Inosuke X Aoi. Forming Bonds

Part 8: A Promise

"Did he really ask me that? Am I dreaming?"

The young girl drops her eyes to peer down looking down at the hand that grasped onto hers. Color escaped her face leaving a pastel blush on her cheeks as she was trying to keep her composer. She could tell that the wild boar was also feeling flushed with his facial expressions as well while avoiding eye contact.

Inosuke with his hand on Aoi's could feel all of the emotions sweeping over the butterfly. Feelings mixed with pure happiness, feelings that remind him of sitting beneath the warm welcoming sun while listening to the birds above calling out. But what he also sensed within her were feelings of dread. A feeling that made Aoi think any affection showed by the boar is just temporary, that it won't last long. Feelings that she couldn't help but think she would never be good enough to hold anyone's attention for long.

Inosuke followed quietly behind feeling confused at what his intuition was telling him about Aoi. The absence of talking left him to wonder why she feels the terrible fear. "Why is this little butterfly scared? Is she scared of me? I mean I know I'm the king of the mountain! But why is she afraid?.."

The two pace through the wards still in silence. Only the sounds of their steps filled the space of sound. Poor Aoi trying to find the words while also figuring out scenarios where she doesn't make a fool of herself when she has to turn around to look up at the green eyes of her beloved. Giving herself a peep talk, she guides the boar to the same room the two were in to bandage up his last injury. "You can do this. He is just a dumb boy, just a stupid, incredible.., mysterious.." Aoi shakes her head frantically trying to stop thinking about the beast breather that way.

She lets out a sigh and points to the stool asking her patient to sit still once more. "There. Take a seat just like before. I'll get something to help." The boar looks over to where his care giver was pointing. Offering no protest, he listens and does as he is told. He sits quietly while Aoi shifted around to gather supplies to patch up the boar. His eyes intently watching the butterfly move ever so gracefully, at least to him she did. He couldn't help but admire the small petite features of the teen, just as she admired his during their first training session together.

Only this time, Inosuke had a better idea on what he was feeling along with what she was feeling for him. Nothing else seemed to matter when his eyes laid upon someone he felt an odd connection to. He once more pictured what his companion Tanjiro asked him to, picture having Aoi with him as he did his favorite things to pass the time. Laying on the ground with his back on the soft grass staring up above with Aoi right beside him as they both pointed up at the fluffy clouds trying to guess what shape or animal they look like.

His imagination would shift to him running across a field of vibrant flowers trying to pick out the best ones that would look best in Aoi's hair. The thought of spending time with her made him feel a certain warmness inside he still was not to familiar with. He could feel his heartbeat quicken when the young teen spun around. She was met with a daydreaming look from the boar who was more than happy to be lost in his own imagination thinking about Aoi. As soon as her feet shifted to move towards him, he snapped out of his thought while looking off the to side. A slight grimace appeared on his face as he winced when he lifted his left arm. "I think that damn Hashira dislocated my shoulder.."

Aoi moved to be beside the shoulder she saw Kyojuro strike with his wooden training sword. She put her hands right above the joint but hesitates slightly as she looks towards his face before placing a hand on the beast breather. "Mind if I?.."

Inosuke grumbles slightly before nodding his head before lifting his injured joint. Aoi traced her fingers around his muscles and the skin on his shoulder trying to find the pinpoint and extensiveness of his injury. With a slight smile she turns her hear to view her patient. "Hmm It might not be dislocated, might just be a bruised bone." Letting out a sigh of relief thinking she might not have the strength to pop his joint back into place out of fear of further injuring her patient.