Here's my Nanowrimo fic! A simple SeriRei fake dating au because I love being gay and self-indulgent. Weekly updates will drop every Saturday, hope you enjoy it!

This chapter: an invitation is received and bad decisions are made – Featuring Reigen "this is why I don't talk to my parents anymore" Arataka & Serizawa "sudden gay panic" Katsuya

Reigen really shouldn't have been surprised when the invite landed on his desk one sunny and boring Thursday afternoon.

He picked it up with his left hand and turned it towards the light. It was easy to tell the envelope was expensive, picked out by the adoring couple with love and with care, off-white in color and with a slightly grainy to the touch feeling to it. There wasn't a doubt in Reigen's mind that he would find an identical letter in his mailbox back at the apartment, perhaps buried beneath an avalanche of bills he was pretending did not exist.

Clearly ignoring his mother's insistent phone calls, texts and emails – emails which since his last birthday were pettily redirected to the spam folder anyway – wasn't sending her the desired message. The message being 'please stop calling, texting, and emailing me at once'. He felt a little bad since he was sure she didn't mean anything by it.

But at a loss for what else to do, she had resorted to sending her own message straight to Reigen in a way even he couldn't ignore. In fact, more than anything else he had to respect her tenacity. Maybe that was something that ran in the family.

"Another thank you note?" Serizawa inquired politely. He was sorting the tea they usually served clients by the color of their packaging because it was Thursday and Thursdays were mind-numbingly slow.

"Something like that," Reigen answered, barely listening. It wasn't a strange thing for Serizawa to assume because the Spirits and Such Consultation Office only ever received thank you notes from past clients in the mailbox, usually the old-fashioned ones that didn't know what he meant when Reigen asked them to leave an online review instead. Besides those, they only got the occasional advertisement leaflets which Mob repurposed as origami paper on boring Thursdays.

He forced his fingernails between the slip, wondering for a moment if it was worth it to do this carefully enough so that he could reuse the envelope later and save himself a few bucks when in need of fancy stationery. But ultimately Reigen decided against it.

The invite inside was completely inconspicuous, almost bland. A cream-colored piece of paper with black lettering in a fancy font and little frills in the margins, as if it was an afterthought to this whole affair. The date of the event was printed largely at the top and somebody - most likely his mother - had used a red pen to underline it as well as the text at the bottom.

Reigen Arataka and guest, it said.

The word guest had even been underlined thrice, perhaps in hopes that alone would magically summon a girlfriend for him to bring along.

He stared at it and sighed, something that Serizawa was gracious enough to ignore, or maybe he didn't notice. Reigen fanned himself with the invite idly. July was nearing its end and summer was quickly going into full swing, the perfect season for weddings according to most. Reigen tried avoiding social media these days, it only gave him a headache, but he knew about his cousin's engagement through his mother. Mostly because she wouldn't shut up about it for a long while after it was first announced. That must have been a little over a year ago, so he had figured the wedding would be one of these days and it wasn't like he hadn't expected to be invited either.

The thing was that Reigen simply didn't want to go.

There were many reasons for his hesitance, most of them having to do with the prospect of spending several days in close quarters with his extended family. A family who would most likely be heckling him about his personal life, his career choices, his lack of a steady relationship, and everything else they could think of the entire time. Refusing an invitation like this wasn't considered civil but he wasn't above doing so anyway just to avoid them, especially if he could come up with a believable excuse. Being self-employed would be the obvious choice, as attending this wedding would require him to close the business and that meant missing out on revenue, something Reigen couldn't afford.

Then again, he could already hear the tone of his mother's voice when she would point out this would basically be an all-expenses-paid vacation for him. She would be expecting him to stay at the family home for the entire week surrounding the event, if not a while after. The thought alone sent a chill down his spine.

Checking the date again, he also noted the wedding was less than a week away. Maybe he could just claim he already had different plans?

He sighed once more, throwing the invite onto the desk where it slid almost off the edge, balancing on the corner. Serizawa glanced over but still didn't say anything and Reigen wondered when he would start to feel comfortable enough to speak his mind about things freely.

It was a work in progress.

"Serizawa," he said, watching as the man in question immediately sat up straight at being addressed. "You can go home, you know? It's not like we're expecting a rush of clients anymore."

Serizawa looked around at the empty office as if just noticing the lack of people and then back at Reigen with a small smile. "Are you sure, Reigen?"

Reigen nodded and waved his hand at the door. "I'm sure. I will close early today too. Go celebrate the beginning of summer break or something."

"Ah, not yet," Serizawa mumbled, rubbing the back of his head while getting up to put on his light summer jacket. It looked a bit silly, considering the near heatwave, but Reigen didn't mention it. "Exam results are due tomorrow night. I don't know if I passed all my classes yet."

Reigen only hummed in response, leaning back in his chair. "You probably did just fine."

"Y-you think?" Serizawa asked, now in front of the desk. Reigen had to crane his neck to look up at him, with the way he towered over him.

"I saw you study in the office a lot. And you mentioned going to that study group? Any teacher would have been pleased with your diligence," he answered, laughing a bit. Serizawa was the very image of a proper student, always bent over his desk with his textbooks when they weren't busy with clients. "Besides, it's only your first term. Don't take it too seriously yet," he added.

"Right-" Serizawa said, just the smallest hint of a grin on his face though he mostly looked a bit flushed. Maybe he was overheating? The temperature in Seasoning city had been almost unbearable lately. Before Reigen could ask though, Serizawa was already at the door, bowing politely. "Have a nice evening, Reigen."

"Yeah, you too."

He waited until he heard those heavy footsteps march down the stairs, followed by the trademark thud of the door to their office's building falling shut. Picking up the invite, Reigen looked it over one more time. Reigen Arataka and guest? He scoffed.

Clearly they had intended for him to bring somebody with him to this affair. Had been very adamant about it even. Reigen had a sneaking suspicion as to why, but it's not like he knew a lot of people his own age, let alone anybody single or willing to go on a date with him. And that meant there was only one person he could possibly ask.

Only one person he wanted to ask if he was being honest.

Shaking his head to dispel the thought, he tossed the invite into the trash bin next to his desk.

He decided to put it out of his mind then, at least for the rest of the evening and most of the following day. He still had until Friday night to decide whether he actually wanted to go or not. After closing the office early just as he had said, Reigen went back to his apartment to enjoy a horrible cup of instant noodles (the cheapest brand he could find at the local convenience store) and an equally horrible late-night television show that starred a host with the tackiest suit he had ever seen. Reigen wouldn't be caught dead wearing such a thing.

It wasn't exactly quality entertainment but near the end of the night, he was in a much better mood and went to bed feeling like the weight of the looming decision had left him completely. By the afternoon of the next day, the wedding had practically been forgotten and it probably would have stayed that way if Mob hadn't brought it back to his attention.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, eyeing the ominous piece of paper with horror. Because that's exactly what he felt, experiencing something straight out of the B-rated horror movies he loved to watch. Where the main character throws out the obviously possessed trinket only to find it mysteriously reappearing on their kitchen table the next morning.

"It was on the floor," Mob said simply.

Reigen exhaled a breath of relief, making sure it didn't show on his face. He had enough hauntings to last him a lifetime so he wasn't looking forward to another. Shrugging off the silly scare, he picked the invite up again. "Must have missed the trash bin."

"I wonder-" Mob hesitated - maybe he had to think twice about his next statement. He was very similar to Serizawa in that regard, uncertain about speaking up at times. Though Mob had gotten so much better at it over the years, an achievement Reigen took silent credit for. He waited for Mob to get his thoughts in a row. "I wonder if you are planning on going, Shishou? Will you be closing the office then?"

Maybe it was wrong for him to feel pleased with Mob's concern about him possibly going away for a bit. That didn't change the fact that Reigen had to suppress a smug smirk. It always felt nice to be wanted around. "No worries, Mob. I won't be going at all."

"Oh..." Mob stared at the invite for a few seconds before smiling up at him again. "I thought the timing might be perfect, that's why."

"Timing?"

Leaving the invite on his desk, Mob walked back to his chair. "It's very short notice but dad is planning to take Ritsu and me on a trip to the seaside next week. We're not sure how long we'll stay, but I thought you would want to know."

"Well, isn't that nice," Reigen said casually, feeling very much the opposite of nice. He wasn't going to show it either, because being disappointed at Mob not being disappointed at the thought of him closing the office for a while was too petty, even for him. But that didn't mean he didn't feel a little offended. "Spending quality time with family is certainly important."

"Then why are you not going to this wedding, Shishou?"

Mob seemed to regret the words immediately and stuttered through a quick apology. Reigen would be lying if he said he wasn't proud at Mob's newfound directness in asking questions, but he would have been even prouder had that directness not been aimed at himself most of the time. Things were a lot easier when Mob was a little kid and didn't look into things as much. He shrugged, waving off Mob's rapidly stammered words.

"It's different when you're an adult," he answered eventually. "Children should be free to take things easy, you know? Spend time enjoying themselves. But adults have a lot of other matters to attend to." And bills, his mind helpfully supplied. So, so many bills. Tons of them. "I just don't know if I have time to go yet. Remember this Mob, with age comes responsibility beyond measure."

He probably read that on the inside of a chocolate bar wrapper once.

Mob nodded as if this was some kind of new revelation for him that had the power to change his entire world view. Sage advice successfully delivered, Reigen moved into action when a distressed-looking client walked into the office minutes later, once again trying to forget the invite he had put thoughtlessly back on his desk.

This time it was a lot more stubborn at staying on his mind.

If Reigen didn't know any better he'd compare it to a shadow, ever blurring the edges of his vision. He hadn't been home to see his parents in years, hadn't seen much more of them than the occasional video chat. Not going would upset his mother and he couldn't place why that should bother him.

Serizawa texted him right as he was about to leave for his apartment, putting his laptop back into its bag. Reigen had been serious when he told him he'd probably pass all his classes with ease, but it was nice to be confirmed in that suspicion. Serizawa had passed them all with flying colors, top of his class.

The invite taunted him with its presence still. Reigen really should throw it away if he wasn't planning to attend. And let his mother know too. Mob's words lingered in his mind stubbornly, and he was starting to consider if the phone call and all the subsequent family drama that would come with it was worth the trouble. Maybe he could just suck it up for a week and get it over with. Then his family wouldn't have any reason to bother him again for a long while.

But if he didn't bring anybody, the trip would be that much worse and he still hadn't thought of a solution to that little conundrum. His phone buzzed again, Serizawa telling him how glad he was exams were over with.

Reigen got the inkling of an idea that would surely make him forget all about his wedding problems.

The bar they went to was more crowded than the ones Reigen usually visited.

There was a karaoke machine in the corner, where some middle-aged businessman was singing his lungs out to an American pop song in atrocious English. The man had taken off his tie and the jacket of his suit, the navy fabric hanging loosely over one shoulder while he swayed to the beat of the song he was butchering. The sight would have probably been immensely amusing to Reigen if he weren't himself two and a half glasses deep into the cheap brand beer this place served.

Serizawa wasn't even halfway through with his first one.

"You got to drink it faster than that," Reigen told him. "Otherwise you'll notice the taste." He tried downing the remainder of his glass in one go to demonstrate but had to give up half-way through due to a coughing fit.

Not following his example at all, Serizawa took a much more moderate swallow. "I thought being able to taste the alcohol was the important part? Isn't that why you drink it?"

Reigen laughed. "Not with these ones."

He'd have really loved to take Serizawa somewhere nicer to celebrate such an amazing feat, but he had to admit the experience was much more authentic this way. It reminded Reigen of his own university days and all the outlandish mistakes he had made along the way. Passing all classes in his first term meant Serizawa was already doing much better than the average student. The least they could do was indulge in the undisputed tradition of celebrating the end of the trimester by getting black-out drunk.

And no better way than inexpensive alcohol to get Reigen's minds off troubling family matters.

"What are you doing during your summer break?" Reigen asked, changing the subject to something less annoying. He'd really rather not think about that wedding anymore, but it kept popping back in his mind. The harder he tried to push it away, the more relentless it got.

Serizawa perked up at the mention of the coming month off from school. In the strange lighting of the bar, his face was slightly flushed, the same as it had been in the office. Either that or the alcohol was affecting Serizawa more than he let on. Reigen could not stop staring at his cheeks when Serizawa gave him a bright smile. He blinked out of it just in time to hear the answer to his question.

"Hm, I guess I'll probably stay home a lot. Get a head start on my studies for fall, take walks, maybe read a bit-"

Reigen interrupted him with the most incredulous face he could muster in his inebriated state, making it clear exactly what he thought of those plans. He was starting to feel the hit from that third glass and was distantly grateful he hadn't ordered another one.

"No, no, Serizawa listen." He tried putting one arm on Serizawa's elbow but missed and ended up grasping his bicep instead. The fabric of his button-up wrinkled underneath Reigen's fingers, his muscles were tense. Reigen wasn't sure why he would notice that detail. "You can't do something that boring for your first time off in forever. You have to do something fun, go somewhere." He gestured with his hand aimlessly, nearly knocking his empty glass off the table.

Serizawa caught it with his powers before it could shatter then hurriedly grabbed it before anybody could notice and put it out of harm's way from Reigen's flailing limbs. "Like where?" he asked.

Reigen opened his mouth to answer but the words go stuck underneath the bitter aftertaste down his throat. The idea that overtook him then could only be described as ludicrous, pure unbridled idiocy. It was such a stupid, nonsensical idea that his tipsy self could not stop from letting it come out a moment later, clapping Serizawa on the back to show he wasn't being entirely serious. "I guess you could come with me."

Serizawa tilted his head slightly, not getting his sudden humor. "Where are you going?"

"The most dreadful place in the universe," Reigen groaned. He could picture the house he grew up in with sudden clarity. He hadn't been there in years but now the mere thought of those winding hallways made him dizzy. "I uh- have a thing to attend to back at my family home. A wedding of relatives. If I go, I'll be closing the office anyway so it's not like you'd miss work by joining me. And we could make the trip pleasant by playing tourist." He could feel the sweat dripping at the nape of his neck, sticking to his hair. Why was he so damn nervous?

It was as if Reigen was watching himself through a dirty window. He knew what he was doing and knew it might be a terrible, horrible mistake. But he couldn't exactly stop himself, helpless to watch the disaster unfold.

Serizawa's face softened. "Well, I mean... if you'd have me, I would love to accompany you."

Which was just about the opposite reaction from what he was expecting. Maybe the joking manner in which Reigen had said it hadn't come through after all. Unable to go back on his words, he shook his head. Serizawa was looking at him curiously, waiting for him to continue.

Reigen swallowed, in too deep to retreat. He had no choice but to push through and take the full force of Serizawa's rejection once he found out what this was really about. "There is one more thing..." He let the silence hang in the air between them, though it was hardly a proper silence. The businessman at the karaoke machine had moved on from American pop and straight into the low-pitched, throat-destroying screeches of death metal. It was a little bit distracting to their current conversation, not helped by the fact that Reigen was feeling drunker by the minute. Must be the heat of the bar getting to him.

"What's the other thing?" Serizawa asked when he had kept silent for a full minute, while taking another sip of his beer.

After licking his lips, Reigen ducked his head to avoid making eye contact. "Well, if you do come with me you are going to have to pretend to be my boyfriend."

Serizawa managed to spit out his drink in a comical manner which would probably have made Reigen laugh under different circumstances, yet he was severely aware that he had just propositioned his only adult friend. In his buzzed state, it hadn't even fully sunk in before that the way Serizawa reacted to this might not only ruin the friendly relationship they already had, it might lead him to quit the office. Reigen would never see him again.

And that thought only made things so much worse.

Before Serizawa could start to formulate a response, Reigen was already opening his mouth to do damage control. "I mean, obviously you don't have to if you don't want to! It's just my family, they're- No you know what never mind... It was a joke." He hated how bad it felt to rescind his offer. He hated how fast his heart had beat when Serizawa had said yes. Reigen coughed into a fist. "Though also it would really help me out and I guess it could be very good practice in dealing with people, you need to practice with people anyway don't you, Serizawa? If you can get along with my family you can get along with anybody. But I don't want to put you on the spot so if you don't feel-"

Serizawa gripped his wrists and kept them still probably because Reigen couldn't seem to stop moving his hands in frantic gestures. He had his lips pulled half up in confused amusement, though the uncertainty in his eyes spoke volumes. Reigen was just about to tell him to forget about the whole thing, feeling as if his face must resemble a tomato at this point, when Serizawa gave him a short nod.

"I'll come."

This time it was Reigen who was left at a loss for proper words. "You will?"

"If you'd like me to." Serizawa let go of his wrists and dropped his hands into his lap. He looked impossibly even more flushed than before. Which meant they must match in complexion. "I mean, you're right about me needing to practice. And if it helps you out then... I'm glad to. I could never repay you in full for all your kindness, Reigen."

"Oh-" Reigen breathed. He didn't know what to be more surprised about, Serizawa agreeing to his spontaneous and not well thought out plan so quickly or the way it made the lump in his stomach contract even tighter. Thankfully he was far too drunk to think about it clearly, let alone start deducing what it might mean. That was a mystery for sober Reigen to deal with. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," Serizawa said, displaying confidence not often found in him. It was strangely endearing, a thought Reigen also shook away quickly.

At this moment he was really starting to regret not ordering another beer. At least if he had he could drown down the apprehension engulfing him, telling him he had no idea what he was getting into. All the ways this could go wrong and ruin his relationship with Serizawa forever.

"I'll text you the details later tonight, it's a little last minute but we have to leave in the morning." Reigen felt weird to get back into drinking and talking casually when they had just made an arrangement to pretend date for his cousin's wedding starting tomorrow, but Serizawa was still acting the same as before their detour so Reigen wanted to as well.

But he knew that with the nervous energy coursing through him at the prospect of what would happen come morning, he wouldn't be able to go to bed anytime soon.

Let me know what you think?

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