▪Deadly Thorns and Violent Storms▪

Chapter 41

Inosuke's POV:

I was just at home in my room, minding my own business when Monichi and Monjiro just decided to walk in.

Who do they think they are??? Since when do you just go into someones house without asking?!

I'm just trying to ignore them so I don't hurt anyone anymore, but they just had to make things difficult.

"How do I get over it when I have to see it everyday?!"

Neither of them get what it's like to see their crush be with their best friend.

It's torture day in and day out.

I growled and looked at their dumb faces. It seemed as though I had just told them I killed someone by the way they were staring at me.

"Well? Are you gonna tell me how much you love each other more than me yet??" I spat at them.

Monjiro seemed speechless, then his face turned sad and he just looked at me with pity.

"Inosuke..." Monichi said quietly and shook his head, "We both... Inosuke."

"Get on with it!" I shouted and clenched my fists. "Come on!"

"Inosuke, we both love you, just in a different way-" Monichi looked at the floor. "Why can't you see that?"

I had so many things I wanted to say to that, but my mind got jumbled and confusing so I just got out the only words I could muster up the courage to say, "What if this was you, Monjiro?"

"What do you mean..?" He asked in a scared tone.

"What if I was the one dating Monichi? And you saw us hugging and kissing and all that other junk you guys do!"

"I-I..." It hurt to see that look on his face... his eyes started to water and tears threatened to fall.

I stepped towards Monjiro which made him flinch. I gripped the collar of his shirt aggressively and yelled in his face, "You what?!"

Monichi grabbed my arm and tried to reason with me. "Please, let go of him Inosu-"

I pushed him back, but not hard enough to hurt him. I'm not trying to injure them... just... what else am I supposed to do?

Now I turned my attention back to Monjiro who was trying to get my other hand off of him.

I shoved him into the wall closest to me. As he yelped I shouted, "Well?? You what, Monjiro Kamapo!?"

"I'd be upset, too!" Monjiro said loudly and flinched away from me, "But I wouldn't do this! I would never physically hurt someone I love like this!"

My grip on his collar loosened, "Just another reason why you're better than me!"

"Inosuke, what do you mean?"

"I mean you're better than me! Everything you do is better than what I can do!"

"It's not a competition-!" Monjiro tried to say.

"Oh, so you agree that you are superior to me?"

"Inosuke, I'm not saying that! I'm not better at anything! If anything you're better than me! You're strong, and determined, and passionate-"

"You're just lying to make me feel better, but it's not working!"

"You're hardworking and you never give up!" Monichi butted in annoyingly. "Your enthusiasm is something to admire!"

"Shut it, I don't care!" I let go of Monjiro and slapped my hands over my ears. "Stop it!"

I dropped to my knees and one of them tried resting their hand on my shoulder, but I slapped it off.

"What else do I have to say to make you go away!"

"We're not leaving Inosuke-" Monjiro said.

Monichi looked at me closely then muttered, "Are you crying?"

Monjiro jumped then scolded him, "Zenitsu! Now is not the time!"

"Sorry-!" Monichi quickly apologized.

I sniffled, then realized that my boar mask was damp with tears. "I-I'm not crying!! It's just raining!!"

Monichi looked skeptical. "Sure."

"Will you two just leave now?!" I aggressively wiped my eyes under my boar mask.

"Why? Why do you want us to leave?" Monjiro questioned me.

The truth is, I don't want them to leave. I want them to stay, with me, forever.

But, that isn't an option. Everything has made that clear.

"Because I don't want you here!" I shouted at him.

"But, we want to be here, Inosuke." He smiled sadly, "And we'll always want to."

"Yeah," Monichi agreed, "you can't get rid of us that easily."

"But I hurt you two!!" I said, pointing at Monichi, "You're in pain because of me!"

"You were being forced, and I forgive you for it." He looked at me with his big, golden eyes. "Just- don't do it anymore!"

"Why is it so hard to hate you guys?!"

"Because we love you."

They said those dumb words before, but why do they feel different now...

Why are these words making my eyes sweat again?

I kept violently brushing away the water dripping down my face and said in a totally not shaky voice, "I-I guess since-since you guys are begging me... I guess we can be-be friends again!"

Monjiro's face looked shocked, but happy. He knelt next to my side and wrapped his arms around me, "Th-thank you." He reached one of his hands out to Monichi and pulled him over to us.

"Glad you finally came to your senses." Monichi said with a smile and  I noticed him wince as he hugged us.

"Sorry about... kicking you." I murmured.

"It's okay because we're all okay."