Archive of Our Own ^beta

After Tanjirou wakes up from a coma in the butterfly estate, he finds out not only his friends, Nezuko and the butterfly girls were worried about him, but also all the Pillars as well.

He finds out about this when Aoi asks one of the kakushi to send a message to them immediately.

"What?" Tanjirou blinks after the butterfly girls offer him all kinds of food while they're tearing up.

"They have been visiting you," Aoi informs him. "Almost every single week since they found out about what happened to you. Uzui and his wives have come too, even though he's officially retired now."

Tanjirou doesn't understand. He has talked with all the hashira a couple of times, but he had no idea they considered him his friend already. That makes him really happy.

But when they arrive and Tanjirou can smell how worried they are about him, he gets even more surprised and a bit confused.

Kanroji starts tearing up and gets closer to him until she can touch his face. Iguro tries to calm her down, but eyes Tanjirou with concern too; Kaburamaru slides off the Pillar's shoulder to wrap himself around Tanjirou's instead.

Rengoku, with an eyepatch covering part of his face as a consequence of his fight with Akaza, kneels next to the bed and takes one of Tanjirou's hands in his.

"I'm so glad you're getting better," he says, adoration glimmering in his eyes; it's so obvious it makes Tanjirou blush.

And he's not the only one who's staring at him like that.

"I don't want you to keep going on missions," Shinazugawa growls, crossing both his arms over his scarred chest.

Tanjirou is about to protest when Kocho moves closer to the bed and puts a soft hand over his forehead.

"We'll talk about that later," she tells the other Pillar. "The important thing is that he's awake now."

Uzui and his wives arrive a bit later, with a lot of food for Tanjirou; he manages to sit on the bed while Suma helps him with the soup.

Tomioka insists he should keep resting for a while, but it's necessary for him to start stretching and walking around the estate; he offers to keep him company.

Himejima offers him to carry him around whenever he gets too tired to keep walking while Tokito cradles Tanjirou's face and smiles at him like it's the best day of his life.

After a few months, they all agree that one of them has to go on every mission with Tanjirou from now on.

The redhead is not that happy with that decision, but he knows they do it because they worry too much about him.

When they start bringing him all kinds of gifts, and Aoi rolls her eyes as she comments that devoted Pillars are so annoying, Tanjirou finally realizes that all that worry and care doesn't come from friendship only, but also a deep love.

When they ask for his hand in marriage he's ready for his answer, because even though they assure him it's okay if he chooses just one of them, he can see that none of them want to lose him.

"I'd love to marry all of you," he beams before he gets 'attacked' by nine very happy Pillars with hugs and kisses.