"Oi Kusomatsu." Ichimatsu slid their bedroom door shut behind him, enclosing the room in darkness once again. The curtains were drawn, not allowing for any light to pierce the room and illuminate the bulge beneath their blanket.

Ichimatsu stepped over to it and crouched, poking Karamatsu in the back.

"Don't ignore me Kusomatsu." He monotone. Resting his chin on his knees. Karamatsu curled in on himself tighter, burrowing further into the warmth of his dooner. If he closed his eyes and tried hard enough he could imagine there was someone with him. Holding him, comforting him.

Karamatsu heard Ichimatsu sigh before his presence shifted away. His hands clenched tighter in his covers, twisting the fabric closer. Ichimatsu was going to leave.

Karamatsu was dragged backwards suddenly, arms winding around his form, circling his body and holding tightly. Ichimatsu pulled Karamatsu to his chest and squeezed his brother, burying his head into the cover behind his neck.

"Kara-nii, I'm sorry. You know I love you."

Karamatsu didn't make a sound in Ichimatsu's arms.

"Right?"

A heavy cold stone settled in Ichimatsu's stomach as silence met his words.

"Right Kara-nii?" Karamatsu started trembling in his hold, but still, he didn't say a word.

"Karamatsu! I fucking love you." Ichimatsu said, curling around his brothers' form. "Don't you ever dare think otherwise! You're my brother, I will always love you."

Karamatsu stopped moving. He was so warm in Ichimatsu's embrace, shielded from the harsh words and actions the world seemed to take against him. He shook his head out of the dooner and awkwardly rolled over so he could face Ichimatsu and snuggle into his soft, warm body. He struggled to pull his arms out of the dooner and threw one over Ichimatsu's middle and he pulled himself up against his brother, pressing his face into Ichimatsu's jumper. His other arm stuck between them, grasping at the dooner where his brother's jumper would otherwise be.

Ichimatsu ran his fingers soothingly through Karamatsu's hair, trying to calm him as he began to shake and sniffle. He curled closer and kissed the top of Karamatsu's head as he relaxed, letting Karamatsu lay into him as he held him close.

"Listen Karamatsu. You are my brother. I will always love you. No matter what. Don't you ever forget that."