We Took the Fall

23: I Thought It Was Endearing

“Why do you look like you’re about to puke?” Esther teased as she watched Catalina pad into the living room, her skin slightly pale. It hadn’t been a surprise, following their reconciliation at the nightclub, Fernando had insisted on taking Catalina on a date, and the blonde looked a little petrified, something which Esther couldn’t help but find a little amusing. She knew that it was how Catalina was, before her first date with Jonathan, she had gotten changed 3 times, and she could only imagine how she had been at 18 when she and Fernando first went out. She pitied the person who had had to calm her down.

“Because I think I might” Catalina replied “I really don’t do first dates well” she added nervously. It had never been a strength for her, Catalina tended to panic when she was faced with a prospect of a first date, and even despite the fact that she had already been through it once with Fernando, she couldn’t help but fret. She didn’t want anything screwing it up again.

“Really?” Esther teased “You seemed fine with Jonathan” she pointed out.

Catalina shook her head. “I drank 3 glasses of water within 10 minutes. I spent most of the night making trips to the bathroom” she murmured.

“But you’ve been out with Fernando before” Esther quipped “And from the way you two were hanging off of one another last night, you have no need to be awkward with him” she noted. It had been sweet, after agreeing to give their relationship a shot, Catalina had spent the night with the striker, curled up in a secluded booth, and Esther had found it adorable. Even after mere hours together, they were infatuated with one another and Esther was pleased for her friend. Catalina deserved a little happiness.

Catalina shook her head. “That was when we were younger. For our first date, he took me to the apartment he had just bought and we ate dinner in a blanket fort that he had made seeing as he didn’t have a couch” she explained.

“That’s adorable” Esther gushed.

“It was, until I kind of puked” Catalina mumbled, wrinkling her nose slightly.

“You puked?” Esther quipped, trying not to laugh.

“On his shoes” Catalina noted “I thought he would never call me again” she added.

“Why did he?” Esther posed.

“Only he knows that” Catalina replied, shaking her head “If I were him, I would have run in the opposite direction” she added.

“Well, he didn’t and he is sitting outside in his car waiting to take you on a second first date. So take a breath, take your coat, and try and enjoy yourself. I will see you on Monday morning and will be waiting eagerly for details” Esther smiled, handing the blonde her jacket “And try not to puke on him this time, Lina” she teased, ushering the blonde out of the door.

Catalina offered her a little glare before she padded up the path, her blue eyes settling on Fernando who had been quick to climb out of the car, his hand holding a modest bouquet of lilies. “You look wonderful, Lina” he mused as he took a slight pace towards her.

Catalina shook her head. “I think wonderful may be a little strong, but gracias anyways” she mused with a small quirked grin.

“I forgot how useless you are at taking compliments” Fernando scoffed, offering her a smile.

“I…”

Fernando shook his head. “You are useless at it, you always were, but it’s OK. I can teach you” he teased with a grin.

Catalina smiled at him gently before she stepped towards him, greeting him with a light kiss that he was more than eager to return. “I highly doubt that I am going to get tired of that any time soon” he mumbled, pecking her lips a couple more times.

“That’s a good sign for me right?” Catalina teased, taking the bouquet of flowers that he was still clutching in his hand.

Fernando nodded. “It’s a very good sign, Lina” he enthused.

~#~
“Where exactly are we heading again?” Catalina posed as she peeked at Fernando, watching as he steered them through the streets. It had been a short trip, they were barely 10 minutes from her home, but still she was antsy. Surprises had never been much of a strong point for her either.

“We’re going back to my place” Fernando replied, turning another corner.

“We are? Because last time I checked, you lived in the other direction” Catalina quipped smartly.

“That was when I lived with your sister and she insisted that I buy a massive house for the army of babies she was planning for. Now that I am just me again, I moved into a smaller place” he explained gently.

“Just you again?” Catalina teased.

Fernando rolled his eyes. “We’ve not exactly had the chat about labels yet, Lina, and I thought you’d want to save it for a little while” he quipped.

Catalina nodded. It was probably the right call.

“I also thought you’d want to keep us private for a little while yet. I can only imagine the bitch fit Cia will through when she finds out” he mused.

“It’ll be huge” Catalina replied, her voice wavering a fraction.

Fernando noted the little shift and reached his spare hand over to her, taking her smaller extremity and squeezing it comfortingly. “We don’t have to worry about that right now” he mused “Right now, the only thing you have to worry about is not vomiting on my feet again” he added with a slight grin.

“It was one time and it was my first date” Catalina refuted.

Fernando laughed. “Don’t worry, I thought it was endearing” he grinned.

“You’re a strange man” Catalina noted, shaking her head.

~#~
“Why are you shielding my eyes?” Catalina murmured as Fernando steered her into his home.

“Because it is a surprise” Fernando replied, pulling his living room door open and guiding her inside. It was a little cheesy, recreating their first date for the second first date, but Fernando hadn’t been able to resist it. He had only just moved, like he had done when they’d first gone out, and it provided him with the perfect excuse, one he wasn’t going to pass up.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” Catalina posed.

Fernando smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek before he pulled his hand away, allowing her blue eyes to peek around the living room, a small smile appearing on her face. “You built a fort?” she quipped, her smile clear in her voice.

“I am still in the process of moving” he mused with a nonchalant shrug “I have a couch this time, but this seemed far more fun” he added.

Catalina shook her head. “You’re adorable” she giggled.

“I try” he mumbled “So you don’t find this stupid?” he added.

“No” Catalina grinned “It’s wonderful” she enthused.

“I was sort of hoping you’d say that” he returned gently before he took her hand, leading her inside the fort he had crafted from blankets and duvets that he had been quick to unpack.

Catalina followed him happily and sat down on the pile of pillows that he had set up on the ground for her. “Now, I have a selection of takeout menus and a laptop with dozens of films we could watch. Everything we do tonight is up to you, Lina” he mused, sitting close at her side.

Catalina shook her head and placed her hands on his cheeks, pulling him into a kiss that he was more than happy to reciprocate. It made him aware that he had done something right.
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Thanks to Jayme112234 & FootieJo for the comments :)