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The warm lighting of the bakery combined with the steady rush of rain on the roof created a particularly soporific effect. As Tanjiro sat by the cash register, trying to stay alert in case any customers decided to brave the storm, he could feel his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Exacerbating his drowsiness was the fact that he’d woken up at three that morning to get the ovens fired up for the day. The counter wasn’t the most comfortable place to fall asleep, but it was beginning to look more and more inviting as the minutes ticked by.
Really, it was pretty unlikely that someone would come out in this weather to buy muffins or a loaf of bread, but he was nothing if not responsible. There was always the chance someone might come by, so he had to be ready if they did.
Propping his head up on one hand, he traced slow circles on the wooden countertop with the index finger of the other. It was too bad things were so slow today; Hanako’s birthday was coming up and he’d been hoping to save some extra tips to buy her something special.
He sighed, taking in the familiar scent of the bakery. Notes of yeast and fruit, sugar and flour; the lingering scents of his siblings and mother: it smelled like home. After his dad died, running the bakery had become much harder, but it was still worth it. It was always worth it.
The chime hanging over the door jingled and he looked up. A young man stumbled in, soaking wet and cursing the rain to high heaven. He had to be nearly six feet tall, with a brutal-looking scar spanning from his right cheek across his nose. And yet, he didn’t look that much older than Tanjiro. His hair was shaved on the sides of his head but long on top, creating a mohawk that, in spite of being utterly sodden, looked incredibly soft.
It was only after he untied and tugged off his combat boots that he looked up and seemed to take in his surroundings for the first time. Upon seeing Tanjiro, he did a double take and blurted, “Ahh, crap, I’m getting water all over your floor.”
Tanjiro suddenly realized he’d been staring. He jumped to his feet, assuring the stranger, “It’s all right - I’ll get a towel. Just stay there.” He ran to the kitchen in the back, where he grabbed the cleanest towel he could find, then hurried back to the storefront area. He offered the towel to the young man, only belatedly realizing that, as a dishtowel, it was too small to really be of much use.
He didn’t seem to care; he just accepted it with a muttered “thank you” and began to scrub his face and hair dry. “What were you doing out there without an umbrella?” Tanjiro wondered, tilting his head.
“I was going to meet my brother when it started pouring,” he answered. “Stupid umbrella broke so I made a run for cover.”
“Well, you came at a good time. Things were pretty quiet here before you came along.”
He lowered the towel from his face and seemed to really see Tanjiro for the first time. He held Tanjiro’s gaze for a few moments - his eyes, Tanjiro noticed, were a curious shade of violet - before burying his face in the towel again and muttering something under his breath.
Tanjiro studied him with no small amount of curiosity. Not only did the stranger both look and smell oddly embarrassed, but he’d never seen this guy before, and he knew just about everyone in their small suburb. “Are you new in town? Welcome! How long have you been here? I’m Tanjiro Kamado! What’s your name?”
The stranger lowered the towel again, appearing a little overwhelmed by the sudden rush of questions. “...Genya Shinazugawa,” he said slowly. “My brother and I just moved here last week.” He didn’t mention where he’d moved from.
Given that Tanjiro smelled a strange combination of grief, anger, and longing coming from him, it was probably best not to ask. “How are you liking it here so far?” he asked instead.
“Right now, not so much,” Genya shook his head. “It’s okay, though, I guess. I haven’t been around much yet.”
“Well, this is the bakery,” Tanjiro told him. Which was completely obvious, but something about Genya seemed to have loosened his filter a little bit. “Which, uh, you know. It’s been in my family for generations. Normally my mom and younger siblings are here too, but right now she’s taking them all to the doctor for their annual checkups.”
Genya nodded, taking in both his words and the bakery around them. “It’s…this is a nice place.”
“Thank you!” Tanjiro smiled. Up close, he could really see just how tall Genya was, and Genya’s broad shoulders only added to the effect. Oh. His face flushed with heat as he realized just how close they were, standing awkwardly as they were in the bakery’s entryway. “Do you, uh, want to wait out the rain in here?”
“Uh…if you really don’t mind,” Genya said, “that’d be nice.”
“Why would I mind?” he wondered. It’d be wrong not to offer. Whether or not Tanjiro was intrigued by him and wanted to talk to him longer was beside the point.
Genya shrugged. “Most people aren’t so comfortable around me given…everything.” He gestured to himself, presumably referencing the scar on his face, his height, and his not-insignificant build.
“That’s not fair!” Tanjiro protested.
He shrugged again, feigning indifference, but Tanjiro could smell the sadness on him.
“Well, I’ve got a scar too,” he pointed out, gesturing to the mark on his own forehead. He’d gotten it by protecting one of his siblings from a falling cookie sheet that had been fresh out of the oven. “And I’m not afraid of you!”
A tiny smile tugged up the edges of Genya’s lips. He looked good smiling; his whole face softened. He must be sad, Tanjiro thought, if the way people treated him only depended on his looks and not who he was as a person. “Come on; come in the rest of the way.” He stepped back to allow Genya farther into the bakery - immediately, with that increased distance between them, he felt a little colder.
He led Genya over to one of the cafe tables, pulling out a chair. “Are you hungry? We’re trying out a new muffin recipe - watermelon.”
Genya’s cheeks tinged red as he took a seat. “I don’t have any money on me.”
“That’s okay!” Tanjiro assured him. “It’s on the house as long as you tell me if it’s any good - since it’s a new flavor, we’re looking for feedback to know if it’s something we should make permanent.”
“…All right,” he conceded with another shy smile.
“Be right back!” Tanjiro hurried back behind the counter and grabbed two watermelon muffins from the display case. Upon noticing the hot water carafe on the counter, he called to Genya, “Do you want something to drink, too? Tea? Hot chocolate?”
“No, that’s all right,” Genya said. “You’re already giving me the muffin for free, I can’t—”
Tanjiro tilted his head. “Would you accept it if I offered it as a friend?”
“A - a friend?” he repeated, looking confused. “But we just met.”
“I know,” Tanjiro said, “but we could be friends. You seem nice; I’d like to get to know you better!”
For a moment, Genya was stunned silent.
The lack of a response lasted long enough that Tanjiro began to worry he’d said the wrong thing. “Ah, I’m sorry,” he started, “if that was overstepping, I didn’t mean to—”
“N-no, no, it’s fine!” Genya assured him. “I just, uh…wasn’t expecting that. I…um…”
“I’m sorry!” Tanjiro repeated, unsure what else to say but needing to say something. He didn’t know Genya at all - maybe Genya wasn’t looking for friends; maybe he’d crossed some sort of boundary; maybe it was just plain awkward to offer to befriend a complete stranger who’d only wanted to get out of the rain.
“No, it’s okay!” he insisted. “You didn’t…it’s fine. Besides, I like y—” He abruptly cut himself off before starting again, “I’d like to get to know you too. You seem…nice, too.”
…Why did Genya’s words spark a flutter of excitement in his chest?
He had a feeling he knew, but he wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge the answer. So instead of trying to come up with a response, he just smiled in gratitude.
“And, uh, hot chocolate is fine,” Genya quietly added. “If it’s really okay.”
Tanjiro beamed as he nodded. “All right!” He quickly prepared two mugs of hot chocolate, then carefully brought them and the muffins over to the table.
“Thank you,” Genya said, accepting a mug and a muffin. He tentatively peeled the paper liner off the muffin, inspecting it curiously. Tanjiro slid into the seat across from him and nodded encouragingly. Genya took a bite of the muffin; his eyes slid shut and he let out a hum of pleasure as he chewed.
“It’s good?”
He swallowed, then eagerly nodded before taking another bite. “Mmhm.”
“I’m glad!” Probably gladder than the situation truly called for. He wasn’t sure why it meant as much to him as it did, but he was thrilled that Genya liked the muffins.
“Did you make these all by yourself?” Genya wondered after devouring nearly half the muffin in just a few bites.
“Not completely,” he admitted. “My younger sister, Nezuko, had the idea first. But I’m the one who figured out the best way to add the watermelon into the recipe, and I made this batch this morning.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Really?” He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly a little shy. “It’s just baking - anyone can do it.”
“Not my brother,” Genya shook his head. “He once tried to make a cake for our mom’s birthday and he nearly set the house on fire. It was late enough that I was trying to get all our little siblings to bed, and the smoke alarm riled them up so much they couldn’t get to sleep after. They insisted on sleeping with me so I could protect them if Sanemi burned anything else.”
Tanjiro laughed. He was tempted to ask more about Genya’s family but didn’t want to cross a line. It was possible that his younger siblings had simply remained behind while he and his brother moved here, but given the smell of longing that accompanied his story, it seemed more probable that they were gone somehow. And the last thing Tanjiro wanted to do was bring up painful memories. He just hoped that someday, he’d get to hear more of Genya’s story - not because he was especially nosy, but because he wanted to be a safe space for Genya. Which was maybe a little forward-thinking given that they were still having their first conversation ever, but the thought was still there.
They continued to chat idly, getting to know each other better while eating their muffins and sipping at their hot chocolate. Outside, the falling rain gradually lightened, but neither noticed: they were too involved in their conversation.
Genya was telling a story about one of his archery competitions when his phone began ringing. He mumbled a quick apology to Tanjiro as he slid it out of his pocket to see who it was. Swearing under his breath, he announced, “It’s Sanemi. I forgot to tell him I got caught here.”
“Answer it,” Tanjiro urged. “He’ll need to know where you are.”
He nodded, swiping to answer the call. To give him some privacy, Tanjiro started to clear the table off, gathering their mugs and the muffin linings to dispose of. He tossed the linings in the garbage but brought the mugs into the kitchen in back to wash them off.
As he scrubbed the chocolatey residue from inside the mugs, he caught bits and pieces of Genya’s conversation with Sanemi: “...No, I haven’t been mugged - or arrested…the rain...the bakery on Wisteria Street…yeah…all right.”
Tanjiro returned to the front of the bakery as he ended the call. “Was he worried?”
“More like super ticked off that I didn’t tell him where I am,” he shook his head. “He said he’s on his way over to come get me now.”
“That sounds like a kind of worry to me,” Tanjiro considered.
“I guess so,” he sighed. “It just seems like all I’m doing is causing him trouble. Like that’s all I’ve been doing since before we moved here.”
“He offered to come get you, though, didn’t he?” Tanjiro reasoned. “I don’t know him, obviously, but maybe it’s just his way of showing he cares about you.”
Genya seemed hopeful about the prospect. “Hmm, maybe.”
“Would he be less upset if I gave you more free samples to take home?” he offered. Even if business picked up more now that the rain had stopped, the bakery would still have plenty of leftovers that wouldn’t be as fresh tomorrow. Though they could still sell everything at a slightly reduced price, Tanjiro was a firm believer in enjoying baked goods while they were as fresh as possible. He was happy to give some away for nothing if it meant they’d make someone happy.
Genya looked like he was about to protest, but Tanjiro assured him, “Really, it’s okay!”
“Well…” he hesitantly conceded. “If you’re really sure…”
“Of course!” Tanjiro smiled. “I’ll make sure to pack some more of those muffins. Does your brother have a favorite food?”
“He likes ohagi.”
“We don’t sell that,” Tanjiro admitted. “But I can make some for the next time we meet!”
“Next time?” Genya raised an eyebrow.
“If, uh, there is a next time.” He hoped there would be, because he liked Genya.
There, he’d admitted it. He hadn’t known Genya very long at all, but he wasn’t in the habit of lying to himself. Tanjiro thought he was sweet and thoughtful, and, though it wasn’t as important, he was definitely good-looking, too. Tanjiro’s fingers were just itching to comb through his mohawk to find out if his hair was as soft as it looked.
Genya smiled in that endearingly shy way of his. “I’d like that…just maybe not with me getting stuck in the rain and needing my brother to come pick me up.”
“I think we can work around that,” Tanjiro assured him. He bounced on the balls of his feet, practically fizzing with excitement. Genya wanted to meet up again sometime!
“Can I…have your phone number?” Genya asked, cheeks flushing red. “So we can text?”
“Yes!” he agreed, maybe a little too quickly. But it was fine; better than fine, because although he couldn’t be certain, he had the smallest of inklings that Genya might like him too. Maybe it was just hope based on nothing concrete, but there was still a chance. He fished his phone out of his pocket and held it out to Genya. “Here; you can put your number in.”
Genya quickly entered his number, adding himself to Tanjiro’s contacts. When he returned the phone, Tanjiro sent him a quick message:
Tanjiro: Hi! :)
Genya fumbled for his own phone and responded:
Genya: hi
Genya: :)
Tanjiro’s cheeks burned with nervous excitement as their eyes met. He let out a shaky breath, realizing how close they were: although he was standing and Genya was sitting, due to Genya’s height and the way he was leaning over slightly, their shoulders were nearly brushing.
Genya opened his mouth, about to say something—
The chimes on the front door jangled as a young man with a head of completely white hair burst in. “Genya!” he said. “There you are!”
“Sanemi!” Genya got to his feet.
“Hi, Mr. Shinazugawa!” Tanjiro greeted him. “I’m sorry you had to go out of your way to come out here - would you like to sit for a bit before you both head out again?”
Sanemi blinked at him and gruffly asked, “Who the hell are you?”
“Sanemi!” Genya hissed, elbowing him in the side.
“It’s all right!” Tanjiro smiled. “I’m Tanjiro Kamado. It’s nice to meet you!”
“What the hell are you doing with my brother?”
“I told you,” Genya said, “I got caught in the rain and he let me stay in here until the rain stopped.”
“It looked like a hell of a lot more than that,” Sanemi muttered.
Tanjiro and Genya simultaneously blushed bright red, which definitely didn’t corroborate their case as Genya insisted, “We were just talking!”
“He also taste-tested a new recipe for the bakery!” Tanjiro quickly added. “I was just about to give him some to take home, on the house.”
Sanemi frowned at both of them, although Tanjiro thought his anger was directed more toward Tanjiro than it was to Genya. Tanjiro wished he wasn’t upset at all, but given that Sanemi had just found his little brother standing awfully close to a complete stranger, it was understandable. He wasn’t sure how he’d react if he found any of his siblings with someone else - he’d had to warn Zenitsu away from Nezuko a few times, but he was pretty sure he hadn’t been quite as…threatening.
“All right, well, thanks for letting me dry off in here!” Genya quickly grabbed his combat boots, tugging them on and knotting the laces. “We need to get home now.”
“Damn right,” Sanemi agreed with a dangerous-looking grin, “but what’s the rush now? I may as well—”
“Nope, no, we’re going,” Genya cut him off and started to push him toward the door. “Bye, Tanjiro!”
“Bye,” Tanjiro replied, disappointed but understanding that they had to leave. He just hoped Genya’s rush wasn’t because he’d come back to earth and no longer had any interest in the random boy from the bakery.
They were out the door when Genya turned back, opened the door again, and called, “I’ll text you later, all right?”
A smile blossomed on Tanjiro’s face. “All right!” he called back.
Even Sanemi’s muffled growl of “What do you mean, you’ll text him? You gave that kid your number?!” couldn’t diminish his excitement. Genya wanted to spend more time with him! They could be friends…and maybe, just maybe, something more. The prospect had him giddy.
He was still smiling to himself as his mother and siblings returned from their checkups, immediately filling the bakery with happy clamor. “How’d it go?” he asked.
“It was all right,” Mom told him, “but Shigeru needs to work on not squirming when the doctor’s trying to check his ears.”
“It’s not my fault!” Shigeru protested. “That thing she used tickles!”
Tanjiro laughed, “It’ll only bother you more if you move, you know.”
He frowned but nodded in concession, running off at Hanako’s call to go play some game with her.
Mom tilted her head, studying Tanjiro. “Did something happen?”
“Hmm?”
“While we were out,” she clarified. “Did something happen? You seem…different somehow.”
…He did? “Well…this guy came in before - he got caught in the rain,” he said. It wasn’t that he felt any need to hide their interaction from his family - although he was sure Nezuko would have a field day once she found out - rather, he wasn’t quite sure how to say it. “His name is Genya Shinazugawa; he just moved here with his brother.”
“Oh?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I let him try the watermelon muffins,” he continued, rubbing the back of his neck. “He really liked them.”
“Told you they were a good idea!” Nezuko crowed as she set Rokuta down from the piggyback ride she’d been giving him.
“I’m glad,” their mother smiled. “So he was nice, then?”
Tanjiro nodded emphatically. “He seemed kind of standoffish at first but I think he’s just shy. We talked for a while before his brother came to pick him up.”
Nezuko studied him intensely for a moment. Her eyes widened as she realized, “You like this guy, don’t you?”
Her question was so point-blank that, rather than formulating a proper reply, all Tanjiro could get out was a flustered squeak.
She laughed, singsonging, “Tanjiro’s got a cru-ush! Tanjiro’s got a cru-ush!”
“Nezuko…” Mom sighed but couldn't keep from smiling fondly at both of them.
“What’s a crush?” Rokuta piped up, tugging on Tanjiro’s sleeve.
“It’s when…you like someone,” he slowly explained. “And you want to be very good friends with them.”
“So when do we get to meet this Genya?” Nezuko asked.
“I just met him!” Tanjiro pointed out. He’d barely had an hour with Genya. It was hardly like they were dating. Even if the thought was definitely appealing.
But Tanjiro wasn’t even certain that Genya liked him like that!
“Don’t worry,” Mom assured him, “all in good time.”
Nezuko shook her head with a sigh.
“But,” Mom continued, “I’m certainly interested to meet him as well.”
“Mom!” Tanjiro yelped.
She laughed, ruffling his hair. “When you’re ready, all right? But I am glad you’ve found a new friend…or whatever else the two of you might become. Now, come on,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder, “let’s close up here for the evening and start working on dinner, all right?”
He nodded in agreement. “All right.” There would be time later to think about Genya, and possibly to text him, too. But for now, he needed to focus on his family.
It was only a few hours later that his phone buzzed as he received a text:
Genya: Are you free tomorrow?