chiomies:
Pairing: Josuke Higashikata/Nijimura Okuyasu Summary: Clearly, Josuke is a physical person. Okuyasu’s not sure if he should be praising or cursing his luck.
My gift for @jjoestarr! I hope you enjoy it, and hopefully your holidays have been as lovely as you are!
At first, it was unnerving to be pulled in so closely. To Okuyasu, it meant that he’d gotten in the way again, angered his then-human father and was about to pay the price. His chest would pound in worry the first times Josuke slung an arm around his shoulder, tugging Okuyasu close to his chest as he often would whenever he had something important to say.
He was fully aware that his boyfriend wasn’t like Keicho, or his old man, yet the flinch was a trained response.“You’ll never believe what my old man brought from America!” Josuke said, eyes wide and from the excited gleam in his eye, Okuyasu knew it had to be good. “His entire comic book collection, starting from when he was our age! There’s stuff in there that I’d only heard rumors about!” Josuke grinned, the skin around his eyes crinkling and the sight was enough to make Okuyasu forget what he was thinking about, but his heartbeat was still pounding hard enough to render him dizzy.
“Dude, you’re serious? That’s gotta be worth a ton!”
“I can’t sell it though. He’s spent years buying those. But you can still come over today so we can read them!” He chirps. Okuyasu’s not sure, but if Josuke was really waiting for Okuyasu to be with him before he read them himself, he wasn’t sure how to react. But it was nice. Josuke really wanted to experience something for the first time with him. And that was enough to bring a gentle warmth to the pit of his chest.
He wouldn’t dwell on it too much, or at least, he’d try not to, as ever since Josuke confessed to him he’s constantly been wondering if he has a boyfriend who can see straight. He just happened to fit nicely under Josuke’s arm and close to his chest, and his gravelled voice so close to his ear was enough to make his face feel flushed. He’d be crazy to not appreciate such a thing.
There was nothing rare about how physical Josuke was, but it was still a blessing in disguise. It wasn’t always much, Josuke would lean on him when he was bored, tired or hungry and begging him to spare some of his lunch. And Okuyasu would whine in return, but give in almost every time Josuke nuzzled his head against Okuyasu’s shoulder.
And even though it was nothing rare, Okuyasu still hadn’t figured out how to hide his blush whenever Josuke subtly took Okuyasu’s hand in his.
Okuyasu’s eyes flickered open as he bolted upright, panting and gasping as his heart pounded vigorously against its confines to the point of pain. His skin was damp from a veneer of cold sweat, as trembling fingers gripped the heavy duvet in an attempt to ground himself. He felt sick, the back of his eyes stung.
While it was far from the first nightmare he’d ever had, it was far from the last. It was near pitch black, the only ray of light sneaking in from under Josuke’s door. Tomoko must’ve forgotten to turn off the hallway light again.
“Okuyasu?” Josuke croaks, tone as heavy as his eyelids and laced in sleep. “You okay?”
“Y-Yeah. It’s fine.”
Josuke pauses, catching the shakiness in his voice as he brushes his fingertips over the bare skin of Okuyasu’s arm. “You sure? It doesn’t sound like it y’know.”
Okuyasu can even hear the frown in his friend’s voice and it makes guilt pool in the pit of his stomach, twisting until he feels sick. He doesn’t reply, but his breathing is so heavy that he doesn’t have to. Josuke takes it upon himself to crawl out from underneath the weighted duvet, and climbing over Okuyasu in an ungraceful attempt to turn on a light.
“Better?”
“…Kinda.” He says, before silence begins to settle in Josuke’s room again, with the exception of Okuyasu’s harsh breathing. “Sorry for wakin’ you up, Josuke.” He grumbles.
“Was it a nightmare?” Josuke asks, taking a water bottle from his bedside table and handing it to him as he gets back into bed. Okuyasu nods. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asks. Okuyasu freezes, and Josuke watches as his eyes start to look a little glazed over, glassy and almost blank as he’s obviously trying to recollect his thoughts. “Shit… I shouldn’t have said that.” He murmurs to himself, biting his lip.
Okuyasu takes a sip of water. He doesn’t comment on it, but Josuke decides to rub small, soothing circles on his back and he doesn’t want him to stop.
It takes a whole bottle of water and a few more minutes of silence for Okuyasu to build the courage to look at Josuke again, but when he does, he’s rendered breathless yet again.
Josuke’s entire face softens as he watches Okuyasu, his eyes wide and glimmering under the dim lights. Eyebrows knit together in worry, full lips slightly parted, as if he means to say something, and Okuyasu just stares, hanging on his every breath in anticipation for whatever he may hear next from Josuke. Okuyasu can’t believe that blue can be such a pretty colour. That someone can look at him with such unadulterated concern and adoration. Josuke looked at him like he was someone of value. It left him in awe, but with nagging traces of guilt.
“It’s okay, Okuyasu.” Josuke says, pulling Okuyasu close to him with an arm around his waist. Okuyasu sinks into his touch, leaning onto Josuke’s lithe frame for once. “You’re not alone anymore.”
It’s a weight off his chest, so literal that all he can do is take in a deep breath. “Josuke…” Okuyasu trails off. It doesn’t matter since he had no idea what he wanted to say in the first place, it’s just that Josuke’s hand is still stroking his side, and the tiny gesture is such a comforting distraction that he’d be purring if he could.
He sinks further onto Josuke’s body, who doesn’t move an inch, unless it’s to move his long hair out of his face or yet out a sleepy yawn. Okuyasu is fully aware of why so many girls fall for Josuke. He’s too tired to fully notice that he’s fully sunken back into bed, and Josuke’s arm hasn’t moved. He doesn’t want Josuke to move, but the thought of admitting it makes him flush pink.
“D’ya need me to move?” He murmurs.
Josuke shakes his head. “My mom used to do this all the time when I was a kid. S-so I thought it would help.” Josuke explains, and Okuyasu allows himself to nuzzle his head into the crook of Josuke’s shoulder.
The warmth of Josuke’s body and the slow rise and fall of his chest lull him to sleepiness “Thanks, Josuke.” He hums quietly around a yawn.
The arm around his waist tightens, pulling him closer to Josuke. His heavy eyelids flutter shut, and even though he’s only seconds away from falling asleep, he can almost swear he could feel the soft press of lips against his forehead.
