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It brought you great joy to know that your first impression of Josuke at the end of high school had been completely wrong. He was mischievous, yes, but he was also very kind and sweet. He was not the complete delinquent that you'd thought him to be. He blushed when he kissed you on your third date and since then, you were completely smitten. You quickly assimilated into his group of friends. His mom loved you from the moment she met you. According to Okuyasu, Josuke was completely whipped. After graduation, you and Josuke ended up going to separate colleges. Josuke was studying to become a nurse. The distance was hard but you pushed through it. You saw each other every chance you got, even if it was only for a few hours. Josuke came to your graduation and bought the largest bouquet you'd ever seen. Josuke's graduation was the semester after and you couldn't contain your excitement. You would finally be able to be together again. As soon as Josuke's graduation ceremony was over, he grabbed you and asked if you wanted to move in together. Of course! How could you say no? You loved him so much. Of course, you jumped at the chance to take the next step in your relationship.
You'd only been living together for a few months before you felt as though the world had come crashing down around you. Josuke's eyes were wide as saucers. He was still as a statue as his face paled.
“You're sure?”
You felt fear roll in your stomach as you nodded. Tears began to well up at the corners of your eyes.
Josuke hugged you as he began to cry. You hadn't planned for this. Both of you were still so young. You had so many things to accomplish after moving in together. Getting pregnant before 25 was not one of them.
“Josuke, I'm sorry,” you muttered as Josuke's tears began to seep through your shirt.
He looked up at you with tears in his eyes and a big fat smile on his face.
“Sorry? Why are you sorry? I'm gonna be a daddy!” Was all he said before hugging you so tight you thought your lungs would burst.
It was as if a weight had lifted off of your shoulders. You were so prepared for Josuke to be upset that you were completely blindsided by the idea of him actually being happy about your pregnancy. He peppered your face in kisses.
“You're not upset?” you asked absolutely dumbfounded.
“Not at all! Why would I be upset?”
“Josuke, aren't you worried? We're both so young. We're not ready for a kid.”
He hummed as he brought your head to his chest.
“I know. I know. Of course I'm worried but babe, I have to say that there's no one I'd rather be doing this with. You're my everything. Yeah, it's going to be tough, but we'll be together every step of the way. I'll pick up more shifts at the hospital. I'll take care of you.”
“Aren't there things that you wanted to do before having a baby?”
“Well yeah, but now we can do them as a family. Life doesn't stop when you have kids. My mom taught me that,” he says as he places a kiss on the top of your head.
“Are you sure?” You really want to ask him if he's sure that this is what he truly wants.
“I'm positive, babe."
It was as if all your fears had immediately been put to bed.
“I love you, Josuke. So much.”
“I love you too. So much.”
Josuke’s brain changed gears so fast, it was almost scary. He went from thinking about what you guys should eat for dinner to thinking about baby names.
Telling Tomoko was the hard part. She'd given Josuke one rule when he moved out. Don't knock you up. And what had he done? He knocked you up. Telling Tomoko that she was going to be a grandmother in her mid-forties frightened you. Josuke certainly had to get that temper from somewhere. At first, she'd been absolutely furious that Josuke had knocked you up so young. You remember how she wacked Josuke over the head with a balled up newspaper, yelling about how he should've been more careful. But then her eyes softened and she cried in your arms. She was so happy. She admitted to being lonely in such a large house since Josuke moved out. The gears were already turning in her head thinking about how to turn Josuke's old room into a nursery of her own. Her grandkid would have a room of their own when they came to Nana’s house. She made it very clear that the kid would not be calling her “grandma”.
Josuke adjusted much better than you thought he would in the following months. There were times where he was overbearing when it came to monitoring your physical activity and your eating. You had to tell yourself that it was only because he worried about your health as well as your baby’s. He accompanied you to every single doctor's appointment with a list of questions. Josuke being a nurse didn't quell any of his fears. It only made him more anxious because he knew of all the things that could go wrong.
The doctor could tell by your nerves that you were both first time parents. It was common to see new parents as nervous as you were; however, the doctor loved how attentive Josuke was. You had to give Josuke that. He was very attentive. The only time Josuke ever left your side was when he was working or getting something to calm your cravings. Though Josuke had been lazy in his teenage years, he'd grown out of it as an adult. Josuke always grumbled under his breath, but he'd get you whatever you needed or craved, even at three in the morning.
The doctor hadn't even finished his question as to whether you'd like to know the baby's sex before Josuke jumped up with an excited ‘yes’. Josuke always said he'd be perfectly happy with either a boy or a girl, but you could tell Josuke wanted a boy as most fathers do. He had many more boy names on his list than girls. Both you and Tomoko were dying to see Josuke with a daughter. She would have Josuke completely wrapped around her little finger. You daydreamed about a daughter that would have Josuke drink out of pink, plastic tea cups or painting his nails. Josuke denied being susceptible to the charms of your future daughter, but he could never resist a good set of puppy dog eyes. Not even from you. A small part of you couldn't deny the appeal of seeing Josuke with a miniature version of himself if you had a boy. Once the doctor told you the sex of your baby, Josuke cried all the same. You were having a boy. You remember how you could taste the salt from Josuke's tears when he kissed you.
Josuke kept every ultrasound. He kept them stuck to the fridge for the entire duration of your pregnancy. Josuke begged to be put in the NICU or in the pediatric ward at the hospital. Josuke grew up an only child and didn't really have much experience with children aside from the short time that he spent with Shizuka. There were things that books couldn't teach and he wanted to learn before your guest of honor made his appearance into the world.
Josuke had always been very handsy with you, but it seemed to only increase once you got pregnant. He couldn't keep his hands off of you. He was always holding you or had his hands on you regardless of whether or not you were naked. Any changes to your sex life were taken in stride by Josuke. He knew that pregnancy was not easy on your body. It's why he would always bend over backwards for you. He often fell asleep with either his head or his hand on your stomach. The first time your son kicked, he kicked Josuke right in the jaw as he laid his head on your stomach. From that day on, Josuke didn't want to miss a thing. If you both were home, he was touching you in some way.
A little further into your pregnancy, you and Josuke moved out of your crappy apartment and into a home. Josuke was practically jumping for joy when he saw the blank canvas that would soon be your nursery. You told Josuke about your vision for the nursery and he immediately put things into motion. He bought everything that you asked. His issue was assembling everything. How many men does it take to build a crib? Seeing Joksuke, Okuyasu, and Koichi all struggle to put the thing together made you giggle. You're not sure what devil Josuke had to sell his soul to, but somehow he got Rohan to paint your nursery. It was beautiful. You told Josuke you wanted the room to be black and white with pops of color as it was better for the baby's brain and Rohan had completely delivered.
A few weeks later, you were stepping on the scale in your shared bathroom to track your weight as the doctor had ordered. You turned around to see Josuke on one knee with a small, black box in his hand. He was sweating nervously and there was a light blush dusting his cheeks.
“Josuke, wha—”
“I know. I've been carrying this ring around for weeks trying to find the right time. Then I realized that the right time won't come. I have to create the right time. Listen, I just, I love you so much. I want you to know that. Even before you got pregnant, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. There's never been any doubt in my mind that you're the person for me. You're the best partner a person could ever have. And, and, and you're having my baby. You're having my baby.” He gives a small chuckle at the end as if he's amazed that this is happening. “You're having my baby and I love you so much. I want you to marry me. Will you marry me? You deserve a nice proposal. You do, but watching you these past couple days...I couldn't wait.”
You had started crying before he even finished. Josuke was shirtless and wearing tattered sweat pants and on one knee in your bathroom. You were half naked standing on a scale. It is hardly the perfect setting. But it was. You dropped down to your knees and met Josuke at eye level. You put your hands on Josuke's cheeks and he broke. He cried and you gave him a smile that was filled with happy tears.
“Yes! Josuke! Yes! Of course, I'll marry you!”
Josuke leaned forward and kissed your breath away. He laughed as he peppered your face with kisses. You were sure your heart would jump out of your chest. Josuke had asked you to marry him! He wanted to be with you for the rest of his life! For better or worse!
“I love you so much!” You told him as he wiped the tears from your eyes.
You giggled as Josuke opened the box to grab the ring.
“It’s beautiful. But Josuke—” you began to say as he brought the ring toward your finger. “Josuke, it won't fit. My fingers are too swollen.”
Josuke sighed.
“No, it's okay,” You laughed at the defeated look on Josuke's face. “You can just propose to me again when it fits.”
Josuke gave you a quick peck on the cheek.
“I can't wait to marry you."
You both had decided that you would have a wedding further down the line. You didn't want to be uncomfortable at your own wedding or on your honeymoon due to your pregnancy. So you decided that you could wait. You'd wait until the end of time if you had to. It didn't matter. You would marry him in a sewer. As long as you got to marry Josuke Higashikata. A few weeks later, you both stood in front of an officiant at the courthouse up the street from your home. It was a small and intimate ceremony, only your immediate family present. You're sure the flash from Tomoko's studio quality camera left you partially blind with the hundreds of photos she took. When you exchanged vows, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Josuke had prepared vows for you and bump. He'd promised you not to be perfect but the best he can be. He'd make mistakes and it wouldn't always be easy, but he couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else. To your bump, he promised to be the best father he could be. He's never been a father before, so it would be something new for both him and your baby. He promised to take the time to get to know your baby and learn the way they want to be loved because he had so much love to give his only son. He sealed the deal with a kiss to your lips then a kiss to your bump. After that, you were officially married. A huge wedding would come later.
Everything else seemed to fly by. Before you knew it, your baby was crying in your arms for the first time. You and Josuke couldn't stop crying. Months of waiting culminated for this very moment. Your heart grew twice as large. Your son was here and he looked exactly like the man you wished to spend the rest of your life with, right down to his cute eyes and ears. You felt happy, complete. Josuke had told you the same between sobs.
The doctor was in awe of the way you healed so quickly. It was almost as if your body had not accommodated a baby or that you had even given birth. The doctor and attending nurse were dumbfounded at how quickly you had healed by the time you returned for your follow up visit. They didn't need to know how Crazy Diamond had healed you as soon as you got home from the hospital. Josuke couldn't bear to see you in pain. One thing Crazy Diamond couldn't fix was how tired both you and Josuke were. Figuring out parenthood was hard. All the baby books in the world couldn't prepare you for when your baby actually arrived. Changing the diapers on those lifeless dolls in your class was nothing like changing the diaper of a squishy, wiggly baby. In Josuke's sleepy state, he'd accidentally fastened a diaper or two backwards.
Josuke was a good dad. No, Josuke was an amazing dad. The speed that he adjusted to being a parent of a newborn was blinding. You'd expected you both to fumble a lot as new parents. It was still hard, but having Josuke as your partner made things much much easier. He was able to implement a lot of his nursing skills and tricks he picked up in the NICU. Sometimes you felt like he had a better grip on parenthood than you did. No matter how exhausted he was, he got up for midnight feedings and diaper changes. You wish you could say it was without complaint, but Josuke griped all the way down to the nursery, every single night. If you fell asleep while putting the baby to bed, Josuke had no problem cleaning any mess that you and the baby had left behind. When you asked him about it, he said that it's the least he could do since he couldn't be home with you and the baby all day.
Crazy Diamond was a big help around the house. It didn't surprise you anymore if you came home to see your baby rocking back and forth in mid-air while Josuke was busy doing something else. Crazy Diamond was also very helpful with the bumps, the bruises, and the teething. He was honestly a lifesaver. He didn't complain nearly as much as Josuke when changing stinky diapers.
It was hard to believe that just a few short years ago, Josuke was considered a delinquent. That version of Josuke would surely tease him for strapping his baby to his chest as he went grocery shopping or yelling at the neighbors to turn down their music at 9pm.
Josuke cried for all the milestones. Baby’s first time sitting up. Baby's first solid meal. Baby’s first crawl. Baby's first ‘dada’. Baby's first time standing. Baby’s first steps. And baby's first birthday. He was there for it all and he cried for it all. He was such an emotional father and you loved him so much for it. There was never an issue with Josuke showing you how he truly felt. He took what felt like millions of photos and would show them to just about anyone who would entertain him for longer than five minutes. “Look at my family!” he’d say as he shoves photos into someone's face.
The most emotional day for Josuke was your son's first day of preschool. Josuke took the day off to be there. “Wouldn't miss it for the world,” he said. You'd gotten emotional putting on your son's school uniform that morning. Josuke reassured you that everything would be fine. It was time for your little rascal to go to school and socialize with other kids. You thought you'd have a hard time letting your son go when you made it to the campus, but it was Josuke who was on his knees holding onto your son with tears in his eyes.
“Josuke, you have to let him go. Classes are starting,” you said as all the other parents stared while walking past the three of you.
Josuke pressed a flurry of wet kisses to your son's cheek and hugged him tight.
“I'll be okay, Daddy. I promise.”
“Okay, kiddo.” Josuke placed a gentle kiss on your son's temple as he rubbed his head. “You're gonna do great. I love you.”
“I love you too, Daddy,” your son said as he hugged Josuke.
Little hands smushed Josuke's cheeks to look him in the eye. Josuke sniffled as he looked at your son. If you weren't holding back your own tears, you might've laughed at how your son was the one comforting Josuke and not the other way around.
“Be good Daddy, okay?” he said as he placed a kiss on Josuke's forehead.
“I will.”
Josuke let your son go with one more kiss to his forehead. There was a watery smile on Josuke's face the entire car ride home.
There are times where you would catch Josuke staring at you two. He says that he's taking a mental picture. He has a hard time explaining to you that he's staring at you because he's so, so happy. He loves you both so much. He is so grateful. At sixteen, he'd crossed paths with a serial killer and been badly injured. He had a close brush with death, but he made it. He survived. He went on to live a full and happy life. He managed to get married to the love of his life and have a rambunctious little kid with you. He was grateful. He had a family. It was small, but it was his. Growing up, he always had his mother and grandfather, but this was different. This was a family that he'd crafted with his own two hands. He was the foundation of it. There was no greater pride in his life.
The first thing that Josuke always did as soon as he got home from work was shower. He wouldn't even kiss you or your son until he's showered the work day away. You know he does it for your safety. He'd gotten both of you sick once with a cold he'd passed on from a patient. He never forgave himself. Most days Josuke snuck into the house through the garage. Your only signal that he was home was the sound of the shower running.
You were putting the finishing touches on dinner when you heard heavy footsteps padding towards the kitchen. You can't help the smile creeping across your lips. Warm arms snake around your waist from behind.
“DADDY!” you hear your son yell as he runs over to hug Josuke's leg.
“Hey, kiddo,” Josuke says as he leans down to pick up your son.
You turn to face Josuke, his freshly washed hair tickling the tip of your nose. He's grinning ear to ear when he leans down to kiss you.
“Yucky!” Your son says as he pretends to cover his eyes.
It only makes you want to kiss Josuke again.
“Welcome home,” you say sweetly as you place a chaste kiss to his lips.
Josuke presses a big, wet kiss to your son's cheek before putting him down. Your son runs back over to his table where he's working on a drawing that will surely go on the fridge or on Josuke's work desk later.
“How are my favorite two people doing? How was school, buddy?” he asks as he walks over to the craft table.
“It was good!” your son tells him as he scribbles away at the paper.
“You finished all your homework?”
“Yup! Momma helped me with it!”
“Today, his teacher had the whole class draw a picture of their favorite hero,” you tell Josuke over your shoulder as you finish plating the meal.
“Yeah and who'd you draw, kiddo? Let me guess. Superman or, oh! Spider-Man. I know you like his costume!”
“Nope!”
“Then who? Spider-Man is your favorite!”
“I drew you.”
You can physically see the moment that Josuke's brain sputters and stops working.
“What?” is all that comes out of Josuke's mouth.
“I drew a picture of you, silly goose. Momma told me that you help people everyday. I want to be like that when I grow up. I could be a nurse just like you,” your son says without even looking up from the drawing that he's working on.
Josuke looks up at you in absolute disbelief.
“Yup. Here's the drawing,” you tell him as you take the drawing off the counter and hand it to Josuke.
Josuke looks at the picture as if it held all the secrets to the universe.
“This is me,” Josuke says in utter shock.
“Yup! Do you like it, Daddy?”
His son thought he was a hero. His son. His son wanted to grow up to be just like him. Josuke didn't always like his job, but he liked helping people and that was always good enough for him. Or at least he thought it was. This is better. He's an example. He's someone that his son wants to be when he gets older. Parents always want their children to be good in life. Knowing that his son not only thought he was good, but good enough to emulate later in life? It made his heart feel like it was going to liquify and pour out of his chest.
It was difficult for you to make out exactly what the picture was when your son handed it to you. Then he told you it was “daddy in his work uniform” and you'd melted just the same as Josuke was now. You couldn't wait until Josuke got home. You almost spilled the beans when Josuke called you on his lunch break. You're so happy you waited for this moment. You could see the waterworks getting started. Josuke brought your son into a tight hug and burst into tears.
“I love it,” Josuke says so low, it's hardly a whisper.
“Why are you crying, Daddy?”
Josuke begins to pepper your son's face in big, wet kisses that make your son laugh.
“I love you so much, kiddo!” Josuke says with so much pride in his voice.
“I love you too, Daddy.”
“This is so great. I can't wait to show everyone at work! And Nana! I just—I love you. So much.”
You desperately want to take a picture of this moment, but you don't want to trample on the genuity of the scene unfolding in front of you.
Josuke is on cloud nine for the rest of the night. He and your son giggle right through dinner, bathtime, and a bedtime story. When you're done cleaning the kitchen and putting away the food, you find Josuke tucking in your sleeping son. Josuke joins you in the doorway, watching your little one sleep.
“Hey. Come to bed,” you tell him as you tug his arm.
Josuke slides his arms around your waist as he brings you to his chest. He hums with a smile as he looks down at you.
“He's such a good kid,” he says and his voice is filled with nothing but love and warmth.
Josuke is still in a dreamy daze that only his family can give him. It's almost like he's daydreaming while he's looking at you. He's so proud and so happy. Nothing is more important to him than this.
“You're just saying that because you're his favorite!” You giggle quietly.
“I am not! He's a good kid, really. Besides, I'm just the hero for today. You're definitely his favorite.” He presses his forehead to yours. “We did good.”
“Yeah. We did,” you sigh as you close your eyes.
“Let's make another one.”
Your eyes snap open at that. His eyes have lost their softness in favor of something much more mischievous. A devilish smile begins to work its way across his lips as he leans down to kiss the junction of your jaw and neck. You push him away playfully.
“Josuke!”
“I've got four days off. In a row.”
He holds you tight as he smiles like a tiger. You look up at him and you can see the exhaustion in his eyes.
“I have a sexy suggestion,” your words causing him to raise a brow.
He's all ears.
“How about tonight...we get—” your fingers rub a warm path against his chest. “—a full night of sleep?”
“Ooh. A full night? So sexy.”
“And in the morning? We can sleep in.”
“Mmm. So dirty. Tell me more.”
You both giggle. Josuke gently kisses your forehead.
“Come on. Let's get to bed,” you say as you take him by the hand and lead him down the hall to your bedroom.
You settle into bed and lay your head on Josuke's chest. You can tell he's having trouble keeping his eyes open as soon as his head hits the pillow. His arms are warm as they hold you close. You almost think he's fallen asleep before he pipes up to say something.
“I meant what I said. We should have another kid.”
You look up at him and his eyes are closed. He's seconds from drifting off to sleep.
“We can talk about it in the morning. Get some sleep.”
Josuke grunts in approval.
“I love you, babe.”
“I love you too.” You're not even sure if he hears you before he drifts off to sleep. “So much.”