Chapter Text
Teruki’s knuckles gently tacked against the door of the Spirits and Such consultation office, and a voice from within called, “Come on in.”
Reigen’s texts were fairly inconsistent - aside from the thumbs up he sent when he was notified of a safe return home - so Teruki never knew when to expect something from him. Today, it had been a few minutes before Teruki arrived at his apartment, carrying some grocery bags, asking if he could come by to help Shigeo with math. Neither he nor the newcomer Serizawa were of any help, per usual, and Teruki was the only one with solid math grades and a clear enough schedule.
It wasn’t as though he wanted to say no, but in the half a week that passed since his last tutoring session, Teruki had been doing his best to keep thoughts of Ritsu’s accusation out of his mind. Though it seemed like his whole schtick had been grounded in reality and palpable irritation, Teruki’s immediate and most continuous reaction was a fractured, forceful denial.
And so he remained, walking into the office, pretending he wasn’t worried about having a crush on his best friend, and that he found the very thought absurd.
“Good to see you, Teru!” The bright voice of Arataka Reigen came from his left, and Teruki smiled up at him. His normal gray suit and pink tie were spotless - signs of a day free of clientele - but his hair was tousled like he’d run his hands through it. Probably during the homework attempts. Next to the window, Serizawa was seated, reading what looked like a literature textbook and clicking a pen with rapid intensity. When he heard Teruki come inside, he looked up briefly and waved, a small, jittering smile on his face.
“And you, Master Reigen, Mr. Serizawa.” He bowed just a touch, enough for it to be noticeable. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shigeo wave softly from his desk, not looking up from the sheets sprawled out discordantly across the surface. When Teruki drew up again, Reigen dropped a hand coarsely onto his head, ruffling the bleached mop.
“Growing your hair out, huh?” Reigen gave him a winning grin, the kind that convinced clients, wayward teens, and adult espers alike that he was on their side. Or something. Teruki was probably projecting meaning on the expression, but it was comforting, so he just nodded. Reigen’s hand moved to clap him on the back somewhat loudly. “Well, I won’t keep you two. This shit’s beyond me.”
Reigen trotted over to his desk, adjusted his pale pink tie, and flopped down in front of the computer with a level of professionalism perhaps subpar for his office. Teruki grabbed one of the chairs lined up against the back wall and sat across from Shigeo at his work desk, as though he were a client.
“So, Kageyama,” he said, flipping the chair so he sat with his arms crossed over the backrest, eyes on Shigeo, “what have we got going on this time?”
The sound of Reigen’s keyboard clicking as he replied to queries took up the room for a few moments while Shigeo shuffled papers around. “Hard to explain,” he said, not quite looking up - however, Teruki was able to catch just a glimpse of his red eyes. He felt the stupid fucking smile threatening to show itself, could recognize now the uneasy edge of it. Not that it meant anything, he said to himself. Ritsu was making a big deal out of nothing.
Taking a deep breath, Teruki fixed his face into a more neutral smile - easy enough to maintain if he paid attention, he thought. “Well, we can start from the beginning, then. Here,” and without thinking, he carried his chair to where he could sit by Shigeo’s side. He could see Reigen peering over his computer slightly, pretending to look at the screen. Nosy bastard, Teruki thought fondly.
“I don’t mean to pry,” Shigeo said after the instructions were given and he had begun to use Teruki’s method on the first problem, “but Ritsu said you might not be feeling well. Are you okay?”
Teruki replied with an easy, “I feel fine, thanks. How kind of him to ask.”
On the inside, Teruki could feel his blood boiling, and when Shigeo nodded and looked back at his homework, he dropped the smile and grit his teeth. That brat! Even when Ritsu wasn’t around, he was trying to start shit. He knew his cheeks were pink, but at least Shigeo wasn’t looking.
If that had been the end of it, Teruki would have put the entire situation behind him, except for to point out how wrong Ritsu was every once in awhile. But as it were, about half an hour in, after a particularly tough story problem was all finished, Teruki caught himself reaching to put a hand on Shigeo’s opposite shoulder. He drew his arm back like he was burned, despite the fact that he was so used to the simple action and that Shigeo hadn’t said anything or even noticed. His cheeks stung a little with what was probably the knowledge that Ritsu had indeed gotten to him, even on such a small level. The argument was getting weaker by the second.
Looking away from Shigeo, he found himself facing Serizawa, whose eyes were on him questioningly, and he mouthed, “ You okay? ” Flinching, Teruki nodded sternly, ignoring that his face was probably lighting up bright red, and before he could see Serizawa’s reaction, he turned back to Shigeo. Except, when he turned back, Shigeo was already looking up at him, pointing to a completed problem with a small smile on his face, eyes locked to his.
It was like a sucker punch.
Teruki’s concept of physical sensation was immediately lost. However red his face was, whether he was breathing, if his blood was still pumping - it was all gone. All he could sense was the buzzing silence that came after a gunshot, and a burning knot deep in his stomach.
“Hanazawa,” Shigeo finally said, after Teruki had stared at him slack-jawed for who knows how long, “are sure you’re okay?”
His voice came out shaky, but Teruki managed to say, “A-ah...yeah, no, I’m fine. I’m good.” He was not fine nor good. For whatever reason, something happened in that glance that was like a bomb going off. They weren’t even that close together, there was no fanfare, no grand romance, but Teruki felt himself mentally chained to Shigeo’s eyes.
Shigeo’s eyebrows twitched downward, just slightly. “Your aura. It’s flaring.” He paused, narrowing his eyes just a touch, leaning forward, and Teruki jolted back with a tiny, pathetic yelp that he hoped died in his throat. “And your face is bright red. Like a fever.”
“I, um - “ Teruki couldn’t make himself say much of anything. The mental image of Ritsu grinning at him was strong and he knew that rat bastard was going to have even more shit to laugh at now.
Luckily he was saved by Reigen walking up and slapping a hand down hard on Teruki’s shoulder. “Kid, you should have just said you were sick!” His voice was light, but his eyebrows were creased and his grip was firm - beyond that, there was a look in his eyes that seemed in equal degrees familiar and far-removed. Reigen sighed, letting go of his shoulder. “You’re even shaking. Look at you. You need to be home.”
Reigen was right - his hand was trembling. “But -”
“No buts. Teru,” Reigen’s voice shifted to a slightly more gentle one. “It’s fine. We appreciate you wanting to help out, but you’ve gotta take care of yourself. You should have just told me. And besides,” he smacked Teru’s shoulder again, “if you get any of us sick I’ll make you foot the bill.”
“I can walk you home, too, Hanazawa,” Serizawa piped up from the back of the room.
Teruki bit the inside of his lip to prevent himself from retaliating. His face was on fire but Reigen’s trained eyes gave him the impression that he knew something. And if Ritsu knew something, and Reigen knew something, then the likelihood of Shigeo figuring something out was high.
Teruki was not sure he was ready for that responsibility.
“I’m fine. Mr. Serizawa,” Teruki said, his voice a little wavery, “but thank you. I guess I’ll, um, see you all later, then.” He stood to go, grabbing his backpack and putting his things away as meticulously as he could.
Shigeo watched him: he could feel the red eyes on his cheek like a soldering iron. The price of awareness, he supposed. “Hanazawa,” Shigeo said, his voice measured and quiet as always, as if Teruki wasn’t letting his aura splinter out erratically in the face of his own anxiety, “please text when you get home. And let me know if you need anything.”
With a dramatic pull, Teruki zipped his bag, took a deep, steadying breath, and turned to face Shigeo, shutting his eyes in a smile he willed to look charming and pleasant and not as deeply awkward as it felt. “Thank you, Kageyama, I will.”
Teruki opened his eyes just in time to see Shigeo’s mouth tilt up into a tiny smile, and that was the final straw. He turned away, stood up, and headed for the door. From a distance, Teru heard himself say, “WELP, okay, great, see you all later, I’ll text everyone, BYE!”
He slammed the door to Spirits and Such shut behind him with such a force that it probably could have covered the scream he strangled out in his throat. This was stupid. This was so, so stupid. Thinking about how some bratty fledgeling with an attitude had gotten such a read on him made his blood boil, but above all that…
Shigeo. God damn it. Of all fucking people. Teruki leaned against the wall for just a moment, reigning his aura in, and evening out his breathing.
As he trudged down the stairs to go back home, ashamed at the very idea that Ritsu had been absolutely right, he wondered whether a fever was on its way.
“I’m home,” Shigeo said, stepping into the foyer.
“You’re back late.” Ritsu was sitting at the table, a book in front of him, a highlighter in one hand, and Sho Suzuki flopped onto his arm, head upside-down and tilted to look at the door.
“Hey Mob!” Sho waved at him, a wide smile on his face where it was nearly pressed into Ritsu’s chest. Shigeo waved back, though he could tell there was a weakness to the action. His mind was completely elsewhere, it seemed.
“Be respectful,” hissed Ritsu, attempting to bump Sho off by lifting his arm to no avail. “He’s your senior. Do you have any decency?!”
Sho settled back in, even closer, freckled cheeks crinkled in a wide grin. “Like he cares about that stuff, ya fuckin stick in the mud. Right, Mob?” He turned his bright blue eyes back to Shigeo, who had the hazy feeling of having just woken up pecking at the edges of his vision.
“...I don’t mind,” he said, and though he tried to keep his tone even, he knew it sounded delayed and tired. Shigeo looked down. He was bound to get questions now.
“See, look,” Ritsu said, wiggling his arm out from under Sho slowly, “you ought to be more polite, you little shit .” Sho let out a yelp as Ritsu finally freed himself from his weight, tumbling heavily into Ritsu’s lap.
“Eh, this is more comfortable anyway,” Sho said, with a grin Shigeo thought was best described as sly.
“G-get the fuck off!” Ritsu tried to push his chair back, a wobbly frown on his angry pink face, but Sho was already pulling himself up to a seated position. Once up, Ritsu turned to look more critically at Shigeo, scanning him as he took his sneakers off. “Is something bothering you, Shige?”
Shigeo hesitated for a moment, gathering himself. Ritsu alone was perceptive enough, but Sho was also pretty clever. His heart clenched a little bit. He had to choose his words carefully.
“Mm, not with me. Hanazawa is sick,” he said. Perhaps that would pass as the whole truth, if he said it seriously enough. Truth be told, he was worried. While Shigeo knew Teruki sometimes got fevers from feeling defeated, this seemed to have come on rather suddenly. What could have caused such a reaction?
“Oh, is he?” Ritsu asked. Something struck Shigeo as a little…off about his tone, a little less concerned than it seemed like it should have been. Almost amused. When Shigeo turned his head back up, here was a slight twitch to his brother’s mouth. He was fixing to be worried when he remembered that Ritsu had mentioned Teruki not feeling well that morning.
“Yes. He said to thank you for your concern,” Shigeo said, walking into the kitchen and dropping his bag by the doorway. He heard Sho snort boisterously, and as he poured his milk, he turned around and looked over the countertop.
Sho wasn’t looking at him. “Really, Ritsu? You’re a petty bastard.”
Ritsu’s eyebrows angled downward, irritated. “Buh - look who’s talking!!”
“Mob.” Sho spun himself around in his chair, floating slightly off the seat and kicking his legs around, surrounded by a brief bright red glow. “Ignore Ritsu. He’s just pissy because Teru --”
“OHHHH no you don’t!” Ritsu leapt forward, tackling Sho’s shoulder elbow-first and knocking him forward off his chair. Sho let out a yelp, but floated upside down toward the ceiling and stared down at Ritsu, red aura flickering playfully.
Shigeo pinched his eyebrows together. What had Teruki done to make Ritsu, in Sho’s words, “pissy?” Maybe, sometime over the weekend, Shigeo could ask if they’d had a fight. It might have led to the fever, anyway. Ritsu didn’t always like to tell Shigeo when he argued with people.
He turned his attention back to the others when Sho said, “You wanna start shit, pretty boy?” Ritsu’s face flushed with rage, and his mouth turned into a snarl as he raised up to his full height. A bright indigo light started flickering around him, the texture of shattered glass.
Setting the milk down and screwing the carton shut, Shigeo frowned. “Don’t fight in the house,” he said, sternly as he could muster, and the younger teens turned to face him. Ritsu let out a sigh and flopped back down, while Sho dropped somewhat dramatically from the air and landed gracefully on the balls of his feet, drawing up like a dancer. Ritsu glared at him.
“Sorry, Mob!” Sho grinned and sat back in his chair. Behind him, Ritsu crossed his arms, and Sho leaned his head back onto them like a pillow.
“I have homework, you know,” Ritsu said, turning around. Sho caught himself on the table before he fell, a half-cocked smirk on his face.
“I’ll be upstairs,” Shigeo said, hefting his school bag off the ground and gripping his glass of milk. Things were a bit confusing right now, so going to bed early seemed like a fair option.
“Oh,” said Ritsu. “Are you sure you’re okay, Shige?”
Shige smiled a little at his brother, who was watching him from behind Sho’s shoulder. “I am. Thank you.”
With that, Shigeo scaled the stairs, ducked into his room, dropped his bag, laid out his futon, and fell face-first into his pillow. The groan he let out was quiet, and equal parts relief and worry.
After laying still for a minute or two, Shigeo felt his pocket buzz and flipped himself over and dug out his phone. When flipped open, it revealed a text from Teruki, and Shigeo let out a sigh. The text read: “ im home now! hope u were able to figure out ur math. im fine so dont worry abt me!! ” This was followed by a smiling emoji. Something about the message felt off, but Shigeo was bad enough at reading subtext and meaning that he tried to push it out of his mind.
So Shigeo inadvertently mimicked the pixel face and smiled back. He sent, “ thank you hanazawa. get some rest. ” A thumbs up appeared in response.
Were it not for the fact Shigeo was still in his uniform, he would probably have fallen asleep right there. Instead, he lay on the soft futon for what felt like it could have been five minutes, twenty minutes, or two hours, until there was a gentle knock on his door. He flipped open his phone as he hummed. The clock read 8:23 PM. It had been about an hour.
Ritsu walked in with a look on his face that Shigeo could not read. Definitely not the pissy or petty Sho had described, at least. Shigeo wondered about what he'd meant, but trying to think about it made his brain foggy. “Hey,” he said, and Shigeo hummed again. “You doing okay?”
For a moment, Shigeo was silent as he felt his skin clam up under his uniform. Was it worth lying or being vague to keep things under wraps? After all, Ritsu was perceptive. Much more so than Shigeo. Ritsu could tell if he was lying, or hiding something, or had a stupid crush, or -
“I’m just worried about Hanazawa. I’m okay, though,” Shigeo blurted out, unable to fight the wild bullet-rain of thoughts going through his head. “I mean, uh, he’s okay. He texted saying he was home.”
“Huh,” Ritsu said, cocking his head to the side a touch. Shigeo got the feeling he had questions. “All right, then. As long as you’re fine.”
“Yeah. And, um, what about you?”
Ritsu blinked before his face split into a warm smile. Shigeo was getting better at remembering to return questions. “I’m good. I’m...well, busy, trying to work with Sho down there is kind of hard.” He shrugged. “Anyway. I don’t wanna keep you up, or anything, if you’re tired.”
Shigeo shook his head. “I’m fine. Thank you, Ritsu. Let’s do something fun tomorrow.” They didn’t always have the opportunity to spend a day to themselves when their parents weren’t around, so it would be good to take it. It might help keep Shigeo’s mind off of things, too.
He nodded, smile still firmly on his face, dark eyes shining. “Sure thing. Light off?” He gestured to the light switch next to the door. Shigeo nodded, and with a flick, he was left with only the light leaking in from the windows. “Good night, Shige.”
“Good night.” Ritsu shut the door with a click.
Shigeo was alone with the slowly receding light of the fading day. He turned to the window as he readied himself for what would, with luck, be a restful night. He felt like he’d been lacking in those as of late. When he laid back down, his eyes locked to the window.
The clouds in the sky that evening were flat and icy. Cirrus. They didn’t make many shapes, but they warped the sky from a warm salmon-orange to soft pink to a lovely lilac that faded away into navy blue. He frowned at the thought that the last sort of reminded him of Teru’s eyes and huddled further under the covers. That wasn’t pertinent to clouds.
Shigeo pushed his phone away from his futon and tried to name every color he could see, counting as he went, until he slipped into slumber.