---
Room Two: Aashna & Abhishek
Across the hallway, the scene was almost identical.
Abhishek lay sprawled on the bed, shivering uncontrollably despite the heavy blankets.
Aashna sat cross-legged beside him, her cheeks pink with fever, one hand pressing a cold cloth against his forehead.
"You unbelievable moron," she hissed under her breath, tears pricking her eyes despite the anger.
"Freezing water... pneumonia... kya soch rahe the?!"
Abhishek cracked one eye open, his voice barely a whisper.
"Thinking... about you."
The sheer sincerity in his broken voice made her throat tighten painfully.
"You think a stunt like that will erase everything?" she whispered, wringing the cloth again in cold water.
"No," he rasped. "But I'd rather freeze to death... than live another day without you."
Aashna's hands trembled.
Her chest hurt from the love she was trying so hard to hide.
"You'll live," she muttered, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. "So that you can suffer."
He chuckled weakly, coughing into his blanket.
Aashna scowled, pulling the blanket up to his chin like he was a toddler.
Then she tugged the second half of the heavy blanket over her own freezing legs, because the room was freezing and her bones ached — but she didn’t let herself fall asleep.
She stayed awake, guarding him like he was the most precious thing she'd ever hated loving.
---
The Long Night
Hours dragged.
The boys drifted in and out of fevered sleep.
The girls fought their own sick, exhausted bodies just to keep cold compresses going, keep the medicine on schedule, keep the boys breathing steadily.
Sometimes they'd switch the cloths robotically.
Sometimes they'd just sit there, holding onto the boys' hands, silently daring themselves not to cry.
Sometimes they'd whisper insults under their breath — idiots, jerks, heartbreakers — but their hands never stopped moving.
Their touch never faltered.
Their love, unspoken but screaming in every heartbeat, never faded.
---
Somewhere Around 3 AM
Shubman stirred, opening glassy eyes.
"Rihi...?"
"I'm here," she whispered, squeezing his hand.
He smiled, delirious with fever. "Beautiful... even when you're mad at me..."
Rihi rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed.
In the next room, Abhishek shifted too.
"Aashna..." he mumbled.
She leaned closer instinctively. "I'm here."
His hand brushed her cheek clumsily, leaving a damp streak.
"Mine... always mine," he whispered feverishly before falling back asleep.
YOU ARE READING
"Beyond The Boundary "
Fanfiction"To the girl who took my six like a queen-Stay strong, always! - S G." ??nocturnefable 2025 Short chapters but feelings
chapter 38
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