One Shots #VariaSquad

Party Time

'Just in case. Somehow, something always comes up when I'm supposed to be hanging with Alia. It's better to let her down now and then show up than get her hopes up and then let her down,' he explains. The older of the two stares at his friend for a minute, trying to follow the logic before he decides it's better not to try and shrugs. Varun laughs, knowing that his friend has decided to give up on trying to understand the both of them and how they work, and they continue on their way out of the studios. 

***

Twelve days later, Alia is playing host. Given how often she hosts parties, she's usually a brilliant host but, this time, she's more than a little distracted. She keeps checking her phone while she's talking to her friends and looks over her shoulder every time the door opens. 'Somebody special coming tonight?' Akansha asks teasingly at one point. 

'Like who?' Alia questions with a laugh that's a little too airy to be convincing. 

'I don't know, thought maybe you invited a certain young actor,' her friend says, casual tone countered by the nudge she gives her. 

'Even if I had, he wouldn't show so I wouldn't be holding my breath,' the actress mutters.

'You never know, he might surprise you,' comes a familiar masculine voice from behind her. She turns slowly, not daring to believe her own ears until they're backed by the evidence her eyes give when she's done a complete 180. She stares at him, mouth open, for half a minute before she hugs him, letting out a small squeal that would probably embarrass her in other situations. 'I take it you thought I'd skip out on you?' 

'I, well, I mean, I thought, given how generally something always comes up, you might not be able to make it,' she tells him, pulling back ever so slightly to look at him, wincing a little as she stumbles over the words and giving him an apologetic smile. 

'I know. My track record is against me,' he tells her, letting her know that he understands. 'So, you reckon you can take some time off of host duties?' She looks around, spotting her sister and silently asking if she'll take over for a while, nodding towards Varun in an almost unnoticeable gesture. Shaheen nods with a smile and Alia grins in response before turning back to the man who's arms are still wrapped around her waist. 

'I think I can swing a few minutes,' she tells him, smile widening as she pulls out of the hug and grabbing hold of his hand, leading him away from the crowd gathered in the centre of her sitting room to a corner on the far side that is completely free of people thanks to the dim lights. 

As soon as they're alone - secluded in their dark corner in a bubble where only the two of them exist, alone in the midst of at least fifty other people - his arms wrap around her again and he buries his head in her shoulder, his mind going pleasantly blank of everything that doesn't involve the girl in his arms, body relaxing as the tension leaves him for the first time in weeks, possibly months. She feels him relax against her and her stress leaves her too, something about being held by Varun making it impossible to allow any worries to cloud her brain, as is always the case. 'I've missed you,' he breathes, not moving from his position, grinning against her skin at her resultant attempts to draw closer to him. 'God, I've missed you.' She doesn't say anything, just hums a little, one hand running over his back and shoulders almost like she's trying to make sure he's really there. 'I take it you haven't missed me then?' he asks teasingly, picking his head up from her shoulder to look at her, eyebrow raised. 

'Do you really think you'd be here if I didn't miss you?' she returns. He concedes the point with a slight tilt of his head as he leans in a little, unwrapping his arms from around her so that his hands can explore a little, one coming to rest in the small of her back and the other reaching for hers. As his hand finds hers, she intertwines their fingers and leans back, resting against the wall and pulling him with her, not willing to put more distance between them than necessary.