Bengal, Chatterjee Residence

Saudamini exhaled deeply, her sobs subsiding. 

Her eyes were burning as she attempted to flutter them open, goosebumps trailed over as the evaporating sweat was cooling down her vehement self. She was crying so abysmally that she had almost lost awareness of everything. Feeling herself wrapped around under the warmth of a pair of arms, and the hot breath falling on her face, made her dimly open her lashes. 

He was there. 

Panting softly, his hairs messed up as a few strands lingered on his forehead, lying beside her.

Close to her. 

His deep eyes reflected the dim yellow light, as it glowed softly, soothingly, his irises anchored upon her. There noses were almost on the verge of touching each other, she could feel his warm breath falling over her lips, suddenly recalling how those were all over her face a while ago, eagerly trying to kiss away her tears. Her lips parted open slightly, as she gazed on at her husband.

He saw....he saw what she had been stopping herself to expose since long. 

Pretending to be that hard, strong outer shell that was un-breakable. That's what she had been doing since two years. Hiding herself from the world so that no one could see what she was. 

A broken soul having no one to heal. 

She never wanted Anirban to see this side of hers. Never.....

Yet he was able to, and she couldn't stop herself. She couldn't stop herself. 

She wanted to show everyone that she needed no one, no one to deal with her sorrows, she was enough for her own. She needed none. None. Because no one would ever understand her, her pain. It was better to close of than let others make gossip about what they could never feel. 

For her, none was worthy. None was worthy enough to know her what she felt. 

She had closed her off so immensely, that she had forgotten who she really was. 

And this man....this man had seen her extremes. A self she had never known, to a self she had been hiding since so long. 

Why wasn't she able to stop exposing herself to Anirban everytime? 

Why? 

Someone she didn't knew longer than a few days, why was he affecting her so badly that she couldn't stop herself? 

He saw, he saw! He saw! He saw what she never wanted anyone to see! 

He saw, everything....

Her weak, vulnerable self. Desperate self trying to hold onto a twig like a little dried life trying shield itself from the ruthless wind. 

He saw her tears, her fragility. Her despairing need for someone.

She wasn't being the Saudamini he had known before. 

A bubble of resentment began to wash within her, as she stiffened momentarily. Her arm slipping around from his neck slowly, her lips curling within. 

What would he think about her now? 

A girl yearning for sympathy madly? Now, now would sympathize with her, feel sorry for her. 

Pity her. 

Perhaps, advise her that it is futile to cry over past, it wasn't wise to pay heed to what others say, why? 

Because, because that's what everyone said. To put up a smile on face and bear everything. Life was unfortunate with her, because of her own mistakes, why she should now cry over spilt milk?

Those words, which she's literally tired of hearing on repeat.

Those words of pity, sympathy, those snide remarks and their unwanted advices. 

She was tired of them....tired. She sucked on her lower lip, letting a tear roll down her eye.

And he, he too would do the same--

Her breath hitched involuntarily, as she suddenly felt him lean close to her, his palm sliding to her shoulder, drawing her close almost instantly. And before she could comprehend, a pair of soft, warm lips swept over her cheek, wiping away her teardrop. Her lips parted open, her heart skipping a thousand beat, as she exhaled deeply, but he didn't stop.

His fingers crept on to cup her cheek, tracing it with his thumb as he trailed his lips towards the bridge of her nose, placing fervent, feathery kisses around, making Saudamini feel that she would burst any moment soon with the vulnerability. 

That man always did the opposite of what she thought, everytime. 

How?

What was he even? 

He sometimes would stir a whirlwinds of emotions within her, just the moment she felt that he would never go beyond it!

Why did he want to break her stubborn walls which she had built around her? 

"Ani..." Her voice quivered, her bosom heaved, as her hand crept over his, that had cupped her cheek. Her heart raced and she felt like losing her momentarily when he kissed underneath her eyes, "I hate this." His voice was thinner than a whisper as the thunder ate away the sigh that followed. 

And Saudamini found herself frozen. 

What did, what did he say? 

"Heck, I hate this," He repeated, switching to her other cheek as he kissed away the remnants of her tears, making the latter halt her breath. Her lips parted, as she peered at her husband, pressing his lips down her cheek, making thousands of butterflies erupt in her pit, a storm of vehemence birthing within her. Again. He was doing it again. 

But, but this time....

He rested the tip of his nose with hers, firmly caressing her cheek for a while, making the latter close her already worn out eyes. Why was he like this? 

Always succeeding in erupting something within her? 

She parted her lips, fluttering her eyes open, to say something when she found him wrapping his fingers around her hand, trailing his thumb over her knuckles. The dim light lightly flickered on his face, his forehead slightly crinkled and brows knitted, as he gently began to slip out her bangles one by one. Giving a longing blink of perplex, she continued staring at him with her half open lashes stuck with tears. 

Saudamini felt herself shutting her eyes, light drowsiness dwelling upon her, feeling him undo her earrings silently. The resonance of the downpour hit the edge of the windows, with another slash of thunder rumbling. A trail of goosebumps ran past her, as she dug her head in the pillow a bit, firming her hold on it as he feathered his fingers on her bare waist, unhooking her waist chain.

She felt lighter, as she intertwined her legs, shivering slightly. She kept her eyes closed, not having the courage to open them for now, as myriad feelings whirled within her, sudden timidity crawling in. 

Fisting her palms, she angled her head further into the pillow, breathing out. Her eyes swollen and tired, her lips wet, her cheeks stained with tears and hairs sticking around her forehead, messed up. Anirban drew back close, wrapping his arm around her, and letting his fingers languidly sway away her sweaty hairs away.

He didn't knew why he just couldn't keep himself away from her. Not now. Not know, when he knew that she needed him, even if she denied. 

She needed him. She did. 

He had never expected to see this side of any girl; a girl made of a delicate glass, caged in a wooden box.

That was Saudamini. .

And he couldn't stop himself. He couldn't stop himself, anymore. For he cannot afford her to leave her alone. There was this jiffy of vehemence that overtook him, watching her like that. 

He watched her as she lay down silently, closing her eyes and breathing. Lying there, as he undid her jewelry, neither she protested nor said a word, letting him do what he wanted. And that swirled something within his heart which he was unable to name. His Mini was indeed unpredictable. 

Threatening to prick like thorns of a rose from afar, but each time he drew near, she appeared even softer than the petals. Thundered like the ruthless clouds but delicate than the drops of rains; she at times appeared colder than a blister, but warmer than ever. 

She wanted to hide herself from the world, but couldn't hide from him, as much as she tried. 

And he would make sure she would even stop trying hard to hide herself from him. 

Anirban brushed his knuckles of her palm, watching her squeeze her already shut eyes and dig herself more into the pillow, making his heart flutter momentarily. He held her slightly cold hand and traced his thumb over her fingers, bringing it close to his lips. His warm lips patterned over her icy ones, making her shiver for a while. 

Her henna designs were fading from her hands, and it was smeared over with alta now. A little smiled spread on his face, recalling how he was teased back at her house on their marriage day, the women asking him to find his name engraved on her palm, and he after a bit of searching found it. With a jubilant grin, he winked at Saudamini who was clearly annoyed that he found it so fast and he couldn't help but chuckle. He began kissing the tip of her crimson fingers, closing his eyes, relishing the feeling as he felt her breath erratically. 

Drawing close, he brushed away the strands of her hairs one by one, his knuckles caressing her cheek meanwhile. She exhaled a ragged breath as he began to nudge her nose with his, stroking the side of her neck with his fingers. Still she dared not open her eyes. He couldn't help but breathe against her lips, feeling her breath quickening at this, making a lopsided smile roll on his lips. 

His Mini...only his to love, his to claim. Only his right. 

He faintly smudged the corner of her lips with his thumb, feeling her startle for a while but with her eyes closed firmly, a sigh escaping from hers. Yet she didn't move, letting him pursue. 

Anirban leaned more, letting his lips just over touch her soft, slightly wet ones, inhaling her sweet breath. She exhaled more, parting her lips in retort.

His palm grazed over her shoulder to her back as he dipped his head more towards her, feathering his lips over hers and nudging his nose along. She sucked in an audible breath, slightly knitting her brows, angling away her head but the latter held her neck back, and tilted towards him, capturing her lips with his. He felt her hum in response almost instantly, easing herself down. 

Holy....

He guzzled softly with her upper lip, releasing it with a nip but enveloping it again, all the while stroking her neck, shoulder and back. He smiled with his lips on her, finally feeling her draw close to him and fist his shirt in her grip, feeling her reciprocate tenderly. He swapped down to her lower lip, slowly nibbling upon it, feeling a wave of ardour rushed passed him. It was something different, slow yet so ardent. 

All the time they had kissed, or he had kissed her was out of desire. 

But this felt so fervidly different, his stomach fluttered as he delved into the kiss more. 

Deep and ardent. 

He began feathering her back as their bodies pressed close to each other, he sided her long hairs, while kissing her lips at short spells. His fingers twirled with her blouse strings, feeling her stir briefly, yet she did not do anything. He started leaving sporadic kisses against the nape of her neck, her jaw, the corner of her lips and on her cupid's bow, making her pant softly, her cheeks turning warm.

He undid the last string of her blouse, leaving her back bare. He stroked the curve of her waist for a while, drawing to her back as he caressed it amorously. She drew closer, slightly lowering her head into his chest.

Pressing his lips on her cheek, he let it linger there for a while, tracing it above to rest upon her warm eyes, and against the bridge of her nose. His heart skipped several beats, as she rolled her head to rest against his shoulder, firmly holding onto his shirt, sighing deeply.

And for once, he again knew she needed him. More than anything else.

He held her closer, resting the tip of his nose over her head, kissing it softly as he feathered her softly, feeling her soothe down in his arms. 

And suddenly, everything felt so ethereally beautiful.

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

🙈🔥🙈🔥Mujhe ye Anirban chahiye bas....

Signing off for today!

Nushkie