The Puzzle Of Love | Ishman

Ch.6

*Shubman's POV*

The spaghetti came to the table, and Ishan looked up at me.
"How am I going to eat all of this"
"You have me, Darling" I winked.
"Help me then, my dear Prince of...Foodland" I laughed and served a bit of spaghetti into both of our plates.

I insisted on Ishan taking the first bite, which he did. As predicted, his face was now messy, making me laugh.
"Stop! You're embarrassing me!"
"Oh Darling, forgive me for what I'm about to do next" I said, taking my phone out, clicking a picture of him.
"HEYYY! Delete That!"
"Nope! Not gonna happen"
"Unfair! I need a picture of your messy face too!"
"I'm sorry, Ishu, but I'm rather an expert in dealing with food" I laughed, showing off my 'professional' spaghetti-eating skills.
"I hate you!"
"No you don't"
"I do"
"Say that three times and I might consider "
"Smooth, Gill. I'm impressed."

We laughed and got back to eating. Finally, the pizza arrived.
"Pizza party!"
"I don't know this man, everyone"

I laughed looking at Ishan's embarrassed face. Taking a slice of the pizza, I opened my mouth to bite in as big as I could.

A capture sound made me face forward, realizing Ishan had just taken probably the most embarrassing shot of me.
"No!"
"Payback, bitch"
"Ah, the princess has betrayed the prince of Foodland, the Kingdom has been abandoned"
"Stop" Ishan said in a funny tone, looking like he'd burst out laughing.

I looked at him, his eyes looking very different today, glistening with hope. The bandage was still wrapped around his forehead, but none of us seemed to mind. He looked so beautiful just sitting next to me and I cant even imagine a second that I'll have to spend without him. The colors he were, contrasting his skin's looked awe-strucking and that's exactly what I was. Awe-struck by the beautiful boy next to me, laughing and smiling at my jokes.

"You're so beautiful, Ishan... You're absolutely ravishing"
"Define beautiful for me, Shubman"

*Third Person's POV*

"Beautiful," Shubman began, his voice dropping to a reverent whisper, "is not a painting hanging on a museum wall, nor a sunset bleeding colors across the sky. It's a melody that resonates in your soul, long after the last note has faded. It's the silent strength that blooms in the cracks of a broken heart, the resilience that whispers hope even in the darkest of nights."

He paused, his gaze locked with Ishan's, searching for the right words to express the depth of what he felt. "It's the way you find the courage to smile again, even when the smile feels foreign on your lips. It's the vulnerability you allow yourself to show, the cracks in your armor that speak a truth more powerful than any facade."

Shubman's voice softened further, his hand reaching out to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind Ishan's ear. "It's the way you look at me, Ishan, with eyes that hold both pain and hope, a universe of unspoken stories waiting to be shared. That, my darling, is the essence of beauty, beyond the fleeting perfection of the physical world. It's the raw, authentic you, and it takes my breath away."

Ishan, his heart thrumming against his ribs, met Shubman's gaze with an intensity that mirrored his own. In that silent exchange, they both saw a reflection of their vulnerabilities and unspoken desires.

Shubman dared to reach out, his hand hovering in the space between them. Ishan, after a moment's hesitation, met his touch, their fingers intertwining gently.

"You know," Ishan continued, his voice low and vulnerable, "sometimes, the most beautiful things are the ones that are broken."

Shubman looked into his eyes, understanding dawning. He squeezed Ishan's hand, silently vowing to be the one to help piece him back together, shard by precious shard. They didn't need words at that moment; the shared warmth of their hands spoke volumes. In that quiet embrace, a flicker of hope ignited within them, a promise of a future they dared to dream of, together.