Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

18. Nonessential Contemplation

Around two at night, Shivaay entered the Oberoi Mansion with Annika in his arms. He used the secret, west entrance to reach his room, so no one could spot Annika in such a state so late at night.

A sigh escaped her lips. He looked at her. She was peacefully sleeping. Passed out would be the right word. But given that he did not want anyone else to think like that, he decided to start with himself.

***

He laid Annika on her side of the bed. Tucking her inside the duvet, he shifted a few strands of her hair behind her ear. Glancing at her lips momentarily, he recalled his earlier impulse to kiss her. He was glad he didn't. That would be taking unfair advantage of her and the relationship they shared in the eyes of law. And for some reason, he couldn't see himself doing that.

A ping in his phone caught his attention. He shifted his eyes from Annika to see a weather alert on his phone. His phone reminded him of his earlier encounter with Rudra. He needed to make sure that Rudra doesn't open his mouth: knowingly or unknowingly.

Placing a simple, short, and sweet kiss on her forehead, he hurried out of the bedroom.

He couldn't resist that urge. While his desire to kiss her on lips had its roots in his sexual inclinations, the urge to kiss her forehead came along the feeling that now Annika was entirely his responsibility. He felt protective of her, so he did.

Pity won't be a nice word to describe his feelings for her. But calling it emotional attachment wouldn't be the truest either.

When his lips would touch her forehead, he could feel the lines of tension on her forehead vanishing. And that, in turn, would make him feel good. Being the cause of erasing her tension made him feel good. After all, that's what his role in her life was. To keep her safe and carefree.

***

"Rudra!" Shivaay entered his younger brother's room.

"Bhaiya?" Rudra put aside his iPad and paid his entire attention to Shivaay.

"At this time?" Rudra asked.

Shivaay nodded. He paused a moment before saying, "Did anyone ask about Annika when I wasn't here?"

Rudra could feel an urgency in Shivaay's voice, similar to what he heard earlier tonight. He was a bit hung back as well. Any normal day, he would share the news of drunk Annika with others, at least Om, in order to tease her and Shivaay. But tonight was different. He may be a kid at heart, but he knew that his teasings would be so wrong at the moment.

"Rudra, I am waiting for an answer," Shivaay reminded.

Rudra came out of his thoughts.

"Bhaiya—" he hesitated to reply. Shivaay's tone gave away his exigency, in turn, making Rudra scared if Shivaay would get mad hearing his reply. He couldn't even make himself to ask Shivaay if Annika was drunk or he assumed wrong.

"Rudra?" Shivaay asked again.

"Dadi came," Rudra blurted.

Shivaay narrowed his eyes to Rudra. Kalyani's words earlier in the evening echoed in his ears. Annika's innocent face formed in the back of his mind. His family couldn't come in between his responsibility. Studying Rudra's countenance didn't help him reach any conclusion. He required a spelled out answer.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I didn't tell her that Bhabhi might be drunk," Shivaay sighed in relief when he heard Rudra, "But—" Oh there was a but.