It was past midnight and they were still on the rooftop. Sivaangi was fast asleep, her head resting on his shoulder and Ashwin would've dozed off but he deliberately stayed awake. Ever since the morning, he had a weird feeling. He thought he was just being paranoid, but he felt like someone was watching them constantly.
The sound of crickets filled the night sky, and it was so quiet. Ashwin knew they couldn't sleep here the entire night. He slowly tried to wake up Sivaangi. She stirred in her sleep and cracked any eye open and gave him a small smile. He looked at her for a few moments, wondering how he was so lucky to have her with him.
She stretched lightly, sighing sleepily. It was a wonder. The past five years, she hadn't been able to have a proper sleep, even if she was in the comfiest bed of them all. But lying on his shoulder, she felt the most relaxed she had ever been.
Her stomach growled loudly and Ashwin laughed. Sivaangi pouted, "Pasikuthu."
(I'm hungry.)
"Adhan un vayaru signal koduthirche."
(I heard so from your stomach.)
Sivaangi rolled her eyes and stood up, "Mushroom pasta venum."
(I want Mushroom pasta.)
Ashwin raised an eyebrow, "2:30 mani aaguthu, enga mushroom pasta kedaikum."
(It's 2:30 in the morning, where would you get that?)
Sivaangi shrugged, "Therila, aana ennaku venum."
(I don't know, but I want it.)
Ashwin shook his head in disbelief, "Seri vaa."
(Okay let's go.)
Sivaangi blinked at him, "Enga?"
(Where?)
"Athan ivalo periya resort iruke, inga oru kitchen irukatha?"
(We're in such a huge resort, there will be a kitchen here right?)
A grin spread across her face, "Neenga samaika poringala?" Her heart fluttered with nostalgia, it had been forever since they cooked together. And by together it meant, he would cook and she would watch. Ashwin took her hand and led her out of the rooftop.
(Are you gonna cook for me?)
They entered a kitchen, bigger than any she had seen. "Inga Namma varalama?"
(Can we be here?)
Ashwin shrugged, "Therila, enna pandiaporanga?"
(Don't know, what will they do anyways?)
She chuckled, "Romba thayirayasali aaiteenga."
(You've become very brave.)
Ashwin smirked, "Ungala love panitu thayiryam illama iruka mudiyuma?"
(How could I not be when I'm in love with you?)
Sivaangi could hear that he loves her a million times and she wouldn't be satisfied. She narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you mean?"
"Illa ma, general love pananumnu na thayiryam venuma la. Naa unna solala, general ah sonen," he said with a faint smile.
(No I meant, generally you need courage to fall in love. I meant generally, not you.)
Sivaangi huffed, "Seri, arambinga. Romba pasikuthu."
(Right. Start cooking. I'm very hungry.)
"Rowdy," he muttered before going away to get ingredients. She jumped onto a counter, as he started chopping mushrooms.
"Ashwin.."
He hummed in response, too busy with his mushrooms.
"Neenga nadichathilaya ungaluku pudicha heroine ethu?"
(Who was your favourite actress to act with.)
He stopped cutting and looked up at her silently for a moment, trying to decipher why she would ask that, "Is this a trick question?"
Sivaangi shrugged nonchalantly, "Do you want it to be?"
Ashwin set his knife down, "Illa nee etho kalavaram pandra plan la than kekara."
( No, you're asking with some other intent that'll get me in trouble.)
Sivaangi stared at him, "Oh appo neenga ethavathu sonna kalavaram aaguma?"
(Oh so whatever you say will cause you trouble?)
Ashwin stared at her, wondering what would be the right response. He shook his head fervently and went back to chopping, "Illa paravala, naa ethum solala."
(No, it's fine. I won't say anything.)
Sivaangi glared at him, "Appo enkita solla matinga?"
(So you won't say it to me?)
Ashwin sighed and set his knife down again, "Ippo ethuku kekara."
(Why are you asking this now?)
"Chumma, oru information gather pann."
(Just to gather information.)
Ashwin raised an eyebrow at her, "Aama iva periya police, information gather panra."
(Right, you're some kind of police to gather information.)
Sivaangi giggled, "Ippo solla poringala illaye. Naa ethume solla matten."
(Are you gonna tell me or not? I won't say anything.)
Ashwin looked at her carefully. Besides everything else, he really didn't have a favourite co-star. He sighed and said, "Therila, romba pudichavanga nu yaarum illa. But Malavika kooda fun ah irunthuchu."
(I don't have anyone in particular. But I enjoyed my time with Malavika.)
Sivaangi nodded knowingly, "Paathen. BTS pics lam potrunthanga. Nalla irunthuchu."
(I saw your BTS pics. It was nice.)
Ashwin snorted, "Romba kadupa solra."
(You sound passive aggressive.)
"Kadupu lam illa. Nejamave romba naala irunthuchu."
(Nothing like that. I genuinely liked it.)
Ashwin looked at her and smiled. It warmed his heart and at the same time made him feel guilty when he heard that she still knew of his work when they weren't speaking.
"Ennaku Dhruv kooda nadichadhu romba pudichuirnthathu."
(My favourite was probably Dhruv.)
Ashwin stopped stirring and looked at her. The whole world knew of the intense rivalry between him and Dhruv. Their films were released at the same time, and they were nominated for every award in the state. He didn't particularly mind it when he heard that Sivaangi did a film with him. They weren't speaking and he knew it wasn't his place.
Sivaangi laughed at his dramatics, "Avar birthday ku veetuku vanthu appa amma la paathuthu ponaru".
(He came to my house and visited Mom and Dad for my birthday.)
Ashwin hummed, "Veetuku delivery karanum varuvan." Sivaangi held back a laugh and saidz
(Even the delivery guy comes to your house.)
"Cake lam vaangi kodtharu."
(He got me a cake.)
Ashwin sighed, he knew she was just trying to get in his nerves for fun. "Adhunala? Bakery kada karan kooda cake anupuvan."
(And so does a Bakery man.)
Sivaangi laughed loudly, she was thoroughly enjoying this side of Ashwin.
Ashwin turned to her, and walked closer. He placed both of his hands on the counters and leaned in. Sivaangi felt the familiar butterflies erupt in her stomach and her mind went blank again.
"Cake vida nethiku koodatha raspberry pie unnaku pudichirku pola?" he said in a low tone, sending shivers up her body.
(Seems like you liked yesterday's raspberry pie more than the cake?)
Sivaangi blushed profusely and pushed him back, "Odane ippadi ethavathu solla vendiyathu."
(You immediately say something like that to fluster me.)
Ashwin laughed, and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her in closer. "Nee than armabicha, un porupu than."
(You're the one who started it, your responsibility now.)
Sivaangi responded by kissing his cheek, "Sorry, Ashwineyy."
Ashwin smiled and said, "Nee sorry solra vitham nalla than iruku."
(I like the way you apologize.)
Sivaangi laughed, hooking her arms around his neck. Ashwin tucked a stray hair behind her ear. He didn't want the night to end. The past five years, he had gotten everything he wanted. But there was a certain sense of un-attachemnt to it. He couldn't fully commit to anything because he felt as though his commitments in life was to be shared with another person. He wanted her to be with every significant moment in his life. When he bought his house, his first award, his first car. Not even in the bigger moments, but even in the smallest ones. He felt as though every moment spent with her would be a special one, even if it was just them making mushroom pasta at 3 in the morning. She had the ability to make him feel like the world's happiest and luckiest man with a simple smile.
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Sivaangi sighed disappointedly, but he wasn't sure what their boundaries were. "Ashwin." she said, playing with his collar. "Sollu."
(Tell me.)
"What are we?"
Ashwin looked down, he was supposed to be asking that. He cupped her face in his hands and said, "Atha nee than sollanum. I'm fully okay with anything. Unnaku enna pannanum thonutho atha panu. Nee ethu panalum I'm okay with it."
(That's something you should say. I'm fully okay with anything. Do whatever you feel is right. Whatever decision you make, I'm okay with it.)
Sivaangi knew the ball was in her court, but she wanted to hear it from him, she wanted to know if he was as invested as she was. Taking a deep breath she said, "Ennaku enikume ungala pudikama illa. Aana ennaku bayama irunthuchu. In fact, ennaku innum bayam iruku. Aana, the past few days, ennakaga neenga irupinga appadinu thonuthu. Namakula sandai, prachanai varadhu naa solla varala, kandipa varum, athu varala na than prachanai aana ethu vanthulam neenga enna vitu poga maatinganu oru nambikai vanthuchu. I trust that you won't give up on us."
(It's not like I ever stopped liking you. I was scared. In fact, I still am. But the past few days, I believe that you'll always be there for me. I'm not saying we won't fight or face issues, we definitely will. I'd be concerned if we don't. But whatever happens, I believe you won't leave me. I trust that you won't give up on us.)
Ashwin felt like he would cry if he could. He felt an immense wave of relief crash onto him, knowing that she trusts him and that he finally doesn't have to be apart from her. He sighed in relief, and rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you.." he said. He closed his eyes, and repeated it again, "Thank you so much."
Sivaangi smiled and placed her head over his heart, the thumping beated like the pulse in her veins, coursing through her in overwhelming love and exhilaration. She felt so complete at the moment, to be in arms, to hear his heartbeat again. She felt as though something that had been missing for years, was somewhere buried deep inside of her. Love was a funny thing, even in the most depressing moments the one person you always long for is them. When she was hurt the most, she still wanted to be by his side and near his comfort. Loving him was a losing game, but she didn't mind losing to him when he was so ready to do the same as well.
Ashwin pulled back and willingly drowned himself in her eyes. He leaned in closer, almost subconsciously. Sivaangi, now, wasn't blank. She knew what she wanted, she was sure of it. His gaze flicked down to her lips before looking back at her again. "May I?", he asked and Sivaangi nodded faintly. And with that, they melted against each other like the ice wall between them. The fire kindled in their hearts merged together, leaving ashes of love speckled on the surface, covering the icy coldness that separated the both of them.
If she was water, he was the sun. Glittering under his loving gaze, and his dawn rose upon her, covering her in his shadows taking her away from the light to show her something brighter.
They pulled back, staring into each other's eyes. "I love you," she said and Ashwin was high. He felt as though everything he had done uptill now suddenly held more meaning, because she said those words.
For the first time in his life, he didn't try to be happy. Because when he was with her, it just happens.
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hi hi makkale!
i know I said next chapter thriller, but innaiku ore romance mood la irunthen!! 😬
hope the romance was realistic and didn't seem sudden.
i was gonna upload tomorrow but many of you wanted it today so!
hope you guys liked it! sorry for the late update and any typos.
leave a comment if you liked it and thank you so much for reading
love,
sai