KEY:
sahana / veer
Sahana parked her car in front of Veer's house and climbed out, her bag still sitting comfily on the passenger seat. The door was unlocked and she walked right in, smiling at Veer's father in the kitchen, humming Ilayaraja's famous hit song and chopping up onions. "Hi, pa!" she said, waltzing off towards the refrigerator. "Your son make me my coffee today?"
"Never forgets. He's a fool in love. He'll do anything for you, dear," he commented, throwing in the onions on the pan and hearing them hiss. He leaned in closer and said, "Take advantage of it."
Sahana laughed, opening the door and eyeing the iced coffee grinning at her. "Oh, I already am. You have no idea how much I'm saving by having free coffee everyday. Made with so much love, might I add." She peeled the sticky note that said You look beautiful today! in Veer's cursive handwriting.
Veer's father smiled. "Do you have much to do today?"
"Yes, pa. Since a celebrity mentioned my brand in her home tour, the orders have been heaping in piles. It's busy," she said, popping in the glass straw. "Why do you ask? Anything you want me to pick up on the way?"
"Just a few packs of butter."
"To make another batch of ghee, I assume?"
"Yes, there's always a shortage for ghee in this house."
"Veer is using it all up, isn't he? He loves ghee on everything."
"He got that from his mother."
Sahana sipped her coffee, resisting the urge to close her eyes and sigh when the caffeine hit the spot. She wanted to marry Veer just for his coffee-making skills. "I'll get them while coming home."
"Be here for dinner, Sahana. No skipping it."
"Yes, pa."
Veer and his father didn't like that she was staying in a apartment when there was enough room here. Even though she was rooming with Ishita, they worried for the safety of them two women staying alone. The only consolation was that their apartment was very close to Veer's home so in case of emergencies they'd always be reachable. A part of Sahana yearned to wake up every morning with Veer but another part of her knew that they have to take it slow. She liked the pace they were at: occasional dinners with Pa, weekly dates, weekly sleepovers and daily texts and hour-long calls. It was kinda perfect in it's own way.
i'm so fucking proud of you jaan
thanks veer
featured in HOME. that's a great achievement
i can't believe it
i can
it's easy to
i'm seeing you pour everything you have into that company
it'll be shame if it didn't deserve a mention
i love you
i love you too, jaan
we're going out to celebrate
dress pretty
yes sir
Veer was nervous and he hated it when he was nervous. It's been a few months since he began dating Sahana. Even though he knew from the very first day he spoke to her, he wanted to marry her, he also knew he couldn't rush it. Sahana had taken a few months to adjust to her new reality, being in non-speaking terms with her parents and staying in her new place. They had gotten used to a routine which he loved and hadn't had major blow-outs since the great divide in the beginning. Little arguments here and there but both of them were too soft to hold a grudge. They'd apologise, make overly-endearing confessions, be a little clingy for a few days and then they'll be alright.
But today, he woke up and he just knew. It was time.
He checked his watch and it was the time when Sahana dropped by his house to pick up her daily coffee. He pushed back in his chair and waited for his phone to do something. Anything. He needed to know her answer.
Just when he was about to get up and go to the terrace to get some air, he heard a ping. It was as if the entire world was suddenly put on mute. He calmed his racing heart and checked the message.
There was a picture of her glass tumblr with the sticky note he'd left.
'Let's get married, firecracker. What do you say? Sign up for a lifetime subscription of free iced coffee, morning kisses and late night cuddles?
And a text.
you had me at free iced coffee forever.
is that an yes?
of course yes, genius!
but too bad you weren't here to ask me yourself. missed out on mind-blowing sex in the morning.
fuck. tonight? i'll be there at your apartment with the ring.
yes, please.
let's skip the engagement ceremony. we'll just have a nice cozy wedding.
whatever you want. i love you, jaan.
i love you too, baby.
are you in the bath tub like i said?
yeah
you have your book with you
yes sir
now relax okay?
you've been stressing yourself way too much. it'll be alright
i hope so
no thinking about it anymore, okay?
okay
good girl
that doesn't work on me anymore!
you get goosebumps behind your neck and your right toes curl, jaan
didn't it now?
omg shut up
Veer sat on the floor, his legs spread into a V as he taped the carton box. "You're doing it wrong, da," Pa said from the couch. Next to him, Sahana munched on fried potato sticks as she watched her husband pack her things for her trip to the US.
"It's correct, pa."
"The tape is not going to stay for long," Veer's father insisted again. "Right, Sahana?"
"Yes, Veer. Listen to your father."
Veer sighed and pushed back with his palms on the floor. "Please don't gang up on me again. Not cute."
"You are making us to be villains," Sahana said, pointing a potato stick at him. "We're innocent well-wishers."
"Sure." Veer went back to taping the box.
"Are you being sarcastic, son?"
Veer rolled his eyes. It had become too much of a routine for these two to rag him together. If it were anyone else, Veer would've done something outrageous but these two were people he loved with every inch of his heart. Besides, whenever they ganged up on him, he noticed how their love for him shined through. The way Sahana's eyes watched him with pouring affection and how his father smiled softly at him. He didn't mind being their teasing project if he could see them laugh together.
He was such a sucker for their smiles that he pretended to be annoyed to give them their win.
He loved them too much.
"It's done," he patted the carton box proudly. "Looks good to me."
"It looks. But is it really?"
"Pa, it's fine. Just trust me this once."
Veer's father shrugged and left him. Sahana watched him with a smile with her palm on her chin. What? he mouthed.
She puckered her lips and kissed the air.
Veer laughed, causing his father to look up from his tablet. Sahana found joy in kissing him or making kissy faces whenever his father wasn't looking. She liked the sneaking and hiding. Veer loved it when she did that.
He lifted the box and carried it. He wouldn't have made it two steps ahead when the bottom of the box gave out, dropping the things inside on the floor with a loud crash. Veer didn't have to turn around to look at their faces. He knew they were laughing their asses off.
Especially his father.
"Listen to your father, da," he wheezed out between laughter that the words didn't make the desired impact. Sahana laughed silently like she always did, her shoulders shaking and her hand clutching her chest being the only proof.
Veer rolled his eyes. "It's not that funny."
"It is, baby," Sahana said, flicking tears from her eyes. She got up from her seat and walked toward him with her arms open, trying not to laugh. Veer ducked out of her arms and stomped towards his room. For some reason, his father's laughter became howls.
Sahana walked into their room and climbed onto his lap. "Are you upset?"
"No, obviously not. I'm a big boy, jaan," Veer sighed, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her closer so that their chest pressed. "I just don't understand why that man gets such a kick out of me messing things up."
"He enjoys watching you being his little boy again, making mistakes and being the clueless boy depending on his father," Sahana said, weaving her fingers through his hair. "But you gotta admit it. That was funny."
Veer's lips twitched, reliving it. Then, he grimaced. "Oh God, I'll never live this down, would I?"
Sahana grinned. "Nope."
i don't want your stupid money. i don't care if you lose your job.
just get your ass home by 6
jaan
istg veer i'll kill you if you come a minute later than that
okay okay jeez woman
i'll be there
you're more terrifying than my boss
you should be packing your things now, veer
on it
but fuck why do i find this hot
shut the fuck up and come home
Sahana blinked her eyes open, feeling her mouth taste bitter and dry. Her throat was sore, the walls of it scratching with searing pain whenever she swallowed saliva. She turned around towards the door and immediately regretted it when the ache in her joints pulsed through her body, up her spine. She hated being sick. Especially when she was down with fever.
The door opened and Veer walked in with a mug of something steaming. "You should be at work," she croaked out.
"I didn't know you were my boss."
Sahana pushed herself up and Veer held her elbow while she did it. "I'm serious. You can't be taking offs all the time I'm sick."
"You rarely get sick, jaan. If not me, who will take care of you? Why am I even working my ass off in a company if I can't take care of my own wife when I want to?"
Sahana shut up. It was annoying when Veer raised good points which he did almost all the damn time. Smartass.
He pressed his palm on her forehead and then pulled it back as if he was burnt. "I know you're hot, jaan. You don't have to prove it to me."
She rolled her eyes and sipped the hot water that he'd brought her. "I'm sure the metaphorical meaning doesn't apply now that I look like a zombie."
"You are always beautiful, jaan. This unwashed hair, the chapped lips, sticky skin, bad breath. Please, I'd marry you again right now."
She threw a pillow at him. "Shut up."
He laughed, picking up the pillow and tucking in back in it's place. "Okay, jokes aside, how are you feeling? Do you want something?"
"I feel like I'm going to die. It's horrible. Please hold me."
Veer took the mug from her hands and placed it on the bedside table. He climbed inside the sheets, scooting closer and bringing her towards him so that she lay across his chest. Sahana closed her eyes against his cold chest, her hand coming up his shoulders and twining through his hair. "This feels nice."
He rubbed circles on her back, kissing her head and rocking her a little. "You're the best husband in the world," she murmured.
"Oh, I know."
i know you like to wander around braless inside home
hello, husband. what a way to begin a conversation
you are not able to do that because pa is in the house
it's not a big deal.
so i did something
what tf did you do?
a house in pondicherry was on sale...
you didn't!
i kinda did?
veer, you bought a house for me so that i can walk around braless?
or pantieless or even naked
you pig
it sounds like you have a lot to gain
i can't believe this
i am perfectly fine living in this house. i love it!
and you love my dad like your own i know i know
but remember i told you I'd buy you a house
that was supposed to be a joke!
you took it as a joke
how much money did you use
most of my savings but we'll be fine, jaan
why now
it's a beach house, jaan. it's not often houses like these go up for sale. and your birthday was right around the corner so i grabbed the chance
a beach house?
yes. near the SEA.
do you have pictures?
yeah
*attaches pictures*
omg
its so pretty!
and it's ours, firecracker
we can go there on the weekends maybe
that's my girl
happy birthday, jaan
i love it.
i love YOU.
me more you.
Sahana opened her eyes and let her hand search lazily for her husband. Ever since they got married and began sleeping in the same bed every night, Sahana had gotten so used to his warmth coddling her that the absence of it woke her up. She patted the bed and found scrunched up blankets in Veer's place. With a frown slowly registering on her face, she looked around, squinting when she turned on the lamp.
The door cranked open and Veer walked in. He froze, a glass of water in his hand. "Why are you awake and why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, continuing to walk towards the bed cautiously.
"Where did you go?" she asked, mid-yawn, her hands reaching out for him. He placed the glass on the table and got under the sheets, immediately bunching her up in his arms. "I missed you."
Veer kissed the back of her ear and rubbed her arms. "I'm right here."
"Veer?"
"Yes, jaan?"
"I think it's time for a baby."
"I'll put one in you."
"Lovely, thanks."
Veer poked her arm. "How can you be sarcastic even when you're half asleep?"
"I hope our baby gets that talent too."
Veer chuckled, carding her hair absent-mindedly. "I hope she gets your smile too. And your laugh. And your small ears."
"I hope he gets your eyes and your charm. I hope he catches the eye of many many girls but falls for one unexpected girl, hard and fast, like you did," she whispered, fingers playing with the edge of his waistband. "Because that girl is going to be taken aback by him that she'll not know what to think other than that she is so fucking lucky to have him."
Veer found her hand and interwove their fingers. "I love you, jaan. I can never say it enough."
"You don't have to because I know," she said, yawning again and digging her face into his chest. Her hand coiled around his waist and her legs tangled with his. "I just know."
a/n: well, here it is! the epilogue. usually, the epilogues come to me easily, sometimes even before the story does. but for firecracker--- NOTHING. nothing but blank space. so i ended up writing so many scenarios. there were very few i was actually satisfied with and those made the final cut! i'm not very proud of it but i hope you liked it! if you are interested in reading the ones that didn't make it on here, let me know. i'll post a compilation/factsheet of some sort. but for now, it's goodbye to veer and sahana.
on another note, 10K reads in 20 days is such a big deal to me. thank you --- for reading, voting, commenting, sharing, adding to your 'favourites' reading lists (i can see you)! this is my most unexpected project and to witness so much love is flattering. thank you so much!