A/N: This took longer than I thought to write. I honestly tried to stick to a schedule, but college decided to take much more of my time than I expected. That and I started writing another AU that will hopefully be posted later this month. If not, definitely by next month. Anyhow, I will try to update faster next time, but I can't make any promises. The end of the semester usually means a lot more projects and papers to finish. As always, a huge thank you to all my readers. I don't know how I would have found the motivation to finish this chapter if it had not been for everyone's favorites, follows, and comments.

shahmeeralikhokhar: Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Qween of Troll: Aww thank you!

Morskijez: Oh yes, his self-esteem really has been hurt, but having Tanjiro and Nezuko by his side earlier than in canon has really helped him, especially concerning everything that has happened to him. And thank you! Fight scenes are always hard for me to write. And Nezuko's pov was fun to write. I was really excited to explore her thoughts and feelings of Zenitsu.

hpnarutadsjedipirate1234: Thank you and I'm sure everyone is wondering about that. It's a scene I'm looking forward to writing.

Coco: Aww thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Soomin41: Aww thank you! Actually, another reason why Zenitsu did not do the finishing blow was that his body was completely exhausted. It took all of his energy to even try to perform Thunderclap and Flash. Factoring that with his current low self-esteem, Zenitsu just wasn't in the right mindset to be the strong swordsman he usually dreams he could be.

Avertus: Your questions will be answered in this chapter and so do I. It will take a lot of convincing on Tanjiro's part to defend not only Nezuko but Zenitsu as well from the Pillars. And maybe? But between himself and Nezuko, Zenitsu will definitely beg for mercy for her.

Chapter 4

"Zenitsu! Get over here!"

"No! There's no way I want to touch it! Once I do, it means I have to leave, right? I don't want to leave Gramps stuck with that sword! How will I find a girl to marry me if they see me carrying that sword with me all the time?!"

Zenitsu watched as his grandfather narrowed his eyes and turned towards the confused swordsmith sitting in front of him to apologize. The three were currently sitting in one of Gramp's formal rooms in his house. Although, Zenitsu had jumped and scrambled to the corner of the room at the mere mention of his sword. It was a week after passing the Final Selection and the old swordsmith had come to deliver Zenitsu's sword to him. He was a short man in stature with gray hair fastened in a bun and wore a Hyottoko mask over his face. Upon meeting him, Zenitsu had screamed in fright over his appearance, even calling him a monster to his face. Gramps had immediately slapped Zenitsu on the head for his action and quickly apologized to the swordsmith who happened to be an old friend of his. Of course, the swordsmith readily accepted the apology, but Zenitsu knew he had made a bad first impression. If the old man did not have any ill thoughts about Zenitsu, there was no doubt in Zenitsu's mind he did now.

Even so, the man was still respectful while talking to Gramps and him. Once he truly listened to the man's heartbeat, Zentusu could tell he was overly excited to hand over his sword to him. It meant that giving a sword- no his craftwork to demon slayers was everything to him. But there was no way Zenitsu wanted to touch that sword, even if it would make the swordsmith unbelievably happy and please Gramps. Taking the sword meant he would have to start his demon slayer assignments and leave the comfort and safety of Gramps estate.

"Gah, just get over here boy!"

And before Zentusu could even rebut to Gramp's order, Gramps moved over towards him and whack him hard on the head with his wooden cane. Zenitsu howled in pain as he rubbed his aching head for a second time that day, but he had no time to run because his grandfather swiftly took him by the ear and pulled him over, as harsh and brutal as ever.

"Oww! Gramps! Are you trying to kill me?! My ear is ringing! It's RINGING! I'll go deaf in my ear if you keep pulling it! Have mercy on me, Gramps!"

Zenitsu watched as his Gramps simply rolled his eyes and hauled Zenitsu over to the small table where the blacksmith was still sitting at. Zenitsu barely caught himself from hitting the table and with tears in his eyes, he looked back up at Gramps to beg some more, but one look from Gramps's sharp eyes was all it took for him to keep his mouth shut. There was no way he was going to get out of this.

"Ah, well then, if we can proceed…" the blacksmith said, after seeing Zenitsu finally accepting his fate.

The swordsmith reached over to the black bundle by his feet and unwrapped it, pulling out a sword secured in its scabbard.

"Zenitsu, I have brought you your Nichirin blade. I rarely bring blades to new owners, but upon hearing from Jigoro about you in his letters, I insisted on forging this blade. This blade here will change color to match your inner self. Please take it."

And with gentleness for his beloved craft, the swordsmith carefully handed Zenitsu's blade over to him. Zenitsu quietly studied the blade in his hands, wide-eyed and slightly shaken. Nichirin blades were swords that changed color based on the individual that wielded it, which meant the sword in his hands would surely change for him. Although he didn't like the idea of using this sword, Zenitsu was curious. He wanted to see what color would appear for him. Actually, Gramps's sword had been yellow now that he thought about it. Not a bright yellow, but dark enough that it resembled the color of lighting in a booming thunderstorm. Would it be the same for him?

With that thought in mind, Zenitsu took a deep breath and unsheathed his sword, taking in the sight of it as he held it out in the air. It was a beautiful sword, a blade that had obviously been made with all the love and dedication of a craftsman. And it didn't seem too heavy in Zenitsu's hand. All the swords Gramps had for him to use during training sessions and for the Final Selection had a certain weight to them that did not fit exactly right in Zenitsu's hand, but this one didn't. In fact, it was light in his hands. It felt like the sword was purely made for him and only him.

That was when color began to appear on the blade.

Tiny yellow cracks began to appear at the base of the hilt, quickly spreading towards the tip of the blade. Zenitsu almost threw his sword at the sight of the cracks, but he soon found himself mesmerized by them. It was breathtaking. The sword had been beautiful without the color, but with the yellow cracks, it now felt even more complete.

This was his sword.

Zenitsu heard a chuckle from his left and looked towards his grandfather, who had his lips curved upward with a pleased expression. Zenitsu felt his awe immediately washed away at the sound of his Gramps's delight vibrating against his ears. Gramps was obviously happy at the color of his sword.

"Ahh, why I've never seen a sword change like that for a person before." The swordsmith suddenly piped up, leaning forward to inspect Zenitsu's sword. Even though he wore a mask, Zenitsu could tell that the swordsmith was excited and pleased. The sound that only belonged to him of clinking metal was clinking faster. The swordsmith was surely smiling underneath his mask.

"Zenitsu, thank you for allowing me to witness such a blade. I have never seen a yellow blade quite like yours. In all of my years of creating blades for new owners, your blade alone has far exceeded my expectations."

The old man turned and nodded slightly at Gramps. "You were right for me to come, Jigoro. This young one will make a fine swordsman."

"Of course," Gramps finally spoke, with a slight chuckle. "This boy will past my expectations. He is a demon slayer now."

Zenitsu flinched at Gramps response and this time, he really did drop his sword, ignoring the swordsmith's yelp of surprise at the sudden carelessness of the sword. He didn't care anymore about the beauty of his sword. No, what his mind was thinking about was Gramp's words. He tried to deny it. Even after passing the Final Selection, he kept denying this fact. But now that he had his sword, there was no more ignoring it.

He really was a demon slayer now.

Zenitsu stayed silent after that. Even when he was reprimanded by the old swordsmith for dropping his sword so carelessly and chided by Gramps during dinner. He only stayed silent and listened to the world around him, thinking about anything that could convince his Gramps to let him stay.

After a few days of endless sulking and spending time training (which never ends according to Gramps), Zenitsu's crow finally gave him his first assignment. He was to head to a nearby town and kill a demon that had been terrorizing the small village. With a heavy heart, Zenitsu changed into the Demon Slayer uniform that had been given to him along with the yellow haori he had received from Gramps as a gift. It wasn't until Zenitsu stood at the entrance of Gramps estate in front of the dirt paved road that led to the mountains that he felt tears begin to fall down his cheeks. He knew he was emotional, but this really sucked. It hurt that he had to leave. He continuously begged to Gramps to let him stay, but Gramps denied every complaint with no hesitance, but Zenitsu could hear the sorrow in his voice. Gramps was sad to see another of his children leave.

"Zenitsu."

Zenitsu flinched and turned towards Gramps who stood behind him. The older man walked forward and enveloped Zenitsu into a tight hug. Zenitsu couldn't help but sniffle and returned the gesture, bringing his ears closer to Gramp's chest. Even though his Gramps always trained him till he was dead tired and scolded him and whacked him with his cane whenever he tried to escape, it was still his Gramps. And he was going to miss the comfort of his sound. It offered love, protection and worry for him, things he never received from anyone as a child. Since taking him in, Gramps had cared for him and never abandoned him even once when all others did. Gramps sound was home for him and now he was going to leave it behind for who knows how long.

"Gramps," Zenitsu muttered, barely able to keep his crying in control. "I want to stay you with you! What if I die on a mission? What if I'm eaten by a demon?! I'm not strong enough like you say! I'm incredibly weak and a mess! A demon will surely take advantage of my weakness and-"

"Zenitsu," Gramps interrupted, his voice thick with sorrow. "Write to me."

"Ehh?" Zenitsu questioned in confusion.

Zenitsu felt Gramp's moved back as the older man dropped his wooden cane and placed his hands onto Zenitsy's shoulders. They were calloused, but they were so warm and kind. They were the hands of someone that had spent so long caring for him.

"You heard me, boy," Gramps said, gripping tighter onto Zenitsu's shoulders. "It's bad enough that Kaigaku doesn't do it. I don't need you doing the same."

"B-but what happens if I don't?"

"Then that will let me know that something has happened and I will look for you."

Zebitsu sniffled, quietly contemplating Gramps words and slowly nodded. "Okay, I'll write to you then, Gramps. After my first mission, I'll write you the longest letter! And I'll look for a girl to marry too in the meanwhile! That way, you can help plan my wedding and give us your blessing."

Gramps rolled his eyes, but Zenitsu caught the subtle glimpse of amusement. Zenitsu was definitely going to miss his Gramps. He was the only one who listened to his dreams of getting married to a strong and beautiful girl without reprimanding him for it.

"Now git going," Gramps said, pushing the boy forward.

And feeling better than ever thanks to his Gramps, Zenitsu walked forward down the dirt path, ignoring the call of his crow to pick up his pace. Part of him wished he could turn around and beg Gramps to let him stay, but he knew his Gramps would swiftly kick him out without any regret. Still, it was okay. He was going to keep his promise to Gramps. By tomorrow's sunset, he'll have that letter sent to Gramps to read.

After all, he promised.

Slowly, Zenitsy opened his eyes, finding himself staring at a dark brown wooden ceiling. He blinked, as the familiar feeling of watery tears pouring from his eyes flowed down his cheeks. He sniffled as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

Ah, I never wrote that letter to Gramps.

Zenitsu had promised and he broke it. He didn't do the one thing Gramps had asked him to do. Granted, his crow was dead and there was not another one around that would know where Gramps lived, but Zenitsu knew he should have tried harder. He should have despite his wallowing guilt of what he had become.

Gramps honestly didn't deserve a successor like him.

"Zenitsu!"

Zenitsu blinked, feeling something warm clasped onto his hand. They were rough and calloused, but so warm and comforting, just like the hands that belonged to his Gramps. As he allowed himself to listen to the world around him, Zenitsu realized who the calloused hands belonged to- a boy with a gentle sound of wind chimes.

"Tanjiro?" Zenitsu asked, turning towards the boy, who worriedly stared down at him. At the sound of Zenitsu calling his name, Tanjiro's worried frown immediately curved upward. Tanjiro leaned forward, his eyes twinkling as he spoke once more.

"Zenitsu, are you okay? Tamayo-san said you would be fine, but I was so worried when I saw that you were hurt. I didn't know what to do."

Zenitsu blinked owlishly. He had been hurt? But everything seemed fine now. Maybe Tanjiro had been hallucinating. Surely, fighting demons would make anyone see things that were not there.

"Where am I?" Zenitsu decided to ask, pushing himself up from the bed he was lying in, despite Tanjiro's immediate protest. He really was fine. Maybe a bit dazed, but not as hurt as Tanjiro made it seem.

"In one of the spare rooms under Tamayo-san's basement," Tanjiro answered as he still tried to get Zenitsu to lay back. "Yushiro-san brought you here after the Temari demon was defeated. Tamayo-san treated you before I could see you. She's with Nezuko right now."

"Treated me? What for?" Zenitsu asked, his eyebrows curving upward questionably.

"Y-you don't remember?"

Zenitsu shook his head. Yeah, he remembered the demon attacking them after Tamayo's revelation of the possibility of a cure, but he couldn't remember anything past that. Did something happen to him?

As Zenitsu pondered over this, a knock from the door echoed throughout the room. Both boys looked up just as the door opened with Tamayo entering the room alone without Yushiro by her side. The demon doctor smiled upon setting her sights on the boys and walked forward to them.

"I'm glad to see you are awake, Zenitsu-san." Tamayo kindly said before switching her gaze to Tanjiro. "Tanjiro-san, can you help Yushiro? Your sister has been helpful, but I'm afraid it's getting to Yushiro. I'll look after Zenitsu-san for you."

Tanjiro seemed like he wanted to deny, but one glimpse at Zenitsu made him decide to accept. Zenitsu wondered if it was because Tanjiro finally caught on to the fact that he was fine and not injured.

"Of course! Thank you Tamayo-san."

And with a polite nod, Tanjiro left the room leaving Zenitsu and Tamayo alone. Zenitsu had noticed that as soon as Tanjiro had left, Tamayo's smile had shifted into a frown. Quietly, the demon doctor sat on the stool Tanjiro had been using and fixated her gaze onto Zenitsu, inspecting him.

"Zenitsu-san," Tamayo asked finally after a moment of silence. "How are you feeling?"

"Um, fine?" Zenitsu answered confused over Tamayo's question. Sure, he was a bit sore, but he was feeling okay. In fact, he had never felt so refreshed and energized than in a long time. And for once, he was not feeling the gnawing hunger that had long since plagued his stomach. Did something happen to him?

"I see…" Tamayo answered. She reached over and placed her hand on the side of Zenitsu's head and gently turned his head to the side as if she was inspecting it for an injury.

"It seems that you have healed fully now. I was worried after giving you the medicine I created how your body would react to it. You have gone a substantial amount of time without consuming human blood, but it seems that you are fine now."

"Wait, medicine?" Zenitsu asked as he felt Tamayo take her hand off of him. He turned and looked at her now more confused than ever. "What medicine? No wait- You gave me medicine?! Did something happen to me?!"

"Zenitsu-san," Tamayo said kindly. "You were hit by a Temari ball during the attack from Kibutsuji's followers. It crushed part of your head. You collapsed when you realized what had happened to you."

Zenitsu tried to trace his thoughts back to the event Tamayo described, but all he could remember was dark spots. There was the feeling of terror though. Even so, he knew Tamayo was not lying. If Zenitsu could not remember, then it must have been just too traumatizing for him to recall, which Zenitsu was fine with. He did not want to imagine that kind of scene.

Still, that begged the question: why did he have to take medicine from Tamayo?

"Why did you give me medicine?! It didn't do anything bad to me, right?! I mean I completely trust you and know you wouldn't try to poison me, but I hate medicine! I really hope it didn't do anything weird to me."

Beyond his stammering, Zenitus could see Tamayo faintly smiling. She placed her delicate hand onto Zenitsu's hand, which promptly made him shut up.

"Zenitsu-san," She said as her smile curved downward to a concerned frown. "You were not healing. By the time the fight was over, your wound was still severe. I think your body was not healing because you never consumed human blood even after your transformation into a demon. For us, human blood gives us nourishment to aid us when we are severely injured as well as sedate our hunger. I was worried that you wouldn't accept the medicine since it's created from a portion of human blood, but you were unconscious and would have lost even more blood if I had not intervened."

"Oh…" Zenitsu muttered, looking down at his trembling hands. So that's why he was feeling better than ever. He had been given human blood.

Part of Zenitsu was disgusted at that fact, but he wasn't mad at Tamayo for it. In fact, he was grateful for what she did to help him, but that couldn't stop the self-hatred he had for himself. He never wanted to consume anything remotely close to humans, even if it was mixed in with medicine. He wanted to be strong for Gramps and Tanjiro. Even though he was a demon, he wanted to prove that he still had his humanity still, but in the end, he was still a demon. Because of his mistake of getting injured in the battle, he had to be given blood.

In the end, he had failed.

But those thoughts were forgotten when he felt a warm hand take his own.

"Zenitsu-san," He heard Tamayo said as he sniffled (wait, he was crying?). "This doesn't change who you are. Even if you have to consume human blood, it will never change the thoughts of those that care about you."

Before Zenitsu could respond, Tamayo pointed to Zenitsu's chest.

"You may be a demon," Tamayo said kindly as her gentle voice caressed Zenitsu's ears. "but you are still just as human in here."

And the dam Zenitsu had held back in finally burst. He sobbed uncontrollably, burying his head to the blankets around his body as he heaved. The weight in his chest was just too much to hold back in, not with the wave of emotion ringing in his head. He didn't care that he was sobbing in front of Tamayo, who still held onto his hand. He didn't even care if Tanjiro could smell his never-ending sadness with his nose from somewhere inside the building. He just wanted to let it all out.

Finally, after an hour of what seemed like endless crying, Zenitsu blinked away the last of the briny tears from his eyes and wiped away the wet tracks on his face as well as the snot that streaked from his nostrils. For a man hunting demon, he was pretty pathetic in regarding how ugly he looked when he cried. Kaigaku used to make fun of him for that, but no matter how much of a mess he knew he looked, Tamayo made no comment about it and instead rubbed his back soothingly, providing him a sense of comfort. Her sound was also interesting to listen to. Unlike humans, demons had sounds that vibrated with a pitch that was not hard to shudder in discomfort in, but Tamayo's sound was tranquil despite carrying that pitch. Sure, there was boiling anger hidden in her sound, but it was never directed at him. There was only kindness and worry. Zenitsu wondered if Tamayo carried this sound because of her status as a doctor. Surely, a doctor would need to be kind towards their patients.

After several minutes of getting his bearings, Zenitsu allowed Tamayo to help him out of the bed and lead him to his companions. They found Tanjiro and Nezuko helping Yushiro pack various medicine equipment into small boxes. Zenitsu stared at the two, his lips slowly curving upwards into a contempt smile. He was happy to see the two were alright and well not gravely injured as he had been. Although, he could not help but want to march over to Tanjiro and force the boy to stop what he was doing and make him rest. Tanjiro's leg and ribs had some fractures. It was not difficult to figure that out from Tanjiro's labored breathing. It was even a miracle that Tanjiro was still up and helping Yushiro. Tanjiro was surely in excruciating pain.

"Zenitsu!"

Zenitsu barely had any time to brace himself for the impact of the hug that came from the red-haired boy that had immediately stopped what he was doing and leaped up to run towards the other. Before he could even blink, Zenitsu found Nezuko by his side as well, gently patting his head as she wrapped her arms around him and Tanjiro. Zenitsu desperately wanted the two to let him go so he could apologize to them, but he could hear it- their unconditional love. Zenitsu was at the mercy of their kindness and love for him.

"A-are you okay?" Zenitsu heard Tanjiro as the two siblings finally let go of him (although they still held onto his hands).

"I- I know I shouldn't pry, but I could smell your sadness." The red-haired boy said with nervousness in his voice. Did Tanjiro really think that Zenitsu would be mad that he could tell that he had been crying?

Although, thinking about it, Zenitsu was sure Tanjiro was just feeling guilty along with Nezuko that they were not there to comfort him when he broke down and needed them most.

"I'm fine," Zenitsu spoke with reassurance in his voice. "Tamayo-san helped me. I… I just needed to think some things over."

Tanjiro nodded, satisfied with his answer and with Nezuko, gently guided Zenitsu over to Yushiro. Yushiro seemed irritated more than ever with him (Zenitsu had the sinking suspension it was because Tamayo had told him to stay while she treated him), but Yushiro was still as polite as possible with him. Zenitsu ended up finding himself helping Tanjiro and the others finish the packing. With a quick explanation from Tamayo, Zenitsu found out that she and Yushiro could no longer stay anymore. Now that Muzan knew their location, it wouldn't be too long till he sent more demons after them. Tamayo was a wanted criminal and Yushiro would be killed for siding with her. The two had to leave and go into hiding or their lives would be in great danger.

Which is why Zenitsu did his best to help. Now that he had the energy, he found that he could easily complete the task without feeling like he could collapse from exhaustion at any second. He even tried to help Tanjiro do his part, secretly making sure the other was not straining himself. Tanjiro was the type of person to shoulder all the pain without letting anyone know how he truly felt. Zenitsu made sure to make a mental note to lecture Tanjiro about it later, but for now, he would help him. As his friend, it was not fair for Tanjiro to shoulder everything by himself.

After making sure everything was packed and put away for transport, Zenitsu and the others were ready to leave, but before they could Tamayo had some things to give to them or more specifically, to Zenitsu.

"A bird?" Zenitsu asked with confusion as he stood by Tanjiro's side. Nezuko had long since returned to her box and was soundly asleep. Zenitsu was positive that she had only kept herself awake for his and her brother's sake.

Tamayo nodded as Yushiro entered the room with a small birdcage in his hand. He opened it and took out a small sparrow, handing it to Tamayo.

"This is not just a sparrow Zenitsu-san. She is special. She was a gift given to me by a friend long ago. She is considered to be one of the Kasugai Crows you use. She'll help with communication between us as well as deliver vials of blood to you and back to me."

"Oh…" Zenitsu said slowly. He silently turned towards Tanjiro hoping that the other boy was not disgusted at this revelation, but he was relieved to find out that he was not. In fact, the red-haired boy seemed happy, as if he knew that Zenitsu had to take the blood for his own good. Zenitsu wondered if Tamayo had spoken to him before she treated him. It was nice to see that nothing had changed between them.

"Thank you," Zenitsu decided to say with a nod of gratitude as he looked back to Tamayo. Tamayo smiled in approval and gently coaxed the sparrow to go to Zenitsu. The sparrow almost looked annoyed that it was going to depart from Tamayo's side, but it still flew to Zenitsu's covered head at Tamayo's plea, landing firmly on top of it. It shifted from side to side before finding the spot it seemed to like. Zenitsu had a guess that was where the sparrow was going to enjoy staying on for the rest of the journey.

"Her name is Ukogi," Tamayo explained. "However, she doesn't mind if you call her something else."

Zenitsu nodded as a single name echoed in his head. He'll tell it to the sparrow later to see if she'll like it, but for now, he'll let her relax happily on his head. He was scared at the idea the sparrow would violently peck him if he said something wrong. That was what his old crow used to do.

After receiving a few vials of blood from Tamayo, Zenitsu and Tanjiro bid their goodbyes with the promise of staying in contact and left for the road again. Tanjiro's annoying crow met them at the edge of the city and gave them their next order with no explanation of what kind of demon they would be facing. No, all the crow did was screech the direction they had to travel to. Zenitsu was close to grabbing the annoying crow to make it shut up for both his and Tanjiro's ear's sake, but he knew the crow could easily dodge any attempt he made with ease. Even so, that didn't stop Zenitsu from eyeing the crow under his mask with irritation. Were all Kasugai Crows loud and annoying?

Still, despite the crow's screeching, Zenitsu had to admit it was peaceful, walking with Tanjiro and Nezuko again. Of course, it wouldn't last as soon as they made it their destination, but Zenitsu was contempt with it.

He just hoped that whatever demon they had to face for their next assignment was not as dangerous as the ones they had faced earlier.

He could only handle so much fear of dying in such a short time frame.

Omake

Tanjiro stared at the shut door in front of him, barely being able to keep his breathing under control. Despite the unbearable pain in both his leg and chest, he desperately wanted to be inside by Zenitsu's side. Seeing Zenitsu unconscious and severely injured made his heart tinged at the guilt of not being able to protect his friend. Tanjiro had promised to Zenitsu that he would protect him and yet he didn't. He was too late to protect his friend.

Before he could even crawl over to Zenitsu's side, Yushiro had promptly moved towards him and shoved a handkerchief to his face, ordering him to hold it and not breathe in Tamayo's scent. Her blood demon art technique was harmful to humans. Still, that didn't stop Tanjiro from trying to still move to Zenitsu. Seeing his worry, Tamayo reassured to Tanjiro that she would help Zenitsu as well as treat Nezuko, who had breathed in much of her scent. Tanjiro completely trusted Tamayo, which was why he did not argue and instead watched Yushiro carry Zenitsu inside with Tamayo supporting Nezuko. He stared at their retreating forms and turned back to what was left of the Temari demon with a sullen expression.

Even if she had hurt Zenitsu and many others before her, no one deserved the kind of death the Temari demon experienced at the hands of Kibutsuji. It was heartbreaking to hear her childish voice calling for her ball, knowing that she had been manipulated for Kibutsuji's own personal gains.

As the sun in the sky began to rise and burn the remaining flesh of the Temari demon, Tanjiro found himself shedding tears. He swore that he would hunt down Muzan for both Nezuko and Zenitsu's sake, but there was much more to hunt the demon for now. He would make Muzan pay for all the lives he treated as mere toys. No one deserved to be a victim of his manipulation.

After praying for the two demons he fought to find peace, Tanjiro made his way to the basement, finding Nezuko waiting for him. He was not surprised to find that Tamayo was still with Zenitsu in a separate room, but he was anxious to see the state of what Zenitsu was in. Demons healed any injury to their body, but Zenitsu's wound did not heal. In fact, Zenitsu had been bleeding extensively from his injury. Tanjiro was scared to think that Zenitsu's life was in danger because of this fact.

And now, here he was, waiting for Tamayo to give him any type of news regarding Zenitsu's condition. Yushiro begrudgingly watched him from the side of the room with his arms crossed as Nezuko worriedly fretted over him. While Tanjiro would have smiled at the scene, his mind was much too occupied with Zenitsu. It was agonizing to wait knowing there was nothing he could do to help his friend.

Finally, after what seemed like forever to Tanjiro, the door in front of him opened with a creak revealing Tamayo behind it. Tanjiro immediately wasted no time to ask about Zenitsu.

"Zenitsu-san will be fine," Tamayo answered kindly, taking a step forward to Tanjiro. "However, I am afraid of how he will react when he wakes up."

"What do you mean?" Tanjiro asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

Tamayo frowned and Tanjiro could have sworn he smelled guilt from her.

"I had to give him medicine and a small blood transfusion. His body was suffering from exhaustion. It was why his wound was not healing. He did not have the strength to support himself and heal his wound. It's a miracle that Zenitsu had not collapsed before receiving his injury. I'm afraid of what would have happened if he continued this."

Tanjiro only stayed silent, barely being able to comprehend Tamayo's words. Zenitsu had been suffering and yet, the yellow-haired boy had kept his suffering to himself. Tanjiro knew that something had been wrong with Zenitsu. He knew this for some time now. Zenitsu's movements were steadily becoming slow and sluggish, getting worse with every passing day. Tanjiro had once asked Zenitsu about his condition, but Zenitsu had immediately laughed his concern away, making the excuse that he was just not used to traveling such a long distance. But Tanjiro knew it was not the case. He could see that Zenitsu was tired whenever the other was not looking. Factoring with the fact that Zenitsu was still suffering from his hunger, it was a wonder how Zenitsu was still able to keep up with him. And Tanjiro had done nothing more to help Zenitsu.

"Can I see Zenitsu?" Tanjiro decided to ask. Behind him, Nezuko perked up at the mention of Zenitsu and walked forward, stopping at Tanjiro's side and taking his hand into hers. Tanjiro was sure that she was just as worried about Zenitsu as he was.

Tamayo nodded and moved to the side, allowing Tanjiro and Nezuko to enter the room. The two found Zenitsu sleeping soundly on a bed with no longer half of his face missing. Upon setting his sights on Zenitsu, Tanjiro felt his body immediately relaxed in relief. Zenitsu was okay and no longer in a state that made Tanjiro feel that he could lose him.

Zenitsu was safe.

And yet, why were there still feelings of guilt squeezing his chest?

Behind him, he could hear the footsteps of Tamayo and Yushiro enter the room. Tanjiro turned back to them just as Nezuko beside him rushed forward to Tamayo, enveloping her in a hug. Tamayo seemed surprised at the contact, while Yushiro near her growled in irritation, demanding for the pink-eyed demon to let Tanayo go, but Nezuko never did.

Tanjiro guessed it was because Nezuko saw them as her family, just as she saw Zenitsu. And Tanjiro was glad because Tamayo and Yushiro were wonderful people. Even though they were demons, they were just as much human inside to Tanjiro.

They were indeed people he could trust.

Which was he was hurt to know that they were going to leave and go into hiding.

"Tanjiro-san," Tanjiro heard Tamayo say as her eyes glistened with concern. "Would you like us to take Nezeko-san and Zenitsu-san in? I can't say for certain that we'll be able to keep them away from harm, but I believe it will be safer for them here. I also can't imagine how the Demon Slayer Corps will react once they know of their condition, especially Zenitsu-san since he's a demon slayer."

Tanjirou glanced down at the floor, his eyes narrowing in thought. Tamayo was right. Nezuko and Zenitsu would be safer with her. Of course, he would worry about them, but they would be safe. And there was the fact Tanjiro had no idea how the Demon Slayer Corps would do once they learned about Nezuko and Zenitsu. Tanjiro wanted to believe that they accept them as they are, but there was the gnawing fear in the back of his head that they would kill them without question. It was a miracle that nothing had happened yet. Especially concerning the fact Tanjiro's crow could have long since reported back of their existence.

If they stayed here, Tanjiro wouldn't have to worry about what the Demon Slayers Corps could do to them.

As Tanjiro realized this, he felt a gentle hand take his own, finding Nezuko staring up at him with her eyes. Even though she couldn't speak, Tanjiro knew what her eyes were conveying. And if Zenitsu was awake and heard Tamayo's suggestion, Tanjiro was positive the boy would have openly denied it and clung onto Tanjirou. How could he think of leaving them? No matter what they would face in the future, Tanjiro wanted them to be together.

"Tamayo-san, thank you for your offer," Tanjiro decided to say as he looked back up at Tamayo. "but I will stay with Nezuko and Zenitsu. We will continue this path of ours together. We will not be parted, even if there will be those that are against it in the future."

Tanjiro watched as Tamayo smiled serenely at his answer. He couldn't help but smile as well when Yushiro commented that Nezuko was indeed a beauty and that Zenitsu wasn't so useless after all. Tanjiro was only grateful to the two. He had their complete trust. He would never forget the kindness they offered to him.

As Tamayo led Tanjiro away to treat his injuries, Tanjiro allowed his sight to fall on to the unconscious yellow-haired boy. He would be by Zenitsu's side as soon as he woke up.

He didn't want Zenitsu to wake up alone.

A/N: After posting the first chapter, I realized I completely forgot about Chuntaro (Ukogi). Surely, Zenitsu's loyal sparrow would have been with him after his transformation to a demon. So I did some thinking and decided for the sake of this story, Zenitsu had a crow that passed away during his first mission. Chuntaro would be Tamayo's sparrow instead and was a gift given to her from someone she knew (anyone wants to take a guess). Chuntaro will have the role of acting as a messenger and deliverer since Zenitsu still needs to consume blood. I think there were those that questioned if Zenitsu would be like Nezuko and my answer to that is no. Nezuko is who she is because of her special ability, but that doesn't mean Zenitsu isn't important. He is also proof that demons can retain their human emotions.