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Josuke finds the tape half hidden by the cushion of the couch. The shiny plastic corner is sticking out from between the cushion and the arm right where Okuyasu had been sitting just a few moments ago before heading home for the night. Fishing it out, Josuke looks at the slightly peeling label. ‘Josuke Songs’ is written on it in Okuyasu’s uncharacteristically neat handwriting. It looks like a mixtape.
He turns the tape over a few times in his hand. It must have fallen out of Okuyasu’s pocket. Maybe he’d forgotten to give it to him when they were hanging out after school? Regardless, Josuke feels a thrill of excitement upon finding it. No one’s ever made him a mixtape before and he’s more than a little eager to hear what sort of songs remind Okuyasu of him.
He takes the tape upstairs to his room and rummages around on his desk for his portable player and headphones, before flopping down on the bed to listen. The tape clicks over and soon the opening notes of “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks starts playing. Josuke gives an approving nod to his empty room. It’s a pretty good song. It’s got a nice rhythm and it’s upbeat. Josuke quietly sings along with some parts, “You got me so I don’t know what I’m doing,” he sings before falling into humming, wiggling his feet along with the music as he lays sprawled on his bed.
Maybe it’s going to be whole tape of the sort of classic rock that Josuke favors? He feels warm and happy thinking about Okuyasu painstakingly recording a bunch of songs from the radio, songs that remind him of Josuke. It feels special, almost intimate, and for a second Josuke dares to hope that maybe Okuyasu felt the same sort of things while making it.
The song eventually fades and there’s a brief pause before the next one starts. It takes a second, but he soon realizes it’s the Beatles. A few moments more and Josuke recognizes the song as “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Josuke’s stomach twists. This…this is kind of a love song. It’s pretty simple and innocent, but it’s definitely a song about love and feelings. Josuke’s face flushes as he really listens to the lyrics, unable to think of anything but Okuyasu. They’re close. Okuyasu is the closest friend he’s ever had. They’re closest set of friends he even knows other than actual couples.
They’ve always been…physically close, just not in the romantic way and they’ve never held hands like the song describes…‘And when I touch you I feel happy inside,’ the song continues and Josuke’s heart starts to pound. This song really makes Okuyasu think of him? No. He shouldn’t get his hopes up. Okuyasu must have just made a rock tape like he first thought.
The end of the song approaches and Josuke feels himself nervously anticipating the next one.
The music starts and it’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling” by that band that took their name from the dude who founded the Speedwagon Foundation.
Josuke’s entire body goes heavy and hot when he hears it. This is definitely a love song. It’s about pining and friendship feelings growing into something more…but being too afraid to show it. Josuke’s heart is in his throat as he continues thinking about Okuyasu. Is this tape supposed to be some kind of confession? Did Okuyasu leave it on the couch on purpose because he was too afraid to say anything?
Hope, nervous and trembling, rises in Josuke’s chest. If that’s the case, then Okuyasu must feel the same way. Josuke’s been too scared himself to say anything, so it’s kind of comforting to know that Okuyasu is scared too. At least they’re on the same page.
But this tape is so good, so perfect. Josuke loves music and all of these songs definitely go both ways when to comes to what they’re apparently both feeling. He’s a little flustered over just how good it all is. He’s really going to have to amp up his game to confess back.
He’s lost in thoughts of what songs he’s going to put on a tape to make Okuyasu when the next song starts. Josuke recognizes it immediately. It’s Prince…it’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” Josuke’s face flushes hot and he buries his face in his hands, giddy beyond reason at Okuyasu including one of his favorite artists…and at the lyrics. Lover is such a strong term and Josuke blushes with the surge of want that comes with it.
Dazed daydreaming takes over the entirety of his thought process as the song keeps going. “I Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis starts next and Josuke is gone. His confession is going to have to wait a little bit longer, because the first thing he’s going to do when he sees Okuyasu next is kiss him senseless.
Or at least that’s the plan. He’s half way through the song, visions of Okuyasu filling his mind as Elvis croons through his headphones when a loud bang sounds over the music playing in his ears.
Eyes flying open, he sits up and sees Okuyasu, who’s just burst through his door, eyes frantically looking around Josuke’s room as he feverishly pats at his pockets.
“JOSUKE! Have you seen a tape lying around?” he asks, finally looking up to look at Josuke who’s just now removing his headphones to rest around his neck. “Oh no,” Okuyasu mumbles, face draining of color.
“Oku—”
“Aw shit, bro,” Okuyasu groans, hands flying up to the sides of his head. “Did you listen to it?”
“Yeah, some of it. I—”
Okuyasu cuts him off with another pained groan. “Dammit, I knew I should have fixed that hole in my coat pocket. You weren’t supposed to listen to that yet. There’s still some room for songs and I wasn’t done yet and I’ve been practicing real hard so I could tell ya stuff before I gave it to you but now you listened to it and are probably really confused and weirded out and I still don’t know what to say because I’m bad at words but the music helps and I wanted to tell you that and let you know…and…”
It sounds very much like Okuyasu is starting to run out of breath. He moves until his back hits the wall. When it does, he slides down into a crouch. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to continue, so Josuke, still stunned and all too fond of the boy panicking in his room stands up and makes his way over to where Okuyasu is standing. “Hey, man, hey,” he coaxes, leaning down a bit to bring his face into Okuyasu’s line of sight since he’s looking with agitated eyes at the floor. “It’s fine, okay? It’s fine.”
Okuyasu sucks in a deep breath and looks at him slowly. “It is?”
“Yeah,” Josuke says around a shy laugh. “What I listened to was really good.”
“It was?” Okuyasu asks, eyes wide and filled with a kind of stunned wonder. “You liked it?”
Josuke can’t take that look, he wants so badly to kiss him, but waits until a few things are clarified. “I did. And uh,” he pauses to rub his hand on his neck. “If you meant what I think you meant, then…they make me feel the same. About you.”
“Whoa,” Okuyasu says, still wearing that adorably befuddled expression.
Josuke finally breaks, but due to their position he can only manage a lingering kiss to his cheek, just to the side of his lips.
“Whoa,” Okuyasu repeats again.
“Yeah, whoa,” Josuke chuckles. “I mean, I totally felt that way before, but I’m not gonna lie, that tape really sealed the deal. I was gonna confess my guts out the next time I saw you. I’m kinda glad you came back, I was gonna burst,” he says, blushing as he stands, offering a hand to help Okuyasu up from the floor.
Okuyasu takes it and when he gets back to his feet, he crushes Josuke in a big hug. “Oh man, I can’t believe it. I’m the luckiest guy in the world!”
Josuke’s face somehow grows warmer. “Tch, speak for yourself,” he mumbles, returning the hug. They stay like that for a few moments before an idea comes to him. He pulls back with another kiss to Okuyasu’s cheek. “Hey, stay right like this for a minute, okay?”
Okuyasu nods quietly, still looking a little dazed.
Josuke scrambles to get the tape from his portable player and into his boombox. He presses rewind for a few seconds and hits play again. The tail end of the Prince song finishes just in time for Elvis to start playing again. He makes his way back over to Okuyasu and drapes his arms around his neck. “Wanna dance?” he offers, heart hammering. “Music is better shared, y’know…”
“Sure,” Okuyasu beams at him, bringing his hands to rest on Josuke’s waist. His face flushes a bit when he does.
On the radio, Elvis sings about rivers flowing to the sea as they begin to sway. And if Josuke’s finally able to steal a kiss from Okuyasu’s lips, well…not even the King could blame him.