{third POV}

"Tanjiro... thank you"  kibutsuji whispered, his watering with tears as he gently stroked the boy's face.

Tanjiro placed his hand upon Muzan's face also, his skin felt warm to the touch. Not like how it previously was, he felt alive.

His irises were a soft red now, almost like a beautiful dark shade of pink; smooth shiny black hair framing his slightly crimson cheeks.

Muzan didn't look vile. Nor did he look scary, or deathly pale and sick. His fangs were no more, sharp claws vanished.

But most importantly, his pain had subsided.

The constant drive to be the 'perfect being' had vanished. It was destroying him from the inside out... now at least he could rest.

"I'm so sorry" Muzan's voice broke with sadness, Tanjiro's soft fingers comfortingly brushing against his warm skin.

"I never deserved your love"

Tanjiro sympathised with him "we're both here together, I can never go back either... it's like you said, we both killed each other" he responded, looking out at the flowery meadow.

The meadow bloomed as if each petal was a bright memory. the way the green flowing in bonny waves as any river would be proud to do, the soft battering hums of the working bees, delicate fluttering wings of intricately designed butterflies.

The duo basked in the soft rays of the paradise, showering them with warmth as the gentle breeze kept their bodies at the perfect temperature.

Tanjiro couldn't help but forgive him.

At least he protected all the people he loved...

No one died, so in his eyes everything worked out fine.

In this paradise, Taniiro could only smell purity and regret wafting off the male.

Muzan grabbed both Tanjiro's hands "no, I won't let that happen" he stated, tone filled with sadness as a singular tear glided down his cheek.

And for the first time. The craziness in his eyes faded away for sympathy and kindness.

"This is your win my love" he smiled peacefully.

"in our next life, if there is one... let us meet again and be on the same team shall we?"

——————————-

Their throats burned painfully, what felt like needles slashing their spines and making them fall to the floor out of grief.

Tears choked their sobs as they looked down on the still boy laid in the crater. Tongues splitting in two as defeated shrieks broke from their throats.

His burnt skin looked rougher than grain.

Stone cold face charred horrifically as his eyes stayed eerily open even in death. Ashy hair resting on the broken pieces of concrete, his limbs crooked in unnatural positions.

You could see the monsters in his face, the amount of pain he had been in the last moments.

They had won.

But at what cost?

There were some who hadn't said a word, simply destroyed from the inside out as their bodies tensed. There were others who couldn't help but wail in pain, hands squeezing his eyes as tears seeped through their fingers.

There were others who shook their head in denial, refusing to believe this was the end; And those people were right.

This wasn't the end.

The small pile of ash beside the boy started to stir gently, as if being pushed gently by the wind. It went unnoticed by everyone else a small amount wafted into his mouth, settling again afterwards.

His canines began to grow again, body staying completely still as the Kanji in his eye started to glow as his burnt skin started to slowly heal.

His limbs started to move.

The sounds of broken bones cracking together.

A gasp and sharp inhale was heard from Zenitsu who was standing closest, watching him move "T-Tanjiros alive!"

They couldn't believe it.

Everyone came running on shaky legs, Tengen being the one to jump into the deep crater and cradle his body and hand it to Gyomei as he climbed out.

Iguro whipped of his Haori and spread it out on the floor, followed by Rengoku folding his as a sort of pillow.

"I-I can't believe it... how's this possible. He was... gone just a moment ago" Mitsuri cried, falling to the floor and holding his hand in hers as she continued to sob.

Rengoku wiped off the tears from his cheeks and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Somethings were just meant to be"

————————————-

It had been a week since the battle.

The hashira celebrated and rejoiced their victory. Tanjiro and Nezuko were reunited happily again, the pillar's healed from their injuries and everyone was well and happy.

When Muzan died, so did all the demons. Soon after he revived, Tanjiro turned back into a human along with his sister.

It was paradise.

Everyone was high spirits, as a result... many confessions had come Tanjiro's way.

He accepted all of them. And the others accepted his decision also.

They lived in harmony everyday.

Their happy ending.