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"I'm home!" Osomatsu singsonged as he closed the front door. He toed his shoes off in the entryway and walked in socked feet down the hallway, hoping everyone else was already inside.
There was a chorus of, "welcome home, nii-san," in varying levels of sincerity (with Jyushimatsu at the top, and the other three vying for the bottom). When Osomatsu stepped into the main room, while everyone else stayed wrapped up in what they were doing earlier, Karamatsu set his mirror down and smiled at him. "Hello, Osomatsu," he greeted, a genuine smile on his face. "How was your outing?"
Osomatsu grinned back and rustled around in the shopping bag he brought home with him. He was feeling particularly generous today, so instead of handing over the couple of snacks he brought for the pantry, he went first for his stack of cash and pulled it out. "Where do you guys want to go for dinner?" he asked, trying to sound cool but probably ending up more excited than anything.
"Are you serious?" Todomatsu asked, pressing his hands to the table to lean forward and get a closer look. "You actually won? You won real money?"
"Yep!" Osomatsu rubbed his index finger beneath his nose and sat down in his spot at the table, settling his bag in his lap. "I lost a whole bunch at first. Then I calmed down and thought to myself, 'if I win, I'll buy Choromatsu a new idol magazine,' and then I turned the knob and won a fucking 100,000 yen. And then I bought 5000 worth of snacks and then I bought 7500 worth of porn and after that, I decided to come home to you all."
Choromatsu looked thoughtful, closing the magazine he was reading and setting it on the table. "Are you actually going to buy me one?" he asked in a tone that said he already knew the answer.
Osomatsu, for once in his life, was actually being honest about something, and so he went through his bag again and tossed Choromatsu a plastic wrapped magazine. "For you," he said, and took some special big-brotherly satisfaction when Choromatsu looked back up at him with wide eyes.
"Thanks," he said quietly. "Thanks, really, nii-san."
"Of course. I said I'd get it! Your onii-chan would never lie to you."
"Yeah, he definitely would," Ichimatsu deadpanned.
Osomatsu knew pure tsundere jealousy when he saw it, so he dropped a bag of dried sardines on the table, sighing heavily. "Since onii-chan is a liar, I guess he'll eat all of these himself," he said with an exaggerated pout. Ichimatsu glared at him and snatched the sardines away, holding the bag protectively to his chest.
Now that there was more than one gift being handed out, Todomatsu smirked, setting his phone face down on the table. "What'd you get for me, nii-san?" he asked slyly, and any other day Osomatsu would have been annoyed. That day, high off winning, Osomatsu passed him a handful of phone charms.
At first, he thought Todomatsu would sneer and give them back, but as he looked through them he actually seemed happy with Osomatsu's purchases. It wasn't hard to find a few different colors of rabbits and, funnily enough, a tiny cell phone in charms. It was a bit more difficult to find a Sutaba paper cup but he did; truly a five minute labor of love. Todomatsu immediately began attaching them to his phone. "Thank you," he said, sounding almost embarrassed.
Jyushimatsu would never ask for a gift but, when Osomatsu met his eyes and winked at him, he did start to bounce in place. "I wasn't sure what you'd want, Jyushimatsu, so I got you this," Osomatsu said, going through his bag again. He handed the fifth brother a cloth bag shaped like a baseball. "For when it's too wet to go outside."
Jyushimatsu frowned and opened the drawstring bag, pulling out a wooden baseball diamond with little metal players. "Can you get home runs in this game?" he asked, seeming more excited than before, if it was possible.
"I think you could probably get a king size home run, if you wanted to," Osomatsu said seriously.
"Nii-san!" Jyushimatsu gasped, putting the game back on the table, to grab Osomatsu around the waist and hug him until his lungs protested. Osomatsu laughed with what little breath he had left and ruffled the back of Jyushimatsu's hair.
"This was actually really thoughtful of you," Choromatsu mumbled, already flipping pages his new magazine.
Osomatsu shrugged weakly, still catching his breath while Jyushimatsu figured out how to play his new game. "Our birthday is coming up, right? This way I've got your gifts first and you can't copy me, and I don't have to think about it later."
Choromatsu's wondering expression shut down into his normal condescension; normal, at least, when he was looking at Osomatsu. "Of course you had an underlying reason," he said but then he was back to reading his magazine.
Karamatsu smiled softly, elbows on the table and his sunglasses back in his hands. "Where did you want to go to dinner, then?" he asked without any flowery English or unnecessary words. Osomatsu tapped his chin with his index finger in consideration.
"Not Chibita's. He can't know that sometimes we actually have money." Osomatsu didn't miss the way that Karamatsu's gaze dropped to the table at the mention of 'Chibita' and 'money' in the same sentence but didn't comment. "I don't know. Todomatsu, you're the one always going to mixers. What's a good restaurant downtown?"
Todomatsu hummed thoughtfully, threading another charm through the small hole at the top of his phone's case. "I know a few. We can just walk around until you decide."
"Okay." Osomatsu slapped his hands against his knees before standing. "Let's go!"
Osomatsu wished even harder for Todomatsu to one day bring him to a mixer alone, if this was the type of place they were usually held at. He would even promise not to talk to any of the girls. It wasn't massively expensive but the food was so good.
Of course, the conversation was all judgement and gossip, because they were the Matsuno brothers and they had nothing else to talk about. "There's no way Atsushi is really that rich," Choromatsu said doubtfully between bites, his expression skeptical. "Having a car doesn't make you rich, even if it's a really nice car."
"Uh, okay Shikomatsu-nii-san," Todomatsu snickered. "You haven't seen his house."
"And you have?" Osomatsu asked, imitating his self-congratulatory tone.
There was a period of silence that spoke louder than any words Todomatsu could possibly have come up with. "When were you at his house?" Choromatsu and Osomatsu asked at the same time.
"Did you have a sleepover? With sleeping bags?" Jyushimatsu asked, grinning innocently.
Ichimatsu made a thoughtful noise. "He did stay out all night last Friday," he murmured. "Were you… taking a tour of his house?"
Todomatsu sputtered angrily but before he could say anything, Karamatsu cut in. "I know we all want to know everything about each other but we could at least wait until Todomatsu wants to share his news with us." The bridge of his nose and his cheeks turned pink. "If there is any news, I mean."
"Shut the hell up, Kusomatsu," Ichimatsu was quick to shoot back. "This isn't about you. In fact, it never is."
The other four continued to talk amongst themselves but Osomatsu glanced over at Karamatsu, who was picking at his food again with an absent smile on his face. He started to organize his vegetables at the edge of his plate instead of actually putting any of them in his mouth. "I'm paying for this, Karamatsu, you should eat to be polite to me!" Osomatsu teased, nudging Karamatsu's shoulder with his own.
Karamatsu's smile dropped. "I'm sorry, Osomatsu," he said without looking up and began to eat normally. Osomatsu watched at him curiously but his attention was soon pulled away again by Jyushimatsu discussing whether or not there was any "pro wrestling" at Todomatsu's sleepovers.
"Will you all lay off?" Todomatsu asked, covering his red face with his hands. "I promise, I'll tell you if he… if anything happens, alright?"
"So you do like him," Osomatsu confirmed.
Todomatsu sent him a withering look. "Yeah, I do."
"For his money?"
"Not everyone is as obsessed with money as you are, Osomatsu-nii-san," Choromatsu said with a roll of his eyes.
Osomatsu's gaze flickered back to Karamatsu, who was drinking his water with his eyes on some space beyond their table. Karamatsu never called him "nii-san." Osomatsu had picked up on it before now but for some reason, tonight was the only time he gave it more than a passing thought. If it was anyone else, especially Choromatsu, he would have assumed it was a matter of disrespect. As it was, taking into consideration Karamatsu incapability of not doing anything and everything for his brothers, Osomatsu couldn't imagine why he just… refused to do it.
"Karamatsu-nii-san, do you think they were pro wrestling?" Jyushimatsu asked, but no one but him and Osomatsu were actually looking at their second brother for his answer.
"No, Jyushimatsu, I don't think so," Karamatsu said and smiled at him. As soon as Jyushimatsu turned away, the smile faded and Karamatsu went back to his food.
As he promised, Osomatsu paid for all of them, and was still left with over 40,000 yen. "I truly am the best older brother in the world," he said, holding the restaurant's door open for all of his brothers to pass through. Karamatsu was last and he stood back to gesture Osomatsu forward. Osomatsu looked at him funnily but went ahead anyway.
Todomatsu was laughing again, covering his mouth with his hand. "Don't get a big head, Osomatsu-nii-san. Next week you'll be asking us for money again."
Osomatsu stuck his tongue out. "That doesn't change the fact that I'm amazing," he said confidently. "And you all give me the money, so, in a way, that makes you a little bit amazing too."
"Thanks," Choromatsu said sarcastically.
The two of them, Ichimatsu, and Jyushimatsu started to bicker and laugh a few feet ahead of him, but Osomatsu lagged back to where Karamatsu was walking, hands shoved in his pockets. Karamatsu straightened his posture when he realized that Osomatsu was next to him and smirked. "Good evening, Osomatsu," he said, back to his painful English. "You would not walk alongside your brothers?"
Osomatsu winced, clutching his side. "You're my brother too," he managed through gritted teeth. His ribs were protesting the sound of Karamatsu's voice but hopefully they would hold up a little longer.
Karamatsu looked down at Osomatsu's hand before facing forward again. He hummed instead of actually replying and slowed his steps just that much, as if he could ever make Osomatsu actually leave him alone if Osomatsu didn't want to. Eventually Karamatsu huffed and looked over at Osomatsu again. "Don't feel as if you need to watch me, brother, as if I'll wander off if left to my own devices. I assure you, I'm well versed in making my way home alone."
"Hey, you wanna get some cigarettes? I'll buy," Osomatsu offered. "I picked up some chips and stuff but I left them at home. We can get a few more things and eat them before the little ones get into them."
"Osomatsu, please, I don't--"
"I wanted to talk to you, anyway," Osomatsu said as if Karamatsu hadn't opened his mouth.
Karamatsu bit his lower lip. Osomatsu knew he wanted to refuse but he took advantage of the fact that Karamatsu never refused him anything. "Alright," he said, as Osomatsu predicted, and let Osomatsu guide them to the nearest konbini.
Osomatsu didn't really browse the small, brightly lit shop because he knew what he wanted. A few candies, a bottle of soda, a few more candies, a bag of chips. He pulled out his Taspo and got a box of Exports out of the vending machine, and then he went up to the counter where Karamatsu was looking through an American men's fashion magazine. Karamatsu put it back, embarrassed, when Osomatsu was in his line of sight. Without missing a beat Osomatsu took it back out of the stack and put it on the counter with his own items.
"Have a good night!" he called to the cashier as they left the building. Karamatsu still seemed nervous, his hands back in his front pockets.
Osomatsu unwrapped the box of cigarettes and took two out, handing Karamatsu one which he took gratefully. He lit his own with his lighter, and then held his cigarette out for Karamatsu to light his.
They walked in silence for a little while, Osomatsu fumbling to open his candy as well without dropping them everywhere. When he got a couple pieces in his mouth he sighed, scuffing the sole of his shoe against the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked as if the question was being dragged out of him. He did, deep down, actually want to know the answer.
Karamatsu raised his eyebrows, cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth. "Yes. Why?"
"You looked really sad today." Osomatsu cleared his throat. "I wasn't helping, huh?"
"I'm not sad, Osomatsu," Karamatsu said instead of answering the question. "I'm just tired, I suppose."
"Why don't you ever call me nii-san?" Osomatsu finally asked, no longer skirting around the issue. He shoved more candy into his mouth, tapping the ash from his cigarette away with a flick of his thumb.
Karamatsu huffed a laugh. "Is that the problem?" he asked, derisive, until his expression turned almost guilty (almost afraid) and he continued, "I didn't realize it bothered you. You never said anything about it, so I…."
Osomatsu shook his head. "Nah, it doesn't really bother me," he said lightly, much lighter than he felt. "I was just wondering. I'm your only elder brother, you know? You're second in line."
Karamatsu laughed again; he lifted the arm on the opposite side of Osomatsu, trying to surreptitiously wipe his eyes with his sleeve, but Osomatsu was nothing if not observant when it came to his five brothers. "Not really, Osomatsu. Choromatsu is more of a 'right hand man' than me. I think I'm closer to the back."
"What?" Osomatsu asked, grinning. "No way! You're joking." Karamatsu didn't look at him. "I really do want to know, Karamatsu. Aren't I your aniki? Your onii-chan?"
"I'm doing you a favor, you know." The guilty expression flickered over his face again. "I'm just… I'm trying to. You've always said you didn't want any brothers. So if I wasn't your brother, that would bring it down to four." He smiled with too many teeth to be genuine. "Four is better than five, right? It makes you all even, like Choromatsu was saying a few months ago. There's a middle."
Osomatsu's cigarette almost fell from between his fingers. "Uh, aha, what?" he said rather intelligently. "You can't just remove yourself, Karamatsu. You're still biologically my brother."
"Biologically," Karamatsu said with a self-deprecating smirk at his feet. "Can't control that, yeah. I mean," he continued, his smirk turning into a wobbly grin. "I could."
Osomatsu dropped his cigarette on purpose, crushing it under his shoe. "Karamatsu, what the fuck are you talking about?" he asked incredulously. "Are you insane?"
Karamatsu bit his lip to stop smiling and finally looked into Osomatsu's eyes. "No, I was kidding. I was kidding, Osomatsu." As he said that, Osomatsu studied the pink at the corners of his eyes and how black and clumped his eyelashes were. He wasn't kidding.
"You're my brother. My number one." Osomatsu took him by the shoulders, moments from shaking some sense into him. "You don't gotta call me nii-san, but you can't think shit like this anymore. Do you understand me?"
"I understand."
"Nah, you don't." Osomatsu plucked Karamatsu's cigarette out of his mouth and brought it to his own lips to take a deep drag. Then he dropped it and stepped on it too, grinding the fire out. He pressed a few candies into Karamatsu's hand instead, linked their arms at the elbow, and they continued home.
"You two took a long time. Were you making out in an alleyway or something?" Todomatsu said without looking up from his phone, supplies for the bathhouse sitting by his head where he was laying on the floor.
Karamatsu turned a brilliant shade of red. "Nah, I'll leave that to you and Ichimatsu," Osomatsu said absently, walking past the main room and up the stairs. He grinned to himself when he heard Todomatsu start swearing at him but he didn't turn around, preferring to let him swear himself out before Osomatsu came back downstairs. Karamatsu followed him up to get his own supplies before everyone left.
Once they entered the bedroom, Osomatsu took Karamatsu's magazine out of his bag. "Take this," he said, pushing it into his brother's hands without letting him argue. He started to pull his hoodie off but paused when he realized that Karamatsu hadn't moved. "Karamatsu?" he asked, lowering the bottom edge back over his hips.
The area around Karamatsu's eyes was pinker than before, tears gathering at the corners. He took a shuddering breath and swiped his sleeve over his face again. "It's nothing, it's nothing," he said, but when he lowered his arm he was crying in earnest. "Sorry. I'm ready to go, I--"
"What's wrong?" Osomatsu felt more than a little panicked, watching Karamatsu break down in front of him. "Karamatsu, really, what's going on with you?"
After another deep breath, Karamatsu said wetly, "I thought you forgot about me. Earlier, when… when your brothers were getting birthday gifts, I thought…."
Osomatsu felt like a tool. "Our brothers. And no, of course I didn't." He went back to the bag he had stored upstairs before they left, pulling out a wooden box. "I'm sorry, Karamatsu, I wanted to give this to you when it was just the two of us, just in case." He breathed a laugh. "Just in case Ichimatsu wanted to do something to it. There's no way I could forget about you."
Karamatsu looked at the box warily. "But you already bought me this," he said, gesturing with his magazine. "Thank you so much, for this, I don't need anything else."
"Need, I guess not. But it's yours." Osomatsu opened the box himself, flipping the metal clasps up. "I saw you ran out of watercolors last week. So I got it for you." He tilted it slightly so Karamatsu could see inside.
Osomatsu really didn't know anything about painting, but he remembered what type of watercolors Karamatsu had before so he figured they were his best bet. He bought some extras, too; the box itself folded out into a tabletop easel, and he got a set of new brushes, since a lot of the old ones were bitten to pieces by Ichimatsu's cats. It didn't cost all that much altogether, which was surprising, given the quality of paintings Karamatsu could squeeze out of them. Osomatsu really really wanted one, but he was nervous to ask, since Karamatsu kept them all to himself.
He panicked even more when Karamatsu sobbed, burying his face in the crook of his arm. "O-Osomatsu, you should take it back," he insisted almost unintelligibly. "Please, I don't deserve that, I-- I don't want it, please take it back."
"Nope!" Osomatsu said with forced cheerfulness, closing the box again and, after gently prying Karamatsu's magazine away from him, setting them both on the couch. Then he did something he hadn't done in longer than he should have and wrapped his arms around Karamatsu's shoulders, smiling when Karamatsu automatically held him back around the waist and cried into his shoulder. "I am really sorry. Onii-chan should treat you better, huh?"
Karamatsu shook his head, sniffling and probably getting snot all over Osomatsu's hoodie, but he didn't care. Obviously Karamatsu couldn't be trusted with his own wellbeing and Osomatsu didn't know why he hadn't seen it before. Or maybe he did see it and just ignored it, which was worse.
"We have to go to the bathhouse," Karamatsu mumbled, trying to pull away, but Osomatsu didn't let him just yet.
"We don't have to do anything." Osomatsu ruffled his hair and leaned just enough away that he could see Karamatsu's (splotchy, snotty, tear-covered) face. "If you want to go we can go."
Karamatsu thought about it for a moment, his hands still gripping the back of Osomatsu's hoodie as if to ground himself. "I want to go," he said finally. "Sorry."
"Not sorry!" Osomatsu did shake him a little, playfully instead of angrily, and grinned at him. "Let's get ready! And," he continued more seriously, "You better tell me the next time you're upset. I'm gonna ask you every day for the rest of your life and if you lie to me, I'm gonna draw a dick on your face when you're asleep."
Karamatsu's lips twitched up despite his tears. "Right."
Osomatsu frowned at him. "I'm not gonna forget, either. You're never getting away with this again, Karamatsu."
A short, firm nod from a suddenly shy Karamatsu. "Okay… onii-chan."
Osomatsu was so happy he thought he would spontaneously combust.