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“Im telling you dude, Sayaka totally was sending interested vibes when she handed me my pencil,” Leon rants. Mondo sighs, smacking his forehead in frustration. He feels like an idiot for agreeing to help Leon move some supplies for the science lab into the school. He doesn’t know if he can listen to the ginger pine after knock-off Miku for another second. Leon seems to not get that Sayaka may not be totally into him, always insistent that together as a ‘couple’ they will repopulate Japan with perfect athletic musical children. The whole thing is almost as stupid as Hagakure’s vision of a psycho bear taking over Hope’s Peak.
He trips Leon, hoping the gremlin will finally shut his big mouth for a second. “Y’know dumbass,” Mondo teases as a fallen Leon screeches, “May’b Fukuwa wants to suck you off with Walmart-Vocaloid. She did lend you’n eraser yesta’day!” Mondo laughs uncontrollably at the idea of Fukuwa and Leon reproducing which pisses Leon off to no end. The ginger shoots up from the ground and pounces onto Mondo, pushing the Gang Leader to the ground. The two boys begin to wrestle, laughing and rolling around the Hope’s Peak Soccer Fields. Mondo’s foot digs into Leon as Leon slaps the shit out of his opponents face, neither hardass willing to admit defeat.
“Um, Mondo-Kun? C-Can we speak for a second,” a dumbfounded Chihiro questions as he and Naegi walk over to the boys. Naegi’s gaw drops as he watches the SHSL Baseball Player repeatedly punch the SHSL Gang Leader in the stomach. Chihiro doesn’t seem shocked that Mondo is wrestling with someone, more so that Leon was screaming swears faster than a crusty sailor.
Mondo spits some grass out of his mouth and yanks Leon off of him, pulling some red hair from his dumb goatee in the process. “Sure lil’ dude,” he pants, “Gimme a sec to finish this asshole off.” Mondo gets up off the grass and gives Leon one final kick in the shin. Satisfied, he smiles and laughs at the whining baseball star.
Leon grasps his stomach in pain, groaning as he dusts himself off. “Man, fuck you,” he spits out. Mondo wishes he could take a picture of Leon like this, looking like a complete idiot. He could show Sayaka, warn the poor girl of his stupidity.
Mondo turns to Chihiro and Naegi, stifling a laugh at the shocked expression on the boy’s faces. He hopes he isn’t scaring Chihiro into thinking he’ll hurt him. The only dude who Mondo would beat the shit out of is Leon, the kid needs to be put in his place sometimes. Mondo doesn’t really mind if Naegi is scared of him. With Kirigiri and Togami constantly tailing Naegi the kid should be afraid that someone could attack him at any second. Those two act crazier than Fukuwa sometimes.
He pants a bit after the wrestling he did with Leon, if you can call Leon getting the shit beaten out of him by Mondo wrestling. “Kid, Waddya’ need,” he asks his tiny workout buddy.
Chihiro gives Mondo a weak smile. “Um Mondo-Kun, have you spoken to Kiyotaka-Kun today or yesterday?” Now to think of it, Mondo hasn’t really interacted with his boyfriend recently. Usually Mondo would have been concerned about Taka’s absence, cursing himself for whatever he must have done to cause the friction. However, Taka had been studying for the past few days for a big Biology exam. Mondo has grown quite used to Taka retreating when he needs to study. He just assumed that Taka was really focused on the test.
Mondo feels so stupid. Even when Taka is super fucking stressed, he still makes sure to talk to Mondo. Sometimes Taka will even study and hang with Mondo. Mondo loves it when they just chill together. He loves every facet of Kiyotaka Ishimaru. Being gay isn’t very edgy, making it shit for Mondo’s reputation, but Mondo doesn’t give two fucks. He loves his annoying boyfriend. Well, apparently Modo doesn’t love him enough to remember to check on his boyfriend. God, he feels like the biggest asshole alive.
Mondo plasters a fake smile on his face, not wanting to worry Chi with his dumbass worrying. “Nah Chi, he has ta study for a test or sum shit,” Mondo asserts, “Buh, why do’yah ask kid?
Chihiro nervously rubs his hands together, “Well, uh, he seemed really upset after class yesterday. I think he was crying and stuff. A-and, I don’t think he’s left his room since last night.”
Shit. This could be really bad. Taka gets really emotional and beats himself up a lot. If he’s isolating himself, Mondo knows it’s because Taka tricked himself into thinking that he messed up somehow. Mondo shivers when Taka asks to be hit when he ‘fails’ because of years spent being hit by his family when he messed up slightly. How could someone as amazing as Taka always think of himself as a screw-up?
Mondo furrows his eyebrows and grimances. “Imma go check on’im. Make sure he’s ok n’shit,” Mondo’s face lights up in annoyance as he remembers something, “Fuck, forgot about Leon. Ok, uh, can one a’ya help’im move shit inta’ the school? I was gonna, but I dunno how long Taka is gonna need me.”
Naegi smiles, “Of course Mondo-Kun, I’m sure Chihiro-Kun and I can help out!” Naegi pumps his fist in the air before grabbing Chi’s arm and pulling him over to Leon, who is sprawled out on the grass. You know, you can say a lot about Naegi but you can’t say the kid isn’t persistent.
Mondo waves at Chihiro and flips Leon off as he races off to the dorms. Every second away from Taka, knowing that his boyfriend could be sobbing and feeling like utter shit, feels agonizing for Mondo. Mondo’s jacket flows behind him as he races up the stairs.
The gang-leader navigates the hallways of Hope’s Peak as he runs, almost bumping into a disgruntled Togami. The bastard is yelling at a whimpering Fukuwa. Mondo shudders and runs faster from the pair as Togami switches gears to yell at him for almost knocking him on the ground. That guy is fucking annoying.
Mondo finds himself in front of Taka’s door. He tries to knock the door lightly. Mondo gets no response. He raps the door again with more force. Again, Mondo gets no response from Taka.
“Babe,” Mondo yells as he hits the door, “I know yur n’there! Lemme in, I wanna see you!” Mondo feels sweat begin to roll down his forehead. After a few seconds, Mondo hears movement from the other side of the door. The door slowly creeps open. Trembling teary red eyes look helplessly at Mondo. Mondo suddenly feels the weight of Taka as his boyfriend desperately falls into him. Mondo rubs Taka’s back as he sobs. Gently, he pulls Taka back into his dorm. He shuts the door and leads the still crying Taka over to the bed.
Taka curls into Mondo as soon as the pair sit side by side on the bed. Warm tears stain Mondo’s jacket. Their hands touch and intertwine into each other. Mondo’s hands are so tough and bruised while Taka’s are smooth. Still, their hands fit together like puzzle pieces. Mondo lifts Taka’s chin up from his shoulder and looks his boyfriend in the eye. Taka looks so sad. Mondo hates that. Someone like Taka should never look that sad, ever. Mondo kisses him on the forehead and strokes his hair.
They sit there for a few minutes, the only noise in the room being Taka’s sobs. The crying does seem to slow down after Mondo calms Taka by playing with his hair and cuddling with him. Taka lays his head on Mondo’s lap as his sobs quiet into whimpers. Mondo is immensely happy when Taka quiets completely. He allows Taka to lay in his lap for a while longer, appreciating the warmth his boyfriend gives him as he lays.
Mondo clears his throat, startling Taka a bit. “Babe,” he begins, “Can you tell me wassup?” Mondo feels Taka take a heavy breath. His boyfriend lifts himself up off his lap and cuddles into Mondo’s shoulder.
Taka takes a strained deep breath in and out, beginning to speak, “I’m a failure.”
“What?” Mondo is shocked. If anyone in this room was a failure, it was the idiot with bleached hair who smells of cigarettes.
“I said I was a failure,” Taka sighs, “I do not know why you put up with somebody like me Mondo.” Taka’s red eyes begin producing tears again as his body trembles. Mondo places his hand on Taka’s rapidly bouncing leg, rubbing in slow circles to soothe Taka.
An incredulous look appears on Mondo’s face as he soothes Taka, “Babe, You ain’t a screw up. You hafta’ be the smartest person in this whole goddamn school.”
“Language.”
Mondo chuckles and kisses Taka’s head, “Yeah, what’eva. Babe, tell me wha'ppen so I can help ya. I’m sure it ain’t as bad as ya’ think it is.” He reaches his muscled arm around Taka’s body, pulling the Hall Monitor closer to him. They cuddle as Taka seems to contemplate what he’s going to say.
Taka nestles his head on Mondo’s shoulder and tightens his grip on Mondo’s hand as he begins to speak, “The test for biology which I was studying for, I failed it.”
“Wha? You mean ya got a B or sum shit? Babe, that ain’t failin’.”
“No, I received an F on the assessment,” Taka whispers.
Mondo frowns. In all the time he has known his boyfriend, Taka has never failed any test. Shit, makes perfect sense why the kid who cried for 3 hours over a B+ is really fucking messed up from a failng grade. Mondo brushes Taka’s hair off of his face with his free hand, seeing the sweat building up under Taka’s black mussed locks.
Mondo snuggles closer to Taka, “Babe, you do fuckin’ great on everything else. One test won’t matter n’the end.”
“It is not just the test. I additionally missed almost every assignment in that class for the past few days in an attempt to understand the subject.”
Mondo scrunches his eyebrows, “The teachers love you babe. Talk t’em. You're the best n’our class.” Taka heaves a large sigh and squeezes Mondo’s hand.
Taka looks up at Mondo and gives a weak smile, “I believe you are right. I-,” Taka takes a deep breath, “I need to not catastrophize. I love you, Darling.” Taka leans in and touches his soft lips to Mondo’s. The two of them stay in a kiss for a few moments, basking in each other’s presence.
Mondo wipes Taka’s eyes with his jacket, causing Taka to sputter, “Mondo! We both know the ‘places’ that jacket has been!” Mondo falls onto Taka’s bed in a fit of laughter. Taka pouts and gingerly lays down next to his boyfriend.
“A’ight babe. What do w’need to do to fix the grade,” Mondo mutters as he runs his hands through Taka’s hair.
Taka shoots up, causing Mondo to stumble off of the bed. Taka wears an expression of intense thought as Mondo flops back onto the bed.
“I know! I will go over the unit once more,” Taka exclaims, “Love, grab my textbook!” Mondo will follow every order Taka gives him if he can see the stunning smile his boyfriend wears. He feels at peace knowing he calmed his boyfriend down, odd considering he didn’t know what the word meant until he meant Taka. As Mondo snuggles into Taka as he sits down and opens the textbook, he feels happy.
A large calloused hand reaches to a soft slender hand. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The fingers squeeze into each other and everything seems like it will be ok.