Kai• ros | Julian Brandt

14.

After breaking up with Luca, I got used to waking up alone, over time. Feeling only the warmth that radiated from the duvets I was wrapped in during the night. The warmth that disappeared easily and was suddenly replaced by a stiff cold that crept into the room through the open window which I fell asleep every night.

And that's why it was suddenly strange to wake up with someone else after several years of relationship with Luca. With some stranger, with someone new. To relive with him the initial stages that come with a romantic relationship.

To feel his natural aroma. To let yourself be caressed by his touch. Touches that brought with them a wave of warmth that easily wiped away all the surrounding frost. To cuddle up to him and lose yourself in his arms. To enjoy slow mornings together, with a cup of boiling black coffee, which was an inherent part of them. And for a few last moments to hide from the reality that was lurking behind the doors of our apartments.

It was just different with Julian. Unforced and so very natural.

And although I woke up in Julian's bed that late morning after the match against Mainz, there was no sign of the aforementioned.

He wasn't the one to snuggle up to me. Whose fleeting kisses would tickle the crook of my neck, trying to wake me up.

It was Nala who spent the whole night at my feet, carefully watching for anything that could disturb mine or Julian's sleep.

"Good morning, darling!" I said to the cream-colored tuft of fur, which kept hitting my palm with its wet snout, trying to steal a morning dose of cuddles for itself. "Who's an obedient dog, huh?" I spoke to her in a childish voice, which only increased the intensity with which she wagged her tail. I pressed a gentle kiss on the tip of her snout: "Where is your owner, huh? You're probably not going to answer me, aren't you? You rather be his cute little accomplice." I ran my hands over her cream-colored fur.

After a few minutes spent cuddling with Nala, during which Julian still hadn't appeared, I decided to explore his apartment. The arrogant blond football player had to be hiding somewhere.

"Jule?" I called out into the corridor that yawned through the void "Julian?" I tried again but got no answer.

Barefoot, dressed in Julian's T-shirt, the hem of which ended near my knees, I stepped on the wooden parquet floors that stretched the entire upper floor. I headed for the stairs, on the edge of which I stood and shouted over the railing: "I'm not going to play hide and seek with you, Brandt! You can surelly forget about that.''

The constant radio silence forced me down the stairs to the ground floor of Julian's maisonette. The only thing I heard was Nala following me faithfully and hitting the ceramic floor with her sharp claws.

Footsteps led me to the spacious kitchen, from which wafted the penetrating aroma of freshly ground coffee. An irresistible lure for my heart and taste buds.

"Just in case you got up before I could get back. Strong black. Without sugar and a without drop of milk. Exactly the way you love in the morning." I slid my eyes over the sloppy writing written on a piece of white paper.

With every word I read in my mind, the corners of my lips rose higher and even biting my lower lip didn't stop them from spreading into a wide smile.

I took the cup of coffee in my hands and smelled it. My eyelids automatically closed in pleasure and saliva formed in my mouth.

There was no better thing in the world than this fresh morning energizer. Fine, maybe good morning sex. Otherwise, it was by far the best thing you could have in the morning.

"He's really nowhere to be seen, is he?" I looked into Nala's puppy dog ​​eyes, which were watching me intently "Where the hell are you, Brandt?" I whispered to myself.