Solace || A Manik-Nandini OS - Page 2

His eyes shot to the window he knew was hers, and his lips couldn't help but turn upwards, at the thought of the last time he'd been here like this. His slight smile turned into a silent cry as he shook his head at the reason for his abrupt arrival outside her house. His eyes turned to her window once again and what caught his eye also broke his heart into a thousand pieces.

^When I read this, all I wanted was to see it in the show. AND IT DID HAPPEN. Trust me when I saw it, the first that entered my mind was 'Arey! Rae's OS mein yehi exact tha. I loved reading this bit and loved that it happened.

Nandini Moorthy was sitting by the window, jar of fireflies in hand, and muttering something incoherently. Manik's breath caught as he stared at her ranting form - he didn't know what she was saying, but the slight smile on his face and the glowing fireflies gave it away. He was the object of her musings, like he had wanted to be.

^ I LOVED THIS PART. The way shes talking to her fireflies, obviously about him and how he immediately knows she's talking about her. AHHH! ❤️

*thinks about todays firefly scenes and dies*

*wakes up*

Nandini quickly stopped smiling as she took in his gargantuan form before her. His haunted eyes, screamed for her, the torn pallor of his face telling her what she needed to know - her Monster was damaged and she could practically see his aura being engulfed in darkness as his shoulders hunched. The confidently reckless Manik Malhotra stood before her, a broken man.

^YEH! Why didn't this happen? This is what would've made sense. Her immediately knowing that there was something wrong with him. Her Monster was broken. WHY DID THIS NOT HAPPEN TODAY?!

She didn't waste a single moment in striding towards him and engulfing him in a hug and squeezing his limp form tightly in her arms. She didn't realise when she had stiffened in her posture, but as his arms slowly came around her, she felt the agitation leaving her body. They stayed like that for what seemed like ages, but was only a couple of seconds in reality. Those couple of seconds were all that Nandini needed, to know that her life was going to turn upside down and she wouldn't be able to do a single thing to stop it. Those minute frames of time were all that Manik needed, to know that he would never be able to truly let go off her.

^*sighs* So dreamy! And SO well described. ❤️And I could so connect it to the hug we so yesterday.

'Manik? Kya hua?', she spoke softly, trying to control the slight tremble in her voice as she took in, his vulnerable, torn features.

^*cries cuz this didn't happen* But again, lovely description of how seeing him vulnerable, she looses her calm too.

'You remember how we took a break from all the fighting and just spilled out whatever it was that was bothering us? I want you to do the same right now. Just...spill out whatever is bothering you?', she pleaded, wanting to wipe this look of defeat on his face now, and forever - she could never see her Monster defeated. She couldn't let her man lose. And if she could contribute even an iota of all she had to see him win, then damn it all, she'd do it.

^ Perfect. Just perfect.👏

Nothing could have prepared Nandini for his last few words. She was taken aback, and saying that would be a gross understatement. She had always been perceptive and as she took in his forlorn form, sitting next to her, clutching his hand in his tightly, she quickly caught onto the way this conversation was going to shape up, and she knew that the feeling of someone punching her in the gut was her own heart breaking into a million pieces. She gave a sarcastic smile as she realised that her posture had begun to resemble Manik's by the second.

^ Beautifully described, yet again. She didn't expect this, not for on second. She hadn't realized that her words had given him the wrong impression. She was shaken. It was expected.

'But Manik, there is a difference. YOU make me smile by being who you ARE. You are my Monster - a tough being who can be ruthless for the people he loves and in order to protect his fortress that prevents anyone from hurting him. I'm in love with that guy who has promised not to hurt me, I'm in love with the guy who has let me in. I'm in love with YOU. YOU'RE the one who is going to be in my every prayer. And YOU are the one for whom I'd like to shine..now and forever. And I know you'd want nothing more than to sacrifice your feelings for your brother like friend, but is that really how it's supposed to go down?' Nandini ground out, feeling more confident , than she did a couple of minutes ago. Manik looked on, guilt consuming him once more.

'Isme kaun khush rahega, Manik? Dhruv doesn't need someone's pity; he needs someone who will love him more than life itself! That someone is not ME! Main tumse pyaar karti hoon, tum mujhse pyaar karte ho, lekin sacrifice tumhe karna hai because Dhruv mujhse pyaar karta hai? Kya logic hai iss baat ka?' she grated out, frustration and helplessness tinting her voice.

^ YE CHEEZ! Someone please sit Manik down on a chair and say him this. -_-

'Thank you for being my firefly.'

^ This killed me. Legit killed me. 👏

The watery smile she let out, her eyes holding all the love she had for him, let him know that his decision had been the right one. The weight seemed to lift off his shoulders, and his body crumpled with relief. And that's where we shall leave them; because what happens tomorrow will be another story for another time; for tomorrow is uncertain, but today? Today they're content in sitting on that park bench, soaking up the warmth, the love and most importantly, the light that surrounds them, eradicating all traces of darkness.

^ AHHH. Happy Ending.

Lovely OS , Rae.

Manik and Nandini's characters were intact and there was angst and cutesy all at once! ❤️

Loved reading it! Keep em' coming!

These OSes are my only sahaara with the current angsty track on the show. :3

Extra long comment as a thank you for putting up with my bawling today. 😆

Love,

Sneha.