There Was You

Grumbling sleepily to himself, Iker stuck his hand out from beneath the duvet, reaching over Riley’s sleeping frame to collect her phone from its spot on the end table. It was early, with him and Riley having had a dinner date that night, they’d not gotten to sleep until late, and he was irked to be awake again so soon, even if his alarm was set early. He had hoped to get a couple more hours of sleep in before he was disturbed. Feeling blindly across the cabinet, he searched for the phone for a moment before he set a hand on it, causing him to pull it back towards himself, pressing it to his ear without stopping to glance at the caller ID. “Riley’s phone” he grumbled, resting his arm over his eyes.

“Iker?” Garrett’s voice replied.

“Garrett” Iker noted “You do know what time it is, don’t you?” he added through a yawn.

“I do” Garrett replied “And trust me, if it wasn’t important, I’d not risk disturbing my sister. Is she there?” he asked.

Iker, who’d closed his eyes again, made a small noise in response to Garrett’s question before he turned over, gently pushing Riley’s shoulder. “Riley” he grumbled.

“No” Riley replied, not moving.

“Riley, it’s your brother” Iker mumbled “You have to talk to him” he added.

Riley stayed still for a few moments, seemingly thinking the statement over, before she let out a small huff. Turning over, she offered Iker a brief glare before she took the phone out of his hand, pressing it against her ear. “Garrett, what could you possibly need at two thirty in the morning?” she mumbled.

Iker quirked a small sleepy smile, watching the expression on her face, before he reached a hand out, gently pushing her messy hair back off of her face.

Riley, who’d been listening to Garrett talk, smiled a little at the feel of his fingers before she shook her head. “Do you need me to come and get her?” she asked.

Iker frowned a little. “Get who?” he asked quietly

“Tilly” Riley replied, covering the phone “Eva’s in labour and Garrett can’t get a hold of Mia who lives closer to him, so he’s calling me” she added before she turned her attention back to the phone. Listening for a few seconds, she gently nodded her head before she mumbled a quick goodbye, tossing the phone down onto the mattress.

“Should I get dressed?” Iker asked.

Riley, who’d been staring quietly down at the phone, blinked sleepily as she looked back up at him. “Hm?” she asked.

“Do you need to go and pick up Matilda?” Iker clarified.

Riley nodded, trying, and failing, to hide a yawn behind her hand. “I do” she mused “Apparently, Eva’s waters haven’t broken yet, but they want to be ready to go as soon as they do, so I said I’d go and get her” she added.

Iker nodded before he turned, swinging his legs out of bed.

Riley watched him for a moment before she tilted her head, a small frown on her lips. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Getting up?” Iker replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why?” Riley asked.

“So that we can go and pick your neice up” Iker noted “I mean, you just said that you had to go and get her” he added.

“You don’t have to come” Riley replied “Iker, it’s two thirty in the morning. You should be getting some sleep. I know I would be” she added, a slightly bashful laugh falling out of her mouth.

Iker shook his head. “I’m already awake, Garrett’s phone call made sure of that” he noted, shrugging nonchalantly.

Riley just stared at him for a moment, something which caused Iker’s cheeks to flush a soft shade of pink before he shook his head. “What?” he asked.

Riley’s lips quirked upwards ever so slightly before she shook her head, gently tucking her hair back off of her face. She knew that it wasn’t the biggest gesture but still she couldn’t help but smile at it, liking the idea that he hadn’t even stopped to think about it before he had opted to get up. “I just...” she stumbled out “I don’t know...I guess I just think you’re pretty amazing” she added shyly.

Iker blinked a couple of times, slightly caught off guard by the compliment, before a soft smile bloomed across his features. “Well...uh...gracias” he quipped, not quite sure how to respond.

Riley laughed gently. “You’re welcome” she mused.

~#~
Staring at the door ahead of himself, Iker lifted his a hand, hesitating before he made a move to knock on it. He knew that they were expecting him, when he’d gotten back to his phone after the training session had finished, he’d found a text from Riley asking him to meet her at the hospital, but still he was hesitant, not wanting to intrude on Eva and Garrett’s moment. Closing his eyes, he allowed his hand to linger a tiny distance away from the door for another moment before he closed the gap, tapping gently before he nudged the door open, peeking around it cautiously.

Riley, who was sat with Matilda in a chair next to the bed, glanced up at the sound of the door opening, her face brightening with a soft smile. “You made it” she cooed.

“You told me that you needed a ride home” Iker quipped “I mean, I could have just left you here, but...you know, I’m a wonderful boyfriend” he added, his voice caught between soft and teasing.

Eva grinned. “We all know that” she noted “Honestly, I don’t think Riley ever stops talking about you” she added.

Riley scoffed playfully. “You act like I don’t remember what you and Garrett were like when you started dating” she quipped.

Eva shook her head. “Be nice” she noted “I just had a baby” she added, poking her tongue out playfully.

Iker quirked a shy smile. “Congratulations, Eva” he mused.

“Thank you” Eva replied “Would you like to come and meet him?” she asked.

Iker blinked a couple of times. “If that’s...If you don’t...” he stumbled out.

Eva smiled comfortingly before she reached her hand out, offering it to Iker who hesitated for a beat before he took it, allowing her to pull him towards the bed. Taking small steps, he offered Riley an uncertain glance before he came to a stop, his stare moving towards the bassinette which was situated beside the bed, housing the sleeping newborn. Glancing downwards, he watched the little boy stir a little in his sleep before he tilted his head, his eyes catching Riley’s which were watching him, searching his expression for a reaction.

Riley held his stare for a beat before she quirked a little smile, glancing back down towards her feet. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” she asked.

“Absolutely” Iker replied “He looks a lot like Garrett” he added.

Riley thought about laughing, making a joke, but stopped herself, something which made Iker smile to himself before he turned, offering a pleasant smile to Eva. “Have you chosen a name yet?” he asked.

“Theo” Eva replied “Theodore was my father’s name and we both liked it” she mused.

Iker nodded his head, still smiling, before Theo made a small noise, something which caused Riley to stand up, looking at Eva for permission. Eva made a show of playfully rolling her eyes before she nodded, something which made Riley grin before she stepped up to Iker’s side, gently lifting Theo up into her arms. “I’ve been waiting for this” she cooed “He’s been asleep since me and Tilly got here” she added, wandering back towards where Matilda sat, happily scribbling on some paper.

Iker just watched her with the faintest of smiles, his stomach flipping a little at the sight of her and the newborn.