Sour Confessions

Pairing: Reigen Arataka x GN!reader

Rating: Teen (16+)

Summary: After the season 2 fight against Claw's leader, everyone crashes at Reigen's apartment for the night. But when the kids finally fall asleep, the adults are left with their own troubles and no one to comfort them.

Word Count: 3.1K+

Contains: A lotta fluff + angst (self-deprication HURT/COMFORT BABY), swearing, alcohol, awkward romantic pining, Parental Energy TM, tired writing

A/N: I think I fumbled a lot with trying to plan out the course of this fic and the themes I wanted to touch base on. I'm not entirely happy with how it came out but I still hope you'll enjoy! I am So Smitten for this man.

You sit on the cool platform of the balcony after your shower, your hair still somewhat wet as you let it air dry. You lean against the thinly grated railing, gazing mindlessly at the giant broccoli that rooted itself in the center of Seasoning City. Unlike the chaos that took place just hours before, the night is quiet and serene. The city had its share of psychic damage and infrastructures that needed repair but, that was for tomorrow to worry about. Now, it was time to rest.

The screen door behind you carefully slides open with an old un-oiled squeal. You turn to look over your shoulder and catch Reigen scowling at his screeching door frame with a tired, displeased expression on his face.

It looks like he just finished showering. Some water beads still drip from his half-dried hair. He’s finally out of his torn, ashen suit and wearing some comfy lounging shorts to pair with his ugly bear shirt. You’re not sure if this is an upgrade or worse. He looks back down at you and smiles.

“Hey.” You smile back at him.

“Hi.”

“You getting chilly out here?” he whispers.

“Only a little. It’s nice, though,” you look out towards where the white moon teases the tops of buildings far away, “Being able to get some fresh air and all that.”

Reigen hums in agreement and shifts his weight onto his hip as he leans against the doorframe. He matches your gaze and shares this moment of silence with a gentle sigh.

“Well, why don’t you come back inside? Don’t want you falling asleep out here and catching a cold in the morning.” You stand back up with a gentle grunt and join him back inside the warmly lit apartment. When your eyes finally adjust to the interior you find yourself holding back a laugh at the sight in front of you.

Since everyone’s homes had been compromised by psychic attacks and fires, Reigen offered to share his apartment space, at least for the night. Mob, Ritsu, Teru, and even Dimple are scattered in various positions across Reigen’s apartment. Mob was reserved the couch while the others splayed out on the floor nearby. It’s a sweet sight — all the kids finally getting the rest they need.

“Geez, out like a light already. It’s only 10,” Reigen laughs, hiding the fact that his own eyes were struggling to stay open too. You could see the fatigue in him evidently by the way he slouched his shoulders forward and slowly moved his eyes with this hazy look.

You watch the green glow from Dimple’s round and wriggly form rise up and down beside Mob’s head on the couch. There was some fascination in the way his motions mimicked the boy’s slow human breathing. You murmur, “I didn’t even realize spirits could sleep.”

The comment elicits a soft chuckle from Reigen. He walks towards his deshi and stops just shy of the edge of the couch before crouching down and watching the boy.

You join his parental gaze from a distance. “You’d never guess he was the same kid that took down Claw earlier today with how calm he looks sleeping.”

“...Yeah. He really went all out today,” Reigen sighs, brushing a section of Mob’s bangs out of his sleeping eyes. The middle schooler scrunches his face for a second then relaxes, smiling in his deep sleep. The master strokes his student’s head a few more times and watches dejectedly.

“He’s incredible for his age. I mean, look at how much he’s done already! This kid is so good in every single way. But… I worry for him sometimes,” Reigen thinks back on the fight just a few hours ago and how he stood by, unable to do anything as he watched the kid get tossed around and twisted like a ragdoll. He cringes a little at the memory and frowns deeply. “I just can’t imagine the kind of stress he’s experiencing at this age.”

There’s this urge to reach out to him and hold him, telling him it’s okay. That it’s not his fault. Because you know he’s thinking it. After all this time working for Reigen, you could say that you’ve got his mannerisms down to a T. The way his brows twitch downward when he’s caught off guard or how the edge of his lip trembles when he doesn’t like something. He’s especially silent when he’s stuck ruminating in his head or when he starts stimming his fingers without realizing it.

But there are also the times when he’s laughing just a little too hard at something you’ve said or when he tries to hide the warm glow on his cheeks by turning his head away and biting back the smile on his face. Or more recently, when he’ll fix his hair every 5 seconds or have his hand on the back of his neck and talk extra-fast when he’s happy. Little habits like that remind you of why you love going to work every morning.

“Hey, thanks again… For uh, agreeing to stay the night and help with all the kids and stuff despite it all being super short notice,” he mentions as he pulls the blanket a little higher over Mob’s sleeping shoulders. He turns towards you but looks down, sweeping a tuft of hair away from his face before rubbing the back of his neck and smiling softly.

“I don’t know if I could’ve managed on my own.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least I could do,” you say honestly. Reigen pulls a tight-lipped smile.

“I know. But… still.” The two of you share a brief moment, staring at one another. You quickly start squirming and break the silence.

“I could really go for a lemon sour right about now.” Reigen lifts his head and looks at you with wide eyes. His brows jump up once he processes it.

“Oh- Wait, really?” You nod back at him with a teasing smile. He laughs back in amusement. “Hah. I… Yeah, I can certainly do that. You’ve come to the guy for one of those. Just- Hang on,” Reigen mumbles as he disappears around the corner to raid his kitchen. You smile to yourself watching him scramble off, nearly tripping as he tries to make the least amount of noise.

The blonde quickly returns after a few soft thuds with two aluminum cans in either hand and nods past you, breathing a little heavier. “Wanna sit outside?”

“Yeah. You got your bearings?” You eye his disheveled appearance. You swear, this man can’t do a single thing gracefully. Reigen barks in a hushed tone to avoid stirring the kids awake.

“Look, I just- You never drink let alone a sour! It’s like an event! I’ve been dying to drink one of these.” You snort under your breath and slowly open the squeaky screen door for him. Once you’re outside, you both settle into different sitting positions on the concrete balcony. Reigen leaning back onto his elbows and you sitting on your legs.

The conman tosses you an icy-cold can. You catch it easily and the two of you crack the drinks open to take long sips. Reigen swallows his drink with a loud, obnoxious sigh. You roll your eyes at his ill table manners and look back at the view in front of you.

You weren’t sure what it was about the moon that pulled you in so easily. Maybe it was the comfortable haze that surrounded it as it rose to its peak of the night sky. Or the idea that there were millions of others around the world sharing this experience with you at this very moment. The man next to you suddenly started giggling to himself.

“Geez,” Reigen laughs, “Look at us both.” You raise a curious brow before taking another sip.

“What are you talking about?”

“Just- This scene of us drinking alcohol late at night like. Stargazing or whatever. Reminds me of being a teenager sneaking out to drink,” he snickers into his can. It fascinates you every time to watch the alcohol visibly enter his system. The peachy glow of his cheeks as he laughs and how his eyes get a little heavier as he gets more giggly. But he’s not shit-faced drunk. Not at all. Comfortably buzzed seems more appropriate.

“What, did you drink a lot as a kid? Is that what you’re telling me?” You poke fun at him. “Not a very good example you’re setting for these kids, Shishou.” Reigen snorts and sits up, resting his chin in his hand as he gazes forward.

“I meant that as like. Teens in general, you idiot. There are a lot of stupid things I did when I was younger. But no. No alcohol,” he shuts his eyes as he reminisces. He rocks back on his arms, bumping his toes in front of him in a little rhythm. The cool air helps level his head and he hums lowly in thought.

“To be honest. I think I was a broken kid.”

This comment catches you off-guard. You turn your head to him and he’s still looking out at the city past the railings. The small smile on his lips fades away as he takes a deep breath in.

“I just… I keep thinking about Mob after everything that happened today. He practically handled all of that by himself… I almost got killed trying to save him. And in the end, he saved me anyway.”

“I think… I’m just finally realizing that that kid is more capable than I want to believe. He’s not 10 anymore. He’s grown up so much. Does he even need me anymore?” he wonders aloud with a twinge of pain in his words. “I was nothing like him when I was his age. I mean- Aside from the powers, of course.”

You watch as he clenches and unclenches his hands, picking at his fingers. “I would say I’m jealous but that doesn’t feel right. ‘Jealousy’ is… a dirty word. I’m proud of him. Really. He’s amazing. All these friends, people who love and support him. Even some young love,” he laughs half-heartedly. “I think I just sort of wish I had that too. That something special about myself.”

Reigen purses his lips and sighs deeply. “And now I’m disappointed that I didn’t try for anything back then.”

You’re not sure what brought upon this sudden confession. Perhaps the stress of the day finally caught up to him. Maybe it was the lemon sour kicking in. But one thing you knew for sure: Reigen never opened up first.

He chews on the inside of his cheek in thought then clears his throat. “Sorry for springing that on you out of nowhere. That’s not fair to you. It’s been on my mind for a while and I didn’t know what to do about it.” He lifts his can to his lips and takes a sip, sighing at the sour taste down his throat. He turns to smile at you. “Don’t worry, just forget about it, okay?”

His words bring you no comfort as you fidget next to him. You know that he’s not expecting you to coddle him. He’d much rather have you just ignore him and pretend it didn’t happen. But his words don’t sit well with you.

“...Reigen,” you start, “Growth doesn’t stop once you become an adult. From how I see it, you’ve been growing with Mob this whole time. That boy trusts you so, so much.”

He keeps his gaze down, boring holes into his lemon sour. You lower your can beside you and breathe in.

“That kid is incredible but… so are you. You do have what he has. I mean- Just take a look inside of your own apartment.” Reigen’s body visibly stiffens. He shuts his eyes, seemingly fighting himself. It’s when he realizes that you’re not going to take your stare off of him that he turns to look through the screen door behind him.

“These kids look up to you,” you reason, “They need you just as much as you need them. Maybe more.”

“And… most importantly,” you breathe, “You’re the reason why Mob is as fantastic as you think he is, you know.” Reigen’s breath hitches. The air is trapped in his throat and he turns to look at you. He looks like he’s about to burst with his wide, fearful eyes. But he also sees you for once. And he sees the hurt in your expression. The way your brows tense towards each other and the grimace on your lips. It hurts him.

“Give yourself more credit, Reigen. He’s not going to forget about you. You two are stuck together whether you like it or not.” He lowers his gaze from your eyes to his lap. His hand raises to his face and he covers his eyes.

And then he laughs.

“ ‘Give myself credit’? Oh, come on.” You frown.

“I’m serious. I’m not just saying that to-”

“No, you’re right, you’re right, it’s just,” he looks back up at you and smiles at you. “How could you say all of that and not mention yourself?”

You stare back at him blankly. “What?”

“Do you really think I could handle all of that by myself?”

“You did.”

“Yeah. All thanks to you.” You furrow your brows and shake your head quickly.

“What? No, no that’s not what I was trying to say-”

“Damn it, will you stop it?” Reigen leaned forward now, waving his hand erratically in front of your face like a madman. “It’s my turn to gush about you. Let me have some of the fun with all the crazy amazing shit I have to say too.”

Your entire body freezes up at his sudden assertion. Reigen breathes heavily upon you with almost manic energy about himself. He shifts into a position where he can prop his leg up and runs a hand through his hair bashfully.

“I mean, you’ve supported me so much over the years. Like, seriously. Who else would be as crazy as I am to just. Go along with some impulsive guy because he read something in a crappy paper ad? Listening to all my dumbass ideas even if you know most of them aren’t going to work? And for what? So that we can have a little fun while it lasts?”

“And I feel like that’s just how a lot of my life goes. I try something new and I get bored and then I repeat that again and again and again until I’m sick of it. Just trying to make something last for a change because nothing ever does for me.”

Reigen’s talking speed slows down and he’s no longer rambling. His eyes have a certain tenderness in them when he looks back at you. “You and Mob? You two… are the only things in my life that I will never get tired of.” His stare pins you in place and you feel a shiver rip through you.

“Reigen…”

The blonde leans closer to you now, dropping his head low. “L/n, you ground me. You get that? You make up who I am.”

You’re speechless. You feel like your entire world is spinning with the night sky soaring around you. Your mind tries to convince you that it’s some kind of dream. But he’s really here in front of you, staring at you with needy eyes that speak for themselves.

“I’m sorry. A real grand speech I did there. You just can’t even begin to see how much you mean to me. And it’s so freaking annoying.” You raise your hand to his face and brush a section of soft blonde hair away so that you can see his eyes a little more clearly.

“Reigen,” you mutter, “Do you really mean all that…?” Reigen grabs your hand and squeezes it, bowing his head down.

“...Yeah. Of course, I do.” You pull a tight smile and hold his face with one hand, rubbing small circles on his cheek with your thumb, savoring the velvety texture of his skin underneath. He leans into your touch and sighs, cracking an eye open.

He admires the way the light from the forgiving moon frames your face. From the soft curves to the stronger edges of your features. But he mainly drinks up the way you look back at him with the same drunken eyes.

“You’re a real sight. You know that?” Reigen mumbles earnestly into your palm. You hum back in response, the two of you hovering closer. His eyes float across your entire face, looking at you like a piece of art, flickering between your lips and your eyes. His tongue pokes out to wet his lips subconsciously.

“Hey, uh. How angry would you be if I kissed you right now?” Reigen whispers close to your face. You can’t help but grin at the innocent question. Your hand snakes to the back of his neck and you pull him in and press your lips against his.

Reigen squeezes his eyes shut and he doesn’t take long to melt into the kiss. His hands carefully find their place on your sides, slowly sliding down to wrap around your waist, pulling you closer to him. He pulls at your shirt and sighs in your lips.

Reluctantly, he parts lips with you and gives you both a chance to catch your breaths. The two of you pant gently, hearts drumming so hard in your chests it hurts. You rest your forehead against his, mirroring his embarrassed glow.

“Is this okay?” Reigen asks as he searches your eyes for any reluctance. You only smile back and kiss him one more time. Your lips roll against his and he angles his head to deepen it. You can taste the faint flavor of cigarette smoke on your tongue mixed with lemons. It’s so very Reigen.

When you pull away the second time, he’s red in the face laughing out of pure joy, eyes half-lidded and obsessed with the essence of you. A sight that makes your heart jolt.

“Yes. This is very okay.” Reigen chuckles lightly and holds your hand, rubbing his thumb over your skin and placing a gentle kiss on your forehead. A yawn slips from your lips without warning. Reigen laughs against your skin and brushes your hair away from your face.

“It’s been a hell of a day. Maybe we should get some rest inside of the actual apartment. I dunno how we’d explain it to those guys if they found us like this in the morning.”

“Yeah. That would be reaaaally embarrassing.”

“Very,” Reigen nods. But neither of you makes the first move to get up. You both stare a little longer and inevitably, his lips are back on yours again, sharing soft kisses. His arms wrap around you, pulling you against his chest. He pulls away just enough so that your noses are still touching and he whispers before falling asleep.

“Thank you. For everything you do.”

Can Love Wait?

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Tanjiro Kamado x Reader (F!Reader / DemonSlayer!Reader)

Genre: Fluff, Pining

Warnings: None idk maybe light swearing?

Word Count: 5k

Summary: After confessing to Tanjiro suddenly during what you thought would be your last battle, it's now been a while in recovery without saying anything about it. The two of you finally address it tonight.

A/N: This is my first anime fic on this blog, but there will be many more to come! (I have a second account where I write fanfiction for... other fandoms) I just binged all of Demon Slayer this weekend because I've been sick with mono and quickly typed this up in my feverish daze. I just wanted some Tanjiro love and appreciation, so this is very mushy :') Also I've only seen the anime, just incase there's anything different about this from the manga? Prob not, but just in case! Also also, "(W/Y/N)" stands for "wrong your name" since Inosuke doesn't get names right lmao. Anyways, hope you enjoy! ♥

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You look out over the yard in the butterfly estate. The moon is a waning crescent and bright in the dark blue sky, stars shimmering and seeming to dance. They light up the night, giving everything in front of you a beautiful glow. There’s a light breeze that blows though your hair, your clothes, it caresses you gently and sweeps away. Your eyes close as you take in the sounds, and the smells around you. You’re in a meditative state, coming to focus on everything around you as if you were connected to the floor, the ground, the grass and dirt. You are one with your surroundings now. You can feel everything. The grass swaying, the little girls walking down the halls, the plop in the small pond as a frog jumps in. Every vibration around you is lucid in your minds eye. You can see it clearly, through closed eyelids.

A technique taught to you long ago by your father. It comes in handy during battle for many reasons and varying situations, but sometimes you use it just to take in the beauty of the life around you. Not everyone gets the pleasure to do so. There’s a smile painted onto your face subconsciously. It’s just so lovely. Tonight is definitely perfect.

You control your breathing and focus on your current roommates. Zenitsu and Inosuke are in the infirmary, and the vibration is quite bothersome, so you can tell they’re yelling about something. Tanjiro… he’s with them as well, but he’s silent. His presence alone is often very calming and warm. You can feel it start to move out of the room, and the footsteps get closer and closer to your location. You wonder if he’s looking for you, and you secretly hope so.

You take in one last breath of serene meditation, as you feel him only a few feet away from the sliding door behind you. When you hear it open gently, you don’t hesitate to greet him.

“Hello, Tanjiro.” You don’t even need to look at him, remaining still with eyes closed.

“(Y/n)! There you are! I was looking for you.”

“Looking for me?”

“Yes! I… I was just… wondering if we could talk?” He pushes out, and you can tell he’s a bit nervous. You smile subconsciously again, despite knowing exactly what this talk will be about.

You nod and tap the spot next to you, overlooking the garden, still not looking in his direction. He nods back regardless and closes the door behind him, walking over to sit exactly where you suggested.

Your eyes are still closed, mouth still upturned, and he gazes at you. The wind is blowing your hair softly and the moon is lighting up your skin in the night. You looked… beautiful. Your features looked more gentle and soft than he’d ever noticed before. It makes him blush slightly. It carries on like this in silence for a little too long, so you open your eyes to look over at him. Even when you see him staring, he doesn’t shy away, just smiles back at you.

“Is this about what I said the other night, during the fight?” You ask bluntly, tearing the silence between you.

“Huh?… Oh! …Yes…” He looks down at his hands, finally shying away a bit. He’s hoping you’re not noticing the tint on his cheeks, that maybe it was dark enough to hide it. But it isn’t, and you do notice. You think it’s adorable, but you’re a bit biased.

“I was just wondering… if what you said back then… if you really—“

“I really meant it.”

He whips his head back around at you, eyes a little wider, cheeks still flustered.

“I wouldn’t lie to you, Tanjiro. I meant every word.” You keep eye contact, struggling a bit to hold back your own flustered emotions. “I really do love you.”

At hearing these words again aimed towards him, the rose tint only gets darker, and something pulls at his heart. He doesn’t know what to say, just like back then. He curses himself for being so silent, but he can’t bring himself to say anything. This was just new to him. He never really even considered romance, too busy with his training and his self-forged destiny. You don’t look upset though, your eyes are gentle and caring. Understanding. They’d always been that way.

Several nights ago during your battle in the woods, right before what you thought would be your final moments, you spilled to Tanjiro how you really felt. You said you loved him, and that you always loved him, and how he had inspired you, lit something ablaze within you. It was unlike anything you’d felt, and it was unlike anything Tanjiro’s ever been told. The two of you cried, and he promised he’d protect you, which he did in the end, but he never said anything about your confession. You assumed this was because there was nothing to say, and you were accepting of it. There was no way you could be mad about it, and you were glad it was finally off your chest after traveling with the bunch for a while. You didn’t think he’d ever bring it up again, but…

“You don’t have to return my feelings, or even accept them. I know you’re extremely busy.” You finally break the eye contact, choosing to gaze back at the moon once more. But his eyes stay glued onto you. “It’s part of why I admire you so much. You work so hard for what you want, and your ambitions are so noble and inspiring. I could never ask you to return these feelings. It’d only get in your way. I always knew that.”

“(Y/n)…” His face melts into an expression of sympathy. He wants to disagree, but how could he? Even after thinking about it, he was still so unsure about his feelings. Maybe you were right. Perhaps his goals are too big for any interest in anything else. Still, it made him sad for some reason. It couldn’t just be pity, he knew that much.

“Tanjiro… you’re such a beautiful soul. I see the effect you have on people.” You stay gazing at the sky, smiling fondly, and he continues to listen intently. “It’s incredible. It’s not just me, but I’d be willing to bet you change the lives of just about anyone you run into in some way. You have to be quite special to do that, you know? The way you see things, the respect and kindness you have for everyone, even demons. It’s…”

As you trail off, you gaze back over at him shyly.

“Well… the point is I just really love and admire everything about you. I don’t want to overwhelm you, but please don’t think I’d ever lie about such a thing.”

“Of course not! I believe you!” Tanjiro is quick to respond, shaking his hands and head simultaneously. “I could tell you meant it when you said it, I just… didn’t know how else to bring it up naturally.” Now he’s chuckling a little, rubbing the back of his head.

His response makes you chuckle with him. What a silly reason.

After a cute moment of giggling together, it quiets down and you both naturally turn to look at the garden again.

“Sorry if I made our relationship awkward now. I only told you because I thought I was gonna die that night.” You say calmly.

“I’d never let that happen.”

You giggle again. “I know, I know! I'll remember that for next time, I guess.”

“It’s alright, it’s not awkward, trust me. I’m glad you were so honest with me. It was really heartwarming, everything you said.”

Your heart tugs in your chest, and your constant smile bends down slightly. You wouldn’t say it, but this was extremely embarrassing for you. You wanted to act like it didn’t bother you, but of course it did. You wish he could say something, anything, about how he felt towards you, but he’d only acknowledge what you said by describing what it meant to him. These nights, you’d actually try to avoid him, so if anything you were the one making it awkward. You figured it was time you talked, but it still wasn’t helping much apparently.

“Right… I’m happy I could do that for you.”

Tanjiro glances over at you without moving his head. He can smell that you’re not being genuine, but honestly it wouldn’t be hard to tell just from your demeanor. He suddenly feels like maybe he said something wrong. “Are you alright?”

“Hm?” You look over at him once more. “Yes, why?”

He can tell you’re lying. “You’re not happy. What’s going on? Was it something I said? I’m sorry—“

“No, no! It’s not what you said.” You stare at him after cutting him off. It’s an intense eye contact as he awaits your reason, and you try to think of one. But your mind is coming up blank.

'Oh, what the hell? Just ask.' You think.

It takes a lot for you to ask him this next, and you have to look at the ground below where your feet hang off the edge. “Tanjiro… Could you tell me… How you feel about me?”

It stays quiet for longer than you expect after you ask, and Tanjiro is flustered in thought trying to answer.

“It doesn’t have to be in a romantic way… I just-“

“I think I admire you in the same way you admire me.” Your eyes widen at the first part of his response. “You’re so strong and compassionate, kind, understanding. You make me feel comfortable, like I can tell you anything, and I always know I can count on you. It makes me forever grateful that I got to meet you... You’re amazing!”

You’re completely shocked at this, since it's not quite often you get complimented like that. You almost feel like crying, but you hold back since that would only make you more embarrassed. You turn and meet his gaze again to see his warm smile. He was being completely honest, speaking from the heart. Of course, it’s Tanjiro, what else would he do?

Although still not the exact answer you dreamt of, it still makes you happy and manages to put your mind at ease. You return the smile.

“Thank you.”

“Of course! Thank you for sharing your feelings as well.”

His sentence puzzles you a little, since it implies that his confession had the same weight as yours. Or maybe you’re reading into it?

“So… Was that a confession? Or do you think of me in a platonic way?” You immediately regret saying this when you see his eyes widen a little, and you remember what you said earlier about not wanting to bother him with this.

“NEVERMIND!!!” You throw your hands in front of your face, blocking his reaction, which only surprises him more. “That was a dumb question! It’s platonic, of course. Romance would get in your way, we already said that! Sorry! Forget I asked!”

Meanwhile, the question sparks something again in Tanjiro. Was it a confession? Ever since you had confessed to him that night, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Every night he'd lie awake, thinking about many things, but it'd always end with you. He'd start thinking about you, what you said, questions of how he felt, and then choose to sleep before he could settle on an answer. It's true that whenever he saw you he'd get a little nervous, his heart would jump in his chest a bit and need to settle down, but that was normal right? He just looked up to you as a friend and as a fellow demon slayer! You had amazing skills, impressive breathing technique, strong fighting stances, confident demeanor, caring and loving personality, pretty eyes, a laugh that sounded like angels- Okay maybe it was more than platonic. ...But how could he know for sure?

It’s silent for a moment, as you both stay frozen in position. You get more nervous with every second that passes by, overthinking about how much of a fool you must be acting right now.

“I never said that, though.” His voice cuts through the silence.

Your eyes widen again in surprise at his words, and your hands slowly lower to reveal his face again. He’s looking pretty serious, like he’s thought something through now. It’s different from before.

“You… Wh… What do you mean?”

It lays quiet again. Then, he subtly takes one of your hands in both of his.

“(Y/n)… You want to know how I feel about you romantically, right?”

You’re suddenly blushing like crazy at the intimate touch and question combo. He's never been so blunt with you, so you're caught off guard. You’re choked up for a second before you can actually answer.

“Y..yes!” You finally get the courage to look him directly in the eyes, where he stares back at you, equally determined. “Only if you want to!”

“Right! Well…” He seems to hold blank for a while, and you both continue to stare at each other. Tanjiro looks like he’s building up the courage to spill any second now, and you stare back at him with wide awaiting eyes. They’re soft and hopeful, but eager. Your hand still takes refuge in both Tanjiros. Despite them being rough and calloused, they feel at home there, you hardly notice.

And then finally, “Well!… If I’m being honest I think… I think I might have romantic feelings for you!” Your heart almost jumps all the way out of your chest as soon as you hear this, but you try to keep your facial expression the same like it doesn’t faze you. You can’t hide your smile though. “Because when I see you, I get really happy, and nervous! And I always admire your strength and kindness the same way you do mine! I worry about you like crazy when we split up on missions… And… and…“ He closes his eyes, as if preparing to let something out. “AND YOU’RE THE PRETTIEST GIRL IVE EVER MET!!”

Now the blush on his cheeks just about matches yours. You’ve brought your free hand to cover your mouth in shock. You can’t believe this is really happening. How is this happening??

His eyes are still squeezed shut well after it had been said and a silence stays between you two. You can’t help it, it makes you break out into a giggle. He just looked so serious.

This of course makes him immediately look up, confused. “W-what?”

“Nothing! Nothing! You’re just cute!”

His blush somehow gets even darker, and he smiles again. Once you stop giggling, you two connect eye contact again.

“If you felt that way… why didn’t you say anything during the battle? Or sooner after?”

“Well… I wasn’t totally sure about my feelings. Honestly I think I just realized them now. But I hadn’t bothered to think about it before...” He looks lost in thought for a moment. “I could’ve thought about it when you told me in battle, but… it would’ve felt like a goodbye. If that makes sense? I definitely wasn’t going to let things end there.”

Your gaze softens at hearing this, and your mind is put at ease once again. You look down to where your hand is still being held by just one of his hands now, and you squeeze his gently. “So… What do you want to do now?”

It’s silent again, but for much longer than before this time. You glance at him a few times, but he looks extremely deep in thought as he stares out, brows a bit furrowed. Then, eventually, his face falls a bit into a sad expression.

“I’m sorry…” he finally speaks.

“For what…?”

“It’s just that… even though I’m pretty sure of my feelings for you… this is all still new to me. And what you said before, about it getting in my way…”

You brace yourself, because you’re pretty sure you know where this is going next. You knew it.

“It’s true… I have to turn Nezuko back into a human. I have to defeat Muzan. I can't let anything slow me down—“

“I understand.” You cut in.

“It’s not that I think you would get in my way! I just—“

“Tanjiro. It’s okay. I understand, trust me.” Your words make him look over at you, apologetic. “I want you to reach your goal! I don’t want relationship things to get in your way. Id never forgive myself if I was the reason you got held back…”

“But (Y/n)…”

“I’m your biggest fan! I’ll always be here to cheer you on, so don’t worry about it. Okay?” You give him that warm smile again, the one that he swears raises his body heat just from one look. “Plus, everything you said before is good enough for me. That made my whole year! You’re the sweetest, you know that?”

He can’t even smell any sadness or anger from you at all, you were being genuine. You were happy, and understanding, through and through. This makes him mirror your smile, the one you swear lights a fire in you just from one look. “Thank you.” He says, but even he is a little sad at his own words. Sadder than even you, apparently, and it makes him doubt himself.

Your smile gets bigger, and your eyelids lower. Your response is only when you lean in and give him a quick peck on the cheek, causing his face to immediately light up.

“Anytime.” You say, a bit smug as you pull back.

His face is shocked and red as he holds his cheek with his free hand.

You giggle a little and then start to pull your feet up and under you, preparing to stand up. “Well, I suppose it’s getting pretty late, huh—“

“(Y/n).” Tanjiro cuts you off, and you feel your hand get pulled towards him slightly. It startles you a bit, and you turn to look at him curiously...

But as soon as you turn around, you realize how close his face is to yours suddenly. Closer than it’s ever been, only maybe a few inches from yours. He stares at you intently, but also in a trance, nervous and longing at the same time. You can hardly notice, as your eyes soon drop to his nose almost grazing yours, and then his lips. They look softer than you’d expect, and as you two lean in closer, they beg to meet.

You’re centimeters away, and both of you have closed your eyes now, knowing what the outcome of this will be. You don’t even bother to question it at all, it all happens so naturally.

And then, just as you think you’re about to finally connect, thundering footsteps appear outside the hallway in half a second, and the door slams open not even a half-second afterwards.

“BENITO! (W/Y/N)! WHAT ARE YOU TWO UP TO IN HERE!!” The boar headed boy yells as he makes his entrance, Zenitsu right behind him. The two of you flung off of eachother the second the door started to open, and are now a blushing mess.

“TANJIROOOOO!!!!!!” Zenitsu wastes not a second to charge in immediately after entering, headed straight for the boy to your right.

“W-WHAT?!” He immediately looks terrified, and you mirror his confused-shocked expression.

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING IN HERE WITH (Y/N), HUH???” He grabs Tanjiro by the front of his pajamas, lifting him slightly and moving his face in close. “YOU BETTER NOT BE IN HERE SMOOCHING ON A LADY WHILE WERE IN THE INFIRMARY BEING LECTURED AND FORCED TO TAKE NASTY ASS MEDICINE. YOU WOULDN’T DO THAT, RIGHT?? ESPECIALLY NOT WITH ONE OF OUR TEAMMATES?? YOU WOULD AT LEAST KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD SUFFER WITH THE REST OF US SINCE YOU ALREADY GET SO MUCH ATTENTION WITH LADIES ANYWAYS!!! LIKE HELL AM I GONNA SIT AROUND AND HAVE TO WATCH YOU TWO GET LOVEY DOVEY WITH EACH OTHER ON EVERY MISSION!!! ILL LEAVE THIS GROUP!!!”

“C-CALM DOWN, ZENITSU!! WE WEREN’T DOING-“ His face distorts a little, as it does when he lies, as he remembers what you two were literally just about to do. You sweat a little. Oh no. “A-aNy…THInG LiKe THAT!!! At ALL!!!” He's such a bad liar!

You can only see Zenitsu get angrier at this. “YOU FILTHY LIARRRR!!! I HEARD YOUR CONFESSION FROM ACROSS THE MANSION!!!! ILL KILL YOU!!!!” He shouts out as he starts to shake Tanjiro violently, who only shakes his head and hands in defense rapidly.

Inosuke is quick to break up the two of them, getting in between the two boys. “HEY! IF YOU TWO ARE FIGHTING, I WANT IN! ILL WIN AGAINST BOTH OF YOU!! YOU WEAKLINGS DON’T STAND A CHANCE!!!” Of course, only to push it forward.

You can only sit there in shock at their shenanigans, not knowing what to say. Then, when it seems they’ve completely forgotten you’re even there, you start to laugh quietly. You really loved being part of this group. Never a dull moment.

They all quiet down a bit when they hear your laughter get louder, and they freeze mid-fight as well.

“WHATS SO FUNNY, HUH?” Inosuke shouts, pumping his fist in the air.

“YEAH YOU’RE GUILTY TOO!! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF???” Zenitsu adds in.

You have to wipe tears from your eyes when you settle down. Then you gently push yourself up to stand, dusting off your clothes a bit, and finally looking back at them. “I’m really happy to be in a group with you guys, you know that?” The words just slip out of your mouth, as it’s what you were thinking.

It stays quiet for a moment, but then this alone seems to make Zenitsu let go of Tanjiro, who takes a big breath of relief in turn. Inosuke doesn’t say anything, but you hear him make a slight “owahhh” sound. And it almost looks like he’s glimmering?

“H-hey. Don’t think you can get out of this by saying nice stuff like that! What were you and Tanjiro doing???” Zenitsu insists, although much more tame now that he’s talking to you.

“Us? We were just talking about the mission from last week. I almost died so… He was just making sure I was still alright.” You were a much better liar than Tanjiro, so you figure you should probably do the excuse making from here on out. The scenario you described is something Tanjiro would have ended up doing anyways, only making it more believable. As soon as you see Zenitsu look away for a second, you take the opportunity to wink at Tanjiro, and he blushes again in response.

Zenitsu makes a “hmph.” sound, and looks now slightly embarrassed. Probably at the fact that he didn’t think to do that first.

You put a sweet smile on and walk over to them, pulling both Zenitsu and Inosuke into a hug. It makes them both blush, Zenitsu much harder than his animal-headed buddy.

“We were just about to head to bed anyways before you guys barged in, so we can head back now.” You say as you pull away from them. Having them leave you two alone again would probably just make it awkward, since you’d have to address the almost-kiss that just happened. But you still glance at Tanjiro and give him a reassuring smile, which he nods and returns to you, still blushing slightly.

“Okay, fine…” Zenitsu says, defeated. And with that, you all head back to your room.

You and Tanjiro don’t speak about this night ever after this.

————————————

Until…

It’s several months later and the four of you are currently on a mission in a large village in the middle of the woods. The fight has been long and hard so far, several hours since you began. The demon you were after was a pretty high ranking one, a fire using demon that was setting buildings ablaze and trapping humans inside, using the building like an oven.

You just managed to save all the people out of the buildings, but the demon remains with a head so far. You’re all in the woods outside the building, and you should go back in, but most of you are pretty badly damaged. You currently stand with what feels like a couple broken ribs and broken wrist. Tanjiro doesn’t seem to have broken anything, but he’s pretty beaten up and bleeding in too many places. The other two boys are beaten up as well, but you assume not as badly as you.

You’re all making sure everyone is okay before you continue the fight. Just when you’re about to run back in, a sharp pain stabs your side, and you groan loudly as you hunch over.

“(Y/N)! Are you okay?!” Tanjiro shouts, by your side in a second

“I’m alright!!..” You manage to push out. “Lets just finish this.”

“I think you should stay here and rest.” He says immediately.

“What?? But I’ll be fine! You’ve fought in way worse conditions.”

“Maybe, but it wasn’t smart of me! You could permanently damage yourself if you push yourself too hard!” He defends, ever the selfless hero.

“Oh, you’re the last person to be giving me that! Tanjiro, you put yourself in permanent harms way all the time!! I can help!” You insist, pushing yourself to stand straight again.

“(Y/n), I’m serious. Please stay.” He pleads.

You frown, still not wanting to give in.

“I’ll have Zenitsu stay with you too. You guys can protect the civilians and make sure they’re safe. Or even evacuating them might be better! Then you don’t have to rest if you don’t want to.” He smiles, giving his genius alternative.

“You just don’t want me going into the main battle.” You argue as you cross your arms, still not convinced.

“Please? I’ll leave Nezuko with you too! She’s exhausted from fighting anyways! Look after her for me?”

You sigh. Nezuko duty always did make you cave in. You loved it when Tanjiro entrusted you with his sister. It made you feel trusted and important to him.

“Mmmm-Fine!!! I’ll watch over Nezuko! ….And the civilians. But I’m coming in if you’re not out in a half hour!!”

He smiles, taking your hand in his subtly for a moment. “Thank you. Be careful.”

You blush as he quickly turns to run off and tell the other two the plan. You watch as Inosuke automatically agrees and Zenitsu protests, only to be persuaded by assumingely the same reason you were.

You sigh again, turning to Nezuko’s box as you bend over a tiny bit to pat it gently. “What am I going to do with your brother, Nezuko? Seriously, I cant take it!” You don’t expect an answer obviously.

“NEEEEEEZUUUKOOOOOO!!!” Zenitsu’s signature greeting bellows out from across the open area as he runs over to you and the box. He immediately clings to it the moment he’s able to. “ILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANYTHING NEZUKO, SO DON’T YOU WORRY OKAYYYY?”

You roll your eyes, drowning out the rest of his speech for her. You look over your shoulder and watch as Inosuke and Tanjiro start running back into the building, but something catches your eye. Your eyes immediately widen upon seeing it, and you start running after them before your mind can even process what your body is doing. Your body sends waves of sharp pain from your injury every few seconds, but you ignore it almost completely. Zenitsu yells at you to ask, but you’re already too far to hear in an instant.

You finally catch up enough to be within hearing distance with them. “TANJIRO!!” You shout out, and he reflexively stops in his tracks and swings around to meet your stare.

You take the moment he stopped running to quickly catch up to him. You immediately tear a piece of the sleeve of your kimono and his eyes widen.

“What are you doing??” He asks, suddenly startled.

“You dummy! Did you not notice the huge wound on your thigh?” You bend down and begin to tie the kimono fabric around it twice to stop the bleeding, ignoring the pain in your wrist. “It was dripping puddles! I didn’t even see it earlier… How are you even walking?”

“It’s okay… I’ve felt worse while fighting. It doesn’t feel too deep. But, thank you. I probably should’ve wrapped it before I left.” He says, smiling at you again, a bit sheepishly this time.

“No kidding.” You can’t help but smile back too in your own worried way. “Jeez, what am I gonna do with you Tanjiro Kamado?” He chuckles a little when you say this, still smiling.

“HEY! ARE YOU TWO DONE YAPPING? THE DEMON IS GOING TO ESCAPE TO ANOTHER BUILDING!!” Inosuke shouts out from further behind you both, and you jump a little.

“Right! Okay, sorry! Be careful!” You shout, telling both of them, but addressing Tanjiro with eye contact. You then turn around quickly and start to run back.

“(Y/N)!”

You hear him shout out your name, and you also reflexively stop and turn around. Except when you turn, you’re immediately greeted with his face inches away from yours, just like that night. And this time, the space closes only within a second. It happens so fast your brain doesn’t process it at first. His lips are on yours not even two seconds after having turned around. Your eyes are blown wide and it’s not until he brings his hands up to cup your face that you actually relax and kiss him back. It’s soft and loving, if also a bit awkward. But to you it felt magical. You’d dreamed about doing this long before you even thought it’d be a possibility. His lips were just as soft as you thought they’d be that night, and they give you every comfort in the world, as if they’re telling you “we’re gonna be alright.”.

When he pulls back, you realize you must be blushing 10x harder than he is, but his is still there. He doesn’t waste anymore time, smiling fondly at you and saying “Good luck!”, before quickly rushing back around and into the building. You can hear Inosuke shouting at him about it as he follows in.

You only stand there in shock for a while, touching your fingertips to your lips. Then, your mouth slides up into a smile, and you turn around to return to your station.

Sour Confessions

Sour Confessions

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