MDS London nights are my favorite 💫✨

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South Downs, Brighton, England.
23:48 pm.

The night fell over the sky of Brighton dipping the city into it's late spring warmth. The flowers all bloomed and spreading their sweet scent into the air all around.

The whole week was tiring from the morning to nights running around and getting things done for Waniya's wedding but it was finally over.

Manha and Daniyal were into the car as it ran smoothly over the outskirts of the city.

They had just passed the coast of Brighton's sea after making a stop at Knoops for their famous hot chocolate and were heading towards the South Downs, a famous range of chalk hills lining the south-eastern part of England.

The once dark black matte sky had now started to clear up with the stars as they kept driving towards the countryside.

"Seriously it's so cool to have you drive and for me to relax," Manha stretched her arms with her legs crossed on the seat.

"Not to forget you are driving us back," he rolled his eyes.

"I don't even know my way out there," she leaned her head on the back of the seat and let out a yawn.

"It's just plain land around. We are driving straight ahead and will be returning the same way," he smiled cheekily.

"Why do I even try with you?" She picked her phone seeing it almost midnight.

They had came back from Waniya's reception after sunset, had showered and rested for a while before planning for this trip randomly and there they were.

"You remember you promised me you will take me here whenever I visit Brighton again," she rounded the ring in her finger and he nodded.

"I remember you couldn't go because of how short our trip was at that time." He pressed his lips slowing the car down before parking it at a side.

"And here we are," she grabbed his arm as they got out and met at the back of the car.

He kissed the side of her head with a smile before pulling out a duffle bag and tossed it at her.

Manha barely held it in time and shot him a glare.

"You are a tough girl han," he threw his arm around her shoulder lazily as they began walking ahead.

They met their tour guide after a while who had a few other people with him before they all made their way up the hill.

The tour guide told them about the weather and clarity of the sky for the star gazing as they walked upto the location and they began setting their telescope and other stuff.

After the setup was done that they were both allowed to look through and Manha felt giddy with excitement. It was her first ever professional star gazing experience and she could see it completely worth it at the view.

There were different views after time to time and they consisted of the star systems, star clusters, nebulae and even distant galaxies far beyond.

Lucky for them, the moon was also visible in the sky and they were able to visit the lunar surface and see hundreds of craters in detail.

The sky was so clear that they had been able to see Saturn close up in a big telescope and Manha felt her heart expanding in awe inside her chest.

There was this feeling similar to fireworks inside her body because of how thrilled she felt.

"It was amazing," she joined her hands when they were done with the tour after two hours and were left alone by the guides.

"It gives such a surreal feeling, no?" Daniyal mumbled and she nodded instantly.

"Like, how beautiful all that was. I know I just wouldn't ever be able to forget that I saw all that with my own eyes!" She gushed taking a deep breath.

"Let's sit down," he kneeled down unzipping the duffle bag and pulled out the blanket as Manha spread it over a small part of the grassy hill where they stood.

They both laid down and Manha picked at her hair staring into the sky.

She glanced at her husband after a while who seemed to be in deep thoughts mostly since a day or two.

"Is there something bothering you Dani?" She turned to lay on her side and perched her head up balancing on her elbow, her other hand came up to his face as she held it.

He glanced at her with a soft smile and shook his head putting his hand over hers on his face.

"I am fine." He tilted his head and his eyes ran over every feature of her face as she looked at him with concern.

"Do you trust me?" She asked in a small voice because the tranquility around seemed too magical, too raw to be broken by any loud noise.

"It is as if asking if I breath." He chuckled slightly and Manha felt something in her eyes.

He always left her with such a full heart by his mere existence.

"Why don't you share your thoughts with me than?" Her arm hurt and she laid back on her back looking at the moon as it shone over the vast dark sky all alone but providing light and warmth to the whole of it.

Daniyal seemed too much like it. He was that leading light in her life, that shines and shines for her without asking for anything in return, keeping his hurt and his discomfort inside himself.

And now she wanted to be there for him, be there with him even if her value would be like a star, seeming to be so small in front of him and his light but it would at least be something.

"You know everything I do or think about," he shrugged slightly.

"No Daniyal. I don't know everything about you. I just know what you try to show me. The Daniyal who is too cool to be bothered about anything, the Daniyal who is always happy and cheery but I know, I know there is a whole lot more in here, something deep and unsaid," she put her hand on the left side of his chest feeling his heart beat under her palm.

It almost made her cry, the way every pump of his heart matched with hers, the way they were too tangled into each other. They were one and there was nothing in the world that could fascinate her more than that.

"You are being worried for no reason-" she put her palm on his mouth and he turned to look at her.

"Don't lie to me." She shook her head looking straight into his eyes.

"What do you even want to know?"

"Whatever is into your heart or mind. Tell me. I don't care if it's the most stupid thing in the world but just tell me everything." He looked away for some time and she kept staring at the side of his face.

There were a few moments of complete silence, she could even hear both of their heartbeats.

"I am worried about her." He muttered after a while.

"Waniya?"

He nodded.

"Are you not satisfied with Ikraam?"

He shook his head gently.

"It's not that. Ikraam is a great guy and I know he will keep my sister happy but still there is this fear-" he took a deep breath and sat up putting his arms loosely around his knees.

Manha sat up as well and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"I have never talked to her about whatever happened Manha. Never." He didn't look her way.

"And there is guilt inside me. A lot of it. I have never asked her what happened or how was she coping up. I was always so scared to face her that I distanced myself because I felt guilty for being the reason it all happened to her. She didn't deserve it, my little baby. I feel like I was never there, I was never close to her when she must have needed me. She stopped going school, she didn't use to come out of her room, why wasn't I there at that time Manha? Why didn't I try to give her that space to talk about all that, why didn't I act like I should have. I was her best friend first always. When did I turn into a brother? I know she doesn't hold a grudge against any of us but still there must be a lot more that goes inside her." He swallowed and Manha could see him barely stopping himself from crying out loud.

She put a gentle hand on his arm and rubbed it to ease his tensed up nerves.

"I have only known all this from Mama and I know she hasn't even told me everything and it hurts me this much already. I can't even begin to imagine what she and mama must have gone through. I wasn't there Manha when they needed me the most, nor even when they didn't need me. I was just never with them." He lowered his head and picked his tear from the corner of his eye.

"First it was London, dance school, studies, friends, parties, you. Everything gave me fun. My family was too boring for me." There was slight bitterness in his voice and Manha caught onto it.

"Then I kept myself distanced from them so your father doesn't hurt them. He didn't probably hurt them as much as I did with my actions," he chuckled humourlessly looking up at the sky to not cry.

Manha swallowed seeing him. There was so much stored into his heart and he never let it show.

"When I left you, then there was New York, I could have stayed with them, could have helped mentally and financially but I chose to run away. I ran away because everything seemed too much. I was far too gone into my own pity party that I forgot to see how they were doing. How they were coping up." He took a deep shaky breath and wiped the tear that rolled down his cheek.

Manha tightened her hand around his bicep wanting to hold his breaking self together.

"And when I finally returned, I had this crazy madness to come to your homeland and show your father how wrong he was about me. I drowned myself into this whole new world of music and singing. It thrilled me, it felt like home, it made me feel secure and do much myself, it gave me that happiness and comfortability that I needed. I loved it." He ran a tongue over his lips. His face was slightly wet with the tears but he didn't even seem to care now.

"I was secured seeing you soar high, loved by so many people, there were so many people who admired you, cherished you, know you and I had this pride in my chest that I knew you before all of them, that you loved me, that I had you, that I knew Manha like no one ever could, that we were together once in a lifetime, that I have spent so much of my precious time with you and then everything got fucked up when I got to know about your father looking to marry you with someone else. I was in so much rage. I couldn't ever see you with someone else, it terrified my very soul to even see you loving someone else, being someone else's. Manha was always mine, she was my love, she resided in my soul and I wanted to be the same for you. Fahad told me you don't love me anymore that you have moved on from me but I refused to believe it. I told him it was impossible. I couldn't believe that you could ever forget me, forget us, the time we have had together, the promises we made to each other, the love we shared. How could you ever forget it when I remembered everything moment by moment."

He turned to look at her finally and her lips wobbled as she tried to contain her sobs but one vulnerable look in his eyes and she had her arms thrown around him. She hid her face into his chest wanting to just dissolve into him, to just run away somewhere far and keep loving this man for eternity. How was he even real?

She had her arms tightly around him and he wrapped his around her waist as well.

She didn't say anything, she just silently shed the tears soaking his shirt while he leaned his cheek against her head.

"You are my everything. I know I say this a lot but there is literally no Daniyal without Manha. I don't know how was I even breathing without you." He murmured into her ear kissing her head.

Manha pressed her face more into him inhaling his scent. It bought her peace like nothing ever could.

"I don't want to do this anymore," he sighed and she nodded.

"It's okay," she rubbed the back of his neck with gentle hands and he pulled her closer if that was possible.

"You are being too hard on yourself," she mumbled after a while of calming down.

"Don't you think I deserve that,"

"No." She shook her head pulling her face back from his chest to look at his face.

"No one deserves this much harshness for something they did in the past. You realize it now, you can talk to Waniya about it even now. It is never too late. You can sit down and talk to your parents, tell them how sorry you feel for not being there for them but don't let it kill you from inside Daniyal." She held his face nodding at him. He only looked away.

"I am not comfortable talking about it right now Manha." He held her wrists and she nodded sniffing and pulled back.

"Okay, I am sorry. We won't talk about this now but it doesn't mean that you will continue blaming yourself inside," she stood up wiping her face.

He didn't say anything but rolled the blanket, stuffed it into the bag and held her hand as they walked down the hill to the car.

"Let me drive?" She raised her brows but he shook his head.

"It's okay." He got into the driving seat and she bit her lip before getting in beside him.

There was complete silence engulfing them as they both stared out lost in their own thoughts. He had a shell around himself that had cracked that night but she knew there was a long way to go for him to finally be comfortable enough to converse with her on that topic.

She knew he was sensitive with that and she will have to be careful. She just couldn't expect him to come clear to her in one go. He was not used to sharing his vulnerable sides, the ones that hurt him and would hurt others.

It was almost dawn till they reached back home and laid into the bed.

He had put his arm on his eyes laying on his side. Manha faced him but didn't reach out to touch him, she wanted him to have space if he needed that.

• • •

DaniyalK she's freaking possessive of her husband but won't admit it. Ever.

MDS 😑🙄

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The next two days were busy for both of them because of being invited to a few relatives of his. Manha loved how everyone admired her and made her feel welcomed. His mother's side were all Kuwaiti and she loved the warmth and hostility they all radiated.

She wasn't able to converse much with her husband who would mostly be lazing around somewhere while she would be held by her mother-in-law at all times.

His mother was the sweetest creature on earth. She loved pampering Manha to no limits whether it was by making food for her or filling her with gossips about her own family.

They would just talk and talk whether while cleaning the house or cooking food.

And just like that it was time to leave and Manha started crying as soon as she hugged her mother-in-law. That woman had given her more love than everyone's combined in her life. She was so lovely and so genuine with her.

Daniyal had only complained how she seem to completely ignore him through the whole trip and his mother had wrapped him in her arms like a baby. She had told him how he was the most beautiful and loved part of her and he had grinned instantly. Manha thought she hadn't seen a sight that beautiful ever before.

It was almost an eighteen hour flight including one stop over and they both had mostly slept through it all.

Getting out of the cab Manha looked around.

It was a hilly area at an approximate half an hour drive from the main city of New York. There were houses planted at distance from each other being separated by the vast green land filled with trees and grass in the middle.

There were tracks made out leading to the front porch of the houses from a small square with a statue in the middle holding a national flag and the roads parting all four ways from there.

The area seemed peaceful with birds chirping in the background. It was mid morning with the sun beams shining through the branches of the large trees and Manha felt them brush against her still form.

She broke out of the trance when the cab zoomed past her and turned around to find Daniyal rolling two bags up the steep.

She moistened her lips and held the handle of the other two dragging them behind her and followed her husband.

Releasing a breath she came to a stop as he fished out the keys and twisted them into the lock.

He pushed the door open and gestured her inside. Manha stuffed her hands into her hoodie's pockets and stepped inside as the foyer came into her view.

There was a double door at her right but she made her way ahead into the living area.

The windows were all covered with thin white curtains, walls grey and floors tiled.

There were a few white couches at the corner and a hallway at the other end of it.

"The rooms are there," he pointed to the hallway, "and the backyard there," he pointed at the glass wall that was also covered in thin white curtains.

"And kitchen?" She looked around asking.

"It's there," he pointed to a white door at her left and she nodded.

"This whole house is so beautiful, I can't believe you live here." She turned towards him who had put the bags at a side.

"Why?" He frowned.

"I mean look how organized it looks." She moved her hand around.

Daniyal rolled his eyes walking past her.

"I couldn't call the house help earlier but I will make a call till we rest," he pulled out his phone.

"No it's okay, we will clean it ourselves," she pushed her sleeves up. He raised his brows.

"Do you really think we can?"

"Obviously but not just right now. Too tired to even move a finger," she yawned walking ahead towards the hallway and looked at the four rooms lined along the walls. There was a small window at the end of it with a white table beneath it.

"Which one is yours?" She asked turning around.

"All are mine," he shrugged coming ahead and turned the handle of the first one making his way inside.

She stepped into the dove grey room finding him sitting on the white ottoman before the grey bed.

"You have really left me speechless today," she sat beside him.

He smiled looking around the room before turning to her. Manha had just turned to look at his face when he grabbed her neck and put his lips on hers.

She broke out of the shock and put her hand on his arm as his thumb rubbed the crook of her neck.

She kissed him back feeling butterflies dancing in her stomach.

He pulled back after a while making her suck in a deep breath.

"Now left you breathless as well?" He chuckled putting his forehead on hers and Manha nodded softly holding onto his shoulders.

"That you always do," she mumbled.

"I couldn't stop imagining your reaction once you will come here."

"Are you satisfied?" She pulled her hands to herself and tugged a strand of hair back from her face.

"I am." He nodded with a smile and got up.

"You know what? I never let myself clutter this place. It was my productive space and I couldn't just mess this one up." He sighed.

She smiled seeing him make his way out to pick the other bags.

She was already so much in love with the vibe of this home, she couldn't believe how he was letting it go so easily.

• • •

"Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
Not knowing what it was
I will not give you up this time
But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
And in your eyes, you're holding mine"

Manha sang along the song as she splashed the bucket full of hot water and cleaning solution.

Her hair were in a high ponytail with a headwrap keeping the front strands out of her face, she had a loose t-shirt on with sweatpants that were pushed to her knees.

All in all she looked like a mess.

Daniyal had taken a break and was out to pick a few things while she continued the cleaning.

The rooms and kitchen were already done and she was busy scrubbing the living area.

"Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight,"

She heard the door creak open over the music and looked over her shoulder seeing a very annoyed husband of hers making his way inside in a black tank top and dark green shorts that reached just above his knees.

"It seemed as if it was the last day on the earth to shop for everyone in the city that they were hoarding the store. Bloody stupid!" He grumbled making his way inside in his flip flops.

Manha pressed her lips turning around as he carefully made his way to the kitchen from the corners because the middle was all soapy.

She changed the song and picked the mop starting to rub it across the floor.

"And you are enjoying it a little too much, no?" He appeared at the door frame putting his hands on his waist.

Manha shrugged.

"You are always welcome to join me. We don't get the chance of cleaning like this back at home." She grinned.

"No thanks." He rolled his eyes and took a cautious steps ahead.

Manha continued mopping the tiled floor when she heard a gasp and a thud before she found her husband slipping beside her feet.

Her mouth fell open before a loud laugh bubbled up to her chest and out of her mouth.

"Ow, fuck!" He cursed holding the back of his head.

"Oh my god," she laughed again seeing him all wet with the soapy water.

"You-!" He glared as she looked up trying to blink back the tears from her eyes.

Before she had the time to recover he had pulled at her leg making her slip down beside him.

"Ow!" Manha held his arm out of reflex feeling pain shoot through her spine and elbow.

"Are you insane?!" She hissed as he sat up with a deep frown. Her laugh long gone.

"You were enjoying this I thought to add to your joy, didn't like it?" He muttered sarcastically.

"Fucker." She pushed at his arm getting up.

"Now who will clean all this up?" He grumbled still seated on the floor as she assessed her arm. Her spine and elbow hurt like bitch.

"I will do it myself. No need to get all hulk. Just don't come in front of me for a few hours please!" She rolled her eyes standing up and walked to the kitchen washing her hands in the sink.

When she walked back out Daniyal was nowhere in sight. Manha picked the mop once again and groaned at the pain in her back but started cleaning once again to get rid of it as hurriedly as possible.

She was the one being dramatic and the super woman wanting to clean everything herself, well now she had to do it.

• • •

"When will the visitors be coming?" Manha asked adjusting the plate on her lap seeing her husband stand at a side putting on a movie.

"By nine or ten," he put the remote down and switched off the lights before sitting beside her. Manha sat up as he rounded his arm around her putting his legs up on the ottoman. She relaxed herself against his chest.

"My back still hurts," she pursed her lips tilting her head to look at him. Daniyal pouted as well moving her hair out of her face and pressed a kiss at her hairline.

She nibbled onto her pizza seeing him pick a slice of his own.

"You didn't even say sorry for making me fall," she mumbled.

"Because I am not sorry," he picked the remote and fast forwarded a little.

"Asshole!" She jabbed her already hurting elbow into his stomach and hissed.

"The whole universe has gotten against me today," she groaned rubbing her arm.

He chuckled wrapping his arm around her shoulder from the back and squeezed her into his hold.

She felt him put his chin on her head as they both chewed onto their pizza silently watching the movie.

"He is so hot," she bit her lip.

"Oh please, the girl is hotter,"

She tilted her face once again towards him with raised brows.

"And why are you noticing her?"

"She has got great boobs, can't seem to look away," he teased making her eyes widen as she sat up.

"I will tell you who got the bigger boobs. You dick!" She hit him with the pillow.

"Oh my god! You hypocrite! You were drooling over that man's abs and you have a problem when I do it with that woman!" She knew he was only trying to tease her but still she felt angry.

"Yes I do. We are not watching this movie anymore." She picked the remote and shut the screen off.

"Fine with me because I have already got your boobs to look at and-"

"Astagfirullah. Where's this shamelessness coming from! My ears are bleeding!" She blinked at him as he smiled cheekily.

"Don't pretend to be innocent now, okay? I have seen how you act in the bed." He leaned ahead with slightly narrowed eyes.

Manha felt heat rush to her face as she pushed at his shoulder.

"Dafa hojao, besharam aadmi." She was about to get up but he held her wrist pulling her back beside him and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from the back.

"Abhi to aap ne meri besharmi dekhi hi kahan hai, begum sahiba," he put his lips onto her shoulder.

"Mujhe dekhni bhi nahi hai. I have a class early morning and I am not going to miss it for this." She wriggled out of his arms and leaned her back on the couch.

"I don't have any energy to even start right now so you may get some sleep tonight." He yawned leaning beside her.

"Why thank you!" She looked at him in fake awe.

"Okay shut up." Daniyal rolled his eyes as they sat in silence for sometime.

"Can I sing something for you?" Daniyal suddenly asked making her sit up with exciting eyes.

"Yes, of course," he smiled dropping a kiss at her lips and got up walking to the room.

Manha waited excitedly for him in the living room as he walked back out with his guitar and held his hand out for her.

Manha frowned putting hers in it as he led her out to the backyard and settled on the stairs leading to the garden.

"You know when I was looking for houses here in New York. This view from up here reminded me of all the times we laid on the rooftop of the dance school. I knew I had to watch this view every day if I wanted to feel closer to you. And this is where I wrote the first draft of my first song ever. It could not even be called a proper song, it was kind of just a random note over my thoughts as if I was telling you about my days. Should I start?"

Manha nodded with twinkling eyes as they faced each other. Her face was in her palms as she waited for him to start.

He inhaled deeply before tilting his face towards the view of the skyline of the main city of New York and started playing the strings of his guitar.

Manha smiled at the randomness of the song. It really felt like he was writing a small letter or note.

Manha took a deep breath with an appreciative smile on her face as he turned his face back to look at her.

"I know it's so random and weird, but it was the very start,"
he mumbled with an embarrassed smile.

"It's not weird. These are your feelings that you have tried to capture into art. It was lovely," she leaned ahead and kissed his cheek giving him a hug.

Daniyal wrapped his arm around his wife with a smile on his face.

• • •

The song^^^

It was a random thing I found lol but idk the music is kinda calm and nostalgic.