Based off a dream I had last night/this morning. May or may not turn into a full-fledged story.
"Run, Karamatsu!"
"I am trying, dear brother!"
Karamatsu and Choromatsu ran through the pouring rain, pouring all their energy into their aching legs as they tried to reach the bus stop in front of them. The bus that they felt like they'd chased halfway across the city was currently stopped at it.
And its doors were getting ready to close.
"WAIT UP!"
Choromatsu lunged forward at the bus doors, pulling Karamatsu with him. The doors, thankfully, stopped closing when Choromatsu grabbed hold of the rail next to the door. He dragged himself and Karamatsu through before they could close again, collapsing onto the floor inside.
"Oh, hello, Choromatsu-niisan," Todomatsu said casually from where he sat, continuing to play something on his phone while his two elder brothers gasped for breath on the floor.
Looking up, Choromatsu glared daggers at their younger brother. "Why didn't you keep it from taking off at the first stop?!"
Todomatsu shrugged, looking up from his phone. "I thought the driver would wait until you guys got on. Guess I was wrong. Sorry!~"
Choromatsu wanted to kill him.
"Well, we are on now, dear brother," Karamatsu said, pulling himself up off the floor. "It is good that fate has blessed us to see each other again!"
"Painful," Todomatsu commented bluntly, giving Karamatsu an annoyed stare.
As Choromatsu finally got his breathing back under control and pulled himself upright, Karamatsu moved to sit down next to Todomatsu. Immediately, their youngest brother threw his legs over the seat next to him, giving Karamatsu a look that clearly read "don't even try to sit next to me".
The look of hurt that flashed across Karamatsu's face was so brief that Choromatsu wondered if he imagined it. Passing by Todomatsu's row, the second eldest sat down in the row behind him, turning to stare out the window.
Todomatsu's legs dropped back down to their original position. He glanced at Choromatsu, then turned his attention back to whatever he'd been doing on his phone.
Choromatsu hesitated, then walked down the aisle, headed to Karamatsu's row. "Move over one. I want to sit by the window."
Karamatsu looked up at him, startled, then smiled brightly and scooted over to the seat closer to the aisle. "Of course, brother!"
"Thanks," Choromatsu said as he moved past his brother to the seat.
"No, thank you for gracing me with your shining presence, my dear brother!" Karamatsu said as Choromatsu sat down.
"Yeah, yeah," Choromatsu mumbled, shoving down his desire to say comment on Karamatsu's painfulness. Still, he smiled.
After a few moments of silence while the bus moved forward, Karamatsu turned to his Choromatsu and asked, "Do you think our brothers will succeed in joining us on this grand journey?"
Choromatsu shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows?"
Osomatsu, Ichimatsu, and Jyuushimatsu had been even further behind than them when they were dashing to the first initial bus stop, and they'd gotten separated from Choromatsu and Karamatsu when they'd ran after the bus together. Choromatsu had no idea where they were.
It was silent again after that, the only noises being the drip-drip of the rain water from Choromatsu and Karamatsu, and the tapping of Todomatsu on his phone.
Feeling a sudden weight on his shoulder, Choromatsu turned to his right. Karamatsu had slumped over onto him, eyes closed. Apparently, he'd fallen asleep.
Choromatsu hesitated, then wrapped an arm around Karamatsu's shoulders and gently pressed his head against Karamatsu's. After a few moments, he let his eyes close, joining Karamatsu in dreamland while the bus carried them to the next destination.