They found their Brother hiding in the box. Tanjiro frowned, "I guess you haven't conquered the sun yet, huh Takeo?" he asked. Hanako made a concerned sound towards the box. "No" Takeo replied from inside. Tanjiro picked up the box and slipped it onto his back, "well, I guess you've got that box to yourself now. Is it more comfortable Takeo?" he asked. There was a moment of silence, before Takeo made a less annoyed huff. Tanjiro smiled and walked back over to where Tengan and his Wives were, Hanako skipping ahead excitedly in the warm sunlight.
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"Well now! That's flashy! Your youngest Sister became immune to sunlight too, huh?" the Sound Hashira asked, as his Wives bandaged his injuries. "Yeah. Unfortunately Takeo isn't, so he's in the box again" Tanjiro explained. He looked at the three women surrounding Tengen, "I don't think we've met yet" he said with a smile. The startled, and looked back at the younger Hashira, "oh! I'm sorry. My name is Hinatsuru Uzui" the long-haired brunette said with a warm smile. The blond and-brown-haired woman pointed to herself, Makio Uzui, and that's Suma. Thanks for helping Lord Tengen with the battle Kamado!" she said with a grin.
"It was no problem. It's my job after all. Besides I couldn't just abandon you all when you were in danger. I'm glad you're all okay" Tanjiro replied with a gentle smile. "Oh my gosh, Lord Tengen, he's adorable! Can we adopt him?!" Suma asked excitedly. "What?!" Tanjiro asked, startled. "Thank you for the offer, but I already have a Mother" he replied awkwardly. "Well, let's get going then! I want to take a long bath and then sleep with the three of you in my arms!" the other Hashira proclaimed. Tanjiro nodded, taking Hanako's hand as she smiled up at him happily, her small fangs showing through her parted lips, "yes. Let's go home." He said.
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After arriving back at Headquarters, Tengen, his Wives and Tanjiro were taken to the Butterfly Estate to be checked over. "Amazingly, all of you except for Tanjiro only have superficial injuries. You can all return home now. Here, take these pills for your pain. Take two as required. Oh, and Tanjiro? Please send a letter to the Master about your Sister's progress. I'm afraid he won't be able to see you in person" Shinobu said after she'd checked all the humans over and splinted Tanjiro's wrist. "I will. Thank you!" he replied.
When they returned to the Love Estate, Mitsuri was delighted by Hanako's progress. Then she led them away from her Estate. "Uh, Miss Mitsuri, where are we going? You're Estate was back there" Tanjiro asked in confusion. "There's a surprise waiting for all of you over here Tanjiro! Come on, hurry!" she replied. She led him to a large house that he had never seen before. "What's this?" Tanjiro asked. "You're new Estate!" Mitsuri squealed excitedly. Tanjiro's eyes widened.
"My-" he started in surprise. The door slid open, and Kie exited the house with a smile. Hanako squealed, "Mama!" she cried happily, running up to her. Their Mother's eye widened, and she ran to her youngest daughter. She looked up at the sun in the sky, then checked Hanako over for any burns. "You're immune too" she said softly, cupping the young Demon girl's face and kissing her forehead gently. Tanjiro smiled warmly, as Nezuko also came out to see them, a wide, happy smile on her face.
As the Kamado's moved to enter the house, Tanjiro heard Takeo knocking on the box. "Don't worry, I'll let you out as soon as we're inside, Takeo" he assured. But his little Brother kicked the door of the box open, and hopped out into the sunlight. "Ah! Takeo! The sun!" Tanjiro yelped, before he gasped. The grey-haired Demon boy was standing in the sunlight just fine, not a burn to be seen. "Takeo! You conquered the sun too!" Tanjiro said happily, hugging his little Brother close. Takeo grumbled, but allowed the hug to happen. After a few happy moments among the family, they all went back inside their new home.
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That night, Tanjiro watched most of his Siblings playing outside together, while Takeo and Hanako were fast asleep in their Futon's. He lit a candle and readied his brush, deciding to write his report now. He detailed how the battle against the Upper 6 Siblings went, and how both Hanako and Takeo had helped. And also, how both of his younger Siblings had conquered the sun. Finished, he sent if off with his Crow. Shigeru, Rokuta and Nezuko came inside, tugging on him gently, "play! Play!" Shigeru cried.
Tanjiro laughed, "okay, I can play with you for a while, but I would like to rest soon, and don't forget my wrist is hurt too, so no pulling on it too hard, okay guy?" he replied. And so the four of them played together until the Demon Kamado's started to get tired. They all went to bed soon after that.
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As Tanjiro cooked a simple dinner for himself that night, he thought about how lonely it was. 'Everyone is just sleeping. They'll all be human again soon' he assured himself.
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The next day his pay for the Mission was delivered. Tanjiro was shocked at how much it was. "Well, we did defeat and Upper Rank, so maybe it's not actually that surprising" he muttered. Looking over his sleeping family, Tanjiro noticed how ratty their clothes were getting. And without their Mother to sew them up, they were getting more and more worn down. 'I should buy everyone some new clothes. When they're all human again, Mom can sew up their old ones, and they won't be too big for them, because Demons don't age' mind made up, he wrote down the amount of clothes they'd need.
"I could go now, while they're sleeping. But if they wake up without me here, they could get worried. Also I don't know where the nearest town is from here" Tanjiro said to himself. Just then there was a knock at the front door. He hurried to answer it, to find Kyojuro and Mitsuri. "We thought we'd come visit to see how you were all doing!" the Love Hashira explained, hugging him. Tanjiro blushed at having his face pressed into the older woman's chest. "We're alright. My family is sleeping right now. I was about to go buy new clothes for everyone, since Mom can't exactly fix the ones they're wearing now" Tanjiro explained when he was released.
"I see! Well, how about I go with you! I can show you the way to the town, and help you carry everything back, since your wrist is broken. And Mitsuri can stay here to keep an eye on your family" Kyojuro suggested. "That's actually a great idea. Hold on, let me just get ready first. Oh! And please make yourselves at home in the meantime" Tanjiro replied with a grateful smile. As he pulled on his shoes, his family woke up and watched him curiously. "I'm going shopping, but I'll be back soon, okay everyone? Be good for Mom and Mitsuri" Tanjiro asked.
But Rokuta clung onto him and wouldn't let go. He knelt down of his baby Brother, "Rokuta, the sun is out. It's too dangerous for me to take you out with me" Tanjiro said softly. Tears welled up in the 3-year-old Demon's eyes. "Tanjiro" Kie said, walking over with a couple of cloths. She wrapped up her youngest, and then wrapped the larger sheet around Rokuta and Tanjiro's back. It was similar to how Nezuko would carry their youngest Brother around back home to get him to go to sleep.
With the little Demon secured to Tanjiro's back, and the first sheet shielding him from the sunlight, Tanjiro acquiesced, "alright, I suppose he would be safe from the sun like this" he agreed. Kie adjusted the 'hood' part of the sheet to protect Rokuta, before nodding to her Eldest Son. "Awe! He looks so cute like this!" Mitsuri squealed. Tanjiro turned to smile at the rest of his family, "okay everyone. We'll be back soon, alright?" he asked, waving as he and Kyojuro left the house.
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As they walked down the road, Kyojuro glanced over as Tanjiro and Rokuta, who was giggling from his Oldest Brother's back. "Tanjiro, why didn't you just bring Rokuta's box with you?" he asked curiously. "Well, Rokuta always liked being carried on my back, Nezuko's or Mom's. He likes looking at everything. I figured he could stay covered from the sunlight and still look around like this" Tanjiro replied with a soft smile.
The Flame Hashira nodded, "I see! By the way, have you or the Master chosen your Title as a Hashira yet?" he asked curiously. "Title?" the human Kamado asked. "Yes! Like how I am the Flame Hashira, and Mitsuri is the Love Hashira!" he explained. "Oh! I, guess I haven't thought about it, and the Master hasn't given me one either" Tanjiro replied. "How about the Sun God Hashira! Considering you use Hinokami Kagura most often to fight now!" Kyojuro suggested.
Tanjiro looked uncomfortable, "isn't that a bit much? I mean, "Sun God?" I know I've been using the Hinokami Kagura more often lately, but that sems a bit- much" he repeated. "Well I think it fits! And I'm sure Tengen would like it too! Not to mention how your family has been overcoming the sun recently" Kyojuro replied with a bright smile. "I'll think about it. Are we nearly at the town?" Tanjiro asked. "Nearly. What kind of clothes are you thinking of getting for your family?" the other Hashira replied. "Well, the patchwork pattern is kind of our family's theme. So I'll try to find clothes with that!" Tanjiro explained. "I see." Kyojuro nodded. They fell quiet, Rokuta falling asleep soon after.
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As they made it to the town, Kyojuro led Tanjiro to a few clothing stores. He made sure to get pink clothes for Nezuko, yellow ones for Hanako and green for Takeo and Shigeru. With the money he'd been saving up, Tanjiro got the patchwork pattern put onto the clothes as well. He got a small Kimono top and Hakama pants for Rokuta, who stayed asleep through most of the shopping trip.
The little Demon only woke up for a little while when they stopped to get something to eat. They sat outside a Yakitori stand in the shade, Rokuta on his Oldest Brother's lap as he ate. The three-year-old eyed the Yakitori Tanjiro was eating with his red eyes. It smelled good. Then he reached his tiny, clawed hand up to the meat, "ah!" h called. The Sun God Hashira looked down at his baby Brother, "I don't know if this is okay for you to eat Rokuta" Tanjiro said apologetically.
"Ah!" Rokuta cried more forcefully. Tanjiro looked up at his fellow Hashira, who shrugged, "it couldn't hurt to give him a little piece. It's widely known that Demon's can't eat human food, but your family has already broken every other rule of Demonkind." Kyojuro said. Tanjiro pulled a little piece of cooked chicken from his meal, and handed it to his baby Brother. Rokuta messily shoved it in his mouth and chewed it. When he didn't spit it out immediately, Tanjiro saw this as a good sign.
Then the Demon toddler swallowed, before looking back up at him with hungry eyes. "Does that count as being able to eat human food? I don't want to make Rokuta sick after all" Tanjiro asked. "Ahh!" Rokuta cried insistently, trying to reach up for the meat himself. "A little bit more for now, okay? But that's it for today Rokuta." Tanjiro replied, stroking the young Demon's hair gently.
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After that, they began heading home. He felt satisfied with the new clothes he'd gotten for his family. But maybe he should save these ones for when they were human again. He always wanted to get his family nice new clothes, and it would be a shame to have them get torn up during his next Mission. Oh well. He could figure that out later. Rokuta had stared wide-eyed at all the bright-coloured fabrics and clothes, his bright red eyes excited at going to a new place. "So! You managed to find something for everyone?!" Kyojuro asked.
"I did. But now I'm not sure whether to save these for when they're human, since the clothes are new" Tanjiro replied sheepishly. "Well at least you bought them now, so you have time to decide!" the Flame Hashira replied. "Yeah. We should get home though. I feel nervous having Rokuta out here around so many humans. I don't want him to get overwhelmed" Tanjiro replied. "Alright then!" Kyojuro agreed, and they left with him carrying the bags of clothes.
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As soon as they got home, Kie was all over them, checking his injured wrist and looking over Rokuta to make sure he wasn't burned. The Demon toddler was tired out after his big day and had fallen asleep again. She took her youngest Son and sat down with him in her arms. "Okay guys, I got you all new clothes!" Tanjiro said, catching the attention of the rest of his family. Shigeru squealed excitedly, and Hanako made an interested sound. As Tanjiro watched his family look through the new clothes, he smiled contentedly.
A thought occurred to him them, "hey everyone. After you all get changed, do you want to go visit Giyu and show him your new clothes?" Tanjiro asked his family. Everyone made some sound of agreement. So once they were all dressed, Shigeru and Rokuta climbed into their box and everyone travelled to the Water Estate.
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Giyu Tomioka had just finished eating lunch, when there was a knock at his door. "Giyu! Can we come in?! My family and I are here to visit you!" Tanjiro called. The man was surprised. But he didn't mind Tanjiro's presence, and he hadn't seen the rest of the Kamado's since their trial. So he went to his front door. Opening it, he found everyone except the two youngest boys standing with Tanjiro, who smiled happily at him. "Giyu! It's good to see you again! How have you been?" the second youngest Hashira asked brightly.
Giyu was blinded by it. "Did you all come all this way just to see me?" the black-haired man asked. "Of course! We haven't seen each other since the trial" Tanjiro nodded in agreement. After a moment more of looking at the Kamado family silently, Giyu stepped aside, "alright. Come in" he replied. "Thank you!" Tanjiro said politely. The family entered the house. Giyu closed the door.
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"What do you think of everyone's new clothes? I thought they deserved some, since I have more than enough money for it now" Tanjiro asked. "I think they look good" Giyu replied after taking a moment to look them over. The older man looked him in the eyes, "have your family really conquered the sun Tanjiro?" he asked. "Yeah! Everyone except for Shigeru and Rokuta, which is why they're still inside with us" the Kamado replied with a nod. "I see. You know they'll be in more danger now? I know how strong your family is, and that they nearly killed Kibutsuji themselves. But still."
Giyu paused for a moment, before he spoke up again quietly, "I don't want you to lose your family Tanjiro" he said. "You were a big help in that battle though. I couldn't really see anything that was happening back then, because it was so fast, but I know that without you, they wouldn't have gotten so close. Plus you saved them when Muzan was trying to take his blood back, which probably would have killed my family." Tanjiro replied vehemently. Giyu said nothing, but Tanjiro could still smell his self-loathing. "Your family never should have become Demon's in the first place. It's our fault as members of the Demon Slayer Corps for not killing Muzan sooner that all of this happened.
Just like it's my fault that-" Giyu paused, before standing up, "if you only wanted to show me your family's new clothes, then you've done that. Go home Tanjiro" he said, walking out of the room. The Oldest Kamado Son watched him go worriedly.
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After returning home, Tanjiro couldn't help but think about the scent Giyu had been giving off the whole time he'd been with him. Guilt and self-loathing. The man had done so much for him. He wanted to help him somehow too. But how could he do that without butting in?
