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Karamatsu awoke to the sound of soft voices around him. From what he could tell without opening his eyes it was still relatively dark outside so, in his opinion, there was no use being conscious. He was moments from falling back asleep when a hand touched his shoulder, startling him awake again.
"Brother?" he murmured sleepily, blinking up at whoever it was.
Osomatsu, who was watching him with a soft grin on his face, lifted his hand and instead pointed to Karamatsu's right. "Tsun-matsu has a little cold," he whispered back. Ichimatsu did seem pale when Karamatsu looked over at him, his breathing labored under the far end of the blanket. "Me 'n' Totty are going to make him some soup."
Karamatsu nodded along, trying valiantly to concentrate through post-sleep haze while he sat up on his knees. "That's very kind of you, Osomatsu. I'm sure our younger brother will appreciate that immensely." As if on cue, Ichimatsu curled forward on himself and shivered, his brow furrowing in his sleep.
"Can you change him out of his pajamas and put him on the couch?" Todomatsu asked from beside their eldest brother.
"Er," Karamatsu began, and then checked over his shoulder to make sure Ichimatsu was still asleep. "Why all of this? I can smell how worried you are about him but it's just a cold…?" You've never worried about me like this, Karamatsu continued to himself.
Todomatsu smiled, genuine and lopsided like Osomatsu's rather than his contrived cute one. "Ichimatsu-nii-san tends to take it out on you when he's sick, and you've been through enough these past few weeks."
Karamatsu wasn't sure what kind of scent signals he was emitting but Osomatsu definitely picked up on them. He had his arms around Karamatsu in moments, pressing Karamatsu's nose to his favorite spot on his brother's throat. Karamatsu took a slow, deep breath, finding Osomatsu's scent soothingly sleep-warm and relaxing.
"You're the best for the job," Osomatsu said in a low voice. "I'm still pissed off at him but I talked to Jyushimatsu about it, and he thinks Ichimatsu just needs some time."
The second brother disagreed, of course; he wasn't the best for any job, especially one that required him doing anything right, but because Osomatsu asked him to he would do it. "Okay," was all he said. It was difficult to pull away from Osomatsu but he did, and then shooed them gently away. "Go get started. I'm alright here."
Todomatsu stood first and helped Osomatsu up, and they both made Karamatsu blush by pushing his hair back and kissing his hairline on the way out. Only after the shoji closed behind them did he notice that Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu were also missing from the futon, leaving just him and Ichimatsu in the room. Karamatsu still didn't know what time it was but he was amazed they woke Jyushimatsu before the sun was up.
He turned, sitting down properly and resting the back of his hand across Ichimatsu's cheek, sliding it up to his temple. His face was overly warm but not worryingly so. "Ichimatsu," he said just under normal speaking volume. "Ichimatsu, can you sit up for me?"
Dark, shadowed eyes looked up at him from lowered lids. "Leave me alone, Kusomatsu," Ichimatsu muttered.
"I know you're not feeling well, brother, but I'm trying to help." Karamatsu sighed sharply, bringing the knuckles of his other hand up to his mouth as he thought. "I'll be right back," he said, pushing himself up to stand.
Because it wasn't time to be marked, beta Ichimatsu wouldn't appreciate Karamatsu trying to dress him in either of the alphas' clothes to calm him down. However, Karamatsu had caught him pilfering Karamatsu's own sweatshirt once or twice--the scent Ichimatsu left behind was so faint Karamatsu figured he didn't even know he had left evidence, but the omega's nose was much better than his.
Karamatsu pulled his blue sweater out of the closet, thankful it hadn't been washed yet, along with a pair of Ichimatsu's own track pants. He also took Todomatsu's sweater just in case.
When he turned around again, Ichimatsu was sitting up as he asked, his face red from exertion. He sneered at Karamatsu's frown but didn't move as Karamatsu began unbuttoning his pajamas. "I'm not an invalid," he protested weakly.
Karamatsu just continued to undress him, pulling his surprisingly dry pajama top off. "Banzai," he murmured, and Ichimatsu obediently raised his arms so Karamatsu could pull his sweatshirt over, putting the hood up as well. After a moment's thought, the second eldest leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ichimatsu's forehead, right between his eyebrows.
Ichimatsu just made an annoyed tsk sound but still didn't push Karamatsu away. "Why are you doing this?" he asked under his breath.
"Because you're ill, dear Ichimatsu. I have to take care of my little brother when he isn't at his best." Karamatsu tossed his own pillow to the couch, and then spread half of the comforter down as well so he could wrap Ichimatsu in it like gyoza. Ichimatsu was surprisingly compliant when Karamatsu took his hands and gentled him onto his feet.
They didn't make it to the couch immediately. Ichimatsu leaned forward, hands buried in the middle pocket of Karamatsu's sweatshirt, and pressed his face against Karamatsu's chest. Karamatsu had to concentrate to prevent himself from crying at how absolutely adorable his little brother was being.
"I never really apologized." Ichimatsu knocked his head a bit hard against Karamatsu's sternum but it wasn't anything he wasn't used to. "You may be shitty but I know it was fucked up, what I said."
Karamatsu waited for him to continue, but after a few moments passed in silence, he just intertwined their fingers and walked Ichimatsu toward the couch. Once he was lying down again Karamatsu took off his pajama bottoms and replaced them as well. Karamatsu found he liked doing these kinds of things, taking care of his younger brothers even when they were acerbic and ungrateful, because that was what an omega was born for.
Post-gyoza folding, Ichimatsu seemed much more relaxed, letting Karamatsu sit beside him and pet his hair. "I told you before, Ichimatsu, you're allowed to feel how you want. Don't feel like you have to apologize to me just because I'm…." Karamatsu nervously rubbed at a fresh bruise on his upper arm; when Ichimatsu began to frown at the spot Karamatsu lowered his hand, feeling guilty. "Osomatsu and Choromatsu won't let me leave, so I won't."
"You won't stay because you want to?" Ichimatsu's bored expression had an odd undertone but Karamatsu couldn't read it. "Pretty pathetic, Kusomatsu."
Karamatsu cleared his throat. "I know it's pathetic. But I don't really have another reason, so. Anything to hold on to." He was disappointed enough in himself already. Ichimatsu's mocking couldn't make anything worse--why not be honest with him?
Ichimatsu moved then, and Karamatsu automatically raised his hands to push him back down, but Ichimatsu's arms were already around him by then. "Just shut up," Ichimatsu murmured. He hesitantly, unfamiliarly tilted his head back and tried to press Karamatsu's face against his throat like his two alphas did. Karamatsu held back a laugh; Ichimatsu was being too gentle, like he was afraid too much movement would break him.
He wasn't projecting, either, so all Karamatsu could really smell was himself from his sweater. He appreciated the gesture all the same, nuzzling Ichimatsu's throat until his own scent naturally began to fill their private little bubble. Ichimatsu rubbed his back in similar jerky motions.
"I'd be pissed off if you left, too. So don't." Karamatsu nodded submissively.
There was a soft clattering as the shoji opened, and Karamatsu expected to be pushed away so Ichimatsu could pretend their little moment never happened. Instead, Ichimatsu's arms tightened around him almost to the point of discomfort.
"We asked you to take care of Ichimatsu, not the other way around," Osomatsu said teasingly from the doorway.
Karamatsu felt his face burn hot with embarrassment. "I know, I'm sorry," he stammered, regretfully pulling away from his brother and fumbling with the blanket. "I got distracted."
Choromatsu sat behind him and rubbed his temple against the back of Karamatsu's head. "He was being tactless, as usual," he said reassuringly. "You're not doing anything wrong."
"Tactless?" Osomatsu repeated, mock offended. He handed Karamatsu a bowl of warm miso soup and ruffled Ichimatsu's hair, earning a tired glare for his efforts.
"Yes, tactless." Choromatsu reached forward and rubbed the sleeve of Karamatsu's sweater between his thumb and forefingers, looking mildly approving; Ichimatsu didn't pull away from him. "Thanks, Karamatsu-nii-san. You're doing well."
That simple praise made Karamatsu smile but he concentrated on the soup instead. "Do you need help, Ichimatsu?" he asked, lifting the spoon in offering.
Ichimatsu shook his head and took it from him--not quickly or violently like Karamatsu expected--under the careful watch of both of their alphas. Karamatsu was already feeling tired again now that he had done what was asked of him but he was unwilling to stand up, surrounded as he was. Choromatsu made the decision for him.
"Osomatsu-nii-san, get the spare blanket from the closet. Let's go back to sleep, Karamatsu-nii-san." His tone booked no argument and Karamatsu's heat was such a short time ago that he felt obligated to obey.
"He's not leaving forever, Ichimatsu," Osomatsu said as he pulled a neatly folded comforter from the closet, seeing something in Ichimatsu's expression that Karamatsu couldn't as he was dragged away by his first younger brother. "You can pester him all you want in a few hours. Let him sleep." Ichimatsu's reply was almost inaudible but it didn't sound complimentary.
Choromatsu tucked Karamatsu back into bed, lying in his own spot and pulling Karamatsu to lie almost on top of him. For once, Karamatsu let his own well-being come first and closed his eyes, listening to Ichimatsu and Osomatsu bicker on the couch and Choromatsu's heartbeat underneath him.