Where We Are

“What is this, Maia?”

Maia, who’d been quietly studying the expression which had appeared on Iker’s face, blinked a couple of times at the soft sound of his voice before she shifted her hand, gently readjusting the ponytail that she had tied her hair into. It had been a long few seconds, after she had spotted the pregnancy tests which sat in his hand, any words that had been on the tip of her tongue had quickly deserted her, and she didn’t quite know what to say to him, even if she knew that she did have to say something. She couldn’t get a read on the expression which marked his face.

Iker, who was sat a little away from her, watched her mess with her hair for a moment before he gently reached his hand out, knotting their fingers together. “What’s going on, Maia?” he mused softly. He could see that she was anxious, from the moment that she had set eyes on the pregnancy tests, her eyes had grown wide in surprise, and he wanted to soothe her slightly. The last thing he wanted was for her to try and avoid the conversation that they clearly needed to have.

“You...you found those” Maia babbled.

Iker nodded. “You left them on the bathroom counter” he mused “They’re yours?” he posed.

Maia spared him a hesitant look, briefly contemplating telling him that they weren’t hers, before she let out a soft sigh, offering him a slightly stiff nod. “I...I took them earlier” she stumbled out “I must have forgotten that I had left them on the counter. I didn’t mean for you to find them” she added.

Iker frowned. “You didn’t want me to find them?” he asked.

Maia studied the look on his face before she shook her head. “I didn’t mean that” she noted “I just...it’s not a conversation that I envisaged us having at one in the morning. I was going to tell you, of course I was, but you caught me off guard” she babbled as her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, showing Iker just how flustered she was.

Iker stared at her for a moment, not missing the colour on her cheeks, before he shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. “I’ve not seen you this flustered in a while” he quipped impishly.

Maia glared up at him. “Iker” she warned.

Iker shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me you suspected it?” he posed “I mean, this clearly isn’t some spur of the moment thing, Maia. Why didn’t you let on?” he asked.

Maia shrugged. “I was worried” she admitted “I mean, we’re always talking about taking things slowly and being a little tentative, and the idea that I am pregnant...it contradicts that and I was worried....”

“How I would react to that?” Iker finished for her, a knowing look on his face.

Maia let out a soft sigh before she nodded her head, her blue eyes looking up at him tentatively. “I should have told you about my suspicions” she noted “And I am sorry that I didn’t” she added, chewing on her lip shyly.

Iker watched her chew on her lip for a moment, briefly contemplating pushing the issue slightly more, before he moved his hand, lightly cupping it around her cheek. “They’re positive?” he breathed softly.

Maia quirked a faint smile. “They are” she murmured.

Iker was quiet for a moment, processing her words, before he shook his head, trying to stifle the grin which itched to spread across his features. “You’re pregnant?” he asked.

“That’s what positive pregnancy tests suggest” Maia retorted impishly “Is that something which would make you happy?” she added, not missing the smile which played at the corner of his mouth. It was a relief, the slight upward quirk at the corner of his mouth was something which made her feel slightly more comfortable, but still she wanted to hear him say the words, even if she was confident about what he felt. She wanted to hear him say it.

Iker feigned thought for a moment before he dropped his stare, focusing it on her stomach which was still covered by the duvet.

“I need you to say something, Iker” Maia quipped “I mean, I think I know what you’re thinking, but I’d still like you to say some words, even if they are just one of your awkward little jokes. I’d like you to say something” she insisted, her voice caught between teasing and serious.

Iker’s lips quirked upwards a little more before he gently leant forwards, prizing the duvet out of her hands. “Are you happy?” he posed as he gently reached his hand out, scooting the material of his t-shirt that she wore up.

Maia blinked. “What?” she posed.

Iker offered her a boyish smile. “Are you happy?” he repeated, gently pushing her shirt up to just beneath her chest.

Maia watched his slow and deliberate movements before she nodded her head. “I was surprised” she admitted “When I first started to feel a little nauseous, I knew it felt familiar, but I was still surprised, but when I saw those test results...I’m excited, Iker. Nervous, but excited” she added. It had caught her more than a little off guard, the familiar feeling of morning sickness had sort of crept up on her, but she was excited, even if a small part of her was worried that it was soon. The idea that she was pregnant again was one which had butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

Iker, who’d been quietly staring down at her flat stomach, smiled gently at her words before he lifted his head, meeting her blue eyes with his darker ones. “I’m thrilled, Maia” he mused.

“You are?” Maia squeaked.

Iker nodded. “I’m a little upset that you didn’t just tell me” he noted “I would have loved to have been there when you took the tests, but of course I am thrilled, nena. How could I feel any different?” he posed, gently tracing his thumb over the warm skin of her stomach.

Maia simply stared down at his hand, her blue eyes fixated on the movement of his thumb over her skin.

“It is soon” Iker continued “Ella’s only nine months old, but I am thrilled, Maia. Another baby...it’s amazing news” he babbled.

Maia smiled shyly. “You’re sure about that?” she posed, lightly pushing her fingers back through his hair.

“Ella’s adorable” Iker quipped “And I am sure baba number two will be just as cute. How could it be a bad thing?” he posed boyishly.

Maia let out a small giggle before she leant a little closer to him, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead and nose before she met his lips, something which caused Iker to let out a soft laugh before he pulled away. Offering her another warm smile, he gently nudged her backwards before he moved to hover over her, pressing his lips to the warm skin of her stomach. “I love you” he mumbled quietly.

Maia smiled fondly at the feel of his lips against her skin before she gently pushed her hand back through his hair. “Me or baba?” she posed.

Iker grinned against her stomach before he sat up. “Both of you” he mused “I love both of you” he repeated.

Maia let out a small nervous giggle, something Iker was quick to stifle, pressing another soft kiss against her lips. He knew that it was quick, Ella hadn’t even reached her first birthday, but already they were planning for a new arrival, and it excited Iker, even if there was a small part of him that was disappointed to have missed the moment that Maia had found that she was expecting. He was more than happy about the idea of their family growing from three to four.