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It was the last day of Mondo’s time at Hopes Peak. His graduation gown hung by his ankles-too small for his large frame-and he shifted his hat to fit on his meticulously styled hair.
He’d said his goodbyes to almost everyone in his class, tears building behind his eyes. They still had an entire assembly to get through but after that everyone would want to spend time with their families, so it was best to say goodbye now.
The Headmaster had organised a party for them to gorge themselves on cake and fizzy drinks to calm their nerves before each and every one of them had to make some speech onstage about their talents growth and their time at Hopes Peak. It had been a great end to a fantastic three years, with Mondo’s friends all around him.
Except for one.
At the start of the party his boyfriend Taka had been more preoccupied with cleaning up after everyone than enjoying himself and double-triple-quadruple checking everyone’s speeches. Until Mondo had convinced him to take a break by pointing out the usually uptight Celeste; who in the spirit of things had kicked off her heels and was horking down chocolates with Hifumi. She was even talking in her normal, rougher accent. Taka had wavered slightly, fiddling with his outfit to make sure it was as good as it could be, before Mondo had planted a kiss on his perfect lips and Taka’s shoulders had relaxed.
Kiyotaka relented and had one can of cola in a final act of student rebellion-before turning pink and excusing himself to the bathroom. Mondo hadn’t seen him since.
Not that he was worried. Taka had a problem with sweeteners, and he’d assumed his boyfriend was just coming down from a sugar high.
But now the party was over, cleared away and everyone was in line for the assembly and Taka was nowhere to be seen.
“Maybe he’s helping the headmaster?” Chihiro offered from behind him when Mondo nearly chewed his fingernails off.
“No he would have told me. He was in charge of setting up the lights today and he didn’t stop bragging about it for a week.” Mondo countered, eyes locked on the nearest door. There was a boys bathroom on the hallway on the other side, maybe Taka was in there. Or the bathroom on the science floor; if Mondo sprinted he could collect him in time.
“He could be ill.” Mukuro said, swatting his sister's hand away from where it was threatening to pull Fukawa’s braids.
“That nerd wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Junko pouted, sulkily nursing her hand. Mondo’s chest clenched.
“Don’t call him a nerd.”
“You call him worse!”
“It’s okay when I do it, i’m his best friend!”
Junko’s eyes glittered and something in Mondo’s stomach swooped.
“And his boyfriend, don’t forget that. Or maybe he thinks you forgot that; maybe he’s working up the courage to break up with you!”
“Shut up, he wouldn’t do that!”
“So you’ll stay together, stuck in an unhappy relationship because you’re both too afraid to break it off?” She teased, pulling a cutesy face. Mondo scowled at her.
“Get fucked Junko, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Well neither do you if you’re just going to leave your boyfriend to suffer like that.”
“Junko…” Chihiro sighed wearily, cut off by Mondo passing her to sprint to the hallway.
“Mondo!” Makoto called out to his retreating back, but Mondo ignored him.
He burst into the hallway, and threw open the bathroom door.
A strangled gasp cane from behind a stall.
“Taka?” Mondo asked tentatively, creeping closer, “babe, is that you?”
“Mondo?”
He breathed a sigh of relief. The tight coil of worry untangled itself in his chest and he rapped his knuckles on the stall door.
“Babe, the assembly’s starting soon, you comin’?”
“...i can’t.”
Mondo paused. His eyebrows furrowed and the coil shifted tighter inside him.
“What do you mean you can’t? You sick or somethin’?”
“No. I just…”
Taka trailed off, voice echoing in the quiet bathroom walls. Mondo sighed. He’d known his best friend well enough to recognise an anxiety attack and it sounded like Taka was just coming down from one.
“It’s gonna be alright baby, i’m here. You wanna talk about it?”
Mondo calm voice carefully concealed his panic. What could have possibly happened to make Kiyotaka not want to do the assembly? He loved assemblies! He once did an assembly on the importance of assemblies.
The stall door opened slowly to reveal Taka, sitting cross legged on the toilet, hand clutching his knees. His face was wet with tears which, though unsurprising, wasn’t any less heartbreaking. Mondo stepped into the stalk and shut the door behind him. Taka sniffed loudly, before collapsing into his arms, gently crying.
“Shh, sshhh…” Mondo rubbed a hand down Taka’s back, lips pressed against his neck. Taka quivered against him, sniffling and groaning.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“... i don’t deserve this assembly.”
Mondo’s hand paused. Taka had a difficult relationship with his own self worth. One moment he thought he was the smartest person in the room the next he was begging someone to hit him for his failings. Mondo could barely keep up with it most days he didn’t understand how Taka could live with it.
“Bro you know that’s not true. You work harder than anyone I know, you spent your whole life talking about how ‘hard work and dedication will always reep rewards’ and now you don’t want to see it through?”
He patted his boyfriend's back, and Taka hiccuped. They both chuckled a bit, Mondo could feel his laughter rumbling against his chest.
“You’re right I just… I just…”
Taka pulled back and looked him in the eyes. His face was flushed and wet, nose running and hair mussed, and Mondo still thought he was gorgeous.
“When I was reading everyone’s speeches they all talked about how they’ve grown as people and I just thought, what have I done? How am I any better than when I started? I’m still uptight, paranoid, neurotic, awkward-“
“Charming, sweet, kind, generous.” Mondo finished for him. He gently stroked Taka’s face, brushing away a tear.
“Taka you’ve made more friends here than you’ve made in your life. You have a more social calendar and you’ve tried things you’d never even have considered doing before.”
“I was right not to try soda though.” Taka wrinkled his nose in disgust and Mondo laughed.
“Taka you’re my best friend, and I couldn’t imagine what my life could be like now without you.”
Kiyotaka gave him a watery smile, before placing a hand on Mondo’s and pushing him away.
“I’m glad you’re my… friend, kyoudai.”
“So am I, bro.”
“And I know you’ll make many more great friends in the future.”
“Um, yeah-“
“And I greatly appreciate the time we’ve spent together.”
Mondo looked into his boyfriend's red eyes and stood up, ignoring the tight spiralling in his chest.
“What do you mean, bro?”
“I mean you’re a fantastic man, and you deserve someone as amazing as you.”
The hot sting behind his eyes was back and Mondo pressed his back against the stall door.
“Bro-Taka. Are you… breaking up with me?”
Kiyotaka gave him a sad look and ducked his head.
“I know I should have done this sooner and i’m sorry for wasting your time until now but I know that-that you’ve been waiting for this-“
“No!”
Mondo grasped Taka’s hands and pulled his to his feet.
“What are you taling about?! You’re making it sound like I was going to break up with you!”
“Weren’t you?” Taka tilted his head to the side, and if he weren’t so confused Mondo would probably coo at him.
“N-no of course I wasn’t! What the hell would make you think that?!”
“Junko said that all high school romances end with either breaking up before graduation or an unhappy marriage. And I don’t want to trap you in a relationship with me, when you could be going out and meeting someone better-“
Mondo groaned and ran a hand through his hair, pompadour coming undone.
“Ah-bro your hair-“
“Fuck my hair!”
Taka gasped like he’d been slapped and held the front of his gown.
“W-why would you say that? You love your hair!”
“Yeah but you seem to think I should just give it up in case I get bored of it! Which I won’t by the way! If i get bored of my hairstyle I fix the problem I don’t just shave it all off and try again!”
“But if your hair is too damaged to be fixed maybe shaving it would be beneficial-“
“But it’s not damaged kyoudai! It’s perfect just the way it is! Who cares if it gets tangled sometimes and is expensive to take care of. I’ve kept it this long for a reason. Because I love it.”
Taka sniffled, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve.
“... we’re still talking about me, right?”
“Yes Taka, you’re the hair.”
They both looked at each other for a moment, before breaking down laughing.
“Oh kyoudai i’m sorry i got so worked up over nothing, i was just so worried.”
“Bro,” Mondo placed a hand on Taka’s shoulder and pulled him in for a hug.
“Taka I love you. I love you and I never want to let you go. I love you more than my stupid hair or this school, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Mondo kissed the tip of Taka’s ear and pulled away. Then kneeled down.
“I was hoping to do this in a more romantic place than the boys bathroom but…”
Mondo reached into his gown and pulled out a small box. Taka carefully took it from him and opened it.
A small wooden ring sat in a cushion, carved to look like a diamond was resting on top. Mondo stared down at the dirty bathroom floor, avoiding eye contact.
“I-i couldn’t afford a real ring, yanno? A-and Chihiro said it was symbolic cause you helped me with my carpentry an’all.”
“Kyoudai…”
“It’s a promise ring. I know we can’t get properly married but I just thought-“
“Kyoudai.”
“Well, when you’re prime minister you’ll fix that. But, um, if you want-“
“Mondo!”
Mondo’s eyes snapped up, just before his face was grabbed and he was pulled up into a searing kiss.
When they pulled apart Taka’s face was even redder and Mondo was breathing heavily.
“So was that a-“
“Yes it’s a yes!” Taka slipped the ring onto his wedding finger and admired it. Tears slid down his face again. Mondo stared dreamily at his boyfriends-fiances?-face, lips still tingling.
Then the bell went off.
“Did we-“
“We missed the assembly, yeah.”