Warrior - Chapter Eighty Nine

Sometime after I was finished with my meal and phone call with Amma, a worker came by to collect the tray and took it away. After pacing a little and letting my food digest, I laid back down on my makeshift bed. I was quite tired again, especially after hearing Amma go on and on about her daily drama - none of which has changed so much since when I lived under her roof. I put my phone on silent, got comfy under the covers, and faded into sleep.


*~*


"Khushi? Khushi, wake up."

Not again!

"Khushi?"

I ignored the voice and snuggled into my pillow, trying to go back to sleep.

"Khushi, wake up. Why are you on the floor?"

A low, annoyed groan escaped from my lips, wanting for nothing more than silence so that I could go back to sleep.

"Khushi-"

I groaned out in frustration once more, even half-ass waving my hand to get the person to shut up.

Let me just sleep in peace, come on!

"You shouldn't be on the floor, what the hell are you doing?"

I cried out in frustration once more and pulled the duvet over my head.

Leave me alone!

However, the duvet was quickly pulled off from my head and I squinted up to see an annoyed Arnav.

How apt.

"Khushi, get up. It's not your place to sleep on the floor."

"I can and I will," and I turned away.

"What the-! No you won't!"

"Hmph! Try me!"

"Khushi-"

"If you can, then so can I. Think of it as me on the lower bunk," I muttered his own words, trying to fall back asleep.

"That is not going to work! Khushi, get up and go to bed right now or... or... or I'll put you there myself!"

My eyes instantly popped open in shock and I glanced back to look at him. A small hint of redness sat atop his cheeks, even though he was trying to display frustration and how serious he was.

Some things just cannot be helped.

I let out a yawn and waved my hand lamely as I turned back around. "No you won't."

"I have carried you before."

The memory quickly played in my head. "Hmm."

"Khushi, I'm not playing; get up and go to bed."

"I am in bed-"

"No, you're not. The floor is not the bed, get up!"

"I'm fine-"

"For once, will you stop being stubborn? Not everything is a battle!"

My eyes opened and I simply stared forward. 

I heard Arnav sigh from behind me. "Please Khushi," he asked softly.

I felt my heart thud in my chest. "I'm too exhausted to move," I said, my tone matching his.

"...I can carry you... if you'd like."

Turning back to him, my assumption of him blushing turned out to be true.  

I opened my mouth to say something but Arnav cut me off.

"I swear if you say anything else about you wanting to stay down here...."

I simply looked up at him. "So what if I did?"

He clenched his jaw slightly, shaking his head with annoyance. "Stubborn woman," he muttered below his breath. "I can't carry you without your consent, so I'll just sleep on the floor as well."

Again, I couldn't help but to look at him, blinking at him and watching the hint of redness playing on his cheeks, despite his annoyance with me right now.

It's cute. "I consent."

Arnav's eyes slightly widened as he looked at me, all the while I continued to look at him. Eventually he looked away, blinking a few times, but it was obvious that he was still a bit stunned.

"Well," he cleared his throat, "um... okay, then."

Keeping my eyes on him as he kept his eyes on me, Arnav picked me up into his arms and stood up. He walked us over to my side of the bed and put me down, then retrieved my pillow and placed it behind me.

"Now you can sleep to your heart's content," he muttered.

Someone's clearly annoyed with me.

Arnav pulled back and headed to the closet, no doubt to get ready for bed. Several moments later, he came back into the room, clad in a t-shirt and shorts, took care of his skin, then came to bed. He shut off the lights as he laid down, then let out a sigh as he stared up at the darkness.

"I thought you said you were exhausted," he said softly, then looked at me to see that I was already looking at him.

I had been this entire time. "I am," I replied, my tone matching his.

Arnav simply hummed in return and looked back up at the ceiling.

"You've been ignoring me."

Because my eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, I was easily able to tell that his eyes had widened.

"I deserve it," I continued.

He looked back over at me, slightly frowning.

"I was a total bitch to you when you didn't deserve it; I'm sorry."

Arnav glanced down, letting out a sigh, before looking back up at the ceiling. "Is that why you decided to sleep on the floor?"

A small hum escaped from my throat as I nodded.

Arnav let out another sigh, then turned his body towards me as he looked at me. "I'm not mad at you."

"Liar."

"I mean it."

"You ignored me two nights in a row and didn't even text me to let me know where you were, or who you were with, or how long you'd be."

Again, his eyes slightly widened.

"I'd say you were," I said lowly.

Arnav didn't say anything, glancing down.

"I understand; I deserve that much for being rude to you when you've been nothing but kind to me since day one."

I felt tears threaten to pool in my eyes, so I quickly turned away, facing my back to him.

"I deserve all of that," I nearly whispered. "...Except for that one thing."

How can he love me?

Arnav said nothing for a moment. "Yes you do," he replied, his tone matching mine.

I tried to gulp away the swelling in my throat. "Do I? Because I-I find that hard to believe."

Dammit! My voice cracked!

Again, Arnav didn't say anything for a moment, but then I felt him move closer to me, bringing his pillow with him.

"You do," he finally said as he laid down closer to me.

I forced myself to hold back my tears.

Fucking hell, I hate these swirl of emotions therapy has been unlocking!

"...Arnav?"

"Hmm?"

"...will you... will you hold me? Please?"

He didn't respond but he wrapped his right arm around me, and I moved back against him as I placed my hand over his.

"Please don't ever ignore me like that again."

"I won't," he said softly, his breath mingling with my hair.

"I promise to not be a mega bitch to you."

"Don't worry yourself over it, it's late-"

"I mean it. You don't deserve it."

"...then what do I deserve?"

My eyes slightly widened as I blankly stared forward. Once again, I felt my throat swell up as tears threatened to pour once more.

I gulped the knot away in my throat as I flexed my hand over his. "You deserve better."

Arnav let out a sigh and slightly tightened his hold on me. "I already have that. I just wish that she'd see it too."

I closed my eyes as a tear escaped.

Do not punish them when they are not the ones who have hurt you.

If it'll make this shitty feeling within me go away, then I'll try.

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