Morning Routine
For the longest time, Grant had a very strict morning routine: wake up, work out, shower, breakfast and coffee, start the day. For more than a decade – with minor adjustments – it worked for him just fine. But, of course, life changes, and habits change with it – and so, his mornings look rather different now.
He still wakes early – he doubts that will ever change –, but he doesn't just jump out of bed anymore; nowadays he likes to roll to his side first, so he can marvel at his bedmate for a few minutes before the day starts. Skye always looks so peaceful as she sleeps in the pre-dawn light, her dark hair fanning over her pillow, eyes closed, lashes casting faint shadows over her cheeks, lips slightly parted. Seeing her like this, he swears he falls in love with her again and again every morning.
When he's gotten his share of her, he carefully climbs out of bed, not to disturb her (although he's sure he'd at least need a canon to wake her up this early), throws on something appropriate to be seen in (which sometimes proves a challenge, as some mornings he finds his clothes strewn around the room as the aftermath of their eagerness of the previous night), then leaves the room, silently closing the door behind himself.
His path, then, leads to the base's kitchen to make coffee – the very substance Skye just can't wake up without. He turns on the machine, then opens the cabinet, looking for her favorite mug, which is more like a little bowl. He bought her that one, as a little, sentimental gift – they were just testing the waters with their rekindled relationship after Coulson had given him a second chance, and he was in a flash op in London when he saw it in a shop window. A modest, but cheery, cream colored little mug, with hearts and the inscription Smile! I love you! on the side. It immediately reminded him of Skye, so he bought it. At first he was a little afraid he was going a little too far – the mug said I love you, after all –, but when he saw her eyes sparkle as she lifted it from the gift bag, just before she threw herself in his arms, all of his fears disappeared. It's been her favorite mug ever since.
By the time the coffee is brewed, some members of the team are usually waking up, too. Grant often runs into – surprisingly – Hunter in mornings, who, bleary-eyed and only half awake, usually tries to make some joke about how whipped he is, making his girlfriend coffee at six in the morning. Hearing this, Grant usually just smiles – partially because Hunter is not sharp enough this early to be actually witty, and partially because, damn it, he is right, and Grant doesn't mind it the slightest.
When Skye's coffee done – three sugars, a generous amount of milk –, he makes his way back to their bunk. By then she is usually stirring, her unconscious pulling her from her dream, alerting her of his absence. The dip of the mattress as he sits down next to her and the scent of the coffee just help this process.
He loves to be there when she first opens her eyes in the morning, first giving him a lazy blink, then a tiny, reluctant groan as she burrows deeper into the covers. Usually, it takes her a good minute to actually wake up, fully open her eyes, sit up with a slow smile on her face and take the mug from him. Despite of her protests, he just simply finds her adorable, especially this early in the morning.
It's not until her mug is empty, and the last drops of coffee are still on her lips, when her eyes finally, really find his. When their gazes lock, and a mischievous smile is playing on her lips.
"You really are striving for the "best boyfriend ever" title," she says then, putting the mug down on the bedside table, and sneaking her arms around his neck. "Good morning," she whispers against his lips and kisses him.
And then the day can start.