.

Haya x Amir.

"Out of all the things I expected, the one I never did was having conversations with you about the stupidity of these politicians at three in the morning." Yusuf admitted, sipping his green tea as he looked at Prince Amir and laughed at the tired expression on his face.

The party had ended around an hour ago and while they all had bid the guests, they hadn't straight up gone to their particular rooms and decided to sleep.

Infact, they were busy in a conversation about the guests at the party. There were quite a few politicians and Royal diplomats who were basically trying to get into Prince Amir's good graces for the sake of their personal motives.

"I didn't expect the party to last for that long." Amir replied, still surprised that the party had been on full swing even at two.

Most of the Royal celebrations in Maraaish ended before midnight.

"Our celebrations hardly end with punctuality. There's no alcohol when father attends, which is why it ended at two." Illyas told the Prince, earning another surprised expression.

"What happens otherwise?" Amir asked, looking at Haya for just a moment before looking back at Illyas.

He couldn't wait to talk to her in private but Haya had actually been dodging a conversation. She had faked her smile throughout the night, only pretending.

Amir had also turned busy, since he had alot of people around who were thrilled to have a conversation. Yusuf was always around too, making sure that Amir was comfortable.

Even though he was his brother in law, he was the Crown Prince of Maraaish first and they couldn't afford to offend him in any way.

"People get drunk, they dance, they spill secrets. Next thing you know, it's six in the morning."

Yusuf answered instead of Illyas, knowing that his brother's answer wouldn't be so much coy.

"And then we get lectured by our mother the next morning, ofcourse." Illyas added, chuckling as he stared at the Queen.

"You kids do not know what an actual lecture is. I have been saving you from your father since forever." She said, her gaze settling on Haya who actually seemed quite zoned out.

She only managed to crack a smile when Yusuf nudged her with his arm.

"The only one you've been saving is Haya, mom. Illyas has always managed to remain sneaky,"

"Shahid is a poor soul, he didn't even get into trouble at school."

Yusuf told Amir, Illyas rolled his eyes.

"And you're the saint in this family?" He enquired, earning a shake of head. 

"No. I was just too crippled by the pressure of being a Crown Prince. I'm sure Amir can relate. It's hard being the oldest one."

At the mention of his name, Amir cleared his throat and nodded. He could not have agreed more with Yusuf's words.

"Yes, I can. You can't seem to please everyone when you have duties that require your immediate attention."

Even though he had said it generally, Haya could understand the hidden meaning behind his words.

She let out a tired sigh.

"Haya, sleepy already?" Her mother asked, she shook her head.

"No. I'm fine," Haya muttered, seeing her mother nod and look at the time.

"Well, I am off to bed now." She announced, getting up.

"Amir, I will see you at the breakfast table?" She directed her question at the Prince, who nodded with a smile.

"Yes, inshallah. We'll be leaving right after."

She didn't know when and how he had decided that they were leaving right after breakfast. She had told him that she would stay for a week and he had told her he could stay for atleast two days, after which he would go home and then on his visit to Oman again.

"Both of you? Haya, you never told me." Haya shrugged at her mother's question, not even knowing herself.

"Apparently I don't even know myself about when and where I'm going." Haya mumbled, more to herself than to anyone around.

It was quite audible to Amir and even to Illyas, who was sitting very close to his sister.

"What?" Her mother asked, not understanding what she had just said.

Haya shook her head.

"Nothing, mom. I'll see you in the morning."

The Queen only nodded, mumbling a good night and walking away.

Before anyone could have said anything to fill in the silence, Yusuf's phone vibrated.

He looked at the caller ID and stood up as well.

"I'm off to bed too. If there's anything you need, Amir-"

"Not at all, Yusuf. Thank you for the company and the conversation."

He shook his hands with the man, leaning down to kiss his sister's forehead who fake groaned in annoyance.

They all knew he wasn't sleepy at all. He was just ready to talk to his fiance now.

Haya looked at Illyas, avoiding her husband's eyes because she knew looking at him would only cater to the hurt she already felt.

"Aren't you smiling too much looking at your phone, brother?" She noticed, seeing how Illyas was grinning while using his phone.

"My happiness doesn't sit well with you, sister?" He shot back, putting his phone back on the table..only to see the phone vibrating on the table.

Before anyone could see the caller ID, he had already picked up his phone and hung up on who was calling.

"Which flavour of the week is calling you at three in the morning?" He heard his sister question, Illyas stood up and gave her a pointed look.

"You really want a lecture on keeping your nose out of your brother's personal life?" He shot back, Haya clicked her tongue.

"Good night, Illyas. Go away now."  She hadn't really meant to send him away, it was a gesture to mean that he was annoying her.

Instead, she found her brother bidding Amor goodnight.

"See you in the morning, Amir. It was a lovely conversation." He said, murmuring a goodnight and leaving the couple alone in the hall.

She had entered the shower the moment both of them walked back into her suite. She knew that if she had stopped, he would have willed for a conversation and she really did not want to have one.

Besides, if she could spend thirty to forty minutes avoiding him, it would be time for fajr anyway and he would have no time left to talk after that.

She had it all planned in her head. She would shower, dry her hair, moisturise her face and body, wear her night clothes, get under the covers and feign to be asleep.

However, the moment she stepped out of the shower into the dressing room..she could hear his footsteps, as if he was walking in the tv room.

Haya closed the door of the dressing, drying her hair and spending hell lot of time..almost dragging it, just so it would be time for fajr.

She only came out of the dressing room when the clock struck four thirty and she knew he wouldn't be outside.

The last thing she was expecting in that moment was him standing in the middle of the room, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

Haya frowned, confused.

Why hadn't he gone to pray yet?

She sighed, surprised as she turned around and found the entire room filled with different kinds of flower bouquets and more gifts than she could count in one glance.

She crossed her arms over her chest, knowing what he was trying to do.

"What's all this?" She asked, looking at him with a blank expression on her face.

Amir stepped forward, giving her a gentle smile.

"Gifts," He stated.

"For your birthday."

"By?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Me." He didn't understand why she had even asked that question. Was it not obvious?

He stared at her, hoping to find her surprised and her anger subsided. Instead, he found her facial expression telling him quite the opposite.

"So you think this-" She picked up the first box she saw, opening it only to find a beautiful bracelet inside.

She threw the box on the table, it landed with a thud.

"Or this-" She picked up a smaller box and found a ring, a delicate ring that resembled her personal choice.

She threw it on the table as well, Amir looked at her in utter surprise.

"Or that," She pointed towards the bigger box, then glared at him.

"Is going to make up for the fact that you weren't there on the day that was special to me?" She questioned, he sighed.

He understood her anger, he didn't understand why her birthday was so important to her but he did understand that she expected him to be there and he had assured her repeatedly that he would be, still he wasn't.

"No, Haya." He denied.

"Then what, Amir? You think I can't buy all of this shit on my own?!" She cursed, he clicked his tongue.

He literally wanted to tell her to stop cursing at this time but he knew it would only anger her further.

"You think this fucking piece of jewellery can make up for you fucking up?" She swore again, he mumbled an astaghfirullah in his head.

He looked at her, finding her pick up the diamond necklace that he had specifically bought for her last month, in Paris.

"You think this diamond necklace can make things better because 'oh Haya is so shallow, she just loves shiny things and she doesn't give a shit about emotions'!"

Haya exclaimed. She hated that he didn't understand the simple fact that when it came to him, she didn't care about expensive gifts and luxuries..she cared more about his attention. Everything else came much later.

"Haya." He tried to come close, she shook her head at him.

"No!"

"Don't Haya me. You weren't there. You told me you would be with me and you weren't there."

"Nothing can make up for the humiliation and embarassment I felt in front of my friends and my family."

"And I don't even give a fuck about that. I only expected you to show up and love me, I expected you to be there and wish me. But where were you? Nowhere."

She gestured with her hand and found her throat closing, she knew her body was literally ready to leak out the waterworks from her eyes but she breathed in and out to stop herself.

Amir wanted to groan. He was being very patient, listening to her go on and on. He didn't take to disrespect well and her cursing like that felt disrespectful to him.

"Can you stop cursing and listen to me?" He asked, voice calm.

Haya didn't really care as she went on and on.

"You think I don't have enough jewellery? You think they matter to me? I loved the jewellery you gifted before because it came from you, not because it was shiny and pretty!" She yelled, he hoped her voice wasn't going to be heard by anyone outside.

"Go downstairs and you'll see the amount of expensive gifts that I've not even spared a look at. I don't need this." She pointed around the entire room, literally twirling to make a point.

Then, she snatched the flowers from his hand and threw them on the table.

"And I certainly don't need these flowers anymore. My birthday's over!"

And Amir literally had to shake her shoulder to stop her.

"Can you stop acting like I murdered someone? Can you just listen for once?!"

His tone got loud too, Haya tried to jerk herself away from his grip but it was tight enough to hold her in place.

"Right, because birthdays are immature and childish for you. Ofcourse, you'd think I'm over reacting."

Amir looked at her like he wanted to say way more, scream at her too but instead..he didn't say anything and found Haya letting out a huge exhale.

"Okay, fine. Tell me."

She murmured, hoping that his explanation would be good enough but also dreading it at the same time.

Amir took a respectful step back, then looked at her and started to speak.

"I was about to leave for Buredaan yesterday when my mother called me. I had a bouquet of flowers and a plan to wish you." He started off, seeing his wife with crossed arms over her chest.

"She told me that father got mad at Suhoor again, there was a huge argument."

Fucking Suhoor!

"When I reached home, I realised that father had high blood pressure again. Anyway, I calmed the situation down and waited until he got better. Once he was better, I was ready to come to you."

"When I looked at the time, I realised it was already three in Buredaan. I knew I hadn't wished you on time and I was just about to call you and apologise but due to stress of my father's health, my mother almost lost concsiousness."

She didn't want to be a bitch but it felt like his family drama always got between her special time with him. She had learned to tolerate it, she had learned to like his family and yes, she couldn't exactly hold judgement against someone for losing concsiousness but she didn't exactly feel thrilled about his family in this very moment.

"When the doctor arrived, he told us that we need to get her cancer tests done again. He thought the symptoms might be returning. By the time the tests were done and we were relieved enough to know that mother was okay, it was already morning."

"I didn't rest a single bit and I knew you would be asleep so I didn't call you. I didn't know what to text so I didn't. I slept for a few hours and only woke up when Suhoor came into my room, begging me to talk to father about her unwillingness to marry."

She could understand the sick father and sick mother, she couldn't ask him to not tend to his parents because that would be unfair but at the same time, Suhoor's drama wasn't important enough. It could have been delayed for a while.

"Haya, she was really upset and I knew everything was bothering her. I had to talk to father. I couldn't see her this upset."

She swallowed, feeling a pang in her chest.

"After finishing my talk with father, he insisted that I call Arrfan and tell him to come to the Palace. Once he had arrived, I explained that Suhoor was too young to marry right now and ended whatever there was. Then, I flew straight to you."

He explained his side of the story, staring at her. He believed that she would understand now, she would be fine after listening.

"Okay."

Haya said instead, having so many mixed feelings about the entire story.

The Crown Prince frowned at her.

"Okay?" He repeated, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, Amir. Okay. I don't know what else to say." She threw her hands up in the air out of frustration.

"Say that you understand." He stated, she shook her head at him.

"I don't want to say that." Haya replied, letting out a dry chuckle.

"Prince Amir, the perfect son, the perfect brother, the perfect Prince but where's my perfect husband? Where's my share?" She questioned, he raised his eyes at her.

"The truth is you prioritised your family above your wife on a day that you were supposed to spend with me."

She pointed out.

"Haya, I told you the entire story."

"I lied awake all night, expecting a call from you. You could have called but you didn't." She accused.

How hard was it to make a single phone call? How hard was it to send a single text? His mind had been so occupied with his family that he chose not to think about her, it bothered her.

"Suhoor's marriage shit was going to stay the same way. It could have waited another day."

"When you were looking at her upset face, did you ever think about my upset face? Did you think about how I must be feeling?"

She questioned, her voice cracking at the very end.

"Your father has alot of people to take care of him. He has other sons. Why does your mother always call you? Did she not know that you were coming to me?"

Amir wanted to call her insensitive, because she was being that way right now but chose not to.

"And I am sorry that she fell sick but you could have told me, you could have called me, you could have flown right after the tests had came fine. But you didn't!"

She accused, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Don't expect me to understand this time, Amir." Her voice turned soft and shaky now, as if all the fight and anger she had within her dusted away.

"You know what actually hurts? I'm a big girl, I'll get over the fact that you forgot to wish me or that you didn't come." She continued, swallowing the lump down her throat.

"What actually hurts is the fact that I'll never be your first priority, even though you have become mine."

He shook his head at her.

"Don't say that, baby."

He never wanted her to think like that.

He had so many priorities, he tried to give his hundred percent to everyone around and sometimes, things got messy. But he loved his wife and he hated that she felt hurt because of him.

He wanted to feel angry because she didn't understand that his father's health was much more important than her birthday but he just didn't have the heart to pronounce the words out loud.

She was hurt. He didn't want her to feel hurt.

"You really hurt me, Amir." Haya murmured, sniffing.

His heart ached seeing her eyes glisten with tears.

"What can I do to make it better?" He wished he could just kiss it better but didn't know how she would react.

"Turn back time."

"I can't."

"Exactly."

She walked inside her bedroom, he left the suite to go and pray.

It wasn't exactly a very memorable birthday for her.

She couldn't sleep.

She wanted to but she really couldn't sleep, knowing that Amir still hadn't came back after praying.

She knew he wasn't in the living room either. He wasn't in the shower too.

She didn't even want to feel guilty but she did. Maybe she shouldn't have said that much. After all, Amir was quite busy himself and his parents had a health crisis.

He wouldn't have hurt her on purpose. She knew that.

She was just ready to get up and go out to search for him but she heard the door open and feigned to be asleep instead.

Another ten minutes and she felt weight on the right side of the bed. She tried to even her breathing and closed her eyes, her back turned towards him.

She smelled him before she felt his touch on her waist.

She didn't even have the time to protest because he hadn't exactly pulled her towards him. Instead, he had moved himself and put his arm around her, his front touching her back.

Haya didn't say a word, hoping that he would think she was asleep.

Amir knew better than that. He knew she was awake. An hour of prayer had given him much needed patience and a clear mind. He didn't want Haya to remember this day ending bitterly, he wanted her to remember her birthday as a happy memory.

"No more fighting." He whispered against her, she swallowed.

"I want to." Haya replied, even though she didn't want to fight anymore.

She wanted to love him and adore him and forget everything else. But at the same time, she was too stubborn to admit it.

"No, you don't." He said, chuckling because he knew she was probably pouting by now.

The entire time he was in the prayer room with Haya's father, all he could think about was the fact that he had managed to hurt his daughter. He didn't ever want to be in a place like that, where he felt guilty in front of someone.

King Najaf had told him to be patient with Haya, because he was quite lucky to have someone who loved him so much. It was said as a general thing, as something any protective father would say but Amir felt a little pang of guilt in his chest upon hearing it.

He had already been feeling odd ever since Haya accused him of not prioritizing her. It wasn't true and he didn't like that he thought that way at all.

He leaned over her, finding the annoyed expression on her face a little too adorable.

"Don't you ever say that you're not my priority. You're always my priority. Sometimes, you're the first and sometimes you're not." He told her, kissing the top of her head because he didn't want to feel detached.

"And that's okay because you're always in my heart and in my head." He assured, trying to make her believe that he truly meant it.

Haya put her hand on his beard, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'm sleepy and you're a liar." She replied, accusing him.

Amir shook his head. He hated being called that.

"Shut up, Haya." She wanted to protest.

How could he tell her to shut up? Instead, he put his hand over her mouth.

"You remember that I told you I don't understand myself when it comes to you? I still don't."

He mumbled, she stared at him.

"My whole day goes on and on, meetings and people and family drama as you call it, it's tiring and exhausting at times."

"And then I come home and I see you dressed inappropriataly and jumping around in those tiny clothes and placing kisses all over my face."

He said with a chuckle, Haya smiled behind his hand.

"In that moment, it feels like all is right in the world and I don't feel tired anymore." She looked at him, feeling a certain warmth in her heart as she heard his words.

"You're my peace, Haya. You are a part of me."

He further said, removing his hands so she could speak. She wanted to tell him she loved him and that she forgave him. Instead, she raised an eye at him and found something else leaving her mouth..

"I won't have sex with you even if you say more sweet words." She murmured, Amir clicked his tongue.

"I'm serious." He uttered, she nodded.

"I know." Haya said with a sigh, then continued as she saw the slightly frustrated expression on his face.

"I know you love me but I'm just annoyed that you weren't here. It's my right to be sad if my husband's not here on my birthday." She dragged, he hummed.

"But I showed up, yes?"

"At the last moment." Haya grumbled.

"I showed up anyway." Amir defended.

"You threw away my gifts, you yelled at me and yet you expect me to listen to your tantrums and you whine even further like a sixteen year old?" He continued, Haya rolled her eyes.

"You deserve worse." She mumbled.

Amir didn't feel like doing anything further. If she was going to have such an attitude, he didn't feel the need to explain himself.

He was just about to move away and get off when Haya put her arms around his neck and stopped him, a little desperate.

"Don't get off," She whispered, looking at him.

She was so beautiful, so angelic and such an incredible woman but she was also a spoiled child in his eyes sometimes.

"You give me such a hard time. God gives me so much patience to deal with you." He said, playful but he actually meant it too.

"As if I haven't done the same for you." Haya replied, finally cracking a smile at him.

"Baby," Amir kissed the tip of her nose.

"I love you." He kissed her left cheek, then the right one.

"I love you so much, it's maddening." He kissed the side of her mouth.

"And I'm sorry." He apologized, kissing her completely.

Before Haya could melt into the kiss, he stopped and looked at her.

"I should have called you and I didn't, for that I'm sorry." He explained, saying more.

"My father's health was more important, I can't apologise for not showing up when he wasn't feeling well."

Haya didn't want to argue any further and she also knew that anyone's health was much more important than any birthday or event. She couldn't argue that point. She couldn't stop a son from making sure his parents were alright.

"Okay." She affirmed, nodding.

"Yes, it's fine. I'm over it." She shrugged, kissing his mouth quickly before she tried to push him away.

"Come on now, let me see your gifts." He gave her a pointed look.

"Now? I was hoping for another kind of gift."

Haya let out a laugh and shook her head at him.

"And I told you no sex for tonight, Prince Amir. A little punishment as a reminder." 

The Crown Prince's groan and his wife's laughter was all that could be heard for a few seconds.

--

Thoughts?