𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒 ➪ 𝖨𝗇𝗈𝖳𝖺𝗇𝖹𝖾𝗇.

𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪

𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙖𝙪

Third Person Pov:

"Tanjiro! Tanjiro!" A voice called out, making the burgundy-haired male stop his movements in the sand and peak up from the water hesitantly.

His eyes were suddenly caught onto a raven-haired boy running towards him, his hands waving excitedly above his head. Seeing this, Tanjiro smiled, relaxing once more, and swam closer to the shoreline to greet his friend.

"Tanjiro, I'm happy to see you!" Inosuke said, taking his socks and shoes off and pulling the younger into a hug.

"Hi, Inosuke!" Tanjiro greeted, a warm sensation spreading through him as he excepted the raven's hug. Tanjiro should have been used to this by now, seeing as he and Inosuke have been friends since they were little kids but the boy just couldn't help but be forever happy and grateful for meeting the raven. Even if it wasn't intentional. "You seem in a good mood! What's got you all excited today?" The burgundy-haired boy asked, flapping his tail as he waited patiently for Inosuke to answer.

"I bought—" Inosuke started but stopped and suddenly realizing something, he turned away bashfully. "It's— it's kinda weird..."

Tanjiro furrowed his brows in thought, he'd never seen Inosuke so— shy. He was so used to seeing the older all full of energy.

"H-Help! Mama, Papa!" A burgundy-haired child cried out, struggling to free his tail out of the fishing net his parents called a 'death trap.' "Please don't l-leave me!"

Not far over, a young boy and his mother sat fishing peacefully when they heard the sound of a tiny voice crying out.

"Ma, they need help!" The raven said, pointing over in the direction all the noise was coming from. "We've got to go help them, Ma!"

"Inosuke... we don't even know what that is." His mother sighed, making her son scowl in response. "And the sun is setting. It's going to be dark out any minute now."

"You always told me to help others and now I want to. That's someone in trouble, needing help and I want to help them." Inosuke said, grabbing one of the oars and trying to row them toward the crying boy. He wasn't moving them much until his mom sighed once more and started rowing along with him.

As they got closer and closer, the two realized it was a little boy... with a tail caught in a fishing net.

"Inosuke...."

At the sudden voice, the boy whipped around, his eyes holding fear in them as he realized what they were.

"D-Don't hurt me! G-Go away! I don't want to be e-eaten!" The boy cried out once more, crying and shaking as the bigger of the two hauled him suddenly out of the water. "I-If you're going t-to eat me at least kill me first..." The boy whispered, closing his eyes and covering his eyes.

"Idiot!" Yelled the raven-haired boy. "Why would we eat you? You're just like me! Why would I eat myself?!"

"Inosuke, don't be so harsh." The older lady scolded, gently removing the knots out of the fishing net and sliding it off his tail. She watched with great fascination as the young boy wiggled his gold tail with a smile.  "Now, are you alright, darling? Do you need help with anything else?"

"Um.. no but thank you, miss!" Tanjiro flopped back into the water, swimming around a bit before popping his head out once more. "My name is Tanjiro! I live down there!" He excitedly pointed a finger down into the water.

"Nice to meet you, Kanjiro! My name is Inosuke Hashibira!" Inosuke introduced, the biggest smile on his face as Tanjiro beamed up at him. "

"My name is Kotoha and it's a pleasure to meet you dear. We live not too far from the shore if you ever want to come and visit." Kotoha said, watching as her son gave Tanjiro a pat on the head.

"We should be friends!" Inosuke blurted. "'Cause I'm cool and you're cool too!"

"Really?! You wanna be my friend?!" Tanjiro asked, his tail flapping excitedly at rapid speeds behind him. Until suddenly it stopped, and Tanjiro's smile fell off his face. "Where I live... not many people want to be my friend because of the scar on my head. They call it ugly."

Tanjiro reached a hand up to push his burgundy locks out of the way, revealing a fire-like mark on his head. It was a beautiful shade of red that curled in at the ends. How could anyone ever find such a thing ugly?

"Well, those people are just stupid then! That mark looks cool and you're officially my friend starting today!"

"If you'd like, later on, you could bring your family over and hang out with us, Tanjiro," Kotoha suggested. "You and your friend can get to know each other."

"We're not just friends, Mom, BEST FRIENDS!"

"Okay, darling. Whatever you say."

"Just— just promise me you won't laugh at it. I thought I'd look nice on you." Inosuke said.

"I pinky promise I won't laugh!" Tanjiro held up a pinky and smiled when Inosuke interlocked it with his own.

"Here," The raven pushed his hand out to reveal a beautiful necklace and matching bracelets to go with it. "I just thought... since you're finally going to be able to come out of the water with me and it's your birthday, that you deserve something special!"

"Inosuke..." Tanjiro gasped, taking the bracelet and necklace gently, almost afraid he'd break it, and tackled Inosuke into the water.

"Hey! Now I'm all wet!" Inosuke laughed, a warm feeling in his stomach as he hugged the younger back. "Now turn around and let me put it on for you. Now everyone will know we're the best of friends. Unless they're blind and can't read the bracelet."

"Thank you, Inosuke. I can't wait to spend the day above ground with you!"

"Just you wait, Tanjiro! You can't possibly be worse than a toddler at walking!"

"Oh my god! Tanjiro you're worse than I thought!"

"Stop laughing at me and help me up! There's something hurting my leg!" Tanjiro whined, his legs shaking terribly as he struggled to haul himself up.

"I should get Mom out here, maybe have her get the camera too." Inosuke snorted, looping grabbing Tanjiro's hands with his own to support him.

"No! This is so embarrassing! How do you people use these things?! and why are these cloth things covering them?!" Tanjiro huffed after making the both of them tumble for the nth time. "All this stuff covering my body is weird. You guys should try not wearing them for a change."

"You'd rather walk around naked? Idiot, we could get in trouble for doing that up here. And what you're wearing is normal human clothes."

"I'm just going to carry you to the house." Inosuke declared, hiking Tanjiro onto his back and grabbing the shoes he left behind. "By the time you get there on those terrible legs of yours, it'll be a new year."

Tanjiro just huffed quietly, mumbling some things about his legs and hitting Inosuke upside the head. "Stupid, meat bag."

Inosuke decided not to let Tanjiro know he could hear him and instead replied, "Happy 18th birthday, baby legs."

A/N— I hope you liked this one-shot Simping_1 I'm sorry if it wasn't what you exactly wanted! I just started it and went from there with it! If you'd like me to redo it or request something else instead please let me know!