Chapter Text
Something was off.
That was Serizawa’s first thought as he watched Reigen cross the office for the fifth time that morning, heading into the small kitchenette for brief seconds before returning to his desk to sit, leg jumping while running frenetic, jittery hands through his bangs to make them stand up in amusingly endearing ways. At one point he stepped out and Serizawa heard quick steps heading up the stairs, second thought being he'd escaped to the roof for a smoke to calm his nerves despite quitting long ago, but before he knew it, the man was back having hardly left long enough to even reach the top floor. He dropped heavily to his chair with a long-suffering sigh, flipping up the screen to his laptop and turning down the volume just slightly before flooding the room with something classical.
“Are you all right, Arataka?” He’d been working too hard lately, sleeping and eating less, and Serizawa had begun to worry despite how vehemently Reigen insisted he was fine.
“Mm?” He jumped, cheeks coloring in embarrassment and hands beginning to weave dizzying patterns in the air. “Oh! Yeah, ‘course, never better! Just avoiding some paperwork, Katsuya. You'll understand when, uh, when--” He faded, shook his head as if clearing his vision and yawned hugely, fingers sprawled over his face like a cage and turned his attention back to his computer before finishing his sentence cryptically. “When you understand.”
“If you're sure.” He wasn't convinced and contemplated attempting to persuade the man to close up early and go home for some rest, deciding against it when he remembered they had a client scheduled for early afternoon. Resuming his homework, Serizawa kept one eye on the fidgeting conman struggling to get any work done between pacing the room and conducting along absentmindedly to the music.
“Katsuya, can you help me with this for a minute?” Reigen was resting his chin in one palm, beckoning the esper over with a lazy gesture. “I can't figure it out.” Rubbing his eyes briefly with a knuckle, Reigen sighed, slumping forward to lean into his hand again. “Been looking at it for hours.” Serizawa rolled his eyes good naturedly at the exaggeration; Reigen hadn't been at his desk for longer than ten minutes at a time and he certainly hadn't been working on anything, of that much he was sure. But he was used to days like this, rare though they were, where Reigen was too full of nervous energy to sit still and tasks took twice as long.
“Let me take a look.” And he shifted the screen, parsing through the spreadsheet and entering the pertinent information with a few keystrokes. Odd, it hadn't been that complex. Certainly nothing that should have given him any trouble, but when he looked over, ready now to suggest canceling the appointment, he found Reigen asleep on folded arms, shadows like bruises drawn beneath his eyes. Serizawa moved to touch him, jumping when Reigen jerked upright, muttering to himself about being more tired than he thought before standing to settle his lapels with a sharp tug, heading towards the electric kettle and calling over his shoulder to ask if he wanted tea.
The next few hours passed quietly aside from the rhythm Reigen tapped out against the surface of his desk with energetic fingers and the occasional deep sigh of discontent that signaled another trip to the kettle despite the fact he hadn’t touched the new cup of tea he’d already made to replace the one gone cold. The man seemed almost relieved when the door sprang open and the client strode forward with indeed a mild curse hovering about them in tendrils of translucent red. Serizawa relaxed inwardly, nothing he couldn't handle, not much more than some bad luck. He moved towards the pair, close enough now to watch the color wash out of Reigen’s face as he stood, wobbling slightly but catching himself smoothly on his desk with one hand, other moving through the air distractedly.
Something was definitely wrong.
The client didn't seem to notice, rattling off a list of complaints that Serizawa paid little mind to, his own gaze fixed on the dazed expression he couldn't recall ever seeing Reigen wear before. He cocked his head as if listening to something only he could hear, and Serizawa was reminded of a sparrow, the worry in his stomach making it flip. He looked closer, examining the man, trying to make sense of what was happening, if there was a spirit making him react this way, but there was nothing.
And suddenly, he was responding, words tumbling from his lips in a waterfall, so jumbled neither Serizawa nor the client could tell if he even spoke Japanese.
Then silence. Eerie after the outpouring of syllables, and he swayed gently, pulled back and forth by an invisible tide, tilting his head the other way and letting his eyes slip, unfocused, to the corner of the room.
“It all goes white you know…” slurred and slow now, a flat monotone voice and he remained fixated, staring at something only he could see. Serizawa checked, reached out with his aura, but there was nothing there, nothing anywhere except the curse clinging to its receiver like a fine mist. “White static and noise.” A deep shuddering breath and Reigen pierced the client with his gaze, visibly rattling them and selling his shtick more than he ever was able when he actually tried. “There are strangers in the corners.” The client stuttered, stammering and seemingly frozen in place by Reigen’s vacant, passive look and Serizawa shook himself out of his own stupor.
“Ah! Ghosts! The spirits that have been bothering you. That's what my boss is talking about, this happens sometimes.” By way of explanation even though it never had and there was nothing and nobody else in the room with them. Serizawa drew the attention away from his now quiet companion. “If you'll allow me?” Permission granted and payment secured, the client beat a hasty retreat, thanking Serizawa profusely for relieving the presence they’d felt surrounding them for the last week and avoiding even glancing in Reigen’s direction as they bade farewell.
Reigen moved then, as though he was weighted with tar, the deafening click of the door closing flipping a switch in him. The manic energy from before was now gone, replaced by heavy lethargy, and he retraced the same path he’d been following all day as if in a dream.
“‘Taka?”
At the sound of Serizawa’s voice so close behind him, Reigen stumbled, tripping over his own feet and keeling forward. The esper grabbed the reeling man around the shoulders, underestimating his flailing and landing them both on the couch behind them, Reigen sprawled across his lap, back pressed hard into Serizawa’s chest, breath shallow and fast.
“You’re shivering.” Fine, intermittent tremors vibrated through the whole of him and Serizawa creased his brows in concern, palming his forehead and hissing between his teeth at the heat there.
“It’s too late to run, they’re already downstairs…” Raspy, syllables fading in and out, he murmured into the space behind Serizawa’s ear.
“What?” Reigen fidgeted against him, trying and failing to get back to his feet as Serizawa held him down gently with his aura, a warm blanket holding him in place as he ran the fingers of one hand through hair damp with sweat. “Okay, shh, hey, hey now.” The younger man struggled, head thrown back over Serizawa’s shoulder and he could see the pulse racing underneath the pale skin of his throat.
“Ge’Tome...l’hold ‘em off…” Serizawa kept up his gentle touch, body boiling under the blaze seeping through the grey suit; Reigen’s strange behavior suddenly made a lot more sense, how had he not noticed before now?.
“Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?” Gently whispering out of his own frustration more than anything else, Serizawa slipped the jacket from restless, overheated limbs, rubbing firmly up and down his arms as he began to tremble in earnest, wracked with chills and mumbling nonsense. “Hush,” and he pressed chaste lips against his sweaty temple, cupping his forehead to quiet him, “Shh, shh.” Reigen calmed, eyes half lidded, limp and exhausted, still muttering about strangers and static and keeping them safe, safe, safe and Serizawa held him close, offering what comfort he could as he quaked.
There was a cup of tea cooling on the corner of his desk, untouched, and Serizawa drew it towards him with a thought, releasing the grip on his arm to hold it, taking a sip himself to test the temperature before tipping it against Reigen’s mouth.
“Drink this down, it'll help.” Serizawa kept his voice low and sweet, praising the younger man when he finally managed to finish and setting it aside to resume stroking back Reigen’s bangs, pleased when fluttering lashes closed and he relaxed fully into sleep. Easing him into a recline on the couch with touch and powers both, Serizawa kept one hand on Reigen’s hot skin, tracking the fever that seemed to be making itself quite at home. All the signs were there, the chills he'd mistaken for nervousness, his pallor, the hectic flush dusted across the bridge of his nose and high in his cheeks and he cursed himself again for not realizing. A whisper of inky green flipped the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed,’ flicked the lights off and secured the deadbolt. There were no more clients scheduled for the day and Reigen wasn’t up for taking walk-ins, nor was Serizawa willing to release him to his own devices to run the business for him, asleep or not. Instead, he was content to cradle him in his lap, smiling softly when Reigen curled up, clumsy and slow, to press his face against the esper’s stomach. Serizawa ran a steady palm over his head and down the seam of his trembling spine, gaze soft with fond affection as Reigen burrowed further into his warmth.
It was sometime later, passing moments spent in mild worry and quiet comfort as the sun marked its passage in bright lines scrawled over the ceiling by the cheap office blinds, when Serizawa noticed bleary honey-brown eyes blinking up at him. He exhaled in relief, tension oozing out of his muscles as he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss between brows furrowed in confusion, noting with satisfaction that he was markedly cooler than before.
“Katsuya?” Bare more than an exhale and Serizawa cupped his cheek, brushing a thumb over the bone there to trace the hue painted darkly across it.
“Hm?”
“Think m’comin’ down w’somethin’...” Serizawa chuffed, face creased in sympathy, and gathered the smaller man close as Reigen whimpered low in his throat, cold fingers curling up in the suit jacket as he clung to him.
“Let's get you home.”
Serizawa opted for a cab, not willing to subject Reigen to the cold walk it would be to the train or the discomfort of the ride when he could barely stand. As it was he was still hard pressed to understand what was happening around him, disquiet in his silence and pliant with dizziness. The stairs proved a challenge and the chill inspired a hacking cough, but Serizawa managed to guide him into the back seat with little trouble and before long Reigen was pressed up against him, shivering hard.
More stairs before they slipped into the warm dark of their apartment and Serizawa helped Reigen maneuver his shoes off before depositing him on the small couch, head tipped over the back, leaving him to pant shallow and soft with exertion while he gathered up some supplies.
“Katsuya…?” Thready and miserable, the tiny voice was impossible to ignore and Serizawa padded out of the bedroom with Reigen’s pajamas and a blister pack of pills, setting them on the cushions before smoothing auburn bangs back, both testing the fever and trying to soothe him.
“I’m here, what's wrong?”
“Dunno…feel…” He trailed off, leaning into the cool palm, stray tears slipping between closed lids.
“I know,” and Serizawa pressed gentle kisses against fiery skin, thumbed away the tears tracking over that bright flush. “Let me get you a glass of water and then we'll get you into bed.” It took some coaxing but the esper helped him take the medicine and down the whole cup in slow sips, patient with him and murmuring encouragement. If this didn't work it would be off to the clinic next. “Okay, ‘Taka. Almost through, just a few more minutes.” Half-asleep and all but done in, Reigen was barely aware as Serizawa maneuvered gangly limbs into comfortable sleep clothes, mindful of the body aches making themselves known in tight gasps and clenched teeth.
“Mmf… Katsu.” Reigen wrapped shaking arms around his neck when he leaned forward, bands of heat loosely resting on broad shoulders as he nudged his way into his chest.
“I know, love, I know.” Murmured fondly and he dropped kisses into his hair before lifting him, cradling him close and warm to settle him on the mattress, untangling himself to change and slipping beneath the quilt to draw him in. Reigen, eyes shut tight and trembling fit to come apart at his ragged seams, whined low and clung to Serizawa, hiding his face in the crook of his neck, overwarm breath beating an uneven, shuddering cadence against his throat. “Shhh, try to relax, I’m here.” A deeper, stronger inhale followed by a slow exhale, and he settled some, still so, so sick but calming under the gentle movement of Serizawa’s hand running through his hair, over his nape and stroking down his back, the other cupping his face, thumb passing over a hot cheek so carefully, almost afraid he would break under his palms. He’d never seen Reigen like this, somehow more frightened for him now than when he went up against ghosts and spirits with little more than his wit and a clever tongue. He seemed unstoppable always, strong and sure and solid; a stalwart guide when things got tough. But now, folded up in his arms with no silver to spare on pretty words, Serizawa wanted nothing more than to keep him safe, something warm blossoming in his chest when he realized that’s exactly what Reigen trusted him to do.
Lashes fluttered against his skin, damp with saltwater, fingers worrying Serizawa’s pajama shirt and he hushed him again, whispering sweet nothings into the dim twilight of their bedroom until he stilled completely, asleep between one promise and the next.