Chapter Text
Nighttime in the city of Tokyo can be as lively as if it were daytime or have the streets completely empty like in a horror movie, and to Takemichi’s dismay, his neighborhood looks like the latter, with not a single person walking down the street, just him, who was so focused on doing his homework that he didn’t realize how late it was.
Now, he walks down the dark street with a bag from the nearest convenience store, where he has bought his late dinner. The keys in his hand using them as a weapon between his fingers in case someone assaults him, which is happening more and more every day because of the increase of gangs in the city.
So, seeing some noise on his way, he curses under his breath, feeling that he’s going to run out of money and worse, dinner. But he’s surprised to see that it’s not a small gang, well, it looks like one, but they’re all huddled together and unconscious, and above the seated gang members is a really tall guy who’s smoking quietly.
The guy with dark hair minus a lock dyed in blond, golden eyes and a bored look, in his hands are tattooed don kanji "sin" and "punishment", and his gaze is fixed on Takemichi, who has stood still to look with surprise at the scene so incredible in front of him.
Belatedly, Takemichi realizes the fact that he has been stared at, so horrified, he starts walking back towards his house, quick steps for fear of being the next to get beaten up, he has never been fond of altercations.
He once tried to become a gang member, even temporarily dyed his hair blond, however, after getting beaten up he decided it wasn’t his thing, went back to black hair and stopped hanging out with his friends looking for fights. Takemichi knows his friends are up to something, as they always end up getting beaten up, but they refuse to tell him anything so as not to worry him now that he is focusing on his studies.
The sound of footsteps behind him makes him start running out of heer fear, almost crying as he hears that indeed those footsteps also start to sound like running. The guy who wiped out almost twenty gang members is chasing him, he even hears him laugh.
—Shit. —Takemichi practically mutters to himself, choking back a sob, when he realizes something important, and that is that he is running home, letting the gang member who is following him know where he lives and that he lives alone.
Before he can clearly think of an alternative plan, long arms wrap around him from behind and lift him off the ground, causing his legs to dangle lifelessly, paralyzed by surprise.
—Well, hello there, cute bunny. —A deep voice murmurs, which makes Takemichi turn a little to look at the boy more closely, and well, he is really cute. —What are you doing out of the house at this hour?
—Dinner. —Takemichi replies automatically, making the gang member look at the plastic bag containing Takemichi’s purchase to make Katsudon before refocusing his golden eyes on the blue ones. —It’s time for dinner.
—You’re right, and I’m hungry, what are you having for dinner? —Asks the gang member, practically making his nose rub Takemichi’s nose.
—Katsudon. —Takemichi whispers, as if having it so close to his face forced him to speak softly, but it seems that the answer pleases him, because he smiles and finally puts it down.
—Well, lead the way, our Katsudon isn’t going to prepare himself, is he? —The gang member’s question causes Takemichi to stumble as he touches the ground, looking over his shoulder as the taller one smiles, putting his hands in his pockets. —My name is Hanma.
—Hanagaki Takemichi. —He mumbles without knowing why, he was just going to make himself a late dinner after spending the afternoon studying. Is that what happens when you decide not to do your puzzles and become responsible? Because if so, it sucks. Just like that, a scary looking gangbanger who is also incredibly handsome has invited himself to dinner with him.
With a sigh, Takemichi starts to walk, but Hanma stops him, pointing to his arm before he understands, grabbing Hanma to walk together, like typical couples walking down the streets.
Still confused, he simply walks alongside this gang member to his house, where he uhers him in and guides him to the kitchen and living room, the towering boy sits on one of the stools in front of the kitchen island and watches him cook his dinners in silence, resting his cheek on one of his hands.
—How old are you, bunny? —Hanma asks out of the blue, when Takemichi is breading the meat, making him jump out of fright, not expecting a chat, just silence, feeding the banger and hopefully watching him leave for good. —I’m sixteen.
—Fourteen, Hanma-kun. —He answers without turning around. Sixteen? Looking over his shoulder, he can’t look surprised, as Hanma doesn’t seem to look his age. However, he relaxes knowing that he didn’t bring a random adult into his house, just a damn teenage gangbanger who was sitting on a bunch of unconscious people. He doesn’t know which option is worse, but it’s a little too late now.
Takemichi bluhes and turns around quickly as soon as he realizes that he has been staring at Hanma’s face and Hanma has caught him instantly, smiling at him in amusement, that seems to be his most used smile as long as he has been looking at him.
When dinner is ready, Takemichi and Hanma dine in a silence that, strangely enough, is quite comfortable and domestic, making Takemichi quickly relax despite the intimidating aura Hanma always seems to have, perhaps he relaxes because of the way Hanma looks at him, or how he seems to enjoy the meal.
Unfortunately, the moment seems to be spoiled when Hanma’s cell phone rings, causing him to frown, get up and go to the genkan to answer the call, though he doesn’t seem to take his eyes off it as he listens to whatever the caller is saying to him, more occupied with smiling at Takemichi as it focuses its gaze on him.
—Well, see you. —Hanma says in a farewell tone before hanging up and sitting back down at the table across from Takemichi. —I thought I had already met the most interesting person in the world, and it turns out that it’s not him, but you.
Takemichi turns his head slightly, confused by Hanma’s words before he laughs and continues to eat the food in a new silence, just as comfortable as the previous one, before Hanma finihes the Katsudon and fixes his gaze back on Takemichi.
—Tell me, bunny, do you have a girlfriend?
—No. —Responds Takemichi truthfully, seeing him look confused with his answer before sending a quick message on his cell phone before returning to the same position as before, then seeming to consider something else, because he asks another question.
—Bunny, are you in a gang?
The question makes Takemichi almost laugh, but fortunately he can control himself as he has a mouth full of food, simply shaking his head before slowly chewing and swallowing before answering.
—I wanted to be a gang member, I even bleached my hair, but when I got beaten up I decided I didn’t want to be part of any gang. —He finally answers, watching Hanma look thoughtful before crossing his arms on the table and resting his chin on them.
—And if I asked you about joining mine, would you join if I protect you? —Hanma seems too serious in doing so, and Takemichi is again confused, not quite understanding why Hanma would want someone like him in a gang.
—I’m not sure, Hanma-kun. —Takemichi mutters before getting up and clearing the table to take the bowls, chopsticks and glasses to the sink followed by Hanma, who rests his chin on Takemichi’s head and watches him scrub everything used in the dinner, in silence.
Takemichi doesn’t quite understand why Hanma is glued to his back, but decides to ignore it as he finihes scrubbing with a huge presence behind him until he finihes, longing a little for Hanma’s warmth when Hanma breaks away.
—Give me your cell phone, bunny, I’m going to give you my number. —Hanma waits for Takemichi to come out of his surprise and saves his number in the cell phone before tapping it to get Takemichi’s number as well. —Thank you for the food, see you soon.
Takemichi watches Hanma put on his sandals, even standing still as he bends down and kisses his forehead before leaving the Hanagaki house, leaving its sole inhabitant in shock, internally screaming. Are all gang members like this?
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The next day, almost before his last class of the day, he notices that his friends are hiding from him in the bathroom. Determined to find out what’s going on, he hides in the doorway and eavesdrops on the conversation, basically talking about a Toman wrestling ring where they are forced to fight over a guy named Kiyomasa.
Why haven’t they told you anything if they have these problems? Is it because you have moved away from the gang world?
Determined, he spends the last hour thinking of plans to save his friends until he decides on the stupidest plan just as the bell rings to announce the end of the school day. He quickly runs after his friends, hiding so that he can follow them unnoticed to what looks like the place where these illegal fights are being held.
Just as he is about to start, he receives a message from a number saved as "Hanma ♡" asking him what he is doing, and Takemichi, being in idiot mode, replies with a simple "about to break Toman’s fighting ring".
His cell phone starts vibrating in his pocket with the announcement of a call, but he just sees Kiyomasa making his sweet Takuya walk to the center of the ring and make him fight.
—Kiyomasa! —Takemichi exclaims with a bravery he didn’t think he had, slowly walking down the stairs under the watchful eyes of everyone present. —Why don’t you fight me instead? If I win, this ring is over.
The laughter of the audience does not discourage Takemichi, who has just come down the steps and makes Takuya move to where the other members of the Mizo Middle are surprised to see him. However, he focuses his gaze on Kiyomasa, who doesn’t hesitate to accept his bet before launching himself at him.
Takemichi doesn’t know how he dodges some of the blows, even connecting a few, before Kiyomasa gets frustrated and asks for his baseball bat to hit Takemichi with it, and yes, that scares the red-haired man quite a bit, but he doesn’t back down, for if he won’t defend his friends, who else will?
As he is about to receive the first blow with the bat, an astonihed whisper echoes through the crowd, but Takemichi is surprised when the bat is stopped by a tattooed hand and a blow that knocks Kiyomasa unconscious. Takemichi looks up and sees Hanma look at his injuries with a frown before pulling him away from the ring.
—Wait, my friends! —Takemichi exclaims, but sees them running after him and Hanma, looking at the taller one with surprise and suspicion, however, the commotion in the ring by two newcomers makes them run away.
-They don’t all fit on my bike, bunny, it’s time to split up. —Says Hanma and Takemichi nods towards his friends and watches them run away as Hanma lifts him up in his arms and runs to where a beautiful motorcycle awaits.
Takemichi watches over Hanma’s shoulder as two blond boys, one huge and tall and the other short and long-haired, stare at them as they flee the ring, the shorter one pretends to follow them, but the taller one stops him.
Hanma climbs onto the motorcycle with Takemichi hugging him in front with arms and legs, still not assimilating what is happening, chin resting on his shoulder as Hanma drives away from the Toman commander and deputy commander.
About ten minutes later, Takemichi finally realizes the position he is in and tries to move away, but a hand on his lower back makes him stay where he is as they walk through the streets until they reach a somewhat old apartment building, where Hanma parks and finally lets Takemichi move a little away from him, but without allowing him to get off.
—I didn’t think the bunny was a liar. —That’s the first thing Hanma says, staring at Takemichi, looking angry with him. —You said you weren’t in any gang.
—And I’m not, but I had to save my friends, they were going to make Takuya fight, and he has always been in fragile health, I didn’t want anything to happen to them. —Takemichi answers, imploring Hanma to believe him without really understanding why. —I don’t want to have anything to do with them.
—Too late, bunny. —Hanma sighs before placing his hands on Takemichi’s thighs, staring at him seriously. Those were Toman, who have appeared have been their commander and sub-commander, they have seen us, and you have finihed with their fighting ring.
—Will they come after me? —Takemichi asked, quite scared by the situation, he just wanted to help his friends, not to get into the gang world, the first time he didn’t do very well.
—Well, yes, but you can join me and I’ll protect you. —Hanma mutters, and Takemichi simply doesn’t understand why Hanma would do something like that for someone he just met. Not only that, but when Takemichi sent him the message, Hanma didn’t hesitate to show up and save him.
—Why?
—I like you, bunny, you are interesting, cute and you attract my attention. —He answers sincerely, without taking his golden eyes off the blue ones. —Besides, I may have saved you from a possible interesting and powerful enemy.
—Enemy? —Takemichi answers without knowing what to say, did he have an enemy without knowing it? Well, if so, not anymore, and it’s thanks to Hanma, so he smiles and tries to bow to be respectful and say thank you, but that makes the bike wobble a little and he ends up with his face stuck to Hanma’s neck. Takemichi quickly apologizes and walks away, though his mind is a bit clouded by Hanma’s scent. —Thanks for helping me, Hanma-kun.
—You’re welcome, bunny. That means you’re joining me now.
Takemichi finds himself nodding, and Hanma finally lets him off the bike, they park it, and he is guided to what appears to be the apartment of the taller one, being a small room that doubles as a kitchen, bedroom and living quarters.
Takemichi is comfortable in Hanma’s home, however, sitting on the floor in front of a small table with some manga and motorcycle magazines, waiting for Hanma to finish a call in the apartment’s bathroom, the only place that is separated by a door in the tiny space.
A couple of minutes later, Hanma comes out of the bathroom and sits down next to Takemichi, pulling him so that he can put his arm around the smaller one’s shoulders, pulling him close to his body so that they stay side by side.
—You’re with me from today, bunny. —Hanma says, causing Takemichi to nod, not knowing exactly what to say. —The plans now are not important for a few days, so you don’t have to worry about anything.
—But what if I come across Toman’s high command, what should I do? —Takemichi asks, worried about the repercussions of that gang, although he doesn’t know much about them, he doesn’t feel safe.
—They don’t know who you are, so they don’t know where to look for you, you’ll be fine. —Hanma says, relaxing Takemichi enough to finally realize that he is still glued to the taller one, something recurrent since he has known him, as if Hanma always wants to have him next to him, which he doesn’t mind too much if he is honest with himself.
Takemichi ends up spending the afternoon and evening at Hanma’s house, sleeping with him on his futon until the next day when his alarm wakes him up from a pleasant dream, reminding him that he has to go to school. The good thing is that Hanma invites him to breakfast before taking him to school by motorcycle, warning him that he will also pick him up on the way out.
Thus, the days go by with a change in Takemichi’s daily routine, where he now practically spends the day with Hanma, from sleeping together in his apartment or in the Hanagaki house, to having breakfast and dinner together, he has even received some advice on how to fight from Hanma, more focused on a good defense than on a good attack.
This change in his routine has even included meeting the only friend Hanma seems to have, Kisaki Tetta, a boy about Takemichi’s age with bleached hair, glasses and a look of distrust that has changed as he has talked to Takemichi, even going so far as to smile pleasantly at him a few times.
In addition, Hanma has brought it to some Moebius meetings, although at the last meeting that happened at the end of July, Hanma himself prevented me from listening to part of it when they talked about someone’s friend named Pah-chin.
Takemichi refused to ask why he made him not listen, knowing that there are quite disturbing parts in Moebius and some of its members like Osanai, whom he never saw again after being stabbed by one of Toman’s captains.
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—Tonight we’re going to a summer festival, but we won’t be able to enjoy it much, it’s for work. —Hanma informs him when he enters his room, where the black-haired man has been assembling a puzzle waiting for Hanma to arrive from a meeting he didn’t want to attend.
Takemichi cheers up a little, it is not usual for Hanma to take him to places like this, but he is glad to be able to spend his time with him, and sometimes Kisaki. Takemichi feels happy, safe and secure with Hanma, although he doesn’t quite understand the swirl of feelings he has inside himself about the older one, he knows there is affection, but not of the same kind he feels for his friends, so he avoids thinking about it too much.
—Still, can we buy cotton candy? —Takemichi asks, smiling as Hanma sits on the floor of his room in front of the small table, letting Takemichi sit on his lap. One thing that has happened since the first days they met, everyone at Moebius knows that Takemichi’s place is on Hanma’s lap.
—Of course, bunny. You can even dress nice with one of those yukatas I’ve seen you have in your closet. —Hanma replies, resting his chin on Takemichi’s shoulder to watch him put his puzzle together, occasionally helping him with a piece.
—Will Moebius fight Toman? —Takemichi asks as he finihes his puzzle, watching as Hanma stretches and lies down on the ground, pulling him to lie on his chest. Hanma yawns and closes his eyes.
—Something like that, although you shouldn’t get too attached to Moebius, it won’t last long.
—I know, it’s part of Kisaki’s plan, right? —Takemichi asks, and Hanma nods before stroking the smaller one’s back to relax and take a nap with him. But Takemichi stays awake, thinking about Kisaki’s plan, he knows he hasn’t been told everything, as the bespectacled one has only started to trust him just a few days ago, but he feels that his plan is much bigger than just challenging Toman with various gangs. However, he doesn’t care much as long as Hanma remains by his side.
When Hanma wakes up from his nap, he watches Takemichi dress in his yukata without the red-haired man noticing the intense and lustful look in the golden eyes, preparing to leave for the festival with Hanma, as if on a date.
He doesn’t want to think of this as a date, as Hanma has assured him that it is a mission for him with Moebius and against Toman, but Takemichi feels butterflies in his stomach every time he thinks of walking through the festival with Hanma by his side, as a couple, like the first night they met.
—Ready, bunny? —Hanma asks as he gets up from the floor and stretches out while looking at Takemichi’s body wearing a blue yukata that makes him look much more adorable and cute than usual. In his hand he holds a typical small round bag, he has even left his black hair uncombed, looking perfect.
Hanma offers his hand to Takemichi as they leave the Hanagaki house, and they stroll leisurely through the streets until they reach the festival, in no hurry to get there, besides Takemichi can’t walk very fast dressed like this, but Hanma doesn’t mind too much because of how beautiful he looks in his yukata.
—Shall we go get your cotton candy? —asks Hanma, and Takemichi smiles as he is guided through the festival with his hand clinging perfectly to Hanma’s, who doesn’t hesitate to buy him anything he wants or play with him at the various stalls. —Bunny, come on, we have to get ready.
Takemichi nods and continues walking with Hanma towards the leafy trees surrounding the festival, where he can see some Moebius members talking among themselves until they see them coming and bow completely.
—Good evening, Commander! Good evening, Takemichi! —They all exclaim at the same time and Takemichi tries not to blush, he should be used to this welcome, but he is still very embarrassed.
Hamada approaches Hanma and hands him an umbrella before walking back to his position, Hanma nods and guides Takemichi through the trees without any hurry. Right in the middle of their walk, rain appears and Hanma opens the umbrella to cover them both.
—Hold on to my arm, bunny. —Hanma orders, and Takemichi reluctantly lets go of his hand to grab his arm, just like the night they met. —Be careful with the mud, I don’t want you to trip.
—If I do, you’ll catch me, Hanma-kun. —Takemichi murmurs with so much confidence in Hanma that sometimes he surprises himself, for he has not known him long, practically it will be a month in three days.
—Of course, bunny.
Takemichi smiles and gets as close as he can to Hanma’s warm body just as they emerge from the trees into a spacious parking lot that is not very crowded. He can glimpse on the other side several Moebius members on the ground plus about four boys, one of them wounded in the head. He can only recognize two of them, Deputy Commander Draken and Major Mikey, who looks angry at the only one of them wearing Toman’s uniform and holding a knife.
Hanma hands the umbrella to Hamada and sends him a hard look as he points at Takemichi before muttering: —If it gets wet or if someone touches it, I will kill you. —He then seems to focus on Toman to initiate the Moebius vs. Toman conflict. —Wow, wow, so Mikey gets angry too, huh? What a bummer.
—And who are you? —Mikey asks staring at Hanma before his gaze drifts to Takemichi himself, however Hanma moves to shield him from the intense gaze of the Toman commander on Takemichi. —That’s you, the one who finihed off Kiyomasa and the guy who took him away from there before I could talk to him.
—That doesn’t matter now, but I am the provisional leader of Moebius, Hanma. —He mutters angrily before taking a couple of steps closer to Toman’s commander, who seems to get angrier and angrier at him.
—Are you the shit behind all this? —Before Hanma can answer, Mikey moves in for a high kick at Hanma, who easily stops it with a block of his arms. Hanma laughs and raises his arms, watching as finally all of Moebius hidden limbs appear from the trees.
—Let’s see how this goes, a hundred members of Moebius against three of Toman. —Hanma exclaims before turning and looking at his gang. —The one who runs away will get a brutal beating, but the one who touches Takemichi will die.
—Yes, sir! —Shout the hundred voices of Moebius before the noise of several motorcycles resounds, and just as Kisaki had planned, all the members of Toman appear, starting the fight between the two gangs.
Hamada stays by his side throughout the conflict, although it does not appear that any member of Toman seems to want to hit him or retaliate with him for the wrestling ring, however he has noticed how several times Mikey has tried to get to him, being blocked at every turn by Hanma.
Takemichi is so focused on watching Hanma fight, that he almost misses as Kiyomasa runs towards him with a knife in hand, however, when he is about to reach him, Draken himself is the one who hits him, leaving him on the ground, unconscious.
—Are you all right? —Draken asks, ignoring how Hamada is yelling at him to get away from him, more focused on looking him up and down dressed in his long yukata, bag in hand and not looking like a gangbanger. Takemichi nods in confusion before watching him walk away, tugging on one of Kiyomasa’s legs without caring that his face rubs against the asphalt.
Isn’t he supposed to be Toman’s enemy? Why didn’t he try to hit him or let Kiyomasa stab him? He doesn’t quite understand, but decides to be thankful he didn’t get hit, and turns his attention back to Hanma, who seems to be having fun while fighting Mikey.
Normally those smiles are only for when Takemichi prepares food for his or they do things together, but Hanma explained to him one day that he loves to have a good time fighting with strong people, so he smiles too at the sight of his crush’s joy.
Wait.
In love? Is he in love with Hanma?
Takemichi almost instantly knows the answer. Yes, he is in love with Hanma, and those feelings in his stomach, the butterflies he feels when they hold hands, when they sit together, when he pulls him into his lap, when they sleep or eat together, or as when he yells to his men that he is off limits, like a mobster’s husband, is the result of this massive crush.
Does Hanma share the same feelings as Takemichi?
He hopes so, he doesn’t know what would happen to his if Hanma breaks his heart, his life has changed drastically since he met him, in a good way. His routine has been transformed to house Hanma in it as long as possible, he doesn’t know what he would do without Hanma now. He feels loved and cared for with him, and would like his feelings to be reciprocated.
The sound of the police siren brings him back to reality, as he sees Hanma running towards him, laughing despite Mikey announcing Moebius defeat as he sees all the clothed bodies on the ground, unconscious. But nevertheless, this is part of Kisaki’s plan.
—Come on, bunny! —Hanma exclaims, taking him in his arms and guiding him to where his motorcycle is waiting, brought quickly by a trembling subordinate. Hanma lifts Takemichi sideways onto the bike, as his yukata doesn’t allow him to spread his legs far apart, then climbs on behind him, and pulls away from the police.
Takemichi is able to glimpse Mikey’s gaze fixed on him, and it’s one he doesn’t like, as he stares at him with an intensity and hunger that makes him uncomfortable, so he hides his face in Hanma’s chest and lets himself be led away from the festival.
—A fun night. —Hanma says, laughing as Takemichi nods, and unable to help himself, leaves a kiss on Hanma’s chest, over his heart.
The bike wobbles a bit before Hanma rights it, and Takemichi bluhes as he realizes he has lost control just because of a kiss from him. Laughing and feeling brave, he leaves a kiss again in the same spot, another on his neck, and the last one on Hanma’s cheek.
—Thank you. —Takemichi murmurs, hiding his face in Hanma’s chest again, not explaining why he is thanking him, because they both know it.
Thank you for filling the void in my heart.
Thank you for chasing me that night.
Thank you for being by my side.
Thank you for protecting me.
Thank you for taking care of me.
—You’re welcome, bunny. —Hanma replies, parking in front of the apartment building where he lives, but without getting off the motorcycle, just like the day he saved Takemichi for the first time. Both looking into each other’s eyes in silence. Blue against gold, before Hanma finally leans in and gently kisses Takemichi’s lips.