~BRAVE~ (Tanjiro X Reader)

Apologies

The sight before me caused me to look twice. Zenitsu was holding a pillow over what seemed to be Tanjiro. His arms flailed through the air in desperation to have Zenitsu get off of him.

"Damn you! Damn you! You get all the ladies! You and your kindness!" Zenitsu cried. "You  probably flirt without even knowing! Girls don't spare a second glance at me!" Inosuke stood at the side of the bed and laughed.

"Uh- what did I miss?" I raised an eyebrow at the three.

"(Y/- ow!" Tanjiro successfully pushed Zenitsu off him. The three heads snapped in my direction.

"(Y/n)?"

"About damn time. You girls and your caves. What's up with that?" Inosuke question. My lips pressed together with question. What exactly did Inosuke go through when he was alone?

"Hey." I took one step inside of the room and Zenitsu's arms found their way around my legs. Snot was running from his nose and tears streamed down his face.

"You love me right (Y/n)? Right?" Zenitsu sniffed as he looked up at me. The tears made his yellow eyes shine and I could see the pain in his eyes.

"What?" I giggle out. This was ridiculous. Tanjiro hurried out of bed and grabbed Zenitsu by the collar, forcing him off of me before throwing him against the wall. He dusted his hands off, and placed them on his hips.

I coughed to try and mask the small laugh that came from my mouth upon seeing Tanjiro's face full of disgust. "Why are you all wet girl?" Inosuke asked. He didn't even try to say my name. He probably forgot about it.

"I was playing a game with Aoi. We were at a tie for like an hour but I won!" I smiled.

Inosuke beamed. His mask was off so I could clearly see his face. "You must be really strong then! Fight me!"

"No, you're injured."

"Fight me!" He repeated.

"I didn't come here to fight, I came here to apologize." My hands held onto each other and I looked to the floor. All three boys looked at me with confusion written on their faces.

"What for?" Zenitsu asked from his place on the floor. He managed to sit up, but held his back in a bit of pain.

"During our fight with that... thing. I tried to hold you guys back. Even though I knew there was no way past it...but I hoped? He raised me when my mother didn't. He taught me everything I know. So I didn't want to see him get crushed right before my eyes by the people I grew close to. You know?" My voice cracked and tears threatened to fall down. But I clenched my jaw to try to stop it. The boys exchanged glances with each other.

"Damn right I deserve an apology," Inosuke grumbled. "You almost killed me!" Tears were already rolling down my face. But I was unaware.

"Yes, I know," I say, adjusting my position and looking Inosuke in the eyes. Zenitsu noticed my distress and reached out, but Inosuke stopped him with the slash oh his hand.

"And you hurt kamaboko over there too! Letting him get blown away like that." Inosuke pointed over to Tanjiro and his eyes widened before she shook his hands no profusely.

Inosuke, I had figured out, was the kind of person to not like punishments slip away. When you were in trouble he made sure you knew you were in trouble, and how to make up for it.

"I know that too. I know that sorry can't really heal your injuries though." I try to lighten the mood with a soft laugh, but it was empty.

"That's true. But it doesn't mean that we don't forgive you." Inosuke finished. His disheveled smile was contagious causing me to smile weakly.

"You didn't hurt me, that was kind of my fault." Tanjiro wrapped his arms around me and smiled brightly.

I breathed out heavily before I started to cry and clench onto Tanjiro's clothes. His haori missing due to the mischievous hands of Nezuko the demon. The three of them smiled and then the room seemed so much brighter. Not just physically, but mentally too. These boys were a force to be reckoned with.

"Can we not do that again, please? That was scary." Zenitsu pleaded, standing up. I laughed through my tears and wiped them away. Tanjiro let go of me and headed back over to his own bed. The same as the other two.

"Are you guys ready for lunch? Aoi's making it." I said as I leave the room. Ending our conversation. I looked down and smiled to myself in the hallway as I trotted toward the training grounds.

                                             🌸

"Where's Shinobu? Also, where's Kanao? I haven't seen them around." I ask, helping Aoi clean up from the delicious lunch she made everybody.

"Shinobu got a letter of an emergency Hashira meeting this morning. She said it had something to deal with the letter she sent out a couple of days back about your guys's mission. She should be back tomorrow morning. As for Kanao, she's been sent on a Mission herself the day your S-class came here. I'm surprised she didn't make it in."Aoi entertained my question with her answer. My eyes widened at the realization.

"Why was I chosen for the S-class? She has far more experience than I do. Diakoku and I taught each other our techniques. But Kanao got taught by Hashira herself! That doesn't make sense."

"I would have to agree with you. She's exceptional for her age. More activity in the health care unit. It's good to have her in any squad really. You're just plain and uninteresting. Though your technique is an eye-opener. You don't see that every day." I winced a bit at her comment. "Unlike you, Kanao has her life together." I froze in my place and dropped the dishes in my hand. "(Y/n)!" Aoi yelled at me. I hadn't even realized I dropped them.

"Oh my. I'm sorry. I'll clean it up." My heart plummeted as I cleaned the broken glass pieces on the floor. I know Kanao is somewhat of a perfect person but, was I really that bland?

The way Aoi spoke of me was that I was a mere bug to Kanao. And I have my life together! Thank you very much. I have all of these great new friends. Granted, Kanao had that all along. It's a learning process okay?

I swept the wooden floors to be rid of the glass and put the glass in the trash. "I'm gonna...go. I'll see you later." I said. I clenched the clothes on my chest in a fist full of sorrow. I know Aoi was a little rude. Very straightforward. She wouldn't lie.

Was that how she really thinks of me? Was I that much of a Debbie downer to her? I shook my head to get rid of those negative feelings erupting in the pit of my stomach. "No," I said aloud to no one in particular. After what I've been through, it's okay to be a Debbie Downer. She had no say in how I felt. No authority to tell me what I could and could not do.

I stumbled into my room and threw myself onto the unmade bed and hugged my pillow. She was just stating facts. Sure I was upset now. But later I'm sure to change her perspective of me.
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Original release date: May 13 2020