When We Were

Three: I Bet There Is

Gently clutching Emilia’s hand in his, Lionel steered her around the dance floor, taking care to avoid stepping on her feet. It wasn’t the first dance, after Isaac had appeared to collect Luca, Lionel and Emilia had spent a while flitting on and off the dance floor, and Lionel had to admit that he’d enjoyed it, even if it had started with the two of them completely unsure of where to put their hands and how to move their feet, they’d quickly got into it.

Glancing down at his hand which sat on her waist, he briefly thought about moving it away before he caught Emilia’s grin out of the corner of his eye, something which caused him to laugh gently, his cheeks flushing a soft shade of pink. “I might still be worried about treading on your feet” he commented, lowering his stare back down towards the floor.

“You’ve not done it yet” Emilia replied warmly.

Lionel looked up slightly, a small smile on his face. “There’s a first time for everything” he quipped.

Emilia rolled her eyes before she pulled away, applauding the band as the song came to an end.

Lionel mimicked her action, clapping enthusiastically for a moment before he turned back to look at her, offering her another small, shy smile. “Would you like to get a drink with me?” he asked “If you’re not entirely bored of me yet. I mean, we’ve spent a lot of time together, and I am sure that you probably have friends and family here somewhere that you want to catch up with. You know what? It was probably stupid of me to even ask” he babbled.

Emilia ducked her head, trying, and failing, to cover the amused smile which tugged the corner of her lips upwards. “Are you done?” she asked amusedly.

Lionel breathed out a bashful laugh before he nodded. “I think so” he noted.

“Good” Emilia replied, smirking down at her dress as she smoothed the material out a little “I’d like a glass of champagne. I’ve been after one all day, but with Luca around, I thought it best not to. He’s a ball of energy and I need to be at my best to keep up with him” she added, her smile softening a little.

Lionel noticed her expression soften before he smiled. “I can get you one” he noted “If you don’t mind me sticking around a little longer” he added.

Emilia looked back up at him, smiling gently as their eyes met. “You’re not as bad as I remember” she teased.

Lionel scoffed, shaking his head playfully. “Do you mean that as a compliment?” he played along.

Emilia just flashed him a grin before she turned away, gesturing towards a door across the room. “I think I am going to go out and get some air” she mused “I’ll see you out there?” she asked, glancing back at him over her shoulder.

Lionel briefly thought about hesitating, about offering her another chance to tell him that she had other people that she needed or wanted to spend time with, but he stopped himself when Emilia trotted away, stopping beside their table to collect his suit jacket. Flashing him a playful smile, she wrapped the coat around herself before she made another gesture towards the door, causing Lionel to laugh to himself before he nodded.

Emilia grinned at him again before she made her way out of the door, causing Lionel to spring into action, making a beeline towards the bar.

~#~
“Isn’t someone going to come looking for you eventually?”

Emilia lifted her head, smiling over her shoulder at Lionel who stood behind her, a refreshed glass of champagne for her and water for him clutched in his hands. They’d been outside for a while, despite the chill in the air, they’d found a spot which was warm enough for them to sit comfortably, and Emilia had little desire to leave it, wanting to take a few quiet moments for herself. She loved spending time with Luca, since the little boy had arrived, Emilia had grown to adore being his mother, but she had been looking forwards to getting a moment of quiet since the reception had started. It wasn’t something she had had much of a chance to do throughout the day.

“My mother’s busy hovering around Jordi and Samia” Emilia replied “And my papa’s having a great time with his friends. I am pretty sure now that Luca’s not here, they’ve forgotten that I still am” she added.

Lionel, who’d plopped back into the seat next to her, placed her drink into her hand. “I doubt that” he noted.

Emilia lifted an amused eyebrow. “Coming from the man who’d forgotten I even existed until today?” she teased.

“I didn’t forget that you existed” Lionel fought back playfully “I’d just...maybe...forgotten that you were Jordi’s baby sister” he added.

Emilia offered him a playfully dubious look, something which made Lionel laugh softly, his eyes fixed on his glass which he clutched in his hand. “You used to steal his football” he announced after a seconds of quiet.

Emilia, who’d been staring out into the night, tilted her head to look at him. “Hm?” she asked.

“When we were kids” Lionel clarified “We used to play at a park nearby and your parents used to make us take you with us. You’d run out into the middle of the pitch and take the ball. That was you, right?” he asked.

Emilia laughed loudly before she nodded, tucking her hair back off of her face. “It was” she confirmed “But it was yours and Jordi’s fault. You’d just leave me on the swings and forget about me. I had to get you to pay attention somehow” she added.

Lionel laughed along with her before they faded into silence, something which lasted for a few moments before Emilia turned, her eyes glancing timidly up at Lionel’s face. “I really wanted you to pay attention” she breathed softly.

Lionel blinked a couple of times, caught off guard by her speaking and what she had said, before he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off as Jordi strode outside, a familiar teasing smirk fixed on his features. “I’m not interrupting, am I?” he chirped smugly.

Lionel clamped his mouth shut, shaking his head slightly.

“Did you come out here just to be obnoxious, Jordi?” Emilia asked.

Jordi smirked, shaking his head. “Of course not” he replied “Samia asked me to come and find you. She’s hardly seen you, Emmy” he added, sparing a playful glance towards Lionel.

Emilia rolled her eyes. “Jordi” she warned.

Jordi held up his hand innocently. “Sorry” he noted “But Samia really did send me. She wants to spend some time with her favourite sister-in-law” he added.

“Only sister-in-law” Emilia quipped.

Jordi rolled his eyes. “Whatever” he noted “Just get inside, will you? You and Leo can get back to flirting later” he added.

“What?” Lionel squeaked, his eyes wide.

Jordi’s lips quirked upwards at the tone of Lionel’s voice before he turned back towards Emilia. “Two minutes and then the bride wants you” he chirped before he ducked back inside.

Emilia watched him away before she turned back towards Lionel, shaking her head. “I’m sorry about him” she noted “He’s...he’s a pain” she added.

Lionel nodded. “Always has been” he quipped.

Emilia laughed before she stood up, placing her glass down onto the floor. “I should probably spend some time with Sam” she mused “And maybe my parents” she added.

“It’d not be a bad idea” Lionel replied.

Emilia hesitated for a second before she let out a shaky sigh. “I’m going to pick Luca up early in the morning” she announced “But if you don’t mind the chance of him trying to show off all of his toys, maybe...maybe you’d like to have lunch tomorrow. You know, more of a catch up” she added.

Lionel just stared up at her, eyes wide.

Emilia took in his expression before she shook her head, laughing ironically. “Of course not” she babbled “That was...”

“Give me your phone” Lionel interrupted.

Emilia frowned. “What?” she asked.

“Your phone” Lionel repeated “I’ll put my number in and you can send me an address. I’d love to...catch up” he added, offering her a small shy smile.

Emilia smiled back at him just as shyly before she reached for her clutch, turning her phone over to him. “Great” she breathed “I mean, it’s been a while. I’m sure there’s a lot...a lot to talk about” she added, grimacing a little at the nervousness that came through in her voice.

Lionel nodded his head, smiling down at her phone. “I bet there is” he agreed.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)