Bold and Brilliant

¥-Eighteen-€

The warmth of his blood made Okuyasu's hands shake. It was warm, much too warm.

"Stay behind the tape! Stay back! Right now!"

With hands still shaking nonstop, he gently gripped Josuke's shoulders, as if it were some lame attempt to soothe his agonized friend. Josuke couldn't stop trembling, that hauntingly warm blood painting the pavement beneath him.

"H-He's dead...".

That accursed note. What would have happened if that meeting never took place? What if him and Josuke walked to school, buddies once again, blissfully ignorant to the kissed they shared many days ago? What if he wasn't so careless, leaping into action only to be fatally wounded at the hands of Killer Queen and Stray Cat? He could only further push the question into his head. What if...what if...what if? In a way...he felt as it was his fault.

Okuyasu felt the need to bend down and cradle his weakened friend, as he could see fragments of fear lingering in those once ocean blue eyes. He could only see a dying shade of blueish-gray. He didn't have much time. As he watched Josuke brush off a concerned paramedic, a gentle meow was pushed from Stray Cat, tucked in his belt, looking up at him with strangely concerned eyes. Okuyasu hesitated for a moment and took a free hand to try and pet the distressed cat. In a flash, Stray Cat snarled, nipping at his finger, a line of blood sliding down his index finger. Okuyasu drew back and reasoned with himself. "The cat's been through a lot I guess..." he muttered, as he turned his attention back to Josuke. Josuke coughed lightly, doubling over into Okuyasu's arms, his head resting against his chest. His breathing was scarcely shallow, and he shook violently. He rose a hand to grab ahold of Okuyasu arm with a helpless and frail grip.

"Don't go..." he whispered, his eyelids sinking shut, laying slack against his beloved friend. panic rose in Okuyasyu's chest, as he seized Josuke with panicked hands. "I'm right here bro, I'm right here!" he assured, feeling pricks of tears at the corner of his eyes. "This is my fault...shouldn't...have been so ca-careless..." Josuke coughed, resting a cheek in the crook of Okuyasu's elbow. Okuyasu shushed Josuke quietly and slowly cradled him, touching a calloused hand to his cheek. "Don't say that," Okuyasu lamented, a tear streaming slowly down his scarred cheek. "It was all me...if I wasn't so fucking stupid...I woulda used my head and you wouldn't have ended up this way!"

Josuke shook his head. "You were dead..." he mumbled. "And I couldn't do a damn thing...". Josuke coughed out a breath, spittles of bloody spit hanging to his lips. "I'm so sorry Okuyasu, I-."

Josuke sighed and fell limp into Okuyasu's arms. The blood was warm. Too warm against his shaky palms. "Josuke!" Okuyasu blabbered. "Josuke stop fooling around, get up!" He slowly shook his head, fresh with sudden shock. "Josuke..." he whispered. "Josuke don't do this to me...I came back...big bro...he...he helped me realize what's important to me here in Morioh."

As his head spun, he felt paramedics shaking him, asking for his name, asking him to let go of Josuke. It was easy pulling Josuke from his grasp, as he crumpled to the ground, Josuke's blood still fresh in his hands.

"What's your name, son?". It felt muffled, as if he were trapped in a little glass bottle. He could see, yet could hardly hear the world around him. The figures around him looked distorted as vertigo rushed his senses. he doubled over and felt like dry heaving. His lips trembled, as he could hear his pulse rapidly increase in his ear. "We need a name. If you can, what's your name kid?". Okuyasu was hoisted up, two paramedics bracing his arms around their shoulders. "He's in shock, either traumatic or some kind of hypovolemia..."