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Waking up that day, Josuke didn’t feel like anything particularly interesting would happen. It was rainy, dreary, kind of cold, actually. Autumn in Morioh was always quiet and somber.
He figured Okuyasu would come over like he always would, bundled up in his coat and sweater, hair wet from the rain. He’d smile widely when greeting Tomoko, waiting for Josuke to bound down from his bedroom, and upon seeing his best friend, he’d shout hey and shake his damp hair out like a dog, making Josuke laugh and tell him to quit it. Nothing odd about this, right? Just their usual. Most certainly. Except for the fact that every time Josuke saw Okuyasu for the first time, he felt his face heat up and his words get caught in his throat. Why? It was only Okuyasu. But that’s exactly what the problem was--
Before he could think too heavily about it, there’s a knock at the door and Josuke knows his usual routine is about to start. He grins ear to ear and jumps out of bed, hurtling out of his room and down the stairs, just to see Okuyasu standing there with Tomoko nearby, chastising him about walking here in the rain. The shorter teen’s eyes light up as soon as he sees Josuke.
“Oi, Josuke!” He waves, smile more dazzling than the sun. “D’you see how windy it is? Rain whippin’ around EVERYWHERE!”
Josuke couldn’t see anything past how cute Okuyasu looked at the moment; his hair a mess, face slightly flushed and glistening, jacket hung over his shoulder….He snaps back to attention when he realizes he hasn’t said anything back yet. “Uh, y-yeah, it’s wild. Didn’t know we’d be getting such heavy rain today.”
“Stop standing in the doorway like a stranger, Okuyasu! Come in, come in,” Tomoko commands, ushering the boy in and closing the door behind him. “And don’t forget to hang up that wet jacket!” She calls as she saunters back to the kitchen where she was preparing dinner.
As Okuyasu hangs his jacket up, he asks, “Hey, Josuke, whatcha starin’ at me like that for? You saw me yesterday an’ I know I haven’t changed since then.”
Josuke almost squeaks in embarrassment. Is he that obvious? "No reason! Just spacin’ out, y’know how it goes…” He quickly covers up, keen to change the subject. “Whatcha wanna do today?” In anticipation of Okuyasu wanting to sit and play video games, he realizes his clothes are all wet. “Wait!” Tomoko won’t want her couch getting soaked.
Okuyasu’s head snaps to face him from a few feet away, where he was already at the TV. “Huh?”
“I….I thought maybe you’d wanna change clothes. Since you’re, you know, all wet.” He rushes, feeling stupid for even bringing it up now. “My stuff will probably fit you though, if you want,” he mumbles, face flushed.
Okuyasu bops his head with his palm, exclaiming, “I didn’t even think of that! Yeah, I’d appreciate it.”
“Alright,” Josuke stammers, relieved that Okuyasu didn’t freak out. “You wanna come upstairs and pick somethin’ out?”
Nodding, Okuyasu makes his way to the stairs and Josuke follows shortly after. He can feel his heart hammering inside his chest, and he knows he needs to chill. It’s just Okuyasu, there’s no need to feel this anxious! It’s just his best friend, not his mortal enemy or crush or...anything.
In Josuke’s room, he lets Okuyasu rifle through his dresser for pants while he’s in the closet, searching for a shirt he won’t mind giving up for a bit until Okuyasu can bring it back. Finally settling on a plain old yellow t-shirt, he swings around to see Okuyasu holding up a pair of ripped skinny jeans.
“Bro, how come you never wear these?! It’s criminal I haven’t been able to see you in them, you’d look so good!”
What.What. W H A T. Josuke’s brain screeches to a halt as he tries to process this. Did his best friend just say he wants to see HIM, Higashikata Josuke, in ripped skinny jeans he hasn’t worn in over a year, because he’d look good? Okuyasu thinks he’d look good? Before he can stop himself, he says, “Give ‘em here and I’ll put them on now.” He can’t stop the stupid grin spreading over his face as Okuyasu jumps up and down in excitement and fist pumps. “C’mon, put this shirt on and choose your pants and we’ll have a fashion show or whatever.”
“I like this shadow of yellow,” Okuyasu comments, taking the garment from Josuke. “Let’s hope it’ll look good on me.”
Josuke tsks. “Of course it will idiot. You look good in anything.” Shit, he let his filter down. He misses the blush on Okuyasu’s face as they both turn around and get dressed.
A few beats pass before a mumbled “Uh, Josuke?” resounds from the other side of the bedroom.
Josuke looks up from zipping up his ripped jeans. “Yeah, Oku?” Turning around, hoping Okuyasu was at least half-dressed, he’s met with the sight of poor Okuyasu with his head stuck in the shirt. He has to suppress a giggle. “How did you manage this?”
A shrug. “I dunno…” Then, sheepishly, “Can you help me?”
Josuke shakes his head, smiling as he makes his way over to Okuyasu. “Be still, okay?” He’s not sure where to start, but figures doing his best to untangle his arms is best.
In one quick moment, Okuyasu is freed from the evil shirt. “Guess my shoulders were too big or somethin. But uh…” he scratches the back of his neck. “I still need a shirt that fits.”
At this, Josuke’s eyes glance down to the floor, where Okuyasu’s soaked shirt and pants lay. Oh, yeah….”Okay, okay, let me get a shirt that’s baggy on me. That should fit, right?” Back to his dresser, he finds a bigger shirt, dark with some sort of band logo on it, but it’s so faded he can’t make it out anymore. “Here,” He turns around, holding it up for the other boy to inspect.
“Yeah, that looks big enough.” He takes it from Josuke and gets to work putting it on. This time, it fits fine.
“Looks great,” Josuke comments, taking in Okuyasu’s new appearance, reminding him of himself a year ago when all he wore were graphic tees.
Okuyasu smiles and retorts with, “It’s comfy! And I see the pants fit you still, but I feel like something is missing…” He puts his hand in his chin and scrutinizes Josuke, which makes the aforementioned squirm a little. Snapping his fingers with a twinkle in his eye, he points to the dresser. “You’re missing your own band shirt, dude. And maybe some eyeliner…”
“What, no! Do you know when the last time I wore that was? I don’t even look good with it--” he tries bluffing.
“Naw, let’s get you more dressed up. You said this’d be a fashion show, yeah? Let’s go all out, bro!” Okuyasu concludes, taking initiative to root around Josuke’s shirts.
Josuke can’t fight back when he sees the gleeful fun Okuyasu is having with this. Might as well indulge him a little, right? Nothing could go wrong.
“Alright, what about this one?” Okuyasu holds up a rather holey band shirt, one that Josuke remembers being the very first he ever got.
“How’d you know that’s my favorite?” He asks, tenderly taking it in his hands and observing it, running his hands along the fabric before looking back up at Okuyasu’s expression, which was very soft.
“Just a guess.”
“Okay, if you say so.” He says with raised eyebrows. “The eyeliner is in my mom’s bathroom, if you go get it, I’ll meet you there?”
“Aight.” With that, Okuyasu makes his leave, leaving the door open a crack.
“Wait!” Josuke calls. A beat passes before Okuyasu pops his head back in.
“Yeah?”
A devilish grin forms on Josuke’s face. “If I’m going to wear eyeliner, then you have to, too.”
Okuyasu smirks. “Bet.” Then, he’s gone.
Huh, that wasn’t what Josuke was expecting. Whatever, he thinks Okuyasu’ll look hot in eyeliner. No one ever looks bad with it. It’s a winning situation for both of them.
In the bathroom, Okuyasu is opening cabinets and drawers, all to no avail. Josuke’s directions weren’t very clear.
Does he really think Josuke’s outfit was lacking? No, not exactly, but he knew how nice he'd look in his full emo look. He had never seen it himself, since Josuke was sort of embarrassed about the whole phase even happening, but even with that he had talked about it time to time.
“Yo, you find it yet?” Josuke asks, leaning on the sink above him, startling Okuyasu, who hadn’t heard him come in. He was always light on his feet. It was annoying sometimes.
“N-no, your directions weren’t very good.”
Josuke chuckles and opens the ONLY drawer he hadn’t checked yet. Lo and behold, there it was, a dinky little tube of black pencil rolling around freely. “There we go.” Picking it up, he looks in the mirror, getting in close to his reflection in order to apply it evenly.
Okuyasu takes a step back to admire the process. “Wait, I’ve never done this before…”
Josuke pauses, pencil tip inches from his eyeline. He looks at Okuyasu in the mirror, thinking for a second before slowly saying, “I mean...I could do it for you.”
Okuyasu’s heart skips before hammering away. He’s not sure if he has the resolve to stay calm with Josuke inches from his face, staring at him. The intimacy will be too much for him to reasonably handle. Gulping, he swallows his anxieties down and responds with a shaky, “Alright, sounds good.” Now, all he can do is watch in curiosity as Josuke applies the makeup with precise skill, and wait for his own turn.
“Have you ever worn any makeup before, Okuyasu?” Josuke asks, not looking away from the mirror. He’s completely done with one eye already, and Okuyasu thinks he looks fantastic. Why doesn’t he wear eyeliner anymore?
“Naw, Keicho would’ve killed me if he ever found out, you know? Can’t have a gay little brother,” He laughs nervously.
Josuke hums. “I mean, I wear eyeliner, I’m not gay. I think,” He mumbles the last part, cursing when he fumbles with the pencil a little.
Okuyasu coughs, feeling queasy all of a sudden. He’s not liking the way this conversation is going. “Anyways, you almost done?” As much as he’s scared of what’s going to happen next, he’s also very excited. Antsy, mostly.
When Josuke looks away from the mirror and smiles, showing he’s finished, Okuyasu feels as if he’s about to faint. The jeans, the tight fitting shirt, the eyeliner….”You look really goddamn nice,” he blurts before he can stop himself.
Josuke mumbles something as his cheeks darken and he scratches the back of his head shyly. Instead of saying anything about the compliment, he goes with, “Anyways, your turn! Stand up.”
Okuyasu does as he’s told, trying not to shake like a scared puppy. If Josuke notices, he’s done for. When Josuke takes a step forward and hesitantly cups his cheek, Okuyasu’s breath hitches and he swears his heart stalls in his chest.
“This okay?” Josuke asks gingerly, looking at Okuyasu with sincere concern.
Okuyasu is barely able to squeeze out a ‘yep’ without his voice giving out. All his brain is doing is screaming “ josukejosukejosuke he’s right there he’s right there he’s right in frONT OF YOU.”
“Alright. Look up, okay? I’m gonna be applying pressure right under your eye.” Josuke instructs, letting go of Okuyasu’s cheek and instead tipping his chin up.
Okuyasu has to swallow and take a deep breath so he doesn’t die on the spot. The casual but very intense intimacy. Does Josuke feel it too, or is he just imagining things?
Oh no. It was a mistake to make eye contact with Josuke. Looking right into his eyes as they’re narrowed in concentration makes it so much easier to appreciate how pretty they are, especially with dark eyeliner making them more pronounced. And then the small, reassuring smile when he notices the stare? Fuck. Okuyasu is in deeeeep. He can feel every small twitch of Josuke’s fingers on his face, every exhale, every small noise of satisfaction or dismay as he’s working.
When Josuke pulls away to inspect his work from a distance, Okuyasu is relieved but also saddened.
With a whistle, Josuke comments, “I think I’ve outdone myself! Go take a look.”
Okuyasu takes a few steps towards the mirror on jelly legs. His face is definitely a lot redder than usual. Did Josuke notice at all? Leaning in to look at his eyes, he feels the weight in his chest lessen as he gets excited. “Dude, you did such a good job!” From the corner of his eye, he can see Josuke lean in to look at his own reflection again. He reaches up to touch the weird black stuff, but Josuke bats his hand away.
Both of them look at each other at the same time, and because the bathroom sink is so small and there’s less than a inch between them, their lips brush for just a millisecond.
When whatever was about to be said dies on the lips of both parties, they stare at each other, gauging the other’s reaction. Did that happen?
“Uhm--”
“I…”
Before either party can say much, or process what happened too deeply, Okuyasu decides to go for it. He’s already had his fair share of pining for the day, and if this goes wrong, well….With how embarrassed Josuke has been acting, he doubts it will. He grabs Josuke’s wrist and pulls him in, throwing his other arm over his shoulder and swooping in to connect their lips. Eyes screwed shut, he desperately hopes Josuke won’t hate him for this.
It wasn’t the best, as first kisses usually aren’t. But Okuyasu doesn’t care one bit. When Josuke makes a noise of surprise but doesn’t pull away, instead relaxing into it, Okuyasu starts smiling so hard he has to pull away himself.
“Wait, you--” Josuke starts questioning before Okuyasu shrugs.
“I’ve been wanting to,” Okuyasu grins, exhaling shakily. “Wow.”
“Does this mean….you like me?” Josuke asks cluelessly, pointing to his chest.
“God, yes of course I do. I like you a lot, dude.”
Josuke covers his mouth, laughing a little. “Oh my god.”
“I take it you uh, like me too then?” Okuyasu hesitantly asks, feeling silly for even asking, if this is how Josuke is reacting.
“Yeah, didn’t you see how I was acting when you got here today? The last few, oh, days? Weeks, even?” Josuke giggles. “I guess I wasn’t too obvious if you’re still unsure.”
“No, I’m just fuckin’ oblivious,” Okuyasu comments, looking at his feet. “I didn't connect the dots. But, uh, well. Now what?”
When Josuke pulls him into a hug and says, “How about we try that kiss again?” Okuyasu feels like he’s about to die all over again. But this time, in a good way.