When Fire Meets Ice - Completed.

98. B L E S S I N G

A H A D

The morning was prettier than ever today. I stood near the window, watching quietly as the sunlight cast golden on the woman I lived for.

My chest felt lighter than it had in months, matching the peace in her closed eyes.

There was nothing to stress about now. But there was one thing I hadn't informed her about, yet. It was the aftermath of that gunshot wound, like the doctor had said that the chances of conceiving were less.

My chest tightened, thinking how she would react to this. And before I could dwell more on my thoughts, a little whimper from Ina snatched me out of my reverie.

Walking back to her, my eyes softened when they landed at her serene form with just the perfect blend of wildness.

Her hair was scattered on the pillow around her, eyes mildly swollen. Even the closed eyelids failed to conceal the fire she held beneath.

I put on a shirt, checking the clock as it read eight in the morning. I walked down, relieved as no one was awake yet.

Making some tea and omelette bread for both of us, I inhaled the fresh aroma of tea. I wanted her to rest as much as she wanted to.

Stepping back in with the tray, my smile resurfaced as I saw she was awake. Her confused eyes kept looking around before they landed on me and she grinned.

I shut the door and neared her before sitting beside her on the bed. Her eyebrows lifted as she watched the breakfast and then moved to step down from the bed.

"Where?" I held her wrist, dragging her back closer.

Her sleepy eyes narrowed, the tiny smile sitting on her lips as she muttered, "I'll wash my hands and come."

"I'll feed you."

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes. "Sit quietly, I'm feeding you."

I couldn't help but chuckle, watching as she disappeared into the bathroom. The bossy version of my wife? Always favourite and irresistible.

After a while, I had her sitting cross-legged beside me, feeding me bite by bite. Just as I took a sip from my tea, I heard her say, "You're doing nothing for a few days now, okay?"

I chuckled. "And I'm reminding you that Asim is getting married in two weeks."

"So what? We are all here for the preparations, you just handle the suit collection, we'll see the rest," she murmured, placing the now empty tray before she left to wash her hands again.

She got back into bed and ​I adjusted my arm around her shoulder, pulling her flush against my chest. I'd gotten so used to the constant noise, to the endless checklist of things to fix and fight, that the sudden quiet felt foreign.

​"What're you thinking about?" she asked softly, tracing a small circle on my chest.

​I rested my chin on her head, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. "I... don't even know what to do."

​She tilted her head up, her eyes soft with an understanding that didn't need words. Reaching up, she gently patted my cheek. "We never really got a normal beginning, did we?"

​"No," I admitted, a quiet ache settling in my throat. "We didn't."

​"By the time we finally admitted how we felt, things had begun to spiral," she whispered.

She leaned up, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my lips that made everything else melt away. When she pulled back, her smile was fierce and certain. "So, consider this our catch-up time. No threats, plannings, or stress. Just you, me, and this crazy family."