Cool saltwater drips from Tanjirou's curling hair as he sweeps it back with his hand.

He sticks his light green surfboard in the sand as he scans the entrance of the beach, waiting for Inosuke to arrive at the budding party. The sun has just about set, and almost everyone has shown up beside the ravenette.

Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and the redhead's younger sister Nezuko had set up a personal spot around the rest of their friends.

Nezuko is a year below the best friends, and she's constantly hanging around them though neither one of them mind. She and Tanjirou have matching tan freckled skin, but that's where most of the resemblance stops. Unlike him, she has long wavy brown hair that fades to vibrant orange tips and big light pink eyes that always have an innocent brightness behind them.

Zenitsu tosses a water bottle in his direction, and he catches it out of mid-air with a light chuckle. He graciously unscrews the cap and takes a greedy sip. Unfortunately, they were still in the midst of the heatwave, and Tanjirou wants to keep himself out of the emergency room.

He's despised its existence since his dad's sudden passing a few years prior.

One second they were talking with his father sitting up in the bed perfectly fine until he just . . . wasn't.

The only things Tanjirou has left of his father are hazy yet vivid memories and a pair of dangly hanafuda earrings he refuses ever to take off. They keep him grounded in the present moment because you never actually know what's going to happen in your next few minutes.

"So, where's the buffoon that makes you feel things?" The blonde asks from his spot, laying on a beach towel laid out by their personal cooler.

Tanjirou instantly sputters, choking on his water as a dark flush rises to his exposed skin. "He doesn't make me feel things!"

The surfer's blush only intensifies more as his friend's incredulous laughter violates his ears.

Even Nezuko, who's sitting on the towel next to Zenitsu, joins the laughing with her tiny giggles.

Sure, Inosuke increases his heart rate and makes his cheeks feel like someone lit them on fire, but he doesn't make him feel things.

Okay, maybe he makes him feel something.

"You say that like your whole body didn't shut down when he came at us like an animal," Zenitsu laughs again, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "Who knew your type was feral."

Tanjirou sputters face burning hotter as he scrambles to come up with a retaliating remark. Nothing comes to mind quick enough, so he throws the water bottle back at his friend, and it hits the blonde in the face. He almost doesn't feel bad as he walks a bit away to his bag.

The redhead grabs a couple of black hair clips to pull the longer pieces of his bangs back before standing up and catching sight of Inosuke, where the sand starts after the pavement.

The wild boy stands still for a moment before he barrels at Tanjirou like a wild boar. He doesn't notice how the other man isn't slowing down; all he can focus on is how pretty the sun looks reflected in his light eyes. The redhead feels a toothy smile stretch across his lips as Inosuke gets closer before proceeding to headbutt him in the stomach.

The wind is knocked out of Tanjirou as his world tips, and he groans, falling back onto the sand, Inosuke standing over him victorious.

"I've been practicing to take you down, Kentaro!" The ravenette cackles, hands proudly balled into fists, and the sight dulls the ache in Tanjirou's abdomen.

The sand sticks to his wet skin unpleasantly, but he can't bring himself to care as he pushes himself back into a standing position.

"Inosuke, you made it." Tanjirou's smile only stretches further, and Insouke grins back even wider too.

They stare at each other like that for a few more moments, unsure what to say but content. Tanjirou's never felt like this with someone who makes him so uncharacteristically nervous before.

His heart is beating frantically as it rises up his throat and the pink dusting on his cheeks isn't a sunburn from surfing all day. He doesn't know what to do with his hands, and he feels nervous but excited. Like this is something he's been waiting his whole life to feel.

A reddish tone blossoms on Insouke's pale face the longer they stare at each other, and it twists almost pleasant knots in the surfer's stomach.

"So, what the hell are you supposed to do at something like this?" Inosuke tears his eyes away from Tanjirou as he looks around, fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

There's a good gathering of people in their own little groups, but everyone is still mingled together. In the center of it all, there are a few large blue and white coolers containing various kinds of alcohol their older friends graciously provided. There are also towels and surfboards spread out everywhere and lanterns hanging off of umbrellas giving the area a pleasant relaxed glowy atmosphere as the sunlight disappears.

"You basically just spend time with people and enjoy their company." Inosuke doesn't seem to understand entirely but doesn't ask again. "And there's drinks in those over there, and I brought an extra towel for you we can lay out next to mine."

Without another word, the ravenette strides over to the cooler and pulls out a white claw. He cracks it open and tips his head back as he proceeds to chug the whole can.

Tanjirou's mouth falls open as he watches in disbelief. The only person he's seen do that at their beach parties is Genya.

Once Inosuke finishes it, he throws it back into the cooler and grabs two more cans walking back over to the redhead drinking one—slowly this time. He thrusts the unopened one at Tanjirou with an animalistic grin and something undecipherable in his eyes.

Tanjirou chuckles and accepts the offering, opening it and taking a sip. A warm feeling flows down his throat to his tummy and spreads through the rest of his limbs.

It tastes like cherries, and he smiles.

.oOo.

Tanjirou has never been much of a drinker, so he feels the effects on his body after two drinks. He feels floaty and happy and warm, even as the bitter ocean air washes over him.

It's nearing 11:00 PM, and the parties only picked up from where it's started.

Someone made a beer pong table out of sand (probably Shinobu; she likes to encourage competitive behavior), and Inosuke and Zenitsu have been going at it for six games solo style. How either of them are still standing, Tanjirou doesn't know.

Bets have been placed on who will tap out first, and even Tanjirou put five dollars down on Zenitsu.

The redhead stands close to Inosuke as he cackles after sinking a ball in Zenitsu's last drink. The blonde whines and downs whatever's in the cup before falling to the ground.

"You win, you absolute savage, I can't drink another drop," his words are slurred, and Nezoku picks him up off the ground and brings him over to his towel.

Tanjirou can't help but laugh loudly as Inosuke turns to face him, face flushed and eyes filled with a wildness as he obviously waits for something.

"Good job, Inosuke. I'm proud of you," Tanjirou drunkenly giggles as he realizes it was praise.

The wild man's green eyes brighten under the light of the lanterns, and Tanjirou swears he sees his cheeks darken, but he pushes the thought away.

"The great Inosuke needs to get you another drink!" He rushes off and comes back with another white can he shoves into the redhead's chest.

He thinks his previous drinks are hitting him again because he feels lighter than before as he takes in Inosuke's features.

Everything about the boy's body is jagged and harsh until it comes to his face, and he wants to feel it all, but nothing as much as he wants to feel the soft curve of his jaw and cheekbones under his rough fingertips. His body is a complete juxtaposition that has Tanjirou completely entranced.

Without really thinking, Tanjirou opens the can and drinks it even when he probably shouldn't. He already feels drunk enough off of Inosuke looking at him with that smile, and they only just met.

It makes his head spin how someone he just met and someone so different from him with almost no social cues drives him into a complete frenzy of new emotions.

None of his past fleeting crushes have ever been this intense or made him feel like a raging wildfire.

Maybe he's never had a real crush before, after all, because this is all new and confusing and makes him feel high like that one time in middle school he and Zenitsu stole one of the blonde's Gramps' joints.

"I'm glad we met," Tanjirou says it before he realizes it; he feels like his words are moving without control. "I really like you."

Inosuke's laugh booms across the beach and echos against the night, "Of course you like me. I'm the great Inosuke, after all. But I like you too, Senjirou!"

"It's Tanjirou."

Tanjirou feels warm again, but it's not the alcohol.

.oOo.

When it nears 12:00 PM, and a few people have left, Tanjirou hears a feminine voice call for a patented game of truth or dare to end the night.

The bitter air grew colder as the night progressed, so he opted to pull on a sweatshirt even though he usually ran hot. He drags his towel over to a forming circle and takes the spot between Inosuke and Nezuko.

Across from him, Shinobu grins dangerously, a playful glint in her purple eyes. "All right, we all know the rules; now be nice."

She places a used beer bottle in the circle's center, where the sand is patted down, and spins the bottle. It turns so fast no one's quite sure where it'll land until it starts slowing down and stops on a very much frightened blonde.

"Oh, Zenitsu~," Shinobu sings his voice, and the blonde gulps. "Truth or dare."

He seems to consider for a moment, and Tanjirou would almost feel bad for him if he hadn't made fun of him earlier. Shinobu is always brutal in both her truths and dares.

"Truth!" He closes his eyes tightly. "Please be nice to my weak soul."

She chuckles and taps her index finger against her chin as she clicks her tongue. "Hm, if you had to kiss anyone here besides Nezuko, who would it be?"

Zenitsu's eyes pop open so wide Tanjirou is scared they'll fall out of their sockets, and the imagine sends an unpleasant shiver up his spine.

The blonde stutters at an utter loss for words as he stares at the grinning woman. "You evil woman! The only person I would kiss other than Nezuko is our children!"

His screech makes Tanjirou's ears ring, and Nezuko laughs lightly beside him, a pink dusting on her cheeks he decides to pointedly ignore.

Shinobu holds her hands up, seemingly satisfied as Zenitsu huffs, spinning the bottle.

It moves with lightning speed until it lands on Inosuke, who shouts, "DARE!"

"I HAVE TO ASK YOU, YOU MORON!" The blonde screeches as he glares at Inosuke, who's sporting his now-signature toothy smirk.

Tanjirou giggles again, pulling his hood up and tugging on the strings to hide his darkening cheeks and the look of content familiarity etched into his features. This is only his second encounter with the foreigner, and he already feels like he's integrated with his friends so easily―abnormally easily.

Eventually, Zenitsu settles again and speaks up with his dare, "Strip naked and jump into the ocean."

"Easy!" The ravenette yells, already standing, clothes flying everywhere; his boxers land on Tanjirou's head, and he thinks he short circuits.

There's loud hollering from the group as his pale form runs at the lapping ocean, and Tanjirou has to admit he looks good.

Good enough to drool over.

But he won't let his mind go there, not when he's surrounded by all his friends who can read him like a simple trivia card. So instead, he looks around and notices Shinobu's unwavering predatory eyes trained on his form. His body tenses, and he feels a cold sweat run through him.

Having Shinobu stare at you like that during a party (especially truth or dare) only meant one thing. She knew who you were crushing on, and she was going to get you either one step closer to being with them or embarrassing you for all of eternity.

In short, he was fucked.

Tanjirou is so locked into his staring contest with Shinobu he doesn't notice Inosuke return until his boxers are plucked off his head. He looks up in time to see the ravenette snap the waistband over his hips and the redhead swallows hard.

Inosuke only bothers pulling his shorts back up over his wet, glistening skin before spinning the bottle so harshly it almost jumps at him. Though soon, it settles and lands on the last person Tanjirou desired it to; Shinobu.

Her unsafe gaze wavers from him as she focuses on Inosuke, who's too new to understand the subtle expressions hidden behind her facade.

Inosuke rubs his hands together, and Tanjirou wishes he didn't focus on how the subtle veins running from his knuckles to his arms become prominent with each movement, especially in front of Shinobu. He feels a coil in his stomach tighten as an unfamiliar heat runs down his thighs, and he bites his lip, looking down at his fists resting in his lap.

He needed to get a hold of himself, and he needed to do it now.

"Truth or dare, butterfly clip?"

She hums and taps her chin again. "Give me a dare."

Inosuke smirks with a breathy huff, "Arm wrestle me."

Shinobu's eyes brighten at the challenge as she leans down, holding up her hand. Inosuke moves into the same position, and their palms colliding provide a loud smack.

Their eyes lock in intense competition, and neither of them has to count down before the struggling begins. Shinobu's arm is tense but pin straight while Inosuke's is shaking, the tendons bulging. Finally, she starts pushing his arm down, and his eyes widen in the realization that he's going to lose.

Shinobu is one of the strongest people in their friend group, and she can easily take each of them on without trouble. So her taking on Inosuke would barely put a dent in her strength. And that only becomes more obvious when she presses the back of his hand to the sand.

She sits up victorious, and Inosuke's expression is nothing less than amazed from where he's stuck in his position. Tanjirou grabs his bicep and pulls him back into his spot, holding back the laugh forming in his chest.

Then Shinobu's eyes are on Tanjirou again, and her smile drips a sickly sweet poisen as she reaches for the bottle. Sometimes he swears she's a witch because out of everyone in the circle, the neck of the bottle points to him when it settles.

He feels cornered.

Vulnerable.

Tanjirou swallows thickly, but it gets caught on something ugly lodged in his throat as the sweet poison wraps around his head and squeezes. He wants to run, hide even, but he's stuck in his kneeling position in front of her.

"Truth or dare, Tanjirou?" There's a dark edge to her light tone, and he's walking right on the line, teetering dangerously.

He wants to speak, but no words pass his lips.

Why can't he talk?

Oh, that's right, he doesn't want all his friends to know he's crushing on someone he met this week.

He doesn't want to be embarrassed.

Why is this such a big deal right now?

Maybe because he's drunk.

He wants to throw up.

"Times up to decide you automatically have to do a dare." Tanjirou's eyes widen as he's pulled back into his body and away from his thoughts; he forgot about the 30-second rule. "I dare you to kiss Inosuke."

That something ugly in his throat plummets to the pit of his stomach, and he turns to face the wild boy next to him, who wears an expression of embarrassed confusion.

Fuck.