Chapter Text
Well, fuck.
Those two simple words were the only thought that passed through Kenma’s mind as he stood dripping wet, half-naked and barefoot on the sidewalk, hugging his cat to is chest as he watched his building burn down. He’d be embarrassed about the fact that he was in nothing more than boxers in public later. He had more important things to deal with at the moment.
Like, for example, the fact that his apartment building is turning to ashes in front of his very own eyes.
Kenma sighed, attempting to adjust Kevin on his shoulder, hissing as the large grey cat refused to remove his claws from his flesh. He was certain there were trails of blood running down his back from the claws. That or it was soapy water. Which brought him back to the realization that he is currently semi-nude in public. To be honest, he was lucky enough to be dressed at all, given the fact that he had been mid shower when the alarms went off, only having time to grab a pair of boxers, his phone, and Kevin before sprinting down the stairwell.
“Your name and apartment number, sir?” An officer approached him with a clipboard, his face serious yet sympathetic.
“Kozume Kenma. Apartment six B.” He muttered, briefly glancing at the officer before returning his gaze to the dying flames.
“Thank you.” The officer flipped through the papers on the clipboard, stopping once he arrived at a page and scribbling some notes. “Does anyone else live with you, Mr. Kozume?”
Kenma hesitated before shaking his head, eyes still glued to the scene. Someone had lived with him, but not anymore.
“One last question, if you don’t mind.” Kenma nodded. “What approximate value would you place on the belongings in your home? For insurance purposes.”
Ah. Right.
Kenma had been avoiding that thought. He didn’t want to think about how all of his games, consoles, streaming gear, literally his entire livelihood had just burst into flames mere moments ago.
“Sir?” The officer asked once more, and Kenma provided a number he would later feel was too low to equal the value of some of his most prized possessions.
The officer thanked him for his cooperation, letting him know that the buildings’ insurance company would be in touch within the next few weeks to explain the next steps. He was doubtful he’d get full compensation, even if it was the landlords’ fault the place burned down. At least, it looked as though that was the case. He overheard the firefighters discussing the origin not long ago, the chief had explained they’d thought it was caused by faulty wiring within the building’s main structure.
He wasn’t certain as to how long he stood there, only noticing that it had been a while as the crowd had thinned out, the building having been reduced to nothing more than smoke and rubble. Kenma supposed it was time to call someone, seeing as the sun was threatening to leave the sky.
He unlocked his phone with ease, hardly paying attention to the names as he clicked on the last person he had called and placed the phone to his ear. The corner of his mouth upturned slightly as it hadn’t even rung twice.
“Kenma! Hi!” Shoyo’s cheery voice burst through the other end of the line.
“Hey Shoyo.” He responded, his voice void of energy. It wasn’t exactly out of character for him, but leave it to Shoyo to pick up his mood.
“What happened? Do you need me to come over? Was it Masato? Did he try to come over again? Ooooh if he did, I swear I’m gonna—”
“Shoyo.” Kenma interrupted him, not wanting to hear Shoyo go on another rant about his boyfr—EX boyfriend. “Can I stay with you for a bit? My building burned down.”
No use beating around the bush. He’d rather not drag this conversation out.
“Whaaa?! No way! Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Like… the whole thing?!”
“The whole thing.” Kenma confirmed with a sigh.
“Damn, I can’t believe it.” Shoyo let out a breath. “Yeah, come over. I’ll let Tobio know you’re gonna take our extra room. You have Kevin, right?”
“Yeah, I got him. Thanks, Shoyo.”
“Of course! You know Tobio and I would never leave you out on the streets!”
Kenma smiled at that. It was nice, having someone as reliable as Shoyo for a best friend.
“I’m gonna get a ride with a cop, I’ll see you soon.” Kenma announced, waiting for Shoyo’s confirmation before hanging up.
With one final look at his building, Kenma shuffled towards the few remaining officers on the scene. After an awkward five minutes of attempting to grab their attention (standing to the side in hopes someone would notice), Kenma finally gave up and tapped the one who had spoken to him earlier on the shoulder.
The man looked surprised to see him still there, only to nod in understanding as Kenma explained his situation. He informed Kenma he had a few things to finish up on site, but would have his apprentice take him to Shoyo’s house. A few quick introductions later (thankfully no one had brought up the fact that he was still half naked), Kenma was crawling into the back of the cop car, Kevin resting peacefully on his lap. He thanked every god he could think of that Kevin hadn’t decided to be his usual asshole self during the entire ordeal. Shooting a quick text to Shoyo to inform him he was on his way, Kenma finally relaxed into the leather seat beneath him.
What a fucking week.
It was only Tuesday, and so far, he’d lost his job, his love life, and now his home.
Kenma was certain that he must have been a raging asshole in his past life to get hit like this.
The job part was understandable; his boss had pulled them all together Monday morning to inform him that the company had gone bankrupt, and they were closing their doors. It seemed that most kids would rather order their games online or straight through their consoles, rather than go to a store to pick up a physical copy. Sure, Kenma was upset he’d be out a job, but it hurt a little more knowing that the place he’d grown up going to and worked at through college would no longer be around. It sucked, having to find a new source of income knowing he hadn’t finished his degree, but he figured he’d manage.
The boyfriend was… less than an ideal situation. Seeing as the two had lived together until Saturday morning. Kenma had worked the night shift Friday night, staying behind to help reorganize and ship out a few last-minute orders. Masato had ensured him it was fine, claiming he’d had a group project to work on for his graduate course, and wouldn’t be home anyway.
It was a lie, of course.
Finding your boyfriend of six years in your bed with someone else after you’d been let off work earlier than planned was pretty fucking cool, if you’d ask him. Masato, of course, tried to blame it on him, claiming he didn’t pay him enough attention on top of a multitude of other excuses Kenma knew to be wrong. He couldn’t help but feel as though it was his fault though, even after Shoyo had reassured him it wasn’t that night as he cried.
Kenma kicked Masato out the next morning, only for him to come crawling back later that evening.
He was thankful Shoyo had stayed with him, then.
Today was his final day at work, only going in after insisting he’d help Mr. Tanagawa pack up the remaining merchandise before the store closed its’ doors for good. It had been a tiring day, one that left his joints aching and his mind utterly numb. All he wanted to do was shower, curl up with Kevin, and play animal crossing for the remainder of the night.
But, of course, his apartment building said no and decided to burn down instead.
He chuckled to himself, thinking about how on brand it was with how his life was going right now.
“We’re here, sir.” The apprentice’s voice rang through his thoughts, causing Kenma’s gaze to refocus on the home they were parked in front of.
He thanked him briefly before readjusting his grip on Kevin, the bastard beginning to squirm as he was no doubt stressed out and starving, and closed the car door behind him.
With a deep breath, he took in the features of the Kageyama household.
It was small, but in a quaint sort of way. It was a traditional styled home tucked in between a few larger homes. The garden was surprisingly well tended in front, the stone pathway softly illuminated by a series of small floor lanterns only adding to the whimsical atmosphere Shoyo had worked so hard to create. Kenma took a small breath as he made his way to the front door, Kevin squirming in his arms as he rang the bell.
“Kevin. Stop.” He clutched the cat harder into his chest, hoping to provide him (and himself) some comfort after the stressful events of the day.
It only took a moment before Shoyo was pulling the door open and welcoming him in with a warm smile, only for the smile to drop moments later.
“Kenma!” Shoyo pulled him into his home before shutting the door behind him. “You didn’t tell me you weren’t dressed! Here.” He practically ripped Kevin from his arms, setting him down before dragging him towards the spare room. After shifting through the closet, Shoyo produced an old Karasuno hoodie and some sweats. “Go shower. You can wear these. Tobio went out to get Kevin some supplies as well as dinner for all of us.”
Kenma stood there for a moment, the weight of the day finally settling in as he took in the spare room around him. He glanced down towards the clothes in his arms, eyes glazing over as he processed everything that would need to be done.
He needed a job, immediately.
There was no way he’d be able to find a new place right away with his minimal savings, and he wasn’t counting on getting a decent return from the buildings’ insurance company. That being said, he couldn’t just live with Shoyo and Tobio. The two were newlyweds, and no doubt wanted to enjoy their time alone together without having to care for anyone quite yet. Kenma didn’t want to impose on that.
He didn’t want to impose on anyone.
God, how did he get here?
He didn’t know where to even begin looking for work. He hadn’t finished his degree. His only work experience had been at the only video game store in the area. He didn’t know the first thing about writing a resume.
Or god forbid interviewing.
He fucked up.
He shouldn’t have listened to Masato and finished school like he wanted.
“Kenma?”
He should’ve tried harder.
“Hey, Kenma.”
He should’ve –
“Kenma. Stop.” He glanced up at Shoyo then, hating the worried expression he wore. He needed to thank him. Apologize. Something.
But before he could get a word in, Shoyo pulled him into a firm hug.
“It’s okay, Kenma. You’re safe now.” Shoyo squeezed him tighter.
Funny.
He hadn’t realized he’d been crying.
It was then, as Shoyo held him firmly in his grasp, that Kenma’s legs had finally given out. The two fell to the floor, Kenma releasing the spare clothing in favor of gripping the back of Shoyo’s shirt as a violent sob wracked through his body. He was cold, and lost, and tired.
God, he was so fucking tired.
They remained like that for an unknown amount of time, nothing but Kenma’s soft sobs echoing through the room as Shoyo offered small words of comfort.
“Come on.” Shoyo pet his hair before slowly helping him back up. “Let’s get you cleaned up. When Tobio gets back, we’ll have a movie night, ‘kay?”
Kenma could only nod at the warm smile Shoyo gave him, following along as he was pulled into the spare bathroom. He hardly registered the shower turning on, Shoyo leaving only to bring the spare clothing back in. He set it on the counter, giving him one last smile and saying he’d be just outside the door if he’s needed before leaving him alone.
He actively avoided the mirror as he stripped himself of his boxers, not wanting to see the utter mess Shoyo had let into his home. He knew if he’d looked, his eyes would be bloodshot, rimmed prettily with a semi-permanent ring of deep purple. He was certain there was soot on his face, and with a glance at his shoulder, he confirmed that Kevin had, in fact, drew blood to the point of it dripping down his back in small, dried trails of crimson. The bottom of his feet were black, and he made a mental note to clean the trail they’d left on the pristine white tile as he stepped into the hot water.
As much as he wanted to sit in the hot water, he’d rather not allow his mind to travel again. He couldn’t afford a total breakdown yet. So, he scrubbed himself harshly with the spare loofa Shoyo had provided in a feeble attempt to wash away the past few days from his skin. He was out and dressed shortly, surprised to see Shoyo sitting on the floor just outside of the bathroom, softly stroking Kevin as he scrolled on his phone.
“Oh good! You’re out!” Shoyo stood with a smile. “Tobio is pulling up with the food right now, let’s go get the living room set up.”
Hours later, Kenma found himself drifting off to the sound of a cheesy romcom (Shoyo had insisted after he and Tobio had chosen a thriller as their first movie). He could faintly hear Shoyo whispering to Tobio beside him, the three curled up together on the futons they’d dragged out of storage. Kevin curled himself into Kenma’s chest where he lay on his side, Kenma’s fingers lightly stroking just under his chin, the soft sounds of his purr echoing in his ears.
“I’m gonna talk to Suga.” He heard Shoyo ‘whisper’, earning a hum of approval from Tobio.
He figured they’d been talking about his situation, but he hadn’t felt like eavesdropping. Shoyo would fill him in in the morning, either way.
Tomorrow would be better, he promised himself, before he let the sound of Kevin’s purrs combined with typical early two-thousands romcom music lull him to sleep.
Thursday afternoon found Kenma an absolute fucking mess.
Granted, he was doing better than he had been, and nothing utterly life altering had happened since his home burned down Tuesday.
No, Kenma was freaking out for an entirely new reason, one that he had only been informed of about forty-five minutes prior.
“Kenma! Good news!” Shoyo had walked into the house as Kenma was eating lunch, eyes glued to Shoyo’s laptop in search for a job. Kenma glanced away at his intrusion, raising a brow in question at Shoyo’s excitement.
“So you know my friend, Sugawara? The one Tobio and I played volleyball with in high school?” Kenma nodded, the image of a kind man with silver hair conjuring faintly in his mind. “Right. Well, he’s working as a Kindergarten teacher right now, and is in need of assistance!”
“Okay? So?” Kenma knew where this was going, but would rather not believe that Shoyo thought he was a good candidate.
“Sooo,” Shoyo plopped himself down onto the sofa beside him, grinning wide as he uttered his next words. “I got you an interview! He remembers you from my birthday last year, and said he’d love to talk to you about the position!”
He wanted to decline. Kenma and kids? Yeah, no way. Children, especially the little ones, were sticky and snotty and loud and everything Kenma definitely did not like. How old were kids in kindergarten, anyway? Five? Six?
What the fuck does a five-year-old even do?
Can they talk in full sentences yet?
Kenma didn’t have any friends who had kids, and he actively avoided them not only when working at the video game store, but in life in general.
How was he supposed to know what they did?
“I don’t think—”
“Nope.” Shoyo shut him up. “Don’t give me that ‘I don’t think I’d be good with kids’ bullshit.” Kenma turned to fully face him, surprise evident on his face. “Even Suga agrees you’d do great.”
“But I don’t know anything about kids.”
“You don’t have to!” Shoyo reassured him. “Suga would teach you the ropes, and the good thing about Kindergarteners is that most of class is just teaching them basics and playing games with them!”
“I...” he let out a small sigh. It wasn’t like he had any other options, at this point. “Okay. When’s the interview?”
“An hour, so you better get moving! You can borrow some of my clothes, and we’ll take you shopping this weekend!”
“An hour? Seriously? Shoyo I’m still in pajamas! I haven’t showered. I don’t even know what to do in an interview.”
Shoyo simply pushed him towards the spare room as he patted his back “You’ll be fine! It’s just Suga!”
Yeah, just Suga.
Kenma played with the button on the cuff of Shoyo’s dress shirt as he sat on a bench just outside of Sugawara’s classroom. How he’d managed to get ready and get over here so quickly he had no idea. All he knew is that his insides were churning, and he really wanted to run back home and hide under the covers with Kevin for the remainder of the day.
He was surprised at how incredibly nice the school had been when he arrived. Shoyo hadn’t mentioned anything about it being in the nicer part of town. So, when he dropped him off at an obviously newer school building with state-of-the-art facilities, surrounded by homes he’d only dream about living in one day, he suddenly felt far too underqualified for the position.
As he was contemplating the consequences of leaving, the door to his right cracked open, revealing the smiling face of Sugawara Koushi.
“Kozume, it’s good to see you.” He greeted; his voice low as he stepped out of the classroom.
“Kenma’s fine.” He said, standing and reaching a hand out to shake the other mans. “It’s good to see you too.”
“Do you mind if we talk out here? My kids are napping.” Sugawara asked as he took a seat beside Kenma.
“They nap?”
“Lucky bastards, aren’t they?” Sugawara said with a slight laugh. “Yeah, some schools are getting rid of nap time, though. I don’t agree with it. I think it’s’ important for kids at their age to get the full ten or so hours they need to develop properly. So, I try to give my kids thirty minutes every day. Don’t tell the principle, though.” Suga gave him a wink, the action surprisingly calming his nerves.
“So, besides napping,” Kenma began, suddenly feeling very at ease, “what do you teach five-year-olds? They’re five, right?”
Sugawara let out a small chuckle as he leaned back into the bench, his gaze turning towards the playground in front of them. “Yeah, most of them are around five, although they can be anywhere between four and six. And I like to integrate a lot of arts and crafts into learning fundamentals such as reading, writing, and math. It’s unfortunate, that schools aren’t focusing on creativity as much anymore.”
Kenma nodded in response.
“But enough about that.” Sugawara looked at him once more. “Tell me, Kenma, have you worked with children at all before?”
“No.” Kenma was sure the few kids that would come into the video game store every so often hadn’t counted. “Sorry.”
“Ah, it’s all right. Hinata – sorry, Kageyama informed me of your previous work experience beforehand. Somehow I think you’ll do just fine.”
Just then, the door cracked open, revealing a small girl with wild black hair, and piercing blue eyes.
“Mr. Sugawara?” she said, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against the door frame, her hand still gripping onto the handle.
Sugawara stood then, moving around Kenma to squat next to the small girl.
“Yes, Temari?”
“Ryota won’t stop poking me.”
Sugawara smiled, patting the small girl on the head. “Go ahead and move your things over near Koji for now. I’ll talk to him when I come back.”
The little girl nodded sleepily before disappearing back into the room.
“Kuroo Temari.” Sugawara spoke suddenly, turning back towards Kenma. “A bright little thing, way too smart for her own good, but I guess she gets that from her father.” Kenma watched as Sugawara retook his seat beside him on the bench. “Her and her father have been through a lot in the last year, and she often ends up staying here later than most of the kids. That is, when the Bokutos can’t take her home with them.”
“Ah.” Kenma said in acknowledgement, somehow feeling as though he’d been let in on some extremely private information.
“As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the kids here come from more, privileged, backgrounds. It doesn’t make them any better or worse than other children. If anything,” Sugawara’s smile dropped slightly, “I feel the need to prepare them for the reality of the world even more. Reality can be cruel, you know.”
Kenma had the sinking feeling Sugawara knew everything about him, then.
“Well, in any case.” Sugawara stood then, offering a hand to Kenma with a smile. “I’d love some extra help with these kids, and I have a feeling you’ll be the perfect man for the job.”
“I… really?” Kenma took his hand, confused as to how he managed to be offered a job without saying more than a few words.
“Yup.” Sugawara smiled, “something tells me you won’t go easy on them. And they need that.”
“Okay. Yeah.” Kenma smiled a bit, surprised at the excitement coursing through his veins. It was strange. He never thought he’d be excited for something such as working with kids, but somehow, he felt like this was the fresh start the universe was offering him, and if he didn’t take it, he’d circle right back to where he started. “When do I start?”