Chapter Text
Higashikata residence (near Mutsukabe Hill), May 2nd, 2021 - Mokko
“Hey babe, do you remember what breed of dog Arnold was?” Josuke Higashikata asked his husband of nearly four years as he walked into the mangaka’s workroom that morning.
“God damn it, Josuke! You know better than to ask me stupid questions when I’m working. Heaven’s Door!” Rohan Kishibe (Higashikata) shouted as he summoned his Stand and sent Josuke flying backwards and onto the floor with his face turned into pages. -I will not disturb Rohan for the rest of the day.- Rohan wrote into the pages on his husband’s face. “Be glad I left you with the ability to use your Stand. Now get out.” The mangaka added as he stood up and headed back into his workroom and slammed the door. As Josuke came to, he began to say something, but instead, he grabbed a face mask, left the house and began to walk down to the cemetery where Reimi was buried to talk to her.
Sugimoto Family Grave, Kunimitoge Cemetery - Weird Creatures
“Hey Reimi, I thought I’d come by and see you since I’ll be gone when Obon hits. I have to go down to Tokyo to do some training at the Speedwagon Foundation campus in Meguro. Ever since the pandemic hit earlier in the year, things have quieted down since every country in the world is on lockdown.” Josuke said as he cleaned up the gravestone and lit fresh incense before placing a box of chocolate Pocky for Reimi and some dog treats for Arnold. Soon, he heard a familiar voice along with a welcoming bark.
“That explains why I see everyone wearing face masks right now, but you can take yours off. I’m a ghost, so there’s no chance of me getting Covid.” Reimi said as she sat down next to Josuke while Arnold stretched out in front of them and rolled on the grass.
“I know, by the way, maybe you can help me. What breed is Arnold? I tried asking Rohan but he’s in a bad mood right now.” Josuke replied as he took his mask off and took a deep breath of fresh air.
“I can definitely help with that - Arnold’s a yellow lab and I’m not surprised that Rohan-chan is in a bad mood, I’m guessing that it’s something with his manga, right?” Reimi explained as Arnold rested his head in Josuke’s lap.
“Yeah, he’s working on the latest arc that’s titled Hot Summer Martha and his editor is giving him static about the antagonist’s design looking similar to Mickey Mouse. Of course, you know how Rohan is - he’s basically saying that his design is based on a triskelion and not Mickey Mouse. As for me, I’m trying to stay out of it and not get involved with the debate.” Josuke explained as he remembered the constant arguments between Rohan and Izumi whenever he brought Rohan some herbal tea to calm him down. “Not only that, his doctor has advised him to keep the stress to a minimum since they found that he has a heart condition at his last checkup.” Josuke added, the concern for his husband evident in his voice.
“I know, well, hopefully I helped out, believe me, I don’t want to see him die yet.” Reimi replied as she began to cry over the fear that Rohan would die before Pink Dark Boy was finished.
“You did, believe me, you helped a lot today. See you!” Josuke said as Reimi and Arnold faded from view as he left the cemetery and headed back to the Owson to get something for him and Rohan for dinner that evening. Meanwhile back at home…
Higashikata Residence - Mineral Extraction
‘God damn it! This day keeps getting worse and worse! Not only is Izumi riding my ass about Hot Summer Martha’s design, Josuke decides to ask me a stupid question.’ Rohan thought as he attempted to stave off an oncoming migraine and finding himself at a loss, got up from his desk and headed to the bedroom to lay down. However, his attempt to sleep failed as he woke up screaming from a nightmare and hid in the closet that he and Josuke shared. As he heard the door open, he tried to hide further in the closet until he heard Josuke’s voice.
“Babe? Are you okay?” Josuke asked as he sat down on the floor and pulled his husband close to him and comforted him. As Rohan told him what had happened, Josuke listened and then he kissed his husband on his headband as he picked him up and carried him back to bed for a brief nap before dinner. As they cuddled together, Rohan opened up the pages on Josuke’s face and removed the order he had written in. “Thanks babe, Reimi says ‘hi’ by the way.” The thirty-seven-year-old nurse added as he continued to rub his husband’s back.
“Oh, you went to see her.” The forty-two-year-old mangaka replied as he rested his head on Josuke’s chest and placed his hand on the other pec to use it as a stress ball.
“Yeah and she was a lot more helpful than you were, besides, she’s also worried about you too. Just like me, she doesn’t want you to die young either.” Josuke said as they got up and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
The kitchen - Fight in the Artillery Room
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you like that, it’s just with Izumi riding my ass about the design of Hot Summer Martha, I tend to get upset and I take it out on you.” Rohan replied as he sat down at the kitchen table while Josuke began to make spring rolls, following a recipe that they had learned while in Singapore for a vacation.
“I know, but you need to follow your doctor’s orders and reduce the amount of stress in your life. I know that you still run in the mornings and you’ve even taken up yoga which I’m not complaining about but I’m worried about what’s going to happen to you while I’m in Meguro. I’m serious, you always manage to get into some kind of trouble when I’m not around, remember when you went to the Louvre back in 2006? You almost got killed by your ancestor’s ghost and then when you went to Italy, you were taken advantage of by your translator and robbed blind while she got you drunk.” Josuke stated as he worked on the peanut sauce for the rolls and as he brought them to the table, he was met with a glare from his husband.
“And you aren’t letting me live that down.” Rohan stated as he took two rolls and some peanut sauce and began eating.
“Never in a million years - besides, you’re still pissed at me for that damn cee-lo game that we had twenty-two-years ago so I get to be pissed at you for nearly getting yourself killed in Paris.” Josuke replied as he ate his rolls.
‘And that game is why we have permanently banned cee-lo from our new house.’ Rohan thought as he continued to eat and afterwards, he took the empty plates from the table and put them in the dishwasher while Josuke put away the sauce for another night and headed upstairs. Once he was in the bedroom, Josuke got his laptop and headed out to the back porch and began looking at a website for an animal shelter in Morioh that had recently gotten an influx of puppies from a puppy mill that had been shut down and one of the ones that still remained was a yellow labrador puppy that was too young to leave his mother.
The back porch - Canyon Landing
‘He’s going to be eight weeks old on June 20th…okay, so he’ll be a late anniversary present, but I can at least arrange to have him brought here then. Now for a name…I think I know of a good name…’ Josuke thought and smiled to himself as he entered in the puppy’s new name - Bakin, after the author of The Chronicles of the Eight Dog Heroes of the Satomi Clan of Nanso that Rohan was currently reading in his (sparse) off-hours. As he paid the fees online, he also included a card for his husband.
Rohan -
Back in 2003, I promised to get you a puppy so that you could have some company while I’m busy with either my job at the hospital or while I’m working for the SPW Foundation. I wish I could be there to see the smile on your face when you meet him, but unfortunately, they’ll have me here until sometime next year. But I know that Bakin will be there to keep you company and maybe Izumi can bring Maron to play with him. I love you babe, happy late anniversary (I had to wait for him to be old enough to leave his mom).
Josuke
‘Alright, now to go back inside before he starts getting antsy.’ Josuke mused as he closed his laptop and headed inside to cuddle with his husband. Soon, the day came for Josuke to leave for Meguro and as he left, Rohan stood on the porch and watched him leave, again feeling that same ache that he felt whenever Josuke left him for an extended amount of time. Soon, the day came when he got an unexpected delivery and as he read the card, he began crying tears of happiness as the squirming ball of fluff made its way into his arms and he carried the puppy upstairs to talk to Josuke via Zoom.
Rohan’s studio, June 20th - Heart of the Mountain
“Hey babe, he showed up and it looks like you two are getting along swimmingly!” Josuke said as Koichi joined him in his dorm room to see the new addition to the family.
“We are! Thanks so much for the best present in the world, our puppy-boy Bakin. By the way, how’d you come up with the name?” Rohan asked as Bakin licked him to get Rohan to pay attention to him.
“Easy, it's the name of the author of the book that you’re reading.” Josuke replied as he smiled at his husband.
“Takizawa Bakin? Wow, I guess you know me better than I know myself sometimes.” Rohan said as he covered his eyes to keep from crying in front of Koichi.
“Hey sensei, how about Yukako and I bring Police over for a ‘play-date’ after we get home?” Koichi asked as Rohan regained his self-composure.
“I don’t see why not, it would be worth putting up with your psycho wife for the sake of some playtime with Police and maybe I could see if Izumi wants to bring Maron over as well.” Rohan said, his voice losing a slight amount of malice towards Yukako. As Koichi left the room, Josuke and Rohan continued talking about how things were going, unaware that the next month, Josuke’s prediction about Rohan getting himself into trouble would come true, but this time, Josuke wouldn’t be there to help him and it would lead to some nearly dire results.
January 7th, 2022 (after Eve became the new victim of Yabubaku-Hoshi) - Mayday
‘I can’t believe it…my doppelganger almost destroyed everything that Josuke and I had built together, including our family. At least it’s taken the form of Eve for the next three months, and I got what I needed for my manga. But why do I feel like I shouldn’t be here? Is this a side effect of nearly dying by Eve’s hand? I think Josuke’s right, I need a break from my manga. When Izumi wakes up, I’ll tell her that I need some time off and to put Pink Dark Boy on hiatus.’ Rohan thought as he put the events of the past six months in perspective and soon, Izumi woke up and received the notice that Rohan was going on hiatus for personal reasons that would culminate in a near-tragedy for the couple.
To be continued…