36| Closer

Started writing on 8th November 2020.

Completed on 14th November 2020.

Word count : 4800 words

_____________________

- D I V Y A -

"Wake up."

"No."

"Wake up!"

"No!"

"Are you waking up or not?"

"No...." I cried and went inside the duvet, hiding myself from the world.

"This trick won't work on me."

"Mumma. Let me sleep for sometime. Just five more minutes." I shouted. "The school won't run away. Even if I reach late, I'll make an excuse that my vehicle got punctured."

"Who's your mumma? And you made such silly excuses in childhood?" The voice asked. I opened my eyes and came out from my blanket den.

"What do you want? Today's Sunday. Can't you let my peaceful and innocent soul sleep?" I asked.

"Innocent soul and yours? When you were late to school, no one scolded you as you made such silly excuses. But me? I was always the main target for teachers." Ayaan complained.

"So what should I do? It's the incident of a decade ago. Nothing can change now." I said stretching my body.

(Flashback)

12 years ago~

"Hey! Listen!" The same irritating voice called me, once more.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"What's the time?"

"What? What will you do with the time? There's still time in lunch period?"

"I'm not joking. We're stuck here. Games period will start soon."

"Not only us, there are thirty more students. If you want to join the class this early, you should've came early." I taunted. I came late to school and wasn't allowed to enter as the prayer was going on.

"Not only me, you're late too. And I know that you love to attend maths class. Poor you." He smirked. I wanted to tear off his smile!

"May I know your name and the reason to come late?" The teacher asked.

"Ayaan Chauhan. I came late because I went to academy."

"Which academy?" The teacher asked.

"Cricket."

"Want to become a cricketer?"

"Do you have any doubt sir?"

"No. You can go."

"Your reason miss?" He asked me.

"Divya Gupta. I live in Noida and there was traffic. So it took time. May I go?" I lied straight forwardly. From the time of my birth, I live in Delhi.

"Hmm. Go.." He said. I nodded and ran to my class. I was already late and my heart my pounding heavily. What if teacher scolds me? I'm gone.

"Mam, may I come in?" I asked and saw Ayaan standing beside me.

"What made you come late, Mr Ayaan?" My class teacher asked.

"I went to my cricket academy and slept in the process, which got me late." He said.

"You can sleep in the class during games period. Till then go and stand outside." The teacher said. Ayaan nodded and went out. "Wait! Don't go out. This would be a prize for you. Sit inside and study. This would be the best punishment for you." She said. "Why are you late Divya?"

"The tyre of my car got punctured. Dad had to change it. So it took time." I lied. The lie in the times of need isn't bad.

"Okay. You can go to your seat. Don't repeat it."

"Yes ma'am." I said and sat comfortably on my seat. Thank God I didn't leave the first period!

(Flashback ends)

"No one could have thought that you'll be such a notorious child." He chuckled.

"I wasn't notorious, ever."

"But your ideas were."

"Say whatever you want to say. Think whatever you want to think. I'm going to use the bathroom." I said and stood up from the bed.

"Wait!" He said and caught me from my back.

"What?"

"A morning kiss won't do any bad." He said. I turned back to face him and I sighed, letting my morning breathe out, directly on his face.

No one loves morning breathe and body odour!

"Do you want a kiss now?" I asked.

"You can go." He said, leaving me. Quickly leaving to the bathroom, I did all my work and changed into a lose kurti. Coming down to the living room, I saw him preparing something in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Teaching ants, how to sing."

"What?"

"Of course cooking. You're asking such an obvious question." He said being irritated. I went inside the kitchen and saw him chopping onions on the board. "Go out and don't disturb me."

"When was I disturbing you?" I asked.

"Please. There are onions and I don't want you to cry. If you want to, then I don't have any issue." He said. I went out and sat on the couch, checking my messages.

One was from Natasha- 'Help me yaar!'

'What happened? Is your hero dying?' I typed.

'Very funny! I have my personal life too!' She said.

'Okay. What happened?' I asked.

'That bitch is eating my brain.'

'Do you mean Samaira? Please don't abuse anyone.'

'She's meant to be abused! Don't stop me.'

'Okay. *Hands raised* Tell me, what did she do?'

'That stupid ruined my dress. That dress was custom made. And when I confronted her, she acted innocent.'

'Innocent? *Rolling on the floor*'

'She's a bitch!'

'A stupid too!'

'Cunning!'

'Mad!!'

'Idiot...'

'A moron too...'

'I hate her.'

'I'm with you. Fine now?'

'Yup! Absolutely fine now.'

'I need to go. I'm hungry. Bye.'

'Okay. Bye.' She said ending our chats.

"Food is ready." Ayaan said.

"Coming..." I said and ran to the dining area, sitting just opposite to him.

"How's the dish?" He asked, looking at me with his longing eyes, pleading me to compliment on them.

"Hmm... It's alright. Just a little sweet."

"Are you kidding me? I haven't used a single granule of sugar in it." He said and tasted the dish. "Why are you lying? It's not sweet."

"You seriously believed what I said?" I chuckled and started laughing.

"I want to believe everything you say. I know these words don't sound suitable from my mouth but what I'm saying is really important for us." He said and grabbed my hands, enclosing them between his'. "I want to trust you and vice versa."

"When did you start saying these serious things?" I laughed, as it was difficult for me to control myself after listening his serious confession.

"I'm serious. Please." He said making a serious face.

"Okay."

"Do you trust me?" He asked. What type of question is this?

"Yes."

"Not a joke. I'm serious."

"I trust you." I said.

"Are you serious?"

"No!! First you ask a question and then you cross question me. What do you want?" I asked.

"Okay. I believe you. Come here." He said and stretched his arms wide open.

"Why?" I asked and he made a pleading face. Standing up from my chair, I went to his side and pulled a chair to sit there. But before I could rest my butt on the soft cushion of chair he pulled me strongly, only to rest on his lap. "What was that?"

"Shh... Stop thinking so much. Just enjoy the situation." He said.

"Enjoy?"

"We could do something productive today!" He whispered, nearing his lips to my ears. He has guts!!

"Really? What if someone comes here and catch us red-handed?" I asked, teasing him.

"First of all- you don't need to worry. I'm here to take your responsibly. Second, even if someone catches us, there's nothing wrong in it. We're already married-"

"And third?" I asked and he pulled my nose forcefully. "Why did you pull my nose?"

"Because you used to do it too. And, husband and wife have equal rights over each other." He smirked.

"You Idiot."

"It's a sin to call your husband by these names." He said and I rolled my eyes. "Are you listening?" He asked and I hummed loudly. "So let's continue what we should have started minutes ago!" He said pecking my lips.

"What if dadi comes here?"

"Oh God! You stress so much. No one is gonna come. Dadi is not at home, she has gone to fight with mom." He said and touched my nose with his lips, following up to my forehead and eyes.

"Ayaan. How do you define trust?"

"Mmm... I trust you with my everything. I can count upon you with my soul, body, income and my life. I know you won't ever harm me. That's how much I believe you. That's how much I trust you." He said. His eyes showed a different emotion today, which I haven't ever seen till now.

Smiling, I leaned forward and captured his lips with mine in a soft yet passionate kiss. It felt so good!

How much I love this man!!

Sliding my fingers in his hairs, I bit his lips and he shouted loudly. "What are you doing?"

"What you always do." I said and smiled.

"You're such a tease!" He said and grabbed my hips tightly. I glared at him and he returned a smirk, nuzzling his face in my neck after sliding my collar to a side. I shut my eyes tightly and felt the warm strokes of breathe on my shoulder blade.

As soon as I opened my eyes I saw a figure coming inside the house, towards us.

"Ayaan!" I called him but he was too busy to treasure my neck. "Ayaan!!" I called him once more but still no answer. Why couldn't he stop? "Ayaan!!!!" I shook him forcefully which made the chair on which we were sitting, land on the floor.

"Aah... What the hell, Divya? Why did you push the chair back when we were sitting on it? My back is paining." He complained. I looked to the front and saw Shrey standing there, turning his back to us.

"I'll give you five minutes. Just settle everything properly. I need to talk." Shrey said.

"What is he doing here?" Ayaan asked.

"How would I know? He's your friend. That's why I was telling you to stop. But you weren't."

"Will I have dreams that someone would disturb our personal time?" He said. I got up from him and helped him to stand straight. "We're done. Tell, what you need to talk about?"

"Hmm... Actually-" As he was about to start, Ayaan interrupted him in between.

"It's our own house. Nowadays, we don't even have any privacy!" Ayaan complained, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Really? You want to get away from me. Who was the one who cried on my shoulders after drinking two bottles of alcohol, just because he failed in exams?" Shrey said. "And by the way, who the hell does that on the dining table?" Shrey asked him. I palmed my face in disbelief. Men talk so shamelessly!

"We weren't doing any shameless thing?" Ayaan said.

"Okay! I'm sorry, my virgin beauty!" He said and sat on the chair, taking an apple from the basket. I decided to leave as I know where their talks would lead to.

"I'm going to make tea? Do you want some?" I asked in haste.

"No wait! I need to talk to both of you." Shrey said. I nodded and sat on the chair. "Well... Actually... I'm getting married."

"We know." Ayaan said without any expression, eating his breakfast which was left due to our so-called-serious talks. I too started eating my food.

"I wanted to create the moment, you Idiot! So, I am getting married the day after tomorrow. Everyone is invited." He said and broke into a large smile.

"We know your wedding date. This isn't something we need to be reminded of." Ayaan said.

"I'll kill you! Just be present in my wedding. Don't be late. I need to go now." Shrey said and went. I looked towards Ayaan and saw him holding his head between his palms.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Just tired of wrong timings." He said pressing his forehead.

"Is your head aching?"

"Hmm..."

"Should I give you a massage?" I asked and he looked at me with shock. "I mean head massage."

"Yeah sure." He said. Taking him to the couch, I switched on the TV while he laid his head on my lap, whining. "It's aching a lot."

"I'm massaging your head. It's not a miracle. It takes some time to heal the pain."

"Hmm..." He said and closed his eyes. After around ten minutes of massaging his head, the frown from his face was gone and the nerves of forehead were sighing in relief.

"Ayaan." I called him so that he could get up from my lap, but he was drowning in sleep. So, instead of interrupting his sleep I continued watching TV, which I don't like at all. Suddenly he moved in sleep and hugged me tightly, still being in his dreams.

His face was nuzzled in my waist and his breath was fanning my body, dangerously. Even my cloth was not helping as it was very thin. I could do the only thing that was diverting my mind.

This man is such tempter!

No Divya, you can't lose your sanity!

No. No... No.....

I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe to calm myself.

××

Opening my eyes I saw a gray coloured fabric in front of me. As per what I remember, it was Ayaan who was wearing a gray coloured t-shirt. I looked up and saw him smiling at me. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

"Why am I sleeping here?" I asked.

"I saw you sleeping uncomfortably in the sitting position, so I helped you to sleep properly."

"Why did you sleep here? Here isn't even proper space on the couch."

"I was feeling sleepy, that's why I slept beside you."

"You and sleepy?"

"Hmm... I am a human too." He sighed and lingered his lips on my forehead, pulling me more tightly to him. I slid my arms around his chest and hugged him back.

"Ayaan, when will dadi come back?"

"Why? Aren't you happy being alone with me?" He asked settling his chin over my head.

"It's not like that. Dadi always comes when we're kissing. So, I would be alert that..."

"That what?"

"Nothing."

"Okay Miss nothing!" He chuckled. I could easily feel his chest vibrating beneath my head. "Divya..... Have you ever had a boyfriend?" He asked.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked.

"Because I am your husband."

"But I don't want to tell you." I teased him.

"I want to know. Why can't you tell me?" He asked being irritated. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled sarcastically. "Are you sure that you don't want to tell me?"

"No... Try me. I won't spill anything."

"I see you." He smirked and got up, rolling over me. I knew what he was going to do.

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will." He winked and started tickling me.

"No Ayaan... No. Stop it. My stomach is paining." I said between my laughs.

"Give me my answer."

"I won't... Wait! Stop tickling me." I said but in vain. I know I can't stop him, so I used the only way left. I got up a little and kissed his lips.

"What did you...." Shock was clearly evident on his face.

"What?"

"May I know the reason of you kissing me."

"Do I need a reason to kiss my husband?" I said, imitating his usual dialogue.

"Oh! Then how can I be back in this?" He said, jumping over me and joining his lips with mine. Without wasting a second I kissed him back and slid my arms around his neck, pulling him more towards me.

As soon as I took the lead, he glided his hands inside my kurti and started drawing patterns on my bare waist to distract my mind, so that he could take the lead.

"I love you." He said, trailing soft kisses down to my neck. Sliding my dress strap to a side, he nibbled my skin.

"Ouch... What are you doing?" I winced.

"Just having fun."

"Really? But-" I stopped in between as his hands were going dangerously up on my upper body. Just an inch up and....

"Why do you smell so good?" He asked nuzzling more into my neck.

"Because I use perfume." I said.

"Piggy, I am not talking about that. I'm talking about your natural body scent." He said and chuckled. "You need to take classes about romancing and flirting!"

"I don't have a teacher."

"I can be your teacher, if you don't mind." He winked.

"Well, is there any fees?"

"Yup... Initial fee is just few kisses and cuddles. Rest will depend on future and it's circumstances."

"And, this package is limited for me or you have any other student too?" I asked, openly flirting with him.

"If you don't mind then I'll have few more students too." He said and I punched his chest. "Aah... I was joking. Do you think I would have someone else in my life?"

"No. Even if you try, I won't let that happen." I said.

"Even if I have someone else in my life, it would only be our children." He said touching his nose with mine. "So baby-"

"Don't babe zone me!" I said.

"Okay baby."

"Ayaan!!" I shouted hitting his chest. He pressed his lips on mine and closed his eyes, holding my hands above my head in his grip. Suddenly his phone rang and I tried to move him, but I'm not as strong as him. "Ayaan phone!"

"Let it be." He groaned.

"It must be an important call. It's ringing since three minutes." I said and he cursed under his breathe. Sighing, he got up and picked the call up, putting it on speaker.

"Hello!" He said, without showing any interest. "If I'm not picking the call, I must be busy."

"Did you check the caller ID?" The female voice said from the other side. Mom! Oh shit.

"Mom? Is there anything urgent?" He asked.

"If I didn't gave birth to you, you would not have been in this world. So talk to me without raising your voice." She said.

"Oh! I'm sorry mom. I didn't check the name. You called so many times, is there something urgent?" He asked.

"Yes. Your dadi would be staying here tonight to eat my mind. So I informed you, or later you would be tensed." She said. "Is Divya there?" She asked and he hummed, passing the phone to me.

"Ya mom!"

"Divya bachcha, are you alright? I mean Ayaan isn't creating any problems right? If he is, then you can tell me." She said over the phone. I looked towards Ayaan and smirked. He nodded his head in negative, pleading me not to disclose his mischiefs.

"Mom, he didn't do anything. Just that....." I looked at him, who was already glaring me. "He makes perfect food. I mean it's better than what I make. How did you teach him?"

"It's not like that, you make delicious food too. I remember that in childhood, once he tried to make tea but instead of sugar powder he added salt in it. And once in-"

"Mom please. Why do you have to make fun of your own son? Am I your own son or you've adopted me?" Ayaan asked, interrupting in between.

"You're right. But we didn't adopt you. We found you in a dirty sewer, and bought you home." She said.

"As if I would believe. I'm not a three year old." He said and I could hear laughs on the other side. He cancelled the call and looked towards me in anger.

"What?"

"Nothing." He said and went away.

"Ayaan! Listen!!" I shouted but got no response. I ran to the study room and saw him busy in his computer. "Ayaan, listen to me..." I walked to him and saw a game going on the PC. That explains why he was wearing headphones!

I shook his hands and snatched the headphones off his head. "What?" He asked in a irritated manner.

"What happened to you? Why did you ran away and why are you playing games?" I asked.

"Why do you have to ask so many questions at a time?"

"Just tell me Ayaan. I can't tolerate this behaviour." I shouted and he sighed. "Alright! I'm sorry..." I sat on his lap and hugged him tightly, nuzzling my face in his neck. "What happened? What could make Mr Egg angry?"

"Nothing."

"Really? In these four months I'm living with you, I've noticed many things." I said facing him.

"What?"

"Like... You don't eat much spicy food as you don't have a good stomach. That's why you usually eat homemade food and try to prepare them by yourself. You act as if everything's good with you but you take a lot of tension. And, whenever you feel angry or tensed, you vent it out by playing games and pressing the keyboard keys. Also, you-" I couldn't complete my sentence as I was hugged by him, tightly.

"Why do you always care about everyone?" He asked and I took a deep breathe.

"Why do you always hug me so tightly?"

"That's not an answer to my question."

"Same is with me. I asked why you were angry but there is no and till now." I asked and in return he clutched my dress more tightly.

"When I was young, my cousins teased me that I am adopted as I don't look like my parents."

"It's not true. Your eyes are just like dad and your nose structure is same as mom." I said while pulling back from his hug.

"I know. But in childhood I didn't look a bit like them. When I was three, one of my cousin teased me about this topic and I fought with him. He was badly injured and I was scolded. Mom was angry with me, even dadi didn't talk to me that time. I just don't want to remember that time." He said and closed his eyes.

"There's nothing depressing in it." I said and he glared at me. "I mean it's normal. Every child has to face these type of situations."

"Hmm."

"I'm hungry. Let's cook something." I said, to divert his mind.

"Okay." His mood changed from gloomy to euphoric, just hearing the name of cooking. "Let's go." He said, picking me up in his arms in bridal style.

"What are you doing? I can walk..." I said but got no answer until we reached the kitchen.

"I know you can walk. But what are my muscles for?" He said. Seriously! He's back to self boasting.

"To knead the dough." I said and took out rice to boil it.

"You can take the duty of rice. Till then I'll cook veggies." He said and I nodded. "Well, what should I make?"

"Chhole." I said.

"It would take a lot of time."

"Then why are you asking me?"

"Okay. I'll cook potatoes and soyabeans then."

"Your wish." I said and continued my work.

××

"So, what do you think about the latest designs?" Ayaan asked while I was reading a book, sitting peacefully on the couch after having dinner. "Are you listening?"

"Yes. I am."

"So what do you think about the latest designs. Should it be selected for further levels?"

"Why are you asking me? I'm not a designer. I handle financial matters."

"Still. Everyone has a fashion sense." He lectured. "Wait a minute!" He said before running away to the bedroom. "Here, have this."

"Is there a dish in it?" I asked when he gave me a box.

"What do you think it is? From which angle does it look like a food box?"

"Then what is there?" I asked.

"Check yourself." He said and smiled. Opening the box, I saw another box inside it. This pattern followed four times more.

"What is this? Everytime I open a box, there's another in it. I won't open it now."

"This is the last box." He said. I opened it and saw a big chocolate bar in it. I threw the box back to him.

"What is this Ayaan? You could have given me the chocolate bar as it is. What was the need to wrap it up in so many boxes?" I shouted.

"You shout a lot. I need to give you anger management classes too. And chocolate is not the main gift, there is something else too." He said and I snatched the box back. Opening it I saw a jewellery box inside it.

"I can't wear two pendants at a time." I said.

"You assume a lot. Just open and check it." He suggested. I opened it and saw a ring inside it. Taking out the ring, I showed it to him and asked for the reason. "Your gift."

"Gift? For what? As per what I remember, I never helped you in your homeworks."

"Gift for yesterday. You fasted for whole day so....."

"You bought it by yourself?" I asked.

"Hmm..." He said and I glared at him. "I mean mom suggested, so I bought one. But it's my choice. I selected this ring. Well, how's my choice."

"Pretty...... Bad!"

"Why? What's wrong in my choice?"

"Can you see the cut. It looks so unprofessional and just see the quality of band..." I lied to tease him a bit.

"But it's the best." He said in anger and I chuckled. "Why are you laughing?"

"You're such a angry bird. I think it's you who need anger management classes, not me." I said.

"Pig!" Really? Two can play the game.

"Egg and it's omelette!"

"Rhinoceros!"

"Hippopotamus!"

"Me and hippo? You're excessive fat of a human body."

"Dirty open sewer!" I remarked and he started laughing. I too joined as it was difficult to hold back. "Old days were so good."

"Really! We used to tease each other with so many weird names." He chuckled.

"Of course. How can I forget? Once I called you- 'a cockroach rolling in dirty black drainage'!"

"That wasn't funny."

"I know. That's why I said this." I said. He picked me up, off the couch and kissed my nose. "What are you doing? I want to complete the book tonight." I shouted.

"You can complete it up too. No need to stay down." He said and quickly ascended the stairs. When he was about to throw me on the bed, I kept my hand on his chest. "What?"

"Can you please help me bring a mug of hot chocolate?" I asked with my pleading eyes.

"Okay. Sure. But don't do any mischief!" He warned.

"You're the one who's mischievous, not me." I glared.

"Okay, wait for me." He said and disappeared from the sight. After around ten minutes he came back when I was continuing my book. "Here you have your hot chocolate." He said, barging inside the room.

"Thank you." I said and sipped my drink in one go.

"Baby!"

"I told you not to call me baby." I said.

"Darling!"

"No."

"Sweetheart?"

"No."

"Anaconda?"

"Wanna die?"

"I won't die this early. You fasted for me yesterday." He said and I smiled sarcastically. He snatched the mug from my hand and looked inside it. "You didn't even leave a single drop?"

"How would I know that you want to drink it? You should have made one for you too."

"I think I have an idea." He said and rolled over me.

"What are you?-" I couldn't speak my mind as he was over me, and his lips were pressed to mine. "Ayaan..." I looked into his eyes which were already gazing mine, while controlling my heaving chest.

"This is the perfect way." He said and kissed me again.

××

"Ayaan. Listen to me." I shook his arm.

"I don't want to talk Divya. Just sleep."

"Ayaan. It's normal." I said, laying naked beneath the sheets.

"Alright. Just sleep. I don't want to talk anymore." He said closing his eyes. No one is perfect the first time. Why can't he understand it?

I mean we tried but weren't able to do it. First reason, we're first timers. Second and the most important, we have didn't had any protection.

Oh God!

Who the hell doesn't arrange for a condom beforehand?!

Someone take me away from this world!

Thinking all this I slept.

When I woke up, I saw the bed beside me empty. Wearing my clothes back, I ran everywhere and checked if he's home. Thankfully, he was in his studyroom.

I tiptoed into the room and reached to his PC peacefully. He was searching something, particularly- 'how to have sex?'

Who in this world searches this?

And then, he searched for— ‘How to have perfect sex?'

I mean p-e-r-f-e-c-t?!

This guy has gone crazy!

"What are you doing?" I asked and he directed me towards the screen, through his eyes. "Why are you searching this?" I asked and he glared. "Okay! You can search whatever you want. I'm going."

"Hmm."

*****

TIED TOGETHER BY LOVE 💍

Hope the chapter was good!!

Happy Diwali!!!

Thanks.

(๑♡‿♡๑)

Wait for a moment!

Here are some covers I made and now I'm confused, which one to use. Just suggest me which one to use as the cover~