𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 [ON HOLD]

𝔣𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

Shivaay ran his fingers through his hair, as he leaned against the wall, staring at the moon which shone brilliantly in the dark night.

The stark contrast between the glowing white sphere and the pitch black backdrop reminded him of his own life. A few stars twinkled, before blinking out of existence, as soon as he looked away.

His life had been monotonous—— like the night sky. The constant screaming matches between his mother and his Bade Papa; and the shattering sounds of bottles whenever Svetlana would visit their home, or whenever Tej would return in a dishevelled state from the office.

He'd only had a few moments of happiness in the form of moments spent with Omkara, Rudra, Priyanka and his Dadi.

He felt a pair of hands wrap around him from the back.

His heart beat furiously in his chest, as he placed his hands over hers, before her kiss, which she left on his back, seeped through the flimsy material of his kurta, and set him aflame.

She was the moon.

Beautiful.

Always there, even when one couldn't see.

She shone brighter, filling the dark abyss with her light.

He turned around, bring her joint hands to his lips, and placing a chaste kiss on the back of her palms, before pulling her close.

She rested her chin on his shoulder, gazing up at him with a soft look, as she placed hand on his cheek, and rubbed her thumb, up and down, over the apple of his cheek.

"What are you thinking about?" Annika whispered.

"You," he replied, softly, wrapping one arm around her, while the other covered her hand on his cheek. He turned his face around, to place a kiss on the heel of her palm, before looking back at her.

Her warm brown eyes are bright, as a small smile curved up the corners of her lips.

He'd never believed in love.

He'd never believed he'd become an ishqbaaz.

He'd never thought he'd be capable of loving someone so deeply, that his entire world would revolve around them.

"Mere baare mein?" She tilted her head, a mischievous smile adorning her lips. "Am I that thought-provoking?"

"Your thoughts never leave me, Annika," he rested his forehead on hers, his breathing turning ragged as his kaleidoscopic gaze bore into her deep browns. "When you're near me, I need to touch you, kiss you, taste you—— to convince myself that I'm not dreaming." His voice dropped an octave, as he swallowed. "When you're not in my sight, your voice is all I hear, the phantom echoes of your laughter warms my entire being. The mere mention of your name is enough to get me grinning like crazy and humming like a fool."

She chewed her lower lip, one hand moving up his chest, before she clutched the collars of his kurta. "Shivaay," she blinked back the tears, before placing her mouth on his, smiling as he made a startled sound in the back of his throat. "I love you," she mumbled against his lips, pulling back momentarily, before moving the hand on his cheek to the back of his head and weaving her fingers through the wet hairs.