Work Text:
“Katsuya! Come here this instant!”
The sound of his mother’s voice stopped him right in his tracks, right as he was shoving the last bit of his breakfast down his throat. He was already late. His train was due to leave in 10 minutes. He was not supposed to be late anymore, he was meant to be a functioning adult.
“Mom?” he mumbled around the toast as he peered into the hallway. She stood there next to his work bag, open like someone had gone through it, and pinched between her fingertips was something familiar, something small and rectangular and…
“Oh!” he started, then stopped, his stomach dropped.
“Oh?” she asked, voice dangerously level. “What is this?”
He swallowed. His mind raced for something, anything, but his heart couldn’t stop thudding, and the blood was rushing to his brain.
“I went to make sure you had your wallet for lunch, and then I found these,” she said with an expression as if she were holding something radioactive.
“It’s…. complicated.“
“Katsuya,” she cut him off. “I thought I raised you better than this.”
He blinked, throat dry. He hated it when his mom got mad. “It’s not- I mean it’s not what you think-“
“You’re thirty-one, Katsuya,” she put her hands on her hips, clearly bracing herself for the fact that her adult son had apparently decided to make the world’s dumbest life choice. “At your age, you should know what this does to your lungs. And your heart!”
He could feel sweat forming at the back of his neck. The whole situation was so absurd he almost wanted to laugh, but his mother’s expression killed the impulse almost immediately.
“You’re finally living your life again, and this is what you decide to do?”
He felt ten again.
“Mom!” he blurted, louder than intended; the force of it startled even him. “It’s not that. I don’t smoke!”
Her frown deepened. “Then why do you have these? Is it to look cool? How many times have I told you to just be yourself?”
He had no good answer. He could tell her the truth, that they belonged to his boss, that Reigen smokes when he’s stressed, and lately the stress had been bad. He could also say that, in some strange burst of care, he had been quietly pocketing Reigen’s cigarettes over the week, telling himself that maybe, maybe if they disappeared, Reigen would have to quit.
But that explanation, spoken out loud, would sound… obsessive, maybe. ‘I’m not smoking, I’m just stealing from my boss.’
So instead, he just stood there, lips pressed tight.
She sighed, reading the silence her own way. “Katsuya… you’re a good boy. You’re kind, but you’re also…” She stopped herself for a beat. “You’re not this person. You should know better.”
“I do know better,” he said.
“Then stop.” She pushed the pack toward him. “Throw them out. All of them.”
He stared at the cigarettes, his eyes fixed on the gory pictures of rotting teeth. “Okay,” he said at last. “I’ll… I’ll throw them out.”
She nodded, exhaling slowly, and any anger left in her melted into worry. “Good. I don’t want to lose you to something like this.”
“Me neither.”
“You’ve worked too hard to be healthy again.”
“Yeah.”
She picked up his bag. “I just don’t understand,” she murmured, more to herself. “You used to hate the smell of smoke. You’d cover your nose whenever your uncle came over. What changed?”
He slid on his jacket and took his bag from her. “I need to get to work. See you later.”
She gave him a small hug and a pat on the back. “Have a good day at work.”
Now he was on his way to the train station, air still crisp, leaves crunching under his feet. He took a deep breath of fresh air and wondered if Reigen never wanted to breathe again.
He still had no idea to why he enjoyed smoking. He had looked tired lately, more lethargic, but surely smoking would only make his muscles ache more.
He had been watching his boss all week, cigarette after cigarette, and thought, I should do something. So he did. One part of him called it stealing, but another side of him, more convincing, thought of it in the way someone might clean up a mess someone was too busy to notice.
It wasn’t like Reigen asked him to, yet it felt right. Like something a friend should do.
As he waited on the platform, he pulled out the pack again. He couldn’t stop looking at those images. He cared about Reigen, he really did, and he did not want to imagine that sweet mouth rotten from smoke.
The train soon approached, and the wind of it rushed past him.
The world outside blurred into motion. The man who sat next to him still had a scent of smoke clinging to his clothes; he was dishevelled and looked ill. Serizawa only saw Reigen.
“Morning, boss,” Serizawa said as he set his bag down.
Reigen glanced up, hair slightly dishevelled, tie already loose. “Morning, Serizawa. You haven’t seen my cigarettes, have you?”
“I, uh…” he scratched at the back of his neck. “No. Did you leave them at home?”
He groaned, shutting the drawer that he was looking in a bit too hard. “Great. Just great.” He opened the next one, rummaging through it, then sighed dramatically. “Man, I swear this office is cursed, or haunted with ghost thieves.”
“Do you think… maybe the ghosts are trying to tell you something?”
He paused, then glared. “Very funny.”
“I just mean—”
“Don’t say it like that, it sounds like you’re implying I should quit.”
Serizawa bit the inside of his cheek. He wanted to say that yes, he was implying that, no doubt about it. But Reigen couldn’t see it, his vision too fogged up with tobacco.
Reigen gave up and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead. “I guess I’ll just grab some later. But man, I can’t focus without—“ He waved his hand vaguely. “Something to take the edge off. You know?”
He nodded. He didn’t know. He had never smoked, and he had never understood how a stick of burning paper could make anyone feel calmer. But he did know what it was like to have your nerves twist into knots over nothing.
The office eventually fell quiet until about 20 minutes later, when Reigen’s breathing became slightly ragged. “Ugh. This computer is lagging again.”
Serizawa looked up from where he was organising some papers. “Do you want me to check?”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Reigen smashed at the keyboard. “Everything’s fine. Totally fine. Nothing’s wrong except for the stupid computer, my missing cigarettes, and the fact that coffee tastes like mud today.”
“Maybe you have too many tabs open?”
“God, are you pestering me about this again? There’s nothing wrong with leaving a few tabs open.” Said the man who had 50+ tabs open at any given time.
“Oh. Right. Sorry.”
He let out a guttural groan and dropped his head onto the desk. “I need a smoke. Now.”
Serizawa chewed on his thumbnail. He considered pulling the pack from his bag, the pack that he still hadn’t thrown away, but the thought of Reigen lighting up and undoing all his effort made his stomach churn. So instead, he softly said, “Maybe you could take a walk? Fresh air might clear your head.”
Reigen gave him a look. “You sound like my doctor.”
“Your doctor sounds smart.”
He stared at him for a beat, then exhaled. “Alright, fine. I’ll go out at lunch. Need to grab food anyway, and a new pack.”
By the time noon rolled around, Reigen was visibly unravelling, patience thinning out at the smallest of things. His usual smooth energy was fraying at the edges, making Serizawa wonder if maybe he was putting on an act all along.
At one point, he raised his voice at Serizawa for printing something in colour. Calling him stupid, inconsiderate, and telling him the ink would be coming out of his paycheck.
Then Reigen immediately cursed himself. “Sorry. You didn’t deserve that. I’m just… sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s okay. I understand.” And he really did, which only made him feel more guilty.
When Reigen finally grabbed his coat and announced, “I’m going for lunch,” Serizawa could practically see the nicotine craving dragging him through the door.
“Want me to come?” “Nah, stay here. Someone might call.”
The door shut behind him.
The office felt too still after that, but his mind was whirring. Reigen was going to smoke, and Serizawa could do nothing to stop him from killing himself.
He looked at the desk, at the table, the window, at anything that might help. Just then, his eyes landed on the small box of matches sitting by the phone. Were those the ones Reigen usually used?
He hesitated. This was going too far, wasn’t it? He already stole from him once, and stealing again just felt invasive. However, he couldn’t help but picture Reigen coming back with a brand new cancer stick, lighting one without even sitting down and coughing up a lung like he always did afterwards.
So he reached out and slid the small box into his pocket. “This is for your own good.”
Reigen returned half an hour later, carrying a paper bag that smelt like grease. “Lunch!” He announced. “Mobdonalds, my treat. You like burgers, right?”
“Yes, thank you, sir.” He took the burger Reigen handed to him and started peeling back the paper wrapping.
Reigen dropped into his seat and ripped back the paper and immediately started to eat like a starved man. The food vanished quickly. He then pulled out a fresh cigarette pack from his coat pocket. Serizawa watched.
He slid one out and stuck it between his lips. He patted his pockets, then checked the desk, drawers. His brows furrowed. “Where the hell? Did I seriously… No.”
“Something wrong?”
“No way,” he laughed dryly. “Just my luck, huh?” His voice rose an octave as he started pulling out the drawers more frantically. “Unbelievable! Next thing I know, my damn shoes will vanish!”
He tossed the cigarette back into the pack, muttering under his breath a string of curses Serizawa pretended not to hear. “I just wanted one break today. One.”
“Forget it.”
Serizawa watched him. Watched the light tremor in his hand, the restless tap of his foot. He almost said something. He didn’t, though. But helping someone shouldn’t feel this bad.
The clock hit six. Reigen stretched with a deep yawn, arms over his head. “Alright, that’s it. I’m calling it. We’re done for the day.”
Serizawa rolled his shoulders. It would be good to get some rest; his brain has been in overdrive since the morning. “Any plans?” He decided to ask.
Reigen grabbed his jacket from the rack, humming under his breath like he was excited for something. “Gonna head home, take a hot shower, and have a good ol’ smoke before bed.”
Serizawa’s pencil froze mid letter. His brain stalled. He could practically see the scene forming in his mind: Reigen in his cramped apartment, undoing every single bit of good Serizawa’s secret campaign had done.
“Oh,” he managed weakly. “You… you’re going to smoke?”
“Uh, yeah? It’s been a hell of a day.”
“It didn’t seem that bad.”
“Maybe for you.” He was halfway out the door. Serizawa couldn’t think fast enough. He could follow him home? And do what?? Watch in pity through the window? He should just admit it. Reigen might not even take it so badly. Maybe Reigen would see him as a hero, scoop him up in a hug and thank him. Or he would recognise it as the betrayal of trust it was and never talk to him again.
He needed time. A distraction. Something that would keep Reigen away from home long enough that the craving passed, preferably forever. Something that made sense, something believable.
“Uh, Reigen-san?” He almost stumbled over the name.
“Yeah?”
He hesitated, wringing his hands. “Would you…” He opened his mouth. Closed it. Swallowed. “Would you walk me home?”
He blinked. “…Walk you home?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “Trains are crowded, and it’s dark now, and, uh, I don’t feel safe by myself. I think there’s some weird spirits around my neighbourhood lately. Or weird people. Could you protect me?”
He seemed both touched and confused. “Protect? Oh wow, I’m flattered. I didn’t know you saw me as so…”
“Strong, sir.”
Reigen blushed, giggling slightly at the compliment like a schoolgirl. “Hehe, you don’t say… I guess I could protect you, but you know you’re strong too, right?”
His ears went pink. Was that a compliment? They were easier to dash out than receive. His eyes cast down. “It’s just nicer walking with someone.”
The room quieted. Reigen tilted his head. The teasing faded and was replaced by something softer. “Ah. So that’s it.”
Serizawa’s shoulders drooped a little.
“Alright, fine. Sure. I’ll walk you home. My good deed for the day.”
The tension slipped out of him in a small exhale. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Besides, I could use the exercise. Been sitting on my ass most of the day.
ᝰ🚬
The sky outside was dimming to that purplish grey colour between sunset and night, where streetlights came to life one by one.
It was awkward at first. Reigen talked like he normally did, but it wasn’t anything real, just small talk about the weather or local shops. Serizawa still listened carefully, as if he was the most important man in the world.
“So,” Reigen bumped his shoulder. “What’s got you all jumpy lately? You’ve been weird since this morning.”
Crap, he knew, didn’t he? “I’m not weird.”
He just grinned. “That’s exactly what someone weird would say.”
“I just didn’t sleep well.”
“That makes two of us.”
They passed a row of vending machines. Reigen stopped to buy a can of black coffee, cracking it open with a hiss. The smell made Serizawa’s nose wrinkle. “You sure you don’t want one?” Reigen offered.
“I’m okay. I prefer tea, or hot chocolate.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He took a long sip and let out a sigh. “This isn’t too bad. I forgot how much I like walking.”
“Yeah,” Serizawa smiled faintly. “It’s nice.”
“Still, you owe me one.”
For a while, neither spoke. The only sounds were the crunching of wet leaves under their shoes and the humming of the streetlights. He felt the evening breeze tug at his sleeves, cool.
After another few blocks, Reigen checked his watch. “Man, it’s already eight?”
“Oh, is it?”
“Yeah. Guess I got carried away talking.” He yawned. “Anyway, your place is around here, right?”
“Just a little further.”
He gave him a look. “How much further?”
“…A few more blocks…”
Reigen laughed. “You’re lucky I’m a generous boss.”
They kept walking. By the time they finally reached Serizawa’s neighbourhood, the streets were empty and the stars were nearly out. Reigen stopped in front of his home, hands in his pockets. “Well, mission accomplished. You’re safely home.”
“Thank you for walking with me
“Anytime. Well… let’s not make this a habit,” he grinned. “You sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
He turned to leave, waving casually, but the door opened before he stepped too far. “Katsuya?”
His mom was standing in the doorway in her slippers, her apron tied around her waist. Her voice carried with both concern and sternness. “Where have you been? It’s almost eight!”
“Sorry, Mom! It won’t happen again-“
Her gaze shifted to the man beside him, and her whole demeanour changed. “And who’s this?”
Reigen straightened immediately like a soldier. “Ah, good evening, ma’am. I’m Arataka Reigen. I work with your son.” He bowed a little too low.
She brightened in an instant. “Oh! So you’re the boss I’ve been hearing so much about. Well, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Reigen chuckled once. “You have?”
“Of course. You didn’t tell me he was so handsome, Katsuya.”
He choked slightly. “Oh- uh- thank you?”
Serizawa was beet red. Why was his mother torturing him like this? It’s not like he could deny Reigen was handsome.
Before either of them could recover, she stepped aside. “You’ll stay for dinner, won’t you? I just finished cooking.”
“That’s not really…”
“Please, I insist,” she said so firmly that refusal was impossible. “It’s the least I can do for the man keeping my Katsuya company at work. Now come in, come in! It’s chilly out. You can go home after you eat well.”
Reigen gave Serizawa a helpless look. “Well. Orders are orders.”
The home was warm and comfortable, it was tidy with cream coloured walls and no harsh lights, with a faint smell of soy and ginger lingering in the air. Reigen toed his shoes off and followed Serizawa’s mother into the dining area. “Just a moment as I finish up in the kitchen, okay? Food will be in 20.”
Eventually, the table was set with dishes that looked straight out of a cookbook: simmered mackerel, bright pickled vegetables, miso soup steaming gently in bowls.
“Wow,” Reigen said in awe. “This smells amazing.”
Serizawa suddenly realised how hungry he was, he hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and even that was light.
“It’s nothing fancy,” she said, pleased despite herself. “Just a little something to keep my son healthy. He forgets to look after himself sometimes.”
“Mom, stop..” He protested weakly. If there was one thing she was good at, it was treating him like he was still a child.
They sat down, Reigen beside him, stiff backed at first, like he was unsure of how to behave in someone else’s home. Serizawa then noticed how Reigen’s fingers drummed against his leg, almost restless.
“Here,” Serizawa’s mom said, setting down a bowl of rice for each of them. “Eat before it gets cold.”
“Thank you,” Reigen said automatically, clasping his hands together before taking a piece of fish, dipping it into a mysterious sauce, then taking a tentative bite with some rice. He stopped midway. “Oh my God,” he muttered without meaning to. “This is incredible.”
She laughed. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I might cry,” though he didn’t seem to be joking. “You’re spoiling me. I can’t remember the last time I had a home cooked meal.”
“You don’t cook?”
“Well, not really.”
She clicked her tongue. “That won’t do at all. A young man like you needs proper meals. You should come more often. Maybe I can teach you.”
“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” he spoke with a full mouth, shovelling even more down his gullet.
“It wouldn’t be an intrusion. Right, Katsuya?”
He thought about it for a moment. It was obvious that Reigen was for the idea of being mothered by Serizawa’s mother. Would that make them brothers? He wouldn’t really want that. But he was caught off guard by the pressure to decide, so he just blurted out, “Ok.”
They ate for 10 minutes while Reigen and his mother seemed to bond, his mother seeming to like him a lot. “You must both work so hard. It’s nice to see Katsuya smiling again.”
Reigen glanced at Serizawa sideways. Serizawa looked like he’d prefer to spontaneously combust.
“I’m so happy you’ve found someone so special to spend time with!”
“Yeah. Special.” Serizawa found himself agreeing.
He laughed. “Ah, well, thank you for the compliment. He really is a great coworker. Reliable, polite, terrible at karaoke.”
“Pft, I’m not that bad,” he pushed against him.
Reigen smiled. “You are. Just admit it.”
His mom laughed. “You two are adorable.”
Both men had gone still. “Oh, what? I can’t compliment you in front of you friend?”
Reigen shifted in his seat. “Friend works. Definitely friend.”
“Of course,” she said in a tone that suggested she absolutely didn’t believe him.
Dinner continued in a haze of warm soup. Reigen had seemed to relax a lot more once his cravings were dulled under genuine care. The tension in his shoulders melted like butter.
“So ma’am,” he said between bites of rice. “You really shouldn’t worry about Katsuya. He’s the backbone of the business. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely. He keeps me sane. And clients love him, he has that kind face and body language, you know?”
Serizawa fidgeted in his seat. “You don’t have to say all that.”
“Well, it’s true. You’re one of the best employees I’ve ever had.”
His mother beamed. If only she knew Reigen had only ever had few employees, she wouldn’t be so impressed; that didn’t matter when she gave him that look. “I’m so proud of you, Katsuya.”
There was something nice, something grounding about the scene, like affection was tugging at the corner of it all, something like family.
It was almost ten before anyone knew it. “Oh, wow, look at the time. I should get going.”
“Going?” Serizawa’s mom perked up. “At this hour? You’ll freeze waiting for a taxi.”
“It’s fine,” he assured her. “I’ll just call an Uber “
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re staying the night.”
“Eh?”
“Mom, he probably has plans,” but arguing was futile. She had already made the decision long ago.
“Nonsense. It’s settled. I’ll set up a futon in your room, Katsuya, the guest should take your bed.” Before anyone could comment, she was already bustling away to fetch bedding, humming to herself.
Reigen raised an eyebrow. “Guest privilege, huh?”
By the time the sleeping arrangements were ready, it was half past ten. His mom had made Reigen tea and let him use the hot water in the shower. At that rate, she could have tucked him in, too.
“Goodnight, boys. Get some rest for tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, ma’am.”
The door slid shut.
Reigen sat down on the bed, Serizawa’s shirt looking big on him. “Your mom is…” he huffed slightly. “really nice.”
“Well,” he yawned slightly. “She likes you and…” something pulled inside him, and he suddenly couldn’t say: so do I.
The heater was buzzing, making the room toasty. Serizawa then suddenly became hyperaware that Reigen was in his room, and everything was a judgment of his character. The shelf of manga, figurines dotted around the place, game and mecha posters on the walls and his over the top collection of consoles.
“Your room is awesome, seriously, man.”
“Really?” Serizawa said with genuine surprise. “It’s not, nerdy?”
“I never said it wasn’t,” he snorted. “It’s nerdy, alright, but it’s still awesome.”
“Ha…. Thanks.”
Reigen then ran a hand down his face, staring at the window. His leg started to bounce.
Serizawa noticed. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Totally. Just… long day. Hard to relax.”
He leant forward, propping his elbows onto his knees. Serizawa watched silently as his eyebrows knitted. The slow, agonising itch had been building all day.
Reigen let out a low laugh that sounded more like a sigh. “This is pathetic. I’m a grown adult, and I can’t go twelve hours without nicotine.”
“You can,” Serizawa spoke gently.
“Ha. You’re sweet, Serizawa, but I know myself better than that.”
He stood up and paced slightly, meaning to distract himself, maybe. “It’s just, I don’t know why the world is against me. Do you think it’s a sign?”
“Yes! It’s a sign. That’s what it must be,” he immediately clung to the lie to make it sound convincing. “It would make sense, too, you have so much good in you, and the world knows that. It wants you to be healthy!” He was yapping so much he didn’t even notice Reigen had stopped.
Serizawa searched his eyes and followed them to his bag on the floor. Inside, barely visible, a familiar rectangle peeked out.
Then Reigen reached in slowly to lift it out, and he turned it in his hand. “Well, well. Didn’t know you smoked.”
Serizawa’s mouth went dry. “Oh, ha, what’s that doing there?”
“So this is where they’ve been going.”
Serizawa couldn’t find words. His heart was thudding in his ears.
He looked up at him. “You’ve been taking them, haven’t you?”
Serizawa swallowed. He wanted to argue, but suddenly it was as if it was all a crime scene, and he had left evidence everywhere. “…Yes.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Serizawa immediately stepped forward. “I didn’t want you to smoke anymore!”
“You didn’t want me to? What happened to me being my own goddamn person?”
“It’s bad for you. It kills people. I was helping!”
“I know it kills people!” Reigen snapped. “Do you think I don’t know that?! I can stop when I want.” If only he’d understand. Reigen exhaled through his nose, running a hand down his face. “God, Serizawa. You had no right. You can’t just go around taking people’s stuff like that.”
“I’m sorry,” Serizawa said. He felt as if he was getting smaller. “I just, you’ve been coughing a lot lately, and you don’t sleep, and I thought-”
“Thought what? You’re my saviour or something?” Reigen’s tone was bitter, and he jabbed a finger into his chest. “I can look after myself.” Serizawa flinched. His anger frayed into exhaustion. “I get that you care, okay? I do. But I’m an adult. If I want to kill my lungs slowly, that’s my choice.”
The words hung heavy between them. Serizawa lowered his head. “You’re right.”
“Damn right I’m right.” He shook a cigarette out of the pack. “All day. All day, I’ve been craving one of these, and now I find out it’s because you’ve been pocketing them, you’re a thief, do you know that?” He stopped mid-rant to open the window. Cold air drifted in, carrying the smell of night and distant rain. “I’m assuming you have my matches, too?”
Serizawa nodded, guilt rising in his throat like bile. He was mad, no, pissed. He placed them in his open palm. Reigen stuck the cancer between his lips, muttering under his breath, words too low to catch. As he watched him, a sick mix of guilt and fear twisted in his stomach.
He’d crossed a line, he knew that. He thought he was helping, but he betrayed his trust all in the name of ‘caring.’
Reigen lit the match, the flame growing strong and bright before it flickered as its life ran out. He cupped his hand around it, leaning in, and Serizawa moved without thinking.
A sudden, instinctive motion, stepping forward before he could even think twice. His thoughts were scattered.
Reigen looked up in surprise, flame reflected in his eyes, and that was where the moment stopped. The air suspended between them, smoke curled into the air as their eyes locked tight, Serizawa tightly grabbed onto Reigen’s wrist, his nails dimpling the skin.
His mind blazed with something desperate. He put a hand at the back of Reigen’s head and pushed their heads together.
The cigarette dropped to the ground.
Reigen melted into the kiss. His mouth opened up as if in a gasp, Serizawa could taste the tobacco flushed with his sweet mouth
His body pressed against Reigen’s almost instinctively, warm and solid against the draft. Reigen gasped, panting slightly. “What was that?”
His skin was warm. So warm.
“I, uh..” Words failed Serizawa. They had evaporated in seconds. “I’m sorry, did I.. Do you not…?”
“Please,” he let out a half moan. “Kiss me again.”
The words made him dizzy. Every protest died on his tongue as hunger- no, starvation, took over. It was as if nothing else mattered, and all that was left was Reigen’s gaze burning into his, asking, demanding.
Reigen must have grown impatient; he grabbed Serizawa’s face and crashed their lips together. Serizawa wrapped an arm around Reigen, closing in every bit of space that remained. His finger tangled into blonde locks, angling his head to deepen all contact.
If this was nicotine, Serizawa was addicted.
It was as if his blood was boiling over, his nerves on fire, adrenaline fueling the ignition. He pushed Reigen against the wall, pinning the wrist he still held above his head.
Serizawa felt hands under his shirt, roaming freely, tuning his senses into overdrive. He was everywhere.
Reigen parted from this kiss and pressed his teeth and tongue on his neck. Serizawa tilted his head so he had better access. It was nothing like he had ever felt before. It was unfamiliar. It was like fire. It was like lava.
Serizawa gripped his hips and pressed one of his thighs between Reigen’s legs. He groaned. Serizawa pressed a second time to hear that low, raw sound come from that sweet mouth again.
His thigh rolled up just slightly, just enough, and suddenly Reigen was arching into it, breath hitching like he’d been struck with lightning.
The world was gone. All that was left was heat, hotter than fire. It was something new, something dangerous, and something so goddamn good it scared him. He didn’t even notice as Reigen’s hair started to stand up, or as the books on his desk started to float.
“Okay. Wow,” Reigen gasped as he came up for air. The books clattered to the floor. “Jesus… so we’re doing this?”
“Doing… what?” Serizawa asked. His lips now felt empty, and all he wanted to do was kiss Reigen forever.
“You’re… joking, right?” he was still trying to catch his breath. “You really have to ask that now?” He motioned between them: the position of their bodies, the undeniable tension.
“Wait. Sex??”
Reigen stared at him for a moment, mouth moving like a fish out of water. When he finally found his voice, it was an octave higher than usual. “Yes?!” he sputtered. “I thought we were on the same page here?”
Serizawa’s brain just completely turned to mush thinking about it. Sex. With Reigen. It was one thing that Reigen was his first kiss, but sex? “I never- huh- wait- what?!”
“You… never…?” His eyes flicked up to meet his.
“Did you think I had?”
Reigen ran a hand through his hair. “Well, maybe not at first. But with the way you kissed me? It’s like you knew exactly what you were doing!”
“That doesn’t mean-“ Serizawa then stopped, eyes wide as he realised something. “Hold on, you’ve never either?
He looked away, face turning a shade pink. “I… no. Okay? I haven’t. At least not with guys.”
Serizawa felt as if he was spiralling. How was this possible? The guy was attractive, confident, amazing. “Seriously? But you’re so…”
Perfect. Wonderful. Gorgeous.
Serizawa tilted his chin up, kissing his lips again, then again. Not exactly like before, just warm. A whisper of lips against lips, gentle as falling ash. It tasted different now. Reigen’s lips parted, inviting him closer. His hands travelled across Reigen’s body, exploring each curve and edge.
He slowly pulled back, just enough to look into the blonde’s eyes. They were darker, yet fuzzy around the edges.
“So,” Serizawa whispered. “What now?”
Reigen pulled at the waistband of his plaid pyjama pants. “This,” his voice was rough. “Needs to come off.”
Serizawa felt a shudder run through him at the tone, heat pooling low in his belly. He nodded wordlessly, and Reigen made quick word of it.
Fabric dropped to his ankles, leaving him just in a thin shirt and boxers. Reigen let out a low whistle, drinking in the sight. “Damn. You’re so solid.”
“Thank you?”
Reigen hooked a finger into his boxers. “This off too, then?”
“R-right. Yes,” he took a moment, and suddenly felt very exposed, but not uncomfortable. “Like this?”
The way Reigen looked at him was something he wanted to commit to memory forever. He bit his cheek, eyes roaming.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” Reigen said.
Serizawa pushed on his shoulders just slightly. Reigen took the signal and sank to his knees in front of him, placing his hands instinctively behind his thighs.
“You gonna make me do all the work?” He teased; there was no real protest in it, just anticipation. He leaned forward slightly, breath ghosting over Serizawa’s length. “Guess I don’t mind.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but whatever he was about to say turned into a moan as Reigen’s lips swallowed him. His hands moved on their own, reaching forward to bury into Reigen’s soft hair.
He moaned again at how Reigen looked up at him through his lashes, how, when Reigen made noises, they vibrated through him. He tangled his fingers tighter as he tried to catch his breath. It was all he could do to keep himself from bucking his hips up.
Reigen pulled off suddenly with a pop, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. “Not yet. I want you in me.”
His breath hitched. He’d expected a smartass comment, something to downplay the situation; this was real. “Now?” Serizawa swallowed hard. “How?”
“I’ve watched a lot of porn, trust me on this,” Serizawa stared, transfixed, as Reigen shed his clothes. The light caught the curve of his waist, and suddenly he felt as if, no, actually none of this was real.
Reigen crawled onto the bed. “You gonna stand there all night, or are you finally gonna do something?”
His pulse roared in his ears. He reached for him, slowly, like he was afraid he might vanish if he moved too fast. “Tell me what to do.”
“Oh, um, come here?”
Serizawa quickly got rid of his shirt and moved forward, climbing onto the bed and hovering over him. Reigen reached up, his fingers traced the line of Serizawa’s jaw before pulling him down into a slow kiss. “Just go slow,” he murmured against Serizawa’s lips.
“Okay. So do I just… put it in?” It was taking a lot of strength to keep some, if any, composure.
“No, that might hurt. Do you have any lube?”
“I have lube,” Serizawa confirmed.
“Well, good- wait,” his brows nearly touched his hairline. “You have lube?”
“Yeah, ha,” Serizawa flushed. “You know… for when I’m alone?”
Reigen groaned. “Just get the damn lube.”
He quickly came back with a travel sized tube of it. He uncapped it and waited for what to do next.
“Okay, now you have to prep me. With your fingers, or however you want to.”
“Ouch. Won’t that hurt?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve done it before.”
His brain almost shut down. “Y-you have?” The mental image that flashed through Serizawa’s head nearly made him faint. The idea of Reigen, alone, fingers slick with…
“Just get on with it.”
He didn’t have to be told twice. Serizawa quickly squeezed a big dollop right between his cheeks.
Reigen gasped and squirmed. “Jesus! At least warm it up!” But before he could argue further, Serizawa’s finger was inside him, choking back any coherent words.
Reigen’s insides felt weird. Like raw chicken, maybe, but warmer. His finger moved slowly, carefully, feeling as Reigen tensed under him. He was making these little sounds, low in his throat, and it made his head swim. He couldn’t help but think about all the other sounds he could coax.
“Does it hurt?” he asked quietly.
“No, no, it’s okay. Please, keep going.”
Reigen’s breath was coming out in shallow, short bursts, but he seemed okay, so Serizawa added a second finger. He curled his fingers slightly, the muscles in his hand straining with how carefully he moved them. When Reigen moaned, Serizawa curled his fingers again, a little more firmly that time.
His back arched, Serizawa worked harder on stretching him ready. After a few more minutes, Reigen was practically whining. “Ser… oh man, I need you, now.”
He slipped out his fingers, crawling above him. “Okay. How should we do this?” Reigen didn’t respond, so Serizawa focused on trying to find an easy position. He lifted one of Reigen’s legs onto his shoulder, squirted some lube onto himself, and lined up.
Serizawa stilled, the weight of it crashing down on him. This was happening. Reigen, bare and trembling beneath him. “Look at me,” he said, and Reigen did. Slowly, dazedly, and the second their eyes locked, he pushed forward.
Just enough to feel the heat wrap around him, it was tight and hot and way better than his own hand. Serizawa groaned, head falling forward a little, one hand was caressing under Reigen’s eye, the other digging into his thigh.
He felt him tense. He was wrecked already. Serizawa couldn’t look away for a second; it was like staring into an eclipse. It was intoxicating. All he wanted was to go deeper and bury himself in that heat and not come out for days.
He pushed in slowly until he was fully pressed against him, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Reigen was absolutely beautiful under him.
Reigen was clenching around Serizawa with every heartbeat. He looked up at him with his lips parted. Serizawa kissed them immediately, lightly.
“Took you… long enough,” his voice cracked.
Serizawa laughed and kissed him again, memorising the taste of him. “Can I move now?”
“Please.”
He pulled back, just barely, and rolled his hips forward. He trembled slightly. He was already so close, it was absolutely overwhelming, like the most beautiful kind of torture.
“Ngh… oh my God...” He tried to stop, pull out just a little, but Reigen hooked his legs around his waist and pulled him back close.
“Please,” he whined. “Please don’t stop.”
The words ran down his spine like a pleasure. He tried to make his thoughts work. Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop.
Reigen inhaled beneath him, a moan slipping past his lips. “Like that, yeah, just like that.”
“You feel so good. So good, so good, so good.”
He was close, so close. It took every last ounce of self-control to keep from spilling over right then. It was embarrassing to admit.
As he picked up speed, Reigen started to touch himself. The sight of it, the sound of his breath every time Serizawa moved, it drove him mad. He was teetering on an edge, and it was making him nauseous.
He desperately kissed his mouth, teeth clashing and lips itching for more. “I wish you could see yourself,” he panted. “see how goddamn perfect you look- ah-“
So close he couldn’t think, so close he couldn’t breathe.
Serizawa let out a broken noise. It was white, hot, and overstimulating. His hips buckled, and he buried himself deep inside him as he came so hard it made his vision blur.
He felt as if he had ruined it. All he could do was keep his eyes closed and head down as he rode out his orgasm. He felt pathetic, finishing so quickly.
“K-katsuya..”
Serizawa’s breath caught when he saw Reigen’s belly covered in his own release.
He couldn’t speak if he tried. Serizawa felt like jelly as he collapsed onto Reigen. His body was heavy and spent. Reigen’s arms wrapped around him fast.
“Sorry,” his voice muffled against his chest. “I’m… I’m sorry, I didn’t make it last..”
Reigen just held him tighter.
“I wanted to- I should have-“ he clenched his eyes tightly, fighting back the lump that rose in his throat. He couldn’t cry. He couldn’t…
“Hey. Hey, look at me,” he met his gaze. “That was the best sex I have ever had in my life.”
He was sure he misheard that. “Are you serious?” There was no way Reigen was telling him the truth.
“I’m telling the truth.”
Reigen wasn’t laughing. His eyes were soft, serious; something heavy unfurled in Serizawa’s chest, spreading through him like sunlight.
Serizawa started to cry. It was absurd. It was not at all how he wanted to be perceived by the man still under him. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes to try and stop the tears, but it was useless.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re fine.”
He nuzzled his wet face into Reigen’s neck. Reigen ran his hands up his bare back soothingly, holding him close.
He brushed his hand through Serizawa’s hair. Serizawa wondered if he could do it forever.
“Are you still angry?”
“No, I’m not angry.”
“Are you gonna stop smoking?”
“Yeah, I am,” he whispered. “I’m going to quit.”
“Why…?”
“Because,” Reigen said, low and sincere. “Someone cares about me now.”
It was that simple.