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Nezuko woke up to the sun shining through her bedroom window, first scaring her. She quickly hides under her blanket, before remembering that there's no longer any reason for her to fear daylight. Only a few days ago, in a fateful battle against one of the upper moons, she had somehow managed to persist through the burning sun. Ever since then, she hasn't been forced to wear her muzzle, and she's even been able to start speaking! It's difficult, seeing as it's been three years since she was a human, but knowing that she finally has the capability to fully express herself fills her with joy. Day by day, she can feel her humanity returning.
The girl puts on her favourite pink kimono, and gets ready to start the day. Unlike the boys, she has no injuries, so she tries to help the workers of the butterfly mansion instead.
"A-Aoi... Want h-help..?"
Her voice is rough, not used to speaking, but her smile is soft enough to make up for it. Aoi thinks for a moment, before handing Nezuko a basket of laundry.
"Here, you can go hang these up outside."
The demon girl gladly accepts her task, walking outside at a brisk pace. Growing up as the eldest daughter, Nezuko always felt uneasy when she wasn't doing something productive. She begins to hang the clothing on the line, humming happily to herself. A nearby Zenitsu hears this, and wanders to the garden to investigate. He'd been out on a mission when Tanjiro and Nezuko had gotten back, and having just arrived a few minutes ago, hadn't yet heard about her sudden immunity to the sun. Nezuko turns around, flashing a sharp, but warm, toothy smile.
"W-welcome back..!"
For a moment, Zenitsu is convinced he's dreaming. Without thinking, he subconsciously runs towards the girl, grabbing her by the shoulders. He scans her up and down, investigating to make sure that she isn't a fake.
"Nezuko, you're outside! In the sun!"
She nods at him, giggling at his surprise.
"I am!"
Hearing the pure happiness in her voice, Zenitsu can't help but blush. For the first time, he's able to get a good look at her, without her muzzle on. She's even more beautiful than he'd imagined, with lush rosy lips. Noticing that he seems out of it, she looks at him with a puzzled expression.
"Zen... Zenitsu, are, are you alr-right?"
She stumbles over her words, not very good at long sentences, which makes Zenitsu blush even more.
"Y-yeah, I'm perfectly fine, Nezuko! I think I'm just really glad to get to see the real you after all this time..."
He nervously rubs the back of his neck, trying to calm his racing heart. His efforts are very quickly undone by Nezuko, when she pulls him into a hug. She tries to figure out how to express that she feels the same way, but any words that could describe it are far too complicated for her.
"I... I'm happy too!"
Not having much else to do, Nezuko decides to follow Zenitsu for the day. At lunch, they sit on the porch while Zenitsu eats his bento. He listens intently to the girl, as she practices speaking with him.
"I saw a... b-butterfly! It- it was ve...very pretty."
He watches as her eyes light up, recalling these seemingly trivial events. Hearing her voice is a dream come true, her words sweeter than the strawberries in his lunch. He notices her eyeing the fruit, and realises it must've been ages since she's had any kind of food.
"Ah- do you want one?"
She nods excitedly, and he hands her the red berry. Taking a bite using her sharp fangs, she lets out a hum of delight.
"Mmm! Y-yummy!!"
The blond smiles at her reaction, handing her another. The demon eats berry after berry, until all have been devoured. She gives the boy a beaming smile, surprising him when she grabs his hands.
"Th... Thank you Zenitsu!"
He can't find any words to say, as he stares into her sakura-colored eyes. His cheeks glow with a similar shade of pink, worrying Nezuko. She places a clawed hand on his cheek, trying to check his temperature.
"Sick..?"
Zenitsu tries to tell her that he's fine, only managing to stammer nervously. His face becomes hot, leading Nezuko to believe he has a fever. She grabs his hand, and runs into the house without saying a word. When she finds Sumi, she asks her for help.
"Fe...Fever. What do- What do I do?"
The young girl tells her to just make Zenitsu go to bed, as the boy tries to explain that he's not sick. The girl ignores him, though, and an idea pops into his mind. If Nezuko thinks that he has a fever, does that mean she'll take care of him..? No, it would be wrong to take advantage of her naivety like that! Although, she's the one not listening in the first place... The moral dilemma bounces around in his mind, when he feels a cold shock on his face. Nezuko places a cool washcloth on his forehead, as she remembers her mother used to do when she was young. Mirroring her mother's actions, she gently strokes Zenitsu's golden hair.
"N-Nezuko?-"
"Shh... Sleep."
The kindness in her voice is impossible to defy, and so he lets his eyes flutter closed.
Nezuko wanders into the kitchen, having recently discovered the delicacy that is the strawberry. Aoi looks at her suspiciously, still not fully trusting the demon.
"What do you need, Nezuko?"
Rosy eyes stare back at her, wide and pure.
"St-straw... berries... Please."
"Hm? Since when do demons eat strawberries..? Whatever, I'll take your word for it."
Her eyes light up, slightly startling Aoi.
"Thank y-you!"
Man, she must really want some strawberries...
Satisfied with her snack, Nezuko goes outside. Now that she can walk in the sun, she spends as much time as possible basking in the UV rays. She lays down on the grass, as if she were making a snow angel in the middle of spring. She's so relaxed, that she hardly notices when Zenitsu lays beside her. When she notices him, she's not surprised, but rather pleased.
"Hello Zenitsu!"
He sits up, looking at her with admiration.
"Hey, you didn't stammer that time! Great job, Nezuko!!"
She feels her cheeks go a bit red at his compliment, not expecting praise for something that everyone else manages to do effortlessly.
"Thank you, I-I'm glad!"
Her smile drops, realizing she just stuttered again. Looking down at her lap, she sighs. Zenitsu places his hand on her shoulder, giving her a kind look.
"Hey, it's not a bad thing to stutter! In fact, it's kinda cute..."
The last few words are more of a mumble, but hearing them makes the girl's heart flutter. She looks into his amber eyes, as if perplexed.
"Cu... Cute?"
His face goes red, realizing she'd heard what he'd said. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he doesn't take back his words. Instead, he just sits in silence.
"You think I... I'm c-cute?"
Shyness permeates her words, and Zenitsu finds himself instinctively grabbing her hands.
"Yes! Very! You're the cutest girl I've ever seen, Nezuko!"
In his enthusiasm, he unintentionally leans in quite close to the demon, making her heart race. Overwhelmed by emotion, she pushes him back, clutching her face in her hands. Sputtering out an apology, she runs off to her room, as she tries to calm her racing mind.
Needing solitude, Nezuko goes to the best place to be alone: her box. She squeezes inside, as she thinks about what Zenitsu had said to her just moments ago.
You're the cutest girl I've ever seen, Nezuko!
Out of embarrassment, she buries her face in her hands. It's not long before there's a knock at the door, followed by Zenitsu's voice. Not wanting him to know how flustered she is, Nezuko stays hidden in her box.
"N-Nezuko? Can I come in..? I'm sorry for scaring you off, I didn't mean to creep you out..."
After a long moment of silence, another knock echoes.
"...Nezuko? Are you there?"
Now worried about the girl, he places his hand on the door.
"L-look, I'm coming in, ok?"
After a pause, the door slides open. Seeing the empty room, he questions whether his ears were playing tricks on him. He thought he heard her in here, but maybe he was wrong? With a loud sigh, he sits down on the bed, holding his head in his hands.
"Way to screw things up yet again, Zenitsu..."
Not wanting to expose her location, Nezuko stays silent.
"You just had to go and tell her how you feel, didn't you?! Now she probably sees you as the loser you are, all because you let your stupid heart get the better of you..."
A sniffle comes from the boy, as he tries to keep his composure.
"There goes any chance of her liking you..."
Nezuko feels guilty for making him feel this way, and decides to kick open her box and stand up.
"I... I do like you! And Ze... Zenitsu is not a l-loser!"
He scrambles back in shock, embarrassed to have unknowingly spill his secrets to the girl he was thinking about.
"N-N-Nezuko?? B-but I thought-"
She cuts him off by grasping his hands, leaning in as he had done before.
"I al...also think you are c-cute!"
Both teenager's cheeks burn red, as they awkwardly stare at each other. Nezuko stands back, a determined look in her eyes.
"Zeni-Zenitsu is kind, and st...strong! He talks to me, ev...even though I c...can't speak well! Even- even though I'm a m...monster!"
Her eyes tear up, thinking back on all of the kindness he's shown her. Seeing her crying, Zenitsu pulls her down next to him into a hug, softly petting the back of her head.
"Nezuko, don't cry... You aren't a monster. Someone as selfless and genuine as you could never be a monster."
She looks up at him, eyes glossy. His smile is enough to wash all of her worries away, and she feels warm being held in his arms. Resting her head on his chest, she holds him as she listens to the sound of his heartbeat. It races just as fast as her own, a soothing rhythm.
"Thank you, Zenitsu..."
Tanjiro walks into his sister's room, curious as to why the door's wide open. When he sees her nuzzled into the arms of his best friend, he has to stop himself from smacking the boy. Zenitsu looks up at him with a startled red face, not entirely sure what to do. Nezuko had fallen asleep, and so he'd been stuck here for the last hour. Tanjiro's eye twitches as he puts on a fake smile, before he grabs Zenitsu's arm. Moving Nezuko into her bed, he drags the blond out of the room.
"T-T-Tanjiro, please calm d-down!!"
Taking a deep breath, he listens to the boy's explanation. Relieved that he wasn't being a creep towards his sister, Tanjiro apologizes. Sometimes he can get too protective of Nezuko, though he's trying to break the habit. Zenitsu runs off to his room, thankful to have avoided Tanjiro's wrath.
Nezuko yawns as she wakes up from her nap, relieved to see that the sun is still shining. In an energetic mood, she decides to wander around a bit. She walks outside, where she lingers in the garden for a while. After smelling every flower, she notices that the sun is getting quite low in the sky. She decides that she wants to watch the sunset, and so she scouts the area for a good place to sit. Jumping up onto the roof, she waits for time to pass. From her perch, she can see down into the outdoor training area. She sees Zenitsu sparring against her brother, and finds herself wondering who to cheer for. Watching the boys fight against each other, she studies the way they move across the field. Zenitsu's movements are swift and sharp, whereas her brother's are calm and calculated. Tanjiro throws his opponent to the ground, winning the match. Zenitsu lays in the dirt for a moment, looking up at the sky. As he turns his head to get up, he notices the silhouette of the girl sitting on the roof. Embarrassed that she'd seen him lose so pitifully, he remembers what she said to him earlier that day.
Zeni-Zenitsu is kind, and st...strong!
He climbs up onto the rooftop, not sure as to why he does so. Nezuko looks at him, gesturing for him to take a seat next to her.
"You did g-great, Zenitsu!"
He looks at her defeatedly, sighing.
"I got my ass thrown into the dirt..."
She frowns a bit, looking down at her lap.
"I thought you looked c...cool."
Face turning red, Zenitsu nearly loses his balance.
"R-really? A-are you s-sure??"
The demon nods, looking at him wistfully.
"Zenitsu... You've grown. I'm p-proud of you."
The sky fades into a soft orange, the same colour as the eyes that Nezuko gazes into. Ashamed, Zenitsu averts his eyes.
"I really, really don't deserve it..."
The girl places her hand on his cheek, turning him to face her. She looks at him with sympathy and understanding, and his heart pounds in his chest. Zenitsu's voice gets caught in his throat, as Nezuko caresses his face with her soft, clawed hand.
"I think Zenitsu is wonderful."
The boy's heartrate triples, overwhelmed by the kindness of the demon before him.
"Nezuko... C-can I kiss you?"
Her face goes bright pink, and for a moment she thinks she may have accidentally used her blood demon art with how hot her face feels.
"K-k-kiss?!"
She hides her glowing cheeks in the palms of her hands, glancing up at a nervous Zenitsu. He worries that maybe he scared her off, but hopes for the best and waits for a response. Nezuko realizes that she's never kissed anyone before, but her heart is pounding at the thought..! Not brave enough to look the boy in the eyes, she hides behind the sleeve of her kimono.
"I-I've nev... never k-k...kissed b-before..."
Zenitsu's heart very nearly explodes, unable to handle how cute Nezuko is in this moment.
"A-and my fangs would g-get in... in the way..."
She looks up at him, and loses her voice. He stares at her in an intense, but patient way. Gently grabbing her wrist, he pulls her hand away from her blushing face. For a moment, he just stares at the girl, admiring her beauty. He cups his hand on her cheek, feeling the smoothness of her skin with his thumb. Nezuko tries to speak, but the beating of her heart is louder than her thoughts. She watches as Zenitsu slowly leans in, placing a tender kiss on her lips. It lasts only a moment, but she wishes that moment could last forever. Warmth spreads throughout her entire body, from her ears to her toes. In shock, she subconsciously touches her clawed fingertips to her mouth.
"Kiss... W-warm..."
That night, Zenitsu doesn't get any sleep. It's all he can manage, keeping his soul from leaving his body. He just kissed Nezuko, the girl of his dreams, who just so happens to have an insanely overprotective big brother! He's so dead once Tanjiro finds out... But, then again, the softness of her rosy lips was absolutely worth dying for. A few rooms away, the demon also lays wide awake, being haunted by the lingering warmth that Zenitsu's lips left. She replays the scene in her mind over and over, making her heart flutter every time.
The next morning, Zenitsu is woken up by his sparrow.
"Wh- Are you kidding me? A mission?! Man, why does it always have to be me..?"
Reluctantly, he puts on his uniform and grabs his sword. He goes to say goodbye to Nezuko, only to find her fast asleep. Against his will, Zenitsu leaves the butterfly mansion to fulfill his duty as a demon slayer. When Nezuko wakes up, she notices a small note next to her bed.
I got called out for a mission, but I should be back in a few days! -Zenitsu
Her heart sinks as she reads the note, realizing she won't see him for a while. Throughout the day, she can't help but feel down. Tanjiro picks up on it very quickly, concerned for his sister.
"Hey, Nezuko, are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing! D...don't worry, Tanjiro!"
He sits down on her bed, worried.
"Nezuko... I know you're lying. Please, tell me."
She lets out a sigh, dropping her fake smile.
"Fine... Zenitsu is ou-out on a mis...mission, and I m-miss him."
Tanjiro raises his eyebrow, suspicious.
"Since when do you miss Zenitsu? Isn't he always pestering you?"
Nezuko fiddles with the sleeve of her kimono, embarrassed.
"W-well, his pes...pestering is nice. And last night he g-gave me a k...kiss..."
A warm smile creeps across her face, as Tanjiro keeps himself calm. Nezuko is happy, so there's no problem! ...Right?
With each day that goes by, Nezuko finds herself more and more restless. Why can't he just come back, already?! It's already been four days, and she's getting nervous. What if something happened to him? Her stomach drops at the idea, and she shakes the thought away. Zenitsu can handle himself, even if he doesn't think so. She's felt so lonely though, even with Tanjiro and Inosuke around. Missing the cowardly, scatterbrained blond, she finds herself sitting on the edge of his bed. She imagines how it would feel to be held in his arms, making her miss him even more.
"Huh? Nezuko?"
Her head whips around, turning to face a puzzled-looking Zenitsu. The girl's pale pink eyes light up, as she runs towards him. She ends up tackling him, making him stumble back a bit in surprise.
"Zenitsu!!"
His cheeks flush as he sees how much she missed him, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel the same. She looks up at him, making his heart jump.
"Kiss?"
He wasn't sure what to expect when he returned, but it definitely wasn't this! His heartbeat echoes in his ears, as he timidly leans down to her. She stands up on her tip-toes to meet him half way, finally feeling the lips she'd been longing for all day. Her happy giggle is enough to send Zenitsu straight into the afterlife, but he resists. Not quite satisfied just yet, she pulls his face down to meet hers. She plants kiss after kiss, making the boy melt each and every time. Once she's completely run out of kisses to give, she hugs him tightly.
"Mmm... I missed you."