Flame Breathing Tanjiro: Set Your Heart Ablaze

You're...

'Breathe...just breathe...'

Jesus Christ it hurts.

Sorry Nezuko, but I pushed myself too far again.

I inhaled and exhaled, on my knees as I was hunched over. Everything hurts. I can feel all of my muscles in pain. I can feel them at the slightest breath I make. My lungs are screaming in pain...can I even scream?

My wounds got worse, they're bleeding more now. It's taking a long time for it to stop, even with recovering breathing. Using the 9th form damaged my already injured body. I guess using it with heavy injuries will make everything worse. Or was it because it was the first time I used it? Maybe a mix of both.

I'm too tired to even celebrate the fact that I used the 9th form...it took me so so so long, but I finally did it. It was so powerful too, The ground was shaking, The trees were swaying. I felt so much more powerful! I feel more powerful!

But it still hurts like hell. I'm bleeding heavily, my muscles are too tired, I can't move. My body is too beaten up, and I kept on pushing myself.

I looked at the blade in my hand.
'For...for a moment...I swear I saw it turn...darker'

And...my haori...Jesus Christ why am I such a baby? It's just a haori...one of the last things I had left of my family...damn it...fucking damn it

*crunch*

'Leafs...?'

I tiredly moved my eyes and looked up, and saw the head of Rui, slowly coming towards me using his hair. My face didn't change in the slightest. I was too tired and mentally exhausted to move or react.

He grunted and groaned as his hair kept on moving, a scowl on his face as he was slowly disintegrating.
"You...you! How did you..?!" He muttered as he got closer.

I didn't bother as he slowly got right next to me.
'Is he going to kill me? I doubt it...he's only a head...but he's one of the twelve kizuki, so he might have a trick up his sleeve...'

So why wasn't I moving?

He grunted as the tips of his hair started to disintegrate, making him unable to move. He looked up at me with raged eyes.

"You...you killed me! How?! Why?!"
This is the first time I've seen him yell.
"I just wanted a family! I just wanted someone that would love me! I JUST WANTED WHAT I LOST!"

3RD PERSON POV

His eyes widened as Rui showed confusion.
'Want...what I...lost..?'

He was surprised when he felt a hand on his head, patting it. He looked up and saw Tanjiro, eyes on the ground. "What...what are you doing...?"
A moment of silence passed, the question
unanswered.

The hand...felt so warm. It was so rough, evidence of his hard work. These weren't the hands a boy should have.

"Hushabye, baby bunny on the hill"

Rui gasped as Tanjiro sung. He sounded so tired, yet so caring. Patting his hair as he sung with a sweet tone, all Rui was reminded of was a caring parent, who even though tired, still put their child over themselves.

"Tell me why your ears are so very long

Because when my mother

Was expecting me, she dined on a long leaf

That's why I have very long ears~"

The wind blew softly as leafs started to fall around them. Rui, even though disintegrating, felt at peace.
The lullaby sung to him as if he was a small young child, laying on his mothers lap.