Nezuko was surprised and furious, her grandparents went on a date while leaving her and the others all alone.
They didn't even give her pocket money for food !
They knew all too well that the rations were getting low due to the winter and blue spider lilly soup isn't enough for them anymore.
They needed nutrients, meat and vegetables !
She felt terrible but she has no other choice.
She has to use Tanjiro's secret stash to buy a proper meal for her and her family.
They might starve if otherwise.
She told her siblings that she'll be right back and that she'll bring back snacks.
She hoped Tanjiro can forgive her for this.
She knew that he was probably saving to move out, away from this toxic house.
Yet...She didn't want him to.
She didn't want to be the one responsible for everyone like he is.
Call her selfish but she isn't like Tanjiro.
She didn't have his strength.
She sighed and decided that she can think about it later.
She quickly dressed in thick cloth and went down the mountain to buy something, never realizing that this one action saved her life.
...
If you were immortal, would you enjoy it ?
Most answers would be yes, after all you won't have to deal with the pain of old age or see your body waste away with time..
Yet...
It was hell for the King of Demons, Muzan Kibutsuji.
Being immortal was a curse, a utter punishment that only the cruelest should suffer.
All he ever wanted was to play in the sun like normal kids could.
Yet...
He was born with a sick body, everyday of his life was a fight and every night he was fearing that he'd die in his sleep.
He never had felt what others would feel in the sun...
Only pain.
Even when he became an immortal all he could do is be in constant pain.
The moon derives from the sun, so he, along the other demons feel less lethal pain when in the night, but the pain was still pain in the end.
He never got to enjoy the sun or it's light in any form.
Until he met that boy.
He felt like a huge wound was being cleaned up and bandaged.
Like a mother finally acknowledging her child's pain and comforting them.
He wants to have that feeling again.
He has to .
He needs to be comforted again.
He wants to feel that light.
While walking uphill to his targeted household he saw a old couple similar looking to the boy.
The 3 are definitely related, probably grandparents and grandson.
They were eating rather expensive snacks and drinking hot tea.
And the old man was wearing those retched Hanafunda earrings.
Those disgusting, terrifying things that that monster wore.
His earrings.
He stopped his body from trembling in horror and looked at the couple again with a newfound hatred and some paranoia.
How do old people like them have so much money, yet their grandson looks like he's living off of hand me downs ?
He of course approached and asked about the kid,pretending to be a concerned tourist.
" Oh him ?
You mean Tanjiro ?
The only good thing he does is bring in money and he doesn't even give us all of it.
I actually made the kids use his money for food tonight as punishment.
Brats am I right ? "
Brat ?
Money ?!
How dare they use such kindness for their gain like that ?!
How dare they not see the light that he graciously gives ?!
He couldn't control what he did next.
He killed them, crunched on their bones and mauled them beyond recognition.
He looked at his bloody mouth and he felt relieved.
More relieved than he ever was.
He soon realized why.
They had the blue spider lilly in their systems.
He started to believe that that boy was a miracle worker.
First to be comforted and then for once in his eternal suffering got exactly what he wanted for so long ?!
Not even the 12 Moons could have gotten him this..
Well except Kokushibo and Nakime, those 2 are as loyal as dogs.
To run into him was the best thing that ever happened in his centuries of suffering.
He finally can look at his skin and not see a corpse.
His eyes were now more clear and his skin stopped itching when put in the moonlight.
The pain finnaly stopped.
He thinks a celebration was in order, and he should probably reward the boy for helping him so much.
And what better gift than eternal life ?
...
Saburo was walking outside his house while putting wisteria incense all over his front door when a young man approached.
" Hello...
Why are you up so late ?"
Saburo was immediately suspicious, yet he couldn't sense anything 'wrong' about the guy.
" I...A young boy with maroon hair and a pink eye helped me find medicine for my daughter.
I think his name is Tanjiro or so..
I come to ask if you have seen him.
I wish to thank him for helping me so much."
Saburo didn't trust the man and shook his head, only for it to be the last thing he did.
...
Muzan always thought himself of the pinnacle of Humanity.
The being of perfection.
But...
That wasn't the case, he had one thing missing that would make him perfect.
And that thing...That thing is a friend.
Why a friend ?
He supposedly had everything.
Centuries of wealth, intelligence, good looks and finally discovered the some Blue spider lillies to boot.
But what good are those things if there's no one to share it with ?
A friend that accompanies him everywhere he goes.
A friend that happily helps him when he is low and is always smiling in his presence.
A friend that doesn't serve out of fear, but out of love.
Yes.
That's what he wants.
A friend made for him.
Not just any friend, the perfect friend .
No demon he made would stay by his side if he somehow was in danger.
He never had anyone that was happy in his prescense .
He only saw fear, pity, rage and hatred.
He couldn't even consider his servants as his friends.
Most of his servants would leave him.
Some already did.
He hated that.
They sing praises in one century and run away in the next.
But that boy...
He was different.
He looked so tired and a little worn out, but despite his own exhaustion and condition he stayed.
He comforted him.
He genuinely smiled at him.
He gave him what he asked for without even knowing it.
He was...Friendly.
Muzan felt something that he never felt in a long time.
A connection.
It was like they were destined to meet.
He grabbed the corpse and threw it in the forest, not caring what ever happens to it in the slightest.
He then walked into the house and was suddebly overwhelmed by a familiar scent, Wisteria
" ...What a disgusting scent ."
He muttered while looking at the wisteria incense that the old man was putting up.
He started to search for the boy but of course started to play an act.
An act of being injured and panicked.
He made some wounds to make it believable and was disgusted to see his blood mix a bit with the old man's.
But as if the luck of Heavens were finally compensating him for his efforts the boy ran to him, he was holding his nose tightly and was panicked.
It was clear he can smell the blood of the old fart.
This was his perfect chance to reward his bestest friend .
And he's always been an opportunistic person.
...
Tanjiro woke up while smelling blood, the worst scent of all.
He got up quickly and ran to investigate, still sluggish due to just waking up.
Only for him to see the man he met in the evening.
He was hurt and panicked.
" Kid.. You're okay..."
The man was relieved to see Tanjiro unharmed.
Tanjiro ran to his side and looked up at the man with panic and worry.
" What happened ?!"
The man took a deep breath and started to speak.
" A...A bear attacked the..The man...I..I tried to help but..."
Tanjiro was in shock.
" ... "
Saburo..
He's dead ?
No..
He was eating with me just earlier !
He was just right next to me-
He was trembling as he realized that the man was still bleeding.
" B-blood !
I'll go get help !"
He turned to leave but felt an iron taste in his mouth.
He didn't even notice the grin the man had on his face.
He was unconscious in seconds.
...
Finally.
He looked at his new friend in the making with a grin, he just saved this kid from a life of servitude.
He looked at the boys scar on his forehead started to warp into a pattern all around his body, or so he thinks since he was still clothed.
He got up and put the boy on a bed.
I'll come back once I finish the goal I originally came for.
He thought and continued to climb the mountain.
Then he saw it.
A family was in a small wooden house.
But it wasn't any family.
It was the Kamado family, the descendants of the one who obtained the Breath of the sun from that monster.
He realized that the family looked similar to Tanjiro and frowned deeply.
Tanjiro is a Kamado...
That made perfect sense
They were known for their hard work, but to force children into it ??
His hatred grew even more for the family even more.
And by that he meant the grown adults.
The kids are not responsible for their elders's greedy ways.
To think a mother was so weak willed to let her children suffer in silence, to lean on her children for support instead of kicking those pathetic people out...
Even his own mother wasn't that weak.
He thought whether he should let the kids live or to let them die along their mother.
They look like they can't even live through the winter.
But then something came into his mind.
If the Grandparents had the Blue spider lillies, so would the rest of the family.
I could just turn the kids into demons and eat the mother.
No demon slayer is here to distract me and the chance is right there.
His smirk widened.
He couldn't wait for his meal to begin.