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An extremely long gushy-mushy update to compensate you all for a late update!
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Chapter dedicated to YASHASVI914â¤ï¸
Trigger warning; Mention of Personality disorder, Anorexia Nervosa.
______________________
Riya's Pov
"Don't talk to me." I looked away, whining, and before he could utter a word in his defense, I cribbed,
"I hate you." Huffing, I glared at the evil sight of my husband in front of me, who sighed heavily in return with a slight hopeless shake of his head.
"Yaar, it's not my fault if Kunal has some work near Hoshiarpur and he would pick you up tomorrow instead of me." He explained it for the umpteenth time, his tone hinting of helplessness.
Instead of paying attention to what he said, for a fleeting second my gaze switched to his chest as he wore his t-shirt, thus depriving me of my favorite nakey-nakey sight of his.
"Oye bas kar. Upar dekhle ab." My shameless gawking halted as my gaze shifted only to witness a teasing smile quirked upon his lips.
"There is nothing left to be seen there." I murmured, shrugging nonchalantly while he chuckled in amusement.
However, I glared at him a moment later, partially because he was not coming to pick me up and partially of this stupid tshirt he was now wearing to cover up his modesty.
But, unfrightened by Princess Riya's terror, he dared to grin in response, his hands busy adjusting the phone on the dressing table.
"You sure are not coming?" I tried my luck again, peering at him with immense hope while he rolled his eyes in hopelessness.
"There's no logic in me coming to Hoshiarpur separately when Kunal will already be there." He pursed his lips, his fingers busy settling his hair making my scowl deepen at his explanation even though I knew he was right.
"I wanted to meet you." I pouted sadly while a tinge of a proud smile graced his lips as he admired himself in the mirror,
"Now, I have to wait..." I thought for a while and counted hours on my fingers,
"Oh God! I have to wait seven hours more to meet you in person." The mere thought was enough to disappoint my senses whereas a stupid dimpled smile beguiled his lips at my reply which failed to subside despite my constant glares and glowers.
"You were eager to leave Delhi and come to Hoshiarpur two weeks ago, and now it's the exact opposite." He wriggled his brows with mischief and I contemplated if I should blush or feel defensive at his words.
Yes.
Meet you.
And maybe kiss you?
And maybe compensate you all night for the kiss-deprivation?
"Oh puh-lease, Princess Riya is nowhere eager to come to Delhi." I masked an indifferent expression and swayed my hair royally.
"Sure Sure." He spoke with utmost seriousness, a failed attempt on his part to suppress his smirk.
"Acha chal chod ise aur bata, How am I looking? Handsome?" He took a few steps back, all the while raking his hair, and glanced at me with a teeny-tiny arrogance.
"Super handsome." I swooned, my words enough to boast him as I eyed him from top to bottom, the combination of peach t-shirt and navy blue jeans suiting him.
"Sachi?" He confirmed, narrowing his eyes a bit, not believing that I praised him in an instant.
"Aur kya! I could have whistled if I knew how to." I answered immediately and made a few futile attempts to whistle which only produced a series of sounds similar to uhm,
A fart.
My cheeks reddened as he eyed me friskily, thus revealing that he is thinking the same as I have been.
"I never knew, apart from producing funky farts, you can produce its sound too. Such a talented wife I got." He bit his inner cheeks, while I could only gape at him for giving words to his farty thoughts.
Shameless.
"I am cutting the call if you do not change the topic in a second." I threatened with a serious tone because this was the only thing I could do to conceal my embarrassed self.
"Acha acha, sorry." He spoke in a rush, and added,
"Chal ye bata, how many girls will swoon over me tonight?" He sighed dreamily and adjusted his collars, a glint of naughtiness evident on his face.
"Ah, sooo many." I played along and intentionally drawled the second word,
"Kya pata, some might even ask for your number."
"Hain!?" He confirmed with a shine in his eyes and picked up the phone from the dressing table, his face now near to the screen.
"Aur kya!" I remarked, silently resisting the urge to jump out of the phone and pounce on him while he only gushed at himself in return, unaware of my incorrigible thoughts.
"Umm, but.." He pretended to think, his words succeeding in putting me out of my trance.
"Even if they ask for my number, I am going to reject the offer." He clicked his tongue, pondering with utmost sincerity.
"Kyu?" I probed, feigning oblivion.
"Lae, because I already have my girl at home." He blew a kiss in the air, settled himself on the bed, and placed the phone to the side, his finger working to put on his shoes.
"Good husband." I nodded slowly, "This is exactly what I wanted to hear." I beamed, thoroughly impressed by his answer, the idea of pouncing on him resurfacing my senses.
While my thoughts wandered to jump on him like a kiss-thirsty lioness, I didn't notice when his expressions turned intense as he peered at me in suspicion.
"What are you thinking?" He squinted his eyes, eyeing me closely.
"Nothing?" I was quick to reply, my tone defensive and my face struggling to mask what my mind has been dreaming, and what my lips have been craving.
His lips twisted upwards in a teasing smirk,
"Acha." He spoke and before I could sigh in relief, he queried,
"Do you know what am I thinking about right now?" His intense glimmer in his gaze was enough to zip up my mouth and all I could answer was a slight shake of my head.
"I am thinking of kissing you right now." He spoke in such a hoarse whisper that I felt my heart skip a beat for a fleeting second.
I gulped inaudibly as my throat turned dry all of a sudden making me flick a tongue over my lips.
"Uh, um.." I babbled blinking my eyes in shock, failing to provide a coherent response.
"Badly." He spoke, and the gleam in his eyes intensified,
"Madly." I was speechless at his guts to exactly put words to what I have been yearning for.
"And unstoppably." He breathed, and added after a pause,
"Until you turn into a breathless mess." His voice dropped to a few decibels while my heartbeats failed to decipher if they should stop beating altogether or beat with wild madness.
"Aditya..!" I gasped at his unfiltered words, the mere imagination inviting a bunch of shudders within me.
"I know you want the same." He whispered, his tone husky, while I shook my head in an instant not wanting him to know the extent of carnal thoughts I've started to have about him these days.
"Uh, um go now." I mumbled, avoiding an eye contact "Rishabh might be coming anytime soon." I made a failed attempt to divert the topic, though his gaze didn't budge except for the occasional moments when it would fixate on my lips.
"Tomorrow." He rasped, eyeing me with fierce determination while I silently awaited his next words,
"I am not going to spare you, even for a second when you come back home. Fifteen days were enough, not more." My heart plummeted at the raw passion evident in his tone.
I hummed in response, like that of an obedient child my voice failing to come out.
"Uhm, Rishabh might be waiting Aditya." I bit my lips in nervousness and then swiped my tongue over my lips. Though, I regretted it instantly as his gaze switched there the exact moment.
"I swear.." My husband seemed to ignore what I said,
"I won't let you run away like you are doing right now." He ended, his eyes devoid of his usual warmth, his gaze hooded.
Captive of his stance, I nodded meekly, having nothing to say.
"Go now." I murmured when I noticed his expressions neutralizing, followed by a sodt sigh.
"Come soon. I miss you." He almost groaned, threading a reckless hand in his hair.
"I miss you too." I smiled softly, the warmth still creeping over my neck thinking and rethinking his words,
"Chalo go now and enjoy." I reminded him that he has to go to his friend's bachelorette tonight.
"Hanji." His lips thinned, not wanting to leave.
"Bye. And, don't wait for me, I'll come late." He informed, getting up from the bed.
"Hanji." I smiled before cutting the call and leaned against the headboard. Shutting my eyes tightly, I could feel a thunderstorm of alien emotions swirling within me as his words reverberated in my ears on repeat.
I won't spare you.
*********
"Ohho Kunal! At least don't touch my feet yaar. I am not this old." I gasped as after touching everyone's feet Kunal bent down to touch my feet as well.
"Mom's order bhabhi." He shrugged dismissively, "But don't worry, I'll hug you too." He chuckled, taking me in a big-bear side hug, thus inviting a giggle from me.
"No-no-no-no-no, boo-boo." Avyuktha was quick to babble and clung to my leg as soon as my brother-in-law hugged me, the sense of possessiveness seeping within my munchkin.
"What? She's only yours boo-boo? Nothing to us?." Kunal spoke gazing at avyuktha challengingly, just to irk him. However, his words, followed by avyuktha's wail were enough to invite a bunch of laughs from all of us.
"My Boo-boo." Avyuktha's lips wobbled and eyes shimmered with unshed teard as Kunal refused to put away his hand from my shoulder. My nephew's innocent eyes turned watery as he gazed at me upwards, hinting me of his troubled state. Unfortunately, his gaze would occasionally turn furious when directed towards Kunal, which only escalated when Kunal's hand didn't budge from my shoulder.
Hence proved, the Kansal brothers are strictly not approved by Mr. Avyuktha.
"He has become pretty possessive about me in these fifteen days." I sighed with a slight shake of my head picking an almost howling fourteen-month-old, as we all stepped inside the house for a few minutes before I leave for Delhi.
**********
"Bye." My lips trembled as I pressed my face to paa's chest, silent tears rolling down my eyes.
He sighed deeply as if controlling himself and pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead. A few moments later, after a soft rub on my back, he loosened his grip on me, almost forcing me to leave his hold.
It's astounding to believe that how quickly these difteen days passed by.
My throat turned dry, my breathing hastened and my heart dropped each second thinking when will be the next time I'll get to come back here and spend time with all of them.
As I embraced maa, we stood wrapped with each other for an inconsiderable period, wordlessly sinking in the last few seconds we have with each other before we leave.
Hugging both bhai and bhabhi, my gaze wandered around, settling at every inch of the house as if trying to fixate the hints of conversations, bunches of laughs and silly jokes we had at each corner of this home.
Believe it or not, but each place has its own emotion, an unsaid story and its distinct fragrance, and currently, my heart craved nothing but to hold on to this emotion and lock up this place's fragrance in my senses.
For a fleeting second my gaze switched to my munchkin, who unaware of the fact that I am leaving now, smiled brightly eyeing me, his arms automatically spreading knowing well I am going to pick him up.
"Let's go to Delhi." I whispered meekly, rubbing my nose with his teeny-tiny one while he slowly blinked his eyes in response, confused as if it was some gibberish that his boo-boo just blabbered.
Indifferent as to what I just said, he leisurely placed his head on my shoulder, his tender-little fingers playing with my hair, and his drool wettening my top.
My heart smiled and I couldn't help but place a tight, sloppy kiss on his cheek which he didn't appreciate at all as he used all his power and push my face away from his.
Laughing, I moved toward the car just to elicit a reaction from him. However, to my surprise, he didn't react at all and looked as if all set to leave with me.
"Dekhlo, your son doesn't love you both enough. He is ready to leave you both and come to me." I smirked lightly, arrogance seeping over my face as I proudly eyed bhai.
"Rakhle rakhle, this way we will also have some peace at home. Two satans will not be there to ruin our peace." He sighed in fake relief and I pouted, though I knew well that he meant otherwise.
"As if, you let me live in peace." Bhabhi grumbled, almost inaudibly, and pretended to ignore the glare her husband sent in her direction while I zipped up my mouth, not to laugh at my brother's expense.
"Uh, chalein bhabhi?" Kunal's awkward voice brought me back to the reality that it was time to leave this home.
Again.
I hummed softly and a few silent cries, a hundred soft smiles, and uncountable blessings later, I settled myself in the car.
Kunal revved the engine and I waved at each one of them with a faint smile, my gaze fixated on my family until they were out of my sight.
**********
"How's Trannum." I quipped, angling my neck sideways to my brother-in-law as he drove the car on the highway, his sole attention over the traffic in the front.
He went silent for a second as if contemplating something and answered with an almost inaudible sigh, "She's good now."
"Now?" I frowned in confusion,
"What happened? Did you guys have some fight?" I shot two questions in a row figuring out his transforming expressions.
He seemed distracted as he peered outside for a fleeting second, "Nothing bhabhi. All well." There was a rush in his voice as if he wants to dodge the conversation.
"You can tell me, I won't judge." I said softly, "Still, if you don't want to, It's okay. I won't force you." I added almost immediately, so that he doesn't feel obligated to tell me.
"Nahi nahi, I just.." He stopped, and wetted his lips in apprehension.
"Trannum has anorexia nervosa." He began, his voice low, "There are times when her emotions are a highly triggered, and at that time, she is probably an emotional mess."
"Anorexia nervosa?." I repeated to no one in particular, "The one in which a person has an eating disorder, and they fear gaining weight?"
"Hanji." He hummed, and changed the gear, however, the ways his eyes were zeroed to the front hinted that his thoughts lingered to her only.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, he worded, his tone worrisome,
"She has been skipping food for the last three days, merely eating salads once a day. And, she is already underweight, I just don't know what to do." He rubbed his forehead and pressed his lips in a thin line and continued,
"Every single time, someone jokes or mentions weight gain, her anorexia is triggered. Every single time she sees a post on social media about food, her urge to lose weight heightens. She even weighs an apple or any other fruit on the weighing machine and counts calories for every little thing she eats. And, it's been five years of her going through this, and me seeing her in this state." I could clearly feel the tremble in his voice as he talked about her, the brief pauses and heavy breaths he took in between each sentence were enough to make me realize how much he loves her and to what extent he cares for her.
My heart dropped hearing the depth of this condition and I could only imagine that to what extent anorexics suffer insecurities and internal conflicts in their life.
"You know bhabhi." He eyed me momentarily,
"How insecure is she about her body? How negative she thinks about herself at times?" He eyed me in question and I gulped a lump in my throat as each word sunk in my heart, realizing the seriousness of this condition that most people fail to consider.
"I can't tell you that to what extent she cries at frequent intervals because of all the personality disorders she consequently is suffering from? I have seen her self-confidence falling to bits in these years, her recklessness fading with time." The shimmer gleaming in his was amissed.
"She takes therapy every once in a while, which fortunately works for her but only for some time, then some or the other thing happens and her anorexia is triggered again." His fingers tapped restlessly on the steering wheel resonating the restlessness in his heart, as we waited for the traffic outside to clear up.
"How do you manage in these situations then? Like, what do you do to let her feel confident again?" I couldn't help but ask about the prospective solution we could follow when encountering anorexics.
He smiled meekly, "I, I just..." He opened his mouth to speak and paused as if weighing his answer,
"I just try to make her believe that I accept her the way she is." My heart flared in happiness feeling the sincerity in his words and the love he beholds for her in his eyes.
"Whenever I am around her, I never force her to eat more or eat anything she doesn't want to. I let her eat whatever she feels like eating, no matter how less the proportion is." He voiced with a subtle hint of smile while I listened to him carefully,
"Nor do I ever comment upon how unhealthy or healthy she looks or she needs to be." A smile perked up on my lips at his thoughts,
"Also, I never try to compare her situation with what others might be facing. Every time she shares something , I try not make her condition feel insignificant because it will only add to her conflicts and insecurities." I nodded softly, my thoughts turning to the plethora of people suffering through a myriad of conflicting struggles in their lives.
"Most importantly, I try my best never to mention weight, food, calories, exercise, or body shape in any of our conversations And, never in my wildest dream did I give free advice or throw harsh statements like she's just being irresponsible about herself or she is unnecessarily fretting about it." He voiced with pinch of disappointment, maybe reminiscing the harsh statements being thrown at Trannum.
"In all these years, I have realised that the best treatment we could give them is to love and accept the way they are, respect the boundaries they have set for themselves and never pester them to do what is already not in their hands." He passed me an assuring smile that eased my heart to some extent though I couldn't convince myself to word out anything coherent.
Noticing the silence lingering in the car, he spoke, giving a quick glance at me, "Don't worry bhabhi, she is fine now." I nodded softly, smiling in his direction,
"So, does the condition remains the same or does it makes a comeback occasionally?" I quipped suddenly, gazing at the huge traffic jam outside.
"Occasionally, the triggers can be very intense. Like, she realises that it's not good for her when she diets heavily but still, no matter how hard she tries, she can't control her actions." He informed and thought for a while, before adding,
"And then there are times when without me saying anything, she herself eats well and promises that she is going to take good care of her diet." His eyes lit up and his face brightened at the mention of her taking care of herself.
"Because she knows that you are there for her, accepting her the way she is and this what makes her work for herself as well as well as for the people who love her." I remarked with a satisfied grin.
"Ji." He was quick to agree, a tinge of blush creeping on his neck.
"Vaise bhi bhabhi, anorexics just need some love and acceptance, and if people start understanding it and weighs their words a little before commenting anything rude or judgemental, then I feel a lot of people in this world won't be bearing a hundred different personality issues which are just an outcome of someone's negativity." He ended, and I was touched by the sincerity he possesses and the empathy with which he looks toward the people around him.
"Absolutely." I whispered softly, silently gazing at the trees passing by, the slight gush of air falling over my face liberating my senses.
The next few hours passed by with my thoughts wandering toward anything and everything, inviting a gazillion emotions surfacing within me.
The sudden drop of my heartbeat each time my mind went towards leaving my family at Hoshiarpur, the worry seeping within me thinking about Trannum, the reality sinking within me about my growing responsibilities after marriage, the unsettling feeling creeping within me worrying about my professional life ahead, the happiness of coming back to my other family at Delhi and most importantly,
The contentment flaring wildly within me, the gust of relief swiveling within my senses and the tranquility seeping within my heart each time my mind went to going back to my husband,
My home.
***********
"Namastey mumma." I smiled brightly and bent down to touch mumma's feet which was followed by a homey hug.
"Khush raho beta." She smiled in happiness, hugging me back, her palm caressing my hair behind.
"Kunal?" She queried, eyeing behind me.
"He went to the shop after dropping me, he said papa had some work with him." I informed entering inside the home.
"Acha." She nodded,
"Chal baith, I'll bring water for you." She gestured me towards the sofa and turned around to leave but her steps halted when I spoke,
"Nahi nahi, I will br..." I zipped my mouth shut even before I could complete it when she directed a glare in my direction.
"Uhm, okay." I stuck my tongue out lightly and I could crystal clear see a hint of amused smile stretching on her lips.
In the meantime, my eyes wandered around to every inch of this place I have now begun calling home.
Lastly, my eyes fell on our family picture, the one from our wedding and I couldn't help but think that how every person, every place, every picture has its own feel, its own story and has a distinct emotion attached to it. Being in Hoshiarpur felt good but coming back here feels new, a little different, good different.
After living in Hoshiarpur for fifteen days, and coming back here today, I couldn't ignore the myriad of contrasting emotions swirling within me.
True to say, being here today feels strange yet so familiar, awkward yet so welcoming, alien yet so mine.
"Bhabhiiii!" Isha squealed, descending the stairs, her pitch loud enough to be heard by the neighbors.
Grinning broadly, I got up from the sofa and stepped towards an almost running Isha.
"See we both left home at the same time and came back home at the same time!! Same-Same!" She gushed, hugging me swiftly, her pace fast enough to almost make me fall.
"How did your exams go?" I quipped after placing a feathery kiss on her temple as she pulled me towards the living room.
She scrunched her nose, her expression clearly revealing her disinterest in this topic,
"It went well?" She spoke, more like asked,
"I'll pass I guess?" She thought for a while, and shook her head on her own, "I don't know, I don't feel satisfied much." She mumbled to herself, pretty confused.
"Ohho, stop doubting yourself Ishi." I rolled my eyes, "Aditya told me once that you always crib about you hardly passing in exams but later you end up scoring extremely well."
She pouted, nevertheless shrugged dismissively in response certainly not believing my words,
"Acha chodo, you know when I came home yesterday, what did me, Kunal bhai, and Adi bhai eat?"
"What?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Golgappe!!" Her eyes glimmered merely at the name while every inch of my body screamed to eat this heavenly delight.
"Haww! That's not fair, you could have waited for me." I sulked, masking a sad face.
Queen Riya seems to have forgotten that she has been eating golgappas every other day at Hoshiarpur.
"Ohho bhabhi, don't be sad na, let's go today also, only you and me. Chalo chalein." She got up from the sofa in a split second, excitement and energy oozing out like fire from her.
"Ishaaa..." Mumma came inside and extended the tray of shikanji in front of me, "She just came home, let her rest now. Go tomorrow."
Isha whined in disapproval and eyed me for a confirmation
Blinking my eyes in affirmation, I promised,
"Tomorrow. Pakka" I eyed her with hope,
"I am sacchi very tired today from the traveling. And, it's already eight-thirty, dinner time." I finished, suppressing a yawn.
"Okey dokey!" She announced, thumping herself on the sofa again.
"Did you talk to Aditya? Has he left the office?." Mumma mentioned eyeing the wall clock.
"Hanji, just an hour ago. He said he will leave the office for home at eight." I answered, relishing the taste of the shikanji which was enough to wash away the traces of fatigue from me.
"Tasty." I wetted my lips, my eyes shimmering with happiness as I gave her a toothy smile which she reciprocated with her own.
"I have made more, ruk, I'll bring." Before I could refuse, she got up from the sofa and was out of my sight while I kept sitting there, smiling softly in the direction she went to.
**********
Tired of waiting, I laid down on the bed and switched off the lights, my gaze fixated on the ceiling until a certain someone reach back home. However, observing the white wall over my head, I couldn't help but ponder,
What if this fan fell over my head?
Will I be able to dodge it?
Maybe, I could immediately shift to the side and befool this fan?
And just in case, it falls over my face, how bad the impact be?
Or maybe, I am The Queen Riya, so the fall of the fan might not impact me?
Or maybe...
My overly-punctual, unreasonably-irritating, and highly-conflicting night dose of overthinking halted as soon as I hear the sound of the room door opening.
Frowning at no one in particular, I immediately covered myself with a quilt, and closed my eyes tightly. I acted to sleep with my breaths steady just to avoid this kalyugi husband of mine.
Dusht.
I could hear a faint sound of his footsteps nearing my side of the bed, the musky whiff of his perfume hitting my nostrils that forced me to jump on him right away.
Control.
After a few seconds, when I felt no movement on his part, I peeped my eyes open still hidden under the quilt as his scent was still lingering in the air.
"Oww!!" Before I could decipher the reason behind his static body, a loud yelp escaped my lips when he thumped himself over me, removing the quilt off my face.
I glared at him in agitation and wriggled in frustration under his hold.
"Hey, gorgeous." He grinned, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.
Gorgeous, my foot!
Glowering at him, I looked away, thus diverting my attention to the other beautiful things in our room,
Oh my, what a beautiful table!
Rectangular-Rectangular!
"Good wives should not sleep without cuddling their husbands." He spoke in a playful whisper and angled my face towards him with his palm, his face inches away from me, and his body tangled with mine.
"Good husbands should not ditch their wives at the last moment and should never come late especially when they both are meeting after long." I scowled, pushing his hefty weight away before he crush me to death.
Unfazed by my frantic attempts, he leisurely adjusted himself over my teeny-meeny body as if I was not a human but a mattress.
Oh My God!
I am promoted to a human mattress!
My scowl deepened and my forehead creased with uncountable frown lines when he flashed me his stupid dimpled smile, his handsome face devoid of any dread of Queen Riya.
Don't you dare smile back at this devilish face.
And, don't you dare let his dimply charm affect you.
"Stop smiling!" I groaned in annoyance when it became hard to control the urge to wrap my arms around him, which were still settled on my sides.
"Stop scowling then." He shrugged with leisure, still smiling with mischief.
"Why should I? You said you will leave the office at eight but you came back home at 11." I cribbed, wriggling under his hold,
"I hate you!" I grumbled when he didn't budge.
Nevertheless, he did show some mercy on me and shifted his weight a little, setting it on his elbows.
"Yaar, I sacchi left at 8 but I was locking the door when Mr. Manish came, the same client I told you about that day, remeber?" He eyed me questionably, and a huff was the only response he received from me.
"He took all my time after that and I couldn't even refuse as he was a potential client. That's why I messaged you that I would come a little late and will have dinner out." He pressed his lips in a thin line, helplessness evident on his features.
"Was a potential client?" I couldn't help but ask, the word itself was enough to irk me.
He passed a lazy smile at me and answered, his smile widening, "Because he is now a client. I got the deal." His eyes beamed and dimples were revealed towards the end of the sentence.
"Hain, Sachhii!" I gushed, my eyes wide with excitement,
"This was the same client na because of whom you were a little upset as the meeting didn't end well that day?"
"Hanji." He blinked his eyes, placing a chaste kiss on my forehead erupting a thousand jiggly-wiggly-wriggly feelings within,
"Dekh, right after you came back home, my problems have begun to wash away." He murmured, pressing his face into the side of my neck, while his hands worked to make my arms wrap around him.
"Stop buttering me now." I giggled lightly and slapped his back before embracing him tightly.
He chuckled, knowing well what he was trying to do, and quizzed with fake innocence,
"Apology granted then?"
He glared at me playfully when I feigned a serious thought.
Chuckling at his reaction, I nodded, playing with the back of his hair.
"Okay. But, only this time."
"Hanji." He flicked his nose into the side of my neck, thoroughly enjoying his stay on the newfound human mattress under him.
"I missed you." He inhaled deeply into my neck, his lips touching my skin at each word he spoke,
"So much." He rasped, placing a feathery kiss on the bare portion of my neck, his palms aimlessly caressing my waist.
Pacifying a thousand terrific storms his touch was evoking within me, I murmured, "I missed you." But before he could get happy hearing it, I added just to tease him,
"Not."
He raised his head in an instant, offense visible on his features,
"Says the one who cried a river when I forgot to call/message her about my whereabouts that day." He griped, his tone sarcastic, nevertheless cocooned his face into my neck again.
Uh-oh!
Mission tease backfired.
"Bol ab." He nudged me with a bite on my neck when I failed to provide a coherent response.
"Oww. Stop it!." I hissed in pain and hit him on his back,
"And, Queen Riya doesn't feel like commenting upon this." I pouted to myself at not being able to sway my hair royally because of a mini hulk's body plopped over mine, blocking my free movements.
He upped his body to pass me an annoyed, bewildered look, "Sometimes you call yourself Princess Riya, and sometimes Queen Riya. Decide karle, what are you, a Queen or a Princess." He rolled his eyes, hopelessness eminent on his face.
"Both." I threaded my fingers in his front hair, brushing them away from his forehead,
"I am Princess Riya of Hoshiarpur and Queen Riya of Delhi." I boasted with a queen-like sophistication, the pride of being a queen and a princess palpable in my tone.
He eyed me for a few seconds, his mouth opening and closing on repeat, presumably in an attempt to utter something. But, his disheveled state shook his head miserably before placing his head on my shoulder.
I guess he wants to be a queen and a princess too at the same time. He seems jealous that he can't be both.
Ha, sorry Mr. Kansal but you can't even be any of these.
Queen Riya needs to think of a solution for her King.
"You still didn't say that you missed me." He reminded, complaint evident in his tone, thus halting my strategy formulation to keep the King of my kingdom happy.
"Because I didn't." I blurted immediately with confidence.
Liar.
"Oww, oww, oww." I shrieked in pain when he plopped all his weight over me and tangled his legs with mine, thus suffocating me with his hulky weight.
"God, stop it Aditya!" I grouched when he bit me a little harshly on my neck this time.
Is he trying to give me hickeys?
Maybe this is a new type, the wild-hickeys!
"Pehle bol, you missed me." He almost whined but his tone was adamant and his actions wild.
He is not the same husband I left 15 days ago.
"Fine, I missed you." I couldn't help but smile at his buffoonish antics. However, the moment the words escaped my mouth he smothered my neck with dewy kisses and I could crystal clear sense the dimply-smiles gracing his lips with each kiss he pressed.
"Say again." He placed an open-mouthed kiss on the hollow of my neck, while his hands held my arms over my head so that I couldn't hit him on his back.
"You have become so wild." I breathed in a blushful whisper, and hissed again, when he bit me on my neck again, my fingers itching to touch the portion where he bit me.
"You haven't seen me wild yet. Not even a bit." He whispered huskily, his thumb stroking my waist in random patterns.
"Is it?" I feigned oblivion and innocence at the same time.
"Need a demo?" He was quick to answer, his palm working to raise my t-shirt, and slipping his hands under it.
Please.
"Adityaa." I breathed heavily at the touch of his rugged palm which was clasping my bare waist loosely, his fingers drawing circles on my side erupting shivers onto my skin.
My breathing went frenzy and I wetted my lips in anticipation when he raised his body upwards, our chests touching alongside every other inch of our body.
"My compensation." Adjusting himself over me in a way he doesn't crush me under his weight, he trailed his nose at the side of my face, his lips touching and breaths fanning over my cheeks.
"Which compensation." I managed to utter, suppressing a moan.
"Mrs. Kansal, you indeed are a poor student, you don't even remember this." He planted airy kisses on every inch of my face, except for the place where his lips needs to be.
"Mhm." I shook my head, the frustration of his lips not touching mine not letting me word out anything.
He angled his face a little so that we are laying eye to eye, his intense gaze devoid of his usual boyish charm,
"You, Mrs. Kansal have taken a 15-day leave at Aditya's Kissing Classes." He grazed my cheeks with the back of his hand making my eyes shut automatically.
"Will I be punished for it now?" I whispered, breathing heavily, and opened my eyes only to see a hint of a smile quirking at the corner of his lips.
"Naah." He shook his head, his palm erratically trailing towards my bare stomach.
"Then?" I moaned, while my cores shivered when he flickered his thumb around my navel in circles.
"You just need to compensate me for the loss of the 15-day syllabus you missed." He paused for a second and before I could process anything, he pressed a lingering kiss on the corner of my mouth inviting a frustrated groan out of me, the desire to kiss him escalating with each second.
"That too tonight." He ended, his lips flicking mine with each word he spoke like a carefree breeze.
Having enough of his intentional teasings and slow actions, I pulled him closer to me in a jiffy and pressed my mouth on his while he caught away with my unexpected pull, he struggled to adjust himself over me, while his lips were still pressed on mine.
He speaks a lot, he needs to shut up sometimes.
Contrary to the few times we kissed before I left for Hoshiarpur, this kiss was different.
It was filled with desperation, passion, and rush as if today was the only day we could taste and feel each other like this.
Our moans fused with one another, and being the messy, sweaty, and breathless mess we were, we paused after a few seconds to catch our breaths.
Moments after stabilizing my breath, I opened my eyes and palmed his cheek, his light stubble pricking under my palm. He smiled softly and pressed a lingering kiss on his forehead, his rugged palm still exploring my waist in sensuous strokes.
"I missed you." I whispered softly, a tinge of a crimson creeping my cheeks.
"Me or my kisses?" He jested, his eyes hinting mischief.
"What if I say both?" I raised a questionable eyebrow with confidence in my expressions while from the inside I was a nervous mess.
He chuckled lightly, shaking his head in amusement, the boyish charm beautifully reflecting on his features. His smile was enough to make me giggle too, however eyeing the transforming intensity in his gaze, I couldn't decipher, whether to smile or shudder at our proximity.
"Come here." He rasped and before giving me a chance to reply, he placed his lips on mine again, for another round of our never-ending compensatory dose of kisses.
The soft brush of his lips fused with mine, his breaths mingling with my own, the taste of our shared breaths, those teasing strokes on my waist, the thousand shudders on my skin that each touch gave felt soft yet passionate, seductive yet peaceful, breathless yet so lively.
The soles of my feet tingled and he growled in my mouth when his fingers mildly traced my bare back beneath my top. Unfazed by my mewls and shudders, the index of his fingers remained busy crafting an unknown pattern behind my back while our lips remain latched on one another, refusing to leave for more than a second.
"Aditya..!" I gasped when his hands slipped underneath the hook of my bra, outlining the area in tantalizing strokes, while his other palm grazed my bare thigh, squeezing it occasionally, thus inviting a moan from me.
He hummed in pleasure, his tone distracted whereas my toes curled at the whirlpool of emotion pouring out due to his stormy actions.
Probably tired of half laying over me on the bed, he got up in an instant, pulling me along with him until I was sitting on his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist.
"Yaar!" I almost whined in embarrassment at this intimacy, however, he cocooned me in his arms a second later, the place I feel like rushing back to every single moment of the day.
"Uncomfortable?" He whispered gently, brushing the loose tendrils of hair falling across my temples.
I shook my head in a no, my face pressed up in his neck,
"Just new." I mumbled, rubbing my nose on the bare skin of his neck, followed by a soft, lingering kiss.
"It's okay." He grazed his itchy-witchy beardy cheek with mine softly, his arms wrapped around me in a tight, comfortable grip.
We stayed in the same position for a while until his t-shirt began irking me. Hence, with an intention to remove this husband-blocker, my fingers moved towards the edges of this stupid barrier, I have lately begun to hate.
"Hmph!" I groaned in annoyance as my fingers failed to ride his t-shirt even an inch due to our bodies being tightly pressed up against each other.
He let out a chortle and looked at me in amusement, his lips twisting in a frisky smile,
"Stop looking at me like this." I grumbled placing my head on his shoulder and palmed his cheek to make him look away before I could start feeling conscious again.
He chuckled in response, nevertheless shifted a little, and swiftly removed the t-shirt from his body.
Don't you dare smile and show your satisfaction at his action.
"Better now?" He teased, cocking a brow, thus inviting a light slap on his back from me.
"Shut up." I suppressed my smile, not matching gaze with him.
"Shut me up." He offered, stealing a peck.
"Cheesy-peasy." I scrunched my nose in displeasure and shook my head at his cheesiness.
"You have signed up for this cheesiness for a lifetime." He was quick to retort and before I could open my mouth to argue, he indeed shut me up.
In his way.
Minutes later of pressed lips and mouthful growls, he hid his face in the hollow of his neck, teasingly nibbling on it, making me smile, moan and be breathless at the same time.
However, my breathing intensified when his fingers worked towards the edge of my top, while his other palm groped the inside of my thigh in a soft grip, trailing his fingers over it, thus inviting a plethora of goosebumps over my body.
"You are wearing too much stuff today." He mumbled, distracted as his fingers fiddled with the edge of my top as if contemplating his next move and my possible reaction.
Smiling at his concern, I trailed my hands towards his fingers, covering it with mine, thus, silently directing him to do the needful.
As soon as I angled his hand towards the corners of my top, I could sense him smile into my neck followed by an open-mouthed kiss.
Shifting a little backward, I adjusted myself on his lap, giving him the required access to release me of this piece of cloth.
His movements took a turn as he spent his own sweet time in caressing my bare waist in tantalizing strokes before he held the edge of my top again, riding it upwards.
"Damnit!" He growled in frustration, his fingers pressing into my sides while I tightly shut my eyes in disappointment as soon as the incessant ringing of my phone rung into my ears.
"Leave it." He said, in a pleading whisper, "Please." He added, stopping me from untangling myself from him.
"At least let me see who it is, it can be something urgent." I murmured in his hair, caressing the back of his head in an attempt to calm his raging emotions.
He hummed lightly but didn't leave his hold on me, thus directing me to pick up the phone without getting off his lap.
By the time I managed to pick up the phone from the side table, it had stopped ringing, the screen lit up with Ayaansh bhai's missed call.
"Ayaansh bhai?" I frowned in confusion and dialed his number in a jiffy to ensure everything is fine there.
"Uh, bhai all well there." I asked as soon as he picked up the call.
"Haan haan, voh Avyuktha managed to snatch my phone from my hands and your name was in recent call logs, so he tapped on your number by mistake. And, by the time, I saw, he has already called you." He spoke in one breath, his tone apologetic.
"Oh, It's okay." I managed to utter normally as a blood-sucking vampire happens to cling to my body, refusing to detangle its body from me.
"Aditya!" I mouthed and glared at the vampire in the front who refused to back off from his skin-thirsty antics.
"Chal soja ab, your sleep would have been disturbed." He said, his tone awkward and I could hear avyuktha babbling gibberish behind.
Not sleep, but something else.
"It's okay bhai. Chalo, you also sleep, good night." I wished in quite a hurry and bit my lips to stifle a moan escaping my throat as the flicks of my husband's tongue has amplified.
"Hanji, Mr. Kansal?" I narrowed my eyes at my husband in annoyance who was busy passing lopsided grins in my direction, the same Avyuktha gives us on a regular basis when we try to scold him or teach him something good.
"Hanji?" He answered back, acting oblivious as to why I have been scowling at him.
Shaking my head at his drama, I opened my mouth to crib about him distracting me during the call but before I could do the needful, he laid down leisurely on the bed, with his one arm tucked under his head, and Queen Riya still sitting over him.
Hmm, the Queen is supposed to be over and above her King.
"What did I do?" He spoke, his smile frisky and eyes blazing with mischief, thus making me squint my eyes in disbelief.
"Distracting someone over a call is not a good habit." I mumbled drawing patterns on his front, comfortably adjusting myself over him.
"Romancing with your wife when she is on a call is a very good habit." He countered in defense, inviting a rather harsh pinch from me on his chest.
"Wild." He muttered, hissing in pain while I grinned wildly, satisfied by giving him a little taste of his actions.
"Vaise..." He drawled stifling a mischief-laden smile, settling his hands over the side of my hips, his index finger trailing in a to and fro motion.
"What?" I asked, puzzled while my eyes zeroed on his hairy-nakey chest.
"Pink suits you." I could see a flicker of crimson on his neck and a flirtatious grin stretching on his lips.
My brows furrowed in perturbation as I recalled when did I wear pink today.
"I didn't wear any pink today?" I answered which came out more like a question.
"You did." His amorous smile has broadened by now, complimented by his dimples.
My brows wrinkled at his remark and I peered at him in bewilderment. But, before I could pose this query again he indicated me with his eyes to look downwards.
My gaze followed his, and my eyes widened in embarrassment to witness that my oversized night top has managed to riddle down to the side, thus, bestowing him a pretty good view of my twinnies garments beneath.
"Oh God Aditya! You have become so shameless!" I gasped in horror and plopped my body over him in a rush, an attempt to hide my mortified face in the crook of his neck.
He laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying at my expense, while I could only whine and pout in response.
Nevertheless, he did adjust my top back to its place effortlessly and wound his arms around my waist for a tighty-tight, breathy-breathless hug.
"That I am, but only for you." He mumbled, sneaking a quick kiss on my cheek, and I could only hum in response as I was way too comfortable being cocooned in his arms, the earlier embarrassment long forgotten.
"Sun." I hear him ask a few moments later.
"Hanji." I murmured, my face flushed.
"Were you uncomfortable today?" He asked, his tone doubtful.
"Nah." I was quick to answer, and peered at him for a fleeting second before resting my head on his shoulder again.
"That means we can continue the rest." He remarked, his tone frivolous and his hands sliding to my lower back.
I giggled, knowing well that he is just joking being aware of my tired state to continue our impending hanky-panky.
He chuckled too and we then stayed in the same position for a few minutes with each one of us sighing occasionally in an unknown relief and peace.
"So, interview tomorrow?" He voiced, rolling and unrolling my hair on the back and my heart dropped immediately at being reminded of the same.
"You were not supposed to remind me this." I grumbled in displeasure.
"You are saying as if you didn't think about it the whole day." He shook his head in disbelief.
"I did, but now I forgot because we were doing...." I stopped midway not wanting to explain the what we were doing,
"Now, I will not be able to sleep for the whole night in this tension of what will happen tomorrow." I scowled at him, backing a little.
"Everything will go fine." He blinked his eyes in assurance and tucked my hair behind my ear which has earlier managed to fall over my face.
"I don't know." I murmured after a sigh and added after a pause,
"Will I be selected?" My gaze was hopeful when I eyed him for an answer.
He smiled faintly, "Whatever the result will be, it will be for your good."
"You weren't supposed to give a diplomatic answer!" I exclaimed in agitation.
He rolled his eyes in hopelessness,
"This is your first interview here Riya," He sighed in defeat,
"I don't want to give you false hopes claiming that you will be selected no matter what nor do I want to demotivate you by saying that you won't be able to get this job."
"But, I want a job, in fact, I need it." I murmured softly, an unknown discomfort crippling my insides.
"Ohho, Sun..." He intertwined his fingers behind my back, while I was still laying over him,
"There is one thing that I know and that is you are talented, you are ambitious and you are foresighted. Thus, you'll be getting everything you deserve at the right time. And, we don't know when that right time is, it could be tomorrow or maybe some other day. So we could only make the efforts right? Without thinking of the results?"
I pursed my lips tightly, having nothing more to argue upon,
"Maybe." I mumbled, my lips set in a thin line imagining what will happen tomorrow in the college interview.
"Maybe." He repeated in the same tone just to tease me, an almost invisible naughty smile perked upon his lips that were enough to make me grin too.
"Acha ab go now and change, your jeans are irritating me." My eyes were downcast on his neck as I suddenly started feeling shy being plopped over him.
"If you want, I can remove them too." He offered with a wriggle of his eye-brow.
"Shut up and go." I attempted to glare at him but my traitor smile made it hard to scare him off.
"Hmmmm..." He sighed loudly and feigned a thought,
"Umm, I guess I am falling short of energy now, so, if you could pass a little energy to me, I might be able to get up and change." His features rippled with childlike innocence and he pouted a little and I giggled in amazement that he dramatized all this to sneak a kiss.
Quickly pecking his lips twice, I got up from him before he asks me to transfer a full-fledged kissilicious energy into his energy-hungry body.
"Haaye!" He heaved a deep sigh in relief,
"I can breathe now, finally. You had blocked my breathing for the past fifteen minutes." Sticking his tongue out, he sat up rather difficultly as if I am not Queen Riya but some ironwoman sitting over him and ceasing his breathing.
"Draamebaaz." I glowered, laying on my side, tucking the quilt and sheet under me from all the sides.
"Oye, don't sleep without me, I am coming in five minutes." He spoke aloud, rushing to the washroom.
********
3:00 am.
A frustrated frown etched my face when my gaze zeroed on the time on my phone.
The change in the place and position of my sleep complimented with the worry of tomorrow and garnished with my tired state has succeeded in becoming the reason of my unsuccessful sleep.
Moreover, an inexplicable feeling of jealousy thundered my cores eyeing the kumbhkaran peacefully sleeping beside, royally turning his back towards me.
Tired of tossing and turning for the past two hours, chanting every possible god's name, overthinking every teeny-tiny thing, dropping a tear or two for no reason at all, and blatantly drooling over my husband didn't benefit me much, as I laid there, bored as to what nonsense to do next in this wee hour of the night.
Whining and grumbling at my inability to think of anything doable, I passed my time throwing daggers at the bare back of my husband.
Nevertheless, having no other option left, I scooted closer to him and flung my arm around his stomach from behind, and thumped both my legs over him in search of a comfortable position to sleep.
Better.
My legs are happy being over him now.
After all, I have an upper leg in this relationship.
In fact, the upper two legs.
"Oww oww oww.." Unfortunately, my happiness was short-lived as I almost cried in pain when Aditya stirred to turn, thus hitting his elbow in my eye rather harshly.
However, my whimpers were left unnoticed and unheard when his sleeping form lay straight on his back, unaffected and unconcerned.
Fueled by anger and ache, I pinched him hard on the same elbow so that he could wake up and take notice of the violence he has been doing in the middle of the night.
Queen Riya also has the right to throw him out of Kansal Queendom.
"What the!!"
"Oww!!"
Two painful shrieks reverberated within the room in a matter of a second, which might make our families assume some hanky-panky adventure going on in the room.
But, unfortunately, the former one was of Aditya's flabbergasted, painful curse while the latter was mine as Aditya's hand immediately flew to his elbow, thus making him slap my hand pretty roughly.
My eyes pooled with unshed tears facing two different versions of violence in a single night making me scowl madly at him.
"Paagal hai? Why are you pinching me in the middle of the night." He glowered at my side, his eyes droopy and his state disconcerted.
Before I could give him a mouthful, he added with a frown marred on his face,
"And why are you glaring at me with one eye?" He managed to chide in his thick tone and simultaneously rubbed the side of his eyes to remove any remnants of sleep.
Just to inform you, my other eye which recently became the victim of his midnight violence was currently covered by my victim hand.
"Don't you dare talk to me." I huffed in annoyance and scooted away from this mini-hulk and complained,
"You hit your elbow in my eye so badly,, and, and..." I sniffed in pain, and twisted his lips in puzzlement, unaware of his actions.
"After that, you, you slapped my hand so harshly." I rubbed my stinging eyes struggling to throw one-eyed daggers at him while he still looked muddled by this newfound information.
"I was just trying to cuddle you, and this is what you gave me in return." I murmured, pouting a little towards the end and before I knew a frustrated teardrop fell out of my eyes, my body tired of not being able to sleep well.
A subtle hint of a concerned smile could be seen stretching on his lips as he came closer to me and held my palm, uncovering it from my eyes.
"Sorry." He murmured gently, and wiped the tear away from the corner of my eye making me immediately feel guilty for waking him up.
"Let me see." He rubbed the side of my eyes with a pad of his thumb, and rolled the edge of white sheet above us, blowing air on it before covering my eyes with the same piece of cloth as a warm compress.
"I am sorry, I should not have waked you up." I mumbled finding relief with the warm compress and pressed my lips in a thin line, anger seeping within me to have waken him up.
"Come here." He whispered softly and pulled me into his arms, for a bear hug.
Grazing my cheeks with his thumb and patting my arms with the other hand, he placed a series of butterfly kisses on my hair, his usual attempt to make me sleep whenever I face trouble with the same.
"Try to sleep now and don't think of anything." He palmed my eyes as if asking me to shut them, and later, caressed my forehead as if clearing the bunch of creases over it.
"Hanji." I said softly and closed my eyes, relishing the warmth of my husband.
"Sleep, Riya." He chided lightly and I was astounded by his magical way of knowing that I am still not asleep whenever he cocoons me.
Giggling silently, I embraced him tightly and awaited the sleep to engulf me in a deep slumber before my restless self starts fretting over what would the next day bring.
Still, if there was anything I wordlessly knew that if not anything, the new day would invite a bunch of,
New opportunities,
New decisions,
And,
New learnings.
*******
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