prismatica | text | un: konoha

[It's not lewd to worry about how your husband might feel if you suddenly were the shape of the species responsible for disfiguring him and killing almost his entire family! ... Or to worry about how marital relations would work that way.

But she's free with offering her hair, cocking her head curiously as she feels him start to run his fingers through strands that smell faintly of camellia oil.]

Oh.

[Well, she was much taller, that makes sense.]

Does three mean anything special... ? None of the women in my time braid their hair.

[Westerners bring in all sorts of crazy things to Japan, huh? Braids???]

[He hums, thinking it over and eventually shaking his head.]

I don't think so? Kanroji-san just had really thick hair, I think. And so do you, so it can be sectioned off enough for three... That way no one braid is too heavy, I guess.

[Much taller, and he didn't like the idea of sitting on her back like she were just a horse. He goes about his merry braiding way regardless, carefully running his fingers through each segment of hair as he splits it off, tying off one section with a bit of twine from his sleeve (he always carried bandages, twine, and the salve Urokodaki gave him, Just In Case) and carefully setting it over her shoulder so he could work on another.]

[She is just going to have to take his advice on this one- He's the braid expert! Instead, she just surrenders happily to his ministrations, stretching out her weird, coat-less legs and wriggling her toes.]

Mmm... Why does it feel so nice when other people do your hair but normal when you do your own...

I haven't had my hair long enough to do much with in a long time..., But I think maybe it's because we're social creatures, so it's nice to bond over stuff like this.

[He takes his time with the braids, breaking a piece of twine with his teeth to tie it with as he goes.]

It sounds smart when you say it like that... "social creatures"!

[Every now and then she shivers or laughs a bit when his fingers run through her hair in Just the Right Way, pulling her laundry basket closer so that she can start folding some of it in her lap as he works.

Multitasking!]

Tanjiro would look good with long hair, I think... in a little tail!

[A laugh of his own, and he shakes his head.] Well I didn't wanna say it was just about humans, because jinba seem to be similar.

[He watches her fold and hums something he seems to only partially remember the tune to, setting the finished braid over her shoulder to move onto the second one.]

I used to wear it up real high like you do, but it wasn't half as long.

Well, Tanjiro is a man, so it only really needs to go the shoulders or so, right?

[That's all you really need for a topknot, which is her experience with the most formal of male hairdos.]

I wear mine in a bun most days, but... my mother always told me my hair should be really long in case I ever needed to do it a different way... or for special occasions and things like that... also because men like it.

[He frowns a little at that, shaking his head.]

Not to argue with your mother, but you shouldn't do things because men like it. You should do things because you like it. [Tanjiro drinking that respect women juice.]

[That makes her laugh, shoulders shaking a bit in front of him.]

Ehe... I mean, I think it's cute, too...

[Culturally speaking, she... admittedly can't even ever imagine a respectable woman having short hair, but that's just the 1620 happening. No hair, sure, nuns did that, but. You know.]

She was just worried about if I'd ever be able to find a husband or not... There weren't any other jinba in my village.

[He hums again, relaxing somewhat. He gets a little uppity about people making girls out to only exist for the purpose of marriage and men. He figures it's because he's so protective of Nezuko, but it's not a bad take.]

As long as you like it for you.

[Shinobu wore her hair so it looked short, but all the other ladies he knew had longer hair. Only Susamaru had short hair that he could think of.]

But it does look nice, and you did find a husband! I'm sure Gonta-san likes your hair, too.

[That comment makes her pause in her laundry folding, both hands coming up to clasp her warm cheeks as she sways back and forth a bit happily, perhaps accidentally getting in the way of his braiding attempts.]

Gonta said I'm really beautiful with my hair down...

[And there's an undeniable fondness when she says "beautiful". Normally, she described herself as "cute" at best, "pretty" when she tried, but "beautiful"... ! But if Gonta said it...]

Tanjiro needs to find someone who thinks he's the most handsome man ever, too...

[He starts to protest her wiggling, but when she talks she has such a soft happiness to her he can't really complain. He does wait for her to sit still again before he picks up more of her hair, though.]

[He stills for a moment at that second bit, quirking his mouth and shrugging.]

I'm not really that worried about someone thinking I'm handsome. [His tone is a little something.]

[Konoha might not totally be sure what that tone is, but... She thinks she could guess. And she shakes her head emphatically.]

Uh-uh... You don't have to worry about it, it just should be what they think about you.

[Her cheeks are still warm, her tone completely sappy. She can't help it... because even though she doesn't think she's beautiful, what matters to her is that Gonta thinks she's beautiful...]

It's not just about how you look... it's about how you look to them.

[He's not sure what his tone is, himself. Something a little less than interested in this conversation going where it's going, something trying to be polite and have it anyway.]

Mmn, I guess it's just not really something I've thought too much about.

Well, Tanjiro still has plenty of time...

[He was younger than her, after all. Still... She reaches one hand back behind her to briefly rest over the hand braiding her hair. Just briefly.]

But... I don't think it would be bad to think about the future for when you get home.

[The demons were gone now... and though she knew a lot of his recent life had been wrapped up in that desperate mission... Now he had to think of what came next.]

[He hums, leaning forward to set his forehead against her hand over his.]

Romance isn't really at the forefront of my mind, still.

[Encouragingly, she wriggles her fingers.]

That's why I said "future" just now, silly.

[It didn't have to be romance (even if, in love as she was herself, she certainly hoped he'd find that same happiness one day, too).

But she hoped it would be something positive. Something restful.]

[He stays leaned there for another while, quiet other than an affirmative hum of a sound, and eventually turns his head a little to speak.]

...I mostly just want a really long nap, at home. I have just about all I can ask for that's viable.

A long nap is a good start.

[After all he's been though... It's the sort of thing she can't imagine in her own world. Something with that many lives at stake, something so vital not even just to a single village but to a world... ?

Now that they can fit together a bit better this way, she nuzzles into his temple just a little, affectionate and warm.]

But after that... I want Tanjiro to promise me something. Just one thing, okay?

You're going to ask something of me that's terribly and awfully sweet, I just know it.

[He turns his head to smile at her, tired and worn but hopelessly fond.]

[That fondness is in Konoha's eyes as well... and it's why she asks him. Even though it could sound a little patronizing from someone else, perhaps, a little too simple, too matter of course...

She worries. Just a bit. And when he's back in his world and she in hers, because surely, one day they will be...]

After you've rested well... Promise me you'll find what makes you happy. What makes you happy.

[Not a duty, not just being an older brother, not just going through the motions... Even if it wasn't necessarily a romance.

Just something for the future, just for him.]

[His mouth opens, and he starts to respond-- of course he would, don't be silly. But then he thinks about it. Really, actually thinks about it, and... Well.]

[He can't really think of anything that makes him happy that's just for his own benefit? He liked so much to see others happy... And now he's wondering if that's wrong, if it's a bad thing-- maybe it's weird? Maybe it's selfish, in a roundabout way, because he was always using other people's happiness for his own. He cycles through a variety of half-expressions, mostly thoughtful and somewhat horrified, and when he finally looks back up to her he just looks pretty comically alarmed.]

...Konoha, I don't know if I know how to do that.

[When he hesitates,when he really thinks about it... Konoha just smiles a bit knowingly. See? She knew it! But that's why she's asking now, after all, while they're still together...

So pulls the finished part of the braid over her shoulder and runs her fingers over it, laughing a bit under her breath.]

Even if it takes you trying all sort of different things to find it... You still have to promise.

[Because there had to be something... and he's (slightly) younger than her. He has time to find it now.]

I can't-- how can I promise something if I don't know how to do it? How can I not know how to be happy? Oh my God, that sounds so stupid.

[He is suddenly apex stress.]

[Still laughing, not at all about his capabilities as he seems to be, Konoha shakes her head and twists about to smush his cheeks between her hands.]

That’s why you have to promise to find it! You don’t have to know it right this second!

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