Yusuf steadily picked up the pen. 

His eyes grazed over the conditions of his marriage and the vows of love printed on the thick sheet before he repeated his signature on the nikkah certificate.

"That's it," the Imam stated.

"That's it?" Yusuf's parroted.

Yusuf was a trainee solicitor, so he was no stranger to how quickly things could be concluded and settled with a signature, but today was different. This time, his signature signalled a start, not a stop.

"That's it," the Imam repeated with a wide smile. "You've signed your nikkah and legal certificate. The mahr's been paid. You and Asiya are married and free to do as you like."

"You hear that, bro?" Dawood jumped on Yusuf's back, nearly tackling him to the ground. "You're married! You're married!" he sang as he rubbed his knuckle on Yusuf's head.

"To you or Asiya?" Adam drawled as he pulled Dawood off Yusuf.

"Congratulations, Yusuf," Asiya's dad beamed as he lifted Yusuf onto his feet and embraced him. "Barakallahu lakuma wa baraka alaikuma wa jama'a baynakuma fi khair."

"Welcome to the family," Farooq said, patting Yusuf on his shoulder.

"Thank you," Yusuf said.

Handshakes and backslaps with congratulations and thank yous were completed quickly. 

Yusuf's nikkah had been small. 

Barely any of his external family members had been invited, and he didn't have many friends. Asiya's guest list naturally outweighed his own.

"We'll wait for the girls to finish," Asiya's dad chuckled. "I'm sure they have instructions."

"Welcome to married life, bro," Adam sniggered as he elbowed him in his side.

Yusuf grinned and patiently tucked his hands into his pocket while he waited for the squeals and chatter to die down on the other side of the curtain.

"Let go of her, Aminah!" Yusuf heard Kulthum bark. "She shouldn't be hugging you! She should be hugging Yusuf! Open the curtains!"

Yusuf didn't have time to prepare. The curtains pulled apart like Kulthum's words had been a click of a finger.

The women flooded into the men's side like water breaking through a dam.

Aminah handed her baby to her husband, and Asiya's dad wove his hands around Asiya's mum. Asiya's friends scurried forward with mini cameras to capture his and Asiya's first moments.

Yusuf barely saw Asiya shyly step forward before his mum and aunt squashed him with a hug.

"Congratulations, beta," his mum cooed as she stroked his face.

"Your bride looks gorgeous," aunt Zulaihat winked before she moved out of the way, restoring Yusuf's view of Asiya.

Asiya gave Yusuf an awkward wave. "Hello."

Yusuf stared at Asiya. Now that he was allowed to shamelessly look at Asiya, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

Kulthum held her camera and moved around them like a whirlpool collecting and combining sand, leaves, and rocks with its movements, encouraging him and Asiya to move closer together.

Yusuf didn't want to.

He wanted to memorise the image of Asiya, to absorb her picture into his mind until his memory was soaked with it, so when he closed his eyes, she would be all he saw.

"Dude! This isn't covid! You don't need to social distance!" Dawood hissed before he pushed Yusuf.

Yusuf staggered forward clumsily, closing the gap between himself and Asiya.

"Hi," he greeted.

Asiya took a step forward. "This is so awkward."

Yusuf laughed lightly while nodding.

Asiya took another step forward, then another, and another. Each time her sock-covered feet touched the ground, it was like she was pressing the pause button on Yusuf's heart.

What would happen when she was a mere breath away from him? Would his heart explode? Shut down altogether? Would his body self-destruct?

"Everyone's staring," Asiya murmured.

Yusuf cleared his throat, but his voice still tightened. "You look beautiful."

Asiya was taller than the average woman, but the top of her head stopped at his chin. She was wearing an embellished ivory abaya that gathered at her feet, making her look like she was floating.

Yusuf decided then and there, at that moment, that no word could encompass or describe how beautiful Asiya looked when he retold the story of their nikkah to his family, his friends, or their children.

The alphabet was incapable of capturing what his eyes had.

Hell, he would leave that part out altogether because it was a vision he didn't want others to try and imagine, an image of Asiya that Yusuf didn't want to share.

"Thanks," Asiya said quietly. "You look nice too."

"We're...married," Yusuf said before cringing. He had said that too cautiously, almost like he was unsure.

Asiya nodded.

It felt like silent electricity was moving between them, pulsing and pushing Yusuf to move forward, do more, and do something with his hands and arms that suddenly felt useless at his side.

"Can I give you a hug? Do you mind? Is that okay?" Yusuf asked.

"Yes, that's okay," Asiya replied.

Yusuf made the first move.

He held out his hand. Asiya placed hers in Yusuf's open palm.

Her hands are softer than mine, Yusuf noted, blushing slightly. Her fingers are slimmer, too.

Yusuf's heart thumped as he pulled Asiya's frame towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her body against his.

A shiver passed through him as Asiya copied his actions. She snaked her arms around his torso before letting herself sink into him.

Everyone erupted into cheers, and Asiya squirmed and moved her head as though she wanted to tuck herself away and disappear into Yusuf.

Yusuf mentally recited a dua, asking Allah to keep him steady because Asiya's small, shy movements threatened to undo him.

- A -

Asiya's hands were warm, sweaty, and practically melting in Yusuf's own, but he didn't seem to care. He gripped Asiya's hands tighter as they walked towards the garden.

"I can't believe you wore trainers," Yusuf grinned as he nodded towards Asiya's feet.

Asiya looked down. Her juvenile white socks were now covered with brand new white trainers.

"I like the fact that we're matching," Yusuf said.

"Accidentally, though," Asiya said.

Yusuf swung their woven hands. "Great minds think alike."

Asiya gave him a small smile. 

Her nerves had been sweating out of her as the day progressed, but many of them were still with her, and Asiya felt like she had to fight through them to complete the simplest things, like smiling, moving, or speaking.

Things Yusuf seemed to have no trouble doing. His confident demeanour hadn't changed since their hug in the masjid.

"Congratulations again," Olivia said as she approached Asiya and Yusuf.

"Thanks, Liv," Asiya said at the same time Yusuf said, "Thank you."

"The hijab really suits you," Asiya said to Olivia.

Olivia fondled the baby pink scarf she had worn for Asiya's nikkah. "Thanks. I planned to only keep it on for your ceremony, but it's comfortable."

"That's because it's jersey," Asiya sang.

Olivia's gaze flickered onto Yusuf before returning to Asiya. "I just wanted to check if you were okay with the hampers and stuff being put over there."

Asiya shook her hand out of Yusuf's.

She followed Olivia's finger to a table where large, elaborately and obsessively decorated trays and baskets filled to the brim with perfume, snacks, jewellery, clothes, and other personalised knick-knacks had been placed.

"I think they're fine here," Asiya said as she ogled the display.

"Great!" Olivia gave Asiya a thumbs-up before skipping away.

"Asiya." Yusuf grabbed Asiya's hand, causing her to jump. "Sorry," he apologised as his cheeks turned red.

"No, no, there's no need to apologise!" Asiya cradled her hands against her chest. "I just haven't wrapped my head around the fact that we're married and can..."

"Touch each other now?" Yusuf finished.

Heat rushed to Asiya's cheeks. "Yeah."

"I'll ask you next time. I'll try to always ask you. I just," Yusuf scrunched his eyebrows together as he looked at the table, "why have you done this?"

Asiya placed a protective hand on the table. "Done what? I thought it was a tradition to exchange and give gifts. Your mum said."

Yusuf stepped closer to Asiya and dropped his voice. "You didn't have to do this. It's a tradition but not part of the religion, and you don't have to give them publicly or display them."

Asiya's mood deflated like a balloon.

The display of the thaals was deliberate, a strategic move of one of Asiya's pieces against Yusuf's family on the chessboard.

Hannah had explained that some people disliked the tradition. When they traced it back to its original roots, some saw it as outdated and unislamic, but Asiya saw it as an opportunity to form bonds with Yusuf's family or, at the very least, buy some of them.

She had asked her sisters and friends to put the thaals next to the dessert table so everyone could see Asiya and her family's efforts.

"Sorry, I didn't know," Asiya said.

"You don't need to apologise. I just don't want you or anyone to think you're a burden to me or my family," Yusuf said.

Yusuf's gaze was intense.

Asiya had intended for her actions to be sweeteners, to increase her value in Yusuf's and his family's eyes, but instead, she felt smaller and like she was being scolded.

Asiya focused her attention on her sleeve as colours of shame simmered up her neck, which was thankfully covered by her hijab.

"I don't," she said quietly.

Yusuf hummed.

Asiya could feel the awkwardness between them growing, so before it could fully bloom, she made an excuse about needing the bathroom and beelined out of the marquee.

Asiya pulled at the safety pin tucked underneath her chin as she pushed open the bathroom door and entered a stall.

She locked the stall behind her, sat on the toilet seat and used her hands to fan away the uncomfortable feeling of de ja vu that always seemed to prey on her.

She straightened her posture as feet accompanied by voices entered the bathroom.

"I can't lie everything looks super pretty, including the thaals! Who made them?"

Asiya leaned forward smugly as she recognised Sarah's starstruck voice.

"We all did. Asiya, Ruqayyah, Kulthum and I," Olivia boasted.

"So, are the ones on the table just for Yusuf's family?" Sarah questioned.

"Yup," Olivia answered.

"Damn. You guys went all out," an unfamiliar voice whistled. "It's a shame Yusuf's family didn't do the same."

Asiya bent her head down to look at the shoes of the person talking.

She couldn't see them. The bottom of her dress, which was mint green and generously bathed in sequins and glitter,covered them.

She must be one of Yusuf's guests, Asiya said internally.

"It's meant to be a gift exchange, isn't it? I'm sure Asiya will get hers later," Olivia said.

"I'm sure," the guest said mockingly. "It just doesn't look good."

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked.

"Asiya isn't even Pakistani. It's not her tradition. I'm sure it won't matter," Sarah said defensively.

The guest clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Sarah, you know how this will look."

"Half of the people here won't care. Plus, Asiya and her family prioritise religion. She got her mahr. That'll be enough," Sarah said.

Olivia clicked her heels against the floor desperately. "What are you two going on about?"

"Look, everyone knows that the thaals are more than just gifts. They show how much your in-laws rate you, and in this case, publicly. The more quality hampers you receive, the more they like you, and right now, the bride doesn't seem to have received any."

The guest pulled the letters out of her mouth as though what she said was common knowledge. Something Asiya should've already known.

Asiya's back slackened against the wall.

She wanted to fly through the marquee and hide away all the signs of her efforts and desperate desire for affection because what was the point?

It wouldn't be acknowledged, and, knowing Yusuf's family, her actions had condemned her to ridicule. Asiya wasn't going to win anything.

She had lost her chess pieces. She might as well have given them away for free.

Olivia scoffed. "That's stupid."

"Watch it. That's my culture you're talking about," the guest said fiercely.

"I'm sorry, but that's a dumb association. You can't measure your closeness to others by how many disposable items you receive," Olivia said.

"Maybe," the guest sniffed, "but people will do it anyway." 

-

Author's Note: Well 🤭. They're married. 🥹. For better or worse. What dowe think will Yusuf's family back down? 🤨. They don't have to see Asiya. Would love to hear your thoughts! ☺️. Hope you're enjoying the story so far! 🤍. 

Chapter Glossary

Beta: (Urdu) Child.

Mahr: A compulsory gift of the woman's choice given to her by her husband.

Imam: A title. Someone who is leader.

Nikkei: The marriage in Islam.

Thaals: (Urdu) Hampers.

Barakallahu lakuma wa baraka alaikuma wa jama'a baynakuma fi khair: May Allah bless you both, shower His blessings upon you, and unite you in goodness, Beta, hijab, unislamic, Thaals.