The days that followed the battle with the demon were filled with a strange tension, a weight that Muichiro could not shake. As he and Tanjiro traveled back to their designated headquarters, Muichiro found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything other than the younger boy’s presence. The wounds that had been inflicted on him during the battle had already begun to heal, but the wound on his heart—the one that Tanjiro had unknowingly carved—remained fresh and raw.
They spent most of the journey in silence, the night air thick with the smell of pine and the distant cry of nocturnal creatures. Tanjiro walked just a few paces ahead, his steps light and steady, but Muichiro could not help but keep his gaze fixed on him. He studied the way Tanjiro carried himself, the way his dark hair fluttered in the breeze, the way his eyes glinted with an endless well of kindness. Tanjiro was everything Muichiro wasn’t: unyielding, unbroken, full of light.
And it was that light, that strength, that made Muichiro’s chest tighten. It had become almost unbearable.
The night they arrived at the safe house—a simple cottage on the outskirts of a small village—Muichiro barely slept. He lay wide-eyed on his mat, staring at the wooden beams above him, hearing Tanjiro’s soft breathing from the mat on the other side of the room. The darkness felt suffocating, pressing down on him, and the only relief he could find was the sound of Tanjiro’s heartbeat—steady and strong, like the pulse of the earth itself.
**Why am I so afraid?** Muichiro thought, his fingers curling into the fabric of his bedding. **Why can’t I stop thinking about him?**
It was only supposed to be a fleeting connection, one born out of mutual respect. They were both Demon Slayers. They fought together. They protected each other. But over the past few weeks, Muichiro’s feelings for Tanjiro had grown into something deeper. Something more intense, more suffocating. And it terrified him.
Every time Tanjiro smiled, every time their hands brushed in passing, Muichiro felt a pang in his chest. His thoughts spiraled, tangled in his desire to be close to him, to protect him, to *keep him safe*. He had never felt such a thing before—not even for his late twin brother, Yuichiro. Tanjiro was not just someone to protect anymore. He was the very reason Muichiro fought, the very reason his heart beat.
But what did that mean? And more importantly, what could Muichiro do with this feeling?
---
The following morning, the tension remained. Tanjiro noticed it immediately. As they packed their things and prepared to head out for the next mission, Tanjiro cast several glances at Muichiro, concern flickering across his face.
"Muichiro...?" Tanjiro’s voice was hesitant, almost unsure. "Are you alright?"
Muichiro stood silently, his back turned, as he adjusted the straps of his sword. He hadn’t expected Tanjiro to notice, but then again, Tanjiro noticed everything. **How does he do that?** Muichiro thought, his heart stuttering in his chest. It was like Tanjiro could see through the walls Muichiro had built around himself.
"I’m fine," Muichiro replied, his tone more clipped than he intended.
Tanjiro didn’t believe him. He stepped closer, his gaze gentle but insistent. "I know you better than that. You’ve been acting distant for days now. Did something happen? You can tell me."
The sincerity in Tanjiro’s voice only made Muichiro feel more guilty. Tanjiro had a way of breaking down the barriers around him with just a few words, and Muichiro wasn’t sure if he could keep lying to him. He wanted to say something, anything to explain what was going on inside his head, but the words were tangled, heavy in his throat.
**This is it.** Muichiro thought. **I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel it.**
He turned to face Tanjiro, his expression colder than he felt inside, his heart racing. Tanjiro’s worried expression only made it worse. **How can I explain this to him?** Muichiro thought, swallowing hard.
"I… I have to tell you something," Muichiro said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tanjiro frowned, clearly concerned, but his tone was soft. "What is it, Muichiro? You know you can tell me anything."
Muichiro closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady the storm inside of him. The words that had been building up for so long—words he had kept locked away—were now clawing their way out, desperate to be heard.
"Tanjiro… I—" He paused, his throat tightening. He had never been good with words, never been able to express what he felt, but the pressure of his emotions was too much to ignore. He had to say it now or he would never be able to move forward. "I think I’m in love with you."
The silence that followed was deafening. The air between them seemed to crackle with the weight of Muichiro’s confession. Tanjiro blinked, his brow furrowing as he processed the words. Muichiro could see the confusion in his eyes, the way his mind struggled to comprehend what had just been said. For a moment, Muichiro thought Tanjiro might laugh it off, might brush it aside with one of his typical smiles.
But then Tanjiro stepped forward, his gaze never leaving Muichiro. His voice was soft, careful, as if testing the waters. "Muichiro…"
"I’ve tried to ignore it," Muichiro continued, his voice strained. "I’ve tried to push it away, because it’s not… it’s not something I should feel. Not after everything that’s happened. But I can’t. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t stop wanting to protect you. I don’t even know why. But every time I look at you, it hurts. It hurts because I know I can never—"
"Muichiro," Tanjiro interrupted gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. His touch was warm, grounding, and for a moment, Muichiro was lost in it, lost in the weight of the moment. Tanjiro’s eyes were filled with something Muichiro couldn’t quite place—something soft, something almost like understanding.
"Muichiro, I don’t know what to say," Tanjiro began slowly, his voice uncertain but kind. "I’m not sure I understand… but I know that you care about me. And I care about you too. More than anything, I want you to be okay. You don’t have to go through this alone."
Muichiro could feel his heart racing again, but this time it wasn’t from fear or anxiety. Tanjiro’s words were not a rejection, but an invitation. An invitation to let his guard down, to allow himself to feel. And Muichiro didn’t know what that meant. He didn’t know what would happen next. But he did know one thing—**he couldn’t live with this feeling inside of him anymore.**
"I can’t just go back to how things were," Muichiro said, his voice thick with emotion. "I can’t pretend like I don’t want to be closer to you. I don’t even know if you understand, but I can’t let this go."
Tanjiro nodded slowly, his expression a mixture of confusion and sympathy. He didn’t quite understand Muichiro’s feelings, but he understood *Muichiro*. And that was enough.
"I don’t know what the future holds, Muichiro," Tanjiro said softly. "But I promise you, I’ll be here. I’ll always be by your side, even if we don’t have all the answers right now."
The words struck Muichiro like a sword to the chest—sharp and unexpected. But there was no bitterness in them. Tanjiro didn’t offer a confession in return, but he didn’t reject him either. And that, for now, was enough. Muichiro closed his eyes, feeling the weight of his confession settle in his chest.
It wasn’t everything he had hoped for, but it was a beginning. It was a crack in the wall of his heart, one that could slowly begin to heal, or perhaps, transform into something even more.
And for the first time in a long while, Muichiro felt a glimmer of hope.
