Under Their Care || Kamoboko Squad x child!reader

Chapter 3

Months had passed and I was quickly growing more comfortable around Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu. Tanjiro was kind, he was gentle and responsible and always concerned for me. Inosuke was funny, he had a silly voice and always taught me to steal food from Aoi's kitchen! Zenitsu was annoying, but he was okay.

The boys had been training everyday to gain their strength back, they had been fighting on a scary place called Mount Nagatumo. They got injured and had to exercise to heal. It was confusing, why shouldn't they just rest? But I'm not a demon slayer, I don't know that much.

One day, Zenitsu came over to me while I was playing. "Cmon kid, we have a mission and Tanjiro doesn't want you being left behind. Scared you'll be lonely or something." He had an arm outstretched for me to take his hand, I took it excitedly.

"A mission!? A real mission!? Where is it!? Who are we fighting!? Can I help!?" I was bombarding him with questions and he answered none, he simply shrugged and approached the fence where Inosuke and Tanjiro were. Tanjiro had a wooden box I'd never seen before...I made a mental note to ask him later.

"Goodbye Tanjiro! Goodbye Inosuke! Goodbye Zenitsu! Goodbye y/n!" 3 girls my age chirped in sync. They had matching dresses and matching hair colours, they were triplets!

Suddenly, Zenitsu let go of my hand and kneeled in front of the girls. "Ha! You'll miss me!? Right!? Don't be sad I'm gone darlings! Won't ya miss me!? You're sad I'm leaving, yes!?" He pleaded with a dopey smile.

Tanjiro rolled his eyes and grabbed Zenitsu by the shirt collar and dragged him along as he whined.

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We had been walking for a whole hour and my tiny legs were exhausted. I sit down on the dusty ground, teary eyed. Tanjiro turns around, sees me, and sighs. "What's wrong y/n?" He was trying to hide the annoyance in his voice, but it was quite clear.

"I'm tired." I groan as I huffed on the floor.

Suddenly, without warning, Inosuke walked over and picked me up onto his shoulders. I looked around in surprise then smiled excitedly.

"Hold on tight..we're gonna beat Gonpachiro and Monitsu to the train!" Inosuke laughed. I clung tightly to his boar mask as he began sprinting. Zenitsu screamed at him to slow down, but Inosuke didn't listen, running like a wild beast chasing after its prey. It reminded me of when I looked out the window at my old home and watched the foxes chase the rabbits, I always wished that predators and prey could be friends someday...maybe they are, maybe I'm the bunny and Inosuke's the fox, running together!

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A few hours later, we arrived at a train station, Fumi had always told stories about these!

I was now walking on my own two feet, rather than riding on Inosuke's shoulders. Tanjiro seemed as mesmerised as me and Inosuke was basically jumping up and down with excitement.

Tanjiro and Zenitsu were talking, Zenitsu was staring at Tanjiro like he was dumb and Tanjiro seemed confused. Did Tanjiro not know about trains? I couldn't hear them because I was giggling as I watched Inosuke bickering with the train. Suddenly, with a devious tone, Inosuke looked at me and said, "Stand back and watch me y/n, I'm gonna kill this monster!" I laughed and clapped, cheering him on. Inosuke suddenly started headbutting the train and beckoned me over to help him, I skipped over and began headbutting the train to, shouting things like, "DIE!" "TAKE THAT!" "WE'RE GONNA KILL YOU SCARY MONSTER!"

This caught Zenitsu and Tanjiro's attention, Zenitsu suddenly lying began screaming at us to stop. Passers-by were staring and we had attracted some guards over, Zenitsu grabbed us both and began sprinting away from the station, Tanjiro followed quickly behind.

We ended up being a small building, out of sight from any guards. Zenitsu was carrying me in his arms and stared at both me and Inosuke with an ice cold glare, his brown eyes piercing our souls. "What on earth were you two thinking!? Don't you know what that thing you were headbutting was!?" He snapped.

I stare straight back at him, "Yes Zenitsu, it was a train."

"Then why did you two headbutt it!?" Zenitsu groaned.

I grin mischievously, "We pretended it was a monster!"

Inosuke looked at me with confusion, "We were pretending..?"

I look back at him with just as much confusion.

Suddenly, Tanjiro spoke up, "Inosuke, you're a bad influence on y/n..you have to behave..!" He too had a stern face, seeming more concerned for my well being than Inosuke's behaviour.

The awkward moment was quickly forgotten when we noticed the train starting to move. Inosuke, Tanjiro and Zenitsu (who was still holding me) chased after it until they were able to hop onto the back of it, we all sighed in relief.

"Let's go inside, we are meeting the flame hashira!" Tanjiro beamed excitedly as he lead us into the carriage.

Zenitsu no longer carried me as I wanted to walk on the carriage ground. Inosuke gaped in adoration, "We're inside the beast..!" I heared him gasp. He was yelling at random families, scaring them, so Zenitsu grabbed him by the waistband and dragged him to where we had to go.

I was kind of overwhelmed by the train, even Inosuke seemed a bit much right now...maybe this flame hashira guy can help me calm down!

"Mr Rengoku should be in this carriage here..." Tanjiro said before opening a door, we were gonna meet the flame hashira! The quiet of the train was interrupted by a loud booming voice...

"UMAI!!!"