#majoriqbal

Author’s note: I don’t know anything about rules that might exist to write fanfiction. I have words in my head which I want to pen down, so I am writing them down. Open to constructive criticism but mein nazuk kali hoon. I do not guarantee factual accuracy and the characters are fictional and based on Dhurandhar characters. I obviously do not support terrorism or any illegal behaviour.

Title: This love is grey

Pairing: Iqbal x Y/n

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Lyari was all dust and heat. Y/n was settling in just fine. Almost. Major Iqbal did not follow up on that dawat offer. Y/n did not think about it again. It was too good to be true anyways. A Major, of ISI, to fall right into the palm of her hand, just like that?

She wasss disappointed but she had other things to do, things like getting used to living with Yalina, a stranger, a civilian who was completely ignorant to the true identity of the people she was playing house with and Hamza, who was so different from Jaskirat. Sometimes they fell back into the camaraderie that came with training together, by being shaped by the same rules and principals, but other times, when Hamza behaved like a Pakistani gangster, it was more difficult to swallow.

With Hamza came Uzair, Donga and Siyahi. Rowdy, rough and..fun. Having left her “job”, to come stay here. She was originally unemployed, so she spent a lot of time with them. Getting to know them, reading them, learning the ways of things around. Hamza still acted very protective, but after one night of intense fight where she reminded him her reason for coming here, he relented and became slightly less interfering. Uzair was the one she had grown closest to. He was a simple guy, completely devoted to his brother and someone who didn’t think much for himself. Y/n therefore didn’t have to think much around him either. She could let her guard down, and not have to constantly watch her words and actions. It made Lyari tolerable. His gratitude for providing him shelter when he was on the urge of death helped.

Uzair, bless his soul also got her a job as the factor’s accountant after one quiet night when she had shared how miserable a jobless life made her feel. So slowly, Rehman softened towards her further, so did she. He was still a target, an eventual casualty, but he was also a close substitute to her father. If she compared him to her father back home, he would definitely shine in worse light but she didn’t have the luxury to think about things back home.

Currently though, her work had taken a backseat. Her brother was getting married, and she had a lot of arrangements to make. Hamza had all but left it all upto Yalina and her. Yalina, the happy blushing, excited bride had so many demands and preparations, dealing with her energy was in itself so exhausting it’s a miracle she got any work done. She also knew Major Iqbal would be there, so she most definitely had to make an impression. She had to look her best and lay the honeyed trap. She therefore let Yalina drag her for dress shopping when she would have preferred to stay back and decide the venue location and food menu.

“Baji, ye kaisa lag raha hai?” asked Yalina in her sweet voice, as she tried on her 14th dress of the day.

The reception clothes were bought with her mother and were ready but she wanted to buy the rest of the much needed clothes with y/n, hoping they could bond over clothes. Having grown up as a single child, Yalina had always wanted a sibling and with Hamza came not just a life partner but also an elder sister. Y/n was much younger than Hamza, but she was elder to Yalina.

“Bahot hi khoobsurat. Yeh rang sabse zyaada jach raha hai aap par bhabhi.” Yalina blushed. Y/n always looked so composed and regal and was the sweetest person to talk to. Yalina admired everything about her and a compliment from her meant the world. She decided to buy all the dresses Y/n approved and decidedly rejected all those towards which y/n showed the slightest dislike.

“Hamari shopping toh ho gayi, ab aap bhi apne liye pasand karle. Kya pata, hamare walima mein aapko koi pasand karle?” she insisted

“Hume aapki pasand bahot achhi lagi, aap jo kahengi mein vo khareed lungi. Kahiye mere liye kuch achha lag raha hai aapko?” asked y/n.

Yalina squealed and excitedly started browsing clothes which might look good on her bhaji.

Y/n sighed internally, holding onto her last shred of patience but passed a grateful smile when Yalina looked towards her.

It wasn’t as if y/n disliked Yalina. She was a sweet girl and y/n knew that Hamza might end up actually falling in love with her, which made her happy. Her only issue was that Yalina still lived in a fairy world and saw everything with rose tinted glasses. Despite the difference of mere five years between them, their perspective of the world couldn’t be more diverse. Y/n had seen the darkest colours of the world and lived to tell the tale. Now, she only saw them, at every corner and hanging out with Yalina was akin to babysitting a kid for her. She was happy that Yalina still got to live such a blissful ignorant life, she wanted the same for her people in India but her own soul had never been satisfied with ignorance. She had always sought the truth, even if eventually they had lead to her downfall. Yalina’s her trusting, unsuspecting persona was salt to y/n’s wounds, a constant reminderof their deceit. The waves of self loathing this brought added to her exhaustion.

“Ye dekhiye baji, aap par gulabi bahot jachta hai. Parso jab apne gulabi pehena tha, Uzair miya aapse apni nazar hi nahi hata paa rahe the.”

Y/n blinked at Yalina.

“Uzair mujh par se nazar nahi hata paa rahe the matlab?”

It was Yalina’s turn to blink. “Aapko sach mein nahi pata Uzair aapko pasand karte hai?”

Y/n wanted to block her ears. She did not need the one person she found even an inkling of comfort with to start crushing on her. It would complicate so many things. She knew she could not end up with Uzair, she had to marry some member of ISI, Major Iqbal being the easiest target. She had tried to avoid this, even when they shared cups of tea in the evening, she made sure to maintain distance. In the middle of the jokes, the teasing and banter, y/n never once gave even the slightest hint of affection.

She shouldn’t have let her guard down.

She did, and now Uzair might become a liability to her mission.

“Kisne kaha aisa?” she enquired.

“Mujhse kisi ne nahi kahan, par kuch hafto pehle Donga aapke naam se unko chidha raha tha.”

“Hamza ko pata hai iske baare mein?”

“Meri unse iss baare mein baat nahi hui, toh mujhe pata nahi.”replied Yalina.

“Achha theek hai. Mein baat kar lungi.”

“Koi masla hai? Aapko Uzair bhai pasand nahi?”enquired the younger woman.

Y/n after a soft pause replied, “Aisa nahi hai. Achha aadmi hai, par Hamza ka dost hai. Hamza ko shayad pasand na aaye. Aur bus, maine socha nahi tha ki vo mujhe pasand kar sakte hai, hum bhi kaafi achhe dost ban gaye hai, aur ye sab ke chalkar mein aksar baatein bigad jaati hai. Koi masla nahi hai, maine bus socha nahi tha aisa bhi ho sakta hai.”

“Aap chinta na kare aapi, agar aapko Uzair se nikkah karna hai, toh mujhe kahe, mein Hamza ko mana lungi.”

Y/n smiled. “Aapka shukriya, par mein nikkah ke liye abhi tayaar nahi. Rehne de. Par haan, ye kapda bahot hi khoobsurat hai, laiye mein ek baar pehen kar dekh loon kaisa lag raha hai.”

Hamza would kill her if he found out y/n had let such a thing happen. She did not know what to do. Presently all she could do was try on dresses, and that’s what she did.

The sharara Yalina had handed her indeed looked gorgeous. It was rust-coloured with intricate work in the dupatta and near the collar. She thought of the earrings she could pair with it and the hairstyle she would make. She liked the vision and figured that it would indeed bring about a lot of attention towards her. She decided to buy it.

They spent a few more hours shopping till Yalina was finally satisfied and exhausted. Y/n had bought a few more items for her and was bone deep exhausted herself. Yalina had called Hamza to pick them up and they were waiting for him to reach them.

Just then, a black jeep, Uzair’s black jeep pulled up and from it stepped out, the famous pair, Hamza and Uzair.

Y/n took a deep breath, and exhaled.

.

Hamza read her panic instantly. His eyes which should have been lovingly scanning Yalina, was scrutinising her. Hamza hadn’t seem y/n and Uzair interact much, inly knew that they hung out. So, he really must not be knowing if Uzair liked her. She needed to confirm if Uzair did indeed like her and Yalina had not merely misread the situation first. Then, she needed to do something about it. She prayed Uzair would keep his distance and not give any hints of his affection in front of Hamza.

“Dijiye mein samaan jeep mein rakh deta hoon.” Uzair strode towards her, taking her bags effortlessly and keeping them in the trunk. Uzair was tall, reallly tall, and beautiful. He had long eyelashes and smooth skin. He was chivalrous too, and very caring. Despite being a gangster, he had an innocence about him that..pulled at her heartstrings. He was, however, useless to her mission. So she needed to draw a line.

“Mein khud rakh deti, aapko lene ki zaroorat nahi thi.”

Uzair kept his hand on his heart and tilted his head to the side, “Kuch bags hi toh liya hai, ismein kaun si badi baat hai? Aise bhi, aapki madad karke mujhe achha lagta hai.”he said, all shy.

Normally y/n might have pulled his cheek then, but she held back. Giving him a small smile and a quiet thankyou. She made to open the door to sit inside but Uzair beat her to it and opened her door, looking at her confused, as if he too was expecting a different reaction.

Neither of them said anything.

Closing her door, Uzair went around the car and sat next to her, in the backseat.

She raised her eyebrows in question. She thought he would be driving with Hamza sitting next to him in the front.

Uzair simply shrugged with a shy smile.

From the front, Yalina suggested, “ Long drive par chale kya? Itna achha mausam hai aur aaplog ko bhi kabhi kabhi hi waqt milta hai. Please Hamza, chal na?”

Hamza, looking lovingly at Yalina, simply nodded his head and they were off. Y/n wanted to jump off.

Fifteen minutes later Uzair placed his head on her shoulder, getting comfortable, probably ready to dose off. She tensed and her eyes widened. Was this proximity and comfort, friendly?

He was looking up at her from his head on her shoulder silently asking this, whatever this was, was alright.

Hamza looked behind and his eyes instantly hardened. Pressing on the breaks he turned around.

“Abe kya kar raha hai?” He questioned Uzair and very aggressively removed his head from y/n’s shoulder.

Ok, so not friendly gesture afterall…

“Kya kiya maine? Bus kandhe par sir hi toh rakha hai. Hamza tu…”

“Yalina tum peeche baitho aur y/n tum aage aao.” Hamza said cutting Uzair off.

“Hamza pagal ho gaya hai kya tu. Yalina, aap baithi rahe. Kandhe pe sir hi toh rakha hai. Tu bhi toh rakh kar soya karta tha.”y/n said, an idea, a very bad one, hitting her.

“Mein tumhara bhai hoon.” Hamza said, biwildered. He did notninderstand the comparison or was trying to think if he was missing something. Did y/n have a plan for Uzair? Did it involve engaging him romantically. He did not like that idea. Things will get messier if she does that.

“Uzair bhi toh bhai jaisa hi hai Hamza. Tum kya soch rahe ho?” she did not just friendzone him, she fucking brotherzoned him. It was a cheap shot. A very very cheap shot, but y/n hoped it would work.

Even Yalina turned around and looked at her as if she had grown two more heads.

Uzair looked like a kicked puppy. Y/n wanted to hug him and make it better, but she merely maintained eye contact with Hamza, who was..blank. He could not think. He internally shook his head at this woman and turned to stare down at Uzair.

Playing the role of protective brother for y/n came naturally, “Sach na Uzair, tu bhi meri behen ko bhai ke nazar se hi dekhta hai na? Mein sach bata raha hoon, agar tumne, ya humare kisi bhi dost ne ise behen ke alawa kisi bhi aur tareeke se dekha, bahot bada masla ho jaega, aur vo kisi ke liye achha nahi hoga.”

Uzair was red in the face, not understanding what was happening. He liked y/n. He had wanted to make her his wife. He thought she liked him too, turns out, it was only as her brother. Siyahi had suggested that he should try and make moves on her, so that they can be sure of her feelings and tale things forward. He had, however, not anticipated this behaviour from Hamza. Hamza was extremely protective of her, he knew that. He respected that and was happy y/n had that protection but it seemed to be backfiring. Had y/n not said he was like her brother, he would have fought Hamza, but,

“Nahi, waisi koi baat nahi hai, matlab, matlab haan, mere koi bhi bure iraade nahi hai. Tu kyu fikar kar raha hai Hamza. Mein bus thak gaya tha toh socha y/n ke kandhe par sir rakh kar so jaun. Isse mera aur koi matlab nahi tha.”

“Wahi, ye sach mein mujhe behen ki tarah dekhte hai Hamza, haina Uzair?” Y/n asked again. It was cruel to make him spell it out, but it was important.

“Arre, mein nahi, matlab, ji, vo..haan, mein bhi aapko behen hi samjhta hoon.” Uzair uttered, defeated. He wanted to pull his hair, take back his words right away, but y/n looked so relieved, and Hamza still looked livid. He could not betray his two closest “friends” over these feeling which he would have to now suppress and hope they go away soon.

“Mein khidki par sir rakh ke so jata hoon, tu gaadi chala aur dimaag kam chala.” Uzair said, all hitter and irritated. He had thought this long drive was a blessing in disguise which would help him grow closer to y/n, to sleep with her scent enveloping him.