69. Until I Found You

Hana's eyelashes fluttered as a slow, uneven breath slipped past her lips. After what felt like an eternity, her eyes finally opened. Warm morning sunlight poured through the window, painfully bright after the endless darkness she had been trapped in. She flinched, her eyes squeezing shut against the light before she slowly gathered the strength to open them again.

Everything was blurred. A dull ache pulsed through her skull. Her body felt impossibly heavy, as though it no longer belonged to her. Every muscle was stiff, every joint sore. The scent of clean linens mixed with medicinal herbs lingered in the air, telling her she was somewhere indoors, but she couldn't remember how she had gotten here. What had happened? She tried to turn her head toward the quiet movement beside her bed, but even that simple motion sent pain through her body.

Her breathing grew faster as her heart hammered painfully against her ribs. She tried to speak, but no words came. Her mouth was unbearably dry, and though her lips parted, her voice refused to follow.

Tanjiro was at her bedside in an instant. He looked down at her with wide, worried eyes, his face pale with anxiety. "Water," he said, his voice trembling as he looked over at his sister.

Nezuko had already reached for the cup on the bedside table. Tanjiro slipped one arm carefully behind Hana's shoulders, lifting her only slightly from the pillow. "Easy," he murmured. "I got you."

Before giving her anything to drink, Nezuko dipped a clean cloth into the cool water and gently moistened Hana's cracked lips. "Just a little," Nezuko whispered, tears already gathering in her pink eyes. Only then did Tanjiro tilt the cup, allowing a few drops to reach Hana's lips.

She swallowed slowly. Her mind began to clear little by little. She looked around the room. Plain wooden walls. Soft morning light spilling through an open window. A peaceful garden swaying gently outside. Nothing resembled the battlefield she remembered before losing herself.

"Where am I?" The word came out barely louder than a breath. She swallowed painfully before trying again to make sure they heard her.

Relief crashed over Tanjiro so suddenly that tears spilled freely down his face. "Hana," he whispered, his voice breaking with emotion. "You're.. in the medical room."

She frowned, struggling to make sense of the words reaching her. "Medical room?" she repeated faintly. Her gaze drifted slowly from one face to the next before finally settling on the familiar scar across Tanjiro's forehead.

"T-Tanjiro?"

Tanjiro's expression crumbled into a tearful smile. "Yes." He laughed softly through his tears as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "It's me. I'm right here."

Hana tried to lift her hand toward him. It barely rose before exhaustion pulled it back onto the blanket. Without hesitation, Tanjiro took her hand between both of his, holding it tightly. She managed to move her fingers just enough to brush his cheek.

"You're....alive." Her voice cracked. A quite sob caught in her throat as memories of the battle came back to her.

She remembered the sight of Tanjiro transforming into a demon, the slitted red eyes, the sharp fangs, and the
pure horror that had nearly destroyed her.

Tanjiro leaned gently into her touch, holding her trembling hand against his face. "I'm here," he whispered. His own voice shook. "I'm alright. We're alright, Hana. We won."

Fresh tears blurred her vision. Slowly, she looked beyond him. A young woman stood beside the bed, crying openly, both hands clasped tightly against her chest. For several long seconds Hana simply stared. Then recognition dawned.

"Ne..zuko...?"

Nezuko nodded immediately. "Hana-nee." A sob escaped her as she carefully leaned over the bed and wrapped her arms around Hana as gently as she could. "You woke up." Her voice broke. "You're finally awake. I missed you so much."

Hana's trembling hand reached for Nezuko's face. Her fingertips brushed warm skin gently. "You're...human." A small, exhausted smile spread across Hana's face. "I knew." She closed her eyes briefly. "I knew you'd come back."

Nezuko broke into fresh tears. "You were right," she sobbed. "We did it. We did it Sister."

For a few quiet moments, neither siblings spoke. They simply cried together.

Eventually, Hana's gaze wandered past them. It stopped. A tall figure stood silently near the wall. "Giyuu?"

He hadn't moved since she'd awakened. He stood frozen where he was, as though afraid that even breathing might shatter the moment. His hands trembled faintly at his sides. His blue eyes never left hers.

Hana's breath caught. He looked different. Thinner. His face had lost its color, his cheekbones standing out sharply beneath pale skin. His dark hair had grown longer, falling untidily around his shoulders, and deep shadows rested beneath exhausted eyes that looked as though they had forgotten what sleep felt like. It hurt to even look at him.

"Giyuu?" Hana whispered.

He tried to answer. Nothing came. His throat refused to work. Instead, a single tear slipped down his cheek. Then another.

Hana's brows knitted together. "Are..you.." She paused to catch her breath. "Are you alright?"

Tanjiro quietly looked between them. Understanding flickered across his face. He gently set the cup back onto the table. "We'll get the doctor." He said looking at Nezuko.

Nezuko nodded in understanding. She gave Hana's hand one last gentle squeeze before stepping away. "We'll be right back." Together, they slipped quietly out of the room, closing the wooden door behind them.

It was just the two of them now in the quiet, sunlit room. They spent a long moment simply looking at each other across the small space. Neither of them spoke, the silence heavy with all the unsaid words and fears of the past days.

"Giyuu." Hana whispered again slowly raising her hand towards him.

That was all it took. He crossed the room in two hurried steps. "Hana." His voice shattered as he wrapped his arm around her with desperation, burying his face against her shoulder as his body trembled violently. "Hana."

She felt warm tears soaking through her hospital robe. Despite the exhaustion weighing down every part of her body, she slowly lifted one hand and threaded her fingers into his messy hair. "I'm here." she whispered. The words were barely audible. Yet they unraveled something inside him. He closed his eyes tightly, leaning into her touch as though it were the only thing keeping him standing as he cried letting out everything he felt.

After a long moment, he finally lifted his head. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, still holding her hand, he tightened his fingers around hers ever so slightly, silently reassuring himself that she was truly awake, truly with him. Giyuu buried his face against her shoulder as though letting go of her would make her disappear again. "I thought..." His voice broke completely. "I thought I'd lost you."

The words were barely audible. She had never heard Giyuu sound so vulnerable. Hana's own eyes filled again, she lifted a trembling hand and brushed the loose strands of hair away from his face, her fingers lingering for a moment. Then she leaned forward as much as her weakened body allowed and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Giyuu's eyes widened ever so slightly.
The warmth of her lips had barely left his forehead before he noticed the change in her expression. The faint color that had returned to Hana's face moments ago began to drain away again. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her hand, which had been gently stroking his hair, faltered.

"Hana?" he said, his voice filled with worry.

She gave him a small, reassuring smile, but it lacked its usual strength. "I'm just... a little tired."

"Don't push yourself," he said softly, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. "You just woke up. You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm alright," Hana whispered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Her gaze lingered on his face. The dark circles beneath his eyes stood out starkly against his pale skin, and there was a weariness in his expression that went far beyond physical exhaustion.

"But seeing you like this..." she murmured softly. "Have you slept at all?"

Giyuu's eyes shifted away from hers.

Hana's expression softened with quiet exasperation. "You haven't been taking care of yourself, have you?" she scolded gently.

He didn't answer. She let out a quiet sigh. "You haven't."

"You were unconscious for months." He said. The doctors weren't sure if you would ever wake up." His voice remained calm, but the strain beneath it was impossible to miss. "You were in a coma."

Hana stared at him, unable to respond to anything.

"I thought..." He paused, swallowing hard. "Every day, I thought I was going to lose you."

A faint, almost disbelieving smile touched his lips. "And the first thing you do after waking up..." His eyes finally met hers. "...is worry about me."

Hana's own smile was small and watery. "Of course I do."

She reached up and gently cupped his cheek. "You were suffering too, Giyuu."

His breath hitched.

"I wasn't the only one fighting." Her thumb brushed lightly across his skin. "You were carrying all of this by yourself while I couldn't even open my eyes."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding him as tightly she as could. "You don't have to pretend you're fine anymore," she whispered. "Not with me."

For a heartbeat, Giyuu froze. Then his arm slipped around her waist, drawing her carefully against him. His embrace was gentle, yet there was desperation in the way he held her as though he feared she might disappear the moment he let go.

Neither of them spoke as they remained in each other's embrace, finding comfort in the simple certainty that they were both still there. Giyuu rested his cheek lightly against the top of her head.

Outside the room, Tanjiro and Nezuko stood outside the room.

Nezuko smiled to herself. Tanjiro closed his eyes, relief washing over his face.

"They're going to be alright." He said.

Nezuko smiled to herself, happy to see them together.

"I think so too."

Hand in hand, brother and sister quietly continued down the hallway to find the doctor, leaving the room undisturbed.