"Please na, Naina... ab toh tumne seekh bhi liya hai." Sameer pestered Naina when she didn't answer for a few moments.

"Aur tum nahi chahati na ki main college mein aise jaun... matlab tumhare liye hi keh raha hun... ab malai ka katora tumhara hai toh dhyan rakhna padega na." He rubbed his jaw, looking at her through corner of his eye.

Naina was stifling a laugh, seeing him try to persuade her so hard... she would have done it for him without a moment's hesitation... she had remained quiet just to see what he says... and he had gone all out to make her see how important it was for him to shave...

She finally cracked up, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Ab tum aise hans kyon rahi ho... tum maan nahi rahi thi isliye keh raha tha main toh." He was conscious.

"Pata hai mujhe... kitna pyar hai tumhe khud se... mujhe bhi utna hi hai... tumse... mere malai ke katore... ab chalo." She pulled his cheek, walking up to the washroom.

Sameer applied the cream, giving the brush to her, "Ulta haath hai na mera, theek se kar nahi sakta... yeh bhi tum kardo na."

She started to rub the brush on his chin and jaw, carefully covering the area that had the dark growth. Somewhere in her heart, she felt sad at letting it go... but seeing how fast Sameer got it back made her feel lighter.

For him, it was nothing short of bliss... a mundane job that he hated to do regularly had suddenly become cherishable for him... he hardly took fifteen seconds to roughly rub the cream to make lather but Naina was doing it in slow, gentle strokes. She had kept one hand on the side of his neck, softly rubbing the brush against his skin... he was happy with the speed too, more the time taken, later will they leave.

Naina covered his entire stubble with the white foam, giggling as she looked at him.

"Kya hua?" He was perplexed, not seeing anything different as he was used to the sight of his lower face covered in froth.

"Ab tum sach mein malai ke katore lag rahe ho." She tilted her head, still smirking.

He looked at his reflection... his eyes crinkled up at the corners...

"Achha ab seedhe khade raho... late ho raha hai... aur agar zara sa bhi lage toh bol dena." She sobered up.

He was about to say something when she retorted, "Bas bol sakte ho... aur kuch sochna bhi mat."

The glint in his eyes, however, did not go away.

She picked up the razor, sliding it against his chin... it wasn't enough... even the foam didn't clear properly.

He raised one brow as she picked up the brush again to cover the part with foam.

She had done it once but was still apprehensive... fear of causing him any kind of hurt could not bring her to apply pressure on the sharp blades against his skin.

He could see the cautious movement... like the previous time, he covered her hand over the razor, and slid it down all the way from the chin to where the stubble ended on the neck.

She shivered, "Dh... dheere Sameer, gale pe kat gaya toh?"

"Naina, agar itna mushkil hota yeh kaam toh hospital mein ek ward alag se bana hota un sab ke liye jo shaving karte hue ghaayal hue hain... tumne aaj tak suna hai ki kisi ko choti moti kharoch ke alava kuch bhi hua hai?" He tried to relax her.

He was right... but she could not bear even a small cut on him.

"Tumko kharoch bhi nahi aani chahiye... isliye dhyaan se kar rahi hun... aur tum bhi dhyaan se hi kiya karo." She pouted.

He almost succumbed to the invitation... unmindful of his lips lost under the heavy layer that Naina had worked up generously.

"Seedhe raho na." She put a hand on his chest, seeing him lean towards her.

With a sigh, he straightened.

She started from the side of his cheek... getting back the exact pressure to bring out clean, smooth skin.

Her concentration completely on the task in hand, she kept clearing the white covering... moving her face right in front of him, breathing on his ear, her own lips changing shape as she cleaned his moustache in the end... gingerly using the razor on the small area...

The temptation got too much for him... and he cupped her face, eyes bridled with what he had in mind.

Naina was taken by surprise for a second... then saw the eyes... reflecting her face in the dark pupils... and felt a churning in her belly.

"Sam... Sameer... ho gaya shave." His face still had some slivers of white but that would go away when he took bath.

"Abhi kuch baaki hai." He said in a rough voice.

"Sameer, abhi kuch nahi... please tum naha lo na... humein jaana bhi hai." She squirmed to free herself from the arm that had come around her waist.

He held up the bandaged finger, "Kaise nahaun... yeh geela ho jayega." He began to unfold the plan.

Her heart jumped to her mouth.

"Oh... fir aaj rehne do... mat nahao... aise hi change kar lo." She managed in a weak voice.

He narrowed his eyes, "Main toh din mein do baar nahata hun... uske bina nahi reh sakta... isliye bina nahaye chalne ka koi chance nahi hai." His eyes were still dark.

Her mind started to buzz, deafening her ears... knowing what was coming.

"Aur agar yeh chot geeli hui toh zakhm pak jayega... dard bhi hoga aur zyada din lagenge theek hone mein... exams aa rahein hain... kaise likh paunga?" He weaved the web around her.

The onslaught of varied thoughts in her brain was making her numb...

How could she... he was asking for something she could not even do with closed eyes...

But he was right about the finger... if the cut worsened, it would be extremely difficult to write his papers...

The dilemma was maddening...

"Dekho meri taraf," he stepped back, leaving her, spreading his arms.

Her eyes slipped to his bare torso...

"Naina, main kal raat se aise hi toh hun aur tumhe koi problem nahi hai... toh abhi bhi main aise hi naha lunga... dekha hai na picturon mein... kaise sab aadmi gaon mein bahar baith ke nahate hain... bas waise hi." He had the plan ready.

Naina gulped... conflicting thoughts still raiding her... not able to decide whether to give in or force him to skip his bath.

"Sameer, uh... ek din agar nahi nahaya toh chalta hai kabhi kabhi... agar aaj rehne doge toh kal tak tumhari chot kaafi theek ho jayegi... please, maan jao na." She tried one more time.

"Naina, please, tum maan jao na." His voice was pleading and demanding at the same time as he dropped his hands, dipping his head to the side.

The confusion in her eyes was giving him some hope... it was not a determined 'no'... means he had a chance... he just had to put some more emotions into it.

"Chalo theek hai... rehne do... thoda bohot toh likh hi lunga exams mein... ab itni padhai ki hai toh pakka paas ho jaunga... aadha paper karke chod dunga... usse zyada toh likha bhi nahi jayega na jab ghaav gehra ho jayega... waise bhi har saal rank laana zaroori thodi hai...mujhe toh bas paas hone se matlab hai... woh kisi tarah ho hi jaunga." He played the final card.

Her eyes shot up. The sadness on his face was too much for her to bear... she had seen the efforts he had been putting in... by their discussions, she knew he was well prepared... she was sure of a good rank this year as well...

A mere cut on the finger was now threatening to spoil her dream... and his... he had been equally excited to see his name in the newspaper again.

He saw the play of emotions in her eyes...

God! Her eyes were so expressive... he could easily see her heart through them... the weighing of options... the pondering over outcome... the difficult decision...

He could read all of it... even before she spelled it out.

"Theek hai." Her voice was low... but soft.

He wanted to jump, fisting his hand in air... but managed to control himself.

"Lekin tumko bhi meri ek baat manni hogi." She did have a condition.

He stopped breathing.

"Bas paani se nahana hai... sabun ki zaroorat nahi hai... kabhi kabhi bina sabun ke naha sakte hain..." She crossed her arms.

His face fell...

It was his turn to give in.

She made him sit on the dice shaped stool... filling up the bucket.

He was about to say that he always took a shower, but stopped himself at the right time... it could be easily managed without using one hand... and he was not prepared to let this golden chance slip... though he would have preferred her soft hands rubbing soap on him, present scenario was better than getting nothing.

The idea was a masterstroke. He was lost in thoughts when he had picked up the razor, his finger touching the blade. He felt the sharpness, checking for any cut. Thankfully, there was none. But his mind drifted to the time when he had pierced his finger on a nail... Naina had gone out of her mind seeing the few drops of blood. She had torn her dupatta to tie it around his wound.

Her words still rang in his ears.

"Apna dhyan rakha karo, Sameer... chot tumhe lagti hai toh dard mujhe hota hai."

This time, he had a lot to gain if a small nick appeared on his finger... his brain had started to work. A cut from razor was easy... he just had to press his finger lightly in the opposite direction... it wasn't even a wound... just scraping of skin a bit... but being a razor cut, blood oozed out instantly. He was careful not to let the blade go deep... exams were as crucial for him as they were for Naina.

And his plan had worked... in fact, the idea of bath had occurred when she was shaving him... pressing her body close, breathing on his face, delicately touching his neck... the hair on his arms had stood up... not because of his state of undress of course. And the idea had taken seed... yes, she would ultimately give in if he played the cards right.

He had played well... sitting now in the shower area, with her bending to check the temperature of water in the bucket, he wanted to pat his back...

The splash of water on the shoulder made him gasp, bringing him out of the world he was in.

"Naina, thoda garam dalo na... main itne thande se nahi nahata." He shivered as the cold water trickled down his back.

"Isse bhi garam? Sameer, tumhe garmiyon mein toh thande paani se nahana chahiye." She had already added hot water... making it warmer than she preferred for herself.

"Haan, mujhe thanda paani nahi pasand... isse bhi garam chahiye." He wound his arm around her waist, "Isiliye mere dil mein pyar ki garmi tumse zyada hai."

Naina poked his forehead, "Aur dimag mein gusse ki bhi... yeh haath hatao... mujhe geela nahi hona."

"Geela nahi karna isliye hi rakha hai... patti pe galti se bhi paani nahi lagna chahiye na." He grinned.

"Sameer, aise kaise nehla sakti hun... main bheeg jaungi." She was too close to him.

He picked up half a mug of water with other hand and poured it over her dress, "Ab bheeg gyi... chalo chup chaap apna kaam poora karo."

She gasped loudly...

Sameer sat with lowered head, ready to bear another mugful of water. He didn't seem to be aware of what he had done. She looked down upon herself. Thankfully, the blue colour of her kurta did not make it transparent... but still it was stuck to her like second skin.

"Naina, aaj saara din mujhe bina shirt ke hi dekhna chahti ho kya?" His voice made her melt even more.

Quickly she poured a few mugs on him.

"Ahh... yeh kya mujhe dubane ki koshish kar rahi ho... zara dheere dheere, pyar se... aur sabun nahi lagana par thoda haath se toh... " He looked up at her.

"Sameer, tumhare sirf ek haath pe chot hai... apna dusra haath istemal kar sakte ho... main paani daal rahi hun... agar tumhe ek haath se sabun lagana hai toh laga lo." She glared, hand on waist.

He pursed his lips, "Achha, jaise marzi nehla do."

She poured water on his head, rubbing through the hair... cleaned his face, softly wiping off the traces of shaving foam on his neck as well... let the water pour over his back, watching the streaks run down on his fair back, making it glisten in the light...

Trying to ignore the storm within, she poured water down his chest... the mark over his heart had completely turned blue... she herself turned red thinking about how she gave it to him last night.

Unknowingly, her hand went to the one he had given her... that was also blue now... she had checked at the time of bath...

Sameer looked up when the water stopped coming... she had a hand over her heart... eyes having the dreamy look he had so often seen.

"Raat ki yaad aa gayi." He asked softly.

"Haan." She replied, still lost... and suddenly jerked out of her thoughts, "Nahi... mera matlab... bas ho gaya... ab tum uth jao."

She closed her eyes, turning away... scared that he would read her eyes again.

His arm still around her waist did not let her move away. He got up, pulling her, crashing her back into his chest.

"Naina, waise toh main roz subah khush hota hun yeh sochke ki tum meri biwi ban gayi ho... par aaj ki subah toh sach mein bohot special hai... tum meri ho iss baat ke liye main bhagwan ko jitna bhi thank you bolu kam hai." He leaned into her neck, brushing his lips against the soft skin as he spoke.