Her Suffering, His Pain

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Aashna sat curled up on her bed, staring at her phone screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She had been distant, lost in her own thoughts, and she knew Dhruvin had noticed. He hadn't pried, hadn't pushed-but she could feel his concern, see it in his eyes every time he looked at her. Taking a deep breath, she finally typed out a message:

Aashna: Hey... I just wanted to say sorry. For being so quiet and off these days.

She hit send and bit her lip, her heart racing as she waited for his reply. It came almost instantly.

Dhruvin: You don't have to apologize, Aashu. I'm here, okay? Always. You can trust me with anything.

Her chest tightened, warmth seeping into her veins. She wanted to believe that-wanted to let go of the weight pressing down on her shoulders. But some wounds weren't so easy to heal.

The next few days passed in a blur of stolen moments and silent battles. Aashna tried-she really did. She laughed at Manan's terrible jokes, bickered with Sia, and let herself enjoy the mundane joys of college life again. But the anxiety still clung to her like a shadow.

Dhruvin noticed everything. The way her hands trembled slightly when she picked up her juice carton in the canteen. The way her voice wavered mid-sentence, her fingers gripping the edge of the table too tightly. The way her legs bounced anxiously whenever the cafeteria got too loud, too chaotic.

And it broke him.

One afternoon, as she reached for a drink, her hand shook so badly she almost dropped it. Before she could, Dhruvin caught her wrist, steadying her.

"Whoa, Babba. You planning on blessing the floor with orange juice?" he teased, grinning at her.

Aashna exhaled a small laugh, but Dhruvin didn't miss the way she swallowed hard, embarrassed.

He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "You're okay," he murmured, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Aashna's breath hitched. She wasn't used to this-someone noticing her struggles, someone grounding her without making her feel weak. Her fingers curled around his hand, holding on for a little longer than necessary, as if drawing strength from his touch.

In between these moments, their group kept things chaotic as always.

"Bro, if I fail this semester, just know it was because of this godforsaken college and my lack of motivation," Manan groaned, flopping onto the canteen table.

"You don't have motivation because you don't have a brain," Sia quipped, throwing a piece of samosa at him.

"HEY! That was uncalled for."

"What's uncalled for is your overconfidence in an exam you didn't study for," Aashna added, smirking.

Manan gasped. "Et tu, Aashu? Betrayal!"

Even through the laughter, Dhruvin kept an eye on her. When her leg started bouncing under the table, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer until she was tucked against his side. She stilled instantly, relaxing into his warmth. When her fingers twitched against her lap, he reached over, intertwining them with his own before bringing them up to his lips again.

"You're thinking too much," he murmured against her skin before dropping a kiss on the back of her hand.

Aashna swallowed hard. "I-I'm not."

He gave her a knowing look. "Sure, Baby."

Her arms found their way around him more often than before, her hugs lingering longer, as if she was holding onto something solid in a world that felt unsteady. Dhruvin never said a word about it. He just held her tighter.

One afternoon, Dhruvin finally decided he needed answers. He pulled Advait aside in the parking lot after their lectures.

"What happened to her, Advait?" His voice was firm but gentle. "I know she's hiding something. You know it too."

Advait sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Dhruv... it's not my story to tell."

"But you know it," Dhruvin pressed. "And whatever it is, it's still affecting her. I just want to help."

"I know," Advait admitted, looking guilty. "But if she hasn't told you yet, she's not ready. Just... be there for her. That's what she needs the most."

Dhruvin exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling inside him, but he knew Advait was right. He couldn't force Aashna to open up before she was ready.

Let’s cut to the chase," Advait said, his voice steady but laced with something sharper—something protective. "What exactly are your intentions with Aashna?"

Dhruvin blinked, caught slightly off guard by the sudden confrontation. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly before meeting Advait’s gaze.

"You’re her best friend," Dhruvin stated rather than asked, his voice calm.

Advait didn’t flinch. "I’m more than that. I’ve known her since we were kids. I’ve seen her at her best and at her worst. I know what makes her laugh, what makes her cry, and what breaks her." His eyes darkened. "And I’ll be damned if I let someone come in and hurt her."

Dhruvin let his words settle, feeling the weight behind them. He understood. If the roles were reversed, he would have done the same.

"I love her," Dhruvin said, the confession slipping out effortlessly but carrying the full weight of his heart. He took a step closer, his voice unwavering. "I love her in a way I never thought I could love anyone. She’s not just someone I’m with—she’s my home, my safe place, my everything. And if you think for a second that I’d ever hurt her, then you don’t know me at all."

Advait studied him for a long moment, his eyes scanning for any sign of hesitation, any flicker of doubt. But there was none. Dhruvin’s gaze held nothing but certainty, nothing but love.

"Words are easy, I can only trust you when i see it Dhruvin, she need you right now." Advait murmured, but there was a slight shift in his expression now, something softer beneath the hard exterior.

Dhruvin nodded. "Then don’t believe my words—believe what you see. Believe how I look at her, how I hold her, how I choose her every single day. Because she’s it for me, Advait. There’s no one else, and there never will be."

Advait exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn’t entirely ready to let go of his protective instincts, but something in Dhruvin’s voice, in his eyes, told him he wasn’t lying.

"If you ever break her heart," Advait warned, though his tone was slightly lighter now, "you’ll have to answer to me first."

Dhruvin smirked, shaking his head. "If I ever break her heart, I won’t need you to come after me. I’d never forgive myself."

Silence stretched between them before Advait finally sighed, giving Dhruvin a small nod. It wasn’t full acceptance yet, but it was something.

And for now, that was enough.

So he did what he had been doing all along.

He stayed.

And he waited.

That night, Aashna sat on the rooftop of their college with Dhruvin, absentmindedly biting her lower lip, lost in thought. Dhruvin’s gaze darkened as he noticed, he called her name tilting her chin up.

Gently brushing his thumb over her lips, he whispered, “Don’t bite your lips, Baby… not a good thing to do.” His voice dropped, teasing, “The only one who should be biting these lips is me.”

Aashna’s breath hitched, her cheeks warming as Dhruvin smirked, eyes locked onto hers with unmistakable intent.

As she sat beside him on the rooftop of their college building, her head resting on his shoulder, she let herself believe-just for a little while-that maybe, just maybe, she was safe here.

And Dhruvin? He had already made a silent vow: whatever it was, whatever she was afraid of, he would take care of it. No matter what it took.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author's Note

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