CHAPTER 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

It seemed like the whole arena was filled with screaming fans. No – correction. Screaming Makunouchi fans. The chant had erupted out of nowhere, and the voices were beginning to make his ears bleed. Sendo huddled further into his burnt-orange jacket, the only spectator not on his feet. He had too much pride to stand and cheer for his rival – the only man that had been able to beat him soundly. Twice. Well, no, that wasn't really true. That first fight had been all his, and he would stand by that until his dying breath. Makunouchi had just gotten lucky. Who knew the guy would connect a shot to the temple at the last moment? Especially when he'd been looking so damned helpless and cornered.

Sendo huffed and hunkered lower in his seat, eyes narrowed as he studied the boxing ring in the center of Korakuen Hall. Makunouchi's opponent was a medical student named Sanada, and Sanada seemed to be picking apart the nation's hero. It was Makunouchi's first title defense too. Sendo sat forward in his seat when Sanada caught Makunouchi with a body blow that made the younger man pause, eyes wide and face frozen in shock. He didn't quite understand what was going on until Sanada threw another one. Makunouchi's face was going from red with exertion to a light shade of blue.

He can't breathe.

A ripple of concern shivered through Sendo's body as he perched on the edge of his seat, jacket forgotten around his shoulders. Makunouchi had certainly seen worse in his previous fights, but for some reason, he seemed to be having an exceptionally hard time with the young doctor-in-training. Maybe that was the problem. Since Sanada was in the medical field, he knew more about the human body than the average person and knew just where to hit to disable his opponent without causing unnecessary damage. Not to mention, his crafty trainer had taught him the art of the Hien – a jab that seemed to follow its opponent with a scary precision. It was used to confuse boxers into thinking that their rivals could read their every move and action. Hell, even their thoughts. Then, there was the fact that Sanada had managed to tear apart Makunouchi's iron peek-a-boo style defense with the Tsubame Gaeshi. Long story short, Makunouchi was a sitting duck, and Sanada was having his way with him.

Sendo finally shot to his feet as he watched the furious exchange between the two men in the ring. Sweat beaded along his brow, and his hands involuntarily formed fists. He wanted to go down there and show Makunouchi where he was going wrong, but honestly, how could he do such a thing? Makunouchi had beaten him twice, once with that killer combination of the Liver Blow (almost obliterating his ribs, mind you) and Gazelle Punch, which had stepped smoothly into the Dempsey Roll. Sendo had fallen for it marvelously.

But he grudgingly had to admit that he admired Makunouchi. The meek, timid man was more powerful than most thugs Sendo knew – and he knew quite a few, having been a former gang leader himself. He'd been so eager to prove to himself – to the world – that he was the strongest man alive. He'd been sadly mistaken, and he knew that now. Didn't mean he was about to go around announcing that little fact, though.

The crowd roared and sucked Sendo right back into the fight. What the hell did I miss? he thought, panicked. Sanada was face-down on the mat, blood easing from the corner of his mouth and mouthpiece abandoned a few feet away from his body. Sendo scowled and drove his hands into his jacket pockets. He couldn't believe he'd been so distracted that he'd missed the end of the fight. It appeared Makunouchi had managed to hang onto his title a little longer, which was just fine with Sendo. He wanted Makunouchi to keep the title safe so they could have another go at each other. This time he was determined to win.

XxxxxxX

Sendo paced in front of the small fishing boat headquarters, hands sweating and heart racing. He wanted to talk to Makunouchi about a spar, but couldn't get rid of the fluttering in his gut. He had an idea why it was there to begin with, but it was getting on his last nerve. It had been like that with him ever since before his second fight with Makunouchi. Whenever he was around the soft-spoken, slightly shorter boxer, his body would go all hot, and he would get agitated and fidgety. It was annoying as hell.

While he was debating within himself whether or not to just knock on the door, a light switched on and the wooden panel slid aside, revealing a t-shirt and boxer-clad Makunouchi. His hair was its usual, dark, spiky mess, but he had a bandage over his left eyebrow and on his right cheek. He sported a couple of bruises as well, but he still looked like himself. A slow grin spread across Sendo's face as he stared at his self-proclaimed, lifetime rival.

"Eh? Sendo-san?" Makunouchi asked, confusion written all over his face.

"Makunouchi."

"Um, what are you doing here?"

"My ribs are all healed up, so I wanna spar."

Makunouchi held onto that deer-in-headlights look as he tilted his head to the side and shifted the garbage bag he held in his right hand.

"Now?"

Sendo's grin spread. "You insultin' me, Makunouchi? I could kick your ass with my hands tied behind my back right now."

Makunouchi's smile was sheepish as his hand went behind his head and his eyes lowered to the ground.

"Eh-heh. You're right. When, uh, when did you want to spar, then?"

When indeed. And why couldn't Sendo just wait until Makunouchi had recovered from his fight to approach him with the idea? Should he even entertain the thought creeping around the edges of his brain?

Because I wanted to see you.

What the hell was that? He could flip on the TV and see Makunouchi that way. There was no real reason for his being there. But what did it mean though?

"Um, Sendo-san, is there something on my face?"

Oh, crap. He must've been staring too long. Makunouchi shifted his weight to his left foot, body language nervous and almost embarrassed, but his eyes were intense. The smaller man had gray eyes that seemed to go dark whenever he was serious, or whenever he was focused in the ring. It was damned intriguing.

Sendo jumped like he was dodging a jab. Seriously, what on Earth was he thinking? All he wanted from Makunouchi was another fight. He wanted to prove to the other man that he was just as strong – if not, more-so. So...why was he being KO'd by the guy's eyes? This situation was meandering right on into the land of the ridiculous, and that was saying a lot coming from him. He was known for being a bit foolish and slow on the uptake at times, but this...

A hand on his shoulder shook him right out of la-la land with enough force to jar his teeth.

"Sendo-san, are you OK?"

Makunouchi was standing directly in front of him. He smelled like soap and freshly laundered clothes, and his t-shirt was wrinkled and comfy-looking. Sendo inhaled quietly, wondering why Makunouchi's scent was affecting him the way it was. He took a couple of steps away from the shorter man and ran a hand through his wild, brown hair. Actually, he had an idea why the champion's presence and smell was making him unstable.

"Spar. I'll call you about the spar."

With that, he turned on his heel and took flight. He didn't actually run, but he did walk very briskly.

XxxxxxX

Sendo leaned back against the cushioned seat and stared through the window of the train. He was heading back home to Osaka, and his thoughts were locked on his rival. He couldn't stop thinking about him, couldn't understand why he was feeling the way he was about him. It was so strange. One minute, he'd considered Makunouchi his eternal nemesis, and the next, he found himself staring a little too long at the other man's full lips.

It had all started with the Rookie Championship Tournament. Sendo had been mowing down any and all competition foolish enough to get in his way. It hadn't even been as fun as he'd been expecting. In fact, it had been boring as hell. No one had been even remotely strong. No one had been able to provide him with the thrill he'd been seeking. No one...except Makunouchi. Sendo remembered seeing the smaller, dark-haired man on video. His match against Mashiba Ryo had proven that Makunouchi Ippo was the guy he'd been searching for. His punches echoed and boomed like thunder, and the look in his eyes...

Sendo had been beside himself with excitement. He recalled missing sleep and watching Makunouchi's video repeatedly, while thinking of the day that they would finally meet in the ring. However, Yanaoka-han had kicked his dreams all to hell by relaying the message that Makunouchi couldn't fight in the All Japan Rookie Championship due to a broken fist. What a fucking buzz-kill. Dissatisfied with the news, he'd gone all the way to Tokyo, taking Kamogawa gym by storm. The members had crowded around him, demanding to know who he was and why he was there. Once he'd mentioned Makunouchi's name, their demeanor had changed, turning to intense curiosity.

And then Makunouchi had made his grand appearance. Sendo had seen the guy's video hundreds of times, and it still hadn't prepared him for the reaction he'd had after seeing Makunouchi up close and personally. The kid was disturbingly innocent and naïve, and his gym-mates poked fun at him all the time, especially Takamura. But that still didn't keep Sendo from being silently blown away by big, earnest gray eyes and a wide, friendly smile. Unable to recognize it for what it was back then, he'd stashed it in the far recesses of his mind for later analysis.

Sendo reached into his jacket pocket and slouched against the window, letting the side of his forehead press against the cool glass. He supposed that had been where his obsession with his rival had begun. As he'd mentioned before, it had been all for the purpose of meeting the shorter man in the ring, where they could fight man-to-man, where he could hit and be hit...and win. That had been the plan. It'd even held true until well after they'd fought for the first time. Once Sendo had snagged the championship belt, he hadn't been able to rest or be totally satisfied with it until he'd had another shot at Makunouchi. Only then would he believe he was truly the strongest. He'd already had his pride chipped away by the way he'd gained the belt in the first place. Volg was a good guy and an even better fighter. He hadn't deserved the treatment he'd received from the people of Japan.

Of course, since Makunouchi had lost to Date Eiji, the now retired Japanese featherweight champion, Sendo had had to wait for Makunouchi to make a comeback in order to challenge him to another fight. But with Makunouchi's strength, spirit and tenacity, it hadn't taken long for that moment to arrive. Elated, he'd attended Makunouchi's comeback fight, only to be stunned at the new move the man had come up with. The Dempsey Roll was a fierce beast once set in motion – something Sendo hadn't learned until they'd been in the ring together for the second time. Makunouchi's Thai opponent hadn't stood a chance once that thing had been unleashed.

Relieved, he'd been prepared to leave the arena, until the crowd in Korakuen Hall had noticed his presence. Of course, after that, he'd had no choice but to approach the ring and demand a rematch against the only man that had been able to keep up with him in a hitting match. Man, he remembered that moment like it had just happened yesterday.

Makunouchi had been his usual, blundering self after Sendo had made his declaration, but he'd recovered marvelously, gray eyes determined and filled with challenge. Sendo had waited with bated breath, hoping and praying that the guy would accept. And then, Makunouchi's eyes had hardened and narrowed, brow furrowed with the best kind of tension as he'd given his affirmative response.

Sendo fought a blush as he remembered his body having a very peculiar reaction to Makunouchi's words and voice. The way the dark-haired man had said his name. The look on his face. All of it had produced the expected surge of happiness, but had also made him overwhelmingly excited between his legs. He'd had nothing else to say, so he'd whirled on his heel and skedaddled out of there. He scrubbed a hand over his face as he recalled going home and dealing with a bout of restlessness that hadn't gone away until he'd rubbed it out of his system via the man downstairs. Still clueless as to what his body was trying to tell him about Makunouchi, he'd proceeded to continue his special training.

As the day of the fight had drawn nearer, Sendo's thoughts never strayed far from the topic of his rival. So much so, that he'd used an excuse he'd seen in the newspaper about Takamura and a bear, just to call Makunouchi. Part of it had been to be nosy about the guy's training, but most of it had been because he'd followed his instincts. He'd wanted to hear the man's voice. Makunouchi hadn't let him down, his voice soothing and warm even over the telephone. Sendo had grinned at the time, distinctly recalling the way Makunouchi's voice could go from calm and cool, friendly and inviting, to forceful and growly when he exerted enough energy.

At the time, he'd still been unaware of what Makunouchi's effect on him meant. In fact, he'd thought it was pre-fight jitters and anxiety – an uncontrollable desire to beat Makunouchi unrecognizable. The inability to wait until they'd entered the ring to start hammering one another.

But then, they'd started the fight, and Sendo had begun seeing things in Makunouchi that he hadn't expected. Not only had the guy gotten stronger, he'd gotten a lot smarter and tougher. Harder to crack. By the time the fight had ended, Sendo had not only found a new respect for his rival, he'd found a new interest in him as well. Makunouchi was stronger than him – there was no doubt about that – but Makunouchi didn't brag and boast. There wasn't an arrogant bone in the man's body, unlike Sendo, who wore his ego like a gold crown. Sure, there was that; and then, there was the fact that he liked the way it felt to touch Makunouchi. Hitting him was fun, but the thrill that had followed the companionable hug he'd given the shorter man after the fight had sent chills and shudders racing all over his skin.

Makunouchi had smelled like sweat and blood and tears, and Sendo was sure his scent was similar, but the way it emanated from Makunouchi...he'd liked it. How weird was that? Yanaoka-han would call him a creep for sure if he knew Sendo had a thing for his rival's body odor. And his hair. And his eyes. And lips. And his body was nice too.

Again, Sendo fought a blush when he thought back to the weigh-in before his and Makunouchi's second big fight. Makunouchi had removed his shirt, and Sendo had been unable to pull his eyes away. It was very evident that the shorter man had been working hard during his training. His back had become broader and more defined, shoulders more sturdy-looking. Sendo hadn't realized he'd been staring for so long until Yanaoka-han had gently patted his shoulder, gaining his attention for the surrounding press. Embarrassed and hiding it, he'd agreed to a sportsman-like handshake between the two opponents. But Makunouchi had turned his back to wipe his hand, and all Sendo could think about was the naked skin he'd just seen. In order to keep himself from reaching out and making a spectacle of himself, he'd played it off for the crowd.

Why can't I stop thinking about Makunouchi? he asked himself.

Now, he was chasing behind Makunouchi again, in his career and in his spare time. Not that he would admit it. Jesus Christ, what was happening to him?

XOXOXO

"Hello?"

"Ah, Makunouchi-kun?"

Ippo blushed as he recognized Kumi-san's voice. She'd been calling him quite frequently in recent weeks, and all the attention flattered and flustered him.

"Yes, it's me. Hi, Kumi-san."

"Hi!"

The line went silent for a few beats as Ippo tried to figure out something to say that wouldn't make him sound like an utter idiot. He floundered about in his mind for a bit, but in the end, went with something that truly had him curious.

"Um, was there something you needed?"

Kumi gave a small, nervous chuckle as she stuttered, "I-I was thinking that m-maybe we...maybe we could..."

Ippo's blush deepened. He had a feeling where Kumi-san was going with her statement, but he didn't have the nerve to finish the sentence for her.

If it was Sendo-san, he would do it.

He frowned, wondering where a thought like that had come from. Then, he grinned. It made sense, after all. Sendo had dropped by a couple weeks ago, the night after Ippo's fight against Sanada-san, so it wasn't unusual that the brunet was still on his mind.

"Makunouchi-kun!" Kumi's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

Ippo shook himself out of his momentary stupor and gave an embarrassed chortle. "Sorry, Kumi-san. What did you say?"

"I said we should go to the beach. Brother's been in a good mood lately and agreed to go too. You can tell Takamura-san, Aoki-san and Kimura-san about it, and we can make it an event. I'm sure Tomiko-san will be there."

"Oh! That sounds fun! I'll tell them tonight," he answered.

They chatted for a little while longer about this and that, until Ippo's other line beeped and he bid her good night. When he clicked over and greeted the caller, there was no response for a few seconds. He pressed the phone closer to his ear, wondering if a prank was being played.

"It's me!"

Ippo jumped and held the phone away, eyes wide. Once his ear drums stopped ringing, he tentatively brought it back.

"H-hello?"

"It's me!"

He paused. The voice was unmistakable and made him crack a grin. "Sendo-san?"

"Yeah."

"Is everything alright?"

"Spar tomorrow?"

Sendo's voice sounded like he was straining or on the verge of laughter. Ippo leaned a hip against the table the phone rested on and tilted his head.

"Tomorrow? Um, I have plans-"

"What? Screw that! Fight me, Makunouchi."

The simple command made Ippo's blood boil as adrenaline surged through his veins. The thought of fighting Sendo always made him feel like he'd just jumped off a cliff. His stomach dropped, and his heart raced. But he'd already promised to go to the beach with Kumi-san. He couldn't just brush her aside like that.

"I want to, but I-"

Sendo's deep tenor cut him off again. "You chickenin' out?"

Ippo smirked and shook his head. Everything was a challenge to the other man. He decided to fight fire with fire, though, and retorted, "You wish. I'd kick your butt anyway."

He was blushing the entire time. He'd never spoken like that to anyone, ever. It was actually kind of fun.

Sendo snorted, voice floating through the receiver in a low chuckle. "Why dontcha prove it, then?"

"Sendo-san, I'm going to the beach tomorrow with my friends. Maybe afterward?"

There was a brief pause before Sendo hummed. "The beach, eh?"

"Yes."

As soon as the word left his mouth, Ippo was hit with a bright idea. He wasn't sure Sendo would take him up on it, but it was worth a try. Even though they were rivals, he still considered the feisty brunet a friend.

"Why don't you come with us? We're all going as a group, I think. I mean, I haven't asked Takamura-san, or Aoki-san and Kimura-san yet, but I'm sure they'll come."

"I ain't in Tokyo, Makunouchi."

"Yes, but we aren't leaving until-"

"I can get to the train station in a few minutes, though. I'll come up and camp out at yer place 'til tomorrow. Ya got an extra pair of swimmin' trunks?"

Ippo automatically got excited at the prospect of a sleepover. Before he'd started boxing, he'd never had any friends – certainly none that would come over and hang out. Plus, he felt like this was a chance to get to know Sendo a little better. He already knew that the man loved fighting, but other than that, he knew nothing about the brunet. Well, except the fact that he was fearless and a bit overzealous.

"Yeah, sure! I've got a pair I've never even worn yet!"

"Cool. See ya, Makunouchi."

Before Ippo could respond, the connection was ended. He gently set the phone in its cradle and hurried to his room. His mom was in the sitting area, head bent over a small notepad as she wrote down the financial figures for the family's small fishing boat business. As he rushed past, she lifted her head and smiled at him.

"Ippo!" she called.

He skidded to a stop and peeked around the corner of the doorway. "Yes, mom?"

"Why are you running?"

"Ah," he started as he scratched the back of his head. "I-I'm expecting company in a little while. Is that OK?"

"You're a grown man, Ippo. I don't mind if you bring your friends by. Is it a girl or a guy?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

He blushed, even as he scowled. "Mom! It's a guy!"

"Well, I'm just asking. Like I said, you're a grown man now."

Ippo shook his head and ran a palm along the rough wood of the door frame. He hadn't blushed because his mother had indicated he might be bringing a girl home, but because he'd thought of Sendo-san. They were friends, yet he was still nervous about having the guy over. As many times as they'd interacted with one another, it had only ever involved boxing. This was different. They would be spending time in one another's company as two men just hanging out. It was almost overwhelming, although it really shouldn't be. He'd had Takamura, Aoki and Kimura over before. In fact, they'd barged into his home and made fast friends with his mom. Why should it be any different with Sendo-san?

"There are snacks in the refrigerator," his mother continued, bringing Ippo back to the here and now.

"Moooom."

She just chuckled and went back to her notepad. He grinned and took off once more for his bedroom. When he slid the shouji door aside, he looked around and sighed. There was nothing for him to do. He always kept his room spotless, unlike the average male. Takamura's room was forever a pigsty, and Ippo didn't see that changing one bit. Kimura's room hadn't been that bad the one time he'd gone to visit the man, but it had been filled with a lot of male paraphernalia. He'd never been to Aoki's house, so he couldn't form an opinion on the guy's room. Besides, he was sure it was probably similar to Takamura's. Aoki didn't strike Ippo as the cleanest man around.

Ippo shuffled from his room to the linen closet in the hallway, where he retrieved an extra futon, blanket and pillow. That done, he took the items to his room and set them up close to the wall, next to his own futon. Once he stepped back and surveyed his work, he decided to move the extra bed a little further away from his. Sendo-san seemed like a bit of a loner and probably wouldn't want to sleep so close to another man. Again, Ippo found himself blushing at the thought. Sendo-san would be sleeping in his home – in his room. Why did it give him such jitters?

In order to work off the nervous tension, he lowered himself to the floor and started a few reps of sit-ups and push-ups. He had to do something, or else he'd be pacing his room while he waited for Sendo-san's arrival.

XxxxxxX

As he came to an upright position during his last sit-up, he glanced at the clock across the room. It'd been a few hours since he'd spoken to Sendo-san on the phone; the brunet should have been there by now. Had he changed his mind about coming? Sendo-san was an impulsive kind of guy, so it was entirely possible. Ippo sighed and rose to his feet, intent on a glass of water. He really hoped Sendo-san hadn't changed his mind about staying over.

Ippo trudged to the kitchen, carefully ignoring the look of curiosity his mother sent him from the sitting room. He didn't want her to know that his eagerly anticipated company might not even show. He entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the draining board next to the sink, then filled it with water from the fridge. Half the glass was gone when the doorbell suddenly chimed loudly, making him jump hard enough to spill the rest down the front of his t-shirt. He stared at the kitchen door like it was an alien life form, eyes wide and disbelieving.

Is it him?

He jerked into action a little too late. As he sped out of the kitchen, he skidded to a halt for the second time that evening, his socks making him slide along the floor before he grabbed the wall to steady himself. His mother was standing in the front entrance with the door open, smiling as Sendo-san stepped past her. The brunet was taller than Ippo, his build slightly bulkier beneath his orange jacket. He was grinning back at Ippo's mother, brown eyes as mischievous as ever. For some reason, Ippo found it hard to breathe the longer he stared at his rival. It had always been that way, from the very moment he'd first lain eyes on the man. Sendo-san exuded a natural energy that drew Ippo in like a forbidden fruit.

"Hey, Makunouchi's mom!" Sendo-san greeted loudly, Kansai accent ringing into the silence of the entrance hall. Ippo immediately smiled. "That guy around?"

His mother's smile spread as she shut the door and turned back to their guest. However, before she could get a word out, Sendo-san's eyes found Ippo's still form holding up the wall.

"Hey, Makunouchi!"

Ippo pushed himself away from the wall and slowly began walking towards the other man. "Sendo-san," was all he could say.

"Ya got some grub in this place? I'm starvin'."

"There's food in the kitchen, um..." Ippo's mother interjected.

"Ah! Sorry! I'm Sendo Takeshi, former Japanese featherweight champion."

Ippo almost lowered his head and face-palmed. Sendo-san would introduce himself that way. With a quiet chuckle, he turned on his heel and led the way to the kitchen.

"I think there's left overs on the stove," he said over his shoulder.

"Great! Nice meetin' ya, Makunouchi's mom!"

Sendo-san followed behind him into the kitchen and made himself at home at the small table. He plucked an apple from the bowl on top of it and tossed it into the air a few times as Ippo bustled around the room for bowls and small platters, heart racing madly. Why he was so nervous was beyond him. He and Sendo-san had met in the ring twice and outside of it on numerous occasions – there should've been nothing to get so wound up over. Yet, here he was, so anxious, he almost dropped a ceramic bowl on the floor. He was standing over the sink, rinsing a couple of glasses, when Sendo-san destroyed the silence.

"Makunouchi."

Why the hell is his voice so close?

Ippo glanced over his shoulder and almost panicked when he saw Sendo-san standing right behind him. As it was, one of the glasses dropped into the sink with a hefty clunk. What was the guy doing?

"Why ya so jumpy?"

Ippo didn't know what to say, so he blundered and stammered through an explanation, knowing for a fact that Sendo-san probably thought it was lame.

"I-I've n-never had company o-over before...Sendo-san."

It got so quiet in the modest kitchen, Ippo could have sworn he'd heard the neighbors' door shut three houses down. His face was on fire as he turned his back and refused to look his rival in the eye. Mortified didn't even begin to describe the way he was feeling at the moment. What would Sendo-san say? The brunet was blunt to a fault, and Ippo didn't know if he could handle it if the other man decided to make fun of him.

Sure enough, Sendo-san's laughter made short work of the silence in the kitchen. Ippo hung his head and frowned at his reflection in the stainless steel sink. He was so pathetic.

"Stop callin' me Sendo-san fer starters, Makunouchi. Sendo's fine. Hell, even Rocky's better'n that. Jus' don' call me Takeshi. Only my gran'ma calls me that."

Ippo slowly turned to face the brunet, eyes big with disbelief. Sendo wasn't making fun of him? He wasn't laughing at him?

"O-oh. OK."

"You c'n loosen up too, while yer at it. We ain't in the ring...yet," the man finished with a sly smirk.

The air between them seemed to relax considerably as Ippo let the tension gathered in his back and across his shoulders slip away. He had a fleeting thought of how maybe he should feel at least a little uncomfortable with Sendo-sa...Sendo staring at him so intently, but he didn't. It almost felt natural. Sendo was the first to break the spell as he cleared his throat and turned away towards the table, leaving Ippo smiling like a goof in his wake.

"C'mon, Makunouchi! My stomach's puttin' up a helluva fuss, ya know?"

Ippo shook himself free from his moment of absentmindedness and went about filling plates and bowls with food. Every moment or two, he would glance at the brown-haired man, stomach fluttering each time their eyes met. When he handed Sendo a glass of juice, their fingers brushed, and for some reason, Ippo's entire body ignited. He avoided the other man's eyes as they ate, but Sendo couldn't keep quiet if someone paid him to. He chatted animatedly about everything to do with boxing – about how he was now sure he could "kick Makunouchi's ass from Osaka to Tokyo and back." Ippo was relieved. Even though he felt like his heart was trying to leave his body through his mouth, the brunet kept everything lively and...normal.

After the table had been cleared, Ippo led Sendo to the bedroom, palms sweating. He didn't know what the young man would think of his room, and he didn't know why it was such a big deal to him, but...it was.

Sendo whistled as he entered and took a quick look around. "Makunouchi, where's all yer stuff?"

Ippo frowned, confused. "It's here."

"You sure yer a guy? This place's too clean. I mean, where's yer video games? Where's yer pile of laundry? Where's yer skin mags?"

"S-skin mags?"

Sendo gave him an incredibly blank look, brown eyes still as piercing as always. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me."

"Um-"

"Makunouchi, ya tryna tell me you don' look at porn?"

Ippo's face set fire for the umpteenth time that hour. What was he supposed to say to that? He'd seen it before, of course. Anyone who hung around Takamura-san for any amount of time would be exposed to porn. But as far as watching it on his own and keeping collectibles in his room? No, he couldn't say that he did. If Sendo was reacting like this to the fact that Ippo didn't watch porn, Ippo wondered what the guy would say or do if he knew that his rival was still a virgin. What would he do if he knew that Ippo hadn't even kissed a girl yet?

"Ah, I-I don't-"

"Jeez, man! Tha's gotta be the saddest thing I've ever heard," Sendo interrupted. He ran a hand through his unkempt, sable-brown hair before going over to Ippo's futon and dropping his jacket onto it. Ippo didn't even realize he was staring at Sendo's arms underneath the short-sleeved, black t-shirt the guy wore, until Sendo arched a dark eyebrow and folded his legs as he sank to the floor. "Makunouchi, I know kids that used to beat up guys like you."

Ippo's face flushed again, this time from embarrassment and anger. He remembered being bullied for similar reasons before he'd started boxing. Mainly because he hadn't been like the average teenaged boy. He hadn't hung out because he hadn't had friends. He hadn't had the time anyway, since he'd always helped out at the shop with his mother. On top of all that, he'd never spoken up for himself – never tried to get the bullying to stop. However, things had changed once he'd become a boxer. Umezawa-san and his friends had become instant fans. Ippo snorted a chuckle at the distant memory. Umezawa-san still hung around and helped out at the shop, which was a huge relief and lifted most of the burden from Ippo's shoulders, leaving him the time needed for his training.

Ippo sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Not anymore."

Sendo frowned and was all set to launch into a new set of questions, Ippo was sure, so he tried diverting the brunet's attention. He went to his closet and dug around on the top shelf for the pair of swimming trunks he'd promised Sendo. Once he found them, he swung around and held them up with an uncertain grin.

"Do you think they'll fit?"

He wondered. They were orange with large gray piping on the sides. They were Ippo's size, but Sendo was slightly bigger than him. Sendo climbed to his feet and padded over. He took the shorts and held them in the air in front of him as he inspected them. Finally, he nodded after turning them this way and that a couple of times.

"They should." A gleam entered his eyes as he turned those brown lasers onto Ippo. "Yer not that much smaller than me, kiddo," he said and ruffled Ippo's spiky hair.

Ippo swiped at the boxer's big hand, amusement all over his face. "Aren't we the same age, Sendo-sa – I mean, Sendo?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Don' mean nothin'. Hey, where's yer bathroom. I gotta piss like a drunk man."

Ippo chuckled and shook his head as he showed the brunet the way to the restroom. Sendo was indeed an amazing man.