When We Were

Allowing her head to fall against the car window, Emilia took in a deep breath, hoping that it would go some way towards soothing the knots which twisted in the pit of her stomach as Lionel steered his car ever closer to her brother’s home. She had tried to get out of it, when Jordi had suggested that she and Lionel join him and Samia for dinner at his place, Emilia had tried to get the idea shot down, but her brother had persisted in asking, something which had caused her to eventually give in, hoping that if they got it over with, then he’d back off slightly. She knew that Jordi meant well, that his persistence was just a sign that he was excited for her, but still she felt nervous, even if Lionel and Jordi’s friendship went back years. It still felt as though she was introducing him to a part of her family, something she hadn’t done since she had bought Isaac home for the first time.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the soft music which filled the car for a few seconds before she felt something touch her leg, something which caused her to peek an eye open, smiling weakly down at the hand of Lionel’s which had come to settle against her knee. “You think I am being dramatic, don’t you?” she asked, gently sliding her fingers through his.

Lionel squeezed her hand before he shrugged. “I wouldn’t say dramatic” he quipped “But I would like to point out that the guy whose house we’re going to for dinner is a guy I’ve known since I was a child. I know what he’s like, Em” he added, turning his head briefly to offer her a playful grin.

Emilia, who’d busied herself by messing with his fingers, lifted her head slightly to smile back at him. “Then you know he’s going to be really annoying tonight” she quipped.

“When isn’t he?” Lionel retorted impishly “It’s going to be fine” he added, squeezing her hand again.

Emilia stared down at their hands before she shook her head, allowing it to fall back against the window. “I’m just kind of nervous” she mumbled “I mean, I know it’s just Jordi and Sam, but they’re still family and you’re...we’re...you know. It’s just been a while” she added, grimacing to herself as she stumbled over her words.

Lionel caught her flinch, but didn’t comment on it as he pulled his car up outside of Jordi’s home. Tugging the keys out of the ignition, he turned in his seat slightly before he moved his hand, gently placing it at the back of Emilia’s neck to tug her forwards, allowing him to press a soft kiss against her forehead. “It’s just Jordi” he mumbled, carefully resting his head against hers “He’s a pain in the ass, always has been, but I don’t think he’d do anything to upset you deliberately. In his own way, I think he’s pretty excited about us” he added, his thumb brushing up and down her neck.

Emilia smiled goofily at his touch. “I know he is” she mused.

“Then you know that there’s nothing to be nervous about” Lionel noted.

Emilia laughed quietly. “You know” she mused “I kind of miss you being the one to trip over your words” she added.

Lionel pressed another kiss against her forehead, smiling amusedly against her skin. “I don’t think you have to be worried about me having gotten over that” he quipped.

Emilia leant into him for a few more seconds, enjoying just how comfortable their embrace felt before someone knocked against the window, causing them to jump apart. Blinking a couple of times, she and Lionel shared a bashful smile before she turned around, her cheeks warming as she caught sight of Jordi who stood outside the car, smirking at the two of them amusedly. “Are you two coming inside?” he chirped “Samia’s just about serve up. We’ve not got all night” he added.

Emilia shook her head, hesitating for a second in her seat, before she pushed the door open. Standing up, she smoothed out the bottom of her sweater before she looked up at her brother, her cheeks warming more as he smirked down at her. “I really thought you’d bail” he quipped as he stepped towards her, greeting her with a tight hug.

“She tried to” Lionel quipped impishly as he pushed his car door closed.

Emilia scoffed, pushing herself out of Jordi’s hug so that she could offer a playful glare to Lionel. “Whose side are you on?” she pressed.

Lionel held his hands up, grinning back at her boyishly. “Friends first, Emmy” he chirped.

Jordi reached his hand out, high fiving Lionel before he smirked at his sister, causing Emilia to roll her eyes as she moved towards the front door. “I hate you both” she called playfully over her shoulder.

Jordi playfully snorted. “Yeah, that’s why I just walked in the two of you kissing” he called after her.

~#~
“Can I get anyone anything else to drink?” Samia asked as she stood up from her seat, collecting her empty wine glass from its spot on the coffee table.

Emilia, who was quietly mumbling to Lionel, looked up at the sound of her sister-in-law’s voice, offering her a small smile. “I’m Ok” she mused.

“Leo?” Samia pressed, smiling a little as she watched Emilia cuddled into Lionel’s side a little more.

Lionel caught Samia’s smile before he shook his head, his cheeks flushing a faint shade of pink. “I’m fine, thanks” he mused.

Samia nodded her head before she padded out of the room, leaving her husband alone with his sister and friend in a silence which felt comfortable and familiar. It had gone better than Emilia had been expecting that it would, with things between her and Lionel being undefined, and Jordi having a track record for sticking his nose into things, she had thought that things would feel awkward, but she was thrilled that it hadn’t. The last thing she had wanted was for Jordi to see things between her and Lionel not working out.

Jordi watched his wife out of the room before he spared a glance towards his sister, something which caused him to shake his head, smirking amusedly to himself. “Am I going to have to get used to this?” he prodded, gesturing to Lionel’s hand which sat on Emilia’s thigh.

Lionel caught Jordi’s look and tried to move his hand, but Emilia caught it, keeping it in place. “I had to get used to you and Samia” Emilia retorted “I mean, I’d known her for what? Two weeks before you swooped in?” she added.

Jordi grinned. “I can’t help that I am charming” he noted.

“You’re something, alright” Emilia retorted playfully.

Jordi feigned a glare for a moment before he shook his head, motioning between the two of them. “Seriously” he prodded “Is this something I am going to have to get used to or what?” he asked, his tone growing a little more serious.

Emilia leant away from Lionel slightly, meeting his stare for a few seconds, before she bit her lip, shrugging her shoulders gently. “We...”

“We’re still trying to figure that out” Lionel finished for her “Between the two of us, we’ve got a lot to think about” he added.

Emilia smiled at him gently. “I like him, though” she noted.

Lionel let out a bashful laugh, ducking his head shyly.

Jordi’s face lit up as he watched the two of them. “Tell me something that’s not completely obvious, Emmy” he quipped impishly

Emilia scoffed. “You’re the one asking questions” she muttered.

Jordi laughed brightly as he leant forwards, moving to take a sip from his drink. “You know, Luca pouts just like you” he teased “I mean, generally, he looks like...you know who, but that face...he’s your son alright” he chirped.

Emilia rolled her eyes, ignoring the laugh that Lionel had let out next to her.

“Did you know who pick him up alright, tonight?” Jordi asked, swallowing another mouthful of his drink.

“Jordi” Emilia warned.

“What?” Jordi pushed “Have you had the pleasure yet, Leo?” he added.

Lionel nodded, an uncomfortable smile on his face. “I bumped into him last week” he noted “He...uh...I didn’t speak to him enough to get a real sense of him” he added.

“Lucky you” Jordi mumbled.

“Can you just drop it?” Emilia asked “Tonight is going well, I don’t want to ruin that by having that conversation again, Jordi” she added, fixing him with a look which caused him to raise his hands, mumbling a quiet apology beneath his breath.

Emilia nodded, thanking him wordlessly for dropping the topic, before she pushed herself up. “I’m going to see if Sam has some of that dessert left” she mused “You guys want something?” she asked.

Both Lionel and Jordi shook their heads.

“Your loss” Emilia chirped before she walked away, grateful to get out of the room before the topic of Isaac had the chance to linger.