Summary: Nezuko decides to take the sleeping Rokuta on another walk after Tanjiro goes down the mountain. This simple action makes everything change, and more than two Kamados to survive.

Warnings: AU, Canon Typical Violence, Shameless Fluff, Future Slash/Het, Kamado Family Shenanigans, Misunderstandings Galore, Angry Chibi Kamado Noises, Giyuu Cannot Take Too Much Fluff, Neither Can Sabito, Rengoku Is Whipped, Urukodaki is Amused, Shinobu is Amused, Kagaya is Amused, Tanjiro Is Confused, Nezuko Isn't, etc.

Disclaimer: … hehe… he… heh. No, just—no

Note: Another Demon Slayer fanfic! Hahahahaha! Killmenow—

Aaaaanyway! I'm gonna be updating my other stories… as soon as I publish two more! They're gonna be Dr. Stone 'cause I finshed watching it ages ago and want more.

Rokuta was only a little boy, proudly three and a half years old but still a mama's boy.

Nezuko smiled down at her youngest brother, inwardly squealing at the cuteness of his slumbering face.

Nii-chan had just gone down to sell some charcoal, and Hanako and Shigeru were still sulking near the porch. Takeo was probably near the back chopping up some more wood. At this rate, he'll have to go deeper into the woods to get to more trees. Nezuko hopes that he kept count of the trees he cut down—and that the saplings kaa-san had were enough for compensation.

Humming an old lullaby tou-san used to sing for her to go to sleep (she had been told that she was a very fussy baby, only calming down if Nii-chan was present. That fact would often make tou-san slump, much like how Shigeru would whenever Nii-chan didn't pay him enough attention or something), she idly rocked Rokuta back and forth, straying farther from their house but not worried. She may not know the mountains like the back of her hand (something Nii-chan does with Takeo quickly catching up), but she does trust her gut feeling and that was enough for her to be settled.

She must have been a bit too up in the clouds, because the next thing she knew, the sun was setting on the other side and the stars were slowly showing up.

"Ah, nee-chan is such a scatterbrain. Ne, Rokuta?" she cooed, giggling when the toddler sleepy blinked bleary eyes at her, yawned, then snuggled deeper onto her chest.

Deciding that she'd rather be spared of her little siblings' worry (though, all three of them combined was no match to Nii-chan. Honestly, it's as if she wasn't the eldest daughter!), she turned around and set of to—

Stop!

Nezuko's eyes widened, feeling the cold pit of her stomach fill with dread, sending shivers down her spine. She didn't notice Rokuta looking up at her curiously, jarred from the abrupt stop.

A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, and she lifted a sandaled foot to—

No! The feeling screeched, making her ears ring. Stay! Hide!

RUN AWAY!

But my siblings are still there, she tried to protest, feeling tears burn her eyes. Rokuta was sniffling now, and her heartbeat is too fast to be normal. Too harried and—kaa-san is still there! They need me to go back!

No! It shouted. Nezuko wanted to sob. Wanted to cry for her Nii-chan because he always knew what to do to make things alright (but he's not here, he's not here and Nezuko's all alone and she needs to run away—)

She choked down her cries, choked down her screams, choked down everything until she couldn't properly breathe (and there's another voice speaking now, kind and old and telling her that you need to breathe to become stronger, Nezuko—), and stumbled on the opposite direction of her (No! No! No! Getawaygetawaygetaway—), hastily running and clutching Rokuta tight to her body as if she could meld themselves into one.

(Safe, the feeling told her, hours later with her and Rokuta hiding in a lone cave far, far away from whatever she had ran away from. Safe, go. Go and see.

Swallowing down her bile, she complied)

—

There was so much blood.

Tanjiro strangled the air on his sides, shaking fists clenching and unclenching.

He trudges closer to—to his family, all bloody and limbs askew and he had failed them all, he's a failure as the first son—

He sobs, then. The only sound he would allow himself to make (because he's the first son, the head of the family and—), approaching his kaa-san, Shigeru and Hanako, all murdered (murdered, murdered by who—?) in their sleep. And if he could wash away all the blood, close their eyes and his, he could pretend that they were merely sleeping. That they were still alive and—

His heart skipped a beat. Then another. He touches their arms, his little Shigeru's and Hanako's arms, and his heart accelerates.

They were still warm.

—

Takeo muttered a word that Nee-chan and Nii-chan would most certainly reprimand him for, and he tried not to grimace imagining Nezuko with her hands on her hips and Tanjiro's disappointed face.

(He failed)

He didn't mean to go so deep into the woods, didn't mean to get lost (and Shigeru is never gonna let him live this down, he's sure of it. Even Nee-chan wouldn't, no matter how much Nii-chan tells them to stop), but now it's dark (and he wants Nii-chan to hold his hand, even though he's definitely not scared of the dark!) and he doesn't know what to do, hatchet gripped tightly in his hand and the other carrying some lumber. The stupid, stupid lumber he had to get!

Nii-chan is soooo going to ground him for months when he gets back home. He's sure of it.

Sighing, he half-heartedly watched his breath turn white and huffed. Really, what was he doing, whining in his head when he's got legs that need to move?

Nodding to himself, he picked a random direction and started resolutely power-walking.

…

All of the trees look the same.

Groaning, he parked his ass beside the nearest tree trunk and spat another word that deserved him a whack upside the head.

Ughhhh. Why did he have to get some stupid lumber again?

He was about to probably make some drawings on the snow, or throw his hatchet to release some of his pent up frustration, when somebody—

"Hello, there!"

Takeo screamed high enough for his ancestors to hear him, and threw his hatchet oh my kami—

The stranger (gah! Who goes around suddenly announcing themselves like that!? And in the middle of the night, too!) dodges his hatchet with ease, like it was an everyday occurrence for him to be thrown at, and smiles. Takeo dubs him as Crazy Guy now. Not even Nii-chan can make him stop mentally calling him that. Nope, nu-uh.

"I apologize for scaring you, little one—" Takeo silently fumed at that. He is not little! And only Nii-chan can even get away with calling him that! "—I am Rengoku Kyojuro, and I am need of some assistance in navigating through these mountains."

Takeo snorted, dismissing him right away (Red eyes, yellow hair, red tips, white haori with red flames, a black uniform and a sword. A traveler? No, too well-built and armed for that. Warrior? Is he an enemy—?) and waving him off. "Yeah, well, I'm lost too so, there's two of us here that needs help." Then, because he was raised with manners, adds, "I'm Kamado Takeo, by the way. Nice to meet ya, I guess." Even though you're clearly a crazy guy.

Crazy Guy—Rengoku? Nah, he'll keep the nickname—blinks, looking very much like Nii-chan whenever his admirers' try to explain why they like him (he pities them, really. Too bad Nii-chan would always put them first than look for love. It makes Takeo happy and sad at the same time), and frowns. "That is unfortunate! I need to reach my location before it is too late, little Kamado."

Trying not to show his agitation, Takeo grits out, "Oh, yeah? Why?"

Crazy Guy stares at him seriously, and Rengoku (because this wasn't Crazy Guy with loose shoulders and a carefree air, no. This was Rengoku Kyojuro with flames and embers and scorching ashes and he's a threatthreatthreat—) announces in a grave tone that makes Takeo's mind go blank,

"There is a demon on the loose, and he plans to target a family living in this very mountain."

—

Had Shigeru been this light? He could understand Hanako, but Shigeru was ("—a big boy, now, Nii-chan! And soon, you'll be asking for my help!")

Tanjiro doesn't notice the blisters on his sandals, doesn't feel the winter air biting his face and hands, doesn't notice his vision blurring and breaths becoming labored because all he could think of was that Shigeru and Hanako were still warm and alive—

He slips, the snow being the cause of his fall, and for a moment he's terrified for his siblings because they won't survive the fall—

Then the same reason for his slip inevitably saves them, cushioning the six feet height of descent.

Tanjiro quickly gets back on his feet, in fear of crushing his siblings (please let them be alive, please let them be alive—), but stops short when he sees Hanako slowly getting up on her forearms and knees, Shigeru not too far behind.

Joy and a dangerous hope swells from Tanjiro's chest. "Hana—"

Then his little sister, sweet Hanako who clings on his haori and loves being pet by her loved ones, pounces.

Mind already scrambled at the sight of his family's death (there was the smell of something else in the air, the smell of death and decay and unreal—), Tanjiro dimly registers Hanako biting his collarbone, and the feel of claws (soft, tiny hands—) gripping his hakama, drawing blood and he can't feel anything why are they doing this he has failed as the first son—

"Away from him, demons!"

The shout was strong, booming in the tense atmosphere and everything Tanjiro wasn't (couldn't—) for his family, for kaa-san and Nezuko and Takeo and Hanako and Shigeru and Rokuta (oh kami where was Rokuta—?) and he sees something long and hitting against the light (the smell of fire and charcoal and a Midsummer's breeze—), and Tanjiro knows it's a sword that's coming down on his HanakO—

DESTROY THE THREAT TO THE FAMILY—

Tanjiro (breathes, and it reminds him of tou-san whenever he's having a bad day, how his chest expands and becomes smaller and he could smell something else—) flips his body and switches their positions, and he doesn't show any indication of pain when the blade meets his flesh because he is the first son of Kamado Tanjuro and Kie, the eldest brother to his siblings and thE THREAT MUST BE ERADICATED—

"Nii-chan!"

He snaps out of the dark haze he was under (the markings on his face recede before anyone else can take a closer look—), ears perking up at the familiar (miraculous) sound of his little brother's voice, and a smile breaks through his dirtied face because Takeo was here and he was—

Why is he with the tHREAT—!?

"Tanjiro-san," the threat says, but his voice can't drown out the incessant feeling of him needing to eradicateextermina temakethethReaTv anishfromthefaceoftheeart and he puts all his attention to his breathing, heaving heavily and kami Takeo was alive and alright and here.

"Tanjiro-san!" The threat repeats, eyebrows furrowed and hair (how strange, was it natural? Nevermind that, eradicate him! Eradicate the thReaT!) shifting as he retracts his katana (he could smell the demons it has cut down, can smell their blood and ash and his siblings are next—) with an unnerved twitch of his eye. "Forgive me, I did not meant to harm you in any way. If you would move aside from the demons, I will finish my mission and escort you to a safe place."

Tanjiro's blood all but screeches for him to make him shut up, to cut his arms and legs and break his sword—

He shakes his head, both as an answer and in a desperate attempt to ward off the voice's suggestions, missing the terrified, ruby eyes of his Takeo, ruby eyes that take in the situation and the threat and their siblings before horrified realization dawns in.

"No!" he chokes, grasping the threat's haori (and Tanjiro tries not to lash out because his Takeo was too close with the threat—) with tears streaming down his flushed cheeks. "No! Stop, Rengoku-san! Those—They're my siblings! Our siblings! They wouldn't—" he sobs, raw and small and it tears Tanjiro's heart and soul into pieces. "—they wouldn't kill our kaa-san!"

He pulls harder, using all of his nine year-old might futilely. The threat looks dreadfully confused.

"There are no blood in their mouths and hands! Only Nii-chan's—" ah, so they had bitten him. Strange, all Tanjiro can feel is fury mixed with numbness that encompassed all but his blood. "—and they've only recently woken up judging by the fresh snow and imprints they left when they fell!" Takeo gasps then, having run out of breath. The threat waits for him to finish, but Tanjiro knows he's keeping an eye on him and his other siblings, who were teething on his limbs like babes (he remembers those days, when they were young and small and their poor, poor gums were hurting and they liked to slobber and drool and bite on his haori). "They haven't done anything wrong at all!"

The threat keeps his silence, and Tanjiro uses this opportunity to (eradicate him—) sit up, supporting Hanako who was still latching on his chest by a hand on her back, and his other running his hand through Shigeru's short hair like everything was normal and they weren't trying to eat him.

Then something wet dampens his skin. Hanako was crying.

Hanako was crying and looking at him with wide, wide eyes and shrunk pupils, before it dilated and only a thin ring of their family's ruby red remained. He could feel his leg become wet as well, and he knew even before then that Shigeru was weeping with his sister.

Open shock ripples through the threat's(?) face, and it softens into understanding and awe. He sheathes his katana and kneels on the space beside Tanjiro, eyes warm and a slight smile lifting his handsome face. Takeo cries harder.

"They must really love you, don't they?" he muses, tone gentle and the exact opposite of what he was before, and Tanjiro doesn't have time to marvel at the transition because he can smell the scent of flowers and honey with Fall's wind and rain—

"Nezuko… Rokuta…"

All their head sans Hanako's and Shigeru's turn to the far right, where his missing sister and brother (theywerealivetheywerealiveallofthemarefinallyhere) were accompanied by another man that (smelled like the silent ocean and cold Spring nights—) looked similar to the threat—Rengoku, his Takeo called him Rengoku—, face blank and eyes sparked with fire.

"Tomioka-san!" Thre—Rengoku beams, happy but flabbergasted. He was not expecting the other, then. "What are you doing here?"

"The others sent me after you once we heard word that the demon you were after was unlike the ones you've faced in the past." His eyes narrowed then, and Tanjiro shivers at the single-minded focus it showed. "Speaking of demons, why haven't you ended those yet?"

Nezuko covers her mouth. Rokuta reaches out for them with teary eyes, calling out, "Nii-cha'!"

Rengoku's mouth falls to a stiff line. "There will be no slaying this time around, Tomioka-san."

Tomioka's face hardens. "You're not possibly—"

"Indeed I am," Rengoku cuts him off. His gaze goes to the trio on the ground, the younger ones all settled in Tanjiro's lap and bawling their eyes out. "These demons… no, children—they're different, Tomioka-san." He meets Tanjiro's eyes then, and continues. "Unlike anything I've seen before."

Tomioka is still standing there, at least four meters away from them in quiet befuddlement as Nezuko sprints towards her awaiting family, and embraces them all whilst ignoring the smiling Rengoku nearby.

Something inside Tanjiro becomes content, sighing in relief and feeling all of the tension leaving his very bones. He winces, and he can feel the frostbites on his skin now, and the wounds inflicted on him by accident are now stinging more badly than ever. Tomioka notices and closes his eyes in apparent exasperation.

"Move away from him, you're making his injuries worse." They all immediately zip away from him, though still lingering. Takeo and Nezuko are eyeing Tomioka without even bothering to hide their suspicion. He sighs.

"Rengoku-san, can you carry him towards the village at the bottom of the mountain? We will be following—" he looks up at the sky. "—as soon as we find something that can cover the two demons for our journey."

"Ah, yes!" Rengoku looks up at the sky as well. "It's cloudy right now, so the sunlight won't harm them. Though that may not be for long. Come, Tanjiro-san!" And he carries Tanjiro without so much of a how-do-you-do, along with Hanako and a squawking Shigeru. "We must venture forward to soothe your wounds!"

Tomioka sighs again, eyes closing. Nezuko lets out a giggle tinted with hysteria.

—

Injuries wrapped up by Saburo-jiisan (who grumbles about 'youngsters these days' with a knowing glint in his aged eyes), they all settle around the fireplace inside his shed, with the owner leaving to chop some lumber for the evening.

(Shigeru stares incessantly at the pile of chopped wood stacked high at the corner but says nothing, clinging still to his older brother's clothes, Hanako beside him)

Takeo doesn't really understand what's going on, only that his little siblings turned into demons (and why do they get hurt by the sun?) and that Crazy Guy and Silent Creep are gonna be killing them—well, was supposed to kill them. Takeo doesn't really understand the minds of crazy people, but he won't look at a gift horse's mouth.

His eyelids are heavy, but Takeo is determined to see the end of this conversation, muddled as it may be. He leans against his Nee-chan and…

Tanjiro smiles, and Takeo lets sleep take ahold of him once and for all.

—

NYD: AHHHHH! FINALLY DONE!

YES, THEY ARE ALIVE. AND MORE DED PEEPS ARE GUNNA BE ALIVE (LOOKATTHEWARNINGS)

Gah, this was intense! all the bolds and italics and underlines ahhhhh—I'm ready to disassociate for decades now! Yes, I'm planning to give all of the siblings their own special abilities like Tanjiro's sense of smell.