Demon Slayer: Taking Care Of Tanjuro's Wife And Daughter

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Nightfall

Unbeknownst to most, night had fallen. Every door in the village was tightly shut. Even the small mountain hut, bustling with activity all day, had finally fallen silent.

Ryuji lay alone in bed, his throat dry. His thoughts drifted to the dignified figure of Kamado Kie, and an unsettling restlessness stirred within him. Sleep eluded him as his mind raced. He turned over, trying to force himself to relax, but it was no use.

With a sigh, he gave up on trying to rest. Quietly, he pushed open the door and stepped outside, heading toward Kie's room.

The door wasn't completely shut, a slight gap left as though inviting him in. A small smile crept across his face—perhaps Kie had been expecting him.

He gently pushed the door open.

---

Inside, a woman stood with her back turned, smoothing out the bed. In the dim light of an oil lamp, her figure seemed delicate, her long black hair flowing over her shoulders.

Sensing someone behind her, Kamado Kie turned around, her eyes widening briefly in surprise when she saw Ryuji. Her expression shifted from surprise to a mixture of nervousness and faint apprehension.

Just as Ryuji was about to close the door, he noticed a small figure under the blanket. Nezuko's sleepy face peeked out, her tousled hair framing her drowsy eyes.

"Uncle Ryuji, why are you here?" Nezuko asked innocently, her voice soft and groggy.

Caught off guard, Ryuji scratched his head, trying to mask his embarrassment. "Oh, nothing," he replied awkwardly.

"Alright," Nezuko yawned, stretching her tiny hand from under the quilt. "Uncle, it's late. You should go to bed too."

Ryuji forced a smile, his earlier plans slipping away. "Yeah... I'll go back to bed soon."

Casting a lingering glance at Kie, he noted the faint blush on her cheeks and the unspoken emotions in her eyes. For nights, her door had been left slightly open, yet he hadn't come. Now, with Nezuko asleep beside her, he had finally appeared.

"I'll go rest now," Ryuji muttered, disappointment evident in his voice. He stepped back into the courtyard, the cool night air brushing against his skin. Needing an outlet, he began to train, his movements precise yet brimming with an unsteady energy. His gaze drifted now and then toward Kie's window, which remained slightly ajar. The faint rustle of fabric told him that she, too, had likely gone to bed.

Ryuji gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that he was falling short, yearning for the strength that could come from mastering the "Breath of the Sun."

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Inside, Kie lay awake, holding Nezuko close. She listened to the faint sounds of Ryuji's training outside. After a moment, she gently whispered to Nezuko, "Mommy needs to step outside for a little while. I'll be right back."

Nezuko pouted slightly in her sleep, resisting, but Kie gently patted her head before slipping out of bed.

---

The night air was cool, and Kie shivered as she stepped outside, wrapping her shawl tightly around herself. She carried a kettle and two cups.

"Kie, what are you doing outside?" Ryuji asked, his voice laced with surprise as he saw her approach.

"I noticed you were still training, so I thought I'd bring you some tea," Kie said softly, her gaze lowered as she walked toward him, her steps quiet and deliberate.

"Thank you," Ryuji replied, though his attention was drawn to the blush on her face, which seemed to glow under the moonlight.

Kie kept her head lowered, her cheeks burning under his gaze. Her heart raced with each step closer to him.

Ryuji glanced around, confirming they were alone. Satisfied, he took Kie's hand and led her to a quieter corner of the courtyard.

"I noticed earlier, when we were practicing the 'Breath of the Sun,' that you seemed unwell," he murmured gently. "Let me check your condition."

"Alright," Kie whispered, glancing up at him through her lashes. Her heart beat faster, and she noticed the faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

"You remember what Tanjiro said today, don't you?" Ryuji continued, stepping closer. "He told you to listen to me."

"Of course… I always listen to you," she replied, her voice trembling.

"Good," Ryuji nodded, satisfied. "Now, Kie, turn around."

Under the moonlight, Kie's face was flushed, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. Her beauty seemed more ethereal than ever, and Ryuji's pulse quickened.

Hesitating only a moment, Kie turned, her slender figure outlined in the pale light as she complied.

---

The night deepened, shrouding the world in an even deeper silence.

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Early Morning

The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on Ryuji's face. He opened his eyes, stretching as a sense of calm filled him. After last night's events, he felt renewed.

Stepping outside, he wasn't surprised to see Tanjiro already up, training with determination.

"Hardworking kid," Ryuji thought with a smile.

He approached Tanjiro and patted him on the shoulder. "If you get tired, make sure to rest. Don't push too hard."

"I will, Uncle," Tanjiro replied, wiping sweat from his brow with a nod.

Ryuji chuckled and turned toward the kitchen, thinking Kie might still be asleep. He was about to prepare breakfast when he noticed a flicker of hesitation in Tanjiro's gaze.

"Tanjiro, do you need to tell me something?" Ryuji asked.

Tanjiro hesitated before speaking. "On my morning run, I… I passed a house. I think I smelled blood."

Ryuji's expression grew serious. He knew Tanjiro's keen sense of smell was rarely wrong.

"Show me where," Ryuji said, his tone firm.

Tanjiro nodded, and they set off into the mountains. They moved quickly, bounding over rocks and weaving through trees until a distant house came into view.

Normally, smoke would be rising from chimneys at this hour. But this house was eerily still.

"That's the place," Tanjiro said, pointing. "That's where I smelled it."

He explained that he hadn't approached earlier because the door was shut tight.

Ryuji didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward the house, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the wrongness of the silence.

As they approached, they found the gate closed. Ryuji called out, but there was no answer. After a pause, he kicked the fence gate open and approached the front door.

"Uncle, are you sure it's alright to go in?" Tanjiro asked, his voice worried. "What if… we're intruding?"

"It'll be fine," Ryuji replied, pressing forward. "If there's trouble, we'll handle it."

With one swift kick, he forced the door open. The smell of blood immediately hit them.

Inside was a horrific scene.

Blood spattered across walls and furniture. The once peaceful home was now a nightmare. Just inside lay the remains of an old man, his body ending at the waist. His bloody hand stretched toward the doorway, as if he had tried to crawl out in his final moments.

Further in, more bodies lay mutilated, faces barely recognizable. Among them was a child, likely no older than two or three, their small head hanging limply with one eye dangling by a thin strand of skin.

Tanjiro stood frozen behind Ryuji, the horror overwhelming him. He doubled over, retching.

Ryuji's expression hardened as he took in the grotesque scene. He had seen death—but never a massacre like this.

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