In the third universe, Matsuyo named their youngest child Choromatsu, considering he had decided to appear in the Matsuno family a month and a bit more before what the doctors believed. It was not what his family wanted for him, as nothing was prepared for his coming. His mother and family were worried, oh so worried for him. But things are what they are, and they had to move on.
His existence brought a revolution on the Matsuno household, as the youngest males living there realized how fucking terrible they were when they were like him. At his tender three years old, Choromatsu was the terror of his street and people commented that he just needed to be five to be the Antichrist to the entire Akatsuka City. His mischievous attacks had all qualities the older Matsuno had when they were known as the 'terror children', something that made him six times more destructive, and all people who remembered the quintuplets tender years could only shiver at Choromatsu's very sight. He ran everywhere, punched other children, destroyed all the neighborhood flower pots no matter what were their size, threw rocks to defenseless animals and his energy seemed to be boundless. It was kind of sad, his face only had a smile when he was doing mischief, and that smile differed to the one he used so much of when he was near his parents they didn't realize how bad the little green boy was.
His parents, accustomed as they were with their own, paid no mind to what Choromatsu did and only made him stop when they received enough complaints in a week, something that led them to the cure of all problems, a strong bonk on the head. Their motto was "when they are older they would only be able to remember their actions" before with his older brothers, so they figured the same rules were bound to Choromatsu. But the quintuplets felt something odd about it. It didn't felt right for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that he did it all alone? Infinite energy felt something like only the five of them as one (or right now, just Jyushimatsu seemed to have) could have, and that meant they fed energy to each other, so they felt invincible.
But there was also no reason to see it as something else, so, as they couldn't think of a good reason, they did what they were best at and decided to let it pass.
That background rule worked nicely for them even when little Choro started to be rude against his brothers. Osomatsu found it funny of course, the big oaf still had the mind of a child, and even encouraged him to do more. Put some strength on that kicks! He would scream while the little boy kicked Karamatsu in the shin. He would laugh when he dropped Totty's favourite cherry lipstick to the trash.
But he didn't laugh when the affected was him.
"Aaaugh! You little brat!" – He screamed when Choromatsu had bit his arm, much alike a a feral thing on the jungle would, eyes furious and teeth and claws sharp enough to make his prey unable to escape. With a kick, Osomatsu was able to push his little brother to the floor, but that obviously attracted the rest's attention.
"You don't talk bad about my Nyaa-chan, you pig!" – Little Choromatsu roared with a fury that was getting habitual in his body.
"You don't get to call the national treasure pig and be unharmed, brat! Lemme show you how much bites hurt!"
By the time everyone was reunited on the TV room – running after the screams and wails - both brothers were biting each other, in a pathetic exchange of lame punches and swear words.
"Osomatsu, stop this very instant!" – His mother screamed, it worked most of the times and with the cool iron tone she sported she was sure they would stop. And it worked for Osomatsu, yeah, but Choromatsu, still enraged and red in the face, decided to pick his brother's eyes the very moment the oldest stopped handling his arms, to kick his mother's knee – something to which she yowled and grabbed her knee in a very cartoonish way - and run as fast as he could from the house.
In between the shouts of "Mommy are you alright!?" "FFFUCKING BRAT!" and related, adding also the ones to begin the search for the little brat they had tolerated until he crossed the line, Ichimatsu planned to slip out to enjoy the sun bath he was planning to have since that morning. He didn't really care about little Choro, why should he? They were the same when they were children, he would end just as shitty as them and no one seemed to care about their state unless money was mentioned, so, at the end, why all the hypocrisy now? Better to left them fume all day, he was sure things were going to be the same in a day or two.
One, two steps out the noisy bag of angry cats he called family, and the window was so close! But of course, the universe confabulated against his will, and his stealth cover was stopped by his father, who had a serene face and a hand on his shoulder.
The world behind them continued prattling, but their moment was undisturbed by them.
Huh, strange, that.
"What"
"Ichimatsu, I'll need your help"
"… On what."
...
Moments later, he was on the street, wandering aimlessly and damning the goddamn sun, who decided to appear to fuck his eyes with its enormous roundness full of shine. What a bastard, he should had been sleeping on his dearest spot in the roof, with a cat at his side, not searching for a feral cat being burnt by the brilliant orb in the sky. But then again, his father's words had been quite serious. He still could not believe the strangely calm conversation they had, not less that it was with Matsuzo, their father, the man they knew as panicky and long suffering, not a man who was able to tell him how much they needed his help and that Ichi himself was able to believe it.
...
"You see, Ichimatsu, I know you know all the little nooks and crannies this street has, y-you even know how to become a cat to be with all those creatures! I know you will be able to find our Choromatsu, so, please, can you help us?"
Ichi made a face as if thinking about it, to then show his father his tongue. "Ahh, yes, I could. But I also could not do it, I don't want to be involved in the whacking that child is going to receive when he comes home"
"He doesn't need a beating, Osomatsu already gave him one and now you see—" – Matsuzo derailed his tone a bit, to then point at the raps the red-clad Matsuno received on his head by his mother, angered with a good reason. "I'm sure he received all punched we had for this month"
"… So, if YOU are the ones tired of trying to rectify that kid, are you trying to send ME to try?"
"No no, it's not that."
What? Ichimatsu found himself a bit more annoyed at how the conversation was turning, Why would they need him then? "Then explain yourself better" – He said, in a tone that could've easily been a hiss.
"Ah, uh… it's just… I believe that kid is hiding something under all that rage, and I-I see how you are now and how you were back then—you know, Jyushimatsu told me all—"
"Ah" – Goddammit Jyushimatsu! Why did you do that! But still, how perceptive of his papa was that idea, it was something Ichi would never neither ideate nor put altogether. How much Matsuzo was hiding of his mom and them all?
"Right now you are easily more sociable than what you were some time ago, and I'm sure you are the only one who can get what he has on his chest. The other option was Osomatsu, but I had forgotten how much of a stupid child he still is."
"…"
"Just try to talk to him as your brother talked to you that day, I'm sure you'll be able to do something."
...
The cat lover had to admit that the very thought of his father considering him someone useful, not just a bunch of trash made person, was the only thing he needed to get up and help in the search for his brother.
He had been happy that moment, and right now that was the only thought that kept him in movement even if the goddamn sun was killing him. He clapped his cheeks, to keep his focus on what led him on the third alleyway of their long street. At least there was almost no sun there, and he knew the cat family who lived there so it wasn't that worrying. Still, he could feel some strange sounds with the purple cat ears that sprouted out his hair
Those sounds were very much alike to sobs. And not from any person, judging by the cheap shoes Choromatsu used coming out from a big eroded box near him. When Ichimatsu went near the box, the shoe was thrown to him, not landing where it should and it hit the narrow street instead.
"D-don't come near me *sob*"
"Hmm, nope. Not that I – nor you - have any choice on this matter. Move up" –Choromatsu moved a bit from the tiny space left on the box, so Ichimatsu could sit beside him.
Some minutes passed and nothing happened. The youngest brother looked at the third, suspicious, while cleaning his runny nose and hiding his almost inaudible sobs with his hoodie. Ichimatsu looked as distant as ever, not even looking at his side, just taking the apathetic route that went so well with him.
Unable to be quiet for more than 5 minutes, Choromatsu was the first to talk.
"Are they gonna hit me?"
"I don't think so"
"But I was-" A sharp sob cut the phrase, and little Choro had to dry his eyes before starting again – "B-bad today, I even kicked mom"
Ichimatsu smirked "M' glad to see you're still able to know what's good and what's bad. But no, I'm… not here for punishment… unless you want to, of course."
It seemed that these weren't the words Choromatsu was looking for, as the purple clad brother saw how Choromatsu decided to hide his face I between his knees, muttering a faint "I don't believe you, not one bit". But which way could he make him listen…? Not that he was any good with words anyways.
But when that happened, he maybe needed a friend.
So he stood up, made a small signal with his hand which Choromatsu followed – a bit astonished that he still had not decided to "make him beg" or whatever his sadistic brother had in his demonic mind, but still decided to be behind enough so his brother's (possible) rage could not touch him. Little time did pass until they got in a place the younger hadn't seen before on his little travels down the street. It was a dead end, full of trashcans and bags, boxes and what not. Very dirty and a place he wouldn't like to see any other time of the day, if it weren't by the many cats that roamed that little space.
There were so many! So different, so cute! They remembered him to his favourite heroine on the TV, Nyaa-chan the Fantastic Cat when she was in cat form.
"Hey kiddo, come with me"
Ichi had already sit down near to something Choromatsu couldn't see very well, until he got near enough to see a very ugly veteran cat, who hissed at his sight. It received well all ministrations given by his older brother, but Choro was sure he was one of the cats h had thrown rocks once. Maybe Ichi did want him to cry more, judging by his smile.
"You see this cat? Try to touch it"
Choromatsu shook his head in fear. "I- I can't, he looks scary"
"Hmph, yet you still broke the Grandma Bulldog vases? Liar, you can try it. Just don't put him that pitiful face and show him your hand"
"And what if he eats me?"
"I'll be by your side"
Cautiously, the little boy put his hand near to the ugly cat, trying to put a straight face and ogling Ichi for any reaction. Kind of amused, the cat stopped hissing and started to smell the kid's hand, to then rub his head and back against it. "How soft!" - Exclaimed Choromatsu, happy that the cat had forgiven him, and touched him slightly, with his brother looking at them if something happened.
Minutes later, Choromatsu seemed calmer and happier than he had been seen in – days? Months? Who knows at this point. Not him, of course.
A small voice got Ichimatsu out of his thoughts, and saw Choromatsu petting the ugly cat, who decided it was a good time for sprawling on the cute boy's hoodie.
"You know… I listened to you some time ago… I listened how you said you didn't want me here with you"
'Ah, fuck. How did we get into this mess? It seems that Chibita was right all along with all the 'you are only trouble' shit' "Uh…"
"And I told mom this and… she said I maybe should prove myself? I guess? So I remembered how she told me all this stories of how you were when you were like me, and… its nice, it feels good to be naughty, but it makes me so angry, I dunno why" – He shrugged. "All what I do or not, you still hate me."
To stop his trembling lips, Ichimatsu found no better way to put his hand over his brother hair, much like Osomatsu had done with him so many times. Petting and scratching as if he were a cat, the feel of the light hair as all kids his age had felt so nice in between his fingers. Choromatsu had calmed himself a bit too, feeling very warm all of a sudden.
"Y-you… could try to tell us next time you are angered by that. We are older, but we still are no better than you."
"B-but-"
"We are also big babies, we are still learning how to be big brothers, or at least, trying to grow up." – And that was nothing but the truth, Ichimatsu thought to himself. "It hasn't worked for a while, so we can be still very mean. But you are intelligent, and – uh – maybe can try to tell us instead of kicking dogs and cats."
"I don't believe you! Everyone will keep on hating me! Mom hasn't helped also…" – Choromatsu cried, in the softest voice he could so the cat on his legs would not get away.
"… Well, we can't be perfect, don't you think? But now, you've listened to me. I-I can be by your side. Just – uh – don't try to piss me off."
"I don't really understand… but thank you Ichi-nii"
And the hug that came later was reciprocated, very solely but steady.
Ichimatsu was really happy to be useful after all.
...
"Choromatsu… I talked with dad today. Now I know why he asked me. We are… very much alike."
"In how much we like cats?"
"That too"
"Maybe you could watch Nyaa-chan the Fantastic Cat with me tomorrow! She's the best cat I've ever seen!" – And both smiled at the thought. It could be sweet.
...
When they got to their home, everything happened as they did never expect. Choromatsu received a long sermon, which revealed the reason of his anger. The brothers listened all behind the tatami door, to then jumping over him and trying to make him laugh to whatever cost. They did not like to be on the wrong, but it was fine sometimes. People can commit mistakes, as shown on how their mother apologized to her kids, and told them to tell them everything so to see in how she could help.
Behind curtains, Ichimatsu and his father smiled.
At the end of the day, when all of the brothers were sleeping and their parent were on their futon too, Matsuyo was finally able to ask his husband, before falling asleep.
"So, what did you do today?" – It was obvious to see what was behind her words, and what she was implying. She was good at that game, but Matsuzo had lived enough lifetimes with her to know what answer she was looking for.
"Well… they did their best today" – He sounded proud, not that his spouse could actually see the smile on his face with all the lights off, but she could clearly feel it on his words.
"I know, I know, but I was talking about you, Matsuzo, I saw you talking with Ichi today. What did you do to them?"
"… I did my best too."
His smile couldn't have been clearer, even when it was impossible to see it. And Matsuyo couldn't have been prouder of that.
Sometimes people commit mistakes, and you won't notice it until its very late. Other times, you notice it, but your options to fix the problem aren't the best. I guess its better to try than do anything most of the times...
Here I am, trying to write this. I hope you like it, I like lots this both guys. Cat bonding, hiding their feelings in aggressive behaviour... so great.
4 and 5 come next, stay tuned!
Thanks you for your reviews also. This is for the person who wanted their episode as fast as possible. I was working so I couldn't write last week, but here it is.
