I always forget to tell, but I made a drawing of how I image the reader aka. Inari, of course in the end you decide what to look like, but I just wanted to give you an idea.

Here is the link: empressofthesun/art/Reader-The-Fox-Hashira-971290363

Chapter 3: Foxes and Butterflies

One good thing about living as long as you did, was that you collected a lot of money in your time as Demon Slayer.

80 years ago you bought this beautiful Mansion with a big garden. It was located in the same neighborhood as the Butterfly Mansion.

Humming a little melody under your breath you worked in your grand and beautiful garden. Butterflies and bees fly around, and birds chirping their songs.

It was an oasis of serenity.

You put the sunflowers in the basket beside you and then stood up. Cracking you spin, letting out a relaxed breath.

You were grateful for any day in the sun you could spend. Since you got immunity from it your cursed existence as a demon was more tolerable.

You could pretend more that you were human. Forgotten for a while all the gruesome things you have done in your long life.

Yet you could never truly forget.

The hunger for flesh and blood in you was strong.

You put a hand on your stomach and picked up your basket full of sunflowers.

Time to go over to the Butterfly Mansion and get your weekly blood supply from Shinobu.

Still humming you enter your mansion, going to your bedroom. You needed to change your dirty work kimono into something more presentable.

You didn't know why…but you had the urge to look extra pretty today.

It was totally not because you could meet Tanjiro in the Butterfly Mansion and wanted to make a good impression on him.

No.

Perish that thought.

Anyway, you took a bath, styled your hair into an elaborate bun with a pretty cherry blossom hairclip, and put your white kimono with cherry blossoms and red Obi on.

When you also sprayed some perfume on yourself, you had to admit you were going beyond, what one did, when one visited a friend.

You looked ready for a date.

You made a grimace in the mirror.

Okay…maybe you wanted to impress Tanjiro. The boy hadn't left your thoughts or more his eyes, these pretty red orbs, haunted you any waking hour.

This was not good.

You couldn't start something with a human.

Casual flings were more your style, but this somehow, strangely felt more powerful.

You shook your head and took your basket of sunflowers.

Enough.

You just wanted to look pretty.

Nothing more.

And if Tanjiro blushed seeing you and got shy, you would eat it up but do nothing about it.

With that in mind, you made your way to Butterfly Mansion. You knocked and after a few seconds, Shinubo herself opened the door.

"Inari-Chan, good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon, Shinobu-Chan! May I enter?"

"Of course, of course, here for your blood supply."

You nodded.

Shinobu smiled and lead you to her Examination Room/Office. There she gave you in another basket your blood bags, while you handed her one of your sunflowers.

This made your friend happy and she promised to find a vase as soon as possible.

You made a bit of small talk till Shinobu rightfully pointed out: "Ara, Ara, Inari-Chan, you look ready to go on a date who is the lucky man? Or woman?"

"I just felt like dressing up.", you mumbled fighting your blush. "How are the Kamado Siblings?"

You didn't like the knowing glint in the Insect Hashira's eyes.

"Oh Tanjiro already started rehabilitation training and Nezuko sleeps most times of the day. Their friends Agatsuma Zenitsu and Hashibira Inosuke are healing as well and I'm sure Inosuke can join soon Tanjiro."

"Oh, that's good. Do you mind, if I look after Nezuko for a second and maybe greet the girls?"

Of course, this was okay and Shinobu lead you to Nezuko's room before she return to her office with a cheeky wink in your direction. You stuck out your tongue at her.

Little brat!

You knocked at the door, calling out to Nezuko that you would be coming in. The room was dark, but you could see clearly.

Night Vision was only one of the perks of being practically half-fox.

Nezuko Box stand in the middle of the room, slowly it opened and the younger demon picked out her head, making a cute sound.

"Hello Nezuko-Chan.", you cooed, stepping closer to her. "It's me, Inari. I wanted to see how you were doing."

She was now fully out of the box. Cute, she was as tall as a child and made grappy hands in your direction.

You had more of a lifetime experience with babies, toddlers, and children to know what she wanted.

So you picked her up and twirled her around.

Her pretty laugh could warm even the coldest heart, you were sure.

"All good with you baby girl?"

Nezuko made an agreeing sound, hugging your neck.

"The girls treat you nice?"

You stopped spinning and sat down with her on the bed. She nodded cutely.

"Ah, that's good. Your brother is okay too?"

She made an adorable coo noise in agreement.

Aww, you could just eat her up. Precious baby girl.

You kissed her forehead, which made her giggle. Then you hugged her closer to yourself and swayed back and forth.

Nezuko cooed again, snuggling closer to you and seeming to enjoy greatly the affection you gave her.

You started to tell her random things, while she answered back in coo or giggles.

You don't know how much time passed, just sitting with her, telling her nothing and all, but you found yourself laying with her on the bed, stroking her hair. Nezuko was nodding off and with a yawn, you decide to take a quick nap as well.

It was comforting to be in her presence.

The sun warmed your back as you climbed up the mountain. Under your snowboots, the snow made a satisfied crunching noise.

Your love told you, that he would come to visit you in the village, yet it burned terribly been away from him.

You couldn't wait till you finally would be married.

You reached the small hut, his family called their home, greeting warmly your future in-laws, as his mother told you, he was off chopping firewood.

You thanked her, walking up to your beloved.

His pretty dark red hair shone in the sunlight.

Been cheeky, you put your hands on his eyes and asked who it was.

You heard him laugh, pretending to think, till he said your name.

For this, you gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He turned around and you were lost in his otherwordly red eyes.

He smiled that soft smile that only was reserved for you, hugging you to himself.

A happy sign left you.

You could stay forever like this…

"Inari-Sama?"

Someone called you.

Sleepy you opened your eyes, yawing loudly.

Huh, what a strange dream you had. You wonder what that meant.

"Inari-Sama, is anything all right with you?"

Finally, you were awake enough to understand what was going on.

You were in Nezuko's room in the Butterfly Mansion. The younger demon gripping your kimono, still asleep beside you in the bed and Tanjiro was standing beside it.

…Tanjiro?!

You couldn't help but blush, careful to not disturb Nezuko, you sat up to greet him.

"Oh hello Tanjiro-Kun, you are finished with your rehabilitation training that is good."

"Yes, I wanted to see after Nezuko. I'm surprised but happy to see you Inari-Sama.", he told you shyly. Gosh, he was adorable! "I couldn't thank you for how you stood up for us before the other Hashira and that you protected Nezuko. Thank you."

He bowed, and you wave it away, saying it was nothing and to please drop the Sama. You were fine with Inari.

The smile Tanjiro gave you should be illegal.

To not turn into a puddle of goo under his feet, you stroked Nezuko's beautiful hair. The younger demon cooed in her sleep.

"It makes me happy, seeing Nezuko like this. She likes you very much Inari-San.", told you Tanjiro, while he stroked his sister's cheek.

"I like her very much too…it's nice to have met another good demon like me. You can imagine my existence is really lonely.", you admitted, fixing your bun.

So much to look ready for a date. Your hair was a catastrophe.

Tanjiro gave you such a heartful look, that you swore your heart stood still for a second. It was like he understood you.

"I'm sorry, Inari-San, but I'm also happy that you are here. I think it does Nezuko good having around another good demon."

"Mmh, yeah."

You looked at each other shyly with blushing cheeks.

Suddenly Nezuko sat up and would have hit your chin if you didn't dodge.

"Oh, you are awake Nezuko!", said Tanjiro happy.

His sister made now grappy hands at him and he took her in his arms.

Your heart was a pool of goo, seeing the two siblings interact with each other.

The older brother told his sister about his day, while she made cute noise in understanding.

You wished you had a camera to immortalize this sweet moment forever.

Sadly it was probably time to go for you. You still wanted to check on the girls.

So you stand up, fixing your kimono.

"I will leave you now.", you told the Kamado siblings. Both looked devasted. "I still haven't checked up on Kanao, Aoi, and the little girls. I didn't mean to fall asleep with Nezuko."

"Oh, if you must…It was nice seeing you Inari-San."

Nezuko made something like a wail, reaching her hands out to you. You took her from Tanjiro's arms, hugging her and kissing her chubby cheeks.

"Don't worry, Kit, I will visit soon. Be a good sister for your brother."

The younger demon cooed in agreement, as you put her down on the floor.

You took your basket and gave her a sunflower.

"This is for you."

She made a happy sound, hugging the flower to herself.

"You are really kind, Inari-San."

You gave Tanjiro a tiny smile, giving him also a sunflower. He blushed crimson red, staring at it in confusion and then at you.

"A sweet boy like you deserves a flower also."

Where you flirting?

Probably.

Before you made more of a fool out of yourself you said your goodbye to the Kamado siblings and searched for Kanao, Aoi, and the girls.

Only Nezuko saw how her brother was red like a tomato, touching the sunflower like a precious thing, with a lovestruck smile on his face.

You were back home drinking a blood bag, while you read a book.

You should be sleeping, but the nap you took with Nezuko, had left you wide awake.

Not that you slept a lot.

You slept because you could, not because you needed it.

Your record was five hours per day.

Slurping the blood down, you wonder about the strange dream you had.

You never really dreamed.

And when you did it was a chaotic mess with no sense, yet this dream had been so clear, like a memory.

But you didn't understand it for the life of you.

The boy you dreamed about, who had looked so much like Tanjiro, yet didn't at the same time, was a mystery.

You never had seen him in your life.

Or at least you don't remember it.

It was frustrating to have forgotten so much about your human life! Not for the first time you cursed out the Demon King.

One day, you would make him pay for all he did to you and your family.

Someday soon, hopefully.

You didn't know if you could make it another century with Muzan still free to do as he pleased.

But maybe with Tanjiro and Nezuko on your side, it was finally time to end him.

Who knows?

You hoped with all your heart that this way you were going….you wouldn't lose any more beloved people.

Yet you know deep down that it would be impossible. Some people would probably die if they faced Muzan.

You put your book on the night table and then began to pray.

"Goddess Inari, please help and guide us. Protect us in this war that will soon happen. Take my life for the life of my beloved people. Better me than them."

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