My Comfortember 2023 contribution for the prompt : Leaves Changing.

I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer : Demon Slayer belongs to Koyoharu Gotoge.

Leaves Changing

Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke were on their way to the Butterfly Estate. They were returning from a mission and they hoped to reach their destination before nightfall. They were in a forest and they decided to stop for a few moments to rest. They still had a long way to go before arriving at the Butterfly Estate.

Tanjiro gently put the wooden box where Nezuko was on the ground and looked at the trees around him. The green leaves had changed color, taking on a red and orange hue. A thick carpet of leaves covered the ground.

"It's autumn, already" Tanjiro thought.

He had always loved this season. For him, autumn was filled with joy, laughter, picnics with his parents, playing in the leaves with his brothers and sisters. He looked at the wooden box and a veil of sadness appeared in his eyes.

Things were different now. His father had died of illness several years ago. His mother, brothers and sisters had been slaughtered by a demon. As for Nezuko, the only family he had left, she had been turned into a demon.

He walked towards a tree where there was a pile of leaves at its roots. He sat down on the ground and picked up several leaves. Memories of autumn days, of his family, of laughter, came back to him. He felt a soft warmth in his heart. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made a leaf crown, the same way his father had taught him. It was his favorite thing. To do leaf crowns for all the members of his family.

He was making a crown for Nezuko. He would also do one for Zenitsu and Inosuke. Both were now part of his family. With all the trials they had gone through together, he considered them his brothers.

There was something comforting about tying the leaves together. It was like he was returning to a happier time in his life. Inosuke and Zenitsu approached him.

"What are you doing Tanjiro ?" Zenitsu asked.

Both looked curiously at what Tanjiro was doing and how his hands were tying each leaf skillfully.

"I'm making Nezuko a leaf crown. Then I'll make one for you both too. When autumn arrived, my family and I had picnics, we had fun, we made leaf crowns. I wanted Nezuko to get that feeling again."

Zenitsu sat down next to him and took some leaves.

"I want to make a crown for Nezuko-chan too."

Inosuke sat on the other side of Tanjiro and he took some leaves.

"I'll make more crowns !" He exclaimed in a competitive tone.

Both got down to work. Zenitsu applied himself and hummed that he was making a crown for Nezuko. Inosuke was making the crowns at full speed. Tanjiro could not help laughing lightly. He continued to do the crowns and smiled. Thanks to his two friends, he rediscovered the joys and laughter of autumn days.

~00~

The next morning, Tanjiro woke up, dazzled by the sun's rays. They had arrived at the Butterfly Estate before nightfall the day before. He put his hand on his head and opened his eyes wide when he felt something. He smiled, feeling the leaves under his fingers.

He got up. He was alone in his bedroom. Inosuke and Zenitsu had already left. He noticed that the crown he had put next to Nezuko's box was no longer there. He knew that she had taken it with her and that it was her who had put the crown on his head.

Tanjiro was happy. Nezuko subconsciously remembered the autumn days spent with their family. It gave him hope in his quest to turn her into a human again.

He gently put his hand on her box. Then, he walked towards the door and left the bedroom to meet up with his two friends again.

The end