🍁chapter eleven 🍁

Shantanu had brought Rudra to his home. What else could he have done? Leaving Rudra outside in that state wasn’t safe, and Shantanu didn’t even know Rudra’s address, so he had no choice but to take him to his own home.

Shantanu’s house wasn’t big like luxurious flats or houses. It had two rooms and a hall, along with a kitchen, bathroom, and parking space. After returning to India, Shantanu had rented this small place because he doesn't want to live with his joint family. It's not like he will never live with, but he needed some time for himself before moving back in with family.

Shantanu’s hall had a typical Indian sofa set and table. There was also a small TV mounted on one wall. The kitchen was on one side of the hall, and the bathroom was on the other.

Shantanu made Rudra sit on the sofa and went to the kitchen to drink some water. Then, taking lemons and water from the fridge, he returned to Rudra. Rudra was sitting on the sofa and was continuously staring at Shantanu, without even his blinking the eyes for a moment.

Shantanu sat beside Rudra and made lemonade, offering it to him.

Rudra took the glass from Shantanu, but as soon as he took a sip, his face twisted in displeasure. Handing the glass back to Shantanu, he said, “katta”

At this moment, Rudra’s expression was quite peculiar. When he refused to drink the lemonade, Shantanu glared at him angrily.

Feeling an angry gaze of shantanu, Rudra placed the glass on the table and turned his face away, as if he was sulking from shan for being angry at him.

Seeing Rudra’s childish behavior, Shantanu took a deep breath to calm himself. Forwarding the glass toward Rudra, he spoke in a calm tone, “Boss, please drink this. It’ll make you feel better.” Rudra didn’t respond and kept on looking away from him like a sulking kid.

Shantanu placed the glass back on the table and gently turned Rudra’s face toward him. However, Rudra still refused to meet his eyes. His cheeks were slightly puffed, making him look extremely innocent and cute.

Shantanu, holding his ears as a gesture of apology, said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry.”

Rudra glanced at Shantanu and let out a soft “Mmm,” acknowledging the apology. Shantanu picked up the glass again and handed it to him. “Now drink it like a good boy,” he said, making Rudra squint his eyes.

When Shantanu brought the glass closer to Rudra's lips then Rudra pushed it away.

“Boss, please drink it,” Shantanu pleaded, placing the glass near Rudra’s lips. Rudra turned his head away and knocked the glass with his hand, spilling the lemonade all over himself. Shantanu’s eyes widened as he quickly picked up the glass and placed it back on the table.

Rudra’s clothes were soaked, though he didn’t seem to care.

Rudra wasn’t giving Shantanu a moment of peace. Shantanu was beyond frustrated and even regretted bringing Rudra his home.

Meanwhile, Rajeev and Vijay were at the Blue Moon Club, seemingly they aware that Rudra might be there. Both were sitting in a private room and drinking.

“What did the manager say?” Vijay asked Rajeev.

Placing his drink down, crossing one leg over the other, and leaning back, Rajeev replied, “He was here with Prem but they left the club much earlier than we arrived here.”

“Where are they now? And how did they leave so quickly? ” Vijay questioned in disbelief.

Rajeev sighed deeply and said, “He left Prem here and went somewhere else.”

“What?” Vijay said in surprise, staring at Rajeev but Rajeev seemed lost in some thoughts.

Vijay poured another drink for himself then asked, “What are you thinking, Rajeev?”

Looking at his drink, Rajeev answered  with an unfocused voice “Rudra was drunk,” before glancing at Vijay, whose expression showed disbelief at what he just heard.

Shantanu had asked Rudra to change clothes while he was changing his own as well. Fortunately, Shantanu had many oversized T-shirts because he loves to wear oversized T-shirts and a pair of one size big trousers. He bought them when he was newly shifted here but due to his busy schedule couldn't able to go and exchange for his size.

It was Shantanu’s first time seeing Rudra in casual attire, as he had always seen him in business suits. When Rudra came out of the room after changing, Shantanu’s jaw dropped because Rudra was looking incredibly handsome and cute in casual wear and with his slightly messy hair.

Rudra was wearing a red T-shirt with the words “I need a hug, kisses, sleep, or strong coffee” written on it.

Shantanu snapped out of his thoughts and approached Rudra, seating him back on the sofa. Shantanu stood between Rudra's legs, holding his jaw with one hand and with the other he hand started squeezing the lemon directly into Rudra's mouth.

In surprise, Rudra looked at Shantanu’s face. He tried to shut his mouth, but Shantanu’s grip on his jaw was firm. Unknowingly, Rudra’s hands grabbed Shantanu’s waist, pulling him closer to himself. And he kept looking at Shantanu's serious face. Shan does not notice the closeness between the two as his entire focus was on getting Rudra sober.

At the club,

“Are you thinking the same, what I’m thinking, Rajeev?” Vijay asked curiously.

“Hmm, uncle, no matter how much Rudra drinks but he never gets drunk. So, what happened this time?” Rajeev replied in a distracted tone.

Rajeev speculated, “Could his enemies be behind this, or perhaps some girl’s ploy to get close to him?” Vijay, agreeing with Rajeev’s reasoning, added, “Was there any media present here? Did Rudra leave with a girl?”

“No, Rudra’s car is still here, and he hasn’t left with any girl for almost a month,” Rajeev responded. Vijay was shocked again, his mouth hanging open as he looked at Rajeev. “I’m starting to get worried about Rudra. Find out where he is!” Vijay instructed.

At Shantanu’s home,

Shantanu tucked Rudra into his single bed, covering him with a blanket, and said, “Boss, you sleep here. I’ll sleep in the hall, okay?” and got out of bed.

Before Shantanu could move away, Rudra held his hand. Shantanu closed eyes and he thought, "I can’t take this anymore. I’m so tired." Shantanu started crying in his heart.

When Shantanu turned back, his eyes met Rudra’s deep blue eyes. There was a strange spark in Rudra’s eyes that rendered Shantanu speechless. Rudra's face was usually expressionless or looked angry, apart from this no one has ever seen any expression but today his eyes were saying something else. There was pain in his eyes but Shantanu could not understand it..

Letting out a deep sigh, Shantanu asked, “Now, What happened Boss?” Rudra glanced at Shantanu’s hand, which he was holding, and softly pleaded, “Don’t go.”

Looking away and awkwardly glancing around, Shantanu exclaimed with a concerned and calm voice “I’m right here…, just on the sofa outside.”

Biting his lower lip and letting go of Shantanu’s hand, Rudra expressed hesitantly “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

This time, Shantanu could feel the pain in Rudra’s voice. He turned to see Rudra who was now laying on the bed with his eyes closed, pretending to sleep and also he turned his back to shantanu.

Sighing and rubbing his forehead, Shantanu thought, “What’s the problem now? I can’t stay up all night. I’m already so tired, and now he doesn’t want to be alone…”

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After some time,

Shantanu made a bed for himself on the floor near Rudra’s.

“Boss, should I turn off the light?” Shantanu asked. Rudra moved closer to the edge of the bed and replied, “Leave it on.”

Both lay staring at the ceiling in silence. Shantanu asked while wondering in his thoughts,“Boss, do you always drink this much?”

When Rudra didn’t respond for a while, Shantanu assumed he had fallen asleep. To confirm, Shantanu sat up to check and found Rudra still staring at the ceiling.

“Boss… Boss?” he called Rudra again.

Rudra turned toward Shantanu, his expression was now blank. Seeing this, Shantanu felt as if he was back in the office,. He was  intimidated by Rudra’s commanding presence.

Both lay back down, and the silence returned. Just as Shantanu closed his eyes, Rudra’s voice broke the stillness. “I miss my mother.”

Shantanu’s eyes squinted as he remembered that Rudra didn’t live with his parents. “So he’s missing his family, which is why he doesn’t want to be alone. If that’s the case, why doesn’t he just go to them? What's he need to stay alone."

When Shantanu didn’t respond, Rudra leaned over to find shan deep in thought. Letting out a sigh, Rudra lay back down and closed his eyes.

“If you miss them, why don’t you go to them? ” Shantanu asked.

“I wish I could go to her…” Rudra replied without opening his eyes. His response left Shantanu even more confused.

Some time later, Shantanu fell asleep from exhaustion, but Rudra remained wide awake. Turning toward Shantanu, he quietly watched him sleep like a log.

Slowly raising his hand, Rudra reached toward Shantanu’s face but stopped short of touching him.

“Do you always bring strangers to your home like this? ” Rudra murmured, brushing away a strand of hair from Shantanu’s forehead.

Unaware of Rudra’s question, Shantanu slept peacefully. Rudra got off the bed and lay on the floor a short distance from Shantanu, without the mattress. He pillowed his hand and stared intensely at shantanu.

After a while, he gently held Shantanu’s hand and said, “Shan, why are you so careless? You brought a stranger home and  sleeping so carefree. Don’t you worry about yourself at all?”

Later, when Shantanu stirred in his sleep, Rudra moved closer, patting him gently like a child until he settled again. Realizing their closeness, Rudra’s heart raced as he froze in place.

Was Rudra really drugged?

To find out, keep reading Chained Heart: RuShan.

This story revolves around Rudra and Shantanu, a BL couple. If you’re uncomfortable with gay couples, please don’t read it, as I do not want to receive hate comments.

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