Okuyasu couldn't stop fidgeting with his hands the whole walk there.
This threw Josuke off his confident rhythm. Was he forcing him to do this?
Josuke would have figured Okuyasu would be happy to have dinner with the Higashikatas, but he may have read him wrong.
Kicking a stray can from the sidewalk, Okuyasu slumped his position and eyed the ground nervously.
'He's probably nervous...t-that's all,' Josuke thought to himself. Calming his tightened nerves, he nudged Okuyasu on the shoulder.
"I-I hope I'm not interfering with any plans you already have for tonight," he said gently. Okuyasu glanced up at him and vigorously shook his head.
"It's okay Josuke! I-I'm grateful I get to join you and your mom for dinner," he began, once again fidgeting with his callus hands. "I just...I don't know how to act at a dinner party."
Josuke cracked a small smile and shook his head. "It's not a dinner party Okuyasu, chill out!" He assured, gently slapping him on the back. Okuyasu simply laughed it off and rubbed the back of his neck.
As the two walked side by side, Josuke glanced back at Okuyasu. With his head slumped down, the evening sunlight danced upon his slicked back black hair and dazzling brown eyes.
It was quite the sight to see. Josuke didn't know eyes like those ever existed underneath a broken Okuyasu. They were shining and swirling with life, making Josuke feel a wave of sudden emotion.
Shaking off the fuzzy feelings in his stomach, he traced an eye across the evening sky.
These moments, just felt right to him. He didn't know why this was the case. Okuyasu went from trying to kill him, to walking by his side, about to have dinner with his mom. Why was he suddenly nervous?
He was just a friend, that's all! It's not like he was introducing a girlfriend or anything to his mother. That would be the thing he'd be nervous about in the future.
But that day would be in the far future. Josuke knew he was an absolute catch with the ladies, all of them swooning over his "good looks".
But for some odd reason, he felt no attraction back to any of them. Not even the most popular girls made him fall head over heels in love.
He simply decided this was the case of him not finding his type yet. What even was his type?
"Oi Josuke, hey, I think that lady over there is your hot mom!" Okuyasu suddenly projected to Josuke. Josuke snapped his head up, to see that they had arrived at his block. His house was right there, his angry mother sitting impatiently on the front steps to the door.
Catching Josuke's glance, she jumped up and tore down across the lawn, and out onto the sidewalk.
"You've got some explaining to do, young man!" She called out to him, marching up to the two boys. Tomoko reached for Josuke, and tugged angrily on his ear.
"Augh, mom, I'm sorry!" Josuke cried out in pain swatting away Tomoko's angers grip.
"Would you like to explain to me why you're an hour late from curfew?!" She growled at Josuke.
His face turning a bright red, Josuke gestured toward Okuyasu. This was the worst time to get scolded out by his mom.
Josuke's mom stared up at Okuyasu and dropped her grip on Josuke's ear.
She dusted her hands off on her pants and flashed him a gentle shiny smile. Much like his...
"Oh, you must be a friend," she chirped happily, strutting over to shake Okuyasu's hand. "I believe your name was Okuyasu, am I right?"
Okuyasu nervously cleared his throat. "Y-you're too hot to be Josuke's mom, ya know?" Okuyasu mumbled to her as the two shook hands.
Josuke felt his insides melt, his head ready to explode. Did this guy have any sort of filter on his mouth?
"Okuyasu what the fuck," Josuke hissed to Okuyasu, who only stared oblivious to what he had said.
Tomoko began to laugh, and gently patted Okuyasu on the shoulder. "Why aren't you just sweet!"
Josuke took a hand to his face and dragged his palm down, sighing in complete irritation.
Okuyasu only gave his mom a happy grin, and returned an awkward pat onto her shoulder.
Letting out a final laugh, Tomoki gestured the two boys to come inside.
Rosy cheeked and beaming happily, Okuyasu walked beside Josuke as the two entered the Higashikata home.
"Please, don't make those kinda comments about my mom," Josuke whispered to Okuyasu, as the two peeled off their shoes, and setting them off to the side. Okuyasu flashed him a puzzled look. "You don't agree your mom is smokin?"
He was going to implode now any minute. Things couldn't get any weirder with Okuyasu.
"Er, I uhm...I mean she's pretty but- fuck Okuyasu she's my mom, that's weird!"
Simply shrugged his shoulders and hummed to himself, taking a hand to his hair and brushing back a loose strand of hair back into its place.
"You're in luck!" Tomoko shouted to the boys from the kitchen down the hall. "I happen to have enough rice to make enough oyakodon for three people!"
Sighing in relief, Josuke took this as almost an apology from his mother, her letting Okuyasu stay for dinner.
He would have expected her to be way madder.
"Would you be interested in staying for dinner?" Tomoki called out to Okuyasu.
"Yes, Ms. Josuke's Mom!" He called back to her, swiveling around to face Josuke, giving him a thumbs up.
His eyes glittered with hope of approval, of accomplishment. Josuke didn't know why, but it seemed to rub off on him, making his insides jump around.
"You know you can call my mom Ms.Higashikata," Josuke whispered, trying to force a laugh, not wanting to be too harsh on Okuyasu. He couldn't blame him. Social placements just didn't seem to be his thing.
"Why would I call her that? Whatever that word is, it sounds insulting," Okuyasu whispered back to him.
Josuke's eyeballs popped out of his head, and he could only stare at Okuyasu. That smile, that dumb, dumb....dorky...smile.
"Higashikata is my last name," he sighed, walking down the hallway, with Okuyasu not far behind.
Okuyasu made what sounded like a gentle snicker, as Josuke and his guest entered the kitchen. That damned smile, why did it look so good on Okuyasu?
Tomoko stood over the base of the counter, lightly dicing onions atop a cutting board. The room smelled of salty, yet sweet soy sauce, and fluffy rice steaming in its little pot.
As his mom worked away, Okuyasu clambered clumsily to the table, and quietly took a seat. Josuke took the seat across from him and that damned smile.
Okuyasu drummed with his fingertips, looking off at his surroundings.
"So, Okuyasu, Josuke tells me you live with your dad just up the street," Tomoko cheerfully rambled, the sizzling of a pan in the background.
At those very words, Okuyasu tensed up, his face contorted in a nervous stare. Josuke reaches over the table to grab Okuyasu's hand, gently patting it. "I didn't tell her everything," he assured to him.
Okuyasu could only return the gesture with a nod. He turned back to Josuke's mom. "Y-yeah. Just me and him."
Tomoko turned to Okuyasu, a serving spoon clutched in her hand. "Ah, I see. Well, maybe you can have him come over for dinner next time."
Okuyasu jumped from his seat, slamming his hands on the table. Josuke and Tomoko froze in their spots and stats at him.
He couldn't galme him for being so set off on the subject.
Okuyasu stares down at the table, and tucked his hand behind his back. "U-uh sorry...no, he can't leave the house..u-uhm he's..."
Josuke could see the struggle in his friend's eyes. He had to do something before Tomoko closed in.
"His dad is handicapped," Josuke blurted out, seeing Okuyasu relax in relief.
Tomoko raises an eyebrow. "What kind of disability?" She pressed, turning back to the pan with now sizzling chicken and onions.
"Oh. U-uh he's allergic to the sun," Okuyasu began. "And he's a paraplegic."
Josuke laughed to himself. Who knew Okuyasu could spit out words like that?
Josuke's mom nodded, and made a sound of almost sympathy toward Okuyasu's father. "Well that's a shame," she sighed.
Okuyasu scrambled back to his seat and held his face in his hands. Josuke shrugged, and stared down at his feet, watching the kitchen lights play with the glare of its shiny surface.
"So, how did you two end up meeting?" His mom asked.
God, she wouldn't stop with the questions. It embarrassed and angered Josuke. Was she really that invested in his life?
"Oh, we tried to kill each other!" Okuyasu chuckled happily. Josuke gawked at Okuyasu and shot out his leg, stepping on his foot. Okuyasu yelped.
Dropping the stirring spoon from her hand, and clanking to the floor, Tomoko spun around and glared at Josuke.
"Sheesh, Josuke did you get in some kind of fight?!" Tomoko growled, landing her hands on hips, and staring daggers into her son.
Josuke groaned under his breath. "K-kinda we...".
He could see Okuyasu getting ready to speak again. Josuke stepped on his foot once again. "We just got into an argument about this girl, that's all."
Josuke's mom sighed angrily and turned back to the stove. "Boys will be boys," she aggressively hissed to herself.
Slumping in his chair, Josuke eyed Okuyasu, who was grinning, as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Josuke wanted to whisper at Okuyasu, set things straight and scold him out. But god...those suddenly glittering eyes and smile just stopped him. Josuke slowly sat up once again, watching Okuyasu move about his seat, entertaining himself. As if he were ensnared in a siren's song, he couldn't look away from those pearly eyes. Those playful brown eyes. And all the way down to his neck, he stared at each inch of that tan skin, sunlight dancing atop its fleshy surface.
What history lies in every fleck of brown and black in his eyes? What history flowed in the deep scars that tangled his face? What history spoke from those gentle plump lips?
As if it were his instinct, he swore he would find it out. All of his memories, his life, it all burned curiosity into his mind. He couldn't help but dive deeper into Okuyasu's eyes. Drowning? Was he drowning in those puppy dog eyes? Was he drowning and losing air? Was that why he felt his cheeks glow a sheepish red?
The sharp clank of a glass bowl brought him the sight of steaming golden chicken, the smell of soy sauce and sweet rice wafting through his senses.
Out of the corner of his eye, Josuke watched Okuyasu's face light up at the masterpiece of food that lay in front of him.
He couldn't blame him, he probably didn't get this kind of home cooking...
Josuke's mom cheerfully placed two dark wood chopsticks in front of the two boys, holding her own bowl of oyakdon, chopsticks dipped into the steamy meal.
Pulling up a chair next to Josuke, Tomoko gestured Josuke to start the gratitude to the meal.
Josuke shit his eyes and gently leaned forward to the meal, with a simple, "itadakimasu."
Without warning, Okuyasu seized his chopsticks, and began to scarf down the meal.
Josuke and his mom watched in silence as he devoured the meal happily, a grain of rice trembling from his cheek.
"I'm glad to see you enjoy it," Tomoko beamed. "You're not picky, unlike Josuke."
Josuke rolled his eyes and grabbed his chopsticks.
It was a nice and gentle moment. The evening light streaming into the window, tickling Josuke's face, the quiet background noise of Okuyasu eating his food happily and sloppily, the hum of the air conditioner.
He couldn't describe why, but he enjoyed Okuyasu's company more than he would have anticipated.
"Man, I wish I could have a mom like you!" Okuyasu exclaimed through a mouthful of food. "Making meals like this!"
Tomoko giggled, dabbing a napkin at her lips. "Oh I'm sure you're mother can cook if she puts her mind to it!"
Josuke turned to her and shot her a glare, hissing a harsh, "his mom is dead."
Tomoko briefly dropped her chopsticks in shock. She glanced at Okuyasu with an apologetic glint in her eye, right after picking her chopsticks back up. "Oh, sorry that must be a touchy subject."
Okuyasu looked up from his food and shook his head. "It's okay, Ms.Josuke's Mom."
He stared up at the ceiling with a gentle smile pulling up onto his lips. "My mom could cook really good like you," he began. "She'd make all these big and bright dishes, with fresh vegetables and rice. I can still taste it sometimes."
Josuke gently placed down his chopsticks, and rested his chin on his hand. It was as if Okuyasu's face was putting him in a trance.
"What was your mom like?" Josuke's mom asked.
"She was very kind, and she had a really quiet and gentle voice," Okuyasu sadly laughed. "My old man and her were very close back then. Sometimes we'd all sit in the living room, and my mom would play piano."
Putting his hands out as if he were playing invincible keys upon a piano, Okuyasu hummed to himself. "Mom would put me on her lap and put my hands on some of the keys and play some of those simple nursery rhymes."
Josuke's heart began to beat faster. He was being taken back to the place in Okuyasu's head.
He could see it all. Orange light playing with Okuyasu's little chubby face. A woman sitting him on her lap, kissing his cheeks and stroking his hair.
God he looked so damn happy.
"I wanted to be just like her," Okuyasu whispered, picking his chopsticks back up, and slowly working on his meal again.
Josuke could only smile at him now. Not that fake flashy kind you'd give someone who said something unfunny or odd, but a smile that was happy for him.
Josuke's mom then picked up the conversation. Something about one of their neighbors...he stopped listening anyways.
As Tomoko and Okuyasu went back and forth talking, Josuke stared down at his bowl, suddenly overwhelmed with a strange feeling. It made him scared...yet so very alive. It was an odd feeling Josuke felt he shouldn't be feeling.
Was this something you felt when you were around friends? No, he didn't feel this way around Koichi or anyone else.
Perhaps it was just him getting too deep into his own head.
Yet, he couldn't help but wonder why his heart would refuse to slow down for the rest of the evening.
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Hey germs sorry if this chapter was a bit shorter than expected. I had some time today to get some writing down.
I have finished most of my finals, so I had some free time. Now that school is almost over for me, I'll have more time to push out more chapters. I'm going to make this fan fiction my main priority on Wattpad, so I'll try and get some publishing times organized.
Well, I hope all is well and everyone is doing okay in this whole worldwide pandemic.
Yo, if anyone has really cute fluffy ideas for this fan fiction, please please PLEASE drop some in the comments, I'd love to hear some and write them into my story.
See y'all on the flip side
-Jamie