Starry Eyes - Inotan College AU

Sick or...?

Inosuke POV

I wake up when I feel Tanjiro stir beside me. I look sleepily down and see that I'm hugging Tanjiro. I scramble back, face heating, as he does the same.

As I look at him, a strange feeling comes over me, like I'm floating. My face is boiling hot. Weird.

Tanjiro clears his throat. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah."

•        •        •

Tanjiro sets a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me, but I'm surprised to find I can't eat a bite. My stomach has a weird feeling in it that blocks out the hunger. I'm probably sick.

"You ok?" Tanjiro looks at me, concerned. The feeling increases.

"I can't eat this."

"Is it bad?"

"No, I'm just not hungry. And my face is super hot."

Tanjiro comes over and feels my forehead. My face gets hotter and my palms start to sweat.

"Ok, you don't have to go to school if you don't feel up to it. Just rest today, ok? You can stay."

I nod and clomp back over to the bed, flopping down. Tanjiro comes over and places the plate of food on the bedside table. I want him to stay. I want him to go. I wish I'd never met him. I wish I'd known him sooner.

He sits beside me on the bed and places an ice pack on my forehead. He places his hand on mine. My face somehow gets hotter. Geez, I must be sicker than I thought.

He sits there for a few minutes more.

"Do you need anything else?"

I shake my head.

"Ok, I'll head out then." He stands and I find myself wishing he didn't have to go. He grabs his bag and steps out the door.

I close my eyes but open them again when I hear someone walk into the room. It's that yellow boy, Zenitcho or something. He has a weird expression on his face.

"Heyyyy," he says, giggling.

"Hi?"

"So... you and Tanjiro..."

"Huh?"

"Oh, please." He rolls his eyes. "I saw the way you looked at him. Your face is all red! And he got that look he always gets when he likes someone."

"Of course he likes me. Why else would he be my friend? And my face is red because I'm sick."

He sighs like I'm stupid. I want to punch him so bad. "That's not what I mean. I mean he like likes you. And you're not sick, you're blushing."

"Like like? What does that even mean?"

"You have a crush on him! And he has a crush on you!"

I look at him blankly and he facepalms. "Basically, you enjoy being around him and want to hug or kiss him. And your face got red because of that."

I laugh. "Wrong! I don't have a crush on him, Im sick and I can prove it! My stomach felt all weird and fluttery earlier!"

"That happens when you have a crush too! Does your stomach feel weird now that he's gone?"

I hesitate. "Not really..."

"Exactly."

"... but there's no way in hell I'd like Gonpachiro."

"Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that while I go to class." And he walks out.

I sit there, contemplating what he said. Thinking about Tanjimo, my stomach starts to hurt again. Ha! I knew it! I'm sick!

I brush of the thoughts and fall asleep quickly.

• • •

I dream that me and the others are at a big house that I've never seen before. Somehow, I know it's called the Butterfly Mansion. Stupid name.

A man in a strange mask was yelling at me for breaking something. Swords. I'd never even touched a sword!

I don't like being yelled at. I prefer to be the one doing the yelling. I unconsciously reached out and grabbed onto Gonpachiro's shirt for reassurance.

He bows to the man and I watch him smile. I like his smile. I like his hair. I like how he can calm anyone down. Even me.

I like him.

I joke awake, my dream already fuzzy. I can't remember the beginning, the middle is fuzzy. All I can clearly remember is my last thought.

I like him.

Ugh. Dreams are weird. They can take something you were sure about and break it right in two.

But not this time. Because I'm sure that I don't like Kentaro at all.

• • •

I'm startled again by a small black-haired girl with blonde tips. She has a weird necklace with a length of bamboo on the end. She smiles and waves, then grabs her things.

"Who the hell are you, kid?"

She begins to make weird signs with her hands. When I don't respond, she huffs frustratedly and grabs a piece of paper. She scribbled something.

I'm Nezuko, Tanjiro's sister.

"Why dont you talk?"

I'm mute. My vocal chords were damaged in an accident.

"Oh. Are you the one who goes to school for fashion or something?"

She nods.

"Cool."

You're his friend, right?

I blush. "Yeah."

She raises an eyebrow. I glare, but that doesn't stop her.

I have to go.

She starts to walk away, but turns back.

By the way, I was in the kitchen before you guys woke up, so I saw your... conversation.

"Oh, um..." I stammer.

She smirks and walks away, leaving me confused, flustered, and feeling very sick.

- 885 words (^-^)
Song: despair by leo.
- Madzzzzie_the_frog ✌︎('ω'✌︎ )