~BRAVE~ (Tanjiro X Reader)

Danger

Tanjiro didn't like the idea that I would be alone with Zenitsu for the whole day. But the thought that I was wearing his haori comforted him. He pondered about him claiming me or even being possessive and finally gave in.

He did in fact like me very much. To the point that he wasn't even comfortable about me being alone with his friends. But the boy smiled and nodded at my question anyway.

Inosuke chomped on the orange whole which made me cringe. "Make sure you are nice to people, okay? Don't yell at them." I warned him. "These people are more capable at hand to hand combat than you think. This is the red light district after all."

"Have you been here before?" Zenitsu asked, taking another bite from his cold food.

"Yes, when I was really little. We had to travel here for food because my village was low. Luckily, my father was with me." I smiled confidently at the mention of my long gone father.

"He was strong?" Inosuke asked. His eyes sparkled like a little puppy waiting for food.

"Of course! He protected my brother and me from everything!" I smiled. I loved talking about my father.

"Was he the one who taught you that suplex?" I turned my head towards the yellow-haired boy with question.

"What?" I couldn't help but crack a smile through his ridiculous question.

"When we were fighting, you literally suplexed Inosuke. How did you even manage to do that?" He asked.

Tanjiro himself was confused, though he wasn't there to see what happened. He had been blown away.

"Reflex I guess?" I questioned myself. I finally caught onto what he was talking about, but didn't know how it happened. I shrugged and finished my oatmeal before I made my way back upstairs to get ready for the day.

We went our separate ways and Zenitus started chatting up a storm. "Gramps was so mean! I guess I should be thankful though," he complained. I just kept my mouth shut and nodded along to what he was saying. We soon approached the first house. Zenitsu didn't even notice. This was going to be a long day.

🌸

"Well Thank you for your time Mrs. Humitawra. It was a pleasure to speak with you," I said as we exited yet another house. "Three more to go..." I held the papers across my field of view and Zenitsu was bawling with his hands and knees on the floor.

"Did you see how buff that guy was? Scary!" he cried out. He had been complaining about everything. But that was just the usual.

"Yes yes. Super scary..." I went on. Only three more houses. I started walking in another direction until I started to hear screams. My head whipped to the direction the screams came from and right before my eyes, an explosion erupted from the ground.

Wasn't Tanjiro in that direction?

Before I knew it, I had accidentally ditched my yellow-hair friend and started to run in the direction of the explosion. I had forgotten that Zenitsu was even there when it came to the possibility that Tanjiro was hurt. Sure I wasn't as strong as most demon slayers. But I could run longer than all of them. Stamina was never a problem for me. I hopped over objects in my way with ease.

But clumsiness got the better of me at some point. I tripped over a rock that was stuck in the ground and I was going down. Why of all times did my clumsiness consume me? This was a serious situation. Me falling could not be my downfall.

I closed my eyes ready for impact. But it never came. Arms wrapped around my waist supportingly and he held me close. "Woah!" he yelled. "Careful there (Y/n)."

"Tanjiro!" I cried. " I was looking for you." I gripped at the boy's Haori I gave back to him that morning. Even though I was reluctant. I made sure he didn't see that. He insisted that I kept it but I wouldn't have it.

"Well, you don't have to run that fast for me." He's right... I should've run faster.

"The explosion...Where's Inosuke?" I asked. I didn't even know why I did. I knew the answer anyway.

"He went to go investigate. Wheres Zenitsu?" My eyes widened at the name. I had forgotten about him. He probably didn't even know where he was going aside from the smoke coming from the ground.

"Uh...uhhhh. I may or may have not left him....?" I mumbled out just enough for him to hear. He started to open his mouth to protest my actions but I left his embrace without notice. "We need to check out the explosion." I tried to change the subject.

Tanjiro nodded in agreement and we both started running in that direction. Soon, I could hear the familiar kackles of my boar friend.

I always thought it was strange how he though fighting was fun. I thought it was scary. Making me treat each fight as if it was my last. I couldn't get better if it had been any different.

His twin swords had clashed against others. And my head popped around the corner so that I could see.

"Oh look! It's the bitch." One of the men said. There were three of them. "Did she come with the other one as well? I guess the whole gang is back together again then hmmm?" he started. He diverted his attention from Inosuke to me. I stood still. He was familiar. But I was sure I had never seen this man in my life. "But someone is missing...Oh! That's right. Your brother? Gave me a good scare when he brought back consciousness." The man rambled on and on.

My legs began to wobble. Was...was this the guy? Who killed Diakoku? I shifted my stance so that I could become more stable. Sure I was scared. But I couldn't let them see that.

"So it was you?" I took out my sword and punched my fist together. A fire in my heart was lit with this action and I smiled wickedly. "I've been itching for a rematch.." My hands dropped to my side as I approached this man. I left myself wide open. As a sign that I wasn't scared of anything, he could do. It was an intimidation tactic.

And it was working.
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Original release date: June 21 2020