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Their mother had won a raffle for tickets to a festival, and by some miraculous display of kindness (which most certainly meant he wanted something), Todomatsu had ponied up to buy everyone a round of drinks at Chibita's. Bellies full of oden and beer, their father having bought a second round and Chibita having supplied a third for an unheard of two rounds of beers paid for in some way by a herd of Matsunos, the family shuffled off to view fireworks in yukata at the riverbank. Osomatsu and Jyushimatsu had Choromatsu supported between them, the third-born rambling drunkenly about how he could walk fine, thank you, while Todomatsu walked primly between their parents, discussing something (most certainly whatever it was that he wanted for offering to pay for something for the family). This left Karamatsu and Ichimatsu hanging back behind the two trios of family, the older pushing his sunglasses up to the crown of his head as the fading sun rendered them unnecessary, beyond the reasons of Perfect Fashion. Chibita had mentioned he would join them after he closed up shop, refusing to allow any of them to help, and in turning to look over his shoulder back toward where they had left the short-statured man behind, Karamatsu found himself looking at something startling.
It wasn't as though he was unused to Ichimatsu's appearance in any way. They were sextuplets, and while "identical" could only go so far when you were twenty-four and had all grown your own imperfections (absolute perfections, he liked to call them), it was difficult to not be almost entirely aware of all of them at any given moment. What he wasn't used to, even remotely, was the positively radiant smile emanating from his younger brother. Ichimatsu was, as secret to none, not a terribly happy man. He was depressive and closed off, more likely to skulk in the shadows and pet cats than carry on conversations with any human being, his entire family included (and Karamatsu himself especially so). Also secret to none was that he tended to be somewhat more amicable when drunk, which was an assumed reason for why he claimed to hate doing so, but Karamatsu was sure he'd never seen the fourth-born look quite this soft. Perhaps it was his own inebriation at hand, taking the setting sun's wash of oranges and pinks and letting them turn his little brother's happiness into something truly beautiful, but his breath caught and his feet forgot to keep walking.
More amazing still, Ichimatsu forgot to stop smiling.
The scuff of Karamatsu's sandals drew his attention, and he raised his head from where he'd been smiling stupidly mostly down at the ground, stomach full and body warm with the family outing. All that changed about the expression as he looked up to meet Karamatsu's eyes was that he closed his mouth to show just teeth, lips pulled wide across them. He hummed in inquisitive sound, letting his feet carry him in a loose wander until he was nearly bumping shoulders with the second-eldest.
"Hmmm? What're you looking at, Stupidmatsu," he asked, not bothering to subdue his enjoyment. Karamatsu found the expression infectious, letting his own lips curl outward. He cleared his throat, pivoting and leaning his weight just so that his shoulder brushed Ichimatsu's. The younger didn't shy from the contact immediately, letting their different gaits bump them closer first, and then apart.
"The beautiful sunset." Karamatsu supplied a moment later, folding his arms into his yukata's sleeves. Ichimatsu scoffed, rolling his eyes and shoving his weight back into Karamatsu's shoulder. Perhaps secret to more than none, but still few, was Ichimatsu's stark fondness for being included, and getting to spend time with the only people he felt truly comfortable around. He was not good with conversation, or people as a whole, but his family never snubbed him for it. And while he would always and forever bully and harass his siblings, as siblings were want to do, not even the purr of a cat could outshine the companionship of family.
Hours later, fireworks having left a haze of smoke through Akatsuka and Iyami having greatly underestimated the amount of beer Osomatsu alone could imbibe resulting in most everyone else having sobered up, Ichimatsu feigned being too tired to get home of his own volition for the millionth time. Karamatsu wasted no time in hefting him onto his back to be carried, his sandals hooked over two fingers as he walked. Dozing while the older hummed something largely tuneless, Ichimatsu shifted and "accidentally" jabbed his heel into the second-born's ribs, causing him to splutter and cease his musical interlude, making a questioning sound instead.
"If you ever call me a sunset again, Shittymatsu, I'll break your sunglasses and feed them to you."
Karamatsu only laughed.