Chapter Text
“Haven’t you had enough of this yet, delinquent?”
“As if, pretty boy! Like I’m gonna let you win.”
Mondo was steaming- figuratively and literally. Their endurance contest had gone on well into the night with Makoto having left at least an hour ago, leaving him alone with Kiyotaka.
Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the bastard who hadn’t shut his pie hole since they’d been stuck in some shitty horror movie. The guy who pretended he was the happiest person in the damn world. He was red in the face and pouring sweat, staring determinedly at the wall.
“It really was unwise, electing to wear that outfit in here,” Taka said eventually, glancing at the large coat with disdain. “I can’t imagine it’ll improve the odds of you winning our endurance contest.”
“It’s called bragging rights, dumbass,” Mondo retorted.
He was right, though, because the heat was getting downright awful. Both of them were drenched and he was starting to wish more and more that he hadn’t tried to make things more ‘interesting’. And Taka hadn’t even done it, the coward!
At least he looked just as miserable as Mondo felt. It wasn’t as if he enjoyed seeing him like that, but he just hated the guy’s little persona he put on. People who acted all good and responsible when they weren’t really got under his skin. Like politicians and lawyers, the usual bootlicking crowd.
Mondo huffed, looking away from him so he’d be less angry.
He attempted to stretch his arms above his head, letting out a hiss as the movement made heat sear across his skin. When Taka turned to look at him, Mondo just glared, making him look away, his usual petulant frown returned.
It was like a very quiet, very tense corner of hell.
After a long, humid silence, Mondo crossed his arms and addressed his rival. “...Figured you woulda given up by now. You’re not making this easy, I’ll give you that.”
“Well of course I wasn’t going to make this easy,” Taka said indignantly, also crossing his arms, “I’m doing my best to beat you, as we’re competitors. I try my best with everything I do- you’re the one who doesn’t apply yourself.”
“I’m not lazy, you piece of shit! You don’t know anything about me,” Mondo bristled, “I’ve had to put up with more shit than you could imagine: my brother was the leader of the gang, meant everything to me, I idolized him, and now he’s...he’s…he’s not here anymore, alright? And I’ve got big fucking shoes to fill.”
Mondo let out a harsh breath, clenching his fists. What a tool, judging him like that when he didn’t know the first damn thing about his life, what he’d done to keep the gang alive.
Taka’s eyebrows, always furrowed in concentration, relaxed. He opened his mouth a few times to speak, but he kept closing it again, looking lost.
“I’m…sorry about your brother. I see he meant a lot to you.”
He glanced at Taka. His hands were balled sheepishly into his lap, his head bowed.
“It’s fine,” Mondo said, surprised that he kinda meant it. He actually seemed upset?
Something told him it’d be nice to try and cheer him up. Scooching closer on the bench even though it burned like a motherfucker, he gave his shoulder a gentle shove. “Hey, can’t be right about everything. Even if you are a genius.”
Taka snapped his head up, eyes blazing. “Don’t call me that.”
Mondo blinked. When he was mad, the guy actually looked kinda intimidating. “What? You’re obviously smart.”
He straightened his posture. “I may know a lot, but I’m not a genius. I never want to be like-“ Taka hesitated, his determination fading. “I don’t want to lose my work ethic and become obsessed with power like he did.”
“He?”
Kiyotaka looked at him in surprise. “You don’t know?”
Mondo shook his head. “I literally have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“Oh. I thought everyone realized on the first day; everyone I’ve ever met has always known. My grandfather was the prime minister of Japan, lead the country to ruin, and tarnished the family name.”
Mondo’s jaw went slack. “Fucking what? No, I didn’t know that!”
“So…that’s not part of the reason you hate me?” Taka asked genuinely, his head cocked.
“What, no man, I didn’t…I couldn’t judge you like that, for something your grandad did,” he sighed, rubbing his hand over his sweating face. “And I don’t hate you, you just get on my nerves.”
Taka looked away, contemplative. “That’s odd. I was bullied my entire life for my grandfather’s infamy. They played awful pranks on me, pretended to be my friend, belittled me…”
He said it very casually. Mondo felt his nostrils flare.
“Anyway,” Taka continued, ”the reason I came to Hope’s Peak Academy was to help my family, revitalize my country, and restore what my grandfather squandered.”
Something stirred within Mondo and he chuckled. “Funny, I kinda feel like that. But like the opposite, I guess. I want to make something of myself later on.”
“You want to do something other than lead your gang?” Taka said, taken aback, folding his hands together and listening intently.
He tried to give it some thought and explain himself, even if it felt so distant and unlikely. “What I do now isn’t exactly a good living. When I’m older I won’t be able to handle myself like I can now. So…I was thinking about going into carpentry; start making things instead of breakin’ em- have some real pride and confidence instead of just acting the part.”
Mondo had started spacing out during his retrospection. Sensing Taka looking at him, he turned his head and was struck by a beaming smile and the most delighted look in a person’s eyes he’d ever had directed at him.
“I cannot believe how wrong I was about you. Mondo, I’m so proud and excited to hear about your ambitions! I want to see you reach your full potential and I know you will achieve everything in life you put your mind to,” Taka said, gesturing energetically with his hands, looking at him like he could do anything, like he believed in him unconditionally.
Mondo’s stomach flipped, his face burning, and he found that he couldn’t bear to look at Taka. There was some kind of…positive embarrassment he was feeling, and it was both wonderful and terrible at the same time. “Yeah, yeah, uh…thank you. Don’t say it again, though.”
Taka sighed contentedly, finally breaking eye contact but still smiling. “Well, it seems as though we have more in common with each other than we realized.”
Mondo nodded, regaining his cool exterior while his stomach continued to feel things. “Yeah, I guess we might.”
“Then, we should establish a new type of bond that reflects that!” Taka said happily. “We can now be classmates and interact through mutual acquaintanceship.”
Frowning, Mondo shook his head. “What are you talking about man, we’re definitely closer than that now. And in this horseshit killing game? We need to stick together.”
Taka looked pleasantly confused. “Oh, you think? Then,” he took a breath, steadying himself, “I don’t want to be too forward, but…we could be friends, if you’d like! Now that would be exciting, I’ve never had a friend before!”
Mondo’s heart beat against his ribs, and he glanced nervously at Taka. “Well sure, that’s great and all, but I was thinking more like brothers.”
Taka’s face, already flushed from the heat, went bright red.
Mondo continued, trying his damndest to appear laidback. “It’s an unbreakable bond, a soul relationship, y’know- so it’s much better than friendship.”
He didn’t do anything, he just stared.
Right as he was about to apologize and take it back, he realized there were tears in Taka’s eyes. He shifted next to him on the bench, completely unsure of what to do, slightly panicked. “Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to-“
Tears streamed down his cheeks and he smiled brokenly. “I’ve never had a brother. Of course I’d be honored to be yours, kyodai.”
“God dammit bro, now you’re making me cry,” Mondo said, actually feeling himself starting to well up. Kyodai, that sounded so damn nice- “Just you wait, we’re gonna get out of this hellhole together. I promise.”
Taka nodded firmly, pumping his fists and ignoring his tears, speaking even louder than usual. “Of course we will! I am determined to encourage everyone to become their best, most powerful self: through courage, friendship, and hope, there isn’t a future we can’t make for ourselves!”
“Fuck yeah bro! I’m right there beside ya!” Mondo yelled, grinning because he knew now that Taka was their best chance at getting out. If he couldn’t do it, no one could.
“Yes! It’s going to be okay!”
Taka stood from his seat, smiling down at him. “I’d say we’re done here, wouldn’t you? An honorable draw among brothers.”
“Right, that’s a good idea, I’m fuckin’ roasting in here,” Mondo said, toweling the sweat off his forehead as he got up.
They started to make their way out of the sauna. Mondo felt weirdly…peaceful. And ecstatic.
“I’m glad this happened,” Taka said, a gentle smile on his face.
Mondo smiled, too.
Once they were out, Taka chose to take a shower in the locker rooms. Mondo declined his offer of showering together, because obviously that was mortifying- despite an odd opinion of Taka’s that ‘when the body is naked, so is the soul’. God damn.
Either way he needed to be alone, to think for a minute, so he leaned against the wall outside of the lockers, head bowed- trying to look intimidating in case anyone was wandering around.
He had a new brother. One he had to protect at all costs.
Looking up to the ceiling, he wondered if it would be stupid to think about Daiya looking down at him from some kind of heaven; even when he wasn’t sure he’d ever see the sky again.
He heard singing and realized it was Taka. He sounded…happy. Mondo’s heart felt lighter.
After a long internal debate, he decided. It might not matter at all, since they could both kick the bucket soon anyway. But he decided to trust Taka with everything he had.
And he had a secret.
Taka startled him when he reappeared, not noticing because he was adjusting the towel he’d wrapped around him.
“Are you ready, bro?” Taka asked, smiling at him.
Mondo took a breath. There was no going back. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready.”
They started heading back to their rooms, walking side by side. He’d tell him tonight. If he didn’t tonight, he never would.