Manic ☆

[ 26 ]

"I love you."

Those words always meant so much to [Name], they always loved the way they sounded when they slipped through the lips of people that cared for them, it was their favorite three words.

"I love you and you know I do, right?" Tanjiro gently cooed. But now, they hated those words by any means.

The burgundy-haired boy placed a comforting hand on the weak hashira's head and began to run his warm fingers through their tangled hair.

"Nothing's gonna harm you. Not while I'm around." He softly sang to them, and their eyelids lowered.

"Nothing's gonna harm you, darling, not while I'm around." Tanjiro's hand carefully caressed [Name]'s cheek as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on it. [Name] slightly recoiled their body and looked away in displeasure.

Tanjiro gently moved loose hair in front of [Name]'s face. "Tanjiro, can I go out, I want some other foo-" slap. A sudden and loud slap filled the once quiet room as [Name] held their cheek and Tanjiro with an angered face. Tanijro sighed as he reached out to [Name], "I'm sorry, [Name], I just," they flinched as they cowered in their arms.

His eyebrows knit together as he wrapped his arms around the cowering [Name], "Please, don't act like that. I said I'm sorry." [Name] said nothing and wrapped their hands and arms around their legs. "Mhm, I know. Just surprised me." They shakily replied. Tanjiro smiled as he gave them a slight squeeze and patted their head, petting them, like a small hurt puppy. "Now, are you hungry? After your incident, you haven't eaten." Tanjiro cooed. [Name]'s eyes flickered back and forth between Tanjiro and their stomach.

They grimly lifted their head and forced a smile on their captor, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I am hungry." They said tiredly. Tanjiro smiled and nodded, "I'll tell Nezuko-," he was cut off as [Name] quickly grasped his sleeve, "No. I want to.. go to the market with you." Tanjiro sighed as he grabbed Name]'s hands and gently held them in his.

"You want to go to the market with me? Can you give me a good reason?" He asked with a degrading tone. They lightly gripped his hands and looked him in the eyes, "I want to spend more time with you, just us. No one else." They said weakly. Tanjiro began to cackle loudly as he suddenly tightly gripped their hands and leaned in closer to them, "I'm not an idiot,[Name]," his tone darkened, "I know what you would try to do to leave me." Their eyes squinted in pain, they tried to wriggle their hands-free of the tight clasp the boy had on them.

"I promise that I won't try anything. I swear, it's just, I want to go outside once again. Don't you want us to go on a date, like, outside of the house?" They winced. Consideration momentarily showed on Tanjiro's face as his grip loosened and he looked away to think about [Name]'s suggestion. "Fine. I'll let you come with us to the market," hope-filled [Name]'s eyes before it was quickly shot down, "But. You will hold both of Nezuko and I hand, you know, just to make sure you don't leave us, sunshine." He said with a smile.

Their eyes almost watered at the statement but they quickly held back tears and nodded gently, "Okay, that's fine with me." Tanjiro smiled then let go of their hand to pat them on the head, a quiet scowl of protest came from them as a result. They both got up and Tanjiro began to undress [Name], "Tanjiro. What are you," "I'm dressing you into some new clothes." He said as he slides their shirt off their shoulders.

Panic sets into their mind as they stopped his hand which earned a glare from the boy, "I want Nezuko for right now.. if that's fine with you, My love.." they mumbled. Tanjiro smiled widely then kissed their cheek, "Of course, after all, we both need attention from you anyways." He removed his hands and motioned a finger in their spot — indirectly telling them not to move. They nodded and watched as Tanjiro left out the bedroom door. As he gently closed the door, [Name] quickly darted to their mattress and picked up a piece of paper, they then opened it and let out a sigh of relief before they closed it once again, they quickly put it back when they heard the doorknob gently jiggle.

Nezuko emerged from behind the door and turned around to close the door once again. [Name] stood up before they quickly covered up what they were doing by rubbing their feet against the floor, Nezuko walked over to them and quickly picked up where Tanjiro had left off. When she gently slid the cloth down to their elbows, they stopped her abruptly, her eyes snapped to meet their worried ones.

"Nezuko, please, help me."

The silence was a response as they quickly went back to their mattress and took out the piece of paper, "I ripped a piece of paper off from the paper you gave me a few days prior," they gently placed the piece of paper in the confused girl's palm. "When we go to the market, please hand this to Lady Tamayo, she's a very good friend of mine. She's going to be doing a round in the western part of the market, I believe. I'll keep Tanjiro busy with me, please just, try to get to her. She'll be able to help us." [Name] pleaded to Nezuko. They closed her hand and gripped her knuckles, "This is a way out for us."

Tanjiro smiled as [Name] came out of their room in gentle blue clothing and a pair of Tanjiro shoes. He walked to them and hugged them dearly, "You look so beautiful, my love!" He happily sang in [Name]'s ear. They hesitantly reached back to him and also give him a good squeeze back. As they released from the hug, Tanjiro walked to a nearby table and lifted some bandages to show to [Name]; beginning to wrap them around their eye area. " When we get to the market, your name will be Ainsley. You are 22 and have a condition that makes your face deformed, okay?" They looked back and forth between Nezuko and Tanjiro, "What are you," he gripped the bandage and cut them off, "I will not repeat myself, [Name]. Now, what is your name in the market?" He questioned in a dark tone.

They gulped down a wad of spit and quickly answered, "Ainsley." He patted their head and smiled, "Now what is the reason that you have bandages on your face?" They lightly grazed at the bandages, the feeling of the bandages crinkling under their touch. "I have a condition that makes my face deformed." Tanjiro patted their head once again but also kissed their head, "Look at how smart you are! Now, let's go. We don't want to be late coming home again and also forget to cut the wood, isn't that right, Takeo?" Tanjiro smiled at [Name]'s confused face and Nezuko's saddened face before motioning [Name] to take his hand.

They do so and Nezuko soon followed as she took their other hand. Now it was time for them to make a quick trip to the market.