She did not care for the frost biting at her skin or the snow sinking her down to mid-knee, she did not care for the air of ice blowing through the baggy sleeves of his shirt or the flakes of snow littering her hair, all she cared about was reaching Sheila to get answers to questions that had never crossed her mind, answers she hadn't even searched for because she had been a fool for him, the man she called her own.

"Abir" Sheila called excitedly, smile turning into a disgusted frown as her eyes crossed over the woman now stood before her. "Why are you wearing his shirt?" She spat, fist clenched at her side.

"What contract?" Now wasn't the time for pleasantries, she needed to know her husband hadn't played her like a fiddle just to hear music in his ears.

A slick grin grew slowly over her lips "Oh" she pouted, "You didn't know? Well" sitting atop the couch, she pulled out the paper. "Your marriage with your husband was only meant to last three weeks, see, he even signed it" she stood up so she was directly in front of her. "He doesn't want you, he only agreed for his grandad, then I would arrive with this, have you sign it and that little contract you signed in the name of marriage would be null" she sighed, finger curling around a strand of hair. "You should really read before you sign" clicking her tongue, she held out a pen.

Falling back, her hand rested upon her chest "No, no, he wouldn't do, do that to" her eyes shut tightly to keep the tears at bay, "To me".

"Oh, but he did" her hand rested on her shoulder, "It's okay, it isn't your fault, A is just too good of a man to tell you straight that he doesn't want an um" her lips pursed to the side, "Victim for a wife" shrugging, she sipped her coffee.

Gasping, her heart clenched "How, how do you know that?" Had he really told this woman about her demons? Had he told her what she had done? Shaking her head fast, she swiped at her eyes, hating her body for being so responsive to him, hating her heart for beating so fast when he came close, but most of all hating herself for trusting a man she barely knew to treat her better than her dead husband had.

Crossing her ankles, Sheila smiled "How do you think?"

Betrayal flooded through her blood, infecting her system with doses of the backlash he'd left behind the second he penned his name on the dotted line. Reaching for the paper, she traced her fingers over his name, grabbed the pen and ran as fast as her body would allow her to, to get back to him.

"Oh, wait" she shouted dryly after her, cheek against the wall as she sighed in relief, "And that is how it's done" closing the door, she pulled Abir's jacket from the hook and wrapped it around herself.

Oatie jumped up at her the second she swung the door open, his nose nuzzling into her stomach as he whined.

Falling to her knees beside him, Mishti wrapped her arms around his jumpy body "I have to go, don't I?" The admission of what was to come broke her heart, like a dam, the tears continued to fall, wetting his fur as she muffled her sobs into his neck. The simple truth was that she didn't want to go, by buying him a present that rid her of the little cash she had, she'd signed herself to him and discarded all previous thoughts of leaving the man and his dog who'd so quickly became the family she wished for but had long ago stopped dreaming of. Allowing him to fall into her lap, she petted him slowly, eyes focused on the tree that hung over her "Abir is a good man, the best man I have ever had and he deserves to be happy" exhaling loudly, she kissed his head, for a mere second unsure of why she felt the need to justify herself to him, but when his black eyes looked up with an unadulterated innocence she fully understood the desire to want to reassure him that leaving was in everyone's best interests, "I just wish that could be with me, but it isn't and it" she blew out, "And it never will be". She knew he was just a dog, but in some odd way, it was as if he understood the turmoil she was currently facing. The overwhelming sense of awareness that hit her almost made her breathing come to a complete stop when she realised just how far she was willing to go to keep them happy, sacrificing her own wants didn't feel so bad if it meant he'd get the life he deserved. "I'm going to miss you, Oatie and I'll miss him too" the minute her voice cracked, she scrunched the paper in her hand, "You'll look after him for me, won't you?"

He barked loudly causing her to giggle as she pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Look after who?" Abir yawned, one hand rubbing his eye as he descended down the stairs. "I woke up and you weren't there" he pulled a face, hand scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, "And I uh can't sleep without you" the rough chuckle reverberated in his chest, echoing in the soundless house at just how needy he sounded.

Jumping up, she moved the paper behind her back. She longed to comfort him, take him back to bed and promise he'd never wake another day and find her not there, but that was no longer going to be their reality and supporting him wasn't her job anymore, especially since he was only doing this for his grandad, getting closer seemed pointless. "I couldn't sleep" she offered up, eyes darting to the ground so she wouldn't have to look at him, even though her words weren't exactly a lie she still felt dishonest and that didn't feel okay when he'd treated her so well.

"Oh, okay, you should have woke me" he held his arms out, "Come here".

Lifting a foot to walk forward, she slammed it back down and shook her head.

"Why not?" The last thing he wanted to do was force her, but she'd been so receptive earlier, so what had changed now? Had he misread the signals? Mistaken her kindness for interest in him as something more than a friend? "Have I done something wrong?"

"No" Mishti shouted in alarm, her voice dropping to a mere whisper, "No, no you haven't, I just, I just don't think it's a good idea" looking down again to avoid his eyes, she gulped painfully, bile rising in her throat that nearly pushed her towards the bathroom.

"And why is that?" Approaching her slowly, he tipped her chin up. "I want you, I thought you wanted me too?" He loathed the vulnerability he was showing- if she shut him down now he didn't know if he'd ever be able to open up again. Brows knitting at the sight of paper, he leant closer to it "What's that?"

Moving it from him, she jumped when Oatie snatched it from her hand and carried it to him.

"Good boy" he ruffled his fur, looked over the paper at her questioningly then drew his gaze back to the words. His breath hitched when he finished, "You want to leave?"

The way he stared down at her coldly made her shudder "Isn't that what you want? Sheila said-".

"She said something to you? You just wait" Abir was seconds from storming away when her hand tugged at his wrist, looking back down, his face softened.

"Please don't, I don't want to cause an argument, it's okay, there's no need to be mad at her, it's best I know, you shouldn't stay in a marriage you don't want" but all she really wanted was for him to want it, to want her.

"Mishti, no" he placed a hand on her cheek, "The last thing I want is you going anywhere, you're my clumsy girl" he laughed sadly, tears burning the edges of his eyes. "You're the only person who makes me feel less bad about being an idiot, you make me better, being with you gives me hope that I will be okay". Forming a fist over the contract, his head shook, "I only signed it so you wouldn't feel like you had to stay if staying wasn't what you wanted, at that point, I hadn't met you and all I knew was that your husband had recently died, what was I meant to think? I knew our grandfathers had wanted this, that didn't mean you did, I planned to give it to you, but I'm a selfish man, Mishti and I didn't want to provide you with a get-out card because I wanted you to myself, I don't know what kind of man that makes me, but I didn't expect to feel anything for you, then you came in all innocent and falling all over the place and you nearly died just to find me even though I'd hurt you, you dressed up nice just to impress me like I was something important and I have never been important to anyone, you made me the first home-cooked meal I've had in years just because I like oatmeal, you dote on Oatie like he's always been yours and for some reason, you actually laugh at my jokes, so how could I give all of that up? How could I give you up?" He held her still so she couldn't look away from him, "Especially after tonight when you stepped out of your comfort zone just to make me feel better, no one has ever treated me as well as you do and all I keep thinking is how happy I am that your husband died, that our grandfathers forced us into this because otherwise how would I have met you?" Dropping his head, Abir placed his forehead to hers "If you want to leave I won't stop you, just know I don't want you to go, not now, not ever, there isn't anyone else I'd want by my side when I'm old, grey and my jokes are far worse than what they are now".

Mishti crept her hand upwards till she could hold his, nails digging into his palm and her lips stroking his fingers "I'm sorry I didn't ask you first, I should have, but I didn't want to hear you say that Sheila was right, but I promise next time I'll talk to you first".

Pulling away, he grinned "Does that mean you want to stay?" The minute she nodded, he lifted her into his arms and spun her around causing her to giggle into his neck. Swinging her legs so he could hold her properly, one arm around her waist and the other beneath her knees "Oh, I should say I only take apologies in kisses now, so if you're sorry, you know what to do" he winked.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leant up and kissed his cheek, snuggling into him, she smiled the first proper smile she'd done in the last few years.

AAAAAAAAAAH MY SOFT BABIES, LOOK AT THEM, SO SOFTTTTTTT! I CANNOT STOP!

But on other news, for a new story on Mishbir make sure you check out Opalescent:

After an acid attack left half of Abir's body disfigured and scarred, he often spends his time picking fights with anyone that even looks at him the wrong way, but when he comes across Mishti who's adamant on finishing her bucket list before her next birthday so she can finally paint the last piece of her collection, he finds himself falling for the woman who in being unable to see him, actually sees him the best.