(This story takes place straight after episode 1 and before Tanjiro and Nezuko met Urodaki San.)
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You quietly hummed to yourself as you pulled your kimono tightly over your shoulders, shivering as the cold wind outside rushed underneath the wooden floorboards. Wrapping your fingers around the candle holder, you slowly made your way to your bedroom, the small flame painting the corridors with dark, looming shadows.
The silence was almost overbearing. The faint tapping of your footsteps and the hushed whispers of the blizzard echoing throughout the emptiness of your home.
Approaching your futon, you laid out your hair, preparing for a long nights rest before a knock was heard from the other side of the house.
"What?"
Instantly shooting up, your eyes immediately darted towards the end of the hallway, squinting into the darkness as you felt the color drain from your cheeks.
'Who on Earth-"
Knock, knock.
Feeling something cold wash over your body, you hesitantly got up from your sitting position to tiptoe your way to the side of the room, your breath unsteady and your eyes glued onto whoever was on the other side of your front door. Catching eye of the small wooden cupboard that sat in the corner, you reached outward to pick up the long jet-black frame that leant on its side. Your fingers began to tremble as you awkwardly removed the scabbard, revealing the long, glimmering blade that was hidden underneath.
It was your father's katana. He left it for you just in case.
With your heart in your throat, you gently placed the scabbard on the floor and pushed yourself up, bracing yourself for the impending journey towards the entrance of your home. With one hand holding the candle and the other wielding your weapon, you approached the abyss with sweating palms.
Feeling your legs buckle and stiffen under your weight, your stomach churned as the reality of your dilemma became much clearer with each and every passing step—
That no one else could possibly be visiting you at this time besides Demons.
Standing in front of the front door, you place the candle on the ground to illuminate the space in front of you.
Clutching the katana's handle tight between your whitening palms, you released one hand to lay it on top of the lock, unexpecting the sound that would suddenly come from the other side of the door.
"Y/n..?"
Swinging it open, your eyes widen as they were met with crimson, accompanied by the freezing air that mercilessly began to whip itself against your bare face. Unmoving, you stared intently into the boy in front you, the same hanafuda-like earrings hanging from his ears as he watched you closely.
His dark, bergundy hair was unruly and unkempt, the pony tail he used to keep it together completely gone. His clothes were crumpled, his favorite green and black checkered haori muddied by the dirt and snow.
"Tanjiro? What-"
Without breaking eye contact, he silently turned his body to the side, revealing a sleeping Nezuko latched securely onto his back. It wasn't long before the rapid speed of the wind and snow reminded you of your surrounding's current conditions.
With not a second to spare, you hurried them both inside and locked the door behind you.
"It's not much, but you should eat."
Delicately placing the bowl on top of the wooden table, you watched as the boy took no more than a glance towards its direction before returning his gaze back onto his younger sister, who was peacefully sleeping on top of the futon you laid out on the floor.
"Don't worry, we'll be leaving soon." He murmured. "After Nezuko wakes up, we'll be on our way."
On our way?
Furrowing your eyebrows, you stagger to the empty spot next to him and sat down.
It was certainly unusual— Not only did this boy turn up at your front door in the dead of night in a blizzard, but he was also leaving so soon? Tanjiro was never the type to leave so quickly. Especially not with you, at least. There was also no way in hell that you were going to let them go through whatever was going on outside. It would be too dangerous— demons are also lurking around.
"On your way?" you asked. "Where are you going?"
The boy didn't turn around to face you and neither made an attempt to answer your question, instead, he continued to stare attentively towards his sister, who you just noticed had some piece of bamboo stuck in her mouth. However, you decide not to question it right now.
Tanjiro wasn't telling you something.
Shuffling closer to him, you took a deep breath as you brought your head down to rest between his shoulders, causing him to visibly flinch from the sudden contact.
You always used to do this when you were kids.
Sighing, you felt his whole body rise and fall with each and every breath he took, abruptly stopping when you whispered into the fabric of his back.
"You know... you can always tell me anything, Tanjiro."
Patiently waiting for his reply, you moved back to give him some space.
Reluctantly, the boy placed his hands on the tatami floors, grunting as he spun himself around to finally face you. Although you were relieved that your words had reached him, it was short lived. You didn't expect the sight in front of you to be so heartbreaking as it was.
Illuminated by the brighter lighting in the room, you were finally able to see how utterly exhausted he looked. Pale skin and chapped lips. His eyes bloodshot with heavy bags underneath them, you could also see how his body began to tremble when he fully seated himself in front of you.
Watching the boy closer, you gasped as your e/c orbs met his red ones, his lips quivering as you realised that he was on the verge of tears.
"Y/n I..."
Cutting off his sentence, you immediately threw yourself around him, pulling him into a tight and warm embrace. His breath hitched as he eventually felt himself coming apart, shaking uncontrollably in your arms as he choked on his words.
"They... They're..."
Snaking one of your hands across his back, you reached upward and began to gently comb through his hair, hushing softly into his ears as you felt him bury his face into the crook of your neck.
"They're... dead, y/n." His voice cracks. "They're dead."
Feeling your heart break, you pressed him closer to your body, his wavering hands wrapping around your waist as he clutched onto you, the cloth of your kimono stretching against your skin from how tightly he gripped onto the fabric.
Soaking your chest with his stored tears, the silent room was filled with Tanjiro's strained cries, serenaded by your soft humming and the feeling of your fingers patting down his wild, fiery mane.
You sadly smiled into his hair, feeling your own tears well up in your eyes from the sound of his distress. He was devastated.
"He was probably holding it in for Nezuko too..."
You sighed.
He hasn't changed one bit. Putting others before himself— He was still the same kind boy you've known ever since you were little.
"Hey... Tanjiro."
Intertwining your digits with his locks, he continued to quietly sob into your chest, his pained wailing and violent trembling coming to a stop to fill the room with peace once again.
The boy sniffled as you both held each other in silence, Tanjiro nuzzling his nose into your chest, breathing in the sweet scent that calmed his unsettled heart. Transferring your fingers from his hair to his face, you cupped his cheeks with both hands and raised him upward so you could see him in the candle light.
You smiled softly, his eyes puffy and his skin under your palms warm and damp from all the tears he shed. His nose was red with snot, sniffling as you began to wipe away his tears with your thumbs, tracing over his tear-stained cheeks and swollen eyelids. Watching you with an unblinking gaze, a hand leaves your waist to rest on top of yours. Using it to push himself deeper into your touch, he sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he felt your warmth melt away all his initial pain.
"Tanjiro..." You whisper to him, the boy's dark red eyes opening to meet yours.
Cupping his cheeks once again, you gaze into them. "Whatever you do... Just don't give up okay?"
"But Y/n, I..."
Pulling him closer, you allowed his forehead to rest on top of yours, feeling his hot breath over your skin as your noses touched.
"It hurts, I know. I'm sure you've suffered... but no matter how painful it is... you just have to keep going, okay?"
Staring deeply into his eyes, the boy stayed silent, feeling himself completely lost under the softness of your gaze.
"You're a good person, Tanjiro..."
——
(A/N - My poor baby I swear to god he deserves the world 💕🥺
There's actually a lot more to this story but I decided to cut a whole chunk of it off because I thought it would've been way too long. If you guys don't mind and if you want to read it, please make sure to let me know! 😷
Remember requests are open!
I might be doing a Giyu or Michael Jackson one next ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Have a nice day! I'm a sucker for fluff.)