Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Pocky challenge!” Bachira announced like he’d just solved world hunger.

Everyone groaned. Niko threw a cushion at him. Someone muttered, “Not this again,” under their breath.

Kaiser just hummed, low and amused, lounging in his chair like he was above it all.

“Are we seriously doing this?” he asked, side-eyeing the box of snacks like they’d personally offended him.

Bachira grinned wide, tearing open the red packet. “Hell yeah. Kaiser, you and Isagi. Duo of the night. Loser gets clowned forever.”

“Wait, what?” Isagi almost choked on his water.

“Yup.” Bachira shoved the box at him. “You two are perfect. C’mon, don’t look at me like that.”

Across the room, Kaiser’s mouth twitched — half-smile, half-smirk. “Perfect, hm?” He leaned back, crossing his arms. “Sounds boring.”

“Chicken?” Bachira shot back instantly.

Kaiser raised an eyebrow, and Isagi could feel the moment the man decided to play along. Because of course he would.

“Fine,” Kaiser said smoothly, plucking out a stick like he was drawing a sword. “Let’s get this over with.”

Isagi wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

☆

They ended up face to face on the couch, knees almost touching. The room had gone weirdly quiet, like everyone was waiting for kickoff.

Isagi gripped his end of the Pocky stick, trying not to think about how stupid this was. It was just a dumb game. Just some chocolate-covered biscuit. Definitely not worth the way his stomach was twisting itself into knots.

Kaiser, of course, looked perfectly at ease. Leaning back, gaze steady, lips curled like he’d already won.

“Don’t mess up,” Kaiser murmured, voice low enough to make Isagi’s skin prickle.

Isagi swallowed hard. “Y-you first.”

Crunch.

They bit down at the same time, the sound sharp in the quiet room. Inch by inch, they moved closer. Isagi’s heartbeat was ridiculous, thundering so loud he was sure the others could hear it. His whole body felt hot. Too close. Way too close.

Kaiser’s eyes were locked on him, dark and sharp and way too smug for someone chewing on a snack. The stick got shorter. The air between them thinned.

Isagi’s breath caught when Kaiser’s lips brushed his — just barely, just a ghost of a touch. Enough to fry his brain on the spot.

He froze. Kaiser didn’t.

“Chicken?” Kaiser whispered, his mouth so close Isagi felt the word against his skin more than he heard it.

Isagi shook his head automatically, though his hands were trembling against his knees. He couldn’t back out now—not with everyone watching, not with Kaiser smirking like that.

Another bite. Closer.

Kaiser’s breath was warm against his cheek. Isagi’s vision blurred at the edges.

Crunch—

The stick snapped.

☆

The room exploded.

Groans, whistles, laughter, a chorus of “OHHHHH” that made Isagi want to die on the spot. Someone banged on the armrest like they were watching a penalty shootout.

Kaiser leaned back instantly, smirk stretching wide across his face like he’d just scored the winning goal. “Looks like you lost.”

Isagi buried his face in his hands. His ears were burning. “I— shut up.”

Bachira was already cackling, clapping his hands like a seal. “Bro, you didn’t even make it halfway! That was pathetic!”

“Rematch!” Otoya hollered from the other couch. “C’mon, give us round two!”

“Hell no,” Isagi blurted, voice way too high. His face was on fire. He wanted to crawl under the cushions and never resurface.

Kaiser tilted his head, watching him with lazy amusement. “Afraid?”

“I’m not—” Isagi started, but stopped when he caught the glint in Kaiser’s eyes. Not mocking, not really. More like… interested. Challenging.

Isagi’s stomach did a full flip.

“You sure?” Kaiser asked softly, so low only Isagi could hear over the chaos. “Because I don’t plan on letting you run away.”

Isagi’s throat went dry. He couldn’t tell if Kaiser was talking about the stupid pocky stick or something else entirely.

☆

The rest of the room kept the noise going, everyone tossing in their commentary:
“Man, Isagi, you choke under pressure.”
“Kaiser’s got nerves of steel, obviously.”
“I swear, you two made it weird on purpose.”

Isagi groaned, dragging a pillow into his lap to hide his face. “Why do I even hang out with you guys?”

“Because you love us,” Bachira sing-songed, already waving another pocky stick like a flag.

Kaiser didn’t join in the teasing. He just kept watching Isagi, smirk never fading. Like he’d found something amusing and wasn’t about to let it go.

And even though Isagi wanted to look away, he couldn’t. Not when his pulse was still hammering, not when the memory of that almost-kiss was burned into his brain.

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed slightly, and for a second, the noise of the room dulled again. Just the two of them, locked in a stare that felt way too heavy for a game this dumb.

Isagi swallowed. Looked away. Fidgeted. Tried not to think about the way his chest felt like it was caving in.

Because if that was what losing felt like…
…he wasn’t sure he minded.

Chapter Text

The dorm was quiet, but Isagi was restless. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the pocky challenge in his head like it was a highlight reel he couldn’t turn off. The way Kaiser had leaned in so confidently, the smirk tugging at his lips, the whisper of a kiss that never quite happened — every detail looped again and again until Isagi groaned and pressed his pillow over his face.

He wasn’t supposed to care this much. It had been a stupid game, a joke between teammates. But it didn’t feel like just a joke anymore, not with the way his chest still tightened at the memory of Kaiser’s eyes locking with his.

Finally, frustrated with himself, Isagi swung his legs off the bed and padded into the hallway. Maybe some water would help.

The common room light was still on.

And of course, Kaiser was there.

He was stretched out lazily on the couch, hair still damp from a shower, flipping through a magazine like he had nowhere better to be. But the moment his gaze landed on Isagi standing in the doorway, that knowing smile curved across his face.

“Well, well. Can’t sleep either?” Kaiser asked, voice low and amused.

Isagi stiffened. “What are you doing here this late?”

“Waiting,” Kaiser said simply, snapping the magazine shut. “For you, apparently.”

Heat rushed to Isagi’s cheeks. “Don’t say stuff like that.”

“Why not? It’s true.” Kaiser leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’ve been thinking about it, haven’t you?”

Isagi’s throat went dry. He wanted to deny it, but the words caught in his mouth. He looked away, muttering, “Maybe.”

Kaiser’s grin widened. He reached to the side and pulled a box of pocky from the table. “Then let’s finish what we started.”

Isagi froze in the doorway, heart pounding so loudly it was embarrassing. He could walk away, pretend none of this mattered. But his legs carried him forward anyway, each step heavier than the last, until he was sitting across from Kaiser again.

“You’re unbelievable,” Isagi muttered, snatching a stick from the box.

“And you’re here,” Kaiser countered smoothly, sliding his end between his teeth.

The game began again. Crunch. Inch. Breath.

This time it was different — slower, heavier. Kaiser didn’t smirk as much, didn’t tease. He just held Isagi’s gaze, steady and intent, as if daring him not to look away.

The stick grew shorter, and with it, the space between them.

Isagi’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. His breath hitched as their lips brushed once — light, fleeting, but enough to make him tremble. He didn’t pull back.

Kaiser’s voice was barely a whisper. “Still not running?”

“No,” Isagi whispered back.

The last piece of pocky disappeared, forgotten, as Kaiser closed the gap and kissed him. Soft at first, careful, almost testing. Isagi’s fingers curled into the fabric of Kaiser’s shirt without thinking, tugging him closer.

When they finally broke apart, Isagi was flushed and breathless, his mind a haze of chocolate and warmth.

Kaiser leaned back, looking infuriatingly pleased. But his smirk wasn’t sharp this time — it was softer, almost fond.

“Guess we both won,” he murmured.

Isagi covered his face with his hands, groaning. “You’re the worst.”

But Kaiser only laughed quietly, leaning against the couch until their shoulders brushed. “And yet, you’re still here.”

Isagi peeked at him from between his fingers, lips curving despite himself. “…Yeah. I am.”

They sat together in the quiet common room, the empty pocky box on the table, neither quite ready to leave.

Maybe it had started as a game,

But it didn’t feel like one anymore.