Nezumi To Inoshishi (ねずミ と いのしし) || InoNezu

4- I'll wait for the right time

It was noon already when Zenitsu woke up. The sun was shining brightly in his eyes when he woke up. He stared up at the ceiling, the doors and windows were opened now, the wind chime swayed softly with the wind. He must've slept well.

He slowly sat up, looking around for a certain redhead. Seeing and hearing that there was no sign of him being near, he sighed and stood up from his futon. He folded it and placed it in the cabinet.

He silently looked out of the door looking dramatic. He emersed himself in his thoughts, thoughts about his chaotic life; about Nezuko, about Inosuke's behavioral issues, about Tengen's mean words and attitude.

Those were just small and fleeting thoughts that passed his mind, and it all connected themselves to Tanjirou. To their mission weeks ago in the red light district. To when he- no they had to dress like girls.

He was embarrassed walking around the streets to be sold off at one of the three brothels Tengen's wives works/disguises in. Tanjirou's comforting words paired with his kind and honest smile, it made his heart skip a beat.

Zenitsu's mouth curled into a smile. A peaceful, contented smile. But that peaceful moment was broken when his stomach growled in an embarrassingly loud way. There was a chuckle just beside his ears. It wouldn't be clear for normal ears. But for Zenitsu, it was really loud and clear.

His face instantly flushed and he spun around in an amazingly quick way that sparks could be seen around the blond's body. There behind him was the redhead he was thinking of. The very person that comforted him weeks ago, was right behind him, chuckling at the sound of his growling stomach.

His flushed face turned into an even darker shade of red. "Tanjirou! Don't mess with me!! My hunger is not a joke!!" He repeatedly beat Tanjirou with both hands, although weak, with Tanjirou's broken ribs, it did a great deal of pain.

"Ouch! Zenitsu, could you please stop that? That actually hurts for once." Tanjirou pleaded. Zenitsu heard the urgence in Tanjirou's voice. He could hear his pain, and that pain was because of him. He stopped and tears flowed down as his nose became stuffy.

"T-tanjirou~!! I'm so sorry!" He hugged Tanjirou, his face buried on the redhead's chest, engulfing the redhead in a hug. "Don't die on me~!!" He whined, rubbing his face on Tanjirou's chest, tightening his hug. "OUCH!!" Tanjirou exclaimed.

Zenitsu let go and shivered with his puppy eyes looking at Tanjirou's pained and shaking form. "Tanjirou...I- so-" he wasn't able to finish his sentence when his stomach growled. Again.

The two stopped. "Pfft-" Tanjirou did his best to keep it to himself. The blond flushed red, embarrassed. But since he felt bad about what he did to Tanjirou earlier, he decided to let it be. "Y-you can laugh." With Zenitsu's permission, Tanjirou burst into a fit of laughter.

He was hunched over, hugging his abdomen with tears on his eyes from laughing too much. Zenitsu pouted and was about to storm out when Tanjirou's laughing fit gradually stopped as he wiped the tears off his eyes. Tanjirou sat down on the floor.

"Come here for a second, Zenitsu." Tanjirou called out, waiting for the blond to sit next to him. The blond did and he sighed in relief. "So, Zenitsu. I heard from Inosuke that you didn't sleep last night. Why weren't you?" He asked.

Zenitsu flinched. The room was suddenly quiet. Too quiet that it hurt Zenitsu's ears. He can hear the worry in Tanjirou's voice and the melody he produces. Its gentleness seemed to be gentler than usual.

"Sorry. I ended up waking up a few minutes after i fell asleep." Zenitsu lied. The lie could have been valid if it weren't for Tanjirou's nose that could smell even the slightest, smallest lie you decide to make.

Tanjirou looked disapprovingly at Zenitsu but kept quiet. It's better to let this lie slide and try again next time. A better time would be needed for this one. Tanjirou abruptly stood up. He looked down at the blond and smiled. "Let's go get lunch, Zenitsu. You must be hungry." Tanjirou said and offered his right hand for Zenitsu to take.

Zenitsu gratefully took the hand with a smile of his own. Tanjirou pulled Zenitsu up and they stood there for a while, hands together and smiles on their faces, seemingly in a trance. Zenitsu hated to part but abruptly shook his head and pulled his hand away, somehow regretting the lost of the others warmth.

He hurriedly went out to eat or he'll have to embarrass himself again. And to Tanjirou of all people! Tanjirou took a while longer before snapping out of his thoughts. He glanced at the empty room and knew that Zenitsu left to eat his lunch.

Tanjirou looked longingly at his hands. The way Zenitsu's fits perfectly on his. He noticed, Zenitsu's hand was smoother than his but still had traces of him using a sword. Although Zenitsu lied earlier, his scent was still as refreshing as can be. He had a peachy scent and it was definitely Tanjirou's favorite.

Tanjirou sighed and followed this intoxicating scent of his blond friend. He wonders if it's normal to be addicted to the scent of a friend. Would he be branded as weird? A stalker, maybe? He doesn't know but he knows to keep it to himself. Lest he gets find out and he'd be avoided by the blond.

He reached the room where Zenitsu and Inosuke was eating. Tanjirou sat down in front of Zenitsu and smiled. The blond looked away and continued eating, ignoring the redhead.

Tanjirou inhaled the blond's scent with an excuse of smelling the food. He had a smile on his face and a light blush on his cheeks like he's drunk. He wasn't drunk on sake or anything, he was drunk on Zenitsu. He immediately caught himself and stopped smiling. He started eating his lunch.

He looked anywhere and everywhere, avoiding looking at Zenitsu. He knows now. Zenitsu's scent is addictive. A little too addictive that he has to stop himself from smiling. Too addictive that he might start swooning over him every time their eyes meet.

He likes Zenitsu. But with Zenitsu's scent being addictive, he might get found out earlier than wanted. So until that time comes, when Zenitsu decides to like him back, he will distance himself a little bit and wait for the right time.

The right time to strike, to confess, and to love and cherish each other until death. But until then, he must keep this a secret. A secret only he knows and only for the blond to find out.

•••

Ahahaha! TanZen chapter guys! It's longer than usual, right? If you want a longer chapter, then i'll do my best! Next chapter would be Inosuke x Nezuko. The focus would be on the two. Sorry, for the long wait tho. I had a fever a few days ago and a test. But seriously, this chapter SUCKS. I hope you enjoyed!!! Thanks for reading!!!