Delicate - A Rikara Tale (Completed!)

Sixteen - For better or worse

A/N: The wait was longer, but I am sure this will make up for it. I have an assignment submission due soon so this is shorter than I wanted.

Gauri had woken up at 6:30 am (quite late for her in her own humble opinion, she was used to being bathed and having her puja done by this time back in Bareilly) only to see her husband still in bed, a peaceful look on his face. She'd seen so many shades of his personality in the short time she had known him but she was still amazed by the intensity of the feelings that the man she was married to possessed.

Last night had not been easy for him, he'd woken up muttering things under his breath, bad words - he had admitted and he had looked so helpless that Gauri had told him not to worry about the fact that he had woken her up. She'd patted his back gently, still a little wary of touching him and smiled at him. Then, she'd poured him a glass of cold water from the bottle on the side table and handed it to him. He'd taken in reluctantly, not looking at her face, almost as if he was ashamed of the fact that he had woken up near screaming. Gauri had comforted him by telling him that it was nothing to be ashamed of, that his nightmares were proof that he had survived so much. She had then sat down next to him and, with a boldness that she used to have before Kali happened, she cupped his face in her small hands and made him look at her

"Do you think I am weak because I have nightmares about Kali?" she was almost proud that her voice did not shake, proud that she could touch her husband without flinching or being scared. Most of all, she was glad he had been there for her when she needed him and now she could be there for him. After all, was that not the most important about being in a marriage? Being there for each other, through good times and bad?

He shook his head and took a deep breath. "I've been a terrible person Gauri. There are things I have done that I am not proud of. I have been ignorant to my younger siblings and I have not been there for them when they needed me."

When he did not elaborate, Gauri smiled at him "That was then, but you can be there for them now."

After what felt like ages, Omkara smiled and took his wive's hands off his face and held them to his lips "How do I even deserve you?" and then he had kissed the palms of both hands.

Gauri had looked down then, her stomach feeling all strange and fluttery. She regained her composure in a bit and pulled her hands away from his gentle hold "I keep asking Shankarji how I deserve you. You are a kind man, you care about people. You saved my life, my Maa's life, you encourage me to study and you brought my Di back to me. I can never quite thank you enough. If there is anything I can do, please do not hesitate to tell me."

It was Gauri's turn then, to find her face cupped by her spouse's hands and made to look into his dark eyes and his calm face.

"You are a brave, smart and gentle soul Gauri. You saved my family and my life too. You make me want to be a better man. You make me want to paint again. You make me feel alive again. You owe me no thanks. Just the fact that you are here with me, willing to give us a chance is so much more than I could ever have hoped for." he admitted, almost breathless and overcome with so many things he felt and wanted to say but could not.

She could only smile at him.

They stayed there like that for a few minutes, cherishing the honesty and the stability that they had found in each other.

Gauri smiled at the memory and could not help but push Omkara's hair off his face.

He looked so serene, almost like one of his paintings.

Gauri shook her head and turned her attention to getting ready for the day.

First, a bath, then the puja. And then, her pehli rasooi.

She would ask Anika Di about what everyone liked to eat.

Excited at what the day would bring and looking forward to spending more time with her Di, Gauri rushed to the bathroom with her clothing.

---

Priyanka Singh Oberoi sighed, clutching her blanket close to herself and wishing, praying to anyone up there that she was stronger, braver, surer of her words. Like Gauri bhabhi.

But she was not and she was so scared all the time. She was tired of being so scared, so afraid of everything all the time. Somedays, she would feel afraid of stepping out of the house because she was afraid Ranveer would contact her again. But he had not for weeks and it made her so anxious that she was often afraid that her heart would burst out of her ribcage.

Priyanka did the only thing she knew she could. She cried into her pillow.

That habit had been her only constant. Her only safe place. Even though they lived in such a big mansion, she still felt alone in a room full of people.

----

Rudra woke up with his head pounding like someone took a jackhammer to it. He groaned loudly, pushing his head under the pillow in a vague hope that the padding of the pillow would stop the hammering. It did nothing and the pounding became louder. Rudra turned over to his side and grabbed the second, unused pillow to cover the pillow covering his head.

It was only when the pounding intensified and gained another dimension that Rudra sat up straight and unwillingly opened his eyes. The sunlight damn near blinded him and he wondered why the devil it was in there. He was hungover and sunlight could end him. Who had the gall to open the damn curtains? He looked at the slightly dented alarm clock on his side table and suppressed a scream when he saw it was only 7 am. He did not have any appointments today nor any meetings scheduled, then why was there pounding on the door and someone calling his name with that tone of urgency and authority. Someone that sounded like... Shivaay?

But Shivaay Bhaiya had the office and Anika bhabhi to tend to. When did he ever have time for Rudy anymore?

Rudra almost dismissed the possibility and was about to turn to the comfort of the bed (the only constant apart from the endorphins).

"Rudra Singh Oberoi open the door right now. Immediately."

And then, O's voice, betraying his irritation and impatience, a voice loud enough to be heard through the thick wooden door combined with the fact that his elder brother was using his full name made Rudra abandon all his attempts at thinking and run to open the dratted door.

His brothers stood there, a matching look of disdain and anger on their faces.

"There you are. Here, have this." Shivaay offered him a glass of something.

Rudra obediently took a sip.

He almost swore at the sour taste that hit his lips and tongue.

Lemon juice.

"Finish that. It'll help with that hangover of yours." Shivaay's tone was controlled like he was holding back the urge to yell at him.

On the other hand, O had this glacial look on his face. "We need to talk. Sit down, this is going to take a while Mr. Rudra Singh Oberoi"

That was the moment that Rudra knew he had fucked up.

---

A/N: So there you have it. Omri, some Obros action and a bit of Prinku.

I really feel bad for Prinku, I do. Can someone please explain the Priveer deal? I will be doing my own take on it, but it is always good to know what actually happened.

Upcoming: The Obro 'Come to Jesus' talk (aka Rudra gets scolded), Aniri bonding, PriRi and SaumRi.