What If..?

Chapter Nine

The party began without a hitch. The group gathered in the cafeteria, sharing drinks and fun stories they never had a chance to tell during academy life. Parties were the only time they got to be themselves and relax, for the most part. For some of them, it took a little liquid courage, but for most of them, it just took nice company and the evening off. Sitting in a quiet corner of the cafeteria, Chihiro tucked his heels beneath his chair and stared at his fellow classmates. Mondo sat in a chair beside him, thumbing the edge of his almost empty cup. "Are you having fun?" Chihiro questioned, noticing his boyfriend's cheery red cheeks. After the drinking game he endured with some of the other guys, Mondo was quite drunk. Chihiro sat this one out, especially with their announcement bubbling within his mind.

"Yeah, I am," Mondo grinned, nuzzling his chin against Chihiro's shoulder. He brushed his lips against the smaller boy's blushing cheek, letting a laugh escape against his skin. "You?"

"Yes," Chihiro giggled himself, bunching up his shoulders because his boyfriend's breath tickled. They had been residing in the cafeteria for a while now and soon here, Chihiro was going to need sleep for his bus ride tomorrow. Although he was enjoying the company and the fact that his boyfriend was having fun, he wanted to get this secret off his shoulders. He had been harboring it for much too long and wanted everyone to know. And everyone seemed happy, meaning there was a possibility they would be less inclined to pick on him. Able to accept the secret easier. Things were going to be okay. He just kept telling himself that. "You think we should... tell everyone now?"

"Right now?" Mondo slurred and narrowed his eyes. His once charming, but goofy smile diminished and he set his cup on the table. "But we got... like hours. It can wait."

"But it's getting kind of late and you know I need to be up early," Chihiro explained, turning his face to meet his partner's. Mondo jerked his head up, startled when his chair shifted. He had been lifting the front legs off the ground since his feet were of course propped on the table. Slamming both the legs of his chair and his own feet on the ground, he sat up straight in his chair. "You said you wouldn't back out..."

There was a long pause of silence as Mondo seemed to gaze over the entire cafeteria. He studied their fellow classmates, his eyelids drooped in a drunken demeanor. Everyone was having a awesome time, and despite her sparked interest earlier, Junko had left them be the rest of the night. She was currently across the way, squishing into some selfies with Leon and Sayaka in attempts to bring them closer. She was the unofficial resident match maker, except she wasn't that great at it. Chihiro narrowed his eyes. She would be the harshest on the two. She looked for reasons to pick on everyone, so the couple handing her one was going to be free fuel. But Chihiro accustomed to her incessant nonsense. It was the dirty looks and whispered words from others that he feared the most. But that wouldn't happen. Everything would be fine.

Reaching beneath the table, Chihiro squeezed his boyfriend's hand. He leaned his head to the left, resting his warm cheek against Mondo's shoulder. "I know," the biker groaned, lowering his head just a bit. His body shivered for a moment as he stared into the bottom of his now empty up, watching the way the few last drops slipped along the base. He took in a huge breath and looked around. For a second it look as though he was searching for the quickest way out of the cafeteria. "I... won't..." His voice was hesitant. His fingers tightened around Chihiro's beneath the table and he just stared. Stared at all their classmates while they chatted with one another, laughing and smiling. Preparing to enjoy the holiday ahead of them.

"Just think of how much easier this will be..." Chihiro offered, squeezing his boy's hand. They did show affection in front of the others, but Mondo was still always so hesitant. Chihiro could not understand if Mondo was nervous to show his love in front of the classmates because it embarrassed him. Or because he didn't want to lead on to their secret. He was affectionate behind closed doors to the point where they had almost... well, kind of like the first night they hit it off. But around the group, he was antsy and would duck behind corners just to steal a kiss. Despite being the first to say it, he would just bumble to himself when Chihiro would say "I love you" around others.