Chapter Text
The first time Alexis Ness saw the photograph, he almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was ridiculous.
The internet had somehow convinced itself that Michael Kaiser was dating some model he'd been photographed with at a sponsorship event.
The image was everywhere.
News accounts.
Football pages.
Fan forums.
Even the giant screen mounted in the Bastard München training facility lobby flashed it between advertisements.
Kaiser stood with one arm draped lazily over the woman's shoulders.
His smile was easy.
Comfortable.
Close.
The kind of smile he rarely gave anyone.
Ness stared at it for exactly three seconds before continuing down the hallway.
He wasn't jealous.
That would be stupid.
People took pictures with Kaiser all the time.
This was normal.
Completely normal.
So why did his stomach feel strange?
By lunch, everyone was talking about it.
The cafeteria buzzed with conversation.
Ness sat at his usual table, poking absentmindedly at his food.
Across from him, Chigiri scrolled through his phone.
"Still trending."
Ness didn't look up.
"What is?"
"The picture."
Of course.
"The internet will forget by tomorrow."
"Probably."
Chigiri paused.
Then glanced at him.
"You okay?"
Ness immediately answered.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
The response came too fast.
Even he noticed it.
Chigiri raised an eyebrow but thankfully let it go.
"Just asking."
Ness looked away.
The conversation ended there.
Practice started an hour later.
Kaiser arrived ten minutes late.
Naturally.
The moment he walked onto the field, every eye turned toward him.
He looked completely unaffected.
Like always.
Like nothing in the world could possibly touch him.
"Hey, superstar."
One of the defenders smirked.
"How's your girlfriend?"
A few players laughed.
Kaiser rolled his eyes.
"Which one?"
More laughter.
Ness felt something twist uncomfortably in his chest.
Kaiser noticed him then.
Blue eyes locking onto his.
For a second, his expression softened.
Only slightly.
"Good morning, Ness."
Ness nodded.
"Morning."
Nothing else.
Normally Kaiser would have received a complaint about being late.
Or a reminder about drills.
Or at least some kind of conversation.
Today there was nothing.
A small crease appeared between Kaiser's brows.
Then training began.
Something was wrong.
Kaiser realized it thirty minutes in.
Not because Ness was playing badly.
That would have been obvious.
No.
The problem was that Ness was playing perfectly.
Every pass arrived exactly where it should.
Every movement was precise.
Calculated.
Efficient.
Professional.
There was just one thing missing.
Him.
Ness wasn't looking for Kaiser.
Wasn't anticipating him.
Wasn't gravitating toward him.
For the first time in years, it felt like Ness was simply playing football.
Not orbiting Michael Kaiser.
It irritated him.
A lot.
After practice ended, players drifted toward the locker rooms.
Kaiser finally cornered Ness near the water station.
"What's your problem?"
Ness blinked.
"My problem?"
"You're acting weird."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
Ness took a sip from his bottle.
Calm.
Annoyingly calm.
"I think you're imagining things."
"I'm not."
"Then congratulations."
Ness screwed the cap back on.
"You've identified that I'm tired."
And then he walked away.
Leaving Kaiser standing there.
Speechless.
That evening, Bastard München attended a promotional event.
One they were contractually obligated to attend.
Kaiser hated every second of it.
The cameras.
The reporters.
The endless questions.
The fake smiles.
Usually, Ness stayed close enough to rescue him whenever his patience started running out.
Tonight he didn't.
Ness spent most of the event speaking with sponsors and staff.
Always somewhere else.
Always just out of reach.
Kaiser found himself looking for him repeatedly.
Which was ridiculous.
Ness wasn't a lost puppy.
He could survive on his own.
Near the end of the event, another photographer requested a picture.
Then another.
Then another.
A woman from one of the sponsoring brands approached.
Young.
Pretty.
Confident.
The photographers loved her immediately.
"One more photo!"
The crowd of cameras surged forward.
The woman laughed and hooked her arm through Kaiser's.
"Like this?"
"Perfect!"
Flash.
Flash.
Flash.
Kaiser barely paid attention.
He'd done this a thousand times.
It meant nothing.
Just another photograph.
Just another event.
Just another night.
Across the room, Ness happened to look up.
And saw it.
The bright flashes.
The easy smile.
The way Kaiser didn't pull away.
Didn't look uncomfortable.
Didn't seem bothered at all.
Something cold settled inside him.
Not because Kaiser was standing beside another person.
That wasn't the issue.
The issue was suddenly realizing he couldn't remember the last time Kaiser had smiled at him like that.
Not for cameras.
Not because he wanted something.
Not because he was showing off.
Just because.
The realization hurt more than it should have.
Far more.
The event ended shortly afterward.
Players began leaving.
Staff packed equipment away.
The crowd slowly disappeared.
Kaiser glanced around.
Searching.
Instinctively.
Automatically.
Looking for a familiar blond ponytail.
A familiar voice.
A familiar presence.
But Ness was nowhere to be found.
For the first time all evening, a strange feeling settled in his chest.
Unease.
Because Ness always waited.
Always.
Tonight he hadn't.
Outside, rain had started falling.
Ness stood beneath a streetlight for a moment.
The city glowing around him.
His phone buzzed.
A message.
Michael Kaiser
"Where did you go?"
Ness stared at the screen.
At the familiar name.
At the message.
Then slowly locked his phone.
And slipped it back into his pocket.
The reply never came.