Love Me Until My Heart Stops

“You know, that is my mother’s car” Esmé mused as she pulled her car to a stop outside of her apartment complex, her brown eyes peeking at Gerard who had taken her to dinner following the late training session. It had been strange, being out with him and not caring about who was watching them, and Esmé felt a little relieved. It had been on her, the fact their relationship had been in the shadows for the first month, but she had to admit, she kind of liked not hiding away. There had been some comments, a few dirty looks had been shot her way, but it was nothing too dramatic and it had served to relax her a little. She had been terrified that a lot more people would have strong views on what had happened.

“I can’t say that I am surprised” Gerard replied, undoing his seatbelt “You’ve been ignoring her texts all day” he added.

“Only because I know what she is going to say” Esmé mused, pushing the car door open “I am not a big fan of ‘I told you so’” she smiled.

Gerard chuckled. “Your madre loves me” he grinned.

“You seem to think a lot of people love you” Esmé smiled playfully as she climbed out of the car, hauling her bag onto her shoulder.

“That’s because they do. Ella and Eloisa practically begged you to bring me to her birthday. Your madre has been pushing for us for years. I must have something about me that charms the women in your family” he grinned.

Esmé rolled her eyes. “Try and save the charming for the woman in my family that you’re actually dating” she mused, moving towards the door of the complex.

Gerard laughed and took a couple of long strides, catching up with her easily. “You know I save all my best for you” he insisted as he placed his hand in hers, grinning at his own words “And you know that, whilst I like your family, I only have eyes for one Silva when it comes down to it” he smirked.

“I’d like to hope so” Esmé quipped, leading him into the elevator “If you had the hots for either of my sisters, or worse, my mother, then you could just turn around right here” she smiled.

Gerard wrinkled his nose. “They’re lovely, but certainly not my type” he replied, hitting the button to take them to Esmé’s floor.

“You’re not my type” Esmé reasoned, recalling the conversation that they had had about the type of man she went for.

Gerard shook his head. “No, I’m not, but I think we can both agree that your normal type is pretty shitty. You needed to change it up” he insisted.

Esmé smiled. “You’re not too far removed. A little too tall for me, but still close enough” she teased.

“Too tall?” Gerard poked.

“I have to get up on my toes if I want to kiss you or I have to crane my neck. Did you not think there was a reason I liked short guys?” she teased.

Gerard scoffed. “Tiptoe kisses are far better, more romantic” he noted.

Esmé giggled and leant up to peck his lips, something Gerard was more than happy to help her with. He wasn’t an idiot, underneath her usual smiling self, Esmé was still terrified about what would happen now that they were out in the open, but he didn’t want to focus on it. If anything did happen, then they would cross that bridge when they got to it, there was no sense in worrying before anything had gone wrong. “See” he murmured, stepping back as the doors to the elevator opened “Tiptoe kisses are great” he added. Esmé shook her head gently before she led him out of the elevator, making their way up the hall towards her home.

“Are you sure that you want to come in with me?” Esmé mused, stopping ahead of her front door.

“Why wouldn’t I want to?” Gerard posed.

“Because my mother is going to be crazy about this, and I mean full on yelling and hugging. I don’t quite know how long she has been waiting out on us, but I know she has been and it finally being official is probably going to be a bigger deal for her than it is for even me or you” Esmé reasoned, looking for the key in her bag.

“I don’t think it would be a bigger deal to her than it is to me” Gerard mused.

“She’ll make a bigger fuss” Esmé commented, unlocking the door.

“And I will be just fine. People are excited, hermosa, I am very excited, and I don’t mind sharing it” he smiled.

Esmé nodded. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you” she mused as she pushed the door open, setting her bag down beside it before she proceeded into the living room, Gerard in tow. “Madre, I know you’re here” she called out “Your car is parked outside” she added.

Delia, who had been in the kitchen, stepped into the living room, her dark eyes lighting up at the sight of the defender who stood behind her daughter. “I couldn’t resist” she mused.

Esmé rolled her eyes. “You didn’t have to let yourself in, mama, I would have got back to you eventually” she commented.

Delia rolled her eyes. “Excuse me for wanting to make a fuss, Esmeralda” she commented.

Esmé shook her head. “It’s not a big deal, mama” she noted.

“Not a big deal? Esmé, this is huge” Delia exclaimed, moving towards her daughter “You’re in a new relationship, a significant one, and I want to make a big deal of it” she insisted, brushing the dark hair away from her daughter’s face. She couldn’t believe that she hadn’t seen it, Esmé had been brighter in the last few weeks and Delia wanted to kick herself for not noticing sooner. It should have been obvious to her that her own daughter had started seeing someone new.

“It really isn’t that big of a deal” Esmé refuted gently.

Delia scoffed. “Can you believe her, Gerard?” she teased, looking up at the defender.

Gerard smiled. “She’s a little shy about us” he admitted softly “And she’s never liked having attention on her, but for what it is worth, I am very excited about this, Ms. Silva” he insisted politely.

Delia smiled. “It’s Delia now, Gerard” she insisted “I can’t have you calling me Ms. Silva now” she added.

“Delia” Gerard repeated softly “Are you sure?” he asked.

Delia grinned. “Of course I am, sweetie, you’re dating my little girl now and whilst that is the case, you’re part of my little family” she explained.

Gerard smiled. “Gracias, Ms. …Delia” he corrected himself gently.

Delia flashed him another smile before she moved to pull him into a hug, causing him to startle slightly. Delia had always liked him, he knew it, but it still caught him off guard. She had never been affectionate with him before. Hugging her tentatively, he spared a look over at Esmé who smiled back at him gently, mouthing the words ‘I told you so’. Gerard shook his head and pulled away from Delia who began to twitter about calling Eloisa and Ella and celebrating. Esmé smiled at her mother and her boyfriend before she felt her phone buzz against her hip, causing her to pull it out of her pocket. Stepping away from Gerard and her mother, she peeked down at the phone, her throat drying a little at the short message that filled the screen, confirming what she had feared.

‘In Barcelona. Need to talk’

The five words stuck out of the screen vividly and made Esmé’s breathing hitch, She had thought they had a little more time.