Work Text:
Choromatsu put the last wet plate on a dryer.
"Mom! I finished!" he yelled, so Matsuyo could hear him. As an answer he heard her footsteps and after few seconds she walked into the room, carrying a big box.
"All the dishes washed?" Matsuyo asked.
Choromatsu nodded, watching the box curiously when his mother put it on the floor.
"Great." she said. "Now, come closer. That's a prize for your help."
The boy got closer to the box and leaned forward a bit to see its content.
"Movies?"
"Yes." Matsuyo smiled and patted her son's shoulder. "Mostly for children, but I'm sure there's also something you'll like. And watch some with your little brothers. I must take Todomatsu to the doctor today and Jyushimatsu will need a company when I'm out."
"Okay." Choromatsu said. "Will you be back soon?"
"Around four." she answered as she walked to the door. "Have fun!"
"I will."
As soon as his mother left the room, Choromatsu sat on the floor and took one of the movies into his hand. He smiled as he recognised the title of an old cartoon his mother had bought to him when he was four. He put the movie aside and immersed himself in finding names of films and series he used to watch five or more years ago. His mother probably had to put them in that old box and then take it to the attic when the house became a bit too crowded.
Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu really need to watch them, he thought as he was putting his favourite childhood movies on one pile. And the Totty, when he gets a bit older.
Choromatsu looked into the box again and took two action movies out of it. He was almost sure Osomatsu bought them when he was still a teenager. Or maybe it was Karamatsu. Either way, Choromatsu got a quick thought it would be quite nice to watch them on some movie night with entire family... It would probably end as a catastrophe with one of the siblings crying. And the crying one would be Karamatsu.
Choromatsu decided that it's better to think about it later. He put the action movies aside and took another look into the box.
At this moment he heard Jyushimatsu's voice behind him.
"What's that, nii-san?"
Choromatsu turned back and saw his four years old brother with his usual wide smile.
"Mom gave us some movies." Choromatsu answered, watching his brother's eyes getting brighter from happiness.
"Movies! Yay! I wanna watch!" Jyushimatsu was jumping around like a little ball.
"Okay, okay, calm dow." Choromatsu grabbed his brother's arm. "Which one would you like?"
Jyushimatsu became quiet. For a few seconds he looked like he was making a serious decision that would have a great impact on his life.
"Hmm... I want the one I watched yesterday!" he answered, coming back to his cheerful self.
"You sure? We have a lot of new movies here."
Jyushimatsu shook his head.
"Okay." Choromatsu said, deciding to not get into an argument with a four-year-old over a movie for children. "Which one was that?"
Jyushimatsu made his serious face again.
"I watched it with Ichi-nii-san..."
"Yeah, but what's the title? Do you remember?"
"No." Jyushimatsu said slowly, looking as serious as a four-year-old can. "But it was about a bad guy that was jealous of good guy's dad." the boy looked at Choromatsu in hope he understood.
"I still don't know which one can it be. Remember something more?"
Jyushimatsu smiled as he reminded himself about the rest of the movie. "He killed him!" he answered with a big joyful smile.
Choromatsu opened his mouth not really sure how to react.
"Who killed who?" he finally asked with a concern in his voice.
"The bad guy killed good guy's dad." the boy answered, then his face became serious again. "I don't remember their names. But then the bad guy wanted to kill the good guy."
"Really?" Choromatsu felt more and more worried with every second his little brother was talking about a murder like it was a normal thing. Even if it was only a movie scene, Jyushimatsu definitely shouldn't speak like that.
"Yeah, and then the good guy had to eat worms and bugs to live. And he found a girlfriend and they were playing on grass, and then-"
"Playing?" Choromatsu interrupted. "What do you mean by playing?"
"Dunno. I've never played like that. But Ichi said they-"
"I heard what he said!" Choromatsu growled. "And I'll make sure to tell him some things, too. Where's he?"
With all his strength Choromatsu tried to keep calm in front of his little brother. He took a deep breath and clenched his fists. How could he, Choromatsu thought. Showing a four-year-old some gory movie!
Jyushimatsu's smile became less wide.
"Nii-san, are you mad?" he asked a bit more quiet.
Choromatsu patted his head.
"No, I'm not." he lied, trying to smile. "I just want to know where he is. I need to talk to him."
"He's outside. Playing with a cat."
Choromatsu nodded and headed towards the doors. As he opened them, he heard Jyushimatsu saying quietly:
"But don't yell at him, okay?"
Choromatsu looked back and smiled.
"I won't."
***
He found Ichimatsu in the backyard. The boy was sitting on grass with a cat snuggling next to him.
Choromatsu sighed. At first he wanted to give his brother a long and loud lecture he would never forget, but now, looking at an eight-year-old stroking a cat, he started feeling ashamed of himself. He's a child, Choromatsu thought. He probably didn't know what he did was bad. Or just wanted to act like an adult in front of his brother. Children usually do that.
Choromatsu sighed one more time and approached his brother. Child or not, Ichimatsu should get to know that what he did was bad.
"Ichimatsu, we need to talk."
The boy looked up at him.
"Yeah?"
"You and Jyushimatsu watched a movie yesterday. You remember?"
Ichimatsu nodded, looking completely unaware of what his brother asked him about. Choromatsu sat next to him, preparing himself psychically for the talk.
"What was the title of that movie?" he asked slowly.
"The Lion King."
Choromatsu blinked a few times, then looked at his brother. Ichimatsu was stroking the cat, looking really contented.
"Are you sure, Ichi?"
"Yeah."
Choromatsu blinked once again. I almost made an idiot of myself, he thought.
"Thanks!" he said with a nervous smile. "Ya know, Jyushimatsu wanted to watch it again, but he didn't remember the title and such... Wanna watch it with us?"
Ichimatsu nodded.
Choromatsu laughed awkwardly, wiping sweat of his forehead.
"That's great! Okay, stand up! Let's watch a movie!"