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There really were no surprises with Osomatsu. He had taken up the leader role naturally between all his brothers before they even knew of the different natures of their world. Even after they had learned about ‘presenting’ and ‘natures’ and ‘heats’ and ‘ruts’ in their sex-ed class in the tail-end of grade school, even after they learned that there was a possibility Osomatsu could present as anything but an alpha-- they still treated him as such. They all probably knew he would be one, that he would be their alpha to lead them and care for them and protect them as their biology dictates-- it was just set into the marrow of their bones since birth. It was natural to follow him like clockwork, especially in their younger days.
Then he actually presented, and nobody was surprised.
A couple things had to change after Osomatsu’s alpha nature showed itself. The way they all slept, the way they all ate, the way they followed him-- the way they had to talk to him, even… it all shifted, a little. It wasn’t an awful change, just different, and the brothers actually took pretty naturally to it, accepting the fact that Osomatsu was their official alpha now. As they felt he always had been.
The biggest change had to have been the sleeping arrangements. They all had slept on their own futons, but then they all had to share one and Osomatsu was specific about who slept where in the line. He and Choromatsu were always close, so Choromatsu slept on one side of him. It made sense. Todomatsu was the youngest, and Osomatsu had, after presenting as an alpha, taken a keen interest in Todomatsu for no particular reason and made his spot the other open spot next to him. It just felt right to Osomatsu to have Todomatsu so close by-- easier to protect, easier to comfort.
Then from there, Karamatsu-- the second eldest-- was on Todomatsu’s opposite side and Jyushimatsu was on Choromatsu’s opposite side.
Ichimatsu, then, was assigned to the end-- on the other side of Karamatsu and the furthest away.
It was out of order, and it was the first time they had ever really committed to anything that didn’t have them in their birth order-- but Osomatsu insisted, and no one wanted to disappoint Osomatsu or stray from the pack. It just wasn’t in their nature to rebel against him.
Afterall, they all were one, and one was all.
At least… that’s how it was in the beginning.
Karamatsu remembers the days they all presented. It was separate days, which was abnormal for them since they did everything together back then. He wonders if coming into their natures was the start of their independence, unintentional or otherwise. He remembers how warm Todomatsu had felt when he first came into his nature as an omega, his forehead burning with a light sheen of sweat on his skin before one of them got their mother out of worry. He remembers how she ushered Todomatsu into the bathroom to clean him up with a cool rag and he also remembers how Osomatsu was there, stuck to Todomatsu’s side the entire week he was sick, even after they went to their family doctor and got the news and the proper medicine-- suppressants, to control his cycles and the hormones in his body.
Well-- Karamatsu shouldn’t say that they had all presented, because they didn’t all present, per se. It was just Osomatsu and Todomatsu and soon, as the days and weeks and months passed, the rest of them realized that they weren’t going to come into a specified nature. Choromatsu was quite pleased, not wanting anything to do with what he saw Osomatsu and Todomatsu deal with. They were surprised Jyushimatsu turned out to be a beta with how strong and confident he was, but that was for the best. Karamatsu couldn’t say he didn’t expect something to happen to him, but it seemed as though he was destined to remain as indistinguishable as ever. No one much minded Ichimatsu when nothing happened, and so it was the four of them and their two natured brothers. Things were fine.
For a while, everything was fine.
Until Ichimatsu decided it wasn’t.
It was small, at first. Unnoticeable little habits. Osomatsu would tell them to do something and Ichimatsu was the only one who would groan and twist his mouth into a grimace and no one said anything, no one really took it to heart. Osomatsu would hug his brothers to spread his scent on them and Ichimatsu shrugged him off a little sooner than the rest of them did. Osomatsu would ask anyone to pass the rice, and everyone would reach for it except for the fourth youngest.
Little, seemingly innocent things they all chalked up to Ichimatsu’s anxiety they all knew he had. Sure, he’d become a little grumpier in the past few months and a tad more anti-social, but they were all changing in their own ways and honestly it hadn’t seemed out of place at the time.
The first time something really notable happened though, it was Karamatsu on the receiving end.
The second eldest had been walking down the hall, and the fourth youngest was walking the opposite direction. Before they even passed each other, Ichimatsu had a visible grimace on his face that only worsened when Karamatsu greeted him in his newly adopted english lingo of “Hullo, burazza!”
“You stink.” Ichimatsu says plainly, looking his brother up and down.
“Ah, heh. I had just recently gotten this new leather jacket, so perhaps--” Karamatsu starts, but Ichimatsu cuts him off.
“No, it’s different.” And he steps closer to his brother, leaning in and sniffing. Karamatsu’s expression falters a tad because Ichimatsu had never paid this much attention to how he’s smelled before. Was it really that bad? He wasn’t wearing any of his father’s cologne today. However, when he opens his mouth to voice as much, Ichimatsu is pulling away.
“...Nevermind, maybe it is the jacket.” Ichimatsu says, glaring at the leather piece of clothing like it had personally offended him.
“I’ll be sure to wash it up right away then!” Karamatsu says as Ichimatsu is walking away, but as soon as his little brother is around the corner, Karamatsu pulls the flap of his jacket to his nose and inhales… and smells nothing. He pulls away, puzzled, and looks back to where Ichimatsu had left before finally continuing on his own way, storing something in the back of his mind.
It’s late evening of the next day-- or perhaps it’s several days later, he doesn’t quite remember-- and they had all been settled into their shared futon long ago. Karamatsu isn’t a deep sleeper, nor is he really a light one-- but he’s woken up by hands pulling at his pyjamas, trying to roll him over.
Groggily he turns himself, his back facing the rest of his brothers and his front facing Ichimatsu.
“What? What is it?” Karamatsu yawns, but doesn’t bother to open his eyes all the way. Still, he feels Ichimatsu’s hands grabbing and pulling at him and he scoots his body closer, immediately feeling the intense warmth of a second human being press against him. “Bad dream?” Karamatsu guesses, because it’s not unusual for Ichimatsu to be especially cuddly after a nightmare and Karamatsu was a fountain of physical affection and comfort when his brothers needed it, no matter the hour.
Ichimatsu’s arms wrap around his body, and he feels his brother’s head nuzzle into his neck. Karamatsu sleepily hugs him back in turn, feeling Ichimatsu rub their cheeks and jaws and noses together and Karamatsu mumbles something about “I’m here, it’s alright, no bad dreams.” before falling back asleep almost immediately, Ichimatsu still holding tight.
The following morning, Ichimatsu seems to follow him, which Karamatsu doesn’t mind. No one finds it unusual-- they are still young after all and pairing off isn’t abnormal, though it’s usually Jyushimatsu that Ichimatsu prefers the company of, but Karamatsu isn’t complaining about the extra attention from his anti-social younger brother. He’s beaming, actually, at the fact that Ichimatsu is so willing to follow him around today.
The next day is similar, and so is the day after that.
Soon, Ichimatsu is sharing his drinks and his snacks with him, and Karamatsu is so obviously happy about it, especially when Choromatsu asks for some snacks from Ichimatsu and is immediately denied.
“What makes him so special?” Choromatsu asks when Ichimatsu refuses to give up his bag of chips.
Karamatsu is beaming, wearing his signature grin and pushing his recently acquired sunglasses up his nose. Ichimatsu grunts but offers no further answer, and soon enough Choromatsu is storming off.
Ichimatsu holds the bag towards Karamatsu and the second oldest doesn’t hesitate to accept it. He’s so caught up in all this attention he doesn’t normally get from anyone else, so drunk on the concept of his younger brother looking up to him and admiring him that it blinds Karamatsu to the otherwise obvious signs he should have noticed.
Osomatsu has to point it out before any of them really pay any attention.
“You stink, Karamatsu! When’s the last time you took a bath?” Osomatsu says, making a show of pinching his nose and waving away the air around him.
Karamatsu looks up from where he’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, blinking a couple times before registering what it is his brother had said to him. “Hm? Just yesterday, with the rest of you.” He answers, and instinctively he pulls his blue hoodie up to his nose and inhales deeply. “I don’t smell anything-- mom did the laundry not too long ago.”
“I don’t know what it is, but it’s definitely there. Go change your clothes or something.” Osomatsu demands. “My nose is more sensitive than yours anyway.”
Karamatsu frowns, not exactly wanting to go through the trouble of changing his outfit but he doesn’t want to deal with Osomatsu making a scene if he were to protest-- so instead he gets up and leaves the room, heading to the bedroom.
Todomatsu is in the hall, and Karamatsu stops near him.
“Ah, my lovely Todomatsu-- can you do your big brother a favor?” Karamatsu asks, pressing a hand to his own chest in a half-bow.
Todomatsu looks away from his phone and at his brother with a raised eyebrow, unhappy at being interrupted in whatever he was doing on his little device. “What do you want?”
“Oh, I am indebted to you for choosing to help me--” Karamatsu starts, but is immediately cut off by a hand raising in the air between them.
“Enough, nii-san. What is it.” Todomatsu dead-pans, looking irritated.
“Ahem, well, I was just wondering-- if I smelled bad, would you tell me? Like if I put on a dirty shirt without realizing it? Your nose is just as sharp as Osomatsu-niisan’s-- I wouldn’t want to be insensitive.” Karamatsu says, straightening himself.
Todomatsu blinks, seemingly surprised at such a normal request before he shrugs. “Of course-- I wouldn’t let any of my brothers walk around in dirty clothes and embarrass me if I could help it.” He says, eyes going back to his phone halfway through his sentence.
“Oh good, that’s wonderful to hear-- do you mind giving me a sniff? I’m afraid I may have done something like that just today.”
This causes Todomatsu to look back up at him, his eyes looking and up and down his older brother before squinting. “You smell fine to me, nii-san. You don’t smell any different from yesterday or any other day before that. Why?”
“Just figured I’d ask.” Karamatsu says, choosing not to say how Osomatsu had pointed his scent out not minutes prior.
“I mean--” Todomatsu starts, pausing to think a moment before continuing. “You smell a bit more… I don’t know… masculine, I guess? But I know that’s because you use dad’s cologne a lot. Maybe you should use a bit less if Osomatsu-niisan is causing a fuss.”
It’s a long moment before Karamatsu responds, and when he does it’s a simple “Ah, yes, I’ll do that.” And Todomatsu goes on his way, leaving the older sibling in the hallway alone.
Karamatsu stands there a moment, frowning as he begins walking towards the bedroom once more, and thinking about what Todomatsu had said.
He hasn’t used his father’s cologne in weeks.
When Karamatsu makes it to the bedroom, he’s surprised to see Ichimatsu sitting in there, focusing on tying what looks like a shoe-lace to a stick and something else. A makeshift cat-toy for the alley cats he’s been visiting lately, it seems.
“Hello, burazza! Fancy seeing you here! What is it you are working on there?” Karamatsu says as he makes his way over to their closet.
Ichimatsu grunts in response. “It’s for the cats.” Is all the answer he offers before glancing up. “What are you doing?” He asks once he sees Karamatsu shifting through their shared closet.
“Osomatsu-niisan says I smell bad, I think I put on a dirty sweater.” Karamatsu replies, seeing Ichimatsu stand and approach him from his peripheral vision as he sifts through various shirts. When Ichimatsu starts sniffing him, Karamatsu stops and looks at his younger sibling.
“You don’t smell any different.” Ichimatsu says.
“That’s what Todomatsu said, too.” Karamatsu responds, going back to his clothes. He idly wonders if he should change his pants as well.
“Don’t change. You don’t need to. Osomatsu-niisan can fuck off.” Ichimatsu says, and the swear catches Karamatsu off guard.
“Hey,” Karamatsu warns, his tone low. “He’ll get angry if he hears you say something like that.”
“So? I’m not afraid of him.” Ichimatsu spits back.
“You should be.” Karamatsu responds naturally.
“Why? Because he’s the alpha? That’s bullshit--”
“ Ichimatsu,” Karamatsu starts, turning towards his brother. His tone is hard, acquired only through being one of the oldest siblings-- but as he opens his mouth to lecture his little brother, he’s stopped by Ichimatsu stepping into his space and growling at him.
Karamatsu’s eyes widen and he steps back immediately out of instinct, mouth snapping shut.
Ichimatsu, after a second, looks just as surprised as Karamatsu does and he breaks their connected gaze by looking down. He shoves his hands deep in the pockets of his hoodie.
“Did… did you just--” Karamatsu starts, but Ichimatsu cuts him off once again.
“It-- it happens, sometimes, when I get angry. Jyushimatsu says it’s because I hear the cats do it a lot.” Ichimatsu responds, but he seems reluctant to talk at all.
“I don’t think-- I mean, I guess.” Karamatsu replies, stopping himself halfway through. He wants to let the topic go, especially because it looks like Ichimatsu wants to run away right now, but something in him-- maybe some sort of instinctual, older-sibling obligation-- doesn’t want to drop it so simply.
“You’ve been more irrate these days, Ichimatsu. Is everything alright at school?” Karamatsu asks, his voice dripping with concern in a way that makes Ichimatsu’s nose wrinkle with distaste.
“You and I go to the same school, stop acting like you’re not in the same grade.”
“We don’t have the same classes anymore though, so none of us see each other as often as we used to.” Karamatsu corrects. “Regardless, is everything okay with you?”
“Everything’s fine. Stop asking me stupid questions!” Ichimatsu snips back.
“I was just asking--”
“Well don’t ask.” Ichimatsu cuts him off and Karamatsu hears it-- a low grumble lacing the syllables of his younger siblings words that would otherwise be impossible to do naturally, and yet…
Karamatsu doesn’t stop Ichimatsu from stomping past him and out of the bedroom, and Karamatsu is left alone with his thoughts. He feels like he’s missing something huge, something he should already know, but he can’t figure it out.
He discovers that missing piece a few nights later though, when he’s woken up from sleep once more by hands pulling at his pyjamas.
“Another bad dream?” Karamatsu mumbles, automatically turning towards his fourth youngest brother. However, as soon as his hands reach out towards Ichimatsu, he’s shocked wide awake by how utterly warm his sibling is.
Karamatsu sits up and rubs his eyes before squinting through the dark at Ichimatsu’s curled up form. Unable to see much, he reaches forward with his hand to place the back of his fingers on Ichimatsu’s forehead.
“You’re not burning up, but you’re definitely warm.” Karamatsu says, and he yawns near the end of his sentence. After thinking for a moment, he comes to a decision. “Let’s go to the kitchen and get you some water and air. That should help cool you down.”
Ichimatsu doesn’t put up any type of fight as Karamatsu pulls him out of the futon and onto his feet. In fact, he stays quite close to his older brother as Karamatsu guides them down the dark halls to the kitchen. By the time they reach there, they’re both a bit more awake and their eyes have adjusted to the darkness.
“Grab some ice from the freezer, I’ll grab the water.” Karamatsu says, letting go of Ichimatsu’s hand and grabbing a glass from the cabinet and walking over to the sink. He yawns loudly as he fills the cup. He nearly drops it when he turns around and sees Ichimatsu standing right there, though. He wasn’t quite awake enough to hold back the undignified yelp that may have escaped him.
Before Karamatsu can say anything, there are hands on his hips, sliding up the length of his sides and under his pyjama shirt. His brother’s hands are warm on his skin and Karamatsu can’t help the shiver that runs down his spine at the sensation.
“Ichimatsu, you didn’t get the ice.” Karamatsu says, but Ichimatsu doesn’t respond and instead steps further into his brother’s space until their fronts are pressed together and his chin rests on Karamatsu’s shoulder. He’s embracing him now, and his hands are roaming the length of Karamatsu’s back underneath his shirt. It feels weird-- intimate, but awkwardly so.
“You’re still so warm-- did you have a bad dream?” Karamatsu asks, but Ichimatsu doesn’t respond to him yet again. This makes him frown, but he knows Ichimatsu isn’t one to talk much, especially when he’s tired, and especially when he isn’t feeling well.
Karamatsu brings up his free hand to pat against his little brother’s back in a comforting gesture-- this wouldn’t be the first time any of his siblings sought out physical affection from him, though it was mostly Osomatsu after he had presented that they all went to, naturally.
However, something was different this time.
There was a small sound-- softer than the hum of the refrigerator so it really took Karamatsu’s concentrated effort to hear it, but eventually he did. It was small, and it was occasional, but it was there.
A purr, of sorts. Coming from the brother currently holding him.
He feels Ichimatsu’s face nuzzle against his shoulder, pushing his collar aside with just his nose and minimal effort, and something clicks in Karamatsu’s brain.
There’s a scent in Karamatsu’s nose, like the air before a heavy rainstorm you knew was coming. It was Ichimatsu’s scent, but Karamatsu had never experienced it so strongly.
It all makes sense a little too late, and Karamatsu drops the glass at the same time Ichimatsu’s grip on him tightens.
“Ichimatsu, you’re a--”
There are teeth piercing his neck just as the glass of water shatters on the floor at their feet, just as loud as the yell of pain that ripped itself from Karamatsu’s throat.
A tsunami-- he remembers the distinct scent of what he could only imagine an approaching tsunami would smell like.
☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁
“Oi, hey, Shittymatsu.”
Karamatsu blinks, pulling his face away from where it was resting on his hand and looking up at Ichimatsu who stood before him. He looks as disheveled as he usually does, his usual purple sweater on and his sweatpants and like he wants to nap despite probably just waking up from one.
Despite all of this, however, Karamatsu is happy to see him, and he smiles up at his younger alpha sibling from where he sits on the couch. “Did you take your medicine?” He asks, scooting over.
Ichimatsu nods as he climbs onto the sofa, choosing to lay along the length of it and rest his head on Karamatsu’s lap. “Yeah,” he says, closing his eyes when he feels fingers threading through his messy hair. “I like this new stuff-- I don’t feel as sick.”
“That’s wonderful to hear!” Karamatsu says, genuine excitement in his voice. He smiles widely down at his brother, but it falters when Ichimatsu looks up at him with an expression he can’t decipher. “What is it?”
“What were you thinking about? It took me a couple times to get your attention.” Ichimatsu says, and his voice is quiet, as if trying to hide the fact that he’s genuinely concerned although his expression betrays that wholly.
“Ah, I was just trying to remember some things.” Karamatsu says, wishing to keep it vague.
“Remember what?” Ichimatsu asks, his tone indicating he already knows, but wants to hear it for himself.
“I don’t feel like it’s fair to you that I can’t remember when-- when you first…” Karamatsu’s voice trails off, but he glances down at his own shoulder where he knows several scars beneath his clothing lie-- marks from his alpha brother, physical proof of Ichimatsu’s love for him, in a way.
Ichimatsu’s unreadable expression twists further into something Karamatsu only recognizes as something not good. Ichimatsu isn’t meeting his eyes suddenly, frowning.
“I know you don’t want me to remember, but I think it’s important. It’s not fair that everyone else can remember the details of everything and I can’t.” The second oldest says. “It’s getting better for us here, but the others aren’t good at hiding their expressions-- and neither are you, sometimes.”
“They aren’t good memories, Karamatsu.” Ichimatsu says, and the use of his name catches the oldest off guard. “Nobody knew what to do with us-- what to do with me, and you were scared of me after that-- If I could forget it too, I would.” Ichimatsu says, and there’s a small amount of panic in his voice.
The blue-clad brother sighs, giving in. “Okay,” Karamatsu says, shifting so he’s sitting up more. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry, mon amour.” He leans down and presses a kiss to brother’s forehead. He reaches with his free hand and interlocks their fingers together, the warmth of his brother’s touch familiar in a way he doesn’t quite remember yet.
Karamatsu is smiling when he pulls away, his other hand petting Ichimatsu’s head. “I suppose it’s alright that I don’t remember everything-- especially because you and I are going to make new memories together.”
Ichimatsu wrinkles his nose instinctively at the corny phrasing of his brother’s words, but doesn’t say anything in protest.
Karamatsu sits up, leaning his head back against the couch and staring at the ceiling as he combs his fingers through Ichimatsu’s hair. He's silent for a long while before he speaks again.
“I know things are getting better for us here, but…” Karamatsu says, taking Ichimatsu’s silence as permission to continue. “I can’t help but think that if these new suppressants help you feel less tired and sick…” He trails off again.
Ichimatsu grunts impatiently, squeezing his brother’s hand.
“Maybe we can… leave. Get our own place. Work part time somewhere and get something small… not too far, because I want to stay close to our family, but closer to the water. Maybe where nobody knows us that well, either.” Karamatsu says, and he closes his eyes and inhales through his nose, smelling the faint scent of rain in the air and smiling. That was Ichimatsu’s scent.
“I’ve always loved the ocean.” He says.
Ichimatsu’s eyes watch his brother closely, taking in how peaceful and happy his sibling looks. He personally has no real want or need to leave their family home, but looking at his brother and hearing the way he talks about it and actually thinking about what it might be like--
Karamatsu had always loved the sea, and Ichimatsu secretly wondered if that was a big reason as to why the second oldest’s favorite color was blue.
“Yeah,” Ichimatsu says. “I love the ocean, too.”