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Josuke was curled up in bed, lights off, half asleep.
Don’t wanna leave my bed .
He really didn't want to go to school that day, but it's not like being on your period is a good excuse to not go. The pain is bearable anyways and he could just get a painkiller if it started to become too much.
So he stood up and began getting himself ready for school before his mom could be mad at him for being late.
--
“Oi, Josuke!” Okuyasu quickly spotted him.
“Hi, Okuyasu. You look happy today. Something happened?”
“Well, this morning I found a 1000¥ (~6€) bill on the ground, eheh. You don't seem too happy though.”
Josuke just lift his shoulders, trying to dismiss the other guy. He didn't tell him about the fact that he is trans and he wasn't planning on doing that anytime soon either.
“It's nothing, I just haven't slept much last night.”
“Typical Josuke, always staying up late on videogames.”
--
At some point during the school day, he felt the usual wet feeling which he hated so much, and decided upon going to the bathroom just to be sure nothing was leaking. He picked up a pad from his bag and quickly hid it in his pockets, careful no one was watching. Then, he raised his hand to catch the teacher’s attention.
“Excuse me, may I go to the bathroom, please?”
--
Josuke made his way to the men’s bathroom.
“I hope no one's in the disabled stall. I just want to use the WC in total privacy.”
He arrived just to see that every stall was occupied save for, fortunately, the disabled one.
Thank god , he thought, while getting inside.
As soon as he finished doing his business, he came back outside, really glad that the disabled stall also included a small bin, so that he wouldn't have to throw the used pad somewhere else.
But when he exited the stall, someone was waiting for him.
“Yuya.”
“Josuke.”
Josuke tried to ignore him and made his way to the sink to wash his hand, but an arm stopped him.
“Are you ok?”
Josuke lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean? I just needed to go to the bathroom and all the stalls were occupied.”
Yuya furrowed his eyebrows. Then, he smelled in the air.
That was what made Josuke realise.
“Then why do I smell period blood?” He sniffed again. “And it's definitely coming from you.”
Josuke felt his face burn up. “W-wait.”
“No it's ok. I understand. Your secret is safe with me.” Yuya looked at him once again, boring his eyes into him. Josuke almost felt like he was naked.
“Just tell me if you need anything, ok?” And just like that, he was gone.
“What… Oh my fucking God. What the hell just happened.”
No way Yuya found out about this. What even is wrong with his sense of smell???? I swear to God if he tells anyone else… I'm going to beat him until he ends up in the hospital once again for at least 4 months.
--
“Josuke.”
“Mh?”
“Do you want to go to the pool? It's so freaking hot and I'm dying here.”
“Mhh. I don't feel like going, sorry. You have fun though!”
“Ahhh, but I don't wanna go alone. It's lame.”
“Sorry Okuyasu, I'm not in the mood. I'll just stay inside and cool off in front of the ventilator.”
Okuyasu pouted. “Boring.”
Josuke just laughed it off.
“Well, see you tomorrow then. And quit staying up late!”
“Ahah, you sound just like my mother.”
As soon as they split ways, Yuya appeared in front of Josuke.
“Ah! You again.”
“Hello, Josuke.”
Josuke made a grumpy face. “You haven't told anyone, haven't you?”
Yuya couldn't help but notice the threatening aura coming from Crazy Diamond. “O-of course I didn't.” Josuke put his Stand away.
“Listen, I don't fully understand your situation of course, but I feel a bit guilty for finding out about something you so clearly wanted to hide, so let me please help.”
Josuke looked at him in the eyes briefly, then shifted his gaze to the ground.
“It's ok. Thank you for the thought.”
“It must be hard.”
“It is.” Josuke was still feeling a bit uncomfortable about sharing all of this with Yuya, but he also felt a bit at ease talking to someone about it.
They stayed silent for a bit. Then Yuya spoke again.
“Josuke, what do you like to eat?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, aren’t you craving anything right now?”
Josuke thought about it for a bit. “Well I would kill for some ramen right now.”
“Cool.”
Cool??
“Well then, see you later.”
Josuke stayed there, dumbfounded. What the fuck was that conversation?
--
“I’m home.”
Josuke heard some sounds coming from the living room. A high pitched voice and a lower one.
“Hi mom, do we have gue-”
Yuya.
“Ah, hello again Josuke.”
He looked around the room, looking at his mom with a confused look on his face.
“What are you doing here?”
“Josuke, don’t treat your friend like that. I was just thanking him for his selfless act.”
Josuke looked around in the room. Then he smelled the air. Ramen .
“You brought ramen?”
“He made ramen.”
“Really?”
Yuya nodded. He looked at Josuke with a little glimpse in his eye. Josuke felt there was more going on with that story, but he decided to leave it.
“Thank you.”
--
“Well it was exquisite. Thank you again.”
“No worries.”
Tomoko had gone out for dinner, with who knows who, so it was only the two boys eating at the Higashikata’s home.
“Be honest, you didn’t cook this.”
“Well no. It’s Tonio’s. I just brought it here. As fast as my Highway Star can go, of course. Do you feel better?”
Josuke felt heat going to his cheeks. He thought about it so much?
“A little yeah.”
“I think it’s supposed to make your period cramps go away. At least Tonio said so.”
“Really?”
Now that Josuke thought about it, he didn’t really feel pain anymore. Just an enormous need to go pee. Welp, I guess that’s a minor side effect someone has to suffer before healing from Tonio’s cuisine.
“I’m going to pee real quick.”
“Ah Josuke, before you go, what kind of music do you like?”
“I love Britney!”
--
As Josuke came back from the bathroom after a ridiculously long peeing session, he felt sounds coming from outside the bathroom.
🎝My loneliness is killin’ me (And I)🎝
🎝I must confess, I still believe (Still believe)🎝
🎝When I’m not with you, I lose my mind🎝
🎝Give me a sign🎝
🎝Hit me baby, one more time🎝
It was Britney Spears’ number one success ‘...Baby One More Time’.
“Damn you made a party out here while I was gone.”
“I just wanted to make you feel better.”
Josuke didn’t know what to say anymore. He sat on the sofa, vibing to the music, too embarrassed to speak.
“Your mom is a nice woman. Her smile awakes the Northern Light.”
Josuke nodded.
“Tell me if it annoys me asking you this, but how did she react when you told her?”
Josuke widened his eyes at the sudden question.
“Well, I’m the only family she has. Even before grandpa died, I was always there to protect her.”
“That’s amazing, man.”
“I know. She’s a wonderful woman.”
Silence fell again. This time it was Josuke who started talking.
“Have you ever done anything like this before? I mean, for any of your girls?”
“Not really.”
“What is your relationship with them anyway?”
“They just want to make me happy. They don’t want me to do anything for them though. It’s convenient.”
“Mh.”
“I suppose we have a similar relationship.”
“I don’t owe anything to you.”
“I know you don’t.”
“Then why are you doing all of this? Why do you care?”
Yuya stayed silent for a while. “Tu es magnifique aujourd’hui.” (You look stunning today.)
“What?”
“Excuse my French.”
???
Yuya suddenly became red. “I should go. Goodnight, Josuke. I hope you sleep well.”
“Good night, Yuya…”
--
Josuke didn’t meet Yuya again until 3 days later, when they saw each other briefly in the school corridors.
Yuya…
Actually Josuke kept thinking about him during those days of absence, and he wanted to talk to him.
“Wait a second, Yuya. Can we talk?”
The other looked at him briefly with a somewhat hurt look in his eyes. “Meet me during lunch on the roof.”
--
“I wanted to s-”
“We should ta-”
They both stopped at the same time.
“You should go.”
“No you should.”
“Ok. Ahem. Well, I was saying that I did my research on what you said the other night.”
“...”
“Toi aussi.”
“Wha-”
“It means ‘you too’. Excuse my French as well.” Josuke looked down at his feet. He couldn’t believe he really was saying this out loud.
Suddenly he felt a pressure around him. Yuya was hugging him.
“Merci.”
--
“Since when do you speak French, Josuke?”
“Uh?? What are you talking about Okuyasu?”
“Well, the other day I heard you saying something in French.”
“R-really??”
Okuyasu looked at him weirdly. “You ok bro?”
🎝Give me a siiiiiiign🎝
“Ah, I got a call. Sorry, I have to take it.”
🎝Hit me baby one mo-🎝
“Hello, mon amour.”
“Hello, mon ètoile."