Chapter Text
A sharp knock at the office door makes Reigen’s head snap away from his laptop screen. He takes a look at the time and then narrows his eyes towards the entryway.
The sun had vanished behind the buildings of Seasoning city a while ago and it is far past Spirits and Such’s business hours by now. It’s rather unusual for him to get any customers past closing time and if it weren’t for the mountain of paperwork he had neglected during the week, he would have left already.
For a moment he hesitates, his fingers twitching against the keyboard. He wonders if he should simply pretend to not be there at all, but he’s sure that the bright light of his desk lamp is enough to let anyone outside the door know that someone is around after hours.
One of his hands moves to rub over his face.
Reigen knows that he doesn’t necessarily look as presentable as he wants to, but financially speaking he can’t afford to let a paying customer get off the hook. After tightening his tie properly, he pushes back his chair to stand up, already planning out how to convince whoever is behind the door to come back in the morning.
Those plans prove themselves as unnecessary just as much as his concerns about any late night clients before he even makes his way to the door.
“Reigen?” Hearing Serizawa’s voice isn’t what he expects and with another short glance at the time he confirms that the ESPer already left hours ago to attend his night classes. “Can I come in?”
Slightly relieved that he wouldn’t have to deal with putting up his customer service mask after all, he allows himself to relax. The last bit of distance between him and the office door is crossed with a few long steps and it doesn’t take long for him to pull the keys out of his pockets. A soft click later, the door is unlocked and he pulls it open in one swift motion.
In front of him, in fact, is Serizawa. There’s a sheepish smile on his face and he looks down at Reigen with an apologetic look, one of his hands rubbing at the back of his neck.
“You had me worried you were a client for a second.” With his arms crossed in front of his chest, Reigen steps aside to let the other in and locks the door behind him once more - just in case. “What are you even doing here? Not that I mind, but I thought you’d be home by now.”
He turns around to take a good look at the ESPer. He is standing almost awkwardly in the middle of the office and it makes Reigen raise one of his eyebrows in confusion. The last time he had seen the other look this bashful around him had been quite some time ago - so long, actually, that it makes Reigen a little uneasy. “Is everything alright?”
“I’m okay.” Serizawa says quickly and considering that he looks neither alarmed nor troubled, Reigen decides to believe him. When he takes the time to muster him properly, he realizes that - if anything - the ESPer looks tired, the bags under his eyes much darker than they normally were. It does make Reigen wonder whether he had gotten enough sleep recently. Then again, it is late enough for him to feel exhausted himself, eyelids heavy. “Just… may have missed my last train?”
Reigen frowns rather deeply now, trying to remember whether the other had ever mentioned the schedule of his trains changing. He could swear he had said goodbye to Serizawa later than this on multiple occasions. However, once he turns the information over in his head for a few moments longer, he’s reminded of what exactly the problem is. “Ah. The construction side.”
“The construction side.” The confirmation is followed up with a small embarrassed laugh. “I forgot that it started this week and I kind of got caught up in a conversation with my classmates.”
He pulls his shoulders up in a short shrug, the small smile never fully leaving and despite him looking a little uncomfortable for interrupting, Reigen doesn't mind. If anyone is welcome in the office this late, it's Serizawa after all.
“Actually- “ When he chimes up again, his cheeks are dusted a darker shade of red and Reigen catches himself finding it quite endearing. Though, rather than allowing himself to ponder that thought for much longer, he blames it on his lack of sleep. There's no time or need to go down that road right now. “I was wondering if it is okay to crash on the sofa tonight? I hope that’s not too much to ask for? I’m not really looking forward to walking home for almost two hours. Ah-”
The ESPer seems to remember something and Reigen finally notices the plastic grocery bag he’s holding. The logo on it lets him know that Serizawa must have stopped by the 24-Hour convenience store down the street before heading over. With his smile growing a little larger, he holds it up as if to show it off. “I got us dinner too. It’s no fresh takoyaki but I figured you probably haven’t eaten yet either.”
Teasingly, Serizawa nods his head towards the mound of paperwork waiting to be done and it’s Reigen’s turn to feel a little flustered when he catches sight of the other’s knowing glance. “I - I guess you’re right. Can you blame me, though? With how dull paperwork is, it’s no wonder I lose track of time.”
“I never said I blame you. Just thought that you should take a break at this point - even if it’s just for some convenience store sushi.”
“Can’t argue with that.” Reigen snorts and he watches as Serizawa places the bag down on the small couch table to pull out two cans of iced tea and some plastic wrapped sushi - the 50% off end of the day stickers not entirely lost to Reigen. “Suppose it is time for a break, mh? Gotta say, if you missing your train means free dinner, I wouldn’t mind letting you sleep on the sofa more often.”
In response to his teasing, he earns himself a raised eyebrow and an amused look from the ESPer who’s in the process of getting comfortable. He pets the space next to him for Reigen to join and decides not to comment on it. Though, the both of them know quite well that Reigen is most likely going to be the one to treat them to some lunch next time.
“It’s the least I can do for asking to invade the office like that.” Serizawa settles on and gives one of the cans a few taps before pulling the tab open and offering it to Reigen. Thanking the other, he takes it and doesn’t hesitate to take a good long sip, pleasantly surprised to find it salted watermelon flavored. He doesn’t recall ever mentioning it being his favorite and he most certainly isn’t about to complain. Still, he does wonder if it had simply been a lucky pick or if Serizawa had truly paid enough attention to which sugary drinks he likes to indulge in.
He stops studying the condensation running down the colorful print on the aluminum can when a pair of one time use chopsticks is shoved in front of his face.
“Don’t worry too much about it.” He finally says and places down his drink in favor of parting his chopsticks. Without much care, he pops open the plastic lid of the container and shoves one of the pieces into his mouth. Not bothering to completely finish chewing, he continues, chopsticks moving through the air as he talks. “I had to crash here a few times. There’s a blanket somewhere you can have. It’s really not that big of a deal, just don’t make it a habit.”
Implying that he isn’t sure where the blanket is, is a lie. Reigen had spent his fair share of nights staying at the office until late into the night in an attempt to deal with a variety of insurance companies, client emails and paperwork. Though, that isn’t something Serizawa needs to know. He is more than content to let the ESPer think that he might actually have a social life outside of them grabbing drinks or dinner together and he would rather avoid looking pathetic in front of him.
“R-really?” The disbelief in Serizawa’s voice surprises him a little and when he looks at him, he is greeted by a beaming smile that makes his cheeks heat up. Unable to look at the other’s face any longer and in an attempt to ignore the way his heartbeat picks up, Reigen turns back to his food. “That’s kind of you, Reigen. Thank you. Do- do you want me to help you with the rest of the work so you can head on home?”
The offer is a generous one but another hesitant glance at the ESPer’s tired eyes is enough for Reigen to know how awfully guilty he would feel to accept. During their opening hours Serizawa had pulled enough of his weight already and considering that he is diligently attending night school as well, he probably needs the rest far more than him.
Swallowing down another piece of sushi, Reigen shakes his head.
“No need to. As long as you don’t mind me working, I’ll be alright. This isn’t part of your job anyways.” He shifts and loosens his previously tightened tie again to combat some of the warmth in his face. “Maybe I can show you one day, but nothing you have to worry about for today. You’re already doing great work, Serizawa. I think you earned yourself some rest today.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, he watches the other fidget with the tab on his own drink, his smile soft and gentle. Reigen can’t help but find it incredibly beautiful - objectively, he tells himself.
“E-either way. Let’s finish up eating so you can go lay down.” Playfully, he raises his drink for a toast and it makes Serizawa look back at him. When he nods, there’s a familiar admiration behind his eyes that never fails to make Reigen’s chest feel a little lighter, fluttering with emotion. Both of them chuckle a little once the ESPer moves to lightly tap his own can against his in a small cheer.
They don’t eat their food as quickly as Reigen had anticipated, neither of them able to stay quiet for very long. Conversation finds them easily and maybe it’s their exhaustion and the warm light of the desk lamp, but they allow themselves to lean a little closer to each other, simply talking about whatever topic comes their way. While Reigen enjoys hearing himself talk, he knows just as well that listening to Serizawa is quite pleasant and after a long day it's refreshing to not be the one filling the silence in the office. However, he does have to force his eyes away from the ESPer’s lips more than a few times. It’s a weak attempt at staying focused on what the other is saying instead of getting too distracted or lost, his heart beating loud enough already.
Eventually, they finish their sushi and when Reigen catches himself staring at the way Serizawa tilts back his head to finish his drink, he decides that it’s probably best to go back to work. With his cheeks now bright red, he slaps both of his hands on his thighs, gripping to the fabric of his pants a little tighter than he needs to. Before he’s able to say anything else, he has to clear his dry throat and he wishes he still had some of that iced tea left. “Anyways. I should probably go back to work now.”
As quickly as he can, he stands up from the sofa and grabs their trash to throw it into the nearby trash can. He wants to get back to his work rather urgently now and he hopes that he doesn’t look as suspicious as he feels.
“Are you still sure you don’t need-”
“Still sure.” Reigen interrupts, waving his hand through the air dismissively. With just a few quick steps he’s by the cabinet and pulls the blanket out from one of the bottom shelves. He makes his way back to Serizawa to hand it over to him. “You need your rest, remember? I need you to be in top form tomorrow. After all, we do have a tricky client to take care of.”
It isn’t a lie, but in the end, this is less about the client and more about himself and Serizawa. The other looks far more tired than an hour ago and Reigen finds himself in desperate need of a break from the feelings weighing down in his stomach.
Even if Serizawa looks confused, he nods nonetheless and takes the blanket with a small and genuine thank you. In response, Reigen tells him once more that there’s no need to worry about it, all the while trying to rub his slightly damp hands dry as inconspicuous as he can.
His chair squeaks in protest when he falls back into it and stretches, his lower back popping loud enough to earn him a concerned look from the other side of the room. Thankfully, the ESPer doesn’t comment on it and when he seems like he finally managed to get himself comfortable enough to lay down, Reigen flicks off his desk lamp. The sharp glow of his laptop screen is the only light in the office now and he realizes almost immediately how it strains his eyes uncomfortably.
He hears Serizawa take in a small breath as if to say something, but Reigen interrupts him before he even gets the chance to speak up. “I’ll be fine.” He reassures him, even if that isn’t necessarily the truth. Working with the printed out sheets will no doubt be a challenge, but Reigen truly wants the ESPer to be able to get as much sleep as he possibly can on the cheap and uncomfortable sofa. Not wanting him to worry, Reigen adds, “I don’t think I will take that long.”
There’s a moment of silence that stretches a bit too long to be comfortable and he’s sure that Serizawa is debating whether he’s telling him the truth or not. Reigen does feel a little nervous at the thought, but the silence only lasts another second.
“Okay. You can turn it back on if you need to, though.” Serizawa settles on, much to Reigen’s relief. “And thank you again, Reigen.”
“Been there, done that. Missing a train happens to the best of us. Now go to sleep. Bosses orders.” His tone is not even close to being serious and there’s not a moment of hesitation before he continues. “Goodnight, Serizawa.”
“Goodnight, Reigen.”
He can hear the ESPer shuffle and shift on the sofa in an attempt to settle but soon enough he quiets down. With Serizawa now resting, it’s easy to get back into work, even if his progress is much slower now. With the only light being the dimmed screen of his laptop, reading the documents proves itself as harder than anticipated and he has to double check everything now and then, just to make sure that the only numbers incorrect are the ones he dares to purposely fudge. Once in a while, one of his hands moves to rub over his face, the action usually followed by his palms pressing against his eyes in an attempt to get rid of some of the tiredness.
Reigen curses himself for not starting with all of his when he should have and there’s no doubt that he would be done by now if he had worked on it little by little instead of doing it all at once - that, or he could have at least skipped today’s lunch break to do himself a favor. At this point the numbers and letters on the screen become scrambled and he groans quietly when he eyes the still relatively tall stack of papers next to him, doing his best not to wake the ESPer with his sounds of annoyance.
However, simply acknowledging the other’s presence is enough for Reigen to glance past his laptop and towards the sofa by the window. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room, but soon enough he can make out Serizawa’s sleeping form. It’s highly inappropriate of him to watch his employee sleep, but he has a hard time tearing his eyes away again. He shouldn’t stare and yet, he feels like this might be his only chance to get a good look at the other without having to worry about being caught.
Despite the ESPer’s legs hanging over one side of the sofa, he looks peaceful. His chest is rising and falling rhythmically and his head is resting on his folded up suit jacket that’s propped up by one of his arms. The top few buttons of his shirt are popped open and his tie is placed over the backrest, neatly folded and brushed straight.
With the shades not completely drawn, the moonlight manages to spill through the window, illuminating Serizawa’s face well enough for Reigen to see his slightly parted lips even from where he’s sitting. There’s no denying how handsome ESPer is, especially not with every feature of his face relaxed and calm. The mere sight of it causes all of the previous warmth to return to Reigen, his heart beating faster against his ribcage almost immediately. It’s involuntarily but he has a hard time suppressing the small and appreciative smile that takes hold of his lips, his head tilting slightly to rest against the palm of his hand.
As the other's boss, he knows for a fact that he shouldn’t sit here and let his eyes wander over Serizawa’s frame, the nice shape of his jaw or the little bit of collarbone poking out of his button up. Most of the time Reigen is doing an at least acceptable job at keeping himself in check and the fluttering in his stomach at bay, but he’s painfully aware that it becomes harder to ignore each passing day.
Pinpointing when exactly his feelings for Serizawa had grown deeper than just friendship is impossible. One day he had simply enjoyed the other’s company and the next he had found himself wondering how the other’s hands would feel around his waist, how his lips would taste like if Reigen were to lean in or if gliding his palms across Serizawa’s arms would make him shudder. The feelings had snuck up on him so silently and naturally that they had caught him completely off guard when he had finally realized their presence. Ever since, he has been trying his very best to push them as deep down as he can and yet, here he is, still unable to stop them from growing into something bigger and far more overwhelming
It’s neither appropriate nor fair to Serizawa for Reigen to be as attached as he is. Whenever he catches his heart beating a little too fast or finds his fingers twitching with the desire to reach out, he has to consciously stop himself and it never fails to make him feel guilty - incredibly so, even. With how kind and honest the ESPer is, it’s hard for Reigen not to feel like he’s taking advantage of him for his own selfish desire to not feel lonely or unwanted.
Now, however, he does permit himself a moment of indulgence and entertains the thought of what it might be like to wake up next to the ESPer in the morning. Reigen had done nothing in his life to deserve someone like Serizawa, but with how tired he is, it’s hard not to dream about strong arms wrapped around his middle and the scruff of a beard on his face while warm lips press against his own.
Softly, he exhales and after a good few minutes of watching the other breathe calmly, he tears his eyes away once more. There is still more than enough work to take care of and he shouldn’t be getting lost in something this far out of his reach. To him, Serizawa is probably the best friend he ever had and he knows that there is no point in ruining what they have with irrational What-If’s. If anything he should be thankful for what they were right now.
With the pleasant warmth now replaced by the heavy weight of reality, he turns back to his laptop, trying to pay full attention to continue where he had left off to return home as soon as possible.