Posted:
~4~
Just before you read, if you hadn't already worked it out or saw my announcement, this is the sequel to His Salvation!
Zoya's hands shook as she neared the bed, she hadn't wanted to get too close for fear of him suspecting her, it was safer for him not to know who she was to him, not that she was anything anymore. Clinging onto the ring on the chain around her neck, she closed her eyes, remembering how she had gifted it to him as a promise to marry him one day, only for him to get taken from her so brutally when she had finally realised how she truly felt about him. Aditya was her good man, the best man she had ever met who had saved her from a fate worse than death, without him she wouldn't have been alive, wouldn't have been able to laugh the way she did, wouldn't have experienced such a deep emotion that felt so much more than a four-letter word called love. Leaning over him, she stretched out a hand only to snatch it back when he stirred.
Opening his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling and frowned, voice hoarse as he spoke "You put stars on my ceiling?"
"I put stars on your ceiling" she gulped "Thought it would be a nice thing for you to look at when you wake up".
"I don't like it" he snapped, how dare she come into his life and change things like that? "Take them off, now" he ordered, tone brusque.
"But-".
"I said now"
She hadn't been expecting him to be so angry, so mad and so abrupt in the way he spoke to her, a part of her wanted to back away into a corner and never face him again, but she knew he would never hurt her. "If you would just give it a chance, you may learn to like them" she hoped he would, hoped he'd remember how she had told him what the stars had meant for her on the first night he had ever allowed himself to be vulnerable, for once he wasn't just her saviour, he was also the man that needed saving every once in a while.
"What don't you understand about what I'm saying to you? Are you stupid or just hard of hearing? I said I don't want them".
This time, she flinched, the way he spoke to her was so cold and so uncalled for, this was not the Aditya she knew and loved so dearly "I hate how you speak to me like I'm some stranger" she hadn't meant to say it, but it had slipped out, along with a tear that was halfway down her cheek.
"Are you not a stranger? I don't know you and you don't know me" Aditya had, had enough of the way she acted around him, he didn't want her in his home and he didn't want her in his life, but it seemed no matter how many times he said it to her, she just would not listen, now he was tired, tired of trying to put up with someone like her.
"Fine" climbing onto the bed she began to pull off the stars one by one only to trip over his leg as she stretched out and fell back, forehead slamming into his chest as her arms hit the pillow beside his head, she raised her face and huffed.
Finally able to see her face, he noted the streaks of tears marking her cheeks and the redness in her eyes, he hated to see her cry, every single time she did he wished he could make it stop, it was as if each tear she cried was poison seeping into his skin, he didn't want to be soft, to empathise or sympathise with her, but he couldn't help it, the words had left his mouth before he could even stop them "Don't cry Zoya, I didn't mean to upset you".
"But yet, you do upset me, every single time" deep down she knew this wasn't him, she knew that right now he was just angry with the world and this wasn't even about her, but it was a lot to take when the Aditya she had loved was never ever rude or cruel to her, he had treated her better than she had could have deserved or wished for.
Rolling his eyes he focused on his breathing "I want to get out of bed please" it was only when she had gotten up to move toward the apparatus that he spoke again "Sometimes I just can't help it, all the time I feel so angry and I don't even know why, like something was taken from me".
"Like your dad and brother?" Freezing she felt her skin turn cold, it was so easy to act like he knew she knew everything, but she had to remind herself that he didn't and that for his safety, she had to remain silent about the knowledge she held.
"How did you know that?" The bitterness in his tone made her jump.
"Your mother told me, she called me before she left, in case you didn't contact me, I was to come anyway" Zoya was far too afraid to meet his gaze, instead she busied herself with getting him up and ready.
He seemed to accept her answer "I wasn't talking about them, I feel like I've lost something else, someone else, I just don't know who" finally being pulled up, he caught her eye "Like a part of me".
Zoya cleared her throat "Anyone would think you're hinting at something" she giggled when his eyes widened at the way she had steered the conversation "But don't worry Mr Hooda, as charming as you may find me I know we have a strictly professional relationship".
"Then maybe you should stop flirting with me". Aditya didn't find her attitude even slightly appropriate.
"Where's the fun in that? You'd be bored if I didn't, I'll go get breakfast fixed up and then we can go to the doctors" smiling sweetly, she turned away from him and ran her hands over her face "Stupid Zoya, stupid, stupid Zoya".
"Did you say something?"
Spinning back around, she grinned "Did you sayyy something, hmm?" running back toward the kitchen, she exhaled loudly, that was far too close.
After making breakfast and getting Aditya ready, she sat beside him to feed him only for him to turn his head away from her "Aditya, please, not this again" she wasn't sure what had gotten into him or why he was reacting this way. "What do you want me to do? The aeroplane? Vroom".
Turning back to face her, he let out a growl "Do I look like a child to you?"
"Look like one? No, act like one? Yes".
"Stop being smart, it doesn't suit you".
"Doesn't suit you either, but yet you still try" she grumbled "Please" holding out the fork she put on her best puppy dog eyes and hoped for the best.
"I'm not hungry"
Slamming the fork down, Zoya stood up "Fine, don't eat, see if I care" she had walked a few steps away before running back "I actually care a lot, please eat".
"No" looking away, Aditya closed his eyes and turned his face away.
"I need to go somewhere quickly" she placed the plate in the sink "See you soon".
Anjana pushed her sunglasses from her face and walked forward "Zoya, it's so good to see you, how are you? How is he?"
"I'm fine, he is too, stubborn but fine" she seemed somewhat far away though she remained polite.
"Time changed him, events changed him, this is the man he is when he doesn't have you, I know it's hard lying but when the danger is clear, we can tell him everything, until then" she held out a bag "I know you don't agree, but take it, you may need it one day".
Gasping loudly at the gun in the bag, she nearly dropped it from her hands "Aunty, I can't, please".
"If they come, you cannot defend yourself and him without a weapon, please" kissing her forehead she stepped back "Take care of yourself, I'll be in touch".
~~~
Zoya still felt unbelievably shaken after returning to the house, she hoped he wouldn't ask because she had no answer to give "Aditya, come on, we have to go".
Smashing the glass in his hand he roared "I SAID I DON'T WANT TO GO OUTSIDE"
Inching closer she held his wrist firmly "You're scared, I get it, I do".
He hated how calm she always sounded, he hated how her calmness made him calmer, she had no right to have such an effect on him. "You would never understand".
Bending down, she was careful to avoid the glass as she wiped his hand gently "I will be with you the whole time, trust me on that, I wouldn't force you if it wasn't important" grabbing the bandage she wrapped up his hand "Sometimes the biggest mistake we make is never trying, you never know if you never try, will never move forward if you don't make an effort to get somewhere".
Aditya had no idea why he had seemingly forgotten to breathe or blink as she spoke, or why he was going to agree "Fine, but if it all goes wrong, you do everything my way from now on".
"Deal".
~~~
Zoya looked across the other side of the road, Aditya hadn't spoken to her the whole journey ever since she had suggested not taking the car "The weather is nice" usually everyone commented on the weather and somehow that started a conversation, but it didn't seem to work that way with him. Realising she wasn't going to get a reply, she stepped in front of him "Being outside making you nervous?"
"Everyone stares, move so that we can keep going".
"No" she crossed her arms over her front "No one is staring at you, it's all in your head, we have to get used to you being outside, there's so much to see, so much to do, so much to, woah" falling back onto his lap she turned her head "I can't believe you just grabbed me".
Ignoring her, Aditya moved his fingers over the buttons "This is what happens when you don't listen" he grumbled.
"You know what, my legs were kinda getting tired anyway" she shrugged, leaning back against his chest she rested her legs atop his, the last thing she wanted was to allow him to have one over on her, then he'd think that he could always get his way "Now everyone is staring, but it's just because I'm beautiful, don't worry".
"Very self-obsessed, aren't you?" he didn't expect an answer, simply because he didn't think she had one to give.
"Damn right I am".
Anupamaa
