Slow Dancing in the Darkness

“You want my help with what?” Shakira posed as she looked over the table at Lionel, her expression soft. It had been a little odd, after getting back from the team’s pre-season tour, she had envisaged that he would want to spend the rest days he’d been given with Gabriela and their children, but she was pleasantly surprised by his visit, especially when he’d explained why he wanted to see her.

“I want your help planning something for Ela” Lionel replied as he sipped on his tea “You two are quite close and I figured that you would be the best person to ask. I kind of want it to be a surprise and I figure I can trust you and Gerard to keep it to yourselves” he noted.

“And what is it that you want to plan for her?” Shakira posed, a smile on her face.

“Shakira…”

“Please say it” Shakira noted “It’s just so cute” she grinned.

Lionel rolled his eyes. “I want to give her a wedding she can look back on rather than the two she got” he murmured shyly.

“Why?” Gerard posed from the doorway.

Lionel shrugged. “She deserves it” he noted “After all the crap that Elliot put her through with their marriage and Noah, she deserves a day where she gets to feel special and I want to be the one who gives it to her” he added.

Shakira smiled. “I’d love to help you out” she noted.

“You don’t think it is stupid?” the argentine posed.

Gerard opened his mouth, but Shakira jumped in, nudging his ribs. “It’s sweet, Leo” she grinned “I am sure Ela will love it” she noted.

Lionel smiled timidly. He hoped she would.

“Just tell me what you need me to do and I will get it done for you” Shakira offered.

“I was thinking September” Lionel noted “It could be a way to mark our anniversary” he added.

Gerard, who was leant against the kitchen counter, rolled his eyes. “You know she’s going to love you either way, right?” he posed. He thought that it was sweet, the idea that Lionel wanted to give Gabriela a day to remember, but he wanted his friend to see that it wasn’t entirely necessary. Gabriela loved him, even if Gerard had doubted it when they’d started out, and Lionel didn’t need to go out of his way to prove the point that he loved her. It was evident in the way his face lit up whenever someone mentioned her name.

Lionel nodded. “Of course I do” he noted gently “But this is just something I want to do for her, Gerard. It’s been a long year and I want to give her a day to remember. She deserves it and I want to see her smile” he shrugged.

Gerard shook his head, a small smile on his face. He was glad that Lionel had stumbled across Gabriela, she’d done wonders for him and the defender was happy for him. He deserved someone to make him happy and Gabriela seemed to fit the bill.

~#~
“You were gone for a while” Gabriela noted as she stepped into the hall, a sleepy Amelia balanced on her hip.

Lionel, who had just walked inside, nodded. “I was at a meeting” he half-lied “It took a little longer than I thought it would” he added before he stepped towards her, carefully taking Amelia into his arms.

Gabriela tilted her head. “A meeting?” she posed “Is there something I ought to be concerned about?” she added.

Lionel, who had turned to cooing at Amelia, shook his head. “Nothing at all” he mused “Do you want me to put her down for her nap?” he posed.

“I was about to do that” Gabriela mused “But you can check on Noah and Thiago who are sat in the living room. They were watching cartoons last time I checked, but you know how they can be” she enthused as she took Amelia back into her arms, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. Lionel smiled at the contact before he stepped away, making his way towards the living room where the two little boys sat, quietly watching the television.

“Are you two Ok in here?” he posed.

Noah, who sat closest to him, looked up, nodding his head. “We’re Ok” he noted, a little yawn falling out of his mouth,

“You sure?” Lionel noted, checking on Thiago who sat beside the older boy, holding onto one of his toys sleepily.

Noah nodded. “Sleepy” he murmured.

Lionel smiled and carefully stood up, moving to collect the throw from the back of the couch. “Why don’t you lie down? You can take a nap and me and your mama will wake you up for dinner, Ok?” he posed, carefully coaxing Thiago down onto a pillow. Noah offered him a sleepy look before he nodded, curling up. Lionel smiled and placed the blanket over the pair of them before he stepped out of the room, bumping into Gabriela who had been on her way in.

“They’re going to take a nap” he noted as he caught a hold of her wrist, stopping her from falling over him.

“They are?” she posed.

“They were falling asleep when I walked in there. I put a blanket over them and told them that we would wake them in time for dinner” he explained softly “And Amelia is also taking her nap, which means you have me to yourself” he added with a small smile.

Gabriela tilted her head. “To myself?” she posed.

“All yours” he grinned, leaning a little closer to her.

Gabriela nudged her nose against his, flashing him a light smile before she carefully took his hand. “I think I can come up with something we can do” she noted as she stepped forwards slightly, pulling him along behind her.

Lionel smiled and stepped up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist. “I like the way your mind works” he mumbled as he kissed the side of her jaw.

Gabriela shook her head, flashing him a grin over her shoulder, one which made him smile. He knew that the surprise that he had up his sleeve for her was something she was going to love.