Where We Are

32: It’s Never Going To Work

Gently swaying Ella in her arms, Maia let out a soft sigh, her ears doused by the gentle sound of someone knocking on the door. It was early, the sound of someone knocking at the door had even woken Ella who had developed a habit of stirring early, and it irked Maia slightly. It had been a long night, after her conversation with Iker, she had returned to her apartment where she had spent most of the night tossing and turning, and she was irked to be awake so soon, even if it had only been a matter of time before Ella started to stir.

Shaking her head, she gently swayed Ella for a couple more seconds before she reached her hand out, pulling the door open to Iker. “You knocked” she spluttered, stuck for anything else to say.

Iker, who stood in the doorway, quirked a half smile at her words before he shook his head. “I thought I ought to” he noted “I mean, after last night, I didn’t think you’d appreciate me just walking in here, but I did bring breakfast. Do you think we could talk?” he posed, his voice soft and timid.

Maia blinked a couple of times, still slightly surprised to see him, before she nodded, stepping out of the doorway slightly. “You know where everything is” she noted “I am just going to settle Ella down in her Moses basket” she added before she stepped away, ducking back into the living room.

Iker watched her step away before he ducked into the kitchen, a soft sigh falling out of his mouth. He knew that he had upset her, the tone of her voice when they had spoken the previous night confided it, and he wanted to apologize, not liking the idea that he had upset her. Settling the bag of food he had bought with him down onto the counter, he paused for a moment before he padded through towards the living room, his dark eyes settling on Maia who sat on the couch, cooing softly to Ella who was sleeping quietly in her Moses basket.

Swallowing, he admired them for a second before he cleared his throat, something which caused Maia to lift her head, her expression softening slightly. Iker studied the soft look on her face before he shook his head, gently settling into the seat at her side. “I’m sorry about last night” he murmured “I mean, it was your birthday after all and I...I acted like an ass” he babbled, pushing a hand back through his hair.

Maia let out a small snort before shook her head. “I didn’t exactly cover myself glory” she countered “I mean, storming off? I’m not a teenager anymore” she teased awkwardly.

Iker let out a small laugh, sparing her a sideward look, before he let out a soft sigh. “Maia, what I said...”

“It’s never going to work, Iker” Maia interrupted softly.

Iker blinked. “What?” he spluttered.

Maia caught the look of surprise on his face before she shook her head, her hand gently moving to take a hold of his which fiddled timidly with his watch. “This relationship, the one we are in now, isn’t going to work if you can’t get over what happened between us last time” she clarified “I know it was a mess. I didn’t do the best job as your girlfriend and I didn’t realize that until it too late, but as you like to tell me, it’s over with now. That was before, and this is now, and now is different” she explained, her fingers shyly playing with his.

Iker watched the small movements of her fingers for a moment, allowing her words to hang around them, before he shook his head, another gentle sigh falling out of his mouth. “I know that you’re right” he murmured “I know that this isn’t last time, and that things...things are different now, but I still worry. You love your job, Maia, you’ve loved it for a lot longer than you’ve loved me, and I guess...I guess I am worried about still being in second place” he admitted, his voice soft and sheepish.

Maia, who’d been staring down at their hands, shook her head gently before she lifted it, her blue eyes peeking up at him. “Have you not listened to a word I have said?” she posed quietly.

“Maia...”

“I don’t know how many times I can say it, Iker” Maia interrupted, her voice slightly upset “I loved you then, I loved you more than anything I had, and whilst I wasn’t the best at showing it, you have to know that that is true. I never meant to put you second, but I did, and I have learned from that. I am not so stupid that I would make the same mistake twice and expect the outcome to be different. You and Ella, you are what I want, and the rest of it can be figured out, but I want you and I am not going to keep saying it. I love you, Iker, you and Ella, and you’ve got to get your head around it. I’m not going anywhere” she insisted as she lifted her hand, gently wiping her eyes.

Iker stared at her, a lump forming in his throat, before he reached his hand out, brushing a couple of loose tears off of her cheek with his thumb. “I know that” he murmured.

Maia simply offered him a tearful look, something which caused him to squeeze her hand lightly. “I know that things are different, Maia” he murmured “But I also know how much you love what you do...”

“I love you more” Maia interrupted.

Iker blinked a couple of times, surprised by her interruption, before he looked at her, his expression softening. “Huh?” he spluttered.

Maia tucked a strand of dark hair off of her face before she shook her head. “You’re right, I do love my job, and for a time, it was my priority, but things have changed, Iker. My priorities have changed” she explained, a timid smile on her lips.

Iker tilted his head, something which made Maia shake her head before she lifted her hand, lightly cupping his cheek. “I made the mistake of letting this fall apart once” she noted “And I have very little intention of letting that happen again. I want this, Iker, I want me, you and Ella and I want that more than I want to go back to the way things were before. You’re right, I love that job, but there are two people I love more than that and you need to get that into your head. You and Ella, you’re my top priority” she insisted, her tearful blue eyes mirroring his darker ones.

Iker held her stare, allowing her words to hang around them, before he closed his eyes, a soft smile on his face. “I needed to hear that” he murmured.

“I know” Maia mused “And I needed to say it. You’re it, Iker” she insisted, a small tearful smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.

Iker was quiet for a second, allowing the words to hang in the air, before he leant forwards, pressing his lips against hers. Maia startled, a little surprised by the kiss, but didn’t hesitate in kissing him back, something which made Iker’s smile widen a fraction. It was what he had needed to hear.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)