Chapter Text
Kai had never been more nervous in his life. Training with Bayer Leverkusen—it still sounded unreal to him.
He had taken two buses earlier than necessary, just to make sure he wouldn’t be late. You never know. Of course, today the bus decided to run perfectly on schedule, which left him as the first one in the changing room.
He got changed anyway, then checked his phone again. His family had all sent him some version of you’ve got this or good luck. He smiled at their blind trust in him, but it only made his hands sweat more. What if he was terrible today? What if the coach told him to pack his bags, that he’d never have a future in football? And then he’d have to explain that to his family—
Before he could spiral any further, the door opened and Bernd Leno walked in.
Kai nodded a quick “good morning,” and Leno returned it before starting to unpack his things. After that, the locker room filled quickly. Voices overlapped as players greeted each other, swapping stories about their summer break.
At the start of training, the coach introduced him and the other new transfers with a brief, “Be nice to the new guys.” Kai was deeply grateful he didn’t have to say anything.
On the bus ride home, he was exhausted. Training had been brutal, but the coach had clapped him on the back afterward and said “well done.” That probably meant he wouldn’t have to call his mom and tell her he’d been kicked out anytime soon, so, all things considered, he was happy.
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Kai looked back over his shoulder, taking in the muscles in Jule’s back flexing as he searched through his bag. He could all too easily imagine them moving like that in a very different scenario.
The thought alone made him blush. He quickly forced himself to look down, at his own stuff, and his stuff only.
The thing was, this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Not even close. He hadn’t even talked much to Julian, either, a bit of hello, how are you?, maybe a comment about the weather, but that was about it. And yet, ever since he’d started training with the first team, his eyes kept finding the blonde far more often than appropriate.
When he laughed with Jonathan. When he pushed his sweaty hair back during training. When he stretched, long muscles pulling and shifting under his pale skin.
Two weeks ago, Jule had even shown up in his dreams, and Kai had needed a very embarrassing shower afterward.
Later, curled up under his blanket, he’d spent far too long googling, eventually coming to the conclusion that it was just his weird teenage body reacting to the only omega on the team. He spent plenty of time around other omegas in class, but it wasn’t the same. They weren’t always in motion, weren’t flushed and laughing and alive like this. They weren’t Jule.
And, objectively speaking, Jule was attractive. Kai had noticed that long before, back when he was still in the youth team.
Even now that he thought he understood why he apparently had this weird crush on Jule, he was still terrified it would somehow come out.
His teammates would make fun of him endlessly, and he had just started to feel like he truly belonged on the team.
Worst of all, though, would be if Jule found out. He didn’t deserve a teammate he barely talked to thinking these kinds of things about him. Jule probably already had it hard enough, being the only omega on the team, and one of the few in the Bundesliga. Even if Kai hadn’t seen anyone treat him badly directly, he knew it happened. He didn’t even want to think about what people said online. And he’d probably do one of three things: never speak to him again, report him to management, or laugh in his face.
Kai wasn’t sure which would be worse.
So he decided he needed to get a grip on this, fast, before things escalated any further.
And he knew how. He was just going to get to know Jule better. Then his stupid brain, and his even more stupid body, would finally realise he didn’t see him like that at all, and they could just be normal teammates. Maybe even friends. Easy.
So after the warm-up, when the coach told them to pair up, Kai didn’t go to one of his usual partners. Instead, he made a beeline straight for Jule, who was standing off to the side, taking a drink, before anyone else could get to him.
Kai cleared his throat.
Fuck. The way Jule’s throat bobbed as he swallowed did not help.
The blonde looked at him expectantly.
“Should we do the exercises together?” Kai asked, secretly very proud of how casual he sounded.
Jule looked surprised and a little curious.
“Sure.”
They didn’t even need time to adjust to each other. The drills flowed smoothly from the start, like they instinctively knew how the other would move. Jule’s movements were clean and fluid, and his style complemented Kai’s perfectly.
A genuine smile spread across Kai’s face.
It was that simple, familiar joy of being completely focused on the ball at his feet—the kind that reminded him where it had all started. In the backyard, with his dad and his brother, when football had been something easy and exciting.
He was almost disappointed when the whistle blew, signaling the end of their drills. He glanced up and caught Jule’s eye. The blonde smiled at him.
And oh—
How had he never noticed those dimples before?
Oh god. He was so royally screwed.
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Since that first training together, something had just clicked between them.
Now, every time they had partnered drills, they immediately gravitated toward each other. And outside of training, they grew close just as quickly. It started with the occasional meme, sent back and forth, but soon they were texting constantly, playing Fifa together, and spending most of their free time side by side.
Jule had taken to playing taxi for Kai until he finally got his driver’s license, and more often than not, Kai didn’t end up going home after training, but on Jule’s couch instead, eating food that was definitely not approved for professional athletes.
And the looks on his classmates’ faces when he got picked up by Julian fucking Brandt in a Mercedes AMG were priceless.
He’d even met Jannis, Julian’s brother and roommate, and they got along just as well.
So, overall, everything was going great.
Except for one thing.
His plan hadn’t worked. If anything, it had backfired spectacularly.
His thoughts had become worse—more vivid, more frequent. Instead of just the occasional inappropriate scenario, there were now softer ones too. Kai threading his fingers through soft blond strands while they cuddled on the couch, one of Jule’s animes running in the background.
That was probably worse.
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Training on Friday was good again. It always seemed to be, when he was paired with Jule.
After they changed, Jule turned to him.
“Hey, I’m sorry, but I can’t drive you home today.”
“Oh, yeah, totally fine,” Kai said quickly, even though disappointment settled in his chest.
Fridays had started to mean staying up too late, talking about nothing, laughing at everything. Twice now, Kai had even fallen asleep on Jule’s couch because it had gotten so late. And that alone had been enough to drive him a little insane.
Because even if Jule slept in a different room, getting ready for bed together and knowing Jule trusted him enough to stay over, felt strangely intimate. And falling asleep surrounded by Jule’s creamy coconut scent led to the best sleep he’d had in ages, even if his legs barely fit on the couch.
Still, he had no claim on Jule’s Friday evenings.
Kai was already jealous of whatever, or whoever, Jule seemed to think was more important than him. He wanted to know what he had planned, badly, but he didn’t want to ask and come across as nosy.
Luckily, or maybe not, Jule kept talking.
“Some guy messaged me on Instagram,” he said casually. “And he’s kind of cute, so I was like, whatever, you know? And he’s a footballer too, so it’s not weird or anything. Anyway, we talked for a bit, and he really wanted to meet me in person, so he’s coming to pick me up.”
Kai’s throat went dry.
It wasn’t like he had ever believed Jule might like him back. Not like that. But it still hurt.
The moment hit him so hard, he wished he could disappear on the spot. His usual sweet, airy violet scent, suddenly turned overpowering, thick with an unpleasant powdery edge.
Jule scrunched his nose, but he seemed to misread why Kai was upset.
“I mean, I’m sure he could drop you off at home if I asked,” he added.
Kai would rather drink acid than sit in a car with Jule and his date. Even worse, be dropped off by him.
The thought almost made him flinch.
“No, no,” he said quickly. “I’ll be fine. You go enjoy your date.”
“If you’re sure…” Jule didn’t sound entirely convinced.
Outside the stadium, a guy stood next to his Porsche and waved.
Jule turned back to Kai and pulled him into a quick hug.
“Bye. I’ll text you later.”
Kai muttered something that might have been a goodbye, but Jule was already walking away.
The guy was taller than Jule, though still not as tall as Kai, with dark, slicked-back hair and broad shoulders.
Kai already didn’t like him.
When Jule reached him, the guy pulled him into a hug and said something that made Jule laugh. Then he opened the passenger door and helped him in.
Kai scoffed internally. What a chauvinist. As if Jule couldn’t open a car door himself.
Also, wasn’t this their first date? Why was he acting like they were married already?
To make things worse, the bus was so crowded that Kai had to stand the entire way home.
When he finally stepped into his apartment, the silence hit him all at once. He felt so lonely.
Suddenly, he wished his family were there, that he could just bury himself in his mom’s arms like he used to when he was a kid.
Instead, he went to bed. The day couldn’t end fast enough.
But sleep didn’t come easily. He lay awake in the dark, the blanket pulled up to his face, trying to find some kind of comfort. Instead, he just felt abandoned. Not good enough.
Eventually, he turned on an old interview of Jule on his phone, and that helped him calm down a little.
He didn’t have the energy to care that it was kind of pathetic.
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Things didn’t really change between them afterward. Kai and Jule still texted constantly, still hung out whenever they could.
Jule didn’t talk much about his new… situation. But sometimes he mentioned it in passing, or didn’t have time to hang out quite as often. Other times, Kai noticed it in smaller ways, like the unfamiliar clothes scattered around Jule’s apartment, or how Jule’s usual coconut scent was faintly tainted by something sharper, something masculine and leathery.
It made Kai want to gag and scrub it off him, until every trace of someone else was gone, until there was nothing left but Jule.
Even though he hadn’t seen the guy again after that first night, he somehow knew more about him than about some of his own teammates.
His name was Adam, he was twenty-four, a defender for the 1. FC Köln and apparently, he posted gym selfies at least five times a week.
Kai didn’t like a single thing about him.
That went on for about a month.
Then Jule mentioned, almost casually, that it was over. Adam had wanted something more serious, and Jule didn’t.
And that was that.
He didn’t even seem particularly bothered by it.
Kai, on the other hand, felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
It wasn’t like he suddenly thought that meant something would happen between them.
But still—
he liked that Jule didn’t have anyone else. Even if he knew that was petty.
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They had just won against Frankfurt at home, and this season, every win felt worth celebrating.
Some of the players had only meant to sign a few shirts, take some pictures, thank the fans. Somehow, that had turned into being completely swallowed by the crowd, and Kai couldn’t even see where it ended.
He didn’t see the other players anymore, just Jule.
The noise pressed in on him, and for a moment, he didn’t really know what to do. Maybe they’d get in trouble for this later. Wasn’t this dangerous?
Jule had just finished taking a picture with a fan when he turned back to Kai.
“Hey,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “Stay close, okay?”
Kai blinked. “I am right here.”
“Closer,” Jule said easily, reaching back to grab his wrist and tugged him forward. Just like that, like it was nothing.
Kai stumbled half a step, ending up right beside him. Jule didn’t let go immediately. His hand lingered for a second longer than necessary, warm, steady, before dropping back to his side.
“There,” he said. “Didn’t want you getting lost.”
Kai huffed. “I wouldn’t get lost.”
Jule just gave him a look. “You absolutely would.”
They kept moving, signing whatever was pushed into their hands, stopping for pictures whenever someone asked.
Jule moved through it like it was nothing. Parting through the crowd without hesitation, with ease that couldn't be learned.
Kai, on the other hand, felt like he was constantly adjusting, sidestepping, turning, trying not to bump into anyone, trying not to get in the way.
A group pushed past them, a little too close. Kai felt a shoulder knock into his, not hard, but enough to throw him off balance for a second. Before he could react, Jule’s hand was back, this time gripping his arm, steadying him.
“Careful,” he said, grinning slightly. “You’re too easy to push around.”
Kai stilled.
“I’m not,” he said quickly.
Jule raised an eyebrow. “You just were.”
“That was just, you know, crowd stuff.”
“Still,” Jule shrugged. “We can’t have you getting hurt.”
Kai nodded, even though something in his chest tightened.
It took a while, but eventually they managed to slip away from the crowd and make their way to Jule’s car.
Kai let out a breath as he closed the door behind him.
“Are you alright?” Jule asked.
Kai smiled at him. “Yeah. All good.”
Jule didn’t look convinced. “I was a bit worried about you back there.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Kai said, shrugging. “I guess I still need to get used to some of the footballer stuff. The crowds, the interviews…”
“You’re fine,” Jule said easily. “It’s not for everyone.”
Kai glanced at him. “You seemed fine, though.”
Jule shrugged. “I’m more used to it. And maybe you’re just… different.”
Kai let out a quiet breath. “Different how?”
“I don’t know,” Jule said, like it wasn’t a big deal. “You’re just not one of those guys who are always so assertive.”
Kai forced a small smile. “Great.”
Jule grinned. “It’s not a bad thing.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He looked at him for a second, expression softening. “You’re cute.”
Kai blinked. Cute.
“Shut up,” he muttered, looking away.
“I’m serious,” Jule said, laughing a little. “You are.”
Kai shrugged, pretending it didn’t matter.
Cute was for dogs. Or kids.
“Wanna go get sushi?” Jule asked.
Kai nodded immediately. “Yes.”
His mood lifted instantly, there weren’t many things better than good food and Jule. And honestly, who cared if Jule thought he was cute, as long as he still got to spend time with him?
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“You know, staring is rude.”
Kai flinched, then whipped his head around, feeling caught off guard. He just blurted out the first thing his panicked mind came up with.
“I wasn’t staring.”
“Don’t even try to deny it,” Jonathan said, smiling. “Why don’t you just tell him?”
“Tell him what?” Kai asked, already feeling the heat creep up his neck.
Jonathan just looked at him.
Kai groaned. “Because he doesn’t feel the same.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m not his type. Have you seen his exes? They were all more—” He gestured vaguely toward Jonathan.
Jonathan frowned. “His exes were all Black?”
Kai froze. Great. Somehow, he had made this conversation even weirder.
“No! I mean—ugh. They’re all, like… brawny.” He lightly punched Jonathan’s bicep. “Just, more manly.”
And they were. During that whole thing with Adam, he might have gone down a bit of a research rabbit hole on social media, and the pictures he’d found of Jule’s exes all pointed to a very clear type.
A type he didn’t exactly fit.
Jonathan snorted. “Well, there’s a reason they’re his exes, right? Don’t sell yourself short. You’re plenty manly.”
Kai huffed out a quiet breath. “Thanks.”
Still… he wasn’t entirely convinced.
Back when he first presented, he had actually liked his scent. It had reminded him of nature, of long walks through the forest with his grandma.
That feeling had lasted about a day.
Then he went back to school, and suddenly everyone was asking if he was really an alpha, or making stupid jokes about it. Kids were mean.
It wasn’t completely unfounded. Flowery scents were pretty rare for alphas.
Even now, people still looked surprised when they first met him, when they realised that a guy like him had such a soft smell.
And his lanky build didn’t exactly help either.
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Kai wondered if it was some kind of sign of fate that the day of his last exam and Jule’s birthday fell on the same date.
Standing in front of the school gym, waiting for the doors to open so he could go in and take that stupid test, he felt a confusing mix of emotions. He hadn’t received any results yet, but he thought the other exams had gone pretty well.
German, though, just wasn’t his best subject. So there was still a chance he could mess the whole thing up.
At the same time, he felt almost giddy knowing that after today, he was finally done with school.
He pulled out his phone, planning to send Jule a quick happy birthday text, but paused when he saw he already had an unread message.
Jule: good luck, you got this
Kai smiled to himself and typed back quickly.
Kai: why are you up so early on your birthday?
A moment later, three dots appeared.
Jule: i set an alarm
Jule: to wish you good luck
Jule: and now i will go back to sleep
Kai’s heart started hammering against his ribcage, and it had nothing to do with German.
The doors swung open, signaling they could finally go inside and get settled. Still, he managed to type one last message before joining the others.
Kai: happy birthday. sleep well <3
His classmates probably thought the stress and lack of sleep had finally gotten to him, judging by the way he sat there, smiling like an idiot at nothing, as he waited for the exam sheets to be handed out.
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“What’s the plan for your birthday?” Jule’s pleasant voice came through the phone.
“Nothing exciting,” Kai said. “Just celebrating with my family.”
“That’s nice. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
“You can come if you want,” Kai blurted out, and immediately regretted it. As if Jule would want to spend his break sitting in Kai’s parents’ living room, eating cake.
“Sure. I’d be happy to,” Jule replied.
“It’s going to be really boring, though. I meant it when I said it’s just my family. It’s probably stupid, so I totally get it if you have better things to do,” Kai stuttered.
“Havey,” Jule said, voice warm, “it’s your eighteenth birthday. I’d come over and eat takeout with you if that’s how you wanted to celebrate.”
Kai thought his heart might actually stop.
“Uh—okay. Cool. I’ll send you the address then. I’m excited to see you again.”
Jule laughed softly. “You make it sound like you missed me.”
“Shut up,” Kai muttered, though that was exactly what he’d been doing since he got back to Aachen.
After they hung up, Kai immediately went to tell his mom they’d have an extra guest. He tried to sound casual, but he could hear the excitement in his own voice. She smiled at him in that knowing way only mothers have, like she could see straight through him.
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Both his siblings, as well as his grandparents, had already arrived and given him loads of well wishes and everything. He was really happy that they all could make it, he really hadn’t seen them nearly enough this year, with both the football season and his final year at school taking up a substantial part of his time.
Nevertheless, a part of his brain was just focused on when Jule would arrive. He jumped up as soon as he heard the doorbell ring.
Jule stood on the doorstep, a gym bag slung over his shoulder and Kai didn’t hesitate before pulling him into a tight hug.
Jule laughed at his enthusiasm. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks for coming,” Kai mumbled into the crook of his neck. Damn, he’d really missed Jule’s sweet, creamy coconut scent.
“Always,” Jule said, and somehow made it sound completely genuine.
Before Kai could say anything else, anything potentially embarrassing, his mom nudged him aside.
“Let him come in first, Kai. You’re being rude,” she scolded.
“I’m used to it,” Jule said with a grin as he stepped inside.
Kai’s mom immediately pulled him into a hug too, then gave him an examining once-over. “It’s so nice that you came. Kai was very excited to see you.”
Kai groaned inwardly. Great. Now he didn’t even have to embarrass himself—his mom was doing it for him.
“Oh, really?” Jule asked, glancing at him with a teasing smile.
Kai knew he was never going to hear the end of that.
“Come on,” Kai cut in quickly. “Let’s go to the others.”
He rested a hand on Jule’s shoulder as they stepped into the living room, his touch lingering just a second too long. “This is my family,” he said, then added, a little softer, “and this is Julian.”
“Yeah, we actually watch the Bundesliga from time to time, believe it or not,” his sister joked, her gaze flicking between them.
Kai huffed out a quiet laugh and dropped onto the couch, nudging Jule lightly as he motioned for him to sit next to him, closer than strictly necessary.
“Don’t let her fool you,” he muttered. “She only looks up the results.”
“That’s not true,” she shot back, still watching them a little too closely. “I watch when you're playing.”
Having Jule there felt strangely natural.
His easygoing charm seemed to win everyone over within minutes. Soon, he was part of every conversation, laughing and talking like he’d known them for years.
Kai felt a flicker of jealousy at how effortlessly Jule made people like him, but mostly, he just admired it. Even in interviews, Jule always seemed to know exactly what to say. Kai was pretty sure that, in his place, he would’ve just sat there in silence.
Later, his grandpa pulled Jule into a conversation about football, which quickly led to him recounting the story of Kai’s very first game, where he had apparently tripped over the ball and fallen straight into the mud.
Kai groaned under his breath. “I was four,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “That doesn’t count.”
He couldn’t even remember it, anyway.
Jule giggled at that, soft and a little helpless, like he couldn’t quite hold it back.
Kai glanced over at him, still a little embarrassed, but the sound was so entrancing that the feeling quickly faded into something else entirely.
“You don’t have the right to make fun of me, Mr. ‘training starts whenever I show up,’” Kai shot back.
“Please. As if you’re any more punctual,” Jule replied.
“I’m only late when you pick me up. When I take the bus, I’m on time.”
Kai’s family seemed to find their argument highly entertaining, and, annoyingly, sided with Jule.
“You can’t blame everyone else for your mistakes, Kai,” his father scolded him with a grin.
Kai sank back into the couch with a quiet huff, crossing his arms and pointedly avoiding Jule’s gaze, even as he could still hear him trying, and failing, not to laugh.
Later that evening, as his grandparents were getting ready to leave, Kai walked them to the door.
His grandma smiled warmly at him. “He’s such a polite one. And pretty too.”
His grandpa nodded in agreement. “It’s rare to find someone like that. Take good care of him.”
Kai knew he should probably explain that Jule only saw him as a friend and that there was nothing going on between them.
But when he glanced back into the living room, where Jule was helping his mom clear the plates they’d eaten cake from, chatting with her like it was the most natural thing in the world, he just… couldn’t.
It was nice to pretend, just for a moment.
“I will,” Kai said quietly.
And it wasn’t even really a lie.
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Jule sitting on his bed, wearing nothing but an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts, was doing very stupid things to Kai’s brain. He looked so cozy that Kai had the sudden urge to wrap his arms around him and never let go.
“If you want, I can sleep on the couch,” Kai offered.
They had agreed that Jule would stay over. The drive back to Bremen was too long, and even getting to his apartment in Leverkusen would take over an hour. It just made sense.
Still, with both of Kai’s siblings staying the night as well, there hadn’t been a spare room. And maybe this was uncomfortable for Jule, and he just didn’t want to say anything.
Jule rolled his eyes. “Don’t be stupid. Just come here. I still need to give you your gift.”
Only then did Kai notice the envelope in his hands.
“You didn’t have to—”
“Open it first,” Jule cut him off. “Maybe it’s not even good.”
Kai sat down next to him, hands slightly shaky as he opened the envelope. Inside was a simple card with little animals printed on it. The first thing he noticed was a drawing, two stick figures standing by the ocean.
Kai smiled at Jule’s… questionable artistic skills.
Then he read the text.
Finally 18. It’s crazy what you’ve already achieved, and I can’t wait to see what else you’ll do. I couldn’t think of a proper gift, so this is an invite for a vacation.
Jule shrugged. “Only if you don’t already have plans, of course.”
Kai looked up at him. “Are you serious?”
Jule nodded.
“So… where are we going?”
“Ibiza, obviously.”
Kai let out a breathless laugh. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you. I’m so excited.”
Jule smiled at him. “I’m glad you like it.”
Kai glanced down at the card again, and couldn’t help but imagine them just like the tiny stick figures, standing by the ocean, Jule’s coconut scent mixing with sunscreen and salt water.
This was probably the best gift he had ever gotten.
Jule’s yawn beside him pulled him from his daydream.
Kai carefully set the card on his nightstand before getting up to turn off the light. The room fell quiet as darkness settled in.
When he returned to the bed, Jule had already slipped under the covers.
Kai hesitated for just a second, then slid in beside him.
The bed was definitely not made for two people, so he had to be very careful not to touch Jule at all. Even so, he could feel the heat radiating off his skin.
“Hey,” Kai whispered.
Jule’s face looked almost ethereal in the dim light, illuminated only by the glow of the streetlights outside.
“Hey,” Jule whispered back, smiling.
Kai had the sudden, overwhelming urge to lean in and press his lips to those dimples.
Instead, he just smiled, like he couldn’t quite help it.
“Thanks again for coming,” he said quietly. “It was really nice having you here.”
“I had a good time. Your family is really sweet.”
Kai rolled his eyes. “Yeah, to you maybe.”
They both started giggling, like it was the funniest thing in the world.
When the laughter faded, they were still looking at each other, soft smiles lingering, a quiet twinkle in Jule’s eyes.
For a second, Kai thought maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to lean in. Before he could do anything disastrously stupid, Jule cleared his throat and shook his head slightly, breaking the moment.
“We should sleep. Good night, Havey.”
“Good night, Jule,” Kai whispered.
Not long after, Jule’s breathing evened out, his face soft and completely relaxed.
Kai, on the other hand, was wide awake. His heart was still racing. Everything about this was driving him insane.
He was going on vacation with Jule. Jule, who was currently sleeping right next to him.
Maybe this was the only time he’d ever get to be this close. Jule’s scent, warm and unguarded, his hair so soft and unstyled.
Kai stared at him, trying to memorise every detail, then he immediately told himself to stop.
God, how weird was it to just watch someone sleep?
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Somehow, he must have drifted off to sleep anyway, because the next thing Kai noticed was noise outside his room. He let out a small, sleepy grumble, still buried in warmth, not quite ready to move yet. Everything felt so comfortable, so soft and serene. He shifted slightly, trying to hold onto the feeling a little longer. He was utterly content, and he recognised his violet scent curling around coconut and—
Wait.
He blinked his eyes open, and immediately realised he had cuddled up against Jule in his sleep.
Fuck.
He quickly pulled his arm back from where it had been wrapped around Jule’s waist and carefully slipped out of bed.
Jule just mumbled something unintelligible and buried his face deeper into the pillow.
After a moment of taking in the quiet beauty of an early morning Jule, Kai decided to leave him be and head to the kitchen.
His whole family was already having breakfast.
“Morning,” he mumbled.
His mom handed him a cup of coffee. “Morning.”
Then she looked at him for a moment, something soft in her expression.
“I just can’t believe you’re all grown up now. I know you already have your own life and everything, but you’re still my baby.”
His siblings immediately started giggling. Sometimes, Kai really hated being the youngest.
His mom shot them a look that shut them up, at least for a second.
“So,” she continued, turning back to him, “how is Julian?”
Kai felt himself blush instantly as the image of Jule, still asleep in his bed, flashed through his mind.
“Good,” he said quickly. “He’s still sleeping.”
“I have to say,” his mom went on thoughtfully, “I thought he might be a bit too old for you at first. But he’s such a sweetheart. And you seem so happy around him.”
That made his siblings completely lose it.
Even their mom’s warning look failed to shut them up this time.
“It’s not like that,” Kai said quickly.
“Sure,” Jan said, rolling his eyes.
Lea leaned forward, grinning. “It’s just a coincidence that he’s the only teammate you ever talk about, the only friend you invited to your birthday, and that you stare at him like he hung the moon and—”
“Shut up, I get the point,” Kai cut her off, face burning.
God. How he wished they were right.
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Ibiza was just as beautiful as everyone said it was.
Jule had booked an entire bungalow right by the beach, complete with its own pool. Kai stepped outside and took a deep breath of the fresh air.
They had arrived the evening before, and Jule was still asleep.
Kai figured that even on vacation, he could keep up his training, so he went for a run around the area. It was perfect, not too touristy, but still close enough to bars, clubs, and restaurants. And the view of the ocean was incredible.
When he got back and pushed open the door, he was greeted by the scent of pancakes.
“I was starting to think you abandoned me,” Jule called out.
“I went for a run. I’m a professional athlete, you know,” Kai shot back.
Jule threw him a dirty look. “Well, if the professional athlete could go take a shower, we could actually eat breakfast.”
Kai rolled his eyes but did as he was told.
By the time Kai came back, Jule had already set the table. It looked oddly domestic, and something in Kai’s chest tightened at the situation.
He sat down. “This looks really good.”
“It’s nothing special,” Jule said.
Kai couldn’t have made anything like it, he was absolutely useless in the kitchen. The pancakes tasted just as good as they smelled. And every meal somehow tasted twice as good when he got to share it with Jule.
After breakfast, they decided to head down to the beach.
They walked a little further away from the bungalow, following the coast until they found a quiet, beautiful bay. The sun stood high in the sky, the water was clear and almost impossibly blue, and the sound of the waves created a calming atmosphere.
Jule let himself fall into the warm sand, reached into his bag, and held out the sunscreen to Kai.
“Can you—?”
Kai nodded a bit to quickly.
“Yeah.”
He popped open the bottle cap and squeezed some sunscreen into his hands before reaching out to Jule’s back.
And oh god, that did things to him.
His heart was racing the entire time, and he had to suppress a small sigh at how warm Jule’s skin felt under his hands.
He spread the sunscreen carefully, starting at Jule’s shoulders and slowly working his way down, making sure he didn’t miss a spot.
He just didn’t want Jule to get sunburned. That was all.
“Thanks,” Jule said, a little breathless.
He looked slightly flushed, but that was probably just from the heat.
“Your turn,” Jule added.
Jule took even longer.
But that was only because he kept drawing little shapes on Kai’s back with the sunscreen before rubbing it in.
Kai didn’t guess a single one right, he just giggled the entire time, his face burning.
The contrast between those soft, almost ticklish touches and the firmer movements of working the sunscreen into his skin made Kai’s brain nearly short-circuit.
No matter how much he was enjoying it, he focused the entire time on keeping himself under control, making sure no arousal crept into his scent or showed anywhere else on his body.
“Let’s go swim,” Kai said quickly once Jule was done, hoping he had managed to sound normal.
Jule didn’t bother answering, he only grinned before scrambling up and racing Kai toward the water.
Not even two minutes later, they were in the sea, splashing around like idiots, trying to dunk each other under the waves. Kai laughed breathlessly as Jule shoved him under again, water rushing past his ears.
It was so easy with him. So natural. That was probably why Kai had fallen so completely, so irreversibly for him.
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"Let’s go, Havey. The Uber is here!” Jule yelled through the bungalow.
Kai hurried to the door, slipping into his shoes.
Honestly, he would’ve preferred staying in, eating something Jule cooked and watching TV, like they had the night before. But Jule had gotten bored after two days of just the beach, the pool, and the bungalow, and he wanted to go out. And now that Kai was eighteen, he didn’t really have an excuse not to. And, honestly, he could never say no to Jule anyway.
That’s how he ended up in the backseat of a car, on their way to some club.
Inside, it was loud and completely packed, the air thick with alcohol and the mingling scents of a hundred different people.
“Let’s get a drink,” Jule practically yelled over the music.
Kai just nodded and followed him through the crowd.
After a few shots, everything felt less overwhelming and a little easier.
Soon, they were in the middle of the crowd, dancing and badly singing along to the music. Neither of them was particularly good at it, but it didn’t matter, they were having a good time.
He looked unfairly good, baggy jeans and a loose shirt draped over him like something carved from marble, like he wasn’t entirely real. His hair was tousled, a faint sheen of sweat catching the shifting disco lights on his skin, and Kai couldn’t stop looking.
And the blonde, swaying his hips like that, was honestly one of the most mesmerizing things Kai had ever seen. Who cared if he wasn’t on beat?
“Want a break?” Jule asked.
“Sure,” Kai nodded.
He was weirdly out of breath for someone used to way more physical activity.
Jule went to order drinks while Kai leaned against the bar. Now that he wasn’t moving, he really felt the alcohol. Maybe starting with shots hadn’t been the smartest idea.
He didn’t even notice when the drinks were ready, only looking up when Jule held out a glass out to him.
“Thanks.”
He immediately took a big gulp, and Jule laughed at the face he pulled.
“Can I buy you a drink, sweetheart?”
Kai blinked, momentarily thrown off. For a second, he thought the guy meant him, but then it clicked.
A typical tourist had approached them, a tanned guy in his twenties, his strong English accent as obnoxious as his open Hawaiian shirt.
“No, I’m good,” Jule said, lifting his glass.
“Doesn’t mean we can’t talk,” tourist guy said, stepping between them.
Jule waved him off. “No thanks, I’m here with my friend.”
“Don’t be like that,” the guy said, with a smug tone.
Kai felt something unpleasant twist in his stomach. Not just because someone was hitting on Jule, but also because of the way he was talking to him.
“He doesn’t want to talk to you,” Kai said. “Just leave.”
The guy turned, finally acknowledging him.
“What’s it to you?” he asked. “He your boyfriend or something?”
Kai stilled, heat rushing to his face. Not his favorite topic.
“No. I just—”
“Well then shut up,” the guy cut him off.
If Kai had been sober, he probably would have backed off. But he wasn’t.
“Go fuck yourself.”
The sting on his cheek knocked him off balance.
For a second, everything went quiet.
Then the noise rushed back in. Gasps, shouts and the thrum of the bad techno remixes. Some people had stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him
And then there was Jule, right in front of him, cradling his face like it was something fragile.
“Are you alright?” There was so much worry in his ocean-blue eyes.
“I’m fine,” Kai said, a little dazed.
“Yeah?” Jule’s thumb brushed gently over his cheek. “Let’s get out of here, okay?”
He grabbed Kai’s wrist, already pulling him away, but then he stopped, turned back, and snatched his abandoned glass from the counter.
Before anyone could react, he threw the drink straight into the guy’s face.
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Jule managed to get them out of the club and retrieve their things from the cloakroom, with Kai trailing along beside him, a little disoriented.
The night air outside was cold, and Kai pulled his hoodie tighter around himself.
They decided to walk. They hadn’t been at the club long, it wasn’t far from where they were staying, and neither of them was ready for the night to be over.
“Sorry,” Kai mumbled after a while.
“What for?” Jule asked.
“Ruining our night.”
Jule let out a short laugh. “You didn’t. I thought it was pretty sweet, actually. Someone needed to tell that guy to fuck off.”
Kai huffed softly.
“If anything,” Jule added, “I’m sorry you got hit because of me.”
“Not your fault,” Kai reassured him.
After that, they walked in comfortable silence.
Eventually, they reached the ocean.
The beach was empty at this hour, quiet and peaceful. Just the two of them, and the steady sound of the waves. They carried their shoes, letting the sand shift softly beneath their feet.
By the time their bungalow came into view, Kai felt a lot more sober.
Or at least he thought he did.
He let his gaze linger on Jule, backlit by the moon, the ocean stretching out behind him, and for a moment, it felt like that was the only thing in the world that mattered.
Which was probably why he walked straight into the pool.
“Fuck—!”
Kai spluttered, water soaking through his clothes instantly.
Jule doubled over laughing, almost hysterically.
“How did you even manage that?” he asked between little bursts of laughter.
“It’s dark!” Kai shot back, though he could already feel heat rising to his cheeks.
Jule just grinned, pulling off his hoodie and tossing it onto a nearby lounge chair before jumping in after him. The splash hit Kai right in the face.
“Oh, you’re done” Kai started, immediately splashing water back at him.
Jule laughed. “You’re such a—”
Whatever he was going to say got lost as they started full-on playfighting.
Kai managed to grab Jule’s shoulders and push him under the water, but before he could even celebrate, Jule caught him and pulled him down with him.
Under the water, it felt like a different world. The sounds were distant, muted, Jule’s shirt floating around him like something out of a dream.
kais fears and anxietes seemed to have stayed over the surface. so he just—leaned in.
The kiss was shy, barely there, more a brush of lips than anything else. Then, after a heartbeat, Jule moved against him, his lips soft on Kai’s.
His hand came up, brushing gently over Kai’s cheek, the one that had been hit earlier. It still stung faintly. Kai leaned into the touch anyway.
He needed to be closer, to hold onto Jule in any way he could. His hands clutched at Jule’s shirt, almost desperate, before slipping to his waist and pulling him nearer, as if he might disappear.
Kai’s lungs burned, partly from being underwater, partly from the kiss.
They broke apart as they pushed up through the surface, both gasping for air.
Jule’s hand slid into Kai’s wet curls, his eyes flickering over his face like he was searching for something he couldn’t put into words.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he said, voice breathless.
Kai couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.
“Me too.”
He leaned in again, then hesitated, just for a second.
Jule rolled his eyes softly.
“You’re so stupid sometimes,” he murmured, and closed the gap himself.
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When they finally climbed out of the pool, the cold hit immediately.
Kai shivered, pulling off his soaked hoodie and shirt so he wouldn’t drip all over the floor inside.
Jule’s eyes flicked over him, and Kai felt the urge to hide his body. Maybe Jule didn’t like what he saw, but before he could pull his shirt back on, Jule let out a low, almost purring sound.
A blush crept up his neck despite the cold.
They showered separately, and afterward Kai rushed to his room to change into his pajamas.
Later, he found himself outside Jule’s door, lingering for a moment before finally knocking. His heart gave a small flip when Jule opened, and they shared a quiet smile.
Jule stepped aside, letting him in before reaching for him, pulling him closer. His hair was still damp from the shower and he’d already changed into sleep clothes.
He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Kai’s lips, then guided him toward the bed.
They settled in together, Jule curling against him, and Kai wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him closer.
They talked quietly, about how long they’d felt this way, about the moments when it had first clicked, and the things that had quietly driven them crazy. Little things. Important things.
At some point, Jule’s voice faded, his breathing evening out against Kai’s chest.
Kai traced absent circles on his back, fingers slipping into his hair, gently combing through the soft strands.
Jule shifted slightly in his sleep, pressing closer. Kai wanted to stay awake, no dream could be better than this.
But eventually, sleep caught up with him too. As it pulled him under, Kai held on just a little tighter, as if afraid it might disappear.
Jule stayed, warm and solid in his arms.
The sound of the waves drifted in through the open window, blending with Jule’s breathing, until Kai couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began.
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The flight back to Germany felt strange. He knew he had to return to his real life, and he was happy to see his family and friends again. Still, Ibiza had felt like a different world, one where they could do whatever they wanted, without responsibilities or consequences. Making out on the beach, walking hand in hand along the promenade, falling asleep in the same bed every night.
Just hearing Jule talk about how he had felt the same way almost the entire time, how he had kept one of Kai’s jerseys and wore it whenever he had a bad day because it cheered him up, had sent a dizzy sort of happiness through him.
It made him a bit sad that he couldn’t have all of that so easily anymore.
Of course, they had talked about it. About them. About what this change in their relationship meant. They had both agreed they wanted something real, not just a summer fling or some kind of friends-with-benefits situation. Kai had felt an overwhelming sense of relief when Jule said that.
They had also agreed not to hide it, but not to make a big deal out of it either. They would just do whatever felt right in the moment.
But even after all those conversations, a part of Kai was still a little scared. Not that Jule had lied to him or used him, but that maybe they wouldn’t be able to make it work. And he knew, if that happened, they couldn’t really go back to being just friends again.
Still, whenever his thoughts became too loud, he would glance over at Jule, sitting beside him, completly absorbed in his manga, his brow gently furrowed in concentration, and just like that, his mind would quiet again.
When they stepped out of the airport, Jule reached for his hand.
Kai let him. But he still leaned closer, lowering his voice.
“Someone could see.”
Jule looked at him. “So?”
“I just thought you might not want people to know.”
Jule smiled. “I don’t care. Everyone can know you’re my man.”
Kai rolled his eyes at how cheesy that was. But he couldn’t stop the smile forming on his face.
Jule stuck his tongue out at him, then let go of his hand just to lightly punch his arm, before sliding his arm around Kai’s, pulling him closer again.
“I mean it,” he said. “I don’t mind people knowing about us.”
Kai nodded. “Me neither. Maybe it’ll stop people from hitting on you.”
He said it like a joke, but he still meant it.
“I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,” Jule said with a dramatic sigh, his eyes sparkling with sarcasm.
“You’re insufferable,” Kai muttered, though his heart gave a small, traitorous flutter.
“And you love me,” Jule replied easily.
Kai didn’t answer. He didn’t have to.