Demon Slayer One Shots

I'll Make a Man Out of You (ZenUko)

Northern and Southern Dynasties AU!

Li Shang!Zenitsu x Mulan!Nezuko

When her brother receives a notice to go to war, Nezuko decides the only thing she can do is to take his place despite knowing the consequences ...

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NOTICE: OOC Zenitsu

If only everyone slept soundly during the cries of war; perhaps we would all be fine with leaving each other, instead of twisting and turning every night, because of the paranoia that their son would not come home. 

"It isn't fair!" she shrieked, held back by her younger brothers, "Tanjiro, you can't go!' 

"Nezuko!" her father snapped. Though he was sickly, he always seemed to have enough energy to reprimand her. Without protesting, she reluctantly stopped thrashing in her brother's arms, and Hanako looked at her with a worried face. 

"Are you okay?" Shigure bent in front of his older sister, having never seen her this distressed before. His sister was always calm, even in the face of danger. But seeing her like this; scared him. His other siblings bent before their older sister, assuring her and trying to calm her down.

"Nez, are you alright?" her older brother asked gently. She shook her head. 

"You're going to war! This isn't fair!" she yelled, and Tanjiro's worried face melted into a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine, Nezuko." Tanjiro smiled gently. 

Deep inside her heart, she knew that despite his best interests and his belief that he would come home, she knew that he knew that he was lying. 

She sighed, knowing she couldn't change her brother's mind. Kind as he may be, he was not one to back down from a challenge. 

Tanjiro pulled his five siblings into an embrace, before accepting a scroll from the messenger, who sat upon his high horse as if he was above everyone else, despite his small stature. 

Her brother unsurely unwrapped the scroll, as the color in his eyes deflated. 

"I leave... tomorrow." 

Again, Nezuko thrashed, despite her brothers' best efforts to hold her down. Kie pulled her back inside the house, wanting to preserve what was left of the family's small dignity, and they left the square, leaving only Tanjiro and his father. 

"Come, take a walk with me." he encouraged, as Tanjiro skipped to follow him. 

---

"Nezuko," Kie rubbed her temple softly. She shook her head and glanced at her oldest daughter, who knelt on the tatami mats numbly, "you cannot do that, my love." 

She bent down in a futile effort to hold her daughter's gaze but was met with absolute hatred in her eyes. 

"I know you don't want him to go. So why encourage it?" she demanded, glaring at her mother for answers. Kie shook her head. 

"I don't want Tanjiro to go, Nezuko. None of us do. But think of the honor of serving our country." 

"To hell with it!" she fumed. 

"Quiet. Someone may hear you." Kie warned. 

"I just- he can't go. Tanjiro is our rock. What happens if he doesn't come back-" she trailed off. Kie grasped Nezuko's hand reassuringly. 

"Then we shall pray." 

---

Everything was silent at mealtime. In preparation for Tanjiro leaving, Lady Kanao joined the family for supper. Tanjiro looked uneasily at his father and his mother, who both sat with uncertainty, while his father sent glares in the opposite direction of the table towards his younger sister.