They lay in silence for a while, the weight of the day settling over them. The dorm was quiet, the other young players in their own rooms, all of them processing their own journeys. But Mateo and Lukas had something special – a bond forged through years of friendship, countless hours of training, and a shared journey from the academy to the first team.

"Mateo?" Lukas signed after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For everything. For being my mentor, my brother, my friend."

Mateo felt a lump form in his throat. "Always, Lukas. Always."

---

Later that night, Mateo stood on the small balcony outside their dorm room, looking out at the city. In the distance, the Westfalenstadion stood illuminated against the night sky, a beacon of dreams and possibilities. He thought about the season ahead, about the challenges they would face, about the journey they had embarked upon.

He thought about Lukas, his dormmate, his friend, his brother. They had come so far together, and they still had so much further to go. But he knew, with absolute certainty, that whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

The new season was just days away. The Bundesliga awaited. And Mateo Alvarez and Lukas Müller, two seventeen-year-olds living in a dorm, protected by the club, were ready to take on the world.

Together.

Lukas joined him on the balcony, his face still glowing with the joy of his debut. "Can't sleep either?"

"Too much adrenaline. Too much to think about."

"I keep replaying that assist in my head. The way you passed it to me, the way I crossed it, the way Auba finished it. It was perfect."

"It was. And it's just the first of many."

Lukas leaned against the railing, looking out at the stadium. "Do you ever think about how lucky we are? To be here, to be doing this?"

"Every day. But it's not just luck, Lukas. We've worked for this. We've earned it."

"I know. But still... a year ago, I was just an academy player, hoping for a chance. Now I'm here, playing with the first team, living this dream."

"And you're going to keep living it. Because you're good enough. Because you belong."

Lukas turned to look at Mateo, his expression serious. "I want to make you proud. You've done so much for me, helped me so much. I don't want to let you down."

"You could never let me down. You're my brother. No matter what happens, that will never change."

They stood in comfortable silence, the cool night air washing over them. In the distance, they could hear the faint sounds of the city – cars passing, people laughing, life continuing. But here, in this moment, it was just the two of them, two young players on the cusp of something great.

"Mateo?" Lukas said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me something. Promise me that no matter what happens – whether we both make it, whether one of us struggles, whether things get hard – we'll always have each other's backs."

Mateo turned to face him, his expression fierce and determined. "I promise. Always. We're in this together, Lukas. From the academy to the first team, from the dorm to the pitch. Brothers."

Lukas extended his hand, and Mateo clasped it firmly. It was more than a handshake; it was a pact, a bond, a promise that would carry them through whatever challenges lay ahead.

---

The next morning, they woke to a message from Klopp. The final squad for the season opener had been announced, and both of their names were on it. Lukas would be on the bench, but he was officially part of the first-team squad for the Bundesliga.

"We did it," Lukas signed, his eyes wide with disbelief. "We're really doing this."

"We are. And this is just the beginning."

They got ready for training, the familiar routine now tinged with a new sense of purpose. As they walked to the training ground, the sun rising over Dortmund, they felt a profound sense of gratitude and determination.

The season was about to begin. The Bundesliga awaited. And Mateo Alvarez and Lukas Müller, two seventeen-year-olds living in a dorm, protected by the club that believed in them, were ready to write the next chapter of their story.

Together, as brothers, as teammates, as dreamers who had dared to believe.

And as they stepped onto the training pitch, the Westfalenstadion looming in the distance, they knew that whatever came next, they would face it side by side, united by a bond that went beyond football, beyond friendship, beyond anything words could describe.

The final test had been passed. The real journey was about to begin.

That afternoon, during the final tactical session before the season opener, Klopp gathered the entire squad. "Gentlemen, we are ready. We have trained hard, we have adapted, we have grown. This season will not be easy. Bayern will be hungry for revenge. Every team will want to knock us down. But we are Dortmund. We are a family. And we will fight for every single point."

He looked around the room, his gaze settling on each player. "For those of you who are new to the first team, welcome. You have earned your place. Now prove you deserve to keep it. For those of you who have been here, who have won with us, who have bled for this badge – you know what is expected. Lead by example. Show the young ones what it means to be Dortmund."

His eyes found Mateo and Lukas, sitting side by side. "And for those of you who have grown together, who have trained together, who have become brothers – use that bond. Use that connection. It is a weapon. It is a strength. And it will make us unstoppable."

The room erupted in applause, a collective roar of determination and unity. Mateo and Lukas exchanged a glance, a silent acknowledgment of everything they had been through, everything they had achieved, and everything that still lay ahead.

The season was here. The dream was real. And they were ready.

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