Do follow me buddies ruhani_gupta so that you don't miss out on any important announcement.
Also Please do Vote (The Star Iconâ) and Comment. It motivates your author to write more.
Chapter dedicated to _itspeaches_. Thank you love for creating these beautiful banners for Love Unrushed! I absolutely loved themâ¤
Not at all teeny-weeny update ahead!!
Happy Reading!â¤ï¸
âââââââââââ
Riya's Pov
The evening was crisp already as the sharp daylight has slowly begun to fade away, the only remnants being the magnificent amber glow gracing the sky. The dim daylight was now beautifully paired with a random pattern cast by the copper-orangish streaks of the fading sun.
The guests were gone and now mumma-papa, Kunal were leaving too.
"After we leave Aditya, don't forget to park your bike inside, and haan park it to the other side." I heard papa instruct Aditya making him nod lightly.
"Acha han Riya, the milkman will come around 7 pm, take 1.5 kilos only. Yaad se boil it and then keep it in the fridge after it cools down." Mumma reminded as she walked towards the car, settling the dupatta on her shoulder.
"Hanji." I nodded in assurance, walking alongside.
"Call us if you get confused about anything." She patted my back softly.
Before I could pass a nod in reply, she worded,
"Acha haan, sone se pehle give kaadha to Isha. And tum dono bhi, don't miss out on dinner or milk at night." Mumma voiced in a firm tone, thus adding instruction number 194 for us to follow tonight, and eyed both of us,
"Aur haan, carefully lock everything, okay? Double-check all the doors before going to sleep, check the gas stove, switch off all the lights, take your dinner on time, and..."
The count has reached 199 now. Only one left to hit double-century.
"Mom.." Aditya spoke exasperated, stopping her midway.
"Jis hisaab se you've given us the instructions in the past thirty minutes, you should have just made us a slip of instructions. We would have read it and followed it step by step. It's difficult to remember so many things in so less time." He finished in a deep sigh, frowning at the elder duo.
"Behas karvalo bas jab marzi." I bit my cheeks to suppress the smile bursting on my lips as papa glared and mumma chided Mr. Junior Kansal.
Oh yes, I received a glare too, from my husband. But sorry, he poorly failed to scare me.
"Acha chalo jao ab, you are getting late. Kunal kar start yaar car." My husband made a clever attempt to save himself from the dose of serious scoldings from the elder Kansals in the middle of the colony.
"Acha bas last..," Mumma uttered pretty apologetically as she eyed both of us, downcasting the window glass,
"Isha's medicines are on the dining table, give them to her before sleeping. The medicine slip is in the same bag."
"Hanji. Don't worry we'll manage everything." We passed a convincing smile.
"And Inform us when you reach." We waved our hands smiling at them as Kunal revved the engine, and in a few seconds, the car was out of our sight.
"God! I can't tolerate these jeans for long hours." I groaned as soon as I shut the gate, "I am going to wear my night suit now."
"Karle change, I'll also change after you do." He replied as we ambled inside the home.
********
"Haaye, I am so tired." Sighing in exhaustion, I thumped my legs over my husband's lap and leaned against the sofa arms.
Preparing lunch for eight people with the massive pile of dirty utensils has effortlessly replaced the initial plan of enjoying, sightseeing, and eating out today.
Life.
Slanting his neck sideways, he squinted his eyes in displeasure.
"Oye, do you even know who I am to you?" He asked, almost glaring at me, though that feeble smile on his lips told me otherwise.
Bobbing my head up and down, I answered in an instant,
"My husband!"
Nodding slowly, he recited in a heavy tone, "Hmmm, so haven't anybody taught you that a wife is not supposed to keep her legs over her husband's lap? And the mighty husband is not supposed to touch his wife's feet?" He tsked in fake offence,
"Quite disrespectful you are towards your husband, huh?" He slyly commented on the age-old ideology most of the woman has been hearing since eternity. However, his words and actions contradicted each other as his fingers absentmindedly busied themselves in gently pressing the center of my feet.
"Acha? Is it?" I feigned oblivion,
"Such a disrespectful wife I've got. We are a part of society, we need to follow these things too." He tsked, while I kept pressing my legs more into his lap, enjoying the free massage service he was providing me with. Though he remained unconcerned by my action, his fingers still resting on my feet, stroking them.
"Is it?" I drawled to catch his attention, "But I don't mind touching your feet or you touching mine. Do you?" I played along, wriggling my brows in curiosity.
"Umm..." He trailed off before uttering,
"I don't mind, until....," He flashed an evil glint, his hands beginning to stir a little,
"Until she's ticklish!" Declaring, he started tickling the underside of my feet turning me into a giggling-wriggling mess.
"A-Aditya n-noo." I shrieked amidst my giggles as he continued the tickling torture on my feet.
"Oye slow!" He glared playfully, and holding me by my legs, he pulled me towards him in a blink of an eye making me straddle his lap.
Uh oh.
"You are so loud sometimes." He remarked in a hushed whisper, "Isha is sleeping upstairs."
"Sorry!" I stuck my tongue out apologetically.
"Hmm..so where were we..," He faked a deep thought, adjusting me on his lap by securing his hands tightly behind my back, while my hands automatically moved to hold him by his shoulders.
"Han, so husbands and wives stay together under the same roof, they commit to share their happiness and atrocities for seven janams, they promise to support each other in sickness and health. They work for the betterment and growth of one another." He counted each line on his fingers with sheer concentration,
"But still they are expected to believe in the inferiorities or superiorities in their relationship. Quite ironic, isn't it?" He asked with his eyes, his features momentarily neutralizing, our conversation playful yet serious at the same time.
"Very." I pressed my lips in a straight line, partially playing along with him and partially disturbed by the mindsets surrounding a massive percentage of people.
"Baki if you talk about me...," He brushed off a stray strand from the side of my face before tucking it behind my ear.
"I don't believe in such rankings. Nor I will ever understand the mindsets and rationales behind these expectations blindly imposed on people." He finished softly.
"I don't believe it too." I murmured, pressing a content kiss on his cheek, thus satiating my urge to peck him.
"Good wife!" He gleamed and I chuckled.
"Because vaise bhi, I won't ever leave a chance to give you a dose of Aditya's Special Massage, exclusively customized for you." He ended with a rasp whisper, eyeing me intently.
Before my mind could decode the hidden meaning behind his words, my breathing turned heavy and my eyes widened in surprise as his palms engrossed themselves in trailing northwards on my body, starting from my feet to my knees, and finally resting on my mid-thighs.
Why the hell did we change into our night t-shirts and shorts. There's too much skin-to-skin contact going on here.
Taking advantage of my befuddled situation, his palms began grazing the bare side of my thigh, drawing random patterns over it.
My hands rushed to clutch his shoulder for support when he pressed a lingering kiss on my earlobe, grabbing a bunch of hair and tucking then to the other side.
Unfazed by my silent yet unwilling protests to get off from him, he clasped my waist firmly, thus keeping me in my place.
Holding my chin with his index finger and thumb, his lips worked to trail a series of dewy kisses from the side of my cheeks to my jaw, from the corner of my face to the crook of my neck.
"Aditya.." A suppressed moan escaped my lips and my hands hustled to stroke the hair behind his back, as he hid his face in the crook of my neck, his tongue busy swirling on my collarbone, thus turning me into a breathless mess.
Hearing my inaudible protests in the form of stifled moans, he momentarily halted his torture on my nape and raised his eyes to peer at me intensely, his gaze flickering to linger over my lips time and again.
I gasped in shock as he pulled me towards him without a warning until not an inch of space was left amidst us. My eyes took notice of him closely to witness his features devoid of his usual charm and youthfulness. All I could see were his dilated pupils, intense gaze, and parting lips.
He stroked my lower lip gently with the pad of his thumb, while his other palm leisurely rested on my thigh, sensually drawing circles over it.
His gaze occasionally shifted to notice my reaction and when my features failed to reveal any sense of discomfort, he inched his face closer to mine until our breaths mingled with one another and lips almost ready to touch.
"W-we are in the living room A-aditya." I almost cried at the plethora of sensations blocking my senses and with much difficulty, I managed to turn my head towards the side, before he could do the inevitable.
A frustrated groan escaped his throat as he pressed his face tightly into my neck. A sense of sheer displeasure dripped in his breathy sighs, as he murmured, almost pleading,
"Let's take it to the room then." His lips touched my skin with each word he spoke and my mind almost approved his offer when he placed an open-mouthed kiss on my shoulder blade.
"It's almost seven, the milkman might come anytime." I maneuvered, caressing the back of his neck, as my gaze switched to the wall clock.
"Please." He whispered in a faint sigh, his lips still in contact with my nape.
"Please." I requested before I could give in to the temptation and threaded my fingers in his hair, while our bodies remained tangled with one another.
He nodded half-heartedly, probably understanding the time and situation we were in.
After a few seconds, when our breathings steadied, and our hazy selves turned back into normal, he backed a little only to palm my right cheek,
"Can I say something?" He joined our foreheads and whispered near my lips with his eyes closed. I could only pass a meek nod in response, my hand palming his over my cheek.
"It's been a month since we have been married, and I don't think I would be able to pass a day more after today, without...," He trailed off without verbally mentioning his intention to kiss and backed a little, swallowing a lump in his throat.
My breath hitched at his statement and my heart thudded with sheer madness as his warm breath mingled with mine.
"Especially when I have a fair idea that you want it as much as I do." A breathy whisper left his mouth as his hooded gaze fell onto my lips, before looking into my eyes again.
Unable to form a coherent response with his intent gaze fixated on me, I closed my eyes softly and inched closer to his face. Stroking his cheek with the edge of my thumb, I smiled in contentment and pressed a lingering kiss at the corner of his lips.
My lips lingered there for a few seconds and even though there was no direct contact between our lips, still I felt my heart stop and breaths quicken when they touched the area dangerously close to his lips.
Too stumped by this unexpected move, he remained stiff on his position with his fingertips firmly pressing into the side of my hips.
My cheeks flared at the stunt I pulled and too shy to even peep into his eyes, I backed to create a decent distance between our faces my eyes looking anywhere but him.
He opened his eyes a second later and twirling a loose wisp of my hair with his finger, he tucked it behind my ear forcing me to match my gaze with him.
His eyes crinkled at the edges as a lazy smile perked up at the corner of his lips to see me all worked up; shy smile, blazed cheeks, speechless self.
Our soft gazes melted with one another and with each second passing, his smile got wider and wider bestowing me with a clearer view of his dimples which I've lately started to admire even more than I used to.
"Stop staring at me now." I mumbled in embarrassment when he didn't peel off his intense gaze from mine.
"Kyu? Blush-blush?" He eyed me teasingly, his lips still wearing his dimpled smile.
"Shut up yaar!" I almost whined, unable to handle the mischief shimmering in his gaze.
Chuckling in amusement, he let me rest my face on his shoulder and settled me on his lap by making both my legs dangle towards one side, such that they leaned on the sofa.
Our heartbeats steadied as we stayed in the same position for a few minutes, relinquishing the warmth of one another.
"Sun." His voice drifted in my ears as he absentmindedly played with my bangles.
"Hanji." I answered, my gaze roaming towards the living room's entry.
"What happened to the job you applied for on Thursday." He prodded and my gaze switched to notice his fingers playing with mine.
"No reply." I tried to act indifferent, though something within me sunk saying this.
"You applied for four-five jobs that day haina?" He questioned again as the movement of his fingers halted.
"Five." I informed, "Neither reply nor a call from any." My insides churned in disappointment and I gulped a ball of nerves thinking about the future of my professional dreams.
He didn't say anything for the next few seconds, but a sigh later, he spoke,
"Sometimes there are a lot of people applying for the same job, so it might take some time for the colleges to review the application. Vaise bhi you know the population of Delhi haina? There are so many people migrating here for jobs, so probably there are too many people applying for a single job, hence delayed responses too. You'll get a call soon." He tried to reason and I felt a light kiss on my hair.
"I don't think so." I murmured almost immediately and paused to sigh,
"I don't have a PhD which is the basic requirement for most of the colleges here, it wasn't the case in Hoshiarpur. UGC was enough there." I tried to voice out my inner turmoils and an unsettling feeling crippled within me when my mind drifted to several insecure thoughts.
"You want to pursue PhD?" This was his swift response,
Before I could answer in negative, he continued, "You can, if you want to. We'll discuss with mom-dad too and then fill forms for your admission." He added softly, rubbing my arms in gentle strokes.
I smiled feebly at his concern and raised my head to look at him,
"That's the issue, Aditya, I don't want to go for a PhD. I have a passion for teaching but not for research, and to pursue PhD you need to be passionate about this research thing too. I just don't know how to explain it, like..," I struggled to find the right words for an explanation,
"Umm like, I like teaching but I am unbiased about who I teach, school students, college, university, coaching centers, or anyone. I just feel good while teaching. But I am not looking for a certain professional tag to pursue my career in this." I struggled to verbalize that my ultimate aim was teaching, but not with this path.
He encircled both my shoulders, and voiced gently, pressing a soothing kiss on my hair "It's okay, I got it."
An uncomfortable silence lingered in the environment as my lips failed to splutter a single word.
"Is it a bad thing that I am not dreaming big enough?" I mulled at the thought which has been disturbing me for days.
"No." He vocalized in an instant, his tone firm.
"I knew you will say no." I scowled, having a fair idea of his reply.
He sighed heavily as if he's so done by me, and nudged me making me look at him.
"It's okay to not have overly big dreams Riya." He passed a firm yet soft glance in my direction, and ignoring my intention to protest, he continued,
"It's okay to have little yet valuable dreams, and it's okay to pursue your passion by figuring out your own path than the path society blindly expects you to follow." My heart thudded vehemently at his thoughts, and I was all ears, awaiting his next words,
"It's completely acceptable if you do not want to chase a certain professional label, because, at times, the joy of embracing stability can feel more meaningful than that of success." He grazed my cheeks as if consoling me and I gulped a ball of nerves.
"Maybe." I wetted my lips, soaking in his words.
"It's okay if you want to value simplicity than chaos." He said almost asked while I threaded my fingers in his hair with an intention to distract the turbulence of emotions surging my cores.
"I don't know." I whispered in defeat, my mind numb to be able to process anything, "Sometimes, I feel I am not dreaming big enough. When I look around, I feel, I d-don't know, I feel like I am falling behind to not have pursued anything big."
"Arey, everyone's definition of a dream can be different, haina?" He eyed me questionably, and witnessing me pass a little, half-hearted nod, he added further,
"So if each dream is different then there's no use in worrying about the superiority or inferiority of living a certain dream."
I shrugged gently, confused at the moment while a little wetness pooled at the corner of my eyes.
Tucking the already tucked strand of hair, he reasoned,
"Dreams and passions don't make you inferior Riya, they are just dreams, devoid of any rankings and hierarchies. Every dream is valuable and each passion is worthy in its own little ways as long as it makes you happy, content, and fulfilled." He whispered tenderly, embracing me in a tight grip and pressed little assuring kisses on the back of my palm time and again.
I rested my face in his shoulder in a futile attempt to not cry due to the turbulence of insecurities dwelling in my mind. There was so much going in my thoughts, so much to worry about, so many things to feel insecure about and so many self-doubts crippling within me.
"Oye aayi samajh baat? Or your counselor Aditya needs to bring up some other motivational content for you?" He tried to joke noticing my quiet self.
"Aagayi aagayi!" I tried to sober up and giggled brightly for the sake of him. Though I could feel my insides relax for a moment that at least for some time, I might not be overthinking about a certain issue that has been bugging me lately.
"Thank you." I peered at him, clueless as to what else to say.
He blinked his eyes in assurance
"Keep applying okay? Not only in colleges but coaching centers and other educational institutes too. It might take some time, but not forever." He squeezed my palm, while his tone was concerned yet his eyes smiled in assurance making me nod in positive.
Silence prevailed again and before our discussion could move to the next random topic, the ringing of the doorbell disturbed us.
"Milky man is here!" I jumped off his lap in a split second, while he laughed heartily at the brutal twisting of yet another word.
"Paagal." I heard him say right before I could take a step outside the living room.
"You paagal! And go check up on Isha, till then I bring a boil to the milk." I stuck my tongue out, almost hopping towards the kitchen to bring an empty vessel.
âââââââââââ
Aditya's Pov
"Bhaiya my head is spinning, my legs are paining, my throat is sour and I've cough and cold too." Isha dramatized, adorning a feverish expression.
"Draame kam kiya kar. You only have mild cough and cold and a little headache." I rolled my eyes as she leaned her head on my shoulder, sniffing softly.
"That's why I always say, you don't love me at all. You don't understand the pain your little sister is going through." She managed to complete the sentence amidst her coughs and sneezes.
"Of course, I don't love you, tabhi to we didn't go outside today and are staying at home for the sake of your health. Oh, and yes, we'll be joining you in eating khichdi too." I scowled, still hugging her from the side.
I could sense her adorable pout as she voiced apologetically,
"Yours and bhabhi's plan got spoilt because of me haina." She raised her head to peek a glance.
"It's okay." I smiled, grazing the back of her head, "Have you eaten your medicine?"
"Hanji." She scrunched her nose and her features crippled in a distasteful manner, "But I don't know why all these cough medicines make me sleepy-sleepy." She yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"Acha hai isi bahane there's peace at home." I teased her, all set to see her all riled-up.
"Oh please!" She exclaimed in offence,
"You should be thankful for my sleepy self, it's only because I am sleeping most of the time that you and bhabhi can romance freely in the whole house." She countered sassily while I gawked at her blunt self.
"Stop gawking bhaiya. I am twenty-one." She rolled her eyes hopelessly, her fingers busy in scrolling Instagram.
My mind failed to form a coherent response, hence, I preferred saying,
"Uhm I'll go and bring your kaadha okay, and stop using your phone now. I'll come back in a few minutes to check up on you."
"Fine." She grumbled and kept her phone aside though I knew well she'll be picking up her phone the very moment I exit the room.
"Call me or your bhabhi if you need anything, or come downstairs with us?" I offered, assuming she might be bored sitting in the room since morning.
"Naah. I'll most probably sleep after drinking kaadha." She answered half-laying on the bed, her eyes already drooping.
"Acha, chal I am bringing your kaadha." I got up from the bed, tapping the back of her palm.
"Hanji." She yawned with her eyes closed.
âââââââââââ
Riya's Pov.
"Why are you trailing behind me." Taking out tomatoes, corns, and capsicum from the refrigerator, I frowned at my husband who was busy following me everywhere.
"Because you are boring me." He sulked, glaring at my innocent self.
"I am working, not boring you." I scowled at his statement and noticed him jump up and sit on the kitchen counter with his legs dangling in the air.
"Give me something to do then." He offered casually, taking out the knife from the kitchen drawer.
"Oh, Puh-lease! I don't want to burn this kitchen." I remarked teasingly, "Vaise bhi have you ever done anything except boiling water or making tea?" He grimaced at my words, sheer offence reflecting on his face.
"Fine. I am going upstairs then. To my laptop." He intentionally pressed the last words only to irk me.
"Sorry sorry." Fearing him go to his first wife, I immediately handed him the onions, "Lo, chop kardo."
He smiled in victory for a fleeting second before a look of puzzlement and fear contorted on his face as he switched his gaze between the onion and the knife.
Knew it.
A few seconds passed by with his eyes stuck on the contents. But miraculously, he finally gathered to guts to hold the knife. Though, much to my dismay, he clenched the knife in a firm fist than holding it gently.
"Oiii!" I shrieked in horror as he tried chopping the onion, without removing its peels.
At my exclamation, he jerked his head towards me, with the knife raised in the air, still fisted in his hands and the onions brutally glued to the knife.
"Ek to stop pointing this knife in my direction. It looks as if you are trying to kill me." I mumbled, eyeing the knife in partial fear making him chuckle in amusement.
"O! don't laugh. You look like a wife-killer at the moment." I joked, soaking the daal and khichdi rice in a water-filled bowl.
He laughed, and commented, "Who would dare to kill you. Your killer look itself will shoo killers away."
"I am not that scary." I huffed, annoyance crumbling over my features.
"Hmm Hmm. Absolutely." He drawled and tried chopping the onions, still not peeling them before chopping.
"Mr. Kansal? We need to peel the onions before chopping them, you know." I pressed my lips to stop the smile threatening to spill on my lips.
He stopped midway with his mouth hung open, but instead of confiding that he's a nincompoop in this department, he decided to boast,
"I do it this way only. Like, I first chop the onion and later peel them."
Shaking my head in helplessness, I took away the knife from his hands before he actually decides to put the kitchen on fire by saying I don't use the stove for cooking, I light the kitchen on fire for the same.
"Rehne do Chef Kansal. My poor soul can't afford to take benefit of your Michelin-Star cooking skills."
He almost pouted when I snatched the knife away from his hold. Rubbing the side of his neck in embarrassment, he mumbled, "I don't like cooking. I was just trying to pass my time."
For a second, my poor heart assumed, he would say I was trying to help you.
Nevermind.
"Thank you." I passed a tight-lipped smile, "Please keep seated on the counter and pass your time talking to me, not showing your cooking skills." I muttered and started peeling the already half chopped, zero peeled onion.
He obliged immediately as if awaiting this and started humming leisurely.
When I didn't speak for a few minutes with my entire concentration on chopping the vegetables, he finally spoke up,
"Stop scowling oye. I will help you wash the utensils after dinner." He eyed me in amusement, pretty aware of my irksome state.
"Pakka promise?" I confirmed, my eyes widening in hope.
"Pakka promise!" He blew a kiss in the air and my cheeks suffused with colour at his action.
While I was still chopping, my eyes momentarily flickered to his restless hands, which were engrossed in playing with another knife, drawing random patterns on the counter.
"Aditya stop playing with the knife." I warned, glaring at his irresponsible behaviour.
"Ohho, kuch ni hota. Stop fretting." He stated, stubborn enough to not listen to me.
"Oww!" He yelped a few seconds later and I craned my neck immediately as the sight of a little blood oozing out of the minor cut on his index finger came into the line of my vision.
Don't you dare imagine that I am going to run towards him only to take his index finger in my mouth, sucking it like a blood-thirsty vampire.
Oh please, I don't have any dupatta hung around my shoulder, so don't expect me to tear off my dupatta only to wrap his finger with a cry-like expression as if he will faint any minute with a loss of a single drop of blood.
Ah for God's sake, now don't expect me to tear off a part of my top, wrapping it continuously on his finger as if it's not a little piece of cloth but a full-fledge five-metre saree.
Don't.
"Aagaya maza?' I grimaced,
"Kuch ni hota." I mimicked, frowning and left my work to saunter towards him.
"Such a caring wife." He grumbled in offence, trudging towards the sink to wash the wound under the water.
"Such an obedient husband, who has sworn to oppose whatever his wife says." I countered sweetly, wrapping my hand around his to ensure that the cut is not deep.
"Bandaid laga de yaar, the blood is still not stopping. All my blood will flow out of my body if it keeps flowing like this." He sulked in fear, eyeing the itsy-bitsy line of cut having eeny-meeny blood on it.
"Such a baby." I remarked trying to stifle the bubbling smile. Nevertheless, shaking my head at his babyish self, I ambled towards the exit of the kitchen to bring this baby-man his bandaid.
"Your baby." He murmured, absentmindedly eyeing the cut, making my steps halt in between.
"What did you say?" I spun on my position, only to eye him in suspicion.
"Huh?" He glanced at me in perplexity, though his eyes slightly widened the next second as he realized what he just blurted.
"Uh, I said, it's so baby bab..." He shook his head murmuring gibberish, probably to jerk off his tongue of slip.
"I mean it's so bloody-bloody here." He raised his finger in mid-air, and I raised my eyebrows, not acknowledging his explanation.
"Ohho ja na yaar, jaldi bandaid le ke aa." He tried to shoo me noticing my unconvinced glance.
"Going going." Acting as if I believed him, I exited the kitchen with his words still lingering in my thoughts.
Your baby.
*********
"Chalo let's dance!" I exclaimed in excitement at my super-duper idea and closed the cooker lid after pouring the soaked daal and rice into the sauteed vegetable mix.
"No." He replied in a split second, his hands busy scrolling Mama laptop and Papa Aditya's only child, Miss. Phone Kansal.
"Please yaar." I whined, snatching his phone away standing in between his legs.
"No." He stated firmly, his eyes busy glaring at me for snatching his little baby.
"You know I can't do this dancing thing."
"Tabhi to I want to teach you." I sulked in displeasure.
"Nah." He attempted to snatch his phone from my grip and tightly caged me in between his legs so as to keep me firm at my place.
"If you don't, then I'll not give you dinner." I threatened seriously, resting my hands on his knees.
"Mat de. I'll order " He passed a bored expression, least afraid of my threats.
"I'll not let you sleep in our room." I tried again.
"Good. I'll sleep in mom dad's room with the whole bed with me. Moreover, nobody would be there to squeeze my legs in a tight grip for the whole night." He answered, his attention diverting from snatching his phone to picking up the gaslighter.
Kalyugi.
"I'll go to Hoshiarpur then." I grimaced at his unconcerned behaviour.
"Best. I'll live in peace for some days." He eyed me dreamily, squeezing the trigger of the gaslighter as if it's some bullet gun and he's shooting me.
Ghor kalyugi.
"I'll not talk to you. Not even teeny-weeny." I almost cried internally, hoping he would get scared at least this time.
He peered at me in awe,
"Haaye. So thoughtful of you." He tucked a loose wisp of hair behind my ear,
"I'll be saved from your constant chatter and that weird names you keep giving to each possible thing."
Dusht.
My insides blazed with offence and soaked with fury, I took a step back and picked up my phone from the refrigerator,
"I am going to call mumma and tell her that you broke her ceramic crockery set. Also, the flower vase kept in the living room is no more. Oh, and yes...," I finally shot my masterstroke, flashing an evil glint in his direction.
"I am dancing, I am dancing!" He raised his hands in surrender and jumped off the counter in a blink of an eye, his face morphed in fear.
Passing an overly sweet smile, I passed a victorious smirk,
"Haaye, so obedient my husband is. Never denies my requests."
He glowered and mumbled in agitation, "Blackmailer."
When I only shrugged proudly in response, he brooded, "Sometimes I genuinely think that why did I say yes to marry you."
"Haina? Even I think so sometimes." I countered, feigning helplessness, thus not giving him the relief of seeing me riled up.
His mouth hung open as he gazed at me in disbelief. Nevertheless, grimacing at my extended palms, he mumbled something alien, probably silently cursing either of us.
"Chalo chalo, I'll teach you how to do this couple dancy thing, so that you don't look at me in horror every time we are pushed on the dance stage." Excitement brimmed in my cores as I took both his hands in mine, all set to make him dance on my tunes.
No, we don't have any background music going on here, but we do have our pressure cooker which will start howling and whistling in appreciation of Mr. Kansal's immaculate dipping and spectacular twirling skills.
***********
"God! No yaar! You have to spin me closer to you slowly-slowly, not tez-tez. Then when your front will touch my back, you'll give me a gentle dip." I frowned as he pushed me hard towards himself, his face scrunched in disinterest hearing me instruct him this step the gazillionth time in the last ten minutes.
"That's why I am saying I can't do this." He groaned in exhaustion, cleverly loosening his hold on me.
"Acha acha wait!" My hold on his hands tightened as an idea struck my mind, "I'll act like Aditya and teach you your steps while you act like Riya? Okay?"
"What the hell!" He squeaked.
"I am not becoming Riya and no I am not going to dance a single more second." He shook his head with firmness in his voice and left my hand, all set to leave the kitchen.
"Pleasee. It's our monthiversary yaar. You can't even do this for me, that too today?" I whined sadly, masking my most-innocent face.
He gaped at me, "Ek to stop showing me these innocent expressions, you aren't as innocent as you seem."
His words didn't succeed in neutralizing my expression. Thus, noticing my pouty self, dramatic flutter, and a wobbly chin, he finally sighed in defeat,
"Chal Mr. Kansal teach Mrs. Kansal how to dance." I almost screamed in happiness and kissed his cheeks making his lips spread in an almost invisible smile.
********
Teaching Mrs. Aditya turned Riya Kansal is not easy.
Because, in addition to the struggle to train a stubborn-headed sadu, you'll have to put up with a man-child who will go to any length to poorly enact Riya Kansal, resting his stupid index finger on his left cheek, with the constant fluttering of eyes and flashing shy-blushful smiles in Mr. Riya turned Aditya Kansal's direction as the cherry on top.
"Hogya?" I finally spoke up, displeased with his acting demonstration.
"Hanji." He smiled goofily in my arms, his expressions indicating a sense of relief at his successful attempt to irritate me in exchange for the dramatic stunt I pulled to make him dance with me.
"Break time." He murmured. Though his intentions didn't seem pious when diverting from the task in hand, he eyed me intently. Gliding my arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around my waist, stroking the area in random patterns. He kept swaying silently with his face pressed into my neck, placing soft pecks on my shoulder joint time and again.
"Acha bas break-time over, now showtime." I squeaked, sensing his wandering palms on my back. Taking a step back, I created a decent distance amidst us before things could escalate,
"Chalo we are back to Aditya and Riya now."
As soon as the words left my mouth, my husband looked as if he would cry in frustration any second.
"Fine." He sighed quietly when he noticed my protruded lips.
"Show time." He announced and firmness was evident in his eyes as he pulled me away from him so that I can twirl back into his arms only to get a swoon-worthy dip from him.
"Owwww!!"
He did dip me.
No. Not the romantic mid-air floaty-float dip with us eyeing each other intensely but my butties touching the ground form of a dip with me glaring at his mere presence.
âââââââââââ
Aditya's Pov
"Sorry Sorry." I controlled the urge to laugh while my wife enjoyed her stay on the ground with her eyes busy glaring at me, her brows occupied in frowning and her lips engrossed in pouting.
Biting my cheeks, I crouched in front of her and held out a hand, even though I loved seeing her on the ground, all riled-up.
In return, she gazed at me in over-sweetness and extended her hand to grab mine.
Now, just in case, your dramatic mind is wandering to the infamously-cliche scene, then let me let you,
No! She didn't pull me with a jerk towards herself, leading me to accidentally lose my balance and land up straight into the crook of her neck, heavily breathing in her scent.
Ah! For God's sake, We didn't gaze at each other for a painfully long time, as if her almost always aching back isn't paining lying on the ground and my hands and legs aren't stinging to hold myself in place so as to not crush her under my weight.
Puh-lease! Unlike fictional heroes, I didn't take advantage of her lost self to reverse our positions, such that I was on my back and she was over me now, thoroughly ignoring that this is a marble floor, and we are in the kitchen.
Please! Don't you dare consider the scene of a woman lying over you with her open hair falling into her front and over my face as romantic. The sight can be horrendous and can be more of a live horror scene, okay?
Instead, drenched in offence and agitation, fuming in anger and disappointment, she royally dodged my extended palm and slowly got up on her own, all the time rubbing her back as if in pain.
"I hate you, and I would never ask you to dance with me. Never ever again." She grumbled and stomped outside after turning off the cooker gas.
Mission Accomplished.
âââââââââââ
Riya's Pov
"You want me to sleep with you?" I asked Isha, as she coughed incessantly, while Aditya entered the room after being lost for the past half an hour since we cleaned the dishes.
"No no. I'll call you or bhaiya if the need arises." She took the glass of warm water from Aditya's hand, sipping on it.
"Pakka?" Aditya confirmed,
"Hanji."
"These lozenges are kept here, okay?" I informed, keeping the lozenges at the side table, near to her water bottle.
"And han, don't use your phone. I'll check up on you after some time." My cruel husband warned his little sister making her frown.
"Ohho, you both go now. Let me sleep." She groaned in irritation, "I know mom is behind this." She sulked at our instructions.
We chuckled lightly, "Sorry sorry, we are going." I switched off the lights of her room.
"Good night." She wished, sniffing.
"Good night." We reciprocated, shutting her room door.
********
"Oye ruk." Aditya came behind me before I could open our room door.
"Kya hua?" My steps halted as I turned around with my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Nothing." Saying he turned me around again, covering my eyes with his palm.
"Ohho, what are you doing Aditya." I queried as I heard him clicking the room door open.
"You'll see." He responded briefly making me sigh.
"Now come inside." His voice hinted nervousness, as he guided me inside the room and I walked aimlessly, holding him.
"Happy one month." His breathy whisper reverberated in my ears as he hugged me from behind and my insides smiled when I felt him placing a butterfly kiss on my cheek.
My heart leapt with joy and a wide smile brightened up at the corner of my lips as soon as he uncovered my eyes allowing me to witness the scene in our room.
My gaze wandered around to realise there was nothing extravagant in the sight before me, no candles, no balloons, no flowers, no aromatic fragrances, and no chocolates.
Just a simple little cutting of the word 'One' pasted on the wall behind our bed with the same gift wrapper I used for wrapping the photo frame to gift him on our wedding night.
The centre of the bed was occupied by a little bed table with a bowl of Maggi and a glass of shikanji placed on it. And to my heart's content, the room was lit up dimly, the mere source of lighting being the Diwali lights articulately arranged at the edges of the bed back.
"Uh...," He made an effort to voice out,
"I had no idea that some of these Diwali lights of last year will be defective, that's why some of them are still unlit." My gaze flickered around at his words, momentarily halting at the half-lit lights.
"And, this One I know it's not cut neatly but I only had half an hour to do all this, that's why I didn't write month alongside." He blabbered non-stop, anxiety evident in his tone.
I angled my neck towards the side, my palm rubbing his over my waist in assurance and whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek,
"It's perfect. A lot more than perfect."
He smiled lazily, probably not believing my words,
"Chal Maggi khaye ab, though it has become Maggi cake now." He chuckled eyeing the currently sticky piece of heaven.
"You made it, khud se?" Squinting my eyes in suspicion, I asked him.
"Aur kya! It was such a challenge." He exhaled deeply,
"Upar se decoration ke chakkar me, I overcooked it." He stuck his tongue out in embarrassment and all I could do was shake my head at his buffoonish antics.
"Single Fork?" I wriggled my brows for an answer, sitting cross-legged on the bed and he bobbed his head up and down immediately.
"Sharing is caring." He murmured and his eyes gleamed with playfulness as he took a seat next to me, our knees touching.
My insides squealed in delight and my mouth watered eyeing this scrumptious noodly piece of heaven.
Hence, without wasting a single second, I gobbled a spoon full of Maggi while my eyes remained closed with my senses blocked.
Unfazed by my surroundings, I busied myself in galloping my all-time favourite, when suddenly, someone's hand intruded between me and my Maggi's personal space, thus snatching the spoon away from me.
There sat my husband beside with his mouth puffed in annoyance,
"Sharing is caring, my foot." He taunted in displeasure and dived a chunk into his mouth.
I am counting Mr. Kansal. Each spoon you take today, you are going to compensate for it the next time we are eating Maggi together.
"Maggi isn't supposed to be shared with anyone, especially the ones who don't like it." I huffed and divided the Maggi in the bowl into two unequal halves.
He doesn't like Maggi much, so the greater share is mine.
Fair Enough. Haina?
"It has gotten sticky." He mumbled to no one in particular, stealing another spoon from my side of the bowl.
Why are you eating then? Stop it right now.
"It's okay. Keep making Maggi like this for me and you will be perfect in this department." I spoke with my mouth full as I gathered the noodles together in a ball and picked up the balled-up chunk between the tips of my fingers and my thumb, diving it straight to my mouth.
This fork-thief sitting beside me has forced me to use my hands to gobble my fair share of heaven.
Also, don't expect slurp-slurp thingy here, my Maggi has gotten sticky.
*******
"Finish!" I exclaimed after a few seconds of licking the last trace of Maggi's remnants from the bowl, while a certain someone's gaze was glued to the spotless piece of white bowl in front of us.
A surge of happiness swelled within me after being satiated making me press a tight kiss on his cheek.
However, instead of smiling, his features morphed into yucky-wucky expressions and he grumbled,
"Half of your face is doused in Maggi's liquid thing and you are sticking it on my cheeks too." He scrunched his nose in displeasure and wiped off his cheek with his t-shirt.
My lips parted at his action and my insides flared in offence at his words.
"Kalyugi." I glanced heavenwards, silently praying to God to put some sense in this man so that he could appreciate the taste and feel involved in eating Maggi as well as the feel of a Maggi-flavoured kiss.
"You know you are looking like avyukth, all sticky-sticky." Glaring at this insensitive human who was currently grinning like a dufus, I waddled towards the edge of the bed with my knees bent.
"How can someone not like Maggi?" I quizzed inaudibly, picking up the utensils from the bed.
"Draame kam kar and wipe your mouth." A certain unappreciative human replied.
Somebody, please take him away. I'll get sugar-rush with this much sweetness in my life.
"I'll do it in the kitchen." I twisted my lips, trudging towards the door, "I have to check the locks too. Till then you freshen up." I mumbled and he nodded getting up, with his hands full in holding the bed table.
Before I could exit the room, his voice stopped me,
"Sun."
"Hanji?" I turned around in a reflex and my heart hammered instantly when I noticed him walking in my direction.
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, not able to hold his gaze for a long time. However, his intense gaze never left mine as he took each step towards me, and in a few seconds, his scent enveloped my senses.
My heart flip-flopped at our proximity and unknowingly my teeth sunk into my lips as he gently held my chin with his thumb and index finger. And my stomach churned in anticipation of his next move, as his thumb intruded to withdrew my lips from the pressure of my teeth.
Before I could soak in the touch of his, he smiled in amusement at me and without a warning planted a lingering kiss at the side of my mouth, painfully close to the edge of my lips.
I felt my breathing hitch at his mere touch, and before I could decipher what just happened, he peered at my stumped self in amusement and whispered near to my lips,
"I may not like Maggi, but tonight, I won't leave a chance to taste it on you." His eyes held the same firmness as his words, his intentions crystal clear in his piercing gaze.
"Uh, I'll just check the locks." I blurted, choking on my saliva, suddenly too conscious of his presence.
"Sure." He stepped back but I somehow knew that his words might have allowed me to dodge his presence now, but the way his lips twisted in a fervent smile made it clear that I won't be able to dodge his touch afterwards.
**********
As I arranged the folded clothes in Aditya's side of the almirah, my mind couldn't convince myself to ignore the buzzing sensation at the side of my lips.
My heart raced at a maddening speed when I heard the sound of the washroom door opening. Still, I managed to act nonchalant and busied myself in rearranging the stuff which I already arranged a few seconds ago.
"What are you doing?" His rasp whisper fell into my ears from behind and his presence lingered in my senses.
"Uh, just deciding my clothes for tomorrow." If not anything, my stupid mouth decided to sputter this alien answer in haste.
"Acha?" He quizzed, his tone laced with doubt,
"Are you planning to wear my clothes tomorrow?" Friskiness was evident in his tone as he placed his arms on either side of me from behind, thus blocking me to even slap my forehead at my stupidity.
Miserably failing to form a logical sentence, I babbled,
"Yeah. Uhm, I mean, I was thinking of wearing one of your shirts and styling it with your pants."
"My pants?" This time I could sense his bare front touching my back, his tone as playful as it could be.
He is enjoying this way too much.
But I Am Not.
Suppressing the urge to slap my mouth to shut up, I corrected, "Uh I mean my pants, yeah my pants."
"Hmm. Tongue of slip, I guess?" His words were coated in sheer mirth as he rested his chin on my shoulder, pecking it lightly.
I shook my head rapidly, and murmured, absentmindedly folding-unfolding his clothes, "It's called slip of tongue."
"Acha?" He confirmed, his tone uncertain and I nodded briskly.
"Let's sleep?" I glanced at my side in question, though I couldn't ignore the thump in my heart when our faces almost touched.
He looked at me without a blink of an eye as if refusing my words, and wounded his arm around my waist, palming it gently.
Before I could get over his touch on my skin, he turned me around in a heartbeat, and shut the almirah behind with a thud, thus caging me between him and the almirah.
Riya Sandwich is ready again, but this time it's topped with nervousness and anticipation, seasoned with befuddlement and consciousness. However, for a change, one part of the base has been replaced, with the man being the same, but not the man-made thingy.
"You didn't say me thank you." He referred to the surprise he gave me a few minutes ago and placed a feathery kiss on my neck, forcing me to hold him by his shoulders in a rather tight grip.
"Th...Thank y-you." A breathless whisper escaped my lips, as his lips worked to trail a series of open-mouthed kisses from the side of my neck till my jawline.
"Mhm." He shook his head, inhaling deeply in my neck inviting a bunch of trembles on my skin.
"That's not the way I like to take thankyous from you. You know that." He flicked his tongue over the visible portion of my shoulder, sucking on it lightly while my fingers threaded in his hair, unable to handle the frizzy feelings surging in the pit of my stomach.
"W-what do you w-want?" I almost moaned as the speed of his tongue fastened on my neck, while his fingers traced an alien pattern at the side of my waist.
"You know what I want." He stopped momentarily and looked me in the eye, his gaze constantly flickering to my lips.
My tongue flickered over my lips in consciousness, and I looked away, unable to keep up with his hooded gaze for a long time.
As I aimlessly peered towards the dressing mirror, he pressed his nose over my other cheek, tailing it passionately over the side of my face, his lips touching every possible corner of the side of my face.
The sight of our tangled bodies, his face sensually pressed on my cheeks with his palms roaming shamelessly on my back and mine rounding his neck in hope of some support reflected back at me from the mirror. The mere glimpse of our intimacy swirled a plethora of shudders within me, thus inviting an army of goosebumps over my skin.
"Do I need to say it?" He shot another question in answer to my question and angled my face towards him with his palm.
The moment our gazes fused, I was rendered speechless witnessing the raw emotion palpable in his eyes.
When silence was the only answer I managed to convey, he whispered near to my lips, the pad of his thumb occupied in caressing my cheeks,
"We are not in the living room, Isha is sleeping as well, no phone calls and no hiccups too." He ended with a teasing smile and in return, a soft gasp erupted in my throat and my heart went frenzy when his thumb flickered over the lining of my lips.
"I-I don't k-know how to..." I drawled, insinuating my inexperience to kiss.
He smiled lazily at my reply and kissed my forehead, his lips lingering there for a while, "It's okay, even I don't know how to." An assuring whisper fell out of his mouth.
A warm smile spread on my lips at his words, but the next moment my heart stopped and breaths quickened when I heard him say,
"Let's learn together?" He whispered hoarsely near my lips with his eyes closed as he touched his forehead with mine. I felt my insides melt when his palms slowly slid over my arms till my shoulder and finally rested on my neck, only to angle it to the side.
"Let's learn together." I repeated in a rasp whisper, my fingers gliding over his chest to the back of his head, only to thread a bunch of his hair while my other hand trailed upwards to grasp his bare shoulder.
A soft smile graced his lips as soon as the words left my throat and my lips parted and eyes closed on their own accord when I sensed his lips inch closer.
And the next moment I felt his lips over mine.
âââââââââââ
Heyaaaa Dear Onesss!!!!
My little babies are not so little now!ð¥ºð
Also, how was the chapter? Pretty please comment kar dena yaar, it keeps your author motivated enough to write, because you all are the only reason I feel like writing for!!ð
Do Vote (Star Iconâ) and Comment buddies, it is your author's energy booster.
Until Next Time
Lots of Love
Râ¤
âââââââââââ