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Hot oil sizzles in the pan as Kagami stirs around the veggies and meat. The savory smell wafts up around the kitchen as the rice cooker beeps, signalling the end of the rice’s cooking. With most of the moisture cooked out of the pan, Kagami clears his throat.
“Dinner’s ready!” He calls out, his voice echoing through the quiet lounge. He can hear the distant sound of footsteps against the polished hardwood floors. The shared house Akashi found them is nice and luxurious, with real wood floors and good carpet, and even a spacious and well equipped kitchen, although only Kagami and occasionally Murasakibara use it.
“What's for dinner?” Aomine is the first to poke his head through the door, hair sticking out to one side.
“Did you just wake up?” Kagami raises an eyebrow. He’s not one to talk, since he’s always sleeping during lectures, but Aomine seems to sleep all the time.
“Shaddup.” Aomine yawns, stretching an arm against the door frame. “I was up late last night.” Kagami rolls his eyes.
“Doing what, games?” He snickers when Aomine nods, not even pretending to be studying properly. Although Kagami isn't a star student either. Well, Akashi and Midorima are always sure to whip the idiots of the group, being most of them, into shape in time for midterms and finals.
“Kagami shouldn’t talk like that, since you were up late watching basketball last night and slept through all of math lecture.” Kagami let’s out an unearthly shout when Kuroko’s voice sounds from behind so suddenly, nearly dropping the frying pan full of their food on the ground.
“Don’t do that Kuroko!” Kagami hisses, turning around to his phantom roommate. Even Aomine is startled, even though Kuroko had to have passed him in the doorway. Kuroko shrugs.
“I wasn’t trying to hide my presence.”
“You weren’t trying to make your presence known either!”
“I did. That’s why I spoke up.” Kuroko’s face is as blank as always, something g that hasn’t changed since their meeting in high school. Kagami groans.
“Dinner smells good, Kagamicchi!” Kise crowd as he pops in behind Aomine, resting a chin on his shoulder. “Is it meat?”
“Meat and veggie stir fry, for four. Go get your plates.”
Midorima and Akashi had some project to work on, while Murasakibara was hitting up an all you can eat dessert buffet, so it left the four of them to fend for themselves for dinner, with a fridge full of vegetable scraps and various pieces of leftover meat. Luckily Kagami is a good enough cook to be able to scrounge something up for four hungry athletes out of bits and pieces. Perhaps the cooking lesson mishaps with his high school coach were good practice.
The clink and clatter of plates, bowls and silverware being gathered brings Kagami back to the present from his moment of reminiscence.
“Go get your own rice.” Kagami snaps at Aomine handing him his rice bowl. Aomine rolls his eyes, pulling his bowl back and shuffling to stand behind Kise who is happily digging the rice paddle into the fresh cooked rice.
“It looks good.” Kuroko’s voice is quiet and even as always as he leans around Kagami’s arm.
“It’s normal.” Kagami mumbles. It really is normal to him.
Setting his dishes on the table, Kagami waits for the other to sit down. After a quick “thanks for the food” they all dig in.
“Woah, as expected of Kagamicchi, you can even make scraps taste good.” Kise spits out through mouthfuls.
“Kise, that’s bad manners.” Kuroko jabs his side with a finger, making Kise sputter.
“Kurokocchi!” He whines, rubbing the sore spot. “That hurts!”
“You deserved it.” Aomine says, his mouth also full, and Kuroko lightly kicks his shin from across the table.
“Idiots.” Kagami snickers.
“Kagami, you can’t say that. I saw your last essay score.” Kagami can feel himself choke on his food. He thought he hid it where no one would see, but Kuroko must have snuck a peek while he wasn’t looking. Kagami grumbles wordlessly, shoving more rice into his mouth. They all fall to silence for a few minutes, nothing but the sound of chewing in the otherwise quiet dining area. Swallowing, Kagami clears his throat.
“Did you rent the movie we wanted?” He asks Kise and Kuroko.
“No, the rental place didn’t have it.” Kise speaks in between bites this time, avoiding Kuroko’s expressionless wrath.
“We got something else.” Kuroko chimes in, you’ll like it, Kagami.” Something about his words gives Kagami a bad feeling.
“What is the movie about…” Kagami stares at Kuroko suspiciously, but Kuroko just shrugs.
“You’ll see once we’re done eating.” This really doesn’t bode well for Kagami. As Kise and Aomine strike up a small conversation, Kagami falls back to eating silently.
Once all their dishes are cleared and in the sink, Kagami quickly glances at the lounge, sweeping his eyes around the room.
“There isn’t some prank or something going on, is there?” Kagami gives Kuroko a side eye, not trusting him. Although Kuroko is often mild mannered and quiet, he too has his mean streak, and they’re often the worst out of any of them. Or at least they startle Kagami the worst.
“It’s really nothing bad, Kagamicchi.” Kise laughs. “It’s just a documentary on dogs.” Kagami groans.
“I hate dogs.” He puts both hands to his face, rubbing at his eyes. Even though he got over his fear of Tetsuya #2, he still doesn’t like dogs, and the big ones still scare him. Kagami can feel an arm around his shoulder.
“Sorry, it was just a joke.” Out of nowhere Kuroko pats him on the back, which almost has the opposite of a comforting effect. “It’s about penguins.” Kagami’s shoulders relax a little.
“That’s a pretty nasty joke for you.” He mumbles grumpily, but still relieved.
“Sorry, sorry.” Kuroko grips Kagami’s shoulder in a comforting squeeze. Kuroko’s really become much stronger than he was in high school, a testament to his own efforts. Kagami raises an arm, ruffling Kuroko’s silvery blue hair.
“No big deal, it was just a joke.” Kagami rolls his eyes as Aomine slings an arm around his shoulders, fake whimpering about dogs. “Quit it Stupid-mine.”
“Uh huh, go get the snacks.” Aomine gives Kagami’s back a heavy pat, and then he throws himself onto the couch in front of the tv, stretching all the way out.
“Aomine, the rest of us need a place to sit too.” Kuroko moves behind Aomine, leaning against the back of the couch.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll move, Tetsu.” Aomine grumbles, swinging his legs over the edge of the cushion, propping himself up with his elbow on the arm of the couch. Kuroko sits beside him, bringing his legs up as he sits down, watching Kise fool with the DVD player.
“How old is this thing?” Kise coughs as dust flies into the air. After pressing a few buttons, it finally boots up and opens, and Kise slides in the disk, tossing the remote to Kuroko, who turns the tv on.
“Wait, don’t start without me!” Kagami calls out, bringing back bags of chips. He stops. “Aren’t you guys taking up too much space?”
“Not really, the normal amount.” Kise turns back, grabbing a bag of chips from Kagami and quickly tearing it open.
“Here, Kagami.” Kuroko shoves Kise further to the side, making space between him and Aomine, who’s still taking up too much space.
“Ugh.” Kagami carefully wedges himself between Aomine and Kuroko and immediately Aomine drapes a leg over his lap.
“Aomine, you’re taking up way too much space now.” Kuroko leans against Kagami to try and push off Aomine’s leg, but he holds fast.
“I need this much leg space.” Aomine rolls his eyes, bringing his other leg up. “See? Perfect.”
“Aomine don’t get your feet in the chips!” Kise whines, trying to save the bag he’s holding from the now kicking Aomine.
“I’m starting the movie now.” Kuroko ignores the flailing limbs around him, pressing play. Immediately music plays, covering a video of baby penguins walking behind their parents.
“This looks boring as hell.” Aomine is already yawning, a bored expression on his face. Honestly Kagami has to agree with Aomine, as infuriating as it might be. But he can feel his eyes growing heavy only a few minutes in, the sound of attic wind in the background lulling him to sleep. Soon Kagami is nodding off, his head resting against Kuroko’s shoulder, breathing evening out as he dozes off. The last thing he can feel is Kuroko ruffling his hair.
“Sleep well.”
—
Stretching groggily, Kagami feels warm and toasty, if not a bit stiff and sore from falling asleep sitting up. As he opens his eyes, he’s greeted by Akashi putting a blanket on top of the now unruly pile of boys on the couch.
“Hm? Akashi, you’re back?” Kagami mumbles groggily. Akashi puts a finger to his lips, a quiet “shh” being said. He points to Kagami’s sides. To his left and right, Aomine, Kuroko, and Kise are all fast asleep, tucked every which way. At his feet is a heavy weight, and he looks down to see Murasakibara asleep by his feet.
“Looks like you all rested well on your day off.” Akashi finishes tucking the blanket around Kise, and Midorima walks out with pillows.
“How’d you all fit on that couch, anyways.” He shoves his glasses back into place, and Kagami shrugs. The four of them definitely shouldn’t have fit on the couch. Akashi smiles.
“It seems like you all made it work.” Taking a pillow from Midorima and the remote from beside Kuroko, he settles on the smaller armchair by the couch, gesturing for Midorima to join him.
“Why don’t we start this documentary again. It’s one I’ve been planning to watch.” He clicks back to the main menu before starting it over again. It seems they didn’t get far before all of them fell asleep. Akashi turns the volume down til it’s just a murmur, and Kagami can feel his eyes grow heavy again as he watches the small penguins run across the screen, accompanied by that bland voice that drones on and on.
“Good night, Kagami.” Akashi whispers, getting up to close the window blinds.
“Good night.” And Kagami succumbs again to sleep among his friends.