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Whenever
“Hey Josuke, I’m sorry man but, I can’t come hang with you today- I’m not feelin’ so hot.” Okuyasu apologized, his nasally voice perfectly clear through Josuke’s landline phone but despite that Josuke still has to ask.
“You’re not faking sick like you used to in school are you?”
“No! Not at all, I’m just really tired. We’ll hang out soon babe. Bye love you.”
“Love you too,” Josuke replied trying not to sound too disappointed, as he hung the phone up. He stood for a few moments contemplating what he’d do instead if he wasn’t going to be spending time with Okuyasu.
It wasn’t a common occurrence by any means and he found himself unable to think of something that could substitute the time he spent with his boyfriend. They were inseparable as friends, but ever since they started dating there hadn’t been a day that had gone by without seeing one another.
And today wasn’t going to break that record.
Josuke was out the door meer moments later, and halfway to Okuyasu’s home before his thoughts stopped him.
‘ I should get him something, maybe like a card or something? Was that what people did when people were sick? Nah, what good was a card going to do?’ The only thing that Okuyasu would really appreciate is some food, but not just any food something that would help him, I’ll make him some soup, but I can’t cook… I’ll just get some from Tonio’s, that’s a way better idea! But what kind? Well, I don’t know but, Tonio should!’
And of course Tonio did, he prepared something called Zosui, Josuke didn’t know exactly what it involved but it smelt amazing and he was sure whatever it was as long as Tonio made it Okuyasu would eat it. He carried the hot container all the way to Okuyasu’s and nearly hopped up the stairs to get to him where he lay blowing his nose, laid out on his futon miserably.
He didn’t hear Josuke over his nose. “Hey!” Josuke called to him from the doorway and Okuyasu flinched turned to look at him, his face transforming from alarm to ease. “Josuke!” he cried. Josuke felt like a superhero in that moment.
“Sorry, that was gross.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I just, I didn’t want you to see me like this- I’m really not feeling great.”
“I know you aren’t so, I got you a surprise.” and that only made Okuyasu happier. “For me?”
“Obviously,” Josuke chuckled dropping the container on Okuyasu’s lap. Okuyasu looked at Josuke questioningly, asking for permission.
“Go ahead, open it.” And he did that, and as soon as the smell met his nostrils he dug around in the plastic bag for a pair of chopsticks.
“It smells so good!”
“Right,” Josuke chuckled shoving his hands into his pockets, “Eat up.”
Okuyasu looked prepared to do just that but stopped for a moment to look at Josuke towering above him, “You didn’t get anything babe?” Josuke shook his head.
“Course not, you’re the sick one, not me.” Okuyasu seemed hesitant but looking at Josuke’s unflinching expression was enough. It seemed to be a an acceptable enough answer. Okuyasu was shoving his face the moment after.
“It’s so delicious!” he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. Josuke had to laugh, but he loved how Okuyasu always gave the best reactions to things, it made giving him gifts all the more rewarding. “Thank you guys, I felt like I was going to die last night, I can’t breathe out my nose at all.”
Josuke stared at his cute appreciative boyfriend and felt his heart swell. “Don’t be so dramatic. Have you been taking your medicine?”
“No,” he pouted, “It’s gross,” he sticks his tongue out for emphasis.
“Don’t be a baby, you’ve got to take it if you want to feel better.”
“I know, but food helps too and it tastes good,” he whines back, “Thanks again,” he says sweetly. Josuke holds himself back from kissing him, not wanting to catch anything if he can help it.
“It’s nothing, and I’ll make sure to thank Tonio for you.”
Okuyasu eats in mostly silence, he slurps and squeals as he eats but Josuke doesn’t mind it seems to be the most alive he’s been since he arrived. Finally he finishes setting his empty container beside him and collapsing onto the futon.
“Man, I’m full- also really sleepy…”
“Then sleep babe, I’ll come back later.” Josuke said, patting his head and picking up his bag from off the floor preparing to head home.
“Wait!” Okuyasu called to him as he stood at the bedroom door, doorknob already in hand.
Josuke looked over his shoulder, eyebrows raised, “Hmm?”
“Can you,” he cleared his throat, “Can you stay with me?” Josuke looked around like he was talking to someone else.
“Uh, yeah I guess, I can play a video game or something.” That didn’t seem to satisfy him though.
“No uh, I mean, sleep next to me. Please,” Well he did ask nicely.
“If you take your medicine.” Josuke decided.
“Huh? You’re kidding!”
“Nope, if you take your medicine, I’ll lay with you.” Okuyasu shuffled in his seat looking for a way out before deflating.
“Fine,”
Josuke dug through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom before retrieving the bottle of cold medicine and sauntering into the bedroom. “Alright, it’s just a spoonful- and its grape flavored. You love grape.”
“It doesn’t taste anything like grape,” Okuyasu moaned.
Josuke poured some on the table spoon he held and took a deep whiff of it, immediately tearing it away from his face. “Oh, that’s awful!” he snickered.
Okuyasu flipped him off from where he sat and Josuke laughed handing it to him but he wouldn’t take it.
“Oku, you’ve got to take the medicine if you want to feel better.”
“Maybe I don’t want to feel better, you can just bring me more of the Zosui stuff everyday and hang out.”
“Okuyasu…” Josuke pleaded, “I want you to feel better, we can’t make out if you’re sick.”
“Wait, we can’t?”
“No, I’ll get sick too. Then who’s gonna take care of us huh?”
“Awww man, fine.” He surrendered, unmoving.
Josuke knelt down and held the spoon in front of Okuyasu’s face.
“Here open your mouth, I’ll feed it to you. Just close your nose or something.”
“So I don’t smell it?”
“I heard it helps you not taste it.”
“Oh, then I’ll try that.”
He shuts his nose with his hand and opens his mouth, Josuke sticks the spoon in his mouth. Okuyasu’s eyes shoot open and he grunts.
“Don’t spit it out, quick just swallow it.”
Okuyasu presses his eyes close and swallows immediately sticking his tongue out and looks for the Zosui on the ground trying to get the last drops of delicious soup on his tongue.
“Wait one second, I’ll get you some water.”
Josuke arrives back with the water bottle and hands it to Okuyasu.
He chugs the waterbottle so fast a good amount gets onto his chin and neck. He gasps out and wipes his mouth with his arm.
“Whoever told you about that nose trick lied, and I’m going to kick their ass.”
“I don’t remember where I heard it, I thought it might help.”
“I thought maybe you feeding it to me would make it taste better,”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Josuke laughs.
Okuyasu shrugs and lays down, patting the futon beside him.
Josuke without a word discards his shoes near the door and crawls into the futon alongside Okuyasu, surprisingly spacious considering they were both bigger guys. He slipped in beside his boyfriend, his heart racing as he did so but trying to stay cool despite it all.
Josuke held him close, feeling relaxed in an instant and he wasn’t alone in feeling that way, Okuyasu turned to jelly in his arms his head resting on his chest. Josuke froze from beneath him trying to hold his breath to keep his heart from beating so fast, but to no avail.
“You’re really warm Josuke.”
“Am I too hot?”
“No,”
“You’re warm too, do you feel cold?”
“Yeah,” Okuyasu says sleepily. “Thanks for coming babe, I already feel better.”
“That’s impossible, besides you don’t have to thank me. Whenever you need me I’ll be here alright,” Josuke says with a smile.
“You’re the best, I mean that soup and the medicine made me feel better so- can I get a kiss now?”
Josuke rolled his eyes and gave in. It was a short kiss, but it was sweet and warm. Okuyasu collapsed in Josuke’s arms fully satisfied and was asleep moments later.
Josuke gave him a kiss on the forehead and hoped Okuyasu would feel even better when he woke up. He’d stay here as long as it took. And he knew that if the roles were reversed Okuyasu would do the exact same.