tryst - an ashaangi ff

x.

Ashwin often missed Coimbatore and his house. Recently he had moved into a new apartment in Chennai, and he started missing his house more. His house, although moderately sized was big enough for their family. He missed a lot, his mom, the creaking fans, the walls that had chipped off paint.

He tried his best to make his home in Chennai feel the same way by shifting the furniture, putting up new paintings but it just wasn't the same. There was always something missing, something that wasn't holding him down here.

It was a gloomy Sunday. Today, his found family was supposed to come over for lunch. He had gone overboard with his cooking, preparing everything and anything. He sighed, leaning back on the chair, lost in his thoughts when he was brought back to Earth by the sound of the doorbell.

He dragged his feet towards the door and opened the door, to find none other than Sivaangi. His mind buzzed with thoughts when he saw her face. She gave him a stunning smile and she walked in with no invitation. He blinked, still standing at the door before he turned around to see her bag and duppata strewn across the sofa. He smiled lightly and she asked, "Enna yaaryum kaanum?"

"You're the first to be here." he replied, sitting across her. Her mouth formed an 'o' and Ashwin laughed, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Perfect timing, actually" he murmured. Her eyes widened in curiosity and asked, "Timing for what?".

"I was gonna make desert, blueberry pie".

An immediate squeal left her lips and she stood up immediately and clutched his wrist trying to pull him up. "Vaa Ashwineyy, ennaku ippove pasikuthu!!". Ashwin laughed and got up, letting her drag him to the kitchen.

She huffed, and tied her hair into a quick bun and turned around look at him, hands on her hips. Ashwin, meanwhile, was in genuine disbelief that it was possible for someone to be this cute. He snapped out of his daze, and said, "Enna neeya panna pora, ethuku ivalo build up." She scoffed and walk towards him until his back hit the high cupboard, she leaned and said, her eyes narrowed, "Samakartha vida sapdrathu than mukkiyam".

Ashwin laughed, and placed his index finger on her button nose, pushing her back gently. "Ithellam mattum nalla pesu, ingredient eduthutu vara sonna maranthudu." Sivaangi clicked her tounge, "Ada ponga Ashwineyy". It has been almost 7 months since they met, but he'd never get tired of thag nickname.

He scoffed and again and told her to bring flour, and they worked together in a comfortable silence for a while. Sivaangi perched herself on the kitchen counter, swinging her legs, sneakily popping blueberries in her mouth, much to the annoyance of Ashwin. When he came to crack eggs, she clutched his hands tightly and protested that she would be the one to do it. And he let her, and she dropped the first egg on the ground slowly looking up to to the smug face of lad, who just raised an eyebrow and sighed, although a small smile lingered on his face. "Seri seri, tension aagathinga Ashwineyy, inthanga blueberry sapdunga.", she hovered a blueberry above his face and he ate it, not able to resist the huge smile that creeped up on his face.

He almost dropped the flour too, resulting in some of the flour on her cheeks and she looked at him, both ticked off and laughing. He pursued his lips trying to stop himself from laughing, muttering apologies. It seemed as though she didn't like that, because she proceeded to stick her hand into the flour and then rubbed it on his face. She burst into a fit of giggles at his face. He couldn't help but smile, walking to wash it off and brought a wet towel to wipe off her face as well, as gesture which made her heart flutter.

Both wouldn't speak on the warmth in their chests. It felt so surreal to him, to have her in his house, in his kitchen her doe eyes following him as he cooked, a playful banter always running between them. He soon realised that his house suddenly felt like home. The thought erupted butterflies in his stomach. He suddenly felt like he did in Coimbatore, in his house. To have the house be filled with her giggles and traces felt so surreal to him. He didn't know however, that the beating heart on his kitchen counter felt the same time. She had only dreamed of situations like this, to be in his house, to be a part of his everyday life. She knew now that they could have that special bond even beyond the sets of CWC.