I Know I Was for a While

Lifting her camera up into her eye line, Camila felt a wide smile spread across her features as she snapped a couple of pictures, her dark eyes gazing across the pitch towards Lionel and Oscar who were with the rest of the team, enjoying the celebrations that were unfurling around them. it had been a few days, after Oscar had taken his first steps, a little under a week had passed, and with Barcelona having been due to play their final league game of the season at home that night, Camila had been quick to suggest that she and Oscar come along, something which she knew meant a lot to Lionel, even if he had been hesitant in suggesting it. The grin that had lit up his face when he and Oscar had stepped out onto the pitch in their matching shirts had been all the proof that Camila had needed to know how much it meant to him.

Lowering her camera slightly, she watched as Lionel gently lifted Oscar onto his shoulders before he started to trail the rest of the team around the pitch, something which caused her soft smile to widen a fraction before she turned back to the camera, leafing through a few pictures. Scanning through them for a few minutes, she made sure that she had some good shots before someone gently prized the camera out of her hands, something which made her blink a couple of times before she lifted her head, her dark eyes mirroring Lionel’s as a crooked smile gently spread across his lips. “Any good ones?” he asked impishly as he careful lifted Oscar down, settling him on his feet ahead of him.

Camila let out a slightly sheepish laugh before she nodded her head, trying, and failing, to hide the slightly blush which had illuminated her cheeks. “I think so” she mused “I mean, I’ve got a few of you giving your speech, a few of you lifting the trophy, but mostly it’s pictures of the two of you. You’re very cute together” she added as she gently knelt down, moving to lift Oscar up into her arms.

Lionel watched her lift the little boy up into her arms before he looked down at the camera which he held in his hand, something which made him grin a little before he took a pace backwards, stepping into the path of a member of the coaching staff. “Hey” he quipped “Could you...?” he trailed off, holding the camera out towards the other man.

The member of staff nodded. “Of course” he mused.

Lionel flashed him a grateful smile before he stepped up to Camila’s side, his arm gently wrapping around her waist. Camila spared him a slightly bemused look, something which Lionel simply responded to with a grin before they both turned to look at the camera, allowing the other man to snap a couple of pictures before he handed the camera back to Lionel.

“Gracias” Lionel mused as he took the camera back, scanning the pictures with a small smile.

Camila watched him for a moment, admiring the soft smile that he wore, before she shook her head, not able to stop a smile of her own. “They’re good?” she asked.

Lionel, who’d been smiling down at the screen of the camera, nodded. “Perfect” he enthused cheekily.

Camila rolled her eyes playfully, something which made Lionel laugh warmly before the sound of his teammates calling his name reached his ears, causing him to roll his eyes before he gently offered his arms out towards her, encouraging her to give Oscar to him. “It shouldn’t be much longer” he mused “I mean, we’ll take another lap of the pitch and then pose for a few more pictures, but we should be able to get out of here soon. Is that Ok?” he added, sparing a subtle look down towards her stomach.

Camila caught the look before she nodded her head, smiling back at him softly. “It’s fine” she mused “Now get back out there. I can take more pictures” she added, taking the camera out of his hands.

Lionel rolled his eyes gently, mumbling a comment beneath his breath, before he took half a pace forwards, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek. Camila closed her eyes at the feel of the kiss, relishing the light touch of his lips to her cheek, before she gently stepped back from him, flashing him and Oscar another smile before they made their way back across the pitch.

~#~
Taking a sip from the mug of tea that she had made for herself, Camila gently folded her legs beneath herself, her eyes fixed on the photo album which she had settled in her lap. It was late, after the match and the celebrations, they’d not made it home until a little after midnight, but whilst it was late, she couldn’t quite will herself to fall asleep, something which had led to her settling down in the living room whilst Lionel attempted to settle Oscar down to sleep for the night.

Gently brushing a few wayward hairs off of her face, she turned over a couple of pages before she felt the couch shift a little, something which caused her to shake her head, spotting Lionel out of the corner of her eye. “I thought you’d probably go straight to bed” she mused, turning over another page.

“I thought you’d already be asleep” Lionel countered “I mean, you’re the pregnant one” he added, his voice warm and amused.

Camila let out a quiet laugh before she shrugged, her eyes not shifting away from the book which sat in her lap. “I’ll go up in a bit” she mused.

Lionel offered her a slightly dubious look, wordlessly asking if she was alright, before he turned his attention downwards, smiling a little at the pictures which filled the page she was looking at. “You look good in that one” he teased, pointing to a picture which sat in one of the corners, one that had clearly been taken just after Oscar had been born.

Camila scoffed, her hand lightly swatting his. “I had just pushed a baby into the world” she pointed out “I didn’t really think much about fixing my hair or makeup” she added sarcastically.

Lionel laughed before he shook his head, sparing another look down towards the album. Scanning over the pictures briefly, he spotted one in the centre of the page before he lifted his hand, gently tapping it with a finger. “I look terrified” he quipped, his voice caught between teasing and soft.

Camila smiled gently, briefly thinking about teasing him, before she shook her head. “You were nervous” she mused “You were for a while” she added, a small laugh bubbling out of her mouth.

Lionel breathed out a shaky laugh of his own. “I didn’t want you to think I was trying to stick my nose in” he noted “I just...I wanted to be there for you, I wanted to support you, but I didn’t want you to think that I was...”

“I never did” Camila noted, cutting him off “You were amazing then. You still are now” she added, shyly pushing a few more hairs off of her face.

She knew that he had worried, from the moment that she had started to stay in his home, he had appeared nervous and self-conscious when it came to being involved with her pregnancy, but Camila had never worried about him being too involved. As far as she was concerned, his support was one of the main reasons that she had been able to keep it together so well after Noah had ended things.

Lionel let out another shaky laugh. “I think you’re just saying that” he joked.

Camila shrugged, feigning thought for a couple of seconds, before she leant towards him slightly, her shoulder playfully bumping his. “I’m going to marry you, aren’t I?” she asked.

“Eventually” Lionel countered playfully, rolling his eyes.

Camila giggled softly before she shook her hand, her hand gently moving to take a hold of his. “I love you” she mused, her voice softening slightly.

Lionel quirked a lopsided smile, a teasing comment passing through his mind, before he squeezed her hand. “I love you too” he replied.

Camila closed her eyes for a second, allowing the words to hang around them for a few moments, before she felt the photo album move off her lap, something which caused her to blink eyes open, sparing a curious towards Lionel who’d shuffled back to his feet. Lionel caught her stare before he offered her another crooked smile. “You need to come to bed” he noted “You need to sleep. For baby” he added, nodding her stomach.

Camila rolled her eyes playfully before she held her hands up towards him, something which made Lionel scoff playfully before he tugged her to her feet, guiding her through the house and towards their bedroom.