1.3 | Cellophane

xxvi | colour

Ishita could definitely get used to having Jai's strong arm wrapped around her body, keeping her pressed to his side, cocooned in the warmth of his body. She opened her eyes, shifted to her side only to feel Jai reflexively move his arm to accommodate her better. Placing a palm on his sturdy jaw, she traced the slopes of his cheek with her thumb.

"Are you studying me?" he murmured, placing his palm over hers and pinning it to his cheek, his eyes still closed.

"Yes," she whispered.

A hint of a smirk claimed his lips. "Last night wasn't enough?"

"Are you denying me of my favourite hobby?" she said, tracing the ridges of his arm.

"As if you listen to me," he mumbled, holding the hand that she was pulling out of his hold. "Hmm, let's sleep in."

"No."

"Why not?" he whined. It would have been odd to hear Jai whine half a year ago but to Ishita, it was odd if Jai didn't whine. He was a chronic whiner.

"This is the time you get your morning reading done. If you don't do this now, then you'll do it in the afternoon and afternoon's plans will move to evening and when evening comes, I'll be watching Netflix all alone while you work. You promised me your after work hours are entirely mine. That's the whole point you of you shifting your night reading to mornings," Ishita said, reluctantly removing herself from his warmth and sitting up. She patted his arm thrice, urging him to wake up.

"No reading today. I promise," Jai said, his eyes begging her to come back to his arms, her rightful home.

"Welcome to another episode of Tragic Throwbacks — remember that morning when you were feeling greedy like you are today and said the same thing to me? Remember how that beautifully turned out?" Ishita said, sitting on her heels on the bed with her black bra and using her hands to make a grand point.

"We fought. You slept in the guest-room that night and I cried in the shower," he groaned, almost shuddering at the memory. "We said some very hurtful things to each other. That day was a nightmare."

"Very," she said, pursing her lips for a moment. "Do you want that to repeat?"

"Will you give me a chance if I promise you I won't let it repeat?" When Ishita paused to think, Jai caught her by her hips and pulled her close so that he could lay his head on her lap. He twisted his head and pressed a kiss on her thigh.

"Stop playing dirty," she said but she didn't push him away. More kisses. Warm lips with a little bit of teeth as he sucked the skin.

"Jai."

"Ishita."

She sighed. "You promise?"

"Come here, stubborn woman," Jai said, tucking a hand beneath her body and scooping her off the bed to pull her on top of him. He rolled her to the side and caged her with his arm again, his nose nuzzling into her neck where there were marks — some fading, some freshly bestowed.

"God, since when do I care about these damned schedules more than you?" she mumbled.

"Since you fell in love with me."

"I guess all good things come with a price," she sighed, her back melting against his chest. Jai pressed slow lazy kisses on the curve of her shoulder, tangling his ankle with hers.

"One more hour, okay? We'll do brunch today," he whispered.

"Make me chicken rice and we have a deal," she said.

"You got it. Let's go back to sleep, astronaut."

"Wait, do you think I'm the one being a bad influence on you?" Ishita weaved her fingers into his hair and he hummed with satisfaction, the vibration travelling across her skin and triggering goosebumps all over.