Rikara Redux: OS#22 The Letter pg 17

Hey guys! My name is Meghal and I love writing stories on RiKara from Ishqbaaaz!!!

I was always a Shivika fan (and still am to an extent) when I started watching Ishqbaaaz. Never had I ever thought that Omkara was hero material or that his love story would be worth watching. So, when DBO came out, I royally ignored it and remained in Shivika land. But, then during the Shivika separation following the Veer track, I began to find the episodes really boring and depressing. So, on an impulse I searched up Dil Boley Oberoi on Hotstar and watched the first episode, curious to see what had exactly transpired between Om and Gauri and what was their love story. And I was hit with the full force of the RiKara magic unprepared! What attracted me the most was that their love was based on friendship.

Omkara became that sexy hot guy with a long flowing mane of hair, radically different from the way I saw him in Ishqbaaaz and Gauri was the cutest chirayya I had ever seen as Chulbul.

DBO will still remain my favorite phase of the Rikara relationship because it is there that I got to see and explore their relationship. In Ishqbaaaz, there have had their ups and downs in terms of screen presence and story, but no matter what, Dil Boley RiKara!😛❤️

I am sure many would agree with me when I say that a lot of aspects of Om and Gauri's relationship has never been explored like their past, their misunderstandings, their compatibility, Om's repentance, their life as a married couple. Like any fan, I would have loved to see these scenes on TV, but since that isn't possible (hope it happens in the Redux though) I have settled for the next best thing : One Shot stories on my babies❤️

So, here is a list of my OS collection! Some OS are continuations of the storyline on the show and some are fresh concepts with altered characters, so take your pick! I have tried something new with each one of them and I hope you will enjoy reading them just as much as I loved writing them!

INDEX:

OS#1: A Beautiful Night pg 1

OS#2: School Days pg 1

OS#3: A Peep into the Past pg 1

OS#4: Come Back to Me pg 1

OS#5: The Adventures of C & D pg 2

OS#6: First Impressions pg 2

OS#7: It Happened That Night pg 2

OS#8: Pappa-Papparazzi pg 3

OS#9: High Above the Ground pg 4

Series:

OS#10: A Train of Conversations pg 4

OS#11 Midnight Charm by the Pool pg 5

OS#12: Save the 'Date' pg 5

OS#13 The Dance of Jealousy pg 6

OS#14 Daredevil pg 8

OS#15 The No Pros Only Cons List and Firsties pg 9

OS#16 A Fabric of Scandals pg 11

OS#17 Mocking the Dream pg 13

OS#18 Love and all that Jazz pg 15

OS#19 Daastan-e-Om Gauri Om pg 16

OS#20 Engaging in a Promise pg 17

OS#21 Coffeee pg 17

OS#22 The Suitcase Part 1: The Letter :/ pg 17

😆First one is below!

This is a cheesy OS, coz I was missing some romantic scenes between the couples these days. Love the direction in which the REDUX is taking us, but here is something to reminisce the old Gauri and old Omkara. Hope you guys enjoy!!

OS#1: A Beautiful Night

"Come now"

A simple beep of the message brought Gauri out of her conversation with Annika and made her blush with a pink that was too prominent to be hidden from her jiji's watchful eyes.

Annika smiled, knowing exactly who had messaged Gauri and what the message contained. She was protective of her little Chutki, but she wasn't one to pry. So, slowly getting up from her comfortable spot near the pool side, she nudged Gauri in the direction of her room and left to find her own husband for some much needed quality time.

Gauri hesitantly walked towards her room. She had known that her Omkara ji was upto something. Since morning, he had had this goofy grin on his face and had winked at her every time she had looked at him. Omkara was never one to flirt. He was quiet, subtle and honest. That was what she loved the most about him his simplicity. But the accidental, coincidental brushes in the kitchen while she was preparing breakfast were another story altogether. Then there was the footsie underneath the dining table where she had just managed to cover up the situation in front of the family lest they know the shennanigans her naughty husband was up to. In their room, he was no less. He had wrapped his strong hands around her in front of the mirror while she was brushing her hair and had gently placed a kiss on her shoulder blade. She touched the place he had so lovingly kissed, still feeling the scorching heat that radiated from that sensitive spot on her skin. After almost a year of their marriage, he had discovered quite quickly all of her weak spots and had used them to his advantage this morning. Under his smoldering gaze through the mirror while he wrapped her tight in his arms, he had whispered an I love you' and then promised to make tonight special for them. She wandered what it was about tonight that had him all worked up and excited. Sure, she was excited to see him so happy, but she wondered what was in store for her.

As she stood at the brink of the entrance to the room, she felt a note on the knob of the door. Curious, she lifted the cover of the note and read her husband's elegant, artistic writing.

"You look beautiful in everything that you wear, but tonight, I want to see you dressed in my color. Please wear this gift.

Gauri turned to the bed to see the most beautiful red saree laid out with matching jewellery and sandals. Her heart swelled with love for the man who had thought out this surprise for her. He had chosen to color her red, her favorite color. As she saw her reflection in the mirror with the saree, she could not help but feel a little sensous in her skin. The blouse was a backless sheer chiffon drape that perfectly cupped her breasts as long as she did not sag. The drape of the saree was also somewhat revealing with her creamy waist in full view. And the matching silver earrings only accentuated her graceful neck as she readied herself for her husband's surprise.

There was a note left near the saree with Omkara ji's classic signature. Blushing yet again, she opened the note to read her shayar husband's way with words.

"I can't wait to see you. I want to share this moment with you in a place that I know will make it more meaningful and magical. Come to the secret basement. I am waiting for you.

Secret basement? She was shocked to say the least. She hadn't expected this out of all the scenarios that were playing in her head. The last time she had gone to the basement was with Omkara ji, when they were trying to figure out Svetlana's secret. Confused, she used the secret passageway to enter the basement, closed her eyes and jumped.

She expected to land on cool, rusty basement floor, but what she felt was a soft velvety touch that felt soothing against her skin. Gauri opened her eyes to see that she was enclosed in a bed of rose petals and still more petals were falling from the ceiling as they caressed her face and fell in soft circles around her. Instantly, she smiled. This was what Omkara ji had planned but where was he?

She stood up and slowly made her way to the main room of the basement, only to stand there shocked and overwhelmed with what she saw. The room was covered in a hundred different fairy lights which all met towards the center of the ceiling, from where a huge chandelier hung. The lights were dimmed to create a dreamy romantic atmosphere as a thousand different candles were arranged in the center of the room.

Omkara stood to the side of the candles exquisitely dressed in an off-white sherwani that outlined his physique and made him look like Prince Charming to his beautiful princess. Taking in her beauty and her shocked and overwhelmed expression at his arrangements, he smiled and made his way to her.

He had to touch her and so, he encased her in his arms from the back and slowly kissed the back of her head as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear. Today, he was going to give her the special treatment she deserves. Today he was going to make her feel like a queen.

Together, they made their way to the candles centered in the room and knelt down facing each other, hand in hand.

"Gauri, a year ago today, I saw you for the first time. In my anger and hatred, I didn't notice your innocence, but I still remember the fierceness and determination in your eyes as you rocked that bulldozer on my car. I wanted to destroy that faith and zest for life back then, like how it had destroyed me. But you wouldn't back down, not for a second, not you. And something sparked in my heart then. Gauri Kumari Ssarma. Somehow, I knew you would be the death of me. In my heart of hearts I knew. Then I saw you with Kaali and I misunderstood. With a sheer twist of fate, we got married. But I was too far gone in my misunderstandings to be able to understand you or love you. It took me time and took you pain to travel the distances that had been built between us. But here we are together and so in love. I could not have imagined my life without you, meri Chulbul...I love you.

Tears had not stopped falling from Gauri's eyes as she reminisced the day she saw her jattadhari hippie run his car through her shop with wild rage. Even in her anger, she felt sympathy and a connection with him. His rage was unparalleled, but she knew it wasn't his own. Even then, she knew, she understood.

"Gauri, the day we got married, I was unable to give you even half a marriage. To save you, I faked the pheras and claimed you as my wife only to abandon-" Omkara sighed. This part was always difficult. "abandon you there with your sick mum. Today, I want to rectify all my mistakes. I want to give you those seven promises that I failed in the past. Om's voice dropped to a whispered as he looked into his wife's eyes. "I want to marry you again. Will you?

Gauri smiled and nodded to choked up on tears to speak. It was like her dream had come true. Even though there was no pandit or a crowd or a mandap, this set up and ambience was her dream. She was renewing her vows with the person she loved. What else could she have asked for?

Om extended his and led his chirayya towards him as he began to speak with a slight quiver in his voice.

"Gauri Kumari Sharma, I promise to provide wealth and happiness to you and our unborn children for as long as I llive. I pormise to hold you and love you till the day I die and even after that. I promise to respect you even when I don't understand you in good times and bad. Gauri I promise to always trust you no matter what situations unfold in our lives. I promise to protect you from all the problems that will come our way. I promise to hold you above everybody else in my life. Lastly, I promise to always remain faithful to you and only you.

Gauri's tears made their way down her cheeks as she launched herself in her jattadhari's arms. Never had she felt so content and so complete as she did in this one moment. Today, she truly felt like she had won.

Om wrapped his hands around his petite wife gently rubbing her back as she quivered in his arms. He knew how much these promises had meant to her and having given her the seal of marriage that she rightfully deserved, he truly felt complete and content. He had been a fool to be heartbroken over Riddhima and Ishana because they had never forged a way to his heart the way his chirayya had. He had never realized how much he depended on her for his happiness.

Slowly, they pulled away from the hug only to look into each other's eyes and drink in the feeling of bliss that was contained in that room.

Om began to slowly lean down to her face when he felt a pair of hands on his mouth. He opened his eyes.

"I-I don't know i-if I'm good at-"

Gauri blushed. Sure, she knew that her husband had been intimate with other women before, but this was her first. And having renewed their marriage vows, it was only natural for him to want to take things further and seal their marriage. But she was nervous. What if she wasn't able to match up to his expectations?

"That's not even possible.

As if reading her thoughts, Om cupped her face and looked into her eyes.

"It is true that you are not the first woman in my life. But, you are the most important woman, the only one I want to be with. There is no comparison to anyone else, not even by miles. It has always been you.

And with that he slowly eased into what started as a chaste first kiss. He let her absorb the shock and feel of his lips on hers before he began to kiss her softly. Fireworks exploded behind his eyes and the heat of touching his wife ran through his veins as he continued to express how much he was in love with this girl. She settled her hands around his neck and smiled into the kiss before pulling back and breathing hard.

Om opened his eye in time to see a heavenly smile on Gauri's face before she hid her face behind her saree's pallu in shyness. He chuckled at his wife's antics. Gauri slowly peeked from behind the pallu to take a look at her husband's smile before hiding her face in his strong arms again.

As he wrapped his arms around her, he couldn't help but feel loved and warm and fuzzy inside. Never had he thought her would be able to feel like this with anyone, after the pain his mother had gone through in her marriage. But here she was, the chirpy chirayya who had effortlessly taken away his darkness and had filled his life and art with colors. He wanted so much to make her his tonight, but he knew he would need to go slow. In all of his previous relationships, he had jumped headfirst into physical intimacy, but this time it was a matter of the heart and he was willing to take all the time that they needed.

For right now, he would just settle for a mind-blazing, soul-dropping, toe-curling kiss that would reassure him of the constant sensation of his happiness with his newly-wedded wife, Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi.

And that's it guys. Please drop comments below!! Criticism is appreciated, but negativity is not.

Thanks!!

Please check it out and let me know. Id love to hear suggestions for more stories, on a writing spree right now!

Watching Gauri as a college girl in the Ishqbaaaz Redux brought this on!😛. I had written this OS for another couple, but I felt that it better suited Rikara. So hope you like it!

OS#2: School days

I was in tenth standard when we first met. He was my class partner and other then the fact that he was undoubtedly handsome, I knew nothing about him. He was very quiet and i being the chirpy chirayya was not quite used to being given the silent treatment. We became those awkward partners who seldom ever spoke to each other. His focused attitude and quietness kept him a considerable distance from anyone and except for the customary Hi' , Bye' and Can i borrow your book, i forgot mine?', he hardly ever opened his mouth. However, I would often watch him go about his work. He was so systematic, so precise that sometimes I would shamelessly stare at his perfection. He wasn't the kind to fool around with and he almost never got into trouble. Probably that is why he was in most of the teacher's good books. From his attitude itself, I came to know that he was actually a very simple guy. Sure, he came from a rich family, but his goals were simple. He was very focused on what he wanted from his life and he work tirelessly to achieve it.

As time passed, I slowly began to get used to his presence. When he was absent, I would long for his presence and when he used to speak those few formal lines, my heart would jump at his deep and gentle voice. He always managed to leave me slightly surprised with his carefully woven, artistic and intelligent words. I distinctly remember a class activity in which he was supposed to speak on the topic My Class Partner' for class. I had turned bright red at the mention of the topic wondering what he would say about me. But he did not seem in the least bit affected. He thought for a few minutes before talking in his strong, sure voice.

"Well, to many, she might seem irritating and to some too chirpy, but to me she seems to be the perfect individual. She is warm and friendly to everyone she meets but still remains secluded enough to hide her true feelings. She tells you everything there is to know about her but still keeps her darkest secrets to herself. She knows her goals and strives to achieve them even though she outwardly portrays a don't care' attitude. She remains focused in the hardest of times and draws inspiration from even the simplest of things. She is very sure of herself and hates it when anybody criticises her because it makes her feel insecure about her abilities. And last but not least, she is pretty. She doesn't think so and i know it isn't false modesty but it is still stupid because she is pretty. So all in all, she is an amazing individual and someday, i aspire to be like her." I did not pay attention to the applause that followed, instead, the glint in his deep coal eyes seemed to catch my attention as the teacher nodded and smiled.

Since that day, we became friends-the hi-bye' types. He would often smile softly at my laziness to do work and i would laugh at his occasional jokes which always managed to lighten my mood. When time would fly by, I wouldn't know. One day, he came finding me in the lunch break and telling me it was urgent, pulled me into a secluded corner of the school.

"Here" he said and in his hand lay a simple, red, friendship band.

"I know today isn't Friendship Day, but we do not need only that day to start or renew a friendship, do we?" He then tied the friendship band softly on my wrist and asked me, "Will you be my friend?"

"Of course"

After that the band never came of my wrist and it proved to be really lucky too. I seemed to understand his unspoken words on most subjects and he would understand what was going on in my mind by just looking at my expressions. Be it books, talk or play, he was always with me by my side. We became
so close that when we passed tenth grade, he went to check my results and i went to check his. We had both passed with flying colors.

I could not forget that summer vacation following our tenth year. We would often spend hours on the beach or on Marine Drive talking about our ambitions, our dreams and our future. He told me that no matter what happened, if our colleges get changed or if he would move to another city, he would be with me through thick and thin. He touched the friendship band still on my wrist softly and whispered, "Never forget me, buddy. Never do. Your one call and I will be there for you because unlike all, i am your TRUE friend."

I smiled as a little tear drop fell from my eyes significant of the impending separation from him. Two months later he moved away to London to study art, but he promised to call me every day and update me on what was happening in his life. I joined a college in Mumbai to complete my bachelor's degree in Humanities. Even through the hectic college routine, I made time to message him every day and call him. He too kept his word and would call to talk about random things, nothing serious.

Even though we would we would talk for hours and hours on the phone, the sheer absence of him haunted me. I missed him a lot and i would often cry because of our separation. Desperately, i waited for his message or phone call and longed to see him. The friendship bands on my right band reminded me of our school and i would miss him again. A year passed, his messages and phone
calls were constant and always wrote to say he was having a good time there. He would often send me detailed descriptions of the funny instances in his life and often tease me about coming back to Mumbai. But when i seriously asked him whether he was coming back or not, he said that he had no plans for coming back to Mumbai.

Listening to that, a deep hole formed in my heart. I cried a lot that day, unknown to a reason that was long living in my heart. The reason was love. I was slowly, but surely falling in love with him. This crying, this desperation, this longing were all because i had fallen in love with my idiot of a best friend. I was both happy and sad at this realization, sad because of the fact that i did not know how he felt about me. I still had to wait another year for him to finish his degree. So, i decided to wait and not tell him anything.

Another year passed. I never once mentioned my feelings in any of my messages or calls. The separation had made me realize my feelings for him and by admitting it, I did not want to lose his friendship. I could not even begin to imagine what would happen if i lost him forever. No, i could not do that. But, i still wanted to see him. My heart longed to see him. So i begged him to come to Mumbai for his summer vacations. After much persuasion, he finally agreed.

Two more month passed and then the week before he was supposed to come, he stopped calling. No messages, no updates, he sent nothing. It was like i had suddenly lost everything. Frantic to hear from him, i sent at least 30 to 40 messages in the hope of receiving some reply, but to no avail. I grew doubtful of his returning. Would he ever come back or had i lost him forever? A week passed and then another. He never came and neither did he reply to my mails or messages. I cried and cried as i longed for his presence. I wished he would come with all my heart but nothing happened. I grew more and more depressed because i was convinced that i had lost him forever.

But one evening, while coming out of the college building, i saw him leaning casually against the college gates smirking at me with those naughty eyes and a teasing smile.

As soon as i saw him, a mixture of joy and anger erupted in me. But more than that, I took in the sheer presence of him. Gone was the boyish look on his face during tenth grade. He had grown out his hair, so that they fell in thick, sensuous waves around his face. Dreamy eyes, a rugged nose and a wide well set mouth that was now set in a mocking smile, marked his face. He also had a well built body which came through even with the semi-casual jacket that he threw over his waist coat and pants.

I felt like throwing myself in his arms and without thinking i ran towards him and hit him with full force not caring what the world thought about us at that very moment. Traitorous tears spilled out of my eyes as i remembered the numerous times i had cried for the warmth of his hugs and the reassurance of his words. I could feel his arms slowly hugging my slim waist as he pulled me closer deepening the hug. We stayed like that for some time. Both of us were reluctant to let go of each other after the long separation. But finally i pulled back and looked into his concerned features.

"I am sorry, i-" I started feeling embarrassed about the fact that i had hugged him in front of the whole college campus.

"why did you stop?"

"What?" i looked at him bewildered.

" I loved it, but then you pulled back, i mean we both were lost in the hug and then..."

" Look, i love you but i really don't understand you at all. Here i should be the clingy one but instead you are. What is it with
the role reversal?"

"You love me?" He asked, softness coming into his voice.

"D-did i just say t-that?" I stammered, well aware that i had just made a fool of myself.

"Um...Yeah.."

"Shit..shit...triple shit...shankarji aap bhi na? I shouldn't have said that and i shouldn't even have hugged you like that. "Really-"

"Hey" he caught my shoulders, "Relax, I love you too. There is no need to be sorry about anything, especially when you are looking so beautiful right now." He winked.

"Shut up" i said inwardly feeling lightheaded at his compliment, "You might me lying just to tease me again. How do i know how you really feel?"

He pulled me closer, love oozing from those black orbs that were now centimetres from mine.

"Do you really think so?"

It was hard lying to those sincere and love-filled eyes that bore into mine. I smiled and timidly shook my head. My face felt hot under his soft caress. We both could hear each other's heartbeat beating rapidly against our chests. Our beats were synchronized, never missing the rhythm. I smiled at the sound and looked up at his face.

"i Love you a lot." I said bluntly without blinking. He smiled and leaned in closer, angling his face in such a way that i knew what was going to follow. My heartbeat accelerated to its maximum as i jumped headfirst into the new found happiness in my life.

________________

Thanks!! Lemme know what you think!

This is a light hearted one! Lemme know what yall think, as always!

Note: I used Hindi for Chulbul and Dilpreet ji, to differentiate between Gauri and Omkara and their alter egos. I just wanted to stay true to the characters, but sorry in advance if its a little difficult to read. 😳

OS#5: The adventures of C & D

I scowled through my latest attempt at shaping the luscious hair of my sculpture. The frustration of the tiff that I had with my Oh so righteous' wife had made itself known as the scalpel hit the molding clay a little too hard creating an indent that was a little too sharp.

The clay shivered under the pressure before finally dropping onto my work table in a mess. I sighed, putting the scalpel down. This was not going to work unless I had the right mindset to continue my work. I looked longingly at the piece of art I was currently trying to salvage as my mind wandered to the argument I had had with the chirayya who was currently sulking in our room.

"Gauri, why are you cancelling our tickets to Greece?"

"Omkara ji, how can we go on a holiday when our family is in a mess?"

I stopped for a moment. She was right. After years of emotional torture and verbal abuse, Mom had finally signed the divorce papers and had kicked Mr. Oberoi out of her life. The whole family had supported her in the emotional breakdown that she had faced afterward. So much so that, when it came time to choose, Dadi had asked Mr. Oberoi to leave the mansion, never to return. Mom was weak when it came to emotions, so leaving the man that she had loved so much took a toll on her.

But that was a month ago. Mom, had grown since then. She had taken time to return to her charity work and had also started a new business that kept her busy. She was happy. Alone, but happy. And my chirayya had left no stone unturned to keep Mom company. Right from taking care of her medicines to telling her stories about her Dabbang attitude from Bareilly, she hadn't failed in bringing a smile our Mom's face. I had overheard a conversation between the two ladies one day as they sat sipping coffee and looking over a tourist magazine that had pictures of Athens' beautiful landscape. Gauri had stared with wide eyes taking in the beauty that she had never seen. Her birthday was coming in a month and it was the perfect opportunity to whisk her away and surprise her with a dream vacation to Greece.

But, my chirayya thought otherwise.

"Gauri, Mom is okay now. I know that she is going to need time to get over the heartbreak, but your birthday is important and she won't mind if we just go on a short vacation to celebrate."

"Omkara ji, I understand, but I can't come. I can't leave Ma ji like this"

"Gauri, its your birthday. Your first one with me, we have to celebrate."

If this had been any other time, I would have unabashedly adored my wife and thanked the lords for gifting me this precious chirayya as my life partner. But this was the one time when her sacrificing nature had gotten on my nerves.

"Gauri, its been so long since Ive spent time with you alone. I need this vacation. We need this vacation and you're coming."

"Omkara ji, no. We can wait. Ma ji can't. I can't believe your thinking about romance at this time." She had a cute frown set on her face, but that couldn't melt me then.

"You're coming.

"Am not"

"Are too"

"No"

"Yes"

"No, Omkara ji. Im not celebrating my birthday in Greece without my family. If you want to go, you are welcome and that is final."

And with that, she walked out of the room in a huff and left me standing there dumbfounded at my wife's refusal.

"Fine then. If that's the way you want it." I muttered before slamming the door and walking in the opposite direction towards my studio in the other wing of the mansion.

Needless to say, I had been pissed since. Gauri had calmed down and texted me a quick sorry. When I hadn't replied, she tried calling me a couple of times. Then she had sent me an I love you' with a smiley...and nothing after that. Wrapping up my sculpture, I made my way towards the room, slightly curious to see what my crazy wife was up to. I entered the room. Cautious, I walked in, only to see a very familiar, yet funny outline of my wife clothed in her alter ego Chulbul!

"Chulbul?"

And she turned with the familiar wide smile, face scrubbed clean of make up, horn-rimmed glasses and the classic cap that had shielded her head. Her overalls were as usual oversized covering her feminine curves.

"Omkara jii!! Kaise hai aap? Aapko pata humne aap ko kitna miss kiya?"

"Gau-"

"Omkara ji, aapki patni ne hume bataya. Aap unse gussa hai na. Kyonki unhone aap ke saath Gre-e, ka kehte hai, videss jaane se mana kiya, hai na? Pata hai hume, sab pata hai. Lekin aap chinta mat kijiye. Humne aap ki patni se baat karli hai. Woh bahut sarminda hai, ee liye, hume bheja hai. "

I let the shock of seeing his wife dressed as my best buddy wear down before I inwardly chuckled at my chirayya's antics. Trust her to take weirdness to a different level. Back when Gauri had roamed the halls of Oberoi mansion dressed as Chulbul, I would have never guessed that the man-child I had considered my best friend was actually my wife. But staring at her now, I could clearly see the bright hazel eyes hidden behind the big glasses and the lopsided wig that just managed to cover the long tresses that my wife had.

"Aapki patni ji ne kaha ki woh sarry hai ki unhone aap pe chillaya aur aapke gift ko mana kiya. Woh toh bas aap ke Ma ji ke baare mein soch rahi thi. Aap samaj rahe hai na? Omkara ji? Kya aap unhe maaf kardenge?"

I smiled at my wife's half-baked attempt at a man's voice. Could I forgive her? Of course I could and I would, but not this easily. A devilish smile took on my face. Two can play at this game', I thought.

"Omkara ji kaun?" I asked, imitating Dilpreet ji from the time I had gone to get Gauri back from Bareilly.

"Mein toh yaha Gauri ji se milne aaya tha. Par woh yahaan nahi hai ji. Waise tussi kaun?"

I caught the look of sheer surprise flash through Gauri aka Chulbul's eyes before she took in a deep breath and considered her next move.

"D-Dilpreet ji, a-aap"

"Oh ji, haan ji. Mein Gauri ji ka khaas dost. Saada Dilpreet! Par menu yeh dasso, Gauri ji hai kahan aur aapko bhi meine kabhi nahi dekha. Aap ji?"

Gauri sighed. She had accepted defeat. In her sweet feminine voice, she spoke.

"Omkara ji. I'm sorry. Pleeease?" Complete with the puppy dog eyes and pouted lips, she was irresistable. I smiled a full smile and walked up to my wife, put my hands around her tiny waist and pulled her in for a bold kiss on her lips. She was a masterpiece, she was my masterpiece. Gauri smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around my neck pulling me closer.

"O come qui-"

"Maaa. Come quick. O gay-a. Maa da laadla bigad gaya. Maaa,"

Rudi's piercing shriek broke us apart as his voice travelled the halls of the Oberoi Mansion. Gauri blushed at the thought of having Rudi walk in on our kiss. I rolled my eyes at my brother's stupidity. I'd have to deal with him later. But right now, I needed to get my wife back.

"Waise, I missed Chulbul a lot, but can I get my Dabbang Gauri back, starting with," my hands ran over the cap that settled on top of her wig. "this."

I pulled it off of her head and let her luscious hair fall to her back. Placing a quick kiss on the top of her head, I moved on to remove the horn-rimmed glasses that were a hindrance to those beautiful, hazel orbs. "and this."

I placed a tender kiss on each eyelid and let her cover her face in my arms while blushing.

Cutie.

I lifted her chin to my eyes and looked at her once more, "one more thing" and I tilted my head to quickly peck her lips before whispering, "We are still going to Greece

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That's it guys!! Hope you liked it!

Hi Guys! This was was written for some other couple, but I modified it to suit the characters of Om and Gauri!😉. It doesn't have much romance, but is more of a heart-to-heart between Om and Gauri on their first meeting. I felt like being a little deep and meaningful this time, so sorry to disappoint all the romance-lovers out there. 😆 I promise the next shot will be a little longer and better😛

OS#6: First Impressions

"Hmmm...Someone's blushing!"

I looked down as Annika recognized the pink blotch on my cheeks that was now slowly turning red.

"If you turn this red on just the mention of his name, God only knows what you will do when he..."

She let her voice trail as the implication of her statement hung in the air. I looked up at the teasing glint in her eyes and looked away mentally chiding myself for getting a very sensuous image in my head. Blood rushed to my brain, making me feel a little lightheaded as i hurriedly put the last of the bangles on and looked in the mirror for a final check.

"By the way, you are looking flattering in that silk salwar kameez of yours. Trust me he won't be able to takes his eyes off of you the minute you walk into the hall downstairs."

Annika was right. The pink color did go well with my fair skin and the way the kurta wrapped around my waist was flattering and perfect. The silk brushed with my skin sending goosebumps towards my spine. I did look okay, but still...was it enough?

"Really, do you think this is fine?"

"truly...but darling now let's go down...we shouldn't keep your Omkara ji waiting should we?Maana ki he is a world famous artist and he is a patient person, but-"

Just then Ma came in and took my hands in hers.

"Gauri bitiya, he is waiting downstairs. Remember, come downstairs slowly, one step at a time. No tripping. No side jokes, no flashy eyes and definitely no loud voice."

I inwardly smiled at her serious but funny advice. Dabbang Gauri was known for her colorful personality, be it climbing trees and yelling like a child or playing pranks on our neighbors and then getting busted. But still, i gave her a reassuring squeeze and continued my way downstairs where he was sitting.

I was rooted to my spot the minute he came into my view. If i had ever known what was beautiful before this, it was nothing compared to the Greek god sitting in my living room quietly conversing with my brother Rudi. His lips slowly curved into a smile as he politely grinned at some joke he was hearing. The crease in his skin grew more prominent as his smile widened. Sure enough that one-sided subtle dimple was the most magnificent thing i had ever seen.

I heard a sound as though someone was gasping and soon realized that it was me. My heart in my mouth, I made my way down the rest of the stairs. His eyes slowly moved from my brother and focused their attention on me. I immediately looked down and flushed bright red while adjusting the stupid dupatta which seemed to choose only this time to fidget and move. I could feel his stare on me as his eyes tried to make contact, trying to decipher what he saw. He looked into my eyes for a fleeting second and then away.

"Gauri, come sit. Why are you standing there?" Rudi smiled lightly before gesturing me to take a seat next to him. I moved slowly and took my seat feeling suddenly high on breathing.

"Gauri, this is Omkara Singh Oberoi. Om, this is my sister Gauri"

"Hi"

I looked up at the sound of the deep baritone.

"hi"

Rudi seemed to understand my nervousness in the situation. He smiled quietly to herself, making the situation even more awkward, faked an excuse (something about samosas and the kitchen) and walked (no, ran) away. I kept my head down, lest i should be caught staring at the too handsome face just a few feet away from mine.

"Soo, how are you?"

"I-Im good. And you?" I asked feeling the weight of the formal conversation on my shoulders. He sighed.

"Im going to be honest with you. I have never done this before. I didn't believe in arranged marriages and had always wanted to get married to someone I love."

"Hmm..." I couldn't help but feel a little pinch in my heart. Then what was he doing here?

"But love has its limits." Something about his voice made me look on with sympathy. What had happened? "I know that you may have expectations about the ideal life partner and I don't know if I will be able to fulfill them, but I can promise you that I will try my best."

I smiled at the quiet determination in his words. So, there was some hope.

"What do you value the most in life?"

He thought for a moment before replying.

"Honesty" I relaxed.

"And what do you hate the most?"

"Betrayal. When someone is dishonest, it hurts." He looked straight into my eyes as he spoke, somehow wordlessly conveying his fears about marriage.

I took a moment before I spoke, somehow knowing what I wanted to say to him.

"I have never done this before either. I don't know if Ill be good at it or not, but what matters to me the most is trust. If there is no trust in a relationship, then it is easily breakable."

Something in my words made him smile, flashing that dimple that made me momentarily lose track of what I was saying.

"And what I hate the most is when people judge others without knowing the complete truth." I finished, looking on in silence and wondering if I had said too much.

"Hmmm.."

The conversation lulled to a stop as both of us contemplated what the other had said, wondering if this was the right decision. It was too soon to judge each other as perfect life partners, but what if we could work together to make it successful? After all, weren't relationships all about partnership? Working together and supporting one another?

"I-" "My-"

Both of us started together, before we chuckled and he gestured for me to continue.

"I don't have any problems with this, uh, marriage. It will be hard like any partnership is, but the key is to trusting one another and supporting each other. I-I like you and I think we can make this work."

I blushed, keeping my head down. This was my first time talking openly about my feelings to a complete stranger, but something about him had given me the courage to speak my mind.

"I like you too."

I looked up with hope, catching the slight teasing in his eyes.

"And you are right, if we are honest with each other, then the trust between us will help keep our relationship strong. We can make this work."

He placed his hand over mine and rubbed it before looking over at Rudi and Ma coming in through the door. He shifted a little closer to me on the couch still keeping his hands on mine as he whispered in my ear.

"By the way, you look beautiful in that pink salwar kameez. "

Annika's earlier teasing flooded my mind as I blushed bright red at the irrationality that had entered my brain. Thank god, he couldn't read my scandalous thoughts, God only knows what would have happened then...

I blushed and unnecessarily adjusted the dupatta on my shoulder.

NOTE TO SELF: Always listen to Annika, the next time i dress...

Originally posted by: Javeria3991

Awesome stories. 👏

I love the second one most.

Keep writing.