Within Her Eyes - Kimetsu No Yaiba

14. Nezuko and Zenitsu

They had been taken to a home that had a wisteria family crest on the door. Once they were inside Tsukiko was led to a different room than the others. She was given a change of clothes and cleaned all the grime off of her.

      Tsukiko felt refreshed for the first time since she left Hashimoto's house. She had been able to wash her hair and noticed how long it had gotten since she last cut it. It reached down to the middle of her back now.

      The old woman who had invited them into her home appeared if out of thin air in the hall. Tsukiko nearly stumbled into her.

      Where did she come from? She was like a ghost.

      "I have left your meal in the room with your companions," she told Tsukiko. The woman was so small so maybe that is how she went unnoticed.

      She then asked if Tsukiko would prefer to sleep in the room with her friends despite being a girl. To this Tsukiko had answered yes. She did not want to sleep alone in a place she had never been before. The woman must have hosted enough demon slayers to know something like this.

The last time Tsukiko did that she woke up to two years of hellish training. She definitely didn't want to repeat that again.

       "Thank you for your kindness to us." Tsukiko smiled at the woman, "It is greatly appreciated."

      "It is no trouble. Is there anything else you will need?" The woman was so hospitable it warmed Tsukiko's heart. So, she thought for moment.

      "Yes," the demon slayer twisted a strand of her hair between her fingers feeling bashful at her request, "would you style my hair?"

      The last time someone else had done the girls hair was the day her family died. She had just worn it pulled back with ribbon or down since she met Hashimoto. Tsukiko felt new after getting clean and wanted her hair out of her way for once.

      The old woman smiled and led her to another room. Tsukiko had to remove her veil so that her hair could be done but left her eyes closed. When the woman finished, she tied it back.

      Her hair had been styled into a bun and a wisteria hair pin had been stuck through. Tsukiko touched the fabric flowers that hung down. They were dainty but symbolized keeping demon's at bay.

      "It's a gift for you. For your hard work." The woman said to her. "Demon slayers rescued my family once. That is why we house you all here."

        Tsukiko thanked her and left to find the other members of her group. They were already eating when she opened the door. Inosuke was shoving food into his mouth like the beast man he was. Tsukiko grimaced at his lack of manners.

      "Tsukiko!" Zenitsu had seen her first and called out to her. The boy skipped over to her and took her hand. "Come sit with us! Your food is here!" He led her to the empty spot and she sat down.

       "Use your chopsticks," she frowned at Inosuke. He merely continued to stuff his face with his hands. Then he reached to grab food from Tsukiko's meal, but she grabbed his wrist. Giving it a good squeeze, she let it go. No one touched her food.

      "Your hair!" Tanjiro exclaimed noticing the change in Tsukiko's appearance. "You styled your hair. It looks beautiful. You're beautiful!"

      Tsukiko's fingers touched the fabric of the flowers at his comment. She nodded with a smile and a blush. He's comments didn't throw her off guard now like they did when the two had first met.

      "Don't try to steal my fiancé, Tanjiro!" Zenitsu cried out only to get a dirty look in return. Tsukiko giggled at the two and continued eating. Eating together made the food taste better.