Bittersweet Chocolate

by AnyaHana

Summary:

Collection of short stories about a happier Kaiser and Ness relationship living normal life together without the pressure from soccer.

Chapter 1: Rainy Day

The morning dew had no chance to set upon the blades of grass as a tempest began to pour down upon the world. It was dearly needed, as the summer had been dry and the leaves on the trees and flowers in the garden had begun to wilt from lack of water. Even as the harsh drops of water began to plummet to the earth and hurt their delicate petals, it was a nourishment that they needed in order to blossom further.

That morning, Ness had awoken early. He often did wake up early these days, really since he got a roommate. He slid out from his room as quiet as possible, still in his pajamas. His morning routine, regardless of weather was consistent. He liked it better that way. So did he.

He started by going to the bathroom. There, he washed his face, brushed his teeth, and haphazardly combed out his hair just enough so that the bedhead wasn't so noticeable. He felt that he had to make a good example, after all. Once he finished up there he shuffled downstairs to the kitchen. There Football laid down lazily in a pile of fur and pure cuteness. Football was the little Pomeranian dog that his roommate brought in. When asked about the strange name for a dog, he had always just said it was because Football looked like a football. Despite that, Ness didn't think he treated anything so tenderly as he did Football. Sometimes, Ness found himself growing slightly jealous over it, though only slightly.

Once Football had noticed that someone had come down the stairs, she popped up and began to wag her fluffy little tail. Ness smiled at her, walking over to her food bowl and washing it out before he filled it with her rather gross looking wet food that she loved so much. She began to jump around happily and follow him until the food was placed down. She then began to eat greedily, like she had never eaten before in her entire life. Any time she was given food, she ate like it was the first time she had ever eaten. Ness admired that a bit.

Once Football was busy eating, Ness got to work preparing the morning's coffee and breakfast. He opened the shade to the window that resided over the sink, noting the grim weather looming above. It would be a good day to stay inside and rest, and likely a well earned day to rest. Work had been getting to him lately, and Ness felt it only right that he had at least one day to genuinely relax. He never liked to sit down for long, but Ness hated to see him so overwhelmed. With this in mind he began to prepare food for him, deciding on a warm breakfast of pancakes and eggs with some fresh fruit he had bought at a market the day before. Fresh raspberries and strawberries straight from some nice old lady's garden would pair nicely with the warm sweet pancakes. Ness threw on his apron and got to work, quickly the smell of coffee and pancakes filling the house.

Once he finished he quickly platted everything up. He made the coffee iced and sweet with caramel, just as he liked it. Then he made the pancakes and eggs on separate plates, so they didn't touch and make each other gross. He then gingerly placed the fruit slices on the pancakes so that they made a smiley face. Proud of his work, he quickly trotted up the stairs to wake his roommate up for the feast.

The door was closed, and Ness gingerly opened it. The unblocking curtains made the room far darker than it would have been without, and it was clear that he was still in the depths of sleep. Ness walked over to the bed, gently placing a hand on his roommate's shoulder.

"Kaiser.. Good morning. I made breakfast." He said, softly at first. The blonde didn't as much as stir. After another shake, Ness spoke up again. "Kaiser, it is time to get up. You told me you didn't want to sleep in too much today" This time his voice seemed to express more annoyance. After a final shake, suddenly an arm darted out of the blankets and grabbed onto Ness's hand, yanking hard causing him to fall onto of the bed and Kaiser all in one go. Without hesitation, Kaiser had his arms wrapped around Ness and he just held him there for awhile, his grip tight.

"Shut up... It's too early for that." He mumbled, his voice raspy from sleep. It was warm there, and for a moment Ness thought to abandon the work on breakfast that he had done in exchange for the comfort of laying together. Yet, the grumbling in his stomach was enough to propel him to action.

"It is almost 10, and you said you wanted to wake up earlier than that. I let you sleep in. I made breakfast too, and your coffee just as you like it." Ness said, squirming out of the hold Kaiser had on him so he could yank off his blankets. This came with protests, and some swearing, but Kaiser slowly lifted himself up. His hair was an absolute mess, and his robe was half off of him and covered next to nothing. This was how he normally woke up, but it was almost funny every time. "Come on. You will feel better once you are up and alive." Ness smiled and offered Kaiser his hand.

The blonde pulled himself out of bed and immediately wrapped his arms around Ness. He didn't move from that, and so Ness slowly managed to get Kaiser downstairs like that. He led him down to a seat at the island in the kitchen where the food sat ready. Kaiser sat with a tired expression, staring at the food before he sighed and began to eat it.

"Did you make my coffee as I like it?" He asked, childishly as he stared at the cup. Ness nodded as he set himself up next to him.

"Extra caramel, nondairy milk, extra sweet, iced. I even made the coffee with the French press just like you like." Ness hummed, proud that he had memorized the order. For awhile, Kaiser hated the coffee he made until Ness realized that he just couldn't handle regular dairy. Once he got an alternative, usually oatmilk or coconut milk, he actually began to drink the coffee that Ness made. It made him incredibly happy.

"Good." Kaiser said, taking a sip and sighing. He slowly ate his breakfast, and he didn't leave a single crumb on his plate. Once he finished, he stood up. "I am going to shower. What is on the agenda for today?" He asked, seeming to be more awake than he had been before.

"It is raining all day today, so I thought it would be good to stay inside today." Ness suggested, expecting Kaiser to argue a bit. He would say that he needed to get work done normally. Though that also meant that he would just stay up in his room staring at a screen getting annoyed. Yet to his surprise, Kaiser just nodded.

"Okay." He said, wandering upstairs without an additional word. Ness walked him as he left, a light smile forming on his lips. He carefully got to cleaning up from breakfast, and by the time he was done Kaiser had returned downstairs and he plopped himself down on the couch. "Get over here."

Ness obeyed and went over to the couch, sitting down next to him and sighing. Kaiser put his arm around his shoulder, his hair still slightly wet from not drying it well enough. He wasn't great at it yet, but at least he had actually tried. When he first moved in, he would just sit around with wet hair. It made Ness happy to see him actually try to take care of himself now.

"What do you want to do?" Ness asked him, and Kaiser handed him the remote to the playstation.

"I want you to keep playing that shitty game. The one you were playing the other night." Kaiser said, as if it was obvious. Ness looked up at him and tilted his head slightly. The rain outside fell heavily upon the windows.

"Oh, you mean Wizard's Curse?" Ness asked, his eyes getting wide. Kaiser always said he looked like a puppy when his eyes got wide like that. "Of course! I didn't know you liked that game--"

"I don't like it. Just shut up and play."

It was a nice rainy day. Even as a tempest blew about outside, at least inside it was warm and comfortable in his arms. He never wanted to forget these moments. 

Chapter 2: Sidelines

Summary:

Kaiser and Ness watch a game from the sidelines <3

The train was more packed than it usually was. Of course, Ness didn't really mind. His thoughts were far too occupied with his excitement for the game he was getting to go watch with Kaiser. Actually, he was certain that he was more excited just to be able to spend time with him. He loved to watch soccer, especially if it was Yoichi Isagi playing. The truth was that he had begun to enjoy just being near him more and more.

Ness had been spending a lot more time with him, actually. hey were currently on a break from playing soccer. It was a much needed break, and if anything it was nice to be able to live a bit outside of the sport. However both Kaiser and he himself came to realize after a bit that it was by no means truly over for them. They had things they wanted to do still in soccer, games that they wanted to play.. and most of all they wanted to find a way to outshine Yoichi Isagi.

It had been a bit of a slow transition for Ness. At first, his only motivation in playing the game was to allow Kaiser to shine. As long as Kaiser rose to the top, nothing else had really mattered. Until at least, Kaiser hit rock bottom. After that, he had to really think about why he was playing this sport. It had been difficult, but slowly he came to realize that he wanted to make the impossible happen too. Even if it wasn't with Kaiser.

Yet they didn't leave each other. If anything, Ness had noticed that their bond had actually gotten stronger. It made him stupidly happy, so naturally it was understandable why he was so thrilled to have been invited out to watch a game with him. Especially if it was a game where Yoichi was playing.

Ness stared down at his phone, ignoring the bumps from the train coming to a stop. He only had a few more stops to go before he reached his destination, and it was only a few more stops until he got to see Kaiser again. He felt that giddy happiness swell up inside of him again. It was almost like a magic spell that Kaiser had put on him, not that he particularly minded.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed that he had arrived at his destination. Ness quickly and rather quietly slid out of the train car, past the passes of people who were climbing in. Once he was properly on the platform he looked around, trying to see if Kaiser was already here or not. It didn't seem like it was, so he sent a message on his phone and sat himself on one of the benches by the exit. It seemed like the most likely spot that Kaiser would be able to see him from. He then proceeded to pass the time by playing a mobile game on his phone. It seemed like the best use of time for him, and he wasn't going to deny himself that. It was better than just thinking about him after all.

After only a few minuets, someone had grabbed Ness's phone right from his hands. He looked upward with those puppy like eyes, only for a smile to form on his face. Kaiser looked down at him, holding the phone with an rather nonchalant cool expression.

Kaiser was dressed in a loose button down with baggy black pants. He had done his makeup, the signature red eyeshadow accenting his eyes perfectly as always. Ness had always admired how good he looked, no matter what he wore. Any aesthetic he was in, he always just looked so cool. It was hard not to admire someone like that, even if he did have his faults.

"You ready?" He asked, handing back the phone rather nonchalantly.

"Yes sir!" Ness replied back rather enthusiastically. Kaiser just nodded and they began to walk together.

"Do you want to get something to eat or drink before we go in? The damned stadium food is always so expensive." Kaiser asked him, glancing down from behind his sunglasses once they emerged from the station. It was a surprisingly cool day for summer, which was rather nice. The sun was out but there was a consistent breeze that made it feel cooler than it actually was. It had been raining so much lately; it was nice to have a break from that.

"Yes, that sounds nice. Do you have some place in mind?" Ness asked, his hands behind his back as he walked.

"There's this new coffee shop I wanted to check out." Kaiser was being much more polite than usual it seemed. Although that wasn't a bad thing by any means. He was actually rather happy that he seemed to be in a such a good mood.

"Sounds good to me." Ness hummed, although he knew that he wasn't really being asked if it was okay with him or not. So the two of them walked together to go to this new coffee shop. It was a Japanese styled coffee shop, and it had some really cute pastries and candies on display. It was pretty small, but packed with people. Kaiser made a face, clearly debating whether or not it would be work the wait. In the end he got in line with Ness. It took less time than Ness had thought it would to get to the front of the line. Kaiser got some fancy whipped coffee drink, and Ness just got a fruit tea. They moved off to the side together to wait.

While waiting, it seemed that the crow became even thicker. Soon Ness was pushed right up against Kaiser. Ness was about to apologize, however he stopped himself. It was only then that he had noticed that Kaiser had put his hand on his shoulder and moved him closer to avoid getting bumped into more. His face grew hot, but he didn't say anything and merely stood quietly by him, afraid for this moment to end. He was almost devastated when their names were called to collect their orders.

Once back outside, Kaiser removed his hand and they continued to walk together. The stadium was only about two blocks away, thankfully. They got there without much trouble. Kaiser pulled up the tickets for their seats for them, and soon the two were up and seated. They had gotten a private box, more or less because Kaiser most definitely would refuse to sit amongst everyone else. It was probably better that way too, the box had shade that the regular stadium seats did not have.

Ness wished that he paid more attention to the game. Yet every time his eyes laid onto the green field, his thoughts seemed to wander. He couldn't just watch Yoichi out there, but rather envisioned himself down there, playing alongside of Kaiser. He thought of how he would assist Kaiser if he would be down there, how they could take advantage of the other team so easily. Naturally, Yoichi played savagely. He always did. It was weird seeing your own team play without you, to see what they were capable of even with their star players. Kaiser didn't make a sound as he watched, his eyes focused ever so intensely on Yoichi Isagi.

It made Ness jealous.

Not that he had any real right to be jealous, of course. Kaiser viewed Yoichi as a rival, as someone in his way. Even if they played on the same team, there was a competition between them that Ness could only vaguely understand. Regardless, seeing Kaiser's thoughts so occupied with another.. it hurt a little bit. Even if he had no right to feel so sad over it.

In a blink of an eye, intermission came. Kaiser leaned back in his seat, sighing deeply as if he had been holding his breath the whole time. Ness stood up, a smile on his face as always.

"Kaiser sir would you like me to go get you something to drink or eat?" He asked, realizing he came off a bit formal there. Kaiser turned towards Ness and shook his head no, his gaze going back towards the field.

"Ness..." He began, Kaiser's voice surprisingly calm despite everything. It took Ness by surprise. "I want to be back on that field with you again."

Ness paused, however that warm happiness seemed to flutter up in his stomach again. Kaiser looked at him, and Ness looked back at him with a warm smile.

"I miss it too. We will be back there soon." Ness reassured. Kaiser paused, looking him over before he suddenly waved him over. Ness walked closer, feeling almost intimidated by how intense Kaiser looked suddenly.

"You better mean that. Sit here for the rest of the match. Watch carefully and take notes." Kaiser pushed Ness down so he was sitting right next to him, shoving pen and paper into his hands.  Ness nodded and looked forward, back towards the field. He couldn't help but keep noticing the warmth next to him. Eventually, once the game started again, his heart rate steadied once more and he could focus.

The game was nothing too remarkable to watch. Yoichi played well, and the other team, though they fought hard, had little chance against Bastard Muchen as they were now. Even without Kaiser and Ness there... Of course, this wasn't much of a true game anyways. It was a practice match anyways, just one that was set up to seem like a real match. After the game, Kaiser sat back and thought for a long time. Ness sat along side of him, looking through his notes.

"Lets go home." Kaiser announced after he had clearly finished thinking. He stood up and offered a hand to Ness, who gladly took it. "You can come stay at my place tonight. It's not as far."

"Okay. Thank you." Ness said with a smile on his face. Suddenly, Kaiser turned around. It felt like it all happened in slow motion, but Kaiser wrapped his arms around Ness tightly, holding him there, inside the quiet little box of theirs. "Kaiser?" Ness asked, feeling himself grow flustered.

"Sorry.. I just, want to stay like this for a minute." He breathed, his face burying into the crook of Ness's neck. The midfielder sighed and smiled, reaching up and wrapping his arms around the blonde striker.

"Okay. You stay as long as you would like." Ness mused, his voice soft and calm. "Don't worry... we will be back on the field together soon. I won't leave you, Kaiser. Don' worry." 

Notes:

Tee hee Kainess gives me brain rot always. I think it would be interesting to see what it would be like if they were not playing. Recently I saw the Haikyu Movie, and I love how we get to see other characters watch the games and anaylize them from the side lines, so I wanted to play around with that this time! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Please comment, leave a review, or anything if you have enjoyed this!

Chapter 3: The Nap

Living with Kaiser had revealed a few things about the blonde striker with a temper. One of which, his sleeping habits were terrible. He had this awful habit of staying up late, watching soccer, taking notes, or just holed up in his room by himself doing whatever it was that he did when his door was closed. Ness never bothered to figure that out, and it felt intrusive to ask too many questions. Another one of his horrible habits was his inability to cook anything for himself. Ness didn't mind cooking, mind you, but Kaiser was prone to skipping meals if food was not made by Ness. The last horrible habit of his was that he seldom went out and did anything for fun.

Everything was business in one way or another for him. He barely went out to eat unless it was necessary, he didn't just go out on walks, he didn't even really go out and visit other people. As far as Ness was aware, all he did was play soccer, train, and watch soccer. His entire life was surrounded by soccer. It sometimes worried Alexis Ness, who even in his immense dedication to his sport, had found time for other things in life. He cared far too much about Kaiser to allow him to keep going as he was. That is why he had come up with a plan.

During an afternoon that was particularly quiet, Ness snuck up to Kaiser's room and knocked on the door. He had a pleasant smile on his face, and a box of chocolate in his hands. Ness had dressed in a simple white button down which hid underneath a crewneck labeled Berlin. He didn't care too much for fashion, and usually he went more for comfort. However today he wanted to dress a bit nicer. Maybe it was because this was as close to a date as he could ever get, or perhaps it was just because he thought that the blonde soccer player deserved something nice.

Kaiser was holed up, sitting in his robes and barely dressed. His hair was a mess, and he had dark circles under his eyes, no doubt from a lack of sleep. Ness was sure that it was Yoichi Isagi again, getting into his head once more. It happened far too much, and although Ness understood where that anger came from, it was disheartening to see.

"What do you want?" Kaiser asked, his eyes never leaving the myriad of screens propped up in front of him. His tone was harsh and tired, strained from a lack of water.

"Kaiser, I think you could use a bit of a break. Why don't you get dressed and come downstairs?" Ness offered, walking up to him and looking at the mess in front of him. It was clear that he hadn't moved in a long time.

"No. Get lost." Kaiser said, waving Ness off. The pink haired midfielder however just smiled and forced Kaiser's chair around.

"Okay, then, I won't give you a choice. Get down stairs and get dressed. You are taking a break. If you continue to sit up here festering, you will never be able to defeat Yoichi Isagi." Kaiser stared defiantly at Ness, however the exhaustion clearly had been too extremely. He didn't say a word as he pushed Ness out of the way so he could go get clothes on. As he walked by, he noticed the box of chocolates. His eyes fixed on them before he extended his hand to receive them. "You only get these if you get downstairs~ Ill see you in a few minutes." Ness hummed, grabbing some of the empty water bottles and leaving the room feeling elated.

Even when he was angry, Kaiser usually gave up when he was this tired. Ness felt rather pleased at his ability to work with the blonde. Even though he could be scary and aggressive, he had really mellowed out recently. Ever since he had been humbled.. It had been difficult, but Ness was glad. Clearly, it had changed him for the better. Even if only slightly.

It took about ten minutes for Kaiser to change and come downstairs. He was wearing a black tank top and loose black pants. His hair was slightly less messy, and his makeup was done now, effectively covering the tired black circles under his eyes.

"What do you want me to go do then?" Kaiser asked, sighing deeply as he leaned against the kitchen counter, his muscles flexing as he stretched his arms.

"I was thinking we could go to the movies. It's been a long time since you have taken a break, and there's this film I think you would--" Ness began to explain, however Kaiser cut him off.

"Fine. Lets go." He said, standing up properly. Ness was surprised by how easily he agreed, however a warm blush crept its way onto his cheeks as he smiled.

"Okay! Lets go." Ness trotted alongside of the taller blonde as they walked outside. It was hot, but not unbearably so. It was almost so nice that he wished they could just stay outside, but there was no way that he could get Kaiser to agree to that. So they made their way to the movie theater instead. The movie playing was some historical action film. It had gotten great reviews online, and it seemed like it would be action packed enough to keep the attention of Kaiser for long enough that he would stop thinking about soccer for an hour or so.

The theater was practically empty, so it didn't take all that long to go get popcorn and drinks. Ness offered to paid, however Kaiser didn't let him and instead he shoved his money onto the counter and yelled at the poor worker to take it. They got a large to share.

"Your theater is down to the left, number 8. Please enjoy." The ticket attendant handed back their tickets as they made their way to the back of the theater. Kaiser walked in step with Ness, something he did not fail to notice. He really was being nicer today than normal.

Once inside their theater, Ness was elated to discover they had it to themselves. He sat down next to Kaiser, following him to wherever he wanted to sit. He chose the very back, far away from the screen. Ness didn't argue and happily seated himself so that they could share the popcorn without difficulty.

"Ness." Kaiser said with a demanding voice, looking down at the smaller soccer player with those intense eyes of his. Ness could get lost in them, if he was being honest. "Why are you doing all of this?"

The question took him by surprise.

"What do you mean, Kaiser?" Ness asked, a panic filling him a bit. "I just.. You were working yourself so hard, and I thought you could use a break. You cannot perform your best if you are too tired."

"I see." Kaiser said, turning and grabbing Ness's face then with a sudden aggressiveness. Ness didn't dare move or breath, his usual reaction to when he got like this. Suddenly the grip softened and he let go.

"Shit. You make me want to punch you sometimes. Stop look at me with those stupid puppy eyes." He said, huffing as he turned away. Ness rubbed his cheek, however after a second what Kaiser had said struck him.

"Oh, sorry.. I don't mean--"

"I know you don't mean to. I guess, thanks. I am tired.. and needed a break." He paused. "Sorry if I hurt you."

Ness almost wanted to cry. He never said sorry like this, let alone...

"I don't mind. As long as you are okay and able to do what you need to do, I am happy." Ness responded. The previews began to play in the background, but Ness couldn't find it in himself to pay even the slightest bit of attention to it. Kaiser kept staring at him, looking as if he wanted to say something.

"Ness, I want you to stay with me." He finally spoke, and all Ness could do was stare.

"Of course I will stay with you." He finally found the words to speak. Kaiser took his hands then, holding them tightly as if he was afraid that Ness would slip away like sand. He eventually let them go, and is gaze turned back to the movie. Ness however moved slightly closer, just close enough so that their arms remained touching.

It was a start, and not anywhere near perfect. But Ness was willing to stay and wait with him through this all. He was willing to hold on until the very end.

Kaiser eventually moved so his head was resting on Ness's shoulder. About halfway through the movie, he noticed that Kaiser's eyes no longer were open. He had fallen asleep. Ness smiled to himself and leaned his head against his. When he slept like this he really did look like a little kid. 

Notes:

Kaiser healing would be a struggle, but I feel like he would really lean on Ness to help. Both of them need a lot of therapy and patient but I like imagining them trying to help each other heal hehehe

Chapter 4: Cooking Dinner

It had been an incredibly long day. Practice had been long, and tedious, although not bad. Honestly it was getting better slowly now that Kaiser was feeling confident once again. Well, at least it was better for Ness. Seeing Kaiser so distraught when playing soccer was oddly painful for Ness. So despite how long they had spent out on that field, practicing together, and despite the fact that his legs and feet hurt like nothing else, Ness was feeling surprisingly energetic. Once they got back to their apartment, Ness sighed deeply. It was almost 8 pm already.
"I am starving." Kaiser grumbled after throwing his soccer bag to the side, immediately going up to Ness leaning against him, poking his cheek repetitively. "What is for dinner?"
Ness smiled a bit and tilted his head ever so slightly, just so that he could see the edge of Kaiser's blonde hair.
"I have no exact plans right now. Is there anything that you would like to eat?" He asked, gently reaching up to pat his head. Despite being so aggressive, Ness did enjoy seeing him needy like this. There was just something about him when he was vulnerable that made his heart melt... even if he thought he was smooth, or if he called himself manipulative, Ness knew better. Kaiser really was needy, and he was more than happy to provide that love and support. It made him happy feel so wanted after all.
"I think I want that soup." Kaiser said with a small sigh, his expression calm. He smelt good, like the body wash he had used in the shower after practice.
"The soup I made the other day? Again?" Ness asked, though he was more than happy to make it again. After all, if it made Kaiser happy, what was the harm? It was easy enough to make. "If I do you have to help me this time. It takes too long to cut everything on my own."
"Fine." Kaiser huffed and moved away from Ness, only to go and pull his hair back in a ponytail. "What do you need me to do?"
Ness smiled at him again. He was cute like this too, even when he was trying to appear cool and all.
"Well to start we need to get some onions, red ones, and cut those up. Then we can get working on the carrots, celery, peppers, potatoes, and green beans. I think we have everything in the fridge." He replied, opening the door to their fridge that was thankfully just recently filled. He grabbed each ingredient carefully, making sure to place it where Kaiser could easily grab it.
It was almost incredible how quickly Kaiser picked up on what he was supposed to do. He had grabbed a cutting board and instantly began cutting up the onion, making sure to get the gross outer layer off before doing so. He was surprisingly good at it too.
Kaiser looked back at Ness and frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"What are you doing just sitting there and staring?" He asked, placing the knife down rather aggressively, as he does when he gets annoyed.
"Sorry. I just didn't think you would know anything about cooking, since you make me do it all the time. But the way you are cutting those vegetables-"
"Of course I can cut damned vegetables. I am not stupid. Besides, I had to cook for myself as a kid. Don't make a fuss over it."
Ness nodded and walked over to Kaiser, patting his shoulder affectionately.
"Okay. Let me get the pot ready. Thank you for helping." Ness knew when he should let things go. But still, it was a bit nice to see Kaiser like this too. As more time when on, he wanted to see all sides of him. Not just the soccer side, or his anger, or passion.. But Kaiser like this too. Kaiser cooking food, or Kaiser getting ready for bed... To get to know Kaiser in ways that no one else ever got to see. This was a side of him Ness was certain no one had seen before, and that alone was enough to make him happy.
He got the pot and put it over the heat, adding oil to it to prep it for the onions that would soon be thrown in. Kaiser finished cutting them and quickly threw them into the pot, moving onto the rest of the ingredients. Ness stirred them carefully, watching as the onions caramelized and slowly he began to add the sausages that had been cut previously. He allowed those to cook up slightly before he added spices, garlic, and salt. As he allowed these to cook, Kaiser finished the vegetable prep and placed the cutting board by the pot. He then wrapped his arms around Ness's waist, laying his head against his shoulder.
"You look way too happy right now, puppy." He said, his face still hidden within Ness's neck. Ness felt his heart begin to skip a beat, although he didn't stop what he was doing.
"What do you mean?" Ness asked, although he had a feeling he knew what Kaiser would say.
"Since I agreed to help you haven't stopped smiling like an idiot. What is with that?" He asked, although they both knew why. Ness felt his cheeks grow red with embarrassment.
"I guess I am just happy that I got to see this side of you, I guess. It is refreshing." Ness admitted, leaning closer to him. Kaiser scoffed, though it was almost loving in the way that he did it. Not that Ness could really call it love, but..
"That's lame. But.. I guess what can you expect from a little puppy?"
Kaiser leaned forward then and kissed Ness's cheek, only to bite down on it.
"Ow!!! What are you doing?" Ness exclaimed, moving away slightly only for Kaiser to laugh.
"What? How did you expect me to act when you look so bitable?" He teased, wrapping an arm around him then.
"I need to pour the broth." Ness hummed, although he didn't particularly want to move.
"Go ahead. I won't move until its all done." Kaiser retorted, resuming his position of laying on Ness's shoulder. The rest of dinner was easy. Ness added the broth, slowly so that the juice from the onions and meat soaked in it. Then he added the rest, along with the harder vegetables and he let those simmer. Finally, he added the peppers.
It was nice to have seen Kaiser like that, even if it only was for an hour.

Notes:

Sorry for the wait! It has been busy for me. Please enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5: Christmas Shopping

Summary:

Kaiser and Ness go shopping together.

The gentle fall of the snow outside made the hot chocolate that Ness was drinking taste even sweeter. The sky was gray, but the green garlands and decorations outside now frosted with the snow flurry made it seem much brighter outsider. It was getting colder and darker by the day, and any moment like this was worth cherishing. The house was really warm and cozy too, a fire going in the fire place and Christmas decorations up. Ness was particularly proud of his decor this year, lights and garland wrapped around the windows and fireplace's mantle, a little Christmas village set up on the cabinet next to the bookshelf, and of course a Christmas tree made up with lights and home made ornaments.
All of it had been done by Ness. It had taken some time, but to him it really seemed more worth it than to not. It was only once a year that the house could look so cozy and nice, and besides that, Ness felt that Kaiser would have enjoyed it. That wasn't to say that he wouldn't have been happy to have had some help, but it felt a little wrong to ask Kaiser to decorate when he had never really cared too much about Christmas before. He was hoping this year, now that they were living together anyways, that it would be good to try and share some of his own traditions and celebrations with him.
Ness found his gaze falling to the hot chocolate he had made for himself. The warm caramel colored beverage was still steaming hot; it felt nice in his hands to hold. Per usual, Kaiser was sleeping in. It was odd, seeing him outside of a soccer environment. During the season he was so hyper focused on soccer and nothing else. It consumed his whole world, and it was a rare occasion that it was not the sole thing that Kaiser thought about. Yet this year, since they were staying together, Ness got to see him far more during the off season. This year especially it seemed like Kaiser had no idea what to do with himself. He had been sleeping in a lot, and spending more time out practicing than he was staying in and resting up. It likely was the reason that Ness was so determined to at least make the holiday a bit more enjoyable for him. At least, just a little bit.
"What are you doing?" A groggy voice came from the top of the stairs. Kaiser was shuffling down now, dressed in a big fluffy robe and slippers with his eye mask still on his head. Ness turned around and smiled up at him, standing up to greet him. Once he got down to the bottom of the stairs, Kaiser motioned for Ness to go make him coffee. He was always like this, and maybe it wasn't the best, but Ness couldn't really help but want to do things for him. It wasn't like he had to, per say, but he always ended up doing these sorts of things for him.
"I was just waking up. It's snowing outside, so the field probably will be closed." Ness said as he grabbed Kaiser's favorite mug, a simple white cup with a gold crown on it, and poured the coffee in. He then added sugar, a good amount. Kaiser didn't like milk in his coffee, but he did like it sweet.
"Damn it." Kaiser grumbled, throwing himself down on the couch and grabbing his phone clumsily from his robe's pocket. "Another waste of a day. I might as well go to bed again."
"I was thinking--" Ness handed Kaiser the coffee cup, his eyes big as ever. "That maybe we could go Christmas shopping today. You haven't done any yet, right?" Of course he hadn't. Honestly, he wasn't even sure who Kaiser would want to get a gift for. He wasn't really the type to be giving, and it wasn't like he had many friends that he could give gifts to. Aside from the team of course, but Ness doubted he would ever want to give the rest of them gifts. Still, it would be good to keep him out of bed. He was kind of hard to deal with when he was sulking.
"Shopping? Who the hell would I go shopping for?" Kaiser retorted, taking a sip of the coffee and sighing deeply. "Still.. I guess I have nothing better to do. Sure."
Ness smiled, though he didn't dare respond. Rather he just sat himself down next to him and drank his cocoa, making sure not to bother him too much. At least, not until he was more awake.
-
By 12 they were both ready to leave. Ness was dressed up in a rather large puffy dark blue coat, and Kaiser wore Canadian Goose white puff coat that went down almost to his ankles. Ness threw his scarf around his neck and grabbed his gloves, making sure to hand Kaiser his own gloves. The last time he forgot them, he complained bitterly the whole way.
"Okay, you all ready?" Ness asked, looking up at Kaiser with a rather happy expression. Kaiser glanced down and made a face.
"You look way too happy. Stop it." He huffed, turning away. "Lets get already." The moment they stepped outside, Kaiser looked upwards at the snow that was falling. It was starting to gather on the ground now, a thin white coat making everything look picturesque. It was rather nice. "Where are we even going?" Kaiser asked with a huff, his breath like fog in the cold.
"I was thinking we could just go to the mall. I mean, they have a lot there and its close by."
"The mall?" Kaiser paused. "That is fine. Don't expect me to talk to anyone shitty though." Aka, he would not want to order anything for himself and instead make Ness do it.
"Okay, okay. Sure thing." Ness looked up at Kaiser once again, his cheeks red from the cold. They began to make their way then to the mall. It was only a few stops from their local bus stop away, about 15 minutes.
It was a week day, so the mall itself wasn't too busy. Usually on the weekends it was impossible to go, but that was part of the reason as to why Ness had wanted to go today of all days. It was only about 5 days until Christmas, and he didn't want to fight the rush that was bound to happen this weekend.
The mall itself was decorated to the nines, including a large Christmas tree in the center by which kids could take pictures with Santa Clause. Ness shivered as they walked inside, the rush of warm air making the outside feel that much cooler. Kaiser looked around, only to turn his gaze to Ness.
"We are going to go to that fancy coffee shop first." Kaiser announced, unzipping his jacket and lazily throwing it around his waist. "I want that latte that you got me last time."
"The peppermint mocha one? With chocolate shavings and whipped cream?" Ness asked him, to which Kaiser made face.
"Like I would remember! You were the one who ordered it!"
"Okay okay. We will go there first." Ness smiled, and extended a hand to Kaiser, tilting his head ever so slightly. Kaiser stared at him for a moment before he huffed. He started to walk away, however quietly reached his hand back and took Ness's. The cafe was only a few stores in. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas, and the smell of coffee and pastries filling the air. Ness walked up to the counter and ordered for the both of them before sitting next to Kaiser, making sure to find himself in a good place in the corner away from everyone else. He crossed his legs and tapped his finger against the table as he waited, his hair surprisingly well put together despite everything.
"Why are you doing all of this?" Kaiser asked suddenly as they waited for the drinks, his face stoic. Ness looked surprised for a moment before he paused.
"I guess.. I always thought that Christmas was a magical time of year, and I wanted to share that with you." Ness found his cheeks growing hot as he spoke, embarrassment being hard to avoid. "And with us having a break in the season and all..."
"Of course you'd say something like that." Kaiser sighed and crossed his arms. He went quiet for a moment, as if struggling to find his words. "Whatever. If it'll make you stop looking so damned worried, then fine. It's annoying when you go around looking at me like a sad dog."
Ness smiled at him and leaned slightly forward. "You really mean it?"
"Stop it! You're making it weird." He huffed, however he leaned forward and gently kissed Ness's forehead. It was quick, but still it made Ness feel as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest. "Now shut up and go ask for our drinks."

Notes:

Please forgive me, this is entirely indulgent for me personally. I just want too see Kaiser and Ness happy and in a healthier relationship. Please enjoy!