"𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞" - 𝙺𝙽𝚈 𝚡 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚎!𝙾𝚌

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞

Tanjiro cradled his younger sister, disappointed in himself for not protecting her like Tsukumo would, yet with the situation he was unable to think clearly at the moment as he panicked. Yelling at his sister to shrink, he started looking back at the swordsmiths.

Tanjiro didn't think about or look at the villagers anymore as he chose to protect his sister instead, "Nezuko, shrink! Shrink!"

"Stop panicking Tanjiro, let me handle it." A soft voice spoke within Tanjiro's ear, the warm and comforting breath down his neck assured him that the voice was in fact real, and the young slayer knew exactly who it was.

"Eh-"

Tsukumo rushed forward towards the demon, huddling the villagers together like sheep before raising his hand and pushing them underneath a bright red dome, "Blood Demon Art: Sun Dome... Hinokami Kagura, Seventh Form: Beneficent Radiance!"

Using Tanjiro's blade, Tsukumo spirals into the air as if dancing before he reaches the demon below him. Tsukumo handles the blade gracefully, delivering a deadly slash down on the large torso of the demon.

Tsukumo's form wasn't perfect, as he had never wielded a blade before and rather used his demon art to burn the demon's head off. Yet, with the head being gone, Tsukumo wasn't sure how to use his blood demon art. Needless to say, the supposed horizontal slash ended up being lateral.

The demon slid into two parts, slipping off each other and turning to ash. The villagers in the demon marveled at Tsukumo's inability to burn in the sun. Tsukumo turned and looked sadly at Tanjiro and Nezuko, both of them hiding in the shade.

Tanjiro frowned, eyes widening at Tsukumo's invulnerability, "A-Aniki?"

Tsukumo looked up at Muichiro and Genya, he smiled, then he looked back at the villagers, "Are you guys alright? You aren't injured are you?"

Tsukumo lowered the dome, the walls shattering and soaking into the ground. The villagers wailed and wrapped their arms around Tsukumo's waist, "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Wahh! Thank goodness! I thought you were dead! Thank goodness, Nezuko! I'm so glad you're all right! Thank goodness!"

Tsukumo furrowed his brow and turned to see Nezuko running towards him, in the sunlight. His eyes widened in surprise, both of them... both of the demon siblings had conquered the sun? This was going to be a problem, Muzan would devour them, use their abilities and defeat the demon slayers.

Tsukumo wouldn't let his worry ruin the hopeful moment of winning the fight and not loosing too many lives. Not only that, but neither of the demons burned in the sun, constituting their humanity and relieving Tanjiro.

Nezuko, still tiny, ran to Tsukumo and jumped into his arms. Tsukumo giggled and held Nezuko close to his chest, just like he did when she was a baby and just like he did when they fought uppermoon 6. 

Tanjiro raced after her with the help of some villagers, also hugging Tsukumo's side, "Aniki!!! We won! We won! You tw-two, you're alright! Thank goodness you didn't turn to ash!"

Nezuko hummed, "Thank goodness!"

"Thanks, both of you, for saving us! We never would have forgiven ourselves if Nezuko or Tsukumo had perished."

Genya smiled softly, "Heh.. Good for you, Tanjiro... Nezuko!"

Tsukumo looks off to the side towards the forest, allowing the villagers to take an unconscious Tanjiro to the medic. Tsukumo gently sat Nezuko into his kimono like he always did, getting into a stance before rushing into the forest at great speeds.

Tsukumo runs to where he finds Mitsuri about to be eaten by the demon's wooden dragons. The demon grabs the hilt of Tanjiro's blade tightly, raising it above his head, grabbing Mitsuri and using another form of Hinokami Kagura inaccurately. 

"Hinokami Kagura, Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"

Shielding Mitsuri from the shards of the exploded wooden dragons, the demon slowly turns to ash before their eyes. Nezuko nuzzled deeper into Tsukumo's chest, listening intently to his battering heartbeat. 

Mitsuri gasped for a moment, looking up to see Tsukumo's skin glistening in the sunlight. his hair draped down his back and bangs tickling her face. His bright smile shining and lighting up the entire forest, as the sunlight peaked from the clouds and the overbrush, the girl began wailing.

"Wahhhh!!! Onii-Chan!" Mitsuri wrapped her arms around Tsukumo's neck, hugging him tightly, "You guys are so amazing, I'm so lucky to have you! You saved me!"

Tsukumo sighed comically, standing up with Mitsuri's arms still wrapped around him, "Ah, Mitsuri-Chan, you're squeezing me."

"EH! I'm sorry!~"

"Oh, I just realized. Should I be calling you Obanai-San now?"

"EHHHH?!?!?!?"

--- 

Tomioka looked down at Tsukumo, who was kneeling and had his head hung low in disappointment, "Tsukumo... you ran away without telling me. Even after that scandal Shinazugawa pulled earlier? Without even consolidating me or Rengoku?"

Tsukumo didn't want to look up, afraid that Tomioka's facial expression would strike a saddened nerve within his body. Tsukumo didn't mean to scare anyone, especially not Tomioka.

"I-I'm..."

"Don't." Tomioka cut the demon off, suddenly getting down on his knees as well and hugging Tsukumo, "Just because you're immune to the sun now doesn't mean you're entirely immortal... what if Muzan got you before anyone could save you?"

Tsukumo moved his head up, vision peering deep into Tomioka's oceanic eyes, "I will fight that battle on my own, I brought you all into this mess... it's only fair I die for you."

"You won't die."

Tsukumo frowned, "I'll die for you... if you promise to live for me."

"Tsukumo... please don't talk like that." Tomioka began tearing up, realizing that the final battle with Muzan was closer than ever before, "Please... don't leave me."

A small smile made it's way onto Tsukumo's rather saddened expression, "I will never leave you but dying for you is something I will always do. I will die for you, burn in hell for you, but I will never leave you. Giyuu, I'm begging you, please..."

Tsukumo lowered his face into Tomioka's neck, the hot breath spiking heat into Tomioka's face, "Live... I want you to live without the fear of demons, without anger or sadness, all I want for you is to feel love and happiness..."

"I can't feel anything without you, Tsukumo." Tomioka mentioned blatantly, "I want to feel everything with you. I want to live, for you, with you, and I want to feel everything with you. How can I do any of that if you die?"

Tsukumo smiles, his warm hands finding a way to Tomioka's hips, grasping them in a comfortable and passionate hold, "You are not incapable of emotions without me. Everything you've accomplished, Giyuu, was because of your own strength. Without me, you are the Water Hashira, one of the strongest Hashira. Without me, you are Tomioka Giyuu."

"Without you, Tsukumo, I am just me." Tomioka's fingers ran through Tsukumo's long hair, "What if I want more? I want more than just those titles, I want you."

"Then come and get me, baby." Tsukumo smiled confidently, "I'm all yours."

"You're mine?" 

Tsukumo nods, his warm hands trailing up Tomioka's clothes and up through his uniforms shirt, "I'm yours."