•𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐚𝐛| ✓

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 || 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆

Navigating life's intricate battles, one cannot escape the weariness that settles within. Yet, amidst the tumult, there emerges a poignant truth - a resplendent moment when life reveals its breathtaking beauty. Life, a tapestry woven with threads of hardship, beckons us to decipher its enigma.

In the silent chambers of Rubaab's heart, a new emotion took residence - Insecurity. The singular child of adoring parents, she basked in their exclusive attention, shielded from the need for self-doubt. Innocent and beautiful, she cultivated numerous friendships, a garden of assurance where insecurity found no soil to root.

With Arsalan, she hadn't sensed this vulnerability until it surfaced unbidden. A seventeen-year-old girl, orphaned and without a haven, her fate altered when her Phuppo orchestrated her union with Arsalan. He, seemingly unprepared for the mantle of a husband, became an involuntary refuge in Rubaab's eyes - a shelter against life's tempests.

In her eyes, other girls in Arsalan's orbit were "bala ki khubsoorat," as she described them. The specter of insecurity, a common facet of human nature, haunted her without counsel. Amidst the clamor of Alia and Rimsha's wedding, Rubaab chose to seize control.

Her mother's admonitions to learn the nuances of marriage were dismissed. Seated on her bed, post-marriage, she distanced herself, echoes of whispers about Arsalan's significantly younger wife reverberating. The taunts of inadequacy weighed heavily on her, yearning to be the 'actual wife,' yet grappling with the unknown intricacies.

Frustration and fear, silent companions, gripped her heart. Alone, with none to guide her on retaining a husband's love, she yearned for reassurance. Even her Phuppo, preoccupied and irritable, dismissed her attempts at connection. Wiping away tears with a graceful sweep, she sought refuge in her studies.

In the sanctum of her room, she orchestrated a haven for concentration. Karachi's concrete landscape, devoid of scenic allure, became her backdrop, offering serenity through the window. Amidst textbooks and notes, she immersed herself in the solace of academia, a realm where judgments held no sway.

Physics book in hand, she revisited the teachings, a commitment to intellectual pursuit amid emotional turmoil. In the realm of equations and theories, she discovered a sanctuary, a fortress against the storms within.

Arsalan returned from the office, unable to attend it due to excessive work of wedding. Despite being late and having skipped dinner, his sole desire was to find solace with his wife. Disregarding his own hunger, he entered their bedroom quietly, his hand on his knees as he caught his breath from the sprint from his car to the room.

In the dimly lit room, the soft glow of Rubaab's lamp caught his attention. She sat on a chair, engrossed in her journals and books. With a smile, he approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders from behind and placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, causing her to flinch momentarily.

Arsalan sensed her recent distance and wanted to inquire, but his actions spoke louder than words. Leaning towards her, he grazed his stubble on her cheeks and pecked her earlobe, eliciting a shiver. Whispering in his husky voice, he greeted her with "Assalamualaikum wifey... Thora hum par attention deden? I'm craving for it." Rubaab nodded, and Arsalan bit his lips to contain his smile as she closed her books.

(Give me some attention)

As Rubaab stood up, she found herself enveloped in Arsalan's arms, his nose nuzzling her neck. Despite maintaining distance previously, the gap between them seemed to vanish. Her enjoyment, however, turned into contemplation as her mind revisited the words she had been avoiding. Unintentionally, her grip tightened on him, signaling her internal struggle.

Sensing her tension, Arsalan lightly pecked her lips, breaking her reverie. Blushing, she looked at him, captivated by the intensity in his dark eyes, a gaze that stirred something within her.

Arsalan, weary of Rubaab's emotional turmoil, decided to confront her. "Kya hua hai? itni khoi hui kyun ho? Kisi ne kuch kaha hai?" Rubaab gulped and nodded in denial, reluctant to admit her insecurities. Undeterred, Arsalan persisted, "I know. It's not nothing, kuch to hua hai.. batao mujhe." Despite her initial resistance, he sighed and sat on the bed, cradling Rubaab in his arms on his lap.

(What happened, why are you quite? Did someone say anything)
(Come on, tell me)

"Come on... If you are not going to tell me, then who's going to solve your problems? And you promised on our nikkah day that we will share everything with each other, right? Now are you going to break the promise? Pata hai na gunnah hota hai," he tried to reassure her, invoking the weight of promises in her beliefs.

(You know its a sin?)

Before revealing her concerns, Rubaab mustered the courage to ask him, wanting assurance that the man who rescued her in her darkest times would stay with her. With a gulp, she inquired, "Aik... bat pochun... ap...apko agar mai ach...chi nahi lagi...like anymore to...ap...ap..kisi or se shadi... karlenge?" Arsalan, amused by her innocence, looked at her before prompting her to explain further.

(Can I ask something....if...you dont like me anymore...would you marry someone else?)

"Matlab...kai jese sab kehte hain...I'm so little to be... your..wife...than when you'll be bored.... or not happy with me anymore than you'll leave me?" Her innocent inquiry made him laugh, and Rubaab, anticipating mockery, pouted. Arsalan playfully teased her, saying, "Maybe... what do you think?" Unbeknownst to him, she wasn't in the mood for jokes.

(Like? Everyone says)

The unsettling thoughts of him with someone else fueled Rubaab's anger. Determined to apply Sana's advice on seduction, though unaware of its real meaning, Rubaab abruptly halted Arsalan's laughter by pushing him onto the bed, positioning herself over him, her hand on his chest. His surprised eyes widened as she sat directly on his most sensitive part, making him gulp.

"Kya hua...you stopped laughing Arsalan, tell me for whom are you going to leave me han?" Her bold move left him shocked, realizing this wasn't an everyday occurrence. Rubaab, sensing his heightened heartbeat, asked, "Han," making her smile. Looking at him, she spoke assertively, "On the Milad day, there were so many people who made me almost believe that I'm not the one for you. I don't know if I am or not, but listen carefully, you are mine! You'll always be mine no matter what happens. For others, I may be the little wife, but I can be more than that..." Her words were firm.

Arsalan, abruptly serious, inquired about those who troubled her. In response, Rubaab silenced him with a kiss, initiating it for the first time in their four months of marriage. Her newfound confidence surprised and pleased him. When she didn't reveal the tormentors, Arsalan grew agitated. Rubaab, taking charge, kissed him again, and he realized her need for an answer.

"I didn't tell you so you would be going to fight them all. I want your answer, were they right Arsalan? Will you really leave me?" Her meek voice sought reassurance. Changing their position with her under him, Arsalan responded passionately, "You know the answer, Rubaab. You are really important for me to live. You are the one I search for when I wake up and the last one to see. You really think just because of some people I'm going to leave you? Jan basti hai meri tum me! Mujhe jeene kai lie muyassar ho tum! Meri zindagi ho tum!" He confessed.

(You live in me rubaab, I need you to live, you are my life rubaab)

Though Rubaab knew it, sometimes the heart needs confirmation "but...we don't even have the relation of real wife and husband, what if I could not give you that, will-" As she began to express worries about their relationship, he silenced her with a deep kiss, their lips molding perfectly. Pulling away, he saw Rubaab's flushed face, not just from breathlessness but also from blushing.

Smirking, Arsalan reassured her, "It's enough for me, my love... You, me, and it's enough... Never will I need more than that... I love you, Rubaab, and will love you till the day of my death!" Ignoring the final line, Rubaab felt her insecurities dissipate. Smiling, she hugged him, tears in her eyes, and whispered, "I love you!"

That night, the little husband and wife slept contentedly in each other's arms, surrounded by love, their stomachs and hearts equally full. 🦋