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It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Just the first time it had escalated to this point. Over the course of their growing friendship, others in Hope’s Peak Academy had not only expressed an obvious dislike for the large biker gang leader but also for his new hardass counterpart. The sneers and whispers had only been growing louder as the two walked across campus together.
“Watch it jackass! One more word outta any of the lot of ya and my fist is going up someone’s a-”
“M-Mondo, language please, you know how I feel. Use it at home to your discretion but tone it down when we’re at the academy!”
The smaller boy snagged the biker’s sleeve and tugged it back. He didn’t appreciate the newfound attention as much as he knew Mondo didn’t either, but nothing was worth either of them landing themselves in detention for something that clearly could be avoided. Mondo cleared his throat and stepped back from the group of Reserve Course students now walking away and snickering amongst themselves.
“I know Ishi I just have such a hard time lettin people speak ‘bout you like that, ‘specially cuz it’s only cuz you’re hangin around with me of all the other damn Ultimates.”
He twirled his pointer finger around the loose black hairs at the bottom of his meticulously styled pompadour as a nervous twitch, tugging his own sleeve back from the raven-haired boy. He was gracious that the man cared enough for him to try and calm him in situations like these where his emotions tended to get the better of him.
“Mondo we’ve talked to you about this, Daiya and I both. Our friendship is nobody else’s business. Our other friends approve of us working together and what matters is so do we. I’ve really been enjoying your company as of lately.”
Taka hummed quietly as he grabbed the brunette’s sleeve again, but more gently this time as they finished making their way to their home ec class. They took their respective places on opposite sides of the room next to their partners, Taka with Chihiro and Mondo with Leon. Mondo bit the inside of his cheek as he watched Taka tie the pink and ruffled apron over his pristine uniform. The way the garment clung to the smaller boy’s frame while also making him look delectably cute made Mondo want to be so much more than close friends. Alas, if they were getting this much backlash for being friends, he couldn’t imagine the turmoil that would come from the two of them opening up about being in a relationship if it were to ever come to that. Mondo tore his gaze away from the boy and tried to focus on not screwing up the confection in front of him.
“So when are you and Rule Book gonna fuck?”
Mondo nearly spilled half of the box of sugar into the mixture as he choked on his spit, blushing slightly as the red-headed punk snickered into his hand.
“It’s not like that Leon shut it.”
He mumbled but he knew the other had seen the blush on his face. He looked back over to see Taka gleaming cheerfully at his creation as Chihiro decorated with finely detailed delicacy. Mondo smiled fondly and placed his own monstrosity in the oven, preparing himself for a failing grade. Not that it would be a surprise to him, the biker had been used to barely skating by for years on end, school work not being something he entirely thought would ever be of use to him or his talent. However, as of late and due to his blossoming friendship, Mondo’s grades had begun to raise. The strict man never forced Mondo to do his work, but if they happened to be hanging out while Taka was working on something, Mondo would be reflex also try his best to figure it out. It was a small change but albeit a welcome one, not only from the teachers and Mr. Kirigiri but from Daiya as well.
“Earth to Oowada...the cake is done hotshot, c’mon man it’s gonna burn in the-”
“Then you fucking get it! Why the hell do I have to do everything Kuwata?!”
Mondo snapped at him and threw down the oven mitt, storming out of the classroom. He was done with this shit. The next person to so much at glance at him incorrectly was in for the beating of their life. He decided to just take the rest of the day off to “work of his talent”, grateful that this was allowed for the ultimate in the academy. He walked out of the front doors and started walking to where he parked his bike, figuring he could just drive to Daiya and help him work on bikes for the rest of the afternoon. He hopped on and sped as fast as he could down the road. After he had some time to cool down he figured he’d stop at his favorite diner to bring lunch home for his brother. After walking in he immediately spotted the familiar face.
“Kuzuryu! The hell you doing here? It’s the middle of class time.”
Mondo slipped into the booth across from him, the waitress immediately placing a coffee in front of him. He ordered a burger for himself and a cheesesteak to be wrapped to go for Daiya.
“I could say the same for you Mondo, though I’m sure you’re not actually all that surprised to see me here after all. Class isn’t something the two of us really need to be concerned about. Why we both have our own…” he paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, “...personal helpers.”
Mondo’s nose crinkled as he bit into his burger and talked around the food in his mouth.
“The hell you goin on about? I know you have Pekoyama but I don’t have-”
His eyes widened and he swallowed the food in one hard motion, glaring at the Yakuza.
“If you’re talking about Ishimaru you better shut your fucking mouth. It’s not like that.”
Fuyohiko put his hands up in surrender and sipped at his own tea.
“Fuck alright Oowada, I misunderstood so there’s no need to jump down my damn throat about it. But that does mean this conversation is going to a place I never really wanted it to.”
Mondo had abandoned his food at this point, his heart beating faster and steam starting to rise on his body.
“The fuck is that supposed to mean?!”
“It means that I don’t approve of your...uh relation with the Ultimate Moral Compass is what I’m getting at. It’s going to bite you in the ass.”
“I’ll show you a bit in the-”
“Mondo!”
The smaller boy slammed his hands on the table and stood up, raising his voice.
“He’s bad for you! He is destroying your image as the Ultimate Biker Gang leader and quite frankly you’re letting Daiya down! None of us wanted him to retire and we were all afraid of how you were going to do and now several of your members think you’ve gone soft! God Mondo, he’s not worth it. He’s weak, fragile, and honestly would probably rat any number of us out to the police if he knew what we really got up to, and for what just a quick fuc-”
Mondo’s fist connecting with his jaw cut Fuyohiko off. He spun around and immediately spit out blood onto the checkered floor.
“Oh fuck off Mondo I-”
He was cut off again as Mondo grabbed his collar and began to repeatedly pound into him as hard as he could.
“Don’t you fucking dare speak about him like that! You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about!!”
Mondo only stopped when he felt a pair of big arms on his shoulders. He whipped around and swung without thinking, his fist grazing the police officers temple.
“Shit…”
The officer managed to wrestle Mondo to the ground and pin him down long enough to cuff his hands behind his back. He called in backup in his walkie talkie on his shoulder for Fuyohiko as he dragged Mondo to his car, roughly shoving him in and slamming the door.
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Mondo sat nursing his bruised cheek as he hung his hands out of the white bars he sat behind. The officer that drug him in was sitting with his feet up on his desk and almost taunting Mondo with his food. It had been about two hours since they had locked him up and he regret not finishing his burger before beating Kuzuryu to a pulp. He called his brother and he hung up with a sigh, saying someone would be there to pick him up soon. Mondo impatiently huffed, almost ready to give a snide comment to the officer before the door buzzed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing to explain himself to Daiya.
“Listen Daiya I-”
“Mondo Oowada what the fuck did you?!”
His eyes flew open as Taka stomped towards him and grabbed his collar through the bars.
“I-Ishi what are you…”
“Don’t! Daiya called me and told me where you were and I...I just left in the middle of class and I... I…”
He was panting heavily as tears welled in his eyes. It broke Mondo’s heart and he immediately raised his hand and cupped Taka’s cheek as gently as he could manage.
“Ishi…”
The boy was crying too hard to pay attention to a word the biker was saying.
“Hey...please...Kiyotaka.”
It was the use of his first name that shook Taka out of his own head. He let go of Mondo’s collar and furiously wiped at his own tears.
“ ‘m sorry...I didn’t mean for you to ruin your image cuz of me. I know how much school n shit means to you I just…”
Taka shook his head and sighed.
“I chose to leave because of Daiya’s call. There was no way I was gonna sit in class and wait to see what happened to you. Now, why the fuck do you look so awful?”
Mondo looked down and he explained the situation at the diner with Fuyohiko and the mishap with the police officer, cringing when he repeated the Yakuza’s words.
“Believe me Kiyo...they don’t mean anything to me...I want you by my side because...I really like having you around me bro.”
He blushed slightly as he saw the same pink color rise to the other’s cheeks.
“I paid your bail, let’s get you out of this hell hole.”
Mondo looked around at his cell and smiled.
“Oh what? This? Jail isn’t so bad, it could be worse.”
Taka actually rolled his eyes but the grin plastered to it was worth it as he stepped aside so the officer could free Mondo.
“Listen, dude...I mean officer…”
Mondo corrected himself as Taka glared at him.
“ ‘m really sorry about hitting you, I really didn’t mean it.”
The officer nodded and handed Taka some paperwork for him to sign.
“You’ve got a real nice boyfriend here...maybe you outta clean your act up to keep him around.”
“No...uh he’s not...he’s…”
Mondo stammered over his words as they said their final goodbyes and walked out of the building.
“Honestly I know you were defending my honor but really Mondo you don’t always have to go to such-”
Mondo cut Taka off by quickly pressing his lips to quiet the smaller boy. He pulled back after the initial peck, not wanting to force anything on the moral compass.
“I know...I’ll try not to blow up as much so you don’t have to leave school to come get me.”
Taka burned a bright red as he tried to calm his beating heart.
“What was...why did you…”
Mondo slipped his hand into the other boy’s and chewed on his lip.
“I know you wrote down you were my boyfriend on the paperwork for the bail. Smart move, Kiyo.”
Taka shuddered slightly and turned to the taller boy.
“C-Can you call me that from now on? I like it better than Ishi.”
Mondo smiled and leaned down to press their lips together once more.
“Sure thing...Kiyo.”