Restless Nights

[be_acknowledged]

Who: Choromatsu and others
What: However briefly, he's now the oldest, and has some things to think about. Also, weather.
Where: Level 5 Block 2 first, then around the ship
When: The night after the announcement
Warning(s): Matsus.

PRIVATE; LEVEL 5 BLOCK 2

The first time he had slept in a bed by himself, he'd been on the cusp of finally becoming the adult he'd wanted to be. And then he'd thrown it out.

This time is different. He'd CHOSEN to move out that time; this time, the isolation is imposed. He lies awake in bed, various thoughts and anxieties running through his head in a raucous cacophony keeping him awake. Thoughts like whether they would see home again, whether he would be able to keep up being a good worker or if he'd just slip behind like before, whether he'd be able to be a good big brother to Jyushimatsu during this situation.

About being a big brother at all.

He'd often fantasized about being the oldest. Considering how useless the eldest two could be -- Osomatsu with his stunted maturity, Karamatsu with his egocentric detachment from reality -- the idea of being the one who called the shots had a lot of appeal. He could be the one to help guide them on the road to independence! They could actually move forward and stop being shitty NEETs! Even as a child, he'd fantasized about it, although he didn't like to talk about what happened the one time he DID have authority these days, seeing as it was very embarrassing. As they'd gotten older and it became increasingly obvious that Osomatsu had no intention of growing up mentally, the urge had grown greater. And now, it seems, he IS the eldest here.

Yet for some reason, now that the fantasy is real, it's... terrifying. He has to look over Jyushimatsu now, has to help guide him. He has no support, no one to watch his back. He has to make these decisions now. Him, the scumbag who couldn't even hold down a job for a full year before quitting it. Could he really do this sort of thing? What if he just makes things worse? If he ever sees the others again and it turns out something happened to Jyushimatsu under his watch, would they ever forgive him? Is he... really independent enough?

The thoughts, compounded with the lack of room or bedmates, prevent him from sleeping. He could just get up and walk it off, but would that really be okay? Would anybody else even be up? Would --

...was that thunder?

PUBLIC; ALL



Puddles drip in Choromatsu's wake as he walks through the ship. Well, at least he'd put the Nyaa-chan stuff somewhere safe when the warning had come up, but...

Would any place on this ship even CARRY towels at this hour?

Comments

[neetfreak]

Whatever it is, it groans again, louder this time... And then it leans in... and...!

Jyushimatsu's head pops out of the blankets. "Niisan, it's cold!"

1/2

[be_acknowledged]

Oh. OH! It's just a cold Jyushimatsu, ha ha ha.

...

2/2

[be_acknowledged]

...

IT'S A COLD JYUSHIMATSU!

"H-hang on, I'm sure we can find a warmer place around here somewhere!" he yelps. Of course, his room isn't good for that right now... darn it, where would be good?

[neetfreak]

Jyushi wraps the blankets around himself tighter. He is debating dragging Choromatsu into the pile with him so that they can talk, and he wouldn't have to keep sticking his head out. But he refrains. For now. Thankfully he doesn't have a murderous look in his eye, but that doesn't mean you are off the hook, Choromatsu-niisan.

"There is a blizzard in my room! I'm staying in yours!"

[be_acknowledged]

Uh oh. "That's... probably not a good idea right now. Maybe one of these empty rooms has some spare blankets? Or a heat wave?" Please just anything to warm up his bro.

[neetfreak]

"What's wrong with your room?" Jyushimatsu leans in, eyes narrowing darkly at Choromatsu. You're going to turn him away? Really? When he's like this?

[be_acknowledged]

"It's, uh... wet." Yep. Wet. Oh God, please don't kill him, Jyushimatsu. "Wet is really cold too, you know?"

[neetfreak]

"Wet," repeats Jyushimatsu, and he leans back, as though he were looking up at the ceiling. Why? Why must everything be difficult tonight? He's in a horrible mood, and that is... Just not who he really is.

After a long pause, he stands up straight again, giving Choromatsu another wide-eyed stare. "Let's find another room."

[be_acknowledged]

"Y-yes, let's do that! Right this instant! Uh..." He immediately darts towards one block. "Let's try this one! Yeah!"

[neetfreak]

The blanket-lump shuffles after Choromatsu. This better be a good one. Otherwise, someone's neck is going to pay.

When they open the door, a blast of warm air hits them, and Jyushimatsu instantly hops into the room, leaving the blankets he'd gathered together on the floor outside.

"YEAH! It's nice in here! And empty!" This room is his now. He has claimed it. For as long as it stays warm. "Hustle, hustle, muscle, muscle!"

[be_acknowledged]

Phew. Crisis averted. (Although it was slightly warmer than he'd like.) "We'll just stay here for tonight, and hopefully things will be back to normal tomorrow, okay?" he says. The warmth is actually starting to make him a little sleepy.

[neetfreak]

Him, too. Which is fine, because it is time to sleep. Jyushimatsu catapults himself into one of the beds and pulls up the covers around him, snuggling deeply already. Wow, this is so nice! He hopes that the room stays like this.

"Why's the weather acting weird inside the ship, niisan?" he asks with his usual grin. That's a lot better than the scary face he was making earlier.

[be_acknowledged]

He settles down into another bed, hands behind his head. "I'm not sure? I guess even aliens have a hard time getting computers to work right. You'd think they'd have a LITTLE better grasp on it, though." He snorts. "Really sets your ass hairs on fire thinking about it. We ought to complain."

[neetfreak]

"Yeah, complain!" Jyushimatsu laughs. And then his tone turns dark again. "I could kill those bastards for putting me through that."

And then the darkness is gone as quickly as it came.

[be_acknowledged]

...

Maybe if he emphasizes it's a matter of life or death, he'll get heard faster.

[neetfreak]

Who do they even complain to, anyway? The captain? With a name like Captain Panic, he's probably no good at taking complaints, just making them. But Jyushimatsu isn't really thinking about that now. He's settling in to sleep, not even knowing about Choromatsu's inner dilemma, or his fears.

If you want someone to talk to, there's a brother right here. Then again, was this brother really the best option?