118. #2
Yug's face warmed. He awkwardly shifted, clearly unsure what to do with himself.
"I get crazy at night, okay? Forget that even happened."
He started getting up again.
"Sit."
Yug stopped.
"But-"
Ravi gave him a look.
Yug groaned and reluctantly sat back down.
"This isn't comfortable."
"It's not my fault you're tall."
"That's your argument?"
"Now stop whining."
Yug frowned at him. "Why do I even have to listen to you?"
Ravi's expression turned amused.
"Because I still haven't forgotten that you hit me in the face with a ball."
Yug stared at him in disbelief.
"Seriously? Get over it already!"
Ravi leaned back slightly.
"Okay. Stop talking for a bit."
Yug opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it.
For once, he actually listened.
The room grew quiet.
Ravi stayed still for a moment, his expression unusually calm. He leaned closer, briefly resting his face near Yug's neck. Yug froze. This happens almost everyday but Yug just can't get used to it.
Ravi sniffed his neck slightly.
After a moment, Ravi extended his hand toward him.
Yug looked down at it.
Then, after a brief moment, he placed his hand in Ravi's and slowly intertwined their fingers.
"If anyone walks in here," Yug muttered, "I'm going to kick you. Very hard that is".
Ravi rolled his eyes and leaned back, putting a little more distance between them.
"You really know how to ruin the mood..
"Besides, the door's locked."
Yug blinked.
He had no idea when Ravi had locked it.
For a second, he considered asking.
Then decided he probably didn't want to know.
Before either of them could say anything else, Ravi's phone suddenly began ringing.
Yug immediately stood up.
Ravi glanced at him, amused.
"What?"
"Your sister."
Ravi shook his head.
"She's just calling. She can't see you."
Yug hesitated, then reluctantly sat down again.
Ravi answered the call, putting the phone to his ear.
"Yeah. What?" he said.
"Kal Yug mile the wahan. Woh aaye the humse baat karne, but Ma ne bas unhe ignore kar diya. I feel so bad."
Fatima's voice came through the phone.
Ravi glanced at Yug.
Yug immediately shook his head and mouthed, It's okay.
"Tumhein kal batana chahiye tha humein," Ravi said, his voice already carrying a hint of frustration.
Fatima began explaining everything that had happened the previous day-the awkward encounter, their mother's reaction, and how Yug had tried to speak to her.
Ravi's expression hardened.
"Ma ko phone de."
Yug slapped a hand over his forehead.
Oh, no.
"What's wrong with you?" Ravi snapped, his temper beginning to rise.
Before Ravi could say anything else, Yug pinched his side, just as he had the previous day, and swiftly snatched the phone from his hand.
Ravi stared at him in disbelief.
"Yeah, Mrs. Haider?" Yug said into the phone, putting on his most polite voice. "Right. Ravi has gone crazy. He'll call you back."
He immediately ended the call.
Ravi stared at him.
Yug handed the phone back.
Ravi rubbed his side where Yug had pinched him.
"You don't talk to your mother like that. Ever," Yug said firmly.
"I didn't call her here to insult you."
"She didn't insult me. I don't mind, okay?"
"You don't understand."
"What don't I understand?" Yug asked, his patience beginning to wear thin. "Ravi, I don't want you fighting with your mother. She already lost one son, and of course she's going to be protective of you."
Ravi looked away.
"And isn't everything already difficult enough?" Yug continued. "She might think I told you to yell at her. I don't want things to get worse between you two. Just... control your anger sometimes, okay?"
"If I don't snap at her, she'll always find something wrong with us," Ravi replied bitterly. "I don't want that."
"Then say these things nicely."
Yug stood and moved to the other chair, putting some distance between them.
"For how long?" Ravi asked.
"As long as it takes for your mother to understand the situation."
Yug paused before adding, "I want to be honest with her too. And I think she deserves to know who killed her son."
Ravi's expression changed.
"So you don't really want us to happen."
"I never said that."
"You don't know my mother well, Yug. You can't even imagine what would happen if she found out."
"Ravi-"
"You're making this harder than it needs to be. You were asking me about my future earlier. You wanted to know what I see when I think about it."
He looked directly at Yug.
"All I see is you. All I want is you."
Yug's expression softened, but he didn't look away.
"That sounds nice," he said quietly. "But it isn't fair to your mother. And you can't decide everything based on us when we've only just started dating."
Ravi stared at him.
"I don't know what you're thinking," he said after a moment. "But I'm sorry about everything that happened yesterday."
He looked down at the files on his desk.
"I'm not taking us casually, Yug. I've never liked someone the way I like you. I've never wanted anything the way I want this."
His voice grew quieter.
"This is the first time I've actually wanted something this badly, and you're already trying to find ways to keep it from falling apart."
Yug went silent.
He could hear the anger beneath Ravi's words, but there was something else there too-something far more vulnerable.
Yug scratched the side of his neck, watching him carefully.
Ravi eventually shook his head, as if trying to push the conversation aside. He opened the file again and rolled up his sleeves.
"Let's talk later."
Yug looked at him.
Ravi glanced at the faint glow of his phone screen.
"Aarav's asking for you."
They both stood up.
"Walk me outside," Yug said. "I always forget the way."
Ravi gave him an incredulous look as he opened the door.
"What are you? A kid?"
Yug paused in the doorway.
Ravi noticed immediately. "What?"
Yug turned back to him.
"I won't tell her anything if you don't want me to."
Ravi's expression changed slightly.
"I want to be close to you," Yug continued quietly. "I just... don't want you to die. That's all."
Ravi stared at him for a moment.
"Okay," he finally said, giving a small nod.
Neither of them moved.
They simply stood there, looking at each other in the quiet hallway.
Ravi's expression was unreadable.
Yug's wasn't.
He was still trying to figure out what was going through Ravi's mind when Ravi finally spoke.
"Stop looking at me like that."
Yug raised an eyebrow.
"It makes me want to tear your clothes off."
He said it with such a straight face that Yug almost laughed.
"Stop acting," Yug replied. "I know you're being grumpy inside."
Ravi said nothing.
That silence was answer enough.
Yug sighed.
"I'm leaving for London next week. There's a business conference."
Ravi's eyes flickered toward him.
"And I'm leaving for Mumbai tomorrow. I have to collect some files."
"And?" Ravi asked.
Yug gave him a small, almost helpless smile.
"So... it's really hard dating you."
Before Ravi could respond, Yug stepped closer and wrapped his arms around him.
Ravi went still for a second.
Then he sighed, the tension slowly leaving his shoulders, and leaned into the embrace.
He had wanted this more than he cared to admit.
His arms went around Yug's back, holding him firmly, as though he wasn't quite ready to let go.
For a few quiet seconds, neither of them said anything.
Eventually, Yug pulled back just enough to look at Ravi's face.
The sadness there was subtle, almost hidden beneath his usual expression.
Yug noticed it anyway.
He wanted to say something-something that would make it better-but nothing seemed quite right.
So he simply looked at him for another moment.
"I should go now," Yug said softly.
Ravi nodded.
Neither of them moved immediately.