Nayika Writes

Read all my other One Shots over here . Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.

Read the rest of this series over here. Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.      

The first five times that Khushi and Arnav  didn't  meet Five. 'When she comes into your life you won't even realise and she'll become your whole world.' Arnav leaned against the doorframe, looking out at his garden and reflected on Anjali's words. The emptiness inside him, the feeling of loneliness, of being incomplete was always with him but never more so than now. A rough gust of wind swept through his garden retreat. It jolted awake the plants which had fallen into a soothing slumber in the cool Delhi night before swirling around Arnav reminding him of his own humanity. If Di was right, were these lonely nights coming to an end? Would he have a companion, a friend to sit beside him and fill the ache in his heart? Would she soothe his bruised soul with gentle kisses and loving words? But how could he give so much power to someone else? How could he let his happiness, his existence and his world rest in someone else's palm? It...

The first five times that Khushi and Arnav  didn't  meet Four. Khushi put away her prasad, thanking Devi Maiyya again for helping her to find a job so quickly. She rushed down the stairs and towards the street before she stopped, remembering her bare feet. She ran back to the mandir to jam her shoes onto her feet, not wanting to be late and was almost ready to go when she heard a voice call out to her. 'Excuse me! I think you dropped this.' Khushi gasped as she recognised the white envelope in the stranger's hands. Her appointment letter! 'Thank you sir, thank you so much! You don't know what a big favour you've done for me today.' Khushi took the envelope and reverently put it inside her bag, this time inside the zipped pocket cursing the owner of the store she'd bought the bag from as she did. He could have cost her her job today, her entire future. She knew the bag wasn't worth Rs. 200 if it couldn't even keep o...

The first five times that Khushi and Arnav  didn't  meet Three. Now that there was no rush for Buaji's inhaler Khushi drove more carefully. It was a new city and she didn't want her first day to also be her last. Other people obviously didn't have the same thinking and she swerved quickly to avoid a large white car in her path. She stopped her scooter and closed her eyes in prayer thanking Devi Maiyya for saving her life. She wasn't ready to die yet; still had so many things to do, so many things to see. She spared a look backwards for the large white car, probably belonged to some spoilt rich kid with no responsibilities and no life experience. If she didn't have Buaji to think about she would have given him a stern talking to about driving etiquette and the value of a stranger's life. Instead Khushi started her scooter again determined to arrive back at Buaji's house safely. --- Arnav pressed his horn loudly, irritated at the th...

Read the rest of this series over here. Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.  

The first five times that Khushi and Arnav  didn't  meet Two. The plain white scarf blew up in front of him obscuring his vision. He recognised the material instantly as plain cotton but as it glided across his face it felt softer than even Kashmiri hand-woven silk. Arnav closed his eyes and let his skin experience the soft touch but the dupatta was gone all too quickly and floated away behind its owner like a devoted lover. He briefly contemplated following the girl and sourcing the supplier of such soft cotton but brushed the thought aside. --- Khushi prayed for her sister, prayed that she would find true happiness with a truly worthy partner.  She turned away hesitantly before turning back and quickly adding a wish for a worthy partner of her own.  The key, she tied onto the end of her dupatta to safeguard it from her own forgetfulness, not wanting to negate her wishes in any way. He had no reason to believe in God but if there was on...

Read the rest of this series over here. Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.    

A series of very short snippets/drabbles based on the show. Some are AU, some are canon compliant, some are nonsense. A is for... Automatic B is for... Bikini C is for... Colour D is for... Damn It! E is for... Ego F is for... Fantasy G is for... Goodbye H is for... Hello I is for... Insane J is for... Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai K is for... Kitne Aadmi The? L is for.. Laad Governer M is for... Mama and Mamiji N is for... Nanheji O is for... Over P is for... Prakash Brothers Ltd Q is for... Questions Without Answers R is for... Raizada S is for... Scared T is for... Table U is for... Umbrella V is for... Vivah W is for... Wish Upon A Star X is for... X-Rated   Y is for... Yes Sir! Z is for... Zoo

Read the rest of this series over here. Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.      

The first five times that Khushi and Arnav didn't meet One. Khushi pulled to a stop in front of the large mansion. Sheesh Mahal. It was large, unwelcoming  and austere. Not the venue she would have chosen for her own wedding but the bright lights and pounding music assured her this was the place. This was the hotel Jeejaji had said wasn't it? She got off her scooter, still clutching the deed papers to her chest and had just lifted her hands to pray for Devi Maiyya's support when her phone rang. 'Jeejaji? Where are you? Jiji and I have been trying to ring you all day. I need to talk to you.' --- Arnav opened his eyes and sighed, barely registering the unremarkable model on the catwalk dressed in a show-stopping red lengha of his own design for the finale. He had expected to finally be at peace once he bought Sheesh Mahal; once he reclaimed what was rightfully his. But still he felt restless... he felt... incomplete.

'Khushi be quiet!' 'But Arnavji, my chappal! Maybe these men have some glue I can use?' 'Khushi! We're detectives! We're supposed to be undetected! Not run in front of the marks waving our chappals about!' 'But Arnavji, you're not wearing chappals. You're wearing shoes. Hey Devi Maiyya, did you want to wear your chappals today? I should have known! I'm such a bad wife! What will Amma say when she hears?' 'Khushi.' 'What?' 'RUN!' 'But I can't! My chappal!' --- (coming soon)

Y is for... Yes Sir! One moment he had seemed so angry and the next he was unbuttoning his jacket. Khushi walked backwards away from him in fear but she couldn't help noticing how well his jacket fit him, clinging to his narrow waist and emphasising his broad shoulders. He removed the jacket and she could now see a hint of well muscled arms beneath his black shirt. He began to move closer and her eyes were drawn to him once again, her breaths quickened and she closed her eyes, expecting his waistcoat to be next. 'Dictation lena shuru karo.' She looked up in shock, horrified at what she had been thinking about. Only this morning she had had to avert her eyes as she saw Lavanyaji hanging over his chair with her arms around his neck. They were clearly a couple so how could Khushi have even thought that Sir was walking towards her because he... She moved backwards again, frightened by her thoughts and stumbled backwards. Instantly his hand held her...

Z is for... Zoo It was one of those rare Sunday evenings where the entire family was gathered in the Raizada living room. The children were sprawled across the floor watching a movie. Akash and Mamaji were playing cards on one sofa, Nani and Payal were looking through old photo albums while Mami and Anjali gossiped over their magazines Arnav was reading his newspaper while Khushi watched the movie with the children from where she was sat on the sofa next to him. Her legs were tucked up on the sofa next to him with her feet under his thigh for warmth while she ploughed through a plate of pakoras. His momentary idyll was broken with the sound of Akash's eldest son Sanjay's loud scream. 'Aditi! You hit me!' The screams and grunts that followed were indistinguishable as to which child they emerged from as Aditi began to claw at Suraj's hair and he fought back, egged on and helped by their various younger cousins and siblings. Payal, Anjali, Nani...

X is for... X-Rated 'Turn over; I want to play a game.' Khushi blushed violently but still obliged, turning over onto her stomach. She expected the legs that straddled her own and the hands massaging her shoulders but the tongue on her back was a shock and she jerked unconsciously. Arnav pinned her down and traced a long leisurely path with his tongue from the base of her spine to her neck. He then blew into her ear, making her shiver in anticipation. 'I'm going to write something on your back Khushi and you have to guess what it is. Okay?' Khushi nodded and screwed her eyes shut to concentrate, refusing to lose to Arnav in another one of their games. Although she was prepared this time, she still gasped at the first touch of his smooth tongue against her skin. He moved in a straight line upwards but then Khushi lost track of the direction, focusing only on his tongue and the pool of heat low in her stomach until she could bear it no...

W is for... Wish Upon A Star 'Hey Devi Maiyya, what kind of husband do I have that brings me a file as a present!' 'What the...! Khushi, read them at least.' Khushi sighed and took the file from Arnav, opening it to read the first page illuminated by the moon and the stars as he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his chin on her shoulder. Khushi gasped as she turned the pages over rapidly, 'you... you named actual stars after my parents?' Arnav nodded, 'and one for my mom too.' Khushi turned and hugged him tight, her tears dripping onto his grey jacket.

V is for... Vivah He moved her tikka aside, noting her closed eyes as he did and then pressed his thumb to her forehead and up into her hairline, marking her as his forever. Specks of the red powder fell onto her nose as he moved his hand away and Arnav smiled. Khushi opened her eyes, large and trusting shining with tears. Arnav knew they were tears of happiness but he still couldn't bear to see them. 'Your nose has gone red again,' he said with a grin flicking the tip with his index finger leaving a large streak of red sindoor across it.

U is for... Umbrella As Khushi held up her umbrella for Anjali her mind was still on what she had just witnessed. She could never have imagined that ASR, the raakshas , the Laad Governer would be such a child inside.   'Chotte, you're getting more wet. Come here under the umbrella,' Anjali gave Arnav who was at her side a small push. His eyes met hers and Khushi was sure he would refuse but he surprised her for the second time that day. Still supporting Anjali he stepped under the umbrella, behind them both. Khushi held the umbrella higher to accommodate his taller frame, also supporting Anjali with her free hand. They stopped briefly when they reached the steps and Khushi wondered how they would navigate them. Arnav made a small sound of annoyance and took the handle from her hand. He held it high sheltering the three of them until they reached the car. *** Set during the first rakhi episode.

T is for... Table 'Were you and Khushiji alright by yourselves last night Chotte? Did you make sure to eat?' 'Yes Di. We ate at the table.' Arnav smirked and looked over at Khushi who was now hiding her flaming face behind her magazine. 'Khushi didn't want to; she wanted to eat in our room. I convinced her eventually though and I think she enjoyed herself.' ' It is a very big table, you must have felt odd there by yourselves but never mind, the whole family will be there tonight.' Khushi nodded weakly at Anjali as she walked away. 'What do you say Khushi? Do you want to... eat in front of the whole family tonight?' He then ducked quickly to avoid the magazine Khushi threw at his head.

S is for... Scared 'Why can't you tell us now damn it?!' After another minute Arnav threw the phone on the bed and let out an anguished groan with his head in his hands. 'He wants us to go in and discuss the results of the tests.' Khushi put a shaking hand on his shoulder, urging him to look at her. 'Arnav I'm scared.' Arnav gathered her up in his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin. He wished he could tell her everything would be okay, that she had nothing to be afraid. 'I'm scared too baby, but we'll... we'll face it together.'