Welcome Home, My Sun (GenTan KNY Short)

I'm Tired

Idea credits to Carrovity on TikTok. This is angst to comfort, it'll be 2 chapters. The song above is what I listened to while writing the first part. Anyways, let's get started.

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Tanjiro can no longer feel the pain of the final battle, his vision blurry. He can faintly see the hazed form of Giyuu kneeling in front of him.

"I'm tired," Tanjiro's weak voice barely manages out. "Are they safe?"

"Yes. They are, kid. Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu are all safe. They're going to be ok. The Kakushi are on their way, just hang on, Tanjiro. Stay awake with me," Giyuu responds. "You're going to be ok as well," though his voice cracks, knowing he's lying to try and make himself feel better.

"As long as they're alright, I think... I just want to rest for now. Let Nezuko know I'm ok for me, please, Giyuu," Tanjiro gives a small smile as he speaks.

"Tan-," Giyuu begins, but nods instead. "I will."

The quiet man gently uses his left arm to pull the dying boy close to him, giving him someone to lean on as his breath gets more and more shallow.

"Thank you, Giyuu. For-," he's cut off by a shallow cough, some blood splattering onto Giyuu's tattered haori, "for helping me and caring for me and my sister."

"Tanjiro, I'd do it again in a heartbeat..." Giyuu's trembling voice replies.

They're interrupted by a loud, "Tomioka! Kamado! Hang on!" From the remaining Kakushi rushing to assist them.

Giyuu hesitates, but holds up his hand.

"Don't move us... please," he chokes out. "Not yet."

"But, sir!" One of them protests, voice filled with dread.

"Let him be... he wants to rest, please let him... he's seen and done enough. He deserves this much," Giyuu's voice is quiet, more so than usual.

Moments later, Nezuko's panicked voice is heard, footsteps accompanying it, "Tanjiro!" Her rapid footsteps are telling of her fear of the sight in front of her.

It's hard on him, clearly, asking them to let him go, losing another person, hearing the terrified voice from Nezuko. Tears start to stream down his face. He doesn't wipe them away. There's no reason to. Tanjiro won't see or feel them. He gently reaches up with his hand and feels for a pulse or breathing. They've both stopped, and Tanjiro's body is limp against Giyuu's body.

Nezuko stumbles and falls as she runs up next to Giyuu, noticing the two faces, one growing pale, the other completely broken and exhausted. She knows immediately what's happened, and she has no clue how to respond. She can't speak, can't scream, can't even sob, so she just kneels there, tears blurring her vision.

After a few painful minutes that honestly feel like hours, he nods to the Kakushi, indicating that it's time to go. They gently lift the lifeless body away from Giyuu, before another carefully helps him onto a second stretcher, all of them silent, no one wanting to break the exhausting silence, no one able to.

~~~~~

The small funeral of sorts is held a few days later, Tanjiro's ashes handed to Nezuko, who stands next to Giyuu. Giyuu had sworn to care for her after Tanjiro's death, not wanting to leave her behind as well.

His headstone is carefully placed with the Hashira who had fallen years past, his specifically being placed next to the beloved Flame Hashira, Kyojurou Rengoku, who had passed in the harrowing fight with Akaza, saving the lives of everyone involved except his own.

The night after being put in, a now quiet demon, despite having once been loud and protective of the one he had loved and spent his time with, walks up to the headstone.

Yushiro kneels at the grave, wiping his tears away quietly, unable to speak for a few moments as he kneels there with a small potted plant.

"Ka- Tanjiro, thank you. For everything. If you, um, if you see her, could you let her know I miss her? We all miss you too... even if you don't believe it from me. I brought you a flower that I think would... be beautiful for your grave... maybe you'll be able to see it. I hope you can," he finally manages out through his tears after minutes of silence.

Soon he digs a small hole in front of the headstone, quietly placing the not yet blooming flower in the hole, before patting the dirt around it, tears occasionally hitting the flower or the dirt around it. With this, he stands, gently placing a hand on the headstone, before quietly leaving to return home.

The next morning when Nezuko, Giyuu, and the others come to visit and leave their own flowers, one single flower is blooming that had clearly been planted a few hours prior, the infamous blue spider lily. Nezuko knows who had left it, but refuses to answer the others, just making a silent promise to send him a letter after returning home, despite knowing he likely will never answer.