Chapter Text
Senjuro peeked out from his partially hidden spot in the doorway, clutching on to the wood with a nervous grip. His older brother, Kyojuro, had a comforting hand to Senjuro’s shoulder, but the younger lad’s eyes were more focused on the tense posture of his father. Their father’s hostility, with his tired eyes and his loud voice, was a growing, common sight in their now silent household.
But only so rarely was there a stern voice answering back to him.
Curiously, the man that was firmly standing his ground against their father had a strange mask on, a bright red with a harsh expression sculpted onto it. Despite the otherwise scary visage, Senjuro had seen the man at their house before; in fact, last he recalled he had seen the man was during his mother’s wake a year before, with gentle words to both of the brothers in stark contrast to his angry looking mask.
But now, his steady resolve matched the intensity of his mask’s gaze, with him and Shinjuro’s father having an argument that Senjuro could only catch bits and pieces of.
“—bring them under your care, Urokodaki! I already have two children that—”
“—exactly, Shinjuro. You have a son that’s closer to their age, much closer than my own wards—”
“—my family is not a wayward home!” The eldest Rengoku snarled, any residual drunkenness he had before immediately cleared up and replaced with the lucidity of frustration.
Urokodaki, the older man wearing the mask, didn’t so much as flinch, which Senjuro thought was a feat in and of itself. “The last child you helped rear, Iguro, turned out to be a fine young man that, despite his harsh outlook, grew up to be respectable, dignified, and hardworking.”
At the mention of Iguro, Shinjuro’s shoulders laxed, but only for a moment at the bittersweet memory that dared to grace his mind. “…It wasn’t just me that helped take care of Obanai, if you can recall.”
Similarly, Urokodaki’s demeanor turned gentle, letting out a soft sigh and touching a wrinkled but steady hand to Shinjuro’s shoulder. “I know, Shinjuro.”
The two allowed a pause of silence to stretch between them before Urokodaki spoke again, letting his hand drop from Shinjuro’s shoulder. “Shinjuro, it has been a year since you lost a wife, but it has been a month since these two children lost their family…I think it would do all of you some good. Not only will it give them someone they can rely on, but…” Even with the mask on, Senjuro could swear Urokodaki glanced at him and his brother just then, before focusing again on his father. “But if anything, they would hopefully help snap you out of whatever you have been going through, before your own children are affected.”
Shinjuro visibly startled at that, the implication of him taking out his wallowing self-pity and frustrations on his own children sobering him back to anger. “I would never—!”
“Prove it, then. Before you drown yourself past rescue.” Urokodaki said solemnly, the faint aroma of sake reaching his nose, even past the mask.
Shinjuro fell silent then, risking a glance behind him to gaze at his own children. Senjuro winced under his father’s careful watch, with Kyojuro tensing his grip on Senjuro’s shoulder. But if anything, their reaction only seemed to steady his father’s hesitation, and for a moment Senjuro could swear he saw the sharp lines around his father’s eyes soften. With a sigh and another hopeful prayer to his wife to watch over him, their sons, and soon the two new arrivals, he turned back to Urokodaki and scratched the back of his head.
“Fine…bring them over.”
Tanjiro was a year older than Senjuro, and Nezuko was younger by a year.
When the Kamados first arrived to the Rengoku household, the awkward silence hung in the air like a heavy blanket, with the two pairs of siblings sitting across from each other at the table, Shinjuro at the head of them all and explaining their new living situation. Shinjuro, despite his gruff voice, tried to be as careful and considerate as he could be when he explained things, equally as nervous as all of the children.
Surprisingly enough, it was Tanjiro who broke the silence. Even with his tired red eyes and messy burgundy hair, he still managed to crack a small smile and offered a short nod of his head to bow, his sister following suit albeit silently and without a smile. “Me and Nezuko are…thank you for letting us stay in your home.” The redhead said, pulling himself back up to sit properly, again with his sister following his lead.
Thankfully, it was Kyojuro who managed to keep the conversation going. With his constant smile and owlish eyes, he gave a firm nod back to Tanjiro. “No need to thank us, Tanjiro! You and your sister are welcome to stay as long as you like,” The eighteen-year-old then paused, turning to glance at his Shinjuro. “Right, father?” Kyojuro asked, smile hopeful.
Shinjuro looked at the two Kamados and gave his own nod of confirmation, a soft grunt escaping his lips. Satisfied by the answer, Kyojuro then turned back to Tanjiro and Nezuko, taking on his dependable big brother persona that Senjuro had so relied on in the past up ‘til now, and one that Tanjiro could find himself trusting. “So! Tanjiro and Nezuko, right? How old are the two of you?”
“I’m thirteen years old, and Nezuko is…” Tanjiro turned to his sister, gauging if she wanted to answer herself. Thankfully, Nezuko finally offered her own hesitant smile, starting to feel the slightest bit at ease—but more importantly, starting to feel safe.
“I’m eleven.” She replied, her soft pink eyes gentle and tentative, but bright nonetheless.
Both siblings seemed bright, despite the unspoken, harrowing experience that they must have gone through. Even if Senjuro wasn’t entirely privy to what happened, he could tell by the heavy bags under their eyes that they’ve experienced their own recent loss; mirroring how his own family looked after his mother died. But even with all that, both of the Kamados seemed to shine, their eyes holding a warmth to them that belied a hope for the future.
Tanjiro’s eyes in particular, if you asked Senjuro. A warm red, deeper than the scarlet of Senjuro’s own but no less bright. It was in the friendly way they looked, always sure but never imposing, always warm but never enough to burn. Those very same, deep red eyes met Senjuro’s, crinkling at the corners as Tanjiro sent him a friendly smile, and the blonde had to glance away with a small blush gracing his ears.
“—juro? Senjuro?” He was so enthralled by Tanjiro that he almost missed the way Kyojuro called his name, the soft timbre of his brother’s voice patient but inquisitive.
“H-huh?”
Kyojuro smiled at his brother and gave him another gentle nudge of the shoulder. “I said, ‘that makes you older than Nezuko’, right?”
Senjuro turned his attention back to the Kamado siblings, gulping down his embarrassment with a soft smile. “R-right. I’m twelve.”
Tanjiro laughed then, and Senjuro fought back the instinct to turn away again with another flush on his cheeks. “Guess that makes us all lined up then, when it comes to our ages.”
A welcoming conversation continued between the four kids, the eldest Rengoku watching them with a paternal approval and a growing relief, thanking his wife for listening to his cautious prayer.
Now, even though Senjuro loves his older brother, Kyojuro was an older teenager, with his own set of friends to bustle about with and his own goals to catch up to. So, the time he spent with Tanjiro and Nezuko was treasured, the three younger children spending their days laughing and filling the Rengoku household with the sound of joy once more.
The two Kamados fit right in; Nezuko, once she came out of her near silent shell, was rambunctious and playful, an endearing sight that busied herself with dressing up and playing about the large house. She was so lively that even Shinjuro couldn’t bear to stay gruff for too long, allowing Nezuko to play with his hair and to plant flowers in the garden. A few of Kyojuro’s friends, Shinobu and Mitsuri, started to visit their home just to play with Nezuko, with their own younger siblings in tow and Nezuko’s smile like a light.
That isn’t to say that Tanjiro didn’t have his own charm; far from it, if the people that constantly flocked to his side was anything to go by. The older Kamado showed an interest in Kendo, much to Kyojuro and particularly to Shinjuro’s delight. Both of the elder Rengokus worked together to train Tanjiro, with the occasional visit from Urokodaki and Giyuu to further teach the redhead their expertise. Kyojuro once asked Senjuro if he wanted to join in, but Senjuro again assured his brother that he had no skill for the sword, and was much more content reading and watching them train instead.
And besides, it’s not as if he minded the view.
It took all of two weeks for Senjuro to develop a crush on Tanjiro, and all of two years to fall in love with him. Senjuro delighted in the way that he and Tanjiro talked and played, sharing their thoughts and dreams, only furthering the blonde’s affections. While both of the Kamados were social butterflies much like Kyojuro, Senjuro couldn’t help the flutter in his heart whenever Tanjiro chose to hang out with him, Nezuko busying herself by playing at Shinobu’s house with Kanao.
It was during one such time alone that both warmed and broke Senjuro’s heart.
It had been two years now, since the Kamados were welcomed into their life. Senjuro and Tanjiro were coming home from their small school in their village, with Tanjiro uncharacteristically silent and deep in thought. Knowing the reason, and he himself feeling an impending dread, Senjuro cleared his throat and tried to give Tanjiro a gentle smile, if a bit forced.
“Hm?” Tanjiro asked, inclining his head towards the much shorter male. While Senjuro had remained small and slight in stature, Tanjiro meanwhile grew a good head taller than him, his hair now long enough to tie into a ponytail at the nape. The redhead, thanks to his rigorous kendo training, already started to become leaner at the tender age of 15.
“It’s…it’s great that you managed to get into that big school in the city.” Senjuro offered, his voice shaky. However, opposite to his hope, Tanjiro’s eyes turned downcast, focusing on the ground in front of him as they made their way home.
“I guess…” The redhead mumbled. Tanjiro, beautiful, hardworking Tanjiro, of course managed to consistently score high grades in their Junior High School. Although, it was less of a Junior High School, more of a middle school that offered a few Junior High lessons. They lived in a small village, with an even smaller school, and an even smaller pool of teachers.
It was only natural to move to greener pastures.
But the thing is, Tanjiro didn’t want to move to greener pastures; as Urokodaki and Shinjuro tried to explain to him that it would be a good thing to transfer to a larger city to continue his education, Tanjiro vehemently denied the suggestion, as he didn’t want to leave the second family he already loved dearly. It took the additional requests of Giyuu and Kyojuro though that finally made him consider it.
And it was Senjuro’s own request that he follows through with the offer that he finally relented.
“Just for two years, Tanjiro! At least you’ll have Nezuko with you, right?” Senjuro tried again, recalling how the young girl was also prompted to move to the big city to study. Unlike her older brother though, Nezuko was thrilled, but that may have more to do with the fact that Kanao as well would study there, under the care of her own sister. “And you can just call us every now and then, if you guys ever miss home.”
Tanjiro gave a tired shrug, his thin brows furrowed. “I mean, yeah, but…” He sighed and turned to Senjuro, finally returning his own strained smile to the younger lad. “I would have wanted if you came with us too.”
Senjuro bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head slightly, a hesitant laugh on his lips. “No, no, my place is here…I don’t think I’ll be able to make it in a fancier high school.” Senjuro said, half a truth and half a lie. While yes, he would have loved to go with Tanjiro and Nezuko in the big city, he knew that he truly preferred the simplistic quiet of his life at the village. Besides, he already had a prospective job at the Kocho clinic at home after he finished his studies, thanks to his own rigorous interest in herbs and healing.
Tanjiro puffed his cheeks then, looking dejected. “My place could be here too, y’know…”
Senjuro again shook his head at the sentiment, a smile still on his lips. “No way, your place is with all those big brained people.” He said, a gentle note in his voice.
Unconvinced, Tanjiro snorted and rubbed his forehead. “Pfft, well, I guess I have to use my hard head for something, huh?”
“Not like that!” Senjuro giggled, the two’s laughter filling the air. Senjuro spared another glance at Tanjiro, the setting sun of the late afternoon bathing the redhead in a warm glow, looking like the sun itself.
A flush slowly graced Senjuro’s features, the smile on his face softening as his chest warmed. “…Hey, Tanjiro?”
“Yeah, Sen?”
“Are you…do you think you’ll get a…” Senjuro stopped walking then, Tanjiro taking a few steps more before pausing and finally noticing his friend halting. Senjuro swallowed nervously and tried to continue his question. “A girlfriend?”
Tanjiro blinked at that, then turned contemplative. After a few seconds though, Tanjiro smiled easily and shook his head, filling Senjuro’s heart with hope. “No, I don’t think so! I’m not really sure I’d be interested in anyone.”
Senjuro quickly caught up with the taller boy, clutching the straps of his bag tighter as they fell back into step together. “Do you…have a type? A crush here in the village, maybe?” Senjuro hoped that the anticipation in his own voice wasn’t obvious.
For better or for worse, Tanjiro didn’t seem to notice, shaking his head and chuckling at the thought. “No, no crush here back home. Although, hm…” He pursed his lips for a moment before nodding seemingly to himself, then turned to Senjuro. “I think I would want a girl that’s reliable, brave, and kind.”
Even as the walk home continued in light hearted banter and with the redhead in a much happier mood, Senjuro committed Tanjiro’s ideal partner to heart; even if he didn’t have a shot with Tanjiro, he was at least placated by the idea that he could at least embody those values, into someone worthy for Tanjiro.
Then, with another hopeful glance at Tanjiro, he wondered if he could maybe be more, one day.
Two years came and went, with Senjuro surprised as how both everything and nothing changed within that time.
Everything changed, with how a heartfelt farewell at the train station culminated in the Kamado siblings leaving. Their village, despite being relatively away from the big city, couldn’t help itself and urbanized a few of the once familiar spots.
Nothing changed, because whenever the Kamado siblings did visit, it was as if they never left at all, open arms and warm hugs exchanged between them all whenever they can. Tanjiro and Nezuko took the time to rememorize their village, feeling both awed and nostalgic at the now winding roads replacing the beaten paths, the amusing gaggle of tourists that always came during breaks to wind down at the ‘rustic village’.
Everything changed because Tanjiro grew even taller, growing into his body and muscles starting to form. His features only grew more handsome, more beautiful, the callouses on his hands growing. Senjuro wondered aloud once if he would ever grow that tall, and Tanjiro assured him that his height was fine as is.
Nothing changed, because Tanjiro still hugged him the same, treated him the same, and those deep red eyes still holding that boyish charm that always, always reached his smile, the warmth in them still present and causing Senjuro’s cheeks to burn, even at the age of sixteen.
Two years came and went, with Senjuro surprised as to how much his heart still fluttered around Tanjiro, as if nothing had changed.
His heart was still a-flutter during one particular day, when he was closing up shop at the Kocho clinic. He may have been rushing, and the chill of the growing winter air may have nipped at his skin even in the safety of the clinic, but the grin on his face and the thoughts in his mind helped warm him up easily enough.
December.
Winter Vacation.
‘Tanjiro and Nezuko are probably home by now,’ He thought, finally locking up the clinic and making his way home, his steps quick and breath forming into icy puffs in front of his face. He clutched his jacket tighter around his slender body, his breath hitching as he finally made it home.
“Tanjiro?” Senjuro called, the first name he uttered as he opened the door to his home. Shinjuro, with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and reading the newspaper on the couch, gave a bemused snort.
“Your father is right here in the living room, and the first person you look for is a brat that’s late?” Shinjuro asked. Although there wasn’t really any heat behind his words, his gruff but well-meaning manner of speaking now a welcome and common sound in the Rengoku house, having finally softened up after years of taking care of first two, then four, rowdy children.
“He’s…late?” Senjuro asked, surprise and disappointment clear on his features even as he took of his jacket and hung it by the door. Kyojuro, having come from the kitchen, couldn’t help the hearty laugh that left his lips, placing a large hand on Senjuro’s head to gently pat his brother.
“He and Nezuko texted me; they opted to drive here instead of taking the train, so they’re coming here later tonight.” He explained.
That at least caused Senjuro to brighten up, glad that they weren’t hurt, or worse, that they forgot. “Oh! I didn’t know Tanjiro learned how to drive.” He mused, moving to sit next to his father on the couch. “They never even mentioned they had a car.”
Kyojuro shrugged, the smile on his face remaining as he noticed the excited tone return to Senjuro’s voice. “Maybe they rented it!” He theorized as he sat down on another seat near theirs and grabbing the remote to the television, earning another snort from their father.
“Would have saved money if they just took the train like usual. Would have been faster, too.” He commented, but the smile on his own face was fond, if a bit exasperated. Both of the brothers shared their own knowing smiles in regards to their father’s words, before Kyojuro opened the television and filled the air with mindless winter movies and local news.
“Senjuro, a watched pot never boils.” Shinjuro chided, his teenage son flushing in embarrassment as he quickly took a step back from the window.
“I-I just wanted to see if they were—” He spared a glance at the window again even as he spoke, then did a double take. “Ah! They’re here!” He called, watching how a car slowed to a crawl in front of their house, before finally to a stop right by the road. If that wasn’t them, who else could it possibly be?
“Really?!” Shinjuro, despite his previous attempts to act aloof, put down his newspaper and made his way to the window. Kyojuro laughed and joined his family, but more so entertained by watching his brother and father’s eagerness.
“I think—yes! It’s them! Look, there’s Nezuko!” Senjuro smiled, watching the young brunette, even before the car came to a full halt, quickly hop out of the backseat. Her long hair fell down in ribbons, the tips died a bright orange (Reminiscent of the Rengoku’s own naturally red-tipped hair). Nezuko turned towards the house and waved excitedly, already rushing up to the door.
Behind her, Tanjiro was laughing, his handsome face full of mirth and joy and already taking Senjuro’s breath away. His hair had again started to grow out, the last time Senjuro saw him his hair was cut short. Senjuro thought he looked handsome either way, but that was just him. Tanjiro saw the Rengokus crowded at the window, giving them a beaming smile and closing the passenger door behind him—
Passenger door?
Then, another man came into view, exiting from the driver’s seat and wrapped to the nines in bundles of scarves, obscuring the lower half of his face. Senjuro’s mouth hung open and he let out a breathless laugh, Kyojuro taking a sharp intake of breath behind him, and he could practically feel the way Shinjuro’s blood drained from his face.
“Oh my God, Nezuko brought a boyfriend!” Senjuro gasped, amused at the total carefreeness Nezuko approached the house with. Back at the car, Tanjiro and the stranger were talking between themselves, reaching for something in the back seat. The man’s hair was also blonde, but that was as much as Senjuro could discern thanks to the multitude of scarves nearly covering his face.
Besides, he was much more interested as the door swung open, the devil herself hopping inside and unmindful of the snow she trudged in. “We’re home!” She announced happily, throwing her arms up to welcome any and all hugs. Both Senjuro and Kyojuro rushed towards her and enveloping her in a tight embrace, but she curiously blinked at Shinjuro’s bewildered expression and lack of embrace.
“Hm, I know we were late, but I was hoping for at least a hug—”
“You have a boyfriend?” Shinjuro managed to choke out, his face still pale and his eyes wide. Kyojuro and Senjuro exchanged an amused look, and Kyojuro was just about to defend Nezuko when the younger woman laughed, waving her hand dismissively.
“Oh no, no! He’s not my—”
“We’re here! Sorry, the roads were a bit blocked,” Tanjuro greeted, walking through the door with an apologetic smile on his face, a few bags hanging from his arms. Behind him the stranger walked close, hanging by the doorway and shyly looking around their home, closing the door quietly behind him. Senjuro’s heart skipped a beat when the redhead walked towards him and Kyojuro, wrapping them both up in a warm hug, despite the chilly frostbitten air of the outside. “We missed you guys.”
“I—we missed you too.” Senjuro sighed, hugging back just as tight and resting his head against Tanjiro’s shoulder. Even if Senjuro managed to grow at least a couple inches taller in the past two years, Tanjiro always had been taller, and Senjuro thought he wouldn’t have it any other way.
But just as quick as he hugged back, Tanjiro was already pulling back, shooting Shinjuro that same apologetic smile. As he spoke, he carefully freed his arms from the bags and set them down on the ground at their feet. “We have a few gifts for everyone, where do we—”
“Tanjiro,” Shinjuro interrupted, although he didn’t seem angry; still with that shocked, appalled expression. “Why didn’t you tell us that Nezuko had a boyfriend?” He asked, said boyfriend turning to Shinjuro, brown eyes widening in surprise. Even with the layers of scarves wrapped around him, he still let out an audible squeak at the accusation, turning to the siblings helplessly. Like Nezuko, Tanjiro let out a sweet laugh, the same one that never failed to bring a smile to Senjuro’s face.
However, that same smile started to falter when Tanjiro shook his head, moving to stand by the stranger’s side. “Actually, he’s not Nezuko’s boyfriend. He’s, well,” Then, Senjuro’s smile completely fell from his face as Tanjiro’s eyes softened, reaching towards the stranger’s face to carefully unwrap him from the scarves that covered him, revealing a blushing, freckled face.
“He’s mine.”
The room fell silent, a mixture of awe and shock on the three Rengokus faces. Nezuko meanwhile still had that same mischievous expression on her face, her own smile saccharine and playful. The stranger, now with his face fully uncovered, looked nervous, his brown doe eyes glassy and flitting between the shocked faces of the Rengokus. “U-um, it’s…it’s nice to meet you all,” He finally mumbled, Senjuro’s heart only further cracking as, on impulse, the stranger’s hand sought out Tanjiro’s, the redhead’s calloused own squeezing back comfortingly to assure him while his other held the bundled up scarves. “My-my name is Zenitsu.”
After another pregnant pause stretched in the room, Kyojuro was thankfully the one that broke it, ever the welcome party. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Zenitsu!” He then gave a gentle nudge to his younger brother, but Senjuro could only continue to stare at the couple.
The couple.
Surprisingly enough (And with a prompted glance sent by Kyojuro to his father) it was Shinjuro that spoke next, clearing his throat. “Yes, it is…although Tanjiro never really mentioned you to us.” He said pointedly, earning an embarrassed chuckle from the redhead.
“Well, I did before but…we weren’t dating back then. Zenitsu was just my best friend at the time,” How could he say that so casually, when Senjuro was right there. “And then he became my crush, then my boyfriend!” He finished, a warm smile on his face as he glanced back at Zenitsu. “Hopefully even more in the future?”
From the bold statement, Zenitsu let out a strangled squawk and quickly swatted at Tanjiro’s shoulder with his free hand. “Tanjiro! I’m literally just meeting your family!” He hissed, his boyfriend only laughing happily, unbothered by the public declaration of affection.
“Well, it’s the truth! I do want to—”
“I-I thought you liked girls.” Senjuro finally spoke up, his voice so quiet in his own ears that for a moment, he wondered if he actually said it out loud. But he must have, as everyone’s eyes turned towards him. Tanjiro, ever with his warm smile and kind eyes that Senjuro had always found bright and warm and affectionate, turned that same smile towards Zenitsu, his expression so fond and full of love that his devotion to Zenitsu was palpable, painfully so.
“I thought so too…and so did Zenitsu at first, too—”
Another indignant squawk from Zenitsu was drowned out by the laughter that both Nezuko and Kyojuro shared, Shinjuro’s own tense face finally cracking a smile. Only Senjuro’s expression remained unmoving, staring down at the couple’s still entwined hands.