Sang e Khisht

باب آٹھارواں

جے اِک تیرا پیار میںوں میلیا
میں دُنیا تو ہور کی لینا؟

٭
Chapter 18 : Eik qadam mein, do qadam ap

Golnar hissed at the pain as he touched her warm skin with the iodine. It had been inspected by Husyan — though he had maintained a distance. Did not require stitches ; a thought that gave her a lot of peace. Squeezing her eyes shut as he applied the ointment over her skin, Golnar could not help but wince in pain. His fingers were abnormally large against her slender palms and as he dabbed the cotton against her gash, she could not help but yelp. Then bite her tongue out of habit.

"Araam sai!" Golnar shrieked as he dabbed a bit to hard in one particular area.
[Careful!]

It was a flaming red and though blood had dried around the open wound, she could feel the throbbing pulses underneath. Like a dull annoyance—similar to the cramps she got when on her period—Golnar's palm felt frozen. His warm fingers held her palm open, keeping her bones in a shackle as she tried to twist it out of his powerful hold. Twisting her face to not meet the sight of her open flesh, she pinched her thighs. Her skin coming beneath her nail bed as she used force.

"Dard te nai ho rai?" He spoke, breaking the wandering silence inside the bedroom.
[Is it hurting?]

Peaking at him from beneath her lashes, the deep kohl that had smeared her pale cheeks at the moment made her look like a raccoon. His eyes focused on hers, falling lower to her exposed collar bone before they rose once more. Tiny tremors that resembled the crackling effect of her favourite chocolate, brushed her palms and then traveled up to her elbow as she waited patiently. Searching for an answer.

Shrugging her shoulders Golnar's lips slipped into a smile and the dusting of an endearing blush on top of her cheeks were involuntary too as he blew on to her wound. Settling the cream into place before he wrapped the gauze around it. His fingers still holding the edge of her palms as he tied it into a neat bow, slipping to touch her warm pulse that throbbed at an uncanny pace. Matching the upheaval of her breath as she tried to gain momentum. The shell of his lips cruising past her warm skin set her stomach ablaze and she squirmed. Though his palm was quick to settle her in place as she rubbed his thumb into the skin just above the bandage.

"Tuaddi baliyan te churiyan kithay ne?" He enquired.
[Where are your ear rings and bangles?]

"W-woh bari bibi nai pehannay sai mana kia hai. Kaam karna hota hai na tou—"
[T-that bari bibi forbid be from wearing them. I have to work so—]

Golnar words seemed to come to an end as her eyes fell on to his that had been staring at her far too long. Taking in every curve of her face with a devout's patience and faith. His lips — perhaps even unknown to him, curled into a ghost of a grin, his thumbs rubbing the skin that had started to turn a red from his touch.

"Kadi shikayat vi karni ain? Ya sirf sab da hukam mandi ae?" He murmured.
[Do you ever complain? Or do you just agree to everyone's order?]

"Woh—" she drawled on.
[That—]

Her lips screamed and the flesh moved with sharpness. Inside her cheeks the cells that quivered with ferociousness, gathered force. Forging pain and strength at the same time as she stared at the man who had up until a few moments ago done nothing but ignore her existence. Slipping her hand out of his grip she settled it into her lap, wiping a last tear that had settled into the skin of her chin. Licking the dry skin, her tongue darting around her mouth, she searched for words.