Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this! I'm hoping to start updating every Monday, but that's not set in stone. Don't want to rush or force chapters, so we'll see!
Chapter 2:
Choromatsu blinked sleepily, staring up at ceiling blankly. It was dark already and he could hear his brothers snores all around him. Jyushimatsu was currently cuddled up to his side and he found he didn't mind. His little brother's body heat was comforting in some strange way. But he really wanted to get up and use the bathroom, maybe get some aspirin. Why did his head have to still hurt?
"You're finally awake?" He nearly jumped as Osomatsu whispered to him, wincing as his muscles bunched up in surprise. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." His brother apologized with a sheepish grin, reaching over and wrapping his arm around him comfortingly. "You were asleep all day. We saved you some dinner."
"All day, huh?" Choromatsu grumbled quietly. What a wasted day! He guessed he really needed the rest though. "You managed to save some food? Who made it anyway?" The idea that any of his brother's had gotten behind the stove worried him. None of them seemed sick, though, so it must not have been too bad.
"What, you thought we'd eat everything? Onii-chan's offended." Osomatsu teased quietly, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "But yeah, we set some aside. And don't worry, Karamatsu handled dinner, so its safe. Jyushi tried to help, but Ichimatsu managed to distract him." Choromatsu felt his brother begin to wiggle free from their blanket, scooting back carefully so he didn't wake Totty.
"I don't think I can move." Choromatsu sighed, smiling wryly. He glanced down at the fifth brother, who was currently cuddling his arm, his mouth hanging open as usual. At least he didn't feel any drool yet. Osomatsu snickered, crawling over and nudging Jyushimatsu lightly.
"Mm...eh?" Jyushimatsu's eyes opened slightly, blinking up at his brother sleepily. Osomatsu couldn't help but smile at him. "What's wrong Osomatsu-niisan?" He asked sleepily, reaching up to rub his eyes.
"Sorry Jyushimatsu. Choromatsu wants to get something to eat, but you need to let go of his arm first." Osomatsu rubbed beneath his nose, grinning as Jyushimatsu's eyes opened fully in realization. He immediately rolled away, letting out his usual laugh, his wide smile on his face.
"Ahaha! Sorry, sorry!" He laughed loudly, covering his mouth as soon as his two older brothers shushed him. Right, it was still late. He almost forgot. "Sorry." He said again, making sure to whisper. Choromatsu didn't seem to actually mind though, even reaching over and patting his head lightly.
"Its alright. Why don't you go back to sleep, we'll be back shortly." Choromatsu said quietly, pushing himself up off the futon. His body still felt sore, but not as heavy as it had earlier. It was bearable. Jyushimatsu, never one to really argue, nodded his head enthusiastically, before throwing himself back down to sleep. He was asleep within seconds.
"Seriously, how does he do that?" Choromatsu gave Jyushimatsu a strange look while Osomatsu just laughed. They both knew there was no real point in questioning anything about Jyushimatsu. Sighing heavily, the third brother stood from their futon, creeping out of the room with Osomatsu.
As soon as the door to their room was closed, Choromatsu went straight to the bathroom while Osomatsu went downstairs to warm up his brother's dinner. Hey, he could be considerate! His little brother had a rough day, after all. That, and he was about to bring up said day all over again. He just needed to know if Choromatsu knew what caused the sudden attack. After so many years, it had to be something specific, right? It couldn't just be a random occurence. Right?
By the time Choromatsu made it downstairs, Osomatsu had his dinner warmed up and sitting at the table for him. He could still hear said eldest brother rustling around in the kitchen though, but his hunger eventually won out over his curiosity. He sat down, shoveling rice into his mouth quickly. It actually wasn't bad at all!
"Whoa, easy there Jyushimatsu." Osomatsu teased, walking over and sitting down beside Choromatsu. Choro immediately flushed in embarrassment, slowing down considerably. "Just kidding~! You're probably starving. The last time you ate was at breakfast yesterday morning, wasn't it? No wonder." Osomatsu himself had a small bowl of ice cream. Choromatsu gave him a questioning look. "Oh, this? Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu ran out to get the groceries for dinner. Poor Ichimatsu just can't say no to Jyushi!" He laughed. "They brought home a whole pail of ice cream. I'll get you some after your done there, if you want."
"Really? We don't have that much money to blow while mom and dad are gone." Choromatsu sighed exasperatedly. Really, his brothers were so irresponsible sometimes! This is why he had planned to do the shopping himself. "Seriously, why would you send the two of them? Anyone else would've been a better choice!"
"Awe, c'mon~! Jyushi was worried about his big brother, so we had to do something. Getting him out of the house was the only thing we could think of, so grocery shopping was the perfect excuse!" Osomatsu grinned in his usual way, rubbing his finger below his nose. "You don't need to worry. Your Onii-chan had some luck at the horse races yesterday."
"And no surprise that we're only just now finding out. You really are a shitty eldest brother." Choromatsu grumbled, though there was no real bite to the words. Osomatsu just laughed, throwing his arm around the green Matsu and pulling him against his side. Still though, that money would be useful for the next week.
They sat just like that for about half an hour, just eating in a comfortable silence, just enjoying one another's company. It reminded Osomatsu a lot of when they were kids, back before middle school and high school. All of the sextuplets had been partnered up together on the rare occassions that they weren't all together. Karamatsu and Todomatsu. Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu. Him and Choromatsu. But once they had gained individuality, they all drifted apart. Well, all except for Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu, but they still weren't quite AS close. It was part of growing up, he guessed, but he found he missed it. Those days when Osomatsu could trade places with any other brother, or vice versa...they were the best. Not to mention he wasn't quite as lonely. They had all needed each other. Anymore, that just wasn't the case.
"You're frowning all of a sudden. What are you thinking about?" Choromatsu interrupted Osomatsu's thoughts quite abruptly, the eldest brother blinking in surprise. Apparently, he had been so caught up in his own little world, he had forgotten Choromatsu was there. Huffing, he went to speak again, but his brother quickly cut him off.
"So, do you want to talk about what happened? Do you know what caused it?" Osomatsu said suddenly, making Choromatsu frown. Oso was changing the subject, something Choromatsu recognized as a defensive maneuver. He only ever really did it when the subject was too sensitive. But he wasn't going to let it go. Osomatsu had helped him earlier, so the very least he could do was listen to his older brother's woes.
"I'll talk about it, if you tell me what's on your mind first." Choromatsu said firmly, not missing the way Osomatsu withdrew his arm and looked at him with blank eyes. "Don't try to lie either. I'll know if you do. Something's bothering you and I'll listen. Getting it off your chest will probably help."
Osomatsu groaned, falling back onto the floor, arms spread wide. Why did Choromatsu have to be so nosey? Maybe he could just steer the conversation away and then go back to bed? Nope, no chance. His brother had that stubborn look on his face that clearly said they wouldn't be dropping the subject any time soon. And he really wanted Choromatsu to talk to him about his panic attack. Dammit.
"Its not that big of a deal." He sighed, glancing at Choromatsu. "I was just thinking about when we were kids. You know, how close we were and everything. We've really drifted apart, haven't we?" Osomatsu did his best to keep his voice light, but there was a bitter edge to it. "I mean, we never do much of anything together. We hang around the house and go to Chibita's, yeah, but that's pretty much it."
Choromatsu blinked, watching his brother as he spoke. Oh. "Are you lonely, Osomatsu-niisan?" He asked quietly. Osomatsu refused to look at him. "We've all got different interests, so its hard to do anything together." Choromatsu admitted, looking down at his brother. "I'm into idols, Karamatsu's into music, Jyushimatsu's into baseball, Ichimatsu's into his cats, Totty's into hanging out with his friends, and you prefer to stay home and read manga. Its not easy to find common ground."
"We've never really bothered to try, except for maybe Jyushimatsu." Osomatsu protested, sitting up and looking at Choromatsu. "Its like we've all just accepted that we don't need each other anymore. I don't...I don't want to..." And suddenly, the eldest brother looked and sounded so sad. Choromatsu felt his heart hurt. "We've always been brothers, but on top of that, we used to be best friends. You and I did everything together, and it just stopped all at once. It wasn't a gradual thing! One day, you just decided that school work was more important. It really...hurt."
Choromatsu winced at that. It was true, he had practically changed over night. He remembered, they were in middle school at the time. After a rather elaborate prank landed them in detention and he was thoroughly scolded by the principal, he came to a realization. They were almost adults and he had to make a choice. Continue being a kid or start working towards his future. The latter won out. He had started pushing Osomatsu away after that, refusing to partake in his childish antics. He had gone about it all wrong, he knew that. He had always regretted it.
"I'm sorry." Choromatsu mumbled, shifting so that he was closer to Osomatsu, letting their heads lightly bump together. "I kind of knew that I had hurt you. I knew that it was wrong, the way I pulled away from you. At the time, I thought it was in my best interest and that you'd get over it eventually." He cringed at the slight glare he received, but Osomatsu leaned his head against his anyway, looking exasperated.
"Yeah, well it would've been nice if you had said something. You could've talked to me about it! Hell, I probably would've went along with you! Just like always!" The red Matsu huffed, closing his eyes as he leaned against his younger brother. He was frustrated, but at the same time he felt better. He hadn't been able to talk to Choromatsu like this in years. It gave him a strange sense of nostalgia. He was kinda...happy.
Choromatsu nodded slightly, glancing at Osomatsu. "I really am sorry, Osomatsu-niisan." He apologized again, looking thoughtful. "We may not be as close, but you're still my best friend. I hope you know that." He mumbled quietly. That was embarrassing to say out loud, but Osomatsu needed to hear it. Just like that, a toothy grin appeared on his brother's face, making him smile as well.
"Heh, well its not as if we really have any other friends. Even if I'm just a last resort, that's fine." Osomatsu joked, snickering quietly. Choromatsu chuckled as well, thankful that his brother seemed to be feeling better now. "Hey, Choromatsu?"
"Hm?"
"What if we...I mean..." Osomatsu seemed to hesitate, before snorting and grinning. "Take me to one of your idol concerts~!" He demanded, pulling back and looking at Choromatsu. Choromatsu scowled, ready to adamantly deny his brother's request, before it clicked.
Osomatsu was just being Osomatsu. He didn't like getting emotional, didn't like dealing with his feelings. But he had laid things out for Choromatsu tonight, rather easily. Apparently he had his fill though. He was back to being his goofy, shitty self. Even so, Choromatsu heard the silent plea behind his brother's demand. Let me go with you. Let me spend time with you. Let's try to be best friends again.
"On one condition." Choromatsu said calmly, turning away from Osomatsu as if he were annoyed. Osomatsu tilted his head slightly, humming questionably. "You were saving money to go see that live-action movie, the one based on that manga you always read, right? Let me go with you."
Osomatsu practically beamed, pulling Choromatsu back into a tight embrace. Osomatsu heard his answer loud and clear. Let's give it a shot. Let's do this. Choromatsu couldn't hide his own grin. It honestly felt good to sort of reconnect with his brother to an extent. Osomatsu would still torment him, no doubt, and he would still nag about them needing to get jobs. But at the end of the day, they could still lean on one another.
Osomatsu suddenly let out a yawn, drawing Choromatsu's attention. "Osomatsu-niisan, you're probably really tired. Why don't we go back to bed now?" He offered.
"No, not yet." Osomatsu shook his head stubbornly. "I kept my half of the deal. I still want to hear what happened earlier. What was going on around you, did someone try to hurt you?" Oh, right. Choromatsu nearly forgot the reason they were there in the first place. Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes and thought back.
"I was just on my way to the store and I bumped into someone. I fell back and went to apologize..." Choromatsu trailed off, brows furrowing in confusion. That's where things started getting fuzzy. "I didn't really see them, I don't think."
"Whaaaat?! That's all you really remember? Seriously?" Osomatsu groaned, knocking his head against Choromatsu's again. "I thought for sure something would've stood out to you. I was hoping we could figure out what caused it and find a way to avoid it."
Choromatsu shook his head, an apology on the tip of his tongue, but it died on his lips. Wait. Something had sort of stood out to him. But was it really worth mentioning? Something so trivial wouldn't have caused his panic attack, right? "I guess...something did kind of stand out. But its stupid." Osomatsu gave him a pointed look, clearly saying otherwise. "Well, I just remember seeing...plaid? When I saw it, that's when I think I locked up."
"Plaid?" Osomatsu raised an eyebrow, before laughing. "You mean, you saw your own shirt?" Choromatsu frowned at that, looking down at the clothes he wore. He was still in the clothes he had left the house with, consisting of his brown pants and...green, plaid shirt.
"Wha...? N-No, it wasn't..." Choromatsu stammered, gripping at his shirt tightly. Just looking at it didn't cause him any unease, but he was certain that it was plaid that he had seen and what had caused his panic. Sure, it didn't make sense, but it didn't always have to. "No. It wasn't this color. It was more of a beige, maybe? I dunno." The third brother bowed his head in defeat, sighing heavily. That was all he knew.
"Oh. Don't worry about it Choro, its fine. If it happens again, Onii-chan will be right there to take care of you. We'll figure it out." Osomatsu reassured, rubbing his brother's back reassuringly. Sure, it sucked that they couldn't pinpoint the problem right away, but it'd be fine. Choromatsu would be fine.
It was Choromatsu who yawned this time. "Go get changed into your pajamas, I'll clean up our dishes. We can go back to bed now." Osomatsu stood from his spot, gathering their dishes and carrying them to the kitchen. Of course, he immediately went to work, thinking over their conversation.
Seriously, what did plaid have to do with anything? Beige plaid? That couldn't have been anything, right? It was more likely that his brother's panic attack had just been triggered by being knocked to the ground suddenly. At least he thought so. Jyushimatsu wore plaid sometimes and Choromatsu had his own plaid shirt. So that wasn't it at all! Right? Of course he was right. Even thinking about it was stupid.
So why was he so stuck on it? Why was he stuck thinking about beige plaid?
It was late and he was tired, that had to be why. It was time to just forget about it for right now and head back to bed. He had all day tomorrow to think about it, not like he had any other plans. Hell, he probably had the whole week free to think about it, if not even longer! Ah, being a NEET was great. Grinning to himself, Osomatsu left the dishes in the sink and headed to their bedroom, more than ready to crawl back under the covers and sleep.
By the time he got there, Choromatsu was already there, trying to get situated without disturbing Jyushimatsu again. Thankfully he managed, but the second he felt the other body beside him, the fifth brother immediately latched back onto Choromatsu's arm. Choro only let out an exasperated sigh, looking up at Osomatsu with a shake of his head.
Osomatsu let out a snort, silencing his laughter quickly, before crawling under the blankets. Ah, their futon. He loved their futon. "Mm...g'night." He yawned, closing his eyes and smiling contentedly. Choromatsu hummed a reply, his own eyes falling closed. Before he managed to doze off completely, Osomatsu swore he felt a hand grasp his own.
The next morning had been a bit more hectic. The sextuplets were starving, and hungry sextuplets were grumpy sextuplets. Osomatsu stared at the empty table with a forlorn look, Ichimatsu growled at anyone who even looked at him, Jyushimatsu's smile seemed a bit strained as he fidgeted, and Todomatsu glared down at his phone. Thankfully though, between Choromatsu and Karamatsu, a decent breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast was put together. To Choromatsu's surprise, Karamatsu also managed to make some pancakes, insisting that he knew it was one of the third brother's favorites and that Choromatsu deserved something nice after yesterday. Needless to say, once their hunger was satisfied, everything quickly settled down.
Immediately after breakfast, Jyushimatsu was out the door with his baseball equipment in tow, shouting 'Muscle, muscle! Hustle, Hustle!' as he marched out the door. Shortly after, Ichimatsu was leaving as well, muttering about feeding the cats around town. The other four brothers simply lazed around, Choromatsu even lying beside Osomatsu to glance at the manga his oldest brother read. Osomatsu seemed happy to share, adjusting the book so that it sat between them.
Karamatsu had his guitar in hand, strumming and humming quietly. Todomatsu glanced at him now and then with an irritated look, usually when the second brother noticably messed up, but he managed to keep his mouth shut. He just wasn't in the mood to make fun of his older brother right now. Besides, even with the sound of the guitar, it was a peaceful and relaxing day. Why ruin it?
It was going on one now. Osomatsu flipped the manga shut, having finished it, grinning at Choromatsu who had genuinely seemed interested in the story. Noticing the look, the third brother rolled his eyes with a smile. He was about to suggest that they find something for lunch when a sudden crash sounded downstairs, making all four brothers jump in surprise.
They all got to their feet, frowning as another bang sounded, all sharing glances. Todomatsu seemed scared at the possibilities, inching closer to Karamatsu. Was someone breaking into their house? What if they had a gun? Were they going to die? Karamatsu gripped his little brother's arm, rubbing it gently in an attempt to calm him. Right...no need to jump to the worst possible conclusions.
Osomatsu moved first, pushing the door open quietly and listening. There was a lot of sound downstairs and he swore he heard sobbing. Wait. Yep, that was definitely sobbing. It sounded hysterical, as if the person had no control of themself. He briefly wondered if Totoko had bursted into their house in one of her over-the-top moods, but the idea was quickly shot down.
"I-Ichimatsu-niisan...Nii-san...? I want N-Nii-san..." The voice sobbed and Osomatsu immediately relaxed, before his big brother instincts kicked in and he rushed downstairs. He could hear quick footsteps right behind him, the sound of another brother following closely behind.
At the bottom of the stairs, he immediately noticed that the door had practically been knocked off its hinges. Not really anything new in a house of six boys. That poor door was lucky to even still be in once piece after this many years. The second thing he noticed was in their kitchen, one of the chairs had been knocked to the floor and the table that their parents normally ate at was now crooked, as if someone had bumped into it.
Osomatsu felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned quickly to look at Karamatsu. Choromatsu and Todomatsu must've chosen to stay upstairs. The second brother motioned towards the living room and Osomatsu peered past him to look. Ah. That was gonna take awhile to clean up.
It looked as if the coffee table had been flipped over and the couch cushions were everywhere. Their father's recliner was lying on its side now as well and papers were scattered everywhere. Seriously, what the hell? Osomatsu couldn't help but feel irritated at the mess. Their parents would be pissed and they'd probably point the finger at him! No way in hell!
The eldest brother stomped into the room, ready to snap, but he quickly froze as another sob came from the corner of the room.
Oh.
Curled in a ball was Jyushimatsu, pressed into the corner as far as he could go. His face was red and wet from crying, his body shaking as hysteric sobs racked his body. Osomatsu and Karamatsu both felt their hearts break at the sight. There was no smile on that face. It was an injustice that needed to be corrected.
And was that blood?
"Jyushimatsu?" Osomatsu called softly, stepping closer to his little brother. The fifth brother's eyes snapped open and Osomatsu had to pause when he noticed the wild look in his gaze. "Its just me Jyushi. Hey, tell me what happened. Onii-chan will make it better." He pleaded.
A scream tore from his brother's throat and Osomatsu quickly jumped back as Jyushimatsu lashed out at him. "STAY AWAY FROM ME! NII-SAN! ICHIMATSU-NIISAN!" Jyushimatsu screamed out, his voice sounding raw. How long had he been screaming like that? Oh God, someone hurt his little brother, Osomatsu found himself thinking fearfully.
Osomatsu seemed at a loss, looking at Karamatsu who stared at Jyushimatsu with wide, surprised eyes. "Oh, my little Jyushimatsu..." The second brother mumbled worriedly. "Ichimatsu's not home right now our dearest little brother. Please, is there anything we can do for you?" He offered, hoping he would have better luck at comforting the second youngest.
But it was as if he couldn't hear them. Though he did stop screaming as they backed away, he continued to sob and curl on himself, backing up until he was pressed solidly against the wall. There was blood smearing on the wall, Osomatsu noticed. Not an alarming amount, but the fact that there was any blood at all made both brothers feel sick.
"What the hell's going on?!" Choromatsu practically screeched from the doorway, eyes wide as he looked around at the mess all around the living room. Todomatsu was gripping the third brother's arm fearfully, biting at his lip as he watched the scene in front of them. He had his cell phone clenched in his hand, ready to call the police or ambulance if needed.
"Just stay back and keep your voice down." Osomatsu ordered, stepping further away from Jyushimatsu slowly. Karamatsu followed his lead, looking at the eldest brother questioningly. "We don't have a choice, we're gonna have to find Ichimatsu. Hopefully he can calm him down and we can find out what happened. Choromatsu, I know you're still kind of sore, but are you okay to look?"
"Of course I am!" Choromatsu huffed. Just because his muscles were a little worn from yesterday, didn't mean he was just going to sit on the sidelines while one of his little brothers needed help. "We'll have a better chance of finding Ichimatsu if we all split up and look. He's bound to be in one of the alleys."
Osomatsu nodded, before looking at Todomatsu. "We need you to stay here with him Totty. Make sure nothing happens and he doesn't hurt himself more. If he does, call for an ambulance right away, okay?" The youngest brother seemed horrified, but nodded shakily. "He won't hurt you, I don't think. Just keep your distance from him."
"Actually, give me your cell phone Totty." Karamatsu ordered, holding his hand out. Todomatsu gripped it tighter, ready to protest, but Karamatsu quickly interrupted. "You can use the house phone to call if something does happen. If Jyushimatsu gets too wild or he ends up getting hurt, we need to know. You can call me and I'll track down the others."
Todomatsu looked at his phone, before reluctantly handing it over. His phone was like a security blanket, so it took a lot of courage for him to hand it over. Probably more than it should've. "O-Okay, fine. But just...h-hurry up!" He stammered, trying to get himself back in order. The three eldest brothers nodded in understanding, before rushing out the door, all splitting in different directions.
Ichimatsu had a slight smile on his face as he watched the cats in the alley, or more specifically, the seven kittens that stumbled around clumsily. He loved watching them fall over at the slightest movement or get tangled up as they played. So cute. At least they were all healthy and lively for the time being. Their mother was going to have her paws full for awhile though. Speaking of which, said cat seemed to be fast asleep. Good then, she could sleep while he entertained the little ones.
Even trash needed to be useful every now and then, he supposed.
Yes, he was complete trash. Unburnable trash. A mark on the perfection of society. And he was perfectly fine with that, if he was being honest. He was content enough with the way he was. Sure, it'd be nice if he could talk to people, but it wasn't really necessary. He had the cats and he had his brothers.
One of the kitten's suddenly latched onto his leg, climbing up and staring at him with big eyes. He couldn't help but snicker a bit, reaching down and prying the little ball of fur's claws out of his sweat pants. The kitten let out a mewl as he held it, drawing the attention of it's siblings who all rushed over for their share of attention. "Hm. Its a nice day, I guess."
"I-Ichimatsu!"
The fourth brother's gaze turned dark, his easygoing smile changing to an irritated frown. Leave it to his brother to ruin his good mood. He gently sat the kitten he held aside, but didn't bother to turn to face the blue Matsu.
"What are you doing here Shittymatsu?" He snapped, pointedly keeping his gaze on the kittens. His day didn't have to be ruined just yet. If he could just get Karamatsu to leave, he coud return to playing with the cats. That and if he turned to face his brother, he would likely end up scaring his feline friends away. They already seemed uneasy about the newcomer.
"A-Ah...g-give me a sec..." Karamatsu panted out, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He had ran clear across town without a single break to find Ichimatsu and his lungs were burning painfully. "Whew, I don't suppose you have any water?"
Ichimatsu let out a growl, clenching his fists. "Just get the fuck out of here!" He snarled, eyes narrowing a bit. He wanted to be left alone right, just wanted to play with his cats! If he had wanted company, he would've went with Jyushimatsu or had invited the fifth brother along with him. And even if he did want company, Karamatsu was the last person he would want!
"Wait a minute-"
"I told you to leave! What part of that don't you understand Shittymatsu!?"
"Just shut up and listen to me!"
Ichimatsu turned quickly, ready to punch Karamatsu in his stupid face, but the defiance in his brother's eyes stopped him in his tracks. The second brother was glaring at him, holding himself with confidence that betrayed his usual self. Ah, so this wasn't Shittymatsu after all. This was Karamatsu, the second brother of the infamous sextuplets. This was the brother that took charge if Osomatsu couldn't. And that meant something was wrong.
"Did something happen to Choromatsu again?" Ichimatsu asked, relaxing a bit and stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket. After yesterday, what else could it be? Maybe the third brother had another attack or something. But if Karamatsu came to find him, it had to be worse than that.
"Not Choromatsu. Something's wrong with Jyushimatsu." Karamatsu answered quietly. Ichimatsu's usually half-lidded eyes widened, his full attention on the second brother now. "We don't know what happened. He came home and tore up the downstairs. When we ran down to check on him, he was huddled in a corner. He won't let any of us near him and it looked like he was bleeding." Karamatsu didn't miss the worry on his little brother's face. "He's been screaming for you the entire time."
Ichimatsu paled considerably, before he pushed by his brother. He wasn't fit by any means and running wasn't a strong point of his, but he needed to get home fast. Jyushimatsu was his little brother, his sunshine. The only one who really understood him. Shit, he needed to get to him quick and see if there was anything he could do for him.
Karamatsu watched after him, sighing and shaking his head. The cellphone in his hoodie pocket suddenly rang loudly and he quickly fumbled with it. He half expected Todomatsu's panicked voice, but thankfully that wasn't the case.
"Me and Choromatsu ran into each other. We looked everywhere on our ends. Please tell me you found him?" Osomatsu asked pleadingly. Him and Choromatsu were crammed into a phone booth, looking at the phone hopefully.
"Heh. Of course, my brothers. Our dearest Ichimatsu is on his way home as we speak." He smirked a bit, a bit of his painful demeanor seeping through. He could hear Osomatsu groan in distaste, but he also seemed satisfied with the answer. "Thankfully it was fairly simple to get him to listen to me, but he did put up some resistance. But thanks to my preservation-"
"Good. Let's just get home then and hope for the best. Ichimatsu has to be able to get through to Jyushimatsu." Osomatsu sighed. He didn't bother to wait for an answer, hanging up the phone before Karamatsu could respond.
"Eh?"
Ichimatsu was practically dying by the time he got home. His lungs were of fire, his heart pounding so hard that he wondered if he might be having a heart attack. Even his legs wobbled uncomfortably. Dammit, he couldn't console Jyushimatsu if he couldn't even breathe. He took a moment outside, trying to compose himself, wiping the sweat from his face.
"Where have you been?!" Todomatsu peaked out the door, glaring at Ichimatsu with obvious irritation. "They've been looking for you for well over an hour now! Jyushimatsu-niisan is completely miserable and you're out feeding cats!" He snapped. Ichimatsu gave his youngest brother a cold look. How the hell was he supposed to know that Jyushimatsu needed him? Stupid youngest brother! The look seemed to do the trick, as Todomatsu closed his mouth with a huff, walking back inside. "Just hurry up!"
Ichimatsu grunted in response, taking a deep breath, savoring the feeling of air in his lungs. Running was way too much effort, but it was for Jyushimatsu. He needed to take care of his little brother. Pushing the door open, he immediately noticed how it leaned awkwardly. Hm, so his brother must've burst through the door when he had come home.
Of course, he noticed the disaster their house had become, how could he miss it? But as soon as he heard the soft sobs and mumbles, nothing else really mattered. Ichimatsu made a beeline through the living room, only stopping when he was within a few feet of his little brother. Seeing his little brother like this hurt.
Jyusimatsu was hugging himself, his fingers squeezing his arms hard enough that they would probably bruise. His eyes were clenched shut, tears streaming down his red face. Along with the lack of smile, Jyushimatsu's features were contorted as if he were in pain, which alarmed Ichimatsu the most. Ichimatsu was not an emotional person, but seeing his little brother like this was killing him inside.
"D-Don't hurt me...I'm sorry...Ichimatsu-Niisan...Nii-san..." Jyushimatsu spoke in broken murmurs, burying his face into the wall now. Nope, he wasn't having this. Ichimatsu slowly lowered himself to the floor, kneeling in front of the distressed fifth brother, reaching his hand out slowly. He let his hand gently stroke his brother's hair back, just like he were petting one of his cats.
Jyushimatsu flinched at the touch, eyes snapping open and staring at him with wide, empty eyes. He's not really here, Ichimatsu thought worriedly. This seemed familiar somehow. Those empty eyes, his brother seeming so...gone. No, this didn't happen before. He'd remember something like this. "Jyushimatsu..." He called softly, wishing that something would spark in those eyes of his.
Jyushimatsu stared at him, before he finally moved, scrambling to be as close to Ichimatsu as possible. The fourth brother was forced to sit cross-legged as Jyushi climbed into his lap, clinging to him desperately and sobbing. "Ichimatsu-niisan! It hurts...it hurts again...!" He sobbed, looking absolutely frantic. "D-Don't leave me alone again! Please Nii-san...!"
Ichimatsu was not an emotional person. He didn't like touching people or being touched. When it came to people, he just didn't understand them. And yet, he felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. He felt his arms wrap around his brother in a tight grip, hoping it would offer some feeling of safety. More than that, he found he somehow understood. This wasn't Jyushimatsu. Not the current Jyushimatsu, anyway. This was his little brother that had loved to sing almost everything he said and was always a crybaby. The Jyushimatsu from before middle school. And even if he couldn't seem to recall and incident like this, this was somehow familiar.
"I won't, ever again." Ichimatsu whispered quietly, rubbing his brother's back. What else could he say? What should he say? Unlike Jyushimatsu, he didn't have the right words for every situation. All he could do was try.
Todomatsu watched from the doorway, frowning at the heartwrenching scene before him. At least Jyushimatsu seemed to recognize and acknowledge Ichimatsu. But he was suspicious of how easily Ichimatsu seemed to handle the situation. Hell, if Osomatsu and Choromatsu had kept the third brother's panic attacks a secret, why would it be surprising if there were other big secrets among the other brothers. It wasn't right! But...he wasn't really one to talk, he supposed. Still, he would ask Ichimatsu later. He needed to know what was going on.
A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder and Todomatsu lurched forward in surprise. He wanted to glare at the red Matsu, but noticing his serious face, as well as the other two brothers behind him, he chose against it. Osomatsu nodded his head towards the stairs and tugged his shoulder lightly. "I think Ichimatsu's got this under control. Let's just go wait upstairs for right now." The eldest brother whispered quietly.
"Wait a minute! Jyushimatsu-niisan was bleeding, wasn't he? Should someone look at him?" Todomatsu protested, settling his hands on his hips stubbornly. How could they just leave things alone like that? How could they go on not knowing? Karamatsu and Choromatsu shared a look, both seeming unsure, but Osomatsu shook his head.
"I know he's hurt! But right now, us being in there is just gonna make things harder on both of them. You saw how he tried to hit me earlier. Do YOU really wanna take the chance that he lashes out at you too?" Osomatsu looked at his youngest brother, whose face immediately fell. Jyushimatsu's strength was unrivaled and questionable, no one wanted to be on the end of one of his punches.
"Fine." Todomatsu muttered, stomping up the steps. The other three brothers sighed, taking a final look into the living room, before following after the pink Matsu. Hopefully things would be okay within a few hours.
Ichimatsu had long since moved so that he was now leaning against the wall, Jyushimatsu laying so that his head was in the fourth brother's lap. It had taken Ichimatsu forever to coax his little brother to stop crying, and even now there were quiet little sniffles that interrupted the silence. It was okay though, as long as Jyushimatsu was getting better. That's all that mattered to him.
Still, he couldn't help but let his mind drift. Choromatsu had a panic attack yesterday, and now Jyushimatsu had gone into some sort of fit. Why? Was someone pissing with his brothers? The thought made his blood boil. If that were the case, he would kill them! He would wipe them off the face of the planet, make it so no one recognized them!
If someone were messing with them though...why? What could they possibly have to gain? And how would they know how to get to his brothers to this extent? No, that wasn't possible. It was just coincidence, it had to be.
"Mm...i-it hurts..."
Ichimatsu looked down to his little brother, petting his hair again to calm him down. He hoped he wasn't going into another episode. Jyushimatsu peeled his eyes open and looked up at Ichimatsu tiredly. Unlike before, there was recognition in his eyes, though he seemed drained of energy and entirely confused. His little brother was back, thank God. "Ichimatsu-niisan...?"
"Mm. Welcome back." Ichimatsu mumbled awkwardly, watching as Jyushimatsu slowly took in his surroundings. An uneasy smile slowly spread across Jyushimatsu's face as he saw the total disarray of their living room. "Its nothing, don't worry about it. It'll get cleaned up later." Ichimatsu assured him, watching the other closely. Did he remember that he was the one who caused the mess in the first place?
"Okay Nii-san. When did I come home, huh?" Well, that answered that question. Shit, what should he say? Did he tell Jyushimatsu what happened and risk upsetting him again? Or did he just keep it a secret for now? What was the right choice in a situation like this? The only person he felt comfortable asking something like that was the very person he was unsure about!
"Not sure. You were already home when I got home." It wasn't a lie. Jyushimatsu furrowed his brow, laughing tiredly, though it sounded a bit nervous. Still, any laugh was better than all the tears that the fifth brother had shed that afternoon.
"Haha...I don't remember coming home at all. I remember playing baseball though. I swung my bat 2578 times today Nii-san. Maybe I over did it, 'cause now I feel really sleepy." Ichimatsu nodded, showing he was listening. Was that all his brother remembered though? Jyushimatsu let out an exaggerated and bored sigh, moving to sit up, but he suddenly gasped out and fell back against Ichimatsu's legs. "A-Ah...it burns! My back, it burns!" He yelped.
Ichimatsu frowned deeply, coaxing Jyushimatsu into a sitting position to examine his back. The fourth brother felt his blood run cold at the sight he was met with. It wasn't anything serious, he didn't think. Not in appearance anyway. But running down the length of his brother's back, right along his spine, was a cut. It didn't look too deep, but it had gone deep enough to bleed profusely, staining the back of his brother's uniform with blood. That explained the blood. And it was an angry red, possibly the start of an infection
But what worried Ichimatsu the most was the shape of his brother's shirt. It wasn't so noticable if you were just looking at the cut itself, but looking at the shirt made it clear; the cut was clean and precise. It wasn't as if his brother had snagged himself on a jagged tree branch or something. This was intentionally made.
Someone was fucking with his brothers. And they had just gone way too far.
"What do you see Nii-san? Is it bad?" Jyushimatsu asked, trying to peer over his own shoulder to see. Ichimatsu suddenly looked very scary, Jyushimatsu decided, blinking at the dark look Ichimatsu gave him. "Ichimatsu-niisan?"
"Do you remember anything else from the park? I want to know the very last thing you remember Jyushimatsu." Ichimatsu demanded seriously, turning Jyushi back to face him. There would be no hiding the situation at this point. He needed to know what happened, they all did. "This is important Jyushimatsu. Think hard."
Never one to disappoint, Jyushimatsu covered his mouth with a fisted hand, thinking back through the days events. "I swung the bat a lot. I remember I decided to start hitting some balls, so I started tossing them up and HOME RUN!" Jyushimatsu beamed, recalling how every ball was sent flying. He had been having fun, until..."Oh, I ran out of balls, so I had to go get them. But they were all really far. Ahaha!"
"Alright, good. What else do you remember?" Ichimatsu pressed. Jyushimatsu seemed unsure, rubbing at his head as he thought. "Anything Jyushimatsu. Did you see anyone else there? Did anyone talk to you?"
"Uhm...maybe." Ichimatsu fought the urge to shake Jyushimatsu, to rattle his brother's head until the memories clicked into place. "Yeah, yeah! I remember a voice, definitely! While I was looking for all of my baseballs, someone was talking to me. But I can't remember what they said. Must not have been paying attention. Whoops!"
"I suppose you didn't see them?" Ichimatsu asked sourly, sighing heavily. That wasn't exactly as useful as he was hoping. He'd hoped that Jyushimatsu would be able to give a description of the person so that he could hunt them down and-
"Nope, sorry Nii-san! I tried really hard to remember, but I don't think I can. Did something happen?" Jyushimatsu tilted his head, looking at Ichimatsu curiously. He wanted to know why he couldn't remember, why he felt so drained, and why the house was seemingly wrecked.
"I wasn't here when you came home. The others said you came home in some kind of fit. You wouldn't let them near you and you kept screaming." Ichimatsu explained, not putting much detail into it. That was all his brother really needed to know, right?
"Oh. That's why my throat hurts." Jyushimatsu looked around the house with wide eyes. "I made a big mess, huh? I'll clean it all up! Clean, clean, clean!" The fifth brother moved to jump to his feet, but Ichimatsu kept him from doing so. "Waaah?! Nii-san, I can't clean if you don't let go!"
"We need to get your back taken care of. It already looks like it might be getting infected." Ichimatsu explained, getting to his feet lazily. "I'll get the first aid kit. Stay where you are. Staaaay." The fourth brother held his hands up, almost like he were talking to a dog, as he backed out of the room.
Jyushimatsu immediately went into the role, his tongue lolling out as he sat rather dog-like. "Woof!" He barked in agreement, smiling widely at his older brother, who returned it with a slight one of his own.
As soon as Ichimatsu left the room, Jyushimatsu's smile faded and he looked at the floor. He wasn't lying. He didn't see the person, didn't exactly remember what was said. But he knew the voice had scared him, knew he somehow recognized it. He never did place it though, before he completely blacked out. It wasn't important, they didn't hurt him. Or...?
Jyushimatsu let his hand reach behind him, his fingers lightly tracing the ripped fabric of his uniform, as well as the large cut that ran from between his shoulder blades, all the way down to his pant line. O-Oh...biting his lip, the fifth brother sniffed quietly as tears welled up in his eyes. Scary...it was scary!
"I've got the...kit..." Ichimatsu frowned as he found Jyushimatsu crying softly once again, large tears falling from his eyes, his fingers tracing the cut on his back. Sighing, the purple Matsu walked over, dropping to his knees and pulling his little brother to his chest once again. "Its okay, its fine. Everything's going to be fine."
Jyushimatsu buried his face into his brother's chest, nodding in understanding. Yes, everything would be fine. Ichimatsu was going to make sure of it.
Jyushimatsu ran through the park, gathering up all of the baseballs he had batted away. They were scattered all over the place, so finding them was difficult. It was okay though, Jyushimatsu was happy to run all through the park. Humming happily, the yellow Matsu practically lunged behind a nearby bush, bending over to snatch up yet another ball and dropping it into the small bucket he carried with him.
"Oh, what's this. You're not who I was looking for, are you?"
Jyushimatsu stood straight again, not even acknowledging the words. He was too focused, counting the baseballs in his bucket. Ah, only a few more to find! Beaming, the fifth brother went to carry on with his search, before hot breath on his neck stopped him.
"Ignoring me? That's awfully rude. Didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?" The voice hissed into his ear, and Jyushimatsu suddenly felt something sharp pressed into the small of his back. "Now, which one...? Oh, the number 14? That gives it away, I guess."
Jyushimatsu didn't move, swallowing thickly. Who was this? It sounded like they knew who he was, but he couldn't place who the voice belonged to. It did sound familiar. In fact, it made him feel really nervous all of a sudden. The sharp point suddenly dragged up his back lightly, not cutting, but it made a chill crawl along his spine. "W-What are you doing?" He whimpered.
"This seems familiar, doesn't it? You were just like all your other brothers. None of you ever knew how to behave." The voice growled out. Jyushimatsu felt his heart rate pick up suddenly, thudding in his chest noisily. "And when you were bad, it was only natural that I had to punish you. Surely you remember?"
Jyushimatsu's eyes glazed over at the somehow familiar words, just as the sharp object pressed into his back hard enough that it cut through his shirt and drew blood. "N-No...I...don't...!" He whimpered, tears welling up in his eyes. Suddenly, he felt really far away. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." He babbled, gasping as the pain spread further along his back. Further down...further down...
"Haha! You DO remember, huh? We had so much fun! I missed all of you, so much!" The voice laughed, pressing the weapon deeper, dragging it farther down.
"Nii-san...Nii-san...! ICHIMATSU-NIISAN!" Jyushimatsu screamed, the voice cursing loudly and he was suddenly shoved away. They were still at the park, out in public where every one could see them. "HELP ME, NII-SAN! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE! Don't leave me...don't...help me...!"
"Tch, you little bastard. Whatever." The voice let out a chuckle, the sound of grass crunching resounding through Jyushimatsu's distant mind as they hurried away from the scene in front of them. "There will be plenty of time for more later. I had fun today. Let's play again soon, Jyushimatsu."
Jyushimatsu sobbed as they left, his eyes wide and frantic as he looked at his surroundings. Danger! Danger! He needed to go, needed to go home! Why wasn't he already home? Dropping the bucket he held so happily earlier, the yellow Matsu ran towards home, towards safety, screaming for his brother the whole way home.
His brother was just a little too late.