When You Close Your Eyes
05: Is He OK?
Wrinkling her nose a little, Isabelle peeked one of her blue eyes open, her ears plied with the sound of the alarm clock which stood on the bedside table, it’s irritating buzzing filling the quiet bedroom.
It was early, one look around the slightly lit bedroom confided that it couldn’t be much past 7 or 8 in the morning, but Isabelle knew that she wouldn’t be allowed to fall back to sleep, even if she was comfortable beneath the duvet cover, she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother or father knocked on the bedroom door, informing her and Lionel that breakfast was ready.
Sparing a small yawn into her hand, she carefully moved to reach her arm out from beneath the duvet in order to switch of the alarm before she felt the arm which sat around her waist, causing her to startle a little before she tossed onto her side, her blue eyes peeking towards Lionel who rested beside her, his soft snores filling the air.
It had been a little awkward, despite the fact that they had shared a bed for years, the idea had seemed a little strange to the two of them, and she was a little surprised to find Lionel’s arm around her waist, even if it did feel comfortable and familiar, she had assumed that he would be keen to keep his distance.
Admiring him for a second, she briefly contemplated the idea of cuddling into him and falling back to sleep before the sound of a knock at the door filled the air, something which caused her to shake her head, a soft sigh falling out of her mouth. Sparing Lionel another soft look, she carefully lifted his arm away from her waist before she pushed herself up to her feet, quietly padding towards the door before she ducked out into the hall, offering her mother a sleepy smile. “Madre” she greeted quietly “Buenos dias” she added.
Francesca, who’d been stood outside of the door, quirked a small smile. “I didn’t mean to wake you” she noted softly “But me and your papa, we made breakfast and we figured that you and Lionel would like to join us. We’d love to see the two of you before you head off to work” she added gently.
Isabelle spared the older woman a small look before she nodded her head softly, a soft smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “We’d love that, mama” she noted softly “I’ll just go and get Leo and we’ll meet you downstairs in a second, OK?” she added gently.
Francesca nodded her head before she padded down the hall, affording Isabelle the opportunity to duck back into the bedroom, her blue eyes settling on Lionel who sat up on the bed, flicking through the messages on his phone. “You were still asleep when I left” she quipped playfully.
Lionel, who’d been flicking through his messages, startled a little at the sound of Isabelle’s voice before he lifted his head, offering her a small half smile. “I was” he confirmed softly “But you and your madre, you’re not the quietest. What did she want?” he posed, moving to stow his phone on the end table.
“She and my papa made us breakfast” Isabelle quipped as she moved to collect a sweater from her dresser “Apparently, they’d like to spend some time with us before we head off to work” she added before she settled down at the foot of the bed, moving to pull a pair of socks onto her feet.
Lionel watched her for a couple of seconds before he nodded his head. “OK” he agreed softly.
“You sure?” Isabelle posed, a slightly shy expression on her features.
Lionel admired the look on her face for a moment before he nodded, a small amused smile on his face. “It’s breakfast, Isa” he quipped “I think we can probably handle it” he added teasingly before he pushed himself to his feet, moving to collect a hoodie before he ducked out of the room.
Isabelle watched after him for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a slight smile on her face. She knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, whether they admitted to it or not, things between the two of them were likely to end after her sister’s wedding, but she was glad that he had agreed to help her out, even if it did complicate things between them, she was glad that he had agreed to play along.
~#~
“So, when should we expect the two of you back?”
Isabelle, who’d been sipping on her mug of tea, lifted her head at the sound of her mother’s voice before she shrugged, offering the older woman a soft smile. It had been a pleasant morning, after Francesca had opted to wake Isabelle and Lionel up, the four of them had enjoyed a quiet and comfortable breakfast together, and Isabelle had to admit that she was pleased by how things had gone, even if she was still a little nervous around Lionel, they’d managed to keep it hidden from her mother and father who appeared oblivious to the slight tension which existed between the two of them.
“I don’t know” she noted softly “I mean, I could be back around lunch time, but I might stay a little longer. I’ve got a couple of articles I want to get finished sooner rather than later” she added, settling her mug down on the counter.
Francesca nodded. “You’ll both be back before this evening, won’t you?” she posed “I mean, I know we’ve only just arrived, but Grace and Samuel would like to meet for dinner and I think it would be lovely if you were both there too. It’s been a while since you saw them, hasn’t it?” she posed, offering her daughter a soft look.
Isabelle nodded. “It has been” she confirmed “And I am that we can make it. I shouldn’t be back too late and Leo…”
“I’ve got training” Lionel interrupted softly “And a couple of press things to do, but I should be back in time” he added, a polite smile on his face.
Francesca returned his smile briefly before the sound of his phone vibrating against the counter filled the air, causing him to shake his head a little. “I should probably get going” he noted softly “I’ll see you later?” he added, peeking towards Isabelle who sat in the seat beside him.
Isabelle quirked a small smile before she nodded her head. “Of course” she mused softly.
Lionel returned her smile briefly before he ducked down, stealing a couple of quick kisses. Isabelle jumped a little, not quite expecting the kiss, before she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him for a couple of seconds before she pulled away a little, her teeth softly chewing on the side of her lip. “You should get moving” she teased softly.
Lionel blinked a couple of times before he nodded his head, moving to pad out of the room.
Francesca, who’d been watching the exchange, tilted her head. “Is he OK?” she posed, a curious expression on her face.
Isabelle, who’d watched Lionel out of the room, startled a little at the sound of her mother’s voice before she turned around, nodding her head softly. “He’s fine” she noted softly before she pushed herself to her feet, mumbling about needing to get ready for work before she padded out of the room, something which made Francesca shake her head a little, slightly amused by how sweet Isabelle and Lionel still were after almost 4 years together.
It was early, one look around the slightly lit bedroom confided that it couldn’t be much past 7 or 8 in the morning, but Isabelle knew that she wouldn’t be allowed to fall back to sleep, even if she was comfortable beneath the duvet cover, she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother or father knocked on the bedroom door, informing her and Lionel that breakfast was ready.
Sparing a small yawn into her hand, she carefully moved to reach her arm out from beneath the duvet in order to switch of the alarm before she felt the arm which sat around her waist, causing her to startle a little before she tossed onto her side, her blue eyes peeking towards Lionel who rested beside her, his soft snores filling the air.
It had been a little awkward, despite the fact that they had shared a bed for years, the idea had seemed a little strange to the two of them, and she was a little surprised to find Lionel’s arm around her waist, even if it did feel comfortable and familiar, she had assumed that he would be keen to keep his distance.
Admiring him for a second, she briefly contemplated the idea of cuddling into him and falling back to sleep before the sound of a knock at the door filled the air, something which caused her to shake her head, a soft sigh falling out of her mouth. Sparing Lionel another soft look, she carefully lifted his arm away from her waist before she pushed herself up to her feet, quietly padding towards the door before she ducked out into the hall, offering her mother a sleepy smile. “Madre” she greeted quietly “Buenos dias” she added.
Francesca, who’d been stood outside of the door, quirked a small smile. “I didn’t mean to wake you” she noted softly “But me and your papa, we made breakfast and we figured that you and Lionel would like to join us. We’d love to see the two of you before you head off to work” she added gently.
Isabelle spared the older woman a small look before she nodded her head softly, a soft smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “We’d love that, mama” she noted softly “I’ll just go and get Leo and we’ll meet you downstairs in a second, OK?” she added gently.
Francesca nodded her head before she padded down the hall, affording Isabelle the opportunity to duck back into the bedroom, her blue eyes settling on Lionel who sat up on the bed, flicking through the messages on his phone. “You were still asleep when I left” she quipped playfully.
Lionel, who’d been flicking through his messages, startled a little at the sound of Isabelle’s voice before he lifted his head, offering her a small half smile. “I was” he confirmed softly “But you and your madre, you’re not the quietest. What did she want?” he posed, moving to stow his phone on the end table.
“She and my papa made us breakfast” Isabelle quipped as she moved to collect a sweater from her dresser “Apparently, they’d like to spend some time with us before we head off to work” she added before she settled down at the foot of the bed, moving to pull a pair of socks onto her feet.
Lionel watched her for a couple of seconds before he nodded his head. “OK” he agreed softly.
“You sure?” Isabelle posed, a slightly shy expression on her features.
Lionel admired the look on her face for a moment before he nodded, a small amused smile on his face. “It’s breakfast, Isa” he quipped “I think we can probably handle it” he added teasingly before he pushed himself to his feet, moving to collect a hoodie before he ducked out of the room.
Isabelle watched after him for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a slight smile on her face. She knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, whether they admitted to it or not, things between the two of them were likely to end after her sister’s wedding, but she was glad that he had agreed to help her out, even if it did complicate things between them, she was glad that he had agreed to play along.
~#~
“So, when should we expect the two of you back?”
Isabelle, who’d been sipping on her mug of tea, lifted her head at the sound of her mother’s voice before she shrugged, offering the older woman a soft smile. It had been a pleasant morning, after Francesca had opted to wake Isabelle and Lionel up, the four of them had enjoyed a quiet and comfortable breakfast together, and Isabelle had to admit that she was pleased by how things had gone, even if she was still a little nervous around Lionel, they’d managed to keep it hidden from her mother and father who appeared oblivious to the slight tension which existed between the two of them.
“I don’t know” she noted softly “I mean, I could be back around lunch time, but I might stay a little longer. I’ve got a couple of articles I want to get finished sooner rather than later” she added, settling her mug down on the counter.
Francesca nodded. “You’ll both be back before this evening, won’t you?” she posed “I mean, I know we’ve only just arrived, but Grace and Samuel would like to meet for dinner and I think it would be lovely if you were both there too. It’s been a while since you saw them, hasn’t it?” she posed, offering her daughter a soft look.
Isabelle nodded. “It has been” she confirmed “And I am that we can make it. I shouldn’t be back too late and Leo…”
“I’ve got training” Lionel interrupted softly “And a couple of press things to do, but I should be back in time” he added, a polite smile on his face.
Francesca returned his smile briefly before the sound of his phone vibrating against the counter filled the air, causing him to shake his head a little. “I should probably get going” he noted softly “I’ll see you later?” he added, peeking towards Isabelle who sat in the seat beside him.
Isabelle quirked a small smile before she nodded her head. “Of course” she mused softly.
Lionel returned her smile briefly before he ducked down, stealing a couple of quick kisses. Isabelle jumped a little, not quite expecting the kiss, before she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him for a couple of seconds before she pulled away a little, her teeth softly chewing on the side of her lip. “You should get moving” she teased softly.
Lionel blinked a couple of times before he nodded his head, moving to pad out of the room.
Francesca, who’d been watching the exchange, tilted her head. “Is he OK?” she posed, a curious expression on her face.
Isabelle, who’d watched Lionel out of the room, startled a little at the sound of her mother’s voice before she turned around, nodding her head softly. “He’s fine” she noted softly before she pushed herself to her feet, mumbling about needing to get ready for work before she padded out of the room, something which made Francesca shake her head a little, slightly amused by how sweet Isabelle and Lionel still were after almost 4 years together.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thanks to Jayme112234 and FootieJo for the comments :)