✿ Day 9 (2)

Atul leaned against the doorframe and watched Mira brush her teeth. Her hand and eye coordination were off so she had ended up dropping toothpaste all over the sink basin more than once. Eventually, he had to get the toothbrush ready and guide her wrist to her teeth.

She spit out the froth in the sink and grinned at him. "I'm done."

He pushed himself off the frame and headed towards her. "Okay. Let's clean your face now." He watched her with amusement as she propped herself onto the bathroom counter. She stuck out her chin.

"You want me to do it?"

She nodded, eagerly, almost like a child.

Smiling, he placed the white towel under the water before wiping the makeup off her face, carefully. When he noticed the black stains of mascara, his smile dropped. It was hard to remain happy, knowing about what she was going through and that the war still hadn't come to an end.

It was a very selfish thought but Atul didn't want her mother to make it. If she survived, Mira would still constantly guilt-trip herself and blame herself for the harsh conditions her mother was living in. She couldn't, no, she wouldn't abandon her mother no-matter what happened.

Maybe it was because she was her only family left.

Atul knew she had tried reconnecting with her grandparents but they wanted nothing to do with her. Her mother and father had gotten married without their permission. They belonged from different castes, her mother was a Brahmin (the priest class- highest class of all castes) and her father was a Dalit (the untouchables, the lowest caste).

If her mother no longer remained, maybe Mira would finally move on from the past. As of right now, there was a constant pull that was pushing her back towards India.

He carefully closed her eyelids, soft breaths tickling his skin, and wiped the smeared colors from her eyes. She was trapped in the past, the bitter words and cruel actions. They had been embodied by her.

It would be so much more easier to love Eliana. Mira was complicated, devastatingly broken, and heartbreakingly happy. How did she manage to see the light in this life was unknown to him?

The towel was stained with peach and golden. He dipped it into the basin of warm water, the colors left the cloth, swirling in the still water.

Lastly, he rid her lips of the dark maroon shade. She was looking at him with a curious expression. He carefully dapped the cloth on her lips, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration.

Mira began playing with his hair, twirling the strands between her thumb and forefinger. It was distracting but sweet. She mumbled once upon a dream which made cleaning her mouth a difficult task. He set the cloth aside and she grinned at him.

"Cuddle buddies?"

He chuckled while tying her hair into loose ponytail. She watched him with an expectant expression. "First you need to change, I'll get you something to wear."

She grabbed his hand. "No, I don't want to wear my clothes."

"Then what do you want to wear?"

With a sly smile, she pulled the ends of his shirt. "It's my favorite color."

He laughed, aware where this was headed. "And?"

"I want it!" She threw her hands around his collar. "Please?" Her feeble fingers traced the outline of the top-most button.

Atul swiftly pressed his lips against her forehead, her sweet breaths over his bare neck. "Whatever you want." He unbuttoned the first few buttons before lifting the shirt over his head. He wore a light grey knit shirt underneath.

Mira giggled as she took the fabric in her hands and buried her face into the shirt. "You smell good." Strands of curly black hair framed her heart-shaped face.

He grinned. "The wonders of cologne and a good shower."

She hugged the shirt, as though it were more precious than diamonds and all jewels in the world.

"You change. I'll go get some tea ready."

The instant he turned to leave, a hand had found his. Mira was blushing furiously. Her cheeks were stained red and her eyes were coy, perfectly lined with kohl eyelashes. Her hands was warm, feverishly warm. Atul's feeling were all over the place, seeing her in this confined space, the color in her cheeks, the brightness in her eyes. All of it was very tempting.

"Atul." Her voice was alluring, dripping with sweetness.

"I can't, Mira." He averted his eyes. There lines he wouldn't dare to cross, not when she was drunk, not when he was committed to someone else. If he had to accept her into his life, he would do it the right way. Not like a thief, not when fear and guilt was consuming him.

"But Atul, I see four hands. How do I know which one is mine?"

"I can't help you change, "

"Then don't look Atul. Please, I don't wanna sleep in these clothes. It make me feel stuffy."

The lights vanished. He had turned them off. Fiercely gripping her arm, he pulled her close. Warms hands skimmed over her shirt as he swiftly undid the buttons. Her breaths were heavy. Mira was thankful he couldn't hear her heart beat. Even in the hazy drunk state, she could feel the pain in her chest.

Why was she doing this?

He tossed the shirt aside. Feeling for her hands, he took the shirt from them. In the dark, he helped her arms slip through the sleeves. She could feel his hands shaking as he tried closing the shirt. Her lips briefly came in contact with his tensed jaw. It was an accident. Or that is what Mira liked to believe.

"I-I th-hink I can manage from here."

He left without a word.

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Atul led Mira to her bed, an arm tightly wound around her waist. There was a steaming cup of tea on the bedside table. Wisps of steam stained the air briefly. They walked slowly across the room. Mira savored the feeling of his proximity. Atul, on the other hand, was feeling vacant as ever. His eyes knew what his heart wanted and he wasn't happy about it. Either way, he would be hurting two of the most important people in his life.

Suddenly, Mira's foot collided with a sharp piece of metal. She yelped, moving back and her eyes widened when she realized what it was. She slipped from Atul's grasp as she sunk to her knees-her eyes brimming with tears.

The beautiful mirror with golden roses around its edge sparkled in the sparse light. The stars still glowed brightly inside the mirror and so was her name, her real name, Meera.

"Yuv. Yuv." Mira stroked the mirror gently. Tears stained the glass.

Atul kneeled down beside. "What's wrong sunshine?" He wiped her wet cheeks. "Who's made you cry now?"

"He was perfect, perfect." Mira whispered, more to herself than to him. "How could he do this to me? He was supposed to be my prince charming. We would dance to the streetlights and he would spin me around..... I-I cca-can't believe he dated me just because I reminded him of his dead girlfriend."

It was when she was drunk that all her walls came crashing down. Atul knew her so well not because she trusted him, but because her secrets and true feelings came pouring out in this state. It strange that she had never confessed her feeling for him, not before today.

She would flirt with him, be her playful self but this was a new side to her.

Smiling sadly, he realized why.

"No-one is perfect, Mira. Even the moon has its scars. It's easy to fall for the good parts but we have to love the wounds as well. It is then we can say that we fully love that person."

"Will he be able to love my scars?"

"If he knows pain just like you do." He cupped her chin, his warm brown eyes lovingly staring into hers. "There's no doubt about it."

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A/N:

Just randomly shuffling through the original draft of the ugly swan, I found this:

Pre-Climax: Atul finds out Mira's true feelings in the most embarrassing manner. (i.e. at a party thrown together for him by Eliana. Everyone at the party finds out about Mira's feelings.)

2. Mira is heartbroken. She rushes from the party before anyone can approach her.

3. She goes home, gets drunk, and calls Yuv.

4. Yuv takes care of her

5. Next morning, Mira is surprised to find him at her apartment.

Mira (ghastly pale, eyes wide): Did we... do anything?

Yuv (flustered): No. I wouldn't take advantage of you like that.

Mira (blushing and looks away): I wish you had though.

6. Intense Mira and Yuv make out session follows.

And it's official. You hate me. But seriously, the original plot for the ugly swan wasn't something that was....well, real. It was very fairytalish which isn't a bad thing. I had big writer's block for ugly swan then. Because it wasn't true to me nor the characters. Hence, the reason for the month long wait. I need to clear my head and look at the characters again.

Ok, before I bore you to death. Bye. Remember to comment (opinions and thought are very much needed) Goal: 20K reads or 130 comments.