how about...? Jyushi, Todo and Oso get trapped under rubble after an earthquake
Hope you like this, sorry for the delay!
Warning for natural disasters and language under the cut:
It seemed like it happened in the blink of an eye.
One minute Osomatsu was minding his own business, reading his manga in the living room with the knowledge that his two youngest siblings—the only other people at home—were upstairs.
And the next…catastrophe.
It started with a mild tremor that Osomatsu tried to pass off as nothing—they’d had smaller earthquakes before.
But before he knew it the ground was shaking violently, pitching the house back and forth so harshly that pictures flew off the walls and shelves toppled over, crashing to the floor and scattering books in every direction. Glass broke, wood splintered, and in his panicked state Osomatsu had no idea where it was all coming from.
He bolted to his feet, realizing it was a stupid thing to do in the midst of what might have been the worst earthquake Akatsuka Ward has ever seen, eyes wide in alarm as they darted around the room. Cracks formed in the walls, splitting them, and he could see cracks in the ceiling spreading rapidly as well.
Was the house collapsing???
Jyushi and Totty, Osomatsu thought frantically, attempting to run toward the stairs. I need to get them…we need to get out!
Every step felt futile as he struggled to reach the doorway of the living room. The ground shook so tremendously that it knocked him off balance, and he crashed face-first to the floor with a heavy thud.
“Fuck!” he hissed as he tried to pull himself up again, only to be bowled over again.
“Osomatsu!!”
“Osomatsu-Nisan!!”
The frantic shouts of his little brothers bellowing from upstairs lit a fire under him, and he scrambled back to his feet and rushed toward the staircase. He clung to the banister, staying rooted to the bottom of the stairs. There was no way he could climb up them.
“Guys!” he shouted above the horrendous cacophony of noise that surrounded them. “Are you okay?”
Todomatsu appeared at the top of the stairs, as well as Jyushimatsu, clinging to each other with terrified expressions. Todomatsu had tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Don’t move!” Osomatsu ordered. “It’s too dangerous, stay there!”
Todomatsu gave a frightened whimper as he nodded, and Jyushimatsu clutched his little brother more tightly.
It felt like the earthquake lasted for hours, when really it was probably only a couple of minutes. When it ground to a halt at last, the house fell eerily silent. The calm after the storm, or so it seemed.
As soon as it seemed safe Todomatsu tore himself away from Jyushimatsu and barreled down the stairs, practically throwing himself at Osomatsu in a fierce hug. He sobbed uncontrollably, clinging to Osomatsu like he’d never let go.
“It’s okay…it’s okay.” Osomatsu tried to sound soothing despite his own shaking voice as he hugged Todomatsu back. “You’re safe…”
Jyushimatsu bolted down the stairs too, wrapping his arms tightly around his brothers. For a moment all seemed still.
And then they heard an ear-splitting crash.
Todomatsu gasped, gripping Osomatsu. “What was that?”
“It…it came from the kitchen!” Jyushimatsu stated.
“Let me go look.” Osomatsu swallowed hard as he removed himself from the hug and stepped carefully toward the kitchen.
A massive chunk of the ceiling had fallen, blocking the doorway and covering the entire room with a layer of dust and broken plaster. Osomatsu gaped, horrified.
Before he could react an identical crash could be heard from the front of the house, and Todomatsu let out a high-pitched scream. Osomatsu’s stomach lurched as he rushed back.
“Oh shit…”
The ceiling was caving in here, too—a huge chunk had fallen and now blocked the front door, too. The house was collapsing around them.
“What do we do?!” Todomatsu fretted hysterically. “We need to get out, but we’re trapped!”
“The house is breaking!” Jyushimatsu lamented fearfully. “The exits are all blocked!”
“I need to think…I need to think…” But before Osomatsu could concoct a plan the ominous sound of splintering wood split the air again, almost deafeningly. Cracks spiderwebbed their way across the ceiling and down the walls.
“Oso!” Todomatsu wailed, and Jyushimatsu started bawling.
Osomatsu’s heart skipped so many beats he had no idea how he didn’t go into cardiac arrest. They needed to escape, now. How though?!
Suddenly Osomatsu heard that now too familiar cracking noise above them. His gaze darted up to find the roof buckling—right over his brothers!
“Look out!” he screamed, lunging forward. In one shockingly swift motion he’d jumped and pushed his younger brothers out of the way, just in time.
The ceiling snapped above, and as Osomatsu gaped in horror tons of heavy plaster and wood started hurtling toward him. He could only hear his brothers’ frightened screams before—
Everything went black.
Osomatsu sat bolt upright, gasping for air, his eyes searching the room frantically. Jyushi, Totty, where are you?! Fear coursed through him like icy water rushing through his veins.
It took several seconds to realize he was in his room, and that it was the middle of the night. All around him his brothers were asleep. Osomatsu sagged with relief when he spotted Todomatsu and Jyushimatsu among them, safe and sound.
Osomatsu gulped, heart still pounding. It was a dream…just an awful dream. It’s fine, everything’s fine, your house is still standing and your brothers are okay…
But his heart refused to slow down.
Osomatsu sighed, flopping heavily back against his pillow. It had been a nightmare…one of the worst ones he’d had in awhile where he hadn’t been able to save his brothers the way he’d wished. He had these dreams frequently, about not being able to be the best big brother they deserved and letting them down. Or, in cases like this, saving them only to have something bad happen to him.
And then where did that leave everyone?
I swear to you, he thought, that if anything ever happens to one of you I’ll save you—even if it risks my life. I’m sorry, guys…I hope you don’t think I’m a shitty brother. I’m trying…
This internal rambling lasted only a couple of minutes before exhaustion claimed him again, and he drifted into a troubled, though fortunately dreamless, sleep.
