Back in high school, while he was choosing what universities to sit exams for, Nijimura had picked the one closest to his house. It would allow him to stay at home and look after his family; that had been the only thing he was thinking about.

Even now, having been persuaded to live in the accommodations provided by the school and only coming home during the weekends – because his father was nothing if not strict about providing Nijimura with what he considered to be 'freedom' – Nijimura did not regret his choice. It was the best option for the circumstances and had nothing to do with sacrifices. That he gave his all to his family was only right.

He did not regret his choice, but Nijimura was pressed, he had to admit that living with his peers wasn't so bad. There were advantages to living away from home, one of which was how much easier it was to ogle hot people out of his parents' sight.

But he missed his family. He missed his siblings. And, most of all, he missed his dog.

"I'm home," Nijimura called into the empty hall on Saturday morning, locking the door behind him as he toed his sneakers off at the entrance. His mother had taken his father for another check-up at the hospital and the two of them wouldn't be back until later that night, his siblings were out playing with friends, which meant the only one home should be…

"Woof." Sei padded austerely out of the living room, his stately pace deceptively fast.

"Hey, Sei," Nijimura cooed, bending at the waist to ruffle the pair of alert ears, "how've you been?"

Sei, who hated being looked down on – physically and metaphorically, thrust his entire not inconsiderable body weight into the exact part of Nijimura's leg that forced him to tumble over into the ground. He then daintily plopped himself down on Nijimura's wheezing chest to lick regally at Nijimura's face.

Nijimura, flat on his back in the middle of the hallway, did his best to suck air back into his lungs. "I missed you too, buddy."

Sei was, strictly speaking, Nijimura's siblings' dog. But it was Nijimura who had found him that day, on the street next to the basketball court Nijimura frequented, a tiny puppy licking pitifully at the dead body that Nijimura had guessed to be his mother. It was a simple hit-and-run, Nijimura learned later, though the police never did find the culprit. Nijimura's siblings, bleeding hearts that they were, had thoroughly welcomed Sei into their hearts by that point and it was they who managed to convince their parents to keep the dog.

But, maybe because it was Nijimura who had found him first, Sei made more allowances for him than he ever did for anyone else. Or maybe that was just what Nijimura wanted to think.

Gave him a bath again. How does your dog get so dirty? It's only been two days since I was last here and I know he wasn't that dirty then.

He's a good dog, though, didn't make a fuss about being washed. Hope you don't mind I got him another ball; the other one is way too big for him.

-Your friendly neighbourhood dog sitter

Nijimura glared balefully at the letter left on the dining table, then glared balefully down at Sei innocently batting a mini-basketball under the table. They had bought Sei a small basketball in the beginning, only for Sei to ignore it and go after one of Nijimura's old proper basketballs anyway. The thing was gone the next day and Nijimura didn't want to think what Sei had done to it. And yet here he was, playing with a ball that was an exact copy to what they had given him as if he had never even thought about rejecting it. "You never let us bathe you without a fight."

Being jealous of a dog sitter – a dog sitter Nijimura had never even met – was probably the lowest Nijimura had ever gone. As if agreeing with him, Sei nipped harshly at Nijimura's jeans and trotted over to his food bowl, standing beside it and looking over pointedly.

Nijimura took the hint, taking the bowl and walking to the kitchen. It was as he got out a can of Sei's super expensive dog food – because of course he refused to eat anything else – that he saw the note on the fridge.

Shuuzou,

Can you take the computer in to the shop again? It's doing that thing again. Sorry to bother you, none of us are going to be back until late.

-Mother

Nijimura sighed. "If the problem ends up being your hair again," he said threateningly, dropping the bowl of dog food in front of Sei with a scowl. Sei shoved his muzzle into the bowl, not even bothering to pay attention to Nijimura's threat.

Nijimura sighed again as he opened the door to his old room. It had been repurposed into a playroom after he moved out, crammed full of games and electronics; though they had kept the bed for when Nijimura returned on the weekends.

With practiced movements, Nijimura unplugged the computer from the wall and the monitor. It wasn't the first time he'd had to do this, their computer had been acting weird ever since Nijimura moved out back in April, which made no sense considering that they'd had Sei way longer than that and there had never been dog hairs in there before. He would be more exasperated about it, but the guy who worked the desk at the computer shop was really hot. As embarrassing as it was to admit it, it was a good excuse for Nijimura to meet him, even if he still couldn't work up the courage to approach the guy.

The computer shop Nijimura always went to for repairs was situated in a side street that branched off from the station closest to where the Nijimuras lived. It was a quiet little street, the only other shop a convenience store on the other end. Nijimura had never met another customer during any of his earlier trips, and it was no different this time.

Like every time before, it was only after Nijimura had lugged the computer onto the counter and got an apathetic "Oh, it's you again." in response that he realised the counter was actually manned. It was amazing how good the guy was at not being noticed.

"Hey." Nijimura scratched bashfully at his neck. "It's me again, sorry."

"Don't apologise, you're paying for my paycheque."

Nijimura nodded. "Thanks." Not for the first time, Nijimura cursed the fact that there was no furigana on the name tag. How was he expected to read that kanji? What did it even mean anyway, substitute over black? Why would anyone make that a name?

"No problem," the guy said, leaning forward to peer at the vents. "Is it dog hairs again?"

"I hope not." Nijimura made a face. "I don't understand why it started happening recently. He sheds, but not to the point that it interferes with the computer working like this. We even started locking the door, and yet…" Nijimura waved a hand at the computer.

"Dogs, what can you do." There was a slightly wistful look as the guy spoke.

"You have a dog too?" Nijimura couldn't help but ask.

He got a headshake. "Nah, I don't need that much work. But I've looked after other people's dogs, and they are all trouble. How does such a small dog hold so much dirt in that coat?"

Nijimura could tell the question wasn't at him. "Yeah, I have a small dog too; it's amazing what he can get up to."

Opening up the back vents, the guy wrinkled his face at the insides as he picked up a russet hair. "I can't get away from this fur even when it's someone else's dog."

It was a weird thing to say, but Nijimura was about to be late for Sei's walk. "I need to go. I'll leave you to it."

"You got it," the guy said, attention fully on the computer.

Nijimura wished he at least had the guts to ask for a name.

Nijimura ended up a little late after all, but Himuro was as accommodating as always, waiting for him at the little park they always met up in while Taiga sprawled on the ground at his feet. Sei made a beeline for him the moment Nijimura let him off his lead, and soon the two dogs were scuffling on top of the grass. Sei, Nijimura was pleased to note, was winning.

Himuro smiled innocently at Nijimura as he took a seat beside him. "You're a bit later than usual, finally found the courage to talk to your computer guy?"

"I know you're enjoying this." Nijimura glared.

"Come on, surely you at least have a name?"

"How am I supposed to ask how to pronounce his name? What if he thinks I'm an idiot?"

"He's talked to you already," Himuro said wryly, "I don't think you need to worry."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Nijimura put Himuro into a headlock, well aware that Himuro was letting him do so.

"Come on, you're jealous of a guy you've never even met, not exactly the epitome of intelligence."

"Don't bring the dog sitter into this," Nijimura snapped, tightening his grip. "Sei is a traitor."

Hearing his name, Sei looked over from his position of lounging on top of a resigned Taiga. Nijimura waved at him. Losing interest, Sei plopped his head back down, allowing Taiga to resume licking his ear.

"'The dog sitter'," Himuro repeated. "Don't tell me you don't know his name either?"

"I know it! Mum mentioned it once, back when they employed him. Mayu…Mayuzumi!"

"Mayu…" Himuro frowned lightly.

"You know him?"

"Just something I heard from Kuroko-kun once." Himuro shook his head. "Anyway, you have a kanji, don't you? Why not just check the internet?"

Nijimura let go, ducking his head in embarrassment. "I'm gonna ask him. One day. I don't need the internet. Besides, a kanji like that – substitute over black – you just know it's gonna be a weird pronunciation."

Himuro hummed musingly. "Substitute over black…" He smiled at Nijimura. "Why don't you use Sei as an excuse and invite the guy over? You can always say you're asking for his advice on how to deal with dog hairs in the computer."

Nijimura blinked, letting the idea percolate in his head. The guy did talk like he had experience with dogs.

"Think about it." Himuro looked over at the two dogs. Taiga had apparently leveraged his superior build and weight so that he was now on top of Sei, licking the smaller dog so much that the russet fur was standing on end. "Come here, Taiga, let's go before Sei tears your throat out for doing that to him."

"See you later." Nijimura waved, waiting for Taiga to rush over – with Sei hot on his heels – and skilfully clipping the lead on Sei's collar before he reached Taiga and made good on the threat.

Nijimura kept thinking about Himuro's suggestion the rest of the day. It was still in his head on Sunday when Nijimura went back to pick up the computer, and he decided it was probably a sign. "Look, I know this is a weird request, but can you come with me back to my parents' place? You said you have experience with dogs, maybe you can help."

The guy sent him a considering look, and Nijimura tried not to break into sweat. "Sure, not often I get an invitation that blunt." In a smaller voice, so quiet that Nijimura wasn't sure he heard properly, "Not often I get an invitation at all."

It sounded like a good sign. But Nijimura was soon regretting his decision. The guy had been acting weird ever since they got to Nijimura's house, looking around with an expression Nijimura couldn't read the whole time Nijimura bustled around putting the computer back in its place and making tea for his guest. It was the most expression Nijimura had ever seen him make. "Is, uh, something wrong?" Nijimura asked, sitting down on the floor on the other side of the low table and putting two cups of tea on the surface.

The guy turned the look on him. "You're not doing this on purpose. Huh."

Nijimura frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"…I'm your dog sitter." With perfect timing, Sei padded into the living room and bumped his head against the guy's leg.

"Dog- you're Mayuzumi!?"

"I wear a name tag," The gu- Mayuzumi said exasperatedly, reaching over to rub Sei's head. "How could you not know?"

"I couldn't read it," Nijimura admitted, looking at the way Sei narrowed his eyes in bless at Mayuzumi's ministrations. Nijimura couldn't tell if he was jealous or aroused.

Mayuzumi sighed. "The way you've been looking at me, I thought you were inviting me for a booty call. Now it's just awkward."

Nijimura's ears rang with Mayuzumi's words. Instinct told him if he let this chance go it wasn't coming again. "It doesn't have to be."

"Yeah?" Mayuzumi raised an eyebrow at him.

Nijimura licked his lips. "I, uh, should thank you, for all you've done for Sei."

"That is the worst solicitation for sex I've ever had," Mayuzumi said in wonder. "You don't do this a lot, do you?"

Nijimura wished the floor would swallow him. Or at least that he'd be able to punch Mayuzumi's face without losing his chance with him. "I've never done this before."

"Well, I've at least had more experience than you, it looks like. As your sempai in these matters, let me teach you how it's done." Mayuzumi smirked.

Nijimura let Mayuzumi guide him to his room. He wondered how it was possible for someone to look this hot just by smiling. And how easy he was that he was letting Mayuzumi turn him on like this.

After the most bone-meltingly good sex of his life, Nijimura sank back into his bed and tried to regain feeling in his extremities.

"Don't look down on your elders, brat," said Mayuzumi smugly, panting lightly beside him. Nijimura didn't need to look to know that Mayuzumi was smirking. Now that he was no longer clouded by a haze of hormones, Nijimura allowed irritation to take its place. He pinched the arm sprawled over his chest and relished in Mayuzumi's yelp.

"That was pretty good," Nijimura said grudgingly. "Are we dating now?"

Mayuzumi shrugged, undaunted. "Sure, why not? We've already ticked off every other point on the romcom list. I still can't believe you never realised it was me."

Nijimura opened his mouth, a retort ready, because it wasn't like Mayuzumi had realised either, when the two of them were distracted by a rasping sound from the other side of the room.

Looking over revealed Sei rubbing himself vigorously at the open vents behind the computer; Nijimura could practically see the fur working its way inside. Once he realised that both Nijimura and Mayuzumi were looking his way, Sei treated them to the smuggest expression Nijimura had ever seen on a dog, then padded back out through the open door – the open door that Nijimura knew he had closed and locked when they entered. The door creaked a little as Sei pawed it shut from the other side, the lock echoing loudly in the silent room.

"Did we just get played by a dog."

"He does that," said Nijimura. "We're probably easier to deal with than that lock too."

"What a depressing thought." Mayuzumi grunted, turning over so that he was crouching over Nijimura. "Forget about that, let's do something more interesting."

It was still a little infuriating how hot Mayuzumi looked, draping himself over Nijimura like that, but mostly it was just arousing. Nijimura let himself be kissed. "Yeah, good idea."