A Knife on His Lap|| Bodyguard AU

Debaucherous Thoughts

~Nariya Patel~

My legs sprawled across the headboard, I undertook an analysis of the damage wrought by my great adventures. The foot of my left leg was adorned with leaves and splinters from the outdoors, while the right one had a bandage that had turned black from the dirt. "Damn it, I should have noticed earlier; now his floors are dirtied," I murmured to myself.

It had been some while since that guy returned, all flustered and disheveled, but the way he peeled his tie off... I bit my lips, shaking the debaucherous thoughts out of my head. A sigh escaped my lips as I wondered how I might clean this mess up without him noticing, his pointed advice still floating in my head. As I did so, an exquisite smell invaded my senses—a whiff of exotic spices mixed with the freshness of fresh mint and coriander, along with the regal aroma of rose and saffron. This smell, I could recognize it anywhere, anytime—the scent that dominated my childhood almost every Sunday, the tantalizing and unique aroma of Biryani.

Gulping in my hunger as it enchanted me, I floated towards the door. A sniff or two to make sure I wasn't dreaming, my hand clasped onto the handle of my door. The cold metal unearthed my palm, shaking some sense into my enchanted self. Snapping back to reality, I realized what I was about to do. What lay beyond this door? Who was beyond this door? These past few days, I had only talked, no, chatted with my guardian only via notes. We had barely had any face-to-face interactions with each other, and for some reason, I felt giddy near him.

Another whiff, and my stomach declared that I couldn't hole up forever; I needed to get out there and face him eventually. With the end-of-semester exams so nearby, I couldn't stay confined within these four walls forever. Most importantly, I still had to fend for myself somehow. Yes, he was being kind to me, but I knew better than anyone else how quickly kindness gets twisted into something else.

Taking a deep breath, I opened a small gap to peek into the foyer connecting my room and the kitchen. The coast seemed clear, but my full view was blocked by a pillar in my way. Sneaking out as if I were a thief, I slowly hopped towards my destination. A hopeful thought beamed in my mind—maybe he prepared the food and left for his room, and I could take my share and eat in my room. Smiling, I hopped forward, feeling a bit more confident this time.

Instantly, my steps halted as I gulped. There on the kitchen island, he rested his head supported by his upright arm. A knowing smirk formed on his lips as he said, "Hello there, sneaky rabbit."

My eyes darted towards the pot of biryani, left open with a small fan airing the scent, directed towards my room! This was a trap! Gulping, I eyed my room door, still slightly open. If only I could sprint, which I could no longer do due to the condition of my legs. Both my feet hurt after being moved around like so.

As if sensing my intention, he pointed to the chair behind me. All the smirk and gleam drained from his voice as he commanded, "Sit." Gulping once more, I looked down and proceeded to do what he told me. His eyes darted at me until I did. It felt as if, if I didn't, he would pick me up himself and make me sit. Either way, we had to do this; let's make it easy for myself now.

Sighing, he proceeded to shut the pot lid. As he saw the panic in my eyes, he reassured me that we would have lunch. Turning off the fan, he placed it in its intended place before walking to the sink. He grabbed a basin, filled it with water, and also went into my room, bringing spare bandages and a rag. I tilted my head in confusion until I understood what he was up to. When he kneeled in front of my chair, startled at his action, I tried to get up, only for him to cage me with his hands. Standing up on his knees, his height matched mine.

From so close, one could tell the well-taken care of skin—poreless, firm, without a single blemish. He had a slight tan that added an exotic touch to creamy skin. His jaw was sharper than the knives in this kitchen. Those mesmerizing grey eyes shifted to almost black in this low lighting, but what captivated me were those plush yet firm lips. They slightly moved, shivered before turning into a smirk, revealing his perfectly aligned white teeth.