Somewhere Only We Go (Editing)

Epilogue

Avinash

10th January, 2025

"Thank you for coming," I say, as I hope this is the last thank you I have to say tonight. The welcome party Kabir and Rishabh threw after the launch of the production house was a big success. God bless both of them for taking it from me because if I had to organize one more event, I would have given up.

We spent our first New Year together here in Delhi. I wanted to go on a vacation but it was too close to the launch date, so I needed to stay. Kabir's exhibition last month was a huge success and he is already working with two different galleries. He has magazines wanting to work with and his portrait shots got such an amazing response that several modeling agencies want him for their client portfolios. Simply put, my boyfriend is on his way to becoming one of the top photographers in the country and I am so proud of him.

He has not talked to his mother but I think he is fine with it. He was always brave in those ways. He never let his parents' opinion get to him, at least not in a way that could ruin his life. He has cried about it, I know he misses them but he never lets them take charge of his actions. That's one thing I have learned from him.

Disha spent Christmas with us before she went to Singapore for her winter breaks. As for Rishabh, something is up with him. He made a last-minute excuse and didn't come to Delhi for Christmas. Disha said he never showed up when Chachu called him to Singapore. Kabir even offered for us to travel to Bangalore for New Year's Eve. I wasn't happy about that offer, but he said he was busy and not in the party mood. That was a call for help, I think. Rishabh is always ready for parties. Even today after helping Kabir set it up he is standing at the bar with the same drink he had in his hand 10 mins ago. Is he sulking?

I make my way to him, I am still not sure what to say, even though he stepped up for me in the past few months, there is still something that doesn't feel right between us. I want to think it's nothing but it's getting harder to ignore. Kabir thinks I should just talk to him and I know he is right but I don't know where to start. Even so, he is going through something and I am not leaving him alone.

"Need a refill anytime soon?" I ask.

"Nope, not in a mood."

"That's...new." I don't know what else to say.

We stood there in silence for a few minutes, Rishabh kept tracing the glass with his hand and I stood there sipping my drink. I was planning on leaving when he suddenly said, "How does one know a kiss isn't a mistake?"

All this sulking is about kissing a girl?

"Well if you enjoyed kissing her, I guess it shouldn't be a mistake."

Rishabh blinks then blinks again then sighs. "No, I don't mean...It wasn't...it's not about a girl, there is no girl."

Okay, now I am confused. He is sulking about a kiss, which wasn't a kiss because there is no girl, so what is it about?

Rishabh looks around scanning the area to see if someone is looking at us. Then he comes a little closer. "Look I need to ask you something but you have to promise me, you won't say anything to anyone, not even your boyfriend."

"Does it affect me in any way?"

He shakes his head.

"Okay, then I won't tell him."

"How did you know that you were interested in kissing...you know...kissing men?" He says the last two words so softly that I had to inch closer to listen and boy I need a chair to sit down. Did I hear it correctly?

Rishabh is looking at me expectantly and I realized my reaction right now could make or break him if this is what I think it is.

"How would you know if you want to kiss a woman a second time?" I ask. Gosh Kabir would be so much better at this than me but I am not going to out him if there is anything to out.

"I don't know, I usually know after the first kiss."

"Exactly. Let's say hypothetically you kiss a man. The second you pull your lips away, you will know if you want to do it again. Just like any of your other kisses."

"Yeah but what's next? What happens after that?"

"I don't think that is a cousin-friendly conversation."

Rishabh looks at me pointedly.

"Okay jeez relax, look you don't have to think about it if you don't want to. If you kiss a guy and you want to kiss him again, you can do just that. Just always be honest about your intentions, by intentions I mean tell them honestly if you don't want to do more than kissing right now. Some people are okay being the subject of an experiment and some are not."

Rishabh nods, "Okay I think I can do that."

"So who is it?"

Rishabh looks at me then quickly looks away and sighs again, what is with him sighing so much?

"Promise you won't overreact?"

"Ok...ay?" I didn't mean for it to come out like a question but it does.

"It's Aman."

I choke on my drink.

"Oh my god are you okay?" That was Kabir's voice. When did he get here, shit how much of the conversations did he listen to?

"I am fine." I catch my breath and steal a glance at Kabir, I don't think he heard anything.

"What were you guys talking about?"

Oh.

"I was asking Rishabh how long he is going to stay in Delhi."

"Yeah Delhi, yup that is what we were talking about," Rishabh says and then finishes his entire drink in one go. Then he mutters I'll see you guys later under his breath and leaves.

"There is something wrong with him? Disha mentioned it too." Kabir says, frowning in the direction Rishabh left.

Okay now that I know what is going on with Rishabh I can't have these people, even Kabir asking him questions right now, not until he is ready.

"It's just work stress. You know he started something new and he is working but it's normal nervousness and anxiety that comes with a new start-up." It is happening with me so maybe it's not a complete lie. Maybe Rishabh felt the same way.

"Hmm, it's possible."

"Can you not ask him about it much, also stop Disha. I'll check up with him from time to time."

Kabir smiles at me, "You would do that?"

"You keep smiling like that and I'll do whatever you want."

Kabir wraps his arms around my neck, pulls me in and kisses me. "It's good, you guys want to work on your relationship, he made mistakes baby, but he is also human and not to forget but he was young, and he didn't understand better."

"Fuck, it feels so good." Kabir cried between his moans as I thrust deeper into him. I love spending my night wrapped around him or in him. "If you don't slow down, I won't be able to stop." He grips the sheet tighter, panting.

"Look at me, love."

Kabir opens his eyes and looks at me, the pleasure so distinct in his eyes, his lips are parted and beads of sweat cover his eyebrows.

"I love you so much," I whisper in his ears as I keep my pace, hitting the spot inside him that makes him go insane every time.

Kabir cries out and I feel warm liquid sticking out between our stomachs going all the way to his chest. He shivers and withers beneath me until his body is shaking with pleasure and I soon follow.

"I love you too," he whispers in my ears as his hands round around my waist and he snuggles deeper in me. He loves to cuddle right after sex, not caring about the mess we make on the sheets. I have lost count of the number of times we have woken up in the morning with dried cum on our bare stomachs or between his thighs.

Kabir came into my life as a hook-up I didn't intend to see ever again. But a part of me knew since that first night, I am not letting him go, and I never will.

----The End----