Archive of Our Own ^beta

Hanagaki Takemichi, upon first, second, and even third impression, was underwhelming at best. The kind of guy that was easy to gloss over. It was a shock to think that he sat so high on the Tokyo Manji Gang, but something that people dismissed when they learned about how sentimental Mikey was.

Hanma didn't care. It meant nothing to him. There was no reason why he should think any different. He wasn't here for any reason other than the fact that Kisaki was fucked in the head and he was bored.

Hanagaki, who sniffled loudly, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve and smearing the blood on his face all over, was a lot uglier than Hanma thought. Still, Hanma saw that he was always surrounded by people.

And that was the exact type of person that Hanma didn't care about it. Stupid bleeding hearts that operated like the power of friendship was the blood in their veins.

Hanagaki waved off his friends, face flushed red as he made his way over. Kisaki, next to Hanma, did that incredibly embarrassing thing where he straightened his back and pushed his glasses up, and Hanma tried hard not to laugh at how painfully obvious this guy was. 

He wasn't shocked, but he was. Kisaki seemed like the type of guy that wasn't exactly acting on personal ambition, but he didn't think it would be another man. Especially not the Deputy President (and seriously, what the fuck does that even mean) of Toman. 

"Kisaki-kun," Hanagaki said, and then sketched a nervous bow at Hanma, "and Hanma-kun."

"Sup," Hanma replied, and next to him, Kisaki had complete control over his emotions again. It was even funnier because of what Hanma just saw.

"What do you need?" Kisaki asked, voice curt like he wasn't at rapt attention. 

"Kisaki-kun, are you busy afterwards?" he asked, "We haven't ridden together in a while."

"I suppose I can make the time," Kisaki replied, but it came out too fast for it to sound anything other than pathetic. Hanma wanted to ask him if he would also lay down, roll over, and bark on command, or if he would do it while saying that he didn't want to do it.

"Sounds good," and then Hanagaki turned to Hanma, "You can come too, if you can keep up."

His eyes shined with something that didn't fit a guy who always had a swelling face, but Hanma wasn't someone that couldn't stand up to a challenge. 

"You challenging me?" he asked.

Hanagaki grinned back, and waved at them. "If you don't run."

It was juvenile, it wasn't anything special, it was, if anything, just a shitty way that people pretend that they're much cooler than what they really were. Hanma, who had nothing better to do that hot evening, agreed. 

At the time, he thought that Hanagaki was someone that wasn't a good fighter but a decent rider. It would explain why he was in a motorcycle gang. It would also explain why the others like him, and why he was so far up the chain of command. They probably kept him around for the bike information. Things were starting to line up in his head, and finally, something about this group of middle schoolers was starting to make sense.

Hanma was proven wrong. Very quickly.

--

"Hanma-kun?" Hanagaki blinked up at him, a split lip and a thick bandage over his eyebrow. "W-what are you doing here?"

Hanma arched an eyebrow at him, because there was no fight in the last week. Hanma, who was about to die from how boring his life had become, didn't understand how Hanagaki had so many injuries when there were no fights. They looked fresh enough that he didn't think that it was from the last brawl either. Did he take himself out when there were no fights?

He arched an eyebrow at him, lifting the bag of dumplings he took from some piece of trash that thought he could show off in front of his girl. It was his winnings, and frankly, the battle was done in an instant and so boring that he couldn't even celebrate the taste of the dumplings. It was bland. It was boring. 

Hanma was bored.

"Oh!" Hanagaki nodded his head in understanding, "I like dumplings too!"

Hanma wasn't going to share, of course, he was a growing boy that needed his nutrients. He tilted his head and looked up and down the street. There wasn't anyone that was worriedly running, screaming out Hanagaki's name, so he wondered if this idiot was really walking up and down Shibuya's streets by himself. He was going to get jumped and killed, assuming he didn't take himself out instead.

Well, at least if someone lynched Hanagaki, they would be doing something next week. As he thought that, his phone buzzed.

He checked. Kisaki, asking if he's seen Hanagaki.

"Come here," he said, and Hanagaki flinched.

"I-I don't have any money," he immediately replied, his hands coming over his pockets, and Hanma kicked him in the leg. It was a gentle thing, barely a love tap, but Hanagaki still squawked like a bird. It was a funny sound, or maybe Hanma was starting to lose his mind at how boring and unstimulating his entire life had been.

"Get over here," he repeated himself, and just in case, he gave him a smile to let him know that he meant no threat if he complied, "Now."

Hanagaki winced, but slowly, cautiously shuffled closer to Hanma. Hanma took a quick selfie with him.  

"Good," he said, immediately shoving him off. Hanagaki, about as strong as a weed, moved two steps back before re-grounding himself. He also apologized to the person he bumped into before returning back to Hanma's side. "Hold." And passed the dumplings to him so that he could type a quick heart before sending the message off. The picture was blurry, but if Kisaki could spot Hanagaki in a sea of students in an instant, he knew that he'd be able to tell.

Around then, he realized that Kisaki had sent another message that he didn't see. 

"He's being hunted," the text message said. 

He paused.

He looked at Hanagaki, standing next to him.

He didn't blame them. Hanagaki was literally the weakest link in Toman, made even worse because he was pretty much second to Mikey himself. Toman made a big splash overnight, and their name was catching fire. Most of the older gangs were keeping a wary eye on them. Hanma, who would have never joined such a precarious group, only tagged along because Kisaki was just his type and hadn't failed him since.

Then, another message was arrived. He didn't look at it, and instead, pocketed it. People were coming for Hanagaki, huh? Maybe Hanma could finally get some excitement. Most likely, they needed to take him to a place where he wasn't going to be hunted down. Either they stay in the streets, or by heading home.

But, Hanma already sent out the message, so he supposed Kisaki was going to figure out where they were. Maybe he should check how long it took those idiots to come and hunt down their beloved Deputy President instead. 

"Hanma-kun," Hanagaki said, his mouth full, and Hanma froze. He stared as Hanagaki was eating one of the dumplings, "is everything okay?"

"I told you to hold them," Hanma said, "Not eat them, you fat pig."

Hanagaki winced backwards, "What?" he looked at the dumpling, the bag, and then back to Hanma. He took a step back, even though it was futile, because very few people could get out of Hanma's food-induced rage. "I-I'll make it up to you!" he blurted out.

"Oh yeah?"

"W-What do you want to eat? My treat."

"Dumplings."

"R-Right away, sir!" And Hanagaki then did the impressive thing of stuffing the rest of his dumpling he was eating into his mouth and rushing back to the nearest food stand with dumplings. In reality, if Hanma really cared about the dumplings, he would have slapped Hanagaki around, made him his gofer, then finish the job once he got what he wanted. As it was, the dumplings weren't that good, and Hanma was just itching for something to happen.

As Hannma watched him run off, he realized that Hanagaki was in theory, his superior officer.

Well, everyone knew that Hanagaki was put into that position due to nepotism, and not because he had anything worthwhile to contribute to a group like Manji. Hanma brushed it off. If Hanagaki was really deserving of his position, he wouldn't act like this in front of Hanma after all. 

"Here!" he said, not even 15 minutes later. There was some sauce on the corner of his lip, and he gave him a wide grin as he panted hard. "The lady even gave us an extra one!"

"Haa?" Hanma drawled the tone out and Hanagaki flinched like a small animal. Hanma tilted his head, and snatched the bag of dumplings out of his hands. The lady never gave him freebies. What the hell? This was favoritism. 

His eyes flitted back to Hanagaki and his swollen face.

Or pity, he supposed.

He narrowed his eyes. "Hm..." he made a show of inspecting the dumpling before he took a bite. From the corner of his vision, he watched as Hanagaki nodded along, his eyes glued to Hanma's mouth as he bit down on the dumpling and chewed. His hands were clasped together in front of him, like he was praying, and Hanma didn't get it.

According to rumors, Mikey lost to this guy before. It must have been a long time ago, a playground scuffle that Mikey hadn't gotten over or something, because Hanma just didn't get it. This guy?

"It's okay," he said, and Hanagaki cheered loudly.

The other pedestrians gave them a dirty look, and Hanagaki sketched out a quick apology to them before turning back to Hanma with stars in his eyes. In what universe was this guy a delinquent? 

"T-Thank you very much!" he said, like he was the one that made the dumplings or something. "Well, good work and I guess I'll see you-"

And something that wasn't Kisaki's text message, and something that wasn't about Manji, and something that was more Hanma-based to the core, made him speak up.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?"

His lips twitched when Hanagaki's face fell, all the blood flushed out of his face, and his shoulders slumped. Without even fighting, he looked completely defeated.

"Y-Yes?"

"C'mon Wallet," he said, getting up as he finished the first dumpling. "We're just getting started."

"B-But I got you the dumpling that I-"

Hanma leveled him with a gaze that had Hanagaki folding like a wet napkin.

"Okay..."

And Hanma wondered if Kisaki's warning for him to stay away from Hanagaki was actually for Hanagaki's sake. He thought about it, thought about Kisaki, and then snorted. That seemed more like him. Some reverse-psychology bullshit. The crafty bastard wanted to keep this one away from him?

The idea of throwing Kisaki off his game was just too good for him to pass up. And if he got a new wallet on the way, then it was a double win, wasn't it?

"C'mon," Hanma said, kicking him again in the leg, "I want gyudon now." He took the next dumpling out and took a bite out of it.

"Y-Yes sir!"

This time, it actually tasted better.

--

If anything, he hated the Manji meetings because they were always standing. The other gangs he had been to had a hideout, couches, things like that. But Manji always wanted to have their big gatherings at a goddamn temple with no seating available. They stood in uniform lines like they were in the military or something. It annoyed Hanma to no end. If he wanted structure and stingy-rules, he wouldn't be a delinquent. In the goddamn heat, too, like fuck that.

He didn't complain, of course, and instead wondered why they even bothered with a hideout if they weren't going to use it for their meetings. If it were him, he'd have arcade games, couches, low lights, and some decent music. And some A/C.

His eyes caught Hanagaki's when the teen arrived. Their eyes locked and Hanagaki flinched at the sight of him. Hanma, who felt like Hanagaki did not fit here again, gave him a friendly wave.

He winced backwards, but sketched out a nervous and frantic-looking bow. 

Didn't he know that it was coaxing the worst parts of him out?

Maybe, after standing for so long, they could go and get something to eat together afterwards. Draken had the biggest frown on his face when he looked from Hanagaki to him, narrowing his eyes when he met Hanma's gaze, but Hanma ignored him. His lips curled up as Hanagaki's eyes darted from person to person before landing on him and then quickly looking away again.

Hanagaki looked as skittish as a squirrel. When people greeted him too loudly, he flinched a little, but nodded back at them, instead of walking past them like Mikey and all of the other captains did. Mitsuya, who also seemed to catch this, gave this exasperated but fond sigh, like he was staring at a particularly dumb dog. 

And for the moment, Hanma felt like he would have a little bit of fun doing this.

--

"I-I bought you the dumplings, and everything else you ate that night," Hanagaki said, in a poor attempt to stand his ground. 

Hanma smiled back at him, feeling as though something inside of him was being tickled when he saw how desperately Hangaki was looking around, probably for an exit or some help. There was a bruise stretching all along his neck when he turned his head, and Hanma had no doubts that the rest of his body wasn't similarly battered. If he thought he could outrun Hanma, however, he was going to learn something today.

"Now, it's my turn to pay you back," he said. "Thanks for that."

Hanagaki blinked, warily looking up at him, and when it seemed like Hanma wasn't going to pull a fast one on him, he nodded his head slowly.

"Really?" he asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes that Hanma was waiting for.

"Of course!" he said, "C'mon, what do you want? It's on me."

And the look on Hanagaki's face when he told him that he forgot his wallet at the end of the meal was something else. 

--

"Toman! Toman!"

The cheers for Toman was an annoying noise that itched in Hanma's ears like a bad club remix. His skin rolled, he didn't want to be here. Winning was nice, the fight was fine, but god, he hated all this "friendship is magic" bullshit that Toman adored.

Honor? Respect? Dignity? They were in the wrong after-school club.

As he thought that, stepping to the side and avoiding how some of the other members were cheering and shouting all around him, he found Hanagaki.

Hanagaki, surrounded by people again, rubbing at his eyes. Was he crying? Did he hurt that badly?

Off-handedly, Hanma thought about getting him some lemon juice. It would be funny. Maybe orange juice, if he was feeling a little merciful. Would Hanagaki cry but finish the drink anyways? He seemed like the type to just drink liquid pain, if it would spare someone else's feelings. 

Hanagaki pulled his hands away from his face, and Hanma saw the blood smearing from his eyes down. He stared, and could already tell that the teen was going to be a walking bruise by morning light. Was there a competition to see who could take the most amount of hits to the face or something? Hanagaki won it in spades. It was probably the only thing he would win. 

Hanma kicked one of the other group's delinquent in the face again, just because he could.

--

Hanma tilted his head. What was he in the mood for?

"Takemichi!" he called out gleefully, and watched how he flinched at the sound of his own name. "What are you doing today?"

"I uh... was going to go home, shower, and sleep."

Hanma eyed his black eye for a second longer than he normally did, just to really emphasize in his head how ugly it made him look, and ruffled his hair instead. The terrible gel made it feel like a turf field, but Hanma didn't care about that too much.

"Alright, lead the way."

"...The way?"

"Yeah, and order us some pizza while you're at it."

"Huh?" 

Hanagaki gaped back at him, and Hanma reached to pinch his ear. He winced, groaning in pain when Hanma released him. As he tried to take a step back from him, Hanma stuck his leg out and caught Hanagaki's foot. In an instant, he tripped over his own leg and went tumbling to the ground. With a loud groan, he rolled over, stopping cold when Hanma moved so that he was standing right over him.

With Hanma's left foot by his head and Hanma's right foot on his chest, he gave him a friendly, warm smile.

"Aw, Takemichi, were you so excited that you fell?" he asked, applying pressure onto Hanagaki's chest, "I didn't realize you were so happy to have me over. Don't worry, I'll help you out."

"Please don't," Hanagaki whimpered, and Hanma laughed back, delighted. 

Since he was a good guy, he stepped off and moved a little further down the sidewalk.

"Let's go," he said. 

He wondered what kind of games Hanagaki had. He was pretty cliched as they came, so probably a lot of fighting and racing games, right? Hanma wondered if he was as ass in them as he was in fighting. That would be pretty funny. There really was nothing he was good at, was there?

Somehow, that ticklish feeling came again, rubbing right along the underside of his heart. 

Whistling a merry tune, he followed Hanagaki to his house and learned of Hanagaki's Legendary Combo Hit when they were playing Mortal Combat. That was, until a sudden rush of blood came bursting out of his nose and soaked his shirt and controller. Hanma laughed long and hard when Hanagaki tripped over his coffee table and fell to the ground, hands holding his bleeding nose as he groaned and rolled on the ground.

He obviously wasn't the best entertainment Hanma ever had, but it was enough to stave off the boredom a little longer. 

--

"C'mon! Is this really the Deputy President?" 

The sharp sounds of a fist meeting Hanagaki's face, again and again, was sharp. It seemed to echo in the night as Hanagaki was held up by one person and surrounded by four others. They laughed, having a merry time. 

"If this is their top, then it's going to be easy!"

Their cackling was loud, bouncing between the trees of the park as they took turns hitting him.

To the side, leaning against the tree, Hanma lit his cigarette and watched.

"Huh?!" One of the guys came up, "Who the fuck are you?"

Hanagaki picked his head up, and saw Hanma. His eyes seemed to widen when he saw him, and Hanma thought that this was annoying. Kisaki at least promised him something interesting to watch, but Hanagaki? He was weak, he was small, he had a loud voice, and boasted his ideal and moral code. The type that Hanma didn't like the most. No doubt, he was going to call his position of power, he was going to call out to him and demand to be saved. Hanma had seen guys like this before. 

Hanagaki wasn't special. Hanagaki wasn't different.

If he ignored this, how bad would the blow-out be? Would it really be worth listening to Kisaki? He wasn't sure. Was it better to be annoyed or bored? His entire life, he preferred boredom over annoyance. He took a drag of his cigarette.

"Well, don't stop on my account," he told them, and gave a wide grin. 

Before he could say anything else though, Hanagaki spat a mouthful of blood on the guy in front of him's face. It was more ballsy than what Hanma was expecting of him.

"Eyes in front," Hanagaki rasped out. His chest heaved, and Hanma knew that he saw him. Hanma knew that Hanagaki knew how strong he was. Still, he didn't call Hanma in. He didn't even act like he knew him. "I'm not... done yet."

"Augh," the guy wiped the blood off his face, "Just don't know when to quit!" The next hit came swinging at his face.

Hanma was hit with a sudden revelation. Maybe Hanagaki wasn't just stupid. Maybe he was masochistic and stupid. 

A roar of a bike came out behind him before it streaked through the park. Parking it, Draken got off.

"Takemitchy!" he called out, cracking his neck as he stared at the group in front of him. "I told you to stop taking all the fun for yourself!"

And Hanma wondered if he noticed that he was there. If he was going to say anything, do anything.

But Hanagaki straightened, his eyes shining.

"Draken-kun!"

"Yeah, yeah," Draken said, and Hanma could feel his gaze land on him. "I'm here."

Strangely enough, they didn't say anything to Hanma, they didn't say anything about Hanma, and Hanma shrugged it off because it just meant that they weren't as annoying as he thought. 

Hanma didn't care, but the thought lingered in his head longer than he wanted.

--

"Hanma-san?"

One of his former underlings, if he could call them that when Hanma had no allegiances anywhere, quietly came up to him. Chona? Chrome? Choji? Something like that. 

"Are you uh... serious about Hanagaki?"

Cigarette in between his lips, he frowned at him.

"What the fuck?" he replied, and the man gave a relieved sigh.

"Nah, it's just... Hanagaki's like uh... different."

He took a deep drag, more annoyed than anything. This was one of those guys that quailed when someone stronger showed up, and eagerly put people weaker than them down if it suited their needs. This was not someone that had many friends, if any at all. Definitely someone that didn't really belong with Manji's "best friends forever" club. 

"So uh..." Choji cleared his throat, "That's good."

"If I was, what were you going to do?"

The guy flinched backwards, similar to Hanagaki but completely different. 

"I uh..." he stammered, "I guess I'd uh..." he rubbed the back of his neck, "go fight you and die."

Hanma blinked at him, surprised at the words. He slowly straightened out, and the guy flinched, but he didn't take a step back. There was no way he didn't know. Hanma would be happy to punch all of his teeth out and then make him eat it. He had to have seen Hanma do it a few times too, since he didn't look favorably to people who try to cross him.

"Huh?" he replied.

"Just that," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head, and his mask crinkled at the effort it took him to do it, "Hanagaki's different. Made me think that I've been doing this whole thing wrong."

Oh, Hanma thought, Hanagaki's stupidity was contagious. Well, that would explain why Kisaki always watched Hanagaki from a distance. 

"Are you stupid?" he asked.

Choji gave a nervous smile, similar but startling different than Hanagaki's because it didn't tickle Hanma in the slightest, as he kept his stiff body still like he was fighting ever instinct he had to run away. This was the dumbest conversation he ever needed to have. Which was saying something because the entire third division shared a single braincell.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"How dull," Hanma said, but stood up. Since this guy wasted his time, he should return the favor properly. Nailing him once in the head with a swift punch, he watched him sail to the nearest tree, crash, and fall with little fanfare.

This guy couldn't have known Hanagaki longer than a few weeks, maybe two fights. Hanma didn't really get it. Taking a deep drag of the cigarette, he figured that the pursuit of knowledge was better than boredom. 

Walking over the fallen body and down the stairs, his eyes caught onto the familiar sight of a shitty dye-job. 

"Hm? Is that my favorite Deputy President?"

"...Hanma-kun," Hanagaki's voice was quiet as he looked up at him. Then, he gave a long, exhausted sigh, "What's the plan for today?" he asked. "Should we get yakitori?"

Hanma's eyes widened as he looked at Hanagaki. 

"Are you asking me out on a date?" he joked, "Well, I'll have you know that I'm not a cheap date."

"Don't I know it," Hanagaki replied back, and the older teen laughed back.

Was it a spine? Was it really a spine? Hanagaki Takemichi, the Crybaby Deputy President, was actually going to show some spine?

Well, Hanma couldn't have that. He'd crush it mercilessly. For the moment, however, yakitori actually sounded really good.

"It better be some damn good yakitori," Hanma said, "Or else I'll take the payment from you."

A shudder ripped right down Hanagaki's back as he laughed nervously again. He leaned away, and this time, it didn't ring off Hanma's predatory joy like it used to do. 

Well, it was better than just being bored, so Hanma went along with it, even if it was going to be dull. 

"Huh? Did you get hurt?"

Hanma blinked, and then looked at his fist. He supposed he hit Choji hard, but he didn't think it would split his knuckle.

"Guess so," Hanma replied, not really caring. He didn't even feel it.

"So you bleed red blood?" Hanagaki asked, shocked and a little surprised. "Huh."

Hanma raised an eyebrow at him, but the food came out and everything was forgotten under the steam of the food and the delicious aroma it emitted.

Hanagaki, who got sauce smeared all over his face, looked even uglier than usual. He practically inhaled it, and Hanma rolled his eyes when he realized that Hanagaki just used him as an excuse to get it. He'd get his revenge for being used soon enough.

The yakitori, to Hanma surprise, wasn't awful.

"It's good, right?" Hanagaki said, but Hanma wasn't in the mood to entertain someone what was just using him.

"It's okay," he replied.

Hanagaki gasped, "Really? You don't like it?" He looked down at the plate of skewers that remained after they ate their way through the chicken, and then back to Hanma, "I thought for sure this place would wow you."

"You need to try a little harder than that," Hanma teased back.

"Then, let's get soba next. There's a place Draken and I always go to. It's pretty good!"

Hanma's lips turned into a frown at the mention of their Vice President. 

"Oh, you don't like soba?" Hanagaki asked. He hummed. "What about oden?"

Hanma snatched the skewer out of Hanagaki's hand and finished it off.

"It better be good, or else you're paying."

"Don't I pay anyways?"

"What did you say?"

Hanagaki gave him a stoic and proper bow, from where he could while being seated, "I would be honored to pay for you, Hanma-san."

--

"Whoa, Hakkai-kun!"

"Takemitchy!" Hakkai cried out, spinning his smaller friend in a circle, "You have to come with me! I don't want to eat with Taiju!"

"Alright, alright!" Hanagaki's hands came to Hakkai's shoulders. "P-Put me down!"

"You promise?" Hakkai replied. He stopped spinning, but his arms were locked around Hanagaki's thighs, and he looked up at his friend. "You have to come!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," Hanagaki said, but Hakkai did not release him. He kept him in the air, like it was the easiest and most natural thing to do. "But uhm, are you sure you want me there? What about Mitsuya-kun? Doesn't Mitsuya-kun make more sense?"

"You... You don't want to come? But I need you!" He pressed his face to Hanagaki's chest, and started to spin again, "I don't want to sit between Yuzuha and Taijuu at some weird place again!"

"Okay, okay! I'll come! I said I'd come!"

"You have to!"

"Yes, yes!" Hanagaki's voice was frantic, and Hakkai finally slowed down. The blond gave a long sigh. He looked left to right, and gently pressed on Hakkai's shoulder, "H-Hakkai-kun? Put me down?"

There was a brief second where Hakkai looked up at him. He seemed to think for a moment longer before his lips split into a wide grin. 

"But I don't want to!"

"Wha? Hakkai-kun!"

Hanma finished his second cigarette watching that sickening display. When would the meeting start, so it could end, so he could leave? 

It wasn't about boredom. He just had better things to do. He thought about it a moment longer, and then a wicked grin came into his mind. Long legs stretched out, and Hanma headed out.

"Yo, Takemichi," he called out affectionately. 

Hakkai stopped, a flash of annoyance and confusion staining the stupid grin on his face, but Hanma didn't care about that. 

"Hanma-kun?" Hanagaki said, confused like he didn't know that Hanma was there since 20 minutes ago when they started this shitty show. 

"Hey babe," he said, and watched how Hanagaki stiffened immediately. Hakkai-kun there wasn't doing much better. The realization was sharp on his face like Hanma had hit him. It was a good look on him. "What's this about dinner with another man?" he asked. 

At that, Hanagaki seemed to relax a little.

"I'm just going to join Hakkai and his siblings for their... uh... weekly dinner?" he said, like he wasn't too sure of the details, or if he wasn't too sure why Hanma was asking. Hanma assumed the first one, but since this was Hanagaki they were talking about, both were reasonable. 

"I'll get jealous if you get another man on the side," he replied back, and took a step closer. His eyes flitted to Hanagaki's face, the ugly bruises that were starting to yellow, and came to a snap decision. "Hm, you're finally at a decent height for this."

And there was something intrinsically pleasing about kissing a man when he was in another man's arms. It was the barest brushes of their lips, and he stepped back. Hanagaki's jaw went slack, like he was inviting him back in, but Hanma wasn't a brute. He licked his lips, wondered if Hanagaki had a snack before all of this and that's why there was a bit of sweetness aftertaste. 

And Hanagaki's eyes, the kind of blue that didn't belong in the middle of the night, had Hanma right at the center, right at the focus of them. As he should be, obviously.

His eyes met the look on Hakkai's face before he brought the cigarette back to his lips and took a drag.

It was delicious.

"Well, I'm nice so just call me and I'll pick you up, sweetheart."

--

"What was that?"

Hanma looked over, a little surprised at Kisaki.

"What the fuck was what?"

Kisaki stared at him for a second longer, but Hanma already knew what he was talking about. It was just funny to watch this guy's composure finally crack.

"Hanagaki-"

"Ah, Takemichi?" Hanma cut him off, and relished in how Kisaki's eyes snapped up to him. He pursed his lips in a poor effort to hide his grin. Kisaki was making this so easy for him. Did he even know how he looked, as though Hanma had brandished a knife and ran him right through? 

In these moments, Hanma realized that Kisaki was really Toman, all the way through.

But Hanma, who was a little grateful for all the strange and fucked-up shit Kisaki involved him in, relented just a little bit.

"I was getting bored," he explained simply.

It wasn't going to last long, but it was fine to enjoy it while he could.

--

But now that everything was out now, Hanma felt like life was actually a little bit easier. Which was insane since Hanma wasn't the kind of person that took the hard way around.

"Hanma-kun?"

"Takemichi," Hanma smiled at him, watched in fascination at how Hanagaki exploded in color as he looked at Hanma, his lips, and then back up to his eyes. He wasn't subtle in the slightest. He leaned against the doorframe of Hanagaki's front door with a cheery, "Let me in."

"Uh," Hanagaki grunted, clearly not quite processing what was going on, and Hanma lifted his foot to push at him. It was a gentle push that had Hanagaki falling backwards and crashing into the ground, since he was terrible at keeping his own balance.

Whistling, he stepped into Hanagaki's house, took his shoes off and let the door close behind him. Air conditioning was a wonderful thing, especially in the grueling heat. He flicked the lock, and when he looked forward, Hanagaki was still sitting at the entranceway.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Hanagaki asked.

"Hm? What, you don't want me here?" he asked. Just for good measure, he licked his lips and watched how Hanagaki's eyes traced it before he quickly looked away to the side.

"I-I don't think this is a good idea," he said. "And uh- I-isn't it bad for you too? To do something like this?"

Hanma placed one foot next to him, and then leaned forward.

"Bad for me?" he repeated. He looked down at him, "What, you?"

Hanagaki flinched, but he set his jaw, and Hanma had only seen this expression of his right before he got beaten an inch into his life. He didn't mind giving him what he wanted, but some part of him was hoping for something else, something a little more exciting.

"I just... Hope that you value yourself a little more," he said. "You should... only do things like this with the person that you like."

"So what?" he asked, running his thumb over Hanagaki's bottom lip, pressing down where there was a new split on it, and relishing in the wince Hanagaki gave, "It's fine if I like you?"

Hanagaki stared at Hanma for a little bit longer. His eyebrows were knit, and Hanma wondered how hard his two braincells were hopping around to make a productive thought between them. 

Well, he couldn't have that. Hanma wanted something else.

When he kissed Hanagaki, when he tasted the mint of his toothpaste and went back for thirds and fifths, he wasn't thinking about boredom or what he wanted to eat or anything like that. Hanma kissed Hanagaki, felt his chapped lips scratch his, felt his awkward tongue, before he broke composure and pulled back.

Laughing almost manically, Hanma wheezed and laughed as he pointed at Hanagaki. His sides were starting to hurt from how hard he was laughing.

"You're even bad at kissing?!" he crowed. Somehow, this was the funniest thing ever. 

"I-I don't do it a lot!" Hanagaki spluttered back, the flush rushing down to his neck. Hanma placed his knee down on the other side of him, pretty much kneeling over him.

His hand caught Hanagaki's face, forcing him to look at him and ignoring how Hanagaki winced when healing bruises were roughly handled.

"Lucky you," he said, "I can fix that." He wasn't acutally sure, since Hanagaki got into fights all the time but never got stronger either. 

This time, Hanagaki kissed back a little. Hanma supposed you could teach a dumb dog new tricks after all.

"Skip school tomorrow," he said against his lips. "And I'll reward you."

Hanagaki replied by grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him closer to lock their lips. It was like they were sealing it with a kiss. Hanma felt his heartrate pick up. This was it. This was-

"I'm going to school tomorrow," Hanagaki told him, lips swollen when he pulled away, the flush on his face and the glint in his eyes telling Hanma to come closer, "But you can stay here if you need to."

He scooted up and away from Hanma, and slowly got up to his feet. He was a little wobbly, since Hanma's kisses did that, but he looked determined to move forward and into the house.

Hanma slumped backwards, sitting on his knees as he stared at Hanagaki in open-mouth shock.

"Huh?"

Right when Hanma thought he was going to get bored sooner, rather than later, Hanagaki just had to do something that tickled the deepest corners of his worst parts. Hanma was willing to be a gentleman before, but now, things were different.

But he would let him slide just this once, though, if only for the look on Baji's face when he saw Hanma bid Hanagaki adieu with his bento and a kiss in the morning.

--

Hanma walked through the streets, a little lighter than usual. It wasn't that he was walking on clouds or something, he was just happy that the boredom was finally gone and over with. It would return, it always did, and at that time, he'd cut Hanagaki off, but until then, he'd enjoy it.

All the woman he's been with before usually got dull, begging him to stay, to notice them, to be together forever, and Hanma didn't doubt that Hanagaki was any better. 

But he underestimated the gossip wheel. 

"Hanma!"

He paused, turning over his shoulder and smiling when he saw Draken standing at the entrance of the hideout. His face was flushed red, painted with an anger that seemed to consume him. 

He gave him a smile.

"Draken," he replied. 

There were no words for a second, except Draken raging forward like an enraged bull with a garbled yell that might have been Hanma's name. Hanma tried not to laugh too hard, stepping back and dodging the first hit with ease. The second hit was just as sharp, and he tried to counter but missed when Draken jerked to the side.

He wasn't just angry. He was still thinking, instead of totally losing his way to his anger. Somehow, that made it a little more dull instead. He caught the second hit, and then fell for Draken's feint and was caught in the gut.

Hanma hacked. He didn't expect it to be so strong, but Draken clearly had been pulling punches for a while. Both of Hanma's feet came off the ground from the force of Draken's punch. 

Instead of letting him catch his breath and stumble backwards, however, his hands flew to Hanma's collar and he was slammed to the wall. Around them, the silence rang even louder, emphasizing their panting breaths.

"What's the matter?" Hanma asked, a silly grin on his face even though Draken had him pinned up and against the wall. "I was under the impression that we weren't allowed to have in-fighting."

"You bastard," Draken seethed back. His pupils didn't even seem visible. "You know damn well what."

And Draken was pissed. Hanma had exchanged blows with this guy a couple of times, so he knew. Draken was never like this before. When other Toman members got injured and they returned it two-fold, he never got this upset. What silly rumor got around so that he wanted to throw down with him so badly? He snorted, and his hands came to tap on Draken's hands.

"What could it possibly be?" he wondered aloud, even though he had a good idea when the various Toman members looked ready to murder him every morning they came to pick Hanagaki up and he was there. "Wait, did poor baby Draken get his heart broken?" he asked, tilting his head. Was it really okay if they all just wore their heart on their sleeve like this? That was why everyone targeted weakling Hanagaki. It was so easy to rile them up.

Toman was truly only as strong as their weakest member.

Draken's snarl wasn't human, and Hanma laughed back because he always hated how strong Draken was. It was nice to put him down a few pegs. A delinquient that protected? Come on, he should just hurry up and quit.

"Not the face though," he told him, "He likes it, too much."

Draken removed one hand from Hanma's collar, and Hanma itched for a smoke. It would just be perfect..

"He's such a worrywart," he told him, rolling his eyes to finish painting the picture. "It annoys me so much when he get clingy."

Draken punched the wall right next to him. It made a terrifying sound and split Draken's knuckle. Blood smeared on the wall. If that had hit a human face, the skull would have probably cracked. Hanma whistled at the sight. 

If he had known that Hanagaki was his do-whatever-and-get-away-with-it card, he would have done this a long, long time ago. He grinned back at Draken, finding this way too fun.

"God!" Draken yelled out, the veins on his neck jumping as he stepped backwards. Marching over, he kicked a crate on the ground.  It splintered and shattered when it crashed into the wall. "Fuck!" He whipped around, "Why the fuck is it you?!"

Hanma cackled right back in his face. This was just too good not to. How could they just hand their whole heart over like this? Did they think that they could hide him forever just because they placed him in a place so lofty?

They were delinquents. Ruining things were what they were best at. 

"Jealousy," he informed Draken, "is not a good look on you."

If looks could kill, they would be scraping pieces of Hanma off the walls. They couldn't though, and Hanma sat in peace with Manji's most precious treasure as his new, shiny toy. 

"You guys did a great job though," he praised. "He told me he's never had a real kiss before."

The look on Draken's face was just too good. 

--

"...Did you fight with Draken?" 

Hanma arched an eyebrow at him. "Did I?" he replied. He motioned at his face, and Hanagaki pursed his lips, no doubt understanding that if they had fought, there would be more evidence of it. 

"I... guess not. Draken-kun would have knocked you out cold."

The taller man frowned at that. His good mood evaporating instantly. Not noticing it, Hanagaki crossed his arms in front of his chest as he tilted his head to think.

"... Well, I don't really get what it's about, and Draken-kun doesn't want to talk about it. Or really do anything with me right now," he said. "...I guess it's still weird to like another guy, huh? Mikey's been the same at least but, I don't know. Baji-kun and Kazutora-kun have been really touchy recently and Chifuyu doesn't really meet my eyes anymore." He ruffled his own hair, "I don't get it." 

"What, are you lonely?"

Hanagaki shrugged back, "It's not that," he said. "I'm just worried. I thought maybe you'd tell me instead. What did you guys fight about? Do you know why the others are so weird? I don't think there's any fights going on..."

Hanma stared at him for a second longer, something bitter nibbling at the corner of his mind. What would it take for these assholes to accept their defeat and move on? 

"Maybe they're hitting puberty."

"I've never seen them like this before," Hanagaki replied. "I'm not sure what I should do."

"You should give your lonely boyfriend here some more love instead of talking about other men."

Hanagaki's face went scarlet, right up to his ears, and Hanma snorted. Could someone be anymore predictable? Still, he kept his gaze on Hanagaki, enjoying the shade of red that overtook him. 

"W-What?" Hanagaki flustered, "B-boyfriend?"

Hanma tilted his head, "What, were you just kissing me to leave me? You'll break my heart." He gave a mocking frown, and placed his hand over his heart. "Boo hoo."

Hanagaki opened his mouth and closed it several times, like a retarded-looking fish.

"W-We're dating?"

"Of course we are!" Hanma joked back, but he tilted his head and asked him very simply, "Unless you've been kissing someone else." His hand came to his back, resting at the small of his lowerback and over his spine. The threat was clear, and Hanagaki shuddered.

"Nope!" Hanagaki snapped his head left to right at an alarmingly fast rate, "No! Never! Didn't even think about it!" And then he paused, "I uh... are you sure though?"

Hanma leveled him a stare. Manji really out-did themselves with this one.

"Just that," Hanagaki hesitated, fingers fidgeting with a button on his uniform "It's just me, you know?"

Just the Deputy President of Tokyo Manji, the emerging superpower in the Kanto region? Hanma held his tongue, looked up at Hanagaki, and realized why this was so fucking easy. Hanagaki had no goddamn clue what kind of worth he actually had. All the efforts of the bastards that tried to keep him so far away from everything else was so useless that Hanma couldn't help but laugh. 

He laughed long and hard, and pulled Hanagaki to lay down on top of him, on the ground of Hanagaki's living room. It was finally not as terribly hot, so he could do this without them becoming a sticky mess.

"Wh-what? What's so funny?" Hanagaki laughed, and Hanma didn't tell him. He'd use this card for something else, when he needed it.

He rolled them over next, leaning over him and nipping his chin.

"You wanna watch a movie?"

"Not... a scary one," Hanagaki said quietly. 

Hanma's grin widened, and Hanagaki's face started to lose color.

"Not a scary one, please?" he tried again.

Toman, as a whole, needed to stop handing ammunition to Hanma.

--

Hanma slowly made his way down the street. If Kisaki was calling him, it was probably because it was finally time to do something exciting. A cigarette sat between his lips, doing little to alleviate his mood.

As he passed the flat parking lot between an office building and a convenience store, he found a rowdy group of individuals. 

"Hey you!"

Hanma ignored them until they threw a can at him. The thing was still filled with soda, and at once, his jacket was stained with filth. He stared at it, impassive as he turned to the side.

"Haha!" the group of guys, in a uniform that Hanma had never seen before, laughed like a pack of hyenas. "Guess city dwellers aren't all that after all! Let's take down Toman and then we'll be the top dogs here!"

Hanma grabbed his jacket and inspected it. He rightfully took this from someone else who was happy to give it to him inexchange for a broken nose. It was a nice jacket, the jacket he wore when he and Hanagaki got ice cream just two days ago, and Hanagaki got him napkins so he didn't spill on "such a nice jacket." To date, it was the only time Hanagaki mentioned something about his clothes.

"What's wrong?! Go call out your strongest guys!"

Hanma's eyes turned to them, and took a step towards them to give them a warm welcome. 

When he was done, he stretched his arms, and gave a long yawn. These things were so boring, but it wasn't like he could just let it be either. He walked down the street, uncaring about the broken, moaning mess of bodies he made behind him as he made his way to the cafe as promised. The leaves crunched under his feet as he made his way through the dull streets on a boring day.

"You're late," Kisaki said. It was not accusatory, and Hanma was sure he could see how the blood was starting to dry on Hanma's fists.

"Oops," Hanma replied, unapologetic. He sat down in the seat across from him. "You order yet?" he asked. 

"I got your usual," Kisaki replied, pushing his glasses up.

Listening to Kisaki explain some of the new emerging alliances, however, Hanma wondered if Hanagaki wanted parfaits today. The yellowing leaves framed trees, and he felt like he finally found a yellow uglier than Hanagaki's hair. 

--

"Uh... Hanma-kun?"

Hanma arched an eyebrow, looking from Hanagaki's hand, resting on top of his and his box of cigarettes, to the young man's eyes.

He was trembling, and it was clear from the look on his face that he had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it. He hesitated, closing his eyes and then biting the bullet. 

"You shouldn't smoke so much," Hanagaki said, and quickly reached into his pocket to pass him a few pieces of candy. Hanma's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't decline free food. He stared at the colorful assortment of fruit-flavored goods sitting in the palm of his hands. "It's not good for you." And after a second, Hanagaki's true intention came out, "and it doesn't uh... taste good."

He pocketed the candy.

Hanma replied by blowing a mouthful of smoke right back to Hanagaki's face. The young man coughed violently, and Hanma took a step in closer to kiss him. His hand pinched Hanagaki's hip, and easily, cornered him against the edge of the bridge. His tongue swept into his mouth, eagerly spreading that awful cigarette taste that Hanagaki seemed to hate all over. He sucked on Hanagaki's tongue for good measure and pulled back for another drag. 

Hanagaki, wheezing and gasping for breath, groaned. 

"-augh, Hanma-kun-"

And Hanma grabbed him by the top of his head, gripping his hair tightly and leaned down for seconds. He breathed the smoke in his lungs into Hanagaki, and even when Hanagaki whined and tugged at his sleeves, coughed into his mouth and tried to curl away, Hanma pressed him against the edge of the bridge and took everything that he wanted. 

He released him, watching as Hanagaki fell to the ground dramatically. Tears were flowing from the corner of his eyes as he gasped on the ground.

Hanma took another long drag of his cigarette, watching Hanagaki, and waited for the laugh to come out of him. It didn't, and he just stared at Hanagaki. It was predictable, it was dull, but the feeling that sat on his chest was not boredom.

He stared at Hanagaki for a moment longer before killing his cigarette under his shoe.

Reaching over, he grabbed Hanagaki by the back of his shirt and hauled him up to his feet. The teen was as light as always, and Hanma didn't even need his other hand.

"You know," he said, "I'm in the mood for ramen."

"Wha?"

Hanma grinned at him. "I want ramen right now."

"Huh?!"

He placed Hanagaki on his feet and kicked him in the back of his thigh, as gently as always. Hanagaki groaned, limping a little as he cantered to the side, but otherwise seemed just fine. Maybe he was getting a little stronger. Not as strong as Hanma, of course, so perhaps the word he was looking for was durable. 

Good, Hanagaki needed to be durable to last.

"Okay, okay," Hanagaki sighed, and slowly followed after him. He made a face, and covered his mouth. 

Hanma, watching him from the corner of his vision, reached over and yanked him under his arm.

"Whoa-" Hanagaki jerked, his spine turning straight and that anxious look came back onto his face as he looked alternatively between Hanma and the space in front of him.

And it just wasn't as funny as it used to be.

--

"Damn it! We lost her because of you!"

Hanma rolled his eyes. This shit got so old. Surrounded by the similar sounds and sights, Hanma didn't understand how these people could keep doing the same shit, all day, every day. He tipped his head back.

When the fuck was Hanagaki getting here? He was going to give him a piece of his mind for keeping him waiting. It was starting to get cold, he was late, and the bastards ganging up on the last guy was so goddamn loud. If they didn't quiet down soon, Hanma might go and blow off some steam before he ripped into Hanagaki. 

Enough was enough, Hanma flipped open his phone and placed it to his ear. So help him god if it turned out that Hanagaki was hanging out with Mikey or something and forgot about him. Hanagaki's wallet was going to be aching by the time Hanma was done with him.

And then, as the call rang, a phone inside the alleyway he was in started to play. It was the default tone, but Hanma's eyes trailed to the side. 

"What the fuck?!"

He took a step into the alleyway, his eyes dropping to guy on the ground. It was a terrible dye job of a dying yellow even though the trees had been long since barren. 

"Hey, your beloved Shu is calling?!"

"Huh? This guy has a girl?"

"Yeah, got a heart next to her name? Shu, huh, is she cute?"

They connected the call.

"Hey baby! Your boyfriend just got fucked! Haha!"

The voice, however, echoed back from Hanma's cell phone as he stood in the alleyway. A long silence followed as they turned as one to the man in the alleyway. The three of them, Hanma Shuji, and Hanagaki Takemichi, chilling out on the first cold day of the year in some dingy alleyway.

"What the fuck? Shu's a man?"

He flipped his phone shut.

"Oooh, you think you're tough-shit, boyfriend?!" one of the others, the one that was sitting on Hanagaki shouted out. He got up, stomping on Hanagaki's back once more and relishing in the grunt that Hanagaki gave. He crouched down, grabbing Hanagaki by the hair and yanking him up. "Look, your sweet prince charming is here!"

Hanagaki looked even uglier than usual. Blood oozed from cuts across his cheek and forehead, he had a nasty black eye forming, and his entire jaw looked like it was going to be a big, nasty bruise. 

What the fuck was it going to take for people to realize that Hanma didn't share his toys?

"Kai," the last person in the alleyway slapped him, "I-I think that's Hanma."

"Huh?"

"What the fuck is a Hanma?" the guy closest to Hanma said. 

Hanma punched him across the face. It was a clean shot that had the guy's eyes rolling back as he went sailing into the wall. Falling down instantly, he wasn't going to get up anytime soon. 

Hanma took another step in.

"Oh, fuck! I-Ikebukuro's Grim Reaper! I-It's Hanma Shuji!?"

Hanma made quick work of them. They weren't strong, in any sense of the word. He looked over Hanagaki, who was bleeding from his mouth and face. Slowly, he crouched down in front of him, kicking one of the groaning guys one more time.

"Don't..."

He stared, watching Hanagaki carefully.

"Don't tell... Mikey-kun... Draken..."

And Hanma stared back at him, impassively. 

"...You're so stupid," he told him. Was he in a shounen manga or something? Why the hell was Hanagaki like this? Why couldn't it have been shoujo or something instead? If it was going to be so dull and predictable, then why couldn't it be something that wasn't in a dingy alleyway with blood on the guy he kisses?

He paused, getting his phone out and taking a picture of each guy before sending it to Kisaki. He stomped their faces once more. It was just cleaner like that. For good measure, he snaped one leg and one arm on each one. He needed to go, after all.

Then, Hanma shrugged his jacket off. The chill wasn't biting, but it also did nothing to cool his anger.  He wrapped it around Hanagaki, and picked him up into his arms. He was as light as ever, in that annoying way that Hanma never liked. He clearly had the money for it, if Hanma was so well-fed, so why didn't he eat a little more? 

Hanagaki's head fell forward to his collarbone.

"...Warm," he mumbled, pressing his face a little closer.

He walked to the guys, kicking each one one more time each. They were all alive, but Kisaki would handle the rest.

Hanma was getting tired of this. He knew he was, but it wasn't boredom yet, so he hadn't left. It wasn't that dull color, monotonous world yet. It was Hanagaki, his stupid piss-blond hair, and a pair of summer blue eyes that weren't even looking at him, resting so peacefully in his arms. 

Even now, was he thinking that Draken came and saved him? 

--

Parked outside of the school, Hanma tipped his head back and stretched his neck. Flipping open his phone, he glared at the time, urging it to go faster.

What kind of delinquent didn't skip class? In all his time knowing Hanagaki, Hanagaki went to school almost four times a week. Insane. After all his flowery words that Hanma needed to pick the right person for himself, he dared to pull this shit instead of entertaining him. 

Hypocritical asshole.

"Hanma-kun?"

He looked over at Hanagaki, the ugly bruise from his ear to his eye, and wondered if he ever got tired of being injured all the time. The old yellowing bruise around his forehead was still there, too, like it was taunting Hanma. 

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

"I heard your bike," Hanagaki said, stepping closer, "A-are you okay?"

Hanagaki knew the sound of his bike. Knowing the idiot, he didn't even think about why or what and just headed out. What if it was some other punk that had a bike similar to Hanma's? He stared. Since meeting Hanagaki, he felt like a lot more useless thoughts have started to crowd his brain.

"Get on," he said.

"Huh?"

"I said, 'get on!'"

Hanagaki flinched backwards. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Hanma for a moment longer. 

Hanma considered getting off his bike to smack him. Maybe that would help his decision making process. How could this be so hard for him?

"Alright," he said. Hanagaki looked back to the school, waved, and then stepped closer to Hanma.

Hanma gave a happy hum. This made more sense. He kicked his bike up and then paused when Hanagaki settled in. 

"...Hanma-kun?"

"You're going to want to hold on," Hanma said.

"Eh? I'm fine," Hanagaki said. 

Hanma, slowly turned, but before any blood was shed, Hanagaki lifted his hands up in surrender. The bandages around them were confirmation enough for Hanma that two of his fingers were still broken. Hanma heard that they got into a scuffle, but didn't ask if Draken came later than usual.

"Okay, here I go," he said, giving in immediately. He scooted a little closer, and then placed his hands to grab Hanma's jacket. 

"What the fuck?" Hanma frowned, unsatisfied and annoyed. Did he have to spell everything out to this idiot? With a scowl, he grabbed Hanagaki's hands and yanked them closer. The young man gave a garbled exclamation as his face smashed into Hanma's back. 

His hands were forced to overlap each other, bringing him incredibly close to the thin man, and Hanma shook his head.

Hanagaki just had to make everything hard for no reason.

Around then, he heard a familiar, "Hey!"

Looking over, his gaze locked with Matsuno. He revved his bike when he opened his mouth to shout again, and gave him a wide grin. Flipping him off, he got ready. 

When Hanagaki craned his neck over, opening his mouth to say something stupid, Hanma slammed on the gas and flew the two out of there. 

While they drove on, Hanagaki spoke up.

"Hanma-kun," he called out, "Did you fight with Chifuyu, too?"

"Whoa, you don't even call your boyfriend by his first name, but you call him by his name?"

"Can I?"

There was a brief pause, like the world just stopped. He stared forward for a moment longer, and the easy teasing, the simple words, the things that he didn't mean and wanted to just joke around never came. Suddenly, he was super aware of Hanagaki's arms wrapped tightly around him, heavy like brands, but possibly the only thing keeping his heart from pounding out of his chest. 

He revved the engine when Hanagaki tried to say something else, and he ran the red-light suddenly. 

Cars honked and someone screamed, and Hanma weaved through traffic with practiced ease. He didn't want to hear what Hanagaki had to say. He didn't want to think about what he wanted to say. The uncomfortable feeling that Hanagaki gave him these days sprang forward, pressing into his chest cavity like a growing tumor, and shoving all of his organs in new and packed locations.

But, Hanma never considered the notion of telling Hanagaki to get off and take a hike. The idea just never came.

"T-That was so dangerous, Hanma-kun!"

And Hanma couldn't help the resounding disappointment settle in his heart, for reasons he couldn't articulate.

--

"Uh," Hanagaki cleared his throat, "Thanks for... the drive last time."

Hanma blinked at Hanagaki and then grinned.

"Yeah?" he asked tilting his head, "I deserve a reward, don't you think?"

"A... reward?"

"Hm. Didn't I do good?" he leaned in, licking his lips.

Hanagaki blinked at him and then nodded his head when something clicked. "You're right!" he said, "Thanks for the ride, so I'll do something for you, too!"

"Yeah? Anything?"

"Like a massage!"

Hanma blinked.

Hanagaki, excited now, motioned for one of his chairs in his dining room.

"C'mon," he said, "I'm pretty good at shoulder massages, you know! Oh, I'm pretty decent at back massages, too! Whatever you want."

The older teen blinked at him, but Hanagaki's hand was tugging at his fingers, a gentle kind of pull that didn't suit guys like them, but enough that Hanma took one step forward, then another. He would allow it. 

"I know we didn't get dinner afterwards either," he continued, "So I'll make up for that, too. But right now," he gave him a wide grin, "Massage!"

"You just want to put your hands on me," Hanma teased.

Hanagaki's face turned bright red at that. It was predictable, but it didn't bore Hanma as much as he thought. Hanagaki rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy.

"I-I didn't really think of it like that," he said, "but I guess you're right." The honesty of the statement struck Hanma harder than any of Hanagaki's actual punches. He looked at the ground, releasing Hanma's hand, and then slowly back up at the older teen. "I thought about it the last time I was on your bike too, but uh..."

He cleared his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

"Can... I touch you?"

The simple and straightforward assault was something that Hanma had dealt with before. He had, but there was something surprisingly delightful about Hanagaki in front of him. 

"Maybe I should save you more often," he replied, and got into the seat. It would be harder not to smile. "Let's see what you got."

It was the worst massage Hanma ever had, but he was already thinking about the next time he kidnapped Hanagaki to go on a ride.

--

"I really want to kill you."

Hanma did not expect any level of socialization from the rabid mutts Hanagaki called his friends, but it was the last thing he expected as a conversation opener from the one that Hanagaki affectionately called "Akkun". 

He arched an eyebrow at him and then tilted his head.

"You can try," he replied. How many more times was he going to get the goddamn shovel talk? The first time could have been funny, but this was just sad. 

"I won't," Sendo replied, loose and relaxed in a way that Hanma knew was a bravado. 

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you gotta experience if first," he replied, "and when you're hurting the most, I'm gonna just have a good laugh at you."

What a psychopath. Which was saying something since Hanma knew Kisaki. 

He rolled his eyes. "I'm shaking in my boots."

"You will be," Sendo replied, and there was something in his tone, his features, that struck Hanma as strange. "We all are. If you could have left, you would have left by now." He made a motion with his hand, and then looked at Hanma. "But you're here, aren't you? That's the Takemichi-charm, you know."

"Akkun, are we out of soda or what?" Hanagaki's voice came from the front door.

"We're totally out!" Sendo yelled out, eyes locked with Hanma before he turned away. 

Hanma frowned at him, and decided then and there that he didn't like Hanagaki's friends. He didn't like them anyways, but this just made it a fact that they were just unlikable. 

--

"Geez, how did he fall asleep so fast?"

Hanma wasn't actually sleeping. He was just resting his eyes for the moment. And also because he wanted to know what Hanagaki would do if he saw him vulnerable like this. Maybe he'd do something nefarious and then Hanma would have a lot of fun with him, like the time Hanagaki fell asleep and Hanma drew all over his face and arms. 

"Wow," Hanagaki whispered, "So he can be quiet," he mumbled. 

He got up, and Hanma's fingers twitched, but it didn't seem like Hanagaki noticed. The TV was silenced, games turned off, and Hanagaki quietly took some of the cups to the kitchen. It was actually quiet, and Hanma's ears felt like they were ringing from how quiet the world suddenly became. 

While Hanma waited for the moment of truth, Hanagaki came back and put something over his body instead. A blanket, and the smell of Hanagaki was a little stronger, like Hanma had his face in his hair or something. Hanagaki was unsurprisingly cliched. 

"Good night, Hanma-kun," Hanagaki said quietly. "Sleep well and don't beat me up tomorrow."

Hanma didn't reply, because he was pretending to sleep. And then, he was too comfortable to move. 

That's it.

--

"Takemichi!" Hanma cheered when he saw his cute and easily manipulated boyfriend. "What do you want to buy me today?"

"Oh, right," Hanagaki deadpanned, but reached into his bag and pulled out a small packaged gift. "Here."

Hanma blinked. He was expecting a meal, not a gift.

"Merry Christmas," Hanagaki said. His cheeks darkened, and he cleared his throat, "I uh... I just thought that you might need it."

Hanma tore open the packaging, and stared at the soft scarf in his hands. It was a gaudy, bright blue that he would never wear. He stared at it and then back at Hanagaki, who was rocking on his feet.

"It's ugly," he said, and then grinned at Hanagaki, "Like you."

He pulled it on. It wasn't terrible or anything, but Hanma just wasn't a fan of scarves. They got in the way of fighting a lot. He rubbed his face against it. It was softer than it looked. Hanma wasn't the type to turn down free shit anyways. He stared at Hanagaki, the look on his face looked different from the one that Hanma usually saw on his face. 

"I don't have anything for you," he said bluntly.

"I know," Hanagaki replied, so frank that Hanma frowned. Hanagaki grinned back, "I just... wanted to get you something."

Hanma didn't get it, but the words needled deep inside of him.

"Actually, change of plans," Hanma declared. "I got a perfect gift for you," he said.

His lips split into a grin, and he enjoyed how Hanagaki's back straightened. Terror colored his features, but when Hanma wrapped an arm around him and tucked him close, he didn't even try to run away. No survival instincts, this one.

But that was fine, since Hanma could beat up all the assholes coming for him. 

Humming a merry tune, Hanma took him to go get one of his ears pierced. Hanagaki was as basic and cliched as they came, so he was going to absolutely love the matching earring aesthetic. 

--

"Takemitchy!"

Mitsuya's voice wasn't something that was particularly loud, but Hanma felt his head snap over. His eyes looked over the chaos of the brawl, solemnly cursing Toman for always fighting with 5 to 1 odds. He didn't even realize that these gangs were even this big, but he supposed it was better to band together and crush Toman before they lost to a bunch of middle schoolers. 

He grabbed the guy on him, and threw him onto another guy. His eyes looked over the sides and found Hanagaki, getting tossed out the window. He frowned and punched the guy in front of him.

Didn't they know whose toy that belonged to?

He delivered a side kick that knocked out the guy in front of him into the guy next to him, and Hanma jumped up to land on them as they were falling. Before they even touched the ground, he pushed off and started to run forward. Jumping through the window was easy, concerning the fact that it was already broken, and he landed right on some of the idiots.

Great. There were even more of them outside. Nothing Hanma couldn't handle, of course, they weren't strong. Just annoying.

By the time he was wrapping up with them, throwing the last one back through the window he came from, he stepped on crunching glass as he made his way to Hanagaki. His breath was visible in front of him with every pant as he caught his breath.

He stepped over to Hanagaki, who was groaning as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Blood oozed out from his mouth and nose, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood to splatter around. He wobbled uncertainly, and Hanma reached over to touch his back. Cuts laced his arms, and his uniform was ripped in a few locations.

"I-I'm..." he coughed miserably one more time, gasping for breath as he nodded his head slowly, "I-I'm okay." He gasped and wheezed, eyes screwed shut as he lifted his hand in Hanma's general direction. "Thanks, Draken-kun."

Hanma paused before he grabbed Hanagaki by the back of his neck and dragged him closer. 

"Wha-"

Blue eyes flew open, one better than the other since it looked like one was swollen shut. His teeth, pink from blood, stared up at Hanma in shock.

"H-Hanma-kun?" he spluttered, like he had never, ever even considered the fact that Hanma would have been the one to save his sorry ass. 

Hanma didn't reply and instead kissed him again. The rough tangle of their tongues, Hanagaki grunting and blood painting Hanma's tongue before Hanma pulled away and released Hanagaki so he fell back on the ground. He panted a little, the rush of the fight, the sprinting he did for this idiot, the touch of his lips, everything seemed to be determined not to let him keep his breath in his lungs. Every cold breath brought ice to his lungs, but looking at Hanagaki made him burn from the inside.

Still, Hanma remained crouched next to him. The strangest feeling overcame him, one that he never felt before, and it made him feel like he wasn't feeling at all. Like, right then and there, he wasn't in his body. The bruises on his hands weren't actually his. The world, the dirty junkyard they were in, 

That kind of, it didn't feel like he was feeling at all.

"Tastes like shit," he told Hanagaki, who was still gaping at him with a double bloody nose. What an ugly guy, he thought, his hand coming to cup the back of his head. "So stop tasting like that."

--

"I can't say that I was expecting this."

In front of him was Kokonoi.

"How can I help you, Former Black Dragon member?"

Kokonoi's eyes narrowed for a second, but he shrugged. "Well, I guess I should show my sincirity upfront," he said, and threw a backpack at Hanma. It was one of those backpacks that he saw college students use a lot. It fell on the ground, just a few feet in front of him, but the top was a little open.

It was open enough that Hanma could see the wads of bills sitting inside of them. He arched an eyebrow.

This better not be another instance where someone was trying to pay him to leave Hanagaki.

"It's enough to buy yourself another motorbike," Kokonoi told him. Hanma's eyebrow rose to his hairline. That was a good amount of money. He could probably kidnap Hanagaki and go on a road trip through Osaka and stay in one of those nice hotels with a jacuzzi.

"I'll pay you that much every month," he said, "so keep our Deputy President's face clean."

Hanma's mood soured immediately. Eyes narrowed, his smile turned upside down. Of course it was about Hanagaki. He heard about Kokonoi. The revived Black Dragons that tore through the east because they were looking for someone, who turned out to be the Manji Deputy President. Because of course Hanagaki saved someone's life when he was a child and walked out on them. He thought it was just Taiju, but was it more than that?

Regardless, he was sick of how Inui standing in the corner of every store they've been to. It was pretty funny that Hanagaki seemed to not know or even notice, but Hanma was over it after the second date. 

"It's embarrassing to see how banged up he always is," Kokonoi said with an easy shrug, like Hanma didn't have eyes and didn't see how Kokonoi straightened the moment he saw Hanagaki join the gathering. "You can at least fight, can't you?"

"I'm not your attack dog."

Kokonoi tilted his head and gave him a mischievous smile. "That's not a no."

Hanma didn't like that. He tilted his head, and gave him a smile. "You drive a hard bargain," he said, "he likes it when it hurts."

That got a reaction from him. Back straightening, shoulders squaring, absolute fury twisted his features as he turned and took a step towards Hanma, who laughed right back in his face. These guys were bonafide Toman, even if they only officially joined a few weeks ago.

"Keep your fucking money," he said, "My darling likes me just the way I am."

He spun on his heel and walked out, knowing full well that Kokonoi wouldn't even hit him from behind. If he did, then Hanma would have taken a lot more than a childhood crush from him, after all. 

Pulling his phone out, he gave Hanagaki a call, making sure to speak loudly enough that there would be no misunderstanding.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way tonight. You know what I want, right?"

"...Fried chicken?" Hanagaki replied.

"I knew you'd get me. Prepare yourself and wait for me, okay?"

"Augh," Hanagaki groaned, "No more haunted dolls."

Hanma laughed back brightly, knowing that Kokonoi had no idea what they were up to.

--

"Takemichi," Hanma called with love and adoration in his voice as he stepped into the hospital room. He tilted his head, "Oh, someone else is visiting my boyfriend?"

"Your boy-" Mitsuya's arm grabbed Hakkai before he could charge at Hanma. Hakkai looked from Mitsuya to Hanma, and then back to Mitsuya.

At the same time, Hanagaki straightened as best he could before wincing, "Hanma-kun," he said, his expression melting the snow outside with ease.

Mitsuya, who glared at Hanma like they weren't on the same side, spoke quietly.

"Don't fight in the hospital," he said.

He got up. Reaching over, he ruffled Hanagaki's hair. His expression softened considerably, like stale bread in hot soup, and his other hand squeezed his leg.

"We'll be back," he said, "Call me when you get lonely."

"I-I'll be fine," Hanagaki stammered out, but politely mentioned, "Thanks for coming to visit me."

"Of course," Mitsuya replied, "You're important to me." He waved at him one more time, before meeting Hanma's gaze, "Just don't forget you have us, okay?"

Hanma narrowed his gaze back, annoyed in a lot of different ways as Hanagaki laughed back.

"How could I ever?"

Hakkai blew him a kiss, and just as fast his glare returned to stare down Hanma.

"He didn't forget," Hanma told him, "He just has bigger things to think about."

He gave him a slow smile as he walked right past him.

And Mitsuya, with a fuming Hakkai, left the hospital room. Hanma took a seat next to Hanagaki. 

"I won't be out for a while," Hanagaki told him, "but you should be able to use my place anyways. I don't think my mom cares."

"Am I pet dog?" Hanma asked, "You just need to walk and feed me?"

"No way, dogs are cuter."

Hanma blinked at him before he frowned. Hanagaki was hooked up to a beeping machine and his casted leg was propped up on a pillow. He looked tired, his shoulder slumped and bags under his eyes. Hanma didn't get it. He was in the hospital, so why wasn't he getting better? The bruising still wasn't faded, and Hanma, who had Hanagaki taken from his arms by Mikey before Mikey himself drove Hanagaki to the hospital, just remembered how his blood stained his shirt. 

He leaned in to kiss him. It was a soft brush, but Hanma still remembered how blood trickled out of his mouth. It was an awful taste that spoiled all the food that he ate afterwards. He needed Hanagaki to pay for that. 

He opened his mouth, biting on his bottom lip and forcing himself in when Hanagaki gasped. The rush of his tongue against his sent a thrill down Hanma's spine, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He kissed him harder, ignoring how the heart monitor kicked up in speed when it just sounded like his own. 

Hanagaki's hands came to his arms, clutching where he could with a few more fingers broken, and Hanma licked his way through his mouth. It didn't taste like copper. The confirmation was more than enough. He was certain about it.

But he didn't want to stop. He wanted more.

When suddenly, a hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him backwards. Hanma, who felt like he had misplaced his legs when his focus was on Hanagaki's lips, stumbled and crashed into the wall opposite of him.

Hanagaki gasped a little, licking his lips and gasping as he looked from Taiju to Hanma and back.

"T-Taiju-kun?" he said with his kiss-swollen lips.

Taiju was silent for a moment longer, his gaze glued to Hanagaki's face while a vein bulged in his neck. Then, his glare landed on Hanma.

"This is a hospital," Taiju said as explanation. His eyes turned to Hanagaki, gaze narrowed into slits. "...Value yourself more."

"I-I... " Hanagaki winced, "I'm sorry," he said.

Taiju stared at him for a moment longer. "If you get tired, tell me." The back of his hand came up to Hanagaki's face, right to one of the ugly bruises on his face, "How long have I told you that?"

Hanma frowned. He was getting sick and tired of all these shitty guys coming out and making moves on his man when he was right there. Why the hell was the former Black Dragon's leader here anyways? There better not be backstory between them.

"I-I didn't think it would get this bad," Hanagaki replied weakly. He licked his lips again, and Taiju looked like someone would have to pry his gaze from Hanagaki. 

"You don't think at all," he deadpanned, the familarity in his words much warmer than the expression on his face, "You don't have to call me only when it's bad."

"He's busy," Hanma answered for Hanagaki, "but if he remembers you, maybe he would."

Taiju took a deep breath, threw an unimpressed look at Hanma and then turned back to Hanagaki, "Your terrible taste in people never fails to impress me."

"W-What's that supposed to mean?" Hanagaki spluttered back. "My friends are great! I'd do anything to keep them safe!"

The words were the same as always. Hanagaki had always said the same things. It didn't matter if he was in front of Toman at a gathering, or outnumbered in an alley fight, or in the hospital with avoidable injuries. Stupid? Absolutely. Before, Hanma would respect the fact that he was someone that could walk the talk and understand that Hanagaki was the dumbest motherfucker he ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Before, at least.

--

"No new targets?" Hanma asked.

Kisaki shook his head. "I had higher bidders."

But there was a bruise on his face, so Hanma figured that Baji and Hanemiya must have gotten to him first. They were probably having a ball taking out the assholes that thought they could corner Hanagaki. Hanma worked his jaw. The problem with Manji was that there was both a surplus of people who wanted to fight them and a deficiency of the people to beat up. 

Hanma snorted. Losers with short-tempers. Hanagaki really knew how to pick his company. He had no idea how he could talk about them with such a bright expression on his face all the time when Toman only had one treasure. 

Well, he supposed Hanagaki was pretty stupid.  He probably had no standards to begin with. 

"Hanma," Kisaki started, and then, actually hesitated. "It's not too late to stop it with Hanagaki."

"Ha!" Hanma laughed outright at that. The candy in his mouth clacked against his teeth, and his hand came to gently touch the top of his ugly blue scarf before he buried his face into it. "What are you talking about? We're just messing around."

Hanma found a new crepe place while he was riding to the hospital yesterday. He knew that idiot Hanagaki was going to make such a mess of himself eating it. As soon as he was off of crutches, Hanma would allow Hanagaki to buy both of them crepes. Maybe some hot chocolate. 

From the side, Kisaki's hand tightened into a fist, relaxed, and pushed his glasses up. This time, Hanma didn't seem to notice.

--

"What the hell are you-"

Matsuno's voice was eclipsed when Hanagaki hobbled a little faster. The joy in his face was palpable as he hissed.

"Hanma-kun?"

Hanma sniggered when he saw the thunderous expression on Matsuno's face as he sauntered over to Hanagaki and the way he shined the moment he saw Hanma.

"Hey, babe. Missed me?"

The blond blinked at him, his cheeks staining red and his gaze fell to the ground. He gave a little nod, and Hanma's grin brightened when he felt that little tickle on the underside of his heart again. He chalked it up to the fact that they hadn't done this in a while. 

"A little, I guess?"

"Aw, I feel so special."

He heard something crack, but his eyes were glued to Hanagaki, how his face seemed to finally be clearing up from the injuries. His fingers were still in a cast, and so was his leg, so Hanma supposed that their crepe-plans and bowling plans would occur a little later. 

It was too damn cold anyways. Movies and a shared blanket would do them good. Hanma wanted to hear Hanagaki scream, watch him jump and frantically try to hide his face against his shoulder. Just the thought of it had him giggling. 

"Let's go back to your place," he said.

"Eh?"

"What?" Matsuno's voice dripped poison, and Hanma was starting to get annoyed. 

"I-I'll catch up with you later, Chifuyu," Hanagaki said, and the turned to nod at Draken. Hanma didn't even realize that he was there. His jaw was clenched, hands balled into a tight fist by his side, and Hanma wanted to roll his eyes. They were so melodramatic. "T-Thanks for visiting me, guys!"

And a pair of blue eyes, a kind of blue like the sky was poured into his eyes, were completely focused on Hanma. Framed by Hanma's favorite shade of red, Hanagaki's flushed face against the biting winter air was focused right on Hanma. He hobbled a little more closer to him on his crutches, and Hanma reached an around around him to pull him a little closer. When it looked like Hanagaki might fall, he chuckled but held him close. 

Hanma had been waiting too long to let him go back into the hospital, after all.

"C'mon," he said, "I have a stack of paranormal horror stories for us to enjoy."

Hanagaki's face fell. "I... You're joking, right?" 

Hanma laughed, long and loud and full of something he didn't have before.

--

"But uh," Hanagaki hesitated, "I can't really do anything."

"Yeah, I know," Hanma replied.

The blond tilted his head, clearly confused, but Hanma didn't add more to the statement. 

"Pizza good?" he asked, but he wasn't going to let Hanagaki pick the toppings. He wanted Meat Lovers' and no one was going to stop him. 

"Okay?" Hanagaki nodded slowly, watching as Hanma placed his cellphone by his ear. "And my wallet's in my school bag," he called back.

But since Hanma had started to truly camp out with him, since about two weeks ago when Hanagaki was released from the hospital, he had been a little different than what Hanagaki remembered. Hanma, with a bag of his things, had pretty much moved in with him. The threatening smile on his face was hard to reject, when Hanagaki didn't want to go back to the hospital so soon. 

Hanagaki mentioned that he missed hanging out with his friends too, but with the casts on his body and frigid temperatures outside, it was really hard to go out and hang out anyways. The bastards still visited, of course. Hanma had seen them in and out of Hanagaki's house, and he always smiled at them before taking his spot next to Hanagaki. They were annoying, but usually left by nightfall without incident. Hanma didn't really care. It was a little dull, but he wasn't bored yet.

He was just glad Baji and Hanemiya weren't here. Matsuno was annoying, but he was a little better than the others at masking his emotions in front of Hanagaki. Hanma, who was sick of Hanagaki talking about other men, liked that about Matsuno. It was the only thing about him that was likable.

"Yeah," Hanma acknowledged as he took the call. As fun as it was to watch Hanagaki take an order while Hanma coped a feel, he was hungry. 

The young man pursed his lips. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Hanma didn't get him either.

"H-Hanma-kun?"

"What?"

"You... don't want me to pay?"

"Why?" Hanma replied. "C'mon," he said, sitting back down next to Hanagaki, pressing his body against the younger man. His arm came around his shoulders and he laid his head over Hanagaki's head. 

Hanagaki was stiff against him, and slowly relaxed against him. Hanma pressed his face into his hair, and wished that he would stop using that awful gel. Maybe he could just throw it all away while he was pretty much living here.

"Let's keep watching."

"Can we watch something that isn't horror?" Hanagaki asked quietly.

Hanma laughed back at him, and leaned forward to grab the remote for the slasher films he prepared.

--

"Oh wait," Hanma said, tugging on Hanagaki's arm. The young man yelped, barely managing to steady himself. He didn't have his crutches anymore, but he still struggled with his balance. All it took was a little push from Hanma and Hanagaki was all over him.

His head snapped up, "W-What?"

And Hanma grabbed his chin. Holding it still, uncaring about how Hanagaki winced when he brushed along some bruises, he moved so that he could see Hanagaki's nape. With a sunny smile, he opened his mouth and bit down on the back of his neck. 

Hard.

"O-Ow!" Hanagaki winced, but with Hanma's grip on his chin and his other hand around his shoulders, he was kept pinned to Hanma's chest as his teeth dug in harder. 

His entire body went stiff, and Hanma finally pulled back. He licked the blood off his teeth and stared down at the giant bite mark on the back of his neck. Hanagaki's neck was small enough that he could fit half of it into his mouth.

Good, he thought, it was easy to see. It would be hard to cover without a scarf, but it wouldn't get any colder from here. Flower buds were clinging to the trees, and all the snow was long-gone. With Hangaki keeping his hair as short as ever, it was obvious and it was big. 

It was Hanma's.

"W-What was that for?!" Hanagaki spluttered out. "That really hurt!"

"Just sick of other guys trying to mark my territory."

"I'm a person, not a place!"

Hanma rolled his eyes, and did not call him home. He pinched his cheek. 

"Have a good day at school," he said, "Come right back to me, or else I'll get lonely."

Hanagaki squinted at him, like he didn't trust him. Hanma couldn't help but kiss that wary look on his face, pressing him against the front door and licking into his mouth. The touch of Hanagaki's tongue was the same as always, if a little more messy since Hanagaki seemed incapable of learning new skills. Their teeth clacked against each other, still, and he still wiggled and giggled when Hanma's hands ran over his sides. If possible, he really wanted to mess Hanagaki up, especially in his uniform.

It made him almost regret that he didn't go to school. Maybe he should go beat someone up and borrow their uniform, and sneak in. He licked his lips.

He pulled back, eyeing the flush on Hanagaki's face, the glossy look in his eyes, how he panted Hanma's name quietly like it was a question. 

A thrill ran down Hanma's spine. He kissed Hanagaki's forehead.

"Well, since school is more important to you than me, see you when you get back!" he cheered, all but shoving Hanagaki and his school bag out the door. He gave a friendly wave to Hanagaki's friends waiting at the entrance way.

These days, they were a little muted, but the glare that Matsuno and Baji sent him when they saw Hanagaki's neck informed him that they still had a little bit of fire inside of them. Hanemiya met his gaze and flipped him off. 

He returned it with glee.

--

Hanma yawned as he waited for the executive meeting to end. He smacked his lips, and when he fished in his jacket, remembered something annoying and got a candy instead. It was sweet, but not the right kind of sweet. 

His fingers twitched, and he wished that the executive meetings weren't so fucking long. He was so damn bored when he had to just sit around and do nothing while he waited for Hanagaki to come out.

The door slid open, and he looked up.

Smiley, arms tight around Hanagaki's middle, laughed about something while they hobbled out. Hanagaki was also laughing, something that had his face bright red and the other Captains followed them out with a mix of exasperation and laughter as well. 

Hanma remained where he was, sitting, waiting, a storm brewing inside of him. He frowned, but felt it subside when Hanagaki's eyes landed on him. He brightened, and shaking Smiley off, jogged up to him.

"Hanma-kun," he said, his voice as soft as the look in his eyes, and Hanma wondered how someone could just sound the way cotton candy felt. "Did you wait long?"

"Super," he replied, wondering if Hanagaki's eyes were always that shade of blue, vibrant and clear enough that Hanma could see his reflection in them. His hand came up, called by something that wasn't him. Hanagaki's fingers touched his palm before sliding them so that they were interlocking their fingers instead. "I want oden," he told him.

"I was just thinking that, too," Hanagaki said, his lips stretching into a wide grin. "Something about cherry blossoms makes me wanna head to a oden stand."

Hanma hummed back, tugging on his hand and kissing the back of his hand. Hanagaki's face darkened immediately, and Hanma gave him a cheeky grin. He should know better by now than to be so obvious. 

He got up and immediately kissed Hanagaki. He licked over his lips, sucking on the bottom one and when Hanagaki's lips parted, gave him a gift. He pulled back.

"Not bad for an appetizer, right?"

Hanagaki gave a dazed, "Huh?" He blinked, once, twice, and then perked right up. "Watermelon!"

Hanma laughed, long and hard, as he always did when he spent time with Hanagaki.

"You guys, stop flirting at the hideout!" Mitsuya called out.

Hanagaki jumped, face flushing with embarrassment. His shoulders hunched up, like he could hide himself, and he took a step closer to Hanma.

Hanma, laughter gone, narrowed his eyes at the others.

"Takemitchy," Draken called out and the young man slowly turned to face him. "I like watermelon too," he said, gaze too gentle to say that it was a joke but Hanagaki was just too dumb to see it.

"Augh," Hanagaki covered his face with one arm, and the other one reached and grabbed Hanma's hand. "Let's go."

"Takemitchy," Mikey's voice was stern.

Hanagaki paused, the flush on his face slowly receding as he looked over at their Leader. 

"Get home safely," he said.

"You too, Mikey!" Hanagaki replied, his smile returning back to his face.

His hand, still holding Hanma's, tugged him forward. He must not realize how they were glaring at Hanma. 

"Let's go before Baji gets here," he said, a hushed whisper with upturned eyes. 

Hanma squeezed his hand, and felt like it was deceptively small. 

--

"Don't you get tired of getting hit?" Hanma asked, placing a bandage to the cut under Hanagaki's eye.

The young man winced. Hanma didn't know why. Wasn't he pretty much immune to pain by now? This couldn't possibly hurt more than being tossed through a window. Hanma stopped smoking, and that had to be at least 100x harder than the dumbshit that Hanagaki threw himself into.

"Uh... yeah," Hanagaki replied, "I wanna live a peaceful life in the future."

Hanma arched an eyebrow at him. "You?" he asked.

"Yeah. One where everyone is alive and healthy and laughing," Hanagaki said, and for a moment, his gaze looked incredibly far away. "I want everyone to smile together, and follow their dreams and just like, live in peace?"

"What the fuck?" Hanma replied, unsure how else he could reply. Hanagaki rubbed the back of his head.

"And uh," he cleared his throat, his cheeks starting to darken, "I think it'd be nice if you were there, too."

Hanma paused. 

If he was being honest, he hadn't been thinking at all about the future. What was he going to do? Where was he going to be? He wasn't sure. He had just been living day to day for so long, just looking for a new thrill, staving the boredom away.

He stared at Hanagaki, the new swelling mess on his face.

"And getting pummeled every two days is going to get you there?"

"A little bit of pain now for a secured future?" Hanagaki replied like it was a question, like he had no idea either, and Hanma snorted.

"Work that hard to stop your ugly mug from getting uglier," he said, flicking him in the nose. "Dumbass. If you want me there, you gotta be there too."

Hanagaki stared at him with wide eyes. His jaw went slack, showing his pinkish teeth. Hanma felt a weight that he wasn't used to settle on top of his chest, even when he lied. Hanma, who never thought about the future, did not have any vision. Hanma, who never had someone as dull as Hanagaki last so long in his focus before, did not know what Hanagaki was really talking about.

Hanma kissed him instead. It was a little slower now, the adrenaline from getting ambushed was long gone, a weight in the silence following their words. Their tongues rolled together, entangling and Hanma had already forgotten what it meant to be alone.

On the cold floor of Hanagaki's bathroom, Hanma closed his eyes, kissed Hanagaki a little harder, and wished for something he didn't have the words for.

"Bleh," he said, "tastes awful."

And went back for seconds.

--

Kisaki was locked under his arm as he was dragged around. Sometimes, he was thrown over Hanma's bike as the man drove around. He just barely managed to right himself and situate himself before Hanma shot into the street. 

It was, in Kiaski's humble opinion, too hot for this.

"You're dull," Hanma told him, "Takemichi screams."

Kisaki did not reply by telling him that he knew, because something was wrong with Hanma. More than usual, at the very least.

"This was where we got ice cream," Hanma explained as he kept driving. "He keeps telling me that the mint-chocolate is good, but I think it only tastes good out of his mouth."

Kisaki gagged.

"That's the ramen place we go to. He always gets my order wrong, but he gives me all his chasu, so I let him go."

They made an abrupt turn, and Kisaki suddenly realized that Hanma was doing a victory lap with him on his bike as the man kept pointing out areas around town.

At the end of the exhausting day (and Kisaki hated that all Hanma did was reinforce all the previous information Kisaki already had), the two sat on the park bench. Hanma sat, legs wide and back slumped against the park bench.

"This was where I saved him from a few thugs."

"Yes," Kisaki knew, he was there for two of them but did clean-up for all but four of them. Kisaki knew very well. 

Hanma was silent, expression devoid of all emotions. After a second, he reached into his pocket, before he started to rifle through them. Kisaki, who knew that Hanma hadn't smoked in a while, watched as Hanma pulled out a candy. He ripped open the package, stuck the candy in his mouth, and stuffed the empty wrapper into Kisaki's pants. Then, he slumped back against the park bench.

The younger man tried not to glare, but his burning curiosity was greater. The information, especially about the people closest to Hanagaki, was important in case Kisaki needed to use it for something else.

"And? Why did you drag me around town?" 

"Kisaki," Hanma stared out at the park, where it was starting to empty out as the sun sank into the horizon. "I think I like Hanagaki."

Kisaki closed his eyes, buried his face in his hands, and took a deep, long breath. 

"And?" he deadpanned.

"So like," and it was weird to hear Hanma hesitate or struggle to put his words together. 

He stared out with a hum, eyebrows furrowed, then relaxed, then furrowed again as he tilted his head like he was rolling the words around in his head. Then, he found his words. Kisaki wished he didn't, that he wasn't there, and that he never introduced the two together. Surely, a good majority of the people that they knew thought the same thing. 

"What kind of ring should I get him?"

Kisaki took a long, exhausted sigh.