Love Me Until My Heart Stops

“Look at you” Ella Silva smiled, wrapping her arms tightly around her baby sister. It had been a little while, Ella hadn’t seen Esmé since the birth of her son a few months previous, but she was pleased to see her little sister looking so well, especially since it hadn’t been long since her break up. No one had been more surprised by the news of her sister’s relationship ending than Ella, she had always liked Cesc and had put a lot of faith in him to make Esmé happy, and she hated that it had backfired like it had. Esmé had been smitten, everyone had known it, and it must have felt like one hell of a blow to have it ripped away from her. One moment she had been happy, and the next, everything had fallen down around her.

Esmé hugged her sister back tightly. “I didn’t think you would be able to make it” she noted.

“I convinced Isaac to stay behind and look after Oliver. I wasn’t going to miss out on a night at the Camp Nou with my baby sister” Ella grinned.

Esmé shook her head. “You know that this wasn’t my idea” she commented, leading her sister towards their seats. It had been Gerard’s suggestion, inviting Delia and her sisters to the return leg of the Spanish Super Cup, and she hadn’t had it in her to turn it down. As much as she wanted to stop moping, the idea of having her relatives close did make her feel a little better and she knew that Gerard knew it too. He seemed to know her better than she knew herself at times.

“It was the idea of that wonderful friend of yours” Ella commented, shuffling through the row of plastic seats “The one we both know that you should have gotten with before you started to date the asshole” she added.

Esmé’s cheeks warmed a little. It wasn’t the first time it had been said, since she and Cesc had broken up, her mother and her other sister had made a similar point, but that didn’t mean it stopped being embarrassing, especially in light of the incident that had occurred between them nearly 2 weeks previous. “I am not interested in him like that” she murmured, moving to stand next to Delia and Eloisa who were talking about the upcoming match.

Ella scoffed. “Not interested? How could you possibly not be interested in him?” she noted incredulously.

“You’re talking about Gerard?” Eloisa guessed.

Esmé rolled her eyes. “We’re not having this conversation” she mumbled, padding towards her seat.

“Yes, we are” Ella countered.

“Why do we need to? I am just out of a relationship” Esmé reasoned, trying to convince her sister to drop the subject. She didn’t want to broach it, the idea that she could possibly have feelings for Gerard, and she wanted Ella to drop it. A few correct words and a couple of searching looks would almost certainly have her spilling the beans about their kiss and that was the last thing she wanted.

“And the perfect solution to getting over Cesc would be moving on…”

“With his best friend?” Esmé interjected, shooting Eloisa a look “He’s a nice man, wonderful, but I am not about to jump into bed with him, especially since it would probably ruin what we have together. You know how I feel about him” she murmured, offering the three women a look “But I don’t want to lose him” she added, moving to sit down beside her sister.

Ella sighed gently and sat down, her hand squeezing Esmé’s knee gently. “He’s a sweetheart” she enthused gently “And he looks at you like you’re the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen. I know you probably don’t want to hear it right now, you are just out of the thing you and Cesc had, but it is written all over that guy’s face, Esmé” she insisted gently.

Esmé shook her head softly. “I know that man inside out” she murmured “Do you not think if one person knew that he had the feelings you’re suggesting he has towards me, I would know?” she posed gently.

“Or you’d be the last person who figured it out” Eloisa suggested, watching as the two teams made their way out onto the pitch “He knows you just as well as you know him. He could easily trick you” she added, her brown eyes landing on Gerard who padded past, flashing a small smile up into the stands which was evidently meant for the brunette who was sat between her two older sisters. Esmé groaned a little at the sight of it and slunk back into her seat, something which made Ella and Eloisa grin. It was surely only a matter of time.

~#~
“Congrats” Esmé smiled gently as she sat down beside Gerard, placing the drink she had purchased for him on the table ahead of him. It had been a tough match, Athletic had wanted to win the cup as much as Barcelona had, if not a little more, but the Catalan club had managed to come through, even if it had once more been on Messi’s shoulders, they’d done it.

Gerard, who had detached himself slightly from the group, smiled, graciously offering her a thank you. “How was watching the game with your sisters?” he posed.

“Ella was as loud as ever” Esmé commented, sipping at the glass of lemonade she had bought for herself “You’d have thought having Oliver would have mellowed her somewhat, but that would be wrong. Eloisa was good too, she’s still seeing that barista and she seems pretty happy” she explained.

Gerard nodded. “And you?” he posed.

“Why do we always talk about me?” Esmé countered, not wanting to delve into the conversation she had had with her sisters.

“Because you’re the one who’s still looking distinctly mopey” Gerard commented, smiling “And because with me, there isn’t much to say” he added.

“I am sure we could find something” Esmé quipped.

Gerard shook his head. “What’s with the sudden want to deflect?” he posed.

“I am not deflecting” Esmé retorted.

Gerard snorted. “I think I can tell when someone is deflecting, Esmé” he teased “But why now?” he posed, his blue eyes staring at her intently.

Esmé shifted a little in her seat.

“Esmeralda” Gerard coaxed.

“It’s…”

“Esmé” Lionel’s voice interjected, his arms wrapping around her waist. Esmé sighed in relief and moved to greet the argentine, shuffling a little away from Gerard who watched after them, shaking his head a little.

“You know, she’ll never do anything if you don’t do it first”

Gerard frowned a little and turned around, his eyes landing on Eloisa who stood beside him. “What makes you think I want her to do anything?” he posed.

Eloisa smiled. “Because unlike her, I can see it on your face. You’ve liked her for a while?” she posed, slipping into her sister’s vacated seat.

Gerard sighed, but nodded his head. “I didn’t think I was being obvious” he murmured.

“You’re not, at least not so obvious that even Esmé could spot it, but I have figured for a little while that there was something more to you wanting to make her better. You want a shot” she explained.

Gerard shook his head. “She’s nowhere near being over him” he muttered “And despite my efforts to make it better, there are still too many moments where she looks like she misses him. I can’t risk ruining all we have when she is still as vulnerable as she is” he explained softly.

Eloisa thought for a second before she noted Esmé making her way back towards them, causing her to stand up. “Go for it” she whispered softly as she made her way around the defender “She wants you to” she added before she skittered away.

“Was that my sister?” Esmé squeaked.

Gerard, who had been looking after Eloisa, nodded. “Yeah. She wanted to thank me for doing such a good job with you” he lied.

Esmé eyed him skeptically before she took her seat once more, delving into a conversation about Barcelona’s tactical decisions.

Gerard listened and nodded in the appropriate places, but couldn’t help but let his mind wander.

What if Esmé did want him too?