#the more arnav loves khushi

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hi JWB, your idea to sort the blog is awesome.i always think about arnav challenging Kushi "tum mere baaho mai avogi, tum mujhe apna pati manogi" the scene where he scares her with power cut and arranging rose path.., i always felt the idea of track is off but the scene where Kushi hugs him back and both have a small relief and small on their face makes it worth watching. Could please if possible give us an analysis about it.

Hey Anon!

Thanks for liking the blog sorting!

I have mixed feelings for everything between Khushi's birthday and remarriage.

In context with him blackmailing her over their (unlawful) contractual wedding, hurting her the worst way possible, being abusive by threatening her to not leave the house and unable to say a fucking happy birthday BUT utilizing her fear of darkness - WHICH STEMMED FROM HER PARENTS' DEATHS - yeah, I don't like it.

Out of context he's still being an asshole about it, but it's far more digestible. Like I can see it after the Diwali track when Khushi's pissed about his tirade on money (even after having put her own foot in her mouth) and suddenly claiming, ha, I'm not your wife and him going... ok... we're legally married twice now... let's see how that goes. It's the only way I can see that scene.

Otherwise, Arnav crossed all lines for me to enjoy him on screen (BUT IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULDN'T TAKE AWAY YOUR OR ANYONE ELSE'S ENJOYMENT OF THAT SCENE. Like pls tv is meant for fun, so absolutely love it - just don't think actions like that are cute or anything for your own life. If someone can pull all shit but not say sorry, that's red flags in the biggest way possible. So, as long as you're watching with that awareness - keep enjoying).

Best,

JWB

[phuljari]

a think piece on how arnav singh raizada realised his feelings for khushi

of course, it would have been discussed numerous times before, we all know what happened and when it happened. i'm thinking more along the lines of why it happened this way. why did it take him so long to realise that these visceral reactions he has over her did not really stem from a place of hate, that hate was just a byproduct, a reaction, because he didn't realise what his emotions meant.

that it was altogether a new feeling, to be so consumed with thoughts of someone (whom you supposedly dislike). he tried so hard to run from those feelings, misdirecting them to hatred, disgust, apathy and what not. it was new— an unknown feeling that made him uncomfortable. i think in a way this echoes what i said earlier too, that arnav never really believed in love. which is why it took him ages to figure out why the hell he was so obsessed with someone who shouldn't even matter to him. i think what he hates the most about feeling attracted to khushi (aside from the fact that he never imagined himself with a girl like her? ie. see how he berates her: status, class, money, god-fearing etc) is the way she makes him feel— weak. and that's the feeling this man has rarely, if ever, felt for anyone outside his family.

also, elaborating on the statement that arnav didn't believe in love (even though no one asked for it lol), it is imperative to add that he has seen love exist, only barely, with nana-nani or whatever stories he heard about them and between mama and mamiji. but what else did he also see? that his dad cheated on his mom. that anjali's first wedding got broken off. and even though anjali was relatively happy with shyam— it wasn't a relationship he had experienced in his childhood, which is generally the time when your experiences shape you the most. so maybe he believed that love exists, to some degree, but not the whole unfiltered ~i would die for you~ love. remember how he convinced mamiji to accept payal? with the 'raizada' reputation? so he hadn't really experienced the best examples of love either.

unlike popular belief that arnav never felt deserving of love, i think that he never completely believed in it. especially not for a man like him who has to be careful around every turn because everyone around him is expecting to benefit from him. remember, this man is hella confident, and believes completely in himself (almost to the point of narcissism, esp in the early ipk days) and his ego is justified, afterall he did do a lot by himself and he's not bluffing about any of it. this man doesn't doubt himself, he could have anything he wanted. even love— that lavanya was willing to give him. but he doesn't believe in his ability to love, not after what he had seen with his parents.

which is exactly why this new confusing feeling, these obsessive thoughts about khushi, the way he felt weak and defeated in front of her was so absurd for him that he couldn't even realise that he was attracted to her. (with her, he has realised his ability to love, to want someone so desperately.) but instead he kept challenging her in order to make her feel weak and defeated. projecting much, sir?

and to be fair, arnav has mostly been a man of his words— truthful. if he said he didn't believe in love before he experienced it with khushi, it means he genuinely didn't. anyway, that's my take.

i have so much more to talk about this man!! for example how his diabetes is literally a metaphor because he can't have 'sweet' things in life?? 'sweet' here literally meaning happiness! happiness translation: khushi. and having diabetes compliments his character so well too? like he was cruel, cold-hearted and bitter (esp about his past, that he never could overcome) and so it aligned pretty well with khushi's 'meetha khaiye meetha boliye' kyuki arnav ko toh meetha bolna hi nahi aata! usse toh meetha mana hai na!

if you're still reading, thanks for sticking around lol

[myfanficfrenzy]

Arshi FF : Pandora’s Box

Author : Munchy

Status : Completed and available on Munchy’s blog

Genre : Romance, Angst, Tragedy

“Keep reading” for my two cents on the story. Minor spoilers ahead. Warnings at the end of the review.

My first serious caution for this story, this isn’t for the faint of heart. If you like your Arnav and Khushi wrapped up in the comfort and warmth of love, away from any and all kinds of hurt and especially morally grey situations, you should probably skip this one. But if you’re a fan of ethereal writing, imperfect characters and a tear jerking angst fest with a side of passionate Arshi, dive right in.

The story’s tagline is ‘That life is a circle is a myth. It spirals’. And that’s exactly one feels reading the story.

Munchy’s story begins in the 1940s, with British ruled India at the brink of partition. While ASR here is Arnav Singh Raizada, KKG is Khushi Kauser Ghilani, two neighbors about to be swept in a whirlwind. The author paints a stunning visual of Punjab and you will find yourself literally back in time with her words. Arnav is back to his ancestral home after his upbringing in English schools and high society of delhi, while Khushi Ghilani had enjoyed a free reign over all the love Arnav’s family could bestow on their lovely neighbor in their small part of the town.

An unfortunate first meet in a Mango Orchard turns our protagonists sour (of course Arnav and Khushi will fight. Duh uh), but they soon find themselves in the web of undeniable attraction towards each other. And right when they’re dealing with minor issues like the first wave of teenage love and heartbreak, the country goes through one of its darkest periods and their lives are turned upside down overnight.

Pointed out to me once in a discussion and I wholeheartedly agree, one of the things that caught me off guard about this fanfic was the portrayal of impact of partition on day to day life of children. You see the worsening environment from their eyes, when suddenly the families and friends they grew up with are now considered enemies. When they can’t be as carefree as they would have loved with their doting neighbours; because now their different faith comes first. Those chapters had me in a chokehold and I’ve read through them with eyes full of tears. The whole story feels like a ticking time bomb when it begins, and it blows up right in your face. Social practices prevalent at that time will also make you want to puke your insides out.

And over the base of all this anguish and tragedy, Arnav and Khushi are looking to build a life together. It hurts every step of the way, so when the small moments of happiness come along you will soak it all up as a reader.

But fair warning, this is Munchy writing angst. And it will make itself known! Every story that I’ve read from her leaves my heart longing for something more, anger at having fate play a cruel role, and almost clawing my brain out, wishing I can get into those pages and fix the whole world for my beloved pair. But as always, life and Munchy’s stories aren’t fair. They’re however emotional, beautiful and extraordinary!

Warnings- Cheating, Violence, Underage Sex

-I

[hand-picked-star]

The 13th Annniversary Arshi Fiesta

Moodboard : historical AU

Whispers of the Heart | Chapter 02

I am not very good at writing ffs. I even read ffs very selectively. But it was an attempt of me to participate in the 13th-anniversary arshi fiesta. I might be wrong about certain aspects of that age and era, but it's a fantasy, so why not?

I don't own Arnav and Khushi and the story is purely fictional and has no relation to any living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 2

After 10 years

Arnav was threading the busy traffic of the Bazar with his ambassador mark 1 to reach the St.Stephen all-women college of Delhi to pick up certain someone who he hadn't talked to, for almost 2 years. Though it was the cheapest car of that generation, it was his most prized possession at that moment, brought by the profit he got from his first export shipments of the textile factory he bought 1 year ago. But his mind was on that girl who lived in his mind rent-free till that fateful day 2 years ago and hadn't left ever since. Even at that moment, he could still feel her, if he closed his eyes.

Shaking himself off to get rid of that feeling, he concentrated on the road. Arnav's focus cleared to zoom in on that girl of question, no no, a young woman, in a simple white saree with a blue border, a mandatory college ware. The way she drapped the saree over her was very modest, but modesty seemed to allude Arnav today. His heart gave a thud realizing he could vividly feel how that petite body felt pressed to his. 'control yourself, Arnav. you've done so much damage already', Arnav chastised himself, willing his heart to a normal rhythm. Her jet-black hair was pleated into a single braid and a simple black bindi in the middle of her eyebrows that brought out her hazel-coloured doe eyes even more highlighted by a thin line of kajal. That was what Arnav was so scared of. Her little bindi had the power over him that the whole Oxford female fraternity didn't. He might have not talked to her but he saw her secretly every time he came to Dehli and watched her spread her wings like a butterfly to be the beautiful woman she ended up being. Roma Chachi had given her an apt name 'titliya'. All those times watching her from a distance Arnav tried his best to control his heart and mind, but ended up failing every single time. There was a reason why he avoided her for 2 years.

Khushi was standing at the gate of the college with her classmate, Sarita Chauhan, waiting for Akash Vai to pick her up. Khushi was irritated, she insisted on taking the rickshaw back home but due to the overprotective nature of Bhai and Babuji, she couldn't do that. But she didn't expect to see Him that day and somehow she knew he had come to pick her up. The last two years did a kind of magic to him or was it London or the girls of London to be exact, she didn't know. The Arnav sitting in front of her in that car donning the black glasses and clad in a rolled-up white shirt and black suspenders was a far cry from the man she last saw. But he was still Arnav among all of these, Her Arnav. That's why it didn't surprise her when her heart went overboard 'dhak-dhak,dhak-dhak,dhak-dhak'. Her friend beside her produced a small sound of appreciation,

"oh Khushi, you've never introduced me to your brothers. now I understand why." giving her a little nudge with her shoulder.

Khushi scoffed at her comment " he is not my brother. "

It's been 10 years since she lost her parents. And in the middle of all of these when Mahindar Chachu became her Babuji and Manoroma Chachi became Amma, she couldn't exactly pinpoint. And as a result, she got two brothers who loved her fiercely as their own. Abba had arranged a home tutor for her when she was 10 years old, because she couldn't bear the stress of public schooling. As soon as she started to form complete sentences her tutor advised her to write letters to her brothers, studying in Darjeeling. She wrote letters to Akash bhai and Aman bhai and then she wrote another letter to Arnav addressing him as 'Dear Arnav'. Her tutor chastised her for not adding a 'bhai' or a 'ji' at the end of his name. But Arnav was never her 'bhai', was he? He never felt like a 'bhai'. He was so much more. But above all, he was Her 'Arnav'.Just 'Arnav.' she used to call her 'Arnav' since she was 8. Nobody corrected her till she was 16. Then she started to call him 'Arnavji'. Now she didn't know what to call him anymore.

Arnav parked the car in front of her. when she made no move to sit inside, he took off the glasses unleashing his dark brown eyes on her. he opened the car door from inside and addressed her -

" what are you waiting for Khushi Kumari Gupta? Pandit bulake mahurat nikal na parega kya?" giving her the crooked half-smile that she adored. His familiar husky voice sent a wave of wistfulness through her. A thousand memories spun in her head, tangling together. God, she missed him so much. "Akash bhai and Aman are busy in the printing press. Cachu asked me to drop you home."

Khushi stared at him for another moment then with a huff she entered the car, which was a bad decision she understood not long after. Being in a closed space with him was torture. His enchanting woody scent engulfed her and transported her to a particular day that was in the centre of conflict between them. Both of them stared at anything but at each other, but soon Khushi couldn't resist the temptation to steal a look at him, which was a far worse decision than the previous one. Her eyes found his hands on the steering wheel, clutching it and as soon as a flashback of those hands flooded her mind - those hands clutching her smaller ones when they used to take a walk, those hands closing the hook of a payal around her ankles, those hands teaching her smaller ones to hold the chalk to write on the black slate, those hands helping her to plant rose plants on the garden. Her mind shifted to her smaller hands giving prasad to his larger ones, his hands cracking open the peanut shell for her whenever they went to the mela, his hands pulling her braids.'Have those hands become larger till the last time she saw them?' Khushi mused silently. Then a switch flipped in her mind, more flashbacks, she started to feel his hands on her cheek, on her waist, on the back of her head. Khushi closed her eyes tightly and clutched the books in her hands and to drive away those visions from her mind, blurted out what came to her mind at that moment " Anjali di said, you could not come to Delhi for another 3 months"

Arnav, looking at Khushi from the corner of his eyes, said "I didn't plan to. But My best friend is marrying my little sister. I wouldn't miss that wedding for the world and Roma Chachi said no more auspicious 'mohurat' after this month until the end of this year. And it's not like I have not been travelling to and fro between Delhi and London in the last couple of years."

Khushi nodding and trying to swallow down the hurt, said solemnly "I know."

Arnav had been studying law at Oxford University for the last couple of years. He had passed his bar exam and had been doing an apprenticeship under a Barrister in London for the last year. She knew all of this from Aman bhai. On the other hand, Arnav sold the land that his grandfather gave him and bought a run-down textile factory in old Delhi. She knew he had been very busy and she also knew he had been to Dehli multiple times in the last 2 years. He didn't stay in Rajput haveli nowadays when he came to Delhi. He had rented a two-storied bungalow on the outskirts of the town. But what hurt her more was he went to Rajput haveli to meet Amma and Babuji every time he came to Delhi, only when she was in school. So, it was not so difficult to figure out, who he was avoiding. Why, why she have to ruin the most important friendship she had in her life??? If only she wouldn't have done what she did 2 years ago.

It didn't escape Arnav's eyes the pain that flashed through her face. He still could read her like an open book, could decode the emotions that transpired through her pretty eyes. He regretted hurting her so much, but it was for the greater good. Sometimes he thought he preferred to remember her as still eight years old because she'd adored him then. She would gladly follow him anywhere. In fact, whenever she saw him leave, heading toward the garden where he liked to walk and think, she would come running after him. Even though she frequently fell, her little legs no match for his long, strong ones, she never cried and never complained. She was strong even back then.

Little Khushi used to fill their conversation with a million inquisitive questions though, looking at him with trusting big eyes. Her questions made him laugh and stumbled over answers.

When she was eight, he was her Hero.

As soon as the car reached Rajput Haveli, she all but sprinted away from him. Arnav sighed grabbing the package from the backseat he also entered the house. As soon as he reached the living room, he was met with Madhumati ji scolding Khushi for running around carelessly, even at the age of eighteen and her praying to God to give her 'sanka devi' same 'satbuddhi'. Then there was Roma Chachi, who came rushing towards him to give him a hug. Roma Chachi never failed to make him feel loved. Arnav admired this woman for her enormous capacity to love those who weren't hers.

"London suits you, Arnav Bitwa, look at you, how handsome you've turned out to be!!!! "

Arnav's tall figure folded itself to return her hug, teasing her he proceeded "And you didn't change at all Roma chachi. Still as gorgeous as ever. I missed you so much."

Manoroma smiled at him fondly. A child she once wished was hers so that she could have protected him from the heartbreak he endured at such a tender age " I missed you too, Bitwa. Don't be a stranger now like you have been for past years, ab toh hum ristedaar bhi banne wale hain."

Arnav smilled at her " I'll try."

Manoroma continued, "I hope you are staying with us this time, aren't you?" seeing Arnav nodding his head, she continued "Good, now I am going to the temple, we'll talk after I come back. chaliye, madhumati ji."

Arnav watched them leave and then silently proceeded toward the first floor crossing the stairs. At the very least, he could try to save whatever was left of the friendship he once shared with Khushi.

Khushi sat cross-legged on her bed, looking at the payal that broke as soon as she entered her room hurriedly a few minutes ago. It had been her room since her parents had died. It had seen so many of her tears and held so many of her secrets. Bua ji nowadays, began to get on her nerves, reminding everyone of her spinster status, but Khushi was adamant not to get married before she enrolled for college, now that she finally did it, she didn't have any excuses left.

Looking at the payal, Khushi thought of how it's been almost 10 years since she was wearing that particular payal. One morning 10 years ago, in the garden, looking at her rag doll, she confessed to Arnav that she used to have a similar payal like her doll once, that the bad guys had stolen from her too. And she missed wearing the payals. It was one of the first things she had admitted to Arnav during their long walks.

He'd asked her why she didn't just ask Mahindar Chachu and Chachi for payals and Khushi had tearfully confessed her fear that if she wanted too much, her new guardians would give her away. And the sound of payals must disturbed them as well.

That very weekend, he'd bought her this payal and its pair. She'd loved it. It was the first time since her parents died that she'd bounced in places with joy like she was really eight and not eighty. She giggled with her delighted-little-girl pleasure.

Khushi stared at the payal with a sad smile on her face. The clasp had been given away. Just like their relationship now. She still remembered how the payals were too big for her small ankles, he had to make a loop at the end to adjust them to her size.

Arnav had adored her once.

But she'd messed that up good and proper a long time ago. But did she really mess it up beyond repair?

A knock on the door drew her thoughts out of the past. To her surprise, it was Arnav standing in the doorway, his expression as passive as ever. "Can I come in?"

She nodded, automatically scooting backwards to lean back against her headboard. He came to sit in front of her, and Khushi smirked, remembering playing Ludo with him at that same position, at that same spot when she was 10, 11, 12.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked, curious. A smile played at his lips that made her heart feel like a thunder about to strike.

"I was just remembering beating you in ludo," she said quietly. In her room, it was harder to be aloof as she tried to be with him. How long had she been trying to show him she was grown up, grown past the foolish girl she'd been when they...

His smile broadened but only slightly. Still, it was enough to make her blood feel warmer. "So you found a game you can actually beat me at, Phati sari. Don't get arrogant." He pointed a finger in her face.

Laughing lightly, she remembered the origin of her nickname at the kanya puja day, when she was 10, Amma had made her wear a red saree made for little girls. it was so beautiful. She ran to the garden to show it to Arnav where he was helping Babuji to sow the vegetable seeds and ended up tearing the pretty saree in that process. She cried the whole day so much that Babuji ended up buying two more similar sarees just like that. But she couldn't get away from the torment of Arnav's teasing. She gained that nickname a day later. she stared down at her lap, tracing the broken payal with the pad of her finger. He sounded like his old self just then addressing her with the name he gave her, the one who wasn't so uncomfortable and cold around her. 'O Devi maiya, what do she need to sacrifice to have that again.' she sighed and asked "So what did you want to talk about?"

"This is awkward," he said after a moment of silence. "It seems almost pompous for me to say I'm proud of you."

"Why do you think it's pompous?" she asked, curiously. "I mean, everyone else has said it... unless you don't mean it."

"Of course I mean it," he said, his tone sincere. "A graduate degree in English literature" He looked down, then back at her again"You always wanted to be a writer. I am sorry I wasn't there when you enrolled on college, I should have been there." he said with a decisive, displeased tone. "I know I haven't been as supportive as I could have been these last few years."

Khushi shook her head. Arnav had always been something of an enigma to her. Well, not always. There was a time when their relationship had been simple. At some point, something had changed. What that was, Khushi was still at a loss as to explain. She knew when the switchover had happened, though.

"Arnav," she said with a sigh. "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have even tried to get into a college. You have always encouraged me to write and kept me interested in the world of literature with the books you used to send me."He even sent her books when he was avoiding her those last few years.

Looking up at him, she smiled. "you were the only one who never doubted my capabilities. You just seemed so certain I could do it - even if it would be hard."

"Most things worth doing are difficult," he said quietly. "It never occurred to me to doubt you. If that was what you wanted, I knew you were capable."

And because he knew, she believed, she thought but didn't say. "It was difficult. Still, I did it, and I think I made the right choice. You had everything to do with that."

Their silence then was not so awkward, but more comfortable. Then Arnav reminded the package in his hand and extended it to her. As soon as she saw the package, her face brightened with a brilliant smile and she all but tore the packaging of the book. 'A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens ' It's her favourite book, but it was special.

"you brought me the first edition" She looked in awe both at the book and at the man. When the awe subsided awkwardness seeped in. Arnav was about to leave.

"Arnav," she began hurriedly, blowing out a breath in a huff, she was ready to right wrongs in her life, and start fresh. "I know you've been... wary about seeing me since... since then. And I don't blame you. I know things have been strange for a long time. But I was a stupid girl then. A lot has changed - I've changed. I'm not going to... do that again. So if that's what you're worried about-"

"Khushi," he said quickly, reaching across the space that separated them, putting his index finger over her lips.

For the space of a few breaths, Khushi's heartbeat began to stutter. Time stood still, their breaths caught. She didn't know how long it had been since she was watching his hooded eyes, looking at his dilated pupil.

And then a moment later, a curtain seemed to fall over his expressive eyes, hiding all the secrets she so desperately wanted to reveal, his eyes holding hers. He let his hand drop slowly before he broke eye contact, staring out the window. For long moments, he was silent. "It's not you. It's never been you."

She waited, but he didn't seem inclined to explain further. "Is it so unthinkable ?" she asked finally. She cringed because she'd feared the answer to this question for years. He was her best friend, her confidant - the most important person in her life since almost before she could remember. That had never changed. And she didn't want to lose him. She would take him in whatever capabilities he would like to share with her.

"Is what so unthinkable?" he asked, dreading the answer himself.

"Can't we try to be friends again?" Her voice was quiet, and she struggled to make it not waiver. It felt strangely like her world would crumble if he put the final nail in the coffin of their relationship, as melodramatic as that sounded.

To her surprise, his eyes were wide, almost horrified. He shook his head, chuckling nervously. He thought she would ask about something else. "I never imagined you would interpret my attitude that way." He rubbed a hand over his chin, tracing the line of stubble - it had been some days since he'd shaved. She'd noticed that almost instantly when he walked in the door. She still remembered the way that little bit of stubble felt, brushing against her cheek.

"To answer your question, of course, we can be friends. I've never not been your friend," he said finally.

This cheered her considerably, and Khushi sat up straight, smiling. "Good."

@arshifiesta @featheredclover @phuljari @msbhagirathi

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[featheredclover]

September Rain

Chapter Eight

Also on Wattpad

Read from the beginning

Chapter Seven> <

She was like a dream. She was like September rains. She was his.

He had known when he saw her that fateful day, clutching her red skirt, her deer-like eyes skirting around nervously. He had felt the disappointment weigh heavily in his chest as he found they were not in the same house. He remembered buying the soda bottles and running across the grounds lest she waited too long for him on the stairs.

His innocent affection had deepened over the years. Sitting in his favourite spot on the red house terrace, his eyes always found the green rooftop, a splinter of longing burning within him. 

He had been thirteen when his tonsils were removed. Surgery was a scary thought, and the doctor had told him to take a deep breath and think of “happy thoughts”.

And when his mind had turned to thoughts of her, he knew.

Raizadas and Guptas had become friends, after a few clever manoeuvres by Akash and Payal. A few parties and dozens of dinners later, they were spending the summer together.

——

“Guess what papa got me!” Khushi brandished a shiny, jet black camera at him.

“Nice!” He smiled,sitting up straight, afraid of tilting the hammock over.

“No, no ,no! Just lay there!” 

She clicked the button, her hair fluttering against the wind. He smiled awkwardly, as she clicked several more. 

“You look pretty Arnav!” She teased with a smile.

——

That summer, Khushi had created an album. An album of just their photos. He had bit his lip, hiding his joy at finding the album packed with more than half with just his photos. 

But things were changing. He could sense it. He couldn’t help but feel the electricity hum beneath his skin, when his shoulder brushed hers, when he held her hand, feeling skin against skin. Seeing her dance was like watching an angel trapeze. 

——

“Can’t believe it’s raining!”

He hid his smirk behind the book he was trying to read.

“Arnav, you are boring me now”

“We can’t go out Khushi “

“I know that! But can we have fun?”

“Fun?” He set his book aside with a sigh.

She walked up to his speakers. After a few minutes, soft music filled his room.

She smiled, “It’s ‘These dreams’ by Heart” 

She moved gently, mouthing the words.

“And the full moon that hangs over, these dreams in the mist” she sang as she extended a hand towards him, tilting her head.

He slipped his hand into hers, as she pulled him off the bed.

Her arms entwined around his neck, and his hand found them on her waist.

He breathed out, as they swayed to the music. The lyrics were far from clear to Arnav by this point. His senses were on an overdrive, as he felt enveloped by her warmth, by her floral smell, by  the heart beating against his own.

——

He was in love with Khushi Gupta. 

He felt no jolt, no shock. He felt like he had been in love forever.

He looked at her across the table, as she took bites out of her cotton candy.

They had been on five rides so far. Dhruv had taken the seat beside her on two, Lavanya had insisted on him being with her on two, and one had single seats only.

A frustrated frown revealed his feelings, as he watched her laughing at something Mona whispered into her ear.

This just won’t do.

“Anyone want ice cream?” Aman stood up.

“You stay here, I’ll go get it” , he said, leaving the table without waiting for Aman’s reply.

——

“Hi”

Arnav startled as he heard the whisper behind him.

“Lavanya, what are you doing here?” He turned towards her.

“I couldn’t let you stand in line alone, could I ?” She smiled and tilted her head.

Annoyance creeped up on him, like a wave.

“We talked about this, Lavanya. You can’t make friends by sticking to me. You need to talk to others.”

Her eyes widened in shock. Probably at the harsh tone he had used.

“I don’t want that, Arnav. No one gets me like you do”

“Well I want to be with others! You can’t get through school like this, Lavanya. And I know that my friends have been doing everything to make you feel comfortable”

“Come on Arnav! They are your friends, not mine. We have fun together, just us two! I don’t want anything more” 

He ran a hand through his hair roughly.

“I wanted you to be well settled in because the teachers asked me to. But you have been looking at it all wrong. I like you Lavanya and I want to be your friend , but I cannot be with you all the time!”

“Whatever! You can leave if you want,” she rolled her eyes.

Arnav walked off, his brisk steps taking him away, leaving a scorned girl behind.

--------------

On public demand 🙈 I realised that Arnav's pov was needed at this juncture ~ let me know what you think!

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[msbhagirathi]

Word Prompt "Colly wobbles" for the IPK 13th Anniversary Fiesta by @arshifiesta.

Character: Kaveri Khushi Gupta, Arnav Varun a.k.a AV

FF: A River Runs Through It

Author: meera30

Reason: Coz I am in love with this ff right now. Now stop finding reasons and read on.

Khushi didn't know how did he do it. It was freezing cold outside in Detroit and here was the man in question giving out a presentation which he had prepared ~in merely five minutes~ before the meeting had to be started urgently.

Clad in a crisp white shirt rolled up to his forearms, the angry gash visible just as a slip of cut, the jacket and the waistcoat already lying on the chairback. Tie hanging a lil bit loose from its usual place. Shiny charcoal colored trousers hugged his legs like a second skin. Yet, he looked as fresh and energetic as ever.

Illegal.

How can he be so perfect?

Why did I of all people had to fall for him?

She knew that her being physically bulky had nothing to do with who she fell in love with. And yet she felt a bit wretched for having fallen for such a personification of perfection.

Sometimes, she didn't know which one was more comforting? To have been immune from his charm and just keeping to herself in college or having badly fallen for him strong enough to keep away all the strangers she had met just so she could forget that one man. And yet, the 'date other men to forget him' idea was as terrible as it sounded.

As she could go no further then two minutes of looking at them and instantly comparing them to him. She knew she was being horribly desperate. But then anyone would be if the man in question was the subject of discussion...

She started scribbling an insignia (for the umpteenth time) in her notepad which she had used earlier to jot down the good points.

"Ms. Gupta. Its good that you are at least concentrating on something but I would much rather that something to be nothing but this presentation."

Arnav Varun was looking at her with that knowing smile as if he had found a key to a mystery puzzle he was looking for. His glasses gleaming at an angle.

Embarrassed at being in the wrong side, Khushi immediately changed the page and looked up at the projector screen.

"Sorry sir."

Did he know?

Had he seen her drawing his name initials in her notepad with such an interest?

What was with that smile?

And yet now he continued with his presentation as if nothing had happened. Voice unflinching and firm. Emanating an authority. An air of importance.

Hey shivji! Why do I have to be the one target that you are never tired of playing with?

The gravel in his voice still used to send chills down her spine in a good way of course.

"Okay everyone that would be it for now. If I happen to have something else I would be calling all of you back. Please be ready for more impromptu meetings this week. If anyone has any questions please do ask or you're free to leave, thank you for your attention."

Khushi gingerly raised up from her chair praying to let her go to a certain someone sitting in the Kailash parvat with his wife who loved creating sweet troubles for her in situations like these. She quickly wanted to slip away along with the rest of the others.

But, Arnav Varun didn't let that happen. He looked up from his laptop at her.

Please don't tell me to stay back.

Please tell me the one thing I am yearning to hear from you for half a decade now.

Please let me go.

Please stop me and kiss me.

Hey shivji! She might have as well become a lunatic by now.

She was about to leave when..

"Khushi.."

She turned back only to find him sitting at his chair relaxed. All tension and seriousness gone with everyone else from the room. He sipped his glass of chilled water.

There was something in this man that made her feel at peace and nervous at the same time.

"Yes sir."

She heard the sound of her voice which shivered slightly.

Don't get the wrong idea okay? I am DEFINITELY NOT scared of you.

"No 'sir' please, just AV, when we are alone."

"Okay.. AV.'

He smiled.

"Show me your notepad once Khushi."

NO. PLEASE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

'Uhh.. I am in need of it urg-"

"Yeah yeah I know you need it I had seen you noting down points in it. But please I assure you I don't eat paper and I would return it within a few sec. Please?"

Khushi very hesitantly held it out and before he could open it to her eternal mortification and second hand embarrassment, Arjun's name came flashing out on her mobile screen.

A whole wave of relief hit her whole being as she excused herself to pick it up as an important call, leaving behind all her things in the room.

After fifteen minutes when she came back to her cabin she realized she had left all her things in the meeting room. She was about to sprint back to the room. When she spotted her things: her laptop bag, her water bottle and her notepad neatly sitting in the center of her desk.

At lunch break, she entered the cafeteria and already found the whole team along with (of course) AV himself sitting at the corner-most booth. She walked up and sat at the chair two seats away from him. She saw his phone lying on the table.

Suddenly it came alive with a notification and she saw the lock screen. A sprawly drawing. Careless strokes of blue ball point pen. Carved into the paper on a ruled page which seemed familiar.

An insignia, which she had scribbled on her notepad, out of boredom, sitting in the meeting room, a few hours ago. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Heat rushed to her ears and a slow blush crept onto her face and refused to go away. She couldn't believe the fact that Arnav Varun had taken a click of her drawing and set it as the lock screen on his phone.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him check the notification and quickly closed off the screen, checking if anyone else noticed it or not and went back to the conversation going on.

Khushi couldn't pull out the image of her insignia on his phone screen. Her mind kept replaying the image and she couldn't stop herself from blushing. Her body had gone into over-drive. Her heart was fluttering. Her hands and legs felt shaky. Her palms felt clammy. Warmth surrounding her face and neck and the rest of her body. Her stomach was in colly-wobbles.

Hey shivji, please, I must be looking like an idiot. Please help me staaaap this blushing, my cheeks are hurting now. Uff. Stupid AV. Stupid me.

[ipkkndlovescenes]

Arshi Poolside Moment #3

Touch&Feel {Epi- 29}

“If I could touch anything in the world right now, it would be your heart. I want to take that piece of you and keep it with me.”― Jessica Verday,

>>>>>>x<<<<<<

A wound, just a cut, a scratch, all he had, but the depth of this wound was more profound than ever. They say that family provides peace and love. But sometimes, this is the greatest lie; family is not succour for many reasons. For some of us, it is the secret wound. Sooner or later, we pay for the wounds of our ancestors, and Arnav was standing in his life at that point. 

Did he never get such small cuts and wounds?

Then suddenly, what happened that this scar was so special to him that he didn't even let Anjali dress it? He walked into his sanctuary, next to the pool, with a first aid box.

All he cared about was just this wound. His eyes never let that wound go away for a second. Why? Because it carried her part with it. It happened with the bangles he broke, hurting her and himself as well. There was this touch and feel attached to it, along with many things he was feeling right now. Regret, guilt, worries, and much much more. Among these feelings, he hurt someone who was beating in his heart.

A man in love who was feeling this pain towards his lover. He has hurt Khushi...That was all in the back of his head.

Standing at the window, his feet were refusing to move, his eyes refusing to let her go out of sight. Those memories were pinching him right now.

This was a feeling he had never known before or felt before. Oh, he hated this, but he was enslaved to it. He was a man who had to be in control all of his life, especially in such matters. Not a single girl mattered to him. There was no such thing as love in this world. 

But this wound, this cut, this scratch on his hand, was rushing in his veins like blood with these unbearable memories.

He Caressed her tears with his hands, removed her strands, and cleared every damn thing to clear his view of her, but her pain touched his heart and made him feel what he denied to feel. He was feeling it now; he closed his fist, remembering that touch, that feeling, and his eyes moved along, showing us clearly how deep this wound had reached this time.

The background was covered with hues of blues, and the shimmering water of a pool with a simmering light reflected all sorts of emotions in this man. A melodic portrayal of falling in love with a girl who was nobody to him and now was touching his heart with every beat. It was reminding him only of her... 

The entrancing background music added this lyrical prose to the eyes without a single word, The room was grey and black, reflecting his state of mind, and he had a red wound on his palm. A man was feeling the touch of the one he was caressing in it. He was completely lost in this touch that he never ever thought he would feel or even care about.

He wanted to rewind it, he wanted to make things right. He wanted that control back. With these unknown touched feelings, he sank into his bed. The thing that caught my eyes was his fist was secured, holding onto; he wanted to hold onto these like sacred things he had in his life.

His eyes returned to that wound, a touch, a feeling that would never go away.

Did he caress these wounds before like he was doing now? Absolutely not. Kyuon dard hai itna there ishq main? Why there is s much pain in this love? 

Was he feeling pain as well as what he gave her? Yes, whatever you feel, I feel as our heartbeats become one...if you've been wounded, so have I.

He lifted his hand slowly, brought it closer to his face, and gently touched his wound. almost caressing it the way he'd caressed her before, he had left her with this wound as well. His blood dried, but her oozing blood from that wound was still oozing and extracting every pain out of him at the moment.

His eyes raised with every memory he had of her. His fingers were still in the touch of the wound, like his fingers were touching her face. An etched memory that will make him up many nights from now on. A clear touch of a man to feel love in the palm of his hand as a beat to his heart. Left hand, a wound to his heart, a beat in his veins, he could hear it, and she could hear it as well...

The guilt was piling up all the harsh things and the words he ever did and uttered. She was shadowing his mind and heart. His heart was craving the closeness he felt every time he was so close to her. That first look of her in red saree halted him from meeting him with her heartbeat to holding her in the rain. Those yearning desires could now take shape as he was standing there, ambushed by all.

But at this moment, he had no idea it was that feeling that had trapped him completely; her thoughts just plagued his core, and all he wanted to do was just to forget her and all this nonsense. He got frustrated, slammed his wardrobe door, and waited to compose himself.

But

It was too late, he wanted to know about her, wanted to see her doing fine, wanted to hear her, touch her, feel her right next to him...

"How can I see your open wounds. And without really thinking, I just chalked it up to another strange feeling about you: I never realized how much you got hurt in return.” ~Faiqa~

On the other side, Khushi dreamed of Arnav gently brushing hair from her face and woke up with a "No!"

She will realize this feeling later, the true reason for her feeling him near her this close. "That hamesha " Telepathy will come later, but it was budding here...Whenever Arnav became distressed, she could feel him closer to her; the same went by with him too. They both could feel each other's presence in their hearts.

She was shocked, confused, and a bit scared. How could it be? No, he is Rakhshus, a stubborn rich man who cared nothing but himself. He was the reason for their conditions, her and her sister's. He was the one who sent her to that place, then how come he brought me home with such care and safety. How come I can feel his touch, his caressing, his wound? Yes, he was hurt too...? How?

She could gather her memories of how she was closing her eyes and was about to faint when he was holding her tightly. How on earth she could feel him caressing her so lovingly...until her eyes landed on her wound and reminded him of his cruelty. 

But this contradicted what her sister was telling her or what she was feeling at the moment. 

There was a denial in both of them. When Payal asked Khushi, did he do anything? She said no instantly, like she knew he could be anything but such a person. Her imagining him removing her hair in her unconscious state was disturbing her. Why was she dreaming or sensing such a thing or even dreaming h about him? Her thought process is normal, it can't be real. But there was a connection, a destined one shown here. While Arnav knew it, he was feeling it for a while, he was getting under the cloud that she was affecting him darn so much that now unconsciously, he talks about her, thinks about her, worries about her...

 But his denial was visible too.

“Such wounds to the heart will probably never heal. But we cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever.”

 Each of us wages a private battle to thrive. Whenever a person fully immerses oneself in life’s aromatic flower garden of pleasures and encounters life’s warship of armour-plated rigours, they blend and bend to make reasonable accommodations for surviving. But here he was, having a hard time blending with these feelings. His resistance was very much visible when he was regaining control in front of his di, and she was doing that the same in front of her Jiji...

But both awakened to a life that wasn't theirs...

A deep wound was open and etched in their hearts with many questions, feelings, and emotions, and both could not decipher it. It was love, but they had no name for it at the moment...

What should I name this love?

[chutkiandchotte]

One more rant time!!! Or more like, Anjali appreciation? Idk take it as anything.

(I feel like I only ever come here to rant, but what can I say? I do love a good rant lol.)

Anyway I've been speed reading through a bunch of IPKKND fics lately (as one does to ~~cope~~) and I just hate how many people just fundamentally misunderstand and negatively judge Anjali's character.

Its really simple when it comes down to it - Anjali loves Shyam with the same passion, loyalty, and commitment that Khushi loves Arnav and Arnav loves Khushi by the end of the serial. Just imagine, if some one came along and told (happily married) Khushi that Arnav is cheating on her, tried to marry someone else, and had her sibling kidnapped and almost killed, would she believe them for a second? No! No evidence would ever convince her of that and vice versa. Its an absolutely WILD story to be told about your pious, sanskaari, soft-spoken, madly in love with you husband who has, thus far in your eyes, done nothing wrong except been maybe a little too busy at work.

Anjali is just as fucked up as Arnav by the trauma they went through. There's a reason she is so quick to harm herself and loses all perspective when viscerally reminded of the single worst moment of her life. What's funniest of course is the people who have immense understanding for Arnav's trauma and pain, don't give a damn about Anjali's. They keep harping on about everything (aka material benefits) which Arnav did for Anjali, while discounting the emotional support she also provided for him through those years. Because only material benefits count in relationships? Emotional IQ is nothing?

Anjali is a good sister! She looks after Arnav, takes care of his needs, monitors his health. She gives him the freedom to make his choices (unlike Nani), but she does advice him as per her understanding. She gently tries to guide him to resolve his trauma and move forward in life, but doesn't succeed probably because its beyond her paygrade. Even in the depths of her depression and confusion, she feels delighted to know that Arnav LOVES Khushi, something she worried would never happen for him (and its clear she was previously worried that their marriage happened only due to uncontrollable attraction gone wrong).

They do have a slightly unhealthy level of co-dependency, but it makes perfect sense when you consider what happened in their childhood. Anjali and Arnav are each other's emotional cornerstone for a reason. And by the end of the show, they have each moved beyond the unhealthy aspects of their relationship.They have a really complex and interesting sibling bond, and ultimately a beautiful one.

Anjali is the one character who suffered the MOST, lost the most, from the entire cast of characters. The pain she went through, that too being an exact repeat of what her mother went through, is unimaginable. And for absolutely no mistake of her own.

[titaliya]

Arshi Fiesta 2024 Theme : Colours/Stages of Love!

Sharing a one shot that I wrote sometime ago. I've added a few tweaks to include the word prompt reverie @arshifiesta

Click on the link to read it on wattpad

Scarlet Hues

Arnav held her, as she leaned into his chest, feeling his heartbeat, their heartbeats beat as one. He was in awe of her beauty- her hair, her eyes, her smile. She looked more beautiful now with a scarlet hue from the gulaal and with his senses being enhanced by the bhaang.

He never wanted this moment to end - them together by the pool, in each other's embrace. It felt like a dream, a daydream no less. In this moment, there was only love in his heart, no anger, no hatred, no thoughts of her betrayal. In this moment, she was just Khushi and he was the Arnav she fell in love with. It was perfect. So, he simply held her to himself.

As he took all of her in, her fingers entwined with his, the weight of her on his chest, her deep breathing, he realised she'd fallen asleep.

The reverie was breaking. The fog in his head, from the all bhaang was slowly lifting as well. The moment had to come an end. He carefully carried her sleeping form, not before admiring her one more time, and lay her down on his bed. She scrunched her face, as if she was missing his closeness, but went back to sleep.

"Chhote!" Anjali's call echoed through the door.

Arnav opened the door.

"Here you go, Lemon pickles. Take them, freshen up and come down for tea with everyone." She said and left the room to Khushi and himself.

Things were becoming clearer by the second and he did as he was instructed by his sister. A question rose in his mind.

Should I wake Khushi up? She had slept by the pool the past few days. Maybe, she could have the bed for the time being.

Right then, Khushi moved in her sleep, she looked uneasy and she murmured something which sounded a lot like 'no...stay away'

Concerned, Arnav rushed to her side and Khushi woke up with a jolt. Before Arnav could react, Khushi had assessed her surrounding and looked relieved and her body relaxed.

"Arey waah! When did I float from the poolside to the bed?" She asked, still very much under the influence.

Arnav simply smiled and handed over the lemon pickle. He was almost sober now.

"Have this... We have to go downstairs..."

At the mention of downstairs, Khushi's expression changed. She looked worried "no...no..I don't want to go downstairs..no...no..." She kept repeating, like a scared child.

Arnav was now sure, something was wrong.

"Khushi! Khushi!" He caught her hands gently calming her down. "Look at me! What happened?" He asked patiently.

"Woh! He is downstairs..." She replied, shaking her head.

"Woh kaun?"

"Woh Ghatiya Aadmi...Here... It's safe Arnav-ji, with you.... I don't want to go downstairs... please" she was almost having a panic attack.

A splicing pain, zapped through Arnav. What was she talking about?

His hand moved in its own accord. He took her palm in his and placed it on his chest. His other hand to cradle the side of her face, his thumb softly caressing her cheek.

"Hey...shh...shh..." He whispered. "Feel that? Feel my heartbeat... Our hearts beat as one, remember? Now breathe with me...deep breaths..."

He seemed to have assuaged her fear.

"We aren't going down, okay?" He assured. She nodded, taking comfort in his touch.

"Good..." He sighed internally, seeing her regain her composure. But, his relief was short lived, as his mind began to race in a thousand different directions.

What was I missing? Who was Khushi scared of? What the fuck is happening?

He looked down at her and she looked like she was studying is features and as if she'd read his mind, she began to speak.

"Woh.... He is taking advantage of my silence... After I found his truth, I broke my engagement with him....Told him to stay away from my family and I...he wouldn't...instead he misbehaved" She mumbled.

Arnav could barely make out from her words, that she was talking something about her ex-fiance.

Was he here? Was he still terrorizing her? Misbehaving with her? I have to find the guy... I'm going to kill him.... Aman can track him down..What was his his name?

Arnav's train of thought abruptly halted upon recalling her ex-fiance's name. A heaviness settled in the pit of his stomach.

No...It couldn't be...

"Sh..Shyam?" He articulated the name.

Khushi's facial expression was enough to confirm is doubt. Even in her intoxicated state , he could make out the fear and disgust on her face.

"Yes, him!" Khushi shut her eyes, in an attempt to will away those fateful memories.

She was visibly flinching to those memories before him.

A tumultuous anger built inside of him, seeing her fighting her demons.

What have I done? Fuck! What have I done? How could I've been so oblivious...The truth was there the whole time. I blamed her without knowing her side of the story and all the while, she was a victim. I put her through hell, when she was already traumatized. Oh no! No! I brought her under the same roof as him.

Arnav was falling deep in the spiral of regret, but, he couldn't let his emotions take over. She was very vulnerable. Her faculties had been compromised. He couldn't let re-live whatever torment that sick bastard had made her endure.

Blinking away his tears, he lightly pressed the pad of his finger to her chin, causing her to flutter her eyes open. They were bloodshot scarlet.

"Look at me, Khushi... A lot has happened today.... You should rest, okay?" He said tenderly.

But, Khushi wasn't fully listening. "I hated it..." She started her lips quivering.

"No..Khushi...You don't have to..." He pled, but it went to deaf ears.

"I hated when he touched me.... It was like..it was like acid on skin...scalding." She was going through it again. This was exactly what he didn't want happening. Her every word was like chipping pieces of his flesh.

"Please...no.. Khu..."

"First, On the day of Sangeet, by the poolside... Then, on the terrace, the day of the wedding..th..then...today..." Arnav cupped her face, finally gaining her attention. She was shivering, tears were flowing uncontrollably.

"Shhh....Khushi... Listen to me... He can't hurt you...not anymore... I'm not going to let that happen...hear me? Yes?" He soothed her, brushing away her tears.

"Yes..."she whimpered. Arnav exhaled audibly.

Without warning, Khushi threw her arms around him, almost knocking him of his balance. He stilled. He hesitated to hold her back, this time, scared, if he'll hurt her. But, Khushi was still shaking from the crying,so, he settled to run his fingers through the length of her hair.

"I never should have hid his truth..." Khushi whispered against his shoulder. Arnav knew what she was doing. He wasn't going to let her.

"Please, don't blame yourself...please..."Arnav implored, "If anything, It's my fault..I should have known, It's my fault. Mine." Tears clouded his vision.

She didn't respond, but only tightened her hold on him.

They stayed like that, till he felt Khushi's body succumb to the day's exhaustion.

He mindfully helped her to a comfortable position, pulled the comforter over her.

As he got up, Khushi clasped his hand. "Stay with me."

Arnav obliged got into the bed, beside her. She lulled back to sleep, immediately. He couldn't sleep, not with what he'd learnt today.

Tomorrow, after the effects of bhaang wore off, she was going to hate him, like she does his vile brother-in-law.

When that would happen, he didn't know what was in store for him. He didn't know if he would ever be able to right the wrongs he'd done to her in this lifetime.

He did know, there was an inferno blazing scarlet inside of him, and he was going to burn the Shyam Manohar Jha down.

_____________________________

[arshisrabbaves]

3 Am Rant: Biggest WTF moment in IPK (for me)

When Khushi said something like “Maybe Shyam has had a change of heart after loosing his child” I seriously lost my cool-

Little context: After losing her baby Anjali is very vulnerable and no one or nothing can make her feel better. Well except for her Shyam ji (the most loving person in the world lol!) So when Khushi sees that how Anjali felt better only when Shyam is around her she brings him back. Arnav on the other hand gets upset at Khushi and asks her why she did that (as he should tbh!) to which she replies saying “If I didn’t bring Shyam back then who knows what might happen to Anjali and I think Shyam has changed now for better”

WTF! Like- are you serious? You got to be kidding right? This is the worst line said by KKGSR in entire Ipk. I have looked past most of Khushi’s mistakes and naive behaviour because I’m like- okay! I understand that Khushi doesn’t really have real insights of the world, she viewed everyone from the same lens and it’s probably because she had to live in the shadows of Guptas for years where she nodded her head and agreed with everything that they said. Not that I blame her for it, poor girl was probably reminded of the fact that she was adopted every now and then.

That man! Stalked her, followed her from Lucknow to Delhi

But her assuming that Shyam has changed for better was the worst thing ever imo. In that moment she was no longer a pure hearted innocent girl or someone who’s naive. She was straight up Dumb and stupid, I’m sorry if I sound harsh! I love Khushi I really do- but I can’t understand how can she be ready to forgive Shyam and think he has changed after everything he put her through.

That man! He stalked her, followed her from Lucknow to Delhi. Deceived her and her family and stayed with them, manipulated buaji for his and Khushi’s marriage, even though he was already married. Tried to kill her father, indirectly blackmailed her family and restrained them from telling Raizadas the truth. Physically and verbally abused Khushi during Payash wedding track, created misunderstandings between Arnav and her, kidnapped Arnav and tried to kill him, left her in the middle of the road to die. Assassinated her character in front of everyone.

You see it’s a huge list-

Khushi was the first person (after Shashi) to find out the truth about Shyam. She’s the one who has seen the disgusting side of him more than any other characters, even she knows what he put her through. And then her saying something like this- totally baffling.

Like! Were what was script writer thinking!!

And the fact that Arnav said that he’ll never trust Shyam again! That’s how you do it!

This is that one thing I wish I could change in Ipk!

[eviltiddyprodnz]

so I ended up starting Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon recently because I saw a pretty cute edit on Instagram and thought why not.

y’all I wanted to be a part of the fun SO BAD but either I’ve lost my ITV tolerance and need to build it again or I’m just failing to connect with the show…

I’m on Season 3 (for some reason Hotstar divides the same show into the like 9 seasons 💀) and it feels like we haven’t moved at all. we’re moving at the pace of a tortoise and the thing is I’m aware of the spoilers so I keep waiting for something to happen, something to start and nothing does. In fact, I’ve realised that there’s still a very VERY long way to go before things get remotely cute 😭

I’m at the part where Shyam is beginning his psycho era and has paralysed Khushi’s bauji. Arnav is nicer to Khushi but like most shows I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s kind of the only thing that has me going but since I know it’s going to turn soon I’m kinda losing interest which is CRAZY because guys I actually sat through the entirety of Ishqbaaz and the Redux. I skipped the Niti Taylor era because I simply didn’t have it in me to watch more of that show 🙏 but you gotta realise the mess I sat through.

So everytime I want to drop IPKKND I keep telling myself you finished Ishqbaaz, you can sit through this but I guess I’m just finding it difficult. Ishqbaaz was low-key on TV steroids because SO MUCH was happening on that show all the time.

I was kinda tuned into every character for a long time. I don’t want IPKKND to match Ishqbaaz’ freak but apart from Arnav and Khushi I low-key dgaf about anyone 😭👎 Lavanya and the goat (a literal goat Lakshmi) are the other characters I don’t tend to skip over.

I feel like maybe I’ll slow down or take a break for now (I say this as I still want to watch the show because I want to see them fall in love! 😭) but I keep losing patience.

I think what I find super tiring is sitting through anything that isn’t the lead couple and I guess that’s where this show differs from the other ones I’ve watched. Ishqbaaz had 3 brothers as main characters and their parents and they were insane 😭 like truly doing anything !!! So while the female lead was forced to sit through the literal GARBAGE treatment the male lead gave her, you had other things going on.

I don’t really care for other characters for now and also know they’re going to turn on Khushi soon so it keeps pissing me off 😭

Khushi is the only person I root for. My sister is a klutz (god help her feet) and she’s definitely crazy to constantly come back to this house but she’s so loveable. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way towards a character in ITV. for all the Ishqbaaz yapping that I did, Khushi reminds of Gauri. Like I get the same I’ll protect you from these losers energy when I see Khushi that I used to get with Gauri.

I also think they both have a great knack for comedy. IPKKND is getting slightly into the phase where Arnav and Khushi’s interactions are less yelling and throwing daggers at each other and more just awkwardly vibing and Khushi’s SOOOO FUN 😭😭😭

but the plot is soooo slow. y’all I think it’s 2 FULL more seasons of Lavanya and ASR and Shyam for some bizarre reason not getting caught. Like…. someone help me through this.

and I know all of their asses are going to turn on Khushi and bully my sweet sister once ASR does that classic blackmail wedding. She’s already been through so much. WHYYYY 😭💔👎

I’ve just realised this is a rant with no point because I might still go and watch that show. I guess I just wanted to vent because apart from the main leads everyone just frustrates me. 💀

Also Shyam getting to exist for SUCH a long time on the show is crazy….

someone save my Khushi because I’ll take time getting there 😭😭😭

for now l’ll take a breather lmao. ITV truly is a test of patience 😤

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

IPKKND SS: Fall Out of Love

Chapter 1

When days got tough, and nights tougher, Khushi shivered on the poolside floor wondering what did she do wrong. In her religion, everything was a repercussion for a deed done.

The man she loved grew stranger everyday. At one point his anger was in his words, now they lived as impressions on her arms.

God, wouldn't she give her whole life if she got a day to see the softness she had seen when he had danced his way straight into his heart.

At this point she wondered if that ever happened, or if it was product of her crazy mind. Maybe Arnav had never loved her, maybe it was all a result of her obsession with him.

Her sister had been right, Khushi had been fixated far into Arnav, ever since the day she saw him. Even when he wanted nothing to do with her.

At first it was anger, then disrespect, then curiosity, then infatuation and finally...

A cold had settled into Delhi, the winds chilled her bones. Her thin salwar was no match. She could not find herself to take the blanket on the floor.

This time, it was not self preservation. It was insects.

If she tried to get it washed, questions would be raised. The househelp was familiar with the bedroom linen. Why would it be in the garden long enough to get infested? Mami had been suspicious, and Khushi could not bear Arnav directing another play of them being happily married.

She could never see the difference between his acting and reality.

-

The blanket was washed, dried, and neatly packed. The floor was cleared, and an outdoor bedroll was in the corner of the garden.

Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she smelled the fresh blanket. Her body cried in relief as she laid down in the mattress.

It was the first time she slept for more than three hours in a month.

-

"Slept well?" Khushi was caught off guard. Not by the question, but the person asking it.

Shyam Manohar Jha.

Khushi ran away, her mind coming to a conclusion it didn't want to.

She bumped into Arnav, anger blazing in his eyes.

Her question of the blanket being washed remain in thin air as Manorama commented on their proximity as lovebirds being unable to separate, not noticing the soft bruise that began to swell in her arms once he left her grip.

In another time, she would've thought she saw true concern in Arnav's eyes over the mention of insects.

But for now, her mind worried over other details.

Over who got her bedding clean and washed.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

A/N: Thoughts? XOXO (Please ignore any typos/grammar errors)

Read future chapters on AO3

tagging: @shaonsim @zaphbeeblebrox @shiyaravi @chutkiandchotte @featheredclover @goals1024 @honeybellexox @darkchocolatestuff @thedupattaknowswhatsup @bigfatreader @lostafpanda @exosexosekai @hi-this-is-permabanned @scorpio-smiles @noor1025 @minpdnim @laad-governess @barshifan @whateverworks21 @maansiloves @samuraisamsworld @dropsofserenity @myloveforstuff @leila1 @onadaanparindey @dimaagkadahi @ijustchangedmyname @australian-desi @muttonthings @aye-masakalii @phuljari @msbhagirathi @rae-blogging (updating this list - lemme know who wants to be added/deleted)

[phuljari]

social media au! part 2

summary : khushi is a model and influencer; arnav just seems to stumble upon her profile one day— not so much by accident. (or what if khushi fell in love at first sight?)

warnings : just some hindi/hinglish, cussing in both languages. deliberate typos. online stalker!shyam. flirting with the boss

a/n : i am...trying something new (by using the word prompts) #IPK 13th Anniversary Fiesta @arshifiesta

hellohibyebye

liked by aakash_r, amanmathur, gulabo_devyani, anjaliiiii.r, mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada, hari_prakash and 137 others

hellohibyebye haaye! ekdum vaijanthimaala laagat hai hum😍🥰

⚫kaala tika najar na lage e ke khatir⚫

view comments

aakash_r Maa group pe daalne ko bola tha, Instagram pe nahi 🤦

gulabo_devyani Manorama! Ye Hear. hum aapko diye naahi the... Toh kaisan aap pehen liye?

anjaliiiii.r Mamiji 👌😍

mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada Thoda vakht nikal ke humare saath bhi ek-do photu khichwaye leti!

⤷hellohibyebye aap photo me bilkul handsome.... nahi laagat hai 😒

hari_prakash B//J...K>';edxnnnnddd

iMessage "Raizada Group"

Aakash Maa aapne instagram pe post kar diya 🤦

Manorama toh ka hui gawa? hainn

Mahendra Bohot sundar laagat hai tumhari amma 😊

Akash liked a message

Manorama liked a message

Devyani Humra. Haar. Dena mat bhulna. Onmanorama.

Anjali Arre Aakash, karne do yaar, umar hai inki 😌

HP Ji Naniji, hum abhi wapas rakhwa dete hain

HP hhhhhhhh?/?????

Aakash HP yaar tune firse phone bandh kiye bina pocket me rakh diya... buttdial nahi, yaha toh butt-typo hote hain😶

Anjali 😂😂🤣🤣🤣

Arnav seen

Anjali Chotte yahan bolna mana nahi hai!

Arnav: Di, I'm in a meeting right now. Ttyl

Anjali: Arre, chotte 🤦‍♀️

Manorama added NK to Raizada Group

NK: Hello bhaiyyon aur bhabhiyon

Anjali: Bhabhiyon nahi NK bhai, beheno!

NK: Haan wahi Di! You understand me so well!!

Aakash: 😂😂

Arnav left Raizada Group

NK: Oh no Nannav! Tum kyu chale gaye

Aakash: You know that he can't see the messages now right?

NK: Oh, Whoops! Wait

NK added Arnav to Raizada Group

NK: Nannav mere bhai!! How are you??

Arnav: Isn't it like 3 AM in Sydney?

NK: Nannav, naughty naughty, tumne time check kiya mere liye! So cutee! I'm at your home doofus 😂

Arnav: gtg

Arnav left Raizada Group

iMessage

Anjali: Ye har baat pe chotte group kyu leave kar dete ho?

Arnav: Di! WTF ye NK kya kar raha hai Shantivan me?

Anjali:😶‍🌫️

iMessage

Aman: Sir, we have officially signed Ms. Khushi Kumari Gupta!

Arnav: Good

Arnav: Kumari?

Aman: That's her middle name boss

Arnav: Oh, okay

iMessage

Aakash: Bhai, you signed THE KHUSHI GUPTA??

Arnav: Yes

Arnav: And she's not that popular c'mon

Aakash: Bhai do you even use instagram? 😭

Arnav: Of Course!

Arnav: Btw I have more followers than her 😒 So much for "influencer"

Aakash: That's her personal profile Bhai! You have to see @/thekhushigupta

seen

thekhushigupta

liked by divalavanya, payaliyaa, guptagarima, aakash_r, shyamjha, versace, arnavsinghraizada, saritaraman and 396,981 others

thekhushigupta @/versace thank you for sponsoring my cannes debut

view comments

saritaraman You dancing on hawa hawaii at cannes was the only thing left for me to see😭

⤷thekhushigupta all thanks to you babe <3

payaliyaa My babie sisterrrr 😍

⤷thekhushigupta jijiiiiii 😊

guptagarima Ae Khushi isko chalu kaise karte hai

versace It was our honour! 😍

aakash_r Amazing performance👌

shyamjha khushiji aapka koi boyfriend hai kya? 😭

divalavanya Bestie 💖

⤷thekhushigupta right back at ya! 💖

user1 i love the dressss

user2 just one chance khushi pls pls

user3 it was so cheap idk why ppl idolize u

⤷user1 get tf outta here

shyamjha hosh rubaa😍

nandiii khushi jiiiiii 💘

⤷thekhushigupta nanhe jiiiiii

nandiii

tagged: @/emirates @/anjaliiiii.r @/aakash_r

liked by aakash_r, anjaliiiii.r, gulabo_devyani, mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada, hari_prakash, hellohibyebye, thekhushigupta and 806 others

nandiii So excited to meet you guys!😭

view comments

anjaliiiii.r Pooja ki thaal tayyar hai NK Bhai

⤷gulabo_devyani Aapan. Ka. hi intezaar hai Bitwa.

mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada Return flight book karke nikle ho ki naahi?

⤷nandiii Now why would I do that Mausa Ji? 😊

thekhushigupta nanhe ji! iss baar aap mile bina nahi jaa sakte 😌

⤷nandiii Aapse hi toh milne aa rahe hai Khushi ji! It was fun to hangout with you while shooting in Portugal last year! 😊

hellohibyebye humre khaatir oo gucci peck kiye ki naahi?

⤷nandiii Maasi ji aapke liye toh chanel, gucci, versace sab haazir!

hari_prakash Ccooffee lenge?

Notifications (arnavsinghraizada)

thekhushigupta followed you

titaliya_k followed you

payaliyaa followed you

Notifications (thekhushigupta)

arnavsinghraizada followed you back

shyamjha unread 1475 messages

shyamjha commented on your post: hosh rubaa 😍

shyamjha commented on your post: khushiji aapka koi boyfriend hai kya? 😭

usershyam hume aap bohot pasand hai khushiji

iMessage

Khushi: he followed me back omgomgomg

Lavanya: ???

Khushi: ajgar

Khushi: arnav*

Lavanya: 😂😂

Lavanya: You didn't stop talking about him last night oh god

Khushi: i know ur friends were so pissed😭

Lavanya: Nooo, why would you thibk that

Lavanya: And look at you crushing so hard on ASR!

Khushi: you've met?

Lavanya: Briefly

Khushi: 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Khushi: I'm gonna slide into his dms wish me luck

Lavanya: Khushi wtf

Lavanya: Khushi come back you son of a bitch

Lavanya: Istg Khushi pls don't make a fool of yourself in front of your new boss😭

Lavanya: Khushiii??????

seen

(1) message from thekhushigupta

thekhushigupta: hey

arnavsinghraizada: Hi?

thekhushigupta: we met the other day

arnavsinghraizada: Yeah, you bumped into me, how can I forget?

thekhushigupta: omg i'm really sorry for that😩

thekhushigupta: can i take you out for an apologetic dinner?

thekhushigupta: tonight?

arnavsinghraizada: Are you...

thekhushigupta: asking you out? yes

arnavsinghraizada liked a message

TBC

<previous> | <next>

[myfanficfrenzy]

What's this about?

Hello Tumblr!

Welcome to our space :)

This is a blog to catalogue the fanfictions that we have read, loved, analyzed, obsessed over and forgotten our RL for!

We hope to use this space to create a directory of Arnav-Khushi (Arshi) fanfictions with their links and summaries to come back to!

Yep, characters of a show that is more than ten years old, sue us!

Best,

A and I

P.S. Heavy Spoilers for FanFics Ahead. Tread with Caution!

[hand-picked-star]

The 13 th Anniversary Arshi fiesta

Moodboard : Historical AU

Whispers of the Heart | Chapter 14

I am not very good at writing ffs. I even read ffs very selectively. But it was an attempt of me to participate in the 13th-anniversary arshi fiesta.

I might be wrong about certain aspects of that age and era, but it's a fantasy, so why not? I don't own Arnav and Khushi and the story is purely fictional and has no relation to any living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

WARNING : 18+, Mature Content

Chapter 14

There were times when life stood still at a crossroads, forcing one to reflect on all the mistakes that had led to where life currently stood. Life itself felt so painful, and the weight of past choices seemed almost unbearable. As Khushi sat on the bench outside the house she shared with her husband, she couldn't help but be consumed by her thoughts. The past six months she had spent in London with him played over and over in her mind like a broken record.

She thought about the moments of joy that had slowly faded away. She remembered the laughter that once filled their home, now replaced by silence and emotionless stares. The warmth of his touch felt like a distant memory, replaced by the chill of distrust and unspoken hurt. She longed for the days when love was effortless and pure, untainted by the shadows of pain and regret. Khushi wondered how things had gone so wrong, how the love they once shared had turned into a source of pain. Sitting there, she felt a deep sense of loss, not just for what had been, but for what could have been. She analyzed all the moments, all the mistakes, all the misunderstandings that had brought her to this point.

(6 month ago)

The seasickness was real. Khushi had been so ill during the journey, but Arnav was incredibly caring, always by her side, making sure she was comfortable. For the first week, they stayed at an inn while Arnav arranged suitable accommodation for them. It was nothing fancy, but the house they found won her heart. It was a charming cottage-type house, the kind she had only read about in her novels. Khushi loved it. She felt like a character in a romance story.

The house they moved into was just outskirts of London city. Houses in these areas were more affordable compared to those in the city, although residents often had to travel a bit farther to reach the central London. The exterior was made of red brick, with tall, narrow windows framed by white shutters. A small, wrought-iron fence surrounded the front garden, which was adorned with neatly trimmed hedges and blooming roses. The front door was painted a deep green, leading them into a warm and inviting space.

Inside, the house had a cozy and slightly rustic feel. The floors were made of polished wood, creaking slightly underfoot, and the walls were adorned with floral wallpaper in soft, muted tones. The living room featured a large stone fireplace, perfect for chilly evenings. Khushi couldn't help but feel enchanted by the house. It was a place where she could see herself writing letters by the window, making jalebies in the kitchen, and sharing quiet moments with Arnav by the fireplace.

Every day for Khushi would start and end in Arnav's arms. They would start their day making breakfast together in their cozy kitchen. Arnav would then head off to work, leaving Khushi to leisurely explore nearby libraries to indulge in her love for books, relishing her newfound independence in the city.

In the evenings, when Arnav returned home, they would often take walks by the lake after dinner, talking about everything and nothing under the open sky. However, not every day was without its mishaps. There was one evening when Khushi accidentally burnt their dinner and her disappointment turned into tears. Arnav simply just wiped away her tears, kissed her face, and whisked her away to a nearby inn for dinner that night. So, if you were to ask Khushi, despite occasional setbacks, these were the happiest days of their marriage.

She also had a marvelous neighbor in Devyani Williams. She was also the grandmother of one of Arnav's friends, which was another reason they moved into this house so that Khushi had someone with whom Arnav could leave her. Khushi found it quite endearing that Devyani Ji loved Arnav like her own grandson.

Devyani Ji was a fascinating lady. She was an Indian and had the most exciting love story to tell. She and Mr. Williams fell in love with each other when Mr. Williams went to India for business. When they realized her Brahman parents would never accept their relationship, they eloped. Here in London, they got married and had been together for over 40 years.

Devyani Ji asked Khushi to address her as Nani Ji. She said Khushi looked so much like her granddaughter, whom she missed very dearly. Her granddaughter and her husband had been living in Spain for the last two years.

Nani Ji and Khushi bonded pretty quickly. Nani Ji taught her how to bake cakes and cookies, and in return, Khushi made jalebies for her whenever she requested. Khushi cherished this unexpected friendship with Devyani Ji very much.

Arnav asked Khushi to enroll in University of London to complete the rest of her BA courses since St. Stephen's College was affiliated with University of London and her credits would transfer seamlessly. However, she expressed her desire to explore London for the next six months, immersing herself in its culture and devouring more books. Understanding her passion, Arnav gave her his Oxford library card, which thrilled Khushi immensely as she looked forward to exploring the treasures of the Oxford library.

In her excitement, she swiftly prepared toast and omelets for breakfast before getting ready. After a refreshing bath, she anticipated Arnav dropping her off at Oxford before heading to work.

As she stood under the spray, contemplating her plans for the day, Khushi felt another hand on her body besides hers.

"Well, that's not the protocol of marriage, Mrs. Raizada," Arnav huskily whispered in her ear as he pressed his front against her back and began kissing her neck. He took her earlobe into his mouth and sucked softly, "You leaving me to wake up alone in our bed, especially in the morning."

Giggling, Khushi turned around to face him. Placing both hands on his shoulders, she retorted, "Objections, Your honour, I don't recall such protocols."

"Objection overruled. You need to be careful about these Protocols, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise you'll be punished".

He quietened her surprise squeal with his lips as he placed his hands under her thigh and hoisted her up, pressing her on the washroom tiles as he proceeded to punish her. The stream enveloped them like a cocoon, wrapping around their intertwined bodies as his lips captured hers in a tender yet insistent kiss, making Khushi drunk on his very presence. Their lovemaking unfolded like a symphony of whispered words and gasps of pleasure, punctuated by the rhythmic pulse of the shower and their shared breaths that echoed in the stream-filled air.

When Khushi entered the Oxford Library, she was as eager as a child in a candy store. Quickly grabbing the book she had been searching for, she settled at a nearby table. It wasn't long before a whispered conversation between two women caught her ear. Her interest was piqued immediately upon hearing them mention Arnav.

"Did you hear Arnav Singh Raizada got married? He went home to attend his sister's wedding and came back with a wife. Lavanya is going out of her mind."

"But Mr. Raizada had refused her marriage proposal, right? Why would she care?"

"You didn't understand. Lavanya was hopeful he would marry her eventually."

The other voice responded with a non-committal sound.

Nevertheless, the female continued, 'Anyway, Lavanya was saying she got to know from Kamlesh that he married his best friend's sister, with whom his sister got married. She is sure that he had been blackmailed into marrying her, otherwise, he would never marry some village girl.'

"Are you sure she is a village girl?"

"I don't know. Lavanya told me all of this. She might know something."

The other woman responded with another non-committal sound, much like before.

But all her zeal to read books that day vanished after hearing their conversation. She didn’t stay much longer and decided to go home. Her thoughts were tormenting her, and all her past insecurities came back to attack her at once. Unable to bear being alone any longer, she went to meet Nani Ji.

Her worries had somehow dimmed in Nani Ji's presence, and things almost returned to normal for the next few days. Then, one night at dinner, Arnav mentioned that Mr. Kashyap was going to arrange a dinner party at Inner Temple, Arnav's Inn of Court, the upcoming Sunday, and Khushi was invited. They all wanted to meet Arnav's wife.

Khushi wasn’t afraid to meet his friends; she just didn't want to meet that one specific person. That person was better as faceless. Khushi wasn't eager to give her a face. Maybe she wouldn’t even be there, she hoped foolishly.

Lavanya didn't want to be at these legal parties, but she had endured them for the last 2 years just to be close to Arnav. Now, all her hopes had turned to ashes. However, Lavanya was not one to be defeated easily. She would see this through to the end. Sooner or later, he would regret rejecting a girl like her. She arrived donning the best gown she had, styled to the latest fashion in town.

As she chatted idly with Pamela Brown and Simona Clarke, Lavanya noticed a girl in a red saree. The material looked seamless, possibly muslin. The girl had a small face with expressive big eyes. She had long hair, that was slightly curled at the ends and cascaded loosely down her back. She possessed a fair complexion unlike that typically seen in Indians, reminiscent instead of British heritage. Her skin, akin to porcelain, carried a flawless, ethereal glow that set her apart and captured everyone's attention. She didn't wear much jewellery, but as the light caught her gold waist chain, Lavanya's attention was drawn to it. Lavanya wasn't paying much heed to the gold chain though, her focus was zoned on the hand that held the girl by her waist instead.

To the bystanders, the hold seemed casual, nothing unusual for any couple. But for Lavanya, it was enough to set her heart on fire. Lavanya scrutinized the way he held her, with his thumb occasionally making circles. The hold contained so much possessiveness and sensuality that it felt like she was witnessing a private moment. She watched as he introduced the girl to others at the party. The girl in the red saree slightly leaned into him as his hand moved from her waist to her back, caressing her as if trying to soothe her. Then he guided her forward with the hand on her back.

"Oh, wow, that's Mrs. Raizada. No doubt Mr. Raizada is so smitten," Pamela said unknowingly when she saw them, earning a glare from Lavanya.

"Shut up, Pam".

When Arnav and Khushi reached Lavanya, Arnav introduced his wife to her.

"Khushi, meet Ms. Lavanya Kashyap. You remember Mr. Kashyap. Lavanya is Mr. Kashtap's daughter," Arnav said warmly. Turning to Lavanya, he continued, "And Lavanya, this is my wife, Khushi."

Lavanya gasped dramatically, " Is that all I am to you, Arnav? I thought we were friends. Right? "

Arnav's eyes tightened, daring her to make a scene. It didn't escape Khushi's eyes though.

Ignoring him, she turned to Khushi with a sugary sweet smile and greeted her in her polished English accent, "Anyways, nice to meet you, Khushi."

Lavanya didn't expect Khushi to say anything. She had almost dismissed Khushi as uneducated. But to her surprise, Khushi responded in flawless English, "Nice to meet you too."

Lavanya and Khushi exchanged fake smiles, each sizing the other up. Khushi wasn't one to do such things, but she found herself observing Lavanya from head to toe. Then, Mr. Kashyap arrived. After exchanging pleasantries with Khushi, he pulled Arnav away, leaving Khushi alone with Lavanya.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of Khuhsi." Lavanya said with a fake enthusiasm.

Lavanya watched intently as the couple engaged in a silent conversation with only their eyes, noticing Khushi nodding slightly.

It was an incredibly awkward situation, to say the least. Khushi struggled to grasp what she would talk about with Lavanya.

It had been easier when Lavanya was just a faceless entity, but now that Khushi was face-to-face with her and knew Lavanya harboured feelings for Arnav, she didn't know what to feel about that.

Lavanya started talking first.

"You're wearing such a beautiful saree! And it's red. Arnav's favourite colour. Did he buy it for you?" If Lavanya's casual use of Arnav's name bothered Khushi, she didn't let it show.

"Yes, It's Arnav's favorite color," Khushi replied politely, not quite getting the game Lavanya was playing.

"I wish I could wear sarees, but my maid doesn't know how to drape them properly, you know, and they're sort of out of fashion nowadays,"

Khushi only nodded her head.

Meanwhile, a server served them two bowls of kheer. Khushi was actually surprised to see such a dessert at a party like that.

"Oh, look, the kheer has arrived. It's Arnav's favorite, you know. We always have kheer at parties when Arnav is attending," Lavanya remarked.

"Hmm," was all Khushi could think to say in response.

"You know, these legal parties can be quite boring. But they do arrange some fun things too, like theatre and dances. You should attend parties at the gymkhana club. Arnav is a member too. My god, they even arrange cricket matches sometimes. They're so much fun. Have you ever watched a cricket match, Khushi?"

"Not really."

"You should join us in one of them then. Arnav is an excellent cricket player. He played in the Oxford cricket team, of course, that's you already know. You are his wife." Lavanya said causually. She was checking how much Khushi knew about Arnav London life before Lavanya could manupulate the facts.

Lavanya was a very perspective girl. The look on Khushi's face revealed that this information came as a surprise to her, and Lavanya finally succeeded in finding the weak point she was looking for. She didn't expect she would find one that soon. Luck seemed to on Lavanya's side this evening. Khushi couldn't hide her unease. She didn't know much about Arnav's life in London. Lavanya kept talking.

"The Oxford cricket team is a big deal, you know. Their news even makes it to newspapers like the Daily Telegraph. You know, the same paper Arnav writes his legal column for. I didn't know Arnav writes so well. He's an excellent writer, don't you think?" She said smugly. The confidence in Lavanya's voice increasing. She would prove to khushi that how well she knew Arnav. She would prove that she knew Arnav better than his wife.

Khushi only nodded her head, lost in thoughts about all the things Lavanya knew about Arnav that Khushi didn't.

She heard Lavanya ask, "So you are Aman's sister, huh?"

"You knew Aman bhai?"

"No, but Arnav talked about him a lot. But Arnav never mentioned you," Lavanya replied casually, feigning a aura of indifference.

Khushi finally understood what Lavanya was trying to do. She wouldn't let Lavanya do that to her. She won't succumbed to her fear and insecurities, at least, not in the public. She had enough.

"I don't see any circumstances where he would need to talk about me, especially to you." Khushi tried to maintain her polite tone.

Lavanya gave her a hard look, then asked in a harsh tone, "So, he never talked about me either, I guess." She wanted to include khushi and herself in the same category of people, about whom Arnav didn't talk about.

"No, he never did. But honestly, I don't see why he would need to talk about every person he knows. It's rather exhausting, you know. We have other things to do to exhaust ourselves.... than discuss acquaintances," Khushi replied calmly, maintaining her composure.

If looks could kill, khushi would have been dead by now. Khushi thanked Devi Maiya that Arnav decided to returned at the sane moment and took her to meet some other people. Despite this distraction, the thoughts kept swirling in Khushi's head. She felt like she was in a battle with herself.

'What was the nature of Arnav and Lavanya's so-called friendship? Lavanya knew so much about Arnav.'

'But these are common things. Anyone might know,' Khushi reasoned to herself. 'favourite colour, favourite food, anyone might know.'

'But why don't I know?' Khushi wondered, feeling unsettled. 'There is just something about Lavanya. Why is she so upset if there wasn't anything significant between them?'

A little dash of insecurity and Khushi started feeling like the person she had known for ten years, her best friend whom she married, was someone she didn't know at all. He had a whole new life here that she knew nothing about. This aspect of his life was completely unknown to her. What if she couldn't cope with him and he decided he wanted something different?

All along the way, Khushi had been very quiet. When Arnav asked, she said she was tired, so he didn't bother her any further. But her insecurities got the better of her as they entered their house. The first question she asked was, "Why didn't I know that you write a column in the newspaper?"

Arnav looked at her, surprised. "Oh, that? It's nothing special. I started writing them last summer. The newspaper pays well, so I decided to give it a try. How did you find out?"

"I want to read them."

"Umm.. Okay.. But don't expect anything special. They're in the study. You can read them if you want," Arnav replied casually.

Khushi nodded, suddenly feeling foolish for asking Arnav about it. As they prepared for bed, thoughts of her conversation with Lavanya swirled in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder if there had ever been a time when Arnav might have had feelings for Lavanya. The way Lavanya spoke, with such familiarity and confidence, made her question everything she thought she knew about her husband.

As Khushi lay in bed, settling into their favourite position with Arnav spooning her, her mind wouldn't quiet down. The insecurities gnawed at her, and she couldn't shake the fear that one day Arnav might realize he wanted someone different.

Someone like Lavanya—sophisticated, confident, and well-acquainted with his world in London, which was more like his present. All Khushi knew about Arnav was of his past. That though filled her with dread.

"Arnav, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm, since when do you need permission to ask me anything?"

"Why don't you play cricket at home but do here? Every summer, Aman bhai, Akash bhai, and sometimes even Babuji join them to play, but you've never participated."

She felt Arnav hold his breath for a moment, then exhaled slowly. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and began speaking, "Umm, it's nothing serious." Arnav didn't talk for a long time and khushi almost thought he had fallen asleep. But then he said softly, "Do you know that when my mother died, I found her body in her room?"

"Hmm, Amma told me once." She had never heard Arnav talk about his mother.

"I was playing cricket with Aman and Akash bhai in your courtyard," he took another pause, then continued, "I couldn't play cricket after that. But here in London, one day when the team was in dire need of a player, I stepped up, and surprisingly, playing cricket here wasn't that difficult. So I kept playing... and I liked it." After a few moments, he buried his face in her hair and kissed the back of her head softly. He drew her even closer with the arm around her and murmured, "See, it's nothing deep."

As Khushi mused over what he was saying, she thought to herself, 'No, it was deeper.'

"khushi?"

"hmm".

"How did you know about Lavanya?"

"Last summer Kamlesh bhaiya came to meet Aman bhai. He told Aman bhai about her, about how you got a marriage proposal from her."

"Hmm," came his sleepy reply.

Khushi was dying to ask Arnav about the nature of his relationship with Lavanya, but she hesitated. It wasn’t that she lacked the courage to ask him; rather, she was afraid of what his answer might be. Her mind raced with doubts and insecurities. What if Arnav had once had feelings for Lavanya? The thought of hearing confirmation from him was too painful to bear.

She lay beside him, feeling the warmth of his body, but her heart felt cold and distant. The silence in the room was heavy with unspoken words. She could hear Arnav’s breathing slow down, a sign that he had fallen asleep. His steady, rhythmic breaths should have been comforting, but instead, they only amplified her anxiety. She wanted to shake him awake, demand answers, and seek reassurance, but she couldn’t bring herself to disturb his peace.

As she lay there in the darkness, Khushi’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She tried to convince herself that her fears were baseless, that Arnav loved her and only her. But the seed of doubt had been planted, and it was growing, slowly but surely, consuming her thoughts.

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@arshifiesta @phuljari @featheredclover

[featheredclover]

Carmine Veils

Chapter Five

Read from the beginning

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Chapter Four <> Chapter Six

The sky seemed particularly beautiful today . The moon was still visible when the sun’s rays began to tinge the darkness.

She heard Hari Prakash’s light snoring and smiled.

He had called the royal physician’s apprentice and Khushi had sworn the young man to secrecy. He had dressed her shoulder. Thankfully, the arrow was not poisonous.Khushi glanced up towards the sky again.

Small mercies, she thought.

Hari Prakash had refused to leave her side and she had been too selfish to refuse his offer of comfort even if she couldn’t confide in him fully.

She felt strangely empty. How can a month lead to such intense emotions for one man? 

“We need his daughter dead and you couldn’t bring her body to us in the month you have been there?"

She shuddered.

It was all a trick. A trap to lure her into the enemy’s arms. And hadn’t she been fooled? 

A night of sleeplessness had made her realise she wasn’t angry at Arnav. It was her own heart which had betrayed her. 

Her days had been filled with dreams of them together, while his would have been wrapped in the calculations to get her to trust him. Her nights had been filled with his scent, his touch. While his would have been filled with the agonising wait till he could plunge the dagger into her heart.

Payal was right. This wasn’t like her. After all, what is love? It was helplessness. You are helpless against what you feel. She ran her hand over the bandage wrapped over her wound. It didn’t hurt as much as the ache the love for him had left. 

Khushi stood up on rubbery legs. The portrait shone on her wall. A brilliant painting of her mother Maharani Garima . It was in moments like this when she really wished for ghosts to exist. Her Amma could have haunted her all she liked. 

“ I love him, Amma, “ she said simply, staring longingly at the painting.

————

Her feet took her to those same paths again. Her gait steady, her gaze unwavering she led on.

The door to the chamber opened, his beautiful self appeared and Khushi cursed her heart with a resigned smile.

His eyes ran restlessly over her face, almost as if trying to read her mind. 

“ May I come in?”

Without saying a word Arnav stepped aside.

The chamber shut with a thud and Khushi turned around to look at the man she had fallen in love with. 

He said nothing. He seemed to be waiting for her to break the silence. Or was he waiting for the guards to burst in the room and arrest him? 

A sudden movement only stiffened Arnav more, as she pulled her sword out.

Careful steps brought her near enough to him.

Her knees scraped the floor as she suddenly bent.

Her arms stretched with the sword, as if to present it to him.

“Wha-“

“ Kill me Arnav “

….

An incredulous frown appeared on him as beads of sweat trailed his temple.

“ I know why you are here. I am sorry, more for myself than you actually, that I followed you yesterday. I was the one who disrupted your meeting. Forgive me, I was in shock. I have fallen in love with you Arnav. I thought a lot about your betrayal, but I know that to my stupid heart it doesn’t matter. I would rather have you kill me without one more betrayal. I guess I am an idiot but what shall I name this love?”

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.

“ Kill me Arnav “ 

Her determined gaze met Arnav’s.

He bent forward and took her sword. His face was unreadable.

In the next moment, he tossed her sword onto his bed, grabbed her shivering hand and pulled her to her feet.

He didn’t leave her hand as they left the chamber, passing corridors and courtyards and even as his pace slowed down.

Khushi stared dazed at their linked hands and at him. 

He came to a stop and she realised she was looking at doors embossed in gold figurines of her kingdom’s symbols.

Tagging: @arshifiesta

She turned towards Arnav.His eyes blazed as he looked at her while they stood in front of Maharaj Shashidhar’s chamber.

Chapter Six>>

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