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Tanjiro stepped forward as Genya inched back, the warmth of his breath somehow reaching Genya’s face. It flickered under his skin as he flushed. He’d never liked the proximity of his peers, especially not in his face—it was rarely an issue, due to Genya’s height, and yet Tanjiro somehow met his gaze and pulled a feeling out of him that he couldn’t name.
“What are you do…ing—“ Genya’s already shaking voice faded into the air as Tanjiro’s coarse hand brushed the scar on his face. Gently as a flower petal drifting in the wind. His spine shivered, reaching a shaky hand up to where Tanjiro’s rested on his cheek. He paused, hovering just next to it.
Tanjiro’s words were barely a whisper.
“You’ve gone through worse than half the people here, haven’t you?”
Genya’s wet, widened eyes were all the answer he needed. Tanjiro stepped forward again and wrapped his free arm around Genya.
“I’m sorry.”
Genya paused again. Why in hell… “Why are you sorry, Kamado?” He fought to calm his nervous breathing, knowing Tanjiro was well aware of all of it. Their eyes met, and Genya could focus on nothing else except the genuine concern floating around the fiery red eyes of his peer.
“I’m sorry that the people here have made you feel like you need their approval.”
“I… I don’t—“
“Shina…Genya.” His eyes growing more intense as he spoke, each word sharpened by the fire in his demeanor. “I don’t know where you got this scar,” he said softly, running his thumb gently over it where it crossed Genya’s nose, “but I can tell how much weight it carries. You don’t have to do it on your own.”
But I do, Kamado. I do have to do it on my own. If only you knew.
Genya’s eyes wandered, glued to anything except Tanjiro himself. This guy, who he’d only known the smaller half of a year… was twisting his heart and soul around in ways he didn’t understand. Feelings weren’t exactly his wheelhouse, and he’d never acknowledged much more than anger and distaste. Yet… Tanjiro’s presence, and those damn eyes of his teased Genya’s chest and made it flutter. It was all Genya could do to not stare into them, and take in the view of the shining, red tinted pupils that had seen so many ideas and times.
“I’ll be fine, Kamado.” No one’s ever worried about me before. No sense for that to change.
“Please, Genya. You’re shaking like a leaf.”
Every time Tanjiro said his name it shivered down him like a shock. Damn feelings… Genya placed his hand gently on Tanjiro’s chest, pushing him off and giving himself space to breathe. A rush of cold coursed through his veins at the lack of proximity he now had with the redhead. His head turned, unable to face the thoughts he had about the boy before him.
“Shut up, Kamado.”
“I… right. Sorry.”
Tanjiro stood there, his arms still slightly raised, as if waiting for Genya to pull him back. They stood there facing each other for what felt like an eternity, until Tanjiro suddenly turned around. The fire vanished from his eyes, his determination seemingly extinguished. Genya didn’t like that at all. Especially not caused by him.
Ugh. Fuck it.
Before his mind could convince him to keep up his façade, to hide behind the layers of stone he’d built around his heart and mind, Genya grabbed Tanjiro’s wrist with his hand. Gently, mind you, because this man deserved that much for putting up with him.
“Genya..?” Tanjiro’s wide eyes caught the light, making them glow with more curiosity and intensity than even before.
Genya lifted his free hand gently, mimicking the motions of the young Kamado not too long before. His fingers trailed up Tanjiro’s face, finding and resting on the wide red scar on his forehead.
“We’re alike, me and you, you know.” Genya said, his mind half there and half far, far away. “Stories left untold.”
Tanjiro’s wrist, wrapped loosely in Genya’s hand, was slowly twisted free as Tanjiro moved to intertwine their fingers. A faint tinge of warm red, made brighter by the lighting of the pavilion they stood on, twisted into Genya’s face. Their eyes caught each other and refused to let go.
“That could change,” Tanjiro replied softly, his hand that was not wrapped in Genya’s reaching up and gently brushing the hand Genya had placed on his face.
“Maybe.”
Their faces drew nearer. It was as if an invisible hand pulled them together, refusing to let them go.
“I’d like it to.”
Genya’s hand slipped from Tanjiro’s scar slowly down his cheekbone, brushing a thumb over his lips.
“Honestly, me too.”
Tanjiro took Genya’s hand, previously caressing his face, and brought the back of it gently to his lips, placing the softest of pecks upon it. Both their faces lit up like the lanterns hung around them.
Tanjiro Kamado.
“Tanjiro.”
He froze, his name from the mouth of Genya not being something he expected to hear.
“Y..yes?”
“I don’t know what to feel. I don’t know… how to. But I want you to know I’m trying. I don’t know what this is, but I’m trying, because… you, Tanjiro Kamado, are something I’ve never seen before in my entire life.”
Something in Tanjiro shifted, there. Genya caught it, and left himself open to whatever the other would have him do. His head was lost but his heart seemed to know, there was safety and something more to be found in the presence of Tanjiro Kamado.
A hand shifted, a head turned, and next thing Genya knew he was leaned into the railing so Tanjiro could reach Genya’s face with his own. Their lips met, gently. The faintest taste of honey found itself on Genya’s tongue. A smile more genuine than he’d smiled in years graced his features, never once breaking the contact he now had with Tanjiro. Whatever these feelings were, they felt right.
A moment passed, before Tanjiro moved and gently kissed Genya’s scar.
“For what it’s worth…” Tanjiro whispered, “I think you’re a great person, Genya.”
“Worth far more than you seem to think. Your opinions carry weight too, you know.”
“Guess we both have learning to do.”
Their talk paused once more as they kissed, again and again. Something they both seemed to need but never bothered to find was blooming between them faster than a blossom in spring. One hand from each wrapped around each other, the others gently pulling them together. Hands in soft hair and soft lips on chapped.
“Kamado, I…” Genya breathed, “I didn’t think I could ever have this.”
“Me neither,” he whispered back.
“I’m glad it’s you.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Of all the people you could—“
“Tanjiro. There is no ‘all the people.’ You think other people make my chest burn? I don’t even like people, ya dumbass.“
Genya slid to the ground, his arm opened for Tanjiro to sit and be held by it. Tanjiro was not long to sit down beside him, his face riddled with mischief before he stole another kiss from Genya’s lips.
“Are we finally friends now?”
“Friends? Really?”
“Well, labels aren’t everything, Genya.”
“Nah.”
“Oh..?”
“We’re far more than friends, Kamado. And you started it.”
A smile spread across Tanjiro’s soft features. “I did, didn’t I…” He rested his head gently on Genya’s shoulder, a hand brushing his.
“Yeah…”
And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.