Midnight

166 8 2

by SpicyAngst

by SpicyAngst

I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible. Tiptoeing through the hallway, I made my way upstairs into our room. Please, God, don't let them be up. I pressed my hands together and prayed right then and there to whatever deity came to mind. Don't let them be awake.

"Karamatsu Nii-san. You've been gone all day."

My breath hitched in my throat as I slowly turned to face my brother.

"Jyushimatsu! Brother! Heyy- I've just been out at the pachinko place!" I lied, closing my eyes, and turning away hastily. I had to get out of there, quickly. But I felt his hand tighten with a vice-like grip on my shoulder.

"You're lying to me, Nii-san. Osomatsu already checked the pachinko place this morning. I was worried."

I gulped and said, "D-did I say the pachinko place? I m-meant the... t-the." I desperately fumbled for an excuse to be out until midnight, but I could already tell they knew I was hiding something. Jyushimatsu pulled me into the family room and four suspicious faces glared at me like some kind of criminal. He roughly sat me down next to Todomatsu and set himself down next to Ichi.

"Why aren't you all asleep?" I asked, my voice cracking from nervousness.

"Who the hell is, (Y/N)?" Osomatsu demanded, crossing his arms.

Ice seemed to spread down my spine, and crush my ribs. "I don't know what you're talking about-" They knew! How?? I was so careful! This is karma! It has to be! For not telling them! I knew I should have been more honest with them recently, this is why I've felt so horrible about lying to them. My conscience has come back to stab me in the back and ruin our friendship!

Ichimatsu slammed his hands on the table suddenly. "Drop the bullshit, and just tell us. I'm tired and we don't have time for your dramatics." He growled irritably. Well someone was on their period. Either way, it startled me.

"There's no hiding it. You kept like talking about her in your sleep. It wakes us up, man." Osomatsu said, rubbing his eyes. I went bright red, and demanded,

"What do I say?!"

Todomatsu dramatically slumped against me and moaned mockingly, "'I'd die for you, my (Y/N)! You are my everything! Let me love you! Oh,~ (Y/N)!" He broke out into a fit of giggles, "You know, the usual." I hid my face and squeaked, very unmasculinely,

"There's no way I could have said such things about her!"

"There is a way because you said it," Choromatsu groaned in annoyance. "So basically, you got a secret girlfriend?" Osomatsu immediately turned and glared at me.

"No!" I yelled in frustration. This conversation was going all wrong! Choromatsu edged away from me as I stood up and stamped my foot like a child. "She's not-! ..My girlfriend... We're 'close-enough-friends.'" My brothers all laughed.

"What the hell is a 'close-enough-friend'?" Osomatsu asked, wiping away a tear.

"It's hard to explain, alright? But there we go, you got what you wanted. Let us go and descend into the dark abyss of slumber. Please." I suggested, walking toward the door and opening it for everyone.

"Yeah, that wasn't as fun as I'd thought it'd be. If they're still just friends, it's kind of uneventful." Choromatsu said.

"You're such a letdown, Karamatsu Nii-san." Todomatsu agreed with a yawn, stretching and walking out the door past me. After I thought the rest of the group cleared out, I leaned against the wall and pulled my hood over my head so I could groan into the fabric. I felt the same strong hand on my shoulder. I turned with a start and faced my open-mouthed brother with the blue hood still dangling over my face.

"It's alright. At least now you know how I felt with you guys when you met Homura-chan." he chirped. I recalled the time we both spied on them and felt not a sliver of remorse about it. Now guilt spread into my chest like a plague.

"It's still not exactly like that, my little Jyushimatsu."

He pulled the hood off my head and said, "Whatever you want to think, Nii-san." His smile was as contagious. I smiled back at him and ruffled his hair,

"C'mon it's late. Let's go to sleep."