━━ 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ━━

▮📍 tsuzumi mansion.
▮"italics" with quotations marks indicate the person is speaking in mandarin. "bold" with quotation marks indicate the person is speaking in japanese

━━ 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ━━

with a nod of agreement from tanjiro, you prepared to continue your mission, the memory of the fallen man serving as a poignant reminder of the stakes involved. "y/n, zenitsu, let's go!" tanjiro announced, his voice firm as he urged you forward, a sense of determination guiding your steps as you pressed on towards your mission.

as you and tanjiro stood up, ready to press forward with the mission, you noticed zenitsu frozen in place, his expression terrified as tears streamed down his face. tanjiro's patience wore thin, a visible irk mark forming on his forehead as he observed zenitsu's distress.

"i see. i understand," tanjiro responded, his tone deceptively calm as he addressed zenitsu. though his words were polite, there was a clear undercurrent of frustration beneath the surface.

but zenitsu's fear only intensified, his cries growing louder as he clung desperately to tanjiro, seeking solace in his friend's reassuring presence. "yahh—! what is it!? don't look at me with a face full of fury!! i'll come along okay!?" he screamed, his voice laced with panic as he pleaded for understanding.

despite zenitsu's outburst, tanjiro remained stoic, his expression still tinged with irritation. "i'm not forcing you,". as you approached the children one last time, a gentle smile played on your lips as you addressed them. "please stay here, okay?" you requested, your voice soft and reassuring as you sought to ease their fears.

tanjiro stepped forward, his expression serious as he added his own reassurances. "and i'm placing this box here. in case of any danger, it will protect you," he explained, his tone firm yet gentle as he ensured the children's safety.

curiosity getting the better of you, you decided to play dumb as you turned to tanjiro. "what's inside the box?" you asked. tanjiro's lips twitched into a small smile, as he responded, "i'll tell you later,"

as the three of you entered the mansion, zenitsu's cries echoed through the halls, his fear apparent as he clung to tanjiro and you for reassurance. "t-tanjiro... y/n... you guys will protect me, right...? you guys will definitely protect me, right??" he pleaded, his voice trembling with anxiety.

tanjiro let out a sigh, his expression weary as he prepared to deliver difficult news. "zenitsu, there's something i must apologize to you about," he began, his tone somber as he braced himself for zenitsu's reaction. "actually, my ribs and legs were fractured from my last mission, and they haven't fully healed yet..."

"e-ehh!? w-why do you have bone fractures?! how do you have bone fractures!? w-what about you, y/n... y-you'll protect me, right!?" zenitsu's panicked questions tumbled out in a frantic rush, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear as he turned to you for reassurance.

"zenitsu, dont bring y/n into th–" before tanjiro could continue, you interjected, your voice calm and reassuring. "sure! i'll protect you, zenitsu," you affirmed, offering him a warm smile as zenitsu smiled widely. as zenitsu's ecstatic cheers filled the air, his outburst of gratitude washing over you like a warm wave, you couldn't help but smile at his exuberance. "augh!!! you really are a goddess, y/n!! a beautiful, strong goddess!! auguhhh!!!!" he exclaimed, his words tinged with awe and admiration as he showered you with praise.

tanjiro, the voice of reason, attempted to calm zenitsu down, his soothing words a counterbalance to the younger boy's enthusiasm. but before you could join in, your attention was diverted by the unexpected arrival of the two children from earlier.

"you guys can't come in here!" you exclaimed, a note of worry creeping into your voice as you recognized the danger they could be facing. "t-the box! it was rattling around!" one of the children cried out, their words filled with urgency and concern.

tanjiro's brow furrowed in consternation, his expression troubled. "still! you can't leave that box there! that box is something even more important than my own life," he sighed.

before you could speak up, the room shifted around you, separating you from tanjiro and placing you alongside zenitsu and the other child, a sense of disorientation washed over you. "t-the room changed..." you muttered, your voice tinged with uncertainty as you tried to make sense of your new surroundings.

zenitsu's celebratory mood evaporated in an instant, replaced once again by tears and panicked pleas for protection. "y-y/n, protect us!! please... uwahhhh!!" he cried, his voice filled with desperation as he clung to you for reassurance.

sweat beaded on your forehead as you struggled to calm zenitsu down, your own nerves fraying at the edges amidst the chaos. "teruko! teruko!" shoichi called out, their voice filled with worry as they searched for their missing sibling.

"shh! the both of you! quiet down, we don't want to attract any demons!" you warned them sternly but zenitsu's fear continued unabated, his cries growing more frantic by the second. "w-we need to leave, y/n!! we need to go outside!!-" he pleaded, tugging on your clothes in a desperate bid for escape.

shoichi, however, remained composed, their gaze steady as they delivered a cutting rebuke to zenitsu. "why do you plan on leaving? do you plan on running all by yourself? you keep crying about dying and making older sister here to protect you, don't you feel any shame? is that sword on your waist fake? man up," he admonished, their words sharp and unforgiving.

that made zenitsu cry even harder, shoichi's exasperation was clear, their expression conveying a silent plea for giving up from the younger boy's emotional outburst. with a heavy sigh, you reached out and gently placed a finger on zenitsu's quivering lips, urging him to silence.

"stay quiet, zenitsu, please?" you asked softly, your tone gentle yet firm as you sought to calm his frazzled nerves. zenitsu's cheeks flushed with embarrassment at your touch, his sobs subsiding to a hesitant nod of agreement. "o-okay," he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he complied with your request.

with zenitsu finally quiet, you turned your attention back to the task at hand, determined to explore the mansion and uncover its secrets. "let's explore this mansion first before getting out," you declared, your voice steady as you took charge of the situation.

taking their hand in yours, you led the way forward, navigating the dimly lit corridors with caution as you ventured deeper into the unknown. despite being also scared yourself, you had to press on and look brave for these two.

as you opened the door, you were met with a sight that left you utterly flabbergasted—a man wearing a boar's head mask of some sort. your eyes widened in disbelief as you took in the bizarre sight, momentarily frozen in place as zenitsu and shoichi beside you let out terrified screams.

the man with the boar mask glanced in your direction for a few seconds before suddenly running up a nearby wall, his movements defying logic and leaving you even more bewildered.

"haha... that was weird..." you chuckled nervously, your laughter tinged with unease as you tried to process what had just happened. despite your attempt to brush off the strange encounter, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.

glancing at zenitsu, you noticed the terror still etched on his face, his wide eyes filled with fear and confusion. with a sigh, you made a mental note to reassure him and shoichi that everything would be alright. as you all continued to explore the corridors of the mansion, you couldn't help but notice the tension etched on the faces of zenitsu and shoichi accompanying you.

determined to break the heavy atmosphere and inject a moment of a little entertainment into the grim situation, you paused and turned towards them with a reassuring smile. drawing your blade, you decided to perform a small trick to lighten their spirits.

"hey, look at this," you said, catching their attention. "i bet i can catch my blade after throwing it up in the air. ready?" your tone was light, and you flashed a confident grin, hoping to see them smile. you tossed the blade upward, watching it spin gracefully in the air. a few tense seconds passed, and strangely, the blade didn't come back down to your waiting hand. puzzled, you turned to zenitsu and shoichi for a reaction, only to see their faces frozen in horror, their eyes wide as they stared at something directly behind you.

as you cautiously turned around, the sight that met your eyes was surprising. your nichirin blade had not simply disappeared; it had unwittingly sliced through the neck of a demon, the tongue demon to be precise, effectively decapitating it. the creature's head was severed clean off, its body slumping to the ground with a thud that echoed through the silent mansion.

"o-oh my gosh... i-i... i didn't know i could do that..." you stammered, your voice tinged with shock and disbelief as you walked towards the demon and picked up your blade. suddenly the three of you got ejected from the mansion through an unexpected hole beneath your feet, quick thinking allowed you to grab hold of both shoichi and zenitsu, bracing yourselves for the rough landing outside.

fortunately, you and shoichi were unharmed, but zenitsu wasn't as lucky; he hit the back of his head hard against the ground and was knocked unconscious.

panicked, you quickly checked on shoichi. "shoichi, are you okay?" you asked, relieved to see him nod, although his face was pale with shock. turning your attention to zenitsu, your heart raced when you saw him lying still. "a-ah! zenitsu!" you exclaimed, your voice filled with concern.

seeing the blood trickling from the back of his head, you instructed him firmly, "zenitsu, stay put! your head is bleeding." carefully, you took out the bandages you always carried with you and began to wrap his wound, trying to keep him still and calm.

a few tense seconds later, zenitsu groggily opened his eyes, offering a weak giggle. "hehehe, anything for you, y/n," he murmured, making light of the situation despite his injury.

just as you finished securing the bandage, a loud crash startled you. the front door of the mansion had been smashed open, and the man wearing the boar mask stormed out, yelling with frantic energy, "pig assault, pig assault!" his eyes darted around as if searching for something.

as the man in the boar mask's eyes landed on tanjiro's box, a sinister chuckle escaped his lips. "i found you!" he exclaimed triumphantly, making a move towards the box. but before he could reach it, both you and zenitsu sprang into action, shouting at him to stop.

with zenitsu clutching onto the box protectively, you stepped forward to shield him, your resolve unwavering. "i won't let you lay a hand on this box! this is tanjiro's most prized possession!" zenitsu's voice rang out with determination, his grip on the box tightening.

the man with the boar mask seemed taken aback by your defiance. "hey, hey, hey! what are you talking about!? don't you know there's a demon in that box!?" he grumbled, his frustration evident in his tone.

"we know!" you declared boldly, your voice steady as you met his gaze with unwavering determination. you knew the contents of the box posed a grave danger, but you were willing to protect it at all costs until tanjiro could be consulted.

"i want to ask tanjiro about this, face to face... so you should just get the hell out of the way!" zenitsu's voice rang out, his determination matching your own as he stood firm in defense.

as the man with the boar mask charged towards you, you acted on instinct, delivering a swift blow to his stomach and attempting to pin him down. however, his strength proved formidable as he quickly wriggled out of your grasp, leaving you momentarily stunned by his agility.

undeterred, he changed tactics, targeting your legs and feet with a ferocity that reminded you of a raging boar. reacting quickly, you kicked out, connecting with his face and momentarily staggering him. but before you could regain your balance, he seized the opportunity to grab hold of your other foot, causing you to lose your footing and tumble to the ground, your head striking the dirt with a jolt.

as you struggled to recover, the man turned his attention to zenitsu, leaving you momentarily vulnerable and disoriented. his taunts echoed through the air.

however, just as the situation seemed dire, a glimmer of hope appeared. tanjiro finally made his way outside as his eyes widened at the scene unfolding in front of him. as you regained your balance, you seized the opportunity to strike back, you swiftly moved behind the man with the boar mask, catching him off guard as you wrapped your arms around him in a tight embrace. with a sudden burst of strength, you hoisted his body into the air, executing a flawless german suplex that sent him hurtling backwards.

the force of the impact caused inosuke to crash onto the ground, his head hitting the dirt with a resounding thud. for a moment, there was silence, save for the sound of heavy breathing. just then, he boar man rose back to his feet, his laughter filling the air, "HAHAHAHA! do it again, do it again!". you felt a mix of annoyance and disbelief at his antics.

but instead of giving in to his demands for another round of combat, you shook your head, choosing to prioritize the well-being of your friends over indulging in his absurd requests.

as you turned away from the boar man, concern etched across your features, you hurried over to zenitsu's side to check on him. "zenitsu, are you alright?" you asked, your voice filled with genuine worry as you took in the sight of his battered face, adorned with several lumps and bruises from the encounter.

meanwhile, tanjiro stepped forward to confront the boar man, his determination evident as he squared off against their adversary. you trusted in tanjiro's ability to handle the situation, knowing that he was more than capable of holding his own in a fight.

with a swift kick to the stomach, tanjiro delivered a decisive blow to the boar man, but unlike your earlier encounter, he didn't hold back. the force of the attack was enough to break the man's ribs, eliciting a wince of sympathy from zenitsu as he witnessed the exchange.

"aren't you a demon slayer!?" tanjiro's voice rang out, his frustration evident as he confronted their adversary. "do you know why zenitsu and y/n won't draw their swords? it's taboo for demon slayers to attack one another!" tanjiro's words carried a weight of disappointment, highlighting the importance of honor and respect among their ranks even in the heat of battle.

"ah, wait, zenitsu, don't focus on them right now. i need to treat you," you insisted gently, shifting his head to face yours. zenitsu's cheeks flushed slightly at the close proximity, but he nodded in agreement.

pulling out your handkerchief, you began to carefully wipe away the dirt and blood from zenitsu's face, your touch gentle and reassuring. despite the discomfort, zenitsu remained still, allowing you to tend to his injuries with quiet gratitude.

"b-but, y/n... you're bleeding too," zenitsu murmured, his concern evident in his voice as he noticed the traces of blood on your own face.

"don't worry, i'll take care of that later," you reassured him with a soft smile, your focus fully on ensuring zenitsu's well-being in that moment.

startled by the sudden loud bang, you quickly turned around to see tanjiro delivering a powerful headbutt to the boar man, causing him to lose his balance and stumble backward. the unexpected turn of events left you momentarily stunned, but you couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for tanjiro's courage and determination in the face of adversity, "t-that was kinda cool.."

"uwaah!! t-that sound! are your foreheads still intact!?" zenitsu exclaimed in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief at the sheer force of tanjiro's attack.

as the boar man stumbled backward, his mask fell off, revealing a face that took you by surprise. instead of the fearsome visage, you were met with the sight of a remarkably pretty man, his features striking in their unexpected beauty. it was sort of weird though, he had a manly body but a pretty girl's face. 'why does he have a pretty girl's face that is so weird.. not as pretty as y/n though..' zenitsu thought

as hashibira inosuke finally introduced himself, you couldn't help but chuckle at his brash demeanor. "hey, wide forehead! my name is hashibira inosuke, remember that!" he declared proudly, his tone filled with confidence.

curious, tanjiro inquired about how inosuke wrote his name, only to be met with a perplexed response. "w-write!? i-i don't know! it's written on my pants though-" inosuke's sentence trailed off abruptly, leaving everyone momentarily puzzled by his sudden silence.

approaching inosuke cautiously, you watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably. without hesitation, you moved forward and caught him just in time, gently lowering him to the ground as he began to foam at the mouth and convulse.

"p-please tell me he's not dead!" zenitsu's panicked voice pierced the air, his fear palpable as he watched inosuke's condition unfold before him.

you shook your head reassuringly, albeit with a hint of amusement at the absurdity of the situation. "no, he's just got a concussion," you explained calmly, your voice laced with a mixture of concern and amusement.

"tanjiro, you really have one heck of a forehead, i'm pretty sure i could use your forehead as a chopping board." you added with a wry smile, unable to resist a light-hearted joke at tanjiro's earlier headbutt.

▮ 🕓 timeskip.

as the sun dipped low on the horizon, signaling the approach of evening, inosuke finally stirred from his unconscious state, his first words echoing with characteristic bravado. "fight me! fight me!" he exclaimed eagerly, his energy seemingly undiminished despite his recent ordeal. however, his enthusiasm quickly waned as he took in the scene before him.

"what are you guys doing?!" he shouted, his confusion evident as he pointed towards the group.

"burying the dead, of course," tanjiro replied solemnly, his voice tinged with sadness. "inosuke, you should come and help too. there were still a bunch of people killed in the mansion," he added, gesturing towards the entrance of the imposing