kabhi main kabhi tum [one shots]

Stormy Nights

Summary: A storm cuts the power to their apartment, so Sharjeena and Mustafa find a way to keep themselves entertained.

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 "Arre, yaar!"

Mustafa's exclamation of frustration echoes through the apartment, only slightly drowned out by the storm raging outside. Sharjeena winces as she grabs the tray of food, turning to walk out of the kitchen. She's careful in her steps, the apartment plunged into darkness now that the power has gone out, as she walks out into the living room and places the tray on their newly bought table.

"Kuch delete toh nahi ho gaya?" she asks, almost afraid of the answer as she watches Mustafa close his laptop with a huff.

"Nahi, save kar diya tha," he says with a shake of his head. "Shukar hai, warna itna kaam delay ho jata." He stands up, the chain around his neck swinging with the motion. "Main mambattiyan lata hoon."

Mustafa walks to the bedroom as Sharjeena gazes towards the windows. Ever so often, the apartment is lit up by the lightning that strikes in the night sky, thunder rumbling alongside it. She had figured it would only be a matter of time until the power went out when the rain had first begun, so she had prepared dinner as quickly as possible. Fortunately, she got the timing right.

Mustafa returns and Sharjeena watches him light some candles, putting a two on the table they will eat at, and then another on the coffee table he had been working at. "Smells nice," he comments as he returns to where she is, both of them settling down on the cushioned chairs.

She places rice on both their plates, and he serves them both chicken kadai and some vegetables. Sharjeena sits to Mustafa's left rather than across from him, watching him serve her chicken as the candlelight dances across his face. She bites back a smile and has to look away as they begin eating, comforting conversations flowing between them where she tells him about her day at work, and he tells her the latest updates he has made to his game.

These moments between them, just the two of them as they wind down from their busy days, sharing a meal and each other's company—Sharjeena looks forward to this all day when she's at work. Knowing when she comes home, she's coming home to Mustafa, who similarly waits for her arrival. No matter how long the work day is, how tired she might get, seeing him revitalizes Sharjeena in a way she has never experienced before.

Thunder roars outside, causing Sharjeena to jump in her seat, startled out of her thoughts and nearly dropping her spoon. Mustafa looks at her, eyebrow rising as he gives her a once over. "Arre, itna kyun darr gayee?"

She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. "Khana khao," she says, earning an amused grin from him.

Mustafa's smile widens and as Sharjeena takes another spoonful, she feels his left hand grip her right knee under the table, his touch warm through her shalwar. "Koi baat nahi," he says, winking playfully. "Main hoon na."

Sharjeena scoffs, though her cheeks flush as she feels his thumb rub on her knee. "Bada hero bana," she mutters fondly, knocking her knee with his.

"Sirf tumhare liye, meri jaan," he grins, the sight devastating against the candlelight in a way that makes her belly dip.

She laughs as they continue to eat with the rain sounding in the background, the apartment occasionally brightening with the lightning. The thunder doesn't make her jump any longer, Mustafa distracting her with a continuous flow of conversation until they finish up dinner and she's bringing the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

Before she can proceed to wash the dishes, Mustafa's arms wind around her waist, pulling her back against him that has her gasping in surprise. "Kya kar rahe ho?" she asks with a gentle laugh, head tilting when she feels his lips skim the length of her neck.