Work Text:
The sky is dark and cloud can be seen everywhere, blocking the light the stars and moon. Below those cloudy night sky, a boy with burgundy hair walking in the forest. The boy’s name is Kamado Tanjirou— a young demon slayer of the Demon Slayer’s Corps. After he took a huge damage from a strong demon he encountered on his mission, he’s been recuperating on the Butterfly Estate. It’s took him a long time to recover, but he’s finally getting better and now just finished his first mission after his recovery.
“Ouch, that demon sure is fast. I’m pretty sure I dodge his claw, but it’s still manage to reach me” the boy mumbles while grimacing in pain. “But at least it’s not deep enough and since Aoi-san already taught me some first aid, I can handle it somehow.”
Tanjirou sighed in relief. His attention then changed into the box on his back when he hear it made some noise.
“I’m sorry, it seem I worrying you. But it’s okay Nezuko, big brother is fine now. So no need to worry anymore” he spoke—smiling reassuringly, even though the other can’t see it.
The box become silent right after he said that. Tanjirou smile become bigger, knowing that the one inside the box— Kamado Nezuko, his sister who become a demon— still worrying about him even though she already saw when Tanjirou treat his wound. He then walking on the forest, waiting for a Kasugai Crow to give him another mission.
“Caw! Caw!”
A voice of a crow can be heard. Tanjirou then looking up to the sky and spot his Kasugai Crow flying around above him while repetitively saying, “Emergency!”
“What’s happened? is something wrong happened?” Tanjirou asked with a worry look.
“Go back to the Butterfly Estate now! something urgent happened!” the crow responded and keep repeating what it said.
Tanjirou’s confused by the order. But without asking for further detail, Tanjirou start running and go to the destination it’s instructed. After a while of running, he then look up to the crow again and start asking.
“Is a demon attacking the estate? if so, is Shinobu-san or Kanao isn’t around? or is there no other demon slayer available on site?”
Instead an answer, what Tanjirou got was instead an attack. The crow pecking his face while saying, “just running you brat!” with an angry tone.
Tanjirou scream in pain, telling the crow to stop while saying he’ll listen. But even when he ask for it to stop, its doesn’t listen to him and instead keep attacking him for the rest of journey until they finally reached their destination.
“Alright we almost reach the place already! so stop please!”
Tanjirou’s begging multiple time for it to stop. After the last try of begging, the crow finally stop and flying away— leaving Tanjirou alone in his shocked state. When Tanjirou can’t feel the crow’s presence anymore, he finally sigh in relief.
“Finally...” he mumbles, a small tear pouring from his eyes.
Once again, Tanjirou sigh. After he feels he can focus on his surrounding, he look around and sniff every smell he can catch around.
“There’s no scent of demon and I can smell Shinobu-san and the other’s smell inside the building. Then what was that about?” Tanjirou mumbles and ask to himself, confused about his situation. “Well, let’s just get inside first and ask them for information.”
Without thinking any further, Tanjirou enter the mansion area and walked towards the building’s door. When he finally in front of the doors, he raised his hand to reach the doorknob thinking to open it since it’s unusually closed. But before he can do that, suddenly the door opened and something fly right into his face.
“Oofm—?!”
Tanjirou’s jolt when he feels something fluffy on his face. He then raised his hand, touching the fluffy things and pull it away to check what it was. When he finally get to see it, he noticed the fluffy things is actually cat— two of them in fact.
“Huh? a cats? is it someone pet?”
Tanjirou looking at the two cats, confused with their sudden appearance. At first, he thought that someone brought their pet to the estate or something. But when he fell a familiar scents, his nose suddenly twitch.
“Wait, these smell is...”
Tanjirou left his sentence hanging when he smell another scent in front of him. He then changing his attention to the source of the scent and spot a petite woman with a butterfly-style haori smilling at him and to the two cats on his hand.
“Oh, Shinobu-san!”
Tanjirou’s eyes shine the moment he look at the woman eyes. The woman name is Kocho Shinobu—the Insect Hashira of the demon slayer corps and also the woman who’s been taking care of him when he’s recuperating.
“Hello Tanjirou-kun” she greeted, a smile can still be spotted on her face.
Tanjirou’s didn’t say anything, but instead bowing himself as a response. After responding to her greetings, Tanjirou suddenly change his attention between her and the two cats.
“Shinobu-san, this is...”
Tanjirou opening his mouth, trying to ask. But before he could finish what he’s going to say, Shinobu nods as an answer as if she know what he’s going to ask.
“Yes, they’re Zenitsu-kun and Inosuke-kun”
Tanjirou already expected that answer the moment he noticed the two’s smell. But he’s still confused by his current situation. As if noticing the confusion, Shinobu then explaining that the two has been turned into a cat by a certain demon. Fortunately, they managed to defeat the demon before they can fully turned into a cat. But unfortunately, the demon blood’s art effect still working despite the fact they already killed the demon.
“I see...” that’s the only thing coming out from Tanjirou’s mouth.
Tanjirou sigh, worrying about the situation. He then taking a look at the cats with a worried face and saw the dark blue cat licking his left hand’s thumb while meowing, meanwhile the yellow cat rubbing it’s head to his right hand’s fingers while purring.
C-cute...
The worry looks on Tanjirou’s face disappeared instantly when he see the two of them. A desire to carress both of them suddenly coming and he tried so hard to resist to do so. Shinobu—who’s been watching, obviously noticed it and chuckles at the scene. Meanwhile Tanjirou instantly got a blush on his face when he noticed the laugh, he the processed to clear his throat and asking what on his mind.
“So was it the reason why the crow’s told me to go here?” Tanjirou asked which got a nod as an answer. “What it has to do with me thought...?”
“Well” Shinobu smile and then continuing, “because they’re causing too much chaos”.
Tanjirou flinch at the smile. It’s just a normal smile to normal people. But to him, who’s used to Shinobu enough and with the help of his nose as well— he immediately noticed how annoyed Shinobu is right now. An extreme amount of annoyance can be smelled by him in fact.
“I-I see... I’ll take care of them from now on then. I’m sorry that they’re been disturbing you and the others” Tanjirou apologized while bowing his body.
Shinobu accepted the apologize. After that she then further explain that they’ll probably turned back into human by themselves, but might need some times for that. She also said that she prepared a room for them to use, so it won’t disturb other’s work and the patient’s recovery time. Tanjirou thanked her for that before going to the specified room with two cats on both hand.
“Hah... how could something like this happened to you guys?”
Tanjirou mumbles, while looking at the two cats before his eyes. The cats just meowing as a response, while looking at him with their big eyes. Tanjirou touch his chest dramatically, as if he can’t stand the amount of cuteness he can feel from both of them.
“Ouch”
Tanjirou flinch when he feels a sudden pain on his left hand wrist. He then taking a look at it and saw the red stain on the bandage he wrapped around it. He then noticed that it was the previous wound he got from the demon’s claw, for a moment he forgot about it and moving it carelessly.
“I forgot about the wound”
Tanjirou sigh at his own stupidity. He then told the cats to stay still so he could put a new bandage on it. Unexpectedly, the cats listened to what he said. They’re not actually staying still, but they’re become silent and following Tanjirou carefully without disturbing what he’s going to do.
“Are you guys worry about me?” Tanjirou spoke, while stroking both of their head carefully after he’s done with what he’s doing.
The cats meowing as a response to Tanjirou’s words. After that the cat with yellow fur scratching it’s claw into Tanjirou right hand’s haori, trying to get the redhead to put his attention to it.
“What’s wrong Zenitsu?”
Tanjirou asked while lifting the cat and look at into its eyes. The yellow cat which what Agatsuma Zenitsu—a young demon slayer with blonde hair turned into, meowing and moving himself trying to reach Tanjirou’s shoulder. As if understand what he want to do, Tanjirou put him on his shoulder slowly until the fluffy ball get to stand on it comfortably.
Zenitsu’s meowing, satisfying with his successful attempt. Tanjirou smile and wait for whatever thing he’s going to do. After a few seconds of waiting, Zenitsu lick Tanjirou’s cheek which make the redhead flinch a little by the act.
“Ahaha it’s tickle Zenitsu”
Zenitsu give him several more licks on the cheek. Tanjirou giggle because the amount ticklish feeling on his cheek. After a while, Zenitsu finally stop what he’s doing and then processed to rub his head to the redhead’s cheek. Tanjirou then show a smile on his face and start headpatting the yellow fur. But when he’s doing that, he suddenly hear a cat hissing that it made him changed his attention to the source of the sound and spotting a cat with the dark blue fur looking so angry.
“Huh...? Inosuke?”
The dark blue cat which what Hashibira Inosuke—another young demon slayer turned into, wiggling his body as if trying to do something. His emerald eyes look at Zenitsu sharply, as if targetting the yellow fur. He meow in angry tone, before processed to jump and attack Zenitsu which made both of them fall and hit the wall.
“Woah! be careful you two!”
Tanjirou scream in worry, which got ignored by Inosuke. Instead he keep going with his attack, scratching and biting Zenitsu. Doesn’t accept how he’s suddenly got attacked, Zenitsu respond to the attack with a bite on Inosuke’s neck— which make Inosuke attacking more aggresively. Looking at the scene before his eyes, Tanjirou become panicked and tried stopping both of them.
“Ack”
While trying to stop the attack, Tanjirou’s previous wound suddenly got hit by Inosuke and Zenitsu’s claw. Obviously it made him grimace in pain. Noticing how he flinched, the two cats stopped with their fight and took a look at Tanjirou with a worry face.
“It seems like the scar getting worse” Tanjirou mumbles with a low voice. “I think it’s better for me to ask Aoi-san for help.”
Tanjirou sighed, he was trying so hard to handle his wound by himself so he won’t need to trouble his friend. But in the end, the wound getting worse that he can’t treat his wound by himself. The two cats, who’s been observing Tanjirou’s wound— admitting the bad thing they just did and fell silent. Tanjirou who noticed the sudden change, processed to look at the two with a smile.
“Seems like you two stopped now because you’re worry about me. That’s good then” he spoke in a soft tone when he saw the two cats looks so dejected. “It’s okay, don’t worry. I’ll ask Aoi-san to treat my wound, so don’t be sad. For now, be good and wait for me okay?” he continued while giving them a headpat one by one.
The two meowing synchronically in a low voice as an answer. After that, Tanjirou left the two with his sister who’s just coming out from her box to check on what happened.
“Hum? hum hum hum?” Nezuko humming in a confused tone at the two cats.
The two cat doesn’t give any response, instead they’re looking so listless—still feeling dejected by what happened. Looking at the two condition, made Nezuko confused. She doesn’t know exactly what happened, but she get the gist of it because she’s been hearing them the whole time.
“Hum, hum!”
Once again she’s humming. But this time, he pats the two of them softly as if trying to tell them that everything is going to be alright. She then processed to raise both of her hand, acting as if she’s showing off her hand’s muscle— probably trying to make a the best gesture to convey “After all he’s stronger than you could think of” to both of them.
As if it’s worked, the both of them raised their ear and meow in a more happy tone. Nezuko smile proudly and give them more pats, before processed to play with both of them.
“I’m back”
After a while, the door to the room opened and showing Tanjirou with his newly changed bandage and clothes. In his right hand, Tanjirou brought a bucket of clothes with the same colour as the one he’s currently using which immediately took the three attention.
“Oh you guys are playing?”
Tanjirou place the bucket right besides them after noticing what they’re doing. After that he’s finding himself to sit in a comfortable position before talking to them.
“Hum!”
Nezuko humming happily, which got followed with an excited meow from the two. Tanjirou chuckles and give Nezuko a headpat for a moment, before giving his attention to the two cats.
“It’s a sleeping clothes for both of you” he said, while cutting it midway to show what inside the bucket. “Since at the time when you guys turned into a cat, your clothes are off and we don’t know when you guys will turn back— Aoi-san said for you to use this when you sleep, just in case you’ll turn back suddenly” he then continued to explain further.
Zenitsu and Inosuke looking at each other for a while, before looking back at Tanjirou and meowing as a response. Tanjirou took that as a yes, so he smile and give both of them a headpat. While he doing so, he noticed that Nezuko rubbed her eyes and looking so tired. So he give her another headpat before telling her to go back to sleep.
“Good night Nezuko”
After Nezuko agreed to what he told her, Tanjirou give her a kiss on the forehead before putting her back into the box. When he’s done he then standing up to put three futon on the floor, while telling the cats to wait on the side while he’s doing it.
“Alright, you can come here”
Tanjirou gesturing the two cats to get close to him after he sit on the middle futon. Both of them followed what he said and get close to him, carefully as to not touching the wound. Tanjirou give them a smile, as if noticing the gesture. He then changing his attention to the clothes on the bucket and made each of them wear the clothes.
“Done. You can take a rest now”
After putting the clothes on, Tanjirou place them on the each side of his futon. Both looks at him, confused as to why he’s putting them so far when they want to snuggle beside him. But unfortunately for them, the redhead doesn’t noticed what they want this time and instead laying himself on the futon.
“I’m kind of tired now, so let’s play tomorrow and rest for now. Of course, that is if you guys still in a cat form”
Zenitsu and Inosuke look at him with a complicated looks, but they agree either way since they feel bad for troubling Tanjirou so much and even make his wound become worse. So they listened to him and let him rest.
“Good night Zenitsu and good night to you too Inosuke”
That’s the last thing Tanjirou said before he finally go to sleep. Both Zenitsu and Inosuke meow in a low voice and tried to find the best position to sleep themselves. But no matter how much they move, they seem can’t find the right position so they intinctively let out a small growl.
“Meowr”
Inosuke meowing, trying his hard to move to Tanjiro’s side while keeping the clothes on. Noticing what he’s trying to do, Zenitsu hissing at him but got ignored— because Inosuke keep himself busy with what he’s doing until he finally got the most comfortable position right beside Tanjirou and goes to sleep right away after that.
Zenitsu looking at Inosuke in disbelief. He then processed to think about doing the same thing. But he’s worried that if he suddenly go back to his human form, he’ll hurt Tanjirou hand and it made him conflicted whether he’ll going to do it or not. While he’s busy with his thought, something suddenly happened—
Poof!
Zenitsu found himself back into his human form and got massive shock with the sudden change. After a few minutes passed, he finally get a grip of himself. He then changing his attention to take a look at Inosuke who’s also back into human form and currently hugging Tanjirou’s hand while sleeping— which made him extremely annoyed at it.
“Oh wait, since I already turned back, I can sleep beside him more carefully now” Zenitsu thought to himself.
A smile appeared on his face, satisfied with his thought. He then adjusting his current clothes before getting close to Tanjirou and find the right spot, carefully not touching the wound on his wrist. When he finally got what he wished for, he then processed to enjoy the sound Tanjirou made when he sleep before going sleep himself.
Good night Tanjirou. Let’s play a little bit tomorrow even if we’re not in a cat form anymore.