ArYa OS: Yeh Moh Moh ke Dhaage

Hi!

After I finished Arti's Diary, I thought I was done writing fan fictions, especially on ArYa. Not that I was bored of them. No. But because I had no more ideas inspired by them.

And then a few months ago, Nikki pm'd me. She told me about the OS contest she was planning and asked if I would write a story. Truth to tell, I agreed only because it was Nikki asking (and we all love her. Right??)

So, I agreed. And time passed. And in between work and life, a tiny idea brewed. I was very grateful. Because after committing to Nikki, I definitely did not want to let her down. The idea kind of took root, and I sort of liked it, even though I had not had a chance to flesh it out yet.

And then Nikki pm'd again. This time she announced the themes for the contest. And I was dismayed! Because my story did not fit into any of the themes. Would I have to think up a new story then? But, I didn't have the time! And even worse, I didn't even have a glimmer of another idea that I could work on! Was I going to have to disappoint my friend after all?

And then I thought, hey, one of the themes is with rain. And this is ArYa. I can definitely fit in the rain. Hallelujah!

So, about 2 months after Nikki first contacted me, I finally sat down to write it. Three weeks and a few plane trips later, I finally finished the story just minutes before the deadline to submit it. Whew!

And nearly eight weeks since that date, we finally had the results. And what do you know - my OS came in as one of the first runner-ups! Ha!

Thank you for the votes. Most of you have probably already read the OS as part of the contest. But here it is, if you want to re-read it, comment, etc. And - don't forget to read all the other entries (hopefully everyone will be posting their OS in the forum soon).

And finally - thank you again to Nikki for hosting the contest. To Jhill for the superb siggies. And to all of you - for always being there for us, constantly encouraging us writers.

Scroll down to the next post for the story - Yeh Moh Moh ke Dhaage.

Loads of love,

Kat

Part 1 - Scene from show

"I love you."

"I didn't hear you."

"I love you!"

"I still can't hear you."

Arti screamed out, "I love you Yashji! With every pore of my being."

"I don't believe you." Even as Arti flinched at his words, Yash ripped out at her. "You didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth." His jaw clenched and through gritted teeth, he spewed, "There is no love without trust. This punar vivaah has failed. I have failed. You are free to go back to your first love."

Part 2

It hurt. Hurt so deep he couldn't think straight. And all he wanted to do, all he could do, was lash out at her. Hurt her as much as she hurt him.

Perhaps she had been forced to lie. Or hide the truth from him as she claimed. But now, now she knew him. They had gone through so much together. She had tolerated so much - for him, from him. Had he been wrong all along? Had he mis-read her? Misunderstood all her actions to be out of love, when they were for duty only?

When he had planned that surprise for her, he had been almost convinced that she loved him too. But even if she didn't quite love him yet, he had been prepared to wait. Not now though. Not anymore.

Now, he wanted everything. Her friendship. Her love. And above all, her trust. Nothing less would be enough.

She didn't trust him. Not enough to tell him the truth. What did she expect - that he wouldn't accept? He wouldn't understand why she felt obligated to follow her family's unreasonable demands? Did she think he would leave her mid-way, break their marriage? Is this what she thought of him? Didn't she know him better? Didn't she trust him enough to know he would always be with her?

When did you ever give her a reason to trust you?

He closed his eyes in pain as the truth of his own thoughts consumed him. He hadn't, had he? He had never openly talked with her, shared his thoughts, his fears, his feelings. And on the rare occasions she had tried to share hers, he had shut her down.

It had always been easier to shout at her, shut her out. So very much easier than letting her in, sharing himself with her. Easier. And safer. He had been terrified she would figure out the truth, know that he was falling in love with her, coming under her spell, caring so much for her she seemed to be an extension of himself.

And when he finally understood what was happening to him, she managed to shatter the world he thought was his. Her first love was still alive. She was still meeting with him. And in secret. She had never been his. Not really. For if she had, she would have told him about her first husband.

Perhaps he hadn't been very open in their marriage. But he had always, always, stood by her. He had known implicitly that he could trust her. Then why didn't she feel the same about him? Why wasn't she able to share her deepest fears with him? Why did she feel the need to have secrets from him?

The sudden crash of thunder startled him and Yash finally took a note of his surroundings. The billowing curtains couldn't hide the lashings of rain that threatened to spill into the room. He hurried over and shut the windows. As he went to close the balcony doors he noticed a darker shadow in the glistening darkness blanketing the garden. The downpour couldn't mask her - he would recognize her anywhere. What was Artiji doing in the garden in the rain?

He ran out to her. She should be inside - she was risking both herself and the baby, getting wet like this. She was sitting on a bench, a lone, shivering figure that trembled every time the thunder rolled through.

He reached out to touch her shoulder and hesitated. Dropping his hand down he called softly, "Artiji."

A very slight stiffening of her shoulders was the only indication that she had heard him. When she didn't turn or get up, he called out, more loudly this time, "Artiji! You need to come inside."

She got up from the bench and without even a glance towards him, walked back towards their room. The sky split in half as lightning struck but she remained oblivious. When the thunder followed though, she gave a small jump and then huddled into herself.

She was terrified of thunder.

He remembered each and every instance when the rain and its accompanying thunder had her scampering into his arms. Tonight though she walked as if she didn't care. Almost. He could see the shiver that trembled through her even now as the remnants of the thunder growled angrily. But for the first time in these many months, she did not seek him out.

He walked closer to her, so close he could brush her arm if he wanted to. So close he could almost feel her warmth even though she was drenched. So close, he could hold her, secure in his arms, if she so much as faltered.

Inside the safe haven of their room, he got a towel and all but pushed her into the bathroom. As she changed inside, he quickly peeled off his wet clothes and drying himself, pulled on his favourite white kurta-pyjama.

She came out of the bathroom rubbing the towel across her long wet locks. Tamping down the swirl of desire he always felt at the sight, he growled, "What did you think you were doing? Getting drenched in your condition? And you were sitting on an iron bench during a storm - don't you know iron conducts electricity? The lightning could have struck the bench. Do you even realize what would have happened to you and the baby?"

"You would have been free of us."

At her brutal words, the ice-cold hands of fear gripped him, squeezing out his very breath.

Part 3

She bit back the gasp that threatened to spill out as she saw him turn pale at her words. She had wanted to hurt him, just as he had hurt her. Every time she had forgiven him, trying to give him space, even when his actions, his reasons made no sense to her. But this time he had gone too far. Who did he think he was, giving her permission to "go back to her first love"? How did he dare to even utter those despicable words? They were married for god's sake!

"Free of you?" he bit out in a whisper.

"That's what you want isn't it Yashji? Telling me I can go back to my first love'. What first love? Who are you thinking of? That man who claimed to marry me and then left me when I was carrying his baby? Or this man in front of me who is trying to do the exact same thing?"

"NO!"

"There is no difference between you and Prashant, Yashji." She turned away from him as the tears she had been fighting to hold in, finally spilled out.

"Artiji..."

She could hear the tortured pain in his hoarse whisper but she was beyond caring now. She whipped around to face him, the tears streaming down her face, her eyes blazing, body shivering as she clenched her fists at her side. "My so-called first love' did not think twice before abandoning me; you don't think twice before telling me to go back to him. And you say you have failed Yashji? It's I who has failed. I have been married twice, and both times my husbands use me, get me with child and then leave me. I have failed Yashji. I."

As he held her gently at the shoulders she roughly shrugged his arms away. "Don't touch me!"

She had yearned to turn into his arms, secure in his warm embrace. She had wanted to believe her love would be enough for them both, her understanding and acceptance sufficient to carry them through life. But not any more. She was not going to play second fiddle any more. If he wanted her gone, she would go. But if he truly wanted her to stay, then she needed everything. His friendship, his love and above all, his faith in her. Nothing less would be enough.

Part 4

He glimpsed the sheen of pain in her eyes before she masked them yet again. But that one glimpse was enough for him to finally understand. She wasn't rejecting him. Far from it. So he spoke to the fear in her, the pain she tried her best to hide from him and everyone else.

"I don't want you to leave Artiji". She turned towards him at those words, her face bland of any expression. "I don't know how to live without you anymore."

At that she lifted one eyebrow, just like he always did. "Really Yashji? You expect me to believe that after you told me I should go to another man?"

He winced. He deserved that. Swallowing past the bile that threatened to rise just at the thought of her with some one else, he said, "There are many things I have to ask your forgiveness for Artiji. But that statement tops the list." He stepped closer to her and was infinitely glad that she did not move away. Her next words however stopped him in his tracks.

"Why did you say it then?"

Why? Because he had been crazy with jealousy. Because he feared he had lost her forever, even before he ever had her. But mainly because he was an insecure fool.

"I could understand you hiding your divorcee status. I could even understand you not saying anything when Prashant came back. But you hiding about needing Ansh's bone marrow..." He stopped suddenly as the thought of the little boy and what all he had to go through, filled him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and shook his head slightly. "I could not believe you would hide about Ansh from me. Ansh - he is my son Artiji. Even you said that. Then don't I, as his father, deserve to know? And if you think I am so immaterial in his life... in your life, then perhaps you do still love Prashant. Perhaps you still want to be with him. And I will not come in the way of your happiness."

It was Arti's turn to take a step towards him. "Bas Yashji. Please." Of course he was right! This was exactly why she hadn't wanted to hide anything from him. "Perhaps you wont believe me now. And perhaps it's too late anyway. But I wanted to tell you. I insisted on telling you. But I could not get Ma and Bauji to agree. They were scared you would refuse."

As he stared at her unbelievingly, she stepped closer to him. "I knew you would not say no Yashji. But I could not convince them. They were terrified of losing their only child. And I could understand their fear Yashji. When Ansh had been kidnapped -". At her words, a shudder passed through both of them and he nodded.

"We have both made mistakes Artiji, I much more than you. Mistakes that could tear our lives apart if we let them. Can you forgive me Artiji? Meri har saans, har dhadkan aapse bandhi hain Artiji. I don't even know how to live without you. But I will. If you want to be with -"

Before he could finish, she closed the gap between them and placed her fingers over his mouth silencing him. "You made me scream it aloud loudly enough Yashji. Do you still not understand?"

The nerve at his jaw clenched and she saw the vulnerability in his eyes that he didn't bother to hide anymore.

"You are the only man I love Yashji. You are the only person I want to live my life with. Whatever feelings I had for Prashsant don't even compare with what I feel for you." She shook her head, at a loss to even begin to explain her feelings. "Aap ho toh main hoon."

He closed his eyes and she saw a tear seep through and trail its way down his cheek. She raised her hand to wipe that tear away but found her hand held tight by his. "I don't deserve you Artiji. But I am too selfish. I love you too much." He cupped her face in his palms. "Can we start over Artiji, not only with respect this time, but also with love and trust? Will you allow me to cherish you, show you my love for the rest of our lives?"

Arti's eyes filled with tears as he said the words she had been yearning to hear for so many months. "With all my heart Yashji."

He bent his head towards her and she closed her eyes as his lips claimed hers in a tender, sweet kiss that promised a fresh a new beginning. Her hands stole around his neck and his arms slipped down to her waist, holding her soft body flush against his hard one. He deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her willing mouth, stroking her tongue with his. A sudden peal of thunder had her shuddering into him though and he broke the kiss with a soft chuckle as she hid her face into the warmth of his chest.

"Aaj mausam kitna suhana hain Artiji."

She looked up at him confused. "Suhana?"

He laughed and she smiled into his chest as she felt each rumble of that laugh reverberate around her. He stroked the bare skin at her waist. "Of course! Every time it thunders, you come into my arms. This is the best possible weather Artiji. If you ask me, aisi baarish roz honi chahiye."

She laughed into his chest. "Perhaps if it rains everyday, I wont be scared of the thunder anymore." She grinned up at him and he tightened his clasp over her waist.

"God forbid!"

With a contented sigh she lay her head on his chest again. He bent his head and kissed her hair, then gently stroking her hair, he said softly, "These rains are our witness Artiji. Yeh baarish ki boondein hamare rishte ke gawah hain."

She looked up at that and with a faint smile added, "Since the very beginning."

"Forever." He was not speaking of the rain any longer.

She looped her arms around his neck. "Hamesha."

He ran out to her. She should be inside - she was risking both herself and the baby, getting wet like this. She was sitting on a bench, a lone, shivering figure that trembled every time the thunder rolled through.

He reached out to touch her shoulder and hesitated. Dropping his hand down he called softly, "Artiji."

A very slight stiffening of her shoulders was the only indication that she had heard him.

She was terrified of thunder.

He remembered each and every instance when the rain and its accompanying thunder had her scampering into his arms. Tonight though she walked as if she didn't care. Almost. He could see the shiver that trembled through her even now as the remnants of the thunder growled angrily. But for the first time in these many months, she did not seek him out.

She came out of the bathroom rubbing the towel across her long wet locks

"You would have been free of us."

At her brutal words, the ice-cold hands of fear gripped him, squeezing out his very breath.

@bold..

🥺

I'm at loss of words to express how happy I was after reading this one line. So here is a special 🤗 for you.

A million thanks to you for writing this one line. He so needed this to realize what he could have lost. Had he lost her, this time there's no one he would have survived. 😭

I felt so bad for Yash. But I also know he deserved it. He deserved it so much.

*****************

"I don't want you to leave Artiji". She turned towards him at those words, her face bland of any expression. "I don't know how to live without you anymore."

At that she lifted one eyebrow, just like he always did. "Really Yashji? You expect me to believe that after you told me I should go to another man?"

Why? Because he had been crazy with jealousy. Because he feared he had lost her forever, even before he ever had her. But mainly because he was an insecure fool.

As he stared at her unbelievingly, she stepped closer to him. "I knew you would not say no Yashji. But I could not convince them. They were terrified of losing their only child. And I could understand their fear Yashji. When Ansh had been kidnapped -". At her words, a shudder passed through both of them and he nodded.

"You are the only man I love Yashji. You are the only person I want to live my life with. Whatever feelings I had for Prashsant don't even compare with what I feel for you." She shook her head, at a loss to even begin to explain her feelings. "Aap ho toh main hoon[2]."

Arti's eyes filled with tears as he said the words she had been yearning to hear for so many months. "With all my heart Yashji."

She looked up at him confused. "Suhana[4]?"

He laughed and she smiled into his chest as she felt each rumble reverberate around her. He stroked the bare skin at her waist. "Of course! Every time it thunders, you come into my arms. This is the best possible weather Artiji. If you ask me, aisi baarish roz honi chahiye[5]."

**************

22 - She laughed into his chest. "Perhaps if it rains everyday, I wont be scared of the thunder anymore." She grinned up at him and he tightened his clasp over her waist.

"God forbid!"

Ok now I don't want it to rain all the time and I don't want them to move anywhere 😆

******************

23 - With a contented sigh she lay her head on his chest again. He bent his head and kissed her hair, then gently stroking her hair, he said softly, "These rains are our witness Artiji. Yeh baarish ki boondein hamare rishte ke gawah hain."

She looked up at that and with a faint smile added, "Since the very beginning."

"Forever." He was not speaking of the rain any longer.

She looped her arms around his neck. "Hamesha."

Thank You so much for giving me this OS ❤️

A huge Request

Please Don't stop writing. Whenever you get. Give us more fictions (big or small, doesn't matter). 😳

Originally posted by: lovely_nikki

Res 2

After reading it again I realized that I have so much to say on this one OS 🤔

So I decided to better reserve one more spot 😳