Sonder To Ikigai - The Freedom in Love.

✨Tevel✨

Tevel - a star name meaning 'everything', 'universe' or the 'world'. (19)

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It was almost 12am, she was asleep more out of exhaustion than anything else. His palm gently ran up and down her back. He kissed her head again, because that's all he seemed like doing. Kissing her, adoring her, giving her all the affection he possibly could. She was so incredible. There was such an unsettled feeling in his chest and throat, he felt like he lost a part of himself to her. And to her story.

He wanted to protect her and keep her with him forever but at the same time, he also understood how important her wanting to not be alive was to her. Her child died, so cruelly. The world didn't snatch her baby but people did, and without an ounce of remorse. He felt himself choke up. He pulled away from her and wrapped her up in the blanket and got out of bed. He needed his mummy. He needed to talk to her. He was about to walk out of the cottage, but he spotted that attic that she was talking about. He took a deep breath and climbed up the ladder sort of steps. He wouldn't fit if he stood so he crawled his way through the vast space. There was a pillow, a thin cushion mattress and a blanket. It was very very cold up there, a few lights and all those fun things. He sighed and sat up, his arms wrapped around his folded legs and he sighed, the sky seemed just a slight bit closer from here.

"Mummy." He whispered.

"It's been 23 years." He sighed.

"I feel your absence everyday mummy. And Priya's too. I know you both are okay and watching over me. Sana said that you might be one of those stars up there. P... Priya too. Her daughter is one of them too mummy. Look for her and take care of her. Take care of her as if she's our own. She is. I'm in love with Sana. If you look after her daughter... Maybe she'll stay down here with me. I feel like my heart's beating again 23 years later ma. Please do something." He whispered, rubbing his face harshly in his hands. He felt himself choking up.

"Just take care of her baby. I need her mummy. She's so strong, I need her. So take care of her child, Pankhuri is our own, like Priya. Please, I feel like I'm alive again ma!" He pleaded. His heart was pounding. He felt like he was falling into a black hole, he felt like he was in a place where there is no beginning or an end. He could undo what he felt and go back to the beginning, nor could he put an end to what he felt and walk away from it, from her. Especially after what she told him.

"I feel like an idiot." He whispered.

"You're not." Sana's voice spoke softly. Her beautiful head was popped up through the entrance of the attic. He spurted out a cough. Her small and plump body pushed up and through the space. She ducked her head and walked towards him and sat down next to him.

"W...hat?" He whispered.

"You're not an idiot." She mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hi aunty. Main aapko aur Priya ko jaanti nahi hoon but I feel connected to you because of your son. Till I get there, please take care of my baby. I'll take care of yours." She said, looking at the sky. His throat closed up and he felt a weird heaviness on his chest.

"You really don't have a reason anymore? You have nothing left?" He asked. She sucked in a sharp intake of breath.

"I..."

"Does this not mean anything?" He asked.

"You know how scary this is to me, sir? Going from having absolutely nothing to having everything?" She whispered. His heart was in his throat. She called him 'everything'.

"I mean, I've gone weeks without talking to people. Not even people at work or college. That's how I've known life to be. I've always fought alone. But then you... You just give this space, my own universe and let me lean onto you, I'm so scared. This is like a battle between what I've always known and the all new things I'm knowing. So I'm scared. And I'll still stick to what I've known, my daughter. But I'm also giving myself to you, I'll go where you take me and how you take me till the end of this road. Beyond that, I'm leaving it to you." She said in a soft and shaky voice and let her tears flow down his bare shoulder as she rested her head on it.