Somewhere Only We Know

“How many of your friends are going to be here?” Ariana murmured as she watched Iker pull his car to a stop outside of a large house. She was nervous, she had never dealt with new people well, and she wanted nothing more than to turn and run away. She didn’t want Iker’s friends disliking her and ending up agreeing with Lucia’s view that they were utterly mismatched.

“Sergio and Pilar are here, this is their house” Iker explained with an assuring smile “Then Cristiano, he’s newly single, and Gareth and Emma. I think Karim said he would pop by, but I doubt it” he explained softly. He could see that she was nervous, she hadn’t stopped biting her lip since he had picked her up, but he was sure that it would be fine. Sergio was the only one likely to be an issue and he had already had a stern word with the exuberant defender. The last thing he wanted was Ariana to be scared away by Sergio and his never ending talking.

“Sergio, Pilar, Cristiano, Gareth and Emma” Ariana breathed out shakily “That doesn’t sound so bad” she mused.

Iker smiled. “I am sure that they will love you Ari” he enthused as he wrapped his hand around hers “You’re a wonderful and clever girl and it would be pretty hard not to like you” he added teasingly. Ariana rolled her eyes and moved to kiss him, only to jump as someone tapped on the car window.

“Come on Iker” Sergio quipped, a wide grin on his face as his dark eyes looked Ariana up and down “Don’t hide her out here. We all want to meet the girl that has you all smiley” the defender teased. Iker rolled his eyes slightly before he looked back at Ariana. “Are you ready?” he posed, his dark eyes searching hers.

Ariana smiled weakly. “Do I have a choice?” she quipped.

Iker offered her his most reassuring smile before he pushed the driver’s door open, padding dutifully around to the passenger side. “Sergio” he mused as he flicked his stare to the watching defender “This is my girlfriend, Ariana Costa. Ari, this is Sergio Ramos” he mused as he helped Ariana from the car.

Sergio watched the pair and smiled, his brown eyes looking over at Ariana. She was beautiful, Sergio could instantly see what Iker saw when he looked at her, and he hoped that she was as nice as Iker described her to be. She was all the keeper wanted to talk about and Sergio didn’t want Iker getting hurt. It had been bad enough when he and Sara had split up.

“Do you prefer Ari or Ariana?” Sergio pressed with a smile on his face.

Ariana shrugged. “I don’t really mind. Iker calls me Ari, but everyone else opts to call me Ariana” she noted, a little hint of colour on her cheeks.

Sergio smiled at the sight of it. “You’re as shy as Iker said” he teased.

Iker shook his head. “Perhaps if you stopped grinning like a mad man it would help Sergio” he suggested as he wrapped an arm around his girlfriend’s waist, trying to offer her some sense of reassurance. Ariana smiled a little.

“I am not grinning like a mad man Iker” Sergio retorted as he began to lead the couple towards his home “I am only trying to make conversation with the lovely Ariana” he added with a wink towards the brunette who giggled softly.

“Keep your winks to yourself Sergio” Iker muttered as he allowed Ariana to wander into the house ahead of him, a warning tone harrowing in his voice.

Sergio sighed and gripped Iker’s arm, stopping him from following Ariana into the hall. “Iker, she’s not like Sara. You don’t have to pull out the alpha male stuff when a guy looks at her” he muttered gently. It was a problem, Iker’s protective and overbearing personality, and Sergio didn’t want Iker pushing another girl away because of it. He had pulled the same territorial act on Sara and that had culminated in her cheating on him before she left.

Iker sighed. “I know, I just can’t help thinking that she could find someone else like Sara did. Sergio, I really care about her and it would break my heart to see her walk away from me. I don’t think I can go through it again” he murmured, his hand brushing through his dark hair.

Sergio offered him a little smile. “I don’t think you have to worry about that with Ariana, Iker. She looks at you like you look at her” he offered.

Iker’s cheeks warmed a little. “You think so?” he prodded.

Sergio shook his head. “I know so Iker, now we should probably get inside before Pilar kidnaps your girlfriend” he teased.

Iker chuckled and followed Sergio inside. It would take time, he would forever be nervous about Ariana finding someone else, but he didn’t want to scare her away by being to overbearing. She was the best thing that had happened to him for a while.

~#~
“Hey” Iker breathed as he stepped into the kitchen, his dark eyes fixed on his girlfriend who was happily talking with Pilar and Emma. It had gone well, everyone seemed to like Ariana, and Iker was pleased. He knew how scared she was about meeting them and hoped it would cool some of her nerves.

Ariana turned a little and smiled. “Hey. Are you and the boys still playing Fifa?” she prodded, trying to ignore the smirks on the faces of Emma and Pilar.

Iker smirked and moved towards the fridge, helping himself to another beer. “I am beating the lot of them” he grinned.

Ariana rolled her eyes. “I will be through in a bit. I will show you boys how to play” she quipped.

“You play that stupid game?” Pilar squeaked, her nose wrinkled slightly.

Ariana shrugged. “I spent a rotation working on pediatrics. I had to find a way to connect with some of the patients” she smiled.

Iker quirked his eyebrow. “I didn’t know that” he smiled, moving towards her a little.

Ariana shrugged. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me Iker” she whispered flirtatiously.

Iker’s eyes darkened slightly before Sergio’s voice called out to him, making him exhale. “I will be back” he muttered.

Ariana smirked before she watched him out of the room.

“Well aren’t you a little tease” Emma joked as she passed another glass of wine into her hand.

Ariana blushed. “I think he is the one that brings it out of me. I have never felt that confident before” she mumbled causing the other woman to coo again. There was no doubting it, Iker and Ariana were adorable, and the others wouldn’t let it lie. They’d insisted on fawning all night.

“Well make sure that you take good care of him” Pilar murmured as she sipped on her drink “The last girl he got this crazy over left him in a mess and I would hate to see it again” she murmured.

Ariana opened her mouth to question what Pilar was talking about, but was cut off as Iker strode back into the room. “We’ve got an open controller. Would you like to come and play?” he grinned as he handed the game controller over to her. Ariana blinked slightly and nodded, following him back into the lounge.

She was curious about what Pilar had said, but knew better than to ask Iker about it. It was clearly a touchy subject and she didn’t want to upset him.