Work Text:
Serizawa turned the key slowly, without a sound. He slipped back home smoothly, pulling the door shut and putting his shoes away without so much as a creak of the floor, not even a jangle from his keychain. The apartment was dark, quiet outside the low humming of the ancient fridge. He grinned at the shadows, his face still warm from laughing with friends and the flush of alcohol. It had been the perfect night, just the small group of his study friends drinking and playing cards together. The only thing that could crown it was if he managed to slip quietly to bed without waking Reigen, hug him close and let the slow sway of drunkenness to lull him to sleep.
When he tip-toed to the kitchen to have a glass of water, the perpetual giggle he was holding back died down. In the dark it was just a vague shape, but when he flicked the lights on, they revealed Reigen sprawled on the floor. He had crossed his arms over his eyes, and beer cans stood in a fairy circle around him.
“Taka,” Serizawa sighed deeply, and knelt next to him. “What’s going on? I thought you were going to work on the charms…”
Reigen didn’t move, didn’t make so much as a sound. He had sent Serizawa off with a smile, shooing him jokingly. They had lived together for half a year already, and Reigen had been alright with him seeing his friends before – after all, he had his own things to do, too. It didn’t make sense. Had Serizawa missed something?
“Are you alright?”
“’m fine, I’m fine,” Reigen huffed. He turned to his side and hooked a hand around Serizawa’s ankle, pressing his head against it. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to keep you from seeing your friends. I just… it doesn’t feel like home here, without you.”
“You’re drunk,” Serizawa said sternly, but rubbed Reigen’s shoulder affectionately. “It’s home because you’re here. I love coming back to you.”
“It was so empty,” Reigen whined. He curled closer to Serizawa, but then started giggling. At least Serizawa thought it was giggling, and not sobbing. “But welcome home.”
“I’m home,” he answered, and leaned down to kiss Reigen’s forehead. “Get up, and I’ll make us a late night snack, okay?”
It was just a quick stir-fry made from leftovers and the few fresh vegetables they had. Reigen had managed to climb to sit on the chair, and lay on top of the dining table, his cheek pressed against it. He watched Serizawa cook intently, his eyes following the two bowls he carried to the table. It took him some time to get up and start eating, and even then his movements were sluggish, the chopsticks missing his mouth and hitting his nose instead.
“It’s so good,” he sighed between mouthfuls.
“Oh?” Serizawa paused. “I thought you didn’t like my cooking?”
Reigen stabbed the air with his chopsticks, making a long sputtering sound.
“No! No, I just – it’s hard to watch you cook, I’m so used to my way, of doing things” he explained, and slurped some more noodles. “But you cook with love, so it’s tasty.”
Serizawa couldn’t help laughing at that.
“You’re going to have such a hangover tomorrow.”
“Look who’s talking. I might get drunker, but your hangovers are worse.”
They both laughed at that, even though it wasn’t funny. Reigen’s overly serious expression just twitched the tiniest bit, and he had a piece of carrot stuck to his chin, and Serizawa couldn’t help the affection flooding through him, and soon they both were giggling, nearly choking on the food.
The smell of the stir-fry lingered in the air still when they were in bed. Reigen fell asleep the second he had secured Serizawa in a monkey hold, both arms and one leg around him. Serizawa took his hand and curled his fingers between Reigen’s.