Thunder and Sweet tea | Rohan and Koichi

Koichi closed his umbrella once he stepped onto to Rohans porch,it had been raining all day,the sky was a bleak shade of gray as the rain started pouring down harder. He rubbed the water droplets off his library books, as he fished out the only set of keys Rohan had lent him.

It wasn't super often he came over to rohans to study but today he decided he'd keep the horror artist some company,it had been a while after all.

"Rohan-sensei?! Its me! Koichi!"

A door opened somewhere upstairs.

"In here!" He should have known thats where the artist would be. Taking off his wet shoes and jacket Koichi walked up the stairs quietly in his slightly damp white socks. Down the hall was the self proclaimed manga artist himself,currently lying on the brown oak,wooden floor of his workroom.

"Rohan-sensei!? Are you ok!? You didn't eat rat poisoning again did you?! I told you not to do that again!" The high schooler panicked.Last month he came over to find the older man throwing up in the bathroom,while writing down exactly what he was feeling.

"No I didn't eat rat poison again,I was just testing out a new... oh what did he call it again?" Rohan narrowed his eyes,trying to remember something," well the name doesn't matter,apparently if you can wake yourself up the moment you fall asleep your productivity increases! Unfortunately I'm not sleepy so this was basically a waste of time," he sat up, "what brings you here? Tweedle dee and tweedle dumb getting on your nerves"

"Oh cut that out,Josuke and okuyasu aren't stupid!" He scolded,Rohan made a blank face.

"So are we just going to forget the time that pompous jerk said 'let's go to the water zoo?' "

He tried not to laugh,"yes,just because okuyasu f-forgot the-" he started laughing,unable to make his point.

"See? You can't even keep a straight face! Honestly, at any rate do you want something to drink? I was just about to make myself something" he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Do you have any peppermint tea?"

"Speaking of tea I order some southern sweet tea,would you like to try some?" He asked as the two desended down the stairs and into Rohans kitchen.

"Sweet tea? Isn't that what Americans drink?"

Rohan pulled out a pair of glass cups then pulled out a small tea box and read the instructions,"yes,its apparently a very popular drink over there,well in the southern states at least,"he dug around for his kettle and filled it with water,"could you turn the stove on for me?" He asked,reading the instructions.

"Sure"

There was low click and a 'fwoosh'.

"What the hell?!" Rohans eyes must have been failing him! This must have been a type-o!

"What's wrong? Did it go bad?"

"Koichi-kun,Read the instructions,because my eyes must be failing me right now" he handed the light green box to him.

"Whats wrong with the instructions? Theres only one of-"

Step 1. Place tea bag in cold water and let sit for 3-4 minutes,after the water has turned a golden brown it is safe to drink

Who the hell drinks tea cold? "cold tea? Is that even safe to drink?"

"I know! Americans are so uncultured,give it here,I'll make us some real tea" he held out his hand while digging through his cabinets for a store bought tea.

"...is it bad I kind of want to try it?"

"Koichi-kun as the adult here I cannot stand by and watch you hurt yourself like that,give me the evil American tea"

Koichi scooped some ice from the fridge with his cup,"its not evil,Rohan-sensei, we just have to try it maybe we'll like it" he ran some cold water under his cup.

"Koichi-kun,if you drop dead because of some crapped American 'tea' I can't be responsible for that" he sounded serious but Koichi could see the small half smile growning on his face.

"Its not going to kill me,your over reacting Rohan-sensei," he opened a pouch and placed it in the cup.

"Koichi-kun,give me the tea"

"No,I don't think I will"

Silence
.
.
.
.

Then koichi took off,Rohan chasing after him with a smile on his face!

"Koichi-kun! Put the demon tea down!"

"No way! Its almost done!" He yelled,hiding in a bathroom abd locking the door,"I'm going to drink it with or without you!"

"Well could you at least open the door? I want to see your face when you taste how horrible it is!" Rohan yelled,slightly out of breath. The door opened just as he reached for his emergency art book.

"OK you ready?" Koichi asked,putting the glass up to his lips.

"Go on"

And he took a deep gulp,his teeth hurt alittle due to the sudden coldness but other than that it tasted fine but it was very very sweet and had a strange but good aftertaste.

"Damn,I was hoping for a disgusted reaction," he flipped the paper over,showing koichi an ink version of himself pondering over if he liked the taste or not.

"It always amazes me how fast you can draw Rohan-sensei...are you sure you don't want any?" He held the glass out,shaking it a little,ice cubes clinking in golden brown tea.

"No I don't drink cold tea,that-"

"Drink it!" He shoved the glass forward making the older man back up.

"I dont want it!"

"Drink the shitty American tea Rohan!"

After that sentence they both started laughing only for both of them to scream when a sudden clap of lightning roared,cutting off all the lights on the street.
Leaving the two in darkness.

"Damn,now I have to go hunt down some candles"

"Or we could just sit outside until the power comes on?" Koichi sipped his tea.

"And why would I want to do that?" They'd made their way into the kitchen again,he started digging around for a flashlight he knew he had stored in a junk drawer somewhere.

"Cause why not? Its not like you can draw in the dark,"koichi started making another cup of super sweet tea, "and its not like I can just run home right now"

Rohan sighed,he wasnt one to bend to peoples opinions easily but just for today,just for his...friend he'd do it,besides maybe he'd get some ideas by listening to the rain,"Fine,but I'm not staying outside for long"

Koichi shook the glass cup,"come on just one sip!"

"Fine! Your lucky I like you so much! He took the glass and looked at it in all its...wrongness! Cold tea? Blasphemy! But non the less he took a sip and surprisingly enough he didn't gag!

"See I told you it was good!"

"Yes we'll just because I didnt gag doesn't mean I like it," he took another sip,"im just thirsty is all"

"Mmmhm" koichi stepped onto the back porch where the rain was cascading off the roof making a rather large pool of water in front of the steps. The street lights flickered on and off as the sky rumbled again. Dark,almost black cloud tossing and turning in the sky like an upset stomach but there was beauty in it at the same time. The smell of cold rain and somewhat warm winds was relaxing as both males sat on the swinging bench attached to the roof.

"......"

"....you know Sometimes when Josuke pisses me off I like to imagine him with waves" Rohan said without looking at his guest.

"Like as in water?"

Rohan swallowed and started drawing something on his sketch book,"No,like this" Koichi choked on his drink and stopped kicking his feet.

Rohan had drawn Josuke with waves,the kind that African boys and men wear,"oh my God he would have a fit it he saw this!!"

"If thats the case make sure you give it to him at school, he folded it perfectly and handed it to the high schooler,"tell him its revenge for burning my house down"

"You two never change" he smiled into his drink,he'd almost finished it.

And so they sat on the swing,talking about nothing and everything,jumping from the weird conversations Koichi would hear at school to the many,many sticky situations Rohan had gotten himself into until eventually Koichi had dosed off.

"Koichi-kun? Are you even listening?" He got a response of light snoring,"how rude,falling asleep like that while I was still talking!" He pouted slightly,drumming his pencil on his book.Well he had his pencil in hand,might as well draw something.

When koichi woke up the next morning he realized that no he was not at home he was still at Rohans! Oh God he was going to be late for school!

Scrambling to get up he rushed down the hallway and down the stairs, almost sliping in the process.

"You go any faster and you'll hurt yourself you know," Rohan said from the counter,drinking some water.

"Rohan-sensei! I am so sorry I fell asleep I didn't mean too! Oh God my mom and sister are probably freaking out! I-"

"Calm down,I called your mom last night,she swung by this morning and dropped your stuff off," he pointed to a small bag with some clean uniform,"so hurry up so you'll be late!"

"Right! Thanks a bunch Rohan-sensei! I really owe you one!"

Rohan hid his smile behind his glass as he watched the high schooler run around like a cat on catnip. He heated up a small breakfast sandwich,it dinged just as koichi finished brushing his teeth.

"Done!"

"My,that was fast,I guess we'd better get on the road then," packing up a small back of snacks both stand users drove off to koichis school.

"Thanks again Rohan-sensei I mean it,your a life saver!"

"You dont have to call me sensei you know? You've earned the right to call me by my first!"

"Really?"

"Yes,so be grateful that I,Rohan kishibe,have given you my blessing!" He said rather smugly.

"Right,'blessing' well,same goes to you, oh! This is it!" He opened the expensive door and hoped out.

"Oh koichi! Catch!" That small brown bag was tossed into his arms,"its yours"

Koichi looked inside the smell of warm breakfast food hitting him full force,"you made me this?"

"Dont get used to it,I expect to be reimbursed fully after school got it?! Dont be late!" And with that Rohan made a U-turn and headed back home leaving the student in front of the gates.

Koichi smiled,Rohan wasn't as bad as he first appeared! Running into the building he took his shoes off and rushed twords class,getting there in the nick of time just as the bell rang.

"Oi! Koichi! We thought you weren't coming at first" josuke waved him over,Okuyasu was sitting next to him sitting backwards in his chair.

"Yeah,sorry I'm so late,I fell asleep at rohans"

"Ugh that asshole? You sure he didn't use heavens door on you or something?"

"He's not that bad" koichi sat at his desk,opening his booking up,two folded pieces of paper fell out onto his desk,"o-oh yeah,Josuke,Rohan wanted me to-pff- give you this"

"Me?" He took the paper unaware of koichi struggling to hold back his laughs as Okuyasu looked over his friends shoulder,"THAT BASTARD!" he snapped

"Holy shit josuke is that you?!" Okuyasu wheezed looking at the drawing,"pfffhahaha! Oh god! I can't! My sides!"

"C-calm down josuke pff! Its-its just a drawing!" But eventually he too cracked and started laughing until their teacher came in demanding everyone settle down.

As their teacher went on and on about today's plan Koichi noticed the other sheet of paper. Unfolding it a pleased smile grew across his face.

It was drawing of him from last night,head resting of the swing handing from rohans roof and hand holding that same cup of America sweet tea,knocked out sleep. He stuck the paper safely away in his binder,he'd make sure to find a good spot for it once he got back to Rohans that afternoon.

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