Crystals || muitan story :D

☁Chapter 9☁

IM BACK :D

Also, this chapter is about mental health awareness, so I'll be giving some facts about mental health throughout this chapter! (be prepared for a very long chapter) i wasn't sure how people saw mental health back in the early 1900s, so we're just gonna say that it's updated :)

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Kanao's POV:

Tokito-kun.. he's crying.

 "Tokito-kun. Are you alright?"

He was shaking, and I had a feeling that he didn't want Tanjiro-kun to see him like this.

He bit his lip to stop it from trembling and I took my hand off of his so that he could wipe his eyes. I noticed something was off when he had 'heard' Tanjiro-kun's name, so I had placed my hand on his so I could check his pulse. 

It probably was a little uncomfortable for him, so I'll apologize after. 

Tokito-kun had finished composing himself, so I tried to question him as gently as I could. "Did the voice you were hearing say something bad?"

He nodded, and I realized that he didn't think of it as anything else. Just a voice. This was good. He can evade those types of thoughts by ignoring them. "Do you remember what the voice said?"

 He hesitated and looked at the wooden floor of the restaurant. He opened his mouth then slowly closed it again. 

"It's alright if you don't remember. Actually, it's better if you forget about them. They're called intrusive thoughts. There are different kinds, but I really only have learned about two."

Kanae-neesan had been studying different mental illnesses and disorders, and I'd read all her notes after she passed.

Shinobu-neesan was never particularly interested in mental health the way Kanae-neesan was, so I ended up learning about both physical and mental health.

Tokito-kun mumbled something almost incoherently, but I caught most of it. 

 "Is this going to affect my fighting?"

 Is that really what he's worried about? Still, it would be impolite to not answer.

"No, not unless you get them while you're fighting. However, like I said, as long as you keep them out of your head, you'll be fine."

"Keep what out of your head?"

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Tanjiro's POV:

 "...keep them out of your head, you'll be fine."

 I looked up to see Tsuyuri-san talking to Tokito-kun. What are they taking about? I can't really pick up any scents beyond the food, and the ambience is so loud that I hadn't even noticed the two were even talking together.

I wanted to know what they were talking about, so I may have but in a little.

"Keep what out of your head?"

They both turned to look at me and I feel like I may have overstepped when I saw pure fear in Tokito-kun's eyes. Tsuyuri-san looked over at Tokito-kun and understanding filled her eyes as she simply stated, "thoughts."

Waves of relief flooded Tokito-kun's eyes as the sheer panic he had earlier dissolved, clearing the crystallized mist of his eyes.

 They were so pretty, they were almost replicas of the sky. 

I can picture them blending into the beauty of the morning clouds..

I sighed as the heat began rushing to my face. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Nezuko turn to me and I could hear muffled talking finishing off with a sigh.

 "Nezuko? Is something wrong?"

 She gave me the most annoyed look, and huffed. She gave Tokito-kun a look of pity as she leaned back in her seat. Why?.. 

Then I realized, that she had figured out about the feelings I'd been harboring.

Did Tsuyuri-san know about my feelings too? Probably.. she's good at taking notice of these kinds of things.

My face was heating up as the realization hit me like a brick wall.

 "T-Tanjiro-kun?! Are you alright?"

Tokito-kun's usually low mellow voice now had tones of panic in it as Tsuyuri-san handed him a glass of water to pass over the table to me. "Is your food spicy? You did just eat a roll with wasabi in it."

I could hear the playful manner come through in her voice as she chuckled. Her chuckle grew to a laugh, and soon after Tokito-kun joined in too. 

It was hard not to stare as I hadn't ever heard them laughing before. It was harmonious. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Nezuko staring as well. A pink blush was painted on her cheeks as she watched. I smiled, noticing that she was focused directly on Tsuyuri-san. 

I can already tell this will be good for her. I'm glad that Nezuko will also find someone special to her.

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Muichiro's POV:

We walked up the mountain through the forest, where my target supposedly was. Can't say that there was any sign of it though. Tsuyuri-san, Nezuko, and Tanjiro-kun were all going to the former water hashira's house. This hill is steep. I don't like steep hills. I can't remember why though. It probably has something to do with my past, but it's a trivial thing to be upset about. The roots of the trees were crossed over our path to the point that it was getting hard to avoid them.

I could just ditch these three so I can find the demon and get it over with, but for whatever reason, I don't want to. 

Maybe it's because Tanjiro's here.

Maybe. 

Probably not though.

I looked up to see if I had fallen behind while  I was thinking, but I hadn't. Tanjiro was just a foot or two away from me. I gazed at him for a moment or two, memorized, by how soft and light his hair looked, by how his earrings had a sunset pattern in them, by how his haori wasn't symmetrical, how he looked so-

My thoughts were interrupted by my foot catching on a tree root. I could feel my hair flowing as I fell, and I have a little shout. The ground was hard, and while  the impact of the fall didn't hurt, my right foot shot a sharp pain through my leg as I got up.

I hadn't realized, but Tanjiro and Tsuyuri-san were immediately beside me, Tsuyuri-san there with medical training and Tanjiro was there because he cared. Well, atleast I hope he cared.

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I think I'm going to split this chapter into two because of how long it is. sorry this took so long to come out! I've been pretty busy lately and I've had other stories I've been working on as well. I'll try to update more regularly from now on :)

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