Slow Dancing in the Darkness

“They’ve arrived safely in Madrid” Gabriela commented as she sat down on the bed of her hotel room, her eyes looking away from her phone and towards her husband who followed along behind her, settling their luggage beside the door. It was impromptu, with Elliot having decided that he wanted to see Noah again, Lionel had opted to take advantage of the break it provided, taking his wife away for their first weekend break. It was tough for him, the idea of missing the Clasico stung as it had for the previous two months, but the idea of having Gabriela alone softened the blow slightly. He loved Noah, the little boy was wonderful, but Lionel had been itching to get Gabriela alone for a little while. They’d never really had a chance to celebrate their marriage, between their parents and Elliot, they’d been rushed off of their feet, and he wanted to treat her. She’d coped remarkably with the way things had changed for them.

“I’m glad” Lionel replied.

Gabriela smiled a little and set her phone on the end table, making her way towards him. “You don’t need to watch the match, do you?” she murmured as she carefully slipped her feet from her shoes. She didn’t like it, being away from Noah was always going to bother her, but being alone with Lionel was comfort enough for her. They’d only been together for a matter of months, but moments alone had been sporadic and much like him, she wanted to enjoy the ones that they could get.

Lionel smiled. “I don’t” he enthused softly as he placed his arms around her, his hands slipping beneath her shirt and up her back.

Gabriela smiled at his touch. She had always liked the way his hands felt against her skin. Offering him a bashful smile, she placed her arms around his neck and pushed herself up slightly on her toes so that they were level in height before she placed a kiss on his lips. Lionel smiled into it, liking the way his stomach flipped, before he leant away from her, his hand making light work of the shirt she wore. Gabriela smiled and pulled him back to her, intent on making their time alone count.

~#~
Smiling a little, Lionel settled down on the bed once more, his hand extending a bottle of water to Gabriela who sat huddled beneath the blankets. “I thought you could use one” he mused softly “You look a little worn out” he added with a smirk.

Gabriela shook her head. “You’re the one who called it quits” she mused, unscrewing the cap.

“I have to be back training on Monday” Lionel reasoned “They’d kill you if you killed me” he added.

Gabriela laughed gently, something which made him smile at her. They weren’t going to get a lot of time together, when he went back to training and started playing again, their weekends together were going to be few and far between, but he wanted to enjoy it whilst it lasted. After the rather rocky start to their marriage, he wanted to make it clear that he was with her. “Have you missed training?” Gabriela posed as she sipped on her drink.

“A little” he confessed “I’d much rather have been on the pitch playing than in the stands with Noah, but they’ve done OK without me, not brilliantly, but alright and I can’t wait to get back out there and help them. I’d hate last season’s good work to be undone by injuries” he explained.

Gabriela nodded her head. “I’ve grown used to you being at home” she confessed.

“Gabby…”

“I knew what I was getting myself into” Gabriela insisted gently “And I know that you have to go back, but I’ll miss you being around” she added.

Lionel smiled softly. “We’re not going to change, Gabby” he murmured softly.

“I know that too” she insisted “But I worry” she added.

Lionel leant up a little and kissed her gently. “I love you” he mused with a soft smile “I love being around you and Noah, and I am going to do my best to ensure that we don’t stray too far from where we are now. I know it hasn’t been too long, but I am sure of us, Gabby” he mused.

“I love you too” Gabriela grinned impishly.

Lionel pecked her lips again before he rested back in the bed, his eyes tracing the ceiling softly. “Did it take you and Eli long to conceive Noah?” he posed.

Gabriela frowned. “We didn’t exactly plan for a baby” she noted “Elliot forgot protection one night. Why do you ask?” she posed, her forehead furrowed a little.

Lionel shrugged. “I just wondered” he noted gently.

Gabriela smiled a little and snuggled closer to him, one of her arms draping itself over his waist as he wrapped one around her shoulder. “You’re thinking about becoming a papa again” she murmured, kissing his jaw softly.

Lionel shrugged. “I think about a lot of things” he noted.

“I think about it too” Gabriela confessed gently “And I think it would be wonderful if somewhere down the line, you and I gave Noah and Thiago a little brother or sister, but I don’t want to put pressure on it. I don’t handle pressure well” she insisted.

Lionel nodded. “I get that” he mused.

Gabriela leant into him and kissed his cheek. “We’ll let it happen” she mused softly “No pressure, no time frame, just casually” she noted.

Lionel nodded gently. “I just want you to be comfortable” he insisted “I don’t want you feeling as though I am backing you into something” he noted.

“I want to” Gabriela confessed “One of the best things I have ever done is have Noah and I love being his mama. I’d love to have another baby, Leo, but I want it to happen on its own. I don’t want to force it and declare that we’re trying” she explained softly, her blue eyes peeking up at him gently.

Lionel smiled at her tenderly. “Alright” he agreed “If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t” he noted.

Gabriela smiled and placed her lips against his, liking that they were on the same page.