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Sakusa hates doing the dishes. There are so many things to hate about it. Like when the water gets on your sleeves and now your arm is gross with food water. The soggy food slowly dissolves the sink but leaves chunks of the food leftovers. When the food is on the side of the sink with the disposal so you have to reach your hand in to move it.
Sakusa doesn’t like germs and doing the dishes is hell.
When he is washing a plate and the polluted water of food gets on and in between his hands. He can practically feel all the germs crawling into his skin. He can’t use gloves because then the water gets in his gloves so now his hands are worse because now he can’t jerk them away.
He recoils as the food touches him. His face jerks the other way in disgust. He wants to break down, cry out, smash all the plates and do anything to make it stop. Sakusa feels as if he needs to shower, bathe, anything to get rid of the germs.
But Sakusa doesn’t break down, cry, or smash anything. He can’t shower until after and that would be a waste because it’s just dishes. He has to try and not think about the task when doing it to avoid these feelings.
When he has to, which is often, in the MSBY dorms he does the dishes. He washes the bowls, plates, utensils, and cups. His jaw is clenched as he does them but it’s either that or have to deal with the smell and sight of the dishes.
The team had decided to do weeks of people’s dish duty. One week is Hinata, after that it is someone else. Then someone else, and someone else. The cycle goes on.
Sakusa is after Boktuo, who tries his hardest but sometimes he doesn’t clean everything up when the week is up.
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Sakusa wakes up on Sunday and knows it’s his week. His week to scrub soggy bread, crusted ramen, and cups stained with tea. He has to put up with it for a week then he has a few days off. Only six members live in the dorms, 4 are full-time. Sakusa is thankfully not one of the four.
He has his own apartment during the off-season and during half of the year. But that means the people who live full time have more breaks since they clean up after parties and whatnot.
Last night the team had a celebration since they won their match, which leaves Sakusa staring at what looks like thousands of dishes. Sakusa takes a deep breath and begins.
His fingers tighten up as he reaches for the first plate. He grabs the sponge and begins. He tries to stay relaxed but soon after he is breathing heavily in anger. His fingers are tense, so are his shoulders.
Water splashes on his arm and on the counter. The worry of germs dig further and further.
Sakusa can feel his fingers tense up. They bend and stiffen out of anger. He clenches his jaw.
He wants to fall on the ground and scream. He wants to cry and break everything. Sakusa feels like the whole world is caving in and he is in the center.
Suddenly Sakusa feels a hand on his shoulder. He whips his head around to see a blonde setter beside him. “Ya okay Omi?”
Sakusa stares back into Atsumu’s honey brown eyes, his eyes are soft and caring. “Let me er’ help ya,” Atsumu says. He reaches over and grabs another sponge. He starts washing the dishes, with ease.
Sakusa is furious yet thankful at the same time. He is furious because Atsumu just walks over and starts doing the dishes, no head jerks, no pulling away when the water touches his hands, and no disgusted face.
Sakusa is also thankful because now he is not suffering. The task feels lighter already. Sakusa can feel the anger fading into the soap bubbles before him.
Atsumu turns his head and looks at Sakusa, he freezes, “ Orry’ Omi I didn’t ask an’ I should’ve aske-” Sakusa cuts him off before he can finish.
“No, please stay,” Sakusa says, he sounds so defenseless and sad. Almost pitiful, but he needs Atsumu to stay and help him. Atsumu simply nods and countuines the mesmerizing movement of his hands.
Atsumu starts to hum a song, it is beautiful. Sakusa wonders what his actual voice sounds like though he does not need to know now. Because Atsumu is doing the best thing in the world by helping Sakusa with the hardest task in the world.
Sakusa grabs the sponge he was using before and joins Atsumu in the bubbly washing of dishes.
It ends up being peaceful, relaxing, even doing the dishes with Atsumu. Atsumu makes sure none of the water gets on Sakusa, if it does he offers a towel. Atsumu also makes sure all the food gets put in the disposal, then turns on the blade for it to shred.
After they finish, which includes whipping down the sink, Atsumu washes his hands. Then he smiles at Sakusa. “Thank you,” Sakusa replies awkwardly. “No problem!!”
The dishes weren’t hard for once.
The routine of Atsumu helping Sakusa began that day. Everytime the dishes looked overwhelming, Atsumu would just appear out of thin air.
They would wash the dishes in a specific order. First Atsumu would add a shit ton of bubbles, which Sakusa may or may not find adorable, to the sink. Then they would move all the plates and big dishes into the sink with less dishes. Leaving them with the bowls and utensils most times, and they would wash those loading them in the dishwasher as they go. Next they would do the other dishes.
The pair even began to ‘goof off’ while doing the dishes, the first time Atsumu accidentally got bubbles on Sakusa and he started apologizing. Which led to Sakusa throwing some bubbles at him. They then splashes bubbles and water on eachother, their laughs loud and hearts happy.
Sakusa begins to wonder why Atsumu is helping him? A grown man should be able to do dishes and not come close to a mental breakdown. Most would've sat by and watched him struggle, but for some reason Atsumu helped him.
“Atsumu,” Sakusa said while they were washing the dishes one day. A simple hum for reply came from the faux blonde, “Why do you help me?” Atsumu turned over to Sakusa, his eyes soft and hands stopping washing the plate.
“Ya always looked so sad, no offence when doing them,” Atsumu began to explain, “I felt guilty watchin ya struggle. So my kind heart decided to help ya.” Sakusa is not offended.
“If ya want me to stop it’s fine-” Atsumu starts, “No,” Sakusa responds. Atsumu has a surprised and relieved expression on his face. “I like your help. It makes it easier,” Sakusa quietly admits. Atsumu seems to understand because he goes right back to washing.
They wash dishes every time together, never alone. Even when they don't have to. Sakusa feels comforted by Atsumu and everything is a lot easier.