As Tanjuro reaches Urokodaki's house with the three Tokito's, he found the Trainer sitting at the front of his house glaring at the ground through his mask. He doesn't need Tanjiro's sense of smell to tell that the man is mad. "I rescued this family from a Demon, and Mr Tokito wanted to become a Demon Slayer Sir. So I brought them here" the Demon explained, to cut off the rant that was coming. The masked man drooped in defeat, "I'm going to write to the Master about you getting a new house for all of your kids Tanjuro, you can't adopt everyone you save on a Mission!" Urokodaki groaned. "I haven't adopted them, Sir? They still have their own Parents" Tanjuro replied, confused.
"Oh really?" the Trainer asked, and the Kamado Patriarch got the distinct impression that he was raising an eyebrow sarcastically under his mask. He turned to the door, and called out: "Tanjuro is back!" The next second, what sounded like a stampede was heard in the house, as the door was flung open, and 10 children threw themselves onto him, "Papa!", "Daddy!" "Dad!" multiple voices called out, and not just from his own children. Sanemi and Haruka walked out slower, as they watched the other Shinazugawa and Kamado children practically bury Tanjuro. Said Father slowly pushed himself up, looking down at the Shinazugawa children in shock.
He'd known that the youngest boy, Koto saw him as a Father, but not all of the other's. Haruka looked down, feeling herself blush. She wanted to say: 'Welcome back Daddy' too, but the words got stuck in her throat. After what had happened with Muzan, she was afraid that Mr Kamado would reject her too. "Hey, I haven't been gone that long guys" Tanjuro said, as Rokuta started crying in his arms, so he was forced to pick up the boy and hold him close, "shh Rokuta. I'm back. It's okay Baby boy" he soothed, rubbing his youngest Son's back. 'Maybe I have adopted them. Or we adopted each other. But these children still have their own Mother's, and I can't take them away from them' he thought to himself.
Then he glanced over at Sanemi and Haruka, noticing the uncomfortable looks in both of their body languages. "What's wrong you two? Are you not feeling well?" Tanjuro asked. Sanemi flushed bright red, and shook his head, "no! Not at all! I'm going to talk to Mom!" he yelled, before running back into the house. Tanjuro then turned his attention to Haruka, "Haruka? Are you okay?" he asked gently, knowing that the little girl was younger than Sanemi. "I-" She started, before biting her lip, and looking away, "I-it's nothing" she replied, turning to walk back into Urokodaki's house as well.
"Hey Dad, who're these guys?" Shugeru asked curiously as he peeked at the Tokito's curiously from his Father's arms. "Yes Tanjuro, who is this?" Urokodaki asked accusingly with his arms crossed from where he was leaning against the doorframe. Yuto gulped, before he stepped forwards, "my name is Yuto Tokito. And I would like to become a Demon Slayer Sir!" he began, as the masked Trainer watched him with his covered face not betraying any emotion. "Tanjuro saved my life when I fell from a cliff. And then he saved my two Sons from a Demon. I wasn't able to do anything, that time, or any time on the way here. I don't want to be helpless like that again.
I want to be able to protect my boys! So please, train me to become a Demon Slayer so that I can do that!" Yuto begged, as he bowed to the man. "Father!" Yuichiro cried, shocked. "I would have to test you first, and I am already training young Sanemi. Plus with how old you are, it would likely take you twice as long as a younger person to complete your training. With all that in mind, do you still want to learn?" Urokodaki asked sternly. "If it means that I can protect my children, then I don't care how hard it is, or how long it takes! I will become a Demon Slayer!" Yuto said resolutely.
The Trainer sighed, "come inside, and I will help you unpack your belongings" he said. Tanjuro moved towards them, "I'll help" he began, before Urokodaki turned his masked face to look at him, "Tanjuro, I can smell your worry clear as day. I don't know what's happened recently, but get going already, or you'll worry your children" he ordered. The Demon Kamado flushed. He'd forgotten that the man had a sense of smell as good as Tanjiro's, with much more time to have honed it. "Alright, take care of them," he said, but the old man just waved him away with one hand. "Hopefully I'll get to take a proper break soon, and I can come back to see everyone" Tanjuro added, as he turned to walk away.
"Take care of yourself too!" he called, before running back in the direction of the Wisteria House where his Wife, children and the other two young boys were.
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It took Tanjuro three days to get back to the Wisteria House, and he was greeted upon his return by Yukito, "oh, Lord Tanjuro. I'm glad to see you're safe Sir" the other Demon said with a relieved smile. Tanjuro nodded, "how is everyone doing?" he asked. "Well, from what I've been able to tell, Nezuko woke up two days ago, and Tanjiro has been fussing over her the entire time. Also, a woman named Shinobu came and took those three Siblings with her. Apparently you asked her to come?" Yukito asked. "Shinobu? Oh, is she someone that Miss Kanae asked to pick up those three? I'll have to write to her and check. But thank you for keeping an eye on everyone for me while I was gone Mr Yukito. I appreciate it" Tanjuro said with a grateful smile. The Demon he'd created smiled bashfully, "it was no problem. You don't have to thank me" he replied. "But I do," the Kamado replied, placing a hand on the younger Demon man's shoulder, "I'm grateful to you for making sure my family and everyone else was okay while I gone Yukito. So thank you" he said again.
Yukito lit up at the praise, seeming like he was glowing. Tanjuro chuckled, before turning back to the Wisteria House, "okay, how do I look? No slipping features?" he asked. "Oh! Uh, not that I can see Tanjuro. I can't even sense your Demonic Aura" the other Demon replied. The Kamado nodded, relieved, "good. I'll talk to you later Yukito. Thanks for your hard work" he replied, before heading inside the building. As he walked through the halls, the woman who owned the house spotted him, "oh, Mr Kamado! You were gone for a long time" she said, walking over. "Sorry, I got another Mission after I took Haruka back to my Master's house, so I wasn't able to come back yet, then I had to drop off the people I saved on that Mission too, so it took me a while to get back!" Tanjuro said with a sheepish chuckle.
He then became serious, "how are my children doing? Any better?" he asked. The woman nodded, "yes Sir. Tanjiro has been healing very nicely, and Nezuko also woke up while you were gone" she replied. Tanjuro whirled around, "really?! She's awake and okay?" he asked, ecstatic. "Yes, she is going to have a scar on her side, but it should heal completely despite that" she explained. Tanjuro relaxed with a massive sigh of relief, "oh thank God! I'm so grateful to you and that Doctor. Thank you so much Ma'am!" he said, tears gathering in his eyes at the knowledge that both of his children would be alright.
Kie would be so glad to hear that, no doubt she was worrying herself sick as well. "Can I see her? Please?" Tanjuro asked. "Of course, right this way Mr Kamado" the old woman replied, leading him down the hall.
She led the Demon to a room where he could smell Tanjiro and Nezuko. When the woman opened the door, she sighed. "I thought I told you to rest on your room young man?" she asked in defeat. Tanjiro looked sheepish, "Nezuko smelt lonely, so I thought I'd come keep her company for a while Ma'am" he replied. Tanjuro stepped past the woman, to see both of his Older children sitting together and drawing a picture. "Dad! It's been so long!" Nezuko said with an excited grin. Tanjuro smiled lovingly, "I'm back" he said, entering the room. The owner sighed, "since your Father is here, I'll allow you to stay in this room, but no strenuous activity, you hear me? Get some rest" the woman ordered.
"Yes Ma'am. Thank you" Tanjuro said gratefully with a bow. After she was gone, he turned to his oldest children, and wrapped his arms around them in a gentle hug, being mindful of Nezuko's still injured side, and Tanjiro's cracked ribs. "I was so worried about both of you! Thank God you're alright" he said, a few tears slipping out. "Father" Tanjiro said softly, before he hugged him back as hard as he could. "You were gone for so long! We were worried, and so was Mom! What happened?" he asked, Nezuko also looking curious. Tanjuro pulled out of the hug and smiled slightly, but it was slightly, "a lot. First of all, after taking Haruka home, I got another Mission. Haruka is a little girl I took in after our previous Mission in Asakusa Nezuko-" he began to explain.
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"Wait, you've adopted all those children? Even though they still have a Mother, except she's a Demon like you and Mom?" Nezuko asked in confusion. "Well, it's not that simple. They kind of adopted me as their Father, and your Siblings adopted them as their Siblings too pretty much. I mean, the youngest one called me Papa, and I couldn't tell a four-year-old, no, I'm not your Father, your Father was a horrible person who's now dead, could I? They deserve a loving family, and I couldn't help it" Tanjuro replied with a frown. Nezuko stared at him for a moment, before she sighed deeply, "well, I don't know what their Mom is going to have to say about this, but right now, I'm too sore to think much more on it" she replied, before Tanjiro helped her lay back down.
"Does your wound still hurt a lot baby? I could ask the Doctor for some medicine for you?" Tanjuro suggested with a frown. "No, I'm just sore. I think I'm going to sleep some more Dad. You should rest too, after two back-to-back Missions like that" Nezuko said, before she fell asleep again. Tanjuro smiled sadly, upset that he had to rely on his children like this, and let them get hurt. He and Kie should be protecting their children, not letting them fight man-eating Demons who want to kill them! But they had trained and fought hard for this, and Tanjuro respected his children's desire to fight and help them, as well as to protect everyone else.
Maybe one day, once all the Demons were gone, Tanjiro and Nezuko would be able to be children again. Until that day came, he had to do his best to fight alongside them, and trust his children to be strong. The Kamado sighed and leaned against the wall of Nezuko's room, glad to be here to take care of everyone. If he hadn't been here, many of those children wouldn't either, including his own. Tanjuro sighed and closed his eyes, trying to relax after four back-to-back Missions, and his worry about his daughter. He breathed deeply and evenly, knowing that everyone was fine for right now. Soon he had fallen into a trance as he sat against the wall.