Home Is Where The Heart Is
(oneshot)
Devaratha x Rukmini (oc)
Summary - Rukmini treats Deva when he comes home injured from working at the mines.
[ Disclaimer - This is a fanfiction based on the Indian movie - Salaar (2023). All the characters belong to the makers of the movie except oc. Any resemblance to real life is a mere coincidence.]
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masterlist
Deva’s mother had only one rule.
No matter what happens he should be home by 6’o clock.
He thought it was ridiculous, he was no longer a reckless man who was driven by emotions. He had changed, he had become calm, he no longer needed rules that kept him bound. Yet, he returned home before the clock struck six everyday, without fail, ducking through the doorway with tired shoulders and dust clinging to his clothes.
He did not blame her, she had her own fears. He had caused her enough problems in the past and did not want to further her anxiety so he obeyed her.
Today, however, the sun had set long ago and he was not home yet.
“It is already seven,” Amma murmured, worry evident in her voice. “He has never been this late.”
Rukmini looked up from the vegetables she had been cutting and offered her a reassuring smile.
“The mines must have kept him longer today Amma, you know how he is, maybe someone needed help, he wouldn’t leave them behind.” Rukmini said.
Amma sighed. “That is exactly what worries me.”
Rukmini crossed the room and gently squeezed her hand.
“You've worked a lot today, I'm sure school must be tiring, go and rest.” She continued. “I'll wait for him.”
After a moment of hesitation, Amma nodded, “fine… wake me the moment he returns.”
“I will.”
Silence settled over the house when the bedroom door closed.
Rukmini sat by the doorway, the untouched dinner growing colder by each passing second, her eyes lifting to the narrow path leading to the house every few minutes.
The clock crept past eight.
Then half past.
By the time it struck nine, the reassuring confidence she'd shown Amma had begun to crumble.
She wrapped the shawl tighter around herself.
“I'll go find him.” She whispered to herself.
She got up and barely got her slippers on when she heard the familiar metal creak of the gate.
Relief flooded her chest when she looked up.
The night concealed him in shadows, until he stepped beneath the weak glow of the porch light.
“Deva–” the words died on her lips
Rukmini’s breath caught.
Blood had soaked through the front of his shirt, glistening dark beneath the light.
A gasp escaped her.
Before she could do anything that would alert Amma, his hand flew up to cover her mouth.
“Shhh!” He said, “is Amma asleep?” he whispered, his hand still on her mouth.
She nodded, her eyes wide and fearful.
He moved his hand away and ushered her inside quietly towards their bedroom. He closed the bedroom door behind him.
As soon as the door clicked shut,
“Deva! What happened to you? I was so worried! Why weren't you answering your phone? And what's all this blood?” Rukmini whisper-yelled at him.
He held her by the shoulders causing her to pause.
“Shh…shh nothing happened, it's just a small cut–” he tried convincing her.
“Small?” She scoffed “that doesn't look small!”
She started gathering first aid supplies all while muttering curses under her breath.
Deva sat down on a chair, hissing a little when he tried removing his shirt.
Rukmini noticed and came to stand in front of him, helping him to slowly remove the blood stained shirt. Once removed, she threw it somewhere across the floor and kneeled down to get a better look at the cut.
It was a pretty long gash but thankfully it didn't require any stitches.
She got a clean wet cotton cloth and silently started cleaning the blood, fortunately it had already stopped bleeding.
He noticed her hands trembling a little.
After making sure it was clean enough she applied an even layer of antiseptic before covering it with gauze.
“What happened?” She asked.
“There was a little accident…”
She sighed.
“Your mother was so worried about you, why did you stay out this late? You know how she gets when you don't come back.”
He looked down.
“I took up an extra shift…”
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
“We talked about this… you can't just take up extra shifts, you could've called and informed us. Now look at what happened.” she said, gesturing to the wound.
“Don't tell amma about this, please.”
Deva let out a quiet sigh.
“I warned you before.” She said.
“I know…”
“No you don't.” Rukmini secured the bandage a little more firmly than necessary, earning a wince from him. “If you did, I wouldn't be talking about it.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“That hurt.”
“It was supposed to.”
She began packing away the first aid supplies back into their box.
Silence settled between them.
Deva simply watched her put the things away, the familiar way she folded the cloths, capped the antiseptic bottle and wiped the blood from her hands.
His gaze softened.
He still couldn't understand how this girl – who was used to getting everything she wanted back at her home – was so at home with him.
When she turned to leave, a warm hand clasped around her wrist.
She stopped.
“What is it?”
He didn't answer, instead tugged her a little closer until she stood between his knees. His thumb absentmindedly brushed against her wrist.
“...do you regret it?” He asked quietly.
Her brows knitted together.
“Regret what?”
“Leaving Khansaar.”
The question hung heavily between them.
“Leaving your brother… to be with me.”
She froze at the mention of her brother.
And then took a deep breath.
“No.” her voice firm.
“No?”
She shook her head.
“I…I don't regret leaving Khansaar or Varadha. Sure, I do miss him sometimes…” she paused, her eyes lowering a little “I probably always will.”
She looked back at Deva.
“But missing someone isn't the same as wishing I'd stayed.”
She smiled faintly.
“If I had stayed back in Khansaar, I would have my brother.” Her fingers slipped into his. “But I wouldn't have you.”
His hold tightened around her fingers, he pulled her even closer making her sit on his thigh.
Since she was wearing a saree his hand slipped around her bare waist. He gazed into her eyes with a quiet heaviness. Rukmini started leaning in so he closed the distance between them.
He placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips. Their lips moved together in a practiced rhythm.
When they finally pulled away, a faint smirk was dancing on his lips while her cheeks were dusted a light pink.
“Now, go freshen up and I will bring you something to eat.” She told him, getting up and moving towards the door.
Almost twenty minutes later Deva is all fresh, dressed in a loose grey shirt and sweatpants. Rukmini came with a plate of curd rice.
“Curd rice?” He said, looking at the plate in distaste. “Where's the chilli powder?”
“No chilli for you for a few days.”
“Seriously? You expect me–”
Before he could complain further, Rukmini shoved a morsel of rice into his mouth, immediately shutting him down.
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