Making Her Mine- An IPKKND story.

Chapter 36 - Salvation

Shyam had, notably, not come to see Arnav in the hospital since he awoke. Khushi told Arnav he had come a couple of times when he was unconscious. Even though Arnav's conviction that Shyam was behind the attack shocked her, she had had the instinct to never leave Shyam alone with him.

She had climbed into his bed again last night, and they had slept exactly like the previous night, her hand on his chest, head on his shoulder. Even the hospital bed was bearable like that.

They had fallen asleep talking in soft murmurs, at ease with each other like they had never been before.

Amazingly, when they woke up in the morning, almost at the same time, it was still comfortable. There was no awkwardness, no pushing each other away or hiding how they felt. Their relationship had been so fraught with suppressed desires and denied feelings. This new thing felt rare and precious.

Arnav caressed Khushi's cheek as they lay in bed and tucked her fringe behind her ear. How incredible that he could actually do that, instead of only dreaming about it. He buried his nose in her hair, taking a deep breath of her sandalwood-jasmine scent, and kissed the top of her head.

She didn't react nervously to his touch like she used to, but snuggled closer to him. He felt like a crack in his heart was mending.

"You used to jump every time I got close to you," he murmured, face still in her hair.

"Yes, my heart would start beating so fast," she said.

"It doesn't anymore?"

She placed his hand on her heart in reply. He could feel her heart beat skittering —it matched his own.

"I used to be jealous of NK."

She turned her face up to look at him, a little questioning frown between her brows.

"Because he made you laugh. You looked so happy around him. I thought I took away all your smiles."

"Because you make me feel like this," she said, holding on to his hand over her heart.

"Then you'll never laugh around me?" He asked, only half teasing.

"Will you always make me feel like this?"

"Maybe..." He lifted her chin with a finger and lowered his face so that their noses touched. "Is your heart beating faster now?"

She nodded slowly, eyes wide, staring into his.

"Mine too." He tilted his face and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

She shuddered, as if the kiss had rippled through her. Arnav lay as still as he could, willing himself to hold back the desire consuming him.

"Akash is going to come soon," he said, in a rough whisper. She disentangled herself from him, and he watched her hurry away with more than a twinge of regret.

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Note :

First Kiss! 🌸 I hope you guys liked this sweet first kiss. It's far less angsty and passionate than what we all fantasized on Diwali Night ✨ but this is just how it flowed in the telling of the story.

I don't intend to write explicit scenes for this story, and don't intend to change the setting to "Mature", but there will be some references to physical intimacy from now on. The pacing has become quite detailed, so it seems natural that these would pop up, given how much sexual tension there is between the two in the show. Fair warning to anyone who doesn't like references to kissing/sex/things in between.

For those who liked this version of their first kiss, I hope it makes up for the short chapter today! 💖