The axis of their relationship had tilted slightly. Akira wasn't able to pinpoint it but ever since the party Jaison's behaviour had changed. Not in a bad way though but in a way that could give her a mild heart attack every now and then. He had become more expressive, more.....clingy.
The kiss they shared that day still made her heart flutter in ways she never knew she could feel. She would get random flashbacks of the heart melting kiss and her brain would stop working for a few minutes, her eyes would get wide and her entire system would glitch. Jaison's new behaviour wasn't helping her either.
She still remembers the way she wasn't able to look him in the eye even when they returned back home. He tried to make her face him and talk but she was too flustered. She pretended to feel sleepy and quickly layed down on the bed, curling away from his side of the bed.
What he did next made her feel a zoo in her stomach. He layed on the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to his frame, her back hitting his chest in the process. Its not like they never hugged each other to sleep but that was only when they were unconscious. Neither of them made a conscious effort to have any kind of skinship. They just used to sleep on the further most end of the bed and witnessed their bodies entangled in the morning.
"Breathe." He whispered into her ear.
She realised that she had been holding her breath all along. His body heat gave her warmth and made her feel fuzzy. Unlike what she thought, she actually fell asleep in no time and had the best sleep of her life.
She woke up in the morning and was startled by his fully awake eyes staring into her soul. He intently watched her sleep for who knows how long. It could become a potential hobby for him.
"Y-you scared me." Akira kept her hand on her chest as she sighed heavily." What are you staring at? Do I have something on my face?" She asked as he wasn't saying anything and simply stared at her without blinking. He shook his head as a responce." Okay?" She trailed off. She tried to sit up on the bed but was blocked by his arm still around her waist. She gestured him to take it off by raising her eyebrows. He shook his head again tightening his grip as he nuzzled into her neck.
"Sleep." He spoke into her neck sending vibrations down her body.
"I h-had enough sleep Jaison. D- don't you have office today? You'll get late." She gripped his arm as she tried to lift it up.
"Don't." He warned." And I don't want to go right now. I'll go later." He lifted his head to look at her reaction.
"Huh? YOU don't want to go. A workaholic like-"
Smack!
She stared at him wide eyed. Did he just kiss her? He gave her a quick peck making a smack sound.
"Are you done? Now sleep." He hugged her and put his head into the crook of her neck like nothing happened. Like he didn't just make a girl speechless and dumbfounded by his actions.
She remembered another time when he was having a hard time while working.
She observed him from afar as he sat on his desk in his office space with his face scrunched. The light from the laptop screen illuminating his beauty stricken face. He took his spectacles off and rubbed his eyes. His body radiated stress.
She approached him with slow steps without making her presence known. He pinched his nose bridge and huffed. He unknowingly flinched when he felt her fingers entangle in his hair.
His body calmed down realizing her presence.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he sat back into the chair.
"Shh. Just close your eyes and relax." She softly massaged his scalp. He hummed in satisfaction, his body visibly relaxing.
She drew various patterns on his scalp and gently combed his jet black hair.
"Feeling better?" She bent forward to look at his face.
He hummed again.
He quickly held her hands in place when she was about to lift them up. He placed them back on his head and leaned his head back. She chuckled and resumed combing his hair.
She suddenly squeaked making him open his eyes." I have an idea. Just wait here, I'll be back." Before he could utter a word she was storming out of the room.
"What happened to her?" He whispered, perplexed. He looked up to see her jog back to him with a hair tie in her hand.
"What are you doing?" He asked, suspicious as she began collecting his long strands of hair into a pony.
"Can't you shut up for a moment?" She spat and giggled, extremely excited to see the end result. His shoulders went limp as he just let her have her way.
She removed a few strands from behind and a few flicks in the front. She roamed in circles around the chair carefully inspecting the hairdo before finally putting the hair tie. She adjusted it not to strain his head and moved back to admire her work.
His hair had been growing long since forever and he didn't have the time to cut it. Now seeing him with that hairstyle she was happy that he didn't cut his hair off. He looked so ethereal and elegant. He would most definitely look like a royal prince if he had his suit on. A few flicks falling onto his exposed forehead enhanced the look.
She squeaked loudly.
"Oh my god! You look so good. Wait let me bring my phone."
Now that she had expressed her liking towards that hairstyle he made sure to do it Every Single Day. And he did not do it himself. No. Not at all. He would randomly come out of nowhere and sit infront of her asking her to make his hair. He had started carrying hair ties in his coat pockets too.
Everytime he felt stressed he layed his head in her lap silently asking her to massage his head.
He was acting like a cute sulky baby and she was loving every bit of it. She might not show it but she felt over the moon because of his gestures. She felt as if he had started to confide with her, that maybe he doesn't treat her like an outsider, that he had given her the pathway to his heart. She was more than ready to overcome all the obstacles and barriers that came along that path to reach the most precious thing to her.
His heart. Him.
"What are you doing?" Jaison asked as he stepped into their shared bedroom, glancing at all the shoping bags scattered on the bed.
"You came so early? Wait I'll be out in a minute." His wife replied from the changing room.
"You went shopping? You could have told me, I would have accompanied you." He said as he picked up a bag, taking a shirt out.
"I didn't go alone. Mom came by and forced me to come along." She yelled from across the room.
He suddenly smiled at the mention of Mom. The feeling of serenity and satisfaction he got when she called his mother 'Mom'. He didn't know that he needed to hear that so badly.
"What is this-" he turned around when he heard the click of the door. It was like deja vu. The same woman stepped out of the door making him hold his breath at the amount of beauty she radiated.
He had no idea what she was wearing but whatever it was, it enhanced her features, it made her look like a goddess.
She stepped further into the room and raised her eyebrows nervously, waiting for a reaction.
For the first time in her life she had worn a traditional Indian attire. It took her hours to follow the guide video and finally wear a Saree.
She waited for him to say something but all she got was silence. She anxiously bit her lower lip.
"I knew this was a bad i-"
"Beautiful." Those words involuntarily escaped his lips as he stared at her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Really?" She questioned, still not convinced.
"Woman, just look at yourself from my eyes. You're making me lose my mind right now." He said literally baffled at the fact that how could she think that she looked bad.
She stared at him still not believing his words. His words did make her feel butterflies but maybe he was just saying all that to make her feel better.
She stepped infront of the mirror wanting to see the end result of her struggle for herself.
The moment she turned to the mirror, he took a sharp breath in.
The blouse is freaking back less. Great!
His feet moved on their own as if they had their own mind. He walked towards her as she glanced at him through the mirror.
"Do I really look good?" She asked timidly, displaying her doe eyes.
His eyes travelled from her head to her toe as he savored the breathtaking sight.
"A Queen. You look like a Queen. My Queen." He whispered in a hoarse voice and he stepped forward, his chest now touched her back.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I'm honoured to worship you." He spoke into her ear, looking directly into her eyes through the mirror. She gulped.
He nuzzled his nose into her hair as it trailed its way down her neck onto her shoulder. She bit her lip hard trying not to moan at the sensation.
He suddenly nibbled on her neck making her gasp. Her back arched. She tried to move away from him but was restricted by his hands on her bare waist. His feather touch on her skin was ticklish. She gripped his hand inorder to balance her shaky figure. Her legs were wobbling at this point. He interlaced his fingers with her's as he gripped her waist more.
He gave open-mouthed kisses on her neck. She whimpered showing how incapable she was to keep up with his bold moves.
Even though it felt surreal but she wanted this moment to last forever. She was deeply in love with him and somewhere deep inside she knew he couldn't love her back but these past few days made her want to change her mind. His actions gave her hope as she clung onto it for dear life.
Just like this new hope bloomed in her heart maybe somewhere along the line love may bloom in his.
..............