#tsutako

⊹ 「Day 5: Genderbend.

Part 1: KNY Swap AU (Version 1/ Tankana Swap AU)

Tanjirou isn't from an abusive home like Kanao is in the canon. Instead his family, and the village, was just a lot more poorer than in canon.

(I made a drawing of kid Tanjirou choosing his surname to be Kamado. This isn't canon to my au anymore, but Inosuke tried to convince Tanjirou to change his surname to Hashibira.)

The whole village, including the Kamados, were hit by a severe pandemic, and villagers kept dying left and right. One by one the Kamados also died, leaving only Nezuko and Tanjirou. Some scouts (sadly from the Red Light District) came into town. Most girls still alive and in curable condition, inculding Nezuko, were taken, and boys were either given to enslavers or left for dead.

Tsutako and Giyuu find Tanjirou and buy him like Kanae and Shinobu do to Kanao in canon.

Nezuko still lives in the Red Light District, but after the Entertainment District Arc she leaves(she's still only fourteen at the time, which is just a year away from when a Kamuro graduates and becomes either a shinzō or a courtesan).

After that she reunites with Tanjirou, who has at this point started to show more negative emotions more thanks to Kanao. Now that Nezuko is back with him again, he's expressing himself even more.

Nezuko doesn't join the Demon Slayer Corp, but she stays at the Water Estate(Swap counterpart for the Butterfly Mansion) and helps as much as she can. She still writes to the Oiran whose Kamuro she was.

When Kotoha fled from her husband and mother in law, she wasn't discovered by the Eternal Paradise Cult, but by an eldery man and his son, who took her and Inosuke in.

Because these two lived practically in the middle of nowhere, Kotoha's husband and mother in law never found her.

So Inosuke grew up as a normal boy. He called the eldery man his grandfather and the man's son his uncle.

The eldery man's son is Takaharu. If you've red the one-shot explaining how Inosuke learned to talk, you'll know who these two are lol.

A demon attacked their home one day, and only Inosuke survived because Shinobu arrived at the scene just in time.

Inosuke doesn't fight demons because he get's uncomfortable everytime something even closely related to violence is brought up. This is because of his father's abusive behavior. He can't remember it, but is aware of it and of the scars it left on Kotoha. Wielding a sword and beheading a demon feels too much like beheading an actual human for him.

Inosuke and Shinobu have a close relationship. Inosuke first started out as Shinobu's Tsugoku, but even though he did master Insect Breathing, his body wasn't suitable for it.

Take the phrase "Butterflies in my stomack" and put it to a literal degree.

That's how Inosuke felt everytime he used Insect Breathing.

He felt nauseous and lightheaded.

So instead Shinobu handed Inosuke over to Giyuu, and that's how Inosuke ended up as a "Little Stream". He still talks to Shinobu, but she hardly replies to his letters.

"Little Stream" is a term for a younger Demon Slayer living in the Water Estate. "Big Stream" is a term for adults. The term for a Demon slayer living in the Water Estate, regardless of their age, is "Wave Sibling".

I wanted to have a swap counterpart for "Butterfly sisters". I would've used "Water brothers" but Tsutako isn't a boy so-

Wave Siblings. Little Stream. Big Stream. Wow.

Tsutako's and Giyuu's lore is basically the same that it was for Kanae and Shinobu in canon.

Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho have the same roles like in canon.

Instead of butterfly hairclips, they all have ribbons.

Giyuu has a blue thin one.

Tsutako has the big red one she has in canon

Tanjirou originally has a thin black one, but is later given Tsutako's ribbon. He nowadays uses it to tie his cloak.

Inosuke has a thin grey and blue one.

Kiyo has big light pink ones.

Sumi has thin light blue ones

Naho has thin light green ones.

Aoi was raised by bears instead of boars like Inosuke was in canon.

She doesn't have a bear head, but she has a cloak made of bear fur that she wears.

Kanao is still from an abusive family, but instead of becoming emotionless, she starts smiling all the time in order to please her parents. Since her parents hated it when she and her siblings cried, Kanao decided that smiling would not get her into trouble.

While training to become a Demon slayer, Kanae's ghost helps her train like Sabito and Makomo did to Tanjirou in canon. Kanae also helps Kanao realise that crying and yelling is okay.

(part 13)

. . .

The gentle and devoted romantic

Selfless to a fault: Tsutako sacrificed her life to save her younger brother, Giyu. This act speaks to her immense love and selflessness. As a girlfriend, she would put your needs before her own, always looking out for your well-being with unwavering devotion.

The embodiment of quiet strength: Tsutako may seem gentle and kind on the surface, but her actions prove her to be incredibly brave and resolute. This combination of softness and inner strength would be a grounding and reassuring force in your relationship.

A lover of simple joys: On the eve of her wedding, Tsutako was likely filled with joy for the simple, domestic life she was about to build. This suggests she would find immense pleasure in everyday activities and quiet moments shared with you. A perfect date might be a simple meal at home or a peaceful walk in nature.

Deeply loving: The bond between her and Giyu was exceptionally strong, leaving a lasting impact on him that still haunted him years later. This is evidence of the depth of her love. As a girlfriend, her affection would be profound, heartfelt, and unwavering.

Overcoming her tragic past

She finds joy in the present: While her past is marked by tragedy, her focus would be on creating a happy and fulfilling future with you. She would be a person who appreciates the gift of life and would cherish every moment.

A partner who protects her heart: Given the immense tragedy she faced, Tsutako would be cautious with her heart, but once you earn her trust, her loyalty would be absolute. A good partner would need to be patient, kind, and a fierce protector of her peace.

A partner who truly "sees" her: Despite her gentle nature, Tsutako is courageous. She would appreciate a partner who recognizes and respects her inner strength, seeing her for the brave and resolute woman she is.

A lifetime of devoted affection

A "guardian" mindset: Like her final act, Tsutako has a fiercely protective side. She would fiercely protect you from any danger, and her devotion would be a constant, reassuring presence in your life.

A deep and lasting love: Tsutako's love would be deep and lasting, a testament to her resilient and loving heart. She would find immense joy in your relationship, and your love would be a source of strength for her, allowing her to find peace and happiness in the face of her tragic past.

Theme: Angst mostly I think

Note: Slightly gore-y at the beginning but the descriptions aren't explicit so dw :33 If I could handle it than it's prolly fine!! (I hate gore sm!! Can't stand it yet I write it sometimes)

Major spoilers!! DKT! 

The picture makes Giyuu look so majestic (i mean he already is but even more so yk)

𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐅𝐔𝐊𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒. Kusho has a hobby for crocheting, and is actually pretty fucking good at it too. She had crocheted many of the Hashira tiny little gifts such as sweaters, coasters, etc! Once, she crocheted a plushie of herself and gave it to Sanemi.

Kusho does not manifest a mark. After Sanemi & Giyuu die from turning 25, hence the Demon Slayer mark, she resorts to spending most of her time with the Kamaboko kids or Uzui and the three wives.. 𖨆♡𖨆 (<- Mind you, she was fucking DEVASTATED when Sanemi passed in her arms.)

im obsessed w your aus rn;

im a tsutako enthusiast i love her and I wish we got to see more of her and her impact in the manga. Yeahhh i bet tsutako would feel really guilty after that. I think even after Giyuu and tsutako talk about giyuus hang ups with being called a practice pup and tsutakos feelings on taking up a parental role so young, that their relationship wouldn’t change that much, other than tsutako making sure that they talk to each other about their feelings, maybe?

Aw and imagining all the kids following him around like ducklings aftewards is so funny to me. Especially genya since he’s a good couple cm taller than giyuu!

How does he spend time w each of them i need to knowww!!!! He’s so awkward I want to know how he babies them!! He actually reminds me of urokodaki lol harsh yet loving ha.

poor Sanemi his one sided rival/ enemy showing affection?!?! to his estranged little brother!?!?

ooo rengoku having a crush on Giyuu!! And finding giyuus habit of collecting pups (or the pups collecting him? thats even cuter lol) enthralling!! and so funny how now he has to make sure senjuro doesn’t end up getting imprinted on as well like kanao. (Is that why shinobus angry?? yes I love rengoku lives aus those are my comfort aus. now that he’s the kamaboko squads mentor, giyuus gonna have to interact w him more huh? hmmm I wonder how that’s gonna go

this actually reminds me of the ff ‘What You're Thinking Of ? [You've Seen Me Bare]’ by saunne,

and of course uzui would like the drama that would entail

As for the uzui fivesome au; Giyuu deserves all the love , it’s so sweet reading how all of the uzuis fall in love w him !!😭!! I just want to see him get pampered, praised, hugged he’s been through so much he deserves it

How did Giyuu fall in love w the uzuis?? It must’ve been at least a bit confusing for him, especiall when they started making passes at him and he has no idea how to go from there

anon there is one thing i have to say to you. youre fueling me. your ideas are wonderful and i literally get happy-goosebumps whenever i see that little blue dot on my inbox. ANYWAY:

CW: other than some vague mentions of canonical character death, nothing big

I think even after Giyuu and tsutako talk about giyuus hang ups with being called a practice pup and tsutakos feelings on taking up a parental role so young, that their relationship wouldn’t change that much, other than tsutako making sure that they talk to each other about their feelings, maybe?

their relationship wouldn't change that much; but giyuus outlook/attitude towards kohei and the other nagai's improves. he becomes less stiff around them- he warms up quite a bit. though in the end its all the more devastating when everything falls apart 💕

How does he spend time w each of them i need to knowww!!!! He’s so awkward I want to know how he babies them!! He actually reminds me of urokodaki lol harsh yet loving ha.

that was the main idea! the only parental figures he really had were tsutako and urokodaki- their influences shape his own reactions to becoming a parent.

as for how he babies them; it differs according to what he thinks they need. if someone is flagging during training, they get a ten minute break, some hand-made manju (which are amazing- im partial to pork or fruit flavours. they also have an interesting history in japan) and an order for an hour of endurance training.

if one of the pups is sick or truly exhausted from a mission he whisks them away to his estate: to their personalized room or to spend time in the pond-gardens. he scents them, feeds them and speaks to them softly until they fall asleep wrapped in his haori. he doesn’t really say much as his love language is more quality time/acts of service, but some of the pups are eased by his voice. 

another way he babies them is that he kind of herds them around during missions that he DEFINETLY was not assigned to and then kind of micromanages how they do their things. zenitsu and genya find it annoying but also comforting, tanjiro is discouraged at first bc he thinks giyuu doesn’t believe in him but after an awkward but heartfelt conversation he’s more reassured. kanao doesn’t feel one way or another (she gets a strange soft sensation when he’s with her- it makes her feel small in a kind way. she doesn’t realize the feeling is safety) and inosuke is just excited to show off to his boss-ass mom who is also the First Hand in his “army” (which is just the other pups).  mui is usually sent on missions by himself or with some mid-high level slayers, so he either gets to spend one-on-one time with giyuu or show off to these Lowly Pathetic Slayers Without Cool Hashira Dams.

in this au nezuko has a little bit more awareness than in canon- she can recognize when people she spends a lot of time with aren’t her biological family. she recognizes them as who they are because over time she begins to see through the illusions and claims the people behind them as her new pack. random humans are still overlayed by images of her mother and siblings, but giyuu, tanjiro, the other pups, and few others she spends a lot of time with are themselves. she understands that these random humans aren’t her family, that they’re gone, but she still protects them. 

poor Sanemi his one sided rival/ enemy showing affection?!?! to his estranged little brother!?!?

no its genuinely so funny. he tries very hard to stick to the “i have no brother so this doesn’t matter to me” but he’s so confused. and jealous. and angry, because genya is trying to replace their ‘real’ mother (who loves her remaining boys very much and watches them with heavy hearts). he just... tries not to think about it. and takes a lot more missions. 

ooo rengoku having a crush on Giyuu!! And finding giyuus habit of collecting pups (or the pups collecting him? thats even cuter lol) enthralling!! and so funny how now he has to make sure senjuro doesn’t end up getting imprinted on as well like kanao. (Is that why shinobus angry?? yes I love rengoku lives aus those are my comfort aus. now that he’s the kamaboko squads mentor, giyuus gonna have to interact w him more huh? hmmm I wonder how that’s gonna go

there’s a lot of shenanigans about kyojuro trying to deter senjuro and giyuu from spending lots of time together, but ultimately it doesn’t work. giyuu spends a ton of his free time switching through where his pups are (the kamaboko squad at the flame pillar estate, genya in the stone pillar estate, kanao aoi and the triplets in the butterfly estate and ofc the mist pillar estate) so he comes around often. 

rengoku finds himself actually falling in love with giyuu. he’s invested in his pups lives, and with their influence he’s slowly shedding old hurts and cold habits. he’s becoming someone he should’ve been in the first place; giyuu is healing through taking care of others. he trains them, he feeds them and guides them- he reminds kyojuro of his mother. they’re different, of course, but they have similarities in the way they love. not like bonfires or explosions or the all-encompassing ocean, but like embers of a well-kept fire or a winding river that has already faced the test of time. in the end he cant keep himself away. 

this actually reminds me of the ff ‘What You're Thinking Of ? [You've Seen Me Bare]’ by saunne, 

YESS THAT WAS A HUGE INSPIRATION FOR ME!! i love that fic so much and ive read it multiple times. im trying to stay away from the plot as much as i can, but there are things that i just couldn’t not repurpose or draw from. read saunne’s other work!! the one about giyuu being haunted by sabito!! its amazing too!

As for the uzui fivesome au; Giyuu deserves all the love , it’s so sweet reading how all of the uzuis fall in love w him !!😭!! I just want to see him get pampered, praised, hugged he’s been through so much he deserves it

How did Giyuu fall in love w the uzuis?? It must’ve been at least a bit confusing for him, especiall when they started making passes at him and he has no idea how to go from there

well you see. giyuu has massive feelings.( “I didn't want to remember because my tears would never stop. When I did remember, I was so sad I couldn't do anything.” - quote from the manga) but he doesn’t really know what to do with them and he naturally doesn’t have a very expressive demeanor, so they get swept under the rug. he’s aware that he’s in love with all four of them- he just doesn’t think about it too much. 

as soon as he goes through the “oh fuck. ive fallen deeply and wholly in love with each of them and they’re all very important to me” phase, it just becomes another fact to him. he had an older sister. his favourite food is simmered salmon daikon. as a child his main hobby was tracking temperature and rain or catching fireflies in the summer. he is and always will be in love with tengen, makio, suma and hinatsuru. he has blue eyes. these things are the building blocks of who he is; giyuu just doesn’t realize there’s a possibility of them loving him back.

he falls in love very slowly. he’s not unaware of it happening- he just doesn’t know how to stop it.

makio always had something new for him. she gave him things, things meant for him alone. gifts with his initials embroidered on the edges, pins that match his eyes, books on poetry and weather and the science of how fireflies glow. each new thing is accompanied by thought and affection. they carry parts of herself in the contours of the gifts and the hum in her chest when he accepts. giyuu can’t bear not accepting her. 

hinatsuru likes fruit. giyuu also likes fruit. so they spend a lot of time in the beautiful shaded orchards that line the sound pillar property- he lays in the shadows and she lays in the sun beside him. she takes him to plays he’s never seen, leads him through shops and libraries and in turn he takes her to his quietest, most beloved spots. the river he fell in when he was two, where he also learned to swim. the tea shop urokodaki took him on special weekends after long hours of training. certain wisteria houses with lovely ducks that have never disliked him. giyuu wants to share with her. 

suma speaks so quickly but always clearly. she never says anything that can be mistaken as something else. shes direct and acts simple, when in reality she’s anything but. giyuu can see that her emotions are also huge, towering things that overwhelm her. she’s just on the “very expressive” side of the spectrum. he can sit next to her with a blank face and one-word answers and she understands him so easily. giyuu adores the way she exists. 

tengen is a very tactile person. giyuu was, once, but finds it difficult to breach the distance he’s built. tengen takes his hand just as often as he takes his blades; the surety of it is present too. they spar sometimes, full contact yet somehow their blows glance off each other like children playing tag. by the end one or both of them is always laughing. he enjoys that tengen knows when to back off or come closer; giyuu ends up breaching the distance himself.