Vani FF// The Phoenix (Thread 2 Link in Pg 1)

Welcome to my Vani land. There are a few things that I have changed from the show. Something that I have added and imagined things we don't know yet. I hope you all will like reading the story as much as I enjoy writing this. Supernatural, romance and fiction have always been my favourite genre. So, here's my little piece of writing. For a while, I've been thinking of writing this.

This is the link to Thread 2: Thread 2

Naagin 5 Forum has been closed so I can no longer add the chapters here. I'll be uploading the remaining chapters in this new link that I have given above. Do read, like and comment your thoughts away. 

Chapter 1: A Scarlett Coincidence

Veeranshu Singhania. 

Something was so different about him that always caught Bani off guard. First, it was his actions. She could do the most offending things and he'd still be so balanced. He had almost ruined his business deal but he didn't do anything. She almost made him think she was insulting his dead twin brother's corpse but he did nothing. He almost threatened to kill him but he was so relaxed. It caught her off guard. Everyone in the house seemed tensed with the Bani out on prowl but when it came to Veer, he was so relaxed. He lived in the same room with her and could easily be her target but not even an ounce of worry in his face. It made her uneasy. She held an upper hand through fear. All these cheels had fear of her. Of course, Balwant was still brave to take up the challenge to fight her but it didn't change that there was some amount of fear. That fear was so absent in Veeranshu Singhania. It was exactly like looking into Aakesh's soul. 

He sat on the dining table. The bloody mary set on the table before him. Bani's father looked in surprise. Bani's family was not like his own. The Singhanias started their day as they pleased. 

"Damad ji, abhi toh subeh ke 8 baje hai." Chachi commented chuckling. 

"Never too early for a drink." Veer answered with a grin. 

"Woh bhi sahi baat hai. Aapke liye toh sab time ek jaisa hota hai.." She buttered him with a laughter. Veer grinned. He loved when people agreed to him. Especially if it was Bani's family. 

"Papa, woh chodiye. Aap bataiye. Kaise hai?" Bani made a conversation with her father. He couldn't understand how Bani was being able to handle Veer. Veer was almost an alcoholic and Bani never drank. Bani's father more than anyone knew how an alcoholic man was. His own father was an alcoholic and the way he treated his mother was terrible. 

"Beta, Veer is behaving well with you, right? He's not hurting you, right?" He asked Bani. 

"Papa, everything is fine. Veer is a little different but he wouldn't ever lose his senses even while he's down with a few drinks. He knows where to stop. Aap chinta mat kijiye." Bani assured him. As such Bani wanted to say that he had a liver of steel. She has never seen him drunk. Is it because he's a icchadhari cheel that he has such advanced metabolism? Bani brushed those useless thoughts and tried to focus on what her father was telling her. 

Soon, Ponky brought down Veer's mom. Veer jogged up to her and helped her. 

"Aao, maa. Sit. Kya khaogi?" Veer asked her. Bani put tea and some bread. She ate silently. She offered some to Veer. "Nahi, its okay. Tu kha. Main kha lunga." He sat next to her. 

Bani had begun to see that soft side to Veer that he shows to his mother. Bani noticed that even her own father deemed the same thought right. He could be the most annoying creature on the planet but it is always sweet when he is with his mother. Seeing the way Veer was his mother made her believe that Balwant deserves the punishment.

Balwant stood up from the table. Pawan and Shukla behind him. Balwant gave one look at Veer's mom. She almost curled away in fear. Veer assured her and looked back at his father. "Dad... bas kariye." Veer told him and he walked away. 

Bani could see the kind of hatred in Balwant eyes that she held for Veer earlier. She couldn't miss it. What could make him hate her so much? Why was she exactly locked up? She was going find out about it and prove to Veer how his family is. 

Now, she had another trouble bothering her. It was this strong negative energy she was feeling. It was taking her control away. The one who lived around such negative energies were these cheels. They often hunted in burning grounds. 

Once they had set Veer's mom in her room, Veer turned to Bani. Her skin was burning up again. It was bothering her a lot now.

"Bani, exactly kya ho raha hai?" He asked her. 

"I don't know. This is driving my control out of bounds. My powers are reacting to that kind of energy. Someone around us is so filled up with that tamsic energy that it is reacting against my radar." Bani explained. Veer softly held her. 

"I guess it is affecting you because you're around it a lot. You can't think right with your skin burning like this." Veer told her. He took her hand and led her outside. He had told Tapish to be careful about their mom and dad coming across each other. "Sit." Veer told her, signalling her to sit on the bike behind her. 

"Veeranshu, we shouldn't go out. I mean my family is here for me. It is quite foolish to leave them unattended." Bani tried to tell him. 

"Bani, stop being so difficult. Dad isn't going to hunt your family and eat them. Relax. We try to keep our hunting schedules under wrap and not bring attention to ourselves." Veer told her. "And you're already burning up. We need a place to bloody calm down and think what to do about this. We can't do that while it is hurting you and you're all burning up. Last thing we need is you getting sick." 

Bani gave in and sat behind him. He drove them ahead towards his mountain house. The exact place that he taken her after saving her from the truck blast. 

"This place? This place is exactly where I was brought after the truck....." Bani then looked at Veer. Was it a coincidence? He saved her exactly the same way that he saved her in her childhood. Another blast that should have killed her. "Tumne mujhe bachaya?" 

"Abh dekho, you jumped into stuff without paying attention. I couldn't leave you like that. When Jay told me that you went behind my family's truck. I reached there right when the blast was about to happen." Veer told her as he took her upstairs. "You are more important to me than you understand. Anyway we have more important thing to put thoughts into." 

No wonder she felt her scales when she touched that injury on her shoulder. It was eagle's claws. He wasn't exactly the knight in shining armour kind so why did he appear at places when she's in trouble? And there she was already cursing him when it was him who saved her. What kind of coincidence was it that whenever she's in trouble, he is the one to show up and save her? Bani didn't know why all that kept happening to her. Bani couldn't understand him sometimes. He becomes all too confusing for her mind.

He made her sit near the balcony. 

"Sit. I'll get us something." Veer told her. The air was so fresh and cool. She took a deep breath and let her calm down. Veer returned with a tray. Two mugs, a paste and a headband. She could smell hot chocolate brewed perfectly. 

"Lo." He gave her one of the mugs. The smell of sandalwood, aloevera and turmeric came from the paste. "I'll put this on the burns. It helps with the burns." He said. 

"Iski koi zaroorat nahi hai. I can..." Bani didn't get to finish because he already started to put them over her burns. That was like instant cooling effect. 

"Put that head band over your hair." Veer told her. Bani did that and Veer applied the paste over her face. 

"Woh spa wali feeling aa rahi hai." Bani chuckled. Veer grinned. 

"Well, abhi tumne apne pati dev ki service dekhi kahan hai.." Veer teased her. He tied her hair in a pony tail. A few moments later, he put the same paste over his face. 

"Why are you putting it on your face?" Bani asked. 

"Company dene ke liye." He answered. Bani couldn't help but smile. Maybe, just maybe, he could be a good company. Bani didn't know about love but there was definitely a growing soft spot for him.

"Who taught you these gharelu nuske? I mean I don't expect Veeranshu Singhania to know how to make a cooling face pack." Bani said. 

"My mother." He answered. 

"Your mom taught you how to make a face pack?" She was surprised. Most women don't rather indulge in those with their sons. Veer chuckled and a sweet smile came to his face. 

"My birth mother. Jo humare saath hai abhi, woh meri asli maa nahi hai. She just brought us up. She gave us all her love and care. She was like our foster mother but since she was there in major part of my life I always saw her as my mother." Veer told her. 

"What happened to your birth mother?" Bani asked. Veer looked out at the window for a moment. 

"I was really young to understand stuff. An attack had happened at our home. She was being attacked. Hearing her voice Teer bhai and I went out. We saw her attacked by several people. She saw us and got worried. They attacked us, she shielded her from all those attacks and almost gave up her life trying to save Teer bhai and me. I was almost attacked by some magic but Teer bhai came up before me. She asked me to take Teer bhai and run away.  Dad was not there at that time. It was just me, Daksh Teer bhai and Tapish bhai. Daksh was in his cradle while Tapish bhai was looking out for him. Ponky and Monil weren't even born. Later on I learned that the attack was from Naag-Naagins." Veer told her, not looking at her. 

Bani fell silent. Her naagvansh had attacked his family and he lost his birth mother in that attacked. "Dad ne kaha kisi Naagin ne unhe dasa tha. I had watched with my own eyes, so many Naags stabbing her repeatedly to get to me. She refused to budge." He told her. 

She couldn't believe it. Naagvansh would never be that cowardly. Why would they attack his family? Balwant must have done something for that to happen. Bani decided not to say it. 

"So, your birth mother taught you how to make this?" Bani asked. 

"Yes." Veer had that sweet smile again. "She was the most amazing person I had ever come across. Mom, maasi, Tapish bhai, Teer bhai, Daksh and I would watch Jungle Book. She used to say that Balu from Jungle Book reminded her of my dad. That stuck and sometimes even I call him that." 

Bani couldn't help but smile. 

"She was pregnant so she had odd cravings. I didn't understand them but to cheer her up, I would join her. So, it was ice-cream, self care and watching animated movies. So, she would often make this face pack and apply it on her face while she rested. So, I used to join her in that." Veer told her. 

Bani felt a pang in her heart. His mother was pregnant when she died. Why would her naagvansh be so heartless? They would never hurt a pregnant woman. That could be the greatest sin to make. Something not even Bholenath would forgive. Regardless of what the person before them was, to attack a pregnant woman is the most heartless thing. Why should it matter that the person was from enemy clan.

Bani then noted Veer's smile when he thought of his mother. He was definitely a mumma's boy. She chuckled at that thought.

"What? Why is it funny that I would put it with her?" Veer asked. 

"No. I'm not smiling at that. I never thought that Veeranshu Singhania would turn out to be a mumma's boy." Bani explained. Veer looked confused.

"Why so? I mean its a cliched trope that all the boys are their mother's favourite." 

"Yes but the way you are, I didn't think you'll have that sort of trope in you. I mean you have this 'bad boy' attitude who has no respect for anyone." 

"I also was a little boy once, Mrs Veeranshu Singhania. I wasn't born a man. I started off as a little boy and built myself to a man." 

For a moment, Bani almost wished she could have seen him as boy. She could imagine him as an adorable little boy who trotted behind his mother everywhere. 

They fell silent again. Bani drank her hot chocolate. A man who knows how to make the perfect hot chocolate is a man worth being friends with. 

"Better lag raha hai? Does it still burn?" Veer asked her. 

"No. It feels quite better. Ab jal nahi raha." Bani answered. 

Chapter 2 : https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/154965763

Wow awesome...Loved it. Waiting to know what next

 Welcome back with Ur beautiful stories. So nice

Fabulous writing ....just love it... Keep uploading daily ....  I Love the way you describe our Veeranshu Singhania in Bani's thought 🖤

Very well written...... Veer’s emotion was beautifully described......loved it .....VANIlicious update .....cant wait to read chapter 2 

wow, it is amazing loved it

This is beautiful piece of writing!❤️ Touches our hearts straight!😳Please continue! There heart to heart conversations are such a delight to read!

Wow...

Amazing update...

Continue soon...

i absolutely adore your work, looking forward to moreee 

Chapter 2: Mahogany Snake Scare

The two got up to wash up themselves. Bani and Veer both started washing their face. Veer started throwing water over her. "Veeranshu, kya kar rahe ho??" She moved away and retaliated by doing the same. The two started throwing water on each other. Bani had never hated his 'cheel-ness' more than now because he's too fast and dodges her water attacks.

Veer laughed as he stood there hardly wet. She was already dripping. The water thrown everywhere in the bathroom. He took some water in his hands and took off the remaining face pack off the beginning of her hairline.

"Abh koi extra kapde bhi nahi laayi main." She complained with a last try to throw water at him. He chuckled as he dodged it.

"Relax." Veer told her. He opened the cupboard and offered to her. "Jo bhi lena ho choose karlo. Anyway, take a shower. Jo back pe paste lagaya hai use bhi dho lo. Thande paani se shower karlo. Yeh jo kapde hai, use dryer mein daal denge."

He walked out with that.

Bani took a shower. Bani did like hot water baths but at this moment, a cool shower felt so good. It was refreshing. Atleast that burning was not there anymore. She put on Veer's hoodie. She stopped before the mirror for a few moment. It came down till her mid thighs. Almost the same size as a short dress. The headband holding her hair and those slippers. It almost didn't look like her but she didn't mind how she looked. The burn was gone. Bani had never been the kind to admire herself in her boyfriend's shirt. She thought of it as cliched. Too cheesy for her. Yet, she felt different wearing Veer's hoodie. She pulled the hood over her hair and made beard and moustache with her hair.

"Veeranshu Singhania sabse alag nahi dikhta, main alag hoon. I'm different." Bani tried to act like Veer. She noted that it smelled like his perfume.

Soon she went back to the thoughts on who was giving her those energy signals. Who did she pass when she felt that energy? She heard a knock on the door.

"Haan.." She answered. Veer came inside. His eyes fell on her and traced it down her legs. He leaned against the doorway and titled his head. Bani threw a pillow at him. "Stop staring..." She told him. He laughed catching hold of the pillow.

"Main kya karun? It is just such an enticing scene. Everything that I love. Pahad hai, acchi hawa hai, tum ho. It is a perfect setting." Veer teased her with a wink.

"Hum sirf kuch der ke liye yaha hai." Bani pointed out. Veer was glad they weren't interuptted by that dhabewala. "Also, I need to find a way soon to find out who is that person giving me those energy signals."

"See, before we start dealing with it, we need some basic knowledge on how to act with them. How to identify what it is." Veer told her.

"There is no way to find that out, Veer. Not even the pandit in the Naag temple could know a lot of about this kind of energy." Bani pointed out.

"I know someone who can possibly know about it." Veer offered.

"Who?" Bani asked. Veer took a deep a breath.

"Shamshaan ghat pe jo rehte hai, woh hai jinhe pata hota hai in taamsic shaktiyon ke baare mein." Veer offered. Most Naagins never go to shamshaan ghat. They're not that kind. They worship Shiva but they never associate themselves with burning grounds. Bani wasn't sure what to do. "See, I know what you all think about burning grounds but trust me, if there is a place we can find our answers, it is there. A few aghoris stay there. They know the best about these taamsic shakti. They deal with them."

Bani definitely wasn't going with this plan. She was Adi-Naagin. The first Naagin and the reputation of the entire naagvansh rests on her. She can't do anything that will taint that reputation. Burning grounds are a place for enemies of naagvansh. Vultures, Eagles, Kites and Falcons. All of them were enemies of naagvansh.

"Tell me again on how did you manage to get me to agree to come with you here?" Bani asked as they stopped the bike a little before the burning grounds. Her radar had switched on. She already felt vultures around her. She was about jump into her instincts when Veer held her hand.

"Relax. Calm down, sweetheart. Kuch nahi hoga. Main hun na. I won't let anyone hurt you." Veer assured her. "Aage chal ke jana padega. Ready?" Veer asked her.

Bani felt goosebumps on her skin. Veer was relatively calm. She had to admit one thing about Veer which was his calm. He could maintain his temper in the most dangerous situations. He can maintain his calm in face of danger. An enemy worth knowing.

"Just breathe, okay. Mujhe pata hai ki yaha giddh bhi hai and they can feel you but react mat karna. If you react, they'll be tempted to attack." Veer told her. Bani heard a flutter of wing and it switched on her instinct. Her eyes changed into her naagin eyes.

Veer felt her body tense up. Vulture flew on top of their head in a circle. Veer was very well aware that they hadn't attacked till now because they recognized Veer with her. Cheel and Giddh don't cross each other's territory. Until either of them feel a little too courageous. Giddh had their own strengths. They're good at making their prey uneasy and make a mistake. Yet, he had the advantage of being faster. They're not quite so brave enough to face a raging cheel. Veer had been in a fight with them several times and hence has learnt their techniques. A rather loud warning hiss came from Bani. He could see her scales forming. Her eyes turned red with slits. Her glare at the vulture who flew a little too close to her.

Veer grabbed her face and made her look at him. "Look at me, sweetheart." Veer told her. She looked at him. She was on her guard but then the way Veer looked at her, it was almost grabbing majority of her attention. He had that unusual ability to grab her attention to himself. His eyes staring into her soul. It was like the coils of a python, almost impossible to escape once caught in them.

His eyes were intense and deep. Like his soul lived in his eyes. As if he could read through her exterior into her soul and conscience.

"Sweetheart, main tumse kitna pyaar karta hun, yeh kehna mushkil hai. Kyuki suraj se leke dharti tak ka distance measure kar sakte hai. Pluto se leke kisi aur galaxy ki distance measure kar sakte. Par jo waqt aur zindagi se bhi lambi hai, use kaise measure kar sakti hai? Jaan jaa sakti hai par yeh pyaar nahi jaata hai. Ek baar jo pyaar kar liya toh ab is rooh ke saath hi khatam ho sakti hai. I could be die a thousand time and still take birth to meet you again and fall in love with you again. It would never get tiring to me. I don't care if the end is same. I don't care if the end is you killing me in every life. I'd take that with a smile." He said. The way he says it is so deep. Bani couldn't say anything. Her eyes locked into his. She couldn't look away from him. She didn't even realized when he had started to lead her ahead or where he was leading her.

After a moment when Veer looked around, she then realized that she was lost in his eyes. She looked away, trying to hide that she had been lost in his eyes.

"Distract karne ka ajeeb tareeka hai." Bani commented.

"Well, if you see so that way. Mere jo dil mein hota hai, wahi zubaan pe hoti hai. Sach kehne se log darte hai kyuki sach se zyada unhe apni image ka darr hota. Mere liye khud se bhi zyada tum ho toh abh darr ke dil ki baat na kehna galat hoga. You know me, Bani. Jo feel karta hun wahi karta hun. Aur kahin na kahin tum bhi feel karti but you're too chicken to accept it." Veer answered with a grin. Why does he always have the perfect words to say? Bani couldn't understand. So many times he says things that Bani has no reply to and all she can manage to say is "Shut up". What could one say after the person before you has said something so deep? Almost too deep to call it stupid. Somehow he makes it even more deep.

"Careful." He helped her while they walked past a recently burnt pile. Bani shook a bit. Fear taking into her. Veer seemed calmed. He held her hand. Bani wouldn't say it but she was glad for that. Her fear was gripping into her. Even as a Naagin she wasn't regular to all these. Veer's calm was reassuring. It felt like he knew what he was doing.

"Laga hi tha ki tum jald hi aaoge." A voice came from behind Bani. She jumped up, startled and Veer held her. Hair so matted that it could strangle anyone to death. His body covered in ash. Rudraksh beads around his wrists. Holding a chillum in his hands.

"Sweetheart, main hoon na. Kuch nahi hoga." Veer comforted her. Her fists were almost wrinkling Veer's shirt with how tightly she had held on to it. "Arrey yaar, aise darao mat. Main regular visitor hoon but yeh bechari pehle hi dari hui hai. Heart attack aa jayega meri sweetheart ko. Zara aaram se aate na." Veer told him. Bani gave him a look. If her heart wasn't racing so fast, she would've given him a piece of her mind.

"Yaar? Woh tumhara yaar hai kya?" Bani asked him exasperated at her odd her husband is. She ran her hand through her hair. Someday his craziness is going to kill her mental balance.

"Sweetheart, main bohot saalon se unhe jaanta hu. Woh meri baaton ko mind nahi karte. Relax." He assured her with a chuckle. How could he be so relaxed that this place isn't scaring the lights out of him? He's actually being able to chuckle and joke.

"Ajeeb baat hai. Pehli baar ek Naagin yaha shamshaan ghat par. Woh bhi Adi-Naagin, Naag-Naagin mein sarvasresth." The aghori commented. He started circling her. Bani tightened her grasp on Veer's shirt. Her hair stood at the base of her neck. Veer put a hand around her. "Kyu dara rahe ho?"

"Bani, kuch bhi nahi hoga. Trust me. Tume kuch bhi nahi karenge woh." Veer tried to give her some courage.

"Veeranshu, mujhe yahan se jaana hai. Theek nahi lag raha." Bani said.

"Apna sawaal puche bina hi jaana chahti ho, Adi Naagin?" The aghori asked. Bani felt her feet shaking. Veer hugged her.

"Veeranshu, please..." She almost was close to breaking out.

"Okay, okay. Relax. Chalo." Veer nodded. He sighed. He took one last look at the aghori. Bani was aware that all the cheels often visited burning grounds but Veer's odd understanding with the aghori almost set her useasy. The aghori moved towards Veer. Bani's instincts kicked in. She pulled Veer away.

"Bani, calm down. Kuch naho hoga. He's not going to hurt me. Relax." Veer tried to tell her.

"No. just stand back." Bani shouted.

"Adi-Naagin, yeh jung cheelon aur naagon ke beech nahi, tumahre aur jinhe tum apna samajhti ho unke beech hai." He said. Bani's heart was beating a little too fast. She felt she was surrounded. Veer unfolded his wings and flew her up. The aghori looked at them. He took her back where they had kept the bike. He put her down.

"Relax... Saans lo." Veer told her and gave her a bottle of water. Bani grabbed his jacket and rested her forehead against his chest, almost hiding into him. She shivered. Veer held her and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Mujhe nahi laga ki tum itna darr jaaogi. I'm so sorry. Sabh theek hai. Kuch nahi hua tume." Veer comforted her. Noting the way she held on to his jacket, he realized she was really scared. Bani pulled away from the hug and ran her hands through her hair.

"I don't know kya hua. I should have been stronger. Adi-Naagin hoke aise kaise darr sakti hun main?" Bani cursed herself.

"Sweetheart, its alright. You're not used to it. Anyone would be scared if they have to see a burning grounf for the first time. Just let yourself breathe. Adi-Naagin ho, omni-courageous nahi. Almost saare cheelon ko aadat hoti hai shamshaan ki. Jo maut ko paas se dekh lete hai, unhe use accept karne mein time nahi lagta." Veer told her. Bani took a deep breath.

"Abh kaise pata karenge?" Bani asked. The fear turned into embarrassment. She was Adi-Naagin. How did it suit her to get scared like that? She should have been stronger. That too she got scared before Veeranshu.

"I'll drop you back home. Main baat karke aata hun. Let's see ki woh kya bata paate hai. I brought you hear because tumhe first hand experience hua us tamsic energy ka. Toh I thought, tum better bata sakogi but tumhara reaction dekhke lag nahi raha ki tum survive kar paaogi. Toh, I'll go and speak to him. You relax at home." Veer told her. Veer's phone rang. He sighed when he saw the caller ID.

"Haan, dad? Nahi zinda hun. Adi-Naagin ne mujhe maarne ki koi saazish nahi ki hai. Aisa lag raha tha ki uski jaan nikal jaayegi. Anyway, main safe hun. Tension mat lo." Veer answered and cut the call. "Dad the, ghar pe nahi mila toh karne lage panic. Anyway. Chalo, I'll drop you home."

"Main tumhe akela chod dun waha shamshaan mein?" Bani asked as if he had gone crazy.

"Bani, waha mujhe koi khatra nahi hai. Tumhe heart attack aa raha tha. I was cool." Veer chuckled.

"Shut up, maim mazaak nahi kar rahi. Tumne dekha bhi hai ki waha kitna saare giddh hai. Kisi ne attack kar diya toh? Aur pata nahi kya ho jaayega tumhe..." Bani didn't want to think of what worse could happen. Veer looked at her.

"Tumse zyada confused is zindagi mein maine kisi ko nahi dekha. Kehti ho ki fark nahi padta mere hone ya na hone se but yaha shamshaan tak cheel banke chala jaau yeh keh raha hun.. Pagal ho rahi ho. Kamaal hai." Veer teased her. Bani glared at him.

"Can ever be serious? You can possibly die there."

"Bani, cheelon ko shamshaan mein darr nahi lagta. Its almost their ground. Aur rahi baat giddhon ki toh unhe main bachpan mein handle kar leta tha."

Chapter 3: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/154980241

Chapter 3: Cherry on the top

It had suddenly started to rain. Bani had called up Meera and spoke to her. The tv was reporting an incoming storm. Veer was speaking to Tapish on the phone about caring for their mother. They had come on his bike so all they could do was wait for the rain to stop or go back drenched. Considering Meera and Tapish's advice, they went back to the mountain house. It was closer than the Cheel Mansion. Regardless of that, her recently dried clothes were wet again. She was back to wearing Veer's hoodie.

"Suddenly kya ho gaya. A while ago everything seemed fine." Bani complained.

"Aasmaan mujhe miss kar raha hai." Veer teased. She put her hand on her waist and glared at him.

"Jo bhi hai, Bani. Tu safe reh. Humari fikar mat kar. Everything will be fine but tu Veer ke saath hi reh. Akeli kahin mat nikal jana." Meera told her through the phone.

"Haan, di. Main khyal rakh lungi apna. Aap dhyaan se rehna. Kuch bhi galat lage ek sos message mujhe kar dena. Main aur Veeranshu turant aa jaayenge." Bani told her sister.

"Hum sabh safe hi rahenge. Tu tension mat le." Meera assured and put down the phone. Bani put it down and looked at Veer. It made her wonder if there was anything that can breakdown Veeranshu Singhania. He was emotional over his brother Teer's death. But he didn't breakdown or go villainous like she expected. He still cared for her. The shamshaan didn't shake him. Her death threat to him didn't scare him. Not even the threat to his family shook him. She had never seen someone so balanced in their equation like Veer. He could juggle everything she threw at him and still maintain his dignity. That why he seemed so untouchable. His calm and cool made him unpredictable.

"Hum tum... ek kamre mein bandh ho... aur toofan aa jaaye." Veer started singing. He offered her a hand. He switched on the stereo. The song played. They both started dancing.

Bahar se koyi andar na aa sake 
Andar se koi bahar na ja sake 
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho

Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye 

Veer twirled her and pulled her close. Bani put her arms around his shoulder and continued ahead with going lip sync to the song.

Tere nainon ki bhool bhulaiya mein
Bobby kho jaaye
Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye

Veer left her hand and jumped over the couch to give a dramatic effect.

Aage ho ghanghor andhera

Bani jumped on the sofa with her back facing Veer. 

Baba mujhe dar lagta hai

Veer tried to scare her with a dramatic story-telling like style

Peechhe koyi daku lutera

Bani hit his arm. 

Hmm.. kyon daraa rahe ho

Aage ho ghanghor andhera
Peechhe koyi daku lutera
Upar bhi jana ho mushkil
Neeche bhi aana ho mushkil
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho

The two were back to their tango. The two looking at each other.

Hum tum kahin ko ja rahe hon
Aur rasta bhool jaayein

Hum tum kahin ko ja rahe hon
Aur rasta bhool jaayein

Bani let him swing her. He pulled her to him, her back against his chest and their arms around her waist.

Tere bahiyan ke jhoole mein saiyan
Bobby jhool jaaye
Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye

Veer led her to the kitchen, passed her two glasses. The alcohol mixer. Veer started taking out the ingredients. Bani sat up on the counter and ate the cherry he was putting in his drink.

Basti se door, parbat ke peechhe
Masti mein choor
ghane pedon ke neeche
Andekhi anjani si jagah ho
Bas ek hum hon dooji hawa ho
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho

Hum tum ek jangle se guzrein
Aur sher aa jaaye
Hum tum ek jungle se guzrein
Aur sher aa jaaye

She acted as if saving from an imaginary lion, shielding him. Veer against the counter and Bani right before him.

Sher se main kahun
tumko chhod ke
Mujhe kha jaaye

Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye

Veer held her and twirled her again and again till he reached the shelf. He brought the rest and made them drinks. While hers was an non-alcoholic drink, he put vodka in his own drink. The two clinked their glasses on the opposite sides of the open kitchen's counter. The two stared at each other with a smile and drank the drink.

Aise kyon khoye khoye ho
Jaage ho ki soye huye ho

Kya hoga kal kisko khabar hai
Thoda sa mere dil mein yeh dar hai
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho
Socho kabhi aisa ho to kya ho

Bani climbed up the couch and took a trust fall. Veer caught her in his arms.

Hum tum yoon hi hans khel rahe hon
Aur ankh bhar aaye
Hum tum yoon hi hans khel rahe ho
Aur ankh bhar aaye

Tere sar ki kasam tere gham se
Bobby mar jaaye

Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye
Tere nainon ki bhool bhulaiya mein
Bobby kho jaaye

The two dancing in perfect sync with each other's movements.

Hum tum, hum tum
Ek kamre mein band hon
Ek kamre mein band hon
Aur chabhi kho jaaye
Aur chabhi kho jaaye
Aur chabhi kho jaaye
Aur chabhi.. kho jaaye, kho jaaye

As the song ended, Bani laughed for a few moments, crashing on the sofa. Veer d as he gazed her while she laughed. As she realized what was happenning, she stopped laughed and pushed her hair back behind her ear. 

She finished her drink. "Kya kamaal ki chemsitry hai humari, nahi?" Veer asked. She didn't answer. He sighed. "Waise, meri hoodie mujhese zyada tum par suit kar rahi hai." He teased her.

"Mujh par sabh suit karta hai. Unlike you jispe sirf black suit karta, mujhpe saare colours acche lagte hai." Bani answered with a huff. Veer laughed.

"Aur aisa kisne kaha ki mujpar baaki colours acche nahi lagte?" He asked.

"Tabhi toh tum koi aur colour pehnte hi nahi. You only wear black." She pointed out.

"That's because it is my favourite colour."

"Anyway, dinner ka kya plan hai? Abh toh kuch order bhi nahi kar sakte."

"I don't know. Kuch toh hoga yaha. But I'm not used to cooking food. Maggi hua toh that I can make but baaki koi cooking nahi aati hai."

"Uff, bas yeh reh gaya. If you could cook, main sach mein impress ho jaati."

"Haaye!!! Pehle bata deti, toh kuch seekh leta. Waise mauka haseen hai, sikha do toh main seekh jaaunga. I'm a quick learner." He winked at her. She smiled and walked into the kitchen. The two started looking for anything they can make food with.

"Oh!! Aata hai.." Bani spotted the packet. She climbed up the counter to reach the packet. Her foot slipped from the edge of the counter. She was expecting to hit the ground and crouch in pain but she landed right in Veer's arms.

"Careful, sweetheart." He said. Her eyes stuck to his. For a moment, Bani actually let it sink that it seemed perfect. He was handsome. Bani could do everything but ignore those eyes. Even while she was before Aakesh, she could never escape his eyes. Everything about him was dangerous but the moment it came to his, she felt so caught up. It made her feel like there was no escape to it. She put her arms around his neck. Only thing she feared more was someday she'll look into his eyes and feel the exact same thing that he did. Bani could never forget the look in his eyes as Aakesh fell to his death. Like he had never been happier. She feared that someday she would willing fall to her death just like that for him. She feared forgetting that she was Adi-Naagin and was responsible to protect her Naagvansh. She once failed at the baarudi surang. Naags were killed in the blast and she grabbed Veer. She ran away with him rather than trying to protect the naags. They wouldn't have generally gone angry and out of control like that in her presence but the blast sent them out of their minds. They simply were killed for no fault of theirs. While she was rather worried about her husband.

Bani knew it. If she had to see it in a general sense, Veer was a perfect husband. She knew it. He would care for her when she's injured. He shows up when she's in trouble. He protects her from his own family. He flirts and teases. She could say the most hurting things to him but never once has his smile left him. She could do the most painful things to him but he would still never cross the line. He would still treat her lovingly. He would act like a jerk around when others watched but then in the very next moment, he makes her feel like she is his partner. He would try to make her jealous with Mayuri but when things got a little harsh, he's the first to step and ask Mayuri to back off. 

Everytime she looks into Veer's eyes, a part of her heart points out that he's nothing less than what she wished for her husband to be like. Yet, her mind keeps reminding her that he belonged from the enemy clan. Bani had no idea how to put that past her. Veer had never given her a reason to doubt his intentions towards her. Bani knew how violent Veer could get but then the way he kept himself in control. How could he trust her so deeply even after she's threatened him that she might as well kill him. Bani knew she wasn't going to kill him but she never said that to him.  

He put her down. As he caged her between the counter and himself, Veer pulled out the packet from the shelf. Her heart raced while he stood behind her. Why was she feeling like this? There was always an unsaid feeling when he closed up on her but this was so uncalled for. Even Jay didn't make her feel that way when she met him. This was completely different.

It brought back the same feeling she felt when Aakesh came so close to her, showing her reflection to her on his perfectly sharpened dagger. He circled her like that. It was an unsaid feeling when he came so close to her. That forbidden feeling pulling at her. Nageshwari had loved Hriday. He was after all her soul mate, the one she was meant to be with. Uske janam janam ka saathi but with Aakesh it was an explosive feeling. She had written it out as the scent of danger. Aakesh was nothing but danger. Nageshwari forced herself to believe it was danger. It would have been same for Bani, if only Veer wasn't so protective of her. Bani didn't want to trust him with her life but for some reason she did. It was stupid. Why would the lion fall for the lamb? Bani's mind had memorized his scent. Even if she forgets everything, she couldn't forget that. He smelled like the forest's fresh air and expensive whiskey. Two very distinct scents but that was signature to how Veer smelled.

Veer gave her the same feeling everytime he closed up on her. Yet, there was an unexplainable emotion attached to it. Bani kept trying to tell herself that it was hatred. Everything attached to Aakesh was meant to be hated. Her inner Nageshwari was tuned like that. Veer cornered her all the time but today it was like a strong scream. It couldn't be hatred. That was what the scream was trying to tell her. Why wouldn't she hate Aakesh? Aakesh was the enemy. He betrayed her, preyed on her act of kindness and wrecked a havoc in the temple.

"Here. Anything else you want from the shelf?" He asked.

"No.." She answered. He gathered a few other things.

"Good, then. What am I supposed to do?" He asked.

"Cut the paneer into cubes."

"Aye Aye, captain." He took the knife and looked at it. Sometimes Veer resembled Aakesh so much and then he seemed so different from Aakesh. It was like hot and cold treatment. Bani grabbed the counter hard.

Aakesh's memory was etched into her mind so brightly that she almost never saw Veer. Bani looked at Veer dicing the paneer. The way his fingers worked on the paneer. Twiring the knife in his hand, playing with the knife. It was the sharp memory of Aakesh. Veer's eyes had the same madness. An odd all consuming fire of some kind. Like he was looking at some he had been wanting all his life. Every time she sees a knife in his hands, her mind retunes back to Aakesh.

"Aise mat dekho mujhe, sweetheart, deewana hoon, kahin jaan na nikal jaaye meri." Veer teased her. She looked away. She decided to try and pay attention to the flour. She then looked at him again while she made the dough. He was trying to work the kadai to make the paneer.

"Veer, do you think we can still go and meet that baba?" Bani asked suddenly. Veer looked up at her confusion.

"Bani, a few hours ago, you almost lost senses and got super scared and you want to go again? If you want the information, I'll get it. I don't want to put you in that same situation again. You almost had a heart attack." He told her.

"Please, Veer. Mujhe actually lagta hai jaise woh tamsic shakti bohot hi dangerous. Uske aate hi, aisa laga jaise sabh kuch mera mujhe cheen liya. Like as if all happiness gone and all left was fear and danger." Bani told him.

"Bani, you're not even ready to deal with that. Kyu bekaar mein apne aap ko pareshaan kar rahi ho? I'll get the information. Trust me."

"It is not about trust, Veer. I want to prepare myself. I felt as if that energy was specifically directed at me. Jaise woh mujhe attack karna chahta ho. Agar shamshaan tak se darr jaaungi toh it would be impossible for me to deal with whoever that was. I don't want to feel scared."

"Bani, mere hote hue, koi tumhe kuch nahi kar sakta. Woh jo bhi hai, pehle mujhse hoke guzerga."

"Please.." She looked at him hopefully.

"Fine. Kal chale? Tab tak tum apne aap ko prepare kar lo."

They prepared dinner and ate together. In the while she had realized that for some reason, she didn't mind his company now. If someone had told her in Satyug that she would say this about Aakesh, she would have definitely bitten him. Bani had heard earlier that when Veer finds out about his truth. His memory as Aakesh, he would become even more powerful. Yet, she didn't see anything of that manner in Veer yet. Veer still seemed majorly like Veer. There was nothing different in him. He was Veeranshu Singhania, what could have changed in him? Could he possibly be more dangerous?

"What thoughts are you lost in, sweetheart? Kabse mujhe ghoore ja rahi ho." Veer asked her.

"Kuch nahi.." She looked back in her plate. Eating a piece of roti with the paneer.

"Kuch toh hai jo tumhe pareshaan kar raha hai. Bata do. Shayad thodi si pareshaani kam kar paau." Veer offered her. She had no reason to trust him but she still did trust him. It was his honesty that made her trust him. He was fearless against the face of truth.

"If I ask you something, will you answer honestly?" She asked.

"Have I ever been dishonest with you? To answer your question, yes. To believe my truth or not could be up to you." He answered as he ate.

"Is there anything different in you?"

"What do you mean? Main icchadhari cheel hun, Bani. Of course I'm different."

"Not in that way. Is there anything different in you since you remember yourself as Aakesh?"

"That is a situational question, Bani. I had been yours even before I remembered all that. I became yours since the moment I saw you. After since I remembered, I realized that my heart cannot belong to anyone but you. I wanted to win you before, now I have become stubborn about it. Jaise aankhen khuli aur pehli baar chaand ko dekha ho. Like the night blooming flowers which only open up to the moon. Jaise hosh mein aaya hun aur pari ko dekh liya ho. You know like they talk about 'moksh'. Shayad tumhare jaisi hi dikhti hogi, tabhi toh pagal ho jaate hai use paane ke liye. Hazaaron pooja aur cheezen karte hai, use paane ke liye. Tum mere liye kuch waisi hi ho."

"I am not asking about that. As in something in you as a cheel."

"Well, its like a river, honestly. Sabh ek saath baad ki tarah sar pe gir chuka hai. I remember a few things I didn't learn before. But its too complex to explain. I remember once flying through a storm. As a cheel. I haven't ever been allowed to do that now. Majorly because there are large buildings in the way and most probably, I'll get injured by crashing into some building. But tum puchna kya chahti ho?"

"Bas yahi.." Bani decided not to go further because then she'll have to explain all the things that she doesn't want to talk about.

Chapter 4: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/154991659