ShiVi OS: Jis Ore Teri Shehnaai, Us Ore Main Bhaagun Re

Hello! Over the weekend, I wanted a continuation of the kitchen scene. I wasn’t expecting one today, and hence, wrote this earlier to fulfill my mush wish. Well, I intended to write this as one of the ultra mini drabbles, but I got a slightly different idea as I was penning this, and deviated to make this into an OS. It is my first attempt at writing OS, and hope it doesn't bore you.

It's not the friendship route that Raavi wants to take in the show which Shiva is clearly disappointed with. I took a mushy turn, so sorry if it’s not your thing. Do leave your feedback. Also, please don't copy or post this anywhere else. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I wrote this on my phone, so apologies for the typos. I tried to read through it once, but it can be missed easily. Do let me know if you come across anything that doesn’t make sense. I am fully aware of this special talent of mine and take no offense.

Background: Shiva's last dialogue in the December 18th episode, "Aisa kya kamaal kiya hai maine ke tune mujhe maaf kar diya?" and Raavi's internal thought, "Kyunki ab tu mujhse door nahi, mere paas rehna chahta hai."

Shiva with a teasing smile prods again, "Bol na? Ab tak mere kamaal karne pe atki hui thi, aur ab achanak se maafi?"

Picking up on his teasing tone, Raavi teases back, "Kiya hai na kamaal tune. Lekin kya, woh tu khud hi soch. Main nahi batane wali. Main bhi toh dekhu tu kitna janta hai mujhe." Seeing Shiva about to ask again, she quickly adds, "Waise, agar tu puchta raha toh main maafi wapas bhi le sakti hoon."

At the possibility of that prospect, Shiva quickly interjects, stuttering, "Nahi...nahi...aisa bilkul nahi hai. Haa, tune maaf kiya, achha hai. Ekdum thik hai...tune maaf kardiya, ab aage iss baat karne ka koi matlab nahi, haina? Main...main store pe chalta hoon," pointing at the door. He nervously smiles at her, nods his head, and leaves from the kitchen.

The day flies by and the family gathers together for dinner, looking forward to having a meal in peace after the past few stressful days. Raavi had prepared a scrumptious meal that included Shiva's favorite Chole Bhature. Shiva notices the dish and smiles with childlike glee. He takes a bite and notices Raavi looking at him expectantly with raised brows. Shiva responds with a big smile indicating how much he loved it.

The family notices the silent exchange between the two and is happy to see the small progress between them with Shiva and Raavi opening up to each other. Krish was about to make a teasing remark, but Rishita gives him an eye, so he doesn't disturb Shiva-Raavi's moment and make them conscious. Rishita whispers in Krish's ears, "Ayega bachhu, unne ched ne ka time aayga. Lekin abhi nahi. Tu thoda ruk ja nahi toh tere aur Kirti ke beech jo nain matakka chalu hua hai na, us ke baare mein sab ko bata dungi. Abhi abhi toh ek dusre ke saath woh dono comfortably baat kar rahe hai. Jab woh dono conscious hona bandh ho jaye, tab unne chedna." Krish agrees, though a bit disappointed at the missed opportunity to tease the “Gunda Boy”.

Later, everyone has retired to their respective rooms, and Krish is lying down on his cot. Shiva is pacing around in aangan wondering if he should move to his room or not. Krish is getting irritated seeing him pacing and tells him to go to his room as his continuous pacing is disturbing him.

Raavi, on the other hand, is also pacing in the room, fumbling with the ends of her dupatta by twisting it around her index finger, looking at Shiva's side of the bed, and wondering whether she should ask him to move back to the room or let him come back when he's comfortable - without knowing that thus far, he was holding off from moving back because he wanted her to be comfortable again. She mumbles to herself, "Kya yeh Bhootnaath aaj andar ayega? Usika kamra hai, ab hamare beech sab theek ho raha hai, maine usse maaf bhi kar diya hai, toh usse yahi sona chaiye. Lekin woh Bhootnath ab tak nahi aya. Toh kya main usse andar bula du? Kya woh ayega? Nahi aya toh? Nahi, Raavi, woh kyun nahi ayega...ab woh mere paas ana chahta hai, toh usse koi problem nahi honi chahiye. Lekin phir bhi nahi aya toh? Nahi..nahi..agar mana kiya aur pucha kyun, toh bol dungi ke kalse woh poora din-raat kaam karne ki soch raha hai. Proper rest nahi mila toh kaam thik se nahi hoga, aur kaam thik se nahi hoga toh paise bhi nahi ayenge. Aur uski peeth bhi akad jayegi. Haan, yeh sahi hai. Main jaati hu usse bulane."

As she turns to walk out of the room, she bumps into Shiva who's walking in at the same time. She's about to fall, but he catches her. Flustered Raavi stands up and moves to the side to see what Shiva's doing. She sees Shiva taking the pillow and blanket out of the cupboard and placing it on his side of the bed. She has a small smile on her face but quickly schools her expression.

After concealing her joy at him coming back into their room and doing a little mental dance of her being saved from having to call him back, Raavi nonchalantly asks, "Tu, yahan soyega?"

Shiva turns around and replies, "Hmm. Kyun, nahi so sakta? Mera bhi kamra hai, aur aaj se main yahin sounga." He catches Raavi blushing slightly and looking away. He keeps his eyes on her and begins to walk towards her as he teasingly inquires, "Tu nahi chahti ki main yahan sojau?"

"Nahin, maine aisa kab kahan? Main..toh bas…aise hi...puch rahi thi," Raavi replies nervously looking everywhere avoiding to look at Shiva, as he manages to enclose her between his arms and the wall behind her.

"Tu janna chahti hain na ke main yahan kyun aya? Main ussi wajah se wapas aya hu, jis kamaal ki wajah se tune mujhe maaf kiya hai." Raavi instantly looks at him, silently questioning him to clarify. With his left hand, Shiva moves Raavi’s hair strands that are obscuring his clear view of her face. Later he places his left hand on her shoulder, leans into her right ear, and whispers, "Mera tujhse door bhagne ki bajay, tere kareeb aana tujhe bhi accha lagta hai. Hai na, Raavi?" He moves his head back, as his right hand slowly brushes by her left arm and settles at her waist. Shiva looks into Raavi’s eyes and questions, "Sahi pehchna na maine tumhe, chipkali, aur teri iss maafi ke kamaal ko?" Raavi looks at him in awe while still being very conscious of their close proximity.

Shiva further continues now moving his right hand behind her back, "Waise bhi, tujhe ab koi problem nahi honi chaiye hum dono ko ek saath yahan rehne main. Tujhe pehle yeh problem thi na, ki hamare beech koi rishta nahin rehne wala tha, aur ek ladka aur ek ladki bina rishte ke aise nahi reh sakte. Lekin tune mujhe maaf kar diya hai, iska matlabh che mahine baad bhi tu yahan, iss bandar ki chipkali banke rahegi. Hai na?"

Raavi looks at him with wonder and hope as her misty eyes beg him to read them.

"Bol na Raavi, ab toh tu yahin rahegi na, humesha?" Again moving her hair strands behind her right ear with his left hand, and his right thumb drawing circles on her back, Shiva prods her, refuting her silent request.

Raavi was about to nod in agreement when she recalls the time when she insulted him as well. Though Suman Kaki blamed and taunted her for their situation, she knows she was wrong in calling him names that fueled his insecurities and slapping him-- that too publically. It would be unfair if she didn't ask him for forgiveness for her share of the mistakes as well. Shiva is continuously looking at her as she's contemplating her next course of action, wondering what is taking her so long to respond. Seeing her solemn expression all of sudden, a fear slowly seeps into his heart.

Prepping himself for the worst, but not wanting to assume anything, Shiva puts a finger under Raavi's chin, breaking her trance and making her look at him. Seeing the fear in Shiva's eyes, Raavi quickly puts her right hand over his left cheek while her left hand rests on his right shoulder, and answers, "Haan, main rahungi agar tu bhi mujhe maaf karpaya toh." Seeing Shiva's questioning gaze, she continues, "Humare rishte main galati sirf tumhari nahi thi Shiva. Maine bhi tumpe pehle din se trust nahi kiya, tumhe be matlab jungali, ganwar bulayala, tumhare actions keliye tumhe apni baat rakhne ka mauka nahi diya, aur tumhe bhari bazaar main thappad maar diya. I'm sorry. Kya tu mujhe maaf karpayega?" Raavi asks looking at him tearfully.

Shiva feels weight lifting off of his shoulders. He's relieved to know that she wants to stay but is also overwhelmed with her unexpected apology. "Maine thappad khaane layak kaam bhi toh kiya tha na? Tujhe jaante huye bhi tere character par sawal nahi uthana chaiye tha. Aur woh bhi bhari bazaar main. Mujhe apne gusse pe kaboo karna chaiye tha.”

“Phir bhi, maine jo kiya woh galat tha. Aur kuch cheeze anjane main ya mazaak main huyi thi, par galat toh thi naa? Tujhe dard toh diya tha na?” Raavi argues back.

Seeing Raavi feel guilty, Shiva accepts her apology. “Thik hai. Maaf kiya maine tujhe."

Raavi looks at him astonishingly, and the two let their eyes convey to each other what their words haven't been able to do so thus far while making silent promises to each other to learn from their mistakes.

As their unspoken conversation ends and the meaning of Shiva's forgiveness fully sinks in, Raavi gets excited about their new beginning. She blurts, “Lekin Shiva, itni asani se? Kyun, ab tu nahi chahta ke main bhi kuch kamaal karu tere liye, jaisa uss din tune bola tha?

"Kamaal toh tune bhi kiya hai," Shiva replies while smiling at her and caressing her cheek with his left hand.

"Kaisa kamaal?" Raavi asks him with confusion evident on her face.

Shiva thinks in his head, "Kyunki ab tujhe mere saath rehna hai, woh bhi main jaisa hoon waise. Tere liye yeh rishta ab compromise nahi hai. Tujhe bhi mera tere yun paas ana accha lagta hai."

However, he exclaims out loud, "Ab tu yeh soch, aur mujhe bata ke tune kya kamal kiya hai. Main bhi toh jaanu ki meri yeh chudail, kitna jaanti hain uske Bhootnaath ko," with a mischievous grin on his face. He gives her a challenging look, releases her from his hold, and walks over to their bed.

Raavi is dumbfounded seeing him use her words against her. But she isn't Raavi if she shies away from a challenge, and certainly not when it’s from her Bhootnaath. As Shiva is settling on his side of the bed, Raavi locks their door, marches towards the bed, and lies down on her side. After a moment of tossing and turning in the bed, looking at the ceiling, and fiddling with her fingers, she gains a little confidence and moves towards Shiva’s side of the bed. Shiva looks at her wondering what is Raavi up to and raises his eyebrows questioning her. She takes a deep breath and hugs him putting her left arm over his torso and her head on his chest. Shiva is flabbergasted for a second but smiles seeing her taking this initiative.

Seeing his smile, Raavi lifts her head up to look up at him and says, "Shiva, yehi hai na teri maafi ki wajah? Kyunki iss rishte main, ab main tere liye, tu jaisa hai waisa hi Shiva ke saath rehna chahti hoon. Ab iss rishte main koi samjhauta nahi hai. Kyunki hume ek dusre ke yun kareeb rehna accha lagta hai." Shiva just looks at her lovingly. Raavi raises her eyebrows and claims, “Sahi pehchna na maine, upne iss bandar ko?" Shiva gives her a smile, kisses her forehead, and pulls her into a tight hug as the two falls into a peaceful slumber.

They had a long way to go, and many conversations were still pending. However, for that night, their budding understanding andopen communication was a good start.

That’s it, folks. My first and probably the last attempt at an OS. Again, sorry for the typos. Would love to hear your thoughts.

ML