Hairbrush

Chapter Two: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

"Hey, Josuke!" Okuyasu burst into his room, dropping his bag on the floor with a loud THUD.

"Just barge on in, will ya?" Josuke grinned from where he was laying on his bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Just kinda daydreaming, y'know?" Josuke waved a hand at his ceiling.

"I didn't know people actually just... did that."

"you mean you never just, like, zone out?" Josuke pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Well, I do, but I don't, like, set aside time for it." Okuyasu scrunched up his nose. "You do that? That's so weird, bro."

Josuke just shrugged. He always thought about really embarrassing things when he was daydreaming, like how nice it would be to get a hug from his best friend.

Josuke was severely touch starved.

"Anyway, I picked up a new game we can try today!" Okuyasu dove to the ground, digging through his bag and coming up triumphantly with a glossy case. "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater!"

"No way, dude!" Josuke leapt up. "I wanted to get that!"

"Can we play it right now? Is your mom done with dinner?" Okuyasu's whole face perked up. Josuke hid a snicker. He knew he loved Tomoko's cooking, probably because he was the one cooking for himself and his dad now. Okuyasu was a good cook, to be sure, but he wasn't a mother.

"I don't think so, we can start it!" Josuke made a grabbing motion with his hand at the disc case, and Okuyasu tossed it to him.

They played for a little while, then got called down for dinner, then played for a little while longer. The game turned out to be very engaging, sucking both boys in.

"Oh, shit, it's midnight." Josuke glanced at his alarm clock. "We should probably get ready for bed."

"Come on, bro," Okuyasu whined, "can we play for just a little bit longer? I'm having so much fun!"

"Fine, but just a little longer, gotta maintain this luscious hair, after all." Josuke really was a sucker for Oku's whining, like a concerned parent, or a dog owner who was far too indulging of their chihuahua.

The game was getting to a really good bit when the TV winked out, along with the rest of the lights in the house.

"Uh..." Josuke said.

"Power must be out."

"Well, duh, Oku. Oh, fuck!" Josuke jumped up.

"What?!" Okuyasu leapt up too.

"I'm not gonna be able to do my hair routine! I can't see the back without a pair of mirrors and proper lighting!" Josuke yelled as he ran down the hall to the bathroom. He skidded into it and began poking at his pompadour in the pitch-black mirror. There was no way he'd be able to get optimal hair care in these conditions.

He could hear Okuyasu shuffling in the doorframe, but he didn't even spare him a glance, preoccupied.

"So you don't just... throw a brush through it?" He said.

Josuke looked at him then, eyes widened in shock. "You just... just throw a brush in it?"

"Yeah." Okuyasu shrugged.

"Good god." Josuke whispered, grabbing a comb and working at the front. "Wow, this is gonna be impossible..."

"You want some help, bro?" Okuyasu moved behind him. Josuke thought for a second, then handed him the comb.