Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was 2 a.m.
Munchen Bastard had barely scraped a win against a tough opponent today -well, yesterday- and after the match, the players had gathered to celebrate. Now, the celebration had mostly died down, and most of them had already stumbled off to their rooms or passed out on the plush couches in the lounge.

Now only two players remained in the common area. Mikage Reo sat cross-legged on the floor, a bottle of high-end Japanese whiskey half-empty beside him. Across from him, Alexis Ness leaned against the wall, clutching a nearly empty beer bottle.

“You ever feel like we’re just… extras in someone else’s story?”

Ness blinked slowly. “Huh?”

Reo laughed to himself, more of an exhale than a sound of amusement. “Forget it.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“I…” Reo started, his voice rough but steady, “texted Nagi again last week.”

He took a sip of his drink. He didn’t usually talk like this, but the alcohol had dulled his instincts, and the aching quiet that had built up over the past weeks had finally overflowed.

Ness raised an eyebrow, almost surprised by the sudden shift from silence to personal revelation. He didn’t reply, just waited for Reo to continue.

“No answer. Just like the last ten times.”
Reo chuckled bitterly and looked down at his phone. “That bastard.”

Ness let out a dry laugh. “I know the feeling.”

Reo blinked, then leaned forward slightly. “Kaiser?”

Ness shrugged, his voice tight and bitter.
“He hasn't replied to me since before the World Cup ended. Only talks to me on the pitch. Commands me like I’m his pet. Off the field, he doesn't even acknowledge my existence.”

Reo scoffed.
“Sounds about right. At least Nagi has the decency to ignore me completely. He doesn’t even pretend to care anymore.”

He ran a hand through his hair.
“I gave everything to Nagi. Time. Training. My life. I shaped myself around his game. Molded my ambition to match his. And then he just... outgrew me.”

Ness was quiet for a long moment, then spoke, his words quiet but sharp, like broken glass.

“I was ready to give my whole career to Kaiser. I believed in him. Worshipped him. I thought if I stayed close, I’d be indispensable. But now… I think he just needed a tool. A stepping stone.”

There was no anger in his voice, just the quiet clarity of someone who had finally admitted the wound was real.

They sat in silence again, letting the muffled thrum of late-night traffic and the occasional slurred laugh of a player or staff member retreating into the dormitories fill the space.

Reo reached over and slid the whiskey toward Ness.
“Want something stronger?”

Ness took the bottle and poured a splash into his beer, then raised it.
“To being ignored by geniuses.”

Reo laughed despite himself and clinked his bottle against Ness’s.
“To forgotten sidekicks.”

They drank.

“You know,” Ness said, wiping his mouth, “when I first saw you join Bastard Munchen, I thought you were an arrogant, spoiled rich kid.”

“I am that guy,” Reo said with a grin, then paused.
“But you’re not wrong. I was pissed off when Nagi went solo. Pissed off when he said he didn’t need me anymore. He didn’t even fight me. Just walked away like I was never part of the plan.”

Reo leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling as if the answer might be painted there.
“Maybe we’re the fools. Thinking if we ran fast enough, worked hard enough, gave everything… they’d look back.”

The whiskey hit harder now. Reo’s eyes were heavier, but his heart lighter. For the first time in weeks, he didn’t feel alone in his frustration.

“What if we stop chasing them? Stop waiting for them to notice?” Reo asked suddenly.

“You saying we move on?”

“I’m saying,” Reo replied slowly, “maybe it’s time we become the ones worth chasing.”

The silence after that was thick, not awkward, but heavy with meaning.

“So, we move on,” Ness said, more to test the words than confirm them.

“We make this team ours.” Reo's voice grew stronger. “Every match. Every victory. Every highlight. We put ourselves at the center of It all. Until they can’t ignore us. Until they realize what they threw away..”

There was a spark in Reo's eyes, not revenge, but ambition.

“Let’s make them wish they’d never let us go.”

Chapter Text

Most of the team hadn’t even made it to the field yet, it was barely 6 a.m. but two figures were already warming up at the far end of the pitch.
Reo Mikage jogged backward, eyes locked on his partner. Alexis Ness stood across from him, bouncing the ball off his foot with elegant precision, like it was a part of him.
They weren’t training for the team today. Today was just for them.

Then Ness took the ball and pulled off a move, Kaiser’s influence clear in every motion. A mesmerizing flick with his toe made it look like the ball vanished, only to reappear behind an imaginary defender. Reo whistled, impressed.
“It’s not mine originally,” Ness admitted. “But I refined it. Used it to set up Kaiser’s goals.”
“You’re a genius with assist angles,” Reo said, genuinely impressed. “Your passing’s almost psychic.”

They kept going. Ness practiced taming Reo’s wild volleys. Reo timed his runs perfectly, striking Ness’s lobs mid-air before the ball even touched the ground.

Their chemistry was surprisingly natural and fluid. Where Kaiser and Ness had been master and servant, and Reo and Nagi had been mismatched puzzle pieces forced into alignment, this… felt different.

After two hours, they collapsed onto the grass near the goalpost, both drenched in sweat.
“I haven’t trained like this in ages,” Ness muttered, staring up at the clouds.
“Same,” Reo said. “Most people don’t have the brains or the skill to keep up.”

A long silence passed. Then Reo sat up and looked at Ness, a strange glint in his eye.
“…What if we pretended to be a couple?”
Ness blinked. “…Excuse me?”
“I’m serious,” Reo said. “You saw how Kaiser and Nagi just ghosted us. No messages. No emotion. But what if we gave them something they couldn’t ignore?”

Ness narrowed his eyes. “You think making them jealous will force some kind of… confession?”
“I don’t know,” Reo admitted. “But what if they still care? What if seeing us together pisses them off or makes them act? It’s better than sitting around doing nothing, right?”

Ness tilted his head, thinking.
“I doubt Kaiser cares,” he said finally. “He never showed it. We slept together sometimes, but… it was always on his terms. Like a cigarette he smoked when bored.”
Reo’s eyes widened. “Wait, you and Kaiser?”
Ness chuckled. “Don’t sound so surprised.”
“No, I just… didn’t think he went that way.”
“Oh, he doesn’t,” Ness said, his voice bitter. “He goes his way. He uses what’s convenient. I was convenient.”

Reo was quiet for a while. “That’s… messed up.”
Ness turned to him. “I thought you and Nagi were the same.”
Reo blinked. “We weren’t. Not even close. We never slept together.”
“Really?” Ness asked, clearly surprised.
“We kissed on the cheek a few times,” Reo said. “That’s it. We were close… maybe too close. But it wasn’t like that.” He looked down. “Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more. I just… thought it would happen eventually.”

Ness exhaled, flopping back into the grass.
“Well, at least your delusion was romantic. Mine was just pathetic.”
Reo nudged his shin. “Shut up. You’re not pathetic. You’re the best playmaker on the team. We’re both just… recovering from heartbreak.”

Ness raised an eyebrow. “So what’s this plan of yours then? Hold hands at lunch? Feed each other protein bars?”
Reo grinned. “Exactly. We’ll keep it natural. Start showing affection on and off the field. Make it believable but not over-the-top.”
“And what happens if it works?” Ness asked. “What if they come back?”
Reo was quiet for a second, then said, “Then we decide if we even want them back.”

That made Ness smile. A small, crooked thing full of mischief and cautious hope.
“You’re right,” he said. “And it's better than moping around all day anyway.”

They practiced until the rest of the team arrived and stayed long after the practice ended, until the groundskeeper finally kicked them out.
ـــــ
From the kickoff, It was clear something had changed In Reo and Ness's gameplay.
They had spent weeks training, syncing their timing, and rehearsing moves until they became muscle memory. They flowed across the field like a single organism split into two bodies.

In the 18th minute, the first spark lit.
Reo intercepted a pass near midfield, his eyes scanning rapidly before he darted forward. Ness was already in motion, trusting Reo’s intuition. Reo took a risk, instead of the obvious short pass, he drove the ball low between two defenders with a subtle outside-foot flick.

Ness caught it without breaking stride. With one touch, he pulled the ball wide, wrong-footing the defender, then slipped It through the legs of the approaching center-back. The goalkeeper lunged, too slow. The ball hit the bottom right corner.

Goal.

Bastard Munchen fans erupted in cheers. Reo ran up to Ness and jumped onto his back, both of them laughing uncontrollably. Ness, bright-eyed and a little flushed, pointed to the net.
“Did you see that?!”
Reo ruffled his hair.
“Like we planned it,” he said, grinning.

For weeks, after team training had ended, Ness and Reo had stayed behind. Passing drills, timing runs, teaching each other everything they knew.
And now it was paying off.

Second Half

The opposing team tightened their formatIon, trying to shut the duo down. But they adapted. In the 58th minute, Ness drew two defenders wide by pretending to cut inside. Reo, recognizing the decoy, curved his run into the box, and Ness slipped a no-look pass through the defender’s legs.

Reo didn’t hesitate. One touch and the ball went into the top corner.

Second Goal.

This time, Reo grabbed Ness by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
“You magician,” he muttered. “How the hell did you see that?”

Ness only shrugged, looking stunned but pleased.
“I didn’t. I just knew you’d be there.”

In the 77th minute, Reo collected the ball near the halfway line. Three defenders in front. Instead of going wide, he used the outside of his boot to spin the ball backward diagonally, mimicking a signature Kaiser feint. The defenders bit. Reo surged past, now one-on-one with the last man.

But instead of going for goal, he backheeled the ball into space. And Ness, perfectly on cue, ghosted into the box and slotted the ball cleanly past the goalkeeper.

Third Goal.

As their teammates mobbed them, clapping them on the back and shouting praises, Reo and Ness just shared a grin.
ـــ

The team had just finished a brutal training session, but instead of retreating to their rooms, Ness and Reo had flopped onto the common lounge couch with protein shakes and phones in hand.

Reo was scrolling through highlights from their last match, pausing at a clip where he flicked a perfect pass to Ness, who curved it into the net. The synergy was undeniable. Even he had to admit it looked beautiful In slow motion.

Ness was giggling at something on his phone.

Reo side-eyed him. “What’s so funny?”

“Come look at this,” Ness said, snorting.

Reo leaned over, resting his elbow on the back of the couch to peer at Ness’s screen.

Ness opened a fanfiction post, the title written in bold, capitalized letters:
“THE EMPRESS AND HER CONCUBINE: A Ress Historical AU”

“You’re the empress,” Ness said, beaming. “And I’m your loyal concubine, desperately in love, fighting for you’re attention in the Imperial court.”

“Wait, wait, hold on.” Reo held up a hand. “Shouldn’t I be the emperor?”

“Nope.” Ness grinned. “We’re both female in this story.”

Reo cackled. “Do I have a harem?”

“Yes. But I’m the favorite,” Ness said smugly.

Ness scrolled again. “There’s another fic where the Mikage Corporation goes bankrupt, and your father sells you off to me to pay the debt.”

“…To you?” Reo’s voice cracked.

“I’m a cold-hearted loan shark in that one.”

“Never thought I’d be a trophy husband.”

“More like a servant with benefits,” Ness deadpanned.

“Wait. are we ship now?” Reo suddenly asked.

“Oh, very much. There’s even a name. They call us Ress. Or Neo.”

“Ne—what?” Reo barked a laugh. “That sounds so stupid..”

For a while, they just kept scrolling. finding fanfics, fanart, memes, and fake text conversations.

 “The chemistry is off the charts. Watch their goal hugs!! The way Ness clings 😭😭😭” one fan wrote.

“I don’t cling,” Ness muttered.

“You totally do.” Reo poked his side.

“They think I style my hair to impress you,” Reo said, reading another comment aloud.

“…Don’t you?” Ness teased.

Reo rolled his eyes. “I style it to impress everyone.”

They laughed at the posts until their stomachs hurt. But in the quiet that followed, Reo looked at the screen again. A fanart caught his eye. It showed him and Ness, post-match, sitting on the grass, sweaty and grinning. Their pinkies were linked, like a secret only they shared.

“…Y’know,” Reo murmured, softer now. “They’re not totally wrong. About the chemistry.”

Ness looked over at him, gaze unreadable, and didn’t say anything for a while. Then made a gagging noise, earning a kick to the side from Reo.

Chapter Text

The soft morning light filters through the blinds. A countdown calendar hangs on the wall, with a date circled in red.

FRIENDLY - JAPAN vs. GERMANY - 6 DAYS LEFT

Ness moved around the room quietly, sweeping the floor near the desk. His bed was perfectly made, not a single wrinkle in the sheets. Reo’s bed, on the other hand, was much less orderly, with clothes tossed over one corner and a few socks peeking out from beneath the blanket. He and Reo had been roommates for a few weeks now, by their own request.

Reo stirred awake, rubbing his eyes as he blinked blearily at Ness.

"What time is it?" he mumbled.

"Five forty," Ness replied.

Reo groaned. "And you’re sweeping the floor?"

"I didn’t want to wake you," Ness said with a faint smile.

He continued tidying without pause, picking up Reo’s socks, folding a hoodie neatly, and stacking two used water bottles near the door.

"Hey," Reo said suddenly.

"Hmm?" Ness looked up.

"Stop."

Ness straightened, still holding the folded hoodie.

"What?" he asked.

"You’re not my maid," Reo said, his voice more serious now.

Ness blinked in surprise. "I’m not—"

"Yeah, but you’re doing my chores. Again. This is like the third day in a row. We talked about it yesterday, and I told you, you don’t owe me that kind of energy. I can handle folding my own clothes, thanks."

"It’s fine. I’m used to it."

"That’s not the point."

Ness looked down at the hoodie in his hands. He set it on the bed, then added quietly,

"Back when I roomed with Kaiser, I kind of… ended up doing everything. Cleaning, sorting laundry, organizing. He hated mess but never did anything himself. He said I had the better eye for neatness. I just… got used to it."

"You know, the more I hear about Kaiser, the more I feel like Nagi was… honestly, not that bad." Reo said, yawning.

"That’s a low bar."

"Yeah, but think about It. Nagi ghosted me sometimes, sure—but at least he wasn’t… manipulative."

Ness stretched his arms over his head.

"Well, at least you don't have to meet him at the match, thanks to Ego."

Reo sighed and didn’t answer. They sat in silence for a while.

After a bit, Ness spoke quietly.

"He was good to me, once. You know? Not all the time. But in moments, he made me feel seen."

""That’s how people like him operate." Reo said, then looked at Ness’s expression, soft and a little pitiful, and added gently, "Hey… you good? Are you anxious about the match?"

Ness didn’t answer right away. He smoothed out a T-shirt and set it down, then rubbed the back of his neck.

"It’s not the game… It’s being on the field with him again. Having to pretend it’s all just football, when there’s all this… garbage between us."

Reo patted Ness’s shoulder.

"It’s gonna be fine. You’ll handle it."

Ness looked at him.

"You sure?"

Reo grinned.

"I mean, worst case, Kunigami handles it for you. Ego’s probably going to make him mark Kaiser. Maybe if Kunigami slides into him hard enough, you won’t have to see Kaiser for the rest of the match."

Ness made a worried face without realizing it.

Reo patted him on the back again and continued,

"I’m not saying he’s dangerous, but I caught him cracking his knuckles while staring at Kaiser when we were at Blue Lock."

Ness leaned back against the wall.

"Honestly though, he might be the perfect one to deal with Kaiser. Moody, strong, dead inside, basically immune to Kaiser’s provocations. Either that, or Kaiser might finally understand humility… from a hospital bed. What do you think the chances are that we end up with a homicide on live broadcast?"

Reo leaned in.

"You say that now, but if Kunigami breaks Kaiser’s nose, you’ll be running across the field with a first-aid kit. Whispering in his ear, ‘Remember us?’"

"Shut up. I won’t do that," Ness muttered, throwing a sock at him. Then he added,

"As if you're one to talk. You still check Nagi’s Instagram stories like you’re waiting for a reply."

"Hey, I’m just making sure he’s still alive."

"Sure. That’s why you zoomed in on that shirtless picture of him."

"It was for research."

"Yeah? What were you researching? His nipples?"

"No, his form. Jet skiing requires core strength. I was analyzing his balance."

"Sure you did."

Reo clicked his tongue. "Go lie down. We’ve got sprints today. And if you pass out from cleaning at dawn, I’m not carrying you."

Ness finally stood up, grabbing a pillow and flopping onto his bed.
***
A FEW HOURS LATER

Ness is sitting cross-legged on his bed, folding socks methodically, when Reo walks in carrying a tray with polished silverware and breakfast so fancy Ness doesn’t even recognize half the items on it — and some of them were dusted with gold.

He closes the door quietly with his foot, then turns and pauses.

"...You're folding my socks again."

Ness is seated on his bed, focused on his task and surrounded by a small pile of perfectly folded socks and clothes.

"And you brought me breakfast again."

Reo walks over and sets the tray down on Ness’s desk, next to a perfectly stacked row of books and a folded towel. He plops down on his own bed, kicking off his slides.

Ness folds the last sock and places it on the pile. Finally looks at Reo then the tray and snorts.

"Again? You’re so spoiled, Reo. Who even eats gold-dusted wagyu for breakfast?"

Reo replies nonchalantly, "Rich people. Royalty. Me."

He shrugs as he sets the tray down.

"Maybe I’ll get you your own next time, with less gold. I heard peasants prefer it that way."

"Peasant? Wow. So that’s how the rich see us, huh?"

Ness huffs a small laugh and reaches for his coffee, eyes flicking to the calendar on the wall. In a few days, Germany and Japan would face off in a friendly match. Everyone kept calling it “friendly,” but no one at Germany's team or Blue Lock thought of it as friendly. Players wanted to prove themselves and settle old rivalries. And Kaiser and Isagi probably wanted to show who really belonged at the top.

Reo takes a bite of the golden, buttery croissant he brought, his eyes following where Ness is looking. He speaks through a mouthful,
"You know, I watched some of your games. Your midfield is so rigid, it feels like Japan doesn't need to try that much honestly.

Ness raises an eyebrow. "Rigid? Our midfield could pass rings around you guys. Raul alone is worth three of your midfielders."

Reo scoffs."Raul? The guy who tried to nutmeg Isagi and ended up spinning himself into the grass?"

"He slipped."

Reo says with a grin."Sure he did. Can’t wait to see your defenders cry trying to mark Isagi."

Ness smirks.
"Yeah? Well, Rin and Barou are still on your team, right? One's Emo and the other refuses to pass. That’ll go well when you’re 2–1 down and they try to steal the ball from their own teammates."

"At least Rin doesn’t call himself 'Emperor' and stare at his naked body in the mirror to praise himself before every match, unlike someone on your team.. And your keeper better pray Bachira doesn’t go into flow mode. Your defense won’t survive."

"Bachira’s good, yeah. But we’ve got Marvin. That guy reads movements. He predicted three passes before they happened last match."

Reo leans back with a smirk. "Perfect. Then when I score, he’ll have no excuse."

"You’re not scoring."

"Oh, I’m scoring."

"Not if I body you off the ball first."

"You body me, and I’m calling a foul then rolling all over the field. I’ve been watching Neymar highlights."

Ness laughed. "You wouldn’t."

Reo winked.
"Try me. I’ve been practicing my dramatic fall. Not that I’m gonna need it anyway. you’ll be chasing my shadow all game next week."

Ness snorted, finishing his coffee.
"Please. The only thing I’ll be chasing is the ball after you can’t hold it for one minute."

Reo shot back with a grin, "Big words from someone who couldn’t even hold onto Kaiser."

Ness raised an eyebrow, "Low blow. I thought you had class."

"I do. That was me being classy."

"You’ll change your tone once we wipe the floor with Japan. Germany doesn’t do ‘friendly.’"

"Oh, confident. You know what happened to the last guy who got cocky with me on the field?"

"He tripped over your ego?"

"No, he ended up subbed out before halftime."

Ness rolled his eyes, "Keep that same energy when I nutmeg you in front of the whole stadium."

They continued bantering for the rest of the morning. Both determined to shine in this match instead of playing sidekick to someone else’s ego.

Chapter Text

Tunnel Before Kickoff

The stadium was alive hours before kickoff. Weeks before the match headlines scrolled worldwide, all of them having 3 names: Rin, Isagi, Kaiser.

No mention of Ness, Reo or anyone else. Because once again… It wasn’t about them. Kaiser. Isagi. Rin. Always Kaiser, Isagi and Rin.

Reo swallowed, his throat was suddenly dry. He glanced at the rows of fans in the front. They waved banners, giant flags with Kaiser’s crown logo by his fans and clown face by Rin and Isagi's fans. Rin and Isagi's fans had their names and faces painted in scarves, shirts, posters, etc.

Reo’s stomach twisted. It all made him feel small, like a child watching giants. It reminded him that he and Ness were still just background characters.

He clenched his fists, nails pressing into his palms.
He looked up, and for a moment, Ness was watching him. The quiet steadiness in his gaze was grounding, like an anchor in a storm. Reo exhaled and forced a grin.

But as he turned his gaze forward again, he caught sight of Kaiser glancing back at them. Just a flicker, but long enough for Reo to see the sharpness in his eyes and the irritation in the twist of his mouth.

The referee blew the whistle and the players began walking out.

Reo lifted his chin. Fine. If the world thinks this is only Kaiser vs. Isagi and Rin then I’ll prove them wrong.

Kaiser’s POV

Kaiser had been through countless camps with Ness before, but this one felt different. Wrong, somehow.

He’d known about the whole “Reo + Ness” thing from the media. He hadn’t care about all that garbage. Why would he? Ness had always been loyal. Always there. Always his.

Kaiser thought it would be like a dog seeing its owner again. Wagging his tail with eager eyes, running back without hesitation. He thought the second Ness saw him, that loyalty would snap back into place, like gravity pulling something small toward something larger.

But the last two days in camp… Ness hadn’t looked at him once.

Every time Kaiser caught sight of him, Ness was with Mikage Reo. Eating meals together. Stretching on the pitch together. Whispering and laughing like idiots on the sidelines.

Kaiser’s jaw tightened at the memory. He’d tell himself he didn’t care, that it was pathetic for Ness to waste his time with Reo, but then… why did it bother him? Why did it get under his skin, seeing Ness smile at someone else?

Even now, in the tunnel, Ness was looking at Reo, like they could talk with their eyes.

Kaiser’s smirk never slipped, but something twisted deep in his chest.

Why the hell did it matter? Ness was nothing more than a servant. A tool he’d used to set up his goals. That’s all.

So why was it so hard to look away?

Why did he want to walk over, grab Ness by the arm, and order him to not look Reo anymore.

Ness continued looking at Reo and then they smiled at each other. Kaiser felt his guts twisting with anger.

Why did it matter? Why was he watching the way Ness’s eyes softened when he looked at Reo? Why couldn’t he tear his attention away??

Kaiser didn’t know the answer. Didn’t want to know.

All he knew was this: when the whistle blew, he’d remind Ness and Reo where they belonged.

Even if he didn’t understand why it mattered so damn much.

Reo's pov

He sent a sharp pass slicing through Germany’s midfield. Rin caught it cleanly and spun around a defender. The Japanese side surged forward, fans screaming with anticipation.

But then a shoulder slammed into Reo’s chest hard.

Reo almost lost his balance. The ball was twenty meters away, nowhere near him. When he turned, Kaiser was there, smiling like a wolf.

“Careful, Mikage,” Kaiser purred. “You might hurt yourself.

Reo’s blood boiled. “The ball isn’t even here.”

Kaiser didn't answer and jogged past him.

In the 35th minute, Reo sprinted wide, dragging a defender with him to open space for Isagi.

And then he got shoved again. Kaiser slammed into him from the blindside, sending him sprawling across the grass.

Reo spat dirt, fury igniting in his chest. He glared at Kaiser.

“What the hell is your problem?” he hissed.

Kaiser shrugged, smirking,.
“I don't know what you're talking about."

Reo's jaw clenched. It wasn’t an accident. Kaiser was hunting him.

Second Half - Ness’s POV

Ness wiped sweat from his forehead as the second half dragged on. His chest burned, his legs ached, but none of it compared to the tension coiled in his stomach.

Because Kaiser wasn’t passing to him. Not once.

Every time Ness drifted into space and raised his hand, Kaiser either ignored him or chose another option. Sometimes he forced a selfish shot from twenty-five meters out. Sometimes he dumped the ball to a less open teammate. But never to Ness. It was maddening.

Ness knew how the politics of the game worked. He wasn’t naive. Kaiser was the star that team was built around, like planets around the sun, and If Ness didn’t orbit him, then he’d be benched..

And yet, Kaiser wasn’t giving him the chance.

By the 60th minute, Ness felt like he was being erased. Running invisible. Playing his heart out only to be cut off at every turn.

He forced himself to keep calm and keep running, but his jaw clenched tighter each time Kaiser’s eyes flicked over him and dismissed him.

What the hell are you doing, Kaiser?

Reo’s POV

Reo saw it coming before it happened. Kaiser had been stalking him all game, fouling him even when the ball was nowhere near. It was only a matter of time before he tried again.

So when he felt Kaiser closing, Reo braced himself.

Kaiser’s shoulder clipped him, not even the hardest hit of the match. But Reo let out a scream like he was dying.

“AAAGHHHHHHHH!”

He threw himself sideways, clutching his shin with both hands, and tumbled. Once. Twice. Three times. He kept going, roaring as he rolled across the grass, thirty whole meters, until he ended up near the sideline, writhing like a bug crushed by a slipper.

The referee blew her whistle and gave a yellow card to Kaiser.

Ness watched in amusement. It seemed like Reo wasn't lying about watching Neymar highlights.

Reo was still groaning dramatically on the turf, clutching his leg like his career was over. The trainers jogged out, only for Reo to wave them off with a martyr’s sigh, sitting up slowly like a man resurrected.

When Reo finally stood, brushing grass off his shorts, he caught Ness’s eye. There was a glint there, and a sly little grin that screamed told you so.

Kaiser’s blood boiled. A yellow card because of that clown screaming and rolling like he’d been shot..

Fine. Let Mikage have his little performance. Let him bask in his cheap drama.

Ness’s POV

The next chance came in the 74 minute. The ball was at Kaiser’s feet, and Ness sprinted into a pocket of space that was wide open and at the perfect angle.

“Kaiser!” he shouted, raising a hand.

Kaiser glanced at him, smirked, and fired a wild shot straight into Japan’s defender. The ball ricocheted back into midfield, killing the attack.

Ness froze. For a split second, frustration surged so hard he almost screamed. Kaiser just jogged back, grinning like nothing had happened.

The crowd didn’t notice. To them, it was just another blocked shot. But to Ness, it was a message.

Why? Why are you doing this to me?

Kaiser’s POV

Kaiser knew Ness was frustrated. He could see it in the way Alexis’s hand shot up, in the way he kept darting into space like a good little playmaker.

But Kaiser never looked twice. Never gave him the ball.

Because every time he thought about passing, his eyes flicked, and there was Mikage Reo, always hovering near, always exchanging glances with Ness.

So he shut Ness out and cut him off. If Ness wanted to act like he wasn't Kaiser's little dog and belonged to someone else, then he’d get nothing. No passes. No recognition. Not while Kaiser was on the pitch. It felt like punishing himself, too, killing his chances to score more goals than Isagi in this match, but Kaiser's mind was more occupied with Ness and Reo now.

Reo’s POV

The commentators’ voices echoed in the air, blasting over the speakers:

“Once again, it’s Kaiser versus Isagi and Rin at the center of it all! These geniuses-"

Reo clenched his jaw, tuning them out.

And for some reason, his mind drifted to Nagi.

He could picture it so clearly it almost hurt. Nagi, sprawled lazily on some couch, phone in one hand, TV remote in the other. Half-watching the match, half scrolling through social media. Probably yawning, complaining about how noisy the commentators were.

Would he even notice Reo out here?

Reo’s chest tightened. In the back of his head, he imagined Nagi’s eyes flicking up at the screen. Maybe just for a second. Maybe just to see him.

Would he recognize the new Reo? The one who wasn’t chasing him anymore? The one who had found a rhythm with someone else?

Or would he shrug, roll over, and fall asleep halfway through the second half?

The thought burned more than any foul Kaiser could deliver.

Doesn’t matter. Let him watch. Let him ignore me. One way or another, I’ll make sure he sees me.

Chapter Text

It was about an hour after the match, and the locker room was quiet. Players had showered and gone hotel already.

Ness sat on the bench, staring down at the floor, lacing and unlacing his shoes just to keep his hands busy. The game had ended 0–0. Nobody had scored. Rin and Isagi spent half the time canceling each other out. Kaiser had spent more time shoving Reo, ignoring Ness, and making a circus of himself than actually finishing chances. And Ness… Ness barely touched the ball.

By the 78th minute, Reo had suddenly come alive, tearing after the ball with a manic energy. For a second, Ness thought Reo would break the game open. He was everywhere, sprinting, pressing, throwing himself into every ball.

And yet… nothing came of it.

In a way, there was an ugly satisfaction in that. If he had been invisible, at least no one else managed to shine either. Kaiser didn’t score, Rin didn’t score, Isagi didn’t score. Even Reo, who suddenly started running like a madman, ended up with nothing to show for it. No one got to walk off the pitch basking in glory while Ness sat in the shadows. The match was wasted for everyone.

Still, Ness couldn’t shake the thought that kept digging at him. Was Kaiser like this because it was only a friendly? Or was this just how it was going to be from now on? Would he throw away important games in the Euro Cup and World Cup too just to prove a point?

Ness wanted those trophies more than anything. He had worked for them, sacrificed for them. But unless some miracle striker appeared out of nowhere in Germany to take Kaiser down, or Kaiser got injured, Ness would have to play beside him. And right now, that felt impossible.

Ness's thoughts kept circling. For one bitter second, a thought crept in: Maybe Germany would be better off without me. If he wasn’t there, Kaiser might actually work with another midfielder. Some other midfielder who didn’t drag Kaiser’s attention, who didn’t stir whatever it was that had poisoned tonight’s game. Maybe then Germany would play cleaner, maybe then Kaiser would pass and score like he was supposed to.

But the thought didn’t stay long. Ness dismissed it almost as quickly as it came. He wasn’t the type to throw himself away for the sake of the team. He wasn’t a martyr who would sacrifice himself for some “greater good.”.

If Germany won something without him, it wouldn’t mean a thing. It would be their victory, not his. He didn’t want to see them parading the world cup trophy through Berlin on TV while he sat at home. He wanted to be there, holding it himself. If that wasn’t possible, then he’d rather not win at all.

His fingers curled tighter as the weight of that thought settled in him. It wasn’t about the team. It never had been. It was about him, about the dream he had chased for years. He wasn’t going to hand that dream over to anyone else, even Kaiser.

The sound of Kaiser’s boots thudding against the floor pulled him back. He moved through the room like nothing had happened, like a scoreless draw wasn’t worth caring about.

Ness was still trying to piece together what the match had even been. He was angry and wanted to corner Kaiser with words sharp enough to finally cut through that arrogance.

But when Kaiser tugged his shirt over his head, Ness’s focus faltered. His eyes darted before he could stop himself, catching on the familiar lines of muscle, the chest he knew too well. He wanted to be furious, to let all that anger out, but Kaiser’s presence pulled him off balance in the worst way.

Kaiser didn’t miss it. He grinned as he tossed the shirt aside and leaned against the lockers. “Do you like what you see?"

Ness ignored his provocation and forced the words out nonstop. “You sabotaged yourself out there. You sabotaged me and the team. You ruined the match. You didn’t take a single thing seriously. Reo was running like his life depended on it, Isagi and Rin killed each other trying to outshine one another, and you… do you even care about winning?”

Kaiser’s smile didn’t budge. If anything, it widened. “It’s simple. If I want to shine, I shine. If I want someone to disappear, they disappear. If you’ve forgotten, let me remind you: there is no Germany team without me. you included."

Ness stood abruptly, blood boiling. “I’m not here to be erased just because you’re pissed about Reo or anyone else.”

For a moment, Kaiser studied him in silence. Then in a casual voice, he said, “Come to my room tonight. We could take care of this tension.”

Ness blinked. “What?”

Kaiser stepped closer, “Don’t act so surprised. You remember how it was. I can help you get rid of this frustration. Or you could sulk all night. Your choice.”

Ness’s mind spun back to the nights before Kaiser transferred. The nights that Kaiser always took what he wanted. He hated that he remembered, and that a part of him still felt the pull.

“I’m not doing this. Not again."

He turned before Kaiser could answer, grabbed his bag and slammed the door behind himself.

Reo’s room, Kaiser thought. That’s where he’s headed.

Kaiser pulled on a hoodie and slipped out of the locker room. Ness had stormed out minutes earlier, but it wasn't hard to stalk him.

He caught sight of him down the corridor. They moved past the empty media rooms, past the staff cleaning up, and out into the night air where groups of players and assistants still were, Ness cut through all of them without saying a word.

The team hotel wasn’t far. Inside the hotel lobby, Ness went straight for the elevators. Kaiser slid in after him at the last second. Ness didn't looked at him and just stared at the numbers climbing.

On the tenth floor, Ness stepped out. Kaiser followed, keeping a few paces back. Kaiser was waiting for him to turn toward Reo’s room. But Ness walked down to his own door. The realization hit Kaiser for only a second but it didn’t stop him. Just as Ness slipped his keycard against the reader. Kaiser’s steps quickened and he closed the distance.

Ness’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he scowled. He shoved the door open, clearly intent on ignoring him. Kaiser lunged forward, stepped inside and pressed Ness against the wall.

Ness tried to shove him off. “What are you doing?!"

Kaiser cut him off with a kiss. Ness's lips parted despite himself. He groaned into the kiss, torn between pushing away and melting into the pressure.

They broke apart just enough to breathe, their foreheads still touching. Ness’s hands clenched on Kaiser’s shoulders, shaking with anger.

"You really can’t fight me, can you?” Kaiser murmured against his lips. He pressed even closer, letting Ness feel his boner, “I’ve missed having you like this..”

Kaiser was fully aware of the effect he had. He leaned in again, close enough that Ness could feel his breath. Kaiser's lips brushed along Ness’s jaw and neck. His hands slid lower, cupping Ness’s buttocks through the thin fabric of shorts. Ness stiffened instantly.

Ness dug his nails into Kaiser’s chest and tried to push him off, but the strength pressing back was unyielding. Ness could feel the weight and warmth of his body pressed close, he could sense his smirk without even seeing it.

Kaiser’s lips roamed and found every sensitive spot he could reach. The brush of his mouth against Ness’s ear made him shiver, a low hum rose in his chest despite himself.

Ness’s legs quivered. Every nerve in his body screamed in protest, but his body betrayed him, pulling him against the teasing pressure of Kaiser’s palms. Every futile fight only made Kaiser’s hold more possessive. The more he resisted, the more Kaiser seemed to enjoy it. Ness's hands kept sliding over Kaiser’s chest, tracing the firm lines of muscle.

What the hell am I doing? The thought cut through the haze. With a sudden surge of strength, Ness tore his mouth away and shoved hard, breaking free from Kaiser’s grip.

“Enough!” His voice cracked and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as if trying to erase the moment.

“Get out,” Ness spat, jabbing a finger toward the door.

When Kaiser didn’t move, Ness slammed his palms into his chest with all the force he could muster, driving him back step by step until the doorframe hit his shoulders. One final shove sent Kaiser stumbling into the hallway.

Before Kaiser could recover, Ness slammed the door shut between them.