CHAPTER 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Hajime no Ippo...
For my loves Trace, Dez, and Kill: thanks for believing I could do this!
Onwards...
XOXOXO
Sendo watched the Preppies file out of the building from his perch on the roof. He really couldn't stand them because they seemed to strut around with an air of superiority that rubbed him the wrong way. What made them better than him? What made them think they were fucking invincible, huh? No, he hated the Preppies. ...But there was one who intrigued him to no end. One who seemed to actually have balls. Sendo's eyes roved the pavement below, searching.
"I had a feelin' you'd be up here," a deep voice said from behind.
Sendo glanced over his shoulder at his best friend and smirked. "An' why's that?"
"'Cuz ya had that special look in yer eye after that kid left yesterday. Thought ya might wanna see 'im in his natural habitat."
Randy Boy Jr. AKA "Old Man" as Sendo called him, sauntered over to the high fence of the roof and leaned against it as he peered through the diamond shaped spaces. Sendo shrugged as he focused on the ground again.
"Maybe."
Randy stroked his neatly trimmed mustache before sighing and facing Sendo. "So whattaya want with this kid, anyway? Granted he's got a lot of balls for comin' ta Otowa High an' lookin' for ya...or maybe he's just crazy. Either way, he's got yer nose wide open. Why?"
"He's different."
"Wha'?"
"I said he's different. He didn' look at me like he wanted ta call the cops, and he didn' look like he was scared a'me either. He's different," Sendo ended, his voice going quiet.
Randy "hmph'ed" and went silent. Sendo, on the other hand, continued with his search. He wondered what the kid was like when he wasn't getting into scrapes with the delinquents of Otowa High.
Makunouchi Ippo, huh? Sendo inwardly mused. He's cute.
"Gahahahaha!" a boisterous voice bellowed from below, drawing Sendo's attention.
He saw a dark-haired kid running from the building, hand raised in the air and clutching what looked like packaged bread.
"Umezawa-saaaaaaaannn!" a more familiar voice scolded.
Sendo's ears twitched as his eyes switched to the boy chasing the dark-haired kid from the building. A slow grin formed across his lips. Bingo. Makunouchi's arms were outstretched as he sprinted after Umezawa, who was still cackling like a video game villain.
"Give it back! That's my lunch!"
"Ya gotta come get it, Ippo!"
"Umezawa-saaaaaaan!"
Sendo turned to Randy with a wolfish grin. "Target acquired."
Randy sighed and stroked his mustache again. "I'm comin' with ya. Ain't no tellin' what kinda upheaval yer plannin' ta cause."
"Ah. You know me so well, Old Man. But I ain't tryna start nothin'. I just wanna go say hi ta my new friend."
"Right. If you say so, Sendo."
Sendo turned on his heel, grin even wider as he shoved his hands into his uniform pockets and strode away. He could hear Randy muttering to himself the whole trip to the lower level, but he paid it no mind. His thoughts were on Makunouchi and his big, earnest gray eyes, his spiky, dark hair, and his easy-going smile. He wanted to hear the kid's voice again, even if it was just to laugh at how ridiculously polite he was.
Sendo left the Otowa High building and sauntered over to the open area where he'd seen Makunouchi and his buddy. Almost immediately, the Preppies started pointing and whispering. He didn't give a shit. He knew for a fact that they wouldn't make a move as long as his name was Sendo Takeshi. He paused for a moment as he let his eyes roam the Preppies, intimidating them with his friendly smirk. Then, he spotted Makunouchi, and his mind was once again on one track. Makunouchi was with the same group of people who'd met up with him in the Otowa Prep infirmary: the rich snob Miyata, Mashiba's little sister, the doofus who'd stolen Makunouchi's lunch, and some quiet kid that Sendo didn't know. As he drew closer, he noticed how Makunouchi's friends seemed to flank around him like a shield. Randy must have noticed it too because he chuckled.
"How cute," he rumbled.
Sendo nodded, but didn't let the glares being sent his way deter him. Finally, he stopped right in front of Miyata, who was blocking Makunouchi's path, arms folded across his chest.
"What do you want?" Miyata snapped.
Sendo tilted his head to the side and grinned some more. "I came ta talk ta Makunouchi. Ya mind?"
"Actually, I do."
He wasn't very big on defiance or patience, so Miyata was beginning to get on his last nerve. He opened his mouth to let the little tight-ass in on the secret, when Makunouchi edged into view from behind Miyata. His hand and forearm was still wrapped, but the bandage on his head was gone. He peered up at Sendo with such innocent eyes, it made Sendo want to steal him.
"It's OK, Miyata-kun. I don't think he wants to hurt me."
"Damned straight! I just wanna talk ta ya."
"A-about what, Sendo-san?"
Sendo glanced at Makunouchi's group of friends, the dirty looks rolling right off of him. He grinned until it hurt before stepping into Makunouchi's space and throwing an arm across the shorter boy's shoulders.
"Let's take a walk, huh?" he suggested.
Makunouchi's eyes went round with surprise as Sendo propelled him forward. This time, it was Mashiba's sister who protested.
"Makunouchi-kun!"
Sendo sucked his teeth. He was getting really tired of being nice to Makunouchi's guard dogs. However, before he even had a chance to say anything, Randy moved in with his hands held up in surrender.
"Look, we don' want no trouble. Sendo said he just wants ta talk ta the kid, so that's all he's gonna do."
"Thanks, Old Man!" Sendo gave his attention back to Makunouchi. "What's wit' yer friends, huh? They think I'm the Boogeyman 'er somethin'?"
Makunouchi's look of astonishment melted into an amused grin. "Haha! I never thought of it like that!"
A small something rolled over in Sendo's gut the longer he watched happiness dance across Makunouchi's face. What the hell was it about this guy that made him react like he had a crush for the first time ever?
Sendo led Makunouchi over to a tree, where he removed his arm from the teen's shoulders. His hands instantly dove into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. Makunouchi actually fidgeted, toying with his fingers and studying the ground. He was too cute.
"Ya know, I ain't never met a Preppy like you. Yer the first one ta come lookin' for me on my own turf. That's really somethin'."
"I-I just wanted to return your jacket and to thank you for helping me. Th-that's all."
"Yeah, I heard ya the first time ya said it. Still don't change the fact that ya actually went through wit' it, ya know? But anyway, I figure a guy like you I can be friends wit'. I ain't got many, mind you, but...well...ya got heart is what I'm tryna say. An' I like people wit' heart. So...whattaya say, Makunouchi? Wanna be my friend?"
This would be a test of Makunouchi's merit. Would he be disgusted since Sendo was a filthy delinquent? Would he reject him the way any of the other Preppies would have done in the blink of an eye? He hoped not, but if Makunouchi did, it would let Sendo know that he wasn't worth it, after all.
"Heart," Makunouchi said quietly to himself with a soft smile. After a few beats, he raised his eyes to meet Sendo's and nodded. "Let's be friends, Sendo-san."
Heat threatened to envelope his entire face as he stared at Makunouchi. God, but the kid was an enigma. He didn't understand him at all. But...Makunouchi had passed the test with flying colors, so now it was up to Sendo to keep his end of the bargain. And why not? Makunouchi was interesting enough to keep Sendo from being bored for days. He'd make it a game.
See how long the Preppy lasted being friends with a delinquent.
XOXOXO
Ippo's heart was beating so fast, it hurt. There was nothing that could have prepared him for Sendo's abrupt offer of friendship. The older boy was so mysterious and unpredictable, but he seemed nice enough. Even with a devilish smirk that had the power to lift the hairs along the back of Ippo's neck, Sendo didn't seem like the monster Otowa Prep made him out to be.
Ippo's friends might not agree with his decision to befriend the most notorious delinquent of Otowa High, but he strangely didn't care, which was an oddity in and of itself. Normally, he cared too much what his friends thought about him. This time around, though, he planned to stand his ground. He didn't know why Sendo had asked him to be friends, but he was looking forward to it. The taller teen stared down at him, his piercing brown eyes unusually soft.
"So, it's a deal then. We're friends."
Ippo nodded, barely able to contain his grin. Sendo reached forward and ruffled his hair before stuffing that same hand back in his pants pocket.
"See ya 'round, Makunouchi."
Ippo watched the brunet saunter back to the boy who'd accompanied him before they both ambled back to their school. Before Ippo could make his way back to his friends, he was bombarded by students, all of them wondering what the head delinquent of Otowa High had wanted with him. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't know what to do. Some of the students were grabbing his shirt, others yelling at him. He was beginning to panic until a thickly accented voice hollered over the mayhem. The bedlam came to a pause as the students looked around for the source of that commanding voice, and then, they seemed to part down the middle as one, once they recognized Volg-san.
The red head made his way to Ippo, face creased with concern. "Are you OK, Makunouchi?"
Ippo gulped down air like it was in short supply. He was never a fan of being in the middle of a crowd.
"I-I think so. Thank you, Volg-san."
"What was all that about?"
Ippo shied away from the boy's intense blue eyes as he tried to come up with an answer. Luckily, his other friends used that time to crowd around him, all of their faces filled with concern. Except Miyata-kun. He just looked angry.
"Makunouchi-kun, are you OK?" Kumi-san asked, breathless as though she'd been running. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
Ippo shook his head, attention already being diverted to Umezawa-san, who was adjusting the sleeve of Ippo's uniform shirt.
"Jeez, those friggin' animals. Ippo, you should've kicked their asses!"
"Eh-heh. No way, Umezawa-san."
"At least he's alright," Kobashi-san put in.
Even though he was being fussed over, Ippo couldn't help but watch the angry expression on Miyata-kun's face deepen the longer they stood there. Finally, the dark-haired boy seemed to snap.
"So, what did that ape have to say to you that was so important?"
Ippo frowned, confused. He really had no idea why Miyata-kun seemed so upset, but then again, he'd had an idea something like this would happen. He took a breath and stared defiantly back, nervous, but still determined to make his friends see that Sendo-san wasn't such a bad guy.
"He's not an ape, Miyata-kun," he stated firmly, drawing shocked countenances from everyone. "As a matter of fact, he wants to be my friend."
Silence pressed in around the small group like an advancing predator. No one said anything for what felt like forever, but Umezawa-san was the first to kill the quiet with a loud shriek of "WHAT?!"
"No way," Kobashi-san added.
"Are you serious, Makunouchi-kun?" Kumi-san squeaked.
Even Volg-san had something to say. "Makunouchi, that's not funny."
Ippo's frown turned into a deep scowl. Why wouldn't they believe him? Was Sendo-san really that bad of a person that the thought of them being friends was impossible to swallow? He didn't like that. From what he'd seen of the brunet, he was a decent man. Sure he was labeled as the head delinquent of the worst school in their town, but actions spoke louder than words, didn't they? And Sendo-san's actions were harmless so far.
"It's not a joke, and yes, I'm very serious," Ippo said sternly. "W-why don't you believe me?"
"Because he's a violent criminal, maybe?" Miyata-kun snapped. "You have no idea what you're doing, Makunouchi, you dope. He's playing you! It's probably just a game to him! Why-"
"Miyata-kun!" Ippo shouted, silencing the entire group. They stared back at him like he had four heads and ten arms and legs. "How can you say something so mean? You don't even know him!"
"I know enough."
Ippo shook his head and turned to each of his friends, hoping he would have an ally in at least one of them. Unfortunately, all he got were incredulous looks. He couldn't believe it. He never would have thought that his friends would be so closed-minded. Feeling slightly disturbed, he brushed past his friends and headed for the school building. He had a lot of thinking to do, but he refused to give up his budding friendship with Sendo-san.
XxxxxxX
He wasn't speaking to any of them. No matter how hard they tried to talk to him, he refused to respond. He knew they were only aiming to convince him not to be friends with Sendo-san. However, there was one person who seemed to be just as affronted as Ippo. Miyata-kun hadn't said a word to him since their disagreement; all he did was glare at Ippo as if that alone was enough to get him to change his mind about his decision. Ippo passed the dark-haired boy by the lockers, head held high. Normally, he'd feel like scum whenever his friends were upset with him, but this was different. It was like they didn't even want to give Sendo-san a chance to prove that he wasn't a dirtbag like everyone thought he was.
He left the building, school bag slung over his right shoulder. Looked like he was walking home alone today. Well, he didn't mind it all that much. Sometimes he needed to be by himself in order to get his thoughts together.
"Boo!"
Ippo almost fell over as he rounded the brick partition separating the school grounds from the sidewalk. Once his heart calmed down a bit, he was able to find the source of his terrifying moment.
"Sendo-san!"
The brunet was leaning against the stone wall, arms folded across his chest and full lips turned up in his signature smirk. Ippo smoothed a hand over a crease in his school shirt, disguising the fact that he was still trying to slow his breathing. He took in the sight of the taller boy and grinned. Sendo-san's smile was infectious.
"Jeez, Makunouchi. That was too easy!"
"I wasn't expecting you to be here. Wh-what are you doing here?"
"What's that s'posed ta mean? I was waitin' on you. Wanna walk home tagether?"
For some strange reason, Ippo found himself blushing. Yes, he knew that Sendo-san wanted to be friends, but seeing the proof of it was a little overwhelming in itself. He studied the ground for a while before internally scolding himself for hesitating. What was there to be unsure about?
"S-sure."
Sendo-san beamed at him and pushed away from the wall. He threw an arm across Ippo's shoulders and glanced down at him, face so close, Ippo was holding his breath. Was this real? It almost didn't feel like it.
"Which way's yer house?"
"M-my house?"
Sendo-san stared at him for a beat before withdrawing his arm and folding both across his chest again. His expression was serious, almost angry, in fact.
"Why ya keep doin' that?"
"Uh...doing what, Sendo-san?"
"Oh my God," Sendo-san groaned and rolled his brown eyes. "That, Makunouchi! Ya scared a'me 'er somethin'?"
Ippo shook his head earnestly. "No! No, I'm not!"
"Then stop the fuckin' stutterin'! S'pissin' me off!"
"I'm sorry, Sendo-san."
"An' stop bein' so formal wit' me! Sendo. Just Sendo. Alright?"
Ippo nodded, almost ashamed. All of his friends told him he was too polite with them, but it was such a habit for him. It would be hard to just stop doing what he'd been doing his whole life. Sendo glared at him until he nodded again.
"OK."
The smile was back as though it had never gone. Sendo lowered his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets. "That's better. Now, which way's yer house?"
Ippo pointed across the street to an alley that he used to get home a little faster. "I go that way."
"Well, let's go."
They made their way over to the alley, Sendo leading the way as if he knew exactly where he was going. Ippo thought it was endearing how straightforward Sendo tended to be. The trek through the alley was short, and in no time they were walking the path beside the river. Ippo was nervous. He knew what kinds of things to say around his other friends, but Sendo was different. Not only was he a new presence, but he was also kind of intimidating. Ippo kicked at a small rock, tossing around ideas in his mind of what he could talk about with the older boy. Finally, a thought hit him.
"Sendo-san – OW!" Ippo cried, grabbing his upper arm in disbelief. "What was that for?"
"What's my name, Makunouchi?"
Sendo's face was blank, but his tone of voice was enough to make Ippo shudder. It didn't take him long to realize his blunder, though. Sheepishly, he grinned.
"Sorry...Sendo."
"Alright. Now, what were you gonna ask me?"
Ippo winced as he rotated his shoulder, loosening the muscles that had bunched in defense against Sendo's swift punch. He supposed he would have to get used to Sendo's brand of friendship. If nothing else, it would make him stronger, that was for sure. He sighed and peered at the taller boy from the corner of his eye.
"How old are you?"
Sendo grinned, but kept facing forward. "Eighteen. You?"
"Seventeen. Um, do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"Nah. Just me an' my granny. You?"
Ippo frowned. Just him and his granny? Did that mean that Sendo didn't have any parents? That might be too personal, so he skipped over it.
"I don't have any brothers or sisters, either. It's just me and my mom."
He thought about his dad, and his stomach clenched like it always did. He still missed him so much. He didn't notice Sendo watching him until he turned to ask another question. Those brown eyes weren't as sharp as they usually were. Instead, they were gentle and curious. Ippo almost froze as his face warmed. Why couldn't his friends see this side of Sendo?
"He's gone, isn't he?" Sendo asked quietly.
Ippo swallowed past the lump rising in his throat. All he could do was nod, though. He tried answering with words, but it was impossible at the moment. He averted his gaze towards the shimmering surface of the river, brows pulled into a helpless scowl. The water seemed like it was mocking him since it had been the cause of his father's death. It danced merrily, bouncing the sun's rays back at them like miniature beach balls. The silence stretched on for a while, only interrupted here and there by seagulls and passing vehicles on the bridge ahead of them. Ippo didn't know what to do to erase the awkward moment. They'd been doing so well.
"I lost my pop too, ya know? And my mom, but she went when I was still a baby. My dad didn' go 'til I was 'bout six. He was a hero, though. A fire fighter. He died savin' a kid from a burnin' buildin'. He's the one who taught me what real strength is."
Ippo stared at Sendo. The brunet was watching him in return just as intensely, but there was no indication that he was sad or holding on to any residual grief. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from Sendo since he felt the exact same way about his own father. His dad had passed, trying to save one of his customers who'd fallen overboard the small Makunouchi fishing boat. His mother had told him the story once he'd been old enough, and he remembered being filled with pride. His dad was a hero...just like Sendo's.
"Yeah," he agreed, somehow knowing that he wouldn't need to say anything else for Sendo to understand.
They moved on in a silence that only lasted for no longer than a minute. Ippo was so deeply engrossed within his own mind that he'd forgotten he was supposed to be learning more about his new friend. Lucky for him, Sendo was on a mission.
"Hey, Makunouchi...why're you so nice?"
Ippo arched a brow, genuinely surprised at the question. He'd been asked it so many times that it shouldn't have come as a shock. But it did. Even worse, he still didn't have an answer for it. Yes, his parents had ingrained proper manners into him as a small child, but he really didn't know why he was so nice that he was almost a pushover most of the time. It was embarrassing.
"I...I don't really know."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. You're not the first person to ask me that, and you're not the first person I've been unable to answer."
"Hmm," Sendo noised as he tilted his head and rubbed his hairless chin. "Don' get me wrong; I don' think it's a bad thing. I was jus' wonderin'."
"Oh."
"So...ya got a girlfriend, Makunouchi?"
Ippo instantly went red. Now, where had that come from? He peeked at Sendo from the corner of his eye, only to turn away with a cringe at finding that drilling brown gaze on him. He wanted to writhe in embarrassment. If he said no, would Sendo laugh at him? By all means, they were at the age where dating should have been the norm, but Ippo had never gotten that far. Sure, he'd thought about it. He'd even thought he'd had a few crushes, but he'd always been too nervous to approach anyone. Kumi-san didn't count because she was his friend. He didn't even see her that way, even though a lot of the guys in their school had a thing for her. Deciding to just go ahead and tell the truth, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"No, I don't have one."
"Why not?" Sendo fired right back, merciless.
"I just never got around to it, I guess. Um, can we change the subject, Sendo-sa – I mean, Sendo?"
It was wishful thinking, of course, but he gave it a shot anyway. And like he'd been expecting when he asked, Sendo rejected the notion right away.
"No way, Makunouchi," the brunet answered with that canine heavy grin. "Don'tcha got anyone ya like?"
Ippo groaned and covered his face with his hands. This wasn't happening. He was prepared to talk about almost anything else but this. Anything. Why did Sendo have to latch onto the one topic he was so unsure about?
"Sendo, I don't think about it. Maybe I did at one point, but it's not important to me now. I have good friends, and that's all that matters."
Sendo recoiled like Ippo had smacked the hell out of him. Mouth open, the brunet stared. "But...but what about yer urges an' shit? I know ya get horny from time ta time. Don'tcha want somebody there that can...you know...take care of it?"
"No! I don't...I just...Sendo, please..."
"Alright, alright. Sheesh. I can't believe yer single on purpose. Most guys don' have a choice 'bout that kinda stuff, but I don' think ya got that problem. ...Hey, wait...Makunouchi...are you gay?"
Ippo choked on his saliva as he pulled to a stop. He stared at Sendo, paralyzed with shock. Now what was he talking about? Because Ippo didn't have a girlfriend, it had to mean that he was...that he was gay?
"I...no! I'm not! I don't like guys! I mean...not like that, anyway!"
He was beet red. He had to be. His face felt like it was a pit of lava, and his armpits were beginning to sweat. He was so nervous, he was almost trembling. Did the way he behaved give off the impression that he was gay? The way he talked? What was it that made Sendo ask him something like that?
Sendo's face had gone blank. He was studying Ippo like he saw something that he didn't understand and was trying to figure out. After a few moments of that, the brunet turned away with a grunt and a small scowl. What was that about? Ippo didn't know what to do anymore. He hoped he hadn't made Sendo mad or anything. And then it dawned on him.
"Ah, um...Sendo...you, uh...are you..."
Brown eyes focused on him so quickly, it felt like a swipe of a blade. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."
The following silence was painful. Ippo wanted to apologize, but figured it would only make the situation worse. Good grief, he couldn't do anything right. Here he had a chance to make a new friend, but he kept messing it up at every turn. He was so stupid. But, yet again, he was saved by the older boy beside him.
"Ya got somethin' against gay people, Makunouchi? I think ya should tell me now be-"
"No! Not at all, Sendo! I just...I wasn't expecting you to ask me that, so I got a little defensive, but I'm not homophobic. In fact, Miya-"
Ippo immediately cut himself off. That was something Miyata-kun had told him in confidence, and Ippo wasn't sure he should be sharing that kind of news with Sendo. He just didn't want the brunet to think that he was prejudiced or anything.
Sendo's grin was slow and mischievous. "That ain't no secret ta me, Makunouchi."
"Wh-what? You know?"
"Heh. Ya mean, ole goody-two-shoes ain't told ya why he hates my fuckin' guts?"
Ippo shook his head. Was there something more to the story about Miyata-kun's anger towards Sendo? If so, why hadn't Miyata-kun told him? Weren't they supposed to be best friends? Ippo frowned and glared down at his sneakers as they turned onto his street. Well, that was disturbing.
"I take it he hasn't. You should ask him 'bout that when ya get a chance."
"Oh, I will," Ippo replied, anger evident in his voice.
The rest of the walk was quiet, each boy clearly focused on their own thoughts. When Ippo stopped in front of his home, he realized that Sendo was watching him, brown eyes amused.
"I'm glad yer not a homophobe, Makunouchi. I woulda hated ta hafta kick yer ass, ya know?"
Ippo chuckled and shook his head. Sendo was so blunt, but Ippo liked it. He didn't have to guess what the older boy was thinking because he always made it known. This was something Ippo could get used to.
"I understand. Um, thank you for walking me home, Sendo."
"Gah!" Sendo exclaimed as he waved a hand back and forth in front of his face. "Ya make it sound like a date 'er somethin'!"
Ippo blushed as the thought ran through his mind. Almost instantly afterward, he went still with shock at himself. Why was he...? It had to be the questions Sendo had been asking him. Why else would he even consider thinking of himself and Sendo on a date? He must have gone quiet for too long because Sendo's head tilted to the side like a curious puppy, one dark eyebrow arched. Time seemed to pause when Sendo stepped closer, diminishing the gap between their bodies. He was taller, so he looked down into Ippo's eyes, expression completely serious.
"Yer not havin' second thoughts are ya?"
Ippo worked his mouth open and closed, but there were no words forthcoming. He wanted to say something, wanted to deny what Sendo was clearly trying to imply, but he was rooted in place. The air felt like it had suddenly gone thick with an unrecognizable tension, and it didn't help matters that Sendo's face kept moving closer and closer to his own. What was going on? Sendo's head tilted a little more until they were damned near brushing cheeks, his lips next to Ippo's right ear.
"See ya tomorrow, Makunouchi," he murmured before backing away with a small, secretive grin.
Ippo didn't know what to think as he watched his new friend amble away in the opposite direction, but the pounding of his heart was trying to give him an idea.
Thanks for reading! Next time...