Song of the Chapter: Jeene Laga Hoon - Ramaiya Vastavaiya
People say that there are near death moments that make a persons life flash before their eyes. Dhruv Singh Raizada was currently having his rather unsatisfactory life flash periodically before his eyes.
Dhruv saw Arnav emerge from Khushi's room and knew it was game time. Standing, he cleared his throat and began to approach Arnav, who's back was turned, ready to initiate phase two of Anjali's master plan. To taunt Arnav into a confession.
Readying himself, he approached Arnav wearily. Before he could reach him however, Arnav turned and stared right at Dhruv.
Aaaand this is where Dhruv's life flashed before his eyes. Arnav's expression changed into one that Dhruv had never seen on his face before, primal rage, and he began to stalk towards him. Dhruv's eyed widened into saucers and he made a sprint for it, jumping over the couch to reach the exit before Arnav reached him.
He vaguely heard Arnav curse loudly and Dhruv only breathed a sigh of relief once he'd reached the car outside and leaned against it panting heavily.
It was a little while later that the family, minus Arnav and Khushi, came outside.
"Hum mandir jaa rahe hain. Voh kya hai na, hum Khushiji ke sehet ke liye ek pooja karna chathe hai, toh hum aate hain teek hai? We're all going to the temple. You see, we want to do a prayer for Khushi's health, so we'll be back okay?"
"Main bhi chalunga Di! I'll come too Di!" Dhruv said quickly, catching sight of Arnav walking towards the door.
"Acha! That's great!" Dhruv nodded frantically in response and began to shove everyone into the car quickly as Arnav's form grew closer and closer.
"GODDAMN IT MOHAN DRIVE!" Dhruv roared, finally leaping into the vehicle himself and breathing a sigh of relief as the frightened driver stepped on it and Voldemort -- Arnav was left behind.
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Khushi was angry. Angrier than she had been in a while. She had just bathed, in LAAD GOVERNORS BATHROOM hai Devi Maiya help her, and now was attempting to get dressed. Key word being attempting. It wasn't going so well at the moment.
Firstly, Khushi was tormented with thoughts of what Laad Governor had done in that very same shower, which weren't very appropriate thoughts to be having about her sisters brother-in-law to begin with, but to make things worse Khushi couldn't tie the dori at the back of her suit.
Her hands stretched and stretched and she could feel the pain in her stitches. Gasping slightly, she automatically let her hands fall to her sides, bunching in the chiffon fabric of her blood red anarkali. The suit seemed fancy, very fancy, not something her mother and father could afford with its intricate designs.
"Anjaliji," she called out, loud enough for anyone downstairs to hear. At the same time, she hoped and prayed that Laad Governor - Arnav wouldn't hear instead and come hurrying up to his room to investigate.
She sighed and called for Anjali again when there wasn't a response and began to attempt to tie it herself again, only to have warm hands replace hers and begin to tie the dori.
She tensed as she felt the fingers began to deliberately and slowly brush over hers. It was then that Khushi realized, with a pang, that these fingers were too rough, long, too masculine to be Anjali's.
She gasped and turned to see Arnav himself standing immediately behind her, hands still poised in position. She backed up in shock and felt her back hit the door of his cupboard.
"Careful!!" His warning rang out a moment too late. Khushi jumped and glanced back at the door behind her, surprised at its placement.
"Aap. Aap yahan kya kar rahe hain? Wh-wha-what are you doing here?" Khushi whispered, her hands fluttering self consciously over her form, once again lacking a dupatta.
" Main - uh - tumhari madat karne ke liye...? Uh- I. I came to help you with the- you know." Arnav said gruffly, running his hand through his dark locks. His jacket had been discarded and his sleeves were rolled up midway, tie loosened.
" Humne Anjaliji ko bulaya tha. I called Anjali." Khushi said softly, her tone not accusing, but not giving anything away either.
Especially the erratic thumping of her traitorous heart, who just couldn't get over the acidity.
" Di ghar par nahin hai. Sirf main aur Hariprakash hai. Aur maine socha ki Hariprakash ke age mera number ayega. Di's not home. She went to the Mandir with Nani to do a pooja for your wellbeing. It was either me or Hariprakash. I assumed that you'd prefer me." Arnav said shrewdly, recovering from his momentary nervousness, smirk back in place, arms crossed over his chest.
His muscles seemed to protrude from his rather tight, almost indecently so, shirt and Khushi felt an irrational surge of jealousy travel through her at the thought of other women in his office admiring him as she was now.
" Toh aao. Yahan aao. So come on over here, and let me finish that up." He said, his smirk now so wide that a sliver of his straight white teeth could be seen. His arms were wide open and his hands beckoned to her. He seemed to ooze masculinity and unintended sensuality. Khushi ached for nothing more than to run into the warmth and security that his embrace presented- wait what? No she was fine where she was thank you very much.
Before she knew it, or had even begun to register what she was doing, her feet were carrying her towards him. She stopped before him, eyes trained on the few top buttons of his black shirt that had been undone, providing a tantalizing glimpse of the marble carved physique that must lie in wait beneath. Hai Devi Maiya, what on earth was she thinking?!
He grasped her shoulders, gently turning her so her back was to him and once again began to tie her dori. Khushi pretended not to notice the teasing trails of fire his fingers left as they deliberately, or accidentally she didn't know, brushed over her back.
She only realized that he had finished when she felt the absence of his warmth from behind her. She slowly turned to face him, now taking her dupatta from his waiting hands and draping it over herself, and glanced up at him.
" Shukriya. Thank you Arnavji." She whispered, her eyes averting as her cheeks blossomed with colour.
Arnav's smirk got wider and he nodded in acknowledgement.
"Don't mention it Khushi." He replied and she opened her mouth to protest, not realizing his meaning.
"Khushi!" He said sharply, cutting her off before she could begin.
"I meant you're welcome, it was no trouble, any time. "
Khushi nodded and Arnav shook his head in amusement before placing one of his large hands on the small of her back and leading her out of his room towards the stairs.
Khushi stared up at him, not believing that this was the same man who had dropped her from his office window, degraded her multiple times, forced her to watch him get engaged to another woman. But her heart told her that indeed he was. He was the same man who had saved her from the speeding car that night, caught her when she fell from the ramp, held her while she cried in his arms, talked to her about the stars, and made her heart speed up every time he was near.
Khushi was so lost in her admiration that she didn't even realize when she lost her footing on the stairs. She yelped, and prepared for the fall and more stitches, when she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist tightly, hauling her up against a muscular frame.
She opened her eyes to glance up at Arnav Singh Raizada as he stood, holding her in his arms.
"Careful damn it. Dekh kar nahin chal sakhti. Can't you watch where you're going? Gir jaati toh!? What if you had fallen? Kuch hojata toh? What if you had broken something? You scared me!" Arnav growled down at her and Khushi felt the familiar racing of her heart begin again.
"That's it. I'm not letting you walk down or up the stairs anymore. Who knows what you'll do to yourself. Unbelievable man." Arnav snarled as he stooped and scooped Khushi up into his arms.
"ARNAVJI! Chodiye humein! Hum chal sakhte hain! Put me down! I can walk! I'm fine! Arnavji!" Khushi gasped, struggling in his arms while he settled her more comfortably within the confines of his protective embrace.
"Khushi! Bass, rehne do. It's a moot point. Drop it." Arnav advised, tightening his arms protectively, as he began the descent down the stairs. Suddenly he froze and stared down at Khushi for the longest time. There was an intensity to his gaze that unnerved her.
It took a minute for her to realize what had unsettled him and when she did, colour flooded her cheeks again. She slowly reached her tiny hand up, curling it securely around his collar, grasping the fabric properly in her small hand.
A coy glance upwards told her Arnav was smiling, a full blown smile, and had begun his descent again, arms tightening around her once again, this time with a sense of possessiveness as though she was his to carry all day if he wished.
