⚔ His Protector - Demon Giyuu X Tanjirou ⚔

⚜ ~ 12 ~ ⚜

By night Tanjirou had been more chipper. His smile had nearly returned to normal. The moon was high in the sky, notifying the perfect time to do the mission. He grabbed his sword before moving from the room, Giyuu slinking back into his shadow. The maroon haired slayer gave a short farewell before exiting the safety of the building. Night had always bore cold breezes, not that Tanjirou minded. It did however remind him of home, which would resurface the nightmare. Luckily, Giyuu had been there. He had helped once more.

'Tanjirou, you need to stay focused. I can come out if you'd like?'

'No. I'm sorry for being so sidetracked, it's a bad habit. Got any hints on where we're headed?' Giyuu remained silent as he focused around him. Tanjirou had been following a lingering scent, but that only got them so far. Giyuu had figured the Demon was hiding, possessing a similar Demon art to his own.

'I feel something around the corner. Go check it out.' Tanjirou nodded to himself, slipping around the bend. He had been expecting a Demon, but noticing the human male only made him more irritated. He wanted this mission over to settle his own problems. Giyuu noticed his thoughts before commenting, which eased the Slayers heart a bit. Seeing the human on the ground, holding something in his hands, Tanjirou approached. He wasn't surprised to see the other try to hit him.

"Calm down. I am here to help, so listen up. What happened?" The male seemed taken back, but proceeded to explain in detail. It made Tanjirou upset knowing the towns people placed blame on someone, especially when they weren't at fault. That said, the information helped quite a bit. In the end, he pleaded the other show him where the most recent disappearance was. Which led to current situations. They had made their way silently down the pathway before Tanjirou caught a whiff of a Demon scent. It snapped him to reality as he readied his sword, leaping back as a hand shot upward for him. The nails had nicked his pant leg, but he ignored it, releasing a technique that took the hand off. 

'Oi, I'm coming out.' Tanjirou said nothing as Giyuu slid from the shadow just as another hand reached for Tanjirou. He grabbed hold harshly, tearing the Demon from their hiding hole. That alone forced the others to the surface. Giyuu had viewed them, seeing the bewilderment. 

"What is a Demon doing traveling with a Demon Slayer?" The blue haired Demon smirked, ripping the head off as he held it in his hand. 

"That's none of your business. This one here dared to touch Tanjirou, even ruining his clothes. Since you all seem related, you all pay that price." Tanjirou perked his lips, chuckling as he stood guard before noticing the two remaining sink below the surface of their Demon art. Sighing, he stepped closer before offering an assuring smile. Giyuu gave one back. He trusted Tanjirou and his strength.

"You're going to leave me with this D-Demon?" Giyuu glanced toward the human, scowling as he rolled his eyes, leaning along the wall. He still held the other Demon's head, who was yelling into his ear. That being said, Giyuu was pretty good about ignoring those piercing cries.

"You'll be fine, just behave. He doesn't bite."

"Well, not just anyone. I do prefer a maroon haired beauty~" Tanjirou cleared his throat, pushing the comment away before he sunk below  the surface. There was no denying the red Giyuu caught glimpse of before the Slayer left. It was always enjoyable for the Demon to pick on Tanjirou. He had the most innocent reactions.

"So..." Giyuu frowned being pulled from his thoughts, lowering his tone as more of a warning. 

"Sit still and don't talk to me. Got it?" The human swallowed before nodding, Giyuu returning to his thoughts that were rudely interrupted. 

In the end, the Demons died quickly. The third one, still present in Giyuu's hands, had been killed as well. Tanjirou had tried to ask about Muzan, but there was no getting through. In the end, it was a dead end. The dust settled before Tanjirou glanced toward the sky. Giyuu had sunk back into shelter as the male approached slowly. 

"Um... Thank you for helping." 

"No need. This is my duty, to protect the people. Take care and I assure time will mend the trust that was broken. Keep on living, even if a loss has been present." The male frowned, his disbelief present. He wanted to correct Tanjirou, but froze up remembering the Demon that traveled with the Slayer. Instead, he gave a weak smile, walking away. Tanjirou noticed the change in smell, a sigh leaving him as he carried on down the road, listening to the bird holler to him about his next mission. 

The two had traveled for some time, nearly an entire day. To say the least, Tanjirou was tired. They had arrived to a larger town, shimmering with numerous lights. Giyuu had decided to walk around, knowing he could blend into the crowd. Of course, that required some blood as well, something Tanjirou willingly offered. Once ingested, Giyuu stretched as nighttime bore down on them. It wasn't his first time in a place this large, not that he liked being in a busy area. Tanjirou on the other-hand, was caught off guard. He was struggling and heavily confused. Which led to Giyuu leading the way. 

They made their way slowly, letting Tanjirou take a peak at the countless buildings. It was heavily populated, leaving the roads packed even after dark. At some point, Tanjirou had found a secluded food stall. The noodles were appetizing, something he scarfed down quickly. Giyuu had refused any, which led to the male arguing about his tastes. In the end, Tanjirou ate two whole bowls. To say the least, the older male was indeed surprised. Passing the bowls back, Tanjirou opened his mouth to speak before his heart sank. A smell all too familiar wafted past his nose as he rose from the bench. The panic in his eyes was noticeable.

"Tanjirou?" The Demon slayer met Giyuu's gaze as he furrowed his brows, his anger seeping from every pore as he spoke in a low tone. It surprised Giyuu, but not more than the words that rolled from the maroon haired Slayers tongue.

"He's here! Muzan is here!" 

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Hope you've enjoyed the chapter. Lady Tamayo will be introduced to the story next chapter. I want your opinions. Involve her more in the story or no? Let me know!

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