Chapter 2: Another Way

Giyu never, even in his wildest dreams, he never thought that he would be protecting a demon. And here he is, waiting for the night to continue moving with the two demons under his care.

Tanjiro was in front of Nezuko, that was in a hole, both of them in a cave. Giyu was outside of it and turned his head when Tanjiro called him "G-Giyu! I think Nezuko is sick!"

Giyu raised a silent brow and walked into the cave. He looked at the older Kamado asking for an explication "She has been acting weird lately, don't you think?"

"I... don't know." Giyu answered and saw how Nezuko was barely awake.

"Can we get her some medicine?" Tanjiro asked and Giyu looked outside and saw how the sun was setting.

"Once the sun goes down, we can go to a town and see if medicine works." Giyu said and Tanjiro smiled as he nodded.

Night time came and Giyu and Tanjiro walked to a town nearby and tried to find an open shop. Tanjiro suddenly stopped walking and Giyu looked at him waiting for an answer "I smell something... it smells just like me and Nezuko."

Giyu caught the smell a little after and rushed towards the smell, Tanjiro following after him. They arrived to see a demon trying to eat a young woman. Giyu went to cut it's head but it grabbed the woman and placed in front of him, making Giyu stop.

The demon saw Tanjiro and grinned "Hey you! Help me take out this guy! He is a demon slayer! Together we can-" he stopped when Tanjiro jumped and kicked him on the face, and the demon released the woman who ran away towards Giyu that hugged him while crying. "The fuck are you doing!?"

Tanjiro glared at the demon "I am not like you. I don't eat other people!"

The demon glared at Tanjiro before launching a punch at him that dodged and kicked him in the stomach sending him towards a wall.

Tanjiro jumped to punched him repeatedly on the face sending blood flying everywhere, and a bit landed on Tanjiro's mouth. He tasted it...

And he liked it. This demon...

Looked so good...

Once Giyu broke free from the woman and sent her home, he went towards Tanjiro, worried he got hurt, and widened his eyes seeing Tanjiro eating the demon. Tanjiro turned to him, blood on his mouth, tears on his eyes to Giyu "G-Giyu..."

Giyu went to his side and rubbed the back of Tanjiro "I-I ate it... I-I don't know what happened... am I... a monster now?"

Giyu took a deep breath and shook his head "No... it was a demon. You saved someone and probably many more by killing it."

"B-But I ate it! I fell to its level!" Tanjiro argued and Giyu closed his eyes.

"You need to eat something. As long it isn't a human, you can eat demons. And maybe that's what your sister needs." Tanjiro sobbed as Giyu hugged him.

Once Tanjiro calmed down, Giyu cut down the demon by parts, they put it in a bag and went back to the cave.

Once there, Nezuko was still on the hole as they entered. Giyu bent down and hand her one arm of the demon. Nezuko's eyes widened as Giyu took the bamboo gag from her and she inmidiatly bit down on the arm.

Giyu turned to Tanjiro who was sat on a corner, looking sad. He sighed. "Let's go. We still have some hours before sunrise."

*Days Later, Ubuyashiki State*

It was night as Tanjiro, Giyu and Nezuko walked the path without any wisteria flowers, a path used to carry demons alive. They arrived to a home where a man with light skin, that seemed to be rotting, black shoulder length hair. He was wearing a black kimono with a white kimono jacket.

Giyu bent down to a knee and he made a gesture for Tanjiro and Nezuko to follow the action. The man chuckled and made a gesture for Giyu to stand up. "Oyakata-sama, I hope you are in good health. This are Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado."

Oyakata smiled kindly at the siblings "Tanjiro and Nezuko, when my child told me of two demons that could control their urges, I found it hard to believe, but here you are."

Tanjiro gulped nervously and nodded "Oyakata-sama I-"

Oyakata placed one graceful finger on front of his mouth and Tanjiro stopped "Relax. I have to say, I am really intrigued on you and your sister. Tell me; How had you survived without resorting to eating humans?"

"Well... we ate a demon..." Tanjiro said and Oyakata nodded keeping his smile.

"So, it seems demons are capable of restoring energy without consuming human flesh... tell me how did it taste."

"Gross. I... never tasted something like that before. But in the heat of the moment, my mind was clouded by hunger." Tanjiro explained.

"Interesting... Giyu;"

"Yes Oyakata-sama."

"I want you to make Tanjiro into your tsuguko. Bring him here in one year, trained under your watch. If he is good enough in your eyes, he will become a slayer."

"And if he is not?" Giyu asked.

"We'll see. But I trust in your capabilities my child." Oyakatasaid and Giyu bowed his head.

"Thank you Oyakata-sama. May I request something?" Giyu said and Oyakata nodded.

"Go ahead."

"If it is possible, can we have clothes that resist sunlight. That way, Tanjiro and Nezuko can move during day."

"I'll have them made for them. You might leave now." Giyu nodded again as he and Tanjiro and Nezuko started to walk away.

"Ehm, Giyu?" Tanjiro asked after leaving the Ubuyashiki state.

"Yes."

"What is a tsuguko?"

Giyu looked at him with a neutral look "It is basically the apprentice and successor of a pilar. I am guessing that Oyakata-sama saw promise in you." Giyu explained and Tanjiro smiled "Let's not disappoint him."

"Yes!" Tanjiro exclaimed and Nezuko nodded.

"Mmmm MMmm!"

Tanjiro chuckled at his sister and turned to Giyu, "And now where are we going?"

"To my master, Urokodaki."

Next Chapter: Flowers and Butterflies