Twinj Three Shot: Rain on Our Parade

The ballroom erupted into applause, and the shock that Kunj felt was reflected on his father's face. His presentation went up live, but instead of his name, his father's was emblazoned strong and proud.

Bile rose in his throat, as the realization sank in that his success was once again overshadowed and accredited to his father. Seeing his father being pushed onto the stage to accept what was supposed to his award finally broke things. He detached himself from Twinkle's frozen hold and made his way out.

"Kunj!"

He ignored the call, and stepped into the night. A wicked storm was underway, and he stepped in. The unrelenting rain pelting against his body distracted him somewhat, and he mindlessly made his way into the night.

Twinkle met her father-in-law's eyes, before making the decision to go after her husband.

Manohar regarded the audience, award heavy in hand.

"There seems to be a mistake...actually..."

xXx

"Kunj!" Twinkle hoarsely called out. The rain had quickly drenched her, but she paid no mind, making her way down the road a helpful man had pointed her out to when asked if he had seen her errant husband. It seemed like hours had gone by, but without sight of her beloved.

"Kunj, please! Where are you?" she cried.

She pushed her wet hair away from her face, and helplessly looked around. The rain made it hard to see, and she nearly avoided colliding with a rickshaw. The thought that her husband was out there, distraught and possibly hurt caused hysteria to bubble up.

"Ku-"

The sight of his form, broken and lonely broke her heart. He sat on a fallen log, head down and defeated. She crossed the road, and dropped to her knee's in front of him. She didn't care that her lovely saree was becoming muddied. All she could focus on was her husband.

"Kunj," she cried, hoping her voice would reach him. She cupped his face, lifting it so she could inspect him.

"You're not hurt right? How long have you been out here? Is this any way to act," she lectured through her tears, hands gliding over him in an effort to find anything wrong. Twinkle stood up, tugging at him.

"Kunj come on, we have to go home," she insisted. He was still, unmoving. "Kun-"

"Go away."

The command silenced her. "What?" she whispered.

"Go. Away," he grit. "I don't need you. I don't need them. Leave me alone, and go back and celebrate dad's success. Yuvi will be there too."

"Are you out of your mind," she screamed down at him. "Do you even know what you are saying? I am your wife, how can you expect me to go celebrate when you are miserable! And where did Yuvi come up in all this!

His head whipped up, and his bloodshot eyes caused her to cry out and reach for him. His glare stopped her however.

"My whole life I've gone through not being good enough," he rasped. "And today proves it. My hard work is accredited to my father and you are only with me out of your duties."

His explanation made her mouth drop in disbelief. "Duty," she echoed hoarsely. "You think I'm only with you out of duty."

Kunj only nodded, head down. She stared down at him, anger replacing her previous worry.

"You think I am only with you because of duty?" she questioned angrily, hysteria building up. "You think I spend day and night worrying about you because of duty? You think I look forward to seeing you every day because of duty? You think I stay up every night with your memories because of duty? You think I just spent the last few hours looking for you like a lunatic out of duty?"

Halfway through he looked up to regard her, squinting into the pelting rain. She was heaving through sobs and anger, and realization was beginning to set it.

"Twinkle I-"

"Shut up!" she screamed, lightly beating him with her small fists. "You think I let you hold me out of duty? You think I let you kiss me out of duty? You think I gave you the right of a husband over a wife out of duty? Kunj Sarna get it through your thick skull, I love you!"

Her confession seemed to echo around him. The chill the rain had set into his bones was slowly replaced by the glowing warmth her words evoked in him.

"I love you!" she repeated again amongst sobs. "I love the way you are so considerate. I love the way you take care of me. I love the way you are a gentle man. I love the way you try and make things right with my mom again. I love everything about you! The love I had for Yuvi isn't even a quarter of what I have for you! Stupid!"

Despite their highly charged emotions he couldn't help but smile up at her. Leave it to Twinkle to insult him, even as she confessed her love. She turned to leave, and Kunj grabbed her by the waist, leaning his forehead against her stomach.

Twinkle struggled against him, but his strong grip kept her in place. He apologetically placed a kiss against her navel. She stilled at the intimate gesture.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, but she heard him loud and clear despite the heavy rain. "So much has happened, and tonight between Anita aunty and seeing you with Yuvi, then the award..."

She whacked him across the head, surprising him.

"Twinkle!" he admonished, standing up in disbelief. His disbelief melted into worry seeing her tear up again.

"What's wrong now! I apologized," he reprimanded.

"Stupid!" she cried, beating at his chest. "I just poured out my heart to you and you're going off about Yuvi and your award? You're supposed to say I love you back!"

He grabbed her wrists and pulled her to him. The rain drops caught in her eye lashes enchanted him and he stared mesmerized.

"Who says I love you back?" he teased in a husky whisper. He immediately realized his mistake when her face went ashen, and she broke apart from him.

Twinkle moved away, mind and heart broken. Kunj cursed and pulled her back to him, embracing her from behind.

"Of course I love you," he murmured against her hair, effectively stopping her struggles. He pressed a kiss against her temple, then dropped one to her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have joked like that. But believe me when I say, I really do you love. More than you will ever know. I can't give such a lengthy confession, because I'm not good with words the way you are Miss India's Dictionary. But seriously, believe me when I say I love you, a lot. More than myself, and more than you will ever know."

She turned, arms trapped between their brace. "Then show me," she murmured.

"Gladly," he obliged, dipping his head down. However, before he could kiss her...

"Achoo!"

The cute sneeze broke the moment, and they both laughed. That was until Kunj sneezed too.

"Kunj I swear if I get sick because of you I'll not spare you!"

"Ouch! Twinkle stop hitting me! Let's get going or try and flag a car!"

"Kunj this is all your fault!"

"Twinkle, shut up please!"

And they bickered happily all the way home.

The End