First Training Session

*Beep* *Beep*

*Beep* *Beep*

The alarm buzzed sharply in the silence.

Sebastian's eyes snapped open.

Without hesitation, he reached over and tapped the small digital clock on the bedside table, silencing it before it could blare any louder. He turned slightly and glanced toward Felix's corner of the room.

Felix shifted once under his blanket, then settled again with a faint murmur. He kept looking at him for a few seconds, just to confirm that he was still asleep.

Sebastian gave a small nod to himself, relieved he had managed to turn it off quickly enough not to wake his roommate. He sat up, swung his legs off the bed, and stood.

Quietly, he walked over to his wardrobe and pulled it open. He picked out a black long-sleeved shirt, a pair of joggers, a beanie, socks, and his black sneakers. One by one, he dressed in silence, moving with practiced ease. Once he was ready, he stepped softly toward the door, careful not to make a sound as he opened it and slipped into the hallway.

The corridor was dimly lit, the building still blanketed in early morning calm. As he padded past one of the tall body-length mirrors mounted between the doors, something caught his eye. He paused and turned toward it.

His reflection stared back. Black joggers, black shirt, a snug black beanie pulled over his dark hair, and shadowed eyes still adjusting to the light.

"All I'm lacking is a balaclava," he muttered with a faint laugh. "I'd look exactly like a thief."

He shook his head, amused, and continued on.

Downstairs, near the main entrance of the dormitory, one of the security personnel was seated behind the desk, a coffee mug in one hand and a newspaper folded under the other. The man looked up as Sebastian approached, raising an eyebrow.

"Where are you off to at this hour?"

Sebastian gave a polite nod. "Morning run."

The man blinked, then glanced at the wall clock to his left. The minute hand was just ticking past the five.

"Really? By past five in the morning?"

Sebastian nodded. "Yeah. I prefer leaving by this time."

"Also, no need to worry about me leaving the premises. I'm just going to run around the academy grounds."

The man leaned back in his chair. "Alright then. Sign out here."

He slid a small clipboard across the counter with a pen attached to the top. Sebastian took it and scribbled his name, room number, and signature.

"Do we have to sign out every time we leave the dorms?"

"Not exactly," the guard replied. "It's more for accountability, because no one really leaves the dorms by this time."

"So now, we have a record. You know, proof you didn't sneak out or anything."

"Got it," Sebastian said, handing back the clipboard.

The guard nodded and leaned back again. "Are you sure going for a run this early is a smart idea?"

Sebastian paused, halfway through stepping past the door. "What do you mean?"

The man shrugged. "You've got training later, right? Won't it tire you out?"

Sebastian gave a small smile. "It won't. I'm used to it."

Then he stepped outside, stretched his arms and legs briefly in the crisp morning air, and without another word, began to jog.

**********

Felix stirred, letting out a long yawn as his arms stretched toward the ceiling. He blinked a few times, groggy, then turned his head toward Sebastian's bed.

Empty.

He frowned and sat up slightly, rubbing his eyes and confirming that Sebastian wasn't there.

He glanced at the digital clock near his bedside and wondered where Sebastian could be so early in the morning.

6:49 AM.

With a small sigh, he let his head fall back onto his pillow, staring at the ceiling. The room was still dim with early light, and his body still felt heavy with sleep.

Just then, the door creaked open.

Sebastian stepped in, damp with sweat, dressed in all black. Joggers, long-sleeved shirt, sneakers, and beanie, and his curls clung slightly to his forehead.

Felix turned his head and narrowed his eyes.

"Where are you coming from?"

Sebastian, already at his corner of the room and crouched to remove his sneakers, responded without looking back.

"Morning workout."

Felix blinked, confused. "When did you even leave?"

"A few minutes past five," Sebastian said, slipping off his shirt and tossing it into the laundry basket.

Felix's eyes caught his upper body as he straightened. Sebastian's torso glistened slightly, every muscle defined with clean lines and taut precision. Shoulders, arms, chest. Even his back looked like it belonged to someone who had trained for years.

Felix squinted, feeling a little self-conscious.

Is this guy really a year younger than me?

"You know we have training today, right?"

"Mhmm," Sebastian hummed, paused, then turned to glance at him with a faint smirk.

"Are you worried about me?"

Felix frowned and let out a short scoff. "Tch. Do whatever you want. I don't care."

"Alright then," Sebastian said simply.

He pulled off the rest of his clothes until he was in just his boxers, then grabbed his towel and toothbrush. With both in hand, he stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.

Felix lay there, staring at the ceiling for a few more seconds before sitting up with a grunt.

About twenty minutes later, the bathroom door opened again. Sebastian stepped out, towel draped over his shoulders. His hair was wet, skin fresh, and he moved straight to his wardrobe. He picked out black joggers, a blue long-sleeved shirt, and his black slides.

Felix watched in silence for a moment, then grabbed his own towel and brush and headed into the bathroom without a word.

Sebastian got dressed, slid his feet into his slides, then stepped out into the hallway. He walked over to the next door and knocked.

A few seconds later, it creaked open. Martin stood there, still in his sleeping clothes, hair messy, eyes half open.

"What's up, man?"

Sebastian gave a small nod. "You guys don't plan on having breakfast?"

Martin blinked and rubbed his eye. "Diego's in the shower right now. I plan on going in after him. Can you wait for us so we can go together?"

"Sure," Sebastian replied. "I'll be in my room."

He turned and walked back.

Some minutes passed, and eventually, Sebastian, Martin, Diego, and Felix made their way downstairs to the cafeteria.

Felix initially didn't want to go get breakfast with them but later changed his mind after some pestering from Martin.

They ate together in relative quiet, the sounds of cutlery and conversations filling the space as the cafeteria was almost filled up with other boys having breakfast.

When they finished, the boys returned upstairs, heading to their rooms to change into their training kits.

Their training kits had been handed to them the day they were assigned dorm rooms. Folded neatly in drawstring bags, each player had received a set containing a navy blue training jersey with the Malmö FF crest printed on the chest, matching shorts, high-quality training socks, and a lightweight windbreaker for colder mornings.

By 8:40, the boys stepped out of the dorms, joining the steady stream of players making their way across the academy grounds.

Sebastian, Martin, Diego, and Felix walked together, blending into the flow of boys around their age. The morning sun had taken full hold of the sky, casting a gentle warmth across the concrete paths and fresh green spaces.

As they drew nearer to the training complex, the familiar layout came into view.

To the right were two normal-sized football pitches separated by a tall mesh fence. A path ran between them, leading toward a small stand that overlooked both fields. Each pitch was surrounded by metal fencing, sturdy enough to keep the ball from flying out into the walkways.

Floodlights stood tall at each corner of both fields, silent now but ready for any evening session that might come.

Ahead, the players began to split.

Most of the boys in their age group turned toward the pitch on the left, while the older players peeled off toward the one on the right.

Martin stepped up to one of the boys walking just ahead and asked, "Hey, how do you know which one to go to?"

The boy looked over his shoulder and replied, "That one is for under fifteen. The other is for under eighteen."

Martin nodded. "Thanks."

Inside both pitches, a few men were already moving about. Some were laying out cones. Others were adjusting portable goals or talking quietly near the sideline.

Sebastian and the rest walked through the gate into the left pitch with the rest of their group.

Training was about to begin.