Where We Are

“Do you want me to get you anything before I sit down?” Iker posed as he carefully moved to settle Ella’s car set onto the coffee table, his dark eyes settling on Maia who had moved to sit down on the couch, her eyes not shifting away from the sleeping baby.

It had been a long morning, with the two of them waiting on Lola to discharge them for the hospital, they’d spent a lot time, sitting around and counting down the minutes until they got home, and Iker was pleased that they’d finally made it, even if it did mean that their families were on their way. He was merely glad to be out of hospital.

It was still a surreal feeling, even despite the fact that both he and Maia had spent most of the night awake with Ella, it was still hard to believe that Ella had finally arrived, but Iker doubted that he would change a thing. It hadn’t been simple, for a few months, both he and Maia had been more than a little tentative and cautious around one another, but he was pleased with where they were, even if things were likely to be a little hectic for a while. He liked the idea that he, Maia and Ella were a little family.

Maia, who was quietly watching Ella sleep, smiled a little at his fussing before she lifted her head, shaking it slightly. “I’m Ok” she noted.

Iker offered her a slightly dubious look, something which made Maia roll her eyes before she reached her hand out, gently tugging him into the seat at her side. “I’m fine, Iker” she insisted “And the second I am not, I will tell you, but right now, why don’t you just sit down? I don’t think you’ve stopped fussing since they placed Ella into my arms for the first time” she added, offering him a small impish smile.

Iker scoffed. “I’ve not been that bad” he noted, plopping down on the couch beside her.

Maia shrugged playfully. “You’ve been pretty bad” she quipped “But you’re lucky, I happen to find your fussing cute rather than irritating” she added with a grin.

Iker offered her a small glare, something which made Maia giggle before she leant into him, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. Iker smiled at the soft contact, holding onto her for a few seconds before the sound of his phone buzzing reached his ears, causing him to duck back, a soft sigh falling out of his mouth. “That’s going to be my madre” he mumbled between soft kisses “And if it’s not her, it’s going to be your madre” he added, resting his forehead against hers.

Maia quirked a small smile, not missing the tone of his voice, before she leant forwards, pecking the end of his nose. “You can’t avoid it forever” she mused “Eventually, you’re going to have to let the cooing grandparents meet her” she added, sparing a quick glance towards Ella who laid in her car seat, snoozing happily.

Iker followed the line of her stare, his lips curving into a soft smile at the sight of the little girl, before he nodded. “I know that” he mused “And I am not going to tell them not to come. I think your mother would kill me if I tried to put this off any longer” he added teasingly. He knew that they couldn’t get away from it, with Ella having arrived, there was no shying away from the barrage of cooing relatives, and whilst Iker didn’t love the notion of their families showing up so soon, he knew that it was something he had to get through.

Maia smiled softly at his joke before Ella let out a soft whimper, something which caused her to lean forwards, carefully lifting the little girl up into her arms. “I think she’s probably in need of a change” she noted, wrinkling her nose slightly at the scent which had filled the air.

Iker nodded his head before he pushed himself up to his feet, quickly retrieving the nappy bag which had been left with their other bags beside the door. “My turn or yours?” he posed, settling the changing mat down onto the floor.

Maia quirked a small smile before she carefully extended Ella towards him, something which made the keeper chuckle before he took the little girl into his arms, settling her gently down on the mat.

Maia watched him for a couple of seconds, still a little in awe of the sight of him with their baby, before she shook her, quietly diverting her attention towards her phone as a comfortable silence settled over them.

Iker moved to finish changing Ella before he lifted his head. “I need to pop out later” he mused, breaking the quiet which had settled over them.

Maia, who’d been sending a text to Alex, lifted an eyebrow. “You do?” she posed.

Iker nodded. “I need to head back to my place” he noted as he lifted Ella into his arms “I need to grab a few more changes of clothes, providing that you’re still alright with me sticking around” he added, his expression growing slightly uncertain.

It wasn’t something they had talked about, with a lot of their focus settled on the day that Ella arrived, they’d not given a lot of thought to what happened after she came along, but Iker knew that they had to, even if it was just to clarify where they stood. It was conversation that they needed to have.

Maia blinked a couple of times, surprised by his words, before she shook her head. “Iker...”

“I know it’s too soon for it to be a permanent arrangement, Maia” he interrupted, not missing the surprise on her face “I mean, we’ve not exactly been back together for very long, and I know that a big step like that one isn’t lurking just around the corner, but right now, I...I don’t want to be away from her for very long” he added, sparing a brief glance down towards Ella who had fallen back to sleep in his arms.

Maia followed the line of stare, admiring Ella quietly for a few seconds, before she shook her head, a fond smile on her lips. “I wouldn’t ask you to stay away” she murmured.

Iker tilted his head, wordlessly encouraging her to go on.

“You’re right” Maia noted “We’ve not been back together for very long, and right now, moving in together permanently does seem like a big step that’s come along too soon, but I am not going to stop you spending time here, Iker. She’s your baby too and that means that you can be here as much as you want” she insisted, offering him a light smile.

It was a thought that had crossed her mind, the idea of her and Iker living together had passed through her head fleetingly, but she had been quick to dismiss it. They were moving slowly, cautiously, and she didn’t want to make such a big step forwards, especially so soon after their little girl had arrived, she didn’t want to try and force things to move at a faster pace.

Iker offered her a look, mulling her words briefly, before he quirked a boyish smile. “You might regret saying that” he quipped.

Maia shrugged. “Perhaps” she played along “But right now, I don’t. I think me and Ella are pretty fond of having you around and wouldn’t mind too much if you stuck around for a while” she added as she stepped towards him, carefully lifting Ella up into her arms.

Iker allowed her to take the baby before he carefully leant, sneaking a quick kiss before he pulled away, offering her another smile. “I love you” he enthused softly.

Maia’s cheeks warmed a little at those three words before she shook her head, sneaking another quick kiss. “I love you too” she mused before she stepped out of the room, musing about finding an outfit to dress Ella in before their parents arrived. Iker watched her out of the room before he nodded to himself, knowing that she had a point. It was quick, despite the fact that they’d been back in each other’s lives for months, they’d only been dating for a few weeks, and the prospect of moving in together had come along too quickly, but he was sure that they’d get there. They’d messed up before and, with Ella around, Iker wasn’t prepared to let it happen second time around.