Everchanging

Useless

!!TW!! Self-harm, major panic attack, video of injured child, talk of dying, bullying

Classes droned on and Genya had not calmed down in the slightest. He figured that the staring would die down after a few class periods, his newness losing its sparkle, but it seemed that the opposite had happened. Instead of just staring, students would try to strike up conversations with him. They would ask him obviously veiled questions like where he moved from and why he moved. He knew they were just trying to work up the nerve to ask him what they really wanted but he hoped that no one was ballsy enough to.

Sometimes Sanemi would take Genya back to the teacher's lounge to decompress but it really didn't help much. Students still came in there for homework help and they still stared at Genya. Sometimes a student would ask another teacher about him but were disappointed when they were shut down.

The bell for lunch rang and Genya couldn't be more relieved, students packing up their things and rushing to get lunch. His entire body was trembling with nerves and he wasn't entirely sure his legs could work. A few students stayed in the classroom, opting to eat in there, but for the most part it was mostly empty so Genya heaved a sigh as he placed his burning face on the cold desk.

"You're doing way better than I would if people were oggling at me." Inosuke invaded his space, hands patting Genya's to gain his attention. "I would've fought someone by now!"

"Inosuke, back up. Give Genya room to breathe." Tanjiro nudged his friend to lean on his desk so Genya could better ignore the loud boy. "And what did your mom say about fighting people?"

"To win?"

"No Inosuke!" Tanjiro sighed as he pulled out his own lunch, watching as Sanemi finally made his way to his brother.

"Genya, you wanna eat in the teacher's lounge or somewhere else?" Sanemi crouched down so he could look at his baby brother, sympathizing with the exhausted look he was given. The boy just shrugged his shoulders, not having enough mental energy to spare for low risk decision making. He had pretty much given up on the idea of having a peaceful first day, surrendering to the reality that he would be stared at like a zoo animal no matter where he went. To be completely honest, the child had lost his appetite at this point, his stomach too tied up in knots to even fathom eating. But he recalled the memory of walking in on Sanemi making their lunches this morning and he felt that he should at least try.

"Sure, the lounge is fine." He sighed as he stood up on shaky legs, Sanemi doing the same. While Inosuke whined at him leaving, Tanjiro just waved kindly as the brothers made their way to the lounge. Sanemi wasn't surprised to feel Genya's grip on his pinky as they weaved their way through the diminishing lunch crowd. He had a second to think that maybe they should have waited a little longer for the crowd of students to thin a little more but before he could further scold himself, they were opening the door to the teacher's lounge.

Genya couldn't say he was surprised that the room wasn't entirely safe from staring eyes but he could say that he was a little disappointed, a student sitting beside Mitsuri for homework help as the brothers sat in the back corner. Sanemi easily stole Giyuu's chair while he gave Genya his own since he had spent his own money to buy a more comfy office chair.

There weren't a ton of people in here, only a few teachers and even less students taking up the space while Sanemi pulled out the lunches he had prepped from the staff fridge. Obanai was using the spare time to rest his eyes, head cushioned on his folded arms as he napped. Mitsuri was tutoring a student at her own desk, both multitasking with the work and their lunch. While Kyojuro was texting on his phone, a smile on his face when he caught sight of the Shinazugawas.