Within minutes, the room where Ziyan had just taken my breath away was filled with my aunties, Mama, and Grandma, who had just arrived.
"How's my baby girl doing?" Grandma gives me a tight hug, but before I can even hug her back, she moves toward Ziyan and squeezes him in her arms instead.
She doesn't even wait for my answer before plopping down on the couch like her job here is done.
What can I even say about her?
"Did you just wake up? Why are you having breakfast so late?" Mama asks while caressing my head, but before I can reply, Grandma cuts in.
"You shouldn't ask such questions, Haniya. When I got married, Ziah's grandpa didn't let me leave the room until noon." She shyly reminisces, and I choke on my food, immediately catching the meaning behind her words.
I quickly clear things up before they assume the worst. "No, no, Mama! I woke up early, I just wasn't hungry, so I'm eating late."
Grandma scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You don't have to hide, darling. We all went through your phase. And with how handsome and built your husband is, I'm surprised you're sitting here this early."
A gasp escapes my lips at her wordsâwords that have no filter whatsoeverâbut I catch Ziyan chuckling quietly at her unholy thoughts.
"Grandma, can you please be quiet?" I whine, catching my cousins' teasing stares.
"Ziyan." I glare at the man who has a smirk on his lips. "Shut up," I mumble, but he just shrugs.
"Okay, Mama, stop teasing my baby," my rescuerâmy motherâfinally steps in to save me from further humiliation.
"I wasn't teasing, I was just stating facts. Now I'll start teasing. So, tell me, how was your night with this handsome hunk? He must have drained your enerâ"
"I knew it!" I groan loudly, cutting her off before she can finish her sentence. She bursts into laughter, looking absolutely delighted by the torment she's putting me through.
"Ya Allah, I'm leaving!" I stand up, desperate to escape and hide my burning cheeks, but Ziyan catches my wrist before I can.
"Come on, she was just playing. Sit down." He gently tugs me back, and with a huff, I obeyâwhen in reality, I'm trying so hard not to show my teeth from all the shyness bubbling inside me.
Even though I haven't even kissed him on the cheek, just listening to Grandma is making my mind imagine unholy things, and now I want to lift this couch and crawl underneath it.
Grandma is still laughing, slapping Fuzail's back as he joins her little team.
"This is fun," she sighs happily, enjoying this way more than she should.
"Nisma, do I look like a hippopotamus? Why did you bring so much food?" I glare at Nisma, who chuckles.
"I'm full, I can't eat more." I push the plate away, but before I can place it back on the table, Ziyan stops me.
"Clean that plate, Ziah. You're eating everything." He gives me a stern look.
"I'll throw up if I eat more, I'm full," I insist, but he doesn't look convinced.
My eyes widen in shock when he suddenly places his big hand on my tiny stomach. I quickly press my lips together to stop a gasp from escaping.
"Your stomach is still flat. I don't believe you. Come on, eat." He pushes the plate toward me, his fingers grazing my stomach before he pulls away. It's probably nothing to him, but my heart? My heart is doing somersaults over that small, casual touch.
"Haye, Ya Allah! I told you they're the cutest! Ziah's grandpaâ"
Not with this 'Ziah's grandpa' again. I roll my eyes as she gears up for yet another round of storytelling.
"He used to make sure I was always fully fed. He's so lovely, and I'm just seeing Shah Junior here," she coos, cracking her knuckles before throwing a flying kiss toward Ziyan.
"Shah Junior? Who's Shah?" Fuzail blinks in confusion.
Grandma quickly grabs her dupatta, suddenly acting all shy.
"Well... actually, Ziah's grandpa's name is Shah Jahan, and I gave him the nickname Shah," she giggles, throwing herself onto Fuzail's shoulder like a teenage girl.
"Oho, so you're his Mumtaz, hm hm," he teases.
Grandma, being Grandma, nods shyly. "Yes, I'm his Mumtaz, and he's my Shah Jahan."
"Grandma, tell us how you both met! I need to hear your love story."
I roll my eyes so far back I almost see my past life. Even if they woke me up in the middle of the night, I could recite this story word for word.
"Oh God, not that story again." Saif groans, shaking his head.
I get him. Grandma pulls him into these retellings every time, and she's totally spoiling my innocent little brother with her dramatic romance tales.
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Come sit here." Her eyes light up as she grabs Nisma and Hafsa, pulling them beside her.
Even if we dare look away, she'll restart the entire story and scold us for not paying attention.
"Naim, darling, come here. I'll tell you the process of how your Ziya Appi came into this world. Come, come."
Oh no, she didn't.
Before poor Naim can fall under her spell, Saif shoots up from his seat and yanks him away.
"No, no! We have something really important to do. You tell your story to these big people." He waves her off before disappearing with a giggling but very confused Naim.
Ziyan watches the scene with an amused expression. "Is the story that bad?" he whispers so only I can hear.
I nod, chuckling. "There is no story. It was an arranged marriage, but she'll exaggerate it for over an hour before finally admitting Grandpa's parents chose her."
"Ziah, just open the gifts, or I'm doing it!"
Laiba Aunty storms in with a growl, making me groan. "Aunty, please," I whine, not ready for yet another embarrassing moment.
"Ziyan, tell your wife to open the gifts or just let us open, she is being so stubborn on not opening any gifts" she complains to Ziyan who look at me with soft eyes already knowing the reason behind it.
"Aunty can you send those gifts to my room please" Ziyan politely requests and aunty nods at that but before I could stop her she leaves "NoâZiyan!" I whine loudly glaring at him but he hums in response.
"Hey you both come join here" grandma calls us but I quickly stand up with a huff pulling Ziyan with me. "Where are you both going?"
"To our room" I tell her and she does not stop there "What are you going to do there, come here I'll tell you my love story" she pats a place next to her asking us to come and sit but I know better than listening to that rubbish again.
"We will do what you and grandpa do in your room" I turn my back but she gasps in surprise "Haniya I said you, your daughter is just like me, before reception she will give us good news!" she throws her head back and laughs out loud like a manic but her words only deepens my blush.
"Astaghfirullah grandma!" When she gives me a thumbs up still laughing I glare at Ziyan who chuckles enjoying her rubbish.
"Ziyan be careful with my little girl she cannot take tooâ" I shut my ears before running away so her words which I am sure is very unholy does not reach my ears.
But their loud laughter clearly reaches my ears that makes me so embarrass, why are they teaming up against me.
I open the door of my room with a scowl on my face at how they are embarrassing me but my body freezes when I see tons of gifts near my bed.
Fear crawls up inside me and I quickly press myself on the corner to not go near any gifts in which I don't know what is present.
What if their is some other dead animal? No No I was not able to sleep even while hugging mamma when I received that dead rat.
I don't want to go through that again.
A loud scream leaves my lips and my body jumps when a hand touches wrist but I quickly cover my mouth before everybody rushes towards our room.
"Ziah" I breathe out when Ziyan's worried voice reaches my ears. "I-I am sorry" I mumble wiping away my sweat but his worried frown does not disappear.
"What happened Ziah?" Ziyan moves forward to stay close to me "I am sorry did I scare you?" I bite my lips feeling guilty for scaring him when I am the pussy cat over here.
"You did not sweetheart, Now come here, your trembling" he pulls my into a hug and that's when I realise my hands are literally trembling and my eyes are glistening with tears.
"Ziyan I don't want to open these gifts, please put them away" I tell the guy who looks down at me with soft gaze "you don't have to open them I will be doing that, your going to stay by my side" I shake my head quickly at that.
"No, Nobody will open, you will not open any gifts" I don't want him see anything that I saw that day, It's scary, it never leaves your eyesight and I don't want him to think about those things like I do.
"Ziah, calm down, we will open only the ones who we know okay? Not the unknown persons gifts hmm" I nibble on my lower lip nut hesitantly give him a nod.
"Come" he holds my hand and pulls me to sit on floor, I hesitantly obey but see him pulling his tugged in shirt and unbuttoning the first two buttons before he joins me.
"Hmm so whose gift do you want to see first?" He quietly ask me and I so want to say yours but I keep my thoughts to myself.
Well, he did not marry to the love of his life so why would he plan what to gift his wife a month before the wedding.
Of course it is forced marriage in a way so I am sure he forgot about it and I don't want to make him feel guilty by asking anything.
"Okay, let's go with out family members hmm?" He speaks when he sees me staying quiet in my thoughts "What's wrong, what are you thinking Ziah? Tell me" he drops the gift he took before facing me as he takes my hand in his while gently caressing his thumb on my knuckles.
"Nothing" I mumble gulping my dry throat but hear him sighing. "If you stay quiet like this without telling me what's wrong how will I know?" He again tries but I shake my head telling him nothing is wrong.
He nods finally giving up with a sigh but picks up the clean and neatly wrapped up box, he opens it very easily and I did not realise that I am holding his arm tightly asking him not to open by squeezing his arm but he does not stop.
"Please" I mumble under my breathe but a tear escapes my eyes with an unknown fear crawling inside me and I quickly hide my face in his shoulder when he opens the box.
After a pause Ziyan caresses my hair gently before speaking in a quiet voice since I am gluing up to him "It's Laiba Auntie and Sam uncles present Ziah, see how beautiful this ring is" his hand gently slides to my naps as he caresses his thumb on my earlobe and I very hesitantly take a peek to see a beautiful ring in a small box, my heart flutters seeing the beautiful gift by my lovely aunty and uncle "It's beautiful" I whisper but hear Ziyan humming in response.
He pics up another gift with a small smile playing on his and again I do not see when he opens it, "Its Hamza uncle and Riya Aunties gift, look a watch for me" he tells with a mock as if he is telling me they did not gift me anything.
I take a peek to see a very costly watch which I am sure costs only few bucks lesser than my gold ring.
"Do you want to open Fuzail's gift?" I do, I love unwrapping gifts, since I was kid this is the only thing I love doing but I am scared after that incident.
"N-No" I mumble against my will but Ziyan does not take my sentence "Come here" he spreads his legs and pats the empty space in between while looking at me, I blink my eyes as I look at him hesitantly but he grabs my arm and pulls me closer.
"Come sit here, Ziah" before I could protest he pulls me with a little to much force and I land on his lap but I was quick to sit where he was asking me to.
My cheeks hits up at the way he is behaving with me, totally different from the Ziyan I know, of course Ziyan is the best when it comes to comforting someone since he was a kid but he never ever hugged me and touched me whenever he gets a chance like his is doing now just so I know that he is with me which is something I am loving.
"This is perfect" he pulls me closer so my back is pressed against his front and he wraps his arm around my waist as he places a gift on my lap.
"Now let's open gifts together" he smiles against my ear, while gently resting his chin on my shoulder as he looks over to see what my trembling hands our doing.
The thing I like the most is, he is not asking me why I am so scared or why I am acting like a scaredy cat like those who even after knowing they ask which makes me so insecure and uncomfortable but his way of handling is just so lovely that my heart is skipping a beat whenever he whispers sweet nothings.
"Come on Ziah" he guides my hand to the wrapper and ever so hesitantly I pull away the table and my anxiety hits to another level when the wrapper was easily removed.
"Goodness" Ziyan mutters seeing the gift because I have kept my eyes shut but I take a peek out of curiosity only to see a frame where its is written.
"The key to successful marriage is to Argue Naked" I giggle reading it while my cheeks are turning tomato remembering the way I am sitting so close to him while reading this .
I look inside to see another wrapper which I quickly open after placing the frame aside, Ziyan let's out a low chuckle and I bite my lower lip to not grin like an idiot when we see a babies onesie.
Why is fuzail so advanced?
"Fuzail and his stupid thinking" Ziyan takes the onesie from my hand to place it on the side, he takes another gift and reads the name.
"I thinks it's your friends" Ziyan tells me and I quickly take from his hold, feeing excited all of a sudden to see more stupid things.
Ziyan chuckles seeing me hurrying to open the gift but my action stops when he places a wet kiss on my cheek.
"Iâum" I gulp with wide eyes at his action but he holds my hand and caress is asking me to undo it.
Calm down Ziah, Calm down.
Breathing out I open the gift which was gifted by my friend Aliya and my heart literally melts seeing two beautiful glass in one glass it's written Mr. Right and in another glass it's written Mrs Always Right.
"This is so lovely" I look at my side where Ziyan's head is peeking from my shoulder, to see him nodding with a soft smile.
Then he passes me Hafsa's gift which was two Aprons, on black it was written Mr with a bow and in white it was written queen with a Mrs and a crown.
Ziyan then passed me Zach's gift which makes me giggle knowing his gifts will be out of imagination.
I look at Ziyan before opening it "Don't kick him out of the office if there is some stupid gift" I warn him already but seeing him rolling his eyes with a chuckle "This would be nothing from the way he is getting on my head everyday" he mutters under his breathe which I was not able to hear clearly and my excited self didn't ask for a repeat.
I open the big box where I see another rectangular box but I hear Ziyan scoffing before cursing under his breathe "where did you find such friends?" he mutters and I am not even able to understand what this gift is.
I take a good look at it "Intimacy?" A gasp leaves my lips reading it but I ask Ziyan what it is, I am sure it is not something holy, that guy would have showed his back when he saw cute things and instead would have chosen the pervertiest thing.
"I-What is this? I don't understand" he shakes his head taking it from my hold "Don't touch such dirty things" he places it on the corner and I am still confuse not knowing what it is.
I look at him innocently wanting to know what it is but he ignores me, his own ears turning to the shade of pink but his face does not show any shyness.
"There is something else" he tells me and I quickly dig in to see what it is only to find a T-shirt.
Opening the T-shirt I read the words written in bold letters "This dude loves his wife" I throw my head on Ziyan's shoulder as I laugh out loud "God this is the best" I say between my laughter but see Ziyan rolling his eyes with a smile playing on his lips.
"You will wear this when we go out, I am telling you" he narrows his eyes on me, as if telling me 'you wish? Get lost you brat' but his expressions only makes me laugh more.
"Baby your laughing too much, let me tell you what your lovely friend has bought for you or maybe I can show it for you, hmm?" He raises his eyebrow and I press my curved lips together to shutup but take a peek at the black box still not knowing what it is.
The word intimacy tells the subject of the whole story but I don't know what the hell it is.
"Don't force your little mind so much sweetheart, your husband is here to teach you" he speaks with so much mischievousness in his tone.
He takes a hold of the box in his large hand which are on either side of my waist and he places the box on my lap.
"So this is a game" he starts quietly and I am feeling so hot from the way he is whispering things in ear.
He opens the box as he speaks "There will be cards inside which you have to choose and vice-versa you will pick one and I will ask you the question written in it and if you say yes to the question, I will do as it is written in it and if you say No we won't be doing it" I gulp hearing him. I should have kept my mouth shut and googled it later knowing how of a jerk your friend is his gifts wont be any different but still I asked him, like a stupid.
"Hmm let's play" my eyes widens hearing him "pick a card sweetheart" My toes curls up from the way he is speaking right near my ear, his hot breath fanning my ear which is doing many things to my body and my heart is thumping so fast against my chest that I am sure he can here it.
"We-um, Mamma said we shouldn't play cards" I try some luck but he chuckles, "We are not betting here, are we? I am sure we can play this game, or do you want to ask your Mamma if you can?" He raises his eyebrow mockingly and I quickly shake my head.
Astaghfirullah, What will Mamma think?!
"Hmm then pick it up" he does not stop this and I close my eyes shut before picking up a card and quickly passing it to Ziyan.
A chuckle leaves his lips reading it but he hides it from my eyes, "So the questions is" he licks his lips with an amused smile playing on his lips and after a second pause he speaks.
I nibble on my lip while looking at him nervously. "Do you like being kissed on your neck and shoulder?" He questions ever so quietly right into my ear and I am so close to fainting at the way his voice is so damn low but deep.
"Yes?" He raises his eyebrow and I gulp my saliva while looking at my fiddling fingers.
"I-I don't know" I whisper the truth but stutter uncontrollably since I feel like I'll pass out any second and his reply only gives my stomach an invisible squeeze "Hmm, we can find that out now" and with that his long finger slides to neck as he pushes my hair away to the other side before leaning and pressing his cold warm lips on my neck.
A gasp leaves my lips at this unfelt sensation and I quickly hold Ziyan's arm which are wrapped around my waist.
"Zi-Ziyan" my voice is trembling hard because of my heart which I can tell will die soon from the way its banging against my chest.
He moves his lips ever so slowly and sensually as he pampers me with gentle wet kisses all over my neck and my eyes are glistening at how careful he is being.
He pampers me with soft kiss on my earlobe only to nibble it later which leave me breathless. His hand slides up to cup my cheek and with a little force he makes me face him.
I open my wet lashes feeling like I am in cloud nine when we did nothing but even this was enough to take me to the sky.
"Did you like it sweetheart?" He whispers against my lips, our faces our only inches apart. I am feeling so breathless that my chest is heaving up and down, I hold his arm tightly to feel less nervous but cannot stop myself from from nibbling my lower lip, a very bad habit of mine when I am nervous.
Ziyan's piercing Grey eyes drops on my lips as he stares at them for a good minute "Stop that Ziah" he mutters under his breathe before sliding his thumb over my lips only to pull them away. He shuts his eyes close but before I could say anything a gasp leaves my lips when turns my body and my arm automatically wraps around his neck and he presses my body closer into his hard one before snuggling in the crook of my neck. We stay in the position for more that a minute
"I-I am sorry" I apologise in quiet voice but hear Ziyan taking a deep breathe he pulls away to look at my red cheeks "Why are you apologising?" He questions with a chuckle and amusement in his tone.
"IâjustâI don't know" I shrug but quickly hide my face in the crook of his neck out of shyness.
Beautiful laughter of this manly man who is taking my breathe away echoes through the room which only makes me more shy from the way he is laughing.
"Your cute, you know that?" He questions me while caressing my back, "I do" I nod confidently but seeing him nodding "Good, you should know how cute you are and that your cuteness is killing me, I am sure you know that too, that your driving me insane?" He raises his eyebrow but my eyes widens at his bluntness.
"What are you saying?" I mumble looking down feeling like a shy teen who was noticed by her crush. "Truth sweetheart, truth" he shrugs as if it was nothing to be so blunt.
"Do you want to see what I bought for you?" He raises his eyebrow but I am gasping in surprise "you bought gift for me?" I look at him with eyes but he looks at me confused.
"What made you think I won't gift my wife?" He does not look pleased at my surprise "your lateness, you should have gift me last night, but it's okay, your blessed with a mature wife so I forgive you, now give me my gift" I forward my hand and he nods with a chuckle. "I am lucky that I have a mature, understandable wife"
He leans to the side while holding my waist so I do not fall, before opening the drawer on the night stand as he picks up a long box.
"I didn't know what I should gift, but this caught my eyes and I could only Imagine you wearing this so I bought" he hesitantly speaks but the way my heart is falling more and more for this guy I am sure my heart wont stand still after this.
"This is beautiful" I cry taking a hold of the bracelet which has taken my breath away at its delicateness, there is three beautiful little flowers and strings through which each are attached is so thin that It looks invisible in my wrist.
"Since I didn't know what girls like, I asked mamma and she said I should gift you ring or any accessory but you have so many rings with you, and I started looking for something else when this caught my attention" he speaks in a low voice while caressing my wrist.
"Oh god I love you why are you being so damn perfect husband" I cry squeezing him in my arms, A chuckle of surprise leaves his lips as he wraps his arms around me "because your so damm perfect wife and I need to catch up to your level right?" He playfully tells me as if I am his opponent.
"Every second Your just making me regret for not saying yes for this marriage long time ago when mamma asked" A pout forms on my lips as I give him a glare but he grins shaking his head, I never thought even in my dreams that I would be seeing his heavenly smile from so close.
Ziyan licks his lips when he finds my orbs staring at them shamelessly, I look up to see different emotion playing in his eyes, he leans closer as he cups my cheeks gently while caressing his thumb on my cheekbone he leans closer, his eyes falling on my lips before it drop to my orbs which are shining with an unknown emotion, the emotion which is nowhere near bad. My breathe hitches when his nose brushes against mine.
But a gasp leaves my lips and I jump startled when we hear hard knocks on the door.
Ziyan curses under his breathe but holds my arm so I get down from his lap where I was sitting like a toddler few seconds.
"We are coming in!!" A loud annoyed voice of Fuzail echos and soon the door open as my whole cousins enter with an annoyed look on their face probably are pissed hearing after hearing grandma's No Love story, Saif and Naim are following then from behind looking happy for some reason.
"Ziah! Your such a cruel potato! How can you leave us with your grandma knowing how of lame story writer she is, freaking hell my ears are paining from hearing the same rubbish three times again and again" fuzail whines like a kid and I giggle quietly but take a peek at Ziyan who is rolling his eyes but my cheeks hits up when he grabs a pillow to hide the game Zach gifted us.
"You guys are opening gifts and you did not think once on calling your poor cousins" they invite themselves as they take a seat but I do not say anything but grab a box to paas it over Naim and saif so they could open it.
"Woah, these curtains are beautiful" Fuzail gasps but his eyes drops on his gift which is lying on the floor and a playful smile curves on his lips.
"Ziah, keep my gift away from children if you don't want to reply to their frown" he warns me while giggling mischievously and before the kids ears perks up I quickly throw it over Ziyan's lap and he lets out a groan and a gasp leaves my lips as I look at him with wide eyes.
Freaking hell where did I drop it?
*****
A/n: What did I even writeð?