Slow Burn - Kanao x Nezuko - GirlxGirl - KanaNezu - NezuKana

The Unwanted Visitor

"HEY! STOP SQUIRMING, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" 

Nezuko, shrunken and hiding to avoid the afternoon sun, peaked her head out of the door on the porch of the mansion curiously. She saw Mr. Uzui, one of the men she recognized from the Hashira meeting, holding Naho and balancing Aoi on his shoulder while Kiyo and Sumi yelped at his feet. 

"PUT ME DOWN!" Aoi screeched. Naho cried. Kiyo and Sumi punched Uzui's legs with no effect.

Nezuko ran back inside the mansion and searched furiously for anyone- Lady Shinobu, Kanao, Tanjiro- anyone who could help them. Then she spotted Kanao on her way outside, probably to investigate the noises. Nezuko ran up to her and pointed out the door, furiously hollering "Humph!" at Kanao. 

The slayer's eyes widened and she went outside, conflicted. 

Nezuko watched from the shaded porch with hope. She urged Kanao to go on with a few "Hmm!"s and encouraging fist pumps. Kanao turned to see her cheering, but only sighed and turned back around. She appreciated the gesture, but her mind was swamped with actions. Nezuko could see the indecision in her eyes. 

Aoi sobbed and that pushed Kanao over the edge. She grabbed Aoi's hand and took hold of Naho's dress in the other. Nezuko urrupted in cheering, but it just sounded like a lot of muffled "HMMPHHMNPNMM!!!" noises. Still in her small form, she furiously pumped her fists while she cheered. 

Tanjiro came around the corner at the noises, and hollered some things at Mr. Uzui. Nezuko slumped back inside the mansion to watch in more shade. Tanjiro stood in front of Sumi and Kiyo and yelled at Mr. Uzui. Then Mr. Uzui disappeared. Nezuko's eyes became confused dots. Where had he gone? And more importantly, why was Naho just thrown from the roof? 

More confusing things happened that Nezuko couldn't see from her perspective, but she heard a slap and saw Tanjiro's jaw drop. 

Later that afternoon, Tanjiro filled Nezuko in. 

"Mr. Uzui needed female corps members for a mission," Tanjiro explained. "But it wasn't right to take Miss Aoi or young Miss Naho! So he said he would be taking us (along with Zenitsu and Inosuke) in their places later today." 

Nezuko nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry Nezuko, I know it's not fair to you." Tanjiro sighed.

Nezuko shook her head and put one small hand on his shoulder encouragingly. 

"You're proud of me?" Tanjiro wondered.

"MHM!" Nezuko nodded. You and Kanao saved Aoi and Naho! Of course I'm proud, big brother!

"Nezuko, Tanjiro, I wanted to thank you for your help and give you a nice send-off." Kanao said in her airy voice. Nezuko was glaring at Mr. Uzui who was outside waiting for her and Tanjiro. Kanao bowed and Tanjiro bowed back. "Sayonara." Kanao angelically whispered to them.

Nezuko's eyes closed in bliss; Kanao's words were always so quiet and soft and sweet. 

"It's an honor, Miss Kanao. Please give our regards to Lady Shinobu for helping us so much!" Tanjiro replied with a wide grin. 

Kanao closed her eyes and smiled, gave a small nod, and waved. Nezuko waved back before entering the wooden box. Tanjiro loaded it onto his back and bid the mansion farewell. 

-

Late that evening, after being jostled around by Tanjiro running and a strange carriage, after hearing hundreds of voices and smelling fresh food, hearing sellers and shopkeepers, and feeling the pulse of a busy district around her, Nezuko was finally in bed- nice and quiet. Tanjiro sat at the foot of the bed with a strange face of makeup applied and his slayer uniform exchanged for a yukata.

"Nezuko, sorry about all this." Tanjiro said, sitting on the foot of the bed. "Let me explain... Since Mr. Uzui needed women for this mission, and Zenitsu, Inosuke and I are men, he dressed us up and sold us to Courtesan houses. We're looking for a demon that abducted his wives- yes, three wives. But don't worry- while I'm out looking for the demon and doing house chores, you can just stay in here and not worry about a thing." 

Nezuko nodded. She pointed out the window at the bright lights of the night, confused.

"Ah- I was confused too, Nezuko. Mr. Uzui says that this place- Yoshiwara District- is a nightlife town. Those are street lights and vendors. Mr. Uzui says it'll be empty in the day but alive at night. Perfect conditions for a demon, he says." Tanjiro explained, holding the curtain open for Nezuko to observe the town below. 

She turned and nodded. 

"Try to get some sleep, 'kay?" Tanjiro said. He patted her on the head and opened the door to leave, "I'm going to go see if I can help the house owner!" Nezuko saw a bright strip of warm yellow light slowly thin until the room was black. She folded herself into the covers and tried to get some sleep. What a busy day. ...I hope Kanao and the others are alright.