January 31, 1914

As James was dealing with Yoichi Saito and his plans to infiltrate the mind of Hideki Watanabe, Zenitsu, who was now awake, was being tended to by Nezuko, who had largely stayed by both his side and her still-unconscious brother's side ever since they had returned from Yoshiwara. Zenitsu was still mostly bedridden, but it was believed this would soon change due to his remarkably fast recovery. That morning, Nezuko, who had returned just an hour ago from her first mission since the trip to Yoshiwara, was bringing him breakfast. She yawned as she placed a bowl of rice and a small plate of fish next to his bed, telling him with a soothing tone and a warm smile, "Good morning, Zenitsu-san."

"You look tired," he said to her, noting that her eyes had bags under them and her hair seemed to be somewhat of a mess. "How much sleep are you getting, Nezuko-chan?"

"Enough to function," Nezuko assured him. "Remember, I'm a demon. We're used to being up at night and sleeping during the day."

"Yeah, but… How much are you sleeping during the day?"

Not wanting to lie to him now that they had confessed their love for each other, Nezuko sighed and admitted to him, "I've been worried sick about my brother. I can barely sleep without thinking about him. My greatest fear is that one day, I'll fall asleep, and when I wake up, he'll be dead. I can't let Kanao-oneechan stay up all the time, even though she wants to, because if she does, it might affect the baby, so I volunteer to watch him a lot so she can sleep. In the past five or six days, I've gotten maybe twelve hours of sleep. I know it's not a lot, but I can't help it."

Zenitsu sighed and said to himself, "What the fuck…" Deeply concerned for both her and Tanjiro, he explained to her, "Nezuko-chan, you can't ignore your own health. Yes, your brother is important, but if you don't get sleep, it could kill you during a mission. I don't think Tanjiro wants to have to bury you, and neither do I."

Nezuko yawned and knelt down beside the bed. "I know, but… Like I said, Zenitsu-san, I can't help it. Tanjiro is my only living family member left. The two of us only have each other."

"You have me, though…" Zenitsu then patted her on the head.

"I know that," Nezuko replied with a chuckle and a smile. "I meant in terms of blood family, you know?" Nezuko then rested her head on the bed. "And listen, I know we really haven't talked too much about what happened during the battle, but… What I said was true."

Zenitsu smiled and told her, "I love you."

"I love you more."

Both of them laughed before Nezuko leaned over and gave him a kiss, gently caressing his chin as she did. His face turned a bright red as she then wrapped her arms around him and the kiss continued. When it did end after almost a minute, Zenitsu was left almost speechless. "I, uh… You…"

"I figured I'd kiss you in better circumstances than last time."

Zenitsu could hardly contain his excitement as he beamed with joy, "I knew it! This isn't a dream after all! Yahoo!"

Nezuko could hardly contain her laughter, finding his reaction hilarious. "There's the boy I fell for," she thought to herself. "I love seeing him like this. It makes me so happy."

As Zenitsu calmed down, he found that Nezuko had closed her eyes and was now resting her head on the bed, seemingly falling asleep after laughing so much. He smiled and shook her to wake her up. "Hey, Nezuko-chan. Hey."

"Mmmmh… Huh?"

"If you want to take a nap, you can lay down on my bed."

Nezuko yawned and said, "That would be nice." She then crawled onto the bed and laid beside Zenitsu, who made room for her as she partially undid her uniform shirt to relax. "Thank you…"

Within only a minute, Nezuko had fallen asleep right beside her now-boyfriend. Zenitsu reached over and began eating his breakfast as she snoozed beside him, thinking to himself, "This day couldn't get any better. The girl of my dreams is right beside me. Is there any more a man could ask for?"

About an hour later, with both Nezuko and Zenitsu fast asleep in bed together, Aoi walked in to check on Zenitsu, not expecting him to have a partner in the room already. She was also looking for Nezuko, whom she had not seen since she went to see Zenitsu. "Hmmm…" As she opened the door, she saw the two of them sleeping together and quickly blushed, her mind immediately jumping to something rather lewd. "Wha-… What… What the fuck?!"

Her yelling woke up the two of them, with Zenitsu opening his eyes first. He adjusted to the sunlight before looking over to find a shocked Aoi staring at him. "Huh?"

"Don't tell me," Aoi theorized in horror. "You… Did you two sleep with each other?!"

Still tired and not fully understanding what she really meant, he replied, "We were asleep together, yes. What's up?"

Nezuko then woke up beside him and blinked several times before innocently kissing his cheek and asking him, "Hey, uh… What's that noise, Zenitsu-san? Is someone here?"

Aoi proclaimed, "I knew it! You seduced Nezuko-chan, didn't you?!"

Nezuko and Zenitsu replied back in shock as they both blushed. "Seduced?!" Nezuko got up and explained to Aoi, "We didn't do anything lewd, Aoi-san! We promi-"

"Then why is your uniform a disheveled and partially unbuttoned mess?"

Nezuko looked down and realized her uniform shirt was indeed crumpled up in addition to several buttons being undone. "I, uh… I was just sleeping next to him, okay?! I was tired as Hell!"

Zenitsu then explained to Aoi, "She's telling the truth! We didn't do anything sexual together!"

Aoi then took a step back and sighed. "Okay, well… Are you sure?"

"Yes," Nezuko replied with a bow. "We promise, okay?" Curious, she asked Aoi, "What's your problem if we do, anyway?"

Zenitsu replied in shock, "If we do?!"

"I don't want to have to deal with Tanjiro-kun getting upset," Aoi explained. "Also… You're still young, Nezuko-chan."

"Zenitsu's less than two years older than me," Nezuko replied. "I'm not saying I want to do those things with him now, but what we want to do isn't your business." She then walked over as she rebuttoned her uniform shirt and explained, "Look, Aoi-san, I know you're concerned for me, especially given some of Zenitsu-san's past behavior. I appreciate it, but… You need to let me fight some of my own battles. My brother needs to realize the same thing, too."

Aoi nodded. "You're right. It's just… I've been concerned about sex and stuff ever since Kanao got pregnant. I don't want you having to go through that so soon, Nezuko-chan."

Nezuko placed a hand on her shoulder and told her with a smile, "I get it. Trust me. I don't plan on having children until we win this war. I'll be careful, okay?"

"Please be."

"I will."

Zenitsu then said with a blush still running across his face, "Hey, um… I just wanna say that I agree with Nezuko-chan completely."

Aoi then turned around and told the two of them, "I wish you two the best. Also, Nezuko-chan, get some rest already. You need to sleep or else you'll burn yourself out."

"That's what I was telling you before, Nezuko-chan," Zenitsu pointed out. "You need to rest more."

Nezuko yawned and replied, "Okay, okay…"

Once Aoi was gone, Nezuko got back in bed with Zenitsu and told him, "Sorry about all that."

"It's fine. I'll probably stay up a bit. If you want to go back to sleep, that's fine."

"Okay." Nezuko then closed her eyes again, and within only two or so minutes, she was fast asleep once more.

Late at night, Zenitsu awoke to hearing Nezuko get up in bed, having slept for the entire day. "Huh… Nezuko-chan… What's going on?"

"I'm going for a walk," Nezuko replied as she turned to see him.

"A walk? At this hour?"

"I need to clear my mind," Nezuko replied. "It's been a rough few weeks, and I need some time to think to myself."

"It's late out, you know. Maybe you shouldn't go alone."

"I can defend myself, Zenitsu-san." Nezuko seemed to take some offense to his protests. "I don't need someone always looking out for me. I'm getting tired of people fighting on my behalf."

Zenitsu understood immediately that Nezuko was not happy with what he said. "Oh… Why do you feel that way?"

"Because I'm done seeing people get hurt because of me," Nezuko explained. "When I was muzzled, I didn't mind it so much, because I knew that I couldn't really hold my own. I was barely even aware of everything going on around me. Now, though… I have a uniform for a reason. I know that my brother and you and Inosuke and everyone else all get worried for me since I'm the youngest in the group, but…"

Zenitsu nodded before telling her, "I can't help it. Tanjiro can't help it either. I mean, he's your older brother. Older brothers are always gonna be worried about their siblings, especially with what happened to your family."

Nezuko sighed, "I know that. It's just… I don't want to see anyone get hurt or killed on my behalf. I know that it's harder to kill me since I'm a demon, and… Damn it, I feel pretty insecure about that, knowing that when the night falls, I could survive injuries that would otherwise kill humans."

"Do you feel guilty?"

"I guess I do." Nezuko then got up and began to get changed into her corps uniform. As she slipped her sleeping clothes off, Zenitsu looked away, blushing as she got undressed. A confused Nezuko asked him, "What's going on with you?"

Zenitsu sheepishly pointed out, "You… You're getting dressed in front of me."

"And?" Nezuko nonchalantly told him, "I don't care. When I lived with my family, we had very little privacy due to how small our house was, so I've seen everyone in my family completely naked before when changing clothes or getting a bath."

"Oh, okay…" Zenitsu then asked her, "Does your crow know about this?"

"I don't have my own crow," Nezuko replied as she buttoned up her uniform. "I share my brother's crow if need be. I'd like to have one."

"Hmmmm…" Zenitsu then whistled rather loudly, and within seconds, his own crow, or rather sparrow, flew into the room. "Chuntaro," Zenitsu told him. "Can you accompany Nezuko-chan? She needs to go for a walk, and she doesn't have her own crow." Chuntaro, or rather Ukogi, chirped back something only he could understand. "I know it's pretty late, but can you do this for me?" Ukogi then chirped back something in agreement, to which Zenitsu replied, "Thank you."

Nezuko asked him, "You can understand sparrows?"

"It wasn't too difficult," Zenitsu replied. "Especially with Chuntaro. He passed the Kasugai Crow Test, after all." He then smiled and told him, "Again, thanks for doing this on such short notice."

"Am I gonna be able to talk to him?"

"Probably not." Zenitsu then assured her with a wave of his hand, "It's fine, though. If you're in trouble, he'll be sure to get more help for you. He's very observant. By the way, how long are you gonna be?"

"Maybe half an hour," Nezuko shrugged. "Definitely no more than an hour unless I come across a demon. I'll have… What's your bird's name again?"

"Chuntaro," Zenitsu clarified.

"Yeah, Chuntaro… I'll have him fly back here if I get delayed due to a hunt." She then turned to Ukogi and told him, "Sorry about your name. I'm still a bit tired."

Ukogi chirped something back to her as he perched himself on her shoulder. Translating for him, Zenitsu said, "He said it's fine. He knows how tired you've been over the past week, Nezuko-chan."

Nezuko then walked over and bent down to give Zenitsu a kiss goodbye. When she got up, she told him with a smile, "I love you."

Zenitsu similarly replied, "I love you, too."

Nezuko was now walking by herself along a road leading to a village near the Butterfly Estate. Being that she was walking in the middle of the night, the sky was almost pitch black, with few stars visible to provide light. She did not fear the dark, having lived in it for so long as a demon prior to being injected with American demon blood. As she looked around for any signs of someone following her, she also focused her ears on any sounds that might come from behind.

She began to think to herself about Zenitsu and Tanjiro as she continued her march down the path. "Zenitsu-san is right," she thought to herself. "I need more rest. I've been running myself ragged ever since we got back from Yoshiwara. Between him, my brother, and missions, I've barely had any time to myself except when I'm traveling to and from hunts."

She then heard shouting from behind her, causing her to quickly stop and draw her sword. From a distance, she could make out the words, "You won't get away from me! Get back here, you bastard!"

"I think I recognize that voice," Nezuko thought to herself as she looked around to see where the shouting was coming from. "But why? Where have I heard it before?"

She then heard the sound of steel slicing through flesh as the same voice declared, "Breath of Thunder, Fifth Form: Heat Lightning!" This was immediately followed by a loud crashing sound. Nezuko knew instantly that the person behind her was a slayer like her.

Nezuko ran towards the direction of the shouting to see if she could assist the slayer. When she arrived on the scene, she found a recently-decapitated demon lying on the ground and beginning to disappear as a slayer with black hair and turquoise eyes stood over it and sheathed his sword. She asked him, "Do you need more help?"

"I'm good," the young man replied. As he turned to look at her, he immediately realized who she was. "Hey, wait a second… Aren't you Kamado Nezuko?"

"Yeah," Nezuko replied. "I've seen you before, too. What's your name?"

"Inadama Kaigaku," he replied. "I bet Zenitsu mentioned me to you at some point."

"Oh, right," Nezuko realized. "That's where I've heard about you before. I think I saw you in passing at some point, too."

"What are you doing out here?" Kaigaku then saw Ukogi fly down from a tree and perch himself on Nezuko's shoulder. "And why do you have Zenitsu's… bird?"

"He lent it to me since I don't have a crow of my own," Nezuko replied. "I was going for a walk. That's all."

"It's still pretty God damn weird to see a sparrow act as a crow for Zenitsu," Kaigaku observed. "Speaking of that moron, how's he doing?"

Annoyed, Nezuko replied, "Moron? Really?"

Kaigaku chuckled, "I'm just fucking with you. I heard he got banged up pretty bad in Yoshiwara. Is he okay?"

"He's recovering pretty quickly," Nezuko replied once she realized that Kaigaku was seemingly only calling Zenitsu a moron in jest. "They think he'll be ready to go back online in a few days. However…"

"What's up?"

"My brother Tanjiro is still in a coma," Nezuko added in a more somber tone. "They don't know when he'll wake up."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kaigaku replied in sympathy. "I really am. We were all amazed to hear that the corps killed an Upper Moon and a whole army of American demons at once. You and the others that went to Yoshiwara were incredible."

"Thanks," Nezuko replied with a faint smile. "We did a good job out there."

Kaigaku then noted, "You seem pretty close to Zenitsu. What's the deal with you two?"

"Me and him?" Nezuko smiled and told him, "Well, the two of us share certain feelings for each other, and we did kinda confess that to each other not too long ago."

"So he finally did it," Kaigaku replied with a humorous laugh. "He finally got a girl. Out-fucking-standing."

"Yeah. He did."

"I remember when I was training with him," Kaigaku added. "And he would always chase after any pretty girl he laid his eyes on."

"Trust me," Nezuko assured him. "Those days are done."

About forty-five minutes later, Nezuko returned from her walk and quietly stepped into Zenitsu's room. Making as little noise as possible, she laid down on the floor beside his bed and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep soon afterwards. She had desperately needed the sleep indeed, as within just a few minutes, she began to rather loudly snore.

Zenitsu awoke to hearing Nezuko's snores and turned to find her lying on the floor beside the bed. He simply chuckled and said to himself, "I didn't realize she could snore like that. She must be exhausted."

Nezuko then woke up upon hearing Zenitsu. "Wait, uh… Zenitsu-san?"

"Oh shit," he said to her. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to wake you up. I just heard you snoring, that's all."

Nezuko yawned and replied, "You heard me snore? Was I snoring that loud? I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he insisted. "I've gotten a lot of sleep today. You need more sleep than I do, Nezuko-chan."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he replied as he turned over in bed. "Go back to sleep. You need it."

"Okay… I love you."

"I love you, too." Nezuko then yawned again and closed her eyes, once again falling asleep within only a few minutes. Zenitsu quietly said to himself, "Nezuko-chan is so cute when she's asleep…"

Meanwhile, Nezuko thought to herself, "One of these days, we'll need to go a bit further than where we're at right now. Maybe soon, I could get a bit more intimate with him. I want a chance to do those things with Zenitsu before it's too late for either of us, given how the war with Muzan has been going. I already told Aoi-neesan that it's my decision, and I may make up my mind about it soon…"