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A bead of sweat trickled down Isagi’s brow.
As the evening drew to a close, most of the Bastard München team had left the practice field to shower and eat dinner; on one part of the field, Isagi and Kurona continued practicing, passing the ball faster and faster between them.
There was an ache that traveled through his legs as he ran. His heart pounded against his ribcage. It was exhilarating. One final pass from Kurona. This angle, this speed, this timing-
And-
Michael Kaiser, who had been practicing alone all the way across the field, was now running directly in his path. Kaiser, who had a stupid smirk on his face and stupid metavision that could compete with his own.
Isagi knew he was coming and could see every single possibility flash before his eyes. But so did Kaiser. And after team practice and his own personal practice with Kurona, his body couldn’t keep up.
Woosh!
The soccer ball soared and hit the net. A goal… for Kaiser. Fuck.
“Aw, Yoichi,” Kaiser cooed, leaning down to his eye level in the most annoying way possible, “You’re gonna have to do better than that.”
Isagi stepped forward, his eyes blazing. “Fuck off, Kaiser. Don’t you have anything better to do?”
Kaiser’s smirk widened. “Better than shutting out your goals? What else do you have to offer me?”
“I can kick your ass free of charge.” Isagi scowled at the amusement in Kaiser’s expression. His hair, blonde with the tips a vibrant blue, fell perfectly to frame his smug face. The red eyeliner he always wore was painted around his eyes -- still unsmudged. How was that possible? Did this guy never sweat?
And that’s when Isagi realized just how close Kaiser’s face was to his own. He could feel Kaiser’s breath, warm against his skin. His heart thumped in his chest.
“Why don’t you just worry about keeping me entertained,” Kaiser responded, ruffling Isagi’s hair.
His hand was warm as he patted at his head, strong fingers intertwining themselves between dark strands. ‘Kaiser has nice hands’, Isagi thought and then dismissed immediately. Slowly, the movement stopped, but Kaiser’s hand stayed perched atop Isagi, holding him there.
After a moment, he realized Kaiser wasn’t pulling his hand away from him. And after another moment, his breath stutters before he twists back, finally moving away from Kaiser.
Somehow, that felt like losing. And judging by Kaiser’s smirk as he leaves, he knew it too.
“I’m going to destroy him,” Isagi said quietly.
Kurona nodded slowly. “But first, we should shower.”
***
It didn’t take long for Isagi to realize that Kaiser had the very annoying habit of leaning down to talk to him. And he was always leaning right into his personal space.
Kaiser was certainly tall, about a head taller than him, but he wasn’t the tallest person ever. Plenty of people in the Blue Lock Project seemed to be absurdly tall, not even counting all the players that came in for the Neo Egoist League.
Isagi wasn’t even short, he was average! But compared to the players around him, it definitely felt that way sometimes.
Even worse, sometimes Kaiser would grab his chin and tilt his head up too.
Isagi had been thinking about a way to retaliate as Hiori, Yukimiya, and Kurona talked about their upcoming game. He fell asleep to their voices and the low hum of the air conditioner as an idea formed in his head.
The next morning at practice, Kaiser greeted him with a sly smile, Ness trailing behind him. “Yoichi~”
Before Kaiser could begin leaning down, Isagi stomped towards him and pulled him forward by his collar. “What do you want, Kaiser?”
For a second, Kaiser’s eyes widened before he blinked away his surprise. “Why, Yoichi, if you wanted me closer to you, all you had to do was ask.”
Behind him, Ness wore a horrifying smile on his face.
The hand wrapped in Kaiser’s shirt tightened. “Keep me close and I’ll steal everything from you,” Isagi snapped back. All Kaiser did was grin.
Before either could respond, Noa called for practice to begin. Isagi was about to start walking over when- oh, right. Quickly, he let go of Kaiser and tried not to look back. Isagi tried to ignore the warmth of his hand and the smell of Kaiser’s hair conditioner too.
As practice continued, every time Isagi and Kaiser talked to each other during breaks, it was a test of speed whether Kaiser would lean down first or Isagi would pull him down. Kurona helpfully suggested that he could keep tally.
It continued until dinner.
It was a rare and wonderful occasion where players from many of the stratums were able to eat together and Isagi delighted in seeing his friends from the First and Second Selection again. Across from him were Bachira and Chigiri, who were talking about the different training they were going through at Barcha and Manshine City, respectively. Next to him was Nagi, who’d been immersed in a new game throughout dinner, and Reo who was content to watch him play.
Isagi could hear footsteps behind him.
Michael Kaiser.
Before he could say a word, Isagi’s hand shot up to pull Kaiser down to his sitting level, practically forcing him to bend fully forward. In an effort to balance himself, Kaiser leaned down into him, wrapping his arms around his torso.
Bachira’s mouth fell open. Chigiri blinked. Nagi looked up from his phone.
“Yoichi,” Kaiser crooned in his ear, his voice low and soft.
Isagi looked down as heat rose on his cheeks. The crown tattoo on Kaiser’s hand gleamed in the cafeteria light as his hands settled firmly on his waist.
Agh, Isagi needed to come up with a new strategy.
***
It’s early in the morning. Like really early in the morning. Like if Isagi and the other Blue Lock players weren’t basically prisoners in the facility, they’d be able to catch the beginnings of a sunrise.
Meaning it was way too early to be dealing with Kaiser.
Isagi was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he sat down in the cafeteria for breakfast. Hiori and Kurona hadn’t woken up yet, and last Isagi saw, Yukimiya was brushing his teeth. In each of the stratums, the non-Blue Lock players were given better -- not prison-like -- accommodations, so normally, they didn’t interact with the foreign players outside of games and practice. Isagi didn’t blame them though; if someone offered him better food and his own room, he’d take it up immediately.
That raised the question of what Kaiser was doing in the cafeteria so early in the morning.
He must be here to pester him.
“Yoichi, good morning,” he called out, inviting himself to sit down beside him.
Isagi didn’t look up from his meal as he responded, “What are you doing here, Kaiser?”
“Already so harsh? Maybe I just wanted to say hello,” Kaiser said, his voice laced with humor. Yep, he was here to pester him.
Isagi glanced up and Kaiser shrugged innocently. Menace.
After a moment, Kaiser said, “You should eat more. You need to build your endurance.”
Yeah, if only. “I eat what I’m given,” Isagi replied, taking another bite of his breakfast. He tried not to think of delicious, tender steak.
Kaiser hummed.
“Your metavision has been getting better, but you’re terrible at controlling your limits,” Kaiser continued, looking off in the distance as he spoke. “Resting can be just as important as practicing.”
Was… Kaiser actually being helpful?
Kaiser kept speaking. “Of course, I never had this issue.”
Well then-
Isagi had never seen that expression on Kaiser’s face; his blue eyes were piercing and his lips were drawn down slightly as he seemed almost lost in thought. He wanted to ask what Kaiser was thinking about, but something churned in his stomach at the thought of breaking the strange silence that had fallen between them.
Eventually, Kaiser sighed and ran his hand through his bangs.
“I get too antsy and excited to sleep sometimes,” Isagi offered hesitantly. “Practicing helps.”
Kaiser looked down at his finished breakfast plate and grabbed it, throwing it away without a word.
Isagi blinked. “Hey, wha-”
Kaiser grabbed his wrist in a firm grip, his fingers easily wrapping around him as he pulled Isagi closely behind him.
“If you want to catch up to me, you better keep your eyes on me,” Kaiser said, his hand tightening around Isagi’s wrist. “You don’t want to fall even further behind.”
And for some strange, inexplicable reason, Isagi didn’t pull his arm away.
The idea of Kaiser dragging him around made his brow twitch in annoyance. He jogged a few steps to catch up to Kaiser’s long strides -- till they were walking side by side.
They stared at each other for a moment. Kaiser’s hold felt as though it was burning at his wrist.
“I hope you don’t regret those words,” Isagi grumbled eventually. He knew he had a ways to go before he could actually walk side by side with Kaiser on the stage of professional soccer, but walking next to him now… it didn’t feel terrible.
He expected Kaiser to say something annoying and flirtatious and patronizing. He was waiting for the usual rage to start pooling in his stomach. He tried to prepare himself for the curling lips of Kaiser’s smirk.
I’ve never regretted anything before, Yoichi. Is that another way to say you’ll always be trailing after me, Yoichi? Your words are cute and amusing as always, Yoichi.
Instead, Kaiser held his gaze as he said, “I won’t.”
***
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The soccer ball was high in the air -- soaring across the expanse of the field -- and Isagi could see it so clearly, and he knew Kaiser could see the same thing too. But another member of Bastard München was also right there. And Kurona was waiting at the right side. The path towards a goal for himself was taking shape, he just needed to reach out and grab it.
The ball was almost at his feet. Kaiser was closer. They were both going at such a speed-
Twack!
Isagi vaguely heard the sound of a whistle as he groaned softly. Ah, his head hurt. He fluttered his eyes open, everything looking hazy -- even Kurona, who was standing above him, asking if he was okay.
If Isagi was okay? What happened?
He felt… okay. If a bit sore and strangely warm.
He could hear Noa’s voice, the translation devices changing his voice to worried Japanese, and Ness, who was screeching Kaiser’s name at the top of his lungs.
Someone groaned underneath him. Fuck. Michael Kaiser.
That’s what was so warm.
Isagi leaned up, his left hand pressing against Kaiser’s torso which was… very built. Which, yes, Isagi knew from that time Kaiser entered the Block Lock locker room shirtless, but feeling it was another thing entirely. Isagi felt his face begin to heat up as he fell backwards away from Kaiser. ‘Why am I thinking about this anyway?’ raced through Isagi’s head.
A player’s physique was important to their style and Kaiser was his ideal and it was just- research. Yeah.
“If you wanted to feel me up, all you had to do was ask,” Kaiser chuckled before coughing out a breath.
“That’s not what I was doing!” Isagi flushed before changing tracks. “Are you okay?”
“How do you feel, Michael? Are you alright? Can you stand?” Ness fired a series of questions before glancing at Isagi with venom in his eyes.
Kaiser sat up. “I’m fine. My arm is a bit banged up though.”
Guilt bloomed in Isagi’s chest as Kaiser clutched at his arm, standing up and holding the same confidence he always did.
“You should get that checked out to be safe,” Noa advised.
Isagi stood up. “I’ll take him to the infirmary.”
“Aw, Yoichi! You’re offering to take care of me?” Kaiser cooed, grinning. Ness seemed to be seething in the background.
“Need any help, Isagi?” Kurona asked hesitantly.
Isagi thanked his friend, but brushed off his help. He could handle Kaiser.
Noa nodded. “You should get checked out too while you’re there -- just in case. We want you both at your best for the next game.”
They walked together through the hallways of the Blue Lock facility. Kaiser was walking steadily, but he was still clutching at his left arm, holding it close to his chest.
Kaiser may have been one of the most dramatic people he’d ever met, but the last thing someone could call him was a weak person, and he hated showing weakness. Isagi frowned, biting at his lower lip. Kaiser must be in more pain than he realized. And it was his fault-
“Yoichi~” The hum of Kaiser’s voice pierced through the quiet between them. “You did this, you should kiss it better.”
Isagi could feel himself begin to flush furiously. “Absolutely not,” he choked out.
“Why are you taking me?” Kaiser asked, suddenly serious, and Isagi’s head spun at the whiplash. “It’s not out of some misplaced guilt, is it?”
“Misplaced?”
Kaiser sighed like Isagi was an idiot, but he was too curious to begin cursing Kaiser out. “We both saw the same thing, didn’t we? It’s just as much my fault for letting myself get injured.”
Isagi blinked in surprise. “Kaiser…”
“Which means I should take responsibility,” Kaiser sighed again before smirking. “Have any injuries you’d like me to kiss away, dear Yoichi?”
Isagi’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. “Fuck you, Kaiser.”
Soon, they arrived at the infirmary where a kind and patient nurse checked them out. Isagi was fine, thankfully, but Kaiser’s arm was sprained and bruised up; the nurse said Kaiser should be okay before the next game as long as he avoided heavy exercise and straining his arm.
The nurse instructed Kaiser to remove his shirt so she could wrap his arm before the shrill sound of a phone began playing. She spoke for a few moments before a slight panic settled on her face, turning to them as she hung up. “There was a bad collision in another stratum, so they’re calling everyone over. Are you able to wait-”
“I can wrap his arm,” Isagi volunteered, grabbing the bandages. “I know how to do it.”
The nurse thanked him profusely and apologized to them before rushing out.
Kaiser sat on a bench that put them at eye level. He stared at Isagi with such an intense expression, a chill ran down his spine. Isagi shuffled over, unrolling the tape as he took in Kaiser’s appearance. He was strong with broad shoulders and abs that anyone would be jealous of, but mostly left Isagi feeling out of breath for some reason. And his left arm with black thorns running down it was already beginning to bruise.
“If you’re worried about me messing up, I’ve done this before,” Isagi said, only guessing at whatever Kaiser’s unreadable expression said.
Kaiser huffed.
His skin was warm underneath Isagi’s fingertips and without thought, he traced over Kaiser’s tattoo, his touch feather-light. Kaiser didn’t say anything, just watching him. He began wrapping his arm, gently but firmly. Isagi was standing so close to Kaiser, he could feel the heat radiating off of his body.
At first, he thought it would be awkward and uncomfortable being so close to Kaiser, but it felt normal. Familiar. It felt so familiar. Maybe they often stood closer to each other than Isagi realized.
If Isagi looked up, his eyes were right in front of the blue rose of Kaiser’s tattoo. It was so beautiful blooming over his skin. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. Would Kaiser let him? Would he hold his wrist away?
Just as Isagi was finishing wrapping his arm, he glanced at Kaiser. He was still staring at Isagi, this time, with an unbearably soft smile on his face. Isagi had never seen Kaiser with an expression like that on his face. It felt like something that should be hidden. Secret. Like it wasn’t for anyone to see. But Kaiser was giving it to Isagi freely.
For the first time, Kaiser’s perfect hair looked out of place as his bangs fell halfway over his eyes. Isagi reached towards him slowly, brushing his bangs behind his ear. It was like silk against his hands.
Isagi stumbled as he quickly pulled away. “Uhm, that should be good. Let me know if you need it reapplied.” Isagi was out of the door before Kaiser could respond.
***
It was hot. It was so, so hot. It was a sort of heat that swelled in his chest and burned at his skin and sunk into his lungs with each heaving breath. The heat licked at him, breaking what little remaining energy he had left. Isagi tried to blink the feeling away and a rush of exhaustion fell over him, seeping into his bones as he stumbled forward. He overexerted himself again.
A wave of dizziness fell over him as he stepped forward. Isagi was burning and he was so tired and he felt air beneath his feet as-
Strong, steady arms wrapped around him. Those arms held him firmly against Kaiser’s body.
“I got you, Yoichi,” Kaiser whispered to him. His other arm moved underneath Isagi’s thighs, picking him up to carry him against his chest.
Isagi’s head lulled, dropping into the crook of Kaiser’s neck. He felt comfortable here. Safe.
He let himself rest against Kaiser and he murmured something in his ear, his mind too fuzzy to understand. Hidden in the shadows of the hallway outside the field, as he lost consciousness, Isagi swore he could feel the press of Kaiser’s lips against his hair.
***
“So… Isagi,” Chigiri started, a teasing smile painted on his lips. “You and Kaiser.”
It was another rare and wonderful occasion where many of the Blue Lock players from different stratums were able to get together to share a meal. Sitting with his friends from each selection felt like worlds colliding.
“What about me and that asshole?” Isagi asked, tilting his head.
Bachira cackled. “Well a little birdie told us you two were getting pretty close.”
Isagi turned to Kurona and Hiori who both refused to make eye contact with him. Yukimiya looked at him dead-on and shrugged. “It’s true.”
“I’m studying him so I can devour him,” Isagi said, crossing his arms. “That’s all.”
Reo grinned. “Does studying involve holding each other?”
“Yeah, or carrying each other off the field?” Chigiri added, a knowing smile on his face.
“What a pain.”
“Wait!” Isagi yelled, whipping his head around to make sure no one heard him, before whispering. “It’s not like that.”
“What is it like then?” Bachira asked curiously.
Well, it was obvious. Isagi Yoichi and Michael Kaiser hated each other. They were always at each other’s throats both on and off the field. Kaiser went out of his way to tease and pester and annoy him. And he did a good job of it because he annoyed the fuck out of Isagi.
Kaiser, who he always kept close to him, and who decided to stay close in turn. Who lit a fire under him. Who made him a better player than he could ever be without him. Who still acknowledged his skill even between insults. Who gave him advice and soft smiles and piercing looks. Who gave him headpats that, Isagi realized, he’d actually become content with. Who gripped his wrist when he walked and held his chin when he spoke. Who, for a reason that made Isagi’s heart ache, made him feel safe and secure.
“Oh! There it is! That look on your face,” Bachira cheered, waving his arms and grinning from ear to ear.
Isagi’s brows furrowed. “What look, Bachira?”
Yukimiya shook his head and adjusted his glasses. “You see what we have to deal with? They look at each other like that all the time.”
“What look?” Isagi repeated more urgently this time.
Hiori patted him gently on the shoulder. “You’re hopeless.”
“I support your relationship, but Michael Kaiser is still an asshole with the personality of a trash can,” Chigiri huffed out, his eyebrow twitching. “Let us know if we need to talk to him.”
“Yeah!”
Nagi nodded. “I’m in.”
“Wait- relationship? I’m not- I mean, we’re not-” Isagi stuttered, trying to find a good explanation to whatever insane idea his friends had landed on. From an outside perspective, he supposed it could look strange. For people who seemingly hated each other, they were also always touching. And Isagi didn’t hate Kaiser either. He felt… he didn’t know how he felt. ‘Do I like Kaiser like that?’ Isagi thought to himself, his breath catching.
“Mhm, sure, sure,” his friends responded, nodding, clearly not believing his words.
Isagi didn’t believe them either.
***
Isagi had a theory. He just needed to test it out. Luckily, he had the perfect excuse to do so.
He decided to implement his plan before warm-ups started during afternoon practice. It would have been better if he could get Kaiser alone, but that didn’t happen often and it would be difficult to plan. Pulling Kaiser away from Bastard München would be even stranger than just doing what he was about to do.
He noticed he tended to feel different when he and Kaiser were touching or when he was thinking about them touching. He just needed to figure out what exactly that feeling was.
Isagi didn’t remember much from the last time he’d overheated using metavision, but he knew Kaiser carried him to bed. And he should thank Kaiser for that.
With a hug.
“Kaiser,” he called out, steeling himself as the Bastard München players arrived. Kaiser grinned and approached him, standing far too close -- and still, maybe not close enough.
He leaned down as he crooned, “Hello, Yoichi-”
Isagi pushed himself forward, knocking the breath out of Kaiser as he leaned up on his toes and wrapped his arms around his neck, slotting himself right next to Kaiser’s ear so he could murmur, “Danke, Kaiser.”
The field was so silent, Isagi was sure he’d be able to hear a pin drop. No one spoke. No one moved. Isagi wasn’t sure if Kaiser was breathing.
And then Kaiser was hugging him back fiercely, his arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him even closer.
Isagi’s heart thumped against his ribcage. He breathed in the scent of Kaiser’s hair and sighed. If his legs fell out from under him right now, Kaiser would hold him steady and upright, hold him so close he could feel his breaths against his skin. Isagi wanted to stay like that forever.
Yeah, this feeling. Being around Kaiser.
Isagi knew what that feeling was now.
Kaiser teased him about the hug for the rest of practice. It was worth it.
***
It had to have been past midnight and most of Blue Lock was soundly asleep. Isagi leaned against his pillows, listening to the soft breaths of his roommates as his body decided to not give him any rest. He felt keyed up -- wired. It was that same feeling he got right before a game except Bastard München wouldn’t have a game for another week.
He couldn’t stop thinking about his hug with Kaiser.
The warmth of Kaiser’s body against his own. His hands wrapped firmly around his waist. His hair brushed against his cheek. The soft smile he wore when they let go of each other.
The Neo Egoist League wouldn’t last forever.
Maybe that’s what was keeping him awake.
Isagi muffled his frustrated sigh with his pillow and got up, leaving the shared room as quietly as possible. He was rarely around the area the non-Blue Lock players stayed in; they all had their own separate bedrooms and facilities so outside of the soccer fields, there wasn’t much overlap unless someone actively sought out the other side of the stratum.
Kaiser was probably asleep by now.
Ugh, why did he get up? Maybe he should just practice this energy off.
As he padded through the hallways, Isagi heard a sound coming from a room across from him. It was labeled as a monitoring room, but it looked smaller than the normal Blue Lock ones did. The door was just barely open.
Isagi peeked inside. Michael Kaiser sat regally in his bed clothes, glasses perched on his nose with his hair pulled half-up, as he watched him on about a dozen screens. Isagi could feel his face immediately heating up; he wasn’t sure if it was because Kaiser was intently watching videos of him or if it was because he looked really good with his hair like that. Probably both.
He brushed off his annoyance at the fact that Kaiser seemed to have his own personal monitoring room. Because of course he did.
Kaiser glanced back at him, catching his eyes. “Are you going to come in or are you just going to stand there all night?” Kaiser greeted him with no embarrassment, not even acknowledging what he’d been doing.
Isagi closed the door behind him before sitting down on the couch beside Kaiser. “Uh, hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“It’s forgivable,” Kaiser responded, smirking, still watching Isagi’s plays on the screens.
Isagi wasn’t sure whether he wanted to confess to Kaiser or strangle him at this point.
Kaiser looped a hand around his torso, pulling him till their bodies were pressed against each other, his thigh knocking against Kaiser’s own. Kaiser had really nice thighs.
“It’s your fault I can’t take my eyes off of you,” Kaiser said sweetly, amusement alight in his eyes.
Isagi’s eyes widened. Oh.
“Kaiser, I-” Isagi started before dropping his head down, not knowing quite what to say. He bit at his lip.
Something in his tone must have set Kaiser off because he looked away from the monitors, staring intently at him. Kaiser lifted the hand not holding Isagi’s waist, moving to hold Isagi’s chin and lifting his head up. “What do you have to say, Yoichi?” Kaiser asked gently. His face was so close to Isagi’s, his lips almost brushing against his own.
“I-” Isagi started again, trying to think of how to convey what he felt. If words didn’t work, at least he could show Kaiser. His hands came up to Kaiser’s shoulders, holding him impossibly closer so he could nuzzle into his body. Kaiser’s hand dropped so his fingers rested against his neck, just barely grazing there. “Kaiser…”
“I know,” he said, laughing slightly. “But I still want to hear you say it.”
Isagi huffed in annoyance, but he didn’t move from his position. “Okay, maybe I don’t hate you. That much.”
Kaiser tilted his head, pressing his forming grin into Isagi’s hair. “I like you too, Yoichi.”
Isagi let out the breath he’d been holding, nuzzling even closer in Kaiser’s hold. The screens were still flashing behind him, the light reflecting off Kaiser’s glasses. They stayed like that for a long time, but to Isagi, it could have been one moment or forever. He felt the rise and fall of Kaiser’s chest, the warmth of his body so close, his hands holding him like he was something cherished.
“Just stay close to me,” Isagi said softly into the silence of the room, on the precipice of sleep. “I want your eyes on me when I devour and surpass you.”
Kaiser’s chest rumbled. “I’ll keep you close, but your place will be underneath me, Yoichi.”
Isagi was glad Kaiser couldn’t see his blush in their current position. “Not for long.”
Kaiser squeezed his waist. “Then I’ll keep my eyes on you. I want to see your growth. I want to see you bloom before I ruin you.”
Isagi smiled as the tiredness that had been growing washed over him. He’d just have to grow faster, go further, and destroy Kaiser before then.
Tucked into Kaiser’s side, he was content to let sleep overtake him. Isagi kissed the brilliant blue rose on Kaiser’s neck before relaxing, resting his body fully on Kaiser’s own. “Michael,” Isagi murmured, trying the name out. A warm feeling washed over him at the way it formed on his lips.
“Rest, Yoichi. I got you.”