It was strange to travel without the shrieks of a crow over their heads.

That's what Zenitsu convinced himself anyway. No one else commented on it, probably because they hadn't charged to the next destination with fear in their guts and tears in their eyes. Zenitsu was another story though. Even when that cursed bird had shut its trap for more than a minute, the beating of its flapping wings felt like a countdown for his imminent doom.

So to hear silence now was a blessing. It was a blessing that felt almost as potent as the heartbeats of his companions next to him, of the civilians waving them off in the previous town, all human in their very rhythm. He should be crying tears of relief—no, scratch that. He has already. He was this close to accepting the scratchy high-pitch tune of a demon in the background of every single place they visited as part of his life—his demon slaying life. That's all Zenitsu was any good at after all. Then, all of a sudden, like waking up one day just to find an entire species wiped out, the world became silent.

"You're really quiet today."

Forced out of his thoughts, his appropriate response was to screech. H-He can't help it, okay! He had finally calmed down some by focusing on the noise of the falling snow. Or rather, the lack of noise that grated on his ears from the nagging Kasugai crows' yaps. Now though...? The nerves returned full force. His fingers shook for about fifty different reasons and thirty-nine of them weren't related to the freezing cold.

Of course, it was Tanjirou who found these facts very amusing. "Ah, there you are."

From within his scarf, Zenitsu shot him the most deadpan and simultaneously teary look that he could. Thankfully, Nezuko, the goddess herself, chimed in to his rescue with a giggle. "Nii-chan, I know that you found a new pastime but stop teasing him."

A pastime...? What kind of person has such a morbid hobby as nearly giving their friends a heart attack?! Tanjirou was the worst. He was a curse. He had a giant forehead. He was a total country bumpkin. He was a gross kind of guy who had five (he counted) different girls pining after him and that made him the lowest of the low. Zenitsu was about to shoot all of these very correct opinions out verbally when, like the blossoms of spring overheating from a sudden summer, the red-head's sound shifted.

A single cheek bloomed red over half a tan face that seemed to emit heat indefinitely. Was Tanjirou catching a cold? "N-Nezuko...! You promised not to tell and—and it's not just a pastime! You know that."

"Oh, I didn't say anything." If Nezuko wasn't such a pure human being, then that look on her face would be devious. But Zenitsu knew her true nature could never produce such an expression so chose to switch his suspicions to the brother instead.

Hurrying to change the topic, Tanjirou gestured at nothing. His voice squeaked. "W-We're almost there, by the way! I'm sure of it this time."

"I don't believe you! You said that eight times. My feet are killing me. You know that they only just recovered from being broken, right? RIGHT...?! Of course you do! It's freezing too! What the heck? Yet you brought Nezuko-chan and I along on this random trip to who-knows-where." As if to emphasize his point, Zenitsu sneezed. "Where are we going anyway? You never told me."

Seeing the telltale smoke of a chimney but a few more strides ahead, neither sibling had time to respond before a third party interrupted them. A door creaked as a middle-aged man scrambled out in shock. "Tanjirou...? Is that you?"

"What? Did I hear that right?" A woman, probably his wife, joined him on the porch.

It took Zenitsu a good second to realize that they had indeed reached the outskirts of a small village. It took him another second to react with a pathetic 'eep' when a young boy popped out from beneath the snow fort beside them. "Tanjirou's back!"

It didn't take long for the rest of the small town to gather into a small crowd. Many of them approached the sibling pair with wet eyes and relieved smiles, some in awe, the others in worry. It was a symphony of sounds that had Zenitsu reeling back at the sheer amount of love that he heard in each of them. He wasn't alone on this as Tanjirou was buzzing in shock in front of him. With each tear, each concern, the mounting realization of where exactly Tanjirou and Nezuko had brought him hit.

The first to come forward was an older lady. She didn't hesitate to engulf the two teenagers in a hug. "Oh, Tanjirou-kun...! Nezuko-chan...!" She finally managed to get out between sobs. Zenitsu slowly inched back in apprehension. Oh god. He felt like he was intruding on a really important moment. Should he run? Maybe he should run. "When you stopped appearing in our town to sell coal, we sent up a few hunters to check on your house. We saw—well, we thought the worst when we got there."

That had the sun breather blinking out of his state of surprise, a sudden chime ringing in his heart. Nezuko was quick to grab his hand, eyes equally as wet. "All of you... remember us?"

"Of course we do! Don't be ridiculous. As for the graves, don't you worry." A stout old man stepped up to them. "We've been cleaning them every month or so. It seems only right as the Kamado family are just as much part of our village as anyone else."

When Tanjirou speaks, there's something full and decidedly happy in his voice. He's quick to bow but not one person there misses the drip of tears that falls to the snow. "Th-Thank you. We're really sorry for causing so much trouble!"

"Nonsense! Now why don't you come visit your old man's udon stall again? I came up with a ton of new recipes while you two were gone." A gruff man who Zenitsu was later introduced to as Eiichii made a show of flexing his arm, proudly patting his bicep as a steaming ladle rested in his free hand.

Nezuko's pretty eyes lit up at that. At such a response, her brother was quick to affirm, bowing once more. "Of course. Thank you!"

Old Lady Hina stepped up to gently latch onto the younger sister's hands. "Nezuko-chan, your clothes look so worn! How about we find you a new one at my sewing shop? It's free of charge for the first one."

"Oh no, that's not necessary." Nezuko shook her head. "Just your usual lessons would be enough."

"Tanjirou, Yua-chan misses you so much. I'm sure that she'll be shocked silly when she sees you again."

"I'll be sure to visit!" The bowing was beginning to get excessive. That idiot really had to stop before he broke his spine. When such a thing occurred, Zenitsu knew he would be the one left to carry the moron around everywhere. There was a sharp intake of breath when that same young boy who ran up to them first presented a snowball shaped into a puppy. "Haru, I haven't seen you since you were barely a toddler. You've really grown up!" The addressed huffed out in pride in a way that reminded them all of Inosuke.

"Of course I have! I'm seven now." He held up fingers. Tanjirou went to lift the small child up and Zenitsu would be a dirty liar if he didn't admit that the scene was really touching.

And it was. He watched, felt like an even bigger intruder as his two companions were consumed by the growing crowd. Tanjirou Kamado and Nezuko Kamado were evidently the sweethearts of the town, loved by an extended family that neither of them knew they really had until they lost their real one. Who could really blame them? Both siblings were like angels on earth, drowning everyone in their unending kindness, empathy, and brilliance. The blond shuffled even further back. They were pretty much the exact opposite of Zenitsu. The most strategic move here was to silently slip away, right?

But because some power out there hates him, his plan was foiled when someone addresses the elephant in the room. "But Tanjirou, what's with the mask? Let us see your face, boy. It's been ages! Was there a festival going on?" Just like a composer, the rest of the crowd focuses their stares and questions on the disguise.

Tanjirou let out a gasp. Touching the half of his face obscured by a fox mask, he held on as if he forgot it was there. It was when a loud storm brewed within his breaths that Zenitsu, without thinking, interrupted.

"Yes, it's for good luck. He can't take it off." Before quickly shutting his mouth when a few dozen sets of eyes finally settled on him. His skin paled in fear. Was this it? Was he going to die like this? Set aflame by a coddling mob...? Maybe it was Tanjirou's plan the entire time to bring him here so then to have him die of embarrassment. Curse you, Tanjirou! Curse you and your inability to lie!

"AH...!" Also, curse him for reading his scent! Tanjirou hurried to Zenitsu's side to latch onto his arm just before he could begin his very daring escape. The redhead pulled him back to his new form of doom, the waiting crowd judging them curiously. Again, Tanjirou's cheek flared red for reasons unknown. "This is Zenitsu Agatsuma. He's my...! Um, my partner."

"Smooth, nii-chan..."

Fortunately for Nezuko, she was a saint so Zenitsu knew better than to question her. But more importantly, what did that mean?! Zenitsu was just a partner? He thought he would've upgraded to at least a friend by now! If this were any other situation, the blond would reprimand Tanjirou for such a slight to their bond in front of his entire village. Luckily, the fear of messing up their first impression of him kept him from letting out anymore than a small dying sound.

The first to break the stare-down was Eiichii from the udon shop. He belt out a boisterous laugh. "Well I'll be! Our Tanjirou has gone and grown up without us."

"Oh my, what beautiful eyes." Was Zenitsu hallucinating? That must be it. No one has ever complimented anything about him before. The mother who said this had a hand over her mouth. "I think I know just the right shades of make-up and clothing to bring them out for the weddin-"

"AAAAUUH...!" Tanjirou wailed. He just wailed in the middle of the square, mouth open and staring at the sky. Nezuko drops her head into her hands and makes a muffled sound. How adorable. "Please let us warm up inside! Zenitsu said he was freezing earlier."

This statement seemed to be enough to have the town scatter again with promises that the trio would visit later. As they made the trek to the small inn where they would be staying at free of charge, Zenitsu felt a shiver run up his body. The stares of the retreating townsfolk lingered on his back and traveled along his spine like ooze. With nowhere to hide, he had no choice but to cling desperately to the checkered haori on Tanjirou's back.

And Tanjirou, that bastard, seemed strangely happy at the turn of events. How insufferable...! Yet, Zenitsu felt about eighty percent of his indignant anger subside when a callused palm grasped his own. It squeezed, and Zenitsu was gone. He lost this round. It was so unfair. Tanjirou always cheated, using his gentle sound and kind gestures to calm his nerves as if he had them wrapped around his finger.

A few minutes later found them settled into a cozy room with futons laid out and waiting for them. They set down the heaviest of their bags. Nezuko took in the sight of the two boys and sighed. She threw a few haphazard coins into her brother's free hand, practically kicking them out as soon as they arrived. "It's been a while. Go explore the town and bring back some food. I want to take a walk around myself. We can go visit our home together tomorrow."

"Nezuko, I can't just leave you alone-"

"You have to talk now, nii-chan." The younger girl gave him a hard stare. "Zenitsu-san deserves that much."

Zenitsu isn't sure what exactly it is he deserves, but if it's his angel Nezuko-chan who says so, then he wouldn't ever disobey her. The boys found themselves practically kicked out by a very adamant little sister. Both of them were in shock at what just transpired. However, Tanjirou recovers quickly when a group of children race past them.

"I-...I remember that." The redhead pipes up. His eye practically glows. "Zenitsu, you have to try this."

Without input, he's gently pulled towards a mound of snow. It was carefully carved out to resemble a half-cylinder on the ground with a groove in the center. At the sight of them, the parent on watch smiles and waves, handing out a wooden stick to each of the children gathered. She brings out a steaming pitcher of something that smelled heavenly before pouring out its contents on the snow. Zenitsu watched in awe as Haru stepped forward to dip his stick on the substance. He twirled it around and just like magic, the syrup hardened around the wood into a makeshift lollipop made of honey and snowflakes.

It was his first time up in the snowy mountains. Despite how silent and beautiful the scenery was, it was freezing. There was constantly water stuck in his shoes as his toes and fingers went red. The snow was everywhere, getting in the way of paths and making travel even more difficult. Yet, the people here were accustomed to the weather. Zenitsu never thought about the small advantages of this life too. Not until he dipped the candy stick in his mouth and tasted its saccharine on his tongue.

"Is it good?"

"Tanjirouuuu," Zenitsu moaned happily around the treat. This was even better than the sweet buns he would steal borrow from the wisteria mansion kitchen. "What kind of question is that? You know I have a sweet tooth."

There's a choking sound beside him. He looks to find Tanjirou coughing into his fist, cheeks aflame and posture awkward. When he speaks, his voice comes out an octave higher. "I do."

Zenitsu finds himself un-amused when he notices his friend's candy still fully intact, neglected as that ruby eye opts to stare at him rather than finish the treat. It's such a waste. The blond has had just about enough when half of it drips to the ground. "Tanjirou, cut it out!"

"What...? What am I doing?"

"Stop gawking at me and eat your treat-!" With perfect timing, the rest of it falls off the stick and onto the ground before his companion had any chance to save it. "Ah, it's too late. Look what you did."

"I'm sorry."

"That wonderful sweet-smelling syrup that the nice lady spent time and effort making for us, wasted."

"It's not. I can just gather it up again-"

"AH...! What are you doing?! Stop picking it up with your hands! You're such a country bumpkin, OH MY GOD!"

"What do you want me to do then...?!" The conflict behind Tanjirou's eye halts when a black blur snatches the goo from his fingers and races a few meters away. Bemused, it only takes a moment for recognition to flash on his complexion. "Kuro! It's been so long."

The cat meowed almost like a greeting before delving back into enjoying its snack.

Tanjirou crouched down to scratch the feline behind its ears. "You're not causing trouble again, are you? You know that you can't keep going around breaking things like before."

"Oh, he's been very good." The duo looks up at the mother who had poured the sweets for them. "I think Kuro could tell that you were gone and was pretty beat up about it. Poor Naoki stopped being framed for everything this little rascal did though."

"You should be good all the time, Kuro! Not just when I'm away..." Tanjirou sounds exasperated but fond. When the blue eyes of the cat peer up at him, nuzzling his blister-filled hand, the boy feels his vision blurring. Like the realization of where he was finally dawns on him, a dam within his chest breaks. The kitten meows again in confusion. It brings up a white paw to curiously pad at the tears on his cheek. "I... I'm so glad to be back." His sound bursts in waves, like an ocean of joy intermingled with the warmth of summer. For the first time in a while, it's untainted by the stress and fear of not being able to live another day.

And Zenitsu feels at peace.

"Tanjirou...!" Haru, the same little boy from before, suddenly bounds on his friend by leaping onto his back. "Come make a snow bear with us."

At that, the addressed lets out a congested laugh. Wiping his tears, he lifts the child up in a piggyback with a determined cheer. Haru giggles, lifting his arms like a bird. "All right, it's time for me to see how much all of you have improved! Let's go, Zenitsu."

"Ah, no thank you." The blond shakes his head. He feels that Tanjirou, just like Nezuko, needs that moment alone with his family. Besides, he was abhorrent with children. "Did you forget why we came out here in the first place? Don't answer that! Of course you did. I'm going to look for some food and wait in our room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am."

Tanjirou doesn't have much to say in the matter when Haru's friends gather around him, pulling on his haori in the direction of the clearing where the other children and teenagers were locked in a snowball fight. His sound reverberates once more, pure and full of love.

Zenitsu forces himself to look away from the sight. Honestly, there was something so mesmerizing about such a happy Tanjirou. He didn't know what it stirred below his chest but he wasn't going to complain about the giddiness rattling through his bones. Riding that high, he treks back into the heart of the village. It's not as bustling as the city. It was small, quiet, and everyone knew each other but some part of Zenitsu preferred it this way as opposed to the town that he grew up in.

Spotting a store that sold meat buns alongside a display of charms, he's a little surprised when he recognizes the old woman in the building as Hina. She perks up at the sight of him. "Zenitsu-kun, what a delightful surprise."

Zenitsu blinked. "H-Hello." He squeaked out. Don't say anything weird. Don't say anything whiny. Don't be a creep. Come on, you can do it, Zenitsu! This is Nezuko-chan and Tanjirou's hometown. You can't mess up the impression they had of you or it'd stain your life forever! Just don't say anything that could be taken the wrong way- "I thought that you ran a sewing shop, Hina-san." Damn it.

But she doesn't seem offended. "Yes but I also sell snacks on the side." She emerges from behind the table and half of Zenitsu is battling with the other half on whether he should move to help her and risk being accused of stealing something. Bringing wrinkling fingers out, she spreads an array of omamori charms onto the counter. "Would you like to take a look? I made these myself. They bring good fortune but sadly aren't well known in the big cities."

He eyes the array of colourful patterns, in awe at the intricacy of the patterns woven into the cloth. Amongst them, a golden with triangular patterns and a green and black checkered pouch stand out. Without realizing it, he reaches for them. "These are amazing."

"Thank you, dear." Her smile crinkles more when she noticed the two that he picked up. "I have many types of charms for different purposes but those two in particular are enmusubi. They're said to bring good luck in love. It's a slow-working charm but buying one by itself helps to bring the wearer's true love closer to them in hopes that they'd meet."

Zenitsu could never have enough good fortune in love. Now that he could finally live in peace, there was nothing stopping him from achieving his dream of being married! He definitely needed one of these as soon as possible, and he guesses that getting one for Tanjirou wouldn't hurt either. The guy already had a bunch of girls lined up pining for him, much to Zenitsu's utter and totally fair hatred. In terms of actually pursuing a relationship though...? Tanjirou was hopeless. Even Zenitsu was starting to think that he'd sooner marry his own future lover than Tanjirou could successfully complete a conquest. Holding down a snort, he passes over the money much to the amusement of the shopkeeper.

"Buying two, then...? Tanjirou is a very lucky young man."

"Huh...? I guess."

The answer piques the old woman's interest. She looks to him, yet her face still remains kind when most people who've interrogated Zenitsu would've already moved on to irritation. "Do you not think so, Zenitsu-kun?"

"I mean..." Zenitsu pauses. He'd like to think he was working through his response but it was more that whatever words came to his mind left with zero filter. "No, I don't think Tanjirou's a very lucky person. He works hard by himself and creates his own good fortune. It's what makes him such a frustratingly optimistic guy." If anything, the cards that life dealt to the earnest boy were cruel.

Hina's eyes soften. She reaches up to give the teenager a soft head pat. "That is true. We make our own good luck around here. However, every once in a while, everyone needs a bit of a miracle. That's what these charms are for."

Perhaps that's what it was. The miracle that allowed Tanjirou to turn his sister back into a human, the miracle that allowed him to survive, the miracle of ending the cycle of killing brought about by demons, the miracle to live to the day where he could return to his hometown like he promised. That was the good fortune that Tanjirou and the others created.

He pocketed the omamori. Giving the older woman a teary smile, he quips. "You're actually really good at sales pitches, aren't you? I'll take one for each of my friends."

T-T-T-T-T

The group pack their bags that evening then make the half-day trek up the mountain at the crack of dawn. As a repeat of the morning before, the entire village is there to wave them off. Some of them offer cleaning supplies knowing the massive amount of work that the two siblings have ahead of them to restore their childhood home back to its former glory. Others hand out small wrapped lunches that Tanjirou absolutely and one-hundred-percent refused to not pay for.

When the sun is high in the sky and the beginnings of a trail can be seen in the distance, Zenitsu lags behind. It would be near impossible for him not to eavesdrop on the moment but he wanted to give Tanjirou and Nezuko as much privacy as possible. As expected, as soon as the pile of stones in the distance becomes visible, they dash ahead.

By the time Zenitsu joins them, he finds the siblings knelt before several graves with their hands held together in prayer. He pretends not to hear Nezuko let a sob escape. He focused his ears on a bird nesting nearby instead of on Tanjirou muttering out the names of each other his siblings in turn, speaking from his heart as he recounts the past three years of their lives.

After an hour, Nezuko excuses herself to enter the house. She has a haunted look in her eyes, as if the memories of that night were flashing before her eyes. However, when the two offer her comfort, she only smiles. "It's all right. If I don't learn to face this on my own, I'd never be able to walk back into this home again."

It's a lot more silent after she leaves. Zenitsu doesn't know what to do with himself, especially when Tanjirou gestures for him to come closer. "What are you doing all the way over there? Come meet my family, Zenitsu!" The blond shakes his head dramatically. Tanjirou pouts. A green checkered sleeve latches onto his arm next, dragging him forward against his will.

"Tanjirou, no-!"

"This is my mother, Kie Kamado!" His friend yells over Zenitsu's protests. "I think she would've adored you. She has a hard forehead like I do!"

Not left with much choice, Zenitsu awkwardly bows at each grave that is introduced to him.

"That one over there is Takeo. He looks like me and loves to play the ikko drum. Nezuko calls him a tsundere but I have no idea what that means! Hanako adored stuffed toys so whenever our family had the money to splurge, we'd get one for her birthday. Shigeru was really attached to me and would follow me everywhere. He was a good boy who helped me chop wood a lot too. Rokuta was more attached to Nezuko and always took naps close to her."

The teen is cut off when Zenitsu pinches his face, stretching it sideways. "SLOW DOWN, DAMMIT! You sound like you're giving a speech just before war!"

"This is how I always talk." Tanjirou puffs out his cheek as soon as it's freed.

"I know." Zenitsu does the unthinkable and teases his friend by poking his inflated jaw. He almost instantly regrets his own actions when a brilliant red blooms across Tanjirou's face. "It's your eldest brother voice." Zenitsu hastily withdraws his hand. Shaking himself out of it, Zenitsu carefully tiptoes forward and reaches into his small bag. Ignoring the curious glances from his friend, he then takes the time to tie each colorful object in his hand on the graves. Each family member received a different colour. They swayed the slightest in the breeze before settling down, their characters visible for Tanjirou to read.

"Shiawase..." The eldest brother finally manages to whisper, breathless. "They're charms for happiness. How did you-?"

"It's not a big deal." The blond is quick to shut him down. His eyes trail the ground, avoiding Tanjirou's fiery gaze. "I asked Hina-san to help me with them since I didn't know your family the way she did. I... hope they find happiness in their next life. That's what I wanted to tell them."

A beat passes before Tanjirou can speak. He still has that quality of awe to his tone but now it came with a mix of profound fondness and something else that he couldn't decipher. "Zenitsu. Thank you. I'm sure that they will."

Before he could lose his nerves, he also shoves something green and checkered into Tanjirou's surprised grasp. When the sun breather opens his palms to see what it is, he freezes. "I also got one for you. I can't leave you out after all."

No response.

"Tanjioru...?" The addressed was staring blankly at a spot in front of him. Zenitsu inches forward, waves a hand a scant space away from the other's nose. What, what happened? Did he do something wrong? Could Hina have been lying and what he actually gave his friend was some curse? If it was a curse to be less popular with girls, Zenitsu would never take it back. But if it was something horrific like sprouting horns from your head or having a year's worth of bad acne then-

"I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!" Zenitsu jumps nearly five feet back when Tanjirou suddenly tackles the ground. What was wrong with him all of a sudden, prostrating himself and yelling like that?! It nearly gave him a heart attack! "I promise to cherish you forever, Zenitsu!"

Geez, it was just a love charm. He was wishing Tanjirou good luck in finding love one day yet the other was acting like he was already married to some really beautiful girl. Learning to accept Tanjirou's weird mood swings, Zenitsu only sighs. "Sure, sure... I believe in you."

The redhead proudly ties the charm onto his male yukata, angling it to display the cloth for everyone around (read: only Zenitsu) to see. The blond feels like he's praising a puppy when he smiles back. It does the trick when Tanjirou's shoulders only rise higher and he proudly puffs his chest out.

Turning to the grave stones, Zenitsu ignores the display of idiocy before him. Instead, he opts to observe the way the Kamado family were laid out together beside their father, finally able to rest in peace. "They sound like a great family."

"I wish you could've met them."

No, they'd probably end up thinking I was annoying. Zenitsu doesn't say. It was better for Tanjirou to live in that ill-found fantasy of his. The reasons why he would ever want such a thing though was beyond Zenitsu. They were more likely to fall in love with someone like Kanao-chan. If Zenitsu became that detestable friend who avoided visiting Tanjirou's house due to his family finding him pathetic but managed to stay close with him anyway, that'd be enough for him.

"Me too." He says instead.

There's a comfortable silence then. Nothing but the sound of falling snow once more and the clanking of Nezuko moving old belongings around in the house. Tanjirou plays around with the omamori in between breaths. At some point, they migrate to a boulder just large enough to seat the both of them. They watch over the grave. The new flowers left upon each one blend nicely with the charms, personalizing the grave so each family member had their own unique color. Finally, Zenitsu breaks the quiet.

"You," He breathes, gathering his stuttering breaths that clouded the air in front of him. This was it. He had to address what's been on his mind the entire time. Just like when he confronted Tanjirou on why he was travelling with a demon, the issue couldn't be left alone. He raises his head, letting go of the fear to finally face his friend. "You brought me to your hometown."

A single ruby eye meets gold. "I did."

"Why?"

"Because..." It's Tanjirou's turn to pause. There's conflict in his sound, gears turning in his head as he tries to work out what to say. Instead of using words, he brings shaking fingers—whether it was from the cold or from nerves, he doesn't know- up to cup the white material of his mask. Slowly, steadily but with the comfort of knowing that it was just Zenitsu in front of him and no one else, he removes it. There's a clank of it being set down on the rock beneath them. "Do you remember when Muzan Kibutsuji gave me this injury?"

"I try not to."

He lets out a breath of laughter. It's half the sound it used to be when Tanjirou has to stop to wince at the pain it caused on his right side. It was a harsh wake-up call for the both of them to remember that this boy who wore his heart on his sleeve could no longer be as expressive as he once was. "I suppose not."

Zenitsu looks at him again, looks at him at a time when adrenaline wasn't coursing through his veins or when he wasn't riddled with so much pain in his legs to have the time to truly take in the sight before him. Where once there was a brilliant ember eye, a throbbing tumor grew from the point above his temple and bunched up in rivets all the way down to the skin beside his mouth. The weight sagged half of Tanjirou's face downward. Stitches ran diagonally from where Aoi-chan put his skin back together after it burst in a puddle of blood and pus. His cheek around the dried skin was sunk in unnaturally, scars crisscrossing outward from where the medicine had rushed to keep the cyst from spreading.

Despite everything, despite the usual panic and queasiness that he normally would've experienced at such a sight, every part of Zenitsu was calm. After all, it wasn't some horrible demon or creature. It was Tanjirou. Instead, there was only a silent curiosity of whether Tanjirou was in pain from it. He couldn't imagine that it was easy to eat anymore. He wondered if the other flinched back when he looked in the mirror after bathing just to receive a daily reminder of what was stolen away from him.

Under the scrutiny of those breathtaking honey eyes, Tanjirou feels himself fidget and look away. "I...I'm not ashamed of it!" He admits, loudly. "I got it while trying to turn Nezuko back into a human, while trying to protect everyone, so I could never be embarrassed or hate how I look."

There's a bit of a pause where Zenitsu registers that Tanjirou is holding his breath. For what reason, he could never fathom. The blond shakes his head, surprising himself when he felt the ends of his mouth tip upwards. "That sounds like you, Tanjirou. I agree. You shouldn't be ashamed of it."

"Good—That's good." Tanjirou smiles. It only reaches half of his face, the right side of his lip restrained by the stitches. Zenitsu can practically hear the relief emanating from him.

It was completely unnecessary in his opinion. In any verse where Zenitsu couldn't accept Tanjirou like this, he doubts he would've been able to get close enough to the other for his judgement to even be important. That's the effect Tanjirou had on people. He doubts that he'd even be the same person.

"I actually got the scar on my forehead from a similar incident. It was a burn from shielding one of my siblings from boiling water." He admits, delving into that old tale. They've done this before, simply sit down and divulge parts of their lives to each other. Zenitsu could never forget the chill he felt the first time Tanjirou told him about what happened to his family.

There's a fondness to his tone. However, it doesn't take long for it to sour when red eye lowers to peer forlornly at the grave stones in front of them. "Back then, when I was still fighting, I never thought that I'd have the luxury to look back on my injury like this. I was ready to die that night along with Muzan. I mean, I had nothing else left to live for after Nezuko turned back to human. Maybe it would've been nice to meet my family on the other side."

Just like that, all of Zenitsu's good feelings welded closed.

"As long as I managed to save everyone, stop the killing and suffering, and survive until dawn long enough to take him down with me, it was fine."

"Stop."

"Sorry."

"I said stop." Zenitsu snapped back. "You're always like this. You're so... insufferably kind. And loud. What you're thinking is obvious. I almost died in that fight because your sound was too distracting, you know!" Memories of Tanjirou on the ground, his goody-two-shoes self-sacrificial nature dragging him into the despair of death made Zenitsu nauseous to listen to. What was once the chimes of a clear blue sky fell into loud rings that hurt his eardrums with every pulse.

Tanjirou's eye widened. "I didn't know-"

"AND YET here you are still babbling about the exact same thing, disregarding yourself again for the sake of others, denying your right to live!" Were those tears gathering in his vision? They were. Even when he was supposed to be strong in this moment, his body always failed him. "You did survive, just like I told you to. Don't you dare wax on after the fact about how you should've died!"

He's about to continue. He very well needed to get this off of his chest but then, suddenly, a warmth engulfs him. It engulfs him until that summer that was Tanjirou's sound surrounds his ears once again, dulled with the ache of battle but still so undoubtedly Tanjirou. Checkered-covered arms tighten around the blond, holding him tight. "I know that now. I do. I'm sorry for worrying you, Zenitsu."

Zenitsu let out a breath, that heat behind his cheeks growing at their proximity. For once in his life, he feels brave. There's a tug at his heart that's making his body want to do things that his mind can't catch up with. Leaning back the slightest, unsure, Zenitsu reaches out. As if in synch, a rough hand responds by untangling itself from around his waist to gently grab his own.

Carefully, Tanjirou brings those soft fingers closer so that his palm is resting where the disfigured skin of his face was. Zenitsu felt his hand being encased between two different kinds of warmth. Tanjirou's misshapen cheek on one side and his friend's callous hand on the other. It should be gross. It should be weird, but the only thought that ran through the blond's mind then was the best way he could use his touch to deliver the most comfort to his friend who deserved way more than he got.

The cold boulder they're sitting on is the only relief either of them feel from their burning complexions. And Tanjirou, that idiot, actually makes the moment worse for Zenitsu's poor heart by leaning into his touch. He hums, and his sound softens even more.

"Zenitsu...?"

"Hmm...?"

"Thank you for telling me to live, for making me promise to return home."

Zenitsu was too much of a coward to dignify that with a response. So instead, he backtracks, using his thumb to gently trace the stitches where the other's eyebrow should've been. Tanjirou seems to relax further in his hold, fluttering his remaining pupil shut. "You still didn't answer my question."

Too lost in the daze that this level of intimacy somehow sent him on, Tanjirou sighs before pulling away. He gently latches onto Zenitsu's hand with his own. "Come with me."

They wander into the house, bumping into Nezuko on the way. The younger girl is busying herself by organizing the cutlery and airing out the blankets. There's already several buckets of snow gathered and melting by the fireplace in preparation for the massive amount of laundry they had ahead of them. She's a hard-worker through and through. Moving further into the back room, the sliding door reveals a small dusty floor and tatami mat.

"This was my parents' room." It was all the explanation Tanjirou gave before padding into a drawer hidden beneath a shelf. He slides it out, hand roving around several layers of cloth before finally procuring the target object. When Tanjirou exposes it to the sun, he can make out a tiny woven box. "My mother had given it to me after my father passed away. It's a—gift that he'd presented to her before they married. When I left for my journey to turn Nezuko back into a human, I thought it was better to leave this here than to take it with me and risk losing it."

"Not that again-"

"I know. I left it behind because I didn't think I'd survive the trip. What was the point of taking it if I already accepted death? I didn't know I felt this way at the time but I realize that now." Tanjirou doesn't run from his friend's golden gaze. "That's why I came back for it now."

Zenitsu eyed the familiar shape. He knew he's seen it before but at the moment, couldn't place his finger on where. Just as much, the sudden shift in Tanjirou's sound to something much hotter doesn't register in his mind. Tanjirou silently pumped his fists as if psyching himself up, before turning to his friend with eyes on fire.

"Tanjirou, what are you doing?"

He's promptly ignored when Tanjirou drops to the ground again much to the blond's horror.

"Zenitsu Agatsuma, I really and truly love you. Please take this ring and promise to marry me one day!"

.

.

Wait.

That's not possible. It must be a joke! Since when? Since when did any of this-

The love charms, bringing him to meet his parents, the hand-holding, the blushing... it was all...

WHAT?

When a scream pierces the sky above the tiny house, Zenitsu can't really be blamed for fainting on the spot, heart beating a mile a minute. His entire body burns in realization. The space behind his eyes pounds as his mind finally registers Tanjirou Kamado in all his stupid kind-hearted glory. The first thing he hears after fully losing consciousness are the haphazard footsteps of Nezuko rushing into the room.

"You can't just propose to him! That's not how it works!"

"REALLY...?! W-Why not...? What am I missing?"

"Reckless nii-chan... there is so much you're missing!"

.

Was it equally as reckless of Zenitsu to think that he already wants to say yes?