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M A R I N A ♡ S H A H R O Z

She could feel her fourth vomiting session of the day coming up and ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach.

This had been happening for a couple of days now and she knew exactly why now.

Her university courses were screaming at her for being so naive all along.

She was glad she had some spare pregnancy tests at home.

She washed her mouth and fetched a packet from her cupboard and came back in the bathroom.

She took out the first stick, used it and waited for the results impatiently, her heart on edge.

Once she saw the word 'pregnant' flash up, her eyes widened and her heart did a somersault at the revelation.

She took out another stick and waited patiently, hoping the same word would surface in her eyes.

It did.

Happy would've been an understatement for her right now as she was jumping around in joy but controlled herself last minute.

She was going to have to tell Shahroz.

She came out of the bathroom and checked the bedroom, thinking he was still asleep.

He wasn't.

She ran down the stairs and got greeted by the sight of Shahroz sitting at the breakfast table waiting for her.

"Did you sleep in the bathroom, Maria?" He asked annoyedly as the grilled sandwiches and tea were sitting in front of him, turning cold.

She shook her head and smiled as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Why was she smiling like that in the morning?

He motioned her to come sit next to him to start breakfast, as he never does it alone for he feels too lonely.

She smiled and shook her head again.

"Shahroz." She felt a buzz while saying his name now before she continued.

"Get up."

He was utterly perplexed now at how she was acting and gave her a look.

She looked so eager that he said an annoyed 'fine' before getting up.

In the next moment, Marina's hand was in his as she pulled him upstairs with a strength even she was confused of having.

They both stood in the open space in their bedroom and took a few deep breaths as they smiled at each other.

"What's got into you, baby?" He smiled at her cheerfulness and she could've laughed out loud at the irony of what he just said.

She paused and took a deep breath, before looking up at him as she placed her hands on his shoulders and finally let the cat out of the bag.

"I'm pregnant."

She waited to see his reaction and soon, his eyes lit up and his right hand covered his mouth.

"You're not joking, right?" He asked, his voice coming out muffled due to his hand covering his mouth.

She shook her head and smiled, and in the next moment, both of his arms picked her up as he spun her around in delight, her arms around his neck as her sweet giggles filled the room.

He put her down as he felt a familiar wetness coming out of his tear ducts due to pure bliss.

"I'm going to be a father." He shook his head at how unreal this was, "And you're going to be a mother."

She grinned as he brought her to his chest and gave her the tightest hug he ever did.

A hug which said, 'I'll support you through it all.'

"I'll never treat this child the way my parents did." He sniffed, "And I promise you, Marina, that I'll protect our child at all times. I promise you that I'll always be there for you and our little baby as a backbone for the family. I promise you that," he pulled away and placed his hands on her shoulders, "that I'll love both of you unconditionally, as you both are the two most important people in my life."

He muttered an 'Alhamdulillah' before holding her face gently and caressing her lips with his as jolts of electricity coursed through both of their bodies as he gave her a promising kiss.

She pulled away by pushing his shoulders but he pulled her in again and this time slammed his lips on hers, taking her by surprise.

"Shahroz what are y-"

He kissed her again and she could feel herself going limp in his arms but he kept her standing.

"Shahroz-"

His lips met hers again and her facial muscles were getting exhausted now by moving too much.

He soon pulled away and leaned his forehead on hers as she stared at him while he looked down.

"You know," his minty breath hit her cheek, "you told me about your halal addiction that day?"

She nodded.

"I think I've found mine." He husked as he looked up at her and met her eyes.

She tilted her head slightly, her facial expressions urging him to smile.

"You." He whispered lovingly before continuing.

"You are my halal addiction."

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She was six months pregnant now and her body had been changing tremendously over the past few months.

Marina and Shahroz had told their parents that they're expecting and their reactions couldn't have been more excited.

Even Shaheer was happy.

Right now, she was looking at herself in the mirror, her right hand above her belly and her left hand below it.

She frowned.

Shahroz hadn't been looking at her the same way he did in the beginning of their marriage.

Maybe she didn't look as good to him now as in the beginning of their marriage.

Shahroz was in the same room, examining her discreetly the whole time.

He had been doing that for months now.

He found it rather cute whenever she would look at herself in the mirror and huff irritatingly before going to the treadmill and exercising.

He found it amusing to say the least.

Her eyes were busy roaming her body on the mirror and she looked up at the collage of their pictures on the wall.

It was a collection of many of their pictures in a frame, with pictures ranging from their wedding to the times they even spilled coffee on themselves.

Most of them were spontaneous moments captured.

The picture right in the middle was of both of them on the bridge when she fell in love with him.

She wondered why he suddenly asked her to take the picture at that time.

"What's up your mind lately?"

Shahroz appeared behind her, his left hand pushing her shirt collar slightly down and her hair on one side as he slowly planted wet kisses from her shoulder to her neck, his hair tickling her skin.

"It's just.. oh God.." She tilted her head to the right, his lips leaving her skin on fire.

Her pregnancy hormones were making her feel emotions at a higher level as she closed her eyes and let him do the most pleasurable things to her.

His lips were on her neck, sucking and nibbling on her sensitive spot as she let out a sound she's ashamed of, her eyes closing and her lips parting as he watched her through the mirror.

He was glad he was the reason she was feeling like this.

"Tell me." He rasped as he neared her ear and nibbled on her earlobe.

Her words were being jumbled up in her mouth. How could she lose control so easily just by his kisses?

He soon stopped and placed his chin on her shoulder, his hands on hers which held her belly.

She calmed down in a while, though the flush on her cheeks was still there as she finally answered his question.

"It's just.." she sighed, "you don't.. you don't look at me the same way like before.."

He quirked his eyebrow as he looked at her through the mirror before turning her around swiftly by his hands on her shoulders.

"What I did to you just now shows I still look at you the same way, Maria." His eyes locked with hers as he spoke.

She looked down, "Yeah but it's been weeks.. is it because I'm pregnant?"

"No." He shook his head and smiled at her, "I've been looking at you when you don't notice, and it's funny when you suddenly go and start exercising."

He laughed and she punched his shoulder, causing him to chuckle even louder.

He soon calmed down and spoke up, "And if I'm honest, you look even more breathtaking when you're pregnant." He smiled as he looked down at her belly then looked up, "Your body is changing in the most beautiful ways, and thinking that you're carrying our child in you just makes me feel more attracted to you."

He pecked her nose and she smiled while closing her eyes.

Her question from earlier hit her and she voiced it out loud.

"Why did you take that picture?" She pointed at their first photo and he smiled.

"Will you believe me if I tell you something, Maria?" He grinned as he looked down on her.

She nodded.

He cleared his throat before saying the words which seemed easy to voice but much harder to actually do.

"It was the day I.." He paused, taking a deep breath before holding her, one arm around her waist and the other cradling her face as he finally continued, saying the words which scared him to the core.

"I fell in love with you."

Silence.

She blinked repeatedly, her lips parting and her eyes looking surprised in a pleasant way as she gasped.

Some couples took an entire lifetime to confess their love to each other, and Shahroz's words made her heart swell with the same feeling as well, her soul in eternal gratitude for being blessed with love so early in their marriage.

"You.. you love me?" She asked as she pointed her forefinger in her direction.

"I have been for a very long time." He kissed her cheek, "And I don't love you. I'm in love with you." He corrected her.

She tilted her head to the side, "Huh?" She questioned, confused between the difference.

He nodded with a smile, "I love so many people. I love my mother, my father, maybe my brother, even the child you're carrying." He paused, "But I'm only in love with you."

Her hormones were on full swing now as the first tear fell and he wiped it before it would become a river of salty water trickling down her face.

"Will you believe me if I tell you something too?" She questioned and he grinned.

"I'll believe you in a heartbeat, Maria."

She nodded with a smile before saying the words which meant the whole world to her, as they were directed to the person who meant the whole world to her.

"I'm in love with you too, Shahroz."

His face broke out into a grin once her words processed and his eyes widened excitedly.

"You're in love with me too?" His words came out fast and she chuckled at his cuteness.

She smiled, "It was the same moment you fell in love with me, Shahroz."

"Oh my God." He breathed and he looked so cute at the moment that she couldn't contain herself.

So she grabbed his collar and yanked him down to her level and kissed him with a hunger and need which made him feel.. love..

He was surprised but quickly cradled her face with his other hand too as he pulled her impossibly close and moved his lips with hers passionately.

She tilted her head slightly and deepened the kiss, both of their hearts blazing with fire as hot as lava.

They soon pulled away, his cheeks redder than hers as he leaned his forehead on hers, their noses touching.

"I'd die for your kisses." He breathed softly as she smiled.

They both looked at each other and knew what the other person was thinking.

Round two.

He smirked before they both inched their faces closer to each other, their eyes closing as the tips of their noses bumped softly.

Shahroz chuckled before pulling away slightly and tilting his head a quarter of a notch before meeting her lips again.

They soon pulled away and he repeated his words while gazing into her forest green pupils.

"I'm in love with you, Marina"

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