Can’t Look Away

“Leo?”

Lionel sniffed, wiping at his eyes quickly before he lifted his head up, smiling over at Sasha. “Hey” he breathed.

Sasha stirred, her eyes opening and closing a couple of times, before she turned her head to look at him, a crease growing between her eyebrows. “Are you alright?” she asked.

Lionel let out a soft laugh before he nodded his head, his hand wiping at his eyes again. He hadn’t been able to stop himself. With Sasha having fallen asleep pretty quickly after the baby had arrived, he had been left alone with the newborn, and it being just the two of them had allowed the reality of the situation to settle in. He was there. After months of waiting, and wondering what he would be like when he came along, the little boy was in the room with them, and Lionel couldn’t quite get his head around it.

“I’m fine” Lionel replied.

“You’re crying” Sasha pointed out “Leo, if there’s something wrong...”

“Nothing’s wrong” Lionel interrupted, offering her a soft smile “I’m happy, Sasha, so unbelievably happy” he added.

Sasha stared at him for a moment, the crease still present between her eyebrows, before Lionel leant towards her, smoothing it out gently with his thumb. Quirking another soft smile, he moved to touch a soft kiss to her forehead before the sound of the baby’s stirring pulled them apart, drawing both of their stares over towards the little plastic cot that he laid in. For a moment, neither of them moved. They just stared and listened to the soft noises that he made before he finally let out a cry.

Lionel jumped up at the sound and made his way towards the cot. Leaning over, he carefully lifted the baby into his arms before he turned back towards Sasha, offering her a slightly sheepish smile. “He doesn’t need a new nappy” he announced.

Sasha smiled back at him reassuringly. He hadn’t said it. Since they had been left alone with the baby, he had tried his hardest to not let it show, but Sasha knew that he was nervous and she wanted him to know that he had no reason to be. They were both in the same position. Even if she had helped a lot of women give birth to their children, she was by no means an expert in what came next, but she was confident that, between the two of them, they’d be fine. He was their baby and she had no doubt that, in time, they’d learn all they needed to know about him.

“Do you think he’s hungry?” Sasha prodded.

Lionel, who’d started to pad around the room with the baby in his arms, shrugged. “You fed him right before you went to sleep” he noted “Do you want to give it a try?” he asked.

Sasha watched Lionel wander around the room for a moment before she shook her head, a soft grin brightening her features. The baby’s crying had almost completely stopped. “I think he just wanted his papa” she cooed.

Lionel frowned slightly before he noticed how quiet the room had gotten. Blinking a couple of times, he looked down at the baby briefly before he looked over at Sasha, something which made her grin back at him. “You should keep walking” she instructed “He probably finds the movement as soothing as the cuddles” she added.

Lionel nodded his head dutifully and resumed his walking, crossing from one side of the room to the other before he retraced the path.

Sasha watched him, her doting smile widening when he stopped to readjust the hat that was sat on the baby’s head, before she heard the door opening. Turning her head, she smiled at Christina who’d stopped the doorway. “Everything alright?” she asked.

Christina nodded. “Everything is good” she confirmed “I was just wondering if you were ready for visitors yet. Your friend ducked out to get you some decent food, and she asked me to come back and ask if she could be the one to bring it to you. Is it alright?” she asked.

“Leo?” Sasha prodded.

Lionel lifted his head. “Huh?” he spluttered.

“Cassie’s bought dinner” Sasha mused “She’s outside. Is it OK if she comes in?” she prodded.

Lionel hesitated for a moment, long enough that Sasha was sure that he was going to say no, before he nodded his head, a slow smile brightening his features. “I’m starving” he mused.

Sasha let out a slightly surprised laugh before she turned to Christina, nodding her head. “Send her in” she mused.

Christina disappeared out of the room, returning moments later with Cassie hovering hesitantly at her shoulder.

Sasha beamed at her sight of her. “Cassie” she gushed.

“You’ve really brought food?” Lionel prodded “Because if it is nice, I might let you hold the baby” he added.

Cassie’s stare flitted between the two of them briefly before it zeroed in on the baby who was sleeping happily in Lionel’s arms. Letting out a soft squeak, she stepped carefully into the room before she placed a bag of food down onto the bed, allowing her to edge closer to Lionel and the baby. Quirking a wide smile, she marvelled at him for a few moments before she turned back to Sasha, her eyes slightly glassy. “You made him?” she whispered.

Sasha nodded, a proud grin on her face. “We did” she confirmed.

Cassie let out a slightly snuffly laugh. “I don’t even know why I am crying” she mused.

“You’re not the first person to cry over him” Lionel mused “And I doubt you’ll be the last. Carina and my mother haven’t seen him yet” he added.

Cassie laughed again before she turned back to Lionel, her hands hesitantly reaching out in front of her. “Can I…?” she trailed off, looking at him hopefully.

Lionel stepped closer to her, carefully lowering the baby into her arms, before he stepped past, moving to settle down on the bed beside Sasha who, as soon as he sat down, cuddled into his side. Leaning over, he kissed her temple softly before he grinned against the skin.

“Have you got a name?” Cassie asked.

Sasha shook her head, leaning into Lionel a little more. “Not yet” she mused “I wanted him to get here before we gave him one” she added.

Cassie smoothed the baby’s onesie out before she shook her head, glancing back over at Sasha and Lionel. “I can’t believe you guys have a baby” she gushed.

Lionel’s laugh was soft as he shook his head. “I don’t think I can believe it yet, either” he mused.