★michael kaiser x she/her pronouns reader (can be interpreted as GN)
★TW: selfharm, blood, choking, mentions of Kaiser's past
★songs associated : the beach & creep
The late afternoon sun bathed the room in a warm glow as I tidied my desk, the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air. It was quiet, save for the rustle of papers and the occasional creak of the chair. Just as I tucked a clipboard away, a gentle knock sounded on the door.
Before I could answer, the door eased open, and Alexis Ness stepped inside, his signature wide smile lighting up the room.
“Oh, hello Alexis!” I greeted, straightening up. “Do you need anything?”
“Hi, (Y/N),” he replied cheerfully, though there was a slight hesitation in his voice. “Could you take a look at my ankle? I woke up this morning, and it cracked. Now I’m worried.”
I tilted my head, giving him a once-over before nodding. “Sure, have a seat.” I gestured for him to lie down on the examination table nearby.
As he settled, I carefully examined his ankle, pressing gently along the joint. “Do you feel any pain?”
“Not really, no,” he admitted, his tone almost sheepish.
“You’re sure it’s not just from a morning stretch?” I asked, glancing up at him. “Everything looks fine to me.”
He hummed thoughtfully, then smiled mischievously. “Mh… I probably just wanted an excuse to see you today. It’s been a while.”
I chuckled, shaking my head as I removed my hands. “You could’ve just said so, you know. How have you been?”
“I’ve been okay,” he said, sitting up. Then, his gaze turned curious. “I noticed you tending to Michael’s injury yesterday. That’s unusual. What happened?”
“Nothing serious,” I assured him. “Noel asked me to check on him. You know how he is about Michael—always hovering.”
Alexis scoffed lightly, a teasing edge to his voice. “And here I thought Michael had finally made a new friend.”
The corner of my lips quirked up at the thought. “Right. Michael doesn’t exactly have a crowd of friends, does he? I wish he’d open up more.”
Alexis’s smile faltered for a moment, and his tone softened. “It’s not that simple with him. It took years for him to trust me.”
“I’m glad he has you, though,” I said earnestly. “Still… it wouldn’t hurt to see him smile more often.”
He gave me a quiet nod before standing, his fingers idly adjusting the hem of his sweater. He was halfway to the door when I called out, “Wait, Alexis.”
He turned back, his gaze questioning.
“Could you ask Michael to come back here? I need to check his wound again. It needs particular attention, and…” My voice trailed off as a flicker of memory surfaced—the first day I met Michael, his dismissive attitude toward his own well-being. “…I want to make sure he’s alright. Don’t tell him I asked, though.”
Alexis’s expression softened as he nodded, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. Without another word, he slipped out the door.
Left alone, I returned to my desk, though my focus was far from the papers in front of me. I found myself wondering if Michael would step through that door. Somehow, the thought of him ignoring the request seemed just as likely as him showing up, albeit reluctantly.
For now, all I could do was wait.
Strangely enough, Michael showed up. The door swung open without so much as a knock, his ever-present cocky smirk plastered across his face. Despite myself, I felt a wave of relief.
“I knew you missed me,” he drawled, stepping inside with an air of exaggerated confidence. “So I thought I’d grace you with a visit.”
I scoffed, spinning my chair around to face him. “You really should learn to knock before barging in.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” he quipped, leaning casually against the doorframe.
“What if I was with someone else?” I teased, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged, his smirk widening. “Then what? It’s not like you’d be making out with your patients.”
“You never know,” I shot back, amused.
“With that bunch of imbeciles?” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “I doubt it.”
Shaking my head, I stood up and held out my hand. “Come on,” I said, gesturing for his.
Michael eyed me suspiciously. “What’s this?”
“It’s not like I’m proposing or anything,” I teased. “Just give me your hand.”
With a dramatic roll of his eyes, he complied, extending his hand toward me. I gently unwrapped the clumsy bandage that he’d haphazardly tied around his injury. The sight of his attempt made me smile.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Nothing,” I replied, though I couldn’t quite hide my amusement.
“Spit it out,” he insisted, his tone sharp yet curious.
I chuckled lightly. “Your bandaging skills. Don’t take it the wrong way, though. I think it’s cute that you tried.”
“Good thing I’m not a nurse, then,” he shot back, smirking. “But I can’t say you’re a good teacher.”
The playful jab caught me off guard, and I laughed. It was rare to see Michael mimic someone’s words so directly—it felt oddly endearing, even if I knew he was doing it to mock me.
“Do you want a tutorial, perhaps?” I teased.
He didn’t answer, but as I glanced up, I noticed him squinting at my hands, watching my movements with a level of focus I hadn’t expected.
“Mmm… but it’s much funnier when you let me handle it,” I added, leaning back slightly. “I almost don’t want to teach you. Though…” I smiled in amusement. “It’s not a very difficult task.”
“Or maybe you ARE just bad at teaching,” He shot back, playfully narrowing his eyes.
“It’s a bother coming here just for a little check up,” he grumbled, though his tone lacked any real annoyance.
“Alright, alright,” I relented with a smile. “I’ll show you properly. Just this once.”
I cleaned his wound with practiced care, then demonstrated how to bandage it properly. As I finished, I glanced up, catching him inspecting his hand. My gaze lingered for a moment longer than I intended, taking in his entire demeanor.
But something caught my eye—faint marks on his neck, half-hidden by his collar. My breath hitched.
Before he could turn to leave, I instinctively reached out, grabbing the hem of his shirt. “Wait, Kaiser.”
He turned back, brow furrowed. “What now?”
“S-sorry,” I stammered, my voice unsteady. “Can you come back here for a second?”
Michael sighed heavily but complied, stepping closer. My hand hesitated before gently capturing his jaw, tilting his face to the side to get a better look. The light revealed it clearly—faint but undeniable strangulation marks trailing along his neck.
His eyes widened, and in an instant, he shoved me away with startling aggression.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he snapped, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it.
“Michael…” I whispered, my heart pounding. “Who did this to you?”
“That’s none of your business.” His tone was sharp, his usual bravado replaced by something raw and defensive.
“Michael, please,” I tried again, desperate. “I just—”
But he didn’t let me finish. With a scowl and a tense jaw, he turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him.
I stood frozen for a moment before sinking into my chair, my head buried in my hands. My mind replayed the image of those marks over and over again. I tried to convince myself it could be from something harmless—some lewd activity, maybe—but deep down, I doubted it.
Fear mixed with determination as I sat there, heart heavy. I couldn’t let it go. I needed to find out the truth, no matter how much Michael wanted to keep me out.
Eventually, I became so consumed by my thoughts and work that I completely forgot about my week off. It wasn’t until the night before that I realized, thanks to my best friend’s text: “Are you ready?” It hit me like a ton of bricks—she was picking me up in an hour. In a panic, I dashed around my apartment, grabbing everything I thought I’d need and stuffing it haphazardly into my luggage.
We embarked on a six-day road trip, stopping in every quaint town that caught our eye. We lived out of a van, showered in campgrounds or public gyms, and embraced an experience that was raw and unpolished—far from the luxuries I could afford but so much more real. I had the most incredible time, leaving behind all my work and worries. Well, almost all.
In one of those charming towns, we stopped at a shop selling handmade, unique jewelry. While my best friend hunted for a good place to eat, I browsed the store to find something special—souvenirs to remember our trip. That’s when I saw it: a blue rose necklace. It was beautiful, handcrafted, and utterly unique. It reminded me of Michael. Without hesitation, I bought it, completely forgetting why I’d entered the shop in the first place.
I asked the seller to wrap it as a gift and stepped out to meet my best friend. On the way, I passed a newsstand. Fate, it seemed, wasn’t quite done with me. A familiar figure stared back at me from the cover of a football magazine. Michael Kaiser.
Impulsively, I bought the magazine. My best friend, curious, asked about it. I shrugged, casually replying, “I know him from work. I just thought he looked nice.” She didn’t press further, and we carried on with our day.
As much as I loved the road trip, it eventually came to an end. After hugging my best friend goodbye, I returned to my apartment, threw my luggage in the corner, and collapsed onto my bed. I drifted off, only to be woken by my alarm the next morning.
The routine of work crept back in. My office was exactly as I’d left it—monotonous and unchanging. By 2 p.m., I hadn’t even had lunch, so I headed to the cafeteria. It was empty, the quiet echoing my mood. I ate alone, and as I finished, a thought crossed my mind: What if fate brought me to Michael again? It didn’t.
The next day, a loud crash from the bathroom near my office jolted me from my work. I rushed to the door, knocking urgently. No response, but I could hear the sounds of labored breathing and muffled cries.
“Please open the door,” I called softly, trying to sound calm. “I’m here to help.”
Fearing the worst, I used the universal key I’d been given. I hesitated at first, reluctant to invade someone’s privacy, but the distressing sounds forced my hand. What I saw broke me.
Michael was on the floor, his face flushed red and blue, his hands tightening around his own neck. Shards of a shattered mirror littered the floor, and his blood dripping from his fist all the way down his arm. His tear-filled eyes met mine, a mix of anger, fear, and vulnerability.
“Michael...” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“L-leave me alone,” he growled, his tone raw and desperate.
Ignoring his protests, I close the door behind me, knelt in the broken glass, unbothered by the sting against my skin. “Look at me,” I said softly, placing a hand on his arm.
“Does it feel good?” I asked gently, out of panic trying to break through the haze of his pain.
“Michael, you don’t have to do this. I’m here. You’re not alone.”
Tears blurred my vision as I slowly guided his trembling hands away from his neck. He didn’t resist, though he could have. As his arms fell limp, I pulled him into an embrace, ignoring the blood, the mess, everything.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “You’re okay. I’ll make sure of it.”
He didn’t speak. After a moment, I felt his arms weakly wrap around me, his face pressing into my shoulder.
“Forget this ever happened,” he murmured, his voice cracked and hollow.
I reached into my pocket, pulling out a tissue to gently wipe his tears and the blood from his face. My gaze never left his, soft and understanding, free of judgment. And he felt like he was now holding something he was afraid to corrupt.
“Let’s go somewhere safer,” I suggested, standing and offering him my hand.
For a fleeting moment, he hesitated, his gaze fixed on his bloodied fingers, trembling as if they belonged to someone else. In his mind, he was no longer the man standing before me but a fragile child again—haunted by the cruelty of his father and the absence of his mother. The shadows of his past loomed over him, suffocating and unrelenting. Yet, today, amidst the weight of his despair, someone stood before him, offering their hand—not with pity, but with unwavering resolve. They didn’t flinch at the sight of his brokenness, nor did they care about the blood or the mess. Slowly, tentatively, he lifted his battered, shattered hand and placed it in mine, as though grasping for salvation he never thought he deserved.
I led him to my office, locking the door behind us. He sat silently, staring at his hands while I gathered supplies to clean his wounds. Carefully, I removed the glass shards, disinfected the cuts, and bandaged them. When I asked to examine his neck, he turned his head wordlessly, avoiding my gaze.
“What a beautiful tattoo,” I murmured as I applied a soothing cream. “I’ve never seen it this close.”
He stayed silent, his vulnerability raw and unguarded.
When I finished, I sat beside him, offering a soft smile. “Michael, you did amazing,” I said sincerely. “Do you want to rest here for a while? I’ll watch over you.”
“The door’s open if you want to leave,” I added gently. “I’ll clean up the bathroom and blame the mirror on my clumsiness.”
I stood, giving him space to decide. In that moment, I realized how deeply this broken man trusted me—his raw vulnerability was both a plea for help and an act of silent courage. And he, realized how he was now forced trust someone for the first time in his life. But maybe, if it was you, it didn’t sound so bad anymore he thought, your angel face and bright smile in his mind as he laid down and fell asleep.
When I finished cleaning, I returned to find him asleep, his body finally at ease, though his fist remained tightly clenched. My chest ached at the sight. What I had witnessed earlier—the way he froze at even the smallest act of kindness—gnawed at me. What kind of life could leave someone so unaccustomed to tenderness? The answer had begun to form, unspoken, in the back of my mind.
Quietly, I opened the closet and pulled out a warm blanket, draping it over him with care. His breathing remained steady, entirely undisturbed. For a moment, I hesitated, leaning closer until I could feel his warmth. Then, unable to resist, I pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. It was impulsive, but it felt so natural—so right—that I didn’t let myself question it. Friends do things like that, don’t they? Convinced of my reasoning, I straightened and returned to my work.
An hour passed, the room bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. He was still asleep, his expression peaceful for once. As dinner approached, I decided to leave the office and grab some food. I made sure to get enough for him too. When I returned, he was awake, now sitting upright, his gaze distant as if still caught in a dream.
“I got you some food,” I said, placing the plates on my desk. “You should eat.”
His eyes flickered away, deliberately avoiding mine.
I stayed there for a moment, watching him, my voice softening. “Are you... feeling better?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed, pushing himself to his feet. Without a word, he walked to the door, his intention to leave clear.
Before I could think, my fingers grasped the hem of his sweatshirt. He froze. Slowly, he turned to face me, his expression unreadable.
“I have something for you,” I murmured, pulling a small gift from my bag and offering it to him.
For a long moment, he just stood there, staring at the gift, then at me, as though trying to decipher my intentions. Finally, he took it silently. He didn’t say anything as he slipped through the door, leaving me behind.
I sat back in my chair, staring after him. What I didn’t see—what I couldn’t see—were the tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he walked down the empty corridor. The unopened gift rested against his chest, right over his pounding heart.
Whenever he was with you, he felt things he didn’t know how to name—new, foreign emotions that terrified and overwhelmed him. Warmth, comfort, a fragile sense of belonging. They wrapped around him like a gentle embrace, whispering promises he was too scared to believe. He wanted to think he had found a friend, but every time he looked in the mirror, he couldn’t silence the fear.
Fear that you’d leave. Fear of the feelings that consumed him whenever you were near. Fear that all of this was just his imagination, or that he would end up pushing you away, just like he does with everyone, fear that what you had seen disgusted you, or that you’d judge him for it, drowning him with questions as soon as he would come back.
He had spent years crafting his image—confident, untouchable, brilliant on the field. And yet, to the one person he, for the first time started to attach himself to, he was afraid he’d already shattered that illusion. Vulnerability, to him, was a weapon—a blade that could be turned against him at any moment.
As he left, his thoughts spiraled. He wished he could go back, wished he’d pushed you away before it was too late. But now, it was far, far too late. And even he realized.
Did you mean your words ? Were you really proud of him ? Did you change your mind ? Would you change ? Soften ? He didn’t want this. He wanted, you, to never change the way you looked at him with such admiration, to never change the way your cockiness only seemed to fade away to be replaced by an indescribable tenderness that just made no sense to him whenever he was injured, that was so full of love, so distant from judgment, and he thought about it so much this night, he had even forgotten to open the gift you gave him.
Does he hate that ray of sunshine in his dark and cold world or does he want to bathe in it ? Even if it was the second answer he never thought he, out of everyone, deserved it, all the work he had put in just to feel a glimpse of proudness when he looked into the mirror was never enough, so he gave up, he gave up on you. He gave up on following what made him feel good. He always said he strove best in discomfort. But had he really meant it ? Or was it just another excuse ?
hello hello, part3 should be released tomorrow at 8PM UTC+1, I hope you like this part as much as the first one, thank you for reading. <3