Where We Are

Gently tugging the duvet a little more around herself, Maia snuggled into her pillow, a soft yawn tumbling out of her mouth. It was early, one glance around the dimly lit bedroom was enough to confide that it couldn’t have been much after eight in the morning, and whilst Maia knew that it wouldn’t be too much longer before she was expected to be downstairs for breakfast, a small part of her didn’t want to move, too content beneath the warm duvet.

It had been a long night, after she and Iker had headed up to their room, it had taken them a while to get used to the idea that they were to share a bed, but when Maia had let out her first yawn, Iker had been quick to insist that she fall asleep, something which made Maia smile a little. There was no getting away from it, even despite the fact that they had shared a bed before, it was likely to be awkward for a little while, and Maia had to admit that she found Iker’s nervousness cute, even if he had tried to stifle it. The way that he had huddled himself up away from her had told her all that she needed to know.

Pulling at the duvet a little, she moved to carefully toss onto her back, only to pause, feeling a hand flex against her thigh. Blinking a couple of times, she carefully lifted the duvet up before she quirked a small smile, her blue eyes settling on the hand of Iker’s which rested against her thigh. She wasn’t overly surprised, when they had previously shared a bed, Iker had developed a habit of sleeping with his hand gently settled against her thigh, and she wasn’t surprised that it had made its way there, even things were still awkward between them.

Smiling to herself, she admired his hand for a second before she carefully took it into her own, moving to settle it against the mattress before she shuffled away, carefully pushing herself up to her feet. Iker, who was still sound asleep, stirred a little at the feel of the mattress shifting, but didn’t wake up, something which made Maia shake her head amusedly before she padded towards the door, padding out into the hall.

“Is Iker up?”

Maia, who’d been focused on pulling the door closed quietly, startled at the sound of Carmen’s voice, something which made the older woman laugh softly. “I didn’t meant to startle you” she mused “I just thought I would ask if he was up. I am about to put on some breakfast” she added, her voice warm and bright.

Maia blinked a little, surprised by the older woman’s arrival, before she shook her head, offering her a polite smile. “It’s OK” she noted “I was just so focused on trying to duck out without waking him, that I didn’t hear you” she added, nervously pushing her hair behind her ear.

Carmen nodded. “He’s still sleeping?” she posed.

Maia quirked a small smile, something which didn’t go unnoticed, before she nodded. “It was a pretty long night” she noted “He’ll probably sleep for a while” she added, tugging her pajama shirt down a little, trying to cover her bump a little better.

Carmen noted the nervous shifting, but didn’t comment, instead offering her another comforting smile. “I’m sorry” she noted “About the whole room thing. Unai caught us off guard when he said that he wanted to stay. I’m sorry if it has only served to make things more awkward between you and Iker” she added reassuringly.

It hadn’t been intentional, when Iker had told her that Maia was coming with him, she had fully intended to give the brunette her own room, but when Unai had called and told her of his intention to stay, she had had little choice but to offer Iker and Maia one room, even if things weren’t the most straightforward between them. She hoped that she hadn’t caused more of a problem for them.

Maia smiled a little at the reassuring tone of Carmen’s voice before she shook her head. “It’s OK” she noted “I mean, it’s not what we were expecting, but me and Iker, we’re grownups and I am sure that we can handle it. It’s not like we’ve never shared a room before” she added, sparing a small glance down towards her stomach.

Carmen followed the line of her stare, admiring the bump which she carried, before she looked up, meeting Maia’s stare. “How is the pregnancy coming along?” she asked “I mean, Iker was quick to tell us that it’s going to be a little girl, but is it progressing OK?” she added.

Maia settled a hand against her bump before she nodded. “My midwife seems happy” she enthused “She’s pretty confident that things are progressing well. She was worried at first, my blood pressure was a little high, but things have settled down and they seem to be going well. She started to kick properly a few days ago” she added, a fond smile on her lips.

Carmen marveled at the smile on her face for a brief second before she shook her head, her expression softening slightly. “And you and Iker?” she posed tentatively.

“Carmen...”

“I know it’s a work in progress” Carmen interjected “It’s all Iker will say whenever I ask, but I just wanted to know if things are getting there. I know it’s not my business, it’s very much between you and Iker, but...”

“It’s getting there” Maia interrupted.

“It is?” Carmen posed gently.

Maia nodded her head gently. “It’s still not quite there” she noted “We’re still in the process of talking about what has happened and talking about what happens next, but I am confident. I...I love your son, Carmen, and I hope that he feels the same way about me” she babbled, her cheeks tinting a soft shade of pink.

Carmen opened her mouth, preparing to reply, but stopped herself, her eyes settling on Iker who’d pulled the bedroom door open, his dark eyes settled on Maia who seemed oblivious to his presence. Scanning the look which marked Iker’s face, she quirked a soft smile before she took a pace backwards. “Perhaps you ought to ask him yourself” she quipped before she stepped away, musing about giving the two of them a second of privacy.

Maia frowned, slightly confused by her words before she felt a hand lightly settle on her shoulder, causing her to whip around, her blue eyes widening at the sight of Iker. “Iker” she spluttered “I...I didn’t know that you were up” she babbled.

Iker shrugged. “I heard you talking to my mother” he noted “And I thought you’d appreciate the interruption. I know that you weren’t looking forwards to being alone with her, so I thought I’d interrupt. Was that wrong?” he posed, his eyebrow arched playfully.

Maia’s cheeks warmed a little before she shook her head, her blue eyes purposefully avoiding his.

Iker smirked a little, slightly amused that she wouldn’t look up at him. He knew why she wouldn’t, the words ‘I love your son’ were ones that he had clearly overheard and she was clearly embarrassed that she said them, but he couldn’t but smile. It was something they’d been skirting around for a while and he had been sure that he’d say them first, not her. “So” he quipped “Something you want to say?” he added, nudging her side gently.

Maia’s blush darkened a little before she opened her mouth, something which made Iker chuckle gently. “I’m teasing, Maia” he quipped “I heard what you said to my mother and I am not going to make you repeat it if you’re not ready to. You’ll say it to me when you’re ready, right?” he posed, his expression turning slightly more earnest.

Maia admired his earnest expression before she nodded. “I will” she noted “But only if you promise to say it back” she added, offering him a light smile.

Iker chuckled before he nodded his head. “Of course” he mused “The feeling is mutual, Maia” he added before he leant towards her, pressing a quick kiss against her cheek before he stepped away, musing about his mother making breakfast.

Maia watched him down the hall before she shook her head. “I love you” she mumbled into the quiet air before she followed after him. She knew that they were on the same page, all the conversations that they had had confided it, and she was sure that it would only be a matter of time before they said the words aloud to one another, rather than just avoiding them.