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Tanjiro doesn’t know what’s led Genya to his door in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, but he doesn’t really care. Genya is shivering in front of him, his chest rising and falling too quickly, eyes wild, but not in the way they are when he’s a Demon. He looks scared of something, and beneath that he looks pained. For a moment, Tanjiro fears he’s hurt, but with a quick glance he dashes the thought away. If he were hurt, Genya would’ve healed with Demon flesh, or Shinobu. If he’s here then something must’ve spooked him.
“Genya?” Tanjiro asks, hands held out, carefully. He’s not worried Genya will hurt him, but he is worried he’ll scare Genya. “What’s the matter?” Genya doesn’t answer, save for a wheeze, and Tanjiro decides it’s worth it to just bring him inside. He grabs Genya by the arm and tugs him inside, closing the door behind them.
“T-Tanjiro.” Genya’s teeth click against one another as he shakes, and Tanjiro is beginning to think that the rain might not be the only reason.
“What happened?” Tanjiro tries, leading Genya deeper into the house and subtly directing him into sitting in front of the lit fireplace. His mouth works for a moment, but no words come out. Then, suddenly, he’s sobbing. Full on sobbing. Tanjiro gasps, hands fluttering in front of him, unsure how to help. “Genya! Genya, look at me! We’re going to breathe. Together, ok?”
“Mhmm,” Genya hums, nodding. Tanjiro takes an exaggerated breath in, and holds it. Genya shakily does the same.
“Good,” Tanjiro says, on the breath out. He does it again. With each one, Genya looks a little more steady, even if he doesn’t stop crying. “Very good.” Tanjiro praises, reaching out and squeezing one of Genya’s hands. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Genya murmurs. Tears still roll down his cheeks, which he bats away with his palm. The fear and pain are shifting out of his eyes quickly, hardening with that same anger Tanjiro is so used to seeing on him. “I just- freaked out and I didn’t know where else to go.”
“Do you want to tell me why?” Tanjiro asks, gently. Genya shrugs, but he doesn’t look like he wants to be talking very much. “You don’t have to. Would you like some tea?”
“Uh- yeah, sure,” Genya agrees. He’s dripping rainwater and still shivering, though. Tanjiro doesn’t really have anything that would fit him, Genya’s so much taller than he is, so he can’t really offer him a change of clothes. He can, however, give him a towel and show him to the kitchen. “Thanks.” Genya mumbles, rubbing the towel over his hair and face.
“No problem,” Tanjiro chirps, busy himself with the teapot. Genya sits down to wait, his eyes far away and a little bit haunted. Tanjiro’s brow furrows, his lips quirking into a frown. He can’t really think of anything that would rattle Genya like this, shake him so badly he came to Tanjiro, someone who is still basically a stranger. Last time something like this happened, Sanemi had tried to poke out Genya’s eyes, and even then he’d been much more collected. It hadn’t been enough even to do this.
“Is there any kind you want in particular?” Tanjiro asks, gathering cups and leaves from the cabinets as the water heats.
“Not really.” Genya’s voice is small, hardly more than a whisper. It’s so unlike him to be so meek, so quiet. He’s a big man, with a big personality, even if much of it is hidden. Tanjiro isn’t used to this. The silence, broken only by Tanjiro’s collecting, isn’t wholly uncomfortable, but it’s not exactly pleasant. There’s something lingering in the air, something tense but uncertain.
The teapot whistles, sharp through the quiet, so Tanjiro brings it over to Genya. He pours some for both of them, adding some leaves in to steep. Genya grabs it, cradling the warmth in his palms, staring at the water.
“My mom died,” Genya finally starts, shaky and uncertain. He glances at Tanjiro, as if gauging a reaction. Like he’s never told someone this before. Tanjiro gives him a sympathetic look, opening his mouth to offer some sort of useless platitude. “It’s- no, it was a long time ago. Just, you know, it was today a long time ago.”
“Oh,” Tanjiro says, realization dawning over him.
“It was- it wasn’t just my mom, though,” Genya continues, with a little bit more strength than before, like he’s gained his footing. Either he’s accepting that Tanjiro isn’t going to ridicule him, or he’s kept this in so long that it’s coming out either way. “It was all my little brothers and sisters, too.” He takes a deep breath. “My mom, she was late getting home one night, and my brother- Sanemi- he went to find her. When she finally came back she was a Demon and she- she killed them all.” He swallows, bringing a hand up to scrub his face, his eyes have started to water. “And then Sanemi got back and he- he- well, i was too late but he killed her. And I was a kid and I was confused, didn’t know what the Hell was going on, so I just- I yelled at him for it, called him a murderer for killing mama.” Tanjiro doesn’t mention the slip. “That’s why he hates me.”
“I’m so sorry, Genya,” Tanjiro says, under his breath.
“Usually I can- get through it myself, but after what happened with Sanemi the other day…” Genya shrugs. “It was just hard. I don’t know. I’m sorry to bother you, thank you for listening.” A flush rises on his cheeks as he stands, looking very embarrassed all of a sudden. “I’ll get out of your hair, have a good night.”
“No, Genya, it’s alright,” Tanjiro assures him, following him up. It’s tricky, because even as vulnerable and grieving as he is, Genya is not the type that wants comfort. At least, not from Tanjiro. He doesn’t want to be wrapped up in a hug, or snuggled with on the couch. Tanjiro doesn’t know what he wants, but he knows it isn’t that. “I’ll always listen. You can always talk to me.”
“...Thank you,” Genya mumbles, turned away, like it physically pains him to say. “Yeah, uh thanks.” And just like that, the brief glimpse Tanjiro had gotten is squirreled away, leaving the friend he knows and loves in its wake.
“Of course! I’ll see you later!” He waves at Genya as he leaves into the pouring rain, and for the first time, Genya waves back.