Welcome Home, My Sun (GenTan KNY Short)

Welcome Home

Part 2 and the comfort. Welcome home, Tanjiro.

This is the song Carrovity used for their video, the inspiration for this.

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Moments after everything had gone black, Tanjiro wakes in a soft patch of flowers. He isn't in pain and it's bright, like noon on a sunny summer day.

It's warm. Not an overwhelming warmth, but almost like a kind hug from a mother or possibly the feeling of a lover you haven't seen in weeks, the kind of warmth that reminds you that everything is just fine, that you are safe.

"Huh? Where- where am I? Wasn't I just with Giyuu?" He quietly murmurs to himself.

He sits up and glances around. It seems peaceful, nothing like what he's used to. He shields his eyes from the bright sunlight. His ears are filled with the joyful call of birds above him. One in particular lands next to him and tilts its head. It's a beautiful Asian Emerald Dove, quietly walking around him.

It coos and flies away and lands on a branch nearby. It looks at him again, hopping slightly as if to urge him to follow, so he slowly stands and follows.

His body feels light and healthy, as if he'd never suffered a day in his life. He feels whole again, as if he'd never witnessed and experienced what he had for those past few years.

He glances down at his hands as he pauses for a moment, ignoring the bird singing to him to realise his hands are no longer calloused. He still dons the Slayer Corps uniform and his haori, but they are no longer tattered and bloody. He also no longer has his sword by his side.

He looks up and then continues to follow the dove, its iridescent wings giving off a gentle shine, making it easy to spot no matter where it flies. They walk for a while and they reach a path. The bird pauses and coos, looking down the path, as if indicating that Tanjiro should continue on alone.

Tanjiro does, looking around as he walks. Not far along, he hears the trickling of a nearby stream up ahead, so he continues forwards, eyes wandering. He walks in silence, taking in everything around him, the sounds, the calm, the beautiful trees and flowers.

"What is this place? Why is it... so calm?" He questions, not thinking as he turns around and walks backwards for a moment.

He suddenly is stopped by something, no, someone, who he bumps into. He can hear the person's breathing and heart rate spike as they let out a sputtering, confused noise.

"I'm so so sorry!" He nearly shouts as he jumps away and turns.

"Tan... jiro...?" A familiar voice questions, hesitant and shocked, before that person lights up and rushes towards Tanjiro, enveloping him in a secure hug.

Tanjiro's eyes widen immediately.

"Genya...? You're here too...?"

"A lot of us are! I just... had hoped you wouldn't join us so soon..." Genya's voice cracks, but he seems so happy at the same time.

Tanjiro doesn't even want to bother questioning where they are anymore as tears fill his eyes and spill over, happy tears.

"Did you do it, Tan...? Like I said you would?"

"Yes, I did. There were so few of us left but, WE did it. I was ready to rest..." Tanjiro chokes out, voice muffled as he begins to sob, hiding his face in Genya's yukata, wrapping his arms around him as well and gripping the back of Genya's clothes tightly.

"I know you did. We all believed you. I missed you though..." Genya scoffs a little at the last sentence, but smiles at the person he loves so much finally back in his arms.

"I missed- I missed you too, Genya. I missed you too," Tanjiro sobs out, his body trembling. "I was worried I'd never see you again."

"You don't need to be worried anymore. I'm right here. Everyone else will join us eventually too. We don't have to worry about fighting anymore. We can be happy. You and I have each other again now."

If someone had told Genya he'd be standing, holding his love in his arms, both of them crying, reassuring the other this gently, a couple years prior, he'd tell them they're spouting bullshit, but it's all he can do now, all he wants to do right now.

"Come on, Tan, we should go see the others. I think there's some people who would be happy to see you again, though we'll take some time to ourselves," Genya suggests, slowly pulling away.

He offers out his hand, a gentle smile donning his face, which Tanjiro returns with a bright, joyful one while accepting Genya's hand and walking with him to find the others Tanjiro had lost along the way.

Though he'd never say it out loud, a thought crosses Genya's mind, 'My sun is back, and I couldn't be more happy.' And if Tanjiro knew this, he'd be lying to say that he isn't thinking the same thing.

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That's all there is, but I enjoyed writing it.

Edit: Just kidding, I'm continuing in a completely separate story. Welcome Home, Our Friend. It's more on other characters, but will absolutely include GenTan throughout the story. First chapter is out, go wild!