tryst - an ashaangi ff

ix.

Chennai is a busy city, always bustling with bubbly people and never ending honks from cars and bikes. In such a busy city, as a 27 year old man living alone caught in the frenzy of media, forgot an important component of his life; his family. So on a dull Friday morning, when the clouds are  threatening to shed tears on the asphalt, he saw his phone lit up with the caller ID of his mom. A smile spread on his face, picking up the video call instantly and saw the face of his mother after months and smiled.

"Hi ma!" he said, sitting down on the island of his kitchen. His mother smiled and said, "Hi, enga iruka? Veetlaya?". Ashwin hummed in response, "Breakfast sapadlamnu vanthen, anga enna panringa?". "Naangalum ippo than saptu mudichom." she said and paused inspecting his face. "Enna inniku romba silent ah iruka?". Ashwin shook his head and asked, "Kutty irukala?". His mother nodded and beckoned for his niece, Divya. And soon came her, pigtails bouncing, toothy smile on her face. "Hi mama!!" she said, giggling. Ashwin laughed, and said, "Enna, na vanthathum mama va maranthuta?". S

She furrowed her eyebrows and butted out her lip into a pout and said, "Neenga than phone eh panla, na enna pandrathu." She was like a serotonin shot for Ashwin. Everytime he saw her, things somehow became better. Just like how someone else made him feel as well.

Ashwin clicked his tounge in fame disappointment, and said "Athu na phone la na, nee panna koodatha?". She rolled her eyes. "Ada po Ashwineyyyy." she said, and burst out into a large fit of giggles. Ashwin widened his eyes in suprise and looked at his sister behind her who just shrugged and smiled furtively.

He blinked and said, "Romba vai jasthi aiduchu", to his sister who replied, "Ella TV la pathuthan kathukara" teasing him. Ashwin raised an eyebrow, and could feel himself burn red. Coughing, he changed the topic to home and talked for a little bit more.

When he cut the call, he realised how this show has become a big part of his life. Not just to him, but to his family as well. The past 6 months have been decorated by the people he has met and the friends and relationships he's made and it would stay forever.

And of course there was her, he was somehow always reminded of her in every second. It was like the universe was constantly reminding him who she was and to not let her go.

He had a lot of conflicting emotions about his feelings for her, he knew it wasn't just friendship but he didn't understand where these feelings were coming from. Are they just an after effect from what happens in the show? Without the middle ground of CWC, would he be strong in feelings for her?.

He sighed, leaning back on the chair and wished he could talk to his mom about it. But he wanted to figure it out himself, he wanted to figure out his feelings for her and tell her before it's late. Because, the most painful thing to experience is regret.

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As much as she loved Chennai, Sivaangi absolutely adored Kerala. The vivid green landscape and the smell of earth everywhere she goes, were always stuck in her mind. And moreover, she loves seeing her extended family. She spends so much time with strangers on different shows, so it's comforting to spend a meal with the ones she knows.

Everyone was huddled up in the kitchen, something her mother hated. Sivaangi giggled at something her cousin said, seated on the kitchen counter slurping on ice creams. Her mother rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Samaikala na ethuku kitchen la irukinga?" she said, tapping the ladle on Sivaangi's thigh.
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(A/N:- unga mind voice ennaku purithu, Kerala la ethuku tamil pesuvanga. Ennaku arivu avalothan, mannikavum 😂)

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Sivaangi laughed and said, "Ma, enna poi samaika solirya". Her cousin chided in and said, "1 varushama cooking show la irunthu konjam kooda samaika theriyatha?" he teased. One of her aunts said in reply, "Epadi, ava show la cooking panna thane!" she teased, and the kitchen burst out into laughter. She rolled her eyes and pretending like she didn't know what they meant, "Ama na comali thane, comedy than pannuven" she said, grinning.

"Comedy ah? Comedy la height, weightu, martial status la kepangala ma?" her cousin said teasingly. Sivaangi's face burned hot red, and she looked at her mother for help who just winked with a huge grin on her face.

"Ama amam, paatlam kooda padranga" her cousin said, with another saying, "Comedy la semaya develop aiduchu la?" laughing at Sivaangi's beet red face.

She looked away, busying herself with her ice cream avoiding their eyes.

"Paavam da ava, inimel ava veetu pakkame vara matta" her aunt said, pating Sivaangi's cheek affectionately.

"Athu epadi, inga thane nalla sorru podranga!". The kitchen crackled with laughter again. After a hearty lunch and some more playful banter, Sivaangi went up to the her most favourite spot on earth. her terrace.

To say it's beautiful would be an understatement, the entire terrace was covered with vines and branches, spattered with flowers of all colors. Vines with green leaves cascaded down the cement walls, and it seemed to sing along with the birds perched on the trees. It looked like it was straight out of a Wordsworth poem. The weather was just right, not too sunny not too cold.

She sat down on the small wooden bench, looking up at the specks of blue sky peeping through the green. She tried taking pictures of this place, but it never did justice. She wondered if she would ever get to see something like this back in Chennai.

Her mind drifted back to the conversation she had with her cousin who asked her about her feelings for Ashwin. She had brushed her off initially saying it wasn't anything serious. But she eventually opened up to her, confessing her biggest fear about her feelings for Ashwin; What happens when CWC ends? It had been a lingering fear in her. When thinking about her feelings for Ashwin, she panicked when she realised all of it revolved around CWC and she thought that would make them inauthentic.

She remembered the question her cousin asked, "Do the butterflies stay even after the cameras are off?". It would be a lie if Sivaangi said no, she thought of the drive they took, the way he consoled her after she cried, the time they've spent in dressing rooms exchanging teasing words and sincere smiles. Even the mere thought of those memories, fluttered her heart. She always smiled when she thought of him.

Just because they met in a staged setting doesn't mean what she feels for him is staged. She found herself thinking of him when listening to love songs, she wanted to tell him first when something happened, good or bad. More importantly she wanted to be there for him, for when he wins or loses.

God, she thought to herself, when did i become so mushy?. She shook her head, snapping out of her dream world. She was still scared, but she decided to do what she always does. Go with the flow and leave it to god. She looked out to see the birds chirping happily at each other and smiled to herself. So it's official, I like him.

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hi hi makkale!

early update because it's Ashwin's birthday! Happy birthday to Ashwin the massu, the greatu, Ashwin the Baahubali!! He's become such a huge part of our lives and i hope he achieves more and more!

i know this chapter isn't the most interesting, but I wanted them to realise their feelings for each other and I thought family would be the best catalyst!

i hope it's not too boring and you liked it. please tell me if you did or didn't like it in the comments! don't forget to vote and all!!

love,
sai.