweet, joyful eyes. Rokuta stands on his tip-toes to look out the window and coos, “it’s like when Oni-chan used to pick us up!”
“No it’s not!” For one thing, Tanjirou is sitting on Inosuke’s shoulders, and Tanjirou didn’t try to bite at their ankles like Inosuke is. What’s with that anyway? And why is Tanjirou still laughing!?
“Well, Nee-chan looks like she thinks it’s cute too.”
Takeo turns his head and, sure enough, Nezuko stands much closer to them than he expected, looking out the window with a smile no longer concealed by the bamboo muzzle she used to wear. Her eyes soften at the sight of her older brother playing around, even chuckling when he throws his head back in laughter as Inosuke squeezes his ticklish knees.
They’ve only seen a domestic scene like this a handful of times before with their own parents, though never to this wild of a degree. Their father liked to wrap his arms around their mother whenever he could keep himself standing, and he would tickle her sides just to hear her laugh. Similarly, she used to poke at his neck because she knew he was terribly sensitive there. Maybe when they were younger they might’ve been a bit more handsy like this, but Takeo gives that a pass because, well, neither of his parents were feral animals.
But the look on Nezuko’s face makes his shoulders fall, his discontent melting out of him slowly. If Nezuko accepts Inosuke, even going as far as to be his friend, then… there’s probably nothing to worry about.
“I still don’t like him,” he says firmly, watching them disappear behind large pine trees, “... but whatever.”
…
When Tanjurou died, he knew he would be leaving a lot on his family’s shoulders. Kie was more than capable of taking care of their children on her own, but with him passing only a year after the birth of Rokuta, he knew it would be hard to get by both emotionally and financially. Kie is a strong woman (even in death), so he knew she would fill the space he left with all the strength in the world, always determined to give her children the life they deserve. He watched as she dedicated so much time to molding herself for the role of a single parent and worked hard so that the kids didn’t have to take on the burden. But, in doing so, she completely missed the one child who was not only ready for more responsibility, but wanted it as well.
Tanjirou has always been a bit more mature for his age, and Tanjurou still fears that’s because of him. He encouraged Tanjirou to be a leader because he knew that he would eventually become the head of their home and family name; unfortunately, that came sooner rather than later. He saw the determination shine in Tanjirou’s eyes when he put those earrings on. It was no surprise when Tanjirou began pushing himself to the edge, chopping extra wood until the sun went down so they’d have more to sell over the next few days. He became more doting when it came to his siblings (which is saying a lot since he was already a devoted big brother) and better at maintaining friendly relationships with the people in town as if to preserve their family’s reputation.
It devastated Tanjurou to watch his wife and kids be slaughtered the night Muzan Kibutsuji entered their home, and he cried with their spirits in his arms as Nezuko fought her demon instincts to resist eating her own brother. He refused to look when a slayer held her down like livestock while Tanjirou pleaded for her life. He watched his family say goodbye to his living son and daughter as they joined him in death, leaving Tanjirou and Nezuko without a family to fall back on anymore. He saw Tanjirou begin his training and make it to Final Selection. He saw him receive his sword and set off as an official member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
He saw it all, yet he never once worried about Tanjirou because, unlike Kie, Tanjurou has been able to step back and see that Tanjirou was ready. Tanjirou has always been ready to shoulder incredible responsibility, he’s always been prepared to become more than he is. There was never a moment Tanjurou feared Tanjirou would fail because it’s not in his nature. He’ll always get back up, he’ll keep fighting until it kills him. Tanjurou couldn’t be more proud of him.
So, since he’s never worried about Tanjirou like his wife and kids- and never will- his initial reaction to Inosuke was very different. While Kie was worried about the sheer chaos he seemed to radiate and how it would affect Tanjirou, Tanjurou felt… Well, sadness.
It doesn’t take an intellect to see that Inosuke was an abandoned child. The majority of Demon Slayers are made up of orphans after all, but there’s something starkly different about Inosuke. The orphans of the Corps are clearly cared for and adjusted members of society, something Inosuke is obviously not. It’s clear he gained his strength not from a good mentor, but from years of living alone in the woods with other animals to compete against. Tanjurou’s suspicions were confirmed when Tanjirou and Zenitsu inquired about his life, finding out that he was raised by boars and that’s all he remembers.
Tanjurou felt his heart clench at the idea of a child alone in the woods with nothing but a pack of animals to keep him warm at night. He could see it struck a chord with Tanjirou as well, who seemed determined to be friends no matter how convinced Inosuke was of them being rivals. It was amusing to Tanjurou and, once again, he didn’t worry about Tanjirou. Kie misread his saddened stares as disapproval, though that couldn’t be further from the truth since he was hopeful from the start that Inosuke would join them.
As time went on, his pity for Inosuke grew into a true fondness for him, especially when he stopped trying to fight Tanjirou and instead went on walks with him. He certainly likes him more than Zenitsu, who’s lucky death separates them when he comes onto Nezuko.
And then, as the story goes, things began to change between them, and he saw it right as it started. The way Tanjirou stepped up for him, protecting Inosuke even though he’s the last person who needs it in battle. How Inosuke would cling to Tanjirou like he was his lifeline and would bring him attractive gifts (well, attractive to him. Shiny acorns and pretty feathers don’t catch everyone’s eye, but Tanjirou certainly loved them) as a manner of courting him. It was all very precious, even funny at times to watch them fumble around each other. It went on for much too long, though. A whole year of shy touches and barely hidden feelings made Tanjurou wonder if he should’ve taught Tanjirou a bit more about romance when he was alive. But everything happens in its own time, and they came together just in time (meaning before everyone around them began tearing their hair out).
Maybe it’s funny for Tanjurou to want the couple to work out not only for his son’s sake, but for Inosuke’s as well, but he can’t deny that he’s become just as protective of Inosuke as his own children (and Zenitsu, even if he could just throttle the boy at times).
Sometimes, much like now when they hold each other so closely, whispering comforting words back and forth like the outside world doesn’t exist, Tanjurou thinks he could pass on a happy man knowing they have each other.
“It was just a dream,” Tanjirou whispers, leaning down to wipe his thumb at Inosuke’s tear-stained face.
“I know,” he mumbles, looking off to the side. Maybe it’s too vulnerable to look into Tanjirou’s eyes, maybe it’s too hard and he feels too suffocated by his knowing gaze. Tanjirou doesn’t mind though, he never does.
Instead, he pulls Inosuke’s bangs up on his forehead and kisses the exposed skin there, grounding his boyfriend better than words did. “I’ll be here to protect you,” Tanjirou vows. Inosuke shudders at the feeling of his breath on his skin. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Tanjurou watches his son proudly, and feels peace settle in his chest. Yes, they have each other, and that’s enough for him.
…
The sunlight doesn’t feel the same without proper flesh and nerves, but the brightness will always bring a phantom warmness that substitutes the experience well enough. Sumiyoshi has always loved the sunlight, he loved spending his afternoons in the golden rays with his beloveds, so it’s only natural for him to seek it out as he stands in front of the Kamado house once again.
He takes a relaxing deep breath in and out, wishing he could smell as he once did, but a smile appears on his face regardless. Beside him Suyako stands- well, sways- with her head on his shoulder, beginning to snore because, much like Sumiyoshi, she also likes to spend her eternity as she did when she was alive; sleeping on her husband’s shoulder (or lap, or on his back, or in his arms, whichever is more accessible).
His eyes soften at the sight. He used to worry about her sleeping habits, fearing they’d get her hurt with how often she’d pass out beside the road or in the middle of the forest, but none of that matters now. That’s one of the many benefits of death, he supposes. He likes being able to watch her with the carelessness of young lovers.
“Darling,” he murmurs, shaking his shoulder gently, “wake up, Suyako.”
As much as she loves sleeping, it’s a wonder how she wakes up so easily. Maybe she’s just looking forward to another visit to her cherished descendants. She whines a little, shutting her eyes tighter, but is ultimately pulled back to consciousness, peering up at her husband sleepily. “‘Yoshi, that was a good nap I’ll have you know.”
A chuckle rumbles deep in his chest, “I thought you wanted to see the children?”
“I do! But I’d like to sleep as well, is that so impossible?”
“I fear so, darling.”
She huffs playfully, laying her head back on his shoulder, though now she’s wrapped her arms around Sumiyoshi like a vine. With the lull in their conversation, Suyako finally looks into the house to search for any signs of the children they’ve come to see. Light shines through the kitchen, and there move the silhouettes of Nezuko and Zenitsu, the latter of which clearly cooking while Nezuko watches and possibly directs him. A little further down her line of sight and Suyako finds Tanjirou sitting in front of the house with Inosuke laying in his lap, running his hands through his ivory-lapis colored hair with so much love and peace written in his features. Inosuke’s eyes are closed in a rare moment of relaxation, letting his lover do as he pleases without a care in the world. He should after all, they’ve earned it.
“Tanjirou looks just like you,” she comments, definitely not for the first time, but she’s always found the resemblance between them amazing.
Sumiyoshi hums, “I don’t have that scar on my forehead, though. Or a slayer mark.”
“You have the same face! Your hair is near-identical too, but yours is less… sharp. More curly.”
She’s spent a lot of time comparing the two, fascinated by what their genes were able to pass down despite being mixed with other bloodlines for so long. The Kamado blood must run strong to be so prominent even now.
“He has your eyes,” Sumiyoshi points out, “they soften just like yours.”
“Only when he looks at his Inosuke.”
His Inosuke… What a simple, very telling statement. But Sumiyoshi wouldn’t disagree, it’s clear that the two boys (well, men now) are infatuated with each other. They’ve been through more in the past few years than most go through in a lifetime, still managing to keep their relationship intact and falling even deeper in love after it all. It’s quite a love story, one Sumiyoshi can’t deny makes his heart swell. He’s always loved watching his family find love, but this one has always been a bit special compared to the others.
“Actually,” Suyako continues, “I think Inosuke might be more like the two of us.”
Sumiyoshi smiles, raising an eyebrow confusedly, “how so?”
“Well, he’s in love with a sun-breather.”
The simplicity of the statement shakes a sudden laugh from Sumiyoshi, which in turn makes Suyako do the same until they’re a mess of giggles.
“I like him,” Suyako announces happily, “he’s feisty! We definitely need some of that in our family.”
“And here I thought you had enough to last us generations!”
“I do! Don’t tell me you don’t see the way Nezuko picks fights with the boys! That’s all me!”
Not to mention when she wins . Definitely a Suyako trait.
Sumiyoshi rolls his eyes fondly, and presses a kiss to the side of her head, “then I think Inosuke is going to fit right in.”
“Me too!”
“I agree,” a deeper, very familiar voice says, surprising the couple in the best way possible. They quickly turn around with the brightest smiles on their faces, love filling their eyes so genuinely.
“Yoriichi!” Suyako greets excitedly, running over to pull him into a tight hug, “I thought you were staying back with Uta!”
“I was,” Yoriichi places his much larger, much warmer hand on top of her head, stroking her hair, “but I wanted to see how the children are settling in now that slaying is behind them.”
Sumiyoshi comes up as well, standing on the tip of his toes to press a kiss just under Yoriichi’s eye (even then, Yoriichi has to lean down so he can reach). “I think they’re doing great,” Sumiyoshi tells him, “I think their lives can finally go back to normal.”
The slayer hums, looking on at the young couple still laying together. The war reflects starkly in Tanjirou with his blinded eye and withered arm, but he’s never looked happier than this moment. It’s harder to see on Inosuke since he’s always been littered with scars, but he’s become a little more mature since it all happened; still loud and abrasive, but there’s a sort of wisdom in his eyes that didn’t exist before. There’s also vulnerability in both of them now, more than they were ever allowed to have as slayers. It looks like its brought them closer than they already were before, which is nothing to scoff at. Yoriichi can see it when Inosuke looks up at Tanjirou with softened eyes, not afraid to show that he loves and loves deeply. When Tanjirou lets his eyes close because he doesn’t have to worry about committing the sight to memory in fear that this will be the last time they’re together. How Inosuke brushes his scarred fingers against Tanjirou’s lips, quietly asking for a kiss, and Tanjirou does because there’s nothing to hold them back anymore.
“Then my heart is happy,” Yoriichi tells his partners, “protecting you and your family is the greatest honor of my life, as is loving you two.”
Sumiyoshi smiles at that and looks down at Suyako who looks just as happy. “We love you too,” they say in unison, and melt into their sun-touched lover for just a little while longer.
Eventually, Inosuke and Tanjirou are called in to eat, and the three of them know that Uta is waiting between the thin line of heaven and earth, so they turn to look at their home one more time, saying goodbye to their beloved family. Inosuke and Tanjirou share one last kiss as they fade away, and they know they’re leaving the Kamado name in good hands.
Now it’s time to pass on.