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It had started as a normal day. Serizawa had woken up to the smell of toast and eggs as Regien made breakfast, and they had barely made it to their train on time due to necking in his too-small washroom. Their clients had started coming in around 8:30 with gaps for Serizawa to do his homework and Reigen to do paperwork/goof off. Tome had come after lunch, and she and Reigen bantered good-naturedly to make him laugh. Tome visibly preened when she got a chuckle. Reigen had pouted until Serizawa offered to buy the snacks next time they went to 7-11.
“Don’t worry, Arataka, you’re always funny-“
“Looking!” Tome and Dimple finished at the same time to Reigen’s shocked dismay.
“I knew it! Get away from that Fart Gas, Tome-chan, he’s a bad influence!”
“And what about you?” Dimple shot back.
“I am a neutral influence at best,” Reigen said with a huff. “Right, Katsuya?”
I love you, Serizawa thought, but held his tongue. They had only been dating a few months (6 months, 20 days, 8 hours, and 20 mins…not that Serizawa had been counting). Reigen was still a bit skittish with affection, so Serizawa decided to follow his lead.
“Right.” He replied instead, Reigen flashed him a smug grin.
It was towards the last few minutes of their day when the stranger walked in; he immediately set Serizawa on edge. There was a desperate look in the man's eye as he hunched forward and walked into the office. Reigen seemed to sense there was something wrong with the man, too, as he subtly touched Tome’s elbow to have her move behind him. He then put on his biggest customer service smile as he approached the man.
"Hello! Welcome to Spirits 'n' Such! Unfortunately, we are closing for the night. Perhaps I can schedule for tomorrow?"
The man mumbled something, and Serizawa strained to hear what it was. Reigen was closer to him and frowned sternly at whatever the man had said.
"You must be Kimura-san. I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to discuss the matters of my clients. Please leave and get some help." Reigen said.
"But she went to you! I saw the ad for your office! You're the reason Yōkō left!" The man growled. Serizawa suddenly remembered the young woman who had walked into the office, scared to death of her boyfriend, claiming that he was acting more violently after joining a weird cult. Serizawa had felt a sinking pit in his heart as he handed her tea and saw the bruises on her upper arm.
Reigen had taken over then, soothing the young woman and giving her some resources to escape. Reigen had looked a little haunted himself afterwards, his hands shaking until Serizawa came and held them.
“Guys who hit women are the biggest losers in the world.”
Kimura must be Yōko's boyfriend, Serizawa thought.
"It's you! I'll fucking kill you!" Kimura snarled, lunging at Reigen with a knife he pulled from his side. Tome screamed, and Serizawa made to launch his aura, but Reigen just dodged and trapped the man's arm. Reigen then sharply kneed his elbow, making his hand seize and drop the knife. Reigen then flipped the man over his shoulder. The man landed hard, and the wind appeared to be knocked out of him. Reigen then sat on him and put him in an arm hold.
"Tome, call the police, and Serizawa, hold him with your power," Reigen ordered. Tome's hands shook as she pulled out her cell phone. Serizawa used his power to restrain the man, tighter than what was necessary; he did pull a knife on his boyfriend, after all. With the man restrained, Reigen went to Tome to comfort her and take over for the 119 call. Once it was done, Reigen let out a shaky sigh of relief and shot them a wink.
Serizawa could see that his hands were shaking.
"Good job, everyone,” Reigen said, the faintest tremble in his voice. “Now we just need to wait for the police to take this jerk away, and I'll take us all out to eat. I'm up for ramen, extra chasu on m-ugh!"
Serizawa's eyes widened in horror as Reigen staggered, a knife embedded in his side. He hadn't even felt the other man use his powers. He whirled, and the man was conscious now and laughing maniacally.
"See! SEE! That's what you get when you go against a former Claw Member!"
Claw? He was with Claw? He thought all the weaker espers lost their powers when Suzuki was fighting Shigeo. Serizawa turned his eyes to Reigen, who was on the floor of the office with Tome frantically trying to do something. Serizawa turned to the maniac, and his vision went red.
Reigen gasped through the pain and opened his eyes. Yup, there was a knife in him, his ears were ringing as his heart pounded. Tome was kneeling beside him, he could hear her, but it was muffled as the panic rose in his chest. Pain seared up his side as he felt a hand on the knife.
"Don't!” he shouted. “Don't take the knife out...bleed out faster."
His side was on fire, the only thing his mind wanted to focus on, but he had to push past it. Damn, why did Tome have to see this? He wouldn't blame her if she never came back to the office. Serizawa would be so sad.
Serizawa.
Where was his boyfriend? Reigen lolled his head to where Tome was pointing. He must have said it out loud. Serizawa was awash with power, his hair licking up like flames. The esper in his grasp was twisting, making horrible choking sounds, and frothing at the mouth.
"How dare you come here? How dare you decide to spoil what I have here! To hurt what is mine."
Serizawa's voice is a tiger's growl, a roll of thunder. Reigen has never seen him so angry before.
"You were too low to even recognize my aura. If you were in Claw, then you should know of the Ultimate Five." Serizawa snarled. Kimura eyes bulged out and rolled wildly in his head as Serizawa continued to twist his body. "Of Suzuki's guard dog, Serizawa Katsuya?"
No, Reigen thought, you're not that man anymore. But all he could do was gasp in pain as his vision started to go black and fuzzy around the edges.
"Reigen-san, please, you gotta stop him! I think, I think Serizawa-san is going to kill him!" Tome whispered. Reigen wished she were wrong, but the light in Serizawa's eyes said otherwise. Reigen gathered all his strength and yelled.
"Katsuya!"
Serizawa seemed to freeze and blink. He turned to where Reigen was lying and then looked at the man he had twisted to the point of nearly breaking. He slammed him to the wall, knocking him unconscious. The older man ran to his side, and Reigen felt the warmth of his aura, probing and gentle, take a hold of the knife in his side and press down on the towel Tome had been using to staunch the wound. Reigen's arms felt like wet noodles, but he managed to bring his hand up and touch Serizawa's cheek. The man looked devastated, with tears running down his cheeks.
"'Taka, 'Taka, please keep your eyes open," he whispered urgently, leaning into the hand on his face and pressing it to his face when the strength started to leave Reigen's limbs.
"H-hey...I can see it..." Reigen murmured, watching the shimmering purple holofoil of Serizawa's aura shimmer around him. "Pretty..."
Serizawa sobs.
"I almost killed someone, 'Taka."
"S'kay...I tried to shoot Suzuki..."
"Please, Taka, the ambulance is almost here, please..."
"I love you," Reigen whispered; he had to make sure he said it so that Serizawa knew and understood. "'Tsuya. I love you."
"I love you too, Arataka." Serizawa choked, sobbing and clutching Reigen to his chest. Huh, when did he get there?
The last thing he heard was a thunderous amount of noise, and he felt a sharp jolt of movement.
Then nothing.
Serizawa had things he had to do; he had to call Teru and Mob. He had to give a statement to the police now that Kimura was in custody. He had to fill out this paperwork, he had to call his teachers and let them know he'll be taking a leave of absence, he had to get out of this goddamn suit, and wash his hands that were caked with blood.
Reigen's blood, he had lost so much.
However, all Serizawa could do was sit in the waiting room and stare desolately into the grey flecked tile. He knows Tome is with him and soon Teru and Shigeo show up together. Shigeo's eyes burn bright but soon fade when he sees him. Teru runs and asks him questions, so many that he doesn't even have the answer to right now. Shigeo turns to his boyfriend and gently pulls him into a hug. The sight of the boys calms Tome somewhat; he vaguely hears her say to keep an eye on him while she goes to the ladies' room to change. Teru’s eyes are bloodshot when he kneels in front of Serizawa.
"Serizawa-san? Hey, let's get you out of those clothes, they're..." Teru looks like he wants to start crying again, but takes a deep breath and sighs. "They're not clean and don't smell the best. The nurses gave me some clothes, and we can go to the employee showers. Serizawa-san?"
Leave? He had to wait for the doctor. His eyes darted to the doors to the operating room. Shigeo followed his gaze.
"I will be here. I'll wait, and once you're dressed, we will stay and sit with you." Shigeo said, his voice calm. He stood; his knees did not give out like they had when they had to take Reigen to the operating room without him, and he followed Teru and a nurse to a bathroom area.
Slowly, Serizawa peeled himself out of his suit and stepped under the warm spray of the shower. Serizawa sank to his knees and tried to breathe. He wanted to go back to his apartment, to lock the door and never leave; there were days like this when he was a hikkikomori when Serizawa operated on autopilot. No thoughts, just steps to keep living. His therapists had called it disassociation; it still happened sometimes, but Reigen...
Reigen just stayed with him and welcomed him back warmly when he would come back to his senses.
Reigen.
"Serizawa...are you done? I left a towel outside the door..." came Teru’s echoey voice. Serizawa could hear his worry so clearly now. He stood, washed and dried himself, and when he came out in a t-shirt and sweats, the look of relief on Teru’s face was heartbreaking. "Oh! Oh, thank goodness."
"C'mere, Teru,” Serizawa said, opening his arms. The teen hesitated for a moment, then pressed himself close. Serizawa hugged him and stroked the younger esper’s shaking back. “I’m here now. I’m here.”
Serizawa greets the doctor when he comes back and hears the news, Reigen did well during the surgery, but he lost a lot of blood and is resting currently.
“You may go back and see him, Serizawa-san; you are listed as his emergency contact.” The nurse said, and Serizawa nodded, not trusting his voice. They let him into a small private room, and Serizawa sat heavily in the seat beside his boyfriend and held his hand. It was cool to the touch, but he could hear his steady heartbeat on the monitor and feel the faint pulse under his fingers. Serizawa brought his hand to his lips. The room was quiet, nothing but the beep of the monitor and the hum of the a/c.
“It’s odd,” Serizawa muttered. “I never liked the quiet...I lived out in the country...I’d feel so lonely in my room, I’d leave the mobtube on to go to sleep. I know that drives you crazy...” Serizawa said with a watery laugh.
“Come on, Tsuya, turn the laptop off! I keep watching those documentaries you put on to fall asleep to and don’t end up going to sleep until 3 am!”
"If you have to listen to something, listen to me, you said. You promised you didn't find it creepy." Serizawa whispered. Serizawa settled his head close to Reigen's chest to listen to his real heartbeat. "Please wake up soon, Arataka...I love you."
-
Reigen woke put and his side ached, a dull but persistent ache in his left side that intensified when he tried to roll over. A warm hand pressed against his shoulder.
"Don't move, 'Taka, you'll hurt yourself."
"'Tsuya?" Reigen grunted and forced his eyes open. Damn, Serizawa looked how Reigen felt. Serizawa sighed, and a soft, wry smile twisted his lips.
"You look worse than I do, 'Taka."
"I said that out loud?"
"Yeah, they have you on some pretty strong painkillers," Serizawa said. "How do you feel?"
"Fuzzy," Reigen replied, swallowing. "Thirsty."
Reigen feels a straw at his lips and takes a few sips of water.
"Thanks..." he mutters, feeling suddenly drained.
"Stay awake a little longer, 'Taka, your doctor is on his way," Serizawa said, jostling his hand a little.
"Mm."
The doctor comes and tells him the damage, how lucky he was that he had no organ damage, but it did nick an artery, and he had lost a liter and a half of blood
Holy shit.
Reigen wanted to freak out, but the medicine scattered his already scattered thinking, but luckily Serizawa was there, repeating what the doctor said and writing things down in that little notebook of his.
"We'll keep you a few days to make sure your wound is healing well, and then we'll let Serizawa-san take you home. How does that sound, Reigen-san?"
Peachy, let me sleep.
Reigen loses the minutes between the doctor coming and going as he shuts his eyes, when he opens them again, Serizawa is still there workingon something, hunched over on his bed.
"You'll hurt your back," he whispered, and startled as Serizawa sat up.
"'Taka! You're awake!"
"For now," Reigen said. Serizawa smiled.
"You hungry?"
Reigen shook his head.
"You feel up to some visitors?" Serizawa asked, and suddenly Reigen remembered quite vividly the terrified look on Tome's face.
"Tome! Is she?" he asked.
"She's fine, well, I think she'll be better once she sees you. So will Shigeru and Teru." Dimple said. "Good to see you're alive. I tried telling Seri-chan you're like a cockroach."
"Good to see you too Dimple," Reigen replied, patting Serizawa's hand to rid him of that annoyed look he was giving the surly spirit.
"Glad you didn't croak. The kids are in school, and I promised I would check on ya and let them know when you’re awake. See ya, Reigen."
Reigen sighed through his nose and turned his head to Serizawa. He felt a little more lucid than the first time he woke up, and now he could see the stubble on Serizawa's face and the shadows under his eyes.
"How long have you been here?" he asked. Serizawa hemmed and hawed, then finally sighed.
"The nurses made me leave around five hours after your surgery, which was last night...I grabbed lunch at a Lawson's and have been here ever since."
"No, 'Tsuya not Lawson's...at least go to 7-11." Reigen groaned and smiled as Serizawa chuckled.
Ha, score one for Reigen.
Then a wet, ragged sob escaped Serizawa's lips, and Reigen's heart plummeted.
"'Taka, I was so scared," Serizawa sobbed. "The last thing you said was that you loved me."
"You had to know," Reigen said.
"Did you mean it-"
"Yes," Reigen said firmly. "I, I love Katsuya. C'mere-"
Serizawa half throws himself onto Reigen's bed and throws himself back just as quickly when the jostling makes Reigen's wound act up.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
"'S’okay, give me a minute." Reigen hissed through gritted teeth. "Fu-uck if this is what it feels like on the medicine..."
"I'm sorry! I-"
Reigen used what little strength he had to pull Serizawa close and kiss him on the lips. He pulled back with a little grin.
"There...That's what I wanted.”
-
They had been home hardly a week before the nightmares started.
Serizawa woke up with a sob and a burst of psychic energy, the smell of iron and the feel of Reigen’s body growing cold in his arms fading into reality. Reigen was curled on his left side, a Saitama body pillow between them to keep him from rolling over and hurting his side. Serizawa reached over and touched Reigen’s chest and watched the rise and fall. Serizawa willed the nightmare away, breathing deeply in and out.
Reigen was okay.
In.
Reigen was still here.
Out.
He did this for a few moments before Reigen stirred and attempted to roll over.
“Tsst! Shit, Ow…” Reigen hissed, his eyes popping open.
“Oh, do you want your pain killer?” Serizawa asked.
“’Tsuya? Did I wake you up? I’m sorry.”
“No, I was already up. Let me get it for you.” Serizawa said. Reigen didn’t like taking his pain pills; they made him loopy and tired. Serizawa was only able to get him to take the stronger ones at night. Serizawa floated the pills and a bottle of water over rather than getting out of bed, and Reigen whistled.
“Wow, your powers are very sparkly, Tsuya.” Reigen said.
“You can see them?”
“Yeah…I couldn’t before. Guess a near-death experience is good for something after all.”
“’Taka, please don’t joke about that.”
“Sorry.”
Reigen took his medicine in silence.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
“I miss snuggling with you.”
“…”
“You won’t hurt me, and I am more likely to stay still if you hold me. Please, Katsuya…” Reigen asked his voice sweet and pleading.
“Okay.” Serizawa relented, ignoring the smug look on his boyfriend’s face. Serizawa nestled a pillow under Reigen’s bandaged side and let the smaller man pull him to his chest. “Comfy?”
“Oh yeah, and the medicine is kickin’ in too,” Reigen said. “Good night, ‘Tsuya…love ya.”
“Goodnight, ‘Taka. Love you too.” Serizawa murmured and closed his eyes. He could hear the faint sound of traffic at the end of Reigen’s street, the chirp of crickets, but as he focused on the soft, steady heartbeat under his ear, Serizawa fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.