Is This Love??? ✔

Chapter 13

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Dilan:

Dilan is the first to find out and it is by complete accident.
It was the day after Shiviga arrived and her and Sanjay shared in their big revelation. She had always figured that if they ever got over themselves and finally got together then they'd just kind of fall into the obvious timeline and finally cross the last hurdle.
And they almost did. Except that Shiviga was really tired, and as soon as she felt the relief from the assurance that everything between Sanjay and her were alright, her body gave up and she was basically unconscious.
"M'sorry," she mumbled into his chest where she was resting her head, eyes closed and breathing slowing, "I promise I want to…to …."
Sanjay chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair (or, more appropriately, patted her head because Shiviga's hair was a constant bundle of curly knots).
"That's alright," he murmured with a smile, "We've got all the time in the world."

The next thing she knew, Shiviga was waking up to the sound of the shower running and warm space beside her. She was a bit disappointed to not still be wrapped up in Sanjay' arms like she had been all night. For a very small, ridiculous moment, she thinks he might be preparing to leave, to abandon her here in bed without them ever really moving forward.
Then she hears him singing in the shower and reminds herself that it's all ok.

Shiviga is not a morning person. Not ever. But if mornings are going to start including Sanjay Krishna singing in the shower than she may just change her mind.
Shiviga is so focused on how weird it is that she can hear him in the shower while she sits in his bed, that she doesn't realize when the water stops, and is taken by surprise when he opens the door and walks out drying his hair with a large fluffy towel. Shiviga stares at him for what is absolutely an impolite amount of time. His response is simply to quirk an eyebrow and smile like he knows what she's imagining (which he probably does. Shiviga has never been particularly skilled at being subtle).

"Good morning, Shivi," he runs a towel through his hair to dry it off. Shiviga finds the action much more attractive then is probably logical, "Sleep well?"
Right, like he doesn't know she was basically comatose the entire night. Probably just his way of subtly bragging that she slept so well being held by him in his bed. Which she would allow because her plan was kind of to do it as much as possible. He moves towards a stunning set of antique drawers and starts rifling through them.
"Yes I did, thank you," she aims for indifference and to appear completely unaffected, "How about yo…." Then she notices his bare back.
Sanjay shot her a smirk over his shoulder and raised an accusatory eyebrow at her, "What were you saying Shiviga?"
Shiviga shook herself out of her staring and replied eloquently with, "What?"
His smirk grew wider.

"You seem a tad distracted, darling," he turned and leant back against the dresser, resting his elbows on the top of the furniture as he exposed his muscled abs in their glory. Not a slither of embarrassment to be seen. Wow, his training for the military role was good for something. Shiviga focused solely on his face, and for that alone she deserved a medal, "Something on your mind?"
His tone was completely free of genuine concern. Shiviga glared at him. This was relatively uncharted territory – nakedness aside, Shiviga and Sanjay hadn't ever really flirted seriously. They'd been swimming in innuendo for years, but it had always taken place under a veil of 'this is just for fun and not serious at all'. Things were different now that they were actually allowed to take things further. If Shiviga thought about it too long it made her breathing speed up and her head hurt, so instead she just decided to pretend like everything was normal. Maybe if she could convince him of that she would also convince herself.
"You're not playing fair," Shiviga said through gritted teeth, eyes focused on his and no heat in her glare. Sanjay's voice dropped an octave when he replied.
"Who ever said I was playing?"

Shiviga's body flushed and she decided something on the spot – she wasn't playing either and he needed to get inside her arms as soon as physically possible.
"Get over here," she commanded as she threw back the covers. Sanjay took a small step forward.
"You're not going to ask me nicely?" he teased with a grin.
"I'm not asking at all – it was an order, not a request."
Shiviga could have sworn she heard him groan.
"So bossy," he was at the foot of the bed and still too far away.
"And you love it."
"You're right, I do."
Shiviga wraps her arms around his neck and draws him down to her so she can kiss him. Which she does. At length.
Must. Remember. To. Keep. Breathing.
Which, evidently, was pointless because the first time she feels his breath on her bare neck she lets out a shudder and stops breathing.
"You ok, love?" he asks, partly teasing, partly genuine concern as his fingers caress the skin.
"Mmhhmm," she gives a sharp nod.
His responding chuckle is dark and full of promise.
And then she feels his lips over the same spot and completely forgets how to breathe.
"You good there, darling?" he sounds entirely too proud of himself. Although, in his defense, if she ever could get Sanjay to shut up as Shiviga was currently, then she'd be pretty proud of herself too.
"Yup," she breathes, "I'm just trying to convince myself that this is real."
He appears in her line of vision, holding her chin. "What am I? A figment of your imagination?"
"Maybe," Shiviga finds the strength to move her arms and drapes them around his shoulders, "It seems possible that I'm dreaming."
His smile is bright and warming, "You're not dreaming. This is real. You're finally here."
"Finally?" she mirrors his smile, "Dream of me here often?"