Tere Sang (MeeraSim AU fan fiction)

14 - A Midnight Firing

After rinsing off and changing her attire, Meerab went to make coffee with a nice fluffy robe over top of her pyjamas. It could be counted as more than a happy coincidence when Murtasim caught a glimpse while standing under shade to smoke, realising that she was awake too.

Their paths confluence once more as Murtasim strolled into the kitchen against habit, freshly showered after saving her from the storm. The patter of the soles of his shoes was so soft that Meerab didn't even hear him skim past the doorway. It was only as he leaned closer over the saucepan of water that his shoulder ghosted hers.

Meerab sharply gasped on sensing an unannounced presence, entire body jumping while she clutched her heart.

Murtasim hand lurched out, instinctively grabbing her arm so she didn't touch the vessel of hot metal. ''Dehaan se,'' Murtasim hissed. (Careful!)

''Aur tum?'' She squealed with a wildly thumping heart, aghast. ''Who creeps up on a person like that?'' (And you?)

Murtasim let go, squinting at her accusative tone. ''Creeps up? Khud khayalon mei khoye hue ho — I walked in like a normal person,'' Murtasim corrected righteously. (You're the one lost in thought.)

The misplaced adamancy elicited a pout on Meerab lips, studying the fact that Murtasim put the onus on her. Her eyes narrowed into slits and her hands raised to the dip of her waist defensively. ''Kitchen mei kar kya rahe ho? Ayaan said you don't come here?'' (What are you doing in the kitchen anyways?)

And then he recalled the truth that he'd entered the space to steal her elusive time and Murtasim countered rhetorically, ''Do you keep a fridge in your bedroom?'' A humming vibration nudged her. His eyebrows raised with ridicule. ''Tanda paani peena tha,'' he fluently lied, scanning the room to find where the fridge was located and his sight locked onto the silver box that he had never noticed before. (I wanted to drink cold water.)

Nor did he know where the glasses were, so he didn't even attempt to rattle cabinets in search. Instead, he watched her; Murtasim got a seldom view up close. Meerab's hair was lightly damp from the shower and half-patted dry into natural waves without the usual satiny shine. Tiredness dared to tinge her under eyes, making her look cosy, embodying the perfect accompaniment to his home.

Meerab felt the warmth of his investigative gaze as he greedily combed through every little feature and engraved it to memory. Skeptical, she didn't believe him one bit and planned to unravel his game. ''Garmi lag rahe hai tumhein?'' Meerab mused while holding eye contact, clearly alluding to a different sort of heat. (Are you feeling hot?)

''Hain nahi?'' He asked innocently, yet his smile was devilish as his sight flickered to her pretty, dove eyes that effortlessly teased him. (Is it not hot?)

Meerab fake coughed to dispel the intensity and skirted the question — she was flush from standing infront of the stove's flame. ''Itna barra ghar mei mulazim khatam ho gye hai jo khud aaya ho?'' She turned to distance herself from him, open hands upon the cool counter. (You have such a big home and the staff inside it are running low?)

''Mera ghar barra hai?'' He questioned, manifestly proud while listening to her uttering praises for him. ''...Big enough for one more permanent resident.'' He added mischievously. (My home is big?)

Meerab rolled her eyes in response, pushing herself off to stand up straight. ''Do you have selective hearing, Murtasim?''

Murtasim paid her no head, leaning over the hob to see water bubbling so rapidly that it spit. It caught Meerab's attention and she spun to add sugar, coffee granules and a splash of milk.