Love at First Heist

NINE

"How'd they get in there?" Idris muttered.
"Now, don't start this again," Shehnaz said, rolling her eyes.
"I believe you. I'm saying, how?"
She stifles in her laughter, before taking a glance at him. He was staring into the middle distance like he'd gotten punched in the face by those kittens.
"My guess is, they came in through the balcony you seem to be falling asleep in with the door open."
He turned to look at her, blinking. He didn't have his glasses on but it didn't really matter, not when he was up close like this. She thought he might've been the most attractive man she'd ever sat next to. Along the strong, stubbled line of his jaw, he had a hair-thin pink scratch from where one of the kittens had caught him during hamper transport. That was a version of getting punched in the face, she supposed.

And because she was still in the habit of forgetting herself, it took everything she had in her not to reach up and touch it.

"Well, they're barely a week old. If they were hidden like that, I'm sure the mother must be around."

"That's what I was saying!" Shehnaz exclaims, and Idris literally side eyes her.

"How're you so sure?"

"She knows her way around animals. This isn't the first time she's here, not even second or third," the vet answers instead, chuckling. Idris watches the way the vet's eyes linger on Shehnaz longer than it's supposed to and Idris almost says "I asked her, not you."

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Addy." She says, laughing softly in embarrassment.

Idris feels something burning inside him at the sound of her giggle, and Addy, seriously? Larki tumhari daddy ke baap agar yaad na dila de.

"Last you were here you had bought a deer with you, Naz, I rather feel grateful you haven't seen me in a while."

Naz— Idris might just rip his tongue out and strangle him with it.

"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with how you're both acquainted?" Idris interrupts.

"I worked at this clinic as a volunteer when I was a teenager. I've known Adam since then," Idris' chest fills with something close to pride as he hears those words, of course she volunteered for animals. Then the smile falls from his face the second Shehnaz says Adam's name.

"You never did leave this place after volunteering, every month or two you showed up with a rescue." Adam says, his eyes teasing.

He was a British citizen, and if he assaulted this man right now, the court of Netherlands couldn't punish him, right?

"Shehnaz," Idris starts, "Do you feed animals personally?"

"Huh?"

"I'm interested to know if you give food to strays, maybe one gave birth because she thought the people around were caring,"

Shehnaz ponders for a bit, before her eyes widened.

"Arashi!"

"Who?"

"Arashi bint Asfyander Al Fihriya," she exclaims, and both Adam and Idris blink a couple times.

Arashi bint.. what?

"Oh my god you naughty cat so this is what you'd been upto, yaar tumhari toh ek saal ki bhi umar nhi. Ye kaise humari naak kata di aapne." she murmurs to herself.

"Shehnaz, would you please stop muttering to yourself and explain?" Idris says, his jaw clenched. He didn't have a problem with her behaviour, in fact he founded it cute but he despised that he wasn't the only one who did. He wanted to wipe the amused grin off of Adam's face, and put the damned ring on Shehnaz's finger already so it wouldn't happen again.

"I feed a stray, I'd noticed the weight she put on recently. It must've been her kittens."

"Alright well, now that that's looked after, can I hold you both responsible for the kittens shelter?"

"My landlady wouldn't allow it,"
"I live abroad,"

They both answer at the same time, and Adam stares.

"How about you give me your personal number and I'll get back to you with a solution soon? I know a couple non profits," Adam offers to Shehnaz, and Idris opens his mouth without a second thought.

"No, it's fine. I'll look after them."

Adam and Shehnaz both turn towards him.

"If the, uh.. mum returns, it'll be to my apartment. I might as well keep them until then," he says, before grabbing Shehnaz's hand.

"So if that'll be all, we'll leave now," He says, standing up and picking up the carrier holding the kittens with his free hand.

"Yeah, that'll be all, ahem so.. Shehnaz, you know where to find me, let me know if you need to find a home for—"

"Actually, she'll be moving with me soon too. And I'm sure you already know how much my fiancé adores animals, so we might keep them after all." Idris interrupts, and Shehnaz's eyes widen into saucers.

"Oh, and Adam.. Quershi, is it? Please do attend our wedding." He smiles, before tugging Shehnaz's hand and walking out of the clinic.

_______________________________________

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That. Whatever show you put up, what in the God's name was that for?"

"You can't be serious if you didn't realise the way he looked at you,"

She noticed. But that wasn't what she was asking, she was referring to the move in bit. They were in this relationship together, then why was he making decisions for them by himself? Shehnaz, however, amused by noticing his jealousy pushed that thought behind, keeping a mental reminder to discuss it again.

"What way?" She inquires, stifling her laughter as she pushes his buttons.

"Seriously?" He looks at her incredulously.

She scoffs, trying to hide her smile, "What way was he looking at me, Idris?"

Idris' knuckles whiten when he hears his name from her, and he stares at her intently, which makes Shehnaz forget herself instantly.

"The way I am right now," he croaks out, his tone vulnerable and raspy— not used to being this soft.

She almost wants to tell him that this isn't the way Adam stared at her, or anyone for that matter. It didn't make her neck feel this warm, and didn't make her so conscious of everything around, like locks of her hair against the back of her neck, the sequins and fabric against her skin. She begins to divert her attention on the fabric instead, wondering about why she decided to buy something this uncomfortable and warm at all.

"Look at me, Shehnaz."

She meets his eyes and the intensity of his gaze almost makes her gasp.

"The way I look at you, no one else can, alright?"

Although his words are authoritative, she doesn't miss the vulnerability and plea in his eyes. And she feels guilty as she tucks her bottom lip under her teeth, refraining from laughing and teasing him for how much he resembled a spoiled child whining as he dragged his words out in the end.

"Uh huh, what gives you the right?"

He looks at her, not missing a heartbeat. Then he pulls out his wallet, bringing out a ring. Idris grabs Shehnaz's left hand, his index finger pressing onto her wrist for a moment to count her pulse. It almost makes him smile when he notices how fast it is, before he slips the ring on her finger.

Shehnaz's jaw hangs open, and she turns speechless.

"Let this be a reminder then,"