rehmans left sock

[rehmansleftsock]

hello. can you write some hc on rehmat getting married and rehman inviting iqbal to make him jealous and then him flaunting pregnant ulfat and then later baby naieem in his face🫠🫠

hii!! you guys r lwk creative w these lmaoo.

—The engagement announcement nearly ended Iqbal. rehman didn’t even tell him privately. he waited until a gathering, pulled ulfat to his side, and casually announced they were getting married, then he spent the rest of the evening standing far too close to her while pretending not to notice how unusually quiet Iqbal had become.

—After getting engaged, rehman started bringing ulfat to everything. Military dinners, political functions, charity galas- if Rehman received an invitation, ulfat was automatically coming too. Iqbal quickly realized there would be no escaping her, which somehow made things both better and worse.

—Whenever rhman arrived somewhere with ulfat on his arm, he looked ridiculously pleased with himself, not because he was trying to show off, but because he genuinely couldn’t believe she had agreed to marry him. unfortunately for Iqbal, the result looked exactly like showing off.

—Rehman loved introducing her as his fiancée. Not ulfat.. not miss so-and-so.. His fiancée. every single time. even when everyone present already knew who she was. Iqbal started mentally preparing himself for the day the title changed to “my wife.”

—The first event after the wedding was unbearable. Rehman spent the entire night calling her his wife at every available opportunity. “My wife thinks this.” “My wife said that.” “Ask my wife.”… By the end of the evening, Iqbal was considering requesting a transfer.

—Ulfat occasionally noticed rehman grinning at Iqbal for seemingly no reason. ulfat honestly never understood why, and rehman never explained. he knew exactly why he was smiling and intended to take that secret to the grave.

—The pregnancy announcement was somehow worse than the wedding. rehman looked happier than Iqbal had ever seen him. he spent weeks talking about baby names, nurseries, and future plans. every conversation felt like another reminder that his life with ulfat was moving forward beautifully.

—When ulfat was pregnant, rehman became ridiculously protective. If she stood too long, he found her a chair. If she looked tired, he wanted her resting. If she mentioned being hungry, food appeared within minutes.. poor Iqbal had to watch this devotion unfold in real time.

—Rehman absolutely flaunted pregnant ulfat. Not maliciously- he was just proud. Proud of her, proud of their family, proud of the future they were building. The fact that Iqbal had front row seats to all of it was simply an amusing bonus.

—The first time rehman showed people an ultrasound picture, he carried it around like a prized possession. he forced everyone to look at it. especially Iqbal. The major stared at the image politely while rehman beamed like he’d personally invented fatherhood.

—When Naieem was born, rehman became even more insufferable. every conversation somehow returned to his son. every photograph was of his son. ev very story involved his son. If Iqbal asked an innocent question, he received a twenty-minute answer featuring Naieem.

—Rehman adored handing naieem to ulfat in front of people. something about seeing his wife holding their child made him visibly softer. (not misogynistic or anything) unfortunately, it also created one of the most painfully domestic and happy scenes imaginable for Iqbal to witness.

—Naieem inherited ulfat’s eyes, which rehman never stopped talking about. every time someone mentioned it, rehman acted like he’d personally won an award. Iqbal eventually learned to leave conversations the moment genetics became the topic.

—As naieem got older, rehman started bringing him everywhere. one moment Iqbal would be attending a perfectly normal gathering.. the next? rehman would walk in carrying his son while ulfat followed beside him, creating the picture perfect family Iqbal never wanted to think about.

—years later, rehman still occasionally caught Iqbal staring at his family with a strange expression. not bitterness. not even resentment.. just something wistful. rehman would pull Ulfat closer, ruffle naieem’s hair, and think to himself that life had turned out remarkably well for one of them.

i’ve given up on punctuation and auto capitalization guys🫰🏻

[tobitoooo]

serial killer ulfat and enabler Rehman

he falls in love with her when he stalks her in one of her murdering sprees, and she turns to kill him, but then-

[copeop]

Ulfat is happy because her husband got rid of both the MIL and FIL

[rehmansleftsock]

hi, loved your rehmat×iqbal, can you write more on them, like rehman making him jealous and ulfat reminding him she only has eyes for him and poor iqbal just being ulfatpaglu

hii, im so happy you liked it!! sure! heres hcs of rehman making iqbal suffer for liking his wife ☹️

—Rehman started calling Ulfat over for no reason whatsoever. She could be in the middle of a conversation with Iqbal, and suddenly Rehman would shout her name from across the room. When she walked over, he’d have nothing important to say. He just wanted her attention.

—One night, Rehman caught Iqbal looking at Ulfat for a fraction too long. He said nothing at the time. Instead, he spent the entire evening being obnoxiously affectionate with her. Every smile, every touch, every inside joke was delivered like a personal attack.

—Ulfat remained blissfully unaware while Rehman and Iqbal carried on an entire silent war around her. Rehman would grin every time she chose to stand beside him. Iqbal would pretend not to care. Neither man ever acknowledged what was actually happening.

—Whenever Ulfat complimented Rehman, he immediately looked at Iqbal. Not subtly, either. If she called him handsome, clever, or impressive, Rehman would wear the most satisfied expression imaginable while Iqbal contemplated every bad decision he’d ever made. (yes, hes insufferable)

—Rehman developed a habit of asking Ulfat ridiculous questions in front of Iqbal. Things like, “Who’s your favorite person here?” or “Who do you trust most?” Ulfat always answered him without hesitation. Rehman always looked far too pleased with the response. (like i said, insufferable)

—Sometimes Rehman would casually mention plans he had with Ulfat. Nothing extraordinary. A dinner. A trip. A family event. The details themselves weren’t important. What mattered was reminding Iqbal that she was woven into every part of his life.

—Ulfat once rested her head on Rehman’s shoulder because she was tired. Rehman nearly laughed when he saw Iqbal’s expression freeze for a split second. He spent the next hour acting like the most beloved husband in existence.

—The worst part was that Rehman wasn’t insecure. He never worried Ulfat would choose someone else. That’s exactly why he found the situation funny. There was no competition. He’d already won. Iqbal was suffering over a battle that didn’t even exist.

—Whenever Ulfat defended Rehman during arguments, he acted unbearably pleased. He’d sit back with the smugness of a man who knew exactly how loved he was. Across the room, Iqbal would suddenly become very interested in whatever drink he was holding.

—Rehman occasionally referred to Ulfat as “my wife” even before they were married. It started as a joke between them. The first time he did it in front of Iqbal, he watched the Major go completely still. Naturally, he never stopped afterward. (he was so petty, im crine)

—One evening, Rehman draped his coat over Ulfat’s shoulders when she complained about being cold. Ulfat thanked him with a smile. Rehman immediately looked toward Iqbal and had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. (petty rehman striked again)

—The more obvious Iqbal’s feelings became, the more affectionate Rehman got. Not because he was threatened, but because if a man was going to have a crush on his future wife, then he deserved to suffer a little for it. (it wasn’t just little.. he suffered a LOT)

—Rehman secretly found it hilarious that of all the women in the world, Iqbal had managed to fall for the one woman who adored Rehman completely. Sometimes he’d catch Ulfat looking at him with so much love in her eyes and think, poor bastard. Then he’d pull her closer.

[moonligh-t]

This is how Faizal lowkey copes... I don't even blame him

[rehmansleftsock]

hello. can u write something on rehman looking after ulfat when she's on period.

hiii! yes i can!

—He refuses to let her lift anything heavy when it’s that time of the month. Ulfat could be carrying something tiny, a flower pot, a grocery bag, a chair. Doesn’t matter what is it. Suddenly it disappears from her hands. Rehman stands beside her holding it. It annoys her at times because she’s no damsel in distress, but she wasn’t stupid enough to not let her husband be her butler for a week.

she was an independent woman but she was smart too! if a man’s there to do the work, he can. it was not worth ruining her manicure.

—Rehman acts like her cramps personally offended him. He cannot fight them, he cannot threaten them. he cannot negotiate with them, Therefore he hates them. It’s irrational, yes, but when has he ever cared about that when there was anything concerning or hurting his wife.

—He becomes the enemy of anyone who disturbs her naps. ESPECIALLY the boys. If Ulfat is sleeping: nobody makes noise. Nobody. Not even Faizal... which is saying something. no one tries to disturb her either, who would want to face rehmans wrath anyway.

He took nap times very seriously.

—Rehman took Ulfat’s nap time really seriously because if she (god forbid!) ever was disturbed and not able to get her daily rest.. she would be terrifying. like actually. The type where one stare gave rehman instant chills. In the past, when she couldn’t get her sleep, she got so irritated and mad at rehman, she actually kicked him out of the house and locked him outside. yes.

locked him outside the haveli. far fetched? maybe. Uzair had to show up an hour later with a spare key, trying to hold his laugh.

—His favourite solution is cuddling… not medicine, not tea, not even heating pads. Cuddling. Every problem can apparently be solved by putting his wife against his chest and refusing to let her move. according to Rehman, this is medical science, and he seems to excel in it!

—After thirty years, it’s become routine. the boys know, the staff know, ulfat knows, rehman knows. Every month, for a few days, the feared politician and businessman transforms into a very dedicated husband whose entire personality becomes these constant phrases:

“Has my wife eaten?”

“Has my wife rested?”

“Why is my wife standing?”

“Who let my wife do that herself?”

and i find tbis dynamic really cute so here are some longer ones!

—He becomes unusually patient with her moods. now rehman is not a patient man by nature. he never has been. most people know that already by working with him or just being associated with him, but when Ulfat is on her period, it’s like he deliberately lowers his defenses and prepares himself for whatever mood comes his way.

If she’s irritated? he lets it go.

If she’s emotional? he listens.

If she’s upset over something that wouldn’t normally bother her, he doesn’t dismiss it (not that he normally would anyway). the boys find this hilarious because they’ll watch their father tolerate behavior from their mother that nobody else on earth could get away with. Rehman would never admit it, but he understands that she’s already uncomfortable and hurting, so he sees no reason to make things harder for her.

—He gets strangely protective at night.

The nights are always when he worries the most. during the day, she keeps herself occupied and distracted with house work (barely) or the kids who love following their mother around. At night, the discomfort is harder to ignore. there have been plenty of nights where Rehman woke up simply because she shifted positions too many times in her sleep.. he’ll open his eyes, immediately realize she’s uncomfortable.

Ulfat often tells him to go back to sleep.. he never does.

Instead, he would stay awake, rubbing her back, gently playing with her hair or simply holding her closer until she finally falls asleep. only then does he allow himself to rest.

—He secretly enjoys taking care of her. he would deny this if anyone asked.

not loudly, not aggressively, but it’s true.

bot because he enjoys seeing her uncomfortable, obviously. he hates that part! what he does enjoy is having an excuse to look after her without her arguing quite as much. because normally, Ulfat is fiercely independent. she’ll insist she can do things herself. she’ll tell him to stop fussing around and about her. she’ll roll her eyes whenever he becomes overprotective (and he did that bit a LOT).

During her period, she still protests, but she’s usually tired enough to let him win occasionally, and Rehman absolutely takes advantage of that.

—He takes her complaints seriously, even when she doesn’t. one thing that frustrates Ulfat endlessly is that Rehman refuses to dismiss her discomfort.

If she mentions a headache, he’ll remember it, If she mentions cramps, he’ll remember it, If she casually says she’s tired, he’ll remember that too. hours later he’ll still be checking whether she’s feeling better. meanwhile Ulfat has already forgotten she mentioned it..

Rehman hasn’t.

Because when it comes to her health, his memory is annoyingly excellent. that memory bit annoys her at times, because where is this memory ehen she tells him to buy coriander before coming home from work?

—He still finds her beautiful… this is probably the most personal one.

Ulfat has days where she feels terrible. Bloated, uncomfortable, tired, emotional, and generally unlike herself, Rehman genuinely doesn’t see what she sees. to him, she’s still the woman he fell in love with at nineteen. (a random hc in bw is that im imagining they fell in love as teenagers?)

so when she complains about looking awful or feeling unattractive, he looks genuinely confused, not because he’s trying to flatter her, but because he honestly doesn’t understand why she thinks that. thirty years later (im assuming they’ve been married for this long), he still looks at her with the same softness that made her brothers suspicious of him when they were young.

and Ulfat knows it.

which is why, despite all her complaints, those days always feel a little easier when he’s around.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

[babyblue148]

I honestly feel bad for me and the one's who read my works because I am so sorry i couldn't do it I'll try again and again but my brain is being stubborn 😭

[rehmansleftsock]

some hcs for iqbal and ulfatxrehman but it’s not random, it’s situational with the situation being rehman finding out about iqbals little crush on ulfat.

—Rehman was not having it at all. He was known for being territorial over things he kept close to his heart— in this case, Ulfat. But rehman happened to be a very petty man, so instead of keeping Ulfat locked away from the major, he would flaunt her around on his arm. Bring her to every political event possible and make sure Iqbal saw. He would go as far as calling Iqbal over for tea and have iqbal watch rehmans arm behind ulfats seat while rehman sat smugly.

—(Assuming Iqbal wasnt married at this point), Rehman would encourage Iqbal to get married, even telling him that Rehman would help him find a wife. Most of this happened when Ulfat was around. Iqbal hated it. Rehman had the time of his life. Ulfat was confused why her husband looked so happy while the major looked liked he wanted to increase his bodies. (kills)

—Rehman would randomly tell Ulfat stories about Iqbal’s merciless killings. Did he miss out on the part where the traitors and criminals were killed? yes! Ulfat didnt have to know unnecessary details :D She just needed to be horrified of Iqbal, and it worked. Ulfat looked like she had just seen a ghost. Rehman would cuddle her to sleep then.

(this last one is total crack, so assume that all three of them are teens but like in the 2000s—2010s)

—Rehman would post Ulfat on his stories all the time. They were cute. Iqbal would take screenshots and crop Rehman out of them. Rehman would be pettier and create a close friends story and add ONLY Iqbal to them and post more intimate stories. Like hugging Ulfat, or holding her waist, or kissing her, or them doing other coupley stuff.

Iqbal proceeded to block Rehman.

Rehman blocked Iqbal from Ulfat’s account.

Iqbal created a fake one and Followed Ulfat again.

Rehman never knew.

Small victory for Iqbal there🫡

GUYS I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS HONESTLY. and i will write moreee and TRUST me they’ll be better. I just currently don’t have a lot of build up for their story which i do intend on writing really soon.

[rehmansleftsock]

rehman×ulfat hc please 🙏

hii omg, im sorry for replying so latee but here are some rehmanxulfat hcs!

—When they argue, Rehman sleeps facing away from her. Not because he’s angry, but because if he looks at her, he’ll forgive her too quickly. The longest this has ever lasted is twenty seven minutes

Ulfat timed it once. She liked being petty about it.

—If Ulfat cries, Rehman genuinely forgets how to function. Not dramatic crying or faking it just because he said “woukd you still love me if i was a worm” was a very unreasonable question.. Real crying. The kind where she genuinely gets hurt. He completely falls apart internally. (we saw this bit in the movie too)

—The first time Rehman made serious money, he bought Ulfat something. Not himself, her. since during the years he had absolutely nothing, she stayed anyway. That fact never left him.

—Sometimes Ulfat wakes up in the middle of the night and finds Rehman awake.. just watching her. it’s creepy, she tells him this regularly.

He never stops.

—Rehman has seen Ulfat in expensive designer clothes. In wedding outfits. In formal clothes, yet his favourite version is still her in old house clothes with messy hair. Because that’s his Ulfat. (though he loves when she dresses up all fancy. he turns freaky..)

—Ulfat never asks Rehman for expensive things. Never has, probably never will, which is pretty unfortunate because buying her things is one of Rehman’s favourite hobbies.

—Rehman genuinely cannot sleep properly if Ulfat isn’t beside him— not because he’s incapable of functioning without her. He can. He just doesn’t want to?

The quality of sleep is significantly worse without his wife by his side.

should i post some with their kids?

[questions-about-blorbos]

Reblog if it’s okay for people to inbox you questions, headcanon, theories, anything about your Blorbo

[willjulep]

The angel and devil on your shoulder are fucking, and they are not subtle about it.

[hewasnevermine]

Rehman x Ulfat

[rehmansleftsock]

please tell me it isnt just me..

though i wouldn’t be shocked if it is just me because ive never seen anyone talk about this lmao but has anyone ever thought about ulfat x iqbal?

at first i just found them really visually appealing honestly but i tried to think of a story line and smt like that iqbal and rehman and ulfat have known each other since they were in their late teens or early 20s and iqbal had always wanted ulfat and rehman didnt know like fully but he got the hint eventually. rehman ends up getting married to ulfat and iqbal keeps trying to one up rehman for the rest of his life im crine. iqbal does get married eventually and have a daughter but (going w this because he’s a cruel man) he didn’t really specifically care for them too much and still always had a spot for ulfat. and everytime he would visit rehmans place, his eyes woukd always find ulfats.. am i thinking too deep. DO U GUYS SEE IT TOO PLEASEE.

or like another plot being that iqbal had his eyes set on ulfat before and they were going to be arranged together for marriage but rehman had ulfat fall for him instead? iqbal was always bitter? ulfat knows abkut tbis little crush but out of respect for her marriage she never really says or does anything about it, but just for a little attention she would catch iqbals eye across the room or her fingers woukd touch his while serving him tea every once in a while to keep him attached.

yeah tbis probably sounds insane, but ulfat iqbal has a nice ring to it..

[prahelika-fics]

What are the ships in Dhurandhar, in your opinion, which are unlikely to happen or odd, but can hit the right spot if given the correct tropes?

ooh! interesting. i have a variety of crackships that i think could be really interesting if written well.

1. kicking it off with rehman/jamali - ok. hear me out. we know rehman allows jamali an abnormal amount of leeway wrt personal space. right after naieem's death? the way jamali is being cringe af, hugging rehman and obviously fake crying? you don't get away with shit like that unless rehman has a certain amount of... fondness for you, let's say. as for how i think it could play out? i think it's a relationship where they mutually use each other; rehman needs to cozy up to jamali for money, while jamali is trying to keep control over rehman. (this works even in aus where jamali is not a spy.) so jamali acquires a temporary sugar daddy like role for rehman. in this essay i will

2. then we have iqbal/rehman. not so unpopular, maybe, but this is interesting to me mainly bc of the changes i think it brings to rehman's usual relationship dynamics. i think, iqbal is pretty desperate for rehman's approval (remember their initial meeting? iqbal always gives off vibes of please dom me do you like me? pls tell me you like me.) this is probably a change for rehman, who, i think, prefers giving up control in his romantic life instead of taking it. but, for a change, having the major on his knees for him might not be so bad...

3. next is ulfat/rehman/aslam. this, i don't see as a completely polyamorous relationship. i think ulfat and aslam couldn't give less of a fuck about each other. however, they have a mutual interest in seeing each other go to town on rehman. he's like a toy being passed around. this dynamic is in one of my wips rn.

4. a non-rehman ship! im going to launch my agenda of hamza/pinda (not jaskirat and gurbaaz). in an au where pinda doesn't die, hamza is able to stop pinda from revealing his secret by capturing him and keeping him to himself, and telling everyone he's disappeared (handwaving away the logistics). hamza wants to just keep him as a prisoner and not interact beyond the necessary, but he can't stop himself from going back to him, over and over, bc they both share the horrifying reality of having become monsters their childhood selves would be ashamed of. aaand...stuff happens.

[desigurlie]

GIRLIEPOP!

I am riding the train on Rehman/Iqbal and Rehman/Ulfat/Aslam right now. Thing is I kind of feel Iqbal would definitely dominate Rehman though..mostly because how he smiles at him when Rehman gives his 'kasainuma' dialogue. He gives me the "bbg you don't know what I can do to you" vibes.

But I fully agree with you on the Rehman/Ulfat/Aslam dynamic. It's a polyamory sure but Ulfat and Aslam are basically passing Rehman around like a toy yesss. Ulfat calls Aslam in their bed when she particularly wants Rehman's brains to leak out of his ears. She is mean af in bed sometimes and Rehman loves it. I can totally picture her giving orders to Aslam and the SP is like yes ma'am. Jessussss

Jamali being the sugar daddy lol yes. I figure their relationship is more mind fucking than anything. Rehman leans into his role more to get stuff out of Jamali. Though the kissing and hugging in canon is an hc I've made that Rehman is so used to ppl violating his personal space that it doesn't make him bat an eyelash anymore.

Also my favourite kind of crackfic where Rehman treats Khanani like his personal onlyfans account. Lmao.

Jamali

[prahelika-fics]

ooh i see the dom!iqbal potential! also during hamza's walima, where rehman is like 'hum isi ke khidmat mein humesha haazir hai' he's actually talking about getting on his knees and *redacted* *redacted* *redacted*. my main argument for sub!iqbal is that the guy has massive daddy issues, and. well. rehman satisfies all the criteria for being a DILF (even though he's younger than iqbal).

which reminds me, i really, really, REALLY need to read shayatin to get a better idea of their dynamic! i know it'll scare the shit out of me though. 🤤

i also like the idea that rehman isused to having his personal space invaded. bc of the headcanon that he had to do a lot of... unsavoury stuff to gain power. however, i do think that once rehman has some amount of power and respect, he stops letting people touch him when he doesn't want. i rlly love how he hugs everyone back (iqbal, shirani etc.) but stays very still whenever it's jamali.

also at khanani being his onlyfans account 🤣🤣 guy is just waiting for the day rehman allows him to be a voyeur

[desigurlie]

Hehe. I get u on the daddy issues. But my argument is, Rehman probably has daddy issues too (I mean Babu and being his illegitimate kid then Babu killing his son and ughh whatever mess that was) and he'll probably kill Iqbal if he tries to put him in that role. Though yea, Rehman is DILF af. But I find Iqbal more DILF.. maybe it's just me and my Arjun fantasies and Akshaye for some reason having a Parisian model waist and that cunty hair strand over his forehead just gives me bratty sub vibes. (It just might be I love Rehman getting wrecked in every dynamic speaking too so feel free to ignore).

Yes please read Shayatin. I'm waiting for your feedback most earnestly 😈😈😈

Also lmfao. I agree he doesn't let ppl into his personal space true but Jamali is on a higher power position than him.. authority figure kinda so ig he can't refuse him even if he wants to (see how he is forced to tolerate his nonsense even as his son died and then when Aslam came back during the eid celebrations). Khanani is the green factory Rehman needs so I kinda hc, he deliberately sidles up to him and let's him slobber all over him ugh.

Iqbal though is an interesting dynamic. The man is clearly more influential than him but Rehman is the one holding the strings of the negotiation atm (what with them needing weapons) plus I believe that threatening dialogue Rehman gave is a direct call back to him pumping Bade Sahab's brother full of lead all those years ago. He is like you know I'm crazy af and not even your boss got spared so remember that. Iqbal still seems to like him (asking after him when Uzair and Hamza came to collect the money also "kamal kardiya Rehman bhai ne") then getting so visibly upset at seeing the news of his death and threatening Aslam over it in D2.

He may have actually liked Rehman because of that threat. That smile he gave was perhaps more admiration than sarcasm.

[rehmansleftsock]

aslam/ulfat passing rehman around is so real i can totally see it omg. i feel like iqbal and rehman woukd def fight for that dom position tho..

and this is literally the most random ship because i’ve never heard anyone talk about it😭😭 but have u guys ever thought about ulfat x iqbal 😭😭OR MAYBE IM JUST CRAZY IDK but they are so visually appealing to me..

maybe the major already likes ulfat but rehman takes her away first which is why the major is always trying to one up rehman? PLS IS IT JUST ME??? lwk going to make a post about this..

[rehmansleftsock]

HIII!!!

i havent been able to write much because of my finals, but i’m finally FINALLY done! however, it’s like my minds in a creative slump. I like to write for personal satisfaction n all but also since i love when people read my work! is there anything u guys wanna read about 😥

(sorry ive never done this before)

—love, Ari🤍

[canteenkasastamaal]

I'm just saying..

If you're a fic reader and you say something nice about my fics or if you're a fic author and you reply to my comment and match my freak (and by freak, I mean energy), you better come to terms with the fact that I will forever be in love with you after that moment.

[rehmansleftsock]

Accidental Six.

—Hii! back with another fic because i just cannot get enough of rehmat! this one is slightly longer and i haven’t properly edited it so please don’t mind some errors!

—fluff only!

Rehman returned home later than usual. The house felt unusually quiet when he stepped inside. No footsteps, no soft sounds of Ulfat, no soft meowing from the cats Ulfat would randomly let inside their kitchen through their back door.

No presence moving through the rooms the way he had grown used to. This time round, however, his chest didn't tighten. He didn't reach for his phone; he didn't call her name.

Because he heard her.

Laughter drifted through the open windows. Light and unrestrained. Familiar. Not the polite sort of laughter she usually reserved for the political gatherings they would attend together, or the Smaller sounds she'd let out when they hosted dinners at the Haveli. The laugh came from somewhere deeper and free.

He heard other things among that, like a bat hitting concrete, a ball swishing, and children shouting. Rehman just stood there, listening, A slow smile tugging at his lips.

He set his keys down and walked toward the back gate, pushing it open quietly. There was a narrow alley behind the Haveli; it was a half-built residential area, surrounded by poverty and noise. He stepped into it, and then there she was..

Ulfat stood in the middle of the alley, dupatta pinned neatly so it wouldn't slip, sleeves rolled just enough to free her hands. Hair braided in her favourite style (a messy French braid- the same one rehman had learnt how to do so she wouldn't have to tire her hands out since her hair was so long), so it wouldn't get in the way.

A group of neighbourhood kids surrounded her, some barefoot, some holding a battered cricket bat, all of them talked at once.

She was arguing with them!

Her hands moved Animatedly. "Arey nahi nahi!", she protested, hands on her lips. "Yeh out nahi tha. Pair line ke andar tha!"

One of the boys groaned dramatically. "Auntie, aap hamesha apni team ko jeetwati hain, ye galat baat hai." That made Ulfat scoff. This was a game made to be won, was it not? "Jhoot mat bolo, Main bilkul fair hun." Some other kid from the crowd then said "Phir aap batting karo", Ulfat caught a bat swung towards her, clumsiliy. "Theek hai.. lekin zor se mat phekna!"

Watching all this from afar, Rehman leaned against the wall. He didn't announce his presence, He didn't interrupt. He just stood there, arms crossed, absorbing the way the light hit Ulfat's jaw just right. He watched as if it was something fragile, a moment he did not want to let go.

Ulfat swung the bat in an awkward angle, missing the shot entirely. The kids burst out laughing, some even going through with the dramatics and clutching their stomachs and dropping to the ground.

"Acha acha" she said while breathless but still smiling. "Dobara do." The next ball? She hit it. Not far, Not perfect, but enough to send it rolling. The kids cheered as if she just scored her first century. Rehman shook his head, trying to hide his little smirk, when a fielding kid, bumped into his leg.

The kid's eyes widened and he apologised. Rehman chuckled and just ruffled the boy's hair which earned him a sheepish smile and then the boy announced, "DON UNCLE AGAYE!!! APNI BIWI KO LENE AYE HAIN!". The rest of the kids (Ulfat included) spotted Rehman. Some kids immediately clung onto Ulfat, refusing to let her husband take her away.

Ulfat chuckled, though she was surprised. Then she softened again into a smile that could only ever be for him. Not guarded, not careful, just warm. "Rehman?" she walked to him. "Aap kab aye?" "Abhi," he replied. "Tum dikhai nahi di, bas phone karne wala hi tha aur tumhari awaz agayi."..

She paused for a second and then raised an eyebrow. "Acha? Aapko kese pata meri awaz thi? yaha toh bohat larkiyan rehti hain, unki awaz toh nahi sun li-" "Aapki awaz toh hum kahi bhi pehchan lein, aapko toh yeh Pehle se hi pata hai, jaan." Ulfat looked away, trying to hide her smile. "Hann haan.. theek hai", she acted unimpressed.

Rehman shook his head. "Yaha kyu ayi?" "Yeh log phir aa gaye the. Ball phenk di thi phir." A little boy's voice interrupted, "Galti se, uncle!" The boy sounded scared and defensive. Rehman raised an eyebrow. "Galti se ya jaan bojh kar?".. The kid laughed nervously.

Ulfat smacked his hand playfully. "Rehman! bacho ko mat Daraya karo!". Rehman glanced at her, he had his mock serious expression on. "Mein toh kuch keh bhi nahi raha." He almost whined. He didn't mind getting scolded by his wife in private, but here? in front of all these kids? He had an imagine to maintain, of a ruthless Don. Though he wasn't helping his case because his tone gave off the petulant child who stomps his feet on the ground when he doesn't get his way.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Aap has rahe hain!", Rehman just shrugged. "Bas ek aur over, Uncle! Abhi game baaki hai!". Rehman pretended to think about it.. "Theek hai." The kids cheered. One of the boys, emboldened by the fact that the feared don was smiling and not glaring, held the ball out towards him with both hands.

“Uncle, Aap bhi khel lo na. Aik over." Ulfat turned to them. "Nahi, rehne do. Yeh thak gaye honge." Rehman raised an eyebrow, amused. "Main thaka hua lagta hun?" She opened her mouth, then closed it again, clearly considering her words. The kids watched the exchange like it was the most entertaining match they'd watched all day.

"Aapko aata bhi hai?" she asked instead, folding her arms.

That did it.

Rehman stepped forward slowly, rolling up his sleeves with deliberate calm. "Tum bowling karo." Her eyes widened. "Mein?" "Haan," he nodded. "Dekhte hain." The kids exploded with excitement. Ulfat grabbed the ball, clearly determined now. She took a few awkward steps back, tried to mimic what she'd seen the boys do earlier. and threw the ball wit all her strength.

It bounced badly. Rehman didn't even move.

"Yeh cheating hai,” she protested. "Mein ready nahi thi." He just smiled knowingly. "Dobara."

She threw again, better this time. He swung. Clean. Sharp. The ball flew past the kids and bounced back. Silence was preserved for exactly one second. Then chaos. "Uncle jeet gaye!" "Auntie out hogayi!" "WOOWOOWOWOWWOOW.”

Rehman straightened, entirely too pleased with himself. Ulfat starred at the ball, then at him, then she slowly turned away.

And she ignored him. Completely. She walked towards the kids, fixing her dupatta, pretending very hard that her husband did not exist. Rehman blinked. Once. Twice. "Ulfat?" he called. He got no response. She crouched to talk to one of the kids instead. "Tum log ghar jao ab. Maghrib hone wali hai." Rehman followed her, suddenly unsure. "Suna tum ne?" She just stood up and walked past him.

Oh.

She was sulking.

Rehman cleared his throat. "Acha.. aik shot zyada lag gaya tha." Nothing. She started dusting off her hands, face carefully neutral. "Ulfat." he tried again. "Bas mazak tha.." Still nothing. The kids exchanged looks.

One of them whispered loudly. "Auntie naraz ho gayi." Rehman shot the child a look. "Tum chup raho." The kids all hurried back to their own homes. Then he turned back towards his wife, lowering his voice. "Acha, main haar manta hoon." She tilted her head away, biting her lip to keep herself from smiling.

"Ulfat," he said, now openly pleading. "Dekho na meri taraf." She walked towards the gate. He followed after immediately.

"Tum baat kyun nahi kar rahi ho?" She stopped. slowly turned. looked at him once, briefly, and then looked away again. Rehman's chest actually ached.

"Main ne galat kiya." he said, completely serious now. "Aage se tum jeetogi, pakka. Mein bat hi doosri jagah ghuma doon ga." That earned him nothing. He sighed, dramatic and helpless. "Tum aise karogi toh mujhe bilkul acha nahi lagega." She crossed her arms tighter.

Rehman leaned closer, voice low, almost embarrassed. "Log dekh rahe hain.."

"Unko dekhne do." She finally mumbled.

That was it. He smiled despite himself.

"Acha." he said quietly. "Mein maafi mangta hoon." Her eyes flickered to him for half a second. Encouraged, he went on, earnest now. "Sach mein. Tum jeeti ho. Main sirf is liye jeeta kyun ke tum samne thi."

She pressed her lips together, hard. He leaned down slightly so only she could hear him. "Ab baat kar lo na." Finally- FINALLY- she cracked. She glared at him. "Tum bilkul bache ho." Relief flooded his face so fast it was almost funny. He smiled wide. "Lekin tumhara."

She tried to stay annoyed. "Pata hai, tumhe wese bhi aur kon hi sambhale ga. Aik din saat guzar liya toh phek denge tumhe!" Rehman laughed under his breath, victorious in a way no stress, no rival, no deal had ever made him feel.

And as they walked back home together, he stayed a little closer than necessary, just in case she tried to ignore him again.

[hyade]

the face of a man who can't WAIT to tell you his little jinn/shaitan story