Chapter Text
“Well…are we going to talk about it?”
“Talk about what Totty?”
“Don’t play dumb Choromatsu-niisan you know exactly what I’m talking about. Are we just going to pretend it isn’t happening like we have for months?”
Everyone in the room looked at Todomatsu only to look down in shame. It was true but, “Well what is there to do or say? We don’t even know what this is or what’s wrong,” Ichimatsu said bluntly.
“An intervention?!” Jyushimatsu suggested.
“Are you stupid? We’re trying to understand what’s happening not scare him!” Choromatsu resorted.
“Well…we all know how easily he’ll talk if we just get a little aggressive with him, no time wasted and he’ll mostly likely be honest.” Ichimatsu grimly suggested.
“But we’re still forcing him! It’ll get us what we want, but it can make him really uncomfortable! Then he really wouldn’t want to talk to us…or he’ll try to hide whatever the hell this is even more…”
They all knew Choromatsu was right, but there really wasn’t anything else. “We can ask him?” Todomatsu asked timidly. There was silence until the one who hasn’t spoken up yet did, “There is no way he will tell us what’s wrong. An intervention, accusations, or whatever the hell we plan will only make him more cautious or whatever,” Osomatsu waved a hand in the air from the floor. Todomatsu was getting angry, “Well then what do you suggest we do, Osomatsu-niisan? Keep ignoring this? Because I swear if that’s what-“
“Of course not Totty! I might not be responsible and avoid all my problems, but I still care about all of little brothers’ problems. It’s just anything we do will only make things worse and we all know it, we’ve seen it before.”
It was true. No one could protest or argue. This was just so upsetting to Todomatsu. His own partner in crime, his older brother he always looked up to and hanged out with since childhood, was changing. As much as Todomatsu didn’t like to admit it, he really didn’t mind the antics of his stupid older brother, of his painfulness and awful sense of fashion. No, he appreciated everything about him, because it’s what made Karamatsu, Karamatsu.
None of them knew exactly when it started, all they knew is it happened gradually in a span of months, or well, that’s at least when it started becoming more obvious. At first, it was just Karamatsu sometimes being the last one to wake up – which was rare considering he was one of the first – and coming late to breakfast, to always being the last one to wake up at an even later time than Osomatsu ever has, which was pretty late, and skipping breakfast overall. Karamatsu always loved to talk and exaggerate things, but that slowly diminished as he rarely talked unless he was directly spoken to instead of inviting himself to any conversation. He still wore his painful clothes, but it seemed like he put less effort into what he wore and matching. The activities he used to do was done less and less, hardly playing his guitar, his mirror tucked away in a drawer, all he did was occasionally write in a notebook. They’ve obviously checked it, since privacy was nonexistent inside the house, only to find confusing messy poems and scribbles.
These things only infuriated Todomatsu. He thought he knew Karamatsu like the back of his hand, or almost at least. Todomatsu was always the one who would spend the most time with Karamatsu when no one else would, both out of pity and because he loved his company, thought he’ll never admit either. He knew how happy Karamatsu got whenever he was invited to go out anywhere, which is why it was a surprise when Todomatsu, or anyone for that matter, would invite Karamatsu somewhere and he’d hesitantly refuse. Or, he would say he’d go, only to say he was busy with something or say he wasn’t up to it at the very last minute. Karamatsu even dared to stand up Todomatsu when he waited for him at the fishing poles, only for Karamatsu to never show up. Karamatsu never did anything at home but he was always tucked away in there. It was all weird and absurd!
If they didn’t know any better they’d say he was turning into Ichimatsu, except even Ichimatsu did more than he did.
“Do you think...he’s depressed? Or that we did something wrong?” Everyone turned to Jyushimatsu, his voice uncharacteristically low as he put a sleeved hand over his mouth. It was certainly an option, but no one liked to think about it. They’ve tried to recall of anything recent or during the time they’ve noticed the changes that could’ve upset him. It could’ve been anything, they make each other upset all the time after all.
“Let’s- let’s not jump to conclusions here Jyushimatsu-niisan..” Todomatsu especially didn’t want to think about it. “It is something serious…we can’t just throw that word around...” Choromatsu murmured.
“Well, we don’t know, and he might not even know himself,” Osomatsu started, making them all turn their attention back at him, “But there isn’t exactly anything we can do other than hope he feels like he can open to us.” Before anyone could protest or add anything, Osomatsu sat up and held a hand up to stop any interruptions, “I know it’s one hell of a crappy solution, but it’s the safest one we got. We just have to show that we’re trustworthy, or as trustworthy we can get with emotions, and make him feel like he can talk to us, or maybe make him feel better. But no obvious changes, he might seem dumb, but he’s not completely stupid.”
That’s what Osomatsu told them that day, and everyone did their best to do as he told, being a little kinder to the second oldest without making it obvious. Of course, Osomatsu knew they had to do something but it was so hard to find something that didn’t feel like they were cornering Karamatsu. Although, that might just be a sacrifice to make in order to really help him. But what Osomatsu didn’t expect was him to be somewhat correct.
It was a few weeks later that Karamatsu approached Osomatsu in the morning, it was the earliest he’s seen him wake up in a while. Although, it was easy to tell Karamatsu had barely woken up. In any normal occasion, it would’ve been bizarre to see Karamatsu without his hair combed or looking like he woke up from a beauty nap and anew, but lately it hadn’t been normal. Karamatsu was still in his pajamas as he had disheveled hair that resembled Ichimatsu's with small bags under his eyes as he looked down and taking small glances at the oldest, eyebrows that haven’t been done in a while furrowed, his almost dry lips parted as it seemed he wanted to say something on his now pale skin for not going out in the sun as much as he used to.
“Osomatsu,” his voice was hoarse, so he coughed and tried to look at the oldest, “would you…” It sounded like a mumble until Karamatsu cleared his throat a second time with a cough and seemingly gained a surge of energy, looking straight at the oldest with a confident smile, “Would you like to accompany me today in my ventures? There is uh…a small matter I would love to discuss with you...but not without your will or interest! If you had other plans, I certainly don’t want to get in the way of such vital matters for-“
“Sure. Sounds like fun or whatever, I got nothing to do and if you wanna talk about something, I’m down.” Osomatsu interrupted before Karamatsu could continue on his never-ending rant. Karamatsu had a tendency to talk on and on whenever he was nervous about something, so it must’ve been something important that he was hesitant to talk about. Besides, not only did Osomatsu not have plans because he never did, this was the first time he’s seen or known Karamatsu ask someone to hang out with him recently, who knows what would happen if he rejected him.
Karamatsu seemed to bright up even more, having a more genuine yet surprised look. “Really?! That is absolutely wonderful! I’ll get dressed right away in my finest clothing in the special occasion I have been granted to spend this wonderous day with none other than my dearest older brother!”
Osomatsu couldn’t help but laugh, he missed the antics of the younger, how excited he could be and describing things in such a weird way “Yeah yeah sure, but breakfast first alright?” Karamatsu vigorously nodded and headed towards their room and table where they all eat. It’s all been a while since Karamatsu has eaten breakfast with them too, so this was definitely progress! Osomatsu really missed having his second in command, the closest thing he could ever get to an ‘older’ brother, though he’ll be caught dead first before he were to ever say such things, because he was the oldest no matter what, that was his position, and the oldest always had to help younger ones first.
Now all Osomatsu had to do was wait and see what Karamatsu wanted to tell him, and if he will, whatever it may be.