You Loved Me Once

Staring up the stairs for a moment, Lionel shook his head, trying to talk himself out of following Alba up the stairs. He knew that it was the wrong thing to do, Alba wasn’t entirely sober and it was likely to cause them, or more specifically him, an issue first thing in the morning, but he had to admit that he was tempted. Shaking his head, he cursed lowly to himself before he tried to get himself comfortable on the couch, wanting to fall asleep as he quickly as he could. Hauling the blankets up over himself, he rested back into the couch before he squeezed his eyes shut, allowing the room to sit quietly for a second before he let out another curse.

He knew that it wasn’t the best idea, Alba would almost certainly regret it, but he couldn’t pass the opportunity up. Shrugging out of the blanket, he bounded up the steps before he located Alba’s room, knocking the door open to find her stood in her underwear.

“Leo?” Alba squeaked.

Lionel merely stepped towards her, his hands cupping her cheeks before he pulled her close, kissing her with everything he had.

Alba startled, caught off guard by the sudden strength of his kiss, but she didn’t push him back, instead knotting her fingers in his dark hair.

Lionel smiled a little when she started to respond to him before he settled his hands on her hips, edging her back towards the bed.

“I thought you thought this was a bad idea?” Alba mumbled as she placed her hand on the bottom of his shirt, pulling it over his head.

Lionel merely shrugged before he ducked down, pressing another kiss against her lips as he carefully helped her to lay down. He knew that it was a bad idea, things were already awkward between them and a night together was only certain to make things worse, but he didn’t have it in him to turn the opportunity down. He hated that the last memory he had of them was her yelling at him to leave.

“You do want this, right?” he mumbled.

Alba nodded, a tipsy smile on her face. “I do” she confirmed with a giggle.

Lionel nodded, offering her a small smile before he captured her in another kiss that Alba was more than content to respond to.

~#~
Letting out a small groan, Alba threw her arm over her eyes, trying her hardest to hide them from the bright morning sunshine which seeped through the window. It was early, the sun was only just coming up, but that made it less welcome to Alba and her sensitive head. She didn’t remember much, after agreeing to go to a bar with Hector, the last thing she recalled clearly was her first drink, but the pain in her head confided that she hadn’t stopped at one.

Cursing a little to herself, she shifted to turn onto her side before she paused, alerted by the sound of the soft snores from her side. Stilling a little, she tossed onto her other side before an involuntary squeak fell out of her mouth, her blue eyes studying Lionel’s sleeping face.

Staring him, she muttered a few curses before she tried to usher herself out of the bed, prevented only by the arm of Lionel’s which sat happily around her waist. “No” he mumbled in his sleep.

Alba shook her head and attempted to move his arm, something which merely caused him to tighten it, pulling her a little closer to him.

“Too early” he mumbled.

Alba glared at him before she wiggled a little, successfully squirming out of his grasp before she ushered herself to her feet, her hand pushing the blonde hair out of her face as she pulled on his t-shirt from the night before.

“It’s barely 6” Lionel grumbled, pulling the duvet a little more around.

Alba scoffed. “It’s time for you to get the heck out of my bed” she countered, her tone a little sharp.

Lionel mumbled a soft curse before he sat up a little, pushing a hand through his hair.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Alba spat.

Lionel sighed. “It was a mistake” he noted softly “A moment of weakness, but I assure you, I will not tell a soul” he insisted, his expression soft. He had been expecting it, as soon as Alba woke up, he had known that she would react sharply, and he had little intention of fighting her. She had every right to be upset with him.

Alba shook her head. “You let this happen?” she spluttered.

“I shouldn’t have done” Lionel admitted as he moved to find the pair of shorts he’d tossed off the night before.

“You think?” Alba shot.

“I’m sorry” Lionel insisted.

Alba shook her head. “How the hell could you let this happen?” she spat, a few snippets of the previous night filling her head. She remember pieces, talking to him, kissing him, but she had thought that he would have the wherewithal to stop them. She had been tipsy, if not entirely drunk, and she couldn’t quite believe he’d gone along with it. It wasn’t like him.

Lionel shook his head. “I shouldn’t have done, Alba” he murmured “I was stupid and selfish, and I am sorry. I can’t offer you more than that” he insisted.

Alba shook her head. “You should get out of here” she muttered, turning away from him slightly.

Lionel nodded and padded towards her slightly, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek. “I need my shirt” he murmured softly.

Alba nodded her head wordlessly and padded towards the wardrobe, shielding herself as she pulled on a sweatshirt.

“I really am sorry, Alba” Lionel noted as he shifted slightly “For last night, and everything else. I’ve been nothing short of awful when it comes to you” he insisted.

Alba shook her head and padded back towards him, offering him the t-shirt in her hand. “You should sneak out” she murmured “Eva and Oscar are particularly late risers and if they ask, I will say you had somewhere you needed to be” she added.

Lionel nodded gently before he leant into her, kissing the warm skin of her cheek once more. “I’m sorry” he muttered before he ducked out of the room, closing the door softly.

Alba watched him go and shook her head, silently ruing the slight hit of butterflies that had struck up in her stomach when his lips had touched her skin.