|| Never Without You || [ The Tale Of Arjun-Draupadi ] (I)

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟹𝟽

Kaampilya, Paanchaal

"You didn't tell me yet. . . how am I supposed to love you, Krishnaa?"

Draupadi felt a stream of acute goosebumps erupting as his lips brushed against her knuckles; teasing, yet with a hint of tenderness that made her stomach somersault. Her heart closed towards her throat with the raspy whisper that made her heart thud faster, her eyes widened, and her lips parted. 

Arjun peered at her slowly with the curl on the corner of his lips, intaking her barely moving form.

He leaned gradually, his knuckles caressing past her cheek to push a few strands of hair behind her ear. She sucked in a deep breath, her lashes blinking down as if broken from the trance, "That. . .I-", her cheeks immediately changed color. 

"Hmmm?" Arjun raised a brow playfully. He bit the corner of his lips, spotting her fingers finding their way to the edge of her saree to twirl it, "Who-who asks such questions. . .?" Her lips barely moved as she trailed off, her cheeks turning hotter.

"Why? Am I not supposed to know?" He tilted his head slightly. 

Draupadi looked down at her lap and twirled the edge of her saree, biting her lower lip. 

"Didn't you ever think about it?" 

"Think about what?" She pretended naivety, quickly responding.

"This. . . about how your husband is supposed to love you?" Arjun tried to suppress a chuckle, seeing the priceless look on her face. 

"Huh. . . wh-who the hell thinks about all this?" Her cheeks were achingly hot by now, as she tried to free her palm again, which somehow or other always found its way into his.

"How am I supposed to believe it when you were the one who started it?" Arjun smirked slightly, half-leaning on the bed, resting against his arm. His innocent wife was extremely flustered, and he was loving every moment of it. Draupadi bit on her lower lip and looked down at her fingers rolling the edge of her garment as if it were the only thing that existed.

Only if she knew that trying to trick Arjun would cost her rather more, she would've happily let him win.

"You never thought what would happen once you're alone with your husband?" 

She opened her mouth to say something to keep her dignity, but closed it the moment her husband burst out laughing. 

Arjun threw back his head and laughed, having a slight slur from the intoxication earlier, as Draupadi stared at him in disbelief, and he couldn't help but laugh more. She blinked and looked around slightly, probably reminiscing about the number of times she fell for his teasing. 

And looking the most adorable as ever. 

His laughter died into intermittent chuckles, and by now he could feel a haze that was clouding his mind. He had not forgotten the feel of having her that close. . . yet not able to kiss her. 

And the way she looked at his lips, the flicker of desire that was swept away by bashfulness, the very next moment. 

He chuckled a bit more in befuddlement as he reached out and suddenly stroked her cheek with his thumb, making her flinch and gaze back at him. 

The last time he remembered touching something that soft was probably the petals of a blue lotus. It was hotter than he had expected, all thanks to his endless teasing, but all he could think of was how his lips would feel grazing against the warm blush. Her lashes fell slightly as he pushed aside her dark locks languidly, almost caressing them.