Demon Slayer AU

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and it was just a little blurb that hit me so I had to write it. Maybe a bit OOC.)

"The demon girl turned her head away." Kiriya Ubuyashiki reported to his father with a smile on his face after Nezuko had turned away from the Marechi blood of Sanemi even after he had stabbed her. There was a small burst of wind however and the other Pillars startled when Sanemi was grabbed and thrown clear outside and into a tree before he had time to react.

"Sorry for intruding in your home and damaging your property Ubuyashiki-sama. Nezuko-chan? Are you alright? I know getting stabbed must have hurt." It was Tanjiro who bowed briefly but deeply towards Kagaya and then immediately checked on his little sister who gave a happy noise and nudged her head against him affectionately.

"I guess you're really okay then. That's good. Do you mind getting back in your box for me? I promise we can play later when it's dark and I'll read you a story too." Tanjiro asked as he rubbed her head and his sister immediately lit up at that and nuzzled his hand for a moment before she dove back in her box happily.

"There you go. All nice and safe from the sun. Why don't you take a nap and recover some Nezuko-chan? Don't worry. Onii-chan is here and he's going to do better at protecting you this time." Tanjiro said and she gave a happy purr like noise before he closed the lid and slipped the box back onto his back.

"It was most impressive for you to have moved so fast and thrown Sanemi-san like that! However I still cannot understand why you would protect that demon, whether it ate of humans or not." Rengoku was the one to speak first as they all stared at Tanjiro as he approached Kagaya, bowing deeply again as he stepped out of the house.

"If it was your little sister or brother wouldn't you?" Tanjiro asked and Rengoku's eyes widened a little at that.

"But as a demon it no longer counts as human and thus no longer can be considered your sister right?" Shinobu asked staring at Tanjiro who looked her right in the eyes.

"Demon or not. Nezuko-chan is still my sister. The bonds between siblings can't be destroyed by something like that. I still love my little sister whether she be human or demon and would do anything to protect her and make her happy." Tanjiro said and Shinobu's eyes widened a little and then went back to normal as she looked away, her hands clenching in her kimono.

"Pardon my intrusion Father but is everything alright? There was a loud ruckus." Another white haired girl with purple eyes said knocking on the door and stepping inside, her face blank although there was a hint of worry in her eyes until they landed on Tanjiro.

"Yes Kanata-chan. Everything is fine." Kagaya said and he didn't see the way Kanata's eyes lit up but frowned in confusion when her heard her footsteps as she dashed towards Tanjiro. Well it was still a much more sedate pace than most children would use but for her it was dashing.

"The nice onii-san from the Exam!" Kanata said smiling wider as she dashed to Tanjiro who took one glance at her and smiled as he kneeled down to be eye level with her.

"Hey I remember you. You were one of the ones telling us about the Final Exam. Are you doing okay? No one else has been mean to you, have they?" Tanjiro's voice was as soft with her as he had been with Nezuko and the Pillars all looked shocked at the sight of emotion from one of Kagaya's children as the girl smiled up at him.

"No! No one's been mean to me! Thank you very much for stopping that last boy and for making sure I wasn't hurt." Kanata said and Tanjiro smiled softly as he gently patted her head, careful not to mess up her hair.

"Kanata-chan explain. What mean boy hurt you and why haven't I heard of this before?" Kagaya's voice was a lot sterner now and it had dropped a little bit in tone as well. Some boy had dared hurt one of his children?

"Yes Father. It was at the completion of the Final Exam, one of the survivors demanded a blade immediately and when onii-sama and I were telling them about the ranks and uniform he stormed up demanding a blade from us even as he grabbed my hair and manhandled me. The nice nii-san here stopped him and nearly broke the other boys arm until he released me, and then stayed back a little to make sure he wouldn't try anything again and even checked to make sure that I wasn't hurt and that my hair was fixed properly." Kanata reported to her father immediately and there was a sudden stifling pressure from her father. So one of his own 'children' had hurt one of his children? Which brat had dared?

"And the reason I never heard of this Kanata-chan? Kiriya-kun?" Kagaya asked and his voice was still calm but there was a certain tightness to it and his features now that had all of the Pillars paling and looking slightly afraid.

"We have to be strong and not care about such trivial matters as someones temper tantrum right Father? Since it had been handled I did not think it bore mentioning." Kanata said tilting her head to the slightest bit as she stared at her father curiously.

"Kanata-chan pointed that out to me and said that if it was important then surely the crow would have reported it to you." Kiriya said wondering if he had done something wrong by not telling his father.

"Hey, whether you think you shouldn't care or not…someone hurting you is very bad. So if it ever happens again then you should definitely tell your parents. Okay little princess?" Tanjiro asked softly as he looked seriously at Kanata who looked confused and curious.

"Do you tell your parents when you're hurt?" Kanata asked staring up at him and Tanjiro's eyes widened a little and then he smiled sadly and softly.

"I used to but I'm not so lucky as to have them anymore. But you still have your parents so if something is hurting you then you should tell them." Tanjiro said and Kanata tilted her head a little at him.

"Did a demon kill your parents?" Kanata asked bluntly and there was a small sharp intake of breath from Tanjiro.

"Kanata-chan that's very rude." Kagaya tried to scold his daughter for such an insensitive question.

"Yes little princess. A demon killed my mother and four of my younger siblings. My father however had died of illness from a frail body a few years before that." Tanjiro answered it anyways and all of the Pillars but Giyuu looked shocked to hear that information.

"But if demons killed your brothers and sisters then why do you travel with one? Why leave one alive when you surely hate demons?!" Shinobu asked staring at Tanjiro shocked and he looked at her confused.

"But I don't. I don't hate all demons, sure I hate the one who killed my family and turned Nezuko-chan into a demon but demons are just like humans. They're all different with different pasts and choices. Some didn't want to become demons, they just felt they had no other way and once they became demons then they could only do what they were told by Muzan-san or one of the Twelve Moons correct? If they didn't then they were killed. Most of them are just doing what they have to in order to live. Killing innocent humans, I will never abide by that or forgive them for that, but just trying their best to stay alive?" Tanjiro tilted his head at her now much like Kanata had done.

"How can I hate them for that when we're doing the exact same thing?" Tanjiro asked and all of the Pillars recoiled as if struck.

"Wh-What?! How dare you compare us to demons!?" Tanjiro wasn't sure which one of them said it but he blinked at them as if it were obvious.

"Demons kill and eat humans in order to survive. We kill and eat animals in order to survive. We are to animals what demons are to us. Besides we also kill demons to survive even though we don't eat them. The main difference between us and them isn't really the powers or anything like that, it's the fact that they go after innocent people whereas we do not." Tanjiro said as if it were obvious and the large blind man had lowered his hands for a moment as if in shock and then seemed to realize something as he bowed his head and uttered quiet prayers with his beads in hand.

"Ah I'm sorry. That was probably out of line for me to say. My apologies." Tanjiro said standing and bowing to them while they all just stared at him, each one with a look of shock on their faces.

"Pat my head." Kanata said staring up at Tanjiro who chuckled slightly while Kagaya almost choked a little at the unheard of request from his youngest.

"Only if you say please. You might be a little princess, but manners are good for everyone to use." Tanjiro said and Kanata puffed her cheeks slightly.

"Please pat my head!" Kanata said and Tanjiro smiled at her.

"Of course little princess." Tanjiro said and he pat and gently rubbed the top of her head and she leaned up into it with a small smile.

"You give good head pats. Father can I keep the nice Onii-san?" Kanata asked Kagaya really did choke on a small disbelieving laugh.

"No Kanata-chan. You can not keep Tanjiro-kun. In fact he should be going to Butterfly Mansion for rehabilitation and you should be leaving so that we can have the Pillar meeting." Kagaya said and Kanata took Tanjiro's hand in her own and nodded once.

"I'll take him to Butterfly Mansion Father. Come Onii-san, let's get you back in top shape so you can defeat the hated one." Kanata said as if she were a princess and he her loyal subject.

"Alright alright. I'm in your care little princess. Please guide me there safely." Tanjiro said but his voice was so fond and soft that the others, those with siblings younger than themselves at least, knew he was just playing along with her.

"I will." Kanata said determined and honestly it was the most emotion that Kagaya had ever heard from one of his children since they had learned to talk.

"I'll make sure no harm comes to her Kagaya-sama and as soon as we get to the wall I'll come up with a reason for her to stay here." Tanjiro promised the master of the house quietly as he passed near the man and the man nodded his head once to show he had heard.

"Come on Onii-san! Your injuries must be bad right? I'm sure you're in pain." Kanata asked as she tried to drag Tanjiro who played along and let himself be dragged by the child.

"Ah no not really. It doesn't hurt as much as fighting the former Moon with a broken rib and leg did." Tanjiro said trying to reassure the girl and instead causing multiple heads to snap his way.

There was a loud cry of 'What?!' from more than one Pillar behind him but Tanjiro didn't turn around and explain as he patiently and fondly let the little girl drag him to the edge of the property. He missed his younger siblings, especially when around children.

"You shouldn't be fighting if you've got broken bones. That's very dangerous." The girl was even scolding him for doing that and Tanjiro gave her another head pat which caused her to calm down.

"I know, I'm sorry. But I had to save another little girl and her brothers, the youngest couldn't have been much older than you are so I couldn't just not save them. Besides…it was a mission and my leg and rib were broken long before it but were taken care of. They just hurt a bit." Tanjiro said trying to assure and reassure the child while she nudged her head up into his hand a bit.

"Hmph. You better take care of yourself more! You're a big kid and old enough to marry! How can you take care of your future family when you can't take care of yourself?" Kanata said and Tanjiro just laughed kind of awkwardly, he wasn't going to be marrying or starting a family anytime soon after all.

Kids said the damnest things sometimes didn't they?

"Do you have a fiance?" Kanata was a very curious child it seemed as she dragged Tanjiro closer to the walls.

"No I don't. I'm busy trying to cure my little sister and return her to being a human so I haven't found a nice young lady to marry yet." Tanjiro said deciding it was a safe enough question.

"I see. Don't worry onii-san! I'll find you the perfect wife, and she'll be a Demon Slayer too so you don't have to keep secrets! A strong woman too! I'll get Mothers help." Kanata said with finality.

"Ah thank you little princess, but that's okay. I'm not going to marry for a while and I'd like to find someone on my own okay?"

Kanata would not take no for an answer. This onii-san was nice and cared about everyone else too much and not about himself.

Well she'd find the best wife for him who'd be strong enough to kick his behind and force him to take care of himself!