You looked at the door.
"Yes, I'm awake" you said.
"Can I come in?"
"...okay"
He opens the door, to find you in your futon ready for bed.
"If this is a good time, I wanted to know what happened back there, at the mountains. You were really mad at me" he said.
"...you figured that out?"
"I smelled it on you this whole time"
You didn't say anything.
"(Y/n), please talk to me. For whatever I did, I'm sorry. I don't want you to hate me forever"
"It's not that I hate you, Tanjiro. It's because you made me feel weak" you said.
"I did say I'll be able to protect you, and you were okay with that"
"Yeah, well, now I just don't know about that anymore. You hurt me Tanjiro. Not physically, but mentally, and you didn't even know it until"
Tanjiro sat down to get a bit closer to you.
"I'm sorry...maybe I have been blind to not realize that, you're not some damsel in distress. And I respect you entirely. And if you need space, then I understand, I'll leave you alone" he said.
Tanjiro slowly got up as he was making his way to the door.
"Wait...sit back down" you said.
He turns around to look at you, as he slowly made his way back to sit.
"I think I should apologize as well. Even if you knew I was upset at you, you were still being nice to me"
"Of course, no matter what you do, I'll always stick by you. And no matter what happens, I'll try to make sure you smile no matter what" he said.
You looked at Tanjiro for a while, and almost broke into tears. You slowly hugged his lower waist, to his surprise but gently smiled at you and softly caress your head.
You held his hand and placed it to your lips.
"How can you do this to me" you said.
Tanjiro looks down at you.
"You really did make me fall for you..." you said.
"So that means...you want to be with me?"
You lifted your upper body up, and nod. Tanjiro was so happy, as if a child received a new toy.
Tanjiro hesitated for a moment but he gives you a kiss on the cheek. Him not knowing what you'd enjoy since you always carry an emotionless expression.
But you looked a bit confused as he did that.
"Wh...what was that?" You said.
"I, uhm, gave you a kiss...on the...cheek?" He motioned his hand to your cheek.
You touched it and wondered. It felt really nice to you.
"Where else can you do that?"
Tanjiro blushed a thousand shades of red. He couldn't believe that you were innocent on all that.
"(Y/n), have you not done this before...? With, Sabito I mean..."
"I...I think I have if I can remember...but it's been so long, and I have been trying to forget the memories of my past before"
"Don't you feel like you want to keep the good memories though?"
"...no, never..."
Tanjiro looked seeing you pretty upset. Though he wanted you to feel comfort and loved again. So he slowly went up and kissed your lips.
You looked a little shocked by his actions as he soon pulled away.
"... maybe now that you're with me, I'll help you create good memories. We'll do it together" he says.
Tanjiro cups your cheek and caresses it with his thumb. You touch his hand on your cheek. You started to really enjoy his touches.
After that you hug him, as he starts to hug back. He strokes your hair. There was a good moment of silence until you spoke.
"Will you love this part of me...?" you asked.
"Of course I will" Tanjiro said softly.
"...I feel like I'm taking a big risk here. What if...something bad happens to you? Or what if we we're completely different after all...?"
"Why would you think that?" He says.
You thought about it then you relaxed as you closed your eyes. Still in his hold.
"It's okay to take the risk. If I didn't take the risk, then you wouldn't know a single thing about how I felt about you" he said
"I guess, my mind says redundant things..."
Tanjiro kisses your forehead as he didn't let you go. You two stayed like that for a while, until he had to go back to check on his sister.
_____
"Tanjiro, it's trying to come out! It's trying to come out!" As Tanjiro got back in the room, Zenistu was shaking in fright.
Tanjiro looks at the box Nezuko was in as she was making some noises.
"Huh? Oh, it's all right"
"How can it be all right? Huh? Huh?"
"Shush! It's the middle of the night, Zenistu! And (y/n) is next door to us so she's probably sleeping!"
Soon the box opens up.
"Oh my god! It's not even locked?"
"Shh!"
"P-p-protect me! Someone please protect me! Even you'll do it, Inosuke!"
"Stay away from me!" He says and kicks Zenistu's face.
The box opens more as Nezuko's hand shows.
"It's out! I gotta hide! I'm so scared!"
Soon Nezuko comes out but her body was small like a baby.
Zenistu looked confused while Tanjiro smiles.
"Nezuko!"
Nezuko then grew to a normal size, and Zenistu looked at her closely and gasps.
"...that's too much thinking" Inosuke says and falls asleep.
"Zenistu, Nezuko's my—"
"Tanjiro..."
Sparks flew out of Zenistu.
"Z-Zenistu?"
"Listen to me. Just what do you think you are?"
"Huh?"
"So, you've been traveling with a lot of cute girls. Girls this cute in tow, day after day, you've been traveling, and you've doubled your cloud nine the whole time, huh?"
"Zenistu, it's not like—"
"Give me back all the blood I shed! I...listen, I...I didn't give it my all just so you could spend time in la-la land, making out with girls! That's not why I got pummeled and kicked by that weird wild boar, right?"
"Zenistu, calm down! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Tanjiro asked.
"Demon slayer corps is not something you'd join for fun! Guys like you gotta be purged! Immediately! Come to think of it, there's also the crime of thwarting my marriage and sending Shoichi home. Purge immediately! Don't ever underestimate the corps! A guy like you! A guy like you!"
"Zenistu Cut it out!"
"Mock the demon corps...and you'll get sent to Hell—!"
"Shut up and go to bed! Or else I'll have to deal with the both of you!" You yelled from the other side.
This made Zenistu and Tanjiro suck in there lips in silence. Feeling the intensity build up in there side of the room.
_____
While getting somewhat rest. You started to get up and came to check on Tanjiro and the rest. To see what's going on.
You slide open the door, you see Zenistu chasing after Tanjiro and Nezuko in a circle.
"Let's be friends, Tanjiro!"
"Zenistu! Don't keep chasing us! I beg you!"
"Hey" you called out and everyone stopped running.
"(Y-y/n), we're sorry for waking you up!" Tanjiro said.
"Nezuko~"
"Stop it!"
"...What are you all doing?"
_____
Meanwhile Inosuke was sitting outside, in his regular clothes.
"...man, I'm hungry"
Soon Ayano was walking up to him with his other clothes he wore.
"Excuse me, pig headed man" she sat down close to him.
"My grandma told me that your clothes were pretty dirty, so I'll clean them for you, so please wear these in the meanwhile. There comfortable, and if you need some help I don't mind helping you put these on~"
"Huh? Shut up I don't need help!" He says.
Ayano giggles.
"No of course not, I'm sorry. I can see you're pretty strong...can I...feel, you know..." Ayano points at his abs.
"Ah? Why the hell do you wanna feel my body?"
"Please..."
"Tch"
Inosuke didn't say anything and just let her. Ayano got a bit excited and felt his abs and his arm muscles.
"Ah, you're so strong! Do you think you could lift a boulder?"
"Ha! I can lift up anything!"
"Wow~ that's so cool...you think you can lift me up?" She says.
Inosuke started to get giddy.
He gets up and lifts Ayano up to his shoulders. This made Ayano giggle happily.
Inosuke puts her down and looks at her as Ayano praises him.
"So cool, so cool! You really are a strong demon slayer, uhm...?"
"Inosuke Hashibara, and don't forget it!"
"Inosuke, well my name is Ayano"
Inosuke sits back down again and looks straight ahead. It was silent for a moment, until Ayano spoke again.
"How did you like the meal, I prepped it along with my grandma. How does tempura for dinner sound? You know, something covered with batter and fried. Would you like that?"
Inosuke then felt himself get all giddy again. Ayano got curious about his boar hid.
"Inosuke, if you don't mind. May I see what your face looks like?" She asked.
Inosuke didn't hesitate as he pulled his boar hid out of his head. Ayano was surprised to see such a pretty face.
"You have such a pretty face..."
"Huh?"
"Well handsome I mean. May I?" Ayano reaches her hand out slowly and touches his face.
Inosuke flinch a little, and looked confused at her.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked.
"Feeling how nice your skin is...you must take really good care of body"
"Heh, I'm not afraid to take on anything, I'll show everyone how really strong I am!"
Ayano got a bit confused.
"Well that's nice, but everyone's got to be afraid of something. Even the strongest have something to fear. But if you say you can take on anything, then I'm rooting for you, Inosuke!"
"Damn it, don't get me all giddier than I already am!" He says.
Inosuke soon didn't say a word after that as he soon got up and slide opens the door yelling.
He then started to ram his head at Tanjiro.
"Wh-what was that for?"
Soon Inosuke started chasing Tanjiro.
"Hold up! Hold up! Stop chasing us, Inosuke!"
"Tanjiro!"
You stood next to Nezuko and rubbed her head lovingly and sighs.
"What am I gonna do with your brother?"
_____
Next day, the doctor came to check on the three boys again.
"You're fully healed" the doctor said.
Soon you come in to see them all as you were fully dressed. You look to see Zenistu blushing like an idiot and trying to offer flowers to Nezuko though she's clearly in a box right now, and Ayano smiling like an idiot as she was hugging Inosuke's arm.
You didn't care, but you cringed on the inside.
It's like a fucking love fest here...
As Tanjiro saw you, he was about to greet you until his crow flew in.
"North-northeast! North-northeast! Your next mission is northeast! The three of you are to go to Mt. Natagumo! Head to Mt. Natagumo!"
"Just us three? Then (y/n)..."
"(Y/n) Tomioka is to head back to Ubuyashiki's estate! Ubuyashiki needs a word with her! She's in trouble! In trouble!"
"I'm...in trouble?" You started to get confused and nervous.
"Wait what for?" Tanjiro asked.
"She has been slacking off! Slacking off on her duty!"
"But I sent my brother Giyu Tomioka a letter to tell him what's going on, and my own crow hasn't come to me to tell me anything in a while now" you said
"Come back to the estate! Come back to the estate!" The crow says.
You didn't say anything more as you followed orders. Tanjiro was upset as much as you are. Even though you didn't show your grief, he smelled it on you.
As the three boys were dressed and ready, they were outside of the Wisteria house, along with you. Though you had to go your own way now.
"We're heading out now. Thank you for everything" Tanjiro says and bows.
The old lady and Ayano bow back.
"Now then, for good luck" the old lady holds flint and wood with metal.
"Thank you so much!"
Tanjiro and Zenistu their backs as the lady was flicking the flint on them. Inosuke reacted to it.
"What do you think you're doing, old hag!"
Tanjiro held Inosuke back while Zenistu shielded the old lady. While Ayano was giggling out of amusement.
"What are you, a moron?!"
"Ah?!"
"She's striking sparks for good luck! It's a purification ceremony! Because we're going on a mission!" Zenistu said.
After that fiasco was finished. Inosuke was calm.
"Always live your lives with great pride. We wish you luck in battle!" The old lady says as the she and her granddaughter bowed.
Tanjiro and Zenistu bowed back while Inosuke looked at them lost.
You walked up to Tanjiro.
"I guess this is goodbye" you said.
Tanjiro frowned and holds both your hands.
"I promise to see you again. So don't look sad!"
You nod. He kisses your cheek and moves on, along with Zenistu and Inosuke.
"Hey, Inosuke why does she keep waving at you like that?" Zenitsu asked
"Huh?" Inosuke turns back and sees Ayano just looking at him as she's waving back to him.
(Thank you camie, you're a peach)
"How the hell should I know?"
"You really are dense, are you...?" Zenistu says.
As you saw Tanjiro and the rest of them gone, you started to go your own way.
"Wait, (y/n)" Ayano called out to you.
She held the flint and wood, and started to make some spark on you.
"You're gonna need it" she says.
"...thanks"
And so you started running to your leader's estate.