Tanjiro's death
Hiiiiii so this is how I imagine Tanjiro would die when he turns 25. Also it's my first time writing about Tanjiro or anyone in demon slayer so if anything is ooc then ✨no it isnt shhh ✨.
On to the warning’s! Inozen kanonezu Genmuitan Death M/m F/f M/f Small amounts of gore
Hope you like this fic!
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When the funerals for the fallen were commencing Tanjiro vowed that for the rest of his relatively short life he would visit their graves every day to give his respects especially to his late boyfriends Genya and Muichiro. Tanjiro kept his word for his life from the day after the funerals to sunrise before Tanjiro's 25th birthday. On the day of his 25th Tanjiro woke up early already feeling weaker than usual, almost like he had when he was younger. Tanjiro didn't mind though he knew this would happen. He was prepared long before this day would come.
Sunrise came and Tanjiro had prepared himself for a day at Genyas and Muichiros graves with a blanket laid down on the grass with a small basket of bread and other foods for the day sat in the corner mostly staying untouched; it didn't really matter if he didn't eat. Right? He was going to die at sundown anyways so what was the point. He sat there for a while just talking like he usually would. His talking got progressively slower as the day passed. By late noon Tanjiro's talking had slowed down and Zenitsu had joined him on the picnic blanket.
“Hey Tanjiro.” Zenitsu wearily spoke as he sat down.
“Hello … zen.” Tanjiro's speech was just below his normal tone but sounded weak. It pained Zenitsu to hear his loud outspoken ray of sunshine friend sound so small.
“inosuke will be here in an hour and Kanao just has to get little haruka in check before coming to say goodbye,”silence filled the air quickly with unspoken words hung like stars over their heads. It stayed like that for a while until Zenitsu spoke up again. “ nezuko says she's sorry for not being able to come say goodbye and she’ll visit your grave for years to come until she's gray and can see you again.”
Tears pricked at tanjiro’s eyes wishing he could stay longer for his sister and not have to leave her alone in the world.
“Thank you zen.”
They sat there for a little longer as tanjiro told more stories of all the mischief that haruka, nezuko and kanao’s adopted daughter, had gotten up to the day prior after he had finished his rounds. Zenitsu was about to add his own stories when inosuke came through the bushes
“Gonpachiro!” Inosuke shouted tears falling from his face as he stepped closer. Tanjiro just turned around and opened his arms waiting for a hug.
Zenitsu pouted just a little at seeing his boyfriend in someone else’s arms before deciding to join the hug.
“Hey… it's ok… inosuke… don’t worry… you’ll see me again.” tanjiro was quietly comforting inosuke when haruka and kanao walked into the grove
“UNCLE TANJY!” Haruka happily shouted as she ran to Tanjiro from where she was standing next to Kanao.
“Haru no wait!” kanao protests as haruka rams into tanjiro.
Tanjiro quietly chuckles before answering haruka’s excited greeting
“Hello little Haru…, how… are you today?”
“I'm good but mama and mum are really sad. I don’t know why.” haruka answered honestly a little sad while saying the last part
"Don't worry little haru… mum and mama are just sad… because uncle tanjy has to go away.” zenitsu tells haruka booping her nose as he talks
“But why does he have to go?”
“Because… he has to go see… some old loved ones.”
“But why does he have to go now he's gonna miss my birthday?”
Tanjiro sucked in a sharp breath at her words remembering the fact that Haruka was born a week after him.
“Because he …has to move on.. to somewhere… else and go… and see all of grandpa… Tengen's friends.”
“Why cant grandpa do that!”
None of the adults knew how to answer that question so they sat in silence for a while until inosuke spoke up
“Because grandpa tengen isn't strong enough to go see them so uncle tanjy has to go see them for him.”
Haruka accepted that answer and turned back to the headstones in front of him
“Who are they?” Haruka pointed in front of her while asking her question.
“Their… uncle Genya… and uncle Mui remember… the stories?” Tanjiro told her as kanao finally sat down on the other side of tanjiro.
“They're the people who helped fight all the bad guys with you right?”
“Yeah that’s them.”
Haruka hummed in acknowledgement as the sun drew closer to the horizon coating the sky in an array of oranges and pinks.
The sun was setting quickly after that as they all told haruka stories of the hashira and all of the people lost in the war and even the story of how Tanjiro met Zenistu and Inosuke though overly exaggerated by the blond of the trio. It was getting closer to the last hour for Tanjiro when nezuko burst into the grove unexpectedly with twigs in her hair.
They all turned to face her, a small smile appearing on Tanjiro's face upon seeing her. His little sister that he couldn't believe was all grown up and how it felt like yesterday she was just a small child and his little sister someone who he knew he must protect with all of his life.
“Hello Nezuko.” Tanjiro greeted weakly having stopped speaking with how draining it felt to him within the last few minutes
“Tanjiro.” tears were streaming down her face sobs wrapping her shoulder giving her whole body trembles.
“Mama don't cry! Uncle Tanjy is just visiting grandpa’s friends because he isn't strong enough to see them!” Haruka explained running from Tanjiro's lap to give her mothers legs a hug. Nezuko just gave a weak laugh at the explanation
“Oh yeah and who told you that?”
“Uncle Ino!”
Nezuko gave a fond smile to him before picking Haruka up and setting her on her hip before sitting down beside her wife and her older brother.
“I thought you would take longer to leave me.” Nezuko said weakly the waterworks starting back up again
“I… know… I'm… sorry.” These were words spoken weakly but with as much strength that Tanjiro could muster into his words. He gently lifted his hand resting it in Nezuko’s. He waited a little until he felt his sister's hand wrap around his then gave it a small squeeze ensuring her that he wasn't gone yet.
Tanjiro’s eyes had grown heavy and it had become harder to keep them open. He closed his eyes for a second before opening them again to a figure staring down at him from on a grave. They smiled softly at each other before the other man to their trio appeared next to the teal haired boy on the headstone smiling lightly at them both. From behind them Sanemi appeared with Giyuu holding his hand tightly giving soft smiles at the boy in front of them. Tanjiro’s family came about next with all of the little kids coming to sit in front of Tanjiro until his time truly came and they could lead him off. Shinobu came next with an older girl leading behind her grabbing someone forward to see him later to be found out to be who Tanjiro assumed was Giyuu’s older sister from what little description he got of her. Next came Sabito dragging Makomo to come stand next to Giyuu. After them Mitsuri came through followed by a pleased Obanai right behind her standing next to Muichiro at the front of the pack then Rengoku showed up standing tall behind everyone with gyomei standing next to him a wide smile across the former flame hashira’s face. Tanjiro felt that everyone was finally here and that his time was minutes away. He felt a warm smile make its way across his face filling him with a small amount of warmth before looking beside him at his friends and family, the smile dropping.
“Dont worry they’ll be fine.” he was reassured by Sanemi surprisingly as the kids tried to take his hands.
“Hold on kiddo's, I have to say something.” Tanjiro whispered to the ghosts trying to grab his hands before turning to face his sister
“I love you, Nezuko stay strong and take care of little Haruka for me.” Tanjiro whispered into Nezuko's ear leaning on to her shoulder using all of his strength so that his voice didn't waver, before letting his boyfriends grab his hands and lead him into the light with everyone else following behind him.
Tanjiro looked back one last time to see his friends and his family in tears looking at his limp form laying on Nezuko's lap, her having moved him there. Tanjiro let Genya and Muichiro’s hands go for a second to give them all one last kiss on the forehead each. Before standing up and walking back to the others giving a smile as both his ghost form and physical body silently cried.
Bonus
One year after tanjiro’s death
The reception started and everyone got on the dancefloor even if there were a few mystery empty tables or empty chairs specifically the best mans seat next to inosuke
“Hello everyone please step off the dance floor as the two best men are to dance together!” Murata said holding a microphone in his hand and stepping onto the dance floor fully aware that he will be dancing alone.
When he stepped onto the dance floor alone murmurs broke out about where the other best man was. They stopped when Murata started dancing as if there was someone else there. Little did they all know that the ghosts all of those who were invited were watching or on the dance floor trying to keep in step for a dance with the other best man. A little ways way into the dance the rest of the wedding caught a glimpse of a young 15-16 year old dancing in time with Murata as other ghosts stood there cheering them both on. Eyes pricked at most people’s eyes noticing or recognizing who was there and started to cheer them both on. Then Inosuke grabbed the microphone Murata had forgotten about and invited all ghosts to join the dance floor. What happened next was an epiphany of gold with each couple stepping onto the dance floor and dancing together, the only alive person being Murata still dancing with the other best man. At some point they were dancing a jig swapping partners around and Murata ended up being spun off the dance floor as all of the ghosts bowed low and stepped off the floor seemingly evaporating into thin air. They all knew better than that though.
The End
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So, did you like this fic? Did it start the waterworks? I know it nearly did for me. I can't remember where but at some little point while they were trying to simply explain to Haruka what was happening to Tanjiro.
Also to clear up any confusion my head cannon for the demon slayer mark is that you die exactly when you were born not just that day that’s why Tanjiro spent his last birthday at Genya and Muichirou’s graves and died at the end of the day since that when he was born. It goes the same for Giyuu who died midday and Sanemi who died in his sleep early morning.
Again, hope you enjoyed the fic and any constructive criticism is highly welcome! Also, if you want me to do this for the other people who didn't die in the war you can request that of me! Although please ask nicely I'm highly shy and will give up on making anymore fics for this.