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Most days, Kagami can tolerate Aomine just fine. He just doesn’t say it, because then Aomine will get complacent and a complacent Aomine is just not something he wants to handle. On mornings they brush past each other in the hallway or end up sharing the bathroom while one of them is shaving and the other is taking a shower, Kagami can even admit that he likes Aomine. Or at least, those are the moments where there’s very little resistance from either of them. Kagami has quickly discovered that his ideal way of spending time with Aomine outside of basketball is just existing around each other — extremely low stakes and super chill. He hadn’t believed it when Kuroko said it, but two years of living together has taught them some things — mainly things like what tasks are best left to whom, and how best two of them can coexist when the third one steps out for whatever reason.
Kuroko and Kagami are usually the ones who stay at home the most. Kagami chose this apartment because it's closest to where he practices, and Kuroko usually works remotely when he can.
Aomine, on the other hand, drops by whenever he’s in the city — which is usually the off-season, or holidays, or the rare days off. That’s still a good 3/4th of the year if you count the months, so over two years Kagami has come to realize that he technically lives with Aomine, even if Aomine’s idea of crashing with them mainly involves sleeping a lot, eating all their food, and getting weirdly horny and cuddly whenever he remembers his tumultuous past with Kuroko. Kagami tries not to get involved with that shit, even if they have slept together — all three of them. Those have been the only times he’s actually kissed Aomine, though the two of them kiss Kuroko all the time.
“If you’re going to start seeing Dai-chan, you have to accept that he’ll be a satellite boyfriend,” Momoi had joked, and it’s mostly true. Aomine comes and goes on his own whims and he usually doesn’t ask for much, but it’s nice when he’s here. Even if Kagami is content enough having Kuroko by his side, he feels complete. Both their coaches have banned them from showing off any new tricks to each other off-duty, but they still play streetball when they can and Kagami never has to worry about finishing leftovers when Aomine is here.
On Friday, when Kagami comes home, grocery bag in hand, Aomine is in the hall with Nigou, cuddling. They’re both on the sofa, and Nigou has fully splayed himself over Aomine, his head resting on Aomine’s chest. When Kagami enters the room, Nigou perks, but Aomine only tilts his head back lazily.
“Hey,” Kagami says, shrugging his jacket off. “When’d you get in?”
Nigou kicks himself off Aomine to head to Kagami. Aomine winces. “About an hour ago. Did you bring any food?”
Kagami shakes his head. “Would have if I knew you were coming.” He gives Nigou a few good scratches behind his ear, intending to ask Aomine if he ate lunch, but Nigou flops onto his side with a thud and then rolls onto his back with his paws in the air, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.
Kagami laughs. “What’s wrong with him?”
Aomine scoffs. “He wants you to pet him more, moron.”
Kagami acquiesces, getting down to a squat so he can give Nigou more belly rubs. He can tell that Aomine is watching them out of the corner of his eye. If you told Kagami a few years ago he’d be coming home to Aomine and a dog, he probably wouldn’t believe you, but he’s making progress. He’s still nowhere near a natural, but he doesn’t flinch when Nigou barks anymore and sometimes it's fun to watch Kuroko and Aomine play with him — purely for the boyish way they chase each other around and laugh.
He’ll still make a fuss in front of Kuroko, don’t get him wrong, but it’s not a bad life all things considered.
Kagami leaves Aomine in the hall and heads to the kitchen to stuff the frozen stuff in the fridge. By the time he’s done and changed, Kuroko steps out of the bedroom bare-foot, an oversized shirt hanging off his shoulders. Kagami can’t tell if it's his or Aomine’s, but he leans down and accepts the kiss Kuroko presses to his mouth.
“Welcome home,” Kuroko greets.
“I’m back,” Kagami echoes.
They both turn to watch Aomine together for a moment. He’s settled on the floor, and Nigou is back to laying on top of him.
“Did he eat lunch?” Kagami asks.
“I think so,” Kuroko replies.
“Kay.” Kagami presses a kiss to Kuroko’s head. “Good.”
“He’ll probably ask for more soon.”
Kagami grins. “He already did.”
Kuroko shakes his head, but he’s smiling too.
+
Long after dinner, Kuroko and Kagami retire to the bedroom for the night. Aomine is still in the hall, still watching MTV half-asleep. He always says he’s comfortable on the couch and that’s why he likes to finish his first round of sleep there, but Kagami suspects he’s still weird about getting in at the same time as them. He’ll probably slink in later and tuck himself to Kuroko’s other side.
“We have to take Nigou to the vet soon,” Kuroko says idly, fluffing up his pillow. “He’s due for a shot.”
Kagami looks up from his phone. “I’m off this weekend.”
Kuroko nods. “Aomine-kun should be free too.” Then, “We should go somewhere after. I suspect we’ll have a day and a half trying to wrangle Nigou around.”
Kagami raises a brow. Usually, he lets Aomine and Kuroko go on without him, but he’s heard all kinds of stories about the dreaded vet visits. “Sure,” he says. “The park or something.”
Kuroko sinks into the bed and sighs. “Vanilla shake for me first. I’ll need it.”
Kagami laughs, spreading one palm over Kuroko’s chest. “We haven’t even gotten through the day yet and you’re already wiped.”
Kuroko turns his head over the pillow and blinks slowly. “I don’t think it will be that bad tomorrow with Aomine-kun there.”
“That guy?” Kagami snorts, the retort irresistible even though Kagami knows that Aomine is surprisingly good with dogs, has a soft spot for them, and adores Nigou something fierce. It always releases something warm and strange in his chest when he catches them playing together, the carefree grin on Aomine’s face shifting his features into something open and stupidly handsome. It’s probably the closest he gets to the boy Kuroko knew and fell in love with, which just springs more complicated feelings from within the depths of his complicated-feelings-about-Aomine reservoir.
Kuroko’s eyes become round with amusement. “Aomine-kun is good with dogs.” He says this in a tone that implies Kagami should learn a thing or two from him, and Kagami growls. Sometimes he thinks Kuroko purposefully likes setting them off against each other, but he can’t always boast that he’s too wise to fall for it.
“I wish he’d just come in here with us,” Kagami grumbles eventually. “One of these days he’s going to stub his toe or something while walking around here in the dark and then he’ll get benched and bitch about it for months.”
Kuroko smiles like he can see right through him. “I’m sure he’ll be touched by your concern. Until then we’ll just have to let Aomine-kun decide what he’s comfortable with.”
And this is what always amazes Kagami no matter how often he sees the two of them interact. That uncomplicated, patient understanding Kuroko has when it comes to Aomine, some implicit force within him that knows no matter where Aomine goes or how far, he’ll come back eventually. That he’ll live up to some expectation, some version of him that exists in Kuroko’s head — no matter how many mistakes he’ll make to get there. Aomine is the same with Kuroko, holding him to the same standard. It’s a kind of codependency that he and Kuroko have always avoided, trying to stand on their own two feet and be stable enough to support the other, but sometimes Kagami thinks he gets it. No two guys who grew up together can really be normal about each other, so he can’t fault them for it, even if he worries sometimes.
“If you say so,” Kagami sighs. “Want me to wake you up tomorrow?”
“Yes, please.”
They share a kiss and move up to their respective sides of the bed. As always, Kuroko leaves room beside him for Aomine, pushing himself until his back is perfectly flush against Kagami’s front. Kagami lets his leg slip between Kuroko’s and falls asleep.
In the morning, Aomine is there as predicted, his face tucked into space between Kuroko’s neck and shoulder, his arms wrapped around Kuroko's middle. They’ll suffocate like that, Kagami thinks, so he pushes Kuroko’s face until it's his chin settling on Aomine’s shoulder and not his nose. Kuroko doesn’t even stir, still deep asleep. Kagami is usually the first to wake anyway, so he rewraps the blankets around the other two and heads into the shower.
When he comes out, Aomine is already sitting at the edge of the bed and yawning. “Don’t we have something to do today?”
“Vet,” Kagami replies, clasping his necklace back on. “Nigou needs some shots.”
Aomine winces sympathetically, then pats Kagami’s ass as he passes him by to pick up his phone. “Morning.”
“Morning,” Kagami returns with a snort, unplugging his phone. “We should probably wake Kuroko up.”
“Tetsu.” Aomine hoists one sock in the air, then tosses it behind his shoulder, aiming for Kuroko’s face. It lands somewhere beside him instead. Kuroko continues to snore.
“Idiot, can’t you do anything right?” Kagami says, mostly-teasing.
Aomine rolls his eyes. “What, you want me to kiss him awake?”
“He’d probably ignite-punch you in the gut for that.”
“Probably.” Aomine hops up to his feet, then approaches Kuroko by his bedside. “Tetsu.” He’s surprisingly gentle when he shakes Kuroko’s shoulder. “Wake up.”
Kagami watches them fondly as Aomine’s figure casts a long shadow over Kuroko in the early morning light. Aomine nudges Kuroko’s cheek once, twice, but Kuroko adamantly remains asleep.
“He’s faking,” Kagami says incredulously. Honestly, he should be used to this by now, but he’s always astounded by Kuroko’s stubbornness in the morning.
Then, Aomine gets the brilliant idea to lift his sock and move to waft it under Kuroko’s nose. Kuroko’s hand flicks up in the flash of a second and grabs onto Aomine’s wrist.
“Aomine-kun,” he says, his voice thick with sleep but perfectly calm, “do you have a death wish?”
Aomine and Kagami grin at each other. Then they both look away, embarrassed.
Kuroko, who has mostly fully woken up by now, looks between them like they’re ridiculous. “You two are ridiculous,” he points out. Then, “You should both come back to bed.”
This time Kagami really can’t help but exchange a look with Aomine. “We’re supposed to leave in an hour, dumbass.”
“Come back to bed,” Kuroko repeats, as if Kagami didn’t just refuse him. “I want to see Kagami-kun hold Aomine-kun down.”
“Jeez, you shameless bastard,” Aomine says, but he sounds turned on as hell, which is so typical and honestly Kagami should have seen it coming. “Like I’d let him hold me down anyway."
Kuroko simply looks up at them and blinks, slow and patient and extremely devious.
They go back to bed.
Kagami holds Aomine down.
+
Two showers and breakfast later, they head down to the vet — an hour later than they originally intended. The second Nigou recognizes the block, he immediately begins to resist, tugging backwards on the leash as if in complete protest. Kuroko stumbles despite his best effort, getting yanked in the opposite direction.
Aomine tsks. “Give him to me, Tetsu.”
Kagami lends a hand and helps Kuroko get a grip on the leash. Together, they hand it over to Aomine, who wraps one firm hand around it and gives Nigou a look.
Nigou whines like a little baby. Kagami has never seen him like this and honestly it’s kind of sad.
“Don’t fall for it, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko warns. “We’re doing this for his own good.”
“And he’ll hardly feel it anyway,” Aomine says, shaking his head. “Come on, you big baby.” He doesn’t wait, just begins walking with the leash in tow. Nigou has no choice but to follow, but he whimpers the whole way there, and then again in the reception too while they wait.
Kagami is nervous despite himself. He knows he grouses on occasion about his fear of dogs, but he’s always preferred seeing Nigou happy than in this shriveled up, anxious state. The eerie quiet of the clinic doesn’t do much to calm his nerves, either, and he feels the anxiety build, his palms growing clammy.
He’s just about to turn around and step out when Aomine kneels down and begins talking to Nigou in hushed tones. His hands are gentle on the dog’s fur, fingers curling in and out in soothing motions.
It’s such a simple scene, but something about it softens Kagami, eases him, fixes him in place. This is the same Aomine that cried at the end of Marley & Me, a surprisingly emotional and loving person underneath all that shit-talk and bravado. It’s weird, but Kagami can’t help but feel fond of him when he’s like this, can’t help but see him as much more than Kuroko’s other boyfriend.
He swallows, unable to tear his eyes away. A quick brush of fingertips down his spine pulls his attention, though, and he glances down to see Kuroko looking at him.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” Kagami replies, and he’s surprised when his own voice sounds like he actually means it.
Soon, they get called inside and Nigou’s whining only gets worse. Kuroko and Aomine seem all too used to it, though. Kuroko fishes into his pocket and takes out two treats, setting one on the vet’s table to coerce Nigou into hopping up. When Nigou thrusts up his nose to sniff at it, Aomine tucks his hands under the dog’s pits and forces a little strength into the movement. Nigou goes, half-willing, his nails clattering on the metal table, and Aomine kisses his forehead as a reward.
“Good boy,” Kuroko praises. “You’ll get the other one when we’re done, okay?”
Nigou’s eyes shine like he understands — or at least that’s how it looks to Kagami — and then the vet enters the room. Kuroko hands him Nigou’s file and the two chat for a while about basic things like Nigou’s age and diet and general history. The vet knows Nigou, but he still asks if they’ll need a muzzle during the procedure.
Kuroko and Aomine exchange a look, and Kagami can tell by Kuroko’s shrug that he’s leaving the decision to Aomine. Aomine is the only one big enough to handle a dog this size anyway; Kagami can spend time with Nigou, but he’s still a little afraid of a potential lash-out. He’s got a crown-shaped scar on his ass to prove it, and no amount of Kuroko kissing or stroking it is going to make him forget the horrors of his past canine trauma.
“Nah,” Aomine says. “He’ll be a good boy. Won’t you, Nigou?”
Nigou’s ears are down, but he responds to Aomine’s question with a faint, accepting whine. The doctor moves to prepare the injection, so Aomine tucks one strong arm around Nigou and holds him in an embrace that looks both like a hug and a steadying gesture. He presses his mouth to Nigou’s ear, whispering comforting things to him while they all wait with bated breaths. He doesn’t look afraid for even a second that Nigou will bite him, but even if he does, Kagami thinks Aomine would forgive him.
The doctor adjusts his injection and then clears some of Nigou’s fur to insert the needle. Kagami’s hand finds Kuroko’s, and Kuroko squeezes. Aomine winks back at them full of false bravado, but it’s clear he’s bracing himself too, his voice deep and soft as he tells Nigou he’s a good boy — a patient one.
The doctor pushes the needle in, and then it’s done. Nigou doesn’t even flinch.
All three of them release a breath — even Kagami, who didn’t know he’d been holding one in.
“There, there, it’s all done,” says Aomine, releasing Nigou when the doctor’s a safe distance away. Kuroko gives Aomine’s arm a grateful squeeze and follows the doctor out — to settle payment and post-vaccination treatment protocol, probably. Kagami comes up to Nigou and gives him a few good scratches under his muzzle.
“You were such a good boy today, huh, Nigou?” he says.
Nigou wiggles happily under his touch, but Kagami is distracted by the way Aomine’s smile lights up his eyes, the way their fingers are only inches apart on Nigou’s fur.
“Pfft, duh,” Aomine snorts. “If anything, you were more scared than he wa—”
Kagami kisses him.
+
Later, after they get Kuroko his vanilla milkshake and then outweigh their own weight in heaps of burgers, they head to the park as planned. Nigou tears around the grass and chases butterflies, completely recovered from the pitiful state he was in at the clinic, while Kuroko, Aomine and Kagami sit on their picnic blanket and watch him.
“You having fun, Tetsu?” Aomine nudges Kuroko’s knee with his own. Behind him, one of Aomine’s hands rests on Kagami’s shoulder, his fingers idly stroking through the strands.
“Of course,” Kuroko beams. “I am with my lights, after all.”
Kagami and Aomine both turn slightly embarrassed, but when their eyes meet, Kagami shrugs and Aomine copies him, only half-teasing. Tomorrow they’ll have to wake up and head to work or practice, and they’ll have to argue about the ideal thermostat temperature and what to eat for dinner, but for now they just enjoy sitting side-by-side, the sun in their eyes, the wind calm and gentle.
It’s a beautiful day.