Arnav's fingers traced idle patterns on Khushi's waist as she leaned over him. He kept absolutely still as she kissed his cheek and smiled reassuringly as she blushed. When he raised his hand to brush her fringe from her face, she leaned into his touch and sighed. He pulled her down gently until her head rested on his chest and ran his fingers over her plait. He ached to unbraid it and tangle his fingers into its silky softness but resisted, settling instead for the feel of her as she snuggled into him.
"Arnav-ji?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Di told me ... told me about your ... m-mother's birthday," Khushi trembled against him, "I just wanted to say ..."
The rest of her words blurred as he remembered.
"What are you going to do? Are you going to destroy me? Even then, you won't be able to negate the love between Khushi-ji and myself."
Khushi let go of him as he swore. Arnav closed his eyes, breathing hard and trying to banish Shyam's words. His empty hands clenched into fists as he reined it all in, rejecting the full colour movie playing against his eyelids. Khushi in Shyam's embrace on the terrace, asking him to leave Di. His mother's scream. A gunshot.
Shut up. Khushi wasn't ... Khushi would never ... Shut up shut up shut up.
Long minutes later, Arnav sat up and glanced at his wife as she fiddled with the edge of her kameez. His hands shook with the need to hit something. To destroy something and give voice to the pain burning through him. Khushi didn't deserve this.
How do we even begin to heal?
When he reached for her, Khushi slid to the other side of the bed, refusing to make eye contact.
"We should head down for breakfast," he said softly.
She nodded, still staring blankly at her hands, and then eased off the bed. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, Khushi ran her hands over his jacket before throwing him a guilty look.
"My clothes suit you," Arnav tried to smile, "Were you cold last night?"
"No," she shook her head, "I just ... I wanted to feel c-close to y-y-you."
In no time at all, he was across the room and breathing in the sandalwood-jasmine scent of her as he held her tight.
"Spend the day with me," he murmured into her hair, "Everything else can wait, we can discuss it later."
He helped her out of the jacket as she nodded, but held her back when she turned to leave. Arnav leaned towards her slowly, holding her head to keep her still, and kissed her cheek.
"I missed you."
Her blush flared as she hurried from the room.
YOU ARE READING
Forgive Her Anything (IPKKND AU) #Wattys2016
Fanfiction(IPKKND AU) In love with his brother-in-law's mistress, Arnav Singh Raizada is torn between his duties as a brother and his feelings for a woman who could destroy everything he loves. After giving his wife a final chance to explain herself at the ai...
