Chapter Text
How? How could this happen? Damn it. Tanjiro… I promise, I’ll save you no matter what!
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“Tanjiro, we all told you. You can’t go to the village to sell charcoal. The temperature outside will just make your cold worse!” Nezuko started to load the basket with this batch’s charcoal.
“But that doesn’t mean you have to go either.” Tanjiro countered. He was currently lying in his futon resting like he should.
“ You would do the same. We both want to feed our siblings for new years. Besides, you gotta save your energy for the Hinokami Kagura- especially if you’re sick.” Once she finished loading up the coal into their basket- she slung it over her shoulders and made her way to the front of her house so she can look Tanjiro in the eye. Although she wanted to look serious, it was a little hard with a small Roukuda snuggled up against Tanjiro. “I mean it. Don't do anything crazy. I know you want to help us, but you can’t help if you’re not at 100%.”
Tanjiro sighed but then smiled, “l guess. Have a safe trip, Nezuko.”
A soft smile warmed its way onto Nezuko’s face. “I will. And don’t worry, I’ll still sell all the char-”
“Nezukooooo!” A little voice interrupted as a small figure came sprinting towards Nezuko. Hanako came running up with Shigeru hot on her tail. “Can we come with youuu?”
Shigeru spawned in right after Hanako. “Pleaseee? We’ll be really good and we’ll help you the whole time!!”
Nezuko chuckled at the sight of her younger siblings begging to go with her. They're so cute. Before Nezuko could respond their mom butted in.
“Now now, you know you can't go that long of a distance without the wagon. No amount of begging can change that. I'm sorry.”, her mom spoke with her kind voice. “Nezuko come here, dear, you've got soot all over your face.”
Kei pulled out a rag and began wiping Nezuko's face with it. Nezuko could feel her cheeks getting stretched as the rag moved around her face.
Nezuko turned to her sibling again. “Don't worry, I'll get you guys plenty of treats.” This seemed to get them into a better mood. “In the meantime, take care of Tanjiro for me will ya’?”
Hanako and Shigeru both nodded their heads very seriously and aggressively. Once she got the reassurance of her sibling not be complaining while she was gone, she started walking away.
As she was walking away, she bid her family a farewell. “Bye guys! I'll be back soon! And with goodies!” Hanako screamed her goodbye(she had a very powerful voice) and Nezuko was off, with her strong legs carrying her along her journey.
A little while later, Nezuko had reached the village.
Lady Taiya noticed her first. “Hello Nezuko. Is Tanjiro not here today?”
Nezuko smiled at the old lady’s concerns for her brother. “No, unfortunately not. He fell sick so he's resting at home.”
“Oh boy. Well I do hope he gets better soon. I would like some charcoal though. Could I bother you to buy some?”
“Oh yes, of course!” Nezuko slid the basket off her shoulders and emptied out five pieces.
“Hey Nezuko, can I have some coal too?” Nezuko looked to where the voice came from. Standing in front of his house, Hikari was waving his arm to try to get her attention.
“Sure! I'll be right there as soon as I get Lady Taiya her share!”, Nezuko shouted back. As soon as she got her change Nezuko swung her basket over her shoulders and made her way to Mr. Hikari. Before She could reach him a boy came sprinting out of a house.
“Tan- dang it, you’re not Tanjiro! Whatever, could ya help me?! This crazy lady keeps saying I broke this plate- even though I didn’t.”
“Well, it doesn't seem like you’re guilty… Can I see that?” The boy handed over the broken plate and Nezuko’s observant eye spotted the culprit immediately. “Does she by any chance own a cat?” Nezuko said, holding up an orange cat hair.
The boy sat there wide eyed until his brain caught up. “Yes! She does! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!”
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Wow. It’s night already? That was quick. Nezuko was starting the walk back to her place, but Old man Saburo stopped her.
“You going back at a time like this?” He said, his head peeking through the window.
Nezuko turned herself to face him. “Yes, I am.”
“At night!? No you aren't. Not when the demons are out. Stay the night here and you can leave at sunrise.”
Although Nezuko wanted to go home, she knew Saburo was a stubborn man. It’s not like she could make the excuse of having a super smell sense. That was a right reserved for Tanjiro. Nezuko sighed, but brudgingly agreed. Mom would get it.
As she entered, the smell of smoke and ash greeted her. Honestly, it was quite warm in here.
Saburo went off towards the kitchen to prepare a dinner. When he left, Nezuko took off her straw snow shoes, the basket full of goodies, and her brown haroi. Once that was off, she pulled her bun out and let her hair cascade down her back. A minute later Saburo called her in for dinner.
“Thank you Saburo. This looks delicious.” Nezuko didn’t get a response, but that didn't matter because Nezuko was scarfing down the food. Saburo was such a good cook.
Nezuko quickly finished up her meal and cleaned up her mess as Saburo pulled out an extra futon. She made her way to the main room and snuggled up in her futon. Right as she was about to pass out, a question bubbled up in her brain. “Hey Saburo?”
“Yes?”
“What are demons like?”
Saburo took a pause before he answered, “They are man-eating demons that roam the night. Luckily we have the demon slayer corps to protect us, but they are still man. They can’t save everyone.”
Nezuko could hear the hurt in his voice so she decided to drop the conversation. Weren't his children and wife killed by a demon? Poor Saburo. Maybe we should take everyone next time. To give him some comfort.
Nezuko didn’t last much longer, and soon she fell under the spell of sleep.