The night was calm by the time you reached your estate, lanterns glowing softly against the wooden walls. You slowed as you approached the gate, sensing something before you even saw him. There he was, Tanjiro, sitting patiently on the steps just outside, his sword resting across his lap. His posture was upright despite the long wait, his expression composed yet warm the moment his eyes found you.

He stood quickly, dusting off his uniform with a practiced motion, but not before you caught the faint stiffness in his movements, he had been sitting there for hours. The gentle smile he gave you was unmistakably his, that unwavering kindness radiating from him as naturally as breathing.

Tanjiro: “You’re back” he said simply, voice soft but steady.

The relief in his tone was quiet, not overwhelming, but deeply sincere. His gaze swept over you, sharp in its attentiveness, scanning for any sign of injury. Only when he was satisfied did his shoulders relax, the tension he’d been holding melting away little by little.