You Loved Me Once

Frowning a little, Alba tossed onto her side, her ears doused by sound of an alarm. It was early, the little amount of sunlight which slipped through the blinds confided that it was too early for Alba who’d just found the warm spot on the mattress, but with the annoying bleeping ringing in her ears, she doubted that she would get much more sleep. Grumbling, she tossed onto her back and let out a small groan, something which earned a laugh from Lionel who laid beside her, his phone in his hand. “What are you doing?” Alba muttered, her eyes glaring over at him.

“I am getting you out of bed” he quipped.

Alba shook her head and took the phone out of his hand, switching off the alarm before she tossed it onto the end table. “It’s ten past six in the morning. If you think I am getting out of bed right now…”

“It’s Christmas morning” Lionel interjected “And I know you know what that means. This is not our first Christmas together” he grinned. He knew that she would be irked, for as long as he had known her, Alba had never been a morning person, but it had never stopped him before. He liked to wake up early, he liked to open presents before he ate breakfast, and even despite the almost 6 years that had passed since they’d been together, it was something that hadn’t changed.

Alba groaned. “You’re 28” she pointed out “Can we not just spend a little more time here?” she complained, her head nestling against her pillow.

Lionel shook his head. “You’re lucky I let you lay in this long” he commented “Besides, my mother wants us around by 10 seeing as we’re due to leave tonight, so I thought we’d get a jump on it” he mused with a grin.

Alba, who was still rested against her pillow, sighed. “Why are you so chipper?” she complained.

Lionel smiled. “It’s Christmas morning, Alba, and I am here with you. Why wouldn’t I be chipper?” he teased as he moved a little, tugging the duvet out of her hands.

Alba rolled her eyes. “I hate you” she muttered, trying to tug the duvet back to her.

Lionel laughed. “You love me” he grinned “And you know it too” he added as he pressed a kiss against her cheek.

Alba swatted for him, but smiled nevertheless, knowing that he had a point. “You’re really going to make me get up now, aren’t you?” she posed.

“I am” Lionel mused “I’ve got presents for you and I’d like to see you open them before we go to my parents, besides, it will take you about an hour to get ready and I thought you could use the head start” he teased.

Alba shook her head a little before she sat up, her hand moving to his cheek as she pulled him into a soft kiss. “Feliz Navidad” she murmured softly as she rested her forehead against his.

Lionel smiled up at her gently for a second before he ducked into her, kissing her lightly once more. He knew that it wasn’t their first Christmas together, they’d spent many holidays together, even if they were often shared with their families, but he wanted to ensure that it wasn’t the last one either. Things were good, even despite Alba’s slight wobble a few days previous, and the more time they spent together, the more convinced he became that they were going to make it work out.

~#~
“Are you sure that I can’t be on someone else’s team?” Alba posed as she sat herself down, a warm smile plastered on her face. It had been an enjoyable day, between board games and Christmas dinner, she had had a wonderful time, and she was a little pleased by it, even if it did upset her that she hadn’t seen or heard from her own parents that day, she was pleased to have been so included by Lionel’s family. They’d made it easy, since she and Lionel had arrived, every one of his relatives had made it comfortable for her, and she was grateful to them.

“You don’t want to be on my team?” Lionel quipped.

“I’ve been on your team all day and we’ve not won once” Alba countered.

Lionel rolled his eyes. “We’re not doing that badly” he noted “It’s not my fault that my papa appears to know everything” he added with a look towards his father who grinned at him.

Alba shrugged. “I’d like to win, just once, something I get the feeling you and I aren’t going to do unless the next game involves a ball and a net” she quipped.

“I have other skills” Lionel quipped “I would have thought you, of all people, would know that” he added.

Alba’s cheeks tinged a little pink as he offered her a smirk, something which made his mother scoff disapprovingly.

Lionel chuckled gently before the sound of Alba’s phone echoed, causing him to tilt his head. “Eva?” he posed as he watched Alba peek down at the screen.

“Calista” Alba noted “I really should go and take this. Excuse me” she mused as she pushed herself up out of her seat.

“Her sister?” Celia posed as she placed a mug of tea down ahead of her son.

Lionel shrugged. “As far as I know, she and Callie are on good terms” he mused “But with her parents being as they are, I don’t know how long that will last” he mumbled softly. He didn’t like it, the idea that he was the cause of Alba’s problems with her parents, but he doubted that there was anything he could do short of ending their relationship. David and Annabella clearly had their minds made up and he doubted that they’d changed them, even if things did progress for him and Alba, he was almost certain that they’d remain stubborn, even if it did cost them the chance to watch their daughter get married or welcome her first baby.

~#~
“I’m sad that I am not there too, Callie” Alba mumbled as she rested her head against the railing of the stairs.

“I am sure that they’d love to see you” Calista peeped “As long as you didn’t bring Leo…”

“That’s the problem” Alba mumbled “Me and Leo, right now, we’re a package deal and until they can accept that, I don’t want to be around them” she explained softly as she pushed a hand back through her hair. It hurt, the idea that she wasn’t with her parents and sister that day, but she wasn’t about to back down. Her relationship with Lionel was a choice that she had made and until her parents learnt to accept it, she didn’t want to be around them.

“It’s Christmas” Callie pointed out “Come on, Alba…”

“I’m sorry” Alba muttered as she watched Lionel pad into the hall, taking the seat beside her “But right now, I don’t want to see them. I’m sorry, Callie” she muttered before she hung up the phone, stowing it in her pocket before she leant her head on Lionel’s shoulder, allowing him to pull her close.

“I am sorry, you know” he murmured as he pressed a kiss to her head “If it weren’t for me, you’d be home right now” he added.

“I would be” Alba agreed “But I don’t think I would feel as happy as I do right now. You’re a good thing for me and I hope they see it eventually” she mused.

Lionel nodded his head and moved to pull something out of his pocket, earning a small frown on Alba’s face. “I thought we exchanged presents this morning?” she posed.

“We did” Lionel noted “But this was one I wasn’t sure about so I held it back” he admitted as he set the small box on her knee.

Alba blinked, her expression shocked.

“It’s not what you’re thinking” Lionel smiled, slightly amused by the shocked look on her face “It’s a key to my place back in Barcelona. I know we’re not exactly ready for moving in together, but this will allow you to come and go as you please and will hopefully allow you to get used to the idea of us living together again sometime in the future” he explained as he flipped the lid open, showing off the key to her.

Alba let out a small sigh of relief before she took the box from him, her fingertips brushing over the key.

“I’ll do it again one day” Lionel mused.

“What?” Alba posed.

“Propose to you” he shrugged “I’ll do it again one day” he added, messing with her hand.

Alba shook her head. “That’s a long way off” she murmured “I am still working on forgiving you for last time” she fussed.

“I know that” Lionel smiled “But one day, when you are over it, I will ask and I will follow through on it. You have my word” he insisted before he shuffled back to his feet, tugging her along with him “We have a board game to lose at” he grinned.

Alba shook her head, but smiled at him nevertheless, glad that he had been there to cheer her up.