Dhaagey: The Ties that Bind Us

24. blissful...or not

A/N: Thank you so very much to all of you for your staggeringly warm response to the previous chapter. I am glad it resonated with so many of you! 

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Under the shelter of the age-old oak tree lit up with fairy lights and lanterns, Murtasim sat perched on the wooden swing, a nostalgic relic from their childhood. He watched warily as Meerab, her eyes twinkling with mischievous delight, began to navigate herself onto his lap, the timeworn swing groaning a protest beneath them as she straddled him.

"This is not safe." Murtasim murmured, his words heavy with caution, his hands instinctively coming up to steady her, even as he relished the prospect of having her so close to him.

Meerab, her eyes sparkling with mischief, responded with a playful challenge. "Don't let me fall then." She twisted around him, her limbs entangling with his in an intimate ballet. As they found balance, her feet locked securely behind his back, arms slung around his neck, he let the swing swaying gently under their weight, like a cradle carrying their shared whispers and laughter into the night breeze.

His heart hummed in response, the weight of her form against his acting as a balm to the nerves that had plagued him all day as he awaited his elaborate proposal to unravel. The pure elation of having her this close, swathed around him, was a sensation he would never grow tired of.

Smiling warmly as she pulled back a little, Meerab's hand reached up, cupping his face, her fingertips tracing the contours of his skin as if committing them to memory. A bright smile danced on her lips, radiating a warmth that lit up his world. She breathed mine mine mine between the soft kisses she pressed onto his lips. Her declaration was fervent, every word echoed with an undeniable depth of possession and affection.

His laughter bubbled up, light and free, the sound mixing with the chirruping of the crickets. He lifted her hand, delicately displaying the diamond ring he had given her. "That's my line." He teased, pressing a gentle kiss onto the shimmering jewel.

The smile she bestowed upon him was brighter than any diamond, a testament to her happiness that warmed his soul from the inside. "This ring is very pretty." She observed, her fingers twirling the ring that marked their engagement.

Her compliment ignited a grin on his face. The fact that she still admired the ring after all this time filled him with a quiet, contented joy, mirroring the delight in her eyes.

"It's suspiciously like the one I said I liked in passing years ago." She continued, her eyes narrowing adorably at him. Her cuteness tugged at Murtasim's heartstrings.

He remembered that day. He had been a naive 17-year-old then, taking a casual photograph of the ring Meerab admired - a striking piece of jewelry with a large oval diamond surrounded by smaller ones – knowing even then that he would propose to her one day. The memory, though blurred with time, brought a smile to his face.

"I pay attention to everything you say, meri Meerab." He confessed, his words dropping to a whisper, his gaze locked with hers. He hoped that the depth of his devotion resonated in his words.

Her eyes welled up again, tears gleaming at the brink. She swept forward, pulling him into a searing kiss that left him breathless. Her lips were a sweet surrender. Instead of the frantic exploration that usually coloured their kisses, this was different, slower, deeper, radiating an intense sweetness. He responded, pulling her closer, wanting to absorb her into his being.

Breaking away, their foreheads rested against each other, the rhythm of their breaths intertwining, forming a harmonious melody that echoed in the cool night air. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, wiping away the lone tear that had managed to escape. Their bodies swayed gently on the swing, back and forth, while she traced his face with her fingers, running them over his features over and over again.