You Loved Me Once

Placing the last hairclip into her blonde hair, Alba spared her reflection a small gander, slightly impressed by how she looked. It had been a while, with Isabella around, Alba couldn’t quite recall the last time that she and Lionel had had time for a date, but she was excited by the prospect, even if it was to be a double date with Gerard and Shakira, she was looking forwards to having a night where she and her boyfriend could act like a couple as opposed to the new parents that they were. Ensuring that her hair was firmly in place, she stepped away from the mirror and padded towards the wardrobe, collecting a pair of heels from inside.

“Alba?”

Alba, who’d moved to place her shoes on her feet, stood up, her blue eyes peeking over at Lionel who’d padded into the room. “Are you nearly ready to go?” he posed as he moved towards the end table, collecting his wallet and phone.

“I’m just about ready” Alba mused, stepping towards him “How was Bella when you dropped her off with Jess?” she posed, purposefully stepping into his eye line.

Lionel opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself, a warm smile appearing on his face. “Have I seen this dress before?” he commented as he moved towards her, placing his arms around her waist.

“You may have seen it before, but not on me. It was a gift from Eva after Bella was born” Alba mused “I am taking the look on your face as your means of saying that you approve of it?” she teased as she placed her arms around his neck.

“It’s very nice” Lionel enthused “It’s almost a shame that we promised Shakira and Gerard we’d have dinner with them” he added with a coy smile.

Alba rolled her eyes. “But we did promise” she countered, pecking his cheek gently “And we’re running behind. Did you leave the number of the restaurant with Jess, just in case?” she posed as she moved to collect her jacket.

“I gave her every number that she could possibly contact us on” Lionel noted as he stepped towards her, helping her to wrap her jacket around her shoulders “I told her to get in contact if she needed a thing. She laughed and told me to enjoy my night with my beautiful girlfriend” he quipped.

Alba smiled a little. “She used the term ‘beautiful girlfriend’” she teased, her eyebrow lifted slightly.

“I’m paraphrasing” Lionel quipped “But she used words to the effect. It’s been a while since we’ve been on date, even if it is a double one, and she told me to make the most of it” he enthused as he moved to take her hand. It had been a while, with the situation with Alba’s parents as well as his schedule having picked up slightly, it had been over 6 weeks since they’d last taken a night for themselves, and Lionel was looking forwards to it, even if they were heading out with Gerard and Shakira, he was looking forwards to having Alba’s attention on him for a night.

Alba smiled a little at the small compliment before she leant up on her toes slightly, pressing another soft kiss against his cheek. It was something she missed, even if she did adore having their little girl around, she missed heading out on dates and she wanted to make the most of it. She wanted to enjoy a night with her boyfriend and their friends.

~#~
“You never did tell me how the two of you got together, you know” Shakira fussed as she sipped on her drink, her dark eyes watching the other couple who were mumbling softly between themselves. It had been a pleasant evening, the four of them had enjoyed a pleasant dinner before they’d moved to find a small bar, and with the evening winding down a little, Lionel and Alba had become distracted by one another, something which made Shakira want to coo.

She was happy for them, after the slight slip up she had made a couple of months previous, she had been concerned that Lionel and Alba would find a way to mess up a relationship which to everyone else appeared to be going along perfectly, but she was pleased that they hadn’t. They were good together, adorable, and it would have been a shame if they had let it go. They were clearly good for one another.

Alba, who was smiling a little at something Lionel had muttered, shook her head. “There’s not too much to tell” she noted.

“Something must have happened” Shakira encouraged “You don’t just tell your friend that you have feelings for them for no good reason” she pointed out.

“I will let Alba tell you” Lionel mused as he pushed himself to his feet “I am going to call Jess, check on Bella, and then I will find us a taxi” he added, pressing a small kiss to the top of Alba’s head, earning a small blush on her cheeks.

Alba watched him go before she shook her head. “There really is not a lot to say” she mumbled shyly.

“I want to hear it” Shakira enthused “And Gerard does too, don’t you?” she quipped with a look towards her boyfriend.

Gerard nodded. “I’ve only ever heard Leo’s version of events” he quipped “And in his version, you admitted it first” he added.

Alba scoffed. “He would say that” she commented “He’d never admit that he said it first” she added.

“He did?” Shakira posed.

Alba nodded. “I was being stupid” she admitted gently “When I was younger, we used to live next to this girl. She was a little older than me and Leo, but she was beautiful and I got it into my head that he liked her. Whenever he would see her, he’d make a point of talking to her and smiling at her, and it irked me. After one night, around our birthday, it upset me and I headed off to a park that we frequented, wanting to get away from them. He followed me and I remember telling him to just make his move and have done with it. He just smiled at me” Alba mumbled, shaking her head a little.

“And?” Shakira posed interestedly.

“And, when I had finished rambling at him, he took a step towards me and kissed me. It was…odd” Alba quipped, wrinkling her nose a little.

“Odd?” Gerard teased.

“It was the first time he’d kissed me and it surprised me” Alba mused, a small blush on her cheeks “But it worked out, even if we did have to take a long route, we’re happy right now and that is something I intend to keep going” she enthused with a small smile. It was going well, for a while, things between her and Lionel had been better than good, and she was pleased, even if it had taken them a long while to get to where they were. She was pleased that it had worked out for them.

Gerard smiled. “I’m happy for the two of you” he enthused softly “I’ve always liked the two of you better together” he added.

“You don’t like us individually?” Alba posed, moving to finish her glass of water.

“You’re OK” Gerard teased with a grin.

Alba rolled her eyes a little.

“You know that there is something he wants to ask you, don’t you?” the defender murmured after a moment of quiet.

Alba nodded. “I know” she noted gently.

“Do you think you’re getting a point where you’d not turn him down?” Gerard posed gently “I mean, I don’t want to pry, whatever happens between you and Leo is entirely your business and should happen on your terms, but he’s itching to ask and I was just…”

“I might be” Alba interrupted gently.

Gerard blinked.

Alba shook her head a little. “I am still unsure about us, Gerard” she murmured as she peeked across the room, watching Lionel duck back in through the door “I think I might be for a while longer, but the idea of him asking…it doesn’t scare me like it did before” she admitted before Lionel reached her side.

“We have a taxi” he noted gently “Gerard, Shakira, gracias for a lovely night” he mused.

“We should do it again” Shakira quipped.

Lionel grinned and nodded his head, offering the other couple a hug each before he moved to take Alba’s hand, leading her out of the bar.

Gerard watched them go and shook his head, not entirely sure of what to make of what Alba had told him.