Everchanging

Friends

!!TW!! Description of SA/Grooming (it's in a dream so it's kind of vague), Self-harm talk (there is no self-harm though, only the want to do it)

Genya was a little surprised how mundane his return to class was. All the stares and whispers he was subjected to before were now completely gone, as if he was invisible. And frankly, Genya preferred it this way. It was a little annoying though whenever Genya made eye contact with someone, and they flinched away from it like they were going to get screamed at. The only people who acted as if everything was normal was Tanjiro's friend group, crowding around Tanjiro and Genya's desks so they could talk.

Genya leaned a little closer to Tanjiro and Inosuke, eyes frozen on one of the students who seemed almost scared of the boy. He muttered, lips pouting a little at the other two boys.

"What's going on with everyone? Why are they so freaked the fuck out?" Tanjiro seemed to look around as if he hadn't noticed while Inosuke just laughed loudly.

"You shoulda seen it Genji! Mr. Ubushaka came and yelled at everyone for being complete assholes to ya! It was so funny watching them squirm!" Inosuke leaned further towards Genya, his body resting on Genya's arm as if he couldn't get close enough. The boy just shrugged him off only for Inosuke to wrap an arm around him. "Tentaro was also super pissed, he went off on ink face!"

"I did not!" Tanjiro seemed somewhat scandalized, his face blushing. "I just told him that what he and his friends did was horrible and mean."

"Yeah, with a headbutt." Zenitsu snickered from the side, hand covering his lips. "I'm sure Gyutaro's gonna have a knot on his head for weeks after that."

"Eh, Tanjiro should've headbutted him harder. That's what you get for bullying people." Nezuko huffed, waving over another girl that Genya didn't know. She was pretty. Dark brown ponytail swishing behind her head with a butterfly clip. But she seemed to stare right through Genya so he couldn't help but scoot a little closer to Inosuke and Tanjiro.

Tanjiro, eerily observant, easily noticed the apprehension that seeped through Genya's every pore when the girl joined the group. The bright, relaxed smile he offered Genya helped to soothe him a little as he motioned towards the new person.

"Ah, this is Tsuyuri Kanao. Kanao, this is Shinazugawa Genya. He's new here." Tanjiro played peace-maker as the girl's void-like eyes stared right through Genya. Her face was sweet, a small smile peeking on her lips, but it was also unreadable. It only served to unnerve the boy.

"I know." She answered bluntly, gently taking the seat next to Nezuko; her eyes never leaving Genya. It seemed like she knew something about him that he didn't, her eyes almost taunting him a little. When she noticed the boy bristling, a glare being pointed at her, she was quick to elaborate a little. "My sisters are Shinobu and Kanae Kocho."

Ah.

She knew.

How wouldn't she know if her sisters were his doctor and his brother's friend? That's why she looked at him like she had him figured out. It only served to piss him off but he didn't say anything. He just nodded, pinning his eyes on the lunchbox Sanemi had prepared for him. It was tasty but Genya had only been able to eat about a third of it so far. He was too stressed and overwhelmed by all the talking and people to choke down another bite.

He hadn't been allowed to follow his brother to the teacher's lounge today. Apparently, Sanemi was going to be busy writing an exam for his classes, an exam Genya would have to take. So the boy wasn't allowed to be around while the questions were being written up. Which resulted in him being stuck and surrounded by all these kids who he could reluctantly stand.