A Hashira's Daughter(Tanjiro x reader)

9 - The Aftermath and the Terrors That Come With it

We made it back to headquarters but I went straight home instead of the Butterfly Mansion. I opened the front door and saw my dad waiting.

"Y/n..." I hugged him tightly and he hugged back as my voice started breaking.

"I couldn't- I couldn't save him! I'm so sorry, Dad. " I sobbed as he pulled me in tighter.

"You don't need to be sorry." I backed away from the embrace and wiped away a stray tear.

"But I let him die! I could've stepped in but I was a coward and I still am! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME! "

"Don't say that Y/n... it's never deserves to be you."

"But I did nothing. If I had helped him..."

"Then it would've been you. I'm just happy that you got back alive."

"I'm... I'm gonna head to bed."

4 months later

I was starting to accept the fact that it was over and that I don't need to worry anymore. I would have already if it wasn't for the night terrors. The same one over and over again. I would be back at the trainwreck and kneeling across from Kyojuro. He told me it was my fault even though it wasn't. I know it wasn't. I hadn't gone back to the Butterfly mansion, I didn't feel the need to, also I didn't want anyone to see me like this... you know... weak and vulnerable. 

Someone knocked on my door as I just finished buttoning up my uniform. I opened the door to see the butterfly girls.

"Hello Miss Y/n!"

"Hi girls. What's going on?"

"Mr Tanjiro wanted to see how you were doing."

"He does?"

"He's here if you want to-"

"Sorry I have to go train see you later!" I slid the door shut and went back to getting ready. I don't want to see Tanjiro right now. I can't shake the feeling that he's mad at me for everything. I stood in front of the mirror as I put my haori on. Behind me in the mirror was a small figure. I could only see it out of the corner of my eye and when I turned around to check, it was gone.

I trained that entire day, just to get my mind off everything. 

That night I went to sleep expecting the same nightmare. It was different.

I waited for the same speech as I sat across from Kyojuro. 

"Why did you do it?" That wasn't part of the script?

"What?"

"Why did you go past the wysteria?" He asked me. How did he know about that? The only people that knew were my parents and Tanjiro. It's just a dream Y/n.

"I don't know! I didn't mean anything bad by it!" He stood up and I stood with him.

"Then ask him why he followed you." I turned and looked down to see my brother.

"Why did you let me get turned?"

"Katsuro... I-" He grew into how old he would be today. 18, today would be his 18th birthday. 

"WHY DID YOU LET ME BECOME THIS!" He yelled with the sounds of millions of  voices behind him. 

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T KNOW!" My breathing became unsteady as he stepped closer towards me, claws extending.

"YOU KNEW THE RISK YET YOU STILL TOOK ME WITH YOU!"

"I'm sorry... Katsuo. Please."

"You brought this on yourself." He swiped his claws across my face. 

I sat up in a cold sweat and gripped at my hair. The cool night air was one of the only things that could calm me after one of these nights, but even that wasn't working after what I just saw. I turned to my last option and went to the butterfly mansion. I climbed to the roof and pulled my knees into my chest. My heart sank as I heard him sit next to me.

"Go away Tanjiro..."

"I'm not leaving. I haven't seen you in 4 months and now you're upset about something. If you'll let me, I wanna help you."

He shuffled closer to me as my eyes began filling up with tears again. 

"I just had a night terror that's all."

"Was it... bad?"

My brain said no but my actions said otherwise. I collapsed into him, swinging my arms around his torso.

"It was bad Tanjiro..."

He wrapped his arms gently around my back.

"What happened? You can tell me?"

"Kyojuro asked me why I went into the wysteria... and I turned around and Katsuro was there... he asked me why I let him become a demon... I- I don't know anymore!" I spoke between my sobs as Tanjiro pulled me closer, the side of my head pressed up against his chest. "He would've turned 18 today." I the chokes between sobs returned and streams stained my face.

"Shh... it's okay. You're okay. I've got you. I'm here."  

He gently rubbed his hand up and down my back, his palm was rough but it didn't hurt. I started to calm my breathing a bit and Tanjiro rested his head on top of mine.

The next day I was on my way to the Butterfly Mansion to finally see Inosuke and Zenitsu when I heard screaming. I ran up to the front gate and I groaned. I saw my dad on top of the gate with Aoi over his shoulder. He was explaining that he needed female corp members for a mission.

"What if we went with you on the mission instead?" Tanjiro said.

"We?" Dad looked to his left to see Zenitsu perched on the fence and looked to the right to see Inosuke doing the same. He then looked behind him to see me. I sped over to stand with the others.

"Who the hell are you two?" He asked Zenitsu and Inosuke. "Got something to say?" 

"I JUST GOT BACK FROM TRAINING BUT I HAVE PLENTY OF POWER TO SPARE!"

"If you know what's good for you you'll let Miss Aoi go!"

"Alright fine guess I'm taking you four with me instead. " Well that was easy. "But only if you four obey my every command!" Of course there was a catch. He put Aoi down.

"So where are we going?"

"To the flashiest spot in Japan that's teaming with lust and desire. A hotbed for demons, the Entertainment District."