Stay Here With Me (JosuYasu Oneshot)

Stay Here With Me

Okuyasu stretched, exhaustion gnawing at his mind. The television flickered in front of him, its light and sound the only thing keeping him from falling asleep.

"We can go to sleep now if you want," Josuke said, gently prodding him with his elbow. "I won't force you to stay up, you know."

"Oh. I was just going to wait until you wanted to sleep. It's your house, after all."

"And you're the guest." Josuke chuckled, switching the console off. "It's okay, you don't need to push yourself. Let's get some rest."

Okuyasu nodded, not finding words. It was just that he felt bad, somehow, for this. As if he shouldn't be falling asleep when it was only two in the morning and Josuke looked as if he could stay up all night.

"You all right, Oku?" A concerned smile from Josuke. Still, he didn't have the words to respond, but even in the dim light of the hallway as they made their way to Josuke's room, the tears that began to spill from the corner of his eyes were answer enough. "... Oku?"

"Sorry for cutting things short."

Josuke stopped there, fully turning and placing his hands around Okuyasu's shoulders. "Why are you apologizing for that?"

"I just... I don't know. You seemed like you were still ready to play more, and I don't want to hold you back."

"Hold me back? Who worries about that?" Josuke's face fell as he realized something. Okuyasu did too. He wasn't used to... this sort of reaction. Of someone caring about him, about Okuyasu , rather than just how he was a burden or how he could be used to help. "... Sorry," Josuke murmured, seeing the look that crossed his face. "But, really. We're friends. This isn't just about me—it's about you too, okay?"

"Okay." Okuyasu nodded, rolling out the sleeping mat he would use. He was so used to simply following along with what Keicho wanted that he didn't know how to handle situations where that wasn't expected.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

A shrug. "If you want to."

Josuke stared him dead in the eyes. "Okuyasu. This is about you right now. I'm not going to press if you don't want to open up, but it's okay to talk to me."

Okuyasu sat down on the bed next to Josuke, tentatively. "Are you upset?"

"Why would I be? I'm just happy that I got to spend time with you," Josuke replied, wrapping an arm around him. Okuyasu leaned into the warmth.

"Can I be honest about my fears?"

"Of course."

Okuyasu trembled, swallowed. He looked cautiously into Josuke's eyes. "I'm so afraid sometimes that you only keep me around as a friend out of pity. I mean, sure, I guess I was useful when he had to deal with shit like Kira. But I'm not much now, just another loud idiot. I wonder if... I'm annoying you, when I walk to school with you, when I call you. I think I'm more burdensome than anything else."

Josuke frowned, pulling him tighter. "Okuyasu, I promise you that's not true at all. I love being around you, I really do. You're funny, and deeply kind. Too kind for your own good, sometimes. But I could never hate you. I... really like you." Something in the way he spoke suggested he wanted to say more, but held back.

"All right. I'm sorry if I ever weighed you down, though."

"Don't worry about it, man. Friends take care of each other, don't they? Isn't that what friendship is? Not you following my every wish, but us each caring about each other?"

"Still, I feel like I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything."

"Well, is there anything you want?"

"Want? All I would ever want is for you to stay here with me for as long you were happy here."

Okuyasu smiled. "I'm always happy to be with you. I mean, I'm not happy all the time, of course. But when I'm down... you make me feel better, at least. As long as you want me here, I will be." Sleep gripped him more strongly in the darkness, in the silence only broken by the soft breathing of the two.

"Then stay with me forever, please." Josuke embraced Okuyasu, pulling him against himself, laying his head on Okuyasu's shoulder.

Okuyasu mirrored him. "I will." For a long moment they stayed like this, each hearing the other's heartbeat.

"Oku?" Josuke murmured sleepily, sliding down until he lay flat, pulling Okuyasu with him.

"Hm?"

"I love you, you know."

Okuyasu was too tired to register just how significant this was; all he knew was that he felt the same. "I love you too, Josuke."

Neither said anything further, content to remain in their peaceful quiet, arms wrapped around each other as they drifted off to sleep. Okuyasu's mat lay unused on the floor—he didn't need to separate himself from Josuke any more. He was glad just to be there with Josuke, and Josuke was glad just to be there with him.