Last Ends (Cheese-n-Rice version)

by Tetrimidion

It all seems so undeniable: Love, hate, and murder. A crime scene points to Karamatsu being a serial killer after the 13th victim is discovered with evidence of his fingerprints, clothing particle, and hair found on the corpse. How lucky he is to have Ichimatsu as Akatsuka's top-rated lawyer-if he can convince him to accept being his defense, that is. (BLMATSU)

11. Deus Ex Machina

3 a.m.

The hour of The Beast. The mockery of the holy 3 p.m., as these dark times is when it said that evil has the most power.

All the multi-colored locks were undone, and Ichimatsu kicked open his apartment door.

There he was.

Right where he had left him.

Right how he had left him.

The only thing different was that the █████ batteries had come to an end. That, and the change within the newspapers' structure from them becoming wet.

"Hmph," Ichimatsu breathed out hard as he dropped the now very-tattered paper bag on the counter top and walked around to Karamatsu's front.

"I-Ichimatsu . . . you . . . are back," Karamatsu stirred. His lips were dry and cracked, yet his chin was moist from residual saliva. "Finally . . .," he made himself smile, shaky as it was, "my brother . . . I missed yo-"

"Pig. Looks like you came and pissed yourself."

Karamatsu's smile shook even more as he struggled to keep it, "Pig . . .," he repeated within his wilted voice from a parched throat, "hah . . . I thought I was a dog."

"What's that? Say it again."

"I . . . thought I was a dog."

"Again."

"I'm a dog . . ."

"One more time."

"I'm a dog. I'm your dog . . . Only your dog, my master."

Karamatsu's chain jingled as he dropped his head down. Ichimatsu smiled. "Good boy . . ."

Like those buttons hours before, plastic sounded against the floor in a much heavier manner as Ichimatsu peeled out the expired █████.

That same mystery knife from before was also found. The rope around the beam was cut, and Ichimatsu allowed for Karamatsu to fall against him. He was sure to stable the collide by directing their weight to lean towards the sofa's back.

Several small grunts were murmured from Karamatsu. It wasn't difficult to tell he was trying to keep them in, and it was even easier to tell they were groans from the pain he was feeling within his arms. How many times had the clock made its rounds since Karamatsu had been hung up?

Additional lines of ropes were then cut. Ichimatsu was precise not to make another slice over Karamatsu's flesh while he slid his hand down his body as he held him.

Then, finally, the ties were ruined. One slice to each. The first being around Karamatsu's wrists. So limply his arms fell to his sides. The second being a clean cut to the red fabric, straight down between his eyes. For only a moment did Karamatsu wince at the light mixed with the blade assaulting his senses. It was both tiredness and seeing the cat paw print design on it. Or, it could have been the sight of Ichimatsu becoming less blurry to him. Because somehow, he had managed to make his quaking smile to stay.

"Come on," Ichimatsu shifted to drape Karamatsu's arm around his neck to aid him within his steps, "let's take a bath. We have to leave in three and a half hours."

Without a sound Karamatsu nodded against his brother as he walked with him. Every step was shared, but it was only a short while before Ichimatsu had stopped.

At the counter, Ichi set the knife down and replaced his hold over the sunglasses instead. "Here," he delicately place them atop of Kara's head. "I suppose you earned them."

With those words, with the feeling of those glasses resting over him where they belonged, Karamatsu turned his head up straight with a smile that rivaled his eyes in which was wider. "Brother!"

"Don't-" A step back was taken and a push forward was made as Ichimatsu dislodged his older brother from him. "Don't make me change my mind. Now-," he snapped his fingers which turned into a point upwards, "Get to the bathroom."

Karamatsu wanted to nod again, but how every little movement had to be made with caution. Not just to keep his brother pleased, but to make sure his precious sunglasses wouldn't fall from his head. It wasn't so strenuous to make sure of this either, as his body felt incapable of making any wide strides. Or regular strides at all for that matter. Each step felt so limited and grueling, and he had to sometimes even look down at his hands to make sure his arms were still there with how numb they felt. If only he had fallen on his hands or arm instead of his knees then as the second step of the spiral staircase caused for a loss of balance.

"Really . . .," Ichimatsu sighed and walked up behind him, "no matter what, you really always will be a pathetic sight." Arching himself, he re-picked up Karamatsu to help him walk again, bordering on carrying him up the stairs and into the bathroom. Their motions were so in sync, neither of them knew if being carried had actually happened or not with how fluently Karamatsu had gotten in the bathtub. Still the sunglasses stayed on.

Ichimatsu knelt, placing his hand under the faucet in making sure the water was the right temperature before putting the plug in. While he liked it when the water was just a bit too hot, it had to be just a bit too cold tonight, this morning, due to the cuts he had decorated Karamatsu in.

And with the whine that came from the dog, the lukewarm water was something Karamatsu wasn't content with.

"The water is fine-" Ichimatsu was quick to reply to the noise as he stood up and started to unbutton his shirt.

With each button that parted, the rose flushed color over Karamatsu's face amplified. "Wh-" his mouth opened just to close. Ichimatsu had told him to stop asking him what-what he was doing. Could he answer that question himself by the way he was actually watching his brother stripping? Usually one of them would bathe, the other would wait, and then the position would switch. It was never at the same time. Except for now. It seemed.

It really did appear so as Ichimatsu stepped within the tub and pushed Karamatsu against the end of it. And still, Karamatsu could not withdraw his eyes or tame the burning over his cheeks. It shouldn't have been that big of a deal. How many times had they shared bathwater before?

This was something that Ichimatsu had no doubt picked up on by the look that he was giving Karamatsu, "I'm not wasting time by hanging around in the bathroom longer than needed. I at least want two hours of sleep," he rolled his eyes away as he dropped those words ever so blasé as usual.

"Right . . .," Karamatsu arched his shoulders up and turned his head down, expecting to see the reflection of his face. Instead bubbles started to form as Ichi poured them under the running water.

The sharing of the tub may have been divergent from the custom, but the redundant quietude seemed typical at least. Without a word, they washed themselves. Only the fluttering of the water from their motions spoke.

The silence started to grate at Karamatsu more than normal. In indecision he gnawed at the inner of his cheek. He knew now his place as 'dog' was to really not speak unless spoken to first, and how risky the act would be when his master was extra tired too. The way his heart was pounding against his chest from the inside was just getting more painful than any hit or cut that could be done to him though.

"I-Ichima- master . . .," Karamatsu turned to face his brother again, the shift causing an instant single jolt at seeing him staring right at him so closely already with such a dispassionate face. "I-" the rock within his throat was huge, but Karamatsu swallowed it down. "Master, I really do lo-"

"How's your mouth doing?"

"Eh?" Karamatsu lurched back with a wide sole blink.

"Your mouth," still within the same lifeless style, Ichimatsu reached towards his brother, just barely grazing the edge of his index at the corner of Karamatsu's lips. "Still bleeding at all?"

Gradually Karamatsu's stark eyebrows knitted upwards as he couldn't settle on whether he should smile or frown. It was a look he had not gotten in a long time. The last time he had it was probably in a photograph from high school.

Maybe he was waiting for Ichimatsu to decide for him on whether he should smile or frown, as he had not withdrawn his touch from him.

Sometimes Karamatsu found he couldn't focus on more than one thing at certain times. And right now, his mind was stuck on what emotion he should both be feeling and expressing at this moment. So it was as if his brain had a complete disconnect from his body. Without being conscious of it, his own hands had elevated from under the water.

The two of them were twins. Same faces. And so, it was as if one was merely holding a mirror up as they both now had their fingers tracing the other's lips.

"Master . . .," Karamatsu recaptured the distance he had put between them. Perhaps it was Ichimatsu who was holding the mirror, as Kara felt like his eyelids were all too heavy as they slid down to a mere close. He had not settled on either smiling or frowning. His lips were simply there in a straight line for Ichimatsu to dip and trail his caress around in any shape he pleased.

Every inch that Kara brought himself closer, Ichi still continued to keep his hand in place without pressure. The air only met back against his fingertips again as Karamatsu had slanted his head at an angle which wouldn't leave room for anything between them except for words to be breathed between two centimeters.

"Master," Karamatsu repeated. "I lov-"

Ichimatsu shuddered with the crawl of that breath over his lips. Two centimeters became one.

This wasn't bathwater they were sitting in. It was a river. A corpse river. The aroma of lemon and absinthe seized Karamatsu's sense of scent. One centimeter became two. "Alcohol?"

The water spattered lightly as Ichimatsu sunk his hand back down. "Yeah. I told you. I went to see Yanagita. Had a drink with him."

"Oh." The water spattered again along with the ring of his chain clanging against the side of the tub as he let himself fall backwards. Away. Now a frown had been settled on.

"Hmm . . ." Ichimatsu's leer tightened as so did his own grimace as he stared over his older brother for another minute.

Somewhere half way within that minute, Karamatsu had turned his sight down at the dissolving bubbles within the water. He once more looked like how he had in high school.

"Whatever."

Whatever. Whatever was the last thing that Ichimatsu had said during their bath. Whatever was the last thing that was said by either of them during the rest of the night.

While they had shared a bath, the bed wasn't. Karamatsu took his regular spot on the floor while Ichimatsu laid atop of the mattress with the cats. Coupled with just as what was sought-after, two hours of sleep had been granted.

And it had not been enough.

The hangover the absinthe gave was real for Ichimatsu.

The pain was real from being hung over from the rafter for Karamatsu.

Both Matsuno brothers groaned in unison as the alarm buzzed.

It buzzed and then a sharp crash and clatter promptly followed after the penetrating noise due Ichimatsu chucking it against the floor. Right beside his brother's head.

That had instantly woke Karamatsu with a startle that caused for him to nimbly sit up.

Today was . . . the witness testimony day.

Tightly Karamatsu gripped over the single cat-blanket he had as he stared down at the clock that was now in several pieces. How he felt like he was looking at his own life: Something where time had now been in disarray, destroyed, and with parts of itself scattered broken around itself. All by the hand of Ichimatsu.

At that thought, Karamatsu shook his head and forced himself to look away from the nonfunctional device. No, this wasn't Ichimatsu's fault. Ichimatsu was trying to help him, and that guilty of doubting him yesterday made him feel like he just had to try harder to be a 'good boy'.

And that almost-kiss. What had he been thinking? Was it a result of tiredness along with that guilt?

"Get your ass up-" Ichimatsu had interrupted Karamatsu's thoughts.

Perhaps that had been a good thing.

"A-h! Yes!" Even with feeling like that shattered clock, Karamatsu knew he did have all the parts of himself now to put himself back together. So it didn't take long for him to get dressed. "Ready~!" He posed in front of Ichi, sparkling about as he proudly wore the booty shorts, his own shirt with his likeness, leather jacket, and most importantly-his super cool shades.

It only took a single second of viewing that display for Ichimatsu to appear like a volcano about to erupt-that did erupt, "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COURT IN THAT!"

"Nhh . . ." Karamatsu pursed his lips with the smallest of whines, "but you cut up my suit . . ."

"Idiot-" Ichimatsu spat the word as if he was cursing a rich CEO that bought a popular social media website. "We're nearly the same height and weight. I have suits-"

"Aw . . . please can I-"

"NO! What about all those cuts too from your perverted ass!?"

An azure-blue suit and yellow button-down were purposely tossed right at Karamatsu's face. He flinched for a moment before skipping a breath as he stared down at the outfit over his feat. Ichimatsu had suits? No . . . this was his own suit. "Ichim-master, when did you get this?" Karamatsu's tone was much less enthused sounding within that question.

"Get dressed!"

Nails dug into flesh. Karamatsu had to clench his hands hard as a means of 'biting his tongue'. Maybe he was an idiot, but even an idiot could understand patterns after something was done enough times. And the way Ichimatsu kept averting his questions by either changing the topic or outright choosing to ignore the inquires, was happening more than enough times for him to begin to notice now.

Yet, he had to keep such a comment to himself. At least for now. Who knew what flavor of Ichimatsu's wrath he'd risk by pointing this out. Staying hushed right now was most likely for the better if he wanted to continue to hear just alarm clock bells and not that of a prison system's. Even if both were broken.

The collar stayed on of course. The collar always stayed on even if it was hidden under his shirt. It once more felt like it was suffocating him as he sat within the courtroom looking at the red wet eyes of the first witness that had been called to the stand. At least he had somehow managed to keep his sunglasses on his head without Ichimatsu blowing a vein. The reality was he probably only allowed for it due to the extra tiredness today.

The witness was young. Surely no older than 19. It seemed no matter how many tissues she dabbed against her eyes, they just wouldn't dry. Her face manifested every synonym for sadness. She was so expressive in much to contrast to the prosecutor and defense.

Ichimatsu somehow appeared to be even more apathetic and tired-looking, because he no doubt was exhausted, and Atsushi . . .

For Atsushi it was different. It wasn't apathy, but a smug-professionalism as he hung around the podium and peered at the girl, "Can you please state your name and profession?"

She hunched her shoulders up and squeezed tighter around the current tissue between her fingers. "K . . . Karen McCormick. Student . . ."

"Student . . .," Atsushi turned around to gaze over the judges, "and younger sister of the victim, Kenneth McCormick, is that right?"

"Yes . . .," she turned her head down, her tears falling over her knees.

She apparently knew and understood Japanese pretty well.

"Your honors," Atsushi gestured as if he was the ringmaster to a damn circus, "I'd like to have Ms. Karen McCormick as the first witness." He had attempted to take a soft breath, but it was so obviously acted. Such as his words were falsely-compassionate sounding as he put his attention back on her, "Would you please describe your brother, Ms. McCormick? Please tell the court about him and why he was visiting Japan. Would you share the events leading up to the night of April Second? I know it's hard, but it is for justice."

"Justice . . .," she murmured before turning her head back up as if there was an actual literal weight over her. Maybe it would have been better if there where compared to the metaphorical one she had. "Kenny was always about that . . . justice." For one second, she smiled but it wasn't allowed to stay. "He was an Aries, after all, . . . so he always wanted to do the right thing, to protect people that are deserving. That's . . . that's the kind of person he was. You know . . . like, when you're talking in a group of people, and they suddenly decide they aren't interested . . . and they just start talking over you with their own conversation. He was the one who wouldn't talk and just . . . stand there and listen to what you had to say until you were done."

"I see . . .," Atsushi shook his head, already holding another tissue out for Karen to take. "And now, thanks to a murderer, he can no longer finish listening."

The water streamed heavier down Karen's face, and she was all too accepting of that tissue.

If only there had been tissues at the defense table too, as Karamatsu could feel his own eyes start to become all too wet.

"Y-yeah . . .," Karen sniffed in. "He'd listen when no one else would. He . . . did all the things that no one else would. It was like . . . nothing was ever too difficult for him, even though I knew otherwise. But he'd just . . . sacrifice his own comfort like that, ya' know? That's why we came to Japan. Things have . . . never been too easy for us, as much as he'd try to make it look otherwise with all he did for me." For only a second a smile graced her from whatever memory had been playing within her head. That's all it was though: A memory, and the reality was quick to bring back another frown. "But supposedly he had some sort of job lined up here. I didn't really understand it too much. Kinda' secret a bit. He talked about becoming a princess and magical girl . . . it was a little weird, but maybe it was just some wild-story he came up with as an excuse to bring me on a trip here. He still thinks I'm like, five sometimes . . . I mean . . . thought I was . . . Even said the whole trip was funded by a video game company."

"Ah . . . and now I am so sorry . . .," Atsushi shook his head, "but it seems we'll never really know the answer as to if he had a job lined up or not . . . I wish it wasn't like that and-"

"OH GOD It's so sad!" Karamatsu could no longer keep quiet within his sobs. "I'm sorry!" He tried wiping the snot from his nose.

"Hey-" Ichimatsu was quick to grab hold of his hair, giving it a quick but firm tug. "Shut up! Don't say anything, dumbass!"

"But . . . but!"

"Shut it!" The pens rattled in response to Ichimatsu smashing Kara's head down against the table.

"A-Ah! Okay!" Blood leaked with the mucus from Karamatsu's nose.

"Seriously-" Ichimatsu growled and got up, walked over to the witness stand, and grabbed a fist full of tissues to throw at Karamatsu.

The whole thing had been hasty, against courtroom rules, and maybe purposely done to make direct eye-contact with Yanagita sitting in the front spectator row.

The look had only been a flash, but it made Yanagita vividly stir within his seat.

Judge Kanojo had only managed to lift her hammer half way before Ichi was already back in his seat. "Mister Matsuno!" She called, scolded, "Do not do anything like that again, or else I will have you ejected from the courtroom!"

"Noted," Ichimatsu replied all too simply as he rested his cheek in his hand, elbow on the table.

"Er-" Atsushi coughed once, "Ms. McCormick, I'm sorry about that," he turned a narrow, condescending look over to the table where the two twins sat.

"Um . . . yeah . . .," Karen to some degree had lost some of the grief over her complexion, but only to confusion now.

"Well then, would you please continue? What happened on the night of April the second?"

"Oh . . .," the anguished erased the confusion, "we spent the day out. He wanted me to try some honey toast after looking at the cherry blossoms in Akatsuka park. Went to a cafe. Got back to the hotel around 9:30, I think . . . He said he was going to go get some stuff real quick at a convenient store, and . . ."

Her voice cracked. The tears took too much of her functioning and wouldn't allow her to speak further.

Even with having tissues shoved within each nostril, Karamatsu's own eyes started to flood tears again at the sight of this. His own lips quaked more than the witness's. His voice cracked as well with a sobbing whine-a whine that uncannily shifted into a different sort of unsavory noise as Ichimatsu slid his hand over Kara's thigh.

It was far from any sort of 'comforting touch'.

Another liquid coursed over Karamatsu's skin. Sweat. A single bead of cold sweat crawled down the side of his face as his quivering eyes sprang between Ichimatsu, Ichimatsu's hand, Ichimatsu, Karen, Ichimatsu, and then back down to his hand that had moved from his thigh to now ████ where he was making slow, █████. █████ that effortlessly made him █████. An ████ that instantly made him feel fearful.

All the color wanted to be in Karamatsu's cheeks alone, as the rest of him was stark pale. 'Just what the hell are you doing?' Here there was a girl crying her eyes out in talking about the death of her brother, a death that he supposedly had caused, and Ichimatsu was doing this to him?

'Messed up . . . this is so messed up . . .' Karamatsu gulped as he tried pushing his brother's arm away, but that only made Ichi apply more pressure. It was even more terrible that somehow Ichimatsu was managing to keep a straight face the whole while. He wasn't even looking at him!

Ichimatsu just kept his cheek rested against his other hand and listlessly watched the witness while fondling his older brother under the table.

"I-I-Ichimatsu-" Karamatsu choked his name in an unsteady muffled utter. "St-stop-!"

But like so many other times before, stop apparently meant 'do more' to Ichimatsu. The way he was ██████ ████████ ████████ clearly told the older sextuplet this objection was overruled.

"Nh-" A further whimper emanated from Kara as he ruggedly latched his fingers at the edge of the table, his nails feeling as if they were about to crack with how hard he gripped. "Why . . .," his whole body writhed within the seat as he tried to keep his voice as low as possible, "why are you doing this-"

But still, there was no response or change in Ichimatsu's posture and stare.

Atsushi handed Karen a final tissue with a nod, "Thank you. That will be all. You may take your seat."

Karamatsu had to slam his head down himself this time as Karen walked past him. He just couldn't look at her, he also had to punish himself. And that, had gotten one isolated chuckle from Ichimatsu.

"God . . .," Karamatsu groaned as he barely sat up again. He felt like such a child with the way he started to tug at Ichi's sleeve. "Break . . .? Please request a break . . . I can't-"

That laugh was the only thing Karamatsu got. His request wasn't even acknowledged, nor did Ichi return his look yet. He was just so consistent in the way he was sitting there and █████.

"Mn . . . please, please pl-" Karamatsu was back to begging his younger sibling again, but his whispers were dominated by the judge's call.

"Will the next witness, Futsumaru, please take your place at the stand."

A plain-looking man ineptly sat where he was directed to. His body posture could easily be read as someone who was either uncomfortable or just not used to being in the spotlight.

Atsushi repeated the same question he had asked the previous witness in so perfectly following protocol, "Would you please state your name and profession?"

"Ah . . . Futsumaru. Sales for Don Quijote in central Akatsuka, Orion street."

"Thank you," Atsushi canted his head up slightly as he placed his hands behind his back to match proper stance for that proper protocol.

Proper.
Proper.
Proper.

Everything was just so proper about Atsushi, and it was the cause of Karamatsu gritting his teeth so harshly that he was giving himself a headache, because Ichimatsu was being the absolute opposite of proper right now.

Gritting his teeth became biting his tongue as he was trying anything to keep himself from squirming in his seat. So many things flooded within Karamatsu at once: Embarrassment, anger, lust, and even a sort of physical illness in how Ichi's ministrations were making him actually feel dizzy.

His pants ███████ as Ichimatsu ████████████████████ █████████████ █████████████. The tears formed at the corner of his eyes all over again, but this time it was due to something physical rather than emotional. It actually hurt him to be forcing his ███████ stilled, and the smallest of smirks that subsequently managed to change Ichimatsu's poise had told Karamatsu that his pain was known.

Atsushi had inquired with Futsumaru some more, but all Karamatsu could hear were jumbled words over the sound of his own heartbeat being too loud. He actually wanted to listen too! He wanted to know who this person was and why they were on the witness stand. But even more than that, he now wanted to ████ thanks to the man next to him. Only curse words rang through his head.

"And then what happened?" Atsushi continued his interview.

Futsumaru glanced towards Karamatsu and then back to Atsushi, "I saw a man running away. He turned the corner. I . . . I never saw a dead body before."

"And so that's when you called the cops?"

"Of course."

"But in your report, you said you didn't get to see the perpetrator's face."

"That's right."

"Was there anything particularly recognizable about him that you can remember?"

"Ah well . . ., he had an awfully ugly hoodie on."

Ugly hoodie managed to act as a bit of a punch to Karamatsu to string his attention back on the witness for a second. "Ugly!? That is-ahn-" Ichimatsu had started to focus his ████████████, causing for any complete sentence to be disturbed.

"Is this it?" Atsushi retrieved the bagged sequin hoodie and held it up in front of Futsumaru.

"Yeah. It's terrible."

"I see, anything else you can describe for the judges here?"

"Uhm . . ."

The heat from Ichimatsu's hand felt way too tormenting. Way too ██████. It was getting more difficult by the moment for Karamatsu to keep his breaths faint.

At long last Ichimatsu had shifted himself. He remained ███████████████████, but he had sat back and leaned in towards him as well to purr a whisper, "Go on . . ., do it. Right here." Such a position of the defense covertly conversing with the accused was not uncommon within the courtroom, so the motion had not gathered any attention.

Blood from Karamatsu's lip mixed with the blood from his nose as his teeth sunk through piercing his lip's cuts again. Surely if he survived this, he'd end up with a scar from how much he bit his lip since this arrest.

Futsumaru had his hands at the sides of his head as he leaned forward in closed his eyes while he tried to recall the memory again, "Blood . . . There was just so much blood . . . on the victim, on the killer's jacket, on the ground . . . I didn't think the human body could have so much blood . . . I was afraid I might get some on me too just by looking at it. So I . . . couldn't anymore. I had to look away. I'm sorry."

The cries of Karen McCormick reiterated within the walls from the start with hearing Futsumaru. It was surely enough to hide what Ichimatsu said next.

"███ for me," he blew the words right into Karamatsu's ear, and that's all it took.

The reverberating of his breath cause for ████████. Straightaway he had to loop his feet around the legs of the chair to keep himself as still as possible as that ██████████, █████, █████████████████████.

His body was unkind to him as he arched his back, pitted █████, and ███████████████████████████████ ██████████ ████████. The ███████ ██████ ██████████ █████ just as Ichimatsu had wanted.

All the heads within the room had turned towards the defense table as Karamatsu slapped his hands over his mouth, his whole face red. Even Ichimatsu had managed to withdraw his hand and share in that 'shocked' expressive look that took over everyone from the sound that had come from him.

So expeditiously Karamatsu's pupils boomeranged around at everyone and everything. In rapid thought, he flung one hand down to his stomach. "Nhhh ahhh~! Ahh! My-my stomach hurts! Ahhh!"

Ichimatsu rolled his eyes at how badly the exaggerated groans appeared..

"Nhhhg! I th-think I'm gonna' be sick. Ahhuuhh!"

"Tch-" Ichimatsu sat up rather straight instead of getting up. "Your honors, fifteen minute recess requested for my client to use the restroom," he was sure to draw his head somewhat towards the direction of Karen crying. A subtle manipulation.

Judge Kanojo frowned a bit, but then sighed softly as she too glanced towards the witnesses. "Is the prosecution finished with the current witness?"

Atsushi lowered his eyelids some more and gave a skeptical look towards the defense table at first before turning his sight up to the judges. "Yes. The prosecution has no further questions for Mister Futsumaru."

"All right. A fifteen minute recess shall be granted. Meet back within the courtroom at 11:04."

Without a wasted second, Ichimatsu picked up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and positioned it in front of himself to conceal his own █████ pants. Snappily he grabbed the cuff of Karamatsu's suit and yanked him up.

An uneven murmur fell from Kara to match with his mismatched steps as he was pulled. Without having time to process or think, he could only grab his brother's notebook on the table and clumsily squash it against his waist in attempts at hiding the ███████.

Yanagita had also retrieved his own bag. He went to step towards Ichimatsu, but didn't need to go far at all with how hurriedly the other man was heading towards the door. "H-hey, Ichi-kun. Can I talk to yo-"

"No-" Ichimatsu waltzed right past him and into the hallway while pulling Karamatsu the whole while until they got into the bathroom.

The moment their dress shoes made contact with the tile floor, Karamatsu jerked his hand away and clutched at the sides of his own head. "What the hell, Ichimatsu!? Do you know how messed up that was!?"

Continuously it appeared as if Ichimatsu was back to ignoring him though. Instead, he was walked down the row of stalls, glancing at each one.

"Hey! Are you listening to me!?"

"Hm-" Ichimatsu turned around with a smirk after seeing none of the stalls were occupied, "do you know how messed up that was?"

"Huh . . ." Karamatsu felt his face drop.

"You did ███, didn't you?"

"But . . ." The note book slid out of Kara's hand, falling to the floor.

And as before, Karamatsu had his cuff grabbed. The sound of the stall door slamming almost appeared like it happened at the same time.

"Now," Ichimatsu flicked the lock, "get on your knees." Simultaneously as Karamatsu opened his mouth Ichimatsu pressed his index to his lips. "Don't say what, remember-" his grin grew with those shark-like teeth. "Have to be quick," Ichimatsu slid his hand up the side of the other's face to the top of his head where he gave a push downwards to encourage the falling to his knees that Karamatsu found himself so obediently doing.

Without having to even be instructed further, the shape within Ichimatsu's pants told Karamatsu what he was to do.

His fingers trembled as he undid his brother's belt and descended the zipper to withdraw that sweltering muscle from his pants. 'Being quick' had been required, and so he instantly proceeded to . . .

【***】

The feeling of sick pleasure took over Karamatsu like a virus.

"God . . ." Karamatsu pressed both hands to his face as he remained on his knees. "I can't believe you . . .," he griped, not sure if he was talking to himself or his brother.

"Hmph-" Ichimatsu adjusted himself and did his pants back up, losing his grin as if it was connected to the action. "Good job, dog-taking it all in so you don't have to sit there the rest of the day with my ██ on your clothes. How hungry were you for me?" Ichi gave him a final pull of the hair. "Get up."

So carelessly Ichimatsu kicked the stall door open and stepped out to the sink.

Karamatsu's legs ached as he got to his feet. His steps weren't too even as he went towards the hand air-dryer and punched it on. ". . . Master . . . mind picking me up . . .," he asked with a heavy glare over his shoulder.

Without any swing in expression, Ichimatsu moved behind him, wrapped his arms around his stomach, and lifted him up slightly off the floor so that Kara's crotch was much closer to the air-dryer. He may not have had any of Ichimatsu's fluids on him, but he still had a wet stain from his own jizz that needed to be dried.

Neither of them looked enthused at all.

The door swung open.

Atsushi stopped in his tracks with his half-lidded stare.

Both twins turned their unchanged irritable-same-faces towards him at the same time.

". . ."

". . ."

". . ."

As awkward as this was, both Ichimatsu and Karamatsu shared the thought that this was really an instance of Dues ex machina. The truth was that Atsushi could have walked right in here five minutes earlier.

"Hm . . ." Atsushi sighed, "should I even ask?"

"No," Ichimatsu said the word much in the same manner that he had spat it to Yanagita out there.

"Right . . . well, we have four and a half more minutes," Atsushi strolled past them into the same stall they had previously been in.

Karamatsu hurried a look back at Ichi, "Let's get out of here."

"Agreed."

Karamatsu had been put down, and the bag and notebook had been picked up instead. The bathroom had been left behind with it's sin to fester within. Then like a stage-play resuming, everyone had retaken their spots within the courtroom.

Ichimatsu and Karamatsu sat next to each other at the defense table, all the judges took their places, the previous witnesses held their spots in their own chairs, and Atsushi stood near the podium with his smug smile back over his lips.

"Court is now in session," Judge Kanojo announced. "The prosecution may proceed with interviewing of the witnesses."

"Thank you, your honors," Atsushi nodded and the smirk he wore grew larger. "I'd like to call my last witness to the stand, Mister Iyami."

Then like a God-damn-stage-play that it was, the giant main doors of the courtroom busted open with a dramatic kick. A tall, slender man in a purple suit strutted down the aisle with his head held high, "Hu hu hu hu, yes~ It is me, Iyami! I am here to testify now, zansu!" He flicked his hair back and took the witness seat, crossing one leg over the other.

Karamatsu's eyes had gone wide, but not as wide as Ichimatsu's. And seeing just how wide Ichimatsu's eyes were, had made Karamatsu's eyes even wider.

"Wh-at-!" Ichimatsu's mouth had also dropped open and shock and anger mixed within his aura like lightening and thunder.

Atsushi was sure to clear his throat, and slowly. "You already stated your name, so will you please provide your profession to the court?"

"Independent salesman!" Iyami replied all too proudly.

"Thank you. While Mister Futsumaru reported witnessing the perceived-murderer fleeing the scene of the crime, you stated that you had actually observed the victim being killed. Is that correct?"

"Yes, it is indeed~!"

"And are you able to point out in this courtroom who you saw committing the act?"

"Me can!" Iyami shot up in a stance. He pointed directly at Karamatsu. "It's him! Right there! That's the guy, zansu!"

Just as expeditiously Ichimatsu stood up as well with a point right back at Iyami, "Objection!"

Karamatsu felt as if he was going to fall over, and it wasn't from Iyami convicting him. It was due to seeing Ichimatsu react so suddenly, boldly, and with vehemence for once: At Ichimatsu actually protecting him.

"On what grounds?" Judge Kanojo replied.

"Assuming facts not in evidence!" Ichimatsu responded without any delay.

"The evidence is me, zansu!" Iyami moved his pointing hand to stroke down his own chest.

Karamatsu hadn't fallen over, but he jumped within his seat at the brash way Ichimatsu slammed his hands down on the table. "Objection contingent on incompetence of the witness then!"

"Over ruled," Kanojo decided.

"What!?" Ichimatsu evoked that word he hated so much.

"The prosecution is entitled to give the witness fair time to explain their account. As of now, the witness has not indicated they are incompetent to partake."

"Are you serious!? With the way he just paraded down the aisle like that isn't enough!?"

"Mister Matsuno! You are authorized to rebut Mister Iyami's statements tomorrow during the defense examination. You should know that! Now will you please sit down!"

The toxic aura Ichimatsu had could have been radiating off him and poisoning the whole room if it was tangible matter. And with how roughly Ichi sat himself down, Karamatsu was waiting for the chair to break from under him just like that alarm clock this morning.

"I-Ichimatsu . . . brother . . .," Karamatsu's eyes glistened. "You do love me!" He flung his arms around his waist.

"Don't touch me!" Ichi's tone was still just as venomous as he pushed Kara away from him.

"Wah . . . but-"

"Ahem-" Atsushi felt the need to verbally speak the clearing of his throat. "I apologize for that, Mister Iyami. Will you please retake your seat as well."

"Hmmn . . . That's right." Iyami sat himself, going right back to crossing his legs, as well as his arms over his chest now.

"Yes . . ., will you recount all that you saw on April second, please?"

"I was out around Akatsuka Center gathering demographic information for the area in order to see if it would be a good location to sell my wares or not. Me was working so hard all day long, so it was around 10:45 at night. You see, me was out late because me wanted to know if the types of people around were the same at night as during the day. Well, it seems that some shady people really do come out at night there. Shady people like that one man sitting at the defense table, zansu."

Iyami smirked and Ichimatsu snapped the pen within his hand's grip, the ink spilling all over his fingers and the notepad. Yet Ichi seemed completely unaware of it. He just kept his eyes dead-targeted on Iyami. Or had it been Atsushi?

"Heh-" Iyami tilted his head up as he continued to speak, "Me heard some strange rustling around with a lot of grunting. Being a concerned citizen, me went around the corner in following the source of the noises, zansu. That's when me saw Karamatsu Matsuno getting kicked by the blond foreigner. Do you think he was French?"

"American . . ." Atsushi interjected.

"Ah, of course! Well, anyway, he was kicked, Karamatsu went back at the American with the knife and stabbed him over and over. Now, me wasn't scared, zansu. That's not why me didn't get involved. But seeing a stabbing like that in front of me very own eyes? Me was being smart. Not scared." Iyami twirled his mustache, "And that's what happened. Karamatsu stabra cadabra'd the other guy until he was sprawled dead on the ground and not breathing anymore and then ran away. Me was going to call the authorities, but Futsumaru got there and took his phone out before me, zansu."

The cries of Karen McCormick resonated with the way Iyami was describing the apparent scene, but Ichimatsu's voice took over the sobs as he stood himself up again and leaned himself half way across the table. Karamatsu had to grab him by the waist to keep him from jumping right over it. "That's it then!? THAT'S what happened!?"

"Eh-?" Iyami suddenly stopped smiling as he dropped his shoulders, tapping his finger to his lip. "Y-Yes. That's what me saw, zansu!"

"What about the missing rib then!? Huh? HUH!?"

"Crap-" Iyami's lips and eyebrow twitched. "Well you know-he was stabbing the guy so much that it must have broken through the bone!"

"Twenty-two! Twenty two total stabs between various areas of the abdomen and chest, it couldn't hav-"

"MISTER ICHIMATSU MATSUNO!" The hammer of the judge pounded down, "One more interruption like that, and I will have you put in contempt of court!" Kanojo scrunched her nose up towards the defense, "They said you were crass, but this is-In any case, lucky for you though, Mister Matsuno, Mister Iyami is our final interview of the day."

In a much gentler manner, Judge Kanojo turned her head towards Atsushi, "Does the prosecution have any further questions for the witness?"

Atsushi usually did a decent job at appearing indifferent, save for that pesky smirk, but it was so obvious right now that he was mad. It was even more obvious that he was trying to hide it. "No. That is all. The prosecution rests its case."

"Thank you, prosecutor." For a final time that day, the hammer sounded. "Court is adjourned. We will continue tomorrow at 8 a.m. with the defense examination."

Two more days . . . Three if he was lucky and decided they needed an extra day for deliberation. Two was for sure though. Karamatsu knew he had two days left, and they might just be the last days of his life.

He found it difficult to move at that sudden realization. Ichimatsu, however?

People started to clear out of the courtroom, but Ichimatsu was so fast to find Atsushi.

A small frown curved Karamatsu's lips without realization as he watched Ichi snatch hold of Atsushi's cuff in the same way he had done to him during his break.

But no, it was different? The motion may have been the same, but the expression over Ichimatsu was utterly different. It was that same rage since the moment he saw Iyami. "What the hell do you think you're doing-!" Ichimatsu growled as if he were a full-on lion himself.

"Hm . . ." Atsushi glanced down at Ichimatsu's hand and then up to him. That anger from a moment ago now amiss as he was back to his conceited nonchalant self. "What do you mean?"

"Hey! Don't play stupid with me, Atsushi!" Ichimatsu gave his arm an unfriendly jerk. "I told you! I warned you not to pull your stunts!"

"Warned me?" Atsushi perked and eyebrow and gave a second glance back to Ichimatsu's hand. "If I didn't like you, I'd be telling you to unhand me. Then I could also report you for assault."

"Cut the bullshit!" Ichimatsu really did unquestionably let go of Atsushi then, giving him a light shove even. "Iyami did not witness the murder! No one was at the crime scene when it happened!"

"Oh?" Atsushi casually brushed the spot over his chest where Ichimatsu had pushed, "And how do you know? Have any proof of that? I know I'm not mistaken to say that the killing happened at a blind-spot of the camera."

A growl. Ichimatsu outright growled at his opponent before refuting him, "No. I don't have proof of that. But I'm sure I can get proof of a large amount of money deposited to Iyami-"

"And what if it was cash?"

"You fucking bast-"

"Get over it, Ichimatsu," Atsushi loosened his tie, still keeping his composure entirely collected. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't pay Iyami. Either way, there's nothing you can do about it."

". . ." Seething. Ichimatsu was seething with the way he was standing, breathing, and staring.

"Go home. Enjoy the rest of your day, and have a goodnight," Atsushi's smirk drew pronounced just before his lips became hidden in giving the other man a kiss on the cheek. "Pretty soon . . . I'll be able to tell you goodnight everyday once I make you mine after I prove your brother guilty."

And with those words, Atsushi made his exit of the courtroom.

Ichimatsu had not moved a muscle. Karamatsu knew that look, that stance. It was a point of anger that unconditionally confined someone, and that made Karamatsu scared. For what reason though, he didn't know. He couldn't even think about it before he heard his name said by another voice.

"Karamatsu-kun," Yanagita softly set a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah-" Karamatsu looked up, making himself smile. "Hey, Yana-kun . . . how's it going?"

"Hm . . . not so good . . ." he gave a half nod towards Ichimatsu who was still standing with his back turned to them with his eyes locked on the doors.

"Huh . . ." Karamatsu frowned faintly as he jumped his own eyes between the other two.

"Yeah . . . last night . . ."

"Did you two engage in sexy time!?"

"Ex . . . cuse . . . me?" Yanagita slowly removed his hand from Karamatsu's shoulder.

"Shit-!" Karamatsu flung his own hands up to cover his mouth. "Shit, I didn't mean-" a cough interrupted his words as he felt like his throat was closing up on itself. What had his brain just done? What had his tongue just done in saying such a thing like that!? It was as if someone else was controlling him with how he didn't even hear the thought first internally before blurting it out. "Ah! God damnit!" Karamatsu pressed his hands at the side of his head, shaking it as if that would put his brain back in place. "S-sorry! It's just that-I don't know what's going on. I think I might . . . I have feelings, but it's not right I know, because the two of us are-"

"Men?" Yana chuckled as he sat himself down in Ichimatsu's chair beside him. His hand had found Karamatsu's shoulder again, but this time the other one so that his arm was around his back. "It's okay, really."

"It . . . is?" Karamatsu glanced to Yana's fingers and then to his smiling face.

"In this day and age? It should be. A lot more people find it acceptable now."

"Is it because of Game of Thrones?"

"Huh? I'm not sure. I never read it. But . . ., if you like me. I think I might have an open mind about it."

"Eh!?" Karamatsu jolted a bit in his seat which only made him feel Yanagita's palm firmer.

"I mean, I'll be honest. I did have a little crush on your brother for a while there . . ."

"EH!?"

"But . . . turns out he already has someone. And when we were talking about her . . ., he was saying some really concerning things," Yana tried to lower his voice as he leaned into Karamatsu.

"EH!?" Karamatsu, however, was far from quiet. "HER!?"

"Oh? You . . . didn't know?"

"N-no! I . . ." a mental pain formed physical struck Karamatsu's chest. He looked down. What was this? First Atsushi. Then Atsushi saying Ichimatsu was holding out for 'some guy'. Now he apparently was in a relationship with a woman the whole while!? Then all the stuff that they had done together-those immoral, corrupt, depraved things-meant something very, very wrong in so many other ways now too.

"Yeah, well . . . I tried telling him earlier, but maybe you can suggest it instead. I think he should get some therapy. But . . . if you're-when you're found not guilty, how about some dates? Like actual dates. Not meetings. Okay?"

Yanagita chuckled some more, which was abruptly stopped by Ichimatsu's scathing voice,"Some what now?"

At the same time, Yana and Kara turned their eyes away from one another and up to see Ichimatsu standing in front of the table now, arms crossed, and with a face that looked like the most deathly dragon had taken over his soul.

"Ah," Yana sat up straight, keeping his arm around Karamatsu, "some therapy. It's-"

"Get-out-of-my-chair," the command had been said through gritted teeth.

"I was just-"

"AND DON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER!" That statement had been yelled, roared, and in sheer competition with the bang of the table flipping over by Ichi's hands as to what was louder.

"Whoa-!" Yanagita instantly got up, stepping several feet back away from the chair and Karamatsu. "Chill out, man!"

"SCREW OFF!" Ichimatsu grabbed Karamatsu's arm and then his bag, leaving the rest of the items that had been on the table scattered around. "Come on shithead-we have work to do!"

Karamatsu could only silently nod as he was back to attempting to find his brain. Really, what the hell was going on!? He had to pull his sunglasses down from his head and actually wear them in a hurry. Not just because court was over for the day, but because it was the only thing he could think of to tame, to hide, the burning blush over his cheeks. Ichimatsu had just called him brother in a way that wasn't sarcastic. Granted, it was fused with rage and he had been called 'shithead' just seconds after, but still!

The prospect of fresh air to help steady his mind and body was a failure even. Getting outside didn't help Ichimatsu's death metal songs that were stuck in Karamatsu's head. Gripping the arm also went to gripping the leash now that they were outside the courthouse as well. That didn't help either, and it only made Karamatsu frown more.

Usually it was a reasonable walk from the courthouse to the apartment complex, but now? They were taking another path. "The train station?" Karamatsu tried to reach for his brother's hand, but the touch was just met with a slap to keep him away.

"I told you-" Ichimatsu grumbled while keeping his eyes on the train arrival time sign, "we have work to do. Didn't your dumb ass hear what tomorrow is?"

"Uhm uh Taco Tuesday on a Thursday?"

In a harsh stomp Ichimatsu stepped on Kara's foot. "Don't test me!"

"Ow! Ah okay!" Karamatsu hopped a bit to deal with the sting. At least pain was now in his foot instead of heart.

"Defense examination. Meaning that is the day that I have to prove our side."

"All right . . . sooo?"

"We're going back to the scene of the crime."

"Oh . . ." Karamatsu stared down at his feet, seeing the newly made scruff mark on his shoe from Ichi. The crime scene. The crime scene he had never actually been too? He wondered. Paranoid struck up as he wondered what if. What if he had actually done it and just didn't remember? What if it had been one of those weird situations where he had been out of body and mind and didn't remember it? And if so, why? Why would he want to kill an innocent man?

Those questions running through his head didn't make the train ride feel short at all even though it was only four stops away.

There was a tightening feeling within Karamatsu's stomach as they had to walk past the Sunkuss where he worked-or used to work? Even if he was found innocent, he was sure they wouldn't want to hire him back now.

"Right there." Ichimatsu stopped around the corner of a building. "This is where it happened," he said without emotion.

Karamatsu had to swallow over another rock as he looked at the ground. Someone had died right here. "So . . . now what?"

"Hm . . .," Ichimatsu looked up, "Yeah . . . seems like this is a blind-spot. So we're going to walk to where the camera picks up and get some photographs."

"Oh!?" That word of photographs perked Karamatsu up. "You want to do a lovely photo shoot of me? I mean, I get it, but why in this area? We can-"

"Shut up-" Ichimatsu dug a professional-grade digital camera out from his bag and pushed at Karamatsu back out of the alley. "See that lamp post?" he stopped with a point. "That's where the CCTV camera is that filmed your fight and stabbing."

"M-My fight!?"

"I want you to retrace the motions in the video, and I'll be taking some pictures along with it."

"What!? No! Won't that just encourage them to find me guilty!? How many times do I have to tell you that I didn't-"

"DO IT!"

"Fine . . . fine . . ." Karamatsu cleared his throat and struck a stance, spreading his legs and placing his hands on his hips with a tilt of the head up in letting his eyes create illumination around his form. "How's this then?"

". . ."

"Oh~? Not a fan? Okay, how about this pose?" he got down on one knee, resting his elbow on the other while pressing his hand to his chin in order to appear 'philosophical'.

"WE'RE NOT POSING! JUST MOVE ABOUT LIKE YOU'RE FIGHTING AND STABBING THE VICTIM FROM THE VIDEO!"

"Er . . .," tentatively Karamatsu stood back up straight, "Then . . . do you want to take the part of the victim?"

"No."

"But wouldn't it be easier that way to-"

"I can't. I have to take the photos."

"Right . . . hm . . ."

"God . . . do I seriously have to hold your hand-"

". . ."

"First . . . walk from the right towards the lamp post."

"Got it-!" Karamatsu had gotten almost used to obeying his brother without second thought, but this was a bit different than the other times. He still felt unsure about why he was being instructed to do this, but he had to put his faith in Ichimatsu. Maybe he would have had more hesitancy if it had not been for the way Ichi had gotten so defensive over him with Atsushi and Yanagita.

"Good," the first photo was taken. "Now stop right in front of the gutter drain and just stand there for a moment. Without posing. This is when the victim is saying something to you," several more flashes of the camera emitted.

Karamatsu frowned again as he tried to replay his previous thought about having faith since he still didn't like the other's choice of words here.

"Pretend like you're taking the knife out now. Make a lunge forward and do the stab."

"But I can't do that. I'll-"

"Just do it or I'll bring out the bat when we get back!"

"Okay!" Karamatsu took a heavy breath in and made the motion the best he could manage. He just had to imagine like he was sword fighting with balloons-except it would be a one hit wonder.

"Jeez you suck-" Ichimatsu snapped more photos as Karamatsu made the pretend single stab.

"Aw c'mon!"

"No wonder you were cast as the tree in our school play."

"Ouch, brother. Ouch."

"This is the part where you get kicked. That should be easier for you to reenact, right?" Ichimatsu smiled just a little at that line.

"Like this?" Karamatsu shared the smile as he pretended to stumble back.

"See. Told you. But next . . ., you jab back and plunge the knife into his stomach."

And just like that, the smile was gone as Karamatsu had to force himself to make another stab motion, this time keeping his arm lower to hit the abdomen of the invisible man.

"And keep making smaller stabbing motions now while walking towards the edge of the building to bring you off camera."

Karamatsu nodded stiffly and did as he was told. Normally he would love to be having so many photographs taken of him, but this felt like each flash was taking part of his soul.

Then Ichimatsu stopped and so did Karamatsu.

"That it . . .?" Karamatsu walked back towards his brother as Ichimatsu put the camera away.

"Mn. We'll have to go to the police box to request the footage now."

"Footage?"

"God-of the CCTV."

"I don't understand? Why are-"

"You're voice is starting to get extra annoying again. So don't talk again unless I say something first, mutt."

"Er . . ."

"I can't have you saying something stupid and risk us getting denied the footage."

Did he want Ichimatsu to have that footage though? Once again Karamatsu sat upon the pendulum of doubt and trust.

Because . . . who was Ichimatsu? Karamatsu thought he knew him pretty well: The brooding loner who bathed in depression's arms, secretly craved compliments as band-aids for his low self-esteem, and went to karaoke with five cats instead of humans.

But now, with how professional and respectful he had spoken to the officer on duty at the police box, Karamatsu felt that fear of the unknown again. It was as if Ichimatsu knew exactly what to say, and how to say it, to get what he wanted. As after an hour at the station, they walked out of there with the disk in hand and then sitting back on the train to head home.

Whatever ability Ichimatsu had channeled to get the footage must have really drained him, because he actually fell asleep on the train.

Karamatsu listened to the heavy breathing of his brother. He was not to talk. He was to stay silent. He was to . . .

With each new snore, Karamatsu found his eyes turning further downwards at Ichimatsu's bag that was on his lap.

That pendulum wouldn't stop swinging and he was starting to get motion sickness.

The sweat that ran down the side of his face made him cold. His hand trembled as he brought it over the bag. He gulped. 'Pretend . . . more pretend . . . pretend like you're making sweet gentle love to a delicate lady . . .'

That was thought that he ran with as he got himself to stop shaking and ever so steadily snaked his hand into the bag and slowly took out the camera.

Power on.

Image roll.

Medium sized thumbnails.

Countless thumbnails of himself.

Not just from the recent photoshoot.

That sweat didn't just make him feel cold now. It made him freezing.

Months and months, and months of photographs of him doing his day-to-day activities; at work, shopping, eating, visiting their brothers, drinking at the bar and eating oden with Chibita, even bathing, all with various pictures of stray cats mixed in.

His chest hurt again. The way his heart knocked against it brought back the trembling in more than just his hands. It wasn't exactly fear though, but something else he couldn't quite place. He felt himself smiling, but that too was not free of the trembling.

Karamatsu loved photography and getting photographed. So many of these images really did look so gorgeous with his captivating self. And really, he would have gladly allowed for Ichimatsu to take as many pictures of him that he wanted if he had just asked.

But despite this, there was something that felt off. Maybe it was just the random leaves and other objects obstructing the full image of several of the photographs. Maybe it was just not knowing why Ichimatsu had decided to 'document' him. Was he too embarrassed to ask for pictures?

Or . . . maybe it was seeing the thumbnails of the photos that had been used in court in order to change his plea.

Just how long? Just how long did these pictures go back?

Skipping a breath, Karamatsu pressed and held his finger on the down arrow button. The roll continuously scrolled. It was now April. Each thumbnail had a timestamp. It was now August of last year on the screen.

July.
June.
May.
April again . . .

The pictures of himself ceased.

More cats.

Then a man.

The same man again. And again. And again.

The tighter twist within his stomach got rid of his smile. His heart no longer pounded, but sunk.

Just as there were months and months of images of himself, now there were months and months of images of this man.

He was older. Karamatsu couldn't make out too much details of him with everything just being thumbnails, but he appeared to be late 50s-early 60s. Mostly ash and silver hair.

Only a breath was skipped before, but now Karamatsu actually felt like he had stopped breathing all together as he looked over at his twin's sleeping face. His eyebrow twitched and he was sure he was pale as hell. Could this be 'the guy' Ichimatsu was holding out for!? Did his little brother have a thing for DILFs!? Or a sugar daddy!?

He looked back at the screen. This man did seem like he had a lot of money too! He looked so professional. In almost every thumbnail he wore an earthy-colored suit or one with gray tones. Never anything too bright, until . . .

Until there was one thumbnail where he was wearing a red suit. Karamatsu squinted. No, not a red suit. It was a tan suit and he was covered in blood. It looked like he was smiling too.

Ichimatsu's voice in the stall replayed over in Kara's head: So much blood.

Now he felt that fear. His finger would not stay steady as he went back to holding the button down. Another three months went on of photographs of this man. Then it was back to pictures of himself. Even though Karamatsu was treated to himself looking so good, he couldn't get the visual out of his head of that DILF. That bloody picture. It would interfere with him eating and sleeping tonight . . .

He switched to pushing the 'up' button then, going back to the months of the older guy. There were a few thumbnails of him getting his mail. Maybe if he could bring one up and zoom in on an envelope . . .

He highlighted one said photo. His finger drifted over to enter, and Ichimatsu stirred. In a second, Karamatsu set the camera back to active mode, shut it off, and tossed it back into the bag. This had woken the younger sextuplet up.

Deus ex machina. Now not on his side.

"Hey . . .," Ichimatsu rubbed at an eye and stared towards Karamatsu who was now breaking out in a hot-sweat from the paranoia. "You sick?"

"Huh . . . oh . . . I . . . ahaha . . .," Karamatsu pushed out a laugh as he rubbed the back of his own head, "Yeah, a little bit. Getting two hours of sleep, ya' know?"

"I know." The chime sounded to their stop. "Don't worry," Ichimatsu stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder and then taking hold of Karamatsu's leash, "You'll sleep well tonight."

"Hm?" Kara stumbled forward from the tug. Exactly how was he going to sleep well after what he had just seen?

Being quiet and not talking actually wasn't a challenge for once during their walk back to the complex. How could Karamatsu speak when he felt so lost in his head? He still wasn't sure what feeling to settle on. Flattery? Horrified? Then there was a third feeling, emotion, gnawing at his insides as well. It felt like jealousy, but was it? It appeared every time he thought about that DILF.

Karamatsu winced at himself. Perhaps this wasn't some weird sugar daddy with a menstruation fetish at all. The truth was that he could just be one of his brother's past clients. Perhaps all those photos needed to be taken for a case. Could he really settle on that self-answer?

All the colored locks were undone. The noise sounded louder than usual, bringing Kramatsu out of his head.

"Okay," Ichimatsu took a step back for Karamatsu to go inside.

"Okay?" Karamatsu gave a confused blink and tilt of the head.

"I have to go see Osomatsu."

"Osomatsu? Brother Osomatsu!?" Karamatsu beamed, "Well let's go!"

"No," Ichimatsu was quick to contest, inertly. "You're going to stay here and clean my apartment," he ordered, fishing in his pocket to take out a small container of mints, putting one in his mouth.

"Wah-! Please! I want to see brother Osomatsu too! It will be really fun and we-" Wide eyes. Hitched breath. The hard wall. Soft lips. Ichimatsu had pushed his lips over his and pressed him to the wall.

Their eyes fixed on one another just as their lips laced. Two. Two heart beats had passed before the air got in the middle of them again. One. One second had passed before the clang of Ichi's bag dropped to the floor and their mouths crashed back over one another. Neither of them knew who returned the kiss, because they had both done so at the same time.

The heat between them drew their eyes shut, and the wall grated against Karamatsu's back more. Ichimatsu drove him further against it, sandwiching him between it and himself whilst fastening his knee between his legs. Their lips kneaded atop one another. Sloppy. Consuming. Desperate.

Their fingers performed the same solicitous act on each other. So rampant did they frisk over each other's skin. Cheeks. Ears. Neck; and down to the shoulders and back up again.

Karamatsu parted his lips, and Ichimatsu interwove his tongue around his. Small noises exchanged. The thinnest line of saliva spread equally over their chins. The solid mass of a mint being exchanged from one mouth to another.

Karamatsu's hands swam through Ichimatsu's hair, messing it up more than it already was. He relaxed his jaw, allowing for his brother to claim him deeper with his tongue caressing along his own. Their saliva mixed and he had swallowed that mint.

This kiss was more intoxicating than absinthe. It was something that neither of them knew they wanted so badly until it happened. All those sleepless nights next to each other growing up, staring at each other's faces, wondering how it would feel to be truly connected.

This was sin.

An act against both society and the gods.

This was sin, but it was a sin that brought about heaven.

Karamatsu's head felt so light, almost dizzy as he couldn't keep his hands tame from sliding around his brother, past his shoulders. Down around his back. His rear. Thighs. Floor.

No longer was he connected to Ichimatsu's mouth. The floor. He was on the floor, looking up at Ichimatsu, his sight becoming more and more blurry by the moment.

"Ichi . . . mat . . . su . . ." Karamatsu tried to reach up for him. What he had swallowed . . . had not tasted of mint at all. He would . . . be sleeping well tonight.