Where We Are

38: Can You Remember The Last One?

Settling his head down onto his pillow, Iker looked up towards the ceiling, a tired yawn falling out of his mouth. It had become a routine, with Ella still not sleeping through the night, he and Maia tended to take it in turns when it came to getting out of bed to check on her, and whilst he loved spending a few quiet moments with Ella, it did leave him tired, something which was starting to take its toll.

It wasn’t obvious, since Ella had arrived, things between him and Maia had been as good as they had ever been, but still Iker was aware that there was a slight tension between them, one which had only become more apparent since they’d moved in together. He knew that Maia wasn’t worried, since he had finished moving his things into her apartment, she had appeared as happy as ever, and but still it weighed on his mind slightly, even if he was pretty certain that it was just his imagination. A small part of him was a little concerned.

Tracing patterns in the ceiling with his eyes, he shifted in an attempt to get a little more comfortable before he felt a hand settle on the top of his thigh, causing him to lower his stare, meeting Maia’s sleepy blue eyes. “I’d really like it if you could keep still” she quipped “I’ve just found the warm spot on this mattress and I’m not prepared to give it up without a fight” she added, quirking a sleepy smile.

“Lo siento” Iker mused “I didn’t mean to wake you” he added.

Maia shook her head. “It’s OK” she mused “Ella woke you?” she asked, snuggling a little closer to her pillow.

Iker, who’d moved to take a hold of the hand which sat on his thigh, nodded. “I heard her stirring over the monitor” he noted “And by the time I’d gotten up, she was getting ready to start screaming. I changed her nappy and gave her a feed and she should sleep for another couple of hours” he added.

Maia nodded her head before she let out another yawn, something which made Iker smile softly. “I really didn’t mean to disturb you” he noted “I was trying to be quiet” he added as he reached his hand out, gently tracing the line of her cheekbone with his thumb.

Maia smiled a little at the feel of his thumb before she closed her eyes, allowing another soft yawn to fall out of her mouth. “It’s not the first time one of us has woken the other one” she quipped “I still remember the first night we had her home. You practically kicked me out of bed just so you were the first one up” she added, her voice caught between sleepy and teasing.

Iker scoffed. “I wasn’t that bad” he countered.

“It’s not a bad thing” Maia returned “You were excited. It was pretty cute” she added, lazily running her thumb over the back of his hand as a silence settled over the two of them.

Iker looked down towards their hands, watching the small movements of her thumb for a few seconds, before he shook his head. “Can you remember the last time we went out on a date?” he asked, breaking the quiet which had settled over the two of them.

Maia, who’d moved to get slightly more comfortable against her pillow, blinked her eyes open at the sound of his voice before she lifted an eyebrow. “What?” she posed.

“A date” Iker mused “Can you remember the last time we had one?” he posed.

Maia frowned, slightly perturbed by his question, before she shrugged. “We had dinner that time” she pointed out “You cooked and everything. And then there was my birthday party, though that didn’t have the best ending. Why are you asking?” she posed, a furrow in her forehead.

Iker offered her a small look before he shrugged. “I’m just being silly” he noted.

Maia shook her head. “I’m not buying it” she countered.

“Maia...”

“You didn’t just ask that question for no reason, Iker” Maia cut in “So, come on. What’s going on up here?” she added, lightly prodding his temple with her finger.

Iker sighed a little at the small prod before he reached his hand up, gently knotting their fingers together. “I’m just thinking” he mumbled, pressing a soft kiss against the back of her hand.

“About what?” Maia posed.

“Us” Iker replied.

Maia frowned. “Us?” she replied “Iker...”

“Don’t look so worried” Iker interrupted, not missing the frown on her face “I know that things are good right now, but I’ve just been a little worried about us. The last few months, they’ve been pretty hectic and they’ve moved pretty quickly, and now that things are slowing down again, I’m just a little concerned that we’re not quite clicking” he admitted, his voice softening slightly.

Maia stared at him for a couple of seconds, allowing his words to hang in the air briefly, before she dropped her stare, shaking her head slightly. “You’re worried?” she posed.

“Not overly” Iker replied “I mean, things are going pretty well, but I just...I don’t want to let things slip, Maia” he added as he ducked his head, allowing his dark eyes to mirror hers.

Maia mirrored his stare briefly before she leant into him, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. “I don’t want to let it slip either” she murmured between soft kisses “But nights to ourselves are pretty few and far between. My parents live a way away and Alex is busy with her new boyfriend. Finding someone we trust to watch Ella isn’t exactly the easiest thing” she added, lightly pushing her fingers back through his hair.

“No” Iker agreed “It isn’t, but I want to try, even if it does mean inviting your parents to spend the night every now and again. I am sure that your papa and I could get along for a night every now and again” he added, his voice caught between firm and teasing. It was playing on his mind, the small shift in dynamics between them, and he wanted to address it sooner rather than later, not wanting things to slip between them as they had before.

Maia quirked a small smile at his joke before she shifted her hand, lightly pushing her fingers through his hair once more. “You’d do that for me?” she quipped playfully “I must be something pretty special” she added.

Iker smiled. “You are” he noted earnestly.

Maia’s cheeks warmed at his compliment before she leant into him, sneaking another soft kiss. “I am sure that we can figure something out” she noted “But for right now, don’t worry so much. We’re fine, Iker, for a couple who’ve got a new baby around, we’re doing fine, and you don’t need to be worrying about us so much. We’re good, amor” she added before she tossed onto her side, cuddling up against her pillow.

Iker watched her for a moment, listening to her breathing as it evened out, before he let out a small sigh. He knew that she was right, for a couple with a new baby, they were doing remarkably well, but still he couldn’t shake the knot in his stomach at the thought of their relationship stumbling once again.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)