Hear Your Heart

“Please, don’t make me go” Iker mumbled as he padded into the hallway of Olivia’s apartment, his kitbag hung off of his shoulder. It was early, too early for the keeper who had been more than contented asleep in Olivia’s bed, but he knew he didn’t have much of a choice. It was the last training session before the weekend’s game which would be the last Real Madrid played before the winter break and he knew he couldn’t skip out, even if his first team appearances were becoming more and more infrequent, he didn’t want to upset his coach and make them even less frequent.

Olivia, who had been placing a woolen hat on Thiago’s head, shook her head. “You have to go” she noted.

“Why?” Iker whined “I could stay here all day with you and we could stay warm in bed” he murmured, moving to place his hands on her hips.

Olivia shook her head. “I have work too, idiota, which is why Thiago is wearing a coat. Your madre very kindly offered to look after him again” she mused, ensuring that the little boy’s coat was properly done up. She didn’t like it, imposing on Iker’s parents, but the pair of them had yet to find a nanny for their son that they could both agree on, something which left them with little choice. “Why are you complaining anyway? Once this training session is out of the way, you have one more game and then 2 weeks off. I would love that” she mused.

Iker shrugged. “I just don’t feel like going” he mumbled “It’s one of those days where your bed is a far more tempting prospect” he added.

Olivia scoffed. “My bed isn’t always a tempting prospect?” she posed, her eyebrow lifted playfully.

Iker smiled. “Of course it is, querida, but even more so on a cold December morning” he teased.

Olivia shook her head gently. “You’re going” she noted “And perhaps later, with Thiago with your parents, we could meet up for lunch?” she suggested.

Iker tilted his head. “Is that a veiled way of asking me to buy you lunch, Oli?” he teased gently.

“That was a pretty blatant attempt, Iker” Olivia giggled.

Iker smiled. “I will swing by your office on the way back” he promised gently “I will see you later” he added as he stepped towards her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips before he moved to kiss Thiago’s head. Olivia smiled as she watched him go. She kind of liked the way that things were between them.

~#~
“Iker, we need to have a word”

Iker, who had been changing, looked up at his coach, a small frown playing on his face. The session was over, it had been for a little while, and he was a little curious as to why his coach suddenly wanted to talk to him. As far as he was aware, he’d not done anything wrong. “We do?” he posed “Can I ask what about?” he added.

The older man sighed gently. “We’ve had enquiries” he murmured “Most of them are from clubs in America and we’re seriously contemplating them. I know you’re settled here, but we’ve had some decent offers and I thought you ought to be aware before you get bombarded with questions or pushed into meetings” he explained gently.

Iker frowned. “Offers? As in, more than one?” he noted gently.

The coach nodded his head. “About 4 right now” he explained gently.

Iker looked around for a second before he sighed. “You’re going to let me go?” he muttered “That’s why you’re telling me?” he added.

The coach sighed. “You’re a good player, Iker, and you’ve been the most fantastic servant for this club over the years, but in the New Year, you’ll be 37 years old and we’ve got younger keepers coming through. We’ve already scaled back your playing time and it is about time to consider what you’re going to do next” he explained gently.

“Do I not get some sort of say?” Iker protested gently.

“Of course. But you need to be realistic. The deadlines aren’t for a couple of days yet. Take these, look them over, and see what you think. I would assume that you need to talk it over with your family” the coach noted, handing Iker a binder full of papers.

Iker blinked a couple of times before he nodded his head. “Uh, yes, I would. I will get back to you” he muttered before he stowed the binder in his bag.

The coach nodded. “Don’t be rash in this decision Iker” he noted gently “You have to start thinking ahead” he added before he padded out of the room, leaving the keeper sat in silence and feeling a little blindsided.

~#~
“Are you feeling OK?” Olivia murmured as she finished the last of the meal. It had been a quiet lunch, Iker had barely uttered two words towards her, and Olivia wondered what was going on with him. He had been fine that morning, bright and cheerful even, but as she looked at him them, he looked upset, something which puzzled Olivia slightly. Training may not have been the most exciting thing in the world, but it had never left him so quiet before.

Iker, who had been pushing his meal around his plate, shook his head. “I’m fine, Oli” he murmured.

Olivia shook her head. “That’s bull, Iker” she noted “I have known your for almost 8 years, I think I can tell when you’re upset” she added “So why don’t you quip moping and tell me what is up eh?” she mused, leaning over to steal a piece of his steak from his plate.

Iker sighed and leant down to his bag, collecting the binder from inside. “Coach presented me with this earlier” he muttered gently.

“What’s that?” Olivia posed.

“It’s the transfer offers that the club have received for my services. They seem to think my time at Real Madrid is over, Oli” he murmured, setting the binder gently on the table, his dark eyes glaring at it.

Olivia blinked. “They what?” she squeaked.

“They’re going to let me go” Iker replied gently “And I need to decide where to” he added.

Olivia swallowed. “You’re leaving?” she whispered.

Iker sighed. “It would appear so” he muttered, making Olivia bite down on her lip.

She couldn’t quite picture him anywhere but in Madrid.