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Zenitsu rolls his eyes as he watches all the hashira arrive to the butterfly mansion. The three of them are a bit injured after their last mission (fortunately, Nezuko is fine, sleeping peacefully in her box) however, he knows exactly how this is going to play out.
"Talking about favoritism..." He mumbles to himself or that's what he thinks because Kocho is right behind him at the moment.
Tanjirou is talking with the little girls of the mansion; they're constantly all over him, especially when he's hurt, always bringing him food.
"What do you mean favoritism?" The insect hashira asks, with a smile on her face. Her voice is soft, but she sounds really amused. "My girls tend to all the demon slayers equally."
"I didn't say–I didn't mean anything by it!" He blushes, laughing nervously. Then, as if his mouth has life of its own, he blurts out. "I didn't mean them..."
"Do you think Pillars have favorites?" She says, pretending to look shocked. "That wouldn't be very professional of us, don't you think?"
She's really amused, so Zenitsu decides to bite his bottom lip in order to stop himself from talking.
"Are you alright, little darling?" Rengoku approaches Tanjirou with a worried expression on his face while the boy assures him he's completely fine.
There it is, the little darling thing again... Zenitsu doesn't remember exactly when it started but the first couple of times a hashira used that endearment on Tanjirou he blushed to the tip of his ears and turned into a flustered mess.
However, since most of the hashira use the term to talk to him (and only him) so often, he's finally gotten used to it.
"I think it was Tengen the one that came up with it," Kocho tells him, right before walking towards the rest of the Pillars, they all gathered around Tanjirou. "But most of us loved it!"
The thing that surprised Zenitsu the most was when he heard Tomioka call Tanjirou little darling (the hashira barely speaks but for some reason he likes to use the term even more than Tanjirou's own name). Although, he swears the first time he did, the water hashira was blushing.
Zenitsu rolls his eyes for the second time in the day when he sees Rengoku taking Tanjirou in his arms, Tomioka is already glaring at the flame hashira and Uzui is scolding him for not sharing with the rest.
"Are you hungry, little darling?" Kanroji asks, looking up at Tanjirou. "Let's get you something to eat!"
"There's no need, Kanroji-san! I'm fine!"
***
The other demon slayers have learned to treat Tanjirou with as much respect as the Pillars, because they all know what will happen if someone hurts the little darling.
"Please, don't cry, Tanjirou!" That's why Zenitsu is so nervous when he sees his friend kneeling in front of Inosuke and himself with tears in his eyes. "We're alright!"
"I'm so happy to see you again!" He keeps sobbing, loud enough to attract Tokito's attention. The mist hashira glares at them as soon as he notices the way Tanjirou's crying. He has a stone in his hand. One that he probably plans to use if he considers it necessary.
"What's going on, little darling?"
"We didn't do anything!" Zenitsu quickly says, prompting the Pillar to frown in his direction. Even Inosuke looks away from that dangerous expression.
The other hashira around have grown quite tense, they all are looking at them.
"I was just... worried about them," Tanjirou explains, he stops sobbing, but there are still tears in his eyes.
"Alright," Tokito wipes the tears away with his thumb, gently. "Let me know if you need anything though."
The other hashira relax suddenly and Zenitsu feels like he can breathe again.
And that's why nobody messes up with the little darling.
***
It's a rough day, Zenitsu can see Tanjirou is exhausted, but there's still one demon left; he convinced Tanjirou to send his crow for help, but he only agreed because they were other people around who could get hurt.
Then as Tanjirou reaches his limit and passes out, the demon takes him, Inosuke tries to get to them but it's too late...
Or that's what they think until two hashira arrive; Tomioka cuts one of the demon's hands and takes Tanjirou in his arms in a second.
"Make sure he's alright," Rengoku tells him.
"No need to tell me," Tomioka narrows his eyes at him, but kneels on the ground carefully.
"I'll take care of the rest," the flame hashira grins, eyes burning with anger as he turns his head to look at the demon. "I'll make it quick."
Zenitsu is too tired to move, but he gets to see the way Tomioka strokes Tanjirou's cheek softly.
"Wake up, little darling..."
When Tanjirou's eyes blink back open, the demon loses his head... Rengoku's attack is fast, but the remaining flames are still lightening his face.
The kakushi arrive to take care of the rest of them while the two Pillars are too busy patching Tanjirou up themselves.
"Sometimes I feel a little bit jealous of the little darling," a kakushi boy comments, giggling.
"I don't. The hashira are terrifying," a girl says and Zenitsu silently agrees with her.