Destroyer Of Demons (Demon Slayer AU)

Chapter 1 : Family

Nezuko breathed in deeply, allowing the air to settle at the depths of her lungs like a pit of fire. She spun around once, then twice, kicking up the snow at her feet.

The ill-fitting red garments hung loosely on her petite figure, giving the illusion of a flickering flame as she danced among the fallen snowflakes.

The cold air stung her skin, but she carried on. Inhaling once more, she twirled and extended her arms in specific motions. She repeated each move until her feet ached and bruised.

This was the hinokami kagura, otherwise known as The Dance of The Fire God.

It was a special piece passed down through the generations of the Kamado family consisting of 12 consecutive steps. A tradition that was usually performed by the family head or the eldest son repeatedly from dusk until dawn during the New Years. It was a ritual meant to ward off disasters and tragedies.

This year, however, her father had long passed and her eldest brother, Tanjiro, was lying sick in bed. Hence, it was her responsibility to carry out the ceremony.

As Nezuko twisted around, she felt a sudden pain in her knees. "Ack!" She fell to the ground, clenching her leg. Despite weeks of practice, she still couldn't maintain her form for as long as her brother or father could.

The days had gotten colder, rendering it near impossible for her to keep standing without her limbs going numb. It was difficult to get her breathing under control in this miserable weather. Her chest had started to hurt from inhaling so much frost.

Will I be able to perform the dance this year? The thought of disappointing her ancestors twinged at Nezuko's heart.

Suddenly, she felt a layer of warmth on her cold back. She turned around to meet her mother, Kie's, gentle eyes. They were a shade of purple, different from her ruby ones. Her mother had placed a blanket over her shoulders.

"Nezuko," her mother spoke softly. "It's late now. Come and have supper."

"Thank you, mother," Nezuko responded. "I'm sorry for making you come all the way out here."

"Don't be, my dear. Now, come, your siblings have been waiting for you to eat."

The two then made their way back to the wooden house their family had built atop the mountain, with Nezuko clinging to Kie's side for warmth. As they entered, Nezuko was bombarded with hugs from her younger siblings.

The third eldest Takeo, the twins - Hanako and Shigeru - and finally the youngest, Rokuta. They surrounded her and asked her millions of questions as they usually did. The little ones often clung to her and Tanjiro like bees to honey. Nezuko giggled as her mother berated them to give way to their older sister.

After a quick bath, Nezuko settled onto the tatami floor with the rest of her family. They ate rice with fried meats as well as some of her mother's home-made crackers.

"Shigeru, stop eating with your mouth wide open!" Hanako yelled at her twin, her red eyes lit with annoyance.

"You mean like this?" Shigeru began to chew louder near his sister's face, prompting Hanako to throw a pillow at him.

Nezuko chuckled softly. The twins were often bickering with each other over the smallest things. Normally, she would stop them from fighting, but she had to admit it was quite entertaining to watch.

"Um, sister," Takeo called to her. Nervously scratching his head, he asked, "Do you think I could learn the dance one day?"

"You mean the hinokami kagura?"

"Yes, that," he replied bashfully. "I... I want to perform the dance... so that you and elder brother won't have to worry about it anymore."

Nezuko was surprised by his words. Takeo had always been a responsible child who rarely asked for things. He never shared his feelings like this before nor ever made such a request, so she couldn't help but feel proud of her little brother.