Work Text:
Football players in England usually enjoy many beneficial programs for their growth and development within and outside the club, especially if they are young elite footballers. Among them was Michael Kaiser, before each Championship, League, or World Cup, different physical and psychological evaluations are usually carried out with various professionals to create suitable training routines and, of course, balanced diets for optimal performance.
It had been about five months since he moved with Yoichi to an apartment in London, England. Both had managed to secure good offers from the famous 'Arsenal' Professional Football Club, and despite the drastic change, they had been able to balance their life as a couple and their professional life, achieving an adequate stability.
Although they were on the same team, the way they competed with each other remained the same as when they first met 6 years ago. Kaiser thinks that Yoichi is one of the biggest motivations he currently has, he enjoys playing soccer with him and hopes to do so for the rest of his life.
That afternoon, he had his first session with the professional nutritionist from Arsenal to assess his overall diet. After a couple of routine questions, they started with the ones that really mattered.
"Do you usually cook at home or eat out?"
"Both, but mostly I cook. Besides, I'm sure you know that the Club takes care of the carbohydrates and proteins we consume during the day to a large extent."
"Of course, we aim for all of you to have optimal energy balance." The older man adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Do you have any diseases or food intolerances?"
"None."
"Tell me, what is your favorite meal of the day?"
"Dinner."
"Can you explain the reason?"
"Because it is the only time of day that I can spend with Yoichi."
"Isagi Yoichi?"
"Yes."
"You live together, right?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me more about that?" The nutritionist started taking notes on his computer, and Kaiser responded honestly.
"Athough we're both playing for the same team, we were put into different divisions, while he is doing his exercise routine, I'm training on the soccer field. During breakfast and lunch I usually eat without any company and I can only see Yoichi in the evenings. It's in those moments where we both, despite being exhausted, prepare dinner together after taking a bath, we sit in the dining room and talk about our day or sometimes we go to the living room and watch some movie or series while we eat in silence. That's why dinner is my favorite meal of the day."
"I understand. Anything else you can tell me?"
"I also prefer 'the dinner' because we go shopping together on weekends and choose in advance what we are going to cook for the week. Neither of us usually has breakfast at home, as we have to wake up early to follow our training routines."
"Well, since you have a fairly stable performance and energy balance, we will wait for the results of your analysis to provide you and Isagi Yoichi with a list of foods that you can consume for dinner, but I will try not to interfere too much in your evening routines. That's all for today, Kaiser, you can leave."
"Thank you." Michael took his sports bag and headed towards the club's exit. Before crossing the huge front window, he managed to spot Yoichi sitting on one of the benches, surely waiting for him.
"Were you waiting for me?"
"Of course not." Isagi smiled and gently tapped Kaiser's shoulder as he stood up.
"Shall we go home, Yoichi?" Kaiser slid his right hand until he reached Yoichi's and intertwined it with his own.
Isagi was startled but tried to avoid making eye contact with the taller one. "Yes, let's go home." The slight squeeze Yoichi gave and the almost imperceptible blush on his face made Kaiser's heart skip with joy.
"Have you had your appointment with the nutritionist yet, Yoichi?"
"Nope, it's scheduled for tomorrow. How about you?"
"I already had my appointment."
"What questions did the doctor ask you?"
"Just routine ones. He asked me what I ate at nights."
"And what did you tell him?" Isagi was expecting the answer.
"I told him that you cook horribly and that someday you'll kill me with food poisoning." Kaiser smiled at Isagi, attentively observing his boyfriend's reaction.
"You're a liar!" Isagi tried to kick Kaiser's shin, but Kaiser managed to dodge it while laughing.
When Michael saw that Yoichi was pouting, he told him the truth. "I told him that my favorite meal of the day is dinner because it is the only time I can spend with you."
Isagi turned red to the ears and tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.
"We're almost there, this time it's my turn to choose what we're going to have for dinner tonight."
"But first, you need to take a shower because you stink." Isagi said as he searched for the keys to the apartment they shared.
Kaiser leaned in a bit and whispered in his ear, "But you love making love to this stinky guy."
"Shut up."
Kaiser couldn't feel more blissful to be doing what he liked most with the person he loved most in the world, and those little moments they spent together made him immensely happy.