Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Josuke's mind tends to wander whenever ball shaped things are involved. Well, just about anything can send Josuke on an internal ramble that seems to bounce around as fast as a rubber ball, but balls do start these quests often. It's weird, yeah, but Josuke's mind just can't sit still. He can't sit still. Today Josuke seems to be more scatterbrained than normal, but Josuke doesn't know why.
"Hey, remember that one fight I had with a rat?" Josuke says.
"Uh, are ya talking about the one who had a stand?" Okuyasu asks and Josuke nods.
"Oh yeah, didn't you fight it with Dr. Kujo?" Koichi follows his other friends as he looks around. "Also, where are you taking me again?"
"We're going to Tonios place," Josuke sticks his hands in his pocket. "Also Jotaro let me keep some of the marbles we used."
"Oh sweet!" Okuyasu eyes Josuke's pockets. "Do you have it with you?"
"No!" Yes. Josuke enclasps the balls in his fist.
"Alright then. What's in your pockets then?" Okuyasus hand floats to a pocket, and Josuke slaps it away.
"..... Nothing. Nothing's in my pocket, why would you say that? Nope, all there is is my hand."
Koichi sighs. "You're terrible at lying sometimes, did you know that Josuke."
"Alright fine, I have the balls, happy?"
"Very." Okuyasu smiles. "Are ya gonna do anything with them?"
"Nah, not really." Josuke rubs the marbles with his thumb. "I don't fully know why I asked for the balls even, I just asked and he gave them to me."
"Can I have them then?"
"No, get your own Okuyasu."
"What?! Come on, please? Koichi, make Josuke give me some marbles."
"No, I'm not your babysitter. You can go get your own balls." Koichi says, as Josuke's mind starts to wander.
A small part of Josuke is yelling at him to focus, to stop daydreaming before you get out of the conversation, to just pay attention. Josuke constantly hears it, but no matter how hard he tries, he just can't. He can't help himself not to think. He can't stop his brain from wandering, balls or no balls. His thoughts just seem to roll away from him, just like the marbles in his hand.
Josuke's dad use to have balls with him. Well, not really balls, Jotaro said when Mr. Joestar was young he used to fight with clackers. Marbles are close enough to clackers, right? Clackers are just metal balls with string. If you just chop off the strings and dump both balls in red paint, they'll look basically identical. Heck, you don't even need to dump just the ball part, just dump the entire thing into it. Wait, the clackers would look like cherries if you did that. And, like, if you put enough ball shaped things in the paint, the paint would kinda look like cherry bubble tea. Maybe Tonio makes bubble tea, Josuke should ask.
"Hey, do you think Tonio has bubble te-"
"Josuke look out!" Koichi warns as Josuke trips over a traffic cone. Josuke crashes onto his arm as he winces.
"Shit, you okay bro?" Okuyasu asks as be extends his hand to his fallen friend.
Josuke rubs his arm. "Yeah, yeah I'll be alright. I might get a bruise though." Josuke grabs Okuyasus hand, and hoist himself up.
Okuyasu pats Josuke's shoulder as he says "We should get you to Tonios restaurant so he can fix you up. He can probably fix bruises, right?"
Koichi stares blankly at Okuyasu. ".... Is Tonio a stand user?"
"Yeah, didn't I tell you?" Josuke says and Koichi shakes his head. "Ah fuck, I knew I was forgetting to tell you something. Sorry Koichi."
"It's fine Josuke. What can Tonios stand do?"
"It's like, it's kinda like Josuke's stand but with food and it can heal small stuff. Like, Pearl Jam can make your nails harder or like, your skin smoother and things like that." Okuyasu lightly punches Josuke. "Josuke here got paranoid the first time we went and punched my spaghetti with Crazy Diamond."
"Wait, really?" Koichi glances at Josuke.
"Hey, give me some slack! I thought you were being attacked! If you thought I was eating something poisoned wouldn't you do something about it?" Josuke punches Okuyasu back, a grin forming on his face.
"Of course bro, but I wouldn't use The Hand to scrape your plate away." Okuyasu smirks.
"Oh shut up. Do you think Tonio has….." Josuke's forgetting the word. "Has, uh, that thing."
"What thing?" Koichi asks.
"You know, that thing." Josuke mimes a cup. "That drink with, like, stuff in it."
"You mean ice?" Koichi asks again.
"No, not ice. They're like small balls." Josuke scrunches his face.
"Oh, you mean bubble tea?"
"Yeah, thats it! Thanks Koichi. Does Tonio have bubble tea?"
"Maybe," Okuyasu shrugs.
"Probably not, we're going to an Italian restaurant, right? I don't think bubble tea's a Italian cuisine." Koichi says.
"Oh. I was just curious." Josuke mutters.
The three fall into a comfortable silence as the walk together. Man, Josuke was really craving some bubble tea. He remembers when he was younger, he used to hate anything that you could eat that was small. It always reminded him of his meds, and he would hate to take them.
"Wait… Shit my meds!" Josuke shouts.
"Your meds?" Koichi and Okuyasu echoes.
Josuke checks his watch. Looks like he has enough time to run home and take his meds before it fucks up his appetite or sleep schedule.
"Fuck me that's what I was forgetting, wait for me at Tonios I gotta go!" Josuke turns around and starts sprinting home. Thank god Josuke knows Morioh like the back of his hand, otherwise he would've been screwed. He scans the streets as he dashes by houses. He hops some fences and runs through yards, even when a shitty mangaka shouts at you for doing so. He passes Okuyasus house and checks his watch. 8:47. Yeah, Josuke has about 13 minutes until he can't take his meds, it'll be fine.
Josuke burst into the house. "Hey mom, where'd I put my meds?"
"I'll tell you when you take off your shoes," Tomoko says, cooking over the stove.
Josuke rolls his eyes as he pops off his shoes. "They're off, now can you tell me?"
"I don't know where your meds are."
Josuke groans. "Mom, that isn't helpful!"
"I'm not in charge of your shit, you find it yourself." Tomoko shakes her pan.
Josuke groans as he rushes to his room. He flings the door open and scans it. Even though his room is a complete mess, he knows where everything is. Kinda. If he was going to put his meds anywhere, it would be on his shelf. It's close enough to the door so that if he needed to grab it he could. It isn't there.
"Mom!" Josuke yells. "It isn't here!"
"Check the bathroom!" She yells back. Josuke rushes to the bathroom and opens that door.
The bathroom is always filled with bottles of any kind. Bottles of makeup, bottles of hair supplies, bottles of soaps and sprays, and there's probably even more bottles than Josuke could list. He rifles through the bottles, searching for the one he needs. He opens up the cabinet mirrors, he moves around some bottles, heck he even checks behind the shower but no dice.
"Mom it's not in the bathroom either!" Josuke yells.
"Oh. Where'd you last put it down?" Tomoko responds.
"If I KNEW I wouldn't have lost it!" Josuke looks at the bottles again.
"Don't give me that tone young man!" Tomoko shouts.
"Fine!" Josuke leaves the bathroom and enters the kitchen. He starts opening random drawers.
"Josuke, what are you doing?"
"Looking for my meds."
"So tell me, why are you looking for them in the utensil drawer?"
Josuke shrugs. "I dunno."
Tomoko sighs. "Where do you normally take your meds?"
"Uuuuuhhhh my room, the bathroom, and the living room."
"Where have you already checked?"
"The bathroom and my room."
"Sooooo?"
"I should check the living room?"
Tomoko nods. Josuke mutters a thanks and enters the living room. He immediately finds the bottle on the sofa. Why would it even be on the sofa? Whatever, at least he found it. He grabs the bottle and unscrews the top. He shakes out some pills and pops one in his mouth. He pours the unconsumed pills back into the container and checks his watch. 8:58. Josuke sighs in relief. Thank god he made it in time.
Josuke places the bottle back into his room. He doesn't want to misplace it again. "Mom, I found them. I'm gonna head out again, I told Okuyasu and Koichi that I'd meet them at Tonios." Josuke says while passing the kitchen.
"Okay, goodbye." Tonoko responds. "Don't do anything illegal, and don't get caught if you do."
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Josuke slips his shoes back on and takes a step outside.
Josuke hurries through the streets as he heads to Tonio's restaurant. Occasionally Josuke's steps would falter when something catches his attention, but he doesn't dwell on them. He doesn't want to keep his friends waiting. Josuke slips a hand into his pocket, waving at acquaintances with the other. His hand grazes the marbles.
Oh yeah, Josuke forgot he had those. He's surprised that he hasn't lost them yet. Heh, that's funny, Josuke should use that joke later. Josuke pulls one out and inspects it. Where did Jotaro get these things? He should ask next time he sees his nephew.
Josuke slips the ball back in his pocket once he reaches the restaurant. Josuke pushes the door open, the familiar tinkling of a bell greeting him.
"Oi! Josuke! Over here!" Okuyasu shouts, waving his hands wildly.
"Okuyasu, calm down, you're making a ruckus!" Koichi says.
Josuke smiles. Man, his friends are great. He walks over and sits down on his chair. "Hey."
"Hey dude, you missed drinks. I kept you a menu though, here." Okuyasu hands Josuke a menu.
"Oh, thanks bro." Josuke graciously accepts the menu and starts to read it. "So, does Tonio serve bubble tea?"
"No, it was the first thing we asked," Koichi responds.
"Oh. Thanks man." Josuke decides to just get a breakfast sandwich today. He isn't feeling too picky today. "Hey, I'm thirsty. Can I get your drink Oku?"
"Uhh, sure. Don't drink it all though." Okuyasu slides the glass to Josuke, and Josuke catches it.
"Thanks man." Josuke takes a swig from the glass, and passes it back. "What did you guys order, I'm getting the sandwich."
Okuyasu shrugs and Koichi says "Eggs and toast."
"Oh. Nice." Josuke taps his fingers on the table. Josuke isn't the best at waiting. He usually tries to fill his time with talking, but nobody seems talkative right now.
"So, Josuke, do you mind talking about something you said earlier?" Koichi asks.
"Sure, go on ahead." Josuke leans back in his chair.
"Um, well," Koichi lowers his voice, "It's about your medication."
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Okuyasu adds.
Koichi shushes him. "Not so loud!"
"That? I just forgot to take my meds, that's it." Josukes eyes wander around the room. Where's Tonio? Josuke should order soon.
"Well, it's not just that I want to talk about.," Koichi continues. "If you don't mind me asking, what are they for?"
"You don't need to tell us if you don't want to man. We're Here for ya bro, and we ain't gonna judge you about it." Okuyasu says.
"Nah, it's fine. I have ADHD and if I don't take my meds before 9 it just fucks me over." Josuke has given up on trying to find Tonio, he's just staring at chairs now. After a couple of seconds of silence he turns back to the table. He's greeted with his two friends staring at him.
"... What? Do I have something in my hair?" Josuke pats his pompadour. It feels fine. So why are they staring at him like that?
"Josuke, you have ADHD?" Okuyasu asks.
"Yeah."
"Since when??" Okuyasu questions.
"I dunno, since I was born? I found out at 11 if that's what you're asking."
"I'd never thought Josuke would have ADHD," Koichi says, probably to himself.
Josuke shrugs. "Eh, I don't really go around and advertise it."
"Wair, why don't you bounce off the walls then? I thought ADHD means you can't sit down or something." Josuke can tell Okuyasu doesn't have a good grasp about what ADHD is, especially after that comment he made.
"It's more like I can't stop moving. It's not that I can't sit still, it's just I can't stop moving, no matter how much or little I'm moving at a given second."
"Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about it?" Koichi asks.
"Uh, sure. Do you know how I said I can't stop moving? That's kinda the same with my brain." Josuke taps his head. "My brain goes a mile a minute. That sometimes makes me space out while in a conversation. Also it makes me do really stupid stuff when I'm really bored. Once I beat a bush to a pulp with Crazy Diamond because I was bored. Didn't I show you Koichi?"
"I don't remember." Koichi responds.
"Oh. Well anyway, sometimes I focus really hard on something because of ADHD. It can be helpful sometimes, because one time I got focused on cleaning my room and then I did it within a couple of hours. Sometimes it isn't. Remember that time where I could only talk about fashion for like, a week? Yeah, you can figure out why I did that now."
"Ooooohhhhh. Is that why you call Rohans outfits a tissue with a booger on it?" Okuyasu wonders.
"Nah, I just like dunking on Rohan. Oh yeah, daily reminder, screw Rohan he's a fucking bitch."
"Josuke, come on, Rohan isn't that bad." Koichi says. "If you get to know him he can be nice."
"Hmm, let me think about this." Josuke taps his chin with a finger. "Nope! Sorry Koichi, he's still a bastard."
"What?! You barely even thought about it!" Koichi exclaimes.
"It doesn't take me long to think about something." Okuyasu buts in.
"That's because you have a one track mind dude." Josuke jokes.
"Hey! I think about other stuff!" Okuyasu says.
"You only think about 3 things Okuyasu. Food, getting a date, and money." Koichi adds.
After that, Josuke's day went on as it normally does with Koichi and Okuyasu. They went to the arcade afterwards, and then crashed at Koichis place. Josuke's glad that the other two aren't making a big deal about Josuke having ADHD. Sometimes when he told his now ex friends about it, they'd treat him differently because of it. It would drive Josuke nuts. They'd sometimes treat Josuke like he's broken and he can't do anything right without some help. Some people treated him like a small child, and that was worse. Okuyasu and Koichi aren't treating him like he can't do anything complicated. They didn't bring it up to random strangers to excuse something Josuke did. They're treating him like he's just Josuke. Man, Josuke's friends really are the best.