𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 | 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐲

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

   𝐘/𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. Thanks to their parents and the friendship they had, they were able to become close friends. She spent almost every day at their house, helping cook dinner, or traveling down the mountain side with Tanjiro and his father to sell coal. She was able to watch his siblings grow up and become like a big sister to them. Then, after a long day of helping around and playing, she'd go back to the arms of mother and father.

   It was a routine: wake up, get washed up and dressed, eat breakfast, visit tanjiro, go home, sleep. She loved the routine. However, it came to a halt when she decided to sleep over Tanjiro's house that night. She was only five years old.

   That morning, Tanjiro's father offered to walk her back home, "say goodbye now!" He said, calling over Tanjiro and his siblings. The youngest ones gave her a hug and ran off to play.

   Tanjiro then gave her a hug but pouted, "can I walk her home with you, dad?"

   "No, son. Maybe next time, but you have to help your mother prepare breakfast."

   The boy sighed but agreed, "okay... Well, bye Y/n!"

   She hugged him one more time before waving, "bye bye.." She didn't really want to go, but the events that'd take place just about ten minutes from them made her wish she never left.

   The two walked down the path, talking idly about the forest and what cute animals they'd see hopping around. It wasn't a long walk and it was one Y/n had made many times so it didn't take long for them to get there. She smiled and thanked Tanjiros father for walking her home and skipped up the steps. That's weird... She thought as she noticed the sliding door wide open. Her face went pale and her heart dropped at the sight. Her mother laid there with faded eyes, her father on top of her who seemed to have died trying to protect her. There was blood everywhere. She stumbled back and started to scream.

   Luckily, Tanjiros father didn't get too far and heard the little girl scream. He ran back to the estate and saw the girl, "what's wrong, Y/n?! What is i-..." He saw it too. It wasn't just a nightmare. He picked the girl up quickly, holding her head into his chest so she couldn't look. He stared at the scene, trying to focus and think of what his next step should be. Tanjiro. He ran back home, trying to soothe the girl, "shh... shh... it's okay... it's going to be okay..." He wished he was better at this, but how would you ever be prepared to comfort a five year old who just saw her parents' murder?

   With his sprinting, he made it back to his home fast and he searched for his wife in the kitchen. "Kie..."

   "What's wrong?" She saw the panic in his face and the sobbing girl, "what happened?"

   "Her parents..."

   She covered her mouth with her hand, "oh my... oh, Y/n..." She reached her arms out to hold the girl, "it's going to be okay, my dear... you'll stay with us... it's okay..."

   Tanjiro had been seated on the floor, peeling potatoes, when he heard the commotion, "dad..? What's happening? Why's Y/n back?"

   His father kneeled and put both of his hands on the boy's shoulders, "listen, Tanjiro. Y/n... she won't be going back home. She's going to be sad for quite some time, so I need you to be there for her, okay?"

   He nodded, but was still confused, "dad, what happened?"

   "Her... her parents died. She found them. Tanjiro, please don't talk about it to her unless she does first. Okay? We don't want to make her sad, right?"

   "Right," he nodded, frowning as he looked at the girl in his mother's arms.

   Through broken sobs, Y/n looked at Tanjiro, "I-I want Tanjiro, please..."

   The woman nodded, putting her down, "of course, dear."

   Without missing a beat, Tanjiro's arms wrapped around the girl, "I'm here, Y/n. I'm here.." He led her to his futon and sat down with her, letting her cling onto him. His hands ran down her back as she let out her unrelenting tears.

   After what seemed like hours of crying, she looked up at the boy, "Tanjiro... promise you won't ever leave me too?"

   "I promise, Y/n. I will always be by your side," he wiped her tears and hugged her, "I promise."

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𝐢 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞

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