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Serizawa smiled into the kiss. Brief as it was, it still made him giddy.
“I’ll see you later ok?” Reigen was trying his hardest not to linger any more than he already had. The situation wasn’t helped by Serizawa’s hands, holding firmly onto the man's waist beneath his suit jacket.
“Ok.” He didn’t let go. Reigen giggled, pressing another kiss on his lips. He ignored the exasperated sighs from his friends, who were waiting at the gate to the building for the past three minutes. What was one more minute among friends?
“Katsuya-kun, please, we need to go!”
“Yeah, you can smooch your boyfriend later.”
Reigen threw his head back in laughter, and Serizawa had to quell the urge to kiss his uncovered neck. He settled for a loud peck on his cheek, right in the middle of the blush that was rising on them.
“Love you.” The words were murmured between them. For their ears only.
He couldn’t help looking back as he walked into the building before him. Reigen stood by the entrance, a cocky tilt to his hip where his hand rested, the other hand raised slightly in goodbye. Then he rounded the corner, and the man disappeared from view.
He followed his friends down the halls of the college, their chatter and rowdiness a familiar sound to his ears. It was hard to believe, but it would be the last time he would walk this route with them. It had taken some time to get there, but the day had come almost out of the blue.
He was graduating. At the end of the night, he’d have his diploma in business. Despite all the setbacks, all the struggles and life altering events, he got there in the end. He couldn’t be happier.
“Katsuya-kun?”
He noticed their eyes on him, and came to the realisation that he had completely tuned them out, deep in thought. He felt himself flush in embarrassment. “Ah, sorry, what is it?”
“We were wondering if you have anything planned for tonight.” Ami-chan was now beside him, neck craned up to look at him.
She was a small woman, only coming up to Serizawa’s elbow. Her short dark hair was tied in a loose bun at the back of her head, a few stray strands slipping out here and there. She had a knowing smile on her face, and Serizawa hoped he wasn’t as transparent as she made him feel.
His mind travelled to his pocket, where a small box had been weighing him down for close to a week. It had weighed on his mind even longer. Their third anniversary had come and gone, and Serizawa knew that this was it for him.
He wanted to spend the rest of his life by Reigen’s side.
The mere thought of it, of being fiances and then husbands made his breath stutter and a deep blush rise on his cheeks. Thinking back, Serizawa from six years ago couldn’t even imagine having friends, nevermind a long term relationship and a family of sorts. How things changed.
He fought his embarrassment, praying that his friends wouldn’t pick up on his sappy thoughts.
“Aww he’s blushing.”
“Come on spill!”
“Ah- it’s uhm-” He couldn’t get the words out. He hadn’t told anyone about his plan, and saying his intentions out loud made it all the more real.
“With how embarrassed you look you’d swear you were proposing or something.”
If he wasn’t sure of a distinct lack of ESPer powers among his group, he would have accused his friend of possessing clairvoyance.
“I am, actually…” They all stopped walking, eyes wide as they stared at him. Musashi-kun even had his mouth open. Then all hell broke loose.
“Oh my god Katsuya!”
“I can’t believe this!”
“Congratulations!”
“They grow up so fast…”
They crowded him, and he felt the anxiety of the situation float off his shoulders.
“You’ve got to show me the ring. Do you have it on you?”
He nodded, reaching into his jacket and producing a simple velvet box. A hush overcame their little group as they huddled around him in a tight circle. With a satisfying snap, he opened up the box.
A classic gold band rested in the cushion, gleaming in the fluorescent lights of the hallway. He couldn’t wait to see it on Reigen’s slim finger.
-
“Serizawa Katsuya.”
He rose from his chair, hands dripping with sweat. The material of his slacks did nothing to dry them, and he hoped the man handing him his diploma wouldn’t mind terribly. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Reigen in the back of the room, surrounded by a gaggle of young adults. It was an odd sight, but it made him stand a little bit taller.
He grasped the man’s hand, shaking it once and taking the piece of paper he spent three years of his life trying to get. He posed for the picture, the flash making him blind for a moment. Polite applause rang out across the room. That is, until the group in the back got involved.
He laughed, embarrassed but happy as whoops and cheers echoed in the room, a flurry of ‘Congratulations Serizawa!’ sprinkled in between hollers. In the middle of the commotion, Reigen stood still, clapping along with everyone else. He couldn’t be certain with the distance between them, but he looked close to tears.
He moved off the stage and found his seat again, ignoring the looks his classmates sent him. Ami-chan was giggling into her diploma, hiding her face from him. Musashi-kun leaned over, voice low as he whispered to Serizawa.
“That’s some support you’ve got. No wonder you graduated top of the class.”
He let out a fond sigh. “Yeah, they’re the best.”
-
“I can’t believe you’re all here!” He looked around at everyone. His was by far the biggest group in the hall. “I’m going to assume this is your doing ‘Taka.”
Reigen raised his brows in mock innocence. “What? Me? No. I had nothing to do with this. I just mentioned the date, time, and location of the graduation.” He counted off on his fingers, culminating in some elaborate jazz hands. “Everyone showed up on their own.” He shrugged his shoulders, a smirk struggling to stay off his lips.
He brought the man into a side hug, kissing his cheek for good measure and laughing at the rise of disgusted sounds from their group. Ritsu stood with Sho to the side, talking animatedly about something or other. Mob was standing between Tome and Hanazawa, a steady barrier as the two bickered over whether or not their PDA was disgusting.
To Serizawa’s right, Minegishi was considering murder as Dimple insulted them over something trivial.
“How would everyone feel about some ramen to celebrate?”
A resounding yes, followed by a mass exodus from the college building. Serizawa managed to catch Ami-chan’s eye as he was herded out, and she sent him a thumbs up and a wink. Very subtle.
Reigen didn’t notice his distraction, stepping into the parental role effortlessly as he planned their impromptu outing. Not that anyone but Mob was listening to him anyway. As he went over the logistics of their excursion, he caught Serizawa’s eye. A fond roll of the eyes and they were off.
Minegishi excused themself early, citing a plant-related emergency and wishing Serizawa all the best. He had a fleeting suspicion that Dimple had something to do with their absence. But the spirit just shrugged at his questioning glance, so he let it go.
They headed to their usual ramen place, their group of seven (plus Dimple) barely fitting in one of the larger booths. Sho and Ritsu were delegated to some spare chairs that they dragged in to fit their party.
His attention was dragged to and fro, flitting from conversation to conversation. He was squished next to Reigen and Tome, right in the middle of the booth. Mob sat on Reigen’s other side, chatting amicably with Hanazawa, who sat next to Tome. He wondered belatedly if seating them next to each other was a good idea.
Most of the night was spent reminiscing though, and he couldn't believe that so much time had passed already. He watched as the people around him grew up, and they watched him become a better person in turn. He couldn’t have asked for a better family.
Between the constant flow of conversation, food, and drink, he couldn’t even consider the box in his pocket. So when they said their goodbyes at the end of the night, and returned to their apartment, Serizawa crashed hard from the tiring day. The proposal would have to wait. Again.
-
His hair whipped past his face as he blocked the psychic energy from obliterating both him and Reigen. It dispersed around them harmlessly, fizzing out into a small lightshow. He sent his own torrent of ESP back, wincing as the spirit wailed before dispersing. Another job well done.
He turned to Reigen, ready to continue onwards, a question rising on his lips. The man was staring at him with wide eyes, a silly grin plastered on his flushed face.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” He asked jokingly. Reigen’s eyes flashed dangerously, and before he could question it further, the man was on him.
“Yes.” A kiss on his cheek, the side of his nose, his brow bone. “There’s something there. Let me get it for you.” He continued kissing Serizawa’s face, making him laugh. A particularly loud and wet smooch on his chin sent him into fits as he pretended to push the man away.
“‘Taka we’re in the middle of a job!”
“Exactly, and as your boss it is my responsibility to make sure your face is clean and presentable.” He slowed down his assault of Serizawa’s face, lips finding his own and staying there for a very pleasant moment.
The feeling surged in him then. The overwhelming love he had been feeling for so long, gathering in his chest like a physical weight. He managed to wrestle his way out of Reigen’s grabby hands, laughing as the man pouted, bereft.
“Let’s finish up here and grab an early dinner?”
After so many years by Reigen’s side, he knew the magic words to get him to focus on the task at hand. It wasn’t bribery. Definitely not. The man clicked his tongue in mock annoyance.
“Come now Serizawa, enough messing around. We have a job to finish.”
“Yes Reigen-san.”
-
They didn’t finish early. The last spirit they had to deal with ended up being quite the nuisance, targeting Reigen off the bat and making Serizawa see red. To add insult to injury, it exploded into thousands of pieces of endoplasmic goo when Serizawa finally melted it.
He was covered in it from head to toe, unable to pull up a barrier fast enough. Reigen fared just as well. He winced at the slick sounds of the goo as he walked towards his partner. Reigen was blinking back the mess on his forehead which was slowly running down his face. He looked disgusted, the twist of his face absolutely ridiculous.
Serizawa had never seen anything more beautiful.
“Ew.”
“I know.”
“Katsuya.”
“I know.”
“I can feel it in my pants.”
The client had looked stricken at their sight when they emerged from the basement.
They took the long way home, resigned to leave a trail of suspicious goo in their wake. The entire walk there, Serizawa had to stop himself from reaching into his slime filled pocket and taking out the ring. Of all the times to get the urge…
The wet smack of their clothes on the floor of their apartment was awful. The shower that followed less so. And if his hands wandered where they weren't supposed to, well. Reigen wasn’t complaining.
-
“Ah shit.”
That was all he could say as he felt his prosthesis buckle beneath him. Not even his ESP could prevent it from falling apart, especially during difficult and physically demanding cases.
His balance failed him, and he windmilled his arms in an attempt to stay upright long enough to catch himself. Hopping on one leg, he had the unfortunate luck to jump on some loose debris. He felt himself tip over, and braced for the impact that never came.
"You fall into men's arms often?"
Luckily for him, Reigen seemed to always catch him when he fell. He felt steady hands at his waist and back, going with the momentum to hold him in a dip. He hummed into the kiss that followed.
He laughed when they separated, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. "No. Only for you."
It was Reigen's turn to blush. "That's good to know."
He was brought upright again with a sharp movement, chest to chest with Reigen.
"Where did you learn that move anyway?"
"Dance classes. I don't remember what case I needed it for, but I've got lots of random and seemingly useless skills under my belt. Never know what could come in useful." He had the audacity to wink at Serizawa, which sent his mind into all sorts of places.
One of those places was the inner pocket of his jacket, where the box got heavier and heavier each day. He knew now wasn’t a good time, especially considering that if he got down on one knee, he’d need help getting back up.
He squished the urge down, but he felt it bubble up again as he watched Reigen trip over some rubble, arms flailing before he caught himself, continuing on as if he didn’t almost eat shit. Good thing Serizawa was a patient man.
-
“Serizawa?”
He hummed in question, letting the boy know he was listening without taking his eyes off the task at hand. Manoeuvring the heavy couch around the small space required his utmost concentration. Reigen would kill him if he scratched the walls.
Said man had disappeared some time ago, saying he’ll return with some paint and coffee for his hardworking employees. Nevermind the fact that they have been co-owners for a long time now, and Mob wasn’t even employed there anymore. Semantics.
“I was just wondering…”
He twisted the awkward couch around. How they had gotten it in in the first place was beyond him. He tried another angle as he waited for the boy to continue his train of thought.
“Are you and Reigen ever gonna get married?”
A few things happened at once.
Firstly, he jerked at the question, sending the couch into the wall. It left a sizable dent. Secondly, his spit went down the wrong pipe, sending him into a coughing fit as he tried to salvage the situation. In the back of the office, he heard Dimple snickering at his plight. Thirdly, and possibly most tragically, the impact made the couch fall apart right in front of him. A section slipped out of his aura, landing directly on his foot. So that was how they got the couch in…
Cursing, he backed away from the carnage, right into the waiting arms of Reigen. Too bad his arms were very much not empty. The paint can slipped from his grasp, popping open and spraying their legs in a neutral and tasteful beige. The hot coffees in the takeaway holder managed to survive thanks to Mob’s quick thinking. But it was a close call.
With his weight being supported by Reigen at his back, he let himself laugh. It was either laughing at the situation or crying in frustration and pain. He chose the former.
“Forget I asked.”
He laughed harder, Reigen’s confusion and Dimple’s shrieks filling the office.
-
“Oh no you don’t.” He hissed at the spirit, who was trying to weasel its way into the engagement ring. He tried his best to remain quiet as Reigen walked ahead, chatting to Dimple. The yellow snot of a spirit wriggled harder.
“Get out!” He whisper shouted, straightening up immediately when Reigen threw a glance back at him. He smiled, hands hidden behind his back. With a curious tilt to his head, Reigen continued on. Serizawa sighed in relief.
The spirit was weak, but even so, he couldn’t exorcise it without creating a lightshow and bringing attention to the object currently being possessed. Just his luck.
“Ah, Dimple. Would you mind coming with me for a moment?” He called ahead, praying that the spirit wouldn’t give him away.
The spirit shared a look with Reigen before shrugging and floating over. When it was close enough, he grabbed it by a stray wisp and pulled it into a random hallway.
“What-”
“One second ‘Taka, I need Dimple’s help with a dangerous spirit that just appeared. Just-” He held up a finger and disappeared behind a corner.
“What the hell is wrong with you, you’ve been acting weird since we got here.” The spirit didn’t look too concerned as it picked at its nose. Serizawa hesitated, but what other option did he have? None that came to his mind were any good.
“Promise you’ll keep this quiet.”
All he got was a raised eyebrow. He sighed again.
“Can you eat this discreetly?”
He shoved the open box before Dimple, watching as his eyes went wide in shock, then in glee, and then in an emotion Serizawa was scared to decipher.
“Aw Serizawa, yes. Yes I’ll marry you. Thank you honey, I'm so happy.” The spirit cackled at its own wit, before slurping up the offending spirit in one gulp.
No fanfare, and no lightshow. Serizawa deflated.
“So that’s what the reaction was at the office.”
He ignored the spirit, pocketing the box once more and walking away.
Dimple continued to call him ‘honey’ for the remainder of the job. It confused Reigen just as much as it amused him it seemed.
-
"Katsuya…"
He didn't need to look up to know it was late. His cheek was squished against his pillow, the comfortable weight of Reigen's head on his sternum. He felt the wetness of dribble just barely touching his skin.
"Yeah?"
"Would you still love me if I was a worm?"
"Mhmm."
"Nice."
He felt himself start to drift off again, the human-shaped weighted blanket making him warm and relaxed.
“I think I would too.”
“Wha?”
“I think I’d love you too if you were a worm.”
“Mmm thanks. Go to sleep will you?”
“Okay.”
Silence surrounded them again, and just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt the man on his chest shift and wriggle.
“Hey-”
He levitated a pillow from the side of the bed and chucked it at Reigen. Based on the soft impact and the muffled ‘oof’, his aim was true even when he wasn’t looking. Reigen got the message that time.
-
“No…”
“‘Taka…”
“Katsuya…”
Serizawa continued to advance as Reigen continued to back away slowly. One glance behind the man told him his victory was assured.
“Don’t you dare-!” The man fell onto the bed, a small gasp leaving his lips as he bounced on the soft surface. Then Serizawa was on him. “Katsuya noooo…!”
His lips found the man’s belly, blowing raspberries and tickling his sides. The sounds of their laughter bounced off the walls, interspersed with the fart sounds his mouth produced. Reigen’s less than dignified squeal turned into giggles as he tried to push him off.
He stopped trying as hard when Serizawa started laying down kisses instead of raspberries.
Slowly, he made his way up the man’s torso, gentle lips tracing the soft lines of his body. Every scar and imperfection fell victim to his ministrations. His hands remained a steady presence at Reigen’s hips, which only seemed to further drive the man insane.
He paid extra attention to the silver scars beneath the man’s pecs, tracing them with his lips while maintaining eye contact. It made Reigen shiver, heavy eyes lidded and blush high on his cheeks.
“Why do you like my surgery scars so much?”
It was mumbled against the man’s palm, a feeble effort at trying to remain silent. Serizawa hummed against his skin, relishing in the small yelp that slipped out of Reigen’s mouth.
“They’re a part of you. I think they’re beautiful,” His lips found the junction between Reigen’s neck and shoulder, and he nosed at it for a moment before moving up to his ear. Reigen’s breathing grew laboured. “And they remind me that my scars are also beautiful, even if I don’t think so sometimes.”
He felt Reigen’s hands then, on his face, slender fingers holding him and pulling him up so that their faces could meet. The kiss was soft, like Reigen was pouring his very emotions into it. It made Serizawa melt.
“I think all of you is beautiful.”
He used the opening of Reigen’s lips to his advantage, deepening their kiss. Hands at his shirt, pulling against him in a clear signal. Off.
“Let me show you how beautiful you are to me. Please.”
-
Serizawa watched, amused as Reigen legged it down the beach, followed by a floating crab ready to draw blood for being levitated against its will. Some distance away, Tome was rolling in the sand with laughter, next to Ritsu who had a suspicious smirk on his lips.
He promised himself to get up and intervene if they didn’t stop soon, but something about Reigen running around screaming in indignation was highly entertaining. He apologised to his boyfriend silently, and continued grilling the fish.
Hanazawa was keeping him company, flipping through some magazine as he lounged beneath the umbrella. They remained in comfortable silence, the sound of the grill hissing filling the space between.
The soft breeze felt amazing against his sweaty skin, and he sighed at the feeling.
“When are you proposing to Reigen?”
The question comes out of nowhere, and for a moment he gets war flashbacks. With no couches or office walls to break, he keeps an eye on the fish, which started to levitate slightly. He steals a glance at the boy, who just has his eyebrow raised in question.
“H-how do you-”
“Dimple.”
That fart cloud. Good thing it had gone on an errand with Mob and wasn’t there for Serizawa to figuratively murder. He groaned.
“Soon. I don’t know. I can’t seem to find a good time.”
It sounded silly even to his own ears. Judging by Hanazawa’s silence, he thought so too. Thankfully, he had the tact not to point it out.
“Why don’t you do it now?”
“Now?!”
“Yeah?” The boy shrugged, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to do. As if Serizawa hadn’t been trying for a month. “We’re on vacation, it’s a lovely beach, everyone is relaxed and having fun.”
Right on cue, Reigen’s scream cut through the relaxed atmosphere. He dropped the spatula he was holding and ran.
He found his boyfriend surrounded by Tome, Ritsu, and Mob (who was now carrying a plastic bag from the corner shop), rubbing at his rump as he sniffled pathetically. Tome and Ritsu were bent in half, laughing so hard that it just sounded like a worrisome asthma attack. Mob was clearly struggling to keep the mirth off his face at Reigen’s plight.
His eyes lit up when he spotted Serizawa.
“That crab snipped my ass! I want it cooked!” The pout was impressive, even by his standards.
He pulled the man into a hug, sucking in his lips to keep the smile off of them. He made eye contact with the rest of the group and had to look away to stop himself from laughing.
“That’s awful. You’ll have to let me kiss it better…”
His words had the desired effect, making the young adults gag and exclaim their disgust while Reigen just laughed. The conversation with Hanazawa fell right out of his mind.
-
“Oi, stop that.”
Reigen was walking in front of him, a few boxes piled in his arms. He had refused help in carrying them for whatever reason. His mind had wandered as they scaled some steps in the building, and he couldn’t help sending his aura to poke at Reigen’s butt.
It was a very nice butt.
“Katsuya I swear if I drop any of this because of you I’ll…”
He sent another wave of ESP, making the man jump slightly. “You’ll what?”
“I’ll fire you. You’re fired.”
He had to laugh, but he stopped his teasing. For now.
The next opportunity showed itself as they climbed the office building stairs. Their client was on the seventh floor, and the large ‘out of order’ sign that greeted them by the elevator made him slightly annoyed. He had no issues with stairs and his prosthesis, but seven storeys was a lot even for him.
The annoyance soon left him, largely thanks to Reigen’s bottom that just so happened to be at eye level as they scaled the building.
He tried to ignore the urge. He really did. They were on a job, and this was a highly professional setting. Reigen wouldn’t be happy if their client caught them doing something untoward.
But he was just a man.
Reigen’s squeak and subsequent jump made him snort.
“I can’t believe you did that!” The whisper shout was followed by some light smacking on his chest, which Serizawa took proudly.
“Sorry.” He wasn’t sorry. By the small glare Reigen sent him, he didn’t believe him either.
-
“Haha boobies…”
It happened sometimes. One of them (usually Serizawa) couldn’t drink during an outing, leaving the other free to overindulge with the knowledge that they’d be taken care of. In Reigen’s case, overindulging consisted of a whole three fancy cocktails and a shot.
“Yes ‘Taka, boobies.”
He corralled the drunken mess into their apartment, manoeuvring them as best as he could while Reigen clung to his chest. It was an amusing sight to say the least.
“I love youuuu! S’much.”
While not overly affectionate in public, regular Reigen was free with his feelings around him. Words of affirmation and love falling from his lips every so often throughout their day. He knew how important they were to Serizawa. Drunk Reigen on the other hand…
“Let’s get married!”
Drunk Reigen was a riot.
“Would you take my family name, or would I take yours?”
Serizawa had to focus really hard on dragging them both into bed. His palms were sweaty as he helped Reigen strip himself.
“Serizawa Arataka…”
He was going to have a heart attack.
“Reigen Katsuya. I like this one better.”
He had to bury his face in his hands, ignoring Reigen’s protests at not being touched. He groaned in them, a hysterical laugh making its way through his lips. The distinct lack of drunken babbling made him look up.
Reigen sat on the bed, half dressed, eyes glassy as tears started to gather and fall. Serizawa’s eyes widened, hands coming up in a placating gesture.
“‘Taka what’s wrong?”
A loud sniffle followed his question, followed by Reigen wiping his runny nose on his shirt sleeve. Thankfully the whole outfit was going in the wash anyway.
“You didn’t say yes. You don’t wanna marry me…”
He had to take a deep breath then, pushing past his own embarrassment to placate the drunk man. He crawled onto the bed next to Reigen, taking his hands into his own. The pouting had reached new levels.
“Of course I want to marry you. I’d really like that actually.”
“You would?”
“Yeah.”
Silence. More sniffling.
“I’m not gonna remember this in the morning. You have to remind me! So we can plan it. And stuff…”
Serizawa smiled, bringing the man into a hug. Reigen was out within seconds, snoring and drooling against him.
Morning greeted the younger man with a mighty hangover and a definite absence of memories from the night before. Serizawa figured he could get away with not reminding Reigen of their conversation, considering he would pop the question soon anyway. Maybe. Eventually.
-
He felt fingertips ghost against his face, and he groaned at the ticklish feeling, smushing his hand into his itchy cheek.
“Katsuya.”
As his senses slowly started coming back to him, he realised he was lying down on their uncomfortable couch in the office. The blinds were drawn, but the sunlight behind them was strong, pushing into the silent room between the cracks.
His eyes popped open, and he watched as dust particles floated in the low light of the room. He then moved his head to the side, making eye contact with Reigen.
The man was kneeling next to the couch, hands brushing back his hair and scratching his scalp in a way that wasn’t making it any easier to wake up.
“We’ve got a client in 15. Figured I’d wake you up now.”
He pulled the man into a brief kiss, blinking back the sleep from his eyelids. He sat still as Reigen threw his tie around his neck, tying it in a few quick and graceful movements. Serizawa stared as Reigen worked his collar down, eyes floating over his features.
His tongue was sticking out of his mouth slightly as he adjusted the collar, his eyebrows forming a soft frown. A few nicks and scratches covered his face, and his eyes bounced from freckle to freckle. He would never tell Reigen, but he noted the appearance of some faint wrinkles around his eyes.
Laugh lines. He hoped he contributed to their making.
A small laugh jerked him out of his musings, focusing back on the present moment. Reigen was sitting back on his heels as he looked at Serizawa.
“You ok there? You kind of spaced out for a second.”
He just nodded, shrugging on his jacket again. The box in the inner pocket bounced against his side.
Reigen’s knees popped as he stood up and made his way towards their kitchen. “Tea?”
“Please.”
-
Their train had broken down. Typical really. He rubbed at his eyes as Reigen spoke with one of the rail workers, and heaved a deep sigh, chasing away the lethargy of the day as best he could.
Days like this happened rarely, when every client was a royal pain in the ass, and the only actual exorcism turned out to be a bitch to deal with. Usually it wouldn’t be a problem, but that day he had lost a lot of sleep, and that left him absolutely exhausted.
Then it started raining.
He felt Reigen grab him by the shoulders, steering him under an alcove and onto some benches. His mind felt disconnected, like he was floating a little to the left of himself. Maybe he had become possessed? How else would you explain this feeling of someone else taking the wheel and steering his vessel for him?
He was aware, somewhere in the back of his mind, of Reigen crouching before him, cradling his hands in his own, sending pleasant warmth up his frozen fingers.
“They said the replacement train won’t be here for half an hour. Are you ok to wait that long? I can call us a taxi.”
He felt himself shake his head. The thought of having to get up now, walking whatever distance to the taxi and getting in overwhelmed him. A simple task that he would do without thinking twice on a good day made him want to crumple in place.
Reigen nodded, seating himself on the seat next to Serizawa. He continued to hold onto one of his hands like an anchor.
The passage of time meant little to him when it got like this, and he observed from the backseat of his mind as he boarded the train with Reigen, sat through the journey, and arrived at their stop.
The lights remained off in the apartment, and Reigen helped him strip in the dark. The only sounds were that of their breathing, and the rustle of fabric as it slid off his body. He was led to the bed by gentle hands that made him want to cry. Did he deserve to be treated so gently?
“I love you.”
Soft hands seeking permission, laying against his face, a soothing warmth seeping into his cold face.
He fought against the fog in his brain, the energy required for it somewhat lacking. “Thank you.” He drifted off with the steadying weight of Reigen against his back.
-
Serizawa hesitated at the door to the office, balancing the two cups of coffee in his hands. He heard voices, ones that he recognised, in a hushed argument on the other side. Whatever was happening, Dimple was having a grand laugh at it judging by the snickering that was floating through the closed door.
“I can’t believe this!”
He shouldered his way in through the door, eyeing the gathering before him. “Can’t believe what?” Immediately, five sets of eyes settled on him. Not many things made him nervous nowadays, but their stares made him stutter. “D-did I come back at a wrong time? Need me to head out again?”
“No Katsuya you’re fine, sorry.”
He watched as the man continued to sit nonchalantly on his desk, the redness on his face not an unfamiliar sigh. But it did leave him wondering how it got there. He placed their coffees down, dipping in for a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Were you being bullied again?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He looked at the group sitting on the couch. Tome’s grin was as sharp as ever as she denied his allegations, with Hanazawa nodding his head along enthusiastically. Mob just kept flicking his gaze between Reigen and him.
“So, uh, can you tell me what’s going on?” He still felt awkward, like he walked in on a very private conversation that he shouldn’t have been privy to.
“Uh…”
“Should we…?”
“I don’t think-”
It was Dimple that floated down to his ear, a wide grin ever present on its face. “Listen honey, do you remember that spirit I assisted you with?” The ball of green settled itself on his shoulder, like a little devil that whispered to him about evil deeds. “It’s something like that.”
His confusion grew. But before he could question it further, a small voice interrupted from the doorway. Reigen hopped off his desk and was in business mode in record time, and Serizawa watched as Mob, Hanazawa, and Tome slinked out of the office.
He was left confused at Reigen’s desk, watching as their coffees grew cold.
-
“Fuck-”
He turned just in time to watch Reigen fall through the floor behind him. A loud crash followed the fall, then the faint cursing of a man who was just done with everything. Making sure to avoid the rotten wood, he hurried to the newly formed hole in the floor.
“‘Taka, you ok?”
More cursing. A high pitched scream. And then-
“KATSUYAAAAA!”
He didn’t hesitate to fall through the hole after Reigen, using his aura to slow his fall. He landed in a dark hallway, and in the purple glow of his power, he saw something scuttle away into the deeper darkness. Many somethings.
Before he could realise what was happening, he had a bundle of shivering man in his arms, covered in dust that made him look like he had a dip in some chalk. He could guess what caused the panic.
“There’s so many of them! Get us out please please please ple-”
With hardly any effort at all, he levitated them both out of the hole, back where they started. Reigen didn’t climb out of his arms.
“Do you feel anything?”
He shook his head after a moment, his scan coming up blank.
“Ok. We’ll tell them we dealt with whatever was haunting the building and advise some pest control for the physical remainder of the curse. And maybe warn about the structural integrity of the place…”
He let the man babble as he walked them both out of the dark and into the afternoon glow of the city. Only then did Reigen shift in a way that made it clear he wanted to be let down. He brushed a hand down his hair, grimacing when it just made it worse.
“Thank you for that. Let’s pretend it never happened though.”
“Sounds good.” He started walking in the direction of their nearest train stop. Reigen didn’t follow. “You coming?”
“I uh…”
Serizawa turned to look at him. He was standing kind of awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, a grimace passing over his face every time.
“I think I may have sprained something?”
He was there in a flash, picking Reigen up with a small grunt. The man yelped in surprise, arms flailing before coming to rest around his neck. Satisfied with his hold, he started walking again.
“If I didn’t know any better I’d think you enjoy this too much.”
He hummed. “I like having you in my arms.”
He ignored the odd looks he got from passersby at the sight of two grown men blushing and laughing like teenagers. They were silly, and he loved it.
-
Serizawa waited as Minegishi served the customer before him, looking around curiously at the abundance of flowers in the little shop. As soon as he entered, he was accosted with smells and colours he usually wouldn’t experience on the daily. It was nice.
“Oh Serizawa, long time no see.” The deadpan way they spoke always amused him.
“Hi Minegishi, I was hoping you could help me with something.”
Their eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly, but Serizawa knew he had their attention.
“I hope it's nothing world altering again.”
“Ah, no no not at all. I need help picking out some flowers, I figured you’d know all the meanings and I guess it’s very important that I get the message across but I’m clueless when it comes to these things but maybe-”
Minegishi laughed, and Serizawa shut his mouth with an embarrassing click.
“Yeah I get you. So tell me what the occasion is for and I’ll whip something up for you.”
He felt the blush rise as his smile turned a little giddy. “I’m planning on proposing.”
A blink. “To Reigen?”
“I- Yes? Who else?”
“Today?”
“If all goes well yeah.”
More silence. He tried to decipher their expression, but Minegishi had the best poker face he’d ever seen.
“That's hilarious.” Despite their words, their facial expression remained unchanged.
“What-”
“Nevermind, give me five minutes.”
He left the small flower shop carrying a large bouquet that obstructed half his vision. Minegishi really went above and beyond. He couldn’t wait to see Reigen’s reaction.
-
Serizawa shivered as the sweat on his skin began to cool in the shade of the apartment building. Sunday was date night for them, and this time Reigen insisted on cooking them a nice dinner. It was cheaper than going out, and usually the food was as good if not better.
As soon as the lock clicked shut behind him, he toed off his shoes and darted into the bedroom before Reigen could spot him from the kitchen. The air was filled with mouthwatering scents, a faint sound of sizzling following him around.
With the flowers safely hidden for later, he freshened up and joined Reigen by the stove.
“Can I help with anything?” He stood behind Reigen, chin resting against his shoulder and arms snaking around to grab at his sides. He chuckled as the man squirmed in his hold.
“I’ve got everything handled here, you can set the table-” He swatted at Serizawa’s hand, which had begun to dip down his thigh. “Dessert comes after, Katsuya.”
In response he kissed Reigen’s neck and ducked away, knowing that if he didn’t stop he’d get kitchen utensils thrown at him. That was always fun.
Despite how much he tried to distract himself from it, his heart continued to pound in his chest. A mixture of excitement and anticipation, sprinkled with some anxiety and doubt made his body enter fight or flight mode. His hands shook as he laid out their plates and chopsticks, their rests making him smile. They were small ceramic cats, posed in a stretch. A gift from Mob if he remembered correctly.
With nothing else to occupy his hands with until dinner was ready, he opened the window that faced the sunset, and let the cool breeze in. He liked the way the sunlight warmed his face, and he closed his eyes to enjoy it. It was in these quiet moments of domesticity that he found he was truly happy. And now, it was time to ask Reigen to share those moments with him forever.
The soft press of lips against his neck startled him, and he thanked the gods that Reigen wasn’t a telepath.
“Dinners ready. I just need to freshen up and we can eat.”
As Reigen left for the bathroom, he closed the window and hurried back to the bedroom. He really hoped the flowers hadn’t wilted in the time they were hidden.
Sending silent thanks to Minegishi, he was glad to see they looked as fresh as when he got them. Making sure that the box was safely in his pocket, he left the room.
Reigen was already waiting for him by the table, a large bouquet of flowers obscuring his face as he stood there stiff as a rod. Serizawa laughed.
“What-” The bouquet shifted to the side, giving Serizawa an unobstructed view of his eyes. He watched as they widened at the sight of him. “You-”
“I think I know what Minegishi found so funny now…”
Reigen huffed, lowering the bouquet and wiping the sweat off his brow. He was struggling to keep the smile off his face. “Great minds think alike.”
“That they do.” He approached the man, bringing him into a slow kiss. It was somewhat difficult with the contents of a small flower garden between them. “What’s the occasion?”
“Other than the fact that it's date night?
“Mhmm.”
“Well, I was going to wait until after dinner but…” He turned around, and Serizawa used that opportunity to drop to one knee.
“Katsuya, will you- wait what are you-?”
“‘Taka, will you marry me?”
The seconds passed, and Serizawa could feel the sweat start to gather on his face. He felt his smile drop as Reigen just continued to stare at him, mouth opening and closing in a perfect imitation of a fish.
“I-”
Serizawa felt the weight of the silence settle in his stomach like a stone, causing him to drown faster. He lowered his hands, which seemed to kickstart Reigen’s brain again.
Without breaking eye contact, Reigen brought his hands forward, cradling a small box with a golden ring inside. Now it was Serizawa’s turn to open his mouth. They just stared at each other in shock.
“When did you-?”
“Like three hours ago. You?”
“I’ve been carrying this damn thing around with me for over a month now.”
“A month?!” Reigen fell to his knees before him, eyes flickering between Serizawa’s face and the ring in his hands.
“So… is this a yes?” His tentative smile returned, and he watched as tears began to gather in Reigen’s eyes.
“I don’t think there exists a universe where I don’t say yes to you.”
They met in the middle, flowers and rings forgotten as they gripped at each other, laughing and crying and sniffling all the while. This was so stupid.
How very like them.
Both rings fit perfectly, an accidentally matching pair.
-
Monday had them back at the office, somehow managing to gather the menagerie of their friends on short notice. They huddled together in the small office space, some scowling at the inconvenience of even being there (Ritsu) and some (Hanazawa) bouncing around with excited energy.
And then there was Dimple, who was smirking at the both of them from his proverbial high horse as per usual.
“We’ll try to keep this brief, but myself and Katsuya have an announcement to make.”
Serizawa fiddled with his hands, which were hidden behind his back. No point in letting them see the engagement ring yet after all. He watched as the group fell still, a curious tilt to their heads. He tried not to laugh at the imagery of a group of kittens.
“We’re getting married.”
That was the que, and he brought his hand out to showcase the ring, right next to Reigen’s hand. The silence lasted not even a full second.
“Finally!”
“Oh I’m so glad it's over.”
“Took you long enough.”
“I’m so happy for you!”
“Dibs flower girl.”
“You can’t dibs that yet!”
“So who proposed first?”
He laughed, their enthusiasm contagious, before the last words flowed into his mind. He paused. “What do you mean who proposed first? You knew?!”
They all nodded.
“How?” Reigen was as confused as he was.
“Reigen asked us for advice, after Dimple told us Serizawa was planning to propose soon.” Tome’s glee was a palpable thing. “We tried to convince him to wait. Guess it didn’t work…”
“Katsuya, they were all in on it.”
“Yeah…”
“You’re all fired.”
“We don’t even work for you.” That was Sho, who was leaning against the bookshelf casually but had a gentle smile on his face. “Congratulations Serizawa.”
Mob looked like he would vibrate out of his shoes any second now. “When is the wedding?” He looked to Reigen, who just shrugged.
“We’ll play it by ear.”
-
They got married on a warm Spring day, surrounded by their friends and family in a humble ceremony. And when the night turned into day, they remained close, slow dancing as the sun rose over the horizon, ready to take on the rest of their lives. Together.