* @koiikaze asked ⇢ gives tanjiro a kiss on the forehead. ' you're doing so well. ' she smiles at the teen like an older sibling would their brother.
the feather - light press of lips against his forehead stirs an indescribable emotion from somewhere deep inside himself, gentle words of praise plucking sweetly at his heartstrings as a memory long - buried rises up through the murky water to the surface of his mind.
his mother, brushing a stray strand of hair back from his face as she tucked him, nezuko and little takeo in for the night. the gentleness of her smile as she leaned down to kiss his forehead, laughing patiently as he attempted to regale her with the fantastical tales of how he spent his day vanquishing the oni his grandmother once told him about, keeping nezuko and his family safe from harm, her violet eyes shimmering with warmth in the soft candlelight.
“ i’m proud of you, tanjiro, ” she’d said, slender fingers stroking through his hair. “ you’re doing so well. ”
tanjiro blinks, scarcely able to breathe as the memory slowly fades away. kanroji - san stands before him, kind - eyed and unconditionally loving, a striking image of the mother he adored so dearly.
a familiar warmth gathers at the corners of his eyes, a lone tear slipping free and tracking down his cheek. his lips turn up at the corners, forming a watery smile. ❝ i-i’ll keep doing my best! thank you, kanroji - san! ❞ tanjiro says, each word heavy with gratitude as he folds into a deep, humbled bow.
his eyes squeeze shut, a shaky breath escaping between his lips. he can only hope that his mother is watching over him from somewhere up above, proud of how far her eldest son has come.