Chapter Text
Rin did not plan on coming back. He even changed his usual walking route. However, it did not matter. His goose stopped, refusing to walk any further. Rin frowned, tugging gently on the strap. The dog harness looked cute on his goose's body, but its behaviour had been irritating Rin lately.
“Move.” Rin tugged again.
It did in fact not move. No, instead, it started to walk back the way they came. “No.” Rin said, refusing to move. The goose honked loudly, trying to walk back. So stubborn…
People passed them, staring at the goose trying to walk in a specific direction. Rin let out a frustrated sigh, his warm breath fogging in the cold air.
Did he even have a choice?
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Neither of them looked surprised when they locked eyes. The same damn place, the same café.
Kaiser smirked as he sat cross legged at the same table when they had first met. “That's a cute harness.” Kaiser gestured toward the white goose, which was cuddling with the black one on a chair this time.
“Doesn't Princess have one?” Rin sat next to Kaiser.
“Princess is clingy, she would never run away.” Kaiser said a bit too proudly. “She is very well behaved.”
Well, she seemed to be easier to deal with than Rin’s goose. “When did you get her?” Rin asked him.
“Hmm…” Kaiser looked over at the geese. “I think it was when I was still at university… so maybe at twenty-two.”
That was quite late. If this goose was really a fated goose meant to bring you to your soulmate, he should have gotten it as a teenager…
“What about you?” Kaiser asked.
“I think I was either eighteen or nineteen.” Rin said.
“Here in Germany?"
“Yeah, I came to Germany and then…this thing found me.”
Kaiser chuckled. “Interesting how we never crossed paths until now.” He rested his chin on his palm. “But maybe that’s a good thing.”
“Why?” Rin raised an eyebrow.
“You might’ve hated me ten years ago.” Kaiser smiled.
“I can imagine.” Rin said bluntly.
“Ouch… I even bought you coffee again, and this is what I get…” Kaiser feigned to be hurt.
Rin looked at the table and found nothing. “What are you talking–”
Right on cue, the barista arrived to place a nice latte in front of Rin. Kaiser smirked triumphantly.
“You're so creepy.” Rin said.
“Hey~!”
Rin took a sip, he glanced over to the geese, which still seemed peaceful. Did this really have to become his new routine? He has to come to this café so often just so his goose could cuddle with its lover? If Rin had known he would end up here again, he would have bought his laptop with him.
“Say, Rin, are you hungry?” Kaiser asked him.
“I haven’t eaten yet.” Rin said.
“How about I treat you then,” Kaiser smiled. “We can go Italian.”
“That's so basic…” Rin sighed.
“Sushi?”
“What? Because I'm Japanese?” Rin narrowed his eyes.
“Fine, fine. Turkish?”
“Mh…”
“Korean? What do you want to eat? Burger, Steak, Kebab, BBQ–”
“Italian seems fine.” Rin crossed his arms.
Kaiser let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, Princess–”
At that, Princess’ neck perked up. “No, not you.” Kaiser said. But Princess jumped onto the table, waddling over to them. “Princess, not on the table!”
Princess rushed over to Rin, who pushed his cup aside. “Careful.” He told the black goose, which was curiously examining his hand.
Kaiser let out a sigh. “What has gotten into her now– hey!!” Kaiser snatched his cup away when he found the white goose with its neck deep inside the cup. “Do you want to die? That's bad for you!”
“He won't die… I think.” Rin said as he caressed Princess’ black feathers. She leaned into his touch. With his other hand, he picked up his own cup to take another sip. How cute.
“Shall we? I know a great Italian close by.” Kaiser said, Rin's goose already in his arms. Despite his blank expression, Rin was surprised that his goose was this calm in Kaiser's arms. Perhaps it understood that they were going to leave together.
However, once both men stood up, neither of them moved. Rin starred right back at Kaiser. The blond was staring at his lips. Rin raised an eyebrow “... What?”
Kaiser did not answer right away. The silence stretched longer, somehow irritating Rin a bit more. “What are you staring at?”
Kaiser leaned closer, Rin startled for a moment. “Lips.”
“Wha– what?” Rin slowly leaned back, in a pathetic attempt to create distance, a blush creeping onto his ears.
Kaiser leaned in with a smirk, tapping his own lips. Rin was confused, yet he mirrored Kaiser’s movement. Something was on his lips. Rin licked them. Cream.
“Idiot, you could’ve said something…” Rin hissed.
“I did.” Kaiser smiled.
Rin was the first to rush out of the café.
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The lighting in the restaurant was dim, the warm glow of the chandeliers and wall sconces barely brightened the room. Rin wondered for a moment if the red velvety chairs were even sanitary. Perhaps this was supposed to create a romantic atmosphere. Rin glanced down on the well polished silverware.
He should not have been so surprised that Kaiser would choose such a fancy place. At least the geese seemed to be comfortable at this place, cuddling under the table while the staff gave them water and vegetables to snack on.
A young waitress approached, smiling warmly to get their order. “Wine?” Kaiser glanced over at Rin.
Rin, on the other hand, felt oddly caught off guard for some reason. Usually, he did not drink alcohol. However, it seemed like Kaiser wanted to drink some. Perhaps Rin should join him as well, even though he had no clue when it came to ordering wine. The menu description mentioned the notes each wine had. Rin just chose a sweet one.
Kaiser eyed him for a moment but did not comment.
Their food took some time to arrive, but Rin did not mind. Talking to Kaiser felt a little more natural now. They mostly talked about their years at the university and what they had done afterwards. Rin still thought that Kaiser was full of himself, yet he had to admit the man knew how to talk to people…
Their food was finally set on the table. It tasted… just fine. Perhaps the people that came here valued the ambience more than the food. Kaiser gave him a smirk, seeming to think the same thing.
Rin took a sip of his wine. It was supposed to be sweet. But it was not. He tried to keep a straight face and took another sip. He noticed that Kaiser was drinking quite fast and a lot so he tried to keep up…
Rin was not sure when exactly it happened, but he was sure he was getting a bit lightheaded. It felt like he took a sip after each bite. Perhaps the food made the burn in his throat a little more tolerable, yet his face kept growing warmer and warmer. He wondered if he was glowing. The muscle in his shoulders loosened and he felt like he was on a ship, floating.
This actually felt nice.
And if Rin had not been so drunk, he might have noticed Kaiser paying for their meal.
“Perhaps we should leave to get some fresh air.” Kaiser gave him a worried look.
“Mhm, ‘kay…” Rin took one big leap to stand up with a little too much energy. The geese got startled as well, staring at Rin while he wobbled side to side trying to put his jacket on.
“Ah…” Kaiser reached for him, but paused when he noticed Rin seemed stable enough to walk. Well, that was until Rin tripped over his own feet at the entrance of the restaurant. Kaiser caught his arm. “You seem… a bit drunk.”
“M… fine…” Rin mumbled. Why did everything feel so heavy? He slurred his words, the ground would not stop spinning and everything felt so loud but so dull at the same time. This was not nice at all!
“Rin…” Kaiser tried to pull him upright, but Rin just stumbled forward, leaning into the blond man. At least Kaiser's cologne smelled much better when drunk. “Let me drive you home.”
“Don't have a car…” Rin slurred.
Kaiser smiled, clearly amused “But I do.”
Rin looked at him in confusion. “How come you're not drunk?”
“Why would I drink if I have to drive?”
Rin’s brain must have been completely fogged because he did not understand what Kaiser was saying. He had clearly been drinking tonight… Also his face… Rin leaned closer to look at the German's face. He was not too fond of the man's attitude, but damn, did he look good.
Kaiser smirked. “Mine was alcohol free.” he said.
And then it clicked.
“Ah! You asshole!” Rin shoved him away. “You lied to me!”
“Lied?” Kaiser tilted his head.
“You know what you did!” Rin hit his shoulder. Kaiser barely reacted, though he immediately caught Rin's wrist. To the younger man, it seemed unbelievably fast, though he was sure his slowed reaction time was fooling him.
“Why did you drink if you can’t handle your liquor?" Kaiser asked.
“Is… not cus… can’t handle it…. is cus… I usually don't drink…” Rin shoved Kaiser away again, though the blond man only looked even more amused than before. “Ugh, whatever! Bring me home.”
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Kaiser guided Rin towards his car. Once he made sure Rin was seated, he got inside as well. “Please try not to throw up.” Kaiser said. “ This car is a lease.”
“Of course it is, this car is way too nice…” Rin mumbled.
Kaiser let out a scoff.
After typing in Rin's address, Kaiser checked behind him one more time. The geese sat in the back of the car, still unbothered and cuddly. They seemed to be very quiet once they were together. Separating them would probably be a pain again.
As he drove off, Kaiser noticed Rin had gone very quiet as well. More than usual. “Are you okay, Rin?” He asked the younger man.
Rin stared out of the window, Kaiser could not see his face since it was hidden from the view. Rin was not sure how to feel about this… How was Rin supposed to get to know Kaiser naturally if he knew from the very beginning that this person was supposed to be his soulmate? Assuming the geese were right, that is.
“Do you…” Rin began, catching Kaiser's attention. “Date a lot?”
Kaiser's eyes widened for a moment before he focused his gaze back on the road. “Well… it's not easy to date when you have a goose following you around.” He let out a scoff. “And if I tried to get to know someone… you know go out–”
“You mean whore around?”
“Rude. Don't put me into a box.” Kaiser said. “As I was trying to say, I couldn't go out alone, otherwise Princess would get mad at me and ignore me if I smelled like someone else.” Kaiser shook his head. “She wouldn't even eat.”
“So you were forced to stay prude.” Rin said.
“Well…”
“Or maybe you weren't, otherwise how would you know your Princess doesn't like the scent of others…” Rin mumbled, forcing his head to face the window only. Why had his mood turned so sour all of the sudden. He did not even know this man!
“As if you never fooled around when you were younger.” Kaiser said. Rin did not answer. Because he had not. He was never interested in someone. As a teenager, he had mostly kept to himself, enjoying his hobbies all alone. Playing soccer, enjoying horror movies and games… snorkeling, diving.
And once he came to Germany to study, this goose found him. After that it had only been the two of them. Rin had not really thought about dating until recently, but even then, he figured there was no point in searching. Why bother getting to know someone if he supposedly had a soulmate out there somewhere anyway?
However, it seemed like Kaiser thought differently– or at least had lived differently…
“Rin…” Kaiser's voice softened slightly. “I don't know what– Princess, what are you doing?”
Rin felt something warm and wet against his hand. He gazed down, the black feathered goose sitting on his lap. Princess curiously moved closer to Rin, her beak brushing against his shirt. Rin wondered if she had noticed his mood–
“Hm?” Rin picked her up.
This warm and wet feeling…. was weird.
Kaiser shook his head. “What is she doing…? I can put her back at the next red light–”
“Your Princess has a cock.” Rin cut him off.
“Excuse me?” Kaiser raised an eyebrow.
“Here.” Rin lifted the goose, its little legs stretched out. “See?” Rin tried to show Princesse’s reproductive organ. “It's all out.” He shoved the goose into Kaiser's face.
“Rin, I'm driving!”
Rin leaned back again, the black goose on his lap looking at him. Geese only had their reproductive organs out when they were mating so… “What the fuck were they doing back there?!” Rin hissed, turning around to his own goose. “You damn–” Rin slurred as tried reaching for his goose, which honked in panic.
“Hey!” Kaiser grabbed his arm. “Cut it out.” He pushed Rin back into his seat.
Rin glared at him. “Idiot, how didn't you realize your Princess is a man!” he hissed.
Kaiser's hands on the steering wheel tightened. “Wha- I don't know! It was so moody and sensitive all the time, so I assumed it was female!”
“Who the fuck decides gender like that?” Rin's eyes are still narrow. “You critized me, look at yourself!”
Princess calmly waddled back as if nothing had happened.
“Listen, I thought–”
“How about you think less?” Rin cut him off, wiping his sticky fingers against Kaiser's thigh. He felt the other man tense up.
“What are you doing now….?”
“Getting rid of the princess juice, ugh.” Rin grimaced.
Kaiser shook his head and let out a defeated sigh. “Don't you dare to complain, it's all over my hands.” Rin looked at his palms. “It was huge though…” He mumbled.
“What, Are you jealous?” Kaiser scoffed.
Rin glared at him. “At least I know what a dick is supposed to look like.”
“If yours looks like one of the geese’s, maybe you should get it checked.” Kaiser smirked, “That's not normal, you know.”
“Hmpf.” Rin turned back towards the window with a frown.
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Rin stumbled backward when he exited the car. Kaiser rushed over to him after shutting the car door. Almost immediately, a strong grip wrapped around Rin's waist. The younger man heavily leaned into him, one arm slung over Kaiser's shoulders as the blond tried to make his way to the backseat. Rin's steps were uneven, but Kaiser adjusted easily and held his balance without complaint.
With a little bit of effort, Kaiser reached for the backseat door and pulled it open. Rin's goose immediately hopped out, flapping its wings once before landing with a soft thud on the pavement. Kaiser's own black goose leaned forward as if to follow, however Kaiser shot it a look.
“You stay here.” Kaiser's voice was firm yet low. The goose gave him an indignant honk. “You know why.” He said. The goose ruffled its feathers but did not move as Kaiser shut the car's door.
“I'm not even drunk anymore…” Rin muttered. “I just… don't feel good.”
Kaiser huffed. “Yeah, that's because you're still drunk.”
Rin did not argue.
The walk to RIn's apartment was slow since Rin kept stumbling and Kaiser steadied him each time with no comment. By the time they reached the door, Rin was leaning into him more than he was actually walking.
Clumsily, Rin fumbled with his keys to unlock the door. His goose wasted no time waddling ahead into the apartment. Kaiser helped Rin to get inside, letting him lean against the doorframe for a moment.
Kaiser was checking him up, from toe to head. “You good?” he asked the younger man.
Rin gave him a nod, though a sluggish one “Yeah.”
“C'mon, rest.” Kaiser said. “And don't forget to drink water, you should drink a lot.”
Rin let out a quiet hum, though his eyes stayed on Kaiser. The moment of silence between them did not necessarily feel awkward…
Kaiser exhaled, a softer expression slipped through his face. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let you get that drunk.”
Rin just kept staring at the older man, lips slightly parted. He had not expected that. Forcing himself to tear his gaze away from the other man. “It's not like I had a bad time…” he said, not even sure if he sounded pouty or just drunk.
Kaiser gave him a smile– a faint, genuine smile. As if his usual mask slipped away for a moment. And… it looked good on him. It felt warm. Rin gaze lingered. He caught himself leaning into that pretty smile. Kaiser's relaxed, softer features drew Rin closer.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but damn, this man is handsome.
Before he could think better of it, Rin leaned in further, pressing his palms against Kaiser's shoulders for balance. Kaiser gave him a worried look, unsure what was wrong. The alcohol made everything feel so much simpler.
Kaiser's hands hovered near Rin's waist without touching him, as if he was trying to be careful. His face turned serious and Rin did not need another second to stare. He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against the blond man’s.
Kaiser's lips were soft and warm. Rin's chest felt strange, tight yet light at the same time. It felt as though the warmth of Kaiser's warm lips spread through his entire his body…
However, Kaiser, on the other hand, did not move.
He was firm and frozen in place, stayed completely still. He neither pulled away nor leaned in. Rin felt confused for a moment, but then his hands slowly slipped away from Kaiser's shoulders as the older man took a step back.
The warmth in Rin's chest was replaced by a painful tightness in his throat. Something heavy settled inside his chest as he looked into Kaiser's unreadable expression. It was as if all the warmth and softness from before had shattered. Whatever had been there was now gone.
“You should rest.” Kaiser said evenly. Without another glance or another word, Kaiser simply turned around and left. The door clicked shut behind him.
Rin could barely process it. He just stood there, alone now. The silence of the apartment settling around him far too quickly. The tightness in his chest only grew heavier as everything hit him at once.
Rin let out a heavy shaky breath.
How dare he….
How dare Michael Kaiser reject him…