Haunted by the Past

by Ixcalia

It was inevitable, Osomatsu knew. It started with Choromatsu's seemingly random panic attack, and then just spiraled out of control. Worst of all, his little brothers can't even pinpoint what's scaring them. Little glimpses of cloth, a voice, metal glinting in the light...its not much to go by, but Osomatsu is determined to make everything okay. He'll take care of his brothers.

3. Chapter 3

Man, I've been so focused on updating on AO3, I haven't paid any attention to the story on this account! Sorry about that! ^^; I'll do my best to get it caught up on here too, though I'll probably release the chapters I have a few days apart. Again, sorry about the delay and I hope you enjoy!

---

Chapter 3:

"So someone did hurt him."

The six brothers were sitting around their table, though Jyushimatsu was currently leaning against Ichimatsu fast asleep. The day had just been too stressful for the poor fifth brother. All of the brothers looked between one another seriously, hoping someone had some kind of idea or suggestion as to who had targeted Jyushimatsu (and possibly Choromatsu, but they couldn't be sure).

Jyushimatsu had at first pleaded that Ichimatsu keep quiet about it, insisted he didn't want to worry anybody, but Ichimatsu had to explain that there was no way he could keep quiet. The others had already seen the blood and if they didn't discuss it, then another brother could potentially be hurt. Needless to say, Jyushi was quick to cave.

"Maybe it was just a robbery gone wrong? I mean, why would anyone target us?" Todomatsu shrugged, looking down to his phone. He didn't like that Jyushimatsu had gotten hurt, but the idea that someone was after them didn't seem feasible. It sounded more like paranoia. The last two days had been stressful, so maybe it was getting to them. "They were talking about a lot of robberies happening in the park lately. Mostly at night, but maybe someone was feeling brave today. Jyushimatsu does come off as a pretty easy target."

"If it were just a simple robbery, Jyushimatsu could've handled the guy no problem! Even if he did have a weapon!" Choromatsu crossed his arms, scowling at their youngest brother. "And will you put your phone down! This is serious!" He snapped.

"Ehh, Choromatsu-niisan is being really noisy today." Todomatsu brushed off the third brother, pressing buttons on his phone lazily. In the blink of an eye, the device was suddenly no longer in his hand, and he turned to glare at the brother responsible. Surprisingly, Ichimatsu had been the one to snatch it away, glaring at the youngest coldly. "Give it back, Ichimatsu-niisan! I don't want your greasy fingers all over my phone!"

"Tch. Keep it up and I'm going to go drop it in the toilet!" The fourth brother hissed, clenching the phone tightly. They were talking about Jyushimatsu here! Someone had hurt him and Todomatsu acted as if he didn't care at all?! He really was a monster. He suddenly gave the youngest a wicked grin. "You care about this thing more than your brothers. I wonder how you'd like it if I suddenly smashed it into tiny pieces."

"Don't you dare!"

"You gonna stop me?"

"You break my phone, I swear I'll never forgive you!"

"Awe, poor little Totty wants his phone."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Both younger brothers quieted immediately, looking over at Osomatsu. The eldest looked irritated, a hand coming up to rub at his tired face. "Seriously, this is all too much. And Jyushimatsu's sleeping, so just settle down already." He sighed heavily, looking between his brothers. It bothered him that someone could potentially be targeting his little brothers, but this was also more stress than he was made to handle. His head was starting to hurt something awful too.

"Look, we're all tired." Karamatsu started, looking at Osomatsu. "Why don't we just drop it for now. We can talk about it again when we all feel up to it." He reasoned. Totty didn't need to be told twice, the youngest standing and snatching his phone from Ichimatsu with a glare, before stomping out of the room and downstairs. "Choromatsu, my brother. Would you like to join me in the kitchen? With both of us putting all of our love into the endeavor, I believe we can create something-"

"You could just ask if I want to help cook dinner!" Choromatsu groaned. Both the second and third brothers stood from their spots and left the room. "Just let me get through cooking dinner without breaking any ribs please."

Osomatsu watched after them, before slamming his head down against the table with a groan. "Ow." He whined, though he made no effort to move. Ichimatsu just stared at the eldest blankly. "I just feel like sleeping all day. My little NEET mind can't handle all of this stress." He mumbled, his words muffled into the table. Choromatsu's panic attack had been one thing, the eldest brother knew how to handle that. But Jyushimatsu's episode had blindsided him and he was completely useless.

"It was really familiar. I think I know why." Ichimatsu mumbled suddenly, getting Osomatsu's attention. The red Matsu lifted his head and looked at Ichimatsu curiously, noting the way his little brother's gaze settled sadly on Jyushimatsu. "We were all really horrible in middle school and high school, weren't we? Once we all changed, it got pretty rough."

"...Yeah, it did." Osomatsu looked down at the table, nodding. "We all really drifted apart. We rarely ever sat in the same room as each other even. But you and Jyushimatsu stayed pretty close, right?" Yeah, he remembered Jyushimatsu always sitting near Ichimatsu, babbling about his day, even if he wasn't really acknowledged.

"No. We didn't."

Osomatsu looked honestly confused, a frown marring his face and an eyebrow raising curiously. "But the two of you were always together. You walked to school together, ate lunch together, sat together at home...that's more than the rest of us could say." Ichimatsu seemed frustrated suddenly, shaking his head adamantly. "Ichimatsu, did something happen back then?"

Ichimatsu grinded his teeth a bit. Could he talk about this? Could he admit to just how trashy he really was? That was a long time ago, but it was a moment in his life that he had truly regretted. "Back then, I..." The words stuck in his throat.

"Ichimatsu-niisan needs to let go of things that happened a long time ago."

Both Osomatsu and Ichimatsu looked to the yellow Matsu in surprise. Not just at the fact that he was awake, but at the wise words that came from his mouth. Ichimatsu was quick to recover though. "Who said it bothers me? I don't really care. Like you said, it was a long time ago, so whatever." It was clear that even he didn't believe his own words.

Jyushimatsu sat up, stretching a bit with a wide yawn. "Silly Nii-san! Maybe it'd help if you talked about it, huh? Tell Osomatsu-niisan everything that happened and you'll see that its fine! 'Cause its all in the past!" He beamed at his older brother, turning to face him fully.

"I...maybe I..."

"I-Ichimatsu-niisan...! You're here, I...ah, I..."

"What, you think your brother's gonna bail you out of trouble now?"

"Pfft, haha! Look at that, he just turned away!"

"W-Wait...Ichimatsu-niisan, wait! Y-You're just gonna leave me?! Nii-san, please don't! H-Help me Nii-san!"

"JUST DEAL WITH YOUR OWN PROBLEMS AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Wow, I almost feel bad. Looks like your brothers really can't stand you!"

"N-No, that's not true...Ichimatsu-niisan, please...! Don't go...! Stop it! NII-SAN!"

The words echoed through his head and he shut his mouth quickly. Shit, no, he wasn't ready to talk about it yet. "Sorry, I don't want to." He mumbled, pointedly ignoring the disappointed whine that came from Osomatsu. Jyushimatsu just smiled at him, waving his hand dismissively.

"Its okay! Completely okay! You'll be ready someday! And when you are, I'll listen and you'll know that everything's in the past!" Ichimatsu stared at his little brother, before letting out a sigh and nodding. Jyushimatsu seemed satisfied with that, at least.

"Jeeze, getting me all interested and then letting me down like that." Osomatsu leaned back on his hands, before his fingers brushed against something. Blinking, the eldest brother glanced at it, before snatching it up. It was just a magazine, nothing of interest. Except for the advertisement on the back page. "Wait, that's a perfect idea!" He laughed, practically burying his face into the page.

"What is it Osomatsu-niisan?" Jyushimatsu immediately seemed interested, clamoring over the table to peer at what had caught the eldest brother's attention. His eyes immediately lit up at what he saw. "Waaah!? Can we? Can we, Osomatsu-niisan, can we!?" He asked excitedly, bouncing up and down now. Ichimatsu was quick to pull him off of the table before the poor structure collapsed under the excited brother's weight.

Osomatsu grinned, rubbing below his nose with a laugh. "Onii-chan has some extra money left over from the races~! I guess I can spare some to take us all out. Ah, I'm such a good brother!" He chuckled, though it turned into a yelp as he was tackled into a hug by the excited fifth born. "J-Jeeze Jyushi, you could break a guy's ribs like that."

"Ahaha! Sorry Osomatsu-niisan! I'm just excited! We're gonna have fun, lots of fun!"

Ichimatsu watched the two, before snorting and smiling just a bit. If anything, he was just happy that Jyushimatsu was better, his smile and laughter having returned as if nothing had happened. But his little brother was just resilient like that. He would know.

---

"An amusement park?" Choromatsu asked incredulously, staring at the flier that his brother had ripped from the magazine. They were all seated at the table once again, eating their dinner and chatting idly amongst one another. Until Osomatsu decided to bring up his grand master plan.

"Yep~! Think about it, these last two days have been really stressful." Osomatsu nodded his head, looking thoughtful. "We're NEETs. Our job is to laze around or have fun without having to worry about responsibility. So while mom and dad are gone on vacation, we're going to take full advantage! We deserve it, after all."

"What kind of definition is that?!" Choromatsu snapped, rolling his eyes at the eldest brother's strange ideals. Osomatsu really was still such a kid. "But I guess an amusement park would be kind of...nice. The last couple of days have been a complete wreck, so getting out and having some fun might do us all some good."

"WAHOO! Amusement park! Amusement park!" Jyushimatsu cheered, waving his arms excitedly. Ichimatsu just nodded in agreement with his little brother, focusing on his dinner. If its what Jyushi wanted, he would go along with it. Not like he'd be allowed to skip out on it anyway.

"Heh. The perfect place to find my Karamatsu Girls!" Karamatsu closed his eyes and smirked, resting a hand on his chin. "Just imagine, finding myself a honey and the two of us sharing an intimate moment in the tunnel of love! Hm! I already know the perfect outfit!"

"If you so much as look at that tank top or those pants of yours, I'll burn them!" Todomatsu immediately shattered the second brother's daydream, huffing in irritation. "Just to be sure, I'll dress you tomorrow if I have to! No way am I going anywhere with you wearing that!" All the other brothers had no protests. Sighing, the youngest brother relaxed again. "As usual, Osomatsu-niisan has the best ideas."

"Then its agreed! First thing tomorrow, we're going to catch a bus and head right for the amusement park." Osomatsu grinned at his brothers, before glancing at Choromatsu. "Heh, we might need your alarm clock. If we sleep in as late as usual, we won't have enough time to have fun." He laughed. Choromatsu just rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement.

---

Ichimatsu couldn't sleep.

It wasn't that he didn't feel tired. He was exhausted. But his mind would not let him unwind long enough to sleep. Between the events of the day and all of these unwanted memories springing to the surface, he was a mess. Why couldn't he just talk about things, get it off his chest. That was a thing people did, right? There was no way he could though. It was way out of his comfort zone as it was, but this was also a touchy subject. Even talking to Jyushimatsu seemed out of the question. Even though he wanted me to, he thought wryly.

Just as he had said, middle school and high school had been the absolute worst. In elementary school, they had been united. If anyone messed with one brother, they messed with them all. Once Choromatsu broke away, it really got the ball rolling. They all started to divide, their own personalities individualizing them. They were broken and vulnerable, unsure of what to do once they stood on their own.

Sighing in exasperation, the fourth brother buried his face into his knees that were drawn to his chest. He wanted to stop thinking about it, just bury that point in their lives so deep in his brain that it would never find its way out again. Seriously, what a pain.

"I didn't think I'd find you out here. Its not often we see you out on the roof, unless Jyushi drags you out."

Ichimatsu glanced back at the eldest brother, shrugging a bit. He didn't really feel like talking, so he was a bit frustrated with his brother's appearance. It wasn't that he disliked Osomatsu's company, just that he really wanted to enjoy the quiet while he could. He had been hoping the silence would seep into his brain and quiet his annoying thoughts. A man could only hope.

"Well, anyway, don't mind me. I just wanted to get a smoke while I had the chance." Osomatsu sat just behind the purple Matsu, out of the younger brother's sight. Ichimatsu could hear as he lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, before exhaling quietly. It sounded as if all of his stress just drifted away with the smoke. The younger brother was jealous.

A comfortable silence settled between them, the only sound being Osomatsu's occasional inhales and exhales. Frankly, Ichimatsu was grateful for it. The oldest brother was being considerate and it almost seemed like he wasn't there. Out of sight, out of mind, right? It made him relax a bit.

"If you need to talk about anything, now would be a good time. If you don't have to look at me, maybe it'd be easier." Osomatsu commented nonchalantly. Ichimatsu immediately tensed, gritting his teeth a bit. Meddling eldest brother! "Hey, I'm just saying. Not like I would judge you. We've all done some pretty shitty stuff in the past. But you know..." Osomatsu trailed off, a small smile on his face now. Ichimatsu took the chance to glance back at him.

"Me and Choromatsu had a long talk last night. You know, I hate talking about stuff sometimes. When it gets all feely and shit, it really gets on my nerves. I mean, what's done is done, right? Nothing you can really do to change anything, so why let it drag you down." Osomatsu laughed, rubbing a finger under his nose. "Choromatsu really got me talking though. Dunno why, but I just started rambling. It felt good to talk about it."

"I'm not you." Ichimatsu muttered, looking back to the street below. "I can't just come out and say what's on my mind to anyone I talk to. Talking to Jyushimatsu's hard enough. That's why I'm always glad when he just seems to understand on his own." After all, his thoughts tended to be a dark place, a mangled mess. Half the time, he didn't understand them himself.

"What's it like, being able to read each other like that? Can you guys seriously hear each other's thoughts, or what?" Osomatsu asked, genuinely curious. All of the brothers had noticed how the two seemed to speak through little looks and nudges. It always fascinated Osomatsu.

"What? No." Ichimatsu looked back at Osomatsu, as if his older brother had grown a second head. "How would we? That doesn't even make any sense, idiot." Osomatsu just grinned sheepishly at him. "Jyushimatsu seems better at it then me, but sometimes I just get these weird...feelings. Like if he's upset or if he's hurt, I sometimes get a strange chill, then I just know. Doesn't always work like that though, obviously."

"You can't always be there to protect him. You're not blaming yourself for what happened are you? Because if you are, then you're the idiot here." The eldest brother moved further down the roof, until he was sitting right beside Ichimatsu, his cigarette resting between his lips. "Seriously, even if you had sensed it or whatever, it would've already have happened. Jyushimatsu sure as hell doesn't blame you. He was just happy you came home to help him."

Ichimatsu stared at Osomatsu with his blank stare, thinking over the words. Jyushimatsu HAD invited him along to the park, but he had refused. Still though, if it had been avoided today, whose to say it wouldn't have happened later? But that's not exactly what bothered him. "I broke a promise I made to myself."

"Huh?" Osomatsu tilted his head at the sudden admission, raising an eyebrow as he flicked his now spent cigarette away. He exhaled the remaining smoke, at least making sure he directed it away from his younger brother. "What promise?" He asked.

"I promised I wouldn't let anyone hurt him again." Ichimatsu mumbled, resting his chin on his knee. Ah, why was he even telling his brother this? Not that it mattered, he was sure that everyone noticed how protective he tended to be of Jyushimatsu.

Osomatsu immediately leaned forward, furrowing his brow and looking at Ichimatsu's face. "Wait, what do you mean again? Did something happen to Jyushimatsu before?" He pushed, frowning when Ichimatsu narrowed his eyes and looked away. "Hey, don't clam up on me! Who hurt Jyushimatsu?"

"Its...its nothing. It was a long time ago." Ichimatsu cursed his slip of tongue. Of course Osomatsu would push the topic; the eldest brother had always felt some kind of responsibility for them. Not always, Ichimatsu reminded himself quickly. But regardless of the past, Osomatsu undoubtedly loved his brothers.

"Its not nothing! If someone hurt Jyushimatsu, in the past or present, I deserve to know!" Osomatsu snapped, moving so that he was in front of Ichimatsu now. He gripped the younger's shoulders in a tight grip, shaking him lightly. "You know you're not the only one who wants to protect him, right? He's my little brother too, you all are! But I can't help if I don't know!"

Ichimatsu tensed in his brother's grip, looking away. Shit, shit, shit...he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't want to talk about it, he wasn't comfortable with it. But Osomatsu was his oldest brother and even if he wasn't always reliable, he was supportive. He could trust Osomatsu with this, right?

"I-It was..." Ichimatsu's voice was shaky, as he started to speak. Osomatsu seemed to notice and he quickly let go of his brother, noticing how fidgety he suddenly seemed. Ichimatsu swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing himself to continue. "When we were in our last year of middle school, that was when we all really fell apart. Choromatsu was focused on his studies, Todomatsu always wanted to hang out with his new friends all the time, Karamatsu was starting to get curious about the drama shit, and you were always starting fights with everyone."

Osomatsu nodded in agreement, rubbing his neck lightly. It was true. After Choromatsu had distanced himself and all of the other brothers started pulling away as well, he had been more than a little angry. He shut them out, but that didn't help with the anger. So he picked fights over petty things, releasing his anger in the only way he really knew how. But Ichimatsu wasn't one to talk. "Yeah, but as I recall, you weren't much better. You got into fights too and you skipped school whenever you could." He pointed out.

"Mm. I hated school, I didn't want anything to do with that place. The classes were boring and the other kids were just..." Cruel. Intolerable. Demeaning. Shaking his head to disperse the thoughts, he continued. "Once we all separated, that left me and Jyushimatsu open. I was bullied and made fun of because I was quiet and they thought I was weird. But we didn't grow up just letting people get the best of us. So, naturally, I fought back. Jyushimatsu only made things worse, because he just wouldn't stand up for himself."

"Jyushimatsu used to be such a crybaby. It doesn't surprise me." Osomastsu smiled uneasily, watching as his brother's eyes turned darker with every word. Ichimatsu seemed lost in the memories, his fists clenching and unclenching as he mulled over his words.

"He was. And he was clingy. He always wanted to be around me, but I realized that I couldn't allow that. It gave the other kids more fuel to bully us, not to mention I had to deal with the ones that preferred to pick on him. Because of him, more and more people joined in. I couldn't take it anymore. I tried to push Jyushimatsu away, I started fighting more. People started to leave me alone." Ichimatsu paused, taking a deep breath. He was preparing himself for something big, Osomatsu knew. "And then, I did something unforgivable."

It was one of the rare days that Ichimatsu actually showed up to school. He didn't want to, but his mom had received a call from the school, complaining about his constant absence. So he had no choice now, but to suffer through the rest of his 9th grade year.

He had snuck out of class, the first chance he got. He just wanted to go outside, maybe have a smoke. Maybe find a stray cat. Anything but listen to the teacher go on about shit he could care less about. Why did it matter anyway? He had done enough to pass for the year. They just needed to leave him alone now!

Sudden laughter caught Ichimatsu's attention, and he paused. There was a space between two buildings of the school, resembling a sort of alleyway. It wasn't super big, but it could fit five or six kids and still hide them from view. It was where a lot of kids tended to sneak off for a cigarette, him included. In fact, it was where he was headed, but now he wasn't so sure.

A pained cry sounded out over the laughter, giving Ichimatsu further pause. It wasn't as if he particularly cared, but he was definitely curious. Giving in, the teen snuck closer to the sounds, peering around the corner and watching. He had expected to see a fight, probably one-sided by the sounds. What he didn't expect was to see his own little brother being pinned to the wall by three other boys, being punched and kicked without mercy.

Large tears were streaming down Jyushimatsu's face, his wide eyes staring at his attackers with fear. Blood was running down his face from his nose and a large gash near his temple. That was just what Ichimatsu could see. He couldn't see the multiple bruises that probably ran along Jyushi's chest and stomach, or along his arms and shoulders. The boy was pleading with them, begging for them to let him go, but they just laughed in his face.

He wasn't sure what pushed him to do it, but the next thing Ichimatsu knew, he was standing in the alley with his hands in his pockets, just watching the scene unfold without a care. He didn't care. Jyushimatsu should've fought back, then maybe this wouldn't have happened to him. It was his own fault that he was in this mess, he should get himself out of it.

It didn't take long for them to notice him though. The three boys sneered at him and tightened their grip on Jyushimatsu, while Jyushimatsu's eyes lit up hopefully. Really, what was that look? Did he honestly expect him to help?

"I-Ichimatsu-niisan...! You're here, I...ah, I..." A small, shaky smile appeared on the abused teen's face as he stared at his brother. He had hoped and hoped that one of his brother's would find him, and here Ichimatsu stood! The smile quickly vanished though as his main abuser kneed him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. The other two made sure to hold his arms firmly.

"What, you think your brother's gonna bail you out of trouble now?" The teen who had kneed him laughed, before grinning at Ichimatsu. "Well, how about it? You gonna come save your 'baby brother'?" He taunted. Ichimatsu narrowed his eyes at him, but didn't bother to say anything.

It wouldn't be hard to save Jyushimatsu. He wasn't the best fighter in the family, but he was not to be taken lightly. But he couldn't help but think it wasn't worth it. Why give them a reason to target him? Then it occurred to him; this was a perfect opportunity. This would put the nail in coffin, so to speak. All he had to do was walk away, ignore his brother, and Jyushimatsu would finally get the hint.

They weren't friends. They weren't going to stick together like before. He didn't want him around.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't hesitate, but he forced himself to turn away anyway. Through the laughter of the bullies, he was pretty sure he heard a choked gasp. "Pfft, haha! Look at that, he just turned away!" He heard one of the other boys laugh at his retreating figure.

"W-Wait...Ichimatsu-niisan, wait! Y-You're just gonna leave me?! Nii-san, please don't! H-Help me Nii-san!" The fear in his brother's voice was growing, he sounded desperate. Something inside of him was twisting uncomfortably, telling him to rush back and free his little brother. No, he wouldn't. Screw all of them, it wasn't his job to babysit. A shaky sob was the final straw.

"JUST DEAL WITH YOUR OWN PROBLEMS AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ichimatsu yelled, his voice holding nothing but spite. Everything became silent after his outburst, and with a shaky breath, Ichimatsu continued on, just wanting to distance himself from everything. No, he wasn't guilty. He didn't feel bad. But then, why did he suddenly feel like he was going to be sick.

"Wow, I almost feel bad. Looks like your brothers really can't stand you!" Ichimatsu heard as he turned the corner. Another cry sounded out, followed by a sob. Shit, he had never heard his brother sound so broken.

"N-No, that's not true...Ichimatsu-niisan, please...! Don't go...! NII-SAN!"

That scream was going to haunt him forever.

The two brothers sat in silence, Ichimatsu staring at his feet while Osomatsu processed everything. At some point, the dam had broken and Ichimatsu had angry tears running down his face. Osomatsu would be lying if he said his face wasn't wet. But how was he supposed to react to this, what should he say?

"After that..." Ichimatsu croaked out, rubbing at his eyes. "He didn't come home until late that night. His arm was broken, he had cracked ribs...mom had a fit." That's right, Osomatsu remembered his little brother breaking his arm. He had asked what happened in passing, not really even caring enough to hear his answer. "But he left me alone. For a little while."

"Shit, I...I didn't even know the two of you were bullied in school. I knew you started getting into fights, but I never bothered to look into it." Osomatsu looked guilty, watching his little brother sadly. "I can't even really be angry about what you did. We were all guilty of abandoning one another."

"Not Jyushimatsu. He worked the hardest to fix everything." Osomatsu looked at him questioningly, so Ichimatsu continued. "Like I said, he only left me alone for a bit. But once he started coming around again, he had this huge, fake smile on his face all the time. Pissed me off even more."

"The beginning of our tenth year in school! That's why he suddenly changed!" Osomatsu looked surprised. They had investigated Jyushimatsu's change once by searching their photo albums, but even though they saw when the change occurred, it didn't explain why. Ichimatsu nodded slightly.

"It was like he suddenly decided that growing up was too hard and he just reverted into a little kid again. When he started with that stupid smile, people started leaving him alone. It either freaked them out or they thought it was funny. Before long, it went from being fake to just being...Jyushimatsu." Ichimatsu explained, wiping at his face to dry his damp cheeks. Osomatsu nodded in understanding. Ichimatsu had told Jyushi to deal with things himself, so he had.

"Then he started trying to hang around me again." Ichimatsu smiled wryly all of a sudden. "At one point, I even tried to punch him. He just dodged and laughed, then next thing I knew we were in a full blown wrestling match. And then I was in an octopus hold. I still don't know where he learned that." Osomatsu laughed quietly at that.

"So things started getting better between you then, right?" He asked, moving so that he was now touching shoulders with the purple matsu. Ichimatsu nodded a bit, reluctantly shifting to lean his head against the eldest brother's shoulder. All of this emotional stuff was apparently starting to wear him down.

"Maybe a little. It wasn't until our eleventh year that it really started to get better. I had gotten into a fight I couldn't win..."

"You stupid...piece of...shit!" Each word was punctuated by a fist to the face. Ichimatsu saw spots dance along his vision, but he didn't stop his thrashing. He wasn't just going to lay here and take it, but he just couldn't get free from their grasps. One against seven had been a stupid idea. What was he thinking? That's right, he wasn't.

One guy was sitting on his legs, two others holding his arms. The other four were punching and kicking him wherever they could hit. One guy was even straddling his chest so that he could aim right at his face. Thankfully his punches weren't exactly good, though they still hurt like hell. Growling, Ichimatsu spit the blood that was welling up in his mouth into his face.

That earned him another punch and pain shot through his nose. Shit, was his nose broken? Probably. "You're really fuckin' stupid, aren't you!" The teen snapped, wiping the blood from his face. Ichimatsu just glared, jerking his arms in another attempt to get free.

"Eh, this doesn't seem fair..." A familiar voice caught Ichimatsu's attention and his eyes widened slight. No way this was happening right now. "Ooh, ooh! I have an idea! Let me play too!"

"Er, you're...Todomatsu?"

"No way dude, look at that stupid grin! Its the retarded brother, Jyushimatsu." All of them snickered at the insult. Ichimatsu felt his blood boil and he didn't even understand why. He didn't care about his brothers, so why get worked up over an insult to one of them?

"Seriously, does it look like we're playing?" Ichimatsu felt a sharp kick to his ribs and couldn't hold in a pained gasp. "Seriously, just get lost you freak. Unless you wanna be our punching bag too!"

Silence was the only response and Ichimatsu felt himself deflate a little. What, had he been getting hopeful? No, of course not. Besides, wasn't this what he deserved after the incident back in 9th grade. Jyushimatsu was probably laughing it up, enjoying his revenge. Maybe he even wanted to join in, wanted to beat the shit out of him until-

A scream tore from someone's throat and Ichimatsu finally found his right arm free. He didn't even hesitate to curl his fingers into a fist and punch the guy that had been sitting on his chest. The blow was strong enough to knock him off of the purple Matsu, and he scrambled to get to his feet. His other arm and legs were quickly freed as well, the other boys jumping away and looking ready for a fight.

Ichimatsu got to his feet sluggishly, his entire body aching from the abuse. He wasn't sure how well he could fight, but he sure as hell wasn't just going to leave it alone. But their eyes weren't on him at all. Instead, they stared behind him with mounting looks of horror on their face.

Ichimatsu turned quickly, eyes widening just a fraction at what he saw. Jyushimatsu had both the boy's arms twisted back, the bones no doubt at their breaking point. One wrong move and both arms would snap. And it looked like it took no effort at all for the yellow Matsu to manage, his smile just as big on his face as usual. Was this really his little brother that had cried and called out for his help that day? What had happened in two years?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" One of the teens snapped at Jyushimatsu, fists clenched and ready. "This wasn't even any of your business! Do you want us to mess you up?" Jyushimatsu just stared at them with bright eyes, tilting his head a bit. Ichimatsu wiped some blood from his face, watching his younger brother warily.

"Uhm, well you can try. But you'd have to actually come closer first!" Jyushimatsu laughed, releasing the boy's arms suddenly so that he was sent sprawling onto the ground. Jyushimatsu beamed at them, waving them over. "C'mon! C'mon! We'll have lots of fun!"

Ichimatsu glared. "Are you stupid?!" He snapped, just as the other six boys rushed forward, fists raised and ready to strike at the yellow Matsu. Jyushimatsu didn't react right away, not until the first teen was right in front of him. He leaned to the left, and then the right, before bending backwards, dodging each blow that was sent at him. What was most unsettling was that he laughed the entire time, enraging the boys more and more.

Ichimatsu was admittedly fascinated. His brother was so fast and predicted every swing and kick with ease. All while smiling. What was his little brother!? Next thing Ichimatsu knew, all movement suddenly halted, Jyushimatsu gripping one of the boy's fists tightly in his hand. The same boy that had been relentlessly beating his face, Ichimatsu noticed. Apparently his grip was strong, because the teen was wincing and grinding his teeth.

"Hey. Its my turn now, isn't it? I really wanna play too!" Jyushimatsu hummed, staring directly into the other boy's eyes. His smile suddenly seemed strained and his eyes held something dangerous that made the others take a few steps back. Was that guy shaking? Maybe he'd piss himself. Ichimatsu almost wanted to laugh at the idea.

Tightening his grip on the guy's fist, Jyushimatsu suddenly reeled his other arm back and swung, his fist smashing into the teen's nose with enough force to send the the guy flying back a few feet. He fell to the ground unmoving, blood already flowing freely from his nostrils. He was out cold. Everyone just stared.

In a sudden flurry of movement, the others quickly grabbed their friend and rushed away, spewing apologies and begging for mercy. Jyushimatsu didn't follow though, his body relaxing as he bounced in place, his smile returning to normal. "Ah, they're done already? Oh well, we can play again later if they want!" He laughed, flapping his hand a bit.

Ichimatsu watched them go, before turning his attention to his little brother. His head hurt, his face hurt, 'his whole body hurt'. Even though he wanted to walk away and ignore this, he didn't think his body would let him. His legs were already wobbling a bit. So what should he do?

"You should go to the nurse, Ichimatsu-niisan." Jyushimatsu turned his attention to his brother, walking over and looking him over. "Ahaha! You look really bad! Silly! Silly Nii-san! Getting into a fight like that was super silly!" Jyushimatsu laughed, but Ichimatsu could see the underlying worry in those eyes.

"I didn't need your help." Ichimatsu growled out, taking a step back. He internally congratulated himself for not collapsing right there. "I could've handled it...why did you bother?" Jyushimatsu's expression didn't change at all. He simply stared at the older brother. "Hey, answer me! Why did you bother helping me, idiot!" He snapped.

Jyushimatsu let out an exasperated sigh, his pupils dilating as he stared at his brother. Frankly, his eyes reminded Ichimatsu strongly of a cat somehow. "Ugh! Nii-san's being really, REALLY silly today!" He huffed, grabbing his brother's arm and pulling it over his shoulder, guiding the injured Matsu back towards the school. "Didn't you hear what I said? You need to go to the nurse!"

Ichimatsu squirmed a bit, but Jyushimatsu had a solid grip on him. Why did Jyushimatsu just completely ignore his question like that? Sure, Ichimatsu ignored him all the time, but it wasn't supposed to be the other way around. Damn Jyushimatsu, he should just go die! Scowling, Ichimatsu looked away, letting the other lead him away in silence.

After what he had done to him before, it didn't seem right that Jyushimatsu had come to save him. For the first time, he felt truly guilty. Jyushimatsu had the chance to do the same to him, abandon him to the mercy of those guys back there, but instead, he came to the rescue. And he hadn't taken a single hit! It was actually kind of scary. And...cool.

It suddenly hit Ichimatsu hard; he knew absolutely nothing about the little brother he had once considered his best friend. Of course he didn't, he had cut him out of his life almost completely! It was his own fault. The loneliness, guilt, anger, sadness...it was all his fault. If he had just stuck with Jyushimatsu, maybe things would've been different. By his own hand, he had lost his brother.

Or did he? Jyushimatsu still put effort into being near him, until Ichimatsu would finally manage to run him off. Even now, Jyushimatsu was supporting most of his weight as they wandered the school halls. Why though? Didn't Jyushimatsu hate him? Shouldn't he? It didn't make any sense!

"Hey, Ichimatsu-niisan?"

Ichimatsu's thoughts came to a halt and he blinked slowly, glancing over to his little brother. "Huh?" It was more of a grunt than an actual word, but Jyushimatsu got the idea.

"Could you tell mom I'll be late coming home? I'm gonna be in big trouble for what I did back there! I might get detention for a whole month!" Jyushimatsu's grin widened a bit and he laughed yet again, shifting Ichimatsu's arm a bit. "Don't want her to worry, right? Make sure you tell her!"

And then he looked at his big brother with that big grin of his, eyes bright as he met his gaze. That was probably the first time in forever that Ichimatsu had looked Jyushimatsu in the eyes. It killed him, just how happy that simple act seemed to make his little brother. How low had Jyushimatsu fallen, that something so simple made him happy?

"When they try to give you detention, just tell them it was me. They'll believe it." Ichimatsu found himself saying, before he could catch himself. Too late to take it back though. He deserved it anyway. Jyushimatsu shook his head quickly.

"Nope, nope! I'm gonna turn myself in! It looked like it really hurt, so its only right that I get in trouble for it. I'll apologize for hitting him too hard later." Jyushimatsu grinned wider, reaching out and knocking on the door to the nurse's office loudly. "Pardon me!"

"You're so..." Weird. Stupid. Confusing. Forgiving. Kind. There were so many ways he could finish that sentence, but no single word seemed to fit his thoughts. The door opened and the nurse stared, before she let out a startled gasp, dragging Ichimatsu into the room. She was suddenly asking a thousand questions. Ichimatsu's head spun.

"She'll take good care of you Ichimatsu-niisan!" Jyushimatsu waved from the doorway. "I'm gonna go to the office now. Don't forget to tell mom, okay?" He reminded.

Before Ichimatsu could answer, his little brother was gone.

Later that night, Jyushimatsu came home late as expected. Their mother and father were both furious, scolding him for what had happened. They said they expected that behavior from some of the brothers, but not him. Irregardless, Jyushimatsu's smile never wavered. He at least had the decency to look guilty though, apologizing for upsetting them.

"Hey, mom? Are there any snacks? I didn't get to eat lunch today because of what happened!" Jyushimatsu asked, at least having the decency to wait until AFTER he was scolded. Matsuyo let out a stressed sigh, holding her head. It was no wonder she was already completely gray. These six boys were going to be the death of her.

"Of course. I bought some imagawayaki for you all. Your half should still be on the counter." She motioned towards the kitchen. Jyushimatsu let out a happy noise and immediately rushed into the kitchen, ready to scarf down one of his favorite treats. Looking around eagerly, the teen spotted the large plate that had probably held enough for six.

It was empty.

Jyushimatsu blinked with wide eyes, searching desperately for any sign of the missing snack. He even went as far as checking under the cupboards. "Eh?! Mom, its not here!" He whined, slouching a bit in despair. He was so hungry right now!

Matsuyo came into the kitchen, looking at the empty plate and frowning, hands on her hips. "Oh, for crying out loud. I'm sorry Jyushimatsu, one of your brothers must have taken it when I wasn't looking." She apologized, lightly rubbing her son's back comfortingly. "Don't worry, I'll have dinner done soon. Try to hold out until then, okay?"

"Waaaah...no fair!" Jyushimatsu groaned, but he quickly recovered with a deep breath. "No, I'll be fine! Super fine! Muscle, Muscle! Hustle, Hustle!" He chanted, waving his arms and smiling at their mother. "Don't worry, I can wait!"

Matsuyo smiled at her son's energy, before ushering him out of the kitchen. Jyushimatsu immediately ran up the stairs and towards the bedroom, doing his best to ignore his protesting stomach.

Ever since the brothers had split apart, they all tended to have a single room they stuck to that left as little interaction with the others as possible. Osomatsu preferred the TV room, Karamatsu the roof, and Choromatsu stayed in the dining room to study. Todomatsu usually stayed out until dinner, and then he would head straight to bed. Ichimatsu switched between going out to see the cats and sitting in what used to be their playroom. And Jyushimatsu would just spend his time in their shared bedroom, trying to get his homework done and keep himself entertained.

So when Jyushimatsu opened the door to the bedroom, he was more than a little surprised to see someone else. Sitting in the corner, knees drawn to his chest, was Ichimatsu. As soon as the door opened, Ichimatsu lifted his gaze to stare at his younger brother. His face had a lot of bruising, but it wasn't swollen anymore. Jyushimatsu faltered for a moment, before beaming at his older brother.

"Ichimatsu-niisan? How come you're in here?" Jyushimatsu asked, kicking the door closed behind him. Ichimatsu didn't answer, which made Jyushimatsu fidget a bit. "Uhm...I'm really glad you told mom I was gonna be late! Thanks for remembering!"

Ichimatsu cursed himself; he was making Jyushimatsu uncomfortable. That's not what he wanted at all! But he just didn't know what to say. His mind was such a jumbled mess. Oh, right. The fourth brother reached beside himself, grabbing a plate and glass of milk, and holding it out reluctantly.

On the plate was Jyushimatsu's half of imagawayaki.

"Since you'll probably bother me anyway..." Ichimatsu trailed off, looking away, before shaking his head and clearing his throat. "I figured you could eat with me. If you want. I really don't care either way. If you don't, whatever." Shit, he was rambling now. He wanted to stay composed, but now he was falling apart.

The plate and glass was pulled from his fingers, a body settling right beside him. "You saved it for me? Thanks Nii-san!" Jyushimatsu bent his head, forcing himself into Ichimatsu's line of sight. "Of course I wanna eat with you! Ichimatsu-niisan's so silly, thinking otherwise!" He laughed, immediately taking a sip of milk. "Ah, its warm! Did you heat it up, Nii-san?"

"Isn't that how you like it...?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I guess I just haven't had it for a long time! It used to help me sleep." Jyushimatsu hummed happily, before turning his attention to the pastry on his plate. "Ooh, is that custard?! Mom got custard-filled? That almost never happens!" The boy was practically drooling now, taking an eager bite and groaning with delight.

"It was a mistake, she said." Ichimatsu watched as Jyushimatsu devoured the pastry, reaching over to grab his own plate and eating at a slower pace than his eager brother. "I made sure to get it before the others did." I figured you'd want it, was what he actually wanted to say. Jyushimatsu seemed to understand though, because he bumped his shoulder against Ichimatsu affectionately.

"Thank you then! Thank you Nii-san!" He laughed, and Ichimatsu only managed to nod. It was sort of surreal, sitting here with Jyushimatsu like this. And his brother acted as if nothing had ever happened between them, as if he had never hurt him. Ichimatsu didn't understand. Maybe he just wasn't capable of understanding. Either way, he felt sort of glad.

Jyushimatsu was practically glowing at this point, apparently happy to have company while he ate. It was something so simple, yet Ichimatsu decided that he shared the sentiment. It was kind of nice, having someone there with him. Even if said someone was pretty much holding a one-sided conversation with himself.

"Hey, Jyushimatsu?"

"Eh? What is it Nii-san?"

Ichimatsu mulled over what he wanted to say. He wanted to apologize for everything, all of his wrong doings for the last couple of years. How could he explain all of the loneliness and anger he had felt all this time? There was no choice. If he was actually going to make the effort to fix things, he had to talk to his little brother.

"I...I think I'll find you at lunch tomorrow. I guess we can sit together there too."

It wasn't at all what he wanted to say! But Jyushimatsu's smile seemed to widen even more and suddenly he was hugging Ichimatsu hard enough to cut off all air to his lungs. The older brother wheezed, fighting the urge to pry his brother away. "Really?! I'm so happy Ichimatsu-niisan! That makes me so happy!" He laughed.

Despite the lack of air, Ichimatsu felt his lips twitch a bit. For the first time in however long, he was smiling. It wasn't much, definitely nothing impressive, but it was there. "C-Can't...breathe...!" He wheezed out. Jyushimatsu immediately loosened his grip, though he didn't pull away. Much better. Sucking in a deep breath, Ichimatsu reluctantly allowed an arm to wrap around Jyushimatsu's shoulder.

He couldn't say what he wanted to. But he had a feeling that Jyushimatsu somehow understood.

"After that, I stuck around him when I could. We ate lunch together at school. Eventually, the rest of you started sitting with us too." Ichimatsu finished. He was now leaning most of his weight on Osomatsu, his eyelids drooping more than usual. Apparently, the fourth brother was at his limit. He couldn't stay awake much longer.

Osomatsu smiled slightly, glancing down at his tired brother. "It was around the end of our eleventh year, wasn't it? When we all started talking and spending time together again?" He asked, lightly nudging his brother to make sure he was still awake. Ichimatsu nodded his head lazily.

"Yeah. After you went to the hospital." Ichimatsu slurred sleepily. Osomatsu raised an eyebrow at that. When did he go to the hospital again? He didn't quite remember. It probably wasn't important, he thought. He'd remember if it was, right?

"Alright then. I'm glad you talked to be Ichimatsu. But I think we really need to get you to bed." His only answer was a quiet snore. Well, dammit. "Ugh, you're too heavy to carry off of the roof by myself!" The eldest brother whined quietly, staring down at Ichimatsu. Sighing, he couldn't help but smile. Ichimatsu had opened up to him! He was glad.

A soft sniff caught Osomatsu's attention and he quickly glanced over his shoulder. He didn't see anyone, but there was definitely someone there. "Its kind of rude to eavesdrop, don't you think?" He sighed, waiting patiently. It took a few minutes, but unsurprisingly, Jyushimatsu climbed the rest of the way out onto the roof, looking at his brothers guiltily. His eyes were red and his face had dried tear streaks on his face, but his smile had never been brighter. "Hey, hey! Were you crying? What's wrong?"

"I'm really happy. I'm so proud of Nii-san! He talked to you, he told you lots of things! It hurt him a lot to talk about it, but I think he feels better now!" Jyushimatsu rubbed at his eyes, sniffing yet again. "I'm glad he talked to you! Now maybe he can finally let things go." Osomatsu shifted slowly, grabbing Ichimatsu so that he could adjust him. Finally, he managed to turn around to face Jyushimatsu completely, Ichimatsu laying down beside him.

"You're not mad, are you? That he talked to me and not you?" Osomatsu asked, raising an eyebrow. The last thing he wanted was to find out the tears were because Ichimatsu hadn't talked to Jyushimatsu first. But the fifth brother shook his head quickly, laughing.

"Of course not, Osomatsu-niisan! It didn't matter to me who he talked to, I just wanted him to get things out! He's gone around for a long time, keeping all of that in! It was just silly teenage drama! Its about time he forgets about it." Jyushimatsu waved his hand, before bouncing over and grabbing Ichimatsu carefully. "But we should all get to bed now, right? We have to wake up early for the amusement park!"

Oh, right. Osomatsu had almost forgotten. "Maaaaan, I'm gonna be so tired tomorrow!" He groaned, but he got to his feet and moved back towards the house, watching to make sure Jyushimatsu was okay carrying Ichimatsu. The last thing he wanted was to see his two brothers tumble off of the roof. Thankfully though, they made it back inside, all unscathed. Ichimatsu was still sleeping soundly.

Chuckling, Osomatsu held a finger to his lips to remind his little brother to keep quiet, before sneaking back into their room. He went right to Ichimatsu's section of the futon, pulling the blankets back so that Jyushimatsu could lay Ichimatsu down. Once the fourth brother was all tucked in, the other two climbed into their own spots. Osomatsu took the time to glance at the clock and winced. It was already after three in the morning. They needed to be up at seven.

"Hey, Osomatsu-niisan?"

Osomatsu blinked, glancing over top of Choromatsu so that he could see Jyushimatsu. "Hm?"

Jyushimatsu hummed, looking at his brother with a truly happy expression. "You really are the best eldest brother!" He whispered loudly, before laying his head back on his pillow and closing his eyes. Osomatsu blinked slowly at the compliment, before grinning a bit. On the inside, he was soaring.

"Trust me, I know." He teased quietly, before laying back and closing his eyes as well. "Just get some sleep, Jyushimatsu."

Once again, snores were the only thing that answered him.

---

"We're so late! We're gonna miss the bus!"

"Ah, brother, if we just hurry-"

"Its your fault for sleeping in Osomatsu-niisan!"

"Isn't it too early to run...?"

"Ahaha! Come on Nii-san, run faster! Faster!"

"We're not too far from the bus, just keep running!"

The six brothers ran down the street as fast as their legs would carry them, a few looking more worn than others. They had three minutes to get to the bus stop, a journey that would usually take at least seven minutes. Maybe the bus would be a few minutes late today or something would stall it until they got there. "There's no way we're gonna make it!" Osomatsu groaned, though he didn't stop.

"Oh! Oh! I can get us there in time!" Everyone paused for a second, looking at Jyushimatsu incredulously. How would he possibly manage that? "Who wants to go first?" Jyushimatsu asked, tilting his head to the side a bit.

Karamatsu suddenly took a step back. "My brothers." He hissed, before turning and rushing down the street at an inhuman pace. "Run if you want to live!" He called back. The others blinked after him, but quickly heeded the warning, darting after the second brother, even Ichimatsu. None of them wanted to be on the receiving end of whatever Jyushimatsu had planned. With a laugh, the fifth brother followed close behind.

They made it to the bus in record time, all six brothers piling on and taking their seats. Thankfully it was pretty empty; Osomatsu and Choromatsu opted to sit together, both still trying to catch their breath. Jyushimatsu had to practically carry Ichimatsu to their own seat, giving his older brother the window seat and fanning him with his overly long sleeves as best he could. Karamatsu sat in the row behind the other brothers, patting the seat beside himself for Todomatsu, but the pink Matsu took the seat in front of them instead, not paying the second brother any mind.

Karamatsu frowned a bit at that, feeling his chest constrict. It wasn't that he wasn't used to that kind of behavior, it had long since become a daily part of his life. But the rejection from his own family still tended to hurt. Was it wrong of him to want to enjoy the company of one his brothers? Sighing quietly, the second brother chose to look out the window, not allowing himself to dwell on those thoughts.

"So, what are we going to do once we get there?" Todomatsu peered around his seat, looking back towards Osomatsu. Even if the youngest wouldn't say so out loud, he was excited for their trip to the amusement park. It was their chance to just brush off the stress of the last few days. He couldn't even remember the last time they had been to one.

"First, we should all probably get something to eat. Since we weren't able to eat breakfast." Choromatsu gave Osomatsu a pointed look, the eldest brother grinning sheepishly. "Anyway, they should have maps of the place. We can plan out where to go while we eat. If we all decide to stick together, we can all choose one ride at a time."

"Roller coaster!" Jyushimatsu's eyes lit up. "We can all go on one! One with a lot of loops and steep drops! Ooh, maybe one that runs out of tracks, and then you have to go backwards!" By now, the fifth brother was waving his arms excitedly, nearly smacking Ichimatsu several times.

Todomatsu stared at Jyushimatsu with mounting horror. A roller coaster wasn't really a problem, but one that went backwards? Where you couldn't see what was happening? "Ah, maybe it'd be easier if we just partnered up?" He suggested, smiling cutely. "I mean, it'd be easier to get around in groups of two. And then we could all get a chance to go on the rides we really want."

"Hm. You realize you'd get stuck with Shittymatsu, right?" Ichimatsu nudged his head back towards the strangely silent second brother. He glanced back, noting the distant look in Karamatsu's eyes sceptically. He wasn't even paying attention to the conversation. "Tch, whatever. I don't care either way. Jyushimatsu and I can ride the roller coasters."

"Hey, hey! Onii-chan will ride the roller coaster's with you!" Osomatsu grinned, wrapping an arm around Choromatsu and pulling him against his side. "Fappymatsu too. Riiiight?" He laughed at the glare the green Matsu sent him.

"Stop with that nickname, you shitty eldest!" Choromatsu growled out, elbowing Osomatsu in the side. Honestly, he wasn't fond of roller coasters, but he could handle it. "We can go on a roller coaster first, but I'm choosing the ride after that." After he finished throwing up, he reminded himself wryly.

"Hmph. Me and Karamatsu-niisan will find something fun to do on our own!" Todomatsu huffed, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. He could handle a day with Shittymatsu, he did it all the time. They went fishing together, they...they...okay, so fishing was really all they did together anymore. But the second brother wasn't wearing anything embarrassing today, so everything would be fine.

"Alright then, we can split up then. Sound good Karamatsu?" Osomatsu turned in his seat, getting on his knees so that he could look at the blue Matsu. Karamatsu's attention didn't leave the window. Osomatsu furrowed his brows, leaning forwards and nudging him. "Karamatsuuuu! Oi!"

Karamatsu jumped a bit, blinking quickly and looking at Osomatsu with confusion. "Ah, sorry Aniki. I was...just enjoying the beautiful view. Green fields, beautiful clear skies! Just us and nature at its purest!" All of the brothers seemed bewildered, glancing out the windows.

"We haven't even made it out of the city yet!" Choromatsu huffed, leaning around the corner of his seat to look at Karamatsu. "Are you feeling alright Karamatsu-niisan? Maybe you should get some more sleep before we get there." Karamatsu glanced out the window, looking slightly embarrassed, but he was quick to wave it off.

"Don't worry for me, my dear brothers! Apparently my imagination exceeds my own expectations. Perhaps I got lost in a daydream." Karamatsu reassured, smirking slightly. "Ah, yes. It seems I'm longing for a chance to escape the city. I need a chance to spend some quality with Mother Nature!"

"Go for it. Maybe she'll keep you." Ichimatsu muttered under his breath. Jyushimatsu whipped his head around to look at the fourth brother, nudging him a bit. Ichimatsu just shrugged in response, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

Osomatsu stared at Karamatsu for a moment, before suddenly scrambling up his seat and over, ignoring Choromatsu's protests as he nearly kicked the younger in the face. He tumbled ungracefully, falling across the seat and over Karamatsu's lap. "Ow...please be more careful Aniki!" Karamatsu helped his only older brother sit up, allowing him to take the aisle seat.

Osomatsu just smiled at the second brother, leaning closer so that he was resting against him. Karamatsu couldn't help but be suspicious and apparently it showed. "Whaaaat? Onii-chan can't sit with you?" He laughed. "Seriously though, is something bothering you? Its not like you to stay so quiet."

Karamatsu was thankful that Osomatsu kept the question quiet so that no one else heard. "I'm fine Aniki. Really, I just...maybe I didn't get enough sleep, like Choromatsu said. I'd rather you didn't worry about me, my brother." He reassured Osomatsu, before giving his brother a genuine smile. "What about you? Things have been kind of stressful the last few days, haven't they? Are you okay?"

Osomatsu turned his gaze towards the seat in front of him, where Choromatsu had already pulled out a book and was reading, already too engrossed in the novel to pay them any attention. Then he glanced towards Jyushimatsu, who was talking to Ichimatsu excitedly, occasionally pointing out something he noticed through the window. Right now, it was like nothing had happened. Everyone was there and they were fine.

"Yeah. I'm doing fine." Osomatsu gave him his honest answer, sitting up straight again. "Everyone else seems okay, so no point in feeling any different, right? Besides, Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu were the ones that actually had a rough time, not me. Just worry about your younger brothers, okay?" Osomatsu let his arm wrap around Karamatsu's shoulder, dragging the other over so that he was now resting against the eldest. "And I'll do the same."

"Eh? Aniki?"

"You said you were tired, right? Get some sleep before we get there." Osomatsu glanced down at Karamatsu and grinned, rubbing his side gently, before leaning back and closing his own eyes. "Maybe I'll do the same."

Karamatsu wasn't used to this kind of attention. And yet, here he was, a grown man cuddling with his slightly older brother. To be fair, he knew well enough that Osomatsu was the kind of person who expressed his love through touch, rather than words. Actually, that went for all of his emotions really. If the eldest was happy, he would ruffle their hair or hug them. If he were angry, he tended to let his fists do the talking. If he were sad...ah, that didn't happen often. Osomatsu was the type to brush those kinds of problems away.

This was nice though. The touch reminded Karamatsu that he wasn't really unwanted. His brothers did care about him. At least, he hoped so. Sure, Todomatsu seemed to have trouble being around him and Ichimatsu just couldn't stand the sight of him. They all had a habit of ignoring him, but...that was his own fault. Because he was painful and he wasn't sure how to just be the real Karamatsu. No wonder his brothers hated him.

They didn't though! Get rid of those thoughts, bury them so deep they never saw the light of day again! Jyushimatsu enjoyed spending time with him, sitting on the roof and singing. Todomatsu went fishing with him sometimes. Choromatsu spent time trying to find a job right for him. They did care. They did. But Ichimatsu hated him. Damn it, stop!

Karamatsu took a shaky breath, biting his lip and burying his face into Osomatsu's shoulder. The two voices in his head were bickering back and forth, just giving him a headache. They love him. They hate him. They love...no, hate. He gripped his brother's hoodie tightly, inwardly screaming for silence. He didn't want to think about this!

Osomatsu let one eye open, glancing down at his younger brother. He could feel his hoodie growing damp and of course he noticed Karamatsu's shoulders shaking. Sighing softly, he let his hand rest on top of the second brother's head, lightly stroking his hair comfortingly. Karamatsu had a lot of things he kept to himself, Osomatsu knew. They always tormented him, always in good fun of course, but he had hoped that the blue Matsu knew he could come to him any time. Apparently he hadn't made that clear. Not really that surprising, considering how they all treated him. He mentally reminded himself to ease up on the teasing and to make sure the others did the same.

"Seriously, stop keeping so much to yourself. If things bother you, come talk to me about it. I'll listen when you need me to." Osomatsu whispered softly, threading his fingers through his brother's hair. He glanced around, making sure the others weren't listening. They weren't. "You always worry so much about us. Worry about yourself more. Be selfish sometimes."

Karamatsu nodded a bit, letting his older brother's voice silence the battle in his mind. Sure, he was just stressed. Nothing else. Maybe he really did need some personal time. Right now though, his brother's presence was really comforting and warm. His eyelids were starting to get a bit heavy. Sleep sounded good. Just a quick nap.

Osomatsu grinned a bit at the sudden snore, the sound almost right in his ear. At least Karamatsu wasn't the loudest of them. He let his hand move away from the younger's hair, instead resting back on his shoulder. He was really the best big brother. First Choromatsu, then his talk with Ichimatsu, and now Karamatsu. Sure, it didn't feel like anything had been resolved with the second brother. Karamatsu tried so hard to be a good brother. Too hard. He often came off as overbearing and flat out irritating, especially where Ichimatsu was concerned. The sad thing was that if he would just drop the little act he always put on, he would be fine.

The real Karamatsu was confident, strong, and so sure of himself. He was still plenty kind and caring. But he chose to be so over the top, dramatic. He wanted to be cool, impress everyone, including his brothers. In the end, he had created the monster that was Shittymatsu. At this point, Osomatsu wondered if Karamatsu even knew the difference between the two.

There were times that Karamatsu shined through. The real Karamatsu, that is. When something was wrong with his brothers, when his parents were struggling, or when Osomatsu himself had a rough day. It was rare, but he was still in there somewhere. Osomatsu just really wished there was a way he could drag him out and keep him there. Maybe one day. Ah, but then, would Karamatsu still really be him? Who was the real Karamatsu?

"You're a complicated guy. A guilty guy." Osomatsu teased the sleeping second brother quietly, laughing softly. Karamatsu just nudged closer, the hand that had been gripping his red hoodie loosening a bit. Sighing, the eldest brother let his eyes close. A nap really didn't sound bad.

---

"Wahoo! Amusement park!"

"J-Jyushimatsu!"

"Wait a minute! We have to get tickets first Jyushimatsu!"

The fifth brother made a disappointed noise, his attention caught by the lines at the multiple ticket booths. There was no way he had the patience to wait! Ichimatsu's hand clamped down on his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. "I don't wanna wait! Look how slow its moving Nii-san! It'll close by the time we get our tickets! Boeh!"

Ichimatsu gripped the younger's hoodie, making sure he didn't try to charge in again. "Its not that bad. Its Wednesday, so the lines aren't as long as they are on the weekends. Try to be a little patient." He seemed startled when the younger's eyes suddenly went cat-like and his body stiffened. Was he vibrating? What the hell? "Jyushimatsu?"

"Uh...I'm gonna get the tickets." Osomatsu grabbed his wallet, eying Jyushimatsu warily. "You guys just stay here and make sure he doesn't explode or something. I'll be back as soon as I can!" The eldest rushed forward, finding the shortest line he could.

Choromatsu watched Osomatsu leave, before turning his attention to Jyushimatsu, huffing quietly. "What are you doing? What's with that face?" He huffed, giving his little brother an incredulous look.

"Being patient." Jyushimatsu huffed out, his sleeves already flapping a bit as his arms moved up and down restlessly. All the brothers shared a look, unable to keep from smiling a bit. It was a far cry from yesterday, that was for sure.

"Oi, is that...? Nah, couldn't be."

"No, I think you're right! Fucked up hair, dead eyes, wearing purple...eh, that was Ichimatsu, right?"

Ichimatsu turned his head slightly, glancing back towards a group that was standing just a few feet away. The sight of them made his blood freeze a bit. There were five of them, all with familiar faces. Shit, hadn't he talked about these same guys just last night? They were the same guys from high school, the ones that had beaten the shit out of him before Jyushimatsu had stepped in. Missing a couple though, it seemed.

"Whoops, looks like he heard us." One of them snickered, before examining who he was with. His face immediately turned angry. "And that little piece of shit, Jyushimatsu. Oi, I have a score to settle with you!" He snapped, immediately storming over towards the group. Ichimatsu recognized him as the one that Jyushimatsu had knocked out. Apparently he held a grudge.

By now, all of the brothers had noticed the group advancing on them and Jyushimatsu perked up at his name, his smile returning to his face. He turned, looking at them curiously. "Eh? Do I know you?" He asked, pressing a sleeved hand to his mouth thoughtfully. Somehow, that seemed to make the guy angrier.

"Higuchi Katzumi! The guy you sent to the hospital with a broken nose back in high school!" He growled, grabbing Jyushimatsu by the front of the hoodie. Jyushimatsu hummed thoughtfully, his smile still in place. "You're still as stupid as I remember! Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ichimatsu's fingers twitched, fighting back the urge to jump at the guy and beat the hell out of him for talking to his little brother like that, but he held himself back. No fighting, not yet. "Just put him down. It was a long time ago and we were all pretty stupid. Is it really worth holding on to a grudge this long?" He reasoned, stepping closer and gripping Higuchi's wrist loosely.

Karamatsu, who had still been half asleep the entire time, was suddenly very awake. "We don't want any trouble. So please, just put my little brother down and we'll be on our way." The second brother seemed strangely pale, his eyes flicking back and forth, watching as the other four surrounded them. They were all larger than them, more strongly built.

Todomatsu and Choromatsu both seemed uneasy, the two of them huddling closer to Karamatsu instinctively. Neither of them had ever been great with their fists. Choromatsu was somewhat capable of throwing a punch, but Todomatsu had long since grown out of that. Karamatsu suddenly felt worried for them; he stepped closer to them, putting himself more in between them and their possible attackers.

"Don't want any trouble, huh? Which one are you? Todomatsu? Or Osomatsu? Ah, who cares!" Higuchi snapped, jerking his hand (and Jyushimatsu) away from Ichimatsu's weak hold. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to beat the shit out of you. You were lucky I was forced to change schools after it happened. After I was expelled for the year, of course."

"Its okay, don't worry! I got detention for a really long time because of it. So we both got in a lot of trouble!" Jyushimatsu looked at him, gripping Higuchi's wrist now. "But you know, it wouldn't have happened if you didn't hurt Ichimatsu-niisan! He did something really silly, but you took it way too far."

Higuchi scowled, shaking Jyushimatsu roughly. "Who the hell do you think you are? Are you trying to scold me right now? You piss me off so damn much!" Taking a calming breath, the dark-haired man gave Jyushimatsu a dark smile. "Look, I just want to even the score a bit. You humiliated me, actually broke my nose. People thought it was so funny that Jyushimatsu, of all of the Matsuno brothers, was the one who knocked me out. Even though I was sent to a different school, they still knew about it. Word travels fast."

Choromatsu and Todomatsu both made startled sounds as hands suddenly clamped down on their shoulders from behind in a tight grip. Karamatsu gripped their hands tightly, glaring at one of the other men that approached him. Ichimatsu was in much of the same predicament, teeth grinding as he was blocked from getting to Jyushimatsu. His fists were clenching and unclenching, wanting nothing more than to tear the guy to shreds.

Jyushimatsu noticed, of course, his smile dimming at the sight of his brothers being threatened as well. Higuchi grinned. "So, here's what we're going to do. My buddies are gonna beat the shit out of your brothers, you'll get to see the whole thing. Then, once they finish, I'm gonna beat the shit out of you. And unless you want something worse to happen to them, you're just gonna let me. Right?"

Jyushimatsu fidgeted a bit in his grasp, seeming unsure. He didn't want his brothers getting hurt because of him. But he really didn't want to get hurt either. In this situation, what should he do? The fifth brother looked towards Ichimatsu pleadingly, hoping his older brother had some kind of plan, but the purple Matsu seemed just as unsure. This couldn't possibly end well for any of them.

"Jyushimatsu! Octopus hold!"

Jyushimatsu blinked, his smile lighting back up suddenly. He twisted and turned in ways that couldn't be natural, until Higuchi was trapped in a tangled mass of limbs. He cried out in pain as his limbs were twisted and bent, cursing and struggling to get free. "Ahaha! Don't squirm so much! It'll just make it hurt more!" Jyushimatsu laughed.

Todomatsu and Choromatsu both yelped as the two men that had been holding onto them were suddenly tackled away by a blur of red, three bodies rolling onto the ground in a mess of limbs. Osomatsu was there now, punching and kicking with as much force as he could muster, growling out as they attempted to fight back against his blows. One grabbed him, tugging him back and locking his arms to his sides, while the other struggled to stand, wiping blood from his mouth.

"Osomatsu-niisan!" Choromatsu called out worriedly, clenching his fists. He couldn't just stand there, couldn't just stand by uselessly! Sure, he wasn't the best fighter, but he was fully capable of trying! Huffing in exasperation, the green Matsu rushed forward, landing a solid kick against the one that held his brother. Was that ribs cracking?! Oh, that was sickening. Choromatsu shuddered, but quickly brushed it off. Now wasn't the time to worry about those things.

Osomatsu was released just in time to side step a punch from the other guy, bringing his foot up and kicking him back into a light pole. He at least had the decency to wince when the man's head cracked against the pole and he collapsed to the ground unconscious. Letting out a sigh, the eldest brother turned and gave Choromatsu a grin and a thumbs up. "Nice one, Choro! Didn't know you had it in you."

Neither did I, Choromatsu thought wryly. He had already retreated to Osomatsu's side, his hands wringing together nervously. He had just cracked a guys ribs! The guy was understandably livid, already getting on his feet and advancing on him. "I-Its your fault, you shitty eldest brother! You're the worst influence! Seriously, the worst!"

Osomatsu smiled a bit, gripping his nervous brother's shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, its fine. Everything's going to be fine." He gently nudged Choromatsu behind him, looking ahead at the blond that that was gripping his injured side, his fists clenched and ready. Osomatsu seemed gleeful with the situation. He was in his element, fighting while protecting his little brothers.

By now, Karamatsu had joined the fight as well, making sure to keep himself between his brunette attacker and Todomatsu at all times. The youngest had his face buried in his hands, though Karamatsu had a feeling it had more to do with protecting his face, rather than not wanting to see the violence. It was fine though. Karamatsu had only taken a couple of light blows, mostly to his shoulders and arms; he was quick and light on his feet. Still, he couldn't seem to get a good hit on his target. The guy just kept punching and kicking, not leaving any openings.

"This is completely senseless! Why even bother attacking us? This happened in high school, right? Were you even involved at all?" Karamatsu tried to reason, dodging another punch aimed at his face. Unfortunately he wasn't able to block the knee to his gut, forcefully exhaling all air from his lungs and collapsing to his knees. His arms wound around his injured stomach, groaning out in pain.

"I was there, I saw the whole thing! The whole thing was bullshit. Ichimatsu there comes, starts some shit with us, and then can't handle himself! So, Jyushimatsu shows up, some kind of knight in shining armor, and finishes things off! Then my buddy's the one who gets expelled? How was that fair?" The brunette sneered, grabbing Karamatsu by the hair and jerking his head back, forcing him to meet his gaze. "And frankly, you Matsuno brothers were always a pain in the ass. Half of you thought you were something special. All of you pissed me off."

"I really hope you all realize how petty this whole thing sounds. We're all adults now." Karamatsu wheezed out, glaring up at the brunette now. It actually sounded cheap, coming from his own mouth. They were NEETs, after all. Still, they somehow had more sense than these guys. He couldn't keep from smirking. "Heh. Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs. But if that's the path you've chosen for yourself, who am I to judge?"

"Now's not the time for painful lines!" Todomatsu snapped from behind his brother, finally having looked to see what was happening. He was caught between trying to help Karamatsu and just selfishly staying out of the way. Besides, there wasn't much he could do. He wrestled with his brothers now and then, but they always tended to go easy on him. He wasn't strong. Sure, he went to the gym, but that was just to maintain weight, not build muscle. Muscle wasn't cute.

Shaking the distracting thoughts away, Todomatsu swallowed nervously. He gave his cutest smile, clasping his hands together as he stared at the brunette. "Please don't mind my Nii-san! We honestly have no idea what's happening." His eyes became teary and he looked away shyly. "If you could find it in yourself to look away this once..."

Karamatsu glanced back at his brother. Leave it to Todomatsu to try to pull some sly maneuver to get out of the situation. To his surprise, the brunette released his hair and stepped around Karamatsu to step in front of Todomatsu. He gripped the youngest brother's chin gently, forcing him to look at him.

"Heh, Todomatsu, right?" Todomatsu fought the urge to jerk away, only nodding slightly. The guy gave him a disgusting grin. "I admit, I always did like you. You were popular, social, adorable. But you never really acknowledged people like me." He leaned closer, chuckling a bit. "What if I say I'll over look your brothers? All you have to do is come with me for a bit."

"W-What...?"

Was this guy seriously implying what Todomatsu thought he was? Oh God, what did he get himself into? He jerked away, only to be seized by the arm. He struggled, he screamed. This guy was sick, disgusting! There was no way in hell he'd go with him! "Come on, don't be like that. We can have a good time!"

"Let go of me! You're disgusting, there's no way I'd ever go with someone like you!" Todomatsu snapped, squirming more in an attempt to get free. There was nothing he could really do though. If this guy wanted, he could probably snap his arm like a twig. The idea made Todomatsu sick to his stomach.

It never came to that though. The brunette let out a pained gasp and fell forward onto his knees, before being grabbed and forcefully turned. Karamatsu's fist connected with his face, and then again. Over and over. The second brother's eyes were narrowed and angry, his fists slowly getting soaked in blood. Todomatsu had never seen the likes before. It didn't take long for the poor guy to begin begging for mercy, trying to get away, but the blue Matsu wouldn't stop.

"Karamatsu-niisan, stop!" Todomatsu cried out, gripping his older brother's arm in an attempt to halt his punches. "That's enough, its over! You could kill him, hitting him like that! Do you want to be arrested for murder? You idiot!"

"Its what his kind deserves!" Karamatsu turned his attention to Todomatsu, the younger flinching away fearfully. There was so much animosity in the second brother's usually gentle gaze. Karamatsu seemed to notice his brother's discomfort though, his gaze softening a bit as he allowed the brunette to escape his grip. "I'm sorry Totty. He almost hurt you and the implications...I reacted poorly."

"N-No...its fine Karamatsu-niisan. I'm fine." The pink Matsu fidgeted, before letting out a sigh of relief. The brunette was dealt with, and both him and Karamatsu were okay for now. Was Karamatsu really okay though? It didn't matter right now, his other brothers were still fighting their own battles. They weren't in the clear just yet.

"Tch. What a pain in the ass." Ichimatsu had allowed himself to relax, seeing that Jyushimatsu had his own situation under control and that his other brothers seemed to be okay now as well. But now, he was stuck facing the same guy that had been preventing him from getting to the fifth brother the entire time. Honestly, he didn't feel like fighting, but the black-haired guy in front of him seemed fired up.

Ichimatsu let his eyes examine the guy closely, before his eyes landed on an arm-band the man wore on his right arm. "You're in one of the Yakuza houses, huh?" He asked in a bored tone. It was cause for some concern, but looking at them, he doubted they had any real standing. "Not too often you all get into some random street fight. Why are you bothering?"

The man seemed slightly unnerved by Ichimatsu's bored tone of voice, not to mention that dead-eyed stare. "What's with you? You're seriously creepy." He muttered under his breath. Ichimatsu seemed to hear him though, a grin stretching onto his face. Wait, was his teeth...pointed? What was he, an animal?! He couldn't keep from taking a step back.

"Heheh...what's wrong?" Ichimatsu chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down the guy's back. Ichimatsu took a step closer, burying his hands into his hoodie pocket. "You seemed so sure just a few seconds ago. Now you almost seem scared. Are you gonna piss yourself? Ashamed that trash like me can intimidate you? You should be."

"Who said anything about being scared? Think you're tough shit? Why don't you come over here and prove it?" The man snapped, though he made no move to engage Ichimatsu himself. The fourth brother seemed amused by that, his grin dimming down to a twisted smirk. "What are you smirking at?!"

"You should just get out of my way. Go help one of your friends or something, I don't care." Ichimatsu walked forward, pushing by him roughly. The guy seemed to want to stop him, looked like he wanted to say or do something, but in the end he rushed over to the brunette that Karamatsu had done a number on.

The fourth brother stopped in front of Jyushimatsu and Higuchi, staring down at Higuchi with a look full of malice. The guy wanted to hurt his little brother so bad? He'd make sure he thought against it in the future. Of course, he was already crying out for mercy, Jyushimatsu's grip on his straining his limbs still rock solid.

"Ah, Ichimatsu-niisan!" Jyushimatsu beamed at his brother, but Ichimatsu noticed the strain in his smile. He was starting to to sweat a bit, his arms twitching a bit. "I think I'm gonna have to let go. My back hurts again."

Ichimatsu frowned, nodding in understanding. Shit, what if all this movement opened up Jyushimatsu's injury? And speaking of the injury...Ichimatsu suddenly ground his teeth, gripping Higuchi's hair in a rough hold. "Let him go Jyushimatsu." He ordered. Jyushimatsu seemed unsure for a moment, but did as he was told. Once he was free, Ichimatsu threw him to the ground by his hair, slamming a foot onto his chest to keep him there.

"W-What the fuck?!" Higuchi gasped out. Ichimatsu glared down at him and he was pretty sure if looks could kill, he'd be in hell right now. "You fucking piece of shit, get off of me!" He snarled, moving to kick the purple Matsu away, only to find his legs suddenly stilled. Looking down, he was met with the sight of Jyushimatsu sitting on them, effectively pinning them in place.

"Where were you yesterday?" Ichimatsu asked coldly, his heel digging into Higuchi's chest. Higuchi sputtered out insults and curses, thrashing around in an attempt to free himself. Ichimatsu felt a wave of anger crash into him and he lifted his foot, stomping down on his chest. "I asked you a question!"

Higuchi let out a pained cry. "Why does it matter?! Its none of your business!" He wheezed, moving his hands to cover his chest. Sure, the smart thing to do would be to answer Ichimatsu's questions, but he was never considered bright.

Ichimatsu was seething now. A big part of him wanted to torture the hell out of this guy, break bone after bone until all of his questions were answered. A smaller part reminded him that his brothers were there though, including Jyushimatsu and Totty. What kind of influence would he be to his slightly younger brothers if he just gave in to his violent urges. "Were you anywhere near Jyushimatsu yesterday?" He asked.

Higuchi stared at Ichimatsu, seeming to contemplate the question, before he burst into laughter. "I get it, I get it! Little brother got hurt, so now you wanna go all noble! You wanna get even!" Hot-headed and stupid, that was what Higuchi was. But he didn't care. "I remember a time when you never wanted to be around him. You used to yell at him or storm off if he got anywhere near you. Everyone noticed it. Are you trying to make amends now or some shit?"

That hurt. Ichimatsu could practically feel the knife lodging itself deeper and twisting all around. He already admitted to being a shitty brother, admitted his wrong doings and past mistakes. Ichimatsu felt his heart thump in his chest. His foot moved on its own, hovering just over Higuchi's face. He could crush his head under his foot like an egg.

"Ichimatsu-niisan has nothing to make amends for!" Jyushimatsu's voice cut through the dark thoughts, making the fourth brother freeze. What was he thinking just now? Did he really wanna kill the guy? "He made up for it a long time ago! He spends time with me and plays baseball with me! Sometimes, he even asks for me to walk with him or visit the cats! We have so much fun!"

"Jyushimatsu...sorry." Ichimatsu mumbled, stepping back from Higuchi. Right, Jyushimatsu had forgiven him. That's all that really mattered.

Sirens rang out from a distance. In a flurry of movement, Higuchi's gang had gathered the injured and rushed down the street, while the sextuplets made a mad dash back to the amusement park's gates. Someone had called the cops, not that it was surprising. That had been a serious confrontation, after all.

Osomatsu practically threw their tickets at the poor boy working the booth and they all ran inside, dodging people left and right. Thankfully, there was a food court nearby and they all moved to sit at one of the picnic tables, the three older brothers taking one side while the three younger took the other.

"You guys are killing me. You're killing your Onii-chan! Are you happy?" Osomatsu groaned, burying his face into his arms that rested on the table. They had come here to relax, to get away from the stress of the last few days, and yet danger seemed to follow them. When he had turned back after getting their tickets, just to see his little brothers surrounded by some common thugs, he had panicked and moved right into action.

"They came out of nowhere! Did they follow us here?" Todomatsu suddenly seemed paranoid, glancing around warily. "Were they the ones that hurt Jyushimatsu-niisan yesterday?" He asked in a quieter voice. All of the brothers remained silent. They had all been thinking it.

"They were wearing arm bands that had the symbol of one of the Yakuza houses on it. It was dangerous for us to fight them at all in the first place." Karamatsu pointed out, rubbing his neck. Blood was crusted on his knuckles, proof that he had lost himself. He was ashamed of himself, but he was also glad that he had managed to protect Todomatsu. So, so glad.

"The Yakuza aren't some common street gang. They have bigger fish to fry than a group of shitty sextuplets that picked a fight with them in high school." Ichimatsu scowled, looking away from his brothers. It was just him that had picked that fight back then. It was coming back to bite him in the ass. Unlucky fourth brother indeed.

"Ichimatsu's right. Whatever their issue with Jyushimatsu is, it probably ends with just them." Choromatsu agreed, sighing heavily. His hands were still shaking from the encounter. "But then, that really makes it seem likely that yesterday had something to do with them."

"Maybe...maybe I should just let them do whatever they want." Jyushimatsu spoke timidly, so unlike his usual self. Everyone looked at the nervous fifth brother, frowning at his words disapprovingly. "If they just get it over with, then they'll leave us all alone, right? Then no one else will get hurt."

Osomatsu lifted his head from his arms, looking at Jyushimatsu now. "They mess with one brother, they mess with all of us. Got it? We're in this together, like it or not. And don't forget, there's still the question about Choromatsu's panic attack. Something or possibly someone caused that. We can't jump to conclusions just yet." Osomatsu grinned at his little brother, reaching over to ruffle his hair lightly. "Now, we're here to relax and have fun. Those guys won't be coming back with those sirens, so let's enjoy it."

All the brothers seemed to perk up at the reminder. Right now, they were at an amusement park for the first time since they were kids! They couldn't let it go to waste! "There we go, that's better." Osomatsu seemed relieved, seeing his brothers spirits lifted a bit. "But before we start having fun, its time for Onii-chan's Little Brother Wellness Check! Karamatsu!"

"Worry not, my brother! Just a few minor bruises that will heal in no time at all. I worry more for the gentleman that faced me."

"Good. Choromatsu!"

"I'm fine. Just shaken up, I guess."

"Okay. Ichimatsu?"

"Mm. Didn't lay a hand on me."

"Heh, way to go. Jyushimatsu?"

"Ah, I think my back opened up...but I'm okay! I'm fine! Thank you, Homerun King!"

"Choromatsu brought the bandages with him, just in case. He'll get you fixed back up. Totty!"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just really glad its over."

"Understandable." Osomatsu watched the youngest for a moment, noting how he rubbed at his arm and kept his eyes averted. He was shaken, just too proud to say so. "Sounds like everyone's okay then. The bathrooms are over there, so we can clean up real quick. Then we can have some lunch! I'm starving!" The brothers nodded in agreement, all of them getting up and walking towards the bathrooms. Choromatsu lingered back for a moment, looking at the eldest. "Something wrong Choro?"

"Are you okay, Osomatsu-niisan?" The third brother asked, looking over Osomatsu. He didn't see the eldest get hit, but when he had tackled those two guys to the ground, he had hit pretty hard. Osomatsu blinked for a moment, before grinning and getting up, slinging an arm around his younger brother.

"Aw, you were worried about me? Don't worry, I'm fine! Barely a scratch!" Osomatsu reassured, messing up his brother's usually perfect hair. "When it comes to fights like that, you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself. Though, I'll admit, the way you kicked that guy was amazing. I could hear his ribs crack! You should think about taking a self defense class or something, hone those skills, you know?"

Choromatsu shuddered at the reminder. "I don't know about that. I didn't mean to kick him that hard and it was disgusting, hearing his bones just..." Choromatsu grimaced, shaking his head. "Self defense doesn't sound too bad though. Especially with the way the last few days have gone."

"I think there's a Rec Center that teaches free classes now and then. Maybe its something to look into." Osomatsu shrugged, glancing over at his brother. "Maybe it could help with your anxiety and confidence, you know?"

"I'll think about it."

Osomatsu nodded, pulling away from his brother and shoving his hands into his hoodie pocket. "Now go get yourself straightened out and help Jyushimatsu out. The sooner you guys finish, the sooner we can eat!" The eldest inhaled deeply, groaning in delight and nearly drooling. "Can't you smell all of the amazing food? Huuuuurry!" Choromatsu rolled his eyes and made his way to the bathroom, waving his hand at the red Matsu's antics.

"You really are a miraculous idiot, Osomatsu-niisan!"

---

Drop me a review if you feel like it! Let me know what you think so far! :)