I'll Protect You, I Promise

Chapter 3: A Mother's Love

Kie didn't know how she could ever let go of her child, her firstborn, her Tanjiro. Didn't understand how she could be grieving her son so soon, too soon.

It broke her heart.

It broke her heart that her Nezuko would grow up without her onii-chan. It broke her heart that there would be no more new years where Tanjiro would look at Tanjurou with sparkling eyes, dazzled by the Hinokami Kagura. As she continued to grieve her lost son, she didn't even notice the people around her.

"-ie"

"-Kie

"Kie, Nezuko is crying." Kie lifted her eyes to see her husband in front of her cradling their second-born. He was right, she was crying.

How selfish of her, Kie thought, to ignore my only other child while grieving.

Bringing her arms up, Kie let Tanjurou transfer Nezuko into her arms. She settled her small body close to her chest before standing up.

"I'll bring Nezuko in the house to feed her," Kie stated, before turning away.

As she entered the house, the only thing on her mind was, why can't I be a good mother, why do I have to grieve so soon?

~~~

Tanjurou didn't know what to do after handing Nezuko over to Kie. So like many days, he cut wood.

Take a log, split it once, split it twice. Take a new log, split it once, split it twice. Take another log, split it once, split it twice. Over and over again. In just a few hours, Tanjuruo had amassed a rather large pile of wood. So he would have to take it, and cart it over to the furnace they made charcoal with. Loading each piece of wood in, one by one, little by little.

Tanjurou buried his head in his hands, sighing. As the small shed started to warm up.

"Why couldn't I save my only son?" Tanjurou whispered into his palms, seemingly for no one but himself.

"How could I fail to protect him?"

If only I had been stronger, he thought to himself, If only.

~~~

The Kamados have been acting much more differently since last New Years. That was one thing that many of the townsfolk had on their minds, especially to one man by the name Saburo. He and his family have been rather close to Tanjurou's own family. Sometimes inviting each other to dinner. But recently, whenever they'd see the man, he wouldn't have the same spark in his eye, and would never stay around to chat.

Tanjiro never came around either.

Whenever Saburo would try to bring up the boy, Tanjurou would just look down solemnly. Making him even more curious.

"Hey! Tou-san! Why does Tanjurou Jii-san doesn't talk much anymore?" One of his children asked.

"Yeah! I haven't heard him laugh since the night before New Years!" His youngest chipped in.

"Well, your Jii-san is probably going through a tough time right now," Saburo started off, "it's up to him when he wants to tell us what he's feeling."

"Okay... But I'm still worried about him!" "Yeah! Me too!"

"That's sweet of you, but I think he needs space right now, okay?"

The two children nodded their heads in response. Still, they looked to the side, like they were thinking about something really important. Saburo slightly shook his head. They were always so kind, those two. But they were right, he was worried for Tanjurou, what if he pushed himself too hard because of what he was thinking about. He also worried for Kie too, he could only imagine how she's been when someone like Tanjurou has been acting like this.

He'll go to their house tomorrow, Saburo resolved. Maybe then Tanjurou will open up about what has been bothering him.