Hi guys!

So, I'm super busy this week (I'm doing an intensive crafting scavenger hunt called GISH, I started grad school today, and I'm doing a daily babysitting thing in the mornings, so… yeah) which is why I'm a day late posting, but here it is!

I would like to put a mild disclaimer that I put a definition of what bisexuality and pansexuality are in this chapter. I want to say that I am not claiming these to be the only definitions, or even "correct" definitions. These are just the definitions that I have heard and personally relate to. Before realizing I was asexual, I wondered if I was bi or pan, so I did a lot of research into both when I was about 15, and the definitions I put in the chapter are what I thought made most sense to me, personally. ^-^

Thanks for all the comments! I appreciate them all! :-D

Enjoy!

(EDIT: I forgot to mention! There is some internalized biphobia in this chapter, so please beware of that.)

Taka's left hand is holding Mondo's right, the pair silent as they exit his room, not saying anything because they don't need words, not right then. Their hands are clasped tight together as they stroll through the halls, passing no one as they approach the dining hall.

At the door to the common area, Taka lets his hand untangle from Mondo's, even though he doesn't want it to, and smiles when he sees the curious glance Mondo shoots him. He just shrugs casually as he enters the large room, a few older students already there, laughing and joking together. He feels eyes tracking them as Mondo and him make their way to the kitchen, but he doesn't pay them any mind. He just breathes evenly and keeps walking, his head held high and moving purposefully like always.

Entering the kitchen is a little different, their entire class still hanging around, at varying stages of finishing their cookies. To Taka's private relief, he notices that Enoshima and her sister have left, something that makes him settle a little, even with the eyes that fall on him. He tries to smile nervously at them, though he knows it's strained. Hina bounds over to them, eyes wide with concern, looking back and forth between them worriedly.

"Taka! Mondo! Are you guys okay? You left so quickly earlier we... we were worried! Junko tried to be all rude about it, but we asked her to leave, so don't worry! But... are you okay?"

Hina sounds very genuine, and the eyes on him don't feel judging or angry (not even Togami, who Taka distantly notices is frowning at Mondo and him, arms crossed lightly over his chest), but it still... it still makes his stomach clench and he looks down, no clue what to say. He knows he has to respond, knows he'd made this public earlier and it's only right to offer an explanation, but he... he just... he doesn't...

He's saved from coming up with an answer when he feels an arm wrap around his shoulder, his eyes wide as he looks over at Mondo, who shrugs casually with the shoulder not pressed to him.

"Just hadta patch up Taka's hand. Got burnt on the cookie sheet earlier. He's good now, though, so, uh... fuck off?"

Mondo shrugs again as he casually leads Taka over to the cooling rack, where his remaining cookies lie. The group gradually looks away from them, though he knows they keep sneaking glances every couple of seconds. It's a bit annoying and makes his heart race quite unpleasantly, but he supposes that's just the price he must pay for his earlier actions. And it's not like it couldn't be so much worse, so Taka decides to take it as it is and be grateful that they even care at all.

He pushes aside all of that as they stop before the cooling rack. He allows himself a moment to mourn the loss of the ones that were knocked over but is distracted from the thought when Mondo reaches out with the arm not around his shoulder and grabs a cookie, which he knows is still soft and warm, even if it isn't piping hot anymore. Taka can feel his mouth go dry as Mondo quickly takes a bite and immediately closes his eyes, letting out a quite frankly obscene sound that shoots straight to his groin...

"Holy fuckin' shit, Kiyo. God fuckin' damn. You fuckin' made this shit?" Mondo questions, though Taka is fairly certain it's rhetorical. Just on the offside chance that it's not, he nods faintly, his fingers tingling as Mondo grins at him, quickly stuffing the rest of the cookie in his mouth.

"Bes' fu'in' co'kie 've 'ver 'ad," Mondo mumbles almost unintelligibly, his mouth full of cookie as he tries to speak. Taka can't help how his nose wrinkles, darting out from under Mondo's arm to look at him with his Disapproving Stare (tm), trying to ignore how his heart aches at the totally not endearing sight.

"You should not talk with your mouth full, kyoudai! It is unbecoming!"

Mondo snickers as he finishes chewing, not looking at all regretful for his actions. Taka can see the softness in his eyes as he looks at him, which makes his heart ache as he tries to push it all aside. It truly is not helpful here...

Taka gets distracted yet again when he sees a smaller figure awkwardly walk up to them, holding a large bowl in their arms. Looking up, Taka smiles as he recognizes the young girl who has approached them, the slight twinge that still stupidly goes through his heart not enough to make him smile any less.

"Hello, Chihiro! Is that your and Mondo's cookie dough?! Does it look better now?!" he asks, forceful as ever. He does smile genuinely at the girl, though, as she nods at him, her eyes only slightly wide.

"O-oh! Um, yes! It looks a lot better now, thank you Taka! ... um... did you guys wanna bake them now? I wasn't sure if you were going to return or not... b-but now that you have, well... we can probably put them in the oven, right? O-or is there something else we have to do?" Chihiro stammers, looking between the pair and the dough. Taka looks down at the dough as well, frowning critically, tilting his head as he considers it.

"Did you both follow the recipe exactly? Using only one egg?" Taka questions, mind recalling what the simple recipe had called for. When Chihiro nods quickly, he smiles, nodding once in return.

"Well, then I think it should work just fine! We should grab some fresh baking sheets and some parchment paper, so that we can put them in the oven! I'm eager to try your cookies!"

And strangely... he finds that he is. He doesn't know if he'll be able to finish it, as he never is able to finish any kind of cookie these days, but he most definitely wants to try it. It can only go up from Mondo's last attempt! He hopes... at least he'll be there to prevent the cookies from burning this time!

Chihiro nods at his words, smiling as she places the bowl down on the counter a couple feet from them. She then heads to where the cookie sheets reside, grabbing a couple carefully. As Taka watches, he sees Mondo grab another chocolate chip cookie from the corner of his eye, making him smile brightly as he turns to the biker. Mondo gives him a sheepish grin as he bites into the cookie, shrugging casually. He waits until he's done chewing this time before attempting to speak, smirk on his face as he looks at Taka.

"What? S' fuckin' good, dude. Ya really are a fuckin' master at bakin', shit Taka," Mondo professes, grinning at him as he takes another bite. Taka smiles back, heart stuttering. Like usual...

"Thank you, kyoudai! You are too kind! You may have the rest of them if you'd like! I... I made them for you, after all," Taka confesses, blushing lightly at his words. They are true, though, even if it had been subconscious. He finds that his mild embarrassment it worth it to see Mondo's eyes widen, his grin turning softer as he looks at Taka like he's precious again...

"Shit, dude, really?! That's fuckin' awesome! Thanks! Didn't ya wanna try one, though? Don't think ya had a chance ta earlier, yeah?"

Mondo's words are said innocently, the biker seeming to be genuine, but Taka can't help how he freezes, his heart thumping painfully at the meaning. A-ah... he doesn't... he never...

"A-ah! N-no thank you, kyoudai! I do not tend to eat many sweets these days!" Taka professes, smile strained despite himself. It pains him to see Mondo's smile turn into a soft frown, the biker clearly not quite believing him, but how can he tell him the truth, that he can't eat the food made from his mother's recipes without wanting to burst into tears? It just... he...

"Oh, uh... sure, man. But... I still think ya should at least try this shit, okay? They're so fuckin' good. So, uh... here," Mondo mumbles, holding out the last bite of his cookie to Taka. Instead of holding it low, so that Taka can take it, though, he holds it higher, right by Taka's mouth. Like he- he wants Taka to... to eat it from- from his... from his hands...

Grk!

Blushing bright red— matching Mondo's current shade exactly— Taka looks down at the piece of cookie, biting his lip gently, ignoring the spike of pain. He... he really can't say no to such an offer, now can he? It would be- be very rude, and- and Taka hates being rude if he can help it and... a-and...

(And there is the fact that, no matter where he might possibly bite on the cookie, at least some part of it would have touched Mondo's lips. And while he knows Mondo wouldn't want such a thing, Taka can't help the way his mind races with thoughts and ideas, of all the other ways his and Mondo's lips could be in contact... and while he tries to push the thoughts away, he can't quite manage it, so-)

With a shaky smile, Taka leans in slightly and wraps his lips carefully around the small piece of cookie, doing his best to not touch Mondo's fingers. He fails epically at that task, however, when Mondo's fingers jerk a little at the last moment, pushing them slightly into his mouth, his cheeks flaring at the salty taste of Mondo's skin. Well... it's not like it's the first time he's had Mondo's fingers in his mouth... aha...

He pulls back with a blush, the taste of chocolate and salt on his lips. He doesn't look at Mondo as he chews the piece carefully, slowly, letting the flavor explode on his tongue. It... it really does taste good... just like his mother's used to taste... it's nice to know all his practice and dedication did— in fact— pay off.

Still... he can't help the pang he gets in his heart at the sense memory that floods his mind of being four and carefree, his mother laughing as she gently holds out a cookie for him to eat. His mouth runs dry as he recalls the taste of the semi-sweet chocolate on his childish tongue, his grin wide as he threw his chubby arms around her neck, kissing her cheek messily. He can still hear her laugh as he blinks down at the ground, the semi-sweet taste of chocolate turning bitter as his mind grows heavy with his ever-present grief. It's been almost eight years, now, and yet the pain is nearly as bad as it was all those years ago, when he'd woken up one morning and she hadn't, the terrifying knowledge that he was suddenly alone the worst part of it all, a fact he's always hated himself for. Especially since he still has his father and isn't, technically, alone.

Of course, the pain ebbs and flows, sometimes worse and sometimes better, but it's always there, in some fashion, always present and aching and raw, no matter what. Anyone who had tried to tell him that 'it gets better' as a child was a gosh darn liar, in his opinion. It doesn't get better. Not... not really. Not ever.

"Hey... ya okay, Taka? Ya look... fuck. Ya look kinda sad..." he hears Mondo mumble, dragging him from his grief instantly. He blinks as he looks at Mondo, heart tugging at the worry he finds there, replacing the majority his sorrow with a feeling of overwhelming love. He smiles at the biker, and while it's a little sad, he thinks it looks natural enough.

"A-ah... I am alright, kyoudai. Just... it's been a while since I've had one of my mother's cookies, is all. It just... hurts, I suppose," he mutters back, eyes darting to the cookie tray, sorrow filling him again despite himself. He then feels himself stiffen slightly when a hand gently grasps his shoulder, but he relaxes less than a moment later when he looks back at Mondo, who has his empathy in his eyes, a matching melancholic smile on his lips.

"Uh... y-yeah. I, uh... I know what ya mean. Shit fuckin' hurts ta remember. Do ya... shit. Do ya wanna go or somethin'?"

Taka feels his lips tick upward at the worried tone, the sorrow in his heart fading at the gentle concern of his dearest friend. While the grief will never fully fade, he finds that its a lot easier to manage when he's with Mondo, the biker filling a part of his soul that once only his mother could touch. No matter what amount of disappointment may touch him at the thought of what he so desperately wants and yet will never be able to have, he will forever be grateful to the biker for the happiness and contentment he brings to him. No amount of pain can take away from that, not fully.

And so, shaking his head, he places his hand carefully on Mondo's, hoping the other teen can read his sincerity and gratitude in his eyes.

"I'll be okay, kyoudai. Besides, we still have your cookies to bake! Speaking of which... where did Chihiro go?"

At his words, he realizes abruptly that it has been a suspiciously long time since they'd sent the girl to grab the baking sheets. Blinking, he looks over to the area he knows the baking sheets are stored, but he doesn't even have time to look for her before she pops up near them, cheeks softly pink as she clumsily holds up two cookie sheets with some parchment paper held awkwardly in her hands. Taka frowns at her, wondering where in the world she came from, but doesn't have to ask before she's speaking, stammering her explanation.

"O-oh! I'm here, Taka! I was just, um... asking Hina about something, that's all! I-is... is everything okay with you guys?"

Taka tilts his head at her in question, feeling confused at her soft words. Why... why wouldn't they be okay? Okay, yes, they had been fighting earlier, but he'd thought it was clear that they'd made up after their return. Or... is he mistaken that it's so obvious? Hm... how puzzling!

Mondo doesn't seem to share his confusion, though, the biker snorting and rolling his eyes as he stomps forward and grabs one of the sheets from the girl, giving her a hard stare that, for some odd reason, makes her flush bright red. How peculiar!

"Smooth, Fujisaki. Real fuckin' smooth. If yer done gossipin', wanna make these fuckin' cookies or not? Ain't got all fuckin' day..."

Completely at a loss as to what is happening, Taka decides to put the strange event out of his mind as Chihiro nods quickly, smile shaky as she walks over to the bowl and moves it over so she can place her cookie sheet down on the metal counter. Mondo follows her lead, rolling his eyes again as he places his sheet down as well.

Most of the students around them have finished their baking already, varying degrees of expression around the room as they try their creations, ranging from positive to... well. He's fairly certain Kuwata (Leon, he really should start calling him Leon...) is gagging as he bites his and Sayaka's cookie, though he's trying to hide it behind a shaky smile and thumbs up towards the pop sensation. In fact, he thinks that Mondo and Chihiro are the last two to get their cookies in the oven, since they'd had to chill their dough before they could bake it. Well, it's better to wait than to have imperfect cookies, at least!

It does make Mondo look tense as he glances at their classmates, cheeks pink as he frowns down at the chilled dough in the bowl. He's about to go and grab it when Taka calls out, eyes wide as he halts Mondo's hands.

"Wash your hands first, kyoudai! Never touch raw cookie dough without first washing your hands! In fact, never touch any cooking ingredient without first washing your hands! It's vitally important!"

Taka neglects to mention that he hadn't washed his hands before mixing his ingredients together, though he had remembered to before touching the ingredients directly. He gives Mondo a stern look when the biker looks at him, exasperated. After a brief staring contest, the biker sighs loudly and rolls his eyes again, slumping over to the sink and washing his hands quickly. Chihiro follows him soon after, after Taka turns his stare to her, the girl 'eep!'ing as she goes.

Taka doesn't bother to wash his hands, since it's not like he will be much help with his dominant hand wrapped in gauze, but he grins brightly at his friends as they return, Mondo scowling with faux sullenness. The look doesn't last long, though, and soon the biker is smiling at him softly, even as he rolls his eyes yet again. Taka bites down on a playful reprimand at the rude action and just watches as the pair begins rolling the cookie dough and placing it on the sheet, Taka calling out helpful advice every so often ("make sure you roll it into balls no bigger than an inch!" "What? The fuck long is an inch? Use fuckin' metric, Christ, dude.")

It takes a couple minutes for the two to fully roll out all the dough, Taka looking at the sheets critically for a moment before smiling wide, giving them both a thumbs up at their work.

"Wonderful job, you two! Those look ready to put into the oven! And don't you even think about eating that extra cookie dough, kyoudai! It is unsafe to eat raw cookie dough, after all!" Taka exclaims, waving a finger in Mondo's direction, frowning with mild disapproval as the biker freezes with his hand halfway to his mouth. Mondo slowly puts the bit of dough down and grins sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck.

"Aw, shit. Fuckin' got me, kyoudai. Was just a little! Ain't no one died from just a little cookie dough..."

"While that may or may not be factually correct, it can still give you a stomachache! It is better to just wait for your cookies to bake! Be patient, kyoudai!"

"Oh, yer one ta fuckin' talk," Mondo mumbles, making Taka flare bright red at the reminder of— *ahem*— earlier that day. He scowls and lightly smacks Mondo, even as his stomach clenches with mild pain. While it's nice to act so casually with his friend, it does make him ache with some residual emotion from earlier, the fight that resulted after said prior events still painful to recall... still, he's not going to ruin the nice moment with his own nonsense! He pushes it aside, and turns to the cookies, putting his hands on his hips as he glares down at them, still feeling somewhat flustered.

"W-well! That is beside the point! The point is, you should place your cookies in the oven now! Do you prefer them to be slightly softer or crispier? That will determine how long we place them in the oven!"

Mondo shrugs slightly, while Chihiro— who has been watching their banter with a wide smile on her face— hums softly, smile fading into a soft frown.

"I-I prefer them a bit softer, if that's okay..." she claims, looking at them both with wide eyes. Taka watches as Mondo nods, not seeming to care either way. The biker just grabs the two trays without a word and heads over to one of the ovens, placing them in carefully, one after the other. While he does that, Taka sets his timer to eight minutes again, pressing 'start' when Mondo closes the oven door.

While they wait for the cookies to bake, the trio heads around the kitchen to chat with their classmates, trying all of the cookies that were created, to be supportive. Taka takes small bites of them to be polite, sharing with Mondo so as to not waste an entire cookie on himself. They get a lot of strange looks for that, which Taka tries his best to ignore, honestly...

Of the class, only three of the remaining six groups manage to produce even somewhat edible cookies. Yamada and Ludenberg's cookies are passable, a little on the dry side, but still fairly tasty. He supposes that Yamada's prior knowledge of baking pies had both been a boon and a hinderance, since pie crust is a lot flakier and drier than cookies are.

Sakura had ended up paired with Hagakure of all people— since Hina was busy helping put out metaphorical (and possibly a couple of literal) fires— but they seem to have managed to make some pretty nice cookies, if a little bland with the extra protein powder Sakura insisted on adding. Apparently Hina has been teaching her girlfriend the basics of baking and cooking, according to Sakura, and Hagakure had been more than willing to stay out of her way as he watched.

Of all of them, Makoto and Kyoko's cookies are by far the best, since Makoto does have some prior knowledge of baking— even if it is just from a mix— and Kyoko is a quick study. The cookies are a bit crispier than Taka personally prefers, but the taste is still nice and sweet, with the slight savory hint of the salted butter. If he'd been making it, he'd likely have used unsalted butter, but that's a personal preference, he knows.

Now, as for the rest of the groups... they ended up, uh... not so great. Like he'd expected, Sayaka and Leon's cookies are... not very good, to put it mildly. They all politely try to take a bite, but the pair doesn't seem offended when they don't finish, Leon grimacing with sympathy at their scrunched-up expressions. Taka can tell instantly that the pair had somehow managed to use salt instead of sugar, which in a sugar cookie... ah. Definitely not good. It is also slightly burnt because of that fact, which just added to the unpleasantness, truly. Sayaka blushes at the mistake, but she giggles as she says that maybe she remembers even less about her grandmother baking than she'd thought.

Togami and Fukawa's cookies, on the other hand, aren't even slightly edible, as they've been burnt to a crisp. Apparently, the billionaire hadn't cared enough to put a timer on, while the nervous writer had not wanted to go against her 'master,' (which, by the way, Taka does consider strange that she calls him that. Perhaps it is simply part of their relationship dynamic...?).

Either way, neither teen seems too heartbroken, Togami drily mentioning that he can still always just hire some professional bakers to make the desserts if they truly want. Mondo snorts at the words but doesn't get a chance to say whatever rude comment he was no doubt going to reply with, since Taka grabs his arm gently and pulls him along, smiling as he thanks the billionaire with only slight falsehood. Togami doesn't seem to notice, at least.

And as for Enoshima and her sister... well. Apparently, they'd been 'asked to leave' before putting the cookies in the oven, and Enoshima had tossed the whole mix in the trash before she left, rolling her eyes in annoyance. It's anyone's guess how they would have turned out. Taka briefly wonders for the girl's sister, if Ikusaba was upset at being made to leave because of her sister's actions. He often sees the two girls together, Ikusaba seldom seen without her twin. In fact, the only time he has ever seen them apart is when the Ultimate Solider is spending time with Makoto, the only person she seems to get along with. He allows himself a moment to hope that the girl is alright, that she's not too lonely, before he jolts slightly as his alarm goes off, all thoughts of his classmates fading with his excitement. Ah, their cookies are done!

With mild pep in his step, Taka hurries towards the oven, smiling brightly as Mondo puts on an oven mitt and carefully takes out the sheets, walking them over to the cooling rack like Taka recommends.

Soon after, their classmates wander over, looking intrigued to see the last of their class's creations. Hina bounces as she looks over them, grinning widely while she clenches her fists in front of her body, an action Taka knows means that she's enthusiastic about something.

"Wow, those look and smell suuuuper good, guys! I bet they taste fantastic! Yay!" Hina enthuses, giggling slightly as she looks between Taka and Mondo with shining eyes. It makes Taka kind of anxious to see, but Mondo either doesn't notice or doesn't care. That... that's good... Taka isn't sure why the look makes him anxious, really, but he tries not to question it as the group chats lightly together, happy and bright while they wait for the cookies to cool.

Hina even manages to use the time to rope Togami and Fukawa into their group chat finally, the billionaire sighing as he— reluctantly, he professes— gives them his phone number. Fukawa eagerly gives her number after that, grinning a bright, slightly pointy looking smile at the billionaire, who looks vaguely uncomfortable, adding another hint of strangeness to their unusual dynamic.

Now, since Yamada and Ludenberg had been added by someone earlier that week, they now have almost their entire class in their chat now, excluding the twins. Taka does feel bad about that, especially considering Enoshima's slightly pointed comment about their exclusion, but... well. If they didn't want to make the effort to interact nicely with them... well. It's hardly their fault, is it? Though Ikusaba does seem to be particularly shy... hm... well, that can be a thing to worry about later! Still, it's nice to know they have almost everyone together now. Their class is finally starting to get along fully! How wonderful!

After they get Togami and Fukawa entered into the chat, they talk about random things for a couple more minutes, before it's decided that the cookies are cooled enough, and it's deemed okay to grab one. Mondo scowls at everyone who tries to grab one first and reaches forward to grab the first cookie. He then turns to Taka and gives him a somewhat nervous look, smiling sheepishly.

"Here... uh, ya can try it, if ya'd like," Mondo mutters, cheeks a dusty pink. Taka's cheeks turn pink as well, doubly so when all eyes turn to them, varying degrees of excited smiles on their classmates' faces. Taka doesn't even have to look at Hina to know she's 'super pumped,' since her quiet, excited squeal is enough to tell him that. He kindly ignores them as he smiles brightly at Mondo, reaching out to grab the cookie with his uninjured hand.

Mondo's eyes are intent on him as he lifts the cookie up to his lips and takes a bite. Ordinarily he'd observe the cookie first, smell it to get a feel for its taste before biting, but he can tell from the anxious look that such a thing would just upset Mondo. And he doesn't want that...

The second that the cookie hits his tongue, the flavor explodes out. And it's not... bad. In fact, he would say that it's actually... very good! The flavor of the butter is a little overstated, and it also is the salted kind, but when paired with the overwhelming sweetness of the sugar (he thinks the pair added more sugar than needed, to be honest) they balance each other out. The texture of the cookie is very nice as well, the kind that almost melts in your mouth if you let it. It's not quite on par with his mother's sugar cookies, but for having used such a simplistic recipe, it taste surprisingly good. Better than even Makoto's and Kyoko's, who had been the best so far.

"Well? Whatcha think?" he hears Mondo question with a nervous lilt to his voice. That breaks Taka from his reverie, realizing that his face has shifted into his 'intense concentration' look, which he knows from experience can look fairly concerning, with his eyebrows furrowed and his lips turned down in a frown as he thinks. Snapping himself out of it, he smiles brightly at Mondo, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up with his injured hand, ignoring the twinge.

"It tastes amazing, kyoudai! You and Chihiro did a wonderful job! I am very proud of you both!" he enthuses, grinning brightly. His cheeks start to hurt with how widely he's grinning, more so when he sees the gobsmacked look on Mondo's face, the flush brightening. The biker scowls softly and shakes his head, looking very embarrassed.

"Aw, shit, y'ain't gotta bullshit me, kyoudai. Can handle criticism like a man, shit," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Taka shakes his head quickly, looking at the biker with sincerity.

"I am not joking, kyoudai! I always tell the truth, so I mean it truly! Here, you should try!"

Taka will swear, later on, that he'd offered the cookie in innocence. He'd intended on Mondo grabbing the cookie with his hand and biting into it the normal way, no ulterior motives at all. Like how he's been giving Mondo all of the cookies he's not finished. But... well, he supposes he is holding the cookie a bit higher than he'd anticipated, the cookie hovering almost around Mondo's mouth level. And, considering what Mondo had done earlier for him, it's not really out of the question that he'd be holding the cookie for Mondo to take a bite of, to be perfectly honest.

That all being said... Taka can't help the flood of heat that pours through him at the sight of Mondo leaning forward and— with full trust— taking a bite of the sugar cookie Taka is proffering.

Right on the area Taka had bitten from.

Grk...

Taka's face is fully red again, watching with a dry mouth as Mondo chews thoughtfully, doing his best to ignore the startled glances their classmates give them. Mondo doesn't seem to notice, thankfully, just continues to chew with a concentrated look on his face. After a moment a bright grin breaks out on the biker's face, making him look so young and innocent it makes Taka's heart clench. A-ah...

"Holy shit, yer fuckin' right! Shit, man, ain't ever made anythin' edible before, let alone fuckin' good... hell yeah!" Mondo exclaims, looking so proud of himself Taka can't help but feel pride too. Yes, Chihiro had helped with making the cookies, but he won't dare take away from Mondo's enthusiasm. Besides, he doesn't know who had done what while baking. Maybe Mondo did most of the work or something, he doesn't know. Either way, he's still proud of his friend. Especially knowing the trouble he'd gone through making cookies the last time. This is a vast improvement!

"You've made cookies before?" Togami's dry voice cuts through the silence before he can even hope to say anything, the billionaire's eyebrow raised with what even Taka sees is derision. Mondo scowls at the billionaire, his prideful expression dropping as he glares at Togami with annoyance.

"Yeah? The fuck is it ta ya? Can fuckin' make cookies if I fuckin' want!" Mondo growls, looking highly annoyed. Togami just keeps looking with his eyebrow raised, before he shrugs carelessly.

"No need to be crude. It was simply a question," Togami drawls, darting his eyes to Taka for whatever reason. Mondo still looks annoyed, but he doesn't say anything else. He just huffs, cheeks pink, and crosses his arms, shoulders tense. Taka hates that the happy pride on Mondo's face has been replaced with bitter anger and embarrassment. Sadly, though, there's not much he can do about that... not without drawing attention to their strange relationship, and he just... he's not sure why, but for some reason he doesn't want to do anything else that might give people the- the wrong idea... aha...

Hina saves the situation, though, by bouncing over and looking at the cookies with interest.

"They really do look good, Mondo! Can I try one?" the swimmer questions with earnest eyes, smiling widely. Mondo looks at her with disinterested eyes, grunting as he shrugs carelessly. Hina doesn't let it discourage her, though, as she darts her hand out and grabs one of the lightly golden cookies. She brings it up to her mouth without any wait and takes a big bite. A moment later, her eyes widen, and she grins brightly, nodding enthusiastically as she chews.

"This is sooo good, guys! You two did a wonderful job! Yay!" Hina exclaims after she swallows, taking another bite immediately. Mondo looks taken aback, and just shrugs when everyone else shuffles forward, looking at him for permission. When they all grab a cookie and take a bite, Mondo's face grows a brighter red at the enthusiastic noises everyone lets out at the taste. Even Togami looks impressed, his eyebrows raised as he takes a bite. Chihiro is smiling brightly around her bite, looking at Mondo happily.

"Mondo did most of the work," the girl claims happily when Makoto congratulates her on their success, looking proud of the biker. "I mostly did the mixing while he measured out all the ingredients. He should get most of the praise!"

Mondo starts to look very uncomfortable with the praise that everyone starts laying on him, so Taka decides to say, 'to heck with it' and moves closer to the biker, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder to show silent support. Mondo looks at him gratefully, and then Taka feels a warm arm wrap around his waist, making his cheeks flare back up again. A-ah... y-yes, this is- this is fine...

Taka is coming to find, though, that he really dislikes Togami and his mockingly raised eyebrows, honestly. Why is he looking at them like that, anyway? They are just very close friends! That... that's all...

(Even if he privately wishes that they could be more...)

Eventually everyone finishes trying Mondo and Chihiro's cookies, and Hina calls everyone to attention, smiling at them all brightly.

"Well, that was a really good first attempt everyone! For those of you who enjoyed baking, feel free to text me later and we can work out a schedule for learning some more complicated recipes! And for those of you who found you didn't like baking too much, that's okay! We also need a few people to help run the booth during the festival, as well as some people to make the signs and posters! We have to leave soon so that the kitchen staff can get dinner ready, but I'm always available to text!" Hina exclaims, her hands up in her 'I'm so pumped!' position. Togami scowls at her as she finishes, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"What, you couldn't have told me that earlier, before wasting my time like this?" he scoffs, shaking his head. Hina pouts at him, giving him a disappointed look.

"Aw, but it wasn't a waste of time! It was a good bonding experience! Plus, it's always good to try something new! Even if you don't like it, it's good to know for certain that you don't!" she states, smiling again. Togami doesn't seem to agree with her, but he thankfully doesn't argue; instead, he just sighs and shakes his head again.

"Well, I thought it was a fun time, Hina," Makoto pipes in, smiling at the swimmer brightly. Hina gives him a beaming grin, looking 'pumped' again.

"Yeah! See? Anyway, like I said, we gotta get going soon. Don't worry about cleaning up, I can do that! Feel free to take your cookies with you if you wanna! And don't forget to text me with what you wanna do for the festival!"

With that, the quote unquote 'meeting' is called to an end, their classmates grabbing their cookies and heading out with a promise to text Hina later. Hina waves goodbye as they leave, but Taka hangs around, figuring it is only right for him to help Hina clean up, so the work can get done quicker. Mondo stays as well, as does Sakura, the quartet converging as the last of their classmates exit the kitchen.

"Aw, you guys don't have to help clean up if you don't wanna! Sakura and I can handle it. But we definitely would appreciate the help!" Hina says, smiling at them. Taka hums, nodding once.

"I don't mind helping clean at all! I happen to find cleaning very soothing!" he professes. And it's the truth! Cleaning has always made him feel very calm! He hears Mondo snort, but when Taka looks over with mild hurt, the biker is smiling at him softly, eyes twinkling.

"Yer such a nerd, kyoudai," Mondo chuckles, reaching out and ruffling his hair. Taka wrinkles his nose at the action, cheeks pink again, batting at Mondo's hand lightly. He is starting to wonder if it's healthy to blush as much as he seems to, these days...

"If desiring a clean environment makes me a nerd, then I will proudly call myself such!" he replies with enthusiasm, making Mondo chuckle again. Hina giggles too, twirling a little as she bounces over to the counter.

"Okay! If you both wanna help, then I'll gladly accept! Four hands are faster than two!"

With that, they spread out, Sakura wandering over to help Hina while Taka and Mondo head to the other side of the kitchen, wiping down the counters and throwing the garbage away. Mondo helps without saying a word, just does what Taka asks him to do without complaint.

Like always, Taka finds himself feeling a sense of Zen as he wipes down the counters, his mind blissfully blank as he sprays the cleanser and wipes away the grime. There's just something so peaceful about wiping a counter clean, the mess that was there vanishing under his hands. Sometimes he wishes he could clean the mess inside his own head so easily, that he could just take some Windex and wipe clean the clutter and stains that litter his mental self. Ah... but such a thing is just childish, wishful thinking. It's never that easy...

For the most part, there isn't too large of a mess to clean up, as many of their classmates had done basic cleanup themselves during their wait for Mondo and Chihiro's cookies. It's mostly just spilt flour and globs of drying dough that got ground onto the metal. There are also the used baking sheets to rinse in the sink, which they could leave for the kitchen staff to deal with, but Taka finds offensive to even consider. If you make a mess, it's only right that you are the one to clean it up! And while, yes, he is technically cleaning up someone else's mess, he'd taken it on himself to clean it, and thus, it counts. Besides, it isn't that challenging for the most part, since most of their classmates either used parchment paper or grease to line the sheets, making cleanup a little easier.

Now, as for cleaning up Togami and Fukawa's station, however... ah. That, by far, is the trickiest. Not only is there flour everywhere (for some reason that he still can't quite fathom, seeing as neither student was covered in flour and it logically makes no sense that so much flour would be around without any of it getting on the pair, but he's digressing-), it seems that, in addition to not putting on a timer, they'd not used parchment paper or grease. This makes cleaning their baking sheet almost impossible, with the burnt remains of their charred cookies stuck fast to the metal. He is fairly certain that one of the basics they'd told the group earlier was to always use some kind of grease or parchment paper when making cookies, but it figures neither Togami or Fukawa was listening to them... it doesn't frustrate Taka, though! He always loves a challenge! Aha! And, even as tough as it may have been, after soaking the sheet in water mixed with dish soap for a couple of minutes, the burnt remains scrape right off easily. It makes him grin with satisfaction at a job well done.

In the end, it doesn't take them as long as he'd have figured to clean the room, only taking them about fifteen minutes in its entirety. Once done, Taka and Mondo converge with the two girls by the cooling rack, Hina waving them over excitedly. Taka smiles softly at the enthusiastic girl, watching her as she twirls slightly as she stands. He truly is glad she had befriended him all those weeks ago... while she is not the type of person that he'd ever have thought he'd befriend, as bubbly as she is, he's glad he knows her, truly.

"Yay, we finished in enough time! Thanks sooo much for the help, guys, you definitely made it go a lot faster!" Hina grins. She doesn't wait for a reply, though, before turning quickly to the cooling rack where Taka's chocolate chip cookies still reside, looking at the disks intently. "Anyway! Do you think I could try one of your cookies now? I know one of your sheets fell, so if you wanna keep the rest for yourself, that's okay! It's up to you."

Ah... yes, Taka had been wondering if anyone would ask such a thing. When he'd told Mondo he could have the rest of his batch, he'd not realized that the class was intending to share their cookies with one another. None of them asked to try his, though, likely knowing half of his batch had fallen, which had relieved him. Now, though...

Taka turns to look at Mondo, biting his lip gently, not hard enough to hurt the tender flesh. They're not his cookies to give away anymore, after all. Mondo looks back, seeming to think for a moment, before shrugging casually.

"Yeah, go 'head an' take one," the biker states, explaining when Hina gives him a confused look. "Heh. Taka ain't a fan a' cookies, so he gave 'em ta me, but it ain't a problem if ya an' Sakura want one or somethin'."

Hina nods as a look of comprehension appears on her face. She grabs one of the cookies and bites it eagerly, letting out a happy noise as she does.

"OMG, Taka, these are sososo good! You have to make these for the bake sale, they'll blow everyone's minds! You're an amazing baker! C'mon, Sakura, you have to try this!"

Hina holds out the cookie eagerly and Sakura— despite the fact she mentioned earlier that she doesn't like to eat sweets often— diligently leans down and takes a bite of the cookie, looking thoughtful as she chews. Taka tries not to notice the similarities between the action the couple just did and the action he and Mondo had done earlier, realizing how futile such a comparison would be, honestly.

"Hina is right, these cookies are quite exceptional, Taka. The slight bitterness of the chocolate offsets the sweetness of the sugar nicely. Excellent job," the martial artist claims, smiling at him slightly. Honestly, all this praise is starting to make him feel flustered, truly...

"A-ah... thank you both! You are much too kind!" Taka replies, blush light on his skin. Really, is it bad that he is blushing so much...? Maybe he should ask the nurse later... hm...

The thought is interrupted before it can really begin by Hina, who begins speaking again, her words a little more faltering than they were before, which instantly raises his alarm... how disconcerting...

"You said you learned to cook from your mom, right? That must have been nice... my mom and dad are awful cooks, though they try!" Hina giggles, though Taka can tell by the serious look that rises in her eyes that she isn't saying her words as lightly as it may seem. If anything, that almost makes it worse... especially when her next words are spoken with full seriousness, not a hint of joke or lightness in them. "Um... you were very close to her... weren't you?"

Taka freezes at the words, his breath escaping him quickly as he realizes what she's asking. A-ah... but, they are friends, are they not? They all are. And he's never really minded talking about his mother when he gets the chance, though he often doesn't have the ability to. His father, more often than not, hates talking about her, after all, the pain still so fresh for him even eight years later. And it's not like he has anyone else to talk about her with, only Mondo. And Mondo knows how much her memory hurts Taka, so he doesn't bring her up often. And on the few occasional when she is brought up, the biker just listens thoughtfully to Taka as he speaks of her, not asking any additional questions. It... it's very kind and considerate, he will say...

Still... he shouldn't have any problem talking about her. It helps keep her memory alive, after all! ... even if it does hurt...

With this in mind, he feels himself relax, smiling slightly at the grim-faced girl, who is looking at him sadly now. He can feel that Mondo is tense beside him, the biker looking at him like he expects him to burst into tears. Which is... slightly offensive. He's not that weak! Well... maybe...

"A-ah... y-yes, I was. Um... very. H-heh... f-for the longest time, she was my only friend, you know... aha. B-but it- it was nice to bake! It helps me... helps me feel closer to her, in a way. Thank you for the opportunity to do so!"

And he finds that he means it, truly. While the process of baking does hurt him somewhat, it's still nice to do it every so often, to remember his mother and the times they shared together. He often isn't able to think of her, let alone speak of her, since her memory pains his father so much and thinking of her by himself just... hurts. He does do it— likes to do it— to keep her memory alive but thinking of her alone in his room just leads to depression and heartache, really. And, as he said, Mondo usually avoids bringing her up if he can help it, to spare Taka the pain.

So, in a way... it was nice to think of her earlier, and it's nice to talk about her now, even if his chest is aching slightly at it all.

Hina smiles gently at him, nodding enthusiastically as she goes.

"Oh, I know what you mean! I was always super close to my grandma when I was younger, since my parents were often away on business trips. My little brother and I would spend weeks or even months at her house while our parents did their work. She's the one who taught us how to swim, actually, and was always suuuuper supportive of my talent! She, um... she died last year, and it still really hurts to think of her, but whenever I'm swimming, it's like she's still with me, you know? Like she's there, cheering me on! It helps me stay focused when things seem hopeless and all. I, um... I know it's not quite the same, since she wasn't my mom and all, but um... yeah. How, um... how old were you? When she..."

Hina trails off, frowning gently as he looks at the ground, seeming to realize how personal a question it is. But... well. As he's said. They're all friends here. And Taka... Taka finds he doesn't mind talking about his mother, not when it's with friends. What better way to keep her memory alive than by sharing her with his most trusted friends?

And so, smiling sadly, he speaks.

"A-ah... I was eight. It was right before the spring, mid-March. S-she... it wasn't sudden, she'd been very ill for a while, but... well... it's always sudden, I suppose, no matter how much time you have to prepare. I'd woken up one morning and she... hadn't. And it- it hurt, and it still does hurt. But! The pain helps me know that she's still with me, that I am not forgetting her! So... it's something."

Taka pauses, the pain still present but bearable, and focuses on the last part of what Hina said, frowning gently as he thinks on it.

"But, ah... grief is not a competition, my friend! So, it is unwise to compare your grief with my own, as everyone grieves differently! I'm glad you are able to remember you grandmother fondly, though! Did she... is she the one who taught you how to bake?"

Hina blinks as she processes the words, before giggling, shaking her head, the heavy tension in the room fading somewhat with the sound. Taka can still feel that Mondo is tense next to him but he doesn't really have time to worry about the biker before Hina is talking, voice bright once more.

"Oh, haha, nope! While she was a pretty good cook, she never really taught me much about cooking, since it wasn't really a passion of hers. She more taught me about sports and swimming and such. No, I learned to bake from the mom of my first boyfriend! She's a really nice lady and I still call her sometimes when I need someone to talk to, you know? She is a professional baker and she is really, really good at baking. Oooh, I know! I can have her send over some treats for us to enjoy one of these days! We still need to have our girls day in, remember?" Hina giggles, looking at Mondo with bright, somewhat teasing eyes. The biker scowls at the reminder of his behavior on Halloween but doesn't counter the swimmer's words.

Instead, a moment later, Taka notices that Mondo has begun to frown, the biker tilting his head as he looks at Hina with confusion. It honestly baffles Taka. What exactly had she said that was confusing...? It had seemed fairly straightforward to him! Unless he'd just missed something, since he's still not great at social interaction...?

But then, when Mondo speaks, he finds himself freezing, realizing that it's not him who has missed something. Not this time...

"Uh, hold up a sec... did ya say... yer first boyfriend? I thought ya were... ya know," Mondo falters, before gesturing awkwardly between Sakura and Hina, eyebrows knitted close together as he does so. Silence resonates in the kitchen as they wait for Mondo to continue, but when he doesn't, Hina hesitantly shakes her head, looking very confused and a little nervous.

"Um... what... do you mean, um... gay?" she questions, head tilting. At Mondo's terse nod, she shakes her head slowly, still frowning. "Oh, uh... nope! I mean, don't get me wrong, I really enjoy being with Sakura and all! And I hope that the two of us work out in the long run, you know? But I'm not gay. I'm pansexual, which means I like people regardless of their gender! At least, that's what I call it... as long as they make me happy and like some of the things I like, then I'm good! I've mostly dated guys, and Sakura's the first girl I've dated, but I've known for a while what I am. That I like both, even if I'm in a relationship with one or the other. You know?"

Hina tries for a smile, but even Taka can tell it's strained, the girl's eyes darting between Mondo, Sakura, and himself, looking very nervous. Taka doesn't really blame her. Not after what happened the last time something like this happened... hopefully Mondo realizes his error and just lets this drop!

But, of course, no such luck...

"That shit ain't real," Mondo claims, voice overly loud in the deathly quiet room. Taka can see Hina's eyes widen with the beginnings of hurt, while Sakura draws herself up to her full height, glowering at Mondo almost menacingly. Taka, himself, isn't sure what to do, not knowing if this is going to lead to yet another argument or not... and so soon after they'd resolved the last one, too...

However, seeing their reactions, Mondo grimaces, shaking his head sharply. Despite the harsh words, Taka can see that Mondo doesn't look angry or blank or anything, like last time. Instead he just looks... confused...

"No, uh, shit. I ain't mean it like that. Just... ya can't like both chicks and dudes. Ain't really a thing, ya know? Daiya, my big bro, he... he always told me it was one or the other. Not both. So, like... ya used ta like dudes but now ya like chicks or somethin'?"

Hina stiffens further, looking down at the ground with her shoulders by her ears, cheeks slightly pink. Taka feels really bad for the girl, but he doesn't get a chance to speak before Sakura does, her voice a light growl with warning hidden in the tone.

"Owada, saying a thing like that is very hurtful. I assure you, it is very much possible to like both men and women at the same time. I, myself, do. I am bisexual, which is similar to pansexual, but gender does play some factor in my attraction. Just because I am currently with Hina and she is with me doesn't mean we cannot feel attraction towards people of different genders. It simply means that we will not pursue any other relationships while we are together, similar to how straight people can feel attracted to people other than their partner while still being monogamous. It is very rude to suggest otherwise."

Sakura is glaring at Mondo, and while he can see the flush rising on the biker's face, he seems to be refusing to back down, shaking his head again while an annoyed scowl rises on his face. A-ah... this doesn't seem like it's going to be good...

"No, the fuck? I ain't tryin' ta be fuckin' rude! I just... ya fuckin' can't like both genders! Ain't a real fuckin' thing! Believe me, I'd fuckin' know! Ya like one or ya like the other. That's what Daiya always fuckin' told me, an' he always knew shit like that! He... he was always so good with the ladies, an' he knew everythin' 'bout everythin'. He was like a fuckin' genius or somethin', always easily knowin' the shit I could never hope ta fuckin' figure out. If he said ya can't like both... then ya fuckin' can't. Don't know what the fuck that means fer you two, maybe it's different fer chicks, but I... s-shit..."

Mondo trails off, looking very upset and troubled, and Taka can feel his heart as it begins to race, mind whiting out for a moment. Because... because he'd always assumed that Mondo knew that bisexuality was a thing. He'd always assumed that he knew and that he had realized that he... t-that he wasn't... but. B-but, if Mondo doesn't realize that, doesn't realize that bisexuality is real and can be done, doesn't realize that men can like girls and guys, then maybe... m-maybe he doesn't realize that- that he could be-

Ah. But he's getting ahead of himself, isn't he?! Aha! Ahahaha! Ahahahahahahaha! Hahaha! Haha... Ha...

Ha?

Distantly— like he's watching the world through a fishbowl— he sees as Sakura takes a menacing step forward, a dark glower on her face. Taka knows he should probably stop her before a fight breaks out, but his limbs are heavy and weighted, and he finds that he can't move them, even if he had the presence of mind to want to. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You have plenty of time to think about how you can stop it from happening but are helpless to move and actually put plan to action.

Luckily, before Sakura can do anything other than glare, Hina lets out a soft 'oh!' and looks at Mondo with wide eyes, like she just realized something. Taking a hesitant step towards the biker— cutting her girlfriend off unintentionally— she places a tentative hand on his shoulder, looking up into his eyes earnestly. Mondo looks back down at her, a wild look in his wide eyes, looking so much like a frightened baby deer that Taka normally would find it endearing, if very concerning. But that would be if his brain was still working...

"Oh... oh, Mondo, you don't know... hm..." Hina mutters, like she's talking to herself. Again, if Taka were in his right mind, he'd think about how surprisingly understanding the seemingly air-headed girl can be; what she may lack in academic intelligence, she more than makes up for in interpersonal intelligence, an area that Taka is woefully inept at, though he's slowly learning. As it stands though, his brain is still mush, so he can just stare blankly, heart and mind racing with thoughts and feelings and hope, hope, hope. Like his mother always said, c'est la vie...

After a moment, Hina continues, her voice low and soothing, a pained look on her face.

"Mondo... have you ever thought that maybe... just maybe... your brother was wrong about this? I mean, I know he means a lot to you, and I'm not trying to go against him! I promise! But just... you can like both boys and girls, you know? If you- if you want to, that is. If you feel attracted to them. Guys can feel attraction to both. And it's okay to like both. It... it's okay," she stresses, sounding far more serious than Taka has ever heard her before. His mind is starting to clear of the shock and fog, but his limbs are still tingling and it's still a little hard to breathe. But he's getting there... by god is he getting there!

He still can only watch, however, as Mondo looks at the girl desperately, eyes looking at her with an emotion that is so intense Taka can practically feel it, even though he has no idea what it is. It's something deep, and urgent, and primal and Taka...

Taka thinks it feels somewhat familiar to him...

After a moment, though— far before Taka has any hope of deciphering what the emotion is— he watches as the biker shakes his head, frantic and forceful, his eyes shuttering, the emotion dying cruelly, though a hint of desperation still remains.

"No. N-no, y'ain't... yer fuckin' wrong. Ya can't... D-Daiya... h-he always fuckin' told me ya can't, he fuckin'... h-he said that I could- f-fuck. He said that people could only like one or the other. That ya had ta fuckin' choose. W-whenever I would- shit. Just... he ain't fuckin' wrong. He was the smartest fuckin' person I ever knew, outside a' Kiyo. S-so... he's gotta be right. An' I don't give a fuck 'bout you an' Sakura, ya two can be whatever ya wanna be, ain't none a' my fuckin' business. But... but you're wrong. 'Bout... 'bout dudes bein' able ta... a-an' I don't... I don't fuckin' wanna hear anythin' else, got it? Just... I ain't gonna tell ya what ya are an' aren't, ain't my fuckin' place, but don't try and tell me I'm fuckin' wrong. Hear me? I... just leave it the fuck alone."

The words start angry and forceful, but by the end Mondo is practically begging, his face flickering between a cool mask and such intense pain and hurt and confusion that Taka wants to rush forward and wrap his arms around Mondo, wants to hold him tight and protect him from all harm, wants to take away the pain until Mondo is only happy and light and pure once more. But not only are they in public and Taka cannot do such a thing without being questioned, he's still feeling very off kilter, feeling like his center of gravity has been tampered with and he's kind of floating awkwardly in space.

Hina seems to be having a similar problem, her face frozen in a mix of horror and heartbreak, like she finally reached the end of her favorite book, only to find out that her favorite character dies a gruesome and horrific death. Mondo looks away from the girl, presumably unable to handle the scrutiny, and just stares blankly at the ground, breathing heavily. Sakura also seems to be frozen, a mixture of her previous anger combining with something that might be sympathy or might be pity, a frown deep on her face.

The moment is broken several long moments later, when the door to the kitchen opens, the first of the kitchen staff entering to begin making the basic dinner options that the school provides on campus. They all look over to the adults with wide eyes, realizing that their time is up and they have to leave the kitchen now, or else they'll just be in the way.

Mondo— snapping out of his weird moment— doesn't spare them a backwards glance before storming away, eyes straight ahead of him, not even bothering to wait for Taka like he usually does. This causes a pang of hurt to rise in him, but he tries to push it down the best he can. Mondo is just... just upset that's all. He just needs some time to cool off. T-that's all...

Still, he can't help the numb feeling that enters his heart as he hears Hina call to him, her voice soft and sympathetic as she does, but he can't... he just can't, so he smiles shakily and shakes his head sharply once.

"I-I'm fine," he states, before she can ask, sort of belying his words. He doesn't think that Mondo is mad at him, per se, but just... he doesn't know. The way Mondo had looked, before denying Hina's words... it still is making his chest ache and he doesn't even know why. He wants to say more, to show them just how fine he is, but... ah. He can't.

Instead, he just turns to his cookies that Mondo had left and grabs a container to put them in, piling them in without looking at his two friends. He can feel their eyes on him, but thankfully they don't say anything, they just let him go about his business in peace.

Once he's finished packing the sweets up to go (putting Mondo's remaining cookies in as well, the ones Chihiro hadn't taken for herself), he turns to look at Sakura and Hina, his face set and a strained smile on his lips.

"Thank you for everything you have done today, my friends! This was an enjoyable activity, and we should bake together again sometime! I shall see you both later! Goodbye!"

With his overly forceful words said, Taka leaves, barely waiting for a responding farewell before turning to leave the room, his insides squirming uncomfortably yet again.

From there, it doesn't take him long to reach the dorms, hands shaking slightly. His eyes dart over to the room next to his, more familiar than his own at this point, and before he can talk himself out of it, he's striding over and ringing the doorbell once. Just a quick press of the button and then back. He waits for a reply, heart pounding, wondering if the biker will answer, wondering if he's even there at all, wondering... well. A lot of things.

When— after a minute— no response comes, Taka sighs softly and walks back over to his room, heart aching painfully once more. Ahh, to think he'd fooled himself into thinking he wasn't going to feel like this again today. What joy...

Taka spends the next hour huddled in his room, going over his homework for the third time, reading and rereading some additional texts he'd picked up for his morality class. He's been doing very well in that class, several important guest speakers coming to talk with him about the importance of morality and ethics, as well as providing knowledge that he hadn't previously known. It's probably his favorite class thus far, and usually he finds himself enjoying the additional texts his teacher assigns him for extra credit, even the fourth or fifth time he reads it. Today, though... ah. Less so.

But still, he tries, because otherwise he's left alone with his thoughts, thinking about how pained Mondo had looked when he'd mentioned that his brother had not approved of bisexuality, the look forever burned in his brain.

When the dinner bell rings, reminding the students that dinner is starting, Taka stays where he is, not wanting to leave his room right then. Not when, for the first time in weeks, he won't have Mondo at his side at the dinner table... he's not entirely sure he can handle that, to be honest. How pathetic...

Before he can let the thoughts spiral down any further, he hears his doorbell ring, Taka blinking at the book he's been holding but not reading since the dinner bell rang a few minutes ago. Heart pounding with accursed hope, he scrambles up and heads to the door, hating himself for his hope but not able to help it. Is it- it's probably not, just wishful thinking, but maybe, is it-

It is, he thinks, heart racing at the sight of Mondo, his hair back up in his full pompadour, eyeliner intense, coat back on and looking like himself again. It should be a good thing— and it is, he swears!— but... but he can't stop the pain he feels at the sight of Mondo wearing his armor again, after spending all afternoon with it off, looking far softer and more touchable than he ever has before.

Still, despite the pain, he has to admit that he is so glad to see the biker, even more so when Mondo looks over at him, eyes wide at first before relaxing into their usual liquid softness, smiling at him so tenderly he aches. He watches as Mondo absently lifts a hand and brushes back Taka's fringe, causing his breath to stutter in his chest.

"Hey, uh, Kiyo... sorry ta bounce on ya like that earlier. Just, uh... hadta do somethin' real quick. Wanna go an' get some food? I'm payin'," Mondo mutters, smiling at him sheepishly. Taka can only nod dumbly, his throat far too tight and far too dry to ever hope to produce a comprehensible sound. Normally he'd argue about that last part, at least offering a token protest, but he just silently follows after Mondo, the biker somewhat tense as they walk through the busy hallways. Right before they reach the dining hall though, Taka feels an arm slide carefully around his waist and Taka... Taka lets it, even though his shoulders tense at first. It's not long before he melts against the warmth that's engulfing him, however. It never is.

Dinner goes fairly smoothly that day, Mondo making good on his words and buying Taka one of the more expensive meal options that he never gets on his own, a spicy tuna sushi platter. Taka never realized how much he actually enjoys sushi before Mondo started buying it for him every so often, almost never bothering to get the meal before Hope's Peak since cheap sushi is often unsafe, he's heard. However, he's found that good quality sushi like this... mm.

He can't quite help the niggling of guilt at taking the biker's money, but if Mondo really wants to... well, who is he to deny him? And it does seem to make Mondo happy, the teen watching him intently as he eats the prepared fish and rice, a gentle smile on his face when Taka lets out happy sounds at the taste. It makes Taka flush, his chest fluttering with butterflies, but he doesn't mind. It... it feels nice, honestly.

They sit on their own during the meal, their classmates giving them some space for whatever reason, which he has to admit is also kind of nice... just him and Mondo, the biker talking gruffly about this or that, detailing something that happened to his gang years ago... and it's just... it's nice. Taka firmly pushes the thought of 'this feels like a date' right on out of his head and just nods at Mondo's story when appropriate, soft smile on his lips.

Pretty soon, they are done with the meal, the pair exiting the dining hall together, Mondo's arm low on his waist again, the biker smiling softly as he leans down to murmur quietly in his ear. Taka can feel eyes on them as they exit, can see the way they watch them as they interact, but Taka... for once, Taka just doesn't care. He's gone through way too many emotions today to let something like that bother him now. Especially not when it feels so nice, Mondo engulfing him entirely.

They stop off briefly at Taka's room for him to get the container of cookies he'd left there, as well as his book. As he enters, Taka can't help how his eyes catch the shining motorcycle that still is front and center on his counter, the first thing he always sees when he enters the room. He's been meaning to bring it to Mondo's room for ages, but part of him likes leaving it here, even if he rarely ever spends time in his room anymore. It's just... nice, knowing it's here, one of the only pieces of personality in his barren room.

Taka's heart begins to race when he feels Mondo step up behind him, turning somewhat to see that Mondo is looking at the gift too, his eyes liquid soft with something that Taka almost thinks is yearning within them. The look doesn't last long before the biker looks down and catches his eye, an entire galaxy of emotion swirling deep in the captivating lavender. He gets lost in those eyes for several long moments, never wanting to look away, but eventually Mondo mutters that they should probably get going soon, spurring Taka into action.

He grabs the cookies and book quickly, then, and leaves his room soon after, heart aching softly, but not horribly so. As soon as they enter Mondo's room, the biker moves to set up the TV set for them to watch yet another show together. It's really amazing how much time he spends watching television shows and movies these days... he isn't entirely sure he enjoys the films or shows they watch half the time, but he always enjoys getting a chance to lean heavily against Mondo, the teen warm and languid against him as he laughs, holding onto him so tight they might as well be one. It just... it's just one of his favorite things to do, really. Even more so than studying, though he'd never dare admit something like that! Well... maybe. To Mondo... if he asked...

When 9:00 comes around, Taka heads into the shower and rinses the grime of the day off his body, careful with the burn on his hand. He can feel both his mind and body relax under the steady spray, the residual tension and upset from earlier washing off with the dirt and sweat. His insides are still a little mixed up, and he's sure that it's going to get more muddled with the coming days, but... ah. But, for now, in this one moment... he's okay. He doesn't know what the future will bring, but he is determined to try and take it one step at a time, for better or for worse.

Once he finishes his shower, Mondo heads in, the shower starting up even though Taka knows the biker had taken one earlier that day, after- er. That, and thus doesn't technically need one. Taka knows he likes to wash the product out of his hair before bed, though, since he's not a fan of the crunchy texture of it when he doesn't wash it. Taka isn't entirely sure why Mondo put his hair back up in the first place, but he supposes it doesn't matter too much. It's Mondo's business, not his, really.

Eventually, Mondo finishes his shower, and he enters the main room, looking soft and touchable again, his hair damp on his head and his smile tender. They work on some homework together— since Mondo didn't have much of a chance to finish his work earlier— until the curfew bell rings, letting them know it's time to head to bed.

Which they do, like always, without a word, Taka turning off the lamp as Mondo settles in on the relatively small space. When Taka gets in, he faces away from Mondo again, still not sure if he can handle facing the biker. Especially not after everything that happened that day, not with how his insides are still squirming. Mondo doesn't seem perturbed by it and just pulls him close to his chest, Taka's back assaulted with the warmth of Mondo. Not that he minds. He actually really likes this position, he'll be honest. It's quite cozy!

As is starting to become their usual, Taka is just about to fall asleep, his eyes closed and his breathing evening out, when Mondo begins to talk, voice so soft that it's almost unintelligible in the seemingly unnaturally quiet air. But Taka hears him fine enough.

"Hey, uh, Taka... ya still up?"

After a beat, Taka nods slowly, moving his uninjured hand to gently touch Mondo's to show he's listening, biting his lip gently when the biker twines their finger together softly. A-ah... Taka waits for Mondo to continue, patient in a way the biker doesn't seem to think him to be (he's very patient normally, he assures you!) and is rewarded a few moments later when the teen sighs.

"Uh. I just... ya remember the conversation earlier? U-uh... with Hina and Sakura?"

Taka nods again, squeezing the hand he's holding almost unconsciously. A-ah... yes, he remembers... he remembers very well, thank you. Mondo sighs again, pressing his forehead lightly to the back of Taka's neck, his breath ghosting down his spine, making him shudder unconsciously. Mondo doesn't seem to notice. Good...

"They ain't... shit. They ain't right... are they? 'C-cuz... 'cuz Daiya always said... b-but I just... I dunno. Never, uh... never bothered questionin' it. If Daiya said it... must be fuckin' true. R... right?"

Silence falls around them as Taka thinks about the softly asked question, wondering what the best way to reply would be. The words may be simple, but Taka is not foolish enough to think that his answer can be that simple. After all, he had heard the way Mondo had hesitated when he said that he'd never questioned it, which makes Taka think he's not quite being honest there... so, he knows that he has to be careful with whatever he says next, to not make the biker feel attacked or even slightly offended. He knows that.

As such, when he begins to speak, it's a bit hesitant and uncertain, even though he means the words wholeheartedly.

"I... I'm not entirely sure what you wish for me to say, kyoudai. Because... well, because I cannot agree. Bisexuality, pansexuality... they do exist, I assure you. Many people in the world feel attraction to more than one gender. In fact, in some cultures such a thing is fairly common and is accepted! ... I- I do not know what your brother meant by what he said, but... but perhaps you misunderstood? I- I don't know, kyoudai. But... but it is a true thing. You can feel attraction to both men and women. It... it's real."

The silence is thick between them as Mondo thinks about what he'd just said, his thumb absently rubbing circles on the back of his hand, his other arm tight around his waist. It takes a full minute before Mondo speaks again, voice soft.

"Uh... s-shit... I fuckin'... Daiya always said... I dunno. Fuckin'... i-is- uh. Is that... is that what you are?"

Taka's breath stutters in his chest at the softly spoken question, Mondo sounding more unsure than Taka has ever heard him. And Taka... Taka almost wants to say yes, that he is bisexual, to make Mondo feel more comfortable about the concept, since he knows that Mondo would be able to accept it far easier if he thinks that Taka is bi, as close as they both are. It would probably help Mondo to hear, he's sure of it.

But...

But...

But, well.

He can't. He's already spent so much of his life pretending to be something that he most definitely is not. He... he can't do that again. Not now, not when he's finally made some modicum of peace with who is he, even if he still struggles with it sometimes. Not even if it would help Mondo figure out that- that it is okay...

"No," he says firmly, louder than he'd intended. He feels as Mondo flinches back slightly, his heart aching at what the teen might be thinking by his strong refusal. Biting his lip yet again (he's got to stop doing this, it's honestly starting to hurt...), he sighs and mentally prepares himself for the confession he knows he has to make. He owes it to Mondo, and... and to himself, if he's being honest. He's never said it aloud, but he... he knows. What he is. Who he is.

And he... he's not ashamed.

Not in this moment, at least.

"No... no, I... I don't feel any attraction towards women. I am... I'm gay."

Ah. There. He said it. He said it, it's out there in the world. That... that makes it real, that means that he actually is... that he actually is gay...

It honestly doesn't hurt as much as he would have thought it would.

"Oh... uh... fuck. That's cool, uh... yeah," Mondo mutters, his shoulders tense behind him. Taka can feel nerves fill him, wondering if Mondo actually will have a problem with it, despite what he'd said on Halloween, his heart starting to race, all hints of tiredness gone as he worries.

But then, after a moment, he feels Mondo relax against him, the biker nuzzling the back of his neck a little, squeezing his hand firmly as he lets out a soft puff of air that may have been meant to be a laugh. "Yeah. I, uh... I kinda figured, h-heh..."

A different strain of anxiety rises in him at the words, the knowledge that he's not been hiding it all as well as he may have hoped making him nervous, but he pushes that aside. After all, after what he'd done earlier, he would honestly be surprised if Mondo hadn't at least suspected it. Mondo isn't as unintelligent as he seems to think he is, and he is far better at picking up on interpersonal matters than Taka is, at the very least. And Taka... Taka isn't as good an actor as he may wish himself to be, he knows. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if Mondo doesn't suspect that he... t-that Taka is in lo- a-ah. But thinking things like that isn't helpful. It just leads to anxiety and fear. So, he firmly pushes it away.

After a moment, Taka begins to speak again, feeling just a little anxious about it all.

"T-that... that doesn't mean that such a thing can't exist, though! I- I mean... that people, both men and women, can't like multiple genders. It is very much possible and is very much a thing! I- I just... do not. I've tried to, with Hina and Sayaka, even Chihiro, but... a-ah..." he trails off, shrugging slightly. He moves to bite his lip again, but shifts to bite his cheek instead, figuring he should give the bruised and battered skin a break for once.

Mondo hums softly behind him, pulling him closer, the hand not holding his pressed tight to his abdomen.

"I do. Uh... feel attraction towards women. Always have," Mondo mutters, voice low and rumbling. Taka's mouth goes dry at the words, the words he wants to say sitting on the tip of his tongue, burning his mouth. 'But what about men?' he wants to whisper, silent as the night. 'Are you attracted to men?'

He doesn't ask. He can't. He just lets the words hang there, heavy in the air, and remains silent.

After a minute, Mondo sighs quietly once more, pressing his lips feather light to his shoulder, barely perceptible through his shirt if it weren't for the warmth, Taka's breath escaping him at the gentle touch.

"We should get some sleep, kyoudai. Hate fer ya ta be all tired tomorrow. Sorry fer... all a' the shit I did today. We, uh... we good?"

The smile that rises on Taka's face feels bittersweet, the soft chuckle that escapes his throat duller than it should be. Mondo doesn't question it, though. Thankfully.

"Yes, kyoudai. We... we are good. If... i-if you are good with me, then I am more than good with you."

The improper grammar he's using is making his head hurt a little, but he does his best to ignore it as Mondo hums softly. He feels as Mondo nods firmly against him, lips pressing tighter to his shoulder before pulling away again.

"Yeah, we're fuckin' good, Kiyo. Just... let's get some fuckin' sleep. Don't know 'bout you, but I'm fuckin' exhausted. Bakin' is fuckin' hard an' shit..."

Taka laughs genuinely at the words, nodding as he closes his eyes, a happy smile on his lips. This entire day has been a whirlwind of emotions, from happy to horny to devastated to tentatively hopeful to worried to pained to grieving to tentatively happy again and... he doesn't even know what else. Just... all of it, really. Just... all of it. And, like Mondo said. He's fucking exhausted. He's too tired to even reprimand himself for his mental profanity. He really is spending a lot of time around Mondo, isn't he...? Aha...

"Good night, Mondo. Sleep well," he mutters, exhaustion overtaking him as sleep creeps into his mind. As he is finally drifting off, he thinks he hears Mondo call to him, but he has no hope of responding. He's already falling into his dreams, mind blissfully blanking out.

He has another wet dream that night; the moment from earlier, when making up with Mondo, only things ended far, far differently and far, far more graphically.

He has a feeling he's going to have to get used to things like this...

(Is it bad that he's starting to not mind?)

(Especially not when Mondo looks at him like that, sleepy eyes laser focused and intent, a subtle heat in his eyes.)

(No... no, he definitely doesn't mind...)

Someone from the Hope's Peak Peanut Gallery (HPPG), Byakuya probably: JUST FREAKING KISS ALREADY, GOD.

Mondo and Taka: *too lost in the other's eyes to even hear them*

HPPG: GODDAMMIT.

Ha, sooo…. Mondo is learning what being Bi is… ;-) And Taka verbally called himself gay to Mondo! Yay! :-D

And about and the whole thing with Daiya... I like the idea of his character, you know, and didn't want to write anything bad about him, really, I didn't. but I figured him being the one to tell Mondo that you can't like both guys and girls would make more sense as to why it causes him such inner turmoil. And I remember once, when I visited some friends overseas, they introduced me to another friend of theirs who seemed very nice until we started talking about sexuality for some reason, and she insisted about how bisexuality isn't real, without any prompting. My friends later told me that she's not usually so uncaring and she is open minded about other things and was just working through stuff herself, but it still strikes me how people can seem super nice, until you reach the thing they're resistant about, for whatever reasons.

So, while Daiya may or may not be biphobic (since Mondo may just be assuming he is, due to a misunderstanding that he can't clear up now, it's up to you), it doesn't change that in other ways, he was a good brother to Mondo. People are flawed, you know? And it doesn't excuse anything, but I like to think that if Daiya were biphobic but learned that Mondo is bi, he'd immediately change his mind on bisexuality and be super proud and supportive of his little bro. So, uh... yeah.

And as for Mondo... he's just trying to figure himself out. And considering my first reaction to learning about asexuality when I was 15 was to go "oh, huh, weird! ... good for people like that, but so glad that's not me!" despite being, like... hella ace? It's not super unheard of for Mondo to not know bisexuality is a thing, despite the fact he's super in love with Taka. Teenagers are dumb, what can I say?

(Also, fun fact. Immediately after leaving the baking session, Byakuya created a group chat (sans Taka and Mondo) entirely dedicated to getting Mondo and Taka together. His first text reads "If I am forced to watch these two idiots dance around each other for the rest of our school years, I assure you I will be burning this school to the ground." ;-) Everyone ships it.)