29. His First Dance
"Please don't be upset, Ika," Rakshit said softly, pulling Shivika close by her shoulder, his voice gentle, almost pleading.
"But I really wanted to dance..." Shivika murmured, her eyes fixed on the stage where a couple was gracefully moving together.
There was a quiet longing in her gaze, a small wish she hadn't even realized would matter this much.
"Sorry, bacche... even I can't do anything in this," Rakshit replied helplessly, his brows knitting together as he tried to think of a solution but found none.
Suddenly, Shivika's expression lit up, excitement flickering in her eyes.
"No... you can!"
"Huh? How?" Rakshit asked, confused by her sudden change.
"What if I can't dance... but you can, right? So go and dance... please," she said, her voice soft yet hopeful, almost like a child asking for something precious.
Rakshit's eyes widened.
"But Ika... how can I? I have never danced, and I don't even know how to."
"There isn't something to learn," she said quickly. "And even if you want, Rahul and Satyam bhaiya will dance with you. Pleaseee, Aksh..."
"Don't say please, bacche... but I really can't," Rakshit said, his voice dropping, conflicted.
Shivika's face fell instantly.
"Can't you even dance for me?" she asked, pretending to be sad, but her eyes held a vulnerability that hit him deeper than anything else.
"Ika... I can do anything for you, but--" he stopped, exhaling deeply, surrendering.
"Okay... I will dance."
The moment those words left his mouth, Shivika clapped like an excited child.
"Yayy! Thank you so much, Aksh! You are the best!" she said, leaning forward and kissing his cheek without a second thought.
Rakshit froze.
Completely.
His mind went blank, his heartbeat suddenly loud in his ears.
"At least I was going to do something better... but after her kiss, I pray that I don't faint," he murmured under his breath, still stunned.
"What??" Rahul's loud voice broke his thoughts.
Rakshit looked at him, only to find Rahul staring at him with his mouth wide open.
"You... you... you are going to dance?" Rahul stuttered, disbelief written all over his face.
Rakshit nodded slowly, while Shivika jumped in excitedly, "Yes! Yes!"
Seeing her so happy, a small smile appeared on Rakshit's lips.
"Ohh, I am going to faint surely," Rahul said dramatically, holding his head and shutting his eyes.
Shivika frowned.
"You are overdramatic."
"I am overdramatic? This husband of yours, who never even attended any party or wedding, is attending the whole wedding and now even wants to dance. How can I behave normally?" Rahul said, throwing his hands in the air.
Rakshit rolled his eyes.
"What happened, guys?" Satyam asked, walking towards them with Jhanvi.
"Sir wants to dance," Rahul announced.
Both Satyam and Jhanvi froze in shock.
Shivika giggled, enjoying their reactions.
Leaning closer, Rakshit whispered softly in her ear, "I am still telling you... let it be na, Ika. I don't want to dance."
Shivika turned to him, her eyes serious yet warm.
"No, Aksh. You will dance. Everything has its first time. And even if you do the worst, I wouldn't say anything... but I really want you to enjoy properly."
She paused, her voice softening.
"And I am telling you... after the performance, you yourself will tell me that you really enjoyed."
Rakshit looked straight into her eyes, searching, trusting.
"Are you sure?"
"100%," Shivika said, blinking with confidence.
And that was enough.
He decided to trust her... her belief... her love.
Rakshit walked towards Rahul and Satyam, discussing something, while Jhanvi helped Shivika sit comfortably before moving towards other guests.
As Rakshit climbed the stage, his eyes instinctively searched for her.
And there she was.
Smiling widely.
Proudly.
She gave him a thumbs up.
He smiled back.
And stepped forward.
The music started.
(You guyss can think of any song you want.)
Rakshit started dancing.
And everything changed.
Everyone's mouths fell open.
Including Shivika's.
No one-no one could believe this was his first time.
He wasn't just dancing... he was living it.
He grinned, laughed, moved effortlessly, syncing perfectly with Rahul and Satyam beside him.
There was a strange confidence in his steps, a raw charm that made it impossible to look away.
She clapped, hooted, her heart swelling with happiness.
But for Rakshit...
The entire world had blurred.
The lights, the crowd, the music everything faded.
Because his eyes were only on her.
Every expression.
Every smile.
Every clap.
He felt it.
That warmth.
That strange happiness.
He could sense he was doing well not because of the crowd but because of the way she was looking at him.
Like he was everything.
As the performance ended, loud cheers and claps echoed everywhere.
"You killed it, sir!" Rahul said, completely amused.
"I know... I am a quick learner," Rakshit replied casually, though his eyes were already searching for Shivika.
"It happens," Satyam muttered, suppressing his laugh at Rahul's still shocked expression.
Without wasting a second, Rakshit walked straight to Shivika and sat beside her.
"Aksh... I can't believe you danced for the first time," she said, still in awe.
"Was it good?" he asked, holding her hand gently in his.
"Good?? It was mind-blowing!" Shivika grinned.
Rakshit smiled softly and kissed the top of her head.
"You enjoyed it, right?" Shivika asked carefully.
She didn't want him to feel forced... she just wanted him to live.
"I did," Rakshit said.
But his thoughts whispered something deeper,
I did enjoy seeing you clapping...
I did enjoy seeing you happy...
I did enjoy seeing you emotional... watching the first dance of my life...
Shivika tried her best to hide her emotions behind her excitement.
But he could see through her.
He always could.
Gently, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.
They sat there watching the performances but truly they were just living that moment.
Shivika was sitting with a group of ladies, softly laughing as they talked and indulged in light gossip. Her face glowed with happiness, her expressions lively, her laughter pure. Every now and then, she would tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, completely lost in the moment.
A little distance away, Rakshit stood beside Satyam, his posture calm, his eyes however were not on the conversation around him.
They were on her.
Always on her.
Rahul had just stepped aside to attend a call, leaving the two men alone.
"Tell me," Rakshit said suddenly, his voice calm yet firm, sensing the uneasiness beside him.
Satyam looked at him, slightly startled.
"I know you want to say something. Speak," Rakshit added, his gaze still fixed in Shivika's direction, watching her laugh with Jhanvi.
Satyam took a deep breath, gathering courage.
"Sir... I... I want to ask... is the marriage thing easy? As you know, you are married... and I have heard many married men saying that everything changes after marriage... doesn't matter if it is love marriage or arrange marriage..." he said, his voice lowering at the end.
There was nervousness.
Uncertainty.
A silent fear of the unknown life waiting ahead.
He had been alone his whole life.
And now... there would be someone.
Someone to share space with.
Life with.
Everything with.
Rakshit finally looked at him and smiled.
A soft, knowing smile.
"Satyam... I don't know about other men," he began slowly, his voice gentle.
His eyes drifted back to her.
She was laughing freely with Jhanvi.
And in that moment, his gaze softened even more.
No doubt.
Only truth.
"I would just say... try to understand each other at every point... and your whole life would be easy."
His words were simple.
But they carried depth.
Real emotions.
Real experience.
Satyam looked at him with admiration.
He had taken Rakshit's advice many times-for work, for career.
But this...
This was the first time he had asked something personal.
And Rakshit had answered.
Honestly.
Openly.
"Thank you, sir," Satyam said, his voice filled with respect as he turned to leave.
"Satyam."
He stopped.
Turned back.
"You can call me bhai."
(Bhai=Brother)
Time froze.
Satyam's breath hitched.
"Sir?" he muttered, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"I know I told you a few years ago to never call me bhai... but now I am saying it... you can call me bhai. Just not at work," Rakshit said with a small smile.
Satyam's eyes instantly brimmed with tears.
Emotion hit him all at once.
Years of longing.
Years of holding back.
"Satyam... I never wanted to get attached to anyone. Never wanted to have any relation with anyone," Rakshit continued, placing a hand on his shoulder.
That was it.
Satyam couldn't hold himself back anymore.
He stepped forward and hugged Rakshit tightly.
"Thank you, bhai... thank you so much, bhai... thank you..." his voice broke, filled with overwhelming happiness.
Rakshit smiled softly and patted his back like an elder brother.
Warm.
Protective.
Real.
"Okay, now move back or my wife will get jealous from you," Rakshit said, chuckling lightly.
Satyam laughed through his tears and pulled away.
Both of them glanced at Shivika.
She was indeed looking at them with a small frown on her face.
Confused.
Suspicious.
Cute.
Both men chuckled.
"She is just worried about why you are hugging me," Rakshit said.
Satyam hummed.
"But she will be so happy after hearing me calling you bhai."
"Of course she will be," Rakshit replied.
He was about to walk towards her but stopped.
Rahul stood in front of them.
Glaring.
"That's not fair. Not at all fair," Rahul said dramatically as he marched toward them.
"It's not fair, sir. How can you hug him? You never hugged me," he complained, crossing his arms.
Rakshit rolled his eyes.
Satyam, on the other hand, looked ready to smack him.