CW: Mild dub-con at the beginning of the chapter, though it's not really anyone's fault. There's nothing explicit in this chapter, though.
Hey guys!
So! Sorry I'm late! Those of you on my Tumblr will have seen my posts about my lateness, but for those who didn't, just know that this last week was super busy for me between work and grad school and I barely had any energy left to do anything, let alone editing and posting this story, oof. I think I'll just skip posting this week, and will just post the next chapter next Sunday, not this upcoming Sunday. I'd post in the middle of the week, but I don't know if I'll have time then either, so… we'll see. I'll be posting any changes to this plan on my Tumblr, so check there if you're curious.
Anyway! This chapter is a big one, ha. The beginning of the end! I'm so emotional about this, oof. Like the content warning says, there is some mild dubcon in this chapter, but it's like… I don't know. I'll just say it's not Taka or Mondo's fault and as soon as it's noticed by the other, all sexual things stop immediately, okay? I just wanted to warn against it to be safe. Feel free to message me if you want more details about it and what occurs, I'm more than happy to explain. :-) Do know that this chapter is the last of the three that I split up, but this chapter was always split at the point it ends. I just originally had a line break splitting the two parts, which makes it more natural as a chapter break I think.
I also wanted to mention this introspective thingy I wrote about TPWP, which goes into my characterization of both Taka and Mondo, as well as why I've changed them so much from canon, and why I've added so much sexual content in this story. Both are things that kind of bug me about TPWP, so if you're curious, you can find it on my Tumblr.
Oh! Also, the title of this chapter is kind of referencing the song The Rose by Bette Midler. The Rose is one of my favorite songs, it's so beautiful. I hadn't originally meant to make it the title of this chapter, only coming up with it today, but I think it fits.
Enjoy!
"Mm. G'mornin', Kiyo... time ta wake up, baby... got a big day today..."
Taka hums softly as the rumbling voice pierces his sleep addled mind, bringing him gently into the world of the living. He scrunches up his face as he stretches his body, arching his back against the warm hand pressed firmly there, his face pressing closer to the warm chest before him. He can hear a rich chuckling sound as he stretches, warm lips pressing against the top of his head gently as he goes. It's just when he's finished with his stretch that the body before him starts to move, causing a noise of complaint to sound from his lips. The chuckle sounds again, and then... t-then...
Then he's being pressed to lie flat on his back, the body that was once before him now on top of him, his wrists being pinned gently to the bed.
Sleep now fully chased from his mind, Taka opens his eyes immediately, breath catching at the breath-taking sight of Mondo— smug smirk bright on his lips— leering down at him from above. And then... when Mondo leans down and starts kissing and biting his neck, hungry and fervent...
Grk!
"Mm, shit, baby... think we got time fer a little messin' 'round 'fore we gotta get up fer those meetin's an' shit?" he hears a rough voice rumble in his ear, causing him to shudder bodily. Taka doesn't even bother looking at the clock before he starts nodding his head frantically, breath stuttering as it punches out of his chest. He doesn't even mind Mondo's bright laughter, the biker's eyes crinkled with amusement and affection when he pulls back and smiles down at Taka, leaning forward to kiss his nose gently.
"Heh... 'll be quick, Kiyo... know we gotta prepare fer the festival an' shit today. Now, tell me if ya wanna stop an' I will, 'kay?" Mondo mutters like always, lips smiling softly at him, eyes bright with affection. It's all Taka can do to nod desperately, gasping when Mondo grins sharply and leans down to bite his neck again, making his back arch pleasantly.
It's not like Taka hadn't expected this, honestly. Every day for the last week, he and Mondo have been doing things together, Mondo's desire seeming to be insatiable as he's been spending every day exploring Taka and his body. They've not gone as far as full-on sexual intercourse, but they've done more than enough to make up for that fact. Taka has lost count of the number of times Mondo has sucked him off, as the biker elegantly calls it, as it seems to be his new favorite activity to do. Taka has yet to have the opportunity to return the favor, much as he privately (and shamefully) wants to, but Mondo doesn't seem to mind. The biker seems to greatly enjoy bringing Taka pleasure, often getting off on just making Taka climax, not even needing to be touched himself before he, er... w-well!
And, honestly... the previous weekend still remains two of the best days of his entire life, to tell the honest truth... the morning after he and Mondo had finally confessed their desire to one another, Mondo had muttered in his ear that he wanted to take his time to explore Taka, asking if he could, and Taka... Taka had agreed immediately, not caring about any possible consequences, just acutely adoring the way Mondo had smiled so beautifully at him.
And then... then, he and Mondo hadn't left the room the entire weekend, Mondo finally making good on his promise to 'teach [Taka] some fuckin' patience,' as it were. It had been the sweetest torture he's ever felt, honestly, to have Mondo's hands and mouth all over his body as the biker teased him to the edge of climax, only to keep him there for what might honestly have been hours. Mondo seemed to like doing that very much, over and over, even though it meant he had to curb his own arousal, too. The biker hadn't seemed to mind as much as Taka had, though, and it had been simultaneously the most frustrating and most incredible two days of his life, he swears...
The only time they'd left their room, in fact, had been before the events had started, to get enough food from the kitchen to last them as long as Mondo was planning to keep Taka locked up with him. The prospect had made Taka both nervous and extremely excited when he'd heard Mondo say it, only just then realizing even slightly what was about to be in store for him.
And then, later, when they'd gotten several texts from their friends halfway through their first, er... round, asking if they wanted to head out that weekend with them, Mondo had grabbed his phone with annoyance and texted them that they already had plans. That they were going to have a 'movie marathon' the entire weekend and wouldn't be able to join them. And when Hina had replied back that 'that sounds like sooo much fun!' and asked if they all could join in, Mondo had scowled and replied very bluntly that it was a thing only for Taka and himself, and to 'kindly, fuck off.'
There had been no reply for a full minute following that, before Hina had replied back a quick apology and told them to 'have fun! And stay safe!' Taka had been confused by the last part, but something about it had made Mondo flush beautifully, the biker chuckling awkwardly as he quickly shut the phone off, telling Taka to not worry about it when he asked why the biker did that. That he just wanted to make sure nothing else distracted them. And after that... absolutely nothing had.
By the end of Sunday night, Taka had been so languid and loose that he honestly had no idea how he was supposed to go to class the following morning, as exhausted as their activities had made him. He had made sure he had, of course, especially since it was final exam week (break starting far sooner than Taka had even wanted to think about, so he firmly didn't), though he'd had so many little bruises all over his body he was very grateful the nurse had given him that bruise cream, honestly... when Mondo gets enthusiastic, he truly lets loose! Not that Taka is complaining... at all... aha.
After those two incredible days, Taka had privately thought that things would settle down, that Mondo would have gotten it all out of his system and would be content to go back to their previous rate of sexual exploration, doing things maybe two or three times a week.
However, he quickly found that he had been very, very wrong. While they didn't go quite as hard as they had that weekend, Mondo had spent at least half an hour to an hour a day exploring Taka and his body, figuring out what he liked and what he didn't like, and would likely have done more if Taka had let him. However, Taka had quickly realized that he would have to lay down some ground rules between them if they wanted this all to continue seamlessly, with one of them being that all of Mondo's homework and Taka's studying had to be done before they started doing things, to ensure that neither of them fell behind in their studies. The rule had made Mondo pout petulantly, but he'd agree readily enough, sighing and saying that he didn't want to make Taka go against his strict work ethic.
It had made it a lot harder to find time for their intimacy, though, especially since it was finals week and Taka was in high demand from the student body at large. His study schedules were definitely desired, as were his thorough study sessions for his year. He'd spent practically every day after class with his classmates, going over the material for the following day's exam or exams, feeling bad that he'd neglected his duties over the weekend for, er... well.
His friends had said they hadn't minded, that it was alright, that he's allowed to take some time off for himself, but he'd still wanted to make it up to them, and so he'd been very focused on providing the best study sessions he possibly could. And that's not even mentioning how he and Mondo have been spending several hours over the last several days baking with Hina and some of the others in the kitchen, preparing for their class's festival booth, which had just cut into their time even more.
This all, unfortunately, had made Mondo a little frustrated, as it all greatly reduced their 'alone time,' but they had figured that as long as they were quick, they could get things done before class, and then again at night, right before bedtime. Mondo has even been spending less time on his hair— and Taka less time on his exercises each morning— so that they could have the most amount of time together before they had to get to class.
If Taka is being honest, he... he never would have expected himself to be in a physical relationship that is so, er... demanding? Or perhaps that's the wrong word... insistent? All-encompassing? Perhaps...
Well. Whatever the right word is, it's not something he'd have ever expected himself to be in, especially not before he was in a committed relationship, but, well... it's not like he's complaining! Mondo is definitely a very gracious and caring lover; making sure he is comfortable above all else, seeing to Taka's needs over his own, being so utterly reverent and adoring in his every touch... it's more than he'd ever expected from any relationship he could possibly have and he just... well. He adores it, truly! Adores the intimacy and the closeness and the easy affection. Quite fervently, really. And, of course, the, er... pleasure, aha. Cannot forget about that!
Though... if he's being entirely honest... he'd have to admit that the pleasure aspect is not the biggest appeal to him. He likes it, don't get him wrong! But... the closeness to Mondo, being able to hear him moan against him, seeing him obtain his own pleasure from pleasuring Taka... being able to directly cause that pleasure with his hands on a few occasions... mm. That's definitely the best part of their entire affair, in his eyes. Being able to feel close to someone, particularly someone he is so madly in love with... it's everything to him. Absolutely everything.
Of course... it also is a double-edged sword he has come to find. Because... well. Because Mondo hasn't done anything to indicate he wants more than just a physical relationship. And Taka has tried to hint that he wants more, believe him he has! He'd even made a blithe comment a few days before, asking about what they plan to do after school is over, making it clear that he sees Mondo in his after-school plans, to show Mondo that he wants that for them.
But Mondo... Mondo had just gotten quiet when Taka had talked about his plans, when Taka had mentioned how he knows being out will be hard for him and his goals, but that he thinks it will be more than worth it in the end, looking at Mondo with significant eyes. It had been so hard for him to say such a thing, so utterly worried Mondo wouldn't feel the same and that he'd ruin everything, and... and he'd been proven at least partially right, in a way, when Mondo had just shrugged and quickly changed the subject, the biker ignoring the heartache Taka knows was plain on his face. And while it hadn't made Mondo stop his sexual explorations, hadn't made him less fervent in his desire, it has created a bit of a rift between them, one that Taka has no idea how to bridge; if he even has the ability to do such a thing at all. And he... Taka had been able to feel a block of ice form inside his chest that day, frigid and painful, the ice spreading with each day that passes and Mondo doesn't show any indication that he wants more. That he wants forever. Like... like Taka does...
And... and he's been trying to ignore it, okay? He's been trying to tell himself that he's okay with it, that as long as he has Mondo in some capacity, that as long as Mondo trusts him, then... then he doesn't need everything from Mondo. That he doesn't need them to be in a committed relationship, to have their intimacy merge with love. There are plenty of ways people can be together intimately without being in love, after all! He- he doesn't... he doesn't need Mondo to be in love with him for him to be satisfied. He just... he just needs Mondo, in some regard, in some way. That's all he needs. He promises.
(And, of course, there is the part of him that fears he is going to lose Mondo entirely, despite his best efforts to be as accommodating and passionate as possible, even with the many misgivings he regrettably does have about their whole affair. He just can't help but fear that, despite the complete and total intimacy and closeness they are currently experiencing, Mondo is slowly slipping away from him. That the desperation and the pain he can sometimes see in Mondo's eyes when he is touching him has a deeper meaning, one that he has no hope of ever accessing, because Mondo refuses to let him in enough to help. That the reverent touches are an indication of something deeper, something darker, something... something more sinister...
And he just... he can't help the part of him that wonders if the reason that Mondo is so fervent in his desire is because he's letting Taka go, trying to get him out of his system before he leaves, and Taka... even thinking such a thing makes his heart break, his breath escaping him in harsh pants, eyes watering immediately. Because he... he doesn't know how to fix this. How to make Mondo stop seeing this as temporary. To make him see that he... that Taka wants this forever, if such a thing were possible. That he would gladly spend the rest of his life doing this and only this, if only Mondo so chooses.
Unless... unless Mondo doesn't want that, unless he wants this to just be temporary, for them to not be together for the long run, but... but Mondo promised he wouldn't leave him, and Mondo doesn't break promises, so what... what does this mean? What does any of this even mean?! He just... he just doesn't know. And it hurts him, when he lets himself slow down enough to feel it, but running so fast is starting to wear him down, and he just doesn't know what to do anymore, and he just-)
Taka's breath comes out in a shaky pant when he feels Mondo slip down below the covers, the biker trailing kisses and nips as he goes, tongue swirling over his nipples as he passes them by. And Taka... Taka wants to cry, can feel the pressure building behind his eyes, but he fervently pushes it down, not wanting to ruin this moment because of his stupidity. He doesn't want to give Mondo more of a reason to let go of him, more of a reason to leave him entirely. H-he just... he just has to keep a tight lid on his emotions, that's all! Has to... h-has to pretend that he's okay, that he wants this entirely, that he doesn't feel Mondo slipping away from him and feel such panic at the thought. Because it's not like he can tell Mondo how he feels, of course not! How ridiculous! M-Mondo wouldn't want him to be so needy, so clingy, s-so... s-so... pathetic...
So, he just has to keep his stupid mouth shut and take what he is given and be happy about it. Because this is enough for him. Because this is more than enough for him. Because it has to be. Because... because if Mondo leaves him... if he finally gets satiated from all this exploration and decides he's finished and doesn't want to be around Taka anymore... then he's going to have to savor this as much as he can while it lasts. To do his best to become satisfied enough that when it- w-when it dies... well. He'll never be able to feel at all okay, when this all dies out completely and Mondo wants nothing more to do with him after it's all said and done, but maybe... maybe he won't feel so much like dying, when it... when it happens. Maybe. M-maybe...
He gasps harshly when he feels Mondo touch him, his hands warm and reverent as they slowly lower his underwear, though Taka is unable to see him underneath the covers, and- a-and-
And then it's heat. And lips. And tongue, and it's all Taka can do to not cry, his eyes so painfully full he can't breathe with it, because it feels so good, but it... it's not real, it's not real, none of this is real. It's a dream, a dream, he's been dreaming all this time and he's dreaming still, and he can't... he can't wake up, he doesn't want to wake up, but all dreams end and he doesn't want this to end, god, please, but it must, because he's not allowed to have something as wonderful as this, because he doesn't deserve to have something as wonderful as this, and Mondo doesn't love him, not the way Taka loves Mondo, and Mondo is drifting away from him and Taka can't make him stop, can't hold him down, it's like trying to capture mist in his hands, like trying to stop the rain, like- like trying to... t-to... to love someone who cannot love you back, because you are unlovable by everyone, because there is something wrong with you, because you are wrong, because when the universe created you it made a mistake and created someone who is empty and broken and incomplete, and why would anyone want to be with someone like that, someone who is broken beyond repair, who cannot be happy with what they are given, who cannot- w-who cannot be happy, who cannot- n-not-
Taka gasps again, the sensation of Mondo's mouth on him overwhelming, but he knows he's only half hard at best and Mondo is going to know something is wrong, so he pushes all of the pain aside and focuses solely on Mondo and what he is doing. He forces himself to think of Mondo, mouth on his manhood, looking so enthusiastic and adorable it's not even funny, even if he cannot currently see him. Forces himself to focus on the feeling of pleasure that is growing within him, a pleasant heat that is so, so good. Forces himself to ignore the pain and the agony and the misery and the despair and think only of the good. Of his love. Of his affection. Of the joy and relief of Mondo wanting him like this. Wanting him at all. Because this is enough. Because this has to be enough.
Because it's far more than he deserves.
Because it's all he will ever get.
Because...
Because.
And it works. He can feel himself getting harder, can feel Mondo hum wondrously against him in satisfaction, and it makes him want to cry again, but he can't do that, so he pushes it down and moans like Mondo likes, and if it sounds a little too shaky and forced, he hopes Mondo can't hear it through the covers. He thinks of Mondo, thinks of his desire, and he lets himself get lost in it, for once. Let's himself drown in it, completely and utterly, and when he can feel his release coming, he lets it wash over him, consume him utterly, and if a couple of tears escape with his climax, well... w-well... he wipes them away quickly, hoping Mondo thinks his heavy breathing is only because of what they'd just been doing and nothing else.
And when Mondo pops back up from under the covers, his eyes sparkling with his desire, lips quirked into a cocky smile, Taka does his best to contort his face into a facsimile of a smile, hoping his traitorous eyes don't give him away.
But then... then he sees Mondo's face fall, sees the worry and pain fill those gorgeous lavender eyes, drowning out the desire. And Taka... Taka feels such abject misery and self-detestation fill him that he almost wants to gasp with it. But he can't, because that would just make everything worse, god, you pathetic child-
"H-holy shit, Kiyo, baby, are you alright?! Shit, I didn't fuckin' hurt ya, did I?! Fuck, baby, ya gotta stop me if y'ain't inta it, okay? I- I... s-shit, Kiyo, I didn't mean ta- ta hurt ya, I never fuckin'... fuckin' wanna do that, Christ..."
Taka's eyes widen at the panicked words, and he shakes his head so forcefully it almost hurts. He shuffles so that he is seated, hands reaching out to Mondo, doing everything he can to push all of it down, down, down, knowing he has to fix this, he has to make this better, s-somehow, he has to... t-to... s-somehow...
"N-no, Mondo, I- I am... I am fine, please do not... do not worry about me! I am just a little... a little overwhelmed! That is all! There is no reason for you to worry, kyoudai! I promise!"
His words are a little more desperate than they should be, which makes his stomach clench tightly. In order to try and rectify things, Taka darts forward and buries his head into Mondo's neck, breathing in his scent deeply, letting it assault him and take some of his panic away. He can feel arms wrap around him, pulling him close, and he goes willingly, gratefully, his body melting against Mondo's fully. He presses his lips almost unbidden to a throbbing pulse point, letting them rest against the steady thumping, the sensation soothing in a way he has no hope of describing. He can feel Mondo relax against him, too, and so Taka kisses the spot again, and again, and again, pressing deep each time, so that he can feel the steady proof of Mondo's life against his overly sensitive lips and know that he is here with him. That they are here together.
They stay like that for a handful of minutes, wrapped up together so entirely, before Taka finally pulls back, grimacing when he looks at the clock and sees that it reads 6:47. Which gives them roughly forty-five more minutes until they have to meet the headmaster and other individuals on the planning committee to get the indoor festival prepared and set up. And Taka knows it takes around that long for Mondo to get ready each morning, which means they have to start getting ready now, since Mondo is actually on the committee with him this time.
He smiles shakily at Mondo, his heart less painful now than it was earlier, and he sees Mondo smile shakily back, the biker rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"Heh. Okay, Kiyo. If ya say there ain't nothin' wrong, I'll believe ya. But just... please. In the future. Promise me that if y'ain't ever feelin' it, if ya don't wanna be physical that day... just... tell me, okay? Even if we're currently doin' stuff an' ya start ta realize y'ain't inta it halfway through. I won't be mad, okay? Promise. Would rather we stop completely than have ya have a panic attack with me none the fuckin' wiser. Y'understand? Promise me ya will, Kiyo, please. 'Cuz I can't... I can't fuckin' do this shit with ya if I don't know that yer inta it a hundred percent. Da used ta... ta force ma ta do shit when she didn't wanna, and I just... I ain't gonna be like that bastard, okay? An' I couldn't fuckin' live with myself if I ever made ya hurt like that. I just fuckin' couldn't. So just... please, Kiyo. Promise me."
Taka's heart lurches at words, and it's all he can do to nod sharply, his smile shaky and tenuous on his lips as he looks sadly at the biker.
"I- I... of course, Mondo. I... I promise. I-if I ever want to stop what we are doing... or if I don't want to do it in the first place... I will tell you. I promise."
And he supposes he means it. The thought of it makes his stomach hurt, not wanting to drive Mondo away with his nonsense, but... but Mondo looks so serious about this, and he'd hate to drive Mondo away more by not doing what the biker asks of him.
Luckily, his words take the tension out of Mondo, the biker's shoulders relaxing as he smiles softly at Taka. Taka can feel his own shoulders relaxing at the look, more so when Mondo leans forward and kisses his cheek tenderly, and then the other cheek, and finally his nose.
"Heh. Thanks, Kiyo. Now, we should prolly get ready an' shit. Ya wanna get cleaned up or are ya good?"
Taka thinks about that for a second before shaking his head slightly.
"I... I should be good... for now, at least. I think I want to get some exercise in, so I might take a shower once I'm done to remove the sweat," Taka mentions, realizing he's been neglecting his workout a bit recently. While he and Mondo will go to the exercise room together every other day or so, he's not been doing his morning exercises as regularly with their, er, activities, so he really has to make up for his lost time...
Mondo doesn't seem to have a problem with it, just hums and nods, kissing Taka's cheek one last time before getting up and heading to the bathroom.
"Sure, Kiyo. Don't overwork yerself, though, 'kay? Gonna be walkin' 'round the festival together an' all that, so ya gotta make sure yer legs ain't jelly 'fore we even start, got it?"
Taka smiles slightly at the concerned words, the ice in his heart melting a little at the worry Mondo shows so easily. He nods, promising without words that he won't, and he watches as Mondo smiles back, eyes liquid silver, before he finally enters the bathroom to get started on his routine. Taka looks at the entrance to the bathroom for several moments, just barely able to make out a sliver of Mondo getting his hair supplies out, before he stands and does what he'd said, getting his morning exercises out of the way.
Since he doesn't want to overdo it, he keeps to mostly the lighter things, such as several reps of sit ups, crunches, and ab curls, before moving to planks, pushups, and lunges. He does some stretches too, to keep his body nice and limber. He would do some work with his kendo blade, but he doesn't want to overwork himself, so he focuses on doing more floor-based exercises. It all helps the negative thoughts and emotions settle down within him, too, the repetitive motions working to soothe him, like they always had as a child, honestly... there is a reason he would waste so much time exercising each day growing up, after all.
After about twenty to twenty-five minutes, Taka figures he's done enough for now, panting lightly as he heads into the bathroom, making sure to knock politely before entering, though Mondo has never minded him entering when he's doing his morning routine before. Not as long as the door is open beforehand, at least. He still finds it polite, and it allows Mondo to know he's entering, so the biker can turn and smile at him sweetly as he walks into the room, which Taka always privately adores. Today, though, Taka finds himself automatically halting when he sees Mondo and the hair style he is carefully creating. The biker smiles at him crookedly and shrugs when he sees Taka's curious stare.
"Heh. Figured I'd try somethin' different today, ya know? Somethin' special an' all. Know it ain't much, but I don't know how ta make too many different hairstyles, heh," Mondo states after a moment passes, shrugging again as he looks back to the mirror, fingers slowly and carefully continuing to create the intricate braid they were working on before Taka interrupted him. And Taka... Taka can feel his breath escape his lips at the gorgeous biker before him, heart thumping as he takes in the hairstyle.
It... well. It looks roughly the same style he wore during the Fall Festival, with the twin French braids over partially left down hair, though Mondo is still working on the first braid. Today, however, he seems to also be weaving some strands of gold and silver string into the braids, as well as some multi-colored beads, giving them a brighter and more shining look. The hair that is down is curled lightly, the biker not straightening it like he usually does, which gives it a much fuller and more beautiful look. Not that Mondo doesn't always look beautiful, of course... because he does. He truly... truly does. Beautiful, and handsome, and insanely attractive and... all of it, really.
God, how Taka loves him...
He does get jolted out of his staring when Mondo meets his eye through the mirror, the biker raising an eyebrow lazily, a smug smirk rising on his lips as he catches Taka staring. It makes Taka scowl with embarrassment, but he doesn't mind too much. Especially not a moment later, when it's Mondo's turn to stare as Taka starts removing his sweaty night clothes with only a small hint of nerves. He can feel his body flushing at the heated look Mondo gives him, though, the biker's eyes roving him up and down while he licks his lips slowly.
"Lookin' good, Kiyo," Mondo mutters, voice serious despite the smirk still on his lips. Taka flushes brighter and sniffs with faux indignation, though he is unable to say anything as he heads to the shower to quickly rinse off his morning sweat, thick as his throat currently is. He can feel Mondo sneaking peeks at him every so often, which just makes his body flare with heat, his manhood taking interest at the heated glances. Because of course now he is aroused, he thinks bitterly, using the gingerbread scented body wash (which he'd bought on sale recently when his last body wash ran out) to rinse off the sweat and other grime. His body does so love to spite him, doesn't it...?
Once he's as clean as he can be, he shuts off the water and exits the shower, grabbing his towel and using it to dry himself off, wrapping it around his waist once he's done, even though he doesn't really have to. After all, it's not like Mondo hasn't seen everything before... aha. In fact, he can see Mondo's slight pout through the mirror as he covers up, which makes him roll his eyes lightly, secretly loving the way Mondo snorts with laughter at the action.
"Y'ain't gotta cover up on my account, babe," Mondo mutters lowly, smirk bright on his lips, even as his cheeks flush a soft pink. Taka flushes too, but he does his best to hide it behind another faux indignant look, butterflies flying at the way it makes Mondo smile at him so softly and beautifully.
"On the contrary! We are currently behind schedule, kyoudai, and as such it would not be very productive for us to do any, er... activities right now!" he claims, though he doesn't start exiting the bathroom like he knows he probably should... Mondo snorts at his words, the biker rolling his eyes even as he goes back to his hair, which is still only half done.
"Yeah, but we ain't gotta do any fuckin' 'activities' fer me ta get an eyeful, ya know? Love lookin' at ya, baby. Yer so fuckin' hot, shit, man... mm," Mondo hums, smirk turning wolfish at the bright blush that rises on Taka's face. Taka doesn't deign to respond, though, and instead just sniffs as he finally exits the room, though he does so very, very reluctantly.
However, once in the bedroom, he sees that the clock says 7:20, which makes him let out a soft 'eep!' of alarm. Ah! They are almost late!
Heading quickly over to the dresser, Taka takes out his underwear and undershirt, pulling them both on as fast as possible, doing his best to mind his still wet hair. He then heads to the closet and grabs his uniform, pulling it on carefully but quickly, buttoning up the jacket with skilled hands, putting both his metal and arm band on as swiftly yet still accurately as possible. That done, he puts on his socks and begins the arduous process of lacing up his boots, which always takes him at least a minute, even on a good day.
As such, when he looks at the clock again, it reads 7:24, which makes him 'eep!' again. Ah! He really should get going now! As should Mondo, honestly...
"Ah, kyoudai! I'm afraid we have run out of time! Are you ready to get going now?" Taka calls into the bathroom, taking his towel to quickly dry his hair as best he can, not wanting it to be dripping wet. How unprofessional! Sadly, he doesn't have enough time to blow it dry, so he has to make do with a furious scrubbing and a quick comb through with his brush, letting it finish drying naturally.
From the bathroom, he hears a soft, somewhat muffled curse, before Mondo pops his head out, his hair still not quite done.
"Ah, shit, Kiyo. Don't think I'll be able ta make it in time, hair took longer than I expected. All these fuckin' beads, man, shit... why don't you go on ahead an' tell 'em I'm gonna be a bit late today? Ain't like I'm doin' anythin' super important or nothin'; just gotta meet up with the fuckin' DJ an' help him set up his shit fer the gym. He ain't gonna 'rrive 'til closer ta 9:00, though, so I ain't got much I gotta do. An' it ain't like I got any fuckin' 'pinions 'bout all this shit, heh. That's yer fuckin' territory, I'm just 'long fer the fuckin' ride. But, uh... is it okay if I ain't there on time? Know ya got yer thing 'bout tardiness an' all... sorry, Kiyo..."
Taka smiles softly at the biker, who is shuffling side to side awkwardly, feeling touched that he cares so much about his desire to be on time for things. And while Taka does feel a little upset at them not being able to spend the entirety of the meeting together, he figures it doesn't matter too much if Mondo is late. As the biker said, the only thing he really is 'in charge of' is the DJ and the setup of the gym turned dance hall, since the whole dance area was his idea. He doesn't even really need to be there for the preliminary meeting at all, really, as that is mostly for Taka to go over the final details with the headmaster and other main committee members who have been working to bring the festival to life. Mondo was only ever at the meetings to support Taka anyway, so it... it probably doesn't matter too much. Even if the idea of people being tardy does bother him somewhat... hm.
"Er... I suppose not, kyoudai! It's okay! Just... take your time and come when you are finished! Send me a text when you finish, though, alright? I-if you can!"
Mondo smiles softly at him, nodding firmly once.
"Heh, sure thing, Kiyo. Not sure how long this shit is gonna take, not used ta this kinda style, ya know? But I'll do my best ta finish an' meet ya at the meetin'. Worse case, meet ya outside our room 'fore the festival begins, okay?"
Taka hums at the words but is unable to say anymore when he glances at the clock and sees that it says 7:26, meaning he has less than four minutes to get to the meeting before he is late. Oh no!
"Ack! I'm going to be late! I shall see you later, my dearest kyoudai! Text me when you can! Love you, bye!"
Taka rushes out of the room after that, his mind so full of panic at the prospect of being late that he doesn't even realize what he'd said, which is probably for the better, to be honest.
(As such, he didn't notice the dumbstruck look on Mondo's face that lasts for several long moments, before a shaky but still very happy smile blooms on his lips, strengthening with every second that passes until he is beaming, eyes radiating a silent joy that the biker can't help but express. It's a look and feeling that doesn't leave him for the entirety of the time it takes him to finish getting ready.
It really is a shame that Taka isn't there to see it, truly...)
~XoxoxoxoxoxoX~
Taka feels himself sigh with relief as he goes through his checklist, noticing that he has finally checked off his last item with this last task, which relieves him greatly, truly. While things have gone a lot smoother this time around, nothing going disastrously wrong, it was still nerve wracking to go through the morning ensuring all of the various booths were set up properly along the hallways and in the various rooms that were being borrowed for the day.
Having the Winter Festival indoors is a bit more claustrophobic than the Fall Festival had been, since Hope's Peak is not the largest school in the world, but it still looks very nice, he thinks! Especially since one of the reserve student's clubs had volunteered to decorate the hallways with streamers and other wintery themed things, like paper snowflakes and glittery stars. As he walks slowly through the halls for one last run through of the booths, Taka has to admit that it all looks almost magical. The festival doesn't technically begin for ten more minutes, but he can already see a lot of students milling about the hallways that aren't really supposed to be there, chatting with the students who had helped set up their class's booths. Taka doesn't call them out on it, though, as it's not exactly against the rules, and as long as everything is ready, it doesn't really matter if they're shirking their responsibilities. He guesses.
Taka does slow down himself when he passes by the booth his class had collectively created, smiling with pride when he sees Hina finishing up setting out the baked goods he and the swimmer had helped create over the last few days, after their study sessions. They'd had help from Makoto, Chihiro, Mondo, Sakura, and— surprisingly— Kyoko, though they mostly just followed Taka and Hina's instructions and helped while he and the swimmer did the majority of the actual baking.
In addition to their baked goods, Hina had also been able to get her ex-boyfriend's mother to donate several cakes and other baked good for them to auction off, as well, which gives them quite an impressive booth for the festival. Hifumi and Ludenberg had worked together to create their banners and signs, while the rest of the students had either volunteered to man the booth, or else were working on setting the booth up now, like Hiro and Sayaka. Taka had tried to volunteer to man the booth, but Hina had tsked and rolled her eyes, refusing to let him do more work. 'Enjoy the day with Mondo, Taka! We can handle it, don't worry!' the swimmer had said, and, well... who was he to deny her?
The first two who are manning the booth for the first forty-five minutes of the festival are— surprisingly— Togami and Fukawa, neither of whom look particularly enthusiastic about it, he will say. Togami had assured them that he would be more than capable of selling the desserts, though, even rolling his eyes when Hina had given him a small frown when he'd volunteered the other day.
"If I must help with this festival," the billionaire had stated dryly, "then I wish to get it over with. I know how to sell things, I assure you."
Taka had been tempted to say that the billionaire didn't technically have to help with the festival if he didn't want to, but he'd held it in. It didn't matter, he supposed. And something tells him that Togami already knows that, anyway...
He allows himself to wave happily to Hina when the girl catches sight of him lingering outside the booth, but he doesn't allow much more than that, grimacing as he holds up the clipboard with a sheepish look.
"Ah, I'm sorry Hina, I must finish my last run through of the festival and cannot stay to chat for long! However, I must commend you and the others for how nice the booth looks! Wonderful job, all of you!" Taka exclaims, grinning brightly as he looks at the very handsome display. He watches Hina as she blushes lightly, the girl twirling slightly as she grins right back at him.
"Oh, that's okay Taka! Don't worry! What you're doing is sooo much more important, so I completely understand! See you later though, okay? Maybe for lunch again! I won't be manning the booth, since Sakura wants to walk the festival together, but I'll be hanging around to make sure it all runs smoothly! It was my idea after all, so I should be the one to keep an eye on things! I'm sure you appreciate that, huh, Taka?" Hina giggles, giving Taka a knowing look. Taka can feel his cheeks blush lightly, but he doesn't feel offended. Not at all! In fact, he's rather proud of his friend for her initiative, and is privately glad that she notices how much effort he puts into things! Truly!
"Ah, yes! Very much so, Hina! It is very responsible of you to keep an eye on something you helped create like that! I'm very proud of you!"
The swimmer giggles again, before her attention gets drawn back to the booth, where Togami is leisurely leaning against the wall, watching with an amused smirk as Hiro tries to sneak a cookie from one of the bags, only to be thwarted by Sayaka, who smacks his hand and scowls bitterly at the so-called psychic. Hina grimaces at the lecture the pop sensation begins to lay into Hiro, turning to Taka and saying she should probably go and handle that. Taka— knowing he, too, must be going— just nods quickly and smiles brightly at the girl.
"Of course! I shall see you later, Hina! Enjoy the festival!"
With that, Taka waves goodbye to his friend, still smiling lightly as he marches on, looking over all the booths as they set up, asking the ones that seem to be struggling the most if they need any help, which most say no to, though a couple ask him to hold up half of a banner so they can put it up successfully.
By the time 10:00 rolls around, the festival is well on its way, the reserve students entering the Ultimate's side of the school for what might just be their very first time, chatter loud and boisterous as the students look at the booths set up by their peers and by the Ultimate students. There are various food venders along the hallways, as well as a whole host of them in the dining hall, which make the entire school smell utterly delicious, he thinks. There are fewer outside venders this time, mostly due to a lack of space, but the entire first floor of the school looks very lively and upbeat, the festivities continuing up to the upper floors as well.
There is music that is echoing from the gymnasium, which Taka feels very, very curious about. That's the one place he has not actually been in during his run through of the festival, since Mondo had texted him a little while ago, asking Taka to not look over the room while doing a final check. He'd said that he wants it to be a 'surprise,' even taking the time to type out the full word so Taka knew for sure what he meant. It made him a little anxious to not do his duty in its entirety, but he fully trusts Mondo and if he says he got it done, well… then Taka believes him entirely! It would still make him feel better to check over the room himself, since that is his job, but if Mondo wants the room to be a surprise... well, then he will let it be!
However, speaking of Mondo...
Now that Taka's job is done and the festival has started, Taka should be able to leave and go enjoy the festival, shouldn't he? Biting his lip, he sends a quick text to the headmaster (who had told him that texting would be easier than calling, with the numerous phone calls the man would be getting), giving a status update and subtly asking if he's free to go. After a moment, the headmaster replies that everything looks fine, and that Taka is, indeed, free to go and enjoy the festival.
With a wide smile, Taka opens up his and Mondo's private chat, feeling very, very giddy.
To: Kyoudai 3:
Kyoudai!
I am finally finished with my duties for today! The headmaster has given me the rest of the afternoon off, so we can go and enjoy the festival now! Do you still want to meet outside of our room?
With all my love,
Taka.
Taka smiles softly as he sends the message, heart clenching only slightly at the closer he put in. He's been doing that a lot more often lately, just another subtle (i.e. not subtle at all) way he can tell Mondo how he feels without saying it outright. Or, well... without Mondo realizing he's saying it outright, at least.
He does feel some hint of fluttery nerves at seeing the biker again, since Mondo had never managed to make it to the preliminary meeting, saying that getting ready took a lot longer than expected, but that he would try and meet up with him at some point before the DJ arrived. But then... then Taka was busy, and Mondo decided he wanted to go and help set up the dance area (which is when he'd asked Taka to not visit it, by the by), and by then it was just easier to plan to meet after the festival started than before it. As such, it has been almost three hours since he last saw Mondo, and while he's not really anxious about being away from the teen, he definitely finds that he misses him. And that he's looking forward to meeting up with him again, even despite the ice that is ever present inside of him these days, it seems.
He is pulled from his musing when he feels his phone buzz, his mouth blooming into a bright smile without conscious thought, the butterflies taking flight. Reading the words greedily, the smile only grows, everything bright and fluttery inside him.
From: Kyoudai 3: heh, nce. yh, c u otsd r rm. gt a surprise 4 u, k? nt mch, bt i thot ud lk it. c u sn, Kiyo.
The words make him feel curious, Taka thinking about them even as his feet quickly turn and head towards the dorm hallway, which is one of the only hallways that doesn't have booths lining it, out of respect for the student's privacy. What possible 'surprise' could Mondo have for him? He doubts it would be anything, er... inappropriate, since Mondo has been subtly indicating how excited he was for the festival for weeks now, so he doesn't think he'd waste time now doing things they could be doing later. But what else could it be? A gift? Hm... the thought makes Taka blush lightly, his chest fluttering, and he pushes the thoughts aside. It wouldn't do to go and get his hopes up over nothing, after all!
It doesn't take Taka long at all to make it to the dorm hallway, though it feels like much longer, considering how unusually crowded the hallways currently are. Taka has never seen such a crowd in the school before, and he finds that it's a very good thing he is not overly agoraphobic! Still, while it's not hard for him to slot his body through the breaks in the crowded halls, it does make him slower than he'd like, which is very frustrating as he tries to make his way steadily to the other half of his heart.
Once he's finally rounded the corner to the dormitory hall, he lets himself breathe a silent sigh of relief, glad he finally made it. His eyes land on the lone figure standing outside a dorm room, a large smile blooming on his lips at the welcome sight, his eyes greedily drinking in the biker he's not seen for nearly three hours now, so happy it's not funny. He feels his breath stutter in his chest, however, when he realizes that Mondo... Mondo looks different. And not just because of his hair. No... his outfit...
Taka can feel his mouth run dry as he takes in the change of attire, suddenly feeling very inadequate in his everyday uniform, no special thought gone into his wear at all. Not like the thought that has clearly gone into Mondo's outfit, at least... gone is the long black coat, wife beater, loose black pants, and loafers that Taka has come to associate quite intimately with the biker he knows and loves.
Instead, from what he can see, Mondo appears to be wearing a light lavender button-down shirt and white, pressed slacks— both of which cling to his chest and thighs quite nicely— with white fancy shoes laced up on his feet. His hair— which Taka had never ended up seeing the final product of since he'd left before its completion— is up in the fancy twin braid combination, with strands of silver and gold woven in, various beads and shining ornaments mixed in. And his coat... rather than the black leather duster he has come to adore quite fervently, Taka sees that it has been replaced with a white leather duster with gold and red adornments on it, very similar to his black duster, but all in white and with a different collar. Taka has seen the coat lying around Mondo's room, the biker moving it every so often, and when Taka had asked him curiously about it once, Mondo had shrugged and explained that it was a special occasion coat, one that he only ever wore on the most important of days. Mondo had gotten a dark and sad look in his eyes at the line of questioning, though, so Taka had quickly moved on, not bringing the coat up again.
But here, now... seeing Mondo wearing it, the coat strangely tying the whole look together... he can't help how his mouth runs dry, his eyes trailing the body before him up and down several times, eyes focused on every last detail. He's not quite wearing a suit, but it's the closest to formal wear he has ever seen the biker dressed in, and it... mmm... it definitely looks good on him... and it definitely makes him wonder what the biker would look like in an actual suit... the jacket and trousers clinging tightly to his highly muscular body... his hair pulled back into his intricate and highly beautiful style... his eyes smoldering with heat and desire and want... mmm. Definitely a good— if highly inappropriate— image...
Taka must make a sound or something, because before Taka can really get over the shock at seeing Mondo look so good (which isn't unusual, he always looks good, but just... you know what Taka means), Mondo is looking up, a bright smile blooming on the biker's face.
"Kiyo! Fuck man, good ta fuckin' see ya, shit! Only been a handful a' hours an' I was already startin' ta miss yer face, shit. Fuckin' pathetic, heh. So, yer done with all yer duties? We can go an' wander the festival now?" Mondo states, his words a bit fast and a bit overly loud, which makes Taka realize the biker must be nervous, for some reason. Hoping to calm the biker's nerves before things, er... take a turn for the worse, Taka beams and nods quickly, hoping he doesn't look ridiculous and instead looks comforting, like he wants.
"Ah, yes, kyoudai! I'm looking forward to it very much! It's not quite as extensive as the Fall Festival, but I think it looks quite nice for the limitations we had! And I am definitely looking forward to seeing the dance hall, which I'm sure looks stupendous, my kyoudai!"
Taka watches as a soft blush blooms on the biker's cheek, though his smile is soft and tender on his lips. After a moment, though, some tension enters the biker's face and the pink turns bright red, which Taka can only assume means that something is making Mondo more embarrassed again. That's... probably not good...
"Oh, uh... yeah! Hell yeah! Lookin' forward ta showin' ya the gym, looks pretty fuckin' nice, heh. But, uh... we can do that shit later, yeah? After we're all done with explorin' the festival an' shit. I'll even save ya a dance, okay? Be fuckin' nice an' all, heh," Mondo says lightly, biting his lip gently as he looks down (a habit Taka thinks he picked up from him, since he doesn't recall seeing the biker ever biting his lip before they grew close). A few moments pass before Mondo looks up again, more nerves on his face this time. "But, uh... I got ya somethin', Kiyo. Ain't fuckin' much, prolly stupid as shit, but uh... thought ya might like 'em. S-so, uh... here ya fuckin' go."
Taka frowns mildly with confusion at Mondo's muttered words, the biker looking more and more awkward with each word that leaves his lips, until his ears are practically by his shoulders, which look impossibly tense. Taka wants to say something, to ask if Mondo is alright, but before he gets a chance to, something is thrust into his face, so close that it takes him a second to step back enough to make out what, exactly, the item is. And when he does, he sees that it is-
"Roses?" Taka questions softly, eyebrows furrowed at the unexpected sight. But— as the seconds pass and the sight before him does not change— he is forced to concede that, yes. Yes, they are indeed roses. A full dozen, to be exact, bright red and perfectly in bloom, with green foliage and white baby's breath acting as contrast, despite the frigid cold weather. It's such an unexpected sight that Taka cannot help how he stares, blinking rapidly at the utterly beautiful arrangement, his cheeks steadily heating as he realizes what this possibly could mean-
Before he can even hope to finish that thought, however, he is forced to look up with wide eyes at Mondo when the biker scoffs and pulls back the roses a little, his face now an angry shade of red, embarrassment plain on his face. Oh... oh dear, Taka hadn't meant to embarrass the teen... he had just been surprised, that's all... oh no...
"Aw, shut the fuck up! Ain't like it's a big fuckin' deal! Just- I dunno. Thought ya'd like 'em! Clearly, I'm a huge fuckin' dumbass, so I'll just chuck 'em, what the fuck ever!" Mondo exclaims, face almost as red as the roses, his lips twisted in an unhappy grimace. Taka's eyes widen somehow further, almost painfully so, and he finds himself shaking his head rapidly, hands darting out to grab the flowers, almost like he's afraid Mondo will actually destroy them if he doesn't.
He just... he hadn't meant to look so shocked, honest! It's just, well... no one has ever gotten him flowers before, let alone such a beautiful arrangement. And Taka has always secretly loved flowers, picking them for his mother back before he knew that such a thing was immoral and wrong to do, loving how she'd beam at him and carefully press the little gifts, putting them in her book of pressed flowers, most of which his father had given her on dates or special occasions. His mother would always press one or two of the flowers from the bouquets, to remember them by, she would say. He still has her extensive book, too, full of dried roses and peonies and daisies and lilacs and other beautiful flowers, sitting carefully beside her cookbook, waiting for him to return home to peruse them again. He hasn't had the ability to have a flower arrangement in... god, years. They're always too expensive and a complete waste of money, as they always die a few days after buying them. But...
But he still has always loved them, no matter what. He actually used to spend a couple hours at a time in the greenhouse at the school, sitting among the flowers while he did his schoolwork, back before he became friends with Mondo. He hasn't done that recently, though, for reasons that he can't quite explain. He guesses he just never expected Mondo to be the type to like flowers, is all.
And yet... here he is, giving Taka a full bouquet of red roses in full bloom, which Taka knows could not have been cheap, as roses are highly expensive at the best of times, let alone beautiful red ones out of season. Taka's mouth goes dry again at the thought, especially when his mind whispers to him what red roses symbolize, that they indicate that the other party wants- that they lo-
Cutting that thought off immediately, Taka buries his face in the flowers to try and hide the way he blushes, smelling them as he goes. He hums pleasantly at the floral scent, his mind brought instantly back to being five, his father bringing home a huge bouquet of red roses for his mother, the man grinning brightly at the silent happiness on his mother's face as she held them close, the woman leaning down to let Taka smell them when he curiously wandered over. His smile turns slightly sad at the memory, but he doesn't let it ruin the light and fluttery feeling in his chest as he looks up at Mondo, all the love and adoration in his heart reflecting brightly from inside his eyes.
"No, Mondo, please do not misunderstand me! I... I adore them, truly! These... these could not have been easy for you to obtain, and I... I am most grateful to you, you have no... no idea..." Taka trails off, swallowing the lump that forms in his throat thickly, the rushing emotions causing him to want to cry, but not due to sadness. Not at all. "I just... I had not expected this, my dearest kyoudai. Such a thoughtful and lovely gift... t-they're my favorite, you know. Red roses. My mother always adored them and I... I do as well, cliche as it is. S-so... words cannot express how thankful I am, Mondo. Truly."
And he means it. God, does he mean it. There aren't enough words in the Japanese language to express what the biker means to him. Heck, he doubts that there's enough words in any language on earth— past or present— to express that! He's never felt so in love before, and yes, he knows he says that all the time, but it's true, god is it true. Every day this wonderful boy goes and does something that makes him love him even more, and it just... it's so much, so all-encompassing, and he wants to cry with it, but he doesn't. He just buries his face in the roses again, breathing deep, hoping that the scent will make his brain come back online. He has no such hope for that, especially not when he looks up and sees the open-mouthed shock on Mondo's face, his angry blush fading into a soft pink one, making him look so utterly attractive it's really not fair, honestly...
"S-shit... ya mean that, kyoudai? I, uh... hadta buy 'em online an' shit, since I knew they wouldn't have any in stores, heh... hadta have Leon go an' store 'em in his room so ya wouldn't see, since they came in last night, heh... the motherfucker fuckin' laughed at me fer it, so I ain't gonna fuckin' talk ta him ever again, but uh... yeah. Just... thought they'd be somethin' ya would, ya know... like an' all," Mondo mutters lowly, looking somehow both highly uncomfortable and vastly pleased at the same time. It's so adorable Taka has to bury his entire face in the flowers to make the fluttering in his stomach stop trying to consume him entirely. A-ah... Mondo never will cease to amaze him, will he...
"Y-yes, my dearest kyoudai... I- I mean it entirely... words cannot possibly express how happy I am right now, I assure you..."
Taka looks up with a blush when he feels tentative hands touch his side, a warm body moving closer to him, his breath stuttering when he sees and feels Mondo press up close to him, eyes on fire and face completely serious.
"Y-yeah... think I know what ya mean, Kiyo... I... I fuckin' feel the same... ya... y'always make me so fuckin' happy, Kiyo... y'ain't got any fuckin' clue..."
The pair are pressed close together, the flowers almost getting squashed between them, but Taka finds he doesn't really care too much. Not when Mondo is looking at him like that, lavender eyes darting between his eyes and his lips, lingering longer each time, his tongue darting out to wet his own, and Taka... Taka can't help how he stares, too, eyes firm on those pale pink lips, which he knows from experience are far softer than he'd ever have imagined, though he's only once or twice felt them against his own, and never as firm as he wants.
He can't stop imagining it now, though. Can't stop imagining leaning up and slotting his lips against those wondrous things, tasting the cinnamon Mondo is constantly chewing, an addiction Taka would be concerned about except for how heady the scent and taste of cinnamon is to him now. Can't stop imagining Mondo pushing him against the wall, lips incessant and fervent against his own, so desperate, and needy, and there. He... he...
He wants it, aches for it, so very, very bad, that he almost actually throws all caution to the wind, saying 'to hell with it,' and doing the one thing they've somehow managed to never do in all their exploration, because apparently kissing is the one step too far for Mondo. And he seriously almost does it, his body leaning forward and his toes lifting him up slightly to give him a better advantage, his heart racing when he sees Mondo leaning down to return the action, everything in him swirling and on fire and frozen solid all at the same time. And then... then...
Like is becoming the most unfortunate habit, Mondo pulls back, a small, shaky smile on his lips as he pulls away from Taka completely, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Taka has to look down at the flowers again to hide the overwhelming rush of disappointment and pain, pain, pain that flows through him, his heart aching at yet another rejection. Because... because of course Mondo still doesn't want that. Of course Mondo wouldn't realize the overwhelmingly romantic overtures he's just made by giving Taka red roses out of season, looking directly at his lips, wearing a coat he specifically mentioned was for special occasions only, his hair up in a special style, looking so utterly ravishing that Taka almost wants to say to hell with the entire festival and spend the whole day in bed with Mondo, exploring each other so tenderly. Oh, and all while wearing freaking cologne, Taka thinks dully, just now noticing the woody scent that he's never smelled on Mondo's body before. Because... because of course that doesn't mean anything to the biker. Of course it's all just inside Taka's head, his overwhelming desire and love slowly driving him insane. Of course. Of freaking course. Because why not? Why the heck not...
"Heh, s-sorry, Kiyo... just... we should prolly get goin', yeah? Spend as much time as we can at the festival, ya know? Uh... got a vase fer that in the room if ya wanna go an'... an' put 'em 'way 'fore we head out..."
Taka hums noncommittally to the words, shrugging dully as he looks at the flowers with unseeing eyes, knowing he has to snap out of it soon or else he will ruin everything again, like he always does, but... but he... he just can't seem to do it, not immediately, not when his heart is still aching so softly, the ice splintering out cruelly, engulfing his entire body in freezing cold ice. It... he just needs a moment. Just... just one. Just... he promises. He... he promises.
"Hey... are ya... are ya okay, Ki?"
Ki? Taka blinks at the new nickname that he's never heard the biker use before, making him look up and tilt his head curiously, momentarily distracted from the pain inside him. He watches as Mondo blushes pink again, his hand coming up to rub his neck.
"Uh, heh... s-sorry. Meant Kiyo. Heh..."
Something about the gesture and the comment makes the ice forming inside him melt again, his lips smiling softly at the adorableness. The pain is still there, as is some ice, don't get him wrong. But... but it's easy to ignore when Mondo looks so freaking cute...
"A-ah! W-well, I am doing alright, kyoudai! I was just... thinking! And... a-and you can call me Ki, you know. I-if you... if you'd like to..."
It's Taka's turn to blush pink, his face heating with soft embarrassment. At least he's not alone in his mild mortification, as Mondo just blushes brighter, though his lips are pulled into a small but happy smile.
"Oh, uh... cool! Y-yeah... think I kinda like it, y'know? S-suits ya..."
Blushing deeper, Taka decides it might be a good idea to end this moment before he spontaneously combusts, thanks. Pushing down every emotion— both good and bad— Taka smiles shakily at Mondo as he takes out his keycard and enters their room, figuring it would be best to get things moving already... no use standing around staring at one another when there's a festival to explore! Aha!
Taka feels Mondo enter the room after him, the biker walking over to the coffee table where there is, indeed, a fancy looking vase with ribbons and a bow adorning it. It... it looks very expensive, and Taka is again struck dumb, wondering once more just how much this all cost, god. He then looks off to the side, where he sees a single red rose sitting innocently in a cup of water, which makes Taka frown slightly. He looks down at the bouquet he's holding and quickly counts, wondering if one had been accidentally left out of the bouquet, but, no. There are indeed twelve roses. What...
"Oh, uh... shit. Fergot 'bout that, h-heh... didn't, uh... didn't know which would be better, so when I was buying the roses, got an extra one too, heh... kinda fuckin' dumb now that I think 'bout it, but it wasn't much more, so, uh... y-yeah..."
It's a good thing that Taka is still flushed or else he'd have been flushing all over again at that comment, a-aha... he smiles softly at the biker, eyes shining, even as he walks over to the vase and puts the flowers away carefully, his heart aching at the thoughtfulness of the biker yet again.
Once the roses are safely put away, Taka returns his eyes to the solitary roses and— before he can really stop himself— Taka reaches out and grabs the single rose, not sure why exactly he does it. Once it's in his hands, he finds himself twirling it slightly as he observes it, lifting it absently to smell it, not sure what else to do with it, to be honest. He can feel Mondo's eyes on him and it... well. It's very heady... and his head is starting to feel a bit fuzzy, the roiling emotions inside him making him feel oddly buoyant.
And... and then...
He doesn't really know what possesses him to do it if he's being fully honest. He really, really doesn't. Maybe it's the fact that Mondo had dressed up so nicely for today and he's still only in his everyday uniform. Or maybe it's because of an old memory from his childhood, his mother doing this exact same thing whenever his father got her flowers before a date. Or maybe it's a temporary moment of insanity taking hold of his brain. Or... or maybe it's a mixture of all three, really.
Whatever it is, Taka finds himself snapping the stem in two before he can really think about it, making the rose significantly shorter than it had been originally. He hears Mondo let out a sound of confusion at the action, which just makes Taka blush brighter, realizing how ridiculous he probably looks, but... well. He's already gone this far, so he might as well just finish the action, right?
And so— cheeks bright red and mind horribly embarrassed— Taka raises the shortened rose and tucks it neatly behind his ear, the flower nestled against his right temple, pushing back his fringe a little. His hair is still wild and a little wavy from earlier, since he'd regrettably not had a chance to brush it after it had dried, so he has absolutely no idea how it all looks, but... w-well. Judging by the open-mouthed look on Mondo's face, his pupils dilating quite significantly...
"H-how... how do I look?" he questions weakly after a moment, having no idea what else to say to break the charged silence that has descended around them, Mondo staring without saying a single thing for several long, long moments.
To his fortune, his words break Mondo out of his stupor, the biker flushing again, while his lips turn into a shaky smile.
"Y-you... shit, Ki. Ya look... fuckin' incredible. So fuckin'... fuckin' beautiful, shit..."
Sure that his face is the color of the rose he's now— for some reason— wearing, Taka looks down at the ground and laughs awkwardly, the butterflies in his chest fluttering wildly. A-ah... he always has to be so... so sweet, doesn't he... h-ha...
"A-ah... t-thank you, k-kyoudai! You... you look very nice as well! Very... very handsome..."
Now it's Mondo's turn to blush even brighter and turn his face to the floor, scuffing the ground with his fancy shoes slightly.
"O-oh, uh... s-shit. Th... thanks, heh..."
The silence between them turns awkward then, both boys looking at the ground in embarrassment, lost in their own thoughts.
It's when the silence starts to stretch a little too long that Taka starts to think he probably should say something to break the tension, perhaps ask Mondo if he wants to head out now. Before he can have a chance to do that, though, Mondo is talking, causing Taka's eyes to shoot up, wide and nervous. And Mondo...
"U-uh... s-shit. We... we should head out, Kiyo! Got the whole fuckin' festival ta see, right?! Haha!" Mondo practically shouts, face horribly red, while a vein starts to throb in his temples. Oh... oh dear, Taka thinks to himself, biting his lip gently. Mondo's getting nervous, isn't he... and Taka knows what happens when Mondo gets nervous... he starts to yell and get upset, which subsequently makes him angry... hm. Taka needs to figure out how to diffuse this situation, and quick!
"Ah! Yes, my dearest kyoudai! That sounds like a wonderful idea! There... there was this wonderful vender I saw that was selling paintings of dogs dressed in various outfits that I thought you would like, kyoudai! We... we should go and find it!"
He can see the way Mondo's eyes widen at the words, the bright flush fading as a shaky grin rises on his lips, an excited light shining in his lavender eyes. G-grk... he looks so... so adorable-!
"Holy shit, ya serious?! Hell fuckin' yeah, Ki! Shit, d'ya think they got one of a dog dressed as a biker?! Shit, man! Let's fuckin' go!"
With that, Mondo strides forward and grabs Taka's hand, tugging him gently towards the door as he begins to talk excitedly about how 'fuckin' adorable' dogs wearing leather coats is, casually mentioning how his brother had made their Maltese, Chuck, a mini Crazy Diamonds' jacket one year for his (the dog's) birthday. The mental imagine is so utterly precious to Taka that he's almost able to ignore the fact that Mondo is currently holding his hand as they walk through the halls, not caring who possibly might see. Almost... but not quite!
Grk!
Mondo doesn't seem to even notice, though, just keeps on walking, only slowing down when they reach the crowded hall where the festival begins. Taka can see the excited look on Mondo's face as the biker looks around at the first of the booths, something relaxing in his shoulders as he looks back at Taka, eyes soft and gentle.
"Heh... let's go an' look 'round, okay? See if we can't find where that booth is, heh..."
Taka can only nod dumbly at the words, even though he knows exactly where the booth is, as he was the one who had contacted the vender to sell her wares in the first place. He has no hope of untying his tongue enough to say that, though. Not when Mondo lets out a soft laugh, looking so utterly amazing and precious that he can't think.
After a moment, Mondo pulls them onward, breaching the sea of students, talking about everything and nothing, not seeming to mind that Taka isn't saying anything in return. After a couple of minutes, though, Taka is able to untie his tongue enough to begin to reply back in kind, Mondo beaming at him as they enter a discussion on dogs vs. cats (Taka liking cats better, since his family had owned one when he'd been really, really young, not to mention how he used to love befriending the street cats that lived outside his apartment over the years. Don't get him wrong, he adores dogs as well, honest! Not that Mondo seems to realize that, as he passionately explains why dogs are clearly superior, though the biker professes his love of cats, too. Taka doesn't bother to argue, though, and just smiles indulgently as the biker enthuses, adding a blithe comment here or there in agreement.)
And if Taka sometimes has to force down his face's mortifying desire to flush every time that he thinks about how he and Mondo are still holding hands as they walk, well... Mondo kindly doesn't mention it.
This is going to be a very long morning, isn't it...
Aw, how sweet. Mondo is totally taking Taka on a date, by the way. And yes, he does mean it to be a date, but he's too anxious to really address it with Taka. Dork. There are also other things holding Mondo back, but that all gets addressed in the last two chapters, so I won't spoil it here, ha.
Next chapter picks up exactly where this one leaves off, discussing the rest of the not-a-date date they're on. And then, after that, we have the last chapter! Ahh! I'm so excited to post the last chapter. It's one of my favorites and I hope y'all like it.
(Also, who wants to bet that Mondo purposely took too long in the morning so that he could dress up for his "date" without Taka knowing, hmm? ;-)