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Happy Trails Bar
“Lemon sour, extra on the sour,” Reigen’s straightforward order the second he hopped on the barstool shows his familiarity well to the establishment.
“The usual then,” the glass already prepped by the bartender also adds to that appeal. However, when it came to Serizawa, “And for you, sir?”
“U-Uh…” although the bar delivers Reigen’s promise of it being empty, it doesn’t help his inexperience to the various bottles lined on the shelves before him. He shoots a combination of words surely heard from some media, “Whiskey s-sour.”
“Ah, a classic,” Serizawa sighs to the response and the bartender’s resumed movement.
He gave into Reigen’s request for a drink together since he’s still in the phase of wanting to appease his new boss and is understandably fidgety. The social interaction, unfamiliar environment and menu, though he has succeeded in shedding his umbrella, he has yet to shake off the lingering anxiety. He clasps his dragged parasol’s handle for comfort then leaves it against his seat.
“Serizawa,” he jitters to the call and confusingly meets Reigen’s waiting stare and lifted glass, “C’mon man, it’s custom.”
“O-Oh,” he registers the gesture and the set cocktail before him, cautiously raising it to same level.
“Cheers.”
Serizawa barely took a sip when he looks back at Reigen and finds the drink completely devoured. Though there’s an obvious glow developed, the guy lifts a groggy finger, “Another lemon sour, please.”
“I-Is it okay for another?”
“Mm, it’s Sunday tomorrow, don’t worry ‘bout it,” Reigen gives his worried companion a couple of slaps on the back. “Don’t be so tense, it’s after work hours.”
“Welcome!” chimes the bartender in reply to the door’s sudden opening.
“Hey!” Serizawa inquisitively turns believing the greeting is intended for Reigen since no one else occupied the area. However, he’s taken by surprise to the young woman beelining to the empty seat beside him. Her flats seize to the stool’s support, her pencil skirt folding above her knees, and blouse wrinkling against his blue jacket. He’s further disordered when she hooks an arm around his, leaning close enough for him to detect her hair matted to her perspiring forehead. She further claims the spot by smacking her purse upon the counter, “I’m sorry I’m late, it took awhile for me to find this place.”
“U-Uh, um-!”
The bartender cuts his stutter, “What can I get for you miss?”
“Saketini, please,” she immediately answers, still resuming grip to Serizawa’s trembling being.
The bartender nods, then unexpectedly crossing to the other end of the bar, “And you, sir?”
At the regard, her hold tightens, and Serizawa perceives the fearful shine that escaped her mask as a husky voice replies, “Just water.”
Reigen dips forward to get a better view of her, “Hey, who-?”
“O-Oh, you’re here too! My bad, my bad!” she spurts with the same panicked enthusiasm. “Sweetie,” she adjusts herself to better accommodate Serizawa’s stiffened limb. She’s desperately pulling a smile, “You should’ve told me you guys already started, I would’ve hurried up then.”
Reigen quickly put two and two together while Serizawa is stuck in a fluster.
“It’s fine,” Serizawa flicks to Reigen’s sudden involvement in the act. “Serizawa’s still working on his first drink,” he observes his friend’s pointer purposefully cocking to the silent customer as pupils remain on the woman. “Look carefully,” Reigen lowly whispers before striking a louder conversation, “So, uh, whatcha been up to?”
“Just the usual, home, work and back,” she answers more naturally as Serizawa side glances at the shady individual.
There’s nothing peculiar to the man other than that he’s the least dressed compared to the suited trio. However, he is clearly staring down their new companion with intent that can’t mean anything good.
Even the bartender is exchanging worried looks between the two parties.
Finally, Serizawa responds to her clasp, smoothing his mitt around her looped fingers. Though she twitched and briefly paused mid-conversation with Reigen, her smile livened a bit.
She unhooks from him to hungrily lap her presented cocktail.
There’s a wet coating on her eyes, eyebrows drawn up in dread while her fingers drum the wooden surface impatiently. Out of concern, he musters to ask, “A-Are, are you okay?”
She slaps a grin brimming with mixed emotions, “I am now that I’m with you.” Reigen hides a barfing motion behind his drink at her choice in the level of cheesiness.
Serizawa, however, couldn’t help feeling the impact of the arrow. He calms himself reminding that her aim is purely for her benefit.
The bartender has drifted to the loiterer, attempting to poke conversation that could distract or aid the guy to leave. However, to the woman’s displeasure, those pupils have yet to lose interest.
Should I…? Serizawa gazes at his umbrella in consideration when a hand caresses his cheek.
“Sorry about this,” is what she mouthed, but it couldn’t prepare him for what she meant.
His first kiss tasted sweet from the sake with a bite of fruity tones from the gin. The softness of her lips complementing the flavors. His hand on his thigh tightens to a fist to quell the rush of emotions wanting to depict the swirling madness through his psychic power.
Though it’s quite blurry in distance and his daze, he can tell that her lids are shut, so he timidly follows suit.
Reigen nearly spat his liquor in the beginning and is working on uncomfortably swallowing.
The bartender is the only one who caught note of the distasteful “tsk” from his other customer.
He signals the man’s leave with a cheery, “Have a good night.”
Serizawa gasps upon release, the dim lighting of the bar seeming bright as he adapts to the woman’s lightened expression.
“Ah, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She drops her touch to hug herself and relish the safe space, “I can’t thank you guys enough for getting that person off my back.” She gingerly pats Serizawa’s arm, “I’m so SO sorry for suddenly kissing you.” He’s a little comforted to the unhidden blush matching his. “I-I wanted to really convince him, and – ahh,” she sighs into her cupped palms, “I can’t believe I did that.”
“Uh, i-it’s – um,” he wants to convey his approval, but his words are jumbling.
“Was that a stalker?” prods Reigen.
She nods. “We got off the same train, and I realized he was following me after we left the station,” she swirls the remaining mix in her martini glass, “I thought we may live the same way until I started taking random turns only to find him still tailing me.” The liquid dips along the rim as she fishes everything. “Next thing I know, I’m in here and…” she gazes at the tinted man, shedding bashfulness now that the threat is gone, “Ah, my heart’s still beating fast.”
“That was some quick thinking you pulled off,” compliments the bartender and then turns to the men, “From you two as well.”
“It’s my treat tonight,” she had retrieved a card, giving the men a quick flash before handing it off to the bartender, “Put their drinks on my tab, please.”
“Then, another lemon sour for me, please,” orders Reigen. “Well, Serizawa?”
“I-I—” he’s merely halfway yet the ice is already long gone, “I’m good, thank you.”
“What is it anyway?” she inquires.
“W-Whiskey sour.”
“I’ll take that then.”
The condensation from his glass is drenching his clammy palm.
“Now that that side character is out of the way…” Reigen substitutes for Serizawa to recover. “Shall we actually introduce ourselves? I’m –"
Although he proposed the idea, she abandoned eye contact from him to snap upright to the restless man, “I’m [Name], Serizawa, right?”
“Y-Yes,” it’s hard to detach from her grin and the fuzziness transferred on his lips, “Seri-Serizawa Katsuya.”
Reigen wedges himself in her view by leaning on the counter, “And I’m Reigen Arataka.”
Her genuine giggle summons butterflies to flitter about Serizawa’s insides.
…
Reigen fights to stay awake as he rests on a parking block. He dips backwards to play with the buzz and admire the apartment stacking four levels.
One of the lights on the third-floor flicker on.
Serizawa has accompanied [Name] to her apartment being the most sober and is scouting the area which isn’t a lot for the small design. Nevertheless, he checks the closet, bathroom, balcony, anywhere to guarantee her security.
[Name] graciously bows after his checkup, sad that they have to part.
He’s posed outside her door, awaiting any final words before he musters farewell.
“I…I know it’s late for me to ask but are you…” shy lashes bat at him while she fiddles a loose hair strand, “Are you seeing anyone right now?”
“N-No! No, no I’m not,” his umbrella’s tip shudders on the concrete ground.
“That’s a relief, me neither,” he freezes to her slow approach and impish smirk. “I’m…really relieved,” he trembles to the warm fingertips tracing his neck. They beckon his chin to lower enough to meet her lips. This time, they curve to his rosy cheeks, planting another new sensation to his skin. “’Cause I think you’re just my type,” she slips a thin paper in his pant’s pocket and smoothly saunters inside her apartment, “Night!”
“I don’t mind if you start dating, bu-u-ut,” begins Reigen to break the silence in their stroll through the streets. He temporarily dresses in “boss mode” to stress, “Just don’t let it hinder your work, ya got that?”
“Y-Yes,” nods Serizawa who saddens at the next thought, “I…I’m not sure if we would see each other again though.”
“Wha-at? You guys didn’t exchange numbers or anything?”
“No…” he pauses at the sound of crinkling when his hand brushes by his pocket. “O-Oh, she gave me something actually,” he excitedly reaches for the forgotten act. He uncrumples the folded paper as Reigen curiously peeks to why Serizawa’s smile dropped, “…it’s the receipt.”
Reigen produces a short guffaw, catching the scribble faintly illuminated by the streetlight above, “Look at the back.”
Serizawa’s stature hardens again to the reignited flame upon seeing the clean set of numbers.
His parasol involuntarily bursts open and knocks Reigen off balance.
Months into dating…
“Did you really mean that, that night?” Serizawa introduces this thought at the most inconvenient time.
Well, inconvenient for [Name] since he can whoop her character’s ass even with his mind off screen. She’s frantically button mashing to combat his selection’s speedy jabs and even adjusts from a crisscross position to her knees.
“You’re – gonna –” he’s glad he gave the wireless controller to her since she’s waving it in random directions to dramatize her effort, “Have to be – AHAHA.” She jumps to her lucky K.O. but can’t celebrate as they jump into the final match. He stifles a snicker at her withdrawn cheer that transformed to a jumpy screech at his merciless attacking, “MORE SPECIFIC – AHHH.”
She plops to the carpet, staring at the TV with defeat.
When it comes to 1v1 games, he never debuffs his skills.
The menu returns to character selection on his command as she presses her cheek to his shoulder, “What were you saying?”
“When I walked you home for the first time…” the night still brings him to blush, “Did you really mean it? That I’m ‘just your type’?”
She hums with a silly grin recalling those events, “We’ve been together for awhile and we’re both adults so, I’ll be honest.” She takes his controller and replaces it with herself on his lap. “If you asked me what my ‘type’ is on any other night, it’d be a little off from you,” he slightly grimaces, and she smooths a thumb on the downturned corner of his lips. Her arms rest on his shoulders, tenderly cradling his head to her chest, “I know things happened from the circumstances, but I’m happy that they led to meeting you.” She assures him with fingers massing through his snipped locks, "I made a good choice approaching the handsomest guy." She remembers the taste of whisky that paired well with his cologne, “Plus, I can say with pure certainty that you’re still totally my type, Katsuya."
He sighs against her bare neck, embracing her in the same manner. Overwhelmingly happy to the given warmth.
“What’s up?” she asks when he leaves her neck to confidently meet her gaze.
His hand, or “paw” as she likes to call it, secures her nape to pave a straight path to her unprepared mouth. She pleasingly hums to the unrehearsed act, the slight push to the kiss, and the tender fingers carefully placed along her hair to avoid entanglement.
Now he tastes dinner’s tonkatsu.
He innocently pulls away, unaware to her flipped switch as he readdresses the game, “Best out of three?”
His poise is rattled to her surprise attack that has his back to the floor, her settled atop his torso, and a smirk primed for indecency, “Mm, let’s do something else.”