Work Text:
He wonders if this is either a dream or a cruel joke.
April Fools happened weeks ago, Ichimatsu's loud thought crosses his mind, with the addition of a few cuss words that he softly, weakly utters out of trembling lips. However, nothing else can explain why he's seeing his own dead body stacked on top of a trash pile, in the narrow space between walls that constitutes his safe heaven. The cat friends he uses to feed in that alley are now silently taking spots around him and his own dead self, mourning along.
This isn't fucking right. What the hell is going on?
Try as he might, the fourth born cannot wrap his head around this bizarre and horrifying situation, even as he certified himself that he's real and not a ghost. He bumped into a kid just earlier, there was tangible contact a human wouldn't have with a ghost, the kid was glaring at him while he struggled to come up with an apology and then made a run for it, unable to face responsibility for his action. But he was there, wasn't he? That interaction wasn't a dream or something his mind made up to cope with the fact he's dead... was it?
Blood seeps from that mouth, staining the top of the purple hoodie Ichimatsu just knows it belongs to him because he has a few more of them piled together with his brothers' at home and very seldom does he change into them because the smell of feline it's impregnated with is always so comforting. There's a larger, worrisome stain wrecking the stomach area, where he'd been probably stabbed to death. Or are those bullet wounds? Ichimatsu really doesn't want to reach out and check, although he usually lets morbid curiosity get the best of him when he watches those disturbing horror movies that show in graphic detail how a serial murderer can torture and kill his victim in various cruel ways. But this isn't a movie and he finds himself regretting how he wished he could see a real dead body someday.
Glassy eyes stare at an empty space, unmoving. The poor bastard didn't even have the time to close his eyes before kicking the bucket. Amongst all that blood, Ichimatsu can spot the shape of a smile. His stomach instantly twists in a knot, threatening to have him spill the contents of his lunch right there. Realization has punched him right there, fist grinding and grinding and forcing him to face the truth lying underneath this mystery. It was so simple, after all, even a dumb fuck could reach that conclusion without even trying.
Firstly, any of his brothers can steal his clothes and act like him. With the exception of maybe Karamatsu who was very shitty back when they found themselves having to pretend they're each other, the lot of them knew him enough to pull that off and get away with it if they tried hard enough. Secondly, the cats are watching the corpse without approaching it, likely because they didn't recognize the smell. They would have been all over him otherwise.
And finally, he wouldn't smile that way before dying.
He wouldn't grin like an idiot while ruffling a little brother's hair and praising him, he wouldn't regard someone so cheekily as he rubbed a finger under his nose, he wouldn't cackle with mischief while loudly sharing his thoughts over whose porn actress has the most lovely boobs.
Ichimatsu cannot smile the way Osomatsu does, no matter how hard he tries.
His ass hits the dirty ground after he falls backwards, an invisible weight crushing his shoulders.
He remembers that time, days ago, when a homeless man rummaged through the trash inside that alley and kicked a couple of cats because they tried to take a few pieces of food he retrieved from there. Ichimatsu caught him red handed soon after, and gave him the beating of his life with the help of his feline friends. Full of scratches and utterly furious, the man clearly told Ichimatsu he would come back with his own buddies and make him regret he crossed him. Back then, the fourth born didn't pay mind to such threats. Hell, if he were to get beaten into a pulp at the condition his cats would be left alone, he would welcome that option with open arms.
When he returned home, Osomatsu asked him why he was covered in blood. Ichimatsu off-handedly told him everything that happened, including the part where he was threatened. There was an odd grin crossing Osomatsu's face while listening to the story, before he praised Ichimatsu for being brave and defending the cats. The head pat he gave afterwards felt really good. That night, Ichimatsu could sleep peacefully after his mind replayed the words of praise his eldest brother told him, over and over.
He should have seen this coming. He should have known Osomatsu was about to do something stupid to protect him and take the blunt of his dangerous actions. He should have kept his goddamn mouth shut. He should have done a lot of things that could have prevented this horrible outcome. But he was too stupid back then, he's too stupid now for refusing to acknowledge that he already knew this dead body belonged to his eldest brother the first instant he looked at that face. Ghosts? Holy fuck, how can he be such a dumbass? How could he make this a mystery game when he already knew the truth?
"I'm sorry... god fucking damn it... I'm sorry, Osomatsu-niisan, I'm sorry..."
Multiple streams of hot liquid descend over his cheeks. Osomatsu's lifeless smile becomes a deformed blur and Ichimatsu has to shut his eyes because he can't handle that sight any longer. He wants to puke, but even as his stomach begs him for release, he's too wracked up in his own sobs now, shaking whole as he lays down and curls himself into a ball. Someone is going to hear his cries, discover the body, call the police, maybe even have him arrested under the suspicion he was the one killing his own brother. It might as well be the truth. He led Osomatsu to his death because he was a stupid fuck. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail. He deserves to have his whole family know he was the cause of this. He deserves to be hated for the rest of his miserable life.
Surrounded by his beloved cats who uselessly try to console him, Ichimatsu knows that a big chunk of himself has also died today.