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"Pleeeease onee-chan! I wyanna hwelp too!" (Please onee-chan! I wanna help too!) A 6-year-old Tanjiro said as he pleadingly looked at a 13-year-old Nezuko.

Nezuko couldn't resist the little boy's pleading as she finally agreed at the end, making Tanjiro cheer.

Tanjiro was already wearing accessories that could keep him warm for the time being so they didn't need to come back.

They went down the mountains, Nezuko holding Tanjiro's little hand, afraid he might slip on the snow. They could hear the birds chirping In the trees, while Tanjiro looked at his surroundings, his head swishing from left to right as his only hanafuda earring swished, Nezuko has the other one. Tanjiro always tries to remember every single detail and also the smell on their way to the village, thinking maybe when he grows up, he could also sell charcoals with his sister.

~•~

Nezuko sold a plenty amount of charcoals, as Tanjiro helped the villagers with his great sense of smell.

It was already nighttime, Tanjiro was In the charcoal basket, Nezuko carrying him.

Tanjiro was trying to stay awake as Nezuko held back a giggle, seeing how cute Tanjiro was.

They passed Saburo's house but before they could continue. Saburo came out and offered them to stay, Nezuko declined but still thanked him.

"I wish we cwould haved staywed at ojii-san's house" (I wish we could have stayed at ojii-san's house) Tanjiro sleepily said as he yawned. Nezuko only smiled "Maybe tomorrow.. All your older siblings could come along too". Tanjiro lightly cheered as sleep was overcoming him but on their way to the direction of their house, Tanjiro quickly shot up as he started to panic. "Tanjiro..? What's wrong? It's okay, did you have a nightmare?" Nezuko said soothingly as she tried to calm the panicking child. "O-onee-chan! I smell blood!" Tanjiro screamed.

Nezuko quickly ran up to their house, thinking for the worst.

As Nezuko got closer, Tanjiro was covering his nose.

When they arrived, what greeted them was a gruesome sight. Tanjiro saw everything, he started to shake and also wanting to throw up. Nezuko also felt the same way, but she has to try to stay strong because of her little brother. "T-tanjiro.. Close your eyes" Nezuko stuttered, as she doesn't want Tanjiro to see their lifeless bodies.

2 humans then came out of their house, but their features being human deny It, Their long sharp teeth and claws that look like they could pierce flesh any minute.

Nezuko was beyond scared, She thought demons were only a myth told by Sabito-san and her grandma but she was wrong. The myth she didn't believe was now standing in front of her.

She started to panic as their hungry eyes stared at her back, their mouths forming Into a grin as they started to run towards her. Nezuko tried to find something that could somehow stop them, there she saw an ax, she started running towards It while carrying the crying Tanjiro. When she got It, the claws of the demon scratched Nezuko's legs, she started to swing the ax towards the neck of the demon but It backfired, her strength can't compare to the demon so the ax only cut off a small amount of the neck.

Nezuko started to run as fast as her legs can go, she could hear the sobs of Tanjiro behind her, she was trying not to let her tears hold her back. She was praying some kind of miracle will save them, but what she only got was being tripped because of a rock, she stumbled towards a tree, her basket landing first, breaking It.

She realized Tanjiro was In It but what she only saw was a broken bamboo basket. She looked for Tanjiro and there, she saw him, laying on the ground, she ran up and checked him, relief since he was just unconscious. She started carrying Tanjiro at the back with her hands and started running towards the steep pathway leading to the village.

She felt Tanjiro stir "onee-chan... I'm scared.." Tanjiro weakly said, starting to cry again. "It's okay... We'll head down the village and try to get some rest, yeah?" Nezuko softly said, her hair facing Tanjiro as she tries to hold back a sob. Tanjiro could only nod as he tightened his grip on her neck, never wanting her to leave him.

They then heard the laughter of the demons after them, making Nezuko try to run as fast as she can even tho she was already at her limit.

Suddenly the demon pounced on her, making her stumble again, accidentally letting go of Tanjiro, she tried to get up but the demon pounced on her again, she kicked him with all her might as the demon landed with a distance from Nezuko, The demon looked right at her, looking ready to kill her. The second demon came, grinning ear to ear as he readied his claws, Nezuko was beyond paralyzed, she could feel her heart getting faster, all the bottled up emotions she felt came out, she hoped Tanjiro escaped as she closed her eyes, ready to face her fate but suddenly she felt herself roll to the ground and fall, landing safely on the snow.

When she opened her eyes, he saw her little brother smiling softly despite the situation they were In, he was quivering, tears never ending from his eyes... And there Nezuko saw, A long claw pierced on her brothers back to his stomach, his little brother coughed up as much blood he can, blood started to color his clothes, Nezuko wanted to scream, she wanted her brother to at least live, her surroundings got darker every minute, her leg bleeding profusely, she was going to die but she was ready, she missed her family... At least she will be with her family but before she closed her eyes, she saw her little brother mouth something.

"Live.."

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