Pretty much Zenitsu being friend-zoned by Mao most of this chapter XD


Mao was currently in Zentisu's grasp as Tanjiro desperately tried to get her out of his grasp. He'd thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Why this happened? Well, Inosuke threatened to tell Tanjiro to ask her out unless he trained harder and his reward would be having Mao to himself for the day. So he went into Mao's room and threw her over his shoulder and now here we are. Poor girl just wanted to read. Her fiery friend watched in confusion so he turned to Tomioka.

"What happened?" He asked. "Inosuke bribed Zenitsu into training and now he won't put Mao down. I'd just arrived so I could take Mao to town for lunch." Kyojuro smiled. "Oh. Would you like to go with me instead?"

He asked. "That sounds nice, yes." He responded. "Inosuke! Help me get Mao!" He yelled.

Finally, after a couple more minutes of being chased, Zenitsu finally put her down. Mao sighed softly. "If you wanted to hang out with me, you could've just asked." She said. "Really?" She nodded. Zenitsu laughed excitedly.

"Well ah, i-if you want to, can we hang out today?" He asked. Mao nodded. "Of course!"


Mao gasped softly as they'd found a little hot spring in the middle of the Wisteria forest. "A hot spring!" Zenitsu exclaimed. "Wait, but you're a girl-" He said. Mao shrugged. "It's okay.

It's not the first time I've been undressed in front of someone." Zenitsu blushed as a thought came to his mind. So she's not a virgin. Wait- Why am I thinking like this? He asked himself, not noticing Mao starting to remove her kimono. "I really wish I'd brought a robe with me."

She said as she finished folding her clothes and slipped into the water. "Ah~ The water feels so nice~" She purred. Zenitsu blushed. Mao opened her eyes and looked at him. She tilted her head to the side.

"What's wrong? You don't like hot springs?" She asked. Zenitsu shook his head no rapidly. "No! No, I do. It's just that you're a girl, and I'm a boy-"

"Hm? Usually, a sight such as this would make you do it, yes?" Zenitsu's face reddened even more. "B-but I-" He stammered. "Then come on! I'm inviting you come join me Zenitsu-kun!"

Zenitsu quickly removed his clothes and slipped into the water. Mao smiled. "Doesn't this feel nice?" She asked as she rested her head on the smooth rock closing her eyes. "Y-yeah, but what about demons? The sun will go down soon and I don't have my sword with me." Mao sighed.

"You worry a lot." She said looking up at the wisteria watching how it glowed. "I don't see how demons can't love this, they're beautiful." She said and reached up to touch one. Zenitsu quickly grabbed her hand before she could. "D-don't touch it! Shinobu said they're poisonous to both demons and humans."

Mao rolled her eyes. "I'm not human though." Zenitsu rose a brow. "Then what are you?" He asked. Mao smiled and giggled. "I'll show you."

"Wh-" He was cut off when he saw large red wings sprout from her back making the water splash as she stretched them. They were twice her size, yet they were so beautiful. If he weren't so in love with the girl, he would've been horrified. Mao looked away a shy smile on her face as she fiddled with her necklace. "They're horrifying aren't they?" He shook his head.

"Not at all," He said surprising her. "Really?" He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. "They're just as beautiful as you." Mao blushed a little and giggled. "Aw~

You're so sweet! You're a great friend Zenitsu-kun." Zenitsu nodded. She's so clueless. But it's cute. He sighed accepting the fact that he would never get the girl to notice his feelings. "We should head back before they send a search party out for us."


Ever since then, Zenitsu and Mao would make that hot spring their secret hideout. They'd talk about various things Mao seemed to be new to a friendship, but she seemed to know something about it. He always thought it was cute how she chased deers and other animals around. The two had grown closer and yet Mao was no closer to notice his feelings. Right now, Mao was poking at the box while Tanjiro was training. "Nezuko-chan?" She called out.

She heard a muffled response. "I bet it's hot in there," She said. She heard a muffled response that sounded much like 'mhm'. Mao giggled. "Mao-san!" She heard Tanjiro yell.

He looked concerned. "Nezuko is supposed to be sleeping please don't disturb her." He said. "But she's not." Tanjiro huffed. "Because you woke her." Mao giggled and Tanjiro started to chase her.

Eventually, he tackled her to the ground and was now on top of her. Mao faked a pained grunt making him become worried. "A-are you okay? I didn't mean to hurt you-" He was cut off by the feeling of her kneeing him in the stomach then lifted him up with her knee and flipped him over onto his back. She rolled on top of him and grinned. "Lesson 1, never let your guard down even if your enemy is injured."

Tanjiro gasped for air. Mao tilted her head to the side. Is he hurt? Wait. He's trying to distract me. Quickly, she rolled off of him and jumped back a far distance. "What are you two doing?"

Shinobu asked. "I'm training Tanjiro-san why?" Shinobu's brows furrowed. "You're injured. He could possibly make it worse." Mao sighed. "Shinobu-san, trust me, I can train while injured.

My mother made me do it even if I went past my limit. I'm a tool for war, I'm supposed to be training not resting." Shinobu's eyes widened. Her mother? War tool? There's no way she's- She glanced at Mao. She could see the resemblance, her eyes were just as her sister described in the stories she told her.


She's the Battle Angel. Shinobu bowed. "I see." There's no reason for me not to worry, the poor girl was only 13 when she learned about how cruel her world was. "I'll be going then, be careful. Come back before sundown so I can change your bandages." Shinobu walked away and once she was inside she went into a vacant room.

She pulled a box from up under a desk and opened it seeing a book. She let the heavy book fall onto the table and blew the dust off of it. If she is the Battle Angel then her mental state must not be good. She's small than I thought. But I'll ignore it. I can be the only one to know what she is.


The two trained until sundown. Tanjiro was in lots of pain. For such a small girl, she was very strong. And fast. He can't even see her moving. He decided he would just stick with Rengoku's training. He thanked her and headed into the clinic to get some ointment for his pain.

Mao went inside to get her bandages changed. She knocked on Shinobu's study room. She heard shuffling. Probably looking for alcohol. "Come in!" She opened the door and sat on the medical bed. She started to remove her kimono so she could get her bandages changed.

Shinobu removed her current ones and wrapped new ones around her wound. Mao put her kimono back on and bowed gratefully and then left.


Mao found herself lying in bed unable to sleep. "I wonder how Muzan and the others are doing," She murmured. "No need." Mao gasped and sat up seeing Muzan. "Muzan-san—" She was interrupted by Muzan.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice laced with concern and uncertainty. This was the first time he'd cared for someone. "I'm feeling somewhat better. It still hurts though." Muzan nodded. "I see you've made friends with the hanafuda boy."

Mao tensed up. "Forgive me. I won't talk to him if that satisfies you—"

"No, no. I'm glad you're meeting people. As long as they don't harm you, it's okay with me." Mao looked down. "Thank you Muzan-san." She said. "You can call me father if you'd like."

Mao played with the sleeves of her kimono. "O-Okay father." She said. Muzan gave her a soft smile and stood up. Mao flinched seeing his hand going towards her. She prepared herself for the hit when suddenly he was patting her head. It was soothing.

Her mother had never done this. Soon he removed his hand. "I have to go now. I'll send someone to check on you every few days." Mao nodded. "Goodbye, please stay safe." She said and Muzan disappeared.

Mao sighed and laid down turning to the other empty medical beds. Mao closed her eyes and eventually fell asleep.


"Morning Mao!" Mao awoke to see Zenitsu and Tanjiro staring at her. She yelped and nearly fell out of the bed, only to be caught by Tomioka. Why are all of these boys in my room? What did I do wrong? She asked herself. "Ah, um.

W-why are you all in here?" Tanjiro beamed at the question. "There's a firework festival tonight. We were going to ask you when you woke up, but I ended up being dragged in here." Tomioka said. Mao tilted her head to the side. "What's a festival?

And what are fireworks?" She asked. "Fireworks are these beautiful sparks in the sky. They're very loud. A festival is a celebration or like a gathering for people to have fun at!" Tanjiro said. Mao peeked at the box on the empty medical bed.

"Will Nezuko-chan be able to see them too?" She asked. Tanjiro looked at the box and then at Mao. "Of course. The other Hashira will be there too!" Mao smiled. "That sounds lovely."

She turned to Tomioka. "Would you like to go eat in town again?" Tomioka nodded. "We'd have to go somewhere where it'd be just us then. Uzui-san and Obanai-san might be lurking around." He said. "Then let's go."


Mao sat on a bench beside Tomioka as they ate in silence. Mao glanced at his haori. She'd never seen one like that before. It was unique and beautiful. "Ne, Tomioka-san?" She called out to the man who was slurping his noodles beside her. "Hm?"

He hummed. "Do you mind if I ask about your haori? U-unless it's a sensitive topic to talk about you don't have to answer—"

"It's fine. Ask away." He said. "Ah then, is the red half from someone special? Back home someone wears red when someone special has confessed their affection to them or has given them a gift." She asked. Tomioka sat his bowl on the bench and nodded.

"..It's from my dead sister, Tsutako." Mao looked down her ears drooping guiltily. "I'm sorry for asking." She apologized. "It's fine. The other half is from my friend who also died, Sabito." Mao gripped her kimono.


He's lucky he had people that cared about him. I can barely remember Neru. I have nothing to remember him by. She thought. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." She apologized, tears coming to her eyes.

"No need to be upset. It's my fault for not being strong enough." Mao stood up in front of him and grabbed his hands. "I'm sure they're proud of how far you've come. You're so strong. You're amazing Tomioka-san! I know they're proud of you.

There was nothing you could have done back then. You have so much talent!" Tomioka's eyes widened seeing the tears stream down her face. Her eyes shone with something. Envy. She wishes she had people to care about her. Praise her for what she'd done.

But she knew deep down, nobody would praise a monster. The smile on her face was trembling. "Meanwhile I.. I'm a monster." A monster? He thought. "I've killed so many.

Just for my mother. I was my mother's puppet." What parent does that to their child? "I knew I was wrong. But I just wanted her to love me. Instead she.. She ran from me!"


Ran from her? "I'm a monster. So please, don't take anything for granted. Please Tomioka-san." She pleaded. "Mao—" Mao soon dropped to her knees crying.

Her sobs sounded so broken. She was so broken. She shouldn't have endured all that pain and suffering in her childhood. Tomioka got off the bench and sat on the ground, pulling her into his lap. He gently rubbed her head. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault.

You didn't know." He whispered. Tomioka didn't know how long she cried but she fell asleep in his arms. "I'll just take her back to the estate." He said picking her up and jumping into the air.


Tomioka had to end up laying on her bed since she clung to his haori for dear life. Mao awoke a little later rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Mao yawned softly and sat up not seeming to realize that she'd fallen asleep on him. Tomioka looked at her and patted her head. Mao leaned into his touch her ears drooping. She's so cute. He thought.

He soon removed his hand allowing it to lay beside him. "Sorry for falling asleep on you." She apologized. "You say sorry a lot." He blurted out. Mao's eyes widened a little. "Oh.

Sorry- I mean Sorry- I- I mean I—" Tomioka chuckled. Mao blushed a little hearing his laugh. His voice was enchanting.

"Don't worry about it. It just must be a habit." Mao nodded. "I think so." She said. "Ah, the festival is starting soon. We have to go." Mao tilted her head to the side.

"Festival? When did we say we were going to a-" Then she came to a realization. "Oh."

"Oh." Tomioka rolled his eyes and snorted. "Oh shoot! We have to go!" She said slipping off the bed and nearly tripping. Tomioka followed her as she ran out of the room but he walked. "Come on!

You can't be moving slow!" She yelled. "The town is close by don't worry." He said. "Still, we have to go!"

This was going to be quite a walk.


Keno secrets

- Tomioka enjoys talking to Mao

- Mao has a small crush on Tomioka

- Muzan adores Mao in a fatherly way

- Muzan wants to hug the small girl

- Zenitsu is sad that Mao keeps him in the friend zone

- Nezuko has a little crush on Mao

- Tanjiro wants to cuddle the small girl

- Shinobu wants to befriend the girl

I'm so sorry this took so long to get out- I lowkey forgot about this chapter