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Serizawa finds comfort in the bond he shares with Mob.
Mob doesn't work at Spirits and Such anymore, and Serizawa goes to school on the other side of town, but this doesn't stop the connection between them. Serizawa has seen all the things Mob has done in his short life. He has seen the joy and the sadness, the fear and the anger. They're both Espers who are afraid of themselves, although less so now they are in better places (one being away from Claw, the other being in touch with himself).
Mob is the first friend that Serizawa has ever had, the first real one that he knows loves and cares about him outside of work. Later, Serizawa had learned that the other Super 5 members did care about him, and were genuinely happy that he'd moved on from Claw, but Mob was the one to snap him from that blind faith in the President.
So when the anniversary of Claw's takeover rolls around and the news is flooded with reports documenting the event (mostly recorded from outside Hatori's anti-electrics radius) along with photos of how the city is recovering one year onwards, Serizawa finds himself dialing Mob's number before he can think of anything else.
Mob picks up after a few rings. He's never particularly speedy about it, but he does speak politely. "Hello, Serizawa-san."
"Kageyama-kun, are you busy right now?" he asks. Mob's breath hitches just a fraction on the other end, and Serizawa remembers that Reigen used to call Mob and cite something similar before bullying him into an exorcism. "It's not work."
"Is something wrong?" Mob asks. There is concern in his voice, more audible now he has confronted his emotions and welcomed them. Even if he hadn't, Serizawa could read every inflection in his words.
Suddenly, Serizawa's mouth feels dry. "It- Today-" A hand curls for his umbrella and he scolds himself. He should not want it, and yet he does.
There is silence on the other end as Mob rolls dates around his mind. "Claw."
"Mmhm." The words aren't working, and while he might not go nonverbal, Serizawa isn't feeling confident in himself. "Ka-" His throat closes up and he thinks about who he used to be. He can feel old sweaty pajamas and shoes that are far more worn than his current ones. His aura flares slightly, static and purple and reaching out slowly, crawling along the road like flooding water.
The words don't make their way through the phone to him. It tumbles from his hand and while his aura does catch it and lay it down gently on the floor, Serizawa himself is unaware of it, lost in his thoughts.
There is nothing but his thoughts and concepts until something very gingerly touches at the edge of his aura. It's a soft and delicate prodding, almost unnoticable if Serizawa didn't know who it was.
Gently, he grips that aura, pulling it towards himself. The aura follows, a soft blue and purple holofoil that contrasts the harsh static of Serizawa. With each step forward that Mob takes, Serizawa's aura shrinks back into himself until it's just creeping along his skin.
"Are you alright, Serizawa-san?" Mob asks. His aura is just as small as Serizawa's own, and it's comforting to see. "Would you like to study with me? I was going to the library."
There's an offered hand and Serizawa takes it, grip soft and smile on his face. "I'd love to. What are you studying?"
"Maths." There's a look of disgust on Mob's face, nose scrunched up. Serizawa softly laughs at it. "I don't understand it."
"Me neither," answers Serizawa as Mob begins to lead him along. "Should we be confused together."
"Of course," Mob says.
They study together, and Claw's past actions become nothing more than a passing thought.