Seasons- Golden Hours

🌻Icebath🌻

Eshani 

I find myself covered in blanket as my alarm ringed for the 5th time. The last scene I remember is of Agastya and I cooking Maggie and eating it silently after bickering over whose recipe would be finalized. 

I don't remember when I fell asleep and it's already 9 am in the morning. I probably had sleep of hardly 5 hours because when I look at the screen of my phone, my eye bags look bigger than necessary. 

I rush towards the kitchen finding coffee or maybe ice and what I see next make my land move out from my legs. 

From the kitchen's window there's Agastya sitting inside a tub filled with ice, his hands were placed on his chest in a cross position and his eyes are closed. 

There's raining outside and the air is making my teeth clutter and he is sitting like that outside without a reaction on his face. 

Inder uncle slams a wooden stick on his bare back to which he doesn't move. 

I couldn't help but move out and hide behind the bushes. "Why were there notes on the table when I told you clearly not to help that girl?" Inder uncle slams another stick on his back making his skin red. 

"You will sit like this for another 20 minutes." Agastya nods at his command and I stand there, freezing like a statue. 

I couldn't help but come in between holding the stick as he almost hit him again, Inder Uncle's eyes widen. "He would die! His body is turning white." I state the obvious. 

"Don't come in between us." Uncle throws the stick away. "He is a Rajvanshi. He wouldn't die by just ice." 

"He is a human!" I shout almost. Tears form beneath my eyes but I refuse to let them go. 

"You're so worried hm? If you stay there for 10 minutes, considering you are the reason of his distraction then maybe I would half the punishment for him."

"Eshani get out from here." I finally hear Agastya's low voice.

"Why are you doing this? I clearly asked for his help."

"Because of you he stayed up late for the first time in 25 years and had unhealthy food, made notes for you and woke up late today... at 6 am." He crossed his arms giving me a judging look. 

"You know what? You are not his uncle! You get pleasure by making him work like a puppet and you are nothing but a coward and a sadist." I scream not even believing my own words. "But I am not like you so I will help him instead of being a complete asshole."

That man shrugs and leaves. 

"Eshani this is freezing so don't come inside." I don't listen to him and step inside the tub of freezing ice without any other thought. 

If he could survive 20 minutes then so could I for 10 minutes at least. He pinned my waist out from the tub not letting me enter. 

"Listen to me, your body is different from mine Eshani." His voice sounds weirdly gentle that contrast the cold weather. Even his hand are so cold now it terrifies me how freezing the water would be. 

"This is madness." A sob leaves my throat and I try to provide my warmth to his hands. 

"This is not madness, I bath daily in ice as it helps with a lot of things." His icy hands caress my warm stomach and I close my eyes letting the tears trickle down. 

"Please let me enter inside Agastya, I can't let a man be tortured like that." 

He pulls me a bit back, his mouth towards my ears. "I know Doctor Psycho, you can't take it when people get hurt but I promise that I am not hurting. This is making me strong."

The silence kills me. 

"I don't have a choice but to be the strongest and the sharpest one and I promise Eshani, it doesn't hurt anymore." He loosen his grip on my body, getting back between the ice tub and closing his eyes while chanting some Mantra. 

I try to sit in front of him but it physically hurts me to see him like that. The water was so cold that it still stings me where I dipped my leg and he is sitting there for a long time. 

And he said he does that daily. 

I rush back to the kitchen taking out some eggs to make an Omelet for him and one for me. I look back at Inder Uncle who sat facing the window seat, his eyes that looked stern had a hint of sadness. He controlled his shivering hands and threw the wooden stick in frustration. 

I sighed and prepared to make three Omelets and Ginger tea. 

Their mansion was big, it was one of the many properties they probably have because they have real estate business. 

There mansion is modern looking with white furniture mostly but there are certain things that are wooden like the library from yesterday and the tub in which Agastya is sitting right now. 

I could read sadness from Inder Uncle's eyes then why is he doing all this when he clearly don't want to? 

I feel someone standing behind me and when I turn my eyes falls over Agastya's pumped chest, blue veins covering his body like lightning. My palm lands on his heart which is beating very slowly because of the ice. 

He place his arm behind me and I close my eyes. 

I tuck my lower lip under my upper, sucking it but when I open my eyes Agastya is staring me with a smile on my face. Heat rushes all over my cheeks. 

Was I thinking he would kiss me? 

I turn to close the knob of stove before tea falls of but he did that beforehand. "Focus. Doctor Psycho."

"I hate this nickname."

I get out from the trap of his arms, he chuckle and place the omelets on the plates, carefully pouring tea inside the kettle. "Why? You never stopped shutting up about your degree, didn't you?" 

"If I am Doctor Psycho then you are a frog!"

"But you kissed me so now I am a prince right?" He turned back before placing everything neatly on the table. "Your prince."

"I think you should stop now." I sit on the table, crossing my arms already regretting to cook for him. 

"Top 50 things Eshani would say while having sex." My cheeks turn red and I look away, kicking on his calves to which he laughs as if it's just a pebble hitting him. 

Inder Uncle joins us and quietly have his breakfast. He take the first bite, his eyes dilate a bit. "Who cooked this?" 

"I did." I say blandly to which he nods and we all quietly have our breakfast. 

"It's good." Agastya whispers which is only audible to me so I smile in response and suddenly all the mean things that he said before stopped making me mad. The way he had his breakfast like a starved man and sipped on tea, enjoying every bite of it made me giggle. 

I have always cooked half heartedly and only got praised if its really really good but today a simple Omelet is being so loved by him. 

Inder Kaka left us and I poked Agastya with my elbow. "Really? You like it?" He nods taking another bite.

"Would you still help me?" I stab my Omelet repeatedly with my fork. 

"Yes and this time I wouldn't let him know." He place the plates in the sink and wash them. They don't have any worker living with them and it should probably be because of privacy reasons. 

Inder Kaka leave for the meetings and Agastya join him often when things don't really go well. 

"Eshani." He says before I leave for my room, I turn towards him. "Thanks for cooking." 

"Wear something Agastya." I taunt him and run inside my room, closing it and feeling something weird building up inside my belly. 

If you are reading this then do me a favor and compliment the person who cook meals for you. If you are the one to cook then compliment yourself. 
Sometimes, we don't realize how big of a difference it makes when we do these little things. When a person cooks for you, they pour their love and efforts so always remember to compliment them. 

Its beautiful and really means a lot to the person who is cooking for you.