FANFIC BY MAYA (TWITTER: m_blanchefleur)
ORIGINAL STORY AND CHARACTERS BELONG TO KOYOHARU GOTOUGE
SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES. ENGLISH IS NOT MY NATIVE LANGUAGE.
WARNING: AFTER CHAPTER 204/SPOILERS
CHAPTER 7 – PASSION AND HOPE
A few more days passed. In the sky, the Tanjiro's crow flew away from the mansion. In its paw, it carried a letter from him to Inosuke telling all that had happened and that he would soon be back. Although winter was slowly leaving, it was still very present. The little signs of the arrival of spring did not pass unnoticed to Tanjiro's sense of smell nor to Kanao's left eye. This passing of the seasons was reflecting on their hearts. No matter how icy the days, there was hope for warm rays of sunshine that would make beautiful flowers bloom. With this feeling, they were practically recovered from their health. With this came the moment for Kanao to fulfill the request Tanjiro made in the infirmary. It was not the first time, but it was as if it were. There were new flowers blooming inside each one. Kanao became aware of Tanjiro's inner desires and this made him ashamed and nervous. Meanwhile, Kanao's mind and body were in contradiction. The memory of this request made her blush and fill her with nervousness, but her body kept expectations, was wishing to be touched. The confidence that Kanao had acquired in Tanjiro was overcoming her fears and being replaced by desire. Before sleeping, lying on her futon and covering herself with her blanket, she was having trouble to sleep.
"I wonder if Tanjiro isn't getting any sleep either...? Tomorrow we'll be discharged."
Kanao wasn't being hit only emotionally by her feelings. In this whirlwind of emotions she began to feel the lower part of her body slightly moist and longing for something. She shrank scared, barely recognizing herself. She wondered what was happening to , Tanjiro couldn't sleep either, sitting under her futon, in silence, with an expression of great frustration. He was biting his lower lip to the point of bleeding while looking at his right hand covered with a viscous, whitish liquid.
"Again... I am the worst..."
[...]
The next morning, Tanjiro and Kanao, after waking up and changing, left their respective rooms in silence, clearly nervous. Each went to the room where they would eat their breakfast. In front of him, they both met again. For a few seconds, they were stuck while their eyes exchanged for each other in a clear sign of nervousness. Finally they moved to Aoi's appearance, opening the door asking them to sit down. Tanjiro was the first to move. Kanao curiously noticed a small wound on her fiancé's lips. Both sat a little further apart than usual. Aoi strangely at first, she tried to help them.
"Today you two will finally be discharged. All to be done is to examine you both once more. Aren't you happy, all back to normal?"
"A-ah, yes. After that, today I will go back home. I left Inosuke taking care of the house all this time alone".
"I see... Inosuke-san... he's changed a lot, hasn't he...?" Aoi asked a bit down when she heard that name.
"Yes. Compared to the time I met him, he's grown a lot. A friend I can fully trust. Ah!"
"What is it?"
"I was almost forgot, Aoi-san. Inosuke asked me to let you know that he's looking forward to his meals when spring comes!"
Hearing these words next to Tanjiro's radiant smile, the downcast Aoi slowly rolled her eyes. The space that was left empty in her heart seemed to be filled at that moment. Aoi felt lonely, Kanao would leave that mansion and be alone with the three girls, but found motivation to keep on trying her best.
"That Inosuke-san! That was something he didn't change at all."
"How nice, Aoi-san!"
"That mansion will continue to be agitated!"
Said the three girls. Despite Aoi's uncomfortable expression, Tanjiro smelled joy and relief coming from her and continued to smile. For a moment he forgot his nervousness, but feeling the sweet fragrance of the lily of the valley again right next to him, he became stuck again. Kanao, in her shyness, could only hear their conversation as she observed Tanjiro's lips. She wondered if she should ask about it at that moment, but hesitated and preferred to wait for a moment when they were alone. After breakfast, Kanao offered to help wash the dishes. Then Tanjiro and Kanao were examined separately by Aoi. Completely recovered. Kanao became even more nervous remembering Tanjiro's request. In his room, Tanjiro preparing to return home. In front of the closed door there was Kanao, clearly stained and stuck.
(I wanted him to stay longer, but we still have to prepare for the wedding day. What do I do? I've come this far, but I don't know what else to say.)
Suddenly the door opened to Kanao's fright. Tanjiro had soon noticed Kanao's presence by her smell. Still stuck, again they exchanged glances in their blushing expressions.
"Ah... Well... First of all, come in, Kanao."
"Y-yes... Excuse me."
With each step the acceleration of their hearts increased. Tanjiro, who already had a slightly higher temperature than normal, felt even hotter and began to sweat slightly. The door was closed. They stopped standing, facing each other.
"Ahn... We haven't spoken properly for a few days... I wanted to talk to you before you went back to the mountain.
"I thought so too. Sorry, Kanao."
"There's nothing to apologise for! Everything is starting to change, so it's all so new to us that I got nervous. I'm sorry."
"Don't make that face, Kanao. I am the oldest son, but I got nervous too."
Kanao's delicate and feminine expression together with her gestures and fragrance, once again did not go unnoticed by Tanjiro, seeing her feeling guilty his natural instinct for protection acted even before his reason noticed and embraced her with her right arm tenderly. Kanao, surprised again blushed, but hugged him back.
"Tanjiro..."
Listening close to his ear to the angelic voice of his bride, Tanjiro increasingly recognized himself less and less. There was something inside him trying to wake him up, he immediately wanted to make Kanao his wife, leaving his mark on her eternally, ensuring that she was his alone.
"Kanao..."
Their faces approached. Tanjiro smelled Kanao's nervousness and she saw the colours of the same emotion along with others she didn't know in him yet. They hesitated for a brief moment.
(How pathetic! I'm Kanao's fiancé! There's nothing I can't do!)
With this thought, Tanjiro soon took the initiative and sealed his lips with those of Kanao. Despite her nervousness, she closed her eyes accepting his touch and embracing him back. It seemed like a new first time, the warmth sealed on each other's lips, with a sweet taste were enveloping them. The heat increased. After a few seconds like this, they pulled apart their faces a little and looked intensely at each other.
"Kanao... Excuse me... I... I don't think I'll be able to hold on any longer..."
"Tanjiro?"
Tanjiro's answer was to push Kanao to the wall, not so gently but not abruptly either. Her purple eye noticed her fiancé's expression. He seemed to be different, becoming someone else. His gaze, his colour, was becoming like a beast staring at his prey.
"Tanjiro, what's wro-"
There was not enough time for her reaction. In the slight opening of her mouth, Kanao felt the heat sealing her lips again, but this time it was not only that. The kiss became deeper. Kanao could feel their tongues intertwining with a sensual sound of water pouring from both of them. It didn't feel like winter anymore for their bodies whose heat gradually increased. Tanjiro's hand caressed her face. It was the first time for both of them to experience something like this, but he did not look like an amateur. Kanao could barely keep up with him, her head was getting blurred as he continued to devour her.
"Mmmm...!"
After a few more seconds like this, their lips separated leaving a line of saliva. Kanao barely had time to catch her breath when his fiancé lowered his mouth to her neck. Kanao felt her legs lose their strength and not even realising, she let her moans escape.
"Ahh... Ahh..."
Kanao's delicate voice along with the softness of her skin that Tanjiro felt on his lips increased his appetite by sucking her neck even more intensely. Tanjiro's right hand that caressed her face went down to her shoulder loosening her pink kimono. Kanao was already practically surrendered to his touches and no longer showed so much resistance, as her body was already accumulating this desire for days even without being fully aware of it. Even after slightly separating his lips from Kanao's neck, she felt in her skin the panting and hot breaths coming from his mouth. This shivered from her feet to her head, noticing again the humidity in the lower part of her body. Tanjiro kissed her chest several times, loosening the bands that held his bride's breasts.
"...!"
However, something unexpected for the young Kamado came to his sight. In her chest just below the bands that loosened, a sharp horizontal scar. Immediately the unhappy memory of that day when he became a demon and seriously wounded her came. Tanjiro returned to his senses and was paralysed for a few seconds by the shock.
"... Tanjiro?"
"Sorry, Kanao." said Tanjiro setting Kanao's kimono back. "Kanao, you are very precious, so I can wait more. I'm really sorry..."
Tanjiro rested his head on Kanao's shoulder. His voice clearly carried his guilt. Realising what was happening, the bride hugged her beloved strongly. The guilt he felt was not totally removed from his heart even after the talk they had the night they met again. Kanao understood this well and tried her best to convey her feelings honestly to Tanjiro.
"Tanjiro... This scar means a lot to me".
"...?"
"It's the proof I could save you. I could do something for you, after you've done so much for me. Thanks to you I've changed, for having fallen in love I've changed. It was my heart's will. That's what you taught me. Tanjiro, I'm sure you would do the same for me. So don't cry."
"Kanao...! You are much more than I deserve... Thank you...! Sorry, I almost-" Tanjiro was interrupted by Kanao's kind hands lifting his head from her shoulder and drying his tears.
"I couldn't resist, I realised how much I like your touches, Tanjiro. I'd like to feel them more."
"Kanao... I love you."
"Me too, Tanjiro. Very much."
The two of them shared a warm hug. This loving embrace tenderly wrapped their grieves and sorrows, becoming each other's fortress. Kanao's semblance already showed a great maturity as a woman. She was already more than ready to become a devoted wife and mother.
"The next time we see each other it will be forever together."
"Yes. I look forward to your return, Tanjiro."
Soon after, Tanjiro finished getting ready to leave for his home. Embarrassed with themselves, they decided to let Kanao's hair down, because of Tanjiro's kiss marks. At the gate of the Mansion he said goodbye to all the joyful and grateful girls. It was only a few weeks before the long-awaited day.
(Ah... I forgot to ask Tanjiro about the cut on his lips.) Kanao remembered.
"Kanao, why did you let your hair down? You do it when you go to bathe and sleep." Aoi asked.
"Eh?! Ah... I-I just felt like it. It's cold after all." Blushing very much, Kanao replied.
"Hmmm..."
The days passed. Tanjiro and Kanao made the most of their last days as singles with their loved ones. After the wedding they would no longer meet so often, there would be other priorities and communicating more by letters.
[..]
The fully flowered cherry tree, through the spring wind, spread its beautiful petals all over the mansion. All the guests were there. Their battle companions and friends watched Tanjiro and Kanao drinking their small doses of sake that were part of the wedding ritual. He was dazzled by her beauty. Zenitsu and Nezuko holding hands, the same for Inosuke and Aoi after she insistently asked for it and explained the meaning. He seemed to be embarassed. The atmosphere of the mansion reflected everyone's heart enjoying the peace and happiness of these new times. After the ritual given the chance to speak, a little away from everyone, Tanjiro poured out his feelings to his wife.
"Kanao, thank you." The violet eyes turned to him. "Thank you for choosing me even under these conditions."
"..."
"We don't know how much longer I have left, but you still accepted me. I will make you happy for sure. Welcome to the family, Kanao Kamado."
"Tanjiro, I've been thinking. Today I am grateful to my parents. This way they took me I met my sisters, Shinobu-neesan and Kanae-neesan who taught me so much and I ended up reaching you. I do not regret hearing the voice of my heart. It's telling me now that I'm the happiest person in the world. No matter how much time you have left, that feeling won't change. Thank you so much. I'll do my best to make you the happiest husband in the world".
"Kanao, you really have become stronger."
"Thanks to you."
Tanjiro smiled warmly to her. Another new stage in both our lives has passed. As long as you live, there are always challenges to be overcome, but there was nothing to worry about because they know they are not alone. No matter how many winters pass, spring will always come, grateful for each day and for each overcoming that their winters had given them.
I thank marchioness_elizabeth (AO3) from the bottom of my heart for lending me her ideas for this last chapter of my fic! 3
Thank you for reading so far! I have a lot to improve, but I am doing my best!
There will still be two bonus chapters, a gag one and an nsfw one. ^-^