The moonlight in the cell filtered through the thin layer of gold on the window, Fannah had finally torn off the nest of thrones, his breathing was ragged and his hands bleeding so much that the blood had pooled on the floor.
Fannah's hand trembled as he slowly reachhed his hands forward, hi heart skipped a beat as he took Sufiyan out of the nest, the moonlight illuminated on his face, his eyebrows twitched and then furrowed together as if he was in deep thought, his lips parted a bit as he lay in Fannah's arms.
He was truly so so so beautiful, even his nose, forehead and even his long eyeslashes that cast their shadows on Fannah's heart on their first meeting itself.
The moonlight in the cell filtered through the thin layer of gold on the window, Fannah had finally torn off the nest of thrones, his breathing was ragged and his hands bleeding so much that the blood had pooled on the floor.
Fannah's hand trembled as he slowly reached his hands forward, his heart skipped a beat as he took Sufiyan out of the nest, the moonlight illuminated his face, his eyebrows twitched and then furrowed together as if he was in deep thought, his lips parted a bit as he lay in Fannah's arms.
He was truly so so so beautiful, even his nose, forehead and even his long eyelashes that cast their shadows on Fannah's heart on their first meeting itself.
Fannah leaned in as he tightened his hold on Sufiyan, the celestial being who enlightened the world by his presence, Sufiyan seemed to move a little bit, Fannah leaned in closer than before rubbing his thumb on Sufiyan's forehead, their noses were touching as Fannah was now just a breath away from Sufiyan, their lips almost touching.
Fannah closed his eyes as he leaned in a bit deeper than before, he could feel Sufiyan's breath, his soft lips.
He was about to kiss the most revered being in the multiplexity of universes when he heard a voice from behind, mocking and laughing.
"So it's true, you love him".
"Noooooooo, Fannah's eyes jolted open in horror as a scream, reverberated through the whole room.
Boom.
He slapped himself with full force like he wanted to wake up, once, twice, thrice and then he finally.
Fannah sat up in his bed, eyes wide open, looking around his room in shock as if he had been caught doing something forbidden.
He remained like that for a few good minutes, trying to take in his surroundings as he made sure he was in his room, dreaming, ahhh, he had been dreaming again.
It had been two weeks since they came back from Al-samash, but Fannah still kept dreaming of absurd things.
"It's that damn annoying dragon, I should not have listened to his words, it must be something in his voice that made me dream like this, ahhhh, I know it's only that, Sufiyan is like my brother, brother, okay, brother, a sibling, yes". Fannah said, reassuring himself that it was just the effect of Sehlan's manipulative voice, as he clutched the sheets, closing his eyes again
.....
Fannah woke up a bit later than he usually did, totally normal he walked to the bathroom, to take a shower and freshen up when he saw his reflection in the mirror, his face was red and his hair was too messed up, making him look like an abandoned wife, he stared at himself for a few minutes and sighed.
"He is just my brother, a brother I definitely would not ever want to kiss". Fannah reassured himself before taking some clothes from the wardrobe and going to the bathroom.
After he was done showering, he walked downstairs and went straight to the kitchen to only be surprised to see his father still home, he looked at his watch and it was already an hour later than his father's office time.
He sat down beside his father poured himself a cup of Noon Chai and started drinking it.
"Why is your face red Fannah, is everything okay?", Iqbal asked as he saw the slap marks on Fannah's face.
"Nothing Baba, must be allergy". Fannah replied, chewing on the girda, trying to avoid the topic altogether.
"So, did you think it through already?", Yasmeen asked
"About what?", Fannah asked back, completely unaware about what his mother was asking.
"About Areeb, Do you want to get married to her or not, see Fannah, when your mother and I got married we had not even seen each other's face, but we are still giving you the freedom to, we are just asking because we can't have that girl waiting forever for you, so if you like someone just tell us". His father asked as he took a sip of his chai.
"Like?", Fannah asked confused as he remembered the only person he so wished to forget forever, but he could not do anything, he knew it was wrong, Sufiyan, no, he didn't even like him, it was just that past few weeks had been too much, that's why he must have that illusion, it was never beyond that, never.
"He is my brother, nothing more, just like my sibling, okay". Fannah thought as if to reassure himself and then nodded his head.
"I know baba, whatever you like, I will always be happy in your happiness". Fannah replied resolutely.
"My happiness is in making Areeb your wife before the winter". Iqbal answered satisfied with his son's answer.
"As you wish, Baba". Fannah said trying to gulp and somehow get rid of the knot in his throat that was choking him to tears.
"Okay, we are going to meet them this evening, do a thing, get ready and take your mother to your aunt's house first, I have something to do so I will come later and then we will leave later to meet Mr.Bhat". Iqbal said to which Fannah just nodded his head in agreement and went up to his room to get changed, leaving the half cup of tea behind.
The ride to his aunt's house was silent, focused on the road, Fannah did not even turn on the radio this time, leaving his mother to hum by herself as Fannah wandered somewhere far from the world, in a place where there was no rules, he could not even decide why even wanted to be there, would it be any better then now, what could change even after being in a not so real place.
Absolutely nothing would change, he made his decision here and it would never change, Areeb was a good girl with a patient temperament and good personality, he liked people like that, not someone strong, not someone who had a scar on his nose, no he would always choose to be with that girl no matter which reality or universe.
Fannah reassured himself for the infinite time as he parked the car in front of his Aunt's house and went in with his mother.
It was nothing like the day when it was Sumaira's henna nor like the day when she had died, it was just silent, filled with the scent of almond and apple orchids, Fannah shook his head, trying to dissuade every memory of the person who he wished he would have never met.
The day passed by, like a lightening on a rainy night, it had all the roar and frightening tendency but the speed was too fast, so fast that Fannah could not catch on with it at all, not until it was evening and his parents and aunt left for the Bhat family's house and Fannah decided to go see Raid and others.
It was a ten-minute walk so Fannah left his car where it was and left for Raid's home, trying to find some calm and peace there, maybe some jokes with the two brothers would pull him out of this instability, yeah, Fannah thought and quickened his pace to get there as fast as possible.
When he opened the main gate and walked in, he saw the two brothers and some other cousins sitting in the garden, preparing to have a cup of Noon Chai, a smile appeared on Fannah's face as soon as he saw all of them together.
"Yeah, this is all that I need". Fannah thought as he walked straight to the garden and hugged his cousins.
"Long time no see, Fannah, how have you been?", Arsalan asked as Fannah sat down beside him and Raid.
"Good, nothing too good or bad, just absurdity". Fannah replied, unsure of what he was even saying.
"Whatever". Raid replied over his shoulder as he poured him a cup of tea.
"We just came back from showroom and saw that Shezan and others had visited so we decided to have the tea outside". Raid explained, handing him the cup of tea.
"Sorry, I forgot", Raid said as he got up from his place and sat in front of him.
"Congratulations on getting married before me, your elder cousin", he said jokingly, making others laugh too.
"So?", Shezan asked in a teasing tone.
"So what?, my parents wanted it so I am getting married, what else". Fannah answered sighing sounding uninterested as hell.
"Okay, what else?", Arsalan poked again, not sensing his mood at all.
"And nothing". Fannah replied.
"Okay, let's talk about something else, he seems to be too shy". Shezan suggested and the conversation quickly went to other topics like business, study and the like, never returning to marriage and Areeb and Fannah could not be more thankful.
As the time went by, Fannah could feel himself loosen up, the person on the back of his mind finally loosened his claws and he could find himself joining a conversation here and there until, Raid got up, talking to someone on his phone.
"Oohhhh, my baby Sufi came too". Raid said in a loud enough voice that broke Fannah out of the conversation but others did not even notice anything.
He looked up from his place to only see Sufiyan, ...sufiyan has a faint curve of lips on his otherworldly face, in all his glory walking towards the garden, adorned in white slacks and half tucked in the pink shirt, the sun's shadows shone brightly in his eyes, creating a perfect picture with the messy hair that seemed to be created after years of styling.
He came forward slowly, deepening the curve of his lips, like an ocean of sweetness and addiction, looking straight at Fannah, his eyes gleamed with happiness, making a smile form on Fannah's face without notice.
Fannah put his hands on the grass as Sufiyan walked on them and knelt beside him, resting his shoes in Fannah's palms, Fannah raised his neck to meet Sufiyan's eyes, his face just a few inches away from him, Fannah closed his eyes as Sufiyan leaned down, arms encircled around Fannah's neck as their breaths brushed past each other, their noses brushing together and their lips about to meet.
When the sound of a plate crashing on the tray made Fannah out of his imagination, his hands were trembling and his heartbeat ran like he was on drugs, he saw Sufiyan was already sitting in front of him.
Fannah got up from his place, feeling his legs giving up as he wore his shoes again, he was sweating and his eyes were moist, without saying anything to anyone.
"Where are you going Fannah?", Raid asked as he saw Fannah walking away, but he did not reply but continued to walk away.
"Fannah". Sufiyan called in a soft voice, almost like calling a lover but as soon as Fannah heard it, he broke into a run and fled away.
"Just a brother", he screamed at the top of his lungs.