Work Text:
“It’s finally time, eh, Otoishi?”
Akira groaned. Three years passed and he was finally released from jail. He couldn’t say he was happy with the punishment. He lost three years of his life. Of course, the seclusion time calmed down the euphoric state he was in since he gained his stand and he realized he wasn’t, in fact, invincible and powerful as he believed.
It also made him reflect on his acts.
And feel guilty.
After all, he killed a guy.
He was effed up.
“There’s someone waiting for you, Otoishi. Don’t get involved in any more trouble.”
It probably wasn’t his parents. They gave up on him long ago.
“Yeah, yeah, I heard you.” he mumbled, the vivacity in his voice gone. “Thanks for taking care of me for all these years.”
Saying that he bowed and walked off his cell being accompanied by two agents. While Akira had mellowed down, his stand was still rather dangerous so he was going to be under observation, which meant he was going to live for awhile with another stand user, some guy named Kobayashi Tamami, who had the power to make people feel guilty, something like that.
He expected to see this Tamami guy waiting for him.
“Yo. I’m going to escort you to Tamami’s place.”
Not Nijimura Okuyasu.
He felt the cool breeze on his face before he opened his eyes.
He was laying on grass, probably some riverbank. The sky was turning dark blue, some stars already starting to appear.
Okuyasu was sitting beside him.
“How are you feeling?” the teen asked him.
He sat and cracked his neck bones.
“Your punches are still point on.” he mused, feeling his face with his hand.
“My bad. Couldn’t control myself even after these years.”
After the greeting, Okuyasu sucker punched him.
“Yeah, can’t blame you.”
Okuyasu shifted a little, uncomfortable. It was obvious Akira was the last person he wanted to be with and while he was glad he was quiet it creeped him out to see him mellow like that instead of his loud self.
After an awkward minute of silence, Akira decided to start talk to maybe make things a little less weird.
“Y’know, I missed this.” he said, gesticulating to the sky. “I get really glad everytime I see a starry sky like this one.”
Okuyasu could ignore that ridiculous attempt of small talk but he decided to be courteous. He took the man there to talk after all.
And the sky was indeed full of stars.
“Why that, arsehole?”
“Because I remember I didn’t die from that arrow in 1999.”
Okuyasu froze.
1999.
The year his brother got hold of the bow and the arrow and went on a killing spree in hopes to find someone who could kill their father.
He even shot Okuyasu.
And himself.
“I was coming back from cram school. My old folks were mad with me for not passing the exam entrance for a college in S-city. Can you relate?” he chuckled, expecting the other to agree with him.
“Nah, got a scholarship for Toudai as soon as I got out of school.”
The older widened his eyes at the other.
“You’re effin’ with me.”
“Ain’t. Quantum physics student.”
Unconsciously, Akira summoned Red Hot Chili Pepper, causing the air to crackle with electricity.
“Eff me sideways! Are ya bein’ serious?!” he shouted, his stand making somersaults that sent static and sparkles through the air.
“Stop this bullshit, turn yer damned stand off or I’ll punch yer lights out again!” Okuyasu shouted back, exasperated for seeing the other activate the stand that terrorized him when he was younger.
Calming down from the shock of discovering Okuyasu was much more than he thought from all the years they knew each other, Akira deactivated Chili Pepper.
“My bad.” he apologized almost timidly, not really used to apologize himself, furthermore to someone he didn’t quite like, while Okuyasu just dismissed it with a hand gesture, not interested in the man’s inner turmoil. “Got me by surprise.”
“You’re not the first one to get like this for discovering I have some brain afterall, big bro would be in shock, no pun intended.” the younger replied, seeming a little flustered by the compliment. “If you congratulate me I’ll sucker punch you again and throw you in this river.”
“Ain’t never gonna congratulate you, numbskull.” Akira sneered. “You’re still that dumb loud kid to me.”
“I can say the same about you, shithead. So what’s the rest of your boohoo woe is me story?”
“Oh, yeah, that. Got stabbed in the throat.”
He said while removing his golden collar, showing his neck. It hadn’t any mark nor scar.
Okuyasu knew what it meant.
It was the same when he was shot by his brother in his right hand by accident.
“It was sudden. And painful. I felt really scared. I think it was the most scared I ever were in my life. I mean I never laid in a puddle of blood before and it was my own blood to boot. Then yer brother came out of nowhere and pulled the arrow off. Hurt like hell. Said it was the only one he had and couldn’t lose it, some bullshit like that. Then he took off like it was nothing. I tried to call him but all I could do was gargle. Y’know, like when you brush yer teeth? He left me there, in a dark, empty street, suffocating in my own blood alone.” Unconsciously, Okuyasu took his hand to his own neck, distressed.
“I… ain’t feeling sorry for you.” he said lowly, looking away, not really sure what he felt at that moment but sure enough he didn’t want to look at Akira.
“Ain’t asking you pity.” the older said, putting his collar back. “Just wanted to tell you why I didn’t like your brother. I been thinking about telling you that for three years. It doesn’t justify what I did, I know. I mean, I’m guilty of killing him after all.”
“It’s been three years.” Okuyasu said, looking at the sky. It was exceptionally full of stars this night. “I got angry a bunch of times, cried a bunch of times, thought about invading the Speedwagon Foundation to use The Hand on you and erase you from existence for good.” Akira felt a chill crawl his spine. He frequently forgot how a dumb looking guy like Okuyasu had such frightening stand. “I already punched your mug twice, you were punished, life goes on. Just try to be someone decent from now on.”
“I know, I just thought… I owe you an apology. No, that ain’t right...” he said, more to himself than the other. “I guess I need to ask you forgiveness. For… everything.”
Okuyasu turned to him, his eyes widened like sauces, looking at Akira like he was some sort of alien specimen he just discovered.
It made the man feel self-conscious under that intense stare.
“T-The hell ya lookin’ at?!” he stammered loudly, tucking a strand of his long hair behind his ear nervously, but he soon dropped his hand mid act when his brain started to shout he was acting like an embarrassed girl on her first date.
And then Okuyasu smiled, broad and honest.
“Who would guess this jail time would make you develop a conscience, huh, dickhead?”
Akira felt something hot on his face.
Was he…?
WAS HE EFFIN’ BLUSHING?!
The hell?! Didn’t he know how to function anymore?! Didn’t he know how to deal with that punk Okuyasu?! Why the hell was he blushing?! Because that jackass was smiling to him?! Did the jail time made him soft?!
… was he being soft to effin’ Nijimura Okuyasu?!
That was too much to him.
It was Nijimura Okuyasu, for eff’s sake! They should hate each other, fight each other, try to kill each other, not have small talks and blush and smile and-!
What’s next, was he going to kiss him?!
…………… DID HE JUST THOUGHT ABOUT-?!
“Ya feelin’ okay, dude?” the younger asked, concerned, seeing Akira’s tormented expression.
“No, I want to puke over your dumb face, ya make me sick.” he snarled.
But Okuyasu just snorted.
“Oh, thank god. I was scared I was stuck with some braindead clone of yours, good to see you’re still the old arsehole jerk I know.” the younger said, slapping a heavy hand over the other’s shoulder that unbalanced him before standing up and patting the dirt from his pants.
“I can say the same to you, dumbass, even if you turn into some quantum physicist or whatever.” the long haired retorted, also standing up.
He started walking but stopped in his tracks to look up one more time.
Okuyasu gave him a weak low kick to make him move but still smiled.
“Let’s go. Tamami is waiting. Your guitar is already there. You can, dunno, express yourself better once you start playing it than just blush and be awkward like now. You can look the sky all you want later.”
Akira just huffed a laugh, chest lighter.
“Shut up, dickhead.”
The stars seemed brighter that night.
He missed them.