Tanjirou and Akiko take their time learning about each other all over again.
He's coming back from a solo mission with a handful of fish he just caught and he's excited to cook it for Akiko. Upon seeing her patiently wait for him at the front gate, he smiles and rushes up to her.
"Look! I brought us some fish! I can cook for you tonight," he smiles innocently, but Akiko looks distraught.
She actually shrinks from the fish, which is odd considering the fact that she used to love fish.
"Ah, sorry... I don't eat any meat anymore, Tanjirou."
"E- Eh? Really?"
Akiko nods her head, "I haven't been able to eat meat since I came to the Butterfly Estate. I actually, uh... I physically want to throw up when I put meat in my mouth..." Tanjirou can tell that it probably has to do with the fact that she shifts through organs daily, so he doesn't comment.
He smiles anyway, hiding the fish behind his back, "That's okay! I'll cook some for Inosuke then! I know he likes fish."
Akiko's lonely for half a day when Tanjirou comes back from another solo mission.
She doesn't have any more patients, and Aoi says that she'll willing to stay in charge of the estate if Akiko decides to leave with Tanjirou and explore the town nearby.
When he comes home, she rushes out to greet him, a smile on her face before jumping into his arms after seeing that he has no injuries. He squeezes her close, stealing a quick whiff of antibiotic before setting her down to her feet.
"I- I have time off today! Do you want to go into town with me?"
But when he looks troubled, she glances down to her hands.
"Sorry Akiko, but it might be best that we stay at the estate. What if someone is rushed in and they need you?"
Makes sense, but Akiko wants to be selfish.
She nods nonetheless, and they spend their time entrapped in the estate together.
But it's days where Tanjirou comes home with an orange that he picked off a tree, laughing as he says that they look like her eyes only for Akiko to laugh too because, "They look nothing like my eyes- pfft, stop it- haha!" that Tanjirou feels happiest.
Or days where Tanjirou gets to rest his head on Akiko's stomach as they both nap under the sunlight in the garden, Tanjirou reaching up to wrap his hand around Akiko's.
Tanjirou's abs get in the way of being a nice headrest, and Akiko complained once that it felt like sleeping on the wooden floor. He took it as a compliment, despite Akiko blushing and telling him that he wasn't supposed to.
They come up with new routines, a new rhythm. One much more complex than the one they were used to when they were kids.
Because now their worlds are so much bigger, and for the best too.
They're busy and their work is important, but they still value the time that they share.
Tanjirou waits for her to finish her shower after she's done with long operations, and they share the same futon when they sleep.
Akiko waits patiently by the entrance gate, a first aid kit, snacks and tea ready for the two of them inside for when Tanjirou returns home.
And while they spend their time together, either Miyuki or Zenitsu spends time with Nezuko. Either that, or they both do.
Akiko is wearing his haori and eating some dorayaki Tanjirou brought home, the two lazily cloud watching in silence.
She's talking about the mist pillar now, and how he would cloud watch for hours in the middle of a mission.
"I don't even think I was there to make sure he didn't die by the hands of an Upper Moon... I was probably just there to make sure he didn't trip over roots and skewer himself with his katana," Akiko sighs, and Tanjirou bursts out into laughter.
She wraps herself up within the sight of his smile, the smell of his haori and the sound of his laugh.
Sometimes, Akiko doesn't talk to Tanjirou for days. She doesn't receive any letters, but it doesn't bother her too much anymore.
And even when he is at the Butterfly Estate, Akiko might be shut in the OR for half a day saving someone's life.
So she'll find random things in her room at times. Tanjirou's gifted her some flowers he found on his way back, and he's gifted her an omamori from one of the local temples despite the fact that she isn't one to believe in gods and spirits.
She probably should, though, considering the fact that demons run amok.
One day, Tanjirou returns with a book in hand.
He was walking through town when a small bookstore caught his eye, and he remembered the promise he made Hanako the day she was killed. So he bought a book, intending to read it to Akiko in Hanako's stead.
"Akiko! Are you free later tonight?" Tanjirou smiles at her, and Akiko sees the book in his hand. She's quick to understand his intentions, and she flushes at the idea before shooting him down.
"I- uhm, I have to monitor a patient tonight, actually... They might run into some complications tonight, so I have to make sure they're not dead by tomorrow morning..."
Tanjirou slumps at the idea, but he understands that her work is important and he leaves it be. Perhaps he can read to Nezuko instead. Zenitsu might volunteer to read to his sister though.
Akiko is drinking tea by the patient late at night when Aoi walks in, surprised to see Akiko by the patient's bedside.
"Isn't Tanjirou back? Why aren't you with him?" She wonders aloud, setting down some medicine for another patient. Akiko remains calm as always, her back straight as she observes the breathing pattern and heart rate of the patient.
Aoi quickly takes notice of what Akiko is doing and she rolls her eyes, standing next to Akiko's seated form.
"I'll take over for tonight, so just go to him!"
With widened eyes, Akiko starts to sputter protests, but Aoi is quick to retort, "If you're worried about the patient I'll ask Kanao to help too! Her eyes are better than mine anyhow..."
"Oh? So now you just want to spend time with Kanao, huh?"
Now it's Aoi turn to sputter her protests, and Akiko chuckles warmly before giving her seat up for Aoi. She goes to call for Kanao, who nods with a smile before leaving her room to spend some time with Aoi.
Akiko prepares herself for bed, changing into a thin kimono for her sleepwear and washing her face. Akiko sees Kanon seated by her brother's bedside as she walks down the hallway, and her heart twinges with pain.
They should be getting a new thing that monitors brain waves soon, since scientists in Europe continue to make new inventions. Akiko is excited to officially start running some tests on Haruki.
She hopes that Kanon can hold on for just a bit longer.
Akiko quietly raps the shoji of Tanjirou's room, and when she hears a quiet "come in," she does as she's told. Tanjirou brightens at the sight of her, and she takes notice that Nezuko isn't in the same room.
"Ah, sorry... Is now a bad time? You can sleep if you want," Akiko mumbles, and she's surprised that Tanjirou can even hear her.
He takes her hands into his and Akiko looks up at him in surprise, only to see that he's smiling brilliantly despite the dimly lit room.
"It's never a bad time! You can come in whenever you'd like," he says, and Akiko nods her head. She's screaming inside, of course, but she won't let him see that. He can probably smell it off of her though.
"Well, uhm, Aoi and Kanao took my shift for tonight, so if you want I can... I can stay with you tonight..."
Akiko has to shield her eyes when he smiles even brighter, and he leads her into his room. He dives into the futon first, opening the covers to let her in too, then grabs a nearby book.
He doesn't even have to ask if he can read for her, and she gets comfortable by nestling her head into the crook of his neck, half her body draped over his as her eyelashes tickle his cheek. Tanjirou doesn't mind having to read the book above his head, and he's glad he has the arm strength for it.
So he reads to her for the night, eyes straining to read certain words due to the awful lighting. He can tell that she struggles to stay awake, but he only finishes a chapter and a half before she's out like a light.
Akiko snores lightly and Tanjirou stops, looking down at her body before creasing the corner of the page and setting the book by his side. He'll have to continue it next time, but for now he wraps his arms around Akiko's waist and shuts his eyes with a smile on his face.
Zenitsu wakes the two up the next morning with his ungodly screaming.
"KIDDING ME!! YOU GUYS ARE KIDDING ME!!! I'M GONNA HURL YOU TWO ARE TOO SWEET WITH EACH OTHER!!!"
Akiko chucks a pillow at his face hard enough to knock the poor boy over before she turns over to go back to sleep in Tanjirou's arms. Tanjirou laughs at his friend before holding a finger to his lips.
"Akiko works hard, Zenitsu. So be quiet please?"
"Eh?" Zenitsu starts to complain, "But I'm injured! See? I have a bruise from my last mission! And they're telling me to go out again! I need Akiko to help me and another couple strands of Nezuko's hair-"
The room suddenly gets colder and Zenitsu freezes when he sees the slightly annoyed look on Miyuki's face. She stands right behind the boy and sets a chilly hand on his shoulder.
"Let's let the lovebirds rest for today, hm? I'll help you in Akiko's stead, Zenitsu. But you aren't getting any of Nezuko's hair."
Zenitsu allows himself to be pulled away from the resting couple, happy that another pretty lady will be the one to help him. Tanjirou sighs in relief before looking down at Akiko, who continues to snore away.
A couple days later, when all three boys are back at the estate, Aoi has them doing pushups in the backyard. Akiko waves Shinobu off on her mission before walking on back, startled to see Kiyo, Sumi and Naho sitting on each of the boys.
Akiko looks at Aoi warily, "Is this really okay for them to do?"
Aoi scoffs, "This is nothing, trust me."
When Kiyo looks up from counting, she smiles, "Akiko-san!" Kiyo waves, and Akiko startles when three heads snap up to look at her.
"AKIKO SAVE MEEEE!!!!! I'M DYING!!!!" Zenitsu cries and Akiko almost enjoys looking down at his agonizing face. Inosuke continues to scream and yell his own praises, while Tanjirou counts how many push ups they have left.
Tanjirou smiles when he sees his fiance, and she's about to turn around to go back to the medical ward when Kiyo calls out, "Akiko-san! Would you like to take my place?"
Akiko nearly chokes on her own spit at the thought and Zenitsu starts to cry blood.
"I- uh... I have to go check on some patients!" Akiko flushes, pointing behind her while chewing at her lip in embarrassment. She's about to turn around and run off when Aoi garbs the back collar of her blouse, and Akiko struggles for air.
"Good idea Kiyo. Tanjirou looks like he can use some extra weight on him."
Akiko glares down at Aoi, who casually looks the other direction. But for some reason, Inosuke throws a fit and demands that Akiko sit on him instead.
So now both Kiyo and Naho sit on Inosuke, Akiko sitting seiza style on Tanjirou's back with her face in her hands as Tanjirou does his pushups.
"Are you comfortable?" Tanjirou asks, counting from 43.
Akiko keeps her eyes shut, and in a high pitched voice that Tanjirou has never heard from her, she mumbles, "Just keep doing your pushups..."
And he laughs at her, and Zenitsu continues to cry and Inosuke's energy skyrockets and Aoi watches everyone fondly.
Akiko is happy.