Tanzen - Tumblr Posts

gay kamados

Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU Masterpost

(This has been my comfort AU for a while)

I personally love the idea of Tanjiro having some properties of a demon, but he can still keep his humanity. So here are some details about the AU! (Keep in mind that I haven’t finished the manga)

In this AU, Tanjiro couldn’t fully cure his demon side even after defeating Muzan, but he was able to regain his humanity. His body changed quite a bit and some of the changes are:

He doesn’t need to eat people and he could use his blood to make other demons regain their humanity.

He can bring back dead demons by rebuilding them using their Blood Demon Art remnants

He can also turn people (both dead and alive) into half demons

However, he cannot bring back a human if their head was destroyed

And he can’t bring back demons that don’t have a Blood Demon Art

He can control water to fight off hostile demons and to defend himself. Tanjiro can also use it to heal people.

When he’s pissed, Tanjiro can turn water into fire and use it as a heatwave (he’s only done this once though)

Tanjiro grew quite a bit. Now he’s 6 feet and 4 inches tall

When he is ready for battle, his fangs and claws come out and his eyes become those of a demon.

When he isn’t fighting, he just looks like a normal human with tiny micro fangs.

When it comes to sunlight, he can go out in the daytime, but his skin is extremely sensitive. He can’t stay out for too long, otherwise he gets an extreme sunburn.

After every battle, he needs to regain his strength by sleeping.

Tanjiro can also purr! He usually does it when he’s happy, sick, or injured.

He will occasionally hold someone who is sick or injured close and purr so that they can heal faster

The power of the blood demon art gets halved when they become half demons. This has angered quite a few demons when Tanjiro tried to convert them

Tanjiro still prefers to use his sword in battle. He only uses his fangs and claws if he has to.

He’s quite cuddly and his bigger stature makes him a giant teddy bear

Demons can communicate using a language of growls (it’s really cute!) and now Tanjiro can do that too

They can also communicate telepathically with Tanjiro like Muzan was able to do

When demons suffer from panic attacks or get too flustered, they lose control of their voice and they start growling, roaring and crying

Half demons also have human disguises, so they can walk through villages with no suspicions

He is the new Demon King! It take him a minute to get the hang of it, but he figures it out!

Tanjiro also is incredibly proud of the demons who’ve made progress

Everything here applies to Nezuko too, except the height change, water powers, ability to bring back demons, and the role as Demon King

In this AU, Tanjiro and Zenitsu are dating while Inosuke and Nezuko are just vibing and doing their own thing.

Feel free to ask me any questions or have me write drabbles about the AU! If I get any questions, I’ll link them to this master post.

Chapters:

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

More Information!!

How the demons are doing

Zohakuten and Karaku chat ai!

Tanzen Headcanons!

OC information!

Chat With Half-Demon Tanjiro!

Hashira Information!

Incorrect Quotes!

“Drink the Juice!”

More incorrect quotes!

Drabbles!

When the Emotional Support Needs Help (warning comfort vore)

The Friendly Beast: Tanjiro vers. (contains comfort vore)

The Friendly Beast: Gyutaro vers. (Contains comfort vore)

When Worlds Collide

Flying High

You Can Trust Me (contains soft vore)

Safety From The Sun (contains comfort vore)

Lost And Found (contains soft vore)

Brotherly Troubles (contains soft vore)

In The Belly of The Beast (contains soft vore)

I’ll Keep You Warm (Contains soft vore)

Traveling Within a Harpy (contains soft vore)

Protected by a Friend (contains soft vore)

Mom Mode (contains soft vore)

Tanzen Headcanons For My Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU!

(In this AU, Tanjiro and Zenitsu start dating and I want to elaborate on their relationship!)

First, let’s start with how they realized they had feelings for each other!

When Tanjiro went missing (to overcome Muzan’s control), Zenitsu couldn’t handle the grief he felt

He felt like he lost his source of stability and love

After all, Tanjiro was the first person to truly see the value in him

Nezuko tried her best to stick by his side and comfort him during that time, but it just couldn’t fill the hole in his heart

It was basically one of those situations where the character realizes that they are in love, but their special person is gone

When they finally found Tanjiro in his Half-Demon state, the trio was overwhelmed with joy

Tanjiro then picked them all up and swung them around in pure happiness (he’s a big boi, okay?)

However, Zenitsu didn’t tell Tanjiro his feelings out of fear of rejection (also because gay relationships weren’t all too common back then)

For Tanjiro, he realized he had feelings for Zenitsu when he forced Tanjiro to look after his injuries (which Tanjiro neglected to take care of)

Tanjiro loved how Zenitsu cared for him and made sure that he would take care of himself

Despite this, they didn’t confess to each other for quite some time

They both ended up telling Nezuko and Inosuke about their feelings for each other

This made Nezuko and Inosuke team up and try to get them to confess (this also made Nezuko and Inosuke fall in love)

They managed to convince Tanjiro and Zenitsu to confess to each other by getting the Hashiras into the situation and having them give their support on their same sex relationship

So on one faithful Valentine’s Day, Tanjiro and Zenitsu finally confessed their love for each other (They ended up being sobbing, flustered messes afterwards)

Now on to more general headcanons!

They are both HUGE cuddle bugs!

Once they are cozy and in each other’s embrace, it is physically impossible to move them until morning

Zenitsu is the little spoon, there’s no debate (I mean Tanjiro’s freaking HUGE!)

Tanjiro’s purring makes him irresistible for Zenitsu

His gentle sound, purring, and soft growls make one of the most heavenly sounds Zenitsu’s ever heard

Picnics in the lush forest are their ideal dates! (Bonus if there’s fireworks!!)

When it come to housework, they both work together to make sure that it’s done

Tanjiro is an excellent cook (his sense of smell makes him an expert) and Zenitsu will never stop complimenting it

We all know that Tanjiro is tone deaf, but i believe that Zenitsu has a great singing voice and Tanjiro will occasionally ask Zenitsu to sing him his mother’s lullaby

Zenitsu gets absolutely flustered whenever Tanjiro compliments him or does something nice for him

Both Tanjiro and Nezuko nuzzle to show affection

So when Tanjiro nuzzles Zenitsu, Zenitsu’s face goes entirely red

Tanjiro sometimes kneads his claws like a cat against pillows, blankets, or even Zenitsu.

Yeah it kinda hurts, but Zenitsu loves it and urges him on

They are both there to help each other

Tanjiro will always comfort Zenitsu when he’s stressed and Zenitsu will always make sure that Tanjiro is doing well and taking care of himself

Despite knowing that Tanjiro will never betray him, Zenitsu still gets INSANELY jealous

He mostly gets jealous when Tanjiro spins anyone else around (he does that when he’s happy) or when he holds someone and purrs to heal them

Of course, no healthy couple doesn’t have no arguing

They don’t argue too often since they usually have great communication, but sometimes they do

When they do argue, they usually have to be apart for a little while

But after they’ve calmed down, they talk about the issue and make the other person understands their situation and tries to fix it

The two major ones they’ve had were about Zenitsu’s jealousy and Tanjiro’s self neglect

Despite this, they always stick by each other’s side

(I hope you’ve enjoyed these headcanons! This ship is my personal OTP for Demon Slayer and I love their relationship!!)

Also I hate autocorrect

Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Chapter Eleven:

Old Scars

Warnings: A panic attack and some angst

Word Count: 6260

  Zenitsu walked through the halls of the Infinity Castle with a fast paced heart. His walking speed was rather quick and he tried to avoid even the sight of the Kizuki. Matsuemon flew above him, seemingly careless of the demons around him. "Run, Zenitsu!" He cawed. "Lord Tanjiro wants to speak with you!"

  "I know that!" Zenitsu snapped. "I'm going as fast as I can! Without looking weird of course." Matsuemon laughed. "Then why are you taking the long way? It would've been much more efficient if you went through the main lobby! Caw!" Zenitsu shook his head. "You wouldn't want to be in there with all those hungry demons, would you?"

  Matsuemon flew closer to Zenitsu's head. "They don't bite! Lord Tanjiro prohibits it!" Zenitsu sighed in annoyance. "Who knows if they're faking or not.." Matsuemon tilted his head. "It seems like you have some animosity towards them! Why is that?" Zenitsu looked down towards the ground.

  There was a plethora of reasons why Zenitsu never told Tanjiro about Kaigaku. He knew that his ashes were floating around here somewhere, but he hoped that Tanjiro never found them. In all honesty, he had no idea if redemption was possible for the demons. He still remained supportive in spite of this, yet he still urged Tanjiro to be cautious. Nearly loosing him once tore Zenitsu's heart out and he didn't want to truly lose him.

  Despite all the anger he had for Kaigaku and the demon species as a whole, he still longed for the connection he could've had with him. Zenitsu wanted to trust in Tanjiro's ability to persuade. There were so many conflicting feelings that created such confusing turmoil. If redemption was truly possible, then maybe..

  "Caw! Giving me the silent treatment, huh?" Matsuemon cawed, snapping Zenitsu back into reality. "Whatever! I'm a crow, not a therapist! Caw!" Zenitsu only rolled his eyes at the crow's statement. He then skidded to a stop in front of a sliding door. "He's here. His gentle sound is here." He said with a soft, admiring voice.

  Matsuemon laughed. "You sound like you're in love!" Zenitsu's face immediately turned as red as a tomato. "I'm not in love with him! You don't know what you're talking about!" The crow only made a "Mhm" sound and flew through the room as Zenitsu opened the door.

  Tanjiro sat in the middle of his newfound office with Nezuko by his side. A small desk stood against the right wall while a rocking chair was sitting near the left. A small, open bookshelf was set up behind the two. Warm light radiated from two lanterns that hung from the side walls. A journal laid open in front of Tanjiro, who held a quill in his hand.

  "Hey, Zenitsu." Tanjiro said with a bright smile. Zenitsu couldn't help but return it. "Hi, Tanjiro." He sat in front of the new Demon King. "Why did you call me here?" Matsuemon flew past him and sat atop Tanjiro's shoulder-receiving an annoyed look from Zenitsu. "Just to talk, really." Tanjiro sighed. "A lot has happened recently.."

  Zenitsu nodded in agreement. "Are you okay?" He asked with a soft voice. Tanjiro's sound was off pace. The breakdown Tanjiro had after he killed Ran'yō seemed like it ripped open some old wounds. His sound reflected that. Strifles's situation just seemed to hit Tanjiro in an extremely sensitive spot. Zenitsu had an idea of why, but he didn't dare to bring up that old scar.

  Despite this, Tanjiro replied with a warm smile. "I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me. I'm more worried about Inosuke and Strifles. Speaking of which, how is he doing?" Zenitsu huffed irritably. "Despite him having broken ribs, the stupid boar was running around when I visited the Butterfly Estate. Poor Aoi was chasing after him, saying that he absolutely refused to rest." Tanjiro chuckled lightly. "I'm glad to see that he's still being his rambunctious self." Zenitsu rolled his eyes. "I guess you could say that."

  "Have you been able to learn anything about that ram?" Zenitsu asked, changing the subject. "Unfortunately, no. Nobody knows anything about him. Douma told me that this ram knew Muzan and he was supposedly as strong as Kokushibo. I'm not sure if that's exactly true though. Their Blood Demons Arts have been severed in half by becoming a half-demon. Still, that ram nearly killed Douma and Inosuke with ease."

  A shiver crawled down Zenitsu's spine. This ram was clearly dangerous and the lack of information about him only made Jackyll that much more terrifying. "Hey, brother." Nezuko spoke up with a soft voice, turning Tanjiro's attention to her with a soft rumble. "I spoke with Strifles to try to help him and he did give me some information about Jackyll."

  "Really?" Zenitsu asked, widening his eyes. "What did he say?" Nezuko held onto her brother's arm. "He told me that Jackyll sought them out because both he and his brother were half Humanoids. Strifles doesn't know exactly what that means, but he made it clear that they were rare. He also said that at the end of every month, Jackyll would give Ran'yō a dead jaguar for.." Nezuko put a hand over her mouth. "For Strifles's flesh."

  Tanjiro winced from disgust and anger while Zenitsu closed his eyes and turned away with a furrowed brow. "That's just disgusting." The blonde said, gagging. "That poor kid is just a baby! Who knows what hell that ram put him through." Zenitsu's words cut into Tanjiro's heart like a knife. He gritted his teeth and growled. "We need to find out more about him..to stop him from causing anymore harm."

  "But how?" Nezuko looked at him with worried eyes. "I even asked Mister Kokushibo if he knew anything, but he said that he had no clue." Tanjiro nodded. "Yes, but I do believe that there might be one other demon that might know." Nezuko's eyes widened and nodded. "Tamayo."

  "Who's that?" Zenitsu asked, raising an eyebrow. "She's the one who created the medicine that helped us defeat Muzan and the medicine that attempted to turn demons into humans, alongside Miss Kocho of course." Tanjiro explained. "As of now, She's the oldest person alive. If anyone is going to know who these Humanoids are, it's her."

  Zenitsu closed his eyes and nodded. "Alright, but I'm going with you." Tanjiro gave him a warm smile. "I wouldn't mind that at all." Zenitsu's heart fluttered when he saw Tanjiro's smile. "So umm.." He stuttered, face turning red. "I guess we should go, huh?" He grinned. Tanjiro nodded and both he and Nezuko stood up. "Yeah. Let's get Strifles. It would probably make more sense if we brought him with us."

  Zenitsu nearly jumped to his feet and walked right next to Tanjiro. "Of course!" Nezuko giggled to herself as she watched the boys before following them. Matsuemon flew over to her and landed on her shoulder with a laugh.

  Strifles sat in his room with his undead, Maine Coon cat, Nibbles, resting in his lap. His fluffy brown and black fur was well groomed by his owner. The bone of the cat's nose was exposed, but it didn't bother him much. "I'm glad you're still with me." Strifles hugged the large cat gently.

  Strifles's ears twitched as he heard small, soft footsteps approaching. Rui peeked his head around the door. A book was gripped in his hand. "Mythical Monsters From Around the World" was inscribed onto the front cover. "Hey, Strifles." He said softly. "I have something for you." Strifles's tail flicked with curiosity. "You do?"

  Rui nodded as he shifted the collar of his kimono, which seemed to look fine to Strifles. He walked in and sat on his knees in front of Strifles. He held the book out for Strifles to take. "I found this book while I was organizing the books in my room. The color coordination was an absolute mess!" Strifles lightly chuckled as he took the book. He flipped through the pages, looking at all the drawings of the various monsters. "Thank you."

  Rui smiled as he shifted the collar of his kimono once again, catching Strifles attention. "Is there something wrong with your kimono?" Rui made an uncomfortable rumble. "I don't really know. It just never feels right." Strifles tilted his head. "It looks fine to me. Is it too tight?" Rui shook his head. "I'm not sure what it is. It's strange, really. I also feel the same way about my room. It never really feels clean, kinda like myself."

  "But you look and smell great!" Strifles mewed as he curled his tail around his legs. Rui chuckled. "Thank you, but that doesn't really change how it feels." He stared off for a second. "Despite all that, I would like to show you something." Strifles's ears perked up. "Oh? What would that be?"

  Rui then hummed before his body began to change. His skin changed from a white color to a normal, pale skin tone. His hair changed to a dark black and his eyes changed to a dark, navy blue. He held his arms close to his chest and shivered in disgust before looking up at Strifles. "Apparently half-demons have human disguises. I accidentally found this out while I was thinking about my past." His voice was soft and uncomfortable.

  Nibbles meowed, sensing Rui's discomfort. Strifles sensed this too. "That seems cool, but is it hurting you?" Rui shook his head. "Then, what's wrong?" Strifles asked. "I hate how I feel. When I was human, I was severely sick. It still feels like I'm filthy, no matter how many times I take medicine or clean myself. I probably sound crazy." Rui shrugged as he turned back to normal.

  Strifles's ears drooped with worry. "No. It's okay! I may not completely understand, but you're not crazy for thinking like that." Rui smiled softly. "It doesn't help that we've been going through major changes. Hardly anything is stable and in proper roles, except for the times that we eat." The young spider demon's breathing quickened slightly and lowered his head. "Sorry..I didn't mean just to dump that onto you."

  "Don't worry." Strifles purred as he wrapped his arms around Rui. "That's how you feel and that's okay. Things will get better soon" Rui was taken aback by the gesture. Luckily, he was able to rest his arms around Strifles's back. He smiled and purred with gentle relief. "Heh..thank you."

  Once they split off, Strifles looked at Rui with a wide grin. "How did you use your human disguise?" Rui scratched the back of his neck. "Just imagine how you looked as a human. That's really all you need to do." He smiled. Strifles closed his eyes and his tail flicked. He focused on a distant memory. It took place when his parents were still alive..when they were having dinner..when they weren't hunted.

  Strifles's skin turned to a light tone and the black in his eyes turned to a normal white. Unlike Rui, he didn't feel any disgust or shame about his new, yet old, form. "So, how do I look?" Strifles grinned, raising his arms. Unfortunately, Rui's reaction was nothing like he expected. The spider demon had wide eyes and his hand nearly covered his mouth.

  Strifles's arms dropped to the floor as a frown dropped on his face. "I'm guessing it must be bad." He sniffled. Rui shook his head rather quickly. "No. That's not it at all." Strifles raised an eyebrow. "Then, what's wrong?"

  "Is your human form supposed to have the jaguar parts?" Rui asked with worry, clutching the front of his kimono. Strifles nodded slowly. "Yeah. Everyone in my family had them." Rui let go of his kimono as he sighed. "Sorry..I just assumed that they came with your demon transformation."

  Strifles giggled as Nibbles mewed softly, "Don't say sorry! My mom told me that we weren't like other people. I didn't know why, but I guess I do now." He gave Rui an uncertain smile. "That's probably why we lived in the middle of the woods." Rui tilted his head with a guilty expression. "Oh..I don't mind that you look like that. It just took me by surprise is all." He smiled warmly. "It doesn't make me think any less of you."

  Strifles's eager smile returned to his face as his tail flicked happily. "Really? Thank you!" The small pup giggled as he hugged his beloved cat, who seemed rather tranquil. Rui couldn't help but return the eagerness. He chuckled softly as he watched their pure joy, not minding to fix his kimono once more.

  Then, a soft knock came from the door, causing them to turn their heads. "Hello? Strifles? Are you in there?" Tanjiro's soft, muffled voice called out to them from the other side. "Yeah! Come in!" Strifles mewed enthusiastically. Tanjiro gently slid open the door with Zenitsu and Nezuko behind him. "How are you feeling?" The Demon King asked with a soft voice as the trio walked into the room.

  "Better. Mostly thanks to Rui." Strifles took Rui's hand, causing the spider demon's face to redden. "That's good to hear." Tanjiro said with a soft smile. He then tilted his head, noticing Strifles's new form. "Is that what you looked like as a human?" Nezuko asked. "Yup!" Strifles raised his arms. "Apparently, half-demons have human disguises!" Nibbles mewed as he jumped away to wreak havoc.

  The trio looked at each other with curiosity. "How do you do that? That might actually be helpful for us whenever we go on missions." Zenitsu said as he looked at the Kamado siblings, who seemed to be just as intrigued. "Just imagine yourself as a human! That's basically it!" Strifles purred.

  The Kamado siblings looked at each other, nodded, and did as the pup said. A memory of their frosty mountain flooded their minds. Nezuko smiled warmly at the memory, but Tanjiro seemed to be more distressed. He quietly winced as his smile faltered, something only Nezuko and Zenitsu noticed. With these memories in mind though, their eyes returned to their human-like appearance and their fangs and claws disappeared. Nezuko's ivy patterns and horn also receded back into her body. The only thing that didn't change were their heights.

  Zenitsu watched this unfold with curiosity and a little worry. Tanjiro's wincing only reinforced the notion that something in him was causing him to suffer. When Tanjiro opened his eyes though, a flood of nostalgic memories hit Zenitsu. He was reminded of their first interaction, which he held now with great affection. Zenitsu's heart fluttered as the memories were filled with newfound appreciation.

  The Demon King sniffed the air, seemingly caught off guard, and turned towards Zenitsu. His human eyes shimmered in the light of the lanterns. "Are you alright?" He asked softly. "There's a strong, warm scent coming from you." What he didn't tell him was that the scent was similar to the one that Zenitsu had when he first met Nezuko. "I'm fine." Zenitsu said with a smile. "I was just reminded of when we first met."

  Tanjiro smiled sweetly and nodded. "Alright." Nezuko eyed Strifles jaguar attributes. "He can't retract them." Rui explained. "Strifles had them before he was a demon. His whole family did." Strifles nodded in agreement. "They do look cute though." Nezuko grinned, walking over to the pups. She scooped up Strifles in her arms. He purred and mewed in response, making her smile.

  She went back to her brother and held out Strifles to him. The pup wiggled his body a bit with a goofy expression. Tanjiro couldn't help but chuckle as he took Strifles in his arms. The pup nestled into Tanjiro's side. "How are we going to hide his jaguar parts?" Zenitsu asked flatly. Tanjiro thought for a moment before pulling something out from his uniform pocket with his free hand. It was his blue scarf that he had for a few years. He wrapped his scarf around Strifles's neck and hid his Jaguar ears underneath it, making the scarf like a hood.

  "There!" Tanjiro smiled confidently. "That should do for your head. Now for your paws and tail.." Tanjiro shuffled the pup in his arms. He took his haori off and wrapped the young pup in it. "Oo~" Strifles purred and sniffed the haori. "It's warm and it smells like pine!" Tanjiro chuckled as he cradled the pup in his arms. "I'm glad you like it."

  Tanjiro then turned his attention to Rui. "I also heard Miss Kocho wants to see you." Rui widened his eyes. "She does? Why?" His voice trembled. "Don't worry." Nezuko said softly. "She just wants to do an evaluation. Just to see how you're doing." Rui's tension seemed to ease. "Okay.. I'll go see her. She is at the Butterfly Estate?" The trio nodded. "Yes, but Aoi will help you get there. She's at the front door." Tanjiro explained. Rui nodded as he fidgeted with his haori.

  "It's okay." Nezuko gently took Rui's hand. "We'll lead you there." Rui smiled softly as he was led by Nezuko. They walked through the Infinity Castle with a steady pace. The group walked past many of the other half-demons, busily scurrying from one place to another. Eventually, they found themselves at the front door.

  Just like Tanjiro said, Aoi was right there, leaning against the wall of the Infinity Castle. Once she saw them, Aoi stood up straight and went to them. "Is he ready?" She asked in a flat tone. Rui shivered in fear, looking up at her. "He is." Tanjiro said before turning to him. "It's okay, Rui. She's not going to hurt you." Aoi nodded. "He's right. You're going to be okay." She stretched her arm out for him. Rui gently took her hand and waved at the group. "Good luck on your mission!" He said.

  "Good luck to you too!" Tanjiro called out as they waved, walking away. The twilight sky loomed above them as a chilly breeze rose in the air. "Winter must be coming." Zenitsu said to the others. "We better start stocking up soon, I guess it's a good thing we make good money." Tanjiro smiled as the others nodded.

  The atmosphere of the city was still very overwhelming to Tanjiro, despite him being here once before. He huffed and rumbled like an uncomfortable animal. Zenitsu seemed to share the sentiment as he tried leaning his head against Tanjiro's chest. Nezuko and Strifles were unfazed, but tired. Yet, the group prevailed.

  "Don't go into the alleyways." Tanjiro whispered, a shiver going down his spine. "Why not?" Zenitsu asked, absolutely oblivious. "You don't wanna know." The Demon King rumbled, gagging like a cat.

  Tanjiro sniffed the air, catching the smooth floral scent that was just the right one he was looking for. "This way!" Tanjiro quickened his pace, hoping to get to Tamayo's as quick as possible. Nezuko was able to catch up with ease and Strifles was enjoying the ride. Zenitsu, though, had a hard time keeping up. "Wait for me! I've got little legs!"

  "Lady Tamayo's mansion is hidden, so follow my lead." Tanjiro called out as they ran. He then took a swerve, heading into a wall. "Wait! You're gonna-" Zenitsu tried to call out. Instead of seeing him hit the wall, Tanjiro and Nezuko fazed right through it. "What the-?" Zenitsu skidded to a stop. "How are you able to do that?!"

  Nezuko peeked her head through the wall. "It's just Mister Yushiro's Blood Demon Art." Zenitsu slowly nodded. "That's really the only way that it makes sense." With a deep breath, Zenitsu walked through the wall.

  Zenitsu's jaw dropped when he saw the massive mansion before him. Tanjiro and Nezuko were already close to the front door. "How are they able able to hide this massive mansion?!" Zenitsu squeaked, raising his arms for emphasis. Nezuko turned around and deviously grinned. "Magic!"

  Someone must've heard the commotion as light footsteps could be heard from the over side of the door. Yushiro slid the door open with a furrowed brow until he saw who it was. "Ah! Young Kamados! It's nice to see you again." He smiled, waving at them. His eyes then laid on Zenitsu. "Is that your friend?"

  Tanjiro and Nezuko nodded as Zenitsu quickly walked to their side. "This is Zenitsu Agatsuma." Tanjiro introduced him. "He's a good friend of ours and fought hard against Muzan Kibutsuji." Yushiro nodded as he turned to Zenitsu. "Well it's nice to meet you, Young Agatsuma." Zenitsu waved shyly. "It's nice to meet you too."

  Yushiro turned his attention back to Tanjiro. "I'm guessing you must've come to see Lady Tamayo?" Tanjiro nodded. "Yes..about this little pup." He leaned his arms forward, showing Yushiro the small, sleeping bundle that was Strifles. Yushiro widened his eyes before clearing his throat. "Oh..of course..right this way." He then turned around, heading straight into the mansion.

  The group followed him. Yushiro's surprise when seeing Strifles created unease amongst them. Were they in over their heads? Was there much more that they were missing? Only this meeting could tell them. The group trailed nervously behind Yushiro as they made their way through the mansion.

  Eventually, Yushiro led them to the same room that Tanjiro spoke with them on his last visit. Tamayo was sitting on her knees, patiently waiting for them. She hummed softly when she saw them. "Lord Kamado, welcome." Tamayo bowed to them. "There's no need to treat me like royalty." Tanjiro sweetly smiled as both he and his group sat in front of her. "You have seniority over we and you know much more than I do."

  "Yes, but you are the new Demon King. I would much rather follow you than our last leader." Tamayo said with a calm smile. Tanjiro chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "Why, thank you." Tamayo cleared her throat, and the meeting began. "What exactly has troubled you?" She asked in a soft, motherly voice.

  Tanjiro set Strifles down in between him and Tamayo. "This is Strifles." Tanjiro explained. "We rescued him from his abusive brother, but we decided to come here because..we think he might be apart of a new species." Tamayo raised an eyebrow, slowly unwrapping Strifles from his bundle. "What do you mean by that?" Nezuko spoke up. "He has jaguar parts like a tail and ears. We originally thought that it was just because he was a demon, but he apparently had them as a human. He was told us that a ram demon said that he was half humanoid."

  Tamayo lightly gasped and stood still once she heard the word "humanoid." Strifles was completely unwrapped from Tanjiro's haori, his jaguar parts on full display. Tamayo put a hand to her mouth. "Humanoids?" She asked, slightly shaking. "Yes." Tanjiro said. "Do you know what they are?" Zenitsu clutched into Tanjiro's arm.

  Tamayo nodded slowly. "I thought they went extinct..." The group widened their eyes. "Extinct?!" They all said simultaneously. Strifles shook his head, waking from the loud noise. "Yes, extinct." Tamayo said as she pet Strifles. "Muzan used to talk about them...about their version of demons anyway."

  Everything felt so confusing, so they needed to take this one step at a time. "What is a humanoid?" Nezuko asked. "A humanoid is a hybrid of an animal and a human. It's basically if an animal was able to walk and talk and wear clothes." Strifles looked up at Tamayo and tilted his head. "This little pup here is only partially humanoid since he only has the ears, tail, and paws of one."

  "I see." Tanjiro said with a pant. "What about the demons?" Zenitsu asked. "You said something about them having demons." Tamayo nodded. "Yes..they did have demons. Muzan Kibutsuji used to vent about them. Here's the basic information that I know."

  "The humanoid demons were the original demons, existing long before Muzan and even me. They only feasted on humanoids and had the same weakness to the sun as full fledged demons did. Muzan hated them, saying that "they didn't care about their weakness, only about their desire to wreak havoc." I'm not sure why or how they created Muzan or even what they look like, but they are dangerous. Maybe even more so than the Kizuki. If one or more is still out there..may the gods save us all."

  Zenitsu trembled as he held onto Tanjiro. Nezuko whimpered in fear. Tanjiro held onto both of them to comfort them. Even Yushiro looked extremely frightened, placing a hand over his face. "So..the ram was a humanoid demon?" Strifles whimpered, tears streaming down his face. "I don't know." Tamayo gently let the pup's head. "I thought they all went extinct. Did he have any kenji on his tongue?"  Tanjiro gulped nervously. "He did..it said "Upper Beast One."

  Tamayo closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "So he's at least on par with Kokushibo.." She looked up at them with a determined look. "Now knowing that the humanoids may still exist, We need to find where they are. I'm not exactly sure where they might be, but it's our only shot of knowing more. Find them and sent out parties to hunt this ram down."

  Tanjiro nodded, holding both Zenitsu's and Nezuko's hands. "Understood. This may take a while since we don't know much about them. Do you know why they were thought to be extinct?" Tamayo shook her head. "That I don't know. You'll have to ask them."

  Strifles hobbled up to Tamayo. "Do you think they'll be able to do it?" Tamayo smiled sweetly at the pup. "Oh, little one. You have nothing to fear." She petted him gently. "They're strong and they'll keep you safe."

  "She's right." Tanjiro spoke softly. Strifles turned to face him. "We will defeat him and you'll never be hurt again. I promise." He said with a sweet smile. This seemed to reassure Strifles as he went over to Tanjiro and hugged him, which Tanjiro returned. "Thank you..big brother." This made Tanjiro smile softly as he hugged Strifles tightly. He looked like he was about to cry.

  Despite this cute moment, Zenitsu was able to hear a tinge of pain from Tanjiro's heart. He looked at him worriedly, but didn't speak. "I only hope the best for you." Tamayo said. "This will be difficult, but I know you can do it." Tanjiro looked up at her. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

  The walk home was dark and cold. Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Strifles were able to turn back into their demon appearances once they left the city. Strifles returned to his position as a bundle during the walk. Tanjiro and Nezuko could only think about the new discovery, but Zenitsu could only think about Tanjiro's wellbeing.

  They arrived at the Infinity Castle, shivering and tired. Tanjiro knocked on the door and was answered by a blushing Gyutaro. "What happened to you?" Zenitsu asked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh nothing." Gyutaro tried to chuckle it off, but Daki peered over his shoulder. "Brother's got a-" Gyutaro put a hand over her mouth. "Shut up, Ume. We just met." Daki then grinned mischievously as she skipped away.

  The group just looked confused. "What's going on?" Tanjiro asked. "Don't worry it's nothing important." Gyutaro shrugged his shoulders. "I do have something to tell you though. It's about Rui's evaluation." Strifles perked up from his bundle. "Is he alright?" Tanjiro asked. "Shinobu asked him several questions and had him do a few tasks. She diagnosed him with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. I'm not quite sure what that is though."

  Tanjiro only grew more worried. "What can we do for him?" Gyutaro crossed his arms. "She's still looking into it since it's a new thing. Shinobu did say though that we need to understand why he gets anxious and help him from there. That's the best we can do." Strifles looked up at Gyutaro. "Will he be okay?" Gyutaro smiled and scooped up Strifles in his hand. "He will and he'll lead a happy life." He unfolded Tanjiro's haori and scarf from Strifles and handed it back to him.

  Tanjiro took the items and slowly put them on. "Thank you." Gyutaro looked Tanjiro up and down. "You look tired. Here, I can take this little one. You three need to go to bed." Tanjiro tilted his head. "Are you sure?" Gyutaro nodded as he held Strifles. "Yeah. Go on. Even kings need rest." The group smiled as they waved their friend goodbye. "Bye! Have a good night." Tanjiro called out as they walked away.

  The Kamados decided to let Zenitsu stay at their place for the night. He was just too frightful of running into Jackyll if he walked to his place alone. Tanjiro set out one of their guest futons in the living room. "You really didn't have to do that." Zenitsu said. "I could've done it myself." Tanjiro shook his head as he finished. "It's alright. You're our guest."

  Before Zenitsu could make a rebuttal, Tanjiro left the room and went into the kitchen. Instead, Nezuko walked in and headed over to the fireplace. She began to try to start a fire. Zenitsu sighed, thinking that this might be the perfect time to discuss his concerns. "I'm worried about Tanjiro." Zenitsu said softly so Tanjiro couldn't hear.

  Nezuko turned her head to face Zenitsu. "I know that he overworks himself. I'm trying to get him to stop that as much as you are." Zenitsu shook his head. "It's not just that. He sounds like he's in pain. It only has gotten worse since the battle with Ran'yō." Nezuko made a sad "hmm" as she worked. "He's probably just upset after seeing how Ran'yō treated Strifles."

  Zenitsu knew that he had to get to the heart of the issue. "How does he cope?" Nezuko turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "I mean it." Zenitsu kept pushing. "He's been through a lot and I have yet to see him truly deal with the pain." He looked down at the ground. "He seems to just..occupy himself."

  Nezuko looked back at the fireplace, not letting him know how she's feeling. "It's..fine.." Nezuko said softly. Zenitsu turned to her. "It's fine." Her voice has more conviction this time. "I try my best to help Tanjiro and I try to make sure that he's okay during the day." Zenitsu didn't really know if that truly answered his question. He did notice though that Nezuko was growing more distressed, so he decided not to push any further.

  "Alright. Thank you." He said softly as he tucked himself in the futon. Nezuko shut off the lamps and headed out. "Good night." She whispered. "Good night." Zenitsu said as he rolled over in his blanket.

  Zenitsu tossed and turned in his covers. A pained cry had filled his dreams and wouldn't leave him alone. It sounded like a wounded bear. One that was crying out for help. Zenitsu then bolted awake in a cold sweat. The noise wasn't just in his dreams. It was in the house.

  With trembling hands, Zenitsu picked up his blade and stood up. "Where's Tanjiro and Nezuko?" He thought to himself. Luckily, there was no creaking as Zenitsu stepped. Yet it did not ease the atmosphere. Based on the volume of the sound, Zenitsu was able to pinpoint it in one of the bedrooms.

  He tiptoed slowly through the dark house. The only light was the moonlight that poured in through the windows. Zenitsu gripped his sword tightly and he held his breath. "Tanjiro? Nezuko?" He whispered in a hushed voice. "Where are you?"

  The painful howl only grew louder and louder as Zenitsu came closer. He could tell that the creature was in incredible pain, which made his heart ache. Eventually, Zenitsu arrived at the intersection between Tanjiro's bedroom and Nezuko's. Zenitsu widened his eyes when he realized where the sound was coming from..Tanjiro's bedroom.

  He turned his head with a tremble. "Tanji?" Zenitsu choked, swallowing his fear. He couldn't hardly see anything inside the room. The limited light from the moon showed that there was no sign of a bear inside the room. However, the moon's rays shone down on Tanjiro, who was thrashing and squirming in his blankets. He was making the noises.

  "Tanji!" Zenitsu immediately dropped the sword and ran to Tanjiro's bedside. Tanjiro's breathing was harsh and irregular as tears streamed down his face. He roared in pain as Zenitsu went to him. This horrific sight broke his heart and so Zenitsu tried his best to help. He gripped one of Tanjiro's hands and lightly squeezed it. "Tanji. Look at me. Look at me."

  Tanjiro opened his eyes. His scarlet eyes shimmered with tears as he gazed upon Zenitsu. "It's okay, Tanjiro. I'm here. What's going on?" Tanjiro only made a pained mew. "Tanji?" Zenitsu raised an eyebrow, confused by the lack of a response. "He can't speak normally."

  Zenitsu turned to see Nezuko with a worried expression. She's carrying a tray with tea and a soft blanket was slung over her shoulder. "What?" Zenitsu said softly. "He can't speak any human language when he's having a panic attack." She approached her brother and wrapped the blanket around him. He sobbed harshly as she did so.

  Zenitsu moved closer to him, having a tight hold on his hand. "Breath, Tanjiro. It's okay. We're here." Tanjiro sniffed as he looked at his friend. He winced and whimpered with tears drenching his cheeks. "I know something was wrong..and I never did anything about it." Zenitsu said softly, guilt gripping at his heart. He looked at Nezuko. "How often does this happen?" Nezuko looked at the ground, ashamed. "Almost every night. He cries for them."

  Zenitsu widened his eyes. "Almost every night?! Why did nobody tell me?" Both Nezuko and Tanjiro winced, looking away. "Brother told me not to tell anyone. He didn't want to worry anyone." Zenitsu turned back to Tanjiro. He cupped his hands under Tanjiro's chin. "Why, Tanji? I know that you had good intentions, but you're just hurting yourself."

  Tanjiro mewed as he gently put his hand over Zenitsu's. "He says that he didn't want to worry you. You worry about so much already and he didn't want to stress anyone else out with his grief." Zenitsu sighed as he raised an eyebrow. "You can understand him?" Nezuko nodded. "The animal noises we make aren't just random noises. It's a language."

  Zenitsu gripped the edges of Tanjiro's haori. "But what about you?! You deal with the most stress out of all of us! Not only have you been beaten and battered, but you're also dealing with the HUGE responsibility of being the Demon King!" He let go of his friend's haori. "I'm sorry..I'm so sorry, Tanjiro." Zenitsu's voice trembled. "All those nights I slept near you..all those days I've spent by your side. I never heard your cries until now..I'm a terrible friend." Tanjiro mewed as a rebuttal. "He said that you aren't a terrible friend. You help to ease the pain." Nezuko sounded like she was about to cry.

  "Tanji..you need to take better care of yourself. You're in so much pain and you're too kind to let that continue." Tanjiro mewed and rumbled softly. "He says that doesn't want you to worry." Zenitsu shook his head. "You not taking care of yourself will worry us! We love you and we don't want to see you in pain." Zenitsu wrapped his arms around Tanjiro and he did the same. "This is what I've been telling you, brother. You care so much for others that you neglect to take care of yourself." Nezuko said as she petted his head.

  Tanjiro made a guilty rumble as he slightly tightened his hold on Zenitsu. "Tanjiro please..take care of yourself..not just for you, but for the others around you." Zenitsu looked up at him. "You deserve to be happy, just like everyone else." Tanjiro nodded as he nuzzled Zenitsu's cheek, seemingly soothed. He cradled Zenitsu in his arms as he made a lighthearted mew. "I think you're going to be his teddy bear for tonight." Zenitsu blushed slightly and smiled. "I don't mind that."

  A soft, delicate knock came from the front door. "I'll get it." Nezuko chirped as she got up. She walked with a quick pace through the dark house. Strangely when she opened the door, no one was there. Nezuko looked side to side, but found only a basket by her feet. In it was a small tray of rice crackers, a bottle of sweet honey, and a medium sized candle that smells like pine and frost.

  Nezuko picked the basket up and examined it. "Who made this?" She asked before pulling out a note. It read, "This is for Lord Tanjiro. I know that the battle must've hurt him, so here are some items to help calm him down." Nezuko smiled sweetly. "Whoever you are, thank you so much!" She called out before going back inside.

  In the trees, Daki sat watching her. Her yellow eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She sighed when she saw Nezuko bring the basket in. "Sleep well, young king. You deserve it." She said quietly. Daki then used her Obi sashes to sneak off into the night.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking a while. My mental health has been at its absolute worst, but I'll treat you all to another chapter this weekend. Thank you for your patience.

Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Chapter Fifteen:

A Day Of Love

Warnings: None! It's just fluff!

Word Count: 5648

  Nezuko has noticed this for a long time. It had been on her mind for a while now and she wanted to help. Zenitsu has been crushing over her less and less as time went by. By the time that Tanjiro ran away and became the Demon King, Zenitsu's crushing had completely stopped.

  Don't get her wrong, they still were close friends, but their relationship was more platonic than anything else. She pondered about this knowledge while she was eating her breakfast. Tanjiro made miso soup and grilled fish for everyone, which was incredibly tasty. Rengoku's constant "UMAI" echoed through the dining hall. Luckily, it didn't bother anyone. Tanjiro and Zenitsu were conversing at the head of the table with cheerful smiles.

  Nezuko looked over at them. Inosuke-who was sitting next to her-was doing the same. "What's so interesting about them?" Inosuke asked, tilting his head. "I'm just thinking.." Nezuko spoke softly. "Do you really think that they're in love?" Inosuke shrugged. "I have no idea, but they have been more chatty!"

  Nezuko chuckled. "Maybe I could try to ask them?" Inosuke nodded, almost aggressively. "Oh! Oh! Can I help?  I've been so bored!" Nezuko smiled warmly at the boar. "Sure. I don't see why not." Inosuke punched the air. "Yes! Thanks, Tenako!"

  A few hours had passed and the two decided that Nezuko would approach Tanjiro and Inosuke would go up to Zenitsu. Nezuko had complete confidence in Inosuke, which some would consider to be naive. After cleaning up, Tanjiro went to his office to look through information about the cavern on the Humanoid island.  Nezuko walked up to the office door and tenderly knocked on it. "Hello? Big brother?"

  She heard some shuffling behind the door before her brother opened it. "Hello, Nezuko! Do you want something?" Tanjiro's soft, warm voice was a great comfort for her. "No. I just wanted to talk. Tanjiro nodded and stepped aside. "Sure. We can do that. I'm trying to look through some books, but we can talk for a bit."

  Nezuko walked in and Tanjiro shut the door behind her. The Demon King sat back down near his desk. Nezuko just sat right next to him and cuddled close. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Tanjiro asked with a tilt of his head.

  "I just wanted to ask how you've been feeling.  You tend to put a lot on your shoulders, so I just wanted to check up on you." Nezuko said with a bright smile. "I'm actually feeling okay today. It has been a few days since we visited the Humanoids. I guess the only thing I'm truly anxious about is when Jackyll will appear again." Tanjiro returned the grin.

  "Don't worry, big brother." Nezuko wrapped an arm around him. "When he does show his face, I know we can take him." Tanjiro looked at her with a soft expression and made a rather soothing rumble sound. "Thank you." Nezuko looked up at him, trying to think of how to get to the point.

  "You and Zenitsu have been rather close as of late." Nezuko could see soft, red blush appear on her brother's face. Tanjiro chuckled softly. "I guess we have been talking a lot more than usual, huh?" Nezuko nodded eagerly. "He does seem to care a lot about you." Tanjiro's face only blushed more as he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah..I've noticed that he's pretty much stopped obsessing over you, but the same sweet scent is still there.."

  Nezuko scooted closer with a cheeky grin on her face. "Do you think he likes you instead?" Tanjiro's face was completely red at this point and he nervously laughed. "I doubt it. Not like that anyway." His voice seemed rather somber during that last sentence. Nezuko gently grabbed his hand. "Do you like him?"

  Tanjiro looked down at the floor, hesitating. "I guess you could say that. Yes, I do. I don't really know why, but I think it's because he brings me back down to reality." Nezuko put a hand over her mouth and giggled. "That's really sweet!" Tanjiro nodded, but he didn't look back up at her. In confusion, Nezuko tilted her head. "Are you ashamed to love him?"

  The Demon King shook his head. "No. That's not it." Nezuko was now more confused. "Then why do you seem so sad?" Soft winces came from Tanjiro. "I know that he doesn't feel the same. He loves you and I just have to accept that." Nezuko gently gripped Tanjiro's arm. "Don't say that. You never really know for sure until you ask him."

  Tanjiro just remained silent. He had no idea how to even approach Zenitsu. After all, he was almost one hundred percent sure that Zenitsu would never feel the same. Nezuko could read him like a book. "I know that you have your doubts, but the worst he can do is say no." Tanjiro looked up at her. "How about this..I can help you ask him! We can make it super romantic too! Would that be okay?"

  Tanjiro nodded slowly with a soft smile. "That would be great. Thank you, Nezuko." The Demon Princess nearly jumped on her brother and wrapped her arms around him. "Of course! You've done so much for me. It's only fair that I return the favor!" Tanjiro chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her as well.

  Inosuke marched around the castle, looking for Zenitsu. He has no idea on how to approach him, but he usually plays things by ear anyways. Snooping around, Inosuke peaks his head around a corner to see Zenitsu sitting outside. He was watching the birds flutter by. Puffing out his chest, Inosuke matched right up behind him.

  "Hey, Monitsu!" Zenitsu practically jumped out of his skin. He stumbled back, looking at the boat with both anger and surprise. "Why the hell would you just walk up behind me like that?!" Inosuke shrugged. "What's so wrong with that?" Zenitsu pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Nevermind. Just forget it. Why are you here anyway?"

  "Because you and Gaupachiro have been more buddy-buddy!" A slight blush appeared on Zenitsu's face as steam arose from him. "What do you mean? We've always been friends!" The boar nodded and crossed his arms. "You know what I mean! You've been talking to him a lot more. Are you his minion or something?"

  Embarrassed blush turned into pure disgust. "No! Of course I'm not his minion!" Inosuke tilted his head. "Then do ya like him then?" The blush returned to Zenitsu's face. "O-of course. He's m-my.." Zenitsu stopped himself. Inosuke leaned his head forward, trying to hear what Zenitsu was going to say.

  "Do ya love him?" The boar finally broke the silence. Zenitsu opened his mouth to protest, but he quickly shut it. He knew that it would've been a lie. "So what if I do? Boys can't love other boys." A confused grunt came from Inosuke. "Why not? No one's telling ya you can't!"

  Zenitsu only shook his head sadly. "You just don't get it, Inosuke." He turned to look at him. "Do you ever see any same sex couple?" The boar didn't even think about the question. "I see two boys and two girls all the time!" With a sigh, Zenitsu facepalmed. "I mean romantically.."

  His voice was now shaky as he only grew more frustrated. "Do I love Tanjiro? Yes I do.. just don't know if it's really possible for us to be together." Inosuke shook his head violently. "That's just some bullshit! No one's telling ya you can't and even if they were, who cares?! It's how you feel and you aren't hurting anyone!"

  Zenitsu's heart clenched when he heard Inosuke's words. He wanted to have the king. He wanted to love him. Zenitsu just had no idea on how to get there or if he should get there in the first place. "I just don't know, Inosuke..."

  "Trust me. No one is going to think any less of ya." The boar cackled. "I can help us get with him if you'd like!" A drop of cold sweat ran down Zenitsu's face as his lips trembled. "I dunno.." Inosuke stomped his foot. "Aw come on! I know you wanna!" Zenitsu closed his eyes, sighed, and relented. "Fine..Just don't go blabber about it."

  "Yes!" Inosuke practically jumped up and down. "Don't worry, Conjitsu! You won't regret this!" The boar ran off as he said this. Zenitsu just put his hand on his forehead and shook his head. "I already am.."

  Inosuke cackled as he ran through the castle. The Shabana siblings walked past him on their way to Rui's room. They just stared at the crazed boar as he ran past them. Daki looked at her brother with a furrowed brow as if asking him, "What the fuck just happened?" Gyutaro just shrugged, shook his head, and walked with his sister.

  Shutting the door behind her, Nezuko stumbled out of Tanjiro's office with a big grin on her face. "Tenuko! Tenuko!" Inosuke ran to her like a bullet and skidded to a stop, nearly knocking her off her feet. Nezuko giggled as she tucked her hair back. "So, how did it go?" She tilted her head, waiting for an answer.

  "He does love him!" Inosuke yellsd, raising his arms. With quick thinking, Nezuko put a finger to her lips. The boar realized his mistake. "Sorry. Monitsu likes him." Nezuko's grin only grew wider. "Same with Tanjiro. He just didn't know if he liked him back." Inosuke nodded. "Yeah. Kenitsu is just worried about it being they're both boys. I don't get it."

  Nezuko only shrugged. Although, she did know and understood why he was afraid. So, Nezuko didn't tell Inosuke why he was afraid. "So, do you know what our next step is?" The boar nodded aggressively. "We gotta help them and push them!" Nezuko giggled as she felt her face warm up. "Yup! Now let's get started!" Inosuke punched the air. "Yay!"

  At first, Nezuko tried to get them to go on a picnic. Since their sensitive senses make it easy for them to get overstimulated, the forest would be the best option for them. It's a quiet atmosphere, beautiful to look at, and full of soft smells. So, what could be more perfect?

  "I hope that this will be okay." Tanjiro mumbled to himself as he was brushing a soy sauce glaze on some potato mochi. Nezuko looked around curiously at the assortment of food. Dorayaki, fresh peaches, rice crackers, and Japanese cheesecake filled the wicker basket on the counter. "I don't think you have much to worry about. That's a lot of food." Nezuko said with awe.

  Tanjiro chuckled softly. "You think so?" Nezuko turned to look at him, beaming with hope. "Absolutely! I knew that you would go above and beyond!" Soft, red blush spread across Tanjiro's face. "I just hope that he likes this." He put the mochi into a small container and placed it in the wicker basket. "I think he'll love it." Nezuko beamed at her brother. The Demon King returned the smile and picked up the wicker basket.

  "Alright. I'm off!" Tanjiro waved to her as he went towards the door. Waving back, Nezuko smiled gleefully. "Good luck, big brother. With that, Tanjiro slid the door shut and walked off into the forest. After a few minutes of waiting, Nezuko-with a wide grin-opened the door and followed his trail.

  A soft, fuzzy blanket covered the forest floor. Zenitsu sat down on the fluffy fabric, patiently waiting. Unbeknownst to him, Inosuke positioned himself near a large boulder in the shadowy bushes. Humming softly, Zenitsu bopped his head as he waited for his crush. Then, he heard soft footsteps heading towards them.

  "Hey, Zenitsu!" Tanjiro waved his free hand while he carried the wicker basket in the other. Zenitsu raised his hand to wave back. "Hi there, Tanjiro. Whatcha got there?" Tanjiro went up to the blanket and sat down across from Zenitsu. "Oh just some food." He proceeded to unpack all the food. Each plate was placed in between the two of them. Despite Tanjiro being a half-demon, Zenitsu was the only one who was salivating.

  "I hope this is alright." Tanjiro said shyly, fidgeting his hands. "This is more than alright! This is great!" Zenitsu gleefully squealed. A light blush spread across Tanjiro's face. "Thank you."

  As the two teens started to dig in, Nezuko finally managed to head over to Inosuke's shadowy spot. "So..what'd I miss?" Nezuko panted as she sat down, exhausted. "Nothing really. They have been really sweet though." Inosuke shrugged. "That's good." Nezuko then turned to the sky.

  "I'll be honest, Kenazo.." Inosuke started to say. Nezuko laid on against the rock and turned to look at him with curious eyes. "I don't really understand what's so different between how I feel about Gampachiro and how Monitsu feels about him. Monitsu said that I don't understand what it means and he's right..I really don't..so, what does it mean to like someone like that?"

  Nezuko put her hand to her chin, thinking. This was a really difficult question to answer. "That's really hard to explain. I guess the best way I can describe it is when you feel like you found the person or people who complete you. You don't judge each other for the harmless things you do and you are inseparable. There may be a few fights, but you will always end up on the other side together and loved. That's really the best way I can describe it."

  Inosuke looked at her with wonder and awe. He then looked at the forest ahead of them. Brittle leaves blew in the cold wind. Small chirps echoed through the forest as the sun shone down on them. "That does sound great.." Inosuke took the boar's head off and smiled. "I would love to have that." Nezuko's face turned pink as she saw Inosuke's giddy expression. "Don't worry. Everyone finds their match."

  Tanjiro definitely took more of a liking towards the rice crackers while Zenitsu showed that he definitely had a voracious appetite. Not that Tanjiro was complaining though. "Sorry, Tanji. I didn't have lunch today." Zenitsu spoke shyly. A few crumbs laid on his face. Tanjiro chuckled softly. "No need to be sorry. I made these foods with you in mind." Zenitsu smiled to himself. Then, his mind shifted to a question he had been meaning to ask him.

  "Hey Tanji?" Zenitsu looked up at the Demon King with puppy eyes. "Hm?" Tanjiro purred as he nibbled on a rice cracker. "I want to ask you something." Zenitsu ducked his head, shyly. Tanjiro wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Sure! I'm all ears."

  "What would you think if you saw two people of the same gender as a couple? Even married?" Zenitsu could feel his heart hurt as he asked this question. Despite Zenitsu's initial fear, Tanjiro only gave him a gentle smile. "I wouldn't think anything of it. They wouldn't be hurting anyone, so I don't see why it would be a problem."

  Zenitsu could feel a breath of relief escape from him. "Yeah..they wouldn't be hurting anyone." He spoke softly, looking at the forest next to them. There he saw a gorgeous white flower. Reaching out, Zenitsu plucked the flower and inspected it. "That flower looks beautiful." Tanjiro took notice of the plant and smiled. Zenitsu grinned at the flower. An idea popped in his head.

  Zenitsu scooted closer to Tanjiro and leaned towards him. "What are you doing, Zen?" Tanjiro asked, tilting his head. Before Tanjiro could even react, Zenitsu tucked the flower on top of the Demon King's left ear. A wide, nervous smile was plastered over Tanjiro's face as Zenitsu sat back down. "There.." His voice was soft with warmth.

  Tanjiro raised his hand and touched the flower, blush covering his cheeks. "Heh..Thank you, Zen." Zenitsu giggled nervously. "No problem. I just thought that it would match you pretty well." Luckily, Nezuko and Inosuke managed to see this. "Awww! Looks like things are going well!" Nezuko beamed as she watched them. Inosuke nodded in agreement. He looked to his right to see a big and shiny acorn. Picking it up, Inosuke observed the nut. Then, the boat turned to Nezuko.

  "Here." Inosuke handed the acorn to her. Nezuko was a bit surprised by it, but she gladly accepted the acorn. She immediately understood that was just how he expressed affection. "Why, thank you, Inosuke." The boat nodded. "No problem!"

  Shortly after that, Tanjiro and Zenitsu finished up their meal as the sun was setting. They quickly cleaned up the mess and Zenitsu even accidentally put his hand over Tanjiro's, which made both of them blush. After that, the pair started to head back home with Inosuke and Nezuko following far behind them.

  "You know.." Zenitsu spoke as he walked next to Tanjiro. "Despite being a half-demon, you're not that much different from when we first met. Not like that's a bad thing." Tanjiro gave a small smile. "I do think it's a bit strange, but I'm not complaining. As long as I still get to be with you guys, I'm happy." Zenitsu could feel his heart flutter. "I do want to ask you something, though. How have you been feeling? Tell me the truth. I need to know if you're doing okay or not."

  Tanjiro nodded, knowing what he was referring to. "I'm a bit stressed by all that's going on. The Humanoids were helpful, but I'm still worried about Jackyll.." Zenitsu quickly took the Demon King's hand and gently squeezed it. "Hey, it's okay. Everything will be okay." Tanjiro gently smiled at Zenitsu. "You shouldn't have to carry so much weight on your shoulders, Tanjiro." Zenitsu hugged the Demon King tightly, which he gladly returned.

  "It's alright, Zen. I'll be okay. I'm just glad me got to do this." Tanjiro thought for a second. "Oh! I have something I want to show you." He bent down to the ground and placed his hand on the ground. The earth shook below them, which almost made Zenitsu trip. Soil cracked underneath Tanjiro's hand and water seeped through it. The water rose into the air and floated around Tanjiro. "Watch this." Tanjiro grinned, reaching his arms out.

  Water swirled and flowed around the Demon King. It danced and moved with grace and beauty. Stunning would be how Zenitsu would describe it. Droplets glistened in the fresh moonlight. It all felt so magical and soothing. The even came to a head when the water rushed towards Tanjiro's back and shaped itself into six, beautiful wings. Tanjiro clenched his left fist and the wings burst into solar flames.

  Zenitsu's jaw dropped as the glowing orange flames shone upon him. His heart skipped a beat as he gazed at the most beautiful scene he'd ever seen. "You're..an angel." He spoke quietly. Tanjiro's face flushed at Zenitsu's compliment. "Th-thank you. I can't fly with them, but they're pretty neat. Don't you think?" Zenitsu. "I do..I really do."

  The second trial was rather simple. Both Tanjiro and Zenitsu would meet up in a certain room in the Infinity Castle. Nakime had created a room where celebrations and festivities could be help. Some of the half-demons had bought or brought various items and instruments to fill the room. Both Nakime and Zenitsu brought in some biwas and kotos for the room. Kyogai brought various drums of many kinds and Giyuu bought a gorgeous grand piano and music books as a gift for the kingdom. Safe to say, there were many ways to entertain themselves.

  "Oh! I can't wait!" Zenitsu was giddy with excitement. "Maybe we could see if you can play one of the instruments!" Tanjiro chuckled nervously. "I doubt it. I know I can't sing that well, so I probably won't do well with the other instruments." Zenitsu turned to look at him. "Don't syke yourself just yet, Tanji. We just need to try it." Tanjiro nodded, agreeing with him.

  Nezuko and Inosuke were already in the room. Except, they were resting in the rafters. "This was actually a rather clever idea, Inosuke." Nezuko grinned as she sat on a thick piece of wood. Inosuke cackled as he climbed on the rafters. "Yeah! I've been used to climbing up on these things for years! They're great for surprising people."

  The sound of the sliding door alerted them. Nezuko put a finger to her lips to tell Inosuke to be quiet. Then, Tanjiro and Zenitsu walked in. "So, what would you like to do?" Tanjiro asked the blonde. "I dunno..hmmm.." Zenitsu hummed as he scanned the room. He laid his eyes on the gorgeous grand piano. "Let's try that out!"

  Both teens went over to the piano and took a seat on the piano bench. Zenitsu immediately scooted up close to Tanjiro, soaking in his warmth. "Do you know how to play this?" Zenitsu asked, looking up at Tanjiro. The Demon King just shook his head. "That's okay. I can teach ya." Zenitsu sat up and pointed at the center key. "This is the middle C note. It's the base for hand placement." He opened one of the music books on the music desk and pointed to where the C note was on the stanza. "This is the C note itself. When you see this in the stanza, you press that key."

  Tanjiro did as Zenitsu said. He pressed down on the key, which released a sweet, whole note. "Good! Very good!" Zenitsu beamed at Tanjiro, who looked excited. He then taught him about the different types of basic notes and where they lie in the stanza. "Of course, that's just be basics. Would you like to try to play something?"

  "I could try." Tanjiro shyly nodded. Zenitsu stood up and grabbed one of the music books. He flipped through it, trying to look for a simple song. "Aha! Found one!" Zenitsu placed the book back in front of Tanjiro. The pages spoke of a soft and gentle melody. It perfectly suited Tanjiro. "I think you'll like this one."

  Tanjiro then lowered his hands down on the keyboard. The melody was slow, but it did need soft and hard presses during certain parts. The Demon King played with surprisingly good accuracy, but the one thing that surprised Zenitsu most was that Tanjiro understood when to press gently and when to press hard. The piano was a natural fit for him and he played it like a prodigy.

  Zenitsu watched him with awe as he played. "Maybe I could use this to help him sing better." Zenitsu thought to himself. The music flowed through the entire room. Nezuko listened intently, even going as far as to him along with it. Even Inosuke was entranced by the heavenly melody.

  Once Tanjiro was done playing, he turned to look at Zenitsu. "I hope that was okay." He smiled shyly. Zenitsu couldn't control his excitement and grinned at him. "That was amazing! Most people can't perform simple melodies until they have a few weeks of practice!" Tanjiro felt his face heat up with warmth and love. Then, Zenitsu had an idea.

  He flipped through the music book and found another simple, lyricless melody. "Trying playing that. I have an idea." With no rebuttal, Tanjiro started to play the song. Tapping his finger, Zenitsu hummed along with the song until he thought of a few words.

  "Don't you see what you're doing to me? I long to hold you, to sing to you, but I fear that I'm doing something wrong. Your loving sound soothes me, warms me. I want to feel your warmth. Please tell me...please tell me why I'm falling for you. Can I truly have you? If it means that you'd get scorned, then I'll keep it to myself. Yet, I know that you don't mind. So would this be a mercy or a curse?"

  Zenitsu's voice meshed into the melody to create a beautiful tune. Both teens were phenomenal in their art. It even drove Nezuko to tears. While Tanjiro didn't know what Zenitsu's lyrics meant, Nezuko understood his pain perfectly. She perfectly understood the words of his song. Even Inosuke understood what Zenitsu was saying.

  Soon, the melody finished. Tanjiro turned to look at Zenitsu once more. "Wow.." He spoke softly. "You have a really pretty voice, Zen." Zenitsu's face immediately turned red. "Hehe, thanks. That..means a lot to me." He looked at the music then back at Tanjiro. "Could we..play again sometime?" Tanjiro nodded energetically. "Of course! I would love that!"

  Soon, Valentine's Day came and Nezuko knew that this day needed to be taken advantage of.this special day. Earlier that day, she had gone to the market and bought a bouquet of colorful roses. She had told Inosuke about her plans to make sure that he would be on board. Of course, the boar was incredibly excited and ran off to rangle Zenitsu.

  "So...Big brother, I think today should be the day!" Nezuko waddled into his office with the bouquet in her arms. Tanjiro was sitting down in the center of the room. His head rested in his hands and his breathing was shaky. "I'm not sure, Nezuko. I don't know if he really loves me like that.."

  Nezuko scooted up to his side and she wrapped her free arm around his. "I know you're scared, but I promise you that he does. I really do think it will work out for you two." Tanjiro nodded slowly, but still looked somber. It didn't really seem to convince him. Nezuko turned so that she was sitting in front of him. "Tanjiro, I know you're scared, but you will regret it even more if you don't speak your mind. Even if he doesn't feel the same, I know you will find someone. Do this so that you'll know if he's the right one. Remember, the worst he can do is to say no, okay?"

  Tanjiro nodded, a bright smile forming on his face. "Yeah..that is the worst that can happen." He stood up, put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. "Alright..I think I'm ready!" Nezuko jumped up in excitement. "I can't wait! So..Where are you planning to do this?" Tanjiro thought for a moment. "On the pathway that goes into town. Specifically, near the large limestone under the cherry blossom tree. I'll be there at sunset." Nezuko gave him two thumbs up. "That sounds great! Really romantic too!"

  She handed her brother the flowers and quickly ushered him out the door. "Now go! Sunset is in half an hour!" Tanjiro laughed. "Okay! Okay! I'm going!" The Demon King then took off, running down the dirt pathway. Blue was slowly fading from the sky, turning into a beautiful gold. Nezuko ran into the woods and chose to hide behind a bush. "Alright Inosuke..We don't have much time."

  "Inosuke please.." Zenitsu huffed irritably as he shut the lid on the grand piano. His back was towards the boar and his breathing was heavy. "There's no way that he'll be willing to date me. I'm a boy, not a girl." Angry steam came from Inosuke's boar mask. "Oh come on! You don't know that!" With a snap, Zenitsu whirled around to look at him. "Yes I do! Most people aren't like this! I..I.." He turned away once more. "I just don't know what to do..."

  Inosuke crossed his arms, shaking his head. "Look, I don't get why it's such a big deal. You love him. That's all that matters." No answer came from Zenitsu. Inosuke growled and stomped his feet. "Look! You don't know how he feels about you! It's not wrong to like other boys, even if others tell you it is! You'll never be happy until you say somethin'! So quit your whining and talk to him!"

  Zenitsu nearly jumped out of his skin. "Inosuke.." The boar shook his head aggressively. "One chance. That's all ya got. If you waste it, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." Zenitsu slowly and fearfully nodded. "Are you really sure that this will work?" Inosuke raised his fist in the air. "Of course I do! You'll never know until you try it!" A small smile appeared on Zenitsu's face. "Alright. Let's see."

  Matsuemon flew right into the celebration room and landed on top of Zenitsu's shoulder, much to his dismay. "Caw! Caw! Lord Tanjiro wants to see you, Zenitsu! Caw! By the boulder near the cherry blossom tree! At sunset!" Zenitsu looked at the crow with wide eyes. "What for?" The crow just fluttered his wings. "Don't know! Caw!" Then, the crow just flew away.

  "You better hurry, Monitsu!" Inosuke jumped with excitement. Zenitsu nodded and headed towards the door. "Alright. See you later, Inosuke." Shutting the door behind him, Zenitsu walked with a steady pace to the outside. Inosuke waited a few minutes before leaving himself. Once he felt like enough time passed, the boat ran through the hallways of the Infinity Castle.

  Inosuke leaped out of the front door and landed on the dirt road. "Aha!" He turned towards the bush and Nezuko popped her head up. "Tenako! Tenako!" He ran over towards her. "I think I helped Kenifsu!" Nezuko smiled at him warmly and pet the top of his head. "You did a great job, Inosuke!" Heat rose in Inosuke's face as she said this. "Hehehe..Thanks."

  Golden colors filled the sky now as the sun was setting. Nezuko turned to look at the horizon. "We gotta go, otherwise we're going to miss it." Inosuke nodded and Nezuko took his hand, making his face turn red under the mask. Together, both of them ran off towards the path that Tanjiro took.

  Out of all of them, Zenitsu was the first one to get there. This was probably because he was the fastest. There, he stood by the large boulder, waiting. Ruffles from the bushes caught his attention. "Hmm?" Zenitsu hummed to himself. Ultimately, he just ignored the sound. Behind the bush, Inosuke and Nezuko took shelter from watching eyes. Nezuko put her finger to her lips.

  Then, soft footsteps could be heard sliding against the harsh soil. "Look! Look!" Inosuke whispered, pointing at Tanjiro as he was walking down the hill. Zenitsu widened his eyes as he looked upon the Demon King. The flowers were what mostly caught his attention. Was Tanjiro about to do what he thinks he's doing?

  "It's about to happen!" Nezuko squealed quietly as she grabbed Inosuke's arm. A deep breath came from the king before walking down the hill. Light blush appeared on Zenitsu's face as his body tensed up. Tanjiro now stood in front of Zenitsu, flowers in hand.

  "Zenitsu, I have to tell you something." Tanjiro nervously smiled as he shuffled his feet. The realization of the moment hit Zenitsu and it made him want to cry. Nezuko and Inosuke huddled together in anticipation.

  "Zenitsu..Ever since I came back, you've stuck to my side. I didn't realize how much I mean to you until the night that you helped me sleep. That night..I realized something. I realized that you also mean a lot to me. In a way, we both help each other. We may fight sometimes, but we both stick together in the end.."Tanjiro sighs. "What I'm trying to say is that I love you. Not like a friend, but like a partner. I know that not many people get together with others of the same gender, but that doesn't change how I feel. I do hope that you feel the same, but I understand if you don't."

  Tanjiro looked like an adorable, innocent puppy, desperately hoping that the affection would be returned. Zenitsu looked at him with teary eyes, but he managed to hold back the tears. At least for now. "Tanjiro..I DO feel the same! I know it didn't seem like it, but that was just because I was scared. I was just so worried that you would see me as a weirdo for loving you. You were right. It really is just harmless and you know what?" Zenitsu ran up to the Demon King. "Who cares what they think?! I love you and that's all that matters!"

  Wrapping his free arm around Zenitsu, Tanjiro's voice started to shake and crumble. "S..so..do you..want to be my boyfriend?" With eyes full of tears, Zenitsu practically threw himself into Tanjiro's chest. "Of course I do!" Tanjiro wrapped both arms around Zenitsu-still holding onto the flowers-and swung him around, laughing.

  "YES!" Nezuko and Inosuke cheered with excitement. The newly formed couple look at the look and both partners gave them a smug grin. "We knew you were here, ya know?" Zenitsu furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait! You knew we were here?!" Inosuke tilted his head. "How?" Nezuko asked. Tanjiro pointed at his nose while Zenitsu pointed at one of his ears. "Hyper-senses."

  "Right.." Both Nezuko and Inosuke chuckled. Tanjiro turned back to Zenitsu and the both of them finally shared a kiss. Nezuko and Inosuke cheered for their friends. "I'm so happy for them." Nezuko said softly, turning to Inosuke. "You know, you're a great friend, Inosuke." The boar lifted up his mask and smiled warmly at her. "Thanks..You're pretty great too!"

  Then, to Inosuke's surprise, Nezuko kissed him on the cheek. The boat's face immediately turned as red as a tomato. "Heh, are you okay?" Nezuko asked shyly. "Y-yeah! I-I'm more than okay!" Inosuke hugged Nezuko tightly and they both laughed happily. For today was a day of love. Love of all kinds!

Author's Note: Happy, late, Valentine's Day! I'm so happy that this chapter finally came out and I hope you guys love it too! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon!

Ikarus HADE-Shelter Verspielt - Verspult - chillig..... 🤣 Wir tanzen konzentriert... #ikarus #hade #shelter #verspielt #verspult #chillig #tanzen # #techno #konzentriert #familie #festival (hier: Ikarus-Festival)

Tanzen macht frei #tanzen #stuttgart #karlsplatz (hier: Karlsplatz Stuttgart) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwcXO8aHfco/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wgr8e2retui1

i've been doodling kny characters during my lectures lately! maybe i should bring back my marker doodles

Modern Jazz tanzen @ballettschuleschreieck Landau jeden Dienstag 18.00 bis 19.00 Uhr und 19.00 bis 20.00 Uhr ,Neustadt jeder Donnerstag von 18.00 bis 20.00 Uhr #SchulefürballetundtanzBirgittaLange Eppelheim jeder Mittwoch von 19.00 bis 20.00 Uhr #DanceCharisma Pirmasnes jeder Samstag von 14.00 bis 16.00 Uhr #tanz #tanzen #dance #dancer #dancing #dancers #dancelife #danca (em Ballettschule Petra Schreieck)

Der Tanz

Musikempfehlung zu dieser Geschichte: https://foxowlcrow.bandcamp.com/track/coral

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Das Herz schwer von Dornen, den Kopf nicht bei sich, so saß sie da. Ihr Inneres sträubte sich gegen ihre eigenen Beteuerungen, es sei alles gut. Mit tauben Fingern griff sie ihren Schlüssel und lief nach draußen. Atmete durch. Die frische Luft durchflutete ihren Kopf und ihre zusammengezogenen Augenbrauen hoben sich leicht, ließen die Falten von ihrer Stirn verschwinden. Der Himmel war durchzogen von dunklen Wolkenketten, die sich drückend auf die kleine Siedlung niederließen. Ihre Füße trugen sie davon, an den Rand der Stadt, zwischen deren Häusern sie sich eingesperrt fühlte, wie zwischen den Zähnen eines Monstrums, die verfault in die bereits verschwindende Sonne ragten. Dieser Ort, leicht abgeschieden und dennoch die Stadt im Blick, war ihr liebster.

Die von schwarzen Graffitilinien überzogenen Gebilde erstreckten ihre symmetrisch angeordneten Metallstreben über den Boden, wie silbrig glänzende Wurzeln. Mit einer Hand strich sie über die inzwischen goldgelben Gräser, die durch die kühle Brise leicht verschwammen und als Farbfläche einen starken Kontrast gegenüber der düster erscheinenden Wolkendecke bildeten. Vorsichtig streifte sie die Schuhe von ihren nun nackten Füßen, stellte sie auf der Skaterampe ab und ließ sich direkt daneben nieder. Sie holte ihre Kopfhörer aus der Tasche und auf ihrem noch von Sorgen verschleierten Gesicht deutete sich ein leichtes, ehrliches Lächeln an. Der Geschmack der nicht zu warmen Sommerluft vermochte es doch häufig, wenn auch nicht immer, ihr ein wenig Ruhe zu schenken, die ihr Kopf ihr sonst nur in der Gegenwart weniger Menschen ließ.

Sie ließ ihren Oberkörper beim Klang der ersten Akkorde nach hinten fallen, wobei ein kleines Stück ihres nackten Bauches freigelegt wurde. Sie zog den Stoff zurück an seinen Platz und beobachtete die Bilder, die die Musik hinter ihre geschlossenen Augenlider zauberte.

Ein Schauspiel.

Der rote Vorhang wird aufgezogen.

Die Klaviertakte dröhnen durch den gefüllten Saal.

Eine Tänzerin schwebt auf die Bühne.

Langsam beginnt sie, sich zu drehen.

Weitere Personen gesellen sich zu ihrem einsamen Tanz.

Ihre Kleider heben sich sanft und gleiten durch die Luft.

Einer Eingebung folgend, richtete sie sich auf und ließ ihre Füße auf den warmen Asphalt gleiten. Kleine Steine stachen in ihre weiche Fußsohle. Der prickelnde Schmerz zog ihr Bein hoch, doch sie ignorierte das Gefühl und ließ sich von den Tönen in ihren Ohren tragen. Leichtfüßig sprang sie von Note zu Note, schwang ihren Oberkörper herum, richtete sich wieder auf. Die Musik trug sie in eine Drehung, brachte sie in die Höhe und ließ sie sanft wieder auftreffen. Behutsam schloss sie die Augen und ließ die Realität von sich abdriften. Ihre Füße waren das Einzige, was sie noch in der Realität verankerte. Die Höhen des Gesangs trieben ihr Tränen in die Augen, und doch hatte sie das Gefühl von belebender Freiheit. Ein paar rennende Schritte, ein Sprung, Landung, Drehung.

Die Musik endet.

Der Vorhang schließt sich.

Der Traum verebbt.

Ihre Lieder glitten nach oben. Tief sog sie die Sommerluft ein, ließ sich auf dem Boden nieder und warf die Steinchen zwischen ihren Händen hin und her. Glücklich.

Zum ersten Mal an diesem Tag.