Chapter Text
It had been a while since the two of them had last hung out, Koichi thought as he sipped his water at Jonathan’s Family Restaurant, seated across from Josuke. The last time had probably been right after graduation, when the lot of them got together and went out for sushi in S-City to celebrate. That had been a while back- back when they all had free time, back before they had jobs and careers and really serious relationships.
Not that their relationships hadn’t stood up to time. Everyone was still together, as far as Koichi was aware.
Anyway. It wasn’t that neither of them wanted to meet up and hang out, but neither of them had the time anymore. Josuke had been busy with the academy for the first year after high school, then he’d started work as a cop and been almost unreachable since. Koichi understood that he was usually too tired to go anywhere after work, other than home to Okuyasu.
And Koichi was busy with his job, too. He had taken up Jotaro’s offer to work with the Speedwagon foundation, and it often took him out of town and away from home- though he didn’t have to work all that much to make a comfortable living. He took a lot of time off and still made plenty- he had a feeling that Jotaro had set his salary.
But they still called often. At least once a week, they’d spend an hour or two on the phone, catching up.
He stirred the water in his glass with his straw and took another sip, eyes sliding around the restaurant. The two of them were here alone, but the restaurant was packed with families and office workers and their colleagues, enjoying their meals. He and Josuke sat facing each other in the booth, across from a bubbling fish tank and a duo of tall potted plants.
“So how’s work been?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Josuke looked up from his fingernails.
“It’s great. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of, since I was a kid.” There weren’t a lot of criminals in Morioh-cho anymore; Kira, Angelo, and the various other stand users back in the day had been the only real problems, and each of them were taken care of, now, each in their own way. Things were pretty quiet around town now. Idealistic. Koichi could see it being a cushy job, especially for a person like Josuke, with such a powerful stand. He was almost surprised Josuke hadn’t put on weight. “How’s the SPW job?”
“It’s good! I was in Italy again last week, talking to Giorno.”
“Oh yeah? How’d that got?” The waiter stopped at their table with a tray, and set their drinks in front of them. Shirley temple for Koichi, Cherry Coke for Josuke. They each took a sip.
“Fine. He’s really mellowed out since he took over the mafia.” Josuke nodded. He’d not met his (for lack of a better word) “cousin” before, but had heard plenty about him from Koichi after his first trip to Italy. Anything was an improvement from “stealing luggage and cash from Japanese tourists on their first day in the country.”
“So we’ve brokered a new trade deal between Naples and Morioh, and I think the SPW foundation is going to try to set us up as sister cities.”
“Damn, cool. Maybe I’ll get to meet him sometime.”
“You should! He’s not so bad.”
The two of them stopped their chatter and drank again, both of them looking away. Koichi, Josuke found, was a very easy person to be quiet around; he was polite, but didn’t feel the need to fill every silence with chitchat, and that was nice. It was great to just sit together and enjoy once in a while.
“How’s Yukako? I haven’t seen her.”
“She’s busy. Since she took over Cinderella and expanded… It’s a good thing she has Love Deluxe.” He sighed. “I wish she’d let me support her, but since we’re not married… She wants to keep working on her own. It keeps her so busy every day, though, I can’t even take her out anymore.”
“She’s a workaholic, huh?”
“She likes helping people.”
“Do you wanna marry her?” Josuke grinned coyly at him over his cola. Koichi blushed, looking down at the table.
“Well, I don’t know about marriage… I mean, I’d like to, but I’m not that sure of myself… But I think she’s been waiting for me to ask for a while now. She keeps leaving out wedding magazines for me to find…” Koichi shook his head, face completely flushed. “But that’s enough about me! Why did you invite me out today? Aren’t you busy?”
“Trying to change the subject, huh?” Josuke stirred his soda, bubbles bursting and clinging to the plastic straw. He leaned down to take a drink. “Sorry to disappoint, but it’s still on the topic of marriage.”
“Huh?” Koichi blinked at him. “Oh, don’t tell me… Josuke, are you serious?”
“Yeah. I’m real serious. I’m going to ask Okuyasu soon.”
“Oh, Josuke, congratulations! That’s so great!” Koichi cried, clapping his hands together in excitement. “You guys are such a great couple. I’m behind you all the way!”
Josuke sat back and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a little velvet box. “I’ve already got the ring,” he said, opening it to show it to Koichi. The blond man reached for it with a questioning look, and Josuke nodded. “Go for it.”
A Caravaggio original rose gold ring, with white diamonds on the band and a big champagne diamond in the center. Art nouveau swirls in the band added depth, as did the little carved clasps around the ring.
“Josuke, this is beautiful,” Koichi breathed, turning the ring over in his hands. “He’s going to love it.”
“You think so?”
Koichi nodded, returning the ring to the box. “Absolutely.”
To their side, the plants rustled, and then one of the little potted trees toppled over, pot shattered on the floor. Yamagishi Yukako stepped smoothly over the mess, careful not to get any dirt on her pink oxford heels, and sat down beside Koichi, forcing him to scoot over.
“Hello, Josuke.”
Neither of them could bring themselves to be very surprised. Yukako was known for popping up wherever Koichi was, like a jaguar stalking her prey. Though it had been a while since he’d seen her, Josuke remembered that about her well.
“Hi, Yukako.”
“Darling!” Yukako enthused, leaning over to kiss Koichi. He reciprocated, trying and failing not to smile against her lips. “I’m so glad I found you. And on such a happy occasion! Josuke, let me see that ring.”
“Ahem.” The three of them looked up. The waiter stood at their table, accompanied by a man who could only be the owner, standing in the spilled dirt on the otherwise immaculate carpet. It was the waiter who had spoken. “Ma’am, you’ve caused something of a, ah… disturbance.” The waiter looked nervous. The owner did not.
“What are you talking about,” Yukako scoffed. “I didn’t do anything.”
“The plants,” the waiter explained, “you broke a pot.”
“I don’t see anything,” Josuke said, leaning over to look past them at the plants. The two men whipped around. Sure enough, both plants were bath in their spot, not a speck of dirt out of place. It was like nothing had ever been spilled. Crazy Diamond had already done its job.
“Wha- I…”
“Ma’am, I apologize for our rudeness. Please, accept these meal vouchers, on me.” The owner spoke up, reaching into his suit pocket with a look of fake sincerity to hand the coupons to Yukako. She took them with grace, nodding peaceably at the two men as they hurried away, arguing quietly with one another.
Koichi sighed. “This stuff just happens,” he explained to Josuke. Josuke nodded sympathetically while Yukako examined the ring.
“This is very nice. The champagne is a nice touch. I assume you’ll be getting matching bands?” She handed the velvet box back, and Josuke snapped it closed and stowed it back in his pocket. “So. When’s the wedding?”
“Well… I don’t know yet.”
Yukako’s eyes narrowed a fraction of a millimeter. “Where are you having it?”
“Anywhere’s good.”
“”Anywhere’s good?!” Who’s catering this? Where are you getting the flowers- WHO is doing your tuxedos, I won’t let you two walk down the aisle in those awful suits you wore to the coming of age ceremony. What about shoes? Hair? Decor? Have you even asked his father for his hand yet? These are all important things to consider, Josuke!” She was shouting, voice rising to hysteria. The waiter looked like he wanted to come over and scold them again, but held himself back.
“Woah, hey… I haven’t put that much thought into it yet, okay?” Josuke asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, running his palm over his two miniature rat tails. “I just thought it would be nice to marry the guy, after all this time.”
“I accept.”
“Huh?” The men asked in unison.
“I accept this wedding as my new pet project! You can thank me later, after I send you my commission. I am also your maid of honor.”
“There’s no bride,” Koichi pointed out.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Josuke, I’m sorry, she’s really into weddings.”
“It’s fine,” Josuke laughed, “I’m just glad you guys are behind me on this. Koichi, will you be my best man?”
“Wha- wh- h- ME?” Koichi flushed red again, fanning himself with a chubby little hand. “I- I’d be honored, Josuke! Of course I will!” A big grin took over his face and he beamed, while Yukako placed her hand over his and squeezed.
“So. How are you going to ask him?” She asked, lacing her fingers between Koichi’s.
“Well, I thought I’d take him to Tonio’s, get down on one knee, and pop the question during dinner. Romantic, right?”
“Getting engaged while covered in blood and guts is hardly my idea of romance, ” Yukako said, making a face. “We’re scrapping that idea.”
“Alright, what do you suggest, then?” Josuke asked, scowling slightly.
Koichi and Yukako looked at each other for a long moment, then nodded, as if their thoughts had finished syncing up. Koichi took a deep breath, excited.
“Take him for a walk on the beach,” Yukako started.
“At midnight.” Koichi added.
“In the moonlight.”
“During a thunderstorm. ”
"You take shelter at an empty cabana on the sand."
"His favorite song plays from a boombox."
"Cherry blossom petals fall around you."
("It's winter, where are we going to get cherry blossoms..." Koichi interjected, but Yukako kept going.)
"You both lean in for a kiss."
"You pull away."
"He's shocked."
"You get down on one knee."
"He's SHOCKED!"
"You pull out the ring in its box.”
"He starts crying."
""Nijimura Okuyasu,” you’ll say,” and Koichi deepened his voice to imitate Josuke, “”you've made me a happy man for four years. Will you do the honor of making me your husband?”"
"He says yes, naturally."
"You leap to your feet and take him in your arms."
"Give him a passionate kiss."
"Thunder clashes behind you."
"It’s raining harder. You wait out the storm together, holding each other all night." She sighed happily.
"Come morning you both wake up, sleepy but happy."
"You walk back down the beach to your car, and there are rainbows everywhere."
"So? What do you think?"
They both grinned, looking at Josuke expectantly, overjoyed. He stared back at him, dumbfounded.
“Well?” Yukako prompted, nudging Josuke’s leg with her shoe.
“Well… That seems like kind of a lot,” Josuke said, grinning sheepishly and scratching the back of his head.
“But it’ll be worth it. The two of you will never forget this.”
“I guess,” Josuke murmured, thinking it over. A new waiter stopped by their table with a tray, setting a pork cutlet in front of Josuke, and a soup and salad in front of Koichi and Yukako.
“Anything for you, miss?” the waiter asked, reaching for his paper pad.
“I’ll share with my Koichi,” she said, clutching her beau's arm. The waiter headed off, leaving them to their meal.