Demon Slayer One Shots

Start of Something New (ZenUko)

Modern AU!

childhood friend!Zenitsu x annoyed!Nezuko

Two years after not seeing each other, Nezuko finds herself missing her brother's best friend, whom she had always found annoying given his antics. However, he too reveals his hidden feelings for the girl he had always called a little sister. 

---

She had aways thought of her brother's friends as some annoying nuisance; these people that intruded on her household in the middle of chores, despite her brother's attempts to keep them away from the house so as not to disturb his family. 

Really, it wasn't hatred that coursed through her veins for them, rather, it was annoyance. They had been around ever since she turned five, and they meant well. Once, Inosuke suffered a concussion protecting Hanako from a falling bookshelf during an earthquake. 

But high school seemed way off from what she had expected. 

"It's fun! You'll meet new people, and experience new things!" 

Yes, it was wonderful. 

She rolled her eyes. 

She settled in a seat in the back of the classroom. Despite being almost a year younger than her brother, she was still in the same grade as him, due to her impeccable grades and lack of absences, although she had missed the first week of school after she came down with the flu. 

Tanjiro walked by her side to the cafeteria. 

"I'm excited that you'll finally be able to meet Kanao, Nez!" he gave her a gentle head pat, and she squirmed under the annoyance that her brother still treated her like she was a little kid, "she's really kind, and Inosuke wants to introduce someone to you too!" 

She was grateful that her brother had managed to give her a place among his friends. Tanjiro seemed well-acquainted with the rest of the school, and didn't seem to be on bad terms with anyone. 

"What about Zenitsu?" she almost clamped her hand over her mouth in surprise to what she was saying. However, the red-headed boy gave her no weird looks and instead nodded his head. 

---

The duo entered the cafeteria, and were immediately waved over by a woman with a side ponytail. Her eyes glimmered with mischief and laughter, and her raven black hair was held up with a beautiful pink hairclip.

"Zenitsu's getting lunch," Kanao smiled at Tanjiro, who grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. 

Inosuke barged in, with a woman thrown over his shoulder. 

"Nez! This is Aoi, my girlfriend."

"Shut up, you boar-headed dummy!" Aoi bonked his head with a pack of bandages that she held in her hand. But a smile spread over her face when he complained, and held out her hand to Nezuko, shaking it warmly. 

"Kanao, why don't you say hi?" Tanjiro encouraged. Looking lost, Kanao gave her a sweet nod and looked down at the floor. 

Tanjiro gave a soft smile and squeezed her hand again. 

"Kanao has... difficulty sometimes communicating with others." he explained sheepishly. 

"No worries, brother," Neuzko reassured him. 

"Everything okay?" a voice called. her brother's eyes lit up at the sight of his friend and waved him over. 

"Nezuko? Is that you?"