Chapter Text
you never really chose to be part of kenma kozume’s routine.
as nekoma’s team manager, you saw yourself as mostly a background character for the rowdy group of boys, but you were the one who noticed and remembered everything about them. a while back, when you first became their manager, you learned very quickly that these boys loved to have noise in their everyday lives. well, you weren’t really that kind of person and neither was kenma. you learned how to blend into the background while still being useful, but i guess that kind of brought you two together.
it started during morning practices, when he’d always arrive right after you did. he’d enter the gym and see you moving with purpose, setting up for practice. without thinking about it, he started being earlier, arriving at the exact same time as him. every morning, he’d hold the door open.
“morning kenma,” you’d greet.
“..morning.”
it was never anything grand. no long conversations, nothing much other than the occasional “good job” as you’re passing out water. yet, the routine was too hard to break.
“you good?” you asked one afternoon, crouching beside him after passing out the water.
“yeah,” he replied.
“you always say that, even when you’re not.”
“..i’m okay,” he assured after a moment.
before he even realized it, kenma was noticing things about his team manager.
small nods to each other at practice, the way you never rushed, how you were sure in all of your movements, how you preferred the silence over small talk. he told himself it was normal, that there were people who like being alone. but even with that reasoning, his eyes would always flick towards you when he entered a room to make sure you were there, whether he realizes it or not. one afternoon, when he glanced up at his phone, he noticed you were there, sitting a few feet away.
“..oh,” he muttered, more to himself than to you. you noticed, looking over at him.
you looked up, startled.
“oh, am i in your space?”
he blinked, fingers hesitating over his screen for a second.
“..no. it’s fine. i just didn’t notice you sit.”
you nodded, accepting his answer. you didn’t try initiating a conversation or moving closer. simply lingered there. kenma went back to focusing on his game, but it didn’t seem the same as before.
in your eyes, although hard to read, kenma was a really easy person.
easy to sit with, easy to be around. you never needed to force conversation around him, which was a refreshing change from his teammates. when you did talk, though, he listened. not overly excited to hear you talk, but enough to let you know that you had his attention.
“hey kenma,” you said, having a seat next to him on the bench after practice. he was on his phone, as usual.
he let out a hum in response before sitting in silence for a moment. he seemed to be contemplating something before tilting his phone screen towards you.
“..want to watch?”
you hesitated for a second.
“are you sure?”
he let out another hum. you leaned in slightly closer, almost brushing against his shoulder.
“..it’s quieter,” he says, almost absentmindedly.
“what is?”
“just sitting here like this.”
the two of you sat together through the buzzing gym before you decided to pack up, unhurried as usual, kenma working at the same pace.
kuroo then calls out to kenma.
“kenma! don’t take all day, if you don’t eat soon, you’ll collapse,” he said with a grin, ruffling his hair.
kenma didn’t answer right away.
“oh, and yumii-chan’s still working hard, huh?” kuroo said, nudging you gently with his elbow.
“..gotta make sure none of you brickheads forget your stuff.”
“ah, so harsh. are you always this mean?” he asked with a chuckle.
“only to people who don’t listen,” you replied, easily keeping up with his banter.
“i’ll have to behave for you, in that case. or maybe not, just to hear my cute manager scold me.”
kenma’s hands gripped his phone slightly tighter at kuroo’s words. he felt a sudden uncomfortable feeling in his chest at their playful banter.
“did you need something, captain?” you asked.
“hm, nah. just checking on my favorites,”he said teasingly, a smirk on his face.
“well, i’ll be waiting, kenma. don’t take so long,” kuroo called out to kenma, ruffling his hair before heading out.
“..so annoying,” kenma muttered once he left.
“he means well, you know that,” you said with a slight smile.
he doesn’t reply.
you finish packing and he shoots one last glance to you.
“you heading out?” he asked.
“mhm, i already double-checked everything,” you replied.
“oh, alright.”
“i’ll see you tomorrow, then,” you said, slinging your bag over your shoulder.
“..yeah. see you,” kenma replied.
you left, unaware of how kenma’s eyes tracked your movements until you were gone.
he tried convincing himself it was just a habit out of familiarity. you were just someone who didn’t drain him, someone he could be quiet with. it was just reassuring to him how there was someone like him that he sees every day.
as you walked home, you thought about how often you’d look up and see kenma nearby, and you couldn’t help but look forward to seeing him tomorrow too. he made your job feel lighter. more familiar.
kenma lingered for a while longer, staring at the door blankly, the gym feeling more empty without you.
to kenma, the idea of someone else becoming a constant to him other than kuroo was new, but not quite unwelcome.
only then did you both realize that this routine was something to look forward to every day.
but neither of you mentioned anything about it.
not yet.
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((glup idk who’s going to read this but what’s up))
((js letting you know again that this is my first fic, not proofread or anything lmao))
((alright i’m out of things to say so bye))
((-kodzumii))