▪Deadly Thorns and Violent Storms▪

Chapter 46

Tanjiro's POV:

I am so embarrassed!

I was just walking down the staircase in my house when I overheard my siblings talking to my mother.

I thought, you know, since it's been days since Tengen's party that the twins would've forgotten about seeing me and Zenitsu kiss.

But they didn't. It must've just slipped their minds for a few days.

"Mother?" Shigeru said. "Can we ask you something?"

"Yes dears?"

"Are brother and Mr. Zenitsu going to get married?" Hanako asked curiously.

I nearly fell down the stairs and turned red, thankfully they were in the kitchen and couldn't see me.

My mother didn't respond for a moment. "Where is this coming from?"

"We saw them kiss!" She whispered loudly.

"We did!" Shigeru confirmed. "We saw at Mr. Uzui's house!"

"Say that again?" She requested.

I, on the other hand, did not want to hear it again.

I quietly made my way down the stairs and towards the front door. I tried to make as little noise as possible when I opened it, but as I was half way outside one of my siblings spotted me.

"Big brother? Where are you going?" Takeo asked me suspiciously.

Just then, the twins and our mother stepped out of the kitchen. They all looked at me with confused expressions on their faces.

"Uh, just- out?" I laughed awkwardly and started to slowly scoot out the door. "Bye!"

Before anyone could protest, I was already outisde with the door closed behind me.

Well, now that I'm out here, I admit I don't have a plan... so I guess I'll just go on a walk.

I made it around the block when I thought about texting Zenitsu about this, but I didn't want to worry him, so I decided against it.

As I started to cross the street, looking both ways, I thought I saw something familiar out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey Inosuke-!" His eyes only met mine for a moment before I tripped over my own feet and I faceplanted on the road.

"Monjiro!" Inosuke grunted, ran over and asked angrily, "What're you doing in the street?! You could be run over!"

"It was on accident!" I yelped as he grabbed my arm violently and tugged me up to my feet. "Ouch!"

I stretched my hand up to my face and felt a warm liquid trickling down my cheek.

Inosuke pointed to my face and said, "You're bleeding."

"I know!!" I reached for my backpack, knowing I had bandages in there, but when I did I realized I didn't bring it with me because I was in such a hurry to leave. "You don't happen to know somewhere I can clean this, do you?"

He stood there and thought for a second then stated, "Yeah I do."

"Okay, great! Uh, where?"

"I'll show you!" Then Inosuke suddenly scooped me up, bridal style, and marched out of the road.

"I can walk, Inosuke!"

"But, your leg is bleeding, too."

"Wha-?!" I looked down to see that he was right, when I fell I must've scraped my leg against the pavement. "Well- I can still walk."

"Probably. But it's faster this way." He continued to carry me to the destination of his choosing.

"Does the place have bandaids?" I asked him.

"What?"

"Bandaids, you know, for the cuts. I can't leave them exposed."

"Oh. Uh. They might sell them?" Inosuke said as he held onto me tighter.

I nodded then awkwardly asked, "Where are we going?"

"I dunno, it's a place called a farm-icey."

"Pharmacy?"

"Yeah, that!" Inosuke replied enthusiastically.

As he skidded to a stop infront of the pharmacy building I quickly tried to get out of his arms, "You can put me down now, Inosuke!"

He set me down reluctantly. "Do you need me to hold your hand so you don't fall?"

I blushed and declined, "No!"

Inosuke frowned.

"I mean, thank you! That was a very nice offer, but I'm fine!"

Inosuke's POV:

After we bought the bandaids Monjiro needed we went into the bathroom to clean him up.

"It's okay, I can do it myself, Inosuke." Monjiro muttered. "Sorry for interrupting your day..."

"It's fine, I didn't have anything important to do," I said quickly, "I'd rather help you than do nothing, anyways."

He smiled and as he was about to say something, I cupped his face in my hands and looked at the gash in his cheek.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Cleaning this. What are you doing?" I replied as I grabbed paper towels and rinsed them under the sink.

I started rubbing them on his face which caused him to flinch. "Ow.."

"Sorry." I concentrated on being more gentle as I cleaned the wound.

I finished putting the bandaids on his cheek and told him that "You need to take your pants off."

"WHAT?" His face flushed a dark red color.

"So I can put the bandages on your leg."

"I- I can just pull up my pant leg! It's not that hard!!"

"Oh yeah! I guess you can!" I gave him a thumbs up, "Good thinking."

He looked confused but continued to do as he suggested.

I got more paper towels and washed the blood off of Monjiro's leg. Once it was dry I plastered it with bandages.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked him.

"Yeah," Monjiro smiled at me, "Thank you very much, Inosuke!"

My cheeks turned a slight pink as I said, "Sure, whatever, it's no big deal."

As we left the building, just talking normally, I felt something.

It's like a warm, fuzzy feeling, the same feeling I get when I'm around Monichi...

But, it probably isn't the same thing.. right?