Chapter Text
Oh, oh God.
Mondo woke up to the feeling of a warm weight embracing him, pulling him into the rising and falling of a chest, a chest that most certainly belonged to Ishimaru Kiyotaka. His grip on him was strong, sturdy, relentless. It was like if he let go, he'd die. He wondered, albeit briefly, if that's what he was dreaming about: Mondo dying.
It didn't look like it, though. Mondo craned his neck to get a better look at Kiyotaka, and he seemed to be sleeping just fine. His slightly chapped lips were parted a little, opening to allow lines of drool to slip past and settle onto the pillow. This in turn created a grey splotch in the pillowcase right next to Taka's head, which Mondo would've found a bit gross, but there were too many roadblocks for the thought to successfully fester. That aside, the lips flattened into a straight line when Kiyotaka adjusted himself, turning his head to press his cheek into the plush pillow beneath him. His chin slotted right above Mondo's head, pulling him closer, closer, almost as if he was trying to envelop him. Mondo swallowed audibly, shakily, his lower lip wobbling and knuckles painted white from the force of his clenched fists. Why? Why him?! It was like Taka knew about Mondo's mini crush on him and was trying to mess with him further. His life was already torturous enough with Taka merely existing. His wide grins, plastered across his face crinkled and creased from the sheer amount of muscles he was straining with his strenuous smile, made Mondo's heart feel like it was pumping so hard it was on the verge of popping. It might've been actually palpitating by now. Could Taka feel it? He was sure he could.
Taka grumbled. Mondo thought he could feel it more than he could hear it. His chest next to him rumbled, hosting a very peaceful heart beating away softly. No wonder his skin seemed a bit more pale while he slept. Mondo couldn't help but tune into the beats, to the sound of life humming away next to him. This, oddly enough, felt much more intimate than any sort of hug they had ever shared before this. Hearing Taka's heart beating away slowly next to him, locked inside a cage of bone, had a different feel to it. He was getting the privilege of listening to the one thing keeping his kyoudai going, smiling, shouting, laughing, stomping, crying, loving.
The prefect stirred again. His long, thick lashes fluttered, parting with his eyelids to reveal beautiful ruby red eyes. Mondo was close enough to witness his pupils contracting, cheeks tinting a darker shade of red when the sleepy moral compass discovered they had been laying like this. Taka opened his mouth to say something, like the words stubbornly refused to fall off his tongue, but he eventually found his footing.
"I'm- Mondo, I am so, so sorry for this."
Mondo cocked a brow in reluctant confusion, but he pulled away from him anyway.
"What's the matter? Never shared a bunk with someone before?"
Kiyotaka looked utterly bewildered. "On the contrary, I have! It just happened to be my father."
Mondo stifled a laugh. "Well, then ya might know that some people move around in their sleep. I," he pointed to himself, "happen ta be one of 'em."
"You scoundrel," he muttered. Mondo laughed this time.
After Mondo had calmed down from his homosexual high and Taka woke up a bit, the two of them began to plan their day.
"So," started Mondo, entering the bathroom while Taka worked on brushing his teeth, "what'cha got in mind for today?"
Taka held a finger up to signify that he was busy, and he clearly was. Mondo idly watched Taka finish cleaning his teeth before spitting into the sink and running the water.
"Well, I was thinking we could perhaps venture around a library today? I'd love to pick out a new novel while I'm there."
Mondo snorted, undignified and blunt. "Yeah. While we're at it, why don't we head to the store to pick up some arthritis medicine in the pharmacy section while we're at it?"
"Mondo-"
"Hell, I think we could use another half gallon of milk while we're there, too."
"Mondo!"
He smirked. "That is my name."
"Urgh, you're insufferable." Taka pinched the bridge of his nose, but it was clear he was amused by this delight of a quarrel by the way he had to hide a grin behind his hand when Mondo turned his head.
"Tell ya this," Mondo offered up, "how's about we take a stroll around town to find some places ya might like. Ya know, might as well test out the waters a bit. I also know this pretty chill cafe downtown, we could stop there to eat and rest once ya get bored. Sound good?"
Taka nodded almost instantly and held his hand out. "It does indeed!"
Mondo blanked. "Why ya holdin' yer hand out?"
Looking down at the hand he extended, Taka quickly lowered it back down to his side and cleared his throat. "Force of habit."
"Fine by me," Mondo grinned, taking Taka's hand and shaking it firmly.
Was that really what he had in mind, though?
They both finished getting ready in unison, allowing themselves to head out towards the garage. Mondo opened it on the way. Taka ended up making it to the garage first, but in hindsight, Mondo probably should've thought that out more.
As soon as Mondo entered the garage, Taka shrieked at him and pointed towards the bike he had parked in the middle of the cement.
"Uyaah!! Mondo! You didn't tell me you didn't have other means of transportation besides your motorcycle!"
Mondo simply shrugged. "Ya never asked."
"You know I can't ride this, Mondo! Not only is it highly dangerous, it's reckless!! I'm pretty sure it's illegal on backroads, too!"
"So?" He scoffed. "Should've considered that before ya befriended me!"
Taka looked like he wanted to say something, probably a rebuttal, but Mondo cut him off.
"Anyway, I'm givin' you a choice. You can either hop on and ride with me into town, which probably would only take 45 minutes or so since I live on the outskirts, or you can choose to walk. Dunno if I've got this right but it'd prolly take ya 'round 5 hours or so."
Taka didn't respond, clearly wavering his options in his mind. Sometimes Mondo wondered what was going on inside that head of his.
"..I'd rather walk," he decided, turning on his heel and stomping off towards the road.
Mondo knew, deep in the crevices of his headstrong mind, that Taka wasn't going anywhere without him following closely behind. He hopped onto his bike, kickstarted it into life with a resonating roar, and pulled out of the garage to catch up with Taka. Within a matter of seconds, they were both side-by-side, one wearing a cocky smile while the other held a fierce grimace.
"Hey, hey, hey," Mondo started, "don't walk away from me."
Taka snorted, which sounded foreign coming from him. "Why? So I can get on your motorcycle and possibly risk crashing with you?!"
"Why, I'm offended!" Mondo gasped, pressing a hand to his own chest. Faux pity laced his tone, and clearly Taka caught on because he started to run. He picked up the pace, easily reaffirming his position by his side. Only difference was that they were going a bit faster and the slamming of Taka's boots against the concrete increased in volume.
"Yer runnin' in boots?" Mondo chortled. "Man, you really must be desperate."
Taka ignored him. Mondo decided to take advantage of this.
"I dunno 'bout you, but I think it's pretty unruly of the moral compass to be givin' me the silent treatment."
That got him to talk.
"And why," spat Taka, "do you think I'd pay you any mind at all when I know you'll have some sort of rebuttal ready for me? This conversation is going nowhere; I am not getting on."
To emphasize his point, Taka finally broke out into a full-on sprint. Mondo's shock was evident for a few moments before he speeded right back up beside him. Sweat glistened against Kiyotaka's temples and his cheeks reddened considerably. The heaving gasps he took was the straw that broke the camel's back with the point Mondo made previously.
"If you'd look behind ya, you'd find that the house is still in view. We aren't even close to the next block, yer outta breath, and you still refuse ta take my bike."
At this, Taka conceded regretfully. He slowed to a stop, hands pressed to his knees as he bent over to take a break. Mondo felt both victorious and a tad bit guilty.
"You.. scoundrel," Taka panted between raspy breaths, spewing words that sounded unsure and wobbly.
"Bah, whatever. I got ya to stop. Now climb on," Mondo twisted his torso and patted the excess space behind him.
"I can't," he whispered, voice unsteady.
Mondo didn't hear him. "Hah?"
"I can't! I can't reach it! My legs aren't long enough!"
..Oh. Well. That put everything into perspective.
He didn't want to make the situation even more awkward by staring, his eyes trailing his legs (which probably wasn't a good idea anyway), so he laughed a sharp laugh to cut through the thick tension building around them.
"Huahaha! Why didn't ya say so?! C'mon, lemme help ya out." He offered, kicking up the stand yet again to hop down from the bike without it toppling over and possibly scratching the leather seat or denting the metal.
With careful, steady hands and an attempt at precision, Mondo placed his palms on both of the prefect's sides and lifted up. It took everything in Mondo not to pinch the cloth and squeeze inwards. His sides were crafted beautifully by the hands of whatever God was out there, perhaps the universe. Every curve, every dip, every smooth edge.. Mondo's heart was fluttering faster than a hummingbird's wings could ever flap at this rate.
He gulped noisily and placed Taka down on the seat, trying to ignore the way he sheepishly squealed when skin met cold leather.
"Ya ready now?" His voice wobbled a little, teetering, but by now the adrenaline in his veins was beginning to settle.
Kiyotaka shook his head. "Where are the helmets..?"
..Shit. That was right. He had left them in the garage.
"...We don't got any.." he lied through clenched teeth, "don't worry, we'll be fine."
"Incorrect!! You don't know that for certain! Let's go back and search around, I'm sure you must have a few somewHEEEERE-!!"
Taka's voice dragged out into a shrill scream as Mondo pulled the kickstand up onto its locked hinge and floored it, taking off down the streets. According to Taka, they were going at light speed, when in actuality Mondo knew they were only going 3 above the speed limit. He cackled under his breath and let his foot off the gas, but he didn't really want to. Not because the warmth Taka provided against his back felt nice or anything, he just wanted to go fast and feel fast. That was it. But at the same time, he wanted this moment to last longer..
"Ah, shit," he muttered, "we're gonna make a detour."
"Why?"
...
"The road's closed ahead, didn't you see the sign?"
"No. No, I did not."
"That's 'cause your face was still smushed against my back. Loosen up, Taka, I-"
"Stop. You're already pushing it."
"Whatever you say, panic prince."
"Panic prince?!"
Mondo erupted in laughter and turned down a desolate road to avoid the perfectly not-out-of-order shorter route. Their bickering echoed into the trees lining the road, and Mondo smiled. He smiled all the way into town, and even then his smile never ceased once.