I Know I Was for a While

Gently reaching his hand forwards, Lionel carefully readjusted the hat which sat on the top of the baby’s head, a soft smile still stuck to his face. It had been a while, after the baby had been born, a few hours had passed, but Lionel hadn’t quite been able to stop smiling down at him, even if the need for sleep was starting to catch up to him. He couldn’t quite find it in himself to pull himself away from admiring the little boy. Smiling gently to himself, he lightly readjusted the material of the baby’s sleepsuit before he leant back into his seat, a soft yawn tumbling out of his mouth.

“You’re still awake?”

Lionel, who’d started to stare up at the ceiling, quirked a tired smile before he lowered his stare, his eyes landing on Camila who was still curled up against her pillow, her dark eyes blinking sleepily. “It appears so” he quipped quietly “But what about you? I didn’t think you’d stir until Tessa came back to check on things” he added, leaning forwards in his chair slightly so that he could move some of her hair off of her face.

Camila smiled at the feel of his fingers before she gently turned her head, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of his wrist. “Are you Ok?” she asked quietly after a few seconds of silence.

Lionel, who’d been absentmindedly twisting a strand of her dark her around his finger, blinked a couple of times before he tilted his head, a slightly surprised smile on his face. “Me?” he asked.

Camila nodded. “You’ve been awake since four this morning” she mused “Haven’t you had any sleep?” she asked.

Lionel shrugged, ruffling his hair slightly. “I’m not tired” he replied.

Camila arched a dubious eyebrow, something which made Lionel shake his head, a soft laugh falling out of his mouth. “OK” he noted “I might be a little tired, but it’s fine. I’ll sleep in a bit” he added.

Camila opened her mouth, preparing to insist that he get some sleep, but she was cut off as the baby let out a soft cry, something which caused Lionel to push himself back to his feet without a beat of hesitation. Shuffling a couple of steps forwards, he leant down and lifted the baby out of the bassinette before he returned his seat, settling the little boy down in his arms.

Camila watched him sit down before she shook her head, grinning at the expression that lit up Lionel’s face.

Lionel, who’d been quietly mumbling to the little boy, caught sight of her smile out of the corner of his eye before he shook his head, grinning down at the baby. “I think your mama’s a bit smitten” he mused quietly “I think she might think that we’re pretty cute together, baby” he added, peeking up at Camila through his eyelashes.

Camila let out a playful scoff. “I never said that” she countered.

“You didn’t have to” Lionel retorted “I’ve seen that look on your face before” he added, offering her a lopsided smile.

Camila rolled her eyes, trying, and failing, to distract Lionel from the soft blush which had spread across her cheeks.

Lionel grinned at her for a few seconds, admiring the soft blush which covered her cheeks, before he shook his head, diverting his stare back down towards the baby who’d settled down happily in his arms. Shifting his hand, he lightly readjusted the hat on the baby’s head before he looked up again, offering Camila another soft lopsided smile as their eyes met. “I should call your mama” he murmured quietly.

Camila, who’d moved to sit up on the side of her bed, quirked a slightly confused smile. “You want my mother here right now?” she asked.

Lionel shook his head. “Not her” he noted “Oscar. I can’t wait for him to meet his little brother, Mila” he added, his grin softening as a slightly giddy laugh fell out of his mouth.

Camila was quiet for a second, marveling at the soft sound of his voice, before she gently shook her head, her fingers gently readjusting the feet of the sleepsuit that the baby wore. “You don’t think he’ll be upset?” she asked quietly “I mean, for nearly two years, he’s had me and you all to himself, and now all of a sudden, he’s going to have to learn to share us. You’re not worried about that?” she asked, her eyes not moving to meet Lionel’s.

Lionel watched the movement of her fingers for a couple of seconds before he shifted his spare hand, capturing hers before he gently pulled it to his lips, allowing him to gently kiss her fingertips. “It’s weird” he mumbled quietly.

“Reassuring” Camila mumbled sarcastically.

Lionel let out a quiet laugh, not missing how she rolled her eyes, before he shifted her hand slightly, allowing him to press a kiss against her palm. “It is” he mumbled gently “Him being here...it’s new for all three of us, and it’s bound to be a little more difficult at first, but you know what? We’ll get used to it and it will get easier. Do you remember how awkward and nervous I was when Oscar was born?” he asked.

Camila nodded as she pulled her hand away from his, allowing her to push her hair off of her face. “You were really nervous” she confirmed.

“I was” Lionel confirmed “But it got better as time passed, didn’t it?” he asked.

Camila offered him another nod, not able to stifle the soft smile which itched to spread across her face.

Lionel mirrored her smile gently. “Then that ought to reassure you that this...it’ll get easier too. Oscar might pout, he might be a little clingy for a while, but I am pretty sure...no, I’m certain, that he’s going to be an amazing big brother. We’ve raised a wonderful little boy, haven’t we?” he asked gently.

Camila’s grin grew at his use of the word ‘we’ before she nodded her head. “Yeah, we have” she enthused.

Lionel flashed her another grin before the baby let out a soft sigh, pulling the attention of both of his parents down towards him.

“We need a name” Camila commented after a few seconds of comfortable quiet.

Lionel, who’d been watching the baby sleep, lifted his head, offering Camila a small nod. “We narrowed it down to a couple” he noted “Do you prefer one over the other?” he asked.

Camila shrugged. “They’re both good names” she mused “Did you have a favourite?” she asked.

Lionel was quiet for a second, mulling over the question that she’d asked, before he nodded his head. “Samuel” he announced quietly “Sam” he added, smiling gently down at the baby.

Camila admired the grin which lit up his face before she leant forwards, pressing a soft kiss against the top of Lionel’s head. “Sam” she repeated quietly.