Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a cold winter day. Tanjiro felt the snow crunch underneath his boots. His teeth chattered, and he wrapped his scarf tighter around himself. He struggled to keep pace with his father, eventually catching up and grabbing hold of his hand.

“Are you sure you want to accompany me today, Tanjiro?” Tanjuro asked his eldest son. “The journey back up the mountain will be even more difficult.”

Tanjiro nodded his head vigorously. “I want to help, Father, and learn as much as I can. So, when I’m old enough, I can do it on my own, and you will be able to rest more.”

Tanjuro gave him one of his gentle smiles and pet Tanjiro’s head. “I appreciate the help. But, that is not something you need to be worried about for quite a while.”

Tanjiro pouted and clung closer. His father had been frail looking for as long as he could remember. His mother told him that he was sick a lot. And yet, he performed the Hinokami Kagura each year without fail or rest. It was ethereal and beautiful to witness.

The trek down from their house at the top of the mountain was taxing on Tanjiro’s small body. Still, he refused to force his father to carry both him and the charcoal on his back, especially when he had begged to come along. So, he held his head high and trudged along.

He thought he saw something scurry along the edge of his vision, and his nose picked up a strange, unfamiliar scent. Something… fruity? In the winter? Tanjiro’s head swiveled in the direction where he detected the disturbance. Something rustled in the bushes at the edge of the treeline.

Tanjuro must have noticed something, as well, because he came to a halt. Tanjiro looked up to his father in apprehension. Tanjuro stared at those same bushes for a few painstaking seconds. No more movement came from them.

“Let’s go,” Tanjuro said after a moment. Tanjiro clung to his father’s arm with both hands until they covered a considerable distance from that spot.

“Do you know what that was, Father?” Tanjiro asked meekly.

“I’m not sure,” Tanjuro answered. “But, there is nothing for you to worry about. Be it man or beast, I will not let them harm you.”

That put Tanjiro more at ease, and he walked the rest of the journey without holding his father’s hand.

At the base of the mountain stood a small, wooden house. The door slid open when the sound of their crunching footsteps got close enough.

“Ah, Saburo-san,” Tanjuro greeted with a smile when he saw the older man at the entrance. “Pleasure to see you, as always.”

“Likewise, Tanjuro-san,” the man said. His gaze shifted to Tanjiro, who clung to his father once more. “And who’s this?”

“This is my eldest, Tanjiro,” Tanjuro introduced him. “Tanjiro, this is Saburo. He lives here, at the base of the mountain. If there is ever an instance when you need help, he is someone you can trust.”

Comforted by his words, Tanjiro nodded slightly before leaning forward in a polite bow. Saburo smiled in what seemed to be approval.

Father and son continued down the now more level path to the nearest village, finally reaching it after another twenty minutes of walking. Tanjiro had never seen this many people before. After all, he and his family lived alone on the top of the mountain. But this…

People began to notice their presence, and began to gather to greet Tanjuro. Tanjiro looked around in awe. He had never smelled this many different scents before. The plethora surrounded him, each pleasant in their own way. Some smelled of scraped tree bark, others of ceremonial candles, others yet of a combination of mint and citrus… It was beautiful.

When everyone had finished talking to his father, the townspeople then turned their attention to little Tanjiro. Tanjuro repeated the process he went through with Saburo, introducing Tanjiro to everyone and everyone to Tanjiro. Haruto the carpenter. Asahi the candlemaker. Yuzuki the herbalist. He taught him who to turn to for any troubles they might face. Haruto if the house needed reinforcing. Asahi if they needed candles for New Year’s. Yuzuki if one of them caught a cold.

Tanjiro made sure to be as polite as possible. He wanted everyone to know that his parents had raised a good, respectable first son.

“How old is this one, Tanjuro?” Haruto asked.

“Will be seven this year,” Tanjuro replied. “Nezuko, our eldest daughter, just turned six a few weeks ago.”

The people nodded in approval. “Must be really strong, to make the journey down the mountain at such a young age,” Yuzuki said. “You are going to grow into a strong young man one day, Tanjiro.”

Tanjiro made a noise of affirmation and nodded his head.

“So, you’ve got charcoal to sell today?” Asahi turned to Tanjuro, already pulling out a pouch from his kimono.

Tanjuro set down the basket of charcoal. “The usual fares,” he said. The townspeople seemed to understand what this meant, because they formed a line in front of the basket. One by one, they specified the amount of coal they wanted and paid for it in bronze and silver coins.

“The exchange of currency,” Tanjuro explained to his son, who was listening attentively. “I produce and sell the charcoal, and the money that is exchanged for the charcoal can then be used to buy food and other goods. The people have a way to stay warm during winter, and we benefit, as well.”

Tanjiro crossed his arms in an X shape, trying to visualize the exchange. “So, it is… uh- It makes everyone happy!”

“That’s exactly right,” Tanjuro said as the last of the charcoal disappeared from the basket. “That is why you must make sure to always be fair.”

“What does that mean?”

“Let’s say I sell one lump of charcoal for fifty yen,” Tanjuro proposed. “Let’s also say that that is the fair and equal price. One lump of charcoal equals fifty yen. If I was to instead sell one lump of charcoal for one hundred yen, it would not be fair to the buyer. But, if I was to sell one lump of charcoal for twenty five yen, it would not be fair to me. If the price is not fair, someone will be left unhappy. Do you understand now?”

Tanjiro nodded. He was determined to take all of his father’s lessons to heart.

“Oi, Tanjuro!” Someone called. “The doors to my soba restaurant are broken! Can you help me fix them?”

Tanjuro gave the man a light bow. “Of course.” Tanjiro trudged after his father to the building. Indeed, the sliding shoji doors looked worn down and on the verge of falling apart.

Tanjuro went about fixing the door while Tanjiro took the chance to look around. Tall wooden poles went around the perimeter of the street, weird cords running between them. “Those are power lines,” a passerby explained when they noticed him staring at them. “They carry electricity to our houses. It’s still very basic and hard to use, but it’s something.”

Tanjiro was captivated. While he liked their mountaintop home, there was something about this quaint little town that drew him to it. It was the people, he realized. They were all so nice, even willing to take time out of their day to explain power lines to him.

Tanjuro finished with the door, stepping away. The restaurant owner thanked him profusely.

“Please, let me pay you for the work,” he offered. Tanjuro shook his head.

“That is not necessary,” he said in reply.

Tanjiro tugged on the sleeve of his father’s orange and black haori to get his attention. “But, Father, you said that the price needs to be fair. You worked hard on fixing the door, doesn’t that mean a fair price needs to be paid?”

Tanjuro pet his son’s head. “Very good, Tanjiro. You’ve been paying attention. Yes, in most cases, there needs to be a fair price. But, that should never stop you from simply doing a good deed from the kindness of your heart. I sell charcoal so that my family has enough to eat. I fix doors because it is the right thing to do.”

Tanjiro nodded again, taking in the lesson once more. His father was already setting off down the street, searching for more people to help. Tanjiro started to follow, but the voice of the restaurant owner called out to them.

“Tanjuro, at least take a free bowl of soba!” He said, extending a steaming bowl of noodles to them. “It’s the least I can offer.”

Tanjuro smiled and accepted, giving the bowl to Tanjiro. They took a seat inside the restaurant while Tanjiro slurped up the noodles.

“Oftentime, when you do a good deed, you can expect a good deed in return,” he said.

After the quick break, Tanjuro returned to his good samaritan crusade. Tanjiro followed after him, holding onto the now empty charcoal basket. While Tanjuro worked, Tanjiro kept the townspeople entertained by answering questions about his family.

“Mother is so cool! She defeated a wild boar with a single headbutt! I’m training my forehead to be as strong as hers. Nezuko is always playing with little Hanako, our youngest sibling. She just said her first words a little while ago! Poor Takeo is so jealous he is no longer the baby. And we’re getting a new little sibling soon, Mother said.”

Most children would probably be bored in his shoes, but Tanjiro was having the time of his life. The chance to meet other people filled him with joy. He told them his stories, and they told him theirs in return.

By the time the sun began its journey back to the horizon, Tanjuro was finished with his work. “Tanjiro, want to go pick out a treat from the bakery for your siblings before we head back?”

“Yes!” Tanjiro exclaimed. He wouldn’t miss an opportunity to make his siblings happy.

Tanjuro led him to the bakery at the far end of the town. It was a small little shop. Tanjiro could smell pastry flour and bread and ohagi.

“Oh, Tanjuro!” The bakery owner called out when they entered. “You’re just in time. You won’t believe what happened last night. Someone robbed us!”

Tanjuro’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have any idea who could have done this?”

The woman crossed her arms. “I’ve already asked around town. No one is coughing up. I guess it can be Tokuro, he’s had it out for me-”

Tanjiro jumped up. “I can! I can help! I’ll help find the thief!”

The woman looked at him in confused bemusement. “I have a great sense of smell!” Tanjiro explained. “I’ll sniff the thief out!”

The shop owner exchanged looks with Tanjuro, and gave a shrug. “Very well, give it a shot, kid.”

Tanjuro lifted Tanjiro over to the counter. “Whoever it was, they stole all of yesterday’s ohagi. We had a shortage today because of that.”

Tanjiro sniffed at the restocked shelf of ohagi. He could smell the red bean paste and rice and- something… fruity? The scent was familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on from where.

He shook his head in disappointment. “It doesn’t smell like anyone I smelled in town,” he said.

“You’re telling me that someone trudged all the way over here to steal some ohagi?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help,” Tanjiro said, feeling extremely guilty for some reason.

The woman sighed and smiled at that. “Don’t worry, kid. Anyways, Tanjuro, did you want something?”

“Tanjiro, pick something out.”

After a moment of contemplation, Tanjiro decided on the remaining three pieces of ohagi, enough for himself, Nezuko, and Takeo to all get one. Tanjuro paid for the sweets and the woman placed them in a small box. Tanjiro insisted on carrying the box as they walked back through town, past Saburo’s cabin, and back up the mountain.

“Father, I can carry the basket, too, if you’d like,” Tanjiro offered.

“I’m fine,” Tanjuro assured him. “The basket is a lot lighter without the charcoal.”

They walked in silence for a while, with only the sound of the snow crunching beneath their feet accompanying them. But, Tanjiro couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching them. Something in the air felt different, unnatural, unfriendly-

The smell, he realized. There was another smell following them. He sniffed deeper. Something… fruity. Tanjiro froze as the pieces suddenly clicked. The unknown smell from the bakery, he had smelled it on the descent. The thief from the bakery was following them.

The bushes rustled on his left. Tanjiro squeaked. As if sensing his fright, Tanjuro took a protective step in front of his son, wordlessly urging him to be quiet.

Everything was still for a moment. Then, more urgent rustling and the rapid crunching of snow. A sharp yelp, and someone was struggling in Tanjuro’s arms.

Tanjiro gathered up the nerve to take a peak. To his surprise, it was… a boy, around his age. The sides of his head were shaved, a larger tuft growing in the center. He had a desperate look in his eyes, clashing with his oddly pretty lashes. A scar ran across his face.

When the boy saw the package of ohagi in Tanjiro’s hands, he screamed and tried to lunge at him, though Tanjuro still had no problem restraining him. Tanjiro turned away, hugging the box of ohagi closer to his chest. These were for his siblings, and no thief was getting to them!

“So, you are the thief that Tanka-san mentioned?” Tanjuro speculated, still keeping a tight grip on the boy’s purple yukata.

“So what if I am?!” The boy yelled. “I was hungry!”

“B-but, everything has a fair price,” Tanjiro found himself speaking up. “You have to pay the price for the ohagi.”

“Me not having money doesn’t make me any less hungry!” The boy yelled, still trying to swipe Tanjiro’s box away. “Gimme!”

“I cannot allow you to do that,” Tanjuro said, his voice eerily calm.

“It’s not fair!” The boy wailed, though now he stopped struggling. “It’s not- It’s not fair- Some people need ohagi more than others!”

Tanjiro felt a tinge of pity for the kid, even though he couldn’t forgive him for trying to steal the ohagi. Now that he was no longer thrashing around, Tanjiro could see that the boy was actually a bit shorter than him, and definitely on the skinny side. The anger in his eyes masked hurt. His mismatched sandals - also clearly stolen - were not suited for winter, leaving his toes a dusty pink. And the fruity smell persisted. How could something that smelled so nice act like this?

His father must have felt the same, because he released his grip on the boy’s yukata. His eyes darted to the ohagi box once again, but he didn’t make a move to try and grab it.

“I can see that,” Tanjuro told the kid. He took off the charcoal basket, and then the haori, draping it over the boy’s shoulders. The boy’s expression shifted to confusion at the act of kindness.

“However, stealing is not the right choice,” Tanjuro lectured the kid gently, in the same manner he gave Tanjiro lectures. “You must not inflict the same pain you feel onto others.”

The boy didn’t respond, almost like he couldn’t hear him. He tugged the haori, which was far too big for him, tighter around his shoulders and shivered.

“You’re hungry and freezing,” Tanjuro said, picking up the charcoal basket once again. “Come with us to eat and get warmed up.”

“... Huh?”

He couldn’t seem to comprehend the kindness Tanjuro was bestowing upon him. But the man was already walking again, and Tanjiro struggled to catch up. After a few moments, there were shuffling sounds behind them as the boy caught up. More silent walking. He kept sneaking glances at the ohagi that Tanjiro kept so carefully away from him.

“Does your family know you are here?” Tanjuro asked. The boy shook his head, keeping his gaze centered on the ground beneath his feet.

They reached the house. Tanjiro could already smell his mother’s cooking.

Tanjuro knocked on the door, and Kie opened it. Her gaze quickly landed on the boy, who in turn was staring at her large stomach.

Tanjuro whispered something in his wife’s ear, and her gaze instantly softened. “Tanjiro, go help set up the bowls. And-” she turned to the newcomer expectantly.

“Genya…” he murmured.

“Genya, can you go help him?” Kie continued. “We’re having radish soup tonight.”

Genya shook his head and took a miniscule step back. His demeanor had changed entirely. Tanjiro found he no longer feared or even distrusted him. He felt only an immeasurable pity. Despite clearly being starved enough to be driven to stealing, he was refusing their offer of hospitality.

“You could use something to eat,” Kie said, not taking no for an answer. “And you’re freezing.”

At her insistence, Genya stepped forward, walking inside the house. Tanjiro followed.

“Onii-chan!”

Nezuko ran up and wrapped Tanjiro in a hug, which he quickly returned, hoping the box of ohagi stayed hidden from her view. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Genya shrink back a bit. When Nezuko saw him, she also shrunk back. Tanjiro realized she must have been scared of Genya.

“Nezuko, this is Genya,” he said, trying to emulate his father back in town. “Genya, this is my little sister, Nezuko.”

Nezuko gave him a shy wave, while Genya was clearly feeling out of place.

Tanjiro decided to take action, taking Genya by the wrist and leading him to the kitchen. “We need to get all the bowls and spoons. Let me show you where they are.”

Working in silent tandem, they retrieved all the bowls and spoons and returned to the main room, where the simmering pot of radish soup was already sitting. The rest of the family gathered there, as well, with Takeo curled up by Nezuko’s side and Hanako sleeping in Tanjuro’s arms.

Tanjiro and his family pressed their hands together. “Thank you for the meal.” After a second, Genya clumsily copied their actions.

Kie poured soup into everyone’s bowls. Tanjiro noticed that she gave Genya a slightly larger portion. Genya must have noticed, too, because he murmured another quiet, “Thank you.”

Most of the meal passed in silence. Nezuko softly blew on Takeo’s soup to cool it down. Genya finished his the fastest - he must have been really hungry - and cautiously asked for seconds, which Kie graciously provided.

After the soup was completely gone, Tanjiro revealed the ohagi. Takeo and Nezuko squealed in delight as Tanjiro handed them each a sweet. Genya looked at them with envy, but didn’t attempt to take them. Tanjiro grabbed the final ohagi and tore it in half, offering one part to Genya. The other boy stared at him in disbelief for a moment before accepting his offer.

“Tanjiro, go help Genya draw a bath,” Kie said. “Make sure to heat the water.”

Genya got to his feet, already shaking his head. “You don’t have to, honestly. Look, I’m sorry, I’ll just go-”

“Tanjiro, go do as your mother asked,” Tanjuro said. “We need to discuss a few things.”

Tanjiro nodded and took Genya by the hand once again, leading him to the back of the house. He pumped the barrel full of water and waited for it to heat up. Genya stood by his side, still completely silent.

“How old are you?” Tanjiro finally asked. “I’m almost seven, and I’m the eldest son.”

“Eight,” Genya replied, still looking a bit apprehensive. “Second eldest son.”

“You have an older brother?” Tanjiro asked, intrigued. “What’s he like? Oh, do you have younger siblings, too? What-”

His voice simmered out when he detected the scent of complete and utter sadness wafting off of Genya. He must have struck something painful. Oh, no. That’s not what he wanted.

“Well, uh, the water’s warmed up,” he said, quickly stepping back inside the house. “I can go get some of my spare clothes for you. We’re about the same size.”

He rushed back inside and into the bedroom. He pulled out his second set of clothes.

“Genya is nice,” Nezuko spoke up drowsily. Takeo was already asleep. “A little scary and shy, but also nice.”

Tanjiro was inclined to agree. Their parents were still talking in the main room. Tanjiro grabbed a towel and headed back to Genya.

When he got there, the water was still running.

“Genya, are you done?” Tanjiro called.

“Yeah, I- I think so.”

“Okay, I’m going to drain the barrel. Dry off and put the clothes on quickly so you don’t get cold. I won’t look, don’t worry.”

With that, Tanjiro pulled out the stopper from the bottom of the barrel and handed Genya the towel and spare clothes. A few minutes later, Genya scrambled out and to the ground. As he did so, Tanjuro and Kie approached them.

“Genya,” Tanjuro spoke up, his voice kind and soft. “I asked you before if your family knew you were here. I have another question. Do you have a family?”

Tanjiro tensed at the question, and tensed even more when Genya shook his head. But, didn’t he say that he was the second eldest son? Didn’t that mean he at least had an older brother?

Kie smiled, trying to reassure him. “Would you like to stay with us?” She asked.

“I- I didn’t mean to intrude,” Geyna murmured. “You already have a lot of kids and you’re gonna have a new baby. I don’t- I don’t want to be any trouble.”

“It won’t be any trouble,” Tanjuro assured him. “We always make sure to have room for one more. No child should be wandering in the snow by themselves.”

Genya still looked unsure.

“It’s okay,” Tanjiro piped in. “I’ve never had a big brother before. You’re older than me, so you can be my big brother.”

“If- If it really isn’t any trouble-”

Tanjiro cut him off with a hug. After a moment, Genya hugged back.

Tanjuro and Kie led the two boys back to the bedroom, where Nezuko had already fallen asleep side by side with Hanako. Genya and Tanjiro were set in futons next to each other.

“I… I don’t think I ever got your name,” Genya murmured softly.

“It’s Tanjiro Kamado.”

“Tanjiro… That’s… a nice name.”

Chapter Text

Genya woke up covered by a blanket, lying on something soft and comfortable. He awoke to the sensation of someone shaking him.

For a moment, he thought he was back home, with Sanemi about to gently scold him for oversleeping.

“Nii-chan?” He murmured, blearily opening his eyes. Instead of seeing his brother’s large purple eyes, framed by his signature unusually long lashes, he saw eyes that glittered like large pink gemstones, with one set of long lashes instead of two.

The moment was gone, and Genya remembered everything.

“I’m not nii-chan, I’m Nezuko!” The girl protested, crossing her arms and making an exaggerated pouting face. “Tanjiro is nii-chan, and so are you.”

Genya sat up, confused at her words. She must have understood the questioning look on his face, because Nezuko said, “Mother and Father said you’ll be staying with us now, and that you will be our new big brother.”

Oh. Genya had forgotten most of the conversation from the night before. It was just a whirlpool of confusion. If life had taught him one thing, it was that no one is going to help you, so you’d best be prepared to handle things alone. That’s how he had spent the past few weeks. Stealing sandals - one a size too big, the other a size too small - to give his feet at least minimal protection. Picking pockets for spare coins, then hiding in alleyways from the men that came searching and reminded him of his dad. Trying to snatch away a box of ohagi from a frail looking man and a defenseless kid because he was hungry, he needed it more, and ohagi was the one food that could bring him comfort - with watermelon too expensive to pick pockets for and too bulky to steal.

And he couldn’t even accomplish that.

Except, when the frail looking man grabbed him by the back of his precious purple yukata - the only thing he had left that he could call his own aside from his name - there was no beating. There was only a gentle scolding and the sensation of a haori settling over his shivering shoulders. The defenseless kid - not as defenseless as he thought - kept the box of ohagi away from his gleaming eyes and prying fingers because these were for his siblings, and no thief was getting to them. When the kid accepted him as a brother, he gave him ohagi, too.

That kid, he reminded Genya of Sanemi.

Or, at least, the old Sanemi. The Sanemi from before-

“Are you okay?” Nezuko asked, snapping him from his thoughts. “You look sad.”

“I’m fine,” Genya mumbled. He glanced around the room. It was empty save for them and a sleeping baby girl.

“That’s Hanako,” Nezuko said. “She’s the baby of the family, so be gentle with her.”

She didn’t even need to tell him that. Genya slowly crawled over to Hanako. So cute, so peaceful. Shuya had also been just a baby. Just a baby before-

“Can I hold her?” He asked.

Nezuko shrugged. “I need to ask Mother, first. I’ll go get her.” She left the room.

Genya frowned, looking between the door and the still sleeping Hanako. Did they not trust him? Maybe they shouldn’t with their money or their food, but he was perfectly capable of taking care of a baby! He and Sanemi often took turns taking care of Shuya when their mother was working.

Genya carefully reached out and stroked Hanako’s cheek.

Hanako opened her eyes, took one look at Genya, and screamed.

A splash of fear ran through Genya’s veins. Oh, no. Oh, no no no no no.

The door slammed open, Hanako’s father clearing the room instantly and sweeping up his weeping daughter in his arms, trying to calm her down. Genya scrambled away, trying to distance himself from the scene of the crime, only to back himself into a corner. No way to escape.

The mother knelt in front of him, her sharp gaze carefully studying him. From behind her, Genya could see Nezuko glaring at him, Tanjiro and Takeo looking more apprehensive.

“Oh, no. I really messed this up.”

“I’m sorry-” he whimpered. “I’m sorry- I’m so sorry- I didn’t- I didn’t mean to make her cry- I’m sorry- I just… wanted to hold her-”

He could kiss this family goodbye. He had broken their one, unspoken rule. Don’t hurt anyone in the family. And he had gone and broken it because he couldn’t wait two minutes to hold a baby. They were going to kick him out, he was sure. He’d be cold and hungry and alone again. No, he didn’t want to leave. He liked it here. He liked the blankets and the warmth and the radish soup and the ohagi oh no please don’t kick me out please I’m sorry please-

Kie gently wrapped the shaking, clearly terrified boy in her arms. He was hicupping and shivering and murmuring barely discernible apologies. Kie did as any mother would; gently stroked his hair and held him close.

“It’s going to be okay, Genya,” she assured him. “I’m sure Hanako was just scared because she didn’t recognize you. You hear? She’s not crying anymore.”

Indeed, Hanako’s cries had subsided as Tanjuro gently rocked her to sleep.

“‘m sorry. Please, please don’t make me leave. I won’t do it ever again, I promise.”

Kie held him even closer. “No one is making you leave. This is your home now. This is your family now.”

When her husband had brought Genya to their doorstep the night before, she had been suspicious and alarmed, initially. She needed to protect her children, after all. For the most part, no one came to their house, with the exception of the local doctor to provide aid during labor. A strange boy showing up seemingly out of nowhere felt off-

But, the more she looked at the boy, the more it became clear that he was just scared and lashing out. Whatever he had been through before must have been traumatic. He said himself that he had no family.

Well, hadn’t. Because this was his family now.

~~~

Genya stayed. Slowly, he regained Nezuko’s trust, who hadn’t quite forgiven him for scaring Hanako. He took over a portion of Tanjiro’s chores. Takeo seemed to take a quick liking to him.

It was near the end of the snowy season when a new member joined their family.

“I hope it’s a girl,” Nezuko proclaimed, watching over Hanako as she took a few shaky steps. The doctor had sent them to play in the yard.

“Well, I want a baby brother!” Takeo shot back, pouting.

“I’m sure that they will be perfect, no matter if they are a boy or a girl,” Tanjiro assured them. “What do you think, Genya?”

Genya nodded in agreement. He felt excited.

The front door opened, Tanjuro calling them in. The others ran inside fast. Genya paused long enough to scoop Hanako up into his arms. The girl giggled and grinned up at him, the fear from a few months ago completely forgotten.

He went inside. Kie was resting, her head supported by a few pillows. Her children were gathered around her, gasping in awe at the swaddle in her arms.

“Kaa- Okaa!” Hanako called out, reaching for her mother.

“Go,” Tanjuro said, taking her from Genya’s arms. “Go meet your baby brother.”

Genya shuffled over to join the rest of the siblings. He didn’t miss the triumphant smirk Takeo was sending to a mildly disgruntled Nezuko. Tanjiro was beaming.

“His name is Shigeru,” Kie said.

Tanjiro locked eyes with Genya and smiled even wider. It was at that moment that Genya realized that he was also grinning ear to ear. There was something ethereal about getting a new sibling. Even though he had so many, it never seemed to wane. Seeing Shigeru for the first time felt just as magical as the time he first met Koto, or Teiko, or Shuya.

“Genya, would you like to hold him?” Kie offered.

Genya swallowed the lump growing in his throat and nodded numbly. He carefully took the swaddle into his arms, cradling Shigeru’s head against the crook of his elbow. The others watched him in awe.

“Hello.” His voice was soft, barely a whisper.

Shigeru’s eyes twitched open. Genya waited for a reaction with bated breath.

A ghost of a smile twitched across Shigeru’s face, vanishing as quickly as it came. But, Genya didn’t miss it. He had tears in his eyes as he passed the baby back to Kie.

He truly felt like a part of this family now.

From that point on, he started calling Tanjuro “Father.” It took a bit longer for him to give a maternal title to Kie.

“It’s just that my mom was the kindest, strongest person I knew,” he told her in an attempt to explain himself. “And… I miss her a lot.”

Kie looked a bit saddened, but said she understood. It took a few more months, but Genya eventually started calling her “Mother.” Not the same as “Mom,” but just as good, and just as important.

He let Tanjiro and the others call him “nii-chan.”

~~~

“What was your family like? Your first family, I mean.”

Genya looked to Tanjiro in shock. He hadn’t asked about his family since the first day they met. They were resting on the engawa, watching over Nezuko and Takeo playing in front of the house.

“Why- why do you want to know?”

“I just want to know more about you, that’s all,” Tanjiro said with a smile. “I know you said you had no family, but there must have been someone. You said you were the second eldest son, right?”

Genya slowly nodded. “Yeah.”

He wondered if he should tell Tanjiro about his family. He hadn’t even told Tanjuro and Kie anything besides the fact that they were-

Besides, Tanjiro was so small and young. He wouldn’t understand.

Tanjiro frowned. “You don’t have to tell if you don’t want to. I’m not forcing you.”

“Why’d you change your mind?”

“You started to smell sad,” Tanjiro said. Oh, right. Genya still hadn’t gotten quite used to Tanjiro’s uncannily strong sense of smell, even able to detect changes in emotions.

For all intents and purposes, Tanjiro was his little brother. And yet, he still acted like the big brother. That never changed.

“... Mom is amazing,” he started to say. Perhaps he could give Tanjiro a watered down version, only the good side. All of the happy memories before-

“She is the kindest, strongest person I know. She works day and night for us. And she makes the best ohagi. Then there’s Sumi and Hiroshi. They’re twins, six years old. Get into trouble a lot. But not as much as Koto. Now he’s the real troublemaker! Teiko is the only one of us with any sort of common sense. And then Shuya is just a baby.”

He fell silent, smiling to himself. “The best family you could ask for.”

“What about your dad?”

Genya froze. He scowled, tucking his legs into his chest. “He… was not nice at all. He drank a lot, and… he beat us, sometimes. He-”

Tanjiro cut him off with a tight hug. Genya realized he was shaking.

“It’s- it's okay,” he tried to say. “He’s dead, and he’s not going to hurt anyone else.”

“Still, it must have hurt.” There were tears in Tanjiro’s eyes. “Is that why you have-”

He was talking about the scar.

“No… no, that was something else. You- you really don’t have to worry. I’m nii-chan, right? So, I can handle-”

“You don’t have to bottle this up on your own,” Tanjiro said. “I’m also a big brother, but sometimes Nezuko helps me through things. We’re family, aren’t we? We have to be there for each other.”

“... Alright.” Genya leaned into the hug before embracing Tanjiro back. Part of him was relieved to finally open up about his family, another part wished he just kept his mouth shut.

And he hadn’t even told him about Sanemi.

~~~

One evening, Kie was reading them a story before bed. Genya listened, captivated. It was the story about long lost brothers.

“Mother, can I read for a bit?” Tanjiro asked. Kie nodded and handed him the book.

“‘And so, the two brothers vowed to become the strongest samurai in all of Japan. One was warm and bright, like the sun. The other, dark and mysterious, like the moon.’”

Genya peered over Tanjiro’s shoulder to look at the book. It looked like it was meant for children, as colorful illustrations danced over the pages. Careful calligraphy strokes flowed, forming words he couldn’t decipher.

“Oh, Genya, do you want to read?” Tanjiro asked, extending the book to him.

Genya backed away, shaking his head. “I-I don’t know how to read.” They had no books, and even if they did, he wouldn’t have had time to read them.

Tanjiro beamed. “That’s alright. We can teach you. Right, Mother?”

“Of course,” Kie nodded, taking the book back from her son. She beckoned for Genya and Tanjiro to scoot closer, while Nezuko and Takeo curled up under the covers and kept listening.

“There are several writing systems in our written language,” Kie began to explain. “This is the simplest to learn, so we will start with this. Now, this character is pronounced…”

~~~

Tanjuro threaded the string through the needle head as Genya and Nezuko watched carefully. Hanako was settled in Genya’s lap, twirling a strand of his mohawk in her chubby fingers.

“Now, once you’ve got the thread into the needle, you need to tie the end. After that, you can begin sewing. Genya, hand me your yukata.”

Genya did as he was asked. Tanjuro found the hole and pushed the needle through. He began stitching the fabric back together as he explained the steps one by one.

“For now, since you are still young, your mother or I will mend your clothes. But, when you are a little older, you can start doing it yourself.” He knotted off the end of the thread and pulled the needle free. He handed the yukata back to Genya. The boy inspected the handiwork. It was immaculate, and he could hardly tell there was a tear in the first place.

Nezuko handed over her favorite kimono. The threads forming the angular floral pattern in the pink fabric were starting to fray.

“Uh, Nezuko,” Genya started to ask as Tanjuro worked on stitching up the kimono. “I want to keep my yukata in good shape because it’s all I have left of my old family. And, I get that that kimono is your favorite, but why are you so worried about it?”

Nezuko playfully flicked his forehead. “You just said it yourself, you dummy.” She giggled and smiled. “It’s my favorite kimono. And, besides, if we don’t have to spend money on new kimonos, we will have more food.”

More food sounded nice. Since he started living here, Tanjuro and Kie strictly forbade him from skipping meals or passing off his portions to his siblings. The “when I sleep I don’t hungry” excuse didn’t fly, either. Genya found himself slowly growing taller. He didn’t feel hungry all the time.

CRASH!

Some kind of crashing sound resounded from the main room, accompanied by a pair of screams.

“Onii-chan!” Nezuko yelled out. Yes, she was right. One of those voices was Tanjiro’s, and the other belonged to Takeo!

Tanjuro got to his feet and rushed out of the bedroom, the half mended kimono forgotten. Nezuko rushed after him, Genya following after adjusting his grip on the now weeping Hanako.

Kie was already on the scene, Shigeru held against her back with a sash. She was holding a wet cloth to the forehead of a teary eyed Tanjiro. The kettle was lying on its side on the ground, the water spilled out.

“I’m sorry, nii-chan!” Takeo screamed. “I didn’t mean to knock it over. You- you protected me!”

“I’m okay-” Tanjiro tried to say, but it came out as more of a whimper.

“Kie,” Tanjuro said, scooping up his son in his arms. Genya felt a pang of fear run through him when he saw how scared his little brother looked. “I’ll take him down to the doctor.”

Kie gave a sharp nod, and Tanjuro was out the door.

“I didn’t mean to-” Takeo wailed, tears pooling around his chin. “I didn’t- I-”

Genya felt a bitter reminder of himself a mere few months ago, scrunched up in the corner of the bedroom and begging to not be thrown out. He shuffled over to Takeo, Hanako still clinging to him. He wrapped the younger boy in what he hoped to be a comforting one armed hug.

“It’s okay, Takeo,” he said, trying to keep his voice as soothing and level as he could. “It was an accident. Tanjiro’s going to be okay.”

“Nii-chan’s not gonna hate me, right?”

“Of course not,” Genya assured him. “Tanjiro’s not like that. He won’t hate you.”

Nezuko joined the hug, tightly wrapping her arms around all three of them. “Onii-chan’s going to be okay. I just know it.”

“That’s right,” Genya repeated. “Tanjiro’s going to be just fine.”

From over Takeo’s shoulders, still wracked with sobs, Genya could spot Kie’s grateful smile.

That night, Takeo and Nezuko couldn’t fall asleep without snuggling against Genya. He held them close and stroked their hair. The way Sanemi used to before-

Tanjiro and Tanjuro returned the next morning, the former’s forehead wrapped with bandages. Takeo burst into tears again and hugged his big brother as tightly as he could. Tanjiro assured him he was fine and offered him some ohagi.

~~~

Snow fell in blankets now. The baths needed to be heated again, and food was always served hot. It was almost New Year’s.

Tanjuro returned from town with ceremonial torches. “It’s almost time for Hinokami Kagura,” Tanjiro explained to a confused Genya.

“What’s that?” Genya asked, not any less confused.

“It’s a dance that must be performed from sunset to sunrise on New Year’s,” Tanjiro said. “It’s an offering to the Fire God and it helps ward off diseases.”

That evening, the family spread out some blankets on the snow covered ground. Tanjuro planted the torches in a circle, shifting the snow aside to reveal the barren soil underneath. He was dressed in ceremonial garbs Genya had never seen before; they must have been kept away for this special occasion. The rest of the family settled down on the blankets. Kie held both Hanako and Shigeru close to her while Tanjiro and Nezuko cuddled close together. Takeo rested his head in Genya’s lap, already tired.

As the sun began to set, Tanjuro began to dance. Suddenly, he no longer looked the frail well-meaning man Genya was familiar with. Pure, raw strength radiated from him as he moved through the dance forms. All Genya could do was watch in awe. Tanjiro and Nezuko had similar expressions on their faces.

“Father’s not wearing shoes,” Genya said in a whisper. “Won’t his feet get cold? Is he really dancing for the whole night?”

“Father always told me it is about proper breathing,” Tanjiro whispered back, still watching the ritual. “He says that if you can breathe correctly, you can dance for hours without getting tired or cold.”

Genya felt confused. Breathe correctly? Wasn’t there only one way to breathe?

He returned his attention to the dance. He felt Takeo’s chest rising and falling as fatigue lulled him to sleep. Genya kept watching the ceremony, listening to the swishing of the bells attached to the end of the wooden sword in Tanjuro’s hand.

It truly was ethereal. Tanjuro, who always seemed frail, as if he could be knocked over by the weakest breeze, was the strongest person Genya knew in that moment. He had always been both, Genya realized. Yes, Tanjuro was always frail, but he was never weak.

When he ran out of moves, Tanjuro simply returned to the top of the set, running through every move again. And again. And again.

Nezuko was the next to drop off, curling up against Tanjiro’s arm. The two eldest kids kept watching.

It was dark now, and Genya felt his eyes start to drift shut. He blinked them open. He didn’t want to fall asleep during the ritual. He felt like it was important he watched to the end. He wanted to keep watching…

He woke up in the bedroom, covered with a set of cozy blankets, all his new little siblings cuddled next to him.

~~~

They descended down the mountain. Tanjuro carried a large basket of charcoal. Tanjiro and Genya each carried a smaller basket.

They passed by old man Saburo’s house. He greeted them, asked who Genya was.

“He started living with us last winter,” Tanjuro explained. “He is our son now.”

Genya couldn’t help but smile. It still brought him unfathomable joy, the simple fact that he had a family.

They walked to town, introduced Genya to the townspeople.

“You’ve got charcoal for us?” Asahi asked.

Tanjuro set down his basket and motioned for his sons to do the same.

“Are you ready to try on your own?” He asked them. Genya and Tanjiro nodded in unison.

Lines were formed for all three of them. Genya was surprised about how gentle and kind the villagers were.

“So, how much would it be for four lumps of charcoal?” Haruto asked, clearly trying to help guide Genya in the right direction.

“Let’s see… Father said it’s fifty yen per piece, and four pieces, so… two hundred yen,” Genya announced.

“Very good,” Haruto said with a satisfied grin, handing Genya the money.

After all the charcoal was sold out, Tanjuro pointed Genya in the direction of the bakery. Genya went inside, the other two following after him.

“Ah, Tanjuro!” Tanka called in greeting. Her gaze fell to Genya. “And who’s this little guy?”

Genya bowed his head. “Are you Tanka-san?”

“Indeed I am,” Tanka said. “What can I do for you?”

Genya took a deep breath. “Exactly one year ago, I robbed your bakery and stole a lot of ohagi. I’m deeply sorry, and I hope you will accept this money as payment.”

He extended out a handful of silver coins from his hard work that day. Tanka looked at him in shock, surprised by his straight forwardness. She laughed.

“So, Tanjuro, you whipped this one up into shape, eh?”

“No,” Tanjuro said simply. “All I did was give him a light push in the right direction. The rest was entirely Genya’s doing.”

Tanka laughed again. “Very well, kid, I accept your apology.”

She took the coins, placing a single ohagi in their stead.

Chapter Text

Another four years passed. A new member of the family arrived in the form of now three year old Rokuta, who clung to Tanjuro almost constantly. Genya was thirteen, Tanjiro twelve, and Nezuko eleven. Tanjuro’s health started taking a sharp decline for the worse, so the three eldest siblings completely took over selling charcoal. On clear days, Genya and Tanjiro would take the younger ones into town in a giant cart. The townspeople adored them. So hardworking, so kind, they would say.

“Father, about the Hinokami Kagura,” Tanjiro said one day as he helped his father weave together a pair of sandals. Genya was watching while Nezuko played outside with their siblings. “I’m worried about your body. Genya or I can start doing the dance next year.”

“Thank you, Tanjiro,” his father said. “Though, in all my years, I never thought the dance was hard. It really is a mysterious thing. Back when I learned it from your grandfather, I was much younger and healthier. But, the dance was harder back then. I often found myself gasping for air.”

“Is that what you mean about ‘breathing properly?’” Genya asked.

“Yes,” Tanjuro said with a nod. “A larger lung capacity, proper breath control, eliminating unnecessary movements and imperfections. Once you do that, your mind can become invisible.”

“Invisible?” Genya and Tanjiro asked in unison, equally confused.

“Yes, though you have to remember it will be difficult when you are just starting out. You must use your five senses to find those imperfections, and close your mind to everything unimportant. When you do that, you will gain access to the See-Through World. Once you get there, though, your strength will be at its limit, and you will reach a point of struggle and suffering.”

The two brothers exchanged glances, still entirely lost. Invisible mind? See-Through World? It didn’t make much sense.

“Will we get there someday?” Tanjiro asked. “To that point?”

“If you keep working hard and don’t slack off, then of course,” Tanjuro said, petting both of their heads, the sandals lying completed in his lap.

Winter was approaching fast, and Tanjuro’s health was failing faster. Genya’s dad was a horrible person. He died quickly with a stab through the chest. Genya’s father was a good person. He was dying slowly as his immune system began to fail.

“Why do the good have slow and painful deaths, while the bad have quick and painless ones?” Genya asked Kie as he lay curled up in her lap. She was gently stroking his hair.

“Are you talking about your father?” She asked. Genya slowly nodded.

“In some ways, the slow death is the blessing,” Kie said. “You have more time to say goodbye, spend time with your loved ones. Your father is a very patient and strong man. He will go through any pain the world can throw at him if it means seeing you for a second longer.”

Genya understood. Even with him almost bedridden most days, Tanjuro still listened to Takeo’s stories and accepted the various rocks or flowers Hanako and Shigeru brought as gifts. His fingers were too shaky to mend Genya’s yukata and Nezuko’s kimono anymore, but he had given them the skills to do it on their own. Tanjiro had grown into an almost spitting image of him, down to the burn scar on the left side of his forehead. The only miniscule difference was that Tanjiro was more prone to emotional outbursts than his father.

Snow came again. Soon, Nezuko would turn twelve, and a little later, Genya would turn fourteen. Soon, it would be time for the Hinokami Kagura to be performed once more.

One evening, a few weeks after snow began to fall, there was a knock on the door. Kie opened the door.

“Saburo-san?”

Genya and Tanjiro peaked their heads through the door. Tanjuro shakily got to his feet and left the bedroom, stepping out of the house to talk to Saburo. The two boys hid behind the door frame and eavesdropped.

“Tanjuro-san, we just got news from the other side of the mountain. There’s some bear that failed to go into hibernation. It’s wandering over the mountain, killing and eating people. We’re putting up bells to warn us if it approaches.”

“I see, thank you for warning us,” Tanjuro said with a small bow.

“A bear that eats people,” Tanjiro said, scared out of his mind. “That’s horrible. Genya, what do you-”

He froze when he saw that Genya looked completely petrified.

He didn’t bring up the bear again.

It was in the dead middle of night two nights later. Tanjiro was fast asleep, holding Rokuta in his arms. Shigeru was curled up against Genya’s side, who couldn’t sleep.

“Bear that eats people, kills and eats people.” The thoughts raced through his head. “Please, let it stay away, don’t let it come here. Don’t let it kill my family.”

“Genya, are you awake?” Tanjuro’s voice cut through the night.

“Yes, Father,” Genya said, wiggling a little to move away from Shigeru without waking him up.

“Come with me.” Tanjuro got to his feet. “Tanjiro, get up.”

Tanjiro blinked his eyes open, yawning. He only took a second to tie his longer hair up into a ponytail. The two boys followed Tanjuro out of the bedroom. Their father only paused in the main room long enough to grab the axe, the only weapon they possessed. They tugged on their snow boots and stepped outside.

The snow covered the ground like a big, fluffy, white blanket. It crunched beneath their feet.

“Where are we going, Father?” Tanjiro ventured to ask.

“You need to be very quiet, right now,” he said instead of answering.

Genya and Tanjiro exchanged fearful, confused glances. They were getting more freaked out by the moment. But, they decided to trust Tanjuro.

How was their father moving through the snow like this when he had been bedridden for the past few days? Tanjiro was the first to notice. Tanjuro was breathing differently, in the same manner as when he performed the Hinokami Kagura.

Soon, the bells strung up to detect the bear came into view. And behind the bells was-

A bear, standing on its hind legs, towering at almost two meters tall.

Tanjiro’s heart began to race. The bells hadn’t rung out. He surely would have heard them if they did. So, their father somehow detected the bear’s presence without hearing the bells.

Tanjiro turned to look at Genya, and found him completely frozen. He was shaking, staring up at the bear in what could only be utter fear. Tanjiro quickly grabbed Genya by the hand and dragged him behind a nearby tree. In the meantime, Tanjuro approached the bear, stopping in front of the other side of the ropes. He carried the axe in his arms. He looked completely calm.

“I am very sorry for your hunger,” he told the bear. “But, if you come any closer, I will not let you off easily. No matter who or what you are, if you try to bring harm to my family, I will strike you down without hesitation.”

He raised the axe. “If you don’t heed my warning, I will take your life.”

“No- no-” Genya murmured, voice wavering. “You can’t, you’ll die. Father, please.”

Tanjiro squeezed his brother’s arm, trying to keep him calm. “Father knows what he is doing. He has to know what he is doing. Right?”

The bear stood eerily still. For a moment, Tanjiro experienced a fleeting thought that the bear had somehow understood his father’s warning and would turn around and walk away. It would go into hibernation, never to kill or eat another person again.

But, the moment was shattered as the bear opened its mouth and roared. Genya clutched at Tanjiro’s arm with enough force it would probably bruise. The bear lunged forward. Tanjuro jumped into the air. With a swing of the axe, the bear’s head fell to the snow, disconnected from its body.

Tanjuro landed back to the ground, as quiet as a leaf fluttering in the breeze. He stood still for a moment, before turning to face his sons.

“Tanjiro, Genya, did you see that?”

“I-I saw, Father- I- Are you okay?” Tanjiro stuttered out. He felt a few tears begin to slip down his cheeks. The awe of the moment had passed him by, leaving him with the gaping knowledge that their father had saved them from being eaten.

Genya looked even more shaken, only capable of nodding his head.

“I’m fine. You must never forget what you saw. There will certainly come a time when you will be forced to protect your family. You must be prepared for that time.”

Tanjiro rushed forward and wrapped his father in a hug. Genya joined after a moment.

“Now, we must pray for the dead, both the bear and the people it killed,” Tanjuro said, motioning at the bear’s corpse. “We must pave the way for their safe passage into the afterlife.”

He knelt in the snow, bringing his hands together. Tanjiro and Genya knelt by his side and copied the gesture. They prayed in silence. After a moment, Tanjuro got back to his feet.

“The bear’s body is too big to bury right now,” he said. “I will go down the mountain tomorrow so that we could gather a team to deal with the corpse. Now, let’s go home.”

They started trudging back through the snow. Tanjiro noticed how subdued Genya appeared to be.

Tanjuro must have noticed, too. “Genya, are you alright? I apologize if what you saw disturbed you.”

“I-” Genya stared at the ground, his gaze empty. Tanjiro thought he looked a lot like the day they first met. Lost, confused, scared. “It’s just that- I mean- It’s… just that…” He was silent.

“My family was killed by a wolf.”

Tanjiro’s head swiveled to look at Genya. Judging by their father’s momentary change in stride, even he had never gotten these details.

“It- it was late, dark out. Mom didn’t come home from work, so ‘Nemi - nii- I- aniki - went to look for her.”

He had never talked about his older brother before. But, why “aniki?” That term was so formal, so… distant.

“We waited all night it was so dark I was holding Shuya in my arms and something slammed into the door and they all ran to it I warned them that it might not be mom but they didn’t listen and then the door got knocked down and a wolf attacked them and I got my cheek cut but before the wolf could kill me aniki burst in and he had a knife and he tackled the wolf out the window-”

Genya paused. He was crying.

“I didn’t realize that all my little siblings were killed instantly. I ran off to find a doctor. The sun was starting to rise. But before I could get to the doctor, I saw aniki. He was standing over Mom’s dead body. He was covered in blood. He killed Mom. He’s not my brother anymore.”

Tanjiro was in shock. Still, the story didn’t add up in his mind. Where did the wolf go? Why would Genya’s brother kill their mom after he clearly tried to protect Genya?

Tanjuro must have also caught up on the inconsistencies, because he stopped walking entirely. Genya stopped, too.

“Genya, Tanjiro, have either of you heard of demons before?”

“Hmm?” Tanjiro asked, confused. “Grandmother used to tell stories about demons, but they aren’t real, right?”

“Yeah, they’re just urban legends.”

“Unfortunately no,” Tanjuro said. “Demon exist, and they feast on human flesh. Most accounts say that they used to be humans.”

Genya’s eyes grew wide and unfocused. “What are you saying-”

“Genya, it wasn’t a wolf that killed your family. More than likely, it was your mom turned into a demon.”

“No, that can’t be!” Genya yelled. “Mom would never hurt us! She loved us!”

“I never said she didn’t,” Tanjuro said. “If she really became a demon, she killed your siblings out of hunger. She didn’t realize what she was doing. She might have hurt you and killed your siblings, but she never stopped loving you. In the same way, when your older brother killed your mom, he did it to protect you. But, that doesn’t mean he didn’t love your mom.”

A wave of emotions passed through Genya’s eyes. Disbelief, confusion, fear and grief. Tanjiro felt sorry for him, getting such a grand revelation in such a short moment.

They resumed walking. They didn’t say anything else.

“Get some sleep, boys.” With that, Tanjuro went back inside. Genya looked like he remained rooted to the spot.

“Genya, do you want to talk?”

“‘Nemi, my- my brother…” Genya was crying again. “He was… trying to protect me? He only killed Mom… to protect me.”

A sob escaped his throat. “I’m the worst brother in the world!”

“That’s not true-” Tanjiro tried to say.

“It is! I-I called him a ‘murderer.’ How could I say something so awful to him? He kills Mom to protect me, and then the useless little brother he tried to protect calls him a ‘murderer.’ He- looking back, he looked so scared and sad. He- he must hate me now.”

Tanjiro wrapped him in a hug. It took a moment, but Genya hugged back.

“Your brother doesn’t hate you. I’m sure. He went as far as to kill your mom, all just to protect you. You were just scared and confused. You didn’t mean it-”

“But I did, Tanjiro,” Genya said through sniffles. “In the moment, at least, I fully meant it.”

Tanjiro wracked his brains for a way to console him. “Well, I’m sure you will get the chance to see him again. And, when you find him, you can apologize. After you talk things out, you can be brothers again.”

“Do you… really think so?”

“I’m sure.”

Genya sniffled again. Slowly, he released himself from the hug. He sat down on the snow covered engawa. “I- I don’t think I’m ready to go in quite yet.”

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

Genya nodded, and Tanjiro sat down next to him. They were silent for a moment.

“Sanemi - we called him ‘Nemi - is the nicest big brother in the world. He stood up to Dad and protected us from him when Mom couldn’t. He loves ohagi and dogs. He always took care of us. He has a great singing voice. The sweetest person in the world.”

Tanjiro smiled. “Do you think he will be our big brother, too?”

“If you ask, I’m sure he will.”

They talked for a little while more, before going back inside and falling asleep by their family.

Ten days later, Tanjuro succumbed to illness and passed away.

“Tanjiro, you must ensure that the Hinokami Kagura and these earrings get passed down the family line without fail,” he said before his death, closing Tanjiro’s hand around the hanafuda shaped earrings. Tanjiro’s shoulders were shaking as he cried. Rokuta wouldn’t stop wailing.

“Thank you for giving me a home, Father,” Genya told him. “If- if there is an afterlife, if it’s not too much trouble, can you please find Mom and my siblings, and tell them that I’m okay?”

“Of course, Genya,” he said. “I trust you to protect our family.”

He didn’t get to perform the Hinokami Kagura that year.

After he died, Tanjuro’s body was cremated, the ashes kept in an urn and buried in the yard. Rokuta started clinging to Tanjiro out of fear and grief. Kie did her best to keep the family running. It was clear she saw this day coming.

Genya and Tanjiro went down to the village to sell more charcoal. They were met with sincere sympathy. Some even offered to pay extra, but the two boys refused.

“Everything has a fair price,” Genya said solemnly. “Father’s death does not change that.”

“There… is one thing you can do,” Tanjiro spoke up.

He held out the earrings. “I need someone to pierce my ears.”

Yuzuki agreed to do it. Tanjiro held onto Genya’s hands as his earlobes were pierced.

“Why so soon?” Genya asked as they climbed back up the mountain.

“I’m performing the Hinokami Kagura tonight,” Tanjiro replied. The hanafuda earrings swished from his ears.

“But, so soon-” Genya was shocked. “Can’t we skip it this year?”

“No, we can’t,” Tanjiro said. He was smiling. It was a melancholy expression. “I promised Father that I will keep the dance alive. Starting this year, I will be performing it.”

He kept to his word. That night, instead of Tanjuro, Genya watched Tanjiro, dressed in the ceremonial garbs, dance barefoot in the snow.

Chapter Text

“Nezuko, are you sure you want to go down the mountain today? You know that Tanjiro and I can do it.”

“Don’t worry, Genya,” Nezuko said with a smile, gathering the charcoal into the basket. She got to her feet, carefully placing the basket over her shoulders. “Onii-chan and I can do it today. We take turns, remember?”

A jesting grin came over her face as she flicked Genya’s forehead. “Or, are you saying you think that I’m not strong enough to do it? That I’m just a small, fragile, weak little gi-”

“I don’t, I don’t!” Genya protested, raising his hands in the air. “I know you’re tough.”

Nezuko laughed. “I was only teasing, Genya.”

Genya sighed, but he didn’t look too grumpy. “You really remind me of Sumi sometimes. You get into too much trouble for your own good.”

Nezuko grinned and adjusted the basket. “Either way, don’t worry about me. Onii-chan and I will be back by dinner. We will bring lots of sweets, too. It is New Year’s in five days, after all. It is almost time for the Hinokami Kagura.”

“Nii-chan!” They looked up. Tanjiro was also getting ready to leave, Shigeru clinging to him. “Please, we can go with you!”

“No,” Kie said sternly. “It’s snowy, so Tanjiro can’t use the cart. He won’t be able to carry you when you get tired.”

Shigeru pouted and clung on tighter. “Please, nii-chan!” Hanako begged. “I won’t get tired, I promise. I’ll help you!”

“Sorry, Hanako,” Tanjiro said, petting her head. “But, no. Nezuko and I will bring you lots of goodies, though. As many as you want.”

“Nee-chan!” Shigeru and Hanako decided to turn their efforts to Nezuko instead.

“Please, let us go with you!” Hanako cried out.

“Sorry, but not today,” Nezuko chided.

“You guys can play with me instead,” Genya said. “Takeo and I need to chop firewood first, but then we can play together.”

Hanako and Shigeru still pouted, but didn’t argue, only wrapping them both in tight hugs.

“Hey, Takeo!” Tanjiro called over their other brother. “We’ll be going now!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Takeo said, shouldering the hatchet. “Nii-chan and I will chop the firewood, so you’ll have a nice warm dinner waiting for you when you get home.”

“That’s good,” Tanjiro said, ruffling Takeo’s hair, much to his dismay. “You and Genya work hard today, alright?”

“Onii-chan, let’s go,” Nezuko said, joining him on the snowy path.

Tanjiro started to step forward, but something was clinging to his leg. “Rokuta…” He kneeled down to get eye level with his youngest brother. “I know you miss Father, but don’t worry. I’ll be back. I’ll be back soon and then I can read you a story. I promise.”

Rokuta whimpered and reluctantly let go. Tanjiro got back to his feet and tugged the straps of the basket snugger over his shoulders.

“We’ll be back soon!” Tanjiro called as he and Nezuko headed down the path.

“Stay safe!” Genya called back.

The two siblings headed down the mountain path, Tanjiro in the lead, Nezuko in the back.

“I think things are looking up,” Nezuko said, voice filled with optimism.

“Hmm?” Tanjiro hummed, asking her to go on.

“I know… that we’re all still upset about Father,” Nezuko said. “And, it’s only been a year since he died, but we’re healing, moving on. Little Rokuta still clings to you, but he doesn’t cry at night anymore. And Genya’s happier than he’s ever been.”

It was true. Tanjiro remembered back to the first night he met Genya, and how sad he had been that day. Now, he smiled and laughed.

“Yes, it’s nice,” Tanjiro agreed. “Life isn’t perfect, but as long as we all have each other, it is all we need.”

The trip down to the village was uneventful. People began to notice them as they walked down the main street.

“Look, it’s Tanjiro and Nezuko!” They gathered around and greeted them.

“Genya’s not here today?” Hotaru asked.

Nezuko shook her head. “He’s looking after the little ones this time.”

“You’ve got charcoal?” Asahi asked. “Need to be ceremonial torches?”

“No, not this year,” Tanjiro politely declined. “We got a surplus last year, so we have enough.”

“Anyone who needs charcoal, gather ‘round!” Nezuko cheered.

“Wait!” Tokuro ran out of the teashop. He was carrying a bundle in his arms. A very angry Yuzuki followed after him.

“I’ve been accused of breaking this plate!” Tokuro exclaimed, unraveling the bundle, revealing the broken shards of a ceramic plate. “Tanjiro, prove my innocence! Help me out!”

Tanjiro leaned over, sniffing at the shards. “I smell a cat.”

“Oh, so a cat broke it?” Yuzuki said, a bit surprised. “Looks like I jumped to the wrong conclusion, Tokuro. Sorry about that.”

“I demand compensation!”

Nezuko had to stifle a giggle. The siblings managed to sell all of the charcoal that day and made a considerable profit. Afterwards, Tanjiro helped fix doors and track down lost pets. In the meantime, Nezuko helped mold candles. They followed in the footsteps their father left behind.

The sun started to set. “Onii-chan, we need to hurry to the bakery!” Nezuko called out as she left the candle shop.

“Right!”

They ran to the bakery and through the doors.

“Ah, the Kamado progeny have come to pay me a visit,” Tanka said with a grin. “Let me guess; ohagi?”

Ever since Genya started living with them, ohagi became the staple sweet they went for. Not that they could complain; ohagi was delicious. So they nodded in unison and paid for two bundles of ohagi.

“The sun’s really low now,” Tanjiro noted as they walked back through town. “It’ll be dark by the time we get home.”

“We’ll just have to be fast and careful at the same time,” Nezuko said with a smile.

They reached the base of the mountain and were prepared to begin their ascent. But, the door of Saburo’s cabin opened.

“Tanjiro, Nezuko!” The old man called out. “It’s too dangerous to go up the mountain at night. You can spend the night with me.”

“Don’t worry, Saburo jii-san,” Tanjiro tried to say. “My nose will warn us of any danger.”

“I’m serious,” Saburo shot back. “Get inside. Before the demons come out.”

Nezuko tilted her head. “But, aren’t demons just a fairy tale-”

“Nezuko, I think we should listen,” Tanjiro interrupted. His expression was grave.

Sensing the severity in her brother’s tone, Nezuko relented, and the two siblings entered his cabin. He cooked up dinner and set out futons for them to sleep on.

“Jii-san,” Nezuko spoke up. “If there are demons, a simple door won’t stop them, right?”

“Right,” Saburo said. “Legend has it that a group known as the Demon Slayers protect us ordinary citizens at night by killing these demons.”

With those words, Tanjiro and Nezuko curled up side by side.

“Onii-chan, why did you seem so scared when Saburo jii-san told us about demons?”

Tanjiro contemplated his answer. “I don’t think he’s told you yet, but-” he fell silent. “We don’t really have proof, but we think Genya’s family was killed by a demon.”

“You mean, the one he had before-”

Tanjiro nodded. He tried to give his little sister a reassuring smile. “But, we’ll be fine. Let’s sleep. We’ll go up the mountain tomorrow, and everything will be fine.”

~~~

“Why aren’t they back yet?”

“Nii-chan, did you say something?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Rokuta,” Genya assured the boy in his lap. He looked over the yard from his position at the engawa. He ran his hands through Rokuta’s hair.

“Why aren’t they back yet?”

He was getting worried. The sun had almost set, and Tanjiro and Nezuko had yet to return. They had never been this late before.

“Don’t let it be like the last time someone was late. Please, don’t let it be like the last time someone was late.”

“Where are they?” Takeo complained from inside.

“I’m sure they’ll be here any minute now,” Genya said, not liking how unsure his own voice was. “We just need to wait a little while longer.”

And they waited. And waited. The sun set, and they still waited.

“Genya, Rokuta, come inside,” Kie called to them. “Tanjiro and Nezuko likely got held back and are spending the night in town. They’ll be back tomorrow morning.”

Genya grimaced, but got to his feet and led Rokuta inside.

“But nii-chan and nee-chan promised they’d bring sweets!” Shigeru pouted.

“And read to us!” Hanako joined in.

Genya sighed. “I can read to you after dinner, if you want,” he offered.

He hoped they’d say yes. He needed something to get his mind off of the terror lurking in his subconsciousness.

“Okay,” they said, much to his relief. They ate the shimmered tero Kie prepared for dinner. Rokuta and Shigeru got the extra portions that would have gone to Tanjiro and Nezuko. With dinner eaten and the dishes washed, they changed into their nightwear and gathered in the bedroom.

“Now, let’s see, what book do you want me to read?” Genya asked, looking through their small collection of books.

“‘The Sun Samurai!’” Hanako exclaimed. “That’s our favorite!” Takeo and Shigeru nodded in unison.

“Alright, let’s see…” Genya pulled out the book in question. He settled down on his futon. Rokuta crawled into his lap. Hanako sat next to their mother, while Takeo and Shigeru cuddled together.

He opened the book. It was old, the pages slightly yellowed. It has probably been handed down the family line for a few generations.

“‘The Sun Samurai,’” he began to read.

“‘Many centuries ago, there lived a man who feared death. He feared death so much, he sought out a way to become immortal. And he almost succeeded. He lived for all those centuries, but he gained a new fear to accompany his fear of death. The sun, the only thing that could kill him.’”

The wind started to howl outside. Rokuta whimpered, so Genya paused to comfortingly stroke his hair.

“‘This was a very evil man. He cared for no one but himself. He killed and hurt the people who tried to stop him. No one could stand up to him. Except for one person.’”

It sounded like there were footsteps outside the house. “Maybe nii-chan and nee-chan are back?” Takeo suggested, sensing the tension in the air.

“No, they wouldn’t risk walking through the snow at night,” their mother said. “You’re probably just hearing things.”

No, they definitely weren’t just hearing things. Someone was outside their house.

“Should I… go check-”

“No,” Kie sharply cut Genya off. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“Nii-chan, keep reading,” Hanako said, clinging tightly to their mother’s nightgown.

Everyone just wanted comfort in the moment. They wanted to stay safely inside, cuddled together, and wait for the morning sun that could kill the immortal man to come. Genya nodded and traced his finger over the fading characters, finding his place.

“‘Only the Sun Samurai, the strongest warrior in all the land, stood a chance against him. The Sun Samurai was everything the immortal man was not. He was kind, hard working, humble, brave-’”

The front door slammed open. Rokuta squealed and started crying, burying his face into Genya’s chest. He wrapped his arms around his youngest brother, softly shushing him.

“No no no no. Please no. Not this. Not this again. Please.”

“What was-” Shigeru’s terrified voice was cut off by the bedroom door being blown off its hinges. A tall man in a dark cloak stood in the doorway. His arms- his arms looked elongated.

There was blood. A spray of blood came from Kie’s chest as one of the arms struck her from where she was trying to shield Hanako. This was futile, since the arm reached the girl, too.

“No…”

“Nii-chan! Run! Take Rokuta and run!”

Takeo had tackled Shigeru to the ground, trying to cover him. The arm recoiled and struck out again, slashing against both brothers.

“Why? Why this again?”

Genya ran, holding the still weeping Rokuta in his arms. He sprinted past the man and through the smashed front door. The snow stung against his bare feet.

“Run! Save one! Save Rokuta. Get to town, get help! Make sure Tanjiro and Nezuko are sa-”

Pain lashed across his back, and he fell to the ground. Tears clouded his vision. His ears were ringing, but the distinct sound of Rokuta’s cries was gone. Dead, bleeding out.

“Not again-”

Something stabbed into the base of his neck. He couldn’t even muster up the energy to scream. Something was being pumped into him. His skinned crawled, itched, everything felt like it was on fire.

The sensation against his neck left. Genya felt the last of his strength flee. His eyes were starting to flutter close. His grip on Rokuta weakened.

“Again… It all happened again…”

His whole family slaughtered in the course of a single night, the youngest dying in his arms. Only this time, he was dying with them.

The man passed in front of him. Right before his eyes closed, Genya caught a glimpse of his face. Pale, almost sickly, the most vilely apathetic expression. And his eyes. Plum red irises, vertically slit pupils, veiny and bloodshot.

“To think that you would die from only this much blood. I suppose I cannot easily create a demon that can conquer the sun.”

“... Demon…”

~~~

Morning came. Tanjiro and Nezuko bid Saburo goodbye and resumed their journey up the mountain.

“The ohagi is probably cold by now,” Nezuko said.

“We can heat them up by the fire when we get back,” Tanjiro replied. “I hope Mother wasn’t too worried.”

“It’s probably fine,” Nezuko said. “I’m sure she figured out we spent the night at Saburo jii-san’s. We’ll get a light scolding at most.”

Tanjiro suddenly froze. “Onii-chan. What is it?”

“I smell blood.”

This made Nezuko tense up, too. Tanjiro’s acute sense of smell had never steered them wrong. And to pick it up from this distance- there must be a lot.

Tanjiro took off in a sprint, and Nezuko was quick to follow suit. Their shoes kept slipping in the snow, but the panic induced adrenaline pushed them forward.

Tanjiro reached the top of the mountain first. When Nezuko caught up, the first thing she saw was her brother’s shaking form.

“Onii-”

She looked past him and saw a pair of figures on the ground, their blood staining the snow red.

“Genya! Rokuta!”

She ran past her brother. No, this couldn’t be happening. Nezuko knelt in front of the two figures. It looked like Genya was trying to shield their younger brother from whatever attacked them. Not that it did much good, because Rokuta was clearly lifeless. She checked Genya. Pulse, faint. Breathing, shallow. Skin, only just warm enough to be considered alive.

Genya was still alive, but barely.

“Nezuko-” Tanjiro let out a pained whimper. She turned her attention to him. Tanjiro was standing in front of the house. More blood. The door was knocked down.

“Mother, Hanako. Takeo, Shigeru. They’re all-” Tanjiro was having a hard time forming sentences. “While we were peacefully sleeping, they all- they all got killed.”

“Not all of them,” Nezuko spoke up. She was acutely aware of tears staining her cheeks. “Genya- Genya still has signs of life.”

At those words, Tanjiro turned around, almost stumbling. He fell to his knees by her side. He checked Genya’s pulse.

“We have to- we have to get him to the doctor,” he stuttered out after a moment. “A doctor might be able to save him.”

“But, that’s all the way down the mountain,” Nezuko said. It seemed like an impossible endeavor.

“We have to try!” Tanjiro exclaimed. He tugged at Genya’s arm, slung it over his shoulder. “Please, we have a chance.”

“I know.” Her doubts banished and replaced by a flare of determination, Nezuko scrambled to her feet and tugged Genya’s other arm over her shoulder. The siblings began their journey down the mountain once again, their oldest brother dragged between them.

“Just hang on, nii-chan! We’ll fix things, we promise!”

~~~

… being dragged somewhere. Arms slung over… something. Shoulders? Slung over… a person? No, two people. Two people, dragging him somewhere.

His body hurts, aches. Splitting headache. Eyes twitch beneath his eyelids Toothache. Fingernails hurt. A gnawing hole in the pit of his stomach.

“... okay… you’ll be… Gen-”

Voice. Familiar.

He is hungry. Something smells good. He is very hungry.

Claws wrap around a piece of cloth, yank it back. A yelp, sensation of falling backwards.

“Onii-chan!”

“Nezuko, stay up there!”

Nezuko? A name? Sounded familiar.

Something soft and fluffy below him. Snow? Cushioned his fall. He stumbles to his feet.

“Genya! Are you okay? You don’t have to move!”

That voice again. He opens his eyes. In front of him… a human. Food. So hungry!

He lunges forward, fangs bared. The human stumbles back in shock. He pounces, pins the human to the ground. Prepares to bite.

Something is shoved into his mouth. Wood. Axe handle? He’s angry now, and that just makes him hungrier.

“Please, just hang on!”

Why is the human crying? He doesn't care. He needs to chew through the axe. After he chews through the axe, he can eat.

“I know you’re sad, and angry! I know it hurts, to go through it all a second time!”

What’s the human talking about? He just wants to eat. The wood begins to splinter in his mouth.

“Please, just hang on, Genya! It’s me, Tanjiro! It’s Tanjiro! Your little brother!”

Little… brother? Tan...jiro? His little brother, Tanjiro?

The human’s face is suddenly clear. It is! It is his little brother! But, why was he pinning his little brother to the ground with the intent to eat him? Why is he trying to hurt his little brother? Why is he so hungry? Why-

Tears slip from his eyes. How could he? How could he hurt his brother like this?

He is the worst brother in the world.

Why does that thought seem so familiar?

Tanjiro grabs him close and rolls away. They roll into a tree. He looks up. Another human. This time, he’s sure this human is a stranger. He has a sharp sword.

“Why are you protecting it?”

“He’s my brother!”

Danger. That human, danger. Hungry. Must get away, get food.

“That thing is your brother? That is a demon!”

Something grabs him, drags him away from Tanjiro. The dangerous human. The dangerous human is holding him tight. He tries to claw away. No use.

“I’m a Demon Slayer. It is my job to kill demons. Naturally, I am going to decapitate your brother.”

“Genya hasn’t killed anyone! He’s innocent! There was a different scent- at my house! Someone else killed my family! I don’t know why he is acting like that, but-”

“Easy. Demon blood got into his wounds, and he turned into a demon.”

“Even if he’s a demon, Genya won’t hurt anyone. He’d never eat anyone! He knows all about demons, and he’d never-”

“He tried to eat you a moment ago. He went as far as biting through your hatchet.”

“He recognizes me now, I’m sure! He’s snapped out of it! I’ll find a cure-”

“There is no cure. Once you become a demon, there is no going back.”

The dangerous human raises his sword. He kicks and shrieks and tries to get away.

“Please stop! Please! Please!” Tanjiro falls to his knees and bows. Not asking, begging. “Please. It’s just me and Genya and Nezuko. Please- don’t take any more of my family. Genya- Genya’s lost his family for a second time. You can’t- please, don’t kill him!”

Family? Lost… his family? He has… family? Tanjiro and… Nezuko. ‘Nemi. Who else? He… can’t remember. Why can’t he remember?

“You must never let any of your enemies kill you!” The dangerous human is yelling now. “Get up! Stop bowing so pitifully! If groveling and begging had any use to it, your family wouldn’t be dead! How can someone who bows to his enemy hope to cure his brother? The weak have no power or rights! Their only option is to get relentlessly crushed by the strong! Maybe the demons know of a cure, but don’t think for a second that they will respect your desires! You must get stronger. Why did you cover your brother instead of fighting back? Why did you show your back to me instead of drawing your hatchet? That’s how I captured your brother!”

Tanjiro stays silent, speechless. Tanjiro’s crying again. The dangerous human draws his sword again. Sudden sharp pain. Stabbed! He got stabbed.

“Stop!”

Snow in his face. Tanjiro threw snow at them. Tanjiro is running. Where? Trying to help him?

Tanjiro dashes forward. The dangerous human looks annoyed. Slams Tanjiro’s back with the blunt end of his sword. Tanjiro falls. Tanjiro doesn’t move.

The dangerous human… hurt Tanjiro? The dangerous human… hurt his little brother? His little brother… is hurt? Because of the dangerous human. The dangerous human must pay.

The hatchet falls from the sky. Almost hits the dangerous human. The dangerous human barely dodges. Tanjiro threw the hatchet… before the dangerous human hit him. Yes. His little brother… is smart.

He screeches, kicks the dangerous human away. He dives in front of Tanjiro. He’ll protect his little brother from the dangerous human.

The dangerous human looks shocked. Good. He won’t hurt his little brother, but he’s still hungry.

He lunges at the dangerous human. The dangerous human puts his sword away. Not very dangerous anymore.

The dangerous human strikes him in the neck - so still dangerous - and everything is black.

When he comes to, he is lying next to Tanjiro in the snow. Tanjiro is awake. There’s something in his mouth. Bamboo? He tries to nibble on it. He’s still hungry.

“The muzzle is a precaution. If he happens to lose control, he won’t be able to bite anyone.”

The dangerous human was still there. “Head to Mt. Sagiri. Find a man named Sakonji Urokodaki. Tell him that Giyu Tomioka sent you. Make sure to keep him out of direct sunlight.”

The dangerous human vanishes. Tanjiro slowly gets to his feet. Tanjiro helps him up. Tanjiro still looks sad. Tanjiro takes him by the hand. Was Tanjiro always this short?

Tanjiro leads him back up the cliff from where they fell. Another human is waiting for them. Nezuko. His little sister. Nezuko looks scared. Is Nezuko scared of him? He wants to tell Nezuko that there is nothing to be scared of. The bamboo is in the way. He tries to bite through it. No luck.

Tanjiro pets Nezuko on the head. Tanjiro doesn’t let go of his hand. Tanjiro leads him and Nezuko up a mountain path. It looks familiar. Has he been here before?

They come to a house. There’s a lot of blood. He’s still hungry. Why do Tanjiro and Nezuko look so sad?

His little siblings began carrying bodies out of the house and burying them. Why?

Is this… family? His family? The family Tanjiro mentioned?

Should he feel sad? He does feel sad, but he’s mostly hungry. He stands aside, worrying that if he gets too close he might feel tempted to eat the bodies. Something tells him that Tanjiro and Nezuko would not be happy about that.

Where is ‘Nemi, he wonders. Is ‘Nemi not part of his family?

The bodies are buried. Tanjiro and Nezuko are praying. He stands behind them.

Family… Mom. Sumi. Hiroshi. Koto. Teiko. Shuya. Father. Mother. Takeo. Hanako. Shigeru. Rokuta. Dead family.

There are only five graves. Are Tanjiro and Nezuko not done yet? Where is the rest of the family?

Tanjiro looks at him and hands him a purple yukata. Purple yukata… Something familiar. Nezuko tugs a brown travel haori over her shoulders.

“Are you ready, Genya?” Tanjiro asks, taking him by the hand again.

Tanjiro. Nezuko. ‘Nemi, if he’s out there somewhere. His family. All that’s left of his family.

He will protect them this time. No matter what.

Chapter Text

Nezuko waited inside the cave for Tanjiro to come back. Genya sat next to her. He kept making weird clicking sounds.

Nezuko looked away, then towards him again. It was still hard to grasp that this was her big brother. His black mohawk had taken on a few bright yellow streaks at the tips. His fingernails curved into claws, and the muzzle surely hid the fangs Tanjiro swore he saw. The sclera had turned completely black. His irises seemed to change color based on the lighting. Under the clouded sky, they seemed to have a yellow tint. In the darkness of the cave, they appeared to be blood red.

He looked towards her, then looked away. Nezuko realized just how sad he appeared to be. Even with the muzzle obscuring the shape of his mouth, his eyes and brows showed the whole story. The smiles, the laughter that he managed to reclaim over the past few years had vanished like smoke.

“Hey, Genya,” she spoke up. He glanced in her direction. “Onii-chan… he told me about what happened to your mom and family.”

Genya made a noise that resembled a muffled whimper.

“So, I understand you’re scared. But, we trust you. You’re our big brother, and we know you’d never hurt us. We’ll find a way to fix this. I promise you that.”

This proclamation seemed to make Genya feel a little better, because his eyebrows turned upwards in what seemed to be relief. The clicking sound continued to fill the cave.

“Nezuko! Genya!” Tanjiro had returned, carrying a basket and some bamboo in his arms. He noticed the sound. “What’s that noise?”

“I think Genya is trying to chew through the muzzle,” Nezuko noted. “Does he really have to keep it on?”

Tanjiro frowned, crawling into the cave. “Tomioka-san said it was a precaution. Genya, are you okay with the muzzle?”

After a moment, Genya nodded his head, though he was clearly unhappy.

“I’m going to fix that basket I bought so that we can travel in daytime,” Tanjiro explained, crawling back out the way he came.

Nezuko and Genya sat in silence while Tanjiro worked. Genya traced nonsensical patterns into the dirt cave floor.

“Genya, do you know who did this to you?” Nezuko tried to ask. Any answers could help them.

Genya shook his head rapidly. If he did remember, the memory was causing him distress. Nezuko dropped the topic.

After almost an hour, Tanjiro returned, a bamboo reinforced basket by his side. His half broken hatchet was tucked into his belt.

“Now, before we get going,” he turned to his sister, “Nezuko, you don’t have to come with us. I can do this by myself. I think I’d prefer it if you returned home where you won’t be in danger.”

Nezuko flicked his forehead. “Why are you even suggesting that? I’m going with you. We’re family! We have to stick together! If we have to fight, I’ll learn how to fight. We’re all we have left, so whatever comes, we’ll face it together, the three of us.”

Genya gave an affirmative nod.

Tanjiro felt a smile crawl over his face at his sister’s showcase of drive and bravery. “Alright. The three of us.”

He held out the basket. “Genya, you can’t go into the sunlight. So, during the day, I can carry you around in this basket. So, can you crawl inside?”

Genya eased his way to the entrance of the basket. However, he wasn’t anywhere near close to fitting.

“Is it just me, or did he grow taller after becoming a demon?” Nezuko asked.

“I think so,” Tanjiro nodded his head in agreement. “We used to be around the same height, but Genya’s definitely taller than me now.”

He tried to think. “Genya, when you first transformed, you became big like this. Do you think you can do the opposite and shrink? Try shrinking.”

Genya tilted his head in confusion. He scrunched his eyes shut and squeezed himself into a ball, but he didn’t actually get any smaller.

“I guess he can’t shrink,” Tanjiro said. “Uh, Genya… is there any way you can sit to make yourself fit?”

Genya looked a bit annoyed at this point. The clicking became more aggravated. Still, he fumbled around in the basket, trying to find a way to fit. In the end, he almost folded himself in half. He looked utterly displeased and sent Tanjiro a dirty look.

“I’m sorry, nii-chan,” Tanjiro said sheepishly. “I know it’s not the most comfortable, but we’ll let you out at night.”

Genya seemed to roll his eyes. Nezuko covered the basket in the cloth they grabbed from home.

“Will you be able to carry him since he’s much bigger now?” She asked.

Tanjiro pushed the basket out of the cave and then heaved it on to his shoulders. “It’s going to be difficult, but I’ll manage if you take the rest of our supplies,” he said.

Tanjiro quickly handed over their small food supply to Nezuko and they set off for Mt. Sagiri.

They walked mostly in silence. Faint scratching sounds came from the basket.

“Is Genya going to be okay?” Nezuko asked.

“We’ll fix this,” Tanjiro assured her. “There just has to be a way to fix this. We will become Demon Slayers. Tomioka-san said that the demons might know a cure.”

“Oh, so we’re going to train and get stronger now, right?”

Tanjiro nodded. They got directions from a mother and child living by the edge of the forest.

“Mt. Sagiri… you need to cross through those mountains first,” the woman told them.

“Thank you very much,” Nezuko said with a bow.

“Be careful!” The woman called as they started down the path. “People have been disappearing there!”

“Do you think it’s demons?” Nezuko asked Tanjiro.

“Probably,” Tanjiro offered a weak grin. “Maybe we’ll be lucky and not run into any until we find Urokodaki-san.”

As if luck had been on their side lately.

They kept walking. The basket felt heavy, weighing down on Tanjiro’s back and shoulders.

“Once I get stronger, I’ll be able to carry him no problem,” he said to no one in particular.
They walked past a village. Nezuko went in to buy food while Tanjiro waited on the outskirts. Genya continued to scratch at the bamboo from inside the basket.

“You can’t come out yet, nii-chan,” Tanjiro said. “I’m sorry, but the sun is still out. Just wait a few more hours, okay.”

The scratching stopped.

Tanjiro wondered what Genya was feeling in the moment. Was he embarrassed he had to be carried around by his little brother? Scared of his new form? Guilt over trying to attack Tanjiro? Why could he only think of negative emotions?

“Hey, Genya,” he said. A single scratch against the bamboo.

“You’re probably not very happy right now, I know,” Tanjiro said. “But, I’m very happy that you’re alive. I don’t care if you’re a demon or not. I’m sure the rest of our family would feel the same.”

Another scratch, and the smell of genuine gratitude.

Nezuko came back with a pair of onigiri. They ate as they walked.

The sun started to set. Once it was fully obscured by the horizon, Tanjiro removed the basket from his shoulders and pulled away the cloth. Genya slowly crawled out of the basket, stretching out his cramped limbs. He sent the basket a dirty look before sprawling out on the ground.

“Looks like he’s happy to be out of the basket,” Nezuko said with a grin. Indeed, Genya seemed to be smiling behind the muzzle. The bamboo had a few cracks in it from his chewing.

“We can walk for a few more hours before Nezuko and I will need to sleep,” Tanjiro said, extending his hand out to Genya. “Let’s go. I want to reach Mt. Sagiri as fast as possible.”

Genya got to his feet. The now three of them continued walking down the path. Tanjiro let Nezuko carry the now empty basket when she wouldn’t stop pestering him. Genya kept chewing on the muzzle, emitting light clicking noises as he did so.

Nezuko started yawning. “Are you tired? Do you want to stop?” Tanjiro asked.

Nezuko shook her head, rubbing at her eyes. “No. We have to get to Mt. Sagiri. Don’t worry, onii-chan. I can keep going.”

She yawned again. Her feet dragged against the ground. Suddenly, the basket was removed from her shoulders. Then, she felt something pick her up. It was Genya. He carefully placed her in the basket.

“Are you… offering to carry Nezuko, Genya?” Tanjiro asked, surprised. Genya nodded.

“You okay with this, Nezuko?” His sister also nodded after a moment.

“Genya’s gotten stronger,” she said as Genya picked up the basket. Tanjiro helped his brother adjust it over his shoulders. “It’s been a while since anyone has carried me like this.”

“Yeah, our big brother sure is strong,” Tanjiro said with a smile. This seemed to make Genya very happy.

They walk for a few more hours with Genya carrying Nezuko, who had drifted off to sleep in the basket. Tanjiro walked in the lead, keeping his nose sharp for any danger.

Eventually, Tanjiro also grew tired. He looked around for a place to rest and noticed stone steps leading up to a Shinto temple. “We probably have a few hours before the sun comes up. Genya, do you mind stopping for now?”

Genya nodded and began following Tanjiro up the temple steps.

Suddenly, Tanjiro froze. “The smell of blood, up ahead! Someone’s in trouble.”

Now that Tanjiro mentioned it, something did smell… mouthwatering. Tanjiro grabbed Genya by the hand and practically pulled him up the stone steps. The jostling woke Nezuko up.

“Onii-chan, what-”

Tanjiro flung open the temple door. Blood covered the walls and floor. Human bodies, both whole and in pieces, lay scattered on the ground. Something that could only be a demon was chewing on an arm.

Tanjiro felt sick. It was bad enough to see his family slaughtered, but witnessing a demon in the act of consuming human flesh was something else entirely. He glanced towards Genya, and saw drool seep through the muzzle and pool at his chin.

“What is this?” The demon turned around to look at them, wiping the blood from his mouth. “I’m getting a weird vibe from you. Get off my turf!”

“Genya, protect Ne-”

Tanjiro didn’t get a chance to finish, because the demon lunged at him. He instinctively reached for the axe and swung it at the demon. The force caused the handle, already damaged from Genya’s teeth, to snap. The blade flew off and got lodged into a nearby tree.

“Lucky shot,” the demon grinned, in spite of the neck wound. “But, that puny axe isn’t enough to kill me. See the bleeding already stopped.”

Much to Tanjiro’s horror, the demon was telling the truth. The demon lunged at him. No! He had no way to defend himself this time.

“Leave onii-chan alone!”

Nezuko, fully roused from her slumber, kicked the demon from behind. It was hard enough to make the demon falter. But only for a moment.

“Wait your turn!” He yelled, striking Nezuko and sending her flying back. “I’ll eat you next!”

“Nezuko!”

The demon turned his attention back to Tanjiro. But then-

Genya leapt in, grabbing hold of the demon’s hair. With a final CRUNCH! the bamboo muzzle shattered to pieces. His mouth freed, he sunk his fangs into the demon’s shoulder.

The demon roared in a mixture of pain and surprise. With a wave of his arm, Genya was sent flying, a section of the demon’s shoulder with him. Blood poured from the missing chunk of his shoulder. Tanjiro took this moment to dash away and run to Nezuko. She was nursing her shoulder with a grimace, but the damage didn’t seem severe.

“What the-” the demon yelled. Slowly, the muscle fibers of his shoulder began to regrow and stitch themselves together. “I got the feeling that one of you wasn’t human! You’ve got it all backwards! You’re supposed to eat the humans! HU-MANS!”

Genya only growled in response, chewing through the demon flesh. In the darkness of night, his eyes seemed to glow. They were the color of freshly spilled blood.

With another shriek, Genya launched himself towards the demon. He leapt into the air and latched onto the demon’s face, sinking his fangs into his flesh. But, the demon was prepared, reeling back his fist and punching Genya in the stomach. He was sent flying back into the trees.

“Genya!” Tanjiro and Nezuko scrambled back to their feet. They chased after the demon into the forest with reckless abandon. Within the thicket, Genya and the hostile demon were still locked in battle, the former trying to bite at any chance he got. But, it was clear that this demon was stronger than him.

Genya got knocked to the ground, and the demon gave him another kick.

“Stop it!” Tanjiro yelled, dashing forward and tackling the demon. Little did he know, they had approached the end of a tall cliff, a river chasm running below him.

Someone grabbed him before he could fly over the edge after the demon. Genya, who with his newfound strength, hauled Tanjiro back to the clifftop. The demon hit the rocks below with a sickening splat.

“You damn brats! I’ll get up there and kill you if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Even that fall couldn’t kill him,” Nezuko murmured, peering over the edge.

Genya screeched and tried to dive over the cliff. The two siblings grabbed hold of their older brother to stop him. Genya shrieked and tried to pull away.

“Nii-chan, stop! You can’t eat the demon!” Nezuko protested, tugging at his yukata.

“Please, he’s already gone, you can stop now!” Tanjiro called out.

Their voices seemed to snap Genya out of his ravenous rage. He stopped struggling and crawled away from the cliff’s edge. His eyebrows furrowed in what could only be guilt.

“But, thank you for protecting me, Genya,” Tanjiro said, trying to cheer him up. “I don’t know what would have happened if not for you.”

Genya opened his mouth to try and say something. Only growls came out. He closed his mouth, finding the task fruitless.

“I don’t know if this is quite the same, and it’s definitely cold by now, but,” Nezuko reached into their food pouch and pulled out a lump of ohagi, “do you want to try eating this?”

Genya cautiously took the ohagi, as if he himself didn’t know what to expect. He nibbled on the treat, but his face didn’t showcase any of the warmth and happiness it usually did when he ate ohagi. Tanjiro and Nezuko exchanged unhappy glances. It really hit them in that moment. Genya was a demon who hungered for human - and apparently, demon - flesh.

“The sun will rise soon,” Tanjiro noted, taking Genya by the hand and helping him to his feet. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

They walked back to the shrine, leading Genya inside. They noticed that the bodies had already been removed from the scene. Genya curled up in a corner where he would be hidden from the rising sun rays. He pried up a loose floorboard and started chewing on it.

“Oh, right, the muzzle broke,” Nezuko said. She took off her dark brown haori and tore off a strip of the sleeve. “Genya, I’m going to tie that floorpiece in place, alright?”

Genya blinked and nodded. He sat perfectly still as Nezuko wrapped the torn haori sleeve around his head and mouth and tied it into a knot, holding the wood in place as a makeshift muzzle.

“And now his hair’s grown,” Tanjiro noticed. Genya’s previously scruffy mohawk now reached past his shoulders. “Within just a few minutes, too.”

“Definitely something that has to do with demon powers,” Nezuko said. She stepped out to fetch the basket. Once again, they coaxed Genya to crawl in. He had an even harder time fitting now.

“There’s someone else here,” Tanjiro said as they tied the cloth around the top of the basket. “I smelled them near the shrine. They must be the person who buried everyone.”

Nezuko nodded, helping Tanjiro adjust the basket over his shoulders. They stepped out of the temple, the sun now fully over the horizon. Tanjiro led the way around to the side of the temple, following his nose.

Between the temple and the forest stood a person in a light blue jinbei, clouds scrolling over the fabric. Before that person were the graves of the dead people from the temple. As if sensing their footsteps, the man turned around. His face was fully obscured by a tengu mask and white scarf.

“Uh, sir-” Tanjiro started to say.

“I am Sakonji Urokodaki,” the man said.

The two siblings froze. This was the man they were looking for!

“What will you do when your brother devours a human?”

Not if. When.

“We, well-”

Tanjiro was cut off again, this time by a slap to the face.

“Hey!” Nezuko protested, getting between her brother and Sakonji.

“You both lack decisiveness!” He told them. “When your brother eats a human, there will be only two things to do. Kill him, then cut open your own stomachs. That is the toll you agreed to pay when you chose to protect him. The crime of taking another human’s life is unforgivable.”

This shocked Tanjiro and Nezuko into silence. As much as they despised that thought, Sakonji was right.

“We understand,” Tanjiro forced out after a minute. “So, that is why we will never let that happen. We will become Demon Slayers, we will find a cure, we will turn Genya back into a human.”

Sakonji gave a barely noticeable nod of approval. He turned around. “Giyu told me a young man with a demon sibling would come my way. He said nothing about a sister.”

“Tomioka-san didn’t get the chance to meet me,” Nezuko explained. “But, I’m training, too.”

“In that case, follow me,” Sakonji said. “I’m a cultivator. I train future Demon Slayers, and I will test if you are fit for the job.”

He started running down the path, leaving Tanjiro and Nezuko with little choice but to follow him.

“How is he so fast?” Tanjiro forced out after almost an hour passed. He was practically out of breath. “I can hardly hear his footsteps, and he doesn’t seem tired at all.”

“Don’t talk, onii-chan,” Nezuko wheezed out. She found it hard to run in her kimono. She’d have to get a different outfit when she started training. The buns on her head were starting to feel heavy, so she tugged the bows away, letting her hair fall free.

They chased after Sakonji for what seemed to be hours. They ran past rice fields and mountain trails. Genya scratched at the inside of the basket.

“Just hang on- Genya-” Tanjiro breathed out as he ran. “Everything- is fine-”

After more running, they finally reached a forest thicket at the foot of a mountain. It looked to be even taller than the mountain they lived on not even two days ago. Sakonji stopped in front of a cabin. His home, evidently.

The two siblings came to halt behind him, gasping for air. Their limbs ached and it felt like their lungs were mere moments from bursting.

“Did we- pass- the test-” Tanjiro wheezed out. Nezuko collapsed to the ground, unable to stand any more.

“The test begins now.”

Chapter Text

Tanjiro and Nezuko quickly began to adapt to the training. As soon as they arrived at Sakonji’s home, he ordered one of them to go up the mountain with him for training. Nezuko offered to go first, since it has been over a day since Tanjiro has slept. While Tanjiro took the chance to rest, Sakonji offered Nezuko a change of clothes that would be more comfortable to train with.

She opened up the basket once they were inside, allowing Genya to crawl out. “Nii-chan, you and Tanjiro wait here,” she said. “I’m going to train and get stronger now, okay? You just wait here, you’re safe here.”

Genya nodded, curling up in a ball in the corner of the room and watching over a sleeping Tanjiro. Nezuko followed Sakonji up the mountain. The hike was long and strenuous. Even in the more comfortable outfit, it was hard to move. Nezuko had tied her hair up in two loose buns. She felt sweat pour down her face and her breaths get shorter.

After about three hours of climbing, Sakonji came to a pause in a small clearing. Nezuko stopped behind him, waiting for further instructions.

“Now, you must descend the mountain,” he said.

“Descend?”

“You have until daybreak,” Sakonji said. Nezuko hadn’t even noticed darkness fall. “If you can accomplish that, you can continue training. If not, you will go back home.”

Before Nezuko can even give a determined nod of affirmation, Sakonji vanished. He moved so fast her eyes couldn’t track him.

“Well, nevermind that,” she said to herself. “I just have to stick to the path. I have a pretty good sense of where I need to go.”

She walked a few steps before breaking into a run. Years of climbing up and down the mountain to go to the village had made her legs strong. She sprinted down the path she just walked up.

Nezuko tripped over something, and suddenly the ground beneath her collapsed. Leaves fell into her mouth. She quickly sputtered and spit them out. She had fallen into some sort of pitfall. Her knees got scrapped, but they weren’t serious injuries. She crawled out.

“I see. I guess just descending the mountain would be too easy. So there’s booby traps.”

Nezuko started running again. It wasn’t more than two dozen steps later that she tripped over some ropes and got bombarded with a rain of pebbles. They left scratches on her face. She ignored the stinging pain and kept running.

“Endure the pain! For Tanjiro, for Genya! For your family! You are the eldest daughter, you must endure!”

She kept running, forcing her legs to pump faster. She ran through more traps, bit back sounds of pain when she fell through more pits, got bombarded with more pebbles, even the lashes of bamboo. Her knees and elbows were scrapped, cuts from lashes ran over her face, and her palms were getting blistered.

Still she kept running.

It was hard to breathe. The air was thinner on this mountain than Nezuko was used to. After an hour of running, she had to stop to catch her breath. She almost collapsed, but forced herself to stay on her feet. She ran again.

It took some time, but she began to notice patterns in the traps. The momentary tautness of a rope taught her to roll to avoid the pebbles. Her foot starting to sink through a patch of leaves taught her to jump back to avoid the pitfall.

The sun’s rays were just starting to peek through the treetops when she collapsed at the door of Sakonji’s cabin. She swung the door open, using the handle to prop herself up.

“I- I made it,” she forced out through gritted teeth.

Sakonji looked up, glanced over her bruised and battered body. “Go rest,” he said. “You will repeat this exercise when you wake up. This time, focus on not falling for the traps.”

Nezuko grinned sheepishly. “Go wake your brother up. It’s his turn to descend the mountain.”

Nezuko entered the second room, where Tanjiro was sleeping on the futon. Genya looked up when he heard the noises. Concern passed over his face when he saw her injuries.

“Don’t worry, Genya, this is nothing.” Nezuko knelt down in front Tanjiro and gently shook him awake.

“Your turn for training,” she said, shoving him off the futon and crawling in herself.

“Wow, was it really that hard?” Tanjiro asked when he noticed the cuts.

“I’m fine,” Nezuko assured him, snuggling under the blanket. “I’m sure you will do even better than me.”

“Okay. Sleep well, Nezuko.” Tanjiro’s footsteps shuffled away.

Nezuko felt something tap her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes. Genya was still looking at her with concern.

“I promise I’m fine, Genya,” she said. “Onii-chan and I are going to find a way to turn you back into a human. We’ll go through whatever it takes.”

Genya nodded before snuggling down next to her. He gently took her hand in his.

“It probably gets lonely in that basket,” Nezuko murmured sleepily. Genya whined behind the muzzle. Nezuko contemplated it for a moment, then tugged off the cloth holding the piece of wood in place.

A low growl escaped from Genya’s throat. He opened his mouth. More growls and snarls came from him. He closed his mouth, dejected.

“I guess you can’t talk,” Nezuko said. She could practically feel Genya’s pain. “I promise. I promise we’ll fix this. Just hang on a little longer.”

Genya made a noise again. This time, it sounded like a declaration of trust.

~~~

The training regime continued. Tanjiro and Nezuko would take turns running down the boobie trapped mountain. With every run, the traps got more dangerous. While one did the mountain run, the other trained at the base of Mt. Sagiri.

At the base training, Sakonji made them do push ups, handstands, among other exercises to build up their physical strength. He gave them each a sword to practice their swings with. And lastly-

“Total Concentration Breathing?” Tanjiro repeated. He and Nezuko listened to Sakonji’s instructions.

“Yes,” Sakonji said sternly. “Proper Breathing is the key to success.”

“That’s what Father used to say,” Tanjiro whispered under his breath.

This technique proved more difficult than anything they’d attempted before. It only took a few breaths for them to collapse from exhaustion.

They learned the Breath of Water swordsmanship techniques, as well.

“First Form: Surface Water Slash!” Tanjiro yelled, swiping his sword at a training dummy.

“Fourth Form: Striking Tide! Nezuko called out, cutting through a stock of bamboo.

At night, when training was over with, they’d return to their room and tell Genya about their day. Their older brother was always happy for the company. Tanjiro had also taken to writing down all the movesets and details in a yarn bound journal.

“Maybe when we find a cure, Genya will also learn these techniques,” he would say jokingly, showing Genya a rough sketch of the Breath of Water Seventh Form.

“Onii-chan, when we find a cure, what will we do then?” Nezuko asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I guess… will we keep being Demon Slayers? I know we’re mainly joining to find a cure for Genya, but there are also other people who are suffering.”

Tanjiro smiled. “I think I’d stay. We will help as many people as we can.”

Genya leaned forward. Tanjiro suppressed a light laugh. “You’ll help many people, too, Genya. If we find a cure for you, we can also give it to other demons who want to be human again.”

Genya made a muffled noise behind the muzzle. His eyes closed and turned upwards in a smile.

They were slowly making progress. Tanjiro got better at sniffing out the traps, while Nezuko perfected her reaction time to them. Sakonji instructed them to start running down the mountain with the swords. This made things more difficult with the added weight. They struggled to adapt.

After six months of training, Sakonji gave them an odd declaration.

“I believe it would be best for Nezuko to find a different trainer.”

Nezuko was confused by this. “But why? I am making decent progress, aren’t I?”

“What I mean by that is that you would be better suited to a different Breath style,” Sakonji clarified. “Water is steady, yet adaptable. Tanjiro fits this mold well. You, however, are driven by a pure offensive force. That aggressive temperament doesn’t mesh well with Breath of Water.”

“What should I do, then?” Nezuko asked.

“The Breath of Flames is a better match for you,” Sakonji said. “If you would like to make that transition, I can write a letter to the current Flame Pillar and ask him to instruct you.”

“Pillar?” Tanjiro asked.

“The highest ranking members of the Demon Slayer Corps are known as the Pillars,” Sakonji explained. “For as long as the Demon Slayers have existed, Flame Pillars came from a single family; the Rengoku line. The current Flame Pillar is Kyojuro Rengoku.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko exchanged glances. “What do you think, onii-chan?”

“I think it’s at least worth considering,” Tanjiro muttered. “Urokodaki-san said that this family has been Demon Slayers for a long time, they might know something.”

Nezuko nodded. “And, if I don’t mesh well with Breath of Water, then I’d like to switch. I’m going to unlock my full potential.”

She asked Sakonji to draft up the letter. A week later, they got a response from the Flame Pillar, claiming he was willing to give this girl a chance. “Every trainer has different requirements for you to pass in order to be qualified for Final Selection,” Sakonji warned her. “Be aware of this when you transition.”

Nezuko nodded. She packed up the few belongings she could call her own, mostly consisting of her old clothing. She bid goodbye to Tanjiro and Genya.

“Let’s try to meet up again after Final Selection,” Tanjiro said. “Stay safe, Nezuko.”

“You, too.”

She gave Genya a hug. “You stay safe, too, Genya. I’m leaving. I don’t know for how long, but you’d better stay alive.”

Genya nodded. He pulled away from the hug, pointed at himself, then to her. The gesture was clear.

“You, too.”

Sakonji gave her one final warning. “Do not make any mention of your brother. It does not matter if he has not eaten anyone. Most Demon Slayers will not take kindly to a demon being allowed to live. Especially the Pillars.”

Nezuko nodded. Sakonji gave her directions to Kyojuro’s estate, and she set off. She kept the sword Sakonji gave her for defense. The journey took three days, and she was lucky enough to avoid encounters with demons. Eventually, she arrived at the gates of a large house. It certainly looked prestigious enough to house someone as influential as a Pillar.

She knocked on the door. After a moment, the gate was pulled open, revealing a boy even smaller than her. He had bushy eyebrows and flaming golden hair. His fiery eyes didn’t mesh well with his melancholy expression.

“Uh…” Nezuko expected a Pillar to look more… imposing. “Are you Kyojuro Rengoku?”

The boy shook his head. “That’s my older brother.” Oh, that made more sense. “I’m Senjuro. You must be… Nezuko Kamado?”

Nezuko nodded. Senjuro stepped back, letting her come inside. “Nii-san said you would come by. Are you going to be training under him?”

“I hope so!” Nezuko said with a smile.

“Nii-san is very busy, but he should come by tonight,” Senjuro said. “But, I’m kind of familiar with the Breath of Flames techniques, so maybe I can show you the basics.”

Nezuko followed Senjuro into the courtyard. It’s large and spacious enough to allow for a full range of training exercises, but it felt cramped when compared to the wilderness of Mt. Sagiri.

Senjuro picked up two bokken practice swords before he noticed the blade at Nezuko’s hip. “Oh, you already have a sword,” he murmured, putting one away. “So, for the Breath of Flames-”

“Senjuro!” A voice roared from inside the house. Nezuko sensed how the little boy’s shoulders seemed to tense.

A man emerged from the house. He gave off the stench of alcohol. Something told her that this wasn’t Kyojuro, either. But, he did look like a much older, much meaner version of Senjuro. His dad, maybe?

“Who is this?!”

Nezuko didn’t like the man’s tone. She took a step forward, trying to subtly protect Senjuro. “I am Nezuko Kamado. I have arrived here to study under the Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku.”

The man did not look impressed. “That worthless fool is nothing by his own right. And he thinks he can actually teach someone else.”

Nezuko felt her blood boil. She hadn’t even Kyojuro yet, but she couldn’t stand to hear him be insulted.

“Father, stop,” Senjuro said, his voice meek. “Please don’t speak ill of nii-san.”

“Both of you are nothing but failures!” His father roared. “Nothing!” He marched back into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Nezuko turned to Senjuro. The boy’s lip trembled as he held back tears.

“Don’t listen to him,” she said. “You’re not a failure, and neither is your brother.”

“I-I- I know,” Senjuro murmured. “It’s just…”

He fell silent, not bothering to finish his sentence.

Since Senjuro seemed unwilling to show her the basics as he promised, but Nezuko didn’t mind, given his emotional state. She took this as a chance to explore the estate, careful to stray clear of the room that reeked of alcohol. It was a large, spacious house. Too small to be a mansion, but much larger than her old house or Sakonji’s cabin.

She went through her exercises as she waited. The sun began to set. Senjuro prepared sweet potato miso soup, claiming it as Kyojuro’s favorite.

About an hour after the sun set, there was the sound of the gates opening. “It must be nii-san!” Senjuro exclaimed. He ran to the door, Nezuko following after him.

At the door was another man with flaming golden hair and wild eyes. Unlike Senjuro, he had a brilliant smile.

“Welcome home, nii-san!” Senjuro said.

“Thank you, Senjuro,” Kyojuro replied, bending down to give his brother a hug. His gaze wandered over to Nezuko. “Ah, and you must be Young Kamado.”

Nezuko nodded. “I am Nezuko Kamado. I am hoping to study under you.”

“Yes, yes, but first, we eat!”

Kyojuro was certainly an eccentric man. He exclaimed “delicious!” as he ate. He tended to yell his statements instead of speaking them. He told her stories of his mother, Senjuro, and his own adopted brother.

“It’s a funny coincidence,” Nezuko beamed. “I also have an adopted older brother.”

“Ah, yes,” Kyojuro said with a nod. “Quite an odd twist of fate.”

Nezuko poked at her soup. “His family was killed by a demon, and then he found us. And then- then- a demon killed our family again. Only me and my older brothers are left.”

Kyojuro listened silently. Nezuko continued. “Tanjiro’s learning the Breath of Water, and I wish to learn Breath of Flames. But, our oldest brother got injured and can’t fight.”

Nezuko was thankful she was a better liar than her brother. If they had swapped roles, Tanjiro would have given away the truth instantly.

“We’ve suffered so much because of those demons. So many people have suffered,” Nezuko said. “We hope to ease that suffering, if only a little. So, I hope you can accept me as your student.”

Kyojuro beamed at her. “I’ve made my decision. I will teach you Breath of Flames, Young Kamado!”

For the next year and a half, Kyojuro trained her. While he had many duties to attend to as a Pillar, he made sure to spend ample time with her instruction. When he was gone, Nezuko read the instruction volumes Kyojuro taught himself with. She exchanged letters with Tanjiro frequently, and the two of them developed a personal code to discuss matters relating to Genya.

When Kyojuro wasn’t around, Senjuro was there. He mostly watched Nezuko practice and did chores.

“You know, I really am grateful that nii-san took you on as a student,” he told Nezuko one day.

“Huh?”

“Our family has churned out Flame Pillars for generations. And nii-san is an incredible Flame Pillar. But, I’m pretty sure that he has no interest in women - or anyone for that matter - so I don’t know if he’ll marry and have descendants. I’ve always felt kind of pressured to eventually inherit my brother’s position. Thing is, though, I’m a very subpar swordsman. So, I’m happy someone else will carry on the Breath of Flames.”

Nezuko patted Senjuro on the head as if he was a little brother. “Don’t worry, Senjuro,” she said. “I’m sure your brother does not expect you to carry on the Breath style. You can be your own person.”

This made Senjuro genuinely beam.

Over her time training, Nezuko caught glimpses of the other Pillars. Sometimes, a man in a striped haori and a snake around his shoulders would watch her from a tree. She later learned that this was Kyojuro’s “friend, fellow Pillar, and honorary member of the Rengoku family.” Other times, it was Kyojuro’s previous student who would stop by for the occasional dinner.

Kyojuro made sure to teach her the history of the demons, as well.

“So, are demons just kinda running around?” Nezuko asked. “And they multiply through demon blood getting into human wounds?”

“Not quite,” Kyojuro corrected her. “There is only one demon with the power to create other demons. That is Muzan Kibutsuji. All other demons serve him. Our organization's overarching goal is to kill him.”

Muzan Kibutsuji. The only demon capable of making new demons. So, it had to be him that attacked their family that night and turned Genya into a demon. Nezuko was furious. She’d find him and force him to cough up a cure if it was the last thing she did.

“Rengoku-san,” she asked one night after training. “I know this is a… hard question. I probably shouldn’t even be asking you this, but-”

“Ask away, Young Kamado!” Kyojuro urged her.

Nezuko swallowed back a lump in her throat. “What would you do… if one of your brothers turned into a demon?”

Kyojuro froze, pondered it. “I suppose there is always the possibility that a loved one could turn into a demon. If I had to admit it, I’d say that I worry about coming home one night and finding Senjuro as a demon. So, we must work hard to prevent such a thing from happening! As for if they truly get turned, then-” he fell silent for a moment, “I’d offer them the quickest, most painless death I could give them.”

Nezuko was thankful she hadn’t slipped up during her time with him and mentioned Genya’s status as a demon. Otherwise-

After a year and a half of training under Kyojuro, Nezuko knew she had gotten stronger. Her legs and arms became defined with muscles. She learned all nine Breath of Flames forms. She was faster, stronger, more durable. She would take on any demon the world threw her way. She’d crawl her way forward if she had to, anything to turn Genya back into a human.

“You are ready for Final Selection,” Kyojuro told her. She gave a brief, determined nod. In preparation, she cut up her old, favorite kimono, remodeling it as a haori. The soft pink leaf pattern gave her comfort, so she didn’t want to part with it. So, she fashioned it into something useful.

“Head to Mt. Fujikasane,” Kyojuro told her as he sent her on her way. “Come back safely.”

“We’ll be waiting for you!” Senjuro called.

“I’ll be back!” Nezuko called back. She walked beyond the gates of the estate, her hair tied into two low buns and her sword at her hip. There were many people she needed to return to, so she wasn’t going to let them down by dying.

Chapter Text

Even after Nezuko set out to learn Breath of Flames, Tanjiro remained with Sakonji to learn Breath of Water. He did the mountain runs, using his sword to deflect the knives flung towards him by the traps. He went through all his forms. He sparred against Sakonji, with little success. When night fell, he’d return to his room and reflect on the day in his journal. Genya would watch him from the corner of the room.

“You have to fight through this,” he told himself as he flexed his hands, watching the skin peel away and become calloused. “Before Genya, I was the eldest son. I still carry that responsibility.”

He spared a glance at a sleeping Genya. He had been sleeping a lot more, lately.

“He’s probably still dealing with the hunger,” Tanjiro thought, sadness coursing through him.

He wondered if there was a way to ease Genya’s pain for now. He did try to eat the demon they ran into at the temple, but would that be enough. Maybe raw meat or demon flesh could help? It might be worth experimenting with after he finishes training.

Genya stirred in his sleep, murmured something behind the muzzle. With Sakonji’s permission, he and Nezuko used to remove the muzzle for brief periods to see how Genya would react. He never attacked them, though he would drool when the smell of chicken or fish was wafting through the cabin. Human speech seemed to be beyond his capabilities at the moment. They tried to get him to write messages, but his characters all looked warped and barely decipherable. He’d look at them apologetically and curl up in the corner.

It really was still Genya. Tanjiro could tell by the smell. It had changed after Genya became a demon. It was similar to the smell of the demon at the temple. Blood, dirt, something he could only vaguely describe as not human. But, beneath all those demonic outer layers, Genya still carried the sweet fruity smell Tanjiro had learned to associate with him.

Tanjiro forced himself through the hellish training. Day after day, fighting through the pain. Sakonji forced him to hold his stance underneath a waterfall. “I am water! Genya, Nezuko!” He learned how to break his fall while sparring against Sakonji.

It has been two months since Nezuko left to learn Breath of Flames. Sakonji let them use his crow to send letters to each other.

Dear Tanjiro,

Training is growing more difficult by the day. The Breath of Flames is far more taxing on my body than the Breath of Water was. There is a lot more physical force that goes into it. But, Urokodaki-san was right. I feel a lot more comfortable with this style, as difficult as it is.

Rengoku-san is an amazing teacher. He reminds of you, sometimes. His little brother Senjuro is adorable and so sweet. Yesterday, his adopted brother stopped by for dinner. He’s the Serpent Pillar. A bit scary and mysterious, but he can also be nice. Mostly to Senjuro, though. I think he’s trying to keep his relationship with Rengoku-san professional since they are both Pillars, and he’s tough on me as a prospective Demon Slayer.

How is the river? I’ve been worried since you said it dried up. Is it because there hasn’t been rain recently?

Write back soon,

Nezuko

They had developed a code to relay news about Genya, as a precaution if someone else got their hands on one of the letters. They referred to Genya as “the river.” He had been asleep since Tanjiro’s last letter, which he called to attention by saying the river dried up. Nezuko wondered if it was because he was hungry, or the lack of rain.

Tanjiro glanced over to the futon. Genya stirred sleepily and blinked his eyes open. They locked gazes, and Genya crawled towards him.

“Nezuko just wrote,” Tanjiro said as Genya leaned against the table. “Want me to read it to you?”

Genya nodded vigorously. He sorely missed Nezuko since she left.

Tanjiro read him the letter. “The river means you. She’s been worried because you’ve been sleeping for so long.”

Genya patted the parchment, then glanced at the calligraphy brush.

“You want to try writing something?” Tanjiro asked, holding out the brush. Genya took it in his claws, looking at it in curiosity.

“Here,” Tanjiro said, moving from the chair and letting Genya sit there instead. He pushed some parchment and the inkwell in front of him.

Genya looked at the brush, then back at Tanjiro. He seemed uncertain.

“Go on, write something,” Tanjiro urged him. “Even if it’s illegible, I’m sure Nezuko would love to receive something from you.”

This seemed to give Genya some reassurance. He dipped the brush into the inkwell, inadvertently spilling ink on the table. He traced the over the paper with the brush, leaving behind great black strokes.

It took a moment for Tanjiro to realize that he wasn’t writing. He was drawing. Shapes formed faces. He was drawing… people.

“Hey, is that supposed to be me?” Tanjiro asked, noticing a figure with a blotchy mark on the left side of his forehead. Genya nodded.

“So, all these people are…” Tanjiro began to notice familiarities. “Our family.”

Genya nodded again. He redipped the brush into the ink and began tracing again. This time, he wrote out characters. He wrote with the simpler hiragana form. The less complicated characters came out more legible than kanji, if still wobbly.

They formed names. Tanjiro recognized the names of himself, Nezuko, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, and Rokuta. There were others, too. He realized they must be his old family. He vaguely remembered the names of Sumi, Hiroshi, Koto, Teiko, and Shuya.

Why did they all look so young, though? “Oh, right,” Tanjiro realized with a heavy heart. “They would have died when Genya was eight. He was the second eldest, so they were even younger. He has no memories of them older than that.”

On the very top of the page, Genya wrote out the hiragana for “family.” A scent of sadness and longing came from him.

“Yeah, I miss them, too,” Tanjiro said. The images of his family dead in their house flashed through his mind.

Genya pointed to a figure standing next to their parents and a woman Tanjiro assumed to be representative of Genya’s mom. The drawing had spiky hair, a big smile, and strangely exaggerated eyelashes. 

‘Nemi.

“We’ll find him, too,” Tanjiro said, sensing Genya’s sadness. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

Genya clearly didn’t believe him. Tanjiro could see it in his eyes. “Look,” he said, “I understand you’re worried. But, I’m sure Sanemi would still love you. This is not the same as with your mom. You won’t attack anyone. Your brother misses you a lot. I just know.”

Something reminiscent of hope danced in Genya’s eyes, colored amber from the lamp light. Tanjiro hoped he wasn’t setting him up for disappointment.

“Sanemi, I don’t know who you are, really, but Genya really misses you. Please, if you are still alive, accept Genya back even though he’s a demon.”

Genya extended the paper out to him, but Tanjiro shook his head.

“You can keep that,” he told him. “It’s for you to remember them.”

Genya hugged the drawing to his chest, a few tears falling from his eyes. He went back to the futon and curled up into a ball.

Dear Nezuko,

Training is getting harder for me, too. Urokodaki-san is relentless. I’m drilling my exercises every day. And I’m still keeping the journal. I record all the moves recorded there. I think Urokodaki-san was right about me fitting the Breath of Water, though. As the eldest son, I am used to being as steady as a river, and I am always ready to adapt. I’ll continue working hard to become a Demon Slayer.

The river is running again. It reaped plenty of fish today. But, I have the sense that something isn’t right, since the waters were unusually cold.

Write soon,

Tanjiro

The river is running again. Genya has awoken.

It reaped plenty of fish today. Genya provided some new information.

The waters were unusually cold. Genya was very sad.

With newfound vigor, Tanjiro leapt back into training. He needed to train as hard as he could, become a Demon Slayer, find a cure, and turn Genya back into a human. He needed Genya to be happy again.

But then, a year after he started training, and six months after Nezuko left, Sakonji said-

“I have nothing left to teach you.”

“What?” The proclamation left Tanjiro confused.

“Follow me.” Sakonji led Tanjiro to a forest clearing. In the center of the clearing sat a large boulder.

“This is your final task,” Sakonji said. “In order to qualify for Final Selection, you must slice this boulder in half.”

“Slice… the boulder?” Tanjiro looked down at his sword. It suddenly felt very flimsy and fragile in his hand.

Sakonji was already walking away, ignoring Tanjiro’s pleas for him to wait.

With little other choice, Tanjiro began slicing at the rock, to little success. After the first few failed attempts, he went back to training. He walked through all the forms, he did exercises to increase his stamina. At the end of each day, he returned to the boulder and tried to slice through it. When he failed, he returned to the cabin. Sakonji refused to speak to him. Tanjiro would cook his own dinner and eat it in his room, not comfortable with eating alone. Genya would sit next to him and do his best not to drool at the smell.

“Sorry, Genya,” he said. “I’m going to turn you back into a human soon. I don’t care how many boulders I have to slice.”

Genya murmured something behind the muzzle. Tanjiro tugged the cloth away and let him eat some of the rice.

“I promise I won’t give up. I promise.”

He went back to the rock. He slammed his sword into the boulder over and over until it was on the verge of breaking. When he thought the blade would snap, he slammed his head into the rock. He repeated this for six months.

“Come on, Tanjiro! Don’t give in! You can’t give in! Nezuko needs you! Genya needs you!”

“Silence.”

In his shock, Tanjiro looked up to the top of the boulder. A boy in a fox mask was sitting on top of the rock. He had no scent. “If you must suffer, bear it in silence, if you’re a man.”

“What?”

“A man shouldn’t whine.” Suddenly the boy jumped from the boulder, drawing a wooden bokken sword. Tanjiro barely had time to ready his own blade and block the incoming attack. The boy flipped in mid air and kicked him to the ground.

“Pathetic,” he said. “What have you been doing for this year and a half? Still slow, still weak, still immature. You haven’t learned a thing. Most certainly not Total Concentration Breathing.”

“I have!” Tanjiro protested. “I’m learning every day!”

“You’ve only memorized it as fact! Your body has no idea what to do! Now, fight back!”

Tanjiro scrambled to his feet. “I’m trying!”

“Don’t try! Just do! Slam it into the very marrow of your bones!”

With a sudden strike to the chin, Tanjiro was knocked clean out. When he awoke, he saw the face of a girl above him.

“Are you alright?” She asked. Tanjiro sat up, rubbing at his jaw.

“That strike was amazing! No wasted movement! Completely flawless! I need to get like that.”

“I can help you with that,” the girl offered. She was wearing a flower patterned yukata. Just like the boy from before, she had a fox mask. She also had no scent.

“I’m Makomo. That boy is Sabito,” she said. “There are many other children watching over you.”

From that day forward, Makomo helped Tanjiro fix his stances, his Breathing. She perfected his imperfections. At the end of each day, Sabito appeared and challenged him to a duel. At the end of each day, Tanjiro tasted loss.

“Not strong enough!”

Tanjiro returned to the cabin less and less. On some days, he even spent the night outside, practicing until he collapsed. Whenever he did return, Genya looked at him with worry.

“I’ll get stronger, I’ll get stronger-”

Genya patted his arm and hugged him. Muffled sounds came from behind the muzzle. When he pulled away, he pointed to himself and raised his hand high. Then, he pointed to Tanjiro and held his hand low. Then he hugged him again.

“I’m big brother, you’re little brother. I protect you.”

“Thank you, Genya,” Tanjiro sniffled. “But, remember, we’re family. We protect each other.”

Genya nodded a little. He held him close that night.

“Genya’s a demon. At the end of the day, he can fight and defend himself. I need to pick up the slack.”

Summer passed, fall came. Tanjiro threw himself further into training. He neglected to cut his hair. He learned Makomo’s secrets. He battled against Sabito.

It was now the cold winter, two years after his arrival at Mt. Sagiri. He faced off against Sabito once more, with Makomo serving as a not needed referee.

They rushed at each other, swords raised. For the first time, Tanjiro’s sword reached Sabito first. With a single slash, he cut through the mask. It split in half.

Tanjiro was surprised. For all of Sabito’s harsh exterior, his face was… gentle, kind. He smiled, as if he was happy to lose. Tanjiro was sure that if Sabito had a scent, it would be something sweet. He imagined lavender and pine.

He blinked in surprise, and Sabito was gone. In his place was the boulder, neatly cleaved in half.

“Good job, Tanjiro,” he heard Makomo’s voice. “Don’t forget what you’ve learned. Be sure to beat him , too.”

Tanjiro looked around the clearing. It was empty, save for him, the boulder, and an approaching Sakonji.

The man came to a stop, looked over Tanjiro’s handiwork. It was impossible to read his expression behind the mask.

“I never intended to let you attend Final Selection,” he said. “I did not wish to see another child die. I thought you wouldn’t be able to split the boulder, but-”

He paused, and patted Tanjiro on the head. “You’ve done well. Go to Final Selection, and come back alive. Your brother, your sister, they’re all counting on you.”

Tanjiro cried in that moment. Relief, pride, the knowledge that he could fight and help Genya was too much to contain, and tears slipped down his cheeks.

That night, Sakonji prepared a hot pot for him to enjoy. “You’ve worked hard, so a celebration is in order.” Genya entered the room, looking at the pot with hunger. Tanjiro looked to Sakonji for permission to remove the muzzle. Sakonji gave a quick nod of approval. Tanjiro untied the ribbon and offered Genya some of the soup.

After dinner, Tanjiro cut his hair, returning it to its original length. He laid side by side with Genya.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” he said. Genya looked sad. “But, I’ll be back soon. You wait here with Urokodaki-san. Nezuko will be back, too. We’re almost there, Genya.”

Morning came. Sakonji gave Tanjiro a cloud patterned jinbei to wear to Final Selection. One to match his own. He also provided a fox shaped warding mask similar to Sabito and Makomo’s.

“I’ll be back!” He yelled as he ran down the path. “Take care of Genya! And give my regards to Sabito and Makomo!”

He missed Sakonji’s expression of disbelief at his mention of two children long deceased.

The journey to Mt. Fujikasane was not as grueling as he expected. Steps had been carved out, likely to lead to the initial meeting place. Wisteria bloomed even though it was not in season.

He climbed up the final steps. A gate stood before him, leading to a small plateau. Tanjiro saw many other people. A boy with odd yellow hair. A girl with a butterfly hair clip. And-

Nezuko! Her hair in twin buns, her favorite kimono refashioned into a haori. She looked fierce and determined, her sword at her side. He started walking towards her but-

Tanjiro noticed two small girls - twins, maybe, identical in everything aside from hair color - holding lanterns approaching the gate on the other side of the clearing.

“Greetings,” they said in eerie unison. “Welcome to Final Selection. Here, on Mt. Fujikasane, demons, captured alive by Demon Slayers, roam. They are trapped here by the wisteria they detest so much, which blooms year round on the bottom half of the mountain. However, there is no wisteria from this point on. To pass Final Selection, you must survive here for seven days. Best of luck to all of you.”

“I guess catching up with Nezuko will have to wait.”

With that, Tanjiro walked towards the gate, holding his head high with determination. “First, we pass this. Then, we help Genya.”

Chapter Text

Genya realized that the hunger wasn’t the worst thing to deal with. It was the loneliness.

After turning into a demon, it took some time for him to come to his senses and figure out what happened. He tried to piece things together, but found his memories foggy. He could only recall faces, voices, and names to match them. Family. His family.

It was… odd. He distinctly remembered having two mothers. He also had a father, and one he did not consider a father. And so many siblings…

Most were dead. Why… He couldn’t remember.

Only a few were left. Tanjiro, who helped snap him out of his initial demonic rage. He was kind and gentle. He took him by the hand and promised to make things okay. He said something about going through this pain twice. What did he mean by that?

Nezuko, who helped guide and support him. She had been afraid at first. He saw it in her eyes. But she still loved him. It made him feel a bit better.

Those two cared for him. So much. He could sense it. But, it felt weird for them to be the ones reassuring him, caring for him, carrying him around in that stupid basket so that he wouldn’t burn in the sun. He was the older brother, right? He should be the one caring for them.

But, the sensation of being cared for was not unfamiliar. It was so familiar it gave him a sense of longing.

‘Nemi. His older brother. He missed him most of all. He was sure he wasn’t dead, but ‘Nemi has yet to show up. Why? Didn’t he want to know where his little brother was?

For some reason, Genya had the gnawing feeling that ‘Nemi hated him. He did something horrible to ‘Nemi, and he needed to apologize. But he didn’t even remember what he needed to apologize for. The only thing he had to go on was the gut sensation that ‘Nemi would hate him even more now that he was a demon.

His stomach rumbled. Genya whined and curled into himself. So hungry…

Nezuko had left a long time ago to learn… something. He couldn’t quite catch it. And Tanjiro left this morning to… take some test. He didn’t understand why.

He was all alone. It was so lonely.

Genya pulled out the drawing he made. The one of his family.  He traced over the rough black strokes, careful to only brush his fingers over it as to not tear through the parchment with his claws.

He missed his family. He wished ‘Nemi would come back. He wished Tanjiro and Nezuko would come back. They kept saying they were going to help him, but he just didn’t want to be alone.

His stomach growled. Genya remained curled up and covered himself with a blanket. The hunger pangs were getting worse.

Genya hated this. Why did human flesh seem so delectable now? He knew deep down that there was something wrong with that feeling. He shouldn’t think humans are tasty. Tanjiro and Nezuko didn’t even like him trying to eat that other demon, even though it was attacking them. But, regular food just didn’t taste the same anymore. He could barely feel the sweetness of ohagi that made ‘Nemi love it so much. He didn’t get to try watermelon yet. He hoped that still tasted good.

He had already tried everything to make the hunger go away. He’d chew on the muzzle, hoping to distract himself. But that only made the masked man - the one Tanjiro called Urokodaki-san - glare at him. Or, at least, he thought he glared at him. He was wearing a mask, so it was hard to tell. Human food tasted bland, and the hunger returned quickly.

He turned to his old technique. Or, at least, he thought it was an old technique. He had memories of using it, but he also had memories of it being strictly forbidden. It didn’t make sense. Still, “when I sleep, I don’t get hungry” replayed in his mind. He had once forced himself to sleep for two weeks. He woke up hungrier than ever. He didn’t try it again.

Even in his curled up state, he was still so big, so noticeable. Genya truly wished he could shrink like Tanjiro asked him to. But, no matter how much he tried to force his body into a smaller mold, it never changed. Once upon a time, he might have wished to be tall, so that he could protect all of his cute little siblings. Now, he was pretty sure he just looked scary. A dark corner of his mind pondered if he looked like the dad he didn’t consider a dad.

Under the covers, he continued to look at the drawing. Family… How, why did they die? He figured out that at least some of them died when he turned into a demon. He was pretty sure he wasn’t the one that killed them, otherwise Tanjiro and Nezuko would be mad.

He was lonely. Even though it had only been a few hours since Tanjiro left - and he had been gone for longer before - he felt lonelier than ever. Probably because Tanjiro said he was leaving for a while. His only company was Urokodaki-san, and he had no idea how the man felt about him. Tanjiro told him that he and Nezuko wrote about him in code in their letters to keep him a secret. So, most people wouldn’t like him…

Because demons hurt people. And ‘Nemi would hate him because demons hurt ‘Nemi. Genya couldn’t figure it out beyond that, but it was enough to go on. He was a monster . Tanjiro and Nezuko kept telling him that he was different, he wouldn’t hurt people-

Then why did he still feel so hungry?

He had to resist these urges. Tanjiro and Nezuko were trying so hard for him, so he had to try hard, too.

“You’ve been hungry before. You can be hungry now.”

It didn’t necessarily get easier to deal with the hunger as time went on, but it didn’t get harder, either. He just got used to it.

“When I’m human again, I’ll have lots of yummy food. Lots of yummy food that I’ll share with Tanjiro and Nezuko. And ‘Nemi, too.”

Once he came to his senses, it was easy enough to reason that he shouldn’t eat humans. He still felt hungry when he saw those dead humans at the temple, but he snapped out of it when he heard Tanjiro in danger. He wouldn’t eat Tanjiro and Nezuko; they were his little siblings. And he was too scared of Urokodaki-san to even think about eating him.

Still, the constant hunger pangs, the pain, the loss of energy… He wondered if demons could actually starve to death.

He kept looking at the picture longingly. He wondered what his family would think of him now. Mom would probably be disappointed. He was a man eating monster now, not a son she could be proud of. Would Hanako be scared of him again? Part of him didn’t want to know. The truth might be too painful.

He spent most of that first day alone in the room he shared with his siblings. The windows and doors were closed tight to not allow sunlight in. He laid curled up on the futon for most of the day, cowering under the blanket. Then, he went over to the desk and took some parchment. He rummaged around in the drawers to find the inkwell. He tried to practice his calligraphy, to no avail. He just ended up with scribbles and ink on his hands. He needed to wash up.

Genya quietly pulled open the door and peeked outside. No light, so night must have fallen. He crept out, leaving ink stains on the wood.

He saw Urokodaki-san by the altar in the corner of the main room. He was… praying? Genya didn’t let it concern him much. He started creeping over to the tea kettle.

“Is there something you need?”

Genya squeaked and made a beeline back for the room, slamming the door behind him. After a moment, he opened the door a crack, finding Urokodaki-san waiting outside. He whined and cowered behind the door frame.

“Let me see your hands.”

Genya held out his ink covered hands. Urokodaki-san looked over them and took him by the forearm. His grip was… gentle, like he was trying not to hurt Genya. Urokodaki-san led him back to the main room. He took the kettle and poured cold water over his hands. Genya watched the ink cascade away.

“Is that what you wanted?”

Genya nodded.

“I was planning on making some salmon sashimi. Would you like some?”

Genya felt his mouth water at the mere mention of sashimi. It wasn’t as tasty as watermelon or ohagi, but it was still good.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Genya tilted his head in confusion. He didn’t expect Urokodaki-san could ever sound this… jovial. In his brief glimpses of the man before, he always thought he was sort of scary. Maybe he was just putting on a farce to keep Tanjiro and Nezuko on their feet?

Genya waited in the room as Urokodaki-san prepared the sashimi. When he was done, he helped Genya remove the muzzle. The second the wood was out of his mouth, Genya all but launched himself at the sashimi.

It didn’t taste right. None of the delectable salmon flavors he was used to were present. It was just… bland.

Oh, right. Food didn’t taste the same anymore. His lips puckered up in a frown.

Something patted him on the head.

“I know it is not quite the same,” Urokodaki-san said as he rubbed the mohawk. “I cannot fully comprehend what you are going through, but I know you are strong. Your brother and sister have told me about your incredible drive and will power. I have complete faith in you.”

Genya’s eyes filled up with tears, and he pulled Urokodaki-san into a hug.

It has been so long since he had someone he could call a father figure. But… that declaration of trust was definitely something he needed to hear. He knew Tanjiro and Nezuko would follow him to the ends of the earth, but to have someone with no real attachment to put this much faith in him…

That night, Genya added Urokodaki-san to the drawing of his family.

He didn’t feel as scared to go out of his room now. Out of consideration, Urokodaki-san kept the windows shut whenever Genya signaled he was coming by knocking on the door.

Every night, Urokodaki-san prayed at the altar for Tanjiro and Nezuko’s safety. On the fourth night, Genya brought out Tanjiro’s old checkered haori. He had left it behind in order to honor his teacher during Final Selection.

“I know your brother is strong,” Urokodaki-san confided in him when he saw the haori. “I would not have sent him to Final Selection if I had the faintest doubt about his capabilities. However, in all my time as a cultivator, too few of my students have come back to me alive.”

It must be heartbreaking. No wonder Urokodaki-san was tough on his siblings. Genya held up the checkered haori, then flexed his arm muscles. He pointed at the door.

“Tanjiro is strong. He’ll make it back. I know.”

Seven nights passed. Then, on the eighth-

Genya was eating his fifth portion of ohagi when he detected… something. Some sort of presence. Tanjiro!

He flung the door open, accidentally causing it to fly off its hinges. He looked to the top of the hill that led down to the cabin and saw a battered and tired and very much alive Tanjiro. He was leaning against a walking stick, but he dropped it as soon as he saw Genya. Tanjiro half sprinted, half tumbled down the hill. Genya caught him and hugged him close. For once, he didn’t care that his message of welcome came out as animalistic sounds; he knew Tanjiro would understand.

“I’m back, Genya,” Tanjiro assured him. “Nezuko made it, too. You’ll see her soon.”

Urokodaki-san came up behind them and hugged them both. “You made it back.” Genya could hear the tears behind the mask.

Urokodaki-san helped Tanjiro back inside and gave him some dinner. Genya went back to eating his ohagi.

“Urokodaki-san,” Tanjiro spoke up. “When I was on Mt. Fujikasane, I encountered a morphed demon. It… seemed to hold a particular grudge against you.”

Genya listened as Tanjiro told him the story of the demon that lived on the mountain for forty seven years, and how it had killed thirteen of Urokodaki-san’s students.

“I see,” Urokodaki-san said. The news seemed to cut deep into him. “So, you killed that morphed demon.”

Tanjiro nodded. “He won’t kill anyone else, and the souls of Sabito, Makomo, and all your other disciples have been put to rest.” He paused and smiled. “I think that Sabito and Makomo’s spirits helped guide me through training. They wanted me to succeed.”

Urokodaki-san seemed relieved.

“They said that I should get my own sword in ten to fifteen days,” Tanjiro continued. “My uniform, too. Nezuko survived, too. She has to return to Rengoku-san to await her next assignments, but we are hoping to meet up on future missions and travel together.”

Urokodaki-san nodded. Genya finished off the last of the ohagi and curled up against Tanjiro’s arm.

“There is more I should explain about demons,” Urokodaki-san said. Tanjiro shifted a little, sitting up at attention. “As I have explained to you, a demon's strength is equal to the amount of humans they consumed. Stronger demons have access to supernatural powers known as Blood Demon Arts. You will certainly fight against these types of demons now.”

Tanjiro looked to be deep in thought. “I think it is safe to say Genya is different from most demons. Could it be his Blood Whatamacallit Arts?”

Urokodaki-san shook his head. “While it is true that Genya is special, I do not think it is a Blood Demon Art. He still experiences symptoms of hunger.”

Genya looked down guiltily. He wished he could get rid of that feeling.

“However, I believe that alternative food sources could contain any desire he experiences to human flesh.” Tanjiro sat up again. “Regular food offers temporary relief, though the effects vanish faster than they do in humans. However, another alternative source is demon flesh.”

“Demon flesh?”

“You told me that Genya attempted to eat the demon you encountered the first day we met, did you not?”

Tanjiro nodded. “So, you are saying that Genya could avoid hunger by eating demons instead of humans?”

Urokodaki-san gave a single nod.

“I suppose we can test that out when we start going on assignments, right Genya?” Tanjiro said. Genya nodded.

With dinner done with, the two brothers curled up on the futon together. Genya took note of the bandages around Tanjiro’s forehead, right where the burn scar was. He reached out and gently touched it.

“I’m fine,” Tanjiro assured him. “This is only the beginning.”

For the next fifteen days, Tanjiro interspersed resting from his injuries with basic training so that he wouldn’t get rusty. The scar on his forehead got larger and redder. Urokodaki-san was working on building something. Genya mostly waited.

On the fifteenth day, a swordsmith arrived with a blade for Tanjiro to call his own. Both the swordsmith and Urokodaki-san expressed surprise when the blade turned black in Tanjiro’s grip. Genya simply hid under the covers. Both because he didn’t want the swordsmith to see him, and because his demon instincts were screaming at him to get away from the sword. The swordsmith had said that it was made of Nichirin steel, a metal capable of absorbing sunlight, and therefore killing demons.

When the swordsmith took his leave, Tanjiro changed into his new uniform, pulling his old green and black checkered haori over it.

“The journey ahead is dangerous,” Urokodaki-san said. “Remember what you’ve learned.”

Tanjiro nodded. Urokodaki then unveiled what he had been working on.

“This is a new box for you to carry Genya in.” It was a box made out of Cloud Mist Pine. “It is lighter and more durable than most woods. I’ve also designed it to be expandable as a precaution if Genya goes through any more… growth spurts.”

Indeed, the box had a few collapsable compartments that could be removed to allow for more room. Urokodaki-san also provided them with a stronger muzzle.

“Then one Genya has been wearing for the past two years has been merely a courtesy, since it would have done little to actually prevent him from biting anyone if he lost control. I allowed for it because I see that he seems to have a handle on his control. However, I want you to hold onto this as a precaution.”

Tanjiro nodded and placed the muzzle inside the box. “Genya, let’s go.”

Genya stopped only long enough to grab the drawing of his family and crawled into the box. It still wasn’t very comfortable, but it was better than the basket. He turned the muzzle over in his hands. Bit into it. It was hard and cold against his teeth. Genya realized that if he was to wear this, he wouldn’t be able to bite through it completely.

Tanjiro closed the latch to the box and pulled it over his shoulders. Genya scratched at it from the inside.

“Don’t worry,” Tanjiro said. “Thanks to all my training, carrying you around is no problem now.”

He stepped outside and waved goodbye to Urokodaki-san.

“Now, let’s go get you a cure.”

Chapter Text

Nezuko crossed the bridge connecting the dusty road to the town streets. Her new katana swung from her belt. It felt heavy, carrying a hefty importance.

“This is it. This is the weapon I’ll use to kill demons.”

Nezuko looked around the town. In structure, it reminded her of the old village. But, it seemed much more desolate and pessimistic. There was a sense of uneasiness in the air.

“It’s got to be because of the demon attacks.”

“Poor Kazumi,” she heard someone say. The words seemed to be directed at a young man walking the opposite direction to her. He looked even more shaken and lost than everyone else. “He just hasn’t been the same since Satoko vanished.”

Nezuko veered off her course and chased after the man.

She was going through her practice exercises under Kyojuro’s watch. It has been fifteen days since Final Selection came to a close. She had seen Tanjiro among the survivors, alongside a boy with dandelion bright hair and a girl with a serene expression. Apparently, there was one other survivor, but they ran off before the closing ceremony because they grew impatient. When they were done with selecting their ores, she and Tanjiro had a short chance to reunite.

“The river runs well,” he had told her. It was all the reassurance she needed that Genya was alright. For now, at least. She’ll have a chance to see him later.

As she swung her bokken , she saw someone approaching the Rengoku estate. A man in a hyottoko mask, with a large parcel on his back. This had to be the swordsmith! Nezuko placed her practice sword down and ran to greet him.

“Hello!” She said.

“I am the swordsmith Haruyoshi Suzuki. I have crafted Nezuko Kamado’s Nichirin blade, and I have come to deliver it.”

Nezuko bowed in respect. “I am Nezuko Kamado. Please, come inside.”

“It is an honor to see you!” Kyojuro called. The three of them walked into the main room. Nezuko sat in front of Haruyoshi, while Kyojuro sat by Nezuko’s side.

“Nichirin iron is harvested from the Sunlight Mountain. As the name suggests, the mountain is bathed in sunlight all year long,” Haruyoshi explained as he unwrapped the cloth around the sword. “Since it absorbs so much sunlight, Nichirin is one of the few substances capable of slaying demons.”

The cloth fell away, revealing a pinkish red sheath with two white stripes. Haruyoshi extended the sword out to Nezuko. She took it into both hands. She slid off the sheath and held the blade up high.

The blade remained a dull gray for a moment. Then, as if it was overcome by ink, black spread from the hilt to the tip.

“Black?!” Haruyoshi exclaimed in surprise.

“Well, this is a surprise,” Kyojuro said, still beaming.

“Is it bad?” Nezuko asked, blinking.

“Bad?! You’re just as useless and pathetic as my sons!”

Nezuko stiffened, as did Kyojuro. Haruyoshi took this as a chance to excuse himself and not face a drunken Shinjuro’s wrath.

“Black swords users are destined for failure!” Shinjuro roared. “You’re nothing!”

“Father, I will not permit you to address my pupil in this manner,” Kyojuro said. He wasn’t smiling. The usual jovial tone became deathly stoic. He got to his feet, facing his father.

“Young Kamado is anything but useless and pathetic. I have my complete faith in her success!”

“And you’re a fool for thinking that!”

Shinjuro marched back to his room, slamming the door behind him. Kyojuro seemed to deflate in relief.

“Rengoku-san,” Nezuko started to say. She fell silent, her lip trembling.

Kyojuro knelt in front of her again. “Do not worry, Young Kamado!”

“Is it true? Is it true that I’m destined for failure?”

After all of her hard work… How could she help Genya now? No, she couldn’t be a failure!

Kyojuro put his hands on her shoulders in a reassuring manner. “Listen, Young Kamado. It is true that black Nichirin blades are very rare, and no one with a black blade has become a Pillar before. However, do not be discouraged! I oversaw your training, and I know firsthand your power, your will, your drive. I expect nothing but great things from you! You will go far, I’m sure!”

Nezuko felt tears prick at her eyes. She bowed her head in gratitude.

A crow flew in through the window.

“Mission for Nezuko Kamado! Mission for Nezuko Kamado! Head to the north! North! There is a village where young girls have been going missing! Find the demon lurking there and slay it!”

“Your first assignment!” Kyojuro exclaimed. “I wish you the best of luck, my pupil!”

Nezuko quickly changed into her new Demon Slayer uniform. She tucked her now black blade back into its sheath and slipped it into her belt. The new pink haori, made from her favorite kimono, was draped over her shoulders.

“I will do my best!”

She left the Rengoku estate, knowing that every step she took would take her one step closer to curing Genya.

“Kazumi-san!” Nezuko called out, chasing after the man.

Kazumi turned around. His eyes looked unfocused. He was brimming with immeasurable sorrow. It made Nezuko furious. Demons capable of causing this much pain-

“Who are you?” Kazumi asked after a moment. His voice sounded fragile like parchment, about to be swept up and tossed around by the lightest breeze.

“My name is Nezuko Kamado,” Nezuko told him. “I’m new in this town. I was hoping you could tell me about the recent disappearances.”

Kazumi’s eyebrows twitched. He looked away, but Nezuko saw his hands trembling.

“I- I’m hoping to put an end to them,” she explained. “To do that, I need all the information I need.”

“... They’ve been happening for a little over a week,” Kazumi spoke up. “Every night, a young girl would go missing. They just… vanish. My- my fiancée disappeared last night. She- we were just walking and then she was gone and I-”

Nezuko grimaced. She had to find this demon before it hurt anyone else.

“Thank you, Kazumi-san,” she said. “Thank you for telling me about this.”

“How do you exactly plan on stopping the disappearances?” Kazumi asked.

Nezuko grinned. Just as Kyojuro taught her, smile in the face of danger. Smile in the face of adversity, and you can overcome anything.

“The people vanishing have all been young girls, right?” Kazumi nodded, skeptical. “In that case, I make the perfect bait.”

“No, you can’t-” Kazumi protested. “It could be dangerous.”

“Don’t worry,” Nezuko replied. “I can take care of myself. I’ll lure the culprit in, and then I'll make sure they never hurt anyone again.”

“You mean-” Kazumi’s eyes darted to the sword at Nezuko’s side. She gave a curt nod.

There was still plenty of time before sundown, so Nezuko decided to look around for clues. Kazumi followed her around, clearly concerned for her safety. She asked a few more townspeople about the events, and they all told the same story as Kazumi.

“I doubt they’d send a rookie like myself to fight a super strong demon with no backup,” she thought to herself. “If I’m lucky, maybe this demon doesn’t even know about Demon Slayers.”

“Hey, uh, Nezuko-” Kazumi spoke up. “This- this culprit- they aren’t human, are they?”

Nezuko spared a glance at her sword. “No, they’re likely not human.”

Kazumi sighed. “I- I’ve heard the urban legends about man eating demons, and the samurai that slay them. But-”

Nezuko shook her head. “They’re not urban legends. Believe me, I wish they were.”

“So you’re a Demon Slayer?”

Nezuko nodded.

“But, if a demon is behind this, then Satoko- and all those other girls, that means they’re all-”

“Yes, most likely.”

“We can’t know for sure,” Nezuko lied through her teeth. “Maybe this is a demon that likes to savor its meal. Satoko-san went missing last night, right? That means she has the highest chance of still being alive.”

The chance was so slim it was practically nonexistent. Still, Nezuko couldn’t stand the desperate look on Kazumi’s face. If there was any hope left, she didn’t want to be the one to extinguish it. She remembered her own feelings of desperation, helping Tanjiro drag Genya down the snow covered mountain, holding on to the fleeting hope that everything would be okay.

For the remaining hours until sunset, she scoured for clues as to where the demon might strike next. There didn’t seem to be a set pattern in the exact locations of the disappearances. Some, like Satoko, vanished on the streets. Even stranger, some went missing in their own rooms.

“Could this demon have some sort of teleporting Blood Demon Art?”

“Kazumi-san,” she said as the sun sank over the horizon. “What I am about to ask of you is potentially dangerous. But, would you be willing to assist me?”

“A-assist? How?”

“While I am a young girl and fit the criteria to be bait, I don’t think the demon will attack me if I have my sword on me. Could you hold onto my sword for the time being? When the demon appears, you’ll just need to toss it to me.”

Kazumi looked uncertain. “But, what if the demon doesn’t take the bait and goes for another girl right away?”

“I can detect a demon’s presence once they’re on the move - call it instincts if you will - and I’ll take my sword back and chase after it.”

Kazumi nodded after a moment, and Nezuko handed the sword and sheath to him.

“Alright, stay close by, but try to stay out of sight,” Nezuko said, walking down the street. “I’ll holler when I’m ready.”

With that, Nezuko started walking down the lantern lit road. She kept her gaze centered forward, instead relying on her peripheral vision to see to her sides. The barely present sensation of being watched told her that Kazumi was still following behind her.

Her senses picked up on something that screamed not human . It was nearby, and it seemed to be approaching her. Good, the bait plan was working.

As if in slow motion, a black mass appeared underneath her feet. She almost fell through, the substance reminding her of some sort of marsh. Nezuko quickly rolled forward to escape the substance, just as a pair of clawed hands reached out of the portal and grabbed at her. Nezuko felt one of her pink hair ribbons be tugged away and her hair come loose. She broke her fall and rolled back to her feet.

“Kazumi-san!”

Hearing his cue, Kazumi threw the blade, sheath and all, in her direction. Nezuko caught the sword by the hilt and slid the sheath off in one fluid motion.

The demon seemed to sense that its target wasn’t the best option, since the hole began closing up.

“I can’t let it get away!”

Nezuko dashed forward, her sword raised above her head.

“Breath of Flames, Third Form: Descending Flare!”

She swung the blade downwards, slicing through the hole and scorching the ground beneath her. A shriek - half pained, half furious - came from the hole. A demon with long dark blue hair and two horns emerged from the hole. His empty red eyes glared in Nezuko’s direction. Her pink hair ribbon was clenched tightly in his claws.

“What the hell!” The demon screeched. “My meal is fighting back against me! And all those muscles, too! Argh, you’re losing taste by the minute!”

Nezuko narrowed her eyes, raising her sword in defense. Everything coming out of the demon’s mouth was sickening. She wasn’t going to indulge him by speaking to him.

She ran forward again, sword raised to attack. But, out of the corner of her right eye, she saw a similar hole forming on the nearby wall. She changed trajectory and rolled away, just as another pair of hands reached out for her. They grazed against her hair.

This new demon looked identical to the first one, only with three horns instead of two. It grinded its teeth together in what could only be frustration.

“Now, now, don’t get frustrated.” A third hole opened up. A final demon, with a single horn, emerged from it. “We’ll still have a meal tonight. A thirteenth young girl will be eaten tonight.”

“Thirteenth?” Nezuko’s head swiveled in the direction of the voice. It was Kazumi, still standing by the edges of the houses. “But- Satoko was the twelfth. Does- does that mean-”

“Oh,” the one horned demon said, sounding amused. He opened a flap in his uniform, revealing various ribbons and hairpins hanging from the fabric. “If this Satoko’s hairpiece is among this collection, then I’ve already eaten her.”

Nezuko felt her anger boil over. This kind of taunting over the death of a loved one was unforgivable.

“Breath of Flames, First Form: Unknowing Fire!”

She dashed forward, swinging her blade forward, aiming for the neck of the three horned demon. All three of her adversaries ducked back into their portals and avoided the attack.

The inky masses reappeared around her, trapping her in a ring.

“Breath of Flames, Sixth Form: Sea of Fire!”

Nezuko pivoted in place, swinging her sword in a horizontal arc. In sync with her attack, hands reached out of the portals. The slice severed the arms, falling away in a spray of blood.

More shrieks came from the portals, and they began to close up again.

“Breath of Flames, Second Form, Rising Scorching Sun!”

She swung her katana upwards, tearing through the ground and through the nearest portal. Another spray of blood, and the head of the two horned demon, disconnected from the rest of his body, came flying out.

The sound of teeth grinding filled the air. The three horned demon, angered by the death of his comrade - other personality? half of himself? - lunged at her. With a swing of her sword, his head came flying off, too.

Only the one horned demon, the most calm and calculating of the trio, remained. A glint of frustration passed across his face, but he remained level headed, submerging back into his portal.

“He’s not going to come out again. He’s too careful for that. But, if I don’t kill him now, he’ll return and keep terrorizing this village. I have to stop him now!”

With no second thought, Nezuko took a deep breath in and jumped into the portal. She found herself submerged in inky water. Pieces of ripped clothing and dirt floated by her. The water stung at her eyes, but Nezuko forced them to stay open. She scoured the murky depths for any sign of the final demon.

She detected something swimming on her left. Her eyes darted in that direction, and she caught a quick glimpse of the demon before he darted out of her sight. He was moving rapidly, clearly comfortable in his home turf.

Nezuko was running out of air to breathe. “Stay calm,” she told herself. “He’s waiting for you to slip up. Don’t give him that chance!”

Once again, she saw the demon swimming towards her, moving with such speed and velocity she couldn’t hope to accomplish underwater.

“Get ready…”

As the demon neared her, Nezuko dived deeper, gripping her blade tightly. She spun around in mid spin and kicked her legs as hard as she could. Her blade was extended outwards, directly above her.

“Breath of Flames, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!”

She swung her sword out in an arc, sweeping up the demon in its range. Both arms were cut off. Nezuko then thrust the sword into his stomach and kicked upwards, pushing them back to the surface.

They breached the air, and Nezuko wasted no time pinning the demon to the wall.

“It will take some time for your arms to regenerate,” she said. “Now, talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you,” the demon sneered. “What do you expect, an apology for the girls I killed? Please, I was doing them a favor. They were going to start aging soon and lose their flavor.”

Nezuko gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay focused. She retracted her sword and slashed it across the demon’s face, blinding him. He screeched, despite his composed nature.

“No, I want you to tell me how to turn a demon back into a human.”

Tanjiro had told her he tried asking every demon he ran into at Final Selection that question, but none had responded. But, maybe the ones not trapped on the mountain would be willing to share more.

“That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard,” the demon scoffed. His eyes and arms were slowly regenerating. “A demon, turning back into a human? I can’t think of a single demon who would want to return to being such a lowly life form.”

“In that case, tell me about Muzan Kibutsuji.”

The demon froze. For the first time, Nezuko genuinely caught him off guard.

“Tell me about your leader!” She said again. “Does he know how to turn a demon back into a human? Where is he? What does he look like?”

“I- I can’t tell you-” The demon looked genuinely terrified. Not of Nezuko, but of some invisible force pressing down on him. “He- He said I can’t tell anyone-”

“Muzan must be trying to keep himself hidden, so he uses fear to keep his demons loyal to him.”

The arms finished regenerating, and the eyes followed shortly after. The demon tried to duck back into his little swamp. With a single sweep of her blade, Nezuko cut off his head. Before his disintegrating body could fall back into the portal, she snatched up the cloth that had the hair pieces attached to it.

“I couldn’t learn anything, about Muzan or how to turn demons into humans. Sorry, Genya. You need to wait a little longer.”

Nezuko spotted her sheath lying abandoned a few meters away. She picked it up and slid her sword into place. She looked around for Kazumi. He was kneeling on the ground, looking even more lost than before.

“Kazumi-san-”

“Satoko, my fiancée,” he murmured. “She’s dead. She got eaten by that- that monster-”

Nezuko frowned and felt tears prick at her eyes. She knelt in front of him. “Kazumi-san, it hurts. I know it hurts.”

“How do you know?!” His voice was hurt, and he was lashing out in pain. “You have no idea what this feels like! You don’t understand!”

Memories of her mother and little siblings, slashed to bloody ribbons while she was sleeping ignorantly, memories of Genya turning away from her in an attempt to hide his new demon features, flooded her mind, and Nezuko decided she did understand.

The pain must have been painted across her face, because Kazumi looked shocked, and he bowed his head as tears fell from his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “That was an awful thing to say.”

Nezuko extended the cloth she snatched from the demon to Kazumi. “The pain will never truly leave. But, for the sake of the people you lost, you must live on. I’m sure Satoko-san would want for you to be happy, even if she can’t be by your side. Please, see if you can find her hairpiece here.”

Kazumi looked down at the cloth, before quietly tugging at the large red ribbon and holding it to his chest.

“That demon won’t hurt anyone else in this town,” Nezuko said. She got to her feet. One of her bows had been snatched away by the demon and was likely lost forever. She tugged the final bow loose, retying it around a small bunch of hair near her forehead.

“How do you do it?” Kazumi whimpered. “How do you keep going?”

“I don’t have a choice,” Nezuko said with a sad smile. “I still have people relying on me. Take care, Kazumi-san.”

She walked away down the road, the sun still obscured by the horizon. Her crow flew overhead.

“So many people are hurt and suffering. Not just humans; demons, too. That demon, who had been so calm and collected before, trembled when I mentioned his name. Muzan Kibutsuji, I will find you, make you turn Genya back into a human, and then I’ll kill you, so that no one else will suffer.”

“New assignment! New assignment!”

Nezuko looked to the sky, where the crow was still circling.

“Head to Asakusa! Asakusa, in Tokyo! Rumors of demon activity there! Go, go!”

Chapter Text

Tanjiro looked over the town as he walked down the dusty road. He held on tightly to the straps of the box to alleviate some of the pressure on his back. Genya had been silent for a few hours. Maybe he fell asleep.

“Wow!” He heard someone exclaim from his left. Tanjiro turned his head and saw a small girl, no older than nine, staring at him with star struck eyes. She pointed to the sword in his sheath.

“That looks so cool! Are you some kind of secret samurai?”

“Uh, I guess so,” Tanjiro replied, feeling a bit unsure. Sakonji had told him that the Demon Slayers were not recognized by the government, and he didn’t want to be caught. Still, a small child would likely do no harm. “But, it’s a secret, okay? You can’t tell anyone else I’m a samurai.”

The girl nodded vigorously. “I’m Shinko Takame! What’s your name?”

“I’m Tanjiro Kamado.”

Something started faintly scratching against the box. It seemed that Genya had woken up. Tanjiro stiffened, silently begging Genya to stop making noise.

Shinko took notice of the sound. “What’s that?” She asked, tilting her head.

“Uh- just my, uh- my pet cat!”

There was one final scratch, as if Genya was unhappy to be compared to a house pet. Then, he fell silent.

Shinko pouted, sticking her bottom lip out. Then, she suddenly grinned. “Okay! Why did you come here?”

“To find the demon in this town and kill it,” Tanjiro didn’t say.

“Just passing through,” he replied eventually.

“Oh, you must be on a top secret samurai mission!”

“... Yes.”

“Then you must stay with me and Ma for the night!” Shinko exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee. “It would be so cool to house a top secret samurai!”

“No, no-” Tanjiro put his hands up in protest. But Shinko already grabbed him by the sleeve of his haori and started dragging him around. She led him to a house down the street.

“Ma!” Shinko called out as she flung the door open. A woman entered from the kitchen. She fiercely reminded Tanjiro of his own mother. “Ma, look who I brought! He’s a top secret samurai!”

It seemed as if Shinko had completely forgotten about her promise to not tell anyone.

“I- I’m truly sorry to intrude, Takame-san,” Tanjiro stuttered out, bowing. “I don’t want to intrude on your hospitality-”

Shinko’s mother simply smiled. “I’m not one to turn down a guest. Please, stay the night.”

Tanjiro felt unsure for a few more moments. He did need to slay the demon here, anyways. “I- I guess I can stay. But, in that case, let me help prepare dinner!”

“Shinko, go show-”

“Tanjiro.”

“Go show Tanjiro to the guest room.”

Shinko nodded and took hold of Tanjiro’s haori sleeve once more. She led him to the back of the house. It was a simple room with a futon and a writing desk.

“This used to be Pa’s study,” Shinko said. For the first time, she looked solemn. “He- hasn’t been home for a few days. Ma said he needed to go to some important meeting, but-”

Tanjiro felt a jolt of sadness run through him. “The crow’s report said that all of the victims have been grown men with children. Then, Shinko’s father-”

“But I’m sure he’ll be home soon!” Shinko exclaimed. “And he’ll be so happy that we housed a top secret samurai!”

Shinko’s mother came in. “Shinko, let Tanjiro get settled in.”

With a pout, Shinko ran out of the room. Shinko’s mother followed after her. Tanjiro gently closed the door and put his sword up against the wall. He set the box down. He glanced back towards the door before opening the box.

Genya had put on the muzzle in that time and looked at him with disdain.

“Sorry I called you a cat,” Tanjiro said. “But- if Shinko’s dad was really killed by a demon, I really can’t let them find out about you. I’m sorry.”

Genya whined a little. He reached behind his head to try and remove the muzzle. He struggled with the latch. Tanjiro reached over and ran his hands over the bindings.

“Urokodaki-san really thought this design out,” he murmured. “The steel coating makes it hard for you to bite through. And the latch is designed to make it easy for you to put it on. But, once the latch is in place, it would be near impossible to remove it by yourself.” He clicked the latch open and set it inside the box.

Gena shook his head and pointed to his stomach. “I’ll get you some food soon. Just stay here and stay out of sight.”

Tanjiro quickly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“Takame-san,” he said as he went into the kitchen. “I’m ready to help. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

Shinko’s mother smiled. She looked tired and weary. “I was thinking of making yakitori tonight. Can you heat the oven?”

Tanjiro nodded and gathered the firewood in the corner. They worked silently as Tanjiro helped heat the oven and Shinko’s mother cut up the chicken.

“So, Tanjiro-kun,” she began. “Is it true you are a top secret samurai?”

“I- I suppose so.”

“Then…” Shinko’s mother paused. “Are you here to stop the disappearances?”

“... Yes.” Tanjiro looked at her. “Shinko-chan told me about her father.”

Shinko’s mother looked tense. Her mouth was drawn into a grimace. “Starting last week, one of the men would vanish every night. My husband, and Shinko’s father, went missing three days ago.”

She looked to Tanjiro with desperation. “He’s dead, isn’t he? My husband is not coming back.”

Tanjiro felt something squirm in his gut. “We- uh, I don’t know for sure-”

“You don’t need to give me fake reassurance,” she scoffed. “Please, just promise me you’ll find whoever did this. Avenge my husband, and all the other men.”

“I will.”

After that declaration, the conversation died down as they finished preparing dinner. Eating passed quietly, too. Shinko asked Tanjiro a few questions about his life as a “top secret samurai,” but other than that, it was silent. Tanjiro took a few yakitori skewers back to his room, claiming it to be for his cat.

Tanjiro quickly opened the door and closed it behind him, just in time to see Genya make a mad dash from the desk for the box and crawl inside.

“It’s me, Genya,” he whispered, approaching the box. He noticed Genya stash something behind his back. Genya peered over Tanjjiro’s shoulder and noticed the yakitori skewers. He expectantly reached out his hands, and Tanjiro handed the food over.

“Maybe this demon will know something,” he said as Genya bit through the chicken, the bamboo skewers along with it. “For now, let’s settle down here. I’ll keep my nose peeled all night.”

Genya nodded through a mouthful of chicken. Tanjiro laid down on the futon, resting his head on his hands. “I wonder how Nezuko is doing.”

They rested for a few hours as night began to fall. The moon rose into the sky, illuminating the room from the now open window. Tanjiro got to his feet. He ushered Genya back into the box. They would be heading out soon. He tucked his sheath into his belt and slipped the box over his shoulders. He ducked out of the room and headed for the front door.

“Where are you going?” Tanjiro looked back to the second room. Shinko was rubbing at her eyes sleepily.

“I- I’m going on top secret samurai business,” Tanjiro replied.

“Good luck!” Shinko crossed the room and wrapped Tanjiro in a hug. He pet her gently on the head. Genya scratched from inside the box.

“Also, that’s not really your pet cat in there, is it?”

Tanjiro jolted back and stuttered. “What- uh, I mean- How did you-”

“You make a funny face when you lie,” Shinko said with a lopsided grin. “So, what’s really in there?”

Tanjiro hung his head. “I’m sorry, Shinko. But I really can’t tell you.”

Shinko pouted. “It must be something really important to you, right?”

“Some one . But, yes, he’s really important to me.”

Tanjiro heard a faint, barely audible whine from the box.

“Keep him safe, then,” Shinko said.

“I will,” Tanjiro replied, making a promise to both Shinko and Genya. With that, he left the house and started searching for the demon.

“We’ll find the demon soon,” Tanjiro assured Genya as they walked. He kept sniffing at the air, trying to locate the demon’s scent.

Suddenly, the scent turned foul. Tanjiro’s head perked up, sniffing rapidly. He ran forward and turned left, following the scent. Genya yelped as he jostled around in the box.

Tanjiro spotted a figure of a small child running down the street. They had long choppy hair and their clothes were torn. They looked so small and meek, but their smell was undoubtedly that of a demon.

Tanjiro drew his sword. The sound of steel scraping against the sheath drew the demon’s attention, because they turned around to face him. Their eyes were a deep golden yellow.

The demon growled, baring their fangs. “Don’t get in my way!” They screeched.

Tanjiro stayed silent, holding his blade up.

The demon screeched and lunged. Tanjiro swung his sword at them, but the demon backflipped away with unexpected agility. Their hair hardened into tree branches. The branches extended forward, sharp and ready to pierce Tanjiro through the core.

“Breath of Water, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!”

Tanjiro slashed through the tree branches, severing them from the demon’s hair. They landed to the ground with a clatter. He rushed forward.

“Breath of Water, Third Form: Flowing Dance!”

The demon side stepped, but couldn’t avoid getting their right arm sliced off. It regenerated fast.

“Stay out of my way!” The demon screeched. “I have no interest in eating you!”

“You only target fathers with families,” Tanjiro seethed. “Why? Why are you splitting up perfectly happy families?!”

“You wouldn’t understand!” The demon lunged again. This time, their claws extended into tree bark.

Something rustled on Tanjiro’s back, and the box burst open. Genya jumped out. There was a loud BANG! The demon stumbled back, screeching and clutching at their bloodied eye. In Genya’s hand was-

“A gun?!” Tanjiro exclaimed. Genya was holding a sawed off shotgun. Tanjiro realized that this was what Genya stuffed into the box.

Genya growled, staring down the other demon. “What the hell?” The demon growled as their eye healed. “A demon and human working together? That’s absurd!”

“He’s my family,” Tanjiro said, readying his sword.

Genya focused his gun and fired again, but the demon evaded. His hair turned to bark once more, zooming towards Genya. Instead of evading, Genya opened his mouth and chomped down on the branches. The demon yelped. As they pulled away, blood rushed from the severed hair sections.

“You’ve got some nerve,” the demon growled. “Stay out of my way!”

Genya ran forward to try and get a second strike in. Tanjiro didn’t notice the severed branches on the ground writhing until it was too late.

“Gen-”

The branches rooted themselves into the ground and pierced through Genya’s back. Blood spurted through the wounds, and Genya yelped. The branches began to extend upwards, taking Genya into the air.

Tanjiro felt fury in his veins.

“Breath of Water, First Form: Water Surface Slash!”

He cut through the branches before Genya could go too high into the sky. The demon was already on the offensive again, more of their hair hardening into wood and flying at Tanjiro.

“Breath of Water, Second Form: Water Wheel!”

Tanjiro flipped and slashed through the branches. They only fell to the ground and dug through the dirt.

“Every branch I slash just gives them more ammunition! I need to get to their head, fast!”

He spared a quick glance at Genya. His brother was struggling to his feet, the ends of the branches still poking through his chest.

“I just made a promise to Shinko and Genya that I will protect him! I’m not going to go back on it now!”

The branches were flying at him again. Tanjiro readied his blade and-

Genya got between them, firing the gun once more. The bullet struck the demon in the shoulder. They hissed, still standing. However, the branches still reached their target. Even though Genya raised his arms to cover himself, the branches drilled through his body.

“Genya!”

Maybe Tanjiro was hearing things, but he could have sworn he heard Genya growl, “GO!”

Right. Genya used himself as a shield, a distraction. Tanjiro wouldn’t let himself waste this chance. He wouldn’t let Genya get hurt for nothing.

Genya fired again as Tanjiro dashed around the side. He readied himself to strike.

“Breath of Water, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!”

First, he cut through the demon’s legs. Then the arms. Finally, the neck, and the demon’s head went flying.

Tanjiro breathed out a sigh of relief, and immediately rushed to Genya’s side. His yukata was covered in his own blood, and some branches were still sticking out of his stomach and arms. He whimpered as he tugged at a branch embedded in his shoulder.

“Genya, hang on-”

Genya growled with unexpected animosity. With a final yank and screech, he pulled the branch free. The blood flow quickened. Genya quickly put the branch into his mouth and chewed through it. The skin and muscles around the wound shriveled and closed up.

“Eating demon parts helps you heal?”

Genya nodded and reached for the next branch, but Tanjiro cut him off with a hug.

“I’m sorry I let you get hurt, Genya,” he murmured. “You must have been in pain. I’m so sorry.”

Genya closed his eyes and leaned into the hug.

~~~

A child held their father’s hand as they walked down the street. They were laughing and smiling.

“Can we go get dango, Dad?” The child asked.

“Sure, Ketsuko.”

The father and child pair walked further down the street. From one of the alleys, Ketsuko spotted a man watching them.

“Dad-” Ketsuko started to say, but the man had already approached them. He was big, bigger than their dad, and he had an undeniably mean and drunk look to him. He was twirling a large knife in his hand.

“Oi, Hano,” the man said. His voice sounded scary. “You know you still owe me money, right?”

“Dad-” Ketsuko whined, hiding behind their father’s back. “Who is this? He’s scary.” They looked around. No one else was there.

“Reidara,” their father said, the normally easy going tone gone completely serious. “Not now.”

“Oh,” Reidara cocked his head in mock curiosity. “If not now, then when? Did you forget you owe everything you have to me?! Your job, your wife, even your child!”

“That’s enough!” Ketsuko’s father took another step forward. “Ketsuko, go home!”

“But, Dad-”

“Oh, do tell them,” Reidara said with a faux benign smile. “Tell them where you’d be if not for my generous loans. That you still haven’t paid back!”

The accoster swung the knife in wild fury, striking Ketsuko’s father in the chest. He fell to the ground.

“Dad!” Ketsuko dropped to their knees, tears flowing from their eyes.

“Kid-” It was as if Reidara only now fully comprehended that someone witnessed his crime. “You are going to forget you saw that!”

Ketsuko screamed and scrambled away. They struggled back to their feet and ran, crying. Reidara chased after them, but in his drunken confusion was unable to locate them.

Ketsuko hid in another alley the whole day and into the night, crying their eyes out. Why? Why did their father get taken away right in front of them.

Footsteps crunched against the ground, and Ketsuko hid their face with their hands, frightened.

“How unfortunate.” The voice that spoke was unfamiliar. Ketsuko opened their eyes and saw a man in a suit and tie. He looked… almost otherworldly, radiating of a power they couldn’t comprehend.

“Stay away!” Ketsuko growled, mostly out of fear. They instinctively knew that this man would do as he alone pleases, and nothing they say would have an effect on him.

Indeed, the man stepped forward, stretching out a singular, long fingernail. “How unfortunate, indeed,” he repeated. “If you can’t have your father-”

“Then no one else can!”

Genya looked up as he finished chewing through the final branch. The demon’s body was starting to crumble to dust, as was the decapitated head.

“What are you talking about?” Tanjiro asked, staying by Genya’s side.

“If I can’t have my dad, then no one else can!” The demon wailed. They were… crying. Tears fell from their golden eyes. “It’s not fair! Why did my dad have to die! Why why why why why!”

They sounded like a child. Like a scared child. And for a moment, Geny felt incredibly sorry for them.

Tanjiro also looked saddened. “You’re not alone,” he said. “We lost our father, too. And I know it hurts, but- it doesn’t excuse the killing of innocent people.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” The demon screeched, though their voice lost all conviction.

“By killing all those men, all those fathers, you are making their children go through that same pain,” Tanjiro murmured. “It’s horrible, unimaginable. I’d never wish for someone to lose their loving parent.”

“Shut up! Just shut up!”

It really was a child. This demon was a child. Younger than Genya was, definitely. They just couldn’t comprehend anything outside their view of the world.

Tanjiro put his hands together in a prayer. “Please understand. I wouldn’t wish for you to lose your father, either. In your next life, I hope that you won’t lose your father, and that you won’t turn into a demon, either.”

The demon fell silent, most of their body completely disintegrated.

“Please, go in peace.”

The demon vanished into flecks of dust. Tanjiro seemed to almost deflate. He turned to Genya.

“We should go,” he said, voice sullen and tired. “We still have a few hours before the sun rises. There’s a river outside of town. We should wash the blood off.”

Genya pointed to the holes formed in his yukata and pouted.

“Nezuko should be able to mend that,” Tanjiro assured him. “We’ll meet up with her soon, I’m sure.”

Tanjiro took him by the hand and led him down the street. They walked to the river in silence. Tanjiro helped Genya remove the yukata and started washing it, blood flowing away with the water.

“We’ll figure this out, I promise,” Tanjiro said. His sorrowful expression was replaced with determination. “I can’t forgive that Muzan. So many people are suffering because of him. You. Our family. The families in this town. Even that demon. All of that is his fault. And I promise I’ll stop him. I promise.”

“Pro… mise-”

Tanjiro looked up in surprise.

“Pro- mise…” Genya’s voice sounded hoarse. He hadn’t spoken in years, aside from growls and animalistic screeches. He looked so unsure, as if he himself didn’t quite understand what was happening.

“Genya, did you just-”

“New assignment! New assignment!”

Both boys looked up in shock and startlement at the voice of Tanjiro’s crow, circling overhead in the still dark sky.

“Head to Asakusa! Asakusa, in Tokyo! Rumors of demon activity there! Go, go!”

Chapter Text

It took two days of walking for Nezuko to reach Asakusa. The night in between she managed to find a roadside inn to stay in and used the last of her money to pay for it. Luckily, they didn’t ask many questions about her blade, though she did get quite a few suspicious gazes.

To her surprise, Asakusa was… huge! Buildings towered over her, bright lights hung in the air. It was far grander than her old village. The basic functioning electricity that powered the town had been turned into a sea of lights in the nighttime city. But, while it was beautiful and vast, it was also much bigger and forgeign when compared to her village. Nezuko felt lost within minutes.

“The crow only said that there were rumors of demon activity here,” she thought to herself as she tried to push her way past the crowds of people. “So, what should I do? Just scout the area to confirm or refute it? And this place is so big. Where do I even begin?”

Nezuko looked around. Maybe starting from the center would be a good idea? She could grasp a better sense of the city's layout from there, and she’d be able to better detect the demon’s aura there.

She was far shorter than most of the people out at night. Most were adults, heading off to fancy restaurants or to late night work meetings. They wore beautifully expensive kimonos, some even going for the more modern business suits. She felt fiercely out of place with her haori and gakuran. She had to walk on the tips of her toes to get miniscule glimpses of classy top hats, pretty pinned hair, wild unkempt mohawks-

Mohawks…

Just as that realization hit her, Nezuko saw the familiar ruby red eyes of Tanjiro weave out of the crowd. He grinned at her and they hugged.

“I noticed your smell and came over as fast as I could,” Tanjiro said.

“It’s so good to see you, onii-chan,” Nezuko said. Tanjiro was also wearing the uniform gakuran, though the haori was missing. It turned up soon after, though, draped over Genya’s shoulders as he trailed after Taniro, eyes closed sleepily. It was clear he had gone through another growth spurt, now the height of the average adult. A new muzzle was securely fastened around his mouth.

“Let’s go somewhere less crowded,” Nezuko suggested. “Then we can catch up.” Tanjiro nodded in agreement. Nezuko trailed after him as he dragged Genya along by the hand. After fifteen minutes of twisting roads and confusing back alleys, Tanjiro managed to lead them to an udon stall on the outskirts of town.

“What can I do for you?” The balding man running the stall asked them.

“Uh, I’ll take a bowl of udon with grated yam,” Tanjiro said.

“And I’ll have udon with egg and tempura flakes,” Nezuko said, before turning to a still sleepy Genya. “Do you want udon?”

Genya blinked his eyes open and glanced at the menu on the side of the cart. He jabbed a clawed finger at the image indicating aburaage tofu and the hottest spice level.

“Uh, and one more bowl of udon with fried tofu. As spicy as you can get it,” Tanjiro added, fishing out some money to pay for the food. The stall owner gave Genya a few odd looks but saw fit not to mention anything.

Tanjiro paid, and the three of them sat down on the bench by the cart as their food was being prepared. Tanjiro gave Nezuko half of his money.

“So, what’s been happening?” Nezuko asked. “Why does Genya have your haori?”

“He… kinda got impaled by some tree branches on our first mission,” Tanjiro started to say, but Genya cut him off by tugging on his sleeve and pointing to his muzzle.

“Oh, right.” Tanjiro beckoned Nezuko to lean in closer and showed her how to remove the muzzle. “We put it on when we got to Asakusa because there were so many people around.” Tanjiro removed the box from his shoulders and set the muzzle inside.

“Ne- Nezu-”

Nezuko gasped, before remembering to lower her voice. “You can talk now?”

“Li-little,” Genya replied, looking more than a bit sheepish. He offered up an awkward smile, the tips of his fangs peeking out of his mouth.

“Nezuko beamed in return. “That’s amazing, Genya.”

“We should fill you in on what we learned,” Tanjiro said. Nezuko nodded.

“So, we learned that Genya can eat other demons instead of eating humans,” Tanjiro said. “And that seems to be the cause of his- uh, growth spurts. And it’s probably also the reason he can talk now. But-” he frowned, “we couldn’t find out anything about how to turn a demon back into a human.”

Nezuko looked downcast. “Me, either. We just have to keep trying, right?”

“Y-you… can do- do it-”

“By the way, Tanjiro, what color is your sword?” Nezuko asked.

“Black.”

“Weird. So is mine.”

Tanjiro’s brows furrowed. “That is weird. Haganezuka-san, my swordsmith, said that he expected my sword to turn red. Something about coming from a family of fire.”

“Rengoku-san’s blade is red. But, he says it is very important to call it the Breath of Flames , not fire. So I don’t think it applies to that, either.”

Tanjiro offered up a weak shrug. At that moment, the udon was ready, and Tanjiro got up to fetch their bowls. Genya started scarfing down the moment his bowl was in his hands, forgoing the chopsticks to slurp up the noodles directly.

“What do you think this ‘rumor of demon activity’ is?” Nezuko asked as she split her egg in half with her chopsticks.

Tanjiro shrugged again. “We can figure that out after we ea-”

The bowl fell from his hands, shattering against the ground. His eyes were wide and unfocused.

“Onii-chan?”

But Tanjiro had already taken off in a sprint, back in the direction of the crowded city streets. Nezuko got up to run after him, but-

“Wh-where? Don’t… go-”

Nezuko turned back, seeing a terrified Genya. His eyes were wide open, glinting amber in the lamplight. Nezuko looked back to where Tanjiro had run off, his figure already out of sight. She hesitated, and sat back down next to Genya.

She just couldn’t leave him.

“I’m here, Genya.”

“L-last- the last… time you left- left… bad-”

“The last time you left, our family died and I turned into a demon.”

Nezuko didn’t know what to say. Apparently. Neither did Genya. All he did was look between her and his half empty bowl of udon.

“You can keep eating,” Nezuko said. “I’m sure Tanjiro will be back soon.”

Genya turned back to his noodles, quietly slurping at them. Nezuko set her own bowl aside, her appetite suddenly gone.

What had Tanjiro noticed? It had to be his great sense of smell. But, to run off in such a hurry-

“Nezu… ko-” Genya stuttered out. “Famil-family. Remem...ber- family?”

“Yes. I remember.”

“Mine- fuzzy… Memo...ry… Fuzzy…”

“Do you want to talk about them?”

Genya leaned down, opening the latch on the box and pulling out a piece of parchment. He showed it to Nezuko. A drawing with “family” scrawled across the top. There were many figures Nezuko recognized, and many she didn’t.

“Two- seper...ate or… to-together?”

“Are you asking if… we were one big family or two separate ones?”

Genya nodded. There was a look in his eyes Nezuko could only describe as shame. Shame he couldn’t remember.

“Well, they were separate, but I’d have loved to see your siblings as my siblings, too.”

Genya smiled weakly again. He pointed to each figure one by one. “Sumi. Hiroshi. Koto. Teiko. Shuya. Mom.”

The smile faded again. “‘Nemi.”

“We’ll find him.”

Genya didn’t look convinced. Still, he tucked the drawing away back in the box. The conversation must have made him hungry again, because he slurped up the remaining noodles in his bowl, then-

CRUNCH!

“Genya!” Nezuko exclaimed as he started to take another bite out of the ceramic bowl. “What are you doing?” She said in a whisper shout.

“Hun...gry-”

“Agh! What are you doing?!”

The stall owner ran to them with an angry look. “I get you like the food, but why eat the bowl?!”

“Hun...gry-”

“I’ll pay,” Nezuko chimed in, pulling out the money Tanjiro left her with.

“And that-” the man pointed to Tanjiro’s shattered bowl on the ground. “I mean, it’s not about the money, but why buy it if you won’t even eat it!”

“I’m so sorry!”

Tanjiro ran back to them, looking shaken. “I’m sorry! I’ll buy another! No, two!”

As Tanjiro scarfed down his two bowls of udon, Genya and Nezuko split hers. They gathered their belongings and left the stand.

“Onii-chan, why did you run off?”

“I- I smelled him ,” Tanjiro said, his gaze hardened. “The demon that was at our house.”

“You mean-”

“The demon that killed our family and turned Genya into a demon. Muzan Kibutsuji.”

A sense of panic overcame Nezuko. Kyojuro had told her that Muzan was the first - and strongest - demon. What was he doing here, among humans? And why would they send two rookies after him?

Genya suddenly grabbed both of them. “What is it?”

“De-demon…”

Indeed, a figure of a person, a young man in a white shirt, approached from the shadows. His hair was neatly styled and combed over his forehead, going from white to green to black. If the overwhelming aura of a demon didn’t give him away, his slit cat like eyes certainly would have.

“We could have found you on our own,” Tanjiro said.

“No, you wouldn’t have,” the demon responded. He shot a glance at the very confused Nezuko and Genya. “When you said you needed to get something, I didn’t expect an eyesore of a girl and-”

“Not… eyesore-” Genya growled, baring his fangs and putting a protective hand in front of Nezuko.

“How dare you call her an eyesore?!” Tanjiro piped up. “Nezuko is the beauty of our hometown!”

“Onii-chan, what’s going on?” Nezuko asked in a whisper. “He is a demon, right?”

“I know, but he wants to help us, I think.”

“And why is that you have a demon in your midst,” the new demon asked, pointing to Genya.

“He’s our brother.”

The demon a light “tch” sound and beckoned for them to follow.

“Onii-chan, can you explain what else happened?” Nezuko asked as they followed. She held Genya by the hand and pulled him along.

“Well,” Tanjiro started. “I detected his scent. And then I tracked him down. And-” He paused. Nezuko could see something akin to fury on his face.

“He has a child. He has a human wife and child.”

Shock coursed through Nezuko’s veins.

“It’s all part of his act,” the demon leading them said. “Hiding amongst his prey. A perfect strategy.”

“I was so shocked,” Tanjiro continued. “I was so shocked I couldn’t think of what to do. Then- then he turned a man walking past us into a demon.”

“What?!”

Tanjiro nodded. “He just- a man was just walking past us with his wife, and he swiped his claws across his neck. And the man just turned into a demon and started attacking his wife. Muzan got away in the chaos.”

Genya whimpered. Did he remember something?

“Then, this guy and another demon showed up and helped me,” Tanjiro finished. “They said they wanted to help defeat him, and asked us to meet with them.”

They arrived at a stone wall. The demon leading them once again beckoned for them to follow and walked through the wall. Nezuko was confused until the man poked his head back out.

“Just walk through. And hurry up.” The three of them hesitantly stepped through the wall. They passed through it as if it was air. Once the darkness of the wall left their vision, they saw a large house stretching across the land.

“That’s why you wouldn’t have been able to track us,” the demon said with a prideful smirk. “Our location is perfectly hidden thanks to my Blood Demon Arts.”

They followed him inside. In the room was a woman in a flowery kimono, treating the wounds of another woman, lying unconscious on a bed. The former was also clearly a demon.

“You made it back,” she said. “That’s good. I’ve managed to treat her wounds. But, unfortunately, her husband needed to be confined in our basement.”

“Isn’t it hard?” Tanjiro asked, addressing the female demon. “Treating human wounds. Wouldn’t the hunger be unbearable?”

The first demon cut him off with a smack. “You’re one to talk with a demon sibling,” he growled. “Isn’t it unbearable for him whenever you’re injured?” He asked in a singsong voice.

Genya growled and tried to snap at Tanjiro’s assailant, only barely held back by Nezuko. Tanjiro bowed sheepishly and murmured apologies.

“It’s fine,” the female demon assured him. “Yushiro, please don’t hit him. It’s true, I only became like this after excessive body modification?”

“Body modification?” Nezuko repeated.

“I’m Tamayo, and that is Yushiro,” the woman introduced them. “Let’s go to the living room and talk.”

Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya followed Tamayo and Yushiro into the living room. Genya kept bearing his fangs at the two demons.

“Now then, let me explain,” Tamayo said. “It is true that I am a demon, but I am determined to help kill Kibutsuji.”

“Ki… bu-” Genya’s attempt to pronounce the name was cut short by a sudden burst of blood from his mouth.

“Genya!”

Yushiro slammed his hand over Genya’s mouth. “Don’t say that name, you idiot!”

“That would not be a good idea,” Tamayo agreed. “You see, there is a curse placed on that name. Any demon that says it is instantly killed by the Muzan cells in their blood. While it is true that your brother is a very special demon, it would be best not to risk it. I can speak it because of the ways I modified my body. Yushiro can say it because he is not one of Muzan’s demons.”

“Not one of his demons?” Nezuko repeated. “But, I thought that only Muzan could make demons.”

“I am the one who turned Yushiro into a demon,” Tamayo explained.

“It was completely willingly,” Yushiro said with a pointed glare. “I knew the risks and cost going in.”

“I only attempt to turn people into demons if they are on their deathbeds,” Tamayo added. “And, I always ask for their permission first. Yushiro is my only successful attempt.”

“But, you’re still demons,” Tanjiro said. “Don’t you need to eat humans?”

“I’ve modified our bodies to allow us to get by on small samples of human blood,” Tamayo said. “We can buy blood from people desperate for money, saying it is for transfusions. Of course, we never take so much it harms them.”

Nezuko mulled over the overwhelming plethora of new information. It certainly explained why the demon aura was more subdued around these two. They were special, in their own way.

“Uh, Tamayo-sama,” she spoke up. “Our brother Genya was turned into a demon, and we are looking for a way to turn him back into a human. Is there a way to do that?”

“Pl-please…”

Tamayo seemed to give the pleading Genya a look of sympathy. “There certainly could be a way to turn a demon back into a human. Every injury and illness has a medicine to combat it. However, at present, such a method does not exist.”

Nezuko felt her heart fall through the floor.

Tanjiro leaned forward. “But, you can make a treatment, right? You-”

“Don’t get too close!” Yushiro snapped, pushing Tanjiro back.

“Yushiro, don’t push Tanjiro around,” Tamayo said, her tone strict. “But, yes, we are hoping to create a treatment. For that, we will need to study many samples of demon blood. We need your permission to study Genya’s blood.”

“Huh?”

Genya tilted his head. “Sam...ple? My blood?”

Tamayo nodded. “It is very clear that you are different from most demons. It is not uncommon for demons to cannibalize each other when competing for turf and food, but you seem to have turned other demons into your primary food source. This is potentially the key for a cure.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko glanced at each other. “So, by studying Genya’s blood, you might be able to find a cure faster. Well, Genya, it is your decision.”

Genya looked at all the room’s occupants, then down to the floor. “O-o-okay.”

Tamayo smiled at him. “I know it is scary, but we will find a solution. Your cooperation will be very helpful.”

“Hu-human… want to… be human- again-”

“There is another task for Tanjiro and Nezuko,” Tamayo spoke up. “For the cure, we also must study the blood of demons close to Kibutsuji. You must collect samples from demons with high concentrations of Kibutsuji’s blood. This is no easy task. The more of Kibutsuji’s blood they have, the stronger they are. Are you willing to carry out this task?”

“Hu-human… want to… be human- again-”

They didn’t even need to think about it. “We’ll do it,” Tanjiro said, a grim look of determination etched onto his face.

“You can count on us!” Nezuko exclaimed.

Tamayo gave another warm smile.

A sudden look of alarm came over Yushiro’s face. “Get down!” He yelled, tackling Tamayo to the floor. Just as he did, something crashed through the walls. Splinters flew everywhere as the house began to break apart.

“Found them! Found them!”

Chapter Text

“Look, Yahaba! Look! I found them, my temari found them!”

“As usual, you are too childish, Susamaru. Your attack got dust all over my robes.”

Genya blinked his eyes open. When that Yushiro demon told them to get down, he instinctively covered both Tanjiro and Nezuko with his arms, shielding them from whatever was happening. He could feel wood covering them, splintered and broken. The wall behind him had been destroyed. Two demons were standing in the entrance. One was bouncing a temari ball up and down.

“Genya, are you okay?” Tanjiro called.

“F-fine.”

“How did they find us?” Yushiro growled, still protectively holding on to Tamayo.

The demon with the temari threw the ball. It bounced violently across the remaining walls.

“Look ou-” Yushiro called, moving to avoid the ball. The temari swerved and knocked his head clean off. Tamayo caught his still body in her arms.

“Yushiro!” Nezuko called out. Genya stared at the blood pooling from the stump of Yushiro’s neck. It smelled… delicious.

“Can’t eat him he friend but it’s so good he’s not a human so it’s okay right no no no-”

“Genya!” Tanjiro’s voice broke him out of his daze. “Get the woman in the other room! Get her to safety!”

Genya tore his eyes away from Yushiro and ran to the woman. He scooped her up in his arms.

“Wh-where?”

“The basement, downstairs,” Tamayo called. Genya hurried down to the cellar. The woman in his arms stirred.

“What’s going on?” She asked. “Where’s my husband?”

Genya didn’t know how to explain it to her, when he himself didn’t fully understand. He opened the nearest door and set her in the room.

“St-stay-” he said, holding out his hand for emphasis. The woman flinched away when she saw his claws. Genya whimpered a little, then ran off, closing the door behind you.

“She thinks I’m a monster but I’m not I’m not a monster-”

He reached the ground floor just as another temari bounced around the room.

“Breath of Flames, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!”

Nezuko sliced the ball in half. “Genya!” She yelled. “Take care of Tamayo-sama and Yushiro-san!”

“No, don’t worry about us,” Tamayo insisted. “We’ll be fine. We’re demons, after all.” Yushiro feebly stirred in her arms. His head was starting to regrow.

“This is why I was against bringing them here!” He yelled. “My Blood Demon Arts can’t hide the presence of so many people!”

Tanjiro pierced through another temari. Its trajectory changed, but it still hit him. The force wasn’t enough to seriously hurt him, but he still winced.

The demon behind the attack was a girl with choppy black and orange hair. She was laughing giddily at the chaos she caused. With a fluid motion, she tore off the outer layer of her kimono as four more arms sprouted from her sides. “This is so much fun. Consider it an honor to be killed by one of the Twelve Demon Moons!”

“Demon Moons?” Tanjiro repeated.

“That means they report directly to Kibutsuji,” Tamayo explained. Judging by her voice, she was concerned.

“Yep!” The demon giggled. “I’ll bring your head right to him, hanafuda earring boy!”

“You two!” Yushiro yelled. “Follow the arrows! If you follow the arrows, you will know the direction of the termari!”

“What arrows!?” Nezuko yelled back.

Yushiro glared at them with exasperation. “You can’t see them? Fine, I’ll lend my sight to you!” He threw two pieces of parchment at Tanjiro and Nezuko. They stuck to their foreheads. Genya saw their eyes widen in some sort of realization, and suddenly they began to move with more fluidly. They dodged attacks before they came. Genya stood guard in front of the two other demons.

“Wh-what about… me?”

“Well,” Tamayo said thoughtfully as Nezuko led one of the temari away from them. “I suppose it’s possible that if you eat part of Yushiro, you could gain access to his Blood Demon Arts.”

“Does this mean I can eat him or part of him how much I really shouldn’t be thinking this-”

“Here.” Yushiro shoved a handful of hair into his hands. “Make it quick.”

It didn’t look as appetizing as his blood, but Genya shoved the hair into his mouth. It stuck to the back of his throat and he almost gagged. The hair was practically flavoress, with a faint hint of calligraphy ink and something flowery. He stuck his tongue out in disgust.

“Not good enough for you?” Yushiro growled in mock disappointment.

Genya blinked his eyes, and in a split second, red arrows filled his vision. They flew in every direction, the temari following their trajectory.

“Nezuko!” Tanjiro yelled. “The other demon is up in one of the trees outside. I’ll make an opening, go find him!”

“Got it!”

“Breath of Water, Third Form: Flowing Dance!”

Tanjiro moved around the temari, slicing through them with ease. His feet moved as if they were dancing. In a single motion, he cut through all six of the temari demon’s arms. Nezuko dashed out, heading for whatever other demon was hiding out there.

“Tamayo-sama, if these are members of the Twelve Demon Moons, then that means they have a lot of Kibutsuji’s blood, right?” Tanjiro yelled across the courtyard.

“Yes, that would be correct.”

“Then I’ll definitely collect her blood for you!”

This seemed to amuse the demon. “You?! Collect my blood?! I’d like to see you try!” Her arms regrew instantly. Sensing danger, Genya ran forward to protect his brother. The temari demon noticed him and grinned. With unprecedented force, she threw a temari right at him. He wouldn’t be able to dodge.

“Genya!”

The ball connected with his right shoulder, drilling through the flesh and flying through the other side, Tanjiro’s checkered haori left in tatters. His arm hung on by a sliver of skin and muscle. Genya fell to his knees and screeched in pain.

“What now it could have hit my head it was so close scary so scared-”

The arm started healing, the fibers slowly stitching themselves back together, stinging in the open cold air. The  red arrows faded from his sight, the last one dissapaiting before him as Nezuko was flung back by it to Tanjiro’s feet.

“You got dust all over my robes, you insolent girl!” The other demon jumped from his perch in a tree. The two hostile demons had them surrounded.

“His Blood Demon Arts makes him almost impossible to hit!” Nezuko said, getting back to her feet. “The second I get close he summons one of those arrows and pushes me away.”

“Let’s switch,” Tanjiro said. “Maybe Breath of Water will work better there.”

“Alright. Genya and I will fight the temari demon.”

The two siblings dashed past each other, Tanjiro aiming for the arrow demon, Nezuko for the temari demon. Genya struggled back to his feet.

“Have to help them have to help-”

“Breath of Flames, Third Form: Descending Flare!”

Nezuko sliced through a temari, flipping through the air to avoid a second ball. She closed the distance.

“Breath of Flames, Seventh Form: Twin Blazing Slashes!”

Nezuko performed two rapid slashes, the first horizontal and the second vertical. She missed the demon’s vitals, but managed to sever one of the arms. It fell to the ground.

Genya stumbled over to it and bit down on the fingertips. Spicy. Cinnamon flavor, but rubbery in texture.

A headache hit him, and he winced. He saw Nezuko continuing to fight. He needed to help. How-

“Bl-blood Demon Arts: Hiasobi Temari!”

It was more instinctual than anything. As if eating that arm unlocked something within him. Same as when he ate Yushiro’s hair.

A temari ball manifested between Genya’s palms. It was a bit bigger than the other demon’s, and in a purple, black, and green pattern rather than the blues, whites, and yellows, but it was otherwise identical.

“How dare you steal my ‘mari?!” The demon looked furious, her playful attitude erased from her face. She one of her temari at him, determined to take out the copycat. Genya threw his one at the same time. The two balls collided in midair, and popped in an explosion of colors.

“Genya, let’s attack together!”

“Y-Yes!”

Genya summoned two more temari as Nezuko closed in on the attack. He aimed carefully. One for the demon’s left set of arms, then for the legs. Then, Nezuko would get her head for sure.

He threw one, then the other. But, they were quickly dispatched the demon’s own temaris. He was at a disadvantage with this combat style. The demon had more experience with using temari as weapons, and the arrows were probably giving her better trajectory.

“Breath of Flames, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!”

Nezuko lunged with an attack, but was forced to cut it off halfway as more temari flew in her direction.

“Hey!” Yushiro called out. “You need to deal with the arrow demon first. He’s a bigger threat. Go help your brother.”

“Bu-but-”

“Go, Genya!” Nezuko yelled. “I’ll hold her for now.”

Genya tore away from the scene and ran to where Tanjiro was supposed to be. He expected a heated battle, but only got the aftermath.

“Breath of Water, Improved Second Form: Lateral Water Wheel!”

Spinning sideways, Tajiro sliced off the demon’s head. He landed on his feet, breathing unsteadily, as the demon’s body slumped to the floor and his head flew off to the side.

“No, no this can’t be!” The demon was shrieking. His voice was so shrill Genya found himself taken aback. The brief glimpse he got of him before painted him as someone calm. But this-

“I won’t lose! If I’m going down, you’re going down with me!”

Tanjiro was suddenly flung into the air, then left, and down, and left again, and in a loop-

“Tan-!”

The force was clearly weighing down on Tanjiro as he cycled through his attacks in an attempt to stop himself from smashing through the trees and building.

“Have to help have to help-”

The demon’s slowly disintegrating head was still laying on the ground. Perhaps he could help speed up the process. Genya ran to it and scooped the head up in his arms.

“Keep your filthy hands off-”

This demon tasted like the manifestation of a lie. Like milk gone sour long before it was supposed to. Something not to be trusted.

“Don’t… hurt… Tan-Tanjiro-”

Genya felt a force pushing against him, sending him back. Likely one of the arrows he couldn’t see anymore. The same thing flinging Tanjiro around. It didn’t matter. So long as he held onto the head, it would be fine.

He took another bite. The taste was starting to get overwhelming. Two years of bland food had left his taste buds carving for anything and everything, resulting in the demon flesh having an extra strong taste. His knees almost buckled.

“I will not lose!”

The demon’s head was almost gone, so Genya shoved the remaining portion into his mouth and swallowed. At that very moment, Tanjiro began to fall from the sky. Genya dived over and caught Tanjiro in his arms. He was surprised he could handle the weight.

“Genya-” Tanjiro wheezed out. It sounded like he was in pain.

“Y-y- hurt… You hurt-”

“I’m- fine- Nezuko! How’s Nezuko?”

“Fi-fighting… still.”

Genya set Tanjiro to his feet and collapsed onto his knees. He felt like he was going to be sick. He pressed his hand to his mouth as his shoulders shuddered.

“Genya,” Tanjiro took a knee next to him. “Breathe. Just take deep breaths.”

“How I don’t know your Breath styles what are you talking about what’s going on-”

Genya’s vision grew spotty. His fingers felt numb. It was as if he was submerged underwater. Tanjiro’s voice sounded far away.

“Was that demon poisonous was it made specially to kill me am I dying I don’t wanna die-”

“Nezu- Help… Nezuko...ko-”

“B-but-”

“I’m… f-fine,” Genya stammered out between shaky breaths. “Ne- ko, help-”

He could barely see the grimace on Tanjiro’s face as he struggled back to his feet and began hobbling in Nezuko’s direction. Genya blinked rapidly, trying to stay awake. His fangs clinked against his other teeth. Had they gotten longer? And his claws felt sharper, too. Blood pricked at his chin, that the claws barely grazed.

Genya forced himself to his feet. He almost fell over. He was dizzy, his legs refused to move the way he wanted them to. He felt like a marionette on tangled up strings as he tried to follow after Tanjiro.

“Help your little sister you’re the big brother you should help-”

Once again, he arrived too late.

“Breath of Flames, Eighth Form: Inferno Dawn!”

Nezuko rushed forward, swinging her sword in a wide arc. It formed a circle with its movements. The temari demon’s head flew off, screaming in a mixture of pain, shock, and anger.

“Good job Tanjiro good job Nezuko you did it you really did it-”

Genya began to fall face forward, his strength completely depleted, only remaining conscious long enough to hear someone scream his name.

Chapter Text

“Genya!”

Tanjiro hobbled over to Genya as fast as his legs could carry him. He knelt down. Genya’s breathing was quick and shallow, his brows furrowed in pain.

“What’s going on? Is he okay?” Nezuko asked, joining him.

“I don’t know.”

“Yushiro, go get a blood sample from that demon,” Tamayo instructed. “I need to check up on Genya.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko moved aside from Tamayo to inspect him. She ran a careful claw over his forehead.

“He appears to have a fever,” she said. “The sun will be out soon. Let’s move him inside for now.”

“I got the blood sample,” Yushiro announced.

“Good. Now, inside.”

“Right,” Tanjiro nodded. He got back to his feet and hooked one of Genya’s arms over his shoulder.

“I’ll help, onii-chan.” Nezuko looped the other arm over her shoulder. She grimaced.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, smiling through the pain. “One of those temari hit my arm. That was after the arrows vanished, so it wasn’t as strong, but I think it might have broken my arm.”

Tanjiro winced in sympathy. “I think I busted a rib.”

“Both of you, inside the cellar,” Yushiro said, jogging down the basement steps. The two siblings followed. “We had this basement constructed as a precaution. It’s designed so that no sunlight can reach it. And there’s enough rooms to house over a dozen patients.”

“It’s wonderful,” Nezuko said. Yushiro smirked in pride. He beckoned for them to follow.

The rooms stretched out from the hallway. They heard scratches coming from one; the man that Muzan turned into a demon right before Tanjiro’s eyes. Yushiro went to the end of the hallway and entered the very last room. Tamayo was waiting for them.

“Here, put him on the bed.” With some effort, the two siblings heaved Genya onto the mattress. “I’ll take a closer look now. You both also have injuries that need attending to. Yushiro, can you take care of them?”

Yushiro didn’t look happy at the prospect.

“Uh, Tamayo-sama, what about the woman from before?” Tanjiro asked. “Shouldn’t we check up on her?”

“I’ll go tell her that the coast is clear,” Yushiro said. “You two, go find a room and wait for me.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko shuffled out of the room and went to the one across from it.

“What do you think is happening with Genya?” Nezuko asked, worry etched on her face.

“I don’t know,” Tanjiro replied, equally worried. “When he ate a demon a few nights ago, he fell asleep for a bit, but he didn’t get a fever.”

They sat in silence. “That temari demon said something about bringing your head directly to Kibutsuji,” Nezuko said. “What was that about?”

Tanjiro shrugged. “I was the one who saw Kibutsuji in the city earlier. Maybe he was trying to cover his tracks. I- I really can’t think of any other reason.”

Nezuko also shrugged. “Could he have recognized you?”

“I don’t think so,” Tanjiro said. “I wasn’t there when our siblings were killed, and none of the others have my red hair.”

That was hard to argue with.

Yushiro and Tamayo came in a few minutes later.

“How’s Genya?” Tanjiro asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Tamayo assured him. “He has a fever, but nothing beyond that. It appears to be a result of him overeating.”

“Overeating?”

“His body wasn’t prepared for his mass intake of demon flesh,” Tamayo explained. “He is likely to remain unconscious for a few more days, but there shouldn’t be any long term consequences.”

Yushiro nodded. “You can stay here until then, so that your own injuries can start healing, but then you’ll need to leave.”

“We’ll be leaving then, too,” Tamayo said. “Kibutsuji knows of this location now, so it won’t take long for him to send more forces. We have a week, at most.”

Nezuko nodded, understanding. “At least we got the blood of that Demon Moon-”

“It wasn’t a Demon Moon,” Yushiro said with a disappointed shake of the head.

“It wasn’t?”

“No.” Yushiro pointed to his eye. “Demon Moons have their rank carved into their eyeballs. This one didn’t. And she was much weaker than even the weakest Moon would be. If she wasn’t a Demon Moon, likely neither was the other one.”

The two siblings hung their heads in disappointment. “We really thought-”

“You’ll get another chance,” Tamayo said. “Even if they are not Demon Moons, the sample we collected could still be useful. You did well in defeating them.”

Without much other conversation, Tamayo went about patching up their wounds. Tanjiro had a broken rib, and Nezuko had a fractured humerus.

“Total Concentration Breathing can help speed up our natural healing process, but it might be some time before we have another mission,” Tanjiro said as they rested. It was probably daytime, but they didn’t have the chance to check. They fell into a fitful sleep.

When they woke up, they went to check up on Genya. He was still asleep, shivering under a blanket. Tanjiro’s ripped haori and his yukata were draped over a chair. They didn’t even need to check to know that another growth spurt had occurred.

“Poor Genya,” Nezuko murmured, gently stroking his mohawk. Genya mumbled something in his sleep.

“You’re up,” Yushiro’s voice rang out behind them. The demon stood in the doorway. “You probably need to eat. We don’t have much since we’re demons, but there might be something for you in the pantry upstairs.”

“Thanks, Yushiro,” Tanjiro said. They climbed up the stairs, only to find someone else there already.

“You’re… the boy. From last night.” The woman Tamayo had taken in, with her shoulder wrapped in bandages, was fishing for something in the pantry.

Tanjiro nodded stiffly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than last night.” Even though she said that, her voice sounded heavy.

“We never introduced ourselves,” Nezuko piped up. “I’m Nezuko Kamado, and that’s my older brother Tanjiro.”

“I’m Ariko Yumihiko.”

It was silent for a moment.

“What’s going to happen to my husband?” Ariko asked finally.

“I-” Tanjiro fell silent. “Tamayo-sama and Yushiro-san are going to try to look for a cure. If and and when they make it, your husband will be one of the first to get it.”

“But why won’t he recognize me?” Ariko’s voice wavered. “We’ve been married for almost seven years. He had never hurt me before. Why did those other demons get to act normal while my husband is- like that?”

Tanjiro felt a pang of sympathy. He remembered the turmoil that came from Genya’s initial transformation. Knowing that his big brother was suffering and in pain, but also fearing for his own life.

“One of them is Genya,” Nezuko said. “He’s… our big brother.”

“Is it- is it hard?” Ariko asked. “Knowing someone you love is a monster?”

“He’s not a monster!” Nezuko yelled. “He-”

“It is hard,” Tanjiro said quietly. “It’s hard, because we know how much he hates it. Every second he spends as a demon is a moment of suffering for him. So, we want to get a cure as soon as possible. For him, for your husband, for any demon who might want to change back.”

Ariko looked down. “I’m sorry for what I said. Your brother helped me, and then I spoke ill of him behind his back.”

“Just don’t do it again,” Nezuko said in a warning voice.

“Where is he, anyways?”

“He- got a fever last night. Hasn’t woken up yet.”

~~~

“Genya… Genya…”

A singsong voice called out to him. He stayed hidden, though, not wanting the game to end. Hidden in the closet, where no one could find him. He’ll win this game. He and ‘Nemi made a bet that whoever one will get the other’s ohagi.

“Genya…” His mother’s voice again. So sweet, so comforting. He was tempted to run out of the closet and give her a hug.

“Genya… I already found all your siblings… you won… you can come out now…”

Now that she mentioned it, everything had been unnaturally still. None of his siblings had made so much as a peep in a while. Was it really over? Did he win? Could he come out now?

“Genya! Don’t come out! Stay hidden! It’s not safe!”

‘Nemi’s voice. He had never heard his big brother sound so scared.

“Whatever you do, don’t let her find you!”

He felt his chest tighten. It was hard to breathe. He was scared, so scared. He felt something damp dripping down his right cheek, a mixture of tears and blood. He bit down onto his fist to prevent himself from sobbing. His canines felt like fangs.

“Genya!”

“Genya…”

The closet doors flew open. His mother, with fangs and claws stood before him.

“Found you…”

He skewed his eyes shut and whimpered.

“Genya!”

“Nii-chan!”

“Nii-chan! Run! Take Rokuta and run!”

He dashed out of the closet and onto the snow filled ground. Everything stung and hurt. Run. Just keep running-

A man with vile veiny red eyes stood before him.

“Kibutsuji-”

Blood flowed from his mouth and pain pierced his lungs. The man smiled, something malevolent glinting beneath the surface.

“The fact that you are affected by this curse is proof enough that you are a demon. Don’t forget that. Don’t forget what you are!”

“I don’t wanna- I don’t want to-”

Needles stabbed into his body. It felt like his body was on fire. He stumbled back and fell over. A blizzard surrounded him, snow flying by in a flurry.

“I don’t want to be a demon! I don’t want to hurt anyone!”

The wind howled in disapproval.

“Please, someone help! I- I’m scared!”

He felt too small for his too big body. He looked down at his hands and saw claws. When he cried, his tongue caught onto his fangs and bled.

“Please… someone…”

A figure approached him.

“Mom!”

He lunged forward and collapsed in his mother’s waiting arms. He felt his body shrink until he was just a small, scared kid again. He screamed and sobbed as she shushed him and stroked his hair. No claws this time. Just his kind, hardworking mother.

“I don’t want to be a demon, Mom,” he sniffled. “I don’t want to kill people. I don’t want to- I don’t want to-”

“I know, I know, Genya,” she said, hugging him closer. “I know it hurts, but I know you’re strong. You’re so strong, Genya. You will overcome this. There are so many people waiting for you to become human again. Promise me you’ll stay strong for them, Genya. Promise.”

He hiccuped and nodded, burying his head into the crook of her neck.

The first thing Genya felt as he opened his eyes were the sheets, twisted up and torn in his claws. He was lying on a bed; an actual bed. The pillow supporting his head was damp with tears. He blinked and sniffled.

“Are you awake?” The blurry figure of a woman entered his vision. Genya couldn’t decipher why, but he felt safe around her.

“M-mom?”

Silence.

“I’m sorry, Genya, but I’m not your mom.”

He blinked again. This time, the woman’s features became more clear. Tamayo. That was her name, right?

“Oh…” he mumbled, turning his gaze away. He felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. He had just called a totally unrelated woman “mom.” “Sorry…”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Tamayo said. Was it just Genya’s imagination, or did her voice waver? “Are you feeling better?”

“I- I don’t know.” Genya pushed himself up into a seated position. He noticed that he wasn’t wearing his purple yukata, instead dressed in off white nightwear. The last thing he remembered was seeing Nezuko slice off the head of the temari demon. And- the dream-

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“I- I don’t know,” Genya repeated uselessly. The dream was already fading from memory, the details slipping away like sand. But, he remembered being afraid. And yet, he wasn’t sure if he could qualify the dream as a nightmare. It certainly wasn’t a good dream, but it wasn’t that bad, either. He remembered warmth and soft reassurances.

“You’re so strong, Genya.”

“What happened?”

“It seems you have overeaten,” Tamayo explained. “Your body wasn’t prepared for the amount of demon flesh you ate, causing you to go into a feverish state. You’ve been asleep for the past two days. While you were asleep, I’ve made some minor adjustments to your body, so that this thing should hopefully not happen again. I’ve also removed Kibutsuji’s curse.”

“So… I can say his name now?”

“Yes, and Kibutsuji will no longer be able to track you. He can sense the location of any demon he creates. However, with the curse gone, he won’t be able to sense you anymore.”

“That’s good,” Genya said with a smile. “I wouldn’t want Tanjiro and Nezuko to get in trouble because of me. Wait- where are they?”

“They are resting in the room across from us,” Tamayo said. “You can go see them.”

Genya jumped to his feet. “Actually-” He stopped short at her voice. “Do you remember what we talked about before the demons attacked?”

Genya slumped. “You need a blood sample from me?”

Tamayo nodded. “Do you want to do it now or later?”

Genya sighed. “Let’s just… get this over with.” He sat back down. Tamayo retrieved a needle and pulled up a chair in front of him.

“Try not to be so tense,” she said as Genya stretched his arm. She gently rolled up his sleeve. Genya whimpered. “I know it’s scary, but it hurts less than it seems.”

“I- I know,” Genya said. “It’s just- when I got turned into a demon- I think something was injected into me. And, so… needles are scary.”

Tamayo offered him a reassuring smile. “I promise this won’t hurt. If it’s easier for you, you can close your eyes.” Genya let his eyes flutter close. “Now, take a deep breath in.”

Genya felt a pinch in his arm. He bit his lip to avoid whimpering. A few moments later, the sensation vanished. He drooped forward, and blinked his eyes open.

“All done,” Tamayo said, settling the syringe aside.  “Sorry for any discomfort.”

Genya glanced to his arm. The injected skin was already healing, a single droplet of blood left behind. He brushed it away with a claw, leaving a smear.

“Thank you for this,” Tamayo said. “I know this is hard for you, but this will definitely help us create a cure.”

“I- I’m happy to help,” Genya said. “I-”  He fell silent again.

“What is it?”

“I- I don’t remember clearly, but I think my mom was turned into a demon. And- I can’t help but wish that she was here… instead of me, even. And you remind me of her, so I really miss her-”

He stopped when he saw tears in Tamayo’s eyes. “Sorry, so sorry-”

The door slammed open. “What did you do to Tamayo-sama?!” Yushiro screeched.

“No, no Yushiro,” she said, wiping the tears away. “It’s fine. Don’t worry, Genya-”

Still, with Yushiro glaring daggers at him, Genya decided it would be better if he left. He backed out of the room, murmuring apologies. He reached the door across from him, and quietly opened it.

“Genya!” Nezuko ran forward and wrapped him in a tight hug, Tanjiro following right behind. “You’re okay!”

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” he said, reaching over to pet them on the heads. “Uh- did you two get smaller?”

“No, you got taller,” Tanjiro said with a smile.

“Last time I measured you was at Urokodaki-san’s cabin, and you were 171 centimeters tall,” Nezuko said. “Now you’re 178 centimeters. I had to mend your yukata again.”

“Sorry,” Genya mumbled. “And sorry for getting your haori all ripped, Tanjiro. But, how are you two doing-”

They were staring as if he had grown a second head. “What?”

“You’re not stuttering anymore!”

“I’m… not?” Genya hadn’t even noticed.

“Tamayo-sama was right!” Nezuko exclaimed. “You are getting stronger with every demon you eat.”

“Just- try not to eat too much,” Tanjiro said. “We don’t want you getting a fever again.”

“You’re so strong, Genya.”

He felt a few tears slip from his eyes. “Genya?”

“I’m okay,” he said, swiping at his eyes. “I- I used to hate being a demon. Really, I still hate it. But, I’ll accept it for now, if it means being strong enough to protect you.”

They hugged again. It felt so warm.

A knock came on the door. Yushiro peeked in. “Your brother is awake, so get ready to leave.”

“Right,” Tanjiro said.

They quickly packed their things, complete with a small share of food for the road. Yushiro and Tamayo also provided them with special knives that had syringe compartments to collect blood samples.

“Just collect the samples, then Chachamaru will bring them to me,” Tamayo said, pointing to her pet cat.

“I’m sorry for making you cry earlier,” Genya told Tamayo under Yushiro’s glare.

“It’s fine,” she assured him. “In fact, it made me… really happy when you said you reminded me of your mom. I’m sure she was a wonderful woman.”

“She really was.”

“Genya, are you ready?” Tanjiro said, opening up the box.

“Wait.”

The woman he helped was waiting at the end of the hall.

“Oh, hi-”

“I wanted to thank you for rescuing me,” she said. “Your siblings told me a lot about you.”

“They did?”

She was looking at him without a hint of fear. Genya felt a smile spread over his face.

“We’re going to take your husband with us to keep him safe,” Tamayo told her. “The second the cure is complete, we’ll send you word.”

“Remember the cover story we got for you,” Yushiro said.

“I will,” she said. “Tanjiro, Nezuko, Genya, good luck.”

She climbed out of the cellar.

“We should get going, too,” Nezuko said. “It’s daytime right now, so we need the box.”

“Hang on,” Genya said. “Maybe I can try shrinking now.”

“It might work.”

Genya closed his eyes and tried to will himself to shrink. Maybe it was an instinctual thing, like with the Blood Demon Arts.

“Did it work?”

“Nope, still huge,” Yushiro remarked.

“Oh.” Genya felt his face flush bright red. Great. He just humiliated himself in front of them. With dejection, he crawled back into the box.

“Maybe next time,” Tanjiro said, patting him on the head. Genya grumbled in embarrassment.

“Thank you for everything,” Nezuko said.

“Sure,” Yushiro grumbled. “I guess you’re not an eyesore.”

Tanjiro smiled, closing up the box, and pulling it onto his shoulders. “You ready?”

Nezuko nodded, and Genya faintly scratched against the wood. Together, they climbed up out of the basement, setting out on their new mission.

Chapter Text

The two siblings walked down the path. The sun was out, and Genya was safely hidden inside his box. They had been walking for a few hours already.

“Onii-chan, do we even know where we’re going?” Nezuko finally asked.

“Uh… no?” Tanjiro said. “The crows haven't given us a new assignment yet, so I guess we just walk for now. We might not even get the same assignment again.”

“I hope you do,” Genya piped up from inside the box. “I like being with both of you.”

“Me, too,” Tanjiro said. “And, if Nezuko’s okay with it, if we are split up, we can take turns carrying you.”

“Is that okay?” Genya asked. “I know I’m getting heavy. I- I’ll try to figure shrinking out soon.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nezuko said. “You’ll figure it out when you’re ready. And we’ve trained a lot, so we can carry you no problem.”

“South southeast!” Tanjiro and Nezuko looked up to the sky. Both crows were circling overhead.

“Tanjiro Kamado, head south southeast for your next mission!”

“Nezuko Kamado, head south southeast for your next mission!”

Nezuko grinned. “Looks like we’re staying together for the time being. That’s good.”

“Head south southeast!”

“We heard you, we heard you,” Tanjiro called back. He looked to the sun to determine which direction to go. “We don’t have a map, but there’ll probably be a fork in the road later. We need to take the left path.”

“Got it.”

They kept walking.

“I hope there’s a house or some shade soon,” Genya said. “I’m getting hungry.”

“We’ll give you something as soon as we reach a safe place,” Tanjiro assured him.

“Is there anything in particular you’d like?” Nezuko said. “Tamayo-sama also gave us some money. If we go to another town and find a market, there’ll be all sorts of yummy food there.”

Genya seemed to think it over. “Well, I always like ohagi. And watermelon!”

“Watermelon?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty expensive, though,” Genya said. “I’ve only had it once, I think, but it was the best thing ever.”

“Maybe, then, just to make you happy,” Nezuko said with a grin.

Based on the sputters coming from the box, Genya was thoroughly flustered. “You- you don’t have to-”

“PLEASE!”

Tanjiro and Nezuko almost jumped at the sudden scream. They had been so engrossed in conversation that they didn’t notice a pair of new figures on the path. A boy with strangely straw colored hair, clinging to the kimono of a girl.

“PLEASE, I CAN DIE ANY DAY! SO PLEASE MARRY ME!”

“What’s going on there?” Tanjiro asked with a confused face. “That guy… he’s wearing the Demon Slayer uniform.”

“Actually, he looks sort of familiar,” Nezuko pointed out. She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to recall from where.

A sparrow flew over from the boy’s direction. Spotting it, Tanjiro stretched out his hand. The sparrow landed on it and started chirping indignantly.

“Now I remember!” Nezuko exclaimed. “He was at Final Selection with us. I remember that there was a boy with hair that made him look like a dandelion. He kept saying he was going to die, and he got a sparrow instead of a crow.”

“Really?” Tanjiro said with confusion. “I don’t remember that.”

The sparrow chirped again, as the boy kept wailing. “We’d better go see what that’s all about,” Nezuko said.

Tanjiro nodded. “Genya, you have to stay quiet now, okay?”

“Okay,” Genya whispered before falling silent. Tanjiro and Nezuko walked over to the quarrelling couple.

“Get off me!” The young woman wailed, shoving the blond away.

“What’s going on here?” Nezuko asked, looking down at the boy sternly.

“But, you promised to marry me!” The boy kept screaming. “Was it not a declaration of true love when you helped me on the side of the road?!”

“I was showing basic human compassion! And for your information, I already have a fiance!” With that, the girl marched off in an angry whirlwind.

The boy was left kneeling on the dusty road with the look of utter heartbreak.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Tanjiro scolded him.

“What do I have to say for myself?” He repeated. “What do I have to say for myself?! You scared away the love of my life!”

“ She certainly didn’t think you were the love of her life,” Nezuko remarked.

“Hey, I remember you two,” the boy said, getting a closer look at them. “Well, you’re ones to talk. I saw you hug, so you guys can do it but no one-”

“She’s my little sister!” Tanjiro interrupted, appalled.

The boy looked utterly embarrassed. “Oh… Sorry…”

“Besides, why are you acting like that?” Tanjiro asked. “Your sparrow says you’re always whining about dying and not having a wife.”

“You can understand Chuntaro?”

“Actually, his name is Ukogi.”

The blond boy looked unimpressed. “I like Chuntaro more. And, besides, I whine because I’m really weak. It’s only a matter of time before I die. I think I am allowed to want to marry before I die.”

“But you’re not allowed to bother random girls,” Nezuko pointed out. “And, you survived Final Selection, so you can’t be that weak.”

“I slept through the whole thing,” he said. “I’m doomed! I’m so doomed!”

He started crying and… doing a handstand. Tanjiro and Nezuko exchanged confused glances.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Nezuko said in an attempt to comfort him. “Hey, how about you walk with us for now? We’re heading to a mission, but you can stay with us until we get there or you get one of your own.”

The boy sniffled and nodded. “That’d be nice.” He got to his feet and trailed after them. Tanjiro didn’t miss the weird look he was giving the box.

“So, what’s your name?” He asked, trying to pull his attention from the box. “I’m Tanjiro Kamado, and this is my little sister Nezuko.”

“Zenitsu Agatsuma,” he said in return.

“So, Zenitsu, why did you join the Demon Slayers if you’re so scared?” Nezuko asked.

“Well, to put simply,” Zenitsu sniffled, “a girl I liked swindled me out of my money to run off with some other guy. I joined to pay off my debts. And now I’m stuck here and always moments away from death.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the quiet only interrupted by Zenitsu’s sniffling. Tanjiro and Nezuko’s crows continued circling overhead, while Chuntaro sat snuggly on Tanjiro’s shoulder, seemingly preferring his company to Zenitsu’s.

“Are you feeling better?” Tanjiro asked after some time had passed.

“Well, now that I’ve calmed down, I’m feeling kind of hungry,” Zenitsu whined. Indeed, his stomach grumbled.

Nezuko had a look of sympathy on her face. She pulled out her bag of food and pulled out an onigiri. She handed it to Zenitsu. “Here.”

“Thank you,” Zenitsu said with a sniffle. “Are you going to eat?”

“We’re not hungry, and we want to save the rest of our food for later,” Nezuko replied. Zenitsu nodded a little as he bit into the onigiri.

“So, Nezuko-chan, if you and Tanjiro are siblings, that means you’re not seeing any-”

“We will not be having that conversation!” Tanjiro cut in. “Nezuko has other things to worry about! And she’s only fourteen!”

Zenitsu pouted. “Let Nezuko-chan make her own decisions.”

“I agree with onii-chan,” Nezuko said with a frown. “I really have other things on my mind right now, so seeing boys is not my priority.”

Zenitsu pointed again and finished off the onigiri.

“I just want to find a girl to love, and her to love me. I just think that it’s okay to want to find someone to love before I die.”

“Fair, but make sure they’re okay with it, too,” Tanjiro piped up.

The cawing of the crows broke through the conversation. “New mission! New mission! Tanjiro Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma! Head south southeast! South southeast! Hurry! Hurry!”

Hearing the message, Tanjiro and Nezuko took off in a run. Zenitsu squeaked and tried to catch up, wailing and begging to not be left behind.

“Looks like we’ve got a mission with him,” Nezuko said, huffing as they ran.

Tanjiro nodded with a short puff. “Looks like Genya will need to stay hidden for a bit longer.”

Genya scratched against the box once, probably to indicate he heard and understood.

“Tanjiro! Nezuko-chan! Wait for me!” Zenitsu screamed from behind them, sprinting to catch up.

They kept running for almost ten minutes without stop. The path started leading them through a small forest. Trees obscured their view of the sky. After the foliage passed overhead, they found themselves in a clearing. A large mansion stood in the middle of the clearing.

“A mansion?” Nezuko questioned. “Is this where the next mission is supposed to be?”

“Probably,” Tanjiro said. He sniffed the air. “I smell blood. And… something else. There’s something off about that blood.”

Zenitsu cupped his hand around his ears, straining himself forward. “Do you hear something?”

Tanjiro shook his head with a grimace, thinking it was another of Zenitsu’s paranoias. “I don’t hear anything.”

“No, you don’t get it,” Zenitsu cut in. “I have crazy good hearing. If I hear something, it’s real.”

Tanjiro tried to strain his ears. Still, he didn’t hear anything.

“You guys,” Nezuko called for their attention, pointing at something. “The edge of clearing.”

Tanjiro and Zenitsu turned their attention to the direction Nezuko was pointing in. Peeking out between the trees were two small kids, a boy and girl. As soon as they locked eyes, the kids ducked behind the trees once more. The three of them exchanged a brief glance before coming to a silent agreement. Tanjiro slowly approached the kids.

“Hey,” he said in his best ‘onii-chan’ voice. “Are you two okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

The kids did not look like they trusted him. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that they were a pair of siblings. The older brother put out a protective hand in front of his sister. Tanjiro frowned, trying to think of a way to win them over.

“Here,” he said, holding out Chuntaro. “Look! It’s a tame sparrow!” Chuntaro tweeted on command.

This seemed to convince the kids that Tanjiro meant no harm, and they relaxed a little bit. The smaller girl had a few tears running down her face.

“What are your names?” Tanjiro asked.

“I’m Shoichi, and that’s my sister Teruko,” said the boy.

Nezuko joined her older brother, squatting down by his side. “What are you two doing here?” She asked. “I don’t think it’s safe here.”

“Our- our nii-san was taken by a monster,” Teruko spoke up.

Tanjiro felt his blood run cold. They could only be talking about a demon. “What? When did this happen?”

“La-last night,” Shoichi said with a stammer. “We were walking home, a-and a monster snatched our big brother. We chased after him, following the blood. We- we eventually ended up here. We’ve been waiting- we don’t know what to do!”

“Don’t worry,” Nezuko assured them. “We’re going to rescue him.”

“Nezuko, he has to be in the mansion,” Tanjiro said. “It’s the only place the demon would be safe from the sunlight.

“Tanjiro… Nezuko-chan…” Zenitsu whimpered. “I hear the sound again. I think it’s getting louder.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko turned their attention back to the mansion. They strained their ears, trying to hear what was making Zenitsu so scared. Still, they heard nothing.

“It- it sounds like a tsuzumi drum!”

In a sudden flurry, the window on the top floor was flung open, and a man fell out. Zenitsu screamed. Nezujo tried to cover Shoichi and Teruko’s eyes, but was a fraction of a second too late. The man fell to the ground with a splatter of blood.

Tanjiro rushed over. The man was clearly beyond saving.

“I… made it… out… but-”

With that, he fell silent.

“I’m sorry,” Tanjiro murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time to save you.”

With a heavy heart, he turned to Shoichi and Teruko. “Is this man-”

“No,” Shoichi murmured, clutching tightly onto his sister. “Nii-san was wearing a persimmon colored kimono.”

“In that case, he’s probably still in the house,” Nezuko said. “The three of us will go in and rescue him.”

“Th-three?” Zenitsu cut in. “N-no, I can’t. I’m too scared, I’m too weak, I’ll just be dead weight-”

“Zenitsu, I believe in you,” Nezuko said in an attempt to encourage him.

“I’m flattered, but you really think too highly of me.”

Tanjiro was starting to get annoyed. “I see…” Zenitsu squeaked in fright.

Tanjiro walked back over to Shoichi and Teruko, silently promising to give the dead man a proper burial later. He took the box off his shoulders and set it down in front of them. They flinched away.

“I’m going to leave this with you,” he said. “If something happens to us, it will protect you. Okay?”

Genya couldn’t answer, so Tanjiro hoped he was awake and listened.

“Let’s go, Nezuko.”

Zenitsu screeched again. “Please, don’t make that angry face, Tanjiro! I’ll go! I’ll go with you!”

“You don’t have to,” Tanjiro growled, thoroughly annoyed.

“You say that, but you make that face!” Zenitsu wailed, clinging to Tanjiro as they entered the mansion. Nezuko took the lead, keeping one hand on her blade.

“Zenitsu, you said you heard a tsuzumi, right?” She asked, scanning the walls. The mansion was composed of twisting corridors.

Zenitsu nodded his head shakily.

“In that case, we should watch out for that sound,” Tanjiro said. “Maybe now that we’re inside, Nezuko and I will be able to hear it.”

“Well, uh, in that case, you probably don’t need me!” Zenitsu declared.

Nezuko glared at him. “What?!” He screeched. “I’m just saying you don’t need me! I’ll just weigh you down!”

“Zenitsu, Nezuko and I are recovering from a broken arm and rib, respectively,” Tanjiro explained. “Neither of us is in top shape, probably.”

“Then why are you on this mission?!” Zenitsu screamed. “Not only will you not be able to save anyone, but you won’t be able to protect me! You know what, I'll wait outside to protect Shoichi and Teruko!”

“But that’s why we left the box with them,” Tanjiro said.

Suddenly, Teruko and Shoichi came around the corner.

“Huh, what are you two doing here?” Nezuko asked.

“Well, we heard some scratching sound coming from inside the box, so we got scared,” Shoichi explained.

“Oh,” Nezuko’s lips puckered in a frown. “Still, I really wish you didn’t leave it. It holds what we value more than life.”

A creaking sound resounded through the mansion. Zenitsu squeaked in fright and knocked Tanjiro and Teruko into another room. Before he could apologize, the panging sound of a tsuzumi rang through the air, and Tanjiro and Teruko vanished from sight.

Zenitsu screamed even louder. Shoichi hid into Nezuko’s side.

“Pull yourself together!” She yelled. “I’ve been trying to be patient but this is beyond infuriating!”

“I’m trying, Nezuko-chan! I’m really trying!”

“Look, can you at least take Shoichi outside? Just do that. Onii-chan and I will find the demon.”

Zenitsu sniffled and nodded. Shoichi didn’t look like he trusted Zenitsu with his safety. “Go with him,” Nezuko urged him. “Once you’re outside, wait by the box. Don’t worry, the scratchy thing won’t hurt you. I’ll save your siblings.”

Shoichi gave a quick, uncertain nod.

“O-okay-” Zenitsu said. “I’ll get Shoichi outside.” The two of them ran around the corner.

“Let’s see… onii-chan disappeared when the tsuzumi was struck. Is that somehow controlling the house?”

Nezuko continued down the hallway she was in before, but it was obvious that something had changed. The turn seemed to be farther away than before. Did the hallway she was in change?

She heard Zenitsu scream behind her. “Now what?”

Only this time, Zenitsu wasn’t the only one screaming.

She heard something akin to a bellowing war cry. The floorboards creaked as something began charging in her direction. Nezuko barely had time to get out of the way before a figure blew past her.

“COMING THROUGH! COMING THROUGH! PIG ASSAULT!”

It was a boy? Man? Beast? He had the body of a human male, but the head of a boar. But, he was wearing the hakama pants of the Demon Slayers. And… did he have Nichirin swords.

“BE MY SPRINGBOARD! DIE, AND BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE GREAT INOSUKE-SAMA!”

His screams echoed down the hall. Nezuko chased after him. His vicious bloodlust, heated sense of determination… He was going to lead her straight to the demon.

Chapter Text

Genya sat curled up in his box, knees tucked into his chest. His muzzle, gun, and family drawing sat next to him. He looked to the door of the box. It was probably still daytime out. Tanjiro or Nezuko would tell him if it was safe to leave.

He wondered what was going on. There was some new guy who called himself Zenitsu. His siblings had to go on some sort of mission, and they left him here. To protect some kids? And then the kids left.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but stay safe, all of you.”

~~~

Nezuko chased after the cackling kid with the boar head, unsheathing her blade at the same time. Her instincts were right; the presence of the demon was certainly getting stronger. Following this stranger was the right choice.

“COMIN… THROUGH!”

The boar head leapt through a window, tearing the paper covering. Nezuko gritted her teeth in frustration. As accurate of a guide he was, he was also too unpredictable. Without much choice, she jumped in after him.

Her body slammed into someone else’s, and they both fell to the ground. It was the boar headed boy.

“Nezuko!”

Tanjiro’s voice came from up ahead. Nezuko looked up to see her brother, holding a terrified Teruko.

“Onii-chan!” She yelled back. “Are you-”

The stranger shoved her off with a roar of frustration.

“OUTTA MY WAY!” He yelled. Nezuko stilled as he pointed one of his jagged blades in her direction.

“What are-” Nezuko swiftly stumbled back, collapsing on her still unhealed foot as the boar swung his blade at her.

“What are you doing?!” Tanjiro yelled, fury taking over him. “We’re allies here!”

“So… annoying…”

The new voice finally brought Nezuko’s attention to the very front of the room. A demon stood in the doorway, nothing but red in his eyes. Tsuzumi drums were attached to his legs, arms, and stomach.

“So that’s where the drumming came from.”

The demon struck the tsuzumi on his left arm. The pang of the drum rang out through the room. In an instant, Nezuko found her feet swaying as the room tilted. Each of them fell over, Tanjiro doing his best to shield Teruko while the boar continued to cackle.

“THE ENTIRE ROOM JUST SPUN AROUND! FUN! SO FUN!”

“Concentrate!” Nezuko called, steadying her blade and directing her gaze at the demon’s neck. “Breath of Flames, First Form: Unknowing Fire!”

She lunged forward. The demon struck the tsuzumi on his left leg, and Nezuko found herself flying back as the room spun backwards. She landed on her back and suppressed a groan of pain.

The boar charged forward next, wielding both blades over his head. His maddening laughter filled the room.

“How… irritating…”

The demon hit the tsuzumi on his stomach. The sound of the floorboards tearing reached Nezuko’s ears, and she dived to the left. Just in time to see three claw like gashes run through where she was a mere moment ago. The boar also managed to evade, stumbling and swaying on his feet. Tanjiro leapt to the side, clutching Teruko close to his chest.

“Every time he hits one of the tsuzumi, something new happens. Does each action correspond with a certain drum?”

The demon tapped the drum on his right leg, then the one his left arm, then the stomach.

The room spun and Nezuko lost her balance again. Even if she could learn the pattern, it would be difficult to move with the room’s changes without falling over. She barely evaded the claw attack, the ends of her haori getting grazed and torn.

She glanced around. Tanjiro seemed to be preoccupied with protecting Teruko, and the boar guy was too much of a wildcard to rely on any more.

It was up to her.

She had to do it. To protect Teruko and find her big brother, to reunite with Zenitsu and make sure he was okay, to get back to Genya. To protect everyone she cared about, she needed to slay this demon.

“Breath of Flames, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!”

She dashed forward, swinging her blade harshly down towards the demon’s neck.

The pang of the tsuzumi, rotating the room forward. Nezuko lost her momentum as she tried to scramble back to her feet.

“Nezuko!”

Her brother’s desperate cry was drowned out by the pang of the tsuzumi on the demon’s stomach. Nezuko tried to roll to the left, but the claw attack reached her, leaving deep grazes on her right calf. She bit down a scream.

“Need… marechi… not you…”

“Nezuko!” Zori clattered across the tatami floor as Tanjiro ran towards Nezuko, still holding a teary eyed Teruko close.

The boar was still cackling. “MY TURN NOW!”

His attack failed to reach the demon, too. As Nezuko tried to struggle to her feet, the demon struck the tsuzumi on his right arm, rotating the room to the right. Nezuko found herself falling in a heap with Tanjiro and Teruko, while the boar was knocked into another room.

“Nezuko, look after Teruko,” Tanjiro said, getting to his feet and standing protectively in front of both of them.

Before either of them could react, the sound of a tsuzumi rang through the air.

The demon vanished from sight.

“Huh?” Nezuko seethed, sitting up. “Where did the demon go? Are we… in a different room?”

“This is exactly what happened the first time we got separated,” Tanjiro said, looking around. “It looks like the people who were in the same room stay together, which is why that boar and the demon aren’t here.”

Teruko sniffled. “M-miss, are you okay?” She asked, eyes focused on Nezuko's leg. The purple hakama pants were darkened where the gashes cut her.

“I’ll- be fine,” Nezuko said, using the wall to help herself up. “It’ll heal soon enough.” She forced herself to smile through the pain, to reassure Teruko that she was okay.

“That demon didn’t hit a tsuzumi when we were transferred here,” Tanjiro said. “I had a clear look at him, I would have seen. So, are there multiple demons with tsuzumis?”

Nezuko turned her head, trying to attune her senses. “I’m sensing multiple demons, but that one was definitely the most powerful. Your smell picking up anything?”

Tanjiro sniffed the air. “Blood, I think. Something sweet, too.”

He looked towards Teruko. “For now, let’s just move. Teruko, stay close to us.”

The girl nodded. Tanjiro carefully looped one of Nezuko’s arms over his shoulder to help her walk.

“We’ll need to patch this up,” he whispered. There was a hard edge to his voice. “We still have some supplies from Tamayo-san. So we’ll wrap your leg up as soon as possible.”

Nezuko nodded as she limped. “I can sorta walk, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to move fast enough to get the demon’s head. Especially if he’s going to rotate the room like that.”

She hung her head. “I’m sorry for failing.”

“It’s okay,” Tanjiro assured her. “You did your best. Now, let onii-chan take care of the rest.”

They walked towards the sliding door at the end of the room they found themselves in, Teruko clinging to the edge of Tanjiro’s haori. Tanjiro, in the front, carefully opened the door. Nezuko saw him blanch and grimace. She could only assume he found another corpse.

“Just how many people did this demon kill? It makes me sick. Unforgivable. Completely unforgivable.”

“Tanjiro onii-chan, what is it?” Teruko asked, clutching at his checkered haori.

“N-nothing,” Tanjiro lied through his teeth, trying to put on a brave face for the terrified girl. “It’s nothing. Just… stay close to me. And don’t look back.”

He led them through the hallway. Nezuko could smell the putrid scent of blood against her nostrils. It made her feel ill. It must have been even worse for Tanjiro.

“There’s a strong scent of blood up ahead,” Tanjiro said.

“So a lot has been spilled?”

Tanjiro shook his head. “Based on the smell, the wounds aren’t that deep. It’s something about the blood itself that makes it different. It’s odd. I’ve never smelled anything like it before.”

He came to a stop, the two girls halting along with him. They stood in front of another door at the end of the hall they just walked through.

“It’s there,” Tanjiro said, pulling the door open.

In front of them lay another hall, which led to a room with an open door. A boy in an orange kimono sat in the center, clutching a tsuzumi to his chest. When they locked eyes, fright overcame the boy’s features, and he raised his hand to bang on the drum.

“Kiyoshi nii-san!”

Teruko tore herself away from Tanjiro, running to the other boy before he could strike the tsuzumi. Recognition flitted across his face, and the boy beamed as he wrapped Teruko in an embrace.

Tanjiro and Nezuko came closer. “You must be Kiyoshi, Teruko’s big brother,” Tanjiro said. “I’m Tanjiro Kamado, and this is my little sister Nezuko. We came to defeat the demon.”

The boy’s face sagged in relief. “Wh-where’s Soichi?”

“One of our other friends is looking after him,” Nezuko assured him. “Let’s see your wounds.”

A few tears slipped from Kiyoshi’s eyes. He started sniffling as Teruko hugged him tight. Tanjiro pulled out some ointment from his uniform. “Here, let me see your leg.”

Tanjiro rubbed the healing ointment on Kiyoshi’s injured leg, whispering reassurances the entire time. “There, that’s better, right?” He asked, pulling a bandage over the leg. Kiyoshi sniffled and nodded.

“If it’s not too much, can you tell us what happened?” Nezuko asked.

“Th-that monster-” Kiyoshi stuttered out. “He- snatched me up and dragged me here. But then, two other monsters showed up, and they started fighting… over who gets to eat me.” He paused and hiccupped. “Then, the monster- the one with the tsuzumis, when he was struck in the back, one of the tsuzumis fell. When I picked it up and hit it, the room changed. I’ve been… using it to get away any time someone tries to get near me.”

Nezuko bit her lip. So there were still multiple demons in the house. She hoped that nothing bad would come because of them. Maybe the boar kid would kill them in his bloodlust. Or Zenitsu might pull himself together.

“You’ve done a very good job,” Tanjiro said, patting Kiyoshi’s shoulder. His lip puckered up, brows furrowed in thought. “When we were fighting him, he mentioned something about marechi, or rare blood.”

Kiyoshi nodded his head vigorously. “I heard that, too. He called me a marechi.”

“But what could he mean by rare blood?” Nezuko asked. “Maybe it has some special properties that make it extra nutritional?”

“I don’t think that matters right now,” Tanjiro said. “All we know is that Kiyoshi seems to be the demon’s main target. We have to protect him.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Nezuko asked.

Instead of answering, Tanjiro stilled, his features tensing up in fright and anticipation. Nezuko could hear thunderous footsteps nearby. The demon was getting close.

“I’ll go fight him,” Tanjiro said. “Nezuko, stay here with Kiyoshi and Teruko. If anyone comes here, hit the tsuzumi and get away. If anyone manages to get in, Nezuko will protect you.”

“But, I can help you fight-” Nezuko tried to insist.

“Your leg is still bleeding,” Tanjiro interjected. “Keep the ointment. Treat it. And protect them if it comes to it.”

Nezuko grit her teeth. “Okay,” she said after a moment. There was no time to argue. The demon was peeking out through the far doorway. He had spotted them.

“I’ll find you by scent after I defeat him. I’ll call out your names so you know it’s me. Get ready.”

Tanjiro gripped his blade and dashed out. “Strike it now!”

Kiyoshi slapped his hand on the drum, and Tanjiro vanished from view.

“Uh, Nezuko nee-san…” Teruko tugged on her sleeve. “Your leg… do you want some help putting the ointment on?”

Nezuko smiled. “That’s very kind of you, Teruko. Please.”

Teruko picked up the cream while Nezuko wrapped her fingers around her blade.

“Stay safe, onii-chan,” she said to herself. “Stay safe for me.”

~~~

Tanjiro found himself face to face with the tsuzumi demon. The demon that hurt and killed so many people, the demon that had terrorized Kiyoshi and his siblings, the demon that hurt Nezuko.

He glared and raised his sword.

“Insects… damn pests…” The demon muttered, striking the tsuzumi.

The room began to shift and rotate. Tanjiro did his best to keep up with the changes with his broken ribs. He grimaced, shifting his balance between his legs in rhythm with the rotations.

Even after he learned which drum corresponded with which rotation, it was hard to keep up with the tsuzumi strikes. While this demon was among the more passive he has encountered, he clearly had the most innate power. Tanjiro knew that one slip up could easily cause him to be minced into sushi. He grimaced at the thought.

He gritted his teeth. “Stay strong, Tanjiro. For Nezuko! For Genya! For Zenitsu! For Kiyoshi and Soichi and Teruko!”

He raised his blade higher. He remembered his training.

“Water can take on any form,” Sakonji had told him. “Breath of Water is the same. It can take on any form, defeat any opponent.”

“I’ve got this!” He yelled, more as a way to cheer himself on. “I’ve gotten this far, and I’ll go even farther! Even if I feel broken, I’ll keep moving forward!”

He charged forward. The room shifted to the left. Tanjiro swiftly moved with the rotation, like water flowing down the river. His ribs and chest ached. It was hard to breathe, but he couldn’t afford to give up now. Not after the declaration he just made.

“Demon! What is your name?”

The demon seemed startled by the sudden question, his hand faltering over the drum. “Kyogai…” he said after a moment.

“Kyogai! I won’t let you hurt Kiyoshi - the marechi - or anyone else! I’ll cut off your head for sure! I won’t give up!”

If Tanjiro’s first statement had stunned Kyogai into confused inaction, this one had fueled his previously unseen rage. He roared.

“I will eat the marechi, and reclaim my place among the Twelve Demon Moons!”

When Tanjiro looked into Kyogai’s eyes, the previously red sclera had been replaced by a blue iris. Two scars ran through it in a painful X pattern, the kanji for Lower Moon Six barely decipherable beneath the marks.

“This demon used to be a Moon? So he really is the strongest I’ve faced so far.”

The room was spinning rapidly now. In his rage, Kyogai was striking the tsuzumi at a far faster rate. Tanjiro’s eyes hurt as he grew dizzy. Each breath he took hurt his chest and made his broken ribs ache. The room rotated so fast he never even hit the ground, just spinning endlessly in midair.

Tanjiro swerved as a gust of air blew past him, just in time to see five claw marks run through the ceiling above him. Five now, not three. This was bad.

Another rotation to the right, then forward, then back, then right, then forward again. Tanjiro struggled to keep his grip on his blade. Papers filled his vision as the cabinets in the room started turning and opening. They were tumbling out over the floor and walls. Something was inscribed on them. Stories, maybe song lyrics? Tanjiro had no time to dwell on it. He swiftly landed, making sure to avoid stepping on the papers. He breathed shallowly, his body tired and drained of energy.

“That’s it.”

Shallow Breaths. Shallow Breaths wouldn’t exacerbate his wounds. If he could Breathe shallowly, he could get close to Kyogai without stumbling from the pain.

Kyogai wasn’t attacking. Was that shock on his face? Tanjiro readied his sword.

“Breath of Water, Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow- Turbulent!”

Shallow Breaths, light jumps. This form was made to minimize landing time, allowing him to move quickly in accordance with the rotations. Seeing Tanjiro moving in to attack, Kyogai started to strike the tsuzumi again, but he was clearly too late.

“Kyogai! Your Blood Demon Art is incredible!”

The demon hesitated again. Tanjiro closed in, slicing his sword through his neck. The decapitated head fell to the floor. Tanjiro landed, breathing heavily.

“No no no, shallow breaths. Shallow.”

Tanjiro stumbled to his feet. This was… a powerful foe. He’d be a fool to deny it. If he could get some of his blood to Tamayo, it would probably help with the cure. He fished out one of the knives Yushiro had given him and flicked it in the direction of Kyogai’s body. The container within turned red from the blood.

“It really does work. Amazing.”

Tanjiro plucked up the knife as the sound of a meow reached his ears. He turned around and saw a cat with a basket on its back. He recognized it from Tamayo’s house, and it was wearing one of Yushiro’s talismans.

“Are you here to take this to Tamayo?”

The cat seemed to nod. Taking this as a yes, Tanjiro opened the basket on the cat’s back and slid the vial into it. After he tugged it tight, the cat vanished with another meow.

“How convenient…”

“Boy…” Tanjiro turned around. Kyogai’s disembodied head was slowly turning to dust. “Did you mean it? Do you really think my Blood Demon Arts were incredible.”

Tanjiro sighed. “They were amazing. It was some of the best tsuzumi playing I’ve ever heard. But… I cannot forgive the murder of innocent humans. And you hurt my little sister.”

“I see… I thought so…” Kyogai seemed to be taking his death in stride, almost resigned to his fate. Tanjiro could smell the sadness rolling from him in waves. Was he also a demon that suffered?

“Rest in peace,” he said, putting his hands together in a short bow.

“Next time, Gods, please treat him with a bit more kindness. Allow him to remain a human, and use his tsuzumi playing for good. In his next life, don’t give him the misfortune of becoming a demon.”

Tanjiro left the room with a final bow, leaving Kyogai to turn into wisps of smoke.

“Nezuko! Kiyoshi! Teruko!” Tanjiro yelled out. He could detect their scent up ahead. This was good, he was close.

“Nezuko!” Their scent was coming from the door up ahead. Tanjiro flung it open, only to be met with a sword to his neck.

“Eh! Nezuko!”

“Onii-chan!” Nezuko dropped her weapon, wrapping him in a hug. “The tsuzumi vanished, so we all got a bit jumpy. I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Tanjiro assured her. “That’s good, you were trying to protect Kiyoshi and Teruko.” He could now spot the two children cuddled fearfully behind Nezuko. “How’s your leg?”

“Better now that we applied the ointment,” Nezuko said. “You? Any injuries?”

“Nothing I didn’t have before.”

Nezuko looked over his shoulder. “I also stopped sensing the presence of the other demons a little while back. Did they also vanish when you defeated the main one?”

Tanjiro’s brows furrowed. “I don’t think so. If that were the case, they would have been working together. Someone else must have defeated them. Zenitsu, or the guy with a boar head.”

“Anyways, let’s get these two out of here.”

Tanjiro bent down. “Kiyoshi, if you’re still tired, I can carry you on my back.”

Kiyoshi’s lip puckered a little, as if he was on the verge of tears, and carefully climbed onto Tanjiro’s back. “Thank you, Mister.”

“Let’s get out of here and get you to Soichi,” Tanjiro said, leaving the room with Kiyoshi on his back. Teruko trailed after him with Nezuko in the rear.

“We’re going to need to bury all these people,” Nezuko murmured, the scent of blood still weighing heavily on her.

“I know,” Tanjiro said. “So much death, and for what? It’s… truly unforgivable.”

So this is what a demon was capable of when they bore killing intent. So much carnage caused by one singular being. Is this something that Genya could have become if he hadn’t snapped out of it? The thought was too terrifying to dwell on.

They had almost reached the exit of the building when Tanjiro abruptly stopped, the smell of blood hitting his nostrils.

“What is it, Tanjiro nii-san?” Teruko asked.

“N-nothing,” Tanjiro said, walking forward again. His face was tense with apprehension. What could be awaiting them outside?

“COME ON! DRAW YOUR SWORD AND FIGHT ME, YOU COWARD!”

Zenitsu desperately clung to the box with Genya inside, his face covered in bruises and blood. The kid with the boar head stood over him with his blades drawn.

“FIGHT BACK, YOU SPINELESS PUNK! OR I’LL SKEWER YOU ALONG WITH THE BOX!”

“I won’t let you!” Zenitsu yelled back. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut. Soichi cowered behind a tree with tears in his eyes. “I won’t let you do anything to the box until Tanjiro or Nezuko-chan get back! They said it was more important to them than their life!”

“Zenitsu…” Tanjiro could feel something within him snap, seeing the boy in that condition.

Zenitsu looked up at the sound of Tanjiro’s voice. “I protected it, Tanjiro…” he whimpered. “I protected it.”

The boar was not deterred, adjusting his grip on one of his blades. “That’s enough from you.” This time, his voice was lower. It was somehow more threatening than his thunderous shouts. “You had your chance. Now, move aside!”

“Shut up, both of you!”

The final shout came from the box.

Chapter Text

“Ahh! It spoke!” Zenitsu screeched. Nevertheless, he didn’t let go of the box.

“Of course I did!” Genya yelled back. “I’m not about to sit by and let myself get skewered!”

“THE DEMON SPEAKS! FIGHT ME!”

The entire scene unfolding before Tanjiro and Nezuko was so absurd they were shocked into silence. Tanjiro stumbled, carefully setting Kiyoshi back onto the ground. He and Nezuko exchanged glances. His instincts were telling him to step in, but… He felt utterly frozen.

“It’s broad daylight! How am I supposed to fight you, even if I wanted to?!”

“THEN WE’LL WAIT FOR NIGHTFALL! YOUR GLORIOUS DEATH ON THE BATTLEFIELD WILL BE A GREAT STEPPING STONE FOR THE ALMIGHTY INOSUKE-SAMA!”

“No!” Nezuko piped up, running forward as fast as her injured leg would let her. “No fighting!”

“OH, YOU’RE FROM THE DRUM HOUSE! FIGHT ME!”

“What, no-”

Her protests fell on deaf ears, as the boar who called himself Inosuke kicked her in the stomach. Nezuko stumbled back, her hurt leg giving out underneath her. She struggled to bite back a scream of pain.

Tanjiro saw red.

“Nezuko-chan!”

“Nezuko!” Genya shouted from inside the box. “Nezu- you bastard! If you hurt her, I’ll-”

Tanjiro dashed forward. In a mere second, he closed the distance between himself and Inosuke. He felt the crack of ribs underneath his fist as the boar went flying back, sprawling onto his back.

“Ahh! He broke his bones!” Zenitsu screeched.

“Tanjiro! Tanjiro, are you okay?! Nezuko-”

“Genya, stay put,” Tanjiro said, his voice low and steady. He turned his head back to Inosuke. “Why do you think Zenitsu didn’t fight back? Or why Nezuko said she won’t fight you? It’s taboo for Demon Slayers to fight each other. But you didn’t hesitate. You didn’t hesitate to attack them. You… are the lowest of the low. You scum!”

Was he exaggerating a little? Probably. But that was the least of his worries, facing down the guy who beat Zenitsu to half a pulp, threatened to skewer Genya, and kicked Nezuko.

Inosuke made a raspy, choked sound. It took Tanjiro a second to realize that he… was laughing.

“That- that was an awesome blow! Do it again!”

He popped up back onto his feet, arms spread out into a wide fighting stance.

“What, no-” Even though Tanjiro was angry at him, he didn’t want to fight. Not that he had a choice, as Inosuke was already charging at full speed towards him. He struggled to block his attacks.

Nezuko dragged herself over to the box as the kids also crowded around it.

“Nezuko-chan…” Zenitsu whined. He sniffled. “Are- are you okay? Did that boar hurt you? Should I-”

“No, it’s fine,” Nezuko said. “He just kicked me, and I stumbled because my leg was already hurt. But, thanks for the offer… and for protecting Genya.”

“That’s… the demon in this box, right?”

Nezuko stilled. “You- you know about that?”

Zenitsu nodded. “I have really good hearing, remember? Demon sounds are different from human sounds. So, I knew from the beginning. I couldn’t understand why you and Tanjiro were traveling with a demon, but I trusted you had your reasons.”

Nezuko felt touched. She gently reached out and patted Zenitsu’s head. “Thank you, Zenitsu. I know I owe you - and the kids - an explanation, and I’ll give you one. But for now-”

Zenitsu’s choked sound of happiness was cut off by the sound of Tanjiro face planting into the ground as Inosuke kicked the back of his head.

“They’re still going at it,” Zenitsu whined. Teruko took over patting him on the head. “Even though they both have broken bones. And aren’t they going against the taboo by fighting?”

“Is Tanjiro okay?” Genya asked, his voice muffled by the box.

“I think he’s-” Nezuko cringed as Tanjiro’s fist missed Inosuke as the boar dropped to his hands and sweeped Tanjiro’s feet out from under him.

“PRETTY AWESOME, AREN’T I?” Inosuke was screaming again. “LOOK AT WHAT ELSE I CAN DO!”

Inosuke bended over backwards until he reached around and grabbed hold of his ankles, cackling all the while.

“He’s crazy!” Zenitsu whined again.

“Stop that!” Tanjiro yelled, getting to his feet. “You’re injured! Don’t do that!”

“I DON’T CARE!” Inosuke folded himself back into standing position and lunged again.

“Yep, definitely crazy,” Nezuko said, in agreement with Zenitsu.

Tanjiro grabbed Inosuke by the shoulders. “Calm down!” He slammed his forehead against Inosuke’s.

“Ahh! What a horrible sound!” Zenitsu shrieked. “Did they crack their skulls?!”

“No, onii-chan’s forehead is as hard as a rock,” Nezuko said. “His headbutt is legendary.”

“Got it from Mother,” Genya added.

Inosuke stumbled back as Tanjiro let go off him. He shook his head as the boar hide slipped and plopped onto the ground.

“Aah! A girl?!” Zenitsu yelled.

“Huh?” Inosuke raised his head. His bright green eyes, framed by long lashes, seemed to be shining. A blotch of blood stained his forehead where Tanjiro had headbutted him, and his blue tipped hair fell in waves to his shoulders.

“You got a problem with my face or something?”

“There is no problem with your face!” Tanjiro exclaimed. “It is petite and fair skinned, and therefore attractive!”

“My brother has a crush,” Nezuko thought to herself.

“You’re a corpse! Come at me!”

“No, I won’t,” Tanjiro said. “I won’t attack you anymore. We’re done.”

“We’re done, huh?” Nezuko thought to herself again.

“That was an awesome headbutt! Do it again!”

“No!”

“Big Forehead, remember my name!” The boar proclaimed. “My name is Inosuke Hashibira! Remember that!”

“What characters do you use to write it?” Tanjiro asked.

Inosuke froze. “Ch-characters? I don’t know how to read and write!”

“We can teach you!” Tanjiro offered. “We taught Genya!”

“What do the characters look like?” Nezuko called from her spot next to the box.

“Well, they were written on my loincloth, so-”

Suddenly, Inosuke stilled. He shuddered once and toppled over.

“He’s dead!” Zenitsu wailed, clinging to Nezuko’s haori. “He’s dead! He cracked his head open! He died from shock and embarrassment!”

“No, he’s not dead,” Tanjiro said, calmly scratching his forehead. “I think it’s just a concussion. After all, I did headbutt the hell out of him.”

“Tanjiro onii-chan, is your forehead okay?” Teruko piped up, scrambling over to Tanjiro’s side.

Tanjiro nodded. “Amazing!” Teruko exclaimed. “Can I touch your forehead!” Tanjiro leaned down and let the smaller girl run her hand over his head.

“Crazy, insane,” Zenitsu murmured as Nezuko struggled to her feet.

“Nezuko, is your leg okay?” Tanjiro asked.

“Yes, it’s not any worse than it was before,” she replied. She pulled her haori off her shoulders and draped it over a passed out Inosuke. Tanjiro copied her actions, folding his haori and setting it under Inosuke’s head as a makeshift pillow.

Nezuko huffed. “I guess we should explain things to Zenitsu and the kids.”

Tanjiro nodded. They turned to face the three kids and Zenitsu.

“So, is it true?” Shoichi asked. “Is it really a demon in the box?”

“Yes,” Tanjiro said. “But Genya’s friendly. He doesn’t hurt humans.”

Nezuko nodded as confirmation. “We wouldn’t leave you with someone who would hurt you.”

Teruko twiddled her fingers. “I- I believe you. You both protected us, s-so I trust you wouldn’t hurt me or my brothers.”

Upon hearing their youngest sister’s words, Kiyoshi and Shoichi seemed to relax. “Yeah, that makes sense,” Shoichi murmured.

“But, how-” Kiyoshi asked. “How did this happen?”

“Well-” Tanjiro started.

“I’m their big brother,” Genya’s voice came from the box. “When- when I turned, my memory went all fuzzy. I still don’t really remember everything. But, seeing Tanjiro’s face snapped me out of it. So… I know not to hurt humans.”

Kiyoshi’s face tensed into a thin line. He grimaced as he tried to kneel in front of the box. Teruko helped lower him down. “I… understand now. I- I can’t imagine hurting my own little siblings. I trust you. Thank you for trying to protect my little siblings.”

Genya sniffled from inside the box. After a moment, he scratched against the door. “‘Nemi?”

“Huh?” Nezuko asked. “Did you say ‘Nemi?”

“Yes,” Genya said. His voice sounded hopeful. “I think I smell… something familiar to him. Is he here? Is ‘Nemi here?”

Tanjiro grimaced. “Sorry, Genya. ‘Nemi’s not here.”

“Oh…” The wooden walls couldn’t hide Genya’s disappointment.

Nezuko felt sorrow building up inside her. She’d have to make sure to give Genya some extra hugs once night fell.

“We… have to bury the people who died in that mansion,” Tanjiro said, his heart heavy. “Nezuko and I can do it. Zenitsu, if you’re up for it, you can help, as well. Kids, you can-”

“No, we’ll help, too,” Kiyoshi said, making quick eye contact with his little siblings. “I was lucky enough to get out. The rest of the people at least deserve a proper burial.”

“Alright then,” Nezuko said. “Genya, wait there.”

“Okay.”

Zenitsu got to his feet, brushing some blood away from his head. “That damn boar, he kicked me really hard,” he grumbled.

Nezuko gave him another quick headpat.

“And he should know it’s taboo for us to fight each other,” Zenitsu whined as they made their way to the house’s entrance. “It doesn’t matter that he left early, those twins should have given him the same speech.”

“Huh?” Nezuko tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“That guy’s the fifth survivor from our group,” Zenitsu said. “I recognized him from the sound. Mr. Impatient couldn’t wait for the official ceremony so he left early.”

“Oh, I see.”

“By the way, Zenitsu,” Tanjiro piped up. “I smelled two other demons in the house other than Kyogai - the main one. Did you defeat them?”

Zenitsu stiffened as a jolt of fear seemed to run through his body. “I-I- I think the boar must have taken one of them out. B-but th-the other started chasing me and Shoichi! I was ter-terrified, th-thought we were g-going to die! But-but…”

Shoichi slowly shook his head.

“I passed out and when I came to the demon was dead!” Zenitsu exclaimed. “Shoichi saved me! He’s super strong! A hero!”

“No, no I didn’t,” Shoicih muttered under his breath. “Zenitsu did pass out, but then he killed the demon in his sleep. Then he woke up and said I did it.”

“What are you talking about, Shoichi?” Zenitsu asked. “Don’t be shy. Believe me, I’m super weak. I wouldn’t have been able to kill that demon if I wanted to.”

Shoichi shook his head again. “Just… forget about it.”

Nezuko sent Zenitsu a concerned glance.

They worked in silence. They decided to send Kiyoshi, Shoichi, and Teruko to dig the holes, so that they would avoid most of the carnage. Nevertheless, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Zenitsu still felt pangs of pain whenever they laid their eyes on the broken, half eaten bodies of the humans trapped inside the house. Tanjiro offered each of them quick prayers while Nezuko softly promised that they had been avenged. Zenitsu said nothing.

After around half an hour of work, their burial was interrupted by a scream. They whirled around to see Inosuke, now fully awake, leap to his feet, Nezuko’s haori flying off him.

“FIGHT ME! FIGHT ME!” He screamed, choosing Zenitsu as his target and beginning to chase him. Zenitsu screeched in fear and cowered behind Nezuko.

“What are you doing?” Inosuke demanded, pointing at the mounds of dirt formed by the graves.

“It’s a burial,” Tanjiro explained. “We are giving respect to the people who died. You should help, too, Inosuke.”

Inosuke did not look impressed. “What’s the purpose of burying dead creatures? It’s pointless! I won’t help! Fight me!”

For a moment, Nezuko was afraid Tanjiro would grow angry and take Inosuke up on his offer. After all, disrespecting the deceased was one of the surefire ways to trigger his temper.

Instead, Tanjiro offered an understanding smile. “I see. Your injuries are still hurting you, Inosuke. It’s alright. You keep resting.”

“Hah?”

Nezuko thought Inosuke had popped the veins in his face judged on his expression. It was a mixture of shock and disgust, as if Tanjiro’s words were the most offensive things he had ever heard.

“After all, we all have a different pain threshold, and this is difficult work,” Tanjiro continued on. “So, we and these kids will take care of it. You don’t have to worry, Inosuke. It’s probably too difficult for you.”

Inosuke screamed at the top of his lungs. “Fine! I’ll do it! I’ll bury a hundred, no two hundred of your corpses!” He made a mad dash for the drum house.

“He tricked him,” Zenitsu whimpered. “Tanjiro tricked the wild boar into helping.”

“That… was no trick,” Nezuko sighed. “Onii-chan meant every word.”

Zenitsu’s face blanched. “You mean- when he was telling me I didn’t have to go to the drum house in the beginning, he meant it, too?”

“Probably.”

Zenitsu groaned. “And I still put myself through all that…”

“You did good,” Nezuko assured him. “You protected Shoichi.”

“Again, you’ve got it all backwards,” Zenitsu insisted. “Shoichi protected me .”

“... Sure…”

By the time they finished burying all the victims, it was near sunset. Inosuke had donned his fur head once again, and was practicing his headbutts against the trees of the surrounding forest as the others offered their prayers.

Two crows - Tanjiro’s and Nezuko’s - circled overhead, cawing periodically.

“Descend! Descend the mountain!” Tanjiro’s crow suddenly screeched.

“The crow’s talking…” Shoichi murmured.

“Just don’t think anymore,” Kiyoshi told him.

Nezuko got to her feet. The three kids they rescued seemed tired and confused beyond belief, so it would be best to get them home.

“Onii-chan, I can carry Genya this time,” she offered.

“Are you sure?” Tanjiro asked. “He’s pretty heavy.”

“I know, but I can handle it. I don’t want to put too much stress on you if you have broken ribs.”

Tanjiro furrowed his brows, still unsure. After a moment, though, he gave in and nodded. Nezuko slipped the box over her shoulders and tried to keep steady on her feet.

“Nezuko?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Genya,” she told the demon in the box, turning to the trail leading out of the forest and down the mountain.

“Where are you going?” Inosuke called out as Tanjiro passed by him.

“Down the mountain,” Tanjiro said and continued walking.

“We haven’t finished our battle yet,” Inosuke yelled, chasing after him. “I’ve been practicing my headbutts to make them even stronger than yours!”

Tanjiro did his best to ignore Inosuke’s taunting calls as they walked down the mountain path. Teruko and Shoichi were helping support their injured older brother, while Zenitsu made sure to keep either Tanjiro or Nezuko between him and Inosuke at all times.

They reached a split in the trail.

“West! Head west!” Nezuko’s crow called.

“Our house is north,” Kiyoshi noted. “The other way.”

“Well, we can accompany you until-” Nezuko started to say.

“No, it’s fine,” Kiyoshi interrupted. “We should be fine from here, it’s not far.”

Zenitsu’s face paled. “Wh-wha- you mean Shoichi is leaving me?! No! You have to protect me!”

Shoichi shook his head in panic and clinged to Kiyoshi’s kimono.

“Can’t you see Shoichi doesn’t want to come along?!” Tanjiro yelled, scolding the blond. Zenitsu whimpered and cried as Tanjiro’s crow descended from the sky, fluttering near Kiyoshi.

“You, with the marechi, hold out your hands.”

Still perplexed, Kiyoshi held out his hands. After a moment, the crow hacked up a small bag into his palms. Kiyoshi recoiled in disgust and almost dropped the bag. Nezuko could feel Genya shift in the box.

Tanjiro glanced over and sniffed. “It smells like wisteria. That’s good. Demons can’t stand wisteria, so it’ll probably keep you safe.”

“Oh…” Kiyoshi still sounded a bit queasy. “That’s good. Well, we’d better get home. Thank you, for everything.”

Tanjiro and Nezuko waved to them as the kids headed down the northern path, ignoring Zenitsu’s sorrowful sniffles and the distinct sound of Inosuke headbutting a tree behind them. Once the kids were out of sight, they went down the western path, following after the crow.

“I’m going to find a weak point in your technique and beat you, loser!” Inosuke proclaimed, half skipping down the path as he took on various fighting stances and jabbed his fingers in Tanjiro’s direction.

“My name is not ‘loser,’ it’s Tanjiro Kamado!”

“Gonpachiro Kamaboko!”

“That’s wrong!” Nezuko proclaimed. “His name is Tanjiro Kamado, and I’m Nezuko Kamado!”

“Pamicho Kabasho!”

“Don’t disrespect Nezuko-chan’s beautiful name!” Zenitsu yelled. “It’s Ne-Zu-Ko-Chan! And I’m Zen-I-Tsu A-Ga-Tsu-Ma!”

“Monitsu Amochura!”

“ENOUGH, ALL OF YOU!” Genya screamed from inside the box. “It’s too damn loud!”

“Sorry, Genya,” Nezuko said sheepishly.

“Tanta! Yanga! Renganma! Marantsura!”

“That just got worse with every attempt!”

“Well, at least he didn’t butcher your surname,” Zenitsu grumbled.

Genya snuffled inside the box.

“Sur-surname? What- what is my surname?”

Zenitsu felt confused. “Wouldn’t it just be Kamado? If you’re Tanjiro and Nezuko-chan’s older brother.”

“He’s adopted, basically,” Tanjiro explained. “I think Genya means his surname from his first family.”

“I-I can’t remember,” Genya murmured. “Did I ever tell you?”

Nezuko shook her head. “I don’t think you did.” She racked her brains, trying to see if she had the faintest glimpse, the faintest memory.

“I- I think it started with Tiya- or was it Chiza… Ended in Gawa, that I know for sure. I think it was with the kanji for river, too. But the first part is fuzzy. Bika- Hima-”

“Himagawa!” Inosuke exclaimed. “Risamigawa! Bikaragawa! Tiyanugawa! Chizasugawa! Shinazugawa!”

“Wait- that last one!” Genya exclaimed. “Shinazugawa! That sounds familiar! I think that might be it!”

“Immortal river, then?” Zenitsu asked. “That’s a pretty rare surname.”

It was rare. Nezuko agreed with Zenitsu on that. So, why couldn’t she shake the feeling that it was somehow familiar. She was sure Genya had never told them before. So from where…

It was well into nightfall by the time the crows seemed to get them to their destination. It was a well tidied house, surrounded by stone walls.

“Rest time! Rest time!” Tanjiro’s crow proclaimed. “You are injured, so rest here until you’re healed!”

“Rest?” Tanjiro questioned. “But, we just did a mission while injured, is it really okay to rest?”

The crow nodded and heckled. The front gate opened, revealing an elderly woman in a maroon kimono.

“Are you Demon Slayers?” she asked in a croaky voice. “Come in, come in.”

Inosuke marched up to her. “You look pretty weak,” he noted, his voice giving off an air of superiority.

“Don’t disrespect her!” Tanjiro yelled.

The woman moved out of the way and towards the entrance of the house.

“She’s so fast!” Zenitsu squeaked. “A- a monster!”

“Don’t disrespect her!” Nezuko yelled.

They followed after her. The woman introduced herself as Hisa, the head of this Wisteria House, a place for Demon Slayers to take refuge. She gave them meals - Inosuke kept trying to steal Tanjiro’s food - and nightwear. She asked if Nezuko would prefer having her own room, which she politely declined.

“I’d prefer to stay with onii-chan,” she explained. “I’m okay with sharing a room with the boys.”

Hisa nodded and set them up in a four room futon. She called in a doctor, who examined all of their injuries. Their diagnosis was “severe.”

“Who would have thought all us guys had broken ribs,” Zenitsu muttered, staring up at the ceiling. The four of them were settled onto the futons, with Genya’s box set in the corner of the room.

“The knot on my forehead hurts more than my ribs.” Inosuke, with his mask set aside, brushed his hair out of his face, revealing a swelling bump.

Tanjiro winced. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.”

“What about me?” Zenitsu turned to Inosuke. “You beat me to a pulp. Apologize. Say sorry.”

“I’ll pass.”

“Apologize to him or I’ll flick your forehead,” Nezuko warned. “It rivals onii-chan’s headbutt.”

“Try it.”

Any attempt at a fight was broken off by Hisa calling lights out. The lanterns dimmed, only a single lantern remaining lit in their room.

A few minutes later, a voice came from the darkness. “Nezuko? Tanjiro? Is it safe to come out now?”

“Oh, right.” Nezuko, the closest to the box, crawled over to open the latch. Tanjiro noticed Zenitsu tense up.

“Don’t worry. Genya’s as friendly as demons come.”

“Sorry you were cooped up so long in there,” Nezuko said as the door swung open. Genya shook his head as he forced himself out, trying to get the soreness in his muscles out. He stood up to his full height.

Zenitsu screamed.

“Wha-”

“HOW! HE’S HUGE! SO HUGE! TERRIFYING! SCARY BEYOND BELIEF! HOW DOES SOMEONE WITH A SOUND AS SWEET AS YOURS LOOK LIKE THAT?!”

“I- It’s the growth spurts,” Genya groaned, looking down at the terrified boy that reminded him of a dandelion. “And- what do you mean I have a sweet sound?”

He was interrupted by a loud cackling sound, and Nezuko wondered how Hisa hadn't woken up from the commotion. Inosuke, his vigor back in full, scrambled to his feet and donned his mask.

“NOW THAT’S AN OPPONENT! THE SUN’S GONE NOW! NO EXCUSES! FIGHT ME!”

He laughed rambunctiously as he charged at a sputtering, protesting Genya.

Chapter Text

The first night at the Wisteria House ended with Inosuke pinning a screaming, frustrated Genya to the ground.

“Stop! Lemme go!”

Inosuke cackled. “I WIN! I WIN! INOSUKE-SAMA WINS AGAIN!”

“Inosuke, let him go!” Nezuko proclaimed. Any previous effort to stay quiet out of consideration for Hisa had gone out the window. “Stop it!”

Instead of listening to her, Inosuke took a seat on Genya’s back as the taller boy groaned and wiggled under the weight.

“Why is this boar so damn heavy?”

Inosuke seemed to be grinning behind his mask, judging from his voice. “That’s one victory for Inosuke-sama! Awesome! Amazing! Next time, actually fight back, though! It’s damn boring otherwise.”

Nezuko walked around to kneel in front of Inosuke, ripped his boar head off - much to his shock - and gave him a hard flick to his forehead. Inosuke flinched, and Genya summoned up enough strength to shove him off and crawl over to Tanjiro.

“How am I supposed to fight back when you come at me like that,” he grumbled, pulling at the end of his mohawk. “Besides… my claws are… sharp. You’ll get hurt if I slash you.”

Inosuke snatched his boar mask away from Nezuko and grinned, the lump on his head bleeding again. “You think you can land a hit on the great Inosuke-sama? I dare you, I challenge you! My skin is super sensitive, I’ll feel your claws coming from a mile away! You won’t even get close!”

“Whatever,” Genya grumbled again, tucking his knees into his chest and hugging his arms around them. Tanjiro brushed his hand through Genya’s mohawk to comfort him.

“FIGHT ME AGAIN!”

“Go to sleep already!” Zenitsu whined, diving under his covers and smothering his ears with a pillow. “How are we supposed to recover if you guys are yelling and starting fights all the time?”

Inosuke huffed, then jumped over Zenitsu to get to his futon. He set his mask aside and sprawled out, inadvertently kicking Tanjiro in the face.

“Demon!” He turned his attention to a disgruntled Genya.

“What?”

“I will not kill you, because Rantaro will get mad if I do that. And, having a practically immortal opponent is so cool! I bet you’d be strong if you fight back! So let’s fight again tomorrow! And give it your all this time!”

“Absolutely no fighting!” Tanjiro piped up. “And no killing Genya, either.”

“Yes, please don’t kill me.”

Soon, Inosuke’s snores filled the room. This made it harder for Zenitsu to fall asleep, but eventually he drifted off, as well.

“Are you… going to sleep now, too?” Genya asked Tanjiro and Nezuko.

Nezuko focused her eyes on the ground. “We should. We need to rest and heal up fast, so that we can help more people.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk all that much today,” Tanjiro told Genya.

“It- it’s fine,” Genya replied. He smiled, his fangs poking through his lips. “You did good today. I’m proud of you.”

Nezuko lit up. “We’re proud of you, too, nii-chan.”

Genya’s brows furrowed a bit. “Eh? But I didn’t do anything today.”

“We’re just proud of you,” Tanjiro said, also smiling. “Proud of you every day.”

Genya averted his eyes, a bashful flush coming over his face. “Thank you,” he murmured. His voice wavered, but Tanjiro and Nezuko could tell that he was trying to conceal a smile.

“Goodnight, Genya,” Nezuko said as she snuggled under her blankets. “Since we’re inside now, you don’t have to stay in the box all the time. Unless Hisa obaa-san is around, it should be safe.”

“Alright,” Genya said. “I’ll stay up and watch over you all.”

“Yeah,” Tanjiro said, also settling for bed. “Because Genya’s a good nii-chan.”

Genya didn’t answer, but reached out and ran a quick hand through their hair. “Goodnight, both of you,” he said after a moment. “Sweet dreams. Nii-chan will protect you for now.”

The darkness concealed his smile.

~~~

Zenitsu stirred from his sleep. He could feel faint rays of light coming into the room, but they were blocked by something. Someone must have covered the windows.

He kept his eyes closed, but his ever sensitive ears were picking up something. It was a demonic sound, but mixed with a much nicer symphony. It was the sound he had learned to associate with Genya.

The sound was coming from right above him.

Zenitsu’s eyes snapped open, and he found himself face to face with the demon.

Zenitsu couldn’t help but squeak in shock. “Can’t blame me! Genya might sound nice but he looks damn terrifying!”

Genya leaned back, making a quiet shushing sound. Zenitsu glanced around him. Tanjiro and Nezuko were both still soundly asleep, and their mats seemed to have moved closer from last night. Inosuke was still asleep, snoring obnoxiously with his limbs sprawled out.

“Sorry,” Zenitsu murmured. Genya probably just didn’t want him to wake his little siblings up. He scooted into an upright position, doing his best to avoid aggravating his ribs.

“It’s fine, just don’t be too loud right now,” Genya said. He had moved up against the wall and curled into himself. Making a considerable effort to appear smaller, Zenitsu realized. A pang of guilt. Had he offended the demon by being scared? How does that work? Should he apologize?

“They’re adorable when they sleep, aren’t they?” Genya asked with a chuckle, looking over Tanjiro and Nezuko. Zenitsu’s eyes followed his.

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Nezuko, especially.

“She’s so strong,” Zenitsu thought to himself. “She’s both strong and cute at the same time.”

Most likely out of his league, he came to the conclusion. He already knew he liked her, and had fallen for her at first sight. But… he couldn’t imagine the wonderful Nezuko-chan accepting someone like him. All of the previous girls had dragged him for cash and left him the second he stopped being able to provide. He knew Nezuko wouldn’t do that, but if he had no value aside from money, Nezuko certainly wouldn’t be interested in him either.

Zenitsu sighed. But, he was content to her friendship. She had been so kind, and her sound was the nicest of all. Even though he had been weak and useless at the drum house, she cheered him up and encouraged him.

“Uh-” Genya’s words snapped Zenitsu out of his daze. “I just wanted to say thank you. For… protecting me yesterday.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Zenitsu replied. He rubbed the back of his head, a blush creeping up on his face. He might not have believed the praise and compliments, but it was still nice to receive them. “And, I guess I should say thank you for snapping at that boar. He probably would have skewered me otherwise.”

Genya shook his head. “Tanjiro or Nezuko would have stepped in, no doubt.” He looked toward his little siblings again, resting his head on his knees. His gaze became glassy.

“I- just wish I could do more for them,” he murmured.

“Huh?”

“I’m supposed to be the big brother,” Genya said. “But they’re always the ones protecting me. They carry me around in that box so that I don’t burn in the sun. They’re trying to find a cure for demons. They’re… doing all of that for me. I just feel like I can’t give enough back to them.”

Zenitsu never had what he could consider to be a functional family. He had his cultivator who he called jii-chan, and Kaigaku as his elder disciple. If their relationship was better, if they got along, Zenitsu might have called him aniki. Jii-chan could be considered family despite the harsh training he put Zenitsu through, but Kaigaku…

“I think-” he started. “Just being kind to them is enough. Tanjiro and Nezuko both have such beautiful sounds. I know they have good hearts. If they know you care for them, and that you’re safe, I think it’s enough for them.”

“You think so?” Genya asked.

Zenitsu nodded. “I know- that I’ve only known them for a day, but I think I can get a good idea. They’re both such… good and honest people that it’s a bit easy to see through them.”

Genya smiled. “I guess, just a little.”

The sun was rising higher now, and it was clear that the others were starting to stir. “Thank you,” Genya added. “Cheered me up a bit.”

Zenitsu smiled, too.

Genya still… looked scary. But Zenitsu could hear his sound clearer now. It was certainly different from other demons’ sounds. He heard melodies of love and care, the thumping rhythm of unwavering loyalty, all of it resounding through his very soul.

Maybe… maybe his scary appearance wasn’t that big of a deal, after all.

~~~

Inosuke decided his new group of underlings was weird.

He couldn’t understand their behavior at all. The sniveling coward could never survive in the wild. But when he simply stated the truth, the girl threatened to finger flick him again. Why did she care so much about the safety of a coward? Cowards only slowed the herd down and hindered chances of survival for everyone. It was weird.

And the demon… who refused to fight him. Who went against his kind’s very nature because he was apparently the girl’s and the redhead’s older brother. It didn’t make sense. It was the equivalent of a wolf refusing to eat deer because it found some cute fawns to look after. Constantly worried about his claws hurting him when there was nothing to be worried about. It had been a week, and every night Inosuke tried to fight him. Every night, the demon didn’t fight back, but had the audacity to complain when he was pinned.

“Keep doing that and I’ll bite you,” he had threatened a few times, but his words were always empty. Inosuke hated empty words. It felt like a betrayal.

But, that guy was the worst of all. Redhead. Forehead. Rockhead.

He made Inosuke feel things .

He made Inosuke feel frustration and rage because he just couldn’t pick up on the hints and fight him! It was frustrating. Inosuke did everything in his power to aggravate the redhead, from stealing his food to poking him constantly. But he had an endless smile and a bottomless well of patience.

“If you’re hungry, you can have my food, Inosuke,” he would say and offer the bowl of tempura to him.

“No, just fight me!”

When Inosuke refused the tempura he had stolen mere moments ago, the rockhead would then give it to the demon who didn’t even need human food. The demon would always eat it with a smile, which made the girl and the rockhead smile, too. Did the redhead ever do anything purely for himself?

But it wasn't pure frustration that Inosuke felt in the rockhead’s presence. Sometimes, the forehead would say things, or do things, that made Inosuke feel… giddy. Happy inside. Like there were bubbles popping up inside him and it made him feel like he was floating.

It were the nice words the redhead would say sometimes that caused these feelings, Inosuke realized. The compliments, the offers of assistance - even though he didn’t need any - all of those things made Inosuke feel just a tad bit calmer.

It made him feel calmer, and that made him feel angrier.

He was basking in the night sky. The doctor came by that day for another checkup. The ribs were healing, and it was estimated they could head out in another two weeks. Inosuke wanted to go now, but all of them yelled for him to stay put. Blond coward had picked the yard clean of flowers that day and gave them to the girl. Some elaborate mating ritual?

The weak old lady suddenly appeared behind him. Inosuke couldn’t help but startle a little, though he did his best to hide the fact. The old lady might be weak, but she was sneaky, too. He hadn’t even noticed her presence.

“Young man, here is a change of clothes,” the old lady said, extending out an outfit the blond had called a yukata. “It is soft and comfortable to the touch. I can wash your old clothes for you.”

Inosuke felt something stir inside him.

“Would you like me to prepare some tempura, as well?” The old lady asked when he didn’t answer. “You know, the shrimp and vegetables battered and fried? You seem to like them a lot.”

It was the bubbles . Inosuke was feeling giddy again! That damn rockhead was infecting the rest of them!

The old lady left him the yukata and moved along the engawa. “I’ll go prepare some. Come to the dining hall and eat some whenever you want.”

Inosuke needed to get to the bottom of this. He quickly threw on the yukata and barged into the room where everyone else was. Blond coward yelped and hid behind the girl. Like a coward.

Time to use rockhead’s own signature technique against him. Inosuke headbutted him as hard as he could.

“Inosuke, stop!” Redhead yelled. “We just got the doctor check up! We can’t aggravate our injuries again!”

“I DON’T CARE! FIGHT ME! FIGHT ME!”

“Enough!”

Suddenly, Inosuke felt his feet leave the ground as the demon lifted him up, hooking his arms under Inosuke’s armpits. Inosuke kicked out with his feet but the demon held him tight.

“So, that’s what it takes for you to fight back,” Inosuke giggled when his efforts to get away proved to be fruitless. “Fine. You win today.”

~~~

Two weeks had passed since their admittance to the wisteria house, and Genya found himself getting used to Zenitsu’s and Inosuke antics. Sure, there was never a quiet moment around anymore, but it was strangely endearing.

Genya would be a liar if he said he didn’t miss some of the more quiet moments. Even going back to the time when he couldn’t speak, just him, Tanjiro, and Nezuko huddled together on the futon in Urokodaki-san’s spare room. He couldn’t remember a quiet moment past that, probably because all the demon slaying started and then Inosuke and Zenitsu joined up.

But, these loud, rambunctious moments were fine, too. Inosuke’s attempts to start fights and Zenitsu’s wails were grating in their own way, but they held a certain charm. It made Genya nostalgic, longing for the faded memories of his youngest siblings.

Siblings…

“We’re the same, Inosuke,” Tanjiro was saying. Genya was only half paying attention to the conversation by the futons, instead digging around in his box.

“Hah? Because we both grew up on mountains?” Inosuke didn’t sound impressed. “Don’t compare me to you vegetable farmers. We’re nothing alike.”

“Is that so?” Tanjiro seemed upset.

“So, Inosuke, why did you join the Demon Slayers?” Nezuko asked. “Did you want to protect someone? Were there demons in your mountain home?”

“A Slayer ran into me on my mountain, I challenged him to a fight, won, and took his sword,” Inosuke replied. “I’ve heard rumors about demons before, but now I knew for a fact that they existed! And I wanted to fight them!”

Nezuko frowned. “Well, at least you’re doing good for the world.”

“I don’t care if I’m doing good for the world!” Inosuke protested. “Testing my strength against other powerful living creatures is my only joy. Speaking of- YUNGA! FIGHT ME!”

Genya startled at the scream, straightening out and hitting his head on the rim of the box.

“OW!”

He stumbled, clutching at his head, inadvertently knocking over the box. All of its contents spilled out, including the muzzle, the drawing, and the gun.

Zenitsu shrieked. “A gun?! Why the hell does he have a gun!”

Genya rubbed his head and glared at Inosuke. “Just something I got on Tanjiro’s first mission,” he grumbled.

“You mean you stole it from Takame-san’s desk,” Tanjiro said, huffing.

“Well- yes,” Genya turned his gaze downwards, ashamed. “It’s not like- well… what’s done is done. It’s not even of any use right now since it’s out of bullets. I just fidget with it when I’m in the box sometimes.”

He scratched his neck awkwardly as everyone stared at him. It was Inosuke who broke the silence.

“What’s this?” He snatched up the drawing, peering at it. “What are these strange symbols?”

“Give it back!” Genya yelled, grabbing it away. He inspected the paper for tears, finding none, to his relief.

“Is that the drawing?” Nezuko asked.

Genya nodded. “It’s… what I remember of my family,” he said in response to Zenitsu’s questioning gaze. “I was thinking of adding you two to it.”

“Huh? Me?” Zenitsu’s face had an expression of shock. “You consider me to be family?”

“I’ve got no family!” Inosuke proclaimed, seemingly proud. “I’m King of the Mountain!”

Geny decided to ignore that, instead nodding in response to Zenitsu’s question. “I think- I think we could be considered a family. I get that kind of family feeling from you two. It’s… nice.”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea, Genya,” Tanjiro beamed, getting up. “I’ll go ask Hisa obaa-san if she has any calligraphy brushes. I’ll be right back.” He left the room.

“So, what do you consider us to be?” Zenitsu asked, moving closer to look at the drawing. “Brothers? Cousins? If I marry Nezuko-chan, will we be brother-in-laws?”

“Let’s stick to brothers for now,” Genya said with an overprotective glare, leaving Zenitsu to murmur out strained apologies and promises that it was a joke.

~~~

Tanjiro was happy everyone seemed to be getting along. Sure, there were some dysfunctional moments. Inosuke kept trying to pick fights, and Zenitsu hadn’t stopped flirting with Nezuko. His sister seemed fine with it, though, so Tanjiro deemed it not his place to step in.

It had now been three weeks. The doctor had given them all a final checkup earlier that day, and deemed  that Nezuko’s legs, and his, Zenitsu’s, and Inosuek’s ribs had all been healed. One more night of rest, and then they would return to missions. One more night, and they could be one step closer to finding a cure for Genya.

Hisa prepared them dinner, as usual. She left it in their four futon room this time, as if catching on how close they had all gotten.

“Here Nezuko-chan, you can have my helping of the sweet and sour sauce,” Zenitsu offered, sliding the bowl of sauce over to Nezuko. “I know you like it.”

“Thank you, Zenitsu,” Nezuko said, taking the bowl. “That’s sweet of you. But, I know you like it, too, so you can have some, as well.”

Zenitsu’s face went bright red as he stuttered and smiled bashfully.

“At least they’re happy,” Tanjiro thought to himself with a smile.

Inosuke was already stuffing his face with tempura, not bothering with the sauce. His mouth and hands were covered in batter.

“Use your chopsticks, boar head,” Zenitsu said with a deadpan face. “I taught you how. I know I did, and I know you know how to use them now.”

“Don’t care,” Inosuke retorted, popping another shrimp into his mouth.

“Leave him be, Zenitsu,” Tanjiro said before Zenitsu could snap. “It’s our last night before our next mission. We should celebrate.”

Zenitsu looked like he wanted to argue, but sighed instead. “Alright, let’s eat.” He looked over the platter again. “Wow. Hisa obaa-san really went all out this time. There’s even watermelon.”

“Watermelon?”

Genya looked up from the corner of the room where he was fiddling with his gun and clambered over. He peered around Tanjiro’s shoulder, taking in an eyeful of the platter of watermelon slices. His mouth began to water.

“Oh right, watermelon’s your favorite,” Nezuko said, taking a slice and extending her arm out to Genya. “Then come on, eat some.”

Tanjiro nodded to his sister’s words. “Yeah, eat as much as you want.”

Genya’s eyes gleamed as he reached for the slice Nezuko offered him. Then, the gleam faded, and his hand dropped to his side.

“Genya, what’s wrong?” Nezuko asked.

“I-” Genya smelled sad again. “I… I can’t.”

“Why not?” Tanjiro was getting worried now.

“I mean- I can, but- I don’t want to,’ Genya went on. “My… sense of taste towards human foods has been diminished. Everything tastes sort of bland now and that’s upsetting. I… don’t want to ruin the taste of watermelon in my mind by eating it now.”

“Genya…”

Genya forced a smile onto his face. “So, I’ll wait for now. And, once I’m human again, I’ll have all the watermelon I want.”

His eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Tanjiro grimaced.

“It’s decided, then,” he said. “First thing when you’re human again, we buy the biggest watermelon we can find.”

Genya nodded again, and a tear finally slipped out and down his cheek. Tanjiro turned away, cursed Muzan once more, and began to eat.

He was going to need all the strength and energy he could get.

Chapter Text

“North-northwest! Head North-northwest!”

Morning came, and Tanjiro’s crow brought the announcement of their next mission.

“North-northwest?” He repeated the crow’s words, glancing towards the others. Nezuko was not in the room, talking with Hisa about food for the journey. Inosuke was performing some stretches, once again wearing the boar hide over his face, and Zenitsu was helping Genya gather his things into the box.

“Is this mission for all of us?” Tanjiro asked the crow.

The crow gave a short heckle and a nod. “North-northwest! To Mt. Natagumo!”

“Huh?” Zenitsu turned his head up at the message. “I guess the five of us will be sticking as a group for now.”

Inosuke let out a cackle. “Yes! Onwards, my minions!”

“We’re not your minions!” Zenitsu shrieked.

Tanjiro chuckled to himself. He had grown used to their antics in their few weeks of recovery, and now he found them more amusing than anything else. “Still, I’m happy we’re staying grouped together for the time being. What do you think, Genya?”

The demon nodded after a moment. “Yeah. Family sticks together, right?”

“Family sticks together!” Tanjiro parroted back with enthusiasm.

A moment later, Nezuko entered. Tanjiro filled her in on the mission as they packed the rest of their belongings.

Nezuko hummed to herself. “I’m happy that we’re staying as a group, but that probably means we’ve got a big mission ahead of us. I mean, sending four people to the same location…”

Zenitsu nodded in agreement. The mention of the scale of the mission seemed to put him on edge.

Inosuke glanced towards the blond, as if detecting his concern. “Worry not, my underling! Even if you’re a coward, your leader, the great Inosuke-sama, is not, and he’ll kill any demon that threatens us!”

“I’m not your underling!” Zenitsu shrieked, his momentary slump gone as the two returned to their regular bickering.

Finally, Genya crawled into his box and curled up into a ball, the gun, muzzle, and drawing all neatly placed around him. Tanjiro knelt down to close the door.

“Depending on how long it takes us to get there, we’ll be able to let you out at sunset,” he told Genya. “That sound good to you?”

Genya nodded. “Yep. I’d like that.” Tanjiro gently closed the door and slid the latches into place. He turned around and slid the straps over his shoulders, heaving the box onto his back. Luckily, his ribs had fully healed and didn’t give any flares of pain as Genya shifted slightly, making himself comfortable.

“Looks like we’re ready,” Nezuko said as she secured the last of their provisions into neat little bags. “Let’s go tell Hisa obaa-san that we’re leaving.”

Hisa greeted them outside. Tanjiro bowed his head, and the others followed suit. “Thank you for taking care of us,” Tanjiro said.

Hisa stood there with her ever present smile before pulling out two pieces of flint. “Sparks, for good luck,” she said, striking the rocks together. Bursts of sparks rose up in tune with the strikes.

Inosuke practically screeched. “What are you doing, old lady?!” he yelled, almost lunging at Hisa. Zenitsu held him back.

“Stop, you idiot! It's a purification ritual. It’s for good luck since we’re going into battle.”

This did little to deter the supposed glares Inosuke sent Hisa from beneath his mask, but the elderly woman paid the disrespect no mind. She merely bowed her head.

“May you always live your lives with great pride. I wish you great fortune in battle.”

Tanjiro smiled, as did Nezuko. They both gave another bow in return and took off down the path, following the crow flying overhead. Zenitsu followed after Nezuko, and Inosuke after Zenitsu.

“‘Live life with great pride?’” Inosuke asked once they were within the forested path. “What does that mean?”

Nezuko hummed. “Yeah, it’s probably a bit confusing when you first hear it,” she said. She slowed down her pace to jog side by side with Inosuke. “I think it means to know who you are, and not be ashamed of it. Always strive to be the best ‘you’ you can be, so that your life is something you can be proud of.”

“I agree,” Tanjiro said, still leading the group. “Also, about acting in a way as to never embarrass yourself. Acting in a way worthy of your position, so also knowing your place.”

“What do you mean ‘acting in a way?’” Inosuke asked. “‘Never embarrass yourself?’ What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

“For you, plenty,” Zenitsu murmured under his breath.

“Well, I think-” Tanjiro was cut off by another tirade of Inosuke’s questions.

“‘Knowing your place?’ What about that?”

“Look, point is, Hisa obaa-san is praying for us,” Nezuko said. “She performed a purification ritual for us, and she wishes for our success. We have to do our best to honor that, since she is worried about our health and safety.”

“But why is the hag worried?” Inosuke asked again. “She knows nothing about us. I haven’t met her before Yonjero headbutted me! So she doesn’t know me and I don’t know her! Why does she care? Sounds to me like she doesn’t know her place!”

Tanjiro puffed out his cheeks and quickened his pace, trying to put more distance between him and Inosuke out of spite.

“Hey!” Zenitsu yelled in shock. “Tanjiro, wait for us!”

“I won’t lose to you!” Inosuke called, also running faster.

“Idiots, you’ll run out of energy going that fast,” Zenitsu yelled. “How will you fight demons then?!” Still, he and Nezuko did their best to keep up.

Within the box, Genya just lightly shook his head. “So noisy…” he murmured, drifting off to sleep as the rhythm of Tanjiro’s running gently rocked him.

~~~

The group ran for the whole day, only stopping by a rice field for a half hour long lunch consisting of onigiri and cold tempura. The rest of the time, they kept to their brisk pace, trailing after the crows soaring in the sky. As time passed, the color of the sky changed, blending together like a watercolor painting. As the oranges of sunset changed to the darkness of nightfall, Tanjiro paused to let a somewhat sleepy Genya out of the box. The now five of them continued down the path, the demon transferring the gun to his belt.

“Wait!” Zenitsu called. The mountain, clearly their target destination, loomed just ahead of them. It would only take another ten minutes to reach it.

“What is it?” Tanjiro turned around to ask, only to find the blond curled up in a ball on the ground with tears in his eyes. Nezuko was tugging at his haori, trying to get him to stand up.

“I’m scared!” Zenitsu wailed. “I was fine while we were traveling, but now that we’re close, I’m so scared I can’t move!”

“Something’s definitely wrong with him,” Inosuke said in a blunt manner.

“I’m perfectly normal!” Zenitsu called back. “It is perfectly normal to be scared in a situation like this. You’re the one that’s crazy!”

Genya joined Nezuko’s efforts in lifting Zenitsu, picking him up by the arm and dragging him up. Zenitsu whimpered.

“Now’s not the time,” Genya said, trying to hoist Zenitsu into a standing position. As soon as he let go of his arm, the blond collapsed right back to the ground, shuddering in fear.

“Come on, Zenitsu, you can do it,” Tanjiro said in an attempt to cheer him up. But, he shouts of encouragement were cut off by the sound of something creaking from the direction of the forested mountain. 

Even from the slight distance, they could tell it was a Demon Slayer from his uniform and chipped katana. He looked up at them in desperation as he crawled down the path. “I- I made it out… but…”

Tanjiro rushed over, wanting to help the man and find out who did this. Inosuke and Genya chased after him. But, as they closed the distance, the man was yanked back, as if he was a puppet on invisible strings. He was dragged back into the forest.

Tanjiro stood frozen in shock as a foul smell set in from the mountain. Zenitsu was still shivering on the ground, Nezuko by his side.

“It- it has to be a strong demon,” Genya muttered, eyes crazed as he looked in the direction of the forest. “I can feel my appetite starting up. There’s… a few, I think.”

Multiple demons? And they were strong?

“I’m… I’m going in,” Tanjiro said, trying to get his nerves under control.

Inosuke stepped forward, curling his fingers around his weapons. “Me first. You underlings go after me.”

With that, he ran in the direction of the forest.

“Wait up, idiot!” Genya yelled. “Don’t go alone.” He ran after Inosuke.

“Nezuko, Zenitsu,” Tanjiro said, turning around to spare the others a glance.

“You go on ahead with Genya and Inosuke, onii-chan,” Nezuko said. “We’ll be right behind you. Just give us a moment.”

Tanjiro hesitated, then nodded, chasing after the other two, leaving Zenitsu and Nezuko alone.

He caught up with the others in a few moments as they headed into the thicket. Trees loomed overhead, thin spiderwebs decorating the branches. Inosuke swung at them in irritation.

“These stupid webs make my skin all ticklish! It’s annoying, I hate it!”

Genya plucked up one of the strands between his fingers and placed it against his tongue. His face scrunched up in disgust as he stuck his tongue out.

“Tastes bad,” he murmured. “Like… sickly sweet. And the texture is gross.”

“Is it a normal spiderweb, or is it demon related?” Tanjiro asked. Genya hummed, which didn’t answer his question.

The three of them continued walking down the worn path, trying to keep wary of the spiders crawling around the ground. They were small and pale white like death.

Inosuke walked in the lead. Tanjiro brought up the rear, trying to keep his nose peeled. But, his sense of smell was obscured by that foul acidic odor. Was it the work of a Blood Demon Art? He couldn’t tell at the moment.

“Inosuke,” he spoke up after a moment. The boar headed boy whirled around, accidentally smacking Genya in the face as he held his arms in a fighting stance.

“Thank you.”

Inosuke dropped the stance, staring at Tanjiro in visible confusion.

“Even though I said I’ll go, I felt afraid. Afraid of this mountain,” Tanjiro explained. “But, since you said you’d go first, I knew I wouldn’t be alone. You, too, Genya. I’m sure, the three of us can beat this. Together.”

“Th-thanks, Tanjiro,” Genya stuttered out, flattered. Inosuke seemed to have a dumbfounded expression behind his mask. Before Tanjiro could say anything else, Inosuke held his hand up, sensing movement nearby as the leaves rustled.

They peered in the direction of the sound. It was another Demon Slayer, but not the one they saw outside the forest. He was a little bit off the path, clearly tense. Tanjiro and the others snuck their way over to him. Tanjiro placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. The other one tensed, whirling around to look at them.

“We’re Demon Slayers, too,” Tanjiro said. “Rank Mizunoto.”

The man didn’t seem happy to have reinforcements. “Mizunoto? Why do they keep sending Mizunoto? We need a Pillar. Why don’t they send a Pillar?”

Pillar? The highest ranked swordsmen in the entire Corps? Was this man just exaggerating, was this mission really that difficult?

Suddenly, the man pointed his sword at Genya. “Demon!”

“Stop, he’s a friend,” Tanjiro exclaimed. He cursed himself for being so careless as to approach this man. He was clearly scared, and bringing another demon to him would only heighten his fear.

“A friend?” The man didn’t sound convinced. Genya backed away a few steps. “No way. No way in hell. There’s no such thing as a friendly demon.”

~~~

“I wonder if they hate me,” Zenitsu muttered, still curled up in a ball.

“They don’t hate you,” Nezuko said, still trying to get him to stand up.

“They do,” Zenitsu repeated. “If they didn’t, they would have tried to convince me to come with them. I’m sure I would have gone if they did. But they didn’t.”

Nezuko was starting to get frustrated. “Zenitsu,” she sighed. “I know you’re scared. Killing demons is a scary job, and you put your life on the line every time you face one.”

“You’re not doing a good job of convincing me,” Zenitsu whined. “Sorry, Nezuko-chan.”

“Listen,” Nezuko insisted. “Onii-chan, Genya nii-chan, and Inosuke don’t hate you. But lives are on the line. They don’t have time to convince you to come along every single time. Right now, that choice is up to you.”

She let her hand fall away from Zenitsu’s haori. He looked up at her in confusion.

“I’m following after them. Come with me if you want. But, I can’t stand around anymore when there’s people I want to protect.”

She headed up the path that her brothers and Inosuke took.

“I’m the eldest daughter. Normally, that means being patient. But, I don’t have room or time for that anymore.”

Zenitsu watched her for a few moments, before sniffling for a final time and rushing after her.

“Wait!” he called. “There’s people I want to protect, too!”

~~~

The crow was heaving, panting from the long journey as it lay in the man’s lap as he soothingly stroked its feathers.

“You’ve had quite the long journey,” Kagaya said.

“Mt… Natogumo…” the crow forced out, determined to deliver its message. “Send… Pillars…”

Kagaya listened, still trying to care for and comfort the tired animal. “So… many of my children have already been slaughtered. It may be the work of one of the Demon Moons. Perhaps I should send not one Pillar, but two.”

The two people sitting in the room behind him bowed their heads.

“Shinobu. Sanemi. I will entrust this mission to you.”

“As you wish, Oyakata-sama,” they said in unison. They left without another word.

“Maybe there could one day be a world where demons and humans coexist and live in peace,” Shinobu said with a dreamy smile as the two of them took down the path. “Maybe if there was a demon willing to starve itself… What do you think, Shinazugawa-san?”

The man scoffed, looking disgusted at the mere thought. “Something that foolish? Don’t be stupid, Kocho.”

Sanemi flashed a wicked grin, full of anger and bloodlust. “There’s no such thing as a kind hearted demon.”

Chapter Text

“There’s no such thing as a friendly demon.”

Genya backed away from the swordsman who pointed his blade at him. He held his clawed hands out in front of him. Tanjiro took a protective in front of him.

“You don’t understand,” Tanjiro pleaded. “Genya’s been a demon for two years and he hasn’t eaten a single human in that time.”

“You really expect me to believe-”

Out of nowhere, Inosuke headbutted the man.

“Ow! What was that? Did you forget I have seniority?!”

“You’re not allowed to insult my underling!” Inosuke declared. “Ronta is harmless unless you hurt one of my other underlings. Like a demon guard dog!”

Genya didn’t like that comparison much, but Inosuke seemed to be trying to defend him.

“So, if you are going to hurt my loyal underling, you will face the wrath of Inosuke-sama!”

“Please, everyone, calm down,” Tanjiro said. “Point is, Genya’s not going to hurt you. Right, Genya?”

Genya quickly nodded. The Demon Slayer still stared at him, then cautiously lowered his sword. Still, his eyes burned with suspicion.

“What’s your name?” Tanjiro asked.

“It’s Murata,” said the swordsman.

“Murata-san, can you please fill us in on the mission?” Tanjiro asked. “What happened?”

Murata lowered his head. Genya noticed that his hands were shaking. “There were… ten of us, at first. We were sent up to the mountain to take care of some demons. But then- but then, they all started killing each other, one by one!”

“Killing each other?” Tanjiro repeated, aghast. Genya felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Demon Slayers… killing each other? Surely that would be against the code he heard Tanjiro mention a few times.

“It’s horrible,” Murata muttered, his gaze blank. “I- I barely managed to get away. And now- we need reinforcements! Someone of a higher rank, like a Pillar!”

“We can’t give up,” Tanjiro insisted. “If we can provide even a little bit of aid, then we can’t back down!”

Something rustled up ahead. “Tanjiro-” Genya stepped forward and put a hand out in front of him protectively. Out of the forest walked someone wearing a Corps uniform, like the one Tanjiro and Murata had. But, something was off about their movements. It felt haphazard, choppy.

The newcomer’s arms jerked up as he raised his blade. Genya felt more shivers down his spine, again faced with a weapon that could kill him. He froze up.

“Genya, watch out!” Tanjiro was suddenly in front of him, blocking the swinging blade with his own. He blocked and parried the attack, pushing the sword aside. Genya looked around. More were coming, walking in from the shadows of the trees and surrounding them.

“Genya, you okay?” Tanjiro asked.

“Yeah.” Genya crouched down, bearing his claws.

“Be careful. They might still be alive, so don’t kill them. But, don’t let them hurt you, either.”

Of course, Tanjiro didn’t need to tell him. These were humans, and humans were not to be harmed.

The Slayer in front of Tanjiro raised his weapon again, and Tanjiro blocked his attack again. Another tried to attack at Tanjiro from the side, but Tanjiro rolled out of the way. Genya focused on weaving around the attacks and keeping their dangerous swords as far away as possible.

Inosuke cackled. He seemed to be enjoying his own fight a little too much, backflipping away from his opponents. “These guys are idiots! Don’t they know about the code?!”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Tanjiro yelled over to him. The conversation had distracted him for a moment, and one of the swordsmen he was fighting tried to slash at him. Genya slashed at their wrist, sending the attack off course. Some blood sprang from the wound. Genya grit his teeth and hoped it wouldn’t lead to anything bad.

“Think about it, Inosuke!” Tanjiro continued yelling.

“That’s not my style!”

“These guys don’t seem to be moving naturally,” Tanjiro continued, ignoring Inosuke’s comment. “I think they’re being controlled.”

“Then it’s fine to cut them up!”

“No! Some are still alive, and even if they’re not, we can’t desecrate the corpses of our comrades!”

Inosuke was not happy to have his “underling” bossing him around. He abandoned his opponents, running to Tanjiro. He rammed his head into Tanjiro’s side, almost knocking the redhead over.

“Stop denying me at every turn!”

“You idiot boar head, now’s not the ti-” Genya looked to the spot Inosuke ran from, and saw his abandoned opponents raising their weapons against Murata. The swordsman seemed too panicked to counter.

“Watch out!” In an instant, Genya sprinted forward, blocking the swords from hitting Murata. He felt the blades slash across his arms and chest.

It burned . The cut skin felt like it had been set aflame. All of Genya’s premonitions about these blades being dangerous had come true. He hissed as his legs buckled and he fell to the ground on his knees.

“Genya!”

He barely had a chance to look up to see another blade swinging down towards him. A clash of metal, and the attack was parried away. This time, Murata protected him.

“Sorry about that,” he said, standing firm this time. “I panicked, even though I’m the senior member here, and a demon had to protect me.”

He took a deep breath in. “I trust you… Genya.”

Genya could barely nod. “Yeah,” he breathed out. His cuts were still burning.

“Are you okay?”

“Just give me a moment, cover for me.” Genya focused his gaze on the ground, willing his injuries to heal. He needed to eat something. Some kind of demonic flesh. That always helped him heal before.

White spots danced in his vision. Not good. Wait, not white spots. Genya squinted, trying to focus on the spots. They were… spiders. Small, white spiders, similar to the ones they saw earlier. There were many of them scuttling along the forest floor. Thin, almost invisible trails of webbing followed after them.

Genya focused in on one while Murata protected him. It didn’t take long for the spider to make its way up Murata’s pant leg and start to encircle him. Genya snatched it up and popped it in his mouth. He made sure to crush it between his teeth.

“What was that?!” Murata screeched, clearly startled, but Genya wasn’t listening, too caught up in the sudden, albeit minimal, energy rush. His cuts healed instantly.

“Guys!” he yelled. “It’s the spiders! The tiny spiders are demons!”

“Demon spiders?” Inosuke yelled back, still focusing on blocking attacks.

“Or they’re the products of Blood Demon Arts! But, I think the spiders are behind this!”

Tanjiro’s face was twisted up, like he was thinking. He dodged another attack, and slashed over his assailant’s back. The swordsman dropped like a ragdoll.

“I think Genya’s right!” Tanjiro yelled. “These swordsmen- they’re being manipulated by threads. Like marionettes! The spiders are probably attaching them, and a demon is controlling them.”

“So then we just need to kill the spiders!” Inosuke announced, proud of himself.

“No, there’s too many!” Tanjiro yelled back. “We have to stop them at the source!”

“Just have Panya eat them all!”

“You can’t be serious!” Genya shrieked. “There’s way too many and they’re way too small. How the hell am I supposed to get them all?!”

“Stop arguing for now!” Tanjiro slashed the threads controlling two more swordsmen. “Just focusing on cutting the threads! It will stop them from moving for a bit.”

For a bit was an understatement. Even as Tanjiro spoke, Genya could see the miniscule white dots he now recognized to be spiders reconnecting the strings, forcing the swordsmen to rise once more.

“Inosuke, I need you or Genya to find the demon,” Tanjiro called. “Some weird odor is making it hard for me to smell things. We have to find the one controlling them or-”

“You will not disrupt our family.”

A new voice, a voice of a child, came from above. Genya looked up to see a demon boy seemingly standing in midair. He had spider marks on his face, and his white kimono bore web patterns.

“Family?” Tanjiro whispered under his breath. “Did he say… family?”

“Mother will kill you soon enough,” the boy said. He took a step to the side, and started walking away. Genya could now see the glistening line of spider threads beneath his feet.

“Hey! Get back here!” Inosuke yelled, jumping up and swiping at the demon. He just missed, and fell back down with a thud.

“Forget about that one!” Genya yelled, slashing the threads of the swordsman trying to attack Inosuke. “Find the demon controlling these guys!”

“Fine, fine!” Inosuke jammed his blades into the ground. “Breath of the Beast, Seventh Form: Spatial Awareness!”

He held his hands out, feeling for the vibrations. Genya stood by his side, bearing his claws and protecting him.

“That way!” Inosuke yelled after a moment, pointing his finger towards the trees, deeper in the forest. “I’m getting this serious demonic vibe from there!”

“Right! Good job, Inosuke!” Tanjiro called back, parrying an attack. “We have to get over there, but-” He was cut off by another strike. He was forced to dodge.

“You guys go!” Murata yelled. “I’ll- handle things here!”

“You?! What can you do?!” Inosuke called.

“Look, I know that wasn’t my proudest moment, but I’m a Demon Slayer, too!” Murata yelled. He blocked an attack and slashed the threads away. “And now that I know that I just need to slice the threads, this isn’t too hard! If you take care of the demon controlling them, then they’ll stop attacking, right?!”

Tanjiro nodded. “Alright. We’ll go kill that demon. Stay safe, Murata-san!”

Inosuke wasted no time taking off deeper into the forest, Tanjiro and Genya hot on his heels. The trees grew thicker, only a sliver of the moon shining through. Genya could also see the outlines of more cobwebs, the threads thicker than before.

“We’re getting close!” Inosuke yelled.

They reached another clearing. However, before they could cross it, another figure blocked their path. It was another Demon Slayer. She had tears brimming in her eyes, her Nichirin blade stained with blood. Genya felt the shivers return, feeling an imminent sense of danger.

“D-demon? Demon Slayers?” The swordswoman whimpered. “Don’t come any closer! I can’t control my own movements! I’ll hurt you! Call someone of a higher rank!”

Tanjiro looked horrified. “I’m not going to abandon you!” he yelled after a moment. “You’re still a living human! I’ll definitely save you!”

“No, please!” The swordswoman’s arms were raised, like a puppet’s. She rushed at Tanjiro, who sidestepped and drew his own blade again.

Somewhere, deep within the forest, a demon sat on a boulder in the clearing, webbing threads moving from her fingertips. She laughed. “The closer you are to me, the stronger my threads are, so the more control I have over my puppets.” She had a shrill, high pitched giggle.

“Mother.” A voice came from behind her. Fear overtook the demon as she whirled her head, seeing her youngest son behind some trees.

“Rui…”

“You’ll beat them, right?” the boy asked. “If you don’t, I’ll tell Father.”

“No, no, not your father,” the demon pleaded. “I’ll protect you, Rui, I promise. Just don’t tell your father!”

“Don’t take too long,” Rui warned her, walking away. “One of them is a demon, so we might have another member joining our family soon.”

The boy vanished from sight. The woman, still shaking, began to tremble in anger.

“Die! Just die, all of you!” she yelled. The threads jerked around as she moved her puppets to her will. “Or there will be hell for me to pay!”

The girl’s feet weren’t even touching the ground anymore. Her movements were even more haphazard then the puppets from before. Tanjiro was having a much harder time dodging her. Genya saw two more emerge from the shadows of the trees. Being surrounded by so many Nichirin blades made his skin crawl.

Tanjiro must have noticed. “Genya, stay back! Don’t let them cut you!”

The swordswoman’s arms suddenly bent back further than they should. Genya could hear an audible snap and cry of pain. The demon was forcing such extreme movements onto these puppets that their bodies couldn’t handle the strain.

“Please- just kill us-” one of them begged. “My arms are mangled- ribs are piercing my inner organs- there’s no way I’ll survive this. Just make it quick!”

“Okay!” Inosuke shouted, raising his sword.

“Inosuke, no!” Tanjiro screamed. “They’re still human beings! We have to find a way to save them!”

“They’re literally asking for it!”

“No!” Tanjiro insisted. He struck his blade against the girl’s. With a swinging parry, it flew from her grasp, landing near the trees.

“For now, try to disarm them! It’ll buy time!” Tanjiro called, clashing his sword with his next opponents. “Genya, stop her from getting her weapon! Try to hold her down so that she can’t move! Slash the threads if you can!”

Genya could only nod, running over to the swordswoman and grabbing hold of her wrists. She screamed from the pressure. Genya winced, knowing he was causing her pain. Still, he dragged her kicking body away from her sword, still stuck in the ground.

His hands were still occupied holding the girl’s wrists, but he could see the threads connected to her back and arms. He was much taller than her, so it was easy to get into position. Genya snapped at the threads with his teeth, shredding them with his fangs. One, two, three bites, and all the threads had snapped. He let go of the girl, who crumpled to the forest floor, no longer controlled. Her tear filled eyes widened in bewilderment.

“Wow! Tonga did it!” Inosuke screamed. “He did it!”

“Good job, Genya!” Tanjiro sent his new opponent’s blade flying. “Now do the same to this one!”

“No, do mine first!” Inosuke yelled, copying Tanjiro’s movements and disarming his opponent. “Do this one first!”

Before Genya even had the opportunity to make a decision, there was a snapping sound. The heads of the two remaining swordsmen turned as their necks were snapped by the tug of the threads. The girl gasped, seeing the fate she just narrowly avoided.

Tanjiro’s expression was unreadable, but Genya understood what he was feeling perfectly. Pure, unstilled rage at the demon, who had the gall to dispose of lives the second they were deemed unworthy.

“Inosuke, Genya, let’s go,” Tanjiro said, his voice eerily calm. He turned to the girl. “I know you’re injured, but try to run back that way. There’s another Demon Slayer named Murata-san there. He can help you.”

The girl sobbed. “I’ve got human blood on my hands! A demon had to save me! This is a disgrace!”

“Please, this is the time to think about survival,” Tanjiro said, trying to reassure her. He gently took hold of her forearms, helping her to her feet. “What’s your name?”

“O-Ozaki,” she sobbed.

“Ozaki-san, we’ll definitely avenge the comrades we lost to this demon. But you get out of here now.”

Genya could see his gentle smile, whatever anger towards the demon responsible buried deep. Because Ozaki needed to see hope, not fury.

Finally, Ozaki gave a brief nod.

“Look out for any small white spiders, too,” Tanjiro warned her. “That’s how the threads get attached. Go find Murata-san and call for backup.”

“But you’re low ranked, right?” Ozaki asked. Her cheeks were still flushed red from tears. “Can you really handle this-”

“We’ll be fine, just go!” Inosuke yelled, startling her. “Hanmato and Zanta are strong underlings, though no match for Inosuke-sama! We will definitely slay the demon!”

Ozaki, though surprised by his words, finally hobbled in the direction they came from, going as fast as her broken limbs would allow.

Tanjiro turned to the two fallen Demon Slayers. He bowed his head and raised his hands in prayer. Even Inosuke was silent, as if sensing Tanjiro's deep buried fury. Genya pitied the two dead swordsmen. Their limbs were broken, and chances of survival had already been limited. Then, whatever minimal hope Tanjiro had instilled in them snuffed out like a candle.

“Let’s go.” Tanjiro’s words broke him from his thoughts. Inosuke wordlessly took the lead, and Tanjiro and Genya followed suit.

“Disgrace, huh?” Inosuke said out loud. “That’s what that girl said. I wonder, is that what the old lady was talking about, living your life with pride.”

Genya didn’t see fit to answer him.

Neither did Tanjiro. “How much farther, Inosuke?”

“Almost there!” Inosuke yelled over his shoulder. “Just one more clearing and-”

They came to the next clearing. Again, they weren’t alone. Towering over them was a massive, headless body of a demon. It even eclipsed Genya in size.

“Huh? It has no head!” Inosuke screeched. “How are we supposed to kill it?!”

That’s when Genya noticed that the body’s arms ended in golden scythes. The left arm rose in tandem with the threads connecting it, aimed for Inosuke.

“Watch out!” Genya diced and pushed Inosuke out of the way. The scythe narrowly missed them both, slamming into the place Inosuke stood a moment prior.

“Get offa me!” Inosuke pushed Genya aside, standing with his swords drawn.

“This must be a demon that got its head cut off with something other than a Nichirin blade,” Tanjiro muttered, also getting in a fighting stance. “But, why hasn’t it regenerated its head, then?”

“Don’t think about that!” Inosuke yelled. “Just how do we cut off the head of something that doesn't have a head?!”

“We need to do a monk’s robe cut!” Tanjiro said, taking in the situation at a moment’s notice. “We can slice from the right shoulder diagonally towards the left. That might do it!”

Inosuke, hearing the instructions, leapt forward again, jumping in front of Genya.

“No, Inosuke, we need to cooperate-” Tanjiro’s cry went unheard. Inosuke raised his blades to slash at the demon, leaving himself exposed. In that instant, the scythes sliced across his arms. The cuts looked deep, springing dark red blood.

“Idiot!” Genya yelled. That’s when he noticed the threads on Inosuke’s arms. He hadn’t been paying attention. The threads went taut, immobilizing Inosuke as the scythe headed towards him again.

Genya jumped in front of Inosuke, shielding him. As the scythe descended, he grabbed it, claws digging against the demon’s arm. He gnashed his fangs and bit down. The scythe shattered against his teeth.

Behind him, Genya heard the faint sound of threads getting cut. Tanjiro must have freed Inosuke.

“Breath of Water, First Form: Water Surface Slash!” Tanjiro sliced into the demon’s arm at the elbow, right above where Genya was holding it. The arm fell to the ground, severed from the main body. Genya wasted no time taking another bite, feeling strength surge through him.

“Inosuke, we need to work together!” Tanjiro yelled.

“You were the one who jumped in front of me! I won’t let you walk all over me anymore! Why do we always have to do it your way?!”

“Stop whining, Inosuke!” Genya yelled, demon blood dribbling down his chin. “It’s because Tanjiro’s methods work!”

“Inosuke, jump off my back!” Tanjiro said, bending down. “Leap into the air! Use me as your step stool!”

Inosuke did just that, propelling himself off of Genya’s box. Tanjiro flipped to stand on his head.

“Breath of Water, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!” His attack cut through the demon’s feet. The demon dropped, unable to balance.

“Now, Inosuke!”

Inosuke’s dual blades sliced from the demon’s shoulder to its armpit. The top half slid down, and the demon began turning to dust. The arm Genya was holding disintegrated before he could take another bite.

“We did it!” Tanjiro cheered. “Good job, Ino-”

“Anything you can do, I can do better!”

“Huh?” Surprised by Inosuke’s sudden exclamation, Tanjiro didn’t have a chance to protest as Inosuke ran to him and tossed him high into the air.

“The demon’s that way!” Inosuke yelled. “Go get it!”

Tanjiro disappeared behind the tops of the trees.

“Why did you do that?!” Genya screeched. Inosuke ignored that question.

“Your turn!”

“No, I’m way too big for that!” Genya protested, even as Inosuke wrapped his arms around him with the intent to throw him. However, Inosuke could only lift him high enough to get his toes to dangle above the ground. A second later, and he let go, letting Genya fall the few centimeters he had been lifted.

“Told you,” Genya growled. “Besides, you got yourself cut up, so don’t do anything stupid. This way, right?” He ran in the direction Inosuke through Tanjiro.

“Inosuke-sama goes first!” Inosuke sprinted in front of him.

After a few minutes, they reached the final clearing. Genya could see a large boulder covered by some sort of cloth. Tanjiro stood next to it, completely still.

“Bankero, did you get it?!” Inosuke yelled. Tanjiro snapped out of whatever trance he seemed to be in and turned to face them.

“I did, but I have some bad news.”

Genya’s blood ran cold.

“We have to be careful. One of the Demon Moons is on this mountain.”