On a lone street with breezy air, the soft golden rays of the evening sun fell on Dhiraj's eyes. He was relaxing looking at the sandy beach down the hill with the echoing waves. Today things were different. He was in the passenger seat, and it was Nakul driving. As decided the previous day, it was Nakul's treat. He felt it was his turn now to do something.
At first Nakul had no idea where he should take Dhiraj or even what they should do. 'What can I give the man who already has everything?' The question taunted Nakul. 'Maybe a quiet getaway?' Nakul questioned, remembering a distant place, that would just be perfect. 'Yes! For a man as busy as Dhiraj, that place is perfect!!!'
And so it was decided that they will leave for the place in the late afternoon. This time Nakul had taken the reins in his hands, driving off to the place that was nearly 2 hours away. Dhiraj was reluctant to leave home under the burning sun, but since his baby had made plans and was also secretly excited for it, he gave it. And so he and Nakul set off in Nakul's small car for a place unknown to him.
An hour later, they were at the coastal strip. The turquoise blue waves crashed onto the rocks and Dhiraj couldn't help but ask himself 'when was the last time I went to a beach?'
It was nearly 5 when Nakul stopped the car under palm trees near the beach that provided sufficient shade. The beach was mostly vacant. It was as if they had traveled to a far land no one had an idea about.
"Is this like a private beach? I didn't know a beach existed with no people roaming around" Dhiraj simply tried to quench his curiosity.
"This one is relatively unknown. Plus it is far away from the main road. And the road isn't that great either...."Nakul recalled their bumpy ride. "....My Jiju (sister's husband) brought us here once. Its...peaceful" Nakul stared at the vast ocean in front of him. The sun was nearing the horizon, ready to kiss the mighty ocean.
"I thought.....the sunset would look.....pretty good from here." Nakul expressed with longing eyes. His kind of long-awaited wish to see a sunset in colors finally came too. And Dhiraj just...understood that longing.
"Yeah...it is" a smile broke on his face as he saw Nakul filled with content. He was pleased that Nakul could cross off one more thing from his bucket list. And keeping in mind the fact that he was the reason Nakul could do this, nothing made him feel prouder. With that triumphant thought in mind, now was just his turn to enjoy the rewards.
"Let's go to the water" Dhiraj cried out loud, dragging Nakul along with him by his hand. Although taken aback at the with that casual touch Nakul let himself be swept off at Dhiraj's pace. They both started making their way towards the foamy waves.
Walking, running, laughing, sprinkling water on each other and then looking for shells.
"Don't do that!!!" Nakul somewhat squealed as Dhiraj made an attempt to sprinkle some water on him.
"Why? It's fun!!"
"I haven't bought clothes with me!! And I don't want to sit here all soaked"
"Well...you can just remove them all" The devil in Dhiraj's mind worked up a solution.
"Be naked and get arrested for exhibitionism?" retorted Nakul with an eyebrow arched. "No thanks"
"Come on.....people would love to see what's underneath all that" Dhiraj tried his luck once again, pointing at Nakul's clothes.
"I know....only you would want that....." remarked Nakul, well aware of Dhiraj's intentions. But.....he wasn't grossed out. Even though he didn't want to acknowledge it, a part of him was pleased with the fact that a certain someone was trying so hard to court him. Maybe he just.....liked that attention.
"Well...you are not wrong...." Dhiraj muttered to himself.
Both men didn't realize it when time passed by. Maybe it was because they had dropped their worldly responsibilities for a minute and just let their inner child take over them. They both spent some time digging tunnels only for them to be destroyed by a huge wave. The sun was nearing to kiss the horizon, so they both decided to sit on the car's bonnet and enjoy the last few bits of it.
The final rays of the golden hour fell on them. Dhiraj laid back and closed his eyes to feel them more. As Dhiraj lost himself in the warm bliss, Nakul's eyes fell on him. He quietly observed the man beside him. From his perfect face to well chiseled body to a bewitching voice, this man had it all.
'He indeed is handsome. I can understand why people get instantly attracted to him.' Nakul couldn't help but remark.
Broad shoulders, long legs, strong hands, popped out Adam's apple that seductively moved up and down and those lips. 'His lips look chapped. He should take care of them....'
"Why are you staring at me so hard?" said the man, Nakul was pondering on just seconds ago.
Nakul realized he had been caught red-handed staring at Dhiraj. But his tsundere self-took over and he simply averted that question.
"I'm not looking at you."
"Oh yeah? Then why were your eyes on me? And lately...why is it that I often find those eyes of yours staring at me....?" Dhiraj teased Nakul more. 'Be conscious of me. More!!' ".....have you taken a liking to my face?" Dhiraj showed off his sly smile.
~Badump
Nakul's heart sped up again. Not knowing what the cause was. 'No.....I'm just anxious.....'. He made a desperate attempt to stop feeling those unknown sensations in his throat.
"You must be dreaming. I wasn't looking at you" said Nakul in his ever-stern gaze. Dhiraj let him off the hook. Silence took over them, as they both quietly observed the sound of waves from a distance. The sky filled with pinks and oranges brought a sense of tranquility to Nakul.
"Oyy....will you tell me about something?" Dhiraj's question brought back Nakul from his lucid dream.
"Yeah what?"
"Have you ever been with someone? Like....in a relationship?" Dhiraj asked. Even though he already knew the answer, he wanted to understand things from Nakul's point of view. Plus if Nakul did, in fact, share such an intimate detail with Dhiraj, it would be a sign that the distance between them has lessened. Meaning, Dhiraj's efforts have not gone in vain. Soon, his baby would open up to him and...accept him.
Nakul hesitated for a bit but still began, "yeah. I have been with someone. 2 times. The 1st time I liked someone was when I was 14. She was a monochrome too. And.....she was just so pretty. Especially her smile." a faint smile broke onto Nakul's lips.
~pang. Jealousy hit Dhiraj like a truck. But he knew he had to keep his feelings to himself.
Nakul continued, "it was the 1st time I felt, someone truly understood this. That I don't have to go through this all alone. That in fact, I won't be alone. I have someone for me...." He took a pause. "She was my 1st love"
All Dhiraj could do was clench his jaw tighter to stop those nasty emotions he was feeling from spilling out. "What happened then?" He asked Nakul.
"Reality hit me. It was....just a high school-relationship for her. Now that I look back, I think she just wanted to experience what being in a relationship felt like. I can't really blame her for that. I mean.....we were just kids....." Nakul turned to Dhiraj. And despite having a faint smile on his face, despite trying to pretend he was fine...Dhiraj could just feel those solemn eyes.
"What happened after that?" Dhiraj tried to divert Nakul's mind.
"After that? Well, we carried on with our lives. By the time I reached college I had lost all the excitement and curiosity and the desire to be with someone. But then I met Purvi. She was...different. But things didn't work out with her either."
"Why?" questioned Dhiraj despite knowing the answer.
"I....don't know....things got boring for her maybe." 'I don't want him to know that she was with me out of pity. That is just.....pathetic.'
Nakul forced another smile on his lips. And in order for Dhiraj to not ask any further questions, he changed the topic of discussion.
"What about you, Mr. Millionaire Playboy? Have you ever been serious with someone?"
"Ahhh....not really. People...were always just interested in my face, or body, or status. Never in me as a person....." Dhiraj purposely spoke in a tone as if he didn't care. "All superficial stuff you know. So that's what I gave them. Just some surface level pleasure. I didn't get involved with anyone on an emotional level...."
He let his words sink in Nakul's mind. A part of him intentionally wanted to paint the picture in Nakul's mind that they both weren't that different after all. That they both were two lonely people, waiting for someone to hold their hand. Look into their eyes and just.....hug them tightly to never let go. That they both wanted the same thing. That all they wanted was someone...to call 'mine'.
"But don't be sad for me" Dhiraj continued after a pause, ".....because when I find the one, who's meant for me...I'll give them the world." He inches closer to Nakul, purposely making the other conscious about the diminishing distance between them. Their lips were only a few centimeters apart and Nakul could feel Dhiraj's strong gaze fixated on him. It was as if all this man could see was him. And that piercing gaze made Nakul's body temperature rise. He could hear his heart thumping in his throat. It had been a long time since Nakul had been so conscious of someone. He knew he had to do something.....or something dangerous could happen.
But before he had a chance to do that, Dhiraj jumped on the opportunity to yield his reward.
"Hey Nakul...I've been a good boy right?" He patiently waited for Nakul to answer.
That took Nakul by surprise. 'What has gotten into him suddenly?' "What are you? A dog?" he couldn't help but ask that question.
"I told you earlier too.....I won't mind being a dog for you"
'He is just making me want to test him. How far can he go.....?' Nakul wondered. "Okay yes, you have been a good boy....so?" Now Nakul had started enjoying and giving into this little game of theirs.
"So.....a good boy must be rewarded right?...." Dhiraj proposed wearing that sly smile of his. He turned his head to one side, showing Nakul his cheek. "I would like a kiss...."
The sun had set long back. Now all that was left were shades of orange and purples. A cool breeze brought a chill in Nakul's spine. 'You cannot resist being a flirt.....I get that. But kiss? That's going too far.' He got off the car and started making his way to get inside.
"It's getting chilly now. Let's go home." Nakul said, simply averting Dhiraj's gaze that was still fixated on him. He could feel their presence lingering all over his body. And he wasn't able to comprehend what he exactly was feeling.
A flush of embarrassment with an unknown urge to...'do what?' He found himself in a train of thoughts as he got inside his car. Why do I feel I should just kis-...'no no...should I?...kissing him is....it will be.....wait a minute....WHAT THE FUCK AM I EVEN THINKING?' He banged his head slightly on the steering wheel.
"Babe....what are you doing?" a concerned Dhiraj asked.
Babe...? Nakul's ears perked up at those words.
[A/N: Nakul reacting to Babe.....ahhhhhhhh🙈🙈🙈🙈]
"Nothing" Nakul shrugged off the question. But his eyes unconsciously fall onto Dhiraj's lips. 'They are soooo chapped.'
Without giving much thought, he took out a lip balm he kept in his car. Throwing it on Dhiraj's lap he said, "Apply this on your lips. You should take care of them. Keep this one with you."
'My baby is taking care of me? AND THAT TOO MY LIPS?!!!!!!!!' Dhiraj was over the moon. He immediately took the balm and started applying it on his lip looking into the rearview mirror. Unknown to him, his baby was still contemplating over something.
Apparently Dhiraj's absurd request had made a home in Nakul's head. A part of him wanted to comply to it?! He couldn't believe he felt it was reasonable to just give Dhiraj.....a kiss.
One part of his brain went: 'wouldn't I be grossed out by it? Kissing a man?.....'
But the other argued: 'it's just a kiss on his cheek right? Not a big deal...plus he has done so much for you....'
'But that doesn't mean I should repay by kissing him...I'm not even sure if I can do that.....what if I feel disgusted?'
'Well.....there's only one way to know...'
'~Wanna give it a try?'
Dhiraj had just finished applying the lip balm and he was still in ecstasy that his Baby was concerned about him. And not just him....about his lips....!!!! He was lost in his own little joy ride when he felt a soft sensation on his cheek.
His mind went blank. Was it what he thought it was? He turned his face in astonishment and found Nakul's face extremely close to his.
~badump.
Dhiraj's heart skipped a beat, not able to grasp what just happened. Nakul looked away all embarrassed while Dhiraj just....stared at him with his mouth left open. His face all of sudden was hot as his brain started making sense of what had just happened.
"Did you just....." Dhiraj was still too astonished to say anything.
All a red-faced Nakul could manage to say was, "hey....I just did what you said. Don't sweat on it." With a furrowed and classic 'Nakul-the-tsundere' style Nakul turned on the engine driving off the beach. And then there was Dhiraj. Smiling to himself, secretly celebrating his success in developing a crack in Nakul's shell.
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Trivia:
I'm not sure if this subtle change came across but I want to clarify this. When anything is mentioned in '....' single quotes; they the internal thoughts of the characters. Since WN doesn't allow italics, I had to go with quotes.
Hopefully, it came across well!!