Everchanging

Seventeen

!!TW!! Slight reference to the chapter Maybe, self-blame

It was kinda hilarious how Sanemi felt a sense of DeJa'Vu when he looked at his little brother sitting in front of the door with his dog beside him. Giyuu hummed to himself as both men worked in the kitchen as they waited for the teen's friends to arrive. The big brother swore he looked at this exact scene not that long ago and a teasing grin grew on his face as he approached his little brother.

"You're not the birthday boy if you don't wear the hat." Big violet eyes glared at him but that didn't stop him from popping the party hat on Genya's messy curls, snapping the string below his chin as he watched the boy's nose crinkle.

"It looks dumb."

"Nonsense. It's adorable." Sanemi laughed, brushing Genya's hair out of his eyes.

"You think everything's adorable."

"No, I don't?"

"You say it all the time." Genya huffed, raising a brow at the man as Giyuu came closer and plopped another party hat on Suika before the dog could realize what had just happened.

"No, he just says it to you all the time." Giyuu hummed, pulling out his phone to snap a picture but Genya frowned.

"Why aren't you two wearing them, then?"

"Cause they're dumb looking." Both men shrugged and the teen glared openly at them.

"You just said that they're adorable, Nemi."

"Yeah, adorable on you Genya." The older brother retreated before Genya could whip out his puppy-dog eyes and corner him into wearing a dumb hat. Violet eyes turned to Giyuu, a silent conversation lasering through the two before the man held a thumb's up and followed behind Sanemi.

The doorbell rang and Genya ignored his brother's protests as Giyuu forced him into a hat to instead open the door. He was greeted by Tengen's bright smile, Hinatsuru behind him as the man passed a wrapped present to her.

"Oh my God, your hat is so freaking cute." The man laughed when Genya pouted. "I brought the sweets, my dude. Homemade."

"What are they?" Genya let the two in, cocking his head as he spoke. He took the things out of Hinatsuru's hands to set them on the table.

"A bunch of stuff." Tengen hummed, eyes noticing Sanemi and Giyuu in the kitchen before he busted out laughing. "Nice hat, Sanemi."

"Shut up. This isn't free will." The man grumbled, eyes glaring at Giyuu as the other man put his own hat on before handing some to the new guests. "Oh, are we all wearing them now?"

"It's only fair." Genya piped up, already breaking into the pastries Tengen had brought.

"I like them. The purple's really flashy with the gold." Tengen smiled, putting the first hat on his wife before working on his own. Genya couldn't help but feel a little guilty for not wanting the other wives over for his birthday, for only requesting Hinatsuru. But he hadn't met them yet, he didn't think he was ready for both of them. Maybe one at a time, but not both and not when he would already be overwhelmed with a party. It seemed, though, that Tengen and Hinatsuru understood. He was relieved by that.

"Who's all coming?" Hinatsuru asked, taking a seat to pet Yuka.

"Genya's friends are supposed to come, and everyone else." Sanemi waved a hand around lamely, Giyuu explaining further when Sanemi didn't.

"Kyojuro and the others should be coming. As well as Sabito, I think. And.... What's that one guy's name?" Giyuu turned to Sanemi, who stiffened a little before mumbling.