Can’t Look Away

“Do you want me to look?”

Sasha quirked a slightly nervous smile before she turned to glance at Lionel who was sat on the floor next to her. “Would you think I was being silly if I said yes?” she asked.

She knew why he was asking. Unlike when she had thought that she was pregnant with Alex’s child, she had taken another couple of tests, wanting to double check the result before they both got too swept away by the idea that she was expecting, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to look at them. It was unlikely that the first test had been wrong, but still she dreaded the idea of turning the new ones over and seeing the word ‘negative’.

Lionel gently weaved his fingers through hers, squeezing her hand. “Of course not” he replied.

Sasha lifted their hands, allowing her to press a gentle kiss against the back of his hand before she released it, allowing him to stand up.

Lionel crossed the room in a couple of strides before he stopped in front of the counter and turned the tests over.

“Well?” Sasha’s voice was shaky with a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

Lionel grinned to himself before he slowly turned around, holding the tests out to Sasha. “Take a look for yourself” he quipped.

Slowly, Sasha pushed herself up to her feet and moved to take the tests out of his hand. Letting out a nervous laugh, she took note of the grin on his face before she slowly turned them over. When she saw the word she had been waiting for, she let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh, something which made Lionel’s smile widen a fraction before he gently gathered her into his arms. “Do you believe it now?” he mumbled, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

Sasha nodded against him, sniffling in place of speaking.

Lionel kept his arms wrapped around her, letting her cry for a few moments before she slowly pulled back. Quirking another soft smile, he brushed the tears off of her cheeks with the pad of his thumb before he leant forwards, touching a soft kiss to her forehead. “We should get out of the bathroom” he murmured softly.

The laugh that Sasha let out was soft, snuffly, but undeniably happy. “Yeah, we should” she agreed.

“Do you want to sit down?” Lionel prodded “I can feel you shaking” he added.

Sasha nodded. “I think that’s a good idea” she mused.

Lionel nodded his head dutifully before he gently took her hand in his and tugged her out of the bathroom. Squeezing her hand gently, he helped her towards the bed before he let go, allowing her to settle against the headboard. “Do you want me to go and get you anything?” he asked.

“I’d like you to sit with me for a minute” Sasha replied “You can start fussing after” she added.

Lionel rolled his eyes, but obliged, climbing onto the other side of the bed. Sinking back against his pillow, he closed his eyes, allowing a comfortable silence to settle around the two of them. For a few moments, they just sat in silence, both trying to wrap their heads around the news, before Lionel turned onto his side and gently pushed Sasha’s t-shirt up, exposing her stomach to him. “What do we need to do next?” he asked quietly.

“I need to make an appointment with my doctor” Sasha replied “After it’s confirmed, they’ll set us up with a midwife” she added.

“Are we going to use your hospital?” Lionel prodded.

“I think I would like to” Sasha replied “I mean, I know them, I know how good they are. I think it’d probably help me to feel comfortable” she added.

“We’ll go wherever you want to go” Lionel mused “Whatever you feel is best for you and our baby” he added, his palm gently settling over her stomach.

Sasha gently moved her hand to cover his, squeezing it softly. “Say it again” she said quietly.

Lionel grinned before he leant over her, touching a soft kiss to part of her stomach that wasn’t hidden beneath their hands. “Our baby is in here” he murmured against her skin.

Sasha gently ran her fingers through his hair, keeping him close to her stomach as he pressed another couple of kisses to the same spot. “Our baby” she parroted softly “I like the sound of that” she added.

Lionel grinned against her stomach before he retreated towards the head of the bed, coaxing Sasha to cuddle into him. She didn’t hesitate, her arms wrapped around him easily and her head fell into a familiar spot against his chest whilst one of his hands landed on her hip, his thumb brushing back and forth across the skin he’d left exposed. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?” he murmured.

Sasha shook her head without hesitation. “Not even Cassie” she replied “Not until we’ve had an ultrasound” she added.

“How crazy did your mama get over Ivy?” Lionel asked.

Sasha laughed, turning her head so that she could press a soft kiss against his chest. “She might have gone a little overboard” she mused “But it’s not like she tried to convince Ellie that she ought to be her birthing partner instead of James. She was just excited. My papa was too, not that you’d know it. I was there the first time he held her, and he had tears in his eyes. I can’t honestly remember the last time I saw him cry before that” she added.

Lionel’s hand drifted towards her stomach again, his thumb skimming over the skin tenderly.

For a few minutes, Sasha just watched his thumb brushing back and forth before she picked her head up, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. Lionel made a soft noise in surprise, but he kissed her back gently until she pulled away, smiling down at him gently. “I love you” she whispered.

Lionel pressed a light kiss to the corner of her lips before he mumbled the same three words in return, something which caused Sasha’s smile to widen a fraction before she cuddled back into him, both of them content to sit quietly and bask in the news that they were expecting.