No One's POV
After safely walking the Kiyoshi, Teruko and Shoichi back to their homes, the four headed into the direction where the Kasugai is flying. It was to show them the place where they could spend time to rest up since their mission will be a big one later on. During the trip, they have asked each other basic and some personal questions about each other and soon opened up but Tanjiro confessed to Zenitsu that he is a demon but doesn't need human flesh nor blood whenever he is hungry, much to Zenitsu relief as he stepped out of the forest. Inosuke was still unconscious during this whole trip but soon woke up before reaching the place.
He quickly jumped away from Tanjiro and prepared for another fist fight. "DEMON!!! FIGHT MEEEEEE!!!"
"I'm not going to fight you Inosuke and I have a name. It's Kamado Tanjiro." Tanjiro replied, continuing to walk along with Zenitsu who is visibly tired and Kanao silently walking.
"Kentaro? FIGHT ME KENTARO!!!!"
"Who the heck are you talking to?"
"YOU!! WHO ELSE!??!"
"I'M TANJIRO, NOT KENTARO!"
"HUH??!!?! THAT IS YOU MONJIRO!!"
"NO I'M NOT!!!"
"WAHHHHHH!!! WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP??!!" Tanjiro and Inosuke started bickering about their names until Zenitsu had been fed up with them arguing so he had to end it somewhere. The two just stopped and walked quietly along with the others.
While walking, the trio except for Kanao opened up again to each others and Tanjiro noticed this. After a few hours of walking, it was close to dusk by the time they arrived at the place the Kasugai was talking about. It was the a wisteria family crest on the gate. An elderly lady opens the gates and sees them, recognizing them as demon slayers and invited them inside.
"Hey, what is this place? Given by the family crest, they should be associated with the Corps, right?" Tanjiro asked while they went through the large gate and found themselves in front of a house. The old lady had already went inside as soon as after she invited the four of them inside.
"Caw! Rest time! Rest time! This place is owned by one of the ancestral supporters of the Demon Slayer Corps. One of the former Demon Slayer saved a member of this family and ever since then, they would provide a place to stay, rest and eat for any Demon Slayers in need of it." His Kasugai flies down and lands on his head, squawking the information Tanjiro asked for.
"Please come in, I have already provided all of you a change of clothes. If you do not wish to wear it, it is fine. I also have provided you with a meal inside." She said, walking out of the house and bowing down to us.
"F-Fast! S-She's a mo-monster hag-" Tanjiro immediately smack Zenitsu's head stopping him from continuing any further. He limited his strength enough to not make him faint but enough to shut his mouth from disrespecting the old lady.
They all went in and decided to change later after eating their dinner. Once night fell, only Inosuke and Zenitsu changed their clothes and went in their room to sleep in early.
Tanjiro's POV
What should I do, what should I do..? I was outside at the porch of the house because I wasn't in need of a sleep due to the fact that I was a demon. I gazed at the beautiful crescent moon as the moon shone with its silver light.
While staring and admiring the moon, I heard footsteps and a creak from my left and glanced right at it. It was Kanao, still in her Demon Slayer uniform although she's not wearing her short white cloak over her uniform. From her looks, she was sleepy but can't sleep for some reason. She slowly walked towards me and sat down on the porch right next to me. I was slightly surprised by this but stayed calmed anyway. She was also staring at the moon when she sat down. A few minutes has passed and the atmosphere is awkward already, so I decided to speak to her.
"...Hey Kanao, aren't you tired yet? You look drowsy. Maybe you should go and take a rest. I'm a demon so I don't think I am in need of one." I told her, still staring at the moon.
"...I'm sorry but I still can't sleep. I'm not sure why..." She responded. I was a bit shocked that she replied as soon as I told her though. After all, she was very quiet when the three of us were talking. I honestly thought that she was left behind since she hasn't talked to anyone that much besides from the ones she's close with. Soon enough, she started the conversation again.
"Tanjiro..."
"What is it Kanao?" I looked at her as I replied to her. She opened her mouth but closed it. "No need to hesitate Kanao, just tell me what it is." Her eyes widened when she heard me. I guess she noticed that I saw her hesitating. She nodded while still mesmerizing at the moon.
"...Why did you tell them that you're a demon?" She asked me. I honestly didn't think that she would bring it up but I was wrong. I thought, looking back at the night sky.
"They already figured it out back inside the house so why try to hide a secret that has already been revealed. It would be better if I admit it to them rather than making them suspicious of me. Plus, despite their attitudes, they look trustworthy enough to know it." I uttered as a cool and windy breeze blew by.
"...Do you think they will trust you from now on? Since you're a demon?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She was taken back a bit by what I said. She looked at the ground when I asked the question. She fell silent for a few minutes but was able to talk to me again although hesitantly.
"I... I can trust you Tanjiro... You... You told me that it's the heart that drives people and... I-I wanna trust you despite you're a demon yourself. After all... You're not like any other demon I met. And it's my first time being with someone else who is very kind like my sisters... Also I feel weird when I'm with you but in a good way..." Kanao's voice slowly goes silent while still looking at the ground. A second later, her head falls on Tanjiro's shoulder, shocking him.
"E-Ehmm Kanao-" He only took one look at her sweet sleeping face and smiled. He can barely hear her soft snore. He gently carried Kanao's head just enough for him to move and gradually removed his haori. He then covered Kanao with it and tucked her on his shoulder, letting her sleep soundly on him.
"I think I'll enjoy this for a bit before I put in your room." He said to himself, putting his hand over Kanao. "Goodnight, Kanao and I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect you from the ones that hurt you in the past. I may not know what happened back then but I'm thankful for your sisters saving you." He then held her tight in his embrace.
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Kanao opened her eyes slowly as she looks at the ceiling of her room. She sat up from her futon and looked around the room. Nothing was out of the ordinary but something felt odd. She rubbed her eyes and was about to get up when she touched her shoulders. She felt it was softer and more comfortable than before. She saw that it was a haori and removed it from her back. As she holds it in front of her, she perceived that it wasn't just any haori, it was Tanjiro's specifically. Her cheeks blushed pink and didn't get up from her futon just yet.
"Ugh... Why did I think of it and why am I doing it..?" She muttered to herself, wearing Tanjiro's haori. She held the sleeves of the haori close to her face and sniffed it.
"KANAO! Are you awake yet? Breakfast is ready and the two are already eating and fighting with each other." Tanjiro said, standing right in front of the door of Kanao's room. "Kanao? I'm going in." Tanjiro was about to open the door when Kanao snapped out to reality and removed his haori on her. She then laid it in on her lap as the door opens up, revealing Tanjiro.
"Did you get a goodnight sleep? You look pretty tired last night." He flashed a smile towards Kanao, making her blush even more than she already is. She avoided making eye contact with Tanjiro by looking down at his haori. It was then she realized that she hasn't thanked Tanjiro for it.
"T-Tanjiro, t-thank you for lending me your haori, last night. I felt a little chilly back then." She stood up from her futon and handed Tanjiro his haori back, only for him to also avoid eye contact with her.
"You... Were you awake back then?" He asked her with Kanao getting confused.
"When you moved my head, I was awake-" She realized why he was not making eye contact with her. She remembered falling asleep on Tanjiro's shoulder.
"I-I'll wait for you in the other room." Tanjiro said, scratching the back of his head as he left Kanao in her room. Kanao covered herself in Tanjiro's haori. ...That was embarrassing but... It felt warm... She thought to herself, getting a reddened face.
TBC