Chapter Text
Adulthood was already stressful enough, Karasuma found, what with juggling college, a job, and dealing with the aftermath of changing the entire world when he was fifteen. He’s brainwashed government employees, traveled across the world, and changed fate with his own two hands.
And yet, his adult life was still relatively normal.
So when Karasuma shut the door to his shitty apartment at 9 pm after a relatively long day, only to see a paper from his landlord telling him his rent was shooting up far past what he could afford, Karasuma found himself a bit screwed. Sure, he supposes he could brainwash the 70 year-old geezer, but it was morally wrong, so it’s fine, it’s fine ! He never liked this place anyways: the neighbor was convinced he’d make it big as a rock star, and the bathroom was like something out of a horror movie. But Karasuma needed a new apartment
He laments about his situation to his friends over coffee. “Why would he even raise my rent so much out of the blue?! ”
Umino smiles sympathetically. “Maybe he raised it because he figured out one of his tenants is famous?”
“Ugh!” He takes a bitter sip of his black coffee. “I blame you.” He growls, pointing to where Takayama lounged on the chair. “Your 5-year-old-shenanigans just cost me an apartment.”
Takayama shrugs. “You don’t regret it.”
“ Not the point. My apartment lease ends this month, and like hell I can stay there, so where am I going to live?!”
“You’ll think of something!” Umino drinks her own cup, whipped cream getting on her nose. “I’d offer, but I think you and Irene would kill each other.”
Irene grins toothily. “Our apartment is a ‘men free’ zone anyways.”
“You can crash at our place!” Kamoda interrupts, slinging an arm over Sagisawa’s shoulder. “We have a couch you can sleep on until you find another apartment!”
“You don’t mind me budging in?”
The brunette waves a hand around dismissively. “It’s fine, it’s not like we didn’t have sleepovers all the time in high school.”
Karasuma’s overwhelmed with relief. “I won’t stay long, I promise. I get paid next week and I’ll look for places during my down time. Seriously, I owe you guys.”
“Don’t get mushy on us, man.” Sagisawa laughs, before taking a sip of his drink. “Eugh, not enough sugar.”
...
Karasuma sleeps on Kamoda and Sagisawa’s couch for two weeks before he’s at his wits end. Seriously, who even wakes up at 5 am on their own volition?! Karasuma goes to bed at 3 am on a good day. Sagisawa also goes to bed late, but he seemed to actually thrive- thrive! - on only 3 hours of sleep. Not to mention Karasuma also hates being a third wheel: Kamoda and Sagsiawa had gotten together at some point in highschool, and while Karasuma adamantly believes they are very sweet and perfect for each other, he would greatly prefer not having to live with a couple.
Annoyingly, he was having little luck at finding an apartment. He’s checked out five different complexes since moving out, and none of them worked (too small, too gross, too expensive ). He’s this close to going bald from stress.
Before he can scream into his pillow, Aia, Kamoda and Sagisawa’s cat, jumps up onto the couch. The 19 year old sighs, scratching the fluffy kitten’s head. “Why is everything so complicated?”
“Talking to the cat again?” Sagisawa calls, emerging from his bedroom and opening up the fridge. “What’s she saying?”
“Nothing useful.”
Sagisawa cracks open a drink. “No luck with apartments?”
“Ugh,” He lies against the backrest. “At this rate I’ll have to move back in with my mother...”
“Are you really that out of options?”
The raven-haired man drags his hands down his face. “...Well, I have been considering this one other option…”
“Mhm?”
Karasuma screws his eyes shut.
Takayama currently had no roommate. His apartment, decently sized for two people, happens to lay between both Karasuma’s work at the store, and Takayama’s work at the repair shop. “What if I asked Sou?”
Sagisawa raises an eyebrow from behind the counter. “Really? You’d be up for rooming with him?”
“Sure, there might be a slight problem here and there,” Karasuma laments, joining his friend at the counter, “but we’ve been friends for years, we’ll be fine.”
Sagisawa points to him with his can. “And this ‘slight problem’ wouldn’t happen to be your hopeless crush on him?”
“Wh-you!!” He can feel his cheeks burning. “Fuck off!”
So maybe he has a crush on Takayama. Whatever, no big deal! He’s already been able to squash down the feelings he’s had for his stupid, attractive friend for five years now, he thinks he could handle living with the guy.
“Well, good luck with that, then.” Sagisawa merely shrugs. “I’m sure he’ll agree when you ask.”
...Right, Karasuma actually has to ask him. Ask to move in with his crush, under the same roof, for the foreseeable future.
Fuck.
It takes him all of the next day to finalize his speech. Kamoda calls him “ridiculous,” but Karasuma knows that if he just asked straight up, he’ll end up fumbling over his words. So he treats it like how he would write a public speech, revising his key points over and over, even practicing in the mirror before he walks out the door that Saturday.
A small part of him wishes Takayama will turn him down. Sagisawa and his conversation buzzes through his head as he swoops down to Takayama’s apartment, and treks up the steps. Before he can chicken out, he forces himself to knock on the gray door. He’s got this, right?
The lock shifts, and it soon creaks open. Takayama spots him, his face breaking into a soft smile, and Karasuma already feels sparks kick off in his chest.
“Hey.” He greets.
“Hey.” Karasuma refuses to melt at the fondness in the other’s voice. “Thanks for having me over.” He sidesteps into the hallway of the apartment.
“It’s no problem. You said you wanted to discuss something?”
“Right, well…” He glances instinctively away and towards the living room, before pausing. “Is that a dog?”
Takayama peers around him, as if he’s also shocked to see it for a moment. “Ah, yes. I adopted her a few weeks ago.”
The puppy-an English mastiff, Karasuma recognizes-starts wagging her tail at such a speed that her whole body starts to wiggle.
Takayama moves past him to crouch beside her, grin evident. “Her name’s Tempest. Fiona suggested it.”
Karasuma tries not to blush at Takayama’s smile. Fuck, he’s cute. “She’s adorable,” Karasuma laments.
“Would you like to pet her? She’s very docile.”
Karasuma finds himself nodding, carefully taking a seat next to his friend and gently sticking his fingers in the cage. Tempest immediately starts licking his hand. “Gross.” He grumbles, but can’t help but be charmed by the little one.
Tempest pushes her nose through the cage, happily sniffing.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Takayama turns to look at him.
Karasuma laughs nervously. “Well, you know how I’ve been looking for a new apartment? Okay, so, well. I was thinking, what if I moved in with you?” Karasuma’s entire speech is suddenly nowhere to be found inside his head, and he desperately tries to remember his points. Maybe he should’ve brought his flashcards with him after all. “I can pay my fair share of the rent, I have a job at a grocery store as you know! And, well, I know you like your privacy, and this works out too! You work mainly night shifts, and I work day shifts, as well as taking classes, so I won’t bother you much! Besides, we’ve known each other for years, right? We’ve slept beside each other in trees and in mountain fields before, so think of it like a better version of that! But I understand if you’re not for that, I mean. You did just get a new dog, so a new roommate could be a lot. Plus, I’m kinda throwing this all on you. And-“
Takayama interrupts. “You can move in.”
“I can also-wait, really?”
Takayama nods. “Of course.” He smiles. “It won’t be hard to add you to the lease.”
Karasuma‘s brain buffers for a moment. “O-Oh! That’s great, then. Thank you.”
“Mhm.” Takayama looks down at his dog. “I hope you like dogs.”
Tempest barks in her cage.