Maruvarthai🤍

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The air inside the precinct buzzed with tension. Officers roamed the halls, some passing glances of concern, others deep in conversation, all as a backdrop to the most recent predicament confronting the Special Investigations Unit. Prabhas leaned back against a wall in the dimly lit corridor, his jaw clenched tight in frustration. Today had been long and gruelling, and the most exhausting part was the interrogation.

He glanced down at the police station's signature coffee stain on his uniform, a physical reminder that he was still a part of the chaos that surrounded him. The back door leading outside offered a welcome escape. He strode toward it, his mind racing with thoughts of the interrogation that had gone nowhere. The more stubborn the suspect became, the more Prabhas' temper flared.

Outside, he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, flicked the top open, and removed one. He lit it with practiced ease, letting the first puff fill his lungs, bringing an instant calm that he desperately needed. His breath became steadier, if only for a moment, as smoke swirled in the air around him—a painful reminder of the addictive escape he had come to love.

"Really? That's a terrible habit?"

A voice cut through his moment of solace like a knife. Prabhas turned, spitting out a cloud of smoke. Anushka stood at the door, arms crossed, tapping one foot against the concrete beneath her. Her black hair fell in waves around her shoulders, but it was the fire in her eyes that captivated him. She was sassy, spirited, and the epitome of everything he admired—brilliant but unyielding, charming but not afraid to put him in his place.

"What? You don't like me smoking?" he teased, pretending to puff the cigarette more dramatically.

"I hate it," she shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Honestly, you should consider a new hobby. Something less carcinogenic."

"Saying the alcoholic". Prabhas raised a brow.

"Hey, If I'm drinking then I'm damaging my liver only. But do you know when you smoke, the people around you is also inhaling the nicotine... If you want to die, die alone no. Why are you taking other people with you?"

"Relax, doc. It's just a little stress relief," he countered with a wink, exhaling the smoke in her direction. She sidestepped, rolling her eyes but there was an undeniable glimmer of amusement dancing in them.

"Stress relief, huh? Maybe you should consider working out instead. Lifting some weights could do wonders for your physique." She leaned against the wall next to him, the playful banter smoothing over their earlier tensions.

"I thought you liked this physique," he said, employing his best flirty smile. "You know, all muscle and charm." He flexed dramatically, imitating a bodybuilder.

Anushka burst out laughing, shaking her head. "Yeah, all you're missing is the brains to match. You think it's working? Because right now, all I see is a tobacco addict with a big ego."

"Hey, my brain actually works pretty well for a guy who dodges bullets for a living." He took another puff from his cigarette, contemplating the frustrating interrogation. "It's just... we couldn't get anything out of him, Anushka. I need him to talk, and I can't stand the thought of him holding all those secrets. We must find out who he's dealing with."

"So? you know how to make him speak right?" she posed thoughtfully, shifting her stance to face him directly. "You might give him a beating to loosen his lips, but if your suspect is connected to someone powerful, it could put everyone at risk—including you."

He took a deep breath, the smoke curling away like his train of thought. "Yeah...but without pressure, he'll keep on playing silence with us."

"You think hurting him will fix that?" she pressed, her voice steadier than before. "Look, Prabhas, real pressure doesn't come from fists—it comes from knowing you can't hide forever."