a/n: my coworker gagged me when i couldn’t reach something so he did it for me and when i said thank you he said “you just had to stretch a little more” mind you i couldn't reach it at all. hoe.
synopsis: the kind of pictures they’d post of you on their instagram story that would make everyone feel single.
blurry candid of you laughing because he said something stupid.
i mean genuinely blurry. your face is half-moving. the table is crooked. the photo quality looks like it was taken during an earthquake.
caption: "proof she finds me funny."
song: love on the brain – rihanna.
the funniest part is that isagi posts this with his whole chest. no irony. no embarrassment. no self-awareness.
because in his mind? making you laugh is one of his greatest accomplishments.
he stares at this picture more than some of his match highlights.
fans immediately lose their minds once they zoom in and realize you're looking directly at him while laughing. not at the camera. not at somebody else. him.
comments become:
"girl blink twice if he's forcing you to laugh."
"he definitely told the worst joke imaginable."
"the way she's looking at him i'm going the fuck to bed "
and isagi is scrolling through the comments smiling like an idiot because nobody understands.
he remembers exactly what he said. it wasn't even funny. somehow you laughed for 5 straight minutes.
that's his favorite part.
itoshi rin
random photo he took of you looking out the bullet train window.
the lighting isn't special. you're not posing. your hair isn't even done. you're literally just existing.
caption: none.
song: nothing's gonna hurt you baby – cigarettes after sex.
by the time the post hits 3 minutes old, there are already edits.
by the time it hits 30 minutes old, there are essays.
because WHY DOES HE HAVE THIS PHOTO.
why was he looking at you? why did he save it? why did he post it? why does it feel so intimate?
everyone realizes you clearly didn't know he took the picture.
which means rin saw you sitting there and thought: yeah. i need to keep this forever.
the screenshot count becomes absurd. people start calling it "the train photo." entire fan accounts are dedicated to analyzing it.
rin does not acknowledge any of this. but when someone asks him why he posted it, he just shrugs.
"liked the picture." that's it.
little does everyone know that his camera roll contains approximately 800 more photos exactly like it. completely unposed. completely unnoticed.
his favorite version of you is the one that isn't trying.
itoshi sae
photo of you wearing his sunglasses while crossing a street somewhere in madrid. both hands wrapped around his bicep.
you're talking about something. he doesn't remember what. he just remembers looking down and thinking you looked cute. so he snapped a quick one.
caption: "thief."
song: telepatía – kali uchis.
the internet explodes immediately. because sae doesn't post. sae barely acknowledges humanity. sae posting a picture of somebody is already a historical event. sae posting a picture where you're clearly attached to him like a koala? global emergency.
comments become:
"HE’S SMILING." "SAE ITOSHI SMILING IN THE BIG 2026???" "somebody check on rin."
the funniest part? everybody is right. he is absolutely smiling.
he spent 10 minutes choosing between 3 nearly identical photos. 10 whole minutes. that's basically a marriage proposal by sae standards.
later, someone asks where the sunglasses came from.
he responds: "they’re mine."
then logs off. he wanted everyone to know exactly whose sunglasses they were. and exactly who stole them.
nagi seishiro
photo of you asleep.
that's it. absolutely diabolical behavior.
caption: "she's charging."
song: single – the neighbourhood.
people think it's a joke. it is. but it's also not.
nagi genuinely sees you as some kind of adorable electronic device.
you take naps. you need snacks. sometimes you stop functioning. therefore: charging. simple.
the photo itself is ridiculously cute. your cheek is squished against a pillow. you're holding onto his hoodie sleeve. one sock is missing. nobody knows where it went. not even nagi.
comments become:
"FREE HER." "bro posted her unconscious." "is she a girlfriend or a tamagotchi?”
nagi is confused by the backlash. "what? she looked cute."
that's literally his entire defense.
the worst part is that every few months he does it again. sleeping in the car. sleeping on the couch. sleeping on his shoulder. sleeping during movies.
fans have accidentally been given a complete sleep study over the course of your relationship.
nagi thinks this is perfectly normal.
mikage reo
photo of you standing in the middle of some luxury shopping district in tokyo. probably harajuku. maybe ginza. doesn't matter. somehow you look expensive just standing there.
you're not even doing anything. you're checking your phone. that's it.
caption: "that's MY muse."
song: fashion killa – a$ap rocky.
this post creates approximately 17,000 edits within the hour.
reo accidentally posted what looks like a luxury campaign advertisement.
people are convinced a magazine took the photo. but nope. just reo. who has approximately 6,000 photos of you in his favorites folder.
and yes. the folder is actually named "museum." because he thinks you're art.
fans discover this fact later and collectively evaporate. comments become:
"reo mikage i know that's you liking every edit." "he's refreshing the tag." "he wants that cookie so bad."
and they're right. reo posts the story. watches the views climb. searches your name. likes edits. saves edits. sends edits to you. comments "so true" under edits of his own girlfriend.
then acts completely normal when confronted.
the man is your biggest fan. everybody knows it. especially him.
bachira meguru
the photo is you running ahead of him through a festival at night. lights everywhere. lanterns overhead. people passing by.
the picture is slightly blurry because he was literally running after you when he took it.
caption: "wait for meeee!"
song: can i call you tonight? – dayglow.
the photo feels like a memory before it even becomes one. that's what destroys everybody.
it doesn't look posed. it doesn't look curated. it looks like one of those moments you don't realize is important until years later. like it’s nostalgic.
your hair is bouncing behind you. you're halfway turned around because he's yelling your name.
and somehow the picture captures exactly how happy he is just following you around.
comments immediately become:
"this looks like the ending scene of an indie romance movie." "why am i crying 💔” "he's literally following her like a golden retriever."
correct. bachira sees absolutely nothing wrong with this. he likes following you around.
you're interesting. sometimes you randomly stop to look at things. sometimes you drag him somewhere. sometimes you get distracted. it's fun.
later, he reveals there are approximately 47 photos from this exact night.
35 of them are just you smiling at him while standing exactly 3 feet away. because apparently that's his favorite view.
shidou ryusei
photo of you flipping off the camera after he spent the last 20 minutes being the most annoying man alive. your expression is murderous.
his laugh can practically be heard through the screen.
caption: "she wants me."
song: true – spandau ballet.
the internet collectively develops high blood pressure.
comments instantly become:
"that's literally not what that means." "she looks one inconvenience away from homicide." "ryusei i am begging you to read body language."
shidou is liking every single comment because he thinks they're hilarious.
what makes it worse is that you posted your own story immediately afterward. same photo. caption: "i don't."
somehow this only makes people more convinced you're soulmates.
the thing is shidou genuinely believes annoying you is a love language.
unfortunately though? every time you threaten him, he gets happier. nobody knows why. not even him.
karasu tabito
photo of you walking ahead of him at night. holding his hand. just the back of you. nothing fancy. no dramatic lighting. no expensive scenery. no special occasion.
caption: "favorite person to waste time with."
song: sure thing – miguel.
THAT'S THE ONE.
the post goes viral because it feels so unfairly intimate.
everyone expected something flashier. something more obvious. instead, he drops the most devastatingly romantic thing imaginable and leaves.
it makes sense. karasu's affection has always been sneaky. he's not the type to make speeches. but he is the type to remember your coffee order even after 3 years. the type to call when he knows you're bored. the type to stay on the phone with you while doing absolutely nothing.
and this picture? it feels exactly like that.
comments become:
"waste time?????" "that's somehow more romantic than an engagement." “this just raised my standards, thank you.” "he talks about her like she's his favorite hobby."
you are. and he'd never admit that out loud.
kaiser michael
mirror picture. you're wearing a dark blue dress that’s long, elegant, fitted in some places and loose in others. somehow both sophisticated and effortless. the kind of outfit that makes people stop scrolling.
caption: "art appreciation post."
song: art deco – lana del rey.
the internet loses its collective damn mind.
because everybody knows this isn't actually about fashion. this is kaiser publicly staring at his girlfriend. that's what this is.
comments immediately become:
"bro thinks he's at the louvre." "HE'S LOOKING AT HER LIKE A RENAISSANCE PAINTING." "somebody get this man a museum membership."
the answer is yes. absolutely yes.
kaiser genuinely believes beauty should be acknowledged. loudly. dramatically. repeatedly. and beauty is you.
he spends 15 minutes deciding which picture shows the dress best. then another 5 staring at it after posting.
if somebody asks why he uploaded it? he'll shrug.
"people should be allowed to admire art."
meanwhile ness is somewhere off-screen resisting the urge to throw his phone into traffic.
ness alexis
photo of you holding a huge bouquet. flowers in all your favorite colors. you're wearing pajamas. completely bare faced. hair still messy from sleep. clearly woke up less than an hour ago.
caption: "picked the right ones :)"
song: baby i'm yours – arctic monkeys.
the smiley face is important. extremely important. life-changingly important. because ness typed it. deleted it. typed it again. deleted it. stared at it. walked around his apartment. came back. stared at it some more. then finally posted it.
the photo itself absolutely destroys people. you're not dressed up that’s why. you're not posing.
it's painfully domestic. painfully real.
comments become:
"he bought her flowers before she even brushed her hair i’m crine.” "the smiley face is making me emotional." "this is the most boyfriend picture i've ever seen."
the thing is, ness doesn't even realize why everyone loves it. to him, the flowers are the focus. he spent forever picking them. he remembers every color you like. he wanted you to smile when you woke up.
and everyone else is staring at the picture thinking: oh. this man is absolutely gone.
completely. irreversibly. catastrophically in love.
chigiri hyoma
photo of you waiting for him on the other side of a crosswalk. huge grin. waving both arms at him like he disappeared for 10 years instead of 30 seconds. cars passing. city lights reflecting off the windows nearby.
caption: "and i'm supposed to be the faster one."
song: you are in love – taylor swift.
the internet immediately starts screaming. chigiri never really posts things unless they matter. and this? this matters. a lot.
the thing people notice is your expression. that's not a polite smile. that's a there you are smile. the kind you save for one specific person.
comments instantly become:
"LIKE OKAYYYYYY WE GET IT BRO YOU LOVE HER." "WE UNDERSTAND. MESSAGE RECEIVED." "HE POSTED A TAYLOR SWIFT SONG. SEDATE ME."
chigiri ignores all of them. he's too busy staring at the picture himself.
he remembers exactly what happened afterward. the second the light changed, you practically skipped over to him.
and honestly? no goal celebration has ever made him smile as much as that did.
yukimiya kenyu
photo of you adjusting his collar before some formal event. maybe a gala. maybe an award ceremony. doesn't matter. you're focused entirely on fixing his outfit. completely unaware he's staring at you.
caption: "found my favorite color."
song: sunflower – michelle leigh.
chaos erupts immediately. because he's wearing an orange tie. and you're standing right there.
comments become a battlefield. half the internet say: "he means the tie." the other half: "BE SERIOUS."
the answer is painfully obvious. the photo is literally centered on you.
yukimiya himself refuses to clarify. he finds the debate funny.
meanwhile every single one of his teammates knows exactly what he meant. this man has looked at you like you're the eighth wonder of the world since day one.
somebody eventually asks him directly. “when you said ‘my favorite color,’ did you mean the orange tie or your girlfriend?”
his response? "you tell me." which somehow confirms it more.
hiori yo
photo taken from his gaming setup. you're sitting beside him. half in frame. completely focused on your own thing. maybe you're reading. maybe you're drawing. maybe you're scrolling through your phone. nobody knows. hiori didn't bother explaining either.
caption: "co-op."
song: lovefool – the cardigans.
the comments are so confused. you're not interacting. you're not even looking at each other.
one comment with 50,000 likes says: "am i missing something."
but hiori understands perfectly. because in his brain? spending time together doesn't require constant attention. it's just existing in the same space. comfortably. peacefully. with no pressure and no expectations. just knowing the other person is there.
comments become:
"bro that's not co-op." "she isn't even playing." "hiori that's literally single-player."
and hiori reads them and goes: "um, nah."
because you sat there for 3 hours. and that's worth more to him than any multiplayer lobby.
barou shoei
.5 selfie. the most criminal and cutest camera angle known to mankind.
you're sitting on the kitchen counter, grinning directly into the camera. barou is cooking in the background. completely focused. serious expression. apron on. looking like he's preparing a five-star meal for a king and his queen.
caption: "the chef and his pretty taste-tester (written by [name] btw)."
song: fallingforyou – the 1975.
the second people see the caption? they start crying. everybody knows barou didn't write that. absolutely nobody believes it.
comments become:
"HE MADE SURE WE KNEW IT WASN'T HIM." "HE'S EMBARRASSED." "BAROU LIKE THIS COMMENT IF SHE STOLE YOUR PHONE."
the funniest part? he actually did make you add the disclaimer. he refused to post it otherwise.
but he still posted it. that's the important part.
despite all his complaining… despite pretending he doesn't care… the photo remains on his account. forever.
and every time somebody mentions it, he threatens them. which only confirms that he secretly loves it.
kunigami rensuke (post-WC)
mirror photo at a private gym. both of you are sweaty. exhausted. yet smiling. happy.
caption: "the only person i'd allow to be my spotter is you @yourusername.”
song: cupid's chokehold / breakfast in america – gym class heroes.
the internet genuinely doesn't know how to process this.
this is supposed to be the intimidating one. the serious one. the emotionally constipated one.
and yet here he is. smiling. voluntarily. publicly.
comments become:
"HE TAGGED HER." "HE TAGGED HER Y’ALL."
"EVERYONE STAY CALM."
but the real killer? the wording.
anyone can be a workout partner. anyone can train with him. but being the only person? that's different. especially coming from kunigami.
especially since after everything he's been through, trust isn't something he gives easily anymore.
so fans end up realizing the caption isn't really about the gym. it's about you.
and suddenly everybody is emotional.
kunigami is just sitting there wondering why people are acting like he proposed.
he only stared at the post for 20 minutes before uploading it. that's normal, right?
iglesias bunny
photo of you sitting at a restaurant. sunglasses on. outfit immaculate. posture immaculate. somehow making a menu look expensive. the kind of picture that makes people sit up straighter when they see it.
caption: "everyone clap."
song: 360 – charli xcx.
the funniest thing about bunny is that this is somehow both a joke and completely serious.
yes, he's being dramatic. but also? he genuinely believes applause is warranted.
comments instantly become:
"👏👏👏👏👏"
"THANK YOU BUNNY FOR BRINGING HER TO OUR ATTENTION." "he posted her like she just won an oscar AS HE SHOULDDD."
and bunny is sitting there liking every single comment. because exactly. finally. people understand.
somebody comments: "what are we clapping for?"
bunny replies: "look at her."
that's it. no further explanation. in his mind, none is needed.
he took approximately 100 pictures that night. this wasn't even the most glamorous one. it was just his favorite. especially because you were laughing at something right before he snapped the photo.
and even behind the sunglasses? he could tell. which somehow makes the entire thing 10 times worse.
the internet spends the next week making edits. bunny saves all of them.
hugo vivian
photo of you standing on a balcony at night. city lights glowing behind you. skyline stretching into the distance. the wind moving your hair slightly.
you don't know he took the picture. you don't even know he's looking at you.
caption: "badump, badump."
song: my destiny – delinquent.
that's it. no elaboration. no explanation. no context. only: badump, badump.
and somehow that makes it INFINITELY worse.
everybody immediately understands what he means with his little cyborg sound effects he does.
comments become:
"OH THAT'S TOO CUTE." "HEARTBEAT CAPTION. HEARTBEAT CAPTION." "HE LOOKED AT HER AND FORGOT WORDS."
which is basically what happened.
hugo had every opportunity to write something normal. something cool. or something clever.
instead, his brain saw you standing there and reduced itself to cartoon sound effects. like an actual malfunctioning robot. zoom. beep beep. badump, badump. finished. post uploaded.
the photo itself is gorgeous. but the caption is what kills everyone. it's so simple. so stupid. so painfully sincere. it feels less like an instagram story and more like somebody accidentally reading his thoughts.
and hugo never corrects anyone. he knows they're right. that really was the only thing going through his head when he looked at you. badump, badump.
ft. itoshi sae, itoshi rin, michael kaiser, mikage reo, seishiro nagi, isagi yoichi, barou shoei x fem!reader
⭑.ᐟ synopsis. surprising your bllk husbands with creative pregnancy reveals!
content warning. fem, wife!reader. suggestive (pull-out game, baby fever, etc). pet names. teeny tiny bit of angst in kaiser's part. twins. nagi feigning ignorance. lots of kisses because yeah. 4.5k wc!
notes. heavily inspired by peachy pregnancy reveal videos on yt!
𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐒𝐀𝐄
you had never fought so hard to contain laughter in your life.
it was a quiet afternoon, and you were resting on your bed when sae suddenly barged into your shared bedroom, looking slightly confused.
his brows were furrowed, and his lips were slightly parted. he had just finished taking a shower, water droplets dripping down his skin, and a towel hung loosely around his waist.
but what really caught your attention was the pile of clothes draped over the bend of his elbow. clothes that you had instantly recognized.
“tsk,” he clicked his tongue in irritation, tossing the garments onto the mattress one by one. “the dumbass dryer shrunk my clothes.”
now laying on the bed were three tiny white shirts, a pair of tiny running shorts, and most importantly an identical replica of his football uniform, complete with sae’s name printed on the back. each piece looked unmistakably his, just tiny.
but little did he know that you had swapped his freshly dried clothes with their baby-sized counterparts while he was in the shower.
the uniform had taken the most effort as you had to customize and order it online rather than simply purchasing it in store, but the results were definitely worth it.
you pressed a hand to your mouth, a soft laugh escaping despite your best efforts to appear innocent. though it was a completely natural reaction for this situation, you doubt he’d find it suspicious.
“that’s the first time that’s ever happened, right?” you crawled closer to inspect the small jersey. you held it up for sae to see, beaming at him. “but it’s so cute! don’t you think so too?”
sae glanced at your sparkling eyes, and rolled his eyes. he turned toward his dresser, shaking his head slightly. “it’s cute. give it to some fan at my next game.”
like hell you would. you hugged your knees as you eagerly watched him reach for his calvin klein boxers. he could feel your stare burning a hole through his head and turned to you with a raised brow.
“what? you that excited to watch me strip, mi cariño?”
you grinned and gave him a thumbs up. “yeah, i am. keep going, you’re doing great so far.”
sae sighed but you could see the tiny smile that was ghosting his lips. he pulled on his boxers, until he suddenly froze, his fingers stilling on the waistband of the undergarment. your smile widened.
his gaze darted between the tiny clothes on the bed and the neatly folded ones– his clothes– you had placed on his dresser.
“love.” he said quietly. he walked over to the bed, eyes locked onto yours as he climbed over you. he gently pushed you until your back met the mattress, his frame hovering over you.
“are you pregnant?”
you giggled. “maybe.”
his teal eyes narrowed slightly. he reached up and pinched your cheek. “answer properly. i asked, are you pregnant?”
a breathy laugh slipped past your lips as you nodded. “i am.”
for a split second, he just stared at you, dead silent. then, he let out a soft grunt, muttering under his breath.
“knew something was off. you’ve been acting weird.”
you snorted, “excuse me?”
he tilted his head slightly, his lips quirking at the corners. “didn’t say it was a bad thing.”
he leaned down. he kissed your forehead first, then the tip of your nose, and finally, your lips. when he pulled away, there was a subtle smirk on his lips.
“my pull-out game was shit.”
you laughed softly as you ran your fingers through his damp, reddish hair, your voice smug. “i don’t blame you. i just feel way too good.”
his smirk twitched as he flicked your forehead lightly. “don’t get too cocky or i might just have to plant baby number two.”
𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐑𝐈𝐍
“sir,” the police officer began professionally as he approached rin’s car parked in the public lot, tapping on the driver’s window.
rin paused his conversation with you, casting a side-glance at the cop. he raised a brow before rolling down the window. “what?” he asked bluntly.
the officer leaned a little against the window frame, nodding his head respectfully. “i’m going to have you stop here. you have a child in the vehicle with no child seat.”
rin stared at the man like he was an idiot, then slowly turned to look at you, scoffing in disbelief. “get a load of this guy.” he muttered. you bit your bottom lip hard to suppress your laughter, fingers tightening around the purse in your lap.
turning his head back to the officer, rin narrowed his eyes. “are you a dunce? does it look like there’s a child in the backseat?” rin asked him with annoyance. “seems like they purposely hire lukewarm idiots who lack proper qualifications. you’re not fit for this job.”
“sir, i need you to calm down. it’s simply protocol. i’ll have to fine you.”
as your husband continued arguing with the poor officer who was actually only carrying out his part of your arrangement, you quietly retrieved the positive pregnancy test out of your purse. a warm smile graced your lips.
the officer, who was busy distracting rin, caught your movement and tried to mask the smirk that was threatening to appear. he played along, “ma’am, are you positive about this?”
that seemed to set rin completely off. “do you need to enter the car to see for yourself, you dumbass cop? i told you, there is no fucking child in this ca–”
“actually,” you interrupted sweetly, “we do have a child in the car with no child seat.”
as soon as he heard your voice, he stopped mid-sentence. rin turned to face you, only to find a pregnancy test held up in your hand, two pink lines etched clearly. his teal eyes flitted back and forth between your smiling face and the test, blinking slowly in realization.
“... you’re not joking, are you?”
you laughed softly as you shook your head. “no, rinnie. i’m pregnant.”
he stared at the pink lines for a while longer, then muttered something under his breath and reached to roll the windows up, shutting out the content cop with a glare. you shot him a quick nod of thanks through the glass before rin turned fully to face you.
he already knew you’d be a perfect mother with the way you naturally loved and cared for him. as for him? it’ll take him some time to figure out this whole parenting thing.
“didn’t think you could surprise me anymore.” he muttered, threading his hand through his dark green hair as he leaned back against the headrest.
“i think you’ll be just fine,” you murmured softly as you leaned in and gently pried his hands away from his face, your eyes locking onto his teal ones. “but you better be nice to me, baby. i’m going to be extra sensitive from now on, you hear me?”
his brows furrowed slightly before he took your chin between his fingers, tilting your head up to look at him. “after you set this whole thing up with a cop– a male, no less? yeah, i don’t think so.”
“oh?” you teased, giving him a lopsided grin as you leaned closer. “is the great itoshi rin actually jealous? hm. it looks good on you.”
rin scoffed, but his grip on your chin loosened. “you’re my wife. mine. not his.”
you laughed gently as you took his hand and slipped it under your shirt, guiding it to your stomach. “you don’t have to remind me. i never forgot.”
his gaze softened as he felt the slight swell of your stomach, where the child he (unintentionally) created with you was beginning to grow. he looked at you calmly before resting his hand on the small of your back, drawing you in. rin’s lips ghosted over yours teasingly, but never actually meeting.
you huffed. “you’re a cruel man.”
a rare smile tugged at his lips as he pressed a kiss to your temple, then leaned away. silently, he reached across and buckled your seatbelt for you, probably his attempt at being a gentleman. he didn’t meet your eyes, but you could practically hear the smile in his words.
“let’s go home quickly,” rin said as he started the car. “we need to take advantage of the time we have left before you’re too far along.”
𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐋 𝐊𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐑
it was christmas. coincidentally, kaiser's birthday as well.
the two of you had just finished eating together, and now you were lounging on the couch, sitting comfortably on his thigh with his arm lazily draped around your waist. there were many gift bags of different sizes scattered on the fuzzy carpet– a couple big ones, a few medium-sized, and a particularly small one.
kaiser scanned the pile, his crystal blue eyes glinting as he turned to you with a smirk on his face. “hmm, you like me that much, meine liebe?”
you met his teasing stare with silence, then gently cupped his face and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. you’ve come to learn that this method always catches him off guard, and as you expected, it did just that this time as well. his eyes widened slightly just slightly before his lashes fluttered shut.
“ah.”
“i do,” you murmured against his lips, your voice airy. you pulled away with a content smile. “now hurry up and open them. i'm excited to see your reaction.” you leaned your head against his shoulder, fingers toying with the sleeve of his warm sweater.
kaiser reached for the first bag, tearing through the wrapping carelessly. “a pair of cleats, huh?” he raised a brow, looking at you with an unimpressed, mocking expression. “didn't need them. my cleats are brand new.”
your brows knitted together. “i didn’t get them because you needed them. got them because you suck at choosing anything that isn’t boring.”
“oh, you wound me,” he pinched your waist playfully before rubbing the spot soothingly. “i was just joking, liebe. promise.”
for the next half-hour, he continued opening the gift bags. brand new sunglasses, a watch, new cologne, a mirror since he loves admiring himself, and things of the sort. each gift was met with some sarcastic remark, but there was always a gentle touch here and an appreciative touch there.
then–
“micha.” you tapped his shoulder, pointing at the relatively tiny bag sitting on the carpet near his feet. “you missed that one.”
his brow arched. he picked it up and placed it on your lap since your legs were swung over his. “didn’t see it. it’s so tiny.” he inspected it for a second before slipping his hand inside. he side-eyed you, chuckling. “why does such a tiny bag have so much wrapping anyway?”
you hummed, pressing a kiss to his neck before nestling your head back against his shoulder. “mm. dunno. maybe this one’s important.”
he pulled something out. and froze.
you could almost hear his heart thumping in his chest as he slowly flipped the pregnancy test over in his hand. and there it was. two vertical pink lines.
positive.
an awkward silence stretched between you two. you let out a soft huff, gazing at him lovingly as you watched his reaction.
he didn’t say a single word for what felt like eternity. then, he turned to look at you. “are you serious?” his voice lacked his usual teasing.
“yes.”
“are you actually serious?” he repeated.
you laughed. “i’m positive. literally.”
“holy fuck.”
kaiser inhaled sharply, exhaling through his nose as he put a hand on his forehead and slumped back against the couch. he tugged you with him until you were sprawled against his chest. still, he didn’t speak.
again, there was silence as you pulled a warm blanket over both of you and snuggled closer. you sighed blissfully against him, until something wet landed on your cheek.
you blinked.
tilting your head, you tried to get a better look at him. but your eyes just widened.
“micha? … baby? … michael?” your voice softened, “my love, are you crying?”
you had never seen him like this before. the usual cocky arrogance completely gone, his jaw clenched as if he was trying to compose himself. then, without a word, he cupped the back of your neck and pulled you back into him to cover his face. his arms wrapped around you tightly, his lips pressed firmly against the top of your head in a long kiss.
“tch, stupid. of course not.” he murmured against your hair, breathing in your familiar scent. “our kid’s gonna have your smile. i already know it. and i’m screwed because that’s going to kill me everytime.”
and as he felt your arms tighten around his waist, he’d already decided he was going to be a better father for his child than his dad ever was for him.
𝐒𝐄𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎 𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐈
“sei, come onnn!” you whined, tugging insistently at your husband’s arm in an attempt to pry him away from his gaming chair. it proved to be ineffective as his eyes remained glued to the sniper game on his screen.
but the second you tugged just a tiny bit harsher, you threw off his aim, causing him to get shot by the enemy.
“ah, shit,” he muttered as the ‘game over’ screen flashed before him, his broad shoulders sagging slightly. you felt bad, but only for a split second, so you quickly shook those feelings away— you had something important to reveal after all.
seishiro took off his headset with a dramatic huff, then swiveled his gaming chair to face you. his massive arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you in close until his face was buried against your stomach. “what is it, pretty?” he sighed into your shirt.
you grinned. “i need to show you something real quick.”
you didn’t give him a chance to protest, practically dragging his lazy frame out of the chair and toward the kitchen, with him following sluggishly behind you.
when you finally stopped, he glanced around, confused. “there’s nothing new…?”
you laughed and pointed at the oven. “open it.”
his brow arched with slight suspicion, but he did as you asked, crouching down and pulling the oven door open. he reached and grabbed the singular item sitting alone on the rack—
“a bun?” he questioned, his white brows knitting together as he stood back up. he seemed almost disappointed and you could only guess he assumed you had prepared him some lavish meal. but hey, you had already figured he’d be a bit slow and would need some extra help.
you bit back a giggle and leaned against the kitchen counter, a smile gracing your lips. “think about it, baby.” you encouraged, “could you tell me what you just found?”
it was almost cute how he was eyeing the bread roll that seemed almost miniscule between his fingers. “i found a bun… in the oven.” he repeated slowly. you watched as his droopy, half-lidded eyes went wide in what you thought was realization, until his lips parted again.
“did we run out of food?”
you smacked your forehead. “are you dense?” you placed your hands on your hips and let out a semi-annoyed sigh. “it’s an expression people say when—”
you were suddenly cut off when he bent down, grabbed the hem of your shirt, and lifted it just enough to place a tender kiss on your bare stomach. “i know,” he murmured against the soft skin, and you could feel his lips curling into a slight smile.
your breath hitched, warmth rushing to your cheeks as he straightened himself up and tangled his arms around you, pulling you into his chest.
“sei…” you whispered, raking your fingers through his snowy-white hair, still a bit caught off guard. perhaps he wasn’t as dense as he seemed. then, you shivered when his cold palm slid under your shirt and rested against your stomach. he quietly chuckled at your reaction, leaning down until his lips grazed your ear.
“i was actually suffering terribly from baby fever, so i’m glad i didn’t pull out.”
your mind short-circuited as you gawked up at him with widened eyes, but he only gently patted your head with a lazy smile.
geez. what had gotten into him?!
𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐎
reo had just pulled into the driveway of his mansion after treating you to an extravagant dinner at a five-star restaurant, your first date with him in quite a while. he patted your thigh affectionately as he turned off his rolls royce, but to his surprise, you simply unbuckled your seatbelt and stayed seated, your hands moving to dig through your purse.
his eyes flicked to you and his lips curved into his signature smile. he figured you were just waiting for him to open the car door for you, the usual princess treatment he was all too familiar with. “right. being away in england for so long made me forget how much my wife loves getting spoiled.”
but before he could make a move to exit the car, your fingers gripped onto his suit, pulling him gently back to his seat. he looked slightly startled, and glanced back at your giddy face with a raised brow. his gaze dropped to the small, silver card in your hand.
“what’s this, baby?” he asked, turning his body towards you.
“a custom-made scratch-off card,” you replied, handing it over to him. “just scratch it.”
your heart was pounding against your ribcage as you watched him flipping the card over, examining it, before fishing out a coin from the cup holder.
“if that’s what you want, princess,” he teased, “though if it’s a lottery ticket, you should know i’m not exactly lacking in that department.”
reo hummed as he started scraping at the surface. you bit your lip excitedly as the first bit of silvery dust flaked off, the image underneath beginning to reveal itself. his movements slowed, and his amethyst eyes widened as the layer was completely removed.
the sonogram appeared.
reo’s fingers tightened around the card, a breathless laugh escaping him as he shook his head in disbelief. a grin stretched across his lips, looking at you in awe.
you were unable to hold in your breath any longer. you let out a laugh, tilting your head to look at him from a better angle. “well, reo?”
“i’m going to be a father?”
“what does the sonogram say?”
he chuckled lightly, running a hand through his purple hair as he let the card fall into his lap. “how long have you known?”
“since you left for england,” you said as you shifted happily in your seat.
he reached over, cupping your nape as he pulled you into a slow kiss. relief washed over you so quickly it made your head spin.
he pulled back, his forehead resting against yours as his hand trailed down to your stomach. “i wonder if it’ll be a girl or boy,” he murmured.
“could be both, actually.” you cut in, and he looked at you strangely.
“what do you mean?”
you grinned, gently brushing his jaw as you leaned back against your seat. “check the sonogram again.”
reo raised a brow, his curiosity piqued as he took the card back into his hand to inspect it. before long, his eyes widened comically as he saw a second fetus in the ultrasound.
“are you serious? we’re having twins?”
you laughed softly as you laced your arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “that’s riiight. prepare to spoil me tenfold, reo. you’re going to be feeding three people in one body now.”
his arms instinctively wrapped around your waist as he pressed his lips against yours once again in a sweet kiss, still dazed by the realization that he’s going to be a father to not one, but two children. “... there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“good,” you whispered, smiling as you kissed the tip of his nose before leaning back into your seat. “start by opening the car door for your pregnant wife.”
“yeah, yeah. anything for my spoiled princess.” he replied with an excited grin, finally exiting the royce. needless to say, you were not going to lift a single finger during this pregnancy.
𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐈 𝐘𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈
“b-baby, slow down!” isagi gasped as you shoved him towards the bedroom, kicking the door open and dragging him inside.
“on the bed, yoichi!” you ordered him with a grin on your face, watching with satisfaction as he reluctantly sat down on the edge of the mattress. he sighed with fondness, watching as you clumsily rummaged through the closet, before finally pulling out a blue shirt.
you walked over, placing the shirt face down on the bed to keep the words hidden. then, with no warning, you pushed his thighs apart, placing yourself between his legs as you reached for the hem of his shirt.
isagi raised an eyebrow, already amused. there’s nothing that should surprise him anymore with you, but somehow you prove him wrong every single time.
“are you trying to seduce me?” he smiled, lifting his arms with no resistance, allowing you to pull his shirt over his head.
you playfully smacked his chest. “trying? i already did, yo. you made it too easy.”
he rolled his eyes as his cheeks tinted a light pink. “whatever… you’re too cute.”
“close your eyes. no peeking while i’m putting this on you,” you said, grabbing the shirt off the bed. isagi’s eyes closed obediently, and he felt the fabric tighten around his torso as you slipped the shirt over his head.
“woww, you didn’t even get my size right,” he joked, opening his eyes but not looking down.
you whistled softly, letting your hand wander over your husband’s chest. “i know your size, but you just look hotter with a tight shirt.”
your fingers encircled isagi’s wrist as you dragged him across the room, excitedly positioning him in front of the tall mirror in the corner. “okay! read the shirt!”
he blinked, confused at first, then turned his gaze to the mirror, squinting his eyes as if that would help him decipher the reversed letters.
“be… nice to me… I’m going… to be a… fa…ther…?”
he froze, the last word catching in his throat. his blue eyes snapped to you, wide and stunned. “i’m gonna be a father?? you’re pregnant? actually?”
you smiled and buried yourself in his arms, your fingers mindlessly tracing the letters on his shirt. “i’ve taken three tests. all positive.”
before you could say anything else, he hooked his hands under your arms and lifted you into the air, his forearm supporting your ass and his other hand on your waist.
“god, i love you so much,” he laughed breathlessly, “give me a kiss.”
still laughing, you cupped his face and gave him a sweet peck on his lips.
“another one,”
you leaned in, pecking his lips a second time.
“that’s not enough,”
“you lovesick idiot,” you sighed, smiling helplessly. you leaned in again, but this time, he met you halfway. his hand on the back of your head, holding you in place as he kissed you deeply. the gasp you let out was quickly swallowed by his lips.
he set you down as if he had not just stolen your breath away, patting your head affectionately.
“thank you, my love.”
𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐈
it should have been a normal day. barou should have followed his usual routine– wake up before sunrise, gel his hair, take a shower, and leave for his daily hardcore strength training.
but today was different. at exactly 5:12 a.m, barou opened his eyes with a low grunt and propped himself up with one elbow. instinctively, he leaned over to place a kiss on your forehead like he always did, only to stop once he was met with your wide eyes staring directly at him.
he scowled. “the hell are you lookin’ at me like that for?”
he tried to blink his morning irritation away, then dragged a hand down his face before reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “why are you awake?” his low voice was even more hoarse from sleep.
you groaned softly before scooting closer and snuggling against his bare, muscular chest. he let out a soft grunt, though his arm automatically wrapped around your waist.
“shoei… i’m hungry,” you mumbled into his skin.
“tch,” he clicked his tongue, pulling back slightly to look at you. “what, you want pudding? eggs? i’ll make something. i was getting up anyway.”
he rolled over and switched on the bedside lamp with a sigh, squinting to see you better.
but you shook your head and leaned forward, resting your chin on his shoulder with that sweet look he hated to admit always worked on him. “no… i really want pickle-flavoured ice cream. or a lotus biscuit with mayo on top…”
barou made a face. blinking at you judgmentally once, twice, and a third time before he placed a big palm on your abdomen and gently pushed you back onto the mattress.
“you’ve lost your mind,” he shrugged, tugging the blanket over you. he leaned in and pressed a kiss to your lips. “go to sleep. you’re talkin’ nonsense.”
but you whined, tugging at his sturdy arm. sparkly eyes looking up at him. “i’m serious, shoei… i really, really want them…”
barou narrowed his eyes. “why would you want to eat that garbage?”
“please?” you batted your lashes, “for your beautiful wife?”
he sighed, standing up begrudgingly as he scratched the back of his neck. “god, you’re annoying…”
your eyes lit up, and before he could turn away, you got up and wrapped your arms around his neck, peppering his face with kisses. “thank you!”
barou rolled his eyes and grabbed your cheeks between his fingers, squeezing them gently. “you’re a weird woman. suddenly craving crap combinations.”
you buried your face in his chest, nodding with a sheepish laugh.
he snorted, “what are you, pregnant or somethin’?”
as soon as he said what was intended to be a joke, you both froze. right… questionable cravings were a symptom of pregnancy.
“aha… y-you think?” you asked, laughing awkwardly. your eyes widen suddenly. “shit, my period is a few days late…”
his large hand silently found yours and gave it a gentle squeeze. “stay here. i’ll deal with the food,” he muttered. “and you’re takin’ a damn test after.”
you blinked. “what about practice?”
he didn’t look at you as he walked to the door.
“skipping. you always come first.”
—
“oi,” you heard barou’s voice from the other side of the bathroom door. followed by a light knock. “you okay? you’ve been in there for thirteen minutes.”
you opened the door slowly. he was standing there with his arms crossed, shirtless, with a towel around his neck. he looked at you with his usual stoic face. “well?”
you held out the positive pregnancy test with a meek smile playing on your lips. barou glanced at the stick, staring at the pink lines.
“...huh. guess this thing’s my fault.”
you let out a soft laugh, sniffling slightly. he pulled you in until your forehead bumped against his bare chest. his grip was gentle despite how rough his hands were. “we’re having a kid,” he muttered into your hair.
you smiled up at him, twinkly eyes, and his hand shot up to wipe away at the tears you didn’t know were falling. “don’t cry. i’ve dealt with two younger sisters.”
warnings. established relationships, fluff, slightly suggestive teasing in shidou’s section ♡
the pet names they give you, and the quiet moments that make each one feel like something meant only for the two of you.
── .✦
ISAGI YOICHI — “HONEY”
Isagi does not remember when honey first became yours.
There was no dramatic pause after the word left his mouth, no startled silence in which both of you realized something in the relationship had shifted. It simply slipped into his vocabulary somewhere between late-night calls, hurried mornings, and the countless hours you spent beside him while match footage played across his laptop. By the time you noticed, Isagi had already begun saying it with the easy familiarity of someone who had forgotten there had ever been another way to address you.
“Honey, have you seen my phone?”
You glance up from the edge of his bed. He is standing in front of you with one shoe on, his hair still damp from the shower and his brows drawn together as though the missing device is a tactical problem demanding immediate analysis.
“It’s charging beside you.”
His eyes move toward the nightstand.
“Oh.”
He reaches for it, then pauses when he notices the smile tugging at your mouth.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re looking at me strangely.”
“Am I, honey?”
Understanding flashes across his face. Color follows almost immediately, spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears before he can turn away and pretend to be interested in his notifications.
“I call you that all the time.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you making it weird?”
You laugh, and Isagi mutters something under his breath about you being impossible. The embarrassment never lasts, though. The moment his attention drifts elsewhere, the word returns as naturally as breathing.
He says it when he leans over your shoulder to show you a goal on his screen, his chest warm against your back as he points out a gap in the opposing team’s defense.
He says it when he finds you asleep on the couch and gently touches your cheek, worry already gathering in his eyes because your neck is bent at an uncomfortable angle.
He says it when he realizes he has been talking about football for almost an hour without asking about your day.
“Sorry, honey. I got carried away.”
You always tell him that you do not mind. The way his entire expression brightens when he talks about the field is one of the things you love most about him.
Still, your favorite version of the name appears when he is worried. Then honey loses its absent domestic ease and becomes something quieter, shaped by the tenderness he rarely notices in himself.
“You okay, honey?”
His hands are already on you before you answer, one resting against your arm while his blue eyes search your face with such focused concern that lying becomes impossible.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
You nod and lace your fingers with his. The tension in his shoulders eases, though he continues watching you for another moment, as if he needs to confirm for himself that nothing is wrong.
“You know,” you murmur, “you sound like someone’s husband when you call me that.”
Isagi nearly chokes.
His horrified expression makes you burst into laughter, and he pulls you against his chest, apparently deciding that hiding his burning face in your hair is easier than responding.
“You’re so annoying.”
“Love you too, honey.”
His arms tighten around you. For a second, he says nothing.
Then his lips brush the top of your head.
“Love you too.”
── .✦
ITOSHI SAE — “MI AMOR”
The first time Sae calls you mi amor, you think you have misheard him.
Not because the words are unclear, but because he says them without the smallest hesitation. There is no warning in his expression, no pause that suggests he is about to say anything remotely affectionate. Sae remains seated on the couch, one ankle resting over his knee, his attention fixed on his phone as though the pet name is no more remarkable than the weather.
“Come here, mi amor.”
You stop in the doorway.
Sae scrolls once more before lifting his eyes to you. His face is calm, almost bored, but the faint curve at the corner of his mouth tells you he has already noticed your reaction.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Unfortunately, you had.
The phrase must have followed him home from Spain, one of the many pieces of language that became natural after years spent abroad. Yet it never sounds borrowed when he uses it for you. In Sae’s voice, mi amor is assured and effortless, less like a nickname he selected and more like a fact he sees no reason to explain.
He uses it while handing you the bag you nearly forgot on the way out.
“Your things, mi amor.”
He says it when you insist you are not tired even though your head has already fallen against his shoulder twice.
“You fell asleep sitting up.”
“For five seconds.”
“Bed.”
“You’re bossy.”
“And you’re still arguing, mi amor.”
The worst part is that he knows exactly what the name does to you. Sae notices everything: the pause in your breathing, the way your fingers still, the warmth that rises into your face before you can stop it. He never points any of this out. He simply watches with that unreadable teal gaze, allowing the smallest hint of amusement to settle over his features.
“You do that on purpose,” you accuse one afternoon.
He is sitting beside you in a quiet café, one arm stretched lazily along the back of your chair.
“Do what?”
“You know.”
“Very specific.”
You narrow your eyes. Sae reaches forward, brushing a crumb from the corner of your mouth with his thumb.
“Messy, mi amor.”
Your breath catches.
His expression does not change.
“You’re horrible.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Yet the name becomes different when no one else is around. It softens in dark rooms and tired silences, stripped of the teasing edge he uses when he knows you are watching. Those are the moments when it feels most intimate —not because Sae whispers it like a secret— but because he says it as though loving you is the simplest thing he has ever understood.
One night, you wake to the sensation of his fingers moving gently through your hair. Pale light slips between the curtains, outlining his face in silver.
“You’re awake,” you mumble.
“So are you.”
“Not by choice.”
His thumb brushes your temple.
“Go back to sleep, mi amor.”
You turn your face into his palm and press a kiss there. Sae becomes still for the briefest moment, the only sign that the gesture has reached somewhere beneath his composure.
“Goodnight,” you whisper.
His hand remains against your cheek.
“Goodnight, mi amor.”
Perhaps that is why the words affect you so deeply.
To you, they sound like a confession.
To Sae, they are simply your name.
── .✦
ITOSHI RIN — “DEAR”
Rin does not seem like someone who should call his partner dear.
The word is too gentle for the sharpness of him, too domestic for someone who can make a simple good morning sound like an accusation. You would expect something clipped, perhaps even insulting—a nickname hidden beneath irritation so that he could deny the affection behind it.
Instead, one evening, while you are standing directly in his way, he places a hand at your waist and says, “Move, dear.”
You freeze.
Rin walks past you as though nothing happened.
For several seconds, you remain in the middle of the hallway, staring after him while your mind replays the word. Then you turn.
“Excuse me?”
His shoulders tense before he looks back. The movement is small, but you know him well enough to recognize guilt when you see it.
He leaves before you can argue, which might have worked if he had never used it again.
But once you notice the name, you begin hearing it everywhere. It slips into his speech without emphasis, softened by habit rather than intention.
“It’s cold, dear.”
He says it while holding out his jacket, already irritated because you apparently failed to predict the evening temperature.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You’ll complain in ten minutes. Put it on.”
You take the jacket, smiling when his fingers linger near your collar as he pulls it closed.
“Thank you.”
“Stubborn, dear.”
Then he walks ahead, leaving you to follow with your heart beating far too quickly beneath his clothes.
There is something almost unfair about how naturally he says it. Rin never lowers his voice to make the word sound romantic. He never waits afterward to admire your reaction. Dear simply appears between the rest of his sentences, carrying the same unconscious tenderness as the hand he places at your back in crowded places or the way he always checks that you have eaten before asking about anything else.
The first time another person hears it, Isagi falls silent mid-sentence.
You are waiting near the training field while Rin gathers his things. Fatigue has begun to blur the edges of your vision, and when you rub your eyes, Rin notices immediately.
“You’re tired.”
“I’m listening.”
“You’re barely awake.” He nods toward a nearby bench. “Go sit down, dear.”
Silence settles over the three of you.
Isagi looks at Rin.
Then at you.
Rin frowns. “What?”
“Nothing,” Isagi says quickly, with the careful tone of someone who values his life.
Later, you catch Rin by the sleeve before he can leave.
“You called me dear in front of him.”
“And?”
The genuine confusion in his face makes warmth bloom beneath your ribs. Somewhere along the way, the nickname has become so completely attached to you in his mind that he no longer notices himself using it.
You step closer, smiling sweetly. “Nothing, dear.”
His jaw tightens.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why? You call me that.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“It just is.”
You laugh and lean into him. Rin exhales through his nose, but his arm settles around your waist anyway, pulling you closer with quiet certainty.
“Annoying,” he mutters.
You kiss the corner of his mouth.
His eyes close for half a second, and when he lowers his forehead to yours, the tips of his ears are red.
“...dear.”
The word is barely audible.
Your smile becomes impossible to hide.
Rin knows he has lost.
── .✦
BAROU SHOUEI — “MY QUEEN”
Barou does not call you my queen as a joke.
You can call him Your Majesty whenever you please, can bow theatrically when he enters a room or announce the King’s arrival loudly enough to make him glare at you from across the hall. Your teasing has never bothered you, mostly because his reactions are far too entertaining to surrender.
But Barou treats the title he gives you with surprising seriousness.
It begins after someone refers to you as his queen during a conversation. You expect him to scoff, to correct them, perhaps to launch into a speech about how no one stands beside the King.
Instead, he says nothing.
You notice, of course.
Later, while he cooks dinner, you lean against the counter and watch the precise rhythm of his knife against the cutting board.
“So, Your Majesty.”
“No.”
“You don’t know what I was going to say.”
“I know that tone.”
You smile. “Your queen is hungry.”
The knife stops.
Barou turns his head slowly, red eyes narrowing.
“Absolutely not.”
“That’s not very respectful.”
“You’re lucky I’m cooking for you.”
“I thought kings were supposed to spoil their queens.”
“You thought wrong.”
You leave him alone after that, though your smile returns when he places a plate in front of you twenty minutes later. Your portion is larger than his, arranged with the same care he pretends not to offer.
Barou catches you looking.
“Don’t start.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were going to.”
You pick up your fork. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Eat.”
For a while, the title remains yours to tease him with and his to avoid. Then, after a match, it changes.
Barou has won, but victory has never protected him from dissatisfaction. He stands beside you in a quiet corridor, replaying every imperfect moment aloud: the pass that arrived a second too late, the chance he should have converted, the goal that was good but could have been cleaner.
You listen until his frustration begins to burn itself out.
“You were incredible,” you tell him.
“I could’ve done better.”
“You always think that.”
“Because I can.”
There is so much certainty in his voice that you cannot help smiling. You reach up and brush a stray lock of hair away from his forehead.
“You’re still my King.”
The words begin as a tease, but something in your tone makes his expression shift. Barou catches your wrist, keeping your palm pressed against his cheek.
“And you’re my queen.”
The corridor goes silent.
Your smile disappears beneath the sudden weight of your heartbeat.
Barou seems to realize what he said only after the words have settled between you, but he does not take them back. He merely looks away, a faint trace of color rising along his cheekbones.
“Don’t make that face.”
“What face?”
“That stupid one.”
“You called me your queen.”
“I know what I said.”
You step closer. “Say it again.”
“No.”
“Shouei.”
“No.”
You wrap your arms around his waist before he can escape. Barou complains immediately, muttering about you being clingy, but his hands settle against your back with practiced ease.
After that, my queen remains rare. He uses it when pride softens his voice, when he pulls you against his side after a difficult day, or when he thinks you are already asleep against his chest.
“My queen,” he murmurs into your hair.
You never answer those times.
Barou prefers believing the tenderness goes unnoticed.
You prefer letting him believe it.
── .✦
BACHIRA MEGURU — “SUNSHINE”
The first time Bachira calls you sunshine, you are in a terrible mood.
Your train was late, coffee stained the sleeve of your favorite shirt, and a stranger nearly knocked your phone from your hand without apologizing. By the time you reach the training facility, frustration clings to you like static, sharp enough that one more inconvenience might send you over the edge.
Bachira takes one look at your face and beams.
“Hi, sunshine!”
You stop in front of him.
“Don’t.”
His smile widens. “Don’t what?”
“I am not sunshine right now.”
He tilts his head, studying you with open curiosity. The playful brightness in his eyes softens, though it never disappears completely.
“Mm. You still are.”
“Meguru.”
“What?”
“Why do you even call me that?”
For once, Bachira pauses. His answers rarely follow a straight line, so you prepare yourself for something strange—perhaps you remind him of the color yellow, or your hair looked bright beneath a lamp one afternoon, or his monster decided the name suited you.
Instead, he reaches for your hand and threads his fingers through yours.
“Because you’re warm.”
You blink.
“Not temperature warm,” he adds, then considers it. “Well, sometimes you are.”
“Meguru.”
He laughs softly, swinging your joined hands between you. “Everything feels brighter when you’re there.”
The frustration leaves you so quickly it is almost embarrassing.
Bachira notices at once. “See?”
“See what?”
“Sunshine!”
You shove his shoulder. He only laughs and pulls you into a hug, squeezing until the last of your irritation dissolves against him.
After that, the nickname follows you everywhere.
It echoes across crowded hallways whenever Bachira spots you waiting after practice. It appears in messages sent at unreasonable hours, usually accompanied by too many exclamation marks and a sun emoji.
sunshineeee
You squint at your phone.
meguru it is three in the morning
The typing bubble appears immediately.
yeah :)
why are you awake
A pause.
thinking about you
Then, before you can recover:
sunshine ☀️
You call him because pretending the message did not affect you would be pointless. Bachira answers on the first ring, smiling sleepily into the camera as though he had known you would.
The name is brightest when he is playful, but your favorite version comes after matches, once the energy inside him finally begins to settle. Bachira talks quickly at first, his hands moving as he recounts every idea that carried him across the field. When you two are together, you listen until his words gradually lose their hurried rhythm and his body begins to sink against yours.
His head drops onto your shoulder.
“You falling asleep?”
“No.”
The lie is muffled against your neck.
You run your fingers through his hair. Bachira relaxes immediately, the weight of him growing heavier against you.
“Sunshine,” he murmurs.
“Yeah?”
“Stay warm.”
You pause. “What does that mean?”
No answer.
“Meguru?”
His breathing has already evened out.
You look down at him, at the peaceful curve of his mouth and the way his hand remains loosely wrapped around yours.
Maybe the nickname was never about happiness. Bachira does not need you to shine every second of the day.
To him, sunshine is simply what makes the world feel warmer when it arrives.
── .✦
NAGI SEISHIRO — “PRETTY”
Nagi calls you pretty with the same calm certainty he might use to describe the sky as blue.
There is no teasing edge in his voice and no smug satisfaction when the word leaves you flustered. He does not seem particularly interested in making you react, which somehow makes each quiet use of the name far more dangerous.
The first time it happens, you are trying to wake him for training.
“Nagi.”
He remains buried beneath the blankets.
“Seishiro.”
A muffled groan disappears into the pillow.
“You have to get up.”
“Cancel it.”
“You cannot cancel training.”
“Sounds troublesome.”
You sigh and poke his cheek. One gray eye slowly opens, unfocused with sleep. Nagi looks at you for several long seconds, his gaze drifting over your face as though he is waiting for his thoughts to catch up with the morning.
Then he murmurs, “Hi, pretty.”
Your entire mind goes blank.
Nagi closes his eye again.
You stay beside the bed, staring at him.
“Seishiro.”
“Hm?”
“What was that?”
“What was what?”
“You called me pretty.”
His eye opens once more. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
Confusion settles over his sleepy features.
“Because you’re pretty.”
He rolls over, apparently satisfied that the matter has been explained.
You spend the rest of the morning trying not to think about it.
The name remains after that, appearing whenever affection slips through Nagi’s usual laziness. He says it from the couch while lifting one arm to make room for you, though you both know that once you sit down he will drape himself over you until moving becomes impossible.
“C’mere, pretty.”
He murmurs it when you meet him after an away match, his arms curling around your waist as his full weight settles against you.
“Missed you, pretty.”
And when your smile feels forced or your voice grows quieter than usual, his eyes sharpen with an attentiveness he rarely offers the rest of the world.
“You okay, pretty?”
One afternoon, you finally ask him about it. You are lying against his chest while he scrolls through his phone, his free hand tracing slow, absent patterns over your back.
“Seishiro?”
“Mm?”
“You barely use my actual name anymore.”
His thumb pauses. “Really?”
“You call me pretty all the time.”
“Mm.”
You wait for him to elaborate.
He does not.
Lifting your head, you find him watching you with the same calm expression.
“Why pretty?”
Nagi thinks about it. You can almost see the effort moving slowly behind his eyes.
“Don’t know.”
You sigh.
His phone lowers. Nagi cups your cheek, his palm warm against your skin, and studies you with a focus that makes your breath catch.
“I look at you,” he says eventually, “and think pretty.”
Your heart stumbles.
“So I say pretty.”
The explanation is simple, offered with complete honesty. To Nagi, there is apparently nothing remarkable about telling you exactly what he sees.
You lower your face to his chest before he can notice the heat spreading through your cheeks.
“Why’re you hiding?”
“Shut up.”
His arm curls more securely around you. A moment later, you feel his lips brush your hair.
“Cute, pretty.”
Your face grows warmer.
Nagi’s quiet laugh vibrates beneath your cheek.
Perhaps he knows what he is doing after all.
── .✦
SHIDOU RYUSEI — “DOLL”
Shidou decides to call you doll without asking whether you approve.
This does not surprise you. Ryusei has never been particularly interested in permission when it comes to introducing chaos into your life, and apparently choosing your pet name is no exception.
It begins one evening when you catch him staring.
Not subtly, either. Shidou sits across from you with his chin resting against one hand, his pink eyes moving lazily over your face while you try to finish a message. You ignore him for as long as possible, but his attention is almost physical, warm and unwavering against your skin.
Finally, you lower your phone.
“What?”
His grin appears at once. “Nothing, doll.”
Your fingers still against the screen.
“Doll?”
“Yeah.”
“No.”
Shidou laughs, delighted by the immediate rejection. “What d’you mean, no?”
“You’re not calling me that.”
“Sure thing, doll.”
“Ryusei.”
His grin widens.
From that moment on, your actual name becomes optional.
“There she is. Hi, doll.”
“Move over, doll.”
“C’mere, doll.”
The word itself is not the problem. The way Shidou says it is.
He possesses an infuriating talent for taking something harmless and coating it in enough suggestion to send warmth crawling along your neck. Sometimes he draws the syllable out while leaning too close, his eyes glittering because he knows precisely what his voice does to you.
“Stop saying it like that.”
“Like what, doll?”
“Exactly like that.”
He leans closer, his mouth curving. “Didn’t do anything.”
“You know what you’re doing.”
“Yeah.”
At least he is honest.
You assume the nickname exists because your annoyance entertains him. Then he begins using it when he is not teasing, and the word becomes much harder to dismiss.
You are waiting after one of his matches when the doors to the players’ corridor finally open. Shidou steps through with his hair still damp and his body carrying the restless remains of adrenaline. He looks exhausted in the peculiar way only he can—still bright, still sharp, but quieter beneath the surface.
His gaze searches the hallway.
Then it finds you.
Something in his expression loosens.
“There she is.”
You smile as he approaches. “Hi.”
Shidou does not answer. His arms close around your waist and pull you firmly against him, making you stumble into his chest. Before you can complain, his face disappears into the curve of your neck.
“Missed you, doll.”
The words are quiet. There is no suggestive tone, no laughter waiting beneath them.
Only affection, stripped of performance.
“You saw me this morning.”
“Long time.”
“It’s been eight hours.”
“Exactly.”
You laugh and wrap your arms around him. Shidou exhales against your skin, his grip tightening as the last of the match leaves his body.
That is when you understand there are two versions of the name.
There is the doll he says with a filthy grin, deliberately watching your face because provoking you is one of his favorite pastimes.
Then there is this one—the soft doll that means there you are, the one he murmurs when he is tired enough to want comfort and honest enough not to disguise it.
You kiss his temple.
Shidou lifts his head. “What?”
“Nothing.” Your fingers smooth his hair away from his forehead. “I was thinking I don’t hate the nickname anymore.”
For one dangerous second, he is silent.
Then his grin returns.
“Oh, yeah, doll?”
You immediately regret speaking.
“Don’t.”
“My gorgeous little—”
You cover his mouth with your hand.
Shidou goes still.
Then he licks your palm.
You recoil with a shout while his laughter echoes through the corridor.
The tenderness vanishes as quickly as it appeared, but when he catches up to you, his fingers slip between yours.
helloo,can you pls write something about the bllk as a dad. Their kid called someone else daddy instead of them for the first time. Like Kaiser as our husband and and the kiddo calls Isagi daddy instead 😭😭 thankyou
He is not your dad, I AM!
KAISER MICHAEL
His baby calls Isagi "daddy".
Kaiser is glowing today. Hair perfect, outfit perfect, baby in his arms— also perfect.
He kneels in front of your toddler, smiling like an award-winning model dad.
"Come on, sweetheart. Say it. Daaaddy. Daddy Kaiser is the bestttttttt— I mean, Brotchen, you know who I am."
Your kid stares at him with big innocent eyes…
And then looks over at Isagi, who just walked into the room with a snack in hand.
"Dada!"
Isagi freezes.
Kaiser slowly turns his head like a possessed victim.
"...what. Did. You. Say?"
Your baby giggles and points at Isagi again.
"DADA!!!"
Isagi panics, waving his hands, "NO NO NO— I'm not— I didn't— bro I literally just bought some chips—"
Kaiser stands up, handing you the baby like he's about to commit war crimes in the living room.
"Schatz, hold our traitor child. I need a minute."
"Kaiser—"
He storms to Isagi, pokes him in the chest, and hisses:
"YOU. STOLE. MY. DADDY. MOMENT."
Isagi: "WHAT DID I DO??? I JUST SOMETIMES GIVE HIM SNACKS!!!!!"
But just to make the moment worst your toddler yells "Dada!!" reaches for Isagi.
Kaiser fumes with anger.
"I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS."
So he scoops the baby up and storms off like a betrayed husband.
He spends the rest of the day teaching the baby to say:
"Daddy Kaiser."
"Number one."
"World class."
"Isagi stink."
RIN ITOSHI
His baby calls Sae "daddy".
Sae is holding the baby casually because you asked him to help for ONE minute.
Rin walks in and sees the baby bouncing on Sae's lap and calling him "Dada!!"
Sae smirks. "Hear that, Rin? Even your kid knows who's better."
Rin internally dies.
Externally? He looks like he's trying NOT to punch Sae in the throat.
"That's not—" he grits his teeth. "Give him back."
Sae intentionally holds the baby tighter.
"You sure? They seem pretty happy with their real daddy."
Rin: "SAE. GIVE ME MY CHILD RIGHT NOW."
But the baby is happy babbling "Dada! Dada!" and Rin glares at him with enough hatred to ignite a forest.
Rin snatches his kid and starts muttering to the baby like a feral cat.
"No. No. I'm dada. Not him. Don't betray me. I feed you. I carry you. I LET you drool on my jersey. Don't do this to me just because he buys you some gifts."
The betrayal haunts him for a week.
SAE ITOSHI
His baby calls Bunny "daddy".
You're watching a match replay, baby sitting in Sae's lap and to ruin the moment Bunny Iglesias appears on screen.
Baby points at him immediately.
"Dada!"
Sae freezes.
His eye twitches so hard it might detach.
"...No. Never say that again."
He turns to you. "Turn it off."
The baby happily claps at Iglesias's goal replay.
"DA-DA! DA-DA!"
Sae picks up the remote, shuts the TV off at LIGHTNING speed, and holds the baby like they've been corrupted.
"That man is NOT your father. He's not even allowed near you. He's not allowed near ME."
You laugh. "He probably taught our baby to call him daddy just to spite you. So just calm down, ok?"
"I AM CALM."
He is not calm.
Because later he spends the entire night showing the baby his own highlight reel.
"Say daddy. Not that clown. Daddy. DAD-DY."
YOICHI ISAGI
His baby calls… Rin "daddy."
Rin is visiting because his wife insisted. You and Rin's wife are like besties.
So here he is now... Anyways, Rin barely stepped into the room when your baby looks up at Rin with sparkling eyes:
"DADDY!"
Isagi freezes like he got shot.
"Bro… I'm literally his dad— what the hell—"
Rin shrugs.
"I didn't do anything. Your kid just—"
"DADDY!" the baby repeats, grabbing Rin's pant leg.
Isagi is losing it.
"I feed you! I bathe you! I buy you toys! I— I— I ACTUALLY CHANGE THE DIAPERS!!"
Rin pats your baby's head.
"Kids have standards."
Isagi:"OH MY GOD! Just because you're somewhat good looking—"
But your baby hugs Rin's leg.
"Daddy!"
Isagi is on the verge of crying AND committing a crime.
RYUSEI SHIDOU
His baby also calls… Sae "daddy."
Shidou is playing airplane with the baby, making explosion noises.
The baby looks at Sae, who's just standing there judging Shidou's entire existence... and says:
"Dada!"
Sae goes pale.
"Uh. No."
Shidou gasps dramatically.
"OH MY GODDDD— BABY'S SO SMART!"
Sae:
"I'm not the father. Don't even start."
Shidou scoops the baby up and spins them around.
"Sae-chan is YOUR DADDY TOO!!! WE'RE ONE BIG FAMILY—"
Sae looks physically ill.
"Stop talking."
But the baby says "Dada!" again and reaches for Sae.
Shidou:"Awww he wants his other papa—"
Sae:
"IF YOU SAY THAT AGAIN I'M MOVING TO A DIFFERENT CONTINENT."
SHOUEI BAROU
His baby calls... Aryu "daddy."
Aryu arrives, sparkles floating as if he brought a filter with him.
Your baby sees him and immediately beams:
"Daddy!!"
Aryu winks, flipping his hair.
"Oh? I understand. Beauty is parental."
Barou's jaw drops.
"HUH?"
Your baby claps happily. "Daddy!!"
Barou grabs the baby like Aryu is corrupting him with glitter.
"He is NOT your daddy. I am."
Aryu smirks, leaning against the wall.
"Don't be jealous, Shoei. I can't help it if even infants appreciate perfection."
Barou:
"I'M GONNA SHAVE YOUR HEAD."
But the baby just says "Daddy!" again and points at Aryu's hair.
Barou:
"I'M DOING IT TONIGHT."
HYOMA CHIGIRI
His baby calls Anri "mommy"
His baby was sitting in Chigiri's lap while Anri walks in.
Baby immediately reaches for her:
"Mommy!!"
Chigiri:
"...I— I thought I was your mommy??"
Anri panics. "No no no I didn't teach him that—"
Chigiri looks betrayed.
He gently places the baby down and crosses his arms.
"I carried you for nine months in my emotional womb, and THIS is how you repay me?"
But the baby just crawls to Anri calling her "Mommy!"
Chigiri collapses dramatically onto the couch.
"I'm not strong enough for this."
SEISHIRO NAGI
His kid calls Reo "daddy".
Nagi is half-asleep on the couch with the baby lying on his chest when Reo walks in, hands full with gifts.
Baby wakes, looks at him, and squeals:
"Dada!!"
Nagi opens one eye.
"Why're you stealing my kid, man... too troublesome..."
"Eh?"
Baby says "DADA!" again and reaches for Reo's arms. Reo laughs and picks up the baby, spinning him. Nagi sits up, hair a mess.
"Well I do buy him a lot of gifts—"
Nagi sighs and pats the baby's back.
"DADA!"
Nagi:
"...Okay but I'm still your dad. I'm not losing to Reo. I'll buy you gifts too. Urghh too much work."
bllk x gn!reader ft. rin, sae, kaiser, kunigami, barou, bachira, aiku
aabi's note: can u tell i hardly know shit abt soccer LOL. it's so hilarious too when u know i keep up w/ daily soccer news and im a huge barca fan. </3 you can find this request here.
synopsis: after a significant win, they ignore the cheerful crowd loudly chanting their name and the overwhelming interviews, running towards you instead.
𝄞𝄢 itoshi rin.
everyone's attention is on rin, watchful and attentive. people are split into two―some praying he wins, others praying for his down fall.
with this final goal ― his final goal ― the results of the match would be determined.
the pressure was agonizing, mentally tormenting rin. his clear, intent goal to score was blurred because of all the high levels of energy and loud comments bubbling around him.
"tch," he muttered under his breath. "annoying."
sweating and staring anxiously at him ahead was the other team's goalkeeper. all rin had to ensure was the ball under his feet would swerve past the goalkeeper and make it into the net.
you stood in the vip area, hands nervously clenching around the cool, metal railing. the stadium was deafening, people screaming rin's name. at this moment, he was the only one who mattered in the world.
you blinked for only a split second and when you opened your eyes, cameras flashed so brightly the soccer field below was painted white.
rin scored.
the whistle blew, indicating the end of the match. his team won, with a score of 3-2.
reporters pushed against the barricades trying to reach him first after the game-winning goal. fans screamed so loudly, it'd be a surprise if your ears weren't bleeding.
rin shoved past teammates calling for him, ignored the microphones being shoved into his face, and sprinted straight toward the stands. his eyes searched the crowd with frightening precision until they landed on you.
"mr. rin, please one comment―"
rin ignored the reporters, climbing over the barrier. fans reached for him and security chased after him, but he didn't stop once.
once he reached you, rin cupped your cheeks.
"you were watching, right?" he asked breathlessly, teal eyes darting all across your face. his tone was desperate despite the stoic exterior he always forced onto himself.
you giggled and wrapped your arms around his neck. "everyone was watching, rin."
"so?" rin scoffed. he pressed his forehead against yours. "i only care if you were watching."
behind rin, the stadium kept roaring, voices praising him. yet rin only listened to yours.
𝄞𝄢 itoshi sae.
sae grew up with fame. he was used to the loud crowds, flashing cameras, and pressurizing reporters relentlessly begging him for even a single word.
so after the final long whistle from the referee, sae handled the immediate swarm of reporters wanting to discuss his flawless performance with his usual detached demeanor.
"sae, what did you think of the final play?"
"do you think this victory secures re al a―"
sae locked eyes with you near the tunnel entrance ― where he knew you were waiting for him the entire time ― and his composure cracked.
his steps got quicker and the reporters scrambled behind him, confused but still determined to get him to answer their questions.
"aren't you supposed to be doing those interviews?" you asked as sae approached you. looking behind him, you winced at all the desperate reporters looking at him as if he was food and water.
"they can wait."
sae stopped right in front of you, eyes softer than they ever were on the field.
"let's go out. my treat."
"but you won." you playfully raised an eyebrow. "shouldn't i be the one treating you?"
"no," sae muttered, leaving no room for argument. without caring about the cameras pointed directly at you two, he took your hand and intertwined your fingers together. "let's get out of here."
the reporters' jaws dropped at the juicy sight unfolding (and disappearing) right in front of their eyes. they couldn't talk to sae directly, but at least there would be new headlines about him by tonight.
𝄞𝄢 micheal kaiser.
"kaiser over here! notice me!!!"
"kaiser can i get one photo!"
"can we get a statement about your goal?"
everyone in the stadium was worshipping kaiser, even fans from the opposing team. his talented performance from the match earlier ― resulting in an expected win ― left everyone admiring him.
kaiser loved the attention―he lived for the attention.
but he was only craving one person's attention right now, even if it was just a glance. he could care less about everyone else surrounding him.
the second kaiser caught you standing near the edge of the field, his entire expression brightened.
"found you, liebe."
kaiser jogged right past the reporters, grinning while the media erupted behind him. you barely had time to react before he dramatically dropped to his knees right in front of you.
"did my goals impress you liebling?"
you rolled your eyes, suppressing a smile.
"i guess."
"i guess???" kaiser furrowed his eyebrows, clutching his chest theatrically. "you are so cruel! those goals were specifically for you."
behind you two, the reporters and kaiser's teammates laughed. the cameras captured everything, displaying the interaction between you two on the big screens in the stadium.
"you always say that every match!" you scoffed.
kaiser stood up, wrapped an arm around your waist possessively, and flashed the cameras a smirk.
"and i mean it every time."
𝄞𝄢 kunigami rensuke. (post wc)
the reporters whispered amongst themselves, unsure of whether or not to approach the infamous kunigami.
he had just scored the winning goal of the match earlier, securing his soccer club the famous championship everyone loved worldwide.
but because of his interesting reputation, the reporters were hesitant to approach him.
as he walked by them, sweat clung to his skin, chest rising heavily. his exhaustion was evident.
"let's just talk to him," a reporter hushed to their co-worker.
the reporters began crowding around him, hands tugging him towards interviews.
he ignored them, pushing their hands off his body. he already had a person to talk to in mind.
you were patiently waiting in the front row of the bleachers, watching kunigami as he slowly approached you. his auburn eyes were on you too, gaze sharp and indifferent as usual.
"you waited the entire match," kunigami uttered as soon as he reached you.
"obviously!"
his shoulders relaxed at your voice, tension melting from his body little by little.
"you were amazing, ren," you whispered, placing a hand on his bicep.
as the words slowly processed in his mind, kunigami stared at you. his expression was slightly conflicted, as if he was trying to understand whether those words that came out of your mouth were real or just his imagination playing tricks on him.
after a couple of seconds, it clocked to kunigami that you actually spoke and that your words were genuine, spoken truly from your heart.
kunigami's lips broke into a smile—small, rare, and sincere.
𝄞𝄢 barou shoei.
barou smirked arrogantly as reporters chased after him.
just a while ago, the king scored three goals, helping his team win yet another match. of course his ego was incredibly boosted and the stadium chanting his name only fed his ego further.
the moment barou spotted you in the crowd, something in his tyrannical behavior changed direction instantly.
barou shoved a microphone away with an irritated click of his tongue.
"move."
"barou-san! one interview please—"
"i said move."
people parted instinctively as he strode toward you with the same overwhelming presence he carried practically anywhere and everywhere.
you crossed your arms teasingly. "ignoring your fans i see," you called out as he approached.
"i'm focusing on what's more important right now."
he stopped directly in front of you, towering over you slightly before firmly grabbing your chin.
"you saw who ruled this field, yeah?"
"o'course i did, king."
barou's chest swelled with some unnameable feeling. your attention was far more sufficient enough than admiration from his millions of fans all over the world.
𝄞𝄢 bachira meguru.
"another playful and frisky win executed by none other than barcha's star player, bachira!"
fans screamed his name endlessly while teammates celebrated around him. bachira looked radiant after helping his team win another match.
despite all the attention he was receiving, bachira felt as if something — no, someone — was missing.
he enthusiastically gushed over the match with his teammates, but his eyes were darting all over the place, desperately seeking out someone.
the second bachira spotted you near the railing, his entire face lit up brighter than the stadium lights.
"there you are!"
he immediately bolted towards you, ditching his teammates and ignoring someone attempting to pull him into an interview.
"bachira! media first!"
"nope!"
you barely managed to greet him before he tackled you into a hug, practically knocking the air out of your lungs.
"meguru!" you squealed, wrapping your arms around his frame. he was drenched in sweat, but that didn't matter.
"we won!" he grinned, yellow orbs sparkling. "did you see my pass? did you see my goal? did you see it? did you?"
"i did! i was watching you the whole time. you almost gave me five heart attacks!"
"that means i did good!"
"when are you not doing good in soccer?" you cooed.
bachira giggled—his laughter infectious, warm and carefree. you giggled along with him. he pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against yours.
"it's really fun when you watch me play. i hope you always will."
𝄞𝄢 oliver aiku.
growing up with everyone praising his soccer skills and then landing a career in japan's u-20 team, aiku handled fame naturally.
today was just another day dealing with excessive attention from fans and reporters adamant to hear even a sentence from his mouth.
he performed exceptionally well in another match, leading to a beautiful win that fans and his team were craving.
aiku waved at fans easily, flashed cameras his charismatic smile, and answered endless questions with ease.
he glanced away from a reporter, only to spot you behind a crowd, watching him with a big smile. the second he noticed you, aiku's attention shifted.
"excuse me for a sec," he told the reporters casually. "i'll be back soon."
aiku knew he wouldn't return, not when you were there waiting for him with that pretty smile he loved so dearly.
you laughed as he walked over and pulled you somewhere more secluded.
"are you serious? you're gonna get yelled at later."
"so what?" aiku stepped in front of you, grinning, though his eyes carried something softer underneath. "it's worth it if i can be with you."
"tough game?"
"you have no idea."
aiku pulled you into his arms and buried his face into your hair, inhaling the faint, lingering smell of your shampoo.
"this feels way better than any win," he whispered.
you've never been particularly fond of paparazzi, especially when you're trying to have a normal day together and then all of a sudden, there's a camera pointed at you from somewhere you didn't even notice, but even you have to admit that the photo they caught of you and isagi is tuff. like, unfortunately for you, the paparazzi ate.
the two of you had been walking through the city after grabbing drinks, casually sharing a pair of wired earpods because isagi had decided that carrying his own pair was "unnecessary" when yours were already plugged into your phone. he had one earpod in his ear, yours in the other, his arm lazily slung around your shoulders while the two of you walked close enough that your sides were practically glued together.
and then, because i guess being an internationally famous football player has done absolutely nothing to teach him about personal boundaries when it comes to your drinks, isagi reached over and stole yours.
the photo catches him mid-sip. he isn't even looking at the camera. he's looking ahead with the most relaxed expression imaginable, one arm remains comfortably around your shoulders, the hand from that arm intertwined with yours, the wire from the earpods hanging between you, all the while you're looking at him with this tiny, amused smile like you've caught him committing the world's least serious crime and have already accepted that you're not getting your drink back.
the composition is ridiculous. the city buildings and stores are slightly blurred behind you, your outfits happen to coordinate without actually matching, and the wire connecting your ears makes the whole thing look like one of those candid photographs people would spend 45 minutes trying to recreate on pinterest.
the caption from the paparazzi account is something bland like: “isagi yoichi spotted out with girlfriend [name] on his day off.”
the internet, however, has absolutely no intention of being normal.
@isagiscleats: THE WIRED EARPODS????? HELLO?????
@yoichisgf: he's drinking HER DRINK with HIS ARM around her shoulders while they're sharing headphones. sedate me.
@bluelockdaily: the fact that he looks so comfortable around her actually hurts.
@strikercentral: isagi yoichi has scored in front of 80,000 people and still looks happier stealing his girlfriend's drink.
the post gets reposted. then reposted again. then somebody edits the photo into a fake album cover. then somebody else posts, "this is what i mean when i say i want a relationship that feels like friendship first."
the picture starts circulating outside the football fandom entirely, because two people sharing wired earphones in 2026 is enough to send the entire internet into cardiac arrest.
isagi eventually sees the photo. he stares at it for several seconds before quietly going, "oh. that’s cute."
you look at him. "you look cute."
he smiles at you and then looks at the comments. "why are people calling me a thief?"
"because you stole my drink."
"you let me."
"did i?"
the photo becomes one of his favorite pictures of the two of you, although he will deny this until the day he dies.
itoshi rin
rin HATES paparazzi (with a passion).
he hates being photographed when he doesn't know he's being photographed, he hates people invading his privacy, and he especially hates when strangers think they're entitled to moments of his personal life simply because he's famous.
so naturally, the paparazzi manage to capture one of the most iconic photographs of your relationship: the two of you are leaving a restaurant and rin has his arm around your shoulders as you walk together. you're distracted because you're on the phone, looking toward the street while talking to someone, completely unaware that you've just walked directly into the perfect paparazzi shot.
rin, however, knows. he spots the camera. and the expression on his face changes immediately.
he doesn't move his arm from around you, doesn't pull away, doesn't make a scene, but he turns his head just enough to stare directly into the camera with the coldest, most murderous look a human being can physically produce. you are completely oblivious. you're still talking on your phone. but your boyfriend is staring at the paparazzi like he's mentally calculating whether international law applies to whatever he's about to do.
the photograph itself is ridiculously good. you're distracted and relaxed, one hand holding your phone, while rin stands beside you with his arm around your shoulders and his entire body subtly angled between you and the camera.
the internet notices everything.
@rinitoshifan: THE WAY HE'S LOOKING AT THE CAMERA LIKE THEY JUST KILLED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY 😭
@blue_lockcentral: he hates paparazzi, but accidentally gave them the hardest couple photo of the year.
@benchtoshi: she doesn't even KNOW he's defending her from the camera 😭
@footballgirlie: the contrast between her looking like she's discussing her busy schedule and rin looking like he's about to declare war on the press is taking me OUT.
somebody edits the photo so that you're surrounded by sparkles while rin has red warning signs around his head.
another person captions it: she's on hold with customer service and he's on hold with god asking for permission to kill the paparazzi. that post gets millions of likes.
then fans start pointing out something even sweeter: despite how clearly irritated he is, his hand hasn't moved from your shoulder.
he's still keeping you close. he could've stepped away. he could've turned around. he could've told you to hurry. instead, he stays beside you, keeps his arm around you, and simply glares at the camera while making sure you're comfortable.
the internet collectively melts.
@rinslashes: "he looks like he wants to kill them" yes because his girlfriend is right there and he's protective 😭
@egoistsupremacy: rin's love language is "i will stand between you and anyone annoying you."
when you finally hang up, you glance at him. "why are you looking at someone like that?"
"paparazzi."
you look around. "... oh."
rin sighs. "they've been following us."
"you could've told me."
"you were talking."
you smile. "were you protecting me?"
he looks away. "don't make it weird."
"oh so you were? awww."
the internet never gets another explanation. they don't need one.
itoshi sae
the paparazzi photograph of you and sae becomes a cultural event.
there are many ways to photograph sae itoshi, but the universe decided that the most devastating option would be to capture him standing in the middle of a clothing store while you use his jersey as a literal hanger rack.
you had been shopping together when you ran out of hands. you had clothes draped over your arms, a couple of hangers hooked around your fingers, and another shirt that you were trying to keep from falling onto the floor.
sae was standing beside you in his jersey. you looked at him. then looked at the hangers. then looked at the holes in the loose fabric around his shirt. "... hold these."
sae barely glances at you. "what?"
you hook one hanger through a hole in his jersey. then another. then another. within 30 seconds, sae itoshi has become a mobile clothing rack.
and the paparazzi catch the exact moment you step back to examine your selections while sae stands there with several hangers hanging from his shirt.
except the best part isn't even the ridiculousness of the situation. it's his face. sae is looking at you. not the camera, not the clothes. you. and the look on his face is so unbelievably fond that the internet immediately loses whatever sanity it had left. he looks like a man who has just realized that he somehow managed to pull the exact woman he wanted and is still slightly stunned that she's standing beside him.
the photograph is almost unfairly romantic. you're smiling at something on one of the hangers, completely unaware of how you're being looked at, while sae watches you with that soft, almost imperceptible expression he rarely lets anyone else see.
the internet collectively screams.
@saeitoshismuse: WHY IS HE LOOKING AT HER LIKE SHE INVENTED LOVE
@bluelockupdates: sae itoshi being used as a clothing rack and looking like he's having the best day of his life 😭
@madridistas: bro has won trophies and still looks like THAT because his girlfriend put three hangers on his jersey.
@saeswife: i’m gonna nuke EVERYBODY.
someone crops the photograph so it's just his face. someone else captions it: when you pulled the woman of your dreams and she started using you as furniture.
another person posts: she said "hold these" and he heard "i choose you." that one goes viral.
the original photo gets millions of likes and now everyone is talking about how sae's expression completely gives him away. he can maintain that cool, detached image all he wants, but the photograph is proof that the man is sick in love.
you eventually see it online. you stare at the photo. then at sae. "wow, you look so in love with me."
"i am."
you blink. he goes back to looking at his phone. "... that's it?"
"what else do you want me to say?"
"i don't know. deny it."
"why would i do that?"
you grin. "because you're supposed to be nonchalant."
sae looks at you for a moment. "you've already ruined that."
and then he lets you hook another hanger onto his jersey. this is his life now.
nagi seishiro
the paparazzi catch you and nagi on one of those days where you accidentally coordinate so well that people assume you planned the entire thing. you did. kind of.
nagi had insisted on wearing an oversized hoodie because, according to him, "normal clothes are too much work," and you happened to be wearing a similarly oversized streetwear fit.
the two outfits complement each other perfectly. both of you are wearing loose silhouettes, your colors coordinate, and you're both wearing the same sneakers. nagi also has a beanie pulled low over his hair, while you have yours styled similarly enough that the whole thing looks intentional. the shoes become the first thing people notice. then the hoodies. then the matching accessories.
then the fact that nagi is walking beside you with his hands tucked into his pockets, his shoulders relaxed, looking like he accidentally walked out of a streetwear campaign.
the photograph is taken while you're laughing at something he said. nagi isn't even looking at the camera. he's looking at you. the two of you look so effortlessly comfortable that the internet immediately decides this is the coolest couple photograph ever taken.
@naginagi: THE MATCHING ONITSUKA TIGERS…
@reoisnotokay: nagi finally left the house and served harder than everyone who planned their outfit for three hours.
@streetwearcentral: i need both fits immediately.
then someone notices that your shoes are the exact same model. that becomes its own discourse. people start trying to identify the brand, the hoodie, the beanie, the entire outfit because they want to recreate it that badly.
within hours, the shoes are being called "the nagi [name] sneakers."
someone posts: nagi seishiro could wear a trash bag and people would ask where to buy it.
another person replies: he's wearing a $2000 hoodie and looks like he got dressed in the dark. then someone quote-tweets: that's literally why it works.
the photograph gets reposted onto fashion accounts, football accounts, celebrity accounts, and relationship accounts. people aren't even discussing football anymore. they're discussing the fit.
nagi eventually sees the photo and squints at it. "damn. we look cool."
you laugh. "that's all you have to say?"
"yeah."
"everyone is talking about our shoes."
"good." he looks down at your matching shoes. "i like that we match."
you smile. "you planned this on purpose?"
"no."
"you picked the same shoes as me."
"because they're comfortable."
"mhm. sure."
he reaches over and lazily pulls your hood over your head. "don't ruin it."
"ruin what?"
"the cool couple thing."
and that is exactly how the photograph becomes one of the most beloved pictures of the two of you.
mikage reo
reo's paparazzi photo is the one that absolutely destroys everyone. why? because it isn't posed. it isn't planned. it isn't even particularly flashy. it's just reo being hopelessly in love with you.
the two of you are walking outside after spending the afternoon together and you're talking about something that has you completely distracted when reo suddenly stops.
you turn around. "what?"
he smiles. "nothing."
then he pulls you toward him. you barely have time to react before he presses a quick kiss to your lips, catching you completely by surprise.
the paparazzi happen to catch the exact moment. you are grinning. your eyes are closed, your cheeks are lifted from your smile, and you look genuinely delighted by the surprise. reo is smiling, too, one hand gently holding you close while he looks at you like he already knows he's succeeded in making your entire day.
social media absolutely adores it.
@reomikagefiles: OH SHE'S GLOWING 😭
@mikagecentral: reo saw his girlfriend and said "yeah i'm kissing her” BYE.
@bluelockdaily: THE SMILE. HER SMILE. I'M SICK.
@purpleheartreo: he surprised her and she immediately lit up. somebody get me OUT OF HERE.
then the relationship accounts start using the photograph as an example of "love that looks like friendship."
someone writes: the best part is that she looks genuinely happy to be surprised by him. that post gets millions of likes.
another person says: reo mikage is never beating the hopeless romantic allegations. and nobody even tries to argue.
reo sees the photo and immediately sends it to you.
reo: "look what they caught 😭"
you: "you literally ambushed me."
reo: "don’t lie, you liked it."
then he changes his profile picture to the paparazzi photo. without asking you.
you stare at his account. "reo."
"what?"
"you made the paparazzi picture your profile picture."
"it's cute."
"oh geez, you’re impossible."
"you love me."
"i guess."
"that's not what your smile says.”
unfortunately for you, the internet has already seen the photograph. everyone knows exactly what your smile says.
bachira meguru
bachira's paparazzi photo is the kind that makes people pause because it doesn't even look like a celebrity photograph at first.
the two of you are sitting on the curb outside a konbini late in the evening, each holding a popsicle, your shopping bag sitting between you while you kick your feet idly against the pavement. bachira has his knees pulled up slightly, his shoulders relaxed, and he's looking at you with that bright, mischievous smile of his while you're in the middle of saying something that has him visibly trying not to laugh. it's such an ordinary moment.
there's no fancy restaurant, no designer clothes, no security detail, no red carpet, no expensive car waiting nearby. just the two of you sitting outside a convenience store eating popsicles like a couple of teenagers who wandered outside because you wanted something sweet. that's exactly why everyone loves it.
the paparazzi photo catches bachira holding his popsicle in one hand while his other hand is resting loosely behind you on the curb, his body angled toward yours. you're looking at him with an amused expression, your own popsicle halfway eaten, and the warm convenience-store lights behind you make the entire photograph look almost cinematic.
the internet immediately decides this is the most bachira relationship imaginable.
@bachirabuzzbuzz: THEY'RE SITTING OUTSIDE A KONBINI EATING POPSICLES LIKE KIDS 😭😭😭
@megurusleftfoot: forget the luxury dates. bachira said we're sitting on the curb at 10 PM eating convenience store popsicles.
@bluelockarchive: this is genuinely the cutest celebrity couple photo i've ever seen because they look like they're having fun doing simple activities.
@yellowstriker: the fact that bachira is looking at her like THAT??? oh he's GONE.
someone zooms in and notices that your popsicle is starting to melt down your hand. bachira apparently noticed, too, because there's another photo taken seconds later where he's laughing while handing you a napkin.
that second photo gets posted beside the first one. the internet loses it all over again.
@megurusgf: HE SAW HER POPSICLE MELTING AND IMMEDIATELY GOT HER A NAPKIN. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE, MEGURU.
another person writes: this isn't celebrity dating. this is two best friends who happen to be disgustingly in love. and that sentence gets reposted approximately 17 million times.
the picture ends up on pinterest with titles like "summer nights," "young love," "tokyo nights," and "i want this."
bachira sees the photograph and absolutely loves it. "look!"
you glance over. "what?"
"we look like we're in a movie!"
"we're just sitting on the curb."
"exactly!"
he saves the photo immediately.
you laugh. "why’d you save it?"
"because i love it." he leans his head against your shoulder. "you look happy."
you look at the picture again. "i am."
bachira grins. "see? movie."
he gets exactly what he wanted because the photograph becomes one of those pictures people use whenever they're trying to describe a relationship that feels easy, playful, and genuinely lived-in, like a coming-of-age film with a happy ending.
shidou ryusei
shidou's paparazzi photo is arguably the funniest photograph ever taken of a professional footballer. there’s no (ZERO) dignity involved.
the two of you are leaving a shop together when shidou says something particularly irritating. you stop. turn around. and smack him directly in the face with your bag.
the paparazzi catch the exact moment. shidou's head is turned from the impact, his hair slightly messed up, his eyes wide with genuine surprise, while you're standing there with the most unimpressed expression imaginable.
and the worst part? he's LAUGHING. like he looks like he’s just been given the greatest gift of his life.
there are multiple photographs taken in sequence and every single one makes the situation progressively funnier. first picture: you swinging the bag. second picture: bag connecting with his face. third picture: shidou laughing with his head turned. fourth picture: you walking away while shidou follows after you like an excited dog.
the internet doesn't even bother pretending to be mature.
@shidoucentral: SHE HIT HIM 😭😭😭
@demonstriker: bro got smacked with a HANDBAG and looks happier than he does after scoring.
@ryuseiswife: real. i don’t even have to know what he said or did, that was a justifiable response.
@bluelockfanatic: the fact that he is LAUGHING tells me this is probably their normal dynamic.
someone crops the third photograph and captions it: when your girlfriend hits you, but you think it's flirting. another person replies: he's never beating the masochist allegations.
the post gets deleted almost immediately because someone realizes they are being too insane, but screenshots have already spread everywhere.
then the funniest thing happens. shidou himself likes the original paparazzi post. the internet explodes.
@shidouupdates: HE LIKED IT. HE’S RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS TO BE.
when you find out, you're horrified. "why would you like that?"
shidou grins. "because you look hot."
"i'm literally hitting you."
"yeah."
"... that's your takeaway?"
"you were passionate."
"i hate you."
"love you, too."
then because he's shidou, he sends the photograph to several teammates with absolutely no context.
the photo becomes legendary among fans because it captures your relationship perfectly: you have absolutely no patience for his nonsense and shidou finds your willingness to physically humble him infinitely entertaining.
karasu tabito
karasu's photograph is criminally romantic.
the two of you are leaving an event together, and somewhere along the way, you start complaining about something he said. he's clearly enjoying himself. you can tell because there's that little smug smile on his face, the one that tells you he knows he's getting on your nerves and has absolutely no intention of stopping.
you roll your eyes. he catches your hand. and before you can ask what he's doing, he lifts your fingers toward his lips and kisses your knuckles.
the paparazzi catch it perfectly. you're looking at him with a mid-eye-roll expression, your mouth slightly open like you're about to tell him to stop being annoying, while karasu is looking up at you with the most unbearably smug, affectionate expression imaginable.
the picture looks like a romance novel cover. the only problem is that your face makes it ten times funnier because you look like: "this man is so fucking annoying." while karasu looks like: "yes, and you’re still mine."
the internet immediately goes feral.
@karasucrow: THE MID-EYE ROLL???????? SHE'S SO TIRED OF HIS ASS 😭
@tabitosgf: he kissed her hand while she was actively rolling her eyes. that's actually insane.
@bluelockcentral: karasu tabito has mastered the art of annoying your girlfriend while simultaneously making her blush.
someone captions the photo: he's flirting. she's filing a complaint.
another person writes: the fact that he looks so pleased with himself tells me he did this specifically because he knew she'd react like that. they're absolutely correct btw.
karasu sees the photograph later and laughs. "look at yer face."
you glare at him. "look at yours."
"mine looks good."
"you look smug."
"same thing."
"you are genuinely unbearable."
he reaches for your hand again.
you immediately pull it away. "don't."
"why?"
"because you're going to do it again."
he smiles. "good guess."
you roll your eyes again. he laughs.
across the internet, thousands of people are staring at that photograph thinking, yeah, these are my parents.
kaiser michael
the paparazzi photograph of kaiser is one of those pictures where you can immediately tell that the person behind the camera had no idea they were about to capture one of the funniest displays of devotion ever witnessed.
the two of you had spent the afternoon shopping, although calling it "shopping" is being generous when you look at the sheer amount of bags kaiser is carrying. because this man is LOADED DOWN.
there are shopping bags looped around both wrists, several more hanging from his fingers, another couple tucked against his arm, and one particularly large bag balanced against his hip because apparently, there simply wasn't enough room anywhere else. practically every single bag is from a store you had been browsing and anyone looking at the photograph for more than two seconds can tell that the vast majority of this haul belongs to you.
and kaiser? he looks completely fine with it. actually, he's smiling. it's that crooked little smile of his, the one that appears when he's genuinely amused or pleased and doesn't feel the need to hide it behind that composed, almost arrogant expression he wears around everyone else.
he's looking at you while you're walking beside him, completely empty-handed, because kaiser decided that if he was going to spoil you, he was going to do it properly.
you're rambling. of course you're rambling. you're talking with your hands, explaining some story about something that happened earlier, jumping between topics because you remembered another detail halfway through the first one. you look animated and completely comfortable, occasionally glancing at him to make sure he's following along. he is. he's listening to every word.
and while you're talking, he's looking at you with this incredibly satisfied expression, like carrying what appears to be half the shopping district is a small price to pay for getting to watch you happily talk about whatever has occupied your mind.
the photograph becomes an instant favorite online because the contrast is hilarious. you’re completely unburdened, chatting away. kaiser’s carrying enough shopping bags to open a second closet, smiling like he just won the lottery.
@kaisercore: THAT IS NOT HIS SHOPPING. THOSE ARE ALL HERS 😭
@michaelsgf: he looks so HAPPY carrying all that shit, too.
@bluelockdaily: michael kaiser has discovered that his favorite sport is spoiling his girlfriend.
@kaisernoticeme: THE CROOKED SMILE. HE'S SO PROUD OF HIMSELF.
someone zooms in on the bags and starts identifying the stores. another person counts them. 23. TWENTY THREE SHOPPING BAGS.
the internet collectively loses its mind.
@footballgirlie: TWENTY THREE?????????
@kaiserupdates: he went from professional footballer to girlfriend's personal pack mule.
@strikercentral: he's smiling like he personally invented capitalism so she could go shopping i’m crine.
then someone posts the photograph with: "when your girl says she only needs one thing.” and somebody else replies: "he knew she was lying and funded the lie anyway." that reply gets hundreds of thousands of likes.
the photograph becomes even funnier because you're clearly still talking. kaiser has to occasionally glance down at you, nodding along while carrying the equivalent of an entire department store, and there's something almost domestic about it. he isn't annoyed. he isn't pretending to tolerate it. he's genuinely enjoying himself.
this is one of those small things that makes him happy: seeing you excited about something, knowing he can give you something you wanted, and getting to spend the afternoon with you while you talk his ear off.
someone eventually asks in the comments: "does he ever say no?"
you eventually notice the photograph online. you stare at it. then at kaiser. "you look like a sugar daddy."
his eyebrow lifts. "and?"
"you have 23 bags."
"i know."
"you bought all of this."
"i know."
"you're smiling."
he gives you that crooked grin. "i like spoiling you."
you stare at him for a second before laughing. "you're ridiculous."
"and you're still talking."
"because i have more to tell you."
"i'm listening."
he picks up the one bag that had started slipping from his wrist before continuing to walk beside you, still carrying everything, still smiling, and still listening to the next 10 minutes of your story like there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
ness alexis
ness's paparazzi photograph becomes one of the most widely used reaction images on football social media and the funniest part is that it wasn't even supposed to be funny.
the two of you are at the airport together, waiting around before your flight, when you end up sitting beside each other and doing what every couple eventually does when they're bored in public: gossiping.
you lean toward ness, lowering your voice as you start spilling some absolutely ridiculous piece of tea. ness is listening, very intently. at first, he's completely normal. then you say something. his entire expression changes. his eyebrows shoot upward. his eyes widen. his mouth drops open slightly.
the paparazzi capture that exact second. you're sitting beside him looking completely serious, one hand gesturing as you explain whatever scandalous information you've just dropped, while ness is staring at you with the most genuinely flabbergasted expression imaginable. it's so unfiltered that the photograph becomes an instant meme.
@nessalexisarchive: WHAT DID SHE TELL HIM 😭😭😭
@nessnation: ness hearing the tea:
@bluelockcentral: bro was NOT prepared for that information.
@footballtok: this is about to become a reaction image i’m calling it.
it does. immediately. someone crops out the airport background. someone puts a white background behind him. someone adds text that says: "YOU'RE LYING."
another person uses it as a reaction to a football transfer rumor. then someone uses it under a celebrity breakup announcement. then somebody uses it in the comments of a post about someone's friend getting exposed. within days, ness's flabbergasted face is everywhere.
"when your friend says 'don't tell anyone' and then tells you everything."
"when the teacher says the test is actually tomorrow."
"when your mom says 'we need to talk' and you know exactly what she found."
"when your friend says 'okay, hear me out' and you realize you're about to receive information that will alter your worldview."
the photograph becomes so iconic that people who don't even know who ness is start using it.
and the funniest part is that you are still completely normal in the original photograph. you're just sitting there, casually explaining the tea. ness is the one who looks like he has just been struck by lightning.
fans start speculating about what you told him.
@nessdefender: whatever she said changed that man's entire genetic makeup.
@kaiserupdates: ness alexis learning the most devastating piece of gossip of his life while sitting at gate 34.
@bluelockfan01: the funniest part is that she looks like she's saying "and then she said..." while ness looks like he's witnessing a historical event.
eventually, someone finds a video from a nearby passenger where you can faintly hear the conversation. you say something. ness immediately goes: "she did WHAT?"
you start laughing. "i told you!"
"no, you didn't tell me that!"
"that's why i'm telling you now."
"that's INSANE."
"i know."
"how do you even know this?"
"because she told me."
he stares at you. "... why would she tell you?"
you shrug. "i have a trustworthy face."
ness looks at you for a moment. "lies."
you gasp. "excuse me?"
"you look like you'd know everyone's business."
"that's because i do. and you like knowing about it all."
he starts laughing. and unfortunately, the paparazzi photograph has already become immortalized.
fans now use it whenever they're shocked, confused, betrayed, scandalized, or simply need to communicate the universal feeling of "there is no fucking way you just told me that."
ness eventually discovers the meme. he stares at his own face on someone's phone. "... why is this everywhere?"
you start laughing. "because you look insane."
"i do not look insane."
you turn the phone around. it's his face, enlarged, with the caption: WHEN THE TEA IS WORSE THAN EXPECTED.
ness goes silent. you start laughing harder. eventually, he sighs, but he's smiling.
and from that point forward, whenever you have gossip to share, you deliberately get him to recreate the exact expression from the photograph.
chigiri hyoma
chigiri's paparazzi photo becomes an instant fashion-history moment, mostly because nobody has ever seen the two of you dressed like this before.
the two of you are walking through the city in matching leather jackets that look almost custom-made, the kind of pieces that somehow manage to look effortlessly cool without making either of you look like you're trying too hard. the jackets have slightly different details so they aren't completely identical, but they're clearly designed to belong together, and the rest of your outfits coordinate perfectly. you look like you just walked out of a luxury campaign. chigiri looks like he was born specifically to wear that jacket.
and then the paparazzi show up. chigiri immediately notices them. his expression changes. he doesn't stop walking, but he subtly moves closer to you, angling himself so he's between you and the cameras. one arm comes up instinctively, partially shielding your face while his other hand is very clearly raised toward the paparazzi.
yes. he is flipping them off.
the photograph catches him looking directly at the cameras with the most irritated expression imaginable while simultaneously trying to keep them from getting a clear picture of you.
meanwhile, you're half-hidden behind him, still wearing your matching jacket, and the entire image looks like the cover of the most expensive celebrity couple editorial ever made.
the internet goes insane.
@chigirisource: THE MATCHING LEATHER JACKETS?????
@hyomasleftleg: he hates paparazzi so much he's shielding her AND flipping them off at the same time 😭
@bluelockfashion: these jackets are actually insane. who made them??
@chigirifan: he said you can photograph ME, but leave my girlfriend alone.
then someone notices the tiny detail that makes the picture even sweeter. chigiri isn't trying to hide himself. he's trying to hide you. he's completely willing to let the cameras capture him looking irritated, but the second they start getting too close to your face, he moves to block their view.
the photograph gets reposted everywhere with captions like: "he's mad at the paparazzi, but still serving." and: "protective boyfriend + matching leather jackets = unfortunately i understand the vision."
fashion accounts start posting the picture. people want the jackets. people want the shoes. people want to know where the entire outfit came from. people want to know the custom designer. and now, chigiri's attempt to ruin the paparazzi's photograph has accidentally given them one of the coolest celebrity couple pictures of the year.
when you later tease him about it, he groans. "i hate that picture."
"why? you look good."
"that's not the point."
"you were flipping them off."
"they were bothering us."
you grin. "that’s very heroic of you, hyomie."
he rolls his eyes. "i was trying to block your face."
"well you looked hot doing it."
he gives you a look. "... don't start."
too late. the internet has already made the photograph its new banner.
barou shoei
barou's paparazzi photo is hilarious because it reveals something the public rarely gets to see: the fact that barou is your personal photographer.
the two of you are out together when you spot a nice-looking area with good lighting, and you immediately stop. "wait."
barou looks over. "what?"
"take a picture of me."
he sighs. "right here?"
"yes?"
"you're making me work."
"is that complaining i hear?"
"... give me your phone."
and there he is. barou shoei, professional footballer, standing a few meters away from you with your phone held horizontally while he carefully adjusts the angle.
the paparazzi catch the exact moment he's taking the picture. you're standing in front of whatever scenic backdrop you've found, posing for your instagram while barou is completely focused on getting the shot right. he's even slightly crouched. one hand is steadying the phone. his eyes are narrowed in concentration. he looks like he's photographing the cover of a magazine rather than his girlfriend's instagram story. and you're posing for him.
the picture becomes an instant fan favorite because it is simultaneously romantic and unbelievably funny.
@barouarchive: KING BAROU TAKING HER INSTAGRAM PICTURES 😭
@kingbarou: he looks like he's on a professional photoshoot set bc he’s taking it so seriously.
@shoueibaru: "boyfriend" no. unpaid photographer.
someone zooms in and notices that barou is actually taking several pictures. then somebody posts: "he took 47 photos and she used the 13th one." that becomes the running joke.
another fan says: "barou definitely makes her stand there for 10 minutes because the lighting isn't right." he does.
"turn slightly."
you turn.
"no, the other way."
you turn again.
"your hair."
"what about it?"
"fix it."
"sho."
"hold on." he takes another picture.
you look at him. "are you done?"
"no. i’ve only taken 32."
"32???"
"i'm trying to make you look good."
"i already look good."
he pauses. "... true." now his ears are a little pink.
the photograph eventually gets posted online and fans start calling him the king of instagram boyfriends. barou pretends he hates the nickname. he doesn’t.
yukimiya kenyu
yukimiya's paparazzi photograph is the one that makes the entire internet go "oh, he is DOWN BAD."
the two of you are out together when a young fan approaches you. it's someone's little kid and they've recognized you and yukimiya immediately. the kid is wearing a football shirt and looks absolutely thrilled to see you. you crouch down so you're at their level and start talking to them, asking about their favorite players and what position they play. the kid gets increasingly excited. you're smiling, listening attentively, and encouraging them to tell you about their own football dreams.
and yukimiya? he’s standing slightly behind you, watching. he isn't even trying to hide his expression. there's this soft, lovesick smile on his face as he watches you talk to the child, his entire expression warm in a way that makes it painfully obvious how much he adores you.
the paparazzi catch it. and EVERYONE sees it.
@yukimiyadaily: OMG LOOK AT HIS FACE.
@kenyusgf: he's looking at her like she hung the moon. someone take me to the white padded room right now.
@bluelockcentral: YUKIMIYA KENYU YOU ARE NOT SUBTLE.
@footballgirlie: that man is looking at her like he's mentally designing their future family home.
the comments get progressively worse:
"bro is imagining the minivan." "he's already naming the kids." "someone take him away before he starts looking at strollers." "he saw her talking to a kid and immediately pictured every christmas from now until the next 25 years."
the photograph itself is incredibly sweet though. you're still focused on the child, completely unaware that yukimiya is watching you. he's standing there with his hands relaxed at his sides, smiling quietly. there's no performance, only pure affection. that's exactly why fans love it.
someone posts: "the way he looks at her when she doesn't know he's looking is everything." that becomes one of the most liked comments.
when you eventually see the photograph, you turn toward him. "you were staring at me."
he smiles. "you looked happy."
"that's why?"
"yeah."
you narrow your eyes. "you looked REALLY happy."
he laughs softly. "maybe i was."
and the internet has already decided that this photograph is evidence of absolutely everything.
iglesias bunny
bunny's paparazzi photograph is so stupid that it becomes one of the most beloved pictures of your relationship.
the two of you are walking down the street together when bunny says something that makes you laugh. you look at him. he's grinning. you look at him again. then completely spontaneously, you smack him on the ass with your hand before continuing to walk like absolutely nothing happened.
the paparazzi catch it. bunny's reaction is what makes the photograph legendary. he isn't embarrassed or offended or even surprised. he is DYING LAUGHING. his head is thrown back, his shoulders are shaking, and he's laughing so hard that he has to stop walking for a second because he’s turning too red. you're laughing, too.
the photograph catches the two of you in the middle of this completely ridiculous moment and everyone now understands: these two have the exact same sense of humor.
@bunnyupdates: SHE SMACKED HIS ASS IN THE PUBLIC SERVER 😭
@iglesiasgf: WHY IS HE LAUGHING LIKE THAT LIKE HE’S NOT ALLOWED TO LAUGH AT HOME
@spainfootball: he looks like that was the funniest thing anyone has ever done to him.
@blue_lockcentral: the mutual lack of dignity in this relationship is incredible.
someone captions the photo: "when your girlfriend has the same stupid sense of humor as you.”
another writes: "he's not embarrassed because he would've done the exact same thing." and that becomes the general consensus.
fans start compiling every chaotic interaction you've ever had because apparently this one photograph proves that you're both incapable of behaving normally in public.
bunny eventually sees it. he laughs all over again. "that's such a good picture!!”
"you think so?"
"yeah! look at my face!"
"you look stupid. like a red pepper."
"exactly!" he saves it. then makes it his lock screen.
you stare at him. "you're keeping that?"
"obviously."
"why?"
he grins. "because it's funny. duh."
that's really the essence of your relationship with bunny: you can be romantic when you want to be, but sometimes the deepest proof that you belong together is that you can make each other laugh over the dumbest possible thing.
hugo vivian
hugo's paparazzi photograph is the one that makes everyone ask the same question: "what were they even doing?"
the two of you are seated at an outdoor restaurant, waiting for your food, when something has clearly gone wrong in the conversation. because instead of talking normally, you've both decided to start making stupid faces at each other.
you're leaning slightly across the table with your lips exaggerated into the most dramatic duck lips imaginable. hugo responds by sticking his tongue out at you. you both stare at each other.
then the paparazzi capture the exact moment. it's ridiculous. you're sitting at a nice restaurant, dressed beautifully, with plates and glasses arranged around you, and the photograph looks like two idiots who were left unsupervised for five minutes.
the internet LOVES it.
@hugoarchive: WHY ARE THEY LIKE THIS 😭
@vivianslongeyelashes: the fact that they're sitting at a nice restaurant and behaving like this is killing me.
@beepboopzoom: hugo and [name] have forgotten they're famous.
@francefootball: the restaurant staff watching this unfold: 😀
someone makes the obvious caption: "romance is when you make stupid faces at each other in public." another fan replies: "this is actually what true love looks like."
then people start arguing about who made the first face. someone insists it was you. someone else claims hugo started it. a third person says: "does it matter? they're both idiots." the comment gets pinned by a fan account.
the picture spreads everywhere because it's so unexpectedly wholesome. it's not polished, glamorous, or even particularly flattering. that's why people love it.
you eventually show hugo the photograph. he stares at it. "... why was i doing that?"
you laugh. "you were copying me."
"you started it."
"did i?"
"yes."
"prove it."
he points at the picture. "your face is worse."
you lean back in mock offense. "my face is cute."
"you look like a duck. coin coin (quack quack)." he starts laughing. you do, too.
somewhere online, thousands of fans are reposting the picture with captions about how their favorite celebrity couple looks like they genuinely enjoy being around each other.
that's what everyone loves most about the photograph after all. beneath all the fame, the football, the expensive restaurants, and the cameras, the two of you are still just sitting across from each other making stupid faces because you make each other laugh.