9.
{Third person's pov}
Kiara walked towards her room after performing various rituals, her heavy anklets made sounds as she opened the door, she found Ekansh standing in the balcony.
As soon as he heard the sound of her anklets he turned around, a cigarette in his hands, she frowned and walked towards him.
"You smoke?" As she asked him if he smoked, he looked up at her, a half-smile on his face. "Yeah," he said, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
He eyed her, watching the heavy anklets jingle as she walked closer. "You didn't know I smoked?" he teased.
"It's harmful, you shouldn't be doing it." She whispered as she stood next to him.
He could see the worry in her eyes, the way her face was scrunched up in a frown. But he found it endearing, the way she seemed to care about his health.
"I know it's harmful, I rarely smoke." He whispered back huskily, he wanted to say he didn't care about living but eventually the words didn't come out. She stared at him, "What if I smoked? Would you allow it?"
His eyes darkened at her question, a strange sensation stirring within him. He couldn't imagine her smoking, the thought of her doing something so harmful to her body making him feel a sudden wave of protectiveness.
"No," he said, his voice gruff. "I wouldn't allow it."
He took a step closer to her, the space between them suddenly feeling too small. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe from any harm, overpowered him.
"Then why are you allowing yourself to do it?" She asked and took the cigarette from his hand, "I hate this smell." She crushed the Cigarette and threw it.
He loomed over her, their bodies almost touching now. He could see the stubbornness in her eyes, the way she was determined to make him stop smoking.
He knew he should be annoyed by her meddling, but something about her determination was making him feel something else instead. Something he couldn't quite identify.
He reached out, his fingers touching her chin and tipping her head up towards him. "You really want me to stop smoking?" he murmured.
"Do you think I am joking?" Her back was touching the railing as he was standing in front of her, her breath became heavy.
Her back hit the railing, She was standing so close to him, the heat of her body seeping into his, making his thoughts feel a little hazy.
"No," he said, his voice rough. "I don't think you're joking. You really want me to stop smoking."
He was looking down at her, his eyes roaming over her face, taking in her wide eyes and her trembling lips.
"Then don't smoke," she said and stepped further back. She stumbled and thought she would fall but he immediately held her close, preventing her from falling.
His heartbeat fastened and so did hers, "I won't smoke," he whispered and walked inside after steadying her. Kiara stared at him, not believing that he would agree so easily.
She followed him inside and stared at him, a mixture of surprise and disbelief on her face.
"Why did you listen so easily?" she asked, her voice a little breathless. "I was thinking of quiting too," he tried to sound nonchalant but his raised heart beat told a different story, he couldn't say no to her.
..........
Kiara was sitting on the bed, she held her stomach and closed her eyes, -This sucks.
She leaned on the headboard, her half body was covered with a quilt, Ekansh came out of the bathroom after taking a quick shower and he looked at her.
He could tell she was in pain as he looked at her expression, He walked inside the wardrobe and started reheating the hot water bag.
After a while he came out and walked towards her, "Here," Kiara opened her eyes and looked at him, he was wearing a loose shirt which revealed his chest, a trouser and his hair was still wet.
She looked at the hot water bag and took it from his hands, "Thank you," she whispered.
"How many days does your cycle continue?" He asked and she stared at him, "five days,"
He nodded and sat on the couch, "Do you want something? Chocolates? Anything?"
Kiara shook her head, her cramps were not letting her think about anything, she placed the bag on her stomach and closed her eyes again.
He sat down on the couch, watching her with a mixture of concern and confusion. He had noticed the way she had held her stomach and closed her eyes tight, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
He had never had to deal with something like this before, never had to comfort a woman in pain during her cycle. It was a strange and new experience for him, and he wasn't quite sure how to handle it.
He watched as she placed the hot water bag on her stomach, her face still contorted in discomfort.
............
Kiara woke up in the morning just to witness him already awake, and then the realisation hit her that he didn't sleep all night. She sighed, "Good morning."
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back towards her. He heard her voice and turned around, a hint of a smile on his face.
"Good morning," he said, his voice a little rough from lack of sleep. His eyes roved over her, taking in her sleepy expression and the way her hair was tousled.
He looked tired, but he tried to hide it with a nonchalant expression. "Aren't you taking your sleeping pills?" She raised an eyebrow and he shook his head.
She stared at him, feeling bad for him.
.............
All the family members were sitting on the breakfast table when his stepmother spoke, "why don't we get your peheli rasoi done, Kiara?"
Kiara looked at her and nodded, "Whenever you want aunty." She replied.
"But why the rush, Richa did the peheli rasoi after two months of her marriage, Kiara will do the same."Ekansh's father said.
"Don't you think you shouldn't be stepping in between the rituals, I will get peheli rasoi done tomorrow.
" Ekansh's step mother replied, Ekansh tried to stay calm, he knew why she was behaving this way.
He knew it was because Kiara was his wife, and She hated anything and everything which was his.
Kiara nodded without thinking much, she was never a girl who was scared of responsibilities.
"I will head to the office," Ekansh said and got up from his seat. He quickly bid goodbye to the family and left the house, feeling a mixture of anger and frustration. He couldn't believe that his stepmother was still trying to cause problems between him and Kiara.
As he got into his car and started driving, he couldn't help but think about Kiara. He knew she was probably still at home, getting ready for the upcoming ritual.
He tried to push away all the negative thoughts and focus on work, but he couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling in his chest.
..........
"Kiara," Nidhi called and Kiara who was in the lawn with her sister immediately looked at her, "Don't you think newly weds should act like one beta?"
Kiara frowned and looked at Richa, "Cover your head," Kiara nodded and covered her head, she looked at Richa who was sitting there in a kurti without any dupatta, but Nidhi didn't say anything to her, Although Kiara was the older daughter in law.
Kiara shrugged off not thinking much, but she could already feel the double standards Ekansh's step mother had for her and Richa.
"Does Aunty and Ekansh never talk?" Kiara asked Richa, once Nidhi left.
"Never... She tried speaking to him but he ignored her every time, he doesn't talk much to anyone." Richa said and Kiara nodded.
............
It was midnight when Kiara's sleep broke and she looked at Ekansh who was staring at the ceiling, "Ekansh," she whispered.
He turned his head towards her, his eyes meeting hers in the dim light. He had been staring at the ceiling, his mind restless and his thoughts racing.
"What?" he asked, his voice a little gruff. He could see the worry in her eyes.
"What's always bothering you?" She asked. "Why can't you sleep?" She added.
He was quiet for a moment, not sure how to answer her question. The truth was, he had a lot on his mind, a lot that he wasn't sure he was ready to share with her just yet.
"It's nothing," he finally said, his voice still gruff. "Just work, you know. It's stressful."
He didn't want to worry her, didn't want her to know about the stress and pressure he was under.
She held his long hand with her small one, "Ekansh, We are married. I am here to support you in ups and downs and share everything with you. Now my life is all yours, you can trust me and share it, you will feel better maybe."
Ekansh stared into her eyes, just to find genuine care for him. He sighed he never shared those things with anyone at all, but something inside him told him to trust Kiara.
"It's a long story," he whispered, "I will hear it even if it takes a whole life." She replied.
He sighed looking back at the ceiling, "I was Eight, When My mother found out that my father has been cheating on her for years and he has another son. She was so hurt that she didn't even think about me and took her life in front of my eyes." A tear escaped his eyes as he closed his eyes.
Kiara was shocked, An eight year old saw his own mother dying in front of him. "She was wronged, but what was my fault, why was I left alone?" He asked, his voice cracking.
This was the first time she was witnessing some emotions on his face, she immediately shifted close to him and caressed his hair. "you are not alone anymore, you have me Ekansh." She whispered.
He looked at her, his face expressionless and he immediately Hugged her, Kiara was taken aback by the sudden hug, but she kept caressing his hair, as he hid his face in her neck.
Her heartbeat fastened but she knew he needed to let it out, he needed someone from all these years.
..................