#reigen you need to stop smoking

[acermp100]

WAWA WEEK PART 2: THE WAWAING

26/3 - Exorcism: VESSELS

Reigen, Dimple, and Serizawa are out on a mission to take out something that's been affecting an old, abandoned industrial area.

Teen rating. Some depictions of animal abuse, hurt animals. Mild horror themes. More implied Seri/Rei cause I can't help it ok. 3k~ words

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Clouds shifted over the sun leaving the last bit of brightness lost amongst disused smoke stacks and broken power lines. Every building rose to the same five story height- wide glass panel windows at the top with mortar and brick for the walls, all cracked and stained with grease. Cheap, corrugated metal served as roofs which did little else but keep out the weather, though rust and time had ruined that as well.

“Great.” Reigen had just finished lighting a cigarette and was now looking up at the darkening sky, a line of smoke rising from his lips. “Let’s get this done before it starts to rain.”

What few bits of nature that remained had barely managed to cling on. Serizawa remembered a movie where some old building had been reclaimed and covered in vines with plants breaking through the rubble that covered ground. Not here. Dried, brown grass peaked out from between the edges of the concrete paths, and what little dirt there was hosted nothing but sickly brambles that barely reached up a few feet. Glass lay shattered alongside other random debris causing their path to wind despite the straight, gridded construction. Not a single bird or insect could be heard.

“I think-“ Serizawa paused, giving a distant stare toward the far building on their left. A weak gust of wind billowed up dust that was less dirt and more eroded concert and rust. “I think I sense something.”

“Ugh.” Dimple floated over with little arms flopping down from his gaseous form. “No you don’t.” He cast an arrant glace at Serizawa. “Stop trying to impress all the time.”

A blush. Serizawa turned away.

“Hey.” Reigen exhaled through both his nose and lips, smoke trailing up and fading into the cloudy sky. A stiff hand rose nearly slicing through the floating spirit. “I only brought you along to help us ID this thing. Not to sass my employees.”

“Yeah whatever.” Dimple floated up right behind Reigen’s head. “Guess I’ll just have to sass only you then.”

Serizawa rubbed the back of his neck, still avoiding any eye contact. He really had felt something ahead, just weak and hard to focus on. Then he heard it: some scratching on the stone as a shadow moved along the side of the building. His feet shifted against the dusty path and he put himself between his boss and the entity, one arm ready at his side and the other out to keep Reigen from walking any closer.

“Stand back, Reigen-san!”

The air grew tense in the silence with only a few rustling sounds. Then there came a hiss and pebbles flew up as a cat bolted from its meager cover and fled down the path they had just came from.

“Ha ha!” Dimple made an exaggerated flip in the air. “A cat! You’re all worked up over a stupid stray cat!”

Frowning, Serizawa lowered his arm while his shoulders drooped. The client had reported a terrible spirit here that could even claw through the brick walls and metal support beams. Wasn’t it good he was being more safe than sorry?

“Wait.” Reigen stepped forward, holding his own serious expression despite the false alarm. “Look, there’s another one.”

Another cat emerged from a hole in the building’s wall followed by a smaller kitten: one ginger and one a dark tabby. They wandered across the path into another broken wall before disappearing.

“Odd there’s even animals here.” Reigen brought up a hand to his chin in contemplation. “This wasn’t any kind of food processing plant or storage. All construction and industry. Not like they’d have rats to prey on.”

Serizawa took comfort in Reigen’s knowledge but still let out a long exhale. Stay calm and focused, your boss is counting on you. He peered up into the sky to gather a few ounces of clarity before looking around for any more animals. Not a tree in site yet a few sparrows were sitting on an exposed metal pipe. Maybe that’s what the cats were feeding on? But then what were they eating? He flicked a glance at his boss hoping he had some kind of answer.

“Welp.” Reigen gave a stretch, bringing his cigarette up for a needed drag. “I’m gonna call this one a false alarm.” He turned and exhaled the lung full. “This is probably just some old lady feeding strays that someone thought was a witch or whatever.”

“No.” Serizawa took a few steps away from the group, staring ahead. “I still feel something.”

Crows started to caw from atop the building they had been heading for. There appeared to be over a dozen. All three watched as they formed a perfect circle in the air.

“I do too.” Dimple floated over with his arms crossed.

Reigen brought his hands up. “Alright, so give us some intel on it then.” He gestured at the floating green cloud. “You said you would actually be of help on this job.”

“Can it, pink tie.” A roll of the eyes. “We’re still far away. I can’t magically see through a wall that’s like 100 meters in front of us.”

“Humph.” Reigen grumbled under his breath. “Um, Serizawa?” He looked over at the esper now glaring up at a crow perched on the roof just to their left. “What do you see?”

Dimple jerked back. “Shit!”

That crow. Its eyes looked different. And the beak: somehow it was smiling. He didn’t care if he was wrong again, he had to protect Reigen. His arm rose involuntarily with the palm open and out while his eyes narrowed. Energy focused from his chest to his fingers, forming a concentrated burst. The crow turned and raised its wings at the last moment, flying off with a cackling, mocking call. All that was left was a crater in the stone where it has stood.

“Shit.” Dimple repeated as all three watched the bird fly into the far building through a broken window. All the other crows followed.

“So- demon crow spirit?” A pointing finger towards the window in the distance. Reigen stood before Serizawa and Dimple with his arms posed against his hips for only a moment before he started gesturing once more. “Obviously it’s controlling them. Probably stole some shiny, expensive trinket from our client.”

Dimple sank in the air. “Not even close, dude.”

Reigen crossed his arms. “Ok then oh wise ass- Hey wait!”

He had to stop this. Now. It was far more powerful than he thought, able to hide its true abilities with so many other vessels around it. His shoes skidded along the ground as he turned and entered the largest hole in the wall. Upper right in a bird, along the ground in a rat, along one of the beams as a cat- Serizawa tried to focus but could only stand there with his aura fuming for something to target.

“Oi- hey new c-company rule.” Reigen had caught up and now leaned against the opening with a hand on his chest, breathing hard. The cigarette had been left behind. “No running off into a creepy wareho- oh fuck.”

Serizawa had already noticed. This is where all the plants were. Oddly sick flowers grew along the ground with thorny brambles and a few stunted trees clinging to dead leaves. Above, vines hung down and stretched across the ceiling blocking whatever light would have came in through the holes in the roof. And amidst this cursed greenhouse stood a number of dogs, cats, and rats; all staring over at their new guests.

“Yeah. I was afraid of this.” Dimple had enough sense to only peek inside. “It’s a common type of spirit: posses some living thing and drain its energy over time. Normally likes to feed off of one thing at a time then move on to another victim, but some- well.” There came a hiss from the cats joined by crow calls. “Some like to make a collection.”

Serizawa gritted his teeth, brow furrowed with fists at his side. Left, up, right. Stop moving. Stop hiding. I won’t let you hurt anything else.

“Ohh! More friends to play with!” The voice echoed with a cackle of a cawing bird. The rest flew up into the air forming a fluttering circle around the hawk at the center. “I’ve always wanted a human for my own!” Wings rose, the feathers rotted and falling off. “And you brought a little green snack too.”

“Welp, good luck guys!”

And there went Dimple, flying off through the hole. Reigen shifted until he was behind Serizawa.

“You got this. Take it out.”

Nodding, Serizawa waited for the spirit to make the predictable first move. Knowing it was only lingering in the hawk as a decoy, he kept eying the other animals for a shift in energy. There! A dog tried a lunge from a flanking position but Serizawa was able to turn and release a wave in counter attack. A whine as the poor creature flopped to the ground, its drained body no longer supported by the evil spirit.

“Ohhh you missed!”

A cat, then a rat. Serizawa kept his power in check as to not harm the animals, but it proved difficult with how weak they already were.

“And again! Oh you are so much fun.”

The spirit would concentrate in one while influencing others around it only to jump to another and repeat. This led to an odd hive mind of uniform movement: the creatures mouths all open and eyes wide, stepping closer and closer. A cat latched on to his leg. It was a little ginger like the ones he remembered seeing in an alley he hid in one day after school as a kid. Serizawa frowned.

“What’s the matter? Don’t want to hurt the little kitties?”

More cats were now clawing at his pants with rats and the larger dogs not far behind. Serizawa could feel Reigen’s retreat backwards and he panicked.

“No Reigen-san!” He took his boss’s arm and pulled him close. “Stay by me or you’ll just end up another vessel for it.” Realizing he had gripped too hard he released, meeting Reigen’s eyes. “I’ll protect you.”

Reigen for once had nothing to say, only a nod with a frightened gaze looking back. Gathering his energy around them, Serizawa released a sphere that started from his chest and swelled larger into a shield. Every animal that came in contact with it were pushed back until there was now an angry force of claws and teeth and feathers pounding against the barrier. At least they were not being harmed.

“So cute. Think you’re so clever.”

Serizawa glared as the voice seemed to come from everywhere.

“But you forgot something.”

He tensed, waiting for an attack. A screech as the hawk slammed against the barrier, body broken with unnatural eyes staring right into Serizawa’s. The voice came out as a twisted yell.

“I ALWAYS GET WHAT I WANT.”

The barrier flared for a moment before cracking, releasing a wave of energy. All the animals were now still, most fallen over, others confused and weak on shaking legs.

Serizawa scanned the warehouse in a long arc, checking every animal, every possible vessel. Suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder, causing him to jerk as he turned, mind only now catching up with reality as he stared, wide eyed at his boss.

“Aw, what’s wrong?” Reigen’s face was now pale with sharp teeth poking out from his lips. The words came out as a horrible, mocking hiss. “Did you like this one?”

“No- NO!”

Serizawa stepped back, watching as Reigen stumbled and fell forward, his movement like a child learning to walk. He couldn’t help it and rushed forward, trying to support him. The skin felt cold but there was still a heartbeat.

“Reigen-san!”

A twisted, inhuman face grinned back. “Mine now! So much better than dogs and cats!”

Without thinking, Serizawa gripped Reigen by the collar and lifted him up, pinning the body against the wall a few inches off the ground. His limbs trembled while his muscles clenched along with his jaw.

“Let him go. Now.” His voice came out low and steady in contrast to his frantic mind and raging aura.

Another smile. “You should be the one letting go.” A hand raised and rested on one of Serizawa’s tensed, shaking arms, the now clawed fingers trailing down his sleeve. “I like this one.” The neck lurched forward with a crack. Inhuman eyes glared back, the pupils shrinking to small black pinpoints. “So good luck getting me out with him still alive.”

The grip tightened as Serizawa raised Reigen up higher. His boss was still in there, lost, forced to a corner helpless only to watch. Ignoring the confident grin, Serizawa closed his eyes, blocking out any other stimulus save for the auras around him. The animals were weak but clinging. Dimple was still a far way off; powerless against something like this. And in the middle of it all hung Reigen’s energy. It was not yet weakened only entwined: the evil spirit’s tendrils weaved all around like some fungal infection. But there had to be a way. Like a tangled ball of yawn he had to be able to undo the knots.

“H-hey! How are you doing that?!”

The claws raked at Serizawa’s chest, ripping his suit up. Legs thrashed and lungs hissed in fruitless desperation. Amid the writhing he stood firm, focused as he carefully guided his aura between the monster and his boss.  The growling turned to a weary groan. Serizawa opened his eyes to color returning to Reigen’s face and the teeth and claws fading away.

He glared at the remaining bit of the spirit still clinging on. “You can’t have him.”

A burst of energy rose, sweeping up the wall originating from Reigen’s form. Both their suit ties and hair were blown up along with several stones and debris. The wall behind cracked. Screaming started, not from Reigen’s mouth but from inside him before the sprit was torn out, thrashing in the air one last time while Serizawa closed his anger around it. The wind stopped.

“Ugh.” Reigen slumped in Serizawa’s hold, head of messy hair against his shoulder. “Wha- what happened?”

At once Serizawa shifted his grip, guiding his boss down to the ground where he held up his chest and head. Gone was his intense stare with only concern looking down now.

“Are you alright?” Tears started to form as he realized his hadn’t prevented the spirit from draining some of Reigen’s life force. “Please be alright.”

“Feel like I woke up from a hangover.” Reigen tried to raise his head but instead just grumbled and brought a hand up to his forehead. It was only then he realized Serizawa was cradling him in gentle arms- their faces inches from each other. His fingers traced the claw marks on his employee’s suit. “Um. I think I definitely missed something.”

“Reigen-san!” Serizawa trembled before hugging his boss against his chest. “I’m so sorry! I messed up!” He was sobbing now as he buried his face in Reigen’s neck. “It was going to take you I tried to get it out but now you are hurt.” His arms hugged tighter. “I was supposed to protect you!”

“W-woah! Hey!” Reigen protested. “It’s ok big guy! I’m fine.” He pushed back a bit and tried to give some comfort. “Just a headache. So no worries.” A grin, cheeks blushing. “You did great.”

Serizawa’s tear filled eyes met Reigen’s and in their embrace, their lips grew closer, heat rising between them.

“Yeah dang. Even I can admit you did pretty good.”

Dimple floated over, causing Serizawa to drop Reigen in embarrassment.

“Sorry, Reigen-san!” He brushed off some of the dust on both of them, helping Reigen to stand.

A cough. “Where the hell have you been?” Reigen glared up at Dimple, cheeks still red. “Coulda maybe used a heads up or some support.”

“Sorry greatest psychic.” Dimple sneered back. “Best I could have done is maybe posses you first, but that thing was too powerful.” He picked at his nose, eyeing the dying plants twisted vines. “It would have just kicked me out.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Reigen coughed again. “Why did I even bring you?”

Serizawa frowned down at his boss. “Can you walk, Reigen-san?” He bent over him ever worried.

“Uh. Give me like five minutes.”

Dimple floated in between the two before they could make googly eyes at each other again. “You brought me because instead of researching spirits yourself, the two of you sit on the couch watching cute animal videos together during office breaks.”

Both looked away, clearly called out. One of the cats hobbled up followed by a dog. Despite the trauma they were happy to see humans. The cat gave a face rub against Serizawa’s leg. Reigen got to pet the dog.

“Huh. They seem to be way less um- dying? Than before.” Reigen stiffly rose to his feet as the dog wandered out of the building, tail wagging.

“Yeah. Should be fine. The thing kept them alive so they just need some food and rest.”

Dimple watched as the other animals scattered back to their own lives. The birds preened at their feathers before taking awkward launches into the air.

“We stopped it. So no one else will get hurt.” Reigen grimaced and faltered his first few steps.

Serizawa instantly wrapped his arms around his boss again. “Reigen-san. The rain is coming.”

Dimple was still ranting in the background. “What do you mean ‘we’? All you did was nearly piss yourself and get possessed.”

The two couldn’t hear him anymore. Reigen let out a sigh. “Yeah. We should get going. I can probably maybe make it to the bus stop.”

Serizawa gave a short bow of his head, one of his arm around Reigen’s back as the man held on to his suit lapel. “If you allow me, Reigen-san,” he paused for a moment to allow his brain catch up with his mouth, “I can carry you.”

Reigen blinked back. “A-Alright.” His voice snapped back into its confident prose. “But only this one time. This is an extenuating circumstance that requires advanced, unorthodox protocols to handle properly. I’ll have to amend the employee handbook to include more robust first aid and recovery instructions.”

Serizawa cracked a grin. How was he too weak to walk but able to fling his hands around like that still?

“Understood.” Another bow of his head as he support his boss’s weight under the knees and back, lifting him up.

He walked steadily, stealing a few glances down at Reigen who was struggling to keep his eyes open after the entire ordeal. A few drops of rain fell, their arrival producing little musical sounds as they hit the metal roofs. Dimple floated after, having long given up on anything getting through to them.    

#mp100 #serizawaweek2024 #wawaweek2024 #serizawa #reigen arataka #exorcism #dimple #ekubo #my writing #fan fiction #mp100 fanfic #intense wawa is not about to give up #reigen you need to stop smoking #dimple is gonna sass this man into the afterlife stg

[theinternetisaweboflies]

Gates to Heck Chapter 7

Shigeo teleported them back to Seasoning City and promptly threw up in a flower bed.

Ritsu used his powers to levitate Teru's prone form, while Reigen did his best to block them from view. People had been a lot more accepting of psychic powers in Seasoning since Claw attacked, but most of them had accepted that it was a problem.

Shigeo was probably also grateful for the privacy.

He had wanted to carry Teru himself, but Ritsu said that "Hanazawa has been through enough for one night without someone throwing up in his hoodie." Shigeo opened his mouth to argue, maybe that it was technically his hoodie.

Then he sighed instead, barely more than an exhale.

"Please be careful," he said. "I think his chest got hurt when he was struggling."

"I could carry him," said Shou. "I'm very gentle. I have hamsters."

"What does that even-" Ritsu started to ask, but Shou interrupted him.

"And I've never dunked my Shishou in a rice paddy."

"He isn't my Shishou!"

Teru had passed out while they were still arguing over who got to carry him. Reigen woke him right back up and made him name the Prime Minister and at least two Vocaloids. Teru rolled his eyes during the concussion check, but he definitely did it on purpose, which alleviated about five percent of Reigen's immediate concerns.

Anyway, the kid looked like he needed some sleep.

Teru's hair was plastered to his head with dirty water, which had also washed off the makeup he'd apparently been wearing. The skin around his nose was tight and technicolor. At least it didn't look broken, but he seemed to be having trouble breathing normally, whether from the swelling or his recent not-technically-waterboarding, which Reigen was trying not to think about while he was in a Family Mart because the cigarettes were right there.

They stopped at the convenience store on their way to Seasoning General to pick up a sports drink for Shigeo. He wanted milk, but Reigen insisted he needed to replenish his electrolytes.

Reigen bought him a carton of milk to drink later.

He also bought himself a pack of cigarettes to have much later, when there were no children around to see him freak the fuck out.

Teru regained consciousness in the waiting room. Reigen had been hoping to get him admitted first, but he had never encountered an emergency room that took its name seriously. They had been waiting for almost an hour when Teru stirred awake.

Reigen was worried about another teleportation incident, but apparently Teru didn't have the energy, because he started arguing instead.

"I don't need to be here," he said, and his voice sounded like he was the one with the smoking problem. "I'm fine."

Shigeo shook his head. "You don't have to lie, Hanazawa-kun."

"I'm not!"

"I think he's fine by his standards, Mob," said Reigen. "Drink your electrolytes."

Shigeo obediently sipped his sports drink.

"Reigen-san," Teru started, but Reigen cut him off.

"If you're worried about the hospital siccing Social Services on you, then you can unclench. I managed to convince them you're my nephew."

"You… what?"

"It was so cool," said Shou. "He didn't even give them a chance to ask any questions. He was just all, 'My sister is so irresponsible!'"

"Which is true," said Reigen.

"And, 'I only recently found out that Teruki has been living alone for years!'"

"Which is true."

"And, 'I'm going to make sure he gets the care he deserves from now on!'"

Reigen didn't say it this time, but the implication alone left Teru looking like he was going to bolt whether he had the juice for it or not.

"They do have some concerns about your medical history," said Reigen, casting about for a distraction.

"Huh? But I haven't been to the doctor in years."

"That's the main concern," said Reigen. "We might have to get you vaccinated at some point if I don't want the hospital siccing Social Services on me, but don't worry. We'll smooth it over."

Reigen shifted in the easily-sterilized plastic chair. If he was uncomfortable, he couldn't imagine how Teru felt.

"That's not it," said Teru. "It's not safe for other patients."

"Huh?"

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" asked Shigeo.

"I ended up in the hospital once, a few years ago," said Teru. He was talking fast, like he was afraid the waiting room nurse would actually finish processing their paperwork sometime that century. "Some do-gooder called an ambulance after a Claw attack. I was fine, but they wouldn't let me go."

"I still don't understand-"

"Claw attacked the hospital. No one died, but it… wasn't good. They threw an MRI machine. I had to tell every lie I could think of just to keep them from calling my parents or the Child Guidance Center. There wouldn't be anything to stop Claw from attacking me there either."

"They never attacked you at school, right?" asked Ritsu. "Why would they attack you at a hospital? Aren't there too many people?"

"People, but not psychics," said Teru. "Claw thought I knew other espers. Other kids. Maybe they even thought the Black Vinegar gang was some sort of Psychic Squad. We did get a bit of a reputation for levitating people."

"Oh," said Shigeo, "Your introduction."

It was hard to tell with the fever, but Teru might have blushed. "It's a good way to intimidate and immobilize at the same time, okay?"

Reigen was having a hard time following their conversation, but that had never stopped him before. "Claw's gone now, right? The names on your conspiracy-board were all crossed off. Ochinko-san was the last one, and he's in custody. You're not getting out of a checkup that easily."

"They can't even do anything," Teru wasn't giving up that easily either. "They can't do anything for a concussion or cracked ribs, and my shoulder's already back in its socket."

"They can give you painkillers," said Reigen, trying not to let his wince show. He hadn't even known about the dislocated shoulder.

"I don't want painkillers," said Teru. "They make it hard to think."

"You shouldn't be thinking if you have a concussion."

"I'm sorry, Hanazawa-kun," said Shigeo, which surprised them both enough that they stopped arguing.

"What?" Teru rasped. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I know you told me about how you can set broken bones with your powers, but I've never done it before, and I was afraid of messing up, so I thought it would be better to let the doctors set your ribs. I'm protecting and supporting them though. I hope that's okay."

That was probably a good thing, since Reigen was reasonably sure that you couldn't actually set broken ribs.

There weren't a lot of treatment options. Teru had been right about that. They could treat the pain, but the primary course of treatment for broken ribs was just holding real still and not breathing too hard.

Reigen's irresponsible sister had broken a rib in a moped accident sophomore year. She'd been laid up for a couple of weeks, and she'd recruited Reigen to help convince their parents it was just period cramps.

Their dad had bought it, but their mom had gotten suspicious around the second week.

Teru looked pathetic, still dripping slightly onto the laminate flooring. He still managed a smile for Shigeo. "You're amazing Kageyama-kun. I can't feel a thing."

"That might be the shock." Shigeo frowned infinitesimally. "We should get you a blanket."

Before they could get Teru a blanket, he was actually admitted. The kids insisted on coming too, so the nurse led them all to a small room that definitely wasn't intended to contain multiple teenagers. Another nurse took Teru's temperature and blood pressure while they all pretended not to notice his hands shake.

Eventually the doctor joined them.

"I understand you're having a rough day, young man," he said in what was probably not intended to be a patronizing tone.

Teru shrugged his good shoulder. He seemed to be in a fugue state. He managed a polite smile for the medical staff, but it was like he'd used up all his words trying to convince them he didn't need help, which had only convinced them he needed a lot of help. Preferably professional. Reigen wondered if he still had the number of that therapist whose patient was literally haunted.

"Can you tell me how these injuries occurred?" asked the doctor.

Reigen opened his mouth to answer, but his mind went blank as a fresh word document. He didn't have a single lie lined up. Some conman he was. They were going to get in so much trouble.

"Basketball is a dangerous sport," said Shigeo.

"I see," said the doctor, and that was that. Apparently he was used to teenagers. Although probably not teenagers like these.

Teru's polite smile slipped when the doctor threatened to X-ray his ribs, and Reigen wondered how many untreated injuries they would find.

Not untreated. He'd heard Shigeo earlier, no matter how much he wished he hadn't. Teru had been treating his own injuries. Setting his own bones.

Reigen reminded himself that he definitely wasn't allowed to smoke in a hospital.

Teru was released less than an hour later with a shoulder brace and a prescription for a mild painkiller. Reigen filled it in the hospital pharmacy while the kids tried not to fall asleep on each other in the waiting room.

It was past their bedtimes. Ritsu had called the Kageyamas to explain that they were with an adult, even if it wasn't a very responsible one. Then Shigeo took the phone and exchanged some quiet words with his mother that Reigen hadn't been able to overhear no matter how hard he tried.

Even Shou had called his mother, but that had been less about explaining why he was out late, and more about describing their adventure, with unnecessary emphasis on the part where Ritsu dunked Reigen in a rice paddy.

"Okay, kids. Let's go home. Hanazawa, you're with me."

"Can't he come home with us?" asked Shigeo. "We have real food at our house."

Sometimes Reigen couldn't tell if his student was giving him sass or just being blunt.

He cleared his throat. "That's why God invented takeout."

"I don't need to go home with anyone," said Teru, but he was universally ignored.

"Besides, do you want to explain this to your mother?" Reigen asked Shigeo, gesturing vaguely at Teru's everything. "Because I sure don't."

"Why not?" asked Teru. "It wasn't your fault."

"Maybe not," said Reigen, "but you would have been safe at home with only about half of your current injuries if I hadn't barged in and acted like I knew what was best for you."

"Probably not for long. He knows where I live."

"Okay!" Reigen clapped his hands together. "At the risk of sounding like a child abductor, you're definitely coming home with me. I'd invite the rest of you, but I don't think there's enough room."

"I'm coming too," said Shigeo. "I don't take up much room."

Reigen sighed. He only had one spare futon, which Shigeo should know, since he was the only one who had ever used it.

"Mob-"

"I already told Kaa-san."

"...What exactly did you tell her?"

Reigen was not intimidated by Shigeo's mother or her ability to narrow her eyes and see through every single lie he told, because that would be silly.

"That Hanazawa-kun is sick, and you're taking care of him."

Reigen sighed again. "Sorry, sick kid." That was what he had told the cab driver who took him to Teru's apartment that afternoon. Reigen could barely believe it was still the same day. The hospital clocks were just ticking over to midnight.

"Can we have a sleepover too?" Shou asked Ritsu.

"No."

"Come on! I can borrow Ritsu's Nii-san's futon. He won't mind. Right, Ritsu's Nii-san?"

"I don't mind," said Shigeo.

They argued about it all the way out to the hospital entrance, where Reigen called a cab to take them home. He slid into the front passenger seat while the kids crowded together in the back.

"Long time no see," said the cab driver. It was the one from that afternoon. The one who hadn't minded all the swearing. She glanced at Teru in the rearview mirror.

"Damn," she said. "You weren't kidding."

#mp100 #mp100 fanfic #terumob #terumob fanfic #im not really sure i like this chapter either #and i only proofed it once so sorry if there are typos etc #the hospital stuff is probably stupid #im pretty sure they would have x-rayed his ribs #but ive only broken extremities before #haha i suck at self promotion #i tried to do a kickstarter once and it nearly killed me

[arabaka]

Having a bit of a hard time sleeping lately- lots of it is stress and crying lol. Your posts is what I look forward to reading- hope you’re having a good day and if not- it will get better 💪💕 (I love your posts and your pictures, you’re so beautiful mwah mwah)

Would Reigen be good at late slobby crying comforts? If reader never liked showing how they are behind closed doors, Serizawa might be good at it- I can only imagine of the sweetest cuddles from him- and if reader and serizawa are up for it… numb the pain with fnaf YouTube lore.

I Imagine Reigen also being the type to try to hide his smoking when he’s super stressed, but if reader sees it in his eye bags- they would copy the same methods he uses as comfort to voice he’s also seen and heard too. Would lead to the best of somber cuddles that night.

ʚ｡ﾟ☁︎｡ɞ｡ oh noooo anon :( i'm so so sorry. sleep problems are the absolute worst, i can relate as someone who has insomnia but to add emotional distress on top of that... i hope things get better for you and that you have a reason to smile each and every day! i'm here for you <3 i'll set up a nice blankie and pillow for you

YES definitely! as much as it pains him to see you cry, there's NOTHING that will stop him from helping you get it all out. sometimes, you don't even need to say anything. you can just bury your cries into his chest, get him as wet and snotty as you want. then if you want, he'll gently offer whatever comforts you the most. gosh also thinking if you're trying to quiet your sobs in the dead of night, not wanting to wake reigen up, but he just always knows. "it's like a sixth sense. a real one." so he will always stay up with you, no matter how tired he'll be in the morning, until you're resting peacefully in his hold.

#reigen #reigen arataka #reigen x reader #reigen x you #reigen arataka x reader #reigen arataka x you #reigen x y/n #reigen arataka x y/n #reigen fluff #mp100 fluff #.˚₊ ੈ ʚ 📮 ɞ ˚₊ ‧ˋ*⁀➷ ꒰ mail time! ꒱ #.˚₊ ੈ ʚ 💌 ɞ ˚₊ ‧ˋ⁀➷ ꒰ love letters to reigen! ꒱

[bittybeanie]

spirits and such office dog

the more i think about reigen having an office dog the more i go feral over it. the possibilities are so soft. i mean just think about it.

just the general vibe would be so good like- i always picture the spirits and such office as a place where not a whole lot of work gets done and it's mostly just the crew hanging out and listening to classical music while they pretend to work and adding a very chill dog to that? impeccable vibes

can't decide if a tiny dog or a big dog would be better bc on the one hand a tiny dog curling up in reigen's lap like a cat while he works? kill me now that's so cute!! but also having a big dog sit across people's feet or next to the couch so they can pet the dog while they explain their problems?? the viBES!!

if somebody's allergic or just doesn't like dogs he turns to serizawa like "i have a very important job for you." and serizawa salutes like he's about to take on a battle but then just scoops the dog up and walks into the other room

(the idea is for him to come back but serizawa appreciates the opportunity to listen to the client stories somewhere he can't be Perceived. so he "keeps the dog company" while he listens in from the other room and reigen comes in when the client is done to hear what serizawa thinks)

also the thought of all reigen's neighbors thinking he's just walking a dog normally before realizing he's always in a suit and they don't see him come back for hours and hours and they start wondering where he's going that he needs a dog AND a suit at the same time

taking the dog outside throughout the day gives him an opportunity for smoke breaks where mob can't see him (even after/if he quits, he appreciates the chance for some fresh air and a change of scenery). he leans against the wall with one leg crossed in front of the other with the end of the leash around his wrist and his hand in his pocket while he just lets the dog wander and say hi to people that walk past. (i am. so very gay for the image of this.)

when they go out for field jobs he pats the dog on the head and tells it to "hold down the fort" every. single. time.

i'm not sure if the cafe above their office is like- run by them or if it's a separate business but either way i love the idea of whoever's up in the cafe coming down during breaks to pet the dog.

the dog going absolutely batshit the first time dimple shows up and it takes everybody a minute to figure out what the problem is bc they're so used to seeing him.

the dog eventually gets used to him, which means it also stops barking when there's a Haunted Object around, which reigen figured out was a pretty handy thing. he's gone long enough without it that it's not a big deal, but he still trains it with nonverbal commands to bark when he knows something is haunted bc. the theatrics of it all. the best actor that he doesn't have to pay (except in lots of treats once the client leaves). and it's not like him moving his hands around is all that conspicuous bc i mean have you seen this man? the hardest part is helping the dog figure out when not to bark

i remember reading that one of mob's hobbies is making dogs float?? and just. ever so slightly hovering the dog above the ground and zooming it around. it might freak the first time but after that it's just like how dogs stick their head out the windows of cars and a great time is had by all.

everybody accepts that the dog is mostly reigen's but the others take it home for a night sometimes, and as much as reigen loves the dog he's thankful for the break. probably not mob or ritsu bc of their parents but serizawa takes it bc the dog laying on his chest helps him sleep, and it's not like teru's parents are around to tell him not to when it makes his apartment feel less empty.

just. please give reigen a therapy dog. he deserves it.

#mob psycho 100 #mp100 #headcanons #my writing #genuinely not sure how to tag this #so i won't add any characters #definitely inspired by uu-chan #been thinking bout the omake a lot

[liarian]

Pleas

The last thing Taka would have imagined was seeing Sato kneeling at the foot of his bed begging him for everything to stop. Nothing that had come out of his mouth in the last ten minutes made the slightest bit of sense but the terror was evident on his face.

"I don't know what you think I can do for you." Taka stared at him, leaning against the headboard of the bed.

All he wanted was for Sato to leave his room and finally forget about his existence. Taka was too tired to care in the least about anything he had to say.

"I can't sleep, I can't think, it's staring at me all the time! I know it's there, I can feel its presence."

"'What,' what's supposed to be there? Do you think I've cursed you? That an evil spirit haunts you even while you're sleeping? I wouldn't wish something like that on my worst enemy." Taka couldn't help but laugh at such an absurd idea. "Do you really think I have that kind of ability? I'm not like you, I don't need to make anyone's life miserable to feel better than anyone else."

"But it all started with that friend of yours! And that crazy psychic you work for! I know it was them! It's their fault that it's chasing me around all the time!" Sato began to cry. "Please, just ask them to make it leave me alone. I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. But please. Please, Reigen. I'm going crazy, I can't take it anymore."

"Kageyama-san and Serizawa?" Taka couldn't help but laugh again. The idea was so absurd that it didn't even compute in his mind. "They would never do something like that. Why should they bother with someone like you? I can't do anything for you."

Sato stood up. His eyes were bloodshot. Taka had the impression he was looking in a mirror, the dark circles under his eyes brown and his skin a sickly color. Serizawa didn't even know who Sato was, there was no reason for them to have met, and Kageyama-san... The idea that he might have something to do with it turned his stomach.

"Just talk to your boss. You won't have to hear a word from me again. If I have to, I'll swear in front of whoever I have to, but please. Reigen, please."

"All right," Taka sighed. "But I can't promise you anything."

"I-I understand. Just thanks for trying. I've been a jerk. Y-you didn't deserve it."

"Spare me your apology" Taka cut him off before Sato could engage in a string of endless pleading again.

"I'm sorry. I understand!" Sato stood up and paused in the doorway for a moment. "W-when we were little... Mogami was there. Y-you hadn't made that up, had you?"

"Does it matter?" Taka replied sharply, his gaze fixed on Sato's face. "Seven years is a long time."

Sato opened his mouth and closed it again as if he were a fish gasping out of water. Completely lost and scared he was just another pathetic kid. Maybe they weren't so different but Taka didn't owe him any explanation.

He didn't even owe him forgiveness for the months and months he had treated him as a liar and just an attention seeker. Nor for the years he had managed to make sure that in class no one spoke to him for fear of finding themselves amongst the outcasts. At that point he no longer cared. Even if the rest of the world had kept hating him, Taka had enough knowing that Serizawa was still going to be there.

----

Taka had lost count of how long he had been locked in his room but seeing the street again and smelling the smoke from the cars was comforting. The doctor had forbidden him to set foot on the ground yet but after a few stumbles with the crutches it seemed he was finally getting the hang of it.

"Are you sure this is a good idea already?" Serizawa fluttered nervously around him. "Isn't it too soon?"

"If I have to stay home one more minute, my mom's going to end up driving me crazy." Taka arched his eyebrow.

The day was warm for autumn and it wasn't as if Taka intended to start running a marathon. It was just going to the park near home. It was barely two blocks. After nearly three months in a cast, that's what he had to be able to get to. And if the worst happened, Taka could always swallow his pride and let Serizawa carry him home again.

"You know, something really weird happened the other day." Taka bit his lip concentrating on moving forward with the crutches. "A classmate came to beg me for forgiveness. He's convinced he's cursed. The last thing I expected was for him to mention you. You and Kageyama-san. I didn't know you knew Sato."

"S-sato?" Serizawa stammered as he fiddled anxiously with his fingers. "M-maybe we had a little incident."

""Little!" Taka stopped in the middle of the street, too stunned to continue moving forward on his crutches. "Sato was on the verge of an anxiety attack!"

"Serves him right." Serizawa frowned. "They were saying outrageous things and... and... and... they had no right! They shouldn't be able to say whatever they want!"

"So you were allowed to have fun torturing him? Is that it?" Taka didn't even know what he was supposed to feel. Disappointment and anger were mixing in his chest and he didn't know where one began and the other ended. "Sato's a jerk but to stoop to his level-"

"Having fun torturing him? Really?" Serizawa stared at him as if Taka had backstabbed him. "I know it's not right! But it's not always so easy to control him when...when.... And Kageyama-san managed to stop me before anything grave happened! Sometimes I'm not able to understand you! Why would you defend someone like that? And you didn't even intend to tell me what was going on! What if it had been worse?"

"I don't need you to defend me! It's not like I'm not used to it!" Taka yelled. "What would I have gotten out of telling you that at school no one talks to me?" All his anger seemed to deflate completely. All at once he felt too tired. It would have been so easy to just disappear. "I didn't want you to feel sorry for me. And in the end they always get bored. It's not so terrible. Sato and his buddies laugh for a while and then forget about my existence altogether. If I wasn't a complete moron, this time wouldn't have been any different."

"The Valentine's Day letter" Serizawa seemed to have tied up ends at last.

"It was impossible for it to be real but I didn't want to listen to the little voice in my head telling me it was all a sick joke. I'm pathetic, aren't I?" Taka laughed unhinged.

Serizawa slowly approached him until he completely invaded his personal space.

"I'm not proud that I lost control. Someone might have gotten hurt, but nothing serious happened. I promise you nothing serious happened. Kageyama-san completely shut down my powers before things could get any worse."

"Sato wasn't talking about telekinesis. Whatever you're doing, you have to stop. He really thinks he's cursed."

"Do? It was just that day. Kageyama-san just wanted to make sure that something like what happened the other day didn't happen again. I-it's hard to see you like this and not do anything. I-I care about you a lot. W-we care about you a lot." Serizawa closed his eyes for a moment, a blush tingeing his cheeks "Kageyama-san does too. When he asked me for help, I c-couldn't say no to him. If it hadn't been for Kageyama-san things could have ended very badly b-but nothing happened. I promise you nothing happened. If Sato thinks he's cursed, it wasn't our doing."

"It's okay." Taka closed his eyes for a moment and let his forehead touch Serizawa's shoulder. "I'm sorry I thought that."

"It's okay." Taka noticed a shiver as he felt Serizawa's fingers stroking his hair. "You weren't so wrong either. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

"Don't talk nonsense." Taka tried to disguise the lump in his throat.

Having him around was enough but many times, even that seemed too much. Taka still wasn't able to understand how he could deserve to have someone like Serizawa in his life.

Serizawa's words were still spinning in his head.

Anything was a dangerous term in the hands of people like Serizawa and Kageyama-san. The last thing Taka wanted was to be the one to blame for two of the people he cared about most not being able to look at themselves in the mirror when they woke up in the morning.

"You don't think Kageyama-san might have done something foolish?" Serizawa seemed to have read his mind.

"N-no." Taka hated not being sure of his answer.

When he had no one, Kageyama-san had always been there. Even when he was nothing but a nuisance, Kageyama-san had merely sighed and let him get on with whatever it was he was doing. At any moment he could have kicked him out of the office. It wasn't as if Taka had anything to do in the face of an ESPer. It was hard to imagine that someone who had offered him a place to belong when he had nothing could do something like that to Sato.

It all had to be a terrible coincidence.

Sato really believed he was cursed but it all had to be his imagination. Kageyama-san would never have been capable of something like that. It was impossible, wasn't it? Uncertainty seemed to want to gnaw at his gut. Taka hated to doubt Kageyama-san, but it wasn't as if he didn't have the power to make Sato's nightmares come true.

#mp100 #mp100 ageswap #serirei #reigen arakata #serizawa katsuya #my own writing #fanfic

[truly-morgan]

[Serizawa's relationship with cigarettes]

Serizawa Katsuya | Mob Psycho 100 19-07-2023

[#serizawakatsuya centred feat. Reigen, smoking]

Serizawa should have known better than to start smoking again, not after the bos- Toichiro had made him stop when he joined Claw. 

He still remembers the overwhelming smell of cigarettes in his room, mixed with all the carbage.

remembers all the empty packs thrown haphazardly to the side when he was done with them, nearly immediately opening a new one when he was done with his cancer stick.

Remembered the burned corner of his table, which was usually hidden under a little mountain of cigarette butts.

He sometimes still craved it, but had always managed to hold off on starting again. He did not feel confident enough that he would be able to keep the healthy habit he had gotten, the same way he sometimes didn't feel confident about being in society again.

Serizawa had thought for a long while that he should probably have refused Reigen's cigarette when he had offered him one.

He had stumbled onto the man when coming back to the office from running a small errand, Reigen outside ready to take a quick smoke break.

Reigen had extended to pack towards him, asking him if he smoked and if he wanted to join him on a little break.

Serizawa should have declined the offer.

But he had felt like this was a chance for him to spend time with his boss outside of the office.

After all, aside from having clients or going out on exorcism jobs, he nearly never had that many interactions with the man.

Maybe having a little smoke break from time to time wouldn't be too bad? and like this, he would be able to get some more causal time with Reigen.

And so he had accepted Reigen's offer, when he took his first drag it felt like a deep itch had been scratched, holding the smoke in for a moment before letting it spill out of his lips. It felt good in a way, doing something he felt so familiar with.

It was interesting how different it tasted, the brand was likely a little bit better than whatever his mother was buying him at the time. He was pretty certain she was getting him the cheapest option out there, to keep up with his excessive smoking.

He tried being as casual as possible as Reigen talked with him, for once the subject being more outside of the usual office life and job they had done or had scheduled already. It felt nice actually, being able to talk so casually to the man (even though Reigen did most of the talking).

At some point, he stopped himself mid-sentence when he saw Reigen jump a little bit, quickly blowing out the smoke he had taken in, crushing his half-burned cigarette against the brick wall before throwing it into a potted plant.

"A Mob! You are here early today, did your club end early today?" the man asked, already walking towards the teenager who had stopped in front of the building's door.

Serizawa watched as the man got ready to enter back in the office, his boss telling him he could come back whenever he was done with his smoke.

Serizawa looked down at the half-finished cigarette stuck between his fingers, smoke escaping between his lips. He really wanted to go up now and join them, but it would be such a waste to not finish this one...

And from there, Serizawa started joining Reigen on every one of his smoke breaks, chatting with him while they smoked. and slowly but surely, Serizawa could feel the familiar need to keep going settling back in.

Sure, it wasn't as bad as it used to be, but if he went too long without smoking, he felt like he would go crazy, the need nibbling at him constantly. He'd always look forward to when Reigen would go out and smoke, joining him every time.

But just as slowly, as months went by he realised... Reigen was going less and less on smoke breaks.

many days of work would go by before Reigen would actually go out for a smoke break, doing so more to let out some stress than anything else. Waiting for so long had Serizawa feeling fidgety, ending up more than once needing to go out all by himself to smoke.

Then one day the man straight up refused his offer as they came back late to the office, Reigen politely declining. He instead patted his shoulder, a proud smile on his lips.

"I started using patches to try and fully stop smoking" the man had told him, "been meaning to for years now, shouldn't have kept doing it so long with Mob around like this" he added.

Serizawa couldn't help but feel disappointed at what he had been told. He should probably be happy that Reigen was stopping such a bad habit, but this meant he would now be alone on his smoke breaks.

Afterwards, Serizawa was always alone when he smoked, aside from the occasional time when Reigen would join him. the man couldn't help but feel like he shouldn't be enabling his boss when he was still trying to fully quit, but he felt selfish and wanted back those little chatting moment they could share when they took a smoke break, only shared between the two of them since neither Mob nor Tome ever joined them.

But even those became rarer and rarer, Serizawa soon left to smoke all by himself. And he knew it was bad when he started feeling like if he wasn't smoking at least once a day he'd start itching for it badly. It wasn't as bad as it used to be in the past, but he hated how he had fallen back into such an unhealthy habit.

And for what? To get closer to his boss? It didn't get him very far, seeing how he was mostly back to mainly having professional conversations with him, those shared casual moments gone. After all, Reigen didn't go out eating ramen with him like he did Kageyama, he couldn't have those more relaxed and intimate moments.

Serizawa perked up a little when he felt a droplet fall on him, looking up at the sky as he kept leaning against the building's wall. he sighed, allowing smoke to spill out from between his lips. He wasn't done with his smoke break, couldn't it have started raining later on.

He created a barrier around him to keep himself from getting wet while he finished his freshly started cigarette, looking up at the rain hitting on the invisible field, smoke staying trapped with him, like it would under an umbrella.

"I should really have refused that cigarette..." he thought.

====

(brought to you by me seeing this amazing fanart and wondering what would be Serizawa's relationship with cigarettes and smoking. Might write something longer and more detailed one day, to go further into it)

[Original comic that inspired this story and headcanon]

Original

#tweet archive #mp100 #mob psycho 100 #serizawa katsuya #smoking #character headcanon

[sweetsncandies]

feeling colors (i dont like how it feels)

Summary:

As if enchanted, Mob stares at the fire, no- he wasn't exactly mesmerized, it was something different. A feeling in his chest that he could not explain.

He stares and he feels.

(Mob gets a panic attack, and flashbacks from world domination arc. Reigen tries to comfort him through it.)

(Reposted from ao3, if you want to read it there, click here)

(TW for Panic Attack!)

"Mob! Didn't expect you here, we don't have clients today," Reigen said to Mob, glancing at the esper before typing at his laptop again, the sound of Reigen's keyboard echoing through the office.

"I know." Mob just wanted to rest and hang out for a while, he gazed out the window, looking at the houses repaired after he wrecked everything a few weeks ago.

He's glad that he and Tsubomi are still friends and emotions, which he now displays more, are a bit tricky.

He doesn't know exactly if Reigen can give him advice on it, so he decides not to ask for now.

He glances at the building across from them, there was something coming out of it- was that smoke?

The building was burning.

"Shishou?" Mob asked, pointing at the window. "Should we call the fire department?"

"Just Reigen is fine, I told you that you really don't need to-" Reigen stops as he stares at where Mob was pointing.

The building across from them is burning.

"I'll just call the fire department, and possibly my insurance company right now," Reigen told Mob, the building was not that close for them to get the fire to, but just in case he called anyways. He steps out of the room, leaving Mob alone to stare outside.

As if enchanted, Mob stares at the fire, no- he wasn't exactly mesmerized, it was something different. A feeling in his chest that he could not explain.

He stares and he feels.

He can feel the yellow, like the happiness that he recalled, where he was happy with his family (where— where were they?) as he looked at the body of his family, the mother that used to hold him in her arms, his father that used to cheer for him, his brother that used to admire him (gone— they were gone—)

He can feel the orange, the warmth that he could not describe, the warmth that was supposed to feel like home, the home that was burned, the fire that screamed wrong.

He can feel the red, like the rage he felt, the hot, scalding pain in his chest that he felt before — (FIND AND MAKE THEM PAY— FIND—)

He gasps for air, seemingly running out of nowhere, his heartbeat running faster than it ever did. He can feel the familiar sting in his eyes that he felt before— (when? When has he felt it?)

It was like something was stabbing his chest, clawing its way out as he tried to stop this — whatever it was.

He can feel the warmth sliding across his cheek, he tried to wipe it off, to discover that it was tears.

He had nothing to be sad about, why is he crying? Why can't he stop it? Why was he hopelessly sobbing in— (where? Where was he again?)

"—OB- ARE YOU— LRIG—"

His gaze lowered down and he looked at his shaking hands, hands that were coated with red— the same red as the fire and blood, blood that he could taste along with the salty tears.

It was pitch black, he didn't know if it was his vision blurring or that he couldn't keep his eyes open, he didn't know where he was at all.

It felt like gravity was crushing him, pulling him down, sucking him to the core of the earth.

"MOB— BREATHE—"

Breathe? Right. He can do that.

"...1...2...3.."

He took a deep breath and followed the count, slowly, he regained his senses. Someone was shaking him. (Since when?)

"5 things you can see?"

He could register the cold tiled floor, it was shiny enough to see your own reflection if you squint at it. He sees the light probably coming out of a device near him, although he doesn't pay attention to where exactly it's coming from.

He could see the couches, it was a dark-ish gray.

He could see the books, books that he'd read before when waiting for a client, some collecting dusts, only for display.

He could see the tv, it was turned off but he watched in it sometimes.

He can see the beige walls, his shishou's poster.

"4 things you can touch?"

I guess he can feel the tiled floor again, it was smooth and cold. (Since when was he on the floor?)

He can feel someone grasping his shoulders, but that was it.

"Okay then, 3 things you can hear?"

He can hear his tiny sobs, his sobs that he couldn't stop like the warm tears rolling down his cheeks.

The voice, (whose voice was it again?) It sounds very familiar.

He could also hear sirens, possibly a firetruck, putting out a fire outside.

"2 things you can smell?"

Cup noodles. He had been feeling a bit hungry, to be honest.

He can also smell a perfume, the one that his shishou uses. (Where is his shishou and why was it pitch black again?)

"1 thing you can taste?"

His tears are very salty. (Oh, he forgot that he closed his eyes again. No wonder it was dark.)

He opened his eyes, staring forward, it was Reigen who held his shoulders, he was the voice that he was hearing.

"Are you alright?" Reigen asked as gently as he possibly could.

"I don't know," Mob answered honestly.

"It's okay. You're okay." Reigen comforted Mob with a sigh. He needs to get this kid to therapy, he can't rely on the internet all the time.

Mob was too tired to respond. He shut his eyes, this time welcoming the darkness that surrounded him. He knew that he was safe now.

#mp100 #mob psycho 100 #emotional hurt/comfort #hurt/comfort #tw panic attack #shigeo kageyama #kageyama shigeo #mp100 mob #mp 100 shigeo #arataka reigen #reigen arataka #mp 100 reigen #candy's library #mp100 fic

[thefandomcassandra]

Champion (6/20): Having Made It Through the Night

cham·pi·on — /ˈCHampēən/

(n) - a person who fights or argues for a cause or on behalf of someone else

(v) - support the cause of; defend — "I don't want these powers. They're too much."

Reigen said he would bear any burden too big for Mob.

He doesn't have psychic powers any more.

He won't hurt anyone any more.

Those thoughts kept spinning around and around in Mob's head as he helped Reigen pick up the mess in his office. Knowing why he felt the way he did—lighter and more free, happier even—was exhilarating. He felt...wonderful. He felt—

"Shishou?" Reigen looked up from where he was gathering pens off the ground by hand. "Will I still be working?"

"What do you mean?" Reigen went a little pale and a lot sweaty. Mob felt a wave of fuzzy pressure roll over him. His mouth tasted like cigarette smoke and hurt like he smiled too wide for too long.

"What I mean is: I don't have my powers anymore. Will I still be working here, with you?" The thought of not working alongside his shishou hadn't occurred to Mob until literally just then, but it was worrying. He was worried.

He could feel worried without it becoming a horrible feedback loop that caused an explosion.

He felt giddy because he could feel worried.

"Well, yeah?" Reigen seemed affronted he had even asked. "In what world would I abandon you just because you couldn't help with exorcisms or curse removal? It'd be like throwing away your computer just because the battery died. You get me?"

No, but he trusted Reigen. If he said he didn't have to stop, that was enough. "What would I do, though?"

"Work the desk, like you always do." It seemed like the simplest answer in the whole world. It was breathtaking, how easy it was for his shishou to come to conclusions quickly and stick to his conviction. "I'm not going to put you in danger. You keep smiling at our clients and running the till and I'll do all the heavy lifting, okay?"

"Okay."

Behind Mob, Ritsu made some kind of harsh noise. Hanazawa laughed, once, and Ritsu hissed at him. All of this was just low enough that Mob couldn't tell what they were actually saying but, if his little brother was exchanging LINE with Hanazawa, then good for him. He deserved more intelligent esper role models in his life, even if he didn't like shishou all that much.

"A-ny-way!" Reigen gestured about, a few objects levitating near him. He noticed and snatched them out of the air before continuing his thought. "I'm kinda attached. Aren't I your shishou?"

"Yes."

"Then know I won't ever abandon you! Powers or not, you're my student, Mob, and I'll always be here for you!"

That's what he wanted to be when he grew up. He wanted to be as confident and kind and in-control as Reigen. He wanted to be able to say things and mean them immediately. He wanted to never worry about hurting anyone accidentally. He wanted to help people too.

Reigen took his awed silence as an answer and clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright! Now all of you, get out! I need to clean up and maybe take a mallet to this cabinet. See if I can smack out the dent...can't afford a new one."

"See you tomorrow!" Mob didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, even if Ritsu and Hanazawa were already on their way out. Ritsu, thankfully, was waiting by the door for him.

"No, not tomorrow. Gonna close down for the day. Doctor's appointment." Reigen waved a hand from where he was rearranging the items on his desk.

Mob frowned. Wouldn't he have scheduled the appointment on a day Spirits and Such wasn't open? Unless this was a last-minute thing to do with the Seventh Division thing?

"Yeah, yeah," Ritsu cut in. "Goodbye!"

Reigen waved one hand at them again, still bent over working on his desk. Mob raised his own hand in an unseen farewell, then followed his brother and Hanazawa out the door and down to the sidewalk outside the building.

Read the Rest on AO3

#mob psycho 100 #mp100 #mob psycho #champion #the sheepy writes fic #sorry for the spam #(<-is lying) #im visible im gonna spam a bit for now #but youve only got four more chapters #gonna queue the rest i think

[melviships]

No One Even Knows This is My Pretty Year (EkuMel)

Melvis and Dimple stop by Spirits and Such and discuss plans in the new cafe. Dimple x Melvis pairing, implied Reigen x Dimple and Reigen x Melvis. Title taken from Pretty Year by The Technicolors. Written to the playlist (Narrator Voice) Reigen Arataka.

Word Count: 2,211

Content Warning(s): Tobacco usage, swearing, food, Divine Tree arc spoilers

Salmon rice: the perfect dish for fall, Reigen had told him before leaving the apartment. Melvis sighed as they arranged it in the bento box, making use of a fish stencil to outline it with nori. It was accented with a collection of mushrooms and sliced carrots (the host's preference for color coordination). A cold chill ran up their spine as they lowered the lid.

"Dimple," they grunted while pouring tea into a thermos.

"Are you heading to the office ? I thought you worked at the club this day of the week."

"Not today. I'm not up for socializing like that." 

His tiny hands felt warm in comparison to their icy neck. "Yeesh. You feel awful." 

"Haven't been sleeping much."

He watched their gaze drift to the floor, taking notice of their singular slipper. "I getcha. You need a hand getting there ?"

"I…" They licked their cracked lips. "Yeah. I would appreciate that. Very much."

-.-.-.-

"I'm coming in."

"The door is open."

Reigen glanced over as he scrolled through his inbox. "Hey."

Melvis held up the bento box. "Brought lunch. Don't eat it too early."

A grimace painted over their features as Reigen immediately untied the cloth keeping it closed and sunk the chopsticks into the rice. The two roommates exchanged looks. "I skipped breakfast." His eyes darted back up. "Dimple."

The spirit froze mid-air, groaning as he slid back around the corner. "Can I help you ?"

His eyebrows raised. "It's been awhile. You missed chances to eat."

His expression softened with amusement as the green blob scowled at him. "I don't live off of cannibalism, you know."

"Right," he cracked as he shoveled another bite of rice down his gullet. "Ugh, I need to figure out what to eat later. Maybe the shop will have something worth trying."

"I saw the sign. Where is it ?"

He waved towards the ceiling with his free hand, his mouth stuffed with carrots and shifting as he chewed carefully. 

Melvis liked them crunchy and Reigen was not one to refuse free food. 

His subordinate would have reminded them that the psychic disliked them altogether. 

Wrai leaned back, wraiths pupils dilating as he stared directly into the light. Gone were the fluorescents, but their photo sensitivity had only worsened with bought time. Ceramic clinking, muffled yet audible, found its way to their ears. They frowned. “There’s a new cafe, and it’s upstairs ?”

“Correct. It is pretty convenient, so I don’t have any complaints.” As the words left him, the sound of footfall overhead made his eyes dart to the ceiling. They narrowed at the loud squeal of a loose plank. “I am not certain that I can say the same for them.”

Melvis hummed. “I think I’ll give it a look-see.”

"Bring something back, won't you ?"

"I'll think about it."

Reigen's scoff was cut short as the door shut behind them.

-.-.-.-

A man looked up from the counter as the door bells chimed. “Welcome. Sit wherever you like." 

The host leaned forward as they scanned the shop. Two people sat in the corner, chattering away. One rolled their shoulder and exclaimed how effective the exorcism was. No more stiff joints ! Truly a miracle. Dimple rolled his eyes. 

"I hope my store is inviting enough." The owner coughed. "Menus are on the placemat. Our house blend is a medium roast with hints of dried fruit and nougat.”

Not a glance was spared towards the selections. “Can I smoke on the balcony ?”

He clicked his tongue. “Wouldn’t be the first one. Go ahead.”

They tilted their head curiously. "Thanks.”

As they strode past the table the pair of clients glanced over, their volume lowering as they continued to converse. One of the boards near the glass doors groaned audibly as he stepped towards them. Dimple snickered. Melvis smirked. They rocked back and forth on it a few times before sliding the door open, smiling as it closed with a satisfying thump of rubber seal meeting metal. The balcony was small, only able to house a single stool and a round low table. Some moisture clung to the cork coaster resting atop it- a ring of coffee drying and fading in the sunlight. 

They wondered if the flat whites they served were any good. Maybe on their way out they decided before approaching the railing. An ashtray was already waiting for them. It was a recognizable sight: a dollop of gray on the wooden ledge. They turned the ashtray over in their hands, running a thumb along the stained grooves that textured the earthenware further; a smattering of ash in the bowl told them it was recently used and emptied. The sole spot clean of grime was a solid fingerprint left behind by massage oil. Their lips twitched into a brief smile. 

Dimple cleared his nonexistent throat. “Want me to light… ?”

“Ah. While I would love that…” They glanced behind them and the ghost nodded. “Better not. Reigen has a reputation to uphold.”

He murmured, “I think it would be fine, in that case.”

They laughed and tapped out a cigarette from the box. “Let’s not, okay ?”

A snap from their gloves rolled the wheel and the mechanism ignited, smoldering the end as they inhaled. Sweet nicotine burned their lungs. Warmth spread through and they felt the bloom of Dimple’s residence. “That’s nice.”

“How about you let me get the full effect ?” A growl halted in their throat. “Dollface.”

“Fine.” 

He spun around them as they tucked the lighter away. Their gaze met his; his mouth opened and a stutter escaped as his body wavered, tiny hand clasping the end of their finger. They smoked silently until he flared up from the boost. 

“So,” they said, punctuating it with a smoke ring.

“So,” he replied, floating through it with a flourish. 

Their heads turned to the large green vegetation that broke up the blue of the sky. 

“They’re calling it the Divine Tree.”

“That they are. A number of groups have emerged, taking it into their belief system that it’s some sign of their savior.”

The esper ran their fingers through his form, flames licking at the leather before retreating. “You’re taking advantage of it.”

“W-well, yeah.”

“Any evil spirit would be a fool not to. Even if they aren’t after worship,” they said before taking a drag. Smoke billowed from their lips. “I can feel the negative energy ruminating. Some are saying it is signaling a calamity. They’re afraid this could finally be the end. With everything that’s happened, I can’t blame them.”

“We could bring that into being.” He flew around their head, poking their temple with a grin spreading across his glowing face. “The beginning, the end- they can be the same thing. A whole new world. And us, orchestrating it.” 

“Have you told Shigeo your plans ?”

He flinched. “No, n-not…. Not yet. I need more time to gather power and show him what I-” He swallowed. “What we’re capable of.”

They chuckled, resting their cheek on top of their hand, cigarette dangling from their fingers. “Hot stuff, you don’t need to tell me twice. You want to look your Sunday best.”

“That’s not really a thing here. Seasoning City may have a lot of religions, but I’m not a part of that Jesus crap.” 

“Just a saying. Didn’t mean anything by it.” 

Wrai pinched his cheek and he slapped their hand away, rubbing the site with a frown. “Anyway, I’ve been looking into the whole thing. You’ve seen the market- the place is crawling with goods and merchants capitalizing on the thing. Some of them are even consuming it. At least those brave enough to try.”

They quirked wraiths brow. “It’s broccoli.” 

“I know it’s damn broccoli !” He spat back, crossing his arms with an exhale. “People are stupid, but not everyone is so keen on eating anything that sprouts of the ground.”

“Uh huh…”

“It has interesting qualities. Whatever is taking shape there can spread its influence more when people come in contact with it. Ingesting it, even further. I’ve tested it myself and I was able to manifest some desires.” He sneered. “Unfortunately, your boyfriend meddled.”

“My boyfriend ?”

“What ? He’s not mine.”

“Ha.”

His face darkened. “Ha ha, you’re so funny.”

“Reigen isn’t capable of exorcism.” They shook their head, smoke zig-zagging a minuscule contrail. “It was Seri, wasn’t it ?”

“Shigeo helped. He did most of the work, to be candid.” His lips twisted to the side. “That boy has been the root of my issues, tch.”

“Sounds about right. He’s powerful, but that kid is on another level,” they sighed. “He might not be interested in your plans-”

“Since when is it only my plan ?”

“I wouldn’t have done this on my own, thank you very much. I was okay with sitting on the sidelines and watching the spectacle. Like the majority of spirits do. We’re not all after interaction and attention.”

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that. You’re here with me. That means something.”

“Back to the subject at hand, the kiddo is not going to interfere with us as long as we don’t impact others negatively. That was your mistake, I reckon.”

“I wouldn’t say that. The guy was already like that long before I got involved. I just,” he explained, voice fizzling out a moment, “Accelerated things for him. Sped things along the track he had already laid. Some people are destined for a life of stagnation and eventual ruin.” He chuckled. “It makes it easier to steer them towards salvation.”

“As long as we can give them what you promise. Hypnosis can only go so far. It will take some convincing for our first recruitment.”

"Are you ready to join me ?"

A laugh rose from their chest. Silently, they drifted over and sat on the balcony ledge. "I'm no fool, Dimple."

The spirit landed in their palm and let him stroke the top of his head. “Oh, I’m aware. Glad to have you on board.”

As the clouds collided with the growth on the horizon, two cafe patrons murmured about the strange man smoking outside and talking to themself. Plumes of smoke mingled that day, signaling an incoming danger.

-.-.-.-

“You better like dòushā bāo.”

“Huh ?” The blond rolled his chair back as the plate of steamed buns was set in front of him. Melvis shot him a cheeky look and he grumbled. “I ate not even an hour ago.”

“Heat it up later.” He watched Dimple collide with their back. “We’re heading out.” They stopped at the door. “Be careful.”

His hand raised as it closed behind them and he swore under his breath. 

He stared down at the buns and lifted each one to inspect them. The pillowy dough yielded in his grip, the red spot dimpled from the weight. He sniffed it and licked the sides: yeasty and slightly sweet. As far as he could tell they were ordinary red bean buns. His eyes narrowed and he muttered, “Why did I think I could tell if they tampered with it ?” He bit into one and hummed around the mouthful. “Pretty tasty curse.”

Each one was slowly reduced to nothing as he typed out a response to the new requests. He slid his tongue over his teeth to dissolve any lingering paste and washed his mouth out with tea from the thermos sitting next to the laptop. 

After sending the e-mails out, he stretched with a loud sigh. His eyes moved over to the clean plate. “I should… probably take that back.” It was a plain dish. Pretty cheap. They wouldn’t miss it if he took it back home. He shook his head. There was no way that Melvis would not comment on it. In the conman’s mind, his stoic face cracked into sneer. ‘Oh ? You liked the food so much you took it back, huh ? I’ll make sure to give them a big tip and let them know next time.’

Reigen grabbed the plate and paused as he noticed the platform it was sitting on. He set it back down and picked up the gray ashtray, brighter than he remembered and emanating a rosy, milky scent. Something fluttered from it and he grunted as his hand failed to catch it in time. “Urgh. Come on.” His back popped as he strained to reach under the desk. He dragged the paper across the floor and the scratching sound told him that he would be having to ask his new employee to sweep and mop when he stopped by. The torn end curled around his finger as he read the handwriting on the back. 

‘Reigen, the club has been exceptionally busy as of late with all the skepticism floating about. I will be busy, in turn, and will likely not be around to visit the office or be home for dinner. Do not worry. I will make sure to stock the fridge and to leave instructions for your meals. You are plenty capable without my assistance. 

Please do not look for me. I am hard to find. 

-Melvis’ 

Their signature was coupled with a moon drawing, a crater burnt into it with a cigarette butt. 

“...dammit,” he cursed and balled up the note, standing up, “Like hell I’m not looking for you. What are you two up to ?”

#You'reCoolForAMeatsuit #ADrinkForYourTroubles #NoWe'reNotHiring #melviships drabbles #melviships writes #enjoying season three can you tell ?

[mp100fanworkstranslation]

Better than when you found it -PART 1-

A Complete Doujinshi by Maruta

This book was published in 2016, and currently out of print.  PANELS READ RIGHT TO LEFT

-Flashback-

We’ve got an overnight job? 

Yep

It’s an apartment. According to the landlady, no tenant has lasted for more than three days. We’re going to stay there and look into what’s going on with the place. 

The tenants talked about seeing an evil spirit, but it could just as well be a curse. The other tenants are spooked as well. 

Anyway, this Friday after dinner, all staff will gather at the office and we will head out to the site. 

-The Present-

Reigen stands at the door fiddling with the keys: Eh !? 

Hurry up and open the door!

Master..

Ah, I’ve got our things

Okay, I’ve gotten the door open, Mob, you can go on ahead

Okay

Ugh...

Reigen: Before we go in, I want to go over a few things we should all be aware of. Our onsite investigation here will last three days and two nights....

Anything we do, we do in pairs. We have a strong team, and I don’t think we’ll have a problem, but we still have to take the utmost care to avoid being possessed by the evil spirit that resides here. 

Also, no one will hog the bathroom....or any other part of the unit,

Alright then! 

Let’s go Mob! You’re Up!

Mob: Oh... It’s me again...

Serizawa: Mr Reigen, should you not be the one to enter first, since you’re our......

Reigen: Okay, Okay....

Mob says as he enters the room: Sorry to disturb.....

Mob: Wow, this is cleaner than I expected. 

Reigen: I think the movers did a thorough job. It’s far cleaner than my place to be honest.

Ekubo: Why are you telling us this? It’s not like we’ve ever been there. 

Reigen: Yeah, It’s a corner unit, It’s got a bathroom separate from the shower, and rents for 200 dollars a month. 

Serizawa thinks: This is a really nice unit. It’s a shame it’s a Jiko Bukken only 200 dollars a month.... 

(In Japan, if something bad happens in a house, such as a death, or a murder there’s a belief the space is tainted by the event. So it becomes really difficult to rent the apartment out. Often the ONLY way to rent it out is to offer it super cheap.)

Ekubo and Mob thinks: There’s something here....

There’s a click as Ekubo opens a closet

Ekubo: Huh? There’s a folding bed here. 

He looks at Mob

Ekubo: So... Are we all going to fight over the single bed?

Reigen: No, Mob, you take it. 

Mob: I’m more comfortable sleeping on a floor futon. Maybe Ekubo or Mr Serizawa can decide? Rock paper scissors? 

Ekubo vs Serizawa, Rock Paper Scissors.

After many MANY rounds, there is no winner so they decide all sleep on the floor. Reigen is setting the alarm clock.

Mob thinks: It feels like a school trip for some reason, without the part where we talk about crushes. The others are all grown men.

Reigen: Hey we should tell fun stories! 

Serizawa: Yeah!

Reigen: You go first Mob! You’re the youngest. 

Mob thinks: Eh... what? Why am I always going first? 

Mob thinks: Something fun.....

Mob: When I was little, there was a takoyaki stand at the intersection near my house. Me and my brother often went there together.

We were very small then, but I still remember it clearly.

Tiny Mob: Takoyaki!

Tiny Ritsu:  Ya-ki

Mother: You want some? 

 Mother gives Ritsu some money. 

Mother: Here, take this. Don’t lose it. Split it with your brother.

Ritsu: ~kay

Mother: RITSU WAIT..WAIT

No, not like that! That’s not how you split it! 

Mob: That was the first time Ritsu got yelled at. I think it traumatized him, because he wouldn’t use paper money for a long time. 

All the Adults: ITS SO CUTE (Look at these dudes, overcome with the cuteness, haha)

Ekubo: Haha, never thought Ritsu would have a story like that. I thought he just liked coins so he could flick them at people. He seems the type. 

Mob: Actually, I recently got a wallet for him for bills. He accepted it but looked somewhat horrified.  

Ritsu: Th....Thank you brother.  Mob thinks: Please don’t take this the wrong way.

Ekubo: Okay, it’s my turn! Mine’s also about Ritsu! 

Serizawa thinks: Looks like a Ritsu bashing session is starting

-Elsewhere, Ritsu loses it-

Ekubo: He slipped on the ice outside of that new pharmacy, and was just flailing around for like nine or ten minutes.

Everybody is laughing. 

Some time passes and Reigen notices that it’s almost midnight. 

Reigen: Okay everyone, we should call it a day.

He burrows into his pillow and tries to sleep, but the others are still talking....

and talking...... and talking.....

GO TO SLEEP! -He throws a pillow into everyone’s faces.

This is one of Reigen’s special moves, where he accurately pitches a pillow into the faces of multiple opponents at once, shutting them up simultaneously.

(This doujinshi came out before the OVA, where he tries to start a pillow fight. Impressive that the author called it.)

Ekubo: WHAT THE HELL! 

Reigen: WE HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP NOW

Ekubo: WHY CAN’T YOU JUST TUNE US OUT AND SLEEP YOURSELF!

Reigen: ARE YOU KIDDING? YOU GUYS ARE SO LOUD

Serizawa: Um....Let...Lets please stop fighting. 

As Serizawa attempts to break them up, a shadow creeps along the wall behind him. 

Some time passes and everyone is asleep. Reigen is smoking on the balcony. The door opens behind him. 

Reigen: So... are you also the type that has trouble falling asleep on an unfamiliar pillow? 

Serizawa: N..No... I’m just feeling a little too excited to sleep.

Mr Reigen, you smoke? -ah no, I don’t want one.-

Reigen: Yeah, I have one now and then. I don’t smoke when Mob is around. 

Serizawa: Um..... I.....

I....I’m really happy about today.

Reigen: eh?

Serizawa: For a long time, was convinced that a real job would be too much for me. The stress, the pressure, the fatigue. That I’d always have something to complain about. I thought that was what it would be like.... 

-Claw out in public-

Serizawa: In many ways, my time at Claw was interesting....but now Kageyama senpai is my friend, and also my superior. Mr. Reigen is the boss. Ekubo is the first friendly spirit I’ve ever met.

But.....

Serizawa: This is the first time I’ve ever had an outing with people that I could call my friends.  I..... Im so happy, I don’t know how to express that. 

(Again, this book came out 2 years before the OVA)

It’s unprofessional, I know. I.... I guess I still have a lot to learn.  

It’s nice isn’t it? Don’t sweat it... you’re one of us. 

Serizawa: TH..THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Reigen: Heh... it’s fine now, though you might want to tone down that excitement if we’re out in public. 

-The Next Day-Things start getting serious.

To be continued- 

This comic is about 30 pages and will be translated in parts. Check the table of contents for updates.

I love this comic. Team Spirits and Such is four dudes that are lonely in their own different ways, and it’s so great to see them just do stuff together, hang out and just be the friends that they all so desperately need.  

#Mp100 #mob psycho 100 #ekubo #serizawa #reigen arataka #Reigen #shigeo kageyama #serizawa katsuya #Ritsu

[strawbrymilkshake]

smoking is bad for you, you know

Dad!Reigen Week 2019 Day 3: Sports || Lessons

AO3 Description: Ritsu, eventually, learns to trust Reigen. (4.7k words)

Ritsu trusts his instincts.

It’s only been quite recently since he learned what instincts even are, but he knows himself and he knows he’s usually right. So, when Shigeo introduces him to his new master, Ritsu knows what to think about this man based on how he first feels.

“Hi, Ritsu,” Reigen smiles. He crouches down to be on eye level with him. “Shigeo didn’t tell me he had a brother.”

Ritsu doesn’t like Reigen.

“Ritsu’s in the grade below me,” Shigeo tells Reigen. “He’s ten and really cool.”

“Oh, awesome,” Reigen says. He turns to Ritsu. “Do you have psychic powers like your brother?”

“Ritsu doesn’t have psychic powers,” Shigeo says.

There’s something bristling within Ritsu when Shigeo says that, but he can’t tell what. He would have been happy to tell Reigen that himself.

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Reigen says.

Ritsu really doesn’t like Reigen.

“You’re a psychic?” Ritsu asks.

Reigen nods, the movement natural.

Ritsu looks away.

“Master’s the greatest psychic,” Shigeo tells Ritsu. “The greatest ever.”

“Of the twenty first century,” Reigen corrects, and stands up. “I’m the greatest psychic of the twenty first century.”

Ritsu really doesn’t like Reigen.

Nobody talks for a few seconds, and Ritsu is okay with that. Shigeo’s busy looking at Reigen in awe, and Ritsu is busy mentally cursing out the inherent injustice that comes with being alive.

Why should this guy get psychic powers, when Ritsu’s been trying his whole life, and gets none? What makes him so special? Is he an older brother too? Maybe younger siblings just don’t get them. And what makes him so great, anyway?

The more he questions Reigen the more he doesn’t like him. Ritsu doesn’t know what it is — Reigen’s too tall, Shigeo likes him too much, and he kind of smells a bit, too. It’s a little…familiar? But Ritsu can’t place it — and his face falls into a scowl as Reigen looks down at them. It’s his instincts, he reminds himself, he doesn’t need to have a reason. He just doesn’t like Reigen.

Still, no one has said anything since Reigen has proclaimed his greatness — there’s no way he’s actually the greatest psychic of the twenty first century, anyway, if anything, Ritsu thinks his brother should hold that title — and he doesn’t see the point in being here any longer if nothing else is going to happen. He doesn’t want Shigeo to think that he’s getting bored or anything, though, so he just glares up at Reigen instead, hoping to leave the strange man as soon as possible.

Reigen looks between the two of them.

“Has anyone ever told you guys that you look the same?”

Ritsu’s heard it before — from teachers, strangers, friends at school. It wasn’t even all that uncommon when people mistook him and his brother for twins. They both nod.

Reigen lets out a small laugh. “You two must get along well, huh?”

Ritsu nods.

Later, when they’re at home and Ritsu has all but forgotten about his meeting with Reigen, Shigeo tentatively asks him what he thinks of his master.

Ritsu looks at Shigeo. He can’t tell what he’s thinking, or what he wants Ritsu to say.

“I think he’s cool,” he lies.

—-—-—

Ritsu doesn’t see Shigeo all that much anymore.

He often walks to school alone, which, granted, is because of his own decision to join the student council, so that one’s on him. But even then, before he entered middle school, afternoons at home were a little quiet and dragging without his brother around, and they still pretty much are — the house is just him and his parents. It doesn’t feel empty, per se, but Shigeo’s absence from the house is far too noticeable. 

Ritsu’s more than used to it by now. Now, afternoons where Shigeo comes straight home from school can leave the house a little crowded; Ritsu thinks of it as a chance to get closer to his brother from all the days they’ve missed. The few off days where, walking home, Ritsu and his brother take up twice as much space on the sidewalk, he thinks of as quality bonding time.

But still, for the trailing end of elementary school, and now as he begins planting his roots in middle school, Shigeo is becoming less and less of a constant in his life.

“I miss you,” he tells his brother, suddenly one day, not sure where it comes from. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Oh,” is all that Shigeo dignifies it with at first. Then, a pause, a consideration, then: “Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

“It’s okay,” Ritsu finds himself saying.

“I’m always at Master’s,” Shigeo explains, even though they both already know it. “You don’t really like him, do you?”

Ritsu blinks for a second, not sure where this is coming from. Sure, he wouldn’t mind blaming Reigen for the slow drifting apart of him and his brother, but it’s a little weird to him that Shigeo is basically offering him that on a plate. He chooses his words carefully.

“I don’t think our personalities mesh well.”

Shigeo nods, satisfied.

And for all Ritsu knows, that could really be it. He never really dedicates much time to thinking about Reigen, or thinking about how much he doesn’t like Reigen — deciding from the get-go to avoid him was really enough. But Ritsu likes to think of himself as somewhat dignified and respectful. Incompatible personalities is a bit of a lame excuse to justify not getting along with somebody — he’s more mature than that.

Ritsu suspects it’s something to do with the fact that Reigen reeks of being inauthentic. Not necessarily in his personality — for all that Ritsu is concerned, Reigen is damn near an open book when it comes to that — but Ritsu has not once believed that this man is in possession of psychic powers. He can’t sense it, he doesn’t have any powers of his own, but he’s lived with Shigeo his whole life. He knows what espers are like. And besides that, Ritsu knows what it’s like to live a whole life without psychic powers, and he can see that in Reigen. He relies on his brother just a little too much.

Ritsu hasn’t discussed any of these thoughts with Shigeo, mostly because he has no idea how to bring it up. He knows, also, just how much Shigeo likes Reigen, how important a place he holds in his brother’s mind, and he knows better than to go about calling the man Shigeo trusts most untrustworthy. There’d be hell to pay.

As worried as he is about Shigeo’s reaction, though, somewhere in the back of his mind Ritsu wonders if it would be better to tell his brother upfront that Reigen doesn’t have psychic powers. It would be better than letting it play out and reaching a point that could have been avoided if Shigeo knew, right? Reigen can’t protect Shigeo if something goes wrong, and Reigen can’t protect himself if something goes seriously wrong, and that’s the last thing Ritsu wants, right? 

He doesn’t want either of them to get hurt, right?

Right?

Right, yes, of course he doesn’t want either of them to get hurt — it’s not something to dwell on, how obvious it is. There’s no way in hell he’d want either of them to be anything other than healthy and sound in mind and body; as much as Ritsu would prefer to avoid Reigen, he’s still a decent person who doesn’t want to see him get hurt. And Shigeo is his brother. Of course Ritsu cares about him.

And despite that, Ritsu still hesitates to tell him. He doesn’t think too much about why.

The conversation between the two reaches a natural resting point, and they’re both comfortable in the silence. Faintly, from their dad’s room, the smell of cigarette smoke gently wafts between them.

Shigeo scrunches his nose up. They never really talk about their dad’s smoking habits — the most mention it gains is a quick, understanding look between the two brothers. So Ritsu isn’t sure what overtakes him now.

“I wish he’d quit.”

Shigeo nods in understanding. It’s something they both feel, but have refrained from saying out loud before. Ritsu is noticing that — most of their conversations go unsaid. He supposes it can’t be helped, with their opposing schedules and all.

“We should tell him to quit,” Ritsu suggests when Shigeo doesn’t continue the conversation. “He’ll listen to us, right?”

Shigeo considers it for a second. “It’s Dad," is all he says. Ritsu understands.

“Well, we can ask Mum and she can tell him to quit.” Shigeo still doesn’t look sure. “They have to start listening to us eventually, right? We’re not kids anymore; we should have a say in family matters.”

Shigeo cocks his head to one side. “You only just graduated elementary school.”

“Exactly. We’re growing up.”

Shigeo hesitates for a second. “Well…if you want to ask Mum then you do it. She won’t like it if I’m the one who asks her.”

Ritsu nods. “Fine. I’ll ask her.” He hesitates. “I’ll…do it later, though.”

“…Okay.”

—-—-—

Ritsu needs to learn to stand up to his brother. He ponders this frankly terrifying concept for not the first time in his life as he stands, arms crossed over his chest, at the front desk of the Spirits and Such Consultation Office. Shigeo’s been out sick with the flu all week. Reigen needs someone to do some actual work around here. 

“Stop glaring at me like that,” Reigen tells him.

“I’m not glaring at you.” He wouldn’t be in this situation if he’d just told Shigeo how much he really, really does not like Reigen. And yet, here he is. Here they are.

Reigen exhales through his nose. “Is it gonna be like this the whole time?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Okay.” Reigen stands up from his seat and starts walking over to Ritsu’s side of the desk.

Before he can say anything, Ritsu speaks up. “I mean, come on. This isn’t going to be fun for either of us. We both know you would have much preferred it if my brother had gotten Hanazawa or someone to fill in.”

Reigen stops in his tracks. “When did I ever say that? Do you think I don’t like you?”

Ritsu doesn’t have much of an answer, aside from a non-committal shrug.

Reigen blinks for a second, as if shocked. “Well, I do. You’re a good kid.” He walks past Ritsu, grabbing something from a bookcase. “You’re a fine replacement for your brother.”

Ritsu’s heart drops, and he feels his jaw clench impossibly tight. He’s pretty sure he stops breathing for a few seconds, and his nails are digging into his skin. He stands, a statue in the office, and it’s only when he hears Reigen continue to mill about that the tension in his body drops. He takes a few breaths.

“Do you know what I think is funny?” he asks Reigen, turning to him. 

Reigen’s got some kind of folder full of paperwork in his hands, and an expression like he’s not used to this much amount of talking. He doesn’t particularly look like he wants Ritsu to continue, either.

“If my brother thinks that you have psychic powers,” he continues anyway, “then he should have no reason to get me to fill in for him.”

Reigen is still looking at Ritsu unimpressed, but he hesitates slightly in his movements.

“Do you think he trusts you?”

Reigen doesn’t say anything, doesn’t move for some moments. It’s a stalemate of sorts.

Just when Ritsu is about to break into a really quite polite smile, Reigen drops the folder into his hands. Ritsu startles slightly, trying not to drop it.

“Of course Mob trusts me.”

Reigen doesn’t expand upon that any further before he walks back around to take his seat at the desk. Ritsu is busy looking at the paperwork that Reigen oh so kindly handed over, not even really taking it in as he flicks through the pages. He looks to Reigen for an explanation.

“You know the work Mob does here isn’t limited to his psychic powers, right?” He’s pulled out his laptop, giving it more focus than he is to Ritsu. “I give him work experience. He learns how to deal with customers. Hell, he may have even picked up a thing or two about how to successfully run a business.”

Did you teach him about self-aggrandising, too? Ritsu thinks.

“Get to work on sorting those. When you’re done, I’ll give you something else to do.”

Ritsu can’t help but think that Reigen just wants him to sit down and shut up. Gingerly, he takes a seat at the side desk of the office, watching Reigen do his ‘work’ from the side of his eye.

He doesn’t tell Reigen when he’s done with the menial task, instead opting to think on how he should go about organising his pay for today. He supposes putting up with Reigen won’t be all that bad if he gets some compensation. He sits there for a minute or two, not really bothering to hide the fact that he’s doing nothing, and before long he realises that the clicking of Reigen’s keyboard has quieted some time ago.

He waits for Reigen to speak up.

“So… Are you and your brother close?”

Ritsu sighs.

“Hey!” Reigen exclaims. “I’m trying to make conversation, here!”

Ritsu turns to look at him. He looks more frantic than anything. “Do you…” He trails off, trying to look past Reigen’s weirdness. “Do you really care?”

That sets him off. “I don’t know what makes you think that I don’t!” He throws his hands down on either side of his laptop. “Did I do something? Did I say something wrong that I don’t remember?”

“You’re asking me why I don’t…” Ritsu trails off again, for whatever reason unable to say out loud that he doesn’t like Reigen. “You really want to know?” He scoffs. “Well, for one, you’re not exactly the best influence on my brother.”

Reigen blinks, processing the information. “Oh, right,” he says. “This is about your brother.”

“Don’t talk to me about my brother.”

“…You brought him up, though…”

The conversation sort of stutters and skids to a halt. Ritsu knows that he’s not being the most tolerable person right now, and that Reigen doesn’t entirely deserve this out of nowhere — but if he wants an explanation, he’s going to get one.

“It’s not just about my brother,” Ritsu says. “You’re also just…really shady.” 

Reigen doesn’t seem fazed. That seems to be enough evidence to Ritsu — if Reigen doesn’t bat an eye at being called shady, then he’s been called it enough times over the years by enough different people that it must hold some ground. And in all that time, did he never once work to combat it? Did he never put in effort to not give off the worst vibes he could when he meets someone? There must be something inherent to them, Ritsu reasons. Reigen is a fundamentally shady person, and he’s right not to trust him.

Slowly, Reigen’s expression shifts to expectant, and Ritsu realises he hasn’t offered much more than that one statement. The seconds tick by, and as Reigen and Ritsu stare silently at each other, he finds his brain scrambling for what next to say, frantic to build his impromptu case against Reigen.

Except, wait, shouldn’t he know what he doesn’t like about him? He’s been avoiding him all these years; he should know the reason behind it.

And then, a revelation; Ritsu works to keep the epiphany internal, to not show his mind on his face as he realises it. He avoids Reigen at every chance he can get, so much so that he hasn’t even put thought into what he doesn’t like about him — he knows there’s something, obviously, and the actual fact of not knowing the reason behind his avoidance isn’t really his most pressing issue right now — it’s the fact that he’s backed himself into a corner where he has to admit that.

“Nothing you do seems genuine,” he says quickly, hoping Reigen won’t pick up on the non-explanation.

Reigen still looks expectant.

Ritsu clicks his tongue. “I don’t know,” he hesitates, again, searching for what to say, “you clearly don’t have psychic powers. I don’t know how you did what you did at the Claw base, but… Well, if you do have psychic powers, then you’re using them wrong.” 

Reigen leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. 

Ritsu could get into some serious trouble for this, but he continues regardless. “You’re always so flippant about everything, like exorcising spirits is just some fun side-gig to you, and…” He doesn’t know why he’s still talking. He looks around the office. There are some tacky figures dotted about, questionable books on the shelves, the (frankly) shoddy paperwork in front of him, an ashtray across the room from him. It’s good enough for him. “This place is hardly a professional business, you smoke, your handwriting could be better…”

Ritsu blinks, suddenly aware of his words. It’s all kind of nonsense at this point. “Oh. I’m sorry.” Reigen still looks unaffected, both by the words and the apology. It’s just a matter of formality, anyway. “That was pretty rude of me to say, huh?” he continues regardless.

Reigen shrugs. “I asked for it.”

That isn’t necessarily the response that Ritsu wants, but he’s not sure anything Reigen could have said would have satisfied him.

Reigen throws his head back over his chair, apparently taking in what Ritsu said. After a moment or two has passed, he locks eyes with Ritsu again.

“I don’t smoke.”

“What?” Ritsu furrows his brow. “Yes, you do.”

Reigen shakes his head. “Nope.”

Faintly, from somewhere in the back of Ritsu’s head, a memory from a while ago — it would be about three years, now — wafts through his mind. “Yes, you do,” he repeats. “I remember — the first time I met you. Pretty much the only thing I actually remember from meeting you. You reeked of cigarettes.”

Reigen doesn’t respond for a second. Then, “That’s the only thing you remember from meeting me? It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”

“I try not to remember our meetings.”

“…Okay… It must have been a really bad first impression, then.”

“Something like that.”

“Well, anyway, I quit. A couple of years ago, I think.”

Ritsu points to the ashtray on the other side of the room. “What’s that, then?”

Reigen follows his gesture. “That’s for customers. Sometimes they smoke in here, I only smoke at home.”

Ritsu scoffs. “So, in other words, you didn’t quit. You do smoke.”

“Ah, well—” Reigen fumbles for a bit, and Ritsu is interested to see how he pulls himself out of this one. “I don’t smoke here. That’s what I meant when I said I quit.”

“…Uh-huh.”

“Look, I—!” He stutters. “I don’t smoke around Mob, that’s something, right? He asked me not to, so I don’t. I’ve hardly smoked since then, so it’s basically quitting.”

Ritsu’s positive that that’s not how it works, but his mind is a little preoccupied at the moment. “Wait, what? My brother asked you to quit?”

“Yeah, when he was younger. I mean, I get it, it must have been annoying to be around.” Ritsu bites back a remark about how it’s not the only annoying thing about him. “And besides, I’d been meaning to quit anyway. I guess that was just the push I needed.” Reigen looks at Ritsu. “What, is there something wrong with that?”

“What? Oh, no. It’s just…” Something overtakes him for a second — it’s not confusion exactly, but it’s something akin to it. “Well, our dad smokes.” 

Reigen cocks his head to the side, not replying but waiting for Ritsu to continue.

And for some reason, he does. “Neither of us have really talked to him about it.”

Reigen nods. “Ah, yeah. Both of my parents smoked. Still do, actually. I just picked up the habit.” He leans forward, resting his arms on his desk. “Don’t smoke, Ritsu.”

“Yeah, I know not to smoke.” He sighs, picking back up on his train of thought. “I don’t know, I guess it’s kind of weird to me that my brother would actually speak up to you about it.”

“It is?”

The words are practically flowing out of him at this point, a steady waterfall of vented frustrations. “I mean, our dad’s smoked our whole lives; I thought he— I mean, I guess we just accepted it.”

Reigen leans back on his chair again, bringing his hands together behind his head. He takes a long, slow breath. “Mob’s been changing a lot recently, underneath all our noses.”

“Oh.” Ritsu looks down. 

The room’s changed. He doesn’t feel closer or further away from Reigen, but the distance between them is different, somehow. Like one of them’s floated higher and the other’s drifted downwards, or they’ve each changed colours and the lighting of the scene’s all off. He feels further away from himself.

“What are we talking about?” he asks.

“Um, smoking?”

“No, I mean… Why am I saying this to you?” 

“What do you mean?”

Now, what is the best method for telling someone ‘I don’t like talking to you and the fact that I’ve talked to you as much as I already have talked to you makes me like you even less’ without saying those exact words? Ritsu suffices with rolling his eyes.

“Reigen, you know what I mean. I…” He’s not sure what overcame him during the course of this conversation that convinced him it would be a good idea to open up to Reigen — like, seriously, Reigen? Reigen? Really? Opening up to him? — but whatever the reason, he’s there now. And he can’t exactly back out without awkwardly cutting the conversation off. “Look, I don’t talk about this stuff to anyone. I haven’t even talked to my brother about this. I shouldn’t be talking about this to you.”

“I think that means that you’re warming up to me, Ritsu. Have you finally learnt to trust me?”

Ritsu actually recoils at the thought. “Uh, no.” Reigen looks almost exasperated, leaning forward in his chair. 

Ritsu looks away from him. None of this makes any sense. He doesn’t feel confused, but something close to it, he’s not uncomfortable, but it’s almost there. He should have told Shigeo that he didn’t want to come.

“Oh, wait,” he speaks up after a moment or two of silence, “I know what’s happening now.” He looks back at Reigen.

“You do?”

“Oh, my god,” he whispers under his breath. It all makes sense now. Why the room feels different, why he had a heel-turn change of heart, why he can’t make sense of his own thoughts — it’s all coming together. He brings his hands to his temples, protecting either side of his head. “Do you have telepathy!?”

“What? No!” Ritsu continues to cover his temples, convinced at this turn of situation. Reigen rolls his eyes. “I’m not telepathic, Ritsu. I have no idea what you’re thinking. I didn’t make you open up to me, that was something you decided on your own.” Ritsu still isn’t relenting. Reigen sighs. “You know that’s okay, right? It’s okay to talk to me differently than you’re used to. And that…you talked to me about this before your brother. Things like that happen sometimes.”

Ritsu slowly lowers his hands, crossing his arms. He takes a sharp inhale. “Okay, dude. I get it. You’re cool, or whatever, and…I’ll try not to avoid you anymore. I won’t insult you, either, okay? Let’s just work the rest of this day—”

“No, Ritsu, look,” Reigen cuts him off. He breathes deeply. “In all seriousness, I know you don’t like me. I know I’m not your favourite person in the world. And when it comes down to it, that’s perfectly fine; who you do and don’t like is entirely your business, and more often than not, it’s something that can’t really be helped.

"But you’re gonna learn this one day — or, hell, why not learn it right now? No time like the present, right? — it’s a fact of life that you might not like someone, but you still have to work to get along. And sometimes, it’s not even that bad. Sometimes, you realise you were wrong about them. That happens more than I’d like, actually.

“And sometimes, I know it’s humiliating, trust me, but people you don’t like will have opinions that make sense, or good points that will change you, and you pretty much just have to learn how to navigate people. And how you fit in between them.”

Ritsu hates to admit it, but Reigen’s actually making sense. Maybe it’s a little over-generalised, or a little far out of Ritsu’s scope of caring, but he doesn’t get the urge to completely tune out Reigen’s voice. 

“And, also,” Reigen continues, and Ritsu knows that he’s slowly coming to grips with Reigen actually having meaningful advice, but he’s pushing it a little right now, “I know it’s not entirely my place, but you should learn to trust your brother more.”

“Excuse me?”

“All that stuff about me not being a good influence on him, or how you didn’t expect him to tell me to stop smoking — you know Mob’s his own person, right? If I was really such a bad guy, don’t you think he’d pick up on it?”

Ritsu feels like the air in his gut has been completely punched out of him. However slowly he was coming around on Reigen before, he’s now had the rug pulled out from underneath him, and the hard smack of the ground is stinging his conscious. 

Reigen is completely right. How on earth did this happen?

Has he really not been trusting Shigeo? Since he got his psychic powers, Ritsu thought that any of the conflict between them had all but faded away, and they can now relate to each other through common goals, through similar ideals. How is it that Reigen can understand Shigeo better than his own brother can? Is Ritsu at fault for this?

It makes sense, though, Ritsu reasons; Reigen is older, he knows more about people and he spends enough time around Shigeo. Maybe Ritsu can take some cues from him.

Awakening his psychic powers always seemed like a reset button for Ritsu, like that point in his life was where everything turned on its head. He got the powers he always wanted, and now he never has to succumb to his brotherly envy again. But, maybe he’s simplifying it too much. There’s more to his relationship with his brother than their psychic powers, and there’s more to himself than whether or not he has powers — there always has been. That much should be obvious to him, so shouldn’t he grant the same point of view to his brother? Shigeo’s more than just the greatest psychic — he is not his powers. He’s his own person, and if Reigen is right about him changing so much so recently, then Ritsu’s really got nothing to worry about.

“Ugh,” Ritsu scoffs, the weight of his realisation finally taking hold on his shoulders. “You’re right.” He sits up straighter, looking around the room. It doesn’t feel any different to before, just the way that he fits into it has changed. He looks back to Reigen, and sighs. “So, how am I getting paid for this, anyway?”

Reigen thinks for a second. “What’s your favourite food?”

“Um…I like tofu. And boiled pork.”

Reigen nods, storing the information away. “Let’s see what we can get you after this, okay?”

“Wait, really?” Reigen would really be willing to buy food for him, even when he’s been adverse to him this whole time?

“Of course. Just make sure you don’t tank my business today, and we’ll get something afterwards.”

Ritsu blinks. Yeah, he definitely should learn to trust Shigeo more. His master is pretty alright.

“Thank you.”

#mp100 #mob psycho 100 #dadreigenweek2019 #ritsu kageyama #reigen arataka #smoking tw #cigarettes tw #my writing #this turned out WAY longer than i meant it to but. i mean what else did i expect from me #also idk if this is confusing or anything but just for clarity the timeline in this fic is: #10-11yr old kageyamas -> 13-14 pre series -> 13-14 post ritsu getting powers but pre end of series

[marinsawakening]

I’m creating an esper girl AU because of course I am, and it focuses on the girls teaming up to save pretty much all the other espers of Seasoning City, who have been kidnapped by a mysterious organization. Anyway here’s a rundown of everyone’s powers I have so far:

Mezato: brainwashing, but like, mostly subtle. She basically has a form of telepathy/empathy that focuses on projecting her emotions/thoughts/wants/needs onto others, and uses that to influence people’s minds. She usually does this over a longer period of time, because that’s harder to detect or resist, but can brute force her way into your brain if need be. 

Tome: spacey powers; gravity control, wormhole creation, light manipulation (or rather, darkness manipulation; mostly the ability to take light away from places and make it dark, though other abilities sneak in too). Also has some very basic psychokinesis. 

Emi: written curses/talismans. She can curse anything she writes on, as well as make portable curses on paper. In addition, she can also protect anything she write on and create written talismans for people to carry. Also has the ability to see curses.

Tsubomi: necromancy and control over living beings. More specifically, she can control physical aspects of both dead and living things, such as bones, blood, tissue, etc. Can also create decay, and has chlorokinesis.

Rei: extrasensory perception/clairvoyance. Yes I know she’s a canon esper I just wanted to make clear she’s involved in my AU.

More details about their powers and a little bit about the role I’m planning on giving them in my AU under the cut.

Mezato:

Her powers manifested when she was too young to remember, and she’s used them on an almost daily basis since. This made her spoiled rotten and used to getting her way, creating an ego similar to that of Teru or even Touichirou. However, after the Divine Tree Incident, she got some character development and realized that always getting what she wants through mind control has left her hollow, which, combined with the newfound knowledge of just how scary it can be to be on the receiving end of mind control, has knocked her down a few pegs and made her use her powers less. 

Is mostly a support member, searching out information by brainwashing people into giving it for her and/or using her brainwashing to get access to places she shouldn’t have. 

Has the best control of her powers out of everyone in the group, and functions as something of a mentor for the rest because of that, despite her distinct un-mentor-like personality and the fact that her powers aren’t really comparable to most of the group’s.

Her power level is rather high, somewhere around Teru’s and/or Takenaka’s level, but she’s not and will never be as overpowered as Mob.

Has a very faint, sickly yellow aura. Can brainwash you into overlooking it, forgetting you ever saw it, etc. 

Avoided the organization’s detection because her power is very subtle and hard to recognize, and even telepaths and empaths generally don’t pick up on her aura because she has a unique mix of the two abilities.

Tome:

Her gravity control functions basically the same as the leader of the Seventh Division’s, but much less powerful (and she can’t create orbs at the start of the story).

Her wormhole creation is basically just cool space themed teleportation, with the added bonus of making it easy for to teleport large groups (but she develops it relatively late into the story).

Light manipulation mainly focuses on being able to take light away from a place, so it looks more like she’s controlling darkness than light. However, later during the story, she develops invisibility (and maybe even the ability to manipulate colour? idk I think it’d be cool).

By ‘very basic psychokinesis’, I mean that she can do basic esper things like create barriers/have raw explosions of energy, but can’t do anything more advanced. Doesn’t even have telekinesis. Cannot shape her raw psychic powers like the vectors Teru/that one Seventh division guy uses. At most can blast people somewhere like Serizawa, but it’s much weaker than his. Mostly, her psychic powers lie in her space themed powers.

Her powers manifested when she came under Rusty’s curse, as a desperate reaction to try and keep her alive, but since they only manifested as a slight increase in gravity and some darkness swirling, everyone assumed it was Rusty’s curse and didn’t pay it any mind. Tome later found out that they were her powers, and was planning on telling someone, but then all the espers got kidnapped.

Has really shoddy control of her powers to start with, bc she only just manifested them, but learns and grows quickly.

Has impressive powers but a moderate to moderately high power level, a little weaker than Ritsu to start with and eventually developing to somewhere around his level.

Acts as one of the front line members and is often on the offense, because her powers are very well suited for it, and she’s the only one of the team who can create barriers. Later also helps with stealth missions, after she masters her darkness control/invisibility, and acts as the transportation for the team after she manifests the ability to create wormholes.

Has a very noticeable galaxy aura when she’s using her powers, but it’s faint if she’s not. It gradually becomes more and more noticeable even when she’s ‘in rest’ over the course of the series.

Evaded detection by the organization because her powers had only just manifested, and nobody except her knew they existed.

Emi:

Manifested her powers during the last exam period, after she got way too stressed and her powers pulled a Ritsu and awakened. This happened about a year prior to the start of the story. Found out about her powers after she noticed she had accidentally cursed her teacher with her exam, and suddenly gained the ability to see spirits.

Is bad at detecting esper auras, because her power set is very unique and has little overlap with either psycho/telekinetics or telepaths/empaths.

How powerful her curses/talismans are is almost entirely dependent on how much time she’s had to prepare them; she stores up energy into the curses/talismans, which releases when the curse/talisman is activated. 

She does have an upper limit, of course; the most extreme talisman she could create would be a one-time protection against death, and the most extreme curse she could create would either cause minor decay in a person or collapse a building. She cannot store power for longer than a week.

Has a moderate to moderately high power level. However, her unique power set makes her hard to compare to others. Would, with practice, maybe be about as powerful as or just a little weaker than the curse guy from the Seventh Division, but her power is less suited for battle bc she needs to store energy first.

Has really bad control over her powers bc she’s scared of them; accidentally curses almost anything she writes on, and doesn’t really know what her base powers are. Doesn’t even know she can make talismans at the start of the story. Eventually becomes more confident and gains better control over them.

She didn’t tell Mob or any other esper about her powers because of the aforementioned fear of them. Was, however, working up to asking someone for help after realizing she can’t control them herself; had told Tome in confidence, who was planning on asking Reigen for advice on this (since he may not be an esper, but he knows pretty much all the espers in Seasoning City). 

Avoided detection by the organization partially because she’d told almost nobody of her powers, and partly because her unique power set gave her an aura that’s practically invisible to most other espers.

Has an ink black aura that rises up from her hands like thick smoke/ghibli tears when she’s writing her curses; otherwise doesn’t have an aura at all.

Rarely to never goes out into actual danger situations, because her powers are basically useless for spur of the moment defense. Almost a complete behind the scenes support member, making curses for the team to use and talismans to protect them.

Note to self: prime damsel in distress material. Might get kidnapped at some point.

Made friends with Tome online after finding out they both liked the same game. 

Tsubomi:

Her powers give her the ability to, among other things: have rudimentary brute force control over animal’s bodies (sort of similar to blood bending but harder to maintain; this drains a lot of energy and is generally impractical), deform tissue/blood/bones in animals (hard to control, but easy to manifest), control over plant bodies (the easiest for her), control corpses (very easy), cause decay in things (pretty easy in organic matter, a lot harder in inorganic matter), and heal living thigns (very difficult, requires fine tuned control).

Manifested her power about one to two years after she stopped being friends with Mob, but rarely if ever uses it because it really freaked her parents out and they encouraged her to keep it secret, and because her powers are by and large useless in day to day situations.

She’s not particularly bothered by the nature of her powers herself, but does recognize that it’s very morbid to others, and can be pretty self-conscious about that.

Her control over her powers is decent, but not great. She has a fairly good grasp on what her base abilities are and doesn’t have wild explosions of power, but is bad at knowing where her limits lie and unpracticed in a lot of areas of her power. 

She’s extremely powerful, about at Touichirou’s level, and if she was more practiced, she might even be able to hold her own against Mob. 

Is the tank of the team; because of her raw power, she often brute forces her way through obstacles. The biggest issue with her is that her control isn’t fine tuned enough to ensure that she won’t seriously injure or kill people if she goes against them, which, in the beginning, makes it difficult to send her out into the field. However, once she gets the hang of that, she’s easily the most powerful.

Evaded detection by the organization because she never told anyone she was an esper, and because she moved out of Seasoning City about a year prior to the start of the story.

Emi was a friend in school and she maintained contact with her after she moved.

Gets dragged into the story after Tome, Emi, and Rei evacuate Seasoning City and come to her. 

Rei:

Only canon esper in the gang, and mostly maintains her canon powers. However, due to frequent practice over the course of about four years, her extrasensory perception/clairvoyance now has about an 80% accuracy rate, and she can even sometimes sense nebulous things from the future, such as ‘danger’ or ‘happiness’. 

She actually was detected by the organization, but she felt a sense of danger before they came to kidnap her and booked it. When she realized that almost all of her friends weren’t answering their phone, she figured out that espers were probably being targeted by someone, and went to Tome for help, who seemed like the safest option at the time. Tome realizes she might be watched bc of her work at Spirits and Such, and brings them both to Emi, after which they decide it would be saver to go out of town entirely and go to stay with Tsubomi.

She went to Tome for help because she was one of the two (supposed) non-espers involved in esper shenanigans she knew. The other was the Awakening Lab guy, but after being kidnapped by Claw, she realizes that he would almost certainly be watched, and opted for Tome instead. 

While they aren’t close, acquaintances more than friends, she knows Tome from Spirits and Such. 

Functions as a support member, primarily; while she does go out into the field if necessary (usually paired up with Mezato, because she could point to people who probably has information/are important and Mezato could take care of them), she also often stays at home base, sifting through documents and internet rumors to find the ones that she can sense would be the most useful. 

As in canon, her power level is very low, but she is definitely one of the most practiced members of the group and has good advice on how to train your powers. Along with Mezato, functions as something of a mentor as a result, and is very nervous about it.

#emi #takane tsubomi #ichi mezato #kurata tome #kurosaki rei #mp100 #mezato #*tsubomi voice* you cannot kill me in any way that matters. decay is an extant form of life. #tsubomi's power is still under contruction and might change to heat manipulation #but i think this is pretty badass #my posts #also don't get ur hopes up about me actually writing this #i suck at action scenes and this would most likely have a ton of them #so unless i can figure out how to avoid that im probably not gonna write a full blown fic for this #esper girl gang au

[turning-the-kaleidoscope]

It wasn’t supposed to be this long. I don’t know how it happened. And I’m still somehow really, really freaking proud of how it turned out. 

It’s way longer than I wanted it to be, it kind of started writing itself about mid-way through, I have no excuse, I don’t know how this happened but I really really hope you guys enjoy it because oh my god, I had a blast writing it.

[warning for blood/injury, some intense stuff (it’s a fight scene so jkjlkdfg), and for readers’ sake, I’m specifying right up front that this is NOT a deathfic.]

and with that, here we go.

If Ritsu had to blame anyone, he’d blame Reigen.

“Get out of the way!” Ritsu snarls, swinging his arm and bringing up the earth with it. The wall only lasts a second before the enemy crashes through it with a burst of white, too-bright light. Ritsu’s arms snap to shield his face. His second of hesitation costs him. A knee slams into his stomach, hurls him; he hits the ground rolling, tumbling, choking, until he comes to rest on his back and the night sky glares down at him.

The psychic hits the ground, and a crater spreads beneath him, cracks splintering the asphalt and uprooting the nearest sidewalks. Streetlamps tilt. Bulbs shatter. The light he’d had moments ago flicker out like a dying candle and leave nothing but darkness behind.

Ritsu gets his feet beneath him and throws up his barrier. The light is so bright it nearly blinds him, but he doesn’t dare look away this time. The psychic–all muscle, small, stocky figure, shaven head, stained clothes–grins at him.

“Nice barrier,” he says.

His fist shatters it, and shards like broken glass fly at Ritsu’s face.

With a scream, he flings his arms up again in a sad attempt to shield himself. In the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of movement. Ritsu rolls sideways. The psychic’s fist slams into the asphalt where he’d been moments before. Scrambling to his feet, Ritsu trips and runs. His heart pounds up his throat until he can’t breathe past the aching throb, and each footfall pounds in tandem.

Blaming Reigen isn’t hard to do. It’d been his stupid idea, his stupid fault, his stupid lie of an occupation. If Ritsu dies today, he’ll blame him. If Shigeo dies today, he’ll never forgive him.

The asphalt is torn from beneath him like a rug and pitches him forward. He lands on his shoulder first and skids to a halt, hoodie scraped and torn and barely protecting his skin at all. He gasps and heaves but leaps to his feet–just in time to reignite his barrier as the psychic shoots toward him like a hawk.

His fist slams into the barrier. Rivets of blue surge across the dome like vengeful waves on stormy oceans. His vulturous smile isn’t deterred in the slightest. Ritsu grinds his teeth and digs his heels in, hoping, praying it’s enough.

It isn’t. One more punch and the barrier shatters.

Only this time is different. Ritsu slams his foot into the asphalt, and a beam snaps underneath the psychic, catches him by the stomach, and hurls him into the dark, night sky. Ritsu watches him until he can watch him no more, and his knees hit the asphalt while he doubles over, coughing and heaving. He clutches his chest, grinds his teeth against the pain, and tells himself that he needs to get a grip, that he needs to get up–

The psychic bodyslams him and sends him to the asphalt again. Stars collide with ribbons of color as the back of Ritsu’s head connects with the ground, but he can’t recover in time. Through fuzzy, distorted vision, the psychic lords over him, still grinning, and he pulls back his fist for a finishing blow, and–

Ritsu snaps up a hand and catches the psychic’s fist. His steel knuckles sink into Ritsu’s palm like knives. Blood bursts and runs down the length of his arm, staining his hoodie, but he grinds his teeth harder and holds tighter, more desperate.

The psychic hasn’t stopped smiling.

“You’ve got a lot of spirit, don’tcha?”

His fist pushes into Ritsu’s palm, forcing his arm back, back, back, back–

“I wonder what it tastes like.”

Ritsu’s shoulder snaps and the back of his hand slams into the asphalt. A scream rips itself from his throat, grated and guttural. His vision goes white, then dark, then white again. His screams are replaced by the psychic’s maniacal laughter. His arm is pinned. Ritsu forces his eyes to stay open.

Something stings the skin of his writs, small in comparison but dripping with psychic power. There are small, vine-like tendrils bursting through the cement like daisies, bright gold in color and white-hot in feel. They wind around his wrists, loop over, under, through the asphalt, and–

Ritsu pulls a knee to his chest and kicks the psychic in the face.

With a burst of blue light–a last, desperate resort–the psychic is slingshotted across the street, bouncing and rolling like a ragdoll, limbs flailing. Ritsu tears his eyes from the sight and breathes raggedly, flipping himself onto his side. He could be sick. He wants to be sick. His wrist is pinned to the asphalt by the vines.

He tugs them. He beats against the pain and yanks as hard as he can. He slips his fingers in between them and wiggles. He bites them. He claws at them.

The psychic has stopped rolling, but he hasn’t stopped moving. He’s coming back.

Ritsu struggles further, yanking, jerking, biting, sobbing, but he can’t tear himself free.

“Good show,” the psychic says, clapping his hands together. “And now, the finale.”

Three identical sets of tendrils shoot from the asphalt. They twist and wind themselves around Ritsu’s wrist like they have a mind of their own, and with a pained yank, Ritsu’s back slams the asphalt again. His ankles are caught and secured. He can’t move. Instinctively, he throws up a barrier, but its light is feeble and won’t protect him from anything.

He can’t lift his head to see the psychic anymore. The night sky stares down at him like a welcoming doom. He finds himself transfixed onto it, even as he thrashes fruitlessly and tears born of pain and anger and fear roll down the sides of his face.

He hears the psychic preparing what has got to be the final blast. He feels the energy tugging at his heels, and he knows. He knows.

He wishes he didn’t.

The psychic speaks words he doesn’t care to comprehend, and the burst of energy explodes. In a blinding light, it speeds toward him. It speeds toward him and he begs for it to end quickly.

Except, there’s movement in the corner of his eye again. A silhouetted figure against the white end. A familiar shout of his name.

(If Ritsu had to blame anyone, he’d blame Reigen.)

The light swallows them both. Ritsu’s eyes burn, but he can’t close them.

(Because it’s easy to blame Reigen.)

Ritsu hears the moment of impact clearly. It sounds like everything and nothing. The buzz of radio static and the sooth of white noise. A bursting firework and the drip as a single drop of water splashes into a puddle.

(Because he can detach himself.)

The light fades.

(Because he doesn’t have to feel guilty.)

Gradually, Ritsu’s sight returns to him. But he still can’t breathe. And he still can’t think.

(Because he doesn’t have to care.)

Reigen lies on the ground before him in an unmoving, crumpled heap.

As the burst leaves them in silence, as the blast leaves the night as still and as dark as it’d been before it arrived, Ritsu’s world boils over and explodes.

“No way. I didn’t think he’d actually do it.”

The psychic is talking again. Ritsu can’t do anything. There’s no blood, but that’s somehow scarier. There’s no movement, no life, no desperate struggle.

The golden tendrils around Ritsu’s wrists and ankles loosen. He sits up, but that’s all he can do. Reigen is already close, but he can’t draw himself closer. There’s nothing. He feels nothing. The pain doesn’t even feel real to him anymore.

“I was hoping he’d have to watch you die, honestly, but I think this way was better. I’d do anything to know exactly what’s going through your mind right now, you know.”

Shut up, Ritsu wants to say, but doesn’t remember why he wants to, nor can he bring himself to snap it. He doesn’t know where he is. He doesn’t know what happened. Reigen still isn’t moving.

“Well. If you’ve had your say in it, I’ll–”

A dome of purple bursts from the asphalt and encases Ritsu and Reigen within it.

“… What in the hell is–”

With a vicious, blood-curdling scream, Shigeo tears from the sky like a shooting star and collides with him.

There’s a bright flash of purple light, and Shigeo pummels the psychic through the cement, rocketing across the asphalt, leaving a deep, skidded crater behind them. Torn chunks of asphalt and lamp posts and sidewalks bounce harmlessly off the sides of the barrier

And then the fight is behind him, and he hears Shigeo screaming, and he should probably stop him, he should do something, he should move.

He can’t tear his eyes away.

Reigen coughs.

Ritsu’s stomach leaps into his throat, and before he knows what he’s doing, he’s dragging himself across the cement with his one good arm. His other arm dangles, limp and numb. The asphalt is warm. His knees scrape against it through the tears in his jeans.

“R-Reigen?”

He stops close to his side, mere breaths away from him. Without thinking, his fingers curl into Reigen’s shoulder and tug him onto his back.

There’s blood at the corners of his mouth, trailing down the sides of his face. The ends of his hair are singed. The front of his shirt is still smoking, and behind it is–

Ritsu clamps his hand over his mouth and bile burns his throat like fire. His vision tunnels. He feels too light for his body.

But Reigen blinks at him, eyes muddled and fogged, unseeing. He squints up at Ritsu and, for the briefest of moments, a small, sad kind of smile twitches the corners of his lips.

“Sorry, kiddo,” he croaks hoarsely. “I panicked.”

Ritsu’s eyes burn, and he can’t help the tears that spill down his cheeks. He doesn’t remember when he’d grabbed Reigen’s hand, but now he squeezes it. And he despises himself.

Distantly, he hears bursts of light and screams of agony. He can’t tell who’s doing the screaming, Shigeo or the psychic. He doesn’t know which is worse.

“You can’t die,” Ritsu chokes out before he can think twice. Reigen’s eyes find his again, glassy and distant. “You can’t die,” Ritsu repeats, and this time he knows what he’s saying. This time it’s a plea. “You can’t die.”

Reigen’s smile somehow becomes worse, if that were possible. “Yeah, yeah, I–I’m not trying t–”

He coughs, snapping his arm up to cover his face, turning his head into it. Ritsu squeezes his other hand tighter and begs anyone who’s listening for the answer. For something. For anything.

Reigen’s sleeve is bloody when he lowers it. Ritsu wants to throw up again. A blast of purple light behind them flashes in Reigen’s irises, but his eyes are dead. There’s nothing in them anymore but Shigeo’s light. He’s still breathing, but he isn’t there.

“You can’t die,” Ritsu says, but somehow it feels more now like he’s asking a question. Like it’s a thing that’s already happened, and he’s only now questioning it. “Don’t die. Please, please don’t die.”

(Don’t die because I wasn’t strong enough.)

(Don’t die because I couldn’t handle it.)

(Don’t die because of me.)

(Don’t die before I have the chance to say I’m sorry.)

Reigen’s hand is limp in his. Ritsu’s heart pounds.

“Re–Reigen?”

“Ritsu!”

Ritsu barely lifts his head when Shigeo comes running, clothes torn in places and dirtied in others, eyes wide. Tears-tracks leave white streaks through the dust on his face, but he isn’t crying anymore.

“H-He saved me,” Ritsu gasps out as Shigeo’s knees hit the ground beside him. “H-He–He saved me, I didn’t–I don’t know what too–Nii-san–”

Shigeo’s hands snap to press over Reigen’s chest, fingers interlocking. Ritsu doesn’t know how he’s able to stay this calm. Maybe it’s because of Ritsu. He doesn’t know.

“I-I’ve never done this before,” Shigeo manages, and now, now his voice trembles, but he doesn’t waver. His hands stay where they are. “I don’t know if this is going to work, or–I–” He pauses, takes a measured breath. “I’m going to try.”

Ritsu doesn’t know what he means, but he trusts Shigeo. If there’s one person in this world he can trust wholeheartedly, it’s him. His brother isn’t always right, but he always tries to do the right thing, and Ritsu trusts that.

He nods, Shigeo closes his eyes, and for a long time, nothing happens. For a long time, Shigeo whispers broken pleas under his breath, brows pinched tight, with steady hands and trembling shoulders. Ritsu sits by him, as close as he dares, not close enough to touch but close enough to be a presence. And he pleads, too. And Reigen’s hand is still. And the night sky stretches over them like an abyss.

And then a purple glow engulfs Shigeo’s hands, from his wrists to his fingertips. Shigeo squeezes his eyes shut tighter, and a tear trails through the dirt on his face. His hands are trembling now, too. He hasn’t stopped pleading under his breath. The aura around his fingertips glows brighter, stronger. Shigeo’s breath comes in rattled gasps and wheezes. Ritsu wants to hug him but doesn’t dare.

And then it’s over. The light vanishes from Shigeo’s fingertips and he withdraws his hands with a deep, shuddering breath through his nose. His hands are bloody. He looks sick. Ritsu’s heart is in shambles.

“N-Nii-san, are–”

“I-I think–I think that did it,” Shigeo manages, but his voice is weak and his eyes are glazed over. “B-But he still needs a hospital, I–I don’t know–”

His eyes roll back in his head. Ritsu barely catches him in time.

“N-Nii-san–!”

Shigeo’s breath is hot and shallow against his neck, but he doesn’t stir, no matter how hard Ritsu shakes him or how desperate he begs. Reigen hasn’t woken up, either.

“N-Nii-san, Nii-san–”

The silence dawns over them, louder than any explosion. 

Reigen is alive.

Shigeo is alive.

Ritsu has never been more alone.

He calls 119 with Reigen’s phone.

The operator reminds him to breathe. Asks him where he is, if he’s by himself, who he’s with if not. Promises help is on the way. Promises to stay on the phone with him until they get there.

He doesn’t even hear the sirens or notice the ambulances until a medic is by him, hands on his shoulders, asking him if he’s okay. He blinks, and Shigeo and Reigen are gone. He blinks again and he’s in the back of an ambulance with a blanket wrapped tight around his shoulders and a medic sitting close, steadying him with a hand. He blinks again and his shoulder is popped back into place. He screams. His vision goes dark.

He opens his eyes and Mom and Dad are crying.

He blinks one more time and they’re talking about Shigeo. He’s awake now. Lethargic, dehydrated, low blood sugar levels. An anemic episode. He’s always been anemic, so that isn’t new, but the doctors don’t understand everything else. From a physical standpoint it doesn’t make any sense.

Mom and Dad don’t tell them the real reason, because they could never understand, and Ritsu is eventually brought to see his brother.

There’s an IV, which the doctors plan to keep Shigeo on for an undetermined amount of time (it all depends on how quickly they can get his levels up again, and so far they’ve had little success). There’s gauze taped over his cheek, more wrapped around his head. He’s awake.

There are no words shared between them. Ritsu has dove into his arms before he realizes it and Shigeo hugs him tightly, almost suffocatingly tightly, and Ritsu does the same thing.

There’s no news on Reigen.

Shigeo doesn’t blame him. He doesn’t blame him for anything.

Dad stays with him in the hospital overnight and Mom and Ritsu go home. She makes dinner, but neither of them eat. He stays with her in their parents’ room that night and tells her what happened from start to finish, withholding nothing. She listens, and when it’s over tells him that the doctors have Reigen in the ICU. That his condition is a seesaw, but they’re hopeful.

It’s meant as a comfort, but it rests in the pit of his stomach like rot.

He sees Shigeo the next morning after a sleepless night. He’s quieter than usual. They both are, really, but especially Shigeo.

And every bad feeling comes bubbling into Ritsu’s chest, boiling over and bursting until it forces its way up his throat, and–

“Why aren’t you mad at me?” he asks before he can stop himself. His voice breaks in more places than he means for it too. He can’t keep it from trembling. “Why won’t you–why isn’t anyone–”

Shigeo blinks at him, long and hard, and the broken look on his face makes Ritsu wish he never said anything at all.

“Mad at you for what?”

“F-For–” Reigen didn’t blame him. Even as he lay in agony, he didn’t blame him. “It’s my fault,” Ritsu manages hoarsely. “It’s my fault Reigen did that, it’s my fault you had to do that, it’s all my fault, so why–why aren’t you blaming me?”

It’d be easier if Shigeo blamed him.

It’d be easier if Shigeo snapped and yelled at him.

But instead, Shigeo turns away and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. The IV tube tugs with it.

“Because if we point fingers at each other for long enough, or point them at ourselves for long enough, it’ll tear us apart.”

“Heya.”

Reigen lowers his hand back down to his side after barely a second of raising it, but his smile stays where it is.

There’s a whole cluster and clutter of medical equipment, half of which Ritsu has never seen or heard of before. He recognizes the heart monitor, the oxygen tank, the IV, but there’s a vast array of other tubes and wires and he doesn’t know where they lead.

Ritsu blinks, long and hard.

“You didn’t die.”

Reigen blinks right back at him, but with his growing smile comes a pang of hurt in his eyes. “Sorry,” he says, in a tone that poorly hides how he really feels. “But I–”

Ritsu’s shoes slam the tiled floor, one after the other, until he leaps into Reigen’s arms.

He realizes seconds later how bad of an idea that was. How impulsive. But before he can force himself back, Reigen returns the embrace with what has to be the saddest, most broken bout of laughter he’s ever heard.

“Okay, kid. Okay.”

Ritsu’s eyes burn and he squeezes them shut to keep anything from falling.

Presently, he notices the soft thump of footsteps nearby, tentative and quiet. Before Ritsu can do anything, Reigen reaches out a hand, grabs Shigeo by the wrist, and yanks him into the embrace, too.

It’s a weird tangle of tubes and wires and oddly placed limbs, precarious balance on Ritsu’s part and no balance on Shigeo’s. The sling gets in the way. He nearly slips off the bed once or twice. But it brings a feeling unlike Ritsu has ever felt before. He can’t place exactly what it is, what it means.

(In hindsight, he may call it contentment.

Relief.

Rest.)

“What’s got you looking so down in the dumps, huh?”

From the doorway of the office, hands stuffed in the pockets of a new hoodie, Ritsu stares at him across the room. “You were discharged yesterday,” Ritsu answers flatly. “You shouldn’t be working.”

“It’s just paperwork,” Reigen says without looking at him, “I’m not going out on any jobs. Don’t worry.”

“Do you really think that’s going to happen?”

Reigen eyes him over the top of the laptop screen. Ritsu stares back. He goes back to typing.

“I thought you hated me,” Reigen says.

It’s not said as an accusation. It’s not said to give him a guilt-trip. It’s spoken as fact, in a simple, nonchalant tone.

Ritsu’s chest coils into knots.

“I don’t–I don’t hate you, I didn’t,” he struggles, grasping feebly for what to say. “I just–I-I–I-I just—I thought Shige deserved better—”

“He does.”

He uses the same tone as before, still refusing to meet Ritsu’s eyes.

“He does deserve better.”

There’s a lump in his throat that he can’t swallow no matter how hard he tries. It makes thinking difficult and breathing, impossible.

“I—I don’t think that’s true, anymore,” Ritsu forces out. His eyes find his shoes and stay there. “I used to think you only cared about yourself. That you’d do whatever it took as long as you came out on top. Even if you had to use people as stepping stools.”

Reigen doesn’t say anything. Ritsu doesn’t trust himself enough to raise his head.

“But you aren’t like that. I know that, now. I—”

Reigen never blamed him. Reigen never hated him. Reigen never said it was his fault.

“I-I was wrong. I messed up. I—” His shoulders hitch. The lump in his throat begins to choke him. Squeezing his eyes shut does nothing against his tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry f-for—for—”

“Hey.”

He didn’t hear Reigen approach, but he lifts his head to meet Reigen’s eyes. And Ritsu feels suddenly small. Smaller than he is. More vulnerable than he wants to let himself be.

Reigen’s hand touches his shoulder, specifically the shoulder of the arm not slinged. Ritsu finds his eeys again, and he smiles.

“It’s alright, Ritsu,” Reigen says. “You’re fine. You don’t have to apologize, alright? It wasn’t your fault.”

Ritsu’s chest burns. “B–But I–”

“The only person holding it against you now is yourself,” he says, so simply, but it strikes Ritsu’s heart and stays there. “So… Don’t beat yourself up over it anymore, yeah?”

And Ritsu thinks for just a moment that if Shigeo can forgive him–if Reigen can forgive him–then maybe someday, somehow, he can find it in him to forgive himself too.

#mob psycho 100 #mp100 #cloud writes #reigen arataka #kageyama shigeo #kageyama ritsu #prompt fill #ohhhHHHH my gosh this got #way longer than it was supposed to #but i'm so freaking happy with how it turned out #thank you SO MUCH for the prompt i had a blast #oh goodness me #dadreigen #fanfic #i almost tagged drabble and a half #and then I realized this thing is freaking 3.6k words #which is #a little more than a drabble #or two drabbles #or like #five

[janekfan]

Allocation

Trudging through ankle deep snow towards the small town’s only bus stop, Serizawa spared a sympathetic look for the man next to him when he coughed harshly into his elbow.

“Ah...tol’ Mob I would quit.” The esper didn’t have the heart to tell him it probably wasn’t the smoking; Reigen had been hacking painfully all day, the color so high in his face he wasn’t willing to attribute it completely to the chill and snow in the air. He tugged up his boss’ collar, risking a pat on his shoulder in commiseration, and spared him the struggle it would be to check the schedule as they finally approached.

Just their luck.

They’d missed the last bus by a wide margin, apparently this routine exorcism had taken far longer than either of them had anticipated and now they were stranded here in the middle of nowhere. Another cough startled him out of his pondering and he turned to see Reigen sinking to the lone bench, skin grey and panting. This cold wasn’t doing him any good and he looked back down the street, snow already filling their footsteps. They’d passed an inn--

“How long ‘till the next one?” Raspy, no hint of his usual spark, just tired resignation.

“Tomorrow.” Serizawa looked up into the sky, brushing large, fluffy flakes of the stuff from his curls. “Maybe.” Another cough. “There was a place back a ways. They might have a room.” Nodding, breathless, Reigen climbed shakily to his feet, would have fallen had Serizawa not caught him by the elbow as he slipped on the ice and he kept up his firm grip as he stumbled again, all but leaning on him while they staggered to the inn. Being so near to him, Serizawa had to fight his own blush, pulse racing faster each time Reigen slumped closer, the heat of him exhilarating even through their coats.

 

The room was reasonably priced though sparsely furnished and Serizawa hung their sopping coats, helped Reigen shrug out of his damp suit jacket and toe off his soaked shoes before settling him in a low chair to tug off his dripping socks and glance out the window. It was really coming down now, piling up in the panes. The innkeeper had been right. No one would be coming in or out of town probably for the next day at least.

“Sorry…” That barking cough again, deep and wet this time and Serizawa pushed the spike of worry away before it could set anything in the room to floating. It was probably from transitioning out of the cold, that’s all. “Can get it…” Tugging pathetically at his collar, fingers clumsy with cold tried to loosen his tie with a frustrated huff. Serizawa chuckled just a bit at Reigen’s attempts, chest pounding as he cupped his jaw gently with one palm and pressed his struggling hand down with the other.

“I got it, just relax.” Softly, bold in the face of his disorientation and content to believe he wouldn’t remember any of this tomorrow. It felt a bit like he was taking advantage of the man while he was in this state.

“Mmf…” Barely awake, Reigen leaned his hot cheek into the cool touch as Serizawa slipped the tie from around his neck.

“You’re really hot.” The gust of air passing through his teeth at the comment was more an exhale than a laugh, but the half smirk on his lips was contagious even as Serizawa felt the blood rush to his face. “Wait here, I’m going to check if the desk has anything for it.”

In the end they hadn’t had anything more than Tylenol but Serizawa roused him from where he’d fallen asleep, head tipped against the chair back, and got him to take it with a full glass of water before turning his attention to their ruined trousers, drenched almost to their knees with snowmelt. He couldn’t sleep in those, he’d get worse.

“You’ve got to get out of these wet things and into bed.”

“Getting fresh with me now, Serizawa?” Reigen fixed him with an amused, if exhausted, eye, voice fading in and out.

“N’n’no!” Ramrod straight, arms at his sides, the full body bristle made the conman laugh for a moment before a wheezing fit made him lurch forward. Serizawa forgot all about his embarrassment in favor of soothing him through it, filling another glass and encouraging him to sip slow.

“Might be right.” A tired, shivery sigh and he fumbled with his belt, all thumbs, and Serizawa laid his palm over them, mouth pressed in a tight line as he shifted them aside and unclasped the buckle, pulling him forward so he could kick them off and catching him against his chest as he toppled over. They hung there, suspended in the moment, and Serizawa’s mouth went dry as he swallowed thickly, Reigen’s head leaning on his shoulder and breath beating quickly against his neck. “Sorry...los’ my balance.” The esper nodded, paralyzed with Reigen overwarm and flush against him.

“Yeah,” the word caught in his throat, he cleared it nervously, “yeah, you should sleep.”

And therein lay the rub. There was only the one. Bed that is.

A small futon and no other linens. The innkeeper had apologized and explained that the unexpected storm had trapped quite a few travelers unawares. But the room was warm enough and the chair would suit him for a night. He’d dealt with worse. Reigen was limp under the quilt, melting into its softness and blinking slow as the chill seeped out of him. Serizawa pulled off his own damp clothes, hanging them all up with the coats and jackets before checking on Reigen one last time, surprised when his hand snuck out from under the blankets and grasped his shirt.

“S’cold.” He shivered hard to prove it.

“Rei--”

“Don’t be foolish, there’s only one bed...and s’cold.” Speech slurred from fatigue with eyes half-lidded and hazy, he held his gaze and tugged insistently. “S’okay…” And between one moment and the next Serizawa found himself tucked closely next to Reigen’s warmth, wrapped up in that softness with him and far too near his face to trust himself. His heart was thumping so hard against his ribs he worried that Reigen would hear it. “L’call Mob tomorrow...tell him.” He shuddered, burrowing even closer, burrowing into Serizawa’s chest and sighing deeply, relaxing by degrees until the esper was sure he’d fallen asleep. It was only then he dared to run tentative fingers through hair damp from sweat and snow. Allowed himself this one touch. As many times as Reigen had cut his hair, run his hands over short curls to admire his handiwork, he’d hadn’t ever had the chance to do the same and oh how he’d wondered. Reigen hummed low and Serizawa froze, eyes wide in the dark of the room and suffocating beneath the silence of snow being laid thick and fast outside. “Nice…” Serizawa stroked his head again, running his hand down his nape, over his shoulder blades, feeling the unrelenting heat through the creased material of his shirt.

“Just try and sleep.” Another pass and Reigen drew back to examine Serizawa for long seconds, something achingly familiar in those brown depths, before he shifted forward, pausing in his attempt with an expression akin to frustration and settling for cupping his ear instead, stopping him with a gentle nudge.

“You’ll get sick.”

His lips were soft against his, slightly chapped from wind or fever, and the kiss was too clumsy to be anything romantic but at the same time nothing less than perfect. They broke apart, Reigen’s nose brushing against Serizawa’s cheek as the esper moved to pepper the column of his throat with featherlight kisses. He could feel more than hear the hum of pleasure as it reverberated through him and he forced himself to stop, smiling into salt skin at the noise of discontent the younger man made.

“You need to sleep.” One more chaste press to his forehead and Serizawa knew it was true when minutes later Reigen was well and truly under, settled there by the hand moving over his back. Warm and so, so content, he followed soon after.

 

The busses weren’t running that morning because of the weather and Reigen made do on his promise to call Mob and tell him not to come in that day, unsure of when they’d make it back. He groused, Serizawa felt it was mostly for show, about having to pay for another stay but didn’t seem keen on moving far from bed, still not feeling well and happy to spend the day sipping tea for his cough and dozing, limbs akimbo. He convinced Serizawa to sit with him on the futon, leaning against him and talking about everything and nothing, cup warm in his hands and so sleepy the esper had to lift it away as he nodded off. By the time the busses were running again, their clothes were dry and Reigen’s newest dose of Tylenol took care of most of the lingering discomfort. They parted on the train at Serizawa’s stop, suddenly shy and just barely brushing fingers as they exchanged pleasantries regarding work tomorrow.

 

A knock on the door made Serizawa groan. He knew he shouldn’t rely on his powers but he didn’t think he could make it to the door aching like he was and decided that this one time would be okay.

“Serizawa?” Reigen stepped into his small apartment, pharmacy bag in hand, slipping out of his shoes to come stand before the couch, no doubt taking in his rough appearance. “Ah, told you.” A conciliatory pat and he dropped a kiss to the top of his head, brushing a hand through his curly hair and it was so good to have someone care like this. “I’ll make you tea and you can take some medicine.” Rolls reversed, Serizawa curled up against Reigen on the small couch, the worst of the symptoms now kept at bay as he drifted, eyes slipping to the window and the flakes of snow fluttering down before the hand at his back whisked him gently away.

#serirei #serizawa katsuya #reigen arataka #one bed at the inn #snowed in #sickfic #janekfan writes

[mookybear12404]

A House, A Home

Rating: T | Fandom: Mob Psycho 100

Summary:  If you had asked him on any given day, being a parent would have been the last thing on Reigen's mind. Why was it now then, that he couldn't get the image of the little black haired boy out of his mind?

Next> | Read on AO3 | Ko-Fi

Reigen lowered the match from his mouth, snuffing out the flame with a quick shake of his hand. He took a long, deep drag from his cigarette and waited to feel the smoke fill his lungs before tossing the matchbox onto the table.

Man, what was he even doing?

He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled, his breath forming a cloud of smoke. He leaned back in his chair and watched the cloud dissipate.

At this point, he was nothing more than a glorified masseur. He spent more of his time giving massages and advice to clients than he did actually exorcising evil spirits. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had gotten a job that involved anything even remotely supernatural.

Perhaps, he wondered to himself, I should just give up and find a real job.

But the idea of going back to his old career, sitting in a cubicle for hours on end, answering phone call after phone call, filling out mountains of paperwork…

No. He thought to himself, placing the cigarette back onto his lips. I can’t go back there again.

“Excuse me?”

Reigen had been so lost in thought, he hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching the door. He quickly reached out his arm to the ashtray, smothering his cigarette before the client could see it.

“Ah- yes! How may I help you?” he cried out. His voice faltered at the end of his sentence as his eyes caught ahold of the figure standing at the doorway.

It was a young boy, that couldn’t have been older than five… maybe six? His face peeked out from behind the door frame, his eyes partially obscured by his silky black hair, which had been trimmed into the shape of a bowl-cut. He wore a baby blue shirt, and his hand gripped tightly onto the strap of his little black backpack.

It’s just a kid, he thought to himself

“What do you want boy?” he asked irritably.

“Um, I-I’m an Esper,” the boy muttered.

“What-?” Reigen gasped.

“Y-yeah. And there are times when- when I can’t control my powers. It’s scary.”

You little brat, he thought to himself. This had to be a prank. Perhaps the boy’s older brother put him up to this?

“Did someone tell you to come here and say that?”

“N-no!” he exclaimed, clenching the strap of his backpack even tighter.  “I haven’t been able to talk to anyone about this…”

His eyes trailed down to the floor, his voice growing even smaller.

“I thought you might be the same as me…”

Something didn’t seem right to Reigen. There was no way this kid could be acting, he we much too young for that. A pathological liar perhaps? Or maybe he just had an overactive imagination?

The boy was shaking. His eyes darted back and forth across the room.

Whatever it was, the kid seemed genuinely troubled. Reigen couldn’t just turn him away like this.

“Well alright, come on in.”

The boy sat across from Reigen, his tiny hands grasping onto the steaming cup of tea that Reigen gave him. His little legs dangled over the chair. His bright, wide eyes fixated on Reigen.

What’s with this kid?

The more Reigen spoke to him, the more he was certain that this boy genuinely believed he was a psychic.

Reigen thumbed the side of his teacup. He wasn’t sure what to do. He could try and convince him that his powers weren’t real, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Reigen could tell from the kid’s face that to him, these powers were a very, very real thing.

So instead, Reigen did what he did best.

He pulled some advice out of his ass.

“Listen kid. Having psychic powers that doesn’t make you any less human, okay?”

The boy nodded vigorously.

“You see, it’s the same as people who are fast, people who are book smart, and people who have strong body odor. Psychic powers are just another characteristic you can have.”

Reigen rose from his seat and sat himself down on the low-rising table so that he could place his hand onto the boy’s shoulder.

“You must embrace your powers as a part of yourself, and continue to live positively,” he continued. “The truth behind one’s charm is their kindness! What’s important, in the end, is being a good person.”

The boy’s face split with the widest smile. His eyes brimmed with hope and wonder.

“May I come talk to you again?” he asked enthusiastically.

Oh boy, Reigen thought to himself. He had been hoping to get the him to finally leave, not entice the kid into continuing to pester him.  

“Yeah, I don’t know about that… I’m a busy man, you know?” Reigen lifted the cup of tea in his hands to his lips. “And anyways, you should probably go home for today-”

Reigen stopped. Talking to the boy, he had been so distracted that he had almost sipped scalding hot tea.

That would have been a dumb mistake, he thought to himself, as he blew onto the hot drink.

“But Sir-”

“I’m sorry kid, I don’t have time for this. Okay?” He blew on his tea again. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine on your own. Just remember everything I told you, and you’ll be okay. Alright?”

The boy nodded, but looked down at his feet in disappointment.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to need you to leave now, okay? I could have clients coming in here at any moment. You need any help getting home?”

The boy shook his head. “I can walk back by myself.”

“You sure?”

The boy nodded, and set his cup of tea back onto the table. He hadn’t taken a single sip since he had entered Reigen’s office.

“Thank you. For the advice… Sir.”

Reigen could hear the hint of disappointment in his voice.

He tried to ignore the twinge of guilt in his stomach as he waved goodbye to the little boy. It wasn’t his job, after all, to babysit every random kid that came walking into his office.

Reigen watched from the window as the little blue figure of the boy grew smaller and smaller, before finally disappearing into the crowd below.  

#mp100 #mob psycho 100 #fic #fanfiction #kageyama shigeo #reigen arataka #writing #anime #alternate universe #hurt/comfort #dadgen #fluff #light angst #au #mob psycho #reigen is a good dad #no manga spoilers #swearing

[kamvkoma]

15 for serirei 🚬☂

this is late af!!!! i took liberties w the actual quote btw, but the basic sentiment is still there 

15. “Why can you read me like no one else?”

Reigen is smoking when Serizawa comes into the office. It’s Serizawa’s first clue that something is different about today—Reigen hasn’t been smoking much at all lately, even when Tome and Mob aren’t around. He only does it now when he has something in particular on his mind.

That doesn’t always mean that he’ll tell Serizawa what it is, though. He knows better than to pry, so he just greets Reigen as usual with a polite “Good morning.”

“Ah, good morning, Serizawa.” Reigen looks almost surprised to see him, which would certainly be strange, since he knows Serizawa comes in for his shift at this time. But no, maybe surprised isn’t the right word—he’s sheepish, as he taps his cigarette against the ashtray, like he knows he’s doing something out of the ordinary.

Serizawa just smiles amiably and settles down at his desk to do some paperwork. Reigen’s attention shifts back to his laptop without any more words spoken, which is another clue that something is different. Normally, he’s much more talkative, even first thing in the morning.

Not that Serizawa minds either way. He likes talking to Reigen, even when he’s mostly listening, but he also likes the moments of comfortable silence that settle between them intermittently as they go about their work.

Today, that silence only lasts for another few minutes before Reigen breaks it, stubbing out his cigarette with a sigh as he says, “Serizawa, I want to talk to you about something.”

Even though Serizawa knew this might be coming, he can’t help but feel nervous at those words. Is it him? Has he done something wrong? Did Reigen find out that he—

“What is it, Reigen-san?” He cuts himself off before his mind takes him down that particular road.

Reigen doesn’t respond immediately. His fingers tap nervously on the desk; Serizawa doesn’t think he’s even aware of the action. “It’s been bothering me lately,” Reigen admits. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, so...now’s as good a time as any, I guess.”

He sounds so uncharacteristically frank. Serizawa sits up straighter in his chair, attentive.

The fingers stop tapping. Reigen looks at him, his gaze more intense than Serizawa is used to. “I’m not an esper,” he says. “I don’t have any psychic powers at all. I’m sorry that I misled you, and I hope this doesn’t make you think of me differently…”

He trails off, uncertain. Serizawa just blinks for a moment, feeling a bit pleasantly surprised, but mostly relieved. “Oh,” he says. “Is that it? I was worried something was wrong.”

Reigen gapes at him. “What do you mean, is that it?”

“Well.” Serizawa scratches his neck, flashing Reigen an almost sheepish smile. “I sort of already knew that.”

“You…” Reigen pauses, then leans back in his chair, appraising him. “You knew.”

Serizawa just nods.

“How did you know?” Reigen nearly yells, gesticulating wildly. Serizawa feels a strange sense of comfort in witnessing him once again acting as eccentric as he normally does. Before he can answer, Reigen settles his hand on his chin, looking contemplative, and continues, “Oh, is it because I don’t have an aura? I think Dimple said something about that before…”

“Not exactly,” Serizawa admits. “I noticed you didn’t have one, but thought maybe you had some trick to hide it...I really did believe you at first, but over time, I just realized it wasn’t true.”

Reigen looks even more confused at that. “Then what gave it away?” He sounds like it’s painful for him to even ask.

Serizawa thinks about it. “I guess...when you were talking to clients about it, I could tell you weren’t really telling the truth. When you’re lying or not being completely honest, you have a certain expression on your face, and you sort of do this thing with your hands…”

He trails off before he can describe more in detail what Reigen’s habits are, because he’s suddenly realizing that he might just sound like a total creep. He can feel his face turning red, and he averts his gaze, coughing nervously.

It doesn’t help that Reigen just stares at him without responding for several moments. He’s never looked at Serizawa like that before—surprised and contemplative, like he can’t tell what to make of Serizawa in this moment.

“Huh,” Reigen says at last. “Well, that made this whole conversation easier, then. As long as you don’t have any hard feelings about me not telling you.”

Serizawa waves him off. “It’s alright, Reigen-san. I really don’t mind.”

And he doesn’t. The conversation ends there, and they both go back to their work for the day.

That is supposedly the end of it, except Reigen doesn’t stop appearing distracted and contemplative throughout the entire work day. He barely talks to Serizawa the entire time, and is even much less enthusiastic around their clients.

Serizawa doesn’t know what to do about this, but he knows he wants to do something. So when they close up for the day, he tells Reigen he would like to walk home with him, if that’s alright.

Reigen seems surprised by this, since they don’t normally walk home together. This is because Serizawa doesn’t live in the same direction even remotely, but Reigen doesn’t really need to know that.

As they walk out, Reigen takes out another cigarette and lights it in what appears to be a mostly subconscious act. They continue silently, and he looks to be about as lost-in-thought as he had been all day.

Serizawa really doesn’t mind companionable silence with Reigen—but at this point, it’s wholly unnatural, edging on awkward.

“Do you want to talk about earlier?” Serizawa decides to ask, because he can’t think of anything other than that exchange that would be making Reigen act strange.

“Huh?” Reigen is trying for indifferent curiosity, but sounds nervous.

“I can tell something’s on your mind,” Serizawa explains. “I guess it’s what we talked about earlier? I promise you I really don’t mind.”

There’s a few beats of silence. Then Reigen laughs, softly. It’s not a kind of laugh Serizawa has heard from him before; there’s a quiet, wry amusement in it. “It’s not that I think you mind. It’s just…”

Serizawa waits, anxiously.

“No one else can read me like you can.” Reigen looks at him, probably for the first time since they started walking together. Serizawa feels his face heating up, both from Reigen’s words and his gaze being turned on him.

“Usually it’s easy for me to...hide behind my words, so that people don’t know how I really am, or how I really feel. But you can see through all that, huh?” Reigen continues. “Why is that?”

Serizawa thinks about that. He doesn’t think he’s any good at reading people in general. If he’s good at reading Reigen, then it’s just him specifically. Probably because he spends so much time watching him, deciphering him, how he’s feeling and what he’s saying, what matches up and what doesn’t.

His face heats up more as he thinks about that. He knows why he spends as much time watching Reigen as he does. After so long working together, he can no longer deny that he’s developed....certain types of feelings. But he doesn’t know if he wants Reigen to know this.

Despite Reigen’s words, Serizawa finds it difficult to tell how Reigen is feeling right now. There’s a kind, open expression on his face, the sort that Serizawa only sees when he’s being sincere. But his hands are moving with a sort of nervous energy, and his voice is strained ever so slightly, betraying that he may not feel entirely happy about this development.

He probably doesn’t really like how Serizawa knows so much about him. He might not like hearing why Serizawa has taken the time to learn so much about him, either.

“Don’t tell me you have some telepathy powers or something.” Clearly Serizawa is taking way too long to answer, and Reigen has taken upon himself to fill in the silence. He sounds even more strained now, despite his attempt at a flippant tone. “Because you shouldn’t use them on people like that. Privacy needs to be respected, even by telepaths! No, especially by telepaths. My uncle always used to say to me, with great power—”

“It’s nothing like that,” Serizawa hastily cuts in, before a rambling Reigen can attempt to plagiarize from any popular superhero comic book series. “I just, um…”

He started speaking before he could even think about what it was he wanted to say. Reigen is watching him expectantly, and suddenly Serizawa really can’t find it in himself to lie to him.

Reigen has done so much for him, and sure, he may have pretended to be something he’s not, but he’s never done anything to Serizawa’s detriment; he’s only ever helped him be a better person. And Serizawa doesn’t feel indebted to him in the way he did to the President; he just thinks, maybe, he owes Reigen the truth.

“Well, I guess I notice a lot of things about you, because…” This is a lot harder to say than he thought. He scratches the back of his neck, glancing away and down at the sidewalk. He can feel his face heating up again, and as damning as that is, he’s powerless to stop it.

“Ah.” He looks up and sees that Reigen’s face has turned pink as well. “I think I understand.”

“You do?” He isn’t sure if he should feel relief or mortification that he didn’t even have to say it.

“You’re not the only one who can read people, you know.” Reigen wags a finger at him in an almost-admonishing fashion, but he still looks fairly embarrassed, himself.

It’s not a wholly negative reaction—something like abject horror or disgust would be much worse—and this makes Serizawa the slightest bit more confident. “Well. What do you think about that, then?”

Reigen’s face colors even more. It’s cute, but Serizawa probably shouldn’t mention that right now.

At this point, they’ve stopped walking and are standing outside of Reigen’s apartment building.

“God, I’m really out of practice with being straightforward like this.” Reigen says this in nearly a mumble, his gaze averted as he stubs out his cigarette on the ground. “I, um…I feel the same way.”

Even though he can tell saying so makes Reigen uncomfortable, Serizawa can’t help the overwhelming swell of happiness and relief at hearing those words. He also appreciates that even though it’s hard for Reigen to say, he made the effort to tell him the truth anyway.

And for someone so terrible at being straightforward, he’s clearly braver with saying his feelings out loud than Serizawa is.

Serizawa grins, suddenly filled with fondness and admiration for the wonderful, bizarre man in front of him. Reigen still looks nervous, like he might start rambling again, so he responds with a sincere “I’m glad,” and kisses Reigen on the cheek.

The simple, chaste act makes his heart race, and effectively stuns Reigen into silence.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Reigen-san,” Serizawa says before turning away. He has a long way to go now to get back to his own apartment.

Reigen mumbles out a goodbye in return, and when Serizawa looks over his shoulder, he’s still standing there, touching his fingers to his reddened cheek.

Serizawa can’t keep the smile off his face the whole way home.

#shishkips