Chapter Text
Choromatsu is worried about his eldest brother.
They’d all caught a horrible cold—it’s the natural progression in this household, of course. Nobody can escape unscathed once one of them gets their hands on something nasty. That’s just business as usual, which is nothing to be concerned about.
Except then all of them had gotten better, but Osomatsu just keeps coughing, coughing, coughing in a way that sounds much harsher than a regular cold. And it’s scary—sometimes he can’t seem to stop, like he’s not getting enough oxygen, and his eyes water in pain even though he tries to turn his head so no one can see. But Choromatsu can see, and it doesn’t sit well with him at all.
So one night, as Todomatsu whines about the cough—which is, admittedly, keeping them all awake—he feels like he has to put his foot down. “You have to go to the doctor tomorrow, okay? This isn’t normal.”
Osomatsu agrees quicker than he would have expected. Maybe he’s curious about its origins as well, maybe he just wants Todomatsu to shut up, or maybe he’s actually getting worried about this cough, too. Whatever the case, Choromatsu is relieved he doesn’t have to drag him out the door.
Though he does have to push a bit in order for Osomatsu to allow him to come along. He knows he can sometimes be the bossy type, but he also knows Osomatsu is an idiot who will probably get lost if he doesn’t go with him. Plus he’s worried. He wants to be the first to know what the hell is going on. So he forces Osomatsu to put on a mask (god knows what people would think if he allowed his disaster of an elder brother to spread his germs across the city), and they leave the house the next morning.
Their time in the waiting room takes longer than the actual check-up itself—Choromatsu had offered to go back with him, but the wave of a hand he’d received in response had been enough to sit him back in his chair. Though he’d really like to hear what the doctor has to say, he has to respect his brother’s right to privacy, after all.
But he doesn’t have to like it.
When Osomatsu returns, Choromatsu is up almost immediately. “Well?” he demands, bracing for the worst but praying for the best.
“It’s bronchitis!” Osomatsu tells him—in a voice far too cheery for someone who’s just been told he has a chest infection. And then he has the audacity to throw in a thumbs-up as well.
“That’s—” Choromatsu has to collect himself for a moment, “—that’s not something to be happy about!”
“Yeah, but it could’ve been way worse. Like, I dunno, pneumonia or something. I don’t even have to take a prescription.”
He can’t help but sigh—Osomatsu is right, technically, but… “Aren’t you even a little bit concerned?” He knows he’s concerned, that’s for sure. “You’re going to have to take it easy for a while—it’s no wonder you sound so terrible.” Though it’s a relief to hear it’s something perfectly curable. “Do you want to stop by the drug store and pick anything up?”
“Nah, it’ll be fine. The doc said it’ll be gone in a week or so.”
Choromatsu has to wonder exactly what his definition of “fine” entails, but he really has no other choice but to let it go at this point.
Since Osomatsu doesn’t seem particularly interested in telling his brothers, Choromatsu is left with the task of letting them all know the situation. Mixed results from the crowd are not promising, and he internally sighs while he thinks about all the work he’s going to have to do until Osomatsu is better. He doesn’t mind, exactly, but it would be nice if the others would pitch in...
Despite his energetic response from before, Osomatsu seems reluctant to do much of anything for the rest of the day—which is more than fine by Choromatsu. He’ll recover faster if he relaxes more, and drinks lots of water, and gets lots of rest, and…
It’s after dinner and bathing that Choromatsu realizes they already own something perfect for just this occasion. He has to rummage around in the closet a bit before he finds it, but triumphant music plays in his head when he pulls out the humidifier.
Nobody else seems to share in his glee, however. In fact, after a beat, Ichimatsu asks, “What the hell is that?”
Choromatsu lifts it up, trying to grab hold of the cord so it doesn’t drag on the ground. “It’s a humidifier,” he explains. “Don’t you guys remember? Mom bought it for us like…last year, when we all caught the flu. It puts moisture in the air to make it easier to breathe…” He receives no response. “…Maybe you were all too sick to remember it. I don’t know.” That’s not the point. “Anyway, I’m gonna clean it out, fill it up, and plug it in.”
For some reason, Osomatsu starts to protest, “You don’t have to—”
“It’ll be good for everyone,” he interrupts, “It’s been pretty dry in here anyway since the heat’s been on, which is bad for your skin, among other things.” A thought. “Plus if you sleep any better, we’ll all sleep a little better.”
No argument comes after that.
They all sleep somewhat restlessly, but the humidifier does seem to be helping Osomatsu. His coughing is quieter, and while each briefly wonders if he’s going to be able to get enough rest himself, eventually they all succumb to the allure of a good night’s sleep.
It’s peaceful for a while.
Then Todomatsu, a lighter sleeper than most, feels himself being pulled out of a rather pleasant dream about macaroons. He quickly realizes Osomatsu is shaking, mostly silently, in what must be an attempt to stifle his coughing. He’s annoyed for half a second about waking up before he considers how miserable Osomatsu must feel, especially if he’s been awake all this time. “Nngh, Osomatsu-niisan…” he mumbles inelegantly, given that half his face is still buried in his pillow. He lifts his head enough to examine his brother. Though it’s a hard to tell in the dark, he can see that Osomatsu’s face is scrunched in pain, which leads him to his obvious question, “Doesn’t that hurt?”
Osomatsu is a little busy choking on air at the moment, but Todomatsu thinks he sees a nod in there somewhere. And even though he’s not exactly…good with germs, or illness in general, he knows he can’t just let his oldest brother suffer all night if there’s something he can do about it.
So he pulls himself out of bed and creeps out the door. His heart pounds louder than he’d like to admit at how dark the halls are—he’s a grown adult, for god’s sake—but it’s for Osomatsu, so…
His first stop is the kitchen. He thinks maybe he should make tea? That’s supposed to be good for sore throats, and they might have honey around here someplace, too…but banging the kettle around and boiling water at this hour would be a bit much, so he settles for filling a cup with tap water. That should still help.
Next he goes to the hall closet to get an extra pillow. He has to tiptoe so he doesn’t wake mom and dad, but, with the goods in hand, he’s able to quietly return to the bedroom.
He has some trouble sliding the door shut behind himself with his hands full, but he manages. What he wants to do is sit behind his brother, but the pillow slips from his grasp and hits the ground. Luckily, the sound is pretty muffled, and nobody else in the futon stirs. Setting the cup to the side, he kneels behind the eldest and slips his hands beneath his shoulders. He’s not great at this, but he knows the basics of what he should do, at least. “Can you sit up for a minute?”
Osomatsu is still coughing, but allows Todomatsu to help him into a sitting position. Todomatsu rubs his back, hoping to soothe his cough, and smiles to himself when it eventually quiets down. He reaches for the cup beside himself, holding it out to his brother. “It’s just water,” he whispers, trying not to wake the others. “You sound like your throat must hurt, so I thought it might help. And you should probably stay hydrated, anyway.”
While Osomatsu is busy with that, Todomatsu takes the extra pillow and adds it to Osomatsu’s own. He’s not super sure about this part, but… “I read somewhere that sleeping on an incline can help you rest better when you have a cough.” He notices his brother has stopped drinking. “If you’re done with that, I can take it…” Osomatsu hands him the cup, and he sets it out of the way so nobody will accidentally knock it over.
When Osomatsu lays back onto his new pillow formation, however, it’s apparent that something isn’t right—his neck is bent in a way that can’t possibly be helpful.
“Oh no, not like that,” Todomatsu waves his hands uselessly for a moment, “here, sit up a little.” When Osomatsu does, he moves the top pillow so it should—hopefully—provide better support for his shoulders and head. That’s the idea, anyway. “Is that better?” he wants to know, unsure of himself, “You can get rid of it if it’s uncomfortable, I just figured it was worth a try.”
“No, it’s—” Todomatsu holds his breath as he watches his brother shift into a new position, “it’s great, Totty. Thanks.”
He smiles. “You’re welcome, Osomatsu-niisan.” And with that, he returns to his own spot in bed, cuddling up to his brother in a way he hopes he will find comforting. “If you need anything else, you can wake me up. I won’t be—well…” he has to amend, “…I probably will be mad for like, fifteen seconds, but after that I won’t be mad, okay?”
Osomatsu nods, and Todomatsu vaguely remembers trying to give his brother a hug before he falls asleep, happy that he’s managed to make at least a little difference tonight.
Osomatsu takes a long time to get out of bed the next morning, and an even longer time to prepare for the day. Everyone tries not to stare during breakfast as he listlessly picks at his food, dark bags still evident beneath his eyes.
He tries to help clean up after they’re all done, but Choromatsu insists he rest on the couch instead. The third brother shoves a pillow behind his back, and—perhaps somewhat roughly—sticks the thermometer in his mouth. It’s not all bad news. “It’s 38.5, so it’s not anything to really worry about unless it’s bothering you. Do you want to take something for it?”
“Nah, they say it’s better to leave it alone unless it gets crazy high, right?” But then he has the gall to shiver despite what he’s literally just said.
Choromatsu shouldn’t even have to ask, but he does anyway. “Are you cold? I can get you something, if you—”
Osomatsu cuts him off. “No, no, I’m good! It’s fine, I can pull a blanket out of the closet or whatever if I need it. No big deal.” His smile is not reassuring.
Choromatsu desperately wants to argue, to go and get that damn blanket and wrap his brother in it until he’s warm and comfortable and better. But he’d promised himself he wouldn’t be overbearing, so he resigns himself to inaction and changes the subject. “Well, anyway, mom asked me to do some grocery shopping. Is there anything you want?”
There’s a pause. “Juice, maybe…?” Osomatsu clearly has no idea what he wants. “Something that’s good for being sick. I don’t know. You’re better at this than me.”
Choromatsu huffs a sigh. “Okay, how does orange juice sound?” He gets a nod in return. “Alright. I’m going, then. You can text me if you think of anything else.” Though I really don’t want to leave you alone… So, as nonchalantly as possible he adds, “Oh—do you want someone to come sit with you for a while? Ichimatsu’s home, and so is Karamatsu, and I think Juushimatsu…”
But of course not. “No, I don’t need—don’t get everybody all worried about me, okay? I’m fine. I’ll promise not to do anything but sleep and cough while you’re gone.”
Where’s all this weird antisocial behavior coming from? “But—”
“Go.” Choromatsu gets a mild flare-up of hurt feelings, but he supposes Osomatsu has a right to be a little cranky considering how sick and exhausted he is. So he goes—but conveniently runs into Karamatsu by the front door.
“Are you going out?” he asks.
Karamatsu shakes his head. “Juushimatsu and I were about to go sing on the roof. Why?”
Choromatsu hesitates, considering whether he’s just being silly over nothing. “Well, it’s just that…could you keep an eye on Osomatsu while I’m gone? He’s being weird and evasive, and he’s up there shivering but refuses my help, so…”
“We’re on it!” Juushimatsu yells from the next room, poking his head out and smiling widely at Choromatsu. “Right, Karamatsu-niisan?”
Karamatsu nods. “Right. We’ll take care of it, no need to worry.”
“Okay, thanks guys.” Choromatsu can probably trust them. He feels slightly better about walking out the door.
So Karamatsu and Juushimatsu form the best team ever and immediately put their faith in Google for what they should do next. “It looks like…tea. I’m gonna make tea.” Karamatsu fills the kettle and sets it on the stovetop. “Choromatsu mentioned he was cold, too, so…I have a fleece blanket somewhere. I think it’s in the closet. Here, you keep searching while I look for it.” He hands Juushimatsu the phone.
Juushimatsu scrolls and scrolls until he finally sees, “Niisan!” he thumps down the hallway excitedly just as Karamatsu is pulling a blanket from the closet.
“What is it?”
“Look, look! We have one of these, right?” but he’s waving the phone far too fast for Karamatsu to actually see what’s on the screen.
“Let me—just—hang on—” he finally catches hold of Juushimatsu’s arm. “Oh, a hot water bottle? There’s one under the bathroom sink, I think…what’s it supposed to be good for?”
Juushimatsu bounces in place, “It’s supposed to, um,” he glances at the screen again, “it’s good for…loosening mucus? That’s gross,” he laughs to himself. “But also! It should be relaxing, and help Osomatsu-niisan’s chest feel better.”
So Karamatsu keeps one eye on the steeping tea and another on his brother, carefully filling the bottle with hot water from the tap.
“One-third, right niisan?”
“Two-thirds, Juushimatsu. Then make sure you push the extra air out and twist the cap on tight.”
“Got it!” he does as instructed, then turns to proudly show off his work.
Karamatsu takes the bottle. “Nice job!” he praises, handing it back to his little brother. “Give it a couple good shakes to make sure nothing leaks, then bring it up to Osomatsu-niisan, okay?"
Juushimatsu nods, starting an intense shaking regimen that would make even the harshest product testers proud. Karamatsu smiles, tucking the blanket behind his back and grabbing the mug off the counter before making his own way upstairs.
Osomatsu appears to be reading a magazine, but he looks tired and unfocused in a way that tells Karamatsu he’d much rather be sleeping instead. Still, he looks up from his reading. “Hi, Karamatsu…plans for today?”
He offers him a grin. “Well, I was going to play guitar on the roof,” which is true. “Juushimatsu intends to join me, as well, but first…” he holds out the tea.
Osomatsu had evidently not been expecting this. He jumps in surprise, starting himself off on another coughing fit before, “How did you—”
“Choromatsu mentioned you were cold.” Maybe he shouldn’t have sold Choromatsu out like that right away? But how else was he supposed to know there was caretaking to be done?
A couple of different emotions flit across Osomatsu’s face before he accepts the mug, but contentedness is eventually what he settles on—and that’s more than enough to make Karamatsu happy.
“I also brought you this,” he mentions, producing the blanket from behind his back. Osomatsu is surprised again, but his reaction is less dramatic, and he sits nice and still while Karamatsu wraps it around his shoulders. Karamatsu can feel heat that should not be there radiating off of his older brother, and his heart twists in concern, but he knows the fever just has to wear itself out and Osomatsu will be better in no time. He steps back to survey his handiwork—Osomatsu looks a little embarrassed at being taken care of by his younger brother, but that doesn’t make this any less worth it.
Juushimatsu arrives right on time, bouncing up the stairs in a way that shakes the whole house—hot water bottle in hand.
Osomatsu balks. “Oh, you guys, I’m not—I’m not that cold, you didn’t have to—"
He’s misunderstanding, so Karamatsu just shakes his head and lets Juushimatsu do the talking. “It’s not for being cold! It’s for your, um…lungs and stuff! It goes on your chest and makes everything relax and feel better so it doesn’t hurt so bad when you cough.”
“Oh…” Osomatsu appears thoughtful, and Karamatsu nods to confirm Juushimatsu’s statement. Satisfied with the explanation, Osomatsu half lays down and shifts the blanket out of the way. He jerks when the bottle touches his chest, though, and Juushimatsu quickly pulls back.
“Is it too hot?” he's confused. “Karamatsu-niisan helped me fill it up, so it should be okay…”
“No, it’s fine,” Osomatsu’s voice is slightly breathy, but he shakes his head, “it was just surprising. You can put it back.”
Juushimatsu does, and Osomatsu breathes in deeply. He seems unsure about the whole thing, which makes both of them wonder if maybe they’d made a mistake? This was supposed to help, not make anything worse…but after a few moments Osomatsu relaxes, tension running out of his shoulders, and they realize they’ve done well.
“Do you need anything else?” Karamatsu wants to know.
Without any hesitation, “No, this is awesome, you guys. Thanks.” Osomatsu settles in on the couch, looking comfortable for the first time since they’d arrived upstairs. They take this as their cue to leave.
“Okay! We’ll be outside if you need us!” Juushimatsu announces. Karamatsu grabs his guitar, and up to the roof they go.
The first thing they do when they get up there is share a well-deserved high-five.
Ichimatsu doesn’t know what to do.
Having Osomatsu sick like this makes him…restless. It’s weird. He’s not any good at helping, really, and he definitely doesn’t want to get in the way, so he’s been keeping his distance. Hopefully nobody thinks it’s because he doesn’t care…not that it should matter to him what they think anyway, but…
He paces. Every time he passes the front door, he can hear Karamatsu and Juushimatsu on the roof. And Todomatsu’s gone out for the day, and Choromatsu is running errands, so…Osomatsu is alone right now.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He’s not deathly ill or anything. It’s just…maybe he should…check on him, regardless?
A cat scratches at the door the next time he walks by. Without really thinking about it, he lets it in, but…is it really okay to have cat hair in the house when someone has bronchitis? He’s not a doctor, he doesn’t know these things. But maybe it’s better to be safe than sorry? He picks her up and carries her into the kitchen, pulling open one of the (many) cupboards he has cat treats stashed in. She’s satisfied with what he gives her, so he doesn’t feel too guilty about sending her on her way.
He wants to check on his brother. This nagging worry is killing him, so he creeps up the stairs, slides open the door, and finds Osomatsu sound asleep on the couch.
He lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
He decides to sit for a while. Even though he’s not exactly good company, if Osomatsu wakes up and needs something, then someone should be here. He can do that.
So he sits out of the way, up against the wall where he’d usually have a cat or two around. Their absence is kind of strange, but it’s not so bad—Osomatsu is resting comfortably for once, which is a hell of a lot more than he can say for any of the previous nights. The music from the roof stops after a while, but neither Juushimatsu nor Karamatsu reappears so it’s safe to assume they’re still up there.
He waits, and waits, and nothing happens—which is good, honestly. It’ll be better if Osomatsu sleeps until Choromatsu gets back, then he’ll have someone attentive and competent to take care of him.
Of course, as soon as he has this thought, Osomatsu stirs. He doesn’t sit up right away—he has to get the (now cold, probably) water bottle off his chest. Then, slowly, he pushes himself into a sitting position. He takes a sip of whatever’s in the mug on the end-table. And then he notices Ichimatsu.
Ahhhh shit. Now he has to do something, right? It’d be totally weird if he was just hanging out here to watch his brother sleep. So before he has a chance to talk himself out of it, Ichimatsu stands—both of his knees pop audibly—and walks over to the couch, sitting down next to Osomatsu in a way he hopes doesn’t betray his unease. He still doesn’t know what to say, though.
Thankfully, he doesn’t have to. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“…S’okay,” he replies after a moment. “And…you?”
“I’m good,” Osomatsu laughs a little, but the laugh quickly turns into a coughing fit instead. Ichimatsu doesn’t know what to do. Should he rub his back? Would that make it worse? Luckily for him, he doesn’t have to think about it for long because Osomatsu is able to stop on his own. He looks around, seeming confused, before asking, “No cats today?”
“No…” he’s sort of embarrassed, honestly, “…well, there was one, but I…never mind.” If he doesn’t have to go into specifics, that would be good.
But of course Osomatsu wants the specifics. He’s always been pretty nosy, after all. Sure enough, “You what?” is the next thing out of his mouth. And then he shivers, despite the blanket and the normal temperature of the room, and Ichimatsu frowns inwardly.
“I…gave her a treat and sent her out,” he explains awkwardly. “Because…I don’t know, I mean I know you’re not allergic to them, but maybe it’s a little better if they’re not inside when you’re sick?” He hopes it’s the right answer, because otherwise he’s going to feel really stupid.
A pause pushes his heart up into his throat, but then, “You did it for me?”
Shit, shit, Ichimatsu knows he’s blushing, which is annoying, but what’s even more annoying is that Osomatsu even had to ask. “Of course, stupid. You’re scaring everyone with that freaky cough. So stop it and get better already.”
Osomatsu laughs and makes himself cough again, but it’s not nearly as bad this time. “I’m doing my best.”
“I know.” Because he does. Osomatsu’s a carefree, goofy shithead who never grew up properly, but he’s been trying not to worry them this whole time.
He doesn’t miss the second shudder, nor the way Osomatsu pulls the blanket tighter around himself.
He asks the obvious. “Are you cold?”
“Ah, a little, yeah, but it’s not a—” and Ichimatsu knows instinctively that this is something he can and will help with, so he slides over on the couch and leans into Osomatsu’s side.
There’s a moment of silence before he has to ask, “Is this okay?”
“God, yes,” Osomatsu replies without missing a beat, and something warm blossoms in Ichimatsu’s chest. Osomatsu is definitely still running that stupid fever, but if this is helpful, then… “You wanna come under the covers?” Osomatsu offers. “Here,” and it takes him less than fifteen seconds to tuck the blanket around them both. He seems happy, and it’s with a tiny jolt that Ichimatsu realizes that makes him happy, too. “Are you comfortable?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Ichimatsu grumbles, but he’s really not annoyed at all. Osomatsu can tell, and he snuggles up to him almost immediately, head resting in the crook of his neck—clearly trying to leech his warmth. It only takes a minute for Ichimatsu to follow suit, resting his head on top of his big brother’s.
He can hear Osomatsu’s breathing even out as he falls into a restful sleep—he’s snoring a little, actually, but Ichimatsu can’t bring himself to mind. He’s comfortable, Osomatsu is comfortable, and everything feels pretty good at the moment. He doesn’t remember planning to fall asleep, but that happens eventually, too.
Todomatsu takes pictures that receive a lot of comments on Instagram. Osomatsu whines, Ichimatsu grouses, but neither of them really minds enough to put up a fight.