『Deliberate Steps』 - Michael Kaiser
pairings: michael kaiser x gn!reader
summary: it's raining heavily, and you don't have an umbrella - kaiser gives you his (two ppl, one umbrella troupe)
a/n: this is a reupload of my firstttt ever ficcc, pretty cringe ig? fluffy fluff fluff, kaiser being kaiser (poor ness), no established relationships
Michael Kaiser sat alone on the throne of Bastard Muchen, a thorned blue rose—untouchable, unrivalled, and far above the clamour of the weak. His arrogance and icy demeanour repelled all but Ness, his ever-loyal shadow who worshipped his every step, and Kaiser preferred it that way.
It was June in Munich, Germany–the sky was blue with a grey tint, with black clouds clustered near the sun, limiting sunlight as a few water droplets sprinkled from the clouds. You just exited the Bastard München headquarters before you pause to take in a breath of fresh air, letting the earthy scent swirl in your lungs and bring you a sense of relaxation after a hectic day as the club’s assistant manager, working under the Noel Noa.
You ventured forward as you stepped out of the building to be suddenly greeted by the harsh rain, which had been sprinkling just seconds ago! You quickly rushed back under the building and accidentally stumbled into someone. You glanced up at the man, only to be met with a familiar pair of eyes as blue as the bottom of glaciers, piercing nonetheless, it was a certain individual with a blue rose tattoo.
You pulled back as he cleared his throat, expecting him to say something. It took a moment for you to realise what was happening, and in your embarrassment, you mustered up an apology. He looked down at you, a subtle frown playing on his lips, as though he were addressing a peasant.
“Sorry,” you apologised as you watched him dust himself off. You turned to look behind him and saw Ness not far off. You moved out of his way as you faced the rain, watching the storm brew into something unavoidable. Should’ve brought an umbrella. You mentally scolded yourself as Ness approached Kaiser.
You observed their interaction as Ness handed Kaiser an umbrella while opening his own.
“Thank you, Ness. You can leave now.” The blonde dismissed the brunette as his icy blue eyes occasionally met yours.
“I can stay if you want-”
“Leave.” He repeated himself, a bit more sternly this time, as Ness obliged and disappeared into the rain.
Kaiser’s gaze shifts to you as you shift uncomfortably, your eyes meeting his.
You continued to stand there as each of you did not choose to move, eyes boring into each other, while the rain continued pouring. A lightning strike nearby as it shuddered you back to reality, as you glanced at the rain before turning back to him.
You clenched your fists as he continued staring at you. There was no way you would reach your home in this weather, nor could you order an Uber with your phone having no battery. You gathered your courage to open your mouth and then immediately closed it again.
“Do you not have an umbrella on you?” He spoke up, his voice rough and coarse, before a faint hint of a smirk crept up on his face. A glint of amusement flashed through his eyes.
You shook your head as you awkwardly rubbed the back of your neck, “I didn’t think it would rain today… and that too- this heavily,” you replied.
“You look like a clown waiting there,” He stated bluntly, his tone laced with an edge of sharpness, earning a scoff from you.
You continued staring out at the rain, lost in thought, convinced you’d have to wait until the rain stopped.
The rain pounded against the pavement, creating a rhythmic symphony of splashes. The air felt dense with humidity, as the scent of wet earth rose, mingling with the cool breeze that swept through the streets, and little puddles of water began to form.
With a ‘whoosh’ and the sound of fabric crinkling, an umbrella opened, startling you out of your thoughts as you found yourself underneath it, Kaiser grasping onto the handle. You blinked to process the moment as your eyes widened.
“No need to be so shocked, this umbrella can shelter two.” He mumbled as he averted his gaze, the arrogance remained in his tone, and his gaze flickered, a shadow of something softer beneath the ice.
You froze in shock as your cheeks heated up, and you quickly looked away–your heart thumping. Is Michael Kaiser actually offering you his umbrella? You tried to catch a glimpse of Kaiser before your eyes locked in with each other, the ice slowly melting from his eyes, replaced with a slightly softer look, probably a mocking pity as his smirk remained constant on his face.
“Don’t get too excited, Schatzi, you seemed miserable. That’s all.” His voice dripped with mockery as he took a step forward into the rain, followed by you, as the umbrella shielded both of you. “It’s my responsibility to take my club’s dear assistant manager home safely,” his voice thick with his usual German accent. “Can’t let the club’s assistant manager make us look bad, can I?”
The rain drummed onto the royal blue umbrella, as both of you took synchronised steps, the water splashing as you stepped on a puddle. It felt oddly comfortable; neither of you uttered a word as the rain pitter-pattered against the umbrella, filling in the silence.
You stole a glance at Kaiser, wondering what was going on in his mind, as his blue rose tattoo poked out behind his hair. Your eyes travelled down the tattoo and its thorns before you snapped back to reality as you heard him clear his throat. You froze as you quickly looked away, and your shoulders tensed.
“I don’t mind the attention, Schatzi .” He teased, his voice laced with condescension as he took a step closer to you. “Why are you so tense? Flustered, ja ?” His smirk deepened as he eyed you, something deeper than what gave the eyes.
You shot him a glance as you continued walking beside him. Noticing slight changes in his demeanour - gaze calculating, teasing even, as if testing your limits.
“So, how did I play?” He questioned out of the blue, “Pretty good, right?” his smirk widened into a prideful grin as he flaunted. “Go on, praise me.”
“I was just tallying the marks Mr. Noa was dictating. I didn’t watch the practice match.” You replied, professional, as you noticed his grin faltered. “I’m sure you played well, though.”
.A spark of irritation flashed in his eyes. "That's it? You're supposed to be the team's assistant manager, you didn't even watch me score all those goals?"
You scratched the back of your neck as you let out a small sigh. “I’m not supposed to only focus on you, Kaiser. I have others I should also analyse.”
“You should be watching the best, shouldn’t you?” He cocked his head at her before he took a step closer, leaning in as their shoulders brushed.
“Soccer is a team sport; every member matters-” You were caught off guard as he took another step, nearing you. He pulled you closer, his arm wrapping around your shoulder as his royal blue umbrella tilted to shield you more fully, his piercing gaze locking onto yours. “You're stepping in the rain, even after I generously offered to share my umbrella.”
You left your face flushed as his arms lingered longer than needed–you could practically feel the heat radiating off him as your face turned into darker shades of red with each step both of you took together.
Your reaction caught him off guard; the unfiltered expression on your face felt unfamiliar to him. Yeah, he was surrounded by nosebleeding fan girls–but something as pure as this was foreign. He masked this vulnerability as he looked away he grumbling something to himself, taking a step away. His thorns were sharp and prickling, as you noticed his sudden shift in demeanour, a flicker of hurt crossed your eyes that he didn’t mean to cause.
A light-hearted banter by, as you walked through the deeper and familiar streets of Munich to your home, the rain slowly started to die down, and the clouds started to fade, the ground was left with the sweet scent of petrichor. The sun finally shed its rays onto Earth as it illuminated the surroundings. A hint of a rainbow appeared as Kaiser closed the umbrella, and both of you stared up at the mesmerising sight before your eyes. The sky, by now, had cleared as the sun shone brightly with a rainbow painting the blue canvas.
A few steps later, you reached your destination as you walked forward. Kaiser dropped you off and waited until you went in. He watched you as you opened the door with your keys, prepared to walk off before you closed the door.
He paused as he turned back, his eyes glimmering with a sense of softness as he eyed you.
“Thank you,” You smiled, an unfamiliar, fleeting feeling fluttered through Kaiser’s chest as he nodded, “No need, I didn’t want my dear assistant manager to catch a cold.” He smirked, masking his vulnerability with his usual teasing and distant facade. “ Mach's gut.” He added before he turned back around. His mulleted blonde-to-blue ombre hair cascaded down his shoulders as he walked away.
He was a thorned rose, determined to achieve the impossible. But the most impossible thing may be losing those thorns that guarded him, and let him feel loved, the way he had longed for so long.
EEEEEE I HOPE YA'LL LIKE THIS TOOOO IM SO SORRY TO BE SPAMMING RNN
the images below the divider are all from pinterest, all the credits go to the respective people <3
