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Today was the day Tanjiro was going to take Kanao on a date. He had never imagined something like this could ever happen - especially not while both of them were still dedicating their lives to eliminating demons as their main, and really only, purpose. You could say he was excited, but also nervous. He wasn't even sure how it had all come to this, since the idea hadn't been his. For that, he had Shinobu to thank.
Tanjiro felt butterflies in his stomach most of the time he was anywhere near Kanao. He could sense her scent from afar, and every time he realized she was close, whatever he was doing suddenly lost its focus. Her presence could never go unnoticed by his thoughts. It didn't matter whether he was training or simply walking forward trying not to trip over his own feet. Every time he thought "Kanao is nearby," he had to start paying more attention to his movements - had to consciously control his legs - because he would forget how to walk properly, something that had never required effort before.
It was strange to him, above all else. After all, Kanao wasn't the only person he could sense from a distance, or whose presence he could feel before even seeing her. But only she made him react this way. His hands would clench into fists, as if trying to focus on something; he had to force himself to steady his breathing - which, though it sounded normal, always felt like something was restlessly stirring inside his chest. Nothing gave him peace; everything felt slightly different, and all because of the simple awareness that she was there. It was even worse when she actually was beside him, when he could see her or talk to her.
He always thought he acted normally around her - smiling as usual, speaking cheerfully, always finding something to talk about, short or long. But with her, he had to be extra careful with every word and every movement. He was afraid he might do or say something foolish, something that would make him look ridiculous - and he had never felt that way around anyone else. On top of that, he noticed things about her that he never paid attention to in anyone before. The way her cute ponytail suited her so well, adorned with that beautiful butterfly hairpin. The gentle brightness of her eyes, a light that somehow grew warmer and clearer each day. The way her white haori didn't just make her look dignified and elegant, but also adorable and graceful. He noticed how she moved - with incredible poise, even though she was strong and experienced, still carrying herself with effortless grace.
It dawned on him how remarkable all of her traits were combined. She was, in a way, a blend of his mother and Mr. Rengoku. On one hand, she was a fearless warrior - one of the strongest Demon Slayers he knew. On the other, she was still so kind and gentle. The way she treated him and the younger girls was always so caring. Was there anything Kanao didn't have within her? Probably not.
And on top of that, he realized he watched her far too much, far too often. Whenever she was in the distance, he could stop and just stare at her, motionless. He would feel a strange, pleasant tingling run across his skin, his heartbeat growing louder, warming his whole body. It felt like a gentle breeze constantly brushed against him, reminding him that he was alive. He couldn't bring himself to look away - and he didn't mind one bit. It was one of the most wonderful sensations he had ever experienced.
However, during one of those moments - when Kanao was sitting with Kiyo, Naho, and Sumi as the three girls eagerly showed her something - their older sister had to intervene when she noticed her other ward standing completely still, staring blankly ahead like a statue.
"Tanjiro, is everything all right?" she asked in her usual cheerful, carefree tone.
Tanjiro jumped in surprise and turned toward the shorter girl.
"Ah, Shinobu! Of course, everything's fine. Why do you ask?" he replied, his voice trembling slightly as sweat trickled down his forehead.
"I thought you might've been paralyzed," she said with a smile. "If I'm honest, it seems to happen quite often lately. Is there any particular reason for that?"
"Reason? No, no reason at all. I-I don't know why it happens," he stammered.
Shinobu nodded thoughtfully, resting her fingers against her chin as if analyzing the situation.
"Hmm... it does seem like every time it happens, you're staring at my sister. Could that be the reason?" she asked in her usual pleasant tone - one that carried a teasing, sarcastic undertone.
"Ughhh... I... I don't know what you're talking about," Tanjiro replied quickly, breaking eye contact.
"Tanjiro, to be honest - you look like a bit of a creep watching my sister all the time," Shinobu said with a wide grin. Despite the sting of her words, her tone was gentle and understanding.
"I... I'm sorry. It's just... I can't seem to take my eyes off her," he admitted, his voice low but full of sincerity.
Shinobu was taken aback by his honesty, but then smiled warmly. Her shoulders relaxed as she realized that Tanjiro was clearly experiencing some intense internal chemistry.
"Then why don't you do something about it?" she asked kindly.
"Do... something?" he asked, sounding both curious and hopeful as he finally looked her in the eyes.
"Take her on a date."
"A... date?"
"You don't know what that is?"
"I mean, I do... but I don't really know what it's supposed to be like."
"It doesn't have to be anything special," Shinobu explained with a gentle wave of her hand. "You can just go for a walk together, sit somewhere, talk - it's really not that hard."
"So I should just... ask her?"
"Mhm. Since Kanao's gotten better at showing her emotions, I think something like this would really help her. It'd be a nice next step."
Tanjiro nodded decisively, determined to take his friend on a date. He decided he'd tell her - or rather, ask her - when he caught her alone.
Kanao, however, had no idea what she was agreeing to. When Tanjiro asked if he could take her on a date, she thought a "date" might be a kind of food, festival, or maybe some sort of event. But she knew that if Tanjiro was the one asking, it couldn't possibly be anything bad - so she agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Just to be sure, Kanao asked Shinobu what a "date" actually was - and she hadn't expected it to be something as simple as just spending time together. The older sister, however, deliberately left out the part about dates being something usually meant for people who were romantically interested in each other. She believed that, in the case of those two, they needed to discover that feeling on their own. There was no point in explaining it when neither of them yet understood what they felt for the other. But Shinobu knew one thing - whatever it was, it was something beautiful.
And so, Tanjiro had to think about what exactly he wanted to do. He decided he didn't want to just take Kanao on a simple walk, but he also didn't want anything fancy - so he settled on a picnic. He asked Aoi for help preparing some food - or rather, Aoi almost threw him out of the kitchen when she caught him there without permission, but eventually agreed to help when she realized his intentions were pure.
So Tanjiro set off with a basket full of treats and met Kanao at the appointed time in front of the Butterfly Mansion. Both were dressed in their Demon Slayer uniforms - there wasn't really any other choice in the middle of a war. Tanjiro looked almost like a traveling merchant, with the box on his back where Nezuko rested, and another basket in his hand.
"Hey, are you ready?" he asked awkwardly, seeing Kanao's usual honest, gentle smile.
"I am. What's that? Do you have something specific planned?" she asked, glancing curiously at the basket he was holding.
"Yeah. I thought maybe we could have a picnic. What do you think?"
Kanao's smile widened. "I like that idea."
A happy blush spread across Tanjiro's face, and he was just about to start walking toward the gate when something happened - something that, while predictable, was definitely not the best possible development.
"Caw! Tanjiro Kamado and Kanao Tsuyuri are to head north immediately! A demon has been detected! Tanjiro Kamado and Kanao Tsuyuri are to depart at once!"
The crow's voice echoed not only in their ears but throughout the entire Butterfly Mansion. Their reactions were far from cheerful - though Kanao accepted it more easily. Still, her mood sank when she saw Tanjiro's expression crumble. His face showed a mix of sadness, frustration, and disappointment. She didn't want to make it worse for him, but they had no choice.
"I suppose we should get going, Tanjiro," she said politely, her voice soft.
"Yeah... we should," he replied sadly, setting down the basket of food and preparing to run.
Kanao nodded just as somberly, and the two of them took off northward. The entire journey passed in silence, broken only by the wind whistling past their ears as they sped along and the rhythmic sound of their footsteps beating against the ground. They ran at nearly the same pace, but neither could bring themselves to speak. Kanao had never seen Tanjiro so disappointed at the thought of helping others, and she didn't like the sight one bit. Still, there was no time to dwell on it - the mission came first.
They arrived at the source of the screams - the cries of women in distress. Instantly, they dashed forward even faster, leaving behind only a blur of motion and a cloud of dust. The demon was pounding on the doors of a small shrine. Kanao caught the twisted smile spreading across its face, and Tanjiro could sense it - to this demon, the entire scene was nothing but a game. It was clear from his presence alone that his power was enough to tear down the whole building, yet he was using the moment merely to toy with his victims, to feed his own sense of superiority.
Both of them frowned and rushed forward to rescue the people screaming inside the shrine. The demon sensed their presence soon after and began digging through his hair. But he wasn't trying to pull anything out - instead, he ripped out strands and transformed them into sharp, jagged projectiles, which he hurled toward the Demon Slayers. This monster had a Blood Demon Art - he had devoured enough humans to gain such power - and yet he still chose to toy with the emotions and fear of his victims, knowing full well he would kill them either way.
Tanjiro, burning with anger, was the first to charge. He deflected every incoming projectile with his katana, the blade shimmering with a transparent veil of water. He aimed to follow up immediately with a strike to the demon's neck, but the creature leapt backward with terrifying speed, hiding behind the building's wall. Its agility was just as frightening as its technique. Tanjiro gave chase, rounding the corner in a rush - but his distraction blinded him to the danger. Running headlong toward a ranged demon without line of sight was not exactly a smart move.
A burst of sharp, filthy strands of hair shot out like arrows from a slingshot, coming within inches of hitting him in the face.
At the last moment, Kanao leapt in front of him and blocked the attack with her katana. The blade rang sharply, yet not a single nick appeared - her grip was flawless, even in the face of immense danger and with little room to maneuver to save him in time.
"Tanjiro, please be careful," she said quickly in a soft voice, before darting off to pursue the demon herself.
Tanjiro clenched his teeth, guilt washing over him. He didn't want to worry her, nor did he want to get himself hurt. But his emotions clouded his judgment - he just wanted to end this fight as soon as possible.
Kanao advanced effortlessly. She weaved between incoming projectiles with grace, her sword deflecting them as if they were nothing more than annoying flies. With her, everything looked so effortless, as though the demon never had a chance to harm her - and in truth, he didn't.
The monster, realizing it had no hope of winning, redirected its attack toward a nearby tree. The trunk was shredded to splinters, and the upper half began to topple toward the shrine. For a moment, Kanao froze, uncertain - should she protect the building, or go for the demon now that it was within reach but still far enough that retreating would be impossible?
Fortunately, Tanjiro reacted in time. He dashed toward the falling trunk and, swinging his katana with precision, sliced it into several pieces - slowing, then completely halting its descent. The smaller chunks fell harmlessly to the ground, sparing the shrine from destruction.
That was the signal Kanao needed. She surged forward in one final, flawless charge, and with a single, clean slash, she severed the demon's head. Its body crumbled into dust.
Tanjiro admired Kanao's skill, though his admiration was tinged with a sense of inadequacy - guilt that he hadn't performed as well as he should have. But first, he needed to make sure the people inside were safe.
"Hello?! It's safe now! No one's going to hurt you!" he called out, his voice kind and polite as he approached the door.
The women inside heard a distinctly different male voice than that of their attacker, but they still weren't convinced.
"Is this a trick?" one of them asked after a moment of whispering among themselves.
"No, we came here to help you! You're safe now," Kanao called out too, stepping up beside Tanjiro, hoping her gentle voice would reassure them.
The result was exactly what she expected. After a moment, the sounds of furniture being moved aside echoed from within, and then the large doors slowly opened. Two young women peeked out - older than the Demon Slayers, but only barely into adulthood. Their faces were red and swollen from crying.
"Who are you?" one of them asked, her voice trembling.
"Someone who helps in situations like this," Tanjiro said kindly. "That monster won't hurt you anymore. What happened?"
One of the women sniffled and began to explain. "We went out for a walk. We wanted to have a little picnic under the moonlight. But when evening came and we passed by the shrine, this horrible creature ran out. It started roaring and screaming. We tried to run the other way, but it blocked the path. Something started hitting the ground near our legs, like it was shooting at us. We ran inside and barricaded the door."
"You were very brave to think of that," Tanjiro said warmly, smiling in an effort to calm the frightened women. "You saved your lives."
He then offered to help clean up the inside of the shrine, which had become a makeshift bunker. Kanao joined him, and together they tidied up until everything looked as it had before. When they finished, one of the women approached them and held out a small basket.
"Please, take this as thanks for saving us. We don't really have the heart for a picnic anymore, but maybe you can use it," she said nervously. She had been so panicked during the attack that she hadn't even let go of the basket handle while fleeing.
"We can't accept this," Tanjiro replied, though there was a hint of regret in his voice.
Kanao, however, stepped forward and took the basket with a polite bow. "Thank you very much for your gift. We'll gladly accept it."
Tanjiro looked at her in surprise, but before he could say anything, Kanao turned back to the women.
"Do you know who takes care of this shrine? The doors are damaged - someone should be told."
"Yes. The people from our town are responsible for it. We'll tell them first thing in the morning."
Kanao bowed deeply, then took Tanjiro's hand and began pulling him toward the exit - and then down the road - still holding the basket of food in her other hand. Tanjiro was too confused to react at first, but after a few minutes of walking, he finally snapped out of it.
"Kanao, what are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. His muscles were still tense from the fight.
"We were supposed to have a date, right?" she said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she looked into his eyes.
"Yes, but..."
"I didn't like seeing you upset about the mission, Tanjiro. You always love helping others, but today you looked disappointed that you had to go. I didn't want you to lose your determination because of me," she said softly, lowering her gaze and releasing his hand.
"Kanao, it's not because of you! I just... really wanted us to have some peaceful time together. I didn't want it to be interrupted."
"But that's how our lives are," she said gently. "I'm not sure if you remember but that's how we met - on a mission. It's who we are. We can't change that. But we can still be friends despite it."
"I know... It's just that... I really wanted today to be special. Of course we'll always be friends. I just wish we could do something nice together - something that isn't part of a mission."
"Then let's do that now," she said with newfound confidence.
"What do you mean?" Tanjiro asked, blinking.
"Well, on a date, the most important thing is just to be together, right? So we can be together now, can't we? We don't need any plans. I'm sorry if you thought yours were ruined, but to me, they weren't - because I still got to spend time with you," Kanao said shyly, her cheeks turning pink.
Tanjiro's eyes widened, but then he smiled warmly, realizing that Kanao might be even more emotionally mature than he was.
"You're right. I guess I forgot that. I'm sorry, Kanao. As long as we can be together, I've got nothing to complain about."
They both smiled awkwardly, and Tanjiro gestured for them to just sit down under a tree. He set down the box with Nezuko and then took off his haori, wrapping it around Kanao so she wouldn't get her own white one dirty. Kanao blushed but nodded politely in thanks.
They leaned against the trunk, their shoulders touching, and began pulling different treats from the basket, passing them back and forth.
"You know," Tanjiro said after a moment, his tone almost nostalgic, "I don't think I could've imagined our first date any other way."
"Our first? But we've spent time together many times before," Kanao said, glancing at him in confusion.
"Ah, well... yeah, of course..." Tanjiro stammered, then thought to himself, {Maybe she doesn't realize this was supposed to be something more.}
"Am I wrong?" Kanao asked softly after a moment of silence, noticing that Tanjiro seemed unusually thoughtful.
"No- I mean, yes, you're right. It's just... a date is something a bit more serious. It's when someone shows that they really care about the other person."
"But I've cared about you every time we met," she said innocently, her voice quiet and uncertain.
Tanjiro blinked a few times, then burst into a warm laugh. "Thank you, Kanao. I've always cared about you too. But I promise I'll take you on even better dates next time."
"The only thing that matters is that you're there. I don't need anything else," Kanao said softly. Her voice was like the most beautiful music he'd ever heard.
Tanjiro smiled, fully content with how the day - or rather, the night - had turned out, and returned to eating. When they finally parted ways with their hunger, they kept talking, their words occasionally giving way to peaceful silence - but even that silence felt just as pleasant.
Tanjiro felt completely at ease spending this time with Kanao. His guard dropped entirely, and feeling unusually safe beside her, his eyes slowly began to close until he fell asleep, resting against her shoulder. Kanao flinched slightly at first, feeling warmth spread through her whole body, but then she smiled and leaned her head against his, letting herself drift into sleep as well.
Their first date had its own charm - and despite how it had begun, it turned out to be a wonderful one.