Archive of Our Own

The neon lights inside the convenience store burned on his tired eyes, but still Michael Kaiser rubbed them idly before getting both hands into the dairy fridge and picking two different yogurts, looking at them as if they were the key wires to disconnect a bomb.

The packages were colorful and inviting, and they certainly looked loaded with sugar and calories—a treat impossible to eat when he had training six hours from then, and not until the end of the season.

The exact kind of treat his pregnant omega craved at two a.m.

Kaiser huffed tiredly, focusing on the products in his hands as if this was a national emergency.

It had been a fifteen-minute walk from home to the only convenience store open in kilometers, and his mind still lingered between his comfortable and warm bed and the humid and cold in the streets of Münich, more asleep than awake.

He only needed to choose which yogurt he should take back home—butterkekse or stracciatella. Both equally indulgent and disgustingly dangerous to pair with pickles.

These were the kind of issues he shouldn't be worrying about right now. He was tired; he needed sleep so badly, but thinking of Yoichi crying to sleep in his arms, right when this whole ordeal started, sure made his chest clench and pushed him to endure.

Kaiser still failed to compute how they got there. The worries were always there, since the very moment they went public about being mated with each other, back in 2025—after coming back and forth with their bond for almost seven years until they finally decided to give it a go and actually make it work.

It had been scandalous: Michael Kaiser and Isagi Yoichi, famous for their unmatched and heated rivalry during the Neo Egoist League of Blue Lock’s project, playing on rival teams for the time being—now mated as only an alpha and an omega can be when their careers had just started. Social media burst with nothing but praises, despite their concerns about Isagi Yoichi’s future in soccer.

It was good because that granted Yoichi the freedom to roam the soccer pit without any aftereffect of being surrounded by dominant alphas at all times. ‘A promising omega,’ they called him—one of the top strikers Blue Lock produced back in 2018, the only omega in his elite team.

Now, Isagi was twenty-seven weeks into pregnancy, and the press had been speculating for months about Yoichi's career—because he was an omega, and they all knew that the first and foremost necessity of an omega was to nurture life.

Of course, being pro athletes, they’d been particularly cautious. Every heat and rut handled thoroughly and on time to not mess with their packed schedules, every knot followed by careful and strict birth control. That wasn't any different from other collisions—just a perfectly timed heat and rut, a week prior to the start of the season and on time to be on top of performance for the league phase.

Kaiser still remembered the feeling. The sense of completion of having Yoichi between his arms, squirming with pleasure while taking his knot for hours, right after he bit him once more, reasserting their bond.

Little did they know there was no coming back from that, and no contraceptive was effective against the consequences.

Kaiser didn't like to revisit such memories. Not because they weren't unpleasant, but because he felt so guilty it felt so good when Yoichi was at home, whining from time to time about proper rest, cravings and criticizing every single thing he did in the field while he was out of the game for the rest of the season.

Now, butterkekse sounded safer since the cookies weren't in the yogurt, in case Yoichi changed his mind about the texture, but the stracciatella looked too bland and, for some twisted reason, less insulting to mix with pickles.

Whichever option he took back home would be as disgusting as choosing any other brand or flavor. But Yoichi insisted he wouldn't get it, and Kaiser was glad he couldn't, as much as he wondered if he really signed for this when Yoichi said with utter confidence that if he was okay with this, he wanted to have the baby. His baby.

Despite seeing Yoichi breaking in despair, he still said he wanted the baby; he still adapted and moved forward.

The reasons? Still failed to come up to him. Maybe Yoichi was so good at adapting that he just got used to the worst circumstances.

After what felt like an eternity, Michael Kaiser sighed before putting both yogurts in his basket, next to the jar of pickles with the label of a popular brand on it.

At this rate, they better sponsor him after all the pickles Yoichi and Hannah ate in the past weeks.

Hannah, their unborn child.

The name was still foreign whenever his mind cast it. Yoichi's mother obsessed over it as soon as Yoichi told them they were having a girl. ‘It’ll be easier to pronounce for everyone,’ Iyo said so happily, it was impossible to refuse her.

The name was cute, though.

The team was understanding, despite their mixed reactions to the pregnancy—they got a key element of the team out when they needed Yoichi the most, which meant their chances to win the Bundesliga or the Champions were hindered (and that he had to make up for the two).

Still, every alpha on the Bastard München became hella protective of his omega, which was upsetting, to say the least.

Yoichi's friends were also over the moon—the redhead and the bubbly bee were already too invested in sending little bows and tiny ruffled dresses to their home, and eyelashes even sent a congratulatory card from Madrid. On the other hand, Hiori Yu fought Ness on a daily basis about who would be the godfather.

Kaiser was still growing accustomed to all of this.

He yawned. He definitely needed his bed.

As Kaiser walked down the aisle, heading for the cashier counter, he stopped by the bakery display, his eyes fixing immediately on the pastries all of a sudden.

Kaiser couldn't even eat something like that for the time being; he had training at eight a.m., and he hadn't had proper rest in days, but something about entertaining his eyes with such mundane things when he could be anywhere else stirred something inside.

Hannah would be born in a world way gentler than he knew, and she was already very loved. She would have her mama, her grandparents, and a bunch of idiots that would call themselves her uncles ready to spoil her rotten.

She would have him too, of course. But something about that small piece of acknowledgement felt weird inside. Lacking. Unworthy. As if he still didn't understand what his role in her little life was.

The memory of Yoichi crying in his arms returned. Clutching his jersey between his fingers, trembling and heartbroken as he did his best to hold back every whimper and sob. Because it was the beginning of the season, because this wasn't part of the plan—having a child was the last of their concerns, and they were still so young in the prime of their careers.

Still, Yoichi looked him straight in the eye after wiping his tears and said, without a single trace of doubt. “I want this baby. I want to do this. With you.”

He couldn't believe there was someone in this world saying something like that while staring at him.

And despite his hesitation and fears, Kaiser said yes.

A pastry in particular caught his attention then, promising a sweet and indulgent dessert topped with glaze and filled with red jam—probably strawberry, red currant, or cherry. None of those sounded like something his very pregnant omega would crave in the wee hours of the morning, but since the cravings appeared, Yoichi had become a wild card.

The food temperature was never right anymore, and the flavors were always a hit-or-miss. Maybe he loved the yogurt/pickle combination—for exactly five minutes before deciding he better puke everything down the toilet. Probably next time would be something worse.

Forcing himself to steady his breathing, Kaiser exhaled through his nose and took the sweet treat in the display to put it in the basket, over the yogurts and the pickles—as if buying food would solve anything or appease his loud mind—before resuming his walk to pay.

Yoichi was so loved by everyone, and he had made friends with too many people in the soccer world for his liking. That meant he was always under watch, the fans always looking out for him since his career exploded with Blue Lock—always expecting how else the omega would turn the tides in his favor to climb further into the path of the best striker in the world.

He was the top of the top, on par with the most veterans.

That made the news more shocking, even when the obvious signs of something off were in their faces all the time and they hadn’t noticed—how Yoichi was crueler than usual in the pit, or how everyone noted he was smelling different, but they failed to point out why. Then he collapsed mid-match against PXG, and the medical team had to recover him from the field to check up on him. How Kaiser had to endure the whole match with a weirdly unbalanced team, his nerves a wreck and his mind elsewhere, now that Yoichi was out.

Yoichi was waiting in the infirmary, shocked, all shivering and idle, his pheromones prickling bitterly on his nose in response, while Noa—the former star of the Bastard München and current coach of the team—accompanied him during the revision. Then, once he got there, heaving, worried, and overstressed, the physician announced to him there was another feat on his list of achievements, as his omega was roughly six weeks pregnant.

Pregnant.

Another impossibility turning possible, hanging on his shoulders.

The cashier quickly charged him for everything, scrunching his face in discomfort while scanning everything, as if there was a horrible stench surrounding them. Kaiser took a moment to notice his expression and realize he had gone overboard with his thoughts again, and his pheromones leaked in response.

Clicking his tongue with distaste, he quickly held them, gauging the guy from the corner of his eyes—if perhaps he was recognized and that’s why he didn’t say a thing—but the cashier didn’t even pay a glance back at him.

Kaiser let him be, his mind trying its best to focus, but the thoughts slipped back in anyway, louder and heavier.

His mind drifted back to the end of September, when Yoichi insisted he was fine to get back into training, alleging he could still play some matches. Noa blatantly refused not long after his omega set foot in the training field—he stayed bitter and upset for days, huddled up in bed, watching replays of his favorite matches as if the world hated him.

Yoichi kept assuring everyone that everything was fine even when the whole world went crazy with the pregnancy announcement, their managers doing as best as they could to soften the uproar in the media, but it wasn't enough when the press was always chasing them, trying to get a photo from him, to study every change in his body with just 8 weeks of pregnancy, as if he was some kind of circus freak when he was just an omega, and he was vulnerable yet so strong.

The press was cruel, insensitive. When they once celebrated their bond, now they condemned it—because Yoichi was the omega symbol, the one that was supposed to change the rules in a world ruled by alphas. Bred. Out of his element. A disgrace. A shame. Predicting the foreboding retirement like it was set in stone. Every headline harsher than the previous one. Kaiser saw them all and couldn't imagine how doomed he would feel if it were the other way around.

Nonetheless, his Yoichi endured being ripped off from what made him the happiest without a single complaint, just whining in frustration when Noa alleged he must refrain from the exhaustive training, allowing him to run laps with everybody, do the warm-up, and soft passes with the team. Nothing else.

They avoided the topic for exactly two weeks until all the efforts to keep Yoichi safe from the news’ headlines were wasted. The team did their best to keep him from seeing them, but somehow he always saw them.

Kaiser discovered it the day he found the blue-haired striker crying in bed, the room filled with the pungent bitterness of his pheromones in distress making his stomach twist with nausea, while Yoichi’s face was all wet and sad, and Kaiser's pheromones answered right away, trying to soothe him, but all mixed with fright, then with anger, and he wanted to skin himself alive for making his omega so miserable.

In his hands, his phone showed the front page of a famous sports news ’site—showing with a big black font along a blurry photo of them leaving the hospital barely a couple of days before—as a reminder of what they couldn't avoid for too long.

Soccer World Wanted a Legend. Michael Kaiser Wanted an Omega.

That was the beginning of the end of his career, right? Yoichi cried, whimpering he didn’t want to lose everything he had built up until then, but right after said he wanted the baby and wanted him.

Him. The culprit of his misfortunes.

That was the only thing Kaiser could think of as he drowned himself in reverie; the cold air outside the convenience store was too chilly and cut his cheeks. He couldn't remember when he left the store. The streets were damp and lonely, and that alone was perfect for the storm brewing inside his mind while his steps turned automatic.

Nowadays, Yoichi alleged he didn't care about what the sports news said about him. He still read every headline he found on the internet anyway. Speculations at their finest, taking every photo they could to analyze every single change in his body, as if that alone was mere confirmation of his definite retirement.

Would he really go back to play after the baby was born? The answer should be yes. Yoichi treated pregnancy as if this was soccer with more steps, because he was still doing laps with everyone during training, analyzing everything, and criticizing his game harsher than ever.

He lulled the baby in his belly with tactical data of every match he watched on TV, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of players in every game and how he would do it differently because how was it possible that they couldn’t see what he saw? And every kick Hannah made had him alleging the baby had developed her own Kaiser Impact in the bump, complaining about those painful and hard movements she liked to do from time to time.

All of that sounded quite lovely, if it wasn’t because Kaiser awoke every morning dreading that would be the day Yoichi would look at him the same way his mother saw him one day, before taking her belongings and leaving by the front door without looking back not even once.

Like he was some kind of mistake they didn’t know how to hide, so the only reasonable thing to do was walk away from him until he became a small stain in the back of their memories.

The thought clenched in his chest, like it did every time it came to him. Trying to keep his breathing even, Kaiser held the lapel of his coat along the scarf around his neck to cover his mouth and his nose from the chill nocturnal air while looking down to the shopping bag with his purchasings.

He couldn’t shake the memory of Yoichi smiling, adapting to the circumstances as he always did in order to cherish the small life growing inside him instead of paying attention to what the world said about him. Kaiser couldn’t promise him everything would be fine—what moral authority could he have about it when his rotten upbringing showed him otherwise? How could he assure him the world would be kind to him and their baby when it hadn’t been to him when he needed it the most?

Of course, he wasn’t like the man that raised him, and Yoichi wasn’t like the woman that used to call herself his mother. No matter how much malice Kaiser could sow in his game once, because Isagi Yoichi had been patient with him.

So patient that somewhere along their chaotic start as a mated couple, the blue-haired man softened his edges until Kaiser saw something in him he couldn’t believe was real—that there was more than only pain and ruin inside him to give.

The yogurts inside the shopping bag tapped against each other, the sound of the pastry's paper bag crumpling with the movement, and Kaiser stopped, noticing his knuckles had gone white while holding the handle.

Now he noticed he was holding his breath.

That was the worst part of it all. Not the fear of Yoichi pausing his dreams and refraining from playing soccer. Not the press either. But the fear of seeing years pass by and realizing Yoichi resented him, Hannah resented them as well, and he became the man who destroyed the lives of the people he loved the most.

Because if something had been consistent with him and his turbulent past aside from his remarkable career as a soccer star and overcoming the impossible every single time, was that he destroyed everything he touched.

Until Yoichi.

Until Yoichi refused to let him believe that and prove him otherwise.

The apartment building they lived in came into view at last. The street was empty, and the air felt colder, and Kaiser finally felt the anticipation setting in his stomach along with his eyelids weighing. There was only one light lit up in the five-story building, the light of their room. Yoichi was surely waiting for his late-night snack—or he probably was already snoring softly in a poor attempt to wait for him to come back.

And he needed his bed quite urgently.

The stairs towards his floor felt endless, a mixture of smells of other people living in the building, but he could recognize down the staircase the citric notes of Yoichi pheromones mixed with the powdery notes of the baby along it. It was soft, gentle. Kaiser relaxed immediately on pure reflex, feeling the urgency to be back home and sink his nose inside the crook of his neck and sleep.

And lastly, he was in front of his home door, right where the scent of his omega was the strongest, the freshest. He froze for the briefest of moments, hesitating, not because he rejected the idea of being back home, but because sometimes he still couldn’t believe someone was there, waiting for him. His hand over the doorknob brought him back to reality, and he finally retrieved his keys to open it and get inside, back into the warmth of comfort and familiarity.

The apartment was quiet and warm as he predicted, and putting all his effort into not making any noise, he put all his things on the welcome table they had next door so he could put off his coat at last.

“The emperor was ruthless, Isagi.” He heard the soft mumble of a foreign voice in the house, echoing in the silent home as a signal someone was awake.

“Yeah, I saw the match; I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world!” That was his omega’s voice, his voice filled with pride while Kaiser untangled his scarf slowly, gauging the extent of the words coming from the master bedroom, the source of the sweetest smell coming along with the sound.

“He’s a monster.” Kaiser recognized the dry tone at last as the lazy genius of the Manshine City Team. He’d just beaten him in the match just yesterday. And for once, Kaiser chuckled quietly, agreeing with his blatant declaration.

Trying to keep silent and cautious to not let his pheromones out to let his presence be known, Kaiser continued to strip the layers of clothes from his body. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop on his mate's conversations with other people, but he felt those were the moments his omega could be himself, authentic and true. The only moments where he didn’t need to fake he was doing okay.

“Don’t say that. He was actually amazing.” Yoichi mumbled, but he actually focused on the tone and not on the praisings. And Kaiser smirked, imagining the adorable pout he surely had in his mouth as he squirmed in the nest he made with his clothes over the bed, and how lovely it would be to erase the frustration from his face with a kiss.

He quickly dissolved another knot of the scarf, still hearing intently.

“Ugh, you're so lucky, out of the season to laze around without a care in the world.” Sure the lazy genius didn’t know shit about his mate, of course. The last thing his Yoichi would love was exactly that.

“Hey, I’m working extra hard to make sure Hannah-chan's little lungs are growing well!”

“Eeeeh. Sounds easier than soccer. Wish I was an omega instead. Reo said—” Whatever that idiot thought about pregnancy, he was clearly underestimating it. He wasn’t even close to being pregnant, but it was sheer luck to guess how Yoichi would be every day. Some days he was gleaming with glee, and others he was a moody, spoiled brat, and Kaiser just rolled his eyes trying to guess what the problem was then. “… but I guess we will never know, huh?”

“And Reo’s right, you keep unbalancing the team with your delayed reactions. No wonder Mihya won the match.” Another pang of pride and the pheromones in the apartment quickly changed in accordance with it. They twisted his stomach weirdly, as Kaiser came from a ruminating walk of self-deprecation, and the scent just soothed everything rough and raw at the moment.

“So cruel.” Then, a soft pause he couldn’t understand, but finally he peeled the scarf away from his body and hung it on the coat rack by the entry. “Gotta go. Reo just woke up.”

“Say hi for me?” Yoichi’s voice was gentle and warm, and Kaiser craved it the moment he finally heard them bidding their farewells.

“Yeah, see ya!” And then the call was off, followed by the soft whines of Yoichi, probably stretching comfortably on the bed while waiting for him.

Kaiser took that as his cue to hurry to take his coat off and make his presence known, then quickly took the shopping bag from the table and walked with quiet steps towards the master bedroom, if not because he heard the characteristic ringtone of Yoichi’s phone ringing again and the blond held himself as he cursed in silence about who could possibly call this late in the night!?

The sound of Yoichi picking up right away soured his attempts to be back into the safety of his omega’s nest when his words followed a happy greeting. “Hey, mama, papa!” And Kaiser stopped midway to the bedroom, feeling a weird feeling of emptiness inside him.

He had cut ties with his father as soon as he came of age and never did ever try to reconnect with his mother. So when Yoichi presented him officially to his parents and saw a supportive couple full of love for their son, ready to share their light with him, without pretensions or roundabouts, Michael Kaiser couldn't help but cling to them.

Sometimes, Kaiser still wondered if he had taken up the place that could fit someone way better than him.

His omega was deeply attached to them, and since they lived far away from Japan, it was common that Yoichi would get homesick from time to time, especially now that they were expecting a baby.

“Yocchan!” That was the voice of Isagi Issei greeting his son back.

“You okay? We saw your lost call from a couple of hours ago, and we called before your papa left for work because we were worried.” And that was Isagi Iyo speaking with concern in her voice. “Isn’t it late in Germany? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

Yes, he should. They both should, Kaiser thought while rubbing his eyes with a couple of fingers, then walked with light feet to the master bedroom and leaned against the threshold, where he could see clearly his omega all cuddled up inside his nest, holding his phone directly to his face.

He hadn't noticed he had arrived back home, which meant his pheromones were in check right now. Good.

“I’m okay. I just—I was missing you both and couldn’t sleep.” He said with a shy voice, his pheromones flowing freely in the room, and for the first time in the night, Kaiser actually smiled, feeling the happiness coming from his mate.

“Eeeeh.” Both parents made an appreciative sound. “How is Michael-kun doing?”

The sudden question threw him off. They were asking as if he was a central part of Yoichi’s life and not the one who ruined everything. Still, he could already think of the most adequate response: awful. Terrible. Worst mate ever. Horrible father-to-be.

But instead, “He's struggling and thinks I don’t notice, but he's doing his best.” Yoichi said with certainty, and Kaiser felt his heart leaping in his chest, seeing how his omega took a used sweatshirt from the nest to hold like a small teddy plushie.

Kaiser thought he'd been discreet about his struggles, but it seemed his mate was as sharp and keen as ever.

What was he supposed to do with that piece of information?

“Isn’t he sleeping now? Should we speak lower?” Issei offered.

But Yoichi just chuckled. “Nah. I was craving something weird, and he offered to go buy it for me.”

His parents then burst into laughter.

“Just like your mom when she was carrying you!” Kaiser smiled at the scene, glad that at least the weird cravings came from family and weren't mere inventions of his Yoichi. “Some nights I had to go pick up natto and chocolate syrup at midnight because she was craving it so bad!”

And Yoichi laughed, carefree and relaxed. His pheromones showed him as well. Kaiser knew right then it was because he was talking to his parents. That always made him happy.

“Don't be too harsh on Michael-kun, Yocchan.” His mother said with a soft and understanding voice, and Yoichi whined.

“I’m not, I swear!” And Kaiser saw how he caressed the soft curve of his bump—too small to look 27 weeks old—a little too proud, a little too full of himself. “But this little miss sure is.”

Yoichi always said that everything that didn't feel like him was because of their demanding little girl. A little Kaiser in the making, bossier than her father, and Michael already dreaded how tiresome parenthood would be. He had never interacted with children before; how was he supposed to act around a little infant without breaking them in the process? Would they really be ready to have a child in their little home?

Yoichi always made it sound so easy—and so did his parents, who welcomed Hannah with open arms—but Kaiser was more worried about how he would fit into that perfectly crafted reality when he couldn’t even deal with his pregnant omega without crashing into his catastrophic thoughts.

“Hannah-chan sure is harsh on her papa, huh?” Iyo noted, entertained.

“She is made of tough material,” Issei added right after.

“She is, haha! But I’m sure Michael won't mind. I can picture him being over the moon for her.”

And that single declaration was like opening an abyss for Michael Kaiser on the spot. The smile on his lips faltered, and he stared intently at the omega, as if he had gone crazy right then.

He could barely imagine Yoichi choosing him every single day since day one they mated. How could he picture himself gushing over ribbons, ruffled dresses worn by the cutest little girl, angel-faced, big and endless blue eyes like her mama, holding a cute teddy bear while forcing him to drink tea with her!?

“Oh, dear.” There went Iyo again, her voice full of tenderness

“What?”

“You seem so happy.” Those gentle words erased any trace of a smile from Kaiser’s lips, as he looked stupefied at his mate, who was still cuddled into his lovely nest, the pheromones changing freely to burst into sweeter undertones, the clear sign of a happy omega. “I thought I would ever see that gleam in your eyes for anything that wasn’t soccer, but there you are.” The woman explained, followed by silence, the only sounds coming from Japan across the video call.

“Is that so?” Yoichi asked, his voice a higher pitch, clearly embarrassed. “Well, I am. I am happy.” He confirmed then, and Michael Kaiser felt his mouth going dry with expectation. It was hard to remember the intrusive thoughts when Yoichi sounded so sincere about him.

“I don’t know what you two are waiting for to get married already.” His mother whined, trying to sound nonchalant about it, but the complaint was anything but indifferent.

She wasn’t too far away from her allegations, though. Michael hadn’t made a move yet, but he already got the ring to propose when the time was right—probably until the baby was born. Or maybe was it better if he popped the question before? He’d been reading that it was looked down upon couples that birthed children without being married in Japan, and—

Maybe he had to think that thoroughly, if not because Yoichi’s pheromones spiked with intensity and sourness, then sweetness, and back into the overwhelming citrusy scent he recognized everywhere. “It’s not the right moment, mama. Michael must make up for my absence this season with the team.” He explained shyly, and Kaiser quickly understood he was embarrassed.

“I know, I know.” Iyo sighed resignedly, quickly returning to her usual, chirpy self. “Please, tell Michael-kun we’ll be watching the matches and cheering on him until you’re ready to be back, sweetheart. Oh! And we already got our tickets for visiting you both in a month and a half, dear. Just in time for you to give birth.” The woman noted, followed by the hum in confirmation of her husband.

Kaiser decided it was enough stealth for the night, and he finally released his pheromones at last to make his presence known.

“I’ll tell Michael when he’s back.” Yoichi said, the voice imprinted with smiles as the sweet notes of his pheromones took over the space again and filled it without fail, clashing with his, mingling together. Then, his omega reacted, his face turning behind his shoulder, seemingly catching on to his pheromones right away, distracting him.

“And say hi to Michael-kun for us, okay?” His father said, and his little and pretty omega squirmed happily while nodding, already rising from the nest before the video call was cut, and then Yoichi turned around the nest to look for him, smiling as soon as the call was over and catching him by the door.

“Mihya!” Yoichi was smiling, his eyes glowing with acknowledgement. That's when Kaiser stepped into the master bedroom, dangling the shopping bag in his hand. “Welcome back!”

“You okay?” Kaiser asked, walking to the edge of the mattress, his omega squirming happily while he picked up the stuff he just bought from inside the shopping bag.

“Hmmm-hmm!” Yoichi hummed, nodding vigorously, waiting for him to come closer.

“Here, I brought you what you asked for.” Kaiser announced while throwing the two cups of yogurt and the jar of pickles over the bed. “I wasn’t sure what flavor you preferred, so I bought you the two you like to eat the most—” Then the blond noticed how Yoichi was silent as he studied the items in the bed with a judgmental stare. His pheromones had finally rescinded. Kaiser feared something was wrong. “What?”

“You're gonna kill me.” Now, his omega looked so guilty, and he pleaded to him with both hands joined in prayer.

Kaiser felt his stomach protest with anxiety. Surely he wronged the cravings, and he got it all wrong. Maybe Yoichi was upset that he took so long. Maybe his omega was plainly disappointed in him, and he just decided he was better alone with the baby than with him— “Why?”

“Mihya, I’m sorry.” His mate insisted.

But that didn't help in the slightest with his worries. “Just spit it out, Yoichi.”

“The baby doesn't want that anymore!” Yoichi yelped, hiding his face inside the palm of his hands, ashamed. “I’m sorry!”

Kaiser felt as if his whole soul sighed in relief and finally collapsed on the mattress, trying to recollect himself. He’d been on edge all night long. He was just tired; there was not a single indicator that his Yoichi wanted to leave. Yet.

Everything was well.

Except it wasn't. Because his omega was having pregnancy cravings and he just failed as his mate to provide—

Or not?

Remembering the other purchase he made, Kaiser quickly retrieved the yogurt cups and the pickle jar and returned them to the shopping bag, rummaging into it and taking out a small paper bag, which he threw towards the blue-haired man. “Here.”

Yoichi blinked with surprised confusion. “What's this?”

“I guess I had a hunch this could happen and—never mind. Just take it.”

Yoichi hesitated. “But—”

“Take. It.” That didn't feel like an alpha command. Yoichi always felt those to his core, feeling the goosebumps to his demands until he was compelled to obey and make him happy, but it felt closer to that. Kaiser couldn't bring himself to use alpha commands for the time being because his omega was pregnant, and he better not compromise him and his pup’s safety at all.

Yoichi finally got his hand inside the bag, retrieving the pastry filled with jam and taking a bite without any more regard. “Hmmm!” His eyes gleamed with excitement right away. “The glaze is perfect, and the cherry jam—just exactly what the baby wanted!” Yoichi threw himself back to the bed, kicking cheerfully in childish behavior. “How did you know!?”

He didn't. Kaiser couldn't remember why he took the pastry with him to begin with.

Anyway, his impulsive purchase turned out to be so rewarding, as Kaiser enjoyed the way Isagi Yoichi ate his sweet treat, doing little movements of contentedness while eating.

And he just knew everything was worth it to see his omega this happy, no matter how much he had to sacrifice in the process.

“Mihya, com’ere and take a seat with me.” Yoichi called for him, signaling the vacant space in the nest for him to occupy. And he was particularly tired by now, so he quickly left the shopping bag on the side of the bed, took his shoes off, and crawled into the nest to lie beside his mate.

The space in the nest was perfectly tailored for him. Kaiser lay on his side, stretching an arm over Yoichi's head, and his omega followed him a moment later, using his arm as a pillow.

Their pheromones were mixed, and the scent was serene and comforting while Yoichi caressed his cheek dotingly. “The doctor said Hannah is growing healthy and strong.” Right, Yoichi skipped training yesterday for his follow-up pregnancy checkup, and they hadn't been able to talk about it until then. “He also said my weight is healthy, and if things keep going as smoothly as they are, I can resume training after three months postpartum.”

“In the optimal scenery.” Kaiser noted, using his free index finger to poke his nose.

Yoichi just pouted. “I’m a pro athlete. Of course I will be back on time to kick your ass next season.” He announced with confidence. “I’ve also been hearing in the news that Re Al wants to bid for you next season again.”

The excitement in Yoichi's pheromones was lovely, but Kaiser knew all too well those outbursts of energy. “Good luck with that.”

“Mihya, I’m serious.” The blue-haired man frowned upon him, his voice serious and contained.

“So am I.” The blond insisted, leaning his nose against Yoichi's temples, quietly sniffing his scent. “I won't leave you here to deal with Hannah on your own.”

“What if I get a bid, too?” Yoichi kept going restlessly.

His omega sure knew how to push his own agenda when he wanted.

“If Barcha or Re Al bid for you next season, I will think about it.” Kaiser concluded then, and his mate whined inside the nest, squirming in protest.

“I will go with you, Mihya; it's okay.”

Kaiser closed his eyes, feeling the sleep eluding him for a restless night, the weight of the sacrifices his omega had made up until then too heavy to let them pass. Another sacrifice—Michael wasn't sure he could take it.

“You don't need to do that.” He mumbled, feeling the guilt crawling under his skin, trying to get him.

“I want to.” Yoichi announced, the certainty in his voice leaving no room to argue.

‘It shouldn’t be this easy,’ Kaiser thought bitterly. “But your career—”

“Has just started; don't worry about it.” Kaiser whined, hiding his face against Yoichi's hair, which smelled so good and soothing. “At least think about it?” Yoichi tried again, his voice small and vulnerable, and how could Kaiser deny anything to him!?

“I won't make any promises.” The blond said, and his omega didn't protest anymore, letting the silence settle between them.

God, he really missed his bed. Kaiser nuzzled his mate’s hair carefully, inhaling his pheromones to relax, his body reacting on the spot to the softness around him, when Yoichi spoke again. “Hey, who do you think Hannah-chan will cheer on when we meet against each other in the field?”

Kaiser swept the cobwebs of drowsiness to pay attention to his omega, whose attention was fixed on his face. “Well, it's obvious it’ll be you.”

“Hmm-hmm.” Isagi made a negative sound, his tone relaxed but still aware. “I’m sure she’ll be cheering on her papa— oh.”

“What, now?” Kaiser grumbled, tired.

“Give me your hand.” Yoichi took his hand and put it onto the curve of his bump, following the skin until they almost reached his ribcage, and—

A kick.

All the sleepiness in Kaiser's body abandoned him right there, to replace the exhaustion with renewed vigor, and the blond gasped, his mouth agape in surprise. “She moved.” He declared in amusement, his hand carefully placed on Yoichi's stomach, waiting for the baby to react to him again.

“Yeah.” The blue-haired striker smiled bashfully, both hands over his on the bump. “She's been moving so much up until recently.”

“I see.”

“Especially since the match against Manshine City, after that recovery you did.” Kaiser huffed while remembering how the rival team marked him so harshly to prevent him from scoring, but he found his way around and scored the winning goal anyway. He smirked, satisfied. “I’m thinking Hannah-chan is learning about defensive pressure quite fast, huh?”

“I don't need another soccer junkie in my life, Yoichi.” Kaiser warned.

“Nonsense! You already knew what you were getting into the moment you sank your teeth in me and tethered us together.” Yoichi protested, his pheromones rising in strength, the scent too overwhelming and suffocating—just like when he was in the pit, competing against alphas way stronger than him.

Truth be told, mating with Isagi Yoichi was, actually, one of the best things in his life. And despite the rocky start, their rivalry, and fucked up everything; Michael Kaiser loved him enough to endure any punishment that came with it.

“Yeah, yeah.” He mumbled, condescendingly, but Yoichi didn't protest any further, cuddling against him in the bed, the silence filling the room enough for the sleep to tingle in his tired eyes and his tired body, when—

“Mihya?” His omega tried again.

“Hmmm?”

“Would you marry me?”

And there it went his peace and his rest, down to the trash, as Kaiser rose from the bed in shock, staring at the Japanese striker as if he’d just grown a second head.

He tried to find his voice amidst the shock, but he could only mumble a soft “What!?”

Feeling called out, Yoichi hid his face between his hands, embarrassed. “I know I’m kinda out of shape and sensitive and all, but—!” Kaiser took his hands off his face to see him all adorably flushed. “But we're having a baby and we're already mated. What else is left yet for you to ask me to marry you?” He finally asked, with a cute pout on his lips.

‘To be worthy of you when you could have it better,’ thought Kaiser right away, speechless and shocked.

Somehow, winning a Champions League with the fierce rivals he got, and without Yoichi syncing up with him every play in the field, sounded way more feasible than that.

Because he’d been double-guessing about proposing, and there went Yoichi without a second thought.

“So I better ask you before you decide it's not worth it.” He finished, all shy and cute, and Kaiser wanted to kiss him right there to appease the sudden rush of his pheromones, mixing between sweet and sour notes, showing his anxiety.

“Yoich—” But his mate interrupted him, almost babbling, frenzied.

“I know, I know. We're both scared. But I think it's not for the same reasons as the beginning.” The blue-haired man insisted, frowning upon him. “When we knew Hannah-chan was coming, I was scared as shit because for a moment I thought this would be the end.”

But Kaiser already knew that. Yoichi had told him that before.

“But now I’m just scared of giving birth.” That little confession threw Kaiser off his stance, and he stared at his omega in disbelief. “I’ve been reading that male omega’s babies tend to be premature, and even in the most favorable circumstances, they are usually smaller than average. And I won't be able to breastfeed Hannah-chan. Would that be detrimental to her health?”

Those were very human and very realistic concerns, and Michael couldn't come up with a reasonable rebuttal for them. Instead, he nuzzled his temples again, releasing his pheromones to help Yoichi to calm down. “Everything will be okay, Yoichi. I know you’ll do it well.” He assured him, his voice confident.

But then Yoichi slapped him softly, trying to push him away. “Stop it.”

“The what?”

“You're making it sound as if you won't be part of this by then!” He protested, and the alpha was left out of words again.

He hadn't realized he did that.

“But I’m here. I’m staying with you.” He insisted, and Yoichi quickly tugged him again, not enough to get Kaiser to lay back into the bed, but close enough to get his warmth closer.

“That's why we need to get married. So there's no way you could refuse your parental rights.”

Kaiser rolled his eyes, sighing patiently at his omega's childish display. “We're already mated, you shitty Yoichi. You forget that we're basically married by now?”

“But I want the legal binding, too.” Yoichi pouted, like a spoiled child.

So Kaiser clicked his tongue, the exhaustion wearing him out, but enduring to leave the bed. “Fine.” He said before walking away from the master bedroom and disappearing down the corridor in utter silence.

It didn't take him long to come back from the study to the bedroom, this time holding that small blue velvety box he’d been hiding from his omega until the time was right. And when he returned to the bed, Yoichi was in the middle of the nest, staring at him in confusion, until he noticed the small box in his hands, and Kaiser could see him analyzing the moment, the posture, and the object in his hands, his metavision ordering everything until everything clicked inside his head.

“Wha—!?”

“I wasn't sure when would be the right moment to do this, but since you brought it up, I guess this is it.” And without stopping to second-guess anymore, Kaiser sat next to Yoichi on the mattress, opening the box in his hands to show a couple of wedding bands to his mate.

Yoichi stared at him in shock, then at the box, all flushed red.

“Holy shit— wait.” And panic set in right away. “No—! Not like this! Keep them!” And pushed the box away from him, as if it burned. “I’m in pajamas all round with our pup, and you always get to look like a supermodel. How's this fair!?” He almost shrieked in a frenzy, but Kaiser couldn't find him prettier than right there—carrying his baby, all vulnerable and needy and wanting only him. “Wh-what if you regret this tomorrow morning?”

“I’m sleep deprived, Yoichi, not stupid.” He deadpanned while taking one of the wedding bands from the box—the smaller one, obviously—followed by Yoichi's left hand, then sliding the ring into his finger.

It was a perfect fit.

“There. Now it's official—in case the mating bite in your neck isn't enough.”

Yoichi stared at his hand, incredulous, but Kaiser noticed how his eyes glowed in excitement, as if he'd been waiting for this for quite some time. “I haven't said yes, you stupid clown!” He kicked him away from the nest in an effort to keep his emotions in check.

“Just make sure to decide before the baby is born, I heard in Japan you get registered as a child of the world if your parents aren't married.” Kaiser teased him, and Yoichi kicked him harder.

But that's when the baby kicked again. Hard. Kaiser noticed as Yoichi scrunched his face with pain while holding his small bump.

“You okay?”

“Ugh. This is so unfair; two Kaisers marking me at the same time should be illegal!” Yoichi complained, but that only granted him a chuckle from his alpha, who quickly pulled him closer, and they both finally got into the nest.

Kaiser held him despite his protests, his arm carefully around his stomach, while his face quickly found the space in the crook of his neck to rest. Yoichi went still right away, pleased by the position, the closeness, and the soothing pheromones he just released to keep him happy. The blond inhaled softly the citrusy scent of his omega enveloping him fully, side-eyeing the pretty mark of his coupling over his mating gland.

It was actually impossible for Yoichi or him to pick anyone else, but more reassurances of that actually felt quite good. And now that they were silent, with his omega's hand scratching his scalp so gently, Kaiser finally felt the exhaustion win over him, his shoulders and limbs starting to relax.

His mate relaxed as well, completely happy with his proximity, the tone of his pheromones shifting, attuned with his.

“I can't believe I had to propose to you first for you to man up and do it yourself.” Yoichi mumbled over his hair, incredulous but happy. It was cute, soothing. Kaiser could stay like that for eternity and wouldn't mind at all.

And feeling the sleep coming to him in waves, Michael almost forgot why he was ruminating a while ago, in front of the dairy fridge of a convenience store, but suddenly he was too comfy, too vulnerable, and Yoichi was warm and soft, and he—

“Maybe I was just wary one day you'll wake up and regret staying with me.” He confessed, on the brink of sleep, feeling his consciousness slipping away slowly but steady.

“You gotta be kidding me, you stupid alpha.” Yoichi's voice intended to sound harsher, but now it sounded like a sweet lullaby in his tired ears. “I’ve been consistently choosing you for almost ten years, even when I hated your guts.”

The issue sure ran deeper than that, but Michael knew most of his fears were unfounded anyway with the amount of proof otherwise.

“Maybe you have a point.” He conceded, his voice rougher with fatigue, more like dreaming than actually aware of what they were talking about.

“Maybe you should win the Champions this year, you know?—for the baby and for me.” Yoichi suggested, and in fact it didn't only sound half bad, in line with his ability to overcome the impossible.

“Hmmm-hmm.” And feeling the safety of their home, the gentle pheromones of his mated omega soothing every ache on his body, and knowing there wasn't any other place he wanted to be than right there, rest finally came to Michael’s body, and he slept.

When Isagi woke up, it was already past nine a.m.

He woke up to the soft blanket of his alpha's pheromones draped gently around him, like a protective shield, his scent warm and woody and so comforting, Isagi felt the pull to go back to sleep.

Isagi turned slightly to his side, watching his mate sleeping. Michael really was a bad sleeper, but he was always careful while sleeping next to him, particularly with the pregnancy—he drooled, his hair was all tousled, disastrous, but somehow, still looked incredibly handsome anyway.

Isagi almost felt envious.

Michael thought he didn't notice, but every time he grew anxious or restless, his pheromones gave him away. Everybody they knew was familiar with the aggressive smell of his pheromones, as Michael Kaiser usually never let his guard down to anyone. But Isagi Yoichi knew better, probably even better than Kaiser himself, and he was nervous and probably horrified of being a parent after his terrible past.

But the truth was—he couldn't see how protective and tender he looked, curled up inside the nest, his hand laying gently over his bump, like something precious he ought to treasure, no matter what. Michael Kaiser would never see what Isagi Yoichi could, even if they both had the metavision to share their vision in the soccer pit.

He would never see how fragile he looked behind the façade of the strong and dominant alpha he showed, startling and scaring people away, when in fact he was trying as best as possible to mend all the broken pieces inside him, to feel he deserved every good thing he achieved.

This was for Isagi, and Isagi alone.

Gods, he was really in love with that idiot.

Hannah sure was lucky to have Michael Kaiser as papa.

His eyelids were weighing him down when the characteristic sound of his phone's ringtone flooded the bedroom, and Isagi rubbed his eyes as he picked it up from the nightstand, not bothering in the slightest to check who was calling.

“You're late.” Isagi recognized the voice as Noa’s right away.

“I know.” He said, his voice raspy and still rough from sleep.

“And where's Kaiser? We have to review the strategy for tomorrow’s match against Frankfurt and—”

“Listen, I think we'll be late today. Don't wait for us until noon. I’ll make sure he makes up for the delay.”

Noa grunted on his side of the line, followed by a sigh. “Fine. But you two run twice the laps.”

“I thought you'd be nicer to us, since you’ll be Hannah-chan’s godfather.” Isagi slipped that declaration so nonchalantly that the pause that followed was heavy, weird.

Noa took a whole minute to reply. “... what?”

Isagi smirked with satisfaction, his fingers grazing the side of his baby bump, entertained. “Nothing. See you later.” He said, hanging up before Noa could protest.

He knew full well that Noa’s threats were all empty, as once they got there, every alpha in the team—their head coach included—would bend to the pregnant omega and wouldn't let him run at all; and Michael would get all cranky and moody because of it, but it was fine.

Turning to see his sleeping alpha, Isagi Yoichi leaned closer to kiss his forehead, as Michael snored gently, sleeping like a sweet baby, his whole frame all cuddled up against him inside the nest, and smiled.

“Sleep well, Mihya.”