Chapter Text
When the light just starts seeping through the curtains, it's usually Cristiano who wakes up first. He can’t call himself much of a morning person, it's just that he can’t get the professional mode out of his system. Even if he tried. Overpowering instinct to follow every established rule. The routine which became his second nature such a long time ago that he can’t even remember when.
Probably it all started in early teenage years when a career as a professional football player was nothing but a pipe dream. When his whole life depended on every choice he made, every step he took. And while his friends were dating girls, drinking irresponsibly and exploring an adult life in every single way he was completely focused on the only one goal he had in his life. But he never complained. Never had a thought close to this. The road he has chosen gave him a lot of things. Some of them were bad, unbearable and disgusting. Starting from all the rumors and fake scandals the media was making up and finishing with inability to be close to his family. Some of them were great, fascinating and unbelievable. He lives the life of his dream. And this one simple sentence combines all dreams and hopes of a small boy from Funchal. And exactly this road brought him to where he is now. And that's probably the most important thing.
He gets up trying to make as little noise as possible, and while he is getting dressed he looks at Lionel peacefully sleeping on his side of the bed.
Even to think his life could have taken him on another path with no Leo in it is painful. To think one decision or one little circumstance could have ripped off this page of his life... But they say what is bound to happen will happen anyway, and he likes to agree with it.
Of all his trophies and titles he gathered through his sport career there aren't any as precious as this one - having Leo by his side. All of them are grow dim and ugly next to this, costing nothing. But this is what he will never tell anyone, even Leo, he decides.
Eventually he must have made some noise because suddenly Leo moves, tries to open his eyes but closes them straight away - the bright light of a new day is too painful for sore eyes. He stretches lazily and mumbles "Good morning" smiling softly. Cris smiles back and sits on the side of the bed.
"Good morning" he echoes and leans in towards Leo. The kiss slips to the corner of Leo's lips as he accidentally moves his head. But with the second attempt Cristiano reaches what he aimed for, turning it into the proper kiss, soft and gentle.
When the sun is slowly making its way to the sky, Cristiano thinks that this time of the day is probably one of his favorite. Because it's when he can steal a moment from ever-running time to fully enjoy the most precious fact in all his life - them being together.