Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kagami lived alone in his apartment, not much to worry about since his dad was paying for the rent. It was a cozy, quiet life—not something you'd expect from an absolute loudmouth like him, but he didn’t mind it.

He tried helping out when he could—small jobs here and there, most of them gone by the end of the week. He didn’t know if it was bad luck or just... him. But he didn’t think his dad minded too much, he did try to make sure the rent wasn’t too high. 

Everything was going well. Until it wasn’t.

His father must’ve been in a bad mood that day. Right?

“I–If the money’s too much, I can cut some stuff out, I swear–” Kagami stammered into the phone.

His dad only got angrier though, “It’s not about the fucking money. What are you even doing with your life right now? I’m paying for this so you can get somewhere and all your doing is trying and failing at getting jobs. Part–time jobs!”

There’s no way he genuinely means this… right?

“I’ll just try harder! I can do this, dad, trust me!” Kagami let go of the wooden spoon he was holding. He had been in the middle of cooking when all this started to occur. The delicious aroma of the food is now starting to feel nauseating. 

“I’m done! I’m done trusting you! You’re done!” His dad yelled with a worrying finality to his tone. Kagami froze, forgetting everything else around him.

His voice came out small— weak, “What?”

“You’re out! I’m done paying for some washed-up version of the son I used to be proud of. When I look at you now… I don’t see the son I was proud of. Just someone who gave up,” His dad kept talking, screaming, about something else. 

Kagami almost dropped his phone, but didn’t because of his immense grip training with basketball. Either way, he completely froze, processing everything. Where will he go? What will he do?

A sentence brought him back to the present, “I want you out by the next couple of days. Figure your own life out, I’m done having to waste money on you.” The line cut and all he was left with was his thoughts.

What?

What now?

A burning scent started to spread and he quickly turned the stove off. He stares at his now burnt food, no longer hungry. He let out a deep sigh after a while and rested his head in his hands.

Where the fuck am I gonna go now?

He wasn’t the type to cry. But right now, his chest felt too tight, and his eyes burned like hell.

☆

Once he packed his bags with whatever he had left, he crashed at Himuro’s place for a while. Himuro, always being supportive, let him in without any hesitation. He promised not to stay for too long, but Himuro didn’t seem to mind his presence.

It’s already been a couple of days at his friends, but he’s already feeling jittery.

“Ugh, they ghosted me again. Like, can they at least let me know why I’m not qualified, jeez…” Kagami groaned, staring at his laptop screen. His laptop was frankly, insanely old. You could pretty much hear it turning on before the screen even lights up. He didn’t really need anything crazy though, despite Himuro’s super funny jokes about it.

Himuro was next to him, snacking on something, “Still looking for a job?” Kagami sighed and nodded dejectedly. It’s been extra hard finding a job, no one’s hiring for some reason. Himuro says it’s because Kagami’s “scary–looking” but he really doesn’t know where that’s coming from.

Is he taller than the average adult? Maybe. 

That doesn’t mean he’s automatically scary though! These people just have something against him personally. 

He groaned again and fell face first into a pillow, “This sucks.” 

It was quiet for a moment, making Kagami lift his head. He turned to Himuro who looked to be lost in thought. 

The silence stretched a little too long, and Kagami felt the first itch of panic crawl up his neck.

Maybe he was overstaying. Maybe Himuro didn’t want to say it. Maybe the look on his face was him trying to gently figure out how to push him out. 

The thought made his gut twist. He could already hear his father’s voice ringing in his head: Figure your own life out.

He sat up, “Something wrong?” Himuro snapped out of it and gave Kagami an easy smile. He shook his head silently, but Kagami’s known this guy since childhood.

He scanned his friend's tense body language. Himuro’s fidgety hands, darting eyes, clenched jaw. All of it started to worry Kagami a little. 

Why does he look so nervous? 

His mind immediately went to the worrying idea that his friend was going to kick him out. That he’d been taking up too much space and the money was getting too much.

Kagami quickly shook that thought out of his mind. Overthinking won’t do him any good, he just needs to ask again.

“I know you’re worried about something, j–just tell me what it is,” Kagami silently cursed at himself for stuttering. Betraying his own overthinking.

No going back now. 

Himuro shot his head over to Kagami, “It’s nothing bad, don’t worry! I just… okay there’s no use in hiding this.” 

Kagami relaxed a little at the reassurance, but still felt like he was at the edge of his seat, “O…Okay, what is it?” 

Himuro licked his lips and sheepishly looked at Kagami, “There’s a… uh… job offer that I know of, that you might be able to get into. It pays super well.”

Okay, now he was just confused. This sounds great, why did he look so reluctant? Himuro didn’t look any more relaxed, in fact he looked more anxious. 

“That sounds amazing, what job is it?” Kagami was quick to ask. The very necessary question caused something in Himuro to look away.

He rubbed the face of his neck, “It’s–well, a… live–in housekeeping job…?” Himuro ended the sentence in uncertainty. 

Silence. 

Kagami stared at him in frozen shock causing Himuro to quickly defend himself, “Hear me out! It’s low maintenance, the guy just needs someone to do some basic house chores here and there. Nothing crazy! He–he also said that cooking is a bonus, so you’ll get paid more!” 

Kagami let out a deep sigh as he began to think.

The idea of being a housekeeper for some old rich guy definitely sounded totally degrading. And it still kind of does. But, if that means he’ll still get paid a hefty sum then there’s no reason not to try it, right? It’s not like Kagami is some helpless damsel in distress. If he doesn’t like the job, he’ll just let Himuro know and they can work something out! 

Since he’s been living alone pretty much most of his life, he already knows a lot of basic tasks like cooking and cleaning. 

And if the guy is old or has some major business job, he probably won’t even be home often to bother Kagami. 

If Kagami manages to save up, he’ll be able to get his own apartment and stop bothering his friend.

He took a breath. If this was what starting over looked like, so be it. He could handle a little mess. He always had. 

But his long silence started to worry Himuro. He placed his hand onto Kagami’s shoulder, “Hey, if you don’t wanna do it, that’s fine. I’ll just–”

“I’ll do it.”

Himuro’s face faltered and he blinked in surprise. As if he already knew Kagami was going to decline, “What? Really?”

Kagami nodded, “Yeah, shouldn’t be that bad. I can do something as simple as cooking and cleaning for some rich dude.” 

Himuro scrutinized him for a little longer, like he was fully making sure Kagami didn’t have any doubts. “Okay, but if you don’t like it, let me know. I’ll get you outta there,” He made sure to emphasize.

Kagami laughed a little and nodded, “Yeah yeah, what do you take me for? A pushover?” 

Himuro finally relaxed, slouching against the couch with a soft exhale, like he’d been holding his breath this whole time.

“Alright,” he said, reaching for his phone. “I’ll send you the address. The guy told me you could start whenever, so next week should be—”

“I’ll go tomorrow,” Kagami cut in.

Himuro looked up, startled, “Taiga, you don’t need to do that. There’s no rush.”

Kagami stood up, running a hand through his hair. “I know,” he said quietly. “But I want to.”

He tried to smile—an easy, confident one—but it came out a little uneven. 

“I’m tired of waiting around. The longer I sit here, the more it feels like I’m... stuck,” he added, rubbing at the back of his neck. “At least this way, I’m doing something. Moving forward, I guess.”

Himuro stared at him for a moment, lips parted like he wanted to say something—maybe offer one more out. But whatever it was, he let it go.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kagami said again, firmer this time. “I know what I’m doing.”

Himuro didn’t reply, only nodded slowly, but there was something uncertain in his eyes.

Kagami was already halfway down the hall when he stopped, leaning against the doorframe of the guest room.

“Oh—wait, Tatsuya,” he called out over his shoulder.

Himuro perked up, “Yeah?”

“You never told me who he was. The guy offering the job. What’s his name?”

Himuro blinked like he hadn’t even realized he’d forgotten. “Oh. Right. It’s Akashi Seijuro.”

The name didn’t ring a bell. Not really. But something about the way Himuro said it—so casually—made it sound like this Akashi guy was important.  

“Akashi,” Kagami repeated under his breath, trying it out.  

He let the door click shut behind him and leaned his head back against it.  

Whatever. He’d find out tomorrow.  

☆

He brought a singular suitcase and bag that Himuro forced him to take since he really didn’t have much.  

“Taiga, literally just take my bag. I don’t care. I already packed it with some extra things,” Himuro forced the bag into Kagami’s hand. 

Kagami sighed and took it, “Fine, I’ll take it!” 

Himuro was already parked in front of Akashi’s huge house—mansion, at this point. Kagami let out a deep breath and looked at Himuro, “Alright, I’m off now. Thanks for the ride, I’ll make sure to text you later.” 

Himuro smiled and waved him off as Kagami walked up to the gate.

As he was let through and began walking up the front steps, Himuro lingered in the car, watching him go.

“…Hm,” he said aloud, brow furrowing. “I feel like I forgot to tell him something…”

His hand moved to the ignition. 

“Whatever. I’ll just let Atsushi kn—”

He froze.

“…Oh shit.”

☆

Kagami stood awkwardly in front of the front door, silently rehearsing the lines Himuro drilled into him. Stand straight. Look respectful. Don’t act like a delinquent. 

The door opened.

Kagami blinked.

Wait, who’s this?

In front of him stood a man—maybe a little shorter than him—with equally bright red hair and sharp, refined features. His expression was unreadable, but there was something vaguely amused in the small tilt of his lips. The man raised an eyebrow and had a small smirk tugging at his lips when he spoke.

“Well?” 

Was all he said, but holy shit. His voice was low, but smooth and melodic. The man had this strange intimidating aura to him, despite his seemingly kind face. 

Kagami shook out of his shock and bowed quickly, “Ah, sorry. My name is Kagami Taiga and… I’m here as the new housekeeper.” He made sure to practice his lines so his voice didn’t shake or sound even the slightest bit disrespectful. Hey, he had to be careful, this could be his only chance at something.

“Kagami, yes, I remember. Come on in,” The mysterious man opened the door, letting Kagami grab his luggage and walk in. 

Wow. This house was huge.

The doors opened wide, and Kagami stepped into what could only be described as the kind of house you see in movies—clean, huge, echoing. His footsteps sounded too loud, his breathing felt too sharp.  

He set his luggage down carefully, glancing at the man beside him. 

“…So, uh, what’s your name?” Kagami asked, hoping that was okay to ask.  

The man actually blinked, taken off guard for a moment.

It took a second before the man chuckled slightly and nodded, “Right, that’s on me.” 

Once he recovered from his laughter and amusement, he looked right at Kagami. Kagami was definitely taller than this strange man, but the look he gave him almost made shivers run down his back. 

“My name is Akashi Seijuro, pleased to meet you,” He smiled and made sure to hold eye contact as much as he could. 

Oh .

Kagami’s stomach dropped.  

Wait. That’s Akashi?   

He’d been expecting someone older. Maybe middle-aged. Someone with a receding hairline and a gruff voice.  

Not... this. Not someone who looked his age. Not someone who carried himself like a king.  He was acting so casual with Akashi too. This can’t be good for him. 

Kagami bowed again, fast and panicked. “O–Oh my god. I’m so sorry! I didn’t know—I thought—!” He mentally slapped himself for the behavior he had presented towards his literal boss.

Akashi laughed, low and melodic, like his voice, “No need to panic, that’s quite alright.” Kagami raised slowly, standing much straighter now. “Follow me, Kagami.”

Kagami nodded sharply and quietly trailed after Akashi once he started walking. As he was being led hallway to hallway, he wondered if he’d ever manage to clean the entire house. He doesn’t understand why Akashi doesn’t just hire more than one housekeeper. This place is like huge . 

He apologizes to his legs in advance. 

Soon enough, Akashi led Kagami inside a large bedroom, “Is this good enough for you to stay in?” 

The bedroom was bigger than his old living room. A sleek, low-set bed took up the center, covered with fresh linen and a thick comforter that looked too expensive to drool on. Off to one side was a small work area—minimalist desk, leather chair, a set of notebooks and pens already laid out like someone expected him to use them.   

The walls had a warm ivory tone, balanced with dark wood floors and a large window that let in soft, filtered light through gauzy curtains. There were tall plants tucked in ceramic pots near the corners—Kagami really hoped they were fake. Wall shelves carried a few books and framed art prints. It was… clean. Purposeful. A little too put-together for someone like him.  

Still, it wasn’t bad.  

He dragged his suitcase inside, setting it down by the bed. “It’s amazing. Thanks—ah, thank you very much, sir!” he corrected himself with a quick bow, flustered.

This wasn’t a friend. It wasn’t Himuro. 

Akashi smiled and waved him off, “It’s nothing.” He didn’t leave yet, though. He closed the door.

He pulled a chair in and sat down, legs crossed elegantly. 

“I would like to talk to you a little more about this job,” He said casually, as if the mere sentence didn’t put Kagami on edge.

Kagami sat on the bed, “Alright, sounds good.”

Akashi took out a small notepad and pen from his coat. “Any prior experience in housekeeping?” 

“Um…” Kagami fidgeted slightly. “Not officially. But I’ve lived alone for a while, so I know how to handle the basics. Cleaning, cooking, laundry.”     

Akashi made a small note without reacting much, “That’s fine. You’re already hired—I’m only curious.” 

That sentence helped Kagami breathe a little easier. 

Akashi went to the next question, “What do you expect to do here? And do you have any boundaries I should know of?” 

Kagami looked off to the side as he thought, “Uh… I don’t mind cooking and cleaning around. Boundaries? Um…”

Fuck, he’s losing his practiced eloquence. He should’ve been prepared for questions, he really doesn’t know how to answer these well. 

“Well, I can’t really think of anything right now,” Kagami replied eventually. It was a lame response, he knows. 

Akashi’s pen scratched lightly against the notepad. “That’s acceptable. Let me know if that changes.” He flipped the page and asked, “And how much do you expect to be paid?”  

Kagami blinked. “Wait—I get to pick?”  

A nod. 

“Um…” he hesitated. The idea of asking for more felt… risky. He’s used to scraping by. “Maybe like… 50,000 yen a week? I mean, that should be good, right?”  

Akashi paused his writing and gave him a look. Flat, unreadable. Kagami shifted in his seat. 

“If that’s too much I can—like, 25,000? I don’t need that much, honestly—”  

Akashi actually laughed.  It was short and smooth, not mocking—just amused.  

“No, no. That won’t do,” he said with finality, closing the notepad. “You’ll be paid 1,000,000 yen. Monthly.”  

Kagami blinked, “A… a million? A month?” 

Akashi smiled, “Yes, is that acceptable?”

Kagami nearly choked on the air he breathed. “That’s—Yeah. Yes! That’s more than acceptable, sir. That’s amazing.”  

Akashi smiled faintly, like he’d expected that exact reaction, “Good. You’ll receive it through direct deposit. Let me know if you need help setting it up.”  

“Y-Yeah. Thanks… really,” Kagami rubbed the back of his neck, smiling brightly. Akashi closed his notepad and stood up.

He brushed nonexistent dust off his sleeves, “Then that’s over with, you don’t have to cook tonight. Food will be ready by–”

Kagami shot up immediately, “No!– Uh… sorry. I mean, no it’s fine, I can cook.” Akashi was already by the door when he stopped and turned to Kagami.

Now it was his turn to be surprised. 

“Are you sure? You don’t need to, you’ll still get your pay,” Akashi quickly reassured, as if that was the reason why Kagami volunteered. 

Kagami took his jacket off, “Yeah, I’m sure. Plus, I need to get a feel of the kitchen anyways.” 

Akashi smiled slowly, proud. He nodded, “Don’t let me get in your way. Do what you need to do, I’ll be in my office.” Akashi finally left and closed the door. Kagami let out a deep breath, stretching. 

“Alright, I just need to change my clothes and then I’ll figure out what to make,” Kagami unzipped his suitcase and changed his clothes. 

The kitchen was like something out of a catalog—sleek marble countertops, chrome fixtures that sparkled under the warm pendant lights, and high-end appliances that looked almost too fancy to touch. Kagami whistled low under his breath.

“Guess I better not mess anything up,” he muttered.

He scanned the fridge and pantry. Thankfully, whoever stocked this place didn’t skimp—he found a range of fresh vegetables, soft slabs of tofu, cuts of chicken, miso paste, rice, and more. 

Kagami smiled to himself, "Perfect."

He tied an apron around his waist—too elegant for him, probably custom-stitched—and started prepping.

The rhythm came naturally. Knife slicing through green onions with satisfying precision. The soft thunk of tofu cubes dropping into a bowl. The hiss and pop of oil dancing in the pan. He sautéed garlic and ginger until the aroma curled into the air, rich and mouthwatering.

Steam began to fog up the edges of the stove’s glass cover. The savory scent of soy and miso drifted around him, curling up the walls, warm and grounding. A gentle sizzle filled the silence.

Kagami relaxed. The tension in his shoulders loosened.

This—this was something he could control.

He layered textures and flavors the way his mom used to—simple, clean, hearty. Stir-fried chicken and vegetables. A light miso soup on the side. Rice cooked just the way he liked it, with a pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar.

The quiet was comforting. No yelling. No pressure. No eyes watching him expectantly. He wasn’t some lost twenty-something trying to prove himself anymore—he was just someone who knew how to make a good damn meal. 

Hopefully Akashi would think so too. Because… he kind of made enough to feed an entire family.

He gathered up all his courage, plating everything carefully—tidy, like he imagined a chef would—and stepped back. He made sure the meal was nutritious enough. Listen, he’s an athlete, he can’t just not make a meal without some health benefits added. 

“Okay,” he whispered to himself, surveying his work. “Moment of truth.”

He grabbed the plate and left the kitchen before pausing and realizing something.

“Wait, where even is Akashi’s office?” He muttered out loud. He sighed and started to quickly scramble around the house for Akashi’s office, knocking on almost every door before he finally heard the smooth voice.

Kagami walked inside, “I brought your dinner, sir.”

Akashi turned in his seat and smiled, “Thank you, Kagami.” 

Kagami used that as his cue to walk in and put the plate of food on his desk, “Enjoy.” 

Akashi analyzed the food before nodding, “It smells wonderful.” He grabbed his utensils and took a bite, Kagami tried not to look too hard. Akashi hummed and nodded in approval, “It tastes amazing too.” 

Kagami visibly relaxed and smiled, “Thank you.” 

Just as he was about to grab the tray and leave, Akashi called out. 

“You made a lot, right?” He looked over at Kagami with a mischievous glint to his eye. Kagami didn’t really know how to feel about it, but he’s glad Akashi liked his food enough to hint at seconds.

He nodded, “Yup, made a whole bunch.” He replied, forgoing his fake eloquence for a moment. 

Akashi nodded, looking relieved, “Good, good. You may go now, try to sleep.” Kagami nodded and left back to the kitchen.

As he cleaned up, he realized this job might not be so bad after all. Yeah it’s a little lonely and quiet, but it’s better than wasting your dads money and taking up space in your friend's house. So, he thinks he could get used to it. 

Eventually. 

First, he’d need to memorize the layout of this mansion—because, seriously, who needs three living rooms?

Kagami untied the apron, folding it neatly before stashing it back where he found it. A yawn crept up on him, wide and sudden, tugging tears to his eyes.

When he finally made it back to his room and sank into the absurdly soft mattress, he didn’t even have time to think. 

He was out the second his head hit the pillow.

Tomorrow would be a different kind of adventure.

☆

Kagami made sure to wake up early the next day. The sun was barely up, soft light creeping between the blinds as he pulled on a casual but clean outfit—hoodie, joggers, something decent enough not to look like a slob.

He padded down to the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Last night’s sleep was too good. His brain still lagged behind, groggy from the unfamiliar comfort. He cracked some eggs into a pan, yawning mid-scoop as he reached for the seasoning.

“Hello.”

Kagami jumped, practically knocking the pan off the stove, “You scared me, sir—wait. You’re not Akashi.”

The man standing there blinked slowly. He was short, delicate-looking, with pale blue hair and unsettlingly calm eyes.

“I’m not,” the stranger confirmed. His voice was soft—barely a whisper—but it carried with strange clarity, like a breeze in a quiet room.

Kagami blinked back at him, “Um… I’m Kagami Taiga. The new housekeeper.” He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly unsure of anything.

“I’m Kuroko Tetsuya,” The man didn’t offer a handshake or move any closer. He just stood there, staring—those big eyes unblinking.

Kagami stared back, nervous. “...Are you, uh… also here for work?”

Kuroko blinked again, expression unreadable.

“I live here.”

Kagami almost dropped the spatula, “You what?”

“Yes,” Kuroko’s tone remained flat, but there was something amused behind his words. “Is that a problem?”

“Um—no! No, not at all. I just… didn’t know,” Kagami winced. He sounded like an idiot. Why hadn’t Himuro mentioned this?

Kuroko frowned faintly, as if this sort of thing happened a lot, “I’ve lived here a long time.”

“Oh,” Kagami mumbled. “...Are there more people living here?”

Kuroko sat down at the counter, “Wow. You’re super unaware.”

Kagami blinked, “Are you gonna answer?”

“There’s four other guys,” Kuroko replied flatly.

`

Kagami felt his stomach sink. What the hell did he just sign up for?

There’s 6 guys living here?!

Kagami stayed silent, turning back to the stove with a frown.

He should probably make more food now… hopefully the kitchen’s stocked well enough to handle six other stomachs. Seven, counting his own.

“Oh—I should mention,” Kuroko said, eyes still glued to Kagami’s movements like it was the most captivating thing in the world. “Murasakibara only likes sweet things. Pancakes are usually a safe bet.”

Kagami shot him a look and sighed. Deeply.

“Got it. Thanks.”

He caught himself before complaining out loud. Right. He’s getting paid a hella amount for this. He can't start groaning like some unpaid intern. Not on day one. He still had breakfast to finish, food to eat, a workout to squeeze in, and the whole house to clean.

Another sigh. He might as well start counting those.

“Do you want some help?” Kuroko asked, suddenly standing right next to him, staring up with a soft, unreadable smile. It made Kagami feel weird. Not bad… just weird.

Any other day, he’d accept the help in a heartbeat. But today wasn’t any other day—it was his first day. He needed to prove he could handle this.

So, reluctantly, he shook his head, “No, it’s fine.”

Kuroko blinked at him once… then turned away and grabbed a pan, “I’ll make the pancakes.”

“Hey–!” Kagami nearly dropped the spatula, “I said no!”

Kuroko was already mixing batter like nothing happened.

Kagami huffed and crossed his arms, “Why even bother asking?”

Kuroko didn’t answer. Just stirred the batter with calm defiance. There was no stopping him. Kagami surrendered to the clatter of batter and eggs, the scent of caramelizing sugar somehow making this entire fever dream feel even more surreal.

Kagami set up everything on the table and smiled at Kuroko, “Thanks. Do the other guys wake up on their own or should I wake them myself?” He felt like a true idiot currently, their last housekeeper probably didn’t ask this many questions.

He really needs to just do some research on how this works. 

Kuroko only held the eye contact in silence for a moment before looking back at the food, “Most of them will wake up soon, but I’ll go after them if they don’t come. You can eat your food.”

Kagami nodded, very grateful towards Kuroko, “Thank you, I’ll be off then.” Before grabbing his food, he turned to Kuroko. “Also, where’s the nearby gym?” 

Getting a nice jog while everyone settles sounds really good right about now. 

A different voice replied though, “Downstairs.” 

Kagami immediately straightened up and turned around to see that standing in the doorway was none other than Aomine Daiki. The Aomine Daiki. Pro basketball player. And now he was here, in a loose hoodie and plaid pajama pants, scratching his head like a normal guy who just woke up.

“No way,” Kagami blurted before he could stop himself. “You’re– you’re Aomine Daiki!”

Aomine raised an eyebrow and smirked, “Guilty. You a fan or something?”

Kagami flushed a little, suddenly aware of how tightly he was gripping his fork, “I mean, kind of. I used to watch your games all the time.”

The mere idea that such a famous celebrity just lived here with other guys. And Kagami’s going to be seeing him pretty often. This job keeps getting weirder and weirder. Kagami stood there, a bit stunned. 

He had to confirm, “Wait, you live here too?”

Aomine sauntered in, looking far too comfortable for a celebrity, “Nah, I just break into rich people’s houses for the free breakfast.”

Kagami gave him an unimpressed look, but made no further comment. 

Aomine gave a lazy wave, sauntering into the kitchen and sniffing the air, “Yo, who cooked?” He went to the water, looking a little more awake now. 

“I did,” Kagami replied.

Aomine grinned, all teeth, “Not bad, new guy. Keep that up and I might actually show up to breakfast more than once a week.”

Kagami felt his fists subconsciously clench and his eyes twitching into a glare. Though, he realized he didn’t really know how to respond without sounding disrespectful. If he was any other guy, Kagami would’ve picked a fight.

But, he’s not .

So, Kagami just swallowed his pride and waited for Aomine and Kuroko to try the food. Aomine took a bite eventually and nodded in approval. 

Aomine eventually took a bite and nodded. “Mm. Pretty good.” He kept eating, quiet now. 

Kagami wished he’d said more—but turned to Kuroko for backup.

Kuroko only nodded. “Yeah.”

The two sat in companionable silence. Somehow, it wasn’t awkward. Not for them.

Kagami, on the other hand, felt like the odd one out.

“Are you just gonna watch us?” Aomine smirked at him, making Kagami feel like an idiot.

Flustered, Kagami grabbed his plate and turned to leave–

But Kuroko spoke, voice soft and almost teasing. “Not joining us?”

Kagami paused, turning halfway like he was going to say something—

Do housekeepers normally eat with their employers?

But then he thought better of it. He already felt like a delinquent: awkward, uncertain, out of place. No need to pour gasoline on the fire.

So he just muttered, “Thank you, but I’ll just be in… um… my room.”

And immediately regretted it.

Wait— is eating in the bedroom even allowed? Akashi probably had velvet walls or some expensive architecture that absorbed smells. What if he tracked crumbs? He was spiraling again.

Before he could dwell in the pit of his own embarrassment, another voice answered—this one more familiar.

“You can sit with us, Kagami. I don’t mind,” Akashi said from the head of the table, his tone light but his expression unreadable. That subtle smirk of his made it hard to tell if he was being kind or testing something.

When did he even get here?

Either way, Kagami wasn’t about to defy him. He nodded quickly and sat down, feeling more like a cornered animal than a guest.

Usually, he watched something on his phone while eating, but… this wasn’t his house. Everyone else ate quietly, like it was completely normal to be part of this model-household sitcom of good-looking, accomplished men sharing breakfast.

Kagami chewed in silence and tried not to compare his own flailing existence to theirs. He thought he’d be babysitting a big empty mansion—not rooming with six adult men who seemed to have their lives together.

What has his life even become?

Still, no way he was skipping his usual routine. Even if it was lackluster compared to everyone else here.

“Sir?” he asked, turning slightly toward Akashi. “Is it alright if I use your gym?”

Akashi looked up from his meal with a smile, “Of course. I’m not going to force you to work for me twenty-four hours a day.”

Kagami let out a breath, “Thank you.” He was glad at least he was pretty easy to talk to.

Kuroko chimed in, his timing perfect as ever, “You should form a schedule. That way you don’t have to ask so many questions.”

Kagami’s face flamed instantly.

“Y–Yeah. I’ll do that. Sorry,” He scratched the back of his head and stared down at his nearly empty plate.

He was so glad he’d just finished eating.

Without making eye contact, he stood up, grabbed a few empty plates, and mumbled a goodbye. His ears were still pink as he disappeared upstairs.

Back at the table, Akashi glanced at Kuroko with an arched brow that clearly said: Really?

Kuroko only noticed the look and went back to his food quietly. Aomine was holding back a laugh, making Kuroko send him a slight glare. 

☆

Kagami changed his outfit to a white tank and sweatpants, something that won’t suffocate him while he exercises. He wore a jacket over the outfit so as to not look too indecent in case he bumps into Akashi again. 

He wondered when the other guys would come down to eat, not that he really wanted to meet them. Kagami feared they’d be just as insufferable as the two new guys he just met. How does Akashi even deal with this many guys in one house? 

Though, now that he thought about it, they were all probably friends before or something.

Once Kagami made it down, he already noticed how huge this place was. He honestly thought that he’d have to go outside on a wild goose chase for the nearest gym or something. This was way easier and better. 

He shrugged off his jacket, grabbed a pair of moderately weighted dumbbells, and got started on a simple circuit—shoulder presses, squats, push-ups. The rhythm helped him clear his head.

Still, his thoughts wandered. Would Akashi keep him around long? He didn’t exactly have a backup plan if this job fell through. For now, this strange situation was the only thing keeping his life from collapsing in on itself.

Once I get things back on track, I’ll leave. Go back to the life I had before.

It was optimistic—maybe too optimistic—but it gave him something to hold onto. He also wondered if he’d have time to shoot some hoops with Himuro again. He didn’t want to lose his connection to basketball completely. But between this job and the sheer size of the house, he wasn’t sure what kind of freedom he’d have.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the door open. Kagami paused mid-set, glancing over to see Aomine stepping inside. He wore a sleeveless shirt and joggers, a towel slung over one shoulder and wireless headphones hanging around his neck. They made eye contact and Aomine raised an eyebrow.

He then gave a cocky smile, “No music? You really are a weird one, Kagami.”

Kagami rolled his eyes and settled back into doing what he was doing, “Well, not everyone’s as fortunate as you, Aomine.” 

The comment didn’t bode well for the pro–athlete, though. Aomine furrowed his eyebrows at Kagami, “Mind explaining what that’s supposed to mean?”

Kagami realized his mistake and immediately came up with an excuse, “Well, the brand of your headphones sponsored you didn’t they? Not all of us are ultra famous celebrities who get shit for free.” 

Okay, not the best thing to say to this guy, but it was pretty salvageable.

Aomine didn’t get angry this time, only sauntered over to Kagami, “Oh? Didn’t know you were such a big fan, Taiga .”

Kagami tensed up at the comment and dropped the weights to massage his sore arms. Tensing up during heavyweight exercises was definitely not a good idea. 

“Are you just gonna follow me around all day?” he grumbled. “Don’t you have your own workout to get to?”

Aomine raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply taking a seat at the lat pulldown machine and adjusting the weight like he owned the place.

Well, he kinda did.

Either way, Kagami continued doing different exercises until he finally took a small break. Sitting down on a bench and gulping down water. As he caught his breath and wiped at his sweat, he looked over at Aomine.

Aomine made all the exercises seem so effortless, despite sweat trickling down his face. His music was blasting through the headphones and his face was completely focused on his movements. If Aomine had a more likeable personality, Kagami would’ve asked for some tips. 

He didn’t, for obvious reasons. He slung the towel around his neck, picked up his bottle, and zipped his jacket back on over his now slightly damp tank top. He didn’t spare Aomine another glance as he made his way out.

Back in his room, Kagami kicked off his shoes and grabbed a change of clothes. A nice, long shower was exactly what he needed right now. The idea of cool water against his overheated skin almost made him smile.

There was a massive bathtub calling his name, but that could wait.

Besides, cleaning this house for the first time? That was going to take long enough on its own.

☆

Kagami went down and saw everyone’s plates were cleared. The sight made him smile for a moment, knowing everyone enjoyed his food. That immediately went away once he remembered he’ll be washing all of these. Letting out a deep sigh, he started doing his chores. 

He didn’t have any headphones to wear, the wired earbuds he used to have broke a couple weeks ago and he didn’t have the funds to buy a new pair. Whatever, he’ll just have to get used to the silence. 

He repeats the tasks in his head so he doesn’t start thinking too hard about the other misfortunes in his life.

He needs to wash all the dishes, then dry them with a cloth, and finally put them away. Easy enough. 

Washing dishes, drying them, putting them away.

Washing, drying, putting them away.

Washing, drying, putti–

He turned to put the last plate away, but a large body was in his way. He was ready to yell at Aomine for bothering him again until he realized this was not Aomine.

He had to be at least seven feet tall. Long lavender hair fell into his tired-looking eyes, and his posture was more of a lazy slouch than anything threatening, but still—he was massive. His face was set in a slight scowl, like even standing here was an inconvenience.

Kagami, for once, felt small .

The giant looked down at him, voice as low and slow as his expression.

“Who’re you again?”

Kagami blinked himself out of the stunned silence. “I’m the new housekeeper. Kagami Taiga.”

The man gave him a lazy once-over, then turned away without a word. He opened the cupboard— way up high—and started pulling down bags of snacks.

Kagami craned his neck to look. That’s where they kept them?

The sight made him mutter out loud, “Why are they so far up?”

The purple giant just kept grabbing them with ease, “So Mido–chin can’t hide them from me again.” 

Kagami had so many questions like: Who the hell is ‘Mido–chin’? Why would he hide them? Why were there enough snacks to feed a small village? And most importantly, what’s even this guys name? 

He just settled on the last one, “What’s your name?” 

“Murasakibara Atsushi.” 

That name kind of sounded familiar, where did he hear it from?

His eyes widened once he recalled it, “Wait, you’re Tatsuya’s friend!” 

He remembered the many times Himuro would talk about “Atsushi” and just never explain who it was. You’d think he’d at least mention this guy’s insane appearance? But no, he didn’t.

Murasakibara only nodded, “Mhm. He told me about you. Though he never mentioned how funky you look.”

Kagami reeled back a little in offense, “What?”

Murasakibara held his snacks in one arm then turned to Kagami, “Like, what’s up with your eyebrows? You look like an angry bird.” He reached his free hand out and flicked Kagami’s forehead.

Kagami flinched back and rubbed his forehead. He glared, trying not to yell, “They’re genetic. ”

The purple giant just shrugged and walked the other way, “Whatever. Just don’t touch my snacks. Though, you couldn’t reach it anyways.” He started eating one of the snacks as he walked away. 

Kagami resisted the urge to pick a fight with him, knowing he’d lose instantly and that he’d fired directly after. 

Maybe he will take that bath after all of this. He can already feel a headache forming and it was barely past noon. 

After that ordeal, Kagami got into the rhythm of cleaning the area. He dusted the surfaces, sweeped the floor, wiped the tables. This was becoming an exercise in of itself. Plus he definitely didn’t stretch properly before doing his weight training earlier so his lower back was absolutely killing him right now. Feeling like a grandpa everytime he so much as bends down slightly . 

This was going to take forever . 

☆

After many excruciating hours of the same repeated process, plus tidying up the rooms, Kagami finally arrived back at his room. His muscles ached in places he didn’t even know could ache. He flopped onto his bed with a grunt, the mattress creaking under his weight as he closed his eyes for a moment.

He’d already met most of the guys who lived here—unfortunately. Except for two. He kind of just assumed they were busy, or hiding, or both. Still, he hoped the introductions wouldn’t be as disastrous as the last ones.

Definitely wishful thinking.

With a sigh, Kagami finally sat up and gathered everything he needed for his bath—a fresh towel, change of clothes, and that small bottle of body wash Himuro gave him before he left. It was lavender scented. Embarrassingly calming.

He made his way to the private bathroom Akashi had shown him earlier—the one that was supposedly his. Quietly, he opened the door.

Only to freeze.

There was a very not-empty bathtub.

Kagami’s jaw dropped, “What the hell?!”

The blonde man lounging in the tub jolted, water splashing around him as he grabbed for a nearby towel to shield his torso, “Hey! What are you doing here?!”

Kagami stepped inside, eyes wide, “What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here? Isn’t this supposed to be my personal bathroom?”

The man blinked at him, droplets sliding down his cheek as he sheepishly averted his eyes, “W–Well… H–How was I supposed to know that? Who even are you?”

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks flushed, “I’m Kagami Taiga, the new housekeeper.”

He couldn’t stop staring. The guy looked like he had been pulled out of a photoshoot and dropped directly into a bubble bath. His skin practically glowed in the steam, and the way his hair clung to his face only made him look more—

No. Stop. Brain. No.

The blonde perked up, “Oh right! I forgot Akashicchi hired someone. I’m Kise Ryouta!”

That name snapped something in Kagami’s memory.

“Wait,” he pointed at him, “like the model?!”

Kise beamed like he’d been waiting for that moment all day, “Why, of course! The one and only.” He leaned forward just enough to make it seem intentional, “So… you’re a fan?”

Kagami awkwardly fidgeted with the towel draped over his arm, “Uh… not really. But I’ve seen you around before.”

Kise pouted dramatically, slinking back into the warm water, “Whatever! That’s what all shy fans say.”

An awkward silence settled over them, the sound of dripping water the only thing between them.

“So,” Kagami finally muttered, clearing his throat, “are you gonna finish up soon?”

Kise glanced at him from beneath wet lashes, eyes sharp despite the relaxed posture, “Ugh, fine fine. I’ll get out soon. Are you gonna, like, watch me change or something?”

Kagami’s entire face lit up red, “What—no! Absolutely not!”

He scrambled backward so fast he almost tripped on the bathmat, flinging the door shut behind him with a loud thud .

From inside, he heard Kise call out in a singsong voice, “You’re welcome for the free show!”

Kagami groaned into his hands, “I need that bath more than ever.” 

After a couple of long minutes, Kise opened the door. He bumped into Kagami’s shoulder playfully, “I left the water in the bath for you~”

Kagami gave him a tense glare, but it fell embarrassingly flat thanks to the stubborn red still painting his cheeks.

Okay, give him a break . An ultra famous, ridiculously attractive model had just flirted with him—while dripping wet, no less. Who wouldn’t blush?

He huffed and turned his back, muttering, “Thanks, I guess.”

Kise laughed a little before finally leaving, the sound of his footsteps fading down the hallway.

Kagami stepped inside the bathroom, and the heat immediately washed over him like a comforting blanket. The room was thick with steam, and the faint scent of lavender and something citrusy hung in the air. His shoulders slumped in relief.

This—this was exactly what he needed right now.

He stripped off his clothes, movements slow from the soreness in his limbs, and then dipped carefully into the still-warm water. The heat enveloped him instantly, drawing a groan from deep in his chest.

“Whatever Kise put in here…” he muttered, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub, “...feels amazing.”

His muscles, stiff and aching from the workout and hours of cleaning, slowly started to unwind. He sank lower into the bath, water rising to his collarbones. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment. The tension in his lower back ebbed little by little, and his mind finally stopped racing.

His body’s absolutely aching right now and he could really use a massage.

But he’s not getting that so this is the closest thing. 

He stayed like that for a while, letting the bath salts and heat do their work. It was the first time that day he allowed himself to be still—no chores, no weird housemates, no awkward flirtation from a naked model.

Eventually, he dragged himself out of the water with a quiet sigh. The air outside the tub felt chilly against his flushed skin. He dried off, slipped into a clean T-shirt and sweats, and padded quietly down the hall and back to the kitchen.

His stomach growled as he stepped in. He propped his phone up against a mug and opened a recipe.

“Let’s try this one,” he said to himself, rolling up his sleeves. 

A simple curry with rice should be nice and plentiful for everyone.

The spicy aroma spread through the living room and hallways. Kagami concentrated on mixing ingredients and chopping meat. As his eyes flicked between the recipe and the food, he didn’t notice someone sneaking up behind him. There was a sudden weight on his back, a tanned hand tasting the stew. 

“Mmm... Tastes good,” Aomine’s voice purred right by his ear.

Kagami tensed up and almost dropped his phone, “Ugh, watch it!” He turned to Aomine who backed up with a smug look on his face. “What do you want now?” His face was almost as red as his hair. 

Aomine walked closer, “What’s wrong, Taiga? Can’t a guy just try some food?” He leaned against the counter, tauntingly. 

This guy… He’s so annoying. 

Kagami clenched his jaw and turned back to the stove, determined to ignore him. He brought a spoonful of curry up to taste–

“Smells good,” Kuroko spoke up from beside him. 

Kagami flinched and the hot stew dropped onto his hand. The action caused him to drop his spoon on the floor. Kagami winced and glared at Kuroko, “You…”

Kuroko had the absolute audacity to look shocked. Kagami glanced between both him and Aomine. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Don’t yell. You need this job. Don’t blow it. 

“Just… stop sneaking up on me. Both of you,” Kagami looked at his now reddening skin, knowing it was going to feel like hell later. Kagami only clicked his tongue and started to finish up his cooking. 

Kuroko's eyes lingered on the pink blotch on Kagami’s hand.

He stayed in his spot, “You should probably treat that before it gets worse.” He advised as if he wasn’t the reason why Kagami’s skin burned. 

“I know, ” Kagami gritted through his teeth. He’s almost done with the food so he decided to quickly finish that first. The whole time, Kuroko and Aomine just stood there and watched him.

It was kind of unsettling, but he managed to ignore their looks enough to when he finally lowered the heat. 

He took his apron off and turned around, “Foods ready, where’re the other guys so I can tell them?” Aomine and Kuroko exchanged glances for a quick, fleeting moment.

Aomine sighed and stepped forward, “We’ll call ‘em over, just… fix your hand. It’s looking worse by the second.” He scratched the back of his neck almost awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

Oookay… 

“Uh… if you’re sure then…” Kagami mumbled before leaving back upstairs to his room, thinking about the strange interaction.

He ran his hands under cold water and honestly just hoped for the best. If anything, the wound would probably go away in a couple of days. 

Hopefully. 

Kagami shrugged it off and went back to work. 

He was definitely going to regret that.

☆

And regret it he did. 

He definitely pulled a muscle in his lower back earlier because it hurts like shit. His hand also keeps stinging and now he’s hungry again, but it’s already too late to eat anything. And speaking of food, dinnertime is rapidly approaching so he needs to make something for that, but ingredients are running low. So he’ll have to make a trip to grab some groceries tomorrow, but he hasn’t gotten his paycheck yet so he’ll probably have to use what he has left or something. 

And not only that, this stupid picture frame won’t stand up!

“Son of a bitch,” He grumbled as the frame fell on the ground, again. 

Kagami prepared himself before bending down—again—to pick the frame up, his wounded hand leaning against the wall. As he went to pick it up, someone grabbed his wrist, almost knocking his balance off completely. 

Kagami caught himself and stood straight with a slight wince, “Hey! What was–…”

His voice cut off at the sight of a different man, one he hasn’t seen yet. Presumably, the last housemate. 

He had forest green hair and thick lenses perched on his nose, his face was scrunched up in what seemed to be annoyance. 

“You’re the new housekeeper, Kagami, I suppose,” His voice was deep, but oddly soothing. The type of voice that could lull you to sleep when reading an audiobook.

Kagami nodded, “Yeah and who are you?” His voice had a slight bite to it, the green haired man paid it no mind.

“Midorima Shintaro,” He answered calmly.

“Well, Midorima Shintaro, can you let go of my hand?” Kagami spat out, tugging his hand out of Midorima’s grasp. Only then did he notice the man’s own fingers—wrapped in white gauze with little, clumsy doodles scribbled all over them in marker. One looked like a poorly drawn cat. Another resembled a lemon.

He blinked. What the hell?

Midorima only scowled slightly, “Your hand is burned, you need to treat it. Also, your body language is stiff, so I suggest you take a break. I wouldn’t want an incapacitated housekeeper.”

The comment caused fire to start inside Kagami and so he just bent back down to pick the picture frame up. “Well, unless dinner’s going to cook itself, I think I’ll keep going.” He replied, more pent up than before. 

Can these people just leave him be? This is getting very annoying. At this point, he’s about to request to Akashi that they just stop interacting with him overall. How is Himuro even friends with these people?

“You’ll regret not listening to me,” Midorima only added quietly after observing Kagami’s movements. 

Today has already been shit for him, he doesn’t need this guy to start testing Kagami’s patience. 

Kagami turned to Midorima, his face twisted in irritation, “Is that a threat?”

Midorima exhaled deeply before turning on his heel, “Don’t put words in my mouth, Kagami.” He walked away after that and Kagami felt like he needed another bath at that moment.

Just cook dinner and clean the kitchen. That’s all you need to do.

Kagami stretched, hearing a loud crack when he did. Maybe he did need to rest.

No, he needs to finish this first.

So with some strength left in him, he made his way back to the kitchen to cook dinner. He settled on something hearty like Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta.

Gosh, that sounded so good right about now. So he cracked his knuckles and got to work. 

Kagami rolled up his sleeves again, the quiet clatter of pans grounding him more than anything else today had. The kitchen was warm—not just from the stove, but from something heavier, like comfort stretching out in the air. 

He moved automatically, chopping and stirring like his hands had taken over the thinking for him. The scent rising from the pot was soft and savory, clinging to the walls and curling around his shoulders like a memory. Nothing fancy. Just something warm. Something that filled the silence and made the room feel less cold. 

He kept looking over his shoulder in case someone decided to sneak up on him again, but luckily no one did that. Yet . He’s still paranoid.

Once he finished, he plated everything and placed them on the table. He had some extra sides as well. Things just like salad and such, hopefully it would be enough for everyone. 

He found Akashi and let him know dinner was ready. Akashi smiled and nodded, “Thank you, won’t you be sitting with us?” It sounded more like a demand than a question.

Kagami came up with some sort of excuse as to not sit with anyone, “Uh… there aren’t enough chairs, sir. I–It’s fine though! I can eat after everyone’s finished.” 

Akashi frowned and looked off to the side, as if to figure out a different option.

God no, I don’t wanna sit with anyone.

He looked at Kagami and sighed, nodding, “Fine, I’ll go notify everyone about the food. You can leave.”

Kagami bowed before leaving as quickly—and subtly—as he could to his room. He needs to relax right now, everything is aching and his hand is really starting to sting. He heard aloe vera is supposed to help, but where the hell is gonna get that? 

He dug inside his bag, making sure he didn’t have anything or if Himuro might have packed something. But, he found nothing so he just sighed and laid back on the bed. 

The bed felt so warm, the sheets were soft against his aching body. He closed his eyes as he sunk further into the memory foam mattress. He’s sure everyone was going to take a long time eating, especially Murasakibara, since he probably has a bigger appetite. Maybe he can just rest his eyes a little bit.  

His mind wandered and the noise around him started to fade away. His back and limbs relaxed further.

The room was dim—golden light from the hallway barely slipping under the door. The muted clatter of forks and plates downstairs felt distant, like echoes from another world. The hum of the ceiling fan above him was rhythmic, like a lullaby he didn’t know he needed.

Kagami’s eyes fluttered halfway open, then closed again. He shifted once, tugging the blanket over his torso, not even bothering to take his socks off. His muscles throbbed less with every passing minute, the memory foam cradling each ache like it understood.

He’d only rest for a few minutes, he told himself.

Just a few…

“Kagami?”

Where’s that voice coming from?

“Kagami? You have to get up.”

The voice sounds so soft. Like it was coming from a dream.

“Kagami, I can’t understand you. You have to eat dinner.”

Kagami felt his eyelids peel open slowly, the world blurry and gold-tinged from the hallway light spilling in. Someone was hovering over him. He blinked a few times, trying to focus, his brain lagging behind.

“Kagami? Are you awake now? It’s pretty late, you need to eat,” the voice repeated, now beside him.

He turned his head, squinting through sleep, and mumbled, “Mom?…”

There was a long pause.

“…Um, no?” came the familiar deadpan voice.

Kagami jolted up just a little, his face going beet red the moment his vision cleared and he saw pale blue hair and wide, emotionless eyes looking right at him.

“Oh my god,” Kagami groaned, dragging a hand down his face, “I’m gonna pretend that didn’t happen.”

Kuroko tilted his head, “Would it help if I said I was flattered?”

“No.”

“Understood.”

Kagami flopped back into the pillow, groaning louder this time, “Why are you even here?”

“Akashi noticed you hadn’t come down in a while and I decided to check up,” Kuroko kept his eyes on Kagami. “Seems like you were just tired,” There was an amused lilt to his voice, but his face was still blank.

It threw him off for a moment before he eventually replied, “Right, sorry. I’ll go down now.” He went to run his hands through his hair, but stopped after realizing someone had seemingly treated his burn. It was stinging a little less and was wrapped in a bandage. 

He looked at Kuroko, “Did you do this?”

Kuroko held back a smile as he replied, “No, Midorima was in here a few minutes ago and was angry you didn’t do what he said, so he bandaged it up instead.” Based on Kuroko’s tone, Kagami’s led to believe that he wasn’t supposed to know that. 

“Huh… okay,” He responded lamely. He should probably thank him either way whenever he sees Midorima next.

Kuroko soon got up to make his way out of the room, but Kagami realized this was a perfect time to ask more questions. 

“Uh, actually…” Kuroko stopped and turned to him. “Can I ask you something?” 

Kuroko nodded and sat back down, “Sure, like what?” 

Kagami didn’t know how to word his question so he just went for it, “So… are you all, like, rich or something? How did you all even like… start living together?”

Kuroko smiled slightly, “Well, you already know Akashi, Aomine, and Kise. Midorima is a pediatrician–”

“Wait like a doctor for kids?” Kagami had to make sure he heard that correctly. Kuroko nodded silently, making Kagami blink in shock. Wow he feels bad for those kids. 

Kuroko then continued, “Murasakibara is a pastry chef.”

Kagami hummed in acknowledgement, they all had pretty cool jobs. He was honestly wondering where Kuroko worked, the man had such an interesting character.

“And I’m a kindergarten teacher.” 

Kagami blinked.

“That’s it?”

Kuroko nodded, “Yup.”

Well that was anticlimactic. 

Still, a job’s a job. So far he’s learned that Akashi is some business mogul, Aomine is a literal pro athlete, Kise is a nationally recognized model, Midorima heals children for a living, Murasakibara bakes for a career, and Kuroko educates toddlers.

Well if Kagami didn’t feel like shit before, he definitely feels like shit now. Knowing all these men that are in their mid to late twenties are fairing way better than him. Plus they’re all so annoying too. Well, maybe not all. But his point still stands. 

Kuroko spoke up again after Kagami stayed silent, “And we all kind of knew each other before in middle school. So when Akashi offered a house for everyone to live in, we all just agreed.”

Kagami nodded and got up, “Alright, thanks.”

He stretched and went back downstairs after having that conversation. Which only made him realize how pathetic his own life was. No matter. He needs to stop focusing on the past so much.

He’s already made a plan, he’s going to save up money and buy a nice place to live in. He’ll get a nice job without any annoying guys all up in his space. 

He looked at the leftovers and his ambition immediately faded. These assholes left him little to nothing! Should’ve just let him sleep in peace if there were this little amount of food left. 

Kagami’s patience was starting to wear thin, feeling like a ticking bomb at this point. 

Still, he grabbed whatever was left and ate it rather quickly. He was still hungry, but he wasn’t sure if Akashi would want him to waste ingredients. 

Well, he’s sure Akashi wouldn’t mind Kagami going for a quick snack, right? He’s pretty sure he saw a convenience store nearby. 

Kagami washed the dishes and went back upstairs to his room to grab his wallet. Not much, but snacks are only a couple of bucks anyway. He grabbed his jacket and stepped out quietly, it was already pretty late so some of them might be asleep already. 

He felt his stomach already starting to growl as he stepped outside. When he finally made it outside, he inhaled deeply. 

“Man, I haven't been outside in a while,” Kagami muttered to himself as he walked in the direction of the store. 

He felt a vibration in his pocket. Kagami took his phone out to see that Himuro was calling him. He smiled subconsciously at the sight of his friend's name. 

“Hey! What’s up?” Kagami answered.

Himuro yawned on the other side, “Just wanted to check up on my favorite brother.”

Kagami rolled his eyes at the sarcasm and sighed, “Well I’m doing wonderful now that I found out there’s 5 other guys I gotta look after.” 

He could practically envision Himuro’s grimace as he spoke, “Yeah… sorry about that, Taiga. It totally slipped my mind.” There was a pause. “They aren’t too bad, I hope?”

Kagami walked inside the store, “Oh they’re great .” 

Himuro winced slightly, “That bad, huh?”

“They’re just…” Kagami tossed an onigiri in his basket and kept walking, “A lot.”

There was some shuffling on Himuro’s side as he laid in bed, “Sounds about right.” 

The redhead grabbed a drink and placed the glass carefully in his basket, “Oh yeah, and your friend, the giant? Wish you could’ve mentioned in all your stories together how much of a dick he was.” 

At this point Kagami was just ranting. Everything and everyone had been pissing him off since the second he walked in that house.

“Oh haha right, uh… sorry about him,” Himuro sheepishly laughed. 

There was a brief lull in the conversation as Kagami made his way to the register.

“Seriously though,” Himuro added after a moment, “if it gets to be too much, you know you can always–”

“No,” Kagami cut him off, firm but not unkind. “I need this job, Tatsuya.”

Himuro paused, then let out a breath. “...Okay.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow night when I inevitably have to buy more snacks at the convenience store because someone ate all the food,” Kagami changed the topic so as to not make his friend feel too bad. 

Himuro laughed, “I can talk to them about bothering you, y’know.”

Kagami walked out of the store, “Nah, they’re gonna call me a baby or something for not telling them myself.”

He walked back to the house, “It’s fine, I just need to let some steam off my chest.”

“If you say so,” Himuro sighed out.

They continued talking until Kagami was at the front door, “Alright, I gotta go now. I don’t wanna make too much noise when I get inside.”

After exchanging their salutations, Kagami quietly opened the door and tiptoed inside. He ate his food in the dining room out of respect for Akashi—and only Akashi—before going to his room. 

Finally, he can get some much needed rest. 

☆

Two weeks passed by, and Kagami was one minor inconvenience away from snapping .

He’d probably injured himself at least eight times thanks to Kuroko popping up like a ghost every other minute. No footsteps, no warnings—just soft “Kagami” right behind him like some horror movie jump scare.

Aomine? Constantly taunting him. And like an idiot, Kagami keeps falling for it. Every single time. It’s like the guy was put on this earth to test his patience.

Midorima usually kept to himself, thankfully, but every time they did cross paths, he just had to say something like, “You’re looking particularly unhealthy today.”

Gee, thanks, Doctor Sunshine. Wonder why that might be.

Kise, like Midorima, was busy with modeling jobs, but he never missed an opportunity to disrupt Kagami’s flow with his loud voice and constant requests for opinions on outfits Kagami couldn’t care less about.

Akashi was rarely around, but when he was , the air got colder. That guy didn’t even have to say anything—just one look and Kagami remembered why lions avoid eye contact with other predators.

And don’t even get him started on Murasakibara. That guy ate like there was no tomorrow and never cleaned up after himself. Kagami found a literal trail of candy wrappers leading from the kitchen to the couch one night.

But today?

Today was the final straw.

He spent two hours cooking dinner. Two hours sweating, chopping, seasoning, trying to make sure everyone had something they liked—because God forbid someone doesn’t eat.

He left the kitchen for five minutes .

Five. Minutes.

And when he came back, the food was gone . Every last scrap. Plates weren’t even scraped clean—they were practically licked. No leftovers, no saved portion for him, just a sticky note that said:

“Thanks! :)”

Kagami stared at the note, then at the empty dishes, then back at the note.

He was going to kill someone.

Kagami marched up to where everyone was conveniently lounging together in the living room. 

“Alright! I’ve had it up to here with you people!” Kagami snapped, lifting his hand high above his head like he was physically measuring his patience.

Akashi looked up at him with wide eyes, “Kagami? What do you–”

“No,” Kagami snapped, cutting him off with a glare sharp enough to slice through steel. “I’m doing the talking now.”

That shut the room up real quick. Heads turned. Brows lifted. Even Murasakibara sat up a little straighter.

“You’ve all been an absolute nightmare from the moment I got here! I don’t think I’ve had one solid dinner in two weeks—because none of you seem to care enough to leave food for the person who actually cooks it! ” Kagami’s voice rose, cracking slightly under the sheer frustration.

His fists were balled at his sides, knuckles pale. But he wasn’t done.

“I’ve kept my head down, done my job, and for what? So I can be the house punching bag? The new chew toy? I’m not here for your entertainment, and I sure as hell didn’t sign up to be bullied while scrubbing your floors!”

He took a step forward, gesturing wildly now, arms sweeping through the air with every word.

“I cook, I clean, I shop, I organize your stupid messes—and what do I get? Kuroko creeping up on me like a ghost every damn day, Aomine baiting me into fights, Midorima acting like my face is a medical diagnosis—what the hell is wrong with you people?!”

No one said a word. The silence was heavy.

Kagami huffed, chest heaving.

“Well guess what? Game over. I’m done. You can find some other poor idiot to push around—because it’s not going to be me.”

With that, he turned on his heel and stomped out of the room, leaving the housemates stunned and suddenly very, very aware of how quiet the living room had become. 

He called Himuro earlier already so he should be outside. He’s over these people, done putting up with their bullshit any longer. 

Once he packed his bags, he stormed out the house, ignoring anyone who might’ve called his name. He climbed into his friend's car and slumped into the seat, finally letting himself exhale as they pulled away from the mansion.

“Sorry about all this, Tatsuya,” Kagami muttered after a moment, eyes heavy with exhaustion. He’d just crash at Himuro’s place for now—at least until he could find a decent apartment.

Himuro offered a weak smile, one hand on the wheel, “Don’t worry about it. I’m the one who got you into that job in the first place.”

His tone was gentle, but the guilt was obvious—and that made Kagami reel his anger back immediately.

“No, no! It’s fine. This isn’t your fault,” he said quickly.

Himuro’s smile softened, turning just a little more genuine. The rest of the ride passed in peaceful silence.

Back at the mansion, though, peace was the last thing in the air.

Everyone sat frozen, tension thick in the room. No one dared speak—especially with Akashi sitting in the corner, seething quietly .

Eventually, he exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

Not good.

“Now…” Akashi looked at everyone, with a frighteningly calm expression, “does anyone want to explain why the hell my housekeeper just stormed out of my house?” 

More silence. 

Kise finally spoke up, stumbling over his sentence, “T–To be fair, I didn’t think he was so bothered by us! I just thought… that’s how he usually is!” He pouted and looked down.

Midorima adjusted his glasses, avoiding Akashi’s gaze. “I did tell him to rest. He refused to listen.”

“You told him he looked sick every time you saw him,” Aomine muttered under his breath, arms crossed.

“I was concerned,” Midorima snapped, but it lacked its usual edge.

Kuroko glanced at the door Kagami had exited from. “I should’ve said something earlier,” he admitted softly. “He looked tired all the time.”

“I told him he needed to eat more,” Murasakibara offered lazily from his corner.

Akashi shot him a sharp look. “And yet you still finished half the fridge yesterday.”

“…Oops.”

Akashi stood up and adjusted his outfit, “Okay, Atsushi, give me Himuro’s address.”

Aomine raised an eyebrow, “What’s that gonna do?”

Murasakibara grabbed his phone and answered instead, “Muro–chin’s friends with Kagami.” He sent the address to Akashi.

“Oh,” Aomine muttered.

Kuroko crossed his arms, “You didn’t even know that?”

That caused the taller man to defensively look away, “How was I supposed to know that?”

Akashi tuned out the bickering to read the message, “Alright, we’ll get him back soon.”

“Why’re you even so hung up on hiring him again?” Mursakibara pitched the question everyone was wondering, “thought you hated people like Kagami.”

Everyone quieted down and looked over at Akashi to hear his answer. The man in question only smiled a little. It was more intimidating than anything, “Let’s just say, He’s already caught my eye.”

A beat passed. Kise blinked. “Wait. What? ”

“Caught your eye how?” Aomine narrowed his eyes. “You planning to offer him a raise or marry him?”

Midorima sighed and muttered, “This is exactly the kind of unpredictability I warned about.”

“I simply recognize good potential,” Akashi replied smoothly, already typing something on his phone. “And I don't like losing what belongs in my house.”

Kuroko raised an eyebrow, “He’s not property.”

Akashi glanced up, “No, but he is essential. Which is why we’re going to apologize.”

That caused a wave of discomfort.

“Apologize?” Aomine echoed. “Like… for real?”

“Yes,” Akashi said simply, “Heartfelt. Sincere. Even if it kills you.”

Kise raised his hand like a student, “Uh, should we, like… make him a gift or something?”

Murasakibara perked up slightly, “I could bake.”

Akashi surveyed the room and nodded in approval, “Excellent, we’re going to do this properly.”

☆

It’s been a couple of days since he blew up at everyone and stormed out.

In hindsight… maybe Akashi wasn’t that awful. And Kuroko probably didn’t mean to scare the hell out of him every other day. But what’s done is done.

At least now, he finally has time to shoot some hoops and clear his head.

He found an apartment he liked. Spoke with the building manager. He’s been staying at Himuro’s place for now. He did manage to find another job, although it’s another housekeeping job. It was a strange coincidence, but the money was good enough—not as great as Akashi’s one million yen —but still good. The man, Haizaki Shogo, said he’d officially start tomorrow.

He wanted Kagami to “scope the place out” first, see if it was a good fit. As if Kagami has the luxury of options.

He went by earlier to check the place out—fancy apartment, too many mirrors, weird tension. Haizaki’s attitude rubbed him the wrong way, but the pay was decent, and Kagami needed a job yesterday .

So tonight’s his last night at Himuro’s before starting work full-time. It's not a live-in gig, thankfully—Haizaki made that very clear. “You do the cleaning. You don’t stay. I don’t babysit.”

Whatever. Kagami's been through worse.

The sun had already started to dip behind the buildings by the time Kagami noticed how long he’d been on the court. His muscles were sore, his shirt clung to him, and his mind still wouldn't shut up.

Something about the whole thing sat wrong with him. But he pushed the thought down.

He needed money. Not peace.

The sun was already starting to dip behind the buildings when he realized how long he’d been out here. He sighed, frowning to himself.

Still no word from his dad.

He knows the man kicked him out, but… still. A call. A text. Something. He had hoped for even a sliver of conversation.

But nothing.

Himuro’s been trying to lift his mood in his own way—offering to treat him to dinner, dragging him out for one-on-one games, suggesting they just hang out and kill time.

Kagami said no to dinner every time, but he usually gave in to the rest.

He wondered—just for a second—if he should’ve stuck it out in that house for at least a month. Maybe by now, he’d be in a better place.

But then he scoffed to himself. No way. There’s no world where he could’ve handled two more weeks of being treated like crap.

Screw all those rich, privileged guys. That entire mess just reminded him why he avoids people like them in the first place. Haizaki was no exception but he needed a job.

Sticky with sweat and starting to feel gross, he grabbed his bag and started heading back to Himuro’s place.

Once he walked inside, he immediately went to the bathroom and took a shower. His hands still had small cuts here and there because of the amount of time he was cutting vegetables and flinched cause of Kuroko. Fortunately, the burn mark managed to go away after 2 and a half weeks. His hands look horrifying now, but at the very least, it doesn’t hurt that bad. 

Kagami stepped out of the shower, fresh clothes on and a towel around his neck. 

Knock, knock.

He paused on drying his hair to walk over. Himuro was out currently, so Kagami answered instead. 

He opened the door, “Hey, Himuro isn’t–” 

Kagami stopped mid–sentence as he made direct eye–contact with none other than Akashi. He looked away to see everyone else behind him. 

“Kagami,” Akashi said calmly, “can we talk to you?”

Kagami was one second away from slamming the door shut. But… that didn’t feel fair. Especially not to Akashi, who looked surprisingly genuine.

He let out a long, irritated sigh. “If this is about me working for you guys again, the answer is a resounding no .”

Kuroko stepped forward, looking unusually apologetic. “Can we at least come in to apologize?”

“Really. All of you are going to apologize?” he asked, deadpan, clearly sarcastic.

Kuroko nodded instantly.

After a beat of hesitation, Kagami relented, “Fine. But not for long. This isn’t my place.”

They piled in and squeezed into Himuro’s couches. Kagami didn’t bother sitting down, only crossing his arms while standing. 

“Well?” He wanted to get this over with right away. 

Akashi sighed, about to speak. 

Kagami cut him off, “No, you don’t need to apologize. The others do.” Akashi held back his smile as he nodded.

“Hm, thank you, I agree,” Was all Akashi said. They all glanced at him in a quiet, mutual panic. 

Kuroko spoke up first, obviously.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to sneak up on you—it was never intentional.”

Kagami exhaled, the tension in his shoulders loosening just a little, “Yeah… I figured. Sorry for, uh, yelling at you.”

Kuroko gave him a small smile, “That’s fine.”

Kise took a deep breath. “I’m sorry too! I… uh… yeah!”

That was it. Just yeah .

Aomine scratched the back of his head, looking anywhere but at Kagami. “Yeah, I was kinda an asshole. My bad.”

“L–Likewise,” Midorima added stiffly. “It seems I was… too harsh with my wording.” He adjusted his glasses like it could hide his discomfort.

Kagami raised an eyebrow, “Uh… it’s fine… I guess?”

Wow. Those apologies sucked so bad.

Then came Murasakibara, holding up a plastic container like a peace offering. “I baked you cookies.”

Kagami blinked.

“I ate some on the way here,” Murasakibara added, completely deadpan. “Sorry.”

He did not sound sorry. Not even a little. But… it was something.

“Oh. Uh… thanks,” Kagami muttered, taking the container.

Akashi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. This definitely didn’t go how he wanted it to.

“They’re… all sorry, trust me,” Akashi earnestly looked at Kagami. “Kagami, would you be our housekeeper again?”

Kagami suddenly became awkward, “Um… well, about that…”

Everyone looked at him, confused. 

Kagami cleared his throat, “I… got another job already. I’m starting tomorrow.” 

There was a collective pause. 

“A housekeeping job?” Akashi questioned. 

Kagami just nodded silently again, feeling everyone’s gaze bore into him.

Aomine sat up a little straighter, “Wait a minute. Who hired you?” The question sounded rude, but the athlete sounded genuinely curious.

“Haizaki Shogo,” Kagami casually answered. 

The others were not so casual about it.

Kise choked, “H–Haizaki?”

“Uh… yeah?” Kagami raised an eyebrow. “He’s not the nicest guy in the world, but he’s been chill so far.”

“Of course he is,” Midorima muttered under his breath. “He's scheming something.”

Aomine straight-up groaned, “Man, anyone but him…”

Kuroko’s gaze dropped, barely perceptible, but Kagami noticed.

Even Akashi’s face twitched slightly, though his voice stayed neutral, “That’s… unfortunate.”

Okay, now he was confused.

“You guys know him?” Kagami was a little worried now. Is he really that bad?

Akashi answered before anyone could, “You could say that.” He had a strange, chilling smile. 

Suddenly, he stood up, “Well, when you change your mind, you know how to contact me.”

Wait, that’s it?

And what does he mean by “ When you change your mind”?

The others looked just as surprised as Kagami felt. But Akashi didn’t say another word—just motioned for everyone to follow.

As they filed out, Kagami turned to Murasakibara, “Do you want your cookies back, then?”

Murasakibara frowned, looking mildly offended, “What? You didn’t like them?”

Kagami immediately panicked, “No, no! I mean—yes! I did! I just—forget it.”

The group left soon after, leaving Kagami standing alone in the entryway, staring at the door.

It shouldn’t be that bad.

…Right?

Chapter Text

Kagami should just shut up at this point. 

He’s starting to work for Haizaki now and it’s… interesting.

Before, not living with him sounded like a perk, but now it’s becoming an issue. Haizaki lives surprisingly close compared to where Akashi was, but he can’t have Himuro drive him everyday. He also doesn’t wanna just steal his car for a whole day either. 

So he just jogs there every morning now. 

Haizaki is shockingly more inconsiderate than the other guys. Kagami would literally have just finished brooming and Haizaki would manage to throw some trash on the ground. Or this one time where he walked on the freshly cleaned floor with his dirty ass shoes.

And all he’d say is: Oops

Before continuing to do it. 

Kagami is now fully convinced that Haizaki gets off on watching him suffer. More than Aomine ever did—and that’s saying a lot .

But going back to Akashi’s place? That would basically be admitting defeat.

See what he means by having bad luck?

Fast forward to now—early morning—and Kagami’s jogging to Haizaki’s place. At least he’s getting some exercise out of this job from hell.

Suddenly, someone pulls up beside him, keeping perfect pace.

“Still no headphones?” a familiar voice teased. “C’mon, Kagami. Haizaki not paying you enough or something?”

Kagami turned, instantly flat-eyed, “Aomine.”

The guy had his usual gym clothes on, earbuds in, grin easy. Just like old times.

Aomine snorted, “What? I’m just messing with you.”

Kagami didn’t answer. He definitely wasn’t going to say how Haizaki docked his pay last week— again —just because Kagami beat him in a casual one-on-one. He definitely wasn’t going to rant about how Haizaki sulked for the rest of the day and passive-aggressively left a sink full of dishes “by accident.”

“Kagami?” Aomine slowed his pace slightly. His tone had shifted, less teasing now. “I was joking, man.”

Kagami blinked, realizing too late that his jaw had locked and his expression had soured into something bitter and unguarded.

“Oh,” he muttered, shaking his head, “Sorry. That was… unintentional.”

They jogged in silence until Haizaki’s house came into view. Aomine’s eyes narrowed the 

second it did.

“Uh… well, I’m here now. Thanks,” Kagami said between breaths, wiping his forehead.

Before Aomine could reply, the front door swung open.

“Hey! What’re you standing around for?” Haizaki leaned against the frame, grinning smugly. “Some friends came over, so the place’s a mess. Get to it, yeah?”

Kagami forced a smile through clenched teeth, “Got it, sir.”

Haizaki gave him a rough pat on the shoulder—borderline shove—before heading back inside.

“I’ll be waiting!”

Kagami exhaled a sharp breath and turned back to Aomine, “Sorry ‘bout that. He’s just–”

He froze mid-sentence.

Aomine was glaring at the door Haizaki had just disappeared behind, jaw clenched, hands fisted at his sides.

Kagami had never seen him look like that—furious in a quiet, restrained way that made the air feel heavier.

“Aomine?”

The taller man blinked, face softening slightly as he looked over, “Hm? Oh. Right. I’ll be off then.”

Kagami frowned at the weird reply.

Aomine gave him a lazy smirk, but there was something else in his eyes—something that made Kagami’s chest tighten for half a second, “Expect to see me around more often, Taiga.”

Then he turned and jogged off like nothing happened.

Kagami stood there, brow still furrowed. That was… weirdly not irritating. In fact, he didn’t feel annoyed at all. Just confused.

Kagami strangely didn’t feel that angry with the interaction. Has Aomine gotten less annoying or is Kagami just numb to everything now?

But the moment he stepped inside and saw the absolute wreck that was Haizaki’s living room—bottles, chips, cigarette ash on the table like it was seasoning—he realized:

Yeah. He’s definitely not numb. Not even close.

He's about to pop a damn blood vessel.

☆

The kitchen was warm, full of steam and the soft bubbling of something Kagami was sure would taste decent. He was halfway through chopping vegetables, sleeves rolled up and face slightly flushed from standing over the stove too long.

Then came the laughter—Haizaki and a couple of his friends, obnoxiously loud from the living room. Kagami tried to ignore it.

Key word: Tried .

“Damn, you look real domestic right now,” Haizaki’s voice cut through the space like a smirk. “Kinda cute, actually.” He was suddenly next to Kagami now.

Kagami didn’t look up, “I’m working.” 

“Aw, don’t get shy,” Haizaki continued, leaning against the counter like he owned the world. Which, technically, he did in this house. “You always get this quiet when you’re focused, or just when I’m around?”

Kagami didn’t answer. He just went back to slicing.

Just focus, Kagami. Ignore this prick and his taunts.

Without asking, Haizaki reached over and plucked a cucumber slice off the cutting board, popping it into his mouth like it was nothing.

“Cheer up. You look like someone kicked your dog,” Haizaki said, chewing slowly. Then, after a pause: “Oh wait—guess that’s just your face.”

Kagami’s grip on the knife tightened. Still, he didn’t look up.

“Do you need something,” he said, voice low, “or are you just here to bother me?”

Haizaki shrugged, “Just making sure you’re alive. Would be a shame if my housekeeper dropped dead mid-shift. Think of the cleanup.”

Another voice called from the other room: “Hey, tell your maid to bring drinks!”

Haizaki didn’t even flinch. He laughed and turned to go, already forgetting the conversation.

Kagami stood in silence. He took a deep breath, stared at the sliced cucumbers in front of him, then went back to chopping—just a little rougher than before.

I’m gonna kill him. 

Those types of interactions were repetitive in this house. Haizaki constantly bothering the hell out of Kagami and Kagami just sucking it up until he can move into his new apartment. 

Or until he finds a better job. Again.

Whichever comes faster.

☆

Apparently, neither. 

He was sitting on a bench at some random basketball court, eating another convenience store bought meal. 

Good thing is, he bought a billion from that place because they were cheap, so he’ll be pretty full. 

Someone snatched one of his snacks, “Ooh, sharing is caring, Kagami.” A familiar, tired voice said.

Kagami looked over, “Murasakibara?” 

Murasakibara sat down and opened the snack, “That’s me.” 

A few more footsteps approached and Kagami realized it was the other guys. 

“Wait, why is everyone here?” Kagami scratched his head, thoroughly confused now. 

“What? Didn’t you know we all like playing basketball together?” Aomine chimes in, casually spinning the ball on his finger. 

“Uh… no?” 

Aomine stopped his spinning and looked at him, “Well you do now.”

Akashi sneakily made his way next to Kagami, “What are you doing here? Aren’t you working for… him?”

Kagami subconsciously let out an annoyed sigh, “Yeah, shifts over though.”

“Shift?” Murasakibara looked at him. “You don’t stay there?” 

“No? Am I supposed to?” Kagami knew Haizaki was an asshole, but was staying over like necessary?

Akashi raised an eyebrow, “Not really, but… nevermind. Is that your dinner?” 

For a moment, Kagami felt like lying because this was honestly embarrassing. But, he knew he couldn’t lie to Akashi, “… Yeah. I know, it’s pretty lame.”

Midorima walked forward and crossed his arms, “I do hope that isn’t all you’ve been eating.”

Kagami looked at him and narrowed his eyes, “What are you gonna do if I say it is?” It came out sassier than he’d hoped.

They all stared in silence. 

“Uh… c–cause it’s not! Obviously…” He sheepishly laughed and looked down. He just continued to frantically eat the food.

Gosh, they’re all so serious now…

Kise finally muttered, “I can get you something better. Like... real food, y'know?”

Kagami blinked, but only shrugged, “I’m not starving or anything. It’s still dinner.”

“That’s some really depressing dinner,” Murasakibara says while continuing to eat the snacks he’s literally trashing on.

Kagami sighed and shook his head, “No, it’s fine. It’s already late anyways.”

What is he? Some kind of charity project now?

Akashi put a hand on Kagami’s shoulder, about to say something. Some words of comfort maybe.

But Kagami’s ringtone went off and he looked to see Haizaki calling. He tried hard not to groan.

“Sorry, guys, gotta take this,” Kagami got up and walked as far as he could without looking suspicious. 

Haizaki’s grating voice came through the phone, “Yo, you left your weird necklace thing here.”

Kagami gasped and felt his neck, realizing he didn’t have his necklace on. 

“Shit, sorry. I’ll come back to grab it now,” Kagami frantically said as he went back to the others.

Haizaki laughed, a horrible sound, “Better hurry, Maid . I’m impatient.”

The line cut before Kagami could reply. He glared at the screen and mumbled, “Prick.”

“What’s wrong?” Kuroko frowned in concern. 

Kagami looked around and saw everyone staring at him with curious expressions. 

“I left something back at Haizaki’s, gotta grab it now,” Kagami vaguely responded. 

Akashi hummed in response for a moment before speaking up, “You’ll come back to play with us though, right?”

Kagami was silent for a moment before a smile broke out, “Oh you bet I will.”

He looked at a text message Haizaki sent before making a face at it. Kagami shoved his phone in his pocket. 

Haizaki: Clock’s ticking, sweetheart. Unless your new friends are gonna start covering your hours for you.

Kagami shoved his phone in his pocket. “What a weirdo,” he muttered.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow, clearly catching his discomfort, “What’s wrong?”

Kagami sighed and made his way toward the exit, “Nothing, Haizaki just sent this weird-ass text and he mentioned you guys. I don’t even know how he knows you’re here.”

A few of them exchanged glances.

Kagami jogged off before he could think too hard about it.

The apartment was dark when he got there. Somehow, it always felt colder than it should be.

“Hello?” Kagami called, stepping around another pile of clutter. How has it gotten messier in the past hour?

“It’s in here,” Haizaki’s voice echoed from the bedroom.

Kagami clenched his jaw. Just come out and hand it over like a normal person.

He walked in, trying not to look as annoyed as he felt.

His necklace sat on the nightstand, but Haizaki was sprawled across the bed like he’d been waiting for a show.

“Thanks, sir,” Kagami muttered, crossing the room and snatching up the chain. He slipped it over his head, relieved to feel it against his skin again.

He turned to go—until a hand yanked him back by the front of the necklace.

Haizaki’s voice was low and smug, far too close.

“You know what I like most about you?” he said. “The way you come running every time I call.”

His smirk widened.

“Like a dog.”

Kagami froze.

There was a beat. Just one second of stunned silence.

Then he slapped Haizaki’s hand away, hard.

“Don’t ever touch me like that again,” Kagami snapped, breathing sharp.

Haizaki only raised an eyebrow, still smiling, like it was all some joke.

Kagami didn’t wait for more. He stormed out, heart pounding in his ears. The second the door slammed behind him, the rage hit him full force.

Maybe he will consider going back to work under Akashi. 

He ran back to the court, hoping everyone was still there and that Murasakibara didn’t eat his whole dinner. 

Kagami saw that everyone was still there. They looked like they were in a deep conversation about something.

“I’m back!” Kagami interrupted either way.

Kise walked over and felt the necklace, “Mm, it’s pretty! Where’d you get it from?”

“Himuro gave it, we have matching ones,” Kagami replied. It probably wasn’t what Kise wanted to hear. 

The model only smiled and put an arm around Kagami, “Oh? So if I give you some cute jewelry, you’ll wear it?”

Kagami rolled his eyes and pushed his arm, “Get lost.” He went back to the bench.

Kise pouted immediately and followed, “Hey! I was being genuine…” 

Akashi carefully scrutinized Kagami, “Everything alright? You look tense.”

Kagami saw his concerned expression and sighed, deciding that there’s no point in hiding anything anymore. They already seem to know this guy and dislike him, so this won’t really be new information whatsoever.

“Yeah, Haizaki’s just so… annoying,” Kagami felt a heat of rage simmer inside him as he started to speak.

Aomine spoke this time, “Yeah, well, tell me something I don’t know.”

Maybe it was intentional, but the comment caused the fire inside him to erupt.

“He keeps inviting his stupid friends over and all they do is make a mess and disrupt me!”

“His friends–?”

“He’s always making these weird ass comments that I honestly don’t even understand!”

“Wait, comments–?”

Kagami only continued, “And not to mention he retracted my pay because I beat him in a game of fucking basketball? Like, who does that??”

A moment of silence.

Kagami suddenly felt awkward again. He didn’t mean to say that much, but the past few months have been so shitty. 

“So you’re telling me, he’s invited his friends over to bother you, he keeps making ‘weird’ remarks, and he’s not even paying you enough for all this?” The glare Aomine was giving almost made it seem like he was angry at Kagami. 

“… Yeah,” Kagami sighed. 

Murasakibara wasn’t eating his snacks anymore, “Never liked him to begin with.”

Akashi finally chimed in after glowering next to Kagami, “Kagami, if you’re done being underpaid and insulted, I believe my offer still stands.”

Kagami looked over in shock, “Really?” 

Akashi nodded, silently.

Kuroko finally spoke up, “Yeah, the place is kind of a disaster.” 

The information was apparently something they didn’t want him to know since a few of the guys glared at Kuroko.

Midorima crossed his arms, “Well, don’t tell him that .”

The shorter male just shrugged, “He was going to find out either way.”

Kagami paid the conversation no mind, only replying to Akashi, “You actually want me back? I mean I was barely even a good housekeeper.”

Akashi smiled, “Are you doubting my words?” 

Kagami flushed, “N–No! I just… I don’t know.”

“Come back to us then, I promise it will be way better than last time,” Akashi kept his gaze locked in with Kagami’s. He glanced at the others, “ Right?”

They all quickly nodded, making Kagami give them a flat look. 

They definitely aren’t going to, but it’ll be better than Haizaki.

☆

Kagami called Haizaki the next day telling him he’s quitting.

Haizaki didn’t take it seriously at first, “Oh don’t be like that, Kagami. I was only kidding yesterday.”

Kagami sighed in irritation, “I don’t care, I’ve already got another job. Go find some other poor soul to bully.”

He could practically feel Haizaki’s anger through the phone. The thought of it made Kagami smile smugly to himself. 

“You… ugh!” Before Haizaki could say any other condescending comment, Kagami cut the call. 

Himuro laughed from next to him before asking, “You sure you wanna work for Akashi again?”

Kagami closed his eyes as he fell back on the sofa, “Yeah. It may not be nice, but it’ll definitely be better than whatever Haizaki had me doing.”

“If you say so,” Himuro went back to whatever he was doing. 

That’s what Kagami said back then, but now, he’s realized that maybe he was mistaken.

And not mistaken that it’s worse. 

They’re actually helping out.