a/n: ok, so i'm a lying liar, cuz i'm pretty sure i fell asleep in my chair like five seconds after i said i'd post this... (╥ᆺ╥；) also, idk when i'll get the time to post the other version. should be today, but no promises, cuz i apparently break those on the regular...
anyway, this is the silly version of my prince!reader x kaiser idea, featuring, as promised, lots of pet names for kaiser, reader's flower aura power, and kaiser's soul leaving his body
Michael Kaiser first decides something is deeply, profoundly wrong with his life when he nearly eats shit on the stairs outside the athletics building.
It happens fast, bag slung over one shoulder, phone in hand, ego fully intact, until his foot catches the edge of a step and the universe decides to humble him.
He never actually hits the ground.
Instead, there’s an arm firm around his waist, steady and warm, pulling him back with surprising strength. Another hand grips the railing beside him, knuckles white with effort.
“Be careful, darling.”
Darling.
Kaiser freezes.
For half a second, he’s painfully aware of how close she is. Too close. Close enough that he can smell her shampoo, something light, floral, annoyingly pleasant. Close enough that if he turned his head even slightly, their noses would brush.
Then she lets go, stepping back as if she hasn’t just committed an act of emotional violence.
“You okay?” she asks, smiling. Bright. Easy. Like this is just… normal behavior.
Kaiser straightens, scowling reflexively. “I had it.”
“Mm,” she hums, clearly unconvinced. “Still. Falling down the stairs before practice would be a tragic way to go.”
She pats his arm once and walks off.
As she does, Kaiser swears—swears—that flowers bloom in her wake.
Not literally. That would be insane.
But the air around her feels… lighter. Like someone slapped a soft-focus filter over reality.
He stands there for a full ten seconds before Ness walks up beside him.
“…Did you just get saved like a damsel in distress? Is she your Prince Charming? Are you swooning now?” Ness asks.
Kaiser snaps, “Shut up.”
He comforts himself with a I'll never see her again and moves on with his life.
Or, well... he thought he did.
Instead—
It keeps happening.
Everywhere.
She crashes into him outside the library one afternoon, books clutched to her chest. The impact knocks the air from his lungs.
“Whoops- sorry, I didn’t mean to crash into you, beautiful. I'm in a bit of a rush.”
Beautiful.
Kaiser chokes. “I- what?”
She’s already kneeling, picking up the book he dropped. She hands it back with a grin, completely unbothered, completely sincere.
“No harm done,” she says, like she hasn’t just reprogrammed his brain chemistry.
And then she’s gone again, flowers in her wake, Kaiser staring at the spot she stood like it personally betrayed him.
The next time, it’s cold.
Unreasonably so. Late fall biting into early winter, wind sharp enough to cut. Kaiser’s outside the dorms, waiting for the team bus, arms crossed, refusing to admit he underestimated the weather.
She appears out of nowhere, coat slung loosely over one arm.
She takes one look at him and frowns.
“You’ll get cold, sweetheart.”
Before he can protest, the coat is draped around his shoulders. It’s warm. It smells like her.
“I don’t-” he starts.
She’s already stepping back, tugging her sleeves down against the cold. “There. Better.”
Kaiser stares at her, jaw tight. “I’m not fragile.”
She blinks, then laughs—soft, genuine. “I know.”
That somehow makes it worse.
Rainy night. Campus lights blurred and glowing, pavement slick. Kaiser’s got a big match the next day, and he’s sprinting back from the gym when the sky opens up without warning.
He curses under his breath—great, just what he needs.
Then—
“Michael!”
He turns. She’s running toward him, umbrella raised overhead like a knight charging into battle.
She stops in front of him, slightly out of breath. “Here. Take this.”
He blinks. “What about you?”
“I’ll be fine,” she says easily. “You have a game tomorrow. Can’t have you getting sick, precious.”
She presses the umbrella into his hand, fingers brushing his for half a second too long.
Kaiser’s heart stutters.
“You’re ridiculous,” he mutters.
She smiles like that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to her.
The drunkard happens outside a late-night convenience store.
Kaiser doesn’t even register the guy behind him until there’s a shout and the sound of stumbling feet.
Before he can turn—
She’s already behind him.
One arm shoots out, blocking the man’s unsteady swing with practiced ease. The other plants against Kaiser’s chest, pushing him back protectively.
“Hey,” she says firmly, calm but unyielding. “Not cool.”
The guy slurs something unintelligible before staggering off.
Kaiser just… stares.
She turns to him immediately, concern etched into her face. “Are you okay, angel?”
“…That's supposed to be my line,” he says weakly.
She tilts her head, smiling. “Looks like I beat you to it.”
Flowers. Everywhere. Practically choking him.
The final straw is the snacks.
He’s reviewing game footage in the student center, hands busy scrolling and jotting notes, when she plops down beside him with a bag of chips.
She eats a few, then pauses.
“Here. Have one.”
She holds one up to his mouth.
Kaiser gapes. “Absolutely not.”
“Your hands are full,” she says reasonably. “Open up.”
He should refuse.
He really should.
He opens his mouth. She feeds him the chip.
He dies instantly.
By the time Kaiser realizes what’s happening, it’s too late.
He’s offended—deeply. He is Michael Kaiser. A striker. An ego. A force of nature. An emperor. Not some delicate princess in need of rescuing.
And yet.
No one has ever looked at him like this.
Like he’s worth caring for. Worth protecting. Worth warmth and umbrellas and snacks and soft endearments whispered without irony.
One afternoon, he finally snaps.
“You do this to everyone,” he says, cornering her outside the quad. Accusatory. Defensive.
She gives a mildly confused hum.
“This whole prince shtick of yours!” he spits out.
She thinks for a moment. “Oh! I guess so.”
“…Why?”
She smiles at him, gentle and bright and devastating. “Because everyone deserves a little kindness.”
Something in his chest caves.
Flowers bloom. Entire goddamn gardens. He can't see anything beyond her annoyingly perfect face.
Kaiser exhales, defeated. “You’re doing this on purpose.”
She laughs. “Am I?”
He looks at her, really looks, and realizes he’s already fallen.
Prince Charming indeed.
And somehow, impossibly, Michael Kaiser is the one being swept away.
The realization settles in at the worst possible time.
Kaiser’s sitting on the grass near the quad, cleats off, socks half-peeled, ego already bruised from practice. She’s beside him, sharing a drink, legs stretched out, humming softly like the world hasn’t personally wronged her today.
Flowers. Again. Always.
He’s just accepted that this is his life now when she suddenly straightens, like she’s come to a decision.
“Hey, Michael?”
He looks over. Big mistake.
The sunset hits her just right. Golden light, warm smile, that stupid princely calm that makes his heart do that all-too-familiar-now flip-floppy twirling thing in his chest.
“Yes?” he says cautiously.
She turns fully toward him. “Would you like to go out with me?”
Silence.
Actual, physical silence.
Kaiser’s brain bluescreens.
“…Go out,” he repeats faintly.
“Mm-hm,” she says, nodding. “Like a date.”
“...With me?” He's so sure this is some sort of delusion, a hallucination his finals-fried brain has cooked up to deliver the final blow to his psyche.
“Yeah,” she responds, cheer lighting up her face. More flowers bloom. “I like you.”
Nope. Not even his delusions could conjure up this level of flower aura, sun-shining, sweetly worded bullshit. Wait- Holy shit- Does that mean this is... real? His spine locks up. “I- hold on. You can’t just- ask me out.”
She blinks. “Why not?”
“Be-because I’m supposed to-” He gestures vaguely, desperately. “My dignity- my image- this is completely backwards!”
She listens patiently, hands folded in her lap, eyes soft.
When he runs out of steam, she smiles.
“Is that a no?”
His face detonates.
“No!” he snaps immediately, then recoils. “I mean- yes- no- ugh.”
He drags a hand down his face. He can feel the heat creeping up his neck, into his ears, absolutely humiliating. “You’re impossible,” he mutters. “You make me look like some flustered idiot.”
“You’re very cute when you’re flustered,” she says gently.
That does it.
Kaiser turns fully red. Not dignified red. Not sexy red. Embarrassed, emotionally compromised, full bloom rose red.
“…Fine,” he grits out. “Yes. I’ll go out with you. Happy?”
She lights up.
No. Lights up is an understatement.
She positively beams, smile so bright it feels like the sun personally descended to smite him. Kaiser squints, genuinely overwhelmed, heart pounding like it’s trying to escape.
Flowers erupt. A full-blown visual novel CG.
He leans back on his hands, dizzy. “Jesus Christ,” he breathes. “You’re going to kill me one day.”
She laughs, delighted, takes his hand into hers, and gives it a kiss, eyes never leaving his. She looks straight out of a fairytale. “Promise I’ll take good care of you.”
Oh fuck. She knows exactly what this does to me. Kaiser swallows.
“…I’m never getting used to this,” he mutters, already lost.
okay, so i was watching "In the Clear Moonlit Dusk" (i've been one hell of a shoujo kick lately & i'm li.ving.) when i decided i wanted to write a fem!prince!reader x kaiser (still a dude btw), but i ended up taking two different routes with the idea, and i can't decide which i like better, so...
(more details under the read more)
which one should i post?
silly version (shorter & somewhat ooc & 100% fluff)
serious-ish version (longer w/ a bit of angst, ends happy tho, promise)
both, both is good (i alr wrote out both btw, just haven't done edits yet)
neither, this is a stupid af concept (plz don't choose this—validate my ideas 😭)
Voting ended onJan 13
idk how much this tells you abt anything, bc i'm trying to avoid plot spoilers while still conveying vibe & idk how well i did, but-
silly version includes:
reader calls kaiser lots of different pet names (darling, sweetheart, beautiful, etc.)
reader has a flower aura (like the thing in anime that pops up when people r especially dashing)
kaiser getting emotionally and literally flash-banged in the final scene
relatively serious version includes:
reader is more toned down in this version, but is the always helpful, encouraging type
kaiser has a lot more introspection on his feelings and shit (and unfortunately gets in his head abt things)
