Ranvijay is currently flying back home by flight from a business convention in Mumbai.
Ranvijay POV.
Tiring. It feels like even the last bit of energy has been drained from me. God, I need her, I badly need her. I never knew I would need her this bad someday when I met her for the first time.
Thinking back, I don't regret accepting my parent's decision of marrying her. Not like, I had a choice. I always dreamt of having a happy married life, with my girlfriend. But she fell out of love, unable to withstand my cold nature.
I couldn't even get the time to mourn my loss over love, within a month my mother broke the news of me getting married to her, Niharika. A shy, timid girl, or so I thought. In our first meeting when I saw her, I perceived her to be an introverted, shy girl which she is, but her fiery face came to sight when we were allowed to talk alone. I chuckled to myself remembering her first question.
Flashback
"What kind of husband do you wanna become?"
Ranvijay choked at her unflattering gaze, managing a "What?" He certainly didn't expect this.
"I asked, what kind of husband do you wanna become?" She repeated with a hint of nervousness in her voice, this time.
"Honestly, I haven't given a thought about it. I ain't even sure if I want to be one. But, since you asked, I wanna clear out something. I can be cold and closed off at times, rude also, and I surely face difficulties with expressing in words.", said Ranvijay.
"Oh, that won't be a problem until you are true with your actions. And about the first part, I don't have any problem with you being cold as long as I can be that safe place where you can break apart each time you need to. All I would need is respect and communication, I do know this is an arrange marriage and things might be awkward at time, you might even find it hard to get comfortable for the first few months, I might not be exactly what you may have imagined as a wife, but I will try my best to be the one.", Niharika said sincerely with her eyes downcast.
Ranvijay's breath hitched at her response, his eyes were trying to find any kind of indecisiveness in her face, but she remained unaffected. Feeling his gaze, she looked up, into his eyes, getting the glimpses of the storm he was getting through, but before she can decipher, all was gone, his cold front upped their walls in protection.
"This will be tough nut to break" she thought to herself.
Back then, he only wished that she would say no this marriage proposal because, because he didn't want to try again, because he was scared of her, her probable attention or overwhelming care or worse her over bearing love maybe, because he was scared to lose his sanity... he was scared to be stripped off of his walls into warmth and again left alone in the cold with his miseries.
To his dismay, she said a yes, without even a second meeting.
Flashback ends.
He was sitting with his eyes closed. The thing which he was scared of the most happened. He was stripped off his walls, and was enveloped in her warmth, so much so, that 4 days without her was making him breathless.
He hated to be dependent on someone. But he is now, utterly and completely dependent on someone who was an intruder according to him, a mere outsider. She was messing with his coping mechanisms, and he didn't understand what he felt, if he was happy that his walls were being broken or was scared and agitated of the intrusion. All he knew now was that he is used to her forced adoration, love and care. He was jealous of her patience, perseverance and hardwork. Maybe, just because she was a primary teacher and handled many children made her tolerate him too. He chuckled to himself thinking of his stupid logic, but sure she put up with his nonsense, until the last time when she snapped, just before his departure.
He clicked on his phone to see his screen saver, "Aren't you a bit too stubborn and angry on your husband?" He thought to himself looking at her smiling face.
He was missing her terribly. Before boarding the plane to go to Mumbai, they got into a fight. Niharika was understanding most of the times, but she had her limits too. The fault was Ranvijay's. He forgot to inform her about his departure amidst his chaotic schedule and over stressing job of CEO.
"Don't you think you should have told me earlier about this, not just 5 minutes prior to you leaving the house?", asked Niharika.
"Yeah, I forgot somehow", replied Ranvijay casually tying his shoelaces.
"Oh, you may have also forgotten that you have a wife, No?"
"Please stop with this Niharika, not now", interrupted Ranvijay.
"Ranvijay, I try to understand everything, put up with each and every nonsense, that doesn't mean you won't inform me anything about your life!", Niharika was almost on the edge with the nagging feeling of being belittled, betrayed, not considered important enough.
"Oh, shut up! What are you? My mother? I am an adult of 30 years old for God's sake! I can go wherever I want, whenever I need to. And this about my business. I won't need to seek for your permission! Stop clinging to me everytime and mind your own life.", Ranvijay slammed the door on her face exiting the house.
An excruciatingly pain bubbled inside her chest, tears overflowing from her eyes. She didn't make a sound, that's how she was like. Her laughter would resound everywhere but not once will you hear her shatter into million pieces. The words stabbed her like knives dipped in poison. That was it for her. She didn't call him, neither did she text him about his whereabouts.
Which he didn't know was that, she made sure he was okay from his secretary with whom he was travelling.
For Ranvijay, it was always like this, he was used to loneliness, ignorance. All this love and care was overwhelming him, he was enraged to lose his controls over his emotions. But, that didn't justify his actions. He knew that too. But couldn't do anything. He thought like everytime his Niharika would understand and come back to him with a smile, forgetting his yells like they never happened. He was thankful to her for that, but couldn't express in words.
He was torn between his unconscious willing to surrender and his conscious trying to hold back to save him from any miseries.
Niharika not texting him, not calling him, not asking if he had reached or had his meals or not, like usual, made him even more enraged. The uneasy feeling was nagging him way too much, so much so, he was blindly watching his phone if a text from her would pop up asking if he had a good day. But all in vain.
He himself was way too stubborn and egoistic to be the one to apologize or call first. So, it was as it was, 4 days of him without her voice, her hugs, her gentle caresses after his long tiry days, her hand made food which were somedays a bit too salty, somedays a bit less spicy and others just the perfect taste he wants.
He was exhausted mentally without her.
Looking at a couple just opposite to him doing PDA, he sighed thinking of his wife, who never really complained that much for his lack of attention. But there were times, when she would throw tantrums asking him to join for a movie night, or a night walk, or a family dinner. How much he itches to be with her now.. the longing was making it even harder for him.
His plane finally landed at 3 in the morning, he hailed a cab and rushed to his home. How ironic, his apartment finally become his home after so long, that he didn't even realise it! A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips thinking of her face. "Is she awake? Or the mad bean has slept already not wanting to see my face! Does she even know I am returning today? How will she know! Stupid stupid stupid Ranvijay ! You should have told her... may be she would have cooked something for you.
Argh, I miss you so much..."
Ranvijay's Home.🏠
Niharika is pacing through the balcony, looking at the front gate.
"It's already 3:40, he should have landed by now", she thought to herself peeking every now and then. She was mad at him, but she comforted herself saying "Love can't be forced." She already knew about him flying back from his secretary, so there she was waiting for her husband to get a glimpse of him. She quickly ran to the kitchen checking if the dinner was still warm in the microwave, when she heard the tires. She peeked through the windows making sure it was her husband, before quickly running to the bed covering herself with the duvet pretending to sleep.
Ranvijay quietly unlocked the door to get welcomed by the darkness of the living room. A waft of pasta entered his nose, and he walked towards the kitchen. Opening the microwave he found his pasta waiting for him, hurriedly he took a spoon and put a spoonful in his mouth savoring its taste, just like the taste of his wife's culinary skills. An unknown tear escaped his eyes, when he finished half the plate in just a minute.
Ranvijay's POV.
She knew, she knew I would come today. I took another spoonful of pasta, I myself didn't realize I was this hungry. I didn't even realize I was crying. Why? All I did was just exist my whole life on my own without a damn care from the entire world, and there she is embracing my life joining the broken pieces in a kaleidoscope, blooming flowers from the cracks. I noticed my plate is empty now. I want more.
I need her. I don't even know why am I crying.
My feet took me to our bedroom, there she was lying asleep in my bed without the care that her husband is dying here. She should have come now hugging me tight so I can break apart like each time I do. I don't know how she understands, but each time I am on my edge, she sees me, comes to me and hugs me so tight till there's no gap to even let air pass, without any question or any explanation. She has become my safe place for God knows how long.
As if on my own, unaware of what I am doing, I went near her, caressing her hair. She is sleeping so peacefully,I can't help burying my face in her neck, inhaling her scent. Inhaling my home. I lifted my body from hers and went to my side of the bed. Her back was facing me. I back hugged her nuzzling my face again in her shoulder and neck. She squinted a bit. I pulled her closer by her waist and spooned her. Her warmth started engulfing me. My eyes started tearing. I understood how void my life would become without her. That's scary, hella scary.
Niharika POV.
I was pretending to sleep as well as trying to understand what he was doing with my ears. I heard the door being unlocked. His footsteps disappeared. Strange. He always freshen up when he comes back first. Is he that tired that he is lying on the couch for a bit or, does he not want see my face or sleep in the same room with me? I was overthinking every scenario in my head. What's taking him so long? Is he still mad? Is he guilty? I was trying to imagine every possible thing that it was taking so long to come to his own room!
The door of the room finally opened. His scent filled the room stiffening me. 4 days. 4 long days without him. My whole body is gnawing at me to run and hug the daylight outta him. What is he doing at the door? Am I looking ugly in my sleep?
His footsteps echoed in the room. Why is coming near me? Or are my ears tricking me? My hearts started beating loudly in my chest. The bed dipped to my side. A soft yet hard hand caressed my head. Did he just caress me? My husband caressed me? My husband caressed me!!! Butterflies started erupting in my stomach. But, soon he went to his side.
Disappointment filled me. After 7 long months my husband caressed me for the first time. Before I can process any more, he nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck and hugged my waist tightly. He pulled me so close to him, as if am gonna disappear any moment.
I felt wet in my neck. Wet? Warm wet tears started flowing from the back of my neck encircling it like a beautiful chain. Why is he crying? He started to sob in my neck. That's the last straw of my patience, I turned a bit, but he didn't budge.
I completely faced him and caressed his hairs softly whispering, "Hey, anything wrong?" I cupped his face wiping his tears with my thumbs asking again, "What happened ? Are you hurt?"
He gently touched his forehead to mine closing his eyes, his breaths ragged. His tears dropped to my face. He opened his eyes looking straight into mine. There's so much in them, I can't pinpoint, Sorrow, Longing, Pain.
Before I can say anything, he hovered completely above me resting his head in the crook of my neck again and hugging me. Whatever it is, I will ask tomorrow, may be he is too exhausted to answer.
I covered the duvet above us with great difficulty, hugging him back, softly massaging his head and nape. His hands were playing with the tshirt in my waist region. Soon he drifted away in sleep leaving me wide awake. This human! I tell you! This human knows how to mess with my brain and also knows how to effortlessly melt me. Idiot.
Ranvijay POV.
She finally took me in her embrace. She chose me over her anger. My shoulders slumped in relief. Her magic hands were back on my head and nape, lifting the burdens off my shoulder. My heart was finally at peace against her chaotic quickened heart beats. Nevertheless I was home. Which I always craved for, but never understood.
I was home. My stomach was full. My heart's content. My aching head was being taken care of.
I am home. I can finally rest for a bit with my lady in my arms.
Author POV.
The persons who are cold, find it hard to open up, but their eyes say it all. They try to protect themselves with the mask of pretence of not caring but they care the most in their own ways. They need to be loved, and handled with utmost care for even a minor hit can break them to no bounds.
Ranvijay finds it hard to express, but Niharika reads his eyes. She loves him despite his shortcomings and tries to show her adoration so that he knows that there is someone in this world who loved him unconditionally. Sincerity and loyalty are two major pillars in a relationship.
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Hi guys,
This is oneshot story.
Let me know, if you like it or not, if it was worth it.
Also if this oneshot gains views, I will try to upload a second part of the same story with same characters.
The next part will be a more Niharika POV oneshot.
Thank you so much for giving this a chance.