Chapter Text
Sometimes, denial is the only way people can cope with change. Ignore all the signs that something may be not quite right in the hopes that it will disappear on it's own and cease to be a nuisance. Unfortunately, this isn't always feasible. Life can be a cruel mistress if it sees fit. Even to those who don't seem like they deserve such a fate. This plays very true for the Matsuno brothers. Living life in pure indulgence and walking away from the carnage sometimes left behind without a single care. Dealing with certain things, or individuals, was too bothersome. Why not just enjoy youth while it lasts?
All of them existing with no worries. Other than dying as virgins.
That is until things proved to never be the same again. Especially for Karamatsu Matsuno.
It started out small. Mild headaches in the morning that faded as the day progressed. However, with time they increased with such vicious pounding he couldn't differentiate the difference between this and construction jackhammers tearing away at the concrete. It became the new norm. Throbbing that was there from the moment he woke to when he'd crawl back into the futon with his five other brothers.
Mornings came nausea. Nausea meant gripping the edge of the toilet seat trying to bite back the urge to spew acid and whatever might be remaining in him gut. Most mornings he was successful, others not so much. Sometimes the nausea lingered into the day, especially the days where his head hurt more than ever.
When he spoke of his concerns they said it was probably just a bug and to sleep it off and that was the end of that.
It wore down on him emotionally and physically. Things he usually took pleasure in seemed to be overwhelming to even just plain uninteresting. He began to shut himself out from the world, much like the fourth, Ichimatsu. The rest worried for their usually difficult to swallow sibling. Not behaving like himself rose some eyebrows, but it was ignored as per usual figuring it was just another way to get attention from others that he so desperately craved. Everyone went on their merry way of life. Except for one. Karamatsu stopped leaving the house. No longer out on the prowl to catch the attention of some fine ladies and even draw attention to his exuding coolness to the general public. He stopped wearing his signature "cool guy" get up and took a penchant to always wearing pajamas.
As the days progressed the five brothers took more notice to the second eldest. Walking seemed to become more of a challenge to where he needed assistance on the occasion that he lost his balance or couldn't coordinate properly or just felt weak. He even started to express that he couldn't see the pages in his distasteful magazines very well. The drowsiness was just the cherry on top. His new favourite place was sleeping either on the couch or the futon in complete darkness.
Everyone could only chalk it up to being possibly not resting well enough. Or just a fever even though they knew full well that he wasn't running a temperature.
Time took it's toll and the symptoms persisted, if not worsened. He became a complete shut-in and even no longer tagged along to Chibita's for oden and beer or the bathhouse. He hardly even spoke. No one had heard one of his painful lines in so long. Choromatsu was the first to approach the situation. As the sensible one he found it his duty to put an end to this. He spoke to Karamatsu in a calm inquiring manner in hopes to maybe get through to him and end this nonsense. What Choromatsu didn't expect was Karamatsu to have a clipped tone, biting at the questions without really answering them. Everyone was at a loss. It was worrisome to the point of gnawing at the fingernails until you had nothing left but nubs.
Osomatsu tried to rectify the situation. Offering to take him to the horse races or anything to get him out of the house. He had to do something as the eldest. All he got in return was a barked out:
"Fuck off and leave me alone."
Never once did they think Karamatsu would lash out like he had just done not to mention to demand to be left alone. It wasn't his character. Not something that could be traced even in his genes. All seemed hopeless.
The final straw would be a day none of them will forget. It was the type that etched its mark in your skull. Something that is lasting and would haunt their every waking moment and dreams. Nothing would ever be the same.