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Nearly an hour after leaving the estate, Tanjirou found himself guiding the travel. He'd chosen to stick to silence, aware Kyoujurou wished to speak. Honestly, Tanjirou embraced the silence and the serenity. Having become momentarily separated from Giyuu, he had to admit it was strange. Left a sort of emptiness in his chest as his gaze lingered the forest area. Watched how the sun shot past the foliage and illuminated the vast greenery around them. 

Truth was that his mind filtered to the past. It had been two years since he'd last encountered his father, whom he'd believed long since dead. Truthfully, the conversation had never sat right with Tanjirou. How Yoriichi had appeared and almost just as quickly had taken leave. Ones parents wouldn't do that, or so Tanjirou whole heartedly believed. Not with how Yoriichi had reacted once he'd seen Tanjirou again. So, it begged the question to him as to why his father had acted out of character. Had fled, truthfully. 

It was something Tanjirou was always acutely aware of. He knew that the concept of his father was a mystery. Not Yoriichi, but his other father, information he wasn't to know. However, his uncle had slipped sometimes, leaving Tanjirou small bits of information. Leaving him to become aware that the other figure in his life was simply outcasted. That the other father Tanjirou wondered about, was nothing but a figment of the reality he knew back then. It didn't take someone smart to understand that his mysterious father was simply someone casted from the family. Someone who Yoriichi didn't desire to welcome into their lives. While it often left Tanjirou curious and desiring to meet his other father, there was always something that urged him from the idea. That maybe Yoriichi avoided the other for a reason. 

A connection that Tanjirou had made in current times. He'd grown up. He'd matured and smartened.  So, it didn't take much to connect the pieces. To understand that the whole fallout of the past was somehow correlated to that mysterious figure. It had truthfully left him pondering countless questions; though the main one was simply if his other parent had stolen Yoriichi back. A question that left more things unanswered and honestly, left Tanjirou stumped on his hypothesis of the situation. What if his other father simply wanted his family back? 

Shaking his head, Tanjirou sighed as he heard movement behind him. Glanced toward Kyoujurou, who had sped up his pace to match Tanjirou. It left the maroon haired male to smile softly as the silence was startled. "You seem a bit conflicted. Might I pry?" 

Those words made Tanjirou chuckle lightly as he simply nodded. Kyoujurou was a good friend, though lacking in years to Giyuu. Not in age, but in compass to how long they had known Tanjirou. Giyuu truthfully had anyone beat. 

"What's bothering you, Tanjirou. I can tell something is amiss by how your eyebrows scrunch sometimes. It shows you're agitated briefly." There was a lingering silence before Tanjirou stopped walking. Had chosen to face Kyoujurou.

"I'm not agitated, I assure. Just conflicted on something of the past. Something I've not brought up to others, yet."

"Except for Giyuu?" Tanjirou nodded, noticing the small hint of sorrow before it was washed away with a charming smile. "Still, I wish someday you'll let me in. That you'll trust me enough to let me close." 

Tanjirou felt himself sink back slightly, his eyes cresting the horizon behind Kyoujurou. However, it left the moment shattered as he found his gaze catching glimpse of bright eyes that viewed them from afar. Eyes seemingly bloody in hue, casted in a thick shade. It made his hand instinctively reach his hilt as his gaze wavered for a split second; but that second left him losing sight of those eyes as Kyoujurou seemed to notice how alert Tanjirou was. However, it was still day, so it left him confused. "Tanjirou? You alright?" 

There was a moment before Tanjirou nodded, easing his tensions. He was still alert but working to calm himself. Maybe he was being a bit too sensitive, but he knew one thing for sure. He hadn't sensed those eyes until he'd spotted them. Whomever it was, they had completely bypassed his senses. 

"I'm fine, Kyoujurou. Why don't we speed up travel. Clear this area and reach out destination..." Kyoujurou nodded, but still prodded for more answers. 

"You don't seem fine, Tanjirou. Did you see something?" 

"It's nothing, I promise. I just got spooked is all. Not having Giyuu around seems to make me more nervous and anxious, that's all." A small sigh was all Tanjirou heard as Kyoujurou led the way, bringing back a silence that instead of being calming, felt oddly suffocating. Left both strangely uncomfortable as they carried on into the afternoon. 


Back at the estate, Giyuu had barely begun his travels. He was maybe a few minutes out, wandering past the wisteria around the area, simply minding himself. Allowing his mind to linger and think up Tanjirou, whom he missed already. With all the years, he felt lonely without the other. Without that charming and warm smile beside him. Without the laughter that was a harmony and eyes that were always looking to him with adoration. Without that touch of the other that made his skin ache and burn. He was no fool, nor would refuse to accept his heart's claim. He knew why he missed Tanjirou so much, as love does that. Tanjirou was his everything and that made up the whole of his heart. 

Taking a long breath, he jumped the small creak before him as his mind settled, leaving him to become focused on the present. He'd oddly felt eyes since leaving, though nothing that made him defensive. It was something that didn't leave ill intent. It was partly why he wandered a different direction from his mission, so that maybe the owner of those eyes would approach him. 

It had left him wandering a few more minutes before he stopped entirely, glancing to where he heard leaves rustling. It left his eyes to lock with familiar ones, a calming air falling as Giyuu bowed his head briefly toward nonother than Yoriichi. "It's been a while, Yoriichi. Two years, if my memory serves me right."

Yoriichi had cleared the foliage as he nodded, glancing around momentarily before he smiled softly. A smile that seemed so similar to Tanjirou's. "I regret that it's been so long. I've truly desired to see Tanjirou again, but things prevented me. However, I'm not here for him." 

The words while seeming a bit ominous, left Giyuu simply understanding. "You're here for me, right? Since I'm alone, it was the perfect time." 

"Indeed. I must speak with you, and only you." Giyuu sighed, looking to the ground.

"Is it of importance to Tanjirou?" Yoriichi nodded, speaking up in a hurry. 

"It is, but he doesn't need to know yet. You however, I need to let you know. You're someone who will stand by Tanjirou's side, so I need you to understand his situation entirely." Giyuu raised his brow, tilting his head slightly. 

"What does that mean? Is there more to Tanjirou than even he knows?" Yoriichi nodded, chewing his lip momentarily before Giyuu watched the other straighten themselves. Viewed how those eyes hardened, leaving Giyuu to swallow the lump in his throat as Yoriichi began to speak, words like a tidal wave. Words that left the moment engulfed in a heavy silence that felt suffocating. 

"I need you to know about before you found him. His homelife. Family... I must explain it all, including..." Yoriichi met Giyuu's gaze, his expression hard to read. "I trust you, so you must know everything; even whom his other father is. I need to see that even this information will not force you to leave his side. That even in this world where he's at odds, he'll always have one person beyond me. Can I truly trust you, Giyuu." 

The raven held onto the silence before he nodded, not sure what he'd hear. However, the truth was potent and left his heart hammering in his chest as everything seemed to flood his mind. As his skin felt clammy at the sudden information that left a lump in his throat and drowned his voice, leaving only silence as his lips peeled apart before closing once more. 

"I am his father, but his other father is someone you Demon Slayer's know by name. The enemy you all are in search of. Tanjirou's other father is none other than Muzan Kibutsuji himself."

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It's been too long, ngl. However, here's to an update and a suspenseful chapter! Hope you've enjoyed and here's to me hopefully getting a normal update schedule back. 

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