Work Text:
It's been a day since Ichiro left. Exactly 18 hours since he rushed out the door without a word and disappeared with the car.
Jiro thought maybe he had an emergency job or something, he’d be back to explain it either at dinner or during breakfast, but he hadn’t come back home for either meal. He wouldn’t answer Jiro’s calls, he wouldn’t answer Saburo’s calls, he’d just disappeared.
It scared Jiro pretty bad. It scared Saburo really bad, Jiro had to comfort the poor kid on the way to school, assuring him Ichiro hadn’t abandoned them and he certainly hadn’t gotten himself killed; their big brother was too strong to be killed, definitely not without saying goodbye. It was terrifying though, to think about what had happened that was so bad that no one knew where Ichiro had gone.
Jiro asked everyone too, friends in every division he could think of, friends of friends in divisions he hadn’t thought of, enemies ; he thought it wouldn’t be much help asking Samatoki Aohitsugi where his brother had gone, but it was worth a try. At least the guy had picked up that Jiro was worried enough to say he’d keep an eye out.
It was 11pm the next day when the stupid shit came back.
Jiro didn’t want to call his older brother a stupid shit, he felt awful being mean to him after everything they’ve gone through, but he thinks he’s allowed a brief moment of anger when the guy abandoned him and Saburo for 32 hours with no contact.
And he had the nerve to act like nothing had happened!
“I’m home!” There was something off about his voice, like maybe there was a trace of guilt, but that could’ve been because Jiro had heard him from upstairs. He didn’t care, Jiro’s never felt so angry and so relieved at the same time.
He thinks maybe Ichiro was expecting Jiro and Saburo to come rushing downstairs like every other day, arms open and excited to see him. He thinks they would have if Saburo hadn’t worn himself out from crying because he’s convinced Ichiro hates them again, or even if Ichiro had just called . He’s pretty sure that’s the case when he sees Ichiro smile at him for a second when he reaches the bottom of the stairs, right before he realises Jiro isn’t smiling back.
“Where the fuck were you?”
Jiro watches Ichiro recoil, like some sort of kicked puppy or something. He gets it, Jiro hasn’t used this tone toward Ichiro since the orphanage, but that’s not important right now. He deserves this.
“I uh–” Ichiro stumbles on his words, Jiro watches his eyes dart across the room too, “I got caught up on a job. A-and my phone died so I couldn’t call. Sorry.”
He could tell he was lying, Ichiro was horrible at lying, he needed to plan anything out at least a week in advance if he wanted to lie, especially to his brothers. What did he have to lie about?
“Bullshit. You don’t get to disappear for thirty two hours and say your phone died. Find a payphone, borrow someone else’s phone, I don’t give a shit. Don’t lie to me, Ichiro.”
“I’m not–”
“Do you have any idea ?” He shouldn’t be raising him voice, he shouldn’t and yet he can’t stop, “ Any idea how fucking worried we were, Ichiro? Saburo cried himself to sleep an hour ago because he thought something had happened. He thought you’d abandoned us again, or that you died . Do you know how scary that is? I asked everyone we knew where you were, I asked Rei and Samatoki where you were.”
Ichiro shuffled where he was standing, playing with his fingers. Jiro thought this was incredibly reminiscent of a mother scolding her child, but he didn’t mention it.
“What if something had happened, huh? I don’t know why you left for so long and I don’t care anymore, all day I’ve just been excited to get home from school and see you back home. I don’t– You weren’t there when I got home, or when Saburo got home. There was no call or anything either. How the fuck would we have known if something had happened, huh Ichiro? Find out through the cops a week later when they found the car? We can’t–”
He’d worked himself up too much, his anger quickly devolving to tears, his resolve crumbling to uncertainty; he shouldn’t be yelling like this, he should just be thankful that Ichiro’s home.
He hadn’t rushed over to Ichiro when he came downstairs, he had stayed in the kitchen while his brother stood by the couch. He wishes he had, he’d rather collapse into his older brother's arms right now than onto the dining table’s bench. At least Ichiro had rushed over the second he had, even if he was hesitant to touch him.
Jiro didn’t want to hear his apologies, every single time Ichiro had repeated the phrase “I’m sorry” it just made him more upset; he wasn’t the one Ichiro should be apologising to, their little brother was upstairs, exhausted after spending a day and a half crying. That’s who he should apologise to.
“I’m sorry Jiro, I’m sorry I– it won’t happen again, I’ll remember next time, okay? Please stop crying I don’t–” He wouldn’t shut up, his voice wouldn’t stop shaking either, Jiro could hear his brother getting teary though his own cries. He had no reason to be teary…
He couldn’t find it in himself to be mad anymore. He hated this whole situation, he just wanted to curl up and sleep, maybe with Ichiro, maybe with Saburo; he just wanted his brothers with him. He had his brothers with him, Ichiro was home, unharmed and safe. Saburo was upstairs, exhausted and upset but otherwise alright, nothing had happened to them. It was just a scare.
“Don’t let there be a next time…”
He was tired, Ichiro was probably tired, they were both sitting in the kitchen crying together instead of doing anything about it.
“I’ll try. Let’s get you to bed, yeah? I’m sorry.”
Jiro let himself get picked up, like he was a kid that had fallen asleep in a car. He wasn’t, he was a 17 year old that could walk to bed himself, but if Ichiro wanted to do this for him, he’d let him. Was it some sort of shitty apology? Maybe, but it was better than no apology.
(Knowing Ichiro the real apology will come in a day off school and a big breakfast anyway)
They got to the top of the stairs before Jiro had stopped him, wriggling just enough to redirect the eldest to the other side of the hall. “Go see Saburo, he’d be happy to see you.”
He seemed hesitant for a moment, Jiro assumed it was because he didn’t want to wake him (which he understood, especially after being guilted for how tired he was), before making the turn to the youngest’s room.
Saburo was on his bed, tucked in as best as he could, though it was obvious Jiro had also been in the bed at some point. Ichiro didn’t move to wake him right away, he didn’t even move to put Jiro down right away, he just stood there and watched his brother sleep.
“What if he’s mad too?” he whispered, looking down at Jiro for reassurance.
“He won’t be.”
Ichiro took that as his go ahead, gently putting Jiro back on his feet and approaching the bed. Jiro watched as he gently shook Saburo awake, whispering something Jiro couldn’t make out as he did. There was silence for a moment, then a groan from Saburo. It took him a second.
“Ichi-nii!!” Saburo had all but launched himself at Ichiro, knocking him backward. Ichiro had taken the blow with stride, hugging him back just as tight and rubbing his back when the inevitable tears came. “Don’t do that again, I was so worried I–”
“I know bud, I’m sorry. I won’t.”
“Can you sleep with us tonight? I… I wanna stay with you.” Jiro could hear the tremble in his words, like Ichiro could disappear at any moment if he wasn’t careful; Saburo was scared of what was going to happen if he wasn’t careful .
But Ichiro just nodded, pushing Saburo gently to get him to sit up, “Us?”
Jiro knew Ichiro knew what that meant, he wasn’t stupid; of course it meant him and Saburo, he’d promised to stay with Saburo tonight and (even if Ichiro hadn’t known) that should be damn obvious. Jiro had his moments of being a good big brother, namely when biggest wasn’t, but he had his moments nonetheless.
Saburo didn’t have the older brother telepathy though, he didn’t know Ichiro knew, so he had mumbled out his answer with an almost embarrassing honesty.
“Yeah, I think I can do that. C’mon, we’ll all go to my room, I’ll carry you.”
Jiro watched Saburo light up for a second time that night, even despite his sleepiness he’d climbed onto Ichiro’s back with enthusiasm, hooking his ankles around his stomach so Ichiro could get up hands free. Jiro was almost disappointed that he had to walk to bed too, taking a step towards the open door when Ichiro had scooped him up as well.
He was certain they looked ridiculous, Saburo hanging off Ichiro’s back like a velcro monkey toy while Ichiro was carrying Jiro in his arms; he couldn’t find himself to care though, if Ichiro wanted to carry his little brothers to bed, so be it.
And if he wanted to let them curl up on either side of him in his big king sized bed, safe and secure and sure their big brother would be there in the morning, Jiro wasn’t gonna stop him.
He’d be an idiot to.