Become A Football Legend

"Javi, how could you make him cry on his birthday?" Anne asked as she walked to Lukas. "Don't worry, dear, you'll be fine. Let me see where he hit you." She said as she consoled Lukas.

"Oh, c'mon! That's not fair," Javi screamed as everyone, including Lukas, started laughing.

"Thank you all for today, I'm really glad I've got you guys in my life," Lukas said as he looked around at the group of people who were now his family. He felt grateful for the second chance — a chance to make things right again. Coming back wasn't only for playing football, it was also for making meaningful relationships like these.

"Let me walk you guys home," Lukas said to João and Joanna after they all finished putting the house together. They lived about a 10-minute walk away from Lukas's house so their parents were okay with leaving them there. Javi stayed at the house with Anne while Lukas walked the twins home.

The sun had completely set, the warm white glow from street lights and several open stores illuminated the alleyway as they walked.

They were on the sidewalk walking side by side — Joanna walking in-between the two boys. As they walked past a stall, Joanna sneakily raised her hands and nudged João forward as if telling him to walk faster.

Initially, he was oblivious to her intent, even believing she was trying to pick a fight with him, but after a couple of attempts, João finally got the hint.

"Ohhh... There's something I wanna buy over there," João said as he walked ahead using the most flimsy excuses imaginable.

"Jeez... He's my brother, but he has zero tact," Joanna thought as she shook her head in disbelief.

She and Lukas walked side by side in silence. She had on a white maxi skirt and a blue crop top, but was completely wrapped in a huge brown coat that stretched to her ankles. Lukas was a bit taller than her, but with her high heels, they were the same height.

After about a minute of walking without talking, she broke the silence, "We should have dinner together on New Year's day."

"Really? That's great. I was honestly getting worried you had changed your mind."

"Not at all, I was just worried about some things, but it's cleared up now."

"I'm happy to hear that. I'll book a reservation somewhere, and I'll pick you up."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too."

After the conversation, they walked in silence while Lukas sneakily looked around for João.

"Don't worry, he has gotten home already," Joanna said showing Lukas the text she had just gotten.

João: "Enjoy your date, I'm home."

"Bruh! That guy is gonna land me in trouble one day," Lukas thought with a smile as they arrived in front of the Gimenez's home.

"You go in and have a good night. Thank you for today."

"Don't mention it. Be safe on your way home. And have a great night too. I'll see you in two days."

"See ya," Lukas waved as Joanna went into the apartment complex.

* * *

New year's day 2025.

Lukas was laying on his bed, eye staring at the ceiling. The room was dark with dim light from the gradually rising sun forcing its way through the curtains. The room was pin-drop silent only the steady hum of the heating unit pumping hot air into the room. Lukas had gone to bed just after the new year's countdown as he was exhausted from the numerous activities he did that day.

He called out in his head, "TT, TT, where are you?"

His head which would have buzzed with TT's voice even when he didn't want to, was oddly quiet.

He had tried to login to the LTC a day prior for the routine training, and found out he couldn't. He had spent the entire day calling out to TT, but got no response. Even after sleeping and waking up on the 1st of the year, there was still no response.

"What is going on?" Lukas thought as his heart rate gradually rose. "Was this all my imagination? What do I do now?"

BZZZT*

Lukas breathed a sigh of relief with a huge smile as the familiar golden window appeared in front of his eyes.

[Updating Host's Limits and LTC Version... 90%]

"Phew... Why are you only showing me this now? I guess there's nothing I can do," he thought as he sat up on his bed and grabbed his phone from under the pillow.

"We can confirm that we have signed a 3-year deal with @Lukas_Brandt, a player from our youth development system."

Lukas read the post on the official Eintracht Frankfurt Instagram page. He had signed the contract a day ago, a day after his 16th birthday.

After signing the contract, he went to Marco's office where he changed his Instagram username from @Lukas_Brandt36 to just @Lukas_Brandt with Marco buying the username from the previous user. This was because the number 36 jersey was being worn by Ansgar Knauff and Lukas was given the number 49.

He navigated to his Instagram profile.

Lukas Brandt

15 58k 120

Posts Followers Following

He posted pictures from his games in the reserve team and was getting a decent amount of following due to how many goal contributions he made at the Regionalliga.

Congratulations were flooding in both through comments and private message as he muted the notifications after replying to the people close to him.

"It's gonna be a wonderful day," Lukas thought with a smile as he stood up to have a light workout session — since the LTC wasn't ready yet.

It was the day of his date night with Joanna, and he had planned as much as he possibly could.

* * *

10 days later. January 10, 2025.

At the recovery room of the ProfiCamp.

The team had just finished the final training of a grueling three-day back to back session to regain fitness after the Christmas break.

Lukas was dipped in an ice bath a rectangular one-person ice bath from his chest down; he took calm breaths as his calf muscles ached. The room was big enough for several other players to either do the same, or do something else.

A few sat on the bench discussing plans for the next game which was the next day. Marmoush sat by a corner, his phone in his hands with a serious expression as he chatted with someone.

Mario Götze walked up to him and sat beside him, "Is it true?" He asked.

"Is what true?"

"C'mon, you know what I'm asking about. City."

"Mhmm..."

"Congrats man, you should be excited."

"I am... I just wish it could have waited till the summer window. But they said they needed me as soon as possible."

"Then go. You've done a lot for the club, and the fans have been aware of your contributions since you joined."

"Thank you. And I know that. I just wished I played with him," Omar used his head to point towards Lukas who was getting out of the bath.

"Hahaha... Yeah I would regret not being on the pitch with him too," Super Mario nodded as he laughed.

"Gather around boys, the coach wants to have a word with you guys!" Stefan Buck, one of the assistant coaches, screamed as he entered the room — drawing attention from the players.

"Listen guys," coach Topmöller started, after the players gathered. "I know you must have been hearing things from the internet about some of us leaving and whatnot, but for tomorrow's game, I'm gonna need you all at 100% tomorrow — no distractions. We didn't end the first half of the season well, we have to start this half strongly."

Frankfurt ended the first half of the season on a five-game winless streak which saw them knocked out of the DFB Pokal by Leipzig in the round of 16, and only pick one out of nine available points in their last three league matches. The players all listened attentively, they knew they had to do better.

He brought out his phone and sent a message: "The travelling squad list for the match has been sent to the group chat, if you find your name there, be prepared, we leave in 4 hours."

The team dispersed as they all checked their phones.

In the locker room. The players were changing from their training kits to casual wear it while the sound of water hitting tiles could be heard from the shower area.

"Ohh? That's crazy," Ansgar murmured as he scrolled through the list on the group chat.

He turned towards Lukas who was packing placing his boots in his locker, "Do you have to go back to Darmstadt?"

"Yeah. I do. I will be supporting you guys from my living room," Lukas responded with a smile.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Didn't you see the list?"

Lukas stopped in the middle of zipping his training bag and looked up at Ansgar. "What do you mean by that?" He asked as his eyes widened in expectation.

"Check the group chat."

Lukas removed his phone from his pocket and showed it to Ansgar. "I am not in the group chat yet."

"Yo, Luke! Congrats, man. You're traveling with us!" Larsson ran into the locker room screaming.

A/N: Hey guys, we're at 50 chapters already. WOW! Feels like just yesterday I was contemplating posting chapter 1. Thank you all for joining me on this journey. This is only the beginning.

I'm currently writing a bunch of chapters to release a privilege tier for next month. I promise it won't affect the normal schedule of daily + GT chapters.

I'll begin it by next month if I'm able to reach my goal of stockpiled chapters.

Have a lovely day/night y'all.

Love.

-Writ.