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“Hahaha!” Mondo heard Taka’s laugh echo through the hallway as he made his way back to his room. He felt his lips tug up into a smile. He picked up the pace, hoping to catch his bro before he went to bed for the night to see if he wanted to hang.
As he rounded the corner he felt himself freeze in his tracks. Standing outside of Taka’s door was his bro, tightly hugging one of the upperclassmen. The blonde one with the really long hair. Mondo ducked back behind the wall and watched the interaction.
“I am most excited to be going to the new exhibit with you,” Mondo heard her say.
“I am as well. When I heard it was opening I knew I wouldn’t want anyone else to accompany me.” Mondo felt his heart break just a little at that. Sure he’s not the biggest fan of museums, but he loves hanging with his bro. He’d go anywhere Taka wanted.
“And afterwards perhaps we could get drinks? There’s this wonderful little cafe that Gundham introduced me to fairly close to it,” she suggested.
“Absolutely! It’s a date!” If Mondo thought his heart broke a little at the first comment, now he knew it was shattered under Taka’s boot heel.
“Wonderful! Now I must get going. I have plans with Chiaki and Peko. I will see you later.” Mondo watched as Taka pulled her hand up and softly placed his lips against her knuckles. His bright laugh rang out again as Sonia gave his shoulder a light shove back as she turned to leave. But before Sonia ran off she pulled Taka into another tight hug. As the two embraced, Mondo could see the blush spreading across Taka’s face. He watched Sonia walk down the hall as Taka watched her with a bright smile before he opened his door and went into his room.
Oh.
That’s what this is.
They were together.
Mondo felt his hands shake. He didn’t even realize Taka had feelings for Sonia, much less dating the princess. Now don’t get him wrong, Sonia was objectively very attractive. Not his type exactly, but he could definitely see why someone would be attracted to her. And the couple of times he had talked to her she was pleasant, if not a little odd with all the questions she fired off about his gang. He was just surprised Taka wanted her. But he wasn’t surprised at the fact that she wanted Taka.
Taka was perfect.
This was just a fact. Mondo would never actually tell his best friend that. Besides the fact he doesn’t think he could get the words out without breaking the sound barrier with his shouts of anxiety, he knew how much Taka hated the word and concept. But it was true.
He was so incredibly intelligent, and passionate, and determined, kind, caring, strong, talented, diligent.
And pretty.
And so what if he was a little obsessive or hot headed. All of his good qualities far outweighed the few bad ones. Taka was utterly perfect to Mondo and only an idiot would say otherwise.
Apparently someone was smart enough to do something about it before he could.
Mondo shoved himself off the wall he was leaning on and stomped down the hall. He retreated into his room and threw himself onto his bed.
——————-
“So you and that Sonia chick?” Mondo asked from Taka’s bed. The two had been studying (Taka had been studying, Mondo had been staring at his math homework and stewing in his anger) and Mondo couldn’t let his curiosity (jealousy) go.
“What about Sonia?” Taka asked not looking up from his work.
“How long has that been a thing?”
“Only about a year.” Mondo felt his eyes widen. He knew he wasn’t good enough for Taka, but was he really that awful a friend? Not knowing he was in a relationship and silently pining for a year. But Taka kept talking.
“Well, technically I guess more so closer to 15 years but we didn’t talk much.”
“Wait how long have you guys been together?”
“We’ve been friends since we were extremely young,” Taka said.
“Huh?” Ok that caught Mondo off guard.
“Yes we’ve known each other since we were toddlers. One moment,” Taka said as he got up and went to his book shelf. He searched through it for a moment.
“Ah, here.” He pulled out a small book. He opened it and flipped through it before landing on a page and pointing at it. He walked over to the bed and handed it to Mondo. He looked at the page and saw a photo of two young children, one laughing and clapping as bubbles filled the room they were in while the other sat with tears pooling in its red eyes.
“We would have play dates while her parents conversed with my grandfather. She’s my oldest friend,” Taka explained.
“So you’re best friends with a princess?” Mondo pressed trying to figure out if the relationship went deeper.
“Oh no,” Taka said as Mondo held his breath.
“You’re my best friend bro! But Sonia is probably a close second. We lost contact after, the scandal, but since we’ve both been enrolled here we’ve been able to reconnect.”
“I’m happy for you bro,” Mondo said.
And he was even happier for himself.
——————-
When Mondo first walked into the dojo the first thing he noticed was Taka. Sweat glistening and sticking to his abs, the way his biceps flexed as he held his shinal. It consumed all of his ability to think.
Well, almost.
He still maintained enough thought capacity so he could be seething at the sight of the girl sparing with Taka.
Mondo watched the two go back and forth for a few minutes. He wanted to say something, but the two were in the zone and he didn’t want either to get hurt, or to have to listen to the lecture he would receive about interrupting people (he might love Taka but he didn’t have it in him to listen to that lecture again.)
He also didn’t want to get his ass beat for possibly disrupting the date(?) by the girl. Mondo easily recognized Peko, he dealt with the Kuzuryu’s enough to recognize their personal attack dog. And hey Mondo has grown a lot. He doesn’t refuse to fight women because they’re inherently weaker than men. Now he’s just refusing to fight Peko because he knows she’s the Ultimate Swordswoman and she currently has a sword and she will kick his ass (it’s the same reason he doesn’t fight Sakura or Mukuro, that’s not sexism that’s just self preservation).
Their match only lasted a couple more minutes. Mondo watched intently, not really stoping himself from staring at how Taka moved. He flinched when he watched Peko sweep Taka’s leg out from under him as he landed hard on the mat. She helped him up and when he turned to see Mondo, he watched his eyes light up and Mondo’s heart stopped.
“Bro! How are you?”
“Fine,” he said trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“How’s your date going?” He totally failed and sounded super chalant, but he probably would’ve gone mental if he had to wait any longer to figure out the situation between the two.
“Oh no. Peko has just asked if I would help her train,” Taka explained.
“Kiyotaka is a skilled adversary.”
“Thank you! And please call me Taka.”
“Very well Taka. Now I must get going. Fuyuhiko and I have plans.”
“Oh did you ask him out? I know how much you wanted t-“ Mondo slapped a hand over Taka’s mouth mid sentence as he noticed Peko’s normally stoic face quickly turn bright red.
“I did not. He, asked me out,” she said glancing away, but Mondo saw the small smile tug on her lips. He could feel Taka’s smile from underneath his hand and Taka’s whole body was practically vibrating with excitement. His heart stopped when Taka wrapped his fingers around his hand and pulled it down so he could speak.
“Peko! I’m extremely happy for you! You must tell me about it tomorrow.” Mondo was able to stop himself from frowning. Peko was taken, and by the sound of it had never had feelings for Taka. And Taka had apparently known about her feelings towards someone else. That was good.
It would be even better if Taka would stop working out too less with people who weren’t Mondo, but one battle at a time.
——————
Mondo needed to stop walking through random hallways right before curfew. This was taking a toll on his mental health. He had forgotten his E-Handbook in the rec room, so he figured he’d just run up real quick and grab it before curfew.
The door was open when he got there and inside were Taka and Hina. Mondo didn’t stop his face from contorting into a glare at the two. He didn’t need to stop it. Because what he saw the two do stopped it for him.
Hina brought her hand to Taka’s face and pulled him close before pressing her lips to his. Taka sat stiff, but didn’t pull away.
Mondo couldn’t watch it anymore. He turned and bolted down the hall and stairs. He didn’t let himself stop running until he got to his room. He threw the door open and slammed it behind him. His body shook as he paced the room, hands tugging his hair out of its pompadour. His eyes stung with tears he refused to let himself cry.
He knew it. He knew he was too fucking stupid and full of himself to make a fucking move and look where it got him. The man he was in love with kissing someone else.
And of course it was Hina! He should’ve known. Hina was constantly hanging on Taka like a third arm, working out with him, studying with him, flirting with him. He’s actually heard her call him hot (he took it as her stating a fact and apparently not her sweet talking her boyfriend). If Taka wasn’t with him and she wasn’t with Sakura, you could bet money that the two were together.
And the worst part was he couldn’t even blame anyone but himself. What man wouldn’t want to date Hina. And even if it wasn’t Hina it would’ve been another girl, someone much better than him. Someone who actually deserved Taka.
Someone who wasn’t him.
———————
Mondo couldn’t bring himself to do anything with Taka after that. If he had to listen to Taka gush about his relationship he’d probably break something. So he avoided him. He skipped class more often than he had in months. Their after class hangouts came to an abrupt stop. It was hard to stop doing anything with Taka. Even if he wasn’t in love with him, Taka was still his best friend.
But the hardest part was seeing the hurt look on Taka’s face.
Everytime he bolted from a room, it was to him ignoring Taka’s calls.
And it didn’t stop with Taka. If he was in a room and Hina walked in, he’d bolt too. He couldn’t stand to look at her smug face. But when he saw it lately it was enraged. No doubt trying to get answers for her boyfriend. Even just thinking the word made Mondo want to vomit.
It was week two of avoiding them that it came to a head. Mondo was in the laundry room with Leon as the baseball player rambled about, something, Mondo wasn’t really paying attention, when the door slammed open. He turned to see what caused the commotion, but his blood ran cold when he met the eyes of an angry Hina and a crying Taka.
“You!” She shouted stopping over to Mondo. He looked over at Leon, hoping for any kind of help, just to watch Leon bolting out of the room.
Bastard.
Now all alone, Mondo couldn’t run. Hina slammed her hands down in the table glaring daggers at him.
“Alright what’s the big idea?”
“I got no idea what you’re talking about,” mondo muttered. He stood up, trying to leave the room but Hina kept following him, blocking his path.
“Bullshit! You’ve been acting like a jerk for the past couple weeks! Avoiding us, canceling plans!”
“Please Mondo. If I have done anything to upset you I’m sorry!” Taka sobbed out, tightly hugging himself. Mondo reached out, but stopped himself short. He didn’t think it would hurt Taka this much, really he didn’t think at all. He just couldn’t handle seeing the love of his life happy without him.
“No, you didn’t do anything dude. It’s nothing.”
“Mondo clearly it’s not nothing. What did I do?”
“Forget it.”
“Oh no we’re not forgetting anything. Start talking! What’s up with you!”
“Doesn’t matter! Just leave it and go spend time with your girlfriend!” Mondo spat while staring at Hina. The other two stared at him with confused looks. Taka followed Mondo’s glare, turning to Hina. They sat for another second staring at each other.
Then they laughed. Hysterical laughter.
“The fucks so funny!” he growled but it did nothing to stop the laughter.
“Me and-Taka is-are you serious!” Hina barely got out through her laughter.
“We-oh goodness!” Taka stumbled out. Mondo just stared at the two clenching his fists. Silently. The other two finally recognized Mondo’s silence and stopped laughing now just staring at him again.
“Oh…you’re serious,” Hina said.
“I was under the impression that you knew?” Taka asked.
“Know what?” Now Mondo was really getting angry.
“We’re gay,” Hina said plainly. It took Mondo a moment to register her words, but when he did…
“Huh?”
“I thought I was being obvious, like my bag literally has an ‘I❤️Girls’ pin and like three different lesbian flag patches,” Hina said.
“Mondo, I came out to you already. Don’t you remember?” Taka asked.
“No when the fuck did you do that?”
“The night we became friends. I told you I never understood being obsessed with women but I finally figured out why. I was nervous to actually say it and you said ‘don’t stress I get ya’.”
Mondo thought back all those months ago to their sauna battle. He could vaguely remember that part of their conversation, but to his heat muddled mind he just thought that Taka meant he went through puberty and found a hot girl at Hope’s Peak. His face burnt red at this.
Did that mean he had a chance? But he’s seen how close they are. Not to mention the incident that’s been seared into his brain. What the fuck?
“Ok besides your gaydar apparently being nonexistent, why’d you think we were even dating?” Hina asked.
“I literally saw you two kiss” Mondo explained staring at the floor, missing the way Taka’s face turned bright red.
“That-that was a private moment and is being taken extremely out of context!” Taka shouted waving his arms in front of him.
“How outta context could it have been?”
“I merely…asked Hina…how to kiss as I had never done it before and…,” Taka trailed off mumbling. Mondo stared at him waiting for the rest as Hina elbowed him in the ribs.
“Fine! There’s someone I want to kiss and I was worried I’d be bad at it if I ever got the chance!” His voice was back to a shout as he crossed his arms scowling at Hina as she went back to giggling.
“By the way he’s awful at it,” she joked.
“Well fuck. Sorry I lashed out at the two of ya,” Mondo mumbled out the apology. Even though he didn’t have to worry about Hina, the conversation didn’t help him. Taka just admitted to having a crush on someone else. He still didn’t even have a chance. The silence stretched out between the three of them.
“Hina would you please give me and Mondo some privacy?” Taka’s voice cut through the quiet.
“Sure but what-ohOHH! You got it.” Hina darted away leaving Mondo and Taka alone. Even without her listening in and watching, Mondo couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
“Why were you so upset about the prospect of me and Hina dating?” Taka asked. He never was one to beat around the bush. Always direct and straight forward. Mondo loved that about him.
“Actually come to think of it, you have been strangely negative regarding a few of my close friendships lately,” Taka continued. Mondo remained silent. Taka let out a breath.
“I am not fond of when you and Leon get up to your hi-jinx.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m also not fond of your late night workouts with Chihiro. I’m not a fan of it. Two nights a week where it is just you and him. Alone.”
“Dude whats this about? We’ve been doing that for months.” Mondo didn’t know where Taka was going with this. Sure him and Leon weren’t the best students and Taka had been on his ass for that. But Taka had always been extremely happy for and supportive of Chihiro and him working on being his true self and trying to get stronger.
“It makes me nervous, and anxious, and a little sad, and a little angry. Even if I know you are just friends with them.”
”Dude. Are you…jealous? Of Chihiro and Leon?” The words didn’t even sound right coming out of Mondo’s mouth. Taka’s face flushed a bright red and Mondo was sure his face was matching.
“I guess I am. Jealous. Extremely so.”
“But you know you’re my best friend?” To say Mondo was confused was the understatement of the century.
“I know we’re best friends. That has never been a doubt. But it’s what they could be that I’m not.”
Mondo knew he had to be staring at Taka like an idiot. But he really didn’t care. He couldn’t figure out what Taka was referring to. The one thing that is coming to his mind is…well it can’t be that. Mondo has never been so lucky.
”It seems that you aren’t understanding. Fine.” Taka grabbed the collars of Mondo’s jacket tight, and pulled. Hard.
Hina was right. Taka kind of sucked at kissing. He was stiff and clumsy. But it didn’t really matter. He was kissing the low of his life. It took a moment and Taka loosened his grip on Mondo’s collar, moving his hands to cradle his face. The way he held Mondo’s face so softly like it was something worth being gentle with made his heart feel like it was going to beat out of its chest. Mondo didn’t waste time pulling Taka in closer, kissing back.
They separated, barely, resting their foreheads against each the other’s and staring into each other’s eyes.
”Do you promise to stop being rude and needlessly jealous towards all of my female friends?” Taka asked, laughter spilling from his lips.
“Do you promise to do that again doll?” Mondo teased, smiling as Taka’s face turned as red as his eyes.
“If I must,” he sighed, but there was no annoyance behind it as he leaned in to kiss Mondo again.