Red Royal Flush

XIII. Do you miss him?

*Spotify playlist for the chapter, brought to you by @_anasta: Red Royal Flush on Spotify

If the night was one's best adviser, Zenitsu's current insomnia wasn't seeing eye to eye with that saying. 

The late glow of the moon was beaming through the wooden windows of the dormitory, sprinkles of dust dancing above the blond as he stared at the ceiling. The air was thick and musty, an overbearing smell he had forgotten about. An unfinished promise that was now part of his past, haunting his thoughts when his eyes were closed, and carved in the wood when he opened them again. 

He could feel his heart gently beating against his chest, rhythmic thumps that were supposed to soothe him. Instead, it made him realize the void that he felt.

My mother has insomnia. Do you have that too?

His fingers tightened around the cover, the first discussion he had shared with Tanjiro as his personal healer replaying in his mind. Then, the words they exchanged were meaningless, futile remarks covering up the emptiness that silence caused. Two months later, they talked about everything. And behind each word lay a little sparkle, one that set Zenitsu's heart ablaze.

He'd call that happiness if he didn't know better. If it all didn't feel like he had gone back to the start. If he hadn't sacrificed his life for someone who didn't want it.

Why did I even react that way? he thought. I shouldn't have cared to begin with.

He turned to his side. Everyone else in the room was sleeping soundly, wounds and marks etched on their skin. They looked suddenly older, and Zenitsu regretted ever having skipped any training session. He should have looked exhausted and older too. But no — he had been pampered for two months in the prince's palace. Surprisingly, the other fighters hadn't made any snarly remarks about it. 

They must have been too tired, the blond thought, remembering how they practically hadn't spared him a glance upon seeing him again. Even Inosuke had been impressively quiet, only asking a few questions to which Zenitsu had just briefly answered. 

As the night seemed to grow longer, Zenitsu tossed and turned restlessly, unable to sleep. He sighed. I might as well take a stroll around. Grabbing his cotton kimono, he made his way out of the dormitory, making sure not to wake up anyone. 

He nearly had a heart attack when he slid the door close.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" he whisper-yelled to Inosuke. The latter was standing proudly in front of him, his head slightly tilted to the side.

"I took a piss." 

Zenitsu rolled his eyes. "How elegant of you." 

"What are you doing here?" Inosuke inquired, brushing off Zenitsu's comment. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Something like that." 

Inosuke threw a fist in the air before saying, "Then follow me, Paramatsu. I have an idea." 

Turning on his heel, Inosuke proceeded to march down the corridor like a beast from the woods. 

Zenitsu blinked twice. "That's still not my name!" 

His comment didn't seem to reach Inosuke who kept his pace up as he began whistling. Zenitsu gritted his teeth. I swear he does it on purpose. 

After having caught up with the boar, Zenitsu followed him through the halls, staying silent as they left the building. A gentle gust of wind grazed against his skin as his gaze met the sky full of stars.

"Feels great..." he mumbled. 

Inosuke turned to look at him, his bright green eyes piercing through his mask. "So, tell me, how did it feel to stay with the prince of the region?"