Hellooooo! I'm always so happy to read the reviews. I must admit that you people always manage to make me smile with each word you write and I feel so happy about it. Thank you very much, really those words mean a lot to me. I thank the favorites and followings too, I love every time I get a notification! Knowing you follow and love my work is incredible. :)

I'm so busy at the moment, I'm so sorry, that's why I cannot write with the frequency I want but I had a lot of ideas about this fic, this ship and this love.

So, I repeat, I really love your reviews, favorites and followings. I'm completely happy to know you re-read the fic waiting for another chapter and catch the essence I want to express. I will be slow posting but I will post.

Really thank you, love to you all. This is a mini-chapter, but I hope you enjoy it.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

CHAPTER 3.5 : THE GUTS.

Inosuke, Tanjirou and Zenitsu had made a deal. After they would accomplish a mission or when they managed some free time or just needed to rest, they will reunite at the Butterfly state. It was something they started casually and with the years it became a must. Aside from being taken there by the Kakushi (they couldn't help it if they couldn't move) thanks to some lethal injury; in normal circumstances (no lethal injury), they always somehow would manage to reunite in their way and walk together to the place, exchanging stories about their fights and new techniques learned.

They always arrived at the same scenery. The little girls Naho, Kiyo and Sumi would welcome them happily with hugs, smiles and attention. Then, after fighting with Inosuke a little and like usual, Aoi Kanzaki would tell them to follow her to get themselves checked for injuries and treatments. After that, Kanao (that for some reason...ahem...Zenitsu swears Tanjirou and Kanao write each other about when will they visit the state so she can be there too) would appear with some energized tea and would talk to them abut her missions, while sharing some meaningful smiles and stares with Tanjirou (making Zenitsu roll his eyes). And then, finally, Nezuko would run towards them smiling and hugging them making the heart of the sarcastic blonde explode. After that, they would eat delicious food, sleep and stay for some days with the girls before going back to missions.

It was a great calming routine and they were satisfied with it.

But this time things changed. When they arrived eager to relax and have a good time there weren't hugs, nor smiles neither attention. No "welcome backs" either. No girls at the door. No noises, no movement. Nothing. That sent alerts to their senses.

"What is it? I smell something odd?"

"Yeah, there's something not right"

"I hear them at the back"

Stranged and kind of worried, they walked inside the silent huge house. Their senses guided them as their feet took them with quick steps to the back, where the laundry was set and where they always trained after treatments. But the scene they saw in the middle of the big yard made them stop their feet and wide their eyes. At a side, near the recently set clean clothes, the little girls were frozen too, watching with a stunned Kanao and a clueless Nezuko and some other injured demon hunters an interesting development.

A guy (demon hunter injured) was grabbing the hands of a surprised and clearly unprepared Kanzaki Aoi, and he was blushing like a tomato.

"I LOVE YOU AOI-SAN!". He yelled. "PLEASE BE MY LOVER, I PROMISE I WILL TREAT YOU WELL!"

The silence filled the day, not even the birds were chirping due to the shock the recently yelled proposal had caused and the expressions of the spectators were priceless. Wide eyes, stiff like rocks and some of them even forgot how to breathe. Aoi was pale and looked like her soul was leaving her body due to the surprise and shock. It was like time had stopped. But it didn't last long when the sound of a throaty growl came and a killing intent alerted the bodies of those who expertly risk their lives on the battlefield.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?"

Aoi snapped from her shock and turned her head at the direction the voice had come. Inosuke, vein-popping in his forehead, mask hanging in his back and with the shining green eyes of a demon ready to kill was glaring at the situation. And she gulped (and blushed). She couldn´t blame him though.

They were lovers, a couple. Well, she was still surprised how much she cared for the innocent (not so innocent) idiot and he slowly understood that the "howa-howa" and the other things he felt when she was around him were feelings. Their quarrels, their touchy fights, the way she treated him, the way he complimented her, the way they knew how the other will react, the way he obsessively protected her and the way she patiently took care of him made both of them realize that something was starting in their hearts. They came undone one full moon night when she watched him look at the sky silently in the garden. She remembered how she clumsily had sat beside him to look at the big white balloon with him. How stupid she had felt when her heart had jumped to her throat when he said something about his night at the mountains. She remembered how he awkwardly had turned to her face and close the space between them. She smiled remembering their first kiss had been sweet, awkward but deep. Since that day and since those shared (unspoken) feelings, kisses and caresses they were glued to each other.

They already had passed the stage of the "first times" too. The first time they made love it had been so passionate, rough and incredibly sweet she always trembled remembering it. How his hands had felt over her hot skin, how his lips had grazed all her body, how his teeth nipped her skin, how his tongue tasted her. She always felt the urge to feel him dominating her over and over again. Every time she saw him entering that door smiling and shouting he had come back alive she had the desperate need to jump to him and kiss him till he couldn't breathe. Not that she had never done it but well, most of the time, she reserved her eagerness for their alone time in her room when they were desperate to feel each other. Her eyes softened at the sight of his angered eyes. They were in a relationship they both slowly had built with time and understanding, even if their stubbornness was difficult to overcome. His possessiveness too.

And his constants "being on the verge of death".

She had promised herself she will always, no matter how difficult, will save his life.

"THE FUCK DID YOU SAID DIPSHIT!?"

He growled loudly again as Aoi blinked at him, mesmerized by his wildness and jealousy. Tanjirou and Zenitsu tried to calm him down, blushing a little at the love eyes the blue-haired girl was making in their direction.

"C-Calm down Inosuke! He doesn't know anything" Said Tanjirou trying to calm his friend down using the reason as his hand grabbed the arm of the angry guy.

"Yeah pig-head! It's clear Aoi-chan still is in shock!" Zenitsu said and gulped fearing the worst and blocking the way of his friend by standing in front of him.

But Inosuke wasn't listening as he pointed so angry at the unknown weakling, noticing, but deciding he will do something about it later, Aoi's love eyes that were shouting to him "welcome back I love you".

"OI AOI! WHY THE FUCK HE STILL IS HOLDING YOUR HANDS!?".

Realizing the mistake, she threw her hands in the air at sound speed successfully letting go of the guy's grip. Stepping backwards, she blushed mad and mumbled an "I'm sorry", not sure if it was to Inosuke or to the guy who was in front of her, who was visibly shocked at her reaction. She realized she must have broken his heart.

He heard her apology. Sighing and narrowing his eyes at the recently arrived he scratched the back of his head. "Of course I know you are in love with that pig monster", he said (hearing the "HEY" in the back and ignoring it). "That "monster trio" is kind of famous, you know", he shrugged pointing at them with his thumb. Arching his eyebrows, they stopped the efforts to calm Inosuke (even the beast breath user was surprised enough to stop his struggle) and turned dumbfounded at the unknown guy.

"Between us demon hunters it's a hot topic the relationships that the cute girls of the butterfly state establish with the monster demon hunters".

At that, once again everyone froze in place astonished. A pair of panicked bright blue eyes followed the wild green wide eyes as they processed the words. Hot topic? Some eyes followed the guilty ones. A blushed and kind of nervous Tanjirou (losing his ability to form a word) looked subtly at an utterly displeased and wanting-to-dig-a-hole-and-die Kanao. He turned to his blonde friend as he gulped. "Di- Did you ever hear something like that?". An equally disturbed Zenitsu looked with the corner of his eyes at a surprised clueless Nezuko and shook his head "Never in life".

"BUT" the yell of the guy startled everyone "I'm sure that I can captivate you Aoi-san".

A click, a gear turn and someone reacted.

"THE GUTS YOU HAD GARBAGE!"

"And win over you!"

"YOU REALLY WANT TO DIE SON OF A B-"

"WHAT!? Sorry but I-" Aoi frowned a little still surprised but the irritation was showing in her features.

"Besides" the guy, whom to all the presents had a really powerful desire to die, pointed at a furious Inosuke (who was trembling with anger) and winked at Aoi "you need romance not savagery". He said that as if it was an obvious truth and like it was clear that Inosuke was giving her a bad time or a hellish life. "I bet I can be a better lover".

"THAT'S IIIIIT!"

Inosuke, who for some miracle till that moment had stood there without moving, charged. He was stopped neither by Tanjirou nor by Zenitsu because they were as annoyed as him. Inhaling deeply he shouted "PIG ASSAULT!" and rammed the guy hard in the chest, sending him against the nearest tree. Towering and frowning at him, he exhaled his breath.

"Bastard...I'm warning you..." He deathly glared the poor guy who was trying to recover from the big blow and then went to where Aoi was standing watching shocked at the scene and kind of happy (not that she would ever admit that) and without words or shouts, he pulled her by her hand. "Come with me"

"He- he is injured Inosuke"

"He is fine if he dared to make a move on you"

Blushing and smiling slightly, her heart throbbed as she let him take her to wherever Inosuke was thinking, but she was kind of wanting to go to her room to make out with him (another thing she would never admit out loud). Blushing more she hugged him from the back making him stop his tracks and look at her over his shoulder as she whispered the "I love you" that always melted him. The audience came out from their trances as some fellow demon hunters went to help the recently hit guy. The little girls sighed and turned to the guys welcoming them. Kanao embarrassed ran to Tanjirou arms wanting to hide as he giggled nervously at her sudden affection and glared at all the eyes that were over them. Nezuko giggled as she stood beside Zenitsu who sighed and patted her head affectionately and she blushed.

But then everyone froze again when they heard the sung but confident whine "I'm not going to give up Aoiiiiiiii-san!"

"THE FUUUUUCK!"

This time, Tanjirou and Zenitsu did move to prevent the worst.