"Say, do you guys train in the holidays?"

Tachimukai looked up from the sink where he was currently washing the dishes from their last meal in.

"Yeah, we're planning to meet up today. Do you want to tag along?"

Tsunami grinned. "I have never met anyone from your team! What are they like? Chill like Oumihara or crazy like Raimon?"

Tachimukai gave the other a freshly cleaned plate to dry off. "Now that I think about it, Yokato is a bit in between. We give our best when we train and play, but are actually really calm."

He looked up from a very resistant spot in the pan to look up at Tsunami who was watching curiously.

"So, your whole team is like you?"

Tsunami did not wait for an answer as he perked up and turned around to face the radio. He quickly wiped his hands off and made his way over to turn up the volume a bit, of course just so much that Tachimukai's mother would not come over from the living room where she was currently ironing to complain about the volume. "I like that song!" He grinned happily.

"Those are the Backstreet Boys", Tachimukai deadpanned.

Tsunami did not seem to care as he wrongly lip-synced the mushy song, apparently he did not know the lyrics. Tachimukai could not help but laugh.

In the end Tsunami found out that the Yokato Junior High Soccer Club was not like Tachimukai at all. While Toda did accept him to join the training, he constantly watched him from the corner of his eye ("I have my eyes on you, so you'd better not be a spy!" - "Calm down, I'm graduating this year." - "So am I."). Even though these would be the last months Toda acted as the captain, he made sure that their chances in the next Football Frontier would not drop because of technique-stealing. Tachimukai wondered how Toda had been okay with him copying God Hand. But somehow Tachimukai had the feeling he and Tsunami were being watched the whole training not only by Toda.

In the changing rooms Tachimukai got greeted by his fellow teammates who happily threw an arm over his shoulders, teasing him a bit like always and making a bit of smalltalk, finally having holidays was a nice topic after all. Afterwards he made his way over to where Shika and Matsubayashi were pulling their soccer shoes out of their lockers and where also his own locker was located. Tsunami followed him suit, casually grinning at everybody in the room. His fellow first-years had scanned them both calculatingly. Before Tachimukai could even say a word, Shika leaned forward and said: "So this is your precious senior, huh?" Matsubayashi hit him over the head as a response but also sent a knowing look Tachimukai's way.

But what exactly did Matsubayashi think he knew?

Back when Raimon had been visiting Yokato to pick up the mysterious notebook, the team had been much more open, showing them the little tricks they knew or just casually exchanging experiences and giving each other tips. But today they just let Tsunami and Tachimukai together for all warm-ups and partner-exercises, apparently not very interested in the guest. Tsunami seemed really happy because of the situation since it was the FFI all over again when they had always partnered up for warming-up. But why was everybody sending glances over the whole time? It did not make any sense at all. It was not like they were a couple in a long-distance-relationship that saw each other for the first time in months – wait. Could the team be thinking…? No way. He and Tsunami did not come across as this, did they? A couple.

"Hey, Tachimukai! What are you spacing out for? We want to start the match!", Toda called from where he had already positioned his team on the field. For the sake of practice they had split up in two teams of nine (with Tsunami there it had added up perfectly) with Toda and Tachimukai as captains. It was no secret that Toda planned to leave the soccer club in Tachimukai's care when he graduated, so he was already being trained for what responsibilities came with being captain.

Of course, Tsunami had also been put on his team.

"I'm coming!", he called, after shortly discussing his tactics and formation with his team. He had opted for a two-top formation with three midfielders and three defenders to back them up, a formation that should both be able to score and to defend nicely. And if the midfielders were under too much pressure, he could always move Chikushi up to help them out.

But somehow his defense just did not work together. It was as if Tsunami tried to proof himself to the Yokato players even though he was clearly the better player and they knew it. He always stole Chikushi's balls and tried to cut off into dribbling techniques even though he had no defending technique at all. It threw the team's rhythm off.

Tachimukai tried to call out orders from his position in the goal but the defenders clearly did not listen to him. It got especially hairy when Oohori decided to back Chikushi up.

They were all very relieved when Toda called for a water break.

Tsunami sat a bit at the edge of the group as he greedily downing the water he was offered shyly by their only manager. A deep frown covered his face. Tachimukai slowly made his way over. Oohori had just sent a not very friendly look his way – he was clearly pissed off. Like the way he usually just got when somebody pointed out that he still did not have anybody to share his romantic hobby with.

"What's wrong with you today, Tsunami-san?" He sat down on the dusty ground and pulled his knees to his chest.

"Nothing."

Curt. Tachimukai lifted a brow. Something was definitely wrong. Tsunami had seemed fine just this morning, he had not felt any of these untsunamilike vibes until training had started.

"You're not really riding the waves nicely today."

At least that got him a weak smile out of the defender. "Well, the waves are a bit different than in Okinawa."

"So you can ride the Okinawa-waves even when there's a giant whirlpool in the ocean but you have a problem when it's a bit wild in Fukuoka?", Tachimukai teased.

"Says the guy who didn't dare to go in past his ankles."

The rest of the training was better. The teamplays turned out much smoother up to the point that Oohori encouraged Tsunami to use his famous "The Typhoon" to score a goal.

In the end Tsunami even seemed to have found a soulmate in Akinoshima. Honestly, he was probably the only person to have ever laughed about a joke the reserve goalkeeper made.

It was probably really late already but Tachimukai was to lazy and tired to check. But he still could not find sleep. Tsunami's strange behaviour from this afternoon still puzzled him. And the couple matter. What had thrown Tsunami and his team so off? Had his teammates annoyed Tsunami somehow? Had he annoyed Tsunami somehow? Even though that was a hard thing to do. He had never seen a person that was this carefree.

Tachimukai rolled onto his side so he could peer down from his bed onto the futon where Tsunami slept. The older one had his back towards him, so maybe he was still awake?

"Tsunami-san", he shyly whispered, "are you already asleep?"

The other stilled and rolled onto his back while looking at Tachimukai surprised. The surprised look made room for a teasing grin. "Shouldn't you be sleeping? It's past your bedtime isn't it?", he answered in a similar hushed tone but it had a playful edge to it.

"Pfft. It's my house, I set the bedtime."

"I remember your mother sending us to bed about an hour ago," Tsunami laughed softly, "So, why aren't you asleep yet?" He rolled onto his side to fully face his junior.

"Well, I've been thinking." He paused. Tsunami looked at him expectantly and waited for him to go on. Tachimukai shuffled his feet nervously under the light cover and averted his eyes before he carried on. "Uhm, you k-kinda seemed o-off today during training. I-it was a bit w-weird and I, you know, wondered why."

The grin faded. Tachimukai looked back at Tsunami who now stared at the ceiling and murmured something that sounded a lot like. "Guess you caught me."

"I-I didn't do anything to annoy you, did I?", Tachimukai frantically asked, a bit louder than he had intended.

Tsunami chuckled lightly. "No no", he ran his hand through his pink mane, "I was just kinda… jealous, I guess."

"Jealous?", Tachimukai repeated.

The older one made a strangled noise and and threw the cover over himself. After a few seconds of struggling he was completely wrapped up and refused to give an answer. Tachimukai blinked. He eyed the pile which contained his friend curiously.

"Tsunami-san?", he asked tentatively.

The other gave only a muffled sound as a reply.

Tachimukai reached out from his bed to poke Tsunami but found his arm a bit to short to actually touch him. He repositioned himself, half hung over the bed and stretched himself to his full length. Finally he managed to softly poke the pile of cloth. But that was exactly the moment Tachimukai lost his balance and toppled down his bed. He fell flat onto his face, the blanket covering his head. He heard some shuffling before he heard Tsunami call his name.

"Tachimukai! Are you okay? Hey, come on!", Tsunami fretted.

"Ouch.."

"Jeez, what are you doing? You could have hurt yourself!"

"I think I did", whined Tachimukai.

Tsunami laughed softly while removing the blanket that still covered his junior. Tachimukai sat up slowly and rubbed his slightly bruised chin.

"Let me see that", Tsunami said and took the hurt body part into his hands tentatively so he could eye it better. It was a bit red from the fall but looked fine otherwise, there probably wouldn't even be a blue mark the next day.

When Tsunami let go again, Tachimukai pouted a bit. "Well, this is actually your fault."

"How is this my fault?"

"Because you didn't answer my question!" Tachimukai leaned in and gave the defender a, what he hoped, angry glare. The other started spluttering and avoiding his glare. "So?"

"Um, you see, that's, well", Tsunami took a deep breath, "When we met, you were so shy and weren't very close to anybody. But that's only natural because you had just joined the Inazuma Caravan. So when we became friends it was like we were a duo and you know, went through everything together, like during the FFI when you tried to complete Maou the Hand. For me, I never really had a best friend or anything. I got along nicely with everybody but had nobody to share everything with – and then there was you and um, I kinda felt like we were really close and stuff. But when I saw you with your teammates today, I realized that you have other friends of course and they will always come first. And I should have expected that, so it's a pretty stupid thing to be jealous over, don't you think?" Tsunami gave out a fake laugh after his ramble.

"I don't think that's stupid at all, Tsunami-san", Tachimukai smiled at him, "because like you said, you get along nicely with everybody. I never knew you felt like that about me and thought I was always being clingy when I tagged along with you. I had always wished that we could be something like best friends. Besides, I wouldn't have invited you over if you were 'just another person' for me, would I?" His smile broadened. It vanished quickly when Tsunami caught him off-guard with a tight embrace. Tachimukai stiffened because he was not exactly sure what he was supposed to do. Return it? Just let him stay like this? He probably would let go soon.

After a few moments Tsunami still had not budged a bit. "Tsunami-san?", asked Tachimukai quietly. Tsunami cuddled closer and burried his face in crook of his neck. "I'm tired", he murmured.

Tachimukai blushed a deep shade of red. "T-then let me go and you can lay down and sleep."

"Don't wanna."

"T-then what d-do you want ?", Tachimukai asked in a wheezy voice.

"How 'bout cuddling in bed? Best friends do that."

Tachimukai was pretty sure that best friends did not do that but was too tired himself to argue. "Alright, then let me get up." He could practically feel Tsunami grin into his neck when he suddenly lifted him up. "What are you doing?", Tachimukai hissed. He was put onto the soft mattress with caution and Tsunami joined him while throwing the lite cover over them both.

"Good night."

Tachimukai sighed.

Thank you very much for the feedback!

This part is a bit shorter than the previous one but the third one currently is as long as the first two together (and still not finished), so I might split that up aswell.

If you're not familiar with the Yokato Junior High players, check out the wiki. I tried to keep them in character based on the limited information there is about them.