I've seen demon Tanjirou, demon Tanjirou and Nezuko, and demon slayer Nezuko, but never both Kamado siblings as demon slayers. So, I thought I'd write one so this is the result. Ideally, I'd like this story to end in whole season 1. Title and Summary prone to change later on.

Edit 11/30/19: Small corrections.

Tanjiro and Nezuko waved at their family goodbye as they went to town carrying tons of charcoal on the basket on their back. It was winter, and Tanjiro was sure that their goods would sell well with the people who needed warmth from the cold weather.

With what he and Nezuko would sell, Tanjirou was sure that they can afford to buy things for their family. A lovely new dress for Nezuko, Hanako and their mother deserving of their beauty for all the good things they did for them all; like taking care of their younger brother since he can't keep an eye on them all the time to keep them in line.

"Nezuko," he said breaking the silence aside from their footsteps digging on the snow. "I wonder if they will be okay without us."

Nezuko stifled a giggle. "Don't worry too much, niisan or you'll grow old quickly. They'll be fine."

"I need to Nezuko." He sighed as his shoulder slumped. After all, father entrusted the family to me when he died. "It's my job to worry."

"Anyways, are you sure you're okay going with me? You know the town is really far away."

She hummed and nodded. "It's fine, niisan. Don't worry about me. I'm used to it from all those times I accompanied you."

"But you never accompanied me on winter before." He glanced at his sister before looking ahead. "Aren't you feeling too cold? Or feeling the load of the basket yet?"

"I do feel cold," Nezuko admitted. When Tanjirou turned to Nezuko, she was smiling. "But I know I can bear the weight in the snow like you do if it means helping our family in the long run. So, don't worry much about me."

"Okay," he said complying with her wishes. But the moment anything happens to Nezuko, Tanjirou would carry her and her load without question if it meant getting help from the town. "Do you want anything?" he then asked.

A small smile found it's way on his face when Nezuko blushed and shook her head. "I… I don't want anything, niisan. I'd rather save whatever we earned in case we need it."

Tanjirou laughed much to Nezuko's chagrin who harrumphed. "Let your big brother worry about those things, Nezuko, and just buy something you'll enjoy! Treat yourself once in a while. Just do this for me, please."

"But shouldn't you do that to yourself too? You carry many burdens by taking care of us by providing food."

"Heh heh," he grinned unabashedly. "It's my job to take care of everyone. Let me worry about you guys."

The sun was already on the peak of the heavens when they arrived at the town. Nezuko was only somewhat tired much to Tanjirou's relief. Aside from her small discrete shivering, of course, it was all good.

"Oh, Tanjirou-chan and Nezuko-chan! What are you two doing down here with this weather!" Matsuri-obaasan, a shop owner, greeted them with a wide smile. "You two will catch a cold."

"Did someone say, Tanjiro?" In front of Matsuri-obaasan's store came out Ken-ojisan came out of his house. "Ooh, Nezuko-chan came with him. Shame on you Tanjiro-kun for letting your sister carry something heavy as that!"

"Don't worry about it, Ken-ojisan. I'm the one who insisted to come with him." She chuckled.

"Still, do be careful Nezuko-chan." The older man stated. "I'll buy charcoal please."

"Tanjirou-kun! Please sniff this! Please tell them I'm telling the truth that it wasn't me."

Leaning down on the reached out ceramic held by hand in a white blanket, Tanjirou sniffed the object. He recognized the fur that has been through the trash and everywhere else on the town. "It's a cat," he told them plainly much to Ryu-san's relief.

"See! I told you!"

"Thank you for repairing the door last time. I'll buy some charcoal, please."

"Nezuko-chan," a man said waving at them. "I'll buy some."

They traveled throughout the town selling the much-needed charcoal of the people. By the time they were finished, it was nearly twilight so they had to hurry home. Of course, Tanjirou opted to stay since it was colder at night, but Nezuko would have none of it and insisted that they go home.

On their way up to the mountain, he eyed the obvious shiver of Nezuko.

"I told you that we should have stayed," said Tanjirou with a small grin on his face as he looked at his shivering sister. "Here," he said dropping the empty basket and giving her his haori. "You can use mine."

Nezuko frowned. "What about you, niisan? Won't you be cold?"

Tanjirou grinned assuredly. "It's fine. I'm used to the cold." He stopped his fingers from shivering because his sister was eyeing him suspiciously. A small sigh of relief came out of his lips when she accepted his kimono to double layer herself.

So, as they walk, Tanjirou remembered what his father taught him in keeping out the cold. He breathed deeply and slowly, calming his body and feeling warm somewhat. His hands and foot shivered from time to time, but it wasn't as evident as before as he could control it now.

Good, he thought when he saw Saburou-ojisan's house on the distance.

"We're nearly there," Nezuko said in relief. "Just hang in there, niisan." He heard his sister mutter the last part but shook his head at her caring for him. He, the eldest brother, was supposed to be the one doing the caring and worrying. It was his burden, not the younger sibling's.

"Still," he frowned looking at the setting sky. "It's getting late. We better hurry. I don't want you catching cold."

"Me?" Asked a bewildered Nezuko. "You're the one with less clothing."

"I told you, I'm used to this by now," he insisted.

"Oi! Tanjirou, Nezuko!" He looked back to see Saburo-ojisan on his window with worries creasing his face. His head darted around for a second before beckoning them to him. "It's dangerous to be still out this time of night. Come on, I'll set you two some dinner and bed."

"I can smell any—"

"It's not about that!" He snapped gesturing at them to come inside. He sighed. "Please, just come inside for your safety."

He wondered what was so dangerous that Saburo-ojisan was so adamant in them not staying late when he wasn't usually that pushy. Still, looking at Nezuko's now pale face and uncontrollable trembling, Tanjirou immediately knew his answer. He nodded and led his sister to the man's house.

If it wasn't wild animals that could potentially attack them, it would be the cold that could snuff out any heat his sister had. Or both, a paranoid voice in his mind said.

When they entered the house, the man quickly shut the door and windows then locked it tightly. Questions rose from his mind, but he did not dare say it because he knew the old man would eventually tell them what was worrying him.

"It's not much, but please, eat." He told them as he set down the food in front of them.

Tanjirou's cheeks heated. "It's fine, Saburo-ojisan. This is too much for us." Nezuko hummed in agreement.

"Thank you for the meal!" He and Nezuko said at the same time before eating.

They ate in silence and appreciating the food served at them. It was only after the when they ate did their host cleared his throat and gaining their attention. The old man stared deeply into his eyes before boring into his sister's.

"You two shouldn't travel at night. Man-eating demons lurk at this time," he finally said after a minute of silence. "Demons lurk and hunt people in the dark. They will prey on you and eat you without mercy. That's why I thought it best you two spend the night here."

Demons, he heard the same thing from their grandmother from long ago when he and Nezuko were young. Truthfully, he never put much thought about it aside as tales to scare children straight.

"Demons?" Nezuko asked just as their host cleaned the table and got up to get the futon. "Our grandma told us the same things before she died. I always thought of demons as legends to scare kids from wandering at night."

He nodded as he set the bed. "She was wise to tell you so for such things are not mere legends," he said gravely, his voice going deep and low to a whisper but loud enough to be heard by them. "They prey upon those they deem weak."

Beckoning them to the bed Saburo-ojisan, took the one closest to the door, Tanjirou took the middle one, while Nezuko slept on the one near the wall.

Tanjirou raised his head and looked at their host who slept looking at the door. "Can demons enter houses?"

"Yes," he replied which froze Tanjirou. "But, just as there are demons in the dark, there are the great hunters that kills it for us."

Come the morning, after a quick breakfast they said their goodbyes to their gracious host which warmed and fed them for the night. He promised to himself to repay Saburo-ojisan later.

He froze, the smell of iron was in the air and getting stronger as they went closer. Blood. His heart sped up the smell of blood wafted to his nose. It spread inside the house. Millions of thought came to him, but only one stood out; did an animal attack them? Wolf? Bear? What! He silently prayed to Kami-sama over and over to please let their family be safe, but the more he got close the more hope faded in his heart.

Nezuko called behind him, but he didn't answer to not worry her in hopes it was just his paranoia taking over. Please, please, please, let me be wrong.

Sprawling on the cold snow unmoving was his mother cradling someone. "Mom!" he called but no answer came. As he turned her over, his heart exploded and he blinked away the moist in his eyes as he stared at his family's empty expression. "Mom, Hanako!" He shook them but still, they did not move. They were asleep. Permanently. "Please say something."

"Mom!" Came Nezuko's cry behind him.

"Nezuko," he said standing up and gesturing to her with shaking arms. "Stay…," he swallowed hard, "s-stay here with mom and Hanako. I'll check on the others."

His eyes widened at seeing their once humble home torn down. Every object was strewn haphazardly. The blood… oh, Kami-sama… it was everywhere! He had to be brave! What kind of monster could do such a thing! Not for one second did he believe it was the work of any animal in the area.

He looked away for a second and resisting the desire to throw up from the strong smell of blood as he ran to his other siblings. On the edge of the tatami before the door, they laid there still and holding each other. "Takeo! Shigeru! Rokuta! Please answer me!" he said shaking them awake, but still their wide-open eyes remained glassy staring into the distance above. His chest constricted in holding the three of them tightly and hoped that his warmth will bring them back from Shinigami-sama's arms. "Please, please, come back to us," he muttered.

To whom, he cared not as long as his prayer was answered!

For Tanjirou, it was forever that he sat there cradling his siblings, but eventually, he had to let go and accept the bitter truth of their reality now; that no amount of crying and pleading would turn back time. He wiped away the tears and blinked as he gently set them down. He hid his surprise when he felt an arm around his waist and his sobbing sister behind him that wasn't there before.

"Nezuko" What was once a lively home of theirs, was now desolated and full of silence that his voice echoed constricting his chest more. But he had to move, not for himself, but for his family and Nezuko. "Please go to the shed and grab a shovel."

His sister jerked and the arms loosen. Tanjirou walked around their house searching for the finest sheet he could find while avoiding looking at his and Nezuko's family lined up by the on the edge of the tatami near the door.

Wordlessly, he wrapped his family's body with the sheets while holding his breath. When the snow on the door shuffled, he was quick to turn and look only to see Nezuko with the shovel. "Just… wait in the back."

It's all my fault. The thought echoed in his heart. If he had chosen to not stayed the night then… "I could have done something." He could have done something to prevent this. "Damn it." Heavy dark remorse swirled in his chest at the thought knowing he could have done something to help them. I'm sorry, everyone.

In the silence of their house, he wept and hoped that Nezuko would not see his brother in such a state as he wrapped their bodies.

The burial was silent, only Nezuko's weeping along with his digging made a sound. When all was said and done, he stood there holding his sister gently as a pot as she trembled while they gazed at five small mounds of dirt on their backyard.

His chest tightened with each second but still, he did not cry anymore for he had to be strong for Nezuko. As he gazed silently at their family, all he remembered was their resigned yet scared faces with five thin scratches all over their bodies. He knew no wolf could have done that. No bear would travel during their hibernation. There were no more animals that could threaten them than those two, so what struck them down. What did this to them, he promised he would find it.

He may not the answers, but he knew one thing. It stood out in his memory and he would not forget it soon, not ever. It would be ingrained in his mind for as long as he lived.

The smell of decay, death, and malice, he promised he would not forget it. The scent trail may be gone, but he would search for the one that has remembered that scent.

Mom, dad, everyone. I promise to protect Nezuko. Fist clenched, he silently promised to himself. I will find whatever did this to everyone.

"I'm too late."

:)