THE DESTINED CONFLUENCE

A NEW DAWN

The dimly lit room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the night breeze outside. Zara and Zaviyaar sat on the plush bed, their hands entwined. The intimacy of the moment was palpable, not just from the proximity of their bodies but from the vulnerability in Zaviyaar's voice as he spoke.

"Zara, I want to spend my entire life with you," Zaviyaar began, his eyes glistening under the golden glow of the lamp. "Ek waqt tha jab mai bilkul akela tha. Ammi aur Shaheer mere saath the, lekin mai unse kuch nahi batata tha. I was suffering all alone. Sometimes, I wish I could go back and hug that Zaviyaar and tell him, 'You did it.'"

Zara tightened her grip on his hand, her eyes brimming with love and admiration. "Zaviyaar, I'm so proud of what you've become today," she said softly. "Aap jis muqaam par hain, logon ki acchi khaasi umar guzar jaati hai lekin tab bhi wo ise haasil nahi kar paate. Aapne jo kuch bhi saha, uske baad bhi yeh sab achieve karna... it’s extraordinary."

Zaviyaar chuckled lightly, trying to mask the heaviness of his emotions. "Allah pak went easier on me, shayad isliye kyunki mera bachpana itna bura tha ki unhone aage ki life thodi jaldi sort kar di," he said with a wry smile.

"Zara," he continued after a pause, his tone turning somber. "Jab Shaheer paida hua tha, Baba was so out of control. Mai bohot chhota tha, lekin mujhe yaad hai mamu Ghar aaye the aur Ammi aur Shaheer ko saath le gaye. Shaheer bach gaya, shayad sirf ek hafte ka hone ki wajah se. Mai Baba ke saath akela reh gaya. Ammi ko blame nahi kar sakta. She was helpless."

Zara’s heart ached as she listened to the pain in his voice. She moved closer, her other hand gently caressing his. "Zaviyaar..." she whispered, but he shook his head, signaling her to let him continue.

"Baba made my life a living hell," Zaviyaar said, his voice trembling. "Ammi ke na hone ka saara gussa, saari violence, mujh par thi. Har chhoti galti pe woh mujhe jallado ki tarah peette the. Kamre mein band kar dete the. Mai toh yeh bhi bhool gaya tha ki peit bhar khaana kise kehte hain."

Zara’s eyes were now filled with tears, her heart breaking for the little boy Zaviyaar had been. "Zaviyaar, you don’t have to—" she began, but he interrupted her gently.

"Luckily, Ammi kuch dino mein hi wapas aa gayi," he said, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Mujhe pata tha ki yeh torture khatam nahi hoga, lekin kam se kam mai akela nahi tha. Ammi ne meri woh halat dekhi thi. Us din unhone decide kar liya tha ki woh Baba ko chhodengi. Baba ka woh aakhri abuse, jo Shaheer ko involve karte hue tha, was the final blow for her."

Zaviyaar exhaled deeply, his voice breaking as he added, "I'm sorry, Zara. It’s idiotic of me to talk about all this, but it was so bottled up… it all just came out. I'm sorry."

Zara placed her hands on either side of his face, gently lifting it so their eyes met. "Zaviyaar You’re not alone anymore. I’m here to hold you, to heal with you."

Her words seemed to ease the burden he’d been carrying for years. Zaviyaar pulled her into a tight embrace, his face buried in the crook of her neck as silent tears fell. Zara held him, her fingers running through his hair, whispering words of comfort and love.

In that moment, the scars of Zaviyaar's past began to feel a little less heavy. With Zara by his side, he knew he could finally move forward, knowing he had a partner who would love him through it all.
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The night had settled peacefully, and the newlywed couple lay in each other’s embrace. Zara’s head rested gently on Zaviyaar’s bicep, her soft breaths filling the quiet room.

“I love you so much, Zavi,” she murmured, her voice laced with contentment.

“I love you more, biwi,” he replied, his tone playful yet sincere.