Crochet Club [Ishimondo]

CH 4 - Imperfect Perfection

Ishimaru was sitting in front of a steering wheel, eyes unmoving from the straight track of road ahead of him.

Mondo hadn't seen him blink, not even once, since he got in the car. In all honesty, though, he wasn't seeing much of anything, really. Black specs prickled along the edges of his eyes, making it a bit hard to see, let alone read, Ishimaru's face right now. Taka hadn't said much since Mondo struggled last, hands messing with a car seat strap to try and secure Takemichi into the back seat.

"Let me get it", he said through closed teeth, "You just get in."

He was about to protest, but then came Ishimaru's face. He turned around, knowing that his friend would be stubborn enough to have a load of questions for him, but his frown said it all. He was in no mood to answer a single one, and Mondo was stunned into silence. He shut his mouth and climbed into the passenger seat, back sinking into leather while he waited for Kiyotaka.

And now here they were, quietly driving down a road that was littered in cracks, created from years of neglect. There were no road people to take care of stuff like this anymore. There were barely any people in general, Mondo hated to think. This only added an eerie feeling to the already somber cloud swarming in dark patches around their vehicle.

They hit one of these cracks, its cavern unusually deep, and Mondo groaned as he was jerked upwards. The wound in his stomach was far from healed, and as they ran over low dips in the road, his wounds felt as fresh as when he first got them twenty minutes ago. Mondo's head rolled back in pain, catching the eye of Ishimaru. They made eye contact before Mondo promptly looked away, embarrassed.

"Thanks for comin'...", he mumbled, voice low in his throat. He then laughed darkly, "To tell ya the truth, I wasn't exactly sure or not if you'd come, because of how we've...er...", he scratched at his arm, "been lately..."

Ishimaru nods, his lips pulled into line so thin that the skin surrounding them turned ghost white. He seems... Mondo squints. Conflicted? He wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it was clear as day that Ishimaru was very, VERY anxious.

"Of course, bro..." He was back to calling him bro... His usually sharp eyebrows turned downwards, giving them a softer, more sympathetic look. "It doesn't matter if we're... currently experiencing conflict in our relationship. I would never leave you when you require my assistance! Never..."

He bites his lip. Mondo thinks he has more to say, but before he can press, words are already spilling out from Ishimaru's mouth, like vomit rushing out from the back of his throat.

"I'm just... A bike ride? At 10 pm at night? Past CURFEW? Mondo! These rules are in place for a reason! That was entirely unsafe, I mean, what if I hadn't got here when I had? You would have...! You... would have..."

Tears abruptly jab along his eyes and Mondo almost immediately straightens up in his seat.

"Woah!", Mondo shouts, but then lowers his voice, "Woah... 'm.. 'm sorry I worried you, if that's what's on yer mind... yer right. I shouldn't have gone out past curfew, and I promise to never do it again. Especially after that cuck fuck of an experience."

Ishimaru, still facing the road, turns his eyes towards Mondo. He sniffles. "A man's promise?"

Mondo smiles, a surge of warmth spreading along his chest, dulling the aching pain starting to clump in his lower stomach. "Hell yeah, bro. A man's promise" He reaches out an arm, fingertips brushing against black hair as he attempts to reach Ishimaru's eyes, wiping them. He winches, though, and has to recoil. Taka gasps, his body, for just a split second, turning to his friend in the seat next to him. "Mondo! Be careful!", he shouts, "I haven't been able to look at your injuries yet so I'm not sure how severe they are. Until then, please refrain from stretching like that again!"