Manic ☆

[ 17 ]

!! Mugen train spoilers !!

[Name] held a broom in their hand as they swept back and forth on their engawa - the soft breeze gently gleamed onto their face - they hum happily for once, why? well because of their friends returning of course. Sumi's tiny body happily ran through [Name]'s room, her tiny feet tapped against the wooden floor, her smile as wide as ever.

"[Name]! [Name]! They have returned!" her tiny voice boomed through their empty room. [Name]'s head quickly perked up, "Hm? Oh, I'm glad." "Let's go, Let's go!" the little girl grabbed the hem of the older person's haori as they chuckled at the child's antics.

- The corporation's gates -

[Name] and Sumi happily ran toward the gate to where their friends will return, [Name] looked more to see their beloved friends, "Rengoku will go on and on-" "Shush [Name], we can tell stories later when they are inside their mansions!"

They snickered softly and nodded their head with a soft hum. They both arrived at the gates and excitedly waited for their comrades - [Name] anxiously bounced on their heels and nipped at their fingernails - the gates to the corporation slowly opened to reveal their comrades.

"Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, Ren-" their sentence was cut off whenever they noticed that there was one missing from the four. They slowly turned their head around and behind the three fear-stricken boys, "Guys, where's Rengoku?" they humorlessly laughed while they kept looking around and behind them. Zenitsu's eyes were filled with guilt and grief, Inosuke was as quiet as mouse, and Tanjiro shook his head slowly.

"H-He... he didn't make it back with us, [Name]."

[Name]'s body shook as they slowly shook their head; tears pricked at the corner of their eyes. "No. No, no, no, no." they slowly became enraged as they dashed toward Tanjiro and grabbed a fistful of his uniform, "What the hell do you mean, he didn't come back with you?!" they shook him back and forth with rage while tears fell down their face.

Zenitsu hesitantly raised a hand to intervene, "[N]-[Name]. Tanjiro did the best he could-" "Shut the hell up, you coward! You always whine and whine about how you need to be saved whenever you can't deal with something yourself! You're weak! You bastard!" Zenitsu was taken aback. His feet slowly shuffled backward as tears fell from his eyes - [Name]'s eyes now filled with regret - Zenitsu lowered his head then he nodded and quickly left.

[Name] immediately tried to apologize but was cut off whenever they were pulled into Tanjiro's chest, "Shh, Shh, [Name]. He understands but you need to watch your words next time, we're all grieving." Tanjiro's soft and gentle words touched [Name]'s heart as they collapsed into his arms and let everything out.

The pain, the grief, and the regret of not going with them. Sumi quietly shuffled to them and patted the older hashira's head, "It's okay [Name]. Rengoku is now smiling above you and wishing for your happiness." She wiped a tear that fell off of their beautiful heartbroken face.

They nodded but went back to crying into Tanjiro's chest, Inosuke gruffly walked past the two, "I should've done better." he mumbled under his breath.

Sumi grabbed Inosuke's hand as she walked him back to his respective area and left Tanjiro and [Name] alone to grieve together. Tanjiro shushed the weeping hashira's cries as he gently brushed his fingers through their hair, he hummed a soft lullaby as they continued to cry into his chest.

"It's okay [Name]. I'm here for you," he whispered lowly into their ear. They gripped onto the sleeves of Tanjiro's uniform as they nuzzled their face into his chest again, "Please don't ever leave me. I need you." Tanjiro's mouth contorted into a wide smile as he looked down at the weeping hashira.

"Of course, I'll never leave you, [Name]."