We were seated on a bench that we had placed in the garden, it was an old bench that sometimes seemed to make noises because of our weight or because the wind is passing us and the old wood can't handle two adult males on it.
The garden was nicely kept as much as you would expect from Taka. Among the things that he can't help but getting annoyed at is people letting their garden become a mess because they say they have too much work to do.
Here you have a lawyer trying to get his political career started to show people that his name shouldn't be put to shame because of his grandfather and he is someone who tries to make things better for everyone even if his talent gets in the way from sometimes breaking some rules to do so.
It is funny to sometimes see him struggle to make a decision because of it. I guess that is one of the reasons he has me around I guess. I have never really lived by much if any rules to begin with. It is harder for me to follow them as it is for him to break them.
As the Moral Compass, it was his job to keep people from doing bad things that they may regret in their lives and in a way, he has succeeded by keeping me from whatever I had planned for the future. Well I didn't really have plans to begin with, I was just planning to live out the promise I had made and not really thinking if it really was I wanted.
He and another friend had made me realize that I had a say in what my future was going to be and that it wasn't as set as I believed it to be.
I let out a small laugh under my breath, this all from a guy that when we met I could surely punch. And well I have to admit that that has happened, a long time ago but I won't deny that early on I did in fact punch him.
Our awkward start aside we did manage to get along well after a while, so well in fact that years after we had met we had gone from rivals to friends to soul brothers to soulmates. Realizing that our fates had simply gotten to tangled into each other that there was no point in trying to deny it.
And here we are, sitting in the backyard of the home we have been sharing for quite a while now. Previously listening to something he had been rambling about but had gotten so distracted by the uninteresting nature of what he was telling that my mind had started to wander.
Not that Taka isn't interesting to listen to, far from that but some topics he sometimes happens to bring up bore me out of my mind. I much preferred to just look at him while he is being so passionate about what he was talking about, very likely politics.
"Kyodai are you even listening to me?" That was when I snapped out of it, since I was no longer protected by my cover and had to find a way to make up an excuse that would not get me into trouble later. Taka wasn't willing to go easy on me, being his lover had no way to get out of that.
One of the rules he keeps correcting me on. Yes, if the conversation gets boring I stop listening I know that, I just can't bring myself to listen longer than my attention span will allow me at that given moment. My attention span when it comes to politics is close to zero.
"Yeah, of course I am listening to ya, Taka." To not draw to much attention, I replied in the way that very likely gave more away than I wanted.
Calling each other Kyodai was a habit that seemed to die hard. Neither of us were really able to drop that after being friends for so long that it has been hard for us to drop it. We know it can sound really awkward at times but it is something neither of us can stop from happening.
Taka has held on this harder than I do, I do call him Taka more than I call him Kyodai. He does call me by my name more and more but the habit has died harder. Unlike him I don't use his full name when addressing him.
Kiyotaka Ishimaru, or Taka by most people the ultimate moral compass. Grandson of one of the most hated prime ministers in recent history. I didn't notice the connection at first, only knowing it when he had broken down under the stress and told me.
One of the main reasons that the young lawyer is willing to let sleep go to make sure that he is able to get into politics. To clear his family's name from the stain that his grandfather has left on it and working hard to pay the large debt that has come from it.
I see how much that event has left scars on him, he was a young boy when it happened and it has influenced his childhood, already being limited by lack of social skills and by his talent.
People think our talents are a gift and that we are so lucky to have those and are able to get to the elite class of society. And that we get into the elite is not wrong, most of the ultimate will be able to get into the highest class. But not all of us will, like me I will not be a person that will fit into that place.
As the ultimate gang leader, it would be weird if I would fit in there. And I don't want to, that kind of class is more fitting for Taka than it is for me.
Even if we would be able to fit in with the elite that doesn't mean that we are happy. Unlike normal people we happen to be stuck into the box we have been put in at birth. Meaning that we are pushed to be what people expect us.
Making us rather limited as to what we can do later in life. Not that we can't but it is very hard to sometimes impossible to do anything besides our talent. We both are guilty when it comes to that. We both got stuck for different reasons.
My problem is mostly that I have a very hard time with people bossing me around and getting out of the situation I have been brought into. Kiyotaka has been limited more than me. His social skills are very limited, I will admit that and that in combination with his talent making him mostly unable to see that some rules can be broken has laid to problems of their own.
There is nothing wrong with him but you can see it has ripple effects on him. His talent also caused him problems, people don't generally like someone as stuck up as him. I know since the same was true for me, causing him to get bullied a lot.
I saw a hand move in front of my eyes and snapped out of what I was thinking.
"Mondo, you weren't paying attention to what I was saying, were you?" He sounds hurt and I can understand that. His ruby eyes stared into me, into my soul. I never imagined becoming such a softie for a man I couldn't stand. The hurt in his eyes didn't really sit well with me at all.
"I am sorry, kyodai. I was looking at your eyes and got lost in them." I know it sounds cheesy but I know it helps to get that hurt expression of his face, because it normally gets replaced by a blush rivalling the color of his eyes.
"M-Mondo that was really cheesy... but I guess it can't be helped!" Taka spoke between a normal tone and shouting, a lot softer than he use to speak but still rather loud if you weren't paying attention to what he is saying.
I guess learning to adapt with the social skills that our class at Hope's Peak had given him. We didn't all get along equally but it is sure that we all in some way have learned from each other while we were there.
It has been several years since we have graduated from Hope's Peak High and have all gone our own ways but Makoto, a class mate of ours, always makes sure to try to organize things so we meet up again. Not everyone can join every time but it is nice to see the people that do show up when you come.
Byakuya Togami, Hifumi Yamada, Toko Fukawa and Taka being the people that are more absent from these meetings than other. And we do understand that they haven't always got the time to join. Toko and Hifumi most of the time are trying to meet deadlines when they don't show up. Byakuya and Taka most of the time just not able to show up because they got overworked, have meetings/cases that can't be postponed or are just way too busy in general.
Makoto trying to get us to meet up again is a kind gesture that even I can appreciate. We have been in a class for a long time and some really holy very important memories to that group of people and would not like to see the contact they had go away, due to work or just being to awkward to ask them.
My most precious memory of Hope's peak is here right in front of me. I never would have thought it was possible that this would happen, the ways he has tried to encourage me to move past what people say and how much of an impact a perfect can have on a group of bikers.
I would sometimes not like to admit it but the impact that Taka has had on my gang is bigger than people believe it is. Most of the organization that is from my term as leader of the gang is partly or sometimes almost completely inspired on shit he has told me in rambles of his.
I guess meaning that some of his hour-long rambles have stuck in my head in some way or another. Which is surprising, meaning I have saved some of the info he has pushed into it.
His mind being the overworked machine that it tends to be. Wondering why and how it was possible that the guy didn't have a massive head ache every day. Even on a nice day like this he still thinks about work instead of trying to relax.
I guess it is really about time that I put into motion what I have been planning for a while now, nothing extremely fancy since I don't have the money for shit like that. Besides I am not willing to sell my soul to the money devil that Byakuya can be when it comes to stuff like this.
I would rather not be in huge debt just to make Taka happy. Hopefully what I have planned will work out.
It better pays off the time that I have spent with Leon trying to get this thing set up. A few months of me spending time with that punk just so I could learn how to properly play a guitar was enough to make me nearly go nuts.
Leon's training was more of a torture than I have been through since I became the leader of the Crazy Diamonds about 12 years ago now, and that says a lot about how bad trying to keep up with this wannabee punk.
Seeing that the annoyance was not one sided was nice. The look on the guys face as he was trying not to lose it when I was trying to learn how to play the god damn thing was amazing to see. Leon seemed to keep forgetting that that was the first time I properly held an instrument.
Trying to properly learn it would of course take longer when you haven't held such a thing before.
I feel hands on both sides of my face and I look up to see what caused the change of pressure on my cheeks. I faced Taka, who was pouting, again noticing that I have spaced off.
"Mondo… Really you can just tell me I am not interesting to listen to. It isn't going to hurt my feelings, I just want you to be honest with me. No lies and no excuses, just the truth." It was very soft spoken for someone who is known for shouting all the time.
It sent and uncomfortable feeling down my spine. It didn't feel right to me that he talked so softly. Soft tones didn't seem right, not from him. In any other situation, it would have seemed fitting, just not now.
"I didn't mean to make you feel like that. I swear that that has never been my intention." A sigh escaped my lips as I look up to meet those ruby eyes. Now that I looked at those I could see a hint of sadness in them. Truly hurt by the lack of attention I'd had for what he'd been saying, to the point I really don't know what he had been talking about in the first place.
Not the beginning and not the end of it, I had cut every part of it from my short-term memory. He could have asked literally about what he had been talking about and I wouldn't have been able to respond with anything.
I really do feel guilt for doing such a thing even though I was not doing it on purpose. I just got lost in my train of thought very early into it and I have no control over it and didn't have any control over it before.
Leading to him having to snap me out not once, not twice but at least three times now. He is understandably mad at me, any reasonable person would be the first time this happens. He doesn't even look mad the third time it has happened. He just looks sad, hurt...
"I just really got lost thinking about the past, about the time we spent at Hope's Peak and about other things. The things we have done and the things we are still doing to keep our class somewhat together. Even if you can't always join those."
A light smile seemed to grow on his face. "Naegi really tries hard to keep us together as a class and it is very nice of him that he puts so much effort into making sure that people do come. I just happen to be busy most of the time these roll around."
Something Makoto was sure to be able to figure out as well. "I am sure he knows that, you have a busy job so of course you would have a hard time joining us. He says that he is sad you can't but he knows that you are not doing it on purpose."
The smile grew slightly. "I am glad they know that I don't mean to avoid them." The tone of his voice changed, from the sad tone to a happier one. "I have made my first and so far, only friends there, so I really appreciate it."
From the lack of social skills, it was very clear indeed that he'd had few to no friends before entering Hope's Peak. I sometimes wondered if I was the first one to show him what friendship is. A thought that I always tried to push away.
It wouldn't have meant anything good, meaning his life before meeting us had been dark. Darker than he sometimes likes to admit.
"You know Taka, maybe I should try cheering you up." It sounded extremely awkward as if I was trying to push the conversation to somewhere it was clearly not heading to.
A chuckle could be heard from Taka. It had occurred to him that this was an awkward way to change the topic. And if he is able to figure out that you are making a weird move to get to a different topic, you are doing a very poor job at it.
"I am sorry, okay? If you can do weird shit while talking to me I should be allowed to do the same weird jumps as you do." It wasn't really a serious comment but it wasn't really a joke either. Just a way to justify my odd move from before.
"I see this as a very weird way to get to another topic but since I am curious as to what you mean with that you can carry on." I was surprised that he would actually let me continue with the plan that easily.
"Didn't think ya would let me do this so easily!" I couldn't help but smile. The fact that the first step to getting there was this easy gave me hope. Maybe just enjoy hoping to get through this without my ego getting hurt too much.
I took a deep breath as this was all or nothing. I picked up the guitar that was next to the bench, thanking that punk in the back of my mind that I could use the damn thing. Though I have to make sure nothing happens to this thing otherwise Leon will get pissed for ruining it. He seems to be really attached to it and even I don't want to risk ruining stuff that people hold dear. I am not heartless so the guitar has to leave this house unharmed tomorrow.
The only thing that will have to be a wild guess is Taka's reaction during and after the song ends. Before starting to play I looked up to him once more. I noticed the confused look on Taka's face, not understanding what I had planned.
With all the courage I had, I started to play. The first notes of the song I played while looking at my hands, making sure I remembered how to move them before getting to the lyrics.
Thinking about the lyrics while singing makes me think if it could have happened, if it could happen. Would someone be able to run from someone they love run away? Would the feelings someone feel be strong enough to feel it as well.
Would someone be able or willing to do everything to save the soul of the one they love? I would do anything to see the smile on his face, nothing would keep me from hurting the person that hurt him. Even if that person were to be me. I would cut myself from his life if I were ever to harm him. Honestly I would not be able to.. forgive myself for breaking him even more.
He did tremble the first time I touched his lips but that is a completely different. A long story we both don't get into when asked. The only detail I will tell about it is that we both got pretty emotional. Yes, I admit weakness on my part. Though it was for a good reason.
It is a general thing for people to say but at times, something that has been done to death by now but it does surprise me that Taka manages to make me stop in my tracks no matter what I am doing. Sometimes feeling like the air has become so thick that breathing gets really hard. I can never understand that a man can have so many influence on me to the point I feel ill if he isn't happy.
It may be awkward for a guy like me to say this, but this is a song I like. Makoto had played the song during one of the class get together. Well his luck picked the song. The file had found its way from his sister's playlist of songs onto his.
But the reason how I got to this song doesn't matter. I heard the song and I don't know but it just stuck. The words, the lyrics of the song 'Hero' really felt like it was talking about us. That is why I wanted to sing that song to him, just to let him know that.
As the last notes of the song faded away, I noticed that I had my eyes closed for most of the song. So, I didn't see his reaction, I didn't hear anything from him. Is that a good thing? A bad one?
My violet eyes met teary ruby ones when I opened them. Softly smiling I placed the instrument somewhere safe before returning to him.
The instant I turned back to him, I was pulled into a very tight hug. I held him close as I felt my shoulder getting wet from him crying. I still didn't know if I had done what I set up to do or that I made him sad, the only thing I did was comfort him.
After what seemed like a long while Taka looked up to me. Tears still in the corners of his eyes but smiling. "You are my hero."