I'm Not Painful, I'm In Pain

It's Okay to Cry

Very short but it's 2am and I was inspired, so enjoy.  I also don't really want to use other people's art anymore, so you'll have to stick with mine.

Jyushimatsu washed his hands and stepped outside the bathroom.  He furrowed his brows and squeezed his face, trying not to cry.  I can't let Karamatsu niisan be sad.  He peered around the corner and saw Karamatsu, fumbling with the sleeves of his leather jacket.

"Karamatsu niisan!"  The blue Matsu jumped and looked up at his younger brother.

"Yes my buraza?"

"Are you okay?"  Jyushimatsu sat next to him, looking him in the eye worriedly.  Karamatsu's eyes widened and he laughed nervously.

"Of course my little Jyushimatsu!  I am happy as ever!"  He grinned sheepishly and tried to look away.

"And how happy is that really?"  The younger wrapped his arms around Karamatsu.  "I know it's not very happy, niisan.  You can say it.  I won't get mad, it's not painful.  It's alright to be sad."  Karamatsu was shocked.

"W-wh-what do you mean?" he coughed.

"I know you know, niisan."  Jyushimatsu didn't let go.  Karamatsu bit his lip.

"I... Jyushimatsu...  Why?"  He tried not to cry, but a tear fell down his cheek.

"I know that you think we hate you, Karamatsu, but we don't.  We all love you very much."  Karamatsu heard a sniff.  "We're horrible brothers."

"That's not true, Jyushimatsu!  I love you all very much!"

"I know, niisan... You love us too much..." Karamatsu gripped his younger brother's jacket.

"I'm older than you, you shouldn't be comforting me..." Karamatsu cried into Jyushimatsu's yellow sweater.  Jyushimatsu rubbed his back.

"When it comes down to it, we're really only a few minutes apart Karamatsu niisan," Karamatsu knew that was true, but after years of being "the second oldest" having to take care of the younger ones, it really felt like there was a big age gap between some of them, especially Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu.  Sometimes he almost forgot that they were all the same age.

They heard the door open and the eldest brother's voice yell, "I'm home!"  Osomatsu turned the corner to find Karamatsu and Jyushimatsu, crying on the floor.  Karamatsu expected some kind of retort from him but instead, he heard, "H-hey, why are my little brothers crying like this, did something happen?"  Karamatsu looked up at his only older brother with wide eyes and shook his head.  Osomatsu chuckled sadly.  "That's not very believable at all, considering you two bawling into each others' arms.  Let your older brother help, alright?"

Osomatsu can be a big brother when he needs to.