My hearty apology for giving a deadline and not updating before that, especially to
NainaAgarwal230 .❤️❤️ Sorry to keep you all waiting.

Whatever written after '~' this is shetu's inner voice.

***

It was almost dawn when Batuk felt his throat dry. He opened his eyes groggily and looked around him. He was in his room, and then he craned his neck  towards her.

Ah! There she was sleeping, her head was lolled on her shoulder. Her left hand was still in his hair and right one on his chest clasping his kurta.
What is holding him like this about?

He lazily stood up, removing her hands.
"If she keeps sleeping like this, her whole body will pain tomorrow."
He pulls her by her shoulder and waist and laid her down on bed straightening her.
She stirred in sleep.

"Shh...shh...I'm just lying you down." He whispered caressing her head.
He crouched on the floor near her head and touched her cheek.
She flinched her nose getting irritated by her nosering.
Batakrishna carefully opened it letting it connected just via her hair, and caressed her cheeks.

" Shetu! What are you? So pure, so divine, like a newly developed rose bud." He looked at her peaceful face.  "What is it that you are hiding? What is bothering you? Who is he scaring you even in your dreams ?"
The thought of someone hurting her , boiled his blood in anger.

" Why don't you tell me? Let me help you. Maybe I could do something. I won't let anyone even lay a finger on you. Atleast ,share with me. This secret is eating you from within. Till when will you live such a life, scared and hidden?"

" Just give me one chance to help you, I can't see you like this. " A drop of tear dripped out of his eye.
"Just trust me once." He lowered and kissed her forehead. " Just once, Shetu! Please!"

After making sure , she was  soundly asleep, he left the room and went to study.

Subhashree was already there studying a thick book.
When he entered the room, she lifted her head to look, and seeing him, she smiled widely.

"Hey! Good morning." She chirped.

"Morning ! You look too happy today. Some good news? "

"Not really!" She grinned.

"Ohkay! Now you are creeping  me out." He looked at her suspiciously.

"Really, I thought you were the one creeping out others." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"What? What does that mean?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing . Nothing. Nada. Zilch." She said hiding her smile.

"Ohkayyyy I guess then, see you at breakfast." He turned back.

"Wait, what did you come for?"

"Oh yes, I had to give this to Dada." He put a scroll on the table.

"Alrighty." She squeaked.

" You should spend less time with your patients nowadays. I think it's messing with your head."

Subhalaxmi laughed out loud. Batakrishna left shaking his head.

***
"Where did I leave my nosering?" Shetukala searched everywhere in her room ,but couldn't find the nosering.
"I remember I didn't remove it before sleeping. Maybe it fell in his room. I should go and check."

She went to his room and knocked at the door.
" Daktar Babu! Daktar  babu!"
Not getting any response , she peaked in the room. It was empty. "I think he might be exercising on the roof. Shetu! Take it as fast and possible. Nobody will know you came here." She started searching for it in the room , over bed, under it but couldn't find it.

She entered the bathroom and looked everywhere ,but still in vain.
"Where have I left it? The only thing I had related to my old life is also lost now." 
She said sadly.

Her eyes fell on the laundry bucket in which she noticed yesterday's bedsheet. " I should once check in this too."

"Ah! There it is." She found it tucked in the bedsheet and clenched it in her fist touching her chest. "Oh Dugga!"

" I'm already so late, and this water supply has to get cut now only. Finally , it got sorted." Batakrishna barged into the bathroom, making her jump.

Not knowing what to do , she hid behind a cupboard kept for keeping bathroom accessories.

She peeked out of her hiding place and saw him, he started removing his clothes.
Her eyes widened and she hid back, her heart
thumping loudly in her chest. Oh no! Shetu! What have you got yourself into?
Okay ! Relax! Relax!
Don't move, don't make noise, don't breathe.
Let him take bath.
Once he finishes and leaves the room , I'll go out.
Easy! right! Easy ! yes!

~But he is just a few steps away , without clothes.

Oh ! Will you please just shut up! No Shetu! Don't think about it. Don't! Don't!

~Partially or maybe completely naked! Just a few steps away! 

No shetu! Don't listen to yourself. He is a gentleman, yes a good man.

~ So good men take bath with clothes on?

You just---

"DADA!!!!! BOUDI!!!! MANI KAKI!!!! DADA!!!! THE SHOWER WENT OFF!
DADA!!!"

Shetukala's already racing heartbeat took a faster pace. She felt as if she would black out anytime.

"DADA!!! BOUDI!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME? I HAVE SOAP ON MY FACE."

What do I do? What do I do?
Please someone listen to him.

"IS ANYBODY LISTENING? Oh God! I'll be getting a good scolding today."

Should I tell him that I'm here, and call someone for his help then?

~And getting yourself caught red handed , watching him bathing?

I ....I didn't. Don't lie.

~But when he came in , you could have said that you are here.

I...I just panicked. I-- 

"Oww! Owww! Ouch! DADAA! The soap went into my eyes."

Oh no! It must be hurting.
I'll do one thing.

~ What? Join him! 

Whatt!!! Noooo!!! I'll.... I'll go out secretly and tell Boudi that I heard him calling  Dada.
Yes! Perfect!

~He won't see you going out?

He has soap in his eyes . He can't.

~I'm not getting good feeling.

Just, just, zip your mouth. Let me do this.

Shetukala tiptoed towards the door, with her left hand on her eyes.
Don't make noise. Dont make noise. Easy ! Easy!

Shetukala's anklets jingled alerting Batakrishna, who was standing facing the wall. Batakrishna turned backwards and as soon as he tried to open his eyes , they stung with soap. "Ouch! Who- who is there?" Said Batakrishna trying to hide himself, and moved his hands aimlessly, searching for the towel .

Shetukala panicked and almost ran, but her feet slipped on the soapy water, and she fell towards the shower area. Involuntarily , a scream escaped her lips,  and she collided with his chest, grabbing him by shoulders.
Instinctively, his shoulders grabbed her waist to steady her.
She closed her eyes again in fear.

"SH-SHETU! You- you here??  Wh-what are you doing?"
He hugged her tightly, pressing her face to his shoulder to hide her sight. " D-don't look at me. I ain't wearing clothes."

Shetu wriggled in his arms trying to get out of his clasp. "I am not looking at you. My-my eyes are closed. Shottii!"

"What are you doing here?" Said Batakrishna still not believing what was happening.

" I....I...I...." She felt herself unable to breath, first his torturous skin to skin proximity , and then he was pressing her so hard , to his shoulder, her mouth and neck dug in his neck, almost smothering.
"Leave ! Leave ! I can't breath." She said breathlessly trying to push him away

"You won't look right?"

"Noooo! I ....I am not looking. My eyes are closed."

"First, give me a towel." Batakrishna removed his hand from her head
freeing him.

"Wh-where it is?"

" On the hanger."

Shetukala rummaged in darkness with her eyes closed, towards the hanger and pulled out the towel from it. She passed the towel to him. "Take it."

Batakrishna took the towel and wiped his face with it. He opened his eyes, still burning a bit with soap but tolerable. He tied the towel to his waist, covering his lower body.

She was standing with her eyes closed tight, her hands fidgeting as usual whenever she was nervous, her white cotton saree became dampened,  wet blotches forming at her front with the soap that rubbed on her from him.
He pulled her again by his waist. Shetukala gasped and encircled her arms around his neck, trying to  prevent herself  from falling on the slippery floor.

" Now tell me , why are you here? " Batakrishna asked her in a husky voice, looking at her curiously. He had never thought even in his dream, that he would find themselves in such setting with her. Now that this has happened, he can't let go her without getting his answers. " Watching me take bath? I didn't know you have such not so innocent fantasies. If I had known, I wouldn't have denied you." He smiled teasingly.

"No, no no no no no! I....I....didnt see you taking bath. I just heard
you. No , no I mean I--I just was standing there behind the cupboard, not looking at you. "

"Open your eyes Shetu!"

She shook her head in no.

He gripped her chin firmly and spoke against her lips.
" Look at me sweetheart." Shetukala slowly fluttered her eyes open to see him, his hair still dripping water , and face smeared with some soap lather on edges near his hairline. His eyes were dark and deep, dangerously gorgeous.
"Hmmm, so you came to watch me bathing, but didn't 'see' me , just 'heard'." He said emphasising on his words. She turned beetroot red at his words. 

"I didn't  come to watch you. I came for this." She showed him the nosering. " I ....I had lost it. So I...I came here to find it."

Batakrishna felt almost disappointed.
Did he want her to come for some other motive?
Whatever the reason be, the end result is satisfying.
She was in her arms.

He eyed at her nosering. "Ah! There it is . My sautan!!"

Shetukala giggled at his words. "What do you mean?"

"I am so jealous of it."

"Jealous? Of my nosering?" She giggled again finding it very funny. "Why?"

"Because....." His voice turned deep, almost whispers but the silence in the bathroom amplified it, "... because
.... it .can .touch. you. here...." He brushed the tip of his nose at hers  giving eskimo kisses. He traced it to her piercing, "....here" ,  moving to her cheek, "....here" and then ultimately nuzzling at the corner of her lip, making it quiver.
His lips soon found their position, brushing on her lower lip, "....here" His warm breaths tickling her lips.
"Only I have the right to touch them. Nothing else."

Shetukala's grip tightened around his neck, her knees would have buckled long ago, had he not held her in his strong arms.

Batakrishna traced her lips softly in feathery touch first, and then grasped them in between his, memorizing her very fine lip lines , by the ravenous stroke of his lips.

He pushed open her velvety labials, with his tongue finding refuge in the recesses of her warm mouth.

As if rousing from a deep slumber, her own lips took the charge, kissing him back. Her tongue, dueling with his ,sometimes submitting , sometimes dominating as if not able to make up its mind. Her hands gripped his hair at the back of his head , her nails softly scratching his scalp, sending a delicious shiver down his spine.

After a long sensuous clash , they pulled back catching breaths, but close enough to feel each other's warm puffs.
"Shetu!" His voice was breathless, " Yes, I am jealous. I am jealous of every damn thing, that keeps you away from me."
He placed soft open mouth wet kisses on her chin, tracing her jawline making her go all frantic, and reached at her ear.

"Of these jhumkas, which don't let me do this." He took her earlobe in his mouth, earning a sweet moan from her lips, nibbling it between his lips. The minty smell of his soap was swindling her sanity. She could no more keep her eyes open and clenched them tightly. The loss of the sense of sight, heightened  the pleasure of his tactile ministrations on her vulnerable body, manifold.

After torturing her to his heart's content, he left her earlobe and nuzzled her neck, " Of these silky black tresses which keep touching you here, teasing me, mocking me on my fate." He placed soft wet kisses on it.
Shetukala let out a raspy moan ,pleasing him. Her hands slipped down on her shoulders,  and then to his sculpted chest, the soapy lather removing the friction on his ripped pectorals.
He let out a satisfied grunt at the back of his throat at her needy touch.

Natural not intentional !
Natural not intentional !
Natural not intentional !
She chanted feeling him getting hard at her touch , and herself could feel her core throbbing with unfamiliar need.

He moved downwards towards her sheathed bosom, "Of this saree, which---"

The shower started instantly pouring cold water on both of them, breaking their daze. Shetukala gasped and turned facing her back towards him. He let out a frustrated groan at this unwanted interruption and moved his hand pushing his hair back on his head combing his fingers in them.

He turned off the shower knob. " Shetu! Shetu...I..."
Shetukala getting her clue , pulled up her saree a bit from her ankles and moved briskly out of the bathroom as fast as she could without slipping again on the soapy floor.

***
At the breakfast , Shetukala tried not to look at Batakrishna , as the morning incident was branded in the back of her mind , making her nervous in front of her.
She could feel as if his gaze still lingered on her nosering, she was wearing.

" Do you want some more juice? " Asked Bondita to Subhalaxmi.

"No, I'm fine. By the way Shetukala , I was hoping we could put a nickname for Batuk."

"Nickname ?" She  asked hesitantly.

" Yes, why not."

"What is the need? Already my name has been shortened from batakrishna to batuk. I don't need anymore." Said Batakrishna.

"Oh! There is a dire need."

"Have you something funny in mind?" Asked Bondita curiously.

"I have a few names in my mind."

Now even Anirudh was also interested in the conversation. Subhalaxmi always had some mischiefs going on in her mind.

"Like?" Asked Shetukala.

"How about flag pole?" She said biting her inner cheek to control her laughter.

Anirudh's eyebrows rose.

"What kind of name is that? No! I know I'm tall but no , not this."

"Oh wait! I've got a perfect one."

"And that is?"

"Vlad , the Impaler." She beamed.

Batakrishna choked on his food while Aniruddh spat his juice .

Bondita and Shetukala were quizzically looking at everyone. Anirudh wiped his mouth with a napkin and said," Bondita , come to study. I've some urgent work." He dragged a confused Bondita with him.

Batakrishna was still coughing , shetukala came to him and rubbed his back.
He held her hand pulled her down and whispered in her ear with fury.
"You told her?"

"What?" Said Shetukala trying to remove her hand from his grasp.

"About yesterday morning incident."

"Uhh....I....I did. She only told me it was natural. And not intentional."

Batakrishna gritted his teeth and closed his eyes , his face turning red in embarassment till neck.

Subhalaxmi amused at the effect of her words.

"Shetukala , how did you like the name?" She chirped.

"Well, I didn't actually understand the name. But it seems good. It sounds powerful but a bit long. Nickname should be short. Right?"

" I don't think short ones are appreciated. Batuk! Do you want it short or long?"

His jaw ticked and he stood up from the chair. " I've some work." He mumbled and almost ran to his room.

Subhalaxmi who was yet stifling her snickers now burst into full blown laughter.
Shetukala let out a nervous laugh , not understanding anything.

Glossary: Impaler means something that pushes sharp object into something.

Vlad was a ruler in Romania, known for his tortures by impaling the culprits.

I hope this doesn't ruin the joke😬.

So, my not so innocent cute readers,  Do tell how was the chapter, and don't forget to vote. thank you 😘😘😘