THE IMPERFECT PERFECTIONS

•∆31~𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦

♡ ☆ .♡‧₊˚ ☆ .♡ ‧₊ ♡‧₊ ☆ .♡ ☆ .♡‧₊˚ ☆ .♡ ✩

A soft groan escaped Taniya as she buried herself deeper into the warmth of the pillow-or more specifically, into Aditya's abdomen, her arms wrapped snugly around his midsection.

His comforting scent enveloped her, but the persistent throb in her head forced her to slowly blink her eyes open.

She was greeted by the sight of Aditya gazing down at her, a tender smile playing on his lips.

With a gentle tug, he lifted her up and settled her on his chest, his touch soothing as ever. "Good morning," he murmured, his voice a warm rumble beneath her ear.

"Bad morning," she grumbled, pressing her fingers to her throbbing temples. "My head feels like it's about to explode."

His hands replaced hers, massaging her temples with a practised tenderness. "Who told you to drink so much, hmm?" he teased, the hint of laughter in his voice barely concealed.

"I didn't-it was-" Taniya's words trailed off as her cheek brushed against his bare chest. Her eyes widened in realisation.

She jerked up, panic flaring as she registered the absence of his shirt.

"Why are you shirtless?" she exclaimed, only to immediately regret the sudden movement as the headache intensified. "Aaaah..." she groaned, clutching her head.

Aditya's chuckle was low, teasing. "What do you mean, 'why am I shirtless'? You don't remember anything?"

Her heart raced, panic mixing with embarrassment. "What... what was there to remember?" she stammered.

He leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes, as he pointed toward her. She instinctively leaned back. "Say it from there," she demanded, her voice shaky.

"Look at your clothes," he said with a smirk. She glanced down and her breath caught-she was wearing his shirt.

Her gaze snapped back to him, and that's when she noticed the faint bruise on his neck, a mark that seemed painfully familiar. Her stomach flipped as memories, or rather the lack thereof, made her uneasy.

"You see this?" he asked, touching the mark lightly. "Your handiwork, my dear. Your 'branding' as you like to call it."

"Aditya, stop!" she protested, hands flying to cover her ears, but her heart pounded loudly in her chest, betraying her composure.

"But that's not what you were saying last night," he continued, his tone playful yet laced with something deeper. "You were begging me not to stop."

Taniya's eyes filled with tears at his words, the overwhelming mix of confusion, embarrassment, and guilt spilling over.

The sight of her tears shattered Aditya's teasing facade. His expression softened, regret pooling in his eyes. He reached for her, cupping her face gently in his hands, feeling the warmth of her tears against his fingers.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice thick with remorse. "I shouldn't have joked about it."

She shook her head slightly, her voice quivering as she spoke. "You don't need to apologize. I just... I just feel awful that I don't remember. I want to remember it."

A wave of realization washed over her. No matter what had happened, if it was with Aditya, she knew she would never regret it. Her heart swelled with a surprising certainty-being with him felt right in a way she couldn't quite explain, but she didn't want to question it.

Aditya leaned in, pressing soft kisses to her tear-streaked eyes. "Nothing happened between us, Taniya," he confessed, his voice gentle and reassuring. "I was just being an idiot, making things up. I'm sorry for that stupid joke."