Chapter Text
Finally, they could see the butterfly mansion as they entered its territory. The trail was calm, and the snow has stopped falling, clearing the view in front of them. Crow flew above their head as they peacefully walked.
But without any notice, a person emerged from the shadow. The group could instantly tell who it was, either was it from smell, sound or the way they walked.
And as they turned around, the sight of Kanao confirmed it.
She was breathing heavily as she ran down the mountain at full speed. It was a slayer that informed the mansion of their presence, leading to her immediately searching for them.
She still couldn’t believe it as she examined the slayers, they were perfectly fine, and Tanjiro... was indeed a demon. But in her eyes, he was still Tanjiro, just like how his sister described him and how he looked the last time they saw each other. Unchanged, as if he didn’t become a demon just as hoped, a strong-willed person who would still be on humanity sides after transforming. But she couldn’t deny the physical change with his piercing bloody eyes and the demon mark that traversed his body, not that it mattered to her.
Kanao finally made a small smile as she felt relieved. She managed to form a single sentence in her weak voice, which took all her will and power.
“Welcome back.”
The group smiled back at her as they could feel all the emotion rushing in. Tanjiro replied to her first as he smiled warmly, a smile that Kanao thought she wouldn’t see again.
“We’re back.”
Kanao could feel her face burning up as she looked at Tanjiro, all the emotion came rushing back, all the fear and sadness that she had to repress during those two weeks.
She drew a bigger smile before talking to each other, so many things that they wanted to say with such a short time. But Kanao quickly interrupted the conversation as they had to go to the estate to converge about their situations with everyone, with the people waiting for them. Kanao urged them to go up the mountain as fast as they could to not waste time.
They obediently followed as they feared what she could do if they didn’t follow, deciding not to revolt.
Kanao pushed the boys slightly when one of them slowed down and at Tanjiro’s turn, she got a bit anxious for a moment, but still extended her arm to push him forward. Tanjiro smelled how she felt for a moment, still being able to overcame it at the end, which made him delighted. Plus, he couldn’t stop thinking about the people he’ll finally see again and talk with.
Especially his sister, Nezuko, as she suddenly lost her brother to Muzan and flee away from her. Though it was also ironic at how the situation got reversed, but he wouldn’t want to put her in harm way now that she was human, he vowed to protect his little sister. Nevertheless, he still couldn’t stay with her when she needed it as he didn’t even give any notice as he left.
Coming back up this mountain made him feel guilty, but he will face any harsh comment if it means staying with them. If it means being accepted again.
Ultimately, they were in front of the butterfly estate. Tanjiro could still smell the familiar scent of medicine around the mansion with the same cherry tree and personal in the building.
He felt a bit uneasy as he looked at the front door, but Inosuke grabbed his sleeves to reassure him, Tanjiro turned his gaze at him and smiled lightly.
It seemed like a huge storm was waiting for him, but with his boys at his sides he didn’t need to be fearful, only to look ahead.
As he took one more step to the door, Tanjiro instantly smelled a new familiar smell, far more familiar than the rest. The one that stayed the longest by his sides, the smell of the charcoal merged perfectly with a sweet scent of flower.
The door was rapidly opened as Nezuko rushed out of the mansion, launching herself at Tanjiro. He quickly reacted by grabbing her as he tried to maintain his balance. She instantly hugged Tanjiro, without even caring that he is now a demon, after all, he accepted and protected her with all his might when it was her, the demon.
“I missed you! I really did.” She said as the tears rushed down her face. She couldn’t contain her emotion as soon as Tanjiro was spotted around the nearby village, she was impatiently waiting for his return, even having the thought of going herself, but Kanao persuaded her to wait as he would come back eventually.
“I thought you were gone, I'm so glad you came back well and fine.” She was extremely delighted to see him again as the tears wouldn’t stop pouring.
Tanjiro felt incredibly warm as he hugged her and felt as if a weight left his shoulder, he couldn’t stop thinking of anything else but his sister. He finally got reunited with Nezuko, his dear sister as if it was a dream since it felt like a nightmare ever since he became a demon. And Tanjiro followed Nezuko, as tears fell slowly on his cheeks. They soon couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down as they hugged each other tightly.
“I’m sorry.” Tanjiro expressed himself as he felt awful for leaving her.
“You’re a dummy.”
“I’m sorry-” he repeated.
Zenitsu and Inosuke felt sad to see them like this, paining their heart to see them cry as it started to make them feel a bit emotional too.
Inosuke suddenly initiated a new hug, to embrace both Nezuko and Tanjiro, and Zenitsu went soon after as he also felt tears rolling down.
“I missed you Nezukoooo...” Zenitsu cried as he holds them all, he wouldn’t stop to waggle as he felt happy to be here, but Inosuke punched him and told him to stop moving like a worm. It made the Kamado laugh, and as they faced each other, they finally smiled brightly to one another.
Kanao seemed content to see Nezuko happy after those two weeks, and seeing how Tanjiro was. It seems being transformed into a demon didn’t affect him, which reassured her.
After a full minute, they finally let go of each other, even if tears were still falling, it was slowing down as they got better.
Then, another person appeared from the door, Tanjiro couldn’t sense who it was since he was too focused on the moment. And as he looked, he instantly felt overjoyed as he saw Giyuu.
“Giyuu! I'm back.” He said as he waived happily with tears in his eyes as he looked awful with all the crying. Giyuu smiled slightly as he saw Tanjiro was well, and apart from his demon mark on his face, he didn’t act like one.
“You successfully returned; you’re a strong person Tanjiro.”
The red-haired boy took the compliment to the fullest, as he felt ecstatic to hear that.
After the little reunion was over, they could finally enter the mansion. Nezuko stayed close to Tanjiro to not part ways again, which he gladfully accepted. And now that he composed himself, he could sense the other person waiting for them, and with its strong smell, it was Sanemi.
They got led to the room where he was in, when the door opened, they could see him waiting sitting on a cushion. Tanjiro greeted him too, as well as the two boys. They all sat down on a cushion around the table, he sat right in front of Sanemi with his sister on his right side and Inosuke on his left. Zenitsu was besides Nezuko, as the other sat on the other side of the table, with Sanemi.
The white-haired slayer was the first one to start.
“So, you’re alive, glad to see it. But let’s go straight to the point, can you control your desire for blood and flesh?” He asked seriously, he couldn’t let his guard down even if it was Tanjiro. He reluctantly accepted Nezuko in the past and wouldn’t want to make a mistake just because of his feeling, so he will give the same treatment as he did before.
“Yes, I can resist the hunger.” It wasn’t a lie, but he still couldn’t confess of his eating habits by fear of getting rejected, he knew Sanemi was careful, but he also believed in his own ability to overcome it as he was working hard to resolve this issue.
“You sure? I'll give you the same test I gave your sister in the past.”
Even though Nezuko trusted Tanjiro, it still made her unsure as she remembered how it was like at first when she was a demon, it was the first time she encountered a person with a special blood, but it was after more than two years not touching any human. Tanjiro, that just got transformed a few weeks ago wasn’t on the same ground.
On the contrary, Zenitsu and Inosuke felt incredibly anxious as he never came across someone with Sanemi’s blood, it was all new to him. Plus, he only tasted their blood even if he was starving, so they didn’t know how far a demon hunger could go, how he would react.
Still, they accepted to come here as they were confident in his ability, he could overcome this small task, though they didn’t know to what extant he would react.
“It’s alright, I'm sure I can take it on.”
Sanemi nodded and prepared his blade to cut his forearm. He slashed a small portion of his vein so the blood would flow in a controlled amount, and as the first drop hit the table, Sanemi approached his arm. The red-haired could feel his body heat up as he felt a twitch in his right hand. But still it wasn’t that hard, even Tanjiro thought that he would struggle with it, but he didn’t feel the need to drink it, in fact, he doesn’t want to at all. The only things the blood did to him, was remind him of Zenitsu and Inosuke, though it wasn’t the time for it.
After a full five second, Sanemi snickered as he was pleased with the situation.
“Well done.”
“Ah wait, put your arm in front again.”
Sanemi got confused for a second but still sticked out his arm at him. Tanjiro lifted his hand as he went to Sanemi’s cut, overlapping it with his finger as he traced it with his thumb. He still didn’t know how to use his flame in ‘long distance’, so that was the only way he has as it didn’t go far from his hand.
As he released him, the cut was completely closed, he wiped the rest of the blood on his hand with a towel. Sanemi and the rest were stupefied of his ability, and before anyone could ask anything, Tanjiro announced:
“That’s my demon art; I can heal human to some extent and create a heat like sun ability that kills demons.”
“That’s close to my art!”
Tanjiro turned his head to look at Nezuko and smiled brightly.
“You’re right!” They were both in their own world as if the other wasn’t there, until Giyuu interrupted.
“After two weeks you managed to retain yourself as a human, even I had no hope when I first saw you transform. Still, in those two weeks you slept the whole time? To keep your sanity in such a short period?” Giyuu interrogated Tanjiro curious, almost suspicious . Now the conversation has come to it, he couldn’t run any longer and had to face reality, yet, with what he did and proved since the beginning, he hoped they wouldn’t change their judgment.
“Unfortunately, I... couldn’t resist a sip of blood.” The room fell into silence, as he felt an instant pressure being put on him even if it was just his imagination of his own stress. He didn’t want to utter any other word, but also couldn’t stop himself as he talked again.
“I can’t sleep off the hunger, I need a bit off blood just like Tamayo did.”
He felt guilt and couldn’t stop thinking about how disappointed they must be. He’ll have to convince them to the best of his capacity. He still had some argument up his sleeves, so he just hoped for the best.
“But- I can resist my hunger to the point I can starve.” He laughed nervously. “But I'm searching for a way to stop it with my art, I'm getting close to it!”
“And with what do you satisfy your hunger?” Sanemi asked, with a cold tone that he didn’t show before.
“I-”
“We do it.” Inosuke interrupted as everyone looked at him. “Zenitsu and I are feeding him.” He felt nervous from the situation, as if drop of cold sweat appeared on his body.
“It’s just a quick one; we don’t feel any difference and are not affected by it.”
Tanjiro could feel the pressure drop, he remembered he wasn’t alone, right, they were with him to help, he wasn’t fighting by his own. And Zenitsu and Inosuke were ready to advocate for him. Nezuko on the contrary was shocked to hear his statement, but she felt relief as it was his friend taking care of him. And thanks to them Tanjiro returned to her, she could only be grateful for their helps.
“A blood bag can make it so? That’s good.” Giyuu sighed, it wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst too, he truly did imagine that Tanjiro must at least need some flesh of a human. “We have a few stocked in case of emergency, you can take that-.”
“No.” Zenitsu cut Giyuu talks. “He can’t drink another blood for... personal reason.” He finished his sentence as he was ready to debate, until he realized what he said not even one second after, he felt a light blush rushing to his cheeks but still managed to compose himself. On the other hand, Tanjiro was blushing profusely as he remembered what they vowed before.
“Alright. “ Giyuu and the rest nodded it off, expect for Nezuko that asked to get more detailed information. Tanjiro tried to brush it off as Nezuko was teasing him. And unfortunately, it didn’t stop there as Sanemi asked what the extent of his feeding was, which Zenitsu replied the simplest way possible, without dumping anything too sensible.
In the end, Tanjiro still got accepted but at one condition, that he can take care of his feeding habit before leaving the mansion. Even if it would take a month, he is prohibited from going out, though Zenitsu and Inosuke protested about it but agreed in the end.
It would mean he’ll be safe and will not be hunted by slayer nor demon.
After the meeting, everyone stayed seated to keep chatting, happy that the trio was back safe. On the other hand, Sanemi got up and left, and before he could go far Tanjiro went quickly after him.
“Sanemi!” He shouted as the latter turned around to face him. “Thank you.” He said as he smiled brightly.
The white-haired boy turned around again without saying anything and as he walked, he said.
“That’s only natural.”
That was his only word, but Tanjiro knew everything he meant by it and was grateful, he bowed one last time before going back.
They discussed of their prowess, the change in the demon world, in the butterfly mansion, the slayer, their fight, their day, their night, everything that could be said was done.
Soon Nezuko was getting drowsy, and Inosuke could also feel his eyes closing slowly. They decided to stop for now and will talk again when they wake up. It was now 4 am, but the wake-up time is usually 6 am in the butterfly mansion, though, today an exception to the rule has been set and will be delayed by two hours.
The bedrooms has been already decided, and Nezuko was merciful enough to let Tanjiro go with Zenitsu and Inosuke.
Finally, they closed the door behind them as they were alone, the three of them, once again.
“I’m glad everything went well.” Zenitsu started as he placed down the two futon he had in hand while Inosuke throwed the other one as he lay on it.
“Right.” Tanjiro replied as he fixed Inosuke’s futon, still laying down as it moved around. “I’m glad we came back, even if I had doubts, you still supported me.” He looked up to Zenitsu as the latter went down to his height to hug him, Inosuke quickly followed the lead as he took Tanjiro in his arm.
“I’m really happy to have you.” He hugged them back, feeling utterly happy and serene, it was a long time since he felt like this, since he thought a day like this would come back.
He would never, never regret loving them.