Plum Season

Chapter 3

As the trio entered the town, their noses were flooded with an assortment of smells, especially that of mouthwatering street foods. A yakitori vendor beckoned to them, calling out "free samples!"

This was music to Inosuke's ears, momentarily allowing him to put aside his uneasiness in crowds. Without so much as a forethought, he was on the run, darting between passersby. The blood drained from the vendor's face as he sprinted directly towards his stand.

    "Inosuke, you're scaring people!" Tanjiro reminded him. "Take off your mask!"

    Skidding to a halt, Inosuke eagerly snatched the toothpick from the vendor, stashing the speared slice of chicken away in his mouth. Chewing contentedly, he took off his mask and rested it against his hip. The vendor seemed shocked yet relieved to see the pretty face that emerged from beneath it.

    This only made things more confusing for Tanjiro as he and Zenitsu caught up to the scene. It seems like everyone's impressed by his face, he thought. Maybe I don't even like him. He probably just happens to be a really attractive person and I'm only questioning myself because he's my friend and I care about him. But as he watched the flow of Inosuke's hair in a passing breath of wind, he was on the fence again.

    The vendor handed samples to Tanjiro and Zenitsu. With his back turned, Inosuke took the opportunity to swipe another from the stand.

   "Thank you, sir!" Tanjiro beamed, doing his best to ignore Inosuke's overstep. "Sorry our friend startled you; he was really excited to try your food."

   Zenitsu popped his sample into his mouth with a satisfied grin.

    "That's alright, boy," the vendor chuckled. He reverted his gaze to Inosuke, who was blissfully unaware of his intent—gnawing on his second toothpick like a chicken bone. "He's a real looker, ain't he? I see why he's got the mask."

   Tanjiro was unsettled by the older man's comment, especially given the way he looked Inosuke up and down—almost like a predator at its prey. He hastily returned his uneaten sample to the vendor's hand. "Thanks, but I'll pass." Palms to Inosuke's shoulder blades, he began to push him along the road. "Come on, let's go."

    "Hey!" he protested loudly, toothpick falling from his lips, "I want you to buy me more of that for lunch!"

    Zenitsu flicked his empty toothpick to the ground. "Inosuke, that guy thinks you're total eye candy." He grabbed hold of his wrist—met with angry writhing—and helped Tanjiro usher him away. "It was pretty creepy. We'll eat something else."

   "But he has good food!" Inosuke argued, still struggling to break away from his friends. "I want a plate!"

   "I know, but I promise we'll find something just as good," Tanjiro reassured him. "From someone nicer."

   "Hmph." Inosuke didn't see the big deal. Sure, the vendor had looked at him a little oddly, but most people did. And what wasn't nice about a guy with free chicken?

   As they escorted him along, he noticed he couldn't have cared less about Zenitsu's grip, aside from the annoyance it caused. But Tanjiro's hand had made its way to the small of his back, and his body hairs stood on end because of it.

    Observing Tanjiro's face for a moment, he saw that his expression had contorted into a pensive scowl. His protectiveness was both endearing and humiliating. Inosuke could surely take care of himself! But at the same time, he couldn't ignore the security he felt knowing Tanjiro was looking out for him, too. Even from a threat he couldn't understand.

Inosuke might have known his way around the wild, but he still hadn't learned how to safely navigate through civilization. This arrangement was beneficial, he supposed. I can watch his back in the woods, and he can watch mine out here.