Anguish & Affection

Part 33

Diya let out a frustrated sigh as she struggled through the physical therapy exercises. It almost felt like the physiotherapist was purposely making them difficult. She propped up her weak hand with her functioning one and glanced out the car window at the towering skyscrapers. After two weeks of being admitted and treated in the hospital, she had finally been cleared to go home by her doctor.

Recently, she had been longing for even the bitter gourd curry she used to dislike, thanks to the tasteless and boiled meals provided to her at the hospital. Hearing this, Atharv chuckled and made a left turn. "She's one of the most skilled physiotherapists in town, Diya. I trust she knows what she's doing."

Diya's expression turned to a scowl as she turned her head to face him. "I saw the two of you exchanging flirtatious glances and giggles. Of course, you'll take her side," she said with a pout.

He chuckled and grinned at her. "Someone's feeling a little envious," he teased. "But don't worry, my dear innocent Diya. Let me clarify. By showing off for me, she'll provide better service to you as well. It's a win-win situation."

Diya's expression was a mix of disbelief and outrage. "Seriously? Are you suggesting that she would deliberately give better service to your girlfriend just to impress you? Or that you would even entertain such a thought?"

Atharv could not hold back his laughter any longer. He pulled over to the side of the road, still chuckling.

"She believes you're my cousin, which technically may be true if we trace our family trees back a hundred generations," he managed to say in between fits of laughter.

She was shocked by his response. "You're lucky I can't use my arm, Atharv, or I would definitely smack you right now! Seriously, cousin!" He leaned closer to her, but she continued to glare. "Fine, fine. How about this? I'll make all your favorite dishes to improve your mood. I know you've been craving them and I'm sure the doctor won't mind if you indulge a little today."

Diya playfully rolled her eyes, teasingly calling him out. "You're so mean! I can't stand you!" she exclaimed.

He couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Oh, sweetie, don't worry. Just try to avoid crows for a little while. We both know how much you adore me, and those pesky birds might get jealous and peck at you," he retorted, using his charming puppy-dog eyes and cheek-pulling skills to make her giggle.

She threatened in jest, "If you even think about keeping me from my favorite food, I'll break my other arm if necessary just to give you a good smack!"

He couldn't resist teasing her, flicking her tiny red nose with a smirk. She playfully rolled her eyes at him.

"You know what they say about assumptions, darling. As much as I enjoy your flirtations and banter, it's not my preferred sustenance. Shall we go?" she said with a sarcastic grin, gesturing to the steering wheel with her robotic arm.

Atharv chuckled and turned on the engine, grateful for how she had breathed new life into him, pulling him out of his dark pit of revenge, grief, and torment.

****

Diya tilted her head slightly, leaning into Atharv's side as he massaged her scalp with slow, circular motions. As he poured some fragrant oil onto his palm, she couldn't help but comment, "So, Di is looking after Pranav? That's quite intriguing."

"Intriguing? What makes you say that?" Atharv asked, raising an eyebrow and adjusting his movements to the left.

"Move your hands a little to the left this time. Anyway, it's interesting because Pranav has a huge crush on Di," Diya explained with a playful smile.

He stopped massaging her abruptly, and her response left him speechless. She caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and couldn't help but let out a few giggles.

"Pranav? Likes Di? That's unexpected. I guess I'll have to start practicing calling him 'Jijaji' now!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Diya turned towards him with a curious glint in her eye. She couldn't help but notice that Atharv's surprise seemed to bring about a positive reaction instead of his usual pacing around the room when faced with unexpected news.

"I wonder what I'm not seeing. Does Di also have feelings for him?"

"Well, she did say that his theatrics were charming and she couldn't help but laugh when he was around. I haven't seen Di act so giddy since her first crush, which was ages ago. And Pranav isn't that bad, even though he can be a bit over-the-top- "

"Hey, don't forget that I am his closest friend! I won't stand for you mistreating my best friend and soon-to-be brother-in-law. Are we clear?"

Atharv folded his arms and shook his head in disbelief, letting out a frustrated breath.

"Sure, Pranav 'Jijaji' can't handle spicy food, right? Well, next time I'll make sure he gets served the spiciest Laal Maas dish for taking away the two most important women in my life," said Atharv with a smirk.

Diya's cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she headed towards the bed. "Do whatever you want! I'll make sure you never find his shoes at the wedding!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, my dear. We'll see if your plan works on the actual day. But for now, let's get some rest!" He gently planted a kiss on her forehead.

As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand with her remaining functional arm. "Stay! I don't want you to go."

Atharv gazed at her lying figure, then leaned in with an alluring smirk. "Do you intend to steal my slumber? Because having you in my arms would surely keep me awake!"

Diya returned his smirk, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, taking him by surprise.

"Who said anything about sleeping? There are far more productive activities we could engage in, my dear," she teased, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

He gently brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, sliding it down to cradle her jaw. "Don't let yourself hope for something you can't have, my dear," he cautioned, tracing lazy patterns along her neck. "I might end up taking more than I planned."

A small part of her was tempted to give in to the intense desires coursing through her, but her rational mind was still aware of the fracture in her scapula. She didn't want this injury to affect their first time together or distract from the overwhelming passion she felt. She longed to unleash her innermost desires and awaken the dormant serpent at the base of her spine, but she knew she would have to wait.

"Atharv Singh Chauhan, you should stop thinking dirty thoughts! I just wanted to have a conversation about the past decade." Atharv groaned and turned to face her with a sigh. "Fine. We'll wait until you're feeling better." He gave her a mischievous grin. "But who knows, maybe we can have our own celebration after you've fully recovered?" he joked.

Atharv tried to find a comfortable way to keep his arms without invading her personal space, but the resulting awkwardness caused her to laugh. "I never would have guessed that talking about planning would lead to this. Your struggle to position your hands is making me question if we need to plan our sleeping arrangement as well!"

"Remind me why this is so strange," he asked.

Diya squinted her eyes before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Is it because we're sharing a bed for the first time?" Atharv nodded, carefully adjusting his position to accommodate her movement on the only side she could move. Their giggles filled the room as their eyes met in a loving embrace. His delicate fingers intertwined with her slender ones, and in that moment, all sense of time stopped as they were lost in each other's presence.

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