Bold and Brilliant

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he thrusted the hammer forward, knocking the last centimeter of the nail into the wood. The sun almost mockingly beat down on his neck, as he felt a tad woozy amongst the summer heat. He brought a hand to his forehead and swiped away at sweat forming atop his eyebrows.
The day was the hottest of the year, and unfortunately, was the day Josuke agreed to come help Okuyasu out with his house. Three hours, five splinters, and two bloody knuckles later, they were on the final stretch of the front porch.
Okuyasu looked much better compared to that dismal night. A couple days passed, and as if it were some unworldly miracle, Okuyasu showed up at school. It was as if Okuyasu had wished to paint over his black and blue thoughts with bright positive colors. But he knew Okuyasu was still hurting nonetheless.
Okuyasu slept for the first time in days that very night. He instantly fell in Josuke's arms, sleeping in a drowsy silence. Josuke couldn't get ahold of himself, feeling emotions bubble in his chest, as he held onto Okuyasu for dear life. As if he were gonna lose him any day, Josuke wanted to cherish Okuyasu's peaceful moment. No scars or distant memories, just the boy who turned Josuke's life upside down.
In a way, he was proud of his friend, who managed to finally let himself sleep, and perhaps, forgive himself for the events that put him in such agony.
Okuyasu's shoulders were a crisp raw red, his tank top clinging to his sweaty stomach and chest. His obsidian black hair hung over his eyes, and the back of his neck was shiny with sweat. His hands were firm and steady at work, gently sanding down a board of wood that sat regally on his lap.
Josuke smiled as he had a thousands times today in the pretense of his best friend.
He looked paler than normal against the noon sunshine, and a bit thinner. Josuke knew Okuyasu still had some ways to go before getting back onto his feet. After all, he confined himself to the walls of his home once again after the battle with Akira. Facing the very person who killed his own brother left a deep impression on him.
But yet here he was, working in the heat, smiling and talking so strangely normal, pausing to watch the sky and the birds at such elegant flight.
"How in the world did you finish that deck so fast?!" A familiar voiced chuckled in the background. Josuke's mother stood at the gate of Okuyasu's house, giving the two boys an approving grin. In her hands, she held two convenience store bags, its contents imprinting through the soft material.
"I took some time to pick you boys up something to eat. After all, you're in a hundred degree weather!"
She then flashed an intimidating frown at Josuke. "No heat strokes on my watch," she growled, as she strutted into the overgrown yard, gentle golden earrings bobbing in the elegant sunshine.
She plopped the bags down against the porch stairs, reaching over to pull playfully on Josuke's ear. "Drink the whole thing," she pestered. "I don't want you getting dehydrated!"
"Thank you Ms.Josuke's Mom!" Okuyasu called out over from across the porch, placing down the plank and dusting himself off.
"Oh of course, sweetie!" She beamed, turning her attention back to Okuyasu. She opened her arms as Okuyasu jogged over, enveloping her into a affectionate hug. "I don't want any of you boys to get hungry out here!"
They pulled apart from their hug, Okuyasu rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Once again, thank you for getting Josuke to help me out with this old place. It makes a difference having a friend by your side!"
Tomoko waved out a hand, brushing it off modestly. "Oh of course! Josuke insisted he should help!"
Josuke felt his puppy dog eyes, his childish grin and the happy little glint in his smile burn through his heart, he gripped his sweaty chest and turned away, clearing his throat. "Yeah...no problem at all bro."
Tomoko laughed and turned back Josuke, placing a gentle hand atop his now messy pompadour. "Eat your lunch and take a break, young man," she ordered. "Sit in the shade for a bit, and be back by at least five o'clock."
Josuke waved her hand away from his head, reaching up to fluff up his pompadour, grumbling in an irritated tone.
"Yeah mom," he mumbled, watching as she turned back to the gate, wading her way through the weeds and dead grass.
Josuke turned back to Okuyasu, who already was eagerly stumbling over to the porch steps, reaching for one of the bags.
"God damn, I'm starving!" Okuyasu complained, as Josuke snatched the bags away from his greedy friend.
"Slow down for a second," Josuke sighed. "We should go find a place to sit and eat our lunch."
The shade of a tree shouldered the burden of the heat, as the two sat in a shared quietness, unwrapping egg salad sandwiches and cracking open the lids of sweet iced tea.
Okuyasu quietly chewed on his sandwich, suddenly staring into Josuke's eyes. "Josuke," he suddenly began.
"Josuke I'm sorry I've been ditching you and school and stuff. I haven't been completely honest with ya."
Josuke pulled himself from his magnetic gaze and gently laughed. "We talked about it a couple nights ago, remember?" Josuke added.
Okuyasu shook his head and proceeded to scoot closer to Josuke. Josuke felt dizzy and stared deeper into Okuyasu. "I've just been doing a lot of thinkin', which is something I don't normally do."
Josuke suppresses a sarcastic laugh as he let Okuyasu continue. "The fact I can't make my own decisions isn't Keicho's fault. It's mine, man."
Josuke leaned forward and rested a hand on Okuyasu's shoulder, gently rubbing it, searching for a knot in his shoulder muscles. "Bro, Keicho basically made you obey him, he did all that isolating, not you!"
Okuyasu shrugged away Josuke's trembling hand, munching on the remains of his egg salad sandwich. "I should have had it in me to at least stand up for myself, ya know?"
Okuyasu suddenly let himself fall into Josuke, resting his head on his shoulder, and taking a pregnant pause.
Josuke gently reached down and brushed his bangs behind his ears, looking deep into his scars, caked in foundation and lies.
Staring into those dismal eyes, Josuke reflected on him and Jotaro's conversation.
"You don't have to stray from your feelings, Josuke."
"Me and you, we should totally do something tonight," Josuke suddenly found himself saying, grabbing Okuyasu's shoulders and lifting him up, so the two could share a wistful gaze. "Huh?" Okuyasu grunted, raising an eyebrow. "Josuke that has nothing to do with what-."
Josuke gently shook his shoulders. "Come on man, it's been a while since we've hung out. What should we do?"
Okuyasu bit his lip and stared off into the sky. Okuyasu traced the question in his mind, as he suddenly stared off at a bright white seagull soaring through the sky. Okuyasu's eyes glittered in an almost glossy effect, as a smile peaked his lips, before flopping back down into a blank stare. "B-beach?" Okuyasu began. "I haven't been to the beach since I was a little kid."
Josuke grinned and reach out a hand to gently hold Okuyasu's head, tugging his attention back on him. "See, there you go! You made your own decision!" Josuke grinned.
"Josuke that's not what I meant when I-." Okuyasu trailed off as he pressed the plastic bottle of iced tea to his lips, drinking its contents.
Josuke shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm holding you to that. Let's go to the beach tonight!"
Okuyasu gulped the last of the iced tea and gently crushed the plastic bottle in his large hands. "I dunno...I should really look after dad tonight."
Josuke bit his lip, and proceeded to pout. All he wanted was to spend time with Okuyasu, with no worries or work. "Come on, bro!" Josuke begged. "Your dad can take care of himself despite his...erhm....situation."
Okuyasu stared off at his home, staring into one of its dark gloomy windows.
"Y-yeah...I guess. I would like to see the ocean..."
Josuke chuckled and gently slapped Okuyasu on the arm. "Then stop dodging my question!"
Okuyasu forced a small grin onto his pursed lips. "Yeah sure Josuke, that sounds good."
Celebrating a successful victory in his head, Josuke gave Okuyasu a shaky thumbs up.
"Alright...w-well then! Uhm maybe we could bring something to do at the beach too!"
Okuyasu shrugged his shoulders. "I s'pose. I got plenty of junk we can fool around with in my house."
Pondering in his comment, Okuyasu stared down at his hands, counting something off his fingers, and muttering to himself.
"I erm...I got a projector," Okuyasu suddenly suggested.
Josuke's eyes lit up, feeling as if he were in some romcom kind of movie. That suggestion felt so cliche...yet so romantic.
Josuke held onto that single word and shook his head. It wasn't a date, yet he felt like that would set some kind of mood Josuke hoped he could give to Okuyasu.
He didn't know why he longed for this. Perhaps he really was succumbing to his own emotions, lost in a maze of lost confessions and dazed stares.
"Y-yeah!" Josuke exclaimed. "That sounds good! I could bring a white sheet. But I don't know where we'd hang it."
"Beaches got palm trees, right?" Okuyasu asked, deep in so-called thought. "Maybe we could hang it from there."
"There aren't any palm trees in Morioh," Josuke sighed. "But there is a volleyball net near the tide pools we could use!"
"R-right," Okuyasu muttered.
Josuke felt excitement bubble up in his veins. He had never done something of this sorts with anyone. And sharing a minty and calm moment like this with Okuyasu made his heart soar.
"So, you up for a movie night on the beach?" Josuke grinned, searching Okuyasu's eyes for any sort of response.
"Y-yeah that sounds good," Okuyasu beamed, giving him a shy thumbs up.
Despite the confirmed yes, Josuke could sense a reluctant tone in his voice, as if he were to open up an old wound.
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Boxes among boxes were littering the hallway, Okuyasu angrily grumbling to himself. "God, does dad know how to store away anything properly?" He muttered, rummaging through a pile of old vinyl records and dusty yellow pages of newspapers.
Shaking hands rested atop a cool surface, Okuyasu vigorously digging through the clutter.
This had to be it, this was the last box.
Rising from vinyls and yellow pages, old photos and dusty books, he held out his father's old projector, sighing in relief.
"God that took forever," Okuyasu growled, kicking the box aside and placing the projector down on the floor.  He frowned at it, mesmerized by all the complexity of such a small yet bulky piece of technology. He didn't know how the hell this thing worked, and at that very notion, Okuyasu panicked. It couldn't be that complicated, as he continued to stare at all of its contents.
Reaching for the box from before, he tipped it over, its contents spilling into his lap. He searched the mess for some form of manual to show him the way. He was met with only past memories, photos of his mother and father and of baby Keicho. Those childish green eyes made him feel sick, as he stared back down at the projector. "I'm sure I can figure it out," Okuyasu assured himself, gently placing the projector in the now empty box, and putting it aside, brushing dust off his legs, Okuyasu stared down at his sticky and sweaty tank top and jeans, deciding a change of clothes would be decent enough.
He pondered for a moment, considering taking one of his polls from his dirty laundry, but grimaced at the memory of its smell.
Angry frowns and impossible decisions suddenly lead him to staring into Keicho's old empty room.
He felt shaky and unsteady, as he took a slow step in.
The room was cold and unwelcoming, the windows nailed shut, and the raggedy curtains drawn. He couldn't remember the last time he stepped foot in his older brother's room. Emotions threatened to spill from his heart, but he held himself together as he stared at Keicho's dresser.
Everything had its place, hair product and deodorant, cologne and tissues.
Eyes quickly fell upon the familiar glint of gold. Okuyasu pulled a shaky hand to touch those damned earrings.
An extra pair of arrow earrings was suddenly all he had left of his now late brother, he held them in his palms trying to think of something, anything to say. He clasped them in a fist, and threw them back onto the dresser, kneeling down to search his drawers. Among black tank tops and shirts, he pulled out a long sleeved, creamed colored shirt. Something so welcoming, yet agonizing filled his bloodstream. Holding Keicho's clothes felt disrespectful. Yet, he was drawn to them. He threw his tank top from his body and carefully slid on Keicho's old shirt.
Scrounging out a pair of old jeans and worn out sandals, Okuyasu peered at himself in the reflection of a mirror beside the dresser.
Tears welled in his eyes as he stared back at yet another Keicho, another Nijimura who fell victim to chaos. He shook his head and swiveled around, holding his head in his hands, pulling himself together.
Tonight was for him and Josuke, not for Keicho.
Keicho's musk only lingered on the shirt, as Okuyasu tore through the hall and scooped up the box containing the projector. Things felt blurry and almost unsure as Okuyasu threw open the door, a haunting sense of deja vu climbing up his spine. Those same streets he now walked to and from school looked just as frightening the day Okuyasu left the house and met Josuke.
He pulled through his numbness and stared off into the sunset, the box tucked under his arm, his sandals slapping the pavement beneath him. Josuke was all he brought himself to think of in such a haunting moment. Josuke saved him from all of this, right? Josuke was his miracle, his bright light. He just had to focus on that very thing, as he now broke out into a run, wanting more than anything just to reach the beach. Those summer days, summer evenings, summer tides and cold waves, sand castles and freezy pops. God those distant memories stung as he reached the end of the road, feeling the sudden crunch of sand beneath his sandals.
Waves danced with beach, like a waltz of some kind. Just as the earth, the sky danced in an orange pink light, seagulls calling out in such warmth.
And as beautiful as that summer evening sunset, he found himself staring off at a captivated Josuke, standing at the shoreline, waves blanketing his feet, before retreating back into the sea. It was as if Josuke was his beacon to the sea, because Okuyasu dropped the box in a state of awe, as he tore through the sand, to his dear friend.
Josuke turned around, as Okuyasu crashed into him, hugging him with such relief.
"Okuyasu...can't breathe," Josuke wheezed, as Okuyasu slowly loosened his grip on the struggling Josuke.
He pulled away reluctantly, staring down at Josuke's colorful swim trunks, a bright yellow sun shirt modestly accompanying it.
"Oh...was I supposed to bring a swimsuit?" Okuyasu sighed.
Josuke senses the disappointment in his voice and shook his head. "Nah man! I just wanted to take a dip in the sea, you don't need to if you don't wanna!"
Okuyasu bit his lip and suddenly thought of a plausible solution.
"I wanna swim too!" Okuyasu exclaimed, fumbling with the zipper on his jeans. Josuke jumped back, his face suddenly red. "Okuyasu don't strip down naked-."
Okuyasu paid no attention to the frantic Josuke, as he slid his pants off and pushed them to the side.
"Naked? Waddya mean?" Okuyasu chuckled, gesturing down at his gray boxers.
Josuke sighed in relief, but then proceeded to nervously stare down at his underwear.
"Josuke, you okay buddy?"
Josuke gulped and refrained from staring any longer. "Y-yeah man." He whispered, nervously rubbing the back of his neck and nibbling his lip angrily.
Okuyasu shrugged and pulled his cream shirt from his body, suddenly stopping halfway. "M-maybe I should just leave it on," he whispered.
Josuke's expression changed and said one word, with such understanding as vast as the sea behind them.
"Scars?" Josuke simply said, giving him a gentle grin.
"Well...I'm...I'm also kind of..." Okuyasu couldn't let himself finish that sentence, and simply threw off his shirt in shame.
Josuke couldn't take his eyes off of the red faced Okuyasu, as he approached him quietly.
Josuke suddenly pulled the most beautiful, most genuine smile Okuyasu had felt in a while.
"You're fucking gorgeous man," Josuke assured, playfully shoving him back. "Scars are natural, and so is body hair. Don't think you're gross for having a lot of it."
Okuyasu stared down at himself, eyeing his hairy arms and chest. He glanced back up at Josuke. "Really?" He whispered.
"It makes you look hot," Josuke laughed, suddenly turning a sheepish pink, as if he were lost in some unnamed bliss. He snapped back into place and shook his head. "I don't mean it like...like that...I mean...I."
Okuyasu felt himself grinning and with a sudden rush of euphoria he charged forward and wrapped his arms around Josuke's waist. Josuke blew out a gasp, as Okuyasu pushed himself into Josuke with all of his might, the two of them flying into the waves behind them.
Okuyasu plunged into the water beneath him, his feet sitting atop the sandy bottom. He grinned to himself, as he felt Josuke pull away from him and throw his head up at the surface. Okuyasu followed, and sipped the air to catch his breath. An angry Josuke spat out sea water, his pompadour now dropping down atop his eyes, strands of hair falling onto his shoulders.
"What was that for?!" Josuke yelled, wiping his hair from his eyes, frowning at Okuyasu. "You ruined my hair man!"
Okuyasu felt himself push out a laugh, his heart bursting, his cheeks rosy.
Josuke fell silent, as if in a trance.
"S-sorry man!" Okuyasu snorted, trying to speak in hiccups of laughter. "You were talking too much! You know how I feel bout that!"
Josuke turned a delicate pink, and he smiled in defeat, as a wave suddenly pulled the two up from the sandy bottom.
Panic stung at Okuyasu, and he swam out and held onto Josuke.
Josuke squeezed him gently. "Chill out, its a small wave, it's not gonna hurt you."
Okuyasu relaxed in Josuke's grip and pushed away from him, letting himself sink beneath the wave.
It was quiet, the salt water stinging his eyes as he watched Josuke dive beneath the waves alongside him.
Those summer evenings of misdirection and pure euphoria he once experienced as a little boy, came rushing back, just as the waves above him.
And he thought of those dying eyes, his mother's dying eyes. Eyes that once were so alive, eyes that watched Okuyasu and Keicho play in the sand, those eyes that saw the sea the way Okuyasu saw it now.
His dying mother never got to see the beach ever again the day she collapsed in the sand, coughing up blood, and consciousness fleeting like a broken memory.
If felt that his mother had died on that beach they visited so often back in Tokyo, because from there on then, she couldn't move from her hospital bed. Limp fingers and glassy dead eyes stung his eyes as much as the salt water did, as he kicked to the surface, gasping for air.
He found himself then laughing. He laughed for his freedom and he laughed to remember his mother and those happy beach days.
He laughed for her, he laughed for his father, he even laughed for Keicho.
But he could only then laugh for Josuke. For his kindness and starry eyes, his friendly smile and gentle arms.
He laughed for Josuke, as the two wrestled one another in the waves, as Okuyasu had once done as a small boy with Keicho.
With salty waves and salty tears, Okuyasu found himself clasping Josuke's hands in his own. He now felt so different than before, as the two stopped bobbing with the ocean waves, staring at one another, soaking wet. He stared at Josuke's wet glossy hair, his chest and broad shoulders. Okuyasu felt dizzy and overwhelmed in such a brilliant moment.
"Are you cold, Okuyasu?" Josuke said. "You look like you're shivering, do you wanna get out?" He whispered, Okuyasu watching him say each word from his lips.
"Hey uhm bro...can I like...hold onto you a bit, it's hard to stay standing in the waves?" Okuyasu found himself say in a shy tone.
"Y-yeah bro don't worry bout it, of course," Josuke said back, just as shyly as Okuyasu.
Okuyasu let go of Josuke's hands, and wrapped his arms under His. Josuke placed his hand atop his shoulders, which were strangely warm and soft.
"Bro, don't let go," Okuyasu whispered, shivering.
"Why would I?" Josuke gently chuckled, as they bobbed together, as if they were adrift.  In such a way, Okuyasu wanted them to stay adrift. As cold as the ocean was, he was overwhelmingly warm against Josuke. He couldn't explain it, but he felt he had needed this kind of contact for the longest time. And in some crazy way, he senses that Josuke felt the same way.
The sun eventually set, as if to abide them to let go. Josuke and Okuyasu waded back to shore, hand in hand, shivering.
As pathetically stupid as Okuyasu knew he was, he forgot to bring a towel. Josuke generously let him dry off first with his, running the towel atop his hair and down his back.
The night air was a tad stingy against Okuyasu's cold ears, as he watched Josuke dry off his hair, which now lay in a soppy mess, undone and falling down his shoulders.
Despite this, they went on with setting up the sheet, draping it over the volleyball net.
Okuyasu fished out the projector from the box and gently stuck it in the sand, still frowning with confusion.
Josuke pulled out a vhs tape, and gracefully slid it into al opening in the projector's rectangular body.
Delicately switching it on, the two sat back on Josuke's towel, as the projector lit up, flashing a screen onto the white sheet.
"My mom and I like to have movie nights in the backyard," he explained. "I've had some experience."
The movie was American by the looks of it, from the cheesy outfits and the rock music.
Okuyasu fell back onto Josuke, feeling drowsy.
"You can't fall asleep now, you dumbass," Josuke complained.
Okuyasu shrugged his shoulders found himself putting his arm around Josuke, pulling him close.
The stars were nothing compared to Josuke that night.
As the film commenced, all Okuyasu could watch was Josuke. His heart raced and his head spun.
He couldn't understand why, but he felt as if he were falling.
Falling from what? Why falling?
Okuyasu felt himself drift into unconsciousness, welcomed by sleep.
As his last thoughts were drifting away, he could only think of one solitary question?
Was he...falling in love?
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AYE YO WHAT UP GERMS. I hope you all loved this chapter as much as me, I made sure to make it longer than usual because fuck yeah!
Anyways, I'd like to promote my discord server. Seriously join it, we all have a lot of laughs, it's a real treat.
Everyone is so freaking nice and goofy it's the best.
So if you're interested, drop a comment and I'll give you the link. Come join, we share and draw  josuyasu stuff, and I release update snippets early on the server. So do it coward.
As always, drop ideas in the comments for ya boi please, he always needs more josuyasu. But yeah I had fun making this chapter so please enjoy the gays
-Jameson🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈