Golden days☀️

Chapter nine

During the warm up, Christian hears his name.
First it's just a few fans, then a lot more. Suddenly all the stadium starts chanting his name, giving him a warm welcome. The atmosphere is incredible, and the love from the fans is already immense.
He doesn't feel like he deserves it, he hasn't done anything for the team yet.
He claps his hands at the fans, smiling and running towards Sanchez.
"You were right", he says to the number 7.

Obviously he isn't in the starting eleven, so he sits in the bench with his teammates and watches his new team and his new stadium.
The match is intense and he tries to give his support by screaming and encouraging who has the ball.
It's amazing, and he isn't even touched a ball yet.

They are 76 minutes into the match and Inter is winning 1-0.
Chris has been warming up for some time now, and Conte finally calls his name.
He is excited and terrified at the same time.
Ironically, he is going to sub Sanchez.

He speaks with Conte about some tactics, and he waits for the ref to blow; Sanchez runs toward him, giving him a half-hug and whispering
"Good luck". He stops.

The fans see him, and start screaming, as he's about to touch the pitch for the first time as an Inter player
"Ooooooooo..."
You know, that's what you do when you're waiting for something special, something great.
He doesn't feel like either those things, but damn... he is going to play the best game ever. He needs to make his fans proud.

San Siro is nothing like England's stadiums, just like the fans.
He plays, he tries to find a connection with his teammates and his place in the field. He knew he was going to need some time to adjust, and these 24 minutes are just the confirmation.

The game is won and he gets to celebrate the first positive result with the new team.
His hand finds D'Ambrosio's one as they run towards the "Curva", smiling and clapping in the direction of the fans.
Chris is happy, his mind far from the worries and the thoughts that had been bothering him before. He can finally relax a bit, just for tonight.

Brozo seems to have the same idea, beacuse he doesn't even try to talk to Chris all night, and just celebrates.

They have a quick shower and go to a bar to have a pint or two.
The team is loud, still high on adrenaline. Chris talks about the game with his friends, complimenting Barella for his energy, Handanovic for how he stays calm and leads the team and so on...
He seems a kid, happy and surprised by everything he saw during the game, even the smallest things.

Bastoni listens to Chris talk and thinks
"That's why we're his friends. He is a good guy. He is a world class player who's sitting in a bar and talking to Barella (a prominsing but young and inexperienced player,just like me), complimenting him.
I wish he could see that"

The team happily (and drunkenly) informs Chris and Moses that they have to stand on a chair and sing their favourite song; it's a kind of a tradition for the newbies.

The first one is Moses, who chooses a rap song. He is not bad. Young and Lukaku sing with him, being the only ones to know that song.

Then it's Eriksen's turn, and he sings Wonderwall by Oasis.
It has always been his favourite song, and he can't help but smile brightly and blush when his friends start singing with him and clapping their hands to the beat.
All in all, it's a wonderful night.

Apart for the few minutes that Chris spends with Lukaku, trying to convince him not to post a story of him singing on instagram.
It doesn't work, to Lukaku and Young's amusement of course.

Chris feels sleepy and Skriniar notices.
His house is closer to the bar than Chris', so he asks
"Hey i know you're tired, it's been a long day. You can sleep at mine, it's closer."
Everybody was going home anyway so...
The dane looks like he wants to say yes, but...
"I don't know. You guys already helped me a lot. I wouldn't want to bother you anymore..."
Skriniar decides to ignore it, but that "anymore" means that Chris still sees himself as a burden.
That has to change. But not tonight.
Tonight the defender is glad that he manages to convince Chris and, after saying goodnight to everybody, they are finally ablte to rest.

Skriniar in his bed and Chris on Milan's couch, which is really comfortable, if Eriksen's peaceful sleep is any clue.