December 1928

Okutama, Japan

"Thank you for the charcoal!"

"No problem," a redhaired-man of about twenty-eight-years called to the townsfolk of Okutama who were seeing him off back up Mount Kumotori from selling charcoal. Going back at least four centuries the Kamado family lived on the mountain where they made and sold charcoal to those living in Okutama. However, about sixteen-years-ago, the Kamado family was nearly wiped out.

The only survivors of the massacre were the two eldest children and a friend who was about the same age as the second-eldest Kamado child. Over three-years-later, the three finally returned to Mount Kumotori along with a friend. Eventually, life returned as normal, however the eldest of the Kamado children unfortunately suffered an injury to his left arm and left eye that crippled him.

Well, to some degree, since Tanjirō Kamado was now mostly unable to make and sell charcoal.

Today, at least, Naruto Uzumaki had made the trip down the mountain in order to sell charcoal to the townsfolk of Okutama. Usually either Naruto or his wife Nezuko performed this task, the pair having married at the end of the Taisho Era, but occasionally Kanao Kamado would do it instead.

Like Tanjirō and Naruto, Kanao had been a Demon Slayer back in the day. Originally she stayed back home at the Butterfly Mansion when the Corps were disbanded and everyone went home, however several-years-ago she came to Mount Kumotori to be with Tanjirō, later marrying him.

The friend who had originally accompanied the Kamado siblings and Naruto to Mount Kumotori almost fourteen-years-ago was a boy named Inosuke Hashibira who usually wore a boar mask and was the very definition of a feral-child. It was around the time that Kanao came that Inosuke left to go be with Aoi Kanzaki, another former-Demon Slayer who lived at the Butterfly Mansion.

Anyways, it was late-afternoon, almost evening, when Naruto began making his way back up to the Kamado-Uzumaki residence (formerly just known as the Kamado residence before Nezuko and Naruto got married). It was almost reminiscent of Tanjirō's return trip up Mount Kumotori all those years ago. What made it even more so was that it was December 28, Nezuko's birthday.

Although in Japan birthdays were celebrated on New Year's Day rather than on the actual day a person was born, Naruto wanted to do something special for his wife. After selling charcoal, the Uzumaki bought some food with which to make her a nice birthday dinner as well as some gifts like a new kimono. The last time that Nezuko had gotten a new kimono was several-years-ago.

Soon enough the sun began to sit in the west and it would be dark soon. Thirteen-years-ago and even before it was dangerous being out at night. But that was before Muzan Kibutsuji was killed.

It had been years since Naruto thought about the demons and the Demon Slayer Corps, not that he was thinking about either anyways at the moment. Times were peaceful on Mount Kumotori.

Eventually, as Naruto approached the house, he was greeted by two very young children.

"Dad, you're back," cheered a three-year-old girl with maroon-hair and dark-pink eyes.

"Hey, Uncle Naru," called a four-year-old boy with black-hair and dark-red eyes.

"Koharu, Hikari," Naruto said as he knelt down to greet the children. "How was your day?"

"It was really great," Koharu Uzumaki, the daughter of Nezuko and Naruto, told her father.

"Yeah, Auntie Nezuko took us up the mountain to get wild veggies," Hikari Kamado, the son of Tanjirō and Kanao added happily. Hikari turned around and pointed. "Oh, here's Auntie Nezuko!"

"Naruto," Nezuko said warmly as her husband stood up and stepped towards her.

"Happy Birthday, Nezuko," Naruto said as he hugged his wife, sharing a kiss with her.

"Thank you," Nezuko replied when they broke the kiss. "Why don't you come inside?"

"Sounds good," Naruto agreed. "I got some stuff in town to make you a really nice dinner."

"Oh, that's lovely," Nezuko said as she and Naruto headed back inside, joined by their daughter and nephew. Inside was the Kamado couple, Tanjirō and Kanao, who Hikari ran happily over to.

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Naru's back," Hikari exclaimed to his parents, pointing to Naruto.

"I know, I can see him," Kanao chuckled as her son climbed up into her lap.

"It kinda reminds me of when I was younger," Tanjirō remarked.

"Guess so," Naruto laughed. "But I don't mean to intrude on that."

"No, it's fine," Tanjirō assured his brother-in-law.

What the boys, now young men, were referring to was back in the day when the Kamado relied on Tanjirō a lot after Tanjurō Kamado...Tanjirō and Nezuko's father...died. That'd been years ago.

"Alright, why don't we make dinner," Nezuko suggested.

"I thought I was going to make you a nice birthday dinner," Naruto replied.

"And dinner for the rest of us," Koharu asked her father just to make sure.

"Of course, Koharu," Naruto assured his daughter, who smiled brightly.

"Just because it's my birthday dinner doesn't mean I can't help," Nezuko replied.

While the Uzumaki couple made dinner, their second child woke up from his nap and came out to hang out with the others, a one-year-old named Arashi Uzumaki. The boy was the reverse of his sister, having black-hair and grayish-violet eyes. Speaking of second children, Kanao was at the moment pregnant with her and Tanjirō's second child, her due date being some time in April.

Once dinner was ready, the family of seven sat down at the table together for dinner. Afterwards, Naruto gave Nezuko her presents that he had gotten her, Tanjirō and Kanao having gotten gifts for the young woman as well. The children played while the adults talked and eventually they all went to bed, the Uzumaki family sleeping in one of the bedrooms and the Kamado in the other.

"I know I've said this a lot before, Nezuko," Naruto said as they laid down to sleep, Koharu lying down in her own bed nearby while Arashi slept with his parents since he was too young to sleep by himself and also he still needed to breastfeed. "But, ya'know, I'm really glad that I met you."

"I don't mind hearing it," Nezuko said, kissing her husband. "And I'm glad I met you, too."

Arashi made some adorable sounds in his sleep, reminiscent of the adorable sounds his mother would make back when she was a demon, which caused his parents to softly chuckle. Nezuko and Naruto were eventually overcome by sleep and they drifted off with Arashi in between them.