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Tanjiro held his stomach as he slowly walked outside. "Kanao," he said with a smile as the girl turned to him and smiled beautifully at him. "Tanjiro" she slowly walked over toward him, most of her wounds had healed by now and she had already started rehabilitation training. Tanjiro and the boys were still in the recovery stages, especially Tanjiro as he was most wounded. But they were slowly getting there.
"Must be good, to see Tanya out." Tanjiro was trying to keep up his smile, he was happy that Tanya was up and about now. But he knew the blonde woman was distant since Kyojuro's death. He did not blame her, and while he had not become a distant person following his family's death Tanjiro understood the massive pain that follows after losing a loved one. With Kanao it was worse, Tanya was alive but her heart did stop for a little bit. But it came back, and Tanya was alive. But in those brief moments, Tanjiro knew that Kanao felt that she had lost an older sister for the second time. And while she was alive now, he could not imagine what that must have felt like.
"But I don't think Tanya is happy," Kanao said in a quiet voice. She knew why of course, Kyojuro was dead. Kanao thought that Tanya was suffering from imposter syndrome and thought it should be Kyojuro alive instead of her. She was unaware of the events that went down after both Hashira had died, but she was more right than she even knew. Tanjiro held her hand "but I don't think she is unhappy, I can smell it. She is avoiding everyone as much as she can, but when she is around others. Especially you and the others who work here at the butterfly estate, she gives off this warm aroma." to anyone else this would have sounded creepy but Kanao was very much aware Tanjiro just picks up people's moods through scent. "I just wish she was not avoiding us so much." not wanting his girlfriend to be too down, he held her close, grunting a little from the pain he felt in his abdomen due to his injury. "It will be alright, she just needs time." Kanao blushed red and a little smile did come to her face.
"You are not pushing yourself right Tanjiro?" Kanao asked as she looked at him knowing he was still recovering from his injury. Tanjiro nodded "yeah I am alright. Just still not quite there yet." Kanao held Tanjiro's head to hers "please don't push yourself Tanjiro. Our lives as Demon slayers are dangerous ones, but I can't have you dying pointlessly on me." Tanjiro could smell it, how distressful Kanao was. He kissed her on the forehead "I promise, I won't let myself die." the two relaxed for a little while longer before Tanjiro spotted a crow staring down at them, specifically at him. "Are you Rengoku's crow?" the crow just continued to stare at Tanjiro, not even nodding its head. Tanjiro looked at Kanao and she knew why he was looking at her. "Just…promise you'll be careful. And no fighting."
Sometime after getting changed, Tanjiro was already following Kyojuro's crow to the home of its former master. He was holding his stomach while following it and trying to power through the pain.
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Tanya and Mary were almost at the Rengoku estate, they were traveling in complete silence. Tanya because she really did not want to talk right now, and Mary because she was hoping to see some emotion from the other girl. Yet Tanya remained nothing short of neutral in her look, taking no strides to even so much as frown. When they were within eyesight of the estate, the same estate Tanya had stayed in so many times both before in after her training. For a brief moment, Tanya remembered the last night she and Kyojuro spent there, and yet she felt nothing, or more accurately she refused to. Mary and Tanya spotted someone sweeping the outside of the estate, Kyojuro's younger brother.
Senjuro looked at the two women as they approached, he sweated a little but smiled. "Hey, Senjuro, keeping busy it seems? I am as well, it is good to keep your body moving and working" Tanya said this as she was resorting to her first-world mindset of 'someone being dead doesn't mean you don't have a job to do.' she had said a similar thing to various co-workers who failed to work up to the bare minimum even months after someone they knew died and when her grandfather died then she shed no tears either, she still had a job to do after all. Senjuro only gave a small nod "s-sure." Mary patted Senjuro on the head "don't listen to Tanya, it is okay to cry if needed." Tanya glared at Mary which made the girl shiver but she tried to hide a couple of drops of sweat beating down her head. "Avoiding crying is not why I am out here" Senjuro looked at the door of his estate. Tanya sighed "it's your old man isn't it?" Senjuro nodded.
Before more could be said the group heard approaching footsteps followed by Mary shouting "KAMADO?! You haven't recovered yet what are you doing here?" Tanjiro got close enough to the group while still holding his stomach. "Mary? Mr. Tanya? Why are you both here?" Tanya shook her head "she thought it would be a good idea to waste our time." Mary huffed "and I still think coming here is a good idea." Tanjiro looked at Senjuro "you're Rengoku's brother right? I-I have a message from him for you and your father." Senjuro gripped the handle of the feather mop "I am already aware of my brother's death. Wait why do you look so blue?!" Mary shook her head a little while Tanya said "it's because he is supposed to still be in recovery. Tanjiro head bac-"
Tanya could not finish as a deep gravelly voice shouted out "everyone shut the hell up!" it was Shinjuro Rengoku, father to both Kyojuro and Senjuro. "The funeral was a long time ago, so stop crying! Kyojuro died because he was weak and worthless just like all the rest of them!" Shinjuro took a long drink from his sake. Tanya's glare deepened and her finger twitched, she may not cry, but she was very bothered by how Shinjuro was describing Kyojuro. Knowing what he did for her especially, he was not weak, she was. "Oi, that's enough old man," Tanya said in an annoyed tone. Shinjuro pointed at Tanya "you! What do you want? My worthless son is no longer here so I don't want your ugly mug around here either!"
Tanya huffed "still a sad old drunk huh? You think a shell of a man like you has any right to talk like that about your own son?" while Mary preferred no fight break out, for the first time in so long she saw a glint of real passionate emotion in Tanya's eyes, she was worried what would happen if she intervened now that her theory was right even if for the wrong reasons. "Shut it! Do you think you're lucky just because you survived by some fucking miracle?! You probably feel that you should have died that day as well right?!" Tanya said nothing because he was right. Shinjuro stomped forward "you're just like me, you're just pretending like it still matters when deep down you know it doesn't. Not him, not me, not you. We are all worthless, just like your relationship was."
Now Tanjiro stepped forward "you're going to far!" he shouted at the Rengoku father. Shinjuro growled at Tanjiro "who the hell are you? Get out of my sight and get the hell off my property!" Suddenly Shinjuro dropped his sake bottle which broke against the rock, he noticed Tanjiro's hanafura earrings. "You, I get it now. You're one of those sun breathers!" before Tanjiro could react he was suddenly pinned to the ground by Shinjuro. 'So fast!' Tanjiro thought to himself. Senjuro and Mary tried pulling Shinjuro off but he easily hit them away. "Get off me you monster!" Tanjiro kicked upwards and got Shinjuro off him. Tanya helped both Mary and Senjuro up while Tanjiro and Shinjuro glared at each other.
"How dare you, how dare you hit your own son like that!" Tanjiro stepped forward. "How dare you talk about your other son like that! Kyojuro was amazing!" Tanjiro gripped his fists "how dare you to talk to Tanya like that either! She and Kyojuro were in love! And you have the audacity to say their relationship did not matter?!" Tanya's mouth was open agape as Tanjiro yelled at the father of the Rengokus. Shinjuro pointed angrily at Tanjiro "don't get cocky just because you're a sun breather boy!"
"What is sun breathing?" Tanjiro asked both with anger and curiosity. Shinjuro gripped his own fists "the first breathing technique, all other techniques like flame, water, and stone are derived from it. All cheap imitations." Tanjiro thought back to his family 'we were just charcoal burners, and have been for generations. But are sun breathing and the Hinokami Kagura the same thing? Truly?' some wetness appeared at the corner of Tanjiro's eyes "don't you see I am frustrated with my own weakness?! But that does not mean I will let you badmouth Kyojuro! You miserable old fart!" Tanjiro ran towards Shinjuro. "Wait!" Senjuro tried to warn Tanjiro "my father is still a former hashira!" but it was too late, Tanjiro's arm was easily grabbed and Shinjuro delivered a hard punch right at his face.
Just as Shinjuro went in for another punch he was suddenly kicked across the face and he stumbled back. "That's enough, you miserable old far," Tanya said while standing in between both Shinjuro and Tanjiro, using what Tanjiro called Shinjuro as she found it quite amusing. "You, I should have never trained you. Then Kyojuro might have survived!" Tanya stung inside a little, Shinjuro was right again but this time for reasons he was not aware of. "And I should have never trained under you, Kyojuro was a better training partner than you anyways" she spat back, too mad to even pretend to have respect for her former master. Tanjiro meanwhile was on the ground, deep in thought. 'If Hinokami Kagura is sun breathing. Then why wasn't I able to save Rengoku back then? Why couldn't I?!' just as Shinjuro was about to punch Tanya, Tanjiro sprang to life and jumped over Tanya and then headbutted Shinjuro hard on the head.
While all three onlookers wondered what just happened.
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"S-sorry about headbutting your dad," Tanjiro said with a very dejected look while Senjuro finished giving everyone their tea. "Pah! Don't be. The drunk old man deserved it" Tanya said with a frown, still annoyed that Kyojuro's father was badmouthing him even after his death. Mary sighed, at least Tanya was not ignoring them and engaging in the conversation. "S-so I found this. But…" Senjuro open a book titled 'the generational Flame Hashira record' but all of the pages had been torn. "That old man really ruined that?!" Tanya yelled but managed to calm herself down, she already knew they had been through a lot and more yelling was not going to help anyone.
"There goes my only connection to Hinokami…sun breathing possibly." Tanjiro looked down at the floor but then smiled up at Senjuro when the boy apologized "it is alright, thank you for trying. Oh and…" Tanjiro repeated what Kyojuro told him before dying, Senjuro was a mix of smiling and tears. He even promised to try and restore the book the best he could.
Later when the three of them stood at the gates Tanya approached Senjuro and said "are you sure you don't need me to stay? That old man might take his anger at Tanjiro and put it on you." Senjuro smiled a little "yes I should be fine, but thank you." Senjuro's similarities to Kyojuro and the fact he was trying to be brave were almost enough to melt Tanya's heart, she felt bad for him. "Oi, Tanjiro get back to the butterfly estate. I have to tell Senjuro something, you go as well Mary." Tanjiro did in fact leave, while Mary pretended to but tried to stay close as she wanted to wait for Tanya.
Tanya met Senjuro's gave "I am…sorry." Senjuro was a little confused but he knew at least part of the reasons Tanya was apologizing to him. "Don't be, my brother would not want you to be. It is not your fault." Tanya grabbed Senjuro's shoulders "just because he is gone, just know I won't abandon you. If that drunk old man ever goes to far let me know immediately. Understand?" Senjuro smiled warmly "my brother was right, despite how scary you look you really are a nice person miss Tanya. I can see why he wanted to marry you." Tanya's face went a little pink, and she sighed, even now she could not help but smile. Even if it was a smile that slightly scared Senjuro. Tanya had to protect Senjuro, it was the least she could do after what Kyojuro had done for her.
Later Senjuro opened his father's door, and the man yelled at him. But after he was done Senjuro repeated Kyojuro's last words he wanted and told to his father "please take care of your body." after Senjuro leaves Shinjiro stops just before his sake bottle entered his mouth, and placed it down. "Kyojuro…" not even realizing it himself tears started to fall down his eyes as he remember his son's eternally smiling face. "Why did it have to be you…"
While Tanjiro was approaching the butterfly estate he was still holding his wounded area. When he spotted someone waiting in front of the gate. "Is that…Haganezuka? Wait!" he could smell the anger from here. "YOU!" Hotaru pointed at Tanjiro "HOW DARE YOU BREAK ANOTHER ONE OF MY SWORDS! EVERY TIME!" Tanjiro backed away "h-hold on, I swear I don't do it on purpose I am sorry!" Hotaru chased Tanjiro around for a little while, only being stopped after Aoi yelled at them and invited Hotaru in for tea and snakes which calmed him down.
Soon Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu had recovered enough to train more and soon even go on missions. Kanao trained with them as well between missions with either Shinobu or Tanya. Whenever Tanjiro and Kanao were alone they cuddled and warmed each other, Nezuko even forced her way in sometimes. Months passed and as the new year was approaching the four demon slayers had grown far stronger, though neither were hashira level yet. For Tanya's part she occasionally checked in on them and Senjuro but kept mostly to herself with the exception of Mary who forced her way, much to Tanya's chagrin, into many of her missions. Of course, Viktoriya, Weiss, and her other friends would join her on missions but she kept the pleasantries light for the most part.
Of course, something happened that would bring both groups together.
Tanjiro was returning to the butterfly estate after completing a mission, and Nezuko was inside the box on his back. He was mostly going to visit Kanao if she was there since he was not even injured. Suddenly he heard some yelling coming from the girls inside the estate. When he ran up and saw what was going on, he saw something that angered him. A tall man that Tanjiro remembered from the hashira meeting, was holding Aoi and Sumi in his arms. Naho and Kiyo were tugging on them trying to get them free. Even Kanao was trying to, having not even hesitated now to help her sisters.
"Let go! They are demon slayers, and I, Tengen Uzui, need them for a mission!" the tall man yelled as he tried pulling away. "Let them go!" Naho yelled while Kiyo yelled, "Sumi isn't even a demon slayer!" Kanao almost got Aoi free when Tengen struck his arm back enough to make her fall on her butt. "HEY!" Tanjiro yelled as he ran at Tengen. "What do you think you're doing?!" just as Tanjiro was about to grab Tengen, in a flash the man was gone. Now standing on the top of the gate to the estate, with Aoi and Sumi still in hand. "What does it look like? I needed some extras for a mission if a mission requires a hashira, especially me. Then you can understand how important it is." Tanjiro looked back at Kanao and the girls, and then at the ones Tengen was holding. He could see clearly how distressed all of them were.
"What if we went with you instead?" Tanjiro's words confused Tengen for a second, but then he senses two things. One is a boy with blonde hair standing on the fence to his right. And the other is a boy wearing a boar mask to his left.
Tengen smiled after considering his options. He tossed down Sumi who Tanjiro caught before carefully giving the crying girl to Kanao who hugged her close. "Fine then, let's get going," Tengen said before smacking Aoi's butt which made her grunt and only served to further anger everyone around him. Kanao thought 'if only Shinobu-nee or Tanya-nee were here. Then Uzui would not have gotten away with this, they might have even castrated him.'
Meanwhile, inside of forest of peach trees owned by a thunder cultivator, Tanya sat on a rock while holding two Katanas. On her own and the other belong to the thunder breather whose head now rested under one of her boots. "Have you learned your lesson yet, punk?" Tanya said to the boy who just growled with annoyance at her. Mary sighed "I told you to watch what you say Kaigaku, now look at you. Luckily master is napping right now." Kaigaku gripped some grass in his hands as a muffled "furkrmp yrmmp" could be heard which only made Tanya press her shoes further onto his skull.
"Mission! Mission! Dangerous demons spotted near a heavily populated area!" Tanya's crow shouted out, to which Tanya smirked. "Well, Mary since you insist on coming along why don't we drag him along?" Tanya stared down at Kaigaku "after all, he still has a lesson he needs to learn about respecting his superiors."
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"So. are we really going to listen to that other demon? Just because he beat us?" a feminine voice said in a stringent tone. "Betraying lord Muzan seems like the worst option for us, Onii-chan." a gruff male laugh was heard, as a figure scratched his neck "I have no fucking clue. But I only said we would consider it. However, we might as well test out that new power he gave us. Maybe capture that girl for him if she comes around." the two figures smiled at each other, a marking in their eyes appeared.
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