Meerab was sitting on her side of the bed, scrolling aimlessly on her phone, when Murtasim entered the room. She looked up and gave him a sideways smile, and resumed her scrolling. He went towards her, took the phone from her hand and made her stand up holding both her arms.

"Kya hua?", she asked, surprised. This action of his was quite out of the ordinary, as was his silence.

He interlocked his fingers with hers and put both their hands behind her back as he pulled her towards himself.

"Murtasim...", she looked at him with her confused doe eyes and he felt his heart twisting. But he had to do this, he reminded himself. For her. It was time.

He slowly bent forward and almost put his lips on hers, waiting for her to jerk away, and when she didn't, slowly captured them. She had no idea what was going on in his mind but she trusted him now, so much that she let him kiss her. He slowly moved his lips on hers in a way that made her realise he was asking for her to reciprocate. What surprised her was that she did, making his mind go crazy for a minute there. He composed himself and they kissed for a while. Just chaste kisses. Both their hearts thudding in their chests.

"Kya kar rahe ho?", she asked him, when they eventually stopped, her eyes still closed as he put his forehead on hers. She was not understanding anything because its not like there relationship had taken any turns. Just the occassional flirting he did with her and the domestication they had gotten quite used to. The contract still existed and Murtasim never so much as tried to peck her before this. She was surprised at herself for being so calm even after sharing her first ever kiss with him.

"Ek akhiri tohfa le raha tha tumse", he said in that husky voice of his, but it was different than usual. He was in pain and it came out in his voice.

"Matlab?", she said, slowly opening her eyes and freeing her hands from his already weakening hold.

"Meerab, I love you", and just like that, her heart skipped a beat. He always looked so open and vulnerable when he would express his feelings for her and that always made her uncomfortable. Mainly because she didn't know how to respond to him, and partly because she couldn't face him when he looked like that. She was used to the confident Murtasim Khan, aggressive Murtasim Khan, and had even gotten used to the flirty Murtasim Khan. But not this vulnerable one.

He put his hand on her cheek and made her look in his eyes. She did and his eyes, they had changed, they weren't so vulnerable now.

"And that's why I will let you go", he was feeling his heart wrenching as he uttered those words but he said them with a finality in his voice.

"Haan?", Meerab said, reeling those words in. He moved back a bit and that's when she realised she had put her hands on his chest after freeing them from his hold.

"I will divorce you, if you ask me. Chhod dunga tumhe. Tumhari khaatir", Murtasim turned away from Meerab as he told her. A lone tear escaped his eye and he moved to leave, intending to give her time to soak in what he said and decide.

"No", Meerab spoke urgently, just the thought made her stomach churn, she made him turn towards her again. "Nahi, nahi, nahi", she repeated silently, shaking her head. She was in quiet disbelief, that he was even giving her a choice but she knew her answer, she didn't want to leave him, ever. He was the only one in his life she wanted to be with, she wanted to rely on, trust, and maybe one day love with her whole being. Just the thought of losing him, "no", she said again as she hugged him with all her might, wrapping her arm around his middle, putting her head on his chest.

Thud, thud, thud.

His heartbeat was crazy fast. He could not believe her reaction. He was hoping she would say a no because despite denying she did have feelings for him, he thought she might say yes after some consideration and talks about support and help from him, but both after some consideration. What he didn't expect was an instant no. She loved him, just his stupid girl was in denial. The realisation dawned on him and he sighed in relief. He rested his head on hers and put his arms around her smaller frame.

After what felt like eternity they broke apart, and he took in her face, eyes filled with tears, same spilled out on cheeks, and like always felt an ache go through his heart.

"I am sorry", he apologized, "but mujhe laga tum yahi chahti ho", but she looked calm as she looked into his eyes.

"Haan chahti thi, pehle, jab tumhe kusoorwaar thehraati thi apne oopar hue har zulm ka. Lekin, ab, ab main tumhe chhodne ka tasawwur bhi nahi karna chahti. Kyunki mujhe samajh aa gaya hai. Allah ne tumhe meri duaoon ke jawaab mein mera shauhar banaya tha. Tum mera wo sahara bane, jab main besahara thi. Haan main tumhe apni saari takleef ka zimmedaar maanti rahi, ki tumse shaadi karne ki zabardasti ke liye mujh par zulm kiya gaya, but ismein tumhara koi qusoor nahi raha hai, tumne har waqt pe to mera saath hi diya hai, aaj jab ek pal ke liye laga ki wo saath chhoot jayega to mujhe laga main apni zindagi ka sabse keemti tohfa kho dungi, aur main wo bardaasht nahi kar sakti, Murtasim". she finished and he couldn't even blink. She held him on such high regards. He was the most important person in her life, same as she was in his. He fed off her calm energy and took her hands in his. "Kabhi bhi nahi chhodunga, qayamat tak nahi", he said and she smiled at him. The innocent smile, that really tug at his heart. She was really an enigma, fiery sometimes, innocent other times, but always so honest, so sincere, so genuine. His meerab, she was.

"To baat hi kyun ki? Maine to aisa kuch nahi kaha tha" she asked, still confused where it came from.

He had went against his primal instinct regarding her when he decided to do this, he didn't know how to explain to her that his love had reached that level, where only her happiness mattered. She didn't believe in his mohabbat only sometimes, how would she believe in his ishq.

"Bas tang kar raha tha" he decided to take the teasing route and she instantly got ticked off. She snatched her hands from his, "tumhara aisa koi irada nahi tha? Tumne sirf tang karne ke liye ye sab kiya?" She said angrily as she sat on the bed and folded her arms.

"Mhmm", he further teased, enjoying her anger.

"Tumne sirf tang karne ke liye mujhe rula tak diya aur kehte ho mere rone se takleef hoti hai? Tumhari to kisi baat pe bharosa hi nahi karna chahiye", she rambled on, knowing deep inside he was just teasing her and would never give her the answer she was asking for.

He laughed on, taking peace in her angry ramblings and she in his laugh.

Okay so first time writer here. Sorry for the vocabulary issues. The writing faults and the cringiness if you witness. Hopefully you enjoy, if not, don't throw tomatoes.