PRANISH - LAST NIGHT'S DREAM

All about our Firsts

POV: Pratik

It was a long day of shoot and felt a bit more longer by the time we had reached back to hotel but it would be a lie if I say that wasn't the most fulfilling day I have ever experienced at work. People who know me knows that I am the best version of myself on a good set and who gets to be on a set of khatron ke khiladi everyday and perform infront of 'the Rohit Shetty' Sir!
So I tried to make the most of this opportunity by being there in the moment and capturing every details of the first day in my GoPro for a potential mini vlog later. The best part of the day though for me was both me and Nishant nailing our first stunt.  The loud cheers of each other's names in each other's voices were still ringing in my ears on our way back to hotel so the first thing I thought after reaching hotel was to pay a quick visit to Nishant's room. I was going to knock the door when I realised it's half open and I could already hear laughters and chirpy voices from inside the room. From what I could make out of the small opening it was tushar, sriti and chetna in the room alongwith my beloved bestfriend.

"Great, so now I have to wait"

I mumbled to myself before taking a U-turn and making a mental note of coming back to him after this crowd in his room gets cleared out.
I went to my room and ended up taking a bit longer than intended in freshening up. When I was done I quickly changed into a white t-shirt sweatpants and grabbed my go pro to check out the footages. The screen lits up with a moment of Nishant getting scared before my first stunt at the sound of a drone that was supposed to fly alongside the helicopter on which the stunt was designed. It was cute and hilarious how Nishant was scrunching his nose and eyebrows together saying "wahi adhi phad rahi hai meri" given the fact it was my stunt and not his after all. I rewinded and replayed it for a couple of more times before deciding on taking the GoPro alongwith me and going back to Nishant's room. Unlike the first time I was met with a closed door this time which made me hopeful about finally getting to see him alone inside when I knocked on the door.

Nishant opened the door within a few seconds and as soon as his eyes landed on me he let out a soft surprised chuckle asking,

-Chomu? Dinner start hone mein abhi waqt hai nah?

-Haan...main uske liye bulane nehi aya...tu busy hai kya?

-Nehi main bas fresh hone ja raha tha...andar aa

-Abhi tak nehi hua? Itni kya batiya raha tha unse?

-tujhe kaise? Tu aaya tha kya pehle yahan?

-hmm..

-andar kyu nehi aya phir?

-tujhe toh pata hai nah Nishant set pe yeh small talks, fake smiles this "getting-to know-eo" act on camera is already enough exhausting for me...i can't do all of that post shoot also.

-but Pratik we have to live with them for the next two months toh thoda sa efforts dalne mein harj kya hai?

-tu efforts dal raha hai na hum dono ka combined milake?

-No way main yahan biggboss 15 nehi khelne aya dobaara

-Nehi? Mujhe toh laga hum wahi khelne aye hai...Tu,main aur tere 10saal purane dost plus naye dost bas farak yeh hai woh Lonavla tha aur yeh South Africa pe hone wali sachchi ghatnayon par adharit hai...

I said with a smug grin planted on my face to which Nishant replied with "bakwaas karta rahe bas" and stomped towards his bathroom. After 15-20mins he stepped out with wet hair in fresh new clothes. There was something about seeing him in his unfiltered natural skin glistening after a shower which reminded me of how I used to sit in washroom's waiting area for him in BB house till he completes his bath and that hasn't changed even here.

A sudden urge creeps upon me to find out if he still smells like honey and citrus like he used to there.
Nishant was sitting on the dressing stool in front of the large sized mirror struggling with detangling the wires of his hair dryer when I hovered over his shoulders and released the loop of the wire that was causing the issue.
The unexpected action startled Nishant a bit but then he mouthed a silent 'thank you' and smiled in my way.

I switched on my GoPro and started showing him bits and pieces of the clips captured from earlier today and he occasionally said a "shut up" whenever I made a little too much fun of his fearstruck expressions. By the time he was done with his hair and skincare routine I had ran out of all the PJs that I could have used on him.

Instead of stressing my brain to come up with some more I left the GoPro on his bed and went towards him, bended down to his level since he was still seated on the stool and hugged him from behind like I used to in BB kitchen. Notes of citrus and honey filled my nostrils as I had guessed just minutes ago. I didn't let go of him immediately neither I wanted to rush it. It wasn't a hug that was heavy with the weight of expectations or the pressure of future promises that are meant to be kept or broken rather it was a light embrace that I needed from him to just feel that atleast something is real and not for camera atleast someone is there where I don't have to pretend and that I can always come back to him when things get a bit too much.

"I am so happy Nishant that we killed it on our our first day with our first stunts"

I muttered more as an excuse this time rather than an explanation hoping it would be enough for Nishant to allow me some few more seconds before he starts to protest from the hug.
So I cherished the moment while it lasts, while I still can soak in the warmth of my favourite person and while the essence of honey and citrus still lingers in the air.

Author's Note:-

Hi All. Hope you guys haven't forgotten me or this story. I know it has been decades since the last update or atleast feels like decades so I wouldn't mind if you want to go through the previous chapters quickly for a recap. The story continues with the first stunt shoot day experiences from Pratik's POV. I hope you all like the fluff that comes along with this chapter as you read! Lastly thank you for all the patience and the encouraging words and the support! Love you all and do let me know how your opinions about this chapter in comments. xoxo <3