DISCLAIMER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA BELONGS TO KOYOHARU GOTOUGE

(A/N) Hello everyone! This is the rewrite of the first three chapters of this fic. I'm very sorry if I had caused any confusion or complaints (i.e. this rewrite is ****) I'm open for any advice but please be nice to me #~# Sorry that this is a rewrite so late (not really) into the story but thank you for dealing with this. Thank you so much for reading as usual and I hope you enjoy!

(In the former author's note I wrote about Novirp13's fanfic and how this was inspired by their work (cuz its good) and that fight scenes were difficult to write (just so that the reviews don't don't make sense (yea, two "don't"-s).

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The house was warm despite the cold, Tanjiro always gets up earlier than the family to warm up the house. It wasn't hard work and didn't take too long, the place was small with only one room for the family of eight to sleep in. Well, technically seven now since their dad has passed away, still, the Kamados stubbornly believes that their father was still there protecting them in spirit.

"I'm going!" Tanjiro called back to the house, hoisting up a basket of coal over his shoulders. His black-red hair hastily tied into a ponytail, red eyes shining brightly in contrast to his sooty face. Though his earrings, the last momentos their late father had given to him, were kept crisply clean.

Nezuko stepped out from the house, it was snowing lightly, she wound Rokuta closer to her body. His sleeping warmth against her back. She pressed a finger to her lips for quiet but smiled. "Come back soon, okay? You promised Rokuta that you'd read him a book didn't you?"

Tanjiro nodded seriously. "I also promised Hanako and Shigeru toys."

"You spoil them too much, Niichan." Nezuko chided. "I'm sure they really just want you to come home early."

"They're still kids, let me big brother them when I still can." Tanjiro pleaded, before asking, "What do you want? I can get you something too." He glanced at the frayed sleeves of her kimono, "How about a new kimono?"

Nezuko tugged at her pink jacket, it was an old kimono. She had been wearing it for years now. "No, it's ok, I don't need anything." Nezuko smiled, her family was all that she needed. "I'd rather have the little ones be full than a new kimono."

Tanjiro frowned before he stepped out the door, putting on his boots. He was silent for a bit. "Don't overwork yourself today, Nezuko. You're always so hardworking and patient."

"You too, Niichan." Nezuko smiled. "We're going to have noodles tonight, come home soon."

Tanjiro returned her grin. "See you later then."

Nezuko waved back and watched her brother's green and black haori fade into the distance. His footsteps leaving deep trenches in the snow.

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"Nezuko," Her mother came by next to her, wiping her hands on her apron. "Did Tanjiro leave already?"

"Yeah, just now." Nezuko replied, tying Rokuta closer to her.

Her mother smiled softly: "Tanjiro is always working hard." She glanced at Nezuko. "It's not easy being one of the oldest isn't it?"

Nezuko shrugged. "It's alright, as long as my family is fine, then I'm fine too."

Her mother tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't overwork yourself today, Nezuko. I'll take care of Rokuta and the young ones."

"Well," Nezuko said, " I was actually thinking that Niichan didn't bring lunch with him again so I was hoping I could make something and…" Her voice trailed off, knowing that her mother got the message.

Mom studied her face, "I just told you to take it easy today and then you tell me that you want to go down the mountain to give lunch to Tanjiro." She sighed, "Nezuko, if only your brother brings his own lunch then we wouldn't have to worry."

"It's okay," Nezuko said, "I'm done with my chores anyway, the work was easy and I don't want to stand here in the house doing nothing."

Her mother looked a little forlong, as if Nezuko was sailing away from her instead of just going down the mountain. "Why don't you play with Shigeru and Hanako? Or watch over Takeo and Rokuta?"

"Mom," Nezuko patted Rokuta, "It really is fine, besides, if I go then Niichan can get his lunch and I can tell him to come home earlier." She grinned, "It's a win-win."

As light streamed through the window of the kitchen, Nezuko's knife was as busy as her thoughts.

So to say, not very busy.

Hanako and Takeo had peered through the kitchen to find their Neechan cooking lunch for their brother, her younger siblings' interest piqued and announced that they were going to help too. Shigeru joined along and in just a short while, the lunch was ready to go.

Her thoughts didn't need to be busy, because right then, she had all the things she needed. Her family.

Rokuta had woken up and blessed the bento with a taste test for the rice. Nezuko's mother gave her a handkerchief to wrap the bento in. And now Nezuko was ready to go.

She sat by the door, lacing up her boots before she leaves. Shigeru squatted by her, his cheeks red with warmth, Nezuko squeezed it, making Shigeru scowl and Nezuko laugh. She patted his little head. "Alright Shigeru, I'll be going now. Look after your siblings for me."

"You're not going to ask Takeo?"

"I already did. Hanako too."

Shigeru gave her a wounded look before bursting in giggles.

"I'm sure Tanjiro would love the bento," Nezuko said, getting up. "After all, his entire family helped make it."

"'Cuz if he doesn't I'll eat it for him!" Takeo's voice called from behind the house.

"Not fair, you always take Niichan's food!" Hanako reprimanded.

Shigeru nodded gravely, "If he doesn't eat it we'll all be very sad." He said, "See you later, Neechan. Bye byeeee."

"Bye byeeee."

Shigeru gave her a last pout before smiling and waving at her leave.

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Her footsteps left deep trenches in the snow.

Down at the mountain, the town was already bustling as people filled the streets to do their everyday works. Elderlies watched their grandchildren run about and laugh, softly rocking on their chairs and sipping hot tea.

Merchants rolled on their carts and their voices boomed advertisements throughout the streets. Good smells wafted from various homes and stands, but Nezuko was sure that for Tanjiro, it was even more fragrant. Her brother had always had a very keen nose.

However, her brother and his keen nose was nowhere to be found in the streets.

Which was strange because if she can't find him, Tanjiro would definitely sniff her out.

Nezuko asked all around, but they all said that he had either gone "this way" or that they didn't see him at all.

The sky was darkening, days were short and nights were long during the winter. The chill was also starting to feel more apparent as well. The bento box in Nezuko's hand was ice-cold. She wrapped her kimono around her as she walked to the path where the village ends and the mountain path starts. Perhaps she should wait for Tanjiro, he was very persistent when selling coal. He'd never come home with a full basket.

Nezuko sat on a rock. Had Niichan already gone home?

She sighed into the air, watching her breath frost and disperse. The sun fell behind the mountains and the lights went out of the sky. Nezuko's breath couldn't be seen in the air anymore. Idly, she wonders if this was what the dead would see, nothing but darkness. But she shook her head, this kind of thinking was way too dark to begin the New Years.

Finally, she got up. Her brother was nowhere to be seen, and it was getting late. She began her way up to her home.

As she trekked up the path, a small glowing square came into a view, and soon a small hut.

Old Man Saburo's place. Nezuko thought. I wonder if he had seen Niichan.

It was already very late, Nezuko hurried to her neighbor's door and rapped her knuckles on the splintery door. "Saburo-san?"

A grunt. Then the door creaked open, a sliver of light spilling onto the snow.

"Nezuko?" Saburo's voice was almost as splintery as his door. "What are you doing here?"

Nezuko bowed a bit, "Sorry for the trouble, but have you seen Tanjiro around here? I didn't see him at all today in town so I was wondering if you did."

Saburo shook his head, "No, I haven't. Tanjiro was going down to sell coal wasn't he?"

"Yes, but he didn't seem to be there…" Nezuko trailed, "Perhaps I'll see him at home." She bowed and turned to leave. "Thanks, Saburo-san. Good night."

"Wait." Saburo stepped forward, cracking the door open wider. "It's dangerous outside, you should stay here for the night."

"Oh, it's okay." Nezuko wrung her hands, then found out that she was shaking the bento box so she wrung one hand. "I know the way, you don't need to trouble yourself."

For some reason Saburo-san looked… afraid. As he spoke his voice was thick with warning.

"You don't understand. At night... " He lowered his voice. As if saying it out loud would have it jump out of nowhere. "... there are demons."

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In the end, Nezuko decided she should stay with her neighbor for the night. To be honest, she really wasn't that familiar with the road and it was significantly dark. However, she still wanted to spend the New Year's with her family. She wondered if Tanjiro was home yet.

"Ever since the beginning of time," Saburo roused Nezuko from her thoughts, picking his way through a sea of umbrellas as he made umbrellas for a living. "Demons have roamed the earth. They are terrifying creatures with fangs and an appetite for humans." He picked an umbrella up and twirled it around, "It is at night when they are the strongest. To come across one of them is like coming across death."

Saburo's face was grim, in the dim light, Nezuko could see a demon face painted onto the paper. It looked garish, bright red skin looking neon with frizzy black hair. It looked rather comical and childish, but Old Man Saburo held it gingerly as if it was going to come to life any second.

He was silent for a while, his eyebrows knitted in thought before finally saying: "There is food under the bowl and the futon is behind the screen door," he gestured vaguely at the closet behind a sea of paper umbrellas. "I will be in the next room if you need me."

Old Man Saburo's cooking was good enough, living alone to have meals by himself gave way to lots of practice in the kitchen. As she finished the last of the broth and rice, she clasped her chopsticks together in silent thanks. Nezuko cleaned up out of habit, her hands moved automatically as her mind wandered to her family. What are they doing? Did they eat yet, was it enough? Was Tanjiro home yet?

Nezuko thought about her dinner, a simple meal of rice, broth, and boiled vegetables. It wasn't much different from what she ate at home but she missed the warm chatter that goes around dinner.

Hanako would be making a little animal out of vegetables, Takeo would try to finish as fast as he can so he could play with Tanjiro, Shigeru would be trying to feed Rokuta some more tofu and her mother would be smiling gently at the table. Tanjiro would be laughing and…

Nezuko nodded drowsily. Eyes closing in the weight of sleep.

Tanjiro would be safe at home…. Nezuko felt her eyelids drop as she slipped to unconsciousness.

When Nezuko woke up, the sun was barely up. Light shone bleakly through the windows as she got up, it felt strange to not feel the usual warmth that Tanjiro would wake up early to make.

I should thank Saburo-san by warming up his house! Nezuko thought, pulling a fire burner and stoking the hearth until she was satisfied.

Her lunchbox was just where she had left it, a small square of purple and white. It should still be able to eat, albeit a bit cold. Nezuko folded the futon into the closet and ignored breakfast. Excited to spend the first day of New Years with her family.

But the winds had other ideas, it blew snow into her eyes and chapped her lips and hands. Almost as if it was pushing her back away from her house—

Nezuko stopped.

The wind was carrying something else other than snow.

A thick smell of iron.

Blood.

Coming from up where she was going. Up from her house.

Nezuko ran.

All she could see was snow and all she could hear was panic drumming in her heart.

She gasped for breath. Her throat felt like it was shriveling up in thirst, her black jacket flapped in the wind like a struggling raven. And what she saw was something she can't let anyone see.

Nezuko remembered one time when she saw Tanjiro chopping wood, his movements swift with practiced ease. It was almost mesmerizing to watch, out of curiosity, she asked him how to chop wood.

You have to make sure you position the wood correctly, Tanjiro had said. Raising his ax above his head and letting it fall. With fluid motions he split the wood into neat quadrants. If you don't balance it correctly, the wood will teeter and it would be as if the wood is confused of whether to fall or stand. He placed a hand on the wobbling log and smiled his warm smile. So Nezuko can always guide it on the right path.

Nezuko felt like the teetering wood, not sure whether to collapse or freeze there. She stumbled over, she could see her family. So close yet so far away, too far. They were here, but also a whole other world away. Nezuko wouldn't be able to see them anymore.

A strangled sound escaped her lips, What had happened? Were they not just fine the other day ago?

Crimson soaked the snow, leaky waterfalls flowed sluggishly into the floorboards. Tanjiro and Rokuta's bodies spilled onto the floor. Her brother's body over Rokuta and his arm circling his brother's head, his side accumulating snow like a sad, white burial.

Nezuko felt as if she was also dead to the world. Shock beating her senseless.

Then she swore she saw Tanjiro's hand twitch.

.

.

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Only Niichan's body was still warm. Nezuko fought back the tears as she trudged down the mountain with Tanjiro's arm slung over her neck. How did this happen?

"Urgh," Nezuko felt like the tears were burning her from the inside out. "Niichan, Nezuko save you." She swallowed a sob. "I'll always keep moving forward…!"

The walk broke into a run.

Nezuko kept her eyes ahead, afraid to look at her brother once more. Because as he slumped by her side, his body was barely warm.

Cold.

Too cold.

How long had it been when Rokuta was on her back? His warm little stomach pressed to her back.

A howl echoed in the mountain range like a fleeing cry.

Nezuko wanted to flee and cry too.

But she has to go forward. Her run was breaking into ragged steps. All she could concentrate on was her own breathing and Tanjiro's thready heartbeat on her shoulder.

She was shouldering the entire family now.

But before her right foot could be placed in front of the other. Tanjiro head lolled backwards, a rumble in his throat.

"Niichan?"

Then the world went sideways. And the next thing Nezuko knew, she was on the snow. Tanjiro was gone.

Nezuko panicked, but she couldn't get up. Her limbs felt frozen in snow.

She groaned, trying to gain her bearings.

Snow, white as ever. Blanketing the landscape. The wind, her heartbeat roaring in her ears.

But she heard him.

Tanjiro throat rumbled with a low growl but he wasn't alone.

"Niichan?" Nezuko rasped, her sight finally focusing like broken camera lenses. But her Niichan did not look like her Niichan at all. Pain contorting his usually kind features, in the snow his eyes looked like rust, eroded. His pupils darted around and flickered in and out like a broken light.

For a second Nezuko felt as if she was looking at a stranger.

But technically she was; right beside her brother was a strange man she had never met before. Pale face and black hair, his features were long and sharp like the edges of a sword. Blue eyes so still like the calm of a storm. In his hand he was restraining Tanjiro, Nezuko knew her brother was strong, but the man didn't show any struggle restraining him.

He was wearing an unfamiliar black uniform under a half and half haori, one side red and one side with green and yellow geometric patterns. He had a sword on his hip. Nezuko had never seen him before.

The man's eyes narrowed. "You call this demon your brother?"

"I—" Her voice cracked. "Niichan, yes. He's my only family. My family…" Nezuko's voice betrayed her. "Please, help me—"

The man stared at her. Face devoid of any emotion.

What had he called her brother? A demon.

"But- but, they're not real." Nezuko sputtered. "They're just stories and folklore. How can demons be real—"

"Demon blood got into his wounds, traveling through his bloodstream. He got turned into a demon. That is how demons manifest." The man spoke as if he was reading from a textbook. "As for the matter of real or not real. Well," Tanjiro bared his fangs, pupils narrowing into slits. "look for yourself."

Nezuko felt as if she was swallowing a hard pill. Her head spun to take in the information.

"I-is there a way? To turn him back to normal?" Nezuko asked. Desperate for hope.

The man looked at her, then looked away. "No."

"What are you going to do?"

Calmly, like a doctor performing surgery, the man took out his sword and angled it directly above Tanjiro's neck.

"Kill it."

Tanjiro growled, his expression a cross between exhaustion and… hunger. He looked like a wounded animal, panicked to a corner. Pain flickered about his starved expression.

Would it be best for Tanjiro to be slain? Nezuko knew more than anyone that Tanjiro would never harm anything or anyone. And yet at this moment he looked like an animal hungry for food, starved of nutrition and humanity. What had happened for her kind brother to become such a thing? Should she allow Tanjiro to be taken out of his misery? Before he kills anyone else?

NO!

Nezuko ran with speed she didn't know she had. "Don't kill him!"

Her hand closed around the blade, she bit back the pain that stung in her palms. The sword grazed Tanjiro, she was still too slow.

"Let go."

With a grunt, Nezuko found the man's knee embedded into her gut. The next thing she knew she was sailing through the air before her head hit something hard and scratchy. A concerning CRACK sounded from her skull.

Dazed but still aware, Nezuko called out weakly: "Please… sir, don't kill Tanjiro." Black spots danced in her blurry vision, idly she wondered for ginger and peppermint oil, as that alleviates headache pain. "He didn't do it... Niichan would never! So please…"

"Stop crying."

"Huh?" Suddenly Nezuko was aware that her cheeks felt wet.

"I said stop crying." His voice shook dangerously. "Crying and pleading, do you think that would save your brother? If it did, then your family wouldn't have been dead; if it did, then your brother wouldn't have turned into a demon!"

The man brandished his sword.

"Don't think for a second that you have lost. Fight, fight. You want your brother to turn back into a human? Then fight." He snapped. "Don't go groveling to your enemies, what do you expect them to do? Pity you? Respect you? Prove to them that you are useless and incompetent?" He narrowed his eyes. "PROVE THEM WRONG."

With a flash of his katana, the man buried his blade through Tanjiro's shoulder to the hilt.

His howls distorted in Nezuko's ringing ears.

Without a thought, her hand closed around something cold, heavy, and hard. It was as if she was suddenly aware of all the senses, her head hurts a lot. Her limbs feel numb and her mouth feels swollen. The rock in her hand was relatively big and smooth, Nezuko placed all her desperation into the sailing stone.

The man merely stepped aside.

It could've been the end, and Nezuko wasn't sure how it would play out. But as the man stepped aside to dodge, Tanjiro jerked all his weight forward, taking advantage of the man's unbalanced momentum and breaking free of his restraints.

Nezuko's vision was failing her, but as her Niichan came closer, so did the man. And as Tanjiro reached for her, the man's sword was a falling blue blade behind him— Nezuko felt as if she was moving through syrup, she is going to be too late—

But he flipped his sword at the last moment, the handle instead of the blade digging into Tanjiro's collar just between the base of his neck and his trapezius as her brother slumped over her shoulder. Unconscious.

Nezuko's mouth tasted like iron, but Nezuko didn't want to bother with it.

Because in her brother's arms, it smelled like cottonwood soap and wood smoke, it smelled safe; it smelled like warmth.

It was warm.

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