Talk of the Town

28 //

Curiosity nags Miraya. 

From the living room, she can only hear the mannerless hissing of the pan when he pours the batter. Miraya wants to see if the circles are masterful and effortlessly made, if Shray has rolled his sleeves up or he has left it as it is, and if he has bothered to wear an apron. 

Deciding she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity of watching Shray with a spatula in his hand. Miraya walks to the kitchen and hops onto the counter. 

Shray grins and passes her a plate. She takes it without protest. 

As Miraya watches him, she can't help but observe how his eyes are focused and the skin between his eyebrows are pinched together in concentration. If someone had told her to imagine Shray flipping Dosas in his expensive suit, she would have called it absurd and laughed it off. But, at this moment, standing beside him as he pours white circles on the pan, there is nothing funny about it. All she can think of is how fucking hot he looked. It blew her mind, really. 

"Are you admiring me or the perfection of this Dosa?" he asks, flipping it onto her plate.

"Neither," Miraya answers but there is a smile in her voice. 

Shray pours the batter again and allows it to cook. In the meantime, he grabs the chutney and serves her a generous dollop of it. Standing in front of her with his elbows resting on the marble counter leading to the sink, he watches her eat. 

"I think you'll be flipping Dosas for a while," Miraya says. "I am starving and this, surprisingly, is tastier than usual."

Shray leans forward and boops her nose. "That's because it is served with love."

Miraya swats his hand away and stuffs another piece into her mouth. "No, but seriously…" she begins, chewing, "will you be able to stand here and make me how many ever Dosas I want?"

"Why do you ask that? How many do you want?"

Miraya calculates in her head. "Maybe ten?"

"You got it, Ma’am. I’m on a mission." He salutes and places the next Dosa on her plate just after she finishes the previous one. 

Five more Dosas come to life and vanish. "Are you a little full?" Shray asks, serving her some more chutney. There was only a little more left in the container. 

"Why? Are you tired already, you weak puny man?" She pokes his arms with her finger.

"No. Watching you eat is so tempting. I want to taste it as well," he says. "Can you give me a bite?"

"Of course," she says, stretching out the plate towards him. 

"Just a bite. Feed me, no?" he says, attending to the Dosa. 

Her hand automatically breaks a piece of the Dosa, dips it in chutney and raises to his mouth but midway, she freezes. Miraya hesitates. She also realises how she might not have paused to think even for a second if he had asked her to do the same back in school. 

Shray’s teeth trap his lips and let loose. "It's fine, don't worry. I'll wait to taste it. After all, the wait only makes the taste better." He tries to laugh it off but there is hurt in his eyes. 

"No, I am sorry. I was thinking about something else.”

Shray doesn’t believe her lie. But he doesn't say a word and opens his mouth. "Thank you," he says and the sincerity is brimming in his eyes and his voice. Miraya’s heart crushes. The small act of love towards him makes him so happy as if the darkest parts of his life have finally been shed some light and warmth. Has she been too harsh on him all this time?