I am shit [Jyushimatsu]

Part 2|When Had We Acted So Weak?

THE FIRST THING the brothers noticed when they arrived was that Jyushi hadn't changed into the clothes they all slept in, and was sleeping soundly on the side of the futon.

"Oi, Jyushimatsu," Choromatsu called out softly, shaking the second youngest. "Huh? Choromatsu-nii. . . San?" he said tired. "Jyushimatsu, change if you're gonna go to sleep. But it's only around eight," Choro informed him. "Huh? You guys are back!" Jyushi yelled and sat up quickly, as if his energy was suddenly at full. "H-Hey, Jyushimatsu, calm down," Choro tried to calm him a bit. Jyushi stopped screaming but was practically vibrating.

"We got back, yeah. Are you feeling better? I think you have enough energy to change if you're gonna sleep some more," said the green hooded brother. "Yeah, I am. But my throat still hurts a bit, can you see?" Jyushimatsu opened his mouth even wider, if that was even possible. "I get it, Jyushimatsu. No need to show me. Anyways, we'll be in the living room for a bit. Feel free to join us if you feel like it," Choromatsu begun to get back up.

"I'll come too!" Jyushimatsu insisted and tugged on Choro's sleeve. He was helped up. They walked to where the other brothers were and received several greetings from them. "Hey, Jyushimatsu, we saved you a lolipop from the convenience store on the way home, since you're feeling bad," Osomatsu told him and handed him the sweet. "Really? Thank you, Osomatsu-Niisan!" Jyushi began to chomp at it excitedly. "H-hold up, don't down it too fast," said Ichimatsu, concern laced in his tone.

Too late.

Jyushi had finished it within seconds. And the stick. "Jyushimatsu-Niisan, you can't just scarf down anything you're offered as quick as that," Todomatsu told him. "Huh? Why not?" asked Jyushi, sounding genuinely confused. "Because you might end up with a sick stomach, obviously," Choromatsu pitched in sounding not very pleased. "Heh. It's our job as brothers to ensure that our bond shant be broken by something such as the curse of falling ill," Karamatsu had his sunglasses on all of a sudden even though it was night and they were inside the house.

"Ow ow ow ow, it hurts," Todo cried, holding his stomach. Karamatsu looked alarmed. "Anyways, try not to eat anything you don't think you'll be able to stomach." Choro put a hand on Jyushi's shoulder and gave him a pat. "Got it!" Jyushi said. Though he probably wasn't going to listen. When Osomatsu had started reading a comic, he hadn't noticed Jyushi behind him, also reading. When he turned and realized it as he came face to face with a wide open smile and eyes, Oso almost screamed at how surprised he was. Not how Todo screams, though.

And at last it had been time to go to bed. They were in their regular order. As usual, nothing changed. Jyushimatsu had woke up with the others this time. Choromatsu had yet to leave. "Oh, Jyushimatsu, you actually woke up. Are you gonna get up now?" he asked. Jyushimatsu let out a yawn, smiled, then nodded. Choromatsu, who was standing already, offered his hand. Jyushimatsu took it and was helped up. Choromatsu grapped onto Jyushimatsu's wrists in the process, and he flinched.

"Huh? What's wrong, Jyushimatsu?" Choromatsu asked, heavily worried. Jyushi's legs began to shake a bit. He was scared. Should he tell his brother the massive idiot he's been? Or should he just shut up about that and not tell him, or anyone. No, this was his big brother, who hadn't the slightest intention of harming him.

Shakily, Jyushimatsu rolled up his sleeves. He didn't look at Choromatsu. He couldn't. But he could hear a slight gasp. In Choromatsu's view, it was like finding out the sun was a lie, or some super deep metaphor or something. To be blunt, he was in deep shock. They were thin cuts all over his arm, and likely the other as well. Most were still red. Some looked like they'd been done as far away as the other month, but the majority looked as recent as the other day.

And that's when the third brother realized Jyushimatsu was a good liar. He gently lifted the arm, and it looked as if it been clawed at. If there weren't so many, one could assume it'd be cat scratches but even that was unlikely. He never hurt the cats, and they never hurt him. "Jyushimatsu. . ." What was he supposed to say? How long had he been doing this? How long was he like this?

"Hoot, hoot," Jyushimatsu said like nothing was wrong and he was being his regular memingful self. "I'm. . . This is serious. Come on." Being sure to take him by the hand this time and not too rough, Choromatsu dragged him to the bathroom before they could even change. Jyushi stood at the doorway. He wasn't smiling anymore. In fact he looked very anxious and worried. Different from the normal Jyushimatsu he was.

He had changed in secret. Nobody noticed anything was wrong, and only thought Jyushimatsu was a ball of inhumane energy that constantly smiled. If they was any one that could smile through anything, it was him. Even when Osomatsu had kicked him over, it was clear Jyushimatsu was deeply sorry and scared yet still kept smiling. Karamatsu had interfered as quick as it started, though.

But right now, he wasn't smiling. Actually, he looked like he was probably going to cry. He still wasn't looking at Choromatsu, as if the ground was suddenly much more interesting. But from the hand over his arm, shaky legs, trembling body and lack of eye contact, one would only assume the worst.

Choromatsu stumbled a bit before he finally found the bandages. He took them and turned to Jyushimatsu. "Did. . . You clean them? As in, wash the cu. . Injuries with water or something?" he asked.

Ha, I did. At least it lessen your burdens even if only slightly.

Jyushi nodded. Choro took his arm and wrapped the bandages around it. Jyushi was pretty tense at the moment. Even if someone like Ichi would do something like this, Jyushi outnumbered how many cuts there would have been. When Choromatsu finished that arm, he went to the other. Sure enough, there were on that one as well. Feeling slightly sickened, Choro treated the old and new wounds the best he could. When finished, he said," we might have to change these every once in a while. I'll make sure they don't get infected or something." Jyushimatsu spoke before Choromatsu had another chance.

"You won't. . . Tell the others, will you?"

He could only sigh. "I don't have a choice. They need to know. Or you can be the one to tell them." He patted Jyushi's head. "Okay," was his only response. But Choro knew it wasn't okay.