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Sweat. Skin. Red plastic cups. Party lights that flickered in intervals, in spite of the opulent apartment.
The bass of whatever pop song was on trembled through the floors, travelling up to the crowd dancing above. Ness, in the midst of the cacophony, found his fingers tapping against the plastic wrapping in his hands. The flowers inside jostled with every light tap.
He wasn’t meant to be here. But he was. His eyes kept searching, searching, only to no avail. No blue-tipped blonde hair, no tattooed eyeliner. Ness sighed, his fist curling.
He had found him, earlier, in a convenience store. It was dank and dark, and yet he had been there, energy drink in hand. Ness could only snort at the thought.
Of course a man like him would be a hypocrite, dancing around in gaudy suits and acting all holier-than-thou, and yet secretly buying bullshit that would definitely wreck his health.
Ness watched him rattle on to the cashier, who clearly couldn’t give less of a fuck about someone in a damn suit, and then he watched him huff after he got his change, pointing his finger at the cashier threateningly whilst mouthing off. Then he turned on his heel and left, Oxfords click-clacking along the vinyl tiles.
God, he was so insufferable. But if he wasn't as beautiful as Ness had ever seen him.
Those 4 years apart had served him well, it seemed; had sharpened his tongue, cleaned up his hair after Ness couldn't cut it for him anymore, and, even, if such a thing was possible, calmed the once raging teenager. Even if it wasn't by a lot. That was a lot for- Him.
Ness was shaken out of his stupor by a cup shoved into his face, a stranger's arm snaking around his shoulders with the pungent stench of alcohol invading his senses as they talked at him.
They told him to try some, he had gotten that much at least, though everything else made it so that even the tiniest bit of speech was something to be deciphered.
Ness hesitated for a moment before accepting it with a practiced smile, the plastic crinkling into each other as he took the drink in the hand adorned with flowers.
After scampering away, he finally found an exit from the amalgam of people that shot him out into a bedroom.
Ness' boot stilled, halfway through the door.
The music, the people, the lights, the hollowness in his chest; it all seemed to fade into the background as he glanced over the room.
Bed, dresser, wardrobe. A faded out poster of the Avengers on the wall. It was honestly rather desolate, which was a strange contrast to the carefully decorated living room that was currently being trashed.
Before he even knew it, he had stepped inside, coming to a stop at the dresser. A lone picture frame stood meagrely. Ness squinted. From the right side, he could easily remember their names - Grim, Mensah, Birkenstock.
From the left it was harder. He picked the frame up. Ah, there it was. At the edge was Gesner, next to him was.. Sachs, of course, and then, in the middle... Ness' throat dried up. Noa. Kais-
The sharp sound of shoes clattering. A presence behind him. He realised all too late, the people outside blurring his senses, the people in the frame blurring his eyes.
"You don't look like someone I would've invited," someone snapped, as they ripped the frame out of Ness' hands. "The party's back in the living room, douchebag."
Ness swallowed halfway, the air coming back up to haunt him as he looked up.
Tattooed eyeliner. Blue tipped mullet. Twin rattails hanging off the shoulders.
He paled, blinking to the side to absorb unshed tears. Then he coughed. "Ah, sorry.. I was just looking for someone to.." His eyes skimmed around, flicking to the flowers in his hand and then back to the boy- man. He was a man now. They were men. "To give these to. Housewarming." Ness hoped his smile didn't look too crooked.
Kaiser looked unimpressed, the frame tucked into his arm as he narrowed his eyes at him. Then he held his hand out wordlessly. Ness held his out in return, eyes still locked on Kaiser's face.
Kaiser scoffed. "You giving me that mystery drink too, weirdo?" Ness flinched imperceptibly, looking down.
Oh. Shit. Ness laughed, switching the drink to his left hand and handing over the flowers in his right. Their fingers brushed. Ness' footing slipped as he stumbled back a step.
"No- no.. ‘course not. Sorry if they're a bit wilted, they were kind of last minute.. And, for the record-" Ness looked directly between Kaiser's eyebrows to look as if he were making eye contact, "I wasn't stalking you. I was just looking at that photo. You.. are one of the best strikers in the world, no? And a psychology graduate from ESU, of all places. Don't shame a guy for being curious about a genius." Ness' smile strengthened, and his eyes grew steadier.
He watched Kaiser's features soften in real time, through his peripheral vision, and then he moved, placing the frame back where it was with a bit more force than necessary.
"Most people brought beer. You should've too. But.. I suppose that's valid." He huffed out. "I don't like people in my bedroom, though. It was meant to be locked." Kaiser muttered something under his breath as he turned around, and then he swerved back once he realised Ness hadn't left. "You can go now. ..And thank you for the flowers, whatever your name is." He finished, moving to the side.
Ness wished something in the ground would reach up and root him into place right there, keep him there for some unexplainable reason, some reason that would mean he would be able to talk to Kaiser for a few more minutes.
But nothing happened.
So he shuffled out of the room, his senses coming back to life immediately.
Bass, sweat, skin, plastic. He hobbled between people until he found himself just far away to be out of sight, but close enough so that he could hear whatever Kaiser was talking about at the kitchen island.
Kaiser was currently rifling through cabinets, until he strained to the very top, eventually heaving an old vase out. Ness, despite himself, felt his cheeks grow warm. He hadn't expected that.
And, even, Kaiser had seemed.. mellowed out. He had only sworn at him once.
He had said thank you.
"I didn't expect you to be so gratuitous, Michael," a cheery voice rang, "The old you would've thrown those away." Isagi grinned, picture perfect, as he emerged from around the corner and clapped Kaiser on the back.
Ness chewed his lip. This was okay, this was expected. Of course they would be friends. After all, they bonded at the World Cup.
Kaiser scowled, pushing Isagi off him. "Don't get my suit dirty," he retorted, snipping stems. "They're just another decoration."
Isagi squinted at him. "Well, whatever you say. How'd you do at that interview?" He asked simply, fingers rapping against the marble counter as he leaned on it.
"Fine," Kaiser replied, "I got in."
Isagi brightened. "That's great, man! You can help children just like you!"
Kaiser put the scissors down. "Don't bullshit me. I rejected them. You know that sort of system will only make me a part of them if I try to break it from the inside, and, I just- They're soulless. They don't actually care about children. They care about their money." He bunched the flowers together and dropped them into the vase, which was now filled with water. "I just feel as if there's something better I could do with my abilities. I feel like... I'm always missing something. I feel like I'm constantly waiting for something, something that's already over." He suddenly turned away from the vase, laying his hands down on the table firmly.
This time, it was Isagi's turn to darken, albeit only by a little. "I just think you should consider the benefits, you know? Life insurance. Football may bring the money in, but you don't know - tomorrow you could get a life threatening injury or something - Not that I'm saying you would, I just.. it's nice. To have a backup plan." Isagi finished, staring at Kaiser, eyes full of understanding, knowing, remembering.
Ness watched Isagi watch Kaiser.
Ness watched Isagi watch Kaiser lean in.
His stomach churned, his eyes burned, but he continued watching as their lips met, soft, and sweet, and anything but his.