01. Awakening

Tanjirou woke up. He felt a bit woozy, but it wasn't that bad. Was this… Did he collapse after a battle, again? Ah, he should get up quickly, then. Oh wait, maybe he shouldn't. If you suddenly get out of bed, wouldn't it be bad? Like, someone would tackle you down… Saying something about being reckless...

Breathe.

Shifting a bit on the bed- was he on a bed? Felt like it. But it seemed harder (and colder) than usual-

Breathe.

Tanjirou breathed.

"...wa...ke?"

He blinked slowly. Looking up, he winced at the bright, white light glaring down at him. Ouch. His eyes hurt.

"Is… Aw...ke?"

Oh, there were some people clad in white, surrounding him. Doctors, perhaps? He didn't understand what they were saying, though… His ears, he couldn't really hear anything. Everything sounded so muffled.

Frowning to himself, he nodded slowly, unsure of what to do.

Remember. Breathe.

His nose twitched. The smell of chemicals. The smell of- strange. It smelt a bit strange, in his opinion. That was odd.

"Do… remem... name?" His eyebrows furrowed. What were those people trying to say? They were talking to him, right? It sounded so weird...

The people looked away, as if talking amongst each other. Then they turned back, looking down at him. "Namae?"

Oh. Now he understood.

Name?

"Ta…" He opened his mouth, lips cracked and throat sore. Something was placed near his mouth, and- ah, water. He swallowed carefully. "Tan...jirou."

That was his name. Yes, Kamado Tanjirou.

The son of... Of...

He noticed how his chest would slowly rise and fall as he breathed. It meant his lungs were working, which was good. No wait, it meant that he was still alive, so that was even better. Suddenly, he felt really tired. Would those people mind if he go back to sleep? Shinbou never really minded, if he remembered clearly… Shinobu encouraged him and the others to rest more, since the more you rest, and faster you heal...

Shinobu… Oh wait, she's…

Breathe.

He took a breath, and a scent of inky darkness plunged his senses.

Oh. This place. That wasn't it, it wasn't... He remembered that the estate smelt of… Chemicals, and sunshine. Maybe a tinge of anger, too, but… This place wasn't it. This place was different. This was… Not the estate, right? It was too… Too dark. Too murky. Of what? Of… He didn't know. Fear? The edges of his vision began to darken, and it became increasingly hard to keep his eyes open.

The Butterfly Estate was happier. This place… Wasn't it.

Big brother, breathe.

He fell asleep.

Nezuko frowned, her hands holding onto her older brother's. Beside her was Rokuta, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, their mother, Zenitsu, Inosuke, everyone.

Pressing her forehead against his, she spoke softly.

"Sorry… Sorry for leaving you behind, big brother."

His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling from each, deep breath.

She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Squeezing her eyes shut, she held his hand tighter.

It was a prayer.

"Please don't lose. Please be safe. Please don't forget your breath. Please," she swallowed thickly, tears trailing down her cheeks. "Please live."

I binged read Kimetsu and D. Gray happened to be pretty dark :D Thank you for reading!

NOTE: Taisho period is 1912-1926, and D. Gray's plot is at the end of the 19th century, so around the 1890s. Let's say because of Komui's potions and technology or whatsoever, the timeline is messed up and Kimetsu happened some time before the plot of D. Gray! Thank you for understanding!

ko.

(Namae/なまえ/名前 = name.)