I Know I Was for a While

Carefully pulling the door to Oscar’s nursery to, Lionel took a step out into the hallway, just about stifling the tired yawn which fell out of his mouth into his hand. It was early, with Barcelona due to flight out to America for their preseason tour that morning, Lionel had had to get himself up earlier than he would have liked, but he knew that it was something he had to do, even if a large part of him had been tempted to simply curl back up at Camila’s side when his alarm had gone off. He knew that it wasn’t something he could simply avoid.

Pausing in the hall for a few seconds, he allowed another tired yawn to slip out of his mouth before the sound of a light cough reached his ears, something which startled him slightly before he lifted his head, his eyes settling on Camila who had poked her head out of their bedroom, a soft sleepy smile lighting up her face. “You’re still here” she mumbled.

Lionel nodded. “I’m just about to leave” he mused “I just thought I’d check in on Oscar, make sure that he wasn’t about to wake up and disturb you. You should still be sleeping, you didn’t get to sleep until late” he added, a hint of concern in his voice.

Camila quirked a sleepy smile, slightly amused by his fussing, before she gently shook her head, tucking her messy hair off of her face. “I’m fine” she mused.

Lionel offered her a dubious look, something which made Camila roll her eyes gently before she took a step towards him, her arms gently settling around his neck. “I’m fine” she repeated softly “I promise” she added.

Lionel looked down at her, his dark eyes searching hers, before he nodded his head, moving to rest his forehead against hers. “You’ll try and get some more sleep after I go, won’t you?” he mumbled quietly “I mean, Oscar’s still sound asleep, and you did spend a lot of the night trying to get comfortable. You should make the most of the opportunity to lie in” he added, his nose lightly brushing against hers.

Camila, who’d closed her eyes, quirked another soft smile at his fussing before she blinked them open, peeking up at him softly. “You do know that this isn’t my first time, right?” she asked “I mean, I have been pregnant before. You might remember it” she added, her voice warm and teasing.

Lionel shook his head, but couldn’t keep the amused grin off of his face, something which made Camila giggle softly before she gently pushed herself up onto her toes, brushing a light kiss over his lips. “I’ll get some more sleep” she promised gently “Just as long as you don’t spend your whole trip worrying about me” she added, brushing another kiss over his lips.

Lionel let out a quiet scoff as he lifted his hand, gently tucking some of her hair behind her ear. “I am not that bad” he muttered.

Camila feigned thought for a second, something which made Lionel roll his eyes, before she gently lifted her hand, brushing it back through his dark hair. “You’re cute” she mused “You were when I was pregnant with Oscar and you are this time around, although, you do seem a little less nervous, not a lot, but...” she trailed off, a slightly crooked smile on her face.

Lionel merely offered her another unimpressed look, causing her to let out another soft giggle before she pushed herself up again, gently kissing him. Lionel stilled slightly, a little surprised by the kiss, but he quickly grew into it, kissing her back gently for a few seconds before he pulled away, settling his forehead against hers once more as the soft sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket filled the air around them.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he gently slipped the phone out of his pocket before he turned it around, showing the screen off to Camila who shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. “You need to go” she murmured gently.

“If I don’t want to miss our flight, yeah” Lionel replied.

“That probably wouldn’t impress your coach too much” Camila replied playfully.

Lionel shook his head. “Probably not” he quipped.

Camila let out another soft giggle, something which made Lionel smile before he gently passed his hand back over her face, brushing his fingertips lightly against her skin. “I’ll call you when I land” he insisted.

Camila nodded. “I know you will” she mused “And you’ll probably call a whole lot of times after that. It’ll be like you never left” she teased.

Lionel scoffed. “You act like you’ve never called me just to hear my voice before” he countered.

Camila shrugged innocently, something which made Lionel roll his eyes before he settled his hand at the back of her neck, gently tugging her into a soft kiss that Camila was quick to melt into, a gentle smile flitting around her lips. Lionel felt her smile before he quirked one of his own, gently pulling out of their kiss. “I really have to go” he mumbled between light kisses.

“I’m not stopping you” Camila replied “All you’ve got to do is grab your bags and get out of here” she added, a playful spark in her eyes.

Lionel held her stare for a second, marveling at the expression which lit up her face, before he breathed out a soft laugh, nodding his head. “I should do that” he quipped before he stepped past her, ducking into their bedroom momentarily before he reappeared, his bags clutched in his hands.

Camila watched him step back into the hall for a second before she stepped towards him, quickly capturing him in another soft kiss before she pulled away, her fingertips lightly straightening his slightly messy hair. “I’ll miss you” she mumbled softly.

Lionel quirked a half smile, briefly contemplating teasing her, before he lifted his hand, moving to squeeze hers which still messed with his hair. “I’ll miss you too” he murmured “You’ll look after our boys?” he added, turning to press a soft kiss against her palm.

Camila’s expression lit up at the phrase ‘our boys’ before she nodded. It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, with Oscar having started to call him papa a while previous, Lionel had often said things like it, but still it made Camila grin, even if she’d heard it hundreds of times before. She still marveled at how good a bond had formed between Lionel and Oscar. “Oscar will miss you like crazy” she commented.

Lionel breathed out a slightly bashful laugh. “I’ll miss him too” he mused.

Camila smiled at him softly, something which Lionel mirrored for a few seconds before he shook his head, another soft laugh tumbling out of his mouth. “Why are we doing this?” he quipped “I mean, it’s a few days” he added playfully.

Camila merely offered him a slight shrug, something which made Lionel shake his head before he stepped towards her, wrapping her in a tight hug for a few long seconds before he pulled away, moving to retrieve his bags. “Adios, Mila” he mused as he padded past her, making his way down the stairs.

Camila watched him down the stairs before she shook her head to herself, trying to blink away the few tears that had gathered in her eyes as she padded back into their bedroom. She knew that he had a point, with him only going to be gone for a matter of days, their goodbye did seem a little silly, but Camila wouldn’t have changed it, even if he wasn’t going to be gone for long. To her, it reaffirmed just how comfortable the two of them had become in their relationship, one that, when it had started, Camila had had her doubts about.