softcore
ranzu typical content you'd expect from bonten arc
Sanzu thought Ran would be the last person to come and help him. Especially at such a late hour. To him, the older man seemed too distant and uncaring to even lift a finger for anyone aside from Rindou.
Could you blame him? He'd never seen a nice side to him, just that irritating smirk and smooth voice. All business, his playfulness felt like manipulation more than a personality trait.
Which was why he was caught totally off guard by Ran picking him up off the floor, careful to step over the scattered bodies and shattered glass. Sanzu's left leg was hurt badly, and he expected Ran to tell him to just “walk it off,” not carry him.
Under any normal circumstance, he would have chewed him out and fought back, but he was already woozy from the blood loss.
Next he knew, he was in the back seat of an expensive car—presumably Ran's—while the aforementioned tended to his wounds. Surprise, the Haitani knew first aid. He figured it was because Rindou tended to be far more careless, so it made sense.
What didn't make sense was how strangely gentle he was being. Sanzu wasn't some wounded kitten, but he might as well have been with how careful Ran was treating him. When he was offered a bottle of water, he almost knocked it away while trying to figure out his next move.
Observant as ever, Ran pulled back before he could actually spill it.
“Feeling lively enough to reject help?”
Those sleepy lilac eyes narrowed, but not in malice or annoyance. In fact, it was due to the smile gracing his lips. Sanzu had never seen him smile with his eyes, so it was a new sight.
“No, sorry.”
A curt response. He didn't have the energy to think of any comebacks.
He reached for the bottle that Ran still held in his hand, drinking about half after it had been handed to him. Only after he nearly choked trying to swallow did he realize how thirsty he actually was.
“Do you have any painkillers? Hurts like shit.”
Ran shook his head, which made him groan. Sanzu had been through worse without them, but he wasn't exactly sober those times. Guess he'd just have to grin and bear it.
“Unless you want the 80 proof I keep in the car.”
That definitely raised several questions, none of which he knew the answers to. However, he'd much rather be drunk than feel all his injuries for the entire ride back to headquarters.
Sanzu only had about two glasses, since that was all Ran let him drink. After that, Ran got in the driver's seat and started the car. He left the water bottle in the back, storing the liquor bottle (and glass) God knows where.
It was a long way back, they'd be on the road for two hours at least. Sanzu was getting blood all over Ran's car seat, but he couldn't find it in himself to care right now. Leaning against the window, he began to drift off.
When he opened his eyes again, he didn't see a familiar building. It was an apartment complex, one he'd never been to before. Why didn't Ran just drop him off back at base?
“Before you ask, it was closer. I'm not exactly awake enough to drive all the way back there.”
Oh.
“Still can't walk.”
Ran quickly helped him out of the car, walking Sanzu to the lobby before asking him to sit and wait a while. He still needed to park, and he couldn't exactly get a valet driver to do it. Didn't trust them enough with his car.
It was quick, at least. They were in his penthouse in about 5 minutes. Exactly the kind of living quarters he expected from Ran. Judging from the muffled music coming from another room in it, his brother also lived here.
Great, now both Haitanis knew he had a fucked up leg, as if he needed more shit for them to make fun of. (They never said anything to his face, but he knew.)
Sanzu sat on a stray chair while Ran was busying himself with finding medical supplies. At some point, as Ran redressed his wounds, Rindou left his room and saw the two.
“Finally making a move?”
Ran paused only for a moment, before looking up at his brother.
“Hah. Lend him some of your clothes, his are dirty.”
Rindou huffed, narrowing his eyes. There was a bottle of soda in his hand, likely the reason he came out in the first place.
“Why not yours? I don't want to.”
“I'm too tall, Rindou.”
“Ugh.”
As the younger Haitani closed the door behind him, Sanzu thought over what he said. What the fuck did he mean by “making a move”?
Before he could ask, Rindou threw a set of clothes at Ran, breaking his concentration. The older caught them, placing the shirt and sweatpants in Sanzu's lap. They didn't look nice or anything, but they'd do for the time being.
“Need help changing?”
“No. Turn around.”
Ran did as he was told, facing away from Sanzu. He struggled a bit, having to wriggle into the pants while sitting. It would have been much easier to just say yes. Would it be worth the embarrassment, though? No.
He didn't have to tell him he was done, the lack of grunting was enough of a sign.
“You'll have to stay the night.”
“Great, am I sleeping on the couch?”
“We have a guest room, unless you intend on getting cozy with my little brother.”
Sanzu cringed at that, clearly not considering the latter option.
“No thanks. I'll take the guest room.”
The next morning, his leg was healed enough for him to walk. Not far and not without pain, though. He didn't expect any more hospitality past last night, but Ran was full of surprises, apparently.
The older already had food set out, drinking coffee as he texted someone on his phone.
Sanzu limped to the dining table, taking the seat across from him. There was only one meal, which meant Rindou likely left already. Why did he stay behind, then?
“Boss already knows you're out of commission.”
He ate in silence, still trying to make sense of everything Ran was doing for him. It was out of character. In the past, he'd even thought Ran hated him.
“By the way, I'm in love with you.”
What.
What?!
”...?”
Utterly speechless, Sanzu only stared at him, teal eyes wide open. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Ran seemed like a womanizer, so why him? Was he drunk? He said it so casually—
“How's your leg?”
“Why are you changing the topic?”
Ran looked confused. Like he didn't expect Sanzu to ask.
“You didn't say anything, so I thought you didn't care.”
“How am I supposed to respond to that?!”
Sanzu would have leaned over to grab him by the collar and started shaking if his leg didn't hurt so badly.
“Oh, I don't know. “I love you too,” or “I'm not”.”
“You can't just spring that on me. Give me time to think, you fucker!”
How did they get to this point, again?
Sanzu can't remember not living in the Haitanis' penthouse, with all the eccentricities of the two brothers. Despite living with both, he was much closer with one.
After Mikey's untimely demise, Bonten eventually faded into the shadows. Some of its members, like Ran and Rindou, chose to leave and work on their own projects. Sanzu, left without a place to go, decided to follow them.
Of course, he probably wouldn't have if he wasn't dating the older of the two. Rindou teased him endlessly about it at first. He shrugged it off. Ran was much kinder than he initially thought, and genuinely cared for him.
He often found failure in his past relationships, apparently. It explained why he was so nonchalant about his feelings and didn't expect to have them reciprocated. At first, Sanzu thought he wouldn't be able to reciprocate them either, but Ran grew on him.
Ran made him feel less lonely. Even with the expectation of being rejected, he never treated him differently. Only waited patiently for his answer.
Sanzu didn't expect him to actually cry when he said those four words.
“I love you, too.”
That was all it took to bring tears to Ran's eyes. Happy tears, judging from the soft laugh and tight embrace Sanzu found himself in.
He returned the hug, sighing. As soon as he was let go, he wiped Ran's tears. They looked out of place on him, but they were proof of just how long he'd been waiting for this.
“You look stupid.”
“Thanks.”
There was no venom in their exchange, only teasing. Everything leading up to this was unexpected, for sure, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
Ha, to think it all started because Ran happened to be the one to pick him up from a botched mission. Whatever god was out there, Sanzu thanked them for the chance to get this close to him.
For Ran, he'd get injured a million times over, so long as he stayed by his side.
end.