The Best of Things
(Ragya, Swasan) Fan Fiction Series +16
By Bubble
Chapter 70
Ten minutes later, Lakshya heard a stirring behind him.
Ragini had woken up, put out a hand to feel for her husband and not found him. She raised herself on her elbow. Through the open doors she saw him standing in the balcony, his back to her. She got out of bed, drew the sheet she was wearing more snugly around her and went out.
"Laksh? Couldn't you sleep?" she said, her words a little slurred with sleep.
He didn't turn. She came to hug him from behind, her arms curving around his torso, her cheek resting on his back. A tremble coursed through him... so acute she raised her head in surprise. She came around to face him.
"Laksh, are you cold?"
He shook his head, mutely.
She raised a hand to cradle his cheek and asked again, "Hamari jaan... aap theek toh hain? Kya hua? Neend nahin aa rahi hai? Aap uthe kyun?"
He covered her hand with his and shook his head again. "Ragini..." He moved his hands to her shoulders, holding her at arm's length, searching her face, and searching for words. "Ragini...!"
She looked up at him, puzzled. And then she found herself pulled forward by the nape of the neck... her lips were taken in a fierce kiss. He poured himself into it... she didn't know what was happening, but naturally, she kissed him back, her hands clasping at the robe he wore, her body yielding to his... Eventually they surfaced for air... he made up for the loss of lip-to-lip contact by holding her tightly against him. "Ragini..." he said, against her hair, "I love you! I love you!"
He burrowed his face in her tresses. She blinked. And pushed away so that she could see his face.
He was still shaking a little although the kiss had steadied him. He let her go to pace around.
He leaned a hand on the parapet and ran the other through his hair. "Can you believe it! I'm in love with you! After so many months of knowing you, of being engaged to you, of being married to you... suddenly... I'm like this heap of pins scattered by one giant bowling ball. It doesn't make any sense!"
She was listening to him, eyes wide.
He turned to her. "I just knew that I wasn't going to let you go... if you hadn't come, I would have come and dragged you to the sacred fire... but I didn't realise what it meant... Did you know?" he asked suddenly, "That I'd fallen for you? Did you know?" He sounded challenging.
She nodded slowly. "The thought occurred to me the day before yesterday," she said, "When you wagged a finger in my face? When you ordered me to just shut up and do what I was told? Telling me I was to listen to whatever Swara said and then be at the mandap at whatever time you told me to be there? It occurred to me then... that you might be in love with me... maybe..."
He looked perplexed.
"My mind said I was just deluding myself... but the idea kept coming back with greater and greater force," she went on, "At the mandap, I knew for sure!"
"I looked at you lovingly?" he asked.
She shook her head, a little reminiscent smile on her face. "No. The thing is... you had been giving out sparks all day. Then, when you saw me, you seemed relieved - that you wouldn't have to burn down the world after all!"
His indignation at being tripped by this development of tsunami proportions receded, and he began to look amused. "I see!"
Well, what was a man to do? He might as well get used to it.
He looked at her. She had staked everything on a hope... and she had come at his silent pleading, waiving her need for his words of love... trusting her instinct again. His Ragini had always been brave...
"I love you!" he said, again.
She heard him say the words she had always longed for. There was a clamour in her heart but no words would come... there seemed nothing to say.
He stepped closer till their faces were only inches apart, held her chin gently and cocked his head at her, "Now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me, Ragini?"
She smiled a little at this echo of a question he had asked her once before. She started to say, lightly enough, "We'll think of something!" Her voice cracked on the last word though and she turned away from him, and walked two steps to the parapet.
He stood, looking after her. After a whole minute, he went to stand by her. Her eyes were closed, and tears still rolled helplessly down her face.
He put his hands on her bare shoulders and turned her to him. She let him, but she still turned her face away. He put his palms on either side of her face and insistently turned her to him, lifting her face to his. His thumbs came up to wipe away her tears.
"Look at me, please," he whispered.
"Please..." he repeated, a moment later.
She slowly opened her eyes. His own eyelashes were spiky-wet, his eyes were moist, and his face was awash with tears. She raised a corner of the sheet she wore and wiped his tears away carefully.
"Are you crying because you married a fool who's been in love with you for weeks... maybe months, and didn't know it?" he murmured.
A small laugh broke out of her, and she nodded.
"Can I make it up to you? With a lifetime of love and respect... is that ok with you?" he asked.
The tears threatened to brim again. "Yes! Again, yes."
He held out his arms to her. A formal invitation. She moved in, melting against him, winding her arms around his back... his arms came around her tightly... an embrace with bodies meshed, hearts intertwined, spirits fused. For both, it felt like coming home.
Edited by soapbubble - 9 years ago
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