The eyes of Tamura Akiko are blessed.
Some lovingly reference ginko leaves, chrysanthemums; others bitterly reference topaz.
She thinks of lemon macrons and the glow of a lamp, as childish as she is.
Her fiance references the rising sun, amber, a...
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Tanjirou and Akiko take their time learning about each other all over again.
He's coming back from a solo mission with a handful of fish he just caught and he's excited to cook it for Akiko. Upon seeing her patiently wait for him at the front gate, he smiles and rushes up to her.
"Look! I brought us some fish! I can cook for you tonight," he smiles innocently, but Akiko looks distraught.
She actually shrinks from the fish, which is odd considering the fact that she used to love fish.
"Ah, sorry... I don't eat any meat anymore, Tanjirou."
"E- Eh? Really?"
Akiko nods her head, "I haven't been able to eat meat since I came to the Butterfly Estate. I actually, uh... I physically want to throw up when I put meat in my mouth..." Tanjirou can tell that it probably has to do with the fact that she shifts through organs daily, so he doesn't comment.
He smiles anyway, hiding the fish behind his back, "That's okay! I'll cook some for Inosuke then! I know he likes fish."
Akiko's lonely for half a day when Tanjirou comes back from another solo mission.
She doesn't have any more patients, and Aoi says that she'll willing to stay in charge of the estate if Akiko decides to leave with Tanjirou and explore the town nearby.
When he comes home, she rushes out to greet him, a smile on her face before jumping into his arms after seeing that he has no injuries. He squeezes her close, stealing a quick whiff of antibiotic before setting her down to her feet.
"I- I have time off today! Do you want to go into town with me?"
But when he looks troubled, she glances down to her hands.
"Sorry Akiko, but it might be best that we stay at the estate. What if someone is rushed in and they need you?"
Makes sense, but Akiko wants to be selfish.
She nods nonetheless, and they spend their time entrapped in the estate together.
But it's days where Tanjirou comes home with an orange that he picked off a tree, laughing as he says that they look like her eyes only for Akiko to laugh too because, "They look nothing like my eyes- pfft, stop it- haha!" that Tanjirou feels happiest.
Or days where Tanjirou gets to rest his head on Akiko's stomach as they both nap under the sunlight in the garden, Tanjirou reaching up to wrap his hand around Akiko's.
Tanjirou's abs get in the way of being a nice headrest, and Akiko complained once that it felt like sleeping on the wooden floor. He took it as a compliment, despite Akiko blushing and telling him that he wasn't supposed to.
They come up with new routines, a new rhythm. One much more complex than the one they were used to when they were kids.
Because now their worlds are so much bigger, and for the best too.
