Sixfold Adventures: A Collection of One-Shots

Injured!OC and Brothers

I've been stuck in a writer's block for the past three weeks, and this idea struck me while I was in my therapy session. It's short but very relevant, as I have been pulled from work due to an ankle injury and have been lax on self-care. I am recovering mentally, but it is slow so I'm taking small victories every day.

"So tell me how it's been going so far?" I asked the phone, quietly adjusting on my couch while withholding a groan from the pain that shot up from my left ankle, "You guys...uh...life treating you well?"

"As well as we let it," The familiar laugh sounded from the call, joined by a few other faint voices, "We just finished filming season three of the show, so it's only a few crossovers with other franchises and some radio voicework for now. How about you, Cee?"

My eyes settled on the ice pack wrapped around the injured ankle, "Business as usual."

"Work treating you well?" Another voice asked, sounding chipper and eternally happy.

"Like I said, busi--"

"Don't say 'business as usual', Cee," A dark voice warned, cutting me off from the automatic reply, "Osomatsu didn't say anything, but we all heard it when we answered the call. You hurt yourself again; you always prop up your phone on the side table on speakerphone to free up your hands, or to let your feet be more elevated on the couch arm."

"Ichi--" I shut my eyes tight as the brother's name left my lips in a sigh.

"No. Stop," The audio from the phone call became a little muddled as yelling could be heard from the other brothers. Ichimatsu's voice rang out clear as he turned off their speakerphone setting, "We've known you for almost ten years now. You're a dear friend of ours and we've picked up some of your little tics."

"What's the injury?"

"How long have you been hurt?"

"Do you need anything done at home?"

"Are your pets fed?"

"Are there prescriptions you need to pick up?"

The questions flooded the call as I covered my mouth with a free hand, choking back tears of mixed relief and fear.

"It's only an hour drive from our place to yours," Osomatsu called out in the background, "Stay where you are, and we'll help take care of you."

"But your work--"

"Fuck it," I heard Choromatsu's voice yell.

"No, please!" I reached for my phone and switched it off speakerphone, "Don't put me above your own needs."

"And let you suffer alone?"

"I'm not suffering," It was hard to believe the lie.

"Cee, I can hear you crying. When was the last time you had a restful sleep? The last time you showered?" Osomatsu had taken control of the phone, some commotion in the background, "We asked you for one thing during our last visit, right?"

"...to take care of myself."

"And what aren't you doing right now?" Karamatsu's silky voice chided as he took the phone.

"...taking care of myself..." I closed my eyes as my lips pulled into a pout, my ankle throbbing past the ice as I barely shifted position.

"We'll bring food, medicine, and more hugs than you can handle, Cee."

"...I'll see you in an hour..."

Proclamations of helpfulness, friendly interactions, and care struggled to jump into the call before one of the sextuplets ended the call. I let the phone fall onto my chest as I lowered my right arm over my eyes, sucking in a deep breath between chattering teeth.

I had always struggled with feeling helpless when I was injured, and this one threatened to keep me out of work for the next few weeks. It would be a challenge, but I'd learn to lean on others just like they could lean on me.

One step at a time.