Chapter Text
It wasn't unusual that Okuyasu spent his nights and weekends occupying the now-empty third dining chair in the Higashikata household. In his more-or-less vacant home, he often floated around the empty hallways and broken down corridors, haunting nobody but himself. Sitting alone for hours, Okuyasu would replay every mistake he had made in his mind. Letting Keicho die, being unable to help his dad, and letting down his best friend. Over and over again, the thoughts would turn. Condemned to his brain, like a spirit bound to Earth. Okuyasu was a specter of his own blunders.
He would preemptively warn his friends, classmates, and whoever else he came into contact with that he wasn't the brightest. Rubbing his head, he would flash a smile unabashedly, "Oi, Koichi, you're going to have to slow down when ya tutor me, y'know I'm not very bright."
It was a defense. People expected less of him. This saved everybody from any future disappointment. Which, in Okuyasu's mind, was destined to happen. His brother would often berate him: his intelligence, his looks, his skills at using his stand. While his brother was gone, the words lingered, etched into his brain like the scars that marked his face.
So he sat at that vacant chair in Tomoko's kitchen, where he would return to his earthly form, taking up space as he pleased—banishing the phantom of himself for a little while.
After dinner, Josuke and he had a routine on weekends that was set like a pillar in the dirt. He would always help Tomoko with the dishes, earning himself praise and Josuke scorn.
"Oh, Josuke, you are so lazy," Tomoko would taunt her son. "Okuyasu is a better son than you. Always helping with the dishes, he's so polite!"
Josuke would roll his eyes and roll up his sleeves, beginning to help with the washing. Okuyasu would just blush and continue his work.
The pair would then settle playing whatever game suited them at the time, usually ending on Super Smash Bros, this time being no different.
While Okuyau may not have considered himself a genius, Josuke would have considered him Einstein at video games. His reflexes were fast; it felt like he could predict every move Josuke was going to make before he did.
"Tch," Josuke huffed, putting down the controller. "It's not fair, how do you always win?" Pouting his lips, a strand of his very well-manicured hair fell in front of his eyes. Okuyasu blushed. Recently, Okuyasu had felt his feelings towards his friend change.
The unremarkable ways they spent their time together had the younger boy aching for a scrap more. A longer brush of the hands while playing games. One more stolen glance while he watched Josuke purse his lips in frustration at the screen. Another second of his laughter in the school cafeteria.
He isn't even sure when it began. It's as if one day, Josuke was his best bro for life, and the next he wanted to be something more.
Josuke was readying the next round, but Okuyasu was still lost in thought.
"Oku, I'm totally kicking your ass!" Josuke's sudden outburst startled him.
Looking at the screen, he saw he was nearly at max damage, signaling that Josuke was about to close in on a win.
With a furious mashing of buttons, Josuke had finally won. Leaping into the air, Josuke cheered.
He gripped Okuyasu's shoulders, "Ay, bro, I can't believe I beat you!"
He plopped back down on the couch, leaning his head against Okuyasu's arm—warmth spread from Okuyasu's face, radiating over the rest of his body from the nonchalant touch.
"Ah, I think you let me win." Josuke pouted. "You were hardly playing. Y'seem so distracted lately Oku."
"I uh, y'know, just worried about our test." Okuyasu lied. "M'just not as smart as you 'n Koichi. Don't wanna fail."
Josuke was now lying his head in his friend's lap. He reached up, pulling Okuyasu's chin so he could face him. "Oku, don't say that about yourself. I hate when you do that." Josuke looked up sternly at the younger boy.
Okuyasu felt his heart flutter. The familiar calls of negative thoughts started to disappear when they were together.
—
The next day at school, Josuke was desperately rummaging through his locker, trying to find his math book. "Fucking hell, I swore I put it in here." He grumbled, flipping over the stack of comic books, a bag of chips, and a discarded pile of love notes from girls he wasn't interested in. Finally locating it, he turned to the mirror attached to his locker door. Smoothing his carefully curated pompadour, he studied his reflection – failing to notice his best friend sprinting towards him.
“OI JOSUKE!” Okuyasu bellowed, barreling through his classmates like a bull in a china closet. Managing to trip over nothing, he landed face down at Josuke's feet. "Mmmpfh mm mmfh," Okuyasu excitedly chittered into the linoleum. Holding a flyer up to Josuke's face.
"Bro, quit talking to the floor!" Josuke rolled his eyes, grabbing his friend by the armpit. "Also, the floor is gross. Get up."
The boy on the floor lifted his head off the tile, keeping his body stuck to the ground. "Valentine's Day. Dance," he punctuated each word by waving the flyer, crinkling it more each time.
Springing to his feet, he grabbed Josuke by the shoulders. "Bro, this could be it." Okuyasu's eyes gleamed with hope. "I could fall in love with a girl," He rambled, barely taking a breath.
"Oku." Josuke tried to interrupt.
"Maybe she'll even wanna kiss me, bro."
"Oku!"
"I can't marry a girl, Josuke! I'm not ready to be a father!" Okuyasu was panicking, holding his head with both hands.
"OKUYASU!" Josuke shouted, removing the hands covering Okuasyu's face. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
A pink, glittery paper is thrust a centimeter away from his eyes. Josuke leaned back, "Oi bro, watch the pomp!"
Okuyasu grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, dude, I'm just so excited for the dance!" He stared wistfully into the distance. "I know you get so many girls, Josuke, but I'm not handsome or smart like you."
Josuke frowned. He hated it when his best friend degraded himself. He would pick Oku over any girl in the school. Girls don't even like video games. All this girlfriend stuff seemed like a waste of time to him, but it was important to Okuyasu, so it was important to him.
"First bro, you're not stupid or ugly." He grinned, moving the flyer away from his face. "Second, you're going to go to the Josuke School of Love." Adding a cheesy wink to sell his point.
Okuyasu's mouth went into a tight 'o', his brows knitting together in confusion. "Oi Josuke, I don't understand." Studying his friend, hoping a clue would be written on his forehead, "Y'know my brain ain't working so good, dude. Y'gotta explain it all slow like."
While it may annoy others and frustrate Okuyasu, Josuke loved his friend's naivety. He wasn't stupid; he just took things at face value. He was trusting, and he loved him for it.
He slung a shoulder around Okuyasu as they walked towards their next class. "Psch, I'm gonna teach you everything you know to help you get a date."
A wide grin spread across Okuyasu's face. Punching his friend in the shoulder, he praised him. "Josuke, this is why we are best friends! You are so smart!"
Ruffling the younger boy's hair, he divulged his plan. "Okay, come over after school, and we can work on stuff so that I can practice too."
Puzzled, Okuyasu questioned him. "Oi Josuke, what could a handsome guy like you have to practice for?"
Well everything. Despite his many female callers, Josuke had never been on a date with a girl, let alone kissed one. His confident ladies' man persona is mostly due to his Joestar lineage rather than experience. Maintaining his cool, he assured his friend with a false sense of security, "Hey, even a Casanova like me needs practice. So, tonight we'll meet at my place at 5?"
Okuyasu nodded and giddily skipped down the hallway, telling anyone he passed that he was about to become a ladies' man.
Letting out the breath Josuke didn't know he was holding, he tried to push down the airy feeling in his chest. Why was he so nervous? He was just helping his friend get a date. He defeated Kira; he can do this.