Tanjiro POV: The day I met Zenitsu was one of the strangest and most enchanting days of my life. I say strange because of how I found him, asking a girl to marry him, but also charming because he became my friend.
'Oni-Chan?'
'A-ah... I'm sorry Nezuko... I got a little distracted... Tell me, what happened...?'
'Zenitsu-San'
'A-ah?! Zenitsu?! He's here?! Where?!'
Well, maybe he became a little more than my friend... He became, in a way, my romantic interest. I wasn't against that; he was good and kind, what more could I ask for?
But honestly, I didn't know how to tell him. I'd seen him attracted to women, but to a man? It was confusing, but I hadn't given up hope that maybe we could be something.
'Nezuko... Do you think he could ever like me?'
'Oni-Chan good, kind and understanding'
'And you think that's enough for that...?'
'G-good luck! Oni-chan!'
Well, there's no going back now. I already had the moral support; all I needed was a subtle way to tell him, without being intrusive or sounding nervous.
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'Tanjiro, it seems we have the same day off together, what a coincidence...'
'Oooooh, really? Wow, it's great that you took a little day to relax and all. Would you like to go out?'
'A-ah?! Oh Tanjiro, you're very kind, but I couldn't possibly accept it, ahahahaha! Maybe another day! Okay, I'm off now, see you later, take care, bye, bye!'
'(ouch...)'
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'Don't be an idiot. You like the guy but you can't be with him?! He asked you out and you turned him down?! Is that how you expect to find a partner, you moron?!'
'WAAAAAAAAH! AOI-CHAN IS SO MEAN WITH MEEEEE!'
'Look, you're going to do this. You're going to go to the person, accept their invitation, and enjoy it. Otherwise, I'LL BEAT YOU UP!'
'I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO HIM! I'M TERRIBLE AT TALKING TO PEOPLE I LIKE!'
'...Listen, I'll give you a piece of paper with exactly what you can say or do'
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'Tanjiro Kamado! Zenitsu Agatsuma said he would come to see you!'
'A-ah?! Matsuemon, who told you that?!'
'Oh, hello Tanjiro, how are you doing...?'
Zenitsu POV: Oh my god, I'm so nervous! He's my friend, but why is it so hard to talk to him?! I even seem to be more comfortable with Inosuke than with him. I hope Aoi-chan's advice helps me out.
'Wow, I thought you'd be busy... What prompted you...?'
'Aaaaam... Just... Eeeeeh... Ehehehehe... Just spending time with you...'
'Time... Time with me...?'
AAAAAAAAH, HOW HORRIBLE, I MUST HAVE SOUNDED LIKE AN IDIOT OR A STALKER WITH THAT PHRASE, HOW EMBARRASSING!
'Zenitsu...? Ah! Zenitsu! Hey, calm down, everything's fine! I don't mind spending time with you!'
HE CAN'T TELL ME EVERYTHING IS OKAY! I WANT THE EARTH TO SWALLOW ME UP AND SPIT ME OUT FAR AWAY FROM HIM, HOW SHAMEFUL!
'(he... He looks so cute when his face is all red...)'
'Sorry... I just... I just didn't think you'd actually want to spend time with me...'
'Of course I want to! You know I care about you a lot and I'm so happy you've finally decided to come and spend some time with me!'
'W-what...?'
AAAAAAAAH, HE CARES ABOUT ME AS MUCH AS I CARE ABOUT HIM, I'M SO HAPPY!!!
Tanjiro POV: Zenitsu's reactions have always been the most adorable; seeing him move his little hands, blush, grab his cheeks, and smile is divine.
'Can I... Can I hug you...?'
'A-ah... Sure... I don't see why not...'
I was finally able to hug him; it felt so comforting and peaceful. I could stay like that for hours...
'Aaaam... Tanjiro...'
'Yes?'
'I think I like you...'
Oh my god... My heart is about to explode! I wanted to make the first move, but he beat me to it! Okay, okay, I need to calm down and give a calm and confident answer...
'I do it too'
'R-really...?'
'Mhm, I've felt this way for a long time, I just didn't want to tell you... More than anything, I didn't know how to tell you. But now-... Why are you laughing?'
'I-I'm s-sohohorry... It's j-just thahahat... I h-have sensitive ehehehears...'
Always knew his sense of hearing was extremely developed, but this went beyond adorable, how cute, then...
'So you're saying it tickles you if I whisper like this in your ear?'
'T-Tahahahanjihihihirohohoho...!'
'I'll take that as a yes, how adorable... Who would have thought I could make you nervous without even moving my fingers...?'
'S-stohohohohohop...!'
'Why should I? Or rather, what should I do? Stop whispering to you? Tell you indirectly how adorable you are? Just tell me and I can stop.'
He covered his face almost immediately, oh my god, how adorable, I'll definitely do this more often
do you perchance have any tickle agere headcannons for demon slayer? If you feel comfy sharing them on this blog
I would share some of mine but brain has gone :P and i cant think of any
any thank you and have a good day/night <33
Less agere more just tickles hehe :3c
Took me forever to gather the courage to post these, I have more but we’ll just start with my favorite characters and the ones I have the most thoughts on currently. If you ever do feel like sharing (or if anyone has suggestions) let me know :D doubt I’ll post more soon without encouragement
Don’t like: don’t read <3 this is all platonic fyi
~~~
~Tanjiro is the softest ler ever. Just, light traces with feathers and fingers gliding up his friends stomach’s and sides. Very much a comfort thing.
~He misses his younger siblings and playing with them and getting to hear them laugh, distracting them when times were tough and bellies were empty
~Nezuko will tickle him sometimes when she knows he’s depressed. Usually when he’s small and more childish in mindset. Her turn to be the ‘older’ sibling now :3 (she gets very worried about hurting him with her claws so light tickles only)
~He tickles Zenitsu a lot when the other boy is scared, though Zenitsu seldom asks for it out loud, just kinda, flops into Tanjiro’s side
“Just do that thing-“ “What thing?” “Don’t make me actually say it” <- Zenitsu who is red in the face and sure that Tanjiro does this on purpose
~Again with the whole comforting childhood memory thing, if Tanjiro’s ever sad tickles cheer him up really quickly which is something his friends use to their advantage
~Inosuke does not understand the word no. Will absolutely wreck anyone he can get his hands on, no one is safe >:3 Meanest ler ever and honestly- does he even know he’s doing it?
~I feel like he’ll get into an argument late at night with Zenitsu, throw a pillow at him as a distraction and them]n just tackle the other boy and tickle him into surrender
~”What was that Monitsu? I can’t hear you over the sound of your laughter.”
<- an absolute menace in a ler mood, rough tickles and going after the worst spots possible.
~The first time he was tickled himself he jumped a foot in the air and proceeded to think that it was some magic curse put on him
~Zenitsu gets so flustered at even the word, cans not fathom how nonchalant Tanjiro is. Nope, he rather die of embarrassment than admit to enjoying the affection… nope, nope, nope!
<- despite also enjoying tickling others himself and he can be quite teasing when he wants to be
~Pay back time for Inosuke >:3
Inosuke: “Stop that!”
Zenitsu with a smug grin: “I’m not doing anything.” He says while repeatedly trying scribble at the other boy’s stomach and sides, it’s not his fault Inosuke jumps like a cat every single time and it’s highly amusing
Inosuke: “Are to! Gonpachiro make him stop!”
~Once made the mistake of trying to tickle Tengen when the elder was annoying him, failed miserably, and was not released for the next 15 minutes after being held down and tickled by the Hashira in ‘retribution’
Rui scoffed, eyes narrowed in annoyance as he glared daggers at the daring young slayer before him.
It had been about a month now since Rui had first combined forces with the Kamado siblings. Having completely abandoned his old lifestyle under Lord Muzan's reign, he had instead chosen to join them on their quest to defeat the Demon Lord.
He'd been suspicious at first.
When Tanjiro had first made the frankly absurd offer to join forces with them, midway through their battle no less? He'd been almost certain it was some kind of trap.
A trick. A cruel ruse only meant to lower his guard enough to give him an opening to take his head. Hah! How utterly stupid!
And yet...
He'd humored him..
For whatever reason, something in the Kamado boy's eyes had compelled him at the time. It was a strange, soft, genuine look that perplexed him just enough to hesitate on killing him off right away. The way he'd stretched out his hand towards him, calloused fingers so rough yet gentle as they wrapped around his own... It had given him pause.
Just long enough to hear him out.
As it would turn out, that boy he'd thought to be such an insignificant fool would prove to be far more convincing than he'd given him credit for. And before he knew it, he'd somehow found himself inexplicably caught up in an entirely different kind of web than he was used to inflicting on others.
Where his own methods of control were sharp and deadly, a double edged sword that could turn on those it protected at the slightest hint of rebellion, Tanjiro's was more akin to a cocoon, a kind, loving thing that swaddled around the people he cared for.
They were never trapped, never forced to stay, but for whatever reason, no one ever seemed to want to anyway.
It was nothing like the prison that Rui's own twisted sense of 'family' had become, a cruel and disheartening place that thrived on fear and oppression. It had never been a family at all, he would come to realize much later.
He'd learned a lot since then, just from observing these strange new people in his life, but Tanjiro's behavior was the most prominent of all.
He'd observed on countless occasions how patiently he would deal with that annoying blonde boy. Or how he'd merely sigh as the boarheaded one continued to get his name wrong no matter how many times he corrected him. The countless hours he would spend carrying his younger sister on his back, never once uttering a single complaint, no matter how many miles they walked.
He was so patient. So gentle. So unbelievably kind.
He was everything that Rui had wanted and failed to be. Everything he'd desired out of the falsified family he'd once tried to build, and then destroyed with the very same hands.
And eventually he'd begun to think that maybe, just maybe... He too wanted to be that close with the Kamado boy... He wanted to have that loving familial bond for himself as well.
Now though?
Sitting there in the confines of a dark cave where they'd been waiting out the sun? With said boy hovering over him, fingers wiggling playfully over his ribcage like a predator ready to pounce?
He was suddenly beginning to wonder whether killing him off back then wouldn't have been such a bad choice after all...
"I saw you earlier," Tanjiro pressed on however, seemingly either oblivious or simply unperturbed by the murderous glare that was currently being directed at him. " You were watching Nezuko and I when we were playing together." he states, smiling gently despite the teasing lilt in his voice. "You looked like you wanted to join us. You did, didn't you?"
Rui's eyes widened. He'd noticed that? Ok sure, he might've cast a few subtle glances in their direction, back when they'd been engaged in that childish little spat a few hours ago. Tickling eachother and laughing as if they didn't have a care in the world. But it wasn't like he'd been staring or anything.. Longing... Wanting... Wishing that he could....
"...Whatever." He scoffed, pointedly rolling his eyes and ignoring the nervous fluttering in his stomach, "I'm not ticklish anyway, so it would be a waste of your time and mine to even- ahahaack?!"
Rui didn't get the chance to finish, letting out an indignant squawk as he was suddenly tackled to the cool cave floor, a pair of mischievous and playful hands latching onto his sides.
His eyes widened, caught off guard by the electric sensation that was now shooting throughout his body all at once. Had he always been this ticklish?! He couldn't remember his body ever having been this sensitive before!
"T-Tahahanjirohoho!" The infuriated spider demon growled through his laughter, "You- Yohohou little pehehest!! St-Stohohohop this nonsense at once!!"
"Hehe! You're laugh is so cute Rui-kun!" Tanjiro cooed, and if not for the slightest hint of affection he may or may not hold for the boy, he probably would have killed him on the spot for it.
This was humiliating. Mortifying. Downright disrespectful even! How dare he! How dare this foolish little human treat him this way! As if he were no better than some- some babbling toddler!
And yet... Deep down... There was some part of him that maybe, just maybe enjoyed this a little... A lost part of himself that had died long ago along with his humanity. And he couldn't help but wonder...
Perhaps one day, he could learn a little more about that missing piece of himself... As long as he stuck with these new and wonderful people that now surrounded him.
That said.. He still had no intentions whatsoever of letting the Kamado boy off the hook for this. Perhaps he could practice his revenge on that obnoxious blonde later...
…Pspsps can I request.. Ler.. tanjiro and lee reader..?
Hehehe there it is… shhhhh
You can do it
Lee: Reader
Ler: Tanjiro Kamado
❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡
Ships: you x Reader
Warnings: This is a tickle fic, if you don’t like it, just scroll down
This fanfic is originally in Portuguese, my English is translated using an automatic translator, if there are any big errors you can tell me so I can fix them
❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡
You hit the wooden stake in front of you very hard with the sword that was in your hand
"Fix your posture" Tanjiro asked
He was helping you train, you asked your friend for tips, since he is good at it, and much friendlier than all the other hunters
"I-I can't"
"Of course you can Y/N!" Tanjiro smiled
"you do that all the time, don't you?" You sighed, you were too tired for this and a little nervous
You raised your sword again and attacked the wood once more, your sword slipped from your hand and flew away
"I can't do it.." you sat on the floor
Tanjiro looked at you with a worried look, he got up and picked up the sword that had fallen on the floor
"It's okay to fail, we'll just try again, until you succeed, Y/N"
You look at him, he's looking at you and smiling, it's impossible to resist Tanjiro Kamado's smile
"It's okay"
You stand up and he helps you fix your posture, puts your arms in the right place, your legs, your hips...
As you try to fix your body, he accidentally squeezes your side
You jump in surprise and let out a frightened little scream
"Tanjiro-"
He looks at you, arches an eyebrow and laughs
"Did I tickle you?"
"N-no l-1-"
"Do you feel ticklish, Y/N?"
You shivered and started walking slowly to get out of there, but Tanjiro pulled you by the waist and started squeezing your sides
"Tahahahanjihiro" you try to hold his hands
"Come on, the new training has started, fix that posture and run away from my attack"
He raises his hands higher and starts squeezing your ribs, you let out a squeak and start pushing Tanjiro's body harder
"Ihihihi chahahahan't"
"Come on, Y/N, if the tickle oni showed up would you die?" He reached up and started tickling your armpits, you let out a scream and shook your head
"apparently yes" he laughed
You started laughing louder, but you had a quick and involuntary impulse
You grabbed Tanjiro's hand, turned your body and managed to pin his arm behind his back
Tanjiro smiled "Impressive"
You stuck your tongue out at him "I hate you" you said letting go of him
"That's a lie" of course it was, why would you hate someone as sweet and cute as Tanjiro Kamado
He caught the sword you threw up when you started laughing and handed it to you
"You can do it"
"Thanks"
"I just needed motivation, huh Y/N?"
He poked you and you laughed
"Stohop that!"
"Let's keep going" he smiled
You smiled back because Tanjiro made you want to smile, just his presence made you want to smile, and you were so happy to be friends with someone like Tanjiro Kamado
Summary: On a shared day off, Tanjiro and Muchiro spend it together reminiscing about their childhoods, and Tanjiro discovers something very interesting about his friend.
Word Count: 2,001
Muichiro rarely took days off. He had the option to but found it unnecessary unless he needed to recover from injuries. Before he recovered his memories, there was no reason to. He had nothing he wanted to do, no one he wanted to be with. He knew nothing of his previous life or family, and his only motivation was the ever-present rage that grounded him.
Now, he knew what had happened to his family. There was still little reason for him to spend his time doing anything other than training and killing demons. He was a Hashira after all, his time was more valuable than the other slayers.
But when Tanjiro had sent him a letter asking to spend some time together, he supposed he could take one day off.
Muichiro met him at the Butterfly Mansion. Tanjiro had written in his letter that he was recovering from some minor injuries he'd incurred on a mission, but Muichiro hadn't been prepared for the extent of them or the spark of anger that flared in him.
"Are you alright?" He asked, reaching up to gingerly touch the bandage around Tanjiro's head.
"I'm fine. Don't worry, it's worse than it looks," He reassured, smile as blinding as usual. Besides the bandages around his head and neck, he was walking with a noticeable limp in his right leg, and without his haori on, Muichiro could see more bandages around his ribs.
He didn't believe Tanjiro but didn't push. Instead he continued to worriedly examine Tanjiro, despite his protests, until he was satisfied.
"It really isn't that bad! Miss Shinobu even said I could leave and go to town!"
"No."
"Oh, you don't want to? Did you have something else in mind?"
"You're still injured. You shouldn't leave. Can you even walk?" Muichiro asked, looking around Tanjiro's private room. He didn't see any crutches.
"Mhm! I can get around fine!" He insisted, standing from his seat on the bed and walking around the room for emphasis. Muichiro didn't seem impressed, making Tanjiro pout as he grabbed his robe and haori, slipping both on. He would have earlier, but he didn't realize how quickly Muichiro would arrive.
"We'll stay here. I'll ask one of the girls to bring us a meal," Muichiro told him and was leaving before Tanjiro could react.
He didn't really mind. He thought they would enjoy a peaceful day walking around town, but he was content as long as he got to see Muichiro. They wrote to each other regularly, but it was rare to get to spend time together. He always treasured it when they could.
Muichiro returned quickly with Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho, each carrying food that they deposited on the table. The three girls huddled around Tanjiro, chattering with him for a few minutes before they left to return to their chores.
The two boys kneeled across from each other at the table. As they began eating, an awkward silence fell over them. Tanjiro, while normally sociable, always found himself struggling to speak with Muichiro. It was easier when they wrote letters, when he didn't completely lose all sense looking at Muichiro, when the odd, pleasant warmth wasn't overwhelming.
Before he realized it, he was drawn out of his thoughts and blurted, "There's sakura mochi!"
Muichiro smiled at him, tilting his head to the side. "Is that your favorite?"
"No, but it's not little sister Hanako's absolute favorite! We only ever had it a few times, but she loves it! She practically drools anytime she sees it," He said, laughing at the fond memory.
"I didn't know you had any siblings other than Nezuko."
Tanjiro stilled, his smile tightening as a sad look passed over his face. "They passed. When Nezuko was turned…"
They were silent again. Muichiro waited for Tanjiro to continue speaking; he didn't.
"I had an older brother," Muichiro began, "A twin. I couldn't remember him for a long time."
"That's awful," he frowned.
"It's okay," he smiled. It was better remembering. "I don't know what his favorite food was. We never had much, so we took what we could."
"We didn't either. I sold charcoal to support us."
"We provided for ourselves after our parents passed. He was always mad at me. And cold. Said I never worked hard enough or fast enough."
"That sounds a little like my brother Takeo! He could be a little harsh sometimes, but he's really a sweet kid."
"How many siblings do you have?"
He told him and named them, and they talked about them and Muichiro's brother. Tanjiro told him things that he hadn't thought about in years, because there was always something going on, some other threat, and there was rarely a moment for reflection like this. Once he got started, it was surprisingly easy for Tanjiro to talk about. There was almost something comforting about it, like a weight he hadn't realized was there was being lifted off of his chest.
Muichiro told him things too, about his brother and parents; memories that had barely just returned to him. Tanjiro wondered if it was as cathartic for him. It must have been, because neither of them could find it in them to stop talking, sharing stories until they were both smiling and laughing, feeling oddly at ease in having someone that understood and being able to escape that pain for a few moments.
"I used to be a crybaby. It always annoyed him."
Tanjiro laughed good-naturedly. Muichiro didn't think he could do anything otherwise; he didn't have an ounce of malice in his body. "Really? It's hard to imagine with how you are now."
"Yeah. I don't think he liked seeing me upset. He always tried to cheer me up," Muichiro abandoned his half-eaten meal, shoving it away from him and busying his fingers with untangling his hair.
"How?" Tanjiro asked, tilting his head curiously. He also had stopped eating, but it seemed as if he had forgotten his food was there, as if all of his focus was on Muichiro. It was an odd feeling.
"Oh, he used to tickle me."
"I do that to my little siblings too! It's so cute whe—" Tanjiro cut himself off, staring at him with his mouth agape. "Wait! You're ticklish?"
"Uh, yeah," He felt his face redden slightly and blew a stray strand of hair out of his face. "Is that… not normal?"
"Oh, no!" Tanjiro shook his head, waving his hands, "I didn't mean anything bad by it! It's perfectly normal; I am too! I was only surprised considering how you were when we first met. I would have never thought that you were ticklish, though I guess it isn't more surprising than Genya…"
Muichiro laughed at Tanjiro's rambling and thought back to his earlier words, "You're a good big brother."
His eyes clouded over as he thought of Yuchiro. His memories had returned, but it still felt as if a piece of him was missing without his brother. There was a constant, piercing ache in his heart that oddly felt less painful the they talked, every word dulling the pain, if only for the moment. It helped, being here with Tanjiro.
He was drawn out of his thoughts when Tanjiro poked him in the side, making him shy away. He hadn't noticed when Tanjiro moved next to him. Had he missed something important again?
"Sor—"
"You seem a little down today. It's a good thing I know how to cheer you up!"
Tanjiro poked his side again, and Muichiro bit the inside of his cheek. He eyed Tanjiro cautiously and was greeted by a kind smile and gentle eyes that made his heart stutter. He trusted Tanjiro and knew he would never intentionally hurt him; it wasn't something he'd experienced in years, but if it ever were to happen again, he supposed he wouldn't mind if it was Tanjiro. After all, he had enjoyed those rare moments when his brother was affectionate.
Besides, it was nice to see Tanjiro smiling like that. Muichiro would do anything to keep him smiling like that.
"It's been awhile. I don't know if I'm still ticklish."
"Want to find out?" His eyes sparkled.
"Yeah," Muichiro's face felt hot.
"Okay," Tanjiro was kneeled beside him on the mats, earnest eyes that Muichiro couldn't meet bore into his skin as he skittered his fingers across his stomach. "Then let's try here!"
He gasped, squirming at the nostalgic sensation. "It seems like you still are! Now let's try somewhere else…"
Tanjiro tweaked his ribs, delighting in the small huffs he elicited from the other boy and his widening smile. His touch was gentle, barely ghosting over his skin in a way that left a tingling sensation long after the touch and made him yearn for more.
"You… don't have to—to be soho… gentle. I'm nahat that… fragile," Muichiro managed between his breathy giggles.
"If that's what you want!" Tanjiro's smile widened as he dug his fingers into his ribs.
He squeaked, bursting into rapid giggles at the intense sensations. He clutched his hands into fists, straining to keep them at his side and ignored his instinct to curl up into a ball.
Tanjiro's touch was still light, allowing him to enjoy the sensation without desperately needing to escape. It was so different from Yuchiro. He tickled him mercilessly, wrecking him in his worst spots until his laughter was silent and he was on the verge of tears. It was awful but also left him feeling so light-headed and giddy he couldn't wait for it to happen again.
Tanjiro's hands shifted, moving to gently glide his short nails along Muichiro's back to give him a break.
Muichiro made an inhuman noise, giggles becoming louder and more rapid as he doubled over. He clenched his hands in Tanjiro's haori as he buried his face in his chest, too distracted by the ticklish sensations to realize how embarrassing their position was.
"Are you alright?" Tanjiro asked, stifling a laugh and temporarily stilling his hands.
He nodded against his chest, still giggling, and Tanjiro resumed his playful attack, making him writhe and shriek.
"That's good, because I'm really enjoying this! Your laugh is so cute!"
He bit back a groan, shaking his head that was still resting on Tanjiro's chest.
"You don't think it's cute?"
"Ihihihits nahahahaht!"
"Yes it is! It's adorable!"
"Nohoho! I behet yohohohours ihihis cuhuhuhuter!"
"Wha—no it's not!" Tanjiro exclaimed, and the tickling suddenly stopped.
Muichiro's face burned as he realized what he'd said and their intimate position. Tanjiro was practically hugging him, and Muichiro was clinging to him. But he didn't want to stop. He was still lightly giggling when he finally mustered enough courage to peek up at Tanjiro.
His face was as red as Muichiro's, his smile wide, and his eyes nervous. He didn't know what to make of that.
Muichiro's throat was dry. He didn't know if it was his or Tanjiro's heart that was beating so fast.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it was enough for Tanjiro's face to fall as if anticipating a rejection. He wouldn't get one.
Muichiro leaned closer, and before he realized what he was doing, he'd pressed a kiss to Tanjiro's cheek.
His smile was more radiant than Muichiro had ever seen it. Tanjiro reached out his hand to smooth out Muichiro's frazzled hair.
After what felt like an eternity, Tanjiro said, "I like you."
He couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Me too."
This time, Tanjiro leaned in, and Muichiro met him halfway, sinking into the short, soft kiss—his first kiss.
Then Tanjiro pulled him into a hug, gently cradling him and burying his face into his shoulder, but Muichiro could still imagine the blinding grin and the red flush he must've had.
Once again, they sat together in silence, one that was comfortable and reflective, and Muichiro found himself quite thankful that he had taken the day off.