Work Text:
It was an empty Thursday night at the office. Busier than usual during the day, but work progressively slowed down in time with the sun. Reigen and Serizawa sat in their own worlds waiting for the clock to chime 6 o'clock. Eventually, and with no new clients walking in, Reigen grew impatient.
The random Wikipedia article he'd been reading was just bland enough to convince him the day was over, even if the clock might argue. Reigen shut his laptop, pushed himself from his desk, and stretched his arms.
"Hey Serizawa, I think we can call it quits for today."
Serizawa tore his eyes from his novel and nodded to Reigen from the couch in the center of the room. He was also feeling the lethargy of the evening, but not as strongly as Reigen. He didn't spend as much time in the office, so Serizawa hadn't yet had the chance to grow tired of it when the days ran long.
But today was Thursday, one of the few weekdays that he didn't have class, that he instead spent with Reigen at Spirits and Such during the evening. Truth be told, though working there was a commitment, whenever Serizawa went to work, he was happy that he had somewhere to go. The fact that he enjoyed being there, too, was just a bonus.
Reigen grabbed his coat and met Serizawa at the door. The taller man stood empty handed next to it and Reigen shot him a puzzled look.
"Aren't you gonna be cold without an extra jacket?"
It was the dead of winter, it made sense that he should have one with him, but Serizawa never really got cold, even in the snow. "I didn't even think to bring one. I'll be alright though."
Reigen hummed skeptically for a moment but shrugged it off and opened the door. "We can eat somewhere inside just in case, no big deal."
The two men went down the stairs of the multi-office building to the streets outside. The sun had just set, creating a peacefully gray dusk, subtly interrupted by the bright lights dotting the buildings.
This had become a kind of ritual for them; whenever Serizawa didn't have class, they'd go out to eat together. It was no nonsense and fun. Plus neither of them were great cooks so it was a solace from the many microwave dinners they ate every night.
Of course, It took a while for Serizawa to get used to this routine. Where Reigen was eager to finally do something coworkers do after work, Serizawa was hesitant to agree to a shift in his everyday schedule.
He made it work, though, and now he looked forward to it every week.
Reigen was fantastic company, after all.
"Hey Serizawa, it's almost been 8 months since we started working together hasn't it?" Reigen asked as they walked towards downtown.
"Somewhere around there, I think."
"Why don't we make it an early anniversary and go to a bar tonight?" he grinned.
Serizawa stiffened ever so slightly at the suggestion but Reigen caught it instantly.
"We don't have to, I just thought it might be fun to celebrate. Plus it's cold and some nice booze might warm us up."
Serizawa swallowed the anxious lump in his throat. "it's not that I don't want to, I've just.. Never been to one before."
Reigen raised a thoughtful eyebrow. Taking a second to think about it, though, it wasn't too strange. Serizawa did spend his first legal drinking years locked in his own room. If it weren't for his time with Touchiro, Reigen might be swayed to think he'd never touched a drop of alcohol in his life.
"Well, let's not drink the place out of business, then. Your tolerance is probably low."
Serizawa laughed nervously. His lack of real world experience was always an embarrassing topic.
"Hey if it makes you feel better I'll let you in on a little secret" Reigen grinned again, placing a hand to his mouth and Serizawa leaned in, "I totally can't hold my liquor either."
"Reigen, you're a lightweight?" Serizawa popped back up with a small smile.
The blonde sputtered and attempted to cover up his embarrassing confession with a myriad of eclectic hand motions. "Shhh!! Don't go telling anyone! Especially not dimple, he'll never let me live it down."
Serizawa scratched his chin, smile undeterred. To think Reigen trusted him enough to tell him that...
"Don't worry, I won't, it was just a little unexpected is all."
"reall- oh! This place looks good." Reigen stopped walking mid sentence, gesturing to a small bar near the corner of the street. "let's go here."
Serizawa agreed and the two men went inside. It was relatively empty; normal for a work night. Deep Burgundy colored the walls, accentuated by the low yellow lights over the bar. It was classy but cozy. To Serizawa it was new and interesting. To Reigen, it was extremely average. Still, beggars can't be choosers. They sat down at the counter and the bartender took their orders.
"just, uh, give me a bottle of whatever cheap but decent sake you have." Reigen said, attempting to decode their mixed drinks menu and failing.
Serizawa looked stunned when the bartender turned to him next. Deciding to cut his losses and prevent any panic, he followed Reigen's lead. "I'll just have that also..."
He'll never get used to ordering things in person.
The bartender left to go get their drinks and Reigen shrugged his coat off onto the back of his seat.
"You didn't want to get anything nicer? It's your anniversary and I'm buying."
Serizawa grinned sheepishly "I.. Wouldn't even know what to get. I don't really care about the drinks, though, I'm just happy to be here."
Something about that sentence made Reigen's face soften. He put an elbow on the counter and rested a cheek in his palm.
He gazed at Serizawa with a smile and tender eyes.
"You know, Serizawa, you're really something."
The older man felt a rush of heat to his face. Reigen's expression was unreadable, but those words hit a strange and intimate chord. He blinked hard and let out an elegant "Huh?"
That snapped Reigen out of his daze and he turned back to the counter, "ah, nothing. Our drinks are here!" he laughed, trying to cover his embarrassment. He accepted the bottles and glasses from the bartender, placing them in between him and the other man.
"Here, to 8 months and hopefully many more."
"Yeah." Serizawa clinked their glasses together with a smile and they downed their drinks.
When Serizawa finished his and turned back towards Reigen, the blonde was already flushed to hell and back, slumped against the counter. He really wasn't kidding when he said he was a lightweight.
Regardless, Serizawa decided that this was a good time to say 'that thing' that had been on his mental 'to-do list' for ages. Reigen was beet red but he seemed sober enough to listen.
Serizawa held his hands together on his lap and stared down at his palms.
"Reigen, I just wanted to say..." he paused. There was that lump in his throat again. Maybe he should've practiced this. He swallowed. Maybe he wouldn't be so fucking nervous. He swallowed again, trying to force the words out.
"Thank you. For- for all of this. If you hadn't let me come work for you, helped me get back into society... I don't know what I would have done. Just- I'm really thankful." he winced at his lack of eloquence. "Sorry. I'd been meaning to tell you for a while. Sorry."
He looked up and there was that expression back on Reigen's face again. Soft and unreadable but it made Serizawa's skin tingle. A look that held so many emotions, he couldn't even begin to guess what Reigen was thinking.
"Serizawa, did I ever tell you about last year?" Reigen asked suddenly.
He blinked, the question catching him off guard, "last year? I don't.. Think so... I'm- I'm not sure. Sorry.."
"I guess not." Reigen's gaze drifted down and landed on Serizawa's hands which were still linked together. It seemed Reigen sobered up even faster than he got drunk...
"I'm not gonna go into detail but... It was pretty hard. Me and Mob got into some drama and I kind of had a big realization that I was 28 years old, my life was falling apart, and to top it all off... I didn't even have any friends." he chuckled bitterly and shifted his gaze up to the bottle lined shelves behind the counter. "Things got better after Mob and I made up, but it still itched at me. How alone I was."
Serizawa gulped. The feeling of isolation... He understood Reigen's words well. He and loneliness were good friends. Always had been since he'd discovered his psychic powers. He'd said goodbye to it once Touchiro came into his life, but the memories of those 15 years weren't easily erased. The lump in his throat was back. Reigen continued.
"and then a whole bunch of stuff happened. Claw was there. Or, scar I guess. Both... It all happened so fast it's sort of a blur to me now." he shrugged, head now turned towards the dark wood countertop.
"and then.." he looked at his feet with a smile Serizawa could barely make out. "suddenly you were there, running around the office, spilling tea... helping me out."
He mentally cringed at the mention of his performance those first few weeks. At least he was better now.
"it was so different." Reigen paused. "to have someone there, and..." he covered his face with a hand "this is lame but to have someone my own age. It felt sort of like when I'd first met Mob." he lowered his hand. "Something just clicked into place and I knew it was just what I needed."
Reigen met Serizawa's gaze for the first time since he started talking and gave an embarrassed laugh, looking away just as quickly. He scratched the back of his neck to try and get rid of some of the awkward tension. Perhaps that was too personal...
"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one who's grateful. I'm glad you're in my life, you know?"
He looked up expectantly for a response and Serizawa suddenly realized he was in the hot seat. What was he supposed say to all that? What could possibly match up to any of Reigen's words?
He tried to say something but his throat caught. Reigen continued to look at him. Those eyes pierced anything in front of them and Serizawa was now their target.
His heart skipped the pretense of a buildup and pounded violently in his ears. Why couldn't he say anything?
He felt sweat form on his forehead. He was panicking. The lump in his throat wouldn't disappear no matter how much he swallowed. Surely Reigen was growing impatient. Time was moving so quickly. Too quickly.
All of this because he was supposed to say something-- say anything. Just respond to the man in front of him. But he couldn't. His judgment was blurred. All responses blank. The only coherent thing were the words chanting in his brain over and over again:
You'll never get another chance like this.
Because for all the responses he wanted to give, the only sentence Serizawa could get out was
"I think I'm in love with you, Reigen."
The tension and the blur and loud pounding of his heart silenced the moment the words left his mouth. Serizawa's throat closed and he sat there paralyzed by his own confession.
He only managed to snap out of it when he saw Reigen's stare. His eyes were fixated on him like he'd seen a ghost. His face had barely changed from before but it felt so much different. The metaphorical wheels in his head that were so impressive to Serizawa had stopped turning.
It felt like hours before either of them did something. Reigen made the first move, gulping silently. He blinked a few times, still dazed, and asked "Serizawa can we..." he looked around the bar "can we go outside for a second?"
In one fell swoop, all of the panic and noise from before returned to Serizawa's head. He nodded quickly and obediently and followed Reigen out the main entrance onto the street.
The temperature outside was jarring and it was shades darker than when they'd arrived, but the streetlights worked hard enough to illuminate them despite that. Reigen stood outside the bar with his back to Serizawa.
Sweat built up on Serizawa's forehead again. This was wrong. This went wrong. Something went wrong. He never should have done this. He should go--
Without warning, Reigen whipped around, grabbing Serizawa by the tie and pulling him down into a kiss.
A wave of relief washed over Serizawa and he pulled Reigen closer, kissing him deeper. Reigen smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Serizawa's neck.
It felt so nice to hold Reigen in his arms... to have his feelings known. It was unreal. Right now, Serizawa's whole world was Reigen. He loved him, loved him, loved him.
And the best part was the most unexpected one: Reigen loved him back.
Reigen broke off the kiss with a bubbly laugh and buried his head in the crook of Serizawa's neck. After a few seconds, he turned his head and looked up at him.
"I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, too."
That expression was back. Serizawa could read it this time.
(Extra)
Mob placed a box onto Reigen's desk.
"Extra strength prescription 72hr coverage antiperspirant." Reigen looked up at him. "Mob what is this?"
"Shishou you've been extra sweaty lately. I was at the store with my mom and thought you could use it."
"im not extra sweaty! It's just... It's the condensation from the room."
"no, I'm pretty sure it's sweat Shishou. It's really bad and I'm worried you might start losing clients because of it. Are you more nervous lately because you and Mr. Serizawa started seeing each other?"
"No!!..." he grumbled under his breath, "of all the times for you to read the mood.." he suddenly straightened up in his seat, professional mode activated. "I appreciate the gesture, Mob, but.. Please don't buy me any more anti-sweat things. I'll be fine."
There was a knock on the door then, and Serizawa stepped inside, "Arataka, I got the salt you asked f- wow, you're really sweaty today huh."
Reigens jaw dropped and Serizawa slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Sorry!! Sorry sorry sorry I uh-"
Reigen slammed his head on his desk and Mob looked between them deadpan.
"I think you should use the stuff, Shishou."
Serizawa tip toed to the back room to put away the things he'd picked up and Reigen lifted his head, still keeping his chin firmly planted on the table.
"I'll use it. Thanks Mob" he tilted his head to yell to the back room "You get some too, Katsuya, you're no better!"
"y- yes!!"