Muichiro's pov

I sat on my bed, staring down, just thinking, not knowing what to do. I kept on touching my arm, feeling the bandages around my wrist. Suddenly someone came into the room, it was Kanao.

"I heard you and Tanjiro got into a fight.. what a shame.. It has been only four days and he already likes me more than you" she said, making my chest ache "shut up.."

"Oh what are you going to do if I don't? Yell at me? Beat me? That's great, do that! That'll just bring them more to my side" she said and I clenched my first, looking down, hugging my knees "just leave me alone.. what did I do to you?"

"The first day I came here, you wanted me out, and I am not going out there again. As I said, this is a war between you and me.. and I am going to win" she laughed and sat down at the other bed.

She leaned down and chuckled "the Genya guy you talked about, he was your boyfriend, huh~ what a shame he died"

My heart sank as I slowly looked at her "w-who.. told you that?"

"Tanjiro did, he told me basically anything I ask about.. he even showed me your brother.. I have.. plans for him as well" she laughed "..that poor guy is just suffering, you might feed him every day now but.. the military will kill him anyway, you can't actually think that by some miracle they will find a cure"

"Don't you fucking dare touch my brother! And Shinobu is working on it! She's smart a-and making progress! I-"

"It might take years for her to do that.. she's all alone for it and you actually think that the second she'd try it on someone it would work? What if she injected it inside Yui and it would instantly kill him?"

"Just stop! L-Leave me alone already!" I yelled out, grabbing my hair in frustration, starting to cry. "Just wait.. I am not done with you.. I have something planned.. and I believe this will be the night they will kick you out.."

With that, she left the room. "This night.. she'll do something.." I started to cry harder "she'll hurt Yui.. she'll make everyone hate me.. I-I am so scared.. I-I can't do this.." I dropped down on my bed and just cried, not caring if anyone heard me.

Suddenly the door opened again.. as expected. Tanjiro's sister walked in. She looked at me and sat down on my bed, slowly rubbing my shoulder "hey, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

We never really talked to each other so I was confused why she was asking me so suddenly. "..I know you did nothing to Kanao.. She was talking to me the other day and said how much she hates you.. and it's clear that yelling at someone is the last thing you'd like to do when you are feeling like this.. so I believe you.." she said and I looked at her.

"Would you like to explain what she said to you? Maybe I'll force Tanjiro to listen to me.. which I think will be hard.. he's.. oddly attached to her… she's manipulating him.. I can see that clearly.. I don't like her too"

I nodded and sat up, trying to talk but no words came out, just more sobs. She opened her arms and before she could say anything, I immediately wrapped my arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

She wrapped her arms around me as well and stroked the back of my head, letting me cry as much as I needed to.

…

After a while I calmed down enough so I could talk. I cried a lot for the past days but never got enough relief from it.. but this time.. I really had a good cry.. it felt good crying in someone's arms again..

"Alright.. ready to talk now?" She asked and I nodded. "Well.. she's trying to get me out of the shelter by turning everyone against me.. I never yelled at her or did anything to h-her.."

"Why is she trying to get you out? Did she say that?" She asked and I nodded once again "because I-I didn't want to keep her here when she got here.. she says that it's either me or her who will stay here.. and that she'll be the one who will stay here.."

"I see.." she sighed "...but don't worry, I believe you.. and I'll make sure to make everyone else know too, okay?" She said and I nodded.

"Mhm.. thank you"

"It's no problem.. anything else you'd like to talk about..? I know we barely talked to each other.. more like never but.. I want to make sure you're okay.. and it's completely okay if you don't want to tell me more"

"Can you just.. stay here..? I don't want to talk, I just.. want to be with someone.." I said and she nodded "of course" she replied and moved closer to me, leaning against the wall.

I moved closer to her, laying my head on her lap. She seemed a bit shocked by it but soon after laid her hand down on my head, slowly caressing it.

It was so comforting, my eyes felt heavy and soon after I fell asleep into a deep slumber.

…

I woke up at night, feeling thirsty. I sat up and walked out of the room, heading into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. I took a small sip and leaned against the cabinet, seeing a person in the corner of my eye.

It was Kanao. "What the fuck do you want from me again?" I said and she chuckled "as I said, this will be the night that it's either me or you who will stay here" she said and reached for a knife.

I laid down the glass of water "you know I can fight, I doubt you'll be a-"

"It's not for you, silly" she laid the knife on her arm "it's for me" she said and slid the knife on her skin, blood immediately pouring out.

"W-What are you doing?!" I yelled out as she slid the knife closer to me, before dropping on the floor, starting to scream and cry.

Then it hit me.. I knew what she was trying to do.

Before I could do anything, everyone ran into the kitchen and saw Kanao sitting on the floor with a bloody arm. Then they noticed the bloody knife that was in front of me.

"Muichiro what the fuck did you do?!" Mitsuri yelled out and ran over to Kanao. Mitsuri never curses.. only when she's really mad.

"I-I didn't do it!" I yelled out and looked at Tanjiro. His expression turned from shock to anger as he rushed over to me "Ta-Tanjiro you have to be-" before I could finish, he slapped me so hard I fell down on the floor.

"Tanjiro, stop!" Nezuko yelled out and stopped him from doing anything more. I touched my cheek, tears filling my eyes before slowly sliding down my cheeks.

"She's manipulating everyone here! Can't you see that?!" Nezuko yelled out and kneeled down next to me, pulling me into a hug "every single one of you knows that Muichiro wouldn't do something like this! He may have trust issues but because that he wouldn't fucking cut her!"

Everyone was speechless when Nezuko finished.. only Kanao's and my sobs were echoing through the room. "I can't fucking believe you, Tanjiro.. you are the one who should pull himself together… not Muichiro" she said and helped me stand up, about to lead me away but then I heard "pfft.. yeah right.."

I stopped and turned to look at Tanjiro "why are you like this?! What did I do to you?!" I yelled out, having enough of his constant yelling and blaming.

"You hurt Kanao! How c-"

"I didn't!! Why does no one believe me?! Why do you trust a girl you met barely a week ago and don't trust me who knows most of you for months!"

"How are we supposed to trust you?!! You've been avoiding all of us lately!!"

"Because I am scared! I want to be alone!! I still didn't get over Genya's fucking death!"

"You always talked to me!! Since Kanao came yo-"

"I didn't talk to you because I fucking love you!!" I yelled out and everyone fell silent "...I avoided you because I wanted to stop those feelings… I thought.. Th-That you will think t-that.. I am being disrespectful.. m-moving on this fast after Genya's death…" I sobbed.

"I did this.." I rolled up my sleeve and shoved the blood covered bandages "I fucking hurt myself, thinking that you will finally trust me, I punched a wall repeatedly until my knuckles were bleeding… hoping you'll believe but.. no.."

"Muichiro.." Tanjiro said, speechless. "Don't say anything…" I turned around and was about to leave "... I never hurted Kanao.. but trust whoever you want.." I said and walked away together with Nezuko.

Once we got to her room I completely broke down. I sat on a bed together with Nezuko while she was trying to comfort me.

"Shhh… it's okay.. it'll be okay.. I'll make sure they know you are not the bad one here.." she said and leaned my head on her shoulder, caressing my head gently "there there.. take deep breaths, okay? Can you do that for me?"

I nodded, trying to take deep breaths but it was hard, with each breath came another sob which made it difficult for me to take a full breath.

"You are doing great, keep trying, it might seem difficult now but don't worry, you'll feel better soon" she said and I clung onto her more.

"Just like that, keep taking deep breaths.. I'll stay with you as long as you need me to" she smiled and I smiled a little as well "th-thank you.."

"C-Can I… sleep in this r-room tonight?" I said and Nezuko nodded "of course.. I don't think Sanemi will come any time soon so.. you can stay here as long as you need to"

"Did he tell you about a-anything? L-Like why he left?" I asked and Nezuko nodded once again "he said a lot when he was drunk, that he hates it here and wants to go outside and doesn't even care if he dies.." she sighed "I didn't tell anyone because you are the only one who can fight.. not now, you need time to recover.. and if we were to go outside.. I don't think we will survive.."

I nodded and sighed "yeah I guess.. What about food?"

"I think we have enough for now, we don't need to worry about that… but I am about to die of boredom" she laughed and I chuckled too "yeah it's pretty boring here"

She nodded and wiped my tears with her sleeve "better now?"

I shrugged "I guess.."

She grabbed my hand and slid her thumb across my sore knuckles "o-ow.." I let out as she touched them "it doesn't look good.. you hit the wall pretty hard, hm?"

"Mhm.." she sighed and pressed a little on them, making me yelp again "you should go to Shinobu if it hurts that much"

"No.. I don't want to.. she's probably mad too.." I sighed and pulled my hand away from her "..I'll talk with her tomorrow, okay? I can see that she's not on Kanao's side but neither is on your side.. I am sure we'll get her to believe you"

"Okay.. can we go to bed now? I am really tired.."

"Of course, just take this bed, I'll lay down on the other one" she said and I nodded. I then laid down and buried myself in the blanket as she laid down on the other bed.

"Goodnight Muichiro, if you need anything, wake me up, okay?" She said and I replied with "mhm.. goodnight"

...

Word count : 2017