1. Kick (Thomas Muller)

in which Erik sweats

[just bc the chapter title is hot, doesn't mean the chapter is hot lol ily]

If anyone was wondering, it wasn't an awkward morning for Libby or Erik. They both accepted the fact that they had indeed kissed, but played it off as under the influence of the wine, because they both knew it was unecessary to add all this drama to their lives as is.

"Hallo, liebe." Was all he said.

"Hello, Erik." Was all she said.

She was already in her training shorts, and so was he. They drove listening to his music, which Libby stifled her grin to.

And when they entered the pitch, it was an eerie silence, Hope sitting in the stands on her phone. She perked up.

"Libs?" Hope yelled from the stands, "WHERE THE HECK WERE YOU?!" 

It was a sudden realization that Libby should've contacted Hope when she found out she was staying over. Hope must have been worried, or not. 

"It's complicated Hope, I had to stay at Erik's." She muttered out quickly, trying not to cause suspision but doing the exact opposite.

Hope just grinned and winked at her. Libby mentally groaned because she was gonna have to tell her all the details.

Hope probably thought her and Erik were a thing, and she couldn't possibly tell the tale without mentioning the kiss.

Erik set up some cones and scurried off to get the equipment, the rest of the team [all of them finally-she might add] walked in, yawning and stretching.

"Gut morgen!" Bastian hugged Libby, giving her a huge German one she had gotten used to getting.

"How are joo, Liebe?" Philipp asked her, setting his bag down next to her. Libby nodded.

"Better, but still sore."

"Joo be sore ALL the time now!" He laughed and walked towards Erik, who looked incredibly nervous for some reason.

Libby all of a sudden felt the same nervousness as Thomas engulfed her in a hug. He hadn't hugged her before, and Thomas thought that if he was going to get somewhere in being even her friend, he was going to have to force it.

Libby almost went limp in his arms, but quickly pulled back, furiously shaking Manuel's large hands to get Thomas away and not seem rude.

But to Thomas, he grumbled away to say hi to Erik.

"T-thomas! Hallo..." Erik stuttered, swiftly turning his back to him. Erik thought he would be able to keep the kiss a secret, but by the look of things, he was going to burst soon.

"You okay?" Thomas patted him on the back, grabbing his shirt from behind.

"Ye-yeah!" Erik mumbled, trying to get away from Thomas. Thomas could definitely sense something wrong, and so did Bastian, who came walking up behind Thomas.

"Aye, Tom, what are you doing to poor baby Erik?" Bastian teased. 

Erik looked back and forth, already feeling the sweat drip down his forehead. He should've known he wouldn't have been able to keep a secret.

He felt like a weight had dropped on his chest. He glanced over back and forth between Thomas and Libby. Thomas's eyes were furrowed, and Libby anxiously glanced over, playing with her hair.

Oh, she looked so adorable, twirling her hair and nervously biting her lip.

NO, stop, Erik, he thought to himself.

"Erik..do you have something to tell us?" Bastian said, suddenly serious. 

Erik pulled free of Thomas, just as Philipp, Mesut, and Manuel came trotting over. Erik mentally groaned.