Half-Demon! Tanjiro AU

Chapter 12: A Strange New Face

Warnings: Just a bit of blood, but mostly fluff

Word Count: 3495

  Gyutaro paced on all fours, grumbling and snarling the whole time. "How dare he? How dare he?!" The image if the elder jaguar demon flashed in his memory. The very sight of him..the sound of his voice...infuriated Gyutaro. Ran'yō's treatment of Strifles went against everything he believed and what he stood up for. It just didn't make sense to him.
  The poor half-demon had been like this for days, which worried his sister. Daki cracked open the door and peeked her head inside. The warm lanterns-that were hung at each corner of the room-showed the damage that Gyutaro had done. Self induced scratches covered his body and the floor. His knuckles were bloodied and beaten from walking on them for a prolonged period. "That fucking bitch.."
  "Brother?" Daki interrupted his pacing. "Are you alright?" Gyutaro turned to look at her, veins clearly visible. "Ume...Yeah, I'm fine." Daki crossed her arms and shook her head. "It doesn't take a doctor to figure out that you're upset. Still upset about the jaguar demon?" Gyutaro nodded and gritted his teeth. "That fuck had no right to treat his brother the way he did! Did he not understand that the little pup loved him? Even after all that?!"
  Daki shook her head once more. "I think that it's just as disgusting as you do, but Ran'yō is gone now. He can't hurt him anymore." Gyutaro only huffed irritably and slammed his knuckle into the hardwood floor of his room. "That can't reverse the absolute shit he went through! You just don't forget that!" Daki nodded. "I know you don't, but there are people here that can help him. It's not good for you to just brew on it."
  Gyutaro looked down at his bloodied hands. Twisting and turning them to see how much damage he caused to himself. "Why don't you just go out and get some fresh air?" Daki suggested. "The full moon and the stars are gonna be out tonight. So hopefully, it will be calming." Gyutaro grumbled to himself before sighing. "I guess that could help.".
  He stood up, back on his legs, and stretched. Raising his arm and putting his other perpendicular to it. Daki clapped her hands together and grinned. "Alrighty! Just try not to get killed or I might send Douma after you!" Gyutaro couldn't help but chuckle. "Please, no. He's a dick." Daki grinned mischievously. "He is what he eats!" Gyutaro put his hand over his mouth to prevent him from laughing. "Why are you like this?"
  With that, Gyutaro walked out of his bedroom, leaving a cackling Daki behind. The Infinity Castle was slowly getting more lively as time passed. Many of the half-demons could be seen chit chatting with one another. Urogi was even hanging upside down from one of the platforms. He waved and cawed at Gyutaro when he saw him, to which Gyutaro returned the sentiment. This brought a small smile to his face.
  The fresh air of the outside brushed against Gyutaro's face as he opened the door. Chilly, bitter winds made the trees rustle and the grass flow. He took a deep breath and looked up at the starry night. Daki was right. Gyutaro's yellow eyes stared upon the gentle giant that was the full moon. "Let's see if this works." Gyutaro said, taking a step forward on the soft, fluffy grass.
  Little sky lights illuminated his path as he walked. Gyutaro decided just to meander and go wherever he wanted. Trees loomed over him as birds of many kinds watched him with great interest. Despite the night's darkness, the moon made sure that Gyutaro could see the path in front of him. The natural beauty of the nighttime woods was oddly comforting and eased Gyutaro's anxiety.
  Still, his thoughts ran through his head like a rampant river. "Why is it so hard to find kind people?" Gyutaro asked himself, scratching at his chin. That was a question he had asked himself for his whole life. For the longest time, Gyutaro had truly given up on humanity and the belief that any good can come from them. After all, the only creatures that shown any kindness to him and his sister were demons.
  The Kamado siblings changed this mindset though. Those two were the only two who had the bravery and kindness to give him a second chance. Even after what they did to them. To say that this kindness baffled him would be an understatement. This did make Gyutaro think though. Did other people like them exist? Are the other demons and Hashira actually good people?
  Guilt sunk in his heart as his thoughts drifted to all those he had murdered. Their screams..their cries..that he had once saw as pathetic now made him remember his own pain. Did they deserve it? Only some did...Gyutaro shook his head. He knew he was a monster. He is a monster! Or was he? Tanjiro's touch had made the half-demon melt. He had never felt such affection before. All he wanted was to see if the king's words were true. Gyutaro wanted to see if he could be better.
  The half-demon realized that in his thoughts, he had strayed far from his home. Gyutaro looked around him only to see tall trees and bushes. However, something did catch his attention. A large shadow was stretched over a pair of trees. It looked like a human..but with wings? It had to be a demon.
  Gyutaro immediately ducked down squinting his eyes to the source of the shadow. The moon shone down on the strange demon. It seemed to be sitting in front of a small cliff, swaying its body softly. Gyutaro crept up to the demon's left side. He perked from head out from the bushes to get a better look.
  There he saw a rather large, male demon with long, wild black hair. From the left side of the stranger's face, Gyutaro could see that he had light gray skin and black eyes with light blue pupils. The stranger's bulky chest was covered with a black kimono that was covered with purple lightning bolts. Dark gray pants-that we're tied at the waist with a white sash, covered his digitigrade legs. Gyutaro could tell that this stranger had some soft fluff on his stomach and his limbs and upper body were rather muscular. His ears were slightly pointed. The features that made him stick out though were his paw-like hands and feet, purple scorpion tail, and furled, dark purple, membrane wings. Thus, giving this demon the appearance of a Greek Manticore. Gyutaro had to admit to himself, this fella was rather cute.
  "Pretty boy.." Gyutaro grumbled with envy as he crept closer to the stranger. The demon seemed to hear him as he turned his head in Gyutaro's direction, revealing the right side of his face. The right side of his face looked like the skin had been completely peeled off from it. The stranger's right eye had no eye lids to shut it. The right side of his jaw had no lips to seal his sharp fangs away. Instead of the normal red muscle that a normal human would have, his muscles were light blue. The same color as his pupils.
  Gyutaro's yellow eyes widened as he took a step back, feeling guilty that he was envious over someone who was clearly scarred. The stranger seemed just as startled as he was. "Oh! I'm sorry." The demon's voice was soft and energetic. "I didn't know that this was your territory." The stranger bowed apologetically when he stood up. Gyutaro raised his hand. "No, no. This actually isn't really my territory. I live here with others. You actually aren't doing anything wrong by being here."
  "I'm not?" The stranger said, tilting his head. Gyutaro shook his own. "No, you're not." The demon sighed in relief before sitting back down. "Oh thank goodness. I had just gotten here." Gyutaro then walked in front of the stranger. Tilting his head as he observed his features. The stranger just watched him with a soft smile. "So.." Gyutaro broke the silence. "Why are you here, stranger?"
  "Oh, I'm Kerido Koibito! I'm actually just resting here from a long trip." Kerido said enthusiastically as his tail swayed from side to side. Gyutaro raised an eyebrow. "Gyutaro Shabana and what trip are you resting from?" Kerido's smile only grew wider as his tail started to wag. "Well, I've been flying across Japan! It's been on my bucket list for a long time now, so what better time than the present?"
  Pure joy radiated from this strange demon. Kerido seemed to be very expressive. Moving his arms whenever he spoke. This did ease Gyutaro, but he kept his guard up. "So, you're flying across Japan? I don't think I've ever heard of another demon who has tried to do that." Gyutaro put a hand to his chin. "Doesn't that get exhausting?" Kerido softly nodded. "It can, but it's worth it! There's just so much to see and experience!" He gave a soft laugh as the lights in his eyes shone brightly.
  Gyutaro tilted his head. He had never seen a demon like this before. Kerido's overall demeanor gave Gyutaro a warm feeling of peace. It truly eased him. Yet, his head told him to keep his guard up. Who knows what this strange demon might be up to! Kind people are an oddity, but he wanted to believe that there are others besides Tanjiro.
  "Was it worth it?" Gyutaro asked with a curious, yet skeptical, smile. Kerido nodded as his scorpion tail wagged. "I'd say so. The sights that you would see are just breathtaking! Both the forests and the cities." Gyutaro grimaced. "Isn't there something that you would rather do? Like training your abilities or hunting prey?"
  "Nope." Kerido purred, beaming with innocence. "I know that it's odd for a demon not to care for those things. Even though I'm immortal now, there still is no use in wasting your time." Gyutaro widened his eyes and scratched his chin. A demon who didn't care about getting stronger? This must be a joke!
  "What's your game?" Gyutaro growled, walking in front of Kerido. Kerido only tilted his head. "What do you mean?" Gyutaro gritted his teeth. "No demon is this friendly! You're plotting something!" Kerido shook his head. "I'm not plotting anything. I know my behavior is rather odd when compared to other demons, but I promise you that I'm not going to hurt anyone."
  Gyutaro's shoulders eased slightly. Due to the sleazy and slimy people of his past, he could easily tell if someone was untrustworthy. Yet, this demon lacked that nasty aura. He seemed warm and welcoming. "Sorry.." Gyutaro said softly. "I shouldn't have just accused you like that."
  "Oh, no need to apologize!" Kerido chirped. "I understand! Most demons see each other as competition, so it's reasonable." His wings unfurled entirely, revealing that his wingspan was nearly double his height. Gyutaro backed up slightly as he gazed upon the wings. "Woah...heh, you could probably fly someone to the city and back in a few minutes."
  A cheeky grin came over Kerido as he sprang up. "Would ya like to try?" He grinned as he reached out his paw. "You seem like someone that could use the mileage!" Gyutaro blushed lightly. "Was I really that easy to read?" He sighed. "I guess I could. I would probably never get the chance to otherwise."
  The lights in Kerido's shone brightly as he stopped his feet. "Great!" He scooped up Gyutaro in his large arms and hoisted him on his back. "Woah!" Gyutaro squeaked as he did so. "What are you doing?" Kerido chuckled. "Helping you up!" Gyutaro wrapped his legs around Kerido's waist and wrapped his arms around the demon's neck. His hands gripped Kerido's kimono as his chest laid against Kerido's very fluffy mane.
  "Are you..sure about this?" Gyutaro trembled in Kerido's grips. "Absolutely! Just hang on tight!" Kerido's feet-paws scratched the grass below him when he slid them back. The manticore demon then took a running start, aiming for the cliff. Gyutaro ducked his head into Kerido's mane in fear. With a swift kick, Kerido jumped off the cliff.
  Just as Gyutaro thought he was dead meat, the wind started to rapidly blow through his hair. He looked up to see the night sky above him and the dark sea just inches below Kerido. Moonlit rays shone down on the water as both he and Kerido flew. "See? Told ya that you'd be fine."
  Shadows danced on the nearby cliff side and the dark figures of trees zoomed past them. The flap of Kerido's massive wings were the only sound audible other than the whipping wind. Light shimmered from the sky above, filling everything with life. Gyutaro kept his head down, too nervous to appreciate the scenery.
  Kerido rumbled in a worried manner. He flapped his wings rather quickly, escalating their height. With every inch of increased height, the more Gyutaro gripped onto Kerido's kimono. The few clouds greeted them as Kerido flew higher and higher, eventually being able to pass them. It was then that Gyutaro decided to get a perk.
  What beheld him was truly a beautiful sight. The stars shone like little white lights. They stared down at them alongside the full moon. "Woah.." Gyutaro said in an incredibly soft voice. Kerido grinned warmly. "Isn't it beautiful?" Gyutaro nodded as he fully looked up at the stars.
  Kerido glided through the beautiful atmosphere for quite some time before slowly diving down. "There's a system of caves nearby." Kerido said, wind whipping his hair. "I use it as a shortcut if I get really tired. It even leads to a remote island!" Gyutaro raised an eyebrow. "An island?" Kerido nodded. "Yeah! There's a whole society of unique creatures on it!"
  Gyutaro rolled his eyes and smiled. "You're crazy." Kerido only laughed as he continued to dive down. "I'll show you the caves!" Kerido's wings furled, causing both him and Gyutaro to fall. Gyutaro couldn't help, but grip onto Kerido's kimono tightly. The manticore demon quickly unfurled his wings to catch them from hitting the ground. Gyutaro looked up to see a circular entrance to a dark tunnel.
  Kerido quickly flew into the cave. Large, colorful crystals lined the walls of the cave. They shimmered and shone with bright colors that bounced off one another. The light was almost blinding. "I have never seen anything like this." Gyutaro hummed gently as he raised his hand to block out the light. "I know!" Kerido beamed as he twisted and turned through the cavern's rocks. "It's just beautiful!" Gyutaro couldn't agree more.
  A fiery light beamed in front of them as they approached an exit. "What's that?" Gyutaro shouted as he ducked his head. "You'll see!" Kerido roared as they flew through it. City lights burned into the sky once they left the cave. The warm lights stuck out like a torch in a meadow. Gyutaro's eyes were mesmerized by the city's beauty. He nearly stood on Kerido's back and reached out his hand towards the warm light.
  To endulge Gyutaro, Kerido twisted his body to fly directly into the city. He flew high enough so the humans below wouldn't notice them. Kerido's paws gently tapped the roofs of the buildings as they flew. Gyutaro smiled and breathed in the fresh air. It was truly an exhilarating experience.
  The warm lights faded away as they left the city and entered a forest. "Woohoo!" Kerido roared, rotating in circles from pure excitement. "That was great! What did you think?" Gyutaro couldn't help but laugh with jolidy. "That was great! I've never felt so alive!" Kerido purred happily with a slight blush on his face. "I'm glad."
  Kerido decided to perch on the edge of a waterfall. Gallons and gallons of water rushed down the earth and into a large river. Gyutaro hopped off Kerido's back, once he landed, and stumbled to catch his footing. "Are you okay?" Kerido asked, turning his head. "Absolutely!" Gyutaro raised his arms into the air, laughing.
  Kerido gave him a sweet smile before sitting down on the ledge. He patted the seat next to him, beckoning to Gyutaro to join him. Without hesitation, Gyutaro rushed to sit next to the manticore demon. Closing his eyes, Kerido listened to the rushing water of the waterfall.
  "Why did you show me those incredible sights?" Gyutaro asked after a few silent minutes. "I felt like you needed to see them. I thought it might cheer you up. Ease your worries." Kerido purred, eyes still closed. Gyutaro turned back to the waterfall with a smile. The manticore demon opened them and the moonlight reflected off of them. "To be honest, you're the only person who's been friendly to me."
  Gyutaro turned to him, his mouth agape. "Really? You seem like the guy who would have a lot of friends." Kerido shook his head. "No..humans don't like me for being a demon and demons don't like me for being friendly and my human-free diet." Gyutaro raised an eyebrow. "You don't eat humans?" Kerido shook his head. "Do you?"
  Gyutaro sighed as he crossed his arms. "Not anymore." Kerido smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry. I understand that Muzan forced many of the demons to eat, especially the more powerful ones." He said, pointing at Gyutaro's eyes. Gyutaro returned the smile. "Thank you. I haven't eaten any humans since our new king took over."
  Kerido's eyes widened. "Wait, we have a new king?" Gyutaro nodded. Kerido turned his head back to the waterfall. "Jeez, I really have been out of touch with the rest of my kin." Gyutaro gently took his large paw. "Is that how you were able to avoid Muzan's control?" Kerido nodded. "He created me just to increase the demon population, so he didn't check on me often." He paused. "I've been able to survive on stealing human blood from hospitals and feasting on animal meat."
  Gyutaro could hear the regret in his voice. He then stuck his hand in one of wrist ribbons. Kerido looked at him with curious intent. Eventually, Gyutaro pulled out a small vile of blood. He reached his hand out to Kerido. "Here. This is a vial of the king's blood. You won't ever have to eat human blood again."
  Kerido eagerly took the small glass tube. He played with it in his paws before ripping off the cork and dripping it. Kerido purred softly before looking at Gyutaro. "Thank you, Gyutaro. I really mean it." Gyutaro shyly smiled as his faces turned red. "It's..no problem." Kerido stood up and stretched. "Well, the sun is rising soon. I should take you back home like a gentleman, hahaha!" He stretched his arm out to Gyutaro. With a blushing face, Gyutaro took the manticore's hand. "Yeah."
  It only took a few minutes for Kerido to return to Kaikoma Mountain. He quickly landed right in front of the Infinity Castle. Gyutaro hopped off his back, already feeling somber of leaving this new demon. He turned to face Kerido, who seemed just as sorrowful as him. "Do you think it would be okay if I returned after my trip is over?" Gyutaro smiled, excited at the thought. "I would love that."
  Kerido smiled excitedly as he clapped his paws together. "Yay!" He looked to the sky, then looked back at Gyutaro. "I guess this is goodbye." Gyutaro nodded somberly. "Goodbye, Kerido. I hope I get to see you again." Kerido smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to send letters!" He then turned and walked towards the edge.
  Gyutaro was about to turn away before he heard someone calling him. "Wait, Gyutaro! I forgot something!" Gyutaro looked back at Kerido. "What is it?" Kerido skipped up to him and kissed him on the forehead. Gyutaro's face went completely red as Kerido backed away, slight blush on his face.
  "Goodbye, Gyutaro!" Kerido waved, flapping his wings as he ran off the edge. "I'll visit you again!" His wings caught the wind and lifted him up into the air. Gyutaro snapped out of his blushing daze and quickly waved back. "Goodbye, Kerido!" Then, the manticore demon flew off into the night.
  Gyutaro smiled to himself as his arm drooped to his side. "Oh? Who was that?" A teasing voice called to him from the Infinity Castle doors. Gyutaro quickly turned to see Daki, peeking through the door with a sly grin. "Ume?! How long have you been there?!" Gyutaro panicked with a red face. "Long enough!" Daki teased, slithering back inside.
  Gyutaro ran through the door and quickly shut it. "Don't tell anyone! Especially not Dead Dick Douma!" Daki only cackled. "I don't make any promises!" She crossed her hands behind her back. "Ume!" Gyutaro was about to lunge at her, before a knock echoed from the door.
 
Author's Note: This takes place during Old Scars. This chapter is actually based off of a conversation in c.ai. Kerido himself is 76 (transformed at 27) and I love him sm.