53. GENTLE WARMTH
Yuvan had reached Pragya.
"Aunty, you called me?" he asked.
Pragya blinked at him, utterly confused.
"No beta, I didn't. Why?"
And in that second, it clicked for Yuvan.
He looked over his shoulder-
Vivan helping Aarvi onto the horse, standing closer than necessary, holding her arm securely.
"Oh," he thought, a slow smirk spreading across his face.
"So that's why aunty was calling me."
He quickly shook his head, covering it up.
"Nothing, aunty. Maybe I misheard."
Pragya nodded, and Yuvan walked toward his own horse, mounting in one smooth, practiced motion-as if he did it every day.
Aarvi had finally settled on the horse, but the moment it shifted forward-
She panicked.
Her hands flew to the saddle, grip slipping. Her foot wobbled in the stirrup.
"I-I don't want to ride," she stammered, leaning forward like she might jump down. "Please, let me get down-"
"Aarvi, stop," Vivan said quickly, stepping closer, voice tight with concern. "You'll fall."
Her breathing went uneven, fear taking over.
Yuvan tried gently, "Hey, it's okay. Even I was terrified at first. But it becomes fun, trust me-"
But she wasn't listening.
Vedant added, "Bhabhi, trust me, horse rides are the best-"
Nothing reached her.
Her fear was louder than all of them.
And then-
"Okay. I won't ride."
His voice silenced everyone.
Vivan loves horse riding.
He was the one who suggested the ride in the first place.
But he declining it? Because Aarvi was scared.
And suddenly, that made complete sense.
Vivan stepped closer to her horse, eyes completely on her.
"I'll walk beside you the entire time," he said firmly. "Every second. I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"
Aarvi looked at him, her panic halting just enough to hear him.
Everyone else stared too-surprised.
He softened his tone further.
"Aarvi," he said quietly, steadying his hold on the saddle, "trust me. I'll never let you fall."
She didn't know why-
why those words from him made her breath steady,
why her heart slowed from sprinting to a manageable beat,
why her head nodded before she even processed it.
But she nodded.
And Vivan's relief showed in the small smile that slipped out.
As her horse began moving slowly, her panic sparked again-
so Vivan instantly placed one hand near the saddle.
Not touching her.
Just close.
As if he was ready to catch her the moment she even leaned wrong.
He watched her carefully. Every tiny flinch. Every shift.
The guide laughed lightly.
"Sir, you look more scared than madam."
Vedant burst out laughing.
Vivan shot him a death glare-
but didn't move his hand even an inch away from her saddle.
He walked beside her as if she were the only person on that mountain trail.
As Aarvi's horse trotted forward, she slowly began to relax.
Her grip loosened. Her shoulders dropped.
Maybe she could manage this-
But then the horse hit a small pothole.
It jolted sharply.
Aarvi lurched sideways.
Her breath caught-
"VIVAN!"
Her voice cracked with fear.
The tourists around them turned instantly, startled.
But Vivan didn't care about the attention.
Not even for a second.
He stepped forward in one swift, instinctive motion and grabbed her hand-tight.
His other hand braced the saddle, steadying both her and the horse.
His heart shot into his throat.
For a terrifying moment, he thought she would fall.
The guide hurried toward them.
"Sir, if madam is panicking... why don't you sit with her? It'll be safer."
Vivan froze.
Sit.
With her.
On the same horse?
He looked up at Aarvi, stunned at the suggestion.
Before he could form an answer, Prisha chimed in loudly,
"YES, Bhai! Sit with her. Then she won't be scared!"
Vivan stiffened.
He could feel everyone's eyes on him.
Pragya added warmly, "She's right, beta. She'll feel safer."
Then Vedant.
Then Yuvan.
All of them insisting.
But Vivan...
His hesitation wasn't pride.
It was respect.
He would never sit that close-never touch that boundary-if Aarvi felt the slightest discomfort.
Not without her permission.
So he looked at her, ready to gently refuse.
"Uh-I don't think-"
But then he heard her voice.
Soft.
Shy.
A little breathless.
"If you want... you can."
Everything else went silent.
Pragya's voice.
The guide's suggestion.
Prisha's teasing.
All of it just... faded.
Only Aarvi's hesitant little sentence echoed in his head.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
Hard.
He nodded once, slow.
Trying not to look as flustered as he felt.
Then, in one smooth, practiced motion, he mounted the horse behind her-
a clean, professional movement that said he'd been riding since childhood.
Everyone went quiet, watching.
Vivan sat behind Aarvi-not too close, not too far.
Just enough so she could feel protected.
His hands didn't touch her.
But they hovered near her waist, steadying her without crossing a line.
She could feel his warmth behind her.
He could hear her shaky breaths gradually settle.
And neither said a word.
But both felt the shift.
The tension.
The awareness.
The closeness neither had asked for-but didn't pull away from.
It was the kind of closeness that left echoes long after silence.
He adjusted his grip on the reins carefully-deliberately keeping distance.
His knuckles brushed the fabric of her overcoat.
Just once.
Aarvi noticed.
She also noticed something else.
His heartbeat.
Fast. Controlled. Real.
It thudded steadily against her back, strong enough that she couldn't pretend it wasn't there. Her shoulders tensed for a second before she forced herself to breathe normally.
Then Vivan flicked the reins.
The horse began to move.
Cold mountain air rushed past them, sharp and clean. The wind swept Aarvi's hair aside, lifting it just enough for Vivan's eyes to fall on her ears.
The earrings.
They caught the sunlight, glinting softly-elegant, delicate, perfect on her.
Something in his chest eased.
His expression softened without him realizing it, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He wanted to reach out. To touch them.
To confirm they were real.
He didn't.
The horse suddenly jolted as it stepped into a shallow pothole.
Aarvi's body tipped forward-
And this time, Vivan didn't hesitate.
His arm wrapped around her waist instantly.
Firm.
Protective.
One hand held the reins with practiced ease, the other pulled her back against his chest, anchoring her completely.
Aarvi stiffened at the sudden closeness.
Vivan's breath-warm against her cheek despite the cold-sent a shiver straight down her spine.
Her fingers curled into the front of his coat.
Vivan became painfully aware of everything.
Her warmth.
The way she fit so easily against him.
How naturally his hand rested on her waist-as if it belonged there.
Leaning closer, he whispered near her ear, voice low and steady,
"Don't move. I won't let you fall."
Aarvi nodded.
That was all.
She trusted him.
And that realization hit him harder than the jolt ever could.
His cheeks burned-not from the cold, but from how right this felt. How dangerous that thought was.
The horse continued forward.
Vivan rode effortlessly now, guiding it with one hand, calm and composed-like this was second nature to him. Like balancing a thousand-pound animal and a trembling woman in his arms was nothing.
To anyone watching, he looked confident.
Unshakable.
Hot.
But only he knew how fast his heart was racing.
The ride came to a slow halt.
The horse snorted softly, hooves settling into the snow-dusted ground. The guide moved closer, reaching for the reins, but Vivan was already alert-steadying the horse with practiced ease.
"Careful," he murmured, his voice low, meant only for her.
He slid off first, landing firmly on the ground, then immediately turned back toward her.
"Hold my shoulder," he said.
Aarvi nodded, fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket.
For a second, she hesitated-her legs still shaky, body still adjusting to the height, the movement, the closeness she hadn't fully processed yet.
Vivan noticed.
Without rushing her, he placed one hand around her forearm, the other hovering near her waist-not touching, just there. Ready.
"Slowly," he guided.
She swung her leg down, weight shifting-and her foot slipped slightly on the uneven ground.
Before she could gasp, Vivan caught her.
Firm. Instant. Sure.
Her palms pressed against his chest as he steadied her, her body colliding softly into his.
They froze.
Too close.
Her breath hitched. His grip tightened-then loosened just enough to remind himself where he was.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded, eyes still lowered.
"Yes."
He helped her step fully down, hands lingering for half a second longer than necessary before he pulled back.
Immediately.
Like he'd crossed a line he wasn't ready to acknowledge.
Aarvi adjusted her coat, heart still racing, and finally looked up at him.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Not loud. Not dramatic.
Just... real.
Vivan nodded once.
Around them, the others were laughing, talking, clicking photos-Vedant teasing the guide, Prisha showing Pragya pictures, Yuvan arguing playfully with Vinod about whose horse was faster.
But for a moment-
It felt like the world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
Aarvi stepped aside, giving him space.
Vivan did the same.
Both pretending nothing had happened.
Both very aware that something had.
Just then Vivan's gaze again drifted to her and he saw her rubbing her palms together, fingers pale from the cold.
No gloves.
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
They began walking again, the group moving ahead in easy chatter. Vivan walked slightly behind, eyes scanning the narrow street on either side-stalls, souvenir shops, woollens, shawls.
Gloves.
Nothing.
Just when his eyes caught a small tea stall. Steam curling lazily into the cold air, the smell of chai cutting through the mountain chill.
He stopped.
"Let's have chai," he said casually.
Everyone immediately agreed-no hesitation, the cold doing most of the convincing.
They crowded around the stall, settling onto uneven wooden stools. Laughter returned. Vedant complained about the cold. Prisha teased him. Yuvan joked with the chaiwala.
Vivan stayed quiet.
When the cups arrived, he was the first to take one.
Without looking at anyone else, he turned and held it out to Aarvi.
She looked up, surprised.
"Here," he said softly.
She took it, her fingers brushing the warm glass. Heat seeped into her palms, into her bones.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Only then did Vivan pick up the remaining cups and distribute them to the others, one by one-like it was an afterthought.
Everyone started sipping, conversations resuming.
Vivan glanced once more at Aarvi.
Her hands were wrapped around the cup now, no longer rubbing together.
Satisfied.
"You all have tea," he said suddenly. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Every head turned toward him.
Prisha frowned. "You're the one who suggested chai."
Vedant squinted. "And you're not drinking it?"
Yuvan raised an eyebrow, amused.
Vivan just shrugged, already stepping back.
"I'll be right back."
He turned and walked away before anyone could question him further.
Aarvi watched his retreating figure for a moment, confusion flickering across her face-
She took another sip of chai.
It was warmer than before.
And for reasons she didn't fully understand, her chest felt a little warmer too.
Vivan walked away from the stall, the cold biting sharper with every step.
His eyes moved quickly-stall to stall, window to window-until finally, tucked between two souvenir shops, he spotted it.
A small woollen shop.
He stepped inside, warmth and the smell of fabric replacing the chill.
"What you need sir?" the shopkeeper asked.
"Gloves," Vivan replied without hesitation. "For... a woman."
The shopkeeper nodded, reaching for a few pairs. "Size?"
Vivan stilled.
He didn't know.
His brows drew together slightly as he thought, her hands in his during the flight... slender, small.
He spoke slowly, almost unsure.
"Her palm... is about half of mine."
The shopkeeper smiled knowingly and handed him a pair.
Vivan turned them over in his hands-soft, neat, delicate.
Too delicate?
What if they don't fit?
And that's when the thought hit him-quiet but heavy.
He doesn't know anything about her.
Not her size.
Not her preferences.
Not even what she likes or dislikes.
Only how scared she looks in crowds.
Only how her hands tremble in the cold.
He paid and walked back, the gloves hidden inside a transparent polythene, tucked carefully under his jacket.
As he approached the stall again, he slowed.
If he gave them to her now, everyone would notice.
The teasing would start.
She would feel awkward.
He didn't want that.
So he sat beside her like nothing was different, picked up a cup of chai, and took a sip-finally drinking the tea he had insisted on earlier.
Conversation flowed around them.
When everyone finished and started standing up, Vivan leaned slightly to the side.
Almost invisibly, he placed the wrapped gloves beside Aarvi.
Then he stood.
"I'll pay," he said, already walking toward the counter.
Aarvi rose a second later-and felt something slip against her foot.
She looked down.
Gloves.
New.
Wrapped.
She picked them up, confusion flickering across her face.
Who could've-
Her eyes lifted instinctively.
Vivan stood at the counter, handing over money, his back to her.
He wasn't looking at her.
As if he didn't want credit.
As if he didn't want thanks.
As if this was never meant to be noticed.
Something warm bloomed quietly in her chest.
A small, unguarded smile curved her lips.
At the counter, Vivan felt it-without looking.
The corner of his mouth lifted too.
Just a little.
Neither of them said a word.
But both of them understood.
They walked again, wandering through Manali's narrow streets and open views-but this time, Vivan and Aarvi didn't walk shoulder to shoulder.
There was space between them.
Not deliberate.
Not cold.
Just... careful.
A step behind.
A step ahead.
Every now and then, their eyes met accidentally, then looked away just as quickly. The closeness from earlier still lingered-too fresh, too real-leaving both of them slightly awkward, slightly aware.
By the time they returned to the hotel, exhaustion had settled in.
Night had wrapped itself around the mountains.
Everyone decided to turn in early.
Vivan and Aarvi walked back to their room in silence.
Later, Vivan stepped out of the bathroom, towel rubbing through his damp hair. The room was quiet.
Aarvi was already asleep.
He paused, watching her for a moment.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
She sleeps before me... yet wakes up late every time.
He shook his head at the thought and moved to his side of the bed, lying down with one arm tucked beneath his head.
His gaze drifted back to her.
And then he saw them.
The earrings.
They caught the dim bedside light, small and soft, resting against her skin.
Something stirred inside him.
An urge-gentle but insistent.
His throat tightened as he hesitated.
Would it be wrong?
Slowly, almost cautiously, his hand lifted.
His fingers brushed the earring.
Just once.
The instant he touched it, a quiet sense of relief washed over him-unexpected, unexplainable.
He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
A shy, almost boyish smile curved his lips.
They look beautiful on her.
The thought came without effort.
Another followed, softer.
Should I buy her another pair?
The idea startled him.
He'd never cared much for jewellery before. Never noticed it. Never understood the fascination.
But now-
Earrings.
They were suddenly his favorite thing.
To buy.
To gift.
To see.
To-
His fingers moved again, lightly this time, careful not to wake her. He played with the earring absentmindedly, as if it anchored him to something warm and unfamiliar.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
An hour passed.
And still, he lay there, a quiet smile on his face, fingers lingering near her ear.
He didn't know what was happening to him.
But he knew this-
Whatever it was...
He didn't want it to stop.
~?~