Janani - The Warrior Mother

Chapter 21

 "Um...so what do we do now?" he finally managed to say, his voice coming out in a nervous rush that made both of them chuckle.

Arjun scratched the back of his head, a gesture of uncertainty that made him look adorably boyish. Her eyelashes lifted and she looked at him with wide, uncertain eyes. "I...don't know," she admitted quietly, looking at his hand lying on top of hers. 

Arjun mirrored her gaze from his hand to her face, and slowly, tentatively lifted her hand, his heart racing as he intertwined their fingers. It felt electric, and all his nerve endings were painfully focused on the hand that clasped hers. He marvelled at how something as simple as holding hands could feel so monumental. "This feels... nice," he said, his voice softer, more genuine now.

"Nice? Just nice?" Subhadra challenged playfully, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't it feel more like fireworks and shooting stars?"

"Sorry," he sighed softly, an amused chuckle escaping his lips as he looked at his feet. "I'm usually more confident."

Subhadra's heart fluttered at his admission, a rush of warmth spreading through her chest. The fact that Arjun, the renowned hero, felt even a hint of uncertainty around her made her feel both powerful and vulnerable. It was an unexpected twist in the story she had been dreaming of—the idea that she, with all her imperfections, could evoke such a raw, honest emotion in him.

She bit her lip softly, looking at their intertwined fingers. Summoning all her courage, she tilted her head and looked him straight in the eye. Her heart hammered in her chest as she inched closer, her face inches from his. 

"Subhadra, I—" he stammered, momentarily at a loss for words, caught between taking things slow and letting his confident side take over. He felt the sudden loss of warmth as she inched away with a small laugh. She could see the uncertainty in his eyes, one that mirrored her own.

"Arjun," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, "what are you thinking?"

His gaze dropped to her lips for a fleeting moment before snapping back to her eyes. "I... I'm thinking I should probably be more confident," he said, a teasing grin breaking through his initial hesitation. "But you're making it really hard for me to focus."

"Is that good or bad?" she teased lightly, feigning innocence.

"Definitely good," he laughed softly, a small smile on his lips. "But I think it's more about the fact that you're actually here, and I—well, I've been dreaming about this for so long."

"Dreaming about it?" she couldn't help the shocked laugh that came from her lips, her eyes dancing with mirth.

Arjun rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin forming on his lips. "Oh, us riding away into the sunset after I whisk you off your feet."

"Mhmm," she murmured, inching close enough to fluster him, but far enough to keep the conversation going. The way he kept looking at her, she'd much rather pull him close herself.

The silence between them was almost deafening as each observed the each other, waiting for the one to make a move.

"Arjun," she said breathily, as she saw his pupils dilate. "Are you going to just sit there and talk or do something about this?"

"I, um..." he stammered, trying to gather his thoughts, but his mind was racing. He could feel the heat radiating from her, and the playful challenge in her tone left him simultaneously exhilarated and slightly breathless.

 She blinked at him expectantly and he almost lost his mind. Was it a trick of the light or were her coppery eyes flecked with a bit of gold? It was mesmerizing, pulling him deeper into her gaze. What was he meant to be doing again?