Unveiling Meerab [Tere Bin FF]

8. change

Stepping into their room in the afternoon, Meerab was met with an unexpected sight. The usually familiar space felt alien, the walls oddly bare. The plethora of Murtasim's pictures that had previously graced the walls were gone, causing a slight sense of confusion to brew within her. Those frames had been there last night when they'd fallen asleep and were still present when she had gone down for breakfast.

Curiosity nudging at her, she made her way towards the sitting room attached to their suite when she heard footsteps. Her heart pounded with anticipation as she moved, her mind a whirl of questions. "Murtasim, what's happening?" She called out, spotting him in the middle of the chaos.

At her voice, he turned around, a warm smile spreading across his face. It was a sight that sent a flutter through her chest, like her heart was skipping a thousand beats, a familiar sensation she'd grown accustomed to since the previous night's dinner.

"It's our room...I want it to feel like yours too, not that you just moved into my room and live there." Murtasim explained, his words instantly calming the unease that had crept upon her.

"Your pictures?" She asked, her eyes once again darting to the empty spaces on the walls where his photos used to hang. His teasing reply made her lips quirk up into a small smile. "You don't like me enough to put that many pictures of me up in our room."

A few weeks ago, she might have agreed with his statement, but now she wasn't so sure. Just that morning, she had found herself pausing in front of one of his pictures, appreciating the handsome man he was. The sentiment behind his actions though truly touched her, because it did feel like she had moved into Murtasim's room, that it wasn't hers even though she had held monopoly over the bed for weeks. She nodded her acknowledgment, a subtle appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

Walking into the sitting area, her eyes fell on the frames that hadn't been taken down, the stunning shots of wild animals. "Did you take these yourself?" She asked, already suspecting the answer. He had shared his passion for wildlife photography with her, and the pictures bore a raw, intimate quality that bespoke personal involvement.

A nod was his answer, but she noticed that he didn't meet her gaze or glance at the pictures. It made her curious. "Why do you never look at them if you have them up?" She inquired, voicing out her observation. His sigh and the way he finally turned to gaze at the pictures made her heart clench a little, she would have never known of his own loss if he hadn't told her, even though there were signs of his passion up on the walls.

"When did you take this one?" She pointed at the first picture in the series, a roaring cheetah that looked quite scary.

"It was shortly before I took over all of this, I went to Kenya for a photography course, travelled through a couple of places." She shared. His words painted a vivid image in her mind, a young Murtasim amidst the wild, capturing the untamed beauty of nature. She could almost remember a summer where she had visited the Khan Haveli and found him missing.

"Isn't it dangerous?" She asked, a little concerned despite the thrill of adventure his story inspired.

"A little? But you have guides that are from that area. Now, they actually have reserves where you can go, with designated areas and spots to camp out in to take pictures." His casual tone diffused her concerns.

"You miss it." She whispered.

He nodded. "I – I remember feeling truly happy then, I haven't felt that way in a long time." She was taken aback by the depth of his words.

Her respect for him deepened a notch further as she realized that he had truly given up something he loved for the sake of duty.

"What was it like?" Meerab found herself asking, her curiosity piqued.