Whocareswhom

Tarun Saluja x Reader

Warnings: 18+ content. Minors stay away. Vulgar, descriptive, long, foreplay, Age gap, unprofessional love angle, little violence, fetish.

The characters are completely imaginary and bear no resemblance to any real person.

Kaisa ye ishq hai

"I like older men tho. Dunno about you.", you said to your co-worker who is also an intern in the company you've recently joined.

She said, "Jeez, I don't know what you see in them. I like men around 30... We are just 26."

Your company was filing for a case against a client who denied to pay after his work was done. He claimed that he wasn't satisfied so he wouldn't pay. And it's not a matter of thousands or lacs, it's a matter of crores, you've heard.

You don't care about the case much, but when your manager called you in his cabin for a coffee, you were pretty curious about what discussion was going on.

You were standing outside his cabin, and could hear a very low voice of a man, saying so many things. The voice was so calming that you forgot what you have come for. Then you came back to senses and knocked on the door.

"May I come in sir?"

"Oh yeah. Y/N, my coffee?"

You smiled and then your eyes traversed to the other side of the table where a man was sitting, looking at some papers.

You looked at him, and you couldn't stop looking at him. The man is probably over 45 years old, with the sharp nose of a forgotten mythical God and eyes of a Greek deity. His lips thin, were quivering, while he was reading from the papers.

The world started buzzing around you. The guy understood your gaze upon him and looked at you, by slowly raising his eyes above his glasses.

You could hear your heartbeat in your ears. Suddenly you heard a snap and you saw your manager looking at you angrily, "What are you doing? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes sir. Sorry, I am going back to work."

You literally ran away from the room.

But that man, that man was running in your mind all day. You waited in your seat just to get a glimpse of him going out.

After almost 3 hours, you heard your manager's cabin door opening with a screech and the man stepped out with a bunch of files in his hands. He was scanning the whole office, as if he was looking for someone or something. Then his eyes fell on you. He half smiled, slyly.

You felt weak on your knees. He is walking towards you, slowly, with a deliberate pace.

He came closer and dropped the files on your desk to give a hand out, saying, "I'm Tarun. Tarun Saluja. Advocate. Are you okay little one? You seemed to be a little sick back there."

You froze. You were not sure if this is really happening or it's just heaven's conspiracy to spiral you down to some unknown dark path.

You shook his hands and said, "Yeah everything is fine sir. I... My name is... Y/N. It's just... I mean..."

"You mean?"

"Please don't mind. I think that you have been told this many times but you're exceptionally handsome. It's not on me... If anybody else was there, they'd also faint."

Tarun laughed out loud. "No no. Nobody finds me handsome, that's why I'm still unmarried, see. But thank you. You're very kind. Let me take leave now.", he walked out with those files.

You thought you're never going to see him again but fate had some other plans. You were taken into the case's documentation team due to your uncanny documentation skills. You worked everyday with him sitting in front of you in his cabin, with his glasses resting lazily on the bridge of his nose, sometimes smiling while calling someone. Was it his girlfriend?

You were staying back at the office. It was night. You were working on some files that had very sensitive data, so you couldn't keep them like that, you needed to do an encryption on them.

You fell asleep there. When the morning sun shone on your face, you felt a huge shadow blocking it. You woke up with a little yawn and your dress messed up. You were sitting with your shirt buttons loosened, thinking that no one would be there. But now, you opened your eyes to see Tarun sir standing in front of you, blocking the sunlight and looking at your shirt. His face was stern, jaws clenched, he was probably not in the jolly mood that day. He gestured for you to stand up and fix your clothes and come to the cabin which is dedicated to him.

You quickly made yourself up and went on to knock on his cabin door. Your heart was throbbing inside your chest, you felt it'll burst out.

Why is he calling you? Did you do something wrong? Did he feel offended by your remarks?

You knocked.

"Andar aao."

You went inside.

"You stayed all night?"

"Yes sir. Actually I had some files to complete. "

"You should take care of your health. Sit here.", he showed the chair to you. You sat opposite him, on the other side of the table. He stayed silent for a while, looking at his computer. You were looking at his broad shoulders, his long slender fingers and his chiseled jaw. You yearned for him, this sleepy gloomy morning is making you weak towards a man who's almost twice your age and size. You wanted his hands on your body.

Tarun looked at you, looking at him, with your lips slightly parted, as if you're a hungry man looking at food.

"There's a sofa, you can lay down and nap for a bit. It's 7 am, and people will not start coming before 10.", he quickly looked at his watch.

You stood up. Tarun was surprised. You started walking towards the cabin door. Tarun objected, "I'm sorry , I wasn't saying that to mean anything else. You misunderstood me. Hey, Y/N, listen."

You were panting. You looked back at him with nothing but unwavering lust in your eyes. You don't know if he was subtle enough to notice that, but again, he was a lawyer, noticing things is his job.

Tarun stood up. He put away his gray coat on the chair, and came to you.

"Hey, I'm really sorry."

You were exhausted with all the thoughts in your mind running around, having him on you, squeezing you, holding you in his arms, that you forgot how to speak. Some words came out of your mouth and you barely managed to say, "If I stay back, I might end up touching myself."

You saw his cheeks going red. He took a few steps backwards and his expressions were unreadable.

He looked down, being careful to not meet your eyes. You realized what you said and you felt so embarrassed.

Your job is gone, there's no way going back. This sleepy morning and your tired body is doing nothing good to you. You tried to hold the cabin door to go out when suddenly you felt another hand on your right hand.

The hand is twice your size, with veins angrily protruding from them, as if Tarun was talking through them.

You looked back to meet his gaze on you.

"Then touch."

"Hmm?"

"It took me a few minutes back there to turn the camera off.

You said if you stayed back, you might touch yourself. Why?"

His body was so close to you, that your thoughts were getting blurred. Heat rushing up your cheeks and ears.

"Well I have touched myself a lot thinking about you. And since you're in front of me, it'd be easier to go back to those memories. I know you are way out of my league, but..."

"I said, touch. Touch yourself now.", his voice commanding, face ornamented with his signature half smile.

You couldn't believe your ears. You froze in silence. He removed his right hand from yours and pressed your body on the cabin door with a dull thud to put his two fingers on between your legs, slowly going upwards to find the junction. A hot flush came over you, took over your body, and you gave into it.

"Ohh... My God..."

"How does that feel? Hmm?", he took his hand away from you and stepped back a little bit, looking at you with a teasing smile, his fat fingers dangling from that hand.

"Tarun... I have never seen a man like you. It's so hard for me to stay so close to you everyday yet so far... I only get to look at you."

You saw his pants getting tight around his bulge.

He went on to sit on the sofa, spreading his legs, gesturing you to sit on his lap.

He loosened his tie to allow the shirt loose around his neck, showing some of his chest hair. You slowly walked towards him, hypnotized, captured by all the thoughts you have in your mind.

When you sat on him, at first he did nothing. Then he started whispering things that drove you crazy.

"I know everything about you. You like older men, don't you? The way you look at me, like a dog waiting for food. You kept your shirt buttons open this morning to seduce me, didn't you? You little bitch, I will fuck you so hard that you'll never forget this day. You've teased me a lot. I have controlled myself thinking that you're quite young, naive. But no, I was wrong."

He was rubbing his calloused fingers on your thighs, over your pants. He started moving his hands inside your shirt and pulled you closer to his face, claiming your lips. Your body was burning with desire, you started biting his lower lip and moving your tongue around inside his soft slippery mouth. His lips were exceptionally soft for a smoker. You felt a tingling sensation in your core and started rubbing it on his bulge to satisfy it.

"You old man, you don't know me. You don't know how crazy I can drive you. You will never forget me."

You felt his bulge getting harder each second. Your curiosity grew with his erection as you moved your hands from his shoulders around his back to his waist and beyond.

"Mmhhmmmm....", Tarun let out a soft deep moan.

You started rubbing your fingers all over his member and saw him throwing his head back in pleasure. He made a sound that was part groan and part purr as you touched him before his lips found a tender spot where your neck met your shoulder and his hands pulled you closer to him. 

"Darwaza bandh karke ao meri jaan. Koi aa jayega."

You went back to lock the cabin door and when you looked back, you saw him taking his shirt off. The visual of it made your skin tingle, his hairy chest, meaty shoulders, large hands. His body was too precious , you almost ran back to him to jump on his lap and pull him into a deep passionate kiss. He removed your shirt by pulling it over your head and almost instantly you felt a touch of soft wet lips on your breasts. He was groaning like a hungry wolf. He took your bra off by a single pull on the hook, and you felt a cold breeze running through your body, but not for long. He pulled you closer to him, on his bare hairy chest and you felt his erection pressing on your clit. You let a soft moan out, "Mmhhmmmm.... Tarun...."

"Yes, Y/N," he responded while slowly playing with your nipples and sucking on your lips.

"You are hard."

"I know.", he pushed you a little back to get leverage on you, so that he can push his zips down. "You have made me.", he completed the sentence and pushed you down on the sofa to climb on you.

"Now do as I say. Suck my finger while I fuck you mercilessly."

You tried to look down at his manhood but he was careful enough to hide it beneath his bent posture, "Uh-Uh... You just have to feel it my dear."

He started rubbing the tip of his erection between your legs, near your entry, and you saw stars.... You lost all control, started grabbing his shoulder for balance, and started scratching him.

You were rubbing your hands on his back, while he was slowly pushing his throbbing dick inside you. "Ohh meri jaan, you've been so wet for me, haven't you? I have kept you waiting for so long... How long are you fantasizing about me hmm?"

"Stop teasing me, and fuck me Tarun. I can't anymore...."

He takes his dick in hand and aims it at your throbbing hole, the blunt tip nudging against your clit accidentally as he does so, drawing a strangled sound from you. Biting his lip, he then slowly pushes in, stretching your pussy out carefully as he tries not to thrust into you immediately, groans and grunts falling from behind his teeth, animalistic sounds of pure pleasure and desire escaping you with each movement. He placed his first two fingers in your mouth so that you can suck on them. The calloused skin on them started going soft once they were in your mouth.

Whining, you throw your head back onto the sofa behind, your hands scratching at the mulch as you scramble to find the armrest to hold onto, the feeling of his thick cock sliding into you throwing you even further into the pool of lust you've long since succumbed to.

"Fuck...you're so tight...feels so good…" Tarun moans out, leaning his own head back as you inadvertently tighten around him from his lurid words.

Moving his hands to your waist, he continues to push into you until he's ran out of length, nerves inside you that have never been touched before screaming in pleasure from the contact, leaving your breathing heavy. He stays still for a moment, allowing you to adjust to him before he slowly pulls out of you until just his tip is left inside you, his hips suddenly snapping back into you with force. The power behind the thrust pushes you backwards slightly, a yelp erupting from your throat, similar noises escaping you as he repeats this action again, his hands roaming down to your ass, which he grasps tightly and lifts to meet each thrust. Lifting your hips with each thrust, you try to grind back onto him, to find a mutual rhythm, but he only growls and tightens his grip on you, fucking into you harder, each stroke brushing against sensitive nerves inside you, showing that he's the boss. His metalic watch making a clinking sound with each thrust.

"Good girl. You're doing sooo good. Hhhuhh... Fuck!", he squinches his eyes to increase the speed, and you said, "Old man, can't you do it harder? Are you running out of breath?"

His gaze fell on you, while maintaining the steady rhythm, you saw him getting agitated at your words, but then he smiled halfway, bending one side of his lips, and you saw something so sinister in him for a moment.

He took his cock out with a brutal force and said, "Kneel down."

You knelt down on the floor and without giving you any moment, he thrusts his cock in your open mouth.

"I have seen your mouth stays open whenever you look at me. What am I to you? Hmm?"

He made you gag and choke on his cock, pooling it with your saliva,

"This is your punishment for calling me old. Now lay down on the sofa again. Go."

But you just sat there. You felt so good each time you teased him like this. He grabbed your cheeks with his large right hand and pulled you up in a standing position. "You are a nasty little girl. You know how to pull the beast out of me."

You smiled a bit and that was the final straw for him. He threw your body on the sofa as if it was nothing, and started thrusting his cock with such a force that you couldn't even moan... Let alone teasing him.

His hands worked on your body, pinching your nipples, choking your throat, his cold watch giving you goosebumps whenever it's touching you, tears piling up in your eyes.

And then with a single big thrust, you understood he was done, your clit filled up with hot thick cum.

His body is covered with sweat, hair falling down on his forehead, stuck with sweat.

He stood up, panting. Nothing on his body except for his watch on his left hand. That was a sight to see.

He looked at you spread like an Eagle on the sofa.

"Tarun...."

"Yeah?"

"I think it's not just lust."

He showed no reaction, and was still standing naked. For the first time you saw his bare back down till his legs and you felt you can't live without this man.

"Tarun..."

"It's sir."

"I... I think... I really like you... Sir"

"I'm way older, you'll get someone far better than me. Today was a gift.", his tone stiff as he realised something suddenly.

He started dressing up. You stood up and hugged him from behind.

"I am serious. It's not only lust."

"We will talk about it later Y/N. Please dress up my dear. People will start coming."

He went out of the cabin.

AAP KI KHATIR

Tags: @ramayantika @suvarnarekha @multifandom-boss-bitch @seongjeholic

Part 3

It's monsoon. It's been four months since you met him. Four months since the date in the beach, the kiss.

Four insufferable months, Akshaye hasn't even tried to contact you.

From news resources you know that his father is severely unwell. You tried your best to call him, message him but there is no reply from his end.

You tried to reach his landline number but it wasn't running.

You tried everything you could, and at last, Anita told you that he has ghosted you.

You feel deep inside that he's in terrible mental pain, because he loves his father a lot. He's very close to his mother too.

At night, whenever you try to sleep, memories of him kissing you surface, and you lose your mind. Your bed feels empty, room cold. You need him beside you. You need him to hug you so tightly that you forget you exist. These four months it has been nothing but torment.

One day you were getting ready to go to a shoot when your maid Sulekha came running to your room.

"Madam ji, ek bohot handsome admi apse milne aya hai. Bohot gora, mujhe to laga Akshaye Khanna hai, par sachme hai kya?"

Your heart stopped beating for a moment.

"Upar le ao unko. Aur breakfast banao jaldi se."

He came to your room. You were pretending to be very nonchalant about his arrival. You were sitting in front of your mirror, doing minor touch-ups when he knocked on the door.

You looked back, there he was, in a navy blue kurta, jeans, arms folded, eyebrows frowned.

"Akshaye?"

"Hi. Sorry."

"Please come in. Sit. Where have you been? It's been how long... Like five or six months since we... We talked..."

"Maybe. Preeti, I came here to say sorry."

"It's okay. I have forgiven you. I cannot be mad at you."

You were not supposed to say this out loud. You were not supposed to let him know what you feel about him, but seeing him after so many days has opened some gates in your mind.

"I am sorry for everything. I have probably made you believe that I somehow like you, but that's not true. Whatever happened between us was just a mere moment and nothing else. And I hope you will not be so desperate again to contact me Preeti. I have been dealing with a lot of things and I cannot...I mean... I cannot...I don't want to let you down by believing something which isn't true."

"Y- you don't like me?"

"Of course I like you but not in that sense. You have to understand me. I'm not a commitment typa guy. I don't stay in a single place in my life. And I cannot share everything with you."

"Oh.. okay..."

"Just okay?"

"Yeah. It's fine. Jaate waqt kuch khake jana.", you went back to the mirror to hide your tears. Your hands trembling, lips quivering with muttered words.

Akshaye sat there on your bed. The same bed you have imagined him to be with you in. You laughed at your own imagination.

"Preeti. I know you're hurt. But I thought it's better to end things before it's too late. I know it'll not take you much time to forget me."

You were not saying anything. Words are piling up in your mind. You just said, "Can you please leave me alone? I have to go somewhere. A shoot."

"No. I won't. I want you to be my friend. A good friend. A friend with whom I can be myself without fear of judgement."

Something snapped inside your head. You looked at him, your eyes filled with tears.

"Yeah. Why not? Let's be friends Akshaye.

I am dying to meet you for the last four months. I have thought about so many possibilities that you might have died, or you have been harmed at least, and you come now here in my house to tell me that you don't like me, so that I can stop contacting you?

How heartless can you be?

I love you Akshaye. I always have. Since the day you met me near your car. I have never spent a moment of my life not loving you. Now go back and do whatever you can with that information."

"But I'm old. I'm way older than you. I don't look good enough, I don't maintain myself like others do. I smoke a lot, you know, you have forbidden me countless times but I haven't given a damn to any of your words.

I only bring chaos. I am not a guy that can be trusted. I am not a guy that can love you everyday, or be the same everyday. I have my mood swings, some day I might get fed-up with you, or let's say anybody, and totally stop contacting.

Do you still think you love me? I'm not... I do not deserve a lifespan of love. A little bit of here and there is enough for me. Do you understand?"

"Who gave you this idea that you don't look good enough? And most of all, my love for you doesn't depend on the fact that you are reciprocating or not. I can love you even if you are not in front of me.", your voice broke, your eyes melted with a thousand drops of tears. You hate to see yourself so vulnerable in front of him, but who else is there? There's nobody in this world that seems to understand you like Akshaye does.

He held you in his arms, you are trembling. You are so tired of pretending that you don't hold a place in your heart for him, for so many years. You started beating his chest.

Akshaye is holding you tightly, carefully stroking your hair, letting you soak out all the tears in his kurta. He knows, he knows that you love him. Yet, he is so afraid of hurting you, that he's not committing to it.

"Your love is not enough to change me, Preeti. I know that there's nobody in this world that can love me like you do, but I know myself better. I can't ask for help. I can't go out and socialize with other people, sometimes I just vanish and live alone. I'm not the right guy for you. You are so beautiful, so pure. Look at me. Look at me."

He is holding your cheeks in his palms, you face his eyes. Two tear drops are forming there, beneath the darkness. "I remember when we kissed. I thought about it so many times, it felt so good. I'd die to kiss you like that. I'd die to get a moment like that again, but I know, I might leave you one day, and no matter how much I blame myself or train myself, I will not be able to love you back. This has happened to me before.

I cannot hurt you."

"So. So you're saying that you love me? That's so stupid Akshaye. If you love me, you can stay even for a minute and that'd be worth my whole life."

"Don't sell yourself so short. You deserve someone to be beside you all the time, to take care of you, to worship the ground you walk, to give you kids and be a good father to them. You're a family woman. I'm a vagabond.

And yes, I did. I loved you for a bit, but not anymore. Now my heart is only filled with fear of hurting you, without sympathy."

He pushed you away gently, freeing you from his embrace and stood near the doorway, looking at you, smiling.

"Wishing you a great life ahead. Apna dhyan rakhna. Koi achcha ladka mil jaye to shadi kar lena. Mann lag hi jayega. Tumhare dil me bohot pyaar hai."

His cheeks are red, eyes puffy. He went downstairs. You stood there like a defeated soldier. Your hair, messy with his touch and stroke, your body, cold and deprived of his touch. He was just there, like a dream, now he's gone. Gone forever. You ran to your balcony. You looked down. You see him lighting up a cigarette.

You ran as quickly as possible to meet him. He looked at you when you stood in front of your gate.

His eyes fixated on your face, throwing puffs of smoke, like he's burning out all the emotions he had for you.

You ran towards him, and grabbed his nape with your right hand to pull him into a kiss.

His breath smells of burnt wood, wet skin and alcohol. His warm lips collide with yours. At first he was surprised, but then he gave into it. He is holding you with both of his arms, careful enough so that you don't fall down. Your eyes are closed, and you are feeling him for the last time. His calloused lips are getting wet and soft with your touch.

He started smooching your lips too, so aggressively, as if it's the last thing he'll ever have.

You moved apart just to kiss his whole face again.

"I can't be your friend. It's better we cut off all the ties.", you said with a shaky voice.

He was breathing heavily. His chest was going up and down rapidly, he looked at you with a gaze that cannot be described in any literature. No one knows how many shards of glass he has stabbed his heart with, just to leave you like this, to save you from himself. He won't let anybody know. He won't let you know, but his eyes are incapable of lying.

He grabbed his chest for a moment and then left it. He said, "Yeah you're right. I'm a monster, Preeti. I hurt people. I hurt them a lot. But I cannot bring myself the thought of hurting you and see myself in the mirror again. It's better to not talk to each other anymore. Dua me yaad rakhna."

You turn back. You close the gate. You see him going into his car, and drive away. You touch your lips, with a faint hope of getting him back, because now you know that he loves you. So there might be a chance, love cannot win without perseverance.

But you were very wrong. Akshaye rejected three scripts because you were in it, and the whole industry suspected that he hates you. It's been four years since that incident and you're a big shot in industry now. You have played the lead character of a lady mafia film and won several awards for the portrayal.

In one of Akshaye's interviews, he was asked about you, what is the reason that he doesn't like to work with you, and you saw his gaze changing into what he had four years ago, in front of your house, after the kiss.

He mumbled something and then said, "I'm afraid she might overshadow me. Or everyone of us. She's a terrific actress and I'm so glad that we have her, but yeah, she won't play a submissive heroine that waits for her hero to rescue her, and there goes my chance. I appreciate her, there's nothing malicious between us."

You meet him after five more months, in a closed event.

You found him sitting in a corner, cigarette in his mouth, trying to find a fire nearby. You went up to him, ignited the lighter in front of him, and he looked at you. He stood up, smiled.

"You smoke?"

You shook your head on both sides. "Nope. I bought this for someone five years ago. But unfortunately things went south between us before his birthday came. Then, he avoided me for a long time, changed his phone number and moved to a new place in Alibaug. But I always carry it, hoping that someday he'd need this fire."

"May I have it?"

"Are you that man whom I'm talking about?"

"I sincerely hope so. And, where's your husband? I heard you were dating Vivek?"

"I'm still unmarried. What about you?"

"Nah. Marriage is not for me. I don't want somebody to wait for me at home."

"Great. Take this lighter."

He looked the lighter carefully, AK engraved on it with gold.

Suddenly you saw a glimpse of something in his eyes. He understood something. But you have already started walking away, into the crowd. Akshaye understood that you still love him, and you will not love anyone unless it's him.

But you were in the crowd, greeting other people, with a forever bleeding heart, promising yourself that you'll not go back to him. Not because he's not worth it, but because if a man can sacrifice his love in fear of responsibility, he's the most responsible person ever. And you shouldn't break his rhythm of living, or harm his philosophy.

You might work together in future, but he'll never know what place he has in your mind, what crown he wears there.

The end.

NB: Thank you for all the support. I'm really really grateful for all the kind words. Please let me know if I should write more.

AAP KI KHATIR

Part 2

Tagging : @suvarnarekha

It meant nothing to him. After the scene was shot, Akshaye didn't even greet you. He went back in his car and was gone.

You sat in your car, your cheek still red and hot with the memory of his lips. That smell of burnt amber on a winter night scarred your thoughts, you cannot stop thinking about him. What is it? Lust?

The next shoot day, you heard your heart beat faster, almost impossible to work with him in front of you. You asked for a little break and went away to sit in a corner.

You were pressing the temple of your forehead when you heard footsteps coming closer to you.

You looked up to directly meet his eyes. He had a cigarette in his hand.

"Are you okay? You seem upset."

Your brain is flooding with the thought of him kissing you, this time not on your cheek. You started feeling the smell of burnt wood and leaves radiating his body, ready to burn you too if touched.

He saw you not speaking a word and said, "Have I done anything wrong?"

"No it's nothing. I am having a headache, that's it."

"Come to my van. I have aspirin. I do get migraine sometimes you know?"

The thought of accompanying him in his van glazed your mind with an indescribable feeling. You and him, alone.

You stood outside. He opened the door and said, "Please come inside. The sun isn't helping you."

You stepped in. The van smelt like expensive alcohol and cigars with a whip of perfume. You are standing in a corner when Akshaye quickly discovers a tablet and hands it over to you.

"Here, take it.", he smiled.

You smiled too. The momentary nervousness was fading away. You feel normal now. You gulped the medicine and thanked him.

He said, "I have done this because I need the scene perfectly. No mistakes, no re-takes. I have to go somewhere after this. A date.", he winked.

Something shattered inside you. You quickly left the van and moved hastily towards the set. The rest of the day was fine. You had some unfathomable jealousy in your mind, that protected you from all the anxiety and nervousness. You did perfect. Akshaye clapped, a small, teasing clap with his lips bending downwards, making his familiar lopsided smile.

Before leaving the studio you saw Akshaye talking with a beautiful woman. Your make-up artist was assembling all your things. Cleansing your makeup and taking away your extensions.

You asked her, "Who's that?"

"I don't know. But I'm hearing that she's Akshaye sir's girlfriend. She's pretty, isn't she?"

"Yeah she is. More than me."

"Nah I don't think so. You are very ignorant of your beauty Preeti."

You sat silently, saw Akshaye guiding that woman to his car and closing the door for her.

Your make-up artist Anita saw you staring and she quickly gave a smile, "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't fall in love with him."

You thought your heart will jump out of your mouth.

"Who told you I'm in love with him? I was just looking.."

"You are going to fall in love with him. I haven't seen a woman that has worked with him but didn't fall in love. It's just... Have you heard that thing? 'Dur se pahad badi bahaar.'

He's good from afar. Very introverted, likes to keep it to himself. Hurts people unintentionally. Even this woman wouldn't last long. I know that very well."

The next shoot was 1 week later. You jokingly asked him, "How was your date?"

He was drinking something from a glass. Raised his eyebrows, he said, "Which date?"

"That beautiful woman with short highlighted hair?"

"Ohh. That was Amrita. It went well, but we are not seeing each other anymore. Anything else?"

Why is he like that? How can someone continue a conversation with this man?

"Why did you say anything else? Are you feeling like I'm bothering you? I might sit in another place then."

"Areh, why are you getting angry?"

"I asked a simple question, I'm not interrogating you. Am I?"

His smile vanished for the first time. He stood up and came closer to you. He whispered in an almost growling tone, "Watch your tone. Nobody talks to me like that. I like to keep it professional on the set."

"You know what? I don't get you. Sometimes you act like a gentleman, and all the other times, you act like a complete douchebag. I have no clue what to think about you."

He seems to be pretty flabbergasted with this behaviour. He stood there for some moments, and said, "I am sorry. It's just... I am like this. I cannot change myself. I don't like to answer questions. I am not a social kinda guy."

"It's okay. Please don't make it any more complicated than it already is. I am not afraid of speaking my mind even if I have to lose the role, and I do not care with whom I'm talking to."

Akshaye looked at you, then went away.

The shoot went well again. When you were going towards your car, you saw Akshaye standing near it.

"Hey."

"Hi. I'm sorry for today. I should have controlled myself", you said.

"It's fine. I deserved that. It's just... Should we go to have dinner at someplace?"

"To grow the on-screen chemistry?"

Akshaye nodded. "Yeah yeah, that's what I was thinking.", he half-smiled.

You drove to a place you knew pretty well. It was a small tea stall, with Dim bhurji, Aloo ka paratha and coca cola available.

Akshaye was frowning at your decision but you gestured for him to just wait and watch. You bought two aloo parathas and gave one plate to him.

"Why are we here? We could've gone to some good places."

"This is a good place. I used to eat here when I was poor."

"Really? That's how our bond will grow?"

"Yes. The inspector isn't legend Vinod Khanna's son, so they have to eat outside sometimes you know? Now eat."

You both ate. You started walking on the road with coca cola cans in your hands.

"Preeti, are you married?"

"No. I'm not."

"Why?"

"Same reason you are not married."

"Couldn't find anyone suitable?"

"Exactly. Couldn't find anyone suitable."

He stopped walking suddenly, and asked, "What kind of guy do you prefer?"

"Responsible. Kind. Patient. Calm. Caring. That's it. Looks do not matter to me."

"That's bogus. Those things matter, I mean. But you have to look at a pleasant face too."

"What kind of women do you prefer? "

"A woman who will accept me for what I am."

"And what are you exactly?"

Akshaye stayed silent. "I... I don't know. Actually that's a pretty good question. Thanks for asking."

"People tell me that you are introverted. I don't feel like that at all. You are misunderstood."

He kicked a stone that rolled for some feet and smiled. "You are exceptionally mature for your age Preeti. It's either very good or very bad for you. Nothing in between."

He looked at you. His brown eyes dipped in some unknown sorrow, penetrating your soul. Piercing it.

That's when you realised, you don't actually like any "kind" of men, you liked him. You liked his dimples, his voice, expressive eyes, crooked smile, his perfect teeth, and broad shoulders.

You looked back at him.

"What?", he asked.

"You have beautiful eyes."

"So do you. You have beautiful lips too.", he smiled.

You felt your hands trembling, his hand brushed with yours. He suddenly stopped walking and stood in front of you.

He grabbed your arms and said, "Tomorrow we have to kiss on screen."

"I... I... Don't... I mean..."

"Hah! You thought I'm going to kiss you now? You should have looked at your face. Ha ha ha ha."

His veiny hands wrapped around you like a warm cloth. You half smiled. You anticipated the kiss. Then again, this is what Anita said. This man is unpredictable.

You dropped him near Chawk bazar, his driver was waiting with his car.

He waved at you, smiling. The thought of spending the rest of the night without him felt like a torture to you. How can you go back to the hollow apartment of yours? No place on earth is worth living if he isn't in it.

You love him.

And this hasn't started today. It's been years since you loved him, and yearned for him.

Akshaye sat in his car and they drove away. You stood there, suddenly everything felt so cold.

The next shoot day was a mess. Akshaye didn't like the part of the script that you were shooting and asked to rewrite it. But the scriptwriter wasn't having it. Lots and lots of arguments, shouting and debates took place before packing up.

Akshaye came to you, smoking rapidly, "What do you think? The changes I'm talking about, are they invalid?"

"I don't know."

"I have never seen you happy once. What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing. I'm just bored."

"Nothing is happening today. Let's go somewhere. And this time it'll be a place of my choice. Okay?"

"Can I call it a date?"

"Of course you can. Get up."

Akshaye drove the car himself. You two halted near a big restaurant with multiple cars standing outside.

"People will see us."

"Let them. You are pretty."

Akshaye never hesitates before saying anything. You blushed, felt blood running towards your cheeks.

The sun was going down. You two sat beside the sea beach.

"You have never said anything about yourself."

"I am from Matheran. I have parents. I have a dog. But I live here in Juhu."

Akshaye was looking at you, listening to you, attentively, his eyes glimmering with the afternoon sun. You were looking at his hands, those veins protruding from them, those long slender fingers. You wanted to feel them on your face. You wanted to smell him again.

"I want to tell you something.", you said.

"That you want to kiss me. I know."

The air felt so hot. Akshaye was toying with your emotions, you thought.

But he came closer to you, threw out the cigarette and clasped your face in his hands.

He carefully moved away all the falling hair from your face and kissed you. His lips pressed on yours, his soft warm lips, slowly trying to take away all your illusions. You felt your head spinning, you lost all control. Is this a dream? He devoured your lips like he's been thirsty for them.

When you two moved apart, the sun was on the horizon. You smiled, sweating heavily. The clothes on your body felt too much. You wanted him. But he moved away. You grabbed his right hand.

"Wait, Akshaye."

"Yeah, Preeti."

"I... I... I mean..."

"You mean?"

"It felt so good."

"Yeah it did. Now, let's go back. I have to catch a plane tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"My father isn't well. He's battling cancer. I have to go to him."

Notes : One-sided love, perseverance, slow burn, yearning, fluff

AAP KI KHATIR

Part 1

The sun was setting down. After a full day of non stop chitter chatter, you were finally free for some time. You decided to find a secluded corner behind a green screen.

The weather is pretty hot, however, it's better now than in the morning. You are a junior artist working for a movie. You have to come to set everyday, since you don't know when your scene will actually be shot.

This kind of thing doesn't bother you anymore, since the day of the struggles you're facing this situation. One scene takes multiple times to be shot, and your scene is getting delayed.

You're getting paid for the day and for lunch too. That's the only reason you're not hopeless.

The film is about a police officer who was convicted of a felony and got suspended. Then after 12 years, he's being called again to solve an unsolvable type of crime that he specialized on.

The role of the inspector is done by Akshaye Khanna. You were not surprised that you get to meet him. Being in this industry, you've met many stars before, sometimes carrying tea and breakfast for them on the set.

You have never met Akshaye tho. His scene is being shot in the house that is in front of you, and you're not supposed to go in there. You can just see a glimpse of him, he's saying a dialogue maybe, his thin physic visible through the slightly ajar doorframe.

You couldn't figure out, what was so miraculous about him. You've spent a lot of time around stars, megastars, but there is something about him that doesn't fall under the regular star-characteristics. He doesn't talk to anybody in the set. But you've seen people talking to him, and him responding with a smile.

The man is very enigmatic. You were thinking about those things when the director said, "Pack up."

Again delayed. You have to come tomorrow morning at 8 am again. You sloppily got up from your chair and dragged yourself through the main gate of the studio. Your white salwar is pretty worn out and dirty now, you have to wash it.

Akshaye's car ran past you. Such a lucky guy! His father was the top actor of his time, he didn't have to do anything to get his parts in Bollywood, you thought.

You're not despising him, it's just a thought, pretty tiring one. Sometimes you think of quitting this struggle and go back, then again, you pick yourself up.

You got out of the set and found out Akshaye's car halted outside. He was smoking, leaning on the front of his car. You thought of saying a quick Hi to him before passing his car. Your heart is beating fast. Cheeks are getting hot, ears too.

You came near him and found out that he does have a driver, but no bodyguards. It's night now, what if somebody decides to rob him?

"Hello sir. My name is Preeti."

Akshaye quickly smoked out at his right side to avoid your face and said, "Well hello, do I know you?"

"I hope not. I'm just a junior artist. I'm here just to say hi. I was passing by your car, that's why. And, and, and, you're very good sir, you .. I mean... I'm a big fan"

You are so stupid, you said so many things, maybe wasting his valuable time. He'll probably ignore and go away, and he can also talk to the director to throw you out of the set.

But what has been done, has been done. You looked at him, smiling at you.

"Thank you. Preeti. I was going to introduce myself but I think you know my name. When is your scene? What is your scene? Is it with me?"

You sighed a relief. "No sir. I don't know. Maybe it's a very small part. I'm not that famous to share a screen with you."

"So are you here to convince me of a scene with me?", he said with a smirk.

You felt so insulted. "No, why did you think of it? I'm not an opportunist. If I were, I'd have talked to three weeks ago, when the shoot began. I am coming here everyday to look at you, yet you really think it took me three weeks to get a chance to talk to you?

You film stars, you're all the same.", you decided to pin the last nail on your coffin. Probably after this, you'll not get any part in any film at all, but who cares?

You walked off, didn't look behind. He wasn't saying anything too.

You didn't go to the shoot the next morning. Nobody called you, or asked your whereabouts. You decided to pack your bags and go back to your country house, to your parents. You cried the whole day, thinking about yesterday's ordeal. You thought of him as a good person, but all of them are the same.

Suddenly your phone rang. It was an unknown number. You picked it up.

"Hello. Is this Preeti Sinha?", the voice is very deep, yet soft, like a cushion waiting for you after a hectic day.

"Hi, yes.",

"Hi. This is Akshaye. I am sorry for yesterday. Whatever happened, it was my fault. Can you come to the set now? Your scene is ready."

You couldn't believe your ears. This is completely a dream, maybe you just died and you're in heaven. You couldn't say a word, then you gathered yourself and said, "Sure. I'll come. And, don't worry about yesterday. I'm coming."

You took the last bus and went to the studio. You saw Akshaye talking with the director, smoking.

"Here she is. The fierce woman. Preeti, this is Abhay, our director. Abhay, please describe the scene to her."

The young director wasn't very pleased with this situation and tried to explain the scene as shortly as possible. You have to come to the house of the inspector, and tell him that the police department has sent a car for him, waiting outside.

You did it. You just did it! After the take was done, you were in cloud nine. You thanked Akshaye multiple times in your mind, for providing you the biggest scene of your life, that also with a dialogue.

You stayed till morning just to thank him. When the shoot finished, you went to his van while he was standing outside, smoking.

"Thank you, sir."

"That was a token of apology from me. Do not think that you earned it, okay?"

You don't know what to feel about this. This man is very difficult to understand. "Yeah. That was a token from you. Not my earning. Right. Right. Whatever, thank you. It was great.", you tried to wave away the harsh words that were coming to your tongue, thinking of your future.

"Bye sir. My work is done here.", you said, since he wasn't replying.

He didn't reply. He just smoked. You stared at him, as if you were staring at a picture of him.

"Don't smoke this much. You'll die soon."

He didn't say anything, just went back to his van, as if you were invisible. The door was closed in your face and you stood in the dark. You thought of him as an apologetic asshole. A bad person who juggles with your mind by apologising from time to time.

You came back to your one room apartment, but your mind was conjugating a lot more scenes with Akshaye, since it was your first big scene with any star. But also, you hated the guy. Then again, there's something about him that's very attractive, in a toxic way.

You went to the premiere when the movie was released. Akshaye is standing near the screen, with others. You found out the director, Abhay.

When the film started, you waited for your scene to come, eagerly, you were on the edge of your seat, ready to jump to your own success story, teardrops forming behind your eyes.

But the moment never came. The scene wasn't there in the movie. Maybe after editing it was cut out.

You got up and went to the bathroom. Tears are running down your face. You splashed water. You need to pick yourself up, again.

When you came out of the bathroom, you saw Akshaye standing near the entrance, smoking.

Nah, you won't talk to him again. Talking to him isn't a pleasure. You decided to walk past him.

But just when you were walking past, he noticed you.

"Scene nahi aya?", he said with the familiar crooked smile that he always carries.

You looked at him and said, "Nahi. But apko thanks. Mauka to mila."

He handed you a card. A name was written on it.

"This is Freddy's number. Call him to get work in my next film. And this one, you have earned. Because your dialogue delivery was pretty solid."

What's the matter with this guy?

You were speechless, so you stood there. Akshaye went away, as if he knew you'd come, and was waiting for you.

"Sir, sir wait."

Akshaye halted. Looked back.

"Thank you."

Years have passed after that incident. Currently you have managed to build a reputation in the industry. You are famous in romantic action films as the heroine's sister, hero's sister-in-law etc. You haven't cracked any lead role yet, but this is also not bad.

You didn't marry anyone. You are not in a relationship as well. Why?

You don't know. You haven't asked yourself. It's not like you didn't get the time to do it but there's always a blockage in your mind. You are waiting for someone, in the subconscious of your mind.

You were called in as the lead inspector's wife in a film. Small impactful role. You give advice to your husband from time to time and help him solve the case.

The husband is played by Akshaye. The moment you got to know this, you jumped out of your couch. Your 3 bedroom luxury apartment started feeling like your old one room apartment from the struggle days. You remember how he helped you to get here.

You were very excited, but also you knew that he wouldn't recognise you.

The scene was ready. Akshaye didn't come to the workshop. He said he'd do it directly on the set.

And he came, he has lost a lot of bodyweight, jaws chiseled, his cleft chin protruding more dominantly. He was brooding, you felt like something was wrong with him.

You went to him and gave your hands out. "Hi."

His lips broke into a half smile. "Preeti, right?"

"You remember me?"

"Yeah yeah. Not many people ask me to stop smoking and make it out alive. Ha ha ha ha. I remember you. How are you?"

"I'm fine. What about you? Don't mind me asking, you look sick."

"Nah it's nothing. Don't worry."

The first scene went pretty well. You came into the room holding a teapot, some cups. Poured tea, biscuits and gave a kiss to his right cheek.

You have kissed many of your co-actors on film set before, but somehow this time, your cheeks were flushed and you started sweating profusely. You started sweating so much that director had to cut the scene off for a reshoot.

Akshaye was smiling slyly from his armchair. You look at him, his smile conjures dimples on both sides of his face, making him weirdly attractive.

Suddenly he stood up, made a gesture to the director, and director said, "Action."

Before you knew anything, Akshaye planted a kiss on your left cheek.

He whispered in your ear, "That's how it's done."

His breath smelt like burnt amber. You looked at him. You felt the ground beneath your feet shaking, you felt wind rustling through your hair, you felt all the lights of the world in a single place. His almond eyes glittered with quirk and joy that he has gotten after teasing you like this.

You sat there for a while, and when you stood up, you were a completely different person.

Behind the scenes from Hair stylist.

Bless your eyes.

Why is he giving Finn Wolfhard vibes here?

I mean.... What the hell! Who told you to be that sexy?