||Vishu||

"Sometimes, you unknowingly hurt the ones you love, prioritising your pleasure"

I noticed my head was wrapped in a cloth that I assumed was previously white before soaking my blood when I woke up. The headache though mild was inevitable, which was triggered by my moments.

I made my way downstairs to stuff something for my growling stomach, after freshening up. It was hard to acquire sleep last night with an empty stomach and aching head.

"Vishu mone (son)" Patti (Grandmother) called as I passed the dining hall "Join us for breakfast"

The whole Nayanar family was seated down for breakfast, Hari my velliettan (literally Big brother; 1st elder brother) with his wife Radhika edathi (sister-in-law) and Dev ettan (elder brother) sat around the table.

Dev ettan (brother) looked over at me when my name was pronounced, with derision glint across his eyes. That man will never change.

I audaciously pulled a chair next to him triggering his shock. Flashing him a half-smile, I turned over my plate to serve myself idlis (a south Indian round rice dish).

Literally, everyone was oblivious to my head wrap. It was as if the thing soaked red was invisible. Radhika  Edathi's (elder brother's wife's; sister-in-law's) distress hid behind her all-knowing, all-suppressing smile, as she held out the bowl of Sambar (an Indian dish; veggie soup, used as a curry) for me.

Breakfast resumed in silence, no one discussed Dad's health or acknowledged my status. Leela Chechi (elder sister) cleared out the plates after us.

I was in a heck of pain as I sat myself down on the veranda, seeking peace. Attempting to soothe my apprehensions, I glanced towards the green fields stretched infront of the house.

In a corner of the mittam (ground area in front of a house), my eyes caught up to Nandini who was sweeping the dry leaves off the ground. Her hair was wrapped up in a drenched towel. It hung down her shoulder, barely holding her hair in. The dupatta of her saree was tucked in her skirt exposing her almond-toned belly.

A sight to behold.

"Bent over more" I teased winking at her.

I'm fully aware of how disrespectful it is to catcall a woman but I love how she reacts.

Her face flushed red, displaying signs of rage. She stood up straight fixing her half saree and held her chuulu (broom) in place before strolling towards me.

I quickly averted my eyes, predicting possible consequences. But surprisingly, she just huffed brushing past me.

That's new.

I sat there disappointed, took it too far, didn't I?

My head still killed me, hats off to my idea of getting peace in open air. Holding my head I climbed the stairs to my room. The blood-soaked cloth was glued to my forehead when I tried to pull it apart.

Dang it, it hurts.

I stuck out the piece of cloth away from me. Didn't know blood stains could stink. Pushing my hair back, I found a small cut on my forehead which was now brownish and dried. The cut wasn't deep, so I wrapped another clean white cloth around my forehead.

I made my way to the kitchen to return the borrowed white cloths that wrapped my head previously, PS. Clean ones. Entering it, I found Nandini propped up against the counter, her back towards me, engrossed in a novel.

She reads a lot.

I adore that about her. But in all, I adore her every little kurumbu (impish nature) and inspecability with a pinch of attitude.

She abruptly turned around when I coughed to gain her attention. My sudden entry caused dismay, she swallowed a large choru orula (ball of rice) which she held in her mouth. Soon she choked on it, gobbling it rapidly.

I rushed to hold her from behind. Can't afford lossing her to a choru orula (ball of rice).

Bending her around the waist, I gave her an abdomen thrust. She coughed, spitting out the choru orula (ball of rice).

She quickly pushed off from my grasp to clean up the mess, making me laugh at the size of the rice.

"Thank you" she whispered faintly, I barely caught her words. But she was attacked by hiccups just after those words left her mouth.

I watched as her bust heaved with the roll of her throat, her hiccups were adorable rings to my ear.

My wild thoughts in my wounded head took charge as I watched her fail ceasing her hiccups with gulps of vellam (water).

Conquering her against the counter, I snaked my arm around the base of her neck. And slowly, letting her mind process the details I smothered my lips onto her gasping pharynx.

I started bedding kisses on her nape, sulking and sucking it. I waited for a hiccup-less moan.

Its said if taken by surprise, you could halt those hiccups.

On the contrary, warm but painfully sharp droplets rolled through my cheeks. It soon dripped down my jaw casting me to look up at her.

She was weeping, Nandini's eyes were suffused with tears.

"Nandini" I called distressed.

________________________________

Thank you so much for all the votes and reads for my book.

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- Chigi