Smiles Of The Heart (ON HOLD)

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fourteen

Kiaan drew her near, his hand gently wrapping around her waist, as she continued to wail and mumble unintelligible things. He had observed her distress and opted to give her the space needed to gather her thoughts. Her apology from the previous day lingered in his mind, a puzzle with missing pieces, suspecting it might be linked to her father, yet uncertain.

"It's alright. I'm here. Please don't cry; it pains me to see you like this," Kiaan whispered into her hair. He continued to rub her back, his heart aching at the sound of her hiccups against his chest, her fingers clutching his tee as if afraid of falling without holding onto him.

He kept her in his embrace, whispering comforting words in her ears until her sobs transformed into sniffles, and he sensed her wiping her nose on his clothes.

"Hey, let's not turn my clothes into tissue paper," he teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

His playful remark succeeded as she playfully hit his chest, prompting a chuckle from him. Cupping her face, his thumb delicately brushed away remaining tears, sealing the moment with a tender kiss on her forehead.

In her eyes, he discovered a blend of vulnerability, sadness, and fear. It was a tender, intimate moment as she allowed him to witness her fears, a stark contrast to the Avika who once evaded him and let suspicions overshadow his efforts. From the days of insecurity-driven distance to the present Avika in his embrace, not retreating but revealing her worries, they had traversed a considerable distance together.

"Wanna talk?" He asked in a soft voice, not wanting to pressure her.

Her eyes watered again as she meekly shook her head, denying his proposal. He smiled in understanding, wiping away the stray tear escaping her eye.

"Okay. Sone chalein?"

(Should we sleep?)

Concern filled those lovely eyes as her hands delicately landed on his, which were still holding her face. "Aapka khaana?" In that moment, Kiaan was tempted to shower her face with kisses, captivated by how adorable she looked, worry glistening in her eyes, eyebrows knit together, and lips forming a subtle pout.

(Your dinner?)

Instead, he sighed and rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "Maine kha liya hai. Don't worry." He remained in that position, taking a moment to organize his thoughts, which were veering into a territory not suitable for their current situation.

(I've already eaten)

Feeling a playful poke on his cheek, he furrowed his brows and pulled back, opening his eyes to find her looking at him with pursed lips. When he raised his brows in question, Avika avoided his gaze and nibbled on her lower lip. Curious, he traced her line of sight to the bed, where she stared intently, as if wrestling with a deep thought.

"Aap—" she cleared her throat before continuing, "Aapko kuch chahiye?" Her question puzzled him, prompting a quick mental review to recall if he had requested something from her and forgotten. Finding no recollection, he met her expectant gaze with a confused expression. She huffed in response, looking away.

(Do you need anything?)

Kiaan was genuinely feeling lost and it must have reflected on his face because the next moment she made an irritated noise and glared at him, "Aapko kuch yaad rehta hai ki nahi?" With that she walked away grumbling something under her breath but he heard the words 'deal,' 'hugs' and it dawned upon him that she was trying to remind him of the three hugs she is supposed to give him daily.