❜ ─  you've always been my hero faizi ─ ❛

( L.I.S )

faizaan shafiq was the spitting image of his father. from the arched eyebrows, to the same weird moustache (although faizaan was growing a beard alongside it), it was a fact that he was the son of zafar shafiq.

except the eyes.

everyone knew from one glance, that those were the very eyes of nyla shafiq, the jade green and aquamarine blues intertwining so beautifully in those irises of theirs.

the fourteen year old was in his room. he was supposed to be asleep, afterall it was 11:34, and he was home alone with his little sister, leela. their parents went to a meeting- faizaan knew what all that was about- his uncle alfie went to visit his uncle and there was quite frankly nothing to do, other than reading. his easels were finished, thanks to his uncle alfie. he would've done swordfighting, but his amma had a curfew for all that. so, it was pretty much faizaan and jane austen.

faizaan was a sucker for classical novels, although, if he had to pick, he would say austen, alcott and brontë were his favourite authors. he loved how jo cut her hair than rather ask aunt march for money. he loved how sharp-tongued and witty elizabeth bennett was. he was pretty sure it was because he saw his mum in all these characters, but needless to say, he loved his classics.

his baba had built a mini library in his room, solely for faizaan, he didn't like people touching his stuff, although, that could be his major germaphobia talking.

lying down in his bed, the duvet draped across his body, sitting up, faizaan was getting reading to explore his new reading venture: the iliad. it was recommended to his by a muggle during his family holiday to crete (which also included his uncle alfie) and since then, he had purchased his very own copy of it.

"faizi, i can't sleep"

at the doorway of his room, an eight year old leela shafiq was standing, tightly clutching at her elephant teddy her uncle alfie had bought her when she was a baby.

he gets up from his bed, placing the book on his bedside table and walks over to his little sister, crouching down at her level.

"what's wrong thangam?" he asks her in tamil, brushing her hair away from her face and wiping her tears away.

leela looks at her brother, tears pooling in her eyes. her lips trembling, mumbling incoherent somethings to faizaan as she hugs him, choking on her sobs. faizaan had experienced leela's reoccurring night terrors, but that was only when his parents were home.

he smooths her hair and holds her in his embrace, lulling her with words of comfort and safety.

"nothing is going to hurt you, thangam," he comforts her, still tightly holding her, "no one's going to hurt you if i'm around. and if they do, they'll have to answer to me, your brother in shining armour !"

leela giggles, "you can't be my prince charming, you're my brother!" her sobs were slightly subsiding, but she was hugging faizaan as tight as ever.

"no boys or girls, leela. i don't think baba would like that very much."

leela laughs once more.

"you've always been my hero faizi, and you're always going to be."

faizi smiles, his eyes boring into hers. faizaan was never interested in relationships or love, but the little human in front of him and his family, were more than enough for him.

faizaan lets go of leela, and holds her shoulders.

"now, do you want to tell me what happened," he inquires, "or do you want to sleep with me today and we'll start a new book for you to read?"

"can we just go to sleep?" leela asks in a tiny voice, almost mumbling, "i don't feel good faizi."

"come here then," he picks her up from her arms and carries over to his bed, settling her down and wrapping her as tight as a burrito to shield her from the cold weather.

"where's amma and baba faizi?" she asks, her voice muffled due to the duvet covering her nose.

faizaan didn't know what to say, he knew where his parents were, but it was hardly appropriate for his sister to know that.

"they went to see uncle alfie, thangam," replying slowly, "he's not feeling too good after our holiday."

"can we go see him tomorrow?"

"sure, but you have to do your work tomorrow with baba before we go though."

"faizi, that's not fair," she pouts. she hated doing work with zafar, not because she didn't like it, but because she hated waking up at 8 to do it. plus, she didn't fancy the idiots at her baba's office who would treat her like she was a 3 year old.

"oh, it is young lady. i went through it, and now you have to." he laughs at her.

"but i want to stay home with amma and you though!".

"but you're the only person baba listens to!" he persuades her, "if it isn't for you, baba doesn't eat his idli, doesn't drink water, and he'll forget us and stay in his office all day!"

leela contemplates for a moment, humming.

"fine! i'll go! someone has to be responsible for baba! plus i'll save him from amma's daggers if he's being too silly."

"exactly thangam, you don't want amma to use baba as her pincushion do you?"

leela shakes her head. she cuddles into her brother's chest, taking in the warmth radiating off him; faizaan stroking her hair as she does so.

"faizi, why is the tom man really creepy?"

faizaan freezes, not knowing what to say, and it seemed as though leela could tell quite clearly.

"what makes you say that?" he inquires. he knew exactly why she would say that; being the kids of nyla and zafar shafiq meant that naturally, leela and himself were going to be targeted next for the 'cause'.

"well, amma says i have to put the shield in my head when i'm around him, but my head always hurts when i do so," she mumbles, fiddling with the elephant, "it's like he's knocking in my head, and he asks me weird questions about amma too."

faizaan makes a face of confusion, he knew why his mum would tell him and leela to do occlumency around him, but the questions threw him off completely.

"like what leela?"

"like if amma's happy with baba, what amma does and just weird questions about amma." she replies.

"and how do you respond?"

"she's standing right there, why don't you go ask her." she looks up, beaming proudly at faizaan, who, looking down at her, was equally as proud of her.

"that's my girl," ruffling at his sister's hair, who was still smiling, "let's sleep now, baba's going to be grumpy if you don't get up on time."

leela looks at her brother, "faizi, five more minutes. please!"

"no"

"please!"

"no."

"faizi..."

"i'll sell your daggers."

leela doesn't utter a word, but snuggles back into her brother's chest and holds the elephant plush.

"fine."

he laughs a little, wrapping his arms around her to warm her up.

"i love you thangam." kissing the tops of her head.

"i love you too faizi."

the two kids sleep as peacefully as they can in faizaan's room. however unbeknownst to them, two figures have been watching them carefully from the corridor.

"nyla, meri noor, look at our kids," zafar starts, her hands on her cheeks. he was almost trying not to cry. "look at them and tell me you'll not do it for them."

nyla says nothing for a moment, before looking at zafar,

"zafar, i have no choice."