A/N: Hey! I'm new to the forum but been following the show for a while though. Haven't watched an ITV show in some time, so happy to be re-inspired to write by these two. Based on the current track and my interpretation of the ongoing scenario.
Recommended listening: Lag Jaa Gale
Shukhriya
She caressed the jacket in her hands again, still in a trance. She hugged it close trying to remember how he felt.
She just wanted to feel something, anything at this point. Anything to escape the numbness.
The moonlight spilled into the otherwise dark garden, where there was nothing except her and her tanhai.
The battles she fought in his name with each passing day usually kept her occupied. But it was the quiet of moments like these that reminded her of the truth she still hadn't fully processed. It was her lonliness that would always, without fail, bring her back face to face with the single greatest tragedy of her life.
He was gone, forever.
Leaving behind a world that without him felt colder. Bleak. Empty and uncertain.
What broke her heart the most however, was the false hope Vihaan's face gave her every time she made some progress towards accepting the truth.
Against her will and despite her better judgement, her heart leapt in his presence and refused to be reasoned with. Part of her felt disgusted at her traitorous heart, but could she blame it? Despite being fully aware this doppleganger shared nothing with her late husband barring his face, even she couldn't resist the goosebumps he gave her at times.
Inspite of his insistance that "great minds think alike," some moments were just uncanny. The intensity in his eyes...
No, she wouldn't blame her grieving heart for being foolishly hopeful. She could only wish it would stop hurting each time reality came crashing down upon her.
As far as humshakals go, Vihaan was a strange one. A conman for hire, a hacker with access to any piece of information he sought out. It was odd how he never realized he shared a face with a man worth billions. Because as far as cons go, there would've been plenty of opportunities wouldn't there have?
"A moonlit night, a forlorn widow, and a brooding stranger. Kya scene hai," she heard from behind her. Quickly she composed herself, recognizing the voice and its distinct sarcastic tone.
Ridhima didn't reply and instead simply folded the jacket in her hands as Vihaan joined her on the grass. Without looking up to greet him she neatly kept the jacket aside, as if protecting her vulnerability from his eyes.
"Ajnabee toh nahi keh sakte," she finally commented, looking back up at the full moon.
"Dost bhi toh nahi keh sakte," he added, observing the puffiness in her eyes. Had he not been able to read her so well, the impenetrable wall of Ridhima Vansh Raisinghania would've been kept him at bay as well.
"Benaam sa rishta hai, benaam hi rehne do," she replied finally turning to meet his eyes. Fearless and certain as always.
But there was something different in the way she looked at him tonight, he could feel it. "Chalo issi baahane, humare darmiyaan rishta toh hua."
That caught her offguard, but to his surprise she didn't cut him off with a smart reply to "put him back in his place". She simply smiled, albeit with unease, and turned back to the moon.
She was an enigma, one he found himself more and more enraptured with. He sighed at the sight in front of him, "Tumhara na, samajh mein nahi aata."
That made her turn to him again, "Matlab?"
"On one hand you spend your nights trying to find him among the stars yet on the other..." he stopped himself.
"On the other?" she asked, with a greater interest than she expected. Since when did she care what he thought of her? "I spend my time trying to usurp his estate from under his grieving grandmother?" she scoffed.
He realized his oversight, vying to be more careful with his words as he steered the conversation away. "That's not what I meant, khair." he nonchalantly dismissed.
"Waise bhi, mujhe tumhe koi safai dene ki zaroorat nahi hai," she muttered under her breath, failing to not sound offended.
It made him chuckle, and gave him hope. Not that he particularly needed it as a part of him knew, a part of him always did he supposed.
But he would play his cards carefully this time, there was more than just his life at stake. This time, he had something...someone to protect.
"Did you find him?" he finally asked without context, before gesturing over at the night sky.
Her heart sank, as she lowered her eyes. "Pata nahi," she opted for honesty as she realized he was referring to the stars.
"Kyun?"
"I think a part of me still can't accept that he's gone," she confessed to him, shocking even herself. But it felt nice for once to let go of her guard, to breathe a bit easier.
"And as of now," she smiled fondly in memory of her husband, "No star has caught my attention and refused to let it go. When that happens..." she caressed the jacket to her side again, "...that's when I'll know I found him," she chuckled holding back tears.
"You loved him?" Though it came out more like a statement than the question he intended to ask. An intensity in his eyes, as if the answer was a matter of life and death.
"I love him, present tense." Her instant answer seemingly required no further thought from her. A truth she was as sure of as her next breath. "More than I thought I was ever be capable of," she finished wistfully falling back into her trance.
"You know," she turned to meet his striking eyes which were holding onto her every word, "Despite not being able to find him in the sky, I can feel him watching over me," she shared with a sad smile. "And I suppose for now, that'll have to be enough."
Struggling to maintain character, Vansh fought his way past the facade of Vihaan. Failing to care about maintaining cover as he asked, "Agar woh tumhe abhi sun sakta, toh tum kya kehti?"
That took her aback, the Vansh-like baritone in his voice made her heart leap in that familiar false hope. Resolved not to lash out Vihaan for something he couldn't control, she calmed herself.
"Thank you." She answered softly, unable to look away from his eyes. "For loving me the way you did." She finished, his gaze holding her with a familiar tenacity.
They sat in silence, for a moment neither knowing what to say until the first few drops of rain broke the tension. Helping her up, he grabbed his jacket off the ground. And before she could object, he let the oversized blazer engulf her with the warmth she deserved.
Holding it taut, Vansh whispered. "I'm sure woh bhi yehi kehta."
***
-Kriti
@kriti_parikh on tweeeeter
Tried playing around with the "Vansh is Vihaan" theory and to get into both their heads while writing this--was genuinely a lot of fun and poignant in the process. Hope you liked it!
comment:
p_commentcount