Tanjiro's pov

I held Muichiro in my arms, running my fingers through his now short hair, waiting for him to wake up. "How stupid of him was this.. and I thought that after cutting his own flesh he wouldn't surprise me with anything worse" Genya said.

I didn't answer, I just kept on looking down at Muichiro, getting angry at Genya for only thinking of this as the worst thing Muichiro has done.

"He changed a lot, he wasn't this stubborn b-"

"Okay I have enough of this, why do you only see the worst in him?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You do this all the time, he went out of the shelter to find us because he was worried and scared. Who knows what he saw outside and for how long he was without food or water! He could have gone back to the shelter any time but no, he kept on looking for us even though he was feeling sick!"

I yelled out, making Genya speechless.

"If you want to call yourself a good boyfriend then act like it"

Genya didn't answer, he just signed and left for the other room.

…

A while later Muichiro began to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes, immediately meeting mine due to him laying on my lap. "Thank god you're awake, I was worried" I said.

His eyes filled up with tears as he hugged me immediately. I returned the hug "there there, it's okay now" I said while rubbing his back.

"I've been looking for you everywhere! I-I was starting to lose hope! I-I.." he started crying quietly. "Shh, it's okay Mui… it's okay now" I grabbed a bottle with water.

"Here, drink some, you need to be thirsty" I said and handed him the bottle. He nodded "thank you.." he drank from the bottle quickly, drinking almost half of it.

"When was the last time you ate? Are you hungry?" I asked. "Couple days ago.. I am starving" he laughed slightly and looked away shyly.

"Here" I said and handed Muichiro some bread. He grabbed it into his hands and started eating it quickly.

"Where's Gen?" He asked. I looked down sadly "well.. he's in the next room… he's mad at you for running out of the shelter" I said quietly.

He looked down, clearly upset "why is he like this… he always sees the worst in me.."

"That's what I said to him.. he didn't answer"

"... I guess I did something stupid but… I thought he would be happy to see me and that… and that he would be maybe proud that I survived outside for so long alone… but no… he just gets mad"

"Hey, it'll be fine, he'll understand sooner o-"

"No he won't! He said that last time and he doesn't understand anything!"

…

"We should start moving, Muichiro can you walk?" Sanemi asked. Muichiro looked at his leg and slightly nodded "I think so" he said and tried to stand up but it was clear he struggled to keep himself up.

I came in front of him "hop on my back, I'll carry you" I said. His eyes slightly winded before looking away shyly. He eventually wrapped his arms around my neck and hopped on my back.

…

After a while of walking Muichiro fell asleep on my back as I carried him, his soft breathing was hitting the back of my neck, making me blush slightly.

"Stop," Sanemi said and stopped walking, taking out his katana and looking around. I looked around as well and tried to spot whatever startled Sanemi.

"What did you see?" Genya asked, looking around as well. "I didn't see anything but I for sure heard something," Sanemi replied.

Suddenly, Genya was pulled back by some tentacle looking thing. It was squeezing him hard, making him scream loudly.

Muichiro immediately woke up due to the scream, turning his gaze onto Genya "Gen!" He yelled out and grabbed his katana as well, hopping off of my back but falling immediately due to the pain in his leg.

Sanemi ran over to the thing and tried to dodge the tentacles that were trying to grab him as well. "Tanjiro help me out!" Sanemi yelled out and I nodded. I grabbed Muichiro's katana and ran over to him.

Genya's pov

It was squeezing my bones, I couldn't breath, I was trying my best to get out of its grisp but it held me tight, unable for me to do anything.

Tanjiro ran over to me and slided one of those tentacles that were wrapped around my legs. I looked over at Muichiro who was trying his best to crawl towards me, unable to stand up due to the wound on his leg.

"M-Mui.. st-stay back" I said quietly before coughing up blood. "B-Bu-" "N-No.. B-Buts, stay ba-back"

Suddenly the thing started to leak dark liquid from the tentacles that were holding me. I was screaming in pain, it burned my body, the pain was unbearable.

Sanemi and Tanjiro backed away, trying not to get touched by the liquid. Tanjiro then looked over at Muichiro before going towards him and pulling him a big farther.

Sanemi then jumped on one of the tentacles and ran on it towards me, slicing the tentacles around my body, making the thing let go of me. He picked me up and yelled out "there are more of those things coming!" As he looked into one direction.

There were a lot of them, running towards us. "W-We are going to die.. we are g-going to die.." Muichiro repeated quietly, tears running down his cheeks.

I looked at my hand, my veins turned into a black color… that's when I knew that, I was infected.

Tanjiro's pov

I picked Muichiro up "we need to hide somewhere!" I yelled out and both Genya and Sanemi nodded, running into a building on the other side of the street.

I shut the door behind us and sat Muichiro down on the floor. "They know we are here, they will break the door sooner or later… I am worried that we might not make it" Sanemi said, now with a calm tone.

"Only way to get them away is to… make someone lead them away.."

"Are you seriously talking about one of us sacrificing themselves?!"

"Tanjiro, if most of us want to survive.. someone needs to go"

"I am… gonna lead them away," I said quietly. Muichiro immediately looked towards me, shaking his head repeatedly "no! G-Gen you can't!"

I rolled down my sleeve, showing my arm with my veins turned dark black. "Y-You are.."

"Mhm.. I am infected, I would turn anyway… so.. the best option for me is to leave so I don't hurt anyone else.."

"Gen… no.. please w-we can tie you up l-like Yui, pl-please j-'' Muichiro said quietly between sobs before I interrupted him with a kiss.

"I am sorry Mui" I said before standing up and going towards the door "Genya" I heard Sanemi say. I looked at him "yes?"

He gave a slight smile "I will miss you" he said quietly. I smiled as well and nodded before being grabbed by my arm. "Please! Y-You can't leave! Wh-What about the pl-plans we made! Please don't do it, I-I beg you!" Muichiro yelled out.

I sighed and pulled Muichiro into a gentle hug "Mui.. you know there's no other way.. I would get turned anyway and who knows if there will be any cure at all…"

I grabbed his hands and kissed his forehead "I love you Mui". "I-I love you too.." he said quietly between sobs.

I then pulled away and signaled Tanjiro to hold Muichiro close because I knew he would try to run after me.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, running out of the building.

~

"Muichiro this is Genya, Genya this is Muichiro" one of my friends said, introducing a small male to me. He was cute, his big blue eyes were impossible not to look at.

He gave me a gentle smile and waved at me slighty "nice to meet to you, Genya"

~

"Muichiro! I love you!" I yelled out while holding Muichiro's hand. His eyes slightly widened as tears build up in his eyes.

"I-I am sorry I-I didn't mean to make you cry I-" I was inturupted by him pulling me into a kiss. I returns the kiss, closing my eyes.

~

"Muichiro what are you looking a-" I stopped myself when I saw Muichiro looking at wedding clothes. "Really?" I said.

Muichiro slightly puffed his cheeks "aww come on!" He grabbed onto my hand "do you not want to get married or what?"

"Huh?! Of course I do it's just.. to sudden"

"Hm" Muichiro let out and crossed his arms. "Nooo Mui don't be mad!"

~

"Hey Gen.. I was wondering.. can we have a kid maybe?"

"Do you mean like… adopt?"

"Well duh, if you didn't notice we are both dudes"

"Oh shut up, I was just really surprised by such a question"

"So is that a yes~?"

"I'll think about it"

"Yay!"

~

Taniiros pov

"And he's gone… just like this.. just a couple minutes later everything was okay" I thought to myself and sighed, letting go of Muichiro who stood there without any movement, completely frozen.

He then dropped on his knees, starting to sob louder. I kneeled down in front of him and pulled him into a hug, I didn't know what to say, I knew I couldn't say that everything was going to be fine because I knew it wouldn't.

He held onto me tightly, sobbing into my chest uncontrollably.

…

"Alright, it has been really quiet for a while, we should get moving,'' Sanemi said and I nodded. I picked Muichiro up and carried him the bridal style.

He was still quietly sobbing but it seemed to get better. Sanemi opened the door and we walked out of the building, heading back into the shelter.

Muichiro buried his face into my chest, letting out quiet sobs.

…

Later, we saw the entrance to the shelter. I smiled slightly, so happy to be back. Sanemi banged on the door, waiting for anyone to open.

Soon Mitsuri from the other side said "code"

"What the f- Mitsuri we don't have a code, let us i-" Sanemi said but was interrupted soon by Mitsuri opening the door and hugging him "you're alive! Thank god, come inside"

She then looked around, asking "where's Genya?"

We all looked down, not answering. Mitsuri looked down sadly "I see.." she then noticed Muichiro in my arms "Mui! Go you even know how worried I was?!" She yelled out.

Muichiro didn't answer, he just looked at her for a second before looking away once again.

"I'll take him to Shinobu's room, his leg is wounded pretty badly" I said and walked away from them.

I laid him down on the bed and sat down next to him. He grabbed my hand and started sobbing again. I pulled him up slightly and hugged him, letting him sob into my shoulder again.

"I-I am sick of this.. I hate this.. I-I don't want to keep trying… I've been through enough, I just want to die.." Muichiro said between sobs.

My eyes widened "want to die..?" I thought to myself and pulled Muichiro closer. "Mui.." I started and grabbed his hand "I get that you have enough of this but… you dying would just transfer the pain to others.. I promise that everything will eventually get better, alright? I will always stay by your side.. no matter what"

He looked up at me with teary eyes "I-I just… wa-want everything to go back to normal… everything was perfect before.."

"I know… I get it, I lived a completely normal life before… it's terrible"

"Please just… promise me t-that you won't leave me t-too.."

"I promise… I won't let you suffer through this again… I will stay by your side always"

"Thank you Tanji…"

"It's no problem Mui… wait here, I'll go get Shinobu"

...

Word count : 2032