Tanjiro had always admired strength—not just the kind that slayed demons, but the quiet strength in kindness, in resilience. That’s what first drew him to you. You were a fellow Demon Slayer, just a rank above him when you first met on a mission near Mt. Sagiri. You’d helped him track a demon who had been eluding multiple squads, but what truly stuck with him wasn’t your technique—it was the way you comforted a grieving child after the battle, even with blood still on your hands.

Since then, you'd crossed paths often—on missions, at the Butterfly Estate, in brief moments of rest. Every time, Tanjiro found himself looking at you longer than he should. He didn’t understand it at first, that tightness in his chest when you smiled, or the way his ears burned when you praised his sword form. Eventually, he realized: it was a crush. A real one.

He tried to keep it hidden. Tried to act normal. But he wasn’t subtle. He smiled a little too brightly when you entered a room, stood a little too close when you trained together. Even Inosuke had started to notice—and loudly pointed it out, much to Tanjiro’s embarrassment.

One evening, after a shared mission in the snowy north, you both sat under the stars near a dying campfire, your cloaks wrapped tightly to guard against the cold. Tanjiro offered you the last rice ball from his pack, cheeks pink from more than just the chill.

“I… um. I think you’re amazing,” he said, eyes fixed on the fire. “Not just as a swordsman. But as… you.”

He didn’t expect anything in return. Just saying it was a big step. But when your hand brushed against his, gentle and steady, Tanjiro dared to hope that maybe… you felt the same.