Chapter Text
"Cut!"
Isagi listened to the middle-aged man's voice from a distance.
As a new actor in the industry, he had agreed to work on multiple jobs, attracting several directors interested in his remarkable talent. His director, who offered him his first starring role, said he was an exceptional actor who portrayed the emotions of his characters almost perfectly, despite being new. He nostalgically recalls his first project, the production and cast with whom he would become familiar as the months of filming wore on.
His first role was quite specific.
Isagi expected to be a filler character in the series they were filming, appearing on screen for a few minutes as the main character's best friend. For a rookie, it would be fitting to have such a role, but he was surprised to get the lead.
Playing a polite and friendly guy who has the opportunity to move to another country sounded easy enough. The problem was that the script involved a homosexual romance that would end in a kind of sick horror.
Really, who the fuck had come up with this story?
For his first on-camera role, it was pretty controversial, but also humbling, especially if he was just starting out in his career. What's the situation here? He shared the stage with someone he already knew. Yes, Michael Kaiser was his co-star in most of the projects he had landed. It was a curse disguised as an opportunity, a price he had to pay if his dream was indeed acting.
"Yoichi." Kaiser's catty voice was heard from behind him, accompanied by a smile. He shifted in front of Isagi, who had left the bottle of water in the hands of his assistant. "Do you have plans this afternoon?"
The question sounds innocent—a silent invitation to a casual meeting between two actors. Isagi could accept if he wanted to, but he is possibly the hardest man to catch and bend to his will. That's because, behind closed doors, Isagi knows that Kaiser has been trying to woo him for more than a year now.
"Yes." He finally replies, not looking him in the eyes. "I have to go shoot some scenes for a movie I'm working on." He doesn't like giving explanations, yet here he is, giving them to an alpha who is standing like an oak tree in front of him.
"You're lying." Kaiser squints his eyes and crosses his arms at his chest. “You always claim to be busy, but I always see you going home.”
You should stop spying on me."
“Please, Yoichi.”
"No."
The answer and tone are always the same, but Kaiser never gives up asking him out. His wolf pride won't let him give in. He'll keep trying until Isagi agrees to go out with him.
"Isagi." A third voice joined from the background, holding a small box wrapped in ribbon. "Ah, Kaiser. You're here."
"Where else was I supposed to be?" The question is as obvious as the alpha's wardrobe. Kaiser is still dressed from head to toe in silk fabrics and golden prop jewelry.
"I did not mean to offend you. My apologies, Emperor." Hiori says this in a mocking tone while bowing in a curtsy. This elicits a growl from the alpha. "Oh, Empress. My condolences for marrying a man like him." This time, Hiori addresses the only omega present, performing the same gesture.
Isagi laughs with his eyes slightly squeezed shut. On the contrary, Kaiser looks like a grumpy puppy about to bite without warning. He doesn't like being teased, especially by Hiori, who teases him whenever Isagi is around and interrupts his constant attempts to get the omega's attention. Unfortunately, the two share the same recording project.
“What brings you here? It's not your turn to record today." Isagi asks calmly, ignoring the fact that Kaiser is standing nearby.
"No, but I still wanted to stop by and bring you kintsuba." Hiori carefully holds out the small box to him, smiling proudly. "Here."
Isagi's ocelli light up like a pair of intense, gaudy spheres. "Thank you, Hiori." The ribbon falls, revealing the delicious dessert in perfect condition. Just looking at it, Isagi can imagine how it will taste as it slides across his tongue.
"It's nothing," he says apologetically. "Enjoy it, and don't share it with the stinky alpha next to you."
“Excuse me?”
─────── 𓊈 𒂭 𓊉 ───────
"Yoichi."
"No."
This is Kaiser's fifth attempt to ask Isagi out, and he has failed again. The omega thinks there's no one more stubborn than Kaiser when it comes to getting what he wants, even if it means delaying the process.
The first time he met him on the recording set, he rudely introduced himself. He had never met such a conceited, vain alpha until Kaiser walked through the door wearing sunglasses and with his bare chest exposed, revealing a rose tattoo visible from a distance. Isagi remembers swallowing dryly when their gazes met and shivering from the abysmal height difference.
He remembers the wave of heat that hit him when Kaiser's warm fingers gripped his arm during the scene. He gazed at him with a singular glow.
«I need you to go out with me»
It was just a line from the script, but it sounded so real that he stuttered.
«Going out?»
Kaiser nodded at Isagi's question with a slight smile.
«Yeah, let's go out together someday»
"Cut!"
Isagi blinked a couple of times until he realized that the scene had finished being recorded, along with Kaiser's warmth, which vanished like mist. They did not speak to each other all day, nor did they introduce themselves during the rest intervals. They simply coexisted side by side. A week later, Isagi decided to take the initiative and introduce himself to his coworker. It was a less-than-pleasant experience that lasted only a matter of minutes, as the alpha nipped any good intentions Isagi had in the bud.
Their on-screen chemistry suggested something to the audience. They loved watching them act together as a pair of perfect cogs. Off-camera, however, the tension between them was undeniable. Most of the time, Kaiser teased Isagi, prodded his ribs, and made him lose his patience like an insolent child with no manners. Isagi soon fell for the provocation, fighting with the alpha constantly on set or during lunch.
He was grateful when the last shots of the series were finally taken. He knew he would see him again at some point, but he didn't think they would share a new set together again so soon. What a nightmare.
After working on a few smaller or more obscure projects, they reunited for the fourth time on Isagi's most extensive work to date. Working with his co-star was subtly difficult when he was Isagi Yoichi. At some point, Kaiser had seemed to lose interest in bothering him, but now things had taken a different turn. The alpha was trying to flirt with him.
A huge bouquet of roses clouded his vision slightly as he found himself in his dressing room, facing the alpha who was grinning widely in the doorway. He reeked of perfume mixed with cider and raisins. Isagi could almost imagine Kaiser wagging his tail like an excited puppy, chest puffed out with pride. That was the first time he had attempted to flirt with the omega, and the first time he had been rejected.
Shooting scenes with Kaiser was easy. Every shot, dialogue, and interaction was simple as long as they acted and interpreted the characters' emotions as best as possible. This was true even when they were asked to shoot a compromising scene between the two of them.
Wrapped in Kaiser's beefy arms, Isagi melted like foam between his fingers. They shared long minutes of closeness, connecting their glittering sapphire eyes. Focused on subduing him against the wall, the alpha licked his lips before kissing him hungrily and longingly.
«I want to make you happy»
He whispered to the blond, holding tight around his neck. Kaiser tried not to smile at how melodic and fanciful that sounded.
«I know you will. You're perfect»
The scene kept rolling.
Kaiser enjoyed filming the scene with Isagi that afternoon. He said goodbye to the omega enthusiastically. The alpha didn't mind being on set as long as he appeared happy. This mood lasted a couple of days, until Isagi announced his collaboration with Itoshi Rin backstage. This had evidently reached the German's ears.
For the next few days of filming, the alpha was difficult to cope with, grumbling at the slightest provocation. No matter how well his scenes went, he asked to re-record them. This was beginning to wear on Ness as well.
“Could you explain what's got you in such a bad mood?” Ness asked after receiving the final touches of makeup. Kaiser, who was sitting next to him, was drinking water to hydrate his throat.
“I don't know what you're talking about.” He evaded the subject with an excuse.
"Every time Yoichi doesn't come to record, you're in a bad mood." He began to explain, leaning against one of the windows overlooking the main garden. "Is it because of his recent paper? Is that it?"
"I don't know what paper you're talking about." He mentioned casually. "What he does shouldn't matter to me."
"Ah, but it does matter to you." Ness's smirk revealed Kaiser.
Four days later, when Isagi showed up on the set accompanied by Chigiri Hyoma, the alpha's hostile personality altered in the blink of an eye. He looked radiant as always, his pearl-filled smile lighting up the place. The omega had been talking about how exciting it was to record the first scenes in the new studio and meet his idol, Noel Noa. Isagi could hardly believe that he would be sharing the camera with his favorite actor since childhood, who had inspired him to study acting in university.
It was a dream come true and a nightmare for Kaiser. How could an old man captivate the omega more than he did? How difficult was it to get his attention? The answer was that it was too much if Kaiser was the one trying to get to him.
It didn't matter that Isagi was attentive, helpful, and big-hearted to everyone. The blond had to try twice as hard to get his attention—that's what Isagi had decided.
Now, he's here chasing him, driving slowly in order to take him home. Isagi doesn't turn to look at him; he just walks on the sidewalk with his scarf covering his reddened nose, still carrying the remaining kintsuba in his hands, and his forehead uncovered by his hair, smoothed back.
"Let me at least take you home." Kaiser tries again to persuade the omega, who continues to stride forward with firm steps. "Yoichi."
"No."
"Just accept."
“No.”
Kaiser could spend all afternoon like this, with Isagi rejecting his attempts again and again.