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Amir Fadlan pulled over to the parking lot and glanced over to his wife Samirah Al-Abbas- his heart still skips a beat whenever he calls her that. It’s been two months since Samirah and Amir’s wedding and all the newlywed couple managed to endure was barely a semester in college. Still, Amir kept his hopes up despite his… stellar grades. Nothing could bring him down after marrying Samirah Al-Abbas, the love- the blessing- the one woman who keeps his life complete.
Nothing could, well except for Samirah herself.
When Sam has a task, she attacks it like a Valkyrie with all her strength (which is literally true in some cases). The problem is that she takes on too many tasks to the point that burnout is an afternoon activity for her- if she even had time for such. Yet despite that, Samirah keeps reassuring Amir that this has been the happiest she has ever been, happy with him. He doesn’t doubt that, but he has a lingering feeling that his love is taking on more than she can handle, especially with balancing college, pilot training, tutoring, her final days of being a Valkyrie and trying to convince Jid and Bibi that Samirah and Amir were only doing schoolwork whenever she stayed at his place. Very stressful stuff.
Samirah was sleeping in the passenger seat, her head leaning against the seat causing her hijab to rest on her face messily, but Amir always thought it looked perfect. He picked her up from her classes earlier and judging by her state, she was exhausted by them. She promised to study with him in the library today, but Amir had other plans. He placed his hand on her shoulder and started drawing circles with his thumb, trying to wake her up as gently as possible. He felt a bit guilty for disturbing her, it’s been a while since he’d seen her this peaceful- it was almost hypnotizing.
It took a minute before her eyes quietly fluttered open. For a moment, she stared down at the car seat, waiting for her consciousness to register.
Suddenly, her head jerked up, and her eyes widened, “Shoot, shoot, shoot. Amir, I’m so sorry. Where’s my bag?”
She bent over trying to reach her bag before Amir leaned next to her, “You wanna take a look outside for a second?”
Samirah gave her husband a glare- not her usual dismissive one. Her brows furrowed and her dark amber eyes were more narrowed as she slightly tilted her head, making a ‘what are you talking about’ look.
Nevertheless, she looked out the window, and a parade of trees appeared, their leaves dancing in the warm summer breeze. She looked back at Amir, her face stagnant.
“Amir, this is not the library,” she stated nonchalantly.
“Surprise!” Amir raised his hands, his fingers dancing, but that clearly didn’t change the mood.
Samirah sighed, “Didn’t your dad ask me to make sure you actually study today?”
“Oh forget that,” Amir opened the door to the driver’s seat and stepped out. “Oh and forget that too!” he pointed at her bag which he was sure was filled with study materials.
The door slammed shut leaving Samirah alone in the car. Still getting used to her surroundings she adjusted her hijab and slowly unbuckled her seatbelt. She went to open the door but an external force pulled the door open, revealing a radiant Amir on the other side.
“And I’m helping you today,” He stretched his hand towards Samirah. “Surprise date, c’mon on.”
Sam reciprocated but paused, her hand floating midair, “Amir…”
“And then we can study,” he reassured her. Amir knew Sam hated surprises, especially since her Valkyrie duties required her always to be prepared knowing that the worst was a possibility. The last thing he’d want to do is stress her out even more. “Let’s go for a small walk and get some sunshine. We have the rest of the day and night to catch up on our work.”
Samirah's expression eased, “Consider it a deal,” she took Amir’s hand and left the car.
He leaned in closer, “If you ever wanna go back just say so, ok?” With his free hand, he started to play with the ends of her hijab, something he used to do whenever he was nervous before they were married. It was also one of the few things that Samirah’s half-sibling, Alex Fierro, would let Amir do whenever he was their chaperone.
She playfully rolled her eyes, “Oh shush you. Lead the way.”
Sam followed Amir into the woods, the air suddenly much clearer than before. It had been a while since Samirah walked into the woods just for the fun of it. The soft crunch of the rocky trail beneath their feet as well as the distant cicadas weren’t overbearing for her ears. The swaying leaves allowed pockets of sunshine to pass through, one of its rays hitting Amir. Sunlight illuminated him, turning strands of his hair into an umber gold, the rest absorbed in his outfit.
“Surprise date, huh? Is that why you put some effort into your outfit today?” Samirah teased.
“H-hey. I’m just trynna be comfortable.”
Granted it wasn’t fair of her to say that considering Amir always valued his sense of fashion. His light gray button-down shirt lay loosely on his torso, half-tucked into his straight-legged pants creating a clean yet comfy look. It was completed with the silver accents on the ring on his left finger complimenting Samirah’s.
She elbowed him, “I’m just kidding. What’s with the surprise anyway?”
“I miss you.”
“Amir, we got married two months ago.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. I mean, we haven’t been spending much quality time with each other, especially with college.” He started drawing shapes on her hand with his thumb. “I miss seeing you at ease. I know you’re swarmed with everything right now…”
“Amir, I can handle it. I just need to-”
“I know you can. You’re the bravest, smartest, and the most organized person I know. I just think you deserve a break. You don’t give yourself enough.”
“Oh,” She looked at her husband’s face and felt the urge to drop everything weighing her down and run away with him. Is this how mortals have superpowers?
Perhaps it’s time to give in to it for once.
“Maybe… maybe you’re right.”
Amir tried not to look too excited, “We’re almost there.”
Just five feet ahead lay a field of green grass tall enough to cover their shins. It was sprinkled with petals ranging from the purest whites to the most passionate reds. Samirah gasped at the meadow waiting for them to roam, her heart beating faster at the possibility.
Amir scratched the back of his head, “So… I wasn’t sure if you wanted to walk around, or have a picnic, or-”
He felt a tug on his hand causing him to jerk forward. Samirah now stood a foot in front of him grabbing his hand, her eyes narrowing in on his.
She took the urge to run.
A lost spark was finally lit. They dashed through the springtime field, Samirah leading the way. Amir struggled to keep up with the tall grass brushing his legs, but every time Samirah looked back at him, the flicker in her amber eyes, the way her hijab rippled gracefully across her face, he couldn’t just stop.
It’s like they were kids again.
She twirled and fell backward, rolling on the ground. Amir, holding her hand, stumbled down next to her, only he wished the landing was a bit more comfortable.
Sam’s voice was almost a mumble, “This felt like flying.”
Coming from a girl who can fly, Amir took that as a compliment. He wanted to say something, but instead, he just kept gazing at her.
She rolled next to him and plucked a blade of grass off his hair “...You’re so stupid.”
“Tch,” Amir caught her hand and rolled his eyes. “Guess you gotta question your marriage choices.”
“Maybe I do-”
Suddenly, Amir dropped her hand and leaned closer. He lifted a section of her hijab that fell on her shoulder and planted his lips on her neck, giving a small kiss.
“Oh my god, Amir!” Samirah shoved him and rubbed her neck. She was slightly ticklish. Yes, this Valkyrie was ticklish, and yes, Amir won’t stop reminding her of that. “We’re in public!” She cried.
Amir lifted his head and looked around the field, “Oh you’re so right, there are so many flowers. My apologies, flowers.”
“Ugh,” Samirah covered her face with her hands, the shade of her cheeks matched the poppies circling them. “You do that in front of Jid and Bibi, I’ll kill you.”
Ah, yes, the typical Asian parents who wouldn’t dare picture the thought of their children kissing another person even if they were married and expect grandchildren the next day.
Amir grabbed her wrists and slowly moved them away from her face, “Oh c’mon don’t hide yourself.” His eyes were closer to hers now.
Samirah knew he was going to do something stupid again.
Her exuberant eyes lingered a small, threatening aura. She tried elbowing him, so he pulled her arms towards him.
“Do you really think you can challenge your wife who is a warrior?”
The safe answer was ‘no,’ but because he was feeling risky, Amir’s answer was: “Bet.”
If this was any other opponent, Samirah would use her legs, or even use the momentum of her body since her hands were out of use. She wanted to give him a small kick but didn’t want to ruin his outfit or his giddy mood. Thus, both of them resorted to small shoves, pulling their arms back and forth.
Amir put in more effort than Samirah anticipated, so she gave in. Releasing the force she had on him, Amir lost his balance, rolling semi-on top of her. He gasped, his hands still clasped around her wrists on the ground.
They both froze.
“You let me win,” He finally said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
His eyes trickled down to her lips which were only a few inches away. He shifted his weight to fit on top of hers and tilted his head before he felt a jerk on his leg. A sharp breath scratched his cheeks followed by a quivering inhale. Amir quickly lifted his head to see Samirah’s eyes wide open: frozen, but this time in fear.
Samirah felt this pressure on her body before. When she heard that sinister voice sneaking into the cave where she and her friends were searching for the Skofnung Sword. He wasn’t supposed to be there, and he made sure she couldn’t do anything about it. She wanted to charge. She wanted to yell. She wanted to be in control, but her legs stopped. The pressure felt like her muscles were expanding so much they could explode. It crept up to her spine, to her stomach, to her arms, all the way to her lungs. All the air was sucked out of her body like a vacuum, leaving her stomach glued to her spine. Breathless.
Every survival instinct pleading for her to breathe only resulted in her body lurching forward and a gaping mouth with no air to breathe. A sharp pain gouged between every alveol before her consciousness gave in.
But Loki wasn’t here now. She could breathe now- wheezing. Her body jerked, but she could move now. She should be in control now-
“Samirah!”
-so why did it feel like she was losing it all?
“Samirah?”
Barely five seconds passed before all the pressure was relieved off her body, but it felt like five minutes. Samirah got up, her ringing ears faded out the repeated calls of her name.
“Samirah,” Amir’s tone was much softer. He moved in front of her and gently brushed the side of her pants. “Hey, hey, listen to me. Everything is gonna be ok. Remember those breathing techniques we practiced.”
Samirah slightly nodded. Her eyes were still glued on the ground where her fists tugged on the blades of grass so hard her knuckles turned white. She shut her mouth, forcing her to rely on her nose. Air willowed through her with each long breath she took.
The tension in her grasp eased. The grass tickled her knuckles. It was soft.
Her body still shook with each exhale. So she tried again, and each time the loud beating of her heart dimmed ever so slightly. Amir scooted to her side and laid his hand next to hers. She took it, her fingers tightening her grip on his. His eyes met hers one more time and… Oh, they looked exhausted. She slowly leaned into his chest prompting Amir to wrap his free arm around her.
“Samirah,” he whispered. “Did I… hurt you?”
Samirah sprang up and rapidly shook her head, “No, no, no, never. It…” Her chest tied into knots again. “Do you remember those nightmares I had?”
He nodded. Of course, he remembered. He had a nagging suspicion it was because of her Valkyrie duties but she was too uncomfortable to talk about it, so they worked on breathing instead.
She took a deep breath and revealed the truth about her father’s physical control over her. Amir was already aware of their relationship, but Samirah never told him the final details. She always assured him her job was safe.
If Amir hadn’t held on to his wife any tighter, he did now. “You’re telling me he tried to kill you.”
“He couldn’t have, he used me in a deal, but-” She bit her lip, “-I’ve always wondered if he was trying to kill me slowly, or just trying to make me feel like dying.”
The anger boiling in him replaced his shock, but he was just as speechless.
Sam shifted her position, “But he’s gone now. I fought him. I have control now. I swear I do, I-” She took another breath. “I just see him sometimes, and it just brings back everything.”
Amir’s hand continued to brush his hand on her shoulder, “No you’re right, you are in control and no matter how hard he’s tried, he could never take it away. And I know that it feels like… everything is slipping away sometimes, but the Sam I know doesn’t give up. You’re capable of so much.”
Amir doubted his words meant anything to someone who experienced so much, but he couldn’t stay quiet.
She dug her face deeper into his shirt, her voice muffled, “I sometimes forget that too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, I just didn’t want you to worry.”
“To be honest, I was always worried.” He remembered two years ago when he begged to fly out with Barry when he heard Sam was in trouble. “But I trust you, and I still do.”
She moved his collar and kissed his neck. “And I love you.”
Amir pretended to stammer, “Oh uhh, I too.” which quickly resulted in his wife elbowing him again. He loved playing out her mishap two years ago when she boarded the Big Banana. “I’m just kidding!” He rested his head on hers, “I love you more.”
Samirah, still holding Amir’s hand, focused on the way his hand fit into hers. Usually, his hands were dry after a long shift from working as a chef in his dad’s restaurant, especially with the burns, cuts, or the countless hand-washing he had to do. Samirah’s callused hands were just as indifferent.
The sun began to dim as its warm rays peeked through the clouds covering the field in specks of gold. The sky hushed its blues as it faded into deep purples and reds.
Amir looked up at the pink-painted clouds, “It's getting late, should we head to the library soon?”
“Uhm, I totally forgot about that,” She flicked one of the buttons on his shirt. “But that does sound nice.”
They stayed there for a second, silently gazing at the everlasting view until the clouds turned gray. And for a second of bliss, nothing could bring them down.