Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Back again so soon? Anyway, I've decided to make a Oneshot book specifically for Imperium, more specifically Gunther and Kaiser (Rip Vinci).

Will I still write about them in the WWE Oneshots book? Of course! Same with the Judgement Day, I'll write about them in both books if requested, but these books are specifically for them.

Did I make this mainly because one person asked? Totally not!

But uh... Requests are open and much appreciated!

(Finding content focused on your favourite wrestlers can be difficult, but that's why I'm here! Oliviao39, your hero has arrived to provide us both with Gunther and Kaiser content!)

Chapter Text

Kaiser smiled as he entered the hotel with Gunther at his side, trailing their suitcases behind him. Another day on the road, another, well, not victory. Gunther was training for his match against the Heavyweight Champion at Summerslam while Kaiser had been sidelined with an injury. He still went to the gym because Gunther asked him too, he said it was so he could keep and eye on Kaiser without him doing anything stupid and further hurting himself.

"Right, stay here. I'll get us our room keys." Gunther pointed as he walked up to the front desk.

Gunther was always the one to deal with their room bookings, even when they first started out traveling together. He briefly asked Kaiser and Vinci if they had any preferences but Gunther was always at the helm of decision-making and Kaiser honestly loved it. Traveling around the world all year-round became much less stressful when you weren't constantly thinking of where you were going to sleep next. Usually, these things went without issue but Kaiser realized something was wrong as he studied Gunther's face. It was a minor shift, really, a slight furrow of his brow but Kaiser caught it. He heard Gunther give a brief 'thank you' to the receptionist before walking back over to Kaiser, one key card in hand.

"There appears to have been an issue with the booking system." Gunther sighed as he put the key in his pocket,"They've already given away our room."

"How does that even happen?" Kaiser questioned, looking up at Gunther in almost dumbfounded amazement in the failures of modern technology.

"Faulty system, I suppose." Gunther shrugged,"But, as you could tell from the key card, I managed to work something out. It's a two queen sort of thing."

Kaiser nodded slowly,"Uh huh?"

"Our arrangement will remain the same, don't worry. One of those beds will be taken by.. Well, whoever we end up sharing with." Gunther told him, patting his shoulder,"Come on, let's move."

Kaiser didn't question the situation further, although he was disappointed about the lack of privacy he and Gunther would receive now that they had to share. He didn't even know who they were sharing with, although presumably another wrestling duo. Kaiser was silently praying that they wouldn't be judgemental of their situation when.. As they entered the elevator, a question popped into his head, one that he'd been tempted to ask on multiple occasions.

"Walter." Kaiser swallowed, using Gunther's full name so he knew he was being serious,"What.. Are we?"

Gunther remained quiet as he seemingly mulled over his responses in his head. What were they? Kaiser wanted to think that they were some sort of unofficial couple but.. Maybe Gunther didn't see him in such high regard. Their relationship didn't really have a label, of sorts.

"Well, Marcel.. I like to think we're an item." Gunther answered slowly, wrapping an arm around Kaiser,"We don't need to be 'boyfriends' or anything like that, but I want us to be.. Exclusive to one another."

Kaiser nodded slowly as he leaned against Gunther's chest, going over the answer in his head. Exclusive... He liked that idea, well, he never imagined being with anyone other than Gunther anyway. Kaiser was more than happy to be exclusive.

"Are we still going to.." Kaiser trailed off, his cheeks slightly flushed as he looked up at Gunther.

"If we get an opportunity." Gunther nodded,"And if the other occupants don't mind."

"I was looking forward to it this time." Kaiser mumbled, although Gunther grabbed his chin, forcing Kaiser to look at him.

"Patience, Kaiser." Gunther hushed him, quickly releasing him at the elevator doors opened.

The public weren't exactly aware of their relationship status either. All they knew was that both men traveled together, which was relatively common for tag teams or groups, and that both men had been friends for years. Neither of them let their masks slip in public, never let anyone know anything that wasn't their business knowing. The pair walked along the hall, relatively silent until they reached their room, giving each other a look of 'We've got this' before unlocking and entering.

"Oh, God.. Please not them." Kaiser cursed as he spotted who they'd be sharing with.

In front of them, on the bed closest to the window was... The New Day, who had practically frozen in place in the midst of what looked to be a pillow fight?

"Hey- Woodsy, I thought you locked the door. How did you two get in here?" Kofi questioned, jumping off the bed and onto the floor.

"I did lock it." Xavier flopped back onto the bed, arms crossed.

"There was an issue with our original room, and this was the hotel's solution." Gunther answered simply, showing them the key card,"This is how I got in."

Kofi looked back at Xavier and they both shrugged,"Well, we've practically claimed this side of the room so you guys can make yourself comfortable on that one if you'd like."

"That sounds good to us." Gunther nodded, glancing over to Kaiser,"Right?"

"Right." Kaiser slowly sat down on the bed, looking between the New Day.

"Kofi- Are we going to go get drinks or what?" Xavier asked, promptly sitting up.

"Oh yeah- Do you guys want to join us?" Kofi raised a brow,"Woodsy and I were going to grab some drinks at the bar but we got.. Sidetracked."

"You're quite alright, we have to get unpacked." Gunther shook his head.

The New Day didn't seem to complain about the lack of Imperium joining them, the pair all smiles as they quickly left Imperium alone. Kaiser watched on as Gunther meticulously unpacked their suitcases, occasionally looking up at Kaiser and he even cracked a small smile. Once successfully unpacked, Gunther laid on the bed and Kaiser immediately crawling on top of him.

"Kaiser." Gunther sighed, shaking his head.

"They're gone now, I've been waiting all day." Kaiser huffed, his hands resting against Gunther's chest.

"I know, but with the situation with you ribs?" Gunther tilted his head as he cupped Kaiser's cheek,"You'll get hurt, we can't afford that happening or you'll be out of action for longer."

"But-"

"No butts, Marcel." Gunther stopped him.

Kaiser sighed, pulling himself up Gunther and kissing him. He wanted Gunther to hold him close, to take control of him. But as they shared that kiss, it felt like Gunther was holding back.. Hesitant. And he quickly pulled away from Kaiser, still cupping his cheek.

"No, we shouldn't." Gunther spoke quietly, his voice unusually soft.

Kaiser grabbed Gunther's face,"Make them.. Make them know I'm yours."

Gunther leaned forward a fraction as if he was going to kiss Kaiser again but he stopped.. Pulling back to himself. Kaiser sighed, unsure of where Gunther's sudden reluctance was coming from, usually he was so eager to take control of Kaiser.

"I'm not fragile." Kaiser mumbled, resting his forehead against Gunther's.

Gunther sighed, keeping his arms firmly around Kaiser,"Trust me, I'm aware.. But I'm not risking it tonight. If you behave and your ribs have recovered.. I'll consider it."

Kaiser grinned, kissing Gunther's jaw as he managed to swap their places so he was beneath Gunther, his arms around his neck as the larger man hovered over him.

"You are so difficult." Gunther rolled his eyes as he leaned in closer.

Gunther began pressing light kisses down along Kaiser's jaw and down his neck and collarbone, each one lingering longer. Kaiser chuckled at the sensation, the pair freezing when they heard the New Day from beyond the door. Gunther sat up and Kaiser rolled out from underneath him, starting to set up his spot on the floor as the New Day walked in, still laughing with each other. Safe for another day.

Kaiser grabbed a pillow from Gunther's bed and placed it on the floor in the space between the bed and the wall. Now, Gunther never enforced this arrangement, it was always Kaiser's intention to sleep on the floor. It wasn't as bad as people made it out to be. Although, as he was starting to get comfortable in his spot, they caught the attention of the New Day.

"Kaiser, what are you doing?" Kofi questioned, looking between the pair.

Kaiser sat up, his brow furrowed in confusion. Gunther was sat up in bed, reading a book he'd recently purchased while both members of the New Day were sat in the same bed, looking just as confused as he felt.

"You guys, it's 2024. You can share a bed." Xavier chuckled, unaware of the actual relationship between the two as well,"Kofi and I do it all the time. Heck, we used to share with E too when he traveled with us."

"I think you misunderstood." Gunther sat his book down, responding to the new day in his usual blunt tone,"I'm going to fuck him, but he doesn't share my bed to sleep.

Kaiser cleared his throat, sinking back down,"I.. Believe that clear things up."

The New Day, for once in their lives, seemed completely speechless. Until their silence was broken by the laughter of Kofi Kingston.

"Damn, Gunther! I never saw that-"

But Gunther was quick to silence him,"Yes, yes, how shocking. Now stop talking and go to sleep, I want to finish this chapter."

"Yes, sir." Xavier chuckled, elbowing Kofi as they laid back down.

Kaiser was curled in on himself, covering his now flushed face with his hoodie. Gunther's bold confidence did not cross over to Kaiser who wanted to just scream into his pillow but.. He was sure Gunther would save some time for that tomorrow.

"I hate you so much." Kaiser muttered, pointing up at Gunther.

"I love me too, Kaiser." Gunther glanced down at him with a smirk on his face.

Chapter Text

"You're only here because of your dad."

Kaiser sighed softly, looking at himself in the mirror of his apartment bathroom. It had been a quite a while since he'd heard him... He'd already been feeling stressed because of his injuries and now.. He was twenty years old again, struggling against the mental agony that was his ex-boyfriend.

"Seriously, Barthel. You're going to use his name? You don't deserve to use your father's name! You'll just disappoint him."

Kaiser shook his head, he knew better than to listen to him... His words were like poison, draining any and all happiness that Kaiser managed to obtain. Kaiser again looked in the mirror and he just looked so.. Tired.

"You're tired? Please. You don't do nearly enough! Why would that boyfriend of yours stay if you don't act the way I taught you to?

Kaiser swallowed harshly, choking back the start of a sob. No. No, he wasn't going to cry- No! He was fine, everything was fine. But Kaiser's thoughts soon drifted to Gunther, the man he wanted to impress more than anything. They'd only recently became official, as boyfriends, but both men had hidden that fact from the media. Kaiser.. Knew he didn't do as much for Gunther as he did for his ex, but that didn't matter! Gunther didn't ask him to do any more than what he was doing now.

"And you think that's good enough? You think he needs to ask? No. He expects you to do these things for him... Don't you want him to love you?

"I do.. I want him to love me." Kaiser mumbled, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Then start acting like it."

Kaiser looked down at his hands that gripped the edges of the sink tightly, his knuckles white. His hands trembled as he let go. Just... Just calm down. He's not here. He's not here. He's not here-

"Marcel... You know I love you. I've always loved you. You need to see that, I'll make you see that."

Kaiser reached up, his shaking hands gently brushing against his neck and gripping tightly onto his turtleneck.. The thoughts we're real, they never were and never will be. With that, he left the bathroom and saw Gunther working away in the kitchen on breakfast. It smelled delicious, like everything made by Gunther. Food was a big passion of his and Kaiser always loved to ask Gunther questions that the larger man was happy to answer.. He never made him feel stupid for asking, unlike... Kaiser let out a small sigh and went to step towards him and ask another question but.. His legs wouldn't move.

"Oh Marcel, you forget your manners. You know you're not allowed to speak unless you're spoken to."

Right- That was right. He wasn't allowed to speak unless he was given permission. How could he forget something as important as that? Gunther was still happily working away, still not noticing Kaiser.

"Go on, what are you waiting for? Go make yourself useful... You don't want him to leave, do you?"

No.. Kaiser never wanted Gunther to leave him. He'd left Gunther behind once.. When he left Germany to compete with WWE... And to heal. They were good friends, although Kaiser wanted more than that. He knew Gunther would treat him right, unlike-

"Marcel, there you are. I just finished breakfast." Gunther walked over to the sofa with two plates, beckoning Kaiser over.

"Thank you." Kaiser took his plate, the pair happily starting to eat together.

Gunther, who had just finished, stood up as his phone rang, quickly walking off as he began to answer it. A bad habit. Gunther always seemed to pace on the phone, Kaiser noticed, he'd go on a wander. Kaiser on the other hand, had barely touched his food, mentally cursing at himself for each bite he took. He didn't deserve to eat- He hands proven himself yet.

"Throw it away."

"I'm hungry.." Kaiser looked down at his plate.

"I don't care. Have you done anything to deserve that? No. And besides, you need to work on keeping that figure."

Kaiser sighed as he stood up, scraping the rest of his food into the bin but.. He was still hungry. Gunther's empty plate caught his eye and Kaiser quickly grabbed it, starting to wash all the dishes. Be useful. Make yourself useful.

"Woah- Hey. I was going to do the dishes." Gunther chuckled softly as he approached, hands in his pockets,"I can help-"

"No." Kaiser shut him down immediately, he had to do this,"I can do this."

Gunther nodded slowly before he headed to their room to get dressed for the gym and, in turn, work. Something felt a little.. Off.. With Kaiser. He assumed he was just restless considering he was out with injury but that didn't stop Gunther from being worried about him. Kaiser never usually snapped at him either. Again, it could be attributed to his restlessness.. Or pain. Gunther sighed, he'd figure this out later.

Although, with Gunther gone, Kaiser just continued to spiral. He would constantly be cleaning and every time he thought Gunther wanted something or looked like he needed something, Kaiser would bring it before he was asked. Gunther wasn't stupid though, he could tell there was something wrong with his boyfriend the minute he went quiet. Kaiser was a loud person, someone who always had an opinion or something to say. At first, Gunther thought maybe the pain in his ribs made talking difficult but now, he wasn't so sure.

As the days past, he watched as his boyfriend became almost a shell of his former self. Frail. And in those eyes, filled with a deep, unshakeable sadness.. Gunther recognized them as the eyes of the twenty-six year old man who left him behind in Germany as he pursued his wrestling career. Gunther never blamed Kaiser for leaving... But he blamed the man he was with. Although neither man admitted to it, he knew Kaiser was in a relationship with him and from what he could gather.. It was toxic as hell and now, Kaiser was back in that mentality... How?

No. Gunther would ask questions later. Right now, he needed to confront Kaiser on what the hell was going on.. He was pissed off- Just knowing there was a man put there who hurt the man he loved for now reason at all.. Gunther sighed, approaching the bathroom door and freezing. He could hear the sound of gagging and wretching..

"Marcel.." Gunther sighed softly, walking to the kitchen.

Inside, Kaiser was hunched in front of the toilet that he knew he'd have to soon clean. Not only was there a dull pain in his ribs but now, his head pounded as well. Nothing much came up considering how little he allowed himself to eat but.. He was fine.

"You look so nice, darling. Now hurry up so you can clean this and fix everything up."

Kaiser always blindly followed the instructions of his thoughts, although he stopped when he saw Gunther stood in the kitchen, head down and hands clenched. Angry.. He was angry at him. Kaiser felt his hands start shaking.. What did he do?

"We need to talk." Gunther looked up at him, his gaze as sharp as ever.

"I.. Don't think there's anything to talk about." Kaiser shook his head slightly.

"Don't play dumb with me, Marcel." Gunther quickly approached,"Did somebody say something to you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Kaiser tried to turn and escape the situation,"You just- You won't understand.."

"Marcel, answer me!" Gunther grabbed ahold of Kaiser's wrist,"Make me understand."

But Gunther froze as this seemed to trigger.. Skme sort of reaction from Kaiser, one he didn't expect.

"No- I'm sorry! Please- I'll be good! Please don't.." Kaiser pleaded, sinking to his knees.

Gunther didn't know how to react, releasing Kaiser's wrist. As he curled in on himself, trembling, his arms were raised just barely to protect his head. The room fell silent, aside from the choked back sobs of Kaiser on the floor. Gunther slowly sat down in front of his boyfriend, not touching or speaking just.. Being there. Kaiser slowly looked up and Gunther watched as Kaiser's face softed and he reached out to him.

Gunther was gentle as he guided Kaiser's hand to his cheek,"I'm right here, okay? Can I get you anything?"

Kaiser practically fell into Gunther's arms and curled up. He was so tired.. And hungry. He could barely even lift his arms to wrap them around Gunther but.. His boyfriend held him tightly and secure. Gunther gently petted Kaiser's hair, a little trick he learned to try and calm him and.. It did work, enough for Kaiser to speak.

"I'm.. I'm sorry." He forced out, his voice hoarse and he was unable to look Gunther in the eyes.

"Don't be sorry." Gunther kissed his forehead,"Just.. Tell me what's wrong. I want to help you."

"I keep hearing... Him." Kaiser swallowed harshly,"Ever since I got injured, I kept hearing things he said to be.. How I was supposed to act as a boyfriend."

"Marcel.." Gunther sighed softly.

"And now you're worried about me, again. You've got a title match coming up and it's important-" But Kaiser was cut off.

"Mein Schatz, if I never hold another title in my life, it's worth it to hold you in my arms." Gunther told him, rubbing his back.

Kaiser sniffled, gathering enough energy to cling onto Gunther who sighed, having figured out that Kaiser was skipping meals and sleep too, in favor of being a 'gold boyfriend'.

"He won't hurt you ever again, I'll make sure of it." Gunther promised, again pressing a gentle kiss to Kaiser's forehead,"Now, you're going to get something to eat with me and then we'll go to bed."

"But-"

Although, Kaiser's protests quickly came to an end as his hunger took over. Gunther made a couple things, all of which he knew Kaiser liked, so he had options and helped him eat, not leaving his side.. Then they made their way to the bedroom and Gunther tucked Kaiser into bed.

"Don't leave.." Kaiser whispered, reaching up and brushing Gunther's arm.

Gunther smiled softly and locked their fingers as he sat back down, lying in front of him,"I won't, I promise."

"Thank you.. I know I'm a bad boyfriend." Kaiser sighed.

"Marcel, you are anything but.. I couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend." Gunther pulled Kaiser close to his chest, carefully kissing away his tears as they fell.

"Walter." Was all Kaiser could get out.

Gunther sighed softly as he hushed Kaiser, rubbing his back and occasionally putting his hair. If Gunther ever got his hands on the man that hurt Kaiser, said man wouldn't be able to walk out of the building. He'd be dead.

"I love you, Marcel." Gunther spoke softly, with Kaiser curled up in a ball on his chest,"More than any championship I've ever held."

But Kaiser had already passed out, his eyes puffy and his throat hoarse from crying. Gunther still continued to hold him close. Kaiser was safe with him, safe to be himself and he was loved. Kaiser would never have to feel unloved, unwanted or useless with Gunther around. Gunther, while ruthless in ring, was loyal and caring to his boyfriend who he felt deserved the world. Kaiser.. Had been hurt before, mentally and physically, but Gunther would make sure that it never happened again. Sheamus, he could forgive, but Kaiser's ex-boyfriend? No. No, he was going to die if Gunther ever found him.

Chapter Text

Kaiser was currently pacing in his and Gunther's apartment as the former champion had taken a step out quite a while ago to shower which left Kaiser to stew in his stress! The Wyatt Sicks running amok, Money in the Bank weekend, and hell, the drama happening inside of the Judgement Day weren't helping things. There was so much going on Raw and Kaiser couldn't help but get worked up as he thought about different possibilities of how badly things could go.

Kaiser vividly recalled warning Gunther to be careful, only for his concerns to be nearly brushed off or at the very least, not take as seriously as he thought they should. He didn't want Gunther backstage by himself, just in case he became a target but.. Gunther was probably one of the few who were just fine walking around, like nothing was wrong. Everything could go wrong if they weren't careful. Although, before he could continue pacing, Kaiser felt a pair of large and familiar arms wrap around his chest, looking back to see Gunther. He was so concerned on his spiraling thoughts that he didn't hear the water turn off.

"I told you to sit down and rest." Gunther reminded him,"Have you been pacing since I left?"

"Maybe." Kaiser shrugged, pulling Gunther off of him,"But that doesn't matter- I can't help it."

"You could start by trying to relax." Gunther crossed his arms.

"Relax? I can't relax- There are so many possibilities of what could happen. I mean, backstage at Raw isn't safe for anyone with the Wyatt Sicks roaming around and-" Kaiser began, but he was cut off by Gunther.

"Those people in masks don't scare me, Kaiser. And even if they did, they aren't concerned with me. They only have their eyes on Chad at the moment." Gunther told him.

Kaiser shook his head,"And Money in the Bank, the winner could be any one of them. What if Chad wins and cashes in on you at Summerslam?"

"I can assure you, despite Chad's in-ring abilities, he won't be winning either match. The ladder match or his hypothetical cash-in." Gunther assured him,"I'm sure he's quite happy with those people in masks for now."

"Or the Judgement-" Kaiser tried.

"I don't care about the family drama going on within the Judgement Day. Their 'fathers' are just getting a divorce and trying to figure out who gets what kid." Gunther sighed, rubbing his face,"Kaiser, there is nothing to worry about."

"No, there is so much to worry about and to be frustrated about and I can't help just thinking- My brain won't stop thinking.." Kaiser stepped forward and rested his head on Gunther's shoulder,"Why can't I-"

But Gunther reached down and began petting Kaiser's hair, taking his time to be gentle to calm down his boyfriend. He'd never done this before and Kaiser tensed at first before soon relaxing into Gunther's arms.

"What.. What are you doing?" Kaiser asked slowly, his voice having lost most of it's volume.

"Calming you down." Gunther hummed as he sat down on the bed, pulling himself up to the top,"Do you like it?"

"Just- Don't stop yet." Kaiser told him, practically leaning into Gunther's hand.

"Looks like I've just figured out how to calm you down." Gunther chuckled softly,"It's honestly kind of cute."

"Du bist ein Arschloch.." Kaiser mumbled, much to the amusement of Gunther.

"Marcel, since I've done this for you.. I have a request." Gunther told him, still continuing to pet his hair.

"Hm?" Kaiser looked up at him, his eyes showing how tired he was.

"I know you're usual arrangement but I don't want you sleeping on the floor tonight." Gunther sighed softly,"I want you in my bed to.."

"Ah, I see." A smirk spread across Kaiser's face,"You want to cuddle and be the little spoon, huh?"

Gunther cleared his throat,"..Yes."

"Don't be embarrassed to ask about things like that, Walter. You have needs to, and I can meet them." Kaiser reached up, holding his cheek.

"Danke." Gunther smiled softly.

Before releasing Kaiser, Gunther gently pressed a kiss to Kaiser's forehead which caused both men to smile at each other. They both had such an aggressive way with everything in ring so.. It was nice to be handled with such care when they were alone. And although Kaiser enjoyed being held in the secure embrace of Gunther, he also really enjoyed playing jetpack for his partner.

"You really are like a big teddy bear." Kaiser commented, wrapping his arms around Gunther's chest.

"A bear, maybe." Gunther corrected.

"But you're so sweet when it's just you and I, away from all that stuff." Kaiser nestled his head just behind Gunther's neck.

Gunther went quiet, unable to answer and Kaiser chuckled softly as he rested his leg atop of Gunther's. He squeezed tightly, a smile on his face, before relaxing.

"Is this good for you?" Kaiser asked, practically yawning already.

"Perfect." Gunther answered, his voice no longer as firm as before,"Good night, Marcel."

"Good night, Walter." Kaiser pressed a soft kiss onto the back of his neck,"I love you."

Gunther smiled softly as he closed his eyes,"I love you too."

Chapter Text

Kaiser was sat on the floor in he and Gunther's hotel room, staring blankly at his hands. He hadn't even changed out of his ring gear.. He couldn't bring himself to think about anything other than that nights' events. Both he and Gunther had been planning this for quite a while now, but that didn't make it any easier..

He recalled the look in Gunther's eyes, the brief nod he gave Kaiser after Imperium's loss to the New Day before walking off.. The signal. Kaiser got in the ring with Vinci, hugging him close to his side before helping him out to the apron, himself jumping to the floor. Again, he wrapped an arm around Vinci's shoulder as the Italian patted his back, resting his head on Kaiser's shoulder.. Kaiser could only force out a pathetic 'Es tut mir leid, Fabian..' before he struck.

Kaiser threw Vinci into the side of the apron and kicked him in the chest. He battered Vinci against the ring post and onto the announce desk, all while screaming at him.. Letting out all his pent-up frustrations over their failures.. 'Wie viele Jahre war ich hier für dich?' How many years..? The sound of Vinci's body clashing against the steel steps still rung in Kaiser's ears as he took him out of action.. Why did he feel like this? Kaiser.. Knew he spoke to Gunther afterwards, he got it done.

"Kaiser?" Gunther called out to him.

But Kaiser didn't respond, pulling his knees closer to his chest. He glanced over his shoulder, looking at the two beds behind him, knowing that one would remain empty..

"Kaiser, are you-" Gunther walked around the corner and spotted,"There you are."

Kaiser looked up at Gunther before his eyes returned to the ground, the guilt welling up in his stomach. He and Vinci had teamed with each other since, well, 2017 in NXT. They'd come so far together, without Gunther too.. But then again, Vinci did walk out on him during an NXT match against the Creed Brothers after he was busted open.

"Right, talk to me." Gunther sighed, sitting beside Kaiser despite the squeeze.

"..Did we do the right thing?" Kaiser asked, leaning against Gunther's shoulder.

"Of course we did." Gunther nodded, confidence practically ,"I said the same thing about Wolfe. Failure is not an option for Imperium. They both failed."

Kaiser swallowed, feeling as tears began to burn the corners of his eyes. Hadn't he failed as well? It was a tag match, after all.. Was Gunther going to kick him out too? He would probably be better off without the likes of Kaiser.

"Speak, there's something else on your mind." Gunther lifted Kaiser's chin so they were looking right at each other,"Schau mich an."

"Did.." Kaiser bit his cheek,"..Did I fail you too?"

Gunther furrowed his brow, seemingly studying Kaiser before pulling him close to his chest, rubbing his back,"No. No, you didn't fail me."

Kaiser nestled his head in the crook of Gunther's neck. Safe. He was safe with Gunther, he always would be. Gunther lightly ran his fingers through Kaiser's hair as he rocked the pair of them back and forth. He looked up at the bed and then down at Kaiser before standing up and promptly laying down on the bed with Kaiser on his chest.

"Walter, I-" Kaiser blinked.

"I know you aren't used to this but you need the comfort, this will be more comfortable." Gunther told him, gently kissing his forehead.

Kaiser nodded slowly, resting his head on Gunther's chest, just under his chin. Gunther would've preferred if Kaiser changed into something other than his ring gear, knowing that he'd get cold during the night, but right now he needed rest. It had been a long night for both of them, Kaiser especially.

"It is our job to keep the mat sacred, as it should be." Gunther told him.

"And.. And we will." Kaiser assured him.

Gunther held Kaiser close as he drifted off, managing to reach down and grab Kaiser's blanket to cover him. Kaiser curled up in the blanket although still held onto Gunther tightly.

"Even if you did fail me, Marcel.. I don't think I could ever get rid of you. There are just some things that I am not willing to lose." Gunther kissed Kaiser's forehead and closed his eyes,"And you are one of them..:

Chapter Text

Kaiser was humming softly to himself, the Imperium theme, as he packed up both he and Gunther's bags. It was what he was tasked with doing whilst Gunther sorted out more important things like their hotel room for that night or their rental car. Besides, it kept Ludwig busy. It kept him moving, his brain focused on a task. He wouldn't be bothering anyone with his incessant pacing or ramblings to himself. There weren't too many people around, most just shoving their stuff into a case and leaving but the Ring General's belongings deserved a little more dignity than that, as did Kaiser's, so they were neatly folded first. He was nearly done when the locker room door burst open. Gunther.

"Marcel, es gab Probleme mit dem Mietwagen. Es wird einige Zeit dauern, das zu klären, aber ich werde es schaffen. Bleib hier." Gunther shouted to him, before leaving in a hurry.

Kaiser's face fell as he dropped whatever he was putting into the case, cursing at his hands for shaking. It was just a minor inconvenience, everything will be fine- It is fine. Breathe. Keep breathing. Kaiser felt himself slowly being lowered onto the bench, soon noticing that both Jey Uso and Sami Zayn were at his side, with Sami trying to offer words of encouragement that Kaiser couldn't make out. Kaiser couldn't hear anything, his head overrun with thoughts he couldn't control. He hated the feeling that was drowning him, the pure feeling of being overwhelmed with everything.. It's why he never handled these things, the smallest issue would stress him out and send him on a spiral.

"Could this be another Bloodline situation?" Jey asked, crossing his arms as Sami sat beside Kaiser on the bench.

"It might be, but I couldn't understand anything he said." Sami shook his head,"He.. He did sound pretty angry."

"Look, you stay with him and make sure he's okay, try and get him to leave with you." Jey pointed,"I'll go after Gunther."

"Jey, you have to be careful." Sami sighed softly,"If he's willing to yell at his partner like that in public, he won't be scared to do worse."

"I will be." Jey assured him as he left the locker room, hearing the soft voice of Sami trying to comfort the still out of it Kaiser.

Now, Gunther was a big dude. He couldn't hide from Jey, even if he tried. Jey wasn't even close with Kaiser, they'd spoken on the odd occasion but.. Just the idea of Kaiser being in a toxic situation like he and Sami had been in just.. Set him off. It was like it triggered an instinct to hurt whoever hurt Kaiser, in this case, Gunther. It took him a while of running around aimlessly but eventually Jey spotted Gunther and ducked behind a wall.

Gunther was stood, leaning against the wall as he spoke with.. Ilja Dragunov. That made at least some sense to Jey, he'd heard that they'd wrestled a bit in Germany and over on NXT. Gunther seemed.. Different than how he was a few minutes ago in the locker room, smiling and seeming to playfully nudge Dragunov, something Jey had never seem him do before. Jey took out his phone to try and Google transkate whatever the hell they were saying as they were both speaking in German.

"Natürlich, Freund. Ich nehme die couch, dann könnt ihr euch das Bett teilen." Dragunov chuckled to himself, looking up at Gunther,"Nein, besteht Ludwig immer noch darauf auf dem Boden zu schlafen?"

"Ich habe es ihm bereits gesagt, aber er ist so stur." Gunther shook his head, resting his arm on Dragunov's shoulder.

Now, Jey didn't manage to get a lot from that but from whatever he managed to type into Google translate it ended up looking something about sharing Ilja's bed and putting Ludwig on the floor? Hell no! So not only is Gunther toxic and possibly abusive but he was a cheater too! Jey just snapped, storming right over to Gunther and Dragunov.

"Jey- Woah, what's wrong?" Dragunov furrowed his brow.

But Jey practically shoved past him, and threw a punch straight to Gunther's jaw that rocked him backwards. Gunther instinctively shoved Jey back with enough force to send him back into the wall. Jey continued his assault on Gunther and Gunther shot back with an equal amount of force as Dragunov, the poor bystander, attempted to split them apart.

"Jey- Jey! That's enough!"

Jey turned to the man calling his name, Sami, who was stood nearby with an arm around Kaiser. Jey surveyed the damage he and Gunther had done to each other, a few bruises here and there and he reached up to feel his nose bleeding. Oh well.

"Gunther, geht es dir gut, meine Liebe?" Kaiser ran forward into Gunther's arms, reaching up to hold his face.

Gunther smiled, shaking his head,"Mach dir keine Sorgen, Liebling, alles ist in Ordnung."

Jey blinked, looking to Sami as he walked over. He was.. Confused. As he looked on at the four men surrounding him Jey began to think that.. Maybe there was more to this situation.

"Sami?" Jey looked to him for answers.

Sami sighed,"We really misread that situation."

"What did you think was going on?" Dragunov questioned.

"Well- Gunther ran into the locker room and yelled at Kaiser and he got upset and- Jey began.

"I didn't yell at him." Gunther shook at him,"I was telling him that we had car troubles, and then hotel issues, that I was trying to sort out. He gets.. Overwhelmed and stressed about things like this at the best of times, which is why I handle it."

"Then what about you and Ilja? And putting Kaiser on the floor?" Jey asked.

"I spoke to him because he's a good friend of ours." Gunther shrugged,"He offered to drive us and let us stay with him."

"I told him that I'd take the couch and they could share my bed." Ilja added,"But I saw from his reaction that someone still insists on sleeping on the floor."

Sami and Jey looked between each other, before turning to Kaiser who had practically hid his face with embarrassment.

"Look- It's something I started doing when I started traveling as a wrestler and was with a larger group." Kaiser shrugged,"It's.. Weird having my own bed now, I don't know if I like it."

"Trust me, I tried to get him to sleep in a bed once or twice." Gunther nodded,"Tried, being the operative word."

"We are.. So sorry for the misunderstanding." Sami shook his head, wrapping an arm around Jey's shoulder,"The initial impression of the situation.. Brought back some bad memories."

"I understand." Gunther assured them,"We were shouting in a foreign language and even saying the nicest things can sound.."

"Angry?" Dragunov chuckled.

"Angry, yes." Gunther agreed,"For example.. Ich bin stolz auf euch beide, ihr habt heute Abend großartige Arbeit geleistet."

Sami blinked,"Woah."

"Walter, can we just go to the hotel now?" Kaiser looked up at him, still resting his head on Gunther's shoulder.

"Ah, of course." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"Ilja, sind Sie bereit?

Dragunov pulled his bag up on his shoulder, nodding with a smile,"Let's go."

Kaiser grabbed their bags from Sami's side before rejoining Gunther and Dragunov, walking off with the group as they laughed amongst each other about the situation.

"Wait- What did you say to me?" Jey called after him,"Uce, do I get a translation?"

"No." Gunther answered as they kept walking, before he looked down at Kaiser,"Are you sure you're okay now?"

"I'm fine, like you said, I just got a little overwhelmed." Kaiser reassured him,"I panicked because you told me.. It had to be bad if you told me."

"Try the rental car breaking down and the hotel canceling your room due to double-booking." Dragunov looked over at them.

"Ilja." Gunther glanced over at him, sighing into his hand,"Look, I'm glad you're alright."

Kaiser smiled softly, leaning into Gunther's side as they walked. Although the night ended with that spike of stress, at least the group could laugh at the little misunderstanding. It showed Kaiser that if he needed someone, even if they weren't that close, Sami and Jey would step in to help.

Chapter Text

Gunther and Kaiser entered the hotel lobby, arriving on Sunday before Raw on Monday. He liked getting there at least a day early but thanks to flight delays, it was already nearing the evening. As Gunther looked around, he noticed a few other wrestlers hanging around, probably waiting for other members in their groups or maybe even just their friends.

"I'm tired.. Can we just go to out room?" Kaiser looked up at him, gently bumping his head against his shoulder.

"Natürlich, mein Liebling." Gunther wrapped his arm around Kaiser's waist, pulling him in closer,"Your turtlenecks, did you remember to pack them?"

"I don't go anywhere without them." Kaiser nodded.

Gunther patted Kaiser's arm as they continued though the lobby and towards the elevator. The A/C was always set too cold for Kaiser so he preferred wearing his turtlenecks backstage and they always fit with his whole persona of 'European Elegance' and 'A+ Aesthetics'. The conversation sounded normal to them, just a regular comment about whether Kaiser remembered to pack everything he needed. It was actually something Kaiser struggled to do, his thoughts always running at 90 miles per hour as he failed to hide his hyperactivity and fidgetiness.

Despite that, people without context always seem to assume the worst when they overhear a conversation that they had no business getting involved in. But people always had to get involved... Like Jey Uso, who was stood with Sami Zayn and his eyes followed after both Gunther and Kaiser as they disappeared into the hall.

"Jey- Hey, Jey!" Sami poked his cheek,"Have you been listening to me?"

"Yeah.. Yeah, I've been listening." Jey blinked, nodding slowly but it was clear Sami didn't believe him.

"Jey, you aren't even looking at me. You're looking at-" Sami turned around and furrowed his brow before turning back to Jey,"Nothing. You're looking at nothing."

"Sami." Jey sighed,"I was looking at Gunther and Kaiser. I.. I think there's something going on with them."

"I mean, they've been a couple for.. How many months now?" Sami hummed.

"No- Not that kind of 'something'." Jey shook his head,"I think Gunther might be.. Hurting him."

Sami's grin almost immediately fell,"..What?"

"He's always wearing those turtlenecks backstage when he's not wrestling, right?" Jey told him,"Gunther was telling him to remember to bring them."

"Well.. I've seen him wrestle recently so it's not to cover up brusies, at least." Sami tried to find a bright side.

"Still." Jey crossed his arms,"He could be one of those 'Your body is for my eyes only' jerks.."

"Look, we can keep an eye on them backstage alright?" Sami put a hand on his shoulder,"If anything happens, we can step in."

Jey managed to smile slightly,"Yeah.. I just don't want anyone to go through anything like I went though, like we went through."

"Hey, it might all just be a big misunderstanding. I'm sure it is." Sami patted Jey's shoulder before walking off, in the same direction as Gunther and Kaiser.

Jey sighed, shaking his head.. Was it really just a misunderstanding? The next night at Raw, Jey couldn't help but stare at Gunther and Kaiser with Sami having to keep nudging him to snap him out of it. As Gunther left, Jey then began to zone in on the conversation Kaiser was having with Ilja Dragunov, with the pair being pretty oblivious to the being watched situation.

"So? How about we check it out together?" Dragunov tilted his head.

Kaiser held back a grimace, thankful for the fact that Gunther already had all their meals planned for that week and the next. At least Kaiser had an excuse to not go to the restaurant Ilja suggested without having to lie to his friend.

"Ah, sorry. Der Ring-General already has our meals sorted for this week." Kaiser shook his head as he zipped up his bag,"Maybe some other time?"

"Of course." Dragunov smiled, holding out his hand,"Wir sehen uns später."

Kaiser shook his hand, returning the smile as he grabbed both he and Gunther's bags and made his way out of the locker room, already anticipating Gunther's cooking which was, in his not so humble opinion, the best food on the planet. Even staying in hotels, Gunther managed to prepare small little meals for them and Kaiser was amazed, yet never questioned the capabilities of his boyfriend.

On the other hand, this only added more fuel to Jey's fire of Gunther being an abusive asshole. First he controls what Kaiser wears, now he controls what he eats? The final nail in the coffin would be 👀 Gunther smack Kaiser upside the head which- Jey froze, thinking back to all those times Gunther punished Kaiser in the ring, chopped him in front of everyone.. And Gunther's chops hurt, no matter how he hit them. Hell, Gunther even chopped Kaiser repeatedly as punishment on his birthday!

"Oh my god.." Jey muttered before running off.

"Jey-" Sami blinked.

"Hey, are you alright?" Dragunov called after him, turning to Sami,"Do you know what's up with him? He was watching Kaiser and I-"

"Oh shit." Sami cursed.

"What- Sami, what is it?" Dragunov questioned.

"Don't worry, I'll sort this all out." Sami assured Dragunov before running after Jey.

When Sami found Jey and Gunther, having to only follow the sound of yelling, they already seemed to be in the midst of a rather heated argument with Kaiser stood nervously at Gunther's side, their bags forgotten at his feet.

"Don't lie to me- I know how you've been treating him!" Jey pointed.

"Jey, calm down." Sami pulled him away from Gunther before he could lunge at him,"Chill- Just breathe."

"Breathe? I'm staring right at an abusive asshole!" Jey yelled.

"Jey." Sami sighed, looking back Gunther.

But Gunther had fallen silent, his fists clenched tightly as he glared down at Jey. Kaiser quickly stepped in front of Gunther, placing his hands on his chest and whispering to him.

"Kaiser, you-" Jey began.

"Jey, you've misunderstood.. A lot." Kaiser shook his head,"Gunther never hurt me, ever."

"He chopped you in front of everyone- On your birthday!" Jey reminded him, Sami still practically restraining him.

"That was character stuff- Once we were backstage, he refused to leave me alone until he made sure I was okay." Kaiser shook his head.

"What about making you wear the turtlenecks?" Jey questioned.

"He doesn't make me wear anything, the A/C is just too cold for me.. That and I just like them." Kaiser told him.

"And.. And him controlling what you eat?" Jey asked.

"We make our meal plans together, but Gunther always takes care of the big important things." Kaiser explained, running his fingers through his hair,"I.. Get stressed easily and it's just easier for both of us."

Jey had seemingly calmed down, looking down embarrassed. He'd misunderstood and entire situation and probably messed things up between he and Gunther. Meanwhile, Gunther was still silent and he pulled Kaiser close to his chest.

"Sorry.." Jey sighed,'I'll-"

"Go." Was all Gunther could say.

"Come on, let's head back to the locker room." Sami lead Jey away.

When they were finally alone, Gunther let out a shaky breath as he held Kaiser tightly. Kaiser looked up at him, gently cupping Gunther's face.

"Am I.. Like him, Marcel?" Gunther forced out.

"No- No! You're nothing like him!" Kaiser quickly shook his head,"You.. You actually love me."

"I do and I'd never let anybody hurt you like he did again." Gunther kissed his forehead.

Kaiser hugged Gunther tightly, nestling his head in the crook of his neck,"I love you."

"I love you too." Gunther whispered back.

But deep down, he was still furious and.. Hurt. Gunther knew Jey didn't know anything about Kaiser's ex but being compared to him in the slightest.. Infuriated Gunther. He looked down at Kaiser, smiling in his arms and made a promise that he would break the man that tried to take that smile away from Gunther.. And anyone else who tried, for that matter.

Chapter Text

Useful. Being useful to Gunther was.. Well, it was all Kaiser ever wanted to be, it was probably the most important thing to him. If Kaiser wasn't useful to Gunther then.. He failed. And failure was not an option in Imperium, loosing was not an option. Despite these threats, Gunther never kicked Kaiser out of the group or broke up with him but the fear remained... Kaiser couldn't risk that.

There was an ongoing joke in the locker room that Kaiser was Gunther's bag boy, with comments almost exclusively made when he was by himself. The comments didn't even really bother him either, why would they? Kaiser did carry Der Ring-General's bags and he was proud of that, he was proud to be useful for once. Although, after he received his rib injury, Gunther refused his assistance and didn't let him carry either of their bags. Gunther wanted him to rest and heal up properly, but he still often came to the shows if Gunther was there to watch and support him.

Kaiser was now waiting outside of the locker room for Gunther to collect his belongings. He didn't take took long and got about halfway through the door before someone spoke.

"Hey Gunther, what's it like carrying your own bags since you lost your little bag boy?" Grayson Waller questioned, the smugness radiating off the former tag champion.

Kaiser leaned against the wall, listening intently.. Why was Waller even here? He was supposed to be on Smackdown. Did he just come here to hang around in the locker room and talk trash? Well, knowing him..

Gunther paused, sitting his bags by Kaiser's side before turning to Waller,"Excuse me?"

"Y'know, your bag boy." Waller hummed,"The skinny dude that follows you around like a lost puppy and carries your bags for you."

"You aren't a very smart man, Waller." Gunther shook his head.

"Yeah- Grayson, I don't think this is a good idea." Kaiser heard Austin Theory speak up.

"Too late, Austin. We're here now and we're gonna say what I said we'd say." Waller pointed, nearly chuckling to himself,"Now, I also spoke to your old mate Gio, and he said you've got some control issues. You invited him back into their group just so you could be the one to kick him out!"

Vinci.. Really talked about them like that? Kaiser shook his head, knowing there was at least some sort of truth to the statement. Gunther had brought Vinci back into the group so he could be the one to say he was done.. But Gunther did give Vinci chances to prove himself, to prove he was loyal like Kaiser had. And he failed. Kaiser blinked as Chad Gable walked straight past him and into the locker room as well, great.

"Oh. Gunther. So that's why your little PA is waiting outside." Chad commented,"You should probably upgrade to a better model, like I did."

Better model.. Chad has 'upgraded' from his jokey Alpha Academy to the Creed Brothers, mainly out of necessity Kaiser realized. He tormented his Academy until they abandoned him and he took on new protégés, ones who would listen to him.

"See? Chad gets it." Waller crossed his arms,"Let's face it, Kaiser had one jobs around here and now he can't do it. Sounds like he failed you, mate."

Kaiser zoned out whatever Gunther said in response.. He had failed Gunther? No- No! He refused.. He had to make it right. Kaiser looked to the bags and and picked them up, already feeling a slight strain on his ribs. Someone.. Someone tried talking to him, he could hear them calling his name but Kaiser ignored them and headed for their car.

Having not wanted Kaiser walking long distances, Gunther had tried to park as close to the entrance as he could.. But it was still a fair distance for Kaiser to walk alone and carrying their bags. No. He refused to fail his General and made the journey to reach their car, successfully opening it. He asked to carry the keys earlier, not realizing how helpful it ended up being. Now... Getting the bags in the car.

Kaiser looked down at the bags and just began lifting them and placing them in the back of the car, almost immediately feeling the pain burn in his ribs. He only managed to get one bag in, the biggest one at least, before leaving against the car, breathing heavily.

"Scheisse.." Kaiser muttered, clutching his ribs as he desperately tried to ignore the pain.

Just.. Just ignore it. He couldn't let Gunther down. That's all he had to repeat in his head as despite the bags getting lighter, they began increasingly harder to lift. By the time the last bag was in the car, Kaiser's knees buckled beneath him and he collapsed against the side of the car, clutching his ribs. He was trying to just breathe as the agony seared his ribs.. At least he wouldn't disappoint the General now.

Gunther, meanwhile, had just managed to leave the locker room after a.. Disagreement with Chad and Waller. Who were they to degrade his man? He expected to see Kaiser waiting for him with their bags but.. Both had seemingly vanished from where he left them.

"Kaiser?" Gunther looked around, spotting Dragunov approaching quickly,"Ilja?"

"Gunther, it's Kaiser." Dragunov shook his head,"I just saw him leaving the building with your belongings. I tried to stop him but-"

Gunther acknowledged the comment Ilja made about Kaiser leaving the building and he immediately thought the worst, hurrying off to find him. Although, by the time Gunther got outside and started to approach the rental car, his heart sank.. Kaiser was curled in on himself, holding his ribs and all the bags had been loaded. He felt ashamed... What kind of a boyfriend was he for not preventing this unnecessary hurt to his boyfriend. Gunther failed.

Kaiser managed to look up and tried to ignore the pain and hide it, forcing a smile,"Gunther. I've.. I've been waiting on you."

"Kaiser, you didn't.." Gunther sighed, walking to his boyfriend's side,"You heard them, didn't you?"

"See? I didn't fail- I'm still useful!" Kaiser gestured to the filled car, with trembling hands and a shaky smile.

Gunther hated the idea of Kaiser in pain and so pulled him close, trying to avoid putting pressure on his ribs where possible. Kaiser attempted to question him but Gunther silenced these questions with gentle forehead kisses. His boyfriend didn't deserve this, any of this. Not the pain, not having to feel so worthless..

"I.. I'm useful." Kaiser sniffled, looking up at Gunther.

"I know, but your worth to me isn't determined by how useful you are." Gunther told him,"I just want you to be happy."

Gunther helped Kaiser into the car, specifically the drivers seat with him, sitting the smaller man on his lap. Kaiser instinctively leaned into Gunther's chest, his head under Gunther's chin as they sat in silence for those few moments.

"I'm sorry.." Gunther finally spoke, his voice softer than Kaiser ever recalled it being.

"But.. Why are you sorry?" Kaiser asked slowly, truly not understanding why Gunther was apologizing to him.

"I let them talk about you like that, like you aren't a person who deserves the utmost respect." Gunther's grip around Kaiser tightened and he rubbed his arm.

"And I'm sorry.. I failed you." Kaiser looked down,"I got hurt and now I can't even do something as simple as carrying your bags."

"Kaiser, listen to me." Gunther sighed, raising his hand to cup Kaiser's cheek but..

Kaiser flinched, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Gunther felt part of his heart shatter right then and there, silently wondering if Kaiser did view Gunther as... Him. Is that why Kaiser acted to loyal? Tried to be helpful? Was it out of fear of Gunther hurting Kaiser..?

"Mein Schatz.." Gunther gently held Kaiser's cheek, thumbing away tears as they started to fall,"No- Hey, just look at me."

Kaiser opened his eyes, unable to control his silent sobs as he cried in Gunther's arms. Gunther did his best to soothe Kaiser, gently petting his hair and pressing soft kisses to the side of his head.

"Liebling.. You don't have to prove your worth to me or anybody else. I love you for you, not for how useful you may be." Gunther told him, maintaining eye contact which was hard to do with Kaiser's tearful expression,"I am not Him. I will never hurt you, that is a promise. I just want you to feel safe, and loved."

Kaiser clung onto Gunther, again apologizing through his sobs. Gunther couldn't tell how much of the crying was because he was upset at himself and how much was just Kaiser being overwhelmed by the pain. Gunther remained gentle with Kaiser, holding him close until Kaiser wormed his way into the passenger seat, still holding Gunther's hand tightly.

"I am still useful, right?" Kaiser asked.

"Of course, you make me happy." Gunther smiled softly, massaging little circles into his hand.

That answer seemed to satisfy Kaiser and he let go of Gunther's hand, buckling his seatbelt and clutching his ribs as he attempted to get a brief nap in. Gunther hated the mentality that Kaiser's ex gave him, the 'I need to be useful, or you'll hurt me and leave me' mentality. Gunther would rather die than hurt Kaiser for real, he was always scared that he might in the ring. All he wanted was for Kaiser to be happy, to feel safe with him.. Yet He kept that happiness and feeling of security at arm's length, just out of reach... It may have been years but Kaiser still needed to heal, and that was okay, because Gunther promised to be there for him every step of the way..

Chapter Text

Gunther knew it as soon as he woke up, and he had a feeling it had been coming on for a while. The heaviness in his chest, the scratch at the back of his throat.. He was sick. Gunther let out a small sigh and rolled over to check the time.. And as suspected, he'd slept in. Maybe Kaiser wouldn't mind having the day to himself, or at least Gunther hoped so, because he wanted to spend all day curled up in bed. Although that's when Kaiser scurried into the room, lighting up at the sight of him awake.

"Gunther- See, I got worried when you slept through your alarm." Kaiser told him as he approached,"Are you okay?"

"I'm not well." Gunther shook his head, quickly covered his mouth as he coughed,"So you can spend the day-"

Kaiser's face softed and he was immediately at Gunther's side, holding his hand tightly,"I will take care of you, don't worry."

"Kaiser, you really don't have to." Gunther shook his head.

"You'll feel better in no time, I promise." Kaiser pressed a gentle kiss to Gunther's forehead.

Although he would've preferred if Kaiser just spent the day doing his own thing so that he didn't risk getting getting sick, being taken care of didn't sound so bad to Gunther. In fact, it sounded like quite a nice idea. Before he could even think, Kaiser had come back with a glass of water and sat it on the nightstand for him.

"Thank-" But Kaiser left before Gunther could thank him.

Kaiser was hurrying around in the kitchen trying to do at least three different tasks at once which.. Well, it worked surprisingly well for him. He'd looked out one of their spare blankets and shoved it in the dryer to warm it up, something he remembered Gunther doing for him in the past.. There was also some tea brewing and Kaiser was following a recipe for soup.

It looked decent.. But not perfect, not how Kaiser wanted it. No matter what he did he knew it would never taste as good as what Gunther made. Kaiser sighed softly, letting his soup simmer on the stove as he retrieved the blankets from the dryer and grabbed the tub of Vicks VapoRub from the cupboard before heading back to their bedroom. Gunther was coughing into his arm when Kaiser arrived and he paused.. The sight hurt him to see.

"Kaiser- There you are." Gunther smiled, noticing his boyfriend.

Now, while he didn't want Kaiser to get sick, Gunther wouldn't have minded if Kaiser just lay with him but seeing the Vicks, he could tell that's what he was here for. At least he had a heated up blanket now and he quite liked the way this one felt. Soft.

"This will make you feel better, Mein General." Kaiser hummed, opening the tub.

"Marcel." Gunther cleared his throat to correct the mistake.

"Gunther. Sorry." Kaiser spoke quickly, his voice quieter as he got some Vicks on his hands.

Gunther sighed, wondering if Kaiser felt like he was forced to show him this respect in their relationship as he took off his shirt.. He didn't want Kaiser to feel that way. Although he was the dominant partner, they were both supposed to be equals in their relationship. Gunther did try sitting up but Kaiser carefully pushed him back down as he began to massage the VapoRub into his chest.

Neither man spoke and Gunther felt his eyes slowly beginning to close, relaxing under Kaiser's touch. Gentle. Comforting. It took a few minutes but as he breathed in the VapoRub, it's familiar smell began clearing his sinuses. Much better. Although after he was done, Kaiser's hands still rested on Gunther's chest.

"Kaiser?" Gunther placed one of his hands on Kaiser's,"What is it?"

"..When you get better, we'll do the special version of that." Kaiser told him as he stood up, giving Gunther a little wink.

Gunther couldn't help but smile at Kaiser's antics, it was nice seeing his more playful side open up again... He couldn't remember the last time he heard Kaiser laugh properly, without it sounding forced or hesitant. Gunther missed his laugh.. As he looked to the side, Gunther noticed his glass of water as empty as shrugged, going to stand up and refill it.

"No- Down. You stay." Kaiser pointed, quickly taking the glass,"I'll get it for you."

"Kaiser, it's just a cold. I feel better already-" Gunther tried but there was really no point trying to convince Kaiser now that his mind was made up.

"I'll be back shortly with more water and some soup. You better stay in that bed, General." Kaiser shook his head as he left.

Gunther did lean back in bed but rubbed his face with his hands. Again, Kaiser had slipped back and called him General. It was really just a character on screen, he didn't want Kaiser feeling like he needed to be subservient and obedient. In actuality, it was because Kaiser felt bad. He was caring for Gunther but felt like he was being too bossy and controlling of every little thing Gunther did and.. Kaiser just wanted to show Gunther taht he knew who was really im charge.

As promised, Kaiser refilled Gunther's glass and poured his soup into a bowl. Of course, Kaiser could have made two trips but instead, he chose to carry both at the same time despite the bowl of soup being boiling hot. Kaiser sat the water down first before handing the bowl out to Gunther.

"Careful, it's hot." Kaiser warned him, quickly brushing his hand against his turtleneck, briefly glancing down to see if he'd burned himself.

"Marcel, are you alright?" Gunther asked, more focused on Kaiser's hand than the soup.

"I'm fine." Kaiser forced out, ignoring the growing pain in his hand,"The soup, how is it?"

Gunther tasted the soup and.. It didn't taste half bad. He could tell taht Kaiser had tried to follow his recipe and it made him so proud of his boyfriend.

"Excellent, especially for your first try." Gunther hummed as he went in for more, knowing how desperately Kaiser sought praise and his approval.

Kaiser smiled before turning to leave,"Good. I'll give you some space, just call me if you need anything, Mein General-"

But in that moment, Gunther snapped and grabbed Kaiser's wrist, looking up at him,"I'm only the General onscreen, Liebling.. At home, I'm just your boyfriend and you can call me by my name."

Kaiser nodded as he left but.. Gunther could see almost the embarrassment in Kaiser's eyes. The last thing Gunther ever wanted to do was upset Kaiser.. He would need to make things up to him once he was better- Hell, Gunther was feeling better now. Sure, his throat was still feeling rough but.. Kaiser really had to have been doing some magic.

A few hours must have passed with Kaiser doing.. Well, anything he could do to make things better for Gunther. He did all the cleaning he could, went around all the cupboards and making a list of things they'd need to get and even prepping their ring gear for next Monday's Raw until, well, he was exhausted. Kaiser staggered back into the bedroom where Gunther was catching up on his reading and... Without a second thought, he curled up on the floor beside the bed.

Gunther was quick to set his book down and he looked at Kaiser,"Liebling? Are you alright?"

No response. Kaiser's breathing had switched almost immediately, heavier and slower. Gunther felt horrible that Kaiser had exhausted himself and quickly pulled him up and into bed with him. On the road in hotels, he wouldn't have minded Kaiser taking a nap on the floor, it was what he was used to. But in his own home, their apartment, Gunther wanted Kaiser to feel comfortable sleeping in a proper bed, sleeping with him.

"Walter..?" Kaiser mumbled quietly.

"Yes, I'm right here." Gunther began to run his fingers through Kaiser's hair, something that had slowly become almost an instinct to him,"You need to care for yourself too, okay?"

"You're more important to me than I am." Kaiser yawned, nestling his head against Gunther's chest as he held onto him,"I love you.."

"I love you too, Marcel." Gunther pressed a gentle kiss to Kaiser's forehead, feeling the guilt start to surge through him.

Did Gunther ever make Kaiser feel like he was worth less? He prayed he hadn't because Kaiser didn't deserve that.. The more he thought on it, Gunther shook his head. No.. Gunther had a feeling he knew who made Kaiser feel this way and each week, just know he was out there infuriated him and one day... One day, Gunther would kill him.

Chapter Text

Gunther and Kaiser had finally reached their hotel room in Germany, both equally excited for Bash in Berlin, especially since Kaiser himself had a match. He was finally medically cleared and was ecstatic about performing in front of his home crowd.. In front of people he hadn't properly seen in years.

After unpacking their belongings, Gunther grabbed onto Kaiser's waist and gently began to sway with him with Kaiser continuing forward until he was pressed against Gunther's chest. Maybe it was the gentle swaying or maybe it was just Gunther but.. Kaiser felt so safe in that moment, so secure. He nestled his head against Gunther's neck and closed his eyes, if he could he probably would have melted into Gunther. Much to Kaiser's annoyance, his phone began to buzz and he begrudgingly took it out to check... Freezing when he saw who was calling him.

"Kaiser?" Gunther was quick to notice the change in his boyfriend's demeanor.

Kaiser swallowed, shaking his head,"It's Him..."

Gunther's grip on Kaiser tightened,"You don't need to answer it."

"No, I.. Just- Maybe if I answer.." Kaiser looked down and, hesitantly, Gunther let go of him.

Kaiser walked into the bathroom for some privacy and because he didn't want Gunther to see how upset he was. It had been around seven years since he and his ex-boyfriend and on the tours he'd done in Germany, Kaiser had thankfully managed to avoid him... Why was he calling now? How- Before Kaiser could think on it further, he answered the call so it didn't ring out.

"Marcel.. You know better than to keep me waiting like that." Bernhard hummed, his voice alone enough to make Kaiser tense up.

"How did you get my number?" Kaiser asked quietly, ignoring his trembling hands.. He was fine.

"Oh, I just reached out to an old friend of yours.. Such a shame you never told Fabian about us. I feel like we would've gotten along great." Bernhard answered and Kaiser could feel the smugness radiating through the phone.

Kaiser couldn't even be angry at Vinci, well, Fabian. He never told his good friend about his past relationship once in the.. Seven years that they'd been friends. The day Kaiser left Germany and came to America was the day he met Vinci, despite having worked in the same companies and countries they'd never met before.. Sure, they didn't talk much now but Kaiser would still like to consider him a friend.

"What.. What do you want?" Kaiser questioned, mentally cursing at himself for the weakness in his voice.

"I just want to meet up, Mein Schatz." Bernhard told him, so casually that it made Kaiser feel ill.

"Why would I ever-" Kaiser tried to object before being cut off.

"You know, if I wanted to, I'd be able to find you anyway." Bernhard lowered his voice,"And you wouldn't want that, would you? Me showing up to your event.. Or maybe even your hotel room?"

Kaiser gripped onto the sink, trying to ground himself and steady his breathing. Everything would be fine.. He couldn't risk Bernhard making true on his word, showing up and trying to ruin the show or appearing at his hotel room.. It felt like he really had no choice in the matter.

"..Fine." Kaiser forced out.

"How does tomorrow sound, at the park? The one closest to your hotel, you might be able to see it from your window." Bernhard asked.

"Of course... Anything." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"Guter Junge." Bernhard smirked,"Ich liebe dich."

Kaiser couldn't even respond before Bernhard hung up.. No words came out when he tried. This was supposed to be a good thing for him... Why was Bernhard trying to ruin it? Kaiser turned to look at himself in the mirror, tears brimming his eyes.. He couldn't face Gunther like this. And so Kaiser quickly rubbed his eyes until all his tears were gone, splashing some water in his face to calm him down before leaving the bathroom.

Gunther immediately turned to him, having been anxiously waiting to see the result of the phone call. His face softened at the sight of Kaiser but he could also feel the anger that Gunther couldn't hide to save himself.

"You've been crying.. What did he say?" Gunther asked, trying to keep his voice soft as he reached out to Kaiser.

Kaiser leaned into the touch, holding Gunther's hand against his cheek,"..He wants to meet up."

"No. You're not meeting him." Gunther shook his head,"After all he's done?"

"Look, if I go this time and I tell him how things are now.. Maybe he'll leave me alone, for good." Ludwig looked up at Gunther.

Gunther sighed,"If you want to meet him, I'm coming with you."

"No." Kaiser stated bluntly.

"But Marcel-" Gunther tried to speak.

"If I'm doing this, I have to so it alone. I need to show him that I'm stronger." Kaiser told him, reaching for and squeezing Gunther's other hand,"Please.. Just trust me."

Gunther.. Kaiser didn't think he'd ever seen his General look so worried and hesitant about a decision. The idea of being alone with Bernhard terrified him.. But he felt like this was the only choice he had to avoid something drastic happening.

"If he even thinks about touching you, I'll kill him." Gunther pointed, his face as serious as when he's in front of the crowd,"You don't owe him anything, okay?"

"I know." Kaiser nodded slowly.

Gunther pressed a gentle kiss to Kaiser's forehead, pulling him close to his chest. He hated the idea of Kaiser meeting up with his ex-boyfriend, not out of jealousy but out of genuine concern for his partner. Bernhard... Gunther never trusted him, especially after he found out he and Kaiser were dating. Something always felt off.. He always had a feeling that there was something going on in their relationship behind closed doors. A friend of the pair shared Gunther's concerns but Kaiser left the country before either man could ask and Bernhard seemed to drop off the face of the earth and stop wrestling. At least, when they reconnected, Kaiser opened up to Gunther after a pretty bad nightmare.

Despite trying his hardest, Kaiser could barely sleep that night. Not only did he have a press conference in the evening about the event but now he had to meet up with Bernhard. If he didn't, Kaiser knew he'd cause a scene at the press conference and.. He didn't want to bother anyone else with his issues. In the morning, he was exhausted but he tried to make himself look stable, put together. He chose his white turtleneck, black trousers and had styled his hair as he usually did before staring at his reflection in the mirror.. Your body is for his eyes only.

Kaiser quickly shook his head to rid his brain of the thought as Gunther walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Kaiser.. He was always able to read his body language like an open book.

"I'm here for you, okay?" Gunther spoke softly, something that never ceased to amaze Kaiser.

"I know." Kaiser leaned into his touch, wishing he could stay.

"I'll be right here.. And if he tries anything, you call me and I'll be right by your side." Gunther looked down at Kaiser, turning him so they were facing one another.

"I will." Kaiser gave him a swift kiss on the lips.

It was quick, barely there but Gunther didn't mind. He'd give Kaiser a better kiss when they were reunited. Gunther hated watching Kaiser put on his shoes and leave and an uneasy feeling built in his chest... He had a call to make.

Kaiser meanwhile headed to the park, fiddling with the ring around his finger. Should he have worn it? He didn't know but.. It comforted him. Just focus on the ring, focus on your match, focus on Gunther... This was a mistake.. Kaiser's heart immediately sank as he entered the park but he practically froze when he saw Bernhard sat on a nearby bench.

"Ah, Marcel." Bernhard grinned, standing up and approaching Kaiser and grabbing ahold of Kaiser's hips,"You remembered too.. My eyes only."

"No- No, I wear these because I like them. Not because of you." Kaiser shoved Bernhard back, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Oh, Mein Schatz, you know I never meant to hurt you. Everything I did was just to protect you." Bernhard told him, smirking all the while,"I love you, I've always been there for you.. You were the one who tried to prioritize training with that 'General' over me."

"I always made time for you.. You were everything." Kaiser shook his head.

It was true. Kaiser did everything for Bernhard, put his needs before his own.. Just like he does now for Gunther. He looked up to Gunther back then, as a good friend and mentor, that's why they trained together. It's not like Bernhard ever let them be alone together for more than ten minutes without him there to supervise or spar nearby.

"So what are you now.. His pet?" Bernhard raised a brow,"After all, you've always just been the sidekick, Marcel. The dirty work is your job. That General of yours shouldn't have to remind you."

"Just- Stop." Kaiser looked away,"Please.."

"Marcel, sieh mich an." Bernhard took hold of Kaiser's chin and forced him to look at him,"I just want us to be.. Us again. Don't you want that?"

"No- God, no!" Kaiser snapping, pushing away Bernhard's hand,"I.. I would never get back you. I'm happy now, without you, and I'm with someone who loves and respects me-"

Kaiser froze immediately as Bernhard's hand came swiftly across his face... He hit him. It was quick and sharp but.. Bernhard had done worse. Kaiser knew he would be fine but he couldn't muster up a response. He didn't move, didn't speak..

"Marcel, I'm just trying to help you. What do you think is going to happen when Walter decides that he's had enough of you, hm?" Bernhard grabbed Kaiser's neck,"You've felt his chops, and that's when they're just for show. What do you think he'll do when he means it?"

"He.. He.." Kaiser mumbled, unable to form a sentence.

Bernhard scoffed, dragging Kaiser to the ground. Again, he put up no fight.. It was just easier this way. If he didn't react, maybe he'd lose interest. Maybe he'd stop and leave him alone.

"You're mine, Marcel. And don't you ever forget that." Bernhard smirked as he hovered over Kaiser.

Kaiser knew he looked pathetic, curled up in a little ball on the ground. He felt pathetic. Every fibre of his body was screaming out for Gunther, crying for his rescue.. Yet he remained silent, trying to hold in his tears. Before Bernhard could think about touching him again, he was swept off his feet and landed on the ground with a thud. Yelling.. There was yelling and Kaiser covered his ears, curling in on himself.

The next thing he knew, he blinked and suddenly he was back in.. No. He was in a hotel room, but not his. Kaiser tensed, the immediate fear of where he could be hitting him until.. He saw a familiar man sat on the end of the bed, bouncing his leg nervously with some bruising on his face.

"Ilja..?" Kaiser asked quietly.

Dragunov turned to him sharply,"Thank goodness- I'm sorry I couldn't get there sooner."

"What.. Do you mean?" Kaiser questioned as he slowly sat up.

"Gunther, he called me and said you were meeting up with.. Your ex." Dragunov sighed,"I went to the park after getting ready but by the time I got there.. You were on the ground and I just- I took him down."

Kaiser looked down.. Dragunov rescued him. He hated that his friend bad gotten involved, it wasn't fair on him. Dragunov didn't deserve to be dragged into this drama. He knew Dragunov was aware of his ex-boyfriend but he didn't know how much the Russian knew.

"I'm sorry.." Kaiser sniffled, trying to rub away his tears,"I didn't- I should've.."

"Hey, hey.. You're okay. Gunther's.. Well, last I checked he was having a word with him. He won't bother you anymore." Dragunov reassured him, reaching out to try and comfort him.

But Kaiser pulled away, flinching at Dragunov raising his hand.. Shit- Please be an idiot, please don't notice-

"My friend.. I promise I don't want to hurt you." Dragunov's calming voice just stung Kaiser's heart, he just wanted to help,"I won't touch you until you're ready."

"When did.. Gunther tell you about him?" Kaiser asked, assuming it was his boyfriend who told Dragunov.

"I.. Found out on my own." Dragunov admitted, looking down.

Kaiser blinked,"..What?"

"I can't remember when but.. It was after a show- I knew I wanted to speak with you, probably about a match and.. I caught him telling at you, awful things but..." Dragunov trailed off, shame lacing his voice,"I mentioned to Walter that I felt something was wrong, he agreed and.. Well, you left Germany and he vanished completely."

Kaiser could see tears starting to brim Dragunov's eyes but.. He was staying strong for him but Kaiser could tell how much guilt he'd been harboring for not speaking out.

"I saw you on the ground- I could've killed him but.. You needed help." Dragunov sighed softly.

Kaiser nodded slowly and held his arms out, Dragunov hesitating before sinking into Kaiser's arms and holding him close. His grip wasn't strong but Kaiser knew Dragunov wasn't going to let go of his turtleneck any time soon. Then.. The door opened and was shut rather forcefully which caused both men on the men to jump and turn to the door as Gunther entered the room.

He was still seething but his face softed at the sight of Kaiser,"Liebling.."

"I should go-" Dragunov tried to get up but Kaiser stopped him, shaking his head.

Kaiser patted Dragunov's back before he got up and approached Gunther. His boyfriend raised his hand to hold his face and Kaiser, again, flinched.. He felt his eyes fill with tears as he thought back to everything Bernhard said.. What would Gunther do when he got sick of him? When he realized Kaiser was only a burden? Would he..?

"Marcel, I am so sorry. You didn't deserve any of that." Gunther told him,"..He hit you?"

"It's fine." Kaiser swallowed,"He's done worse-"

"No, Liebling, that doesn't make it okay." Gunther took hold of Kaiser's face, gently kissing his forehead,"You didn't do anything wrong, it wasn't your fault and if Ilja's wasn't enough, he won't dare come near you again."

Kaiser choked back a sob before practically collapsing into Gunther's arms as he broke down sobbing. He really didn't deserve a man like Gunther, someone so willing to care for him, someone as kind.. But Gunther treated Kaiser how he deserved to be treated, with love and respect. He rubbed the smaller man's back and ran his fingers through his hair, anything to soothe him.

"Niemand wird dir jemals wieder etwas tun. Das verspreche ich.." Gunther whispered as he held Kaiser close to him.

That mark on his cheek, the slight bruising around his neck.. Gunther knew he should've never let Kaiser near his ex but he was so glad he called Dragunov to watch over them, look out for Kaiser... Dragunov.

"Ilja." Gunther looked over at him,"Thank you."

"No need for thanks.. I would do anything for a friend." Dragunov smiled softly.

Gunther was grateful for Dragunov, he was such a selfless person without having to try. Everyone knew that was just how he was, no character work involved. Kaiser leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to Gunther's jaw before rubbing his eyes with his sleeve before parting from the hug. Instead, he walked over to the bed and hugged Dragunov.

"Marcel, I-"

"Ilja.. It's okay. I'm okay." Kaiser rubbed his back as he held him.

Dragunov hugged back, a small smile on his face as he too rubbed his eyes. They couldn't help it, hating whenever they saw the other in pain. Gunther hated it too and soon joined their embrace which, well, ended with both men curled up in his arms on the bed, completely exhausted by their own emotions. He sighed softly, kissing the top of Kaiser's head as he let his body relax. Everything was okay now and nobody, especially not Bernhard, was ever going to lay a hand on his boyfriend ever again.. Not on his watch.

Chapter Text

Kaiser was gently swaying as he stood by all of he and Gunther's bag as his General collected their key cards from the reception desk. A familiar sight at every hotel the pair stayed at. Noticing the confusion on Gunther's face caused a wave of panic to wash over Kaiser.. What had gone wrong? Not too long ago, Gunther had made a face similar after their room had been double booked and they had to share with the New Day... Explaining their situation was not fun and he'd rather not do it again.

"Kaiser." Gunther called to him as he approached, key card in hand.

"Is everything okay with the room?" Kaiser asked quickly.

"Shh, everything's okay." Gunther placed a comforting hand on his shoulder,"They booked us the wrong room, one with two beds. Our arrangements will stay the same."

Kaiser let out a small sigh of relief and grabbed all the bags around his feet despite Gunther insisting that he could carry his own. No. That was Kaiser's job, he told him that each time. Gunther would deal with the decisions that might be.. Overwhelming for Kaiser, and Kaiser would handle all the little things. It was a plan they came up with together but Gunther was more than willing to help out.

They reached their room with no issues and soon, after unpacking, they quickly got into their regular routine. Regardless of the extra bed, their sleeping arrangements would stay the same. It was what was comfortable for them. Gunther would sleep on the bed and Kaiser would sleep on the floor in between Gunther's bed and the wall.

"Gunther, can I.. Can I polish your boots?" Kaiser looked up at him.

"Would that make you happy?" Gunther asked him.

"Yes, very happy." Kaiser nodded quickly.

Although a little reluctant, Gunther did fish out his boots and polish before handing them over to Kaiser. He appreciated Kaiser wanting to do all these little things for him and in Kaiser's defense, it honestly seemed to relax him quite a lot. This was because of Kaiser's mother. She would repair and sort out his father's ring gear, it was a way to show her love for him. Kaiser enjoyed sorting out Gunther's ring gear as it was not only a way to show his love for Gunther, but also to have a connection to his mother.

"Now.. Are you absolutely sure?" Gunther questioned, a hint of wariness in his voice.

"Meine geliebte, I do this because I want to.. Not because He made me feel like I had to." Kaiser reassured him.

And with that, the pair settled into their routine. Both got ready for bed and Kaiser nestled in the corner, starting to clean up Gunther's boots. Gunther was laid in bed reading although he was close enough to the edge so he could run his fingers through Kaiser's hair. Perfect. Their evening was peaceful and perfect... Until they heard the door open.

"Scheiße.." Gunther groaned, already able to make out their voices.

Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. Of course. Gunther understood that both had some issues thanks to their time in the Bloodline but that caused them to overreact and misunderstand the situation of Kaiser and Gunther.

"Hey, we're really sorry about this. We've been booked in with you tonight and-" Sami stopped when he saw them.

"It's fine." Gunther sighed, it wasn't fine,"This happened to us a few weeks ago, the bed over there is yours."

"It's really not an issue?" Sami asked cautiously.

"What are we going to do? Kick you out?" Gunther raised a brow.

"We have standards." Kaiser commented,"You paid for a room, you'll get a room."

"Okay, better question." Jey pointed to Kaiser,"Why are you on the floor? Why are you working while he reads, huh?"

"Jey- I'm sure there's a perfectly.. Reasonable explanation." Sami put his hand on Jey's shoulder.

"And there is." Gunther nodded, his hand still resting on Kaiser's head.

"Okay, talk me through this, Uce, 'cause from where I'm standing, things don't look too good." Jey crossed his arms.

"Well, let's get the sleeping situation out of the way first. It's really just a habit but it works for us and we like it." Gunther began,"Back when we traveled in Germany, we didn't have enough money to afford a two bed sleeping situation."

"But the manager was very understanding and we paid for one bed and half the cost of another which, well, we could barely afford that too. The beds were twin-sized and so we wouldn't both fit." Kaiser continued, deciding not to mention how his boyfriend at the time would have reacted if he even thought that he and Gunther shared a bed,"Gunther had been wrestling longer and he drove us that day so it was only fair that he got the bed, and I made myself comfortable on the floor."

"I suggested he slept in between the wall and my bed so he didn't get trampled in the morning, hence his current position." Gunther gestured to Kaiser,"It took a while for money to get better and by that point, Kaiser was used to the floor."

"One time we managed to pay for two beds on night and I ended up on the floor anyway because I just.. Wasn't used to it, I suppose." Kaiser sighed, still feeling a little guilty that he wasted their money,"And now.. Well, I just feel more comfortable like this."

Kaiser was quite happy with the arrangement and did find sleeping on the floor comfortable although.. Part of him still didn't want to share a bed was because he didn't think he deserved that. Gunther would be the first to say that he did but Kaiser could never bring himself to believe that. Sami and Jey nodded slowly as the took in and began to comprehend the situation that sat in front of them.

"Okay.. So why's he fixing up your ring gear while you read?" Jey asked after a few solid minutes of silence, very impressive for him.

"Oh, that's very simple. My mother used to do the same with my father's gear and she taught me how to sew and all that." Kaiser hummed as he sat down Gunther's boots,"It calms me down and I enjoy doing it because it gives me that connection to my mother and I get to show Gunther how much I care about him."

"And you don't force him to do any of that?" Sami looked between them.

"Never." Gunther shook his head,"Kaiser is my boyfriend, not a servant. We're both equals in this relationship."

Kaiser smiled, leaning back into Gunther's touch. The Austrian chuckled softly, running his fingers through Kaiser's hair. They weren't usually as affectionate in front of others but.. Maybe this would help get their point across. Kaiser had never been happier before he and Gunther got together, he never thought he'd be happy again before they got together.

"Well, I'll be the first to admit how sorry we both are for how we-" Sami began.

"You don't need to apologize on my behalf, Sami. I'm the one who made assumptions based on my own bad experiences." Jey sighed, shaking his head,"I jumped to a lot of conclusions, and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." Gunther shrugged.

"Really?" Jey blinked.

"Really, now I suggest you get some rest. I'm done talking for the night." Gunther went back to his book as if nothing had happened.

"Great- Thank you so much." Sami grinned, pulling Jey over to their side of the room to get ready.

The couples didn't really interact for the rest of the night with both Gunther and Sami finding it easy to get to sleep. Kaiser was getting close before he head the covers rustling and.. Jey got up, sitting at the edge of his bed. He looked.. Lost.

"Jey?" Kaiser asked, standing up himself,"Are you alright?"

Jey jumped slightly, probably not realizing that Kaiser was also awake,"Yeah- Yeah, I'm fine."

"You can talk to me, I'm.. Well, I'm willing to listen." Kaiser told him as he walked closer to the Samoan.

"I'm fine... Aside from the not sleeping, the jumpiness- The overwhelming feeling that something terrible is going to happen." Jey shook his head, the words falling from his mouth before he could stop them.

"It's called hypervigilance, the... Persistent feeling of being under threat." Kaiser sighed softly,"It's a trauma response, Jey."

Jeu looked off to the side,"But I've been away from the Bloodline for months, I should be fine."

"Jey, your physical wounds from your battles with the Bloodline may have healed but.. It's clear they left deep emotional scars. Scars that will need them to heal from." Kaiser placed his hand on Jey's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"They're my family, though. I still love them, it's just.." Jey trailed off.

"Sometimes the people that are supposed to love us, hurt us the most." Kaiser bit his inner cheek.

"You sound like you're talking from experience." Jey looked up at him.

"..I am." Kaiser admitted, trying to ignore his other hand starting to shake,"Gunther... He helped me through some of my toughest moments. Maybe, if you let him, Sami can help you too."

"Hey- Sami and I aren't.. We're not- Y'know.." Jey stammered.

Kaiser had to resist the urge to roll his eyes,"Do I look like an idiot?"

"..Is it really that obvious?" Jey asked, letting out a small sigh.

"Just a little." Kaiser nodded,"But.. I'm here if you ever need someone to talk to."

"You're.. Different than I expected, y'know?" Jey told him, his signature smile back on his face,"You're so... Nice, both of you."

"I'm just full of surprises." Kaiser hummed, gently patting Jey's back,"Try and get some sleep, yeah?"

"Yeah." Jey nodded slowly,"Thank you."

"Any time." Kaiser smiled softly.

Chapter Text

"Do.. Do you need anything else?" Kaiser asked quietly.

He immediately regretted even opening his mouth, why wouldnt he? It was the first thing he was taught, don't speak unless you're spoken to. It was pointless as Gunther, going by his raised eyebrow that he hadn't even heard him.

"What was that?" Gunther asked.

"Nothing- It's nothing." Kaiser shook his head, looking away from Gunther.

"Kaiser." Gunther took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze,"You're allowed to speak, Liebling."

Right- Right, of course.. Gunther allowed him to speak without permission. Someone of Gunther's standard shouldn't be burdened with his issues, shouldn't have to put up with someone as fragile as himself.

"I just.. Wanted to know if you needed anything else." Kaiser managed to force out, although he was unable to look up at him.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm alright, but thank you for asking." Gunther nodded, a small smile on his face.

Okay.. Okay, that wasn't so bad. Although, a tad embarrassing.. Gunther didn't need anything, of course he didn't, why would Kaiser even ask that? Idiot. The pair had been going out for a few months but the scars left from his previous relationship were very prominent. Later on, following his embarrassing encounter, Kaiser approached Gunther again. Don't speak unless.. Kaiser shook his head and gently took Gunther's hand to get his attention.

"Kaiser?" Gunther hummed, looking back at him,"What is it?"

"If you don't have anything you would rather do, Germany is playing France tonight. We could watch it together?" Kaiser suggested rather boldly before a switch almost seemed to snap in his brain,"Of course, I've already cleaned the apartment and everything is all set up for our flight tomorrow- God, no. I'm sorry- I'm sorry for being so presumptuous, I shouldn't have-"

But Gunther gently shushed Kaiser, giving his hand a squeeze,"Hey, I would love to watch it together with you."

Kaiser smiled softly, doing his best to hide his enthusiasm. Calm. He had to remain calm. His energy would just be off-putting to Gunther, as would his fidgetiness. It was wrong.. Although, the pair managed to curl up on the couch. Gunther had his arm wrapped around Kaiser's shoulder and Kaiser slowly sank against him.. He felt safe within his embrace. As the match progressed, Kaiser did show more of his excitable side with Gunther giving him gentle kisses whenever he did.. It was strange but Kaiser wouldn't complain about the affection. He craved it.

"Kaiser, would you mind checking the fridge for me? I think I've got a yogurt in there." Gunther asked and Kaiser quickly stood up.

"Of course I can." Kaiser nodded quickly before walking to the kitchen.

When he reached the kitchen, Kaiser opened the fridge and he scanned it for said yogurt. His eyes lit up at the sight of it and quickly pulled it out.. Only to realize it was a flavor Gunther didn't like. He liked that flavor. Kaiser looked down at the yogurt and reached for a spoon, silently cursing at his trembling hands.

"Gunther." Kaiser called through to him, trying to ignore the hesitancy in his voice.

"Ja, mein Schatz?" Gunther responded.

Kaiser looked down at the yogurt,"There is a yogurt but.. You don't like the flavor. Is it alright if I take it?"

"Of course." Gunther nodded,"Just come through here, it's starting to get good."

Kaiser smiled softly and walked back through to Gunther, nestling on the couch beside him as he happily ate his yogurt. Gunther smiled too, pulling Kaiser close to his side, proud that his boyfriend was slowly becoming more comfortable with asking for things he needed. Kaiser didn't need to know that Gunther intentionally left behind one yogurt that he didn't like for him. Baby steps.

A few days later, Kaiser was staring at himself in the mirror, trailing his fingers across an old and faint scar across his neck. Thanks Bernhard. He quickly pulled his turtleneck on and smiled softly at himself, much better. My eyes only, Mein Liebling. Kaiser shuddered and quickly shook his head, leaving the bathroom.

"Kaiser." Gunther called to him as he approached,"I'd like to take you out today, just to do some shopping."

"Oh." Kaiser nodded slowly,"I can come along."

Gunther smiled and the pair soon left their shared apartment, with Gunther leading Kaiser to a small clothing store nearby. It was nice, of course, but Kaiser didn't really want to buy any new clothes. His were just fine and he didn't want to spend any money on himself that he didn't have to. There wasn't a need to... It had nothing to do with Bernhard, nothing at all.

Although, something caught Kaiser's eye as he walked past. It was a beautiful blue turtleneck, one that matched his eyes. Kaiser wanted it- No. No, he couldn't have it. It was expensive and he wasn't allowed to wear such bright colors. Marcel, you're a background character. You shouldn't try to stick out, your job is to blend in. Bernhard's words echoed through his head.. But then Kaiser's thoughts turned to Gunther, how he always complimented his eyes.. How he mentioned that he wished Kaiser didn't always wear such muted colours.

With those thoughts fresh in his mind, Kaiser took the turtleneck and began to approach Gunther who was stood looking over some other jumpers nearby. Stop. Don't ask him. But.. But he wanted to ask. He won't care. He'll tell you to put it back. Kaiser bit his cheek before reaching out and gently squeezing Gunther's hand.

"Hm?" Gunther looked over at him.

"Gunther- I.. I know I shouldn't even be asking this but, well, I liked the look of this turtleneck and.. Was wondering if you think I should get it." Kaiser averted his gaze, showing Gunther said turtleneck.

Gunther gently lifted Kaiser's chin and smiled softly,"It matches your eyes, Liebling."

"Yeah- Yes, it does." Kaiser nodded.

"Do you like it?" Gunther asked.

"Well.. Yes, I do like it. But-" Kaiser tried to speak.

"If you like it, you should get it." Gunther told him,"You're allowed to wear whatever you like, as long as you like it and it makes you feel comfortable."

Kaiser nodded slowly and, with a small smile on his face, headed to the counter to purchase his turtleneck. Gunther smiled as he watched his boyfriend. Baby steps. He knew Kaiser still had a long way to go but just the fact that he was speaking and even asking for things he wanted or needed filled Gunther with a sense of pride. God, he was so proud of Kaiser and his little victories, overcoming his past trauma one day at a time.

After purchasing his turtleneck and swapping it for the one he was wearing in the fitting room, Kaiser returned to Gunther's side with a small smile on his face.

"How.. Do I look?" Kaiser asked slowly, uncertain of himself.

"Perfect." Gunther gently took Kaiser's hand as he smiled,"You look perfect."

Chapter Text

Gunther and Kaiser were together in the locker room, they were hardly ever apart. It was relatively crowded but Gunther knew eventually most people would just grab their belongings and leave while he sat and tried to decompress after his match against Finn. The drone of voices did slowly begin to die down but Gunther noticed Kaiser still stood at his side, arms behind his back. There was plenty of room but Kaiser still insisted on standing.. That simply wouldn't do.

Without a second thought, Gunther wrapped his arms around Kaiser's waist and pulled his boyfriend into his lap. He didn't care who saw them, Gunther just wanted everyone in that locker room to know what a treasure he thought Kaiser was. Kaiser, on the other hand, was visibly flustered and kept his back straight, refusing to relax his posture.

"What are you doing?" Kaiser whispered,"They'll see us- We're in public."

"I know." Gunther hummed, kissing the top of his head,"They should know how much I adore you."

Kaiser couldn't resist smiling at the comment, becoming less aware of the eyes that he knew were on him and Gunther. He slowly leaned into Gunther's embrace, his back against Gunther's chest.. Kaiser was safe. He could hear the murmuring of other superstars but he couldn't make out what they were saying. That didn't matter though as Gunther pressed gentle kisses to the back of his neck.

"Is that okay?" Gunther asked him, his arms still wrapped around Kaiser and holding him close.

Kaiser nodded slowly as he closed his eyes,"Good- It's good."

Although, before both men could fully relax into each other, Dragunov hurried in with a worried expression on his face. The question was.. What was wrong?

"Ilja? Is it Bron again?" Gunther raised a brow,"Or J-"

"No- No, nothing like that. It's actually.. Sami and Jey." Dragunov told him, fidgeting with his hands,"I'm not sure what happened, one minute they were fine and.."

Kaiser and Gunther looked between each other before standing up, although Kaiser would've preferred to be held a little longer. They let Dragunov lead them down the hall where they found Jey and Sami.. Almost shells of their former selves. Sami was stood, unusually quiet, as Jey paced and murmured to himself, his hands shaking.

"I acknowledge.. I acknowledge.." Jey muttered, shaking his head.

"Jey? Sami?" Gunther called to the men,"Is something wrong?"

"Yes, my-" Sami turned to him sharply,"General."

"You can.. Call me by my name." Gunther nodded slowly.

This was.. Weird. None of them had ever seen Sami or Jey act like this towards Gunther. They only time they'd seem anything similar was... When Jey and Sami were with the Bloodline. Uh oh. Sami and Jey were already stood to attention, looking expectantly at Gunther for their next direction.

"Ilja.. Do you have any idea how this might have happened?" Gunther looked over at him.

"No- We were just talking and suddenly they zoned out and.. Now they're acting like this." Dragunov shook his head.

"Something must have triggered them." Kaiser bit his cheek,"Did.. You hear or see anything that could make them think of, y'know.."

"His theme song." Dragunov blinked, lowering his voice,"A group of fans walked past and their phone rang, Roman's theme was their ringtone- I should've realised.."

"That doesn't matter now. Right now, we need to get them back to the hotel and safely." Gunther sighed, shaking his head,"Boys?"

"Yes, General?" Sami looked up at him, Jey following suit.

It was.. Gunther knew that Jey and Sami weren't doing this on purpose but he was just.. So worried about them. They were both so vulnerable, they'd do anything for him in this state.. Gunther quickly shook his head, he had to help them, just as they were willing to help Kaiser.

"Come on, it's getting late." Gunther beckoned both men.

Just like that, both Sami and Jey were eagerly following after Gunther, Kaiser and Dragunov. Silent, still. It just wasn't like the pair and it really just made the others think about how bad.. The Bloodline really was. While Gunther was concerned, Kaiser.. Felt like he understood the pair and was desperate to help them through this episode as much as he could. It made him think- No. Don't think about it. Fine- You're fine. Relax..

When they arrived at the hotel, Dragunov lingered around.. He wanted to make sure both Sami and Jey were okay. Gunther was trying to assure him, which left Sami, Jey and Kaiser alone in the hotel room. The trio were sat on the bed, none of them speaking. Kaiser wanted desperately to say something, to offer support but.. He didn't know how. Don't speak without permission. Kaiser tensed.. No- No, Gunther allowed him to speak.

"Is he mad at us..?" Sami asked slowly,"Is that why he's out there? He's thinking of some way to punish us?"

"Why- What did we do? We didn't.. Did we?" Jey swallowed, looking down.

"He's not angry, I promise. He is just talking with Ilja." Kaiser reached out to Jey, although he didn't touch him,"Did.. Roman hurt you?"

Jey looked off to the side, shaking his head but.. Sami nodded,"Only as a last resort, of course, when we were disrespectful."

"Sami.." Kaiser's face softened as he looked at the man smiling beside him.

"It's okay, I deserved it." Sami shook his head, still smiling.

Kaiser bit his cheek.. The same phrase echoing in his own mind. You deserved that, Marcel. How dare you speak to me like that, especially without permission! If you do it again, it'll be much worse.. And that's a promise. Kaiser blinked, feeling his heart racing in his chest. Jey and Sami seemed concerned but Kaiser stood up, trying to keep up his calm facade, and walked to the bathroom as Gunther passed by him.

He didn't spare his boyfriend a glance as he entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. As the door closed, Kaiser staggered forward and gripped onto the sink. Fine- Fine. You're fine. The words meang nothing and Kaiser struggled to breath, his chest tightening. Useful. He just wanted to help Jey and Sami, be useful. Why couldn't he do it? Why was he so weak?

Marcel, I've told you before. You're nothing without me. I mean, let's face it. You're useless, and you can't do anything right... Nobody will ever love you like I do.

Kaiser slowly sank to his knees, his trembling hands releasing the sink. It was just a phrase, a meaningless phrase, yet it caused all those memories that Kaiser tried to repress to flood back into his brain. He just wanted to curl up and disappear.. Maybe the others would be better off that way. At least then they wouldn't be burdened with him or his issues.

"Liebling." Gunther gently knocked on the door,"Are you alright in there?"

"..I'm fine." Kaiser managed to force out.

"Don't lie to me." Gunther sighed, hoping his tone didn't come across as too harsh,"Come out, please? Sami is worried about you."

Kaiser didn't want to worry Sami, he was already in a bad place.. Although he wanted to stay hidden away for a few minutes longer to calm down, Kaiser slowly opened the door. Gunther was stood waiting for him, that patient smile on his face that Kaiser had accustomed to.

"There you are.. Are you okay?" Gunther held his arms out.

Kaiser walked forward and leaned into Gunther's arms, burying his face in his boyfriend's chest. Breathe. He was safe.. Sami was nearby, nervously looking on at the pair with Jey at his side, rubbing his back. Before Kaiser could even look up or speak, he heard Sami.

"I'm sorry- Really, I'm sorry." Sami shook his head,"I don't know what I did but.. I upset you."

"It wasn't you, Sami.. It wasn't your fault." Kaiser assured him, looking over at the pair of them.

He wasn't crying but Sami was certainly teary-eyed and, despite wanting to linger in Gunther's arms, Kaiser rubbed his eyes as he let go of Gunther and held his arms out. Sami looked.. Confused, glancing towards Gunther.

"You don't need my permission, Sami. You're allowed to accept the hug if you want to." Gunther nodded.

Sami was quick to hug Kaiser, holding him tightly. Kaiser sucked in a quick breath, his ribs still hurt but.. He knew both he and Sami needed this. It was.. It was a different kind of hug, not like Gunther. The hug was warm but it had a hint of desperation, a kind of touch-starved longing.. As Kaiser and Sami held one another, Jey looked to Gunther.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?" Jey questioned.

While Kaiser had been in the bathroom, Jey continued to ask Gunther if there was anything he could do, practically pleading for a task.

"I'm sure, besides it's-" Gunther tried.

"Anything, please. Let me be useful- I have to be useful, General." Jey told him, growing desperate.

"Jey. Your worth is not based on how 'useful' you are." Gunther went to put his hand on Jey's shoulder, but the Samoan flinched back.

"Sorry, I'll just-" Jey quickly looked down.

Gunther sighed softly, putting his hand on Jey's shoulder and gently squeezing it,"Jey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I want you two to rest."

"..What?" Jey blinked.

"You and Sami, I want you to get some rest. You both need it." Gunther told them,"We can talk more in the morning but.. I want you to look after yourself."

Jey looked shocked at this prospect but eventually, especially after the suggestion of cuddles from Sami, Gunther managed to convince the pair to go to sleep in the one bed there was. Gunther wasn't going to make either man sleep on the floor after the night they'd had and.. Well, Kaiser did it every night so surely it couldn't be that bad. Jey relaxed in Sami's tight embrace, the latter's face hidden in the Samoan's curls.

Looking at the gap where Kaiser was sleeping, Gunther wasn't so sure he'd fit but.. Oh well, he didn't feel like he had much choice in the matter. Kaiser looked up at Gunther, curious or maybe worried as to why he was staring.

"Gunther?" Kaiser blinked.

"Hang on." Gunther pointed as he knelt down.

Gunther pulled Kaiser close and laid down on his back, holding Kaiser against his chest. There. It looks like there was enough room for them both, as long as they slept like this. Kaiser seemed flustered as first but did allow himself to relax in Gunther's arms, his head resting on Gunther's chest.

Gunther gently kissed his forehead,"Good night, Liebling."

"Good night." Kaiser hummed softly.

And they all seemed to get a good sleep that night, and in the morning.. Thankfully, the other three seemed to be more stable and back to their usual self. Sami was smiling and both he and Kaiser were happily chatting with Jey and Gunther watching them from a distance.

"Hey, uh.. Thanks." Jey cleared his throat, looking up at Gunther,"Y'know, for not.. Taking advantage of us last night or casting us aside."

"Why would I do that?" Gunther raised a brow, crossing his arms.

"Well, weren't not really your problem.. Are we?" Jey forced a small chuckle.

"You were willing to attack me to protect Kaiser. As long as you care about him, I'm happy for you both to be my problem when you need it." Gunther told him, smiling softly.

Jey seemed taken aback but he soon smiled as well,"That means a lot."

"Any time." Gunther nodded, patting his shoulder,"You're a good person, Jey."

Jey nodded slowly, smiling as he continued to watch Sami and Kaiser who seemed completely absorbed in their clearly hilarious conversation. Gunther didn't understand how anyone could want to hurt or take advantage of such kind and happy people... And he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Chapter Text

That day at the airport was a nightmare in more ways than one and all Kaiser wanted to do was hide in Gunther arms away from it all. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that and was stuck in a crowded airport with their luggage nowhere to be found. Things had gotten lost before but they'd usually turn up eventually... Not this time. Kaiser kept scratching at his wrists and chest, anything to distract himself from the pit of anxiety that was starting to build in his stomach.

Marcel, you don't have anxiety. Stop being overdramatic. Everyone gets nervous, you're just sensitive.

"Liebling, take my hand, okay?" Gunther held it out to him,"I think I see our luggage but it's just past that crowd and I don't want to lose you too."

"Okay." Kaiser nodded, taking Gunther's hand and obeying the order he was given.

Although he was a little nervous about holding Gunther's hand in public, he was in no place to disobey a direct order. He'd be a horrible boyfriend if he did. Kaiser squeezed his eyes shut tightly as Gunther lead them through the crowd, instantly hating how close he was to the other people.. But he shouldn't complain, he wasn't allowed to complain.

God, Marcel. I already do everything for you, just shut your mouth for once.

As they approached the area for collecting their luggage, Gunther began to let go of Kaiser's hand and he stayed where Gunther left him. An indirect command to stay, clearly. Kaiser watched as Gunther had a.. Rather long conversation about the bags in front of him with the airport employee before Gunther soon returned to his side.

"Kaiser, they appear to have lost your luggage and are unable to locate it." Gunther sighed as he walked over,"I told them to contact me if they mamage to find it and-"

"Did they find your luggage?" Kaiser spoke quickly, internally cursing at himself for speaking out of turn.

"Well, yes." Gunther nodded slowly.

"That's okay then." Kaiser smiled softly.

That's all that mattered to Kaiser, that his General's belongings were safe. Kaiser wasn't supposed to wrestle that day so it was alright that his luggage wasn't there. Gunther mattered through, in more ways than one and so much more than Kaiser. After the dreadful airport experience, Gunther managed to get their hotel room sorted out and Kaiser, after asking for permission, sat on the end of Gunther's bed as he unpacked his luggage.

Kaiser looked down at the keycard in his hand, why would Gunther give it to him? Sure, he noticed that they received two but Kaiser wasn't even allowed to leave the hotel room without permission so it didn't really matter. And he knew he'd be left in the hotel room since he had no fresh clothes to wear down to the arena. Kaiser didn't mind that so much. At least the hotel room would be warmer and more comfortable than sitting in the car.

Look, Marcel, I don't care. No, you can't wear my hoodie or anything like that. Just- Y'know what? Just wait in the car until the show is over. Don't touch anything.

"And done." Gunther hummed as he stood up.

Kaiser reached out to Gunther and took his hand, gently squeezing it. His boyfriend immediately saw this as a sign that Kaiser wanted to speak. Despite reminding him that he was allowed to speak without being spoken to, Kaiser refused. Gunther was just glas that he was able to get Kaiser to at least try and communicate with him.

'Liebling, what is it?" Gunther asked.

"I.. Wanted to give you this back." Kaiser held out the key card,"I know you'll be leaving me here so I just wanted you to know that I wouldn't be able to leave without your permission."

Gunther sighed,"Kaiser, Mein Schatz, I'm not going to leave you here alone for all that time."

"But I don't have anything to wear." Kaiser reminded him.

"You can wear my clothes." Gunther offered,"Any that you like."

The idea sounded silly to Kaiser, nonsensical. Why would he be allowed to wear his General's clothes. Surely it was some joke, he was undeserving of something like that. But Gunther was fully serious and had already begun to look through the clothes that he'd packed, smiling once he found something he figured Ludwig would like.

It was a beige turtleneck, one that Kaiser never recalled Gunther wearing before and some black trousers that were never going to fit his waist or legs. The outfit did look nice.. But Kaiser would never- However, Gunther handed them out to Kaiser and he felt... Obligied to change. He couldn't say no. After changing in the bathroom, Kaiser stared at himself in the mirror. It was an odd feeling, wearing clothes that didn't fit.. He was usually elegant and tailored but was now instead in oversized clothes. Kaiser wouldn't deny that despite his initial uncomfortablness, the clothes were comfy and they smelled like Gunther.

That outfit is perfect, Marcel. Your body is for my eyes only, now none of those perverts will get a chance to stare at my boy.

Kaiser hesitated at the thought, looking down.His eyes only...He was practically drowning in Gunther's clothes so at least nobody would stare, he wouldn't be attractive enough for that. He wasn't attractive enough for that. When Kaiser left the bathroom and came face to face with Gunther who... Smiled at him. Gunther adored seeing Kaiser in his clothes, even if they were far too big on him. It was so cute.

"See? We'll borrow you a belt and you'll be all set for tomorrow." Gunther hummed, gently placing his hands on Kaiser's hips.

Kaiser was hesitant but he leaned into Gunther's touch, unable to not feel relaxed in that moment, just because of his presence. He couldn't explain it.. That next day, Gunther borrowed a belt from Ilja for Kaiser and the pair headed to the arena for Raw. While he wasn't fully comfortable wearing Gunther's clothes, he did like it being very clear who he belonged to. Everything was going just fine until they, of course, ran into Chad Gable.

"Gunther, hey." Chad called to him as they walked past,"Hey- You'd be better off if you replaced that deadweight."

Gunther stopped in his tracks, his arm around Kaiser's shoulder tightening. What did Chad just say about his boyfriend? Deadweight? If he said another word, he might just snap. Kaiser froze up, already able to feel the anger radiating off Gunther... This was it- That's all he was. Deadweight. Gunther was going to get rid of him.

"Cutting down the wardrobe budget would be a good start though." Chad added, a smug grin on his face.

Kaiser's heart sank at those last few words.. He knew he shouldn't have purchased that new turtleneck- It was a stupid idea, a completely selfish one! Kaiser bit down on his cheek and hurried off to try and find a place to breathe as Gunther walked back towards Chad.

"You really need to learn when to keep your mouth shut." Gunther glared at Chad,"Hate me all you like because you aren't good enough.. But you leave him out of this."

"Who? Your PA?" Chad scoffed,"He already made a dash for the exit and left you."

Gunther blinked, looking over at where Kaiser was and.. He was gone. Seeing Gunther was distracted, Chad tried to use the moment to attack. Gunther wasn't stupid though, and maimed to throw Chad against the wall.. Noticing one of the lights above go out. Perfect. Gunther decided to leave Chad and his demon girlfriend in peace as he hurried off go find Kaiser.

Kaiser had found a secluded part of the area and was struggling to breath, clutching his chest tightly.. Breathe- Breathe. Just breathe. He couldn't breathe..

You selfish piece of shit, Marcel. You did nothing to deserve anything that you've been given! You don't even look good in that turtleneck. Can't you do anything right?

"Kaiser." Gunther put a hand on his shoulder, glad that he found his boyfriend before anyone else.

"My General- I'm so sorry!" Kaiser shook his head, eyes brimming with tears.

"Liebling.." Gunther sighed softly.

"I shouldn't have been so selfish, General. I'll return that new turtleneck immediately! I promise... Please don't be mad." Kaiser was trembling as he rambled, struggling to breathe properly.

"Just try to breathe, Liebling. In and out." Gunther rubbed Kaiser's back,"Listen to me, okay? As much as I like seeing you in my clothes, and I promise I don't mind, I want you to have the freedom of your own wardrobe."

"But- But my old clothes are fine. I should've have indulged myself- What was I thinking?" Kaiser shook his head.

"Liebling, I like how you look in that turtleneck. If you want to return it, we will, but if I get a say, I think you deserve it. " Gunther told him, a small smile on his face.

Kaiser stopped, thinking it over as he regained control of his breathing.. Gunther wanted him to keep the turtleneck, to wear the turtleneck.. Kaiser certainly didn't deserve anything but... Gunther liked it. He should keep it for Gunther- His General's opinion mattered more than his.

Exactly, you submit to me. You listen to me. I am the one in control here, your opinion does not matter. You do not matter.

"I.. I think I'll keep the turtleneck." Kaiser nodded slowly, wiping his eyes,"Apologies, I need to go to the bathroom."

Gunther watched as Kaiser walked past him and towards the bathroom.. He looked so small, defeated.. Gunther sighed, knowing that Kaiser had lost some of the progress he'd made after buying the turtleneck. However, one thing seemed to linger uncomfortably in Gunther's mind.. How much influence did he really have over Kaiser's life..? Was he... Just as bad as Bernhard? Gunther could only hope not..

Chapter Text

As they were preparing to leave the locker room, Jey jogged over to Gunther's side with a large grin on his face.

"Gunther, some of the boys and I are going out for a drink? Wanna join us?" Jey asked him.

"Hm." Gunther looked to the side as he thought.

Yes. The answer was yes, Gunther would love to join them. While they may not have gotten along on screen, Gunther love to have a night out with some of the guys in the locker room, minus Chad, as it had been some time since he'd gone out. His attention though, soon turned to Kaiser.. Was he still upset about what Chad said about him? What was he thinking about?

"I would like to join you, Jey." Gunther finally nodded, and the Samoan smiled.

"Great. Ludwig, what about yourself?" Jey turned to him.

Kaiser blinked, not expecting to have even been considered for an invite. No... No, he couldn't go. Going out to drink was simply out of the question. He couldn't- No, he wasn't allowed to do anything like that.

"No- Marcel, of course you can't come. You and all that alcohol? You don't know what you take and I'll just end up dealing with you. Besides, you really want to be around all those drunk men.. Staring at you? Think about what they could do to you if I let them."

"Kaiser?" Gunther put a hand on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.

"Oh- Uh, no thank you. Although, I appreciate the offer." Kaiser answered, looking up at Gunther,"I'll be in the hotel room when you return."

"That's cool, don't worry. Sami doesn't come out with us when we go out to drink, so you're not alone." Jey assured him.

"Don't bother waiting up for me, Liebling." Gunther told him, pressing a gentle kiss to Kaiser's forehead,"I love you."

"I love you too." Kaiser smiled softly.

Gunther then dug out and handed over the spare keycard that Kaiser had previously refused before the pair split off. Unfortunately, the pair had both misinterpreted the other to some extent. Gunther reasonably believed that Kaiser's refusal was just due to his anxiety. And of course Kaiser took Gunther's 'Don't bother waiting up for me' as an order to go to bed. Immediately.

So as soon as he returned to their hotel room, Kaiser placed the key card on Gunther's nightstand. It was.. It made him uncomfortable, knowing it was there and Kaiser couldn't describe why. He then made his way back over to his little spot and curled up on the floor. Kaiser wasn't tired so he'd fix his spot properly before he fell asleep. While Gunther had a pretty good time, expecting Kaiser to be relaxing in bed and maybe even ordering himself some room service.. Kaiser spent the evening curled up on the cold, hard floor trying to fall asleep as he continued to hear the voice of Bernhard, berating him.

"You could be doing something useful, y'know. But here you are, being lazy. You're lucky I'm with you because believe me, nobody else would put up with you."

Kaiser slowly got up and wandered around the room. It was clean, as far as hotel rooms went, and all that was really there to do was the bag of Gunther's ring gear taht Kaiser placed in the closet. Would.. Would Gunther be okay with him fixing it up, polishing his boots? Kaiser reached out for the bag but-

"Don't touch anything! Do you hear me? God, you really do have the attention span of a child- I don't care if it's 'our' room, I said you can't touch anything. You'd probably just mess it up or break it."

Yes.. Yes, that was right. He wasn't to touch anything without permission. Kaiser reluctantly returned to his spot on the floor and, despite not setting it up properly thanks to his reminder not to touch anything, slowly fell asleep. Gunther returned later that night, a little tipsy although not that drunk. He knew he had a flight the next day and even at that, Gunther was aware of his limit and how much he could reasonably have. The sight he came back to did out a damper of his good night.

Kaiser was on the floor, which wasn't the surprise, although unlike usual he hadnt got a pillow or blanket over him. He was just.. Curled up on the floor, still wearing the same clothes from that night. The turtleneck had been pulled over his face, was he cold? He couldn't be comfortable like this.

"Kaiser.." Gunther sighed softly before heading over to his luggage.

He pulled out a blanket, one that he'd started packing moreso for emergencies, a just in case scenario. Gunther took it and carefully laid it over Kaiser before grabbing a pillow from his bed and sliding it underneath his head. Kaiser briefly stirred but Gunther gently hushed him, gently running his hand through the German's hair and it lulled him back to sleep.

His hopes of Kaiser maybe enjoying the time to himself to decompress, especially after how things went down that evening, were dashed in an instant. When the pair got home, they were going to need to talk. And so, as Gunther lay in bed that night, he began to plan how he would approach the situation. On their flight home, Gunther was still thinking while Kaiser sat close to him, unaware of what was to come. When they reached their home and Gunther dropped his luggage by the door, Kaiser went to grab the bags to put them away.. But Gunther held onto his wrist and stopped him.

"Liebling, can we talk?" Gunther asked slowly,"I think we need to go over some boundaries."

Kaiser's heart sank, his eyes darting down to his wrist,"Yes- Yes, of course."

"Go wait on the couch." Gunther told him, immediately releasing Kaiser's wrist. Damnit.

Kaiser made his way over to the couch and sat down, trying to calm his now racing heartbeat. Of course. How could he be so foolish? Gunther had probably realized he'd been far too generous with his allowances and given him far too much freedom. It was.. Nice, while it lasted. When Gunther sat down next to him, Kaiser looked up at his boyfriend expectantly.

"I'm ready." Kaiser nodded,"I'm ready for the crackdown and-"

"No, Liebling." Gunther sighed,"There is no 'crackdown', I'm not taking away anything from you."

Kaiser furrowed his brow,"But.. You said we needed to go over some boundaries. You've been far too lenient with me- You allow me speak without permission and you keep saying I can eat whenever I need to but-"

"Because you can, I can't 'allow' you to do or not to do anything." Gunther told him,"I don't control what you do."

"But.. You do." Kaiser blinked,"That's how this works."

It seemed like a simple concept to Kaiser, yet Gunther struggled to grasp it. Gunther was in charge and Kaiser had to obey him, just like before.. Only better. It was different, but the same. Gunther never hurt Kaiser but he was still the man that should make his decisions.

"No, Mein Schatz, a healthy relationship doesn't operate like that." Gunther shook his head,"I'm your boyfriend, and it is killing me to see you hurting like this."

"But.. I'm not hurting." Kaiser gently took his hands,"I stopped hurting when you came along."

"What did he do to you?" Gunther reached up and cupped Kaiser's cheek,"What do you expect me to do to you?"

"I... Everything was policed so intensely, I always needed permission for everything. To speak, to eat.. I was told what to wear, I was for His eyes only." Kaiser shook his head,"It started small but.. I liked that. I never liked making big decisions and suddenly I couldn't make any.."

Gunther nodded slowly as he began to realize exactly what he was fighting and.. It was a lot worse than he originally anticipated. He wanted to think that he expected better.. But Bernhard was a foul excuse of a human being. He broke Kaiser in so many ways.. Now Gunther was left to try and pick up the pieces.

"What do you need?" Gunther asked him.

"I don't need anything." Kaiser told him.

Gunther sighed softly,"Alright, let's start simple. What do you need because of your anxiety?"

"Come on, Marcel. For the last time, you don't have anxiety. You're a man, aren't you? Start acting like it."

"..I don't have anxiety." Kaiser shook his head.

"Is that what he told you?" Gunther questioned.

Kaiser nodded slowly,"I'm just.. Sensitive. Everyone gets nervous sometimes- I've always been like this."

"You're not 'just sensitive', Liebling. Having anxiety doesn't make you a lesser person, it just means that you might need some more support to be comfortable.. Support that I'm willing to give you." Gunther told him.

"..I never liked making the decisions on travel, there were far too many big decisions with things that could go wrong." Kaiser looked down,"He always did that and.. It should have been the first sign."

"I can take care of travel and hotel bookings, that's easy done. I'll always ask if you have a preference but aside from that, I'll handle it." Gunther assured him,"What else?"

Kaiser went to speak but quickly shook his head, mumbling,"Nein, das ist dumm.."

"Liebling." Gunther gently turned his chin so they were looking at each other.

"..I just- I don't want to be by myself." Kaiser told him,"I know I sound clingy but just being around you makes me feel safe.. It's unreasonable but-"

"I can make an effort to be around you for as long as you need me." Gunther smiled softly.

"But-"

"I care about your needs, because they're just as important as mine." Gunther kissed his forehead,"You might not believe it, but it's true. If you need support, I will be your support."

Kaiser smiled then, scooting closer to Gunther and resting his head on his shoulder. Like an instinct, Gunther wrapped his arm around Kaiser and they had that brief moment of quiet together. Almost like the were processing their conversation.

"What do you need.. Because of him?" Gunther continued, although he didn't release Kaiser.

"Permission to speak. I know what you said earlier but.. It would mean a lot to have that reminder." Kaiser nodded slowly,"Sometimes I talk too much and I ramble and it just becomes annoying for everyone else and.. And I'm doing it again."

"How about this.." Gunther looked down at Kaiser,"Whenever you want to speak, you give my hand a squeeze."

"God, what is it now? No- Marcel, nobody wants to hear what you have to say. And what have I told you about touching me in public? That's right. And if you even think about doing it again, I'll give you a reason not to."

"Are.. Are you sure?" Kaiser swallowed,"I'd be touching you in public and-"

"And I am perfectly okay with that." Gunther stopped him, taking his hand,"You're my boyfriend. We don't need to do anything you're uncomfortable with, but it is a starting point."

"What if you're busy? I don't want to bother you." Kaiser told him.

"You could never bother me." Gunther reassured him,"But if, for example, I am in the middle of talking to someone when you squeeze my hand, I will squeeze back to show that I know you're there and as soon as I am able, I will respond to you."

"That's.. I mean, are you sure?" Kaiser asked slowly, almost confused,"It's just.. That's a lot of effort."

"You're worth all of that. I care about you and I want to do everything in my power to make sure you feel safe and comfortable in this relationship." Gunther hummed.

While Kaiser appreciated everything Gunther was doing, there was a nagging part of his brain that just.. It continued to drill it into him taht he wasn't worth all the extra effort. And Kaiser agreed. Gunther would be better off without him..

"Are there any choices I currently make for you that you would rather make yourself?" Gunther raised a brow.

"No." Kaiser's answer was almost immediate.

"Kaiser.. Aside from being your boyfriend, how do you see me?" Gunther questioned, he didn't know where it came from.. But he desperately wanted to know.

"You're the boss, the one in charge, and I will do whatever you wanted me to." Kaiser responded so.. Nonchalantly.

Gunther sighed. It was the answer he expected but not the one he wanted. That answer explained so much but God, did he hate how it made him feel. Gunther hated feeling like this.. Helpless. He knew that Kaiser would need some time to heal but he didn't realize how much healing was truly needed until now... How many times had Kaiser went without because Gunther didn't know better? That's when Gunther's thoughts returned to the night before.

"Kaiser, last night, what did you do when you got back to the hotel?" Gunther reluctantly asked him.

"Well, you told me not to wait up so I didn't. I went to sleep." Kaiser responded, again so casually,"I promise I didn't touch anything either."

"Kaiser, you're free to touch things without ny permission and you're allowed to relax while I'm not there." Gunther told him.

"I thought I was just following directions." Kaiser looked off to the side.

Gunther rubbed Kaiser's back, knowing that he didn't understand the instruction. He'd been treated so poorly that it was almost like he'd forgotten how to be a person, his own person. Building up his confidence would be one of the first steps in getting Kaiser on the right track of healing.

"Well, Jey said he wants to go out again, probably in the near future. How about when we go out, you and Sami could hang out, maybe watch a movie and get some room service?" Gunther suggested,"He isn't comfortable around alcohol and.. I think it could be nice for you."

"You think so? You're.. You're okay with me doing that?" Kaiser questioned.

"Yes, Liebling, I'm okay with that." Gunther nodded.

Kaiser didn't know how to feel really, about all these boundaries.. Things he no longer needed to due that had been shoved down his throat to no end by Bernhard. It would take.. A long time of getting used to. For now, Kaiser nestled himself in Gunther's arms and his boyfriend was more than happy to hold him close."

"Ich liebe dich." Gunther kissed his forehead.

"Ich liebe dich auch." Kaiser hummed.

Happy... Kaiser was happy here, he knew that for a fact. Gunther was so good to him, too good to him. He really didn't deserve such a caring and patient man but.. Gunther would disagree. He told Kaiser that he deserved the world. Kaiser didn't fully believe him but Gunther made him happy. Gunther was his world.

Chapter Text

It was the night before Kaiser and Gunther were supposed to fly out to the next location of Raw and Gunther wanted to do something nice for Kaiser. A new restaurant recently opened up near their hotel and he thought that it would be nice for them to go out there. Gunther made the reservation, a table for two near the back of the restaurant. Quiet and more obscured, figuring that would be best for Kaiser if he wanted to join him.

"Liebling." Gunther called to Kaiser as he walked over.

Kaiser was sat on the edge of the bed, after having asked for permission first and was pretty content watching the history documentary that Gunther casually flicked on earlier in the evening.

"Yes, Gunther?" Kaiser looked up at him.

"Since it's out last day here and we haven't been able to spend much time just relaxing together, I figured we could go out and eat together." Gunther told him,"A new restaurant opened here recently and I'd like to try it out. We don't need to if you don't want to."

"No, I want to." Kaiser nodded, reaching out and gently taking Gunther's hand.

"Are you sure?" Gunther asked slowly.

"I'm sure. I want to." Kaiser repeated.

No. No, he didn't really want to go out to an unfamiliar restaurant in an even more unfamiliar town. Before Gunther, Kaiser had never been taken out before, really. Bernhard didn't like parading him out in the open and.. Kaiser didn't like crowded spaces or places with lots of people, pretty ironic considering that was his job, performing in front of a crowd of people.. Bur that's all that was, performing. He wasn't Marcel Barthel there, no, he was Ludwig Kaiser. He was.. Different.

"Good." Gunther gently kissed his forehead,"Well, I'll let you get ready. I'll do the same."

Kaiser squeezed his hand,"What.. Gunther, what do you want me to wear?"

"You can wear whatever you like, Liebling." Gunther assured him.

"But what do you want me to wear?" Kaiser asked again, seeming more agitated.

"Kaiser.." Gunther sighed.

"I'm going out in public with you, I don't want to embarrass you." Kaiser looked down.

"Oh, Mein Schatz.. You couldn't embarrass me." Gunther cupped his face,"But if it would calm you down, I can help you chose something for yourself."

Kaiser agreed and Gunther assisted in picking out an outfit for him. Although he was the General on screen and the one 'in control' in the relationship.. Gunther almost hated how much influence he had over Kaiser, how much weight his opinion carried in Kaiser's mind. Despite Gunther trying his hardest, Kaiser seemed to respond the same to each turtleneck Gunther showed him.

"I think.. Kaiser, the blue one is nice." Gunther glanced over at it, the turtleneck practically untouched.

Despite Gunther's constant reassurance, Kaiser still believed the purchase to be a selfish one, a purchase he shouldn't have made. The blue turtleneck looked so good on him though, it matched his eyes and.. Kaiser looked so happy when he first got it.

"You think so? It's not too.. Flashy? I'm not supposed to stand out." Kaiser shook his head.

"It's not too flashy, no.. And no matter what you wear, you'll look beautiful as you always do." Gunther reassured him, resting his hand on Kaiser's leg.

"..I'll wear the blue one." Kaiser nodded.

Gunther smiled,"And you're sure that this is okay?"

"Of course." Kaiser answered, ignoring his heart pounding in his chest.

Once the pair changed, Gunther took a moment to admire Kaiser before they left the hotel room. That was his boyfriend, not Bernhard's. Gunther would do anything to try and heal part of Kaiser taht Bernhard broke and.. This would be a step in the right direction, building his confidence in public.

Gunther drove their rental car to the restaurant, constantly reassuring Kaiser as the drove. He was willing to say anything, do anything to make him more comfortable. As the walked in, Gunther offered to hold his hand or even just have his arm around him but.. Kaiser shook his head, he was fine to just walk slightly behind Gunther. There were too many eyes, why would Gunther want to be seem with Kaiser clinging into him? He wouldn't. Kaiser would just be embarrassing him. His nerves did lessen slightly as they were lead to their table at the back of the restaurant, mostly out of sight.

"So? Is this alright for you?" Gunther held his hand out and Kaiser slowly reached out and grabbed onto it.

"Yes, I'm good." Kaiser nodded.

They made idle conversation, with Gunther agreeing to say Kaiser's order with.. Very little persuasion. Kaiser did point out what he thought he wanted, nervous as he recognized nothing on the menu. He thought it was a safe choice. God, Kaiser couldn't even remember what it was five minutes afte ordering it. As they started to eat, Gunther seemed pleased with his meal but Kaiser.. Kaiser didn't like it.

"You don't like it? God, Marcel. I decide to be generous and spend my money on you for this? You better eat it- Stop being so ungrateful!"

No.. No, he couldn't be ungrateful. Kaiser continued to eat, although incredibly quickly despite how badly he thought the food tasted. Well, as quickly as European Elegance would allow him to. Just eat it. Get it down, you ungrateful piece of shit. Gunther paid for this. Eat. However, Kaiser's speed seemed to tip off his boyfriend that something was wrong.

Normally, Kaiser would savor every single bite of food he ate. Before he knew the details of he and Bernhard's relationship, Gunther just believed that Kaiser just enjoyed good food. But now, knowing how little Bernhard allowed Kaiser to eat... Watching Kaiser practically shoveling food into his mouth, Gunther just knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Liebling?" Gunther asked him.

"Nothing is wrong." Kaiser shook his head.

"Mein Schatz, I can tell you aren't enjoying your food." Gunther sighed softly.

"No- I'm so grateful for the food. I'm so grateful that you're allowing me to eat, and with you, no less." Kaiser forced a smile on his face.

"Kaiser, I can't.." Gunther stopped himself, knowing that Kaiser didn't understand that Gunther couldn't control his every action,"How about I order you something else?"

"No- It's fine, really. I'm nearly done." Kaiser insisted.

Kaiser had no right to complain about anything, Gunther was so generous as to even allow him to eat and he was for too grateful to complain. Gunther soon called ober the waiter and ordered.. Dessert. For Kaiser? God, he was ruining everything. Gunther was spending, no, wasting more money on him. Kaiser didn't deserve anything- Kaiser began scratching at his arms before.. His chair started moving. Gunther grabbed his chair from under the table and moved it around so now they were.. Sat face to face, closer to each other. When the dessert, some sort of ice cream, arrived Gunther scooped up a little spoonful and.. Held it out to Kaiser.

"What are you..?" Kaiser blinked.

"Try some." Gunther held the spoon out.

Kaiser looked around before eating the ice cream from the spoon- Bernhard would never do such a thing, feed Kaiser from his own plate... And Gunther did it again, gently kissing Kaiser's forehead after each successful spoonful eaten.

"Thank you.." Kaiser looked up at Gunther.

"If I've told you once, I'll tell you a thousand times more.. You deserve the world, Liebling." Gunther fed him another spoonful and kissed his forehead,"I love you so much and.. I'd do anything for you."

Kaiser couldn't even hold back his smile.. Gunther was spoiling him like he was a little prince. He'd never been treated like this before and while not fully understanding why he was receiving such treatment.. Kaiser loved it.

"Ich liebe dich." Gunther whispered, gently raising Kaiser's chin.

While nervous at first for this, Gunther kissed Kaiser. It was warm yet sweet like the ice cream and.. Too short for Gunther's liking. He guided Kaiser and made sure he felt comfortable. Despite the rocky start, Kaiser.. He loved this restaurant.

"Thank you." Kaiser breathed out.

"Anything to make you smile and to keep you safe." Gunther sighed softly.

Gunther held his as arms out and, despite being in public, Kaiser hugged back and held on tightly too, tears brimming his eyes. Everything with Gunther was perfect so... When was it all going to be taken from him? When was Gunther going to realize how worthless Kaiser was and just.. Get rid of him. Kaiser adored and admired Gunther but he hoped it was soon, so he wouldn't fall further in love with him before then.. It would hurt less the sooner it happened... Kaiser didn't deserve Gunther.

Chapter Text

Gunther and Kaiser were stuck in the rush of getting to the airport. Neither man was sure how it happened but they'd somehow slept through their alarm but Gunther repeated assured his boyfriend that everything would be okay, nothing was his fault and that they'd make it on time. Thankfully, they did and Gunther was sorting out there tickets while Kaiser stood beside him, half asleep. He heard bits and pieces of their conversation before Gunther pulled him to the side.

"Kaiser, there's an issue with our flight." Gunther sighed.

"Have we been given a later flight?" Kaiser asked, still trying to rub sleep from his eyes.

"No, no.. We've been put on two different flights." Gunther put his hands on Kaiser's shoulders, almost able to predict the sudden spike in anxiety.

Kaiser tensed, separate flights? What.. What was be supposed to do? He didn't want to be a burden to Gunther but he could feel the anxiety building up inside him. His chest felt tight, but Kaiser was trying his best to keep his breathing steady.

"Liebling, everything will be alright." Gunther reassured him, taking and squeezing his hands,"Okay? When they call your flight, you'll go through that gate and they'll look at the boarding pass and you'll get on. Just remember to breathe."

Kaiser nodded but moved close to Gunther's chest, resting his head on his shoulder. He knew he shouldn't show such affection in public.. But Kaiser didn't know when he would next see Gunther and wanted to feel his comfort. Gunther never seemed to mind though, always willing to comfort Kaiser whenever he needed, well, anything. He loved doing those little things that just made life better for Kaiser, even just a little.

When it was time for him to board, Kaiser did exactly as Gunther instructed him to. He'd been moved to 'coach' class, but Kaiser didn't mind as long as Gunther got the good seat, like he deserved. He hated being on the flight without Gunther, without his reassurances and comfort.. But Kaiser would get through it, he would prove that he could do these things and follow instructions.

Although, one thing became clearer in Kaiser's mind after the flight took of. Hunger... In the rush, Kaiser hadn't managed to eat anything before they reached the airport and now he was sat in the section not rewarded with extra amenities. But that was fine, he wasn't permitted to eat regardless of where he was sat, not without Gunther there. Kaiser believed he would get through the flight just fine, considering how long he'd had to go without before. This was minor in comparison. Kaiser didn't really see it as a big deal, because that is what Bernhard conditioned him to believe. He had to have permission to eat, he needed to earn the right to eat..

While Kaiser had been staying with Gunther for a while at that point and he ensured Kaiser ate more than once a day which, while nice, was a strange thing for Kaiser. He maybe not have noticed hunger before but he had almost gotten used to not constantly feeling empty and.. Now that he did, it brought back a lot of unpleasant thoughts, ones that Kaiser tried to block out as he attempted to just sleep through the flight to.. Minimal success.

"You aren't hungry, Marcel. You'll be fine. You've gone what, three days before? Or was it five? And you were fine then, all you needed was some water."

That was right, he'd gone much longer without eating before. He'd be just fine. The only reason Bernhard allowed him to eat more frequently, which still wasn't enough, was because a German promoter refused to book him because he was so skinny.. He was like a skeleton.

Eventually, Kaiser did manage to get to sleep and slept througha a majority of the flight. When he landed, he immediately checked his phone and looked through the messages that Gunther had sent him. Obviously he didn't get to see them on the flight but they were little reassurances and his last message before his own flight. He set off about two hours after Kaiser did so.. Theoretically Kaiser would just have to wait two hours to see his General. That was okay, he was patient.

The airport however was still an uncomfortable and after gathering his luggage, he found somewhere to sit away from the crowd. There were still plenty of people around but.. It wasn't as bad as before, but maybe that was just what he told himself. As long as nobody stood too close to him, he was fine.

"My eyes only, Mein Schatz, there are far too many people that could be watching you. You're mine. You shouldn't be trying to garner such attention from all those perverts."

Kaiser nodded slowly but he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his arms falling to cross over his stomach. He could feel it growling but it was a sensation he'd almost.. Grown numb to, Kaiser barely noticed it anymore. It was something he just had to live with. Surely he could.. There were little service shops at he airport and Kaiser could clearly see snacks inside. Maybe..

"You don't have permission to eat anything. Did the General tell you that you could eat?"

No. That was right. Gunther hadn't given Kaiser permission to eat anything. And he could be patient, he could wait until Gunther got here. Kaiser was willing to wait until tomorrow if Gunther was too tired to go get something to eat. But what if he texted Gunther to ask for permission? Surely-

"You idiot, he's on a flight. He can't answer you. Even if he could, he has his own travel to worry about and shouldn't have to put up with a burden like you."

Of course, Kaiser shouldn't have thought about anything so stupid. Why would he burden his General about something minor like that? He really was a bad boyfriends, he was always bothering Gunther was his stupidity.. Gunther deserved someone better. Kaiser quickly shook his head, looking back at all the shops. Even if he could eat... There were far too many choices, it made Kaiser's heart rate spike just looking at them all- Kaiser quickly looked away and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. Fine. You're fine. Then again.. Gunther did give him permission to eat the night before. Maybe he..

"God, have I taught you nothing? Permission to eat isn't permission to eat whenever or whatever you want. Yes, you eat at home, but he knows what's in the house and he could stop you ordering at a restaurant. Besides, you put all that 'work' into your figure. You should be focused on keeping it like that or your General is just going to leave."

Kaiser curled in on himself at the thought, he hated it.. Why wouldn't Bernhard leave him alone? He wanted to be happy but every time he tried, he was reminded of another lesson, reminded of how he should be acting so Gunther would love him.. That's all he wanted. Kaiser couldn't wait for those two hours to tick by, anxiously playing with his ring as he sat trying to distract himself from everything else.

When Gunther's plane landed, he grabbed his luggage and immediately headed to find Kaiser and suffice to say, he was relieved to finally be reunited with him. He'd had an easy flight but was incredibly worried about how Kaiser was doing on his own, hoping that he'd made it okay and that he didn't suffer a panic attack in the packed airport. Then.. He laid eyes on him.

"Liebling." Gunther called softly as he approached, a smile on his face.

Kaiser quickly looked up and he smiled too, an excited light in his eyes. Someone tried to snuff out that light, make Kaiser feel like he had to dim it but not Gunther. He did his best to embrace that childlike excitement that Kaiser carried with him, buried beneath the surface. He still tried to repress it, but not as much as he did before. Gunther held his arms out and Kaiser hurried over to him, pausing with brief hesitation before hugging onto him tightly.

"I missed you." Kaiser mumbed into Gunther's shoulder.

"And I missed you too." Gunther kissed the top of his head before lifting Kaiser's chin so they could look at one another,"Was everything okay? Have you eaten?"

Gunther grabbed something to eat at the airport while waiting for his flight but it suddenly occurred to him that Kaiser might not have.. In hindsight, he should've expected this. He should have sent a text reminding Kaiser to eat, knowing full well he still wouldn't eat without permission. The look on Kaiser's face told Gunther everything he needed to know.

"I.. I didn't have permission so.." Kaiser looked off to the side.

Gunther immediately felt the guilt smack him in the face. It had been at least twenty-four hours since his boyfriend had eaten anything. That was Gunther's responsibility. Sure, he might have hated telling Kaiser he could eat because he knew he shouldn't have control over that.. It was still necessary for the time being.

"It's okay though." Kaiser spoke quickly, gently squeezing his head to get his attention,"It's getting late- I can wait until morning and we can get something then."

"Liebling.." Gunther sighed softly, looking back at one of the shops,"Wait here for me, alright."

Kaiser did as he was instructed, fidgeting again with his ring as he awaited the return of his General. Gunther, meanwhile, was looking through the small shop before picking up a chicken salad sandwich and some water. He paid and returned to Kaiser's side, holding it out to him.

"Here. I know you don't mind eating these and it'll be something that you can eat in the rental car on the way to the hotel." Gunther told him.

Kaiser carefully took the sandwich in it's little cardboard box and smiled softly,"Thank you, you really didn't have to."

"Kaiser, I told you that you'd never have to go hungry with me around. I let you down and you've been starved all day. It's the least I could do." Gunther sighed, gently pulling Kaiser closer to him.

Kaiser leaned into his side, unable to stop smiling. That small act of kindness meant.. Everything to Kaiser. Gunther went out of his way to make sure Kaiser ate something, even when he didn't have to. Bernhard would never have done something like that.. God, Kaiser was so lucky to have Gunther. He was actually quite happy to eat his sandwich as Gunther lead him to their rental car. Even with just Gunther's arm around his shoulders, Kaiser felt so.. Safe. He was safe.

Chapter Text

In the nicest way possible, the day had been rough for both Gunther and Kaiser. No matter what was going on, time just seemed to drag on. It was a press day and they were constantly being moved around and spoken to without a real chance for a break, flight issues left them sleepless too so they were running on empty. Gunther's patience was wearing thin and he felt frayed at the edges.. He loved his fans, they all did, but it nevomes difficult when you've been talking to them all day.

Kaiser could tell that Gunther was stressed and he knew it wasn't worth it.. He knew he shouldn't ask, not now but they'd managed to get through this whole press thing and were getting ready to leave and go home. He should've just waited but.. Kaiser was hungry and was clutching his fruit cup tightly. He just needed permission.

Kaiser swallowed and reached out, gently squeezing Gunther's hand,"Gunther, can I-"

"Not now, Kaiser." Gunther snapped, pulling his hand away,"Just- Please, just get in the car so we can go home."

Kaiser froze up and for a second he probably stopped breathing. When Gunther pulled away, he kept his hand raised.. Gunther was going to punish him when they got home- He'd never done that before, never raised his voice before. Kaiser should've known better! Gunther was already stressed and he was just making things worse.

"See, Marcel? I told you this would happen. I was never the problem, it was you. You're the problem. That General of yours will hurt you worse than I ever could, just look at him... And it's all your fault."

"Sorry, General." Kaiser nodded, his voice barely there.

The regret was almost instantaneous and Gunther suddenly realized what had happened. He noticed his hand and it quickly fell to his side as he watched Kaiser walked ahead to the car in silence. Fear. Gunther saw fear in Kaiser's eyes.. He promised to never let Kaiser feel like that again and here he was, breaking that promise. He quickly followed after his boyfriend and got into the car where Kaiser was sat quietly, his eyes on the floor.

"Liebling, I didn't mean to yell." Gunther shook his head, noticing the fruit cup that Kaiser still clung onto,"Hey, you can eat that."

But Kaiser didn't respond, his chest rising and falling so little that Gunther had to look closely to notice. Of course he was tired and his patience from the day had gone.. But Kaiser had been out for just as long as him, he had no right to lash out as his partner who just wanted to ask for permission to eat. It scared Gunther, the idea that if he didn't 'give permission' for Kaiser to eat then he would starve himself to nothingness.. He didn't want to be like Him

"I haven't seen you eat since breakfast, Liebling. Will you eat it when we get home?" Gunther asked, gently placing his hand over Kaiser's.

He felt Kaiser tense beneath him and internally cursed. Kaiser had mentally shut himself off and all Gunther wanted to do was pull him into the driver's seat with him and hold him. All Gunther wanted to do was protect Kaiser and now he was the one causing him pain. His boyfriend didn't deserve any of this..

Gunther sighed and began the drive home, continuing to look over at Kaiser every chance he got although.. He hardly moved the whole journey home. When he did move, it was just his hands as Kaiser fidgeted with his ring almost absent-mindedly. Even as they returned home, Kaiser was still silent and Gunther continued to try and apologize. He gently took Kaiser's hand and went to cup his cheek.. But Kaiser flinched.

"Kaiser, I'm sorry.. Truly." Gunther tried, cupping Kaiser's cheek as he asked a question that had been burning in the back of his mind,"Be honest, Liebling, am I really better than him?"

Kaiser looked down,"When I moved in, I thought you were going to starve me, too. Actually, I thought you would starve me.. Worse."

"What..?" Gunther's heart sank, just at the thought of causing Kaiser pain and intentionally hurting him..

"I hoped it was just while you taught me the rules and got my figure how you wanted it.." Kaiser nodded slowly as Gunther's hands fell to his sides.

"Liebling.. What did I do wrong?" Gunther questioned.

"Nothing- You made the meal plan. I.. I realized now that you really tried to get my input, but when you asked for my opinion, I thought you were asking about my ability to cook the dishes. I never expected you would let me each such rich food." Kaiser sighed softly,"Bernhard.. He liked for me to eat plainly when he let me eat at all. Oatmeal, muesli, nonfat yogurt, and maybe fruit on certain occasions, that's what I lived on. Looking at the grocery list, I saw so little I would ever be permitted to eat, and it was all already spoken for..."

"You really thought I would starve you?" Gunther couldn't believe what he was hearing and each word was like a dagger straight to his heart,"Then why did you move in with me?"

"Of course I thought that." Kaiser hummed,"And.. I moved in because I love you, and you're the boss."

Gunther looked down, swallowing harshly,"So... I really am no better than that monster."

"No- Mein Held, you are nothing like Him!" Kaiser reached up and cupped Gunther's face,"We would come home from training or a show, and he would put me to work cooking food, he would never allow me to eat. It's why I don't taste my food while I cook it; I learned quickly to do so by sight and smell alone. But Gunther, we would come home from training, and you would begin cooking. You! And you never- You never denied me a plate. You didn't even make me wait until you had finished- I got to sit next to you and eat. Gunther, you're nothing like him! He beat me down to nothing, but you have always raised me up by your side."

Both men stood in silence for a few moments after as they let the words sink in. Nothing like Him.

"You... You're nothing like him, because you love me.." Kaiser's hands began to shake and Gunther gently covered his hands with his own.

"Liebling.." Gunther kissed his forehead,"I love you so much- I'm sorry about earlier, that was never my intention."

"I know- I know.. You were stressed and I pushed you too far." Kaiser's hands slid down and rested quite comfortably on Gunther's shoulders.

"How about you eat that fruit cup now and then we can get some rest?" Gunther suggested,"It's been.. Well, a long day for us both."

Kaiser agreed and Gunther sat beside him on the couch as he ate his fruit cup. It wasn't much but Kaiser picked it out himself and Gunther didn't want to deny his boyfriend food, regardless of what it was. As he ate, Kaiser curled further and further into Gunther's chest and by the time he was finished, he was practically asleep. Gunther thought it was adorable, but he didn't want to wake Kaiser by commenting on it.

So Gunther scooped Kaiser up bridal style and held his close to his chest. He put the empty plastic in the bin and the fork Kaiser was using it in the sink, Gunther would clean it in the morning. With that sorted, he made his way to their bedroom and carefully laid down, letting his body relax into the bed.

"Walter.." Kaiser mumbed in his sleep, clinging onto Gunther's shirt.

"I'm right here, Marcel." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

Gunther sighed softly as he held Kaiser a little tighter, still angry at himself for snapping at his boyfriend. Of course he was forgiven and reminded how he wasn't like.. Him.. But that didn't make things better in his mind. He broke his promise and wanted to redeem himself in Kaiser's eyes. As he drifted off, Gunther got in one last forehead kiss.. He loved his boyfriend so much and no matter what, he was going to take care of him.

Chapter Text

Kaiser sighed as he took out his clothes from the washing machine, well, what was left of them. They were quite old and a loose thread must've got caught somewhere in the machine, leaving Kaiser with.. Well, significantly less turtlenecks than he started with. But that was okay, surely he'd be able to fix these. It would take some time but he'd make it work. As Kaiser thought about what he would do next, he felt two large arms wrap around his chest, carefully pulling him back.

"Gunther." Kaiser smiled softly, leaning back into his boyfriend's embrace.

"See? I told you the blue turtleneck looked good on you." Gunther hummed, kissing the top of Kaiser's head.

Kaiser looked down at the blue turtleneck he was wearing and.. He liked wearing it probably as much as Gunther liked seeing him wear it. After buying it, Kaiser had still been hesitant to actually wear it in public. But now, he might have to.

"Is something wrong? You feel tense." Gunther commented, releasing his grip slightly.

Kaiser sighed and turned around in Gunther's arms, looking up at him,"It's nothing, I'll just need to look out the sewing kit."

"Why's that?" Gunther looked over Kaiser to see the remains of his worn turtlenecks,"Oh, now I see."

"It's not that big of a deal, honestly. It'll just take me a few hours." Kaiser told him.

"Nonsense, we can just go get you some new ones." Gunther shook his head.

"Really, it's fine." Kaiser insisted, the mere suggestion almost being too much for him.

He'd been getting better at asking for things he wanted but Kaiser wasn't sure he wanted new clothes. He should simply fix his current clothes or do without, there was no need to waste money on him like this. Aside from the blue turtleneck and updates to his ring gear, Kaiser hadn't bought new clothes in.. Probably over a decade at this point. Bernhard never allowed such frivolous spending and even after he no longer had the power to enforce the rule, Kaiser just made do with fixing his old clothes.

"I want to do this for you, okay? You deserve new clothes and I can guarantee they'll make you feel more comfortable than you've felt in a while." Gunther told him, a small smile on his face.

Kaiser was unsure, but he didn't want to upset Gunther by declining,"..Okay, we can go get some new clothes."

"Great." Gunther kissed Kaiser's forehead,"I'll give you some time to get ready."

Despite his hesitancy, Kaiser put on his shoes and he and Gunther headed out to a clothing store. It was one that he knew Gunther frequented- No. There was no way Kaiser deserved to where clothes from the same place. Although.. Maybe since Gunther often got his clothes here, perhaps he wanted them to match so it would be clear who Kaiser belonged to. That made sense.

"Gunther." Kaiser gently squeezed his hand,"Whenever I got new ring gear it was always.. To match with you. It wasn't for my sake, but yours and-"

"Kaiser, I think you deserve nice clothes. You don't need to match me because I know you'd look wonderful in whatever you choose to wear." Gunther shook his head.

Kaiser continued to ask for input from Gunther where, although he didn't want to, eventually caved and made a few suggestions. Only suggestions, he didn't want to pick out the clothes for Kaiser. Gunther wanted to help him make his own choices, be his own man and now, he was waiting outside the changing room. Kaiser was inside, staring at himself in the new turtleneck.

It was a light cream colour and.. They were much better quality than Kaiser's old ones, much softer and warmer. His old turtlenecks had been literally worn to death so they weren't the best as keeping him warm anymore. Despite that, Kaiser still felt uncomfortable about the whole situation- He doesn't deserve any of this.. But it's what Gunther wants and Kaiser had no right to complain, it's not his place. Maybe Gunther just wanted to show off that he had enough money to waste on Kaiser, that had to be it.

Kaiser took in a shaky breath and held it, sitting down on the bench. Why was he getting so worked up about this- Nothing made any sense! In that moment, Kaiser felt just so overstimulated and couldn't explain why.. God, why? Everything felt so... Nice- Was it supposed to feel nice? It felt wrong and fake, it couldn't be real.. But Gunther was smiling, he was enjoying himself, did that make it okay? If Kaiser's happiness was what Gunther wanted, did that make this okay? Kaiser didn't understand..

His silence however had alerted Gunther who gently knocked on the wall,"Liebling, is everything alright?"

Kaiser tried to force out just a small 'I'm fine' but no words came out, his throat dry. He couldn't move either.. Why was he so fucking useless?

"I'm coming in, okay?" Gunther told him before gently pushing the curtain back and walking inside,"Kaiser?"

Kaiser shook his head, hugging himself tightly. Gunther sighed and sat beside Kaiser on the bench, holding his arms out. He leaned into Gunther's chest and his boyfriend held him close, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. Kaiser continued to try and force out words but nothing came out aside from a broken sob that he did his best to mask.

"Shh, I'm here." Gunther rubbed his back,"You don't need to speak, just try to breathe."

Even now, Gunther was so gentle with him. Again, something Kaiser didn't deserve. If he had some sort of breakdown like this in public with Bernhard.. Kaiser deserved to be punished for being so weak. Gunther was perfect, and he didn't complain about how long it took to console Kaiser. Eventually he did get his breathing steady just.. Listening to his heartbeat.

"There, you did so well." Gunther smiled softly,"Are you ready to tell me what happened?"

"..I don't feel right about any of this." Kaiser rubbed his eyes,"I feel... Happy. I just don't understand- Am I supposed to feel happy?"

"Oh, Liebling.." Gunther gently cupped his face,"You're allowed to be happy."

"But.. Truly, I don't deserve this- Any of this.." Kaiser looked down, leaning into Gunther's touch,"You've treated me so well and I.."

"You're overwhelmed and overstimulated, that's okay. I understand that things weren't great for you." Gunther ran his fingers through Kaiser's hair,"That's why I want to spoil you and give you as much as I can to help you heal. You deserve everything."

"What did I do.. To deserve anything?" Kaiser asked him.

"Nothing, you didn't need to do anything to deserve my kindness. I love you and that's enough for me." Gunther sighed.

"You're too good to me." Kaiser shook his head.

"I'm not good enough to you." Gunther countered, keeping his arm around Kaiser's shoulder,"You deserve so much more."

Gunther's heart broke for Kaiser and he just wanted to hold him close and protect him from all the negative thoughts that clouded his mind, protect him from the influence of Bernhard. He knew it wasn't realistic but Kaiser deserved a moment of just.. Quiet. He deserved not to have to feel guilty for enjoying life or being happy.

"Do you like the turtleneck?" Gunther asked.

"..I do." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"It looks good on you, Mein Schatz." Gunther rubbed his arm.

Kaiser smiled softly, still not believing that he deserved any of this but Gunther was adamant that he did and.. Who was Kaiser to argue. He practically clung to Gunther's side as he bought the turtlenecks and hesitated before getting in the car. Gunther, however, could tell exactly what Kaiser wanted.

"You want me to hold you, don't you?" Gunther smiled, sitting his bag on the backseat.

"Maybe.." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"Come here then." Gunther beckoned him over as he sat in the driver's seat.

Kaiser smiled softly and curled up on Gunther's lap, nestling his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck. Gunther chuckled softly as he held Kaiser in his arms, gently rubbing his back. It's not like this had become a habit but, especially after an episode, Kaiser liked being held in the car. Gunther never questioned why, he didn't want to push for answers when maybe there was none.

"Thank you.. For being there for me." Kaiser mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to Gunther's jaw.

"Kaiser, when we got together I promised that I would never make you feel like He made you feel. You're allowed to be happy and express yourself. If you're happy, it means I've been doing a good job." Gunther hummed,"But that doesn't mean you have to force yourself to be happy for my sake. You just need to be honest with your feelings and I'll help however I can."

"I.. Don't understand why you insist on spoiling me with these nice things but.." Kaiser cuddled further, if possible, into Gunther,"You make me happy."

"And I'm going to keep making you happy for as long as I can." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

Chapter Text

Kaiser had spent the whole day coughing and struggling to breathe properly thanks to the cold he caught from someone in the locker room. He wasn't sure who at that point since it had just been making it's rounds through everyone. By the time he and Gunther returned home, his head was killing him but he'd be able to get through it, he always did.

"Liebling, you'll never get to sleep at this rate." Gunther sighed,"You should take some night-time cold medicine. I know we have some."

"I'll.. I'll be fine." Kaiser held back a cough, leaning into Gunther's shoulder.

Nowadays Kaiser was a healthier weight, but he was still underweight. At a time he was dangerously so, and so he had to be careful with medication... When he was permitted to have any. Bernhard never let Kaiser take medication anyway, so it didn't matter much how it affected Kaiser.

"No, I insist. It'll make you feel better." Gunther kissed his forehead, standing up to get the medicine.

Kaiser stayed quiet, curling in on himself. He really wasn't sure whether he wanted to take anything but.. It wasn't his place to decide what he does or doesn't put in his body. His opinion didn't matter. Gunther soon returned with a glass of water and two little, blue pills.

"Here, they should help with your pain relief and help you get some sleep." Gunther told him, handing over the pills and glass.

Kaiser nodded, looking up at Gunther and silently praying that he was going to change his mind but.. He didn't. Gunther remained beside him and Kaiser reluctantly took the pills and drank about half of the water. It hit him pretty quickly and Kaiser was soon curled up in Gunther's arms in bed.

"Get some rest, okay?" Gunther hummed softly, stroking his hair,"You need it."

"Mm.." Kaiser mumbled, nestling his head in Gunther's shoulder.

"Is that comfortable, Liebling?" Gunther chuckled softly.

Kaiser nodded slowly, drifting off in Gunther's arms. It was.. Probably the best sleep Kaiser had had in months. So peaceful and dreamless, it felt like it was never-ending. Until it ended. Kaiser slowly came to in bed alone, still reaching out for Gunther that he knew wasn't there in a vain attempt at comfort. When he rolled over and checked the clock Kaised froze... 2pm. He'd fallen asleep around 10pm- How could he be so lazy and selfish? Gunther was going to beat him.

Gunther had never even considered the possibility before, never threatened him but.. It was the only reasonable possibility or conclusion that Kaiser could come to. He'd never slept in around Gunther before, he'd always been punctual, so how was he supposed to know how he'd react? For all Kaiser knew, he might react just like Bernhard- Maybe worse.

As Kaiser forced himself out of bed, he began to wonder why Gunther hadn't just beat him awake. It would have worked- He would have gotten up and been productive like he was supposed to. His cold was still there but it wasn't as bad, Kaiser could pull through it like he usually did. Although when Kaiser slowly crept out into the living room, he saw Gunther in the kitchen.. Making soup.

"Gunther..?" Kaiser called to him softly as he approached, already scratching at his arms,"I'm sorry for sleeping in so late- It was the medicine. I won't blame you if you want to-"

"Liebling." Gunther cut him off, turning and cupping his face,"Calm down."

"Calm down- Gunther, I've wasted a whole day. I'm not even that sick- I should be doing things. I should be making myself useful." Kaiser shook his head.

"Ah, Mein Schatz, I told you to take the medicine and rest, did I not? Why would I punish you for doing as I asked, hm? You are incredibly precious to me, and until you can take care of yourself for yourself, at least take care of yourself for me." Gunther took Kaiser's hands and gave them a gentle squeeze, also preventing him from continuing to scratch.

Kaiser didn't.. Really understand but orders were orders, he'd do his best to take care of himself for Gunther. Why else would he take care of himself anyway? He wasn't important... But Gunther was. Gunther kissed his forehead and told him to sit on the couch while he finished making the soup which Kaiser did... Following orders was much easier than making his own decisions. He knew Gunther didn't like taking control of everything but it was just what Kaiser was used to.. It almost brought him some sick sense of comfort.

"Liebling, here you go." Gunther carefully handed Kaiser the bowl,"Be careful, it's hot."

"Danke." Kaiser nodded and slowly began to eat, any lingering illness seemingly evaporating.

"Kaiser, you know I just want to help you.. Right?" Gunther sat beside him,"I'm not trying to control you."

"I know." Kaiser hummed,"But I like following orders, I always have."

Which was true. Despite his hyperactivity, Kaiser was never the most outgoing or rebellious child. He liked following the rules and helping his parents and he was never the type trying to be captain of the football team. Kaiser was more than happy to follow someone else's direction.. It just so happened that that willingness was used against him to the point where he no longer considered his own free will an option.

"You're allowed to say no." Gunther told him.

"Why would I say no?" Kaiser asked.

"Because I don't want to be like..Him." Gunther looked down,"You should have the choice to do your own thing without permission- I don't want to take that away from you."

Kaiser sat down his bowl and cupped Gunther's cheek,"You're nothing like him.. Du bist mein Held."

"I am?" Gunther smiled softly, placing his hand over Kaiser's.

"You are." Kaiser nodded.

Kaiser leaned in and lingered mere inches from Gunther's face. Was he allowed to kiss him? He didn't want to get his boyfriend sick. But Gunther had no such hesitance and pulled Kaiser in close and into a gentle kiss. A feeling of warmth washed over Kaiser and he made himself comfortable in Gunther's arms as they kissed. They loved each other, they completed one another.

Chapter Text

"Are you comfortable, Liebling?" Gunther asked him, gently combing his fingers through Kaiser's hair.

"Mhm." Kaiser hummed, resting his back against the bench as he worked.

The couple were sat in the locker room with Gunther on the bench and Kaiser sat on the floor in between his legs while working on one of Gunther's ring coats. Gunther had him practically boxed-in and it was probably the most comfortable he'd ever felt in the locker room, aside from when Gunther decided he wanted to hold Kaiser and gave him cuddles on his lap.

"No bad thoughts?" Gunther raised a brow, his voice softer.

"None at all, I promise." Kaiser nodded.

And it was true. Bernhard's voice had not once pierced through their moment and ruined it by overwhelming Kaiser with negative thoughts. He hadn't even had concerns about being for 'His eyes only' as he was fully dressed in one of his turtlenecks and most of himself was also covered by the coat he was working on.

"That's good." Gunther hummed, continuing to stroke Kaiser's hair,"Do you have a preference for what we eat later?"

"I like anything you make, you know that." Kaiser shook his head,"I don't have a preference."

Before Gunther could retort, they were joined in the locker room by the Judgement Day. Of course there were other people dotted around, but they paid no mind to the couple as opposed to this group. Finn sat on the bench across from Gunther and was joined by both Dominik and Carlito, JD sat on the floor in front of Finn despite there being plenty of room for him to sit on the bench if he had wanted to.

"Mr Bàlor, to what do I owe this.. Impromptu meeting?" Gunther raised a brow.

"You don't need to get all fancy on me, I'm just here for a chat." Finn shrugged, sliding his duffle bag onto the floor beside JD.

"I like that. And I must say, I'm impressed. Turning your back on the original two members of Judgement Day? Well, I won't say I didn't see it coming but.. It was a but of a shock." Gunther hummed.

"Sometimes you need to cut off people that hold you back." Finn shook his head,"Damian held me back, and it cost him everything. His 'family', his title.."

"A title that you have always sought to reclaim." Gunther tilted his head.

"That's true." Finn nodded.

"You want a rematch." Gunther realized.

"I did help you win it." Finn reminded him.

"You've fought so hard to get a chance at this title and to have redemption for what happened in 2016. It would be almost cruel to deny the 'Demon King'." Gunther smirked slightly,"I'll talk to Pearce later and see what can be.. Arranged."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Champ." Finn held his hand out to Gunther.

Gunther shook his hand,"The pleasure is all mine."

Meanwhile, Kaiser had taken notice of what JD was doing on the floor. He looked up at Finn just after he shook Gunther's hand and gently knocked his head against the older man's leg. Finn nodded wordlessly to JD before casually continuing his conversation with Gunther and JD reached over and pulled Finn's boots out of his bag. All without saying a word, JD started to re-lace and polish Finn's boots.. And Kaiser wanted to speak to him.

"You like taking care of your partner's gear too?" Kaiser asked, still not to sure of Finn and JD's relationship.

Were they good friends? Student and mentor? Tag Team partners? Were they more than that? It was hard to tell as he'd never seen the two being overly affectionate or show affection in a way that couldn't be described as platonic.

JD looked up, probably confused as he didn't think the pair had spoken,"Uh.. Yeah. It makes me feel useful."

"I completely understand." Kaiser nodded, stopping his work on the coat.

"Keeps me focused too, my brain likes to go on wanders and not always to a nice place." JD sighed.

"Me too- It's an outlet, almost." Kaiser hummed,"It helps me feel closer to Gunther and I'm being helpful."

"Y'know, I figure us two would never have anything in common but.. Maybe we do." JD smiled slightly as Finn began brushing through his hair and JD almost instantly relaxed.

"Maybe." Kaiser nodded with a small smile.

It was nice having someone to talk to just.. Casually. Of course Kaiser had friends now- He wasn't cut off from socializing like before. He had Ilja, his friend from home, and both Jey and Sami, who understood what it was like to understand abuse. And JD..

"It's nice, y'know, not wanting to he 'the boss' in the relationship." JD closed his eyes as he leaned into Finn's touch.

"I figured you would've been the type to, I don't know, like control." Kaiser commented.

"I was, when I was younger. There were a lot of things that weren't in my control and I constantly felt like I was scratching and clawing for any last scrap of control I could find." JD told him,"But when Finn and I got together, he made me feel comfortable enough to feel like I didn't need to be.. In control."

"I see." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"There are healthy ways to explore all that stuff, and now.. Everything's so nice." JD hummed as Finn finished with his hair, tying it back into a knot."

"What are you boys talking about?" Dominik asked as he leaned down.

"Just relationship stuff, we both like looking after our significant other's gear." JD looked up at him.

"And how we relate on not wanting to be the one in charge in our relationships." Kaiser added on.

Dominik nodded slowly as he looked between them,"Really?"

"Yes, for example, I have issues with travel. There's just too many big decisions and things that could go wrong and I like it when Gunther handles that side of things." Kaiser told him.

"You get that too?" Dominik gasped,"Man, I thought you were too calm and poised to have problems like that- But I'm like that."

"You always came off as the more.. Submissive one on screen." Kaiser nodded.

"Yeah.. Rhea liked that. She never did anything to me but- I was scared of her, what she could do to me if she wanted to." Dominik shook his head,"But things with Liv are better- She treats me better."

"I'm sorry for bringing that up." Kaiser bit his cheek,"But I had a.. Similar experience with my ex and if you ever need to talk, I'm willing to listen."

"That.. That actually sounds really nice." Dominik smiled.

By this point, both Finn and Gunther had stopped talking and were happily listening to the three men actually forming a little friendship. After letting them talk for a while longer, Finn tapped JD's shoulder.

"Come on, Princess, it's time to go." Finn chuckled softly,"I know you'll get all moody if you don't get enough sleep."

"I will not." JD pointed as he stood up.

"You will." Finn teased, kissing his forehead,"I've known you for twenty-two years."

JD sighed and shook his head,"Kaiser, call me and Dom later, yeah?"

"I'll make sure to." Kaiser nodded, watching as the Judgement Day left the locker room.

"I'm proud of you, Liebling." Gunther smiled at him,"You did that all on your own."

Kaiser leaned back into Gunther,"I did.. It was so fun."

"We should probably get going soon." Gunther told him.

"Right." Kaiser nodded, handing Gunther his coat.

Kaiser.. Felt proud of himself to. He managed to make two new friends in Dominik and JD without needed any help from Gunther- He didn't even ask for permission. Kaiser was happy and God, it felt nice that he could relate to others and they he knew there would always be someone there to listen to him, and he'd be there for them as well.

Chapter Text

Gunther gas gotten up earlier than Kaiser that morning, deciding to let his boyfriend sleep for a little longer as it was their day off. He knew he had issues sleeping and was not going to wake him just because he got up a little earlier than usual. Kaiser had only recently moved in with Gunther, about a week ago now and Gunther wanted him to feel at home here. Seeing as they had quite a bit to do around the house, Gunther got to work making a list.. A surprisingly long list when he looked back at it again, but he intended to split the work between them. That's when he felt someone embrace him from behind, lightly and barely there but.. Gunther smiled as he looked behind him. Kaiser was half-asleep, his eyes closed as he held onto him, his hands gently wrapped up in Gunther's sweatshirt.

"Good morning, Liebling." Gunther hummed,"Did you sleep well?"

"I always sleep well with you.." Kaiser mumbled.

"Good." Gunther turned in Kaiser's arms, wrapping his own arms around Kaiser and kissing the top of his head.

Kaiser smiled softly and rested his head on Gunther's shoulder. Neither man said anything, they didn't need to. They loved each other and.. Gunther, at least, was so happy that they were living together. Now he could always protect Kaiser from, well, anything. He'd notice a lot of anxiety when they reconnected in the US which didn't surprise him, Kaiser had always come across as a very anxious person back in Germany but Gunther never really questioned it. Whenever he did, everyone around them assured Gunther that Kaiser had always been like that.

"Now, I-" Gunther began before his phone rang and he sighed,"Give me a minute."

Gunther sat his list down on the counter as he answered his phone. Kaiser rubbed his eyes and leaned against the counter, looking over and spotting the list. He went to pick it up, not awake enough to realize what it was, when Gunther walked back over to him with a disappointed look on his face.

"I'm sorry that I'll need to leave you on our day off, Liebling." Gunther sighed, cupping his face,"There was some issue with my Visa- They didn't explain it very well."

"It's alright, I'll be just fine here." Kaiser assured him, a small smile on his face.

Gunther smiled and kissed his forehead,"I love you."

"I love you too." Kaiser hummed.

Despite having wanted to spend his day off at home with Kaiser, Gunther got ready to leave. Unfortunately, he hadnt explained the list to Kaiser as he didn't think he would see it. But Kaiser did see it... And he smiled after reading through it, grateful to know what was expected of him. He wasn't sure how long Gunther would be gone for, but Kaiser was certain that he'd be able to finish all the tasks set for him before Gunther returned home.

Kaiser got changed into just a regular outfit, one of his turtlenecks, and started on his tasks. Without being granted permission to eat, Kaiser decided it would be best to skip breakfast. It's not something he was ever opposed to and when it arrive, Kaiser worked through lunch as well. He swept and vacuumed, spent an hour minimum just sorting through everything and scrubbing the bathroom. The cleaning chemicals burned his lungs but that was fine, it was nothing Kaiser wasn't used to. It just.. Made him a little light-headed. He looked through the fridge as well as the cabinets to see what they would need to pick up at the shops later that week. About halfway through his list, his phone rang and seeing it was Gunther, Kaiser answered quickly.

"Liebling, I'll be home soon. Don't worry about dinner, okay? I'm going to pick something up on my way back." Gunther told him.

"Okay, I can't wait for you to return." Kaiser smiled, excited to show Gunther how hard he'd been working all day.

"Ich liebe dich." Gunther hummed.

"Ich liebe dich auch, Schatz." Kaiser nodded.

With that, Gunther hung up and Kaiser got straight back to work. He was grateful that Gunther was picking up dinner, not because he expected to eat anything, God no, but because he wouldn't need to stop working to cook. Even after everything, the list still felt so long. Kaiser understood Gunther keeping him occupied with all these tasks but.. He wasn't looking forward to the punishment Gunther would bestow upon him if they weren't all complete, and especially if they weren't to his satisfaction. Gunther had never hit him... Yet, and so far Kaiser had managed to go a week in their apartment without requiring a punishment. This was the test.

Kaiser was so close.. So close! He had just finished the penultimate job on the list but he froze at the sound of the door click open. Shit. Kaiser took in a deep breath and braced himself for what was to come, putting on a smile as he walked out to meet Gunther. On the other hand, Gunther was looking around at the practically spotless room in front of him. When he saw Kaiser, he smiled, innocently believing that his boyfriend had decided to get a headstart and do a few of the chores that needed done so their work the next day would be easier.

"It looks great in here, Kaiser." Gunther sat the bag of good on the table and placed his hands on Kaiser's hips,"How was your day?"

"Good- I did almost everything on the list." Kaiser told him proudly,"I couldn't finish everything, and I'm so sorry, but I didn't take any breaks and-"

"..What did you eat?" Gunther furrowed his brow.

"Oh- I didn't. No breakfast, no lunch." Kaiser shrugged,"I haven't eaten all day."

"Liebling.." Gunther sighed, kissing his forehead,"What do you mean you haven't eaten all day? Why?"

"I didn't have permission, but I wouldn't have been so selfish as to stop work on your home just to eat. You can check everything in the kitchen, but it's all there, I promise." Kaiser smiled up at him.

"Permission- Marcel, that's not healthy." Gunther sighed,"Come, sit and eat with me."

"No, really. I'm fine. I'm not that hungry." Kaiser insisted.

"You haven't all day, though. You are bound to be hungry and it can't feel good." Gunther shook his head and began taking the food out of the bag,"Please? I don't want you going hungry."

Kaiser inevitably caved because of Gunther's persistence and just the smell of the food- God, it smelled delicious but.. He hadn't finished all of his tasks and was just waiting for the hammer to fall, waiting for Gunther to tell him his punishment to just.. Get it done with. The suspense was killing him on the inside, but he wouldn't let Gunther know that. Even with permission, Kaiser didn't want to eat. Bernhard had never permitted him to indulge in anything like that.

"You really want to eat that? Come on, Marcel, it'll ruin your figure that I worked so hard on. You don't deserve to eat. You didn't finish all of your tasks."

Kaiser couldn't get the thought of that final task out of his head. It continued to linger in his mind, even after he'd managed to stomach the takeaway.. If he hadn't just scrubbed the bathroom earlier that day, he wouldn't have been as hesitant to.. Do what he needed to. After he'd finished, Kaiser stood up so he could finish the list with Gunther having just finished as well.

"Liebling, what are you doing?" Gunther asked.

"I know I'm still getting punished for not having it completed when you came home, Mein Herr. It's not- Please don't think I'm trying to get out of punishment. But I want your home to be as you want it, and all of those tasks wouldn't have been there if you didn't want them done." Kaiser hurriedly explained, unable to make eye contact with Gunther.

Gunther's face softened and his heart sank.. Why did Kaiser feel so compelled to do everything for him? He could tell the difference between his 'General' character and himself, right? At home, he was just.. Well, just Kaiser's boyfriend, not his boss. With that, he made up his mind. Gunther stood up as well and swiftly dealt with their empty takeaway boxes and forks before putting his hands on Kaiser's shoulders, deciding to ignore how his boyfriend tensed beneath him.

"Liebling, what is the last thing on the list?" Gunther questioned.

"Uhm.. No- Gunther, it's okay. You can relax, I'll handle it." Kaiser told him.

"You've been working all day, and it's our apartment. We both work on it." Gunther gently squeezed his shoulders,"Let me help you."

"..Okay." Kaiser swallowed, nodding slowly.

Kaiser was terrified- He didn't know what sort of punishment to expect anymore. Gunther felt the need to not just supervise, but actively help Kaiser with cleaning up the kitchen cabinets and appliances. Did.. Did Kaiser do anything right? He was actually proud of what he accomplished but..

"God, Marcel, you're useless. You can't do anything right- Look! Your 'General' has had to lower himself to your level. You ruined everything and he's going to punish you worse than I ever did."

Gunther eyed Kaiser the whole time they worked, worried about him.. He was shaking and refused to meet Gunther's eyes. For once in his life, Gunther was at a loss for what to do. Was this his fault? It has to be, right? What did he do to make Kaiser feel like all that work was on him alone, that he couldn't even take a break to eat? Was.. Kaiser scared of him? Gunther sighed as he and Kaiser finished, with Kaiser hurrying off to the bathroom. He thought he was a good boyfriends but.. Was he really some monster?

Kaiser hid in the bathroom, already able to feel the tears that burned the corners of his eyes. He managed to force the door closed but couldn't lock it before a sob escaped him. Kaiser tried to force himself into silence, like he used to but.. He couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, Kaiser couldn't bury his feelings and now... Gunther was at his side.

"Liebling, shh.. Hey, I'm right here." Gunther gently pulled Kaiser close to his chest.

"Sorry- Gunther, I'm sorry- Please, I.." Kaiser couldn't force out a sentence through his sobs, curling into Gunther's arms.

"Shh, it's okay. You did nothing wrong." Gunther assured him, rubbing his back,"You're safe here. You always have been and always will be."

It took a few minutes but Gunther's embrace and constant reassurances, but Kaiser eventually calmed down and.. Gunther continued his gentle treatment, gently kissing Kaiser's forehead and holding him close. Kaiser didn't want it to end.

"What got you so upset, Liebling.. Was it something I did?" Gunther tilted his head.

"No- No.. No, Gunther, it wasn't you." Kaiser quickly shook his head,"It... It was Him."

"Him?" Gunther raised a brow.

"..Bernhard." Kaiser looked down.

"Liebling... What did he do to you?" Gunther looked down at him.

"Well, I needed permission for everything and I did everything for him, anyway he asked. I was a good boyfriend and I.. He controlled what I ate, when he permitted me to eat and I kept my figure the way he wanted it." Kaiser began rambling about all of his mistreatment, he couldn't stop,"And he made sure to punish me for my mistakes so I wouldn't make them again."

"..He hurt you?" Gunther asked quietly.

"It's okay- I deserved it and.. It wasn't as bad after a while, I got used to it. And- And if you would just give me a chance and clear rules and expectations, I'll be a good boyfriend, I promise. You won't even have to notice me unless you want to." Kaiser told him.

Gunther couldn't believe what he was hearing. Of course he had.. Some suspicions about Kaiser's ex, he couldn't prove anything and now, he found out the hard way that he was right to be distrusting... About five years too late. All this time, the man he considered his closest friend was in so much pain and he did nothing. Nothing! Gunther didn't know if he'd be able to forgive himself.

"No, Liebling.. I would never do any of that to you." Gunther sighed,"I'm never going to hurt you."

"..Never?" Kaiser blinked,"But- Mein Herr, what if I make a mistake?"

"I'm not going to deny you basic human rights an I would never lay my hands on you." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"Someone who loved you wouldn't do those things."

"But.. But-"

"No, Liebling, no buts. I love you, okay? Your happiness and your safety if my top priority." Gunther cupped his cheek,"I'm never going to let anyone hurt you again. I promise."

Kaiser didn't understand but he nestled himself in Gunther's arms, his head resting on Gunther's shoulder. He was.. Safe? Safe... Kaiser did feel much safer with Gunther, trusted his General to protect him. Gunther kept Kaiser safe in his embrace, lightly kissing his face wherever he could just to soothe him. Maybe.. Things really would be different.

Chapter Text

"You want to.. What?" Kaiser blinked, looking up at Gunther.

"I want to cook with you." Gunther repeated, a smile on his face as he rested his hands on Kaiser's shoulders,"We've never done that before and I thought it could be fun."

"Are you sure?" Kaiser asked slowly.

"I'm sure. You don't have to, of course, but I'd like to cook with you." Gunther told him.

"Then.. Okay, I'd like to cook with you." Kaiser nodded, cracking a small smile as well.

"I have the perfect idea for what we could make." Gunther hummed, kissing his forehead.

Kaiser nodded and leaned against Gunther's chest, nestling his head just underneath Gunther's chin. It was.. Comfortable there. He was stepping out of his comfort zone later and wanted to spend as much time in it as he could. Gunther didn't seem to mind, he loved holding Kaiser and he carefully wrapped his arms around him.

"I love you, Mein Schatz." Gunther hummed, rubbing Kaiser's back.

"I love you too." Kaiser closed his eyes, smiling softly.

When it came time for the pair to make dinner, Gunther was a lot more visibly excited to cook that Kaiser. Cooking... It was a task, a job, something Kaiser was more than willing to do for Gunther. It wasn't something he associated with fun. There was a lot of.. Negative emotions and memories that Kaiser associated with the kitchen.

"Christ- Marcel, what the hell is this? Come on, I knew you were worthless but I didn't think you were capable of screwing this up.

"Liebling, can you come here for a moment?" Gunther turned to him.

"Of course." Kaiser nodded, trying to repress the memories that continued worming their way into his brain.

Gunther smiled and put an apron on Kaiser, tying it before he put on his own. It was then, after taking a few moments to look over them, Kaiser realized they were matching and couldn't help but smile as he fidgeted with the ends.

"So? What do you think?" Gunther tilted his head.

"How long have you been planning this?" Kaiser raised a brow.

"A while." Gunther hummed as he pulled out a rather old-looking, leather-bound book.

"What's that?" Kaiser questioned.

"Ah, it's my recipe book, my Oma gave it to me as a gift before I moved here." Gunther smiled softly,"I'd like to cook something from it with you."

Kaiser nodded slowly, feeling his chest tighten as he watched Gunther flick through the pages, occasionally offering a hum of agreement whenever he said something or asked for an opinion.. No, he couldn't- Kaiser just knew he would mess this up. He couldn't mess this up- If he did, he'd be disrespecting his General's family and Kaiser couldn't allow that.

With little complaints from the near silent Kaiser, Gunther selected a soup. Kaiser hadn't personally made it before but.. Gunther made it for him once, it was a surprise on his birthday. But Gunther seemed happy and that was all Kaiser cared about.. As long as Gunther was happy, Kaiser was happy. And with that, Gunther began working on the chicken broth and Kaiser was tasked with chopping up the vegetables. Good. Something simple. He could handle that.

Kaiser tried to ignore his shaking hands as he diced the onion. He was solely focused on not messing this up, making sure the pieces were as even as he could get them. Laser-focused on perfection before putting them in a pan... When Gunther's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Liebling." Gunther held the spoon out to him,"Try it, see how it is."

Kaiser hesitated, looking up at Gunther and shaking his head slightly. This.. Was permission to eat- He'd never cooked by tasting, it was through sight and smell alone.

"You're eating. No- I don't care that you're just 'tasting it' to see if it's good enough. I said you can't eat. That means you don't eat. You're lucky I'm in a decent mood tonight. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

"You're allowed to try it, okay?" Gunther assured him, unwavering of his stance but.. Gentle.

Kaiser nodded and while still unsure, he let himself try the broth. That's all it was, some chicken brother and some herbs but.. It meant a lot to Kaiser. Any normal person would've given up after the first unsuccessful attempt but Gunther was so patient with him. Kaiser didn't deserve him, he was just... Too good of a person- Why was he letting Kaiser hold him back?

"It's good." Kaiser smiled softly.

"I'm proud of you." Gunther told him before he got back to work.

Kaiser paused, trying to take in the words... Proud. Gunther was proud of him? For what- He just tried some soup because Gunther asked him too. He didn't understand. Kaiser quickly shook his head and got back to chopping up the vegetables. The onions were sizzling in a pan that Kaiser continuously checked on so they didn't burn. Even as he chopped the carrots and potatoes and whatever else was passed over to him, Kaiser didn't feel any less nervous and his hands kept trembling until-

"Scheiße-" Kaiser hissed as he cut himself, quickly silencing himself.

Gunther turned to him sharply,"Liebling, are you alright?"

"Fine- I'm fine. Just.. You can keep an eye on the food." Kaiser shook his head.

"Seriously, Marcel? You can't do anything right! You've just disrespected his family because you can't cook well enough. You deserve to be punished for your failure."

"Run your finger under the tap, okay?" Gunther's hand was gently resting against his back,"I'll grab you a band-aid and then we can continue, okay?"

Kaiser bit his cheek as he nodded- Just do what he says. He'll punished you later, after he's eaten. Surely Kaiser wouldn't be allowed to eat after the sort of mistakes he was making. It just made sense. The tears were starting to well up in his eyes as Kaiser ran his finger underneath the tap. No. No- Don't cry. It'll be worse if you cry. Gunther quickly returned, carefully drying Kaiser's finger before putting on the band-aid and gently kissing it too.

"There. Are you okay?" Gunther asked, lifting up Kaiser's chin so they were looking at one another.

"I'm sorry." Kaiser forced out, looking up to try and prevent his tears from falling,"I disrespected your family by making mistakes and not cooking the meal properly."

"Disrespected- Liebling, no.. My Oma loves you, remember?" Gunther reminded him.

It was true. Gunther brought Kaiser to visit his Oma back when they were much younger, both still living in Germany and not a couple at the time. She was such a sweet woman, and she was surprised when she heard taht Kaiser was also a wrestler due to his size, and that was before what Bernhard did to him.

"You're the first of my partners that she gave permission to be taught this recipe." Gunther kissed his forehead,"You didn't disrespect anyone, okay?"

Kaiser quickly rubbed his eyes,"O-okay."

"I'm not going to hurt you either. I love you, and besides, you're doing your best." Gunther smiled softly.

"I understand." Kaiser nodded, he didn't understand at all.

"Now, do you want me to finish this or would you like to keep going?" Gunther asked, giving Kaiser the choice.

"I.. I want to keep going." Kaiser told him.

"That's my little maus." Gunther hummed, gaining a small chuckled from Kaiser,"What? We're trying new things, aren't we?"

It was certainly a new nickname but Kaiser didn't mind, he was happy being called anything his General saw fit. He was still.. On edge while cooking, but it wasn't as bad as it was before and they actually seemed to be having fun in the kitchen. Kaiser, of course, made sure to restrict his energy as to not upset Gunther while Gunther was just happy to see Kaiser smiling and starting to enjoy cooking.

He asked multiple times for reassurance that he was doing something right and Gunther was more than happy to offer that support. Kaiser would need time to heal, a lot of time.. But Gunther was patient. He had time and he was so grateful that he could spend his time with Kaiser. There's no other man Gunther would rather spend the rest of his days with. Kaiser was safe here and Gunther would make sure of that.

Chapter Text

Kaiser was stood in the kitchen, quietly scrubbing the dishes that he and Gunther had used that morning. He knew he didn't need to, Gunther said so himself but.. Kaiser offered. He wanted to do this for his General, to prove he was worth keeping around. It was really the least Kaiser could do. Everything was going smoothly until he got to the last plate. Outside. There was a bag from outside and Kaiser jumped, the plate slipping from his hand and smashing on the ground.

"No.. No- No, no, no.." Kaiser could barely force out the words, his hands trembling as he lowered himself to the ground.

"Liebling, is everything okay in there?" Gunther called to him.

Kaiser couldn't force out a response as he tried to clean up the now smashed plate. Gunther was going to kill him- He couldn't even do something as simple as washing the dishes. Just don't cry. It's always worse when you cry. Just.. Just don't.. When Kaiser looked up, Gunther was stood in front of him with a broom.

"Are you okay?" Gunther asked, bending down to Kaiser's level.

"I'm- I'm okay." Kaiser swallowed, unable to make eye contact,"I'm sorry about the plate- I'll clean it up, I promise."

"Hey, everything's okay. Can I see your hands?" Gunther held his own hand out.

Kaiser nodded, slowly holding his hands out to Gunther who checked them over for any cuts. After a few moments, he let Kaiser go, satisfied with his assessment before kissing his forehead. Bernhard did things like that before a punishment.. Act like he cared, like he lived Kaiser. He always seemed to be the most gentle before he hurt Kaiser.

"Go sit on the couch, alright?" Gunther smiled softly, helping Kaiser to his feet,"You just got a little bit of a fright. I'll get this cleaned up."

"I.. I can do it." Kaiser insisted.

"Kaiser, really, it's fine. You did the dishes so it's only fair." Gunther told him.

"..Right." Kaiser nodded slowly.

Kaiser.. Didn't understand but then again, Gunther probably figured that he'd just mess everything up more. So he did as Gunther instructed and sat on the couch, waiting expectantly. Surely once he was done, Gunther would come over and punish him, right? He deserved it, after all. But.. The punishment never came. After cleaning up the plate, Gunther walked over and started talking to Kaiser like nothing was wrong.

Even so, Kaiser was on edge for the rest of the day. Maybe Gunther was waiting until he thought Kaiser had forgotten about his mistake- But Kaiser could never forget about something like that. Really, he was ready to be punished. But still, nothing. Later on, Kaiser knew he was really in for something bad when he watched Gunther dusting off the shelf that he was supposed to clean- Two mistake in one day, he was done for..

"Ah, Kaiser." Gunther turned to him,"I know you said you would clean the shelf but you still seemed a little shaken up from earlier so I decided to take care of it. Is that alright?"

"Yeah.. Yeah, that's okay." Kaiser blinked, trying to keep up his calm facade.

"You're always working so hard, Liebling. It's the least I can do." Gunther walked over and kissed his cheek.

Despite Kaiser's heightened anxiety, nothing came of it until that night when they were getting ready for bed. Kaiser had remained quiet, trying to observe Gunther's behavior to predict when the other shoe would drop and then... It happened. Gunther removed his belt and laid it out on the bed. Kaiser froze when he saw it but nodded in understanding before he walked over to the wall and braced himself against it. He wouldn't fight against it, of course not. In fact, Kaiser would take it so quietly that the neighbours would never know. Just like a good boyfriend would do.

Gunther, on the hand, was oblivious as he continued getting changed. He wasn't even facing Kaiser at the time and was just sorting out his clothes. He had no intention of hurting Kaiser. Gunther had merely sat his belt out, knowing that he was going to wear it the next day but.. His heart sank when he turned around and saw Kaiser looking down, braced against the wall.

"Liebling.." Gunther sighed softly, he didn't understand.

"Don't-" Kaiser forced out, holding back a sob,"Please don't make me wait for it.. I've been waiting all day- And it's killing me... Just get it over with."

"Get what over with? Mein Schatz, I don't understand." Gunther walked over to his, carefully wrapping his arms around Kaiser's waist and turning the smaller man to face him.

Kaiser looked up at him,"I just.. Well- I.. I just assumed. I broke that plate, remember? And- And you had to clean the shelf because I wasn't focused."

"I don't care if you broke a plate, Liebling. No.. That was an accident- I would never hit you because of an accident." Gunther gently cupped his face,"Do you understand?"

"I.. I understand." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"Good." Gunther kissed away his tears as the started to fall,"Now let's go to bed, hm? You've had a bad day."

Kaiser nodded, leaning into Gunther's chest as they laid down together. He was grateful, of course, knowing that Gunther wouldn't beat him for accidents... But he might still be beaten for intentional acts of obedience. What if Gunther saw something as intentional when it wasn't? Despite the comfort, Kaiser still went to bed that night, anxiously curled up in the arms of his General.

But then.. A few years down the rode, a similar situation occurred. Kaiser was washing the dishes when the plate he just finished washing slipped out of his hand and smashed on the ground at his feet. This time though.. Kaiser didn't panic. It wasn't the end of the world if he broke a plate, just breathe. A plate was replaceable... He wasn't.

"Liebling, is everything alright in there?" Gunther called to him.

"I'm fine, i just broke a plate." Kaiser answered, already walking to grab a brush and dustpan,"Don't worry, I'll clean it. I just want you to be careful in case I miss a piece."

"..And you're okay?" Gunther asked.

"I'm fine, Schatz, but I appreciate the concern." Kaiser chuckled softly.

And he did clean it up, repeating his little reassurances to himself as he did. With little to no panic, Kaiser managed to clean up the plate and.. He was proud of himself. No bad thoughts really and he didn't nearly have a panic attack over it. Kaiser smiled softly as he walked through to the other room where Gunther had just finished cleaning a shelf. That was next on Kaiser's to-do list.

"Ah, Kaiser." Gunther turned to him,"I know you said you were going to clean the shelf, but I wanted to help out seeing as you were already doing the dishes."

"Thank you for helping, but you really didn't have to." Kaiser told him as he walked over, leaning against Gunther's shoulder.

"But I wanted to." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

"And I'm grateful for that." Kaiser smiled, looking up at him.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me, maus." Gunther sighed softly, holding Kaiser closer,"I want you to know that."

"You remind me every day." Kaiser leaned up at and kissed his cheek,"Ich liebe dich."

Gunther hummed, smiling at him,"Ich liebe dich auch."

Things.. Could be hard at times and Kaiser knew that he would always have his 'moments', his slips back into that headspace but he also knew that he had Gunther with him, no matter what. Gunther was loyal to him and would keep him safe, at all costs. That fear of disappointing him may linger in his mind but.. Kaiser knew that Gunther would never hurt him. He was safe here.. And he always would be.

Chapter Text

To say Kaiser was a little nervous about going for his annual physical evaluation was an understate. It's not like he expected to be hurt but.. He'd only ever been to a doctor's office once maybe twice as ab adult, both times when he was in Germany... Both times when he was still with Bernhard. Kaiser had only been allowed to go to said doctor to get treated for one of his injuries when it Kaiser might have died, when it was absolutely necessary. If it was up to Bernhard, he would've avoided taking Kaiser to the doctor but.. He didn't want him to die of internal bleeding. Broken ribs..

"And, his weight? I'm just double-checking that the minimum we agreed he could eat before he starts gain unnecessary weight... Good, that's what I thought."

"Liebling, are you ready to go?" Gunther asked as he walked into the room.

Kaiser hadn't even realized that he'd been staring at himself in the mirror until he sharply turned to face Gunther,"Mhm."

"Kaiser." Gunther sighed softly as he approached, holding his arms out,"Are you nervous?"

"..A little." Kaiser admitted, leaning into Gunther's arms.

"Don't worry, Liebling. We're scheduled back to back and they'd let us in together." Gunther rubbed his back,"Would that make you more comfortable?"

Kaiser nodded slowly,"You're sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not, Maus. I know things like this are harder for you, so I'm happy to do anything that would make them a little easier." Gunther assured him, gently kissing his forehead.

"Thank you." Kaiser smiled softly.

Gunther was more than happy to help Kaiser, he loved helping him. He assumed that, especially considering the condition Kaiser was often in, he didn't go to the doctor very frequently. It only made sense that he'd be anxious about going. Not only did he have anxiety but it was a new and, at times, scary thing. Gunther constantly reassured Kaiser in the car and made sure to hold his hand when they walked in and while they were sitting.

Kaiser was still nervous, but Gunther's presence calmed him. Even if he was just holding his hand or whispering little reassurances.. It meant a lot to Kaiser. Those were things that Bernhard never did and it just made Kaiser feel so... Loved. He never wanted the feeling to stop. But, of course, it did. Just as Kaiser was starting to feel more relaxed, the doctor called him through and, thankfully, Gunther came with him.

Ludwig sat on the little bed and kept as still as possible, just as he was instructed to before. Gunther sat on a nearby chair, resting his hand on Ludwig's thigh. Even now he was trying to reassure him, trying to make him feel more comfortable.

"Marcel Barthel?" The doctor asked, looking up from his file as he walked in.

"Yes." Kaiser nodded, instinctively squeezing Gunther's hand.

"Well, it's good to see you today. Have you been experiencing anything out of the ordinary? Any pain or anything like that?" The doctor questioned, getting ready to write.

"No.. No, I'm okay." Kaiser told him, although he was confused.

Why was he asking questions? Shouldn't he just.. Make sure Kaiser was s breathing and move on, giving Gunther a proper check-up? That's how things went before. Even if he was experiencing something, the doctor he had before never gave him any.. Relief.

"Good, let's start then, shall we?" The doctor offered him a smile,"Could you step on the scale for me?"

Kaiser looked to Gunther, feeling a pit of nervousness bubble in his stomach. What if he'd put on weight? Gunther kept trying to assure him that it was okay, in fact, it was a good thing that he was putting on weight. He wasn't always stressed, he wasn't overexerting himself... He was happier. Gunther gently patted his back and Kaiser stood up, stepping on the scale and standing as still as he could. The doctor carefully adjusted things and noted down the results.

"6'3, as before.. Still a little underweight, but there is improvements." He noted down,"I assume you're taking measures to get your weight back up to a healthy number?"

Kaiser froze up, looking to Gunther for an answer. He wasn't doing anything special, was he? Gunther presumed maybe Kaiser's anxiety was acting up. Maybe he didn't fully understand the question either.

"Liebling." Gunther looked to him,"Er möchte wissen, ob Sie versuchen, etwas an Gewicht zuzunehmen."

Kaiser bit his cheek and nodded slowly, not wanting to admit it. Even at his current weight, he felt like that was good enough. He was quite a bit heavier than when he started dating Gunther. Not really, but that was what Kaiser thought. The doctor could tell he was nervous too and offered him a small smile as he sat back down.

"You're not used to this sort of thing, are you?" The doctor tilted his head,"Because that's okay. A lot of people get nervous at the doctors."

"He's had some bad experiences back in Germany." Gunther explained.

"I see." The doctor nodded,"Well, I promise that your experience will be a lot better here."

Kaiser wanted to believe the doctor as he began to examine him further. He pressed the cold stethoscope against his chest and instinctively, Kaiser reached out to Gunther. His boyfriend smiled softly, taking his hand and holding it gently.

"You're okay, little Maus." Gunther reassured him,"You're doing great."

"..Thank you." Kaiser whispered.

His heartbeat and breathing were both checked and Kaiser just.. Didn't understand. Why was the doctor being so thorough and.. Gentle with him? He wasn't used to it. The doctor continued the examination, continuing to ask questions that, with Gunther's translations and reassurances, Kaiser managed to answer.

As Gunther was getting his own check-up, Kaiser sat quietly and just watched. Being there was honestly a little.. Exhausting and Kaiser really just wanted to be held. He didn't understand why he was being treated so well. He didn't deserve to be treated as well as his General, did he? No.. No, he didn't. Is that what it felt like to go to the doctor's normally?

After his examination, Gunther thanked the doctor for Kaiser and himself, noticing his boyfriend's tired face. The doctor wished them a good day and waved as they left his office, with Kaiser immediately sinking into Gunther's side as they walked. If he had a say in that moment, Kaiser wanted to be carried... But he shouldn't ask for that sort of thing in public. When they reached the car, Kaiser hesitated and waited by Gunther's door as he got in.

Gunther smiled softly, recognizing exactly what his boyfriend wanted,"Alright, come on."

"Thank you." Kaiser got in with him, curling up in Gunther's arms.

It really had become a habit for them, cuddling on the driver's seat of Gunther's car. Now, Kaiser wasn't a small man but he was slight and Gunther would take any chance he got to embrace him. In Gunther's not-so-humble opinion, Kaiser deserved to be held whenever he wanted.

"You did really well in there, little Maus." Gunther kissed his forehead,"I'm proud of you."

"Really? I wasn't too.. y'know.." Kaiser trailed off.

"You did your best and you didn't have a panic attack either." Gunther rubbed his back.

"..I've never been treated that well as a doctor before." Kaiser rested his head against Gunther's shoulder,"It was weird."

"I know, Liebling." Gunther sighed softly,"You will never have to feel like you did before... I promised, remember?"

"I remember." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"You're safe now." Gunther told him as Kaiser curled into his side,"And you always will be."

Chapter Text

Gunther was sat on the couch, eyeing Kaiser as he busied himself around the house. As soon as one task was completed, he immediately got started on another. He went from cleaning the counters to taking out the rubbish. That's when a thought came to him.. Did Kaiser have any hobbies? As he tried to think, Gunther furrowed his brow. No. He'd never seen Kaiser engaging in any of his other interests outside of wrestling.

Sure, he'd watch Germany's football games with him.. But only with him. Besides, that was practically an unwritten requirement and it's not like Kaiser really kept up with any if the player's stats or anything like that. He knew Kaiser listened to music on occasion, typically after a suggestion or reminder from Gunther, but it was all older stuff that he must have downloaded as a teenager.

Bernhard was never the most.. Successful wrestler so Gunther assumed that maybe he and Kaiser never had enough money to invest in any real interests. Regardless of how things might have been for the former couple, Gunther didn't like how Kaiser's life only seemed to revolve around wrestling and housework. It just.. It didn't feel right to him, not when Gunther himself had many interests outside of their job.

So, starting from then, every few days Gunther would try and bring something new back to the house to see if Kaiser would take any of them up. He tried other sports, tried art, anything he could think of. Granted, Gunther wasn't great at any of these things but Kaiser seemed unwavering and never picked anything up longer than Gunther did, never asked or tried to do it himself after Gunther stopped. Gunther didn't get it.

Kaiser, on the other hand, was starting to become confused. Why was his General constantly trying to test his dedication all of a sudden? He knew his place and exactly what he was allowed to do. Wrestling and housework. If the General permitted it, then he was allowed to watch TV, but Kaiser wouldn't count on being guaranteed that permission frequently enough to ever be able to become properly invested in a show. Besides, Gunther much preferred watching things like documentaries so Kaiser wouldn't even dare trying to watch anything like a sitcom or drama series.

As Gunther sat down, disappointed in yet another failed attempt at getting Kaiser into a hobby, he noticed something. One of his books that he'd left discarded on the coffee table. That's when it hit him- Of course. He had plenty of books and would be more than happy to give them to Kaiser for him to read. Reading was one of his favourite pastimes and it wasn't an incredibly 'out-there' hobby. They could do it easily on the road, too.

"Liebling." Gunther called to him as he stood up, book in hand.

"Yes, Gunther?" Kaiser tilted his head as he walked in.

"I was just thinking and.. I'd like to give you one of my books to read." Gunther held it out to him.

"Oh- Why?" Kaiser blinked, slowly taking the book,"Not that I want to argue with you but-"

"Relax, Liebling." Gunther gently cupped his cheek,"It's just something for you to do, okay? And when you finish that one, I'll be happy to give you another."

"Alright, I understand." Kaiser nodded, looking over the cover.

Gunther smiled and kissed his forehead, hopeful that Kaiser would take to reading like he did. He did seem more.. Interested in the book than the other activities. In actuality, Kaiser was internally starting to panic. He saw this, not as something for fun but.. An assignment, a task to complete. Read the book for his General, it should be easy. But why? Maybe.. Maybe his General didn't think he was well-educated enough or maybe it was another test of dedication. Truthfully, Kaiser was expecting to be drilled on the information he read about, since many of the books Gunther tended to read were autobiographies and microhistories, he knew his General really enjoyed history.

But Kaiser... Kaiser struggled. He tried his best- Honestly, he really did. But with his- Well, he didn't have ADHD, Bernhard reminded him constantly, but he struggled to focus on just sitting still and reading for however long he took. It helped him in the ring at least, since he made sure to bring the book with him to try and read, because of how frustrating struggling to get through more than a page or two was for him.

But Kaiser was currently sat on the floor beside their bed whilst Gunther was in the shower, again trying to just finish this book. By this point, Kaiser had reread the same page about five times and he was just becoming frustrated and.. He threw the book across the room, pulling his knees to his chest and hiding his face in his knees.

"Wow, Marcel. You really are fucking useless. You can't focus for once and just read the damn book. Seriously, it's not that hard."

"I'm trying.. Please, I'm trying.." Kaiser mumbled, quickly rubbing his eyes to rid them of tears.

"You aren't trying hard enough. The 'General' wants you to read, he ordered you to. Now go pick that up. You threw your 'General's' property. Do you have no respect?"

Kaiser nodded quickly and forced himself to his feet, walking over to the corner of the room and picking up the book, holding it close to his chest. He shouldn't have let his anger get the better of him- Bernhard would have certainly punished him for lashing out. Just.. Just get the book finished. He could do it.

Around a month and a half and four books later, Gunther realized that.. Kaiser wasn't enjoying himself. Gunther caught the frustration on his face as he tried to just get through a few pages and even caught him scratching at his thighs in a vain attempt at keeping himself concentrated. He wasn't reading because he enjoyed it, but because he thought that's what Gunther wanted him to do. That hurt Gunther a lot more than he would've liked to admit- Kaiser barely got any time to himself as it is and here he was, he'd been practically stealing it from him. While he didn't like to think about it, it felt like he was unintentionally forcing Kaiser to read and he hated that.

"Little Maus.." Gunther walked over to Kaiser as he sat his book down.

"Ah- I just finished the book you gave me." Kaiser told him,"I'm ready for the next one."

Gunther sighed, cupping his face,"No, Kaiser. There's not going to be a next book."

"Why not?" Kaiser asked.

"Because I can see that you aren't enjoying yourself." Gunther shook his head,"And I'm sorry that I made you feel.. Forced into reading when you barely have any time to yourself."

"But you wanted me to read, right? I.. I did that." Kaiser blinked,"..Did I do something wrong?"

"No... No, you did everything right, Liebling." Gunther kissed his forehead, wrapping his arms around Kaiser and pulling him close,"I'm sorry."

"Okay." Kaiser nodded slowly, resting his head on Gunther's shoulder.

Why.. Was Gunther apologizing to him? He didn't understand- Was he apologizing for giving Kaiser work he couldn't do? That.. That had to be it. Great, Kaiser had disappointed Gunther. He wasn't even able to look his General in the eye for the rest of that week- How could he? Kaiser made up his mind very quickly that to make up for it, he would have to work even harder at the Performance Center and at home, pushing his body to the limit each waking minute.

Gunther felt worse as he watched Kaiser working himself to the bone for no reason, he had nothing to prove to Gunther. Nothing at all. He was already putting in maximum effort into everything.. It was painful, having to watch Kaiser almost staggering around the house, refusing help and not wanting to rest. It took an ungodly amount of persuasion to get Kaiser to just sit down for five minutes and cuddle with him, although they both always ended up enjoying it.

That night, Gunther walked into the kitchen to grab himself a glass of water when he noticed Kaiser there as well. He was cleaning, again, but something was... Off. Gunther could smell the cleaning chemicals from where he was stood and knew that those mixed with Kaiser's exhaustion could not have been a good mix. And.. He was right as not five minutes had gone by before Kaiser crumbled.

"Liebling-" Gunther thankfully managed to catch Kaiser before he hit the floor,"Are you okay?"

"..Fine- I'm fine." Kaiser blinked, desperately reaching for and grabbing Gunther's arm,"I need to-"

"No. You don't need to do anything." Gunther shook his head,"We're going to sit here for a few minutes until I know you're okay, and then we're going to cuddle on the couch. Deal?"

"..Okay." Kaiser mumbled, leaning into Gunther's chest.

After those few minutes passed, Gunther helped Kaiser to his feet and together they walked to the couch before sitting down. Gunther pulled Kaiser close to him, praying that his boyfriend would just let himself rest.

"I'm okay, I promise." Kaiser reassured him,"Really, I don't need anything."

"I'm glad to hear that you're alright, but I really think you should just rest for you." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"You've been working so hard, you need a break."

"Are you sure? I feel fine." Kaiser shook his head.

"Maus, you collapsed." Gunther reminded him,"People who feel 'fine' don't tend to collapse."

"That was nothing- Really. Honestly, I'm okay and I don't need anything." Kaiser repeated.

Gunther sighed, nuzzling the back of Kaiser's neck,"Okay.. But no more cleaning today. Everything is already clean and we can go to bed."

"Gunther.. Can I-" Kaiser stopped himself, looking away as he managed to ask,"Would you let me take care of your ring coat? I noticed a place where the seams were coming loose and.. It would save me a lot of work if I just fixed it now instead of letting it get worse."

Now, Gunther just wanted Kaiser to go to bed and get a good amount of sleep but.. Not if it meant he'd have even more work later on. Kaiser already did so much and so reluctantly..

"Of course." Gunther nodded slowly,"I'll go get it for you, just wait here."

"Thank you." Kaiser smiled softly.

That smile.. Gunther would do anything to protect it, to see it again. He headed to their room and grabbed his ring coat, sighing as he wondered if he was really going to do this. Yes. Yes, he was. Gunther returned to the living room and handed Kaiser, who had already grabbed his sewing supplies, the coat. Kaiser almost immediately got to work with Gunther standing just behind the couch, watching him. As he watched, Gunther noticed something... Kaiser seemed to be relaxing.

"You really enjoy doing that, don't you, Liebling?" Gunther commented, a small smile on his face.

Kaiser tensed, looking up at him,"Well- Yes. But it really is necessary, I promise. I'm not trying to get out of real work, I just-"

"Shh, I know, Maus." Gunther gently hushed him, taking his place beside Kaiser on the couch,"But it would be okay if you wanted to do it just for you."

But Kaiser was yet again left confused, trying to process what Gunther was telling him. That isn't how this works. He's supposed to work because it needs done, not because he likes it. That just- It would be wrong of him to be so selfish. It wasn't his place to be happy.. He'll be told when he's allowed to enjoy something, if he's allowed to enjoy something. Clearly, Kaiser hadn't earned that right yet so..

By this point, Kaiser had begun to panic. His eyes darted around the room as he desperately tried to control his breathing. He shouldn't- He couldn't- No.. No, he was really in for it now. Why did he have to enjoy doing little sewing tasks like this? Kaiser was terrified, not knowing what his General would do.. At least he probably wouldn't destroy his own ring gear. As Kaiser was trying and failing to calm himself, Gunther noticed and went to wrap his arms around Kaiser.. But he flinched, slamming his eyes shut tightly.

"I didn't- Sorry, I.. I'm sorry-" Kaiser forced out through shaky breaths.

"You don't need to be sorry, little Maus." Gunther gently wrapped his arms around Kaiser, letting him cuddle against his chest,"I'm right here. You're safe."

"I- It's not.. My place, I shouldn't- Don't deserve.." Kaiser mumbled to himself.

"Shh, try and listen to me, okay? Don't listen to what the thoughts are telling you, they aren't true." Gunther told him.

"I can't- Mein Herr, please- I didn't mean to.. I shouldn't.." Kaiser choked back a sob, burying his face in Gunther's shoulder.

"Hey.. You're okay. I promise." Gunther rubbed his back, trying to figure out exactly what had triggered Kaiser,"..I'm right here, and you don't need to call me 'sir'. I'm your boyfriend, not your boss.."

"I'm.. I'm not allowed.." Kaiser sniffled, starting to calm down,"..Shouldn't enjoy things."

"You're allowed to enjoy things. I'm glad you enjoy things. I wish you had things you did other than work.. Why would you think I would be upset with you enjoying work you do for me, little Maus? Isn't it a bigger sign of respect to me that you find contentment, perhaps even pleasure, in doing tasks for me?" Gunther asked, gently cupping his cheek so he could look at Kaiser's face.

His eyes were puffy and he was still waiting forbhis breathing to return to normal. But Gunther's statement made him pause. Bernhard had never seen the situation like that. But it was his General's right to have his own preferences. If Gunther likes Kaiser being happy, then Kaiser would be happy... God, how disobedient had he been this whole time? How disappointed was Gunther that he couldn't even give a simple list of tasks he liked. Kaiser really was lucky to have such a patient and understanding boyfriend.

The next few weeks for the couple were honestly.. Heartbreaking for Gunther. Kaiser was doing his best to enjoy, or at least looking like he was enjoying, everything. Gunther just.. Didn't know what to do, what to say. He'd tried so many times to convince Kaiser that it was okay to like things.. And now it seemed like he was facing himself to like every task or chore he did... Just to try and make Gunther happy. He didn't feel confident enough to say anything until one night..

Kaiser had spent multiple hours cleaning the bathroom. He stumbled out, clutching his chest as he practically coughed his lungs out. Gunther knew it was those cleaning chemicals and he was this close to taking Kaiser to the doctor to make sure nothing was seriously wrong with him.. He was worried about his boyfriend and his health. But that wasn't the worth thing Gunther saw. As he approached, Kaiser noticed him and plastered a smile on his face.. The most painfully, fake smile Gunther had ever seen and he'd seen Ric Flair with his exes.

"Gunther- I just finished with the bathroom. I'll move on to the kitchen now." Kaiser told him.

"How about we talk first?" Gunther asked slowly, taking Kaiser's hand.

Kaiser blinked,"O-okay, is everything alright?"

"No, Liebling." Gunther sighed as he lead Kaiser to the side,"You really don't need to do all of the housework. Really, I'll do my part."

"I-I know but.." Kaiser looked off to the side.

"And you're allowed to take appropriate precautions, especially when you're using those cleaners." Gunther pointed before shaking his head,"Kaiser, I am glad when you genuinely enjoy work, but you needn't pretend to enjoy every chore. Do you understand?"

But Kaiser didn't understand, furrowed his brow,"But if enjoying working for you is a sign of respect, isn't not enjoying a sign of disrespect?"

"Nein, Maus.. Nobody enjoys everything." Gunther told him, unable not to pull Kaiser into a hug when he saw how earnest he looked,"Even I don't enjoy man-in-the-middle drills, but I recognize that they are necessary."

Kaiser nodded slowly,"It's.. Okay if I don't enjoy everything?"

"Yes. But you are allowed to enjoy things." Gunther smiled, kissing his forehead.

"But which things? I-I promise, I'll do what you want. Just please tell me.." Kaiser please, taking and squeezing both of Gunther's hands.

"You are allowed to enjoy what you enjoy, and you are allowed to dislike what you dislike. It's not my place to tell you what those things are." Gunther explained.

Kaiser nodded again, although he seemed to yet again misunderstanding Gunther. He still. The only explanation that made sense to him was that Gunther meant that he simply didn't want to waste the time and energy micromanaging Kaiser's pleasure or lack thereof.

Although Gunther took Kaiser's nod as understanding and continued,"All I ask is that you don't pretend to enjoy tasks you dislike and that you don't hide those you do like. Okay?"

"Yes. Of course." Kaiser nodded for a third time.

Of course, Kaiser understood that. It was not his place to lie to his General. Of course not. Would.. Would he be punished for lying before? He should be- But Gunther didn't seem to be angry. Maybe he wouldn't punish Kaiser as harshly because Kaiser just misunderstood him? Kaiser really was lucky that Gunther was so patient with him.

As time passed, Kaiser had settled down and gotten into a little routine of sorts. Now that he wasn't focused on acting happy, he actually started.. Being happy. That smile.. Just seeing it every day made Gunther himself smile. He really loved Kaiser's smile, his real smile. The smile he wasn't scared to hide.

One day, Gunther was sat on the end of the bed finishing his book and Kaiser was putting away the last of their clothes. Kaiser was humming the Imperium theme quietly as he worked and.. That gave Gunther an idea. God- He didn't know why he'd never thought of it before! Piano lessons. He began looking online for a tutor and eventually did find one, it was something they could work on during their work week and on their days off. Gunther decided to bring it up that night when they were eating dinner.

"Liebling.. I found something else for us to try." Gunther told him as they sat at the table.

"You did?" Kaiser raised a brow.

"Yes, I found us a tutor on an online program if you'd like to try with me. We can work with them on our day off and use the program to study during our work week." Gunther explained,"I'd.. Like us to try it as a couple."

"So.. How would this benefit our characters?" Kaiser tilted his hand.

"If it does, that's fine, but I'm not suggesting this for work, Schatz. I simply want to do it with you." Gunther told him with a small smile.

And so, they started piano lessons together. Kaiser also learned that.. Perfection wasn't always expected. He was terrified during his first few lessons, terrified of what the punishment might be for any mistakes he made. Would Gunther hit his hands with a ruler? Would he let the tutor? But no punishments ever came. Just... Encouragement.

Both men received little exercises to work on their mistakes, the only difference being what mistakes they were making. Gunther made mistakes too.. But as they continued with their lessons, Kaiser started to realize that he was.. Better than Gunther was at it- He shouldn't be better than his General. Kaiser should stop But Gunther didn't see it like that. Gunther actually found him in his moment of panic and sat beside him at the piano.

"Are you alright, Liebling?" Gunther asked, rubbing his back,"You know how proud of you I am? I'm so proud."

"You are?" Kaiser looked up at him,"You aren't angry that.."

"No- No, I'd never be angry at you for something like that. In fact, I'm happy." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"I'm happy because you look happy when you're playing, when you let yourself enjoy it."

Kaiser smiled softly,"Thank you- Thank you for doing all of this... Thank you for not giving up on me."

"I do it because I love you, Maus." Gunther told him,"I'm just glad you're finally happy."

Now, whenever he had free time and was able to, Kaiser could usually be found at the piano. When they have the space, Gunther would get him a proper baby grand piano. He deserved it. But.. Kaiser wasn't anxious around the piano, wasn't scared he'd break it and.. He no longer hesitantly listed all the mistakes he made after a piece, anticipating a punishment that would never come. Eventually, Gunther eased off with the lessons because in truth, he just liked watching Kaiser play.

"Would you like me to teach you how to play a piece?" Kaiser turned to Gunther one day, sat by the piano.

"Do you want to teach me?" Gunther asked as he walked over.

"Well- Only if you want me to. I don't-" Kaiser stammered.

Gunther chuckled softly, sitting beside him at the piano,"I'd love for you to teach me, Maus."

"Great! Right- Put your hands here." Kaiser took Gunther's hands and sat them on the keys, his hands lingering on top.

Kaiser paused, just looking at his hands resting on Gunther's. Gunther hummed and kissed the side of Kaiser's head. That woke Kaiser up and, while nervous, he explained the piece to Gunther while gently pressing his fingers on the keys. It was.. Nice, sharing that experience together. And Gunther was so proud of Kaiser who was finally letting himself be happy.

Chapter Text

Kaiser woke up slowly, his limbs heavy and unwilling to move. He knew what day it was and could already feel a pit of grief bubbling in his stomach. Years ago- It happened nine years ago.. He should be over it. Kaiser should be able to go about his day and be fine.. But he couldn't. Everything was so hard. Why was it so hard?

"It isn't hard, Marcel. Get up- Did you not hear me? Get up. Seriously, it isn't that big of a deal anymore. Nobody cares."

Kaiser let out a shaky breath as he forced himself to sit up. He looked down at Gunther, sleeping peacefully. Gunther was blissfully unaware of the storm in Kaiser's mind.. Looking down at him, Kaiser just wanted to curl up in his arms and sob but he couldn't. He had to get up and be productive- This was no excuse not to work.

Despite wanting to stay with Gunther, Kaiser slowly got out of bed and got dressed. Just normal clothes, it was a normal day. He made his way to the kitchen and decided to make breakfast, anything to get his mind off of his dad.. Kaiser quickly got to work on mainly something for Gunther as he wasn't hungry, he didn't feel like eating.

"You could at least try to be happy. You're doing something for your 'General', aren't you? Is it that hard to pretend, seriously? You did it for fifteen years with no problem."

Kaiser bit down on his bottom lip to silence a sob that tried to escape his mouth. That's right, doing things for the General made him happy.. All he needed to do was do things for Gunther and everything would be just fine. About halfway through making breakfast, Gunther walked in and wrapped his arms around Kaiser, resting his chin on his head.

"You're up early, Liebling." Gunther commented, his voice still tired-sounding.

"I know, I couldn't get back to sleep." Kaiser shook his head.

"..Is everything okay?" Gunther furrowed his brow.

"Mhm, I'm fine." Kaiser hummed, looking up at kissing Gunther's cheek.

"Just making sure." Gunther nodded slowly, not believing Kaiser at all.

Something was just.. Off with Kaiser today. Gunther wasn't sure what it was but there was something wrong. Just.. His demeanor and body language told a completely different story to what his words were. Breakfast was also troubling. When they did sit down to eat, Gunther noticed Kaiser's portion was smaller than his which, in his defense, was normal although.. He couldn't recall a moment when Kaiser took a proper bite of food.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gunther asked, glancing between his empty plate and Kaiser's practically full one.

"Of course." Kaiser nodded.

"Maus.. You've hardly touched your food." Gunther pointed out.

"I'm just not hungry." Kaiser told him, and it was true.

"If you're having bad thoughts again, just tell me." Gunther reached over and took his hand,"If you're suffering, I want to know so I can help you. Liebling, you aren't alone anymore."

"Look, now you're burdening your boyfriend with your issues. You are fine. You are fine, get over yourself and stop being so sensitive!"

"It's not bad thoughts, Gunther.. I just don't feel great today." Kaiser answered, looking down.

Gunther stood up and immediately walked to his side,"Oh, Kaiser.. I could've handled breakfast if you weren't feeling well."

"I'll probably be fine, you don't need to worry about me." Kaiser shook his head.

"Look, you try and get some of that down and get back to bed, okay?" Gunther gently rubbed his back,"I'll make you some tea and I'll call Triple H."

"..Only if you go to work." Kaiser looked up at him,"I don't want you missing a title defense to take care of me."

"Kaiser.." Gunther gave him a look.

"I'll be okay, I promise." Kaiser assured him,"I'll get some rest, just like you want."

"As long as you're sure- But you know I'm going to make sure to take care of you as best as I can before and after I come back." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

Kaiser nodded and managed to force down a few mouthfuls of his food before thinking he was going to throw it back up and he quickly dumped the rest in the bin. And afterwards, he headed to his room and curled up on top of the bed where he was soon joined by Gunther. In truth, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in Gunther's embrace and just sob.. But he couldn't. His boyfriend had work to do, important work and Kaiser was not going to hold him back.

"I'll just sit this here, okay?" Gunther sat the cup on the nightstand before combing his fingers through Kaiser's hair,"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be okay." Kaiser nodded, leaning into his touch.

"Call me if you need anything, or even if you just need to talk." Gunther pointed.

Kaiser nodded and his eyes slowly fluttered shut, where he thankfully did manage to get to sleep. When he awoke, Gunther was sat beside him, playing with his hair. He was dressed to leave but his hand rested on Kaiser's cheek, gently rubbing it with his thumb.

"Schatz, you need to leave soon." Kaiser reminded him.

"I know." Gunther sighed,"Remember, I love you."

"I love you too." Kaiser smiled softly.

Gunther leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Kaiser's lips, lingering even after they parted. It just didn't feel right leaving him at home, not when the pair had become to accustomed to traveling together, even if they weren't both booked. Once Gunther finally left, Kaiser sat up once again as thoughts of his dad flooded his mind- No! No.. Not now.

"Right, he's gone now. You've been lying around doing nothing for hours so you can be productive now. Come on, you have to do something for your 'General' for him baying you all day."

Kaiser nodded, trying to keep his breathing steady as he headed to clean the bathroom. That.. That always helped, right? Gunther liked it when the bathroom was clean, Kaiser liked it when the bathroom was clean.. Cleaning took his mind off it. So that's what Kaiser did for the next hour or two, he scrubbed the bathroom from top to bottom. Sure, he felt all light-headed afterwards but the bathroom was clean and he wasn't thinking about.. Him.

When he left the bathroom, Kaiser couldn't hold back his coughing and he actually had to support himself on the arm of the sofa.. Woah. Kaiser shook his head and after taking a few minutes to steady himself, he began to dust off some of the cabinets before.. He found a pile of old photographs hidden behind one of the picture frames. What?

Kaiser picked them up and slowly went through them. How had he never noticed these before? They were dusty so they had clearly been there for some time. They were.. Old pictures of Kaiser and Gunther together, back from as early as 2009. Looking at them brought a small smile to his face until.. He found a photo of himself, Gunther and his dad and.. Kaiser could already feel his eyes start to well up. He was so happy back then-

"Get it together, Marcel. Are you seriously crying over this? It's a photograph, a fifteen year old photo."

"Of course I'm crying- This is one of the last pictures I have of him and I together. You know I stopped getting my picture taken for a while.. You stopped that." Kaiser muttered, managing to hold back his tears.

"Because people would talk, Mein Schatz, people always talk. They'd talk about your weight, about us.. You wouldn't want that. It could have ruined your career."

"You wouldn't have been able to abuse me." Kaiser shook his head,"I should have-"

"You realize your dad probably didn't care about you, right?"

"..What?" Kaiser blinked,"No- No! That isn't true. It's not true."

"Oh really? Then why didn't your dad 'save' you from me, hm? If he cared, surely he would have noticed how quiet you'd gotten, how skinny and frail you'd gotten.. Any good father who cared about their child would protect them from harm."

"My dad- He cared about me. You were just.. A good liar." Kaiser couldn't stop his hands shaking.

"And you know what? Maybe if you were a better wrestler, he would have seen you get to WWE."

That broke Kaiser, one of the things that he'd never been able to get over. His dad never got to see him get to WWE, never got to see him become NXT Tag Team Champion.. Kaiser dropped the photographs at his feet as he curled in on himself, his body wracked with sobs.

"Schatz, you know I didn't mean to make you cry-"

"Shut up- Shut up! Shut up!" Kaiser cried, covering his ears.

All Kaiser could do was try and calm himself down to.. Well, minimal success. He rocked himself back and forth, chewing on his sleeves in a desperate attempt at silencing or calming himself. Childish. Kaiser hadn't done anything like that since he was a young teen during some of his first 'anxiety attacks".. You don't have anxiety.

But that's when Kaiser heard.. His ringtone, his phone was ringing. He scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping as he huried back to his room and grabbing his phone that had been left abandoned all day. Gunther- Gunther was calling him and so he quickly answered.

"Kaiser, you're awake. I was starting to think you might have gone back to sleep." Gunther hummed, chuckling softly,"I'm just about to head home. Are you okay?"

"..Mhm." Kaiser forced out, barely holding back a sniffle.

But Gunther caught it,"Liebling, what's wrong?"

"Can.. Can you come home? Please?" Kaiser asked, his voice sounding so.. Pathetic.

"I'll be home as soon as I can." Gunther nodded, his voice filled with a new sense of urgency,"I love you, okay?"

"Okay.." Kaiser let out a shaky breath.

Kaiser snuggled into the corner of the bedroom, pulling his knees close to his chest. He wanted, no.. He needed Gunther. At least, for the most part, the bad thoughts had fallen silent.. But his tears continued to fall. An hour maybe two passed before Kaiser heard the sound of rustling at the door, but he didn't get up and run.. He couldn't. But Gunther hurried inside and ran to his side, kneeling in front of Kaiser. His face softened as he could immediately smell the cleaning products on Kaiser's clothes and his hands.

"Oh, little Maus.. Are you okay? Did something happen while I was away?" Gunther asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"..My dad- Sorry, I just.." Kaiser covered his mouth to silence himself.

"Your dad?" Gunther furrowed his brow before he realized, quickly pulling Kaiser into his arms,"It's his anniversary, isn't it?"

"I should be over it by now.. But I'm not- I can't.." Kaiser sobbed, burying his face in Gunther's neck.

"Shh, Liebling.." Gunther rubbed his back,"Grief. It doesn't have a set time limit or expiry date. Over time it can lessen but.. It doesn't ever truly go away. It's okay to still be upset about these things.. And I don't want you to hide them from me."

"I.. I just thought.." Kaiser curled up against his arms,"Did he love me?"

"Of course he did, Kaiser. That man adored you and I just know that he would be so proud of all you've accomplished." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

"But if I was a better wrestler then.. Maybe he would have got to see me do these things." Kaiser choked back a sob,"I wanted him to be there.."

"I know, Maus. I know.. I was there with you, during the service. He didn't show up, but I did and I held on to you tight, until you were ready to let go." Gunther sighed softly,"Your dad never liked him but.. He thought you were happy with him- And he didn't want to upset you."

"He.. Really felt like that?" Kaiser asked slowly.

Gunther nodded, he could recall several conversations he had with Mr Dieter about Kaiser's boyfriend at the time. If there was a man who hated Bernhard more than Gunther, it was Kaiser's dad.. But if there was a man who loved Kaiser more than Gunther, it was also Kaiser's dad. All he wanted was his son to be happy, he thought his son was happy.

"I know how much he meant to you and I know how much you meant to him." Gunther kissed his forehead,"What you're going through is completely normal, I promise you. I shouldn't have gone in today, I should have known.."

"Just- Just stay with me.. Okay? You make it hurt less." Kaiser looked down.

"I'll stay as long as you need me to." Gunther assured him.

"I was fine, y'know- Well, not fine but.. Then I found the photographs behind the picture and.." Kaiser trailed off.

"Everything came back, hm?" Gunther gently ran his fingers through Kaiser's hair,"I should have put them away- I was looking at them a few weeks ago and forgot to put them away."

"I'm not angry at you.. But I'm sorry. I know you won't be happy with me.." Kaiser rubbed his eyes as he looked up.

"Please tell me you've eaten since breakfast." Gunther bit his cheek.

"I could barely eat breakfast." Kaiser admitted, a small smile on his face.

"Marcel.." Gunther gently cupped his cheek before picking him up and gently sitting on the bed,"I'll make you something, okay?"

"I'll be okay until the morning." Kaiser shook his head.

"I've let you suffer all day because of my ignorance, just let me do this for you." Gunther's voice broke and Kaiser could see.. Tears of his own forming.

Kaiser was so upset at himself for nearly making Gunther cry- What was wrong with him? Just let him take care of you, he likes that.. Kaiser sat quietly in the bedroom as Gunther made him something small, knowing that Kaiser would probably struggle to stomach it in his mindset. He thought toast would be okay.

"Liebling." Gunther held the plate out, gently cupping his cheek.

"I'm sorry- I didn't mean to upset you." Kaiser told him.

"I'm not upset at you, Maus. I'm just.. Frustrated with myself." Gunther sighed as he sat beside him,"I should have remembered something like this, I know how his death affected you.."

"I didn't want to.. I don't want to be a burden." Kaiser told him.

"You aren't a burden just because you have needs, even trees have needs." Gunther shook his head,"I know I should have been here sooner but.. I'm here now. Try and eat, okay?"

"I'll try." Kaiser nodded.

Gunther smiled softly as Kaiser slowly but surely managed to get down both slices of toast, while he gave gentle forehead kisses after each bit swallowed, taking shaky breaths and immediately looking up to Gunter.

"Did.. Did I do good?" Kaiser asked.

"You did, Maus. I'm very proud of you, alright?" Gunther rubbed his back.

"..I'm tired." Kaiser quickly rubbed his eyes.

"I'm going to clean this plate and then I'll come back and cuddle you, I promise." Gunther told him as he stood up.

And that's what Gunther did. He returned after cleaning the plate and got into bed beside Kaiser, letting his boyfriend curl tightly into his chest. He pressed gentle kisses to his forehead as his boyfriend seemed to finally relax in his embrace. Gunther couldn't help but feel guilty for letting Kaiser suffer all day and he was going to make sure Kaiser at least had some peace in his sleep. His boyfriend deserved the world, deserved to feel safe.. One day Gunther was going to make Bernhard pay for everything he did but right now.. Right now, Gunther was going to there for Kaiser and bring him some well-deserved comfort and cuddles.

Chapter Text

"Marcel, I told you to be more careful." Dieter sighed, raising his chin as he looked him over.

"Papa." Kaiser sighed,"I'm okay, really."

It wasn't a big deal to Kaiser, although he could understand why his dad was nervous. He'd been busted open during his match but he felt fine, and he won too. He knew his dad didn't like seeing him bloodied up but.. That was the sport and it happened.

"Come on, let's get you checked over." Dieter put his hand on Kaiser's shoulder.

"Alright, I-" Kaiser smiled softly.

But before they could walk away, an arm snaked around Kaiser's waist and pulled him away from his dad. Bernhard. Kaiser looked to his partner and smiled at him, oblivious to the glares that Dieter was sending Bernhard.

"Kleiner Hase, are you alright?" Bernhard asked, gently wiping some of the blood from his face,"You aren't hurt too badly, are you?"

"No- I'm alright." Kaiser assured him.

"Good." Bernhard hummed, rubbing his arm,"Say.. Do you want to come around and see my parents later?"

"Your parents..?" Kaiser asked slowly.

"Yeah, I think it's time you met them probably." Bernhard nodded,"I know you've seen them around a few times but I want you to meet them properly."

Kaiser briefly glanced back at his dad,"Yeah- Yeah, I'd like that."

Even if Kaiser didn't want to meet with Bernhard's parents, he really had no choice. His boyfriend wasn't very good at hearing the word 'no'... But Kaiser knew that Bernhard loved him and was only doing what was best for him. Bernhard kissed his cheek before he walked off, his fingers lingering around his waist for just a second. Kaiser could still feel them..

Now, Kaiser was terrified of Bernhard's parents and what they would think of him.. Of them. He'd since his mother a lot more than his father. Anneliese... She was a model, a gorgeous woman with her blonde hair and blue eyes, and an oddly cold personality with anyone that wasn't her son. She appeared to dote on him but wasn't afraid to criticize... Especially not Kaiser. Every time he saw her she seemed to comment on his weight. He didn't understand.. But once those comments started, Bernhard was the one who began to take control of what Kaiser ate. It was much easier for him now that Kaiser was spending less time at home and more time on the road.. Nobody really seemed to notice his weight loss.

Otto... Otto was a strange man, a shadow that always seemed to lurk in the background. He was almost always working and didn't attend shows frequently, less so than Anneliese. Kaiser always felt uncomfortable around him as he was much larger than Kaiser, he was 6'3 but he always seemed to shrink in the presence of Bernhard's father. Whenever he did attend a show and Bernhard dragged Kaiser along to speak with his parents, he always caught Otto sending him disapproving looks.. Did he do something wrong?

"Marcel, let's get your head checked out, alright?" Dieter put his arm around Kaiser's shoulder as he lead him off.

"Right." Kaiser nodded briefly.

"Mein Junge.. You don't need to go with him if you don't want to." Dieter shook his head.

"No- I want to." Kaiser assured him,"I just.. Wasn't expecting it."

"..I know you're an adult and you like making your own decisions, but I care about you, okay?" Dieter looked up at him.

"I know." Kaiser told him,"But you don't need to worry about me, I'm fine."

Dieter nodded as he took Kaiser aside to get the cut on his head cleaned up. He despised Bernhard. He adored his son and wanted him to be happy more than anything, but Bernhard? There was something up with that boy, something bad. He had ill intentions with his son, he just knew it but.. Nobody, especially not Kaiser, would listen to him.

There was one person that Dieter felt he could talk, or more accurately rant, to about his issues with Bernhard. A close friend of his son and fellow wrestler, Walter. He'd mentioned to him that he wasn't so sure of his son's boyfriend and it turned out that he shared similar sentiments. Why couldn't his son have picked a nice boy like Walter, someone respectful and trustworthy... Someone Dieter actually believed could succeed in wrestling unlike Bernhard Hofstadter?

Deiter actually caught sight of Walter while Kaiser was getting cleaned up and headed over to speak with him. They really needed to talk. Walter cracked a small smile at the sight of him and gave him a nod of acknowledgement.

"Mr Dieter, how are you doing?" Walter asked him.

Dieter sighed,"I'm worried."

"Worried? Is Jr alright?" Walter furrowed his brow.

"I don't know." Dieter shook his head,"I have no problems with him having a boyfriend... I just have a problem with his choice in boyfriends."

"Bernhard.. Has he done anything?" Walter questioned,"If he has-"

"No, I don't think so." Dieter told him,"You'll be the first to know if I find out he has. That's.. Actually what I want to talk to you about."

"Yes?" Walter raised a brow.

"Promise me that you'll look out for him for me." Dieter asked,"With him on the road and with Him, I want to know that he'll be safe."

"I won't let him hurt, Marcel." Walter assured him,"He's one of my closest friends."

"Thank you, Walter." Dieter smiled and shook his hand, content that his son would be safe.

About a week or so after that show, Kaiser walked out of the hotel bathroom to find Bernhard sat on the bed. He looked up at Kaiser and was quick to stand, pulling Kaiser in close by his hips.

"Bernhard, I-" Kaiser blinked, immediately taken aback.

"Kleiner Hase.. I've had such a hard day. Do you think you could help fix that?" Bernhard asked softly, with Kaiser able to feel his hot breath on his neck.

"I.. Bernhard, I don't.." Kaiser looked down, trying to pull away from Bernhard.

"Marcel, I've been so patient with you. I think I deserve something nice for even putting up with you." Bernhard's tone became sharper and he dug his nails into his skin,"You want to me a good boyfriend, right?"

"Well- Of course I do, but.." Kaiser quickly shook his head.

"Then be a good boy and do as your told." Bernhard snapped, pushing Kaiser back onto the bed,"Now.. Are you excited?"

"Please.. Bernhard, I don't want this." Kaiser whimpered, struggling to back away from Bernhard.

"Relax, Schatz, we're going to have so much fun." Bernhard hummed, his fingers trailed down Kaiser's sides and starting to pull down the hem of his trousers.

"Stop! Please- Stop!" Kaiser pleaded, kicking Bernhard in the ribs.

This momentarily stopped Bernhard but he quickly shot back with a slap to the face. Kaiser looked down, feeling the immediate sense of pain rushing to his cheek. He fell silent, aside from his pathetic whispering. What- He can take a beating in the ring and not a slap? Kaiser wanted to go home..

"Oh, Marcel. You know I didn't want to hurt you." Bernhard ran his fingers through Kaiser's hair before yanking his head back,"You made me hurt you.. Do you understand?"

"I-I understand." Kaiser nodded slowly.

"Good. You just need to behave and I won't hurt you." Bernhard hummed.

Lies. It was all lies. This. This was supposed to feel.. Good, right? Bernhard felt good.. But Kaiser felt awful, he was in pain. Once Bernhard left momentarily, still telling Kaiser how good he felt, Kaiser curled in on himself and started crying. Everything felt wrong- He felt sick.. Could he tell his dad about any of this? Kaiser reached out for his phone but Bernhard stopped him, gripping his wrist tightly.

"Kaiser, you really don't have to do that." Bernhard told him.

"But-" Kaiser tried to argue back.

"Don't talk back." Bernhard squeezed his wrist tighter,"Nobody will believe you."

"W-what?" Kaiser blinked.

"They'll all think you wanted it and if you didn't, you should've said 'no'." Bernhard trailed his fingers down Kaiser's ribs,"And I feel great, don't you feel good?"

"Please.. I just want to go home." Kaiser pleaded, unable to stop himself from shaking.

Bernhard kissed his cheek,"My mother wants to check in on your progress so we're going to see her this weekend."

"Alright.." Kaiser looked down, there was no use fighting a decision when Bernhard made up his mind.

And so that weekend, they went to visit his parent's house. He held Kaiser's hand tightly, forcing him to walk at his side. Meanwhile, Kaiser was struggling to walk without pain thanks to a punishment he'd received from Bernhard. Even though he was terrified of his partner, Kaiser didn't mind staying this close to him when it came down to his parents.. Because he was much more terrified by them.

Bernhard knocked on the door and Kaiser was practically attached to his hip, dreading whoever opened it. Of course, it was Anneliese and she smiled at the sight in front of her.

"Bernhard, Marcel, come inside." Anneliese hummed as she held the door open.

"I think he's been making good progress, mother." Bernhard told her.

Anneliese looked him up and down,"He does look slimmer than before.. Come on, let's go grab my tape measure."

"Wait here." Bernhard ordered as he ans Anneliese walked off.

Kaiser winced at the mention of the tape measure, hugging himself tightly. He didn't want to be here.. Walter. Maybe if he called Walter he'd be able to come pick him up- Maybe Walter could save him! Maybe-

"So, you're the faggot that my son insists on spending time with." Otto commented as he looked over at Kaiser.

"What?" Kaiser looked over at him, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

"You heard me." Otto scoffed,"I don't know what he sees in you,"Aren't you supposed to be a wrestler? Why are you so skinny?"

"Because-" Kaiser began.

"Because Bernhard and I have been perfecting him." Anneliese answered as she walked back over with Bernhard in tow.

"Anna, I've told you that I don't his 'friend' over." Otto shook his head.

"Not even the son of Axel Dieter?" Anneliese raised a brow.

"No. This is Dieter's kid? Really?" Otto looked him up and down,"You think his son wouldn't be a complete waste of space, yet here we are."

Kaiser closed his eyes, trying to removed himself from the situation as the pair argued. He felt his chest tighten and did his best to just focus on breathing- He just didn't want to have a freak out here of all places. Bernhard insisted Kaiser didn't have anxiety but.. Moments like this made him question that. When Kaiser opened his eyes, he was just barely able to dodge a bottle that flew past his head.

"Otto." Anneliese warned before placing a hand on the back of Kaiser's neck,"But you won't tell your father what went down here, will you?"

Kaiser could feel her nails digging into the back of his neck,"Of course not- I'll be good, I promise."

"Oh, you've trained him so well." Anneliese smiled, leading Kaiser and Bernhard aside.

"I know how to treat my partner." Bernhard nodded.

Kaiser touched the back of his neck and winced. It stung. When he looked down at his fingers he saw little droplets of red and just looked to Anneliese's nails, sharp like little daggers. He looked down at her tape measure and practically held his breath, out of fear but also not wanting thre to be any misconceptions about his weight.

"Kleiner Hase, take off your turtleneck." Bernhard pointed,"Now."

Kaiser nodded quietly as he removed his turtleneck, letting out a shaky breath as he looked down at himself. The bruises.. That was the 'good' thing about being a professional wrestler, he could blame his bruises on injuries from a match. Nobody had caught on so far. Anneliese looked him over before wrapped the tape measure around his waist... Was this healthy? At least he was getting used to the hunger..

"Hm." Anneliese nodded and Kaiser didn't like the sound of that,"He's improving but there's still work to be done."

"Of course, I never said he was perfect." Bernhard shrugged.

"Come, I have some helpful things to show you." Anneliese lead Bernhard away.

Kaiser hugged himself tightly, a small sob escaping from his lips. He really couldn't do anything right.. Everything always hurt, he always felt empty and Kaiser.. He just wanted to go home- He just wanted his best friend to save him. Bernhard seemed to be alright on the trip home but once they returned home.. The door was slammed behind them and Kaiser froze.

"You really had to embarrass me in front of my parents?" Bernhard pushed Kaiserband he stumbled forward.

"I didn't mean t-" Kaiser quickly shook his head.

"I don't care what you 'didn't mean'." Bernhard snapped, forcing Kaiser to his knees,"You did what you always do. You embarrassed me."

"Bernhard.. Please." Kaiser pleaded,"Please- I'm sorry."

"You should be." Bernhard removed his belt,"Now be quiet like a good boy."

And... Kaiser did. He always did. All that escaped his lips were barely audible whimpers.. But Bernhard was only doing this because he loved him. Why did love hurt so much? Everyone told him how amazing love felt but.. Kaiser wasn't sure he believed them.

"Liebling."

Kaiser blinked and he was.. In he and Gunther's apartment, sat at the table with a hardly touched plate of food in front of him. Gunther was stood nearby beside the shelving unit.

"Hm?" Kaiser tilted his head.

"Are you alright?" Gunther asked slowly.

"Yes- I apologize if I worried you. I just.. Zoned out." Kaiser shook his head.

Gunther nodded slowly and got back to what he was doing and.. He took out a tape measure. Kaiser froze up and looked down at his plate, immediately overcome with a sick feeling. He glanced up at Gunther before leaving the room with his plate and emptying it out in the bin. The plate was washed and he took a deep breath, crossing his arms over his stomach.. Fine. He was fine despite the feeling of nausea creeping up the back of his throat.

"Liebling." Gunther walked in, concern clear on his face,"Are you sure you're alright? You look pale."

Kaiser went to speak but stopped himself, quickly turning to the sink... He threw up. His shoulders shook as he looked down in the sink and he felt tears stinging his eyes. Shit..

"Oh, little Maus, come here." Gunther held his arms out.

"I'm sorry.. Really, I am.." Kaiser sniffled, refusing to look up at Gunther.

"You don't need to apologize, Marcel." Gunther slowly approached and wrapped his arms around Kaiser,"Just tell me what's wrong."

"..Bad memories." Kaiser hid his face, just barely holding back tears,"And then I saw the tape measure and I.. I panicked. I thought you were going to measure me."

"Measure you?" Gunther raised a brow.

"My waist.. And I couldn't eat anymore- I felt ill and.." Kaiser let out a shaky breath.

"Shh, I would never do that to you." Gunther rubbed his back,"You're safe with me."

"I know- I know, but.." Kaiser looked up at Gunther.

"Little Maus, I love you.. I promised an old friend a long time ago that I'd protect you. I intend on keeping that promise." Gunther kissed his forehead.

"Can I just.. Can I stay here?" Kaiser asked slowly, letting his tears fall.

"Of course." Gunther nodded, gently wiping away his tears.

Kaiser smiled softly and let his body relax in Gunther's embrace. He nestled his head against Gunther's neck and Gunther continued to gently rub his back. Safe. Nobody was going to hurt him like that, not with Gunther around... Gunther saved him.

Chapter Text

Die Matte ist heilig... The mat is sacred. A message passed onto Kaiser from his father at a young age that he still carried with him now, a message that influenced his style and character. Now, it was all he really had left of his dad.. But Kaiser still had his group, well, what was left of it. Wolfe hadn't been with them for a good few years now, yet it had only been a few months since Vinci was kicked out. All that remained was Kaiser and the Ring General, Gunther.

Of course Kaiser missed his former teammates, missed traveling together and working in the ring together but.. It may have sounded selfish but part of him liked having so much of Gunther's attention on just him. Although, while it may have been nice, it was a double-edged sword. They were all that was left to represent Imperium and it's values, so while Gunther may have spoken to him more often, there were also more opportunities for Kaiser to be criticized and reprimanded for his failings.

Kaiser had a match that night, one against Sheamus and as Gunther had reminded him plenty of times that this win was necessary. He had to win this. Kaiser couldn't disappoint Imperium again, he wouldn't disappoint Imperium again. He could finally get rid of Sheamus, once and for all. He would be the one to put an end to the Celtic Warrior after his fifteen year long career.

As he and Gunther entered the arena, his bag of ring gear resting on his shoulder, he looked up at Gunther. Gunther, however, didn't look back down at him. He didn't even spare him a glance.. Before Kaiser could speak, Gunther spoke first, still not looking at him.

"You should get ready for your match, I've got a meeting to see to." Gunther nodded and just.. Walked off.

That... Was it? Kaiser had hoped for a 'good luck' or anything really, just some sort of positive acknowledgement. Gunther was his best, the most important person to him.. Yet Kaiser felt like nothing in comparison. He was nothing in comparison.

After being left alone, Kaiser did start warming up and as he headed out to the ring, he spotted Gunther. He was stood speaking with Adam Pearce.. Kaiser wanted desperately to hug Gunther, to receive some sort of support from his long-time friend but.. They didn't do that, especially not in public. But he wanted to.

Kaiser sighed, shaking his head to rid himself of the thought before heading out for his match. He tried his best, put everything into the match but.. Again, Kaiser came up short. Even now, he couldn't best Sheamus and he just knew how angry Gunther would be at him for failing again. Kaiser didn't stick around long, quickly leaving the ring and making his way back to the locker room before Sheamus could shower him with undoubtedly fake praises.

Gunther wasn't there, his stuff already gone.. Kaiser let out a small sigh and quickly packed up his belongings. He glanced at his phone, no worr from Gunther. God, he was really in for a lecture.. Maybe even a physical punishment. Kaiser wouldn't have blamed Gunther if that was the case, he failed his General. He grabbed his bags and made his way out of the arena, ignoring the stares of the other stars who probably wondered why he was alone.

Kaiser was ready to head back to the hotel once he found a taxi, assuming Gunther had taken their rental car. Although, that's when he heard an all too familiar voice calling to him..

"Marcel, Meine Liebe, is that you?"

Kaiser froze and slowly turned towards the source of the voice... Bernhard. No- No, no, no! Why was he here? He shouldn't be here.. Of course there was nothing saying he couldn't be here but- Why now? Bernhard had never shown up at a show before..

"Bernhard.. Please, I just want to go back to my hotel room." Kaiser shook his head.

"I can come with you." Bernhard offered, reaching up and grazing Kaiser's jaw with his fingers before resting his hand on his cheek,"Surely you'll need someone to help you relax and decompress after that match."

"I'll be just f-fine." Kaiser shook his head, internally cursing at himself for stammering,"The General is waiting for me back at the hotel."

"Again, with that 'General' nonsense. You still do that?" Bernhard scoffed, trailing his hand down to rest on Kaiser's neck,"You don't belong to him... You're mine, Marcel."

"No- No, I'm not yours anymore." Kaiser pushed him back, feeling his breathing start to quicken.

But Bernhard forced Kaiser against the wall, his grip tightening around Kaiser's neck,"Care to repeat that, Kleiner Hase?"

"I.. Bernhard, please-" Kaiser pleaded.

"Just take me back to your hotel room and you can make it up to me." Bernhard smirked, "You know I never wanted to hurt you."

"What is going on here?"

Kaiser quickly turned to the sound of the voice, relief washing over his face. Gunther. He was here to save him. Bernhard released his grip on Kaiser and took a step back as Gunther approached, wrapping his arm around Kaiser's waist. He really didn't want to seem weak but Kaiser leaned into Gunther's touch, his presence both comforting and intimidating.

"Gunther, what a surprise." Bernhard hummed, putting up his charismatic facade,"I was just trying to reconnect with my boyfriend-"

"Ex-boyfriend." Gunther corrected,"If I can recall, didn't Kaiser break up with you a few years ago?'

"He realized that was a mistake, didn't you?" Bernhard looked to Kaiser.

Both men looked to Kaiser, in fact, although he fell silent. He couldn't- No matter what he said, someone would be upset with him and he already had an angry.. Well, Gunther didn't seem to angry right now.

"Besides, it's not like he's your boyfriend. He may be your little PA and follow you around like a lost puppy, but Marcel is mine." Bernhard pointed.

"That's where you're wrong, Bernhard. He is my boyfriend." Gunther told him.

Kaiser felt the heat rise in his cheeks and he quickly looked up at Gunther. Boyfriend? Sure, he and Gunther typically shared hotel rooms, but they'd done that since they were young.. Gunther had never indicated that he had those sorts of feelings for Kaiser. It was probably just a ploy to get Bernhard to leave them alone and, judging by his shocked face, it seemed to be working.

"Oh, so you are boyfriends now. Prove it." Bernhard quickly snapped back.

"There is no need-" Kaiser began, but he was stopped as Gunther grabbed his face.

Gunther turned Kaiser's face so they were looking at one another, gently raising his chin. There was a moment of tension between them, a split second.. Before Gunther kissed him. Kaiser was taken aback but he didn't pull away, in fact, he melted into the kiss. It felt better than any kiss he had shared with Bernhard, it felt.. Good. Kaiser smiled into the kiss, feeling the warmth surging within him before slowly pulling away and resting his head against Gunther's shoulder. Bernhard wasn't happy about that.

"I always knew that little slut had feelings for you, ever since wXw." Bernhard spat.

Kaiser winced and hid his face in Gunther's shoulder while Gunther held onto him tighter.

"Go." Gunther ordered.

Bernhard looked at the pair before he eventually did walk off, clearly angered. Gunther barely gave Kaiser a second before releasing him and starting to walk back to the rental car. Kaiser had to practically run to keep up with him, run and.. He grabbed his General's hand. Gunther froze and looked back at him before giving his hand a squeeze and slowing down. When they reached the car and got inside, Kaiser completely broke down.

As soon as those doors shut, he could no longer control himself. Kaiser hid his face in his hands and just sobbed. His knees were pulled to his chest and he was raking his hands through and pulling on his hair until Gunther stopped him.

Gunther put a firm hand on his shoulder,"Shh.. Marcel."

Gunther pulled Kaiser onto his lap as he tried to resteady his breathing. He rubbed Kaiser's back and pulled him back so he was resting against Gunther's chest. As he started to calm down, all he could think about was.. The kiss. Did it mean anything?

"Gunther, I.. Did you.." Kaiser began, struggling with his sentence,"Did the kiss mean anything? I know it probably didn't but-"

"It is something I should have done years ago." Gunther kissed the top of his head.

Kaiser sniffled, snuggling into his chest,"Thank you- And I'm sorry for earlier, I didn't mean to.."

"Shh, hey, I'm not angry at you." Gunther assured him,"No lectures, no chops.. I just want to take you back to the hotel and cuddle you."

"I.." Kaiser looked down,"Gunther, I've loved you for a long time."

"I know.' Gunther gently kissed his forehead,"And I've felt the same way."

Kaiser smiled and was quite happy to cuddle up in Gunther's embrace. Gunther seemed.. Happy. He still held himself with such confidence while Kaiser shrunk in his arms. While he made several mentions of being about to drive, Gunther practically refused to move Kaiser and the pair just cuddle in the front seat. It was more than Kaiser could have ever dreamed of. Gunther wouldn't let Bernhard hurt him, not again..

Chapter Text

Why? Why would Sami say that? Of course he needed Gunther. Gunther was his General, he was to be respected and treated as such. Sure, Kaiser could agree that Gunther didn't need him.. But he needed Gunther. Even when he didn't have to, Gunther went the extra mile for Kaiser in his own special way. He didn't need to protect him from Bernhard, but he always did without hesitation. He didn't have to allow Kaiser to sleep in the same bed as him or let him curl up against his side, but Gunther always did as he knew it comforted Kaiser.

That's what they were doing now, cuddling in Gunther's bed as Kaiser tried to get some semblance of sleep. Technically, it was their bed, but it was Gunther's bed. It was always Gunther's bed, Kaiser just moved in and it became a shared thing. Kaiser knew who was in charge here, he knew who he had to obey. He huffed out a small sigh and curled up against the already sleeping Gunther's shoulder, he was tired.. Gunther shifted slightly, his arm resting gently on Kaiser's hip before pulling him closer and Kaiser would be lying if the feeling of warmth that surged through him didn't make him blush.

In the morning, Kaiser had made up his mind that while Gunther was busy, he would do anything- He would do everything to prove himself. He knew he was loyal but what if Gunther doubted him? He did come out immediately after Sami's suggestion of disloyalty. But Kaiser desperately tried to convince Gunther that he was loyal- He worked himself up into an embarrassingly pathetic state until Gunther brought him to bed.. Gunther was probably sick of him, Kaiser was far too sensitive.

As Gunther got up from the day, Kaiser feigned sleep, acting as if he'd been sound asleep the whole night. He expected Gunther to simply get out of bed and begin his day, with Kaiser following shortly after. What he didn't expect was Gunther to stand and.. Gently press a kiss to his forehead before leaving the room. Kaiser felt the heat rise in his cheeks as he forced himself up. Woah.. Despite being slightly shaken by the unexpected affection, Kaiser pulled his exhausted frame off the bed.

Kaiser waited a few minutes before he too left the bedroom and stretched before sitting on the sofa. Gunther had already busied himself making a coffee and joined Kaiser on the sofa. He knew Gunther would lecture him about his posture but Kaiser didn't care, his body was exhausted and he slumped against Gunther's side, head resting on his shoulder.

"You can go back to bed if you're tired, Kaiser. It wasn't my intention to wake you." Gunther told him.

"No- I'll be.. Just give me five.. Five minutes." Kaiser mumbled, nestling his head against Gunther's neck.

The next thing Kaiser knew, he was waking up on the sofa, slowly sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Gunther- He was just grabbing his keys and leaving the apartment. Before Kaiser could force out any words, Gunther was gone.. At least now he had an opportunity, he had time to start doing things to prove he was loyal to his General.

Cleaning. It was the first thing Kaiser thought of and he started as soon as he could, scrambling off the sofa and tidying anything and everything he could. Was it healthy? Probably not. But that didn't matter- His health didn't matter, not when he was trying to so something nice for Gunther. The cleaning chemicals burned and honestly made him feel like throwing up and.. He did. It was embarrassing. Each moment he spent in the mat bathroom, Kaiser felt worse, but hes had to do this.

By the time Gunther returned, Kaiser frowned. He should have done more. But he'd completely cleaned the bathroom and was going to make dinner for Gunther when it was time. On the downside, his head was killing him and he was nervous that he might throw up again.

"Kaiser." Gunther called to him as he walked in, used to the small German greeting him at the door.

"Gunther- There you are." Kaiser forced on a smile as he walked out to Gunther.

But Gunther furrowed his brow, able to tell that something was wrong,"What's wrong, Marcel?'

"Nothing- I've just been cleaning the bathroom. I was going to start in dinner and now you can tell me what you want." Kaiser answered.

"I want to know what's wrong." Gunther crossed his arms.

"Nothings.. Nothing is.." Kaiser mumbled, his smile faltering before his body went limp.

Gunther was quick to catch Kaiser as he fell, shaking his head with a sigh. As soon as his boyfriend was in his arms, he could smell the cleaning chemicals on him and just knew that he pushed himself too far. Kaiser looked exhausted in the morning, mixing that with probably not eating and multiple hours worth of breathing in cleaning chemicals? Gunther, while he hated to admit it, was worried.

He carefully laid Kaiser down on the sofa and removing his turtleneck to cool him down. Gunther felt his forehead and Kaiser had a bit of a temperature, that and his turtleneck reeked of bleach which was not going to help him get better. While he could have and would have preferred sitting on the sofa or his arm chair, Gunther put his own needs aside to care for Kaiser.

When Kaiser began to stir, he rolled onto his side and saw.. Gunther. Gunther was sat on the floor, eating some soup. Kaiser froze. He was supposed to.. Why was he.. He let down his General.

"Ah, you're up." Gunther nodded when he noticed Kaiser,"What did you eat this morning?"

"..Nothing, I didn't think-" Kaiser began.

"As I expected, here." Gunther held out his cup of soup.

"No, really- I'm not hungry." Kaiser shook his head, he didn't deserve to eat after embarrassing Gunther.

"Marcel." Gunther warned.

"Sorry- Mein General." Kaiser quickly apologized, reaching for the cup with shaky hands.

Gunther then pulled the cup away,"No. I can't have you dropping it on yourself, you'll get burned."

Kaiser would have been more covered with the state of the sofa if he spilled his soup on it. But Gunther sat the cup down before getting Kaiser into a sitting position and.. Sitting behind him before grabbing the cup again. Kaiser slowly rested his back against Gunther's chest, already sitting in between Gunther's legs.

"Right. Open up." Gunther held the spoon out to him.

Kaiser reluctantly swallowed the soup, his muscles briefly relaxing,"..Thank you."

Gunther continued feeding Kaiser like that until he'd finished the soup and, while Gunther was planning on getting up afterwards, he changed his mind as Kaiser pulled his knees to his chest and cuddled into Gunther's chest. There were things he wanted to get done for work but there was no way Gunther could deny Kaiser when he was such a sweet boyfriend. He may have been harsher on him on other days when they were both on top form, Gunther knew when his boyfriend just needed some comfort.

"I'm sorry." Kaiser was the one to speak up, breaking the silence.

"Sorry?" Gunther blinked.

"For embarrassing you- I just had to prove that Sami was wrong. I am loyal to you. I would never turn on you, I promise. I-" Kaiser began to ramble before Gunther stopped him.

"Liebling, I know you are loyal." Gunther blinked,"Besides, you said so last night."

"But I-" Kaiser tried.

"Is that why you spent hours cleaning the bathroom? You put your body at risk just because you thought i would like it?" Gunther questioned.

Kaiser winced at the tone and looked down,"I'm sorry- I didn't.. I just-"

"Shh." Gunther sighed, gently running his fingers through Kaiser's hair,"I know."

"I just wanted.." Kaiser quickly rubbed his eyes, burying a sob that tried to escape his throat,"My loyalty lies with you."

Gunther held onto Kaiser tightly, kissing the top of his head. Kaiser was willing to do so much to prove himself when a simple affirmation of his love and loyalty would have sufficed for Gunther. He may have been firmly but he wasn't a monster.. One thing Gunther didn't want was for Kaiser to be afraid of him. Being respected was one thing, but feared? No.. No, Gunther didn't want them from Kaiser. Other people were supposed to fear him, not his boyfriend.

"You don't need to hurt yourself to prove that you love me." Gunther told him, trailing his fingers along his spine.

"I'm sorry.." Kaiser mumbled.

Gunther sighed and raised Kaiser's chin,"And stop apologizing. This is not your fault."

Gunther felt his heart break for his boy and he thumbed away his tears as they started to fall. Right now he was going to let Kaiser rest, curled up against his chest but.. He knew they needed to talk later about Kaiser's disregard for his own health. Only now did Gunther start questioning what may have happened between Kaiser and Bernhard. Before he didn't feel like it was his business and didn't want to bring up possibly bad memories but.. Now? Now Gunther felt like he needed to know.

"I love you." Gunther kissed Kaiser's forehead, continuing to rub his back.

"I love you too." Kaiser sniffled in barely a whisper, resting his head snug under Gunther's chin.

Chapter Text

Wrong. Something went wrong- Everything was fine but then it wasn't. It was just a normal match with Sheamus, nothing out of the ordinary. But that spear... It was deadly. As soon as Bron made contact with him, Kaiser felt the pain searing in his ribs.. Shit. He heard the bell ring, of course it was supposed to end in a disqualification but.. Kaiser couldn't get up- He couldn't breathe... He couldn't breathe.

Kaiser winced, struggling to even push up on his elbows through each labored breath. The ringside doctor was beside him, asking questions, questions Kaiser couldn't answer. His head was foggy as the white hot pain burned his chest.. Kaiser had been hurt before, but he hadnt felt a pain like this in a while. It was like the time Bernhard repeatedly booted him in the ribs with his steel-capped boots..

"Get up, Marcel." Bernhard ordered, turning away from him.

"I.. I can't." Kaiser forced out, unable to push himself off the ground.

"Stop being so dramatic, you're fine." Bernhard yanked him to his feet by his collar,"How do you expect to become a pro wrestler if you can't take hits like that? I was being gentle."

"Bernhard- Something.. Something is wrong." Kaiser coughed, staggering forward as he held his ribs.

"Marcel, enough." Bernhard grabbed Kaiser's face, forcing him to look at him,"Now come on, I've got things to do."

Bernhard turned away from him and Kaiser desperately tried to follow after him. But the pain persisted and Kaiser barely got two steps before his knees gave way beneath him, just about able to catch himself on the doorframe. He heard the annoyed sigh of Bernhard but.. As he tried to breathe, Kaiser felt a metallic taste in his mouth and when he coughed, the palm of his hand was stained crimson... Bernhard noticed it too and for once, Kaiser saw genuine panic on his face and he couldn't help but smile. Bernhard did love him.

"Kaiser?" Bernhard asked softly, furrowing his brow as he bent down,"Kaiser, come on, get up."

"Y-you.. You care." Kaiser winced, struggling as he reached for Bernhard's hand.

But Bernhard pulled his hand away, standing up and walking to the other side of the room. Kaiser could just barely make out a phone through his bleary vision.. Was Bernhard calling him an ambulance? He'd never done that before. Kaiser close his eyes, just wanting the pain to stop.

..Kaiser..

"Kaiser."

"Kaiser."

Kaiser blinked, just barely able to make out his surroundings through bleary vision.. Floor. He was still on the floor- Hand. Someone was squeezing his hand. Kaiser forced himself to look up and saw... Gunther. Of course they were boyfriends but.. What if the camera saw? He would be angry at Kaiser if he made him break character- Gunther never broke character on camera.

"Gunther.. I-" Kaiser forced out but Gunther shook his head.

"Don't apologize. Just try to relax, okay?" Gunther sighed,"You're alright."

Kaiser managed to nod but as they loaded him onto the stretcher, he felt.. Light-headed. Dizzy with pain. Then nothing. Gunther let out a shaky breath, trying to gather his composure as he watched the doctors wheeling away his boyfriend. He.. He broke character, a rare occurrence and in that moment, Gunther didn't care.

If Gunther had it his way, he would have headed to the hospital right away to be with Kaiser. He didn't care about the promo anymore- Right now, there was only one place Gunther wanted to be. He didn't think he'd ever say something was more important than work but.. Not only was Kaiser hurt, he knew his boyfriend was anxious around hospitals. What if he woke up alone and confused there? What if he panicked and ended up hurting himself more?

But Gunther did his promo, making sure to let Adam Pearce know his frustration before leaving the arena as quickly as he could. He did attempt to keep his cool but at that point, there was no use. The crowd had seen his panic when he ran out unannounced to check on Kaiser. While he didn't like it, he didn't mind if they saw any shred of genuine concern because they didn't matter.

By the time Gunther arrived at the hospital Kaiser was being held at, they told him the news. Broken ribs. He'd be out of action for a little while, but they assured him that it could have always been worse. Because that's so reassuring to hear. When he arrived at his room, Kaiser had thankfully remained passed out or sedated. Gunther saw the bandages around his midsection and sighed, sinking into the chair at Kaiser's bedside. Oh Kaiser..

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Mm.. Turn off your alarm." Kaiser mumbled, nestling his face further into his pillow.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Mein General." Kaiser sighed, not wanting to be bothered by the constant beeping,"Your alarm."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Kaiser groaned, lifting himself up from his comfortable position. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and reached over Gunther to his bedside table. Although before he could reach anything, Gunther grabbed his wrist with his eyes remaining closed.

"What are you doing?" Gunther asked.

"Your alarm- I thought you were just going to-" Kaiser tried to explain himself.

"Sleep through it? Oh, I don't sleep through alarms." Gunther hummed,"No lie-in for either of us today, or any day."

"Then why did you leave it beeping?" Kaiser questioned.

"To make sure you were awake." Gunther opened his eyes, the hint of a smirk on his stoic face,"You like getting up with me but you always try and get an extra five minutes."

Kaiser sighed,"Can't we just have five minutes? For cuddles?"

"We really shouldn't." Gunther looked away as he released Kaiser's wrist,"But if it's only five minutes.."

"Yes- Only five, that's all I need." Kaiser immediately melted into Gunther's chest, wrapping his arms around him as he sprawled out on top of him,"I love you."

"..I love you too, Maus." Gunther mumbled, not used to being so affectionate, even in the comforts of their own bed,"Are you happy now?"

"So happy." Kaiser grinned as Gunther's arms slowly snaked around his waist,"Can I kiss you?"

"You always ask for permission." Gunther nodded slowly, pressing a kiss to Kaiser's forehead,"And yes, you may."

Kaiser kissed Gunther's jaw,"I care about your boundaries, that's why I'm really careful in public."

"You know.. You are allowed to show me affection in public. I'd rather it not be in front of the cameras but I don't particularly mind it." Gunther told him, his hands trailing absent-mindedly up and down his back,"I know I'm strict with us, both of us, but I do care about you, okay?"

No answer.

"Liebling?" Gunther looked down at him and his face softened as he let out a soft chuckle, amused at his boyfriend,"Of course."

Kaiser had snuggled into his embrace and promptly fell asleep. While he would have preferred to get upset dn start working.. Maybe having a few extra minutes would be alright, just for today at least. At least it confirmed to Gunther that Kaiser felt safe with him, people always feel sleeper when around someone they trust. And Kaiser did feel safe, happily curled up in the arms of his boyfriend.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Alarm.. Turn of the alarm.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

No.. That wasn't.. Was that an alarm? It sounded different- A sound that cut right through you.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Kaiser slowly opened his eyes to.. A white room. It was almost too bright but at the same time in was dull. Clean. It smelled so clean. Not like his bathroom, a different type of clean. As his eyes began to adjust, Kaiser realized exactly where he was and he felt his heart rate spike. A hospital. He was in a hospital.. He was lying in a hospital bed.

That wasn't all he noticed. Pain. Not nearly as intense as before but there was a pain in his ribs, an uncomfortable and dull pain. He could feel the bandages against his skin and reached down to touch his sides, instantly recoiling back. It stung like hell.. But that's when Kaiser noticed something else.

Gunther. He was slumped over Kaiser's bedside at an angle that must have been uncomfortable for him. Kaiser hated knowing he was causing discomfort to his General, he was supposed to help him not inconvenience him. Gunther's hand was within reach and.. Kaiser hesitated before reaching over and gently taking Gunther's hand. It was nice, just holding his hand.

But that's when Gunther began to stir and Kaiser tensed. Gunther sat up, although still leaning over the banister, and when he noticed Kaiser holding his hand... Gunther didn't pull away. In fact, he squeezed Kaiser's hand and offered him a soft smile. A smile?

"You scared me back there, you know that?" Gunther asked, his voice carrying it's usual firmness.

"Sorry.. Really, I would have been fine. I was just overreacting and-" Kaiser stammered out a response.

"Kaiser, you had broken ribs, you coughed up blood." Gunther sighed,"I'm not angry at you."

"But it was my fault." Kaiser insisted.

"Accidents happen." Gunther told him,"While I hate to admit it, nobody is perfect."

Kaiser bit his cheek as he looked down. He still felt guilty, regardless of what Gunther told him. It was his fault- It had to be. Surely Kaiser must have done something wrong and... Gunther pulled Kaiser's hand close to him and gently kissed his knuckles.

Kaiser blinked, a light pink hue covering his face,"Gunther..?"

"You're okay, little Maus." Gunther smiled softly.

That nickname.. Gunther had come up with it not too long ago and while he never used it in public, even the firm disciplinarian couldn't resist calling his boyfriend that little pet name. Whenever Bernhard used them it was either to trick Kaiser into trusting him or to make him feel weak or even like property.. Gunther wasn't like that.

"Can we cuddle when I get home?" Kaiser asked slowly.

"When we get home, I'm going to make sure you get all the rest you need to heal." Gunther explained, using his free hand fo trail through Kaiser's hair,"And I suppose.. We can cuddle- As long as you do as you're told and stay in bed."

"Deal." Kaiser grinned, looking up at his boyfriend,"I love you."

"I love you too.. Mein kleiner Idiot." Gunther hummed.

Kaiser snickered but leaned into Gunther's touch, just his presence soothing whatever anxiety he had about staying in the hospital overnight. He just prayed that they'd let him take Kaiser home as soon as possible, then Gunther could take care of him.. And they could cuddle.

Noticing that Kaiser's blanket was disturbed, Gunther briefly let go of Kaiser's hand to tuck him in. He just wanted to make sure he was comfortable. As Gunther finished and was about to sit back down, Kaiser gently kissed his cheek and smiled up at him softly.

"Thank you." Kaiser whispered.

"You're welcome, Liebling." Gunther nodded as he sat down.

Now assured that his boyfriend would be okay, Gunther made himself comfortable in his chair and took Kaiser's hand once more. He yawned, gently massaging little circles against his palm, slowing as he began to drift off. Safe. Kaiser was safe, Gunther would make sure of it.

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be a nice night- They were having a good night.. Axel didn't understand how everything could change so quickly. One minute he was having a surprisingly good time at an after party for one of their wrestling shows and then next, he was at home being berating by Bernhard. He didn't understand- He hadn't done anything. But of course, the usual accusations, especially after events like this.

"I saw how you were looking at him, Axel. You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Axel hadn't been looking at his long-time friend like that, he knew better not to. He admired Walter, he always had, but.. No- No, there was nothing like that going on between them. Sure, when they were together, Axel felt safer than he ever had with Bernhard but.. But Bernhard loved him. He only did this because he loved him.

"It looks like I need to remind you who you belong to. On your knees. Now."

..Axel didn't want to. He didn't want this, not now. But Bernhard always refused to take no as an answer and, well, who was Axel to refuse his boyfriend? He wasn't allowed to say no. Axel didn't want to be a bad boyfriend, bad boyfriends were punished and.. He had been dreading it since this all began. He knew it would be coming as soon as the yelling started..

It was rough. Forceful. And while it hurt, Axel had almost become.. Desensitized to it all. He realized that fighting back was useless and it only made things worse for himself. Seeing him in pain.. Axel realized pretty quickly that seeing him in pain was really what turned on Bernhard and.. He quietly prayed that if he just gave up and let it happen, maybe he would stop. Eventually, Bernhard did grow tired of him and.. That's when Axel knew it would get bad.

"Now... You're going to be a good boy, aren't you?"

Yes. Yes, he'd be good. Axel would be completely silent if he was asked. He would do anything to not feel Bernhard's wrath.. But Axel was never that lucky.

"Kleiner Hase, I'm only doing this because I love you. You trust me, right?"

Of course- Axel trusted Bernhard. He would never go too far, only as far as he needed to so Axel would learn his lesson. He was scared but.. He knew everything would be okay. Everything was always okay... But that night it wasn't. Axel thought he knew what pain was, he thought he'd gone through enough- But he knew he deserved worse, deserved this.

Bernhard was swift, knocking him to the ground and refusing to let up. Axel barely had a minute to compuse himself and breathe- He felt like he couldn't breathe. Each kick, each lashing of his belt.. Axel prayed it would be the last. Yet it continued. He winced as a bitter, metallic taste filled his mouth and dripped onto the hardwood floor. Bleeding. He was bleeding from hi mouth and nose, God knows where else. Could he move? Axel didn't dare try.. Everything hurt. Maybe if he just closed his eyes, he'd wake up and everything would be okay.

"I'm sorry.." Axel whimpered, he wasn't even sure what he'd done anymore but he knew it was his fault.

"Oh, I know. But that's okay, because I still love you." Bernhard kissed his forehead, a smirk on his face,"I do need to go out though so.. I just need to do something first."

Bernhard pulled out a zip tie, binding Axel's wrists together. He saw no point in the action, he was barely able to stand anyway. Before he left, Bernhard helped Axel to his feet before promptly letting him fall back to the floor once they reached their bedroom. Axel resigned himself to this until.. He noticed something.

The window. One of the bedroom windows had been left open- Not all the way, but at his size, Axel believed he could fit through it. As he heard the door close he grabbed onto the side of the bed, doing his best to silence a cry as he forced himself to his feet. On shaky legs, Axel stumbled to the window and pushed the agony out of his mind as he climbed through, landing on the concrete below. It wasn't a long fall, but long enough to send a wave of pain through his already beaten body.

From here, Axel knew where he had to go, knew where he would be safe. He staggered there, running off pure adrenaline. But Axel couldn't stop. If he stopped, he wouldn't be able to start again.. He just had to get there. He had to get to Walter's house Just out of view, Axel knew he was getting close and desperately tried to go as fast as he could, lungs burning, legs aching. Walter..

Meanwhile, oblivious to the situation about to unfold, Walter was taking some time to relax with some friends. Dragunov, Thatcher and Wolfe were gathered in the living room with him. Walter had hoped Axel would arrive but he knew that Bernhard.. Certainly appeared very controlling over Axel. He'd invited him over after the after party to just hang out with them, Axel said he'd think about it but he was quickly escorted away by Bernhard.

"Walter?" Dragunov tilted his head,"Is something wrong?"

"Ah, just.. Tired." Walter shrugged.

"Something is on your mind, I can tell." Wolfe pointed,"That. It's your thinking face."

Walter sighed,"Look, it's just-"

All four men turned to look at the door, then each other, wondering if they'd all heard the weak pounding on the door. Walter go up, seeing as it was his home, to answer the door. At first, when he opened it, he saw nothing and was about to scoff, believing it to be nothing but a prank... Until his eyes lowered and landed on.. Him.

"Axel-" Walter knelt down in front of him, gently lifting Axel's chin so he was looking at him,"Axel, what happened to you?"

"I.. I was good. I didn't.. I promise, I didn't.." Axel mumbled, leaning into his touch.

"Good? Axel, what are you talking about?" Walter furrowed his brow.

"He did it." Axel whimpered,"He.. I'm not strong enough- I can't.."

"Shh, okay- Okay." Walter stood up, carefully picking up Axel and bringing him inside,"You'll be okay."

Walter carried the practically limp Axel into the living room, immediately caught by the gaze of the other three men. Hundreds of questions probably flooded into their mind yet nobody spoke, silenced by a single glance from Walter. Thatcher and Wolfe stood up, allowing Walter to lay Axel down on the sofa and the four man stood their quietly for a few moments. Wolfe was quick to grab some scissors, cutting free Axel's hands.

"Call an ambulance for him, and stay with him." Walter pointed.

"Where are you going?" Thatcher asked.

"To find Bernhard." Walter sighed and he turned to leave.

But an exhausted Axel grabbed his hand,"..Please don't leave."

Walter looked down at the broken man on his sofa, bruised and bloodied with eyes full of unshed tears. No. No, he couldn't leave. Not now. So he sighed softly, squeezing Axel's hand.

"Alright, I'll stay.' Walter told him.

"T-thank you.." Axel held Walter's hand close to him.

It was.. Honestly a little cute, even if Walter felt wrong for feeling it. Although as Axel appeared to drift off, Wolfe called the police and Thatcher called an ambulance. In the meantime, Dragunov did his best to wipe away the blood or patch up any visible cuts, just to make him more comfortable.

When Axel awoke.. He was in a hospital bed. Walter was there, still holding his hand, while the other three were being interviewed. Interrogated? Axel didn't care to remember the phrasing. Everything he was asked was really a blur, he couldn't remember the questioning. Maybe he just blocked it from his memory, or maybe Bernhard broke something bad enough that he couldn't remember.

But that left Axel and Walter.. Alone. It was probably the drugs they gave him but.. Was Walter always so nice to look at? Because just looking at him sat there made Axel feel like smiling... He was glad Bernhard couldn't hear what he was thinking- He really shouldn't be thinking such things. But Walter was there for him, he was going to take care of him.. Safe. Axel was safe with Walter.

"He can't hurt you anymore." Walter spoke after a few moments of silence, squeezing his hand,"..I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Axel furrowed his brow.

"Because- Axel, how long had this been going on?" Walter questioned.

"Well, the beginning.. But it was never this bad before- And I deserved it so-" Axel began but Walter cut him off.

"Exactly. I feel awful for letting him treat you like this- Really, if I knew, I would've stopped it sooner." Walter sighed,"Marcel.. You're an angel. You didn't deserve this."

"You don't have to.. I know I'm a bad boyfriend." Axel looked down.

"That's what he told you. But he's wrong. He only said that as an excuse to hurt you, to control you." Walter ran his free hand through Axel's hair,"It wasn't your fault.. It never was."

Axel sniffled,"..Why do you care so much?"

He felt bad asking but.. The question had been bothering him for a while. When he was with Bernhard, everything was so dark- It was scary and he never knew when he might mess up and ruin it for himself. But with Walter, he was constantly wrapped up in his warm embrace. Axel always felt safe with Walter.

"..I care about you, a lot." Walter answered, glancing away from Axel,"Seeing you hurt... I hate it- I just want to hold you tight and not let go. That's why, if if get ny hands on Bernhard, he's dead."

"I.. I wouldn't mind it you did." Axel smiled softly.

Walter smiled too. Axel loved his smile, much like Walter loved his. And.. And he leaned down and... Kissed his forehead. Uh- A complete platonic gesture. Clearly. Yes, clearly he was just trying to provide Axel with some comfort but.. God, he wished Walter would do it again. In a normal, friendly way, Axel.. Craved it, that gentle affection. He could settle for Walter still holding his hand, gently combing a hand through his hair. For Axel, in that moment, it was enough.

Chapter Text

Kaiser was curled up in the passenger seat, his head resting against the window. It was late and all Kaiser wanted to do was get to the hotel and cuddle up in bed.. But Gunther had driven past the hotel. He was hungry, and Kaiser was too, and because everywhere else was closed, he had driven them to a drive-through. They were probably going to be the last people served before it closed for the night as there was only one other car in front of them.

"Hey, what do you want?" Gunther asked, running his fingers through Kaiser's hair.

"Mm.. Just a plain burger." Kaiser yawned, rubbing his eyes,"I can't have onions."

Gunther kissed the side of his head,"We'll be at the hotel soon, okay?"

"Okay." Kaiser nodded slowly, closing his eyes.

Kaiser was tired but he forced himself to stay awake, not really paying attention to Gunther speaking to the people at the drive-through windows. He only stirred again as the smell of their food filled the car, with Gunther asking Kaiser to hold the bag while he pulled into the side. Once parked, Kaiser handed over Gunther's food and he offered him a small as he looked in the bag for his own food. But Kaiser paused. The bag only contained one item, a burger with onions. Gunther specified no onions but..

Gunther had already started to eat, probably assuming that Kaiser was just waiting, and Kaiser didn't want to disturb Gunther's meal with his complaining. Besides, he could go without food, he'd done so before and had no qualms doing it again. Maybe he could.. Ask for a bite of Gunther's? No. No- Their relationship was far too new for that. He wasn't that hungry anyway. Instead ot interrupting Gunther, Kaiser just curled back in on himself as he waited for Gunther to finish. Eventually Gunther did finish, putting his paper back in the bag and going to get out to put it in the bin.. Before he noticed Kaiser's uneaten burger.

"Kaiser- Here. Before I throw it away." Gunther held it out to him.

"It, uh.. It had onions on it." Kaiser bit his cheek.

"It does?" Gunther quickly checked before sighing,"Liebling.. You should have said something."

"I didn't want to disturb your meal- I'm not even that hungry." Kaiser shrugged.

"I would've swapped with you, mine had no onions." Gunther told him,"I specifically asked for no onions of both because I know you're allergic."

"Really, it's fine." Kaiser insisted,"It's closed now, let's just.. Can we go back to the hotel?"

Gunther sighed, looking back at the drive-through and all the lights were off. Great. He did take the rubbish to the bin and returned to the car, looking over at Kaiser leaning against the window. His eyes were fixated on and the ground and he just looked.. So guilty. Gunther wasn't sure how to explain that he wasn't upset with him, knowing that Kaiser would never believe him.

The journey back to the hotel was quiet, especially on Kaiser's end, and trying to coax him into allowing Gunther to try and find literally anything for him to eat at any of the little corner stores was impossible. The exhausted men practically collapsed onto the bed once they got into the room. Gunther decided he had time for a quick shower purely because he always slept better after one and when he returned, Kaiser was changed and already appeared asleep under the covers. While Kaiser may not have had a high opinion of himself, Gunther certainly adored his boyfriend and he was furious at himself for allowing him to go hungry. Boyfriend.. It still felt weird being allowed to think of Kaiser that way, after all this time.

Gunther let out a heavy sigh as he climbed into bed, gently easing Kaiser underneath the covers as well. He didn't want his boyfriend to get cold. But then, Gunther was left alone with his thoughts.. Only a few weeks in and he had already messed up. Kaiser being so nonchalant about going hungry certainly didn't make it any easier. Although.. A soft touch brought Gunther out of his thoughts, it grounded him.

Kaiser. He'd rolled over and gently rested his arm across Gunther's chest. The touch was gentle, barely there but.. It brought a soft smile to Gunther's usually stoic face. When he looked over, Kaiser was looking back up at him with tired eyes.

"Sorry.. I just-" Kaiser mumbled, but Gunther stopped him from going further.

Gunther wrapped his arm around Kaiser and pulled his boyfriend closer,"No apology necessary, as long as you're comfortable."

Gunther held back a soft chuckle as he watched a blush spread across Kaiser's cheeks before the smaller man nestled against his chest. His head rested on Gunther's shoulder and his hand lay across his chest and just him being there.. Gunther felt the tension bleed from his shoulders and slowly melt from the rest of his body. He was going to make this up to Kaiser in the morning and then he'd be able to sleep with a clear head.

And so Gunther kissed the top of Kaiser's head before he drifted off. When he woke up in the morning, Kaiser was still cuddled against his side and Gunther just.. He just laid there and admired him for a few moments. How could he not? Sure, they'd been friends for years but Gunther had, at least for the past couple of years, seen Kaiser.. In a different light. He spotted those little things, the way his eyes lit up after being praised, how he'd laugh when it was just he and Gunther together, that tired smile after a match when he knew they'd done well.. Gunther was proud that Kaiser was his boyfriend.

Unfortunately though, Gunther had to get up and get ready for the day. Although he tried his best to get up without waking Kaiser, which was easier said than done. But Gunther succeeded. He managed to slip out of bed with Kaiser not so much as stirring and Gunther leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. Kaiser was right about himself in all his promos, even though he was really nothing like his character. He was the definition of elegance, making even something like sleeping look.. Beautiful. Right- Enough thinking. Just get dressed.

And so he did, getting dressed for the day in some simple trousers and a jumper, nothing too fancy yet still professional and clean looking. Now, the bit Gunther almost dreaded, waking Kaiser. He knew the German needed to have something to eat and was desperate to just feed him something but.. He looked so peaceful lying there. It was a kind of peace that Gunther rarely saw on Kaiser, he always seemed so.. Anxious. But, eventually, Gunther relented and placed a gentle hand on Kaiser's side.

"Liebling." Gunther spoke softly, all while trying to remain as firm as he could,"It's time to get up."

"Mm.. Did you sleep okay?" Kaiser mumbled as he slowly sat up and stretched.

"I did." Gunther nodded slowly, trying to avoid becoming transfixed on every slight movement,"And yourself?"

"I always sleep better when you're here." Kaiser answered simply.

Gunther did his best to mask the small smile on his face,"You do, don't you? Now.. Get dressed, I'm taking you out for breakfast."

"You really don't need to." Kaiser assured him,"I can just pick up a breakfast bar or-"

"No, you're going to have a proper meal." Gunther stated, dropping the softness in his voice,"You barely ate all day yesterday, don't think I didn't notice, and you didn't eat last night. You need something."

"But I-" Kaiser tried to speak.

"The decision is final, Liebling. This is for your own good." Gunther shook his head.

It was strange to Gunther. Kaiser naturally deferred to him on pretty much everything so.. Why was he so adverse to the idea of eating a healthy amount? This was probably the first time Gunther could actually remember Kaiser almost.. Arguing with him. It wasn't really an argument, moreso a minor disagreement, but Gunther was still shocked that it happened. As Gunther finished getting ready to leave and Kaiser got himself dressed, he caught his boyfriend just.. Looking at him. Worried? What did he have to be worried about?

Gunther pushed the thought out of his mind as he and Kaiser left the hotel room and headed down to find a nice place to eat breakfast. He, of course, had done some research so he wasn't completely clueless and he guided Kaiser to where they were going. Again, like the drive back to the hotel, Kaiser was unusually quiet and Gunther could hardly elicit a response from him. Something was clearly wrong here.. But what? All Gunther could figure out is that it was something to do with food, but he had no idea what was hurting his boy.

When they arrived, Gunther took ahold of Kaiser's hand and the smaller man let out.. Almost a squeak. He clearly wasn't expecting it and as Gunther continued, getting a table for the pair, Kaiser looked up at him, almost in.. Awe? Confusion? Gunther couldn't tell. Their relationship was reactively new, so maybe he just didn't expect the public display of affection, even if it was something that small. Once they were seated at their table, a booth near the back, the two of them looked over the menu, although Kaiser only checked briefly.

"I'll probably just have the oatmeal, if that's alright." Kaiser spoke, biting his inner cheek.

The cheapest, and probably smallest, thing on the menu. No. Gunther wasn't having this discussion twice in one morning.

"Kaiser, do I need to remind you how little you ate yesterday?" Gunther sighed, rubbing his face,"Look, I don't mind spending money on you if that's what's bothering you."

"It's not that, I just.." Kaiser looked to the side,"I'm just not hungry."

A lie. He was hungry but.. Kaiser had been hungry before, he'd been hungrier. This was nothing. Really. In fact, he thought Gunther would prefer it if he stayed smaller. Bernhard did...

"Not hungry?" Gunther blinked, nodding understanding how Kaiser could be just 'not hungry', he knew he would be,"Look, how about we both get the same thing?"

"The same thing?" Kaiser blinked.

"Okay, maybe not the exact same thing. But I want you to have something more filling than a small thing of oatmeal." Gunther told him, scanning over the menu,"Look, I'm thinking about ordering the Lumberjack Slam. We could both get that and I can finish anything you don't eat."

Kaiser still seemed hesitant,"..Are you really sure?"

"Yes, Liebling, I'm sure." Gunther nodded,"I'd be more than happy if you just tried to eat it. I don't like you going hungry."

Gunther didn't just dislike it, he hated it. The mere thought of Kaiser suffering in silence sent an uncomfortable chill through his body. He may have acted firm or strict but he did care about his boyfriend, he cared an awful lot.

"Okay, Mein General.." Kaiser nodded, his voice quiet and barely there.

Gunther went to speak, to correct Kaiser as he slipped into referring to his character, but that's when the waitress walked over. She asked what they were having and Gunther, noticing Kaiser's chest constrict and how he struggled to form any words, nevermind tell her his order, ordered for them both. He noticed Kaiser's leg bouncing under the table and his fingers digging into his thighs and Gunther furrowed his brow.. Liebling.

"Marcel, I'm not angry at you either, if that's what's upsetting you." Gunther told him, reaching his hand out and resting it on the table.

Kaiser looked from Gunther's face to his hand, taking it with his own trembling hand,"..I know."

"Look, I really don't understand what's wrong and it's clear you won't tell me. Just- I love you, alright?" Gunther gently rubbed Kaiser's knuckles with his thumb.

Kaiser smiled softly, although his hands didn't stop shaking,"I love you, too."

Gunther tried to comfort Kaiser from whatever sort of anxiety-related issue was going on. Maybe it was knowing he'd have to order that freaked him out? Maybe it was just being in a public space? Gunther really didn't know and the more he tried to rationalize or explain Kaiser's actions, the more confused he became. Was he okay?

Then, the food came. Gunther began eating and much to his relief, so did Kaiser. Unlike he said, clearly he was hungry, because by the time he was finished there was nothing left on his plate aside from some crumbs. Satisfied. Gunther's worries were quickly put to rest knowing that Kaiser had eaten, and he'd done incredibly well too. Hell, he'd finished before Gunther himself. Kaiser on the other hand, was in disbelief. He'd completely devoured the entire thing and looked down, embarrassed. Of course he enjoyed it, and he did feel much better after eating but.. He probably didn't look very elegant and was praying that Gunther hadn't seen how he ate. Although Gunther was staring right at him.. No, please don't be-"

"You did so well, Liebling." Gunther reached over, gently cupping his cheek.

"I.. You think?" Kaiser blinked.

"I do." Gunther hummed,"Doesn't that feel better? You must've been starving."

"I mean, I suppose so." Kaiser nodded slowly, still not looking Gunther in the eye.

"Hey." Gunther rubbed his thumb over Kaiser's cheek,"I'm proud of you, Liebling."

"You're.. Proud of me?" Kaiser's eyes lit up, a small smile on his face.

"I am." Gunther nodded, watching as Kaiser's shoulders sank, no longer tense.

"..Can I come sit beside you?" Kaiser asked.

"I don't see why not." Gunther shrugged.

Kaiser slid around the booth until he was beside Gunther, just looking up at him. Gunther let out a chuff, wrapping his arm around Kaiser's waist and pulling the man until they were flush next to each other. While trying to remain calm, Kaiser was clearly flustered as the heat rose in his face. Gunther, who was most certainly enjoying this, kissed the top of Kaiser's head before finishing his own breakfast.

"Thank you." Kaiser finally spoke, keeping his back practically straight as he leaned his head on Gunther's shoulder.

"You don't need to thank me for taking care of you, it is merely my duty as a boyfriend." Gunther hummed, rubbing Kaiser's side and gently resting his hand against his stomach,"Liebling, you need to eat. You don't need to go hungry when you're with me, okay?"

Kaiser placed his hand on top of Gunther's,"Okay.. I love you."

"I love you too." Gunther told him, unable to resist smiling,"Just let me take care of you when you need it, okay?"

"Will.. Will you let me do the same with you?" Kaiser looked up at him,"Take care of you?"

"If I need taken care of, there's no one I'd trust more than you to do that." Gunther hummed, and that answer seemed to satisfy Kaiser.

"I won't let you down." Kaiser nodded, his body relaxing against Gunther.

Although Gunther didn't correct his posture, just smiling down at him,"I know you won't."

Chapter Text

"Come on, Kleiner Hase, I'm only doing this because I love you." Bernhard purred, his hands trailing down Kaiser's neck.

"No- Please.. I don't want to do this." Kaiser pleaded.

"Why not?" Bernhard tilted his head, lightly squeezing Kaiser's neck,"We always have such fun together."

"Because it hurts.. I don't want to hurt anymore." Kaiser whimpered, unable to look away.

"Oh, you don't want to hurt anymore? I have a solution for that, you should have said something." Bernhard kissed his forehead.

Kaiser watched on from the corner he'd huddled himself in as Bernhard grabbed something from the table. Then... He froze. A syringe? No.. No- Kaiser knew he didn't want anything to do with that but no matter what he did, he couldn't fight off Bernhard.. He was stronger than him. No amount of pleading or begging could change Bernhard's mind and Kaiser could only let out a barely audible whimper as his limbs went limp.

"There, now you won't feel anything." Bernhard lifted up Kaiser's chin,"And now, I can do whatever I want. Isn't that fun?"

But Kaiser didn't respond, he couldn't respond. The words wouldn't leave his mouth, maybe they couldn't leave his mouth.. Nothing hurt but Kaiser wasn't completely numb. He could still feel Bernhard's hands as they trailed over his body, his neck, his wrists.. The ghost of his touch always lingered.

But then, Kaiser woke up. He let out a shaky breath and hugged himself tightly as he sat up. Bed. He was in bed with Gunther, his arm gently resting over his midsection. Kaiser... He wasn't there anymore, he wasn't with Bernhard. He was safe.. Right? Now Kaiser wanted nothing more than to curl up in Gunther's arms and pretend like nothing happened... But he couldn't. Gunther looked so peaceful and Kaiser didn't want to disturb him, not when he needed his sleep.

And so Kaiser got up and wandered into the kitchen, letting out a defeated sigh as his feet met the cold tile. He should have got his slippers. But that didn't matter. Kaiser just needed to calm down and head back to bed without disturbing Gunther and his sleep. The only thing he could think to clear his head was water, so he quickly poured himself a glass and began taking little sips until.. Kaiser broke down.

The apartment was silent.. All expect the quiet sobs of Kaiser. He desperately covered his face to silence himself as he trembled. In that moment, he needed Gunther more than anything to pull him close and reassure him that everything would be okay. His hands.. Kaiser curled up on the sofa, cuddling himself as he tried his hardest to calm down. Meanwhile, Gunther wasn't having the greatest time himself.

"Hey! Where is he?" Gunther questioned as he ran over.

"I'm really sorry but.. Kaiser is gone." The paramedic looked down.

"..What do you mean?" Gunther straighted his back, eyes widening,"What do you mean 'he's gone'?"

"He's.. No longer with us." He sighed.

Gunther shook his head,"I don't.. I don't understand."

"His injuries were too severe and we just couldn't save him.' He told him,"Bernhard.. I don't even know what he did to him.

"Can I see him?" Gunther asked quickly.

The paramedic stepped aside and Gunther hurried inside the room.. That's when be saw the white sheet, clearly covering something that shouldn't have been there. Gunther knelt down and slowly pulled back the sheet... Kaiser. At the sight of him, Gunther reached down and pulled the unmoving body of his good friend close to his chest.

It wasn't fair. Kaiser should still be here, not that asshole. All he wanted was to feel safe and in his final moments, Gunther couldn't provide that. Gunther couldn't keep him safe. That's when he started to cry. He didn't care who saw him, not anymore.. The only person he'd ever loved was gone and Gunther never had the chance to tell him. Now he never would..

"..I'm sorry." Gunther forced out, hiding his face in Kaiser's shoulder,"I'm so.. So sorry."

That's when Gunther sharply sat up, rubbing his face as he tried to calm down. A dream. Just a dream. As he began trying to relax his breathing, Gunther reached beside him... Only to find an empty bed. He looked at the empty bedsheets grasped between his fingers and for a moment, Gunther's heart sank. No.. No, he couldn't be alone here. Kaiser was.. He was here.

Gunther shook his head and got out of bed, wandering out into the darkness of the apartment. There, thankfully, he saw Kaiser curled up on the sofa, his knees pulled to his chest. More important, he heard the sniffling and put two and two together.. They'd both had bad dreams that night, hadn't they?

"..You should be in bed." Gunther commented, almost struggling to find the usual firmness in his voice.

Kaiser swallowed, hugging himself a little tighter,"So should you."

"Can.. I'm going to sit beside you, alright?" Gunther told him as he walked over.

Kaiser chuckled softly, rubbing his eyes,"I wouldn't say no."

And so Gunther took his place beside Kaiser on the sofa yet.. His boyfriend didn't move. He stayed cuddled in the corner, looking down. That's how he knew something really had to be wrong, because even though Kaiser didn't know how to ask for comfort, subconsciously his body always sought it out by coming closer to him. Gunther could only imagine..

"I didn't think you got bad dreams." Kaiser mumbled, his head resting on his knees.

"Usually, I don't. But unfortunately, they're a thing that everyone gets." Gunther sighed.

"Will you tell me what it was about?" Kaiser asked.

"That depends. Will you tell me about yours?" Gunther raised a brow.

"..Yes." Kaiser nodded.

"Alright." Gunther crossed his arms, looking off to the side,"You got hurt, bad... He hurt you and I couldn't protect you. I never got to tell you.."

Kaiser blinked, looking up at him,"You.. Had a nightmare about me?"

"Getting hurt, yes." Gunther nodded.

"I'm sorry.." Kaiser looked down.

"Don't." Gunther pointed,"Go on now, it's your turn."

Kaiser hugged himself tightly, refusing to look at Gunther,"..He was touching me- I didn't want him to and I couldn't stop him. I just had to watch as he.. But I didn't-"

"Shh, come here." Gunther held his arms out.

Kaiser whimpered before practically collapsing into Gunther's arms. He sobbed, desperately clinging onto him. Gunther sighed softly, gently rubbing Kaiser's back as he tried to soothe his boyfriend. Unlike Kaiser, his nightmares were not a frequent occurrence but.. Having one again gave him a newfound 'softness' when it came to Kaiser. In that moment, Gunther just wanted to hold him close. Safe.

"..I love you." Gunther blurted out.

Kaiser smiled softly, his tears still falling,"I love you too."

"What he did to you, it wasn't your fault." Gunther continued, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead,"I won't let anyone do that to you again."

"I know- I know." Kaiser nestled his head against Gunther's chest,"I know I'm safe with you."

Gunther held Kaiser a little tighter,"That's right, you're safe with me.. I promise."

While he may still have been tense from his nightmare, watching Kaiser slowly fall asleep in his arms did calm Gunther. It also reassured him that Kaiser still felt safe with him. He wasn't going to let anything hurt him, not this time. Gunther kissed the top of his head, resting his arms around Kaiser's waist as he began to fall asleep himself. Kaiser nuzzled against his neck and Gunther let out a small chuckle, immediately catching himself before anyone could hear. Safe, together.. They were safe.

Chapter Text

Gunther slowly opened his eyes and saw Kaiser lying beside him. Deep down he really loved those moments in the morning, before the chaos when it was just them together. It was quiet and peaceful and nobody got to know what happened in those rare moments of peace. Gunther sighed, gently resting his hand on Kaiser's cheek and brushing his thumb against it.. He really was perfect, if only he could see that.

But then Kaiser began to wake up, smiling back at Gunther and placing his hand on top of Gunther's. Even now, they didn't speak. They let the silence cover the room and they just looked into one another's eyes. For once, Kaiser didn't seem tired just.. Happy. His boyfriend was happy.

"You're staring." Kaiser hummed,"Do you think I look nice?"

"You're staring too." Gunther remarked, his hand still resting on Kaiser's cheek.

"And? I think you look nice." Kaiser shrugged as he wriggled closer to Gunther,"How about.."

"We're not having five more minutes." Gunther shook his head,"I love this as much as you but-"

"Just five?" Kaiser placed his hand on Gunther's chest,"Not even for me?"

"..Why is it so hard to say no to you?" Gunther asked.

"Because you love me too much." Kaiser smiled as he rolled onto Gunther's chest, looking down at him,"And you know how much you enjoy this."

"Alright- I get it." Gunther pulled Kaiser's head against his chest,"Go on, have your five minutes."

Kaiser snickered,"Hey-"

"You asked for this." Gunther teased, kissing the top of Kaiser's head before releasing him.

That smile... Gunther absolutely adored that smile. It was something only Gunther had really seen and only in the comforts of their own home.. Kaiser's smile. His real smile. It traveled up his whole face, reflecting in the passionate glint in his eyes.. Kaiser's smile carried a sort of childlike wonder, something he'd had to suppress since he was a young teenager in order to keep Bernhard happy. Gunther just wanted Kaiser to know that he could never be too much for him, even on his more anxious or passionate days.

"I love you." Kaiser hummed, pressing a kiss to Gunther's jaw.

"I love you too." Gunther chuckled softly, relenting as Gunther hugged him,"Have your 'five minutes' cuddle bug."

And so Gunther let him have five more minutes, only for a very pleased Kaiser to snuggle into his chest and fall asleep. Gunther gave up on fighting and.. Well, he fell asleep too. When Gunther woke back up, Kaiser was gone and he could smell.. Food? He was quick to drag himself out of bed and saw Kaiser at the stove. That's when Gunther noticed his outfit, a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans.. Was this really Kaiser?

Gunther approached, wrapping his arms around Kaiser's waist,"Liebling."

"Good morning." Kaiser smiled, looking back up at him,"Did you sleep well?"

"I did." Gunther rested his chin on Kaiser's shoulder, pressing a gentle kiss to his neck,"Did you?"

"Behave." Kaiser shuddered at his touch but he leaned back against him,"But I did."

"No nightmares?" Gunther asked.

"Not tonight, I've.. Not had one in a while, actually." Kaiser told him, turning off the stove,"Breakfast is ready, you can sit down and I'll-"

"Can't I stay here?" Gunther gave him a gentle squeeze.

"I thought I was the clingy one." Kaiser chuckled softly, shaking his head as Gunther turned him around.

"You are, I'm just proving a point." Gunther smirked, kissing his forehead,"I figured I'd act like you."

"..I don't think I act like that." Kaiser shrugged.

"Five more minutes? Please?" Gunther nestled his head against Kaiser's neck and nuzzling it, gaining a few giggles from Kaiser.

"Okay- Okay! I get it." Kaiser raised his hands in surrender.

Gunther smiled down at Kaiser before he was lead to and sat down in a chair. Kaiser sorted out both plates of food before he did the same, sitting in front of Gunther. He grinned at the sight of his plate, knowing it would be delicious... When Kaiser started eating. Just like that, he was eating- Without asking for permission or hesitating!

"Oh my god." Gunther let out a quiet gasp, covering his mouth.

"What?" Kaiser blinked,"Do.. Do you not like it? I can take it-"

"I'm so proud of you." Gunther told him, feeling tears welling up in his eyes,"You're eating."

Kaiser looked down,"I am.. I am! I just- I did it."

"You did it." Gunther agreed, holding his arms out.

Kaiser grinned, getting up and sitting back down on Gunther's lap. They wrapped their arms around one another, Kaiser even wrapping his legs around Gunther's waist, and they looked into each other's eyes. Gunther pressed a kiss to Kaiser's forehead and Kaiser nestled himself against Gunther's neck, rubbing his arms up and down Gunther's back.

"I love you." Gunther hummed, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"I love you too." Kaiser smiled softly against his skin,"You.. Gunther, this is all because of you."

"It really isn't." Gunther shook his head.

"Gunther, you were my hero- You saved my life." Kaiser told him, gripping his shirt tightly,"You've made my life so much better- Look at where I am now and where I started."

"Liebling.." Gunther sighed softly.

"You did so much for me, now you get to relax." Kaiser looked up and kissed his cheek,"Okay?"

"That.. Sounds good to me." Gunther hummed, pulling Kaiser as close as he could.

But as Gunther pulled Kaiser close and shut his eyes... He woke up. He woke up back in bed... He woke up in real life, looking up at the ceiling. Gunther sighed, gripping the sheets beside him to find.. Nobody. Nobdoy was beside him. Gunther froze briefly before doing his best to calm himself as he got out of bed.

He wandered out of the bedroom and heard shaky breathing from the sofa, his face immediately softening. When Gunther leaned down beside it, Kaiser was curled up and whimpering. A nightmare.. And so Gunther out his hand on his side, gently rubbing up and down until his breathing calmed. That's when his eyes opened, tired and teary, to see Gunther kneeling beside him.

"Hey." Gunther smiled softly, placing his hand on Kaiser's cheek.

"I'm sorry." Kaiser sighed, looking down,"I didn't wantbto disturb you so.. I came out here and tried to fall asleep again."

"Shh, it's okay. How about I start on breakfast and you can have five more minutes?" Gunther suggested, brushing his thumb against his cheek.

"Are you sure?" Kaiser asked slowly.

"I'm sure." Gunther nodded.

Kaiser, with some extra reassurance from Gunther, did manage to fall asleep on the sofa again. Gunther sighed, grabbing and covering him with a blanket and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. They still had a lot of work to do before his dreams became reality but.. Gunther believed in Kaiser. He knew his boyfriend was strong and that he could get through this. One day he'd be comfortable in short sleeves and be able to eat without permission.. That day wasn't today, but Gunther would be at Kaiser's side every step of the way to make sure he got there. One day..

Chapter Text

Axel was huddled up on the sofa, a blanket wrapped around him. Walter had been watching him for.. Well, he hadn't meant to but he had been staring for a number of minutes now. He was preparing some breakfast for himself, and Axel, and just stopped to look over at the small German to make sure he was okay. After the incident with Bernhard, Walter offered to let Axel stay with him for as long as he needed and so he'd spent the past week or so on his sofa.

While Walter had been watching him, Axel barely stared and he half-debated getting closer to make sure he was still breathing. Instead, Walter continued cooking and even began preparing two cups of coffee for the pair. Axel always offered to cook and he seemed more than happy to, but Walter wanted to be a good host and.. He felt like Axel deserved some rest, he always looked tired.

As Walter was plating up their food, he felt a gentle pressure against his shoulder. When he looked down, he saw Axel leaning against him with the blanket draped over his shoulders. He'd never seen his friend this clingy, always seeking him out but.. Maybe he was just struggling with everything that had gone on and needed the comfort. Now, Walter wasn't the most comforting guy, he wasn't sure how to do that, but he lifted his arm and allowed Axel to lean against his side before wrapping his arm around his waist.

"Good morning, Junior. Are you still tired?" Walter asked, looking down at him.

"Mm.. No. No, I'm awake." Axel mumbled, although his eyes stayed closed.

"I made breakfast." Gunther told him,"How about you go sit down?"

"Can't I just stay here?" Axel questioned as he slowly opened his eyes.

Walter let out a small chuff, patting his arm,"I suppose you could, but I'd like to sit down and eat. We have some things to.. Discuss."

"Discuss what?" Axel questioned, Walter able to feel his friend tense at the mere mention of discussions.

"Nothing bad, I just.. Have to ask you something." Walter let go of Axel,"Go on, go sit."

Axel seemed hesitant to let go, but he did and made his way to the table. Walter followed shortly after, placing both plates in front of them and starting to eat. But Axel didn't. Sure, he looked at the food but as had been the case for the entire time Axel had been here. He refused to eat... Unless of course, Walter gave him explicit permission.

"Axel." Walter nodded to him,"You're allowed to eat, okay?"

Axel quick looked up at him and smiled softly,"Thank you."

And like that, Axel began eating. It was very slowly but at least he was eating. He didn't think Axel used to eat like this when they first met so... Was this Bernhard's doing? Walter almost didn't want to ask. Now, his discussion.. How was he supposed to word this?

"Axel, I want to go out with you." Walter blurted out, crossing his arms.

"..Go out where?" Axel raised a brow.

Oh, Axel. Thank God you're so dense- That was the worst way to just say what he wanted to say.

"Just- Out. Maybe to the park, some fresh air would probably do you some good." Walter explained,"Just get dressed, I'll handle it."

"Alright, but-" Axel began.

"I know what you're going to say, just wear some of mine." Walter pointed.

Axel nodded and, after leaving a half-finished plate, he walked off to get dressed. From underneath the blanket, Walter caught a brief glimpse of what he was wearing and couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure about the bottoms but on top, Axel wore one of his jumpers to sleep and it was so big, especially on the slender Axel, that it was practically falling off of his shoulders. Could Axel wear his own clothes? Sure, but he probably had a total of two outfits and Walter wanted his friend to have more options. Besides, he adored seeing Axel in his clothes, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.

"Is this alright?" Axel asked quietly.

A pair of Walter's trousers, the belt just barely to keep itself and the trousers around Axel's waist, and another one of his jumpers. A beige one, it only emphasized to Walter how small Axel was.. But he was smiling. That sweet smile that just barely made it to his eyes, reassuring Walter that he was doing the right thing.

"Perfect." Walter nodded, hoping his wasn't smiling too much either.

Axel stood where he was in front of him, but Walter beckoned him forward. There was so many things Walter wanted to tell him, but he just wasn't sure how. Instead, Walter patted Axel's shoulder and lead him out of the house and towards the park. Was this a date of sorts? Somewhat but.. Walter shook his head and continued to the park. Axel was so quiet. Walter just wanted to know what happened to his close friend, he wanted to help him.

Eventually, when they reached the park, Walter spotted a bench and held out his hand to Axel. He looked up at him, almost hesitant, before slowly taking his hand. His hands.. They were cold and rougher than Walter had expected, but that wasn't unwelcome. When they sat down, Axel remained quiet and while they still held hands, his eyes were focused on the ground.

"Axel?" Walter looked over at him.

Axel tensed, immediately straightening his back but not looking back at Walter,"Hm?"

"..There's something I've been meaning to tell you." Walter nodded, squeezing Axel's hand.

"You want me to leave.. Right?" Axel finally looked over at him,"I've noticed it. You act all.. Different around me than everyone else, you get quiet and then-"

"No, that's not- Axel, I wouldn't kick you out.. Even if I make things awkward between us after this." Walter sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Axel blinked,"I've been on your sofa for nearly two weeks, doesn't that bother you?"

"Not in the slightest, my only worry is that you'll wake up with a sore back afterwards." Walter shrugged.

"..The sofa is actually quite nice." Axel admitted, shrinking slightly as he looked away.

Walter sighed,"Axel, what I've been trying to tell you is that.. I have feelings for you. Romantic feelings."

Axel quickly looked up at him, his face a perfect blend of confusion and shock but.. He didn't pull away. Walter was trying to scan Axel's body language to find any answers he could but his friend remained still. This was a mistake-

"I.." Axel began, hsi voice quiet,"I didn't know you felt that way. I mean, being with you.. It doesn't hurt."

"Love is not supposed to hurt." Walter told him,"You're supposed to feel safe."

Axel looked away before leaning into Walter's shoulder,"You make me feel safe."

"Nothing needs to be official, not yet." Walter assured him,"You've been through a lot and I know you need time to recover. I just wanted you to know."

"So.. What does this mean for us?" Axel asked slowly.

"I will still be firm on you during training, as I am with the others, but.. I wouldn't be opposed to being more tender with you at home." Walter explained,"I will comfort you when you need it, you can sleep in my bed."

"Really, you are too good to me already." Axel shook his head.

"Nonsense." Walter kissed the top of his head,"I'm just trying to treat you how you deserve to be treated. With care and respect."

Walter noticed Axel's face heat up and he hid his face in his shoulder. He took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Axel's waist, much like he had earlier in the morning. His friend- No. They were more than that, something closer.. Just seeing Axel nestled against his side, it made Walter want to protect him. He needed to protect him. No matter what happened next, Axel was going to be safe and he was going to be happy again. That was a promise

Chapter Text

Everything was so.. Different now. Instead of waking up dreading the day ahead, sore from whatever punishment he'd suffered the night before, Axel woke up.. Happy. These little moments were slowly becoming his favourite parts of the day, cuddled into Walter's side with his head nestled comfortably between his shoulder and neck. Axel almost couldn't believe that this was his life now. He really got to wake up like this every morning?

When Walter mentioned wanting them to be a 'normal' couple, just an absent-minded comment to himself, Axel didn't really understand. This, what they were doing now, it wasn't normal. Or was it? Axel thought what he and Bernhard had was normal, he was convinced it was. Walter hadn't punished him once but.. Axel had been as good a boyfriend as he could. Good boyfriends didn't get punished. That's when Axel remembered that their friends were coming over that afternoon, Ilja, Wolfe and Thatcher. Was the house clean? What if it was a wasn't? Would he have time to get everything perfect for them? Would Walter be angry if things weren't perfect? Would he be punished for not being on his best behavior around guests?

As the questions swarmed his brain like a horde of angry wasps, Axel curled further into Walter. Like an instinct, Walter's grip around Axel tightened, his thumb gently trailing up and down his side. He shuddered slightly, almost not expecting the affection but Axel would never refuse the attention, especially not when Walter offered it. But Axel knew he had to get up, he knew he had to clean the house.. Maybe he could get away while Walter was still sleeping?

But as Axel began go move, Walter wrapped both arms around him and pulled him close to his chest,"Going somewhere?"

"To clean." Axel nodded,"We have guests coming over later."

"Yes, later. Axel, it's still early and you're eating breakfast before any cleaning is started." Walter told him, rubbing his back,"Just close your eyes, okay? You need rest."

"I wasn't bad last night." Axel insisted.

Walter sighed,"Liebling, you were shaking and couldn't get any words out. It's okay if you had a nightmare, I was there to help."

"Fine.." Axel sighed softly, closing his eyes as Walter rolled over, still holding him just as close.

"Thank you." Walter hummed, a hint of pride in his voice,"I love you."

Axel felt the heat rise in his cheeks, burying his face in Walter's chest,"..I love you too."

Okay, did he have a nightmare last night? Yes. But really, it wasn't a big deal. He always got them, especially since the separation, but they weren't usually that bad, especially not with Walter right beside him. It just so happened that this time he wasn't able to calm himself down before Walter woke up.. But that didn't matter. Everything was fine now, he was fine. There was no chance he would get anything done now, not when Walter was so adamant about this.

And so Axel did try to get some more sleep in... He was unsuccessful. Instead, he ended up lying there worrying about everyone coming over. Yet Walter's firm arms around his waist, his breathing.. Axel could hardly feel tense thanks to it. Is that what it felt like to be safe? If it was, Axel never wanted to get up again. Maybe this whole 'resting' thing wasn't so bad after all.

Although eventually, Axel felt Walter stir and felt his arms leave his waist. It may have sounded selfish but Axel wanted him to stay longer, hold him longer, yet he stayed quiet, just watching as Walter sat up. Axel sighed, rolling onto his back and rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his palms. Right, he could get up. But as he lowered his hands and pushed himself up on his elbows, a fully-dressed Walter leaned down and cupped his cheek before pressing a swift kiss to the tip of his nose.

"You.." Walter began, his voice slow and deliberate as he searched for the right words,"You're beautiful. You know that, right?"

"If you say so." Axel hummed, leaning into Walter's touch.

"I do say so. You're beautiful." Walter repeated, this time more sure of himself than the last,"And I want you to tell me."

"Tell you.. That I'm beautiful?" Axel raised a brow, holding back a chuckle,"Walter, I-"

"You didn't sound certain of yourself when I asked, I want to make sure you know." Walter explained, his thumb gently brushing against Axel's cheek.

Axel sighed softly, not seeing the point in this,"I'm beautiful."

"Yes, you are." Walter cracked a small smile, kissing his forehead before he left the room.

Axel shook his head as he got up, starting to get dressed himself. Beautiful... It was never a word he'd used to describe himself, and Bernhard only uttered the word whenever.. No. No, Axel wasn't going to think about that. He wouldn't think about that. Walter- He was different, he wouldn't do that to Axel... Or would he?

As more unpleasant thoughts wormed their way into his brain, Axel did his best to ignore them and get dressed. There was a brief moment, a glance towards the mirror in the corner of the room that made Axel pause. His fingers trailed lightly over his collarbone, down his chest to his ribs and finishing on his hip. Axel almost hadn't realized how frail he looked but.. Bernhard liked it that way and he made sure it stayed that way for Walter. Of course Walter never made comments about his weight, but he'd never made it a point to make sure Axel put on weight.

The sound of plates in the other room snapped Axel out of his thoughts and he pulled on his clothes, quickly walking out to meet Walter. Just leaving the kitchen with two plates was Walter and Axel couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. Always so thoughtful. There was a nagging feeling in his mind that he should have taken care of breakfast, but Axel did his best to bury that. He would just take care of that when everyone else came over. Simple.

"Is that my shirt?" Walter asked as he sat the plates down, hovering by the table as Axel approached.

"Your.." Axel quickly looked down, gripping the fabric in between his fingers.

Just looking at the length of it, Axel could tell that it was Walter's. How could he have mistaken them? Walter probably thought he was stupid. Axel muttered an apology, turning to change before Walter quickly wrapped his arms around Axel's midsection.

"Wait, I.. You're free to wear my clothes if they make you feel comfortable." Walter cleared his throat, lowering his head to press a kiss to the base of Axel's neck,"It's our clothes now, I suppose."

"Our clothes." Axel nodded slowly, leaning back against Walter's chest.

"You like that, hm?" Walter hummed, leading Axel over to the table and making sure he sat down,"Now, let's eat."

While Axel didn't particularly want to eat, Walter gave him permission to and.. Well, even though Walter never denied him food, he could never be too careful. What if Walter decided that he wasn't going to eat anything else after this? There had to have been something that he'd done wrong these past few days, maybe even this morning, right? Going this long without a punishment was just making Axel.. Uneasy.

And so Axel managed to get down a majority of his breakfast, Walter finishing long before himself. It started off alright but Axel started feeling nauseous about halfway though, maybe even before that. Walter had left the table, he could have thrown it away.. Bur what if he found out? That would surely result in a punishment. So Axel forced it down, feeling his hands tremble as he struggled to swallow. Just.. Just keep it down. If he got a moment to himself later, he could p-

"Ah, are you finished?" Walter asked, placing a hand on Axel's shoulder.

"Yes- I'll just wash my plate and make sure everything is ready for the others coming over." Axel nodded as he stood.

Axel listened to Walter explain the basic gist of their hangout plans as he washed up, which consisted of watching a movie or two, before Axel got started in the kitchen. Would their guests be in the kitchen? Maybe. What if they needed to eat or grab a drink? Well, Axel would get it for them but- Well, he still wanted to clean up the kitchen. The counters were scrubbed, everything they'd used was dried and put away and, although he was pulled away by Walter before finishing, he'd made a start of sorting the shelves.

"Axel, relax." Walter rubbed his arms, a look of almost concern on his face,"The house is tidy enough, you don't need to reorganize the shelves because our friends are coming over."

"I know, but-" Axel tried.

"If you really want to tidy, you can fix up the sofa while I vacuum." Walter patted his back, Axel tensing at the unintentional heaviness of his hands.

"Right." Axel nodded slowly.

And so Axel did sort out the sofa, brushing it down and adjusting the cushions. Would he have preferred vacuuming? Yes. But there was no way Axel was going to argue with Walter, he couldn't! Even if he tried, Axel would probably freeze up and let Walter punish him for his insolence. Who was he to question Walter? Axel didn't even hear the vacuum stop, he just felt himself being pulled down onto the sofa.

"There, see? Everything is perfect." Walter assured him, brushing some stray hairs back into place,"Now we relax and wait. Do you have any preference for the movie?"

"None at all." Axel answered, leaning against Walter's shoulder.

"Do you.. Have a favourite movie?" Walter asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Not at the moment, no." Axel shook his head.

Axel hadn't once come to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, someone would want him to have an opinion on something. A casual opinion that wouldn't get him beaten. He wasn't allowed an opinion, and even if he was, he knew it didn't matter. They remained together on the sofa like that, wrapped up in each other's embrace until they heard a knock at the door.

"Ah- I'll get it." Axel was quick to his feet, his hand lingering by Walter's before he hurried over and opened the door for three friends.

"Axel." Dragunov hummed, Thatcher and Wolfe at his side,"How are you going?"

"Good- Good." Axel nodded, holding the door open,"Come in, please."

There were brief pleasantries exchanged as they entered taking off and hanging up their coats. Axel tried to offer to help but he just stood quietly and, well, awkwardly in the corner. He lead the trio towards the sofa, quickly taking his place cosied in at Walter's side. His safe space. As the others spoke, the movie continuing to play in front of them, Axel tried his best not to look at the TV. He tried everything to tune it out, to ignore it by hiding his face in Walter's shoulder.. Before he stood up, surely the others would want something. Drinks. He could get drinks and-

"Liebling." Walter grabbed his hand,"Where are you going?"

Axel tensed, his eyes falling short of Walter's gaze,"To get drinks for everyone."

"That's very thoughtful, Axel, but you can relax." Walter assured him.

"..No- Please, just let me do something for you all." Axel shook his head, the attention of the other three now on him as well.

"Junior, are you okay?" Thatcher raised a brow.

"I..I have to.." Axel blinked as Walter slowly lowered him back to the sofa, wrapping an arm around his waist.

The room was quiet, did they pause the TV? Axel wasn't sure.. When he briefly glanced up, they were surrounding him, worried looks on their faces. Great. Just what he wanted. He'd messed up their hang out, he was going to be punished for that.

"Axel?" Dragunov asked slowly,"What exactly happened.. Between you and Bernhard?"

It was a question he'd dreaded hearing, one that Axel had only given details of to the police when they probed. Now it wasn't that he didn't trust his friends, but he didn't want them to worry. Axel didn't see most of what happened as a 'big deal', he previously thought that's just what happened in relationships and that he just needed to deal with it. But.. Maybe now..

"He hurt me- But I deserved it." Axel began, his voice quiet as the words started falling from his mouth,"I was punished for my mistakes- Walter, I keep expecting them but they never come."

"Axel.." Walter shook his head.

"And he regulated what I ate- How much I ate, if I was allowed to eat. I haven't been allowed such leniency in years." Axel continued, feeling the corners of his eyes start to burn as they filled with tears,"And.. And I was for his eyes only. Everything is just so different- I don't understand.."

Walter looked up at Wolfe and they shared a look before Wolfe nodded, leading the other two aside as Walter brought Axel back to their room. Thatcher and Dragunov insisted that they wanted to help, but Wolfe kept them behind. Right now, Axel needed Walter. Thye would be there for him to lean on when he needed that, but for now, they would take a step back.

In the room, Walter eased Axel onto the bed and knelt in front of him. He took his hands, feeling Axel tense beneath his touch. Walter sighed and went to released him, until Axel reached out and interlocked their fingers. Those few seconds were silent, aside from Axel's shaky breaths as he tried to hold himself together.

"Sorry.." Axel forced out,"This was- It was supposed to be fun."

"Hey, you don't have to apologize for this. Ever." Walter assured him, gently squeezing his hands.

"You can go, if you want.. Finish the movie." Axel told him,"I'll stay here and-"

"Not going to happen." Walter stood up, only to sit back down beside Axel,"I'll stay here for as long as you need."

Axel leaned into Walter's chest, burying his face in the crook of his neck,"..I trust you."

Walter smiled softly as he adjusted himself so he was able to hold Axel close. He'd message Wolfe later and explain the situation. They'd hang out another time but his friends were free to remain and finish the movie if they so wished. In the meantime, Walter did what he could to comfort and soothe Axel. His boyfriend's eyes began to flutter shut, probably exhausted from worrying all the time and Walter paused.

"Should I stop talking?" Walter asked quietly.

"Don't." Axel mumbled,"Your voice is soothing.. It's keeping me grounded."

"Then I'll keep talking." Walter nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of Axel's head,"I love you."

"I.. I love you too." Axel clung to him tighter, as if Walter was going to disappear if he ever let go.

Walter continued to calm Axel down, brushing away any stray tears with his thumb until he heard the switch in his breathing. Heavy. Relaxed. Walter let out a sigh as he cradled the back of Axel's head with one hand, the other still around his waist.

"No one's going to hurt you again, I swear." Walter spoke softly.

Walter wasn't a man to make promises. But this? This was a promise he was going to keep.

Chapter Text

We both have to do better.

Kaiser took those words to heart. Yes. He did have to do better. Failure wasn't accepted in Imperium and he'd been on a streak of losses as of late. Kaiser couldn't even win when testing with his General.. He needed to do better. Kaiser wasn't sure how long he'd been at the gym but when he left, it was dark. And raining. Without thinking, Kaiser pulled up his hood and went to walk home before he heard a car horn. Kaiser froze up, turning towards the sound and.. Gunther?

He approached the car, his General's car, and opened the door before sitting down. Kaiser kept his gaze low, not looking up at Gunther who hadn't spoken either. And while every muscle in his body ached from the strain of his prolonged exercise, Kaiser refused to relax or slouch. He had to have disappointed his General, not worked hard enough- Or maybe he was angry that Kaiser had stayed out too long and wasted his time. Kaiser noticed Gunther sigh out of the corner of his eye, before handing a bag over to Kaiser.

"Eat. I'm not having you starving yourself." Gunther pointed,"Once you've eaten at least something from that bag, I'm going to prepare dinner. You will eat that as well."

Kaiser looked away, knowing he didn't deserve it. He hadnt even looked inside the bag, but knowing it contained food made Kaiser more hesitant to look inside. Just thinking about eating made him feel nauseous..

"Marcel. Do you understand?" Gunther asked him.

"I understand, Mein General." Kaiser swallowed, although he still didn't check the bag.

Part of Kaiser hoped that maybe Gunther would let him off with not eating but he kept sending him glances whenever they stopped at red lights. He reluctantly looked inside the bag and pulled out the smallest thing he could find, a yogurt, and took that out to eat. Kaiser looked up at Gunther before he began to eat, he would be fine. Everything was okay. He noticed Gunther raise his hand and tensed.. Before Gunther gently ran his hand through Kaiser's hair.

"Good boy." Gunther told him.

Kaiser smiled softly. That was right. Good boy. He was good. Maybe Gunther wasn't upset with him anymore, and maybe he wouldn't have to eat dinner now. When they arrived home, Kaiser decided that he had more work to do. He had been out so long and couldn't remember what he had and hadn't cleaned before he left. At the sight of him going towards the cabinet containing the cleaning supplies, Gunther grabbed his arm.

"No. Was that the first thing you've eaten today?" Gunther asked.

"..Maybe-" Kaiser looked away.

"Yes or no." Gunther took Kaiser's chin, forcing him to look up at him.

"Yes, Mein General." Kaiser nodded.

Gunther sighed, letting go of Kaiser,"Go get changed into something more comfortable and then sit down. You're going to eat dinner."

Kaiser bit his cheek but nodded, retreating to their bedroom. He changed into some sweatpants and a short-sleeved t-shirt, clothes Gunther had bought for him that he would never dream of wearing in public but.. He wanted to wear them now. Of course he liked his turtlenecks but.. Maybe it was time for a change. Although once he was changed, Kaiser didn't immediately go back out to Gunther. He stopped and looked at himself in the mirror and.. Was that really him? Kaiser didn't remember the last time he properly looked at himself in the mirror, properly took in his features and..

Kaiser shook his head, there was no time for that now. Instead, Kaiser walked out of the bedroom and looked towards Gunther cooking in the kitchen. It smelled amazing, it always did, but Kaiser still felt like he should be doing more. While Gunther had his back turned, Kaiser managed to grab a cloth and began dusting the shelves. He even continued after Gunther had finished cooking and sat down with his bowl of pasta.

"Maus." Gunther called to him,"Your food is ready, come sit."

Kaiser shook his head,"I can't."

"You can. You have permission." Gunther assured him.

"I'm okay, really." Kaiser continued just trying to clean, but Gunther wasn't have any of it.

"Kaiser. Sit." Gunther ordered, his tone now sharp and it cut through Kaiser like a bullet before he sighed,"Please."

Kaiser nodded quickly and lowered himself to the ground at Gunther's feet. He didn't fully understand why his General wanted him to sit. Did he need a footstool? Or maybe a foot massage. Kaiser would be more than willing to do both if he was asked. But maybe he just wanted Kaiser on his knees because it would be easier to hit him. He had been disrespectful for refusing his General's wishes and.. Assumed a punishment for his previous failings would be on its way as well.

But instead, Gunther began combing his free hand through Kaiser's hair again. Kaiser would be lying if he said he wanted Gunther to stop. Although it took a few minutes, Kaiser eventually ended up with his back against the couch with Gunther's legs almost boxing him in. And that was... Nice, actually. It was safe. Another bonus was that he couldn't misbehave here, he could relax free of that fear.

"Marcel." Gunther hummed softly.

"Hm?" Kaiser looked up to see Gunther holding out his fork, a piece of pasta on the end.

"Go on, take it." Gunther nodded.

Kaiser was hesitant but he did eat the pasta and.. Gunther smiled. After another moment or so, Gunther held out his fork again. He continued feeding Kaiser little bits of his meal and Kaiser liked that too. Of course, he wouldn't want to admit to Gunther that he was hungry but now he didn't need to worry about eating too much, not if his General was feeding him. Kaiser really was thankful for Gunther.. He was so patient, even when Kaiser didn't deserve it.

"You did really well, Maus." Gunther told him, resting his hands on Kaiser's shoulders.

"I'll do better.." Kaiser assured him.

Gunther sighed,"Kaiser, you are doing enough. That stuff I said on Monday was for the character."

"..I still let you down." Kaiser shook his head.

"Nein, Maus." Gunther leaned down, turning Kaiser to look at him,"You didn't let me down, okay?"

Kaiser looked down, resting his head on Gunther's thigh,"Okay."

Gunther ran his fingers through Kaiser's hair, resting his hand on the back of his neck,"I promise, Liebling."

"..I love you." Kaiser spoke quietly, closing his eyes.

"I love you too." Gunther smiled, brushing his thumb against his neck,"Don't forget that."

One day, Gunther thought, one day he and Kaiser would be able to be a 'normal' couple. He knew it. Kaiser just needed time, and Gunther would help him heal. Maybe he needed to choose his words more carefully to avoid panic like this in the future. For now, Gunther would settle for Kaiser finding comfort on the floor between his legs. He was okay feeding Kaiser whatever he could get him to eat. It was progress in the right direction.

Chapter Text

It was.. Strange. A strange feeling, having to clean up your own blood. But it was one that Kaiser had gotten used to over the years he'd spent with Bernhard. He scrubbed the tiled floor until it was pristine, the evidence of Bernhard's crime a distant memory. As Kaiser got to his feet, he checked the time and froze. Five thirty. Bernhard was going out soon and Kaiser knew exactly what it meant, though he found almost some sense of comfort in the action of being bound. He hated it, of course he did, but at least Bernhard knew he was being disobedient if he was tied up in the closet.

"Kaiser." Bernhard called to him as he walked in,"Have you finished in here?"

"Yes, sir. Everything is clean." Kaiser nodded, keeping his words brief.

"Good. Now, come here." Bernhard beckoned him over, taking a zip tie out from his back pocket.

Kaiser silently approached Bernhard, readily holding his wrists out in front of him. He was a good boy. Bernhard seemed pleased as he tied Kaiser's wrists, quick and efficient. Once he was bound, Bernhard pressed a kiss to Kaiser's bruised neck- He forced him against the kitchen counter, kissing down Kaiser's neck. Kaiser could feel his teeth trail along the marks on his neck and he couldn't fight back, even if he wanted to. Under normal circumstances, Kaiser wouldn't have denied his boyfriend's advances but now? Now he just felt so.. Vulnerable. No- No, Kaiser didn't like this.

"Sir, please-" Kaiser whimpered, falling silent as Bernhard grabbed his face.

"I have needs, kleiner Hase. You know this." Bernhard sighed,"I just wanted to have a little fun before I had to go."

"No more.." Kaiser pleaded, his voice barely there.

"No more?" Bernhard leaned in closer, kissing Kaiser's lips,"Fine.. It's not as fun when you don't try to fight back."

Kaiser tried to keep his breathing steady as Bernhard pulled him towards the bedroom, forcing him inside the closet and slamming the door shut. Now he was alone in the dark, curled up with his knees pulled tightly to his chest. As the minutes of silence ticked by, the only sounds he could hear was his own shallow breathing and.. And woah.. Kaiser blinked, his head felt all fuzzy. What was going on? It was getting harder to breathe.

The next thing Kaiser remembered was waking up.. In a hospital bed. He was cold- And all the injuries once visible on his body were carefully wrapped up in bandages. At some point a nurse explained the situation to him, something about blood loss and lack of oxygen, but Kaiser wasn't focused on that. If he was here.. Where was Bernhard? That question was answered too. Police custody. Despite all the lies he'd told throughout their relationship, Bernhard just couldn't convince the police that what happened to Kaiser, any of it, was accidental or self-inflicted. They suggested he called someone to pick him up when he was cleared.. And Kaiser could only think of one man.

Kaiser took out his phone and called his best friend,"..Gunther?"

"Kaiser? Is everything okay?" Gunther asked,"You sound tired."

"Can you.. Pick me up?" Kaiser swallowed.

"Of course. Where are you?" Gunther questioned.

"The hospital." Kaiser told him, bracing himself for an outburst.

"Hospital- My god, Kaiser- What happened? Are you okay? No. Scratch that, tell me when I get there. I'll be there soon." Gunther rambled on before hanging up.

Kaiser sat quietly, just awaiting the arrival of Gunther. He wasn't sure how long it took but before long, Gunther hurried into the room and he immediately began looking over Kaiser. Unlike Beneath, Gunther was so gentle with him as he examined all of the bandaged areas before he cupped Kaiser's cheek.

"What happened, Kaiser?" Gunther furrowed his brow,"Was it him? Did he hurt you?"

"..I'm sorry, I didn't want you to worry." Kaiser leaned into Gunther's touch.

"Didn't want me to worry? Kaiser, he's been abusing you." Gunther sighed, brushing his thumb against his cheek,"Do you need to stay with me?"

Kaiser nodded,"Yes, please- But I don't want to be a bother."

"You're my best friend. You aren't a bother." Gunther assured him,"I'd let you stay with me any time, no questions asked."

"Thank you.." Kaiser closed his eyes.

And so Kaiser began staying with Gunther, living with him as soon as he was discharged from the hospital. Most of his injuries were superficial bruises and cuts, at least this time around. Even though he was staying with Gunther, Kaiser continued doing what he usually did. He did all the housework, despite Gunther's efforts to try and help. It was his job, after all. Although, as the days went on, something became abundantly clear to Kaiser. Gunther wasn't tying him up, he never bound his wrists. To any normal person, that would be a relief.. But not Kaiser. No. Kaiser assumed that the lack of bidning meant he had to be working at all times. So that's how Kaiser continued with Gunther, often working himself to exhaustion. Sometimes he worked so hard that he ended up passed out on the couch, always waking up covered by a blanket, or even at the foot of Gunther's bed.

Although one day, Kaiser just didn't know what else to do. He'd done everything and had essentially run out of chores to do. The apartment was sparkling, it had been cleaned essentially top to bottom throughout the week so there was little to do. Dinner was also cooking but Kaiser wouldn't need to check on it for about twenty minutes and.. Well, he couldn't spend that time doing nothing, not when he should be working. But Gunther caught his eye, sat on the sofa as he read, oblivious to his internal struggle. Maybe he could just.. Ask Gunther to tie him up, just this once. And so he did. Kaiser cautiously approached Gunther, gently resting his hand on his arm until he looked up.

"Kaiser, are you alright?" Gunther tilted his head.

"Sir- Gunther, could you tie me up. Please?" Kaiser asked him, his voice trembling with each word,"There's nothing left to do immediately, I promise, I just need a few minutes to rest.. Please."

"What?" Gunther blinked,"No- Kaiser, I'm not tying you up."

But Kaiser looked down, his shoulders falling as he tried to think of something to occupy himself with. He was so tired.. But he couldn't rest, not if Gunther wouldn't allow it. Although Gunther was quick to pull Kaiser onto his lap, holding him close to his chest.

"But.. If you insist, we can do this instead." Gunther told him, rubbing his back,"It's basically the same thing because I know you aren't going anywhere."

Gunther hated that reasoning, it just felt so.. Controlling. He hated it, but.. It did seem to calm Kaiser down. In fact, Kaiser seemed incredibly eager to cuddle up in his arms. And Gunther wasn't complaining either, he loved holding Kaiser close like this. He.. Loved Kaiser.

"Why did you want me to tie you up, hm?" Gunther asked, gently running his thumb against the back of Kaiser's neck.

"Because.. That's what Bernhard did." Kaiser answered,"When I wasn't working, or when he was going out, he would zip-tie my wrists and leave me in the closet. The last time he.. He tried to- But I.."

"Oh, you poor thing.." Gunther shook his head, gently cupping Kaiser's cheek,"Kaiser, that isn't okay."

Kaiser nestled his head in the crook of Gunther's neck,"Sorry.."

"No- Don't be sorry, it isn't your fault." Gunther sighed,"Is that why you've been working yourself to exhaustion? Because I haven't made you stop by tying you up?"

"I just thought.. You wanted me to always be working." Kaiser nodded slowly.

Gunther pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Kaiser's head as he pulled him closer. He figured that tying Kaiser up seemed to be Bernhard's solution to dealing with Kaiser's excess energy, something he'd seen less and less of as his relationship continued with Bernhard. Now Gunther loved Kaiser fat too much to allow him to keep hurting like this.. So he devised his own plan. Instead of tying him up, Gunther told Kaiser that he was welcome to sit on his lap or between his feet whenever he needed to rest. And both he and Kaiser fell in love with that. Kaiser found every reason he could to cuddle up on Gunther's lap, which thankfully got him working less.

"And.. You're sure this is okay?" Kaiser asked for the fifth time that week.

"Yes, Kaiser. I'm more than happy for you to rest here." Gunther told him,"Do you like it?"

"..I like it a lot." Kaiser admitted.

"Good." Gunther began petting his hair.

"Good- I'm good? Am I a good boy?" Kaiser asked quickly, perking up.

"Yes, Kaiser. You're such a good boy." Gunther smiled softly.

Kaiser smiled back, closing his eyes as he curled up against his chest. In Gunther's opinion, Kaiser was the best boy. He deserved so much better and Gunther was going to make sure he remained happy and healthy from this moment on. No more zip-ties, no more beatings, no more assaults.. Gunther was going to protect Kaiser, with his life if he needed to. Kaiser was safe here.

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry.. Please, I'm sorry.." Kaiser sobbed, rocking himself back and forth on the bedroom floor.

Kaiser hadn't moved from that spot, not since.. The fight. He didn't understand- God, he didn't understand. He and Gunther never fought, that was the simple truth of the matter, so he'd never had to go through... This. The loneliest, the desperation for Gunther to return and comfort him, to tell him that everything would be okay. But that didn't happen. Why hadn't Kaiser just deferred to him like always? Why did he have to find his stupid voice now? Kaiser had lost track of the times he'd called Gunther's phone and received no answer, but he still called again.

One ring.. Two rings.. Three rings.. Four rings.. Five rings and sent to voicemail yet again. Kaiser had to choke back a sob, trying to smother it with his hand before he had to leave Gunther another message. Part of him was starting to wonder if Gunther even listened to any if his messages, if he heard the pain Kaiser was in and was just.. Ignoring him to make the pain worse. Gunther wouldn't do that, right?

"I'm sorry- Gunther, please.. Please come back." Kaiser pleaded, not even caring how desperate he sounded,"I need you.. I can't live without you- Please! I'll- I'll be good, I promise.."

Kaiser stopped the recording as he was again unable to control his sobbing. How long had he been waiting for Gunther to return? A day? Maybe two? He wasn't sure.. But maybe Gunther was watching him through some secret camera, maybe he was waiting for him to prove that he was still a good boyfriend. Kaiser could do that- Really, he could. And so Kaiser forced himself to his feet on shaky legs, doing whatever he could to suppress his sobs and sniffles.. He had to prove that he was still a good boy, maybe then Gunther would come back.

What would Gunther want him to do first? Kaiser had been awful to him, yet he was struggling to remember specifics, but he knew he had to have been bad for Gunther to just leave! So Kaiser headed for the bedroom first and went straight to the closet, still filled with his and Gunther's clothes. Well, soon-to-be only Gunther's clothes. Kaiser had grabbed a plastic bag and one by one, he started placing all of his outfits that he'd been allowed to accumulate over the years into it, leaving behind only his two oldest turtlenecks and trousers. Although Kaiser.. Hesitated as he grabbed the blue turtleneck from it's hanger, gripping the fabric tightly between his fingers.

"Gunther- I.. I know I shouldn't even be asking this but, well, I liked the look of this turtleneck and.. Was wondering if you think I should get it." Kaiser averted his gaze, showing Gunther said turtleneck.

Gunther gently lifted Kaiser's chin and smiled softly,"It matches your eyes, Liebling."

"Yeah- Yes, it does." Kaiser nodded.

"Do you like it?" Gunther asked.

"Well.. Yes, I do like it. But-" Kaiser tried to speak.

"If you like it, you should get it." Gunther told him, "You're allowed to wear whatever you like, as long as you like it and it makes you feel comfortable."

Kaiser shook his head, holding the blue turtleneck close to his chest. No. He didn't deserve it anymore, didn't deserve any new or nice clothes. But.. Gunther wanted him to have this- He was the one that encouraged Kaiser to buy it. He probably didn't even look good in it anymore, not now that he's gained more weight.

"How.. Do I look?" Kaiser asked slowly, uncertain of himself.

"Perfect." Gunther gently took Kaiser's hand as he smiled, "You look perfect."

Maybe.. Maybe Gunther would forgive him if he secretly kept this one. Kaiser just shook his head, unable to get rid of the blue turtleneck. It meant so much to him, meant so much to Gunther.. So Kaiser carefully folded it, hiding it at the bottom of the closet where Gunther wouldn't look for it. He knew he didn't deserve it, but surely Gunther would understand. See? Look, he was being a good boy. Kaiser looked around the room, holding up his bag of clothes as proof, just in case someone was watching. He brought the bag into the kitchen and carefully sat it by the door, like a cat displaying the prey it had caught for it's owner right where they would see it. There, see? He was good.

Then, of course, Kaiser knew exactly what he had to do. Clean. What kind of a boyfriend would he be if everything wasn't pristine for Gunther's arrival home, because Kaiser was sure that he would cone back soon. And besides, Kaiser loved cleaning! It was one thing that he was really good at, one thing that he took a lot of pride in doing right. So Kaiser began by doing the simple things, dusting off all the shelves wiping down the tables. Then he cleaned all the windows before working on individual rooms. Rugs were vacuumed, the sofa brushed down and cushion covers washed.

In the kitchen, because all the dishes were already clean, Kaiser got to work on the meticulous task of sorting through all the cabinets, making a list of everything they needed from the store, and then making sure all the dishes were organized inside their respective cabinets too. With the cushion covers dried and placed back on the sofa, Kaiser then went to tackle the bedroom. More vacuuming and then changing everything on the bed, putting the old stuff in for a wash before he changed the duvet and pillow cases. It looked so comfortable, as all freshly made beds did, but Kaiser didn't dare lay down or try to rest. God, no. He didn't deserve the luxury of lying in his General's bed after what he'd done, Kaiser would sooner through himself out of the window before he considered that.

With everything else done, Kaiser realized he had one final place to clean. The bathroom. Kaiser could easily spend house any day cleaning the bathroom, scrubbing it until it was pristine, until the tiles began to shine like little mirrors. Gunther had always encouraged him to be more careful when he was using the cleaning chemicals but in that moment, Kaiser didn't care. Why would he? He didn't deserve to be protected from the chemicals. Besides, he'd been just fine before. So that's what Kaiser did. He spent God knows how long scrubbing, polishing and cleaning the entire bathroom, despite the uncomfortable sick feeling working it's way up his throat. No. No- He was.. But Kaiser was hit with a wave of dizziness, quickly lowering himself to the ground. Just.. Just breathe. He was fine.

"I'm okay, I promise." Kaiser reassured him,"Really, I don't need anything."

"I'm glad to hear that you're alright, but I really think you should just rest for you." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"You've been working so hard, you need a break."

"Are you sure? I feel fine." Kaiser shook his head.

"Maus, you collapsed." Gunther reminded him, "People who feel 'fine' don't tend to collapse."

"That was nothing- Really. Honestly, I'm okay and I don't need anything." Kaiser repeated.

Gunther sighed, nuzzling the back of Kaiser's neck,"Okay.. But no more cleaning today. Everything is already clean and we can go to bed."

Kaiser winced, closing his eyes tightly as he waited for the dizziness to pass, waited for his lungs to stop burning. He desperately wanted Gunther return and reassure him that everything would be okay now, that he knew Kaiser was a good boy. His good boy. And they would curl up together in the freshly made bed, they'd smile.. Because they loved one another, and Gunther would hold Kaiser close to his chest, keep him safe. But Kaiser still had to prove himself, prove that he was still a good boyfriend. And slowly, Kaiser pulled himself to his feet, trying to ignore how ill he felt as he walked out and into the kitchen, feeling his stomach growl.

The final piece of his puzzle, a meal. Kaiser would make dinner for Gunther in hopes that it might spur on his return home. He.. He was a good boy. Although the more he repeated it, the less Kaiser believed himself. If he was such a good boy, Gunther wouldn't have left him here, wouldn't have abandoned him like a dog at the side of the road. But still, Kaiser continued trying to persuade him to return by cooking for him, one of his favourite soups. He prepared it just how Gunther liked it, as he always did. In fact, he made sure everything was to Gunther's liking. The food, the cutlery, even the way things were positioned on the table because Kaiser paid so much attention to the way his General preferred things.

Yet as he sank to the floor beside the table, clutching his empty stomach, Kaiser began to wonder if Gunther really would return. Of course he hoped and prayed that would be the case, but the doubt still lingered. What if Gunther didn't think he was a good boy anymore? What if was waiting for him to just give up before returning? Or what if he was trying to find a replacement for Kaiser? He whimpered, hating any and all possibilities that didn't involve Gunther returning to his side and he began chewing on the ends of his sleeves. But.. Kaiser was tired. As he sat there, almost curled in on himself, Kaiser felt so.. Light-headed. All he wanted was Gunther to return to make everything feel better... And then it all went black.

And like nothing ever happened, Kaiser slowly came to in bed. Oh.. Oh, thank goodness, it was just a dream. Kaiser smiled softly as he rolled over, reaching out for Gunther... But he wasn't there. He continued desperately reaching out, only grasping the cold and empty bedsheets beside him. No.. No- It couldn't be real. Gunther couldn't be gone. Kaiser quickly stumbled out of bed, hurrying out of their bedroom, already unable to see Gunther in the living room.

"Gunther?" Kaiser hurried to the kitchen, feeling his heart rate spiking when he wasn't there either, it looked untouched.

No, no, no! Gunther had to be here- Kaiser couldn't be alone.. And so Kaiser ran on unsteady feet to the bathroom. Nothing. It was empty and just as clean as he'd left it. Kaiser slowly returned to the middle of the apartment, trying to calm his ragged breathing. There was nothing, no indication that Gunther was here.

"Please.. Gunther, this isn't funny." Kaiser called out, desperation seeping out of his voice,"..Please?"

But nothing, no response. Kaiser was barely able to suppress his sobs when.. Click. The door. He turned sharply to the sound and watched as Gunther walked in, a small bag in his hand. He was.. Here. He was right here- Kaiser could've cried. But Gunther was totally oblivious to the mental pain his boyfriend had gone through in his absence.

"Kaiser." Gunther smiled softly, although it faltered when he noticed his face,"Schatz, are you okay?"

"Gunther- You're back!" Kaiser cried, running into his arms and just breaking down.

"Woah, Liebling.. What's the matter?" Gunther asked him, gently rubbing his back,"I was only gone for an hour, I was picking up some last minute Christmas stuff."

"I.. I didn't think you were coming back." Kaiser sobbed,"We- We fought and-"

"What fight? Schatz, there was no fight." Gunther shook his head,"Did you have a nightmare? One where we fought?"

"Mhm.." Kaiser sniffled, looking up at Gunther,"I-I was a bad boyfriend.. But I fixed it, I promise."

"Kaiser, I don't think a universe exists where you're a bad boyfriend." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"Do you want cuddles?"

Kaiser nodded as he choked back another sob and Gunther smiled, scooping Kaiser up in his arms and sitting down on the sofa. He held Kaiser close, gently rocking him back and forth as the slender German chewed on the ends of his sleeves. A nightmare, just a horrible nightmare. They didn't fight, and Gunther hadn't abandoned him.. Kaiser felt stupid for how easily worked up he was.

"Does that feel better?" Gunther asked him, kissing the side of his head.

"Mhm.." Kaiser responded, curled up against Gunther's chest.

"Liebling, even if we did fight, I would never leave you." Gunther assured him.

"But I was bad.." Kaiser told him.

"You're not bad, Kaiser. You're a good boy, you're my good boy." Gunther reminded him, gently petting his hair,"Now, what are you?"

"I'm.. I'm a good boy." Kaiser smiled softly.

"That's right." Gunther hummed,"Now, how about once you've calmed down, I make you something nice for breakfast, hm? Does that sound good?"

Kaiser nodded, lightly kissing Gunther's jaw,"Thank you.."

"You deserve it." Gunther told him.

Kaiser nestled his face in the crook of Gunther's neck. Deserved it? He deserved it? He wasn't exactly sure he did, but he was so happy that Gunther was holding him. I'm that moment, neither of them spoke and Gunther just.. Held Kaiser close, continuing to pet his hair. He was safe, and Gunther was never going to abandon him... He was a good boy.

Chapter Text

Kaiser softly hummed the Imperium theme song to himself as he busied himself early that morning. It wasn't unusual for him to wake up first or even quite a bit before his General. He didn't mind that though, finding the quiet of an early morning in his own home.. Just so relaxing. It was something that he didn't get often with their schedule on the road, peace and quiet. Everything was so busy and loud all the time, so he really appreciated these moments.

While alone, Kaiser got to work on breakfast. While Gunther never forced him to cook as he enjoyed making food for them both, or at least himself, Kaiser always did what he could for his General. Kaiser wanted to make breakfast for Gunther. Maybe it was for the praise, maybe it was out of love.. Regardless, it was something enjoyed doing. For once, they didn't have any plans. It was.. Odd. Typically, there was a whole schedule or list of things that needed done but.. Today, there wasn't. He expected they'd go train at some point, but to Kaiser's knowledge there was nothing else that actually needed done.

Kaiser had just finished plating their food and had begun pouring a cup of coffee when Gunther emerged from their room. He still seemed a little groggy, clearly having not been awake for that long unlike Kaiser. But he didn't mind. All it meant was that Kaiser got to do these little things for his General, like preparing him breakfast and making his coffee just how he liked it. Kaiser had it memorized at this point, practically able to make Gunther's coffee unconsciously now. There were a few times in the beginning of their relationship when something was slightly off and Gunther commented on it.. His General's coffee had to be perfect, Kaiser had to be perfect.

"Thank you." Gunther mumbled, rubbing his face as Kaiser placed the plate in front of him at the table.

"No problem, mein General." Kaiser nodded to him before grabbing his own plate and sitting in front of Gunther.

His portion was smaller than Gunther's, although they were eating the same thing. Kaiser had dealt with his fair share of.. Issues when he was younger, doing whatever he could to hide his mental battles from Gunther. Why wouldn't he? Kaiser didn't want to appear weak in front of the man he admired so much. It wasn't a problem nowadays, but Kaiser still didn't eat as much as Gunther. But that made sense. Kaiser, while certainly in peak physical condition, wasn't as bulky as Gunther, he didn't need to eat the same amount as his General. Breakfast.. It was relatively quiet. They had to reason to really talk while eating, small talk wasn't a thing in Germany.. Even if Kaiser didn't mind making idle chat with his boyfriend over a meal.

"Mein General, what are your plans for today?" Kaiser asked him, knowing those plans would dictate his own.

"Training." Gunther nodded,"Then.. I don't know, but we have a whole day to kill."

"Of course, mein General." Kaiser hummed, getting back to his food.

"Kaiser, at- You know at home.." Gunther sighed, struggling to find his words.

"Mein General?" Kaiser raised a brow.

It was honestly amusing at times, watching Gunther trying to break from his usual firmness. He never knew what to say, struggling to even speak in a way that didn't sound authoritative. Regardless of what he said or how he said it, he would probably come across that way. His General was never one for words, especially not ones that weren't commands or reprimands. No. Instead, Gunther got up from his chair and placed a hand on Kaiser's shoulder.

"You don't need to address me like that at home, as your General." Gunther told him, clearing his throat,"At work, or at the gym? Yes, that's fine. But here.. Here I am just Gunther. Your boyfriend."

"But you aren't just Gunther." Kaiser blinked,"You're-"

"Shh." Gunther pressed a finger to Kaiser's lips, causing the heat to rise in his cheeks,"Don't back talk."

Kaiser nodded slowly as Gunther removed his finger,"Yes, m.. Gunther."

"Good." Gunther patted his shoulder,"Now, go get dressed and ready for the gym. I want to get this done so I can figure out what we're doing for the rest of today."

Kaiser nodded and did as he was instructed, heading back to their room. He got himself dressed into just some of his regular gym gear before pausing. One of Gunther's hoodies had fallen off it's hanger, so Kaiser picked it up and went to hang it back up... But what if he wore it? Would that be too much? He'd heard about people in relationships doing things like this, but would Gunther be upset? Maybe he could just try it and see how he reacted. Kaiser tensed, looking around before be pulled on the hoodie, smiling to himself. It smelled like Gunther, it honestly relaxed Kaiser and he wasn't used to it.

Now ready for the day, Kaiser made his way through to Gunther. Gunther noticed him, nodded and got up to get changed himself, now finished with his breakfast. Yet Gunther stopped. As he was walking by Kaiser, he stopped and grabbed his arm, looking him up and down in the hoodie. Kaiser froze up. He was expecting to be made to remove it, expecting to be told off and lectured for being so soft.. But it never came. Gunther nodded to him before just letting him go and entering their bedroom. Kaiser sighed, almost sinking further into the hoodie. He couldn't help it- It felt so good, like Gunther was just.. Holding him.

Kaiser cleared his throat, trying to shake away those thoughts as he had other things to focus on. While Gunther was getting changed, Kaiser took it upon himself to just fo the dishes himself as well. Why not? It just made sense for him to do them now. It didn't take too long for Gunther to join him and so the pair got into Gunther's car and he drove them to the gym. Again, the car ride was quiet with the barely audible hum of the radio playing in the background. It was.. Just them sitting in the car. Kaiser occasionally glanced over at Gunther, but be quickly had to look away before he lost himself in another daydream about his General. He shouldn't be thinking like that. It wasn't professional, it wasn't like Imperium to have.. Dreams of that nature.

When they entered the gym, Kaiser followed Gunther's instruction. He told him what to work on and just got to work. Just like that. Kaiser was focused on his task, so focused in fact that he didn't notice Gunther walking up behind him until his boyfriend's hands were resting on his forearms. Kaiser swallowed harshly, trying to ignore how almost his entire body tensed at the feeling, trying to keep his breath steady as he refused to look back up at Gunther.

"Mein General-" Kaiser began, but Gunther cut him off.

"Your posture is good, just remember to make sure you keep it that way." Gunther told him,"Show me another set."

"Are you.." Kaiser trailed off.

"Yes, I'm going to stay here. Is that an issue?" Gunther asked.

"No. Not an issue." Kaiser shook his head.

"Good boy." Gunther hummed.

And he did as he was told, trying to ignore the heat rising in his face as he felt his back pressing against Gunther's chest. He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it. Did Gunther like it? He must've.. Right? It was strange, longing for this closeness. But Kaiser didn't want it to end, he almost.. Wanted to be held and he had to resist the urge he had to lean his head back, resting it on Gunther's shoulder. He didn't. But he wanted to.

"That's better." Gunther nodded,"Can you handle the rest on your own?"

"Yes, mein General." Kaiser answered, keeping his eyes locked forward.

"I'll check on you again later, hm?" Gunther raised a brow.

"Yes, mein General." Kaiser nodded.

And like that, Gunther backed away from Kaiser and continued with his own training. They just.. Acted like their moment of closeness didn't happen and moved on. They continued training until Walter decided thye were done and they headed back to the car, back home. At home, Kaiser was about to to go for a shower before Walter grabbed his wrist, stopping him in place.

"Yes.. Gunther?" Kaiser swallowed, having to force himself not address him as his 'General' at home.

"Shower. Then you'll meet me in our bedroom." Gunther instructed.

"Of course. Do I-" Kaiser nodded before being cut off.

"Just do it." Gunther pointed before releasing him.

Kaiser did as he was instructed, yet again. He showered and washed away the stress of the day before he went after Gunther. He entered the bedroom, shirtless, and found Gunther stood waiting for him, his back to the door.

"Gunther?" Kaiser tilted his head.

But Gunther sighed,"I don't understand this."

"Understand.. What?" Kaiser asked slowly.

"I want to be in control, do give orders.. But when I look at you, part of me wants to be.. Tender." Gunther explained as he turned to Kaiser.

"You can do both." Kaiser told him as he approached Gunther, resting a hand on his chest.

"I want to keep you all to myself." Gunther looked away,"I want.."

"Hey, look at me." Kaiser cupped Gunther's cheek, turning his head,"You know I love you, right? I'd do anything for you."

"I know." Gunther nodded.

Kaiser leaned in and pressed a kiss to Gunther's forehead,"I like doing things for you, following orders.. But I also like being close to you.

Gunther nodded slowly and pulled Kaiser down onto the bed with him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with Kaiser sat on his lap, arms slowly wrapping around his neck. This.. Was a new thing, something they didn't do often. Kaiser smiled as Gunther leaned in, resting his head on his shoulder. His breath hitched when Gunther began to press kisses on Kaiser's neck, strangely gentle for Gunther. Kaiser let out a squeak as Gunther bit his neck.

"I want people to know who you belong to." Gunther whispered against his neck.

"Just.. Just be gentle." Kaiser let out a shallow breath,"Please?"

"I will, Liebling." Gunther hummed, pressing a gentle kiss to Kaiser's jaw,"I.. I love you."

Kaiser rested his head on Gunther's shoulder,"I love you too.. So much."

Chapter Text

Gunther sighed, rubbing Kaiser's back as he nestled against his side. He wasn't planning on this being the start to their day, but he supposed it couldn't hurt. Kaiser hadn't been sleeping well, his nightmares of his past treatment re-emerging and plaguing his mind. So, to remedy this, Gunther allowed Kaiser to lean against him and find some comfort. He allowed it because, well, Kaiser was so obedient so it was really the least Gunther could do in return for his loyalty. And he remained so grateful, never pushing things too far, no matter how much he longed for comfort.

"Thank you so much, sir." Kaiser smiled softly.

Gunther nodded as he massaged the back of Kaiser's neck with his thumb,"I may be firm, but I'm not a monster. I wouldn't treat you like he did."

"You're so good to me.." Kaiser wrapped his arms around Gunther's midsection and hid his face in his shoulder,"..You're wonderful."

"Wonderful, hm?" Gunther raised a brow.

"I'd never met someone like you before, someone who treats me like.." Kaiser trailed off.

"Like a person?" Gunther asked.

"Yeah.." Kaiser nodded slowly, looking down,"Like a person."

Walter didn't think he'd ever truly be able to understand Kaiser, not fully, despite being his boyfriend. After all, Gunther had never been treated.. Like Kaiser had. He'd always been large and dominating, unlike Kaiser who was always more of a follower. Someone like that would easily be taken advantage of by the wrong sort, and he was. Gunther was always aware that things like that happened often, he knew well that it happened, he just never expected it to happen to his best friend. Gunther didn't think he'd be able to forget what he saw that the night, when Kaiser broke down on his doorstep, begging for help.. So now, Gunther took it upon himself to almost shield Kaiser from potential harm. He kept him safe and, in return, he had Kaiser's undying loyalty.

"Would you like me to make you anything before we head to the arena?" Kaiser asked him,"Or get you a drink?"

"Hm.. Sure." Gunther nodded,"A drink, whatever you see fit."

Kaiser blinked,"You're absolutely sure, sir?"

"I'm sure. Now, go." Walter patted his back.

"Yes, sir." Kaiser pressed a gentle kiss to Gunther's cheek before he got up,"I'll bring it through to you as soon as it's done."

"Good boy." Gunther hummed.

"Good boy." Axel repeated to himself quietly with a little smile on his face.

There was just something so.. Inherently, almost, relaxing watching Kaiser busying himself around the kitchen. He was so meticulous and efficient.. Perfect. His boy was perfect, as he should be, and Gunther took quite a bit of pride in knowing that Kaiser was always going to be loyal to him and only him. It only took Kaiser a few minutes to brew him up some coffee and return to Gunther's side, bowing his head slightly as he gave him the cup. Gunther smiled slightly, patting Kaiser's head as he took the cup and had his first sip. Perfect. He knew it was probably difficult getting everything exactly right, but Kaiser had the way he liked his coffee down pat. Earlier in their relationship, there were a few times when Kaiser quietly asked for a reminder of how he liked his coffee just so he wouldn't mess it up and now he had it completely memorized. Such a good boy.

"Thank you." Gunther looked down at Kaiser who rested his chin on Gunther's shoulder.

"Of course, perfection is always expected in Imperium." Kaiser nodded.

"That is right." Gunther agreed,"And you, Liebling, exude perfection with every task you put your mind to."

"Can't.. Can't we just stay like this?" Kaiser asked quietly, a sliver of hope in his voice.

"Kaiser." Gunther sighed,"You know better than to ask questions like that."

"I know." Kaiser mumbled.

"You have it a lot better than they do, you have it a lot better than you did before." Gunther reminded him, raising Kaiser's chin,"Remember that, okay?"

Kaiser nodded slowly,"Sorry, sir.. I shouldn't have questioned you like that."

"Shh, it's okay." Gunther kissed the top of his head,"I know you're still a good boy."

Kaiser agreed, nodding and nuzzling Gunther's neck. He stopped himself from chuckling at the sensation before they got up, heading for the arena in Gunther's car. Gunther drove, obviously, and Kaiser sat quietly in the passenger seat, looking out the window and trying not to make it obvious when he was looking at Gunther.. He wasn't succeeding. But Gunther found it kind of cute. Kaiser thought so highly of him, as he should, but it was a nice feeling, knowing how loved you are to someone.

When they arrived at the Arena, it was like a switch flipped for Kaiser. He was quiet, much more so than at home and he grabbed both of their bags. Gunther didn't ask him to, but he was glad that Kaiser had the forethought to just do certain tasks without instruction. They entered the building and Kaiser stuck close to Gunther's side, making sure his posture was perfect and his head was slightly raised. He knew people stared at him, Kaiser was very aware of that.. And he knew it was because they were jealous of his treatment. The way Bernhard acted, it was just normal, but Gunther.. Gunther was different and he was a good man. It took mere minutes after entering the locker room for Gunther to be accosted by none other than Chad Gable in the practically empty room

"So? How do you do it?" Chad questioned as Kaiser sorted out their bags.

"Do what?" Gunther raised a brow.

"How do you keep Kaiser in line without leaving any marks?" Chad asked, crossing his arms.

Gunther shrugged,"I don't have to."

"What?" Chad blinked.

"I simply don't have to." Gunther repeated,"Kaiser knows who is in charge, and I get no pleasure in hurting him unnecessarily. He can't perform to the best of abilities when he's hurt."

"You got lucky." Chad groaned,"Is the rest of Imperium like this?"

Gunther nodded,"Of course, nobody is as loyal as Kaiser, but all of my boys have the highest level of respect for me. I demand discipline, but I don't abuse them."

"I know Roman asked once, but don't you think I could borrow Imperium or, at least, Kaiser to show everyone that I can be a respectable leader?" Chad sighed.

"Absolutely not." Gunther stated as Kaiser joined him, standing to attention at his side,"My boys are loyal to me and me alone, you simply wouldn't get the same results."

In truth, Gunther didn't trust anyone alone with Kaiser unless it was a member of Imperium or himself. He was sure that if someone of a similar level of authority to Gunther gave an order, Kaiser would follow it and be respectful... But he truly only answered to Gunther. There were occasions when he listened to Wolfe and Fabian, but if Gunther said anything that contradicted one of their orders, Kaiser would do what Gunther asked. Nobody was held higher in his pyramid of authority than Gunther, he was at the very top, rivalled by no other.

While waiting for the rest of Imperium, who showed up shortly, Kaiser sat in one of his favourite places. He sat snug on the floor in the wall of safety that was Gunther's legs. His back rested against the bench and Gunther boxed him in.. Safe. Kaiser leaned his head back and Gunther began to pet his hair, one of their favourite activities, and any stress of the day was melted away. Part of Kaiser wished Gunther was more public with his affections, showing everyone who he belonged to.. But this was all he really allowed in public. Kaiser ignored that thought as Imperium soon arrived and they headed to the gym to get ready.

Wolfe. He was so much like Gunther, which made sense. Both used to train others, both strong and dominating, although Wolfe was quieter than Gunther. He knew his place. Fabian was more of an outsider than the others, they'd all known him the least amount of time but Kaiser liked him. He was nice enough, and tried to fit in with them. There were certain things he didn't understand about the closeness between Gunther and Kaiser.. But he never intentionally disobeyed Gunther and that's all that mattered to Kaiser. Dragunov was probably Kaiser's favourite. He was small, but he had a lot of heart and.. He was very loyal. Even when he didn't need to, Dragunov checked in on Kaiser and made sure to ask how he was doing. Then.. There was Thatcher.

Thatcher was different. When the others arrived in NXT, they found out that Tim was being hurt too, hurt by Ciampa.. So they rescued him and had been working on helping him heal. Gunther didn't fully understand it. He didn't understand how someone like Thatcher could end up in a position like Kaiser. After all, unlike his boyfriend, Thatcher was large and aggressive and also quite dominating. For Gunther and Wolfe, neither of them had ever been on the lower end of a relationship like that.. And they didn't understand how someone like Thatcher could end up as hurt as he did. When they entered the gym, Thatcher was already there, sitting quietly on a bench and staring at.. Well, nothing.

"Gunther." Wolfe nodded to him,"He's doing it again."

Gunther sighed,"Look, we'll start without him and if he hasn't joined in by halfway, I'll get him up."

"Mein General." Kaiser took his hand, gently squeezing it,"I can speak with him, maybe I could.."

"You think you can snap him out of it?" Gunther asked.

Kaiser nodded,"I understand what he's been through.. I just want to help, sir."

"..Go on then." Walter released his hand and patted his back,"The rest of us can make a start."

Axel nodded and made his way over to where Thatcher was sitting. He sat beside him, close but not too close, and for a moment the pair of them say in silence. They'd both been hurt before but Thatcher was.. Well, it was clear to Axel that he was still hurting in some way and he didn't want to upset or set him off.

"Tim.." Kaiser spoke softly,"Have you been.. Doing alright?"

Thatcher looked away,"..I'm fine, kid."

"But you aren't." Kaiser shook his head,"And that's okay, because.. Because I know what that's like."

"You had it worse." Thatcher sighed.

"No- We're not doing that." Kaiser pointed.

"You couldn't stop what happened to you. You were small and kind and taken advantage of.. I should've been able to-" Thatcher tried, but Kaiser didn't let him finish, wrapping him in an embrace.

"Tim, what happened to you was not your fault.. And you didn't deserve any of it." Kaiser told him,"You're still hurting, and that's okay."

"It isn't.. I should be stronger, I should be over it." Thatcher shook his head.

"Healing takes time, Tim. I've had two, three years to try and recover and I still get bad days." Kaiser smiled softly,"Bad days happen and it's not going to be easy, but I am always going to be here when you need me."

"..Thanks, kid." Thatcher whispered.

"Just trying to help out a friend." Kaiser hummed.

And it was true. Kaiser just wanted to help out his friend when he needed it, because he understood what was going on in his brain. Not fully, of course, but it was more than Thatcher would get from Wolfe or Gunther. They stayed like that, in their little hug for a few more moments before they joined the others together. It would take years for either of them to fully recover, or get as close to that as possible. But they weren't alone. They'd get through it together.