All x Tanjiro oneshots

Inosuke x Tanjiro (15)

Strawberry cake and whipped cream

Warning: Contains angst, fluff (no NSFW yet)

Requested by rxbbon, Snowyxoxo1, Simping_1, and Twist_Theskeleton
Thank you to everyone else who voted but didn't get chosen

PART 1//unedited//

Inosuke doesn't belong in this school. It's a prestigious school made for only the best. Inosuke is a rule breaker, never an obedient one. It's obvious by the way he dresses, sometimes walking around the halls shirtless just to flex off his muscles in contrast to his very feminine face. He doesn't have a lot of friends to hang out with and those who hang out with him are terrible influences. They'd skip class often, hang out in street alleyways either smoking or discussing about other students. It's always about the popular kids, the ones that have it easy and are always provided for while people like Inosuke have to learn to survive on their own.

He works a part-time job at the cash register. His beautiful face can brighten up someone's day with just a single smile so he constantly attracts customers based on his looks alone, which is why his manager assigned him to work at the register in the first place. She'd encourage him to give the customers a small smile when they leave, as a polite gesture for coming there.

But he doesn't like following orders, never has and never will. At the slightest hint of attraction or smiles with a malicious intent, his calm expression instantly turns hostile. He would glare at the customer, if they were still bold enough to make a move on him, he'd turn physically violent and rip off his uniform, exposing his fine muscular build as his way of asserting dominance. It always scares them off and that would be the last time Inosuke would ever see them. His manager would sometimes come out to try and ease the situation, often berating Inosuke for his behavior but never firing him.

It wasn't like he needed the money that desperately. When his grandma died, he was only 13. He then left his childhood home up in the rural area and went to live with his terminally ill aunt. From his grandma, they inherited quite a sizable amount that would provide for both of them for a minimum of 3 years. They both planned to use that money responsibly until Inosuke found a stable enough job, but then, his aunt's condition became worse overtime and before he realized it, he was an orphan. Now, he was 16 and had the inheritance of two family members. That was enough for him to make it a little further in life without being crushed under the weight of poverty.

While, Inosuke might have had trouble adjusting to the city life, he wasn't stupid either. He knew that he needed to start working a part time job to sustain himself. So, there he was, working a job in the convenience store and trying to stay out of trouble while working towards a more stable life.

While his aunt was alive, he was able to attend the prestigious school through her connections. A scholarship until he graduates, of course, but he didn't see the point of it. He hadn't intended to use that as his way of escaping the inevitable fate of poverty when she died. He knew that it would only use up his money quicker, and the money he takes out monthly was already stretched thin, only a little over a hundred thousand yen ($1000). So, he got a second job, working part time to care for animals. Despite having a hostile exterior towards other humans, he grew quite fond of these little animals, often breaking into a rare smile because of their excited little faces and innocent minds.

But working here was very costly of his time and he knew it, he couldn't attend class while working two part time jobs. His grades slipped drastically and after a meeting with his guidance counsellor, he was set up with a student tutor.