Falling for You (Quite Literally)

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It was almost midnight, the storm outside making the night feel even darker. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the NGO room was dimly lit by the faint glow of the charging phones. Aashna lay curled up on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, while Dhruvin lay on the thin mattress on the floor, his hands folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

For a while, they made small talk—random things about college, professors, mutual friends. Then, Dhruvin asked, "Tell me about your family."

Aashna hesitated for a second before speaking. "My mom’s a teacher. She’s the most patient and loving person I know. My dad, well… he’s strict. Overprotective, especially about my career. He wants me to take the ‘safe’ route, but I want to figure things out my own way."

Dhruvin hummed in understanding. "Dads and their ‘safe career’ speeches—classic. And siblings?"

Her face softened. "My brother, Aryan. He’s younger, but sometimes he acts like an older brother. Always checking up on me, being nosy." She chuckled. "And then there’s Shadow, my German Shepherd. He’s literally my best friend."

At the mention of Shadow, her entire demeanor changed. She sat up slightly, excitement lighting up her face. "Wait, you have to see him!" She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her gallery, showing him a picture of a huge fluffy dog looking like a king. "Look at him! Isn’t he the most handsome boy ever?"

Dhruvin grinned at her enthusiasm. "He’s pretty cool. But wait till you see my cat, Maau. She’s a queen."

Without even thinking, he grabbed his phone and showed her a picture of a white cat sitting on his dinning table, staring judgmentally at the camera.

Aashna burst out laughing. "Why does she look like she’s silently judging you?"

"Because she probably is," Dhruvin admitted dramatically. "She has standards."

She leaned over from the bed to get a closer look, giggling at the next picture of Maau sprawled lazily on a couch. But in her excitement, she leaned too far, losing her balance. Before she could react, she tumbled forward, landing half on Dhruvin.

Her hands landed on his chest, the warmth of his body radiating through his t-shirt. His firm grip steadied her waist instinctively, stopping her from falling further. Their noses were barely an inch apart, breaths mingling. Her soft hair cascaded over them like a curtain, and for the first time in his life, Dhruvin was out of words.

He could see every detail of her face—the way her long lashes trembled slightly, the tiny beauty mole above her lip that he hadn’t noticed before. And those eyes, deep and searching, making his heartbeat erratic.

Aashna, on the other hand, was caught off guard by the softness in his honey-brown eyes. They always held mischief, confidence, but now... they looked different. Almost vulnerable.

For a moment, time stood still.

Then, a loud clap of thunder echoed outside, breaking the trance. Aashna gasped, the sudden sound making her jerk. She tumbled off him completely, landing beside him on the mattress. Instead of awkwardness, laughter erupted between them.

"Nice landing, Pathak," Dhruvin teased, running a hand through his hair to calm his racing heart.

"Shut up, Deshmukh," she grumbled, her cheeks still warm. She was about to get up when he caught her wrist gently.

"Stay here for a while," he said, his voice softer than usual. "It’ll be easier to see the photos."

She hesitated but nodded, settling beside him. They lay there, exchanging stories about their pets and their friends, laughing at each other’s embarrassing moments. Somewhere in between, Aashna found herself skeptical about Dhruvin’s role in her past. Something about his presence in her life felt familiar in a way that unsettled her. Could he have been part of the crowd that had made her school days miserable? She wanted to ask him outright but thought better of it. Now wasn’t the time.

She listened to him talk, her eyes growing heavier by the second. Without realizing it, she drifted off to sleep mid-conversation, her head resting lightly on his arm.

Dhruvin only realized she had dozed off when she stopped responding. He turned his head slightly to see her face, peaceful and unguarded. A slow smile tugged at his lips.

For someone so guarded, so distant, she looked completely different in sleep—soft, delicate. The thought that she trusted him enough to fall asleep beside him warmed something inside him. He reached for his phone and snapped a quick picture. Blackmail material for later.

But then, another thought crossed his mind. The ground was too hard. She’d wake up sore.

Carefully, he scooped her up, lifting her effortlessly as he placed her back onto the bed. A few strands of hair fell onto her face. Gently, he brushed them aside, letting his fingers linger for a second longer than necessary. Then, shaking himself out of it, he pulled the blanket over her and lay back on his mattress.

For once, his restless mind felt at peace.

At around 4 AM, Aashna stirred in her sleep, woken by a faint noise. Confused, she rubbed her eyes and sat up slightly. That’s when she saw him.

Dhruvin was trembling.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, his fingers gripping the mattress tightly as if holding onto something. His breathing was ragged, uneven. A faint mumbling escaped his lips, words she couldn’t make sense of. But there was something heartbreaking about it—like a child lost in a nightmare they couldn’t escape from.

Aashna felt a pang of hesitation. She had never seen him like this. The ever-confident, ever-flirty Dhruvin Deshmukh looked… vulnerable.

Her first instinct was to wake him, but she had read somewhere that shaking someone out of a nightmare could be too shocking. Instead, she did the next best thing.

Slowly, she slid down beside him and lifted his head onto her lap. With hesitant fingers, she ran her hand through his hair, smoothing it down in gentle strokes.

"It’s okay," she whispered, even though he probably couldn’t hear her. "You’re okay."

She hummed a song which always calmed her down, "Lag ja gale ki phir yeh haseen raat ho na ho........shayad phir iss janam mein mulaqat ho na ho."

His breathing hitched for a second, but as she continued running her fingers through his hair, his trembling slowly began to subside. His clenched fists loosened, his body relaxing bit by bit.

Aashna watched him, her brows furrowed in concern. What had caused this? What demons was he fighting in his sleep?

She didn’t realize how long she sat there, soothing him. Nor did she notice when her own eyelids began to grow heavy again. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, the warmth of his presence—it lulled her into sleep once more, her hand still resting on his hair.

And for the first time in a long time, Dhruvin slept peacefully.

❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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