Chapter 06 : Sleeping next to a stranger 

"What the — " Anya shrieked as she suddenly felt the rock - hard impact on her forehead. She stumbled back clutching onto her forehead. And that was the first word Rayansh heard from her after their marriage. Romantic, wasn't it?

He stood frozen mid-knock, his hand still in the air, expression stuck somewhere between guilty and confused. He gulped down looking at her rubbing her forehead while giving him an icy glare.

“I—I was knocking! You opened the door at the exact moment!” He muttered, pulling down his hand while looking at her with guilt filled eyes.

She glared him throwing a powerful look of 'if-looks-could-kill-you-would-be-died-by-now' and walked away. Nonchalant. Towards her suitcase and shuffled through her clothes. While his eyes were stuck on her kneeling figure. 

Even though she had confidently walked out of the washroom only she knew how hard her heart was banging against her ribs like a dhol in Ganpati visarjan. Maybe harder than that!

From her peripheral vision, she could feel his continuous gaze on her. Unblinking. Curious. Slightly stunned. And why wouldn't it be, when she was wearing his t-shirt that hung on her mid-thigh and a towel draped around her waist that ended below her knees while her damp hair left the water droplets in the trail behind her.

Relax. Breathe. You’re a modern woman. Just because you're wearing his shirt doesn’t mean you're in love. Or nervous. Or aware of his entire presence in the room. And the way he smells. Of woods and existential crisis. Her inner conscience screamed panicked.

“Wow!” Shrija mumbled, peeking briefly through the half-closed door, “Nothing screams newlywed romance like wearing your husband’s laundry in panic mode.” 

She just wanted to make sure Anya was alright — mostly to see if her brother had already annoyed the new bride. But halted when she saw the mere exchange of the new weds. Without making any sound she slowly backed away and leaned against the wall with a sigh of relief.

“This marriage is either going to be a slow burn romance — or a full-blown rom-com. Either way, I’m getting popcorn.” She nodded to herself as she pulled out her phone from her pockets. 

"Time to spill the tea." With a wicked grin she dialled a number and walked away towards her room.

Few minutes ago, when Anya was panicking about her clothes her eyes landed on the towel, t-shirt and sweatpants hanging near the wash basin. Having no other option left, she huffed, wrapped the towel around her waist and yanked his t-shirt over her head.

At present, he sighed and walked towards the closest again to get some clothes for himself and then walked to take the shower. The faint smell of roses alongwith the familiar smell of woods hits his nostrils making him sigh and continue with his business. Before, she smelled like roses but now she was all engulfed with the scent of woods. His to be precise.

Meanwhile she locked the main door and washroom door from outside not taking the risk of walking into the messy-closet unaware of his arrangement a while later she had seen the state of it. She slipped into her inners and a pyjama along with his t-shirt yet again.

It's going to laundry tomorrow, why simply waste the detergent?

That will also save my clothes for a day longer. Sustainability!

Did we forget you prefer used-baggy-t-shirts? Her inner conscience put out the words which she just ignored.  

After done with his shower, he pulled on the sweatpants and encircled the towel around his neck after gently rubbing off the water from his torso. He unlocked the washroom and walked out while his hand worked to dry his damp and tousled hair.

He paused his actions after taking few steps and frowned looking at her collecting one of the pillows from the bed while her back was facing him. She knew he was few inches behind her and quickly picked up the blanket.

"What are you doing?" He pointed out to the blanket and a pillow in her hands to make her understand. Even without looking at him she knew what he meant.

"This is for you. Dear husband." She smiled looking straight at his portrait because facing him would have been way too much to her. Without turning to look at him she tossed the things in his direction and next second, she jumped on the bed.

He fumbled with the things suddenly thrown in his direction but somehow managed to catch the pillow while half of the blanket was in his hands and other half was gracefully spread on the floor.

If 'Dear husband' didn't make anything go wild inside his body, then he would be lying because the warmth that crept up his neck was saying itself.

"What do you mean?" He cleared his throat to collect his thoughts and looked down at her lying figure on the bed, blinking rapidly. “Why am I being banished with bedding?”

"Your punishment to marry me." She mumbled as her face was stuffed into the pillow while she was spread taking the entire space on the bed.

Have I — dug my own grave?

" Don't you think, sharing my personal space and stuff with you is enough as a punishment?" He reasoned as he walked towards the bed, stopping at it's edge.

"Fine. Just sleep." She grunted as she rolled to a side leaving some space behind for him.

He stood still for a moment, considering. Then sat slowly onto his side, careful to keep a respectful no-touch zone.

But then—he ruined it.

"Aren't you scared, that I might do something?" Before he knew his thought was out for her to hear. Internally, he kicked himself even cursed himself for the slip of his tongue and threw the towel somewhere in the corner. Frustrated.

Dude, really? Who says that out loud?!

Her eyes shot open like a deer hearing a twig snap. Till now she was trying her best to shove away her overthinking thoughts but his words just fuelled it. She won't lie, she was scared for a second when he said that but covered it because she didn’t want to show him her weakness.

Showing weakness means you let them overpower you. That's what she has been telling herself everytime.

"Jhopa aata. Ani mala jhopu dya!"[Please sleep. And let me sleep.] She lets out frustration evident in her tone. As she was trying her best to mask any hint of nervousness or fear.

"What?" He asked confused unable to catch on her words. 

"Sleep." She muttered as he lays down on the empty side leaving a safe distance between them.  

She was hell nervous when the mattress on the other side digged in but tried to play it cool. She had shared her bed before with her cousins during family gatherings but not with a single man. And having a man this close that to a complete stranger was giving her weird feelings. Feeling mixed with fear, anxious and stomach crunching.

"What's your name?" She asked a minute later to ease the creepy feeling that was building inside her while he was staring at the ceiling as she turned her face into the pillow to look at his side.

"Rayansh." He turned to look at her face. "Rayansh Dubey." She nodded before pushing her head into the pillow again.

She kept tossing, turning, huffing and puffing but couldn't sleep while he frowned in his sleep. She was tired but sleep was nowhere to be found as she was completely in different place even though mattress was as soft as hers, she just couldn't. Maybe the environment around her made it impossible. She sighed and sat up on the bed as she saw his face, facing towards her, who was sleeping peacefully. 

Kumbhkaran!

How can he sleep so much? 

Maybe that is why he got such a pretty face.

Pretty face? She scoffed.

No. More like devil face. With two horns.

He stirred in his sleep and the blanket on his body slipped away revealing his bare chest. She looked horrified and quickly palmed her eyes like she’d just witnessed a solar eclipse without glasses. As that's when she realised, he was sleeping shirtless. 

What the —

Why is he shirtless? 

Why is this room not pitch black? 

Why is the ceiling still here?

Again, why is he freaking SHIRT—LESS?

Peeking through her palm she pulled up the covers with her free hand and left it till his chin. Looking at him covered properly, she opened her eyes sighing in relief but next second, he threw it away groaning at the warmth making her quickly shut her eyes.

She again repeated the same thing and opened her eyes. But again, he again rejected the blanket like a fussy toddler making her groan, frustratedly. She repeated her actions again and this time she slept on the top of the covers so it would be difficult for him to push away the covers. But, he slides out of the covers from the other end which was free and rolled back on his Blanket free.

This man is definitely awake. Her inner conscience screamed.

Looking at his actions she was percent sure now that he was pretending to sleep and was just messing with her. She glared his face for a while as she jumped out of the bed and proceeded to close the glass door completely. She then, searched for something while he slowly opened his one eye to watch her actions. 

She turned on the AC smirking but kept temperature to 20 at the start. When she felt cool air started flowing through it, she returned to the bed and pulled the covers towards her. Once she was sure she hadn't left a small piece of it to his side she lowered the AC temperature making his eyes wide open.

She ignored his eyes wide open and smiled to herself as she clutched onto the remote and the covers as she laid down pretending to be asleep.

Now sleep. SHIRTLESS. 

He sat on his place and glanced at the clock it was two in the morning. Feeling defeated by her move he walked towards the closet and pulled out a spare blanket to cover himself, but couldn't afford to wear a shirt.

He would have never admitted his defeat and fight her for the remote but knowing all the overwhelming things she had gone throughout the day made him mercy her. Watching her childish attempts to win the silent war—  made him smile.

This marriage might’ve been unexpected, but tonight?

Tonight was definitely unforgettable.

⭐

Anya’s eyes fluttered opened when she heard soft giggles around her. She sat up with a jolt as her eyes fell on the different ceiling. That’s when she realised, she was not in her room, not in her house but a completely different house and a room. 

She turned to her side and saw two children sitting on the bed and her husband was sitting between them as they looked at her like she was a zoo animal on display. Her husband was sitting relaxed as if this was a daily episode of New Wife, New Life.

She frowned as she tried to recall their familiar faces and then she realised they were the ones in the Polaroid. She warmly, smiled at them while they kept examining her. She looked up at her husband for their introduction and looking at her face he understood what she meant.

“This is Shivanshi and Shivansh. Daksh bhai and Riya bhabhi’s little trouble-makers.” He informed as she again looked down at them.

“Good morning, Shivansh, Shivanshi.” She greeted them with a smile as she patted their heads, fondly.

“Bua was right. You are very petty.” Shivansh tilted his head and said while Rayansh stifled back a laugh looking at her shocked face.

“Pretty. It’s pretty and not petty. Dummy!” Shivanshi slapped her forehead in despair.

“Oh! Sorry chachi.” He gasped, instantly pinched his ear looking at Anya with guilt.

“It’s okay, Shivansh.” She smiled at him and removed his hands from his ear.

“You can call me Shiv.” He said shyly making her chuckle as she pulled him for a hug while others two frowned.

“I want a hug too.” Shivanshi jumped on them in process pushing her twin to make herself a space in Anya’s embrace. But the force was so much that Anya fell back on the bed while half of the weight of the twins was on top of her as they were still in sitting position.

Rayansh sat back, amused, as Anya was tackled by miniature humans first thing in the morning. 

 “What is this? WWE: Chachi Edition?” Riya kept her hands on her waist as she walked in looking at her kids who were here to meet their Chachi after Shrija had informed them about it.

“Bhabhi, are you okay?” Riya pulled out Shivanshi who was clinged like a monkey on Anya while Shivansh was now seated in Rayansh’s lap who had pulled him out a second ago.

“I am. But please call me Anya only.” She pleaded as she sat upright again to which recieved a positive nod.

“You all are going to miss your school bus if you don’t get ready now.” Riya informed turning towards her kids.

“What’s the time?” Anya asked panicking as she saw twins jumping off the bed.

 “It’s eight thirty chachi.” Shivanshi answered as she looked up at the clock and then dashed after her twin.

“Bappa, I slept this late!” Anya’s eyes widened hearing Shivanshi and jumped of the bed in process tripping on the cover she was sleeping with, nearly face-planted.

“Anya, relax!” Riya being near her helped her to steady by holding her arm.

“At least you woke up by yourself. On my first day here, they had to wake me up. And guess the time?” She continued giving a dramatic pause in between. While Anya hurriedly folded the covers as she curiously looked at her.

“Twelve-thirty.” She informed while Anya somewhat felt relief which was taken away by very next words of her husband.

“That was because we all slept late the previous night.” He pointed out nonchalant as he caught hold of his phone on nightstand.

“Stop scaring her.” Riya slapped his arm lightly as a warning.

"Ow! That's abuse!" He rubbed his arm dramatically. And pouted looking up at his sister-in-law. Letting her know, that he was hurt by her actions.

“Bhabhi, you don’t know real her.” Still rubbing his arm he said while Anya gave him bombastic side eyes.

“As if you know me very well.” Anya muttered sharply glaring at him.

She suddenly, leaned forward, towards him making him flinch and defensively bend backward. Only to pick up a tiny hair clip besides him that belonged to Shivanshi and passed it to Riya while he sat straight and gulped down. 

Riya caught the whole exchange, amused and barely holding back a chuckle looking at her oh-so-cool-brother-in-law. 

“I’ll see if Shiv and Shivi are done. You take your time.” Riya fondly patted Anya’s cheek before walking out making her smile at her.

Anya exhaled slowly, her gaze drifting around the room—the unfamiliar walls, the oversized bed, the soft morning light spilling through the curtains. It still didn’t feel like hers. Not yet.

But the laughter echoing just moments ago.

The twin-sized giggles still echoing faintly in her ears.

The messy blanket she’d nearly tripped on.

The distant sound of someone scolding someone lovingly.

The faint trace of woods in the air that now seemed oddly familiar.

And there was he, Rayansh, still sitting cross-legged on the bed, silently scrolling on his phone, but every so often sneaking a glance at her—as if trying to figure her out too.

That chaos?

That strangely quiet companionship?

That felt — strangely comforting and warm.

Not quite home. Not yet.

But it didn’t feel entirely foreign anymore either.

Maybe, just maybe—it was the beginning of one.

Glossary:

Bhabhi - addressing sister-in-law,

Ganpati visarjan - biding farewell to lord Ganesha during the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Note: If you want any more translations please feel free to ask!

A/N

Firstly, I'm really excited to uncover the cover I made for this book. Do share your views on it to.

So, moving towards the chapter:

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What do you feel about their equation, will it be slow burn or a rom-com?

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