Older Brother—Tanjiro
Prompt— growing up among the Kamado family from a young age meant you became close friends with Nezuko who was your age. A suggested camping trip with her older brother and his friends leaves you in some trouble that Tanjiro has to rescue you from.
Content warning— Taisho Era, NormalAU, aged up, fluff, animal attack.
“Hey (Y/N)!” Tanjiro’s eyes caught yours as he dropped the hatchet beside him. A pile of just chopped wood opposite. He gave a big wave to you and his sister where you sat together weaving baskets.
You gave a small wave back and quickly turned back to face Nezuko with red cheeks—embarrassed you had been caught staring so blatantly at her topless older brother. Nezuko only rolled her eyes at your face and you threw some straw at her hair. She always liked to tease you for your crush on her older brother, something she thought was funny. Nezuko often begged you to let her tell him of your feelings—or convince you to do it yourself but you firmly turned her down each time. You believed it was weird to have developed feelings for him as you were all practically raised together with how close your families were.
She didn’t agree and thought it was a perfect match. Nezuko cared dearly for her elder brother and for you too so who else to date him than her best friend? It would be perfect. She also believed your brother had a soft spot for you but she couldn’t convince you of that either. So instead you kept your distance—as much as you could. Tanjiro was very friendly.
“You guys want to come on our camping trip tomorrow?” You jerked at his voice right beside you and snapped your neck round to see him crouched down beside you—close, very close.
Your eyes found Nezukos just as quick and gave a pointed look with your eyebrows raised. She just grinned and set her basket down turning slightly to her brother.
“Hm—oh yeah! I haven’t told (Y/N) yet” Her eyes met yours with a playful flicker. You swallowed dryly.
“Oh well, (Y/N)” You begrudgingly turned back to Tanjiro who was already peering down at you—even crouched he was still taller.
“Zenitsu, Inosuke and I are all planning on going camping tomorrow. You and Nezuko are of course welcome to come!” His hand scratched the back of his neck and you couldn’t help but sneak a look at his veiny bicep.
Tanjiro was quite muscular from all the work he did around his home—being charcoal burners. He did a lot of physical labour especially since his dad had gotten weaker. Your eyes met his again and he gave you a squinty smile making your skin prickle.
“Oh—um, yes I’ll say to my parents tonight” You told him and his grin widened with an affirmative nod.
He reached a hand over to rub Nezuko’s hair but she swatted it away grumpily before he could mess up her locks and instead as he stood reached the same hand down to you. His fingers scratching against the top of your head a little too long—any time he touched you it made you grow clammy and turn beet red according to your best friend. His fingers lingered a bit down to the back of your head before he pulled away and went back to his pile of wood.
“You make your feelings so obvious. If it was anyone else they’d surely catch on” Nezuko started and you gritted your teeth together.
“But my older brother is so oblivious” she said with a sigh before giggling at your furrowed brows and narrowed eyes.
…
"Ah (Y/N)! it's great you are able to come" Tanjiros big grin made your cheeks warm. You just nodded quietly at him—too nervous to speak once again.
He turned his attention back to his two friends who were currently bickering over something--who ever knows with them. Insosuke was currently chasing Zenitsu with a hammer. You just found your way over to Nezuko who was packing her own belongings. You just joined her on the grass below, her eyes finding yours with a raised brow.
"Your parents really agreed to let you come?" She asked and you just nodded, it took a lot of convincing but after reassuring them that Tanjiro would definitely be there they allowed it.
They also teased you on your obvious feelings for the eldest Kamado boy. Your mother did so more than your father.
"Alright has everyone got everything they need?" You turned your attention to Tanjiro who had a tight grip on Inosouke's Haori. He was still desperately trying to reach for an out of breath Zenitsu.
You and Nezuko both got up with your bags and headed over to the boys. Zenitsu blushed as Nezuko stood beside him—though not at all in his personal space but close enough for him to fawn over her. You enjoyed watching the two of them for it gave you a chance to tease her back. You nudged her with your elbow and gave a pointed look to Zenitsu who was desperately trying to start a conversation with her. She just curled her lips with a 'hmph' and ignored your look, too busy trying to get her attention once again you hadn't been listening at all to what Tanjiro was saying.
"(Y/N)? everything okay?" His focus on you made you snap your attention over to him and you stuttered out a nod.
"She wasn't paying any attention brother, maybe you should tell her everything again while we walk" Nezuko's overly sweet voice made you grumble. This time it was her who nudged you with her elbow playfully.
"What a great idea Nezuko!" Tanjiro just grinned and ordered everyone to head off to their agreed camping location and he fell instep with you. You felt your cheeks warm and stomach twist at how close he was to you, keeping your eyes laser focused on the path ahead.
"Oh Tanjiro?" The call of his fathers voice made you both pause and look back at him standing in their doorway.
"Don't forget what to do if you encounter any animals—especially a bear" You glanced between Tanjiro and his father, watching Tanjiro’s knuckles tighten their hold on his hatchet as he gave a firm nod.
Tanjiro turned back to you and gave a smile. His free hand coming down on your shoulder and guiding you forward sending your stomach flying with butterflies as he began to tell you the same thing he told everybody else earlier when you weren’t paying attention—actually, you couldn’t even pay attention now with his warm hand on you.
…
“Why did I agree to this! I can’t even pitch a tent!” Zenitsu whined as he struggled with his tent poles. Everyone just rolled their eyes and laughed at him.
“Quit whining! Who even needs a tent just sleep with some leaves!” Inosuke chipped in as he collapsed down on his very comforting leaf pile.
You didn’t know who was worse focusing your attention back onto the tent which you and Nezoku were planning to share. It wasn’t difficult to set up as it wasn’t your first camping trip—well without your own family it was. You had often done it once every summer with your family, going down to the same lake site by your mountain home and staying there for a week or so. It was a lot safer according to your father than camping further within the mountains—which is where you all were currently.
But Tanjiro claimed this area to be as safe as your usual spot having camped here before with his father whilst out hunting. They had never had any big or dangerous wild animal encounters.
“Okay! Now that everyone has their tents up—“
“I don’t have mine up Tanjiro! Where will I sleep! I’l-“ Zenitsu interrupted with a wail and it made you all wince as Insosuke hurled a rock at his head, successfully knocking him out but immediately worrying the rest of you. Nezuko immediately heading over with some water and a cloth.
“Um—Inosuke you can’t do that when he bothers you!” Tanjiro scolded the boarish boy who crossed his arms with a huff.
“Now as I was trying to say we should all begin to gather supplies. I can get wood, Inosuke do you want to hunt for some food and—hmm” his eyes glanced at his unconscious friend and sister before settling on you.
“(Y/N) you’re good at foraging for berries right? Zenitsu is going to need someone to stay and look after him” You gave a small nod feeling awkward under his eyes. He flashed that familiar big grin at you.
You all began to head out with your tasks. Tanjiro and you headed in the same direction whilst Inosuke cackled and ran off blindly into the thicket somewhere. You knew his family came from a harsher area of forestry in the upper part of the mountain but it still made you uneasy around him—mainly due to how wild he seemed. Tanjiro hummed quietly beside you as you walked in a comfortable silence. You wanted to speak up and start a conversation—anything! But your dry mouth and tight throat failed you.
“Okay, let’s separate and meet back here in—hmm an hour?” His voice startled you a bit having became so lost in your own thoughts. You turned to him and gave a silent nod and he smiled softly.
Again he reached his hand out and slipped his fingers through your soft hair. The action making your blood warm and heart thump—you felt like you were going to pass out!. His nails scratched against your skin and you couldn’t help but squeeze your eyes shut and lean up slightly, desperately wanting to avoid his gaze. Tanjiro’s eyes squinted as his smile grew. He cared deeply for you—after all you were his little sister’s best friend. Thats what he told himself anyways, that the feelings he felt were nothing more than that because you didn’t see him that way right? He couldn’t court you, could he?.
He shook his head at his whizzing thoughts of courting you and pulled his hand away making you open your eyes. He repeated himself about meeting back here in an hour after scratching an X into the tree to mark the meet-up spot with his hatchet and heading off into the thicker part of the forest to gather wood. You stumbled down a clearer path and found some familiar bushes and leaves.
You crouched down on the soft dirt and began to pick at the honeysuckle bush you had just found, pouring handfuls of the blue berries into your basket. You are good at foraging, having learned the skill from your mother and subsequently it became your livelihood. You often joined her and the other women to the village where you foraged for a winery and often got to take home baskets of berries along with your wage. Humming to yourself as you shifted through the bushes finding other types of berries to pick at, as well as some mushrooms and wild garlic. Zenitsu you believed brought some rice and seaweed, these would be nice to enjoy with that.
Even though you hummed quietly to ensure you kept some bearing of your surroundings you somehow didn’t react to the snapping of small twigs not far from where you knelt. It wasn’t until the more obvious rustling of bushes did you halt any noise and held your breath. The hair on the back of your neck rose as the rustling grew louder. You didn’t know what animal is near you but something told you to run. A deep seated pit in your stomach buried itself with that intuition that you had to go—now!.
You clambered up on trembling limbs just in time as a large brown wooly paw swiped for where you previously knelt. Swivelling round to see a large brown bear leaning back on its thick feet and roaring at you, spit flying from its sharp canines into the air as it fell with a heavy thud back on all four feet. Your eyes wide with fear, muscles tense and heart hammering. All you could hear was your own voice loud in your ears begging, yelling, crying out for you to move—run! Before it gets you!.
The sound of it rumbling sent you into action and you dropped your basket of successful foraging at where your feet previously were having spun round as quick as you could and took off through thick bushes. Panting as you weaved between trees with blurred vision, tears welling in your eyes—knuckles white from where they grasped at your Kimono to lift it up and out of the way of your legs in an attempt to move faster. Not that it was any use as you heard the snapping and tearing of the bushes behind you from the beast snarling its way through. Your lungs burned from the short cold breaths you were desperately swallowing as you rounded your way back to where your meet up spot was and began to scream.
“Tanjiro! P-Please” you didn’t know why you were begging as more ‘pleases’ rolled off your tongue. What would happen if you did manage to get to him before this bear got to you? You would both end up devoured. Your nose ran with snot as you continued forward seeing the marked X on the tree gave you the slightest desperate hope of something but it crashed just as you did.
The bears large paw reached forward once more with a slash and caught its sharp claws in your trailing Haori and pulled you down harshly onto the dirt. Your tongue stung from where your teeth bit it harshly as the metallic taste of metal flooded your mouth. You gasped and clawed your fingers into the dirt hearing your Haori tear further as you dragged yourself forward and free of its taloned grasp, flipping yourself onto your back and scuttling backwards until your back met the rough tree bark. Gasping at air was all you could do as the bear sniffed at your torn piece of clothing before lifting its big, heavy head and focused those cold, black eyes on you.
You sobbed as tears rained down your face mixing with snot, grabbing handfuls of dirt and rock which you chucked desperately at its snout. The action only seemed to anger it as it roared loudly—in your face now. The hot, rancid breath huffing against your cheek as you turned your head and squeezed your eyes shut as tight as you could, thinking of your family, friends, little siblings. They wouldn’t even be able to bury your body once this beast devours you. Your hiccups turned into full blown panic pants as your heart rattles your chest, lungs ice cold from the lack of comprehensive oxygen.
This was it—you were going to die.
You cracked your eyes open slowly after hearing a groan from the bear but just as you did and seen the Haori belonging to Tanjiro flash by your arm was grabbed tightly and you were pulled you. You stumbled up on weak legs as he pulled you away from the bear and through the trees, wide eyed and still breathless from your previous encounter. Tanjiro glanced back over his shoulder looking past you with wide eyes. A look you hadn’t ever seen on his usual carefree face—concern. You went to copy him and look back too but his hand slipped from your arm and to your hand giving it a tight squeeze.
“No, keep looking ahead” his voice came out breathless and you just nodded—especially after hearing the roar of the bear close behind.
You both continued to run deeper into the forest until Tanjiro finally came to a halt and you crumbled under buckled knees. Tanjiro followed in a crouch as his hands found your cheeks and lifted your heavy head up to his. He used his sleeve to wipe at your wet cheeks and nose a worried look across his face, brows wrinkling. He glanced behind you and around the thicket upturning his nose and sniffing at the air before finally relaxing his shoulders and slouched forward slightly.
“It’s okay, we’re okay now” his words made your eyes well with more tears as you collapsed into him. His arms came under yours and pulled your tired body into his, fingers sliding into the hair on the back of your neck and guiding your head into his shoulder.
Tanjiro nuzzled his cheek against your temple before attempting to separate from you but you only whimpered and grabbed at his shirt trying to keep him close—still in a fearful mentality that the bear would return. His hands came to grab yours firmly as he continued to move away at a slower pace. You lifted your head up to meet his and he gave you a small smile.
“Lets get back to camp” he attempted to stand but you just shook your head quickly—your legs felt like jelly not believing you could walk right now.
He chewed on his lip for a moment before moving his hands under your armpits and picked you up—effortlessly. You couldn’t tell if your rapid heartbeat was from the near death experience still or from what he was doing to you at the moment—possibly both. You stood on weak legs feeling as though your knees would buckle again when he turned around and crouched down, looking over his shoulder with a nod. He wanted you on his back. You grabbed at his shoulders and clumsily climbed atop of his back and curled your fingers into his shoulders.
“Wrap your arms around my neck (Y/N). I don’t want you becoming unbalanced” You only sniffled and wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned your head forward onto his shoulder. The feeling of your warm breath and soft lips grazing your ear made his face turn red—thank god you can’t see his face, right?.
He walked back slowly and quietly keeping an ear out for any noises that didn’t come from him, sniffing the air every so often for the bears scent. He got it pretty good in the neck with his hatchet, not the way his father showed him but he panicked when he saw its slobbery, sharp, fangs closing in on you. His heart had never dropped so fast before at that sight. The sight of you almost dying. He couldn’t bear it. Tanjiro’s lips curled into a ghost of a smile hearing a soft snore leave your lips. His fingers tightened their hold on your thighs and shifted you up further on his back as he heard his friend’s voices in the distance.
You groaned and snuggled your face into his neck making his heart thump as you mumbled so quietly that if you weren’t so close to his ear he wouldn’t have heard his name fall from your lips where you dreaming of him?.
“Tanjir—“ Nezuko ran forward with a gasp as she seen you passed out on her brother’s back. Inosuke and Zenitsu came forward too and helped you off his back.
Tanjiro took you from inosuke and back into his arms, hooking an arm under your knees and neck moving forward to his tent and laying you down on his mats. You stirred a bit as he set you down but settled when he placed his Haori over you and slipped out. He joined the others outside and sighed.
“A bear attacked us. I think we should let (Y/N) sleep. Inosuke will you join me to get some wood? We won’t go far” Inosuke nodded with a grunt and grabbed at his jagged spear head. Tanjiro grabbed at his spare hatchet—good thing he brought a spare and they headed to grab more wood.
…
You stirred from your sleep and stretched across the mat below you. You sat up with a groan, narrowing your eyes as you looked around the dark tent fumbling your hands around in an attempt to find the water you brought, mouth dry. You instead found warm skin and rolled your eyes—Nezuko always wound up rolling over to your side when you slept together. You just sighed and tried to reach around her for something to help you see when she stirred.
“(Y/N)? Everything okay?” That was not Nezuko’s voice. Tanjiro—thats who lay beside you.
Any type of response died on your drying mouth as you felt him sit up beside you. He fumbled around in the dark and you heard the spark and soon a small candle was lit allowing you to see him. He was so close! And he was—topless! He gave you a sheepish smile and looked away from you, embarrassed at your wide eyes on him. Had he overstepped? Zenitsu couldn’t pitch his tent as he had somehow brought the poles for a different tarp and instead is sharing with Nezuko, something Tanjiro wasn’t for but became convinced by his little sister.
“(Y/N) would want you beside her when she wakes up big brother. She might get scared the bear will come back!” The reassuring words of his sister made him feel more comfortable with his decision.
He had even slept on a separate mat as far as he could from you but you had rolled towards him in his sleep. You finally cleared his throat and caught his attention again and he finally realised he should explain why you were here with him and not his little sister.
“Zenitsu’s tent! An-And Nezuko said you’d wake up and umm—he brought the wrong poles and so we should sleep together—“ his lips curled in on himself and he slapped his forehead at his stupid rambling. You just made him so nervous as much as he tried to convince himself his feelings for you were strictly platonic it was becoming difficult right now.
“U-Um its okay. Whatever you’re trying to say I understand” you started pausing to chew the inside of your cheek.
“D-Do you have any water?” Tanjiro nodded and quickly turned to grab at his water satchel. He handed it to you and you gulped down the cool water with a sigh before handing it back to him.
“Thank you Tanjiro for saving my life” you bowed down on both hands touching your forehead to the floor. You couldn’t believe you only remembered there now about almost dying and Tanjiro risking his life to save you.
Tanjiro couldn’t help but smile. This was something he love—really liked about you, how polite you always were even when you needn’t be. His hands found your cheeks once more and lifted you back up leaving them and instead grabbing your hands within his. Your stomach twisted and you swallowed thickly as you both stared at each other. Tanjiro couldn’t help but think to another thing his sister often told him.
“(Y/N) has feelings for you big brother! You would be the perfect couple!” He always told her lying was a bad habit but right now with how tightly your fingers were curled into his and how your eyes were intently looking at him he believed she might have been being truthful.
“I-I” He started but couldn’t continue. What if you didn’t? What if right now you were just being polite? He was being brazen. You most definitely did not feel the same way he felt about you. You chewed at your lip and blinked breaking the intense eye contact.
Maybe you should just do it—just tell him how you felt get it over with. The worse that could happen is he turns you down
“(Y/N) IReallyLikeYou”
“Tanjiro IReallyLikeYou”
The two of you blurted out the words as quick as each other that you hadn’t heard one another properly. Holding each other’s hands so tightly now as your cheeks burned. Tanjiro took a deep breath and repeated himself.
“I really like you (Y/N). I have for a while now—if you don’t feel the same I understand and if I’ve made you uncomfo—“ you cut off his nervous rambling by pulling your hands from the clammy grip and falling forward onto him, wrapping your arms tightly around his neck.
Tanjiro sat momentarily shocked before quickly reacting—fearing he’d ruin the moment if he didn’t and wrapped his big arms around your waist and pulled you tight against him. The hug lasted longer than typical and eventually when you did pull away he couldn’t help himself from sliding his fingers up to scratch at the top of your head tilting it forward and pressing a kiss to your hairline that left you internally squealing.
You joined him back on your mats after he blew the candle out and lay on your side with your head over his chest. A big grin on both your faces. You couldn’t help but feel relieved at the hammering of his heart in your ear, reassured that he was at least as nervous as you right now.
It took you both a while to fall back asleep too jittery with newfound excitement at your newly confessed feelings to each other and what this would lead to.
Credits for the cute Tanjiro themed banner goes to @uzmacchiato !! Check out their page for their other incredible works.
