#even if that means he has to *gag noises* kiss hanma 🤢🤢🤢🤢

[ashrifts]

* . ⊹◞ ㅤ@deathfavorㅤ↪ㅤmistletoe meme :ㅤㅤ❝ ㅤ🌿🍒 ( really its more impressive it's hung somewhere high enough for Hanma to be able to stand under it - )ㅤ❞

𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡, ran knows something is wrong before he turns around to see it. it's in the sound of a quick silence broken by a muffled snicker, the shuffling of clothes, then a grunt, then a gaspㅤ───ㅤit's the mumbled "look!" that makes tentative dread into a tangible reality, and though ran would sooner compare himself to the ravenous predator than the cowering prey, the sense of forebonding is impossible to outrun, even for legs as fast as his.

the first thing that has his relaxed demeanor dimming is the fact that hanma is standing right behind him, because his shoulder bumps into his back when ran turns around to see what was causing the commotion. he makes no secret out of his dislike for the man, even if he plays at comrades to not hinder izana's plans; while he does not go out of his way to avoid interactions with him, ran's idea for a fun christmas party is not by his side, however accidental the contact was. ran regards him blithely, annoyed at having to raise his chin to look him in the eye properlyㅤ───ㅤand that is how he catches a glimpse of the traitorous red berry hanging above their heads like a loose guillotine precariously swinging down through his neck.

ran's first reaction is not refusal, and it is not disgust. it's amusement that tugs the corner of his lips into a sardonic smile, entertained by the idea of cattle thinking they had any say in his actions, as if a thing such as a christmas tradition was enough to make ran betray his hard-earned freedom to appease higher powers that beㅤ───ㅤbut something about shuji hanma has always caused the threads of rationality holding his composure together to wear down by each second spent hearing the irritating inflation of his voice. ran has never had a problem backing out of a fight he's sure he cannot win, and he's more the peer doing the pressuring than the peer being pressured, but everyone's eyes are on them, anticipating his next move. he spots his fellow heavenly kings among them, the only ones daring enough to grin at him knowingly, as if seeing through his carefully put-together pokerface.

ran wants to twirl his baton around his finger innocently and ask them what's so funny.

he looks back up instead, from the mistletoe to hanma, from hanma to the mistletoe. his smile remains in place, but his eyes narrow slightly. he can think of more fun ways to make close physical contact under a mistletoe than kissing...

but that's what he'd want, isn't it? the thrill of a fight, the bruised knuckles and busted lips, the quick rise and fall of chests with physical extertion not from the breathlessness of a kiss, but the adrenaline of a life in danger.

ran will not give him the satisfaction.

he smiles for the cameras, nonchalantly flipping a braid over his shoulder, and pushes the bastard up against the wall.

ran is no stranger to fooling around at parties, surrounded by people who think they'd gain a fraction of his might by cozying up to him. if they were useful enough, he'd let them prove themselves in a fight where spilled blood made ran's heart beat faster than the sight of flushed cheeks. if they were attractive enough, he'd let them beg for a little taste before leaving them wanting for that which they cannot have for more than the five minutes of ran's attempts at relieving his boredom; neither is the case here. here, people aren't trying to prove anything to him, degrading themselves in desperation for his approvalㅤ───ㅤit's ran, instead, who has to prove that hanma has no power over him, and that ran himself is the one playing him like a fiddle, a stringed doll dancing to the rhythm of his whims.

when he kisses him, there's no visceral reaction that makes him break out in shivers. he is not a bashful teenager, hesitant and inexperienced in intimacy, perceiving something as inane as a kiss as something precious instead; there's the annoyance in the back of his mind at having to tilt his head up to reach his face, but it's pushed to the side with the satisfaction of grabbing hanma's collar to bring him down instead, the pull a tad too rough, like ran has the ball in his field, and it's his orders that hanma has to eagerly follow.

ran kisses hanma like a punch to the mouth; his hands grip and drag hanma's collar further down and deeper into ran's silhouette, forcing the man to shape himself into ran's being to fit together like a mismatched puzzle. his mouth on his is bruising, a silent challenge drowned out by the sounds of the jeers and cheers around those daring enough to make themselves heard. lips that usually spill poison switch attack tactics, enveloping the taller man's in a slow decadence, a mockery of a loving kiss between lovestruck partners as ran's hand slides from hanma's neck to cup his cheek instead, giving it a patronizing pat before abruptly gripping his jaw hard enough to leave red finger-shaped imprints on his skin, less coaxing and more pressing his mouth into opening. ran's tongue slides past parted lips to venture inside as he tilts his head to slot their lips together better. humming low in his throat, he teases along the entrance, running his tongue down the row of his teeth, to nibble lightly at hanma's lower lip, smoothly sucking on the soft fleshㅤ───ㅤand then bites down.

there's no hiding the wicked grin growing within the space ran is connected to hanma as the tell-tale taste of copper slides from the cut lip before him into his tongue, and he can't help the pleased little sigh that escapes him, giving hanma no choice but to breathe him in.

a playful palm trails a path down hanma's chest, pausing where his heart beats the loudest, then lazily pushes him away. ㅤㅤㅤ

ran smirks up at him from over his shoulder, eyes half-lidded and voice lowered into a drawl, and then says, a tad too mocking to be simple teasing:ㅤㅤ‘ㅤnext time don't be a coward and use a mistletoe as an excuse, hanma.ㅤ’