video; un: ny4n [sorry for muppet spam]

[ichimyatsu]

[He pretty obviously didn't mean to turn on the video function, from the way he's just staring dully at his wristband and then jerks away from it startled when he notices the feed going.]

...fuckin', weird space technology.

[An odd, stilted voice from out of view filters up to the feed. It's pretty neat, really., it says, and Ichimatsu's sparse little eyebrows crash together and he looks down. A moment later, the feed whirls as he moves and hefts a bizarre-looking orange cat into his lap, and he folds his free hand gently over the feline's ears.]

You're gonna have to stop doing that.

[The cat's mouth moves, but he just stares blankly ahead like he has no real idea he's speaking in the first place.] You're gonna make people wanna steal you and sell you again.

[A slow, huffed sigh, and Ichimatsu frowns at the communicator.]

...so, uh. My cat can talk, do us both a favor and don't try to steal him and sell him.

I'll pull out your entrails and feed them to you.

[He chokes, and covers the cat's mouth this time.] Stop that!!

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video | ( un: 2cool ) | i can already tell you this will have ep 24 spoilers

[glitterpants]

<sub>[ Karamatsu knows that apathetic face and talking cat from anywhere. Anyone who has just met Karamatsu once or twice might mistake Ichimatsu for him, but Karamatsu— unmistakably knew his brothers one by one. Of course, it's his brother, whom the last time he remembers seeing was when he left the house to crawl on his hands and knees, groveling pathetically for assistance so he can finally get his feet off of the ground and make a difference in the world like he had planned to; to play his own solo piece a the Budokan, or help with world peace— to somehow better himself and stop being garbage— something he had been convinced of as soon as he entered young adulthood.
After that, he wasn't exactly sure what had happened to the rest of them. Did they all leave one by one? Or did they continue to stay at home with their parents? He had a funny feeling that Osomatsu clung to their mother and father, but did that also mean Ichimatsu, the most coddled of all of them, did the same thing?

If not, where did he go? What did he do? ]</sub>

Ah, Ichimatsu! My brother! Are you safe?
_{[ He's surprised, and there's hope in his eyes. Did they all get here? ]}

un: ny4n

[ichimyatsu]

[He grinds his teeth together immediately at the sound of Karamatsu's voice-- both because he doesn't have to immediately look to see who's speaking and because of a strange tightness in his gut that isn't solely annoyance. Sure, he wasn't happy to have left and been away from them, but did that really have to manifest in missing them when Karamatsu was the one he was first to see again?]

Looks fucking like it, now doesn't it.

[Nyanko squirms free of his hand.] Apart from being dead and Hell being space. [Ichimatsu largely ignores him, but hoists him and sets him aside.]

[glitterpants]

_{[ At Ichimatsu's words, he sighs out, relieved. That is very much Ichimatsu's kind of response, isn't it? ]}
Oh, this is terrific..! It won't be so lonesome anymore.

_{[ Of course, he thinks of his own desires first in a situation like this than maybe what his family may feel.. having Ichimatsu gone.
Nyanko's words cause him unease, though. He remembers the cat having the ability to chit-chat about other people's emotions.. is that how Ichimatsu felt about this place? ]}

Dead..?
_{[ surely.. Ichimatsu wouldn't be dead at home, right? ]}
Ah, what do you mean?

[ichimyatsu]

[He grinds his teeth together again.]

Well, I sure did wake up in a tube in space, that reads to me like a shitty science fiction novel or maybe I died and this is Hell. Even moreso now that you're here.

[Since he's not actively talking toward Nyanko, the cat stays quiet for once.]

[glitterpants]

_{[ nice save.. ]}
You did not, though..! Rest assured, my brother, I arrived the same as you, and I was not doing anything treacherous. To my knowledge, the people who are here.. _{[ besides Reaper .. ]} are alive and well!

There is no need to worry.
_{[ or maybe in your case: be delighted. ]}

[ichimyatsu]

[Besides Reaper. This is an important distinction.]

[His eyebrows raise slightly, but otherwise his deadpan remains. He lifts one hand and balls it into a small fist, waving it in a put-upon display of happiness, and his tone is bored.]

Yay. I never said I was worried, dumbass. What room are you in?

[glitterpants]

<sub>[ He knows that Ichimatsu's bored expression and tone aren't how he feels exactly. He knows Ichimatsu is anxious and doesn't want to show it. That's how twins who have grown up together, never split until adulthood, notice things about one another.
He aldo knows that Ichimatsu will ultimately stay with him, even if the fourth eldest is aggressive with him and their relationship is strained. Without the rest of them here to smother him and protect him, Karamatsu bravely takes the responsibility, even if Ichimatsu treats him like shit.

After all, that is what love is, placing others before yourself as he told somebody else on this ship recently. ]</sub>

204.
_{[ 4. THE DEVIL'S NUMBER. Of course he gets the unlucky room. Why does he seem so happy about it? ]}

[ichimyatsu]

[He wishes he could dispute that with any shred of credibility to it. He is anxious. He's been anxious, he's always anxious, but it's been ramped up to eleven since Choromatsu left home, at a constant state of making the back of his throat taste like bile since Todomatsu went inside before them and came downstairs with a black eye, informing them shortly after that he, too, was leaving. Karamatsu had been next, and he thought he'd have relished the silence and the space on the futon but it just made his mind louder and his back cold in the night. With Jyushimatsu getting a part-time job and renting a space from Dekapan came a huge, terrifying decision for the fourth-born, and even if he hadn't wanted to and knew he wouldn't make it in the real world, he'd left anyway because "It was for the best, probably,".]

[His stomach twisted, but his expression remained the same.]

Make sure there's room for me and Nyanko, we're staying with you.

[glitterpants]

_{[ He knew it. ]}

If there is not room, I will move the walls for you, brother.
You should know that.
_{[ He'll do anything for you so you'll maybe, one day, treat him properly consecutively, not just on rare occasions. ]}

[ichimyatsu]

[This face.]

...do you ever listen to the shit that comes out of your mouth? Because you should really produce less of it.

[glitterpants]

Oui, because I practice.
_{[ he recites things to say in a mirror sometimes......... ]}

[ichimyatsu]

[Idly massages the bridge of his nose.]

Whatever, just get your painful shit under control, I'm coming over.

[glitterpants]

<sub>[ Karamatsu is happy. He's genuinely relieved and happy that his brother— the one who possibly treats him the very worst— is so willing to assert himself back into Karamatsu's space. With that being said, he suddenly realizes he's, for once, the big brother with Osomatsu not here. That's.. pretty anxiety inducing. What if he messes up? What if Ichimatsu gets hurt? What then would happen? What would he do? He could never forgive himself— not even once. Sure, underneath all of that kindness, there's a pent up ball of passive aggressive behavior and anger. There is bitterness against his family for their verbal and sometimes physical abuse, but he doesn't dare show that to the audience. The world. To those whom he has decided is his stage to perform his play on.

All of these insecurities are hidden behind a gleeful smile, and those could very much be little tears of joy in his eyes, but maybe it's also because his stomach is twisting uncomfortably.

Karamatsu was hardly as confident in himself as he made others believe, but Ichimatsu probably already knew that. ]</sub>

Heh. I eagerly await your arrival, then!
_{[ then the feed shuts off. ]}