There Was You

Quietly placing two mugs down on her nightstand, Riley slipped beneath the duvet once more, her eyes settling on Iker who was still sound asleep in the space next to her. She knew that he had been hesitant, when she had suggested that her stay over the night before, there had been a moment when Riley had seen a brief desire to say no pass over his features, but she couldn’t deny that she was pleased that he’d ignored it and stayed, even if she had fallen asleep almost as soon as she had climbed under the duvet. There had been something comforting about waking up and having his face be the first thing that she’d seen.

Smiling gently into her mug, she watched Iker sleep for a few more seconds before she gently reached a hand out, lightly bumping it against his shoulder. “Iker” she murmured softly.

Iker stirred a little, but didn’t open his eyes, instead opting to let out a sleepy groan. “It can’t already be morning” he mumbled.

Riley laughed quietly. “I’m afraid so” she quipped “But, there is good news. I’ve made you coffee” she added.

Iker blinked his eyes open, staring up at her sleepily. “You’re a morning person” he mumbled.

Riley shrugged. “Not particularly” she noted “I just woke up a few minutes ago and seeing as I was making myself some tea, I thought I’d make you a drink too. I can take it back if you’d rather” she added, offering him a little shy smile as she fiddled with the duvet.

Iker noticed the shyness in her expression, but didn’t say anything about it, instead opting to just shake his head. “I’ll take the drink” he mused “I can’t believe how much a few hours with your neice wore me out” he added, gratefully taking the mug that Riley had moved to offer out towards him.

Riley laughed, sipping on her own drink. “She wasn’t that bad” she quipped “Besides, she really likes you. That’s quite an achievement” she added.

Iker smiled gently. “You really think so?” he asked.

Riley didn’t hesitate in nodding. “Matilda’s the hardest person in my family to impress” she quipped “I mean, she wouldn’t invite anyone to spend time with us and she didn’t hesitate with you. Clearly, she loves you” she added warmly.

It had surprised her, after how wary Matilda had been when she was around Ben, Riley had fully expected that it would take her a while to warm to Iker, and the fact that it hadn’t had been a pleasant surprise. It was only a small thing, but the idea that her niece liked the goalkeeper was further reassurance to Riley that there was something special about him.

Iker tried to hide his sheepish smile by taking another sip of his drink, something which made Riley shake her head, smiling gently. “I’m glad that you showed up” she murmured after a few seconds of quiet “I mean, I was pretty disappointed when I had to cancel our plans, so you showing up in spite of that...well it was nice. You’re nice” she added shyly.

Iker quirked a faint smirk, briefly contemplating teasing her, before he shook his head, his spare hand moving to take a hold of hers which fiddled uncertainly with the duvet between the two of them. “I missed you” he mumbled, gently entwining their fingers “And I wanted to see you, regardless of what it looked like. I’d have settled for a kiss before you shut the door in my face, just as long as I got to see you first” he added, gently skimming his thumb over the back of her hand.

Riley watched the movement of his thumb for a moment, allowing a few beats of quiet to pass between the two of them, before she tilted her head up, glancing up at his face with a soft smile.

Iker held her stare, a smile of his own flitting around the corners of his mouth, before he opened his mouth, only to be cut off by the sharp sound of Riley’s alarm clock which sat on the bedside table.

Riley flinched at the sound before she pulled away, moving to switch it off. “Sorry about that” she muttered.

Iker breathed out a slightly shaky laugh, shaking his head. “It’s OK” he replied “But I am guessing that that’s a sign that I ought to start thinking about getting out of here?” he asked.

Riley’s expression softened a little before she hesitantly nodded her head. “I’ve got to start getting for work” she mused “I mean, if you want to hang around for breakfast, then that’s fine, but I’ll only have about twenty minutes. I’ve got to shower and get changed and...”

“It’s cool, Ry” Iker interrupted, hearing how flustered her voice was becoming.

Riley blinked a couple of times, surprised by the interruption, before she shook her head. “Sorry” she mumbled “I mean, I’d love to stay here for a little longer but...” she trailed off.

Iker squeezed her hand gently before he let it go, shuffling back up to his feet. “I’ll leave you to it” he mused, stepping back into the pair of shorts that he had left neatly folded on top of Riley’s dresser.

Riley watched him before she stood up, padding around to his side of the bed. Stopping in front of him, she hesitated for a split second before she closed the little distance which existed between them, kissing him softly for a moment before she leant back, her nose still lightly touching his. “I’ll see you soon, won’t I?” she murmured quietly.

Iker, who’d settled his hands on her waist, quirked a soft smile, one hand brushing up and down her side. “Of course you will” he enthused.

Riley couldn’t help but smile back at him, her cheeks flushing pink as the tips of his fingers brushed against some of her skin which had been exposed by the bottom of her pajama shirt. “Good” she mused “Because I...I like seeing you” she stumbled out.

Iker tilted his head, a faint frown on his lips, before he leant forwards, stealing another soft kiss. “I like seeing you too, Ry” he murmured.

Riley closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a shaky breath, before she opened them again, stopping herself from saying anything more.

Iker held her stare, wordlessly trying to encourage her to say something, before he pulled away slightly, clearing his throat. “I’ll text you later, Ry” he mused “We can makes plans or something, yeah?” he asked.

Riley nodded, offering him a faint smile. “Yeah” she confirmed.

Iker hesitated for a beat, almost willing her to say something else, to say the thing she had stopped herself from saying, before he nodded his head, quietly excusing himself from the room. Riley watched him go before she gently shook her head, wordlessly ruing the fact that she hadn’t quite been able to get the words out before the nerves had gotten the better of her.