Chapter Text
How long has he been sprawled on the ground like this? Every inch of his body hurt. The ringing in his head hasn’t stopped ever since Muzan transformed. His hands were shaking. Inosuke’s even gone into the fight on his own. Everyone is running haggard trying to dodge the whips that have come alive, it’s range extending all over the room. Even if you could get close after avoiding being cut down by the man they’ve come to know as Kokushibou, they could either be cut from the thorny whips or be bitten by the numerous mouths around Muzan’s body.
Tanjirou glanced at Zenitsu’s worried face from the wakizashi’s reflection and shut his eyes in shame. Kanao is fighting for her life against Douma, even Genya is keeping pressure and backing up the attacking hashiras against Kokushibou. Muichiro’s fighting on even when he’s nearly had his arm ripped off from the whip. Meanwhile, he’s here, down for the count after stupidly being dragged across the room.
Tanjirou balls his fist, about to stand up when a rustle perks his ear. He glances back to see Tamayo and Shinobu struggling within their bonds, calling out to him desperately. He spares a glance and makes eye contact with Kanao. She parries another one of Douma’s metal fans and gives him a minute nod. She leads him further away and Tanjirou quickly dashes to their side.
He squeamishly makes it through corpses of half deformed kishins before he reaches them, and he makes quick work of the ropes and gags with Zenitsu.
“Are you two alright?”
Shinobu nods already reaching inside her lab coat. “Tamayo! I have it with me.”
Tamayo nods, already rolling up her sleeves. “I already have the formula in my head thought out! Being kidnapped gives you time to think and a close look at your enemies, who knew!”
Shinobu smirked. “Who knew indeed.”
Tanjirou blinked, sharing a confused look with Zenitsu. “S-sorry what’s happening Shinobu-san? Tamayo-san?”
Shinobu tugged him to her side as Tamayo bent over and started mixing herbs and potions, and even a handful of wisteria flowers. “We knew Muzan was coming for Tamayo to complete his little project. We thought of so many plans, but he was bound to get her, and we knew she’d have to perfect the drug for him. So we started to plan backwards-when he does complete his transformation, what would we be able to do?”
“We got back to the root of the problem,” Tamayo murmured, adding the final ingredient. A piece of red spider lily. “I created the blue spider lily from cross-breeding red spider lilies over and over until it created a birth defect-and from there I cultivated more blue spider lilies. I asked Shinobu to prepare me the ingredients for the drug’s cure just before the witches attacked-and thank god we did.”
“If our theory is right, the effects of injecting the red spider lily would neutralize the mutation of the blue spider lily, add to that the wisteria, Muzan should be weakened enough for us to finish him here.”
“I-I see,” Tanjirou murmured. “I don’t quite get it, but what you’re saying is we just need to inject this into him, and we’ll have a fighting chance?”
“That’s right.”
“Gah!” Kanao screamed as Douma punched her in the gut. Before he knew it he was standing up, Zenitsu clutched in both hands.
“No!” Shinobu said sharply, tugging him back. “You can’t. You’re the only one who can do this!”
“But-”
“Trust Kanao,” Shinobu said tensely. “My sister and I didn’t raise her to be weak. Don’t forget she’s still a rank above you in my class.”
Tanjirou throws Kanao another glance before nodding. By now Muichiro and Sanemi had managed a few shots on Kokushibou’s eyes, blinding two of them. Inosuke and Sabito had come close to Muzan by a few feet, but the whips lashing at them drove them away.
Just as he was about to insist on joining the fight again, Tamayo wiped the sweat off her forehead and produced a syringe filled with red fluid. “I’m done.”
-
Tanjirou…
Hm?
Not that I don’t believe in you...but just in case we...just in case we don’t make it…
We will Zenitsu
Just in case! I-I have to tell you that I lik-
I...think having something to look forward to is what I need right now. After this-let’s go, just the three of us-and say everything we want to say
Okay...okay...don’t you dare-don’t you dare die on us!
Heheh. Even if I do you’ll drag me back from hell, won’t you?
Idiot...of course we will
-
Tanjirou took a deep breath, taking quick checks on himself. He reached up to his forehead, hearing the comforting rustle of paper pressed to his skin. The plan was simple really. With the aid of Yushiro’s paper charm, he would essentially be invisible to the naked eye. His job was to get as close as possible to Muzan while avoiding the thorny whips, plunge the syringe in his neck, and let the drug enter his system. And then it was a battle of endurance as they waited for it to settle.
He took one last glance at Zenitsu, smiling as Zenitsu raised his arm and snapped the hairband around his wrist, and finally set his eyes to Muzan.
Ten feet.
Behind him Kanao grabs hold of Kanae by her bare hands, the palms of her hands dripping red. Even then, she refused to let go. Shinobu and Tamayo grabbed hold of a piece of rubble and wooden plank, and made their way behind Douma.
Seven feet.
Muichiro was barely standing, half his body chewed up and his arm trembling to keep up his transformation. Genya had transformed back, desperately dragging his passed out brother out of the whip’s reach. Himejima had taken it upon himself to be a shield, refusing to go down, his hands still clenching a half intact prayer bead.
Five feet.
Sabito had his shakujo stabbed in the ground to keep himself steady as he sent ripples after ripples of his wavelength with Giyuu to keep Kokushibou at bay. Behind him, Inosuke ripped through all incoming whips, even as they cut through his clothes, slashing his legs, and bleeding him dry. Still, he was as unmoving as a rock.
Two feet.
Tanjirou had done well dodging everything in his path. Single-minded determination keeping him steady.
One feet.
Just as Tanjirou jumped, Muzan glanced to his side and locked eyes with him. With a tug of his lips, he extended his arm out as if to grab him, as strands of whips followed through. A strike of fear settled in his chest, ugly and shameful, but as he felt the rough hilt of Zenitsu’s blade, he bit his lip and with a soundless scream, he ran forward.
A breath away Muzan’s claws clenched before it fell to the ground. Tanjirou could only spare a moment of relief as he saw a familiar crimson blade cutting through Muzan’s arm and thorny whips before he grabbed Muzan by his neck, and plunged the syringe in one swift motion.
Just as he let go, flashes of sharp teeth appeared on the nape of Muzan’s neck, and all of the sudden darkness filled his vision. No-not all of it. Darkness only crept on half his vision. Trembling, he glanced down at Zenitsu to see the space where his right eye should have been was nothing but a bloody mess.
Before the pain could set in before his adrenaline could run out, before he-Tanjirou took a deep breath, and plunged Zenitsu to Muzan’s neck as hard as he could. He spared one last wavelength, smiling in satisfaction as he heard Muzan scream in pain as his body writhed in the aftershock of pure lightning before he let the darkness consume him.
-
“You reckless, stupid, suicidal pathetic excuse of a big brother!” A voice he missed so much screamed right by his ear, and were it not for the nurse glaring at her Tanjirou was sure he’d be grabbed by his hospital gowns and shaken down within an inch of his life.
“Nezuko,” He called out weakly.
“What!” She shouted, her eyes watery.
“I miss you calling me...big brother…”
Nezuko whimpered, before giving up and throwing herself at him. With a huff Tanjirou hugged her back, waving away the nurse when she gave them a stink eye. He glanced at his exhausted mother as she sat on the hospital room couch, giving her a sheepish smile. The academy had been more than generous, providing him with a VIP room and fully paying for his hospital bills.
She sighs and gives him a tired smile, her hand slowly stroking his sleeping little brothers who refused to leave his side until he got discharged.
Sniffling, Nezuko pulled away, giving him one last weak glare. “Don’t ever scare us like that ever again.”
“Promise.” He assured her.
Just as she opened her mouth, a knock interrupted them. Nezuko gasped and excitedly opened the door. “Welcome! Brother’s awake this time!”
“Really?!” A gruff voice said, and all of a sudden Tanjirou had three pairs of breasts on his face. He spared a thought that he’d really gone to heaven before the beautiful valleys parted and Uzui’s face emerged, his hair let down. “Yo pirate wannabe!”
“Uzui-san!”
Three beautiful ladies giggled, stroking his head, admiring his hospital-issued eyepatch, and poked him by his sides. “Aw, Tengen he’s so cute!”
“Someone this small is the hero of the hour huh?”
“Aw guys he’s blushing!”
Uzui’s weapons introduced themselves as Tanjirou avoided eye contact. He raised his head to stare at Uzui instead. As far as he could see he didn’t sustain any serious injury, and he smiled in relief. Uzui noticed and grinned, stroking his head.
“I’m fine you brat. Worry about yourself for once!”
Chuckling he nodded sheepishly. “Is...is everyone alright?”
“Most of them are bedridden like you, but some have recovered,” Uzui clicked his tongue. “Word is Mitsuru’s already dragging Obanai for a date. Apparently they proclaimed their undying love in the midst of the battle, those sappy shits.”
Uzui nodded at his mother and dragged a chair to sit on. “Sanemi is still out cold, but the doctors expect him to be just fine in a few days. Giyuu and Sabito are already back in the academy, replenishing the security or whatever. Muichiro keeps whining about wanting to see you, Himejima has gone to the mountains to offer a prayer of gratitude and Rengoku…”
Tanjirou held his breath at Uzui’s pause.
“...already back home to dote on his little brother,” He grinned at Tanjirou’s sigh of relief. “He’s offering an open invitation for you to visit him back home when you’re all better.”
“I’m glad, I’ll definitely come!”
“As for Shinobu, she’s still trying to find a way to wake Kanae,” Uzui mused. “But last I hear Kanao’s all better and as strong as ever.”
“What about...um...Tamayo and Yuishiro-san?”
“Disappeared into the night!” Uzui made a poof motion with his hands. “It’s probably for the best anyway. After Muzan’s defeat there've been raids over raids of witch covens. The academy isn’t going to let this opportunity to clean up go to waste.”
“I see…” Tanjirou sighed, feeling a little bummed about not getting to say goodbye.
“Chin up kid, all in all it was a clean mission accomplished,” Uzui grinned. “Just get better soon, and show your faces to everyone.”
“Will do!”
After hanging out in his room and leaving expensive fruits and delicious biscuits to his mom, a pretty brooch for Nezuko, and miscellaneous toys for his little brothers, Uzui and his wives left as if they were Santa in broad daylight. Silence descended in the room before Tanjirou caved, and glanced at the corner of the room.
“And? How long are you both going to be upset with me?”
Wincing, both Inosuke and Zenitsu glanced back at him. Inosuke was the first to crack, throwing himself tearfully to Tanjirou. “Waaah! Monjirou! I didn’t mean to! That stupid Benitsu told me to give you the silent treatment! I thought it was a snack and went along with it!”
Chuckling, Tanjirou patted his back. His mother shot him a smile and ushered his siblings out, shutting the door behind her.
Zenitsu glanced at them hugging each other before sniffling and throwing himself in the cuddle pile. “Tanjirou you idiot! I’ll make you pay for the rest of your life! How dare you just stab me into Muzan and leave me! I stayed stabbed to him until the fight ended! All alone! And this idiot boar almost forgot to take me back!”
“I should’ve left you there, you annoying shit!”
“But you didn’t .”
Shaking his head, Tanjirou nodded and laughed at their complaints, glancing at the large window in the room. Pink petals strewn about by the wind signified the arrival of spring, and Tanjirou’s never felt warmer. He stroked Zenitsu’s and Inosuke’s hair, and let himself breathe.
-
“Oh?” Tanjirou said as his hands were immediately taken and intertwined with another as he was discharged from the hospital. “We’re in this step already?”
“That’s right!” Zenitsu growled, taking his right side to guide him into getting used to having only one eye. “We’re not even going to confess! You’re ours!”
“What he said!” Inosuke said, huffing. “I don’t wanna talk about sappy shit anyway!”
Giggling, Tanjirou let himself be dragged around to the nearest park. “Ahh, I guess I have no choice but to go along with you both then.”
“Uh-huh!”
“Damn right!”
From afar Tanjirou could see a picnic being set out with familiar faces around it, sitting under the largest sakura tree, perfect for a flower viewing. Just as they were about to round the corner, he tugged Zenitsu and Inosuke behind a tree and gave them both quick pecks on their cheeks.
Blushing, Zenitsu covered his cheek with his hand and pointed at him accusingly. “You-you thief! Scoundrel! Low life!”
Inosuke frowned, rubbing on his cheek. “What was that?! Were you trying to take a bite off my cheek?!”
Rolling his eyes-heh eye-Tanjirou sneaked away, rushing to the picnic site. “Dibs on Nezuko’s cooking!”
“Ahh! Stop him! Stop that mad man!”
“You glutton! Are you trying to eat everyone’s cheeks?!”
Which was of course when he fell flat to his face because he couldn’t see the large tree root in his right side. Everyone around him laughed as his mother scolded him for not being careful.
Beside her, Rengoku’s oishi mode devoured nearly half their bento boxes, Nezuko tried to and failed to sneak in some sake provided by Uzui’s wives, and his brothers ran around the ground tugging a nervous but smiling Giyuu behind them to play kemari.
Mitsuru cuddled herself with the blushing but stoic Obanai, and Genya kept eating all the food Sanemi piled to his plate, despite his cheeks bulging like a hamster. Muichiro patted the spot next to him insistently, smiling at him. Kanao waved her hand from her spot next to Shinobu, the latter sipping a cup of tea and chatting peacefully with a smiling Kanae.
Once again Tanjirou felt hands intertwined to his, and he let himself be tugged on once more, a grin on his face. He feels it now, deep and resonating in his very soul. Unwavering happiness, and the feeling of belonging. He squeezes the hands in his grasp and walks forward.