Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In his 29 years, Reigen Arataka's life had been relatively normal. Born into a middle-class family as the younger of two siblings, his childhood was quite happy, filled with birthday parties every year, Christmas with family, and an average school life. He was never particularly popular or an outcast; his grades were decent, nothing out of the ordinary.

Things changed a bit when he came out (or rather was outed, he hadn't planned to come out). His parents didn't take it well at first, but eventually, they came to accept him. At least his older sister was always supportive.

After graduating from high school, he went to college. He had a few relationships here and there, but none ended well. He was used, heartbroken—the usual story.

He currently owned a small practice where he worked as a therapist. He had no employees except for Mob, a boy he had helped a few years ago, who had since started working part-time as receptionist. His help wasn't really necessary, but he appreciated the company.

Someone might say that Reigen's life was a bit sad: he had no friends (his own age) and no partner either; he had gone from being unlucky in love to having no relationships at all. But he was fine. Relationships consumed a lot of time, money, and mental energy. There were no big dramas or worries of that kind in his life—just his routine.

That Monday morning, he walked to his office at a leisurely pace, dressed in his classic gray suit and pink tie. The morning sun was warm against his skin, without being annoying. He greeted some female neighbors on the way; the older women adored him, which always had its perks. In fact, one of them offered him a bag of vegetables, which he gratefully accepted. He never refused anything free, of course.

Arriving at the office, he left the bag in the back, tidied up a bit, and adjusted the air conditioning. When everything was ready, he headed to the front door and opened it, prepared for another ordinary day.

But as he opened the door, it wasn't the morning bustle of the neighborhood that caught his attention. As soon as he turned his gaze toward the alley next to his office, he saw it.

A man was lying there, half-leaning against the dirty brick wall, one hand clutching his side. His suit was soaked in blood, far too much for it to be just a scratch. The metallic glint on his wrist, a chain peeking out from under his sleeve, caught Reigen's eye before the reality of the situation hit him: this guy was in pretty bad shape. A man like that, with that presence and that grim expression, was not someone you wanted to cross paths with this early in the day—or ever, for that matter.

"Fuck…" he muttered, taking a quick glance around. What was a bloody guy doing in an alleyway first thing in the morning? Nothing good, he supposed. He was only sure of one thing: if he did nothing, the guilt would haunt him all day. With a sigh, he approached and crouched down to get a better look at the man.

"Hey, are you… alive?" he asked, because that was a valid question, considering the amount of blood.

The man raised his head, and the second Reigen saw his brown eyes, something in his gut screamed danger. Then he knew. This wasn't just anyone. This was someone who could break his neck if he wanted to, even in his wounded state. Not wanting to get too involved, he started searching for his cell phone in his jacket pockets; calling an ambulance made the most sense.

"Hang in there, I'll call an ambulance. They shouldn't be long in—" He stopped immediately as the man grabbed his wrist.

"No. No hospitals. It's not serious. J-just… tired" he mumbled barely, his hand still on Reigen's.

Not hospitals? Reigen repeated mentally. What did that mean? It sounded like something out of those gangster movies he watched on Sunday afternoons.

"Well, shit, no hospitals then, but I can't leave you here. Come on, get in" he said, half carrying him and half dragging him toward the door of his office. What else could he do? Leaving him there would only cause more trouble. The neighbors would start asking questions, and he didn't want that kind of attention. His conscience wouldn't allow it either.

He brought him over to the little couch in the back, the one no one should sit on because it had seen better days long ago, and dropped him there. The guy collapsed, groaning, as Reigen quickly stepped back in a vain attempt to keep his suit clean and free of blood.

He hurried to the bathroom in search of his first aid kit. A quick glance revealed he had recently restocked it; it seemed to have enough gauze and alcohol for the situation.

When he returned, the guy hadn't moved a muscle, though he was still conscious, staring off into space. A bit scary. He set the first aid kit aside and crouched down next to him for the second time that day.

"Excuse me for this" he muttered as he tried to remove the man's jacket to examine the wound. As soon as the garment slipped off, Reigen saw it: a tattoo peeking through the bloody white shirt. Dragons, flowers—everything he'd ever seen in documentaries about the yakuza. A shiver ran down his spine. Ah, shit, he thought, his hands pausing for a second in the air. He had a fucking yakuza on his couch.

He could have run away. Anyone with half a brain would have. But no, there he was, staring at him and realizing that if he let this guy die in his office, it would really ruin his facade. So what could he do? Damn it.

He finished removing the shirt and set it aside along with the jacket. To his surprise, he saw only a shallow cut on the man's lower abdomen. He recalled the guy's words: "It's not serious." He had been right; the cut wasn't even bleeding anymore. Which meant… all that blood wasn't his? How many people had he just killed? For heaven's sake.

Slowly, he turned his gaze to the man's face. He had fallen asleep, his head bent awkwardly over the back of the couch.

"Fuck me…" he muttered, recognizing the absurdity of the situation as he pulled out the gauze pads. He forced himself to concentrate on the wound, trying not to dwell on what it all meant. "I have to finish this before my next appointment" he reminded himself as he applied first aid.

Once the biggest cut was taken care of, he started on the abrasions on the guy's knuckles; the skin was so worn that he thought he could see bone. He shivered. There was another cut on his forehead, which had something embedded in it... Were those shards of glass? That was the hardest one: trying to remove all the little shards, clean it up, and put a patch on it.

He left the man on the couch when he was done. He was still asleep, and Reigen took a little pity on him, laying him fully on the couch, his head resting on the armrest.

Once satisfied with his work, he checked his watch. 7:50. His first appointment was at 8.

He had to change now. His suit was ruined, so he started to take it off without giving it a second thought. He went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and watched the clear water turn red as it ran over his hands. The sound of flowing water filled the small space, and as he washed his face, the cool liquid helped him clear his head a bit before facing the joke he'd just made and the inevitable routine of the day. He pulled out a spare, more presentable suit and stepped out, ready to face his first patient, who was fortunately running late.

He attended to the woman as usual, acting as if there wasn't a thug resting in the back. He focused on the conversation, remaining calm and professional, not letting anything outside the room distract him.

When the woman left, Reigen sighed in front of the door, his hand on the lock, not wanting to open it and face whatever he had to deal with in there.

But he couldn't sweep the problems under the rug, not this time. He forced himself to open the door. The first thing he saw was the man, now awake, sitting on the edge of the couch, slowly buttoning his white shirt, still stained with blood. The guy looked up at him in a way that made Reigen's stomach clench. There was something about that vacant stare that was fucking intimidating.

The blonde smiled. Or at least tried to. His words came out in a rush, a mixture of nerves and his desperate attempt to appear calm.

"Oh, you're awake now. Not exactly the kind of visitor I was expecting this morning. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

The silence was thick and uncomfortable. The guy didn't say anything, not even a gesture, just kept buttoning his shirt as if it were nothing. He didn't even look at Reigen again—just treated him like a fly buzzing around—finishing putting on his jacket.

Reigen cleared his throat, trying to find the right tone. "You know, I don't have much experience taking care of patients in your condition, but... I guess you're feeling a little better already," he commented, still standing by the door. Suddenly, the guy stood up and walked towards him without making a sound until he was right in front of Reigen.

Reigen froze as the man approached. The height difference wasn't that much, just a few inches, but he still had to lift his head to look at him. The closeness was overwhelming.

He felt himself blush.

The guy was handsome, brunette, big—totally Reigen's type. Did he really have to notice that now?! He mentally chided himself. Now was not the time for this; the man was probably a thug. He shouldn't go down that line of thinking... Then, when the guy opened his mouth, all that came out was a dry, almost inaudible, "Thank you."

Reigen snapped out of his (not-so-heterosexual) thoughts as the man walked toward the door to leave. Almost without thinking, he said, "N-no big deal. Anytime... I-I'll be here" following him to the main entrance. The man didn't even acknowledge him.

Later, he regretted saying that. You just don't tell a potential yakuza, "Stop by anytime." Although saying something like, "I liked playing nurse and stuff, but don't come back again," would've been very rude. After considering other responses, he concluded that it hadn't been that bad. It was nothing. Maybe he was just letting it slide as a simple courtesy, right?

The thing is, the guy didn't take it as simple courtesy.

A few days later, as he was about to close the office, the man reappeared, sitting on the sidewalk with fresh wounds on his face, ready to be attended to.

At least this time, they seemed less serious than the last time.

What had he gotten himself into?

Chapter Text

Reigen hummed under his breath as he stepped outside, preparing to lock his office door. The cool air hit him gently, but as soon as he looked around, he jumped. Standing on the sidewalk was the same man from last week, staring at him.

"Oh my God, you're going to kill me with a heart attack" he groaned, holding his hand to his chest dramatically. The sight of Serizawa, almost like a ghost, had caught him off guard.

The man remained silent. He was less bloodied than the first time, which Reigen was silently grateful for. Still, the cut on his forehead was dripping slightly, the blood on his knuckles hadn't dried, and his lip was split.

"Uh—well, you're hurt again" he pointed out the obvious. "Do you want to come in? I can help you with that." The invitation slipped out before he could consider the implications.

Wait, no, why did he say that? Why is he doing this again?

The man just nodded, almost shyly, if Reigen dared to think so.

Once they were both inside, Reigen closed the door and led him to the couch, where Serizawa plopped down heavily. Reigen went straight to the medicine cabinet. "I patched you up so well last time, and now this? Is this a new tradition? Am I going to have to get used to seeing you show up all beat up?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood as he grabbed gauze and alcohol.

Serizawa didn't respond, just looked at him for a second before averting his eyes to the floor, breathing slow and deep, like he was trying to stay calm. Reigen, without missing a beat, began gently cleaning the cut on his forehead, holding his jaw to keep his head still. He could feel the man tense as the soaked cotton touched his skin.

And since Reigen wasn't one to keep his mouth shut, he started rambling:

"Today's been a bit crazy. My big sister's about to have her second kid, and I have to clear some time to visit her. Not that I'm complaining—I can't wait to meet my nephew. But she refuses to have a C-section, so no one knows exactly when he'll be born… Something about not wanting scars." He paused briefly, checking the cuts on Serizawa's face. "So I'll probably end up canceling appointments when that happens… I also have to get a gift. You know how it is, right?"

Serizawa shook his head slowly, as always, silently. Reigen, used to his quietness, kept talking while wiping his lip. "No? You don't have any siblings?" Another silent denial.

"Wow, you're missing out. Having a sister is... well, a pain in the ass, but it helps keep you grounded. I don't know what would've become of me without her when we were young." He smiled sadly, remembering the days when his parents refused to talk to him, his sister being his only emotional support.

He continued to prattle on, talking about the neighbors, a rude client he'd had that day—anything he could think of to fill the silence. Though all he was getting from Serizawa were those gentle shakes of his head, affirming or denying, without saying a word.

As Reigen finished cleaning his lip, he took a chance on something more direct. "Can I know your name?"

The man thought for a moment, lips tight, as if unsure whether to answer. Finally, he spoke softly. "Katsuya… Serizawa Katsuya."

The blond nodded, dropping the cloth. "Arataka Reigen."

Reigen stepped back, taking in the patched-up man. He'd done a good job, even better than last time. "There, you're all cleaned up."

Serizawa sat up from the couch; the air felt less tense now. He buttoned his jacket, his big, rough fingers working the small buttons.

Reigen felt like he should say something, though he wasn't sure what exactly.

"You—" Reigen started, breaking the silence. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

The man looked at him briefly, then bowed his head slightly—a barely-there gesture of acknowledgment—before heading for the door. "Thank you" Serizawa replied.

Reigen watched him cross the threshold, with a strange feeling that this wouldn't be the last time he'd see Serizawa. And, for some reason, that didn't bother him much.

Serizawa showing up while he was locking up had become a habit.

Reigen was organizing his desk when he heard the door open. He looked up, already having a sense of what awaited him. There was Serizawa, standing in the doorway, jacket unbuttoned, and a grimace of pain on his face.

"Did you get in trouble again?" Reigen couldn't help himself. His tone was one of concern and reproach as he stood up and walked toward him. "Seriously, you should consider a different career, maybe as... I don't know, a gardener. You'd avoid these encounters."

He bolted the front door and pulled the man into the back room, setting him down on the couch, the same place he'd been the last few times. He took a quick glance at him, noticing that Serizawa's jacket had a fresh cut on the sleeve and a dark stain that was probably blood. He also had bruises and a swollen lump on his forehead.

"What happened to you this time?" he asked, grabbing the first aid kit and then heading to his mini-fridge for some ice. "Did you forget that your head isn't a punching bag?"

Serizawa looked up, and in his eyes was a spark of resignation, but he didn't bother to answer.

Once he was in front of him, Reigen held out the ice pack. "Here, press it to your forehead."

Serizawa obeyed.

Reigen hummed as he began to examine the wounds on Serizawa's arm.

"You didn't stop by yesterday, did you?" he asked, not taking his eyes off his work. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Serizawa shake his head. "Good, because I didn't open yesterday. My nephew was born, and it was total chaos. Did you know that a woman can be in labor for hours on end? What a sight."

As he spoke, he noticed Serizawa's jaw tighten. "Oh, sorry. Got a bit carried away." Reigen bit his lip, feeling a little guilty.

"And to top it off, I ran into my parents. They didn't miss the chance to say, 'And you, when are you getting married?'" Reigen took a deep breath and continued, "Pretty stubborn, right? They should have let go of that idea years ago. Ever since they found out I'm—" He stopped himself, feeling a pang of hesitation. Serizawa looked at him curiously but said nothing.

The blond continued, "Sometimes I think they're obsessed with the topic. No matter how many times I tell them I have no plans to get married, it's always the same: ‘You're in your thirties, you should settle down.' As if being an adult depends on having a ring on your finger." He paused and shrugged, remembering the endless conversations with his parents. "And of course, no matter what I tell them, they keep harping on the same thing. Like there aren't other important things in life. Work, friends, my projects... All that takes a back seat for them."

Reigen finished cleaning the wound on Serizawa's arm and moved on to his knuckles, his movements careful but efficient. "Sometimes I feel like they don't listen to me at all. It's always 'when you get married'… like that's the only way to be happy."

Suddenly, he realized how much he had been talking and felt the blood rush to his face. "Sorry, you know how I am. Sometimes I just ramble and don't realize it. If you want, I can stop talking for a while and just patch you up" he offered, though he probably wouldn't manage to stay silent for long.

Serizawa, after a moment's hesitation, let out a slight sigh. "Never mind."

Reigen smiled, appreciating the small effort. "Thank you. At least someone's listening to me."

He continued talking, this time about how frustrating it was trying to find a good coffee near his office. "It's like the machines are trying their best to make it worse every time. But there I am, giving them another chance, always thinking that this time will be different." He cast a quick glance at Serizawa, hoping for some reaction, but got none.

Finally, he checked the swelling on his head, noting that it had gone down a bit. Reigen sighed, pleased with the progress. "Well, at least you're not going to get a horn this time" he commented, before getting up from the couch and walking over to the small fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water and held it out to him along with a pill. "Take this; it'll help with the pain."

Serizawa took the pill with one hand, mumbling a "Thank you" before swallowing it and then opening the bottle of water. He brought it to his lips and took a swig.

Reigen watched the movement of his Adam's apple—without any sort of fascination, to be clear.

"You know, you should consider wearing a helmet or something" he said, trying to keep his tone light. "A blow to the head isn't something you can just brush off. Boxing may be an art, but you're definitely not the artist."

"Do you have a career in comedy?" asked Serizawa, his gravelly voice making it sound like he was forcing a joke.

"Maybe" replied Reigen, with a broader smile than usual. He rarely managed to get more than a 'thank you' or the occasional deadpan reply out of him.

After that last encounter, Serizawa started showing up less frequently, and when he did, he barely spoke or even nodded. One night, just as Reigen was about to close, Serizawa reappeared. He wasn't too badly injured, but Reigen took him by the arm and led him inside anyway.

As Reigen tended to him, something unexpected happened: Serizawa spoke on his own, without any prompting.

"Why do you keep looking after me? Aren't you afraid of me?"

Reigen froze, blinking as he looked up at Serizawa. He had spoken. And not just a simple "thank you" or sarcastic response—he'd said more than two sentences in a row. Reigen snapped out of his daze, focusing on Serizawa's question.

He frowned thoughtfully.

"What? Of course not. I know it sounds weird, but I have this… feeling? That you wouldn't hurt me. You've been here so many times already; if you were going to do something, you would have by now, right?"

"Fair enough" Serizawa replied, looking down with a hint of embarrassment. He continued, his gaze fixed on a plant in the corner of the room. "You're right though, I don't hurt people for no reason. I don't—unless he orders me to..." His last words were so quiet they were almost lost.

"Him?"

Serizawa looked at him, then shook his head. "No... it's nothing." He stood up, shifting uncomfortably. "I should… I should stop coming. I'm a nuisance and—"

Reigen stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"No, you're not" he blurted out. A while ago, he might've thought of Serizawa as a bit of a hassle, but during the weeks he'd been absent, Reigen had actually missed him. Blame it on loneliness; he didn't have many friends. Well, no one, really, besides Mob. He searched for the right words to continue. "You can keep coming. I don't mind. I actually appreciate the company. It's… nice to have someone around." There, he'd said it—and it wasn't a lie.

Serizawa looked at him, his thick brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't talk" he replied quietly. "I mean… I hardly ever respond."

"Maybe, but it's nice to know someone's listening. I can tell you are; I see it on your face. You're pretty expressive, even if you don't say much." Reigen realized where his hand still rested on Serizawa's arm and quickly pulled it back. "Oh, sorry" he said, feeling a bit awkward.

Serizawa thought it over before giving a slight nod. Did that mean he'd keep coming? "Thank you" he said simply.

Without another word, Serizawa turned and headed toward the door.

Reigen managed a quick "Anytime" just as he disappeared out the door. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over him.

"I really don't get how this keeps happening. Are you doing this on purpose?" Reigen asked, leaning a little closer to inspect the cut above Serizawa's nose. The closeness was slightly unnerving, but he did his best to ignore it.

With their proximity, Reigen caught a faint scent—tobacco, with a hint of whiskey. The whiskey wasn't unusual, but the tobacco was new. He wrinkled his nose, frowning slightly.

"Are you smoking now too?" Reigen asked, eyeing him suspiciously as he stepped back, crossing his arms.

"No. I met with my boss; he smokes. I don't." Serizawa replied, rubbing the back of his neck, looking a little nervous.

With each visit, Serizawa had slowly started to open up, showing bits of his true personality.

Reigen studied him for a second longer, as if deciding whether to believe him, then relaxed. "Mmh, good call. It's an expensive habit" he commented, sitting beside him on the couch and tending to the scratch with meticulous care.

"I used to smoke myself" he continued, his focus on the task. "Quit when I opened this office. You can't help people if you're reeking of cigarettes, especially when some of them are here trying to quit or struggling to stay off it. I didn't want to make it harder for them."

So, Reigen applied the band-aid over the bridge of Serizawa's nose, and, much to his disappointment, that was it. It was over too quickly for his liking.

"All set" he said, though he didn't move right away. He stayed sitting beside Serizawa, lingering in the closeness. The other didn't seem to know how to respond but didn't pull away either.

At first, the visits had been tense and awkward, but gradually—almost imperceptibly—Serizawa had started opening up. Each word he spoke felt like a tiny step forward.

Reigen had come to understand that Serizawa's silence was more shyness than anything else. Something held him back, as if he doubted his words could ever fully convey what he felt. Still, Reigen had somehow managed to help him feel a little more at ease. That already felt like progress.

"I imagine you've had to put up with a lot in your job" Reigen remarked, not expecting much of a reply; he knew Serizawa didn't like to talk about his work.

Serizawa gave him a quick glance and nodded.

Despite his initial impression and the awkward tension between them, Reigen realized he'd started to look forward to finishing up at the office each day, just for the chance to see the man in the dark suit.

He even found himself lingering for an extra thirty minutes past closing time, with the excuse of "organizing" something. And when Serizawa didn't show, he'd feel a strange sense of… was it disappointment?

Today was one of those days. He'd even restocked the medicine cabinet in the morning, just in case. Maybe, he'd also watched a few YouTube tutorials on first aid. Maybe.

But that didn't mean anything, did it? It was just concern for his new… friend. Friend? Was that even the right word?

Just as he was about to give up and turn off the lights, the sound of footsteps outside the door made him pause. He turned just in time to see Serizawa step in, as serious as ever, though this time he didn't seem to have any visible injuries.

"What happened? You came in without a scratch today."

Serizawa, as usual, said nothing at first. He just stood there awkwardly, hands shoved deep into his pockets. After a few seconds, he frowned slightly, as though struggling to put something into words.

"My... stomach... hurts" he finally muttered, without much confidence.

Reigen let out a small laugh, tilting his head as he watched him. "Stomach ache? Come on, you don't need an excuse to drop by, Serizawa. If you wanted to visit me, just say so" he joked, though his tone was gentle, not mocking. He went to the back room to look for something that might help.

"Don't worry, I already consider you a frequent customer" he added, returning with a couple of pills and a bottle of water. "I may not have a medical degree, but I think I can handle this" he said with a smile.

To his surprise, Serizawa's mouth curved slightly—a faint, almost invisible smile. He seemed a bit less tense than usual, and though it wasn't much, for Reigen, it was more than enough. "I'll keep that in mind" Serizawa replied, still with that small smile.

When he accepted the pills, Reigen couldn't help but feel relieved. There were no injuries to tend to this time, but that tiny moment made the 30-minute wait worth it.

Serizawa was a bit elusive, Reigen had come to realize, especially when it came to anything beyond the office. It was as though an invisible line divided their worlds—Serizawa's, bound to the yakuza, and Reigen's, confined to his office, with Serizawa never seeming willing to cross that boundary.

One day, as they were wrapping up, the idea of inviting him out for a drink popped into Reigen's mind. He didn't think much before saying it. "It's been a long day; how about a drink?"

Serizawa immediately declined, almost reflexively. "No, we can't. I... can't" he replied, eyes averted.

Reigen felt a slight pang in his chest. "Oh, well" he said, trying to brush it off, though the disappointment lingered. The conversation trailed off, leaving a heavy, awkward silence between them. Serizawa looked ready to go, and Reigen couldn't think of anything else to say.

Sometimes, he wondered if they were moving backward instead of forward. He'd hoped Serizawa would open up more, but that ever-present hesitancy made him feel like he was reaching out to someone he might never fully understand.

Reigen had always found it odd how evasive Serizawa was about the idea of meeting Mob. By now, Serizawa probably knew as much about the kid as he did, with how often Reigen mentioned him in conversation.

But every time he hinted at a possible meeting, Serizawa tensed up. Reigen remembered the last time he'd casually said, "Oh, Mob just left; I should've introduced you two." The change on Serizawa's face was immediate, his discomfort evident.

"Maybe... I shouldn't have" he muttered, unable to fully mask the tension in his voice.

Reigen blinked, hiding his frustration. "It's okay" he replied after a moment, though disappointment settled quietly in his chest.

It sometimes felt like Serizawa didn't want to be part of his life.

Sure, he felt a pang of sadness about it, but he knew he couldn't force things. Maybe to Serizawa, he was just a stop along the way—a yakuza drifting in and out of his office, nothing more.

Reigen cared about Serizawa's well-being, though; it was just something he did for the people he cared about, like Mob, for example.

After a recent session patching up a cut on Serizawa's hand, they were making their way to the door when it started pouring.

Raindrops hammered against the windows. "Whoa, it's coming down hard. Let me get you an umbrella" Reigen said, stopping.

"It's fine, really" Serizawa replied, pausing as well. "It's just rain."

"No, seriously. Wait here. I don't want you getting soaked and catching a cold on my watch" Reigen said, already turning to go grab an umbrella. "I've got enough to deal with without you getting sick."

"I don't need an umbrella."

"You'll get sick" Reigen countered, pausing in the doorway. "I have a spare."

"Do you?" Serizawa asked, sounding skeptical.

"Of course" Reigen replied confidently, though he didn't actually have one. But there was no way he was letting Serizawa walk out into that downpour unprotected.

"Anyway, it's not—" Serizawa began, but Reigen cut him off.

"Just take it! Keep it for today; you can bring it back next time. I'd rather you not get soaked."

With a resigned sigh, Serizawa finally gave in. "Alright, I'll take it. I'll bring it back next time."

"Perfect" Reigen said, feeling a small surge of satisfaction. "Stay here; I'll go grab the umbrella."

As he dug through a drawer, Reigen found himself smiling. It wasn't a huge gesture, but it was something. When he returned with the umbrella, the rain was still relentless, but at least Serizawa would stay dry.

"Here you go" he said, holding it out.

"Thank you" Serizawa murmured, his cheeks faintly red as he managed a small, genuine smile.

"Alright, now get out of here—I've got things to finish up."

Serizawa lingered for a moment, then finally nodded and made his way out. He waited for a few minutes, hoping the rain might ease up, but when it didn't, he resigned himself to the long walk home in the storm.

The next day, he woke up with a cold.

Chapter Text

"Reigen?"

"Serizawa?" The therapist stops typing on his laptop to check the time in the corner of the screen. "Why are you here so early? I've got an appointment in ten minutes. If you want, you can wait in—" He isn't sure when, but in the blink of an eye, Serizawa's gone from standing in the doorway to right next to him. "What—?"

"Reigen..."

Reigen feels a bit concerned—why isn't he saying anything else? Did he hit his head? He stands up, taking Serizawa's face in his hands and gently tilting it to inspect him. No blood or swelling, everything looks perfectly normal.

"Reigen...?" the older man repeats, his voice now sounding almost desperate.

"Yes? Serizawa, I'm here. You don't have to—" He freezes when he feels Serizawa's large, calloused hands resting on his. They touch often enough, but usually, Reigen's the one who initiates. Serizawa never does. But the strangest part is that he's now... staring at his lips.

Reigen's face heats up instantly. His heart's pounding so loudly, he swears he can hear it. They're too close now; Serizawa's closed the gap between them and—

"Can I?" the taller man whispers.

Reigen doesn't think twice. "Y-yes, yes, please—"

He closes his eyes, and in an instant, Serizawa's lips are on his. Just as he thought, they aren't soft; they're chapped.

And, surprisingly, Serizawa seems to know exactly what he's doing. His big hands travel down to Reigen's waist, gripping him firmly, pulling him close. Then they trail down, brushing his thighs until Serizawa lifts him effortlessly.

As he's lifted, Reigen instinctively clings to him, wrapping his arms around Serizawa's broad shoulders.

Serizawa takes a few steps forward, settling him down on the desk.

Reigen isn't complaining; what started as a simple kiss has turned desperate, heated. Serizawa's leading with so much need, and all Reigen can do is let himself melt into it...

Until a flash of clarity breaks through his thoughts. His next client. It takes all his willpower to pull back from Serizawa's warmth. He gasps for breath, and the man in front of him looks just as shaken, cheeks flushed and eyes glassy.

"W-we can't…" he manages to say. Serizawa looks so disappointed it nearly breaks Reigen's heart. "At least not with the door open" he adds. Serizawa smiles now, looking so sweet, so handsome—it's almost too perfect, like a dream...

And unfortunately for him, it is.

Reigen wakes up startled, sweating, with his annoying phone alarm blaring right next to his head. What the hell did he just dream?

He kicks off the sheets, flailing and groaning.

No way, no, impossible—how could he…?

Even though he'd known all along that Serizawa was attractive—his type—he'd practically forgotten. With all the effort it took to manage him so he wouldn't bolt, and everything else always on his mind, he just forgot.

And he always preferred to ignore that small part of his mind that refused to forget him.

But now he just had a dream. Not an innocent one either, one where Serizawa kissed him, sat him on the desk and…

He feels his face flush, heat pooling somewhere lower.

He wants to disappear.

After a few minutes of whining and writhing in bed, he gets himself ready for the day. A cold shower, well-deserved. He slips into his gray suit, ties his jaunty pink tie with a decade's worth of practice. A light breakfast and his usual cup of coffee, as if that dream hadn't messed him up the second he woke up.

On the way, he greets a few neighbors; the sun feels warm on his skin, and birds chirp in the distance. Though the day started off a bit... strange, he has faith it'll be like any other.

When he arrives at the office, he has about forty minutes before his first appointment, so he powers on his computer and kills some time watching cat videos on YouTube.

He's halfway through a clip of a cat being particularly goofy when he hears the door open. It's Mob.

Reigen stifles his laughter with an awkward cough that sounds more like a strangled noise.

Mob raises an eyebrow from under his bowl cut but doesn't say anything about it.

"Morning, Reigen" he greets, setting his backpack down at his little desk by the door.

"M-Mob? Good morning. Shouldn't you be in class?"

"We're in exams, and I don't have one until eleven. And it's pretty quiet here. Is it okay if I stay and study?" he asks, hands resting on his backpack, giving Reigen a serious look.

"Oh—no, I don't mind. Just didn't expect anyone so early." He smiles, turning to his laptop and actually pulling up Excel for work.

"Thanks, Reigen." Mob gives a small bow as he starts pulling out his notes.

The day goes by smoothly. His first client arrives on time, and they have a session in the therapy room as usual. The conversation flows, nothing out of the ordinary.

Mob leaves about fifty minutes before eleven, but not before they make plans to grab ramen once Reigen closes up. Mob tells him about a new place a bit farther out, but apparently worth the trip.

He finishes his workday and waits around for about ten minutes. Not seeing any sign of Serizawa, he figures he's not showing up today. He grabs his jacket and heads to the station, where Mob is already waiting for him.

It's a long walk, almost thirty minutes, but today Mob is chattier than usual. He starts telling Reigen about a guy from another school, someone he met a few days ago while petting a cat on his way to class.

"Hanazawa, you say?" Reigen looks at him with interest. "What's up with that guy?"

Mob thinks for a second, his hands gripping his backpack strap, eyes on the ground as they walk. "He's... weird, I guess. He's not mean or anything, talks a lot and doesn't seem to get bored of me. Kind of like you, but less… uh, how do I put it?"

Reigen chuckles. "Less charming?"

"Sort of." Mob smiles a little. "It was weird; he saw me with the cat, came over, and we started talking. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable—it was... nice."

"Really? Sounds nice. If you keep seeing each other, I'd like to meet him."

Mob nods silently as they continue walking until, finally, they reach the ramen shop.

The shop is small, tucked away on a quiet side street. The wooden bar takes up most of the space, with a few stools lined up next to it. The walls are decorated with old posters and decorative ramen bowls.

They sit together at the bar, ordering the house's most recommended dish. As they wait, Reigen looks at the hand-painted menu on the wall and lets the ambiance relax him.

"Looks good" he comments, stretching his arms. "Seems worth the walk."

"Yeah" Mob replies, glancing briefly at his phone before putting it away. "Hopefully it's as good as they say."

When the ramen finally arrives, it's a feast for the senses. The broth is thick, and the portions are generous. Without hesitation, they both dig in.

After a few minutes, Reigen glances sideways at Mob, who is still focused on his bowl, leaning forward a bit to absorb the broth. "How is it?" he asks.

"It's good. We should come back" Mob replies, wiping a bit of broth from his cheek.

As they eat, the door suddenly swings open with a loud jingle.

A group of men enters.

Reigen sees Serizawa among them, accompanied by a tall, pale, black-haired man, along with a couple of others. All have scars on their faces and tattoos visible through their suits.

One of them starts bullying a diner, demanding money. Reigen isn't paying attention, though—his eyes are locked on Serizawa.

Serizawa stands on the sidelines, hands in his pockets, looking slightly uncomfortable. He hasn't noticed Reigen yet, and the therapist hesitates between greeting him or staying out of sight.

Suddenly, Serizawa looks around, and their eyes meet. Reigen's heart races, flashes of last night's dream flickering in his mind. They probably look at each other a moment too long, because the man with Serizawa turns away from the poor guy in the corner and smirks, asking Serizawa, "What's up? Do you know him?"

The blond quickly looks down at his bowl, his breath quickening. Maybe he...?

"He's nobody. Let's go" Serizawa replies, his voice firm and husky in a way Reigen hadn't heard before.

What was he expecting, anyway?

The men leave, and the tense silence finally breaks as the diners murmur among themselves. The small commotion in the shop makes Reigen feel even more out of place.

He stares motionlessly at his bowl for too long, until he feels Mob's hand on his arm.

"Reigen? Are you okay?"

Reigen swallows the lump in his throat and manages to say, with slight effort, "It's nothing, I was just a little surprised."

He doesn't touch his food again.

Mob finishes his meal in silence.

Reigen pays, they exchange a brief goodbye, and each heads home.

Arataka can't stop thinking about that day. He gets lost in his thoughts even while working, even when he's attending to a client. Unacceptable.

Serizawa doesn't come back either, and part of him is grateful for that. He isn't sure how he'd react if he saw him again. He feels sad, disappointed, angry—maybe all at once.

But does he have the right to feel this way? They have no titles, they're not even friends. They never talk outside the office, and Serizawa rarely shares anything personal. He doesn't even call him by his name; maybe he doesn't even remember him.

Hasn't he been looking out for him all this time? Doesn't it mean anything? Is he just a stranger to Serizawa?

Is he being used again? Is he really that easy to fool?

These thoughts replay over and over as he showers, eats dinner, and gets ready for bed.

Suddenly, he wants a cigarette.

The rain was coming down hard, the echo of thunder reverberating in the air. Arataka had just finished tidying up and was gathering his things to leave when the door burst open. Serizawa appeared, soaked and covered in blood, his white shirt stained a dark red, reddish water dripping onto what had been his spotless floor.

He winced—partly because of the mess, partly because of how bad the taller man looked, and partly because he wasn't ready to talk to him. He was afraid he'd blurt out something stupid.

Serizawa stood there, a bit hesitant, as if waiting for a sign that he was welcome.

Arataka sighed, setting down his briefcase. He took Serizawa by the sleeve and led him into the back room.

The dark-haired man remained silent. It was the same Serizawa he'd met those first few times.

As he helped him remove layers of soaked clothing, Arataka realized the blood wasn't his; he wasn't actually hurt.

Seeing that Serizawa didn't seem willing to talk, Reigen decided to break the silence. "I don't know whether I'm worried or relieved that the blood isn't yours."

The man didn't react.

The blond continued the usual routine: he grabbed the first aid kit, cleaned the wounds, and bandaged them. The usual, but this time without the usual banter.

"I don't know why I keep getting into this. I should get a sign that says, ‘I'm not your personal doctor,'" he muttered, letting more frustration slip into his voice than he meant to. He noticed the tattooed man flinch slightly under his touch.

Still, Serizawa didn't respond.

Reigen continued as he tended to a cut above Serizawa's chest. "I know I said I'd help, but isn't this a bit much? Isn't there anyone else—family, a girlfriend… the yakuza? They're supposed to take care of you. I don't play a part in any of this. I'm just an outsider. I'm nobody."

Reigen had never been someone who valued himself much. He settled for crumbs, an 'I know' after he said 'I love you.' He settled for being a secret, for the bare minimum. Always believing that was what he deserved.

This time was no different; he didn't need much. He didn't need an apology. He could overlook how bad he'd felt these past days if Serizawa just offered some explanation, even if it was a lie. He just wanted him to deny that he was a stranger. A 'nobody' That was enough to keep their strange dynamic going.

But he didn't.

Serizawa didn't say a word.

Reigen's hands started trembling, his movements slowing. His stomach churned, a lump formed in his throat, and his eyes began to sting.

If Serizawa noticed, he said nothing. As usual.

When Reigen finished, he stood up, gathered his things, and without looking back, murmured, "Thank you."

This time, Reigen didn't reply, "Anytime."

Two months passed.

Serizawa did not return. He had never been gone for so long. Arataka assumed it was a goodbye, that he wouldn't see him again. Maybe they'd have another chance encounter on the street, like last time—silent and distant, just two strangers. But he was fine with that. Happy, even. He swore he was.

His medicine cabinet hadn't been replenished since. He saved money on it. He barely touched it, except for the last time one of his patients relapsed and fell into somewhat self-destructive habits with her own arms.

He no longer waited—almost—after closing time for Serizawa. He came home earlier most days. He felt a little lonely, but nothing new; he could handle that.

I've always been lonely. This is no different.

Sometimes, he tried new things. He went out, crawled around bars, looked for friends. He tried to pick up strangers, drinking and feeling the alcohol slide down his throat. He even installed Grindr, despite his low ratings. He laughed at himself as he scrolled through profiles, each one worse than the last. Nothing worked.

The funny thing was that he hadn't even broken up with his boyfriend. Simply put, the surly, wounded dog that used to visit him stopped coming.

One night, after another failed outing, he found himself in a bar that seemed darker than the others. Laughter echoed around him. At the bar, a group of men laughed and flirted with each other, while he sat in his corner, playing with his drink. Suddenly, one of them turned to him, smiling and saying something, but the words were lost in the noise. Arataka realized his mind kept drifting back to Serizawa.

"Is something wrong with you?" the man asked, noticing his disconnection.

Arataka smiled. "Nothing, just a little distracted." He took another sip before continuing. "Would you help me clear my head?" he suggested in a flirtatious tone.

The man smiled back.

The stranger wasn't hard to convince. Minutes later, they were making out in an alley next to the bar. Arataka wanted to feel something, anything, but all he felt was the chill of the night and the rough brick walls against his back.

The encounter was sickening, and the next day, all he was left with was a hangover and a sore throat.

Even with the chaos in his mind over the past few weeks, he managed not to do anything reckless or irresponsible. It would have been absurd. He didn't miss work or cancel appointments. He drank just enough and hadn't relapsed into his old habit of smoking.

Mob didn't mention anything beyond pointing out the dark circles under his eyes. That meant he'd done well to pretend everything was normal, right?

Months passed, and Reigen began to forget. Really forget. Arataka stopped counting the weeks since he last saw Serizawa. Though the first few months had been difficult, time dulled the unanswered questions that had consumed him. He focused on his work, on his patients, on the things he could control. At some point, he stopped staying late at the office, no longer waiting for someone to show up.

He began to devote himself more to his routine, which offered him security. Small rituals, like making coffee in the morning or checking emails, reminded him that his life didn't stop for one person. He no longer looked at the clock when he finished his sessions, wondering if Serizawa would show up again.

On weekends, he stopped going out looking for distractions. He stayed at home, reading and watching movies. Things that would have seemed empty to him before now felt like a relief. He didn't need the intensity of the past, and little by little, the emotional void was filled with simple activities. One day, he noticed that his medicine cabinet was still intact, and he felt nothing about it.

Lately, Reigen had been experiencing a strange feeling. He felt watched, as if eyes were on him all the time. But when he turned around, he never saw anyone suspicious; he was completely alone. He decided to play it down; maybe he was just getting paranoid.

It was a Sunday afternoon when he decided to go to the supermarket. It had been a while since he had shopped, so he headed to a konbini near his home.

He found himself in the snack section, choosing something to go with the movie he planned to watch that night. He reached for a bag of potato chips, and just then, another hand landed on the same bag.

"Oh, excuse me" Reigen said, quickly pulling his hand away.

As he looked up, he realized he was facing the same man from the alley. What an embarrassment. Just what he needed.

The man looked just as surprised, but in an instant, his expression shifted from surprise to friendly.

"You again" the man said, flashing a charming smile.

Reigen felt heat rise to his cheeks.

"Yes... it seems we are doomed to meet" Reigen replied with a forced smile.

The man laughed. "You make it sound like it's bad."

"Isn't it?" Reigen reached for the snack he had tried to grab earlier. "One-night stands are just that."

"Maybe? Normally? But I wish this wasn't the case. In fact, I might say it's lucky to find you. I've been thinking about you." He confessed this without a hint of embarrassment, despite how awkward it sounded.

Reigen raised an eyebrow, turning his attention away from the chips. Was he serious, or just joking? Maybe he just wanted to get back into his pants.

"So" the man continued, "I know our introduction wasn't the best, but if it made you uncomfortable, we could wipe the slate clean. As friends, what do you say?"

Reigen considered it for a moment. True, they had gotten off to a bad start, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. After all, he wasn't desperate to meet new people anymore. This time, he could take it easy. There was no rush; there was nothing to lose.

He sighed. "Okay."

"Great. Dozen Roshuto." He introduced himself, extending his hand with a smile.

"Reigen Arataka." Reigen squeezed his hand; the cold touch made him shiver, but he smiled back.

They continued shopping, with Dozen not backing off. He talked almost as much as Reigen did, which wasn't bad. It turned out they were the same age, and Dozen worked as a clerk at a company near Reigen's office.

Before he knew it, they were in line to pay. It was only then that Reigen noticed Dozen had nothing else with him except a carton of cigarettes, which he grabbed at the last minute from the cashier's desk. Reigen paid quickly, and they both walked out into the chilly autumn air.

Reigen was about to say goodbye when Dozen stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, would you mind exchanging numbers? I feel like I'd regret it if I left here without it, like last time" he said matter-of-factly, as if meeting again wasn't the strangest thing.

Reigen hesitated for a second but then pulled out his phone. "I guess it's no problem."

They exchanged numbers quickly, and Dozen waved a casual goodbye. Reigen watched him walk away, a little puzzled by what had just happened.

It couldn't be that bad, could it?

Chapter Text

As the days went by, Reigen found a few words to define Dozen: intense.

For example, by message: he never gave him a break.

Dozen | 05:34 pm
Heyyy, are you busy?
Shall we go out today?

Dozen | 05:55 pm
:(

Arataka | 06:15 pm
Sorry, I was with a patient

Dozen | 06:15 pm
No problem!
Will you answer my question?

Arataka | 06:31 pm
I don't feel like going out today
maybe another day.

Dozen | 06:32 pm
Really?
I promise it will be fun
If you're stressed out...
I can help you with that

Dozen | 06:45 pm
Rei?

Dozen | 06:54 pm
Yeah, I get it.
Tomorrow then?

Dozen | 06:59 pm
Yes?

Arataka | 07:07 pm
Where would we go?

Dozen | 07:08 pm
It's a surprise ;)
I promise you'll love it

Arataka | 08:37 pm
I close the office at 6:30
I can from that time

Dozen | 08:38 pm
Great then, I'll be there before 7

Arataka | 08:40 pm
?
Do you even know where it is?

Dozen | 08:41 pm
Yes, you told me last time

Arataka | 08:45 pm
I did? I don't remember
Seen 08:45

Every day, I would say good morning to him at 6 o'clock, without exception. I was beginning to think it was a self-scheduled message or something.

Dozen | 06:00 am
Good morning!
Cheer up for today!!! :)

Arataka | 07:34 am
Likewise

He would show up at places without warning.

Dozen | 11:54 am
What are you doing for lunch?
Can I come?

Arataka | 12:37 pm
I eat at a place near my work
I'll only have 20 minutes for lunch today; it's not worth it for you to come over

Dozen | 12:38 pm
Too late, I'm out
You're wearing a gray suit, aren't you?

Arataka | 12:39 pm
What?

Dozen | 10:34 am
It's Sunday at last
What are you doing today?

Arataka | 11:37 am
Watching a TV show.

Dozen | 11:38 am
What show? I doubt it's more interesting than me.

Dozen | 11:50 am
?

Dozen | 11:55 am
See you online; don't ignore me :(

Dozen | 06:00 am
Good morning.

Dozen | 07:37 am
Are you already in the office?

Arataka | 08:40 am
Ye

Dozen | 08:47 am
Do you want a coffee? I can bring you one.

Arataka | 09:20 am
No need. I have coffee here

Dozen | 09:21 am
But it's not the same
Real coffee always tastes better
Maybe you'd agree to go out with me for coffee?

Arataka | 09:27 am
I'm about to see a patient.

Another word to describe Dozen: rude.

The first outing was... awkward. Reigen was embarrassed. Dozen didn't hesitate to treat the staff rudely. Whenever something didn't go his way, he would throw out derogatory comments that made everyone stare.

Reigen would not agree to go to any more restaurants with him. That experience was enough for him to decide that he didn't want to spend any more time in places where Dozen could put on his show.

Besides, he was very self-centered. If Reigen talked a lot, Dozen talked twice as much, and everything revolved around himself. Everything that came out of his mouth was "me."

Reigen was fed up, but he didn't know how to get rid of Dozen.

Things had gone from bad to worse, with no sign of getting better. Aside from his arrogant and self-centered attitude, Dozen seemed to have no concept of personal space. He was always grabbing Reigen by the arm without warning, leaning too close when he spoke to him, always looking at him in a way that gave him the creeps.

What was worse was that Dozen was also jealous. Incredibly jealous. Even when they were just "friends" he would get weird over petty things. Reigen found himself in a ridiculous situation when he mentioned Mob in a conversation, and Dozen blurted out, "Do you have to talk about another man to my face?"

Reigen almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Man? Mob is a kid, for God's sake.

And at that moment, he couldn't help but compare. It was impossible not to compare Dozen to him. How was it possible that a yakuza like Serizawa, a man considered violent, turned out to be a much more respectful and considerate person than this "simple civilian"?

Like the fool he was, he didn't see the red flags from the start, and now he was in a situation where Dozen knew his schedule, his office, and even his apartment.

Reigen was about to close the office after an exceptionally exhausting and stressful day. As he reached for his keys, he saw a figure standing beside him. He assumed it was Dozen, who always appeared out of nowhere and without warning.

He turned around to confront the person and send them home when— it wasn't Dozen. It was Serizawa.

The keys slipped from his hands and fell to the floor with a clack.

Serizawa looked almost exactly the same as last time. Only his dark circles under his eyes were darker, and he had stubble, which made him look more rugged.

"What are you doing here?" Reigen asked, his racing pulse echoing in his ears.

The man ignored the question.

"I need to talk to you."

Reigen swallowed a sarcastic response: Since when do you talk to me? Instead, he answered through gritted teeth, "Can't it wait until tomorrow? I'm about to leave."

"It's important" Serizawa insisted.

Reigen hesitated a moment but agreed. Even after so much, he could never say no to Serizawa, let alone that voice.

"It better be" he murmured as he reopened the office, giving him room to pass. He bent down to pick up his keys from the floor. "And make it quick" he added.

Once inside, he hurried to speak, wanting to get the encounter over with quickly.

"What's this about?"

Serizawa took a step closer. Although Reigen had the urge to back away, he didn't. "That guy you're hanging out with... you shouldn't keep seeing him" Serizawa said, his tone expressionless, as if that single sentence explained enough.

"What? What are you talking about?" Reigen glared at him angrily. "You have no right to tell me who I can see."

But Serizawa's expression didn't change. "He's been following you. For a month now."

Reigen raised an eyebrow. A month? Well, if he thought about it, Dozen had been giving odd signals from the start—wait, what?

"And you know that how?" he asked, frowning, his mind beginning to connect dots. Not that he was all that surprised that Dozen was following him; in fact, it made sense... but how did Serizawa know something like that?

Serizawa's facade immediately crumbled, beginning to stammer out clumsy excuses. "I—well, uh..."

"You've been following me too?" Reigen interjected indignantly. "You're no better than him, then"

"No, it's not that—I just wanted to... make sure you were all right."

"And why wouldn't I be? I'm an adult. You don't have to follow me around or watch me. Besides, we have nothing to do with each other. It was pretty clear to me last time."

"Reigen..."

The therapist pretended not to react at the mention of his name. All this time, he thought Serizawa didn't even remember him since he had never called him by name.

He folded his arms and prayed that his voice sounded less weak than it felt.

"Look, Serizawa, I've been doing so well the past few days for you to come out of nowhere to ruin it on mere whims of yours" he began, wanting to express everything he'd had inside over the past few months. "I don't know if you didn't realize it or pretended not to, but I really had feelings for you. Why else would I play nurse with you? I wanted more. I'm not the good, selfless man you maybe thought I was."

He inhaled and gathered all the courage he could to continue. "I wanted something with you because I like you, romantically. You can run off saying I'm a gay creep now." He looked away, staring at his feet; he shrank back a little, and his arms-crossed stance now looked more like a hug to himself. "Go away and don't come back."

Alright, I said it.

"I like you too."

Reigen stood still, turning his eyes to Serizawa, blinking. What?

"What?"

Serizawa took a breath as he prepared to say the longest sentence Reigen had heard from him so far.

"I like you too, Reigen, a lot. I had never been interested in anyone until the day I... I met you. You helped me when you didn't have to; you treated me so gently when I didn't deserve it. And then you made me understand that I could come back; I did, and... you took care of me every time. You were so patient with me, and I— I liked you even more. But I was afraid; I'm afraid of myself, of my feelings. They were so strong, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. I always came back for you, not because I needed someone to take care of me—we have a doctor in the organization…"

Oh, um, well. Reigen was speechless now.

He was silent for a moment; the last few months passed quickly through his mind. The anger, the disappointment, and the pain of being abandoned. But there was Serizawa, as awkward as ever, saying the one thing Reigen never thought he would hear from him.

I like you too.

Those words hit him harder than they should have. What was about to be an argument came to a screeching halt, and Reigen stood there, staring at him, trying to process it. Wasn't that what he had been longing for all this time?

Serizawa took his silence as permission to speak and continued. "And I'm sorry, sorry for saying you were nobody that time. I'm afraid of dragging you into my world, of being related to me. I am a monster; my hands are full of blood."

For a second, something in Reigen wanted to resist. To tell him that it was too late, that his life had moved on without him. Yet he knew better. He had missed him more than he was willing to admit.

Reigen let out a long sigh; his head was spinning. He still wasn't sure how to process this. But what was clear to him was that the thought of turning away from Serizawa again was more unbearable than ignoring whatever logic or reason he'd had so far.

He decided to be honest.

"Serizawa, I'm an adult capable of fending for myself. I took the risk the moment I took your shirt off and realized you were a fucking yakuza and didn't run away." He reasoned.

The other man didn't look very convinced. "I know, but you deserve someone better. I could—hurt you. I'm not very stable."

"I know you wouldn't. And I— I can be your stability. I can help you with that. Do you remember what I work at?" He took a step forward, bringing his hands a little hesitantly closer, but Serizawa didn't pull away. Reigen cradled his face with his hands. The taller man's face was red, and he looked on the verge of tears. "We can do this together" Reigen murmured softly.

Tears began to well up in Serizawa's eyes. "But I'm a lot of work, and I'm not worth it" his voice was weak and tiny.

"You are worth it" Reigen reassured him.

"Reigen... I love you. I really do."

"Don't long for me anymore, then. Here I am, just for you" he whispered before moving a little closer.

Then, Serizawa leaned in, and their lips met.

Reigen remembered that dream he had some time ago.

He was wrong about something: the real Serizawa didn't seem to have any experience kissing.

Not that it mattered; he was there to teach him, though.

His hands ran through Serizawa's dark hair as he pulled him closer, deepening the kiss and settling into a less awkward position.

The kiss was tender; the tattooed man didn't seem to know where to put his hands and let them hover in the air for a few moments before placing them on Reigen's waist.

After a few moments, they broke apart.

Reigen spoke first. "Would you like to come to my house?"

"I'd love to."

On the way to the apartment, the cold air brushed against Reigen's cheeks, but he couldn't help but smile. Serizawa looked comfortable too. It was quite late, and seeing no one around, Reigen brought his hand close to Serizawa's and intertwined their fingers. He smiled in Serizawa's direction, and Serizawa returned a small smile.

When they arrived, Reigen broke contact and hurried into his apartment, closing the door behind him with a quick, "Give me five minutes" before Serizawa could react. The place was a mess. "Shit" he muttered as he picked up clothes from the floor, shoved dirty dishes into the sink, and quickly wiped the surfaces with a rag.

Finally, breathing hard, Reigen opened the door again, leaning against the frame as if nothing was amiss, trying to keep his composure. A few breaths later, he stepped aside, making way for Serizawa. "Come in."

Serizawa entered shyly, removing his shoes and mumbling an "excuse me." Reigen couldn't help but smile. It was funny to see someone as big as Serizawa looking so nervous.

As he watched him, he remembered something. "Hey, did you have dinner?"

Serizawa shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"Perfect" Reigen said, clapping his hands. "Let's order something. I'm starving." He pulled out his phone and started looking through his fast food options. "How about ramen?"

"Yeah, okay" Serizawa replied, sitting down carefully on the edge of the couch.

"I'm going to go take a bath. You can… look around if you want or turn on the TV."

"Okay" Serizawa replied sheepishly.

Reigen ran to his room, stripping off his clothes for a quick bath. He made sure to clean himself thoroughly; not that he expected anything, but it was just hygiene.

Just as he was coming out, he heard the doorbell ring. "Serizawa, can you get that?" he called out from his room.

He heard a sound of agreement from outside. As he pulled on the last garment, a sweatshirt with an ugly bear in the center, he remembered he had to pay. With a towel around his neck and stumbling a bit, he left the room.

"Did you pay? Here, here—it's my house, so it's on me—" he started to say, extending the money to Serizawa, but was interrupted. Serizawa was standing in front of the door, holding the food in the air with a confused expression.

"He left. He ran out" Serizawa explained, still puzzled.

Reigen stood still for a second and blinked. He looked Serizawa up and down, and it wasn't so strange that the delivery man had run off. Serizawa was intimidating, even unintentionally.

Reigen let out a laugh, holding his stomach.

"Did I do something wrong?" asked Serizawa, somewhat confused.

"No, no, it never hurts to get free food, after all. Come, let's eat."

They sat down, facing each other at Reigen's small kitchen table.

After a couple of bites, the blond decided to break the silence, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "So... you want to tell me what happened?"

Serizawa looked down at his bowl of ramen, hesitating for a moment before answering. "I—ever since I started realizing my feelings, I was afraid. Afraid of becoming vulnerable. Not just for myself, but that someone might see that as a weakness." His voice grew softer, as if every word was costing him. "So I started to feel anxious. When I went to see you, I'd do a few laps before I got there, and I'd always check to see if anyone was following me. I thought I could... keep things that way, but then I came out, saw you, and realized that yes, you do exist outside the office. And I couldn't keep you a secret for long. You didn't deserve that either." He paused, swallowing hard. "I later regretted ignoring you in front of Shimazaki. But then I tried to convince myself that it was for the best, that I had to cut it all off completely... I didn't plan to come back, but that time I did, telling myself it would be the last. Seeing you alone, it was like a confirmation to leave; you looked hurt, and that made me feel even worse."

Reigen stretched his arm across the small table and put his hand on Serizawa's. "It's okay. Thank you for telling me."

Serizawa nodded, tears gathering in his eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay" Reigen reassured him. "It's late. Are you staying over?" he suggested. "I don't know where you live, but it's probably far." He withdrew his hand to go back to eating.

"It is... and yes, if you don't mind."

"No, no, not at all. Do you want to take a bath? I have some clothes that might fit you" he offered, swallowing some noodles.

The brunet nodded again, grateful, and Reigen took one last drink before heading to find some clothes.

Serizawa finished eating while Reigen searched for something that would fit him.

He found a pair of gray sweatpants that were too big and a worn black shirt that had shrunk in the wash. He hoped Serizawa wouldn't mind walking around without underwear, since he didn't have anything in his size.

He placed the clothes on the sink, along with a clean towel, making sure everything was ready for him.

Reigen also went through his pre-bedtime hygiene and skincare routine as quickly as he could.

As soon as he came out, Serizawa was in the middle of the room, fiddling with his hands.

Cute.

"It's all ready. Go... ah, the extra toothbrushes are behind the mirror."

Serizawa nodded and headed for the bathroom.

Reigen took the opportunity to check his cell phone.

Mob 🐸 | 7:03 pm
I know I usually go on fridays, but I won't be able to make it tomorrow.
Things came up

Arataka | 8:40 pm
Things can be translated as Hanazawa?
No problem, but remember I'll deduct it from your paycheck

He also had ten other messages from Dozen, but he didn't bother to open them.

He scrolled a bit through social media until the brunet came out of the bathroom, his hair still damp.

Reigen blinked in his direction. It was a struggle between laughing and getting hot. He decided on the former.

The pants fit Serizawa well, but the shirt was uncomfortably tight, clinging to his biceps and chest. Reigen cut that thought short before he put himself in an awkward situation.

Serizawa continued to dry his hair, unaware of how funny he looked.

The blond forced himself to stop laughing. "It's okay; you can take it off. It looks really uncomfortable."

The man paused his movement. "Are you sure? My tattoos...?" he asked, unsure.

"I don't mind them, Serizawa. I even like them" he confessed, red-faced from laughter, of course.

Serizawa hesitated but then took the shirt off, revealing his tattoos. Reigen's heart raced; he'd never had a chance to really look at them before, and without blood or dirt on them, they were impossible to ignore. Two dragons, one red and one black, covered his chest, each occupying a breastplate, facing each other and showing their sharp fangs. The rest of their bodies stretched across his arms, snaking between red flowers. Reigen didn't know much about flowers, but he was almost certain they were peonies.

Reigen swallowed dryly. He sat on the edge of the bed, stretching his arms a little, and said, "Will you hold me? It's cold." It really wasn't cold.

The tattooed man blushed. "Where do I leave this...?" he began, lifting the towel and shirt he had just taken off.

"On the floor, never mind". Future Arataka will take care of it later. Needy, yes, can you blame him?

Serizawa closed the distance and hugged him. He smelled like Reigen's shampoo. As hard as he looked, he felt soft, like a teddy bear. A huggable teddy bear.

Reigen pulled him down onto the bed. Serizawa was inches away, holding himself with his arms. Even redder—how adorable.

"Can I kiss you?" Serizawa asked, his eyes fixed on Reigen's lips.

"Please" Reigen pleaded. Serizawa needed no more encouragement.

The kiss was slow at first. Reigen's hands released the sheets to cling to the man on top of him. He buried his fingers in the dark strands and even felt the scars on his scalp.

Serizawa opened his mouth, and Reigen took the opportunity to explore the warm cavity; it tasted like mint.

One of Serizawa's hands reached down and landed on Reigen's hip, under his clothes. He kept his grip there, caressing Reigen's skin with his thumb. Reigen melted at the contact.

When their air grew short, Reigen left Serizawa's lips to kiss his jaw. His hands slipped under the other's pants and—

The tattooed man shuddered, but it didn't seem like a shudder of pleasure. Serizawa pulled away, sitting on the edge of the bed, confirming that it definitely wasn't.

"It's just, I've never..." he stammered, not finishing the sentence.

Reigen got the idea but couldn't help feeling curious. He sat down too and grabbed Serizawa's hand. Surely this was his first time with a man, right? "You've never...?" Reigen prompted him to finish.

"I've never done anything like that before. The kiss earlier was... my first kiss."

The blond blinked multiple times, processing this revelation.

Ah, that was it. So it was his first kiss... Wait, HIS FIRST KISS? This handsome man had never even been touched before. Was everyone in this world blind? Were they all crazy? How was it possible that no one had ever seen him before and wanted to seduce him?

He must have been quiet for a long time because Serizawa seemed to interpret his silence as a bad thing and started apologizing.

"Is it that bad? I'm sorry for not—"

Reigen interrupted him abruptly, perhaps in a louder tone than he intended. "No, it's not bad... Just a little shocking. As handsome as you are, I didn't think it was your first kiss." Serizawa blushed even more at the compliment. The blond continued, covering his face with one hand. "My god, now I feel like a beast wanting something more when you just barely gave your first kiss..." he squeaked.

"Although if you want to, we can do it. Just tell me what to do" Serizawa proposed. Reigen would have considered it if he hadn't jumped so much at Serizawa's earlier touch.

"No, it's okay. We can wait. You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with just because I want you to."

"Thank you, Reigen."

"No, you don't have anything to be thankful for. It's basic in a relationship; we'll wait until you're ready or never, if you don't want to" he reassured him.

"But I do want to." Serizawa squeezed his hand. "I want you, in that way, like I never wanted anyone. Only now... I'm so nervous."

Reigen tried not to feel too cocky about the confession. "Y-yes, well, shall we go to bed? I had a tiring day." He sighed as he lay down and made room on the side for Serizawa, who agreed.

Serizawa said no more, just clinging to Reigen's waist. Reigen pressed his face against Serizawa's tattooed chest.

He drifted into a dreamless sleep, having the best night he'd had in years.

Chapter Text

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, softly illuminating the room. Reigen was the first to wake up, still entwined with Serizawa under the blankets. He was silent for a moment, observing the other's relaxed face: his straight eyebrows, incipient beard, tattooed chest rising and falling in rhythm with his breathing. He couldn't help but smile.

Not wanting to move too much, he settled on top of him, gently resting his head on Serizawa's chest. He looked up at him for a few seconds, enjoying the view before leaning down to plant a light kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning" he murmured against his skin, barely a whisper, as he felt Serizawa move slowly beneath him. "Did you sleep well, or did I snore too loud?"

Serizawa opened his eyes, blinking as he got used to the light. He smiled a little, still drowsy, raising a hand to stroke Reigen's back over his clothes.

"Well, I'm a heavy sleeper."

"Really? How convenient."

"Yeah... Wait, what time is it?" he asked, a little startled.

"Oh, give me a second." Reigen reached out and grabbed his cell phone from the nightstand. "Ten to seven."

Serizawa's eyes snapped open.

"Is it that bad? Since I was planning to open the office late, I disabled my 6 o'clock alarm. If you had told me..." Reigen lamented as he stretched.

"Okay, it's not that bad, but I still need to leave now." He stood up and ran to get the suit he had taken off the previous night.

The jacket was lying on the back of a chair, while the pants and shirt were folded on the seat. Serizawa moved quickly, putting on the clothes right away. The shirt was half wrinkled, but he put it on anyway, fastening the buttons quickly and pulling up his pants with a tug.

"No breakfast?" asked Reigen, not moving from the bed, his voice a little muffled.

"No, sorry." Serizawa was finishing buttoning his pants in record time. His shirt sleeves were still wrinkled, but he didn't bother to smooth them out; he just put on his jacket, leaving it unbuttoned while fumbling with his pants pockets.

Reigen watched him from the bed. "So, see you around?"

Serizawa moved closer again, leaning down to take Reigen's face in his hands. He gave him a chaste kiss, pressing his lips to Reigen's briefly. "Can I pick you up after work?"

"Yes, yes" Reigen murmured, his hand coming up quickly to the back of Serizawa's neck, pulling him in for a real kiss. The sound of both of their breathing became more distinct. When they broke apart, Reigen frowned, remembering something. "Wait, did we exchange numbers? I was a little nervous about asking you earlier, afraid you'd turn me down..."

"Sure, here." Serizawa pulled his cell phone out of his pants pocket and held it out to him.

Reigen typed in his number quickly and handed it back to him. "I'll walk you to the door." He got to his feet.

He followed Serizawa out into the hallway, watching him put on his shoes. Just before Serizawa opened the door, Reigen pulled him by the arm for one last kiss.

"Take care of yourself".

"I'll try". Serizawa left without looking back. Reigen watched his broad back disappear as he walked down the stairs.

He stood alone in the doorway, the feeling of the kiss still on his lips. His cell phone vibrated in his hand.

Dozen | 06:56 am
Rei?
Please
Answer
Are you with someone else?

Reigen felt a shiver run down his spine, squeezing the cell phone between his fingers.

Reigen walked out of his apartment with a smile that wouldn't leave his face. The cool morning air made him feel even lighter, as if he were floating. He walked toward his office with a jaunty hum, his steps almost bouncy. As he went, his mind wandered through dark suits and shy smiles, going over the details of the morning with Serizawa.

Upon arrival, he unlocked the office door, still humming. He went through his daily ritual: turning on the lights, checking voicemail, and making sure everything was in order before starting the day. But his mind was still busy, lost in memories of that last look from Serizawa before he left.

So radiant did he look that even one patient, an older man who came for regular consultations, couldn't help but smile as he watched him from the doorway. "Looks like something good happened to him today, huh?"

Reigen laughed, without giving much detail, but replied quickly, "Maybe, maybe"

The day flew by, as if each consultation lasted mere minutes. By the time the last appointment was over, the sun was setting, and Reigen sat at his desk going through some emails. He glanced at the time in the bottom corner of the screen every few minutes, impatient.

05:40

06:12

06:55

Just as he was about to check once more, he heard the door open. It was Serizawa, who greeted him with a shy smile. Reigen, unable to help himself, planted a soft kiss on his lips as a greeting.

"Would you like to have dinner?" asked Reigen. "At my place? I cook pretty decently, you know?"

Serizawa nodded. "Yes, I'd love to"

"Great" replied Reigen enthusiastically. "But first, we'll have to stop by the supermarket to buy something. Is that okay with you?"

The idea seemed to please Serizawa, who nodded shyly. "Yeah, sure."

As they walked to the supermarket, Reigen tossed him a casual question. "What's your favorite food?"

Serizawa thought for a moment, then answered almost embarrassedly, "Gyudon."

"Ah, perfect" Reigen said with a confident smile. "Let's make gyudon then."

In the supermarket, Reigen moved easily between the aisles, grabbing what he needed: meat, onions, rice... Meanwhile, Serizawa followed him silently, one hand in his pocket, unsure of what to say or do but calmly wheeling the cart. Reigen would drop little comments about brands and prices, but Serizawa would just nod.

Back at Reigen's apartment, they both began to unpack the bags. Reigen set the groceries down on the kitchen counter and started pulling out the ingredients one by one.

"Let's see, we have the basics. Do you know how to cook?" he asked, opening a drawer to pull out a cutting board.

Serizawa shook his head, looking at the ingredients with some uncertainty. "No, I never learned".

In between prepping, Reigen decided to continue the conversation. "Wait... You live alone?" he asked as he went through the packages and pulled a frying pan out of the cupboard.

Serizawa nodded before verbalizing it. "Yes, for a while now."

Reigen raised an eyebrow, looking at Serizawa curiously. "Then how come you don't know how to cook? I doubt you spend your time eating canned goods or instant noodles... not with those muscles." He shot him a curious look, prompting him to explain himself.

Serizawa let out a low chuckle. "Well... I'm outside most of the time." His tone was neutral, but Reigen noticed the slight evasiveness in his response.

Reigen paused for a moment, setting the knife down on the cutting board and looking at him with slightly narrowed eyes, as if he had just heard something out of place. "Do you know how expensive that is? Are you a millionaire or something?"

Serizawa shrugged, sketching a small smile. "Maybe. I guess I don't notice much."

Reigen snorted jokingly, resuming cutting the onions.

Serizawa, on the other hand, began to fidget a little, uncomfortable just standing there.

"Come on, you can help me wash the rice" Reigen said, pointing to the sink with his head. "It's easy—just rinse it a few times until the water runs clear."

Serizawa approached slowly, following the instructions. He carefully took off his jacket and laid it on a nearby chair, then rolled up his sleeves before taking the rice between his large hands. It was somewhat clumsy, but he was willing to follow the instructions. Water ran over the rice as he rinsed it, and Reigen couldn't help but notice the contrast between Serizawa's hands and the delicacy of the task.

"So how did you end up eating out all the time?" Reigen asked as he began sautéing the onions in the pan. "You don't look like the kind of person who enjoys restaurants very much."

Serizawa shrugged, concentrating on rinsing the rice. "Not that I enjoy it, but it was the easiest thing to do. Between work and everything else, I just didn't have time to learn how to cook"

"Everything else?" Reigen raised his head, his tone more curious than intrusive. "What do you mean by that?"

The taller man hesitated a moment before answering, avoiding Reigen's gaze. "Work stuff. Complicated."

Reigen nodded, not pressing further, understanding that it was probably a topic Serizawa didn't want to discuss at the moment. Instead, he glanced at the rice Serizawa was still washing. "That's ready now. See, it's not that hard."

Serizawa smiled a little, feeling more comfortable now that he was doing something with his hands. Reigen took the rice and set it to cook next to the onions. The soft sizzling of the pan filled the silence as they went about their tasks. Reigen, used to talking to all kinds of people, kept the conversation light.

"So, if you eat out all the time, do you have a favorite place?" he asked, stirring the pan with quick, precise movements.

"There's a ramen place near my house" Serizawa replied. "I go there quite often."

Reigen smiled, not entirely surprised. "Makes sense. Easy and quick. But you're going to get tired of eating the same thing every day."

Serizawa looked at him for a moment, considering what he had said. "True... but it's not always about what you eat. Sometimes it's just easier that way."

Reigen glanced sideways at him, catching the undertone in his words. He didn't want to delve any deeper, but something in Serizawa's tone made him think there was more to that eating-out routine than met the eye. However, he decided to keep the conversation light.

"Well, at least you're going to eat something homemade today" Reigen said, smiling as he turned his focus back to the frying pan.

The smell of onions and meat cooking began to fill the air, creating a cozy atmosphere in the small kitchen. Serizawa, who had fallen silent again, watched the cooking process with curiosity. Although he didn't say so, he seemed to be enjoying the simple fact that he was there, participating in the preparation of the food.

"Would you like to learn to cook more?" Reigen asked, breaking the silence as he added the rest of the ingredients to the pan.

Serizawa nodded, a little more confident this time. "Yes, I'd like to."

"Well, next time you come, we can try something more complicated" Reigen said with a smile.

They took their time finishing the dish. Reigen was careful with the details, explaining what he was doing at each step without overwhelming Serizawa with too much information. He showed him how to adjust the temperature, when to add the seasonings, and finally how to serve the gyudon in the bowls. Throughout the entire process, the conversation flowed easily, with pauses that felt comfortable, as if they were both at ease with those moments of silence.

Finally, the meal was ready, and they sat down at Reigen's small dining table. Serizawa stared at the plate in front of him, his face showing a mixture of surprise and gratitude. He wasn't used to having someone cook for him, let alone share a home-cooked meal in such a domestic setting.

"Well, I hope you like it" Reigen said, handing him some chopsticks as he took a seat across from him.

Serizawa took a bite, chewing slowly before looking at Reigen with a slight smile. "It's delicious."

Reigen smirked. They continued eating in silence for a while, simply enjoying the food and each other's company.

"Are you staying over?" Reigen asked suddenly, after a few minutes of silence.

Serizawa nodded, taking another bite before answering. "If you want to."

"I want to."

The next morning, a persistent noise at the door woke him up. Reigen half-opened his eyes, feeling Serizawa's slight movement beside him. Trying not to make noise, he gently slid out of bed, careful not to disturb his boyfriend.

As he walked toward the door, the knocking sound continued, growing more and more impatient. "Who the hell is it at this hour?" he muttered to himself, frowning. He opened the door and found Dozen standing there.

"Rei! Why did you block me?"

Reigen grimaced at the nickname. "Dozen? What are you doing here?" he asked incredulously, unable to hide the disdain in his voice. God, he thought blocking him would send a hint. He didn't. It was Dozen; what did he expect?

Dozen ignored the question and continued his chatter. "It was a mistake, wasn't it? Otherwise, why would you do it? I'm the best man you could find!" he squeaked, clutching his chest dramatically.

How ridiculous, and he said it with such conviction.

"The best?" Reigen lost his patience. "Dozen, you're the most unbearable man I've ever met, and believe me, there have been many. You're clingy, you're suffocating. I also heard you've been following me. Are you crazy?" he demanded, folding his arms.

"No, I'm not crazy, just very, very interested in you."

Reigen blinked, growing increasingly frustrated. "Okay? But I'm not interested. Is it that hard to understand no? Just... just go, I don't feel like arguing."

"No, I can't leave. We have to try" pleaded Dozen, though his tone said it all: 'I always get what I want, and you'll be no different.'

"Dozen..."

"Is it someone else? Is that it? No one could be better than me. It's impossible that—"

Reigen interrupted him. "Yes, Dozen, I have someone else. Happy? Now, can you go?"

Dozen gasped, indignant, his face contorting with rage as his 'good boy' mask dropped in an instant. "So it's true, huh? While you were leading me on, you were with someone else? I should have known. You're nothing but a bitch—" With a swift movement, he raised his hand, preparing to slap him.

It happened so suddenly that Reigen just closed his eyes, waiting for the impact that never came. When he opened them, he saw Serizawa beside him, blocking the slap. The sight made something squirm inside him. Oh God, it's like a scene from a K-drama, isn't it? He was inwardly thankful he didn't try to dodge.

Serizawa's aura was intimidating. Shirtless, tattoos and scars exposed, he stood firmly next to Reigen. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Serizawa, it's okay, it was nothing" Reigen tried to calm him down, grabbing his arm. He wanted to tell him that, yes, Dozen was a complete ass and deserved to be thrown out, but he knew someone had to be the sensible adult here. Seeing Serizawa's expression and Dozen's panic, he doubted either of them could be.

"Are you fucking a yakuza?" Dozen blurted out, dumbfounded and almost gleeful.

"No" Reigen said as he processed the words. "No, we're not fucking... yet." He let go of Serizawa and put his hands on his now-rosy cheeks.

Serizawa didn't even flinch. He didn't deny anything either. He must have squeezed Dozen's hand harder because Dozen winced, holding back a groan to salvage his dignity.

"If I see you near him again, you're dead" Serizawa threatened with a scowl.

Dozen sputtered, finally realizing the situation he'd put himself in. "No, I— I was just leaving." He recoiled, looking pale.

"Good riddance" Serizawa growled as Dozen walked away.

Reigen couldn't hold back his laughter and clutched his stomach.

Serizawa frowned, confused. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Reigen tried to catch his breath. "No, no, you didn't do anything wrong. But you didn't have to go so hard on him. He almost wet his pants."

"Nothing he didn't deserve" Serizawa shrugged.

"Maybe you're right. Shall we go back to bed, or are you up for something else?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively as he closed the door behind him.

Serizawa didn't respond. Instead, he grabbed Reigen, lifting him off the floor, and carried him straight to the bedroom.

In the end, Serizawa doesn't feel like doing anything beyond kisses and hugs, and Reigen doesn't exactly complain.

They share a long session of kissing and cuddling, only stopping when Reigen realizes that if they keep going, he might need a cold shower to start his morning.

Now he's lazing around, idly checking his cell phone. Serizawa is beside him, frowning as he types something on his own phone. Reigen decides not to comment.

"How about we stay here all day?" Reigen suggests, half-sunken between the pillows as he tosses his phone aside. Serizawa looks at him, a little puzzled.

"Don't you have to work?"

Reigen shakes his head, smiling. "It's Saturday, big guy. Everyone deserves a weekend off."

Serizawa nods slowly. "So... what do we do?"

"We could start with something simple—put on a movie, maybe I'll teach you how to cook... or we could just talk. How come I've never asked you your favorite color?" Reigen says it teasingly, though there's genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Serizawa blinks, clearly taking the question seriously. "Favorite color? I'm not sure... I guess blue."

Reigen raises an eyebrow. "Blue? That's kinda generic. What kind of blue—sky blue? Navy blue?"

"Just... blue. I never really thought about it." Serizawa shrugs.

"Well, mine's orange, but not the bright kind. More like a muted, sunset kind of orange."

Serizawa nods slowly. "That suits you... bright."

Reigen lets out a short laugh. "Bright? Me? Nah, I'm just a pretty regular guy. The only extraordinary thing about me is my handsome boyfriend."

Serizawa blushes. "I..." he starts, feeling a little shy. "Let's watch the movie."

Reigen wants to keep teasing, but a movie sounds good too. He could always do both later.

"Of course." He stands up. "Any preference?"

"Not really. Let's watch whatever you want."

"Sure?" he asks, reaching for his laptop. "Then let's go for B-movies. The more disastrous, the better."

"That sounds... interesting."

Reigen settles in beside him, setting the laptop between them. He starts the movie and leans back against Serizawa's chest.

They barely move all day, except to warm something up in the microwave and exchange random questions that sometimes catch Serizawa off guard.

"Favorite animal?" Reigen asks during a dull scene, usually the part where he's half-asleep.

Serizawa glances at the screen as if it might remind him. "I never had one... but I guess cats are cute."

Reigen chuckles. "Cats, huh? I can totally picture you with one—both of you, quiet, calm, staring at me like I'm the odd one."

Serizawa doesn't respond, but he gives a small smile, just enough for Reigen to notice. "It's fine, I love cats too. Alright, anything you particularly don't like?"

"Spicy food. My stomach can't take it."

"Really? Same here. I think my tongue's too sensitive." He pauses, considering his next question. "Now, something you don't just dislike, but really hate?"

Serizawa tenses a little, and Reigen feels it as he's almost on top of him. "Serizawa?" he asks, concerned.

"I... I don't know if I should say it. It's strange."

"No, it's not. But if you don't want to share, that's okay too."

"I really, really want you to know me..." He sighs. "I hate the sound of bones breaking, the smell of blood... The color red. It's unbearable."

"Oh, well I... I hate cockroaches."

There's a moment of silence before Serizawa breaks into laughter, the sound so warm Reigen feels the vibrations in his own chest.

"O—hey, no need to tease. Sorry for being a simpleton"

Serizawa pauses. "No, no, I'm sorry." Once he's fully calmed, he adds, "I don't mind them, really. I can handle that for you."

"Great, my knight in shining armor" Reigen teases. "Next question: favorite song?"

"I don't have one. I hardly listen to music... but I know one."

"Oh yeah? Which one?" Reigen asks, intrigued.

"Baby Shark."

Reigen is silent for a beat before bursting out laughing. "Wait—why the hell do you know 'Baby Shark'?" He closes the laptop and turns to him, sensing there's a story here.

"Well" Serizawa starts hesitantly, maybe unsure of how to explain. "When I started working for the boss... his wife had just passed away. So his son, Shou, was almost a baby and spent a lot of time with us. He seemed to like me, so... I learned a few kids' songs."

Reigen's mind races, picturing Serizawa with a small child in his arms. It's adorable, almost too much so. He wonders if it's too early in their relationship to bring up kids. Probably, he decides, and goes for something safer.

"Aww, he sounds adorable. Do you have pics?" he asks with a grin.

Serizawa doesn't hesitate, grabbing his phone from the side table to show him. The screen displays a red-haired boy with bright blue eyes and a big smile.

"Cute! How old is he?"

"Twelve now. Though, this one's from a couple years back. The boss says he's in his ‘rebellious phase' or something and doesn't come around much anymore." Serizawa smiles, though there's a bit of sadness in it.

Reigen is curious about this "boss" Serizawa always mentions, but he decides it's not the right time to dig into that. Instead, he shifts the subject. "'Rebel phase,' huh? I think Mob's starting his. He missed work yesterday to go out with his boyfriend. That's a sign, right?"

"Boyfriend? Mob has a boyfriend?" Serizawa asks, surprised.

"No, well, not yet. But I'm pretty sure something's going to happen with Teru—wait, you don't know who Teruki is?"

Serizawa shakes his head.

"Never mind, we have time. Now, listen. I've got a solid case here. First, Teruki is super obvious. When he looks at Mob..."

Reigen goes on for a good half-hour, punctuating his argument with exaggerated hand gestures, as usual.

Serizawa listens intently, nodding here and there, amused by Reigen's enthusiasm.

Chapter Text

They had been dating for almost half a year. The relationship had progressed slowly, and they were now on a first-name basis. Serizawa spent so much time at his apartment that he even had his own closet space.

Reigen was grateful that his place wasn't so small that the other man's presence ever felt cramped.

He had learned a lot.

Serizawa was incredibly inexperienced—not just with romance but with people in general.

Reigen wasn't sure if this was just part of his personality or if it had more to do with his upbringing.

When he introduced Serizawa to his friends (Mob and Teruki, not that he had many others), Serizawa was a bundle of nerves, shaky and stuttering. It would have been adorable if Katsuya didn't look like he was one step away from a panic attack. If he was that anxious meeting his friends, Reigen couldn't imagine how he'd react meeting his parents.

Hopefully, Katsuya would be a bit more confident by then.

Serizawa was also still showing up with injuries now and then—sometimes even serious ones. At least now Reigen could express his concern without feeling like a busybody; he was his boyfriend, after all.

That whole mess eventually led to an unexpected glimpse into Serizawa's world.

It was strange that Serizawa hadn't replied to his messages. He didn't keep a fixed schedule like Reigen, so he'd usually answer at random times, but he'd never gone more than ten hours without responding. He wouldn't answer his calls either. It was… worrying.

Was he being dumped already for coming on too strong? Was this karma for the whole Dozen thing? He shook his head. No, Katsuya wouldn't do that. If he was going to end things, he'd do it in person. That was very Katsuya. He wouldn't ghost him.

With a sigh, he plugged in his phone and fell asleep.

When he woke up, the first thing he did was check the notifications on his lock screen. There were messages from Katsuya.

Tsuya | 03:21 am
Hey
Serizawa is fine.
His injuries have been treated, and he's in a safe place.
He might wake up in a few hours.

What?

What?

Reigen had never typed so fast in his life.

Reigen bit his thumb as he paced around his room, waiting for a reply. Thinking about it, he knew Katsuya was okay, and maybe he shouldn't be barging into things or getting mixed up with dangerous people. It might be invasive; Katsuya could get annoyed.

But he couldn't help it. He wasn't thinking clearly.

After what felt like the longest six minutes of his life, his phone vibrated in his hand.

Tsuya | 08:31 am
[Location]

The place was an hour and a half train ride from his apartment. Reigen's leg bounced restlessly, and a few people gave him odd looks. During the ride, his thoughts spiraled. The stranger using Tsuya's phone hadn't hesitated to share the location. Did they know who he was to Serizawa? What if they were part of some rival gang? What if this was all an elaborate trap to—?

He cut off his paranoid thoughts. Blame Katsuya; that kind of thing sticks.

The truth was, he wasn't going to turn back. He'd already asked Mob to cancel his afternoon appointments. Besides, he was genuinely worried about his boyfriend.

Reigen got off the train in a quiet part of town. It didn't look particularly dangerous, just rundown. Neon lights flickered erratically over closed shops and shady bars.

He walked a few blocks until he reached a building that blended in with the other shabby structures. It had a gray facade with windows covered by thick curtains. The metal door was rusted but otherwise unremarkable. At the entrance, a large man standing about six feet tall let him in, saying little, and led him down a narrow hallway.

Inside, the lights were dim, and the faint scent of disinfectant lingered—a smell that reminded him of a cheap clinic. Serizawa was being treated here, far from any real hospital.

Reigen felt a twist in his stomach.

No matter how much Katsuya tried to downplay things, his life was still deeply tied to this world. Reigen had noticed bits and pieces over time, but it was becoming all too clear now. As he walked down the dimly lit hallway, he realized he might have underestimated just how entrenched Katsuya was in all of this.

At the door to Serizawa's room, Reigen was greeted by a familiar face—the same man he'd seen with Katsuya at the ramen restaurant. The man smiled.

"Ryo Shimazaki" he introduced himself.

Trying to keep his composure, Reigen held out his hand with a slightly awkward smile. "Arataka Reigen. I'm… Katsuya's friend."

Shimazaki chuckled, though it didn't come off as overly mocking. "No need to pretend. We know who you are."

What was that supposed to mean?

Reigen stood there, unsure how to respond, as Ryo handed him Serizawa's phone. "Thanks for coming. Serizawa's fine. He was treated by our best doctors."

"Oh, that's… a relief" he said, feeling slightly out of his element; it wasn't often he was at a loss for words.

"He's loyal, you know? The boss's favorite" Shimazaki continued with a smile that seemed a little forced. "Not surprising that I went to such lengths just to protect him... I'm sure you understand how important he is to us" he added before stepping away from the door. "Not just anyone can take his place."

Reigen clenched the phone, understanding the weight behind those words.

Shimazaki patted another man on the shoulder as he led him down the hall. "Let's go, Shibata; let's give the lovebirds some privacy."

He heard Shibata mumble something in response, but they both disappeared down the hall.

Feeling slightly light-headed and clutching the phone, Reigen entered Katsuya's room.

The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing he noticed. Katsuya lay unconscious, connected to an IV, his figure still against the white sheets.

Reigen's heart sank. Shimazaki's words echoed in his mind. Protect the boss? Did Katsuya really think his own life was worth less than this man's? Why did he know so little about his boyfriend?

With a sigh, he slumped into a chair by the bed, waiting for Katsuya to wake up.

When Katsuya finally did, he looked surprised to see Reigen there. From his reaction, it was clear he hadn't known his colleagues were aware of Reigen. But, like always, Katsuya was evasive about it, dodging the topic as he had done before.

Reigen was starting to feel frustrated.

It wasn't long before the dreaded conversations began—about his past, about his work.

Tonight was one of those nights when Serizawa stayed over.

Serizawa seemed more taciturn than usual. At first glance, he appeared to be his usual self, but as the evening progressed, Reigen realized that his true personality wasn't so quiet, at least not when he felt comfortable with someone around him—in this case, Reigen.

After bathing, Serizawa sat on the edge of the bed in silence.

Feeling the tension, Reigen didn't prattle on like he usually did. Instead, he felt the warmth of Serizawa's body as he hugged him from behind, pressing against him.

Serizawa sighed, letting some of the tension fade as he relaxed in Reigen's arms. Slowly, he unwound the embrace, and they settled into bed together, now more comfortable in each other's presence.

"Arataka..." Serizawa murmured, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" Reigen replied, resting his head against Serizawa's chest and feeling the quiet rhythm of his heart.

"Is it okay if I tell you a little about myself...? About my past?"

"Of course" Reigen said, letting out a sigh. "Just… if you're not sure or comfortable with something, you can save it for later. There's no rush. I'll always be here for you."

"But it's a bit long."

"It doesn't matter. We have time" Reigen stated, looking him in the eye with sincerity.

"Okay, I'll… I'll start from the beginning. My dad abandoned my mom and me when I was eight years old. I don't remember him much; I just recall him drinking and yelling at Mom. I don't have any memories of him playing with me. He wasn't a normal dad, I guess."

Reigen listened intently, gently stroking Serizawa's arm in a supportive gesture.

"At first, when he left us, I was relieved. I thought things would be easier with just Mom."

"I was wrong. We went hungry for a while; some neighbors barely helped us until Mom got a cleaning job. I hardly saw her; she was gone all day. Eventually, that job wasn't enough. I'd hear her leaving in the nights."

Reigen frowned, his heart aching at the thought of Serizawa being so alone. "I didn't understand what that meant until rumors started circulating at school. They… insulted Mom to my face, and I got so angry. I was violent, blinded by rage; it was like it wasn't me. When I came to, my fists were covered in blood."

"They kicked me out after that. I was just one more headache for my mom. No public school would take me, and the private ones cost too much."

"A year later, when I turned fifteen, she... committed suicide. She didn't leave a note or anything. I blamed her so much for that, for abandoning me; I was just a kid. Over the years, I was able to forgive her; she fought for me for so long, but it just… wasn't strong enough. Still, I've never visited her grave. Arataka, would you go with me one of these days? I think Mom would like to meet you."

Reigen was crying now, sobbing a little before nodding furiously, wiping his tears with the back of his sweater. He moved a little closer, as if doing so might offer him more comfort.

Serizawa leaned down to give him a kiss on the temple before continuing. The warmth of that gesture gave him the strength to continue.

"Since I had no family members or relatives who could take care of me, and with my violent background, I was sent to a place... something like a reform school. I went to school there, but I didn't finish high school because they took me out as soon as I turned eighteen."

"Those years were probably my worst. I was very violent and hated the world; I would explode over almost nothing. I never made any friends."

Reigen felt a lump in his throat, imagining Serizawa facing those dark years alone.

"When I got out, I was a little calmer, but I couldn't find work. I was very intimidating and not good with people."

"I ended up in underground fights; it was the only thing I was good at—being violent. I wasn't an expert, but I managed to earn enough to eat. One of those days, I met him."

"The boss, I guess he was interested in how lost I looked. He offered me money, a place to stay, and something I'd never had: a purpose. To serve him, to follow his orders without question, to protect him. And that's what I've been doing ever since."

"I've been working for him for eleven years now. No matter how cruel the assignment was, I just did it. The boss always said things were like this to survive, and I accepted it..."

Serizawa paused, his gaze lost in the past. "Sometimes, I wonder if I'll ever be able to get out of this."

"You want to get out?" Reigen asked. The question hung in the air, and Serizawa's expression grew more serious.

"I've tried" he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "But I always end up coming back."

Reigen felt a pang of sympathy. "Serizawa, there's more to life than what you've known. It doesn't have to be like this. You don't have to keep suffering, doing things you don't want to do."

Serizawa pulled back a little to look at him. His eyes were shining, traces of tears on his cheeks. "I don't know. I feel trapped, like there's no way out."

"We can find a way out. You don't have to carry this alone" Reigen told him, holding his gaze.

Serizawa didn't look away, maintaining the eye contact. "I don't think I can. I'm used to this; I don't know anything else. I didn't finish school; I can't be a functioning adult if I don't—"

"You can, Katsuya. I'm sure you can. Do you trust me?"

"I do" he answered immediately.

"Then trust me on this too. Things can change. You can change. Maybe not now, but life is a process. Not everything has to happen overnight. And, hey, at least you're not alone in this."

"Thank you."

Reigen wasn't quite sure how to act. Their worlds and lives had been very different, and he knew next to nothing about the organization, the boss, or the implications of trying to leave that world. What he did know was that he wasn't going to face it alone again.

With the months of their relationship came sex. Good sex, it should be noted.

Reigen didn't remember it ever being this good.

It probably never had been, considering what his ex-partners had been like. No one had looked at him with the same adoration as Serizawa; no one had touched him as gently.

Perhaps the sex was never good because the others felt nothing for him. Serizawa seemed to feel a lot.

Everything was so intense with him; even the slightest caress made him shudder.

It might sound a bit pathetic, but he found that Serizawa's hoarse, faint moans—those soft sounds he let out when he rode him—were enough to make him come.

He allowed himself to reminisce about their first night together.

They had been engaged in a heated make-out session while watching a boring movie (Reigen's choice, though he swore it wasn't meant to lead to this situation).

Reigen was against the armrest of the couch, with Katsuya between his legs, showering him with kisses.

Katsuya's hands snaked under his sweater, lazily caressing his waist.

He stopped kissing Reigen's lips and began trailing kisses down his jaw, moving to his ear and neck.

Reigen moaned, overwhelmed by the sensations.

Katsuya jumped slightly at the sound, slowly pulling away, his eyes bright and pupils dilated.

"Was it bad? Should we stop?"

"N-no, the opposite. That was... amazing" Reigen stammered, blushing even more.

"Oh."

"Do you want to go—?" Reigen began.

"—To bed?" they said simultaneously. They both paused for a moment before Reigen burst out laughing.

"You can't, by any chance, read my mind? You know what they say: if you make it to 30 as a virgin, you become a magician."

"No? I've never heard that."

"Uh, never mind. My legs feel weak. Will you give me a ride?" he asked, arms wide open. It wasn't entirely a lie.

Katsuya wasted no time and lifted him up in a princess carry.

Once in front of the bed, he gently set Reigen down.

Reigen didn't let go of Katsuya's neck as he stared at him. Someone had to ask the question.

"Do you... want to go all the way this time?"

"Yes, I want to try" Katsuya replied solemnly.

"Well... Any preference? Wait, you know how this works?" Reigen asked, his intense gaze fixed on Katsuya.

"Yeah, the basics. As for preferences... I'm fine with either."

Reigen blinked multiple times, realizing it was now his turn to choose. Both options were enticing, but he needed to have Katsuya inside him; he had fantasized about it too much over the past few months.

With determination, Reigen jumped to his feet and headed for the bathroom, leaving Katsuya a bit confused.

"I'm going to get ready; give me a minute" he said, slamming the door shut.

"Okay?" Katsuya's voice came from the other side.

It took a few minutes for Reigen to prepare. His hands trembled with anticipation. When he was sufficiently cleaned and stretched, he slipped on his pale pink robe, which covered less than it should, and stepped out.

Katsuya sat on the edge of the bed, looking nervous, dressed only in boxers. His eyes landed on Reigen, and he swallowed dryly—was that a good or bad reaction?

He says nothing until he stands in front of him. Katsuya spreads his legs for Reigen to get between them.

"I—" he feels like he's going to faint. He can't. He's waited too long for this. "You—if you really don't know how to do this, can you stay in my care? I want to make you feel good."

Katsuya looks at him with wide, bright eyes. "S-sure, I trust you" he whispers.

Reigen feels like his insides might melt.

Gently, he places a hand on Katsuya's broad chest and pushes him back.

"Can you lie down for me?" he asks, his voice soft and seductive.

Katsuya nods shyly as he lies back on the pillows, leaning against the back of the bed.

Reigen can hardly believe what he's about to do.

He settles himself on top of Katsuya, straddling his lap. He can feel his boyfriend's semi-hard length pressing against his ass. Reigen stifles a moan.

Suddenly, the friction of the robe's fabric becomes too much for him. In a burst of impatience, he tears it off, discarding it completely.

Katsuya's breathing seems to have stopped. He's very still, staring raptly at what's in front of him. He doesn't feel he deserves such a thing.

He represses those thoughts with the intention of satisfying the man beneath him.

He slowly lowers down to place his lips on Katsuya's lips. He responds with the same desperation as he does. In an instant, he has Katsuya's tongue all the way down. The heat of skin against skin makes him want to roll his eyes. And they haven't even started.

He continues the kiss, groping his boyfriend as much as he can: his biceps, collarbone, and pulls on his hair.... And realizes something is missing.

He breaks away briefly to observe. Serizawa's arms are lying at his sides on the bed like dead weight.

He's so nervous he seems to have forgotten what to do with them.

Cute.

He moves closer again to kiss him, but first he takes Katsuya's arms and places them around his waist.

Katsuya understands without needing Reigen to say anything; he pulls him tight against himself.

Reigen smiles and kisses him again.

He sucks, licks and licks (sometimes).

The tattooed man now loosens his grip on his hips to move down to his buttocks and knead them.

Reigen moans and gasps. He can feel his now hard cock rubbing against his boyfriend's abdomen.

He feels fingers dig into his flesh as he stops the kiss to bite and suck on his neck. He'll probably have marks after this. And he won't want to be the only one.

Then he feels the other's fingers move closer and closer to his entrance.

If they keep this up, he'll cum before he does anything.

He pulls away abruptly, clutching Katsuya by the shoulders to keep his head in place.

They both gasp and look into each other's eyes. Only Katsuya's cheeks are red, but Reigen is sure he's worse. His blush usually spreads from his entire face to his chest; his fair complexion doesn't help hide it.

When he seems a little more recovered, Katsuya asks with a slight frown and sad eyes. He looks like a puppy.

"Did I... did I do something wrong?"

Ah, yes, Reigen breaks off suddenly as soon as Katsuya touches him a little deeper.

He shakes his head quickly. "No, no, I just... I wanted to move on to the next step before..." Wait, he needs confirmation; he doesn't want to impose. "Y-you want to go on?"

During the instant it takes for Katsuya to answer, Reigen has already made a thousand supplications to every god he knows.

"Yes" he finally says. "Please" he pleads.

Reigen lunges to kiss him one more time, cradling his cheeks with his hands before pulling away a little and stretching to the small table next to the bed.

In the drawer are lube and condoms. He takes the bottle and a strip of condoms with it. He leaves them next to Katsuya on the bed. He doesn't really intend to use condoms, but he has to make sure first.

Consent, guys, always ask first.

"I-is it okay if we don't use a condom? I'm clean. Both ways possible—I mean, in the bathroom, and I got tested a few m-months ago." What's Arataka Reigen doing babbling? He wants to die. Well, no, not before he finishes this. "I guess... you are too, since you haven't been with anyone. Then we could... if you want" he finishes in a whisper.

Katsuya just smiles and looks at him with so much adoration that Reigen doesn't think he deserves. It's like he hangs the stars in the sky for him.

"Yes to everything, Taka." His voice is soft as he lifts a hand to tuck behind his ear a blonde lock. Even telling him 'stop asking so many questions already' is sweet.

Reigen feels himself turn a little redder.

"I—yes, you stay there; I'll do everything." He looks away to grab the lube and apply some to his fingers.

He reaches behind him and lubricates his entrance, already quite open from his minutes in the bathroom. Reigen's grateful he did; he feels like he might die if he doesn't get it in now.

Katsuya obeys and doesn't do much as he watches Reigen's face intently.

Reigen rises up on his knees, one hand on his boyfriend's shoulder, and with the other locates Serizawa's thick cock at his entrance. He had seen it and watched it closely once when they had masturbated together in the shower

That image only served to make his fantasies more overwhelming. Fantasies he is now fulfilling.

Reigen gasps as the hot tip touches his entrance. He slowly moves down, pushing it in inch by inch. It hurts, but he'll be fine; he just needs something to distract him.

"A-are you okay...?" Katsuya asks, bringing his hands to Reigen's trembling thighs and tracing meaningless shapes on his skin.

"Y-yes" Reigen replies, putting both hands on Katsuya's shoulders and ducking his head to watch where their bodies are joining. "Better than ever".

Then Arataka slams down, plunging it all the way in.

Reigen lets out a cry, half in pain, half in pleasure.

"Arataka" Katsuya growls his name. His voice sounds so rough that Reigen feels his stomach churn.

Katsuya's big hands come up from Reigen's thighs to his hips. They are warm and a little damp.

He leans forward and grinds against his boyfriend as he waits for the discomfort from the—big—thing he just shoved in to go away.

He's not sure how much time passes. Once he gets used to it enough, he peels himself off Katsuya's inked chest to begin his initial goal of riding him.

He pulls it out almost all the way and drops down. He feels himself in heaven. He continues and tries to keep a good pace, as much as his legs will allow.

"Ka-katsuya" Reigen moans as he rides him, feeling tears at the corners of his eyes, on the verge of spilling over.

His boyfriend looks up at him from below, panting with his mouth open. "—Taka."

Katsuya rolls his eyes as Serizawa starts to move his hips and pushes up, feeling it even deeper.

Impatience takes over as Katsuya grabs him by the buttocks, joining in and never stopping his thrusts.

Reigen clings to him, wrapping his hands around Katsuya's neck as he presses against his boyfriend's chest as much as he can.

His legs feel too weak to move, but he no longer needs to with Katsuya pushing with all his might.

Katsuya's arms are now around Reigen's waist; his boyfriend's cock now touch a sensitive spot. Reigen can't handle so many sensations.

He throws his head back, screaming incoherent curses mixed with Katsuya's name.

Katsuya seems to see his exposed neck as an invitation, and in an instant, his mouth is on Reigen, biting and sucking.

Serizawa is almost brutal, a stark contrast to his usual self. Reigen doesn't complain, though; he senses that he's close.

"Tsu-ya, I'm going to..." He doesn't get to finish the sentence when the orgasm hits him. His cum splashes against Katsuya's muscles, and tears run down his cheeks as well.

Katsuya leaves his neck to claim his mouth, continuing to thrust, though at a slower pace, probably close to cumming.

Reigen melts into the wet kiss as Serizawa cums inside. Warm and thick inside him.

Katsuya leaves Reigen's mouth to grunt, gasping as he tries to pace his breathing.

His boyfriend is still inside him, and Reigen isn't in any hurry to have him out either.

He presses his forehead against Katsuya's tattooed chest for a few minutes, feeling too overwhelmed to speak. It's as if his insides and mind have been turned inside out.

Katsuya breaks the silence. "I'm sorry... Was I too abrupt?" he asks, his voice hoarser than usual.

Reigen pulls away from his chest to look into his eyes.

Katsuya's expression is one of horror. "Shit, you're crying. I—"

Reigen interrupts him by placing a finger on his lips. "Shh... That was the best sex I've ever had in my life. Don't apologize."

"Ah" Katsuya says lamely.

"Yeah, yeah" Reigen replies sleepily. Katsuya's warmth doesn't help him wake up. He should take a bath. Should. Instead, he asks, "Shall we sleep?"

The man doesn't answer; he simply pulls out and lays Reigen down on the bed, covering them both with the sheet.

The sensation of the semen spurting out of his hole is enough to take his sleep away and make him horny right away.

He stands up with a jolt.

"I changed my mind. Do you want to go on?" Reigen asks, stroking his chest and grinning like a fox.

Katsuya lets out a laugh as he stands over him, covering him with his body.

Katsuya licks the traces of Reigen's tears from his cheeks. Is he some kind of dog? "Are you sure? Can I try to make you feel good this time?"

Reigen doubts he's strong enough to do much this time, so he doesn't argue.

"Yes to everything, Tsuya" he murmurs before pulling him down to kiss him.

Chapter Text

In his 30 years of life, Serizawa Katsuya's life had been quite complicated. He was born into a poor family with no siblings. His father abandoned him at the age of 8, leaving him alone with his mother. There was no money, and sometimes he went hungry. There were no birthday parties every year, no family Christmases. At school, he wasn't the popular type—more of an outcast.

When he was 15, his mother committed suicide, and he was left all alone in the world. He blamed his bad luck.

He blamed the same bad luck for his current situation.

He was crawling down an alley somewhere unknown. He had gotten into a fight and lost his cell phone and wallet, unable to call one of his buddies to pick him up.

When he couldn't take it any longer, he collapsed against a brick wall. He felt blood trickling from the wound on his head and his abdomen.

His rational side told him it was no big deal—he'd had worse.

His paranoid side, however, insisted he was about to die if he didn't see a doctor soon.

He silenced that paranoid thought. It wasn't like he really appreciated his life, after all. If he did, he wouldn't have this job.

He felt like he was about to lose consciousness when he heard a voice.

"Hey, are you… alive?"

As he looked up, he saw a blurry, yellow flash. From the voice, he guessed it was a man.

The man said something, but all he could make out was the word "ambulance."

He forced himself to stay conscious, just enough to refuse, with all the conviction he could muster.

The man seemed to listen, as he didn't hear him flag down an ambulance; instead, he felt the man hold him as best he could and drag him somewhere.

The next few minutes were just blurred memories: the same man muttering the occasional curse, the warm touch of fingers and hands on his skin, brown eyes staring at a spot on his forehead, an upturned nose dotted with freckles...

When he opened his eyes, he felt relief. He saw a white ceiling, and his back felt a little stiff. A headache hit him. He took a moment to review his last memories before falling asleep.

A man, hands on him, the burning of his wounds being treated. Why would anyone do such a thing for him? The only one who'd do that for him was Minegishi, and reluctantly. He was being paid for it, too. But this man… A complete stranger?

His gaze drifts down, and he sees his bare chest. He searches for his clothes with his eyes and finds them folded at the end of the couch where he'd been. He starts to put them on.

He hears the murmur of a voice from a nearby room, though it's not loud enough to make out any words.

He continues putting on his shirt, slowly, feeling a bit lethargic; the pain in his head doesn't seem likely to go away anytime soon.

He hears footsteps, and the door opens. The same man from before appears and mumbles something. He doesn't pay attention to the words but gives him a quick glance.

The man is… attractive. Maybe about his height, but much thinner. He forces himself to look away and focus on getting dressed.

His own thoughts surprise him. He's never thought of anyone as "attractive" before, man or woman.

It's strange.

As soon as he finishes, he stands up and heads straight for the door.

He stops next to the man. Serizawa doesn't know much about human relationships, but after being treated so kindly, the least he can do is say thank you.

"Thank you." His voice comes out weaker than he intended. He regrets it; he wanted it to sound more polite.

As he leaves, he hears the man speak once more. "Anytime. I'll be here" he says.

Did that mean he could come back? This man wasn't afraid of him, like everyone else. Why? Under other circumstances, he'd never set foot there again. But he's curious.

Serizawa came back again and again, growing more eager for each encounter. He knew it had already become a problem—that what he felt went beyond curiosity. At the slightest scratch, he'd take a train, travel over an hour just to be near him. Reigen, as he introduced himself on their second meeting.

He knew what he felt was more than just interest, but he couldn't find a name for it.

He couldn't name the nervousness he felt in Reigen's presence or the absurd way he liked everything that came out of his mouth, from simple chats about the weather and his family to stories about the guy who worked part-time for him and how expensive a certain vegetable had become recently.

Things started to become clearer the day he felt the desire to kiss him.

Reigen was very close to his face, nursing a small cut above his eyebrow. So close that Serizawa could feel his breath on his cheek. Strangely, he wasn't uncomfortable with the closeness. On the contrary, he felt the urge to close the distance, take his face, and kiss him. But he didn't.

Serizawa didn't watch many movies, but he remembered that after a kiss, there was always an "I love you" or an "I like you."

And it wasn't just that.

He also began to notice his desire to touch him. When Reigen leaned close, Serizawa wanted to wrap his arms around him. When he stood beside him, he wanted to place his hands around his waist—it seemed narrow enough to do so. He wanted to run his fingers through those blond locks, to hold his hand... He wanted so, so badly, but he never gave in to those urges, afraid Reigen would run away.

It was enough to connect the dots. He was in love with Arataka Reigen.

But being aware of his feelings didn't change anything. He wasn't going to do something that would affect what they had.

As kind and good-hearted as Reigen was, Serizawa knew he would never accept the feelings of someone as lowly as him. Reigen was handsome, sociable, and charming. He could have someone better—someone on his level.

Everything seemed to be under control until the day he saw him outside the office.

And that's when everything fell apart.

He felt like a complete idiot, a fool, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

When Shimazaki asked him, he denied it. He did the right thing—or so he thought at the time. He didn't want to involve Reigen in his affairs. If Shimazaki found out, he wouldn't stop until he uncovered everything, and that "everything" included his pathetic crush on the blond man. If Shimazaki knew, all of Claw would know, and then the enemy gangs.

The real mistake was that after meeting Reigen again, he wasn't able to tell him how he really felt. He wasn't able to make him feel less like shit. Even if he didn't confess his feelings, he should have found a way to end whatever "it" was that they had, instead of leaving him there, shaking, on the verge of tears. Not just disappearing.

He was a coward.

He didn't have the courage to admit that Reigen was so much more than "nobody." He'd been the best person he'd ever known, the best he would ever know. He was afraid of rejection, but also of being accepted, of dragging Reigen into his shitty life. He didn't deserve him.

Reigen had been so good to him without any reason to be. He'd cared for him, shown him understanding, had patience when talking to him, and was always careful about the topics they discussed. He never demanded anything from him.

He decided to stop appearing in front of him—for his sake.

Even if it meant going back to being treated by Minegishi, with his cold, rough hands.

He swore he intended to leave it there.

It had been months since he'd stopped looking for Reigen.

He hadn't gotten used to his absence at all. Sometimes he heard his voice in his head. Sometimes he dreamed of him. It didn't make sense how hard it was to get back to the routine he'd had for the last ten years, after only a couple of months in paradise.

That time he was on his way to run an errand. He was going alone because 90% of the time, his subordinates only got in the way instead of helping.

Just as he was about to reach his destination, his phone rang. He hesitated for a second before answering. He wasn't expecting any important calls at that hour.

"It's about what you entrusted me with, sir." The voice on the other end was serious. Serizawa squeezed the phone tighter. He had stopped seeing him months ago, but that didn't mean he'd stopped thinking about him. Nor had he stopped caring about him.

After what happened with Reigen, he wasn't sure if anyone else had seen him with him. That was why he'd decided to send someone discreet to keep an eye on him, just in case things got complicated, and to make sure he didn't inadvertently get into trouble. In his line of work, you could never be too sure. And he was paranoid, too.

And a weird guy.

And a stalker.

Honestly, there was no justification for continuing to hear about Reigen, but it wasn't that bad, was it? There were worse things on his list.

"What's going on?"

"They're following him. For a few days now. I didn't want to alert you until I was sure."

Serizawa felt a knot in his stomach. He knew something like this could happen, but he wasn't ready to hear it. "And you're just telling me now?" he asked, his voice neutral. Serizawa was never particularly rude to anyone, but what he'd just heard threw him off right away.

"I-I… I wasn't sure. I wasn't doing anything either, so I ignored it…" He sounded apologetic on the line.

"Do you know who it is? Could it be an enemy gang?" he asked through his teeth.

"I doubt it, sir. He looks like a regular person. Should I check him out?"

"Do it. I want his profile as soon as possible. And don't leave the target" he ordered.

It turned out that Roshitou Dozen had no connection to the yakuza. But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. He had several unprosecuted complaints of sexual harassment and assault.

First an unsympathetic yakuza, and now a stalker. Was Reigen a magnet for creepy guys?

He had to do something, but going in for the kill sounded a bit extreme.

He wasn't ruling it out, though.

Serizawa got fed up with having Dozen hovering around Reigen like a fly. So he decided to take matters into his own hands.

He was going to confront Reigen, tell him the truth about that creepy guy.

What he didn't think through was a credible reason to tell Reigen without dragging himself into the mess. There probably wasn't one.

"You've been following me too?"

He started stuttering on the spot, with no plan and no skills for lying, which only made him sink further.

It would have ended in disaster had Reigen not taken the initiative and ended up confessing first.

It was a total surprise to him.

Although, apparently, he'd just been really dense, considering the things Reigen pointed out in the middle of his confession.

And true, it made more sense to care for a complete stranger (and felon) for months at a time because you liked him, rather than because you simply had a heart bigger than the sea.

Although, considering he'd offered to take care of a broken man (in more ways than one) like him, maybe he did have a giant heart. Probably the size of Japan, at least.

That's where he had his first kiss.

The only thing he regrets is not allowing himself to practice or try it with someone else. He's pretty sure he was terrible at kissing. Thankfully, Reigen was quite patient with him.

As time went on, he felt even more at ease with Arataka. They'd started using each other's names and even had nicknames. His heart still skipped a beat every time Reigen would say "Tsuya" to him in that voice so… It probably wasn't anything particularly special or beautiful, but Serizawa Katsuya was a man in love, okay?

It was nice just to sit next to him and cuddle. With other people, physical contact and talking always felt awkward, but with Arataka, everything was easy.

Well, it wasn't at first, but the more he opened up, the more comfortable he became, and it even became addictive.

He also enjoyed sharing his hobbies with him. He didn't do much in his free time beyond playing video games or reading manga, unlike Reigen, who seemed to be into everything and knew about any subject, hobby, or whatever.

Even his console and some games had moved into Reigen's apartment.

His boyfriend seemed really attentive to everything he told him and was quite competitive when playing games.

He was, too, but he'd let him win sometimes just to see that bright, cocky smile.

He's a man in love, you know.

He also learned things from him, like cooking. He enjoyed hours cooking (and goofing around) in the kitchen, while his boyfriend made a point of teaching him.

Apparently, he was good. Reigen made a (slightly envious) comment about how quickly he learned and how well his food turned out, even without the experience factor.

He also made a comment along the lines of, "It's perfect, you could even get married" as he finished the dish Serizawa had made from start to finish that afternoon. Serizawa blushed at his words.

Serizawa felt his ears burning that time.

Marriage? He hadn't thought about that in a long time. When he still lived with his mother, he spent a lot of unsupervised time in front of the TV and watched a lot of movies. Most of them had romance in them. Sometimes he imagined himself marrying a beautiful woman and having a child, thinking that he would never leave them, unlike his father.

Over time, that desire faded and became a mere memory. His life became more complicated, and when he was a little more stable (at least financially), he realized he could die too easily in his line of work and wouldn't allow himself to leave any family behind, not even by dying.

It also didn't help that he had no attraction to anyone.

Now, in the present, already having that "someone" with Arataka by his side, the idea was becoming more appealing.

Although he probably had some loose ends to work out before considering it seriously.

Serizawa had never felt desire or attraction for anyone. When he was younger, he thought it was a matter of age; that when he grew up, he would be able to love someone in that way.

He didn't. He went through adolescence, reached adulthood, and never became interested in anyone. He would see how his peers in the organization had someone; even if it was just physical, they were able to connect and be intimate with someone in a way that he could not. He assumed it was one more of his flaws and only confirmed his lack of humanity.

When he met this man, it started with curiosity—or so he wanted to believe. He had never felt that need, that desire to get to know someone else. To touch someone else.

He began to feel new things, feelings that confused him. For a random man, almost, a man who had simply been kind enough to take care of him once when he was hurt. Was that simple gesture of kindness enough to justify everything he felt?

That question haunted his mind for a long time.

After chalking his actions up to curiosity, he tried to avoid him, thinking it was simple sexual desire. Perhaps his desires had just awakened out of nowhere and that man was the trigger.

Then someone else made a pass at him. It happened often, but this time he didn't reject it.

He vaguely remembers the man. He was a pale, brown-haired young man with a small frame and a cloying voice. The instant the boy put his hands on his body and began kissing his neck, he felt like vomiting and ran away.

He concluded that it hadn't been some kind of sexual awakening. He simply wanted Reigen, that eccentric therapist who kept jabbering about all sorts of things every time he visited.

That bad experience was completely different from his first night with Reigen. That night with Reigen was… it was intense, for lack of a better word.

But it was good; he finally understood why people were so obsessed with the subject.

Although, as he'd already discovered, it wasn't the same with anyone other than Reigen.

He also realized that while Reigen was handsome with clothes on, he looked even better without them. Freckles dotted his chest and back. They weren't very visible unless you looked closely, just like the ones on his face.

He liked feeling the scar from Reigen's appendix surgery on his lower abdomen. Serizawa didn't like his own scars, but Reigen's were endearing; they came from small accidents or mundane events, unlike his, which were all from cruelty and violence.

He also loved the vulnerability of the act. Being completely naked in front of someone else, seeing and touching. Getting to know each other's favorite spots.

With nights together, he discovered that Reigen's sensitive spots were his inner thighs and lower back. It was adorable the way he squirmed and sighed when Serizawa left kisses there.

The way he threw his head back let him see the column of his neck, the Adam's apple moving up and down...

Serizawa also found himself having indecent thoughts anytime and anywhere. Since he started liking Reigen, he'd had them, but with less intensity and in moderate numbers, usually in the dark of night or during bath time.

But since they'd started being intimate, it got out of control. And that made him feel like a freak.

For example, once in the middle of a torture session.

He was with a fellow Claw member, Koyama.

He was on autopilot, so much so that he barely registered what they were doing. It had just been an order, and he was following it.

Koyama was jabbering and threatening while Serizawa was handling the practical part.

He was pulling out the fingernails of a screaming man when an image of Arataka popped into his mind.

Just like that, out of nowhere. Without any reason for the memory.

His boyfriend beneath him, Serizawa remembered the sweat on Reigen's back, the marks on his neck, the halting cries of "Tsuya" the warmth, and—he stopped, feeling his face go red and a rush of heat to his lower body.

The man he was torturing must have finally given up, letting go as Serizawa felt Koyama's hand on his shoulder, telling him that it was enough.

The scarred man frowned at Serizawa's strangely red face, confused. His gaze traveled from Serizawa's face to his crotch. Horrified, Serizawa watched as Koyama's expression turned to one of amused shock before he let out a loud, mocking laugh.

"Wow, Serizawa, I didn't know you were into sadism. Don't worry, buddy, your secret's safe with me."

By the next day, half the organization was talking about it.

Since then, Serizawa fought with all his willpower to keep thoughts of blond men in gray suits out of his head while he was working.

Serizawa was used to feeling lonely, whether surrounded by people or not.

Since the age of eight, he had lost any real connection with his mother. Even living in the same house, their only communication became notes on the refrigerator with instructions: "Don't miss school" "Don't stay up late" "Heat the food before you eat it."

Serizawa obeyed each note, hoping that, if he was good enough, his mother would spend more time with him.

It never happened.

Things stayed the same until he was put under the government's care. He moved from one institution to another, always surrounded by boys his age, sleeping in crowded rooms—but he didn't connect with any of them. They kept their distance, afraid of him. He was alone.

When he began working for Boss Suzuki, the situation didn't change. He was always surrounded by people, but they were colleagues, not friends. Conversations were strictly professional, focused only on tasks. He wondered if he'd always feel this way—surrounded by familiar faces but without a single real connection.

Sometimes, he would sit in his apartment, quietly reflecting on his life. He questioned if he would ever find a place to truly belong. Maybe if he'd had friends growing up, he would've understood what human connection meant. Perhaps, if he'd had parents who listened, things would be different. But each time, he'd return to reality: he was alone, his life revolving around following his boss's orders, out of a sense of gratitude for not being left to die in misery.

Maybe this loneliness was permanent, maybe nothing would ever change. But, in some quiet part of his mind, there was still a flicker of hope—a desire for someone to understand him. One day, maybe, someone would see him not as a criminal, but as a person who simply wanted a place to call home.

And then, he met Reigen. There was something in the way he spoke, in his smile, that made Serizawa feel different. For the first time, he began to feel like he could open up and experience a real connection. He felt close to getting what he wanted so badly: someone who saw him for who he really was. With Reigen by his side, he no longer felt so alone.

With Arataka, he always felt that warm touch as they walked hand in hand, the vibration of his chest as he laughed, leaning against him. He felt his affection when he cooked for him, when he taught him how to prepare new dishes.

Serizawa had never been happier.

Reigen and Serizawa had been together for over a year.

They had shared some good times and some hard times. There were fights, but they always resolved them.

Serizawa just couldn't seem to be without Reigen. And Reigen couldn't be without him either.

However, even though his boyfriend accepted him as he was, with blood on his hands, Serizawa was beginning to wonder if he should really continue down this path.

For one thing, it was dangerous.

What if one day he didn't come back? What if he died? He had never been cautious about death in the past, but now it was different.

He would leave Arataka alone.

Either Reigen would mourn him and become unhappy forever, or he'd get over it, move on with his life, and find someone else. Serizawa didn't know which option was worse.

Besides his own fears, he also worried about Reigen's safety.

Serizawa had hurt so many people, ruined so many families, and ripped loved ones from each other enough times that it wouldn't be a surprise if someone wanted revenge by targeting the one he cared for most.

He also felt that his job was holding their relationship back.

They'd been together for over a year, and although Serizawa practically lived with his boyfriend, spending a lot of time at his apartment, they didn't officially live together. The small space was becoming stifling. They didn't have a big bed for the two of them, there was no shared closet, and they hadn't decorated the place together. None of those things.

He hadn't met Reigen's family either. Other than his boyfriend's tiny circle of friends, Serizawa hadn't been introduced to his family.

The Reigens had family gatherings sometimes, and Reigen would always invite him, but Serizawa would decline without asking for more.

Reigen didn't seem to mind the idea of introducing a man who looked like he stepped out of Yakuza 0 to his parents, but Serizawa felt ashamed. Ashamed of who he was and what he'd done; he hadn't even finished high school, for God's sake.

He also couldn't imagine getting married in this situation.

Maybe it sounded impulsive, but he'd long ago decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this man, as long as he was allowed to.

And his boyfriend had let it slip once that he wanted to marry him. If that beautiful man wanted it, Serizawa wasn't one to refuse.

With all those reasons clear, he came to the conclusion that he should leave Claw.

So one night, he went to talk to his boss.

Before entering the big building, he quickly typed on his cell phone.

As he was about to return the cell phone to his pocket, it vibrated in his hand. Reigen had answered almost immediately.

Arataka | 08:25 PM
Oh? Why so suddenly?

Arataka | 08:25 PM
Cheesy man
I love you more
Are you coming to sleep? I can wait for you

He put the cell phone away and walked into the building with determined steps. He really wished he could get out of this one in one piece.

When he found himself in front of his boss's office, he knocked on the door.

"Come in" he heard from the other side.

Upon entering, he found his boss sitting at his desk, a cigarette in his hand.

"Boss Suzuki" he greeted.

"Serizawa. What a surprise" he said as he stubbed out the cigarette in the glass ashtray on the desk.

Serizawa advanced until he was standing in front of his boss's desk. Suzuki barely looked up. Such studied indifference was an intimidation tactic Serizawa knew well.

"May I..." he began, his voice low, then cleared his throat. "May I sit down?"

Suzuki looked up slowly, unhurriedly, regarding him with that neutral expression that was impossible to read. "Have a seat" he said, his tone harsh. It sounded more like an order than an invitation.

Serizawa obeyed, sitting down stiffly, hands firmly on his knees, trying not to let it show how much his palms were sweating. He knew that any sign of weakness would be used against him, and yet the lump in his throat only grew. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to say.

"Boss..." he began, forcing himself to keep his gaze fixed on Suzuki. "I came because... I can't go through with this anymore. I've thought about it for a long time. I want... I want to leave this, get out of Claw."

Suzuki didn't say anything right away, just looked at him silently, that same inscrutable expression on his face. After a moment, he tilted his head, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, one that didn't reach his eyes.

"Going out?" he repeated, as if the word were foreign to him. "And what do you think you're going to do, Serizawa? You think you can just up and leave after all we've done for you?"

Serizawa swallowed hard, feeling the weight of each word crash down on him. But he could no longer back down. "I appreciate it, boss. I know what you've done for me, and I don't take it lightly. But... I need to start over, away from all this."

"Is it because of that little boyfriend of yours?" Suzuki let out a sigh that seemed almost mocking. "Serizawa, do you realize how pathetic that sounds after all I've invested in you? I took you off the street, gave you a purpose, made you into someone, and now you come to return the courtesy by saying you 'need' to leave?"

He felt a cold air on his back at the mention of Reigen and chose not to respond. "I know" he muttered, barely audibly. "But this is something I have to do."

Suzuki watched him unhurriedly, not bothering to disguise his disdain. "All right, then. But if you leave, you'll have to give me something in return. After all, you're taking one of my best men from me." He paused, looking Serizawa up and down as if calculating the value of a commodity. "I want your eyes."

The blood seemed to freeze in Serizawa's veins. He watched Suzuki silently, his mind blank.

His eyes. It was an expensive price to pay. He would never be able to see Reigen again. But he knew they wouldn't let him go otherwise. It was true that he could run away, but he didn't want to drag Reigen with him; it would be unfair to leave his friends, his office, and his home behind for him. There was also a chance of being found. Toichiro Suzuki never left loose ends, never let anyone escape.

Suddenly, the exchange didn't seem so far-fetched—though it was. Before, he thought that by coming to tell him this, he would end up with a bullet in his head.

The thought of never seeing again felt horrible, but he considered it a punishment for all the blood on his hands. It would also ensure that he would be completely out of this world. Toichiro Suzuki could be a heartless, empathetic man, but he never went back on his word.

Finally, he swallowed hard and spoke, though his voice was barely audible. "If... if it's the only way" he murmured, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. "I'll do it."

Suzuki raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? You plan to go that far?"

Serizawa nodded slowly, though he could hardly believe it. He felt as if he were in a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. He brought his hand to his face, hesitating for a moment. "If... if my eyes are what you want, then..." His voice cracked, but he didn't stop looking at Suzuki.

Boss Suzuki smiled slightly; it was more of a grimace, almost pleased. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a pocketknife, placing it on the polished surface and sliding it toward Serizawa. "Go ahead, then" he murmured, watching him with a mixture of interest and perverse amusement.

Serizawa took the knife in a trembling hand, feeling the cold weight of the metal. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. He lifted the knife, bringing it up to his face.

He had an idea of how to do this, even practiced it before. But never on himself.

He started with the right eye.

He plunged the razor in and moved it with all the precision he could muster, but the pain was unimaginable, a shock that seemed to burn from his face to his skull. He felt hot blood running down his cheeks, blurring his vision. His hands trembled, but he believed he still had the strength to continue.

For an instant, the boss's face changed. His eyebrows raised briefly in surprise before returning to the same cold expression as always.

Serizawa continued until the organ finally fell, rolling to his feet.

He was shaking so badly that he doubted he could do it right, fearing he would cut too deep and put his life in real danger.

Exhausted, with the trembling in his hands growing stronger, he raised his hand to the other eye. But before he could move forward, he felt a firm hand stop him.

"Stop, that's enough." It was his boss's voice.

Confused, but obedient, he dropped the knife to the ground and put his hand where his right eye had been.

He stared at the floor, his breath hitching, feeling as though he was about to faint.

Boss Suzuki sighed and leaned back on his desk. Serizawa heard him make a call, barely understanding his words. He was talking to Minegishi, the organization's doctor.

The smell of cigarettes flooded his nose; he guessed Suzuki had lit one. He didn't bother to look up to check; he didn't have the strength for it.

"I didn't think you'd be able to" Suzuki began. "It's embarrassing. Even a dog like you had the courage I didn't to give this up."

That was new. Suzuki sounded vulnerable. In all his years of service, Serizawa had never heard him say anything like that about himself.

With the last of his strength, Serizawa looked up. It was a strange sight: the man looked like he was about to cry.

The last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness was, "If I had stopped this in time, she would still be here."

The next thing he remembered was waking up to the sound of machines beeping and humming in his ear.

He also heard someone crying.

His eyelids felt heavy, and he couldn't bring himself to open them.

Taka? He wanted to say, but the word wouldn't come out.

He tried to move the arm Reigen was clinging to; he felt it shift at once, and the crying stopped with a last anguished gasp.

"T-tsuya?" he gasped.

"Taka." His voice came out strangely; he didn't recognize it.

"Why?" Reigen asked, his eyes wide with concern.

"What...?" Serizawa struggled to open his one functional eye, and there was Reigen, wearing those ridiculous gray pajamas and covered in tears.

"Why? What happened this time? No one has been able to tell me anything. How did... this happen? Tsuya, your eye..." Reigen sobbed, his voice breaking. "I can't take this anymore. I tried to pretend it was okay, but... the last time I came in, you were in a bed, dying. I can't…"

Serizawa let him talk, let him vent.

Reigen clutched the nearest hand. "Please, Katsuya... Stop this. It's too dangerous. Today it's your eye; tomorrow it could be your hands, your legs... And after that, you might never come back. I can't stand that idea; I couldn't live without you." He confessed, desperation lacing his words. "I can talk to your boss. I'll convince him. You know how good I am at dealing with people, don't you? I could do it—"

"Arataka." Serizawa interrupted, moving his hand until it was palm to palm with Reigen's and squeezing it. His boyfriend looked at him, frowning, eyes still anxious. "It's okay, it's over."

"What—?" Reigen took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "What do you mean?"

"I've quit Claw."

"You—you mean it?" Reigen's eyes shifted from anxious to hopeful.

"Yes. This was the last time you'll come here for me. I promise." He swore.

"But how come—?"

"I'll tell you later. I don't feel like I have much strength to talk..." He supposed it was the effect of the sedatives used to minimize the pain.

Reigen reacted immediately. "Oh, my God, yes. Sorry to be so intense when you're in such bad shape." He wiped his tears with the sleeves of his pajamas.

Serizawa smiled.

"Don't apologize. You know I love... how intense you are." He felt himself about to fall asleep again. "And I really hope you're willing to have a trophy husband? I'm unemployed and I doubt I'll get any work looking like this." He joked.

The last thing he heard was a short laugh from Reigen and, "Of course I want to, silly; you know I wouldn't mind."

He also felt dry lips against his knuckles.

"I'm home." A voice called from the doorway.

Serizawa made sure everything was turned off in the kitchen before going to greet his husband.

With hurried steps, he made his way to the entrance, where the other man was finishing taking off his shoes.

As soon as he looked up and saw him, he smiled.

He couldn't help it.

"Welcome home, love" he murmured before pulling him into a tight hug.

"Uhm, that smells good. What did you make for dinner?" he asked, barely breaking away, bringing his hands up to pull his husband into a kiss.

Serizawa kissed him senseless before answering. "It's a surprise."

"Oh, a mysterious boy."

Serizawa didn't respond as he set about undressing his husband, loosening the tie as Reigen shed his jacket.

"A desperate one too. What do you intend by undressing me in the entryway?" Reigen asked, somewhere between accusatory and suggestive.

"That you take a shower so we can have dinner" Serizawa replied, beginning to unbutton Reigen's shirt.

"Are you coming in with me?" Reigen paused, caressing the bare skin of Serizawa's forearms.

"You know how it always ends. The food will get cold..." he argued, though he knew it was a hopeless case.

"It can get warm" Reigen teased, rolling his eyes.

Serizawa snorted as he lifted Reigen off the floor and carried him to the bedroom. "Just know that I accept because it saves water."

Not really; they almost always left the faucet running until the hot water ran out and turned cold.

Reigen knew that too, but didn't point it out. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."