Hamraaz- Pt 7

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Zamurad never knew his words of a few weeks would turn to four months. Trying to track down the porches who so cruelly took the lives of animals who couldn't voice their pain took most of his time. The higher ranges of the mountains didn't experience much sunshine, hence a cloudy weather was all he could glimpse at when feeling tired and lonely.

His phone seemed useless to him after he tried to connect with his family for the nth time. His heart ached to see the face of the person who had encaptured his sane senses since the first time their eyes clashed. A dull throb always remained in his rhythmically beating heart till his consciousness was in charge of his brain.

The day that he had awaited for four months had finally come. The day when he got his hands on the barbaric creatures who called themselves human beings.

But it seems like they forgot that there was a huge difference between human beings and being human. The former made the majority of the part of the earth- the people who lacked humanity at a level that not any word could describe.

Animals like red panda, snow leopard, and the Himalayan black bears had been hunted for ages. Their lives seemed to be of no value in the greedy eyes of the poachers who see nothing but the money they'd make after selling parts of these living beings as if they were machines. The government had strictly put a ban on hunting them and many other species around the area that were vulnerable to extinction, but some people just don't listen.

The forest administration was involved way after the case was secretly handed over to the military for a time being and to think that corruption could do wonders would be an understatement.

After days of arguing and presentation of evidence against the higher ups in the forest department, the military had found a sense of peace entering in their hearts on seeing the guilty ones being punished for their actions. These types of matters were rarely made to see the light of the day and now the majority of the population had no regards to the lives of the animals moving around, helping them in ways they don't bother to look into.

A day later after the whole situation had calmed down to an extent, Zamurad had politely asked for his leave from his general who was understanding enough to grant the permission.

A journey of 3 hours was then made through the plane and as soon as Zamurad stepped foot in the airport, he was quick to connect to the network and ring a bell to his home, to inform of his arrival. All he heard from the other side were loud squeals of his sister and tear-filled happy whispers of his mother but the voice that he craved for so long was not heard by his awaiting ears.

Stepping into the familiar environment of his home brought him a sense of peace that he hadn't experienced ever before. But along the peace came the anxiousness of what his eyes would meet with after crossing the door- more like who would meet him after crossing the door.

Even the thought of her made him nervous.

Finally putting on the big man's courage, he took a deep breath and rubbed the region above his chest a little. Straightening his back and stabling his duffle bag, he finally raised his hand to ring the bell.

One.

Two.

Three-

Was all he could count till as the door was thrown open and a grinning Azra met him face to face. His heart warmed on seeing the shine on his sister's face as she hugged him tight, not even giving him the chance to enter the house.

He patted her head with a small smile of his own and let her go while Aashna stepped forward to embrace her son. The woman looked like she had cried to oblivion and there were still more tears left for her to shed. Zorawar hugged his son and patted him firmly on the back. His old eyes glistened with unshed tears but he put on the facade of being calm and collected.

His family finally gave him a way to enter the house and as he did, his eyes met hers who stood a few feet away with her mouth agape, eyes wide with surprise with a dupatta draped over her head. She looked the same as the day he had left her but the shine in her eyes had dimmed considerably.

And all because of him.

His conscience threw in the guilt with full force at his heart and mind and he gulped so as to not just rush over to her and hug the life out of her, murmuring a string of sorrys' and vows of never letting go again.

But he couldn't do that.

Just yet.

He watched with a look of burning intensity as she blinked a few times, the hues of natural red that resembled a just blossomed rose spread across her cheeks but he couldn't stare at the fascinating view for long as she averted her gaze, ducked her head down and walked away towards the kitchen.

"Bhai, baad mein ghur lena bhabi ko, abhi ke liye fresh ho jaye please. You stink!"

Azra whispered right next to his ears and he shook his head to shake away his reverie before narrowing his eyes at his sister who pretended to be the posh lady around.

"Just to remind you, you have gotten plenty of this stinkiness on you due to your previous actions."

Azra just shrugged him off and skipped towards the kitchen, probably to check on her bhabi and Zamurad stood in the living room not knowing where to go first.

The kitchen in hopes of conversing with his jaana all the while pretending to be in search of a glass of water or to skip directly towards his room to lessen the ache of his muscles.

"Zamurad, beta go and freshen up. You look so worn out and tired. Aakhri bar theek se kab soye the?"

A worried looking Aashna rubbed her hands across Zamurad's cheeks who could only smile at her concern.

"Ji mama, don't stress yourself much. I'm doing just fine."

He reassured her with a smile and kissed her forehead. Aashna gave him a half-hearted nod and he quickly dashed upstairs and to his room- more like their room.

Meanwhile Darya tried to concentrate on preparing some light snacks for her husband who she unknowingly was trying to avoid for as long as she could. Her eyes were fixed to the tray of namkeen, kaju barfi, rusk, khari and a glass of cold water. The tea that was kept on the stove was boiling but it seemed that Darya was too busy trying to sort out her thoughts.

"Bhabi, your husband is just a floor away. Itni yaad aa rahi hai toh ja kar mil le."

The teasing voice of Azra brought Darya out of her thoughts and she quickly switched the gas off as she met the sight of the tea falling from the saucepan. She sighed heavily as she saw the mess around the stove, completely ignoring Azra and her words.

The latter frowned at the lack of response that she got, suddenly worried about her bhabi's closed off demeanour. She bit her lips, her brain worked in wheels trying to find a solution to a problem she had no idea about and suddenly, an ever so genius idea brightened her mind and smile!

Clearing her throat, she lightly tapped Darya's shoulder who merely hummed in acknowledgement.

"Bhabi, mama was asking you to bring a clean shirt for bhai from your room. She had asked him to change in hers because his knee was wounded and-"

That was all Darya heard and before she knew it, she was racing to their room. Her heart rate increased and the sudden anxiety of whether he was fine or not clouded her mind. She threw open the door of her room, not bothering to notice the duffle bag that was thrown carelessly on the couch at the side and quickly rummaged through the wardrobe, trying to find a comfortable sweatshirt for him.

"Itni jaldi mein kya dhoond rahi ho?"

"Aapke liye ek shirt-"

She paused her actions and her words. Her eyes blinked a few times as she replayed the voice in her head again. Her hands seemed frozen as they remained on the shirt that was neatly placed in the wardrobe.

Turning around at an ever so slow pace, she craned her head a little up to look at the person she was trying to avoid. She gulped as she saw Zamurad standing in front of her, a space of merely a few inches was what separated them.

What made it worse was that he was shirtless and had put on just grey sweatpants, tiny water droplets fell from his forehead as his slightly wet hair looked oh so inviting to run her hands through.

"Jaana?"

She heard his small whisper amidst the silence. She took a deep breath and gave him a blank look while on the inside, her heart didn't know what to do. The thing wanted to beat at a fast rate but his mere presence made it hard to breathe.

"K-kaha chot lagi hai?"

She asked in a monotone. Her behaviour made Zamurad feel like a nervous kid who just wanted to get scolded rather than experiencing a silent treatment. He nervously chuckled, the towel in his hand long forgotten as it lay at his feet.

"Kaunsi chot?"

He asked in a clueless whisper and watched as Darya furrowed her eyebrows. Her eyes fell to his knees as she tried to examine them but a spark of recognition was quick to pass through the honey-doe eyes that looked like the glistening hive placed in front of the tree trunk directly experiencing the sunlight.

Darya mumbled incoherently under breath, her brain late enough to register that Azra's words were just a trick. Shaking her head at her foolishness, she tried to walk past him but her way was blocked as he took a step forward.

Darya gulped as the distance between them reduced even more but refused to give in. Her hands on instinct placed themselves on his chest in a determined hope to give them a push to free herself from the invisible clutches made by him but to her utter misfortune, his palms wrapped themselves around hers all the while as they were placed on his chest.

She tried to free herself but in response he only tightened his hold. What made her hasty with her actions was the overcoming flood of her tears that were getting stored behind her eyes since she saw him at the doorstep.

"I am sorry."

He whispered to her, a heartfelt apology in mere 3 words that broke her resolve of not breaking down in front of him.

Zamurad panicked as he saw her crying hysterically in his hold. Her whole weight was put on him as she surrendered all her barriers and stepped in his territory. He could only gulp as she gently unwrapped her palms from his and wrapped themselves around his torso.

Zamurad could feel the sensations passing through his body that resembled that of when firing a bullet- so igniting and so ferocious.

As soon as he collected his thoughts, he was quick to wrap his arms around her, protecting her and savouring their moment. Darya sobbed just like the day when he had left. Her eyes were not ready to block the waters that had a mind of their own. Her throat felt too dry as she whimpered every now and then.

"Shush jaana, abhi toh aaya hu. Are you not happy to see me?"

In response to his sarcastic question, he was met with a sharp smack on his back by her. He bit his lips to stop the idiotic grin from surfacing as he saw her sniffling lightly.

"Bas ab, aur kitna rogi? Banda 4 mahine aapki ek muskaan dekhne ke liye taras gaya tha aur aap yeh sila de rahi hai uske sabr ka?"

He tsked in mock reprimand towards the end and Darya glared at him. She tried to separate herself from him but he only tightened his hold. The challenge in her eyes ignited in his with full force- both defiant and both ziddi.

"M-muskaan dekhni hi thi toh pehle kyu nahi aaye? Wow Mr. soldier, a few weeks bol kar seedha 4 mahine wahi ruk gaye. Agar nahi rehna tha mere saath toh bol dete, aise akele chod kar-"

Darya's eyes widened as she felt her throat trying to take deep breaths. Her heart almost lurched out of her chest while her body hummed in satisfaction and a feeling oh so intoxicating that she almost felt herself drowning in his hold.

For that was the time when his lips met hers in the most frenzied of ways.

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Yayyy!! That was definitely a nice cliffhanger!! *wink wink*

My whole body hurts so bad, like aisa lag raha hai that someone actually broke it in a million times before putting it back in place. My toes are numb people! Thank goodness that I use my fingers to write...

Ah, nah, that was a bad joke...

Nevermind, just two more chapters more and I don't know how to deal with this. Yeh har baar ka ho gaya hai. I need to start making my characters a little more- you know, dull and all that, so I don't miss writing about them-

But you and I both know what's the truth....*heaves a heavy sigh*

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