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Tanjirou has a bandage all around his head and even though Zenitsu thinks it looks bad, it's almost completely healed by now. He knows the hashira will arrive at the butterfly mansion in a couple of hours (at least most of them because Tomioka and Muichiro have missions that day).
He's excited, it's been a couple of weeks since he last saw the flame hashira and he can't wait to talk to him again. He's absolutely grateful to him since he saved them all in the train.
Zenitsu is nervous, although he is nervous most of the time, and Inosuke is running around the place, yelling something about him being ready to fight one of the hashira.
Tanjirou is not so sure about it even though he has to admit that Inosuke is getting better.
"I'd be mad at you for being Rengoku-san's Tsuguko if it wasn't because I heard the training is hard," Zenitsu says then, making Tanjirou smile.
"It's hard but it's exciting!" He assures. "I wonder if he'll take me on another mission with him..."
Alarmed, Zenitsu is about to beg Tanjirou not to leave him only with Inosuke but that's when the hashira arrive.
As Kocho greets them, the three younger demon slayers bow to them; Tanjirou has to push Inosuke's head down, but at least he's not fighting it.
"My boy!" Rengoku grins from ear to ear at Tanjirou who smiles in return; he doesn't notice the way Uzui, the sound hashira, is already rolling his eyes. Although Kanjori is looking at the two of them with a soft expression and a hand on her chest.
"Rengoku-san, I'm happy to see you again."
The flame hashira moves closer and caresses Tanjirou's hair gently, almost like he wants to be extremely careful.
"Would you like to help me train?" The hashira asks and Tanjirou finds himself nodding enthusiastically. Whenever he trains with Rengoku he learns something completely new. "Excellent. Because I need to exercise more in other to become stronger. My muscles are not the same as they used to be."
Tanjirou tries not to quirk up his eyebrows, although Zenitsu does it for him and he doesn't blame him; Rengoku's muscles look perfectly fine to him, even under the uniform, he'd argue that he looks even stronger than when they met in the train.
"Alright," he says, because he's not going to question the flame hashira, even if he can hear someone snorting in the background. "What should I do, are we going to–"
"I'm gonna carry you in my arms all day," Rengoku cuts him off, almost like he's desperate to say it.
Kocho covers her lips in order to muffle her laughter as Zenitsu blurts out a very loud WHAT that everyone ignores.
Again, that doesn't seem like a training exercise but Tanjirou is still determined not to say anything. Although he's blushing slightly when he nods again.
"Come here, my boy," somehow it sounds different the way Rengoku says the last words or maybe it sounds like that to him because he's a little bit flustered.
Tanjirou takes a step closer and the only thing he sees is a board chest covered in a dark uniform before he's effortlessly lifted from the ground.
"Put your legs around my waist, Kamado," the hashira instructs.
Doing as he's told, Tanjirou can't help but gasp when his thighs wrap around strong muscles. He has no idea why Rengoku is doing this, the man is only muscle from head to toe.
Putting a hand under Tanjirou's legs, Rengoku walks towards his fellow hashira with a grin, even though some of them are just rolling their eyes at him.
Tanjirou still doesn't understand, carrying him around doesn't seem like a challenge to Rengoku, therefore it's not like the exercise is going to help him a lot.
"It's so romantic, isn't it?" Kanjori comments with a dreamy expression, although Tanjirou reminds himself that everything is cute and romantic to her so she probably doesn't know that the flame hashira is just trying to exercise.
Truly, it's incredible how much Rengoku can do with Tanjirou in his arms; he's just as strong and fast as he's like when he has nothing to carry but his katana.
"Come on, everyone, time to talk about our next missions," Kocho says, clapping her hands once to draw everyone's attention.
The hashira begin sitting on the grass at the same time the other demon slayers as well as the healers go away in the blink of and eye.
When Rengoku finally puts Tanjirou on his two feet, the boy takes a few steps away (which turns out to be a little bit difficult at first because he was in the same position for a while). He knows he should go because it's a hashira meeting and they don't want–
Suddenly, strong hands take him by the waist and Rengoku sits on the grass and spreads his legs enough to sit Tanjirou in the middle with his back against the hashira's strong chest.
"I don't think I should be here," he says, hesitant and nervous while Rengoku puts his chin over the top of his head and his arms wrap around his waist.
"It's alright, my boy. You're with me."
"Don't worry, Tanjirou," Kocho waves her hand dismissively, but with amusement in her eyes. "Sometimes we let Uzui's wives to stay during a meeting as well."
Wives? He didn't know the sound hashira was married. He also immediately wonders if the others are married or engaged.
"Besides, as soon as the meeting ends I need to keep training, my boy!"
Uzui snorts.
"Right, training. I've never heard of such a method before, Kyojuro! Are you training to become an expert on lifting beautiful boys?"
"Just one," Rengoku tells him with a grin, making Tanjirou blush to the tip of his ears. Although he smells a little bit of tension coming from the flame hashira.
"Well, it's a really interesting exercise, maybe I should try it too and the others as well! You have to share, Kyojuro," Uzui smiles, opening his arms in Tanjirou's direction. "Let's take turns! Come here, boy, sit on my lap!"
"You have three wives already, idiot! Can we just start with the damned meeting?" Sanemi spits, clearly irritated.
"This has nothing to do with that, Kyojuro says is just an exercise," Uzui grins, looking over Tanjirou's head, most likely at Rengoku. "Although there's always room for one more in my household..."
He makes a movement towards Tanjirou but Rengoku grabs his arm in time to stop him from touching the young demon slayer.
"Don't you even think about it," the flame hashira warns, he has a smile on his face but there's fire in his eyes.
Tanjirou can smell how angry and tense he is. Although he doesn't understand why exactly. Uzui wasn't gonna hurt Tanjirou, he's sure about it.
The sound hashira is getting irritated too and Tanjirou starts to worry until he catches a glimpse of Kocho's face. She makes a gesture, like she's trying to tell him to stop it.
How? Why him?
Desperate and noticing Rengoku's grip on Uzui's wrist must be painful, Tanjirou says the first thing that comes to his mind.
"Rengoku-san, I think I'm tired. Perhaps it's because of the wound–"
Immediately, the flame hashira forgets about everything else and looks down at him; there's no more anger in his scent just concern and something else... Something sweet.
"I'm sorry, my boy. I shouldn't have... I'll take you to your room," he says, not even giving Tanjirou the opportunity to protest and taking him in his arms again. He turns to the others and adds: "I'll be back."
When he's back in his room and notices Zenitsu, Inosuke and Nezuko waiting for him to explain what happened out there (well Inosuke is practically demanding him to tell him everything) he realizes he has no idea what was all of that.