Where We Are
80: I Owe Her
Quietly rocking Charlie from side to side, Maia rested her weight against the kitchen counter, her blue eyes blinking sleepily. It was early, when she had last looked at a clock, it had been a little after six in the morning, but with Charlie having stirred, she had been quick to get out of bed, not wanting the little boy’s cries to disturb the whole house.
She knew that it wouldn’t be long before everyone else woke up, with it being Christmas morning, she had little doubt that the house would be a hive of activity before long, but she was keen to enjoy a few quiet moments, even if she was excited at the prospect of the festivities getting underway. She was glad of a few seconds to herself. It had been a busy few days, with her mother and Iker’s keen to fuss over their developing wedding plans, it’d been hectic, but she was pleased that they were so excited, even if they were still a way away from the big day itself.
Gently readjusting her arms, she lightly brushed her fingers through Charlie’s dark brown hair before she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, something which caused her to look up, watching as Iker padded sleepily into the room, Ella balanced on his hip. Quirking a small grin, she watched him step across the room before she cleared her throat, something which caused him to startle before he looked up, a sleepy smile appearing on his lips. “I was starting to wonder where you’d gotten to” he quipped.
Maia rolled her eyes slightly before she shook her head, a small grin playing at the corner of her mouth. “Where else would I be?” she countered.
Iker, who’d moved to settle Ella down into her highchair, shrugged. “I don’t know” he quipped “But you’ve been up for a while. Is he Ok?” he posed, sparing a small look down towards Charlie who slept happily in his mother’s arms.
Maia followed the line of his stare, smiling a little as Charlie let out a soft sound, before she nodded. “He woke up about an hour ago” she noted “And I struggled to settle him back down again, but he’s asleep now. What is she doing up?” she posed, looking towards Ella who sat in her high chair, playing with a toy which Iker had bought with him.
Iker shrugged. “She woke up” he quipped “And I figured we could come and get some breakfast before everyone else got up and started to make a fuss. You want to join us?” he asked as he padded towards the fridge, collecting a few things that he would need to make breakfast.
Maia watched him for a couple of seconds, a soft smile on her face, before she stepped towards him, gently tapping him on the shoulder.
Iker turned at the feel of the tap on his shoulder, preparing to make a comment, but Maia was quicker, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. Iker startled, slightly caught off guard by the sudden kiss, but he warmed to it quickly, kissing her happily until she pulled away, offering him a soft smile. “Merry Christmas, Iker” she murmured.
Iker quirked a soft smile before he ducked down, pressing another kiss against her lips. “Merry Christmas, Maia” he replied warmly.
~#~
Pulling her cardigan around her a little more, Maia settled down onto the couch, her blue eyes settled on Iker who was sat in the middle of the floor, babbling to Ella as he held out a present for her to unwrap. It had been a good day, with both set of parents around, the day had been one which had been full of noise and excitement, and Maia had adored it. It meant a lot to her, the idea that her parents and Iker’s got along was important to her, and she was glad that they’d opted to spend the day together. The last thing she would have wanted was to split the day between her family and Iker’s.
Lightly tucking her hair behind her ear, she admired Iker and Ella for a couple of moments before she quirked a small smile to herself, wordlessly fussing about how cute they looked together.
“Aren’t you going to open some of your presents?”
Maia, who’d been happily watching Iker with Ella, looked up at the sound of her father’s voice before she turned, offering him a small shrug. “I’ll get to it” she mused.
Hector let out a small laugh. “That’s quite a change” he quipped “When you were a little girl we couldn’t stop you from opening everything in the first minute. You didn’t even know half of what you’d gotten” he added, patting her leg playfully.
Maia offered him a small playful glare before she felt something nudge against her leg, causing her to look down towards Ella who stood ahead of her, a neatly wrapped present grasped in her hands. “Mama” she mused, gently offering the box out.
Maia furrowed her forehead slightly, something which made Iker chuckle from his spot on the floor. “It’s a present” he quipped “To you, from Ella and Charlie” he added.
Maia offered him a curious glance before she gently took the box out of Ella’s hand, unwrapping it. Discarding of the wrapping paper, she undid the cardboard box which sat inside before she gently pulled out its contents, her lips immediately falling into a warm grin. “It’s adorable” she enthused.
“What is it?” Hector posed curiously.
“It’s a bauble” Maia replied “With a picture of Charlie and Ella on it” she added.
“It’s a good picture too” Iker contributed “I took it myself” he boasted playfully.
Maia let out a small laugh before she shook her head, mumbling a comment about him being an idiot beneath her breath.
Hector smiled a little at their interaction before he pushed himself to his feet, quickly gathering Ella into his arms. “I think we ought to go and see what the grandmothers are up too” he quipped “You never know, maybe they’ll have finished baking” he added impishly before he padded out of the room.
Maia watched him out of the room before she pushed herself up, padding towards the Christmas tree which stood across the room. Quirking a small smile, she located the gift that she was looking for before she moved to pick it up, offering it out towards Iker who stood a little away from her, watching her amusedly. “I got you this” she noted “I mean, you didn’t make buying you something easy, but I figured I ought to get you something” she added teasingly.
Iker rolled his eyes playfully before he moved to take the gift out of her hand, quickly unwrapping it before he tilted his head. “It’s a framed napkin” he noted, his voice more than a little confused.
Maia admired the confused expression that he wore on his face for a second before she nodded, offering him a bright smile. “What’s on the napkin?” she prodded.
Iker frowned a little before he turned his attention downwards, scanning the napkin briefly before his face filled with realization. “That’s my phone number” he quipped “In my handwriting. Is this the napkin I gave you the first night we met?” he asked.
Maia smiled up at him, her hand shyly tucking her dark hair behind her ear. “I found it when we were packing up for the move” she mused “It turns out, I had kept it in my bedside table and I thought it would be a pretty cute present. It’s a little souvenir of the night we first met” she added, her voice slightly shy and tentative.
Iker, who’d been admiring frame, smiled a little at the shyness in her voice before he lifted his head, his dark eyes peeking into her blues. “I remember that night” he mused “You almost spilt your drink on my shirt whilst you were trying to get out of the bar and away from the friend of Alex’s date that she had left you with” he added.
Maia scoffed. “You weren’t looking where you were going” she retorted playfully.
Iker let out a small laugh before he shook his head. “You ended up staying for a couple of hours” he noted.
“You offered to buy me a drink” Maia quipped “It would have been rude to say no” she added impishly.
Iker rolled his eyes before he shook his head. “I am glad that you stayed” he noted “And I was even more glad when you texted me a few days later, asking if I wanted to get dinner. I didn’t think I’d hear from you again” he admitted, his voice softening slightly.
Maia shook her head. “It took a little convincing” she admitted “When I told Alex that I had met a guy that I liked, she was insistent about me texting you, but I was pretty shy so I left it a couple of days. She kept badgering me though, insisting that I should take a chance on the guy who I’d apparently not shut up about, and eventually I did. I owe her for that” she added gently.
Iker listened to her, smiling a little at her words, before he took a step forwards, dropping a soft kiss on her forehead. “I should thank her” he mumbled against her skin.
Maia nodded. “You should” she mused “Without her pushing, I don’t know that I would have texted and if I hadn’t have texted...”
“You did text me, though” Iker interrupted, not wanting her to finish her thought “And I, for one, am incredibly glad about it” he added warmly.
Maia’s cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink before she shook her head, something which made Iker smile before he pressed another kiss to her forehead, mumbling a soft ‘I love you’ which made Maia’s blush darken.
She knew that it wouldn’t be long before everyone else woke up, with it being Christmas morning, she had little doubt that the house would be a hive of activity before long, but she was keen to enjoy a few quiet moments, even if she was excited at the prospect of the festivities getting underway. She was glad of a few seconds to herself. It had been a busy few days, with her mother and Iker’s keen to fuss over their developing wedding plans, it’d been hectic, but she was pleased that they were so excited, even if they were still a way away from the big day itself.
Gently readjusting her arms, she lightly brushed her fingers through Charlie’s dark brown hair before she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, something which caused her to look up, watching as Iker padded sleepily into the room, Ella balanced on his hip. Quirking a small grin, she watched him step across the room before she cleared her throat, something which caused him to startle before he looked up, a sleepy smile appearing on his lips. “I was starting to wonder where you’d gotten to” he quipped.
Maia rolled her eyes slightly before she shook her head, a small grin playing at the corner of her mouth. “Where else would I be?” she countered.
Iker, who’d moved to settle Ella down into her highchair, shrugged. “I don’t know” he quipped “But you’ve been up for a while. Is he Ok?” he posed, sparing a small look down towards Charlie who slept happily in his mother’s arms.
Maia followed the line of his stare, smiling a little as Charlie let out a soft sound, before she nodded. “He woke up about an hour ago” she noted “And I struggled to settle him back down again, but he’s asleep now. What is she doing up?” she posed, looking towards Ella who sat in her high chair, playing with a toy which Iker had bought with him.
Iker shrugged. “She woke up” he quipped “And I figured we could come and get some breakfast before everyone else got up and started to make a fuss. You want to join us?” he asked as he padded towards the fridge, collecting a few things that he would need to make breakfast.
Maia watched him for a couple of seconds, a soft smile on her face, before she stepped towards him, gently tapping him on the shoulder.
Iker turned at the feel of the tap on his shoulder, preparing to make a comment, but Maia was quicker, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. Iker startled, slightly caught off guard by the sudden kiss, but he warmed to it quickly, kissing her happily until she pulled away, offering him a soft smile. “Merry Christmas, Iker” she murmured.
Iker quirked a soft smile before he ducked down, pressing another kiss against her lips. “Merry Christmas, Maia” he replied warmly.
~#~
Pulling her cardigan around her a little more, Maia settled down onto the couch, her blue eyes settled on Iker who was sat in the middle of the floor, babbling to Ella as he held out a present for her to unwrap. It had been a good day, with both set of parents around, the day had been one which had been full of noise and excitement, and Maia had adored it. It meant a lot to her, the idea that her parents and Iker’s got along was important to her, and she was glad that they’d opted to spend the day together. The last thing she would have wanted was to split the day between her family and Iker’s.
Lightly tucking her hair behind her ear, she admired Iker and Ella for a couple of moments before she quirked a small smile to herself, wordlessly fussing about how cute they looked together.
“Aren’t you going to open some of your presents?”
Maia, who’d been happily watching Iker with Ella, looked up at the sound of her father’s voice before she turned, offering him a small shrug. “I’ll get to it” she mused.
Hector let out a small laugh. “That’s quite a change” he quipped “When you were a little girl we couldn’t stop you from opening everything in the first minute. You didn’t even know half of what you’d gotten” he added, patting her leg playfully.
Maia offered him a small playful glare before she felt something nudge against her leg, causing her to look down towards Ella who stood ahead of her, a neatly wrapped present grasped in her hands. “Mama” she mused, gently offering the box out.
Maia furrowed her forehead slightly, something which made Iker chuckle from his spot on the floor. “It’s a present” he quipped “To you, from Ella and Charlie” he added.
Maia offered him a curious glance before she gently took the box out of Ella’s hand, unwrapping it. Discarding of the wrapping paper, she undid the cardboard box which sat inside before she gently pulled out its contents, her lips immediately falling into a warm grin. “It’s adorable” she enthused.
“What is it?” Hector posed curiously.
“It’s a bauble” Maia replied “With a picture of Charlie and Ella on it” she added.
“It’s a good picture too” Iker contributed “I took it myself” he boasted playfully.
Maia let out a small laugh before she shook her head, mumbling a comment about him being an idiot beneath her breath.
Hector smiled a little at their interaction before he pushed himself to his feet, quickly gathering Ella into his arms. “I think we ought to go and see what the grandmothers are up too” he quipped “You never know, maybe they’ll have finished baking” he added impishly before he padded out of the room.
Maia watched him out of the room before she pushed herself up, padding towards the Christmas tree which stood across the room. Quirking a small smile, she located the gift that she was looking for before she moved to pick it up, offering it out towards Iker who stood a little away from her, watching her amusedly. “I got you this” she noted “I mean, you didn’t make buying you something easy, but I figured I ought to get you something” she added teasingly.
Iker rolled his eyes playfully before he moved to take the gift out of her hand, quickly unwrapping it before he tilted his head. “It’s a framed napkin” he noted, his voice more than a little confused.
Maia admired the confused expression that he wore on his face for a second before she nodded, offering him a bright smile. “What’s on the napkin?” she prodded.
Iker frowned a little before he turned his attention downwards, scanning the napkin briefly before his face filled with realization. “That’s my phone number” he quipped “In my handwriting. Is this the napkin I gave you the first night we met?” he asked.
Maia smiled up at him, her hand shyly tucking her dark hair behind her ear. “I found it when we were packing up for the move” she mused “It turns out, I had kept it in my bedside table and I thought it would be a pretty cute present. It’s a little souvenir of the night we first met” she added, her voice slightly shy and tentative.
Iker, who’d been admiring frame, smiled a little at the shyness in her voice before he lifted his head, his dark eyes peeking into her blues. “I remember that night” he mused “You almost spilt your drink on my shirt whilst you were trying to get out of the bar and away from the friend of Alex’s date that she had left you with” he added.
Maia scoffed. “You weren’t looking where you were going” she retorted playfully.
Iker let out a small laugh before he shook his head. “You ended up staying for a couple of hours” he noted.
“You offered to buy me a drink” Maia quipped “It would have been rude to say no” she added impishly.
Iker rolled his eyes before he shook his head. “I am glad that you stayed” he noted “And I was even more glad when you texted me a few days later, asking if I wanted to get dinner. I didn’t think I’d hear from you again” he admitted, his voice softening slightly.
Maia shook her head. “It took a little convincing” she admitted “When I told Alex that I had met a guy that I liked, she was insistent about me texting you, but I was pretty shy so I left it a couple of days. She kept badgering me though, insisting that I should take a chance on the guy who I’d apparently not shut up about, and eventually I did. I owe her for that” she added gently.
Iker listened to her, smiling a little at her words, before he took a step forwards, dropping a soft kiss on her forehead. “I should thank her” he mumbled against her skin.
Maia nodded. “You should” she mused “Without her pushing, I don’t know that I would have texted and if I hadn’t have texted...”
“You did text me, though” Iker interrupted, not wanting her to finish her thought “And I, for one, am incredibly glad about it” he added warmly.
Maia’s cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink before she shook her head, something which made Iker smile before he pressed another kiss to her forehead, mumbling a soft ‘I love you’ which made Maia’s blush darken.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thanks to Jayme112234 and FootieJo for the comments :)