When They Realized (GenMui)

6

"We should probably head back," Muichiro suggested, his voice tinged with concern.

"Yeah, let's go," Genya agreed. Once the Ferris wheel brought them back to the ground, they quickly made their way to the front of the fair, where they found Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu huddled together, trying to stay warm. It wasn't significantly cold or anything, but it was definitely windy.

The first pellet of hail hitting Muichiro's skin sent a jolt through him, igniting his tension. He rubbed his arms as a chill ran through him. It certainly wasn't the best feeling getting attacked by those miniscule things, but it was unfortunately inevitable.

Soon, a deluge of hail rained down on the group at the front of the fair. Although the hailstones were small and didn't cause any significant pain, their sheer number was enough to be irritating and uncomfortable.

"Here. I think you need this more than I do," Genya offered, noticing the smaller ones unease and gently placing his jacket over him.

Undoubtedly, he was surprised by his own actions. He hadn’t expected such a bold move, nor had he realized where that sudden surge of confidence had come from. The gesture felt natural, yet he couldn't quite understand why it had seemed so effortless.

"Thanks," Muichiro sang, pulling his arms through the jacket accordingly. "I really thought I was going to overstimulate back there."

"Oh, it's nothing," Genya said with a shrug, blatantly struggling to endure the irritance of the hailstones tapping against his shoulders. "Just trying to be useful around here."

The white tank he was wearing underneath didn't do much to defend his collected composure.

Muichiro subtly chuckled, fully aware of the hail affecting Genya too, and began to feel a pang of guilt. The taller one was hopeless at remaining casual, but Muichiro liked to imagine it was in an attempt to impress him. It was amusing, and it was working. He liked it.

"Genya, can you call Sanemi?" He asked with a sigh. "We'll probably all need a ride. It's far too windy."

Genya didn't hesitate to oblige, pulling out his phone and navigating to Sanemi's contact. Swiftly, he clicked on the call button and patiently waited for his older brother to pick up. Once the sound of the call lifted, Genya immediately began to explain the situation at hand.

"Nemi, hey. We need a lift. Can you pick us up? We're at the fair, and it's starting to hail," he said with a slow sigh.

Genya perceived an evident groan of annoyance on the other side of the line. He folded his lips, wary of Sanemi's response to his urgent request. That white-haired scoundrel was certainly a hard nut to crack.

"Fine, I'm coming... but you better be at the front where I'm expecting you!"

"O-okay," Genya sputtered, somewhat nervous to cause any sudden mistake.

Within minutes, Sanemi leisurely pulled up in Mr. Tokito's minivan. The group began piling into the vehicle. Genya and Muichiro claimed the middle seats, with Muichiro curling up against Genya for warmth. Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu clambered into the back, slipping through the gap created by a folded-down middle seat.

Sanemi's eyes lit up with intolerance as he watched complete strangers waltz into the car. As if Muichiro and Genya weren't already enough of an inconvenience, now he was forced to deal with another group of pubescent teenagers. Not on his watch; they weren't invited!

Watching impatiently, his lips curled into a confused frown. "Who are these guys?" he grumbled as Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu settled in.

The three in the back jolted in fret, unaware of whether they were addressed in a tone of vexation or tolerance. As the sudden realization set in, Tanjiro was on the verge of excusing him and his friends, overwhelmed by guilt. However, Muichiro, who was quick to notice the preparation of his lips, was more than happy to respond first.