Toshikuni thought for a moment. The guy with the box seemed the most mature and calm, so he walked over to him and tugged on the guy's sleeve. "Sir?" he asked softly. The other turned around, his eyes slightly widening.
Tanjiro stared at the boy, he smelled like that man, but he didn't have any murderous intent, had the boy prehaps been close to Kibutsuji? Yes, that must be it. This boy seemed too innocent to actually harm anyone. Tanjiro inhaled and smiled. "Helllo. What's a young boy like you doing out here this late?"
Toshikuni looked a little offended at being called young, but didn't pay any mind to it. "I'm lost. I don't know how, but I woke up in the forest and I don't know where to go... Could I go with you and your friends? I'm afraid," he said with a frown, getting closer to the maroon haired guy.
Tanjiro frowned, he felt bad for the boy. He was young and lost, and Tanjiro didn't want to have it on hisconscience that such a cute child would be hurt. "Of course," he smiled. "You must be tired, no? It's late. If you want I'll carry you."
The young boy nodded as he got picked up. "Where did your companions go?" Toshikuni looked around, and so did Tanjiro.
The slayer gasped. "Zenitsu?! Inosuke?!" he shouted, looking around. 'Where are they?!'Tanjiro looked around, trying to spot them. He sniffed the air, tightly holding onto the boy in his arms. "What's your name?"
"Toshikuni."
Toshikuni looked at Tanjiro, raising an eyebrow.
"Toshikuni-san, please hold on tight," Tanjiro said as he held Toshikuni, hooking his hand under the boy's arm.
The boy simply nodded as Tanjiro ran around, searching for his friends. Truly, Toshikuni didn't get why the guy was so worried, didn't they fight immortal beings?
After five minutes, Tanjiro stopped. "Zenitsu!" he stared at the blond haired guy, who was holding onto a tree as the boar man cackled.
'What the hell did I get myself into?' Toshikuni deadpanned, these guys were older than him by 5 years and acted like babies! Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!
See Also"Tanjiro would have become a second Yoriichi": Demon Slayer Theory Claims Koyoharu Gotouge Made a Disastrous Error by Not Letting a Major Character Die in Season 3C - 13: Finale (2) - Kindness in Multiverse: Reincarnated as Tanjiro"Good and Evil" Demon Slayer x Male Reader - Prologue Part 1, and Part 2: "Twins." And "The Sun's Story." - Page 6Tanjiro gently put Toshikuni down. "Stay here, okay Toshikuni?"
The boy nodded. 'I'm not a baby but sure.'
Tanjiro smiled and patted Toshikuni's head before walking to French Fries and Boar. "Zenitsu! Why are you up the—" Zenitsu then jumped on Tanjiro, crying.
"Tanjiroooo!" he screeched, making Tanjiro cringe and cover his ears.
"What?" Tanjiro stared at him, rubbing his temples.
"Inosuke tried to fight meeee!" the blonde whined as Inosuke ran towards them.
Tanjiro gasped and jumped. "What's with you two?!" he sighed. "There's a child here!"
Inosuke and Zenitsu let out an "Eh?" sound and turned to Toshikuni.
Toshikuni stared at them with a bored expression, wanting to leave. 'Childish! Utterly childish!' He screamed in his thoughts.
Zenitsu grumbled. "Do we have to? He looks like a rich kid!"
Toshikuni turned his head to Zenitsu and threw his book at him. "I have more brains than you at least, wallnut!" he hissed, huffing.
Zenitsu cried as he got hit by the thick book, whining to Tanjiro. Toshikuni rolled his eyes. "You're older than me but you act like a 5 year old!" Toshikuni huffed, turning around.
"Toshikuni, wait!", Tanjiro shouted and ran up to the young boy.
"What?"
"It's dangerous right now. It's the safest to stay with us," Tanjiro said with a frown, putting a hand in Toshikuni's shoulder.
"You mean stay with a crybaby, a guy with a box and one who wears a filthy boar mask? No thanks. I'd rather be ripped apart."
Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke were all frozen in place. "T-toshikuni... It's really dangerous, please?" Tanjiro was shocked at how the boy spoke. He then walked to Zenitsu and grabbed the book Toshikuni threw. "Here, your book."
Toshikuni nodded and grabbed it. "Thanks,"
"Tanjirooo! He hit me with that book!" Zenitsu whined, gripping Tanjiro's pants.
"Cut it out, Zenitsu!" The maroon haired scolded the other.
Toshikuni simply sighed. 'I'm going to regret this.'
—
Toshikuni was on Tanjiro's shoulders, half asleep as they walked to... wherever they go. They'd been walking for an hour until they arrive to a mansion. 'Not as big as my house... still fine I guess,' Toshikunishrugged.
When they went inside, Toshikuni looked around. It looked like a hospital. "What is this?" He asked the three. "This is-" Tanjiro started. "The butterfly mansion," another voice said. It was a girl with black to purple hair, a butterfly haori and a hairpin.
"Shinobu-san!" Zenitsu smiled. Tanjiro bowed slightly. "Hello, Kocho-sama."
Shinobu smiled. "Hello there, are you injured?", she asked Toshikuni.
"No..."
"Kocho-sama, is it okay if Toshikuni stays here? He said he was lost," Tanjiro said, gently putting Toshikuni down.
"Oh, of course!" She crouched and pat Toshikuni's head. "If you want I'll do a check up on you," she smiled.
Toshikuni nodded softly, better safe than sorry.
"Alright! Go sit on a bed."
Toshikuni sat on one, waiting for Shinobu.
—
After Shinobu did her check up, Toshikuni was lead to his room, and nuzzled into the blankets. It was very soft. "Maybe this isn't so bad..."
Oh how he regretted that.
