Aashiyan

This was the fourth time in a week that he’d woken up with a smile on his face. He shook his head and groaned, turning and burying his head in his pillow. Pathetic. But then, no one could blame him. He was happy, wasn’t he? More than, he realized, he’d ever been. He snorted, Turning around and folding his arms under his head. What was he, a fucking girl, now? Speaking of…

He looked at the neatly made part of his bed, and wondered where his girl was. God, he hoped she hadn’t gone to work. It was the Sunday before their launch, and Khushi was being maniacal in how she was working them. This was supposed to be their day off. He pulled himself up and out of bed, intent on dressing up and going to the office so that he could drag her obsessed ass back home to relax, when he heard it. It was some Hindi song, he was pretty sure he’d heard it before. The music was a bit quirky and he remembered liking it because of that. Hmmm…

He followed the song to the kitchen, Bare-chested and bare foot, wearing only a pair of sweatpants, and paused in the door at the beautiful scene in front of him. 

Itti si hansi
Itti si khushi
Itta sa tukda chand ka
Khwabon ke tinkon se
Chal banayeinn aashiyaan

Dabe dabe paaon se
Aaye haule haule zindagi
Hothon pe kundi chadha ke
Hum taale laga ke chal
Gumsum tarane chupke chupke gaayein
Aadhi aadhi baant le
Aaja dil ki ye zameen
Thoda sa tera sa hoga
Thoda mera bhi hoga apna ye aashiyan

He smiled, leaning against the doorjamb as he took it in. The oh-so familiar scene, and realized that he had missed this. The song was playing on the radio that they kept on the fridge (“Because Arnav, the food will taste better if I’m happy while I’m making it! And listening to music makes me Happy!”) And his Khush, clad in an oversized red tee of his and white shorts, flitted around busily. Cooking. Home, he decided. This, for him, was home. Not the expensive Hotel rooms they stayed in; nor the fancy apartments their realtor had insisted on showing them… this. Him and Khushi. Together.  

He settled back, relaxing against the jamb as he watched her roll and knead the dough with all her might. He’d always loved watching her cook. It had rhythm, and it had somehow always grounded him… gave him a sense of calm and peace. The strangest thing… but there it was. She was making aloo parathe, from the looks of it. Arnav’s favourite. He loved Khushi’s stuffed aloo parathe. Her stuffing was always perfect, and he could swear no one, absolutely no one, could ever match what she made. It was the perfect amount of spicy and soft with a tinge of some bitter-sweet thing, and the best part? She was always generous with the butter on the parathe. He grinned. He hadn’t had Khush’s parathe in such a long time! 

She started rolling out the parathe, and he realized that her movements were perfectly in sync with the song playing. He tuned in, and realized why he’d remembered this song so well…

Naa ho chaar deewarein
Phir bhi jharokhe khule
Baadalon ke ho parde
Shaakhi hari pankha jhale
Naa ho koi takraarein
Are masti thahaake chale
Pyaar ke sikkon se mahine ka kharcha chale

Dabe dabe paaon se
Aaye haule haule zindagi
Hothon pe kundi chadha ke
Hum taale laga ke chal
Gumsum tarane chupke chupke gaayein
Aadhi aadhi baant le
Aaja dil ki ye zameen
Thoda sa tera sa hoga
Thoda mera bhi hoga apna ye Aashiyan

It reminded him of them. He laughed under his breath, shaking his head as he thought about it. It was- as they said- their song. It was about two people, being each other’s world. The deaf and dumb boy and the autistic girl. Making a home together. He smiled, ring a bell much, Raizada?

There they’d been. Him and his Khush. Alone in the big bad world. He shook his head, what had possessed him that night, to ferry a barely thirteen year old girl with him to a place like Delhi? Hell, he’d been seventeen himself, or had it been eighteen? And with no money too! And what had she been thinking? Trusting him like that? He could have led them to their deaths, for all she knew! But she had trusted him, and they’d made it to Delhi. Living in a small chawl room; hand to mouth for the first two months. But his Khush had been a good Manager even then. She had been saving up, and in no time, they had been living a bit more comfortably… at least they hadn’t needed to pinch so much money. He hadn’t had to worry about feeding them continuously. He realized he wouldn’t have survived a day if he hadn’t had that spunky teenager to look after him at that time.

And then, she’d started this tradition of theirs. The one of celebrating every holiday. Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Navratri… he remembered she had even bullied him into celebrating Gandhi Jayanti once.

She would make something delicious, and they would gift each other something over dinner. He remembered the metal earrings he’d gotten her one Diwali, he’d gone through each and every stall in Sarojini Nagar Market, and when he’d found what he’d been looking for he’d bargained for hours. He smiled… it had been worth it though. The way her eyes had always lit up every time he’d gifted her something. As if he’d laid the world at her feet. Every time. Whether it was earrings, shoes, once he’d brought a Filmfare Magazine home, even then she’d thrown herself in his arms with a delighted laugh and read through that copy for months, smiling at the same news, gossip and photos over and over again. And she would get him things too. Small things… she had gotten him his first tie. He still had it. Had to remember where you came from didn’t you? He hadn’t realized she had been slowly assembling a suit for him, one celebration at a time until he’d gotten a hand stitched blazer and she had squealed- “Wear it with all the others na, Arnav! And we can see how the suit looks on you!”

He thought about the empire they’d built together, and could hardly believe it himself. Who would, really? Unless they’d gone through it themselves, and seen- lived- the blood and sweat that had gone into it? Hers as much as His. But they’d made it, hadn’t they?

Itti si hansi
Itti si khushi
Itta sa tukda chand ka
Khwabon ke tinkon se
Chal banayeinn Aashiyan

He smiled, as he walked over to her and planted a kiss good morning on her bare shoulder.

One hand gripping her hip, as the other sneaked to the hot parathe on the plate. He laughed as she smacked his hand, already anticipating his move, and shook her head.

“Go freshen up, will you Arnav? I’ll have the breakfast on the table in five and then we can eat it like civilized people.”  

Bossy as ever. He smiled as he kissed her temple, and backed away. But there she was. His World. He inhaled sharply, as it hit him like a ton of bricks right in the middle of his chest. She was his world, always had been and always would be.

Man, this song was so going in his playlist!

NB: Aashiyan from Barfi! by Shreya Ghoshal

Catch Me

Before I fall, too fast
Kiss me quick, but make it last
So I can see how badly this will hurt me
When you say goodbye

Keep it sweet, keep it slow
Let the future pass, and don't let go
But tonight I could fall too soon
Into this beautiful moonlight

She smiled as she watched his serene face- her eyes eagerly tracing his features, softened by sleep. Her hands were trapped between them, even as he curled around her like some giant blankie- with one of his legs thrown over both of hers, one arm around her waist the other cradling her head; Keeping her completely surrounded by him.  

She tipped her head back and gently nudged his nose with hers, smothering a delighted laugh as he wriggled his nose, even as he drew her closer. Her Arnav. Her lips smiled against the slightly scratchy skin of his jaw, her hands turning so her palm lay against his heart. She took him in- this Man that was her life… that had been her life for as long as she could remember.

He had surprised her tonight. They had been running themselves and their team ragged as the Mumbai Royale launch drew nearer… her more so than him, with the added stress of Naivedyam and the inevitable end of their “relationship” weighing heavy on her mind. She had not paid much attention when, instead of insisting she stop working and come home with him, Arnav had informed her that he had to leave early today and requested her to not work herself into a coma. She’d only looked up and nodded her head once; going back to her laptop even as he’d kissed her temple and walked out.  

It had been nearly 10.30 pm when Aman had come in and refused to let her work anymore. She’d sighed, looked over some details once again and finally agreed to closing shop for the day. Khushi still hadn’t suspected anything when Aman offered to drive her home- a small smile playing around his lips, as he discreetly pressed a finger against the Bluetooth device in his ear. 

And then she’d walked in to what had supposed to be their Mumbai apartment- and she’d stood just inside the door, dumbstruck. Their living room had been cleared off all couches and sofas- with a single table with two chairs, standing in the middle of it. A single rose in a small ceramic vase standing on the beautifully laid table, the candles lining it the only source of light. Low music thrummed through the room, through her- and she felt herself relaxing. Her face stretched into a smile, as she looked around again.

A laugh had rolled through her as she spotted the pizza boxes sitting in the middle of the circle of candles, the LCD Television paused on a scene from her favorite animated movie. Tangled. Rapunzel was dancing along with the birds and butterflies as Flynn watched her. 

Then she had looked at the door leading off from the Room and spotted him. Her Flynn Rider. She’d giggled even as the thought had crossed her mind. He did look a little like Rapunzel’s rogue Prince Charming didn’t he? He’d smiled back at her, his eyes twinkling as though he knew what she was thinking- and agreed with her.

“Hey Khush.” 

How those two words alone, spoken in that husky intimate voice, could drain all tension from  her even as they made her nerve endings sizzle with very different kind of tension, was beyond her. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a simple black button down shirt, kept open at the throat, with the sleeves folded up to his elbows. His dark hair was wet, flopping into his eyes and he’d skipped shaving, the five ’o clock shadow making him look entirely yummy. 

See this heart won't settle down
Like a child running scared from a clown
I'm terrified of what you do
My stomach screams just when I look at you

“Arnav…?” The question in her voice made him smile even more, and she wasn’t sure but the sigh that left her seemed to be drawn all the way from her toes.  He tilted his head towards the TV and said, “I thought we could forget the tension tonight and just enjoy ourselves, what do you say?” And his eyes had twinkled even more as he watched her laugh. She’d nodded and then had come an evening, she was sure she would not forget till her dying breath. 

They’d watched the animated film, gorging on cheese filled pizzas (She loved the cheese burst ones, and he knew that very well), as she sat between his thighs laughing and teasing each other. Then, they’d moved to the table and he’d fed her ice cream, chocolate chip ice cream. She’d watched his eyes get darker and darker with every lick of her tongue against the spoon he held to her lips. She’d teased him about the elaborate date he’d planned- the candles, the rose… and the pizza and ice cream, and he’d laughed along, telling her he knew her too well, to know that the candles and roses was the only thing that would appeal to her in a date, not the expensive and often hard to pronounce food items or wine. She’d agreed and then when she’d leaned forward to lick a drop of melted chocolate ice cream from his thumb, the real fun had begun.

But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing, you've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling so please don't catch me

She smiled again, as she felt the exact moment that he came awake. His heart thundered under her palm, his arm tightened around her waist, even as she felt him against her belly, hard and hot. “Khush.” His whisper was half growl, half plea, it rumbled through his chest, causing a shiver to race down her spine, as his big warm hand followed. She nipped at his throat lightly, and a laugh escaped her as in the next moment, his fingers gripped her waist and she was flat on her back, his big sleek body hovering above hers. 

She gasped, as his tongue traced the shell of one ear, his teeth closing gently around the lobe, before he kissed and licked the sensitive spot just behind it. “Do you like that?” His whisper alone sent a sizzling electric current through her blood. She turned her head, her nose tracing the edge of his jaw as she whispered his name. Her hands gripped his shoulders as his hands skimmed her body. Each fingertip kissing her skin, the light touch feeling as intimate as if he’d entered her. Her blood rose to bubble, boil just beneath her skin, her nerves zinged, and still he worshipped her.  his lips and teeth working lazily, drawing frenzied gasps and whimpers from her.

“Beautiful Khush,” he whispered, his breath kissing her cheek, his thumb tracing her collarbone, “So Beautiful.” Her eyes opened and met his, and she remembered the boy who’d vowed to share his life with her, who’d taken her responsibility at the tender age of seventeen… just after the biggest tragedy had torn up his life in front of his eyes. She remembered the young man who’d protected her, respected her, and become her family in all ways that mattered. She remembered her Arnav who’d held her tight in his lap, as they sat in their dark chawl room, talking about their dreams. She remembered the Arnav who had dragged her back from the dead, literally, and still had had the strength to laugh and make her Maggi noodles as he nursed her back to health. She saw the man who’d given his life to her, and then made her his. She saw the man, her man, who had surprised her, and helped her relax- even when she hadn’t known that she’d been unbearably strained- stressed to the point of breaking, he’d seen- and like always he’d held her and made it all better.

His nose nudged hers gently, his lips brushing lightly against hers, “My Khushi.” He whispered against her lips, smiling as silvery moonlight lit up his golden brown eyes. And she realized that she’d been holding back. For her whole adult life, she’d been fighting her love for him, even as he held nothing back. And that was the moment that she gave up. She gave up the fight against her heart. He entered her, and her body became pure fluid beneath him. Her heart swelled inside her chest as his thumb caught a glittering tear that fell from her eye, his lips kissed it- drank it.  

That was the moment she let go, and then he moved inside her, and every nerve drew taught. “My Khush, My baby.” He murmured against her lips even as he sipped from her, and she was Falling. She arched against him and pulsed around him, and just as he gasped her name, giving her his all- she just wished that he would catch her.           

If this is love, please don't break me
I'm giving up so just catch me

NB: Catch Me by Demi Lovato

Yes, I love cheese burst pizza and Yes I love Tangled. ;) I also love your comments and reviews! So Go on! you know you want to! ;)