Leon was the first to wake up the next morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, bathing the room in a soft orange hue. Somehow Josh had crawled over him during the night and was cuddling with Serge. Leon laid alone. It didn't necessarily bother him, since he knew the other two were there. They looked really cute cuddled up together. He got his cell phone from the nightstand and took a picture of the two of them, making sure the flash was off. When he looked at the clock, he realized that his alarm clock would not go off for another hour. As much as he would like to stay in bed with them, he had to use the bathroom. He decided to go directly to the shower and took new clothes with him. The shower woke him up a little further. He dried himself off and put on his underwear and a pair of sweatpants. He tried to tame his hair, but was unsuccessful, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

A warm body pressed against his back and two arms snaked around his stomach.

"Morning Joshi," Leon grinned. When Joshua was tired he always became clingy and seeking closeness.

"Morning," Mumbled the smaller one against his bare back. "Missed you when we woke up. Serge went back to Leroy to take a shower too."

"I was already awake and couldn't sleep anyway, so I thought I'd get ready." Josh nodded against his back. "Can you help me with my hair? I can't get a hairstyle done with it today."

"Of course. Sit on that stool there." Leon did as he was told and sat on the small stool next to the sink. Joshua took some of Leon's hair gel and put it on his fingers. He stood between Leon's legs and began to run them intently through the brown curls.

"So done," Joshua said and lowered his arms on Leon's shoulder.

"Thank you," Whispered Leon and looked into Jo's blue-green eyes. He put his arms loosely around Josh's waist and pulled him closer. It was rare that they had moments like this alone. Josh was magically drawn to him. Serge too, but he wasn't there right now. How he would love to kiss him right now. His eyes wandered back and forth between Josh's eyes and his lips.

"Leon," Josh breathed and pressed himself even closer to him. Their faces slowly came closer until their lips touched lightly. Josh pressed their lips together tighter and tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss. The kiss was incredible. They fit together perfectly, yet they were missing one component. Serge. Leon was sure Josh felt the same.

A knock on the door made them pull apart.

"Serge." they both said, eyes wide and cheeks pink.

"Shit. We'll talk later. This wasn't supposed to happen like this," Joshua said. Leon could only agree with him.

"Go take a quick shower, I'll open the door," Leon said and stood up. He gave Josh a quick kiss on the lips and put on his T-shirt as he left the bathroom.

However, it wasn't Serge standing in front of the door. It was Leroy.

"Hey, what can I do for you?" asked Leon. He still had slight pink cheeks.

"I came to pick up Serge."

"Josh said he was going to your room to shower," Leon said, confused. He glanced at the bed in case Serge was still lying there, but it was empty.

"He never came to our room, which is why I'm with you guys."

"That's weird. Hold on." Leon poked his head into the bathroom for a moment.

"Serge was going to take a shower, wasn't he?" he asked again, just to be sure.

"Yes. He left when I joined you in the bathroom. I heard the door shut too. Why?" Joshua wanted to know, confused. He turned off the water, dried off and wrapped a towel around his hips. He stepped out of the bathroom and stood by Leon at the door.

"Leroy is here to pick up Serge," Leon explained.

"Okay, that's weird.", Joshua also stated. "I'll just get dressed and then we'll check out the dining hall first."

Leon and Leroy nodded. Less than five minutes later, Joshua was standing in front of them in a way too big sweater with the number 8 on it and tousled hair.

"Is that mine?" asked Leon. Josh just nodded with pink cheeks. Leon took Josh's hand and together they headed toward the dining hall to look for Serge. It was too early for breakfast, so they pondered where their comrade might be.

"He won't be outside because of the fans," Leon said.

"Where can he be?", Joshua asked worriedly.

"He's an adult, he can take care of himself, but it's strange that he didn't arrive at his room," said Leon.

"Did he seem different when you woke up?", Leroy asked.

"I don't think so," said Joshua. "He was wondering where Leon was, but then we saw the light in the bathroom. He said that he went to you to get ready. Then he left and I went to Leon in the bathroom."

"I hope he didn't run into Manu or Thomas," Leroy said, almost panicking.

"Why? Leroy, what do you know that we don't?" Leon asked a little more aggressively than he really wanted to. Josh hugged him.

"Hey, we'll find him, big guy. Be nice to Leroy, he didn't do anything to you."

"Please don't behead me for what I'm about to tell you."

"Leroy, just spit it out, please," Leon growled.

"Well, Manu and Thomas just realized how close you three are and started thinking about how they could set you up. Jamal and I tried to talk them out of it. Manu said he'd stop, you heard that yourself, but I'm not so sure." Leon and Joshua looked at him with wide eyes, while Leroy hid protectively behind a pillar. Leon and Josh really needed to talk about what was going on between them now and that Serge was part of it. But first they had to find him.

"Manu and Thomas are full of crap," Leon huffed. "So let's go to their room. Leroy, you come with us."

That Leon had not knocked the door of the room down is something. Manu and Thomas stood confused in the doorway as an angry Leon, with Joshua holding his hand, and a frightened looking Leroy stood outside their room.
"Where's Serge?" asked Leon, angrily.

"I don't know. We were just getting ready.", Thomas said, confused.

"You can take your bullshit somewhere else. Set somebody else up. We just want Serge back." Leon was really angry.

"We don't fucking know where Serge is. Look somewhere else," Thomas grumbled, slamming the door in their faces.

"Who does he think he is," Leon grumbled at the door.

"Le, we won't find Serge that way either," Josh said timidly, hugging the taller one again.

"It's a shitty day today," He grumbled and pulled Josh closer to him. The smaller one reassured him. Josh screwed up his face. The kiss in the bathroom was nice, but Leon knew there was still a lot to talk about.

"I don't mean it like that," he said tentatively when he saw Josh's expression and combed his fingers through Josh's hair.

"I know," Josh mumbled. "Later, right?" Leon nodded.
Leroy looked at the two of them and wondered what was happening. They were acting stranger than usual.

A door opened behind them and Serge came sauntering out. He looked at them in confusion.

"What's going on here?" he asked, confused.

"SERGE!", Shouted Josh and ran into the other players. The two nearly fell to the ground had Serge not caught Josh.

"We were worried because you weren't with Leroy and we couldn't find you. Leon almost punched Manu and Thomas because we couldn't find you. I'm so glad you're back," Josh said, kissing Serge in the middle of the hallway where everyone could see them. Just like that. Leon slapped his hand over his face and shook his head. Timing was really not their strong point. Leon found it interesting to watch the events. It didn't bother him at all to see Josh and Serge kissing. He always thought that if it actually happened he would be jealous because he wouldn't get any attention from them.

Leroy felt like he was in the wrong movie. What is happening here. Serge was slightly overwhelmed, but returned the kiss for a few seconds before pushing Josh off of him and looking confusedly toward Leon.

"So, you briefly tell us where you were and then we'll talk in our room," Leon said as he walked towards the two. Leroy felt totally out of place.

"I had seen Jamal running around in the hallway, upset, and I tried to calm him down. We then went to his room and talked," Serge reported.

"Jamal is not well? I'll go check on him," Leroy said worriedly, pushing past the three of them. Interesting.

"Come." Leon took Josh's and Serge's hands and pulled them back to the room. Josh sat down on the edge of the bed with Serge while Leon paced back and forth in front of the bed.

"Leon, you're driving me crazy. Stop right there, please," Josh pleaded.

"I ..." Leon didn't get any further. He didn't know what to say. Starting the conversation was more difficult than he thought. Finally he stopped and let himself slide down the wall opposite the bed.

"What the hell is going on here?" asked Serge confused.

"You're looking for me and then you kiss me. Why did you want to punch Manu and Thomas anyway?"

"Manu wanted to set the three of us up. Leroy and Jamal saved us from that. When you were gone Leroy told us and we thought Manu was planning something and you were with them or something," Joshua explained.

"He has to meddle with everyone," Leon grumbled from the floor. Josh gave him a warning look.

"Typical Manu. But why did you kiss me?", Asked Serge.

"Because I wanted to and because I was just happy that you were okay. It was only half an hour or so that you were gone, but you are important to us and we were worried," said Joshua. Leon nodded in affirmation.

"I care about you guys too. Why didn't you kiss me?" Serge asked Leon.

"I honestly didn't assume Jo would kiss you and besides, it wouldn't have really helped the situation. I can kiss you now too, but that's only going to get us so far," Leon noted.

"Further with what?" Serge looked at him expectantly.

"Our friendship has changed, no one here can deny that. The others have all figured it out by now, too." Josh sat down on the floor next to Leon and took his hand in his.

"But just because others say something doesn't mean we have to."

"That's true, but I like you both. More than I should and it is exhausting. I just can't lose you," Leon confessed.

"You won't. I can only speak for myself, but I think we're all feeling the same way and we're all scared," Joshua said tentatively, pulling the taller one into a hug.

"We'll get through this somehow. I'm still a little confused and overwhelmed, but I feel the same way." Serge sat down on the floor with the other two and pressed his lips briefly against Leon's. "It's going to be alright. It's us against the rest of the world."

A knock on the door burst their little intimate bubble.

"Breakfast you lovebirds!" roared Leroy and Jamal could be heard laughing.

"Lovebirds yourselves," Leon shouted back. He helped Joshua and Serge up. From his closet he took out a sweater with his name on it and pressed it into Serge's hands.

"Uh, Mr. Goretzka is already becoming possessive," Laughed Serge and put on the slightly too big sweater. He had noticed, of course, that Joshua was also wearing one of Leon's sweaters. Leon just grinned and pressed a quick kiss to both of their lips.

"You still have to apologize to Manu and Thomas," Josh clarified.

"Do I have to do that? They deserve it. Maybe this way they'll learn not to interfere in other people's business," grumbled Leon.

"Leon," warned Josh.

"Yeah yeah, I'll apologize later."

"Today."

"After practice or something."

"You can be such a toddler." Joshua shook his head, but gave him a quick kiss. "Sometimes I wonder how you're the oldest of us. Only two days older, admittedly, but still."

"Are you guys coming?" shouted Leroy.

"Yes, we'll be right there." Serge rolled his eyes and planted a quick kiss on each of them.

"Oh good, you're all still alive," Leroy said with relief as they walked out of the room holding hands.

"What do you think of us?"

"Nothing, but Leon was getting pretty testy."

"As if I would ever do anything to those two. Manu on the other hand ..." Leon didn't finish his sentence. Josh nudged him in the side. "It's okay. I won't do anything and I'll apologize. Someday."

Together they headed out to finally eat breakfast. Leon was glad they had talked a bit before. A few more conversations would follow in which everything else would be discussed. What exactly they are now and rules, since a relationship of three is different than one of two. It is new territory for all three, but as long as they are together and stick together nothing can go wrong.

In the first game against Romania, Serge scored a goal and Josh and Leon set up Thomas' goal. Joshua took the corner, Leon headed the ball and Thomas converted.
Leon apologized to Manu and Thomas after the game.
They won the match in North Macedonia 4-0 and that would make them the first country to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.

To show Manu and Thomas what it's like to be victims of a matchmaking attempt, they enlisted the help of Kai, Timo and Marco and locked them in a room the old-fashioned way. What they didn't consider is that the two were actually talking about feelings and decided to get together. They all didn't know that the two of them had feelings for each other, except for Leroy apparently, because they never showed it or talked about it with any of them. So now they have two couples in Bavaria. Manu and Thomas promised to stop matchmaking for the time being. For how long they did not say, but they were content with that.

They were finally happy together, Manu and Thomas were together and the other couples were happy too. It couldn't have gone any better.