Chapter Text
Todomatsu was slumped over the table, a small pout on his lips. He glanced back at his phone, looking over the message for the tenth or so time. Another failed mixer in the books, and this he didn’t even go to. His “friend” Atsushi had told him someone else was joining the mixer that night, so they didn’t need him to come.
It stung.
He felt a few tears prickle in his eyes but quickly wiped them away. He didn’t want anyone seeing him like that, he’d never hear the end of it.
“I’M HOME!!!”
Todomatsu jumped at the sound of his closest brother bursting into the room, bellowing a greeting at the top of his lungs. He whipped his head around to see Jyushimatsu standing in the doorway, still in his baseball uniform with his bat propped on his shoulder. He glanced down at Todomatsu with his signature grin, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Hey Totty! Where’s everyone else?”
Todomatsu was quick to look away, trying to hide his puffy eyes, “U-Um, they’re all out. Osomatsu and Choromatsu are at pachinko. And I think Ichimatsu and Karamatsu went to look for cats… or something…”
The fifth brother stared at Todomatsu silently. His mouth slowly closed as he locked onto Todomatsu’s slouchy posture and low voice.
“...Were you going to go out?”
Todomatsu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “I-I did have plans, but they got canceled, so I’m free today now.”
Jyushimatsu walked into the living room, coming up behind Todomatsu to look over his shoulder and down at his phone. He saw the message, reading it over wordlessly.
The youngest quickly snatched his phone and tucked it into his pocket, coughing into his hand awkwardly.
“W-Well, why don’t you go get cleaned up or something, J-Jyushimatsu-niisan. You’re tracking dirt everywhere…”
His voice was shaking.
Jyushimatsu puffed out his lips, pursing them in thought as he looked around the room.
He tapped his foot as he brainstormed, glancing at the table, then the couch, then the TV. He frowned ever so slightly. Nothing he could work with.
Then he noticed the large yoga ball that he loved to sit on in the corner of the room, inflated and ready for use. The frown dissipated, and his smile grew bright.
He swung his bat back over his shoulder and marched over to the yoga ball, kicking it out into the center of the room.
Todomatsu lifted his head, sniffling a bit as he watched Jyushimatsu push the yoga ball out into the middle of the room.
“Jyushimatsu-niisan? What are you doing?” He asked, raising a brow in confusion.
The elder smiled, looking down at the yoga ball, “Just wanted to try something!”
He lifted his bat out and grabbed onto the end with his spare hand, rolling his shoulders and looking down at the yoga ball. He leaned down and pressed the bat against the yoga ball, trying to find a sense of balance in his arms.
Todomatsu screwed up his brows, looking at Jyushimatsu with confusion, “What are you doing?”
“Hold on- Just one sec-”
Jyushimatsu pressed the bat even harder against the yoga ball. Once he believed he had a sense of balance, he hopped on his feet a few times before hoisting his legs in the air, appearing to do a handstand on the yoga ball.
Todomatsu gasped in both awe and fright, “J-JYUSHIMATSU-NIISAN!? B-B-Be careful!”
“Hold- I got it-”
Jyushimatsu immediately started to wobble around, the yoga ball rolling and tilting under his weight. He grunted as he tried to keep his balance, his bat slowly starting to roll out of control.
“I-I got it! I-I got- I don’t got it- AH!”
Unable to keep his balance any longer, the yoga ball rolled right out from under him, Jyushimatsu toppling over like an unsteady tower of bricks. He fell to a heap on the ground, sputtering as the wind was knocked out of him.
“...I fell.”
Todomatsu tripped over his feet as he scrambled to Jyushimatsu’s side, looking down with worry.
“J-Jyushimatsu-niisan, are you okay!?”
The elder blinked a few times, rubbing his face to get his bearings. But before Todomatsu could question him further, he suddenly sat up and smiled. He grabbed the bat and jumped to his feet, pressing it back to the yoga ball and hoisting himself back into the air.
“Lemme try again!”
“H-Hold on! Jyushimatsu- You’ll fall again-!”
“I got it this time-”
It took Jyushimatsu all of a few seconds to lose his balance and fall over again, narrowly missing the coffee table. He landed on his side, gasping as pain shot through his arm.
“N-Niisan! Are you okay!?”
Todomatsu crawled back over, this time kicking away the yoga ball and his bat.
“Why are you suddenly trying out tricks all of a sudden?! You could get hurt doing stuff like that!” He asked, his brows furrowed with worry.
The elder brother glanced up at Todomatsu, seeing the sadness had left his face and was now replaced with worry. Deciding to head his warning and not try the trick again, he busted out his smile and tilted his head.
“You’re probably right! I just had the urge to try out a new trick! You know it’s the circus guy in me! Hey, maybe I’ll get it next time! OH, better yet, maybe I’ll add something else, like one of those spinny plates that go on top of your head. Or that spoon thing in your mouth! I dunno! I need to hammer out the details. What do you think!?”
Todomatsu stared down at his older brother with a dumbstruck expression. He carefully mulled over Jyushimatsu’s words in his head, trying to wrap any semblance of sense around them.
He puckered his lips, let out the most undignified snort he’d ever made, and burst out laughing.
Jyushimatsu’s heart swelled as Todomatsu fell backwards onto his back, clutching his stomach and kicking his legs like he was having a fit.
“Hahahahaha! O-Oh my god! Wh-What are you even t-talking about, hahahaha! J-Jeez, Jyushimatsu-niisan, you’re too silly, heheheHAHAHA!”
The yellow-clad brother sat up and watched with utter glee as Todomatsu rolled on the floor in hysterics, tears prickling in his eyes. He waited patiently for Todomatsu’s laughing fit to be over, rubbing his back a bit when he started to hiccup.
“O-Oh god, my stomach hurts…” The youngest groaned as he sat up, rubbing his aching belly. Jyushimatsu patted his shoulder, leaning down to look Todomatsu in the eyes.
“Feel better?”
The other let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “Y-Yeah, I do. Th-Thank you, Jyushimatsu-niisan. I needed that…”
Jyushimatsu gave a firm nod in agreement, “You sure did! You don’t look good with a real pout! I only like the little fake ones you make when you try to get Choromatsu-niisan to get something for you!”
Todomatsu snorted, shaking his head, “Jeez… you make absolutely no sense…”
Jyushimatsu only smiled, scooting forward to sit right next to Todomatsu, linking their arms together.
“Well, since you’re free, wanna spend the rest of the day with me? I bet I’m more fun than Atsu-what’s-his-face anyway!”
Todomatsu snorted, erupting with laughter at Jyushimatsu’s uncharacteristic jab at Atsushi. He leaned against him, giving his older brother’s arm a tight squeeze. When his series of giggles calmed down, he closed his eyes and rested his head against Jyushimatsu’s shoulder, letting out a sigh of contentment.
“Okay, niisan.”