JAAN ( Darr 2 )

To see you just ...that

But Rahul had never made her feel anything less than wanted. Every time she had asked him to stay, he stayed. Every time she had needed him near, he had been there without question, without hesitation. And in that, she had found a kind of comfort.

Still, she had learned to keep her own doubts to herself, at least for now. She hadn't wanted to make him uncomfortable, not when he was already carrying so much. So she had stayed silent, keeping those thoughts locked away, even as she quietly wondered when, or if, she'd ever be able to let them out.

Kiran turned at a sound of footsteps, startled. Rahul stood at the threshold of the room, his expression hesitant, as if he wasn't sure whether to step forward or retreat.

"I... I just wondered where you were," he stammered, his voice soft, uncertain. "I just..."

Her face softened as she caught the worry in his eyes, the way his shoulders tensed as if bracing for rejection. She smiled gently and patted the space beside her. "Come sit with me," she said.

Rahul hesitated for only a second before obeying, sitting down next to her on the window seat. She reached for his hand, her fingers curling around his, warm and reassuring. "Were you worried?" she asked, though the answer was written all over his face.

He shook his head, quickly denying it. "No, it's not that..."

"What was it, then?" she pressed, her tone soft but firm.

He glanced away, his voice faltering. "I just wanted to... um, never mind. It's not important."

Kiran frowned, shaking her head. "It is important, Rahul. You have to tell me. We can't make this work if you don't talk to me, if you don't tell me what you feel, what you want."

He said nothing at first, his gaze dropping to their intertwined hands. The silence stretched between them, thick with the weight of unsaid things. Kiran waited, patient, giving him the space he needed to gather his thoughts.

Finally, he whispered, "To see you. Just that."

She blinked, surprised by the simplicity of his answer and the utter sincerity. "Just to see me?" she echoed gently.

He nodded, his thumb brushing lightly against her fingers. "I was just... well, you were inside the whole day, and I wanted to see if you were alright. didn't want to bother you, but... I just wanted to be near you."

Kiran's heart clenched at the vulnerability in his voice. She squeezed his hand, pulling him just a little closer. "Rahul, you never bother me," she said quietly. "You don't have to ask for permission every time to be near me, or to see if I'm okay. I want you here. I need you here."

He glanced up at her then, his expression filled with a kind of hopeful disbelief, as if her words were a balm to the constant fear he carried.

Kiran leaned in, brushing a soft kiss against his cheek. "You don't have to hold back" she murmured. "I care about you, You don't have to be afraid that I'll disappear."

He exhaled, the tension in his body slowly easing. For a moment, they just sat there in silence, their hands still clasped together. It was a small moment, a simple one, but for him, it was everything. And Kiran, seeing the tentative relief in his eyes, knew that even if they still had so much to work through, this was a step one that meant something, one that could carry them both forward.

After a while, she rested her head on his shoulder, their shared silence no longer filled with hesitation or doubt, but something warmer.

She kissed him then, her hands instinctively reaching for his collar, tugging him closer. It was a wordless expression, one that spoke more clearly than any sentence ever could. The warmth of his breath, the softness of his lips against hers it was the easiest way to convey everything she struggled to put into words.