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Mondo was burning holes into the back of Celestia's head again.
“Kyoudai, staring is rude,” Kiyotaka reminded him, for approximately the 20th or so time.
“So is—” Mondo tried to retort, but Kiyotaka raised an eyebrow and glanced at Chihiro across the table, which, as usual, stopped him from finishing that sentence.
“People make bad choices in horrible situations,” Kiyotaka reiterated, also for approximately the 20th time. “I don't hold it against her, and neither should you.”
“She doesn't even regret it!” Mondo pouted. “And it's not like she had to— it was… it was just… ugh!” Mondo chewed on his lip, leaning back in his chair. “She didn't even have a good reason.”
“And your reason… that was good?” Kiyotaka asked, somewhat harsher than he'd been talking before. He didn't like it when Mondo implied there were noble ways to kill a person.
“No! Of course not!” Mondo leaned forward, slamming his hands on the table. Chihiro jumped, briefly distracted from her calculations, and Mondo looked guilty. He removed his hands from the table.
Kiyotaka pinched the bridge of his nose. It was always far too bright in this room. “It's only fair, Mondo. You have to at least try to be civil with Celestia. Think about how upset you'd be if—”
“Stop comparing me to her!” Mondo snarled. Chihiro yelped.
Kiyotaka looked back up at him, surprised by the outburst. Mondo looked like he might cry.
“I'm nothing like her,” Mondo mumbled, clearly ashamed that he'd lost his hold on his temper. He got up and walked away.
After some hours of searching, he found Mondo outside by the green house. Kiyotaka, once a big proponent of outdoor activity, couldn't say that was the wisest choice; the air pollution made the atmosphere hazy and warm. He removed his suit jacket and folded it before sitting next to Mondo, who was already in just his tank top, jacket discarded. Mondo leaned into his shoulder almost immediately. Kiyotaka wrapped his arm around him on instinct.
Mondo pressed his head into Kiyotaka's chest-armpit region. “I walk around with guilt every day for what I did. Not just to Chihiro an’ Daiya. But to you, too, y'know?”
“I know.” Kiyotaka ran his fingers through the back of Mondo's hair.
“It eats me alive.” Mondo's voice cracked.
“Mondo,” he sighed. “It hurts us to see you hurting, too.”
“You could be dead right now.” Mondo hid. “Dai is dead, still. I deserve to hurt.”
“You don't,” Kiyotaka shook his head. “Nobody deserves to hurt, Mondo. Not you, not Celestia.” He caressed the nape of Mondo's neck. “I won't act like I was unaffected. Clearly, I was— but… I would never wish my pain on anyone. I don't want anybody to have to hurt anymore.”
Mondo nuzzled him. “You're so damn good… how did someone like me ever catch a guy like you?”
Kiyotaka frowned. “Don't put yourself down!” He chided. Then, he softened. “I don't know if I believe in good, anymore,” Kiyotaka admitted.
Mondo looked up at him. “Yeah?"
“Yeah,” Kiyotaka looked up at the red sky above them. “I believe in kindness. That’s all you can ask for, really.” He gave Mondo a kiss on the forehead. “Just be kind.”
Mondo reached up and gave him a kiss on the lips.
They didn’t need to say anything more.