iman | hakim ziyech

.6

please pray if you haven't done so already :)

filler chapter :/

—

10/4/2023

—

[1571 words]

—

hakim and achraf had been stiff with one another ever since the decision was made about his engagement to his sister. he didn't know how to act, and this was a thought that never once crossed his mind in the past.

they were teammates for the moroccan team, good friends outside of that too, but brother in laws?

that was a step too far, even for them. they both found it awkward.

but they could not do anything about it when hakims siblings came to the small town iman called home. they had distracted the two men enough that they didn't have to see each other as much as they used to. hakim and his family promptly found another place to stay until the nikkah.

'achraf, you need to stop taking your frustration out on him.' manal said as she sat down beside her husband in their room. it had been a week since they got married and all their plans were put to a halt. not that manal minded, she's rather be here for her friend than be sunning it up wherever achraf had planned for them.

meanwhile, iman had quietly been choosing the dresses laid out to her by her future mother in law and her own mother and aunt. she hadn't really been thinking too much about it, but instead just nodding her head as the older women conferred amongst each other. she wanted to laugh. she realised she had become an intense listener, shifting from her talkative personality quite sharply in the span of one week. she was told by her mother to go get manal, and she just nodded her head again before heading to the room.

'what?' achraf blinked at her suggestion, realising she had read it all wrong. 'i'm not mad at hakim, sure it's awkward, and he can't look me in the eye anymore, but i'm more angry about that fahed.' manal's eyes softened when she realised why her husband was so tense.

'God it makes me so angry that the bastard is walking around freely and have nothing done about him. if it was up to me i would have strangled him on the spot.'

'and that would have made things better?' manal countered with a cool tone. she heard the knock of the door. she let go of his arm.

the two stopped talking once they saw iman with a mixed expression on her face.

'mama is calling you.' she said, directing at manal who raised an eyebrow wondering who would require her presence at this time of the night.

manal obliged, and promptly left the room when iman turned to leave as well. achraf called out her name, asking her to stay back.

she reluctantly walked into her brothers room and took a seat on the free chair that manal had occupied just a moment earlier.

achraf shook his head at her behaviour.

'iman, tell me, one word and we can stop this whole thing. i can't stand to see you like this.' iman's eyes became fixated on her brothers pleading face, surprised at his offer. admittedly he had remained quiet during the 'discussion' a week ago but that didn't mean he didn't have some strong opinions on what should have happened instead.

'why would i want to refuse this proposal?' she cleared her throat as she spoke. achraf looked taken back, as if not expecting her to say something like this.

'i don't want you to be forced-'

'i'm going to stop you there. look at me,' she forced her brother to look her in the eye who just could not believe that his never serious sister was the one giving him guarantees.  'im not being forced. i want this. i'm grateful that this was the outcome.'