(#6 in Rikara as on 27th March, 2019)
Now I know the title says Rikara FF, but there is going to be quite a bit about other characters from the Oberoi verse, so bear with me.
Also, I'm no writer, this is just something that has been bugging my min...
When Omkara returned with some food, it was to see Gauri already curled up in her sleep.
Omkara sighed and kept the food on the table.
He went and sat beside the bed, looking at Gauri's face, peaceful in sleep.
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Gauri woke up early in the morning.
She had slept enough yesterday, now she was feeling refreshed and well. She saw Omkaraji sitting next to her bed, his head lolling, in his sleep.
This is the second time he had slept off, taking care of her. This was becoming a bad habit, Gauri thought. But oddly Gauri found it so heartwarming to see him look after her.
Gauri had never needed anyone to care for her. She cared for her ill mother, throughout most of her life. Her friends and Dandi bhaiyaa cared for her, but they were like her family. Omkaraji was not her family, and Gauri never considered him her friend; during Chulbul days, there had always been this strong sense of obligation. But Omkaraji, despite everything, all the lies and subterfuge, had always looked out for her. She looked at him adoringly.
Gauri saw the sunlight streaming in from the window falling on Omkaraji's face slightly. Time for some fun.
Gauri got down slowly from her bed and spread her dupatta. She blocked the rays falling on Omkaraji for a few seconds, then removed her dupatta again. She giggled watching him annoyed, as if a fly was buzzing around his face. He opened his eyes, and Gauri instantly pulled her dupatta back.
"You are awake?" asked Omkara, rubbing his eyes.
"No, this is my ghost standing here, like your vampire" Gauri giggled.
Omkara scowled.
"Wait a minute...what are those feathers on your shirt?" asked Gauri, noticing the tiny things, properly since he got up, unconsciously stepping forward towards him.
"Its nothing" Omkara said evasively.
"Why do you have pillow feathers, I presume, on your shirt?" Gauri giggled as she asked.
"Er..." said Omkara, thinking of some excuse quick. "I accidentally squashed a pillow, by mistake."
Gauri moved a little closer, and pulled out a feather.
"My mother always says, don't lie if you don't know how. And there are some people, who try as they might, cannot hide the truth. Jhooth ki chaadar chaahe kitna odh lo, sach dikh hi jaata hain (one can pull over the blanket of lies, but the truth is still visible)" said Gauri, with knowing eyes, pulling out another feather and throwing it.
"I..you were moving in your sleep, and I just....thought to add an extra pillow for comfort....that's when I squashed it by mistake. So, I wasn't really lying" said Omkara.
Gauri half-smiled and pulled out the final feather from his shirt. She didn't realize how close she came, until she could see her reflection in Omkaraji's eyes.
They stared into their eyes for too long, and suddenly realized that it wasn't right. Gauri moved back and made some excuse about needing to take a bath, rushing to the bathroom.
Omkara still kept staring at her.
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Rudra asked Omkara as he stepped out of his bathroom, since Gauri was using Omkara's.
"O, why did you hide the truth about everything?" Rudra sounded hurt.
"I didn't want to Rudy. Everything got so complicated. Shivaay found out the truth at Nani's place, but he suggested we keep everything under wraps, the lesser people, the better, until Gauri breaks off the marriage" explained Omkara.
"The marriage which never existed in the first place?" asked Rudra, testily.
For some reason, this annoyed Omkara, and he didn't answer, instead focused on buttoning up his shirt.
"O, do you have.....you know.....any feelings for Chulbul bhaabhi? Don't reply immediately. Its apparent to everyone there is something going on between you two. You cannot pretend she doesn't mean anything. She was your friend as Chulbul, the girl you were obsessed with after listening to her singing, that you went after her to Bareilly, the partner-in-crime you brought back from Bareilly who helped you get rid of Svetlana, and most importantly your 'fake' wife that you spent so many weeks with. You can't dismiss all of that " said Rudra.
"When did I say she doesn't mean anything? I just don't know what she means to me, Rudra, that's what I want to find out. But I can't force it on her, little bro. If Gauri wants to leave, if she wants an out, then how can I tell her to stay?" said Omkara, and left the room.
Rudra shook his head. How was his brother ever to find love if he wasn't willing to try?
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Gauri had borrowed one of Prinku's suits to wear, since her clothes were at Dandi bhaiyaa's house. But Prinku was taller and thinner than her, so Gauri was struggling tying the dori.
She didn't realize that the door was open, and looked up as she saw Omkaraji walk inside. Gauri felt conscious looking at his reflection in the mirror.
After their conversation this morning, there was this strange feeling Gauri felt in her. The last time she felt this was when Omkaraji had pulled her in the bathroom by mistake.
She decided not to look so bothered and focus on her errant dori. But she could see Omkaraji looking at her.
"May I?" he asked.
Gauri didn't know how to react to his request to help her. So she just acquiesced with her eyes. Omkaraji sauntered over slowly to her.
Omkara held the strings of the dori and tied them slowly together, in a curvy loop with his artistic fingers. Then he remembered Gauri playing a trick with the dupatta in the morning. Well, now its his turn.
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He lightly grazed his finger on her, still a little wet, back while making a loop, all the while looking at the mirror. Gauri breathed hard, as she looked at him, but she didn't resent it. She was just overwhelmed with her heart beating fast suddenly.
Omkara didn't look at what he was doing at all, he kept looking at her reflection in the mirror, judging her reactions. When he repeated the same action while making the second loop, it was too much for Gauri; she couldn't hold his eyes staring at her, so she looked down.
Omkara was done, so he put his hands down but he still stared at her in the mirror, and she stared back at him, both realizing at the same time, that this was.....dangerous for their hearts.
