ShiVi SS: You Belong With Me - [Part 6: Pg 16] [Completed:3/9/21] - Page 4

Originally posted by: funny_fubar

Yay!!! you converted this into a SS!

I loved Chapter 2. Raavi knows what she wants and is chipping away at her Bhootnath

Kupid Krish is the best 😆

Glad you loved it ❤️

Ah yes, this Raavi is firm in her decisions and equally sure of her feelings (something I would love to see in the show as well)

Let's see how long Shiva is able to resist her onslaught (of pyaar)😳

Read both the parts in one go. Loved it!!!!❤️👏

This is sooooo cuteee

Raavi's in love with our very own gadhera. And he has no idea how to deal with the feelings 😂

Krishu is a rockstar here too!!! Locking them together was pure genius.. or insanity! Either way, we got ShiVi cuddling together!!!😆😳

Oh please do let there be more.!!!

*makes puppy dog face*

Originally posted by: barbieflora

Read both the parts in one go. Loved it!!!!❤️👏

This is sooooo cuteee

Raavi's in love with our very own gadhera. And he has no idea how to deal with the feelings 😂

Krishu is a rockstar here too!!! Locking them together was pure genius.. or insanity! Either way, we got ShiVi cuddling together!!!😆😳

Oh please do let there be more.!!!

*makes puppy dog face*

Aww I'm so glad to know you loved it! Hearing positive feedback from you makes me really happy, thank you!❤️

Everybody loves Krish and Shiva is being well....Shiva 😛

I'll be sure to add some extra cuddles in there ☺️

Read both the parts just now❤️

This is super cute and so light hearted❤️

For a change Raavi is not a Dobi here....Shiva ki tubelight abhi tak nahi jali😆

I am loving this version of Shiviii...And humara cutie Krish is the best cupid❤️

Beautiful story...waiting for the next part🤗

Originally posted by: ItsmePriya

Read both the parts just now❤️

This is super cute and so light hearted❤️

For a change Raavi is not a Dobi here....Shiva ki tubelight abhi tak nahi jali😆

I am loving this version of Shiviii...And humara cutie Krish is the best cupid❤️

Beautiful story...waiting for the next part🤗

I'm so happy to see you're loving it!❤️

Yes, this Raavi is quite sure of her decisions 😆 Shiva is well...Shiva, adbhut in the show and here as well 🤣

Krish bahot pyara hai 😛

Great work darling..Your Shiva is a cutie pie, hiding his smiles, taking care of her, and sleeping together scenarios!!!! They're my favorite ever!! Keep the updates coming darling❤❤

Awesome 😍😍😍

Loved both parts ❤️❤️❤️

Can't wait to read the next update 😊😘😘

Part 3:

It had been two weeks since Shiva and Raavi had been locked inside Pandya Store yet the memory still remained fresh in Shiva’s mind. It had given him multiple restless nights and tonight was another one of those. Shiva lay in his cot, staring at the ceiling, and battling with his inner thoughts. He tossed and turned for another half an hour before giving up on sleep. Not wanting to disturb his brothers, he went up to the terrace to catch some fresh air, and to hopefully, clear his head.

Watching the clear night sky, Shiva wished his life could have the same clarity as above. He didn’t wish for much in life; all he ever wanted was to provide his family with all the love, care, and support in this world. He never bothered himself much with what happened around him. He didn’t care to partake in gossip or the new fashion and gadget trends that were up and coming while he grew up. While boys his age used to run after girls, Shiva ran away from them. He focused his energy on doing things that would help relieve some of the burdens off of his brother’s shoulders. As a result, he ended up missing out on quite a few things in life, including a proper education. He gave up on that wish after 12th standard when he saw his family struggling with money. Afterward, there was no looking back. His life always revolved around his family, and another ‘unwanted’ spectator who he just couldn’t remove from his life: Raavi aka chipkali, aka ghadhedi aka Somnath ki sabse sundar ladki.

Shiva sighed for the umpteenth time that night as Raavi’s thoughts crossed his mind yet again. He just couldn’t get her out of his mind and he was getting frustrated with this really quick. Ever since she revealed her feelings for him, Shiva’s entire existence had been turned upside down. Her revelation engrained itself into his memory alongside all her actions from the past two months. As much as he wanted to deny that he didn’t feel something for her, he knew there was something that he kept locked inside his heart. His feelings felt jumbled as his brain refused to comprehend a simple fact of life; that even Shiva Pandya could indeed like a girl, even if she just so happened to be his maami ki behen ki beti. For Shiva, Raavi was the only girl he had ever been around. Of course, back when they were younger, other girls used to try to befriend him but his haphazard nature always had them running away. But Raavi, she was different. Somehow, she always came back to him despite his warnings. And amidst all of this, Shiva had grown to tolerate her or so he believed, up until the time she confessed.

To say Shiva was shocked would be an understatement. And even more puzzling was the fact that he felt relieved to hear her say that. As far as he could remember, Raavi had been pining for Dev all her life. Shiva never liked her being around Dev much either but he just dismissed that feeling as him not wanting to have his family connect with his maami ki behen ki beti. He didn’t know what changed but he was glad that it happened. Afterward, he starting letting his heart open up to her advances in his own little way. But one thing stuck to him like a thorn: maami. She was the reason for his animosity towards Raavi but slowly, and surely, he was learning to disassociate them from each other for Raavi was too pure and softhearted to ever be anything like her.

However, there was something else that bothered Shiva more than anything else. He wondered how a dark horse like him could ever have won Raavi’s heart. While Shiva was the night, Raavi was the day. He was like the thorn of a rose, while she was like the soft petals of camellia. She was chirpy and bubbly, while he was reserved and brooding. If she was the warmth, then he was the cold. He was a deep thinker, while she took everything at face value. He was like the raging flames of fire, while she was like the soft, calming waves of the ocean. In front of her iridescence, he felt etiolated. He was the land, and she was the sky. He wondered if all their differences could be bridged so that they could become one. He wondered if she would accept him as he was if he relented to his feelings, or would she expect him to fit the bill of her prince charming. He didn’t want her to compromise with her dreams yet he didn’t know if he could be what she wanted or hoped him to be.

“Tu kya chahti hai, Raavi? Kya tu apne inn feelings ko lekar sure hai? Kya tu mujh jaise insaan ke saath khush reh payegi? Kya mujh mein tu apna saathi dhoondh paayegi? Humne toh hamesha se sirf jhagda hi kiya hai, toh phir yeh feelings kahan se aagaye? Mujh mein tune aisa kya dekha jo tujhe main aacha lagne laga?” Shiva pondered in his head.

"Tere liye jo main feel karta hoon, woh mujhe khud kabhi realize nahi hua. Jabse tune apna haq jatana shuru kiya hai, tabse ajeeb sa lag raha hai. Aisa lag raha hai jaise tune meri feelings ka ‘on’ switch chalu kar diya hai. Jab bhi tu kareeb aati hai, mann karta hai tujhe gale laga loon aur kabhi khud se dur na karoon. Jab koi bhi ladka tere taraf aankh utha kar bhi dekhta hai, mere dil mein aag jaisi lag jaati hai. Mann karta hai uss ladke ka sar phod doon. Jab bhi tujhe takleef mein dekhta hoon, toh mera pehla soch yahi hota hai ki kaise main tujhe kisi bhi musibat se bachaun taaki tu phirse apni battissi phaad ke hans sake. Phir main waapas reality mein aata hoon, aur humara jo yeh bachpan ka rishta hai woh nazar aata hai. Tujhe kaisa humsafar chahiye tha aur kahan tujhe main accha lagne lag gaya. Agar maine teri taraf kadam badhayi, toh kya main tere saath bura kar raha honga? Main tere bholepan ka faayda nahi uthaana chahta."

Shiva looked up at the now glittering stars filling up the sky, hoping his heart could come to a conclusion regarding this matter. It was getting more and more difficult to maintain his distance from his chipkali and he wasn’t sure how long he could control himself. At first, he stayed away to sort out his feelings. But these days, it seemed like he was running away from his feelings, afraid to face them, and Raavi. He didn’t care what the world thought of him, but Raavi was another story. Despite her telling him about her feelings, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was making a hasty choice, yet again. He was afraid that if he stepped forward, she would take a step back.

As Shiva battled the storm of thoughts inside his head, he heard a noise behind him and looked over, only to see Krish walking up to him.

“Ae mere bhai, tu kabse chaand taaron ki sair karne lag gaya, woh bhi itni raat ko? Kiski khayalon mein khoya hua hai?” Krish teased Shiva only to be given an ice-cold stare.

“Chup kar gadheda. Kahin bhi pahoch jata hai dimaag khaane ke liye. Tu na bilkul uss chipkali ki tarah bante ja raha hai.” Shiva spoke absentmindedly, not realizing he had brought her up into a conversation yet again.

Krish laughed knowing very well what was occurring inside his brother’s one-track mind. He decided to bless Shiva with his bountiful advice.

“Mujhe pata hai tu Raavi ke baare mein soch raha hai. Aur sochna bhi chahiye. Aaj kal toh tum dono magnet ki tarah chipke rehte ho. Ek second bhi dur nahi raha jata, haan?” Krish winked as bumped his shoulders with Shiva.

“Bakwaas band kar. Main nahi soch raha usske baare mein. Aur naahi hi main chipakta hoon. Woh mujhse chipki rehti hai. Ekdam sahi naam diya hai usse: chipkali.” Shiva feigned dissent.

“Bas bas mere se tu jhoot nahi bol sakta. Dekh, main chhota zaroor hoon par sabse zyada observant bhi hoon. Aur tum dono ke beech jo horaha hai, woh mujhe acche se dikh raha hai. Naahi main Dev ki tarah kisi aur duniya mein khoya rehta hoon, aur naahi Gaumbi aur bhabi ki tarah sathya...I mean...thoda akal ka dheela hoon. Thoda age hogaya hai na.” Krish pointed to his head with his index finger, making a circular motion.

“Abey o saste Aristotle ki aulaad, bataun main bhabi ko tu kya keh raha hai? Phir toh teri aisi class lagegi, ki tu baat karna bhool jayega. Kuch zyada chapad chapad nahi kar raha hai?” Shiva threatened his little brother in hopes of making him go away.

“Aisa mat karna please. Main toh abhi nanha sa baccha hoon. Mujhe abhi upar nahi jaana. Abhi toh mujhe pyaar bhi nahi hua.” Krish pleaded as he received an eye roll from Shiva.

“Dekh main sirf teri bhalayi ke liye bol raha hoon. Tu mera bhai hai aur main bas yahi chahta hoon ki tu kuch ulta seedha na kare. Tera dimaag waise bhi bahot hi tedhe raaste mein chalta hai. Tujhe shayad bahot si doubts ho rahe honge, but main sirf yeh kehna chahta hoon ki tere liye Raavike feelings bahot saaf hai. Aur bahut hi real bhi hai. Infact, kuch zyada hi intense hai. Maine usse aise kabhi nahi dekha. Tab bhi nahi jab woh yeh jatati thi ki usse Dev pasand hai. Pehle toh woh ussi ki naam ki jaap karti thi par phir bhi tere hi aas paas ghumti rehti thi. Mujhe yeh pehle thoda ajeeb lagta tha par ab samajh aagaya ki woh mann hi mann hamesha se hi tujhe pasand karti thi.Jitne shiddat se woh tujhse roz milne aati hai aur tera khayal rakhti hai, aisa toh shayad hi koi aur apne pyaar ke liye karta hoga. Sabse ladh bhi jaati hai tere liye, ya tak ki hamari uss maami se bhi. Iss maamle mein tu bahut lucky hai toh apne doubts ko dur rakh aur khud ke feelings ko ek mauka deke dekh. Tum dono ek saath ekdam dhamekedaar wala khush rahoge! Tum dono se bilkul power couple wali vibes aati hai! Aur mujhe bhi free mein entertainment mil jayega. Issliye toh tum dono ko uss din lock kar diya tha ek saath.” Krish ended his statement with a chuckle, hoping to ease some of his brother’s tension.

Shiva narrowed his eyes at Krish but couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. He listed some valid points and he felt a spark of hope rise within him. Shiva patted Krish on the back and told him to go back to sleep. After Krish left, he remained seated under the stars. Despite having his reservations, he decided to take a different approach to Raavi when he met her the next time. His mouth curved upwards as he finally felt lighter.

*****

The next morning, Raavi lay on her bed, reading the same letter over and over again. It was one of the many things that her mother had left her. However, it happened to be the best token of love for her. This letter was written a month before Raavi was born, and in it, were written the most wonderful things a daughter could ever hope to hear from her parents. Her eyes filled with tears as she read how she had become her parents' dreams, hopes, and aspirations. They had dreamt of a beautiful life together with her. Unfortunately, fate seemed to have a different plan for them when they passed away due to an accident.

Her mother had given her a summary of every month of her pregnancy, letting her know how she felt throughout them all, the struggles she went through, and the limitations which presented themselves upon her while she was in this stage. However, her mother also let her know that nothing ever stopped her and Raavi’s father from loving their daughter endlessly. After reading the letter and asking her maasi about her mother’s occupation, her struggles, and her general life Raavi decided to apply for jobs. This life had been given to her for a reason and she wanted to make every moment count. What good would her degree be for if she wasn’t able to stand up on her own two feet? Her mother was a strong woman who fought for her rights and did everything in her power to lead her life as she pleased and Raavi wanted to carve a similar but unique path for herself, one which would lay the foundation for her future.

Of course, when Raavi first relayed her thoughts to her maasi, she immediately refused to let her do so. And so began Raavi’s journey of fighting for a life that she wanted to lead. Eventually, Prafulla relented and Raavi was over the moon. She skipped to her room and started on her applications. She got stumped along the way, not knowing how to proceed and decided to take Dev’s help in the matter. She decided to visit Pandya niwas and squealed internally, knowing her bhoothnath was going to be there as well.

“Aaj toh mera din kuch zyada hi accha jaraha hai. Bas mere uss kaddu pandya ki shakal dikh jaaye ab.” Raavi started to get ready in front of her mirror as her thoughts speedily shifted to Shiva. It had been one whole day since Raavi had seen him and the thought made her restless. She had gone to visit him yesterday but he wasn’t present at the store. He had gone to a neighboring city for some work. She had walked back home in dismay and her mood had taken a plunge for the worse. Sometimes, the power Shiva held over her seemed too unreal. He had the power to not only make her day, but also to break it. Just a glimpse of him was enough to put her heart at ease. A day without him left her parched and desperate, making her soul writhe in pain.

Raavi made her way over to the Pandyas and entered their house, chirpily greeting her Dhara di. She looked around for Shiva but couldn’t see him anywhere. She did see Dev and decided to approach him. She would find Shiva right after she was done.

“Hi Dev! Kaisa hai tu? Bahut dino se dikha nahi?” Raavi asked him in a friendly manner, hoping to ward off any awkwardness. It had been a while since she saw him around and approaching him just for help without any small talk made her feel weird. Even though Raavi was always around the Pandyas, Dev was always missing from the equation. He had been working on a project which required longer hours at the office he had taken up a job at after reassurance from his family.

Dev replied to Raavi’s question with a smile which made her release a breath. She was glad this didn’t have to be awkward, especially after her kiddish parade of her supposed feelings during her childhood years.

Dev agreed to help her and Raavi decided to quickly get this done so she could finally see her bhoothnath.

Unbeknownst to Raavi, Shiva was walking down the stairs from the terrace when he halted in his steps at the sight in front of him. Raavi was laughing at something Dev had said and this happened to prick his heart. Shiva hadn’t seen Raavi around Dev in a while so seeing them together came as quite a bit of shock to him. Of course, he tried to reason with himself but for some reason, rage decided to take the front seat. He was angry. For what? He himself didn’t know. The iron grip he welded over his heart seemed to be slipping as he pushed the melancholic thoughts away from his mind. Just when he had decided to move forward with Raavi, she was back with Dev? No, it couldn’t be. Raavi was over him so why did Shiva feel like his heart was being stomped on? As he looked at Dev, he realized all the things he could never be: a gentleman; stylish; well-spoken; a prince charming of sorts, and one who was loved by everyone. Shiva shook his head as he tried to prevent his thoughts from spiraling into a dark abyss. Keeping his emotions at bay, he hardened his gaze and quietly walked off, leaving for the store.

Krish witnessed the storm within his brother’s eyes as he saw what he saw. He knew Shiva was misinterpreting everything, but before he could stop him, his brother had already walked off. Krish sighed, “Gayi bhains pani mein. Ab kuch aur sochna padega.”

Meanwhile, Raavi had finished her application and thanked Dev for his help. She couldn’t help but feel less suffocated after he left her presence. Fake-laughing at his not-so-funny jokes had taken a toll on her. Her eyes immediately started searching for Shiva but in vain. Krish joined her and spoke, "Jis ka talash tumhari yeh aankhein kar rahi hai, woh kab ka dukaan chala gaya. Tum chaho toh usse waha milne ja sakti ho. Aaj usse bahar koi aur kaam nahi hai toh woh wahi par rahega.”

Raavi didn’t even try to hide her disappointment. “Yeh Shiva bhi na. Kuch der yahan ruk jata toh uska kya chala jata? Maine usse kitna miss kiya! Kya uss ne mujhe miss kiya Krish, bata na?”

Raavi looked on eagerly as Krish answered, “Kiya toh hoga. Par uss ne kuch bataya nahi kyunki woh Shiva hai. Apne feelings ko chhupane mein bada mahir hain. Main keh raha hoon na, ja kar usse mil le dukaan par. Tum dono ko thandak milegi.” Krish tried to persuade her, hoping if she went, she could calm the raging storm inside him.

“Abhi toh nahi ja paungi. Mujhe thode aur applications finish karne hai. Usske baad ja sakti hoon.” Raavi pouted and left waving goodbye to Krish who was trying to plot something already.

*****

After Raavi had completed her job applications, she got giddy with excitement, thinking about meeting her bhoothnath. But all that she had planned went down the drain when her maasi stuck her with endless chores which she couldn’t refuse. Keeping aside her dismay, she decided to visit him first thing in the morning the next day.

The next morning, Raavi got up super early to escape her maasi’s nagging, and headed towards Pandya Niwas. The first thing she noticed when she reached her destination was that it was super quiet. No one seemed to be around. She called out for Dhara but no one answered. She searched in the kitchen, the storeroom, and the entire aangan but found no one.

“Yeh sab log kahan chale gaye?” Raavi wondered as she headed upstairs. As soon as she reached the top, she saw Shiva sitting all by his lonesome. She stopped in her tracks as she admired him from far away. Finally, her heart felt at ease after catching a glimpse of him. She felt her heart thud in her chest as she gave him a once-over. In the most simplistic sense, he looked divine. The way his hair blew softly in the wind; the way his forehead was scrunched in a cute manner, hinting at how he was lost in his thoughts; the way his eyes seemed to hold a mystery deep inside them; the way his hands were holding onto the railing at the edge, making his veins pop more than usual; the way his lips were set in a thin line, making his jaws clench tightly; to say it all made Raavi go crazy was a huge understatement.

Suddenly, Raavi found herself frowning as she realized that something was clearly bothering her bhoothnath. She mentally chastised herself for not noticing it earlier. She let a smile grace her face as she went and stood beside him.

“Ae bhoothnath, aise akele kyun khada hai yahan par? Aur tere maathe par itne saare shikan kyun hai? Aisa chalta raha na toh yeh permanent hojayenge.” Raavi mumbled as her hand reached out to his forehead brushing aside his hair and smoothing the lines that were present.

Shiva shrugged off her hand and looked away. “Ae chipkali. Mujhse dur reh. Aur yeh mera ghar hai. Mera chhat hai. Main chahe yahan jo bhi karun, tujhe usse kya lena dena hai? Tu apni dekh. Main apna sambhal lunga."

Raavi stared at him, hurt by his words, or more so by the indifference that coated his words. She thought things were getting better for them slowly yet here they were once again, with him not even looking at her.

“Shiva, kuch hua hai kya? Tu aise kyun behave kar raha hai? Maine toh tujhe do din se nahi dekha. Tera ek jhalak dekhne ke liye taras rahi thi aur tu yahan aise behave kar raha hai jaise tujhe mere na hone se koi farak nahi padega. Main toh kal tujhse milne bhi aayi thi lekin tu dukaan chala gaya tha phir main thodi busy hogayi thi. Issliye main aaj yahan aayi hoon, sabse pehle, sirf tujhse milne ke liye. Tune...mujhe miss nahi kiya?” Raavi uttered, hurt evident in her voice.

At her declaration, Shiva’s head shot towards her as anger consumed him. “Tu mujhse milne aayi thi? Itna bada jhoot kaise bol leti hai? Dekha maine tujhe kal. Kaise tu Dev ke saath muskura rahi thi. Uss se agar tujhe fursat milti na tab tujhe dikhayi deta ki tere aas paas aur bhi log khade the. Lekin tujhe dusron se kya matlab? Tujhe toh tera prince charming chahiye.Jab tujhe wahi sab chahiye tha, toh mere gale kyun padi hui thi?”

Raavi felt her own anger bubbling up quickly as she grabbed his shoulders and shook him lightly before continuing, “Shiva! Yeh tu kya bol raha hai? Koi andaza bhi hai ki tu gusse mein kya bake ja raha hai? Dimaag kharab hogaya hai tera. Main yahan tujhse itne acche se baat kar rahi hoon aur tu hai ki apna yeh one-track mind lekar shuru hogaya. Bewakoofi ki bhi hadh hoti hai! Kaisi stupid si baat ko lekar baith gaya hai tu? Main toh bas -” Shiva cut her off before she finished her sentence.

“Haan, hoon main bewakoof! Main toh issi ke layak hoon na? Bas mujhe stupid, idiot yahi sab keh do. Sab galati toh meri hai. Maine soch bhi kaise liya ki tujh jaisi ladki mere jaise gawar ko pasand kar sakti hai? Tujhe toh bas jaise taise apni love story complete karni thi, chahe tu iss mein dusron ke jazbaat ke saath bhi kyun na khel le." Shiva gritted out through his teeth, averting his gaze, as he felt his control over his emotions slipping away. He didn’t mean for all those words to slip out, for even he knew his Raavi wasn’t like that. But his anger was claiming the worst of him and wreaking havoc inside him.

“Shiva. Yeh galat hai! Tu mujhe yeh sab kaise keh sakta hai?! Tu toh mujhe bachpan se jaanta hai. Tujhse behtar shayad hi koi aur mujhe jaanta hoga. Kya main itni selfish dikhti hoon tujhe? Maine tujhe apni feelings ke baare mein bataya tha na? Woh feelings final hai, aur bahut hi badh chadh kar hai. Main tere liye jo feel karti hoon kaise samjhaun tujhe? Tu mujhe bahot pasand hai. Aur main tujhe iss baat ka ehsaas kitne kitne dino se dilane ki koshish kar rahi hoon. Tujhe toh yeh sab dikhta hi hai na ya phir ab tune apne dimaag ke saath apne aankhon ko bhi bandh kar liya hai? Aur teri himmat kaise hui khud ko itna girane ki? Agli baar apne baare mein aise shabd use karne ka bhi socha toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga. Seedha ek thappad marungi!” Raavi spoke out passionately, pouring her heart out. He was being stubborn as always. But she knew she had to be strong for the both of them since Shiva had clearly let his emotions get the best of him.

“Band kar apna yeh drama aur chali ja yahan se. Teri baaton se koi farak nahi padhta.” Shiva replied firmly with a steely gaze. Only he knew how he was able to blurt out those words. He barricaded his heart with a stonewall so as not to lose himself in his rage. He wanted the opposite. He wanted her to stay. But as usual, he instead, pushed her away, fear and anger clouding his judgment.

Raavi’s lip trembled and she whispered, “Mujhe meri baat khatam toh karne de. Please Shiva....please.”

Shiva walked away from her knowing if he stayed a bit longer, he would give in to her presence. One look at her face and he would fall to his knees in front of her. But his heart felt heavy with emotions he had no control over. He felt weak and hopeless. He didn’t want her to see him like this. He wanted to calm the storm within him but the images from the day before kept flashing before him, reminding him of all that he wasn’t and could not be in this lifetime. He cursed his fate for awakening his deep-rooted feelings for his maami ki behen ki beti. Now that they were surfacing, he wasn’t sure if he could hide them for much longer, especially with all the chaos that was brewing within him.

As he left, Raavi stared at his retreating profile, blinking away her own tears as she thought she saw a lone tear slip out of Shiva’s eye. Her heart clenched with pain seeing the broken look on his face. She couldn’t grasp what just happened as her head swirled with several emotions. However, she vowed to make things right. She would make her bhoothnath talk to her by hook or by crook. He couldn’t just bottle up his feelings and walk away from her. She wouldn’t let him. He was hers and she would make him realize it.

*****

That night, Raavi lay awake, feeling restless. Her heart refused to steady itself. The morning argument flashed before her eyes and she sat up in her bed, willing her pain to go away, but to no avail. She wondered how her day had taken a turn for the worse when just yesterday she was feeling like she was on cloud nine. Her eyes brushed over her bedside table and landed on a frame. She picked it up and traced her fingers lightly over the picture. Her eyes started watering at the memory.

A 14- and 15-year-old Raavi and Shiva, respectively, were found bickering in the arts and crafts supply room that Hardik had specially built in his house. He was known to be passionate about the arts and had wowed the kids quite early with his talent. They had wanted a lesson on painting and were sent to the room to gather some supplies and were prompted to return quickly. However, they had ended up getting into an argument. It was a wonder why anyone would let two walking-talking disasters enter a room loaded with weapons. In an attempt to threaten Raavi, Shiva picked up a pair of scissors he found near him. He told her to shut up or he would cut her hair. Raavi, determined to not lose an argument to this gadheda, ignored his threats and egged him on. Shiva ended up cutting one of her braids which immediately left Raavi in tears. She wailed loudly for the loss of her long tresses and chased Shiva around with a bat. And that’s how Hardik found the two of them, running around his room, knocking over things in the process. He managed to calm Raavi down before giving Shiva an earful.

When Dhara had found out about Shiva’s actions, she had steam coming out of her ears. Somehow, Gaumbi managed to save the day by calming her down and asking her to take Raavi to the salon to get her hair evened out. Shiva was punished; he was expected to help around in the kitchen for a whole month. He even had to serve his brothers' breakfast, which he didn’t mind, but of course, his brothers were never alone. Raavi always joined them and taunted Shiva for his actions. Raavi still wasn’t satisfied with his punishment. One day, she snuck into Pandya Niwas early in the morning, locking her eyes onto her target. Shiva was sleeping on the cot and she smiled evilly before pulling out her scissors. She got to work on him and when she was done, she applauded her masterpiece. It looked like a toddler had taken hold of the scissors and went ham with it. That was her goal. She didn’t want it to look good and she succeeded. His hair looked like a rat’s nest. Some of his hairs were cut extra short, while others were plain jagged and lacking any direction. Worst of all, she got rid of his beloved long curls in the front which often hid his forehead. When Shiva woke up, he saw red, and he immediately put two and two together as to who the culprit was. Yet, he never acted upon his anger. He didn’t even ask for her to be scolded. He simply resorted to glaring at her and calling her names. That day, as everyone discovered Shiva’s new haircut, Raavi stood beside him, pulling his cheeks and laughing heartily while he gave her the meanest stink-eye he could muster. That’s when they felt something flash and looked over to see Krish taking a picture of them. He gave them a thumbs up and ran away when he saw Shiva run after him.

Raavi felt the corners of her mouth turn upwards as she looked lovingly at the frame in her hands. She didn’t have a lot of pictures of Shiva and her as he always threatened her whenever she tried to get a picture with him. However, she managed to get her hands on the treasure in her hands all thanks to Krish. It was quite a fond memory for Raavi as she was reminded of her colorful equation with Shiva. She sighed and wished they hadn’t fought that morning. She missed her kaddu Pandya a lot. With a renewed determination, Raavi went back to sleep, this time holding the frame close to her chest.

*****

Raavi didn’t visit Shiva for the next couple of days, hoping to give him space so that he could quench his flames of anger before she met up with him to talk. Today was her parents’ wedding anniversary and Raavi had resolved 10 years ago that she would always remember her parents on one of their happiest days. Every year on this day, she made prasad with her own hands and visited the temple. It gave her a peace of mind and made her make do with the memories her parents had left her.

Raavi made some laddoos and kheer and packed them in a container. She then made her way to the temple. On the way, she decided to buy some pooja materials from a vendor when she felt like someone was following her. She looked behind her and saw no one other than a couple of people walking her way. She lightly shook her head thinking it was her imagination. A couple of steps further, she heard crunching behind her. She looked behind again and this time, someone stood in front of a shop dressed in all black. She could tell he was a man from his stature but his face was covered with a hoodie. She wondered if her hunch was correct or if she was overreacting. She decided to hasten her pace anyway and when she looked back again after a couple of minutes, the same person seemed to still be behind her. Her heartbeat quickened as fear gripped her insides. She started walking a mile a minute, not knowing where her legs were leading her anymore. She could feel that person tailing her and after a few more steps, she started running, her mind paving the way for her. Her vision blurred a little as tears threatened to fall but it was as if the fates were indulgent upon her for, she caught sight of Pandya Store and her bhoothnath.

Shiva was standing outside his store, taking inventory of a new batch of products that had arrived when he felt a thud against his back. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He immediately knew who it was. He turned around, removing her hands from around him only to feel her arms wrap around his waist once again.

“Ae gadhedi! Kya kar rahi hai? Na time ka pata aur na hi apne aas paas ke logon ka. Bas chipak jaati hai kahi bhi, kisi ke bhi saamne....” Shiva started to rant but he trailed off once he saw her bury her face further into his chest as she lightly sniffled. He felt her body shudder and all other thoughts flew out of his mind. He instantly felt like something was wrong. He wrapped his arms around her, letting one of his hands stroke her hair gently. Concern overtook his whole being as he forgot about his surroundings and focused his energy on Raavi.

“Raavi...kya hua? Tu itni dari hui kyun hai? Kuch hua hai kya? Kisine kuch kaha hai tujhse?” Shiva inquired in a gentle tone. He was often worried about her wellbeing and seeing her in such a state made him panic in frenzy.

“Raavi kuch bol na, hua kya hai? Tu ek baar bol ke toh dekh, jisne bhi hurt kiya hai tujhe, main usska sar, pair, haddi, sab ka sab tod dunga.” Shiva vowed in anger, tightening his arms around her.

“Shiva...main...main mandir jarahi thi jab mujhe aisa laga ki koi mera peecha kar raha hai. Pehle mujhe laga mera vahem hai par jab jab maine mud kar peeche dekha, tab tab woh same insaan mere peechhe tha. Ussne pure kaale kapde pehne the aur usska chehra bhi chupa hua tha. Main bahot darr gayi aur pata nahi bhaagte bhaagte yahan kab pahoch aayi.” Raavi managed to answer, still clinging onto Shiva.

Shiva looked around for any such people around them but found no one. He wanted to find whoever was after her and beat him to a pulp. But his first priority was to ensure her safety. He wanted to make sure that she was okay. He could feel the fear radiating off of her and felt his heart constrict with pain for her. He took her inside, sat her down, and gave her a glass of water.

Just then Gaumbi called out to them in concern. He was also present at the store and worry etched onto his face after he witnessed Raavi all shaken up. Shiva explained the situation to him. Gaumbi comforted Raavi while Shiva went out to look around the area one more time just to be certain. He came back and let both Gaumbi and Raavi know he didn’t find anyone but would keep an eye out for any such person in the future.

“Raavi, tujhe abhi bhi mandir jaana hai?” Shiva asked.

“Haan. Yeh mere liye bahot important hai. Main har saal iss din par mandir jaati hoon.” Raavi nodded with surety. Suddenly the date registered in Shiva’s mind and he realized what today meant for her. His eyes softened as he felt a pang reverberate through his heart. He wanted to do whatever was possible to make her day pass breezily.

“Chal. Main tujhe mandir lekar chalta hoon. Tujhe akele nahi jaane dunga. Gaumbi, aap please yahan sab sambhal lena thodi der ke liye.” Shiva offered his outstretched hand to Raavi which she accepted with a light smile on her face.

Gaumbi waved the two of them off, sending a quick prayer to lord Somnath to keep his kids safe. He couldn’t help but wonder why something seemed to have changed between Raavi and Shiva. He shook off the thoughts when a customer entered the store.

Meanwhile, Krish watched from afar, smirking in delight. His plan had worked. He turned to his right and found his friend, Mayank, stood beside him, dressed in all black.

“Tune toh kamaal kar diya mere yaar! Chal, gale mil!Maine kahan tha yeh dono phirse kareeb aajayenge.” Krish shouted ecstatically while his friend stared at him in apprehension.

“Haan beta, tujhe jitna khush hona hai, hoja! Lekin make sure ki tere bodybuilder bhai ko yeh na pata chale varna meri aisi dhulai karega ki main shayad phir khada bhi na ho paun.” Mayank shuddered in fear.

“Arrey tu tension kyun leta hai. Have no fear when Krish is here! Main sab sambhal lunga. Dekh, iss mein toh teri bhi jeet hui hai na. Maine tera first assignment bhi pura kar diya. Ab do aur hafton ke liye tujhe kuch nahi karna padega. Haara toh main hoon kyunki mujhe double assignments karne padenge!!” Krish groaned.

“Main nahi jaanta ki yeh worth it bhi hoga ya nahi. Tu toh jaanta hai apne bhai ko. Shiva humko chodega nahi agar usse pata chala.”

“Kuch nahi pata chalega. Par haan, Raavi ko batana padega. Woh kaafi darr gayi thi toh main nahi chahta ki woh aisi dari si rahe.” Krish stated.

“Kuch zyada horaha hai haan Krish. Agli baar, mujhe apne inn plans se dur rakhna.” Mayank folded his hands and pleaded to his crazy friend who laughed it off.

*****

Shiva watched Raavi from afar as she finished her prayer and distributed some prasad among the poor. He watched the smile on her face as she talked to some of the kids outside the temple in the softest and kindest tone. Her eyes shone with innocence. Her laughter sounded like a melodic symphony. Her pure soul drew him in closer as he sucked in a breath, understanding the depth of his feelings for her. Their argument from the other day had left a bitter taste in his mouth. He regretted losing his cool. He regretted fighting with her. But he also couldn’t just put aside how disheartened he was feeling at the prospect of him not being suited for her. He wished life could be easier. His penchant for overthinking was not helping his case at all.

Raavi saw Shiva looking her away and grinned at him. She went up to him and waved her hands in his face. He didn’t react. He was lost in his thoughts.

“Hellooo! Earth to bhootnath. Kahan khoye hue ho?” Raavi asked, offering him a laddoo.

Shiva shook his head in a no and Raavi scowled at him. “Prasad ko na nahi bolte. Chal, kha le.” Raavi lifted her hand to his mouth, but Shiva plucked a little bit out of her hand and ate that instead.

“Mere haath se kha leta, toh zehar lagti kya?” Raavi asked him, hurt by his behavior. She remembered how he ate from her hand when they got locked in the store and pouted in return. She could handle his gussa, but not his narazgi.

“Tu bata, tu theek hai na chipkali?” Shiva cleared his throat and ignored her question. He was trying to maintain his distance but he genuinely wanted to know if she was okay.

Raavi smiled, hearing his term of ‘endearment’ for her back on his lips. She never admitted it but him calling her chipkali made her feel truly special. She was reminded of the many ways in which their relationship differed from everybody else’s. There were things they both had reserved for one another and nobody could ever take that away from them.

“Main toh theek hi hoon. Tu hai na mere saath. Jab tak tu bhoothnath ban kar mere aas paas rahega, mujhe kuch nahi hosakta.” Raavi told him truthfully what she felt.

“Ab chal, mujhe apne ghar lekar ja. Mujhe sab ko prasad dena hai.” Raavi ordered him around, hoping to get his anger back so he would fight with her.

“Maami ki behen ki beti, main tera naukar hoon kya jo tu din raat mujhe apna driver bana leti hai?"

“Naukar nahi, tu toh mera...woh hai.” Raavi replied cheekily." Waise bhi tu khud mujhe yahan laya hai. Maine thodi na tujhse kaha tha ki tu mujhe yahan lekar aa. Ab jab tu mere saath hai hi, toh mujhe ghar tak chodne mein problem kya hai?"

“Ek minute. Main tera kya hoon? Thoda clearly bol na.” Shiva asked, curiosity lighting up in his eyes.

“Offo bhoothnath. Samjha karo na. Main sab kuch tere liye spell nahi karne wali.”

“Theek hai, mat kar. Tujh jaisi chudail se kuch spell karwana bhi nahi. Kya pata spell karte karte kya mantar padh jaye.” Shiva replied in a huff, watching the rosiness creeping up her cheeks. He loved that look on her face.

Raavi slapped his shoulder lightly as he continued towards his bike. She sat behind him and signaled to passersby that he was crazy, not knowing Shiva was watching her every move through his mirror. He started the bike and lurched it forward a bit, catching her off-guard as she stopped her antics and instantly gripped onto his waist. She glowered at him while his eyes twinkled with amusement.

*****

Raavi was distributing the prasad in Pandya Niwas, glad to be back at one of her favorite places. She took out a bowl of kheer, especially for Shiva. She kept thinking back to what happened at the mandir and how he refused her. She wanted to teach him a lesson. Nobody says no to Raavi.

Shiva, who was laying in his cot, watched her intently. She strutted about confidently, taking charge whenever need be. She mingled with his family with a carefree smile on her face. And his family too adored her to the moon and back. He saw her feeding Krish laddoos and couldn’t help but think what a perfect addition she would be to his family. He could really get used to this but could it really happen? He frowned in response, disdain appearing in his eyes.

Raavi, seeing his pensive look, appeared beside him and tried to lift his frown into a smile with her hands. This earned her a glare as Shiva swatted her hands away. She smiled sweetly and grabbed the bowl next to her. She took a spoonful of kheer and lifted it to his mouth. He refused to budge. She poked and prodded at him, trying to make him give in. Shiva knew what she was doing and he refused to lose to her. Krish decided to play cupid.

“Raavi, Shiva ko acche se khilao na. Make sure utne hi pyaar se khilana jitna hum sabko khilaya hai. Tujhe toh pata hai yeh banda kitna needy hai!” Krish chipped away at his brother, winking at Raavi and bumping into his brother's shoulder on purpose.

“Ae gadh-oooof.” Shiva started but got cut off as Raavi inserted a spoonful of kheer into his open mouth. She smirked at him, declaring her victory as he coughed while chewing the kheer. He gave her a dirty look and got up and walked away. Raavi and Krish bumped fists, giggling at their shenanigans. Riling up Shiva was still her favorite pastime. She smiled fondly at his retreating back. She knew her bhoothnath was already melting, even if he didn’t show it.

As Raavi was walking out, Krish stopped her to let her know about his plan. Raavi stared at him in disbelief.

“Krish, tu na ekdam pagal hai. Bilkul apne bhai ki tarah. Itna dangerous plan banaya?! Main kitni darr gayi thi! Mujhe heart atack hojata toh?” Raavi babbled on. “At least, mujhe pehle se bata deta. Mere aasun bhi waste hogaye tch.”

“Arreh, agar main pehle se bata deta, toh tumhara reaction itna genuine nahi hota! Tumhe toh thank you bolna chahiye. Mere plan ki wajah se tujhe Shiva se chipakne ka bahana mil gaya.” Krish gloated.

“Haan haan bas bas. Itna channe ki jhaad pad chadne ki zarurat nahi hai. Shiva ko pata chala toh tujhe aur tere dost, dono ko dho dega.” Raavi blushed at his previous words and tried to shut him up.

Suddenly, a shoe came flying at Krish. Raavi looked over to see Shiva staring at Krish angrily.

“Arreh main toh gaya. Koi bachao!!” Krish ran away screaming, Shiva right on his heels.

*****

That's it for this part! Not sure how to feel about it. I have to admit, this took me a while to write because I was having trouble. The first half is a bit heavy on emotions. I had to add a conflict as all stories require something, but ofc that's not my forte 😆 But I do hope Shiva's stance makes sense (somewhat lol). It's closer to the show, but I'm not making it as intense (cuz I won't be able to pull it off 😛) The next few parts will be lighter, but this one just had to be done for now.

I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway. Feedback is always welcome 🤗

(It's also not proofread so bear with any mistakes pls :P)

Loved ittt!

Super long tha

And bahut entertaining tha

Update soon!

Another beautiful update! ❤️ I enjoyed it thoroughly

Krish the cupid at work 😆

Raavi's love for Shiva is adorable